downfall was to be wrought by the Stone viz. the Kingdom of Christ who should first demolish the Gods and Idols thereof and then the State it self The time therefore when our Saviour spake was fulfilled and the Kingdom of God was at hand Thus you see how the Time was pointed out at large now hear the precise and punctual Time whereby they might know not only that the Kingdom of Messiah should be set up in the Roman Monarchy but also in what time thereof The Angel tells Daniel ch 9. 24. That when the Temple City and Commonwealth of the Iews which then lay wast by the Babylonish captivity should be restored and set up again it should continue 490 years or 70 times 7 years and no more and that before that term ended Messiah should come and be anointed and make atonement for sin His words are these Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most Holy For understanding this reckoning you must know that the Iews according to the Law counted their time and years by Sevens every Seventh year being a year of rest for the Land and freeing of Servants and so called a Sabbatical year according to which account the Angel tells Daniel that Seventy of those weeks of years were allotted for the standing of their Temple and Commonwealth when both should be restored again after the Captivity which make in all 490 years Now if Messiah were to appear before these 490 years were ended it could not in likelihood be much later than this time when our Saviour published his Gospel because within 40 years after the Temple and State of the Iews was utterly destroyed whereby it was apparent that the 490 years were ended and therefore the Time of Messiah's appearing past But Daniel yet points out the Time more nearly and punctually For he tells us moreover that from the Edict for restoring the State of the Iews and re-building Ierusalem which was some years after the re-building of the Temple should be unto Messiah the Prince 62 of those weeks or sevens of years and after those 62 seven years Messiah should be cut off Now if we reckon this number of weeks of years from that week wherein Ezra received commission from Artaxerxes King of Persia to restore and settle the Church and State of the Iews and Nehemiah soon after to build the walls of Ierusalem we shall find the Time when our Saviour began this publication of his Gospel to fall out in the last week of those 62 weeks As a woman therefore with child when her tenth and last moneth is come may truly say Her reckoning is fulfilled and her travail is at hand so might our Saviour when the last week of Messiah's weeks was begun say The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of heaven is at hand The Lesson to be learned hence is for confirmation of our Faith against the blindness and obstinacy of the Iews who will not believe that Iesus of Nazareth who came at the time appointed was their King Messiah but look for another yet to come O blind Miscreants If the time of Messiah's coming were then fulfilled when our Saviour preached unto them how are they so besotted as to look for that his coming still Shall he come 1600 years after the time of his coming was fulfilled Their Fathers looked for the coming of Messiah at that time when our Saviour preached amongst them yea had filled all the East with the fame of their expectation which thâ—y would never have done had they not seen the time appointed for his coming and kingdom was to come out in that Age. Why did their Fathers never alledge against the Apostles That the time was not yet come Had not this been the readiest way to stop their mouths when they told them They had crucified their Messiah Nay when our Saviour made this fulfilling of the time to be the ground of his doctrine why did not their great Doctors their Scribes and Pharisees oppose and gainsay it unless they had known it to be so indeed Nay at his blessed Birth when the wise men came from the East to Ierusalem saying Where is he that is born King of the Iews when Herod and all Ierusalem was troubled when he assembled all the chief Priests and Scribes of the people about it why did they not tell him the Time was not yet come unless they had known it had been come But of the Time there was no question only the Place was inquired of In a word All the exception the Iews could find against our Saviour was the meanness of his Person because he came not like a King and the Place of his education because he was a Galilaean But against the Time of his coming they took no exception Nay which is an invincible confession the most of them at this day have no other shift but to say That Messiah was born then namely before their Temple was destroyed and lies hid all this time somewhere for their sins but at length shall shew himself unto them Let us pray unto Almighty God that he would at length open their eyes to see him to be their King whom they have pierced and that there is no other to be looked for And let us continually magnifie his goodness unto us unto whom being Gentiles and Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel a people without God in the world he hath nevertheless vouchsafed this great light and made known that Mysterie which is hidden from his own people to whom appertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Whose were the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever What are we that it should please the great and mighty God to look upon such dead dogs as we are DISCOURSE XXVI S. MARK 1. 15. Repent ye and believe the Gospel WHilest our Blessed Saviour preached here on earth what else in likelihood could the argument of his preaching be but the Mystery of Christian Religion or way of attaining Salvation through himself Accordingly this Brief of his Sermons recorded by our Evangelist contains no less than the Sum of all Christian Divinity For the Knowledg of the Kingdom of God and the means how to attain to be a member and so to have interest in the benefits and priviledges of the same which is Salvation containeth the Sum of all a Christian is either to know or do The first of which The knowledg of the Kingdom of God is in the first words The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand of which I have spoken already The second is contained in the next words Repent ye
discontented soon after he had destroyed the kingdom of the Goths 10 Greeks In the residue of the Empire Marcianus Ancient Rome's Empire finished that of the Greeks is but one of the Kingdoms whereinto it was divided Thus was the Empire divided and shared Anno 456. the year after Rome was sacked by Gensericus and the off-spring of these Nations through many alterations partly by the inconstancy of humane things unions and disunions partly by the further enlargement of the Christian Faith are the body of most of the Kingdoms and States of Christendom at this day Three of these Kings saith Daniel should the Antichristian Horn depress and displant to advance himself which Three are those whose Dominions extended into Italy and so stood in his light 1. That of the Greeks whose Emperor Leo Isaurus for the quarrel of Images he excommunicated and revolted his subjects of Italy from their allegiance 2. That of the Longobards successors of the Ostrogoths whose Kingdom he caused by the aid of the Franks to be wholly ruined thereby to get the Exarchate of Ravenna which since their revolt from the Greeks they were seized on for a Patrimony to S. Peter 3. The last was the Kingdom of the Franks it self continued in the Empire of Germany whose Emperors from the day of Henry the Fourth he excommunicated deposed and trampled under his feet and never suffered them to live in rest till he made them not only quit their interest in Election of Popes and Investitures of Bishops but that remainder of Iurisdiction in Italy wherewith together with the dignity of the Roman name he had once inseoffed their Predecessors These are the Kings by displanting or as the Vulgar hath by humbling of whom the Pope got elbow-room by degrees and advanced himself to the height of Temporal Majesty and absolute Greatness which made him so terrible in the world This Third blow therefore I suppose is to be counted the Last of the Ruine of the Empire the Imperial power of the ancient Rome until the Pope some 345 years after revived the name henceforth ceasing For as for those who yet some twenty years after our date scuffled for that Name one of them deposing another they were indeed but shadows of Caesars and as it were struglings with the pangs of death until with Augustulus it gave up the ghost Yea it is to be observed that two of them Avitus the very next and Glycerius being deposed from the Empire were made Bishops the one of Placentia or Piacenza the other of Portus as a sign perhaps that the Emperor of Rome henceforth should be a Bishop and a Bishop the Emperor To conclude therefore with the application of our Apostle's Prediction Whether the Christian Apostasie in worshipping new Daemon-Gods began not with the First of these degrees notably increased with the Second and was established by the Last I leave you to judge when you shall have surveyed the Monuments and Records of those times It is commonly and truly affirmed by our Ecclesiastical Antiquaries That before the year 360 there is no word to be found of the Invocation of Saints glorified or Worshipping their Reliques to which I add no not of any Miracles done by them But presently after that year when our first date of the Empire 's ruine began search and you shall find I spare to name the Authors not willing to discover the nakedness of the Fathers But whoso reads them will admire to see so truly verified what the Spirit foretold should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter times And to make an end If any shall think this Speculation of Times to be a needless curiosity I desire him to remember how our Saviour reproved the Iews for neglect hereof Matth. 16. 3. O ye Hypocrites ye can discern the face of the skie but can ye not discern the signs of the times or as S. Luke 12. 56. How is it that ye do not discern this Time They through neglecting the Signs of the Times when Christ came received him not How many through ignorance of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter Times when the Apostasie hath appeared eschewed it not From which of these Three Beginnings of the Apostatical Times or whether from some other moment within or between them the Almighty will reckon that his Computation of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ended shall finish the days of the Man of sin I curiously enquire not but leave unto him who is Lord of times and seasons Nor do I think that the Iews themselves could certainly tell from which of their Three Captivities to begin that reckoning of LXX years whose end should bring their return from Babylon until the Event assured them thereof AN APPENDIX CHAP. XV. That Daniel's 70 Weeks are a lesser Kalendar of Times That in reference to these Weeks must those Phrases in the Epistles to the converted Iews viz. The Last Hour or Time The End of all things The Day approaching c. be expounded of the End of the Iewish State and Service at the expiring of the 70 Weeks That the Apostles were not so mistaken as to believe the End of the World should be in their dayer proved against Baronius and other Romanists I SHOULD now presently come to speak of the Fourth particular which I observed in this Verse But because in this Discourse of Times besides the Great Kalendar of Times I so much spake of there was some mention of a Lesser Kalendar viz. of Daniel's 70 weeks give me leave to 〈◊〉 some places of Scripture which I suppose to have reference thereto for the better clearing not only of our former Discourse but of some scruples that might trouble our minds when mention is made of an End then supposed near though the World hath so many hundred years since continued and no end thereof is yet come Know therefore that these 70 weeks of Daniel are a Little Provincial Kalendar containing the time that the Legal worship and Iewish state was to continue from the re-building of the Sanctuary under Darius Nothus until the final destruction thereof when the Kalendar should expire Within the space whereof their Commonwealth and City should be restored and 62 weeks after that the Messias be slain for sin and at the end of the whole 70 their City and Temple again destroyed and their Commonwealth utterly dissolved To these Weeks therefore whose computation so especially concerns the Iews is reference made in those Epistles which are written to the Christian Churches of that Nation whether living in Iewry or abroad dispersed Such is S. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews both S. Peter's to those of the Dispersion in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia the Epistle of S. Iames to the twelve Tribes and likewise the first Epistle of S. Iohn which though the Salutation expresseth not as in the former yet may appear both because Peter Iames and Iohn were all three Apostles of the Circumcision and from that
Kings which the little Horn is said to have displanted Dan. 7. 8. or as the Angel interprets v. 24. brought down or humbled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar turns humiliabit the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenaeus deminorabit vel ut in alio exemplari dehonorabit Vatablus opprimet Iunius deprimet Resp. In my larger interpretations of the Trumpets in Rev. 8 you have at the end of the second Trumpet a Table of Ten Kings or Kingdoms whereinto the Roman Empire was divided about Anno 456 and forward The off-spring of which Nations through many alterations partly by the inconstancy of humane things partly occasioned by the further enlargement of the Christian Faith are the body of most of the Kingdoms and States of Christendom at this day Look upon the Table and then I answer you thus The three Kings which Daniel saith the Antichristian Horn should depress and displant to advance himself were those whose Dominions extended into Italy and so stood in his light First That of the Greeks whose Emperor Leo Isaurus for the quarrel of Image-worship he excommunicated and made his subjects of Italy revolt from their allegiance Secondly That of the Longobards successors to the Ostrogoths whose Kingdom he caused by the aid of the Franks to be wholly ruined and extirpated thereby to get the Exarchate of Ravenna which since the revolt from the Greeks the Longobards were seised on for a Patrimony to S. Peter Thirdly The last was the Kingdom of the Franks it self continued in the Empire of Germany whose Emperors from the days of Henry the fourth he excommunicated deposed and trampled under his feet and never suffered to live in rest till he made them not only to quit their interest in the Election of Popes and Investitures of Bishops but that remainder also of Iurisdiction in Italy wherewith together with the Roman name he had once infeoffed their Predecessors These were the Kings by displanting or as the Vulgar hath humbling of whom the Pope got elbow-room by degrees and advanced himself to that height of Temporal Majesty and absolute greatness which made him so terrible in the world See in the Table 3 9 10. In the forementioned Letter to Mr. T. I. upon the same argument there is this additional Observation And here note it is one thing for the Ten Kings to give their power and authority unto the Beast capitis novissimi as S. Iohn speaks Rev. 17. that is voluntarily to subject themselves and yield homage to him as their Head and Principal and another thing for the same Beast or Antichristian Horn to displant depress or humble them The first should be common to all the Ten as was revealed to S. Iohn the latter proper to Three of them as was shewed to Daniel For observe that as in the History of our Saviour's Acts penned by the four Evangelists one relates that which another omits and è contra so is it in these Prophetical descriptions of the Fourth Beast by Daniel and Iohn Quest. 3. How those words in Dan. 7. ver 12. are to be interpreted and applied viz. As concerning the rest of the Beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Resp. Before I answer it must be known and remembred that for that As concerning there is nothing in the Original but the Copulative Vau which as the sense requires is to be translated not only copulatively but disjunctivè adversativè causaliter ordinativè and sometimes as a particle of similitude and the like it being of it self as a Materia prima In the latter part of this sentence it is translated adversativè viz. Yet Yet their lives c. for which in the Original is nothing but the same Conjunction Vau. This premised I answer First If Beasts here be meant of the three first Beasts it is to be taken by way of a Parenthesis implying a tacite answer to a question For Daniel having spoken so largely of the destruction of the Fourth Beast and nothing of the other it might be asked Yea but what became of the former three He answers As concerning them also they had their dominion taken away but their lives were prolonged for a time and a season that is they reigned their time and then had their dominion taken away And thus our Translators seem to have understood it and accordingly to have sitted their translation by turning Vau As concerning This is an easie and smooth interpretation nor do I see any sufficient reason why it should not satisfie Secondly But some of the Hebrew Commenters understand not Beasts here of the three Beasts forementioned but of other Beasts that is other States and Kingdoms then reigning in the world at what time the fourth Beast should be destroyâ—d That these also as well as the Fourth Beast and his limmes should have their Kingdoms taken away though not at the same instant yet some time after And so Vau shall not need be translated As concerning but Also Also the rest of the Reasts c As for the word Beasts to be taken here for other Kingdoms as well as the Four great ones it needs make no scruple For we shall find it so in the next Chapt. where it iâ— said of the Medo-Persian Ram verse 4. that no Beasts might stand before him that is no Sâ—ate or Kingdom was able to resist his power So here may The rest of the Beasts be the States and Kingdoms contemporary with the fourth Beast And this interpretation would sound well with the words of S. Iohn in the end of the 19. Chapter where it being said that the Beast and False Prophet were cast into the fire as Daniel saith of hiâ— fourth Beast chap. 7. v. 11. it followeth And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate upon the horse c. as if he had meant to express this of Daniel And the rest of the Beasts had their dominion taken away c. But the difficulty then will be how the latter part of the words should be taken viz. Yet or And or But their lives were prolonged for a season and time The Rabbins take it for some season and time after the fourth Beast was destroyed and R. Solomen at the time of the war of Gog and Magog which they look for soon after then â— stitution upon the destruction of the fourth Beast But whether can this stand with S. Paul's assertion that the fourth Beast terminating in the Man of sin shall be destroyed at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or appearing of Christ's coming How should any Beasts lives be prolonged for a season and time after that coming Or should we expound this season and time of a thousand year after when the last and final execution of Christ upon his enemâ—e is to be But Daniel seems to joyn the appearance of Christ in the clouds to receive a Kingdom with this destruction of the
looked that that glorious Son of David should have been born of the most rich and potent parentage of that line but behold he was of the poorest and most despised Who would not have thought but Ierusalem the Royal City had been the only fit place for his Birth but he was born at Bethlehem one of the least Cities of Iudah And what in some stately and more convenient Palace there No in a stable and laid in a manger So was David his progenitor the youngest and most despised son of Ishai Samuel thought that brave and goodly Eliab the first-born was the man surely whom God would chuse to make him King But God had set his eye upon him whom the Father so little regarded as he could scarce think of him even the little one which kept the sheep Thus God derides the conceits of men Fools therefore that we are why do we value those things so much which God esteems so little We are wont otherwise to make much account of such things as Kings and Great ones have in esteem and to think but basely of those things which they despise why should not the Example of Almighty God bear the like sway in our judgments to prefer what he prefers and slight what he undervalues Let us therefore considering this set our hearts and affections upon heavenly and spiritual things and say of all the pomp and glory of this world Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity THUS have I spoken of the two first Particulars I propounded the Time when and the Place where our Saviour began the publication of his Gospel I come now to the Third The Summe of what he preached and it was this The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel This was the Summe of what he preached and it contains two parts a Doctrine and an Exhortation The Doctrine is That the Time foretold by the Prophets when the Kingdom of God should begin was come The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand The Exhortation is That therefore they should Repent and believe the Gospel or glad tidings which that Kingdom brings I 'le begin with the Doctrine where I have two things to unfold 1. What this Kingdom of God is 2. What was the Time prefixt for the coming thereof which our Saviour saith was fulfilled when he spake unto them For the first The Kingdom of God is that which otherwise is called The Kingdom of Heaven These two are both one and therefore S. Matthew chap. 4. 17. when he relates this preaching of our Saviour saith that he preached and said Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand namely the same that Iohn Baptist his Harbinger preacht before him For the Hebrews express God by Heaven as we may see Dan. 4. 26. where it is said to Nebucchadnezzar that his kingdom should be restored unto him when he should acknowledge that the heavens bear rule that is God the most High who dwells in heaven The prodigal child in the Gospel saith Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee Luke 15. 21. So Matt. 21. 25. The Baptism of Iohn was it from Heaven or from men that is from God or from men This is the reason why the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven mean one and the same thing Let us therefore now see what is meant by it This Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is the Kingdom of Messiah or Christ foretold in the Prophets the Kingdom of that Seed of the woman which should break the Serpent's head of that seed of Abraham wherein all the Nations of the earth should be blessed For so the Hebrew Doctors before and at our Saviour's coming had termed this Kingdom and taught their people to look for it under that name which they had learned out of the Prophecies of Daniel concerning it who in chap. 2. ver 44. describes it in this manner In the days of those Kings or Kingdoms that is while the days of the four Monarchies there spoken of yet lasted the God of heaven shall found or set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor be lest unto another people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever In the 7 ch ver 13 14. he describes it thus I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven And there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed From these places the Iews called the Messiah's Kingdom the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven Because in the first place it is said that the God of heaven should set up his Kingdom and in the other places that the Son of man namely Messiah should come in the clouds of Heaven For our Saviour brought not this term of phrase with him but found it at his coming used among the Iews which being fitly given he approved and so taught them the mysterie of his coming in their own language As we may see in so many Parables in the Gospel where our Saviour sets forth the state of his Church and the members of the same continually under the name of The Kingdom of God or The Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven is like a field where a sower sowed good seed c. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven c. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Merchant c. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net and such like In all which our Saviour describes the state of his Church in that language the people were used unto as he doth also in other of his Sermons Hence it is that when Iohn Baptist first and our Saviour after him preached The Kingdom of heaven is at hand the Iews wondred not at that term as at a novelty nor ever askt what it meant but understood it of the Kingdom of Messiah which they had been taught to call by that name then and is still found so called among their Rabbies and Doctors until this day though through their unbelief they have no portion therein but look for it still to come The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven then is nothing else but the Church of Christ or the Christian Church which is no Temporal kingdom like the kingdoms of this world which have power over the Body only but a Spiritual kingdom which reigns over the Souls and Spirits of men The Kingdom of God saith our Saviour is within you that is it is a kingdom of the inward man And therefore this kingdom was not to be founded after the manner of the kingdoms of men by great armies and field-battels but was to subdue the nations and conquer the world by
discern in S. Malthew the Hebrew Evangelist Chap. 24. v. 30. two such Appearances intimated The one in the words Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven and all the Tribes of the earth shall mourn out of Zach. 12. v. 10 11 12. The other in the words following And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory out of Dan. 7. But here I find a rub which I cannot yet get over For this appearing of the sign of the Son of man in heaven as well as his coming in the clouds with great glory is said to be immediately after the tribulation of those days that is as I am wont to expound it soon after the long tribulation of the Iewish Nation shall be ended But their tribulation shall not end till they be converted Ergo their Conversion must needs precede the sign of the Son of man in heaven there mentioned Here I stick But your Objections I think I could answer thus As first to that of the Iews Conversion to be wrought by the taking away the veil from their hearts 2 Cor. 3. I could answer That that is the Internal cause of their Conversion or if you will the act of the Spirit of God illuminating and converting them as he that takes away the film from the eyes of him that sees not or the hood from him that is hood-winkt does by that act make him see But I speak of the External cause or means of the Iews Conversion such as in the ordinary administration of God is the preaching of the Word but extraordinarily may be by Miracle as was in the Conversion of Paul who nevertheless had the Mosaical veil taken from his heart as well as the rest of his Nation when they are converted shall have But by the way because you mention that place Luk. 7. 47. give me leave to add That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Scripture not only Quia or quoniam but also the redditive thereto which is Ideo propterea because namely the Hebrew particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers signifies both as appears Psal. 116. v. 10. compared with 2 Cor. 4. 13. ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebraeo à Paulo exponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Gen. 22. 17. item Eccles. 8. 6. See our English In both which places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both the causal Quoniam and the redditive thereto Ideo Now the Scripture is wont to extend the Greek words it useth unto the full notion of the Hebrew or Chaldee to which they answer as may be proved by many Examples though in the Greeks use they signified not so This Dialect is called Lingua Hellenistica spoken by the Hellenists or Greekish Iews which lived dispersed under the Greek Empire whose property is to accommodate verba Graeca notioni Orientis But no such ground can be shewn I think for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quando to signifie the redditive tunc To your other Objection How such a Vision could be manifested to the Iews dispersed in several parts of the world I could answer That a Vision or Apparition in Heaven may be seen to the greatest part of the world at the same time as Stars and Comets are how else shall the Appearing of our Saviour in the clouds of Heaven at his coming to Iudgment be seen at once to so many Nations of the world But here is one thing more considerable from the miraculous Conversion of S. Paul upon supposal that that of the Iews may be like it viz. That though many were present with S. Paul at that time yet none saw the apparition of Christ nor heard him speak but Paul alone for whose sake he appeared The rest saw indeed a strange light and heard the voice of Paul replying and answering but they heard not the voice nor saw any that spake unto him which therefore made them astonished Compare Acts 9. 7. where it is said They heard Paul's voice with Acts 22. 9. where it is said They heard not the voice of him that spake unto him And take heed here of some of our English Bibles which have put in a not where it should not be as they have done the like in other places Fie upon such careless Printers But to the matter What if the like be at the Iews Conversion to wit that they alone shall see and hear the voice of Christ but none of the Gentiles amongst whom they dwell though perhaps some strange light for a testimony may at that instant surprise the whole world to the astonishment of the Nations therein Consider that of Matt. 24. 27. and the places of the other Evangelists answering thereto And what if the Iews upon such an apparition may have as S. Paul had an Ananias too or as they expect an Elias to instruct them So you know the ancient Christian Church believed from Mal. 4. 5. Mat. 17. 11. Ecclus. 48. 10. For though the Fathers as well as the Iews might erre concerning the person and circumstances of this Elias yet it follows not presently but the substance of the opinion might be true But I will not discover all my roving Speculations unless I had better ground for them lest perhaps I should make you more than wonder at me Howsoever it be I suppose it is no sin to conceive magnificè and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of so great a work of God towards a people for whom he hath formerly shewed so many wonders especially this being to be the greatest work of mercy and wonder that ever he did for them far beyond the bringing them forth of AEgypt and leading them in the wilderness c. Consider it Besides it may be there is a precedent already extant Sure I am when I had entertained this conceit into my meditation I was led by I know not what providence as I was searching some other matter to find an History of the greatest multitude of Iews that ever I think were converted since the Apostles times to have been convinced by such a miraculous apparition in every respect as I had apprehended The Story if it be true happened about some 570 years after Christ in the daies of Iustinus the Greek Emperor though Bigneus puts it a hundred years before in the kingdom of the Omerites some write Homerites in Arabia Felix where the Iews in those parts being a strong party had challenged to a publick Disputation a Christian City and Kingdom in that Tract upon condition that if they could not convince the Christians by strength of Reason and Scripture they would become Christians if they could they required the Christians should turn Iews The Disputation was performed for three days together sub dio in a full assembly of the King his Peers and people between Gregentius Bishop of Tephra and Herbanus champion for the Iews who were there assembled with him
observable Gloss upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Tim. 4. 1. 636 Ethnicisme when and by what degrees it fell in the Roman Empire 195 Encharist That Christ is offered there not Hypostatically but Commemoratively only proved from ancient Liturgies and Fathers 376 c. See Christian Sacrifice Even-song its antiquity enquired into 840 F FAith A threefold Faith 214. Saving Faith described 154 155. no True Saving Faith that is without fruits of Obedience 156 Fast why the Iews used to fast upon the 4 5 and 10 moneths 890 Fear is sometimes in Scripture put for God 9 Feasts The three solemn Feasts viz. the Passeover Pentecost and F. of Tabernacles 265. That they were both Commemorative and Figurative 265 266. the Presents and Offerings at these Feasts 268 c. Fire-offering why so called 290 First Sinner â—any kind most severely punished by God 122 Foedus percutere ferire whence the phrase 371 Fonts See Baptisteriâ—s Food convenient in Prov. 30. what meant thereby 124 125 Footstool God's Footstool what 393 Forgiveness of injuries the necessity thereof proved by four arguments 95 c. Form of Prayer See Prayer Fulness of the Gentiles what 139 197 Fundamentals their Ratio and distinguishing Character fit to be enquired into and stated 868 873. the reason why men are shye of doing this 868 869. Lutherans and Calvenists differ not in Fundamentals 866 876. and therefore should tolerate each other 866 875. Two sorts of Fundamental Articles viz. Fundamentals of Salvation and Fundamentals of Ecclesiastical communion 869. a farther explication or Fundamentals of Salvation 870 871. The way of determining Fundamentals should be short easie and evident 871. Fundamenta Theologicarum veritatum not the same with Fundamenta Salutis 872 Furlongs 1600. in Apocal. 14 20. what may seenâ— to be meant thereby 593 G. GAlilee described 130. Galilee of the Gentiles why so called ibid. Galilee the most despised part of Palestine 102. Christâ—s ordinary residence was in Galilee 100. and this was according to Prophecy 101 Gehenna when and how it came to signifie Hell 31 General or Catholick Epistles why so called 663 Gentiles Calling of the Gentiles twofold and at distant times 139 453. c. their first Calling 164. they are God's surrogated Israel and represented in the Apocalyps under the notion of Israelites or Iews 454. Why the Apostles were at first so ignorant that the Gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles 77 Gerizim The Temple at mount Gerizim built by whom and why 48 Glory when it refers to God what it signifies 92. To Glorifie or give glory unto God what 92 Goats set en Christs left hand what meant thereby 841 God How the Understanding and Will ascend to God by the Scale of the Creatures 191 192 Gods House the condition and property of it 340 c. the manner of God's presence therein 343 c. Vindicated twice by Christ from prophanation 44 Gods To serve other Gods is sometimes meant Politically for being servants to such as served them 668 Gog and Magog in the Apocalyps his conjecture touching them 574. not the same with Gog in Ezekiel 605. where Gog was prophesied of before Ezekiel 796. why prophesied of by Micah in chap. 5. under the name of the Assyrian 796 797 Cospel the description of it 110. this description explained 112. the Gospels antiquity 110. the gradual discoveries of it under the Old Testament 111. how it includes Repentance 113 Goths when they received the Christian Faith 842 Gothick Liturgy its antiquity ibid. Grebner's Prophecy censured 878 Greek and Eastern Churches opposition against image-worship and Saint-worship when it began and how long it lasted 683 c. Greek Kingdom not extended in the holy account beyond Antiochus Epiphanes 749 797 Gregentius a Christian Bishop his famous dispute with Herbanuâ— a Iew with the issue thereof 767 H. HAdes the place of separate Souls 605 Hail what it signifies in the Prophetick Style 460 Hallowed See Sanctified Harvest a twofold signification thereof in the Prophets 520 Mr. Haydock's ingenious conjecture about the form of the 7 Sealed Book applauded by Mr. Mede 791 Heart Cleanness or Purity of Heart what 200. an effectual means to this is the apprehension of God's presence 201. Loyalty of Heart to God what 202. Perfect Heart what ibid. Sincerity of Heart what 204. why and how the Heart is to be kept and guarded with all diligence 199 200. From the pure and sincere Heart are the issues of Spiritual life 204. Five issues of Spiritual life 205 Heave-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 described and distinguished 288 Heaven is sometimes in Scripture put for God 102 103. where in Scripture God was first styled The God of Heaven and why 90. Heaven in the Political world what it signifies according to the Prophetick Style 615 616 Heavens 3 Heavens mentioned in Scripture 614. the Sublunary Heavens only shall suffer in the great Constagration 615. Hebrew Text of the Old Testament the differences between it and the LXX the various readings c. 785 805 c. 808. Lud. de Dien's judgment of the Keri and Ketif 806 807 Hell why called Coetus Rephaim 32. and the Lake of fire and brimstone 33. and Gehenna 31 Heresies brought into the Church privily 240 Hierom his unequal relating the opinions of his adversaries 602 836 899. why he never mentions Iustin Martyr where he speaks of the Chiliasts 813 High priests going into the most Holy place what it figured 639 Hills See Mountains Holiness twofold 1 Original Absolute and Essential in God 2 Derived or Relative in the things which are his 8. a threefold notion of Holiness 1 Essential Holiness 2 Holiness of Integrity 3 Relative Holiness 823. Things relatively holy under the Gospel 11 399. Objectioâ—s answered 400 401 See more in Sanctity Holy one of Israel why God is so called 8 Holy-days the observing of them nor forbidden by the fourth Commandment 267 Honour sometimes signifies Reward or Maintenance 72. See Double Honour Horn The Little Horn in Dan. 7. is not Antiochus Epiphanes 737. but Antichrist 714. according to the sense of the ancient Fathers 656 657 how the Little Horn rose up behind the Ten Horns 778 Host of Heaven twofold 1 Visible the Stars 2 Invisible the Angels 90. The Lord of Hosts why God is so called ibid. House of God See God's House Humility or Lowliness described 158 Humblest nature and condition fittest for Religion 159 Hysteropotmi who 64 I. IAcob the reason of his name 226 Iaphets Sons 5 Rules to find out their original seats after the dispersion of Babel 275. 5 other Rules 277 Iavan the Father of the Grecians 278 Idolatry and Sacriledge near allied 17. the main Character of the Christian Apostasie 643. the Church of Israel Idolatrous though she renounced not altogether the true God 645 c. 651. Idolatry is a denying of the Lord that bought them 244 Idols in Scripture called Lies 49. and Abominations 514 707 Iehoiakim's years disposed according to
Five Directions and Helps prove a succesful labour and therefore far from being excessively hard or incumbred with invincible difficulties so would it likewise be far from vain and useless for these Scriptures as well as the other being written for our learning and use as I have briefly and I think clearly proved in this Preface under the Second Head of Advertisements there would accrue to us this peculiar Advantage besides many others That by a right understanding of the genuine meaning of these Prophetick Visions we should be the better enabled to vindicate the Prophecies from those corrupt Glosses which unlearned and unstable Souls ill-willers also to the stability and peace of Christian States and Kingdoms would force upon them perverting these Scriptures for their own Self-ends to the favouring of their unquiet humors and unpeaceable practices which being rightly understood are the grand Interest and Concernment of Christendome and certainly make for the Support and Encouragement of the Reformed part thereof of which through God's mercy we are Members In the Second sort of Advertisements I have observed some few things of the Author and his Writings and shall not need here to superadd any thing to court the Reader to a due esteem of them His own works will praise him I say not in the Gates as the phrase is Prov. 31. ult but in the private Closets and quiet Retirements of the studious enquirers after Truth if read there with serious attention which is most necessary in the perusing of his Labours upon the Prophetical Scriptures and with a mind as free from prejudice as from distractions It is not to be doubted but that some parts of these Writings may generally please and as the Author of the Book of Wisdom observes of Manna agree to every tast nor is it unlikely but that some other parts though highly pleasing to some may be less grateful to others of a different perswasion as Manna itself was lothsome to some murmuring Israelites But for the better disposing of them to what is fair and ingenuous this may be fit to be added That the Author in his life-time did not affect any dominion over the faith of others as if he were Infallible nor was he ambitious after his death to be Idoliz'd but this was clearly his disposition as he expresseth himself in a Letter to Dr. T. not to be affected how much or how little others differ'd from him and this disposition he said did so much the more increase in him as he took the liberty to examine either his own or other mens perswasions so desirous he was that the Apostle's Rule should in this case prevail Try all things hold fast that which is good And therefore such men would shew themselves very ill-natur'd and ill-bred as well as indiscreet and unmindful of the Fallibility of Humane nature as also unacquainted with ingenuous Learning of which the old Verse is most true Emollit mores nec sinit esse feros if they should unwisely disvalue and peevishly reject the whole for some passages not agreeing to their particular Sentiments or prove so rigid and tenacious as not to afford that Candor and Charity which is but a just respect as well easie as fit to be paid to the Labours of Worthy men highly meriting de Republica literaria And their Rudeness and Incivility would be the greater because Mr. Mede doth propound his sense not with any either magisterial or provoking language but with such modesty calmness and sobriety as may deserve rather a fair reception than any churlish and unkind usage in the world In the First Head of Advertisements I have given the Reader for his fuller satisfaction some account of those long and toilsome labours which I could not think too hard and grievous to undergo both for the honour of the Author's memory and the Reader 's greater benefit chusing though at an humble distance to follow that great Labourer in God's Vineyard Blessed S. Paul who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather than to do this work of the Lord negligently May the Reader with ease and delight with profit and advantage peruse these Writings thus prepared for him with a diligence and industry not very ordinary nor over-easie and therefore not over-hasty and yet not more leisurely or slow than the labour and weightiness of the undertaking together with the urgency of other intercurrent cares did exact HE who is the Father of mercies and the God of all grace that giveth power to the faint and reneweth their strength who wait upon him who worketh both to will and to do and to continue patiently in so doing unto the end to his Name alone not unto me not unto me be the Glory and Praise for his Mercy and for his Power sake The same Father of lights who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shine into our Hearts unveil our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law purifie our Souls from Prejudice and Passion from every false Principle and corrupt Affection that we may receive the love of the Truth and know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God that being filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing To whom be Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power for ever and ever Amen I. W. The Additional Pieces First published by the Reverend and Learned Dr. WORTHINGTON IN Book I. Discourse 49 50 51 53. In Book II. His Concio ad Clerum pag. 398. In Book III. Among his Remains upon the Apocalyps Chap. 4. pag. 589. Chap. 8. pag. 594. In Book IV. Epist. 34 41 51 56 66 67 68 69 71 73 75 85. many of them in answer to some Letters of enquiry from Learned men which for the fuller understanding of the Author's Answers are also published as that large Letter from Lud. de Dieu viz. Epist. 48. and those from others Epist. 55 57 59 62 65 70 72. together with a large Extract of Mr. Potter's Letter about the Number 666. In Book V. Those Tracts that make Chap. 4. Chap. 7. Chap. 10. Chap. 12. In all XXXII Discourses Tracts Epistles enlarged out of the Author's Manuscripts with several Additions IN Book I. Discourse 11 31 32 33. In Book II. The Christian Sacrifice and Disc. upon Ezra 6. 10. pag. 379. In Book III. In Comment Apocalypt are several marginal Notes added by the Author since the first Edition In the Remains upon the Apocal. Chap. 3. Chap. 6. Chap. 9. Paraphrase on S. Peter 2 Ep. Chap. 3. In Book IV. Epist. 43 54 58. whereof almost all in the first and last pages is added Epist. 61. besides several other Epistles with large additions In Book V. Chap. II. Besides the smaller additions of some Words or a few lines in several other parts of these Volumes too many to be here particularly mentioned The Discourses Tracts or Epistles whereof there
After a pardon obtained for my freedom I thus declared That I thought in one case he would be persuaded to accept of a Bishoprick for all this Why think you so rejoyned he suddenly and with some warmth Presuming upon the license granted me I shall tell you replied I and more than that I believe you will acknowledge as much your self At this he began to bungle at being angry for indeed that Passion was so great a stranger to him and so little in favour with him that unless it came in the company of or rather attending upon true Zeal to God-ward he would not endure its presence In short I remembred to him how often I heard him wonder why none of our Christian Kings had ever erected a Bishoprick in S. Alban's that Martyr being of such Fame and Antiquity and the Place so many ways convenient c. And then I propounded this case That if our then present Sovereign who afterwards in spight of Hypocrisie and Treason became indeed so Glorious a King that of all Kings He was the First Martyr should resolve upon an Erection of a Bishoprick at S. Alban's upon this one only condition That Mr. Mede will be persuaded to be the First Bishop there otherwise there shall be no Bishoprick at all I ask whether in this case Mr. Mede would not be willing to accept of a Bishoprick Hereat he laughed heartily and said at first Now thou puttest me to it indeed But by and by recollecting himself he concluded gravely to this purpose As there is no great fear of such a Temptation rebus sic stantibus so I dare reassume my former Protestation A Donative sine cura with my Fellowship will confine the utmost of my Ambition in this life 5. Of his Zeal against Sacrilege WHich had been heightned to a superlative degree yet in him of most men living would have been least to be wondered at and most to be justified because few men of his or any Age could pretend to that absolute soveraignty over themselves in point of Interest or ambitious Designs which he had and because none was more punctual in paying his Homage and Rental to Almighty God than he was But yet that his Zeal was according to knowledge and guided with great Iudgment and Discretion will manifestly appear unto all men who will but cast their eyes upon some of the Principles and Grounds he went upon E. g. 1. That according to the common Law of Nature the great Land-lord of the whole World ought to receive Homages from his Tenants and Dependents This God claimed in Paradise itself when Man was in the Zenith of his Perfection For would he say the Prohibited Tree there was a Sacred and a Sacramental Tree Wherefore he was positive and dogmatical in determining that the Formalis ratio and specifical Nature of Original Sin was Sacrilege Whereunto by the way he annexed this grave and serious Meditation Adam was turned out of his Paradise for Sacrilege and do we not frequently see many men turned out of their Paradises likewise their fair Estates for the very same sin This again hath been imprinted in the breasts of all Mankind who naturally and universally have ever abhorred Sacrilege Why then should Christians said he presume more upon their God in this case than others why more than the Pagans or Iews Here he quoted that of Malachi 3. ver 8. Will a man rob God Durst ever any man entertain such a thought And that of 1 Cor. 9. ver 13 14. See how dextrously he hath handled that Scripture in a set and just Diatribe As also that Rev. 5. ver 12. in that New song Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches Strength c. Lo here said he is mention of Riches due to the Lamb that was slain But what need hath He of our Riches True no more than a great rich Land-lord hath need of a Pepper-corn But yet as it is an Homage it is expected from the Tenant and may not be neglected by him without the Forfeiture of the whole And then for those who confidently deny Tithes to be due under the Gospel they do not consider how in so saying they must deny also Christ to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek For as Tithes were paid to Melchizedek long before Aaron so are they due to Him who is a Priest after that Order now after Aaron 2. And this minds me of another of his Grounds viz. God's so favourably dealing with Men in requiring but the Tenth which is in truth said he the least part of our Goods according to the first division For as Ten is the Periodical number of things of a fixt and substantial nature so when we proceed beyond Ten we begin to make a new division as Eleven is Ten and one Twelve Ten and two c. Thus likewise God contents himself with the least part of our Time when he demands but the Seventh as the number Seven is the Periodical number of Time c. 3. A third Ground was That the chiefest things now dedicated to God are for the most part laden with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here he related at large with what Solemnity many of those Ancient Deeds and Writings specifying Goods and Lands devoted to the Service of God were wont to be offered at the Altar and what Vollies of all the hideous Curses imaginable touching either Body or Soul or Estate or Posterity were enumerated in those Writings and denounced against any who would offer to alienate them Upon this occasion he was wont to discourse very gravely How that at the first Reformation in England if the violent heat of seeming Zeal but indeed of Interest would have admitted so much of Consideration those Church-Lands of Abbies c. mought have been most happily disposed of in some such manner If one Part had been allotted to the Advancement of Learning and to the Augmentation of smaller Salaries for Cures and to the Reparation and beautifying of Churches Colledges c. If another Part had been for Provision of Clergy-Mens Widows and Orphans which God took special care of in the time of the Legal Priesthood the Sons being to inherit their Fathers places and the Daughters to be matched as well as their Mothers before them and which is not neglected by any of the Reformed Churches abroad If a third Part had been reserved for Bellum Sacrum in the defence of Church and Kingdom By this means pursued he our Kings would not have needed such Subsidies c. from their Subjects and the Church had kept her Patrimonie and very many great Families who too greedily possess'd themselves of Church-lands had not been totally ruined and extinct 4. And this leads me to a Fourth Ground which was the Series of Punishments which have constantly pursued this Sin It is to be observed said he that God did always set a special Mark of his Displeasure upon every
which I shall dispatch quickly but with it may be laid to heart often He that goeth astray from the way of understanding that is He that wandreth from the Law and Discipline of God for that indeed is the true Wisdom Timor Domini principium sapientiae The fear of God is the prime Wisdom that 's the meaning or to speak after our Academical notion the chief Philosophy whence through all this Book of the Proverbs the wicked man who hath no skill in this Divine Philosophy or Discipline of God goeth for a Fool and so is called must one day go even to his Fellow-giants who as Baruch says in his third Chapter v. 28. were destroyed because they had no wisdom and perished through their own foolishness Vir qui erraverit à via Doctrinae in Coetu Gigantum commorabitur Are there then any of these Fools amongst us who profess the study of wisdom but who shake off the yoke of Discipline giving themselves to debauched courses and neglecting the fear of the Lord Here they may see whither they must one day go even to those Rephaims of the old World whose true sons they are that is unto the place of everlasting punishment From which God deliver us DISCOURSE VIII GENESIS 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until SHILOH come and unto him shall the gathering of the People be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT is a Prophesie of the coming of Christ and the time thereof namely when the Scepter should depart from Iudah then should the coming reign and Scepter of Messiah begin and not till then the end of the one should be the beginning of the other Whence ariseth our Demonstration against the Iew If the Scepter be already departed from Iudah as we know it is many hundred years since then must Christ needs be come For the Scepter was not to depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh came For that Shiloh here is the name of Messiah appears by the subjunction annexed that the People or Nations for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number should be gathered or be obedient unto him Ergo He is to be a King of the Nations and who should this be but Christ That the ancient Iews so understood it appears by all the three Targums or Chaldee l'araphrasts The Targum called of Ierusalem renders expresly Vntil the time when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King Messiah shall come Ionathan Vntil the time when Messiah shall come a little one of his sons that is of Iudah's sons which one of the late Rabbies saith Buxtorf expounds Rex Messiah qui venit ex David c. The King Messiah who came of David who was the least among the sons of Iesse his father Onkelos Vntil Messiah come whose is the Kingdom Likewise in their Talmud Shiloh is reckoned among the names of Messiah Thus we and the ancient Iews agree about the aim and purport of this Scripture But we Christians believe further that it is long since fulfilled howsoever for the very Point of Time when this Scepter departed from Iudah we vary in our opinions Some will have it to have been when Pompey first brought the Iewish State under the Roman subjection Others a little after when Herod an Idumaean stranger yet formerly incorporated into the Iewish State and bloud was by the Romans invested to be their King and the Hasmonaean or Maccabaean race which till then had born the chief rule by him extinguished Others not till the destruction and final dissolution of the Iewish State by Titus These are principal moments of time to be pitched upon But against the first the subjecting of the Iewish State to the Romans is objected First That it anticipates the time of Christ's birth too much being sixty years before it Secondly That it mâ—ght as well be affirmed that the Scepter departed from Iudah when Nebuchadnezzar carried them captive to Babylon or when they were subject to the Persian and Greek Monarchies as when they were made subject to the Romans Against the second of Herod lies the same exception that did against the former That it was too early being thirty years and more before the birth of Christ and more than twice as much more before his Passion and Ascension at what time he began his Kingdom Secondly That under the reign of Herod the Scepter of Iudah might seem rather to be advanced than departed forasmuch as they had then a King of their own reigning over them and though not of Iewish original yet a Proselyte and so one of their own body And if the Scepter were departed from Iudah because one not of their own Tribe had the soveraign rule over them why was it not departed all the time the Hasmonaean or Maccabaean families who were Levites reigned No man would say that the Scepter were departed from Poland though the Polanders should chuse a Swede a German or a Frenchman for their King So neither from Iudah though a Levite or Idumaean Proselyte were their Prince Against the last point of time the dissolution of the Iewish Sate by Titus is excepted That it is as much too long after either the Nativity or the Passion of Christ as the other two were before it to wit seventy years after the one and near forty after the other I mean not to enlarge my self any further in acquainting you with each particular passage agitated concerning these differing opinions or alledged in the disputing of them lest I should confound rather than instruct the yonger sort who I desire might have some smack of these speculations betimes lest all their life-time after they neglect them as many do I have therefore selected only so much as I thought requisite for the understanding of what I aim at which is to shew you such a construction of these words with but a little alteration of the common translating as being admitted will leave no more place for those difficulties wherewith this Question is entangled FOR the handling whereof I will divide the remainder of my Discourse into these two parts First I will unfold the words of my Text which seem to have any difficulty or obscurity in them secondly I will apply them to the time wherein they were fulfilled For the first I begin with the word Scepter which is not to be restrained to Kingly Dominion only but signifies any Power or Majesty of Government under what form or name soever whereof a Rod or Staffe was anciently the ensign whence every Tribe is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word here used as being united together under one staffe or power of Government The meaning therefore is not that Iudah should never cease from having a King or being a Kingdom but that it should not cease from being a State a body Politick or Common-wealth having a power of Government and Iurisdiction within it self until Messiah came wherefore the
votes are tendered Secondly He praies for Grace and Peace from them not as Authors but as the Instruments of God in the dispensation thereof Are they not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation And if it be no Idolatry to pray unto God to give Grace and Peace from the outward Ministery of his Word no more is it to pray unto him for it from the invisible Ministery For certainly it is lawful to pray unto God for a blessing from an Instrument which he is wont to give us by an Instrument Secondly It may be said it being a Salutation that the words Grace and Peace need not be taken in that special and strict sense but in the large and general wherein Grace sounds favour at large and Peace all manner of prosperity In which sense no man will deny but the blessed Angels have an interest in the dispensation of the favours and blessings of God to his Church and so God may be prayed to to give them as he is wont by their Ministery Grace and Peace from him which is which was and is to come as the Author and Giver and from the Seven Spirits as the Instruments and from Iesus Christ as the Mediator There is yet one place more in the Apocalyps to confirm this Tradition Chap. 8. 2. I saw saith S. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seven Angels which stood before God Is not this as plain as Tobit Why should then the one be accounted Magical rather than the other I add moreover that these Angels are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principes primarii or chief Princes mentioned in the 10. of Daniel 13. Michael one of the chief Princes saith the Angel there came to help me Now Michael we know is one of the Arch-angels and why therefore may not these chief Princes be those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof S. Paul speaks in his adjuration to Timothy I charge thee saith he before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the Elect Angels not the good Angels at large but those Angeli eximii the Seven Arch-angels which stand before the Throne of God And it may not without reason be conjectured that those Seven chief Princes famed in the Persian Monarchie took their beginning from hence namely that Daniel who in respect of his account for wisdom and of his power under Darius the Mede had a main stroke in the moulding and framing the Government of that State caused the Persian Court to resemble that of Heaven ordaining Seven chief Princes to stand before the King Of which we find twice mention in Scripture as in the Book of Esther where they are recorded by name and styled the seven Princes of Media and Persia who saw the King's face and sate first in the kingdom and in the Commission granted to Ezra by Artaxerxes Ezra 7. 14. they are called the King's seven Counsellors Forasmuch as thou art sent by the King and his seven Counsellors c. And it may be the Church of Ierusalem when they chose Seven Deacons to minister unto their Bishop had an eye the same way HITHERTO of the Number of these Arch-angels now a word or two of their Office And that is First to be the universal Inspectors of the whole world and the Rulers and Princes of the whole Angelical host which appears in that they are called Principes primarii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief Princes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archangels i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chief of the Angels their universal jurisdiction is meant by the words sent forth into the whole world whereas the rest are limited to certain places Secondly to have the peculiar Charge and Guardianship of the Church and affairs thereof whilst the rest of the world with their Polities Kingdoms and Governments is committed to the care of subordinate Angels who according to their several charges may seem to carry those names of Thrones Principalities Powers and Dominions That the charge of the Church quà talis belongs thus peculiarly and immediately to the Seven Arch-angels may appear by S. Iohn's saluting the Churches with a Benediction of Grace and Peace from their ministery and the typing of them by the Seven Eyes and Horns of the Lamb as Powers which the Father since he exalted Him to be Head of his Church hath annexed to his Iurisdiction Hence it comes to pass that we find these Angels peculiarly both before and in the Gospel to have been employed about the Church-affairs In the Old Testament the Angiel Gabriel one of the Seven revealed to Daniel the time of the restauration of the Iewish State and coming of Messiah and the Angel Michael one of the chief Princes was his assistant when he strengthened Darius the Mede who founded the Monarchy which should restore them and is in special termed Dan. 12. 1. the Prince that stood for Daniel 's people In the Gospel we find the same Angel Gabriel imployed both to Zachary and the Blessed Virgin with the Evangelical Tidings and that Zachary might take notice that he was one of the Seven he says unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God Likewise in the Churches combate with the Dragon Apocal. 12. 7 c. Michael and his Angels are said to be her Champions and in her quarrel to have cast the Dragon and his Angels down to the Earth And in this Prophecy of Zachary it is said that these Seven eyes of the Lord took care of one stone which Zorobabel laid for the foundation of the Temple and therefore the work could not be disappointed but should certainly at length be finished So as by this time we may guess the meaning of that which Hanani the Seer told King Asa 2 Chron. 16. 9. The Eyes of the Lord that is these Seven Eyes run to and fro through the whole Earth to shew themselves strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him DISCOURSE XI S. MARK 11. 17. Is it not written My House shall be called a House of Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all the Nations THEY are the words of our Blessed Saviour when he cast the Buyers and Sellers and Money-changers out of the Temple and forbad to carry any vessels through it Concerning which story it is worth observâ—â—â—on that our Saviour whilst he was upon earth never exercised any Kingly or coactive Iurisdiction but in vindicating his Father's House from prophanation And this he did two several times Once at the first Passeover after he began his Prophesie whereof you may read Iohn 2. 14 c. and now again at his last Passeover when he came to give his soul a sacrifice for sin This is that which S. Mark relates in this place as do also two other of the Evangelists S. Matthew and S. Luke The vindication of God's House from Prophanation how little account soever we are wont to
These are the several Heads I shall speak of and first of the First the Subject The Righteous or the Bountiful man For Righteousness in a special sense in the Hebrew and the rest of the Oriental Tongues of kin to it signifies Beneficence or Bounty both the Vertue and the Work and therefore by the Hellenists or Septuagint is it translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word so frequent in the New Testament for that we call Alms. 'T is a known place Dan. 4. according both to the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin Peccata tua Eleemosynis redime iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum Where in the Original for Eleemosyna Alms is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness as we in our English render it Break off thy sins by Righteousness and thine iniquity by shewing mercy to the poor This notion of Righteousness is to be found thrice together in the 12. of Tobit Ver. 8. Prayer saith old Tobit there to his Son is goodwith Fasting and with Alms and Righteousness A little with Righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness It is better to give Alms than to lay up gold 9. For Alms doth deliver from death and shall purge away all sin Those that exercise Alms and Righteousness shall be filled with life Here in the Greek copy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alms and Righteousness are exegetically put the one to expound the other but in the Hebrew there is but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for them both that being the word in that language for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence in the Syriack Translation of the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustitia And so in the Arabick Hence Mat. 6. 1. for Take heed that you do not your alms before men as we read it the vulgar Latin and some Greek Copies have Attenditè ne justitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus Take heed that you do not your righteousness before men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Namely as the word Charity with us though in the larger sense it signifies our whole duty both to God and man is restrained to signifie our Liberality to the poor so is the word Righteousness in the Oriental Languages If Righteousness therefore signifie Beneficence and Bounty then is the Righteous according to this notion the Bountiful man or as we speak the Charitable And that it is so taken in my Text both the general scope of the Psalm and the connexion with the words before and after is proof sufficient For before goes this A good man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his affairs with judgment Surely he shall not be moved for ever Then come the words of my Text The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance After it follows this He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor his righteousness remaineth for ever which S. Paul alledgeth 2 Cor. 9. 9. to promote their collection for the poor Saints at Ierusalem For illustration of this and our further information it will not be amiss I hope to commend to your observation some other places of Scripture where the word Righteous is thus taken as namely Psal. 37. 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Again Vers. 25 26. I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed Here the Righteous is the merciful and bountiful to whom namely this blessing That his seed shall not want is proper and peculiar The same use is Prov. 10. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but Righteousness delivereth from death The same is repeated again Chap. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath but Righteousness delivereth from death Where Righteousness to be taken for Alms is apparent out of Tobit 12. 9. where it is so applied and rendred namely Alms doth deliver from death I could add also another place Prov. 21. 26. but these shall be sufficient Hence appears their errour who conceive of the nature of Alms as of an arbitrary thing which they may do if they will or not do without sin as that which carries no obligation with it but is left freely to every mans discretion And this makes some contend so much to have the Priest's maintenance granted to be Eleemosynary that so they might be at liberty to give something or nothing as they listed But if that were so yet if Alms be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness in the Hebrew tongue and the language which our Saviour spake if our Saviour call'd them Righteousness when he mentioned them who dare affirm then that Righteousness implies no obligation or that a man may leave it undone without sin THUS much of the Subject The Righteous Now I come to the Predicate shall be in everlasting remembrance In remembrance I said with God and men With God in the life to come and this life Let us see for the first The world to come It is certain that at the day of Iudgment we shall receive our doom according to our works of Charity and Mercy and that of all the works that a Christian man hath done these alone have that peculiar priviledge to be then brought in express remembrance before God Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me c. Forasmuch as ye have done thus unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Matt. 25. 34 c. What doth my Text say The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance God remembers our good deeds when he rewards them as he doth our prayers when he hears them If to remember then be to reward an everlasting reward is an everlasting remembrance 'T is remarkable that this priviledge which the works of Bounty and Mercy shall have at the day of Iudgment was not unknown to the Iews themselves for so we read in the Chaldee Paraphrast upon Ecclesiastes 9. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall come to pass at the day of Iudgment that the Lord of the world shall say thus openly to every righteous man then before him Go and eat with gladness thy bread which is laid up for thee as a reward for the bread which thou gavest to the poor and needy when they were an hungred and drink with gladness of heart the wine which is kept for thee in the garden of Eden or Paradise as a reward for the wine thou gavest the poor and needy when they were athirst for behold thy good works have found acceptance
a more divine way namely by the power of the Word and Spirit as we see it hath done My Kingdom saith our Saviour is not of this world that is not from this world or to be set up by worldly means as other kingdoms are For if my Kingdom saith he were of or from this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Iews but now my Kingdom is not from hence Iohn 18. 36. Armies and Swords are not fit means to conquer the Souls of men and therefore Christ was to perform his conquests by a more divine and invisible way And as he conquered them so he governs and keeps them in their allegiance to him not by Garrisons and Armed Troops but by the power of the same Word and Spirit Lastly as he governs his subjects so he fights against his enemies not as the Kings of the earth do but by a divine and heavenly working by divine and heavenly ministers by the ministery of Angels who are all at his command For the Enemies of his Church and Kingdom are chiefly Spiritual namely those Spiritual powers those rulers of darkness the Devil and all his troops of Fiends which cannot be dealt withal nor resisted after a corporal manner but by Spiritual means and Spiritual ministers And though the Arms of flesh and bloud are also lift up against the Kingdom of Christ yet is it always by the instigation and under the conduct of those invisible Fiends As for the men employed in such service they are but the horses in the Devil's battels the Devil and his Angels are the riders and therefore to be repelled by a power and forces suitable unto them In a word the whole world by sin was become the kingdom of the Devil Christ came to recover it from him and to erect the Kingdom of God in place thereof Such a kingdom therefore as the one was such must the other be else it should not match it as by the tenor of â—â—e first Gospel it was to do which saith The seed of the Woman should break the Serpent's head I must add one thing more for the understanding of this Kingdom namely That this Kingdom of Christ which I have hitherto described hath a Two-fold state The one Militant consisting in a perpetual warfare and manifold sufferings which is the present state begun at his First coming when he ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God The Second state is a Triumphant state which shall be at his Second appearing in glory in the clouds of heaven at what time he shall put down all authority power and rule and subdue all his enemies under his feet even death it self as S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 15. 24. and in that great Assizes of the quick and dead shall render everlasting vengeance to his enemies and those who believed not his Gospel and give rewards of glory to his servants who have kept their faith and allegiance to him And that once done and so his Conquest finished he shall surrender up his Kingdom into the hands of his Father that being subject to him who put all things under his feet God may be all in all as S. Paul tells us In both which estates how fitly this Kingdom is called the Kingdom of Heaven or of God appears in three respects 1. Because the King thereof hath his seat and throne in heaven where he sits at the right hand of God 2. Because the beginning thereof is from heaven and not from earth or by earthly means 3. and lastly Because it is governed and administred by the power of heaven and not by earthly power Is not such a Kingdom rightly and truly called The Kingdom of heaven Thus much I thought good to speak for the explication of this speech The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven because this term is so frequent in the Gospel and not always or perhaps not rightly understood Henceforth let him that readeth understand NOW I come to the Second point namely What was the Time designed and prefixed for the coming and beginning of this Kingdom which our Saviour saith here was fulfilled The time saith he is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand The Time of this Kingdom was by the Prophet Daniel two ways foretold first generally and at large secondly more precisely and punctually The general time designed was That it should begin under and during the Fourth Kingdom or Roman Monarchy which at length it should utterly ruin and destroy For Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babel had a Vision of an Image of four differing metals The head of Gold the arms and breast of silver the belly and thighs of Brass the legs and feet of Iron but the feet mingled with clay While he beheld this Image and surveyed it from head to foot he saw a Stone hewen out of the mountain without hands which Stone smote the Image not upon the head or breast or belly but upon the Iron and Clayie feet whereby the Image and all his other metals being mingled with the Iron vanished away and became as chaff before the wind Then the Stone which smote the Image upon the feet became a great mountain and filled the whole earth This Vision Daniel expounded of four Gentile Kingdoms which should succeed one another in order with great extent of dominion The first compared to Gold was the Babylonian which then reigned The second resembled to Silver should be the Empire of the Medes and Persians which subdued that of Babylon The third figured by the Brazen belly and thighs was the Greek which subdued the Persian The Iron legs the fourth and last was the Roman which subdued the Greek and so became possessed of the riches and glory of all the former three During this last Kingdom was the Stone hewn out of the mountain and smote the Iron feet This Stone saith Daniel was the Kingdom of the God of heaven which should be set up before the days of these four Gentile kingdoms should expire namely under the last of them In the days of these Kingdoms saith he that is while these times of the Gentiles dominions yet lasted the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor lest unto another people as each of the other were but shall break in pieces and consume all those kingdoms namely in the last in which the other three were incorporated as it were and it self shall stand for ever Forasmuch as thou sawest saith he unto the King that the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that is without any earthly means and that it break in pieces the iron and the Brass the Silver and Gold mingled with it Now the Roman Empire during which this Prophecy was to be accomplished was in our Saviour's tâ—me come to the height and highest pitch and so next door to a declination and downfall But this
God in him which is a Faith whereof there is no Gospel A true Faith is to believe Salvation to be attained through obedience to God in Iesus Christ who by his merits and satisfaction for sin makes our selves and our works acceptable to his Father A saving and justifying Faith is to believe this so as to embrace and lay hold upon Christ for that end to apply our selves unto him and rely upon him that we may through him perform those works of obedience which God hath promised to reward with eternal life For a justifying Faith stays not only in the Brain but stirs up the Will to receive and enjoy the good believed according as it is promised This motion or election of the Will is that which maketh the difference between a saving Faith which joyns us to Christ and that which is true indeed but not saving but dogmatical and opinionative only And this motion or applying of the Will to Christ this embracing of Christ and the Promises of the Gospel through him is that which the Scripture when it speaks of this Faith calleth coming unto Christ or the receiving of him Come unto me all ye that are heavy-laden and I will ease you Matth. 11. 28. See Iohn 5. 40. and chap. 6. 37 44 45. So for receiving Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them he gave power or priviledge to be the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name where receiving and believing one expounds another Now if this be the Faith which is saving and unites us unto Christ and none other then it is plain that a saving Faith cannot be severed from good works because no man can embrace Christ as he is promised but he must apply himself to do them Would we then know whether our Faith be true and saving and not counterfeit This is the only sign and note whereby we may know it if we find these fruits thereof in our lives and conversations For 1 Iohn 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with Christ and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth Ch. 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him namely to be our Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for our sins if we keep his Commandments And ch 3. 7. Little children let no man deceive you He that doth righteousness is righteous even as Christ is righteous For if every one that believes in Christ truly and savingly believes that Salvation is to be attained by obeying God in him and so embraces and lays hold on him for that end how can such a ones Faith be fruitless DISCOURSE XXVII Acts 5. 3 4 5. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the holy Ghost and to purloin of the price of the land Whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thy power why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost IN the 110. Psalm where our Saviour is Prophetically described in the Person of a King advanced to the Throne of Divine Majesty glorious and victorious The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool c. amongst other Kingly Attributes and Graces it is said if it be translated as it should be That his people in the day of his power should offer him Free-will-offerings that is bring him Presents at the day of his Inauguration or Investment as a sign of their Homage For so was the manner of the East to do unto their Kings and therefore when Saul was anointed King by Samuel it is said of those sons of Deâ—ial which despised and acknowledged him not that they brought him no presents But of Messiah's people it is said Thy people in the day of thy power that is the day when thou shalt enter upon thy power or the day of thy Investment shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people of free presents or shall bring thee Free-will-offerings It is an Elliptical speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rightly expressed in the Translation of our Service-Book Thy people shall offer or bring the Free-will-offerings This we see fulfilled in the Story of the foregoing Chapter when after our Saviour's ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God which was the day of his power or Inauguration in his Kingdom assoon as this his Investment was published by sending of the Holy Ghost presently such as believed in him that is submitted themselves to his power and acknowledged him to be their King dedicated their goods and possessions to his service selling their lands and houses and laying down the money at the Apostles feet namely to be distributed as were the sacred Offerings of the Law partly to the maintenance and furnishing of the Apostles for the work whereabout they were sent and partly for the relief of the poor Believers which belonged to Christ's provision According to this Example one Ananias with Sapphira his wife consecrated also a possession of theirs unto God and sold the same to that purpose but having so done covetousness tickling them they purloined from the price and brought but a part of the summe and laid it down at the Apostles feet Then said Peter according to the words I have read Why hath Satan filled thine heart that is made thee so daring to lie unto the Holy Ghost and to purloin from the price of the field c The words I have read contain two things Ananias his Sin and his Punishment therefore His Sin in the third and fourth verses his Punishment in the fifth Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost Concerning his Sin as appears by the relation I have already made it was Sacriledge namely the purloining of what was become holy and consecrate unto God not by actual performance but by vow and inward purpose of the Heart For as it is well observed by Ainsworth on Levit. 7. 16. out of Maimonid in his Treatise of offering the Sacrifice Chap. 14. Sect. 4 5. c. In vows and voluntaries it is not necessary that a man pronounce ought with his lips but if he shall be fully determined in his heart though he hath uttered nothing with his lips he is indebted And this is no private Opinion of mine the Fathers so determine it S. Augustine that Ananias was condemned of Sacriledge quòd Deum in pollicitatione fesellisset because he had deceived God had been false to him in what he had promised him And in another Sermon Ananiam detraxisse de pecunia quam voverat Deo Ananias purloined and kept back part of the money he had devoted to God S. Chrysostome in his 12. Homily upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The
once brought to steal he should not stay there but be carried farther even to forswear and take God's Name in vain Lest I steal saith he and take the Name of my God in vain Peter first denied Christ but the Devil would not let him stay there but made him curse and forswear him David having once committed adultery with the wife of Vriah the Devil took the advantage to make him commit murther too Sin is like a Serpent if it can but once get in the head it will draw the whole train after While there is no rist in a block it is hard for the wedge or axe to enter but if a rift be once made it will enter all with a little driving So will sin The reason is Because he that commits a sin puts himself thereby more or less into the Devil's power who is not so negligent as to lose or not to ply his advantage The Devil is the Prince of death Heb. 2. 14. Now death comes by sin therefore sin gives the Devil a title and first brought and still bringeth man into the Devil's jurisdiction Hence those who are converted to God and acquitted of their sins are said To be delivered from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. But sin makes them again obnoxious to his power it reaches him a new hold of us which though perhaps it be not so much as he may quite pull us from God yet will it serve him to pull us into many a transgression and cost us much work and a great deal of sorrow before we get free again DISCOURSE XXIX ISAIAH 2. 2 3 4. And it shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established or prepared in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it c. HILLS or Mountains are States Kingdoms or Societies of men which consisting of degrees rising unto a height one above another are compared unto Mountains raised above the ordinary Plain and Level of the Earth The mountain of the Lord's House is that State and Society of men which is called the Church and People of God Regnum Coelorum the Kingdom of Heaven that is a Kingdom whose both King and King's Throne have their residence and place in the Heavens These words therefore are a Prophesie or prophetical Promise of the glorious exaltation wonderful inlargement and unheard-of prosperity of this Society of men called the Church above all other States or Societies of men whatsoever The glory and exaltation is expressed in the words The Mountain of the Lord's House shall be one day exalted yea mounted not only above the lesser Hills but the highest Mountains though at this time it were depressed and trampled under foot by the proud enemies thereof The inlargement and ampleness thereof in the words All Nations shall flow unto it that is Though at the time of this Prophecy it were reduced to a small remnant yet the time was to come when it should not only consist of the one Nation of the Iews as then it did but of all Nations under the whole heaven The prosperity thereof begins to be described from these words in the 4 th verse They shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hooks c. that is Although the greatest part of Iacob were already captive and Iudah and Ierusalem in a continual fear and no less danger of the arms and invasion of the King of Babel yet the time should one day come that the People or Church of God should not only be the most exalted State upon the earth and the most ample and universal Dominion that ever was in the world but the most peaceable quiet and flourishing State that ever was since man was first created This is the Prophecy But now comes the Question Whether this as we have described it be and hath already been fulfilled or whether the time thereof be yet to come or if already any ways fulfilled whether it be not in part only performed and the full accomplishment reserved for the time to come Our Adversaries would fain find here the constant and perpetual Visibility of the Church And I must needs grant them that it is meant of a time when the Gentiles shall be called for the words of the Text viz. All Nations tell us so But without doubt he that will have this place for his purpose must shew us not only â—â—â—aked and single Visibility but more than that a glorious Visibility yea the most glorious among the sons of men For a Visibility is one thing and a glorious Visibility is another for many things are visible which are not glorious to look upon and oftentimes good and rich mettal may be within when the outside glisters not We must therefore when we talk of the Churche's Visibility distinguish between these two and not confound them The Church might be Visible though it were but a Hill much more if it be a Mountain but here it is to be established on the tops of Mountains and exalted above the Hills so that no other State shall overtop or overlook it much less trample it under feet Now whether there were ever yet such a time when this was compleatly fulfilled though all be granted our Adversaries they can ask yea and that the Romish Church be that Church here spoken of I leave it to any mans indifferent judgment who can compare the Description of the Prophet with the Stories of forepast and present Times But suppose it were to be fulfilled and fully accomplished in the times which have already been and I will not deny but in part it hath been so yet how doth it follow from this Prophesie that this glorious Visibility should be constant and continual and never interrupted or eclipsed Is not the Prophesie true and hath not God made his Promise good if he hath at any time performed the thing here spoken of though it neither were done all at once and though this exaltation and glory did not alway continue If one skilful in Divination or Astrology should meet with a private man for the present in great want distress contempt and misery and should tell him that it was his fortune to rise to the greatest honours and to become the greatest man that was in the Kingdom If this fell out so at any time of his life according as it was foretold him though perhaps it proved not long durable as such exaltations use not to be had he any reason to say that the Astrologer had lied unto him in that he had foretold him I think any man in reason will think him unjustly charged Why then may not the like be said and thought of the Chruch and as I may so speak with reverence of the prediction of the Churche's fortune But if the time of the full performance of this Prediction be yet to be expected as perhaps it is then it will serve our
And thus far we have in a manner yielded to our Adversaries for a time That the time of fulfilling this Prophecy hath already been for we would deny them no favour willingly which we could lawfully yield them Nevertheless I verily believe that this Prophecy hath never yet received his full accomplishment nor is to do Vntil as S. Paul saith Rom. 11. 25. the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved For we shall find in the Prophecies of the Scriptures that there are two Sorts and Times of the Calling of the Gentiles The first is that which should be with the rejection and casting off of the Iews and as S. Paul saith to provoke them to jealousie such a Calling as should be in a manner occasional that God might not want a Church the time the Iews were to be castâ—out for this is that which S. Paul means Rom. 11. 15. That the casting away of the Iews is the calling of the Gentiles or reconciling of the world whence we may see that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles until being first offered to the Iews they refused him And this is that Calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been for many Ages But there is a second and more glorious Calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophecies of Scripture not a Calling as this is wherein the Iews are excluded but a Calling wherein the Iews shall have a share of the greatest glory and are to have a preeminence above other Nations when all Nations shall flow unto them and walk in their light For the calling of the remainder of the world which is not yet under Christ is reserved for the solemnizing of the Iews restitution This is that Calling and that Time which he calls the Fulness of the Gentiles I would not brethren saith he have you ignorant of this mystery that blindness in part is hapned to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved This is that Time whereof he speaks that if the present fall of the Iews be the riches of the world and their decay the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their fulness be the fulness of the Gentiles This is that glorious Time which the Prophecy of this Text principally if not altogether intended For if the fulness of the glory and inlargement of the Church be here described then it must needs be that the time hereof hath never yet been because as yet the Fulness of the Gentiles whereof S. Paul speaks is not come in While the Romans and Iron part of Nebuchadnezzar's Image was yet standing a Stone was hewn out of the mountain without hands This is the First state of the Kingdom of Christ and Calling of the World which hath been hitherto But at length this Stoneâ— when the time of the Image's brittle feet came smote the Image upon those feet so that the wind blew the whole Image away and there was no more place found for any part thereof which was no sooner done but the Stone which smote the Image swelled into a great Mountain and filled the whole earth This is the Time of the Fulness of Christ's Kingdom the Fulness of the Gentiles This is the Time when the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established upon the tops of the Mountains namely when the small Stone of Christ's Kingdom which is now in being shall smite the brittle feet of the last Remainder of the Roman State now subsisting in the Popedom in whom the divided Toes of too many Kingdoms are in a sort though but brittlely united together and so that great seven-hilled City still Ladies it over the Nations of the Earth DISCOURSE XXX IUDGES 1. 7. As I have done so God hath requited me THESE are the words of Adonibezek one of the Kings of Canaan whom the sons of Iudah and Simeon having taken prisoner in war they cut off the thumbs of his hands and great toes The justness of which punishment so evidently sampling his fore-past sin forced him though with a heavy heart to give glory unto God and say Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and great toes cut off gathered their meat under my table As I have done so God hath requited me These words without any longer Preface may be considered two ways either simply or abâ—olutely in themselves or with reference to him who spake them In themselves they are an Affirmation or Historical narration That as Adonibezek had done so God requited him If we consider them with reference to the speaker they are a Confession as being spoken by him who did the fact and suffered now the punishment Adonibezek himself it is who saith As I have done so God hath requited me In the First Consideration I observe four things 1. That God punisheth sin with temporal punishment in this life as well as with eternal in the life to come Thus this miserable King here feels the hand of God fall so heavy upon him while he was yet in the world that it makes him bitterly cry out I have done cruelly and God hath even here requited me 2. That God doth not always presently inflict his Iudgments while the sin is fresh but sometimes defers that long which â—e means to give home at the last So saith our King here As I have done not as I did even now but as I did long ago and thought by this God had forgotten me yet now I see he requiteth me 3. That these Divine Iudgments by some conformity or affinity do carry in them as it were a stamp and print of the sin for which they are inflicted So saith this unhappy King As I have done even just as I have done to others now I suffer my self Seventy Kings thumbs in my cruelty I cut off and in my pride made them to feed like dogs under my table now the measure which I mete unto others is measured unto my self for just as I have done so God hath requited me 4. That the Profit and Pleasure which men aim at when they commit sin will not so much as quit cost even in this life For if God's punishments be requitals certainly the profit we have gotten by sin he will make us lose in the punishment the pleasure we hope to find and seek after in sin will be over-poised in the pain we are sure to feel when the just hand of the Almighty shall requite us And thus have you heard already the Summ of what I mean to speak of in the First consideration of these words Now I will return again and speak more largely of them all and that in the same order I gave them out The first Collection therefore which I made was That God punisheth the sins of men with temporal punishment in this life as well as with eternal in the life to come This verity to use the words
these heavens As the War was long so the Victory was not gotten all at once but by certain degrees as it were beginning with Constantine Anno 300. and ending in Theodosius about as I said the year 390. And though it be hard to pitch the time of this Trophee exactly yet I doubt not but it falleth in some part of the time included in the foresaid limits Thus then have we seen the Truth and Power of God in fulfilling of this Prophecy for so much as is already past and may say with David Psal. 48. 8. As we have heard so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts in the city of our God God will establish it for ever But who would have believed this at the time when the words were spoken when the worshippers of the most high God were at so low an ebbe Hence therefore must we learn to believe the Promises of God be they never so unlikely to humane Reason For he it is that says Esay 46. 11. I have spoken and I will bring it to pass It is he that says Ier. 32. 27. I am the God of all flesh and there is nothing too hard for me Though Abraham be never so old and Sarah's womb be dead yet if the Lord says it he shall be Father of many Though Nations Gideon be the least of the house of Manasses yet if the Lord says it by him shall Israel be delivered from the Midianites Though David follow the sheep yet if God promise he shall be King of Israel Be the famine in Samaria never so extreme that women eat their own children yet if God say it within twenty four hours shall corn be so cheap that a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gates of Samaria Let us take heed therefore we say not with him on whose hand the King leaned If God would make windows in heaven it could not be nor with the Israelites when the spies brought them news of the strength of the Inhabitants of Canaan of chariots of iron and the giant-like sons of Anak let us not say with them we shall not enter For that Lord who set humane reason against the Word and Promise of God never eat of the abundance of Samaria and the Iews which distrusted God never entred the land of Canaan But let us know for a conclusion that God is faithful and true and his Promises yea and amen HITHER TO we have spoken of the accomplishment of this Prophecy for so much as is already past now let us see What that is which we expect as yet to come For though in regard of former times when Ethnicisme was so large and the worshippers of the living God so small a scantling the Extent of the Church be now at this day a goodly and large portion of the world yet if we consider the numbers of nations yet Pagans or not Christians it will seem to scant as yet to be the accomplishment of this and other Prophecies concerning the Largeness of Christ's Kingdom before the end of the world For one hath well observed That Christianity at this day is not above the sixth part of the known world whereas the Mahumetans have a fifth and all the rest are Ethnicks and Pagans So that if we divide the World into thirty parts Christianity is but as five in thirty Mahumetanism as six and Ethnicism as nineteen and so is Christianity the least part of all and plain Heathenism hath far above the one half of the known world and the better part of the other is also Mahumetans And though Christianity hath been embraced in former times where now it is not yet it is now spred in those places where in those times it was not And therefore all laid together we may account Christianity at this day as large I think as ever it was since the Apostles time But that this is not that Vniversal Kingdom of Christ that flourishing and glorious estate of the Church which yet we expect and hope for my Reasons are these First Those frequent places of Scripture which intimate that the Lord should subdue all people all kingdoms all nations and all the ends of the earth unto himself and that all these should one day worship and acknowledge him Psal. 22. 27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the Kingdom is the Lord's and he is governour among the nations And Psal. 47. 1. 2 3. Clap your hands all ye people for the Lord is a great King over all the earth He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet And again v. 7 8. God is King of all the earth and reigneth over the Heathen Psal. â—6 1 c. Make a joyful noise unto God all ye lands Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee All the earth shall worship thee and sing of thee they shall sing unto thy Name The whole 67. Psalm which we read every day is as it were a Prophecy and Prayer for this great Kingdom That the may of God may be known upon earth and his saving health among all nations Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yield her increase c. God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him And Psal. 86. 9 10. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name For thou art great and dost wondrous things Thou art God alone And Esay 2. 18. which is a Prophecy of Christ's kingdom it is said that the Idols the Lord shall utterly abolish or as some read the Idols shall utterly pass away So Esay 54. 5. speaking of the Amplitude of the Church of the Gentiles Thy Redeemer saith the Prophet the holy One of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called Certainly this constant style of Vniversality implies more than this scantling which yet is it being but one of the least parts of the whole earth Secondly The same conclusion may be gathered from 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. compared with Heb. 2. 8. Christ must reign saith S. Paul in the first place quoted till he hath put all his enemies under his feet The last enemy which shall be destroyed is death Hence it follows that Christ shall subdue all his enemies whereof the Prince of this world is the chief before the last rising of the dead For the subduing of death that is the rising of the dead shall not be afore the rest shall be done the vanquishing of death being the last act of Christ's reigning which done he shall yield up the Kingdom unto his Father In the other place Heb. 2. 8. the Apostle speaking of the same thing alledgeth that
to this if you please that which Eusebius relates of this Emperor to wit that when Paulus Samosatenus being deposed by the Council from his Bishoprick and Domnus chosen in his room would not yield up the possession of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter being brought before Aurelianus the Emperor he decrees that it should be given to those of the Sect unto whom the Bishops of Rome and Italy should send Letters of communion Sic demum Paulus saith Eusebius à seculari potestate summo cum dedecore ex Ecclesia expellitur For that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here meant the Christians Oratorie or House of Sacred assembly at Antioch and not the Bishop's house as some would have it appears both because Eusebius elsewhere so uses it as namely Lib. 8. c. ult Lib. 9. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also because he expounds himself presently by Ecclesia when he saith Sic Paulus summo cum dedecore à potestate seculari ex Ecclesia exigitur For surely he meant not that he was by the secular arm cast out of the Church as Church is taken for the Company of the Faithful but as it signifies the Place of Sacred assembly where this Paulus kept possession after he was deposed for Heresie by the Council But what need we trouble our selves thus to gather up Testimonies for the latter half of this Seculum I have one Testimony behind which will dispatch it all at once yea and if need be depose for the whole also It is that of Eusebius in his eighth Book Hist. Eccl. in the beginning where describing those peaceful and Halcyonian days which the Church enjoyed for many years from the time of the Martyrdom of S. Cyprian unto that most direful persecution of Diocletian and how wonderfully the number of Christians was advanced during that time he speaketh on this manner Quomodo quisquam infinitâ illos hominum turbâ frequentatos conventus coetuúmque in singulis urbibus congregatorum multitudinem illustrésque in Oratoriis concursus describere valeat Quorum causa quum in Antiquis illis AEdificiis satis amplius loci non haberent vel antiquis illis AEdificiis handquaquam amplius contenti amplas spatiosásque in omnibus urbibus ex fundamentis erexcrunt Ecclesias Lo here how in those Halcyonian days Christians had not only Churches or Houses of worship but such as might then be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient Edifices which how far it may reach let others judge Secondly That the number of Christians being grown so great that those ancient Fabricks were no longer sufficient to contain them they erected new and more spacious ones in every City from the foundations And all this testified by one that himself lived and saw part of those times These sacred Edifices Diocletian and those other surrogated Emperours which continued that direful ten-years Persecution begun by him commanded by their Edicts to be every where demolished as we may read in the same Eusebius at large The like whereunto seems never to have happened in any of the former Persecutions in which they were only taken from the Christians but again when the persecution ceased for the most part restored unto them as in the former Persecution they were by Galienus under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshipping Places And thus I think I have proved by good and sufficient Testimonies That Christians had Oratories or Churches that is appropriate Places for Christian worship in every of the first three hundred years I am well assured whosoever be judge long before the days of Constantine I will add to these Authorities two or three Reasons why they must in all likelihood have had such Places First Because it is certain that in their Sacred assemblies they used then to worship and pray towards the East which how it could be done with any order and conveniencie is not easie to be conceived unless we suppose the Places wherein they worshipped to have been situated and accommodated accordingly that is chosen and appointed to that end Secondly Because of their Discipline which required distinct and regular Places in their assemblies for the Poenitentes Auditores Catechumeni and Fideles and therefore argueth they met not in every place promiscuously but in Places already fitted and accommodated for that purpose Lastly Because they had before their eyes an example and pattern in Proseucha's and Synagogues of the Iews from whom their Religion had its beginning which though as contrary to the Religion of the Empire as theirs yet had places appropriate for the exercise thereof wheresoever they lived dispersed among the Gentiles Who can believe that such a pattern should not invite the Christians to an imitation of the same though we should suppose there were no other reasons to induce them but that of ordinary convenience Answers to the OBIECTIONS I Come now to answer the Objections brought by such as maintain the contrary opinion which are two First say they It is not likely no not possible they should have any such Places living under a Pagan and persecuting State and Empire I answer This Objection is already confuted by matter of Fact For it is to be noted that the greatest and most cruel Persecutions and the five last of the Ten fall within the third or last Centurie in which that Christians had Oratories or Houses of Christian worship we have before proved by most indubitate and irrefragable Testimonies But if in this why not as well in the former Ages wherein the Persecutions were as no more in number so far less bitter For it is to be taken notice of That these Persecutions were not continual but as it were by fits and those of the two first Centuries of no long durance so as the Churches enjoyed long times of peace and quietness between them Besides why should it seem to any one less credible that Christians should have their Oratories or Houses of worship under the Roman Empire whilest the State thereof was yet Gentile and opposite to the Faith of Christ than that they had them in the Kingdom of Persia which never was Christian For that they had them there as old as the days of Constantine Sozomen testifieth Lib. 2. c. 8. The occasion of the demolishing whereof by King Isdigerdes and of that most barbarous persecution of the Christians of those Countries for thirty years together about the year 400. Theodoret relates Lib. 5. c. 38. namely that one Audas out of an indiscreet and unseasonable zeal though otherwise a vertuous and godly Bishop having demolished the Persians Pyraeum or Temple where the Fire was worshipped and refusing to build it up again as was enjoyned him the King thereupon mightily enraged caused all the Christians Oratories or Churches in his dominions to be demolished likewise and that horrible Persecution before mentioned to storm against them Could the Christians find means and opportunity to
interpreted pag. 593 CHAP. VIII Mr. Mede's Answer to six Enquiries about some difficult passages in the Apocalyps pag. 594 CHAP. IX Five Reasons demonstrating That the Antichristian Times are more than Three single years and an half pag. 598 CHAP. X. A Discourse of the Beginning and Ending of the 42 Months or 1260 Days Rev. 11. 2 3. wherein Alstedius his Four Epocha's are examined pag. 600 CHAP. XI Of the 1000 years mentioned in Apocal. 20. with some Reflexions upon Eusebius and S. Hierom. pag. 602 CHAP. XII A Censure by way of Correction returned to a Friend concerning a somewhat exorbitant Exposition of his of Apocal 20. pag. 603 V. A Paraphrase and Exposition of the Prophecy of S. Peter 2 Ep. Chap. 3. pag. 609 VI. The Apostasie of the Latter Times PART I. CHAP. I. The dependence of the Text in 1 Timothy Chap. 4. verse 1 2. upon the last verse in chap. 3. Why in the Description of the Mystery of Godliness those words Assumed into Glory are set last A view of the several parts of the Text containing the Method and Order of the ensuing Discourse The Author 's three Reasons for his rendring the Text differently from the common Translation pag. 623 CHAP. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture imports Revolt or Rebellion That Idolatry is such proved from Scripture By Spirits in the Text are meant Doctrines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be taken Passively for Doctrines concerning Daemons Several instances of the like form of Speech in Scripture pag. 625 CHAP. III. Daemons according to the Gentiles Theologie were 1. for their Nature and degree a middle sort of Divine Powers between the Sovereign Gods and Men. 2. For their Office they were supposed to be Mediators between the Gods and Men. This proved out of several Authors The Distinction of Sovereign Gods and Daemons proved out of the Old Testament and elegantly alluded to in the New 1 Cor. 8. pag. 626 CHAP. IV. Daemons were for their Original the Souls of men Deified or Canonized after death This proved out of sundry Authors Baal or Bel or Belus the first Deified King Hence Daemons are called Baalim Another kind of Daemons such as never dwelt in Bodies These answer to Angels as the other to Saints pag. 629 CHAP. V. The manner of worshipping Daemons and retaining their presence viz. by consecrated Images and Pillars The worshipping of Images and Columns a piece of Daemon-doctrine as was also the worshipping of Daemons in their Reliques Shrines and Sepulchers pag. 632 CHAP. VI. A Summary of the Doctrines of Daemons How these are revived and resembled in the Apostate Church That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime used in Scripture according to the Theologie of the Gentiles That it is so used in the Text was the judgment of Epiphanius an observable passage quoted out of him to this purpose pag. 634 CHAP. VII Why those words in the description of the Mystery of Godliness Received into Glory are set last That praying to Saints as Mediators and Agents for us with God is Idolatry To be prayed to in Heaven and to deal as an Agent between us and God is a Prerogative and Royalty appropriate to Christ. How this was figured under the Law by the High-priest's alone having to do in the most Holy place That Christ purchased this Royalty by suffering an unimitable Death That Saint-worship is a denial of Christ's Prerogative How it crept into the Church pag. 637 CHAP. VIII That Idolatry is the main Character of the Churche's Apostasie proved by Three Arguments pag. 643 CHAP. IX That Pagan-Idolatry is not here meant nor can the Saracen or Turk be the Antichrist meant in Scripture An Answer to an Exception viz. That Antichristianism cannot be charged upon those that acknowledge the true God and Christ. That Antichrist is a Counter-Christ and his Coming a Counter-resemblance of the Coming of Christ shewed in several particulars pag. 644 CHAP. X. The Great Apostasie was to be a General one That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some does not in the Text and several other places imply a Few or a Small number Wherein we and the Papists differ about the Churche's Visibility In what respects our Church was Visible and in what Invisible under the Reign of Antichrist pag. 648 CHAP. XI That the Last Times in Scripture signifie either a Continuation of Time or an End of Time That the Last Times simply and in general are the Times of Christianity the Last Times in special and comparatively or the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Times of the Apostasie under Antichrist pag. 652 CHAP. XII A more particular account of the Last Times in general and of the Latter Times of the Last Times That Daniel's Four Kingdoms are the Great Kalendar of Times That the Times of the Fourth or Last Kingdom viz. the Roman are the Last Times meant in Scripture That the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Latter Times of the Fourth Kingdom wherein the Great Apostasie should prevail pag. 654 CHAP. XIII The Duration and Length of the Latter Times viz. 42 months or 1260 days That hereby cannot be meant three single years and an half That the Latter Times take their beginning from the ruine of the Roman Empire That the ancient Fathers by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thessal 2. understand the Roman Empire and by the little Horn Dan. 7. Antichrist or the Man of sin pag. 655 CHAP. IV. Three main Degrees of the Roman Empire's ruine The Empire divided into 10 Kingdoms Who are those Three Kings whom the little Horn or Antichrist is said Dan. 7. to have deprest to advance himself pag. 658 CHAP. XV. That Daniel's 70 Weeks are a lesser Kalendar of Times That these Phrases in the Epistles to the converted Iews viz. The Last Hour or Time The End of all things The Day approaching c. are meant of the End of the Iewish State and Service at the expiring of the 70 Weeks That the Apostles were not so mistaken as to believe the End of the World should be in their days proved against Baronius and others p. 663. CHAP. XVI That the Spirit foretold the Great Apostasy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dan. 11. vers 36 37 38 39. These Verses exactly translated and explained That by Mahoz and Mahuzzim are meant Fortresses Bulwarks Protectors Guardians c. How fitly this Title is appliable to Angels and Sain's pag. 666. CHAP. XVII A Paraphrase and Observations upon Dan. 11. v. 36 37 38 39. That at the beginning of Saint-worship in the Church Saints and their Reliques were called Bulwarks Fortresses Walls Towers Guardians c. according to the prime sense of the word Mahuzzim pag. 670. PART II. CHAP. I. The Author's Reasons for his translating the Text differently from the Common Versions That the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text signifies Through or By. The like it signifies in other places of Scripture pag. 675.
perswasible if you consider that this is one of the most methodical Books in Scripture But if the Beginning of the Inner Court be coincident and no higher than that of the Outward Court it must then follow even by that little you yield me That the Vision of the twelfth Chapter fetches his Beginning higher than it For the Woman 's Child-bearing her Travail her Delivery with the Seven-headed Dragon's Attempt and the Battel of Michael you grant and the Text evinceth to be elder and before the Woman's abode in the Wilderness But the Woman's abode in the Wilderness the XLII months of the Beast and the XLII months of the Outer Court begin altogether and at the same time Therefore that which is elder to any one of them is elder to every one of them Why therefore should not the Book-prophecy have begun rather with this of the eldest beginning unless that that wherewith it begun did fetch its Beginning as high as it All this notwithstanding I confess ingenuously that your exceptions do so far weaken my Argument that it appears not to be of so sufficient strength as may force assent But that which is enough to stagger a man in his own Tenet is not alone sufficient to cause him to embrace the contrary unless the Arguments shewn for that part do appear of more force and probability than himself grounded upon Otherwise a man may reply as he is Terence did to the Lawyers Probè fecistis multò sum incertior quà m dudum Besides a Probability stands in place of a Demonstration till a greater Probability can be brought to shoulder it out Let me therefore acquaint you a little what scruples arise in me when I consider your Argument for the contrary You say S. Iohn surveyed both the Courts together For the measuring of the one and leaving the other unmeasured were at one time Ergo the things signified by them both fall also under one time Resp. 1. Here I consider first when a Representation is made not by Motion or Action but by a standing Type or Picture such as is the Fabrick of the Temple though the parts may be viewed all at one time yet may the thing signified by them be of differing times for in this case Order of place useth to signifie succession of time For example The Scheme I sent you may be comprehended at one view and yet the parts according to their order of place do represent priority and posteriority of times The Monarchical Image in Daniel was not by piece-meal but all at once presented to Nebuchadnezzar's view and yet the four metalled parts thereof were Types of four not coincident but successive Kingdoms So the seven Heads of the Whore-ridden Beast in this Prophecy though seen at once signified nevertheless Things not at once but some past some present some to come five Kings fallen the sixth present and seventh to come In the Temple it self the First Tabernacle or Holy Place was a Type of the Oeconomy of Redemption in the Church Militant and the Second Tabernacle or the Holy of Holies of the Church Triumphant in the Heavens So S. Paul to the Hebrews makes the first Tabernacle the Type of the Body of Christ wherein being incarnate he suffered here below and through which as through a First Tabernacle he entred within the Veil the Holiest Heavens there to make intercession for us Was there not here a priority and posteriority of times Why may not then the two Courts of the Temple be Types also of successive times though S. Iohn viewed them at one time Indeed where the Representation consists in Motion and Action I grant the case is otherwise for here things done together in Vision are to be expounded of things to be performed together in signification But the example we have in hand is not of that sort For the essence of the Type here consists not in what S. Iohn himself did but in that which was presented to S. Iohn in Vision namely the Frame of the Temple with his two Courts the First such as might be measured with divine measure the Second such as could not be measured therewith being possessed and troden down by the Gentiles As for S. Iohn's acts hereabouts they are no other than such as whereby he was to inform himself concerning that which was shewed unto himâ— Neither is this the only place where S. Iohn is bidden do something for his information and survey of the Vision shewed him Vide cap. 7. v. 13 14. cap. 10. v. 4. cap. 14. v. 13. cap. 19. v. 9. Resp. 2. Secondly Neither were the Acts whereby the Apostle surveyed the two Courts either one Act or two Acts at one and the same time but several Acts several and successive times For first the Text expresseth no more but what the Angel bade S. Iohn do and not what S. Iohn did Now it will not follow that that which was comprehended in one bidding was therefore done at one time For that may be bidden with one Act of bidding which will require a two or three acts in performing and those too such as cannot be done at one time But perhaps you suppose there was but one only Act commanded to wit to measure the Inner and not the Outer Indeed if it were so then it must needs be of one time For if there be nothing here but the Doing of a thing in one place and not doing it in another it cannot possibly be of diverse times because every positive implies his negative and goes together with it But if the words of the Text be considered there will be sound more in them than so howsoever our Translation obscures it For first I conceive not S. Iohn's survey of the two Courts to be an Act of mere Separation but rather of Examination as the nature of measuring importeth Again there is more to be done to the Second Court than only Not measuring it that were but doing nothing to it For the words of the Text are not Leave out if thereby you understand a preâ—ermission only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cast it out the Vulgar hath Ejice forà s and Beza though himself translates Exclude yet confesseth it is ad verbum Ejice forás So that here we see a positive act commanded and not a pretermission only and our Translators when they turned it Leave out expressed rather what themselves conceived than what the words signified This considered I understand it thus That in this survey S. Iohn was first to examine the Inner Court which by its conformity to the Divine measure which he was to apply thereto he should find to be Sacred That done he was then in the next place to survey the Outer Court which because he should find possessed by the Gentiles and therefore not capable of the Divine measure he was to cast out that is excommunicate and pronounce unsacred and polluted See Ezek. 44. 6 7 8. The summe of all this discourse is in
the presence of God the God of Israel Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Vers. 11. Animalia tua habitabant in ea Thy living Creatures dwelt therein namely in thine inheritance And this is express according to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly Animal and sometimes Armentum whence we borrow that Metaphorical translation to turn it Thy Congregation and by inheritance to understand Canaan whereas the people of God were usually so called and that part of the Psalm seems to speak of what God did in the Wilderness and not in Canaan Which being not understood made the Vulgar to be corrupted by turning the Praeter-imperfect-tense into the Future as vers 10. Segregabis for Segregabas and vers 11. Habitabunt for Habitabant contrary to the Hebrew which reads in the Praeter-perfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have dwelt But above all those four Faces of the four Cherubins which drew the Chariot of God in Ezekiel seem to have reference to some such matter I say four Faces not four Heads as some take it for the Cherubins had but one Head each of them on the four sides of which Head were the likeness of four Faces to signify that he that rode in the Chariot was the Lord of the four Standards of the Tribes of Israel Even as Kings horses carry upon them the Armes of their Master as ours of England Scotland France and Ireland And if you consider to what part of the Heaven Ezekiel looked when he saw this Vision you will find these Faces turned to such quarters of the Heaven as were assigned to the Ensigns they resemble as the Lion's face Eastward the Bullock's Westward c. If all this be true you see what reason I have to make S. Iohn's 4 Animalia to be the Body of the Congregation as answering to the 4 Standards of the Congregation of Israel and the 24 Elders to be the Pastors as answering to the Levites and Priests divided into 24 Courses their Crowns and Seats being distinctive to express their preeminence above the Congregation For though the Body of the People be a Society of Kings and Priests yet this is no note distinctive nor comparative but common both to Pastors and People Enquiry II. Concerning the Beginning of the times of Antichrist in the Scheme and the meaning of the 7 Trumpets The beginning of the Apostatical times was knit to the Beginning of the Seventh or Trumpet-Seal by the Characters of the Text. If therefore the interpretation of the fifth Trumpet of the Rise of the Pope cannot stand with this connexion it must be rejected as untrue as I verily believe it is For as I have heretofore intimated I could never believe no not before I thought of any Synchronism that the Trumpets concerned any rising of the Beast but that they were Warlike alarms sounding to the Ruin of the Roman state The first brings forth that terrible bloudy and furious storm of the Northern Nations pouring in upon the Empire and harrying burning and spoiling it especially in the West almost 45 years together without intermission The Second the bloudy rending in pieces of the Roman Iurisdiction in the West and sharing it among the barbarous Nations who divided the Lion's skin amongst them erecting that plurality of Kingdoms fore-prophesied of by Daniel and S. Iohn The Third Trumpet brings Lapsus Hesperi the Fall of the Occidental Star or utter extinction of the Western Caesar. The Fourth the abolishing of the whole Roman Majesty in the West in their Senate Consuls and Presidents the Sun and Moon in those parts having no light remaining These Four Trumpets as you well observe made way for the Rising of Antichrist but it was by taking that out of the way which hindred 2 Thess. 2. and by wounding the Beast that he by the cure thereof might make a new one Apocal. 13. But withall he slowed no time For as soon as the Empire began to crack he began to advance and for every degree of the Empire 's failing mounted a degree of rising And his age and time is to be reckoned not from his maturity but from his birth as we reckon a man's age not from the time he came to man's estate but from the time he was first editus in lucem The first four Trumpets were smaller ones and more particularly concerned the West but the Three remaining are more general and terrible and therefore called WOES The Fifth is that darkning cloud of the Saracen Locusts who out of Arabia not only overwhelmed with their innumerable troups the greatest part of the Empire even Italy itself but eclipsed the Light of Christianity with an abominable seduction The Sixth Trumpet is the inundation of the Turks from Euphrates who were first mercenaries to the Saracen Empire which when they had ruined they overwhelmed and destroyed utterly the Greek Empire and part of the Western Kingdoms for Idolatry The Seventh Trumpet is yet to come at the Battel of Armageddon which shall give an end to the Antichristian Soveraignty and finish the Roman times These Expositions you see are homogeneal and fitting the name of Trumpets But to make some of them Warlike invasions and others to be Heresies is to bring things of too-differing a nature under one name Enquiry III. Concerning the Slaughter of the Witnesses I willingly grant that the Slaughter of the Witnesses is not yet accomplished for the main though perhaps there have been some Praeludiums of it in particular Churches So you see I did your Opinion no wrong Concerning the not fulfilling of the Vials though I began them before the Seventh Trumpet soundeth For if the Witnesses be not yet slain the Sixth Trumpet is not yet past and the Vials may yet begin under the times thereof and be in a great part poured out before it end I am glad to hear you read the words of the Text Apocal. 11. 7. When they were about to finish their testimony for so should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be turned whereas our Translation puts it in the Praeter-perfect tense which cannot stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first Aorist Subjunctive and every Grammarian knows that the Aorists Subjunctive supply the place of the Future which the Subjunctive wanteth and our Translation turned the same tense futurely and the same word Apocal. 10 vers 7. Enquiry IV. Of the Demi-Caesar and the Seventh and Eighth Head of the Beast I never thought the Demi-Caesar to be an Horn but an Head and Mr. Brightman's exposition of the Ten Horns for so many successive Christian Emperors I could never sufficiently wonder at it being not only in it self harsh but offering extreme violence both to the Text and Story and contrarying without cause a fundamental Exposition received from utmost Antiquity viz. That those Ten Horns should be a plurality of Kingdoms whereinto the ruined Empire should be
divided and all of them submit themselves under the Authority of Antichrist I could shew that in the beginning these Kingdoms were just Ten neither more nor less and I could name the Kings which reigned in them when they first filled that number of Ten. According to the inconstancy of humane things they have since changed in their number sometimes more and sometimes less by unions and disunions and yet often jumped in their alterations upon that number When I speak of the Demi-Caesar of Rome you must not understand me of the German Emperor which I grant to be no other but one of the Ten Horns which the Pope hath dignified with the Caesarean name 350 years after the Western Caesar was extinguished and the Kingdom of the Franks had been a Kingdom 380 years before the Pope honoured Charlemain the King thereof with the Imperial title for his good service against the Lombards in his quarrel The Demi-Caesar therefore which we have to deal with is the Latin or Western Emperor which reigned after the Division of the Empire into East and West under which the old Rome was Lady but of one half of the Provinces which she once had the rest being taken from her and given to Byzantium together with the title of Nova Roma This Half-Caesar of Rome after the last Division under Honorius and Arcadius continued about 60 years or not much more which is the cause why S. Iohn saies it should continue but a short space Ch. 17. 10. Now to understand the Question about the Seventh and Eighth Head of the Beast c. these grounds must be lay'd and granted 1. The Heads of the Beast are to be conceived as climbing one above another and the Ten Horns to grow upon the last or uppermost Head 2. The Heads of the Beast are indeed but Seven and no more as appears in the Visions both of the 13. and 17. Chapters and though S. Iohn speak of an Eighth King in the interpretation yet he had but Seven Heads in all in the Vision And therefore that which he calls an Eighth can be indeed but the Seventh and termed an Eighth for some accidental respect only 3. The Whore rides the Beast under his last Head only which is the Head which wears the Ten Horns For whilest the other Heads were in their course she was Ethnica not yet adultera Enquiry V. How is the Last Head though indeed but the Seventh yet in some sort an Eighth 1. In respect of the Sixth Head the Caesars which though indeed but One yet for some accidental respect may be accounted Two Caesars and Demi-Caesars for essence the same but for extent and some manner of government differing Now if the Sixth Head be reckoned for Two the Seventh will be an Eighth and yet but one of the Seven 2. The Last Head is for the beginning but a Seventh because it immediately succeeded the Sixth viz. of the Caesars but for its continuance and ending it is an Eighth because it outlived a Seventh namely that of the Demi-Caesars For the Papal Sovereignty began with and as soon as the Demi-Caesars and so it was a Seventh as well as they But they continued but a short time and the Papal outlived and succeeded them and so was an Eighth à parte pòst though but a Seventh à parte ante These I take to be the true Reasons why the latmost Head is counted both a Seventh and an Eighth though in truth it be but the Seventh according to the Vision and accidentally termed an Eighth in the interpretation You know Mr. Brightman makes Two States of the Antichristian Beast the First wherein he was born and presently wounded to death the Second wherein he revived in respect of the First he is the Seventh in respect of the last the Eighth But this will not agree with Story the Popedom receiving no such wound as he speaks of The wound was the Empire's and not the Popedom's and made for him not against him It would have been better to have made the Two States the one of his Spiritual Sovereignty and the other of his Temporal joyned unto it in ordine ad Spiritualia Forbes makes that Kingdom of the Ostrogoths in Italy to be the Seventh but the Demi-Caesars had been better and the Popedom in respect of it to be the Eighth in order but in the nature of the government to be one of the Seven that is like unto the Caesarean or Sixth But I see not how the Kings of the Goths can be taken for Roman Caesars or Kings and besides by this means the Beast would have Eight Heads really differing whereas the Vision shews us but Seven Enquiry VI. Concerning the Numbers of Years Months and Days in the Apocalypse That these Numbers should be taken definitely there can be no better Arguments brought than those you have in your Tractate If you desire to hear them in my form I would order the matter thus 1. That the Numbers are to be taken definitely 2. That those of Months and Dayes are to be expounded not Literally but Prophetically That these Numbers should be certain and definite is proved 1. Because all Numbers of Times in Prophecy throughout the rest of the Scripture are such 120 years warning of the Floud Gen. 6. 430 years of the Peregrination Exod. 12. The 40 years travail in the Wilderness according to the 40 days spent in spying the Land Numb 14. The 65 years by the end of which Ephraim should cease to be a Kingdom Isai. 7. 8. Ezekiel's 390 days from the Apostasy of Ieroboam to the Destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnezar ch 4. Nebuchadnezar's 7 times that is 7 years bestial melancholy Dan. 4. The 70 years captivity Daniel's 70 weeks which the Iewish state should continue after its Restauration ch 9. The 2300 evenings and mornings allotted to the Calamity under Antiochus from the beginning of the Transgression of desolation unto the time the Temple was cleansed ch 8. Why should the Prophetical numbers of Times in the Revelation be only indefinite Should not the Prophecies under the Gospel be as perspicuous and determinate as those under the Law 2. The Scriptures use no Numbers indefinitely but such as the Use of speech in the language of the people had made such For the Scripture speaks according to the language of men and useth such Figures as they used Now in the Hebrew tongue Seven and Ten were by use of speech made of indefinite signification as Seven times and Ten times for Oftentimes as also Thousand thousands and Myriads of myriads when they would express an innumerable company The Latin and Greek have likewise their peculiar Numbers which Use of speech hath made liable to indefiniteness as the first Sexcenti the latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mille millies when they express a great number indefinitely And to use any other Number indefinitely but such as the Use of speech had inured to that sense would seem a great
absurdity 3. Compound Numbers are never taken indefinitely either in Latin Greek or Hebrew Compound Numbers I mean those which are compounded of Units Tens and Hundreds c. Those which are of heterogeneal parts such as 42 the number of Months in the Apocalypse 1260 the number of Days Three times and a half which is a number of Fraction Let it be shewn that such Numbers as these were of indefinite use For as the Scriptures use words in that signification wherein men used them so spake they in those figures of speech which men used and that in those words which they had inured thereto The Second thing is That these Numbers of Times half-times of Months and of Days in the Revelation are not to be interpreted Literally but Prophetically not for single years single months and single days but for Anni annorum Menses Dies annales Days for Years and Months for Months of Years Which appears 1. Because the things reported to fall out in them require a longer time than 3 single years and an half viz. Ten Kingdoms to be founded at the same time with the Beast who should first submit themselves unto him and after revolt from him to have power over all Nations tongues and people to make war with the Saints and overcome them and such like 2. Because the King Seigniory or Sovereignty next before this under which the Whore rides the Beast is said in respect thereof to continue but a short space which implies that that which follows should continue a long time Thus I have confusedly and in hast answered all you propounded in your Letter If you reply I will deal but with one point at once in my after-answers So I shall by contriving my meditations into a more exact and perspicuous expression both save a labour which obscurity often occasioneth and answer with ease whatsoever business attends me I. M. CHAP. IX Five Reasons clearly demonstrating That the Antichristian or Apostatical times are more than Three single years and an half 1. BEcause impossible so many things and of such quality as are to be peformed in this time should be done in Three single years and an half As 1. Ten Kingdoms founded at the same hour with the Beast ch 17. 2. Peoples and multitudes of Nations and tongues to serve and obey him ch 13. 3. To make war with the Saints and overcome them ibid. 4. To cause all that dwell upon the earth to worship him ibid. 5. Babylon to ride the Beast so long that all Nations shall drink the wine of her fornication all Kings of the Earth commit fornication with her ch 17 18. 6. The Merchants and all those that had ships in the Sea to grow rich by trading with her ch 18. These things should ask more than three years work or four either 2. Because that King State of Government Sovereignty Seigniory or what you will of the Beast under which the Whore should ride him followeth immediately upon a former which in comparison is said to continue but a short space Rev. 17. 10. But if the Antichristian state shall continue but three years and an half literally taken how short must the time of that foregoing King or Sovereignty be which should occasion the Holy Ghost to insert so singular a note of the difference thereof from that which followed That is should continue but a short space Doth not this imply that the next State wherein the Whore should ride the Beast was to continue a long space 3. Because if the 1260. daies of the Witnesses which begin and end with the Time of Antichrist be literally to be taken then must their three dayes and an half wherein they lie slain by the Beast Chap. 11. 9. be so taken also But how is it possible the nations and people of the earth should make feasts send gifts and presents one unto another in three daies and an half how should the Half day be a competent time to distinguish or limit any of the Actions there mentioned If the Holy Ghost had meant nothing but daies would he have been so precise for half a day 4. Because Six of the Trumpets and the things which they bring to pass by necessity of contemporation are included in the compass of the Antichristian time Two whereof by the express times mentioned in them in the Fifth of five months in the Sixth of 13. take up a year and a half that is near half the time Which though far too little if literally taken for the great things prophesied in them yet what time will they leave for the Four other Trumpets and for the Seven Viols which all are poured out upon the Beast and afore his times are finished What time alone will the Sixth Vial require for preparing the way of the Kings of the East for the frogs to go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty c 5. Lastly from the Event If Antichrist's times last no longer than is supposed then either are they past long ago or that Sixth Roman Head which in S. Iohn's time was is yet still in being But that cannot be when neither Greek nor Latin Caesar are now remaining If any say the Latin Caesar yet remains in the Germane Empire as that which succeeded unto it I demand What succession can that be where was near 350 years interruption a longer time than some famous Monarchies have had for their whole continuance If the Caesarean State may revive and continue the same after so many years interregnum how shall we ever know when it is dead for adoe and the time come that Antichrist should be looked for Besides if the Times of Antichrist be so short and therefore yet to come as they must be unless they be longer then are we yet under the Times of the Red Dragon and all the Trumpets yet to come Let it be shewn how this can be If it appear we are not under those times of the Dragon then none of the Revelation is yet fulfilled Object But what example elsewhere in Scripture of Daies signifying Years Answ. Daniel's seventy weeks But you will say the Etymologie of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as appliable to Sevens of Years as Sevens of Daies and therefore this instance proves not I answer The question lies not in the Etymologie but the use wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes signifies Sevens of Daies and never Sevens of Years wheresoever it is absolutely put it means of Daies is no where used of Years Object But in the tenth of Daniel we find as it were for distinction sake Weeks of Daies which intimates there are Weeks of Years which the use of the word might indifferently signifie Answ. It is ill translated the Vulgar is better which hath Daies of Weeks Lugebam trium hebdomadarum diebus meaning that Daniel fasted and did eat no meat
in the day-time for three weeks together or some such like sense Gen. 29. 27. The Week which Laban would have Iacob fulfil before he gave him Rachel was not the Seven years service but the Seven daies of Leah's wedding-feast as the Targum translates and the Vulgar Imple hebdomadam dierum hujus copulae nor can it be otherwise by the age of Rachel's children Secondly Let it be shewn in all the Prophecy of Daniel or for ought I know in any other of the Prophets where times of things prophesied expressed by daies are not to be understood of years For when the Angel means daies in Daniel he expresseth it therefore not by daies for so it were doubtful but by evenings and mornings chap. 8. 14. where he speaks of the time of the persecution of Antiochus A brief Demonstration and as I conceive unanswerable of the Contemporation of the four Timed Prophecies in the Apocalypse viz. Of the Gentiles treading down the Court and Holy City 42 months Of the Witnesses preaching in Sackcloth 1260 daies Of the Beast's power of doing 42 months Of the Apostolical Woman's continuance in the Wilderness a Time Times and half a Time expressed also by 1260 daies 1. The Times of the Beast and of the Witnesses come out together viz. at the end of the Sixth Trumpet Chap. 11. Ergò being equal times they must needs begin together and so contemporate throughout 2. The Times of the Beast and of the Woman's being in the Wilderness have the same Epocha and beginning namely the dethroning and vanquishing of the Red Dragon Ch. 12. Ergò being equal times they must also have the same ending 3. The Times of the treading down the Court and Holy City by the Gentiles and of the Sackcloth-prophecy of the Witnesses are concurrent by the plain construction of the Text which gives them to prophesy all that heavy time Besides when the Witnesses have finished we find the Gentiles angry as being driven from their possession in the Temple Ch. 11. vers 18. I. M. CHAP. X. A Discourse of the Beginning and Ending of the 42 moneths or 1260 daies Rev. 11. 2 3. wherein Alstedius his Four Epocha's are examined SIR I Waved not the Question of the Ending of the XLII months more than that of their Beginning for as I designed their Beginning in a latitude so by consequent I do their Ending If they begin between the years 365 and 455 they must end between the years 1625 and 1715. Only I refused precisely to determine the year of their ending which for some reasons I supposed should not certainly be known till the Event should make it manifest according as was not the precise Beginning of the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity till the Event discovered it by their Ending For when the articuli are more than one to begin at who can determine at which God will reckon the beginning and consequently at what precise year shall be the ending Yet as God accompted the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity from a remarkable moment of that latitude of time the Iews were entring into so I believe the same All-wise God will do the period of the XLII months from some remarkable moment in the latitude of their beginning Howsoever because such remarkable moments or terms are more than one all that we can say is That it shall be from some one of them and it may be from some one we observe not God in his wisdom till he sees fit veiling it from our eyes For Alstedius I will ingenuously confess I had never observed those passages of his Chronology you acquaint me with as having never been nor yet am owner of that Book though I think I want few of his other Writings in which I have met with many passages tending to the same purpose with these of his Chronology here and there scattered but no where so fully and ex proposito I sought up and down for the Book and some two days since I got a sight of it so long as to read the pages you quote and no longer yet because you desire my judgment of the Years he setteth down I will answer something for your satisfaction and first lay the ground to examine them by viz. The Holy Ghost reckoneth the Epocha or Beginning of Antichrist and his Apostatical times from the taking of that which hindred out of the way that is the then-reigning Imperial Sovereignty of Rome 2 Thess. 2. 6 7 8. or as S. Iohn expresseth it from the deadly wounding of the Head or Sovereignty of the Roman Beast which in his time ruled or the shivering of the Empire into a plurality of Kingdoms upon that deadly wounding Apoc. 13. 3. with chap. 17. 12. When that great City should cease to be the lap of that Sovereignty which the Caesars once held over the Nations and many new upstart Kings should appear in the place and territory of that once One Empire then should the Times of Apostasy with that wicked One make their entrance Therefore as the Epocha or beginning of the Apostatical times in a latitude is to be fetched from that deadly blow or downfal of the Caesarean head in a latitude so he that would conjecturally point out any precise year where to begin those times must do it from some remarkable step or degree of the Caesarean blow or downfal in the same latitude Where note further that the Caesarean blow or downfal may be accompted double First Religious and Sacred as he was Draconicola by a dismounting and dethroning of the Dragon which actuated and enlived him Secondly Political by the ruin of his State and Majesty Some of the places I now quoted may seem more to respect the one some more the other Antichrist we see hath cured them both the First by a new Idolatry the Second by his usurped Tyranny Let us examine Alstedius his Four Epocha's according to this ground The first is Anno Christi 362. which was ill pitched it being the very time of the Dragon's recovery of the Imperial Throne under Iulian not any moment or step of his dismounting and the Empire flourishing under one Monarch not falling or disshivering Nor is his Reason good Because then began the persecution of Iulian for that argues that the Dragon was not yet down Nor the other Because of the Schismatical contention of the Roman Popes for what reason can there be why the Schism of the Popes should be the Epocha of their dominion and of the times of Apostasy under them Besides the Event shews this was no Epocha of the 42 months for then the expiration of them should have appeared anno 1622. by some mortal blow to the Antichristian state but it proved contrary Alstedius addeth the three years and an half of the Slaughter of the Witnesses to the end thereof hoping they should have revived Anno 1625. but alas they did not He that would chuse an Epocha about Iulian's time might with much more probability
must premise some General grounds which are as followeth First That as God is most One and without all Multiplicity so must the Honour and Service which is given unto him have no Communicability Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give unto another nor my praise to graven Images For the One-most God must have an One-most service Therefore in that Action whereof God is the Object nothing must be an Object but God Or in the Scripture phrase thus In those actions which look towards the Face of God nothing may come between whose Face such Actions may look upon besides him whether by way of Subordination to him or Representation of him For I am the Lord thy God saith he Thou shalt have no other Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before my face Secondly This Face of God is not only the Object of his Person but also the Place of his presence where his Glory is revealed in the Heavens where we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Revel 22. 4. and where the Angels in heaven behold the Face of the Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. 10. No Action therefore directed thitherward that is to this Face of his revealed presence and glory may so much as look asquint upon any other Object or behold any other Face but the Face of God alone For we must have no other Gods before his Face I say not that a man may not turn his Face upon the Face of any other thing when he turns his Face towards the Face of God for how then should we worship him at all seeing which way soever we turn us something will always be before us But it is not the Face of our Bodies or their posture but the Face and posture of the Act we do which must not have the Face turned upon any thing else when it is directed at the Face of God namely That Action in which God is faced must face nothing else but God that is Where God is the Object whether in regard of his Person when we pray unto him or of his Throne of presence when we would approach it or direct our supplications towards it there nothing is to have any respect of an Object but God alone So although when we pray unto God we turn the face of our Bodies towards Heaven the Sun the Moon and Stars yet do we not therefore worship the host of heaven because our Action hath no relation to them as to an Object but to God alone and howsoever they are between God and us in place yet as an Object of our devotion neither they nor any thing in them come any way between us and him Now for the reason if you ask it of this Incommunicableness of all Action and Service directed to God-ward you shall have it Exod. 34. 14. Because the Lord whose name is Iealous is a Iealous God Iealous not only lest he should not be honoured and served as God but Iealous lest he should not be honoured as One God For as by honouring him we acknowledge him God so by the Incommunicableness of honour we acknowledge him One God For this cause God being to give us a Mediator by whom we should have access unto his presence and whom without his Iealousie we might interpose in our devotions and supplications unto himself 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 born of a woman the Hypostatical 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 own Presence and Throne to receive our Requests and to deal as an Agent between us and him Thus at length I am arrived at that Port which all this while I made for viz. to shew That this Glory of Christ which is styled 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 that which now followeth shall appear Sessio ad Dextram Dei To sit at the Right hand of God is to be installed in God's 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. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sate down on the Right hand of Majesty on high and Heb. 8. 1. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens It is called also by Christ himself 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 belongs 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 Majestical Glory is revealed is the Heavens as may appear almost wheresoever this sitting at the right hand of God is mentioned Eph. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Heaven Heavenly places High places and the like being alwayes thereto annexed and every where 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 himself is styled Pater in Coelis not because not elsewhere but because his Glory is there revealed so Christ sits ad dextram in Coelis because there the beams of the Majesty given him by his Father are revealed whence it comes that his Kingdom is called the Kingdom of Heaven that is a Kingdom whose King 's 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 means to tell us when he saith Eph. 1. 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and Phil. 2. 9 10. Wherefore 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 Iesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Revel 3. 21. He
one step nearer laying this for a second ground of our discovery That these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times whereof S. Paul speaks and means were Times not then present but afterward to come For the words of the Text are not a Narration of things present but a Prediction as I have already admonished of what should beside the Christian Faith in after-times Yet notwithstanding were the Times wherein S. Paul lived and all the Times of Christianity the Last times and so styled in Scripture even by our Apostle himself as by some of the forecited examples evidently appeareth Wherefore it must needs follow that the Times here meant and mentioned in my Text are not the Last times in general and simply but the Last times in special and comparatively that is the Latter times of the Last times That as the Last times in general were the times wherein CHRIST the Sun of Righteousness was to be revealed and his Kingdom founded in the World so the Latter times of these Last times should be the times wherein the Apostasie of the Christian Faith should prevail and that Wicked one usurp the Throne of Christ. Before therefore that we can know what are the Last times comparatively that is the Latter times or the Last of the last we must first understand what are the Last times simply and in general why so called whence reckoned and how limited For then will these Latter times in my Text which are the Last part of them be easily found and in a manner demonstrated As for the Last times therefore in general most use to describe them only thus To be the times of the Kingdom of CHRIST which began at his Passion to continue unto the end of the World which in respect that it succeds the Legal worship and no other shall succeed it is therefore the Last time In like manner the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allotted to the Man of sin are as I take it usually no otherwise described than to be the Times wherein the Apostasie should appear which in that it should immediately precede the Second coming of CHRIST is therefore to be esteemed the Last times of all But these descriptions are obscurum per magis obscurum they declare an obscure thing by that which is or was more obscure than it and therefore come short of making good the intent of the Holy Ghost in his so often mention of the Last times especially in the New Testament For the Last times or fulness of time were both a ground of the Iews expectation of CHRIST when he came and are without doubt so often propounded and alledged by the Apostles for a confirmation of the truth of his coming But if the Last times could not be known but by his coming how should his coming be known by them So also the Holy Ghost in my Text mentions these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times for an argument or sign of the Apostasie to fall out therein or for a note and mark of time wherein we should look for and therefore as fore-warned beware of being carried away in that Defection But if these Times cannot be known nor described any other way than by the Defection to fall out in them we should be never a whit the nearer and this mark of time which the Holy Ghost gives us would stand us in no stead at all Let us therefore now take this as a Truth to be supposed That the Times are set out unto us to be as Marks to inform us when that should come to pass which was to fall out in them and not the Things which were to befall intended for Signs to know the Times by And therefore we are not to doubt but that the Holy Ghost hath somewhere else by some other mark and ground of Computation made known unto us when to reckon both the Last times wherein was foretold that Christ should be anointed and these Latter times of them when the Christian Apostasie should be revealed that so we might have a sure belief in the one and a certain and sufficient mark when to beware of the other The Prophanation of the Legal Sanctuary and trampling down the holy people by Antiochus Epiphanes was marked out in Daniel's prophecy by the like circumstance and determination of time as is this Apostasie here in our Apostle's prediction Dan. 8. 23. In the latter time or latter end of the Kingdom of Graecia a King of a fierce countenance shall stand up viz. He who should magnifie himself against the Prince of the Host of Heaven and take away the daily Sacrifice c. as it is in the Vision which was foreshewed of him Verse 10 11. Where it would be preposterous to think that this Latter time or End of the Greek Kingdom could not be defined otherwise than by the Event to fall out therein and not rather conceive that this determination of time being such as might otherwise well enough be known was therefore intended for a Character to observe the Event by For when was this Latter end of the Greeks Kingdom to be taken notice of but then when they should see that Kingdom begin to be given unto another people when the Fourth Kingdom the Roman State should once begin to incroach upon the Third especially when they should see the Head-Province thereof Greece it self to come under their obedience when they should see this then were they to prepare themselves for the abomination of desolation was now at the door And surely the Event was most punctual For this Roman incroachment having been some 28 years together manifestly attempting and advancing was at length accomplished when AEmilius the Consul having quite vanquished Perseus the King of Maccdon all Greece came under the Roman obedience 166 years before the Birth of Christ which no sooner was come to pass but the very self-same year within less than three months after Antiochus sets up the abomination of desolation in the Temple of Ierusalem Why should we not then believe that the Holy Ghost intendeth here to give us as sure a Watch-word when to beware of the Man of sin by this circumstance of Latter times in my Text as we see he gave the Iews to look for the Persecution and Prophanation by Antiochus CHAP. XII A more particular account of the Last Times in general and of the Latter Times of the Last Times That the Four Kingdoms of Daniel are the Great Kalendar as the LXX weeks the lesser Kalendar of Times That the Times of the Fourth or Last Kingdom that is the Roman are the Last Times meant in Scripture That the Latter Times of the Last Times are the Latter Times of the Fourth Kingdom wherein the Great Apostasie should prevail THEREFORE without any more preambles I come now directly to resolve what was before propounded viz. First What is meant by LAST TIMES in general Whence and How we are to reckon them And then in the Second place What are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
must imply some definite time because the Scripture follows that use of speech and useth no number indefinitely but those which the use of speech had made such as 7. 10. 1000. But mixt and compound numbers as these are viz. 3½ 42. 1260. are neither in the Hebrew nor I think in any other tongue used indefinitely Our Adversaries would have them literally understood for Three single years and a half as though it were an History and not a Prophecy But besides the use of Prophecy to reckon Days for Years I think it would trouble any man to conceive how so many things as should be performed in this time should be done in Three single years and a half 1. Ten Kingdoms founded at the same time with the Beast 2. Peoples and multitudes of Nations and Tongues to serve and obey him 3. To make war with the Saints and overcome them 4. To cause all that dwell upon the Earth to worship him 5. Babylon to ride the Beast so long that all Nations shall drink of the wine of her fornication all the Kings of the earth commit fornication with her yea the Merchants and all those that had ships in the Sea to grow rich by trading with her Methinks all these things should ask much more than Three years work or Four either To which I add moreover that that King State of Government Sovereignty or Seigniory or what you will of the Beast under which the Whore should ride him followeth immediately upon a Former which in comparison is said to continue but a short space Rev. 17. 10. But if the Antichristian State shall continue but Three years and a half literally taken how short must the time of that foregoing King or Sovereignty be which should occasion the Holy Ghost to insert so singular a note of the difference thereof from that which followed That it should continue but a short space Doth not this imply that the next State wherein the Whore should ride the Beast was to continue a long space Therefore Three years and a half Historically taken cannot be the Time of the Churches Apostasie and the Antichristian Sovereignty of Rome and if it cannot be taken Historically it must be taken Prophetically every Day for a Year and so 1260 days counted so many years shews the extent of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times to be 1260 years NOW for the Second thing proposed The Beginning of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter Times S. Iohn tells us in the Revelation That his Blasphemous Beast of 42 moneths continuance should succeed upon the mortal wound of the Caesarean or Imperial Sovereignty of Rome and Apocal. 17. 12 13. the Idolatrous Beast which carries the great Whore upon his back should have a Plurality of Kings start up at the same time with him who should agree to submit their power and kingdom unto this Whore-ridden Beast And would not he also in the same Chapter have us take notice That the Antichristian State of the Beast which was to come should be the next to that of the Caesars which then reigned For the Angel there tells him That that State of the Beast wherein the Whore should ride him which then was not in being but should afterward ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition that this State or Head of the Beast should succeed so immediately upon the Sixth State or Head viz. the Caesarean then reigning that howsoever for some respect it might be called an Eighth yet should it in very deed be but the Seventh For how could it be otherwise when the Beast in the Vision hath but Seven heads and no more Vide ver 8. 10 11. Agreeable to this is S. Paul's Epocha 2 Thes. 2. 7. who tells us that as soon as the Imperial Sovereignty of Rome which then hindred should be taken out of the way then should that Wicked one be revealed Thus the Fathers generally expound it Hence was that custom in the Church in the most ancient times of it to pray in their Liturgy for the lasting of the Roman Empire that so Antichrist might be long a coming Tertul. Apol. cap. 32 39. Ad Scap. cap. 2. Upon this ground S. Ierome when he heard of the taking of Rome by Alaricus the Goth presently expected the coming of Antichrist Ad Gerontiam de Monogamia Qui tenebat saith he de medio fit non intelligimus Antichristum appropinquare He who hindered is taken out of the way and we consider not that Antichrist is at hand Idem Praefat. in Lib. 8. Comment in Ezek. Pascitur animus obliviscitur seculi calamitatum quod in extremo fine jam positum congemiscit parturit donec qui tenet de medio fiat pedes statuae quondam ferreae fragilitate digitorum fictilium conterantur Cadit mundus Cervix erecta non flectitur c. My mind is refresht and for the present forgets the woful calamities that this last Age Labours with groaning and travailing in pain till he who hinders be taken out of the way and the feet of the iron Statue be broken to pieces by reason of the brittleness of the clayic toes The world goes to ruine and yet the haughty neck does not bend c. Thus he Postquam clarissimum terrarum omnium Lumen extinctum est imò Romani Imperii truncatum caput in una urbe tâ—tus orbis interiit After that the most glorious light in all the world was put out and the Head of the Roman Empire was cut off and so the whole world was destroy'd in the destruction of that one City as he elsewhere deplores that woful calamity Praes in Lib. 1. Comment in Ezec. Answerable to that which S. Iohn told us Daniel's Kalendar also informs us That the Hornish Tyrant who was to act the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should then begin to appear when Ten Kings should arise in the Fourth Kingdom For the Ten Horns which at the last he espied upon the Beast's head and obâ—erved a little Horn with eyes and a mouth to spring up amongst them and displant Three of them chap. 7. v. 8. the Angel v. 24. expounds to be Ten Kings which should arise out of that Kingdom and another to wit Antichrist should arise behind them so it should be translated as the Septuagint doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be diverse from the first that is a King of another nature and should bring down or humble three Kings and play those recks which follow in the Text. Thus the Fathers universally and from the utmost antiquity expound this Scripture Iustin Martyr Dialog cum Tryphone takes it as granted that this Horn is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that man of Apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that would attempt all the mischief imaginable against us Christians Irenaeus scholar to Polycarp l. 5. c. 21. aliis 25. saith Daniel novissimi Regni sinem respiciens id est
novissimos decem Reges in quos divideretur regnum illorum super quos Filius perditionis veniet Cornua dicit decem nasci Bestiae c. The prophet Daniel eying the end of the Fourth or Last Kingdom that is those Ten Kings into whom their Kingdom should be divided and upon whom the Son of Perdition should come viz. the Little Horn that should domineer and overtop them saith chap. 7. that the Beast had Ten Horns grow out of his Head and that there came up among them another little Horn and that before this Horn Three of the first Horns were pluck'd up by the roots Yea a little after he tells us that S. Iohn in his Ten Kings which should receive their Kingdoms at one hour with the Beast expounds this of Daniel Manifestius adhuc de novissimo tempore de his qui sunt in eo decem Regibus in quos dividetur quod nunc regnat Imperium significavit Ioannes Domini discipulus in Apocalypsi edisserens quae suerint decem cornua quae à Daniele visa sunt c. What was before prophesied concerning the Last Times and the Ten Kings therein amongst whom the Empire that now reigns should be divided Iohn the disciple of our Lord hath more clearly exprest in his Apocalypse where he tells what those Ten Horns were which Daniel saw viz. Ten Kings which had received no Kingdom as yet but were to receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast Chap. 17. 12. Nay S. Ierome in his Comment upon this seventh chapter of Daniel will give us to understand that all the Ecclesiastical Writers delivered this to be the true exposition For having there confuted Porphyrie who to derogate from the divinity of this Prophecy would have it meant of Antiochus Epiphanes and therefore written when the Event was past he concludeth thus Ergo dicamus quod omnes Scriptores Ecclesiastici tradiderunt In consummatione inundi quando regnum destruendum est Romanorum decem futuros reges qui â—rbem Romanum inter se dividant undecimum surrecturum esse Regem parvulum qui tres reges de decem regibus superaturus sit in quo totus Satanas habitaturus sit corporaliter Let us therefore affirm agreeably to the concurrent judgment of all Ecclesiastical Writers That in the consummation of the world when the Roman Empire is to be destroyed there shall arise Ten Kings who shall share the Roman world among themselves and that an Eleventh King the little Horn in Dan. 7. shall arise who shall subdue Three of those Ten Kings in which little Hornish Tyrant Satan shall dwell entirely and bodily Who these three Kings were which this Horn displanted to make himself elbow-room you shall hear more anon But I will not conceal that I have heard of another Exposition which fits our turn for the Beginning of the Apostasie no less than that of the Fathers namely That by Ten Kingdoms may be meant the full Plurality of the Roman Provinces so much whereof as Three is of Ten should have the Imperial power rooted out of them and fall under the Dominion of the Antichristian Horn who should act the Sovereignty of the Latter times or the last Sovereignty of that Kingdom Now it is most true that the Pope's Patriachdom in the West holds just that scantling of the ancient Territory of the Roman Empire which a man may judge by his eyes or compasses in a Map and yet I prefer the other Exposition before it To come to an issue It is apparent by all that hath been said that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times with that wicked Sovereignty which should domineer in them were to take beginning from the wound the fall the ruine the rending in pieces or rooting up of the Imperial Sovereignty of the City of Rome When that City should cease to be the Lap of that Sovereignty which the Caesars once held over the Nations and many new upstart Kings should appear in the place and Territory of that once-one Empire then should the Apostasie be seen and the Latter times with that Wicked one make their entrance Now in what Age this fell out I think no man can be ignorant who hath but a little skill in History CHAP. XIV That we are not to reckon the Latter Times or the Times of the Empire 's ruine and the Apostasie attending from the full height thereof This illustrated from other Computations in Scripture The Three main Degrees of the Roman Empire's Ruine Who are those 3 Kings whom the Little Horn or Antichrist is said in Dan. 7. to have displanted or deprest to advance himself About what time Saint-worship began in the Church That we are not too curiously to enquire from which of the 3 degrees of the Empire 's ruine the Apostatical or Latter Times take their beginning BUT you will say The Imperial Sovereignty of Old Rome fell not all at once but had divers steps and degrees of Ruine so that the doubt will be notwithstanding from which of these steps of the Fall thereof these Latter times must be reckoned I answer From any of them For as the Imperial Sovereignty fell by degrees so the Apostasie under the lattermost Sovereignty grew up also by degrees and for every degree which the ruinous Empire decayed was the rising Son of perdition a degree advanced Secondly All the main and evident degrees of the Empire 's ruine fell in the compass of an Age and the knowledge and observation of that Age only within which the Times of this Fall are comprehended was sufficient both to warn them who then lived that that which should come was then a coming and to inform us who now live that it is already come Now which were these main and evident degrees of the Empire 's falling and at what time I will tell you as soon as I have removed an usual mistake in this business which is to reckon the times of the Empire 's ruine and so likewise of the Apostasie attending it only from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full height thereof But this is too much against Reason and not agreeable to the course we otherwise use in the like For as when we reckon the Age of a man we reckon not from the time since he came to mans estate but from the time of his birth so should we do here for the Times of the Man of sin I say not we should begin to count his Age from his conception for that we use not in other things but from the time he was first editus in lucem when he first began to appear in the world and so likewise the Fall of the Empire and the Apostasie not from the time they were consummate but from the time they first evidently appeared As therefore I hold their opinion the best and most agreeable to truth who begin the 70 years of the Iewish captivity in Babylon not from the consummation thereof under Zedekiah when the City and
Temple were utterly rased for that is impossible there being not 60 years in all between the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar and the last of Cyrus but from the beginning thereof under Iehojakint eighteen years before or at the most but from Iehojachin So are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latter times of the Roman State to begin when the Empire first began to fall and not when it was utterly rooted up Take for another example the computation of the Time allotted to the Calamity of the Iews under Antiochus which I the rather alledge because he is commonly counted for a Type of Antichrist The beginning of that 2300 evenings and mornings or six years and somewhat more than a quarter which that Calamity was to continue from the beginning thereof until the Temple should again be cleansed Dan. 8. 13 14. was not to be reckoned from the height thereof when the daily Sacrifice should be taken away for thence it is but three years 1 Mac. 1. 54 c. with chap. 4. 52. but from the beginning of the Transgression which occasioned this desolation and is described 1 Mac. 1. 11 c. So likewise the End of the Kingdom of the Greeks wherein this Calamity was to happen is not to be counted only then when AEmilius the Consul had quite finished the conquest of Macedon for this points out only the height of that calamity but from the beginning of that last fatal War which put an end to that Kingdom which was about some three years and an half before and jumps with the beginning of the Transgression of desolation as the finishing of the Conquest doth with the taking away of the daily sacrifice But leaving this let us return again and see which were those main and evident degrees of the Empire 's downfall and when they befell which I suppose may not unfitly be sampled by those of the Babylonish captivity As therefore the Babylonish captivity had Three steps or degrees the first in the days of Iehojakim when Daniel went captive the second under Iehojachin or Iechonias when Ezechiel went captive the last under Zedekiah when the Temple and City were wholly rased and consumed So omitting the Political change under Constanstine the chief and principal moments of the Ruine of the Empire by the sword and by the sword the Beast had his deadly wound Apocal. 13. 14. may fitly be reduced unto Three 1. The First was presently after the death of Iulian the last of Heathen Emperors about the year 365 ominously marked with that universal stupendious and never-but-then sampled Earthquake whereby the waters of the Sea were rolled out of their chanels and left ships hanging upon the tops of houses From this time forwards all the Nations on every side seem as it were with one consent to have conspired the Ruine of the Empire Now that terrible and fatal storm of the Nations of the North Almaenes Samaritans Quades Picts Scots and Saxons especially the Coths began to break in upon it almost without intermission harrying burning wasting destroying the most part of the provinces thereof almost for 45. years together And to mend the matter the Goths soon after their coming were admitted as Inhabitants and dispersed as free Denizons into the bowels and heart of the Empire advanced to be Commanders and bore the greatest sway in their Armies By which fatal error the Empire received her bane and the Romans were no longer masters of their own strength which they quickly and often repented but even that cost them dear when they had indeed eyes to see it but never ability to mend it This was the First degree of the Empire 's ruine 2. The Second was about the year 410 when Alaricus the Goth sacked Rome it self the proud Lady of the world when as S. Ierome saith Capiebatur urbs quae totum cepit Orbem imò fame periit antequam gladio vix pauci qui caperentur inventi sunt The City which had conquered the whole world was it self taken being undone by famine before it was by the sword insomuch that there were but few left to be taken prisoners And from this very year the Plurality of Kings foretold of began to come upon the stage Five or Six new Kingdoms presently appearing within the Territories of the Empire Of the Goths of the Burgundians and though somewhat later of the Franks in Gallia of the Suevians and Alans and of the Vandals in Spain and as Sigonius thinks of the Hunnes in Pannonia certainly they could not be much later than this very year But this number of Kings we will leave till they be better increased as continually they did And thus you see the Second degree of the ruine of the Empire 3. The Third was about the year 455 presently upon the death of the third Valentinian the last as Sleidan well observed of the Emperors of the West and consequently of the ancient Rome then when Gensericus the Vandal took the City now the second time fired it and spoiled it of all the goodly and glorious ornaments which Alaricus had spared amongst which were the golden and silver vessels of the Temple of Ierusalem brought thither by Titus All which with an innumerable multitude of Roman captives he carried away with him Now was the Prediction which Varro reports that Vectius Valens the Augur made of 12 Vulturs to Romulus the Founder That his City should continue 1200 years fulfilled and those years newly expired And which is more to be heeded now was the Plurality of Kings lately risen in the ancient Territory of the Empire as Daniel and S. Iohn had prophesied increased unto the full number of Ten which together with the Provinces wherein they were seated and the Names of the Kings which reigned the next year after the City was taken are these which follow ANNO DOMINI 456.  Kingdoms of the Provinces Names of the Kings reigning Somewhat of their changes 1 Britons In Britain Vortimer  2 Saxons  Hâ—ngist  3 Franks In Gallia Childerick An. 526. This Kingdom of the Burgundians was subdued by the Franks 4 Burgundians  Gunderick  5 Wisigothes In the South of Gallia between the Rhene Loyr and the Sea and Part of Spain Theodorick II. But to fill up the number that of the Ostrogoths became 2 by the coming of the Longobards into Pannonia the same time 6 Swevians and Alanes Spain in Gallicia and Portugal Riâ—iarius  7 Vandals In Africk but first in Spain Gensericus  8 Almanes Germany in Rhaetia between the Rhene c. Sumanus This Kingdom became one with a part of the Kingdom of the Heruli 475. during their short reign in Italy 9 Ostrogothes whom the Lougobards succeeded In Pannonia where they subdued the Hunnes and not long after propagated their Kingdom into Italy Theodemir The Longobards succeeded the Ostrogoths first in Pannonia upon the death of Theodorick of â—erona An. 526. Then in Italy called in by Narses
the Appendix of hindering or debarring marriage mentioned in the next verses which as a thred led me the way to the end of the eleventh chapter of Daniel where I found it and in a place too very suspicious being taken I think by almost all the Ancients for a Prophecy of Antichrist yea and so expounded by the greatest part of our own though with much variety of reading and application But hear the words themselves in the 36 37 38 39. verses of that eleventh chapter of Daniel translated as I think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbatim without any wresting or straining the Hebrew text They are a Description of the Last or Roman Kingdom and the several states thereof Conquering Nations Persecuting Christians Falseworshipping Christ. The words are these Daniel Chap. 11. Vers. 36 37 38 39. 36. Then a King shall do according to his will and shall exalt and magnifie himself above every God 36. Tunc faciet pro libitu suo Rex extollet ac magnificabit seipsum supra omnem Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea against the God of God shall he speak marvellous things and shall prosper until the Indignation be accomplished for the determined time shall be fulfilled Etiam contra Deum Deorum loquetur stupenda proficiétque donec consummata fuerit Indignatio nam statutum perficietur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 himself above all 37. Tunc ad Deos Majorum suorum attendet nec ad Desiderium mulierum nec ad ullum Numen attendet sed supra omne se magnificabit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38. For to or together with God in his seat he shall honour Mahuzzims even together with that God whom his Ancestours knew not shall he honour them with gold and with silver and with precious stones and with pleasant things 38. Nam ad vel juxta Deum Mahuzzimos in sede ejus honorabit scilicet ad Deum quem non agnoverunt Majores ejus honorabit eos auro argento lapidibuspretiosis rebus desideratissimis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 39. And he shall make the Holds of the Mahuzzims withall or joyntly to the Forein God whom acknowledging he shall encrease with honour and shall cause them to rule over many and shall distribute the earth for a reward 39. Et faciet munimenta Mahuzzimorum unà Deoperegrino seu exotico quem agnoscendo multiplicabit honore dominari facieâ— eos in multos terrâ—mque partietur in mercedem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Now for the understanding of this Prophecy we must take notice that the Prophet Daniel at the beginning of these verses leaves off the Greek Kingdom with Antiochus of whom he was speaking before and falls about the Roman the reason being because after Antiochus in whose time Macedonia whence that Kingdom sprung with all the rest of Greece came under the Roman obedience the Third Kingdom comes no more in the holy reckoning Daniel himself calling the time of Antiochus his reign the latter end of the Greek kingdom ch 8. 23. and as I take it he intimates the same in this chapter in the verse immediately fore-going these we have now to deal withal From thence forward therefore the Roman succeeds in the account of the Great Kalendar of Times 2. Under the name King we must understand the whole Roman State under what kind of Government soever For the Hebrews use King for Kingdom and Kingdom for any Government State or Polity in the world For the Devil in the Gospel is said to have shewn Christ all the Kingdoms of the world Monarchies Aristocracies Democracies or what other kind soever 3. Where it is said that this King should exalt himself above every God nothing is thereby meant but the greatness and generality of his conquests and prevailings And the reason of that phrase or manner of speech should seem to be Because in the times of Paganism every City and Country was supposed to have their proper and peculiar Gods which were deemed as their Guardians and Protectors Whence in the Scripture according to the language of that time we may observe a threefold use of speech First the Nations themselves are expressed and implied under the names of their Gods The Israelites were called The people of Iehovah So are the Moabites the people of Chemosh Numb 21. 29. The Lord threatned Deut. 4. 28. 28. 36 64. Ier. 16. 13. to scatter Israel among the nations from one end of the earth even to another and that there they should serve other Gods day and night Gods the work of mens hands wood and stone which neither they nor their Fathers had known that is they should serve them not Religiously but Politically inasmuch as they were to become Slaves and Vassals to Idolatrous Nations even such Idolaters as neither they nor their Fathers had ever heard of For as for a Religious service of Idols the Iews were never so free as in their captivity as we see by experience at this day but with the service of bondage they may be said Politically to have been the Vassals of Idols as being in bondage to the servants of other Gods As a Christian taken by the Turk may in the like sense be said to come in bondage and be a slave to Mahomet For a Slave to the Servants is in a sense Servant to their Master Let it also be considered whether that of David 1 Sam. 26. 19. be not to be expounded according to this notion They have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying Go serve other Gods that is banished me into a Nation of another Religion Secondly The exploits of the Nations are said to be done by their Gods even as we by like privilege of speech ascribe unto our Kings what is done by the People under them Thus 2 Chron. 28. 23. the Gods of Damascus are said to have smote Ahaz He sacrificed to the Gods of Damascus that smote him and he said Because the Gods of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me Ier. 51. 44. it is said of the Dominion of Babylon That the Nations flowed together unto Bel and that he had swallowed up their wealth which the Lord threatned there to bring forth again out of his mouth Thirdly and that most frequently of all others What is attempted against the Nations is said to be attempted against their Gods Even as Generals bear the name not only of the exploits but also of the disadvantages of the Armies led by them So her the Gods are said to receive the affronts defeatures and discomfitures given to the People under their patronage Rabshakeh vounts in his Master's name 2 Kings 18. 33. Hath any of Gods of the Nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of Assyria where are the Gods of
construction of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be irregular Iunius himself having admitted it in the next member of the verse and to suppose it to be a mystical Solecism the Spirit intending by the Anomaly and incongruity of the Syntax to signifie an Anomaly and incongruity of Religion But these inconveniences on both sides as far as I can see are wholly avoided by that Translation we have given whereof let the Reader judge I come now to unfold the signification of the word Mahuzzim a word which the most Translations retain the Septuagint calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ierome or the Vulgar Latin Maozim the Geneva and others Maüzim This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahuzzim I say is in the Plural number the singular is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahoz which in the abstract signifies sometimes Strength sometimes a Fortress or Bulwark of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustus fuit But the Hebrews use Abstracts for Concretes Examples are many in the Old Testament as Iustitia pro Iustis Captivity for Captives c. In the New Testament Principalities Powers and Dominions for Princes Potentates and Dominators So Mahoz Strength or a Fortress for him that strengthens or fortifies that is a Protector Defender Guardian Helper Wherefore the Septuagint five times in the Psalms render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahoz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latine as often Protector the places are these Psal. 27. 1. The Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Protector of my life of whom should I be afraid Psal. 28. 8. The Lord is their strength and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MahoZ Ieshuoth the Mahoz of Salvations of his anointed where the Septuagint hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Protector salvationum Psal. 31. 3. Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily be thou unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Rock Mahoz Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. in Deum Protectorem Again vers 5. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ki atta Mahuzzi for thou art my Protector the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Protector Psal. 37. 39. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahuzam their Mahoz in the time of trouble and the Lord shall help them and deliver them from the wicked c. where the Septuagint and the Vulgar render as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Protector How think you now Are not Saints and Angels worshipped as Mahuzzims True Christians have with David in the Psalms before quoted one Mahoz Iehovah Mahoz that is Christ but Apostate Christians have their many Mahuzzims O would they worshipped only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Mahoz of salvations as you heard David even now call him Psal. 28. You may if you please compare with these places of the Psalms that in the first verse of this eleventh of Daniel where the Angel saith he stood in the first year of Darius the Mede to confirm and be a Mahoz to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate to strengthen him By which we may see how fitly this name may be applied to Angels and so to Saints supposed in helping protecting and assisting to be like them Thus you see the concrete sense of Mahoz for an Helper Protector and Defender is not new But what if we take the word passively Force and Strength for Forts and Strong ones Will not then the valiant Martyrs and Champions of the Faith well bear the name of Mahuzzims And these are they whom at the first Christians worshipped only in this sort as an honour peculiarly due uto their sufferings Moreover that you may not think this word and the notion thereof improper to be given unto a Deity observe that the true God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rock seven times Deut. 32. which the Vulgar turns as often Deus yea in the same place False gods are called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rocks ver 31. Their Rock that is the Gentiles Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies them selves being Iudges and ver 37. Where are their Gods that is Baalim their Rock in whom they trusted which did eat the fat of their sacrifices c. The like you shall find in Hannah's Song and other places of Scripture See now the parity The True God is called a Rock Baalim and False Gods are also Rocks The True God or Christ himself is often by David call'd Mahoz why may not then False Gods or Plurality of Christs be called Mahuzzim Rock and Fortress are not words of so great difference Thus having cleared the chiefest difficulties in the Text and made the way smooth let us read over the words again and apply the Interpretation unto them CHAP. XVII A particular explication by way of Paraphrase of the forementioned Prophecy in Dan. 11. This further illustrated by several Observations wherein the Events are represented as exactly sutable and appliable to Daniel's Prophecy That at the beginning of Saint-worship in the Church Saints and their Reliques were called Bulwarks Fortresses Walls Towers Guardians Protectors c. according to the native signification of the word used by Daniel Mahuzzim A brief explication of the following verses in Dan. 11. viz. vers 40 41 42 43. Dan. 11. Vers. 36. THen a King shall do according to his will and shall exalt or magnifie himself above every God 36. THat is Toward the end of the Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes the Roman shall prevail and set up the Fourth Kingdom making himself Master of the Kingdom of Macedon and advancing himself from this time forward by continual conquests shall Lord it over every King and Nation Yea against the God of Gods shall he speak marvellous things and shall prosper until the Indignation be accomplished For the determined time shall be 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 bloudy Edicts shall persecute and massacre his servants the Christians and yet shall prosper in his Empire until these outragious times be ended that is until the daies 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 himself above all 37. When that appointed time for the date of his prosperity comes to its period and the time of the ruin and change of his Dominion draws near than this Roman State shall cashier 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 above it yea and soon after the Roman shall bear himself so as if he regarded not any God and with Antichristian pride shall magnifie himself over all Verse 38. For to or together with God in his seat he shall honour Mahuzzims even together with that God whom his Ancestors knew not shall he honour 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 he shall worship Mahuzzims even in his seat and Temple even with the forein God whom his Ancestors acknowledged not shall he 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 withal or joyntly to the Forein God whom acknowledging he shall encrease with honour and he shall cause them to rule over many and shall distribute the earth for a reward 39. And though the Christian God whom he shall profess to acknowledge and worship can endure no Compeers yet shall he consecrate his Temples and Monasteries Ecclesiastical Holds joyntly to the Christian God and to his Mahuzzims Deo Sanctis yea he shall distribute the earth among his Mahuzzims so that beside several patrimonies which in every Countrey he shall allot them he shall share whole Kingdoms and Provinces among them Saint George shall have England Saint Andrew Scotland Saint Denis France Saint Iames Spain Saint Mark Venice c. and bear rule as Presidents and Patrons of their several Countries Thus we see how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how expresly the Spirit foretold that the Roman Empire having rejected the multitude of Gods and Daemons worshipped by their Ancestors and betaken themselves to that One and Only God which their Fathers knew not should nevertheless depart from this their Faith and revive again the old Theology of Daemons by a new Superinduction of Mahuzzims Now although this Prophecy thus applied be so evident that the only pointing at the Event were able almost to convince the Reader yet that we may yet the more admire the Truth of God in the contemplation of an Event 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 that time of their prevailing against Macedonia which I said was accomplished toward the end of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes for the beginning of their Dominion over the world Lucius Florus lib. 2. cap. 7. Cedente Hannibale praemium victoriae Africa fuit secutus Africam terrarum rrbis Post Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit secutae sunt statim Africam Gentes Macedonia Graecia Syria caeteráque omnia quodam quasi aestu torrente fortunae Sed primi omnium Macedones affectator quondam imperii populus Hannibal being worsted Africa became the reward of the victory and after Africa the whole world also None thought it a shame to be overcome after Carthage was Macedonia Greece Syria and all other Nations as if carried with a certain current and torrent of Fortune did soon follow Africa But the first who followed were the Macedonians a people that sometime affected the Empire of the World In Velleius Paterculus lib. 1. c. 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 deinde 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 MDCCCCXCV The Assyrians had the Sovereign dominion the first of all Nations then the Medes and Persians after them the Macedonians afterwards those two Kings Philip and Antiochus being overcome and that a little after that Carthage was subdued the Imperial Power came to the Romans Between which time and the beginning of the Reign of Ninus the first Assyrian King there are one thousand nine hundred ninety five years Here the time of the Romans prevailing against the Macedonian Kings 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 those 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 year that Antiochus Epiphanes prophaned the Temple of Ierusalem 2. That no Kingdom in the world that we know of could more literally be said in their conquests to exalt and magnifie them selves above every God than the Roman in respect of a solemn custome they used in their wars by a certain charm to call out the gods from any City when they besieged it The form whereof Macrobius gives us l. 3. Saturn c. 8. as he found it in Sammonicus Serenus his fifth Book of hidden secrets namely this If it be a God if it be a Goddess that hath the People and 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 go away from them and to strike fear 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 so as we may know and understand it If you do so I vow to build you Temples and to appoint solemn sports for you 3. That Constantine the first Emperour under whom that State forsook the Gods of their Forefathers and became Christian together with this alteration abrogated those ancient Roman Laws Iulia and Papâ—a wherein the Desire of women and married life was so much priviledged and encouraged and single and unmarried life disadvantaged Hear it in the words of Sozomen lib. 1. c. 9. Hist. Eccl. There was saith he an ancient Law among the Romans forbidding those who after five and twenty years old were unmarried to enjoy the like priviledges with married ones and besides many other things that they should have no benefit by Testaments and Legacies unless they were next of kindred and those who had no children to have half their goods confiscated Wherefore the Emperour seeing those who for God's sake were addicted to
time and gives me no leisure to perfect that whereby I might perhaps prevent a great part of the Objections which now are made Thus hoping you will accept this tumultuary Answer I rest commending your Studies and endeavours to the Divine Blessing Christ's Colledge Iune 17. 1629. Your loving Friend Ioseph Mede EPISTLE VII Mr. Hayn's Second Letter to Mr. Mede about several Prophetical passages in Daniel and the Revelation To the First THESIS BEfore Christ's time all the East as Tacitus saith expected a King to rule over all the world whence could this be but from the expectation of the Iews of the Kingdom which was to spread over all the world after the ruine of the fourth Beast in Daniel and that they now saw the divided Kingdom of the Greeks after Antiochus Epiphanes his time decaying and likely to be extinguished And in Christ's time the faithful the rest were blind guides not to be followed believing Christ and the Apostles preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God against which Hell gates should not prevail must necessarily conceive that the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was at the last cast and therefore understand the Fourth Kingdom to be the parted Greeks lately expiring in Cleopatra her Brother Ptolemy or others and not the Roman still flourishing and not likely yet to fall For the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was to fall before the setting up of the everlasting Kingdom of Christ. And if in Christ's time the faithful did conceive thus of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel then succeeding Ages to those Primitive times so long as they retained a right judgment were of the same mind The Iews in after-times went about to perswade that the Romans calling them Edom also were the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel because they might be thought to hold aright that Messias was not yet come who should be the Stone falling on the toes of the Fourth Kingdom Eusebius and some others have fallen into this trap set by Iews Seeing it is a course to harden Iews against the true Messias already come we shall do well to avoid it If you demand Why then did not Christ and the Apostles use this Argument to prove him the true Messias In effect they did They preached that the Kingdom of God was at hand the coming whereof implies the Fall of the Fourth Kingdom and that was then ocular and to be understood of the Successors of Antiochus falling not of the Romans flourishing And seeing that in the preaching of Christ's Kingdom it was to be taught that his Kingdom was not of this world at which point the Iews stumbled Christ's main Argument was The works which I do they testifie of me To the Second THESIS You affirm that the Roman Kingdom was revealed to Daniel in imagine confusa but explicated to Iohn by specification of the Fates and the order rerum gerundarum This cannot stand good For the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel is more particularly and distinctly set down then any of the other Three And of the other Three be not revealed in imagine confusa but fully enough for the specification of their Fates and the order of their acts then much more the Fourth Kingdom which is far more amply in types and explication set out in Daniel Then secondly It cannot be said to be set down in imagine confusa for it is orderly and in special manner handled First for the Original It rises out of the Sea Then for the power It is strong as iron able to break in pieces and subdue all Dan. 2. 40. It is fearful very strong and hath ten horns It hath iron teeth and nails of brass In conclusion It hath one little horn that pulls away three of the former ten It hath ten Kings and one unlike the rest It in the end shall be partly strong as Iron partly weak as Clay For the stirs it should make and the persecution brought on the Church thereby It subdued and did break in pieces all things as Iron bruiseth and breaketh all Dan. 2. 40. It devours and breaks in pieces and stamps the residue under feet Dan. 7. 7. As the ten horns do mischief so especially the little horn which made war with the Saints and prevailed against them and consumed them It waxed great even to the host of heaven and cast some of the host and the stars to the ground and stamped on them Chap. 8. 10. It thought to alter times and laws Chap. 7. 25. Then also as you hold in your Explication of Dan. 11. ver 36. and after the Roman Kingdom is there prophesâ—ed of that he should conquer Macedon and every King and Nation should persecute mock and crucifie Christ and persecute Christians till Constantine's times Then the Pope should arise worshipping Daemonia and countenancing single life shall not regard any God but magnify himself above all In the Seat and Temple of God should worship Mahuzzims with gold and with silver and precious stones and distribute the earth among his Mahuzzims deal with Saracens and Turks enter into Palaestine c. Chap. 11. Then for the blasphemy of this Kingdom mention is made of the mouth speaking presumptuous things Chap. 7. 8. speaking against the most High Verse 25. and speaking marvellous things against the God of Gods Chap. 11. 36. The Fall also of this Kingdom is plainly expressed Chap. 2. 34 45. Chap. 7. 11 26. by being broken in pieces and blown as chaffe by being destroyed and given to the fire by perishing unto the end Lastly the time of this Fourth Kingdom 's domineering or at least of the chief violence of it is expressed A times time and half a time answerable to the time of the woman's keeping from the Serpent Apoc. 12. 14. Then the time of taking away the daily sacrifice continues 2300. days Thus it is evident how particularly Daniel hath laid open the Original the Acts the Sufferings and Fall of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel And yet I have not brought all particulars Hence it is manifest that this cannot be a general decyphering of the Roman Kingdom but a particular description of some other Kingdom which fell before Christ's time Here now if you shall object that the Beast Dan. 7. doth shew the very same kingdom that is set out Apoc. 13. because in Original and Power and Persecution and Fall and Time it so much agrees with the same I answer That God is unchangeable and inflicts punishments alike on sinners alike and expresses after-matters by words used in narrations of former matters of like nature which much helps our weakness for understanding of these depths And therefore the Apocalyps is as it were made up with the Allusions Metaphors and Formulae loquendi of the Books of the Old Testament yet do not almost all the Visions of the Apocalyps as one unjustly judges handle imprimis Res Iudaeorum but Res Christianorum in the words of former Prophets So we may express a matter that Tully never
the Throne of the Ancient of days was set and the Iews had defence till Christ's time from the weak Greeks And now the Romans having an inch given them take an ell and usurp authority over the Iews and with them kill Christ the Messiah But Christ overcame death and had all power in heaven and in earth given him Matth. 28. This his Kingdom we acknowledge in our prayers and the Church celebrates Apocal. 5. by the voice of all such as were made Priests and Kings to reign on the earth even such as were gathered out of all nations tongues and kindreds That which you add about Times put for Things done in time is very true for the signification of the Phrase when it comes alone in divers places But here changing of Times and Laws go together Antiochus Epiphanes his dealings wonderfully agree to this 1 Mac. 1. 42. He would make every one leave his Laws He forbids burnt-offering and sacrifice Vers 45. He commands the Books of the Law to be burnt Vers. 56 57. He slew the Iews for circumcising their children Vers. 60. He puts down their Laws 2 Macc. 4. 10. 6. 1 2. He uses threats and cruelty then flattery to make them forsake the Law 2 Macc. 7. All these stirrs grew from the Greeks attempting to make them leave their Laws 1 Macc. 6. 59. Then Epiphanes his attempt to alter Times is clear in his command to put down the Sabbaths and Feasts and his making them to keep Bacchus Feasts 2 Macc. 6. 7. To the Seventh THESIS The Fourth Beast Dan. 7. and the First Beast Revel 13. are not one and the same They differ much in shape of body and in their acts and in their falls and plagues Besides that in the Apocal. is made as it were of all the four in Daniel and is so described as if it came in stead and was comparable to them all as indeed it was Horns more or less distinguish not a Beast That infirms not what I said By the way only I here observe That the Beast with seven horns was a Lamb indeed that is Christ. The Beast Apocal. 13. with two horns had these two horns like a Lamb's but in truth he might be a Wolf Seeing it is not said that Daniel's Fourth Beast had four heads therein I mistook in my former writing it is to be presumed he had but one as Beasts usually have no more except in Vision for expression of some special matter more heads be attributed to them The Third Beast Dan. 7. had four heads The number of which four heads with the three heads of the other three Beasts◠fits so well with Iohn's Beast besides the resemblance to the Lion Bear Leopard that I believe it cannot be casual especially seeing it is in God's Book Concerning that you say of Mouth put singularly I answer that the Beast Apocal. 13. had seven heads with names of blasphemy This will imply that each had a mouth and that a blasphemous mouth which is more Besides the very nomination of head implies a mouth and seven heads seven mouths And whereas there is mention of a mouth given the Beast Vers. 5. methinks that should intimate the extremity of blasphemy proceeding from the seventh head beyond all the rest Whereas you say the third Kingdom in Daniel was not so distinctly revealed Chap. 7. as afterwards chap. 8. That is true And further I add That in Visions and Prophecies God hath spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and revealed things to come by parts so that several Visions or Prophecies laid together make up the whole In each of Daniel's Visions something is passed over to be supplied by the rest In the second Chapter there is nothing to type Alexander's four chief Chaptains nor is it told what people should be trode on by the Iron legs In Chap. 7. the Exposition of the three former kingdoms is very brief the Exposition of the fourth very large The weakness of Antiochus his Successors is unexpressed In Chap. 8. nine of the horns coming out of Alexander's Captains are passed over and the little Horn fully set out The Kingdom of Christ over all Nations is not spoken of at all These things thus passed over are supplied by the rest So is it in the Revelation The afflicting of God's Church is diversly expressed and the afflicters thereof and the afflicted by them So that no one Vision but the several Visions laid together do give us a perfect and whole delineation of what was to come from that time to the end of the World EPISTLE VIII Mr. Mede's Answer to Mr. Hayn's Second Letter about several passages in Daniel and the Revelation SIR I Received yours at the Commencement wherein I found if I should answer to every part I should have as many Questions to dispute as I sent you Theses The experience of which multiplications in that kind makes me so backward in Collations by writing So that I can with much more patience endure to be contradicted than be drawn to make Reply But all this time the truth is I had no leisure nor yet have and am presently also to go into the Countrey where I shall stay some weeks and have no opportunity to write That I might not therefore in the mean time seem too much too neglect you I have caused a Scholar of yours to write out something I had by me in a Paper long ago written wherein you may further see my Opinion and some part of the grounds thereof When I return and have more leisure I shall answer to what I find Principal in your Replies but not to what is Circumstantial for so the business would grow too tedious for my pen. In the mean time I would desire you to believe that I have read the most that hath or can be said for that Opinion either by the chief Patrons thereof Broughton and Iunius or their followers Polanus Piscator D. Willet and that whilst I was yet free and first began with these kind of studies and yet found nothing that could in the least measure perswade me to be of their mind And I see now that the modern Writers and even some of their Scholars return to the ancient opinion and forsake their Masters in this point This I speak not to boast of my reading in this controversie but to shorten your Discourses which you may send hereafter you shall need but touch and spare the labour of so much enlargement But a word or two to your Reply Whereas you say The ground of the expectation of the coming of Christ when be came was the Fall or expiration of the Fourth Kingdom I utterly deny it The ground was the near expiration of Daniel's 70 weeks concurring with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Fourth Kingdom the Roman during which his Kingdom was to be first revealed and at the end of which consummated Besides I acknowledge no place in this account of Kingdoms for the Greeks after Antiochus Epiphanes
Daniel's Vision of Four Beasts omits the first which was to be while the Fourth Beast yet lived and designs the last only when that ruffling Horn's time being finished and the Beast destroyed The Ancient of daies gives the Son of man a Kingdom wherein all nations tongues and people should serve and obey him Dan. 7. 13. The Reason Nebuchadnezzar a Gentile was a Type of the Gentiles who were to have their part in both estates of Christ's Kingdom wherefore both are shewn him Daniel a Iew was a Type of the Iews whoâ—e nation should have no share in the first but only in the last and therefore the last is only shewn him This Vniversal Kingdom of the Son of man revealed in the clouds of heaven which Daniel here saw and which the Angel expounds to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High is the same with that voiced in the Apocalyps upon the sound of the seventh Trumpet All the Kingdoms of the World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Compare them Whence it will follow That those finishing times of the Fourth Beast called A Time Times and half a Time during which that wicked Horn should domineer and ruffle it among his ten Kings are the self-same Time which the Angel in S. Iohn forewarn thâ— should be no longer as soon as the seventh Angel began to sound Chap. 10. 6. The self-same Times whose finishing the same Angel swears unto Daniel in the same form and gesture he doth to S. Iohn should be the period of those wondrous afflictions of the Church and of the scattering of the power of the holy people Dan. 12. 7. And consequently those very Times of the Gentiles whereof our Saviour speaks Luke 21. 24. that the treading down of Ierusalem and dispersion of the Iews should last until the Times of the Gentiles were finished even the same Times whereof Tobit harped Chap. ult That notwithstanding Iudah should again after a while return and build a second Temple yet should not the Vniversal restitution be nor Israel return from all places of their Captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly the same Times with S. Iohn's Apocalyptical Times of the renewed Beast's blasphemous reign and profanation of the Temple and City of God forty two months or 1260 days Forasmuch as the same Kingdom of our Lord Christ is the immediate and common consequent to them all Compare them When Daniel's times are done the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven to receive the Empire of all the Kingdoms of the world Dan. 7. 14. When S. Lukes times of the Gentiles are finished then shall be Signs in the Sun and Moon the Son of man comes also in the clouds of heaven ver 27. the redemption of Israel ver 28. and the Kingdom of God is at hand ver 31. When S. Iohn's Apocalyptical Beasts forty two months reign with the Witnesses 1260 days mourning determine the Ark of the Covenant is seen in heaven and all the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ Apocal. 11. 15. ad finem An APPENDIX The First coming of Christ was to be while the Fourth Kingdom was yet in being his Second when it should end The hewing of the Stone out of the mountain which is the rearing of the Kingdom of Christ was before it smote the Image upon the feet and upon the destruction thereof became so great a Mountain as filled the whole earth Therefore the hewing out of this Stone was while this Image was yet in being Daniel himself interprets the Stone to be the Kingdom of Christ not Christ himself and saies that the God of heaven should set it up in the days of those Kings or Kingdoms that is adhuc currente horum Regum periodo vel diebus Tetrarchiae hujus nondum expletis whilest the daies of those Kingdoms of the Gentiles yet lasted or before they expired namely whilst the last of those Kingdoms was still current and in being He that shall here expound in the daies to mean after the days shall give me leave not to believe him unless also he can perswade me that the Stone which smote the Image was hewed out of the mountain after the Image was dashed in pieces and vanished The Iews in our Saviour's time expected the Messiah's coming before the times of the Fourth Kingdom expired For they looked it should be destroyed by him after he was come and then the Kingdom restored to Israel According to that of Dan. 7. when the Beast should be slain and his body destroyed the Kingdom should be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Only they thought not the distance between the first coming of Christ and his destruction of the Fourth Beast to be so long Whence was that question of the Apostles to our Saviour at his Ascension Wilt thou now restore the Kingdom to Israel But I am gone much further than ever I intended and therefore will here make an end I make question whether you can read my scribling If you can I hope you will excuse my hast And so I commend you to the divine protection and am Your loving Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Colledge Iuly 22. EPISTLE IX Mr. Hayn's Third Letter to Mr. Mede about several passages in Daniel and the Revelation SIR I Confess that conference by writing multiplies words by giving more scope to deliberation and may justly make you backward to Collations in this kind But the disquisition and finding of truth countervails all than which I seek nothing more by this my pains To that part of your answer received Iuly 22. I have inclosed a Reply and expect the rest of your Answer formerly intended when you should return to Cambridge And now to this present Reply as your occasions will permit Such Writings as I have seen of yours testifie to me both your plentiful reading and diligent observation of matters most remarkable therein as also I am perswaded in this Argument Yet cannot all that yet you have said drive me from my hold I reverence the Learned on both sides and will ever give them all duerespect and will not be found to stand single in any opinion But the persons of men shall not sway me against the native light of the Sacred Text which I know makes for me If Alsted and some others have lest their Masters in some of these points I think we shall find others as Glassius of equal judgment to Alsted to run this way But 't is to be considered herein not so much Qui dicunt pro auâ— contra as Quid dicunt And therefore I will not put into the scales mens Authority but their Reasons And hope that after your perusal of this present Reply you will be more inclinable to a different judgment from some of your former Tenets And thus leaving you to the protection and direction of the God of Truth I rest Your very loving Friend Tho. Hayne
Octob. 8. 1629. from Christ's Hospital London THE ground of the expectation of the coming of Christ and his Kingdom was say you the near expiration of Daniel's Seventy weeks The expectation of Simeon Anna and others of the Magi and them of the East was seventy years before the end of Daniel's Seventy weeks according to your opinion For you hold that the Seventy weeks end at Ierusalem's overthrow which was after Christ's Birth seventy years Therefore it could not be any mark for the looking for of Christ. 2. At the end of the Seventy weeks according to your judgment the City and Sanctuary was to be destroyed sacrifice ended and desolation brought on the Iews Therefore the Seventy weeks according to your Tenet is a mark of other matters not of Christ's or the Saints Kingdom but rather of Vespasian's as Iosephus saith which ensued just upon the end of the Seventy weeks But in truth Daniel's Seventy weeks end at Christ's death and seeing Christ was expected to be King of the Iews all that truly kept account of the Seventy weeks might rightly conceive that Christ about thirty years before the expiration of the Seventy weeks should be born and so about thirty years old which are years fit for publick charge should enter upon that Kingdom Of this reason I forbore to write formerly because I saw that we should differ about the beginning and end of Daniel's Seventy weeks which would bring on a new controversie between us That Christ's Kingdom was as you affirm to be revealed in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Fourth Kingdom I see no Text that proves it nor that Christ's Kingdom should be consummated at the end of the Roman Kingdom At the end of the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel it was to begin Chap. 7. And that it was perfected in Christ Iesus is evident for he overcame the Devil Death Hell and all and teaches that all power is given him in heaven and earth that all things bow to him and that he led captivity captive Further I have good ground for to say that the extirpation of the Fourth Kingdom was one sâ—re mark of Christ's coming and his Kingdom for that only is the mark of the same Chap. 2. and 7. where that Kingdom is mentioned You will not admit the Greeks any Rule after Antiochus Epiph. death because the Holy Ghost ends their Kingdom in him I say the Holy Ghost ends the domineering violence and persecution of the Saints in him but there were to be clayie feet after him Stories shew that many Kings of the Greeks ruled after him and in the end Cleopatra a woman as Iosephus saith of chief Nobility in those times even Caesar at first umpired between her and her brother in matters of difference between them She had the revenue of Iericho and Arabia and other parts she killed all her kindred that might stand in her wayâ— and desired Antonie to do the like by them of chief bleâ—d in Syria that she in right of the Greeks might have all She with the rest after Epiphanes were sufficient to express the clayie legs And that Rule is sufficient and all that I stand for Besides the Stone as cut out not as growing to a Mountain is to fall on the toes So that if by the legs the Romans be understood Christ was not to come in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but at their fall Evident it is that Christ's Kingdom took place as frequent mention of it in the New Testament shews at his first coming and so began at the beginning of the Roman persecutions not at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them they were abundant and manifold afterward The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Empire hath nothing to do here You hold still that the Roman Kingdom was revealed to Daniel but not according to the distinct Fates and Times as to Iohn I shewed that the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was revealed to him most distinctly for the original proceeding strength acts persecution sufferings fall All the 〈◊〉 are revealed to Iohn about the Roman Kingdom Now if they should both speak of the Roman Kingdom but in these points 〈…〉 it be true in Iohn that this Book was opened by none as you limit it according 〈…〉 distinct Fates before by Christ Therefore the limitation propounded by you cannot hold I say not that the Iews after the Apostles times brought in or invented the opinion That the Romans were Daniel's Fourth Kingdom but that they endeavoured to perswade it whoever were the brochers of it Ionathan Ben Uziel or any other surely some of their stamp And the rather they then did and now do perswade to it because some Christians by assenting to them give them advantage therein If Porphyrie an enemy to Christians overcome by the evidence of truth confessed it that is a greater confirmation of the truth The Devil confessed Christ to be the Son of the living God though the Devil be a liar commonly yet now he spake that which was most true Besides in S. Ierome it appears that Porphyrie was not alone in that opinion but that divers others held the same And in the eleventh chapter S. Ierome goes along with Porphyrie in most things but addeth this That Antichrist and his doings were there typed And in points in which S. Ierome crosseth Porphyrie his arguments are sometimes but his own bare assertion sometimes weak If you please to set the best edge on them that may be we will try them And Porphyrie had Suctorius his Author To the writing in a different hand You hold Christ's Kingdom to be double First Regnum Lapidis while the times of the Four Kingdoms lasted I say it cannot be in the time of the three former Kingdoms for it was preached by Christ and the Apostles to be at hand in the time of the Romans Antiochus Epiphanes his time whom you make the last of the Greeks being past well-near or full hundreds of years before Besides I object That if Christ's Kingdom be set up in the Fourth Kingdom 's time it must be set up in the three formers time also For it confounded the gold silver brass iron as well as fell on the clayie legs Again if you make the Sâ—one to continue a Stone from Christ's time till ours and some years after God knows how long to smite the feet of the Image you will make the legs and feet of the Image above 1600 years long three times and more as long as all the body The Second Kingdom of Christ you hold to be Regnum montis that shall fill the whole earth to arise when the Image shall be utterly destroyed 1. I say This division of Christ's Kingdom is no where in Scripture plainly expressed though this Kingdom be most frequently handled If such a thing had been it would in one place or other in the various handling of it have been plainly taught 2. The Stone spreads it self over the whole earth presently
Their sound is gone into all lands There were at Pentecost devout men of all nations under heaven who the Spirit enabling them extraordinarily might carry the Gospel into all parts The Mysterie you speak of I conceive not I am sure of this That the Stone Ch. 2. which became a Mountain is the same with Christ and his Kingdom Ch. 7. Nor do I conceive how Nebuchadnezzar is a Type of the Gentiles or Daniel of the Iews But I am sure that the Iews in good measure had part in Regno Lapidis as you call it For the Apostles and many other Christians were Iews and Paul is told that not many Thousands only as some Translations have it but many myriads of Iews believed Act. 21. 20. Therefore you hold amiss that the Iews had not part in Regno Lapidis The Vniversal Kingdom of Christ say you is the same in Daniel and the Apocalyps This is most true Further I say this was begun by Christ when he saith All power is given to me c. go teach and baptize all nations and so Christ wills that out of all nations subjects should be gathered to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if in nations where the Gospel was preached many assented not Christ told us that also Many be called few chosen So then that which you hold will follow doth not follow seeing that the ground-work of it is not sound especially seeing the Vniversal Kingdom of a Thousand years by Iustin Martyr held but then contradicted as he saith and had he seen what the length of time since hath given us to see he would I am perswaded have been of another mind and the Arguments for it though brought in scores will prove but light if they come to examination To the Appendix The First coming of Christ say you was while the Fourth Kingdom in Daniel was yet in being because the Stone was hewen out of the mountain before it smote the Image on the feet But I say the whole Image was standing in the Vision while the Stone was cut out So by the same reason the first coming of Christ and the raising of his Kingdom should be during the times of the Kingdoms of the whole Image for the Stone as it fell on the feet so it brake all to pieces the iron brass clay silver gold The truth is that Christ's coming and Kingdom was at the end of the Image and ruin of the four Beasts yet did the Stone that is Christ so Iust. Mart. and others take it as he was God destroy them all by his Instruments that is Babel by the Medes and Persians and those by the Greeks the Greeks by their own discords and by judgment given to the Saints in the Maccabees times and the Romans interposing as friends and associates not as chief parties And for any sound reason that I know we have to the contrary we may say that the Stone was cut out of the mountain after the ruine of the whole Image in the fulfilling of the Vision though not in Daniel's sight of it For you will grant that it was cut out after the fall of the three former kingdoms and yet did break the gold silver and brass by his instruments and so might also break the iron and clay though it rose after the fall of the Fourth Kingdom The reason is alike of both for as it is said to fall on the toes of the one so also it is said to break the rest In the days of those kings or kingdoms Dan. 2. This is the great argument against me To it I answer That if the words be taken in their strict force they intimate the days of Babel Persians and Greeks also and not of the Fourth Kingdom only which you will not grant And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie after the daies of some of those Kingdoms as you cannot but grant why not of the rest also Besides you know the Hebrew particles be exceeding various in their signification and hardly any particle more than this Again the force of it must be sometimes after See Exod. 2. 11. and v. 23. especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after many days or in process of time But in many daies the king died cannot stand good Let it not then seem strange that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie after The Iews expected aright in the time of Christ's preaching the Kingdom promised in Daniel because the 70 weeks were within two or three years at an end and the Greeks ruinated but their error was that they expected that Christ should have a Terrene kingdom And if any conceived that Christ in his own person should overthrow outwardly the Fourth Kingdom therein they erred For Christ tells them plainly that his Kingdom is not of this world which Solomon found a map of vanity that the Kingdom of God is within them A Kingdom far beyond all Promises in phrases of an outward Kingdom If they had known as much as we thanks be to God doubtless they would have thought the time long that Christ should then be come and 1629. years after tâ—e Beast not yet destroyed nor the Kingdom restored and that the Fourth Beast should have thrice as much time as the other three Beasts according to your Tenet Not the Pharisees only Luke 17. 20. but the Apostles Acts 1. 6. enquire about the restoring of the Kingdom to Israel This was because they saw the fourth Beast slain and destroyed namely the Greeks for the Romans now flourished It may be that the not conceiving how the Saints could have a kingdom and the Romans not be subdued might make some of them stagger and be in doubt whether the Romans were not the Fourth Christ's answers laid together might have made them see the Spiritual Kingdom and lay hold of that and not expect a Terrene Octob. 8. 1629. EPISTLE X. Mr. Mede's Answer to Mr. Hayn's Third Letter about several passages in Daniel and the Revelation SIR I Received yours not till yesterday whereby I perceive you have more confidence to convince me by this kind of discoursing than I have you For I confess freely I find you so well setled in your opinion that I have no hope to alter you and yet nevertheless am as strongly perswaded of the truth of my own Tenet notwithstanding all you have said as ever I was before we began and for all this am as willing to embrace Truth where I see evidence for it as most men so far as I can judge of my self by experience of my alteration in some points formerly embraced Thus much I answer to the close of your Letter where you say you hope that by the perusal of your Reply I will be more inclinable to a different judgment from my former Tenets Mr. Hayn though I can reasonably well perswade my self of many things I believe yet had I never so much confidence in me as to be able to perswade another of a contrary judgment if he
were once studied and setled therein which made me so unwilling at the first to enter the Lists with you in this kind where I could expect no other fruit but the loss of much time and pains to no purpose The wit of man is able where it is perswaded to find shifts and answers until the day of Doom as appears in so differing opinions held amongst Christians with so much and so endless pertinacity on both sides It is sufficient therefore for a man to propound his Opinion with the strongest evidence and arguments he can and so leave it Truth will be justified of her children But of these reciprocations of discourse in writing wherein you place so much benefit for discovery of Truth I have often heard and seen Truth lost thereby but seldom or never â—ound I find by your last Reply that you and I differ so far and in so many Principles needful for the discovery of the truth of this Question that all the time I have for my private studies would be wholly taken up in attending this dispute if I should go on still therewith I have had some experience once before that it is a tenacious piece where it hath taken hold I would not be entangled again and therefore desire with your good leave to give it over till opportunity of meeting together where I should be able to talk with far more ease than I can write I profess unto you I contemn not your discourses but do diligently and apud conscientiam meam weigh your arguments howsoever it comes to pass I am not perswaded by them But I cannot find time for such a Collation and besides am unwilling to put all in writing which I would utter in a private and a personal discourse I will say a word or two to your last but without expectation you should reply again 1. The opinion of the 70 weeks expiration is not mine but Scaliger's and divers other learned mens and amongst the rest Iunius's who otherwise for the Monarchies is yours For my self howsoever in the 70 weeks I have yet followed Scaliger yet I had a private way to make the 62 weeks to point out our Saviour's Baptism Howsoever for the Iews expectation of Messiah it was enough to know in what age he was to come though not precisely the year 2. I shall never believe but all those places of the Son of man's coming and appearing in the clouds of heaven mentioned in the Gospels and in the Apocalypse ch 1. 7. are the same with that coming of the Son of man in the clouds prophesied by Daniel at the extinction of the Fourth Beast Ch. 7. and that the Holy Ghost in the New Testament hath reference thither both for words and meaning If this be so you know what follows 3. I say not the Greeks ruled not after Antiochus Epiphanes but that the Holy Ghost accounts that Kingdom no longer in the Monarchichal reckoning and so follows the story of their Kings no further than Epiphanes from thenceforth the Roman having now conquered Greece was to take place 4. I deny not but firmly believe that Christ's Kingdom took place at his First coming But I utterly deny that to be the Kingdom our Saviour prophesies of Luk. 21. 31. and answerably in the other Gospels or that whereof S. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and his kingdom or that foretold in the Apocalyps to be when the seventh Trumpet shall sound and the like places 5. Unless it can be shewn me That the six Seals seven Trumpets seven Vials the treading down of the Temple two Witnesses their slaughter and Resurrection the red Dragon's persecution c. were in specie revealed to Daniel I will still hold those Fates of the Roman Kingdom were sealed and not revealed to Daniel though the Roman Monarchy were revealed to him 6. The ancient Iews did but the latter Iews hold not the Roman to be the Fourth Kingdom but the Mahumetan and the Roman to be a continuation of the third 7. What I alleged of Porphyrie for yours was to shew the injustice of your disparaging mine as being held by Iews who yet when they first held it were the only people of God and Custodes oraculorum Dei If Porphyrie might see a Truth why not much more they 8. I never meant to say That the Kingdom of Christ should appear whilst all the Monarchies were yet standing but before the times of that succession of Monarchies should expire Which is true if it appeared only in the last Monarchy The confounding of the Gold Silver Brass and Iron in the destruction of the Image is either the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typi for the parts of the Image could not succeed in time as the Kingdoms signified by them could and so all must be broken together or because the second kingdom possessed the first the third the second the fourth the third the last is represented as containing all the rest c. 9. The Duration of the Four Kingdoms holds no proportion with the parts of the Image typifying them and therefore the continuance of the Fourth Kingdom makes the legs of the Image neither longer nor shorter 10. I wonder you should say there is no Second Kingdom of Christ which I had rather call the Second State of his Kingdom mentioned in Scripture Consider the places I point to in the fourth Paragraph and add to them Luke 17. 20 c. where our Saviour being asked of the Pharisees concerning the Kingdom of God tells them that he must first be rejected of that Nation and that the coming thereof should be as in the days of Noah c. 11. The Mystery you say you conceive not in the piece written with another hand is that Mystery which the Apostle saies was not known till the preaching of the Gospel namely That the Iews should be rejected and the Gentiles surrogated in their stead Nor did I say as you mistake that the Iews had no part in the First state of Christ's kingdom but that their Nation had not by which I meant nothing else but that their Nation was rejected Doth not our Saviour expresly say that he should be rejected of that Nation Luk. 17. 25 It mattereth not though many of their Nation received him seeing the Body of their Nation acknowledged him not This is plain enough I shall not need put you in mind of S. Paul's discourse of the casting off of the Iews though then there were so many particular Iews believing in him as I believe never were since 12. I believe not that ever the Gospel of Christ was preached all over the world no more than I believe that Augustus Caesar taxed the whole world because it is said he taxed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in the style of those times the Roman Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appears in the Greek Historians
rejected it as groundless then and I know your Tenet cannot admit it now Quisque abundet suo sensu therefore I 'le contend no more about it 2. But let the Kingdom of the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven whereof Daniel speaks be as you would have it That Kingdom of his first coming whether beginning at his Ascension or manifesting it self at the Destruction of Ierusalem for one of them it must be but let it be which it will I say for all this there is yet sufficient left to overthrow your Tenet of the Fourth Kingdom For that Kingdom at the Son of mans coming in the clouds of heaven shewn to Daniel is expounded by Daniel in his repetition to be the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High If this be not evident by the context I utterly despair ever to understand prophecy by any light of the letter I must take it therefore for granted whether you grant it me or not That that Kingdom at the Son of mans coming in the clouds of heaven in the Vision is that which Daniel in his repetition and the Angel calls the Kingdom of the Saints of the most High in his interpretation and therefore being the same must begin at the same time which you say was at our Saviour's first coming namely from the time of his Ascension This therefore forelaid I argue thus The ruffling Horn persecutes the Saints until the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Chap. 7. v. 22. But Antiochus Epiphanes persecuted not until the Saints possessed the Kingdom which was at the Son of mans coming in the clouds of heaven Ergo. For if he persecuted till then he with his Time Times and half a Time must continue till Christ's Ascension at the nearest but he was dead two hundred years before It will not serve your turn here to fly to the Kingdom of Christ as he is God for the Kingdom here spoken of is the Kingdom of the Son of man and a Kingdom which begins in time Nor mattereth it how the Greek Kingdom after Antiochus may seem to befit the Clayie legs unless you make the little Horn to be those Clayie legs But you must shew how the little Horn if it be Epiphanes lived and persecuted until the time came that the Saints possessed the kingdom Will you expound until the time came until some two hundred years before the time came I know not how you can evade here unless as Porphyrie did you will make the Kingdom of the Saints here mentioned to be the Kingdom of the Maccabees and so the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven whereof it is an exposition to be Iudas Maccabaeus or Ioannes Hircanus or some other of those Hasmoneans If you answer thus you must not think it strange if I am loth to be perswaded to your opinion who reading that Prophecy cannot be perswaded but the little Horn is the last limme of the Fourth Beast whose part once acted the Beast's glass is run and his time of destruction come Or who can believe but he is to be destroyed at that time of Iudgment when the Son of man shall appear in the clouds of heaven Though you say you see no evidence for it yet I cannot be perswaded but this Scripture was it out of which S. Paul learned to consute the Thessalonians causeless fear of the day of Christ's coming to Iudgment to be near at hand when he tells them that that day should not come until the man of sin were first revealed and had acted his part forasmuch as Christ was to abolish him by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his coming For so Daniel had taught him that the wicked Horn's reign should conclude the Fourth Kingdom and the Son of man should abolish him at his coming in the clouds of heaven and therefore could not that coming of his be until the wicked Horn should be revealed and reign the time appointed him This I am sure that this Prophecy of Daniel was the Womb whence the Iewish Doctors derived that Term of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dies judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus dies judicii because that coming of Messiah is thrice so described in this place of Daniel verse 10 22 26. whence even at this day they look not for Messiah until Magnus dies judicii the great day of Iudgment Our Saviour and his Apostles received this term of Dies Iudicii from them and approve it by using it But it is far more frequent in the Chaldee Paraphrase and other writings of theirs than in the New Testament Nor can I believe but our Saviour and his Apostles using this phrase meant to approve the ground of Scripture whence they deduced it Especially our Saviour so often expressing his Second coming by these words of Daniel coming in the clouds of heaven which the Elders and Priests hearing our Saviour apply to himself when they arraigned him they rent their cloaths as at Blasphemy whence it appears they took it for no small and ordinary Character of power not appliable to Iudas Maccabaeus or his successors I know the same Phrases may be used to express like matters of diverse and sundry times but here is not only Identity of phrases but together with the same phrases the same frame of things with their circumstances and those such as are not appliable to many times And though I am not of the same mind with Theocritus Iustus his name is Daniel Lawenus to draw all the Apocalyps to the Iews upon no other ground but communion of phrases yet I know nevertheless that to compare Scripture with Scripture is none of the least helps to understand Scripture 3. I have dwelt all this while upon the Second Vision of Kingdoms I come now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to say somewhat of the First Dan. 2. v. 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the days of these Kings or Kingdoms that is say I during the days of those Kingdoms while the days of this Dominion of the Gentiles yet lasted before these days of their dominion ended I lay the Emphasis upon days But here you stumble and make inference as if I had said or the Prophet either In or during all the days of those Kingdoms or during the days of all those Kingdoms Babylonian Persian and Greek as well as Roman I cannot but marvel to see you make so strange of an expression not only frequent in Scripture but common and usual in every language If I should say such or such a thing was done in the days of the Saxon or in the days of the British Kings would you infer or understand me as if I meant in all the days of those Kings or in the days of all those Kings or some of them only If I should say such a thing was done in the days of Popery must I needs mean all the days of Popery or some part of them only and so no more but while
those days were yet in being It is said Ruth 1. 1. It came to pass in THE DAYS when the Iudges ruled that there was a famine in the land I hope this famine was but in some part of those days or in the days of some of those udges not all of them It is an expression Elliptical if you will but yet most ordinary Iudg. 15. 20. Samson judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years but the Philistines days were forty years so he judged but in the latter part of them 2 Sam. 21. 1. There was a famine in the days of David 3 years Vide Ezra 4. 7. Esay 7. 1. Ier. 23. 6. So Matth. 2. 1. In the days of Herod the King Iesus was born in Bethlehem that is in the latter end or about the last two years of his reign So In the days of those Kingdoms of the Gentiles is during them and in the latter part of them as the nature of the thing spoken of sufficiently argues which was to destroy the last Kingdom which had destroyed and swâ—â— owed the former three I mean the second swallowed or possessed the first the third the second the fourth the third and so in a sense by the destruction of the fourth the Stone destroyeth all the rest as contained therein For the Stone smites neither the Golden part nor the Silver nor the Brass immediately but only the feet of Iron and Clay and yet by that blow was the Brass the Silver and the Gold destroyed also inasmuch as they all came by succession to the Iron I added besides in my last that the dissipation of the Gold Silver and Brass together with the Iron might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typi not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you change it because the parts of the Image in the Type could not succeed one another in time as the Kingdoms signified by them did and so the Image appeared to be dissipated all at once in Vision though the Kingdoms were not so save only in the sense before named I added one thing more which came then to mind when I saw you urge so hard upon all the four Kings That Kings might be taken Elliptically also as well as days though that of days be undefinite rather viz. In the days of those Kingdoms that is some one of them I gave for an example of such an Ellipsis that of Iephtah Iudg. 12. 7. And Iephtah was buried in the Cities of Gilead that is one of them Here you â—ollicite the interpretation as not right you would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Cities of Gilead to be By the inhabitaâ—ts of the Cities of Gilead But besides that you cannot shew any where in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ouâ—ed the verses following would check such an interpretation where three more Iudges are named with the time of their rule and places of their burial as Iephtah was which is sufficient I think to perswade that Iephtah's place of burial was named likewise and not meant the persons who buried him But why should you labour to win this one place from me who quoted it not as if there were no more but as that which was most present to my memory For the thing it self it is a ruled case amongst the Grammarians that you may not think I devised it for an Evasion I have observed many Examples thereof which I know not now where to find only there comes one to mind like that of Iephtah 2 Chron. 35. 24. where it is said that Iosiah was buried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sepulchres of his fathers which we translate one of the Sepulchres But in the mean time till your own observation shall furnish you with more Examples I will exscribe such as my Grammarian affords me Psal. 1. 3. Erit sicut arbor plantata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad rivos aqu â—rum h. e. juxta Aben Ezram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad aliquem rivorum aquae Ion. 1. 5. Et Ionas descendit ad latera Navis h. e. ad unum è lateribus Zach. 9. 9. Et super pullum natum asinarum h. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pullo ex una asinarum Yea and with a numeral word 1 Sam. 18. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per duas affinitate conjunges te mecum hodie h. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per alteram è duabus Et sic Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hujus generis sunt Latrones exprobraverunt ei Matth. 27. 44. i. alteruter è latronibus ut exponituâ— Luc. 23. 39. Item scriptum est in Prophetis Ioan. 6. 45. h. e. in aliquo Prophetarum I suppose these will be sufficient to induce you to let Iephtah's bones rest in one of the Cities of Gilead Thus much of my Interpretation now of yours You would have In the days of those Kingdoms to be expounded After the days of them and because I answered it not but only rejected it in my last you suppose the authority you brought therefore was sound and good I now answer therefore and say first That besides that it is contrary to the native property of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to be interpreted it being decurtate of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter so the Examples you bring are far enough from proving it Let us examine them The first is Exod. 2. 11. And it came to pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those days when Moses was grown c. I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Days here are the days of the AEgyptian bondage and servitude What shall we do with After here The next is in the same Chap. verse 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is when those days of AEgyptian servitude had now continued long and were not yet ended c. You see here is no need of any After and you cannot deny but it may be thus expounded If it may I will never make an Anomaly of signification where the natural and usual will serve turn Secondly Could it be shewed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signified After yet in this place the nature of the thing spoken of will not admit that signification The Stone hewen out of the mountain is interpreted by Daniel to be a Kingdom which should begin in time that is the Kingdom of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that he hath aâ— coeternal with his Father which hath no beginning This Kingdom of Christ should smite the Fourth Kingdom and at length destroy it therefore this Kingdom must needs be whilst the Fourth Monarchy was yet in being and not begin after it For how can that which comes after smite that which before had ceased to be or how can that which was not till after destroy that which was destroyed before it self was Therefore the nature of the Subject will not admit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be here taken for After but requires it should be maintained in its proper and natural signification
The third day Herbanus required to end the controversie that if Iesus of Nazareth were indeed living and reigning in Heaven and if those who worshipped him had any power with him that he would upon their prayers manifest himself from Heaven and they would then believe in him Thereupon all the multitude of Iews cried out in derision Ostende nobis Christum tuum Vae quia fiemus Christiani c. The conclusion was that Christ Iesus after a dreadful Thunder and Lightning appeared from Heaven with beams of glory walking upon a purple cloud with a Sword in his hand and a Diadem of inestimable beauty upon his head and over the Assembly uttered a voice Appareo vobis in oculis vestris ego crucifixus à Patribus vestris Which having spoken the cloud took him presently out of their sight The Christians shouted Domine miserere the Iews were all stricken blind and received not their sight till they were all baptized This Story whereof I tell you but the brief hath been long unknown to these Western parts and was brought in our time from the Eastern among divers other Greek Manuscripts and published in Greek and Latin by Nicolaus Gulonius in octavo under the name of Gregentii Archiepiscopi Tephrensis Disputatio cum Herbano Iudaeo The beginning is imperfect In the end is the Story I have related I have seen and used that Book but could not be owner of it But the Latin translation is inserted into the Bibliotheca Patrum of the edition of Colen in the fifth Tome pag. 919. which if you read I could wish you would joyn with it the Story of the Martyrium Omeritarum published by Baronius out of a Vatican Manuscript in his sixth Seculum about the middle It is worthy your reading and supposed to have happened a little before this Conversion of the Iews I speak of which Baronius nevertheless then knew not of as being published after he had written that Tome The Persecution was raised by Dunaan a Iew who had gotten the Kingdom of the Omerites and meant to extinguish the Christian City and Dition of Nargan which was subject as many other small Reguli were to that Kingdom c. If this Story be true it makes much for a probability of such a conjecture for the future If it be counterfeit at least it argues that some many ages ago thought such a mean not unlikely For Poets themselves are wont to feign Verisimilia So howsoever I am not the first that thought of such a matter That which you say of S. Paul's miraculous Conversion that by it he had Apostolical authority immediate and independent as having his Mission from Heaven and not from Men I acknowledge it But that this should be the only end of his so being converted I suppose it is not necessary For it might have pleased God to have converted him by an ordinary mean and yet have given him a Mission for his Apostleship by an immediate and extraordinary way The immediateness of Apostolical Mission depended not upon such a miraculous Conversion though it pleased God at one and the same time by one and the same miraculous manifestation both to convert him to the Faith of Christ and send him to be an Apostle to the Gentiles But it is now time to give over I have been tedious and troublesome I know and perhaps not well busied in spending so many words and paper about a wavering and uncertain Speculation But because in my first Letter I had unawares discovered my fancy I was somewhat solicitous till I had more fully explained my self lest I might seem to believe much upon very little reason or be supposed to be more confident in this conceit than I am But he that seeks for that which is yet to find must be poring as well where it is not as where it is God Almighty the Father of Lights direct us in the search of his Truth and give us grace when we find it to use it to his Glory and our own Salvation To whose protection I commend your self not forgetting my best respect who am Your assured Friend Ioseph Mede Christ's Colledge Decemb. 2. 1629. I shall bid you farewel for this year and write shorter Letters the next that so I may hold out I have made a saltus in my Meditations by these Discourses of the Great Day I am not come to it yet I have much to think of and bring to more perfection which is preceding to it The Witnesses Dragon Beast c. EPISTLE XVIII Mr. Mason's Letter to Mr. Mede touching the Millenaries Good Mr. Mede I Think my self much indebted unto you that you do so freely communicate unto me your learned Writings I wish I had been more conversant in studies of this nature that I might in some sort be able to talk with you in your own language But you have had the happiness to follow these studies with good leisure and much opportunity and I to say nothing of other wants have been hindred both with businesses of my place and weakness of my body that I have scarce had time to think on any thing but what hath been necessary for my present imployment and so it happeneth to me in my studies as to poor men in getting of their living we have nothing but from hand to mouth The consciousness of these wants maketh me to write so seldom and so slightly Else if I had any thing in my thoughts that might be fit for your reading I would be as free in communicating my studies with you as you are in imparting yours unto me especially in this business wherein you have travelled with such success I only now can say that I wish I may see the full finishing of your intended Work and so do others abroad also but yet I had rather stay your leisure till you have concocted all according to your mind than to hasten you forward before the time Dr. Potter hath read your former Papers which you committed to Mr. D. and by occasion thereof hath proceeded to read others of the same Argument which when I understood I desired him to peruse two Writings of Dr. Gerhard of the same Argument both purposely intended against the Millenaries the one is in the second part of his Disputationes Theologicae Disp. 3. de novis Fanaticis the other in the ninth Tome of his Common Places Loc. de Consummatione seculi cap. 7. p. 442 c. Vpon the reading of those Treatises he sent a Letter expressing his mind and judgment concerning them which I received this evening And because I know you desire to hear the opinion of Learned men I have sent down inclosed herein so much of his Letter as concerneth that business Which I did the rather also because I suppose this may give you ocâ—â—sion to answer such grounds as Gerhard hath laid to the contrary Perhaps if you consider him well you may find a tacit Answer to that which you object against S. Hierome for
with the computation of years upon suâ—h grounds as the world affords Yet as in the course of your contemplations you should light upon any further or fuller satisfaction I should think my self very happy to have my desire satisfied in being made partaker of them and of the opinion of that most reverend Prelate Dr. Usher the Lord Primate of Armagh concerning the same which you gain'd of him by conference Otherwise I shall bethink my self of a course to obtain it from himself which I conceive to be very possible more ways than one I desired by Dr. Meddus to obtain your interpretation of three particulars in Daniel Dan. 7. 12. As concerning the rest of the Beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time Conradus Graserus in his Historia Antichristi seems to interpret it of the lasting of each of the three first national Monarchies after the death of each first Monarch which in my judgment is as appliable to the fourth Beast as to the three first The other is Dan. 7. 8. touching the little Horn before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up which Graserus applies to Mahomet and his rending of three Provinces from the Roman Monarchy namely Syria Egypt and Africa I had rather understand it of Antichrist as Moulin doth But whether it be of Provinces rent from the Empire by Antichrist or by others about his rising and what they are I am to seek And of the reconciling of this with that Rev. 17. 12. where it is said that the ten horns are ten kings which receive power as kings one hour with the Beast Good Sir pardon my over-great boldness I have sent my Copy of your Paraphrase of the last of Peter and your Discourse of that Fiery judgment to be considered of as you think good and according to your motion When Peter saith His beloved brother Paul in all his Epistles speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some few Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza observeth yet little reason that should carry it Hemingius reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for the perverting of those things gives instance in the Millenaries But if the embracing of that opinion from a Text of Scripture were the corrupting of it were not Peter himself far more liable thereunto in this Epistle than Paul I know some to the contrary have observed something in Paul against the opinion of the Thousand years Regnum Sanctorum as namely Piscator I have heard of no writer that from Paul's Text hath pleaded for it I looked you would have noted something concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which to my judgment seems a singular phrase I will observe carefully to retain your LXX Weeks by me without communicating them to any As for Doctor Potter he hath seen upon my knowledge your Specimina upon the Seals and Trumpets as also your Generals and if I be not deceived that of Regnum Lapidis and Regnum Montis in Daniel The rest I will communicate unto him very shortly as Placita Iudaeorum and your Notes upon Iustine or what else soever you shall desire either to him or any other and that in your own Name that he may know your good affection towards him by your desire to gratifie him in such special pieces of no vulgar contemplation I desire to commend your self and worthy studies to the blessing of God and rest Newbury March 5. 1629. Your very loving Friend much obliged W. Twisse EPISTLE XXIV Mr. Mede's Third Letter to Dr. Meddus touching the explanation of some obscure passages in Daniel mentioned in the foregoing Letter of Dr. Twisse SIR I Have nothing upon the seventh of Daniel but what you have seen in those two Discourses viz. The purport of the four Kingdoms in Daniel and secondly The Description of the Great Day of Iudgment Dan. 7. Both which I sent you written with my own hand to be communicated to Dr. Twisse and the latter being sent me back to take a Copy for my self I returned it again unto you As for those three Chapters of the Apocalyps I have not yet done a word and see so much business now coming upon me that I know not when I shall begin For I can do nothing in those things but in silence and security of not being distracted In the mean time I must desire my friends to content themselves with those short Specimina concerning those Chapters which they had at the beginning of my communication of my Meditations on these things And it may be if I had not communicated them to so many till they had been more full and perfect I had been ere this time more forward than I am Concerning your three Questions I have chosen to make answer to them this Festival-week not knowing after it be past when I shall have so much leisure again And first I will begin with the two last Quaest. 1. If the Horn with eyes and mouth speaking words against the most High c. in Daniel or the fourth Beast ruling in that Horn be the same with S. Iohn's Bestia novissimi capitis and consequently the ten Horns amongst which that Horn ruled the same Kingdoms which S. Iohn saw typed by the like number of Horns as the Church from her infancy believed how can S. Iohn who saith that his ten Kings receive their kingdoms at the same time or hour with his Beast be reconciled with Daniel who saith the wicked Horn rose up after them Resp. I translate not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Dan. 7. 24. After them but Behind them as the Greek doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take the meaning implied to be that the ten Kings were not aware of the growing up of the little Horn till it overtopped them The learned in the Tongues know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie as well Behind in place as After in time and the first as often and frequently every whit as the latter So also Post in Latine is indifferently either Loci or Temporis The translation cannot be excepted against as either new or strained The sense is obvious and most agreeable to the event and so we shall not need seek any other way to avoid the appearance of contradiction Otherwise it were not impossible to expound After them to be in order of number and not in order of time which we in English would express And another shall rise up besides them that is besides the ten and so make the eleventh But we shall not need so harsh and unusual a way Besides it might be granted that the little Horn in respect of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height of dominion was after the ten Kings though his beginning were at the same time when they began Quaest. 2. What were those three
Kingdom then as well as Macedon or Persia. Contain more Kingdoms than were comprehended in the Provinces he was Master of I am sure it did namely that of Macedon no part of which neither of the rest of Greece was ever subject to the Babylonian Monarchy nor any more but some of their Colonies of the Asian shore to the Persian Nor is this so strange since the form and shape of the Image consists not in the identity of place and bounds of Dominion though for a great and the principallest part it were the same but in the order of succession which each Kingdom was to have to that which went before it namely one of them should subdue and inherit another till a fifth Kingdom came which should never be subdued or destroyed nor left as the rest were to another people Quest. 5. Whether Daniel's Visions there where the Angel expoundeth them be so mystical as not in propriety expounded by the Angel Answ. I understand the Interpretation of every Vision according to the propriety of the Letter and not to be a new Allegory needing another mystical interpretation yet for all this I see no more necessity why the Roman Kingdom should be described if Daniel any where describes it from its situation to the West as those of the Seleucidae and Lagidae are by North and South than the Persian is by the East For the Holy Ghost chuseth such Characters for distinction as he listeth nor is tied to one way of characterizing but doth it variously Besides that Character of West-situation being common to the third kingdom and anticipated in the vision thereof chap. 8. 5. could not distinguish the fourth from it Quest. 6. Whether Daniel understood not his own Visions especially when the Angel told him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in that from the tenth Chapter to the end Answ. 'T is one thing to understand the Interpretation of a Vision another to understand the Application of the Interpretation namely to what times and places it belongeth Where the Angel gave Daniel the Interpretation or meaning of the similitude of any Vision I doubt not but he understood what such similitude meant as that by Beasts were meant Kingdoms by Horns Kings and the like But the Application of the Interpretation unless where the Angel sometimes applied it I believe he understood not especially in the last Vision where himself says so I heard saith he but I understood not And no marvel for the Angel tells him Those words were closed up and sealed till the time of the end And it is to be observed that in that last Prophecie the Vision is not described but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Interpretation only reported The Vision out of the last verse of the tenth Chapter may seem to have been some Book or Writing which either conveniently could not or the Holy Ghost thought not fit to describe Decemb. 17. 1632. Ios. Mede EPISTLE XXXIII Sir William Boswell's Letter to Mr. Mede touching some of his Books sent him Good Mr. Mede I Know the Iudgment and current of rhe world is for present thanks upon kindness Non me qui caetera vincit Impetus Above four months since with Letters from Mr. P. full of your and his Affection I received four Copies of your Comment upon the Apocalyps a large time to make accompts and acknowledgment true but both are so much the riper and better seasoned My thanks I shall ever be renewing Your Books I sent one to Domenico Molins a most learned noble Gentleman of Venice Another by my Lord Ambassador Anstruther and his Chaplain one Mr. Iohnson an honest learned friend of mine into Germany The third I bestowed upon Dr. Rivet long and lately Professor of Divinity in Leyden now Tutor to the Prince of Aurange his Son whose name and extraordinary worth you know by his works The fourth I send to Scholars and acquaintance here Some Animadversions I am promised which I forbear to touch at present In general it is commended for a modest discreet learned regular and of all in that list most verifiable discovery if you forbear your Millenarian Fancy Copies are very much sought and certainly these parts would have taken off above two hundred if sent at first It is an errour and fault in our Printers Visum non fieri extramittendo In a word you have set their teeth on edge and I am pressed by many to procure them sight of all other things you have written by name your large notes upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Tim. 4. 1. they will come very seasonably because there is in hand since and by order of the Synod of Dort a new Translation of the Bible into Dutch with marginal Annotations at large to be printed in a folio Copy wherein the Translators understanding English perfectly acknowledge the use and excellency of our last and authentick English Translation Dan. Heinsius likewise tells me by Letter that he is upon the New Testament in what manner I shall know at meeting I find the Zone here for Ecclesiastick Affairs temperate at present and quiet though now and then producing Capreas saltantes and such trifling Meteors which busie natures will be raising as if to keep within the lists of obedience and to do their work plainly and quietly were but a Dulman's part Sic volvere Parcas The Treaty between these Vnited and the other Catholick Provinces is slow-footed inter futura contingentissima Si quid in hac scena scire aves aut aliud quicquam à vetere veróque amico velis fac sciam For I shall ever love Ioseph Mede as an honest old friend and think upon him tanquam Academiam in Academia being his most affectionate to serve him Hague 31 21 Maii 1633. William Boswell An Advertisement THat the Reader may the better understand the occasion and purport of the following Epistle he is to know that after Mr. Mede had published his Clavis and Commentary upon the Apocalyps Mr. Haydock of Salisbury an aged Gentleman acquainted him with some Objections he had against the form of the Seven-sealed Book expressed in his Apocalyptick Scheme viz. 1. That the ancient form of Books was in several sheets of Parchment fastened at one end only and so rolled up together Hence those expressions in Psal. 40. 7. Hebr. 10. 7. Luke 4. 17. 2. That the form of the Seven-sealed Book Apocal. 5. ought to be such as might satisfie the Lamb ' s intention which had an eye unto Prius and Posterius in regard of the sequel of the insuing History For that part which belongs to the First Seal ought to be viewed before the Second or the rest were opened whereas in the form of the modern Books according to which form Mr. Mede had described the Seven-sealed Book in his Scheme no use can be made of any part or leaf in the Book until all the Seven Seals be opened But in the form of the Roll when every part or
have some room left for another Observation concerning Daniel XI in which one of your Letters intimated some difficulty of Exposition It may be I shall speak that which may ease you Howsoever it is this All the Ancients refer that from vers 36. and forward to the Fourth Monarchy especially to Antichrist in whose reign that Monarchy should conclude And good reason for the Resurrection of the dead and Iudgment comes in at the end thereof Dan. 12. 2 3. but thither no Kingdom reaches but the Fourth 'T is a dangerous evasion to turn this Prophecy of the Resurrection of the dead which is the most evident and express in all the Old Testament and that whereon the Iewish Church built her faith and hope of the Life of the world to come into an Allegory as some of those are forced to do who interpret all of Antiochus Epiphanes The stumbling-block which hath diverted so many of ours in this last Seculum to depart from the ancient and Catholick Exposition seems to me to be chiefly because there appears no apparent Transition in the Text from the Prophecy of Antiochus to this we speak of but it coheres as a continued Narration to the end Now the cause of this obscurity I take to be a misdistinguishing of the Text which refers some words to the former verse which should be the beginning of this 36. these namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if these words be referred to that which follows the Transition will be evident enough in this manner 35. And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end 36. FOR YET at the time appointed a King shall do according to his will and shall exalt and magnifie himself above every God yea he shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods and shall prosper until the Indignation be accomplished c. For understanding of this we must know that after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes the Third Kingdom comes no more in the holy reckoning none of the Greek Kings after him being at all prophesied of yea Daniel himself calling the time of Antiochus his reign The Latter end of the Greek Kingdom chap. 8. 23. The reason of this is because during the reign of Antiochus Macedonia whence that Kingdom sprung with all the rest of Greece came under the Roman obedience From thence therefore the Holy Ghost begins the Rise of the Fourth Kingdom yea the Roman Historians themselves mark out that time for the Rise of their Empire Lucius Florus lib. 2. cap. 7. Cedente Annibale praemium victoriae Africa fuit secutus Africam terrarum orbis Post Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit Secutae sunt Africam Gentes Macedonia Graecia Syria caeteráque omnia quodam quasi aestu torrente fortunae Sed primi omnium Macedones affectator quondam Imperii populus Item Velleius Paterculus lib. 1. cap. 6. ex quodam AEmilio Sura de annis populi Romani haec habet Assyrii principes omnium Gentium rerum potiti sunt deinde 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 Compare 1 Maccab. c. 8. The meaning then of those words of Daniel even to the time of the end is That the persecution he describeth should be terminated with the end of the Third Kingdom For from thenceforth another King the Roman should prevail and advance himself over all Under the name of King we must understand the whole Roman State under what kind of Government soever For the Hebrews use King for Kingdom and Kingdom for any Government State or Politie in the world See but Matth. 4. 8. By exalting and magnifying himself above every God nothing else is meant but the greatness and generality of his conquests and prevailings the reason of that expression being Because in the times of Paganism every City and Country had their proper and peculiar Gods which were deemed as their Guardians and Protectors Hence sometimes the Nations themselves are expressed by the Name of their Gods The People of Iehovah that is Israel The people of Chemosh Numb 21. 29 that is Moab Ità accipe Deut. 4. 28. and chap. 28. 64. Ier. 16. 13. 1 Sam. 26. 19. Sometimes the Exploits of the Nations are said to be done by their Gods as we by like priviledge of speech ascribe unto our Kings what is done by the People under them See 2 Chron. 28. 23. Ierem. 51. 44. Thirdly and most frequently What is attempted against the Nations is said to be done against their Gods as we are wont in like manner to say when an Army is overthrown or overmastered that such a General is beaten or vanquished See this 2 Kings 18. 33. Isay 46. 1 2. Ierem. 50. 2. and ch 51. 44. and ch 48. 7. Compare 2 Sam. 7. 23. So here the success and prevailing of the Roman in the advancing his dominion and subduing every Nation under him is expressed by exalting and magnifying himself above every God But if any had rather here take Gods for Kings and Potentates let them I have now no more room left therefore with my best respect I rest Christ's Coll. Ian. 31. 1634 5 Yours I. M. EPISTLE XLII Dr. Twisse his Fourth Letter to Mr. Mede approving his conjectures touching Gog and Magog and desiring his opinion of the English Plantations in America Good Mr. Mede I Must begin with apologizing for my self I had purposed to return your Discourse the next week â—â—ter I received it that being of so precious a nature you might have it with the soonest But I had so much to write upon that occasion and withal many other Letters to dispatch the same week that I deferred it to the next Then I was put off by an unhappy accident For a Scholar living with me got it over night to peruse and the next morning upon a suâ—â—en motion observing the fair weather took the opportunity to ride to London without thinking of your Paper neither was it in my memory to call for it So that till the week following I could not recover it Now I have returned it and I trust it shall come safe unto your hands Now touching your Letters I profess a truth I was so far from taking any the least offence that I heard not from you so soon that believe it sir I blam'd my self for making so bold with you still putting you upon new matters though when a vein is once found of gold or silver it makes a man hungry and greedy to pursue it and the Kingdom of the Saints goes beyond all Mines and Treasures O how have you blessed me and still continue to bless me with your Papers I protest unto you your Letters your Conjectures your Meditations are the greatest Iewels my Studie contains
it the second time a New Book because some of them lay upon their hands printed the Title-leaf anew with the then present year of our Lord at it and at Delph as before This knavish trick I observed and compared the Books at that time But the Author I never heard nor know who it was but I believe a Laick Gentleman and so I think I have heard By your last piece that Divine whose it is seems not to understand what we mean by a Fundamental Confession and Fundamental Articles For he takes them to be such as are instar Principiorum out of which all other Theological Verities or Articles are deducible wherein he is wide for the question is of Fundamentalia ad Salutem i.e. Cognitu creditu necessaria ad Salutem not of Fundamenta veritatum Theologicarum Thus with my best affection I rest Christ's Colledge Ian. 29 1637 8. Yours I. M. EPISTLE XCIII Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib with his Censure of Grebner's Prophecy in a MS. in Trinity Colledge Library in Cambridge SIR ON Saturday I received yours dated March 14 that is the Wednesday fortnight before The Prophecy which I here send you again I would not have you make too much of It is taken out of Paulus Grebnerus his Prophecies a Manuscript in Trinity Colledge Library It was left them by Dr. Nevil their Master had been presented it seems to Queen Elizabeth whom part of his Prophecy concerned and so came to Dr. Nevil's hands whilest he was Clerk of the Closet to her Majesty 'T is now almost 28 years since I first saw and turned it over the rather because of the fine pictures therein in colours c. When the Wars began in Bohemia which was eight years after I had first seen it remembring something I had seen therein I had a desire to survey it anew and borrowed it to my chamber to see if there were any thing therein worth taking notice of But I found nothing but vanity and fancy and the whole series thereof and many of the particulars manifestly then confuted by the contrary Event as you may guess by this one thing I shall tell you The beginning or Epocha of his Prophecies he makes from the year 1572. when the new Star appeared in Cassiopeia and ends the whole series of his Vexillai so he terms them at the year 1613. which he supposed should be The Day of Iudgment having no other ground for the same than the Numeral Letters of the Latine word IUDICIUM as they are all which makes that Number What think you now He prophesied great matters of Henry the IV. of France which proved clean contrary of Queen Elizabeth and other Princes which never came to pass I have I know not how often to satisfie one or other told them as I now tell you and yet every five or six years it comes up again as if it had never been discredited Men are prone to believe any thing they would have and any words that seem that way they lay hold on never regarding though the ground be foolish and the coherence with the rest repugnant to their construction I 'le tell you what Paul Grebner meant or dream'd by that you sent me Know he lived in the time of King Iohn of Sweden who married a Popish Lady This is his Hujus temporis Rex Sueciae i. sui temporis which he supposed should be invited by the Catholick party to take their part and to invade Denmark c. The Carolus he speaks of was Carolus Sudermanniae Dux King Iohn's Brother with whom he threatens King Iohn that if he joyned with the Popish League he should leave his Kingdom unto him who should of Carolus become Carolus Magnus that is of a Duke be made a King and be in respect of his Dominions and Conquests another Charlemaign of the North Et sic saith he è Carolo Carolus Magnus regnum capessit for so it should be read qui magno successu fortunâ c. It follows Deus autem Regis conjugem Papisticam ex hac vita evocat This is King Iohn's Wife What should it mean else This he dream'd should happen to King Iohn assoon as he should have declared himself for the Popish League and that then presently Charles his Brother should take the Kingdom c. By this time I doubt not but you understand it and how little they heed Circumstances and other Connexions who would interpret it of any other Charles Howsoever Grebner was for a great part deceived concerning even that Charles he meant I think my Letter be now long enough therefore with Prayers and best affection I rest Christ's Colledge Apr. 3. 1637. Your assured Friend Ios. Mede Post-script I had written yesterday but that partly other writing partly Molesti homines robbed me of my time Would you have me send back Mr. Dury's Letter or not Vale. EPISTLE XCIV Mr. Hartlib's Reply thanking him for that Censure Worthy Sir I Thank you for your last of the third of Aprill I never made much of Grebner's or any of those Prophetical fancies I approve fully of your judgment which you have given upon it I hope it will work some good upon those who are used to be carried away with these Dreams Some weeks ago worthy Dr. Twisse communicated unto me Mr. Potter's MS. of 666. Certainly our Germans will be wild when they shall see it in a more known language If you please to let me have your Copy also I shall take it as a special favour I am very confidently assured that my Lo. Gr. of Cant. himself hath written a Book in answer to some Popish Points as it were a second part of Chillingsworth composed chiefly upon the point of Fundamentals and Non-fundamentals which Book is almost ready for the Press only because in his quotations he hath trusted to his memory he is revising and examining them and then it comes forth In the mean time I rest London 6. April 1638. Your most willing and affectionate Friend to serve you S. Hartlib EPISTLE XCV Mr. Mede's Letter to Mr. Hartlib concerning the Number 25. the Root of the Beast's Number viz. 666. with his judgment of an Analytical Table of the Apocalyps which was sent him his differing from the Author thereof in four particulars Worthy Mr. Hartlib COncerning your Mathematician's Letter about Mr. Potter's interpretation of the Beast's Number I like his Observation of the Roman Calendar that of all the Numbers of the Epact they should chuse XXV for the AEquation with the Golden number and I think it as far as I understand it worthy to be added to the rest of Mr. Potter's of that kind But that of T. L. 1666 I have known long but never had any fancy to and I think it not worthy to come in collation with that of Mr. Potter's Yet it is pretty I confess what your Author observeth of the Roman Numeral letters CDILMVX idest MDCLXVI I would willingly send you my Copy of Mr.
Authority of the Dragon blaspeming God by another Idolatrous worship and warring at length against his Saints and overcoming them This I would call Antichristendom Rex Apostaticus The King of this Apostatical Kingdom is the Two-horned False-Prophet the Roman Bishop who also is the Founder thereof forasmuch as by lying Signs and Wonders establishing a new-coined Idolatry therein he made it to be a living Resemblance or Image of the Kingdom of the Caesars in Ethnicism when the Dragon ruled Observe here that in Ch. 13. 14. those last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not the words of the Beast speaking but of S. Iohn relating the Event of his speech And so the Interpretation will be plain The Metropolis of this Kingdom is Mystical Babylon that is the See and City of Rome of the Spouse of Christ become a Babylonish Strumpet This is the Mother of Harlots that is the Metropolis of the Brothel-Cities and Lady of the Apostatical Kingdom whose Kings commit fornication with her For the Beast she rides upon is the new-formed Beast which arose out of the Sea with Ten crowned Horns the meaning whereof the Angel here expoundeth and thereby openeth an entrance to the whole Prophecy which till now was nothing but an involved Mystery The Whore's Beast Chap. 17. The Whore's Beast is that Kingdom which in S. Iohn's time had Five Successive Heads already past One that of the Caesars in present being but the Last or Seventh wearing Ten Horns which was yet to come was that under which the Where should ride him Hence comes the Angel's Riddle The Beast which was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit The Beast that was and is not and yet shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The Beast or State that had then been in the course of Five or Six Seals but in the Seventh was yet to come Some read the last expression of the Riddle thus The Beast that was and is not and yet is that is The Beast that had already been in the course of Five of his Heads was not then in that State of Sovereignty in which the Whore should ride him and yet was even then in S. Iohn's time in present being in the Sixth Head the Caesars then reigning The Seven Heads of the Beast are by the Angel made a double Type both of the Seven Hills where the Woman â—iâ—teth and of the Seven Sovereignties with which in a successive order the Beast should reign This is a pair of Fetters to tie both Beast and Whore to Western Rome The Seven Sovereignties must not be separated from the Seven Hills nor the Seven Hills from as many Sovereignties Constantinople may have so many Hills but those Hills had never so many Sovereignties In other Cities where the Sovereign Roman Name or but the Name hath reigned are neither so many Hills nor ever were those Seven succeeding Sovereignties By these Fetters we shall hold this Proteus-like and flitting Beast fast enough The Last Head of the Beast is indeed but the Seventh for the Beast we see hath no more Heads than Seven in the Vision yet for some respect is an Eighth namely because the Sixth Head the Sovereignty of Caesars that Head which in S. Iohn's time was declined at length to a Demi-Caesar confined to the West beginning with Honorius or if you will sooner till after a short time it failed upon the death of the last Valentinian which being in some sort diverse from the former takes the Seventh place and makes the False-Prophet the Eighth But being as in name so in substance the same Caesar with the former the False-Prophet in whose time the Whore rides the Beast is still in order the Seventh 2. The False-Prophet beginning his dominion as soon almost if not altogether as the Demi-Caesar is therefore in order of time the Seventh as well as he But the Demi-Caesar being soon gone the False-Prophet still surviving and therefore succeeding him is in respect of that time wherein he outlasteth him as it were an Eighth But whether Eighth or Seventh he is the Last Head this Beast shall ever wear When the former Heads failed the Beast still continued by succession of a New But in this he goeth into perdition that is shall utterly be destroyed Object Yea but when the Roman State was a Red Dragon it appeared then also with Seven Heads and Ten Horns as well as now Answ. As the Beast which carrieth the Whore appeareth with all his Heads though Six of them should be past before the Whore should ride him so the Red Dragon which watched the Woman in travail is represented with the whole Roman Cognizance of Heads and Horns though the Sixth Head only the persecuting Caesars were then in course when the bloudy Dragon informed it The Seven Vials The Seven Vials are the Seven several and successive degrees of the Fall of the Apostatical or Pseudoprophetical Beast some whereof are already past for his Declination and Ruine we see is already begun some are still to come They are called the Seven last Plagues in reference to the Seven Trumpets which are the Seven first Plagues the first ruining the Old Beast the last destroying the New which is risen out of his ruine Which is the reason why the Vials are so like the Trumpets For as this Latter Beast was fashioned after the image of the Former so was it fit his Ruine should carry the resemblance of the Ruine of it The Kingdom of Christ upon the Seventh Trumpet That Kingdom of our Lord to follow upon the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet at the appearing whereof in several Visions the Quire of Wights and Elders sing and worship before the Throne Ch. 7. 11. Ch. 11. 16. Ch. 19. 4 what it means and what shall be therein Posterity will better understand Perhaps we may be as wide of the meaning thereof as our Forefathers were of the State and Condition of the times of Antichrist Yet as they in this missed not of the main but erred in the manner and particular Circumstances so would it be considered whether the conceit the Ancients had of this Regnum Christi contains not likewise some general Truth received from the eldest times though deformed with many erroneous misconceits and idle yea some not tolerable fancies The End of the Fifth Book A TABLE of Places of Scripture not only quoted but illustrated and explained GENESIS Chap. 3. 13. And the Lord God said unto the Woman What is this that thou hast done And the Woman said The Serpent begniled me and I did eat pag. 220 Verse 14. And the Lord God said unto the Serpent Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattel and above every Beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou â—at all the days of thy life p. 228 Verse 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed it
their enemies p. 372 Chap. 35. 6 7. The Rechabites said We will drink no wine for Ionadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drink no wine nor shall ye build an house but dwell in teats c. p. 127 LAMENTATIONS Chap. 2. 1. The Lord hath cast down the beauty of Israel and remembred not his footstool in the day of his anger p. 393 EZEKIEL Chap. 4. 6. Lie again on thy right side and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Iudah forty dayes p. 784 Chap. 20. 20. Hasâ—ow my Sabbaths and they shall be a Sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God p. 55 Chap. 27. 3. Tyrus a Merchant of people for many Islands p. 273 Chap. 38. 17. Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel c. p. 796 Chap. 43. 7. my holy Name shall the house of Israel 〈◊〉 more desile by the Carkâ—ses of their Kings p. 14 DANIEL Chap. 2. from vers 32. to vers 44. p. 104 Vers. 44 45. In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed nor left to another people but it shall break in pieces and consume at these Kingdoms and it self shall stand for ever Forasmuch as thou sawest that a Stone was cut out of a mountain without hands and that it brake in pieces the iron the brass c. p. 744 754 755 Chap 4. 26. after that thou shalt have known that the heavens bear rule p. 102 Chap. 7. 3. And four Beasts came up from the Sea p. 454 Vers. 9. I behold till the Thrones were pitched down p. 762 Verse 10. the Iudgment was set p. 532. 762 Verse 11. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the Horn spake I beheld till the Beast was slain and his body destroy'd and given to the burning flame Ibid. Verse 12. As concerning the rest of the Beasts they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time p. 780. 781 Verse 22. and judgment was given to the Saints of the most High p. 532 Vers. 24. And the ten Horns are ten Kings and another shall rise behind them and he shall be diverse from the first and shall depress three Kings p. 778 779 Vers. 25. And he shall think to change Times and Laws p. 737 Ch. 5. 4. behold an He-goat came from the West p. 473 c. Verse 23. And in the latter end of the Kingdom of Graecia a King of a fierce countenance shall stand up p. 654 Chap. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are allotted for thy people and for thy holy City to finish transgression and make an end of sins c. p. 697 Verse 25. Also know and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to cause to return and to build Ierusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be Sevens of weeks c. p. 699 Verse 26. And after 62 weeks shall Messiah be cut off and they none of his c. p. 704 Verse 27. Nevertheless he shall confirm a covenant with many one week c. p. 706 Chap. 10 2. I Daniel was mourning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 599 Verse 13. Michael one of the chief Princes came to help me p. 42 Chap. 11. V. 36 37 38 39. p. 667 670 671 Verse 41 42 43. p. 674 Verse 44 45. p. 816 Chap. 12. 11 12. And from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away shall be 1290 days Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 days p. 717 IOEL Verse 30. Pillars of smoke p. 28 AMOS Chap. 4. 2. The Lord hath sworn by his Holiness p. 8 Chap. 8. 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Iacob ibid. MICAH Chap. 5. 5. And he shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land c. p. 796 ZACHARY Chap. 3. 9. For behold the stone that I have laid before Ioshua p. 833 marg Chap. 4. 2 3. I looked and behold a Candlestick with seven Lamps and two Olive-trees by it p. 833 Verse 6. Not by might nor by force but by my Spirit p. 41 833 Verse 10. These Seven are the Eyes of the ' Lord which run to and fro through the whole Earth p. 40 Verse 14. These are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole Earth p. 41 Chap. 8. 19. The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the tenth p. 890 MALACHI Chap. 1. 6 7. Ye say Wherein have we polluted thy Name In that ye say The Table of the Lord is contemptible And if ye offer the blind for Sacrifice is it not evil Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee p. 357 Verse 11. In every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering p. 355 TOBIT Chap. 14. Verse 3. to Verse 8. p. 〈…〉 I MACCABEES Chap. 14. 5. An entrance to the Isles of the Sea p. 273 II MACCABEES Chap. 4. 38. he took away Andronicus his purple p. 911 S. MATTHEW Chap. 5. 17. Think not that I am come to dissolve the Law and the Prophets I am not come to dissolve but to fulfil p. 12 Verse 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commandments and shall teach men so to do he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven ibid. Chap. 6. 1. Take heed that ye do not your Alms before men p. 80 Verse 9. Thus therefore pray ye p. 1 Hallowed be thy Name p. 4 Verse 11. Give us this day our daily bread p. 125 Verse 19. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth p. 352 Chap. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven c. p. 213 Chap. 8. 12. But the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness p. 86 Verse 29. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time p. 25 Chap. 10. 41. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward p. 84 Chap. 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls p. 150 Chap. 12. 42. The Queen of the South shall rise up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this generation p. 24 Chap. 17. 11. Elias truly shall first come and restore all things p. 98 Chap. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfect go sell that thou hast and give it to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven p. 126 Verse 28. in the regeneration p. 85 Chap. 20. 16. So the last shall be first and the first last for many be called but few chosen p. 86 Chap.
the Ancients 383. the same with Holy Table 389. the Altar of the true God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an Idol or false God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 391. anciently but one Altar in a Church and in one Diocess 326. whether it may be called Sulium Christi 824. anciently it was the place where the Prayers of the Church were offered to God 844 363 819 America The first Gentile inhabitants and the late Christian plantations there 800 Ananias his Sin was Sacriledge 116. how this Sacriledge is described 117. the aggravations of it 118 119 Angels The conceit of Dionys. Areopag of 9 orders groundless 40. Angels present in the Iewish Temple and our Churches 344 c. their presence an argument for a reverent behaviour there 346. where they keep their station there is Gods Shechinah or special Presence 343 c. Angels are in Scripture put for those over whom they preside 459 471 495 514 527. Good Angels not envious at the advancement of mans nature by Christ 90. nor grieve at the good of others 91 See more in Archangels Antiochus Epiphanes not meant by the Little Horn in Daniel 733 753. the Calamity under him for 2300 evenings and mornings Dan. 8. 14. whence it is to be reckoned 659 Antichrist meant by the Little Horn in Dan. 8. 10. 714. how he is a Counter-Christ and his Coming a counter-resemblance of Christs Coming 647. The Saracen and Turk not the Great Anâ—ichrist 644 c. who primarily meant by the Antichrist and the many Antichrists in S. Iohn's Epist. 664 900 Apocalyps is Daniel explicate as Daniel is Apocalypsis Contracta 787. the subject matter of it 756. it contains the Fares of the Church till Christs second Coming 440 917 918. it is properly the Prophecy of the Church of the Gentiles 575 880. a particular argument for the Divinity of the Apocalyps 853. the authority of it doubted of by whom 602. the admirablâ—â— prophecy in Scripture 582 Apostasie implies a Revolt from God and Christ by Idolatry 625. where it was expresly foretold in the Old Testament 666. it was to be a general one 648. but not such an absolute one as wholly to renounce Christ 645 c. 651. the two man Apostasies of Israel in Ieroboam's and Ahab's days describâ— d 242 The Apostles age when â—ended 360 To appear before the Lord what 260. all the Males of the Iews to appear bâ—fore the Lord thrice a year but the Women were exempted and why 261 Ara and Altare how they differ 392 Archangels their number Seven proved from Scripture and Tradition 40 c. 908. represented by the seven Lamps in the Temple 833 c. their Office twofold 43 Assurance not a Cause or Instrument but a Consequent of Iustification 309 310. Obedience is the way to Assurance 310 Astrology the Authors judgment of it 601 B BAalim what and whence so called 630 Babel's Tower the confusion and number of the Languages there 275 c. Babylon in the Apocalyps is Rome Pseudo-Christian 523 c. not New Rome or Constantinople 922. why called the Great City 484 912. and the Great Whore 523 643. what 's meant by her Golden Cup and the Name in her forehead 525. the twofold ruine of Babylon 489 Baptism called by the Ancients Signaculum Gods Seal or Mark 511. from what Analogy Water was used in Baptism to be a sign of Regeneration or the New birth 63. that by Water in Baptism is figured the H. Spirit not the Bloud of Christ. 62. 63 Bâ—ptisteries were anciently without the Church 330 Bath Kol Gods Oracle and Answer from Heaven accompanied with Thunder 458 c. Beasts in the Prophetick style signifie States and Kingdoms 780. the seven Heads of the Beast have a double signification 524 922. the Beast with Ten Horns what 498 499. the Beast with Two Horns what 505 Blasphemy is put for Idolatry 502 503 To Bless hath a threefold notion in Scripture 83 Blessing sometimes in Scripture signifieth a Gift or Present ibid. Body when a dead Body begins to corrupt 52 Bread signifies sometimes in Scripture all necessaries of life 689 Breaking of Bread put for the Communion of the Eucharist 322 Breast-place of judgment why so called 184 The Bride 's making her self ready for the marriage of the Lamb. 912 Burnt-offering what and why offered daily 287. it had annexed to it a Meat-offering and Drink-offering and was accompanied with Peace-offerings 371 C TO be Called is To be 445 465 Calling of the Gentiles See Gentiles Canaan or Palestine divided into three Provinces 100. its Husbandry and Harvests 297. its Breed of Cattel in the Spring and at Autumn ibid. this Land was promised to be given for an inheritance to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and not to their Seed only 801 c. a figure of Heaven 249 c. the Iews cast out of their own Land by the Romans who yet used not to carry other Nations captive what implied thereby 250 Captivity The three chief Captivities or Dispersions of the Iews 75 76. Three steps or degrees of the Babylonish Captivity 659 Catholick Epistles See General Ep. Cerriâ—i why mad-men were so called 29 30 Changing of Times and Laws what it implies in SS 737 Cherub and Cherubim whence so called 567. their form 917. why the Curtains of the Tabernacle and Walls of the Temple were filled with pictures of Cherubims 345 Chiliasme See Millennium Christ his solemn Preaching began not till Iohn Baptist had done his and why 97. his Death and Resurrection foretold in the Law Prophets and Psalms 50. 51. his Vniversal Kingdom and the Glorious state of his Church is yet to come 196 c. He is to be received whole not only as Priest but as King 308. He is given to us for an Example of life 157. How he is to be imitated 158 The Christian Sacrifice See Sacrifice The true Church of Christ never wholly extinguished 649. in what sense it was either Visible or Invisible under Antichrist 136 137 649 c. Churches or Places for worship in the first Century 323. in the second Century 326 in the third 329. Reasons to prove this 333. Objections answered from p. 334 to 339. at first the sacred meetings were in some Vpper-rooms set apart for Religious uses 321 322. Salute the Church at his House how to be understood 324. That Christians had such Places for Sacred worship was known to the Gentiles 332. To erect and set apart Places for Divine worship is from the instinct of Nature 340 c. A Land without such Places for Religion was counted Vnclean 341. Churches are to be magnificent and decently adorned 406 407 408 Circumcision the Verba solennia used therein 53 54 Clean Heart See Heart Clergy Clerus why so called 15 182. Their obligation to a special demeanour and differing kind of conversation from the Laâ—ety 15 181 182 Clouds Christ's Coming in the Clouds whence the phrase is borrowâ—d 754 764 788 Coenaculum Sion or Church of Sion
the Events in Scripture 889. Iehoiakim not carried captive into Babylon Pag. 890 Ieremy's Prophesies not digested in order 834 Iews had a Second tender of Christ and upon their refusing it were cast off 164 though some of them believed yet the Body or Nation of the Iews rejected Christ and was therefore rejected 750. the manner and external means of their Conversion to be by Vision and Voice from Heaven 761. This argued from the manner of S. Paul's Conversion 761 891. and from the story of a miraculous conversion of many Iews as a Praeludium to their General Conversion 767. why God gave the Iews peculiar Rites and Observations 181 Ignatius his Epistles 327 Images were at first made for Daemoâ—s to dwell in c. 632 Image-worship brought in and promoted by lying stories 687. the great Opposition in the Greek and Eastern Churches against it for the space of 120 years 683 c. Impotency pretended doth not excuse us from our duty 308 Iohn Baptist a forerunner of Christ in his Nativity Preaching and Suffering 97 Isaac a Type of Christ. 50 51 Islands not taken always in Scripture for Countries encompassed by the Sea 272. Countries divided from the Iews by Sea were called Islands ibid. c. what they signifie in the Apocalyps according to the Prophetick style 450 Iudgment The description of the Great Iudgment when Christ shall sit on his Throne 841. a farther description of the Great Day of Iudgment 762 c. whence Christ and his Apostles received that term 754. the precise time thereof not to be known 895. K. KEri and Kerif See Hebrew Text King or Kingdom sometimes in Scripture put for any State or Polity 667 711 911. Kings of the East in Apocal. 16. 12. who are meant thereby 529 Kingdom of God or Heaven sometimes in Scripture signifies the Kingdom of Messiah 103. why it is so called 104. whence the Iews gave this term to the Kingdom of Messiah 103. a twofold state of Christ's Kingdom 104 the first state thereof called Regnum Lapidis the second Regnum Montis 743. the Time designed and prefixed for the coming and beginning of Christs Kingdom 104. it was to be set up in the Times of the Fourth Kingdom 745 754 c. That the Kingdom of Christ and the Saints in Dan. 7. is the same with that of 1000 years in Apocal. 20. 763. a twofold Kingdom one whereby Christ reigns in his Saints the other whereby they reign with him 573 Kingdoms 4 Kingdoms represented by Nebuchaduezzars Image of 4 sundry metals Dan. 2. and by 4 Beasts Dan. 7. the purport of them 743 c. why these 4 are singled out 712 713. That the Fourth is the Roman proved by 3 Arguments from p. 712 to 716. That these 4 Kingdoms are a Prophetical Chronology and the Great Kalendar of Times 654 The Kiss of Peace why so called 96 Kissing of the Pax whatâ— ibid. L. LActantius vindicated from the Antichiliasts 812 836 Lake of Fire and Brimstone why Hell so described 33 Lamps That the 7 Lamps in the Temple signified the 7 Archangels 833 Larvati why Mad-men so called 29 Last hour or time the End of all are meant of the End of the Iewish State and Service and not of the End of the World 664 Last times a twofold acception of them in Scripture 652. That the times of the Fourth Beast or Roman Kingdom are the Last times 654 c. their Epocha or beginning 656. their duration and length 655 Latter times of the Last times are the times of the Apostasie under Antichrist 653 655 Law may be considered either 1 as a Rule or 2 as a Covenant of works how Believers are not under the Law 114 In what respects the Law is dissolved or not dissolved by Christ 12 How Gods Law alone binds the conscience 208 209 Lawenus his Stricturâ— in Clavem Apocal. 541. the occasion of his writing them 783. his way of interpreting the Apocalyps 754 782. a full answer to his Stricturâ— 550 Law-giver why Christ so called in Genes 49. and what is meant by that phrase Law-giver from between his feet 35 Lay-Elders See Elders Legends Fabulous Legends their grosseness and the design of them 678 681 c. Levi what the name signifies 178. why Levi was chosen for the Priesthood 179 180. why called Gods Holy one 180 181. his Favoured one 181 Locusts what they signifie in the Prophetick style 467 c. Lords-day why observed by Christians 57. a Testimony for it out of Euseâ—ius 851 Lords-prayer twice delivered by Christ 2. intended not only for a Pattern but a Form of Prayer ibid. Lords-supper See Christian Sacrifice Lying unto the Holy Ghost what is meant thereby 118 M. MAgog See Gog. Mahuzzim in Dan. 11. the word signifies Fortresses Bulwarks Protectors Guardians c. That Saints and their Reliques were so called at the beginning of Saint-worship 673 c. Manna why so called 245. how it differed from the Apothecaries or the Arabian Manna 245 246. how it was Spiritual meat and a Type of Christ. 247 Mark To have the Mark of the Beast in the right hand or in the forehead Apocal. 〈◊〉 what it means 509 511 Marriage the Roman laws for it discountenanced by Constantine 672. Prohibition of Marriage a character of Monastick profession 688 Martyrs their privilege to riâ—e first 604 771 775. their Reign misinterpreted to an Idolatrous sense 759 why Christians anciently kept their assemblies at their Monuments 679. Martyrium Omeritarum 768 Mass Reasons against the lurching Sacrifice of the Mass wherein the Priest receives alone 253 254. In the Mass the ancient Offering of Praise is turned into an Offering of Expiation 293. How the Oblation of the ancient Church differed from that in the Mass 295. The Blasphemous Oblation in the Mass justly taken away 376. That the ancient Church never intended any Hypostatical oblation of Christ. 376 c. Meat put in Scripture for all necessaries of life 689. Abstinence from meats a character of Monastick profession 688 Meekness in the Scripture-use is of a larger signification than in Ethicks 161 Melancholia and Mania how they differ 29 Memorial why that which was burned upon the Altar was so called 342 Memorial of Gods Name what 341 Merit the word abused and in what sense tolerable 176 Messiah the Prince in Dan. 9 meant only of Christ. 700 Methodius Bishop of Tyre a passage out of him touching the Millennium 843 Michael in Apocal. 12. who 495 Middle estate or a Competency the best and safest condition 129 Millennium or the 1000 years Reign of Christ not to be understood in any gross carnal sense 603 836 837. to be asserted modestly and warily so as not to clash with any Catholick Tenet of the Christian Faith 603. to be propounded generally not particulatim seu modatim 571. a General description of it 603. no necessity of asserting Christs visible converse upon Earth Ibid. this Opinion of Regnum Christi Sanctorum was universally held by the
35 Schism the evil and danger of it 876 Scripture The Holy Scripture is not to be kept in an unknown tongue 190. whether the silence of Scripture be an argument sufficient to conclude against matter of fact 840. an account of some Idioms or Forms of speech in Scripture 161 and 347 349 380 285 and 352 Sea what it signifies in the Prophetick style 462 The Sealing of the 144000 in Apocal. 7. what it means 584 Seed of the Woman meant of Christ's person and Christ mystical 236 Serpent why the Devil took this shape 223 289. the Curse was pronounced upon both the Serpent and the Devil 229. what kind of Serpent was accursed 230. how God could in Iustice punish the brute Serpent 229 230 his Curse was To go upon his Breast and not only on his Belly 231 232. as also To feed on dust 233 234. Enmity between Man and the Serpent 234. The Serpents Seed meant of the Devil and wicked men 236. The Serpents Head or Headship is Principatus mortis 237 Set Forms See Prayer Seven eyes of the Lord are the seven Archangels 41 43 Seven Heads of the Beast signifie both 7 Hiâ—s and 7 Successions of different sorts of Governours 524 Seven Seals in Apocal. 6. what is meant thereby 441 917 c. Seven Trumpets See Trumpets Seven Vials See Vials Seventy Weeks See Daniels Weeks Seventy years See Years Shechinah or Gods special presence in a place is where the Angels keep their station 343 c. Sheep set at Christs right hand 841 Shiloh the name of Messiah 34 it signifies a Peace-maker 35 Silence in holy offices was a point of Religion 458 Simeon Metaphrastes his fabulous Legends 682 c. his design therein 683 c. Sin compared in Scripture to an Heavy Burthen in respect of the Weight of Punishment and of Loathsomness 151. the reason of Sins Loathsomness 152. Conformity between the Sin and Punishment in 4 particulars 144. the hainousness of a Sin to be estimated from the hearts election 350. Commission of one Sin makes way for another 135. what it is to forsake Sin 207. Rules to know whether our purpose to forsake Sin be real 152 153 Sin-offering what 287 Sincerity of Heart what it is how it may be known and attain'd 217 218 Sitting at Gods right hand what it signifies 638 639. that it is a priviledge appropriate to Christ. ibid. Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word doth not always in Scripture imply a small number 648 c. Socinian Tenets censured 869 883 Son of man whence Christ is so called 764 788 Spirit sometimes in Scripture signifies Doctrine 626 Spirit and truth See Worship in spirit and truth Spirits Good or Evil how they appear and converse with men 223 224 Spiritual blessings were veiled in Earthly Promises under the Law 249 250 Stealing is either by Force or by Fraud both forbidden in the 8 Commandment 132. See more in Theft Sun Moon and Stars what they are according to the Prophetick style in the Political world 449 450 466 615 Synagogues how they differ'd from Proseucha's 66. their antiquity 839 Synchronisms what 491. their usefulness 431 581 T. TAbernack of meetingâ— so call'd from God's meeting there with men 343. Feast of Tabernacles wherein it was a Figure of Christ 266. how it was neglected to be kept from Iosua's time to Nehemiah's 268. what this Omission may seem to imply 268 Table sometimes in Scripture put for Epulum or the Meat it self 386. Table of the Lord in 1 Cor. 10. why so called 375. the name Table not used in any Ecclesiastical Writer before 200 years after Christ 860. Table and Altar how they differ 389 Holy Table Name and Thing 844 Temple what the Gentiles Notion of a Temple was 335 336. why the primitive Christians for the most part abstain'd from the name Temple 336 337 Temple at Ierusalem it s 3 Courts in our Saviours time 44 45. it was the Third or Gentiles Court that was prophaned by the Iews and vndicated by our Saviour 45 46. This Temple is called in Scripture Gods Throne 438 439 917. In what respects it was a Type of Christ. 48 407 263 Temples of the Heathen why they are said by the ancient Fathers to be nothing else but the Sepulchres of dead men 633 Ten Horns signifie in Dan. and the Apocal. Ten Kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was shivered 661. that they belong to the Seventh or Vppermost Head of the Beast 499 737 Ten Kings See Ten Horns Teraphim what they were and how they answered to Vrim and Thummim 183 Terumah or Heave-offering defined 288 the Terumoth or Heave-offerings were either First-fruits or Tithes or Frâ—e-will-offerings 290 Theft in no case lawful 133. the trial of it in doubtful cases was in the Iewish Polity by the parties Oath Hence Perjury and Theft are forbidden together in Scripture 133 Three Kings whom the Little Horn should depress to advance himself 779 Throne to be taken up to Gods Throne what 494 Thummim See Vrim Thunder See Bath Kol Time Times and half a Time what 497 656 744. Times of the Gentiles 753. Times put for Things done in time 737 Tithes How the question of the due of Tithes is to be stated 120 Tituls why Houses and Churches were so called 5 327 328 Tobit's prophesie of the Iews Captivity and Restauration explain'd 579 Transubstantiation promoted by lying Miracles 688 Trees what they signifie in the Prophetick style 460 Trespass-offering how it differed from the Sin-offering 287 Tribes why the 12 Tribes are in Apocal 7. reckoned in a different order than elsewhere in Scripture 455 c. Tribute See Rent Trumpets Seven Trumpets their meaning 595 Turks why described in Apocal. 9. by the army of Horsemen 473 Twelve why each of the 24 Courses or Quires of Singers in the Temple consisted of Twelve 3 Typical speeches often true in the Type and Antitype 285. when what is attributed to the Type belongs to the thing typified 468 V. VEspers See Even-song Vials Seven Vials their meaning 585 923. the agreement between the 7 Vials and 7 Trumpets 585 Vintage what it means in the Propherick style 521 c. Visions Apocalyptick whether represented in the Seven-sealed Book to be seen or to be read by S. Iohn 787 An Vnrepentant Sinner is an Insidel 153 Vnworthy receiving See Sacraments Vows The 3 Vows common to all Monks viz. Vow of Chastity Poverty and Abstaining from meats the Fourth Vew viz. of Obedience not common to all nor so old 689 Vrim and Thummim what they signifie 183. they were a Divine Oracle ibid. the Matter thereof and the Manner of enquiring thereby 184 185. How Vrim and Thummim did typisie something in Christ. 185 186 W. WAldenses See Albigenses White To walk in white To be clothed with white raiment what meant thereby in the Apocalyps 909 Whore and Whoredom meant according to the Prophetick style of Idolatry 645 646. Whoe of Babylon in Apocal. 17. why this Vision only of all