of the Woman in the wilderness chap. 12. vers 6. The fortie two moneths of the Beast and of his blasphemies chap. 13. vers 5. The time of the Image of King Nebuchadnezzar Dan. chap. 2. The determined time of the four Monarchies Dan. chapter 17. vers 12. 25. The one thousand two hundred ninetie daies of Dan. chap. 12. vers 11. c. The spirit of life from God entered into them In the chapter 37. vers 14. of Ezekiel God in the behalf of the Jews in the Captivitie of Babylon doth use such an expression saying I will put my spirit in you and yee shall live and I shall place you in your own Land c. The same will befal to the exiled and oppressed Evangelical Professors God will send them an unexspected help by such means which never entred into anie man's thoughts God will revive them again bring them into their own Land re-establish them in their dignities and publick functions and give them greater and higher Privileges and Liberties then they ever had before And they stood upon their feet The Exiled Evangelical Professors do appear again and take possession of their Land and places The oppressed also com forth again and are delivered from their heavie yoak And great fear fell upon them which saw them As now there is great joie and exsultation amongst the Papists about the issue of this war so there will bee great terror when they shall see the Exiled return into the hereditarie Provinces again and the Oppressed take possession of their former dignities and honorable functions Then will bee a livelie example set before us of that which is written in the book of Wisdom chap. 5. Vers 12. And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them Com up hither c. By the Heaven the Church is understood By the great voice is signified that after the end of three years and an half a great and chief Instrument an high Potentate amongst the Evangelical Professors shall rise and bee exalted who to the great fear and terror of Papists shall open again a free cours to the Gospel and Call with a great voice upon the exiled and oppressed re-establish them into their publick imployments and possessions and saie unto them Com up hither This is the Divine Diploma or Letters Patents the vocation or calling which is published by that High Potentate The exiled do obeie They ascend up to Heaven that is they enter into their charges again and perform that in the Church which is committed to their trust In a Cloud that is with great autoritie respect power and glorie Isa 14. vers 13. 14. And their enemies beheld them namely those that formerly did rejoice at their afflictions and miseries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie contemplari ludos spectare vel celebrare to see a Comedie or plaie The Papists had hitherto acted as it were a Comedie with the Euangelical Professors and tormented them with all sorts of plagues Now they see the event and issue thereof wherin doth befal unto them what is threatned Jer. 50. vers 10 11 12 13. Vers 13. And the same hour was there a great Earth-quake All the Peace which the Papists do imagine to themselvs is now at an end For immediately the reformation of this Evangelical Potentate causeth an exceeding great insurrection and combustion in the Romane Empire And the tenth part of the Citie fell By the Citie is here meant 1. Either the whole Papacie and thus one of the ten streets hath its fall Namely the Germane Empire which is the street where the dead bodies of the two Witnesses had lien who are now standing again upon their feet 2. Or the Citie of Rome it self which in regard of the old Citie of Rome when shee was in her florishing condition is counted this daie but the tenth part As the same is proved by Lipsius lib. 3. admirand And there were slain That is cut off and destroid In the Earthquake That is in this war Seven thousand That is a great number or multitude Of men That is high and great persons chief heads and noble families And the remnant were affrighted and gave glorie to the God of Heaven The rest of the Papists stand amazed and do acknowledg the just judgments of God which hee poured out over them Vers 14. The second wo is past These words do not import that by the destruction of the Citie of Rome and the other things which have been set down in the aforegoing words the second wo is brought to an end but the overthrow of the Turkish Empire is thereby especially intimated Revelations 8. vers 13. St John beheld and heard an Angel flying thorough the midst of Heaven saying with a loud voice Wo wo wo to the inhabitants of the Earth by reason of the other voices of the Trumpet of the three Angels which are yet to sound The first Wo hapned by the Saracens and Arabians whereof in Revel 9. vers first till the twelfth The second Wo hapned by the Turks Revelations 9 vers 13. till the 19. Hereunto do agree almost all the Expositors and refer this second Wo unanimously to the Turkish Empire And do infer from thence becaus it is said here the second Wo is past that immediately after the destruction of the Citie of Rome and these Revolutions in the Germane Empire the Turkish Empire shall have it's fall Vers 14. Behold the third Wo cometh quickly All the three Woes are poured over the Popish Romane Empire But the third Wo is the last and beginneth at the sound of the seventh Trumpet Wherefore these words do immediately follow Vers 15. And the seventh Angel sounded Wherewith beginneth the seventh and last plague poured out over Babel And withal is briefly described 1. The great joie which ariseth in the Evangelical Church 1. Becaus they have gotten an Evangelical head Vers 11. 2. Becaus the Citie of Rome is destroied and Germanie is fallen away from the Papal State vers 13. 3. Becaus the Turkish Empire is com to an end Vers 14. 4. Becaus the Son of God hath taken possession of the Kingdoms of this world and useth his great power and reigneth vers 15 16 17. This joie is also described in the 19. chapter vers 17. And upon this joie did David in the spirit reflect In the 93. Psal The Lord reigneth and is cloathed with Majestie c. In the 97. Psal The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice And in the 99. Psal The Lord reigneth bee the people never so impatient 2. The wrath of the Heathen That is the furie and rage of the Papists against these the Lord riseth becaus the daie of his wrath is com utterly cutting them off and destroying them vers 18. This Act is with a double sign confirmed 1. The Temple of God is opened and there was seen in his Temple the ark of his Testament 2. There were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an Earth-quake and great
it bee matter of theorie or of affection or of Practice that the all-sufficiencie of the anointing of Christ in his Saints may appear and bee found alone effectual without the tricks of Humane Philosophie of Policie and of power to slaie the wicked and to direct the Spirit of man to all the secrets of Divine and Humane wisedom which shall bee found nothing but meer fallacies further then it hath a direct relation and subordination to manifest the life and glorie of Christ Jesus when I saie this Sword shall bee thus made use of and applied then and not till then shall I exspect that the Beast and the fals Prophet shall bee taken alive and destroied and till this bee don Satan cannot bee bound up from seducing the Nations of the Earth Thus you see the grounds of the Hopes of Your friend in Christ John Durie At my Chamber Novemb. 28. 1650. Clavis Apocalyptica OR A Prophetical KEY BY WHICH The Great Mysteries in the Revelation of St John and in the Prophet Daniel are opened It beeing made apparent That the Prophetical Numbers com to an end With the year of our Lord 1655. Judicious Reader I Doubt not but there bee manie especially those who have anie Interest in the condition of Common-wealths that are desirous to know what at length may bee the end and issue of this present Combustion and Continuance of Wars that are spread over the face of Europe Whereof the Revelation of St John doth give information But in respect it is commonly held and reputed a Mysterious and dark book I offer here a Key Whosoëver doth well applie the same and observeth the Method and Harmonie of the Revelation and also diligently pondereth and considereth the second and seventh chapter of the Prophet Daniel hee will finde his desire satisfied and easily discover the Event of these wars Farewel Wel-meaning Reader and bee patient for a short time thou shalt see the end of these distractions in great Revolutions both in Church and State within and without Europe Clavis Apocalyptica THe eternal and true God to manifest his Fatherlie and faithful Providence which hee without intermission dispenseth to his People hath severally in the Old Testament for the comfort of the godlie and warning of the wicked set and prefixed certain times how long hee would connive at the distresses and persecutions of his own and when hee would deliver and punish the wicked 1. Before the Flood hee gave to them who would not anie more hearken to the reproof of his Spirit a hundred and twentie years respite Genes 6. v. 3. When this time was exspired God came with the punishment of the Flood and destroied all that was living upon the face of the Earth except Noah and what was with him under God's protection in the Ark. Gen. 7. v. 23. 2. God did declare to the Patriark Abraham that his seed should bee a stranger in a Land that was not theirs and should serv them and they should afflict them for four hundred years But that Nation whom they should serv hee would judg and afterwards they should com out with great substance Genes 15. ver 13 14. Which promise God did faithfully perform and after the time was exspired hee brought forth his people by a strong and mightie hand out of the Egyptian bondage and drowned Pharach with his Host in the Red Sea Exod 12. v. 13 14. 3. To the Captivitie of Babylon was set a period of seventie years Ierem. 29. 10. When the time was accomplished the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to the end that hee might let his people go up again to Ierusalem 2 Chronic. 36. v. 22 23. 4. To Daniel shewed God that seventie weeks which are annual or yearlie weeks or four hundred nintie years were determined upon the Iewish people in which time the Messiah should com and bee cut off and at length the Citie of Ierusalem bee destroied Daniel c. 9. v. 24 25 26 27. How truly all these things were accomplished is sufficiently evident In like manner there is a certain time set and determined upon the Church of God in the New Testament how long shee shall bee subject and exposed to persecution and when shee shall bee delivered from it as it doth appear by the Prophet Daniel and by the Revelation of St Iohn Whereof these Positions or Aphorisms may bee collected 1. This determined time is expressed in these following places of the Holie Scripture Daniel 7. v. 25. They the Saints shall bee given into his the fourth beast's hand until a time and times and the dividing of time And in the 12. Chapt. v. 7. An Angel doth ask the question How long shall it bee to the end of these wonders Another returneth this answer That it shall bee for a time times and a half Revelat. 12. v. 14. The Woman which is the Church of God shall bee in the wilderness for a time times and half a time which is to saie as it is expressed in the sixth vers of the same Chapter a thousand two hundred and threescore daies Chapter 11. v. 3. The two witnesses shall bee clothed with Sackcloth one thousand two hundred sixtie daies Chapter 11. v. 2. The Gentiles shall tread under foot the holie Citie fourtie two moneths Chap. 13. vers 5. The blasphemies of the beast shall continue fourtie two moneths 2. These three sorts of numbers and times as a time times and half a time one thousand two hundred sixtie daies and fortie two moneths are of one and the same kinde and correspondent one to another None would bee able to understand what a time times and half a time is which are determined for the fourth beast Dan. 7. vers 15. For the wonders Dan. 12. vers 7. And for the woman in the wilderness Revelat. 12. vers 14. unless it had been said also of the Woman that shee shall bee nourished there one thousand two hundred sixtie daies which doth explain the other So that the Woman's 3 ½ times are equivalent to one thousand two hundred sixtie daies Likewise because the 3 ½ times of the Beast mentioned in the Prophet Daniel are declared by fortie two moneths in the Revelation of St Iohn 13. vers 15. it doth of necessitie follow that the fortie two moneths are equivalent to one thousand two hundred sixtie daies which maketh up the accompt thirtie daies beeing computed for a moneth as is usual amongst the Hebrews 360 daies are 1. year or time 12 moneths 720 2. years 24. 180 ½ year 6. 1260 daies 42. moneths 3. These one thousand two hundred sixtie daies do signifie one thousand two hundred sixtie years Manie are of this opinion that here are meant natural daies and consequently but 3 ½ years But experience doth contradict the same in regard the Holie Citie hath been trodden under foot the two witnesses clothed with sackcloth the woman continued in the wilderness and the Beast with ten horns spoken blasphemies and
great things long ago Besides it is impossible to accomplish in so short a time what els is said that it shall com to pass in these 3 ½ years So that hereby Prophetical daies or so manie years are meant Wee finde examples in the holie Scriptures that by the daies expressed years are to bee understood as Daniel 9. vers 24. in the seventie weeks everie daie signifieth a year and the seventie weeks make up four hundred ninetie years according to the Chronologer's Computation Numbers 14. vers 33. 34. Your Children shall wander in the wilderness fortie years after the number of the daies in which yee searched the Land even fortie daies each daie for an year Ezekiel 4. vers 6. Thou shalt bear their iniquitie fortie daies and I have appointed thee each daie for an year Read upon this subject the first and sixteenth Proposition of Iohn Napier upon the Revelation Nature furnisheth such like example As in the Astrological direction by a degree which the Sun by his cours doth finish in one daie is meant a year in operation and a whole circle which consisteth of three hundred sixtie degrees and is run over by the Sun in one year signifieth three hundred sixtie years or a full time as is sufficiently known to the Astrologers 4. These 3 ½ times fortie two Moneths one thousand two hundred sixtie daies as they do comprehend times and years of one sort so they begin together and end together 1. These 3 ½ times of the Beast and of the woman in the wilderness do begin together For when the red Dragon Revel 12. vers 9. 13. was cast down to the earth by the ruine of the Heathenish Idolatrie hee persecuted the Woman by the Beast having ten horns to which hee gave his power and his seat and great Autoritie Revel 13. vers 2. The Woman fled into the wilderness that shee might bee nourished there for one thousand two hundred sixtie daies Revel 12. vers 14. And to the Beast it was given to remain with him fortie two moneths 2. The time of the Beast and of the two witnesses doth exspire with the sixth Trumpet wherefore of necessitie they began together For when the spirit of life from God entred into the two witnesses and beeing no more clothed with sackcloth ascended up to heaven in a cloud in the same hour was there a great earthquake and fierce war wherein the tenth part of the Citie fell and also the second wo passed Revel 11. vers 11 12 13 14. 3. That the time of the Gentiles which tread under foot the holie Citie and the time of the witnesses clothed with Sackcloth do begin together it appeareth by the 11. Chapter of the Revelations vers 2 3. as a thing undoubted 5. To the Prophet Daniel the Angel spoke of 3 ½ times Chap. 7. vers 25. and Chapter 12. vers 6. but afterwards hee spoke also of one thousand two hundred sixtie daies Wherefore it is called into Question whether 3 ½ times and one thousand two hundred sixtie daies are one and the same times Answ The Teachers do expound it generally to that effect as if by the 3 ½ times and one thousand two hundred sixtie daies one and the same time is understood But the Text doth make no mention of it For the words are these Chapter 7. vers 25. The Saints shall bee given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time which is one thousand two hundred sixtie years Chap. 12. v. 6. 7. That it shall bee for a time times and an half which is one thousand two hundred sixtie years So that these two places speak of the duration how long the Beast with ten horns shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the Saints But in the Chap. 12. vers 11. is given a terminus à quo a certain character and token from which begin the Computation until one thousand two hundred nintie years with which the 3 ½ times or one thousand two hundred sixtie years do exspire together 6. The one thousand two hundred ninetie daies Dan. 12. vers 11. do begin with the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie three or three hundred ninetie five when the terrible devastation and destruction of the Temple of Ierusalem under the Roman Emperour Julian the Apostate happened The words of the the text chapter 12. vers 11. are these from the time that the dailie sacrifice shall bee taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up there shall bee a thousand two hundred and ninetie daies By the dailie Sacrifice is understood the Jewish worship which although by the destruction of the Citie of Jerusalem and of the Temple was taken away yet it was not quite abolished seeing the Jews under the Emperor Constantine the Great did yet celebrate their Passover as you may read in the tenth book twelf and twentie fourth chapter of Nicephorus and were still in a continued hope to build up the Temple again By the abomination of desolation or by the abominable desolation is understood the final and last destruction of the Temple whereof Christ Math. 24. vers 2. said that there shall not bee left one stone upon another that shall not bee thrown down The Abomination of desolation doth point out Caussam efficientem the efficient caus which in Dan. 9. vers 27. out of the Hebrew Schikkuzim Meschomem is there well rendred by the wings shall stand abominations of desolation namely such abominations whereby the holie place shall bee destroied But in the chap. 12. vers 11. wee read Schikkuz Schomem which doth intimate a fulness and perfection and must bee rendered the abominable desolation Vide Conradum Graserum in cap. 9. Dan. Exerc. 5. pag. 405. Ubi it à disserit Schomem rationem nominis videtur habere ut magìs rem operatam quà m ipsam operationem id est magìs effectum quà m effectûs caussam significet Cùm contrà per alterum meschomem causa effìciens profanandi sanctuarii indicetur Wherefore the true meaning and sens of these words is this From the time that the dailie Sacrifice at Jerusalem is taken away and the abominable desolation of the Temple wherein the worship and service of God onely could bee performed shall bee fully and thorowly accomplished there bee one thousand two hundred ninetie years This total desolation and destruction of the Temple happened under the Emperor Julian the Apostate in the year of our Lord three hundred sixtie three or three hundred sixtie five according to som Chronologer's computation For when Julian in despight of the Christians had recalled the Jews that were dispersed to and fro to return into their land and furnished them with monie handie-craftsmen workmen materials and other helps and commanded them to build up the Temple again and re-establish the Levitical service And the Jews had imbraced such offers of assistance laid the foundation and begun the building thereof God himself did
destroie their work by thunder and lightning from Heaven with terrible earthquakes and fire-bals and totally overthrew the foundation of the Temple insomuch that Cyrillus then Bishop at Ierusalem was forced to confess and to acknowledg that now the words of Christ which hee spoke of the Temple unto his disciples Matthew 24. vers 2. were fulfilled That there shall not bee left one stone upon another that shall not bee thrown down Hereof may bee further read Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 23. Socrates lib. 3. c. 17. Theodoretus lib. 3. c. 17. at the end Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 21. Tripart lib. 6. cap. 44. and others more 7. The one thousand two hundred sixtie years must for the space of thirtie years bee protracted and begin later and at lest with the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five becaus they expire together with the one thousand two hundred ninetie years Here wee must observ and look whether the Characters and Tokens which are set upon the beginning of the one thousand two hundred sixtie years may bee applied to the three hundred ninetie fifth year Wee have three several Characters 1. The Division of the Romane Empire into two parts Revel chapter 12. vers 14. 2. The beginning of the treading under foot of the holie Citie Chap. 11. vers 2. 3. The rising of the Beast out of the Sea chapter 13. vers 2. The first Character is described in the Revel 12. vers 14. in these words And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that shee might flee into the wilderness into her place where shee is nourished By the great Eagle is understood the Romane Empire by the two Wings is meant the division of the same into two parts Constantine the great though hee removed the Imperial Seat from Rome to Byzance or Constantinople yet hee reteined to himself the Government over the whole Empire during his life after his death it was divided among his three Sons into three parts But this Division did not last long but did soon determine for Constantius did reign after his Brother's death over the whole Romane Empire himself alone as also after him Iulian and other Emperors following But after the death of Theodose the Great who died the 17. of Ianuarie 395 the Romane Empire was divided between his two sons Arcadius and and Honorius so that Arcadius reigned in the East and Honorius in the West And thus this Character may bee well applied to the three hundred ninetie fifth years 1. Becaus of the division of the Romane Empire into two parts whereby the wings of the Eagle are spread 2. Becaus the Barbarous Nations did invade and over-run the Romane Empire on all sides in the verie same year whereby the holie Citie was horribly trodden under foot and the Woman put to flight in the wilderness The second Character is expressed in the Revelations 11. vers 2. in these words It is given unto the Gentiles that they shall tread the holie Citie under foot By the Conversion of Constantine the Great was the Child which the Woman the christian Church had brought forth established upon the seat of God and by that means the Christian Emperors came to the Government and the Heathenish service of the Dragon got thereby a huge great downfal But in the daies of Theodosius the Great the great Dragon in the Romane Empire was quite overthrown and cast to the ground At that time the Church of God did triumph and was gloriously built and propagated But after Theodosius in the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five in Ianuarie was dead and his two sons Arcadius and Honorius had entred into the Government the treading under foot of the holie Citie did soon begin when the Goths Huns Alans with other barbarous Nations under the Command of their King Alaricus invaded first the Oriental other made an irruption into the Occidental Empire and took the Citie of Rome in the year four hundred ten Now by these desolations how the Christian Churches were destroied the Countries spoiled the Christians persecuted and reduced to a most pitiful condition may bee gathered from the lamentation of the old Father Ierome whereof you may read in his first Tom. the Epist 3d pag. 18. and Epist 11. pag. 44. Likewise Augustine in his books of the Citie of God doth give a further information hereof and especially Ludovicus Vives in his Preface upon the same 3. The third Character is set down in the Revelation chap. 13. vers 2. in these words And a beast rose up out of the Sea having seaven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns The Old Heathenish Empire is compared to the red Dragon which hath seven heads seven Mountains in the Citie of Rome and ten horns Provinces and upon his heads in the Citie of Rome seven Crowns seven sorts of Government namely Reges Consules Dictatores Decemviros Tribunos militum Caesares 10. Reges Here the new Romane Empire under the Christian Emperours and Kings is brought in which hath not seven Crowns upon the seven heads upon the Mountains in the Citie of Rome but hath ten Crowns upon the ten horns that is in the Kingdoms into which the Romane Empire is divided But wee must not seek the beginning of this beast in the time when it had already fully his horns Kingdoms but but when it rose up out of the Sea that is when it invaded the Romane Empire by force of Arms and made such a progress in it that it subdued the Citie of Rome And although the Barbarous Septentrional Nations have manie times invaded the Romane Empire with great power yet they could never so far prevail that they could take Rome Alaricus was the first who as was mentioned already in the second Character in the year of our Lord three hundred ninetie five made an irruption into the Romane Empire with two hundred thousand Goths Huns Alans prevailed against the Romans and at length took Rome in the year four hundred ten About the same time som other Nations invaded the Romane Empire which they tore into so manie pieces that in the year of our Lord four hundred fiftie five and also sixtie years after the first Invasion ten Kings each by himself reigned in the Romane Empire Wherefore the beginning of the Beast with ten horns or the rising of the same out of the Sea is referred to that year when Alaricus with his Nations invaded the Roman Empire namely to the three hundred ninetie fifth year since the birth of Christ Wee see also that all the three Characters are incident into the three hundred ninetie fifth year as 1. The spreading of the two wings of the great Eagle by the division of the Romane Empire into two parts whereby the Woman the Christian Church doth flee into the wilderness 2. The rising of the Beast with ten horns out of the Sea by the Invasion of Alaricus with his Nations 3. The beginning of treading under foot the
until the building of the Temple of Solomon Aera vulgaris doth reckon in this period of time four hundred eightie years as they are plainly set down 1 Kings 6. vers 1. But by the book of Iudges and other places of the Scripture it doth appear that they were five hundred eightie years As Fortie years in the Wilderness Deut. 1. vers 3. Acts 13. 18. Seven years of Ioshua in the taking of possession and division of the Land of Canaan Ioshua 14. vers 10. Four hundred fiftie years until Samuel Acts 13. vers 2. As namely Eight under King Chushan Rishatha ïm. Iudges 3. vers 8. Fortie under Othniel vers 11. Eighteen under Eglon. vers 14. Eightie under Ehud vers 30. Twentie under Iabin chap. 4. vers 3. Fortie under Deborah and Barak Chapter 5. vers 31. Seven under the Midianites chap. 6. vers 1. Fortie under Gideon chap. 8. vers 28. Three under Abimeleck the Tyrant chap. 9. vers 22. Twentie three under Tola chap. 2. vers 3. Twentie two under Iair vers 3. Sa. Three hundred one as Iephthah saith Three hundred chap. 11. vers 26. Eighteen under the Philistines ch 10. vers 8. Six under Iephthah chap. 12. v. 7. Seven under Ibzan vers 10. Ten under Elon vers 11. Eight under Abdon vers 14. Fortie under the Philistines chap. 13. vers 1. Twentie under Sampson c. 16. v. 31. Fortie under Eli. 1 Sam. chap. 4. vers 18. Sa. Four hundred fiftie as above Acts Chap. 13. vers 20. Fortie years under Samuel and Saul Acts 13. vers 21. Fortie under David first of Kings chap. 2. vers 11. Three under Solomon first of Kings chap. 6. vers 1. Sa. Five hundred eightie years from the going out of Egypt until the building of the Temple of Solomon Here do concur two Characters as in the three hundred years whereof Iephthah speaketh Iudges 11. vers 26. Four hundred fiftie years of the Iudges until the Prophet Samuel whereof St Paul Acts 13. vers 2. Which in the vulgar supputation whereby are numbred but four hundred eightie years are not found 5. Eleven years of Ezekiah the last King of Iudah In the vulgar supputation indeed are reckoned up from the building of the Temple until the destruction of of the same four hundred seventeen years But there must bee eleven years taken off again in respect the beginning of the Captivitie of Babylon is counted the eleventh year of Iechoniah that was King immediately before instead it should bee upon good ground referred to the eleventh year of Ezekiah at which time the Temple was destroied As you may read hereof Michaël Mestlinum quaest 7. Chronolog pag. 67. seqq Etiam Reusnerum de supput annorum mundi pag. 28. Iohannem Piscatorem in suo Chronol Indice pag. 15. with som others more 6. Seven years in the times of the Kings of Persia as of Cyrus six years and of Xerxes the second one year 2. Whereof Mestlinus Quaest. Chronol pag. 3. 5. 38. 7. Two years which Scaliger Calvisius and Helvicus do refer to the supputation of years since the birth of Christ Now these mentioned years which together amount to three hundred ninetie six years beeing added to the five thousand six hundred four years since the Creation of the world according to the supputation of one thousand six hundred fiftie five years of our Lord it will bee manifest that the six thousand years since the Creation of the world do exspire with the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year since the Birth of Christ 3. In the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year since the Birth of Christ doth also exspire the period and time from the beginning of the world until the Flood The Flood came when the one thousand six hundred fiftie sixth year from the Creation of the world was exspired The end of the one thousand six hundred fiftie sixth year since the birth of Christ is according to the vulgar supputation incident into the end of one thousand six hundred fiftie fourth or begining of one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year Now the conjectures of som famous learned men have been these that at the end of these years great revolutions and changes may bee looked for as especially do mention hereof Leonard Krentheim in suis conject p. 53. Euchstadius in discursu de conjunct M. pag. H. 3. Wencestaus Budowez in circulo Horol c. pag. 15. Paulus Crellius in Prompt Biblico under the word Burse or title of repentance pag. 119. Seeing the mystical numbers which are expressed in the Prophet Daniel and in the Revelation of St John the six thousand years since the Creation of the world and also the period since the beginning of the world until the Flood do meet with the ending of the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year of our Lord which draweth neer It is very likelie that for certain som great things are at the door and that wee may look for fearful and terrible revolutions For now it is the time wherein the Son of God doth call upon us Watch praie look up and lift up your heads becaus your redemption is at hand But the result of it is this which hee declareth Luke 18◠vers 8. When the Son of man cometh shall hee finde faith on the earth namely that Faith which the widow had and used against the unjust Iudg by her importunitie praiers and supplications until shee was avenged of her adversaries Surely this faith is not found among them that dwell on the earth The poor Woman put to flight and wandring in the Wilderness Revel 12. vers 14. onely maketh use of this weapon against her Adversarie and continueth in the same with crying without intermission to God the righteous Judg. And shall hee not avenge her Shall hee not avenge his own elect which crie daie and night unto him though hee bear long with them I tell you that hee will avenge them speedily But those that live in securitie and persist in their malice and wickedness when they shall saie Peace and safetie then sudden destruction shall com upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. vers 2 3. For the daie of the Lord shall com as a thief in the night Wherefore watch and praie Apocalypsis Reserata OR THE REVELATION OF St IOHN OPENED Wherein the distribution of the times of the New Testament being made Into The Kingdom of the Dragon The Lievtenantship of Antichrist The quiet state of the Church in the Kingdom of Christ By the EXPOSITION of the XI and XVI Chapters is shewed What in these our present times 1. Hitherto hath been fulfilled 2. At this present is effectually brought to pass 3. And henceforth is to bee exspected in the years neer at hand REVEL Chap. 22. v. 12. Behold I com quickly and my reward is with mee to give everie man according as his work shall bee LONDON Printed in the year 1650. THE REVELATION
vers 16. John 8. vers 17. 2 Cor. 13. vers 15. The Angel saith Unto my two Witnesses whereby it doth appear that hee that speaketh here unto Iohn is the Son of God himself They shall prophesie clothed with sackcloth The whore of Babylon is araied in purple and scarlet color and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls Revelations 17. vers 4. But the witnesses of Christ are clothed with sackcloth that is their cloths are but poor and despicable as those were of the Prophets of God in times of old who wore also sackcloth Isaiah 20. v. 2. a rough garment Zechar. 13. vers 4. Elijah was girt with a girdle of leather 2 Kings 1. vers 8. preaching repentance and the suffering of the Cross and persecutions and were exposed to all manner of tribulations and persecutions A thousand two hundred and threescore daies that is as manie years from the three hundred ninetie fifth year of our Lord until the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year as it doth appear in Clavi Apocalypt Vers 4. These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth Thus are the High-Priest Ioshua and the Prince Zerubbabel described Zach. 4. vers 14. Vers 5. And if anie man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies and if anie man will hurt them hee must in this manner bee killed This is taken out of the historie of the Prophet Elijah when at his request fire came down from Heaven and consumed the Captain with his fiftie men 2 King 1. vers 10. 12. Which likewise the Disciples of Christ would have don when the Samaritans would not receiv Christ and them Luke 9. vers 54. Vers 6. These have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the daies of their Prophesie which is also taken out of the historie of Elijah 1 Kings 1◠V. 1. And have power over the waters to turn them to blood and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will which is out of Moses's and Aaron's expedition in Egypt applied and referred hereto whereof wee read in Exodus 7. vers 20. and in the 8 9 10 11 12. chapters By this description of the two Witnesses God doth declare that what mercies in times of old hee hath shewed unto his people the Children of Israël the same hee will also shew in the New Testament unto them that believ Hee will give them Ioshuas and Zerubbabels faithful Teachers and religious Rulers and Governors who shall fit and edifie them unto the Temple of God and as Candlesticks give light unto them with their pure doctrine and as Olive-trees assist them with powerful consolation Hee will give them zealous Elijahs and Elishahs who shall fight against the whore Jezabel the Priests of Baal and other persecutors Hee will also at length send them his Moses's and Aarons who shall deliver them and bring them forth out of the Antichristian bondage Vers 7. And when they have or shall have finished their Testimonie cùm finierint vel peregerint Thus the versions do render it either in the perfect or future perfect tens whereby the Teachers and Expositors have been mistaken to think that this last war should not begin till then when the determined one thousand two hundred sixtie years of the two Witnesses should bee exspired But becaus by this means the two Witnesses should remain in sackcloth and the Woman in the wilderness beyond the time appointed and also the fourth beast should continue to blaspheme longer then 3½ times or fortie two moneths To all which not onely the plain text but also the swearing of the Angel Daniel 12. vers 7. and the great Oath of the Son of God Revelations 10. vers 6. are contradictorie therefore wee must look upon the propertie of the text in the original tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the indefinitum primum which indeed may bee rendred in the perfect tens when they have finished or in the future perfect tens when they shall have finished But this exposition beeing also repugnant and contrarie to this and other texts in the Revelation wee must reject it and render the words in futuro simplici cùm finituri sunt When they shall finish namely when the one thousand two hundred sixtie years shall draw to an end as Ioannes Cloverius in primo diluculo Apocalyptico prop. 14. p. 124. and in Comment posthumo Tom. 3. page 28. doth observ Likewise Iosephus Medeus in Comment in Apocalypsin In the one thousand two hundred sixtie years first the one thousand years do expire in the year one thousand three hundred ninetie five Then the two hundred years expire in the year one thousand five hundred ninetie five whereupon do follow the sixtie years as the end So that these words when they shall finish their testimonie are to have this sens when in the one thousand five hundred ninetie fith year of our Lord the sixtie years shall begin Then the Beaest that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and shall overcom them and kill them By the Beast here is meant the Beast with ten horns which Chapter 13. vers 1. riseth up out of the Sea whereof the Angel in the 17. Chapter vers 8. saith to Iohn The Beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit And vers 11. The Beast that was and is not even hee is the eighth and is of the seven c. That is the Empire or Government hath been under the Heathenish Romane Emperors where the Dragon did reign and was openly worshipped in Paganism And is not The Dragon was thrown from his seat and is not any more worshipped openly becaus Christian Emperors and Governors are com to the Imperial dignitie who have destroied heathenism And ascendeth again out of the bottomless pit When the Dragon's government was destroied and the Heathenish Idolatrie abolished the Dragon creep's in again by the means of the Beast with ten horns when the Romane Empire is divided into manie Kingdoms give 's him his power and his seat and great autoritie and bring 's it to this that a new and more holie form of Idolatrie is established and that hee the Dragon together with the Beast is worshipped again Revelations 13. vers 2 3 4. This Beast is the eighth and is of the seven that is the Rider the woman sitting upon the Beast which John seeth in a vision Chapter 13. vers 3. doth govern the civil State in the divided Romane Empire as the Beast with ten horns and this is the seventh sort of Government and withal the Ecclesiastical Popish Government also which is the eighth sort But becaus the Woman sit's up on the Beast and both doth make one Complexum or a Rider And the Woman doth after her pleasure ride and govern the Beast therefore both the last forms of the Romane Common-wealth the Ecclesiastical and Political
hundred sixtie years must com thirtie years later and so begin Anno three hundred ninetie five becaus they end together 2. Secondly becaus by the division of the old Romane Empire into two parts in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the Romane Eagle got two wings and becaus in the verie same year the Septentrional Barbarous Nations invaded the Romane Empire whereby the Woman the Christian Church fled into the Wilderness wherein shee should bee preserved and nourished during the space of one thousand two hundred sixtie years or 3 ½ times chap. 12. vers 6. till the 14. 3. Thirdly Becaus with the beginning of the invasion of these Barbarous Nations in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the treading under foot of the holie Citie begun which should continue fortie and two moneths Revelations 11. vers 2. 4. Fourthly becaus by this invasion the Beast with ten horns rose up out of the Sea That is becaus by this war which began in the three hundred ninetie fifth year the Romane Empire was by little and little so divided that in the four hundred third year alreadie som horns and in the four hundred fiftie fifth year fully ten horns or Kingdoms appeared in it 5. All the Historians generally do agree that the ruine of the Romane Empire did begin in the three hundred ninetie fifth year as som of them were quoted in Clavi Apocalypt Now both the antient and later Teachers of the Church do conclude by the words of the Apostle Paul 2 Thessalonians 2. vers 6 7 8. That the Antichrist should then com when the Romane Empire should begin to fall As wee read in Tertulliano in Apologetico c. 32. Item de resurrect carnis Irenaeo lib. 5. adversus Haereses Hieronymo quaest 2. ad Algasiam Chrysost Homil. 4. in Thes 2. Hence it is that Joannes Cluverius in Comentario posthumo in Apol. Tom. 111. writeth thus Totius Negotii cardo versatur in inveniendo exordio Antichristi quod in ruinam Imperii Romani incidere ostendimus 6. The Beast with two horns the Antichristian Pope of Rome came out of the Earth quietly about the time of the three hundred ninetie fifth year Revelations 13. vers 11. when hee arrogated unto himself the Primacie and preeminencie over the Ecclesiastical and civil State Before the Nicene Synod which was held in three hundred twentie fifth year of our Lord the preeminencie of the Bishop of Rome over other Churches was not known Wherefore Aeneas Sylvius in Epistola 288. writeth Ante Nicaenum Concilium quisque sibi vivebat ad Romanam sedem parvus habebatur respectus Besides the succeeding Popes Liberius I. Felix II. and Damasus did not seek anie such matter Nay in the three hundred ninetieth year in the third Council of Carthage Can. 26. this Canon was made Ut primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princeps Sacerdotum aut summus Sacerdos aut aliquid hujusmodi sed tantùm primae sedis Episcopus Tom. Concil p. 544. Innocent the first who in the four hundred second year of our Lord succeeded Anastasius at Rome was the first that made an Act that the Hereticks should bee compelled to imbrace the Catholick faith And hath also attributed unto himself Autoritie and power not onely over the common people but also over the Highest Civil Autoritie in Christendom in that hee excommunicated Arcadius the Emperor at Constantinople when hee removed Chrysostome from his function In like manner hee did vehemently bestir himself to obtain the Primacie for the Romane Church and especially hee endevored to get the Government of the Bishops and Churches in Africa The like was practised also by Zosimus Bonifacius 1. Celestine 1. whereof Daniel Paraeus in Medullâ Hist Eccles universali pag. 200. Whence it is that Socrates lib. 7. Hist. Eccles cap. 3. where relating how in the time of Celistine the 1. it fared with the Novatians hee addeth these words Episcopatus Romanus non aliter atque Alexandrinus quasi extra Sacerdotii fines egressus ad secularem Principatum jam antè delapsus erat In like manner Sericius who after Damasus from the three hundred eightie fifth until the three hundred ninetie eighth year was Bishop of Rome was the first who held the Priests who companied with their married wives uncapable of the Ministerie As wee read hereof in his first Epistle chap. 7. and Epist 4. c. 6. Tom. 1. Concil page 530. 534. In Jure Canonico Distin 82. And in concilio Taurinatensi in the three hundred ninetie seventh year of our Lord was determined chap. 7. qui in Ministerio genuerunt filios nè ad majores gradus ordinum permittantur Synodi decrevit autoritas In Concilio Carthaginensi in the three hundred ninetie eighth year sub Anastasio was concluded on Cap. 3. Placuit Episcopos Presbyteros Diaconos secundùm propria priora vel prima statuta etiam ab uxoribus continere Quod nisi fecerint ab Ecclesiastico removeantur officio Tom. 1. Concil p. 517. Vid. Distinct 84. cap. 3 4 5. 7. In the eleventh chapter wee have seen that the two Witnesses at the end of the one thousand two hundred sixtie years shall bee fought against overcom and killed which as hath been proved above is hitherto com to pass The last Act is now shortly to bee exspected in the Province of Silesia Whether now this bee performed in this or in the next following year thereupon their raising again will follow after 3 ½ years And becaus the seventh Trumpet shall sound in the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year and between it and the raising again of the two Witnesses two accidents happen as 1. The destruction of the Citie of Rome 2. And the ending of the second Wo therefore the two Witnesses may well bee raised again before the one thousand six hundred fiftie fifth year shall begin For Modicum nec Praetor curat nec Propheta Unto this may also bee added these following reasons as secondarie Arguments 1. The Prophesie of the Apostle Peter whereof Augustin lib. 18. c. 53. and 54. de Civit. Dei. writeth That the Gentiles in his time did report that the Apostle Peter had thought that the Christian Religion should continue but three hundred sixtie five years Which Augustine holdeth to bee a Fiction wherewith the Heathen would cast a reproch upon the Christian Religion But if this bee well considered it may well prove so indeed that Peter did declare that the Christian Religion should for three hundred sixtie five years without interruption bee propagated untill the three hundred ninetie fifth year of our Lord in which the Antichrist should com who should suppress the same For in the thirtieth year of his age was the Son of God baptized whereon hee entred into the Ministerie and began to preach These thirtie years beeing added unto the three hundred sixtie five years make up the three hundred ninetie fifth year in which the Antichrist came forth the holie Citie was trodden under foot the two