The Apostasy of the Latter Times, Part · Section 2

The Apostasy of the Latter Times · Part · Section 2

p. 92foreign, Expresly, or, in expresse words.

NOw I come to the fourth part of this prophecy, the warrant or proofe thereof. The Spirit hath foretold it foreign, or in expresse words, in some place or other of divine Writ. The Spirit told Peter Acts 10.19. Behold three men seeke thee. The Spirit said, Separate Barnabas and Saul, Acts 13.2. The Spirit forbade Saint Paul to preach in Asia. The Spirit said that the Jewes should binde Saint Paul at Jerusalem, Acts 21.11. But in all these the Spirit spake not foreign: for these things were no where written, and therefore what it spake, it spake foreign, onelyonly by secret Instinct or Inspiration: but that which the Spirit speakes in the written Word, that it speaketh foreign, verbatim, expresly. If therefore concerning this Apostasie of Christian beleevers, to be in these latter times, the Scripture speaketh foreign, then is it to be found somewhere in the Old Testament: for there alone the Spirit could be said to speake foreign, or verbatim, in the Apostles time. Having therefore so good a hint given us, let us see if we can finde where the Spirit speaketh of this matter so expresly.

There are three maine things in this our Apostles prediction, whereof I finde the Spirit to have spoken foreign, or, in expresse words, and that in the prophecy of Daniel. 1 Of these last or latter times. 2 Of the new worship of Daemons in them. 3 Of a Prohibition of marriage to accompany them. As for the first of these, the foreign, Daniel, as you heard before, expresly names them, foreign, a time, times, and halfe a time; being those last times of this last kingdome, wheren the Hornish Tyrant should make warre with the Saints, and prevaile against them. For the second, a worship of new Daemons or Demi-gods with the profession of the name of Christ: you will perhaps think it strange if I should p. 93shew it foreign: but if I doe, it was the Appendix of hindering or debarring marriage, mentioned in the next verse, which as a thread led me the way to the end of the eleventh chapter of Daniel, where I found it, and in a place too very suspicious, being taken I think by almost all the Ancients for a prophecy of Antichrist; yea and so expounded by the greatest part of our own, though with much variety of reading and application. But heare the words themselves in the 36, 37, 38, 39 verses of the eleventh chapter of Daniel, translated as I think foreign, verbatim, without any wresting or straining the Hebrew text: they are a description of the last or Roman Kingdome, with the severall states thereof; conquering nations, persecuting Christians, false worshipping Christ.

The words are these, Daniel cap. 11.36, 37, 38, 39. verses.

1 Now for the understanding of this Prophecy, wee must take notice that the Prophet Daniel at the begining of these verses, leaves off the Greek kingdome with Antiochus, of whom he was speaking before, and falls about the Romane: the reason being, because after Antiochus, in whose time Macedonia (whence that kingdome sprung, with all the rest of Greece) came under the Romane obedience; the third kingdome comes no more into reckoning, Daniel himselfe calling the time of Antiochus reigne, the latter end of the Greek kingdome, cap. 8.23. and as I take it, he intimates the same in this chapter in the verses immediately fore-going: these we have now to deale withall: from thence forward therefore the Romane succeeds in the account of the Great Calendar of time.

p. 952 Under the name King we must understand the whole Roman State under what kind of government soever: for the Hebrewes use King for kingdome, and kingdome for any Government, State or Policy in the world: for the Divell in the Gospel is said to have shewn Christ all the kingdomes of the world, Monarchies, Aristocracies, Democracies, or what other kind soever.

3 Where it is said, this King shall exalt himselfe above every God, nothing is thereby meant, but the generality, and the greatnesse of his conquests and prevailings: and the reason of that phrase or manner of speech should seem to be, because in the time of Paganisme every Citie and Country was supposed to have their proper and peculiar gods, which were deemed as their guardians and protectors: whence in the Scripture, according to the language of that time, we may observe a threefold use of speech. First, The Nations themselves are expressed and implyed under the names of their gods: The Israelites were called the people of Jehovah, so are the Moabites the people of Chemosh, Numb. 21.29. The Lord threatned, Deut. 4.28. & 28.64. Jer. 16.13▪ to scatter Israel among the nations, from one end of the earth even to another, and that there they should serve other gods day and night; gods the work of mens hands, woed and stone, which neither they nor their fathers had knowne: that is, they should serve them, not Religiously but Politically, insomuch as they were to become slaves and vassals to So Targum, On…kel…s and Ionathan both render it expresly Deut: 28.36.64. allo c. 4.28. n…cn…n Targum Ionathan, Ier. 16.13. 1 Sam. 26.19. that is in all the places forecited.Jer 16:131 Sam 26:19Idolatrous nations; even such Idolaters as neither they nor their fathers had ever heard of. For as for a religious service of Idols, the Jewes were never so free as in the captivity, as we see by experience at this day: but with the service of bondage they may be said Politically to have beene the vassals of Idols, as being in bondage to the servants of other gods. As a Christian taken by the Turks may in the like sense be said to come in bondage, and be a slave to Mahomet: for a slave to the servants is in a sense servant to their masters. Let it p. 96also be considered whether that of David, 1 Sam. 26.19. be not to be expounded according to this notion, They have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, goe serve other gods; that is, banished me into a nation of another Religion. Secondly, The exploits of the nation are said to be done by their gods, even as we by like priviledge of speech ascribe unto our Kings what is done by the people under them: thus 2 Chron 28.23. the gods of Damascus are said to have smote Ahaz; he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that smote him: and he said, Because the gods of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. Jer. 51.44. it is said of the dominion of Babylon, that the nations flowed together unto Bel, and that he had swallowed up their wealth, which the Lord threatned there to bring forth again out of his mouth. Thirdly, and that most frequently of all others, What is attempted against the nation, is said to be attempted against their gods: Even as Generals beare the name not onelyonly of the exploits, but also of the disadvantages of the armies led by them: so here the gods are said to receive the affronts, defeatures, and discomfitures given to the people under their patronage. **2 Sam. 7.23. God is said to have redeemed Israel from Egypt, from the nations & their gods. See Tremel. who turnes it more to our purpose2 Sam 7:23Rabshakeh vaunts in his masters name, 2 Kings 28.33. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the King of Assyria? where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Esay 46.2. prophecieth thus of the taking of Babylon by Cyrus; Bel boweth downe, Nebo stoopeth, they could not deliver the burden, but they themselves are gone into captivity. In the like straine prophecieth Jeremy, cap. 50.2. Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her Idols are confounded. And again, Jer. 51.44. I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up, and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea the wall of Babylon shall fall. The same Prophet p. 97saith of Moabs captivity, cap. 48.7. Thou shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go into captivity with his Priests and his Princes together. Moa… likewise in his affronts and derision of Israel is said to have magnified himselfe against the Lord: according to which manner of speech the successe and prevailing of the Roman in the advancing his dominion, and subduing every nation under him, is here expressed by his exalting and magnifying himselfe above every God. This I suppose to be the ground of that manner of speech; though if any had rather, as others doe, take gods here for Kings and Potentates of the earth, it will I confesse come all to one purpose.

4 By the gods of their Ancestours, whom the Roman State should at length cashiere and cast off, are meant all the Pagan Deities, and heathen Gods, which were worshipped in that Empire.

5 By desire of women, which the Roman of that time should not regard, as he was wont, is meant the desire of wiving, or desire of having women for the society of life; conjugall affection which is expressed Gen. 2.24. to be such a desire for which a man should leave father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they shall be both one flesh: and it might have beene in this place, desire of wives, as well as desire of women; for there is no other word used in the Originall for wives above once or twice in the whole Scripture, but this foreign which is here turned women. With the like use of the word desire, the Spouse in the Canticles, cap. 7.10. expresseth her wel-beloved to be her husband: I am my wel-beloveds (saith she) and his desire is toward me; that is, he is my husband: for so twice before she expressed her selfe, cap. 2.16. My beloved is mine; and I am his. Cap. 6.3. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. So Ezek. 24.16. the Lord threatning to take away Ezekiels wife, saith, Behold, foreignI take away from thee the desire of thine eyes; and afterward ver. 18. it followeth, and at even my wife died. Yea, the p. 98Roman language it selfe is not unacquainted with this speech: Cicero ad uxorem, En mea lux, meum desiderium. This desire of women and married life, the Roman should discountenance, when he shook off the gods of his Ancestors.

6▪ By the strange and forraine God whom the Roman should at length acknowledge, is meant aaSee the oration o… Licin…us to his Souldiers, Euseb. de v…ta Constant. lib. 2. c. 5.Christ; for though to the Jew every strange and forreign god were a false god, yet to the Gentiles, who worshipped none but Idols, the forreigne god was the True: therefore the Philosophers at Athens, when Saint Paul preached Christ unto them, said, he preacheth bbSyr. foreign The Altar …e there speakes of in his defence was inscribed foreign, which God (saith he) I preach unto you.foreign, a forreigne god. The want of which consideration hath much obscured this Prophecy, this forreigne god being still supposed to be a false god; when to those who worshipped all kinds of false gods, as the ccRo…a cum penè omnibus dominaretur gentibus, omnium gentium serviebat errorib…s, & magnam sibi videbatur assumpsisse Religionem, quia nullam respuebat falsitatem, Leo mag. in Ser. 1. in nat. Apo. Pet. & Paul Hic confutandi Daemonumcultus, hîc omnium sacrificio…um impietas destruenda, ubi diligentisimâ superstitione habeatur collectū quicquid usquam fuerat variis erroribus instructū. Id. ib.Roman did, a forreigne god, whom their fathers knew not, must needs be the True.

7 Where it is said, With this forreign god he shall honour Mahuzzims: these Mahuzzim, or Mauzzims, are these Daimons we seek for, whom the Roman should worship with Christ, whom he should embrace: For Mahuzzims are Protectores dii, such as Saints and Angels are supposed to be, as I shall shew by and by; where though I shall be new for the particular, yet for the generall I shall agree well enough with the Fathers, who constantly thought that under this Mahuzzim was some Idol meant which Antichrist should worship, and many of our times have taken it for the Masse.

But I must first say something of the translation of this verse, and then will come to the signification of this word Mahuzzims.

For the first, whereas the preposition foreign in foreign is usually neglected, and the words foreign, God and Mahuzzim construed together as one thing, viz. God Mahuzzim, or, as some, the God of forces; I expresse p. 99the Preposition Lamed, and construe God and Mahuzzim apart, as here, viz. to, or, together with God he shall honour Mahuzzims, &c. Ad, vel juxta Deum, Mahuzzimos honorabit. For the preposition foreign is made of foreign and signifies the same with it, viz. addition of, or joyning of things, ad, juxta, apud, pro foreign in, pro foreign pro foreign contra, super, to, together, and besides with, as ddSee this use of foreign Ezra 1.5. Vulg. & Angl. with Lev. 16.21. Vulg. & LXX. Num. 9.15. LXX. Ibid. cap. 33.2. LXX. cap. 32.33 LXX. Vulg. cum. Angl.Ezra 1:5Lev 16:21Num 9:15Lev. 18.18. Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister, foreign, that is, together with her sister· By this meanes the controversie betweene Junius and Graserus is taken away: for Junius, as should seeme, seeing no reason why the Preposition foreign should be neglected, and that by so doing the Verb foreign was made irregularly and against use to governe a Dative case, he expresses the Preposition by Quod ad, or Quod attinet ad, (id est) as concerning. But the words God and Mahuzzim he separateth not, but turneth them as in statu constructo, viz. the god of might and of forces; understanding thereby the true and Almighty God himselfe. Against which Graserus excepts, first, that to render the Preposition foreign, ad, as concerning, savours of a Latinisme rather than of an Hebraisme. Secondly, that he doth as good as strike out the distinctive accent Athnach (⁾ which is a Colon; in as much as he makes the sentence being a full member to be imperfect and defective, and yet would seeme to stand in awe of that smaller distinction Zakeph-katon (:) over the word Mahuzzim, which yet stands there, as eeviz. ver. 42 of this cha. over foreign and ver. 3. of the next chapter over foreign where it is impossible it should distinguish, and so elsewhere.elsewere it doth, but for a nota benè. Thirdly, that to expound god Mahuzzim to be the true God, against the consent not onelyonly of the Jewes who ever take it for some Idol or other, but of the ancient Christian writers who understand by it some Idol of Antichrist, yea some, the Divell himselfe, and many of our owne who take it for the Idol of the Masse, and some otherwise, yet for some Idol-deity. To expound this of the true and mighty God without example in Scripture Graserus thinkes not tolerable; p. 100wherefore himselfe had rather yeeld the construction of the verb foreign to be irregular: Junius himselfe having admitted it in the next member of the verse, and to suppose it to be a mysticall Solecisme, the Spirit intending by the Anomaly or incongruity of the Syntax to signifie an Anomaly or incongruity of Religion: but their inconveniences on both sides, as farre as I can see, are wholly accorded by that translation we have given. Whereof let the Reader judge.

I come now to unfold the signification of the word Mahuzzim; a word which most translations retain, the Septuagint calling it foreign; Saint Jerome and the Vulgar Latine, Maozim; the Geneva and others, Mahuzzim: this foreign Mahuzzim I say is in the Plurall number, the singular foreign Mahoz, which in the abstract signifies sometimes strength, sometimes a Fortresse, or Bulwarke; of foreign robustus fuit: but the Hebrewes use Abstracts for Concretes: examples are many in the Old Testament, as justitia pro justis; captivity for captives, &c. In the New Testament, Principalities, Powers, and Dominions, for Princes, Potentates, and Dominators; so Mahoz, strength, or a Fortresse, for him that strengthens or fortifies, that is a Protector, Defender, Guardian, and Helper. Wherefore the Septuagint five times in the Psalmes render the word foreign Mahoz, foreign, and the Vulgar Latine as often Protector: the places are these, Psal. 27.1. The Lord is foreign the protector of my life, of whom should I be affraid? Psal. 28.8. The Lord is their strength, and he is foreign Mahoz Jeshuoth, the Mahoz of salvation of his annointed: **Some render it not of, but is his Annointed or Messiah, that is, Messiah is Mahoz Ieshueth.where the Septuagint, foreign, and the Vulgar, Protector salvationum. Psal. 31.1. Bow downe thine eare to me; deliver me speedily, be thou unto me foreign for a Rock Mahoz: Septuagint, foreign; Vulg. in Deum Protectorem: againe verse 5. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me. foreign p. 101foreign Thou art my Protector; Septuagint, foreign; the Vulgar, Protector. Psal. 37.39. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, he is foreign Mahuzzam, their Mahoz in the time of trouble: where the Septuagint and the Vulgar render as before foreign and Protector. How think you now, are not Saints and Angels worshipped as Mahuzzims? True Christians have with David, in the Psalme before quoted, one Mahoz, Jehovah Mahoz, that is, Christ; but Apostate Christians have their many Mahuzzims. Oh, would they worshipped only foreign Mahoz of salvations, as you heard David even now call him, Psal. 28. You may if you please compare with these places of the Psalmes that in the first verse of this eleventh of Daniel, where the Angel said he stood in the first yeere of Darius the Mede to confirme and be a Mahoz to him, foreign which we translate, to strengthen him; by which we may see how fitly this name may be applied to Angels and so to Saints, supposed in helping, protecting, assisting, to be like them. Thus you see the concrete sence of Mahoz for Helper, Protector, and Defender, is not new. But what if we take the word passively, force and strength, for forts and strong ones; will not then the valiant Martyrs and Champions of the faith well bear the name of Mahuzzims? and these are they whom at the first Christians worshipped onelyonly in this sort, as an honour peculiarly due unto their sufferings. Moreover, that you may not think this word and the notion thereof unproper to be given unto a Deity, observe that the true God is called a Rock foreign seven times Deut. 32. which the Vulgar turnes as often Deus; yea in the same place false gods are termed also foreign Rockes, ver. 31. Their Rock, i. e. the Gentiles Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being Judges: and ver. 37. Where are their gods (that is, Baalim) their Rock in whom they trusted? which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, &c. The like you shall finde in Hannahs song, p. 102and other places of Scripture. See now the parity: The True God, or Christ himself is often by David cald Mahoz, why may not then False gods, or Plurality of Christs be called Mahuzzim? Rocke and Fortresse are not words of so great difference.

Thus having cleared the chiefest difficulties in the Text, and made the way smooth, let us read over the words again, and apply the interpretation unto them.

DAN. II.

Thus we see how foreign, 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 OnelyOnly 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 onelyonly 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 p. 105Ghost, 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 p. 106when 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 to appoint solemne sports for you.

3 That Constantine, the first Emperour under whom that State forsook the gods of their forefathers, and became Christian, together with this alteration, abrogated those ancient Roman lawes, Julia and Papia, wherein the desire of women and married life was so much priviledged and encouraged, and single and unmarried life disadvantaged. Heare it in the words of Zozoman lib. 1. cap. 9. Hist. Ecclesiast. There was (saith he) an ancient law among the Romans, forbidding those who after five and twenty yeeres old were unmarried, to enjoy the like priviledges with married ones; and besides many other things, that they should have no benefits by Testaments and Legacies, unlesse they were next of kindred, and those who had no children to have halfe their goods confiscated: therefore the Emperour seeing those, who for Gods sake were addicted to chastity and virginity, to be for this cause in the worst condition, he accounted it a folly for men to goe about to increase their kind with such carefulnesse and diligence; when as Nature, according to divine moderation, continually receives as well p. 107diminution, as increase. Therefore he published a law to the people, that both those who lived a single life, and those who had no children, should enjoy the like priviledges with others: yea he enacted that those who lived in chastity and virginity, should be priviledged above them, enabling both sexes, though under yeeres, to make Testaments, contrary to the accustomed policy of the Romans. This alteration of the Roman law by Constantine, Eusebius also witnesseth lib. 4. cap. 26. de vita Constantini: and again, cap. 28. where he saith, that above all he honoured most those that had consecrated their lives to divine Philosophy; he meanes a monasticall life; and therefore he almost adored the most holy company of perpetuall Virgins. That which the fathers had thus enacted, the sonnes also seconded; and some of the following Emperours by new edicts, till there was no Relique left of those ancient priviledges, wherewith married men had beene respected; which Procopius saith (how rightly I examine not) was the cause of the ruine of that Empire, which was so much enfeebled, and weakened through neglect of the procreation of children, that it was not able to match the numerous armies of barbarous nations. This was the first step of dis-regarding marriage, and the desire of wiving; which was not an absolute prohibition, but discouraging. But no sooner had the Roman Bishop, and his Clergy got the power into their hands, but it grew to an absolute prohibition; not for Monkes onelyonly, but for the whole Clergy: which was the highest dis-respect that could be to that which God had made honourable among all men.

4 Lastly, it is a thing not to be passed by without admiration, that the Fathers and others, at the beginning of Saint-worship, by I know not what fatall in…inct, used to call Saints and their Reliques, Towres, Walls, Bulwarks, and Fortresses, that is, foreign Mahuzzim, in the prime and native signification. Basil in his Oration upon the p. 108forty Martyrs, whose Reliques were dispersed over all the Countries thereabouts, speaks in this manner: These are those who having taken possession of our Countrey, as certain conjoyned Towers, foreign, secure it from the incursions of Enimies. The same Basil concludes his Oration upon Mamas a Martyr in this manner; that God who hath gathered us together in this place, and disposeth of all that is to come, keepe us safe from hurt, and secure us from the ravening Wolfe, and preserve stedfast this Church of Caesarea, being guarded with a mighty Tower of Martyrs, foreign. Chrysostome in Hom. 32. upon the Epistle to the Romanes, speaking of the Reliques of Saint Peter and Paul; This corps (sa…th he) meaning of Saint Paul, fortifies this City of Rome more strongly than any Towre, or ten thousand rampires, as also doth the corps of Peter, foreign, &c. Are not these strong Mahuzzims?

The like whereunto is that of Venantius Fortunatus a Christian Poet, not above an age younger than Chrysostome.

A facie hostili duo propupnacula praesunt,

Quos fidei turres urbs caput orbis habet.

The Faith's two Towers in Lady Rome do lye,

Two Bulwarks strong against the Einmy.

At the same thing aimes Gregory lib. 7. Ep. 33. ad Rusticanam Patriciam, entreating her to come to Rome: Si gladios Itali… & bella formidetis, if you feare the swords (saith he) and warres of Italy, you ought attentively to consider, how great the protection of blessed Peter, the Prince of Apostles, is in this City, wherein without any great number of people, without the aid of souldiers, we have beene so so many yeeres in the midst of …words, by Gods providence safely preserved from all hurt.

p. 109But to returne againe to Saint Chrysostome, who in his Homily upon the Egyptian Martyrs, Hom. 70. ad populum Antiochenum, speakes after this manner: …hese Saints bodies saith he) fortifie foreign our City more strongly, than an impregnable wall of Adamant; and as certaine high rocks hanging on every side repell not onelyonly the assaults of those enimies, which are sensible and seen with the eye; but also overthrow and defeat the ambuscadoes of invisible fiends, and all the stratagems of the Divell. Here you see are Mahuzzims too.

So long before, in the dayes of Constantine, James Bishop of Nisibis, renowned for holinesse, was according to order given by Constantine in his life time, saith Gennadius, buried within the wall of that City, being a Frontire of the Empire, ob Custodiam, viz. Civitatis. Gennad. de vir. illustr. cap. 6.

Evagrius lib. 1. c. 13. tels us that the Antiochians offered… up a supplication to the Emperour Leo the first, about the yeere 460. for the keeping of the corps of holy Simeon, sirnamed Stylita, or the Pillarist, in this forme: Because our City hath no wall (for it had beene domolished in a Fury) therefore we brought hither this most holy body, that it might be to us foreign, a Wall and a Fortresse, which would be in Hebrew Language foreign Leshur vlemahoz.

Saint Hilary also will tell us, that neither the guards of Saints, nor Angelorum munitiones, the Bulwarks of Angels, are wanting to those who are willing to stand: here Angels are Mahuzzims, as Saints were in the former.

The Greeks at this day, in their Preces horariae, thus invocate the blessed Virgin: O thou Virgin mother of God, thou impregnable wall, thou Fortresse of salvation, foreign Psal. 28. we call upon thee, that thou wouldest frustrate the purpose of our enimies, and be a fence to this City: thus they goe on, calling her the hope, safeguard p. 110and Sanctuary of Christians: here is foreign Mahoz Mahuzzim, a strong Mahoz indeed.

To conclude, the titles of Protectors, Guardians, and defenders, which is the signification of Mahuzzim, when a person is meant, as they are more frequent, so are they no lesse ancient: Greg. Nyssen. in his third oration of the forty Martyrs, calls them foreign, Guarders and Protectors.

Eucherius his Saint Gervase, the perpetuall Propugnator, Protectour of the faithfull. Theodoret. lib. 8. de curandis Graecorum affectionibus, calls the holy Martyrs Guardians of Cities, Lieutenants of places, Captaines of men, Princes, Champions, and Guardians, by whom disasters are turned from us, and those which come from Devills debarred and driven away. I might here add something also concerning Images, whose worship is another part of the doctrine of Daemons, and shew how well the name Mahuzzim would befit them, which the Iconomaci…all Councell of Constantinople calls so unluckily foreign,But Constantinus Morossa the Greek Histo…ian inveighing against Leo … saurus for demolishing images, cals them, turres atque munit…ones religios…cultus. the Fortresses, or Mahuzzim of the Divell; and perhaps the nine and thirtieth verse in the fore-alledged Prophesie might be yet more literally translated, if the word foreign facere were taken in a religious sence: And hee shall doe unto, or offer unto the holds of Mahuzzim, together with forreigne gods; &c. that is, he shall doe religious service to the Images of Saints, together with Christ. I might also put you in mind of the terme munimentum, given to the Crosse, and that so usuall Latine phrase of Munire signo Crucis, to fortifie, that is, to signe with the signe of the Crosse; but I will not engage my self too farre in these Grammaticall speculations.

As for the following verses of this Prophesie, if any desire to know it, they may, as I think, be interpreted and applied thus.

Ver. 40. And at the time of the end, that is, in the Romans foreign, or latter times, shall the King of the p. 111South (that is, the Saracen) push at him, and the King of the North (the Turk) shall come against him, like a whirlewind, with charets, and horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the Countries, and shall overflow and passe over.

Ver. 41. He shall enter also into the glorious Land (Palestina) and many shall be overthrowne, but these shall escape out of his hands, Edom and Moab, and the chiefe of the children of Ammon: that is, the Inhabitants of Arabia Petraea, which were never yet Provincialls of the Turkish Empire; yea with some of them he is faine to be at Pension for the safer passage of his Caravans.

Ver. 42. He (the Turk) shall stretch forth his hands also upon the Countreyes, of those parts, and the land of Egypt (though it should hold out long under the Mamalukes, even till the yeere 1517) shall not escape.

Ver. 43. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold, silver, and all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Cushites, that is, the neighbouring nations, whether of Africke, or Libya, as in those of Algiers, &c. or of the Arabians in Scripture called Cushim shall be at his steps, that is, at his devotion. That which remaines as I suppose is not yet fulfilled, and therefore I leave it: Time will make it manifest.