The Roaring Lion: Prophetic Decision on the Bohemian War

Firstly, it is prophesied in the Prophet Daniel regarding four kinds of monarchies and kingdoms on Earth, which have ruled one after another in their time. Among these, the fourth is the Fourth Beast, which is more gruesome and terrible than any of the previous ones or any other monarch—and specifically for the reason that it shall devour, tread down, and crush all lands. It is also described in an image—namely, that its feet are made of iron, but yet mingled with clay. For it shall be a divided kingdom, because one part—when it was finally coming to its end—namely the Greek-Roman Empire, was taken over and overcome by the Turks when Constantinople was lost in the year of Christ 1452 History records the Fall of Constantinople in 1453; the author likely uses 1452 as the start of the final siege or a chronological error common in early modern texts.. Thus, the empire has been quite literally and rightly divided, and has remained so until this day. Nevertheless, the "planting of the iron" A reference to Daniel 2:41, signifying the enduring strength of the Roman power even within a fragmented state. has remained within it—namely, in such a way that the Roman Empire is larger in its portion than the Turkish one, as is unnecessary to prove here. Now, I know well that there is likely not one among the Papist A polemical term used by Protestants to refer to Roman Catholics loyal to the Pope. teachers who would presume that Daniel's vision is not truly to be understood as the Roman Empire from the beginning to the end—just as Nebuchadnezzar, the first monarch, saw it in his dream. Therefore, there is no need for much quarreling or strife; for if we only once know who holds the Roman Empire with its monarchy, and who the Beast is personally and collectively, then we need not concern ourselves so much with the rest; it will reveal itself quite clearly.

However, there might be found among the Papists some meddlesome interpreters who might say that Nebuchadnezzar's dream pertains to the Romans before the birth of Christ, and was fulfilled when Christ came and filled all the world with his Gospel. But no; that would not fit well at all. For before the birth of Christ, the Roman Empire only first became a true Monarchy The author distinguishes between the Roman Republic and the Empire, arguing that the prophetic "Monarchy" requires a single absolute ruler.—namely, when only two Emperors had ruled as monarchs Likely referring to Julius Caesar and Augustus.. Afterward, however, the Empire was first truly established, becoming stronger and stronger over both Jews and Heathens, once the Jewish kingdom was destroyed along with their religion. Then the Roman Emperors ruled alone, both toward the East and the West, and toward the South and the North, with quite high and full power; and Rome was then certainly the Head of the world original: Caput mundi. Furthermore, at the time of Christ, the Roman Empire was by no means crushed, but rather grew much larger—so much so that it even devoured all its offshoots? original: Apockel; likely meaning the smaller provinces or tributary states, or perhaps a corruption of Abkömmlinge (descendants). and raged most horribly against the Christians.