The works of the pious and profoundly-learned Joseph Mede, B.D., sometime fellow of Christ's Colledge in Cambridge

CHAP. X.

A Discourse of the Beginning and Ending of the 42 moneths, or 1260 daies, (Rev. 11. 2, 3.) wherein Alstedius his Four Epocha's are examined.

SIR,

I Waved not the Question of the Ending of the XLII months more than that of their Beginning; for as I designed their Beginning in a latitude, so by consequent I do their Ending. If they begin between the years 365 and 455, they must end between the years 1625 and 1715. Only I refused precisely to determine the year of their ending, which for some reasons I supposed should not certainly be known till the Event should make it manifest; according as was not the precise Beginning of the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity, till the Event discovered it by their Ending. For when the articuli are more than one to begin at, who can determine at which God will reckon the beginning, and consequently at what precise year shall be the ending? Yet as God accompted the LXX years of the Babylonish captivity from a remarkable moment of that latitude of time the Iews were entring into: so I believe the same All-wise God will do the period of the XLII months, from some remarka∣ble moment in the latitude of their beginning. Howsoever, because such remarka∣ble moments or terms are more than one, all that we can say is, That it shall be from some one of them, and it may be from some one we observe not, God in his wisdom (till he sees fit) veiling it from our eyes.

For Alstedius, I will ingenuously confess, I had never observed those passages of his Chronology you acquaint me with, as having never been nor yet am owner of that Book, though I think I want few of his other Writings, in which I have met with ma∣ny passages tending to the same purpose with these of his Chronology, here and there scattered, but no where so fully and ex proposito. I sought up and down for the Book, and some two days since I got a sight of it so long as to read the pages you quote, and no longer: yet because you desire my judgment of the Years he setteth down, I will answer something for your satisfaction; and first lay the ground to exa∣mine them by. (viz.)

The Holy Ghost reckoneth the Epocha or Beginning of Antichrist and his Aposta∣tical times from the taking of that which hindred out of the way, that is, the then-reign∣ing Imperial Sovereignty of Rome, 2 Thess. 2. 6, 7, 8. or as S. Iohn expresseth it, from the deadly wounding of the Head or Sovereignty of the Roman Beast, which in his time ruled; or the shivering of the Empire into a plurality of Kingdoms upon that deadly wounding, Apoc. 13. 3. with chap. 17. 12. When that great City should cease to be the lap of that Sovereignty which the Caesars once held over the Nations, and ma∣ny new upstart Kings should appear in the place and territory of that once One Em∣pire; then should the Times of Apostasy with that wicked One make their entrance. Therefore as the Epocha or beginning of the Apostatical times in a latitude is to be fetched from that deadly blow or downfal of the Caesarean head in a latitude: so he that would conjecturally point out any precise year where to begin those times, must do it from some remarkable step or degree of the Caesarean blow or downfal in the same latitude. Where note further, that the Caesarean blow or downfal may be accompted double. First, Religious and Sacred, as he was Draconicola, by a dismounting and de∣throning of the Dragon which actuated and enlived him: Secondly, Political, by the ruin of his State and Majesty. Some of the places I now quoted may seem more to respect the one, some more the other. Antichrist, we see, hath cured them both; the First by a new Idolatry, the Second by his usurped Tyranny.

Let us examine Alstedius his Four Epocha's according to this ground.

The first is Anno Christi 362. which was ill pitched, it being the very time of the Dragon's recovery of the Imperial Throne under Iulian, not any moment or step of his dismounting; and the Empire flourishing under one Monarch, not falling or dis∣shivering. Nor is his Reason good, Because then began the persecution of Iulian; for that argues that the Dragon was not yet down: Nor the other, Because of the Schismatical contention of the Roman Popes; for what reason can there be why the Schism of the Popes should be the Epocha of their dominion, and of the times of Apostasy under

them? Besides, the Event shews this was no Epocha of the 42 months; for then the expiration of them should have appeared anno 1622. by some mortal blow to the Antichristian state; but it proved contrary. Alstedius addeth the three years and an half of the Slaughter of the Witnesses to the end thereof, hoping they should have revived Anno 1625. but, alas! they did not. He that would chuse an Epocha about Iulian's time, might with much more probability have pitched upon 365; because then upon Iulian's death the Dragon was dethroned again from the Imperial rule, never to recover it any more: howsoever the Draconical or Ethnick worship, which Iulian had restored, was publickly exercised by allowance of the succeeding Emperors, (though Christians,) and not put down for many years after. Wherefore the Event hath made manifest that God would none of this Epocha, else should we have seen some tokens of it ere this time.

The next is Anno 376. from whence the 42 months would expire 1636. This hath more probability than any other he hath named; because the year 376 was the beginning of the Reign of the Emperor Gratian, who first of all the Christian Em∣perors renounced the great Pontificality long annexed to the Imperial dignity, and re∣fused the Pontifical Stole, when it was tendred him according to the custom by the Collegium Pontificum, saying it was unlawful for a Christian; whereas all the for∣mer Christian Emperors (mirabile dictu) had admitted it, being installed and instyled still Pontifices Maximi, and according to that office ordered all business concerning the Ethnick ceremonies by their deputies. So long therefore as the Emperours were still the Dragon's Pontifices, he had yet some title, at least some titular dignity, in the Roman Sovereignty; and the losing thereof may be reckoned a remarkable step of his dismounting and downfall: and so no marvel if he might then be brought to go seek out some other Pontifex to undertake his service. But the doubt will be here, whether it were this year wherein Gratian rejected the Pontificality, or some other; for the year is not yet set down in Story: only it may most probably be thought to be the first year of his Reign à morte Patris, for he was created Augustus in his Father's life-time. Secondly, In the same year 376 the Goths entred the Empire; and so the foundation was laid also of the Political downfal of the same. But what Alstedius his Reasons be to pitch upon that Epocha I know not; he seems for this and the rest of his Chronology to rely upon Astrological grounds from the great Conjunction. But though I believe these rarer Conjunctions may fit and dispose the Bodies of men for some such work as God will do by them; yet I think them not sufficient to determine times; especially seeing they have no influence upon Polities and States directly, and quà talia, but only make some extraordinary impressions upon the Bodies of particular men born under them, which being many, when they come to years, may cause a pre∣dominancy of some singular disposition in their lives, fit for such alterations and changes as God shall direct and lead them to.

His third Epocha is 382. which would bring out the 42 months Anno 1642. Of this I see no reason he gives but Astrological, the insufficiency whereof for that pur∣pose I have already shewed. He might with greater probability have pitched upon 394. when was that famous battel and victory of Theodosius against Eugenius and Ar∣bogastes coming with a mighty Army to restore Ethnicisme, which Theodosius had ut∣terly abolished, and after which Ethnicisme never made head any more in the Empire: This therefore might be reckoned for another remarkable moment of the Dragon's downfal. Or he might have pitched upon the year 410. the time when Alaricus took and sacked Rome the Lady of the world; a most remarkable moment of the Political ruin of the Caesarean Sovereignty. The former of these Epocha's would bring out the 42 months Anno 1654. the latter, 1670. But all these things depend upon the Divine will, In cujus manu sunt tempora & opportunitates.

His last Epocha is 433. from which the 42 months would expire Anno 1693. For this Epocha of his I find no reason but à posteriori, drawn from the expiring of Da∣niel's numbers, Dan. 12. 11, 12. which he addeth one upon the head of another, and so makes 2625 to the End of the World, which reckoned from the destruction of Ie∣rusalem will come out Anno Christi 2694. from which he takes away for the Regnum Sanctorum 1000 years; so there remain but 1694: at which time the 42 moneths of Antichrist must be finished, because then the 1000 years of Christ's Reign begin.* 1.1 Now if the 42 months end then, they began about 433.

This is the sum of that Computation.

But for my par••, I think the meaning of those dayes in Daniel to be to another pur∣pose then to design the End of the World.

Secondly, That they are not to be reckoned one upon the head of another, but both from one and the same beginning.

Thirdly, That their Epocha is not the Destruction of Ierusalem by Titus, but that Prophanation of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes, which the Angel but newly menti∣oned in the same Vision; whereas that of the Destruction of Ierusalem by Titus was in a Vision some years before, and not like to be referred hereunto, and that which was so newly* 1.2 mentioned, iisdem verbis, in the same Vision overslipped. Yet I am not of Iu∣nius his mind neither, who would have them taken for bare days, and determinated in the persecution of Antiochus: I suppose them Prophetical days, that is, so many years, and their times already expired. But I have no time to enter into this dispute.

The 42 months extend to the burning and sacking of Babylon; not to the extin∣guishing of Antichrist, which shall be some while after, as appears Revel. 19. The reason of the limitation concealed. If I seem to incline to some moments rather than other, yet would I still be construed according to my first protestation against precise determination of Years in this business.

I. M.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the mean∣ing of those days in the Author's learned Dis∣course De Nu∣••heris Danielis, &c. which is the last Dis∣course in this Third Book.
• * 1.2

  Compare Dan. 11. 31. & Chap. 12. 11.