The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Proposition 36 – Conclusion
36. PROPOSITION. The 1260. years of the Antichriſts vniuerſal raign ouer Chriſtians, begins about the year of Chriſt 300. or 316. at the fartheſt.
THis is proued, by reaſons of Gods apparant merciemercy, and of the Deuils ſubtiltie, and by diuers neceſſarie reaſons of Scripture confirmed by hiſtories. And firſt, ſeeing on the one part, it was meete for the iniquities of the world, that ſometime a generall Antichriſt ſhuld come: but on the other part, whileſt as Sathan ranne at libertie, and his kingdome, publikely floriſhed by the tyrannie of Ethnik Emperours, by whome Gods Church was extreemely perſecuted: It was vnmeete at that time, that the Antichriſt ſhuld alſo riſe: leſt on both ſides, Gods Church were vtterly extinguiſhed: and therefore it is not apparent, that God in his merciemercy woulde ſuffer the Antichriſtian kingdome to riſe, vntil the empyre of Ethnike Emperours were firſt remoued, and Chriſtian Emperours eſtabliſhed in their place; and ſo Satans publike tyrannie bound and reſtrained. But this came to paſſe, in Anno. 300. that the firſt race of Chriſtian baptized Emperours, is begun in Conſtantine the greate; and Satans publik and imperiall tyrannie ſuppreſſed: Therfore, at this time it is moſt apparant, that God in the temperature of his juſtice and merciemercy, would ratheſt ſet vp the Antichriſts kingdome; and herewith agreeth the ſaying of Paul, that he that holds, 2 Theſſ …muſt hold ſtil a while, till he be taken out of the vvay or remooued, and then muſt that man of ſinne or Antichriſt come; meaning, the wicked Emperours that held the empyre, muſt holde ſtill the ſame till they be remooued, and then ſhoulde the Antichriſt ſtart vp: and ſo the one enemie of God to giuegive place to the other, & not both to ſtande. Secondly, by the Deuils craft and ſubtiltie (herein permitted by God) it is very apparant, that whil as his publik tyranny, that he vſed by his Ethnik Emperours, was new lie extinguiſhed, and himſelfe in a maner, to be bound and reſtrained for 1000. yeares; hee would in this his bondage from publike tyrannie, rather eſtabliſh the Antichriſt, as his Lieftennant, to vſe diſsimulate tyrannie, rather thā at any other time: but this his bondage and Chriſtianiſme of Emperors, beganne about this 300. yeare, by the 34. propoſitiō: Therfore, about this 300. year, it appears ratheſt that the deuil by his ſubtilty, hath ſubſtituted the Antichriſt and made him to begin his kingdome. Thirdly, theſe 1260 yeares of the Antichriſts raigne, or three great daies and an halfe, that the witneſſes or teſtaments of God lyeth deade (which by the 15. propoſition are al one date) being ended then (ſaith the text) Shall the tenth part of the Antichriſtian citie fall, Ap. 11.13.euen the tenth part of all the Abbacies, Monaſteries, Nunries, and Papiſtical policies be deſtroyed. But ſo it came to paſſe, that neere about the year of God 1560 theſe papiſtical pollicies, were deſtroyed in England, Scotland, and in ſome partes of Germanie, Fraunce & other cuntries, euen their large tenth part, from the which 1560 yeare, deduce 1260 for the years of the Antichriſts vniuerſall reigne, ſo reſts 300. yeares to be the year of Chriſt, about the which the Antichriſt began his kingdome.2 Theſſ 2 7, 7 Fourthlie, Paul teſtifieth, that thoſe that hold, muſt hold ſtill a while till their ſeate be tranſported, deuided, or remooued out of the way, and then ſhall the Antichriſt reueale and open vp his empire, for he ſhal ſit in their ſeat, ouer the Church of God, extolling himſelfe as God. &c. And ſo it came to paſſe, that the Romane Emperours ſate that time, and held the empyre of Rome, till Conſtantine, Emperour thereof, tranſported the ſeate of the empyre to Bizanrium, which he called Conſtantinople, leauing the ſeate of Rome to Pope Sylveſter the firſt and his ſucceſſours, who was the firſt Pope or Biſhoppe that reigned in Rome vnmartyred, and the firſt that euer poſſeſſed patrimonie, rent or dignitie, from which time, their kingdome euer hath increaſed vntill our daies; and therefore, juſtlie about his time, which beganne in the yeare of God 313. or thereby, eſtabliſhe wee the beginning of the Antichriſtian and Papiſticall reigne. Fiftly, becauſe it is ſaide byDan. 7.25. Daniel and by theApo. 13.5. Revelation, that hee muſt all the ſaide ſpace, hauehave power and authoritie ouer the Sanctes of God, and by Paule in the ſaide text, that hee muſt be extolled againſt all that is called God. Therefore muſt wee begin our compt, at the time of the Popes firſt power and authoritie, euen his very firſt coronation and this was about the yeare of God 316. or thereby: for then Conſtantine Emperour, gaue to the ſaide Pope Sylveſter the towne of Rome, and greate landes and dominions thereabout, and gaue vntounto him the triple Crowne, to bee crowned therewith, in token that hee made him ſupreame head ouer al the Churches in Aſia, Africa & Europ; as his gift, cōteined in the decrees, Diſtinct. 96, at lēgth proportes, the date whereof is, Data Romae. 3. Calend. April. à Conſtantino Auguſto quartò conſule, & Gallicano quartò conſule, which date repugneth in it ſelf, for we find by cōmon writers that Conſtantin his fourth cōſulſhip, & Licinius his fourth conſulſhip, wer together in anno Chriſti 315. or according to Haloander in anno 316. But we find never, where Conſtantine and Gallicanus were conſulles together, neither yet that Gallicanus was four times Conſull: Whereby, not onelyonly the date of this gift is vncertain, what yeare of God it befel, but alſo, by this repugnance, and diuers other reaſons, ſome thinks this whol gift to be falſe & fained, yet alwaies in this purpoſe be it true or falſe, it is al one matter: for ſeeing they acclaime it as true, and thereat makes their beginning: it pertaineth not to vsus to reaſon here, whether their beginning was trulie giuen, or falſlie vſurped, but to make the beginning of our compt, where they begin their kingdome: to wit, at the ſaide gift, falling betwixt the years of God 300. and 316. whereas the preciſe yeare thereof, is (as is ſaid) vncertaine. Sixtly, by Platina the Popes familiar, in vita Sylueſtri primi, and by diuers others of their owne hiſtories, it is reported, that the time that this foreſaid Sylveſter the firſt, receiued from Conſtantine (or otherwiſe vſurped) this foreſaide large authoritie and rent, there was a voice heard from heauen crying, Nowe is poyſon ſowen in the Church of God, which miraculous voice, apparantlie eſtabliſheth & maketh plain to vsus, that at this time began the horrible and deteſtable kingdome of the Antichriſt, as a poyſonable venome vntounto the Church of God. Seuenthly, at this time began the firſt Antichriſtian mark, proued be the 31. propoſition to be the abuſed marke of the croſſe, which now was induced among Chriſtiās, by the fabulous allegāce of two fained miracles: the one that Queen Helen the Mother of Conſtantine, admoniſhed by an heauenly viſion paſt, and did finde that very reall croſſe whereon our Lord ſuffered: the other that Conſtantine her ſonne, fighting againſt Maxentius, ſaw appear in the aire the figure of a croſſe with theſe words, In hoc ſigno vinces, by this mark thou ſhalt ouercome, with which mark and inſcription, the Portugal ducat & ſome other coines of late are imprinted. And therefore here, where the firſt publike and viſible Antichriſtian marke beginnes, eſteeme we juſtly the Antichriſtian kingdome to begin. Eightly, about this time, even anno Chriſti 312. the 24. of September, at which time the ſaide Emperour Conſtantine overcame Maxentius, and was alſo the firſt year of Pope Sylueſter the firſt, and firſt Pope vnmartyred, euen that very daye and yeare, beginneth the common account of the papiſticall kingdome, by Indictions in place of the olde Olympiads; and therfore,Ottoman. Ioſe. Scal. de emen. temporū. are called Indictio Conſtantinianae Pontificiae: Of theſe, the firſt yeare falleth betwixt the ſaid year of Chriſt 312. the 24. of September, and the 24. of September, In anno 313. and ſo proceedeth for 15. yeares, and then beginneth againe the firſt yeare of a newe Indiction; keeping thereby, the exact memorie of the current yeares of their kingdom, within every fiftene, and dating therewith all their papiſticall evidences, even like the Iewes, who keeped compt of the od and currēt yeares of their Iubilees, from their conqueſt of the land of Canaan: The number of whol Indictions, and of whole Iubilees, being more eaſie to keep account off, nor their current yeares. Therefore, juſtlie at this firſte yeare of the firſt Indiction and account of their kingdom, euen betwixt the yeare of Chriſt 312. the 24. of September, and 313. the 24. of September, which yeare alſo the ſaid Sylveſter began, ought wee juſtly to begin the Antichriſtian kingdome. So by theſe eight former reaſons, we conclude, that betwixt the yeare of Chriſt 300, and 316, hath the Antichriſtian and Papiſticall raign begun, reigning vniuerſallie and without any debatable contradiction 1260. yeares; and ſo (as is ſaid) about the yeare of God 1560. began their firſt publike decay, and the open repining againſt their kingdom to their confuſiō, ever more & more; till firſte their rents: then their citie of Rome: laſt of all, by Chriſts owne comming, their latter dregs, be vtterly extinguiſhed and exterminate, as in the principall treatiſe, vponupon the 17. and 18. Chapters ſhalbe declared.
So ends this demonſtratiue reſolution of all difficulties of the Reuelation, firſt of all dates and times, and laſt of the principall termes and matters, as to the meaner termes and ſmaller matters, they are interpreted in the notes of the principall treatiſe.
CONCLVSION.
THen for concluſion, by theſe interpretatiue propoſitions, followeth foure thinges maruelous and notable. Firſt, that the interpretation of every parte of the Reuelation, is acceſſorie or conſectarie to other: that is to ſay, it is ſo chained and linked together, that every myſterie opens other to the diſcouerie of the whole. Secondly, that the firſt halfe of the book is orderly, that is to ſay, it containeth in order of time the moſt notable accidents that concerneth Gods Church, from the time of Chriſts Baptiſme ſucceſsiuely to the latter day. Thirdly, that eueryevery hiſtorie prophecied, is limited or dated with his own nūber of years. Fourthly and laſt of all, that whatſoeuer hiſtorie is more orderlie and ſummarlie, than plainly ſet downe in the firſt orderlie parte of the booke, the ſame is repeated, interpreted, or amplified in the laſt part of the booke: which therefore wee call the amplificatiue parte of the booke, deuiding the whole Revelation according to the table following, before we proceed to the principall matter.