16. 16 and 23. A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to my Father And in that day when I am gone to my Father ye shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Verse 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name ask and ye shall receive Heb. 7. 25 26. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For such an High Priest became us who is made higher than the heavens How is it then that some extenuate that kind of Saint-worship wherein Prayers are not made unto them directly but God is prayed to in their names and for their mediation sake to grant our requests Is it not a denial of Christ's Prerogative to ascribe unto any other for any respect of glory or nearness to God after death or otherwise that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable Death triumphant Resurrection and glorious Ascension Certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title is it self also incommunicable To conclude therefore with the words of S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus As God is one so is the Mediator one for it is a God-like Royalty and therefore can belong but to one There is but one God in Heaven without any other Gods subordinate to him therefore but one Mediator there without any other Mediators besides him As for the Angels and blessed Saints they have indeed a light of Glory too but they are but as lesser Lights in that heaven of heavens And therefore as where the Sun shines the lesser Stars of heaven though Stars give not their light to us So where this glorious Sun Christ Iesus continually shineth by his presence sitting at the Right hand of God there the Glory of the Saints and Angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any Flower of that Divine honour which is God-like and so appropriate to Christ by right of his heavenly exaltation in the Throne of Majesty Whatsoever Spirit saith otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds not the head but is a Christ-apostate-spirit which denies the Faith of Christ's Assumption into Glory and revives the Doctrines of Daemons The way being now cleared I may I hope safely resume my Application which I have already given some taste of That this Doctrine of Daemons comprehends in most most express manner the whole Idolatry of the Mystery of iniquity the Deifying and invocating of Saints and Angels the bowing down to Images the worshipping of Crosses as new-Idol columnes the adoring and templing of Reliques the worshipping of any other Visible thing upon supposal of any Divinity therein What copy was ever so like the sample as all this to the Doctrines of Daemons And for the Idolatry of the Eucharist or Bread-worship though it may be reduced to Image-worship as being the adoration of a Sign or Symbole yet let it be considered whether for the quality thereof it may not be taken rather for an Idolatry of Reliques the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament being the Mystical Reliques which he left us as Monuments of his death till he come Whichsoever it be I must confess it hath a strain above the Abominations of the Gentiles who though they supposed some presence of their Daemons in their Images and Reliques yet were they never so blockish as to think their Images and Reliques to be transubstantiated into Daemons But to come to the main again I will confess for my self that I cannot think of this Daemon-resemblance without admiration nor do I believe that you will hear without some astonishment that which I am now to add further That the advancers of Saint-worship in the beginning did not only see it but even gloried sed gloriatione non bonâ that they had a thing in Christian practice so like the Doctrines of Daemons We heard before that Plato in his Respub would have the Souls of such as died valiantly in battel to be accounted for Daemons after death and their Sepulchres and Coffins to be served and adored as the Sepulchres of Daemons Eusebius lib. 13. Praepar Evangel cap. 11. quoting this place adds with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things do befit at or after the decease of the Favourites of God whom if thou shalt affirm to be taken for the Champions of the true Religion thou shalt not say amiss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is our cusâ—ome to go unto their Tombs and to make our prayers at them and to honour their blessed Souls The purpose of Eusebius here was to shew as a preparation to draw men to Christianity how well the present use of Christians in honouring the memories of their Martyrs by keeping their assemblies at their Sepulchres did agree with that of the Gentiles so much commended by Plato in honouring their champions and worthies for Daemons after death But alas in the next Age after it proved too-too like it indeed For these ear-rings which the Christians had borrowed or stolen from the Gentiles at their coming out of AEgypt presently became a golden calf as soon as the woman the Church came into the wilderness yea and Aaron the Priest had a foul part in it too Read the eighth Book of Theodoret De curandis Graecorum affectionibus whose Title is De Martyribus or in the mean time take these few passages thereof Thus he speaks having quoted that passage of Hesiod for Daemons commended by Plato If then the Poet Hesiod calls good men after their decease the Guardians and Preservers or Deliverers of mortal men from all evill and accordingly the best of Philosophers in confirmation of the Poet 's saying would have their sepulchres to be served and honoured I beseech you Sirs he speaks to the Greeks why do you find such fault with what we do For such as were eminent for Piety and Religion and for the sake thereof suffered death we also call Preservers and Physicians in no wise do we term them Daemons God forbid we should ever fall into such a desperate madness but the hearty friends and servants of God That the Souls of holy men even when they are out of the Body are in a capacity of taking care of mens affairs Plato affirms in the eleventh Book of his Laws The Philosopher you see bids men believe even the vulgar reports that is the relations and stories which are commonly talk'd of concerning the care which deceased Souls have of men But you do not only disbelieve us and are utterly unwilling to hearken to the loud voice of the Events or Effects themselves The Martyrs Temples are frequently to be seen famous for their beauty and greatness They that are in health pray for the
the same Book where Celsus likewise would have mankind thankful unto Demons as those to whom the charge of things here upon earth is committed and to offer unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First-fruits and Prayers Origen thus takes him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Celsus as being void of the true Knowledge of God render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Demons As for us Christians whose only desire it is to please the Creator of the Vniverse we eat the Bread that was offered unto him with Prayer and Thanksgiving for his Gifts and then made a kind of holy Body by Prayer Mark here Bread offered unto God with Prayer and Thanksgiving pro datis for that he hath given us and then by Prayer made a holy Body and so eaten Thus much out of Fathers all of them within less than two hundred and fifty years after Christ and less than one hundred and fifty after the death of S. Iohn The same appears in the Forms of the ancient Liturgies As in that of Clemens where the Priest in the name of the whole Church assembled speaks thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We offer unto thee our King and God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his that is Christ's appointment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Bread and this Cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Giving thanks unto thee through him for that thou hast vouchsafed us he speaks of the whole Church to stand before thee and to minister unto thee And we beseech thee thou God that wantest nothing that thou wouldst look favourably upon these Gifts here set before thee and accept them to the honour of thy Christ c. Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Gift or Oblation that is offered to the Lord our God let us pray that our good God would receive it through the mediation of his Christ to his heavenly Altar for a sweet-smelling savour Yea in the Canon of the Roman Church though the Rite be not used yet the words remain still as when the Priest long before the consecration of the Body and Bloud of Christ prays Te Clementissime Pater per Iesum Christum Filium tuum Dominum nostrum supplices rogamus ut accepta habeas benedicas haec Dona haec Munera We humbly beseech and intreat thee most merciful Father Through Iesus Christ thy Son our Lord to accept and bless these Gifts these Presents and other like passages which now they wrest to a new-found Oblation of the Body and Bloud of Christ which the ancient Church knew not of But of all others This Rite is most strongly confirmed by that wont of the Ancient Fathers to confute the Hereticks of those first times who held the Creator of the world to be some inferiour Deity and not the Father of Christ out of the Eucharist For say they unless the Father of Christ be the Creator of the world why is the Creature offered unto him in the Eucharist as if he were would he be agnized the Author and Lord of that he is not Hear Irenaeus Adversus Haeres lib. 4. cap. 34. Haereticorum Synagogae saith he non offerunt Eucharisticam oblationem quam Dominus offerri docuit Alterum enim praeter Fabricatorem dicentes Patrem Ideo quae secundùm nos Creaturae sunt offerentes ei cupidum alieni oftendunt eum aliena concupiscentem The Synagogues of the Hereticks do not offer the very Eucharistical oblation which our Lord taught and appointed to be offered for they affirming another besides the Creator of the world to be the Father of Christ do therefore while they offer unto him the Creatures which are here with us represent him to be desirous of that which is anothers and to covet that which is not his and a little after Quomodo autem constabit eis eum panem in quo gratiae actae sunt Corpus esse Domini sui Calicem sanguinis ejus si non ipsum Fabricatoris mundi Filium dicant id est Verbum ejus per quod lignum fructificat defluunt fontes terra dat primùm quidem gramen post deinde spicam deinde plenum triticum in spica How shall it appear to them that that Bread for which Thanks have been given is the Body of their Lord and that Cup the Cup of his Bloud if they deny him to be the Son of the Creator of the world that is to say to be the word of him by whom the Tree brings forth fruit Fountains send forth water and the Earth brings forth first green corn like grass then the ear after that the full corn in the ear From the same ground Tertullian argues against Marcion Contra Marc. lib. 1. cap. 23. Non putem saith he impudentiorem quà m qui in alâ—ena aqua alii Deo tingitur ad alienum Coelum alii Deo expanditur in aliena terra alii Deo sternitur super alienum panem alii Deo gratiarum actionibus fungitur I cannot conceive any one more impudent than he that is baptized to a God in a water that is none of his that in prayer to a God spreads forth his hands towards an Heaven that is none of his that prostrates himself to a God upon an Earth that is not his that gives thanks to a God for that Bread which is none of his Origen against the same Heretick useth the same Argument Dialog advers Marc. 3. pauso ante finem Dominus aspiciens in coelum gratias agit Ecquid non agit conditori gratias Cùm panem accepisset poculum benedixisset quid alterine pro Creaturis conditoris benedicit an potiùs illi qui effecit exhibuit Our Lord looking up to heaven gave thanks What did not he give thanks to the Creator of the world When he took the Bread and the Cup and blessed did he bless and give thanks to any other for the Creatures of God the Maker of the world and not rather bless and give thanks to him who made them and gave them us Lastly This Oblation of the Bread and Wine is implied in S. Paul's parallel of the Lord's Supper and the Sacrifice of the Gentiles Ye cannot saith he be partakers of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils namely because they imply contrary Covenants incompatible one with the other a Sacrifice as I told you being Epulum foederale a Federal Feast Now here it is manifest that the Table of Devils is so called because it consisted of Viands offered to Devils for so S. Paul expresly tells us whereby those that eat thereof eat of the Devil's meat Ergo The Table of the Lord is likewise called his Table not because he ordained it but it because consisted of Viands offered unto him Having thus as I think sufficiently proved what I took in hand I think it not amiss to answer two Questions which this Discourse may beget The first is How the Ancients
saith Though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 's many that is Dii Coelestes Sovereign Deities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Lords many that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daemons Presidents of earthly things Yet to us Christians there is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Sovereign God the Father of whom are all things and we to him that is to whom as Supream we are to direct all our services and but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Lord Iesus Christ in stead of their many Mediators and Daemons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom are all things which come from the Father to us and through whom alone we find access unto him The allusion methinks is passing elegant and such as I think cannot be well understood without this distinction of Superior and Inferior Deities in the Theology of the Gentiles they having a plurality in both sorts and we Christians but one in each as our Apostle affirmeth There wants but only the name of Daemons in stead of which the Apostle puts Lords and that for the honour of Christ of whom he was to infer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Lord the Name of Christ being not to be polluted with the appellation of an Idol for his Apodosis must have been otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Daemon Or it may be he alludes unto the Hebrew name Baalim which signifies Lords and those Lords as I told you were nothing else but Daemons For thus would S. Paul speak in the Hebrew tongue There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Gods and many Lords CHAP. IV. The Gentiles Doctrine concerning the Original of Daemons viz. That they were the Souls of men Deified or Canonized after death This proved out of Hesiod Plato Trismegist Philo Byblius the translator of Sanchuniathon Plutarch Tully Baal or Bel or Belus the first Deified King Hence Daemons are called in Scripture Baalim Daemons and Heroes how they differ Daemons called by the Romans Penates Lares as also Dii Animales Soul-Gods Another and an higher kind of Daemons such as never dwelt in Bodies These answer to Angels as the other viz. the Soul-Daemons answer to Saints AND thus have I shewed you though but briefly in regard of the abundance the argument would afford the Nature and Office of these Daemons according to the Doctrine of the Gentiles I come now unto another part of this Doctrine which concerns the Original of Daemons whom you shall find to be the Deified Souls of men after death For the Canonizing of the Souls of deceased Worthies is not now first devised among Christians but was an Idolatrous trick even from the days of the elder world so that the Devil when he brought in this Apostatical doctrine amongst Christians swerved but little from his ancient method of seducing mankind Let Hesiod speak in the first place as being of the most known the most ancient He tells us that when those happy men of the First and Golden age of the world were departed this life great Iupiter promoted them to be Daemons that is Keepers and Protectors or Patrons of earthly mortals and Overseers of their good and evil works Givers of riches c. and this saith he is the Kingly Royalty given them But hear his own words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hence it is that Oenomaus quoted by Eusebius calleth these Daemon-gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod's gods The next shall be Plato who in his Cratylus says That Hesiod and a great number of the rest of the Poets speak excellently when they affirm that good men when they die attain great honour and dignity and become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is saith he as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wise ones for Wise ones saith he are only Good ones and all Good ones are of Hesiod's Golden generation The same Plato Lib. 5. de Repub. would have all those who die valiantly in the field to be accounted of the Golden kind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effici to be made Daemons and the Oracle to be consulted how they should be buried and honoured and accordingly ever afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. their Sepulchres to be served and adored as the Sepulchres of Daemons In like manner should be done unto all who in their life-time excelled in vertue whether they died through age or otherwise This place Eusebius quotes Lib. 13. Praep. Evang. to parallel with it the then harmless practice of Christians in honouring the memory of Martyrs by holding their assemblies at their Sepulchres to the end that he might shew the Gentiles that Christians also honoured their Worthies in the worthiest fashion But it had been well if in the next Ages after this custom of Christians then but resembling had not proved the very same Doctrine of Daemons which the Gentiles practised But I go on and my next Author shall be Hermes Trismegistus whose antiquity is said to be very near the time of Moses I will translate you his words out of his Asclepius which Apuleius made Latine There having named AEsculapius Osiris and his Grandfather Hermes who were as he saith worshipped for Daemons in his own time he adds further That the AEgyptians call them namely the Daemons Sancta animalia and that amongst them namely the AEgyptians per singulas Civitates coli eorum animas quorum sunt consecratae virtutes Through every city their Souls are worshipped whose Vertues are deified And here note by the way that some are of opinion that the AEgyptian Serapis whose Idol had a bushel upon his head was Ioseph whose Soul the AEgyptians had canonized for a Daemon after his death Philo Byblius the translator of Sanchuniathon that ancient Phoenician Historian who lived before the times of Troy and wrote the Acts of Moses and the Iews saith Eusebius very agreeably to the Scripture and saith he learned his Story of Ierom-baal a Priest of the God IEVO Philo Byblius I say in a Preface to his Translation of this Author setteth down what he had observed and learned out of the same Story and might serve to help their understanding who should read it namely That all the Barbarians chiefly the Phoenicians and AEgyptians of whom the rest had it accounted of those for Dii Maximi who had found out any thing profitable for the life of men or had deserved well of any Nation and that they worshipped these as Gods erecting Statues Images and Temples unto them And more especially they gave the Names of their Kings as to the Elements of the world so also to these their reputed Gods for they esteemed the natural Deities of the Sun Moon and Planets and those which are in these to be only and properly Gods so that
was baptized For Iohn I suppose began to preach and baptize in the first Month Nisan when the Summer was before him and not when the Winter was to enter in the 15 year of Tiberius which ended August following Now Iohn's imprisonment was a year after the Baptism of Christ namely between the first and second Passeover after it as is clear and evident by the Evangelical Story Iohn c. 2. 23. c. 3. 22. Chap. 4. The Beginning therefore of Christ's Prophecy which began at the imprisonment of Iohn Mark 1. 14. was Anno Olymp. 806. about the end I suppose of the same Month Tisre or September The beginning of Christ's Prophecy An. Olymp. 806. Mens 7. The Time of Ezra's Commission An. Olymp. 379. Mens 7. Differentia An. 427 M. O. 61. weeks compleat From hence Mens 7. begins the last week wherefore the Passion of Christ at the Passeover Mens 1. firmly fixed by Chronological Characters in the 19 of Tiberius Anno Olymp. 808. AErae Christian. 33. that is agreeable to the received Tradition but three year and an half after his Baptism will fall to be in the third year of the week which is wholly to be compleat Ann. AErae Christ. 37. when the 813 Ann. Olymp. shall be begun and current in September VERSE 26. And after the threescore and two Weeks shall MESSIAH be cut off and they none of his Wherefore the Prince's people to come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a floud and unto the end of War desolations are determined AND after the threescore and two Weeks shall c. That is When the Threescore and two Weeks aforesaid shall expire and be fully compleat for so the word after supposes they must be MESSIAH shall be cut off not only from the living by the death he should suffer upon the Cross for that was a little before but from being any longer the King and Priest of that People they refusing Him to be theirs and he casting off them from being His which is the meaning of the words following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they none of his For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood that so the conjunction Vau may couple similia tempora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et non erit ei populus ejus or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they shall be none of His. And for the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it signifies not only a cutting off from life but also from reigning as a King or from being a Priest see for the first 1 Kings c. 2. ver 4. chap. 9. ver 5. 2 Chron. ch 7. ver 18. Ier. 33. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There shall not be cut off to David a man to sit upon the throne of the House of Israel All which have reference to 2 Sam. c. 7. ver 16. For the second cutting off from the Priesthood 1 Sam. 2. 33. to Eli And the man of thine whom I shall not cut off from mine Altar Ier. 33. 18. Neither of the Priests the Levites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall a man be cut off before me to offer burnt-offerings c. and to do Sacrifice continually The Computation and Impletion From the seventh year of Artaxerxes Mnemon at the time of the Commission granted to Ezra Anno Olympiad 379. as is already shewed unto the fourth year after Christ's Ascension Anno Olymp. 813. AErae Christianae Dionysiacae 37. are LXII Weeks of years or 434 years fully compleat and expired The next year after was Christ divorced and cut off from the Iews and they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cast off from being His people which may appear thus Anno AErae Christian. 33. Christ suffered upon the Cross rose from the dead and ascended into heaven The Holy Ghost descended at Pentecost 3000 converted more added the Apostles forbidden but cease not to preach Iesus Christ. So this year ends about September Anno AErae Christian. 34. The number of Disciples much increased Deacons chosen and Steven one of them Act. 6. 1 2 3 c. Anno AErae Christian. 35. Steven doth great wonders and miracles The Word of God and the number of Disciples increaseth so that a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the Faith The Elders and people rage and about the end of the year was Steven martyred Act. c. 6. ver 7 8 9 10 11. chap. 7. ver 1. ad finem Anno AErae Christian. 36. Great persecution against the Church at Ierusalem Saul makes havock Act. c. 8. whereupon the Disciples were scattered through the Regions of Iudaea and Samaria every where preaching the Gospel ver 4 5. Of whose success the Apostles being informed send Peter and Iohn to Samaria to lay hands on the new converts ver 14 c. which done and by the way preaching the Gospel in the villages of Samaria they returned again to Ierusalem v. 25. Anno AErae Christian. 37. Those which were scattered upon the persecution of Steven proceed further and travelled as far as Phoenice Cyprus and Antioch having by the way preached the Gospel to the Iews at Damascus how came they there else Chap. 11. Which Saul hearing of gets letters thither to bring those he should find there of that way unto Ierusalem But in his journey himself was miraculously converted and baptized c. Peter in the mean time was gone again from Ierusalem by Lyddae unto Ioppa where he remained all this year at the house of Simon the Tanner The next year after Anno AErae Christianae 38. Anno Olympiadico 813. according as was foretold That after threescore and two Weeks were ended MESSIAH should be cut off and they none of his when Christ had now one whole Week of years tendred himself unto his own people and they not only refused him but first by crucifying the Lord himself and after that by persecuting his Messengers sent unto them had made themselves unworthy of everlasting life Peter was taught by vision that the Gospel of the Kingdom should be preached unto the Gentiles and accordingly sent to preach it to Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian band Acts 10. And here begins the Epocha of the Rejection of Israel and the Calling of the Gentiles which S. Paul speaks so much of Rom. 11. True it is the cutting off of Christ by death was before the last week was compleat but the cutting him off from being King and Priest of the Iews was not until after it was ended Or if this cutting off here mentioned may not be extended to any other cutting off than by Death yet the other part of the copulative sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they shall be none of His was not fulfilled until the whole Week was ended Wherefore the PRINCE'S people to come c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Populus MESSIAE venturus i. futurus The people that should be the People of Messiah the Prince when Israel was rejected so
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
actionem formulam vocârunt Sacrificium tum aliis de causis tum quia est commemoratio adeóque repraesentatio Deo Pâ—tri Sacrificii Christi in Cruce immolati He goes on Hoc modo saith he fideles etiam inter orandum Christum offerunt Deo Patri victimam dum scilicet mente affectúque ad Sacrificium ejus unicum feruntur ut Deum sibi habeant faciántque propitium that is What every Christian doth mentally and vocally when he commends his prayers to God the Father through Iesus Christ making mention of his Death and Satisfaction that in the publick and solemn service of the Church was done by that Rite which our Saviour ordained to be used in commemoration of him in whose death and Passion is founded the New Covenant of God with Men. For here take notice that all those bloudy Sacrifices of the Law were Federal Rites or Epulae foederales as the Eucharist also is namely that they were Oblations wherein the Offerer either by himself or his proxy the Priest banquetted or ate and drank with his God in token of covenant and reconcilement with him So that to approach God with this Rite was to do it by way of commemoration or renewing of a Covenant with him and as much as to say Remember thy Covenant which is the foundation of all Invocation For what hath Man to do with God to beg any favour at his hands unless he be in Covenant with him Whereby appears the reason why Mankind from the beginning of the world used to make their address unto their God by this Rite of Sacrificing viz. Ritu foederali And this is that which the Ancient Church did and supposed our Lord intended they should do in the holy Eucharist of his Death and Passion which therefore they called the New or Christian Sacrifice A definition whereof as it consists of the Rite and Action both together may be framed out of those words of Mr. Perkins An Oblation of Thanksgiving and Prayer to God the Father through Iesus Christ and his Sacrifice upon the Cross commemorated and represented in Bread and Wine This is a point of great moment and consequent worthy to be looked farther into by all the Learned of the Reformed Religion lest whilst we have deservedly abolished that prodigious and blasphemous Sacrifice of the Papists wherein Christ is again hypostatically offered to his Father we have not or but very implicitly and obscurely reduced that ancient Commemorative Sacrifice of Christians wherein that one Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross was continually by that sacred Rite represented and inculcated to his Father his Father put in mind thereof by those monuments set before him wherein we also testified our own mindfulness thereof unto his sacred Majesty that so he would for his sake according to the tenour of the New Covenant in his Bloud be favourable and propitious unto us miserable Sinners But to clear this point and to remove all scruples objections and prejudices against it is not for a Letter but a Volume This is enough for the end I intended which was to shew how the Eucharist is the Sacrament of our address unto God and therein of a different nature from Baptism which is not so but the Rite only of our New Birth whereby we become the Sons of God and are admitted to be members of his Church not the Sacrament whereby we exercise the functions of this new life in worshipping invocating and glorifying God our Father through Iesus Christ. These premisses considered the Answer to your demand Why in the posture of our adoration of the Divine Majesty more respect should be had to the Altar or Holy Table than either to the Font or Pulpit is plain and easie namely because Adoration is an act of address and of tender of honour unto God and therefore most fitly to be performed at or toward the place of our address which is the Altar whereat anciently as the Sacrament of the Eucharist so the whole Devotions of the Church were performed and presented to the Divine Majesty The Pulpit is the place where God speaks to us not we to him The Font the place where he reaches his favour unto us in accepting us to be his Servants not where being initiated we offer our spiritual sacrifice and service to him You must understand me here to speak according to the ancient manner of the Church Whereas you seem to question Whether the Iews had any such respect unto the Altar of Burnt-offering I answer they had for it was so placed that when they turned and worshipped toward the Mercy-seat they worshipped toward it also but the denomination of their posture is from the Ark as the principal memorial of the Divine presence yet sometimes from the Altar also as 1 Kings 8. 22 31. 2 Chron. 6. 12. Vide 2 Kings 18. 22. cum locis parallelis 2 Chron. 32. 12. Isai. 36. 7. Also Ecclus. 47. 9. we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of that which is 1 Chron. 16. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Altar of Incense better befits our Holy Table than the Altar of Burnt-offering though it may not untruly be affirmed if rightly taken that the Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ is to us Christians both Arca foederis Incensum Holocaustum being the commemoration of him who is all these unto us AND thus far I have adventured to discover my thoughts in this nice and doubtful argument presuming upon the experience I have formerly had of your judgment freedom and ability of discerning especially of your affection and good opinion of my self You may guess my thoughts have not been a stranger to things of this nature You will admire perhaps they were no hinderance to my Apocalyptical Speculations and how I could so easily being possessed with such Tenets believe the Popedom to be the Beast and Rome the Whore of Babylon seeing in the apprehension of the most these things accord not well together But this seeming incompetibility will soon vanish if you consider that in all my meditations I make the Apostasie of the Visible Church to consist not in Iudaism but in Gentilism the constant character of the Apocalyptical Allegories warranting and first suggesting this conceit where namely I observed Iudaism to bear the Type of the true Church and Gentilism of the false Secondly Altiùs hoc animo meo insedit That the Reformed Churches out of extream abomination of Idolatry have according to the nature of men incurred some guilt before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by taking away the distinction almost generally between things Sacred and Prophane and that they shall one day smart for it But the prejudices hereabout are so great that I have little hope to perswade others to my opinion Yet I could say much for it and if it be well observed the present Iudgments of God upon the Reformation do insinuate some such thing Let the godly wise consider it Divine Iudgments have usually
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