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A34097 A generall table of Europe, representing the present and future state thereof viz. the present governments, languages, religions, foundations, and revolutions both of governments and religions, the future mutations, revolutions, government, and religion of christendom and of the world &c. / from the prophecies of the three late German prophets, Kotterus, Christina, and Drabricius, &c., all collected out of the originals, for the common use and information of the English. Comenius, Johann Amos, 1592-1670. 1670 (1670) Wing C5507A; ESTC R24277 200,382 315

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refined as Gold and Silver and the Church offer again pure Sacrifice to God as in former dayes and the years of old After these a solemn Mission or sending this work by command from God to the most eminent Heads of the Christian World in particular First To Leopold Emperour of the Romans which begins thus Most Invincible and Victorious Emperour This Book which is sent unto thy Majesty is written by the command of God and published by the command of God and sent to the heads of the World by the command of God That all may understand what is the last will of God in the last Age c. These things could not be concealed from your Majesty of all others because among the chiefest heads of the World God hath set you in the chiefest place and also because these Thunderbolts strike against you amongst the first and against your most Serene House Yet Grace is here offer'd to you See therefore what you do most August Caesar and that you may see either read these things your self or if too long for Imperial affairs deliver them to be read to your Counsellors Civil and Ecclesiastick till the matter appear Let it pity you for your self and for your House O caesar that you may break off your sins and the sins of your House by Righteousness As yet they whom your Father and Grandfather have afflicted and persecuted pray for you and your house crying Father forgive them they know not what they do The King of France is commanded here to remedy the confusions of Christendom yet if you O first of Kings will cooperate to reduce all the deadly factions of Christian people into Unity of Love and Faith you will do an acceptable service to God and all Christianity Next To Alexander VII the Roman Pope or who ever next succeeds him Highest Priest of the Roman-Catholick Church Among other Prerogatives of the High Priest of the old Law were 1. To consult God in doubtful matters 2. To be supreme Judges in all Church-matters with other chief Priests adjoyned for ease of so great a burden 3. To restrain false Prophets If therefore you with your Colledge of Cardinals by divne right obtain the highest place in the Church the same prerogatives by divine right are due also to you God was forced at length to send them Prophets extraordinary to warn Princes Priests and People of their duty They accounted them for false Prophets Mock'd and Kill'd them Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem Thou who killest the Prophets c. God in this present Book makes complaints in the Ears of Angels and men against your prophanesses And threatens his utmost Judgments They are offered here to be read to the World by command from God Do not I beseech you suspect these to be devised fictions of Man against you or published out of a corrupt affection and desire to rejoyce at your destruction They seek to deceive you who seek to instill such suspicions We the publishers of these things in the presence of the omniscient God protest with Mordecai that we for the Salvation of the Church are ready to kiss even the soals of your feet O Roman Pope Let it pity you for your selves that you may hasten to prevent the wrath of the Omnipotent Let it pity you for your Church lest leaving it in Babylonish abominations you deliver it up to be scattered at length by the Thunderbolts of God Let it pity you for so many Christian People by your obstinacy slid into so many Schisms and Heresies that they may be reduced to the Unity of the Faith Let it pity you for so many people out of the Pale of the Church to whom a door of entrance is shut through the confusions of Christians O Pope awaken O Pope rouze up out of the sleep of drunkenness and surfitting wherewith your Flatterers have made you drunk and intoxicated you calling you Christs Vicar and Infallible c. If there be none on Earth that dare speak true things unto you behold monatory Voices from Heaven Read this Book and take care to have it read by yours Your Predecessours did not despise the gift of Prophesie in the Church as some now do but proved all things to hold fast that which was good Therefore the Revelations of Hildegard Bridget Catharine c. were judged to be without fraud and admitted as worthy to be Canonical Let the same thing be done to these new ones Let them be submitted to a lawful examination that it may appear what is needfal to be done And it will appear that these last Revelations are as truly divine And that Gods will is that the Kings resume their Scepters and Rule and not the successors of the Apostles To spiritual men only spiritual things should belong For that all confusion hath increased in the World by submitting the secular power to the spiritual And that all things may be reduced into a beautiful order that it is the will of God that a Councel be called by the Authority of Kings That is that the Christian People of all parties be congregated and there all controversies be heard censured weighed decided and terminated so that by comman Jubilees of Heaven and Earth may be sung Glory to God on High on Earth Peace good will towards all men O Modern Roman Popes oppose not your selves as your predecessors have hitherto done never daring to submit their cause to a General Council Do you dare why should you not If your power over the whole Church and all Bishops and over all Kings too be of God O Roman Pope why do you rage so against all your Modern Monitors whether Doctors or Teachers and Professors of the Truth or whether Bishops Pastors or whole intire Churches or whether Kings Princes and Commonwealths or whether New Prophets c. Nor are the Modern the only or the first This thousand years there have been the same complaints and lamentations not only privately but by publick cryes both by voice and writings And God hath all along admonished you by extraordinary Prophets of your own and from among your selves Some ye have killed some ye have persecuted the rest you would not hear or understand or regard As Johannes de Rupescissâ and others whom you imprisoned Mancinellus whose hands and tongue you cut off Hus Savanarola and others whom you burnt Although even some also you had canoniz'd and their Prophecies and externally honour'd for Saints who will witness against you O Alexander the seventh to you I appeal by name and most humbly pray you to admit these words or speeches As God lives and your soul lives I seek nothing in this Book or this new Edition thereof but that the Christian People with all their Prelates may prevent the last Wrath of God They are serious things and concern the Christian Peoples safety or destruction By the tremendous Name of God I pray do not set them at nought Peter could erre why not Peter's successor Peter could be
and the Church in this Stile Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ to you the most Illustrious King Pepin and to all Bishops Abbots c. I the Apostle Peter whose Adopted Sons you are admonish you that you perfectly come and defend this City c. And doubt you not but trust assuredly that I my self as if I stood before you do thus exhort you c. and that I Peter the Apostle of God will at the last day yeeld you mutual kindness and prepare you Tabernacles in the Heavens Upon this quarel of the Popes Pepin and his Son Charls destroy the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy and give large Territories to the Church And these things made way and gave occasion and opportunity for Charles upon his great conquests to set up the German Empire of the West Franks The Pope in requital confirms Pepin in the Ringdom of France gives his Son Charls afterwards the Title of most christian King and crowns him Emperor of the Romans at Rome An. 800. From which he would pretend to be above Emperors and Kings and to be his right to Crown confirm and depose them if not dispose of their Kingdoms But Charls at length reassumes the ancient and original Imperial Dignity and Power to Govern the Church call Councils and order Papal Elections and confirm and invest them c. against all begun usurpations and incroachments of the Pope and aws Italy And keeps the Pope still Subject which Authority of the Empire was prety well upheld during the Caroline Race The Pope in the mean while under pretext of the Christian Religion and converting Infidels and the Nations increases in Wealth Power and Authority over the World Thundering out these Decrees of Holy Church Out of the Church no Salvation The Pope's the Successor of St. Peter the visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Christ on Earth His right as aforesaid to create confirm excommunicate and depose Kings and dispose Kingdoms for the cause of Religion c. That they are Hereticks that dissent from the Roman Church the only true Catholick Church or are Enemies to it c. Hereby the Consciences of the Nations Princes and People converted to an outward christianity are aw'd and fill'd with Reverence and Zeal for the Church to convert or root out Infidel Nations c. and to do any Benefices or Services for the Church As the most acceptable Service to Christ whom they began to acknowledge and Worship as their God and Saviour Hence almost all the Nations subject themselves to the Pope as Head of the Church yea and in Temporals also in a great measure nay some to hold their Kingdoms of him c. As if they could not any better way recompence Christs Vicar for the benefit of their Eternal Salvation then to submit themselvs all theirs to his dispose And this Opinion was brought about to prevail in the World that they might redeem their sins by good deeds and charitable works and services for the Church against it's enemies c. Hence Riches and Revenues of the Clergy and Hosts and swarms of clergy men Hence Churches Temples Abbies Monastries without number c. for the Redemtion of Souls Hence Expeditions Holy Wars Leagues and undertakings for the Church Hence Pardons Indulgences and devices for mony c. 'T would be endless to mention particulars c. The Pope having thus erected his Throne in the Consciences of men strongly seated there through Ignorance and blind Zeal and Devotion begins to play Rex in the World Besides there being perpetual emulation of Princes specially in Germany and Italy for Empire and Dominion c. The Pope interests himself in one part and the other for fear of excommunication or force becomes subject to him The Pope therefore now practises all wayes he can against the superiority of the Emperor and from being any wayes subject to his Authority or control and to undermine all Supremacy in Temporals presuming that all power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth in the Church and State c. 'Till in the end they come not only to let the Emperors have nothing to do in their Election Confirmation and Investiture but also to have all in a manner themselves to do in the Creation and Coronation of the Emperors Not long after the Caroline power and race declining and that partly through the Popes practises Italy is usurp'd by several Tyrants against the Emperor and almost wholly broken from it wherein the Popes have a finger and make their own advantage upon these distractions of the Empire For An. 884. Adrian the 3 d. denyes the Emperors Authority necessary to the creating Popes and about the year 900. the Empire is wholly and perfectly translated from the French or Caroline race to the Germans by Pope Agapetus's plotting And about the year 1000. as some write Gregory the fifth appoints Electors for choosing the Emperors whereby they afterwards became weakned and the Empire broken into factions and parties and the Pope thereby to have the better opportunity to work his own ends and to raise his greatness out of others ruines striving now to be uppermost not only in Church but State too and to be above even the Emperors themselves For after this time open and down right Tyranny over the Emperors begins to manifest it self First Pope John takes away all choise of Popes from the people to the Clergy only upon this plausible ground That the People are to be taught not followed Next Clement the 2 d. about 1047. set up by the Emperor against other Anti-Popes by the Authority of a Synod caused the Romans to renounce by oath the right they claimed in choosing Popes Then about 1050. Leo the 9 th invested by the Emperor is perswaded by Hildebrand to put off his pontificalibus or papal Robes in his journey from Germany to Rome to wave the Emperor and have a new election from the Roman Clergy and then made Hildebrand Cardinal who manag'd all at his pleasure After this Nicholas the 2 d. about 1060. takes away the election from the Roman Clergy bringing it about to a Colledge of Cardinals also then instituted that is of Spiritual Temporal or Lincy-woollcy Princes like himself the Supreme Emperor as it were for the greater grandure and more magnificent authority of his Almighty Holiness who was now almost got to the top of Empire Supremacy and Omnipotency For it was decreed in Council the Pope only to be chose by Cardinals whose Wounderful Worships or Eminencies might lift him up one step higher even as it were into Heaven to be God on Earth For so some thought fitting afterwards to stile forsooth his divine Majesty c. And then they order that no lay Person should confer Ecclesiaslick Investiture For what should the Church concern them But yet they themselves would invest and Crown Lay Princes For though the State had nothing to do with the Church yet the Church had to do
Wars with the Turk who besieges Vienna it self 1529. The rest the Emperor is King of Between whom constant Wars Truces and Breaches and Invasions again After this time Transylvania dismembred from Hungaria About the Bohemian War great Troubles here also for Liberty of Religion which had been before granted them by the former Emperor Of Transylvania Walachia Moldavia Transylvania eastward of Upper Hungaria heretofore for long time a Province and Principality thereof and so of the Empire from which swerving constitutes a peculiar Principality distinct from the Kingdom of Hungary under the protection of the Turks about 1560. The Princes nominated and substituted by the Turk in opposition to the Emperor The Protestants choosing rather to fall under the Turk than the Emperor finding more mercy and liberty from him or rather from between both Their Princes being maintained and substituted by the Turk against the Emperor and again defended by th' Emperor and Poland from being made wholly thrall to the Turk to whom their Princes are tributary Hence Wars and Troubles with the Princes of Transylvania as well as Turk they often by War invading Caesar First Bathor makes work 1601. Next Botskay makes war about 1606. Then Bethlem Gabor a profest enemy of the House of Austria and Defender of the Protestants drives Gabriel Bathor the former Prince out of Transylvania 1620 having invaded Hungary the year before 1619 but after a great noise did effect little even at this time of the Hungarian and Bohemian Wars laying down his Hungarian Diadem 1622 and reconcil'd to the Emperor Anno 1644 Ragotzi moves into Hungary takes places and makes Peace a year or two after Since George Ragotzi the second mingling himself rashly and improvidently in the War between Sweden and Poland and beaten by the Polander 1658 and overcome by the Turks at Clausenburg Anno 1660 died of his wounds there received at Waradin Unhappy Prince seeking anothers loses his own And so the Ragotzies were overturn'd and quite outed Barkay is substituted by the Turks the same year opposed by Kemini-Janos Ragotzi's General who was chosen by the Estates The Turks take several strong places amongst the rest Waradin the Gate and Sluse as it were or Keys of Germany on this side the Danow Anno 1661 Count Serin bestirs himself against the Turks fortifies a Castle in his Island Kemini-Janos takes Barkay and kills him and his Brother The Imperialists march into Hungary and Transylvania against the Turks who subdue a great part thereof take Newstadt constitute Abaffy Prince 1662. Kemini-Janos makes work for Abaffy but betray'd by his own is kill'd Count Serin is active vexes the Turks They take Fogaras Castle and domineer throughout Take Deva and establish Abaffy Clausenburg a long time in vain besieged by Abaffy reliev'd by Imperialists Turks make a treacherous Truce in Transylvania with the Emperor 1663. Turks again invade Hungary take New-hausel and other places in Upper-Hungary Clausenburg and another Hold betray'd and sold by the Souldiers to Abaffy The French do exploits and get renown against the Turks having been sent to the Emperor's assistance Peace made 1665. Walachia bordering Southward of Transylvania and Moldavia has been a long time a Province of the Turks receive their Prince from that Court are tributary yet often cause troubles Moldavia eastward of Transylvania has also been a long time a Turkish Province They nominate their Prince are tributary yet not so fully in their Power as they would desire And so we pass to the Empire of the Turks The Foundation and Revolutions of the present Turkish Empire Osman or Ottoman rising to be Sultan in Asia minor i. e. those parts of Asia towards Europe where the Turks then had only footing being quite driven out of Persia and all their Eastern Kingdoms by the Tartars after the death of Sultan Aladine the 2d or 3d the last of the other House layes the Foundation of the present Empire and Family about the year 1300 subduing all the other inferiour Kingdoms of the Turks there in Asia minor among whom the Empire was divided after Saladines death without Heirs About 1350 they cross the Hellespont or Narrow-Sea out of Asia into Europe hiring the Genoa's Ships For what footing they had before in Gallipolis was inconsiderable by Land having subdued Nice the Imperial Seat of the Eastern i. e. Graecian Emperors in the time of Ottoman before mentioned From that time they get ground in Europe take Adrianople their first Imperial Seat in Europe and the Countries of Servia and Bulgaria In the year 1370 a great part of Thrace and Macedonia and Achaia in Greece but loose most part of their Empire in Asia by Tamerlane Emperor of the Tartars to the year 1400. But soon recover it again and reunite the whole Turkish Kingdom and inlarge it with the Conquests of Dacia and part of Sclavonia and Transylvania and the rest of Macedonia in Greece About 1420. take from the Constantinopolitan or Greek Empire all Achaia Thessaly Epirus shake the State of Hungary Uuder Mahomet the 2 d call'd the Great about 1450 this Empire rises to its height taking Constantinople it self the Imperial Seat and the whole Greek Empire making it the seat of Empire to this day He conquers two Empires the Constantinopolitan and of Trabezund a new erected Empire of the Greeks distinct from the Constantinopolitan twelve Kingdoms innumerable Provinces and two hundred Cityes and so put an end to the whole Greek Roman Empire About 1480 they drive the Venetians from Morea or Peloponnese a part of Greece on the East whereof lyes Candy over against it and part of Dalmatia and get some Countries or Kingdoms in Asia also Towards the year 1520 they subdue the Mammalucks of Egypt Grand Caire their Royal Seat also Palestine Syria Arabia bringing all under their Yoke After the year 1520 Solyman the Magnificent the most Powerful of all the Turkish Emperors and Scourge of the Christians surprises Rhodes Belgrade Buda with greatest part of Hungary and Babylon Assyria and Mesopotamia in Asia from the Persians But in vain besieges Vienna An. 1529 with three hundred thousand men and lost eighty thousand before it in a months time Never the like Siege read of This Hungarian War lasted all Solyman's time for forty years About 1567 take from the Venetians Cyprus and from the Moors Tunis then under the power of Charles the fifth King of Spain and Algiers both in Africa with their Territories after their defeat in the famous Sea-fight at Lepanto by the Christians After the year 1600 the Hollander first makes League with Achmet and the German Emperor afterwards He succeeded at nine years old the elder being kill'd by command of the Father Osman or Ottoman the 2d unsuccesfully making War upon Poland and endeavouring to remove the Seat of Empire from Constantinople to Cair in Egypt his Janizaries seditious take him and strangle him publickly 1622 and fetch Mustapha whom they had after two or three months reign imprisoned
false prophets and fainers of dreams may be put to death and iniquity be taken away from the midst of the people Deut. 13. And because the Eclesiasticks are ordinarily inclined to slay the Prophets behold we solemnly appeal from all Universities and Consistories to your tribunal O Kings and secular Powers Like Jeremiah from the Priests to the Princes and to the King himself and Paul the Apostle from the Council of the Priests to the Political Judges Felix Festus Agrippa and lastly to Caesar himself We beseech you undertake 1st the Patronage of this Book Permitting none to rage against it till plenary examination and delusion of the cause For what have these papers offended in receiving these Lamentations Mournings and Woes especially denouncing no sad things to the people of God But to Sodom Egypt Babylon the World Hell and the Devils afflicting the people of God Nor perswade any Nation or any Man any Rebellion against their Kings but all Loyalty that all things may return from all manner of confusions into all manner of order and peace Lastly because This Book is one of them by which God Convocates the Kings of the Earth from the four Corners of the World to reverence him it is your part therefore O Kings not to hinder but promote this Trumpet of God if you would be Ministers of his Kingdom Next The publishers themselves of this Book commend themselves to your Patronage O Gods Protectors of the Earth That you permit no unjust violence against them As the Princes and the King himself did not against Jeremiah and Baruch nor the Tribune of the Band and Felix Governor of Judea against Paul For it would be most unjust by force to act any thing against him who appealing to Justice sets himself before the Judgement As the Jewish Priests with their flatterers did against the Lord himself and against Paul c. 3. We commend to you O Powers of the Earth the very cause it self pleaded in these Books to be throughly examined for in the name of one more powerful these Oracles do come fulminating your People your Priests and your Selves with your Princes and citing all the inhabitants of the Modern World to a certain supreme invisible yet terrible Tribunal For if the words which these Books denounce be truly the words of God it is more Glorious then any thing yet in the Church since the Apostles time If Satanical Impostures they are more terrible and fearful ones then ever any have yet been If figments of humane craft nothing like hath ever yet come forth in any Nation by any humane wit But whether this or that or the other It is a matter most worthy of the care of Kings that at length what it is may appear whereunto serious Judgement is needful not neglect not contempt not fury Hasten O Kings to know and examine what matter of things these are before all the Plagues here denounced be powred forth upon your Kingdoms Deliver these things to wise men and fearing God and of publick spirits seriously to be weighed If you hear humane counsels why not also these which many wayes may appear to come by men indeed yet not from men If any one say Dare you broach and vend these things for Prophesies undoutedly Divine I will answer with Philip to Nathaniel Come and see For the offices and marks of true Prophets are here to declare to the people of God fallen into abominations their sins To denounce wrath and punishment to the impenitent and again Mercy and Grace to the penitent this and not another thing for the main scope and end you shall see is done here Only be sure to see that you make your selves certain which you may from the adjoyned history 1st That there have been really and indeed persons in this our Age who have written these things greater then any human wit 2ly And that they were simple Idiots not able to fain such things Act. 4. 13. 3ly And Godly fearing God not willing to deceive 4ly Incompassed with a cloud of Witnesses that there could be no place for Impostures 5ly Lastly that many Godly and solid Divines not in one Nation only do give testimony that greater wisedom shines forth in these things then that they can be attributed to men and that the whole work is more sanctions and holy then that it can be attributed to Satan Yet lest we may seem to obtrude any private Authority on the Publick we earnestly intreat a publick and solemn examination of these things under your Auspicions beginnings O Kings And that as soon as may be while witnesses are alive who can give it on their Faith that they have seen the fingers writing viz. Things flowing forth or droping from the pen of the Seers not what they themselves would but what by themselves for the most part not understood some certain invisible dictatour instilled into them which also their own hand writing viz. The originals themselves kept in a certain place further testifie The last thing we desire of you O most serene Princes is that if these be Counsels divine you would seriously purpose and resolve to obey and execute the divine Will saying All that the Lord hath said we will do Why may not these things be thus recommended c. seeing no man brings them forth of his own daring but they are offered in the name of God who is the God of all and takes care of all It is the Law of Arms and custom of the Nations that Trumpeters pass freely amongst the most deadly enemies even ready to give Battel bringing the command of their Principals Why may not he therefore be safe between the safeguards of your Majesty O Christian Kings who is your Interpreter from the King of Kings But they who would perswade you that this Book is hurtful stirring up to War and Arms betray their folly malice and impiety Because it does not make but after the manner of all the Prophets forewarn denounce and threaten Wars and Desolations without Repentence and Amendment And because none has ever drawn his Sword for the sake of this Book when yet all people draw their Swords one against another who is so blind yet and besotted as not to see his Arm stretched forth out of whose mouth are denounced these things beforehand Was Rome unwise in permitting it to be cry'd through all the City Hannibal s before the Gates Cease Mortals to be mad and quite out of your wits The voice of God and Angels forewarning you from destruction sound even in these Books The World is full of the Judgements of God The present commotion of the World and so many unlooked for Mutations do not signifie nothing Lest therefore the Christian people be still so grosly ignorant as they are of the terrible Judgements of God now in the world viz. of their Causes Manner End and Issue do ye who preside over the people in the place of God command that among other helps ministred from
the divine Power that these Books also be publickly extant and exposed to be sold bought read and throughly considered and examined being certain that it will be for the great use of Gods People your Honour and the Glory of God Yea and read them your selves and delay not to offer them to your Counsellours to be read and judged Here is a thousand times a greater business then a Neighbouring War or Peace It 's worthy of all your Juncto's to consult of Let not O Kings the King of Kings seem to be so slighted by you or his Messengers pretending at least in his Name c. Believe it most Serene Princes nothing like to this Book has the World had since the Apostles times The next is to all the Angels of the Churches Bishops Pastors Doctors all Divines and Theologers and all Eclesiasticks where all prejudices of the Wise and Learned and Religious against these matters are clearly removed c. It hath pleased God in some Ages past to inspire before-hand Men and Women with a prophetick spirit as in the Book called the Burden of the Church and in the Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth and in Fabricius's Tryal of Visions are cited and in our age to stir up others and in greater numbers through Germany Amongst whom seeing these three write what they are commanded of that stupendous mutation of things in the World now at hand and the Glorious Kingdom of Christ Now now to begin And that indeed these are not fained as may appear plainly from the adjoyned History What hinders but that all these things also be known of you O Presidents of the Churches It is no burden to you to read humane commetaries upon the Scripture Why do you neglect to know these that as truly as God lives are not Humane Lay aside or at least suspend for a time the cushion of carnal security Rather read again attentively both the divine Book of the Prophets and Apostles and also these new repetitions of the same things and then if all things appear not a thousand fold clearer to you then through your false spectacles then let it be free for you to take them up again Unhappy interpreters of the Scripture who expresly deny what God expresly affirms in the Scripture that the Lord does nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Servants the Prophets From whom therefore doth the contrary assertion that God does all things without our privity come Expunge that out of your Bibles or say God is not that Antient mankind-loving God who takes pleasure to communicate his secrets to men I beseech you O Theologers be not more infidels to the world and works of God then Machiavil suspected of some of Atheisme as before quoted Take heed in the name of God Theologers to blind and hearden men while you would seem to make them see The Apostles have not said to the people of the new Law Admit no more Prophesie but he hath said Quench not the Spir●t dispise not Prophesie try all things c. O ye that are appointed Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem examin the state of your Churches Whether they be truly called out of the world or rather relapsed into the world and become the verymost world indeed If the whole matter were seriously looked into perhaps you would see what heretofore so many holy men have seen viz. Among Modern Christians almost nothing of Christ besides the name is found for as much as 1st The humility of Christ is turned into haughtiness from the highest head of the Church to the lowest 2dly The Heavenly Kingdom of Christ into all things that are Earthly 3dly The Gentleness of Christ degenerated into fury and mad perversness of butchering one another that we are not now a tame flock of Tigers Lyons Wolves Serpents But a flock of Sheep turned into Wolves Bears Dragons Vipers greedy of nothing but to hurt one another in all the holy Mountains of God 4thly Lastly if it be true what a holy man said Christ reigns in internals Antichrist in externals we are all now become Antichrists Because none almost worship God in Spirit and Truth All living in the flesh seek to deceive God with a little paint and external daub of piety Again and again see what you do O Theologers lest if you will not admit these Preachers God send you more terrible Preachers Prodigies in Heaven and Earth and Blood and Fire and streams of Smoak and Fears and Pits and Snares and that like People like Priest c. If indeed they are Humane or Satanical you need not fear but contemn them but if truly from God wo unto you Guides of the people who in obedience of your ordinary vocation most scornfully contemn these extraordinary things that you account them neither worthy to be seen or heard orexamined O Consecrated Heads to God! Be not like the Preists and Prophets of Jerusalem drunken with Error not knowing the Seer and ignorant of the Judgement Behold here Seers Behold an obscure question Whether at this day there be Seers or no. Examin both it and them But Judge not according to outward appearance but Judge Righteous Judgement sayes Christ And what need you be troubled at them they are but the things foretold in the Scripture Of Tribulations to the wicked world and Rest and Peace to the Church c. Which if you cannot bear with in these Books expunge them out of the volumns of your Bibles But if you can and ought to bear them there bear them also here That old and new may accord together If you scruple because they were unlearned and Ideots Gamaliel's counsel in full Council of the Pharisees is moderate Abstain from these men and let them alone for if this counsel or word be of men it shall be brought to nought but if it be of God you cannot withstand it lest perhaps ye be found fight●●s against God O Modern Councils Synods Consistories Universities suffer the same words Desist to prohibit this Book For no Human wit can refute nor no human force or power oppose this work of innovating the world nor no humane goodness able to wish better things to mankind If any dislikes this Counsel and will try his strength in overthrowing this work let him also attempt to stop the dayly Rise and Set of the Sun or the Flux and Reflux of the Sea or the Winds from blowing hither and thither But thou to thine own self O man art nor able to stop breathing in and out And how wilt thou go about to restrain the Eternal Spirits breathings and inspirations Cease ye Sparks to contend with the Flame ye Rivers with the Ocean ye shall not prevail Cease to befool men by attributing to Man or to Satan what cannot be attributed neither to Man nor to Satan viz. to speak with the voice of God and to seal his words with omnipotent virtue to effect them by shaking to wit the Earth and the Sea and the