2. A late Writer who begins with the time, of Pope Leo the first.

3 Others who begin with the time when Boniface was created univerfal Bishop by Phocas.

As for the firft, viz. the opinion of those who begin from the time of Conftantine the Great(fome of that opinion fixing upon the year 304. others differ as to a few years, yet keep within the compaile of 300. and 316.) Ifay not (in answer to it) that the very foundation of this opinion is a mistake, viz. That the two Witnesses are the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament.

But my reafons against it are :

1 Becaule by this opinion,the Harmony of the mysti, cal numbers is destroyed; for if the one thousand two hundred and fixty dayes, and the two and forty, months begin with Conftantines time, then is it not poffible to bring the one thousand two hundred & fixty dayes,the two and forty months to concur in their end with Daniels one thousand two hundred and ninety (which must be upon the grounds laid down in our Key, Thefi 17.) unleffe we fhall finde fome action which may be accounted a fit Head for the one thousand two hundred and ninety daies,thirty years aboveConftantine;and in cafe this fhould befound, yet then will not the one thoufand three hundred thirty five (which begins from the fame Head with the one thousand two hundred and ninety)concur in their end with the two thoufand three hundred (which alfo must be for our reafons, Key, Thefi 34.) unleffe fome other beginning and carrying on of that great number, may upon approved grounds be found, which will

not

notwithstanding bring the two thousand three hundred dayes to end at the fame point with the one thousand three hundred thirty five.

2 Becaule (fetting the Harmony wholly afide) by this computation the feventh Government in the Roman Empire, viz. by Christian Emperors, which is that John calls a Government yet to come (Rev. 17.10. There are feven Kings (i.e. distinct kinds of Government) five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come) is either wholly cut off, or else confounded with the Beasts: For this Government did not begintill Conftantines time; now if we thence alfo begin the two and forty months of the Beaft, then do we (I fay) leave no room for the feventh kind of Government; fo that either it must be cut off, or confounded with the Beafts. That it fhould be cut off, cannot be; for the Text faith exprefly, it was to come, i.e. as really to have a being as the five fallen had had, and the fixth then in being had. That we fhould confound it with the Beasts, may not be.

First, because this Government is to continue a fpace before the rife of the Beast, And when it cometh, it must continue a fhort space. This fhort space muft either be meant of the time before the Beafts Kingdome,or the time of his Reign. If the time of his Reign be meant, and fo the feventh Government, and his Reign be made one; how then is it called a fhort space?feeing the time allotted to the Beast is a long time, two and forty months; one thousand two hundred and fixty years; yea how is it called a short space comparatively with the fixth or former Government, which continued

not

not half, may not one third part of this time? this Government therefore must be diftinct from the Beatts.

Secondly, because the Beafts Government as relating to this, is called the eighth, verf.11. And the Beast that was, and is not, even be is the eighth. Though the Beat in respect of his Seat and the Civil power he exercileth, which power did refide in all the former Governments, is faid to be of the feven; and accordingly hath feven Heads, i.e.Rome the Seat of, and the Civil power of all the former Governments, yet is he not called the Seventh, but of the feven, becaufe fucceffively, and in order he followeth the feventh, and his Government comes in as the eighth, being a Go vernment diftin&t from the feventh, and all the feveral Governments before him; For which reason we may not confound the Beafts Government with the feventh, which yet this opinion either doth, or fhuts wholly out, neither of which can ftand with truth.

3 Because according to this fupputation, the time is expired above a hundred years fince. And be ing fo;

How comes it to paffe that yet of late yeers the Holy City hath been so trodden underfoot? Saints for Religion fake driven to flight, as it hath been with us here in England; yea fo many killed, and put to death, as have been in Germany, the LawCountries, France, and all this within much leffe time then one hundred years, yea the greatcft part of it not half the time? Certainly whillt the Woman is driven from one corner of the world to

the

the other to hide her felf, and her children are cruelly killed & maffacred, we cannot look upon her as come out of the wilderneffe; whilft Antichriftian injunctions and fuperftitions are fet up, and impofed inftead of the pure worship of Chrift, who will fay the treading underfoot of the Holy City is at an end? and have not these things been more or leffe, within leffe then twenty, I may lay within leffe then half this twenty years? I would I could not fay at this prefent.

2 How alfo comes it to paffe that fo many years fince the expiring of this time, the Beast hath efcaped,and neither been killed with the sword, nor led into captivity, feeing it is faid of him that at the end of his Reign his two and forty months expired, He that leadeth into Captivity (hall be led into Captivity, be that killeth with the fword, shall be killed with the fword,Rev.13.10. If it be faid, Chrift hath thefe many yeers ever fince Luthers time in a fpiritual manner with the fword of his mouth been killing and captivating the Beat; I answer, true; But what hath been done against him by a Civil fword, or towards a Civil captivating of him, which is the Sword and Captivity here (po ken of? For obferve fuch a Sword as he hath killed the Saints with, and fuch a Captivity as he hath expofed them unto,fuch a Sword, and fuch a Captivity (it being brought upon him by God in a way of retaliation) fhall himself fuffer by, and be expofed unto; but the one hath been Civil, therefore fhall the other alfo. If it be replied, was not this done fome years fince in Germany by Guftavus Adolphus? Anfw. Grant it fo to be; ret

doth

doth that fall many years too late; the one thousand two hundred and fixty (according to this opini on) being expired long before his time; but now no fooner is the time expired, but inftantly, Hee that leadeth into Captivity is led into Captivity, Hee that killeth with the Sword is killed with the Sword; Neither the German War therefore, nor any that hath been fince will at all help this opinion. 2. If the War of the Swedish King in Germany were a killing the Beast with the Sword, a leading him into Captivity, then most certainly, fince, he is rifen, and come out of Captivity again; but let us affure our felves, that when Chrift kills the Beaft with the Sword, he fhall have no refurrection; when he leades him into captivity, no return.

Obj. But it may be objected, That we must of neceffity begin this Epock of one thousand two hundred and fixty years as high as Conftantine, if not higher; for (Revel. 12.) it is the Dragon with feven Heads, and ten Horns, and feven Crowns on his heads; (which is the embleme of the old Roman Empire, and not the Empire of the Beat, who hath ten Crowns, and those upon his Horns, (Revel. 13. 1.) that drives the Woman into the Wilderness.

.

Ianfwer; This cannot be for what hath been proved already, viz. That the forty two Months, and the one thonfand two hundred and fixty days, are one and the fame time, which begin and end together: and how could this be, in cafe the one thousand two hundred and fixty days were to begin before the rife of the Beaft, whilft yet the Roman Empire was ruled by the Dragon?

2 Obferve the Text it felf, and it will appear, That

D