A treatise, touching Antichrist VVherein, the place, the time, the forme, the workmen, the vpholders, the proceeding, and lastly, the ruine and ouerthrow of the kingdome of Antichrist, is plainly laid open out of the word of God: where also manie darke, and hard places both of Daniell and the Reuelation are made manifest. By Lambert Danæus.

That those thousand yeares after which it is said Sathan should be loosed: cannot appertaine to the time of the comming of Antichrist.

The 21. Chapter.

YEt there is one thing more, which as it may seeme, may be obiected vnto that, that hath been spoken. And that is Reuelation 20.2. & 7. where it is written that after a thousand yeares Sathan should be let loose, and should trouble the whole world, and gather together Gog and Ma∣gog. That is, the Gentiles, aliaunts and straungers from the Church of God, to make warre agaynst her. Some there∣fore suppose; that by this place, rather, the time of the com∣ming and kingdome of Antichrist is set downe and limited. But how variable and diuers the interpretation and iudge∣ments of the auncient writers haue been touching the sence and meaning of that place, appeareth by Austin lib. 20. De Ciuitate Dei cap. 8. 9. & lib. 21. cap. 22. Yet I will speake what I thinke, and which, after aduised consideration had of all things, touching that place, I suppose is to be determined thereof, namely, that those thousand yeares (as is euident, most manifestly, euen by the euent) do not a whit concerne or set out the time of the comming of Antichrist: but rather that they are to bee reckoned and accompted, after that the sayd number of yeares of 666. were once expired. Whereby it commeth to passe, that by succession, in this sort, of times, we haue plainlie set downe vnto vs, what shall fall out and bee perfourmed, almost to the ende of the world. For before the sayd thousand yeeres were to take place, those things should be accomplished which were spoken of Cap. 16.12. namely, that Euphrates should bee dried vp, and a way opened for the Kings of the East to come and make inuasion vpon those Territories and Countries, which were before subiect to the

Romish iurisdiction. Which surely is come to passe: For vn∣doubtedly those Kings of the East, which passed through Eu∣phrates, being dried vp, (that is, which gaue them easie pas∣sage through the midst of her Channell) and surprised the Segniories; that belonged to the Romane Empyre, were the Turkes. Therefore it must needes bee that the Turkes Em∣pyre, should first bee raised before those thousand yeares could be fulfilled. But if wee begin to coumpt those yeares from the time of Christes suffring: then assuredly before the ori∣ginall of the Turkes (which is reckoned to be about the yeare after Christ one thousand two hundred) those thousand yeares will bee fullie expired, and so the Apocalips, that is, the pro∣phecie of the Spirit of GOD, shall seeme false. The which but once to thinke, is extreame impietie. Wherefore, I am still of the minde I was of, and begin to reckon those 1000. yeares from the yeare sixe hundred sixtie sixe: which two numbers being put together amount vnto one thousand sixe hundred sixtie sixe. After which tearme of time, those things are then to come to passe and bee fulfilled: which the Spirit of GOD in the 19. of the Reuelation, and the Chapters fol∣lowing hath laied open: although withall I knowe it to bee wicked to appoynt, or search, after the verie time and mo∣ment of the latter iudgement, Acts. 1.7. Neither haue I that drift, or purpose in this mine assertion.