The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

II. Goodwin-France Should Deliver Stroke Against Rome

Many single works, or portions, were also reprinted, as that of THOMAS GOODWIN (1600-1680), under the title The French Revolution Foreseen, in 1639. Extracts From an Exposition of the Revelation, by an Eminent Divine, of Both Universities, in the Beginning of the Last Century. Citing Goodwin’s remarks on Revelation 11:13, this reprint repeats these words of 140 years before: PFF2 724.2

” ‘By the tenth part of the city, I understand (as Mr. Brightman before me) some one tenth part of Europe, which, as it all once belonged to the jurisdiction of Rome, (and is in this book called Ten kingdoms) so now again upon the Gentiles, or idolatrous Papists, their recovering the out ward courts, shall now, at last, more or less, come under the jurisdiction of that city, but especially, or at least this tenth part of it here intended.’ ⁴ PFF2 724.3

1. UPHEAVAL TO COME IN ONE OF TEN KINGDOMS

After referring to the Witnesses, “triumphed over and slain during these three years and a half,” but resurrected again to the accompaniment of an earthquake, Goodwin gives this further definition of the “city“: “City being put here, (as it often is in this book) for the extents of the jurisdiction of the city of Rome, which had those ten European kingdoms allotted to it, Chap. 17.” ⁵ The earthquake is then explained: A “mighty commotion, with an alteration of the face of things (either civil or ecclesiastic) shall fall out in a tenth part of the city, and shall accompany or usher in this rising of the witnesses.” ⁶ Further, “By and through this earthquake’s falling thus out in a tenth part of the city, this tenth part of it is so shaken, that it falls; that is, it ceases to be a part of the city, or to belong unto its jurisdiction any longer”;the earthquake arising “from within that kingdom itself.” ⁷ PFF2 724.4

2. FRANCE SHOULD BE HONORED WITH STROKE

Discussing the churches and saints within the “Kingdom of France, “who have been greatly persecuted by the Papacy, and conjecturing which of the ten kingdoms, or of the ten states in Europe, and what tenth part thereof, shall first have this great privilege, Goodwin adds: PFF2 725.1

” ‘It may be hoped, and looked for, that their Kings, in the end, should be of the number of those Kings, who, as you have it Chap. 17. are to be brought on to hate the whore, and to burn her with fire. And so that this voice here, which calls these Witnesses (who there have ever prophesied in sackcloth) up to Heaven, may proceed from one of these Kings. And so as that kingdom [France] had the first great stroke, so now it should have the honour to have the last great stroke in the ruining of Rome.’” ⁸ PFF2 725.2

3. CITES SUPPORTING OPINION OF JURIEU

Then in a foot note the anonymous British reprinter adds: PFF2 725.3

“In order to shew that Dr. T. Goodwin was not singular in his interpretation of this passage of Scripture, I subjoin the sentiments of two others, the one a French, the other a Scotch Divine. The first is Peter Jurieu, a French Protestant Minister at Rotterdam, who in 1689 published a Treatise, entitled, ‘The Accomplishment of the Prophecies of Scripture ⁹ PFF2 725.4

Citing Jurieu’s exposition, which “coincides entirely with the doctor in opinion,” he quotes concerning the tenth part o£ Antichrist’s kingdom, which shall be taken away from it: “What is this part of the city that shall fall? In my opinion we cannot doubt that it is France.” ¹⁰ His fuller statements are quoted here after. PFF2 725.5