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latrous Prince carry this false zeal fo far. He did not perfecute the Jews to make them become Atheists; but to make them worship Jupiter Olympius, whofe Idol he had caused to be placed in the Temple. This is to exalt ones felf above God, to mount to that pitch of Pride to which Antiochus and the Popes have mounted.

CHAP. XXIII..

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A notable Prophecy of the Mahuzim, that Antichrift was to worship. The whole found admirably accomplisht in the Papifm. What is the literal fenfe of the Prophecy with respect to Antiochus. An explication of the be ginning of the 12th Chap. of Daniel applied to Antiochus and the Papism.

N this Prophecy which literally refpects An

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fiderable paffage is this. Neither shall be regard
the God of his Fathers, nor the defire of women &
nor regard any God; for he shall magnify himself
above all. But in his eftate shall he honour thè
God of forces and a God whom his Father's knew
not, shall he honour with gold, and filver, and
with precious ftones, and pleasant things. Thus
shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange
God, whom he shall acknowledge, and encrease
with glory and he shall cause them to rule over
many, and shall divide the Land for gain.

The Papifm doth not only agree that we understand this Oracle of Antichrift, but with its utmoft force endeavours to have it fo understood,

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V. 37, 38,

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which An

muft wor

A notable because it hopes to draw great advantages to it Oracle felf thereby, pretending that nothing of this doth ing the agree to the Pope. He hath not abandoned the Mahazim, God of his Fathers, he doth not worship the tichrift God of Mabuzim: That's the word in the original, which our tranflation renders the God of forces. Our lofeph Mede thinks quite contrary to this; he is fo far from believing, that this cannot agree to the Pope and to the Empire ofthe Papifm, that he believes, that St. Paul had a regard to this Oracle, when he faith in that paffage of the fourth Chapt. of the first Epistle to Timothy, that the Spirit faith remarkably

ship.

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exprefly, that fome shall depart from the faith, and shall teach Doctrines of Damons. To understand his notion, which affuredly is pretty and ingenious, we must represent the Text of Daniel according to his verfion, which is much better than our ordinary one.

36. And a King shall do according to his will, &c. In this Verfe there is no effential difference between our vulgar tranflation and that of Iofeph Mede.

37. He shall not regard the God of his Fathers, nor the defire of women, nor regard any God, but shall magnify himself above every God.

38. For he shall honour the God of Mahuzim be-. fides the true God, in exalting them together with him in his feat. And together with this God whom his Fathers knew not, he shall worship the Mahu zim with gold, filver, precious ftones and defirable things.

39. He shall make ftrong holds of the Mahuzim, with the ftrange God, whom he shall acknowledge, he shall multiply the honour, and make them rule over many, and shall divide the Land for a recompence.

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& the un

this Pro

fame thing

Here Iofeph Mede, by the unknown God underftands Iefus Chrift, whom ancient Rome knew not, and whom the new Romans know and worship. Together with this God whom his Fathers knew not, he shall worship the Mahuzim. Interpreters Mahuzim ordinarily confound these Mabuzim with the un-known known God; and the Papifts fay, 'tis the Idol God in that Antichrift fhall worship. But it is clear, that phecy, are the Mahuzim are diftinguifh'd from the unknown not the God. For in the 39th verfe, the H.Spirit clearly distinguishes the Mabuzim from the ftrange or unknown God, in saying, he fhall make ftrong holds of the Mabuzim with the ftrange Gods. hhim Elobah necar. So that these words ferve as a comment on those that go before; which have the fame fenfe, but are a little different. The Prophet doth not ufe the præpofition bhim which fignifies with, béfides, but ufes the particle L. which ufually fignifies to; L'Elobah Mabuzim, which may be tranflated to the God of Mahuzim: He shall give honour to the God of Mabuzim. So, in the fame Verfe the Spirit adds, and he shall glorify, or he fhall give glory and honour, L'Elobah, to the God whom his Fathers knew not. But they that understand the Holy tongue, know alfo, that the particle el, and L fignify befides, together with, as well as to. For example. The Law faith, thou shalt not take a woman, el ahotah, together with her fifter. They that confult the Hebrew Lexicon-writers, will find in them an infinite number of the like examples. So that instead of translating it, He fhall honour the God of Mahazim, it fhould be rendred together with God, he shall honour the Mahuzim. And that which determins the Text to this fenfe is, 1. That the noun Elobah, God, is in the fingular number, and Mahuzim

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the

The un

known

the plural. Now in all regular constructions, the nouns that are conftrued together, fhould be of the fame number. It should be faid the Gods Mabuzim, or in the fingular number the God Mahus. 2. A barbarous conftruction is made, in fuppofing, that the Prophet faith of him concerning whom he speaks, He shall honour TO the God Mabuzim. The particle L is a sign of the Dative cafe, and fignifies to; now in the holy Tongue as well as in ours, 'tis a barbarous conftruction, and without example to place a dative cafe after honour. He shall honour to any one. This barbarity is taken away, in giving the particle of the Hebrew Text the fignification of together with or befides, which it alfo ufually hath. He shall honour Mabuzim befides God, or together with him. 3. The Prophet clearly explains himself, as I have already obferv'd. What he faid le Elohah, he repeats by bhim Elohah together with God; be shall build frong holds to Mabuzim together with the ftrange God. 4. This word vehimishelam, and he shall caufe them to rule, fhews, that he speaks of many Gods, for he faith them, which thews that the word God in the fingular number, that is joined with Mahuzim in the plural, is not the fame thing.

Understanding Jefus Chrift by the unknown God, it is clear, that by Mabuzim we must underftand the he and she-Saints, the Angels, Mediators, and fecond Gods of the Papifm. One may almost as well number the stars of the Heavens, as Godid the conjectures of the learned about thefe Mathe Mabu-buzim. So that I will not endeavour to give an Saints and account of them. I will only obferve, that this guardian word properly fignifies the strong, or forces or forAngels. treffes. There is no word that we oftner meet with

Chrift,and

gim are the

in the Pfalms of David. Jehova Mabuzzi the Lord is my ftrength, my ftrong one, or my fortrefs. And it is certain, that by that David meant, the Lord is my protector and my patron. It is very remarkable, that the Septuagint often tranflate this Hebrew word by Hyperafpifte, a Greek word, that fignifies defender, protector, patron. Now this See Pfal is exactly the name that the Papifts give to Saints 27-1. 28.☎ and Angels; they call them their patrons, protectors, defenders, guardians. And if they spoke in Hebrew, they could not call them otherwise than Mahuzim; for 'tis the proper fignification of the word. They vow themselves to their fervice, put themselves under their protection,& they worship them,feeing they give homage to them. Therefore following the true Text of Daniel, and the true tranflation, we find an admirable sense in it, and what agrees to the popish Antichriftianifm more than all that can be faid; which may be feen by the application of the Prophecy to the events.

V.36. This King shall do according to his will, and shall magnify himself above every God, and shall Speak marvellous things against the God of Gods. So doth the Antichriftian Empire do, that treads under feet all the Gods i. e. all the Kings of the Earth; and who by its idolatries and fuperftitions, exalts it felf even against God himself by an unfupportable pride. He calls himself the Vicar of God, and faith he is clothed with the fulness of his

power.

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37. He fhall not have regard to the God of his Fathers. That is to fay, he fhall not worship the Gods of the ancient Romaus, he fhall reject the fupiters, the Demons, and the other Pagan divinities.

He shall have no regard to the defire of Women. Behold, a place that cries, that fpeaks aloud, and which

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