The Roaring Lion: Prophetic Decision on the Bohemian War

First, it is prophesied in the Prophet Daniel concerning four types of Monarchies A "Monarchy" in this prophetic context refers to one of the four world-empires—traditionally Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome—that were thought to dominate history before the end of the world. and kingdoms on Earth, which ruled one after another in their time. Among these, the fourth is the "Fourth Beast," which is more hideous and terrifying than any of the previous ones or any Monarch original: Monarcha; here meaning a singular supreme ruler., and indeed for this reason: because it shall devour, trample, and crush all lands.

It is also described in an image—namely, one whose feet are of iron but yet mixed with clay. For it shall be a "divided kingdom," because one part of it, when it was to come to its end—namely the Greco-Roman Empire original: Keyſerthumb; referring to the Imperial authority.—was taken and overcome by the Turk The Ottoman Empire. when Constantinople was lost in the Year of Christ 1452. The author records the date as 1452, though the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans historically occurred in May 1453. And so the Empire has been truly and properly divided and has remained so until this day.

Nevertheless, the "planting of the iron" has remained within it; namely, that the Roman Empire is larger in its own part than the Turkish one, as is unnecessary to prove. Now, I know well that there is likely not one among the Papist teachers Catholic theologians loyal to the Pope. who would think that Daniel’s vision was not truly to be understood as the Roman Empire from its beginning to its end—just as Nebuchadnezzar, the first Monarch, saw it in his dream. Therefore, there is no need for much quarreling and strife; for if we only once know who holds the Roman Empire with its monarchy, and who the Beast is personally and collectively original: personaliter vnd collectivè; a legal and theological distinction meaning both an individual person (like a specific Emperor) and the entire institution or body of people., then we need not concern ourselves so much with the rest; it will reveal itself quite clearly.

There might, however, be found among the Papists some meddlesome interpreters who could cleverly say that Nebuchadnezzar's dream belonged 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 hardly be fitting. For before the birth of Christ, the Roman Empire had only just become a true Monarchia—namely, when only two Emperors Likely a reference to the transition from the Roman Republic to the rule of the Caesars, such as the era of Julius Caesar and Augustus. ruled as monarchs.

Afterward, however, the Empire was first truly established, growing ever stronger over both Jews and Heathens, when the Jewish kingdom was destroyed along with its religion and the Roman Emperors ruled alone, both toward the Morning and Evening and toward Midday and Midnight An idiomatic way of saying East and West, South and North. with quite high and full power; and Rome was indeed rightly 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 so much and so great that it also devoured all His Apostles and [raged] most hideously against the Christians...