32 • The Fifth Monarchists Channels 2022 believe that they, as the saints, were destined to rule alongside Christ in the coming kingdom. Not only would the beast be overthrown, but the saints would play a role in doing so, as well as in the preliminary preparations for Christ’s return. As Aspinwall strongly believed, the saints played a role in overthrowing the beast, and Christ would soon thereafter return (after the Jews had been won over to the faith).28 The extreme literal interpretation of these texts and the strong belief in the imminence of Christ’s return were crucial to the Fifth Monarchists’ decisionmaking. Viewing themselves as the true followers and “saints” of Christ, they saw it as their duty to pave the way for the arrival of King Jesus through the establishment of a new social and political order. Not only did they believe that they were destined to succeed, but they also seemed to view their actions as prophetically necessary before Christ would return to ultimately crush the antichrist and restore his rule to earth. Thus, it was only natural that they would become avid supporters of the rebel forces against Charles I. In fact, many key leaders (particularly in the army) were followers of the Fifth Monarchy, and they saw the conflict in many ways as a holy war. Using the turmoil and chaos brought about by the revolution, they would attempt to bring about the political and societal reforms 28 Aspinwall, pg. 14 29 Rogers, John, Rogers, Edward, pg. 63 30 Rogers, P. G., The Fifth Monarchy Men. pg. 15 necessary to establish the kingdom of Christ on earth. New Government Under Cromwell The tensions between Parliament and King Charles I saw many Puritans turn against the king in favor of Parliament, and the Fifth Monarchists were no exception. With the movement being predominantly among Independent Puritans who opposed rigid church structures such as those of the Anglican and Presbyterian churches,29 it was only natural that they would oppose the king, who was head of the Anglican church. Thus, they sided eagerly with the Parliamentary forces, with many becoming key leaders in the conflict, such as Colonel Okey, Colonel Rainborough, Lieutenant-General Goffe, and MajorGeneral Thomas Harrison.30 With the beginning of the conflict, a shift became apparent in the teachings among the Fifth Monarchists. Their teachings took a more nationalistic tone, with some teachers believing that the British Isles would be the center of the new kingdomChrist was going to establish. In contrast to John Archer’s 1642 writings, which held the Pope to be the “little horn” referred to in Daniel 7, William Aspinwall in 1653 charged that it was none other than Charles I himself, and that England, Ireland, and Scotland were the “three horns” (or kingdoms) that he supplanted and
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