A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

The Conelusion of Daniel's Prophetick History.

REmark the First. Hereupon is the variety of Sentiments among the Learned, some confining this Historical Prophecy of Daniel unto this Mad Antiochus only; and others are of Opinion, that it ought to be confined unto the Roman Antichrist on∣ly, producing their Arguments on both sides to prove it. But in my Judgment, the best Opinion is, that both Antiochus and Antichrist are included in this Prophecy; the former as a Type, and the latter as the Antitype: Though the Scripture speak nothing in express Words of the Types of Antichrist, as it doth of our Lord Christ's Types and Figures; yet some, both Antient and Modern Writers do affirm, there be Types of Antichrist in the Old Testament: As 1. Cyprian Interprets the King of Babylon, Isa. 14.13. to be his Type; rendring this Reason, if Babylon Literal be a Type of Rome, which is Babylon Mystical in the Revelation, then the King of Babylon must be a Type of the Roman Antichrist. 2. Others make the Adulteress Harlot, Prov. 5.15, &c. to be the Image and Resemblance of the Whore of Rome. 3. Others represent Antichrist from Gog and Magog, Ezek. 38. and Rev. 20.8. But 4. and Lastly, Many Learned Men make this Antiochus the Type of Antichrist, because of the great Congruity be∣tween them in Daniel's Description: As 1. Both were bitter Enemies to God's Church, the one to the Jewish, and the other to the Christian Church. 2. As the one came be∣fore the first coming of Christ, so the other before his second coming.

Remark the Second, Though Bellarmine misimprove this second Parallel, inferring from thence, that Antichrist must Reign but bare three Years and half immediately before the second coming of Christ, yet this is but a frivolous Consequence, and not unlike that, because Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon (Cyprian's Type of Antichrist) reign∣ed thirty seven Years, therefore Antichrist must Reign but thirty seven Years only, but the Scripture of Truth giveth a far longer Lease to the Beast Antichrist, &c. Maldo∣nate himself confesseth, that the Spirit in Daniel seems to slide from the Life of Antio∣chus to that of Antichrist, as was the Manner of the Prophets, and of Christ our Savi∣our too; thus David speaking of Solomon brings in Christ, Psalm 72.8, &c. so Psalm 16. and Isa. 49. and 54. and 60. Chapters, so Hos. 11.1. with Matth. 2.15. and thus our Saviour speaking of the Temple, speaks together with it of the end of the World, Matth. 24. as the burning of the Temple was a figure of that last burning of the World: Even so this Prophecy of Daniel, after the Description of the two Parallel's Antiochus and Antichrist, altogether alike in Pride, Avarice, Craft and Cruelty against God's Peo∣ple, and in Idolatry and Blasphemy against God himself, ends it with the end of the World, but speaks not one Word, that Antichrist shall Reign no longer than three Years and half; therefore the Argument is frivolous and falls to the ground.

Remark the Third, Though we have four Terms expresly declared by Daniel, con∣cerning the Persecution of Antiochus: As 1. By the two thousand three hundred Days, Dan. 8.14. which makes six Years three Months and twenty Days. 2. A Time, Times, and part of a Time, Dan. 7.25. and 12.7. that is, three Years and a part, the former Date ended before the Sanctuary was defiled, but during this second Term, the daily Sacrifice was discon∣tinued. 3. Another Time set is one thousand two hundred and ninety Days, Dan. 12.11. which ended at such Time as God's Altar was rebuilt, and God's true Worship was re∣stored by Judas Maccabeus. And 4. Forty five Days more are added to the number afore∣said, making them one thousand three hundred and thirty five Days, Dan. 12.12. which forty five Days overplus ended at the Death of Antiochus, most joyful Tidings to God's poor persecuted People; for notwithstanding Antiochus's pretended Repen∣tance,

&c. we are told of, 2 Maccab. 9.13, 28. and Chap. 11. the Jews could have no Confidence in the Words of such an Hypocrite, but his Death did fully free them from all their fears of him: Yet may we not expect to find any such set Times of An∣tichrist's Persecution, to be set down upon Record by Daniel the Old Testament Prophet; no, that Work was reserved for John the Divine in the last Book of the New Testa∣ment: Wherein the number of the Beast or Antichrist's Name, carries a marvelous Har∣mony with these numbers in Daniel, for the number of that Man of Sin is said to be six hundred and sixty six, Rev. 13.18. now twice six hundred and sixty six, make one thousand three hundred and thirtȳt two, and three Years and an half make up Daniel's number, which is one thousand three hundred and thirty five compleat, &c.

Remark the Fourth, Dr. Willet hath most learnedly answer'd great Graserus his great Arguments, wherein he contends to prove, that this Prophecy of Daniel doth Lite∣rally and Historically concern the Roman Antichrist, and not this Mad Antiochus: The Discourse is extended into ten large Exercises, too long here to Epitomize, and there∣fore must I refer the Reader to Dr. Willet's Appendix to his Hexapla upon Daniel, page 495, to 520. As likewise to Mr. Joseph Mede's Works, who makes the History of the Type Antiochus, to lead us by the Hand, to understand the Mystery of the Anti∣type Antichrist, that grand Head of the Apostasy in the last Times foretold, 1 Tim. 4.1, &c. bringing in the Doctrine of Daemons, the forbidding of Meats and Marriages, &c. He shall magnifie himself (as Antiochus did, Dan. 11.37.) Above all, 2 Thess. 2.3, 4, to ver. 10. Rev. 13. per totum, and Rev. 17.3, &c. as to Antiochus's Magnuzzim, Heb. the God of Forces which he worshipped, Dan. 11.38. the same Mr. Mede most excel∣lently Interprets the Daemons or Tatelar Saints and Angels, which Antichrist worships to∣gether with our Lord Christ in the Romish Church: Nor is this any Novel Opinion for ma∣ny of the Fathers, make this Magnuzzim the Idol which Antichrist should Worship: So that none comes nearer the Truth, among many other Conjectures than Mr. Mede: Much more of this abstruse Point, the Reader may find in my Discovery of the Person and Period of Antichrist: A little Book which Dr. Thomas Goodwin approved, and pro∣moted while he lived, &c.