The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VI. De Launay True Jerusalem Is Persecuted by Beast

PIERRE DE LAUNAY (1573-1661), Lord of de la Motte and of de Vaufarlan, was born at Blois in 1573 and died at Paris in 1661. He had all the qualities inherent which predestined him to the highest position in the state. But when his elder brother died, to whom he was deeply attached, he renounced all the positions he held and resolved to devote his time entirely to studies. At the age of forty he learned Hebrew and became one of the outstanding expositors of the Bible in his time. He wrote numerous works, of which two are of particular interest to our study: Paraphrase sur le prophete Daniel (Paraphrase of the Prophet Daniel) and Paraphrase etc exposition sur l’Apocalypse tiree des Sainctes Ecritures etc de I’histoire (Paraphrase and Ex position of the Apocalypse, From the Scriptures and History). The latter he published under the pseudonym of Jonas le Buy. ⁴³ In this work he recites the ravages of the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, and other barbarian nations who broke up the Roman Empire, which empire, in turn, became the seat of the papal Antichrist. ⁴⁴ De Launay likewise applies the Two Witnesses to the Old and the New Testament, their message trodden down, and lying ignominiously wounded in the schools and universities of the “Antichristian Church of Rome. ⁴⁵ PFF2 632.2

Discussing the fallacies of the Jesuit Ribera, De Launay insists that the treading of the Holy City is the violence and oppression visited by the Beast against the church. (Revelation 13 and Daniel 7.) “Thus have the Roman Antichrist and its supporters ravaged the church and persecuted. ⁴⁶” This time of oppression, he adds, is 1260 year-days: “It also goes without discussion that the 1260 days, according to prophetic style, mean 1260 years, each day corresponding to a year. ⁴⁷ PFF2 633.1