Sad and Serious Political Considerations, Part 6
VI.
BEfore I come to comment upon this Chronologicall Index, it will not be amisse to deliver that saying,A true Explication of th… Number in Rev. 20.8. Revel. 20.8. (And the Saints shall reign with Christ a thousand years) from all those false Interpretations which have been fastned upon it, by Papias, Bucholcherus, Scaliger, Brightman, Alsted and others, and declare the true sense of it, as remotest from Innovation, and coming nearest the intention of the H. Ghost. There is in this 20 Chap. two severall Epoches of a 1000 years, which are two severall waies to be interpreted. The first is in vers. 2. of Satan being bound for a 1000 years; which must begin either at the Instant of our Saviours Incarnation, and end at An. 1000, in the 2… year of the Popedome of Sylvester II, that infamous Sodomite, Necromancer, and Conjurer, under whom the filthinesse and Idolatry of the Romish Church was brought to the height: or rather they must begin at the Destruction of the 2d Temple by Titus, which was An. 71, and end in An. 1071, in the Popedome of Gregory VII, aliàs Hildebrand, who first broke bonds of Allegiance with Henry the Emperour, excommunicated him, set the Gospel in a totall Eclipse, and Europe in the mournfull Flames of a civil Warre: but of this in the Chronology. But this in the 8 vers. of the Saints reigning with Christ a 1000 years, Alsted, Bucholcherus and others expound of a Comparative Felicity of the Church on this Earth, for a 1000 years, beginning An. 1694, when they say all visible Enemies of the Church shall be overthrown, and must end An. Ch. 2694. after which shall be the Warre of Gog and Magog against the Church, which shall be prevented by the coming of Christ to judgement. But in this Alsted is wide from the right mark: for this number must begin An. 1072, at the expiration of the former, and must be interpreted for all that time that the World shall last after the aforesaid An. 1072. And the holy Ghost doth term this indefinite and unlimited time by the Number of a 1000 years, for three speciall Reasons: 1 Because a 1000 years are the Number of Perfection and of Eternity, and doth most aptly serve to expresse the End of these Earthly Troubles, and the beginning of that Time which never shall have end. 2 Because those things which the holy Ghost in the Scriptures affirmeth are yet to come, must not be plenarily accomplished till after An. 1830, it may please God that the glorious and flourishing estate of the Church and Gospel here upon Earth, may continue much of 200 years longer, to increase the number of them who shall be saved, and to amplifie more the heavenly Attributes of Gods Mercy, Righteousnesse, Truth, Holinesse and Omnipotency in the Salvation of the Just: and his Equity, Judgement and Uprightnesse in the firebrands of destruction. 3 Because a vicissitudinary time of Affliction and Ease, Persecution and rest, pure Doctrine and Heresies, is signified to be the whole continuance or most part of a 1000 years, wherein those who are to suffer for the Testimony of the Word of God, and the truth of Jesus Christ, shall have their reward after the expiration of that time, which cannot be till after the last generall Judgement. The fearfull and …errible Warre of Gog and Magog (viz. the bloudy Warre of Turks and Tartarians with the Jews newly converted in the Land of Iury, in which the very name of Turks shall be rooted from off the Earth) must be before the beginning of this glorious Estate and Felicity of the Church of God here upon Earth, and therefore the 7, 8, 9, and 10 verses, are in order of time before the 5 and the 6. The Devil and Antichristianity must be chained up in the dungeon of Hell for the space of a 1000 years after the Incarnation of Christ. An. 1000 must the Devil and Romish Idolatry by the Popedome of Sylvester the second, be let loose to range upon Earth, and tyrannize over the Church for the most part of another 1000, ever till An. 1698 (numerus completus being put here pro incompleto) before an happy and comfortable Estate of the Gospel can be brought forth to the World.The estate of England with other Pr…vinces of Europe from Anno 1650. to An. 1698. herefore all Christendome from this year 1650, must expect very sad and wofull daies, much persecution, bloodshed and savadge ty…anny in every Kingdom of Europe (especially in France, Spain, Italy, Swethland, Germany and England) untill An. 1698. Some of those Kingdoms which have abandoned the superstition of the beast, shall by subtle allurements be perswaded to readmit and reestablish the same. Wofull and unsupportable Afflictions shall befall both the European Jews (which are the two Tribes of Benjamin and Iudah, now resident in Christendom and Turkie) as likewise the ten Tribes, the Kingdom of Israel (who shall insensibly and miraculously arise out of the bowels of Tartaria and India, about An. 1669.) who neverthelesse shall be so extraordinarily supported by God, that they shall stand in little or no need at all of the Christians. Because from this time of the Conversion of the Israelites for the spac… of 30 years, these 12 Tribes shall suffer much trouble, Heathens, Papists and Mahometans, shall strive to eradicate their name from under heaven, and yet all in vain; for an illustrious and heroick Prince (è Tribu Nephtali oriundus) shall be their valiant and fortunate Commander, called Michael, not proprio nomine, but because he Dan. 12.1. shall stand up and shew himself the Assertor and Protector of their Religion and Liberty. In which time shall be such troubles as never were, no, nor ever shall be to the end of the world. For like as the Christians had rest 30. years from the Ascension of Christ, and now have endured the fiery triall almost these 1600. years, since that time from the Heathen Emperors, and the Beast; so the Israeli…es, which shall 1600. years till Anno 1668. live without Prince, Law, Temple, Sacrifice, and true Religion (as Hosea prophesied ch. 3. v. 4, 5.) beginning now to be converted to Christ,Certain remarkable Numbers in Scripture, whereby …he Epoch'… of the ruine of Tu…k, Po…e, and the conversion of the Iews are more …ully strengthned. shall have savage times of affliction and Butcheries for other 30. years (to welcome their conversion withall) till Anno… 1698. when God shall grant rest from their enemies, and begin a peaceable estate of the Church.