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

The Computation and Impletion.

From the seventh year of Artaxerxes Mnemon, at the time of the Commission grant∣ed to Ezra, (Anno Olympiad. 379. as is already shewed) unto the fourth year after Christ's Ascension (Anno Olymp. 813. AErae Christianae Dionysiacae 37.) are LXII Weeks of years, or 434 years fully compleat and expired. The next year after was Christ divorced and cut off from the Iews, and they 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cast off from being His people; which may appear thus.

Anno AErae Christian. 33.

Christ suffered upon the Cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. The Holy Ghost descended at Pentecost, 3000 conver∣ted, more added; the Apostles forbidden, but cease not to preach Ie∣sus Christ. So this year ends about September.* 1.1

Anno AErae Christian. 34.

The number of Disciples much increased: Deacons chosen, and Ste∣ven one of them. Act. 6. 1, 2, 3, &c.

Anno AErae Christian. 35.

Steven doth great wonders and miracles. The Word of God and the number of Disciples increaseth so, that a great company of the Priests were obedient unto the Faith. The Elders and people rage, and about the end of the year was Steven martyred. Act. c. 6. ver. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. chap. 7. ver. 1. ad finem.

Anno AErae Christian. 36.

Great persecution against the Church at Ierusalem. Saul makes ha∣vock, Act. c. 8. whereupon the Disciples were scattered through the Regions of Iudaea and Samaria, every where preaching the Gospel, ver. 4, 5. Of whose success the Apostles being informed, send Peter and Iohn to Samaria, to lay hands on the new converts, ver. 14, &c. which done, and by the way preaching the Gospel in the villages of Samaria, they returned again to Ierusalem, v. 25.

Anno AErae Christian. 37.

Those which were scattered upon the persecution of Steven proceed further, and travelled as far as Phoenice, Cyprus and Antioch, having by

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  the way preached the Gospel to the Iews at Damascus (how came they there else?) Chap. 11. Which Saul hearing of, gets letters thi∣ther, to bring those he should find there of that way unto Ierusalem. But in his journey himself was miraculously converted and baptized, &c. Peter in the mean time was gone again from Ierusalem by Lyddae unto Ioppa, where he remained all this year at the house of Simon the Tanner.

  The next year after (Anno AErae Christianae 38. Anno Olympiadico 813.) (according as was foretold, That after threescore and two Weeks were ended, MESSIAH should be cut off, and they none of his) when Christ had now one whole Week of years tendred himself unto his own people, and they not only refused him, but first by crucifying the Lord himself, and after that by persecuting his Messengers sent unto them, had made themselves unworthy of everlasting life; Peter was taught by vision, that the Gospel of the Kingdom should be preached unto the Gentiles, and accordingly sent to preach it to Cornelius a Centurion of the Italian band, Acts 10. And here begins the Epocha of the Rejection of Israel, and the Calling of the Gentiles, which S. Paul speaks so much of Rom. 11.

True it is, the cutting off of Christ by death was before the last week was compleat; but the cutting him off from being King and Priest of the Iews was not until after it was ended. Or if this cutting off here mentioned may not be extended to any other cut∣ting off than by Death, yet the other part of the copulative sense, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [And they shall be none of His,] was not fulfilled until the whole Week was ended.

Wherefore the PRINCE'S people to come, &c.] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Populus MES∣SIAE venturus, i. futurus, The people that should be the People of Messiah the Prince, when Israel was rejected: so the Hebrews call Seculum futurum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; whence Mark 10. ver. 30. Luke 18. 30. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Eph. 2. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. According to which notion, Apoc. 1. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Vid. Psal. 71. 18. Esay 27. 6. Esay 44. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Vulgat. ventura & quae fu∣tura sunt. Thus I construe the Text, and understand by Populus Principis futurus, the people of the Roman Empire, where Christ was principally to have his Church and Kingdom whilst Israel should be rejected. Cornelius therefore the first Gentile converted was a Roman Centurion. S. Paul, who is called the Apostle of the Gentiles, went not beyond the bounds of this Empire. This was that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whereof Christ said, Matth. 24. 14. That before the Destruction of Ierusalem the Gospel should be preached 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in all the world; as Augustus is said Luke 2. 1. to have tax∣ed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, according as the Romans themselves used to call it Imperium Orbis Terrarum, &c. Antichrist, who was to* 1.2 sit in the Temple or Church of Christ, sits in the midst of this Empire: whence it appears that the Church which Christ should have* 1.3 after Israel disclaimed him, should chiefly be in it. This People therefore, which was in Israel's stead to be the People of Messiah the Prince, should destroy the City and Sanctuary with such a Destruction as should like a Floud overwhelm the whole Nation, and as an unresistible torrent break down and wash all away before it. All which we know they did.

And unto the end of War Desolations are determined] That is, Until the end of the Fourth Kingdom of the Gentiles, whose last period is that Time, Times and half a Time, whereof it is said Dan. 7. ver. 21, 25. that Antichrist the eyed and mouthed Horn should make War with the Saints, and prevail against them; and they shall be given into his hand until a Time and Times and half a Time: Until the end of this War the Iewish Desolations are determined. But of this more in the next.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I begin and end these years in Tisri, or Sep∣tember, that so they may agree with that time of the Com∣mission granted to Ezra, which I before suppo∣sed to have been about that month.
• * 1.2

  2 Thess. 2
• * 1.3

  Whilest. ••