The ruin of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…The ruine of Rome, or, An exposition upon the whole Revelation wherein is plainly…

Now it followeth to speak of the time when it shall be destroyed: which of all the rest is a thing most hard to be decided. For the holy Ghost saith,¹ Why should not the times be hid of the Almighty; so as those which know him, should not fore see the times appointed of him? ²And again, the words are closed and sealed up, until the time determined. And again,³ It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put into his own power. Yet even in this point I will, by Gods assistance, set down so much as is revealed, and so much as God hath given me to see. First, I do confess, that God in his word hath set down a just period, and precise determination of all the greatest afflictions and persecutions that ever came to his Church before the coming of his Son in the flesh, for the comfort thereof; as that of Egypt, after the expiration of four hundred and thirty years: that of Babylon, after the date of seventy years:⁴ that of the Medes and Persians, after the determination of an hundred and thirty years: that of Alexander's state,⁵ after six years: that of Magog and ⟨p. 349⟩Egypt, after 249 years. So likewise that of Christs death and resurrection after seventy sevens, or seventy weeks, which make 490. years,⁶ as the Angel Gabriel foretold unto the Prophet Daniel. But concerning the just period and precise determinations of the persecutions of the Church since Christ, by the Roman Empire and the Papacy, we find not the like set down: and hereof there may be two reasons yielded. First, because the Church of the Jews was not under so clear and precious promises as we are, therefore it was needful, for the better strengthening of their hope, and comfort in afflictions, that they should know the very time determined: but because the Church of the Christians liveth under most clear and comfortable promises of deliverance, therefore God according to his deep wisdom would have our faith exercised in an assured expectation of the accomplishment thereof, though the precise time be concealed. Another reason may be this: the utter overthrow of Rome falleth out to be but a little before the coming of Christ to judgement, as appeareth in this Prophecy.