Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	true_a	worship_v	8,171	5	9.5442	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

hearing of one Jesus after death to become a Lord and Saviour and to be adored with divine worship they tooke him presently according to their owne principles in that kinde to be some new or forreigne Daemon for so it followes in the text that they said thus Because he preached unto them Iesus and the resurrection Upon the same ground Celsus in Origen lib. 8. cont Cels. cals the same Christ our Saviour the Christians Daemon for whereas the Christians said that they without hurt and danger blasphemed and reproached the Gentiles gods Celsus replies Nonne vides bone vir quod etiam tuo Daemoni opponens se quispiam non solum convitiatur sed terrâ marique illum exigit where Origen answers Celsus Qui nullos scit malos Daemones nescio quomodo sui oblitus Iesum vocarit Daemonem But Saint Paul thus charged by the Philosophers comming to make his Apologie in Areopagus retorts their accusation Yee men of Athens saith he I see you in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too full of Demons already I shall not need bring any more amongst you for thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Etymologie signifies a worshipper of Daemon-gods and was anciently used in this sense and so shall you finde it often in Clemens Alexandrinus his Protrepticon not to speak of others though afterwards from signifying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Budaeus speaks it came to be applied to those who were too precise and anxious in their devotions I saith the Apostle preach no new Daemon unto you but that Soveraigne and coelestiall God who made the world and all things therein who being Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not as your Daemon-gods doe in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing as you conceive of your Daemons seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things This God I preach unto you And this place I take to be so unanswerable for the indifferent and common acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I care not now though the rest should faile me but let us see what they are In Revel 9.13 c. The sixth Trumpet from Euphrates brings an huge army upon the Christian world which destroyeth a third part of men and yet those which remained repented not of those sinnes vers 20. for which these plagues came upon the earth viz. That they should not worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Idols of gold silver and brasse and stone and of wood which can neither see nor heare nor walke Is not this a Comment upon the Apostles prophesie in my Text The time which it concernes must needs fall into the last times for it is the last Trumpet save one The place must be the Roman Empire or Christian world for that is the Stage of all the Seales and Trumpets and how could it be otherwise seeing Saint John at Pathmos saw them comming from the great River Euphrates whatsoever comes from thence must needs fall upon the territory of the Roman Empire To hold you no longer the best Expounders make it the Ottoman or Turkish invasion which hath swallowed so great a part of Christendome But what people are they who in the Roman territory doe in these later times worship Idols of gold silver brasse and stone and wood Are they Ethnicks there is none such Are they Jewes they cannot endure the sight of them Are they Mahumetans nay they abhorre it also Then must they needs be Christians and then must Christians too worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for both are spoken of the same men But what Christians doe or ever did worship devils formally But Daemon-gods alasse they doe and long have done Here therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is againe taken in the common and Philosophicall sense or at least which is all one for evill spirits worshipped under the names of Daemons and deceased souls Besides my Text there is but one place more in all the Epistles of Saint Paul where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used namely 1 Cor. 10. where if there be any allusion to the Gentiles conceit of Daemons then all the places of Saint Pauls Epistles are bending that way But some there are saith Stephen in his Thesaurus who thinke the Apostle in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Cup of Daemons alludes unto that poculum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used amongst the Gentiles And further to strengthen the conceit of the Apostles allusion to the heathenish notion of Daemons the words of the former verse make much for the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice saith he to Daemons and not to God Now this was the very tenet of the Gentiles that the Soveraigne and Coelestiall gods were to be worshipped onely pura mente and with hymnes and praises and that sacrifices were onely for Daemons vid. Porphyr in Euseb. praep Evang. Her Trismeg in Asclepio Apuleium de Daemonio Socratis He therefore who had given his faith to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Lord to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the onely Potentate to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the onely Mediator Jesus Christ must have no communion have no part in the service of these many Mediators Lords or Daemon-Gods of the Nations for Christs monarchicall Mediation excludes all other Mediators and Daemons not that the woodden Idoll was ought of it selfe but that the Gentiles supposed there dwelt some Daemon therein who received their sacrifices and to whom they intended their services Thus may this place be expounded and so the use of the word Daemon in the worst sense or directly for a Divell will be almost confined to the Gospel where the subject spoken of being men vexed with evill spirits could admit no other sense or use and yet S. Luke the best languaged of the Evangelists knowing the word to be ambiguous and therefore as it were to distinguish it once for all doth the first time he useth it doe it with an explication chapter 4. verse 33. There was saith hee a man in the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the spirit of an uncleane Daemon Thus much of the word Daemonium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture whereby I hope that it appeares that this place of my Text is not the only place where the word is used according to the notion of the Gentiles and their Theologists But you will say did any of the Fathers or Ancients expound it thus in this place if they had done so the mystery of iniquity could never have taken such footing which because it was to come according to divine disposition what wonder if this were hidden from their eyes Howsoever it may seeme that God left not his spirit without a witnesse For as I take it Epiphanius one of the most zealous of the Fathers of his time against Saint-worship then peeping took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text for a

the event most answerable thereunto when you shall heare proved out of Story that the Apostasie of the visible Church came in by lying wonders and all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse mannaged by those who either professed or doted upon Monasticall hypocrisie the affectation of which errours at length surprizing the body of the Church is that which S. Paul 2 Thes. 2. calls not the Apostasie it selfe but a not-love of the truth for which God gave them over to strong delusions that they might beleeve a ly But this is out of its place only I have anticipated thus much lest you should be too long in suspence of the grounds of this novelty in translating and yet this difficulty concerning the Syntax hath stumbled many of our later interpreters as amongst others Beza who solves it only by saying that the Apostle more regarded the matter than the construction which for my part I cannot beleeve others who can may if they please I returne now unto the first part of my Text the description of that solemne Apostasie where I will consider the five parts or points thereof as I have propounded them though it be not according to the order of the words And first in the more generall expression of the words as I called it I say in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as to say they shall make an Apostasie now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture use when it looks towards a person signifies a revolt or rebellion when towards God a spirituall revolt from God or rebellion against divine Majesty whether totall or by Idolatry and serving other gods for the Seventy whence the new Testament borrows the use of speech usually translates by this word the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rebell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellion both which when they have reference to a spirituall Soveraignty meane nought else but Idolatry and serving of other gods as may appeare Josuah 22.19 where the Israelites supposing their brethren the Rubenites and Gadites in building another Altar upon the banks of Jordan had meant to have forsaken the Lord and served other gods they said unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you have rebelled against the Lord and presently rebell not against the Lord nor rebell against us where the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the two and twenty verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebellion is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words the Lord God of gods he knoweth if it be in rebellion or transgression against the Lord also Numb 14. ver 9. when the people would have renounced the Lord upon the report of the spyes Josuah and Caleb spake unto them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebell yee not where the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not apostates from the Lord so Nehem. 9.26 in that repentant confession which the Levites make of the Idolatry of their nation they were disobedient say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rebelled against thee the Seventy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Daniel in the like confession chap. 9. ver 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee have rebelled so the Idolatry of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. and 29. is by the same interpreters called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revolted greatly from the Lord. I will not trouble you with the places where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for treason and rebellion against earthly Princes which are many it is sufficient to gather from what we have quoted that apostasie having reference to a soveraignty and lordship betokens a withdrawing of subjection and service therefrom which if the soveraignty and majesty be divine is done by Idolatry and service of other gods as well as if the majesty of the true God were renounced altogether The use of the New Testament is answerable Hebr. 3.12 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in departing from the living God and which is more neer to our purpose S. Paul in his 2 Thes. 2. meanes no other thing in his prophesie of the man of sinne by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than Christian Idolatry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse that apostasie come first that is unlesse there be a breach of allegiance and faith given unto Christ by Idolatry under Antichrist the like therefore I conclude to bee intended in my Text by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely that in the later times men should break their oath of fidelity to Christ that in and through him alone they should approach and worship the divine Majesty and so hath the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught us something at least it hath wrought an indefinite suspicion of what should befall Christians in the later times howsoever we are yet in suspence whether this departing from Christ and the mystery of godlinesse should be totall in not acknowledging him at all or whether hereticall in serving other gods besides him For the Jewes we know when they forsook the Lord most yet did not forsake him altogether but their apostasie was in not serving him only and alone but others besides him as Calves the host of Heaven and Baalim Let us therefore see if the next generall words will affords us yet further information viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attending to erroneous spirits or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits of errour It would be unprofitable and tedious here to tel of the divers use of this word spirit in Scripture some take it in this place for Doctors of spirituall things and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be Doctors of errour But I had rather take Spirits in this place for doctrines themselves for so Divines observe it to be used 1 Joh. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeve not every spirit i. e. every doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but try the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they be of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because many false Prophets c. and so onward in that chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the false doctrine of Antichrist so if this sense be admitted wee are something lesse in suspense than we were and may guesse that this revolt should not be totall but hereticall for wee shall not easily finde the word spirit to be otherwise used but either for the doctrines or Doctors of Christianity or for heresies under the same It seemes therefore to be some revolt from Christ by Idolatry even in those who would seeme to worship him But suppose it be so yet still are we in suspence what these erroneous and idolatrous doctrines might be For Idolatry as we may see in the Jewish apostasies was of

of Saints glorified or worshipping their Reliques to which I add no not of any miracles done by them but presently after that yeere when our first date of the Empires ruine began search and you shall finde I spare to name the Authors not willing to discover the nakednesse 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 needlesse curiositie I desire him to remember how our Saviour reproved the Jewes for neglect hereof Mat. 16.3 O ye Hypocrites ye can discerne the face of the skies but can ye not discerne the signes of the times or as Saint Luke 12.56 How is it that yee doe not discerne this time they through neglecting the signes of the times when Christ came received him not how many through ignorance of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Apostasie hath appeared eschewed it not From which of these three beginnings of the Apostaticall times or whether from some other moment within or betweene them the Almighty will reckon that his computation of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ended will finish the dayes of the man of sinne I curiously enquire not but leave unto him who is Lord of times and seasons nor doe I think that the Jewes themselves could certainly tell from which of their three captivities to begin that reckoning of 70 yeeres whose end should bring their returne from Babylon untill the event assured them thereof AN APPENDIX I Should now presently come to speak of the fourth particular which I observed in the verse but because in this discourse of times besides the great Calendar of times which I so much spake of there was some mention of a lesser Calendar viz. of Daniels 70 weekes give me leave to note some places of Scripture which I suppose to have refe●ence thereto for the better clearing not onely of our former discourse but of some scruples that might trouble our minds when mention is made of an end then supposed neere though the world hath lasted so many hundred yeeres and no end thereof is yet come Know therefore that these 70 weeks are a little provinciall Calendar containi●g the time that the legall worship and Jewish state was to continue from the re-building of the Sanctuary under Darius Nothus untill the finall destruction thereof when the Calendar shall expire within the space whereof their Commonwealth and City should be restored and 62 weeks after that the Messias be slaine for sin and at the end of the whole 70 their City and Temple againe destroyed and their Commonwealth utterly dissolved To these weeks therefore whose computation so especially concernes the Jewes is reference made in those Epistles which are written to the Christian Churches of that Nation whether being in Iewry or abroad dispersed in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bythinia Such is S. Pauls Epistle to the Hebrewes both Saint Peters to the Dispersion the Epistle of Saint Iames to the twelve Tribes and likewise the first Epistle of Saint Iohn which though the salutation expresseth not as in the former yet may appeare both because Peter Iames and Iohn were all three Apostles of the circumcision and from that passage cap. 2.2 Christ Iesus is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world that is not for the sins of us onely who are Jewes but for the sinnes of the Gentiles also And doth not the name of generall or catholicall Epistle given unto this as well as those of Saint Iames and Peter imply thus much for it cannot be thus called as written to all Christians indefinitely and generally since the contrary plainly appeares in the former but because this as well as the rest was written to those of the circumcision who were not a people confined to any one City or Region but dispersed through every Nation as we reade in the Acts cap. 2.5 c. that at the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles there were sojourning at Ierusalem Iewes devout men out of every nation under heaven Parthians Medes Elamites and the dwellers of Mesopotamia Iudaea and Cappadocia Pontus and Asia and strangers of Rome Jewes and Proselites Jewes by race and Jewes by religion c. for we must not mistake those there numbred to be Gentiles but Israelites both of the ten Tribes captivated by Shalmaneser and the other two some of whom never returned from Babylon but lived still in Mesopotamia but of these who returned great multitudes were dispersed afterwards in Egypt Lybia and many other Provinces before the time of our Saviours appearing in the flesh So that the Apostles of the Circumcision had their Province for largenesse not much inferiour to that of the Gentiles But I come to note the places I spake of and first out of the fore-named Epistle of Saint John where from that prediction of our Saviour in the Gospel that the arising of the false Prophets should be one of the neare signes of the nigh approaching end of the Jewish state the Apostle thus referres to it cap. 2. ver 18. Little children this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last houre and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time here by the last time I suppose no other thing to be meant but the neare expiring of Daniels 70 weeks and with it the approaching end of the Jewish Commonwealth and why might not this Epistle be written in the last weeke at the beginning whereof Jesus Ananiae began that wofull crie Woe unto Jerusalem and the Temple Joseph l. 7. belli Judaici By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many Antichrists are meant no other but false Prophets Counter-prophets to the great Prophet pretending an unction and commission from heaven as he had to teach the world some new revelation and doctrine for the name Christ implies the unction of prophecies as well as the unction of a kingdome and accordingly the name Antichrist and therefore the Syriack here turnes it false Christs that is such as should falsely pretend some extraordinary unction of prophecie like unto him And the comming of such as these our Saviour in Saint Matthews Gospel a Gospel for the Hebrewes makes one of the last signes ushering the destruction of Jerusalem and if the harmony of this prophecy in the three Evangelists be well considered there was no more to come but the compassing of Jerusalem with armies Well therefore might Saint John when he saw so many Antiprophets spring up say Hereby we know that it is the last time Againe b●cause the desolation of the Jewish state and Temple would be a great confirmation to Christian faith therefore the beleeving Jewes whom nothing could so much stagger as the standing glory of that

richest jewels for the supposed vertue even of the very ayre of them were wonderfully sought after as some divine Elixar soveraigne both to body and soule Whereupon another scene of wonders entred even of visions and revelations wonderfull and admirable for the discovery of the sepulchers and ashes of Martyrs which were quite forgotten yea of some whose names and memories till then no man had ever heard of as S. Ambrose's Gervasius and Protasius Thus in every corner of the Christian world were new Martyrs bones ever and anon discovered whose verity againe miraculous effects and cures seemed to approve and therefore were diversly dispersed and gloriously templed and enshrined Hil. lib. ad Constantium intimates miraculous cures of the reliques of Martyrs to have been as ancient as his time yea as the time of the Churches peace All these things happened in that one age and were come to this heigth in lesse than 100 yeares But here is the wonder most of all to be wondred at that none of these miraculous signes were ever heard of in the Church for the first 300 yeares after Christ untill about the yeare 360 after that the Empire under Constantine and his sonnes having publickly embraced the Christian faith the Church had peace and the bodies of the despised Martyrs such as could be found were now bestowed in most magnificen● Temples and there gloriously enshrined And yet had the Christians long before used to keep their Assemblies at the Caemiteries and monuments of their Martyrs how came it to passe that no such vertue of their bones and ashes no such testimonies of their power after death were discovered untill now Babylas his bones were the first that all my search can finde which charmed the devill of Daphne Apollo Daphneus when Julian the Apostate offered so many sacrifices to make him speak and being asked why he was so mute forsooth the corps of Babylas the Martyr buried neere the Temple in Daphne stopped his wind-pipe I feare I feare here was some hypocrisie in this businesse and the devill had some ●eate to play the very name of Babylas is enough to breed jealousie it is an ominous name the name Babylas yea and this happened too at Antioch where Babylas was Bishop and Martyr in the persecution of Decius Would it not doe the devill good there to beginne his mystery where the Christian name was first given to the followers of Christ howsoever this was then farre otherwise construed and a conceit quickly taken that other Martyrs bones might bee found upon ●riall as terrible to the devill as those of Babylas which was no sooner tryed but experience presently verefied with improvement as you heard before so that all the world rung so with wonders done by Martyrs that even holy men who at the first suspected were at length surprised and carried away with the power of delusion Besides the silence of all undoubted antiquity of any such sepulchral wonders to have happened in the former ages the very manner of speech which the fathers living in this miraculous age used when they spake of these things will argue they were then accounted novelties and not as continued from the Apostles times Chrisostome in his oration contra Gentiles of the businesse of Babylas speakes thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man beleeves not these things which are said to be done by the Apostles let him now beholding the present desist from his impudency Ambros. Epist. ad sororem Marcellinam relating of a peece of the speech he made upon the translations of the bodyes of Gervasius and Protasius and the miracles then shewed reparata saith he ve●usti temporis miracula cer●itis You see the miracles of ancient times hee meanes the time of Christ and his Apostles renewed S. August lib. de civ Dei 22. cap. 8. in a discourse of the miracles of that time saith We made an order to have bills given out of such miracles as were done when wee saw the wonders of ancient times renewed in ours Id namque fieri volumus cùm videremus antiquis similia divinaru● signa virtutum etiàm nostris temporibus frequentari ●a non debere multorum notitiae deperire But alas now began the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was the fatall time and thus the Christian Apostasie was to be ushered If they had knowne this it would have turned their joyous shoutings and triumphs at these things into mourning The end which these signes and wonders aymed at and at length brought to passe should have made them remember that warning which was given the ancient people of God Deut. 13. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and giveth thee a signe or a wonder and that signe or wonder come to passe whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us goe after other Gods and serve them thou shalt not harken unto the words of that Prophet or dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soule But why should I goe any further before I tell you that even in this also the idolatry of Saint-worship was a true counterfeit of the Gentiles idolatry of Daemons Did not Daemon-worship enter after the same manner was it not first insinuated and afterward established by signes and wonders of the very selfe same kinde and fashion Listen what Eusebius will tell us in his fifth book Praeparat Evangel cap. 2. according to the Greek edition of Rob. Stephen when saith he those wicked spirits as he proved them to be which were worshipped under the names of Daemons saw mankinde brought off to a deifying of the dead he meanes by erecting statues and ordaining ceremonies and sacrifices for their memorialls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they insinuated themselves and helped forward their errour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by certaine motions of the statues which anciently were consecrated to the honour of the deceased as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by ostentation of oracles and cures of diseases whereby they then superstitious ranne headlong sometimes to take them to be some heavenly powers and Gods indeed and sometimes to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soules of their deified worthies And so saith he the earth-neighbouring-Daemons which are the princes of the Ayre those spiritualities of wickednesse and ring-leaders of all evill were on all hands accounted for great Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the memory of the ancients deceased was thought worthy to be celebrated with a greater service the features of whose bodies the dedicated images in every city seemed to represent but the soules of them and those diviner and incorporeall powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked Daemons counterfeited by working many miracles Heare Tertullian also speak in his Apology to the Gentiles cap. 21. in fine Quaerite ergò si vera est ista divinitas Christi si est ea quâ cognitâ ad

doctrine of worshipping of dead men you may read him in the seventy eighth Heresie towards the conclusion where upon occasion of some who made a Goddesse of the blessed Virgin and offered a cake unto her as the Queene of heaven he quotes the place of my text concerning them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English sounds thus that also of the Apostle is fulfilled of these some shall apostatize from sound doctrine giving heed to fables and doctrines of Daemons for saith he they shall be worshippers of dead men as they were worshipped in Israel are not these last words for an exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what will you say doth he meane by dead men worshipped in Israel I suppose he meanes their Baalim who as is already shewed were nothing else but Daemons or deified Ghosts of men deceased yet he brings in two examples besides one of the Sichemites in his time who had a Goddesse or Daemonesse under the name of Jephta's daughter another of the Aegyptians who worshipped Thermutis that daughter of Pharaoh which brought up Moses Some as Beza would have these words of Epiphanius to be a part of the text it selfe in some copy which he used But how is that likely when no other Father once mentions any such reading nay it appeares moreover that Epiphanius intended to explaine the words as he quoteth them as he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Otherwise wee must say he used a very corrupt copy or quoted very carelesly But grant that Epiphanius read so either this reading was true and so I have enough because then the Apostle with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. should expound himselfe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to meane the deifying of the dead or it was not the originall reading but added by some other for explication sake and so it will follow that those who did it made no question but that the words there contained some such thing as worshipping the dead Therefore take it which way you will it will follow that some such matter as wee speak of was in times past supposed to bee in this text and prophesie Now I come to the second point to maintaine and prove that praying to Saints glorified as mediators and agents for us with God is justly charged with Idolatry for this is the hinge whereupon not the application only of my text but the interpretation thereof chiefly turneth for this is that which I told you in the beginning that my text depended upon the last words of the former chapter and verse received into glory which were therefore out of their due order put in the last place because my text was immediately to bee inferred upon them the like mis-placing and for the like reason see Heb. 12.23 where in a catalogue or recension of the parts of the Church Christ the head and the sprinkling of his blood is mentioned in the last place and after the spirits of just men because the next verses are continued upon this sprinkling of Christs blood Yee are come to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel whereas the right order should have beene first God the judge of all Secondly Christ the mediator of the new Covenant Thirdly in the last place the Spirits of just men made perfect agreeable therefore to this dependance of my text I am to shew that the Invocation of Saints glorified implyes an Apostasie from Christ and a deniall of his glory and majesty whereunto hee is installed by his assumption into heaven to sit at the right hand of God which before I doe I must premise some generall grounds which are as followeth That as God is most one and without all multiplicity so must the honour and service which is given unto him have no communicability Esa. 42.8 I am the Lord that is my name my glory will I not give unto another nor my prayse 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 betweene 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 hee 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. 18.11 No action therefore directed thitherward to the 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 turne his face upon the face of any other thing when he turnes his face towards the face of God for how then should we worship him at all seeing which way soever we turne us something will alwayes bee before us but it is not the face of our bodies or their posture but the face and posture of the act wee doe 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 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 supplica-towards it there nothing is to have any respect of an object but God alone So although when we pray unto God wee turne the face of our bodies towards Heaven the Sunne the Moon and Starres yet doe we not worship the host of heaven therefore because our action hath no relation to them as to an object but to God alone and howsoever they are betweene God and us in place yet as an object of our devotion neither they nor any thing in them come any way betweene us and him Now for the reason if you ask it of this incommunicablenesse of all actions and services directed to God-ward you shall have it because the Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God jealous not only lest he should not be honoured as God but jealous lest he should not be honoured as one God for as by