Christs Peaceful Kingdom on Earth to Come, Prophetic chronology
A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGIE.
BEcauſe the help of ſome Chronologie is very needful, to the underſtanding of myſtical Propheſies in the holy Scriptures; eſpecially, for ſuch as this ſmall treatiſe is intended for; and to that end they may neither be troubled or diſcouraged, with too large, or too many, or curious notions, or varieties of mens opinions, concerning the order of times; I ſhall here labour to ſet down ſuch a general ſoantling, for the uſe of ordinary capacities, that by the help hereof, together with what is all along ſet down (ofttimes) in the following Treatiſe, they may in ſome ſort have pointed out to them the times, the things they therein read of have particular reference unto: And this we ſhall indeavour to ſet down;
Firſt, More generally, until the beginning of the four Monarchies, ſet forth Dan. 2. and Dan. 7.
1. By the great Image, Chap. 2.
2. By the four Beaſts, Chap. 7.
Again ſecondly, To conſider particularly the times following them.
1. Then more generally, In the firſt place conſider what Moſes compendiouſly ſets down before the general Deluge, for the ſpace of 1656. years of the old world, as ordinarily it is computed.
2. From Noahs flood to the promiſe made to Abraham, about the year of the world, Anno 2030. is 374. years. Exod. 12.4.
3. From the promiſe to Abraham to the Iſraelites departure out of Egypt, 2460. is 430. years.
4. The beginning of the Aſſyrian kingdom by Nimrod, about 1788. which continued to the Chaldean Monarchy by Nebuchadnezzar, about 1700. years.
5. Take notice, the Temple of Solomon was begun about the 3000. year of the world, as learned Dr. Uſher computes it, from whence to the Captivity of Babylon, he reckons likewiſe 395. years, being in the year 3395. And may not the Antitype of Solomon, and his Temble be glorious at the end of 3000. years more?
6. I ſhall here adde a general computation of Bucholcherus, for the apt concinnity thereof, reaching firſt to the Captivity of Babylon, and through all following times.
1. Iſrael (ſaith he) divided the land of Canaan in the 50. Jubilee from the Creation, which was 2500. years, that is, 50. times 50.
2. Again (ſaith he) when the Jews returned from Babylon, after 70. years Captivity, it was the 70. Jubilee, which was 3500. years, that is, 20. times 50. or 10. hundreds.
Again, concerning the New Teſtament times, ſaith he as aptly again in breif; the ſeventh Seal, and the ſeventh Trumpet of that ſeventh Seal; and the ſeventh Vial falling under that ſeventh Trumpet, brings us to the ſeventh Millenary or great Sabbatiſme of the Saints with Chriſt, in the thouſand years, as 'tis called Heb. 4.9.
Again ſecondly, more particularly, when Nebuchadnezzar had obtained the Monarchy of Babylon, then in a dream is preſented to him the Image of four Mettals, ſetting forth the four Kingdoms or Monarchies, whereof he was the firſt, the head of gold, Dan. 2. after Daniel Chap. 7. hath a Viſion of four Beaſts, ſignifying the ſame Kingdoms ſucceeding each other: But the Babylonian Monarchy of gold about 70. years after, ended in the death of Belſhazzar, and Cyrus his taking of Babylon; when began the Perſian Monarchy of the ſilver Armes and Breaſt, about the 3390th. year of the world, according to Helvicus, which continued 230. years, to the year 3620. Whereupon begun the Grecian Monarchy, upon the ſpeedy conqueſt of Alexander the Great, which held according to the ſaid Author 280. years, reaching to the year of the world 3900 when began the Roman, of the Iron Legs, with Feet and Toes of Iron and Clay, [which laſt denoted the ſtate thereof in the Popes time] which Roman Empire began about 47. years before Chriſts birth who was born, ſaith the ſame Author, the 3947. year of the world.
But thirdly, From Chriſts Nativity the account is more certain:
1. The Dragons caſting down, when Conſtantine the Great ſet up the Chriſtian Religion, in the room of Heatheniſh Idolatry, in the Roman Empire, about the year of Chriſt 312. or 320. as ſome conceive; and from thence to the beginning of the date of the Beaſt, Vide Excid. Antichriſt.whileſt the Barbarous Nations broke in pieces the Weſtern Empire, about 80. years or more; when ſoon after the beginning of the fourth Century, it is conceived the twofold Beaſts 42. mouths, Rev. 13. began together with the 10. Crowned Horns at one hour, Rev. 17. both in the Weſtern Empire. But in the Eaſt, about the 600. year of Chriſt, the Saracens puſhed at the Roman Empire in the Eaſt (as was foretold Dan. 11.40.) called there the King of the South: And about the year 1300. the King of the North, the Turk overflowed all with his multitudes, and though Edom, Moab, and Ammon eſcaped in Arabia Petrea being a great ſhelter to the Jews, v. 41. (as Mr. Mede obſerves) yet (though Egypt long by the Mamalacks held out) they were at laſt ſubdued, and at his ſteps, as ver. 42, 43. about the year of Chriſt 1517. and that only remains to the Turk, to hear tidings to trouble him out of the Eaſt (probably) from the Jews, ſeeking to get their own Country, and out of the North, which (happily) may be of the Iſraelites from Aſſyria, lying North of Judea, upon the like deſign; whom in rage the Turk will go to reſiſt in the glorious holy mountain, but he ſhall certainly come to his end, and none ſhall help him, ver. 44, 45. to be executed about the ſounding of the ſeventh trumpet, Rev. 11.15.
But as for the Pope's 42. months, the ſame time with the Womans time, times and half a time in her wilderneſs condition, and with the two witneſſes, Rev. 11. their 1260. days of years, their beginning with his, is reckoned about the 406. year of Chriſt, or 110. as ſome conceive.
In his, viz. the Popes or Beaſts ſaid date, there are conſiderable,
1. His riſe. 2. His reign. 3. His ruin.
1. His riſe, to the great darkneſs of Popery towards the 11. Century, till the Berengarians and Waldenſes diſcovered him, above 600. years.
2. His reign, whilſt he prevailed in his Wars and Maſſacres, againſt the Waldenſian, Germane, and French Churches, above 400. years more.
3. The time of his ruin, ſince he hath begun to fall by the hand of God according to his word; and though he hath been killing the witneſſes for conſiderable time ſucceſſively; yet at laſt, by killing the finiſhing witneſſes, after 3. days of years and an half, they riſing, his great ruin comes on eminently: to be finiſhed at the pouring out of the vial of the ſeventh Angel: Whereupon enſueth the glorious Kingdom of Chriſt, reigning eminently with his Saints on earth the thouſand years.