the sweet and all friends shall destroy one another then shall wit hide it self and understanding withdraw it self into his secret Chamber 10. And shall be sought of many and yet not be found then shall unrighteousness and incontinency be multiplied on earth 11. One Land also shall ask another and say Is Righteousness that maketh a man righteous gone through thee And it shall say No. 12. At the same time men shall hope but nothing obtain they shall labour but their waies shall not prosper And these are partly general signes and partly particular which God foretels shall come to pass afore he shall again gather together Israel and render to the Inhabitants of the earth according to their waies All which signes without doubt have been abundantly enough fulfilled The Inhabitants of the earth have heaped up to themselves much Revenue great Treasures of Silver and Gold mean while no Faith no Truth can be found among men That Countrey in which Esdras then lived when this Vision happened unto him to wit the Land of Babylon from that time it became desolate in divers places now upon a sudden the light hath shone forth by night as if it had been day and by day such clowâ—ings of the Light of the Sun hath suddenly risen that the Moon hath thrice in the day presented it self conspicuous and with its brightness hath supplied the defect of the Sun In divers places now a few Weekes since in Poland Bloud was seen to drop from wood and to rain from Heaven Yea also a Stone seemed to utter a voyce as often as certain voices divinely articulated to strike a terrour into men were heard as proceeding out of the stones of a Wall the credit of which thing is asserted among Historians As for the Commotions and Insurrections of peoples whereby new Lord-Rulers have come unexpected upon the Inhabitants of the Earth how frequently hath that happened and to this day happeneth Who shall declare how often the Fowles of Heaven have transported themselves to other haunts because of warlike commotions That which is said of the Sodomitish Sea without doubt hath long since been fulfilled Especially this our most fruitful Age is most frequently famed for horrid Earthquakes sudden Conflagrations as afore mentioned the flight of wild Beasts from place to place abortive Births both corporal and spiritual and horrid Monsters As for Waters and Friends how often canst thou find sweet waters in Salt Friends contending against Friends post-poning the League of amity behind the present Interest Which being so the Prophet justly subjoyneth that then Wit shall hide it self and understanding withdraw it self into its secret Chamber and shâ—â—â— be sought of many and yet not be found then shall unrighteousness and incontinency be multiplied on earth And that he that will seek righteousness though he run from Land to Land from the River to the Sea from one quarter of Heaven to the other yet shall he find none For where now can be found the true knowledge of God and the genuine understanding of the Sâ—cred Scriptures How many have sought it with all their strength and yet have not found it When ever was iniquity more abounding so that it possesseth and fils all Courts Temples and Cloysters So that as concerning the Righteousness which justifies i. e. truly renders men just before God there is no more of it perceived at this day than as if it had never been in the world Finally when ever was seen on earth more vain hope in men and frustraneous labour Behold then seeing all these signes are fulfilled what else may be inferred but that the receiving and restauration of the Jews and the visitation of the Inhabitants of the earth conjoyned to it whereby God will render to them according to their works are at hand If thou defirest yet nearer signes whereby thou maiest be instructed more fully concerning that precious time wherein the Omnipotent God will begin to draw near to visit the Inhabitants of the earth and put an end to the dispersion of the Jews and the humiliation of Sion see in the same Book chap. 6. Where thou wilt find the God of Esdras thus speaking v. 20. And when the world that shall begin to vanish away shall be finished or sealed then will I shew these takens The books shall be opened before the Firmament and they shall see altogether 21. And the children of an year old shall speak with their voyces and the women with child shall bring forth unâ—imely children of thret or four moneths old and they shall live and be raised up 22. And suddenly shall the sown places appear unsown the full storehouses shall suddenly be found empty 23. And the TRUMPET shall give a sound which when every man heareth they shall be suddenly afraid 24. At that time friends shall fight one against another like enemies and the earth shall stand in fear with those that dwell therein the springs of the Fountaines shall stand still and in three houres they shall not run 25. Whosoever remaineth from all these I have told thee shall escape and see my salvation and the end of the world Behold concerning these signes I cannot â—ay they are all aâ—ready fulfilled Albeit of some of them I am confident their beginnings â—e now conspicuous as 1. That of the Books opened before the face of all peoples under the Firmament viz. in the Bookes of mans Conscience which hither to have been as it were locked up and sealed by Superstitions and Traditions of men and Worships imposed with violent force although by them notwithstanding all men at length are to be judged These Books I say are begun to be opened before the face of the Firmament so that all men universally shall look into them and read them and upon their insight and reading of them they shall be astonished and humbled Even as that good King Josias when the Book of the Law sometime lost was found again and read before him 2 King 22. For the time cometh wherein the work of the Law as written by the hand of God in the hearts of men shall be clearly laid open and that by that saving Grace which now begins to shine forth to all men As to the Second concerning children of a year old speaking if that be understood of simple speaking we have often seen it in our Age Even as thirdly That also that sown places are suddenly unsowâ— and full sterehouses are suddenly found empty But as to that that the women with child shall bring forth abortives of 3 or 4 moneths old which shall remain alive and be educated and that â— TRUMPET shall sound to be heard over the universal world to the terrifying of all the Inhanitants of the earth and that last earthquake whereby the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 shall for 3 hour as be stoâ—â—â—ed hath come to pass this I cannot affirm But these signes I judge shall be as the last labour and travel of this present world to produce and bring
last daies viz. All things so continue as they were from the Creation That which now happens the same likewise hath formerly happened and therefore to conclude hence any certainty are toys and phantasms of mans own imagination Which being so that we are now fallen into those times when among all peoples especially Christians who in times past were very hasty in their hope of setting up the Kingdom of Christ in all Churches Cloysters and Houses all places are full of Scoffers why do we any longer doubt but that now those daies are near in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat to destroy the ungodly with all their works that there may succeed in the room thereof a new Heaven and a new Earth in which may dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 Wherefore it ought not to seem a wonder to any man that we so diligently attend to these Signes of his coming and do so interpret them But perhaps some body will say Obj. Peter doth not here speak of those things which are aforementioned viz. concerning the Conversion of the Jews and the total destruction of the 4th Monarchy and the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ on earth but of the time wherein the Heavens shall pass away and the Elements shall be dissolved i.e. of the end of the world Answ We answer what Peter affirmes touching the Heavens Earth and Elements are not properly to be understood according to the Letter as the collation of Scriptures doth shew For Christ will not by his coming destroy the works of his Father Heaven and Earth but the works of the ungodly and whatsoever curse for mans sake came upon Heaven and Earth all this he will burn up with fire and utterly purge out as a prudent Goldsmith that labours to burn not the Gold and Silver but the Dross and Dregs which adhere to the Gold and Silver But as for the substance it self of heaven earth all that God hath created all those things shall not be burnt by the coming of Christ but shall only be renewed and purged that where before unrighteousness took place now righteousness there dwelleth And where before the violent possessed the Kingdoms of the world there now the meek shall inherit Those heavens which the ungodly feign to themselves as their hope and expectation shall perish and those Elements or Rudiments of divine worship even as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * that is Rudiments is taken in this sense wherein some foolishly stick all their life time shall be dissolved and burnt yea the works of all men shall be consumed that a new heaven and a new earth may come forth wherein may be beheld by all men all things in the glory of their perfection as a pure workmanship of God the honour whereof may redound to him himself as the Kingdom and City of God the house and habitation of God and men and a certain manifestation of the Righteousness Majesty and Love of God c. And if indeed all these things ought to be so and if it be true that with Peter according to the promise maâ—e Isa 65. we expect a now Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwels righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 it ought not to seem strange to us if before that be done a fiery Judgment preceds on earth to which these Signes in Heaven and earth have relation A judgment I say to deliver both Jews and Christians hitherto oppressed and to destroy all the destroyers and to restore all things on earth and to destroy them that have destroyed the earth Rev. 11.18 Behold now we see what signes the Ap. Peter hath set touching the coming of the Lord and how they have been fulfilled long since in an high degree so that in regard thereof nothing now remaines to be expected but the thing it self signified by those signes Now let us see moreover what the Ap. Paul that chosen vessel discourseth concerning the last times and how he limbs out in lively colours the men that shall live in that time They shall be saith he 2 Tim. 3.2 Lovers of their own selves covetous boastâ—rs proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthank ful unholy without naâ—ural affection truce breakers false accusers incontiâ—ent fierce desp sers of them that are good traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof What seemeth to thee Reader Are our times described or is it longer yet to be expected till this kind of men come upon the Stage If thou wilt acknowledge that we are indeed devolved upon or into those times wherein every where men are found to be Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud c. And that they also who carry a form of Godliness and would be reputed for godly do possess more of its external form than of the internal truth of it denying the very power of Godliness which consisteth in spirit and truth what wonder if we accompt the aforesaid signes in Heaven for fore Messengers and fore-runners of the consummation of those daies wherein the madness of all those men shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.9 that some when ' at length true right cousness love of God and the sincere power of Godliness may come in their room But that it may more clearly appear that those things which we have mentioned concerning the restitution of the Jews and the end of the last Monarchy and have by this Conjunction of the Princely or chief Stars inferred that they are at the door are not meer Astrological Prognosticks but matters founded in the Word of God Let us go also to the Apostle John that beloved Apostle who was wont to lie in Christs bosom and see what he saith of this matter in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ which Christ himself by his Angel dictated to him and commanded him to write it to the Churches 1. It is there read that the time shall come wherein the Saints of God shall be made Kings and Priests to God that as Kings they may reign on earth ch 1. v. 6. ch 5. v. 10. which thing because it cannot be done without the Jews nor before the Kingdom of the Beast and of the false Prophet be overthrown it necessarily followes that if ever that time ought to come to pass wherein the Saints shall reign on earth those former things ought first to precede or go before and if they now precede and we are come to these last times the consequence is necessary that thing to be at the door 2. In Chap. 11. of this Book of Revel which is as a kind of Compendium of the whole History of the Church or Temple of God beginning from the treading of it underfoot on earth and ending in the opening of it in heaven we read that the treading of the holy City underfoot the prophesying of the two Witnesses
us that we may see and discern what others cannot see and discern As for that place of Job this only is intimated If any man will rightly and fundamentally know the order of heaven and the dominion thereof on the earth he ought to learn it of God who alone setled all these things and therefore it is not meet for Job or any other man to glory before God And for that saying of the wisest King neither doth thaâ— intend any other thing than to teach us That these three in themselves are unsearchable to wit Heaven as being too high and sublime the Earth as being too deep and the heart of a King as being too much hidden unstable and mutable So that from hence it cannot be concluded that a man that feares God and cleaves to him may not be endued or gifted by God with such wisdom and understanding that he cannot understand the things which are in Heaven above him and in the earth beneath him and in the hearts of Kings without him No by no means For Solomon himself in the Book of Wisdom Chap. 7. V. 17. testifieth the contrary where he compileth a Catalogue of those things which he was taught of God by Wisdom God hath given to me certain or true knowledge of the things that are in Nature that I might understand the constitution of the world the force of the Elements the beginning middle and ending of times the vicissitudes of Solstices the variety of Seasons the Circuits of years and situation of stars the natures of Animals the furies of Beasts the strength of the winds and the cogitations of men the differences of Plants and the qualities of Roots All these he saith he learned of God as well those things that are made in Heaven above him as those in the bowels of the earth beneath him and also those things that seem to lie hidden in the recesses of mans heart For as he addeth v. 21. All such things as are secret or manifest them have I known For Wisdom which is the Artificer of all things taught me Seest thou therefore how all things may be obtained by Wisdom as well the knowledge of those things which are in Heaven as those on Earth and in the very Closets of the heart Therefore he who hath not this wisdom but doth desire it let him ask it of God and seek it where it may be found Neither let him say What advantageth it me that God hath put certain Signes in Heaven seeing I understand them not and so many who have assumed to themselves skill in them have so enormously stumbled and exposed themselves to scorn For we see the same things to happen in all Sciences Orig Prophetiae Arts Negotiations yea even in Prophesie and the Gospel which is called the Word of Truth Where if one or another be certain in his Art and Science thou shalt find ten remaining uncertain For where thou maiest find one true Prophet with whom there is the sincere Word of God there an hundred will present themselves who challenge to themselves the same word and carry before them in external gesture and habit the shew or shape of a Prophet when as they are not And where thou shalt find one who purely delivers the word of Truth thou maiest muster up an hundred who wrest it to the private sence of humane corruption Are therefore all Arts and Sciences to be despised and to be accompted and reputed in the same rank as we see at this day the Celestial Signes reputed Certainly if this were so there were an end of all Science Art Prophesie and all Doctrine of Truth And all things as uncertain and dead must be buried in the profound darkness of Ignorance and Confusion and there eternally lie buried Thou seest therefore that for the dotages or mistakes of some in the knowledge of Astrology and falsly challenging to themselves the knowledge of the understanding of the Celestial Signes all Observation of the stars and Prognostications are not by and by to be vilified But let us proceed to the second Member of this our Dissertation that by the nature it self of the Conjunction we may demonstrate That necessarily some grand and singular thing is here portended That therefore thou maiest better perceive the nature of this Conjunction or concurrence of all the Planets in one and the same Sign of the Zodiack take this similitude Whensoever we see all the Rulers in any City An apt Siâ—aile or Commanders in an Army of Souldiers convent in one place and there take counsel together presently we thence conclude some grand thing is in agitation The same thing therefore may be here concluded when we see the Planets so convent and lay their heads together For look what the Rulers in a City and Commanders in an Host are the same are the Planets in the Host of Heaven Other stars in the Firmament continue in their fixed distances one from the other and have no peculiar motion as every one of the Planets hath his own proper motion each wheeled about in his own sphere after his own manner Therefore ancient wise men considering the Analogy or proportion between the Macrocosme the great world and the Microcosme the little world said by the fixed stars of the Firmament were represented the firm Limbs of out body and by the Planets our inward bowels which by their motion and influences move sustain and act the whole body What wonder then if we beholding of December next * 1. 1662. For Serarius wrote this afore the said day of December last the Members of the greater world as the Rulers of the Aethereal and Elementary Orbs convening in one and the same house laying their heads together we conclude that doubtless some grand thing is to be agitated in the Heavens which is in a readiness that unexpectedly it may break forth And that by so much more certainly by how much we have been taught by long experience that as often as divers Planets come together they alwaies bring forth some notable change on earth First of all when the two supreme Regents of the world ♄ Saturn and ♃ Jupiter concur or come together which indeed manifestly appeares to be done three waies Their Congressure or coming together the first way is every twentieth year or in precise speech within the space of 19 years daies 315 houres 19. And is called by Astrologers the special or least Conjunction of ♄ Saturn and ♃ Jupiter because Saturn and Jupiter concur in the signes of the same triplicity Their congressure or meeting together the second way is every 200 years or in precise speech once within 198 years and 336 daies And is called the Trigonal or middle Conjunction whereby the same Planets ♄ and ♃ i. e. Saturn and Jupiter concur or meet in another Triplicity or Trigon * Orig. Trigonum Their Concurrence the third way returnes not under 800 yeares or in precise accompt after the term of 795 years
our Prayers petition for than that at length the sixth Vial also may be poured out upon the River EUPHRATES that the way for the Kings that are to come from the East may be prepared Rev. 16.12 to wit for the KINGS of which Baruch speaks ch 5. v. 5. Arise O Jerusalem and stand on high and look towards the East and behold thy Children gathered from the west unto the east by the word of the holy One rejoycing in the remembrance of God For they departed from thee on foot and were led away of their enemies But God bringeth them unto thee exalted with Glory as children of the Kingdom And after these things what else do we expect but that the Kings of the Earth and all their hosts be by those impure Spirits Rev. 16.13 like to Frogs excited and gathered together to the war of that great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.4 Isa 13. in which God shall arise and go down into the valley of Jehosaphat and there shall judge the people and that Nation which hath hitherto so miserably broken and troden underfoot the dispersed sheep of Israel Joel 3.2 12. and that he may utterly and for ever blot our and extirpate Babylon that great City the Mother of the Fornications of the Earth that terrible and blasphemous Beast and False-Prophet Rev. 18 19. Behold that concerning these Changes not only the old Prophets but the Lord himself JESUS CHRIST and his Apostles do witness And whoever is not blind but a little exercised in the S. Script and experience of former Ages and this present it will be easie for him to collect that now all these things necessarily are at hand by and by to be expected Therefore it ought to seem a wonder to no man that these Celestial Signes which necessarily fortel the Tidings of some grand and eminent universal change are referred or applyed by us to this matter Yet that it may more clearly appear that this present Conjunction of all the Planets is with great equity to be so interpreted by us go to let us turn our selves to the Planets themselves and let us I pray thee contemplate the Constitution and Disposition of these Peers of Heaven and Regents of the world how their countenances are found disposed both towards us and one towards another in this their unusual Congressure or coming together For the Countenance as it is commonly given forth is the Index of the mind As to the POSTURE of these Regents thou shalt find them all to be complexionated with a troubled and sad countenance To wit thou shalt see the Moon newly departed from the beams of the Sun from whom she was gone scarce 7 degrees to be vehemently enflamed all fiery and burning by the corporal Conjunction of Mars and that so much the more in that Mars himself is more enflamed by the conjunction of the Sun and the Sun takes his turn to be made more hurtful and discontented by the Conjunction of Saturn To which is added that Mercury which with the good is good and with the bad is bad is here necessarily become the worst with the worst For he being corporally joyned with Saturn what else will he bring forth by his Influences in this universal Combustion but all manner of fallacies frauds betrayings filling all with sinister suspitions secret Conspiracies and intestine hatreds and so fulfilling or filling up the measure of all unrighteousness and violence on earth Whilst Venus and Jupiter whose House this is although also present yet so remore will be so hindred and obstructed by the combustion and malignity of the intercurrent Planets that they will not be able with their more benigne beams while as strangers they invaded anothers House to reach unto us And if that be true that Theodorus Hoen a Famous Astrologer affirmeth and others also testifie to be certainly collected from the Tables of Conjunctions of Planets that in the time of Noah there was the like conjunction of all the Planets in PISCES awatery Sign upon which followed that terrible Judgment of an universal Deluge which together at once blotted out all the wicked from the face of the earth why may it not be lawful for us to collect from this concurse of all the Planets in the fiery Sign Sagittarius that by it is portended and foretold that fiery Judgment which immediately foreruns the Kingdom of Christ intimated in Peter Ep. 2. ch 3. and in the Revelation ch 11. v. 18. 2. If thou consider the PLACE in which all those Aethereal Regents convene thou wilt find it to be the same wherein the late great Conjunction in the year 1603 the 29th day of Sept. or 9 of Oct. was acted under which we still labour its full and final operation being not yet at an end to wit the last Sign of Sagitarius in the fiery Trigon As if the Heavens which are said to declare the glory of God and his Justice Psal 19. did by their voice intend no other than to repeat that signification of the next preceding great Conjunction and by a second Proclamation to confirm unto us that this combustion is no other then that whereby this present world of the wicked shall be burnt For if this be true that the present world shall shortly perish by fire and that Signes thereof are by God placed in Heaven it is necessary that this Sign be some fiery one which may most aptly square with the expression of this signification And if the Sign ought to be a fiery one it must be this which is the third and last in which also the great preceding and last Conjunction was acted And that which is more and more commends this place of the Heaven is that the very next day after the said Conjunction Sept. 30. or Oct. 10. 1603. when now by the coming of Mars that great Conjunction had received its compleatment that fame New Star appeared in Serpentario precisely in the same place of Heaven on which all the Astrologers eyes were fixed expecting the Conjunction of ♄ and ♂ Saturn and Mars witness Kepler in the Book which he wrote concerning the New Star in Serpentario of which he noteth many and wonderful things I will here add one out of the said Book where the Author comparing this Star * This Star i. e. that 1603. with that which was seen in Cassiopeia in the year 1573 saith thus THAT FORMER * Former Orig. prior illa relating I suppose to that star Anno 1573. And Later relates to that 1603. as I understand Sed caveat Lector cometh on the world unpremonished and as an unlookt for enemy which having possest the City wals appeared in the Market place afore the Citizens had heard the fame of his Expedition But this LATTER being long time afore expected entred at the appointed day with great solemnity after the manner of some mighty Monarch who about to visit his Metropolitan City sending afore him his Quarter-masters designeth places to all the Princes
of his Court. Now the Waies or Streets are cleansed now the common people upon the rumour of the Army run to and fro now the Boyes complain of the delay of his coming whilst the fardels and houshold-stuffe are brought in By and by his retinue following while the first enter the gates and the noise of them and sound of Drums pierceth all the high waies all persons being allarm'd they fill the Windowes crowd the Streets and the little Boyes and young Girles are startled with joy the high Heroes and faithful Ministers ride on her seback the common people gaze with open mouth and wishly look on every one as greedy to behold the King At last after the long Train appeares the Troop of Drummers and Trumpeters after which followes the awful rank of Armed men on each side whereof there is a file of Curriers in the midst is the KING curvetting or prancing on a generous Horse Glorious in Purple or Scarlet and Gold There needs not the pointing of Fingers or asking of Questions every one having seen the Guard saith in his own private breast Behold now at last him whom thou hast desired What meant this quick-sighted Author in so prolix and elegant a description of this Star but that he might set before our eyes the Majesty of him that is signified thereby to wit that Glorious Advent of the King of Kings whom all and every where the Creatures especially the Inhabitants of his Metropolis the men of Jerusalem have as with out-stretched neck so long expected To which purpose it advantageth that the said Keplerus affirmeth that this Star almost in all circumstances is like to that which the wise men saw in the East as the Sign of the Lord Jesus King of the Jewes excepting this Stars Immobility and Altitude See Kepler in the said Book p. 134 135. To wit this in Serpeutario stood unmoveable in the Firmament That of the wise men moved in the inferiour sky The other was in the superiour this in the inferiour part of Heaven Whereby it seemeth not obscurely to be intimated that this Star as it looked at none other than that same King of the Jews so it was the Harbenger of an higher and more unmoveable Kingdom than ever yet Christ had or hitherto hath been known to the world Seeing these things are so that namely the place in which this year * He means last year viz. 1662. is the meeting of all the Planets appears to be one and the same with that place wherein 59 years since was beheld not only that great Conjunction but also that new Royal Star in Serpentarie and of some called the Sign of the Son of man what other thing I pray can be collected if any credit may be give to the works of God then this that this congressure * of 1602. or coming together hath respect unto the same thing of which we monished but now concerning that great Conjunction and new Star To the CIRCUMSTANCES of this Synod of Stars will belong the consideration of the TIME in which it begins continues and ends It begins with the entrance of Jupiter to the rest already congregated which is done in the night preceding that 1 12 day of December and is ended by the Moons going out again in the night immediately following so that the Duration of this Conjunction is not beyond one day which also is indeed ominous For as if thou shalt see the States of a City or Commanders of an Army solemnly congregated suddenly and tremulously again depart one from another there is none but would thence gather that there is some great matter in that thing even so it is altogether in this matter whilst those Captaines of the Celestial bodies that have fcarcely once met for so many Ages should so speedily again hasten away from each other may they not justly strike a terrour For they are assembled together in that common Palace of the Celestial Sagitarius out of our sight in a place subterraneous to us in Europe in the night time we being deeply asleep and so are carried up as in one Chariot above our Horizon and born away beyond our vertical South point and by the West transported out of our sight and so begin again to be separated But how are they separated Which of them all first goes forth The Moon which by any means by her swift motion among the Stars acting the part of a Currier or Post is first dismissed that it may carry about swift tidings to the whole world Yea because she is the Receptacle and Chariot of all the Celestial Influences and the slinger out of them upon the world it causeth a beginning of unusual operations i. e. It poureth forth the efficacy of those beams which had been collected in the common Conjunction After which after 5 daies followes enflamed Mars the instrument of heat or wrath and fury yet fuming Next after the Sun follows Venus after other 10 daies to wit the 30th of Decemb And again after nine daies Mercury January 8. Only malignant Saturn being left alone in the House of Juplter to contend with benign Jupiter for a whole year when or at which time Jupiter being weary of striving is driven out of his own house betakes himself to Capricorn Anno 1664 Jan. 3. Saturn abiding behind in his place aforesaid above 11 moneths to the 16 of Decemb. But there will come to pass yet two notable Conjunctions in the same fiery Sign of Sagittarius N.B. The fast is of Jupiter with Saturn Oct. 21. 1663. The second of Mars with Saturn Novemb. 22. 1664 all which if any credit to Heaven being the worst of ominous Tokens seem to be the foretellers of terrible Confusions Perturbations Wars and Slaughters on earth because so many fatal periods of things every where in the world fall in together The ANTECEDENTS which went before this Session of these Rulers of the world and are such a sign of some grand and singular thing to be noted thereby are these besides what we but now premised concerning that great Conjunction and new Star 1. That terrible Comet which about the end of Autumn in the year 1618 exposed it self to be beheld formidable for its Tayle or flaming wand The chastisements of which Rod even to this day leave the whole body of the Church sickly and as in an Agony full of wounds and malignant Ulcers whose Corruption is not yet wrought out nor the pain mitigated 2. Another Comet appeared in the year 1652. And again a third in the year 1659 near the Celestial Aquila or Eagle not drawing a flaming Tayl after it like the rest but on its forehead was a fiery Dart brandishing as it were its forked head like a sting making at the Eagle 2. Besides Comets which are to us as publick Heralds of things signified to us by the solemn meetings of those Celestial Regents how many wonderful Phaenomena Appearances in the Air have been seen for some years last
until that day wherein the Beast shall be taken and cast into the Like of Fire and Brimstone Forasmuch therefore as these 5 Vials are already poured out and the obscuring of the Beasts Throne is dayly more and more encreased what I pray comes next to be expected by us but that the sixth Vial which is now pouring out shall make way for those Kings that shall come from the East of whom Baruch makes mention c. 5. v. 5. c. that the Stone out out of the Mountain without hands of which Dan. 2.45 may cast down break in pieces and destroy all the Kingdomes of the earth and in stead of them that stone may fill the whole earth And if this be that thing which comes next to be expected by us what marvel if we refer these signes in Heaven and Earth now concurring to this Matter and that we look upon them as foretellers of the Jews Conversion and the subversion of the last Monarchy of the world 4. We read also in Revel 17. That a time will one day come when the 10 Horns of the Beast on which the Harlet sits which 10 Horns are 10 Kings who have long adored the Beast and have committed fornication with the whore shall in that agree together hat with hatred they persecute the where and make her desolate and â—â—ked chap. 17.16 And we know who is that Harlot and who are those Kings which have so long served her viz. the Kings of France Spain Poland Hungary Behemiah England Scotland Portugal Suedland and Denmark All which together with the Pope lifting up himself as the Head of the Catholick Church nad their rise And because we see that in many of these Kings there hath been long since a mind that if they could would long ago have devoured her flesh but concerning the rest of the Kings which hitherto have adhered to the Harlot 't is evident that they also are gone into parties and dissent from her and begin to prepare war against her who thence may not conclude the death of that Whore Gerariae and by consequence the destruction of that Gerarian seven-headed-Beast to be before the doores And albeit there were no signes of this extant in Heaven yet to quick-sighted men and they who believe the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles those signes of it on earth which we see with our eyes and touch with our hands N.B. may be sufficient Behold now I have demonstrated that that same faithful exhortation of the aforesaid Book Printed at Groning and written upon occasion of the instant Conjunction of all the Planets in the fiery Sign of â™ Sagitary is most worthy to be heedfully observed and to be laid up in the inmost Closets of our hearts seeing the matters there set forth are not vain Phantasmes of mans Brain ☞ of idle figments of superstitious Astrology but a sure certain truth founded in Nature and on the Scriptures agreeing not only with the Tradition and Experience of the Ancients but also with the Predictions of the Lord Jesus Christ himself and of his beloved Apostles Peter Paul and John Therefore I will conclude with the words of our Lord full of Consolation and Love Luke 21.8 c. And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh 29. And he spake to them a Parable behold the Fig-tree and all the Trees 30. When they now shoot forth ye see and know of your own selves that Summer is now nigh at hand V. 31. So likewise ye when ye see these things come to pass know ye that the Kingdom of God is at hand Go to let us lay aside whatsoever might hinder us Be we like to Servants who with their Loynes girt and their Lamps burning expect their Master Let us shake off the dust of the Earth and lift up our heads with our hearts heaven-ward clearing our selves from all Impediments before it be too late that is before those last signes invade which shall unexpectedly slay the world For those things which Christ foretold Luke 21. shall come to pass are more than begun to be fulfilled And unless we make hast those last Signes which shall immediately accompany Christs coming will be now present and come upon us unaware Now the Figuree hath begen to put forth her leaves now her branch begins to wax tender Yet truly those natural Branchek of that same Noble Olive-tree of which Paul speaks Rom. 11. begâ—n to be tender as I before noted for I speak not of a thing unâ—â—pâ—rienced acknowledging themselves to be great sinners giving Glory to God and justifying him in all his Judgments exercised upon them and submitting themselves without any resistance to all afflictions reproaches and punishments and anxiously expecting if at any time God will remember them and have mercy upon them Moreover do not those signes of the end of this world aâ—â— of the Beasts last violence and of Government every where overtuâ—hing it self begin to bud forth Therefore whosoever will not be upâ—â— are destroyed and perish with the world it is of necessity that he hasten For most certainly the Summer is at hand i.e. that glorious Kingdom of God of which all the Prophets have prophesied of which also Christ so often monished his Disciples and they us supporting us continually with that Consolation is now at the door O blessed Summer and with all Prayer to be desired in which all those excellent fruits shall be presented to the eyes of all in Production whereof God and Christ have laboured so many thousand years whereby at 〈◊〉 the most bountiful God may be truly acknowledged praysed and sanctified among all peoples and inhabitants of the whole world for the works of his hands and for the unspeakable riches of his Grace Truth and Love and Faithfulness towards Mankind O blessed Kingdom where God alone shall be Kingiâ—â—â— vvhich to him only vvho hath redeemed us vvith his precious bloud from among all peoples all povver and vvisdom and honour and strength and riches shall be given vvith one consent of all Creatures vvhether Angels or men The God and Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST who by the Gospel of his Son hath called us unto that Kingdom open in us our understanding to lay these things to heart that conforming our selves wholly to these things we may be meet to have our part in the delicacies of this Summer and the ineffable Glory of the Kingdom of our Lord JESU CHRIST Blessed for ever Amen Adde to the Book the Prophesie of Tobit chap. 14. v. 3 4 5 6 7. The Pourtraiture how the Planets stood above one another every one according to his Altitude yet all of them under the same Sign Sagittarius Decemb. 1 12. In pag. 40. lin 9 10. at the words the destruction of that Gerarian seven-headed Beast read if ye please thus the destruction of that Carrieress Porteress or drudge-bearer of the seven-headed Beast FINIS