'S t 4 ARevelationofthe Apocalypfe. C AP .Z a. his Prifon,.Chap. 9. 15. We underftand therefore now,that this e_ tondPeriod. here fpoken of,is proper to the Dragon. And that it a- gree th not with the Trumpets, either in the beginning, or yet in the end : Ribera the yefuit meafureth the time$, for themoil part, by the proper fignification of the words,as if the five zseonethsof theLocufizs, the three yeers and a halire ofthe Ratgne of Antichrifl, and yet he will have therethoufand yeers to be taken indefinitely, for the whole fpace oftime that lafteth fromthe death cefChri{f, to the time ofAn_ tichrif};tird indeed very many ofthe interpreters both old and new are of this opinion,at leaff for the beginning ofthis computation. But why did they not confider,that the Beaft,which is _iintichrii himfelf; did raign all this time of the thotrfand yeers, wherin the Dragonwas bound ? The time therefore of his rmprifoniing was not to be ended at thebeginning ofAntichriflh raigne; but this was rather to be be- gun together with that. And I will not now{land upon that bar and bound,which the holy Ghoft had let and fixed fo fail to keep put all filch interpretations as this; Chap.4 i. I WillfbeW thee the things,that mull he done afterwards; which words dò forbidus to look back to the time pall and they teach Cis that all theprophecy which is recors ded inthis book after this,refpeeleththings to come, and that after the Age ofIohn.Betïdes the hanging together ofall the parrs ofthis Prophecy,as we have feen heretofore,will not fuffer us tomake that beginning,as the which dillurbeth all with fùch a confufion,, as there is no way towindour felves out ofir.But fhall we think,that the De- will was bound; at that time,when he raged molt cruelly in the per- fons of the firff Emperours among the Heathen ? when flail' we then fay that he was loofed, if he lay then {hackled in pri- fon? which the Jefuit bringerh out ofthofewords of lohn, Chap. i z. 1Vó1 JI áll the Prince ofthisWorld'be raja' out,belongs not at all to this matter; feeing that place is to be underffood ofthe fpirituall power of the Devill,that was then forthwith about to be deflroyed by the death of Chritl,but this binding of his which theRevelation fpeaketh . of,is the reftrainingof this tyranny over thebodies of the Saints, as it is evident out of the beginning of the fourth verle9f this Chapter,_ rshere the foulesof the Saints that raigned after the Devil! was raft into prifon;are the Souks offuch as were fmitten with the Sword,by the Devill,znd that doubtles when hewas raging in his mad fits moft outragioufïy, which was before he was chained up. And what other calarnity can this be, but that which proceeded from the cruelty of the Heathen Emperors? Therfore neither thebeginning,nor the end oftheft tho:ufand yeers is calculated aright by the Iefuit. Vert 3 ,.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=