Problems and whose punctuall determination doth not concerne the essentials of our salvation to allow every man his modest liberty ingenuously to follow his owne light SECT I. Elias Reusnerus Leorinus his Account § 1 HAving touched this afore Chapter 2. and elsewhere I shall now present it in briefe Rome saith he * El. Reus Leorin in I sagog Hist De Antich Infant ad Ann. Chr. 410. having been Conqueresse and Mistresse of the world being now in the yeer of Christ 410. taken and spoyled by Alarick King of Goths according to Socrat. l. 7. cap. 10. from which time her Authority being much diminished she is exposed to the like depredation by the Vandals Heruls and Longobards and others of the German Countries c. from this declining of the Roman Empire HE THAT WITHHOLDETH 2 Thess 2. verse 6. being removed is the time of the SON OF PERDITION to begin Rightly therefore is here fixed the beginning of the Angelical two and forty months of the Kingdome of the seven headed beast with his ten Hornes Rev. 13. borrowing great power from the infernall Dragon and belching out horrid blasphemies against God that is the Roman Papacy c. The end of these two and forty months will fall into the Yeer of Christ 1670. § 2 So that by this account of Reusner Antichrist will bee downe within these twenty yeers and something lesse even as much lesse as more then 1650. is past SECT II. Mr. Ephraim Huet his Account § 1 THe taking away of the daily Sacrifice and the placing of the desolating abomination saith he * Ephr. Huet in his Paraphr Analys Com. on Dan. Chap. 12.11 having demonstratively confuted other Interpretations is to be applied to the action of our Lord who by his death did put away all Jewish Sacrifices and also by an Army of Idolaters did destroy Jerusalem placing Idolaters therein who after also did set up their Idolatries True it is our Lord did jure viz. in right destroy all sacrifices by his owne Sacrifice being the fulnesse of all their shadows but facto that is actually after his death divers yeers and by divers steps and degrees For after the sacking of Jerusalem by Titus * Who also destroyed the Temple according to the generall vote of the learned Historians and Chronologers therein fulfilling Christs Prophesie Math. 24.1 c. according to the judgement of most learned Divines the Jewes yet inhabited the City not yet demolished and continued their superstitions with great both power and zeale For first Afterwards in the Reigne of Adrian the Roman Emperour the Jews rebelled upon this quarrel The Emperour had built and dedicated a Temple in Jerusalem to Jupiter Olympius the which the Jewes stomaching made head and in the end were overcome by the Emperour and dispersed and the City named Aelia and he gave it into the possession of the Gentiles Secondly Yet did they continue their old superstitions in the Country so that whereas there was an Altar built under the Oake Mamre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and the Merchants that came to the Faires were forced to sacrifice thereon otherwise Traffick was denied them Constantine the Great demolished the Altar and built there a Church for Christians Thirdly and lastly in the dayes of Julian the Apostate and professed enemy of Christians in contempt of the Christian faith he gave licence to the Jews to build the Temple and to renue their Jewish worships Yea so large was their patent that all were interdicted any let or stoppage and the charges of this service to be allowed out of the publicke stocke Upon which grant they attempted the building of the Temple not wholly razed downe afore wherein they were affronted by a speciall hand of God A fearfull Earthquake in the night destroyed all their works and all their tools were consumed by a sudden fire * Ammianus Marcellinus in his History of the life of Jul. l. 23. c. 1 saith That certain fearful flaming balls of fire issuing forth neer unto the foundations and making many terrible assaults consumed sundry times the workmen and made the place unaccessable and by reason that this element still gave the repulse the enterprize was given over Socrates Scholast in his Hist 3. Book Chap. 20. according to the Greek but 27. according to the English adds that there came fire from Heaven that burned their Tools c. so that they were forced to desist from their worke In which their blinde zeale they were affronted by that zealous Bishop of Jerusalem Cyril who admonished them of this Prophesie and after no disswasion would avail he openly professed That now the time was come which our Lord foretold that there should not be left one stone upon another which should not be cast down which accordingly came to passe that night by the immediate hand of God in this earthquake and fire Now understand we the utter actual abolishing of the Jewish sacrifices to be here intended and not the time of the Lords sacrifice for that the daily sacrifice continued long after and also the abominable Idolaters were not placed in Jerusalem untill their dispersion by Adrian And if liberty of conjecture be granted I should thinke that as Jupiter Olympius with his Greekish worshippers is called the desolating abomination Chap. 11. verse 31. So the Romans are here an Army of abominables for their returne to the same Idol whose Temple Adrian built and whose Idolatries the Romans embraced as being amongst them the chiefe and father God The beginning of this One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers being at the final remove of the Jewish sacrifices fell out under the reigne of Julian Thus Mr. Huet § 2 But then he mistakes about the yeer of Julians reign For he puts the utter ceasing of the daily sacrifice in the yeer of Christ 360. Whence three Errots will follow ¶ 1 That Julian was not as he supposeth sole Emperor at that time but after that he began his reign as sole Emperor viz. in the yeer of Christ 361 saith Helvicus 362 saith Dr. Holland in his Chronol on Ammianus 363 saith Dr. Alstedius 365 saith the Translator of Eusebius ¶ 2 That however it was divers yeers after Julians beginning to reigne that the dayly sacrifice ceased by the aforesaid miraculous obstacle they that account least put it in the Yeer of Christ 363. * So Dr. Holland ibid. Helvicus in his Inden Chronolog others more of which presently ¶ 3 If we grant this ceasing of the dayly sacrifice in manner as aforesaid to have been fulfilled in the yeer of Christ 360. Then if we adde 1290. the time of the expiration of the whole is past and so the call of the Jews should be past which experience decries § 3 Therefore we must if we will make any benefit of that computation of one thousand two hundred and ninety yeers in Daniel follow low those Chronologers and Historians who remove that ceasing of the daily
conati sunt tam acerbo perierunt exitu ut omnium mortalium judicio illorum calamitates exempli loco proponerentur similia scelera persequentibus In quorum numero illum unum fuisse arbitratur nempe Valerianum qui divinâ irâ tanquam aliquo fulmine ex Romano Imperio dejectus in Persidis oras delatus est Quod bene cecidit in ejusmodi SACRILEGOS tale supplicii exemplum Nam sibi ait contigisse nonnullorum exitus animadvertere qui paulo ante POPVLVM DEO CONSECRATVM nefandis edictis perturbaverant Gratias verò agit Deo immortales quòd singulari providentiâ universum hominum genus QVI DIVINAM LEGEM COLVNT AC VENERANTVR reslicutâ pace laetitiâ assicitur Imo inquit cum summâ cum voluptate audivisse PRAECLARVM ILLUM HOMINUM COETVM CHRISTIANORVM intelligere se ait potissimam partem Persidis EXORNASSE ex quo VTRIQVE ILLORVM scilicet tam Regi quam Christianis COMMVNEM CONTIGISSE FAELICITATEM pronunciat Sic Constantinus Quae omnia spectatu dignissima Vos Mundi Magnates auscultate nisi faelices estis illi infelicissimi quibus abundanti mundanorum affluentiâ vel ocium non est vel non animus divinam perscrutandi veritatem Aures vestrae seu a Delatoribus sive Adulatoribus vel aliquibus nescio quo nomine Heterodoxis obthurantur ne alios audiant narraturos Sed tandem invicta veritas pro dolor vestros percellet animos caeterosque qui aspernantes Constantinianam Christianorum definitionem Divinam colere legem venerarique illorum meditantur minitantque ruinam Sic fuit ab initio teste Scripturâ * Mat. 23.34 35 Constantino innumerorumque experientiâ nostrâ An Deus Sacrilegium patitur inultum iri Populum Dei Populum Deo CONSECRATVM nuncupat eosque SACRILEGOS qui populum illum nefandis edictis perturbaverint Quâ normâ parique ratione haud Christianis tantum verum etiam Judaeis indulgendum est Qui ut veterem venerantur legem Ita in suis primitiis radice Deo consecrantur * Rom. 11.16 Quorum massa ramique cum Orthodoxum amplectentur Christianismum ut etiam Christiani PRAECLARVS HOMINVM COETVS censendi sunt Quique potissimum cujusque regnipartem quam occupant EXORNANT Communicatâ utrique FOELICITATE COMMVNI Vos itaque terrarum Dynastae exoremini uti perorat Imperator ut IS TO MODO humanissimè nimirum excipiendo Christianos DEVM hujus universitatis Dominum parentem PROPITIVM ET PLACATVM HABEATIS Hos inquit ut DECET HVMANITATEM VESTRAM complectendo amandoque tum vobis quam NOBIS istâ vestrâ fide IMMENSVM PRAESTABITIS BENEFICIVM Bene vortat Deus AMEN Precatur NATHANAEL HOMESIVS AN Epistle EXPLICATORY and APOLOGETICAL to the READER touching the Subject-matter of this BOOK THE Frontispiece of the Title and the Printers specimina formerly given into the hands of our friends having sufficiently held forth the forme of this Treatise we deemed it necessary to adde one word touching the matter which should seem by the variety of palats to be of a various and strange relish Most dis-relishing the least that is said of it as too much many resenting all as too little The later duely weighing this to be the great interest of Saints and to succeed the grand Catastrophe of all the present turnes and overturnings of times and things pulling downe the rotten that the rubbish removed New Jerusalem may be built The former as strucken with a pannick fear dreading some monster of Heresie abortively to be borne into the world or a voluptuous Cerinthianisme to be raised from the dead to the endangering of the Articles of our Creed or Faith But whosoever will be so wise as to read the first and fourth Booke afore he censure shall finde beside the whole current of Scripture in the other the stream of all sorts of all the best approved Antiquity of the most pious Fathers Greek and Latine the choysest ancient Jewish Rabbins with the pick'd flowers of their Targums and Talmuds and Orthodox Councils and Catechismes c. to have held with us And if he shall peruse the fifth Book he shall be convinced I trust that when the most learned Adversaries bad objected what they could and particularly that of infringement and prejudice to the Articles of Faith they could not in the least impeach our Tenet of any such errour or incongruity And into a like nothing I doubt not will that dreame of voluptuous Cerinthianisme vanish upon the Readers perusal of the third Section of the third Chapter of the third Booke Page 372. And for further satisfaction of the Readers and mine owne spirit herein I can comfortably adde one grand consideration viz. Experience For the maine substance of this Treatise was for neer one whole yeer tasted and tryed upon the palats of very many of the most godly and pious who were so far from doubting and so fully satisfied in their spirits that their importunity and encouragements brought this Worke into the World when I had long laid aside the thoughts of ever travelling with it any more The reasons why I began as well in Latine as English throughout the first Booke and there rested were two First The many Latine Quotations necessitatedly attending a worke of this nature But chiefly if I may speake freely the grand concernment of it to all Forreigne Nations as well as to us that hope for future blisse especially to the now distressed Jewes To whom therefore I would willingly have so communicated it for their readiest perusal But some of my worthy Friends strongly disswading mine owne ease easily submitted If yet all are not will not bee satisfied I cannot helpe it nor all the Writers in the World with whom all men were never satisfied But this I have strongly to comfort my selfe herein That the Call of the Jewes being a Mystery Rom. 11.25 and the Resurrection of the Saints and their change a mystery 1 Cor. 15.51 c. both Master-limbs of the body of this Discourse the fault of the Readers non-satisfaction may as well at least be charged on his dimnesse as upon my weaknesse I have no more to adde in this mee-displeasing way of Epistolizing but to pray and wish to the Well-willers increase of Divine light To the Ill-willers a better spirit To the Newter-negligent diligence to understand And to the Learned searching and declaring To all which AMEN Is the close of Your Servant in the Lord NATH HOMES A Synopsis of the main integral parts of the whole Treatise BOOK I. 1 Chap. THE General Position of the Saints reigning with Christ a 1000 yeers propounded 1 Section That Position expounded 2 Chap. That Position is not guilty of singularity or novelty Sect. 1 The Hebrew Antiquities for it Sect. 2 The ancientest Greek Fathers for it Sect. 3 The ancientest Latine Fathers for it Sect. 4 Modern Writers of several Nations for it 3 Chap. Some preparations in a general way for the demonstration of the said
purae piaeque Christianorum sententiae nonsunt multos hoc non agnoscere tibi significavi Eos enimtibi designabam qui nomine quidem CHRISTIANI dicuntur sunt verò ATHEI IMPII HAERETICI quod omnino blasphema impia stulta doceant § 2 Graecorum Antiquorum secundus est IRENAEVS qui storuit Anno 178. circiter post natum Christum Hác aetate inquit Abrahamus Bucholcerus in Indic Chronologi IRENAEVS Ecclesiae Lugdunensis Episcopus Polycarpi auditor contra Haereticos scripsit libros qui extant Dicit alicubise ista scribere Romanam sedem tenente duodecimo Episcopo Eleutherio qui hoc tempore Pontificatum gessit IRENAEI etiam temporibus adhuc durasse donum ejiciendi daemonia et sanandi multos testatur ipse lib. 2. adversus haereses Hujus IRENAEI meminit TERTVLLIANVS eumque nominat omnium doctrinarum curiosum exploratorem IRENAEUS aliquoties scripsit Johannem Apostolum vixisse usque ad tempora Trajani Polycarpum verò fuisse auditorem Johannis se Juvenem vidisse Polycarpum senem Sic Bucholcerus Nomen habuit IRENAEUS ut aiunt a componenda pace inter litigantes De hoc IRENAEO Magno doctissimus asserit Erasmus in Argumento ejus in Quintum librum illius Irenaei contra Haereses Quin HIERO NIMUS inquit ERASMUS alicubi testatur IRENAEUM sensisse cum CHILIASTIS cum aliâs tum enarrans EZECHIELIS caput trigesimum Sed in hujusmodi multis VETERES cum candore legendi sunt c. Sic Erasmus In quam de IRENAEO sententiam facilè descendent qui acutiori oculo perlegerint quintum illius IRENAEI librum contra HAERESES Ubi plurimum disputans pro resurrectione corporum sanctorum eos ipsos urget Prophetas qui tractant summoperè de eorundem PRIMA RESURRECTIONE ad plenam Judaeorum vocationem Particularius ILLE ut anteà JU MARTYR pro MILLE ANNIS urget Ezechielem pro RESURRECTIONE Nominatim cap. 37. v. 1. ad 15. Quem locum de Thesi nostrâ intelligendum demonstratio ejus 3. nostro libro instituenda convincet Vide sis IRENAEUM Edit Bas in 8. Lat. Anno 1571. ad pag. 545. 575. § 3 Ultimus Graecorum quem recitabimus Epiphanius qui floruit Anno circiter 365 haec habet verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Porro alii dixerunt senem dixisse quod in prima resurrectione millenarium quendam annorum absolvemus in iisdem versantes in quibus etiam nunc nimirum legem servantes alia c. Unde liquidò constat vel Athanasium vel Paulinum vel quosdam extitisse circa vel ante tempus Epiphanii qui substantiam nostrae Theseos omnino defendebant Imò mihi palam videtur etiam ipsum Epiphanium ex verbis ejus statim insequentibus favisse aliquantulùm iis hanc opinionem tenentibus Verùm inquit sicut quidam affirmarunt hoc dixisse ipsum asseruerunt Et quòd quidem scriptum est de millenariâ hâc sectâ in Apocalypsi Johannis quòd apud plerosque liber receptus est etiam apud pios manifestum est c. Epiph. lib. 3. To. 2. juxta Edit Basil lat A. D. 1578. sub Titulo exemplar Paulini Episcopi p. 334. C. 335. A. edit Graec. Basil p. 435. SECT III. Of Latine Antiquities THe first in Seniority of Latine Learned Godly Ancients that is for our Position in TERTULLIAN Hee Apologized for the Christians about the yeare after Christ 180. His words in his fifth Booke against Marcion are to this effect Thou art a Priest for ever But Ezechias though he once was yet he was neither a Priest nor for ever c. But unto Christ will agree the order of Melchisedek because indeed Christ Gods proper and legimate High-priest of the Priest-hood of the Uncircumcision then specially constituted in the Nations of whom hee had more claime to bee received with vouchsafe at last to accept and blesse the circumcision and posterity of Abraham when at length they shall know him § 2 Lactantius very largely and learnedly discourseth the point in his seventh Booke of divine Institutions who lived in the time of Constantine the Great three hundred and ten yeeres after Christ so long since proving it from the Scriptures and withall alleading the consent of Philosophers Poets Sybils c. all which to translate into English would but bee tedious to them that understand onely that tongue besides the increase of charge in Printing And for those that understand Latine and Greek they have here at hand the minde of the Authour and his quotations in those languages whereby to read him and them in their owne idiom and phrase But to give the English Reader a few summary heads of what is in this large citation of Lactantius and his quotations it shall not bee grievous to me nor unnecessary for him In his seventh Book of Divine Institutions Chap. 1. hee saith thus In the fourth Booke saith hee wee have spoken of the first coming of the LORD Now let us relate his second which the Jewes also acknowledge and expect because it is of NECESSITY that hee should RETURN to Comfort them whom before he had come to call together In this second Chapter of that seventh Book Lactantius saith thus It is ordained by the disposal of the highest God that this unjust age a certaine space of times being runne shall have an end when all wickednesse being extinct and the soules of the godly called backe to a blessed life there shall flourish a quiet tranquil peaceable and golden age God himselfe then reigning In his fourteenth Chapter of the same Book hee saith That Plato and many others of the Philosophers whiles ignorant of the original of things and of that top of time wherein the World was made * said that many thousands of * ages have passed since this * most beautifull world thus adorned hath existed As per haps the Chaldeans who as Cicero hath delivered in his first Book of Divination do dream * that they have contained in * their Monuments foure hundred * and seventy thousand yeers But we whom the Divine Scriptures do instruct unto the knowledge of the truth have knowne the beginning and end of the World of which end wee shall speake in the end of this Book as wee did of the beginning in the second Let therefore Philosophers know who number thousands of Ages since the beginning of the World that the Sixth thousand yeer is not yet CONCLUDED or ENDED But that number being fulfilled of necessity there must bee an end and the state of humane things must been transformed into that which is better This Lactantius doth largely and learnedly prove from Gods making the World in six dayes and resting the seventh Alleadging the Prophet as it is his expression that BEFORE thy EYES O Lord a thousand yeers are but as ONE DAY c. Wee have saith Lactantius often said That lesser and small things are the figures and fore-representations of
primum quem legi appellat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS seu PROPHETICAM HISTORIAM DE SALVATORIS NOSTRI REGNO IN TERRIS c. Secundum a me nondum perlectum nominat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS REDEMPTAM sive JUDAEORUM GENERALEM MIRACULOSAM CONVERSIONEM AD FIDEM EVANGELII Eorundemque in suam patriam reditum nostrique salvatoris imperium in terris personaliter ministratum c. In quibus multos recenset authores ut pote Alstedium in Chronolog cap. 32. cap. 35. Fran. Johannem de comb is in compendio totius Theologiae lib. 7. cap. 13 14. It. lib. 7. cap. 7. Foxum in Martyrolog Anglic. * Wendelinum Contemplat Natural cap. 9. sect 2. cap. 21. * sect 2. Johan Acostam De Temporalib Noviss lib. 3. cap. 11. Down in 17. Johan Cum multis aliis c. quorum verba hic describere nec mihi otium est nec animus ne lector taedio affligeretur §. 11. Mr. Archer also an Englishman hath waded farther into the point then wee have in some particulars which are not so cleer to us having written as we are informed two Treatises of it The first is expresse under his name entituled THE PERSONALL REIGNE OF CHRIST UPON EARTH The other is called ZIONS JOY IN HER KING COMING IN HIS GLORY But doubtfull whether his being subscribed with this darke name BY FINIENS CANUS VOVE Nostras etiam Archerius altiùs paulò in nonnullis nobis minus innotescentibus urinatus librum scripsit cujus titulus est REGIMEN CHRISTI PERSONALE IN TERRIS Nec non ut aiunt alium cujus inscriptio est GAUDIUM ZIONIS IN REGE SUO CUM GLORIA VENIENTE §. 12. Learned Mr. Meade our Country-man his Clavis Apocalyptica Commentarius both in Latine and English is famously known to most that read books § a. Learned Doctor Twisse his PREFACE doth shew the METHOD and excellency of Mr. MEDES interpretation of the Revelation It will not bee amisse to give an account of that Preface in the summe of it that by occasion hereof other Nations that understand not English may have it in Latine wherein at once is seen much of Mr. Mede and of the judgement of Dr. Twisse in our Position Many Interpreters saith Dr. Twisse alluding to Prov. 31.29 have done excellently but Mr. Mede surmounteth them all A Daearse set upon a Giants shoulders may see further and a Wren carried up upon an Eagle till this great bird bee wearied may with her little wings spin up a little higher But Mr. Mede hath many notions of so rare a nature that I doe not finde hee is beholding to any other for them but onely to his owne studiousnesse under Gods blessing § b. Observe Gods direction of him in the course that hee hath taken As first in his Clavis Apolyptica wherein he hath drawne together the homogeneal parts of it dispersed here and there yet belonging to the same time 2. The Author gave himselfe to write Specimina Essayes wherein he goes over every part of this book excepting the three first Chapters taking a generall view of each as he goes 3. He proceeds to a more full Commentary from the fourth Chapter to the fourteenth That which follows thence to the end containes onely his former Specimina § c. Whereas in performances of this nature two things are necessary 1. A righ discerning of the meaning of the words and phrase and tropes and figures 2. A right accomodation of things to times For the first Mr. Mede excels viz. in observing the Genius of all those As in opening the Mystery of the battel in heaven Rev. 12. and the casting downe of Satan unto the earth hee shews that States and Kingdomes in the Political world much answer to the condition of the Natural and so represented in Scripture For as the Natural consists of Heaven and Earth so the Political of Nobility and Laity And as in the Heavens there are Sunne Moon and Stars of lesser and greater magnitude So in Kingdomes King Queene and Nobles of severall degrees And as in the Earth there is great variety of Trees Herbs Flowers c. So in the people of any Commonwealth is found great variety of differences And by this way Mr. Mede doth not onely wittily please as others have done but solidly convince his Reader of the true sense even to admiration For the second viz. Accommodation of the Prophesies to their proper times a point of great skill in history I have found that Mr. Medes friends acquainted with his studies would give him the Bell for this as herein out-stripping others § d. 3. I have observed some notable distinctions in this Commentary of Mr. Mede giving great light As first That betweene the Sealed Book with seven seales which hee calls the greater the contents being very large viz. Comprising the History from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to the end of the world Which hee saith containes Fata imperii i. e. the destinies of the Empire and the little book mentioned Chap. 10. which he saith contains Fata Ecclesiae the destinies of the Church The first containes the seven Seales and Trumpets for the seventh seale produceth the seven Trumpets The six first Seales containe the story of the Empires continuance unto the dayes of Constantine included in whose dayes there being a strange Metamorphosis of the Empire from Heathen to Christian it is represented as it were the ending of the world and beginning of a new which Mr. Mede delivers very judiciously Then the seven Trumpets which are the contents of the seventh Seale represent the judgements of God upon the world for standing out against the Gospel and shedding the blood of the Saints First by the Heathen Emperours for which cause ruine was gradually brought upon the Empire till it was torne into ten Kingdomes The graduall was fourefold which make up the contents of the foure first Trumpets 2. By the Antichristian world the degenerated states of Christendome For which the three Woe Trumpets following containe the three degrees of divine vengeance on them 1. By the Saracens in the first Woe Trumpet 2. By the Turkes in the second Chap. 9. 3. By the end of the World Rev. 11.15 § e. Second distinction of great light and use for the clearing of the STATE OF CHRISTS GLORIOUS KINGDOME HERE ON EARTH is that Mr. Mede gives upon Revel 21.24 Between the NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED c. and the NEW HIERUSALEM where clearly hee makes it appeare that NEW HIERUSALEM is one thing and THE NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED are another The Nations that are saved are those that escape the fire are saved from the fire at Christs coming wherewith the Earth and all the works thereof shall bee burnt in the day of Christs coming 2 Pet. 3. 2 Thess 1. And the NEW HIERUSALEM saith Mr. Mede is CHRIST and his RAISED SAINTS who are called 1 Thes 4. The SAINTS WHOM CHRIST SHALL BRING WITH HIM who shall shine with a glorious light In
my suppliants that is that call upon my name even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering That is shall worship me in a right manner such as I shall require which verse plainly speakes of the Jews almost in every word as in that My suppliants beyond the river of Ethiopia and expounding it EVEN the daughter of my dispersed there The Hebrewes in their Chalde paraphrase translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ethiopia by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 India and elsewhere they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hid for Hind which answers to the Latine Indi Indians and to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Subduer or Conquerour of India * Qui suit Bacchus saltem est Bacchi Epitheâ—on apud Graecos Sic Graeci appellant Indicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to our English who say India and Indians where Rab. Menasse Ben Israel saith in his book de spe Israelis multitudes of Jews are There are to speak distinctly three opinions touching Ethiopia and the river beyond it 1. That this Ethiopia signifies Egypt which is beyond the river Nilus which riseth in Ethiopia and flowes thence unto Egypt To which A Castro contributes this that the Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chus that is Ethiopia doth not signifie Aethiopian Sub-Aegyptian that is Ethiopia under Egypt as they call it which is now called Abyssia where Prester John reigneth but Arabia in which among others the Madianites lived who in the Scriptures are called Ethiopians And for this he quotes Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the head of the Leviathan in peeces speaking of the drowning of Pharoah and the Egyptians in the red sea and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the WILDERNESSE Hebr. desolate places which the old Latine Jerome and the Septuagint translate To the people of the ETHIOPIANS For Chus the son of Cham who gave the name to Ethiopia with his sons viz. Seba or Saba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabtecha Gen. 10.7 fixed his habitation between the Persian and Arabian gulfe or red sea This Tract therefore is called Ethiopia that is Arabia in which is the RIVER GIHON flowing out of Paradice and the river TRAJANUS and the Lake Sirbonides and the Arabian gulfe But by the leave of so learned a man it is most certaine that both the Ethiopiaes as Plinie Ptolomy Strabo Herodotus and letter writers distinguish * Plin. l. 5. c. 4. and c. 8. Ptol. l. 4. c. 7 28. Strab. l. 1. Herod expedit Xerxis contra Graecos naming them the Easterne and Westerne Ethiopia or the Asiaticke and Affrican Ethiopia which distinction of Two the Scripture hints by their several characters neighbours or circumstances when they name either Ezek. 29.10 and c. 30.4 Amos 9.7 Nahum 3.6 Zeph. 3.10 The Affrican again distinguished into superior alias interior and inferior alias exterior Ethiopia I say all the Ethiopiaes are called in the Hebrew by the name of Chus The second Opinion of many other learned understands here Aethiopiam sub Aegypto id est Ethiopia under Egypt in Affrica to wit Abissia for this was near to the Iews and by that name well known to them and so the Affricans and all inhabiting with them were beyond the rivers of Ethiopia in respect of Iudea and Egypt And so may be here understood all the Countries beyond the Sea viz. the Brasilians Peruvians Mexicans and all the West Indians The third opinion which A Castro much favours understands here the East Indies unto Iaponia and China For Tigris and Euphrates are here called the rivers of Ethiopia which slide first by or through Chaldea where Nimrod the son of Chus reigned then by or through Mesopotamia and after through the midst of Arabia which sometimes in Scripture is called Chus that is Ethiopia beyond which rivers lies all Asia and India unto the Sinae And therefore as well Vatablus as the Chalde Paraphrase inclines to expound this of the Indians as if Indian-Ethiopia were here meant whence the Sabeans are as well Indians as the Persians Arabians and Abyssines as Pererius asserts out of Beroaldus and Dionysius on Gen. 25. ver 5. And indeed Seba and Havilah the sons of Chus dwelt towards India so that Cyril Theodoret and Procopius calls the Country of Sabea by the name of Indian-Ethiopia The sum of all to draw all three opinions into one harmonious head is this that the Prophet Zephany intends that all the Iewes and Israelites dispersed into the remotest Countries over the face of the whole earth they and their neighbours there innumerous multitudes should be converted unto Christ For the Iewes did deem the Ethiopians the utmost borders of men according to that extremique hominum Morini And Christian writers count the more Eastern Ethiopians of the same ranke with the Indians as they account all to be Indians that are the remoter people of the world that live in any wealthy condition But yet withall the wise Prophet expresseth that generall meaning so as that neatly he alludes unto and mindes us of it as an anchor of hope the carrying away captive of the Iews through Arabia unto Babylon and dispersing them into all the Countries of the East part of whom as a first fruites once Cyrus returned and sent back to Jerusalem The lump Christ will restore afore the world ends Nor doth the phrase of bringing offerings to the Lord signifie lesse then the Iews and yet not prejudice the glorious Christian state of the Church integrated of Iewes and Gentiles A Rule how to understand Levitical phrases in describing the Christian glorious state to come we speak of as intended by all the prophesies we produce For take this for a Rule for this and all other like places of that nature though in Moses time it was taken according to the letter to signifie material Leviticall Sacrifices yet in after times not only the Apostles of the New Testament but the Prophets of the Old by offering and offerings and sacrifices and altars c. did signifie unto us spirituall oblations compatible and correspondent to the GOSPELL Psal 50. ver 14. OFFER to God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes c. ver 23. Whosoever OFFERETH praise glorifieth me Psal 51.17 The SACRIFICES of God are a broken spirit Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as INCENSE and the lifting up of my hands as the EVENING SACRIFICE Hos 14.2 Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will wee render the CALVES OF OUR LIPS with a multitude of more instances which might be given And therefore no wonder if the language of the new Testament be to the same tune Rom. 12.1 OFFER or PRESENT to God your bodies as a living SACRIFICE Mark 12.3 To love the Lord with all the heart and with all the understanding c. and to love ones neighbour as ones selfe is more then all WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS and SACRIFICES Heb. 9.22 23.
afore in our first Book in Lactantius his Quotation Rectification of the opinions of Heathens And if any be not contented with that and our necessitated brevity here but are restlesly further inquisitive I refer such to Plato himselfe and to the Platonists viz. Ficinus and other zealous Commentators and followers of him But that Metempsychosis added and joyned to all these did compleat them up being fairely interpreted with meet allowance to Heathens into a system or body in the maine sense of our opinion casting up as the high way leading thereunto a resurrection or reunion of soules with their bodies Pythagoras saith that the soule of Euphorbus a noble Trojan slaine in the Grecian wars against Troy transmigrated itselfe into his body Ovid * Ovid Metam l. 15. Fab. 3. juxta Bersmani editionem c. sets forth a briefe of all with great eloquence and learning after his way O Genus attonitum gelidae formidine mortis Quid stygia quid tenebras nomina vana timetis Materiam vatum falsique pericula mundi Corpora sive rogus flammâ sive tabe vetustas Abstulerit mala posse pati non ulla putetis Morte carent animae semper priore relictâ Sede novis domibus vivunt habitantque receptae Ipse ego nam memini Trojani tempore belli Panthoides Euphorbus eram cui pectore quondam Haesit in adverso gravis hasta minoris Atridae Cognovi clypeum laevae gestamina nostrae Nuper Abanteis Templo Junonis in Argis OMNIA MUTANTUR NIHIL INTERIT ERRAT ILLINC Huc venit hinc illuc quoslibet occupat artus Spiritus c. Which I shall give you in English O men whom horrors of cold death affright Why fear you Styx vain names and endlesse night The theam of Poets and fear'd miseries Of a false world If fun'ral flames surprise Or age doth pine your bodies they nor grieve Nor suffer pains Our souls for ever live Though evermore their ancient houses leave Yet live in new which them as guests receive In Trojan wars I I remember well Euphorbus was Phanthöus son and fell By Menelaus lance I knew my shield Born on my left arm in Mars his field Beleeve me you may for this againe At Argos late I saw in Junos Fane ALL ALTER NOTHING FINALLY DECAYES Hither and thither still the spirit strayes Guest to all bodies Out of beasts it flyes To men from men to beasts and never dyes Nihil est toto quod perstet in â—â—be-Cuncta fluunt omnisque Vagans formatur imago Corpora vertuntur nec quod fuimuâ—ve sumusve-cras erimus Id est inquit Commentator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Pliant wax each new impression takes Fixt to no form but still the old forsakes Yet is the same So souls the same abide Nought in this circled world is fix'd we view Each fading form at last is form'd anew So change our bodies without rest or stay Nor what we yesterday nor what to day We were or are hereafter we shall be c. They that can read Heathen Poets Philosophers Orators Historians c. in their owne languages shall finde aboundings of this what hope they had of a glorious blisse on earth in the next world Or they that will read but Morneys truenesse of Religion translated into English shall receive satisfaction enough in these things The holy Scriptures themselves take some notice of the minds and meaning of the heathens in these things We will note but two places § 2 The first is Matth. 14.1 2. At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus and said unto his servants This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works doe shew forth themselves in him or as it is the Margent mighty works are wrought by him We might here againe take occasion to repeat the Gentiles Theologie viz. Pythagoras and Platoes and others doctrine of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The change of the state of souls passing into bodies the change of bodies into better forms and as the New-creation of both and might produce much out of * Plato in l. 10. Poli In Timaeo In Phaedro Cum concinnâ ut ait Chemnitius interpretatione cum amantium Plato †August de Civit. D. l. 22. c. 18. ex varronis libris Austin ** Lactant. l. 7. Ex Chrysippi Stoici libro de providentia Lactantius and *âŽ* Joseph de bello Judaico cap. 7 Josephus to that purpose But brevity puls me by the ear and therefore I shall onely note that which indeed is the main expressed in this Scripture with that great emphasis That John the Baptist being risen from the dead THEREFORE mighty works are wrought by him where plainly to me this Scripture with an intentive eye takes notice that Gentilisme or the doctrine of Heathens whence Herod had his opinion did hold that the soules of good men deceased after their returne to their bodies did put them into a far better condition on earth then they were in before For we read not that John Baptist did in his life time work any miracle or mighty worke at all But wee have a text to the contrary Joh. 10.41 But now that he is risen from the dead as Herod conceived hee judged that he was very able to worke miracles on earth This collection of mine by good providence I found seconded by Great Chemnitius that most pious and learned man and by our received New Annotations Chemnitius his words are Credidit insuper ipsum c. i.e. Furthermore Herod did beleeve that John Baptist that before his death wrought no miracle now as if made more divine and by reason of the sanctity of his former life he could do those works which did surpasse humane power Our New Annotations on the Bible say thus He is risen from the dead Syr. from among the dead Some note here Herods opinion of Johns sanctity as concurring with the Pharisees who thought that the Holy did easily returne to life againe See Josephus Antiq. l. 18. cap. 2. The meaning is as if Herod had said HE HATH MORE POWER NOW THEN EVER HEE HAD For John wrought no miracles John 10.41 Thus our New Annotations § 3 The second place of Scripture is in 1 Cor. 15.29 Else what shall they do which are baptised for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead The Apostle here takes notice of the opinion of the Heathens that they had a dim hope of the Resurrection in that they washed the bodies of such as were deceased to lay them trimly and decently accommodated to that end among the dead For if the dead rise not saith the Apostle why will they doe it that wash over the dead or pour water over or upon the dead that is wash the dead as the Greek very wel bears For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the Text are
sacrifice in Julians time to a further yeer of Christ viz. ¶ 1 Alsted who in his Chronologiâ mirabilium puts it in the yeer three hundred sixty seven His words are Ann. 367. Terrae motus ingens totum ferè c. That is In the yeer three hundred sixty seven an huge earthquake shook almost all the world A deluge destroyes Nicea and many Islands A mighty hayle at Constantinople beats downe prostrate unto the earth many men and destroyes them MOREOVER THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM REEDIFIED BY JULIAN THE APOSTATA falls downe and is burned by fire from Heaven Thus Alsted ¶ 2 Functius in his Chronology puts this Earthquake Inundation c. in the yeer three hundred sixty nine ¶ 3 And unto these Accounts approved Historians seem to consent whiles they put this story of the ruine of the reedificating or preparation thereunto long after the beginning of the reigne of Julian As Ammianus begins his two and twentieth Book consisting of sixteen Chapters with the story of Julians sole Emperiality Constantius being dead but mentions not that preparation to re-edifie the Temple of Jerusalem till the first Chapter of his three and twentieth Book Socrates Scholasticus likewise tells us of the creating Julian to be Caesar in the second Book and two and thirtieth Chapter of his History according to the Greek the seven and twentieth according to the English but mentions not the businesse of Julians inciting the Jews to sacrifice and for that end because they refused to sacrifice any where else but at Jerusalem encouraged them to re-build their Temple there untill the twentieth Chapter of his third Book according to the Greek the seventeenth Chapter according to the English § 4 So that this Account of the One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers in Daniel by adding thereunto three hundred sixty seven or three hundred sixty nine yeers will according to these grounds expire about seven or eight yeers hence SECT III. The Rabbins Account THe Account of the Hebrew Rabbins you had afore Book 4. Chapter 4. § 3. in ¶ 3. at the latter end noted in the Margent with ☜ that is Page 425. and ¶ 6. of the same Book Chap. and § marked also in the Margent with ☜ with the addition of these words Observe this that is in Page 429. It were pity so to abuse time and labour both yours and mine as to repeat here againe what there you have at large And therefore I intreat the Reader to a worke of such ease to have recourse thither if hee deem the knowledge of their darke and indefinite account worth the knowing SECT IV. Mr. Brightmans Account MR. Brightman on those words in Rev. 13.5 And there was given to him the Beast a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given him TO CONTINUE or as our Translators put it in the Margent TO MAKE WARRE forty and two months doth give in his account in these words So much saith he of the Honour of the Beast now of his blaspheming and doing of which it is first said that there was power given him And then followeth the execution thereof In blaspheming at the sixth verse and in doing at the seventh It is indeed profitable for us to understand that these horrible impieties doe invade the world not by the blinde force of Fortune but by the most just judgement of God who doth thus take vengeance of our sinnes And above the rest of the contempt of his truth among men The power to blaspheme is that freedome from errour which the Pope of Rome challengeth to himselfe and to his state and which men of a blind and perverse minde do willingly grant unto him What blasphemies may not he broach unto the world each of whose Decrees and Doctrines are held for Oracles The power of doing here saith Mr. Brightman is an absolute most lawlesse and lustfull power to doe what a man will without being brought Coram to give a reason of his doing to any other In which regard the power of the Pope of Rome is notable before any other For so doe the decrees ordaine No man shall judge the FIRST SEA c. For the JUDGE shall not be judged either of the EMPEROUR or of ALL THE CLERGY or of the KINGS or of the PEOPLE Again God would have all the causes of men to bee ended by men but be hath reserved the Government OF THIS SEA to his owne arbitrement so as he will have no question of any thing hee doth Yet more The whole Church throughout the world knoweth that the most holy Church of Rome hath RIGHT TO JUDGE OF ALL MEN and that NO MAN MAY LAWFULLY JUDGE OF HER JUDGMENT Causa 9. and 3. This is called the power of doing for excellencies sake being such as no Emperour hath who doe not refuse to be contained within the bounds and to be tyed with the bonds of Laws and to have all their actions ordered by the rule of that which is equall and good As for the words Aretas readeth And there was power given him to make War and so do Montanus and the Edition of Plantin The Vulgar readeth it power of doing absolutely So doe Th. Beza and the rest of the Greek copies which reading is made good by the like use of this word in the like matter in Daniel He shall cast forth the truth upon the earth AND SHAL DOE and succeed prosperously Dan. 18.12 So verse 24. And he shall prosper marveilously and SHALL DOE So in Chap. 11.28 Hee SHALL DO and shall returne into his owne Land In which places a certain free and sovereigne power of doing is signified which should not be afraid of any mans judgement The time of doing is saith Mr. Brightman two and forty months which is the same space that the Temple remaineth measured the two Prophets mourn and the woman byeth hid in the wildernesse Chap. 11.2 and 12.6 FROM WHICH TIME THE BEGINNING OF THESE MONTHS IS TO BEE ACCOUNTED The Church is banished the Prophets put on sackcloath and the Beast or Antichrist is born into the world all at once namely in that first time of resting which the Church had from publick persecuters about the yeer three hundred But as we said afore shall there bee the same end of all these together Shall the Beast be deprived of all power of doing as soon as the Woman shall returne out of the Wildernesse Against this many things may be said As first That the Beast makes war with the two Prophets after the two and forty months be ended and overcommeth them which declareth that there is no small power of his yet remaining as we have shewed Chap. 11. verse 7. Moreover there remaineth yet far more deadly war that shall be waged against him a long time after those months as wee shall see Chapter 16. Lastly If there be the same end of the months in respect of the Beast which is of the woman how shall he have power to doe two and forty