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

4.

Lastly, It is a thing not to be passed by without admiration, That the Fathers and others, even at the beginning of Saint-worship, by I know not what fatal instinct, used to call Saints and their Reliques, Towers, Walls, Bulwarks, Fortresses, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mahuzzim, in the prime and native signification.

Basil in his Oration upon the Fourty Martyrs, whose Reliques were dispersed over all the Countries thereabouts, speaks in this manner; These are are those who having taken possession of our Countrey, as certain conjoyned TOWERS, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, secure it from the incursions of Enemies. The same Basil concludes his Oration upon Mamas the Martyr in this manner; That God who hath gathered us toge∣ther in this place, and disposes of what is to come, keep us safe from hurt, and secure us from the ravenous Wolf, and preserve stedfast this Church of Caesarea, being guarded with the mighty TOWERS of Martyrs, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Chrysostome in his 32. Homily upon the Epistle to the Romans, speaking of the Reliques of Peter and Paul, This Corps (saith he, meaning of Paul) fortifies this City of Rome more strongly than any TOWER, or than ten thousand RAMPIRES, as also doth the Corps of Peter, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Are not these strong Mahuzzims?

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

A facie hostili duo PROPUGNACULA praesunt, Quos Fidei TURRES Urbs caput Orbis habet. The Faith's two TOWR'S in Lady Rome do lie, Two BULWARKS strong against the Enemy.

At the same thing aims Gregory, lib. 7. Ep. 23. ad Rusticianam Patriciam, entreat∣ing her to come to Rome: Sigladios Italiae & bella formidetis, &c. If you fear the swords. (saith he) and wars of Italy, you ought attentively to consider how great the PROTECTION of Blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, is in this City; wherein without any great number of people, without the aid of souldiers, we have been so many years in the midst of swords by God's providence safely preserved from all hurt.

But to return again to S. Chryscstome, who in his Homily upon the Egyptian Mar∣tyrs, Hom. 70. ad populum Antiochenum, speaks after this manner: Those Saints bodies (saith he) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 FORTIFT our City more strongly than an IMPREGNA∣BLE WALL OF ADAMANT; and, as certain high ROCKS hanging on every side, repel not only the assaults of those Enemies which are sensible and seen with the eye, but also overthrow and defeat the ambuscadoes of Invisible Fiends, and all the Stratagems of the Devil. Here you see are Mahuzzims ••oo.

So long before, in the days of Constantine, Iames Bishop of Nisibus, renowned for Holiness, was, according to order given by Constantine in his life-time, (saith Gennadius) buried within the walls of that City, being a Frontier of the Empire, ob custodiam viz, Civitatis. Gennad. de Vir. illustr. cap. 6.

Evagrius lib. 1. c. 13. tells us, That the Antiochians offered up a supplication to the Emperour Leo the first, about the year 460, for the keeping of the Corps of holy Simeon, surnamed Stylita or the Pillarist, in this form; Because our City hath no wall, (for it had been demolished in a fury,) therefore we brought hither this most holy Body, that it might be to us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A WALL

and A FORTRESSE, which would be in Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Leshur vlema∣hoz.

S. 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 Mahuzzim, as Saints were in the former.

The Greeks at this day, in their Preces Horariae, thus in vocate the Blessed Virgin; O thou Virgin mother of God, thou impregnable WALL, thou FORTRESSE of Salvation [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Psal. 28.] we call upon thee, that thou wouldest frustrate the purposes of our Enemies, and be a FENCE to this City: thus they go on, calling her The Hope, Safe∣guard, and Sanctuary of Christians. Here is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mahoz Mahuzzim, a strong Mahoz indeed.

To conclude, The Titles of Protectors, Guardians and Defenders, which is the sig∣nification of Mahuzzim when a Person is meant, as they are more frequent, so are they no less ancient. Greg. Nyssen in his third Oration upon the fourty Martyrs, calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Guarders and Protectors. Eucherius his S. Gervase the perpetual [Propugnator] Protector of the faithful. Theodoret. lib. 8. de curandis Craeco∣rum affectionibus, calls the holy Martyrs Guardians of Cities, Lieutenants of places, Captains of men, Princes, Champions and Guardians, by whom disasters are turned from us, and those which come from Devils debarred and driven away.

I might here add something also concerning Images, whose worship is another part of the Doctrine of Daemons,* 1.1 and shew how well the name Mahuzzim would befit them, which the Iconomachical Council of Constantinople calls so unluckily 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Fortresses or Mahuzzim of the Devil. And perhaps the nine and thir∣tieth verse in the fore-alledged Prophecy might be yet more literally translated, if the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 facere were taken in a religious sense; And he shall [do unto, or] offer unto the holds of Mahuzzim, together with the foreign God, &c. that is, he shall do re∣ligious service to the Images of Saints together with Christ. I might also put you in mind of the term of Munimentum given to the Cross, and that so usual Latin phrase of Munire signo Crucis, to fortifie (that is, to sign) with the sign of the Cross: But I will not engage my self too far in these Grammatical Speculations.

As for the following verses of this Prophecie, 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Latter times] shall the King of the South (that is, the Saracen) push at him, and the King of the North (the Turk) shall come against him (to wit, the Saracen) like a whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter into the Coun∣tries, and shall overflow and pass over.

Ver. 41. He shall enter also into the glorious Land (Palestine,) and many shall be overthrown; but these shall escape out of his hand, Edom and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon; that is, the Inhabitants of Arabia Petraea, which were never yet Provincials of the Turkish Empire; yea with some of them he is fain to be at a Pension for the safer passage of his Caravans.

Ver. 42. He (the Turk) shall stretch forth his hand also upon the Countries [of those parts,] and the Land of Egypt (though it should hold out long under the Ma∣malukes, even till the year 1517) shall not escape.

Ver. 43. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver and all the preci∣ous things of Egypt; and the Libians and the Cushites (that is, the neighbouring Na∣tions, whether of Africk or Lybia, as those of Algiers, &c. or of the Arabians in Scripture called Cushim) shall be at his steps, that is, at his devotion.

That which* 1.2 remains, as I suppose, is not yet fulfilled, and therefore I leave it: Time will make it manifest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  But Constanti∣nus Manasses the Greek Hi∣storian, in∣verghing a∣gainst Leo Isa••••us for de∣molishing I∣mages, calls them Turres atque Muniti∣ones religiosi cul••••s.
• * 1.2

  See in Book IV. an expli∣cation of the remaining Verses, as also a larger expli∣cation of the foregoing.