ever it hath done in England or Germany This is the felicity of the Church the fifth Monarchy in Nebuchadnezzars Image the ministeriall not personall Reign and Kingdom of Christ upon â—arth which must not endure for ever as Archer would have it nor for a 1000 years as Alsted dreams but for a very short time that all Nations none excepted may professe Gods worship and none plead ignorance before his Tribunall presently after which the dissolution of the world shall come after which time shall be no more IV. This Digression made I return to my purposed method That fearfull and ominous Night-torch which prognosticated all that misery to Germany and great Brittain which they have now suffered was the forerunner of all our evils This Comet Longomontanus and D. Bambridge say appeared but 28. dayes indeed it was neither observed in Denmark nor at London before Novemb. 18. or 21. but Erycius Puteanus observed it Novemb. 11. the first time as he testifies in the first book of his learned Paradoxologie pag. 33.38 so it appeared for the space of 37. or 38. dayes foreshewing that first Germany Livonia Swethland with other North-parts of Europe then Scotland England and Ireland should feel the terrible effects thereof in warre and famine for the space of 37. or 38. years even from An. 1618. till An. 1656. This Comet was strengthned by a fearfull conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter An. 1616. July 18. The effects of both which were not to be confined in those terrible concomitants of war perpetrated in Germany which L.B. and D. Vincent so pathetically delineate but were to end in the judgements of God upon Europe for neglecting the downfall of Antichrist ruine of Rome annihilation of the Sodomiticall Order of the Society of Jesuites and in the extirpation of all Kingdoms and free States of Papists to make way for the Lion of the North to erect his FIFTH MONARCHIE in the ashes of Germany wherein shall be established the eternall felicity of the Church by the conversion of the Jews and fulnesse of the Gentiles M. Shirley Fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge once shewed me a Letter from his learned friend Buxtorf dated An. 1624. May 3. wherein was contained a Prognostique Prophecy of the before-mentioned Comet and Conjunction sent him from that incomparable Astrologer Iohannes Baudensis Nephew to Paul Grebner which for the strangenesse and rarity of it I will here insert Caeterùm quòd de patriae nostrae afflictissimae statu consilesco indignaris nihil profectò scribendum nunc habâ—o nisi omnia ut Poetae verbis utor in pejus ruere retrò sublapsa referri Tam Danus quà m Caesar â—nixè laborant ut miseram Germaniam quamprimùm pâ—ssum iri spectem Nec milites utriusqùe quiequam aliud meditanâ—nr nisi strages vastitatem Accepi nudiustertiùs à Johanne Baudensi amico mihi multimodis charissimo sententias nostratium Astrologorum de horribili illo Cometâ— qui Anno 1618. apparuit nuperrimâ Saturni Iovis Conjunctione En tibi vaticinium si noâ— Apostolicum at longè ni fallor plusquà m Astrologicum Surrexit Deus gladium eduxit Clades magnorum Imperatorum strages populorum regum funcra rerum-publicarum eversiones monarchiarum mutationes assassinationes principum ducum illustriorum violenta superba consilia proditiones rebelliones inter Subditos in hoc coelo nostro Europico exorientur Exporientur religiosi à potentioribus Legum institutorum Ecclesiastiâ—orum mutationem à plebeijs novarum rerum inexplebilem cupiditatem Boreales Europae partes ferro morbo peste laborabunt depauperabuntur divites Principes Dominijs exuti erunt exulabunt patres filij post longum turbâ—rum intercapedinem in integrum restituentur Hic quoque Cometa terribilem Romae ruinam singulisque Europae civitatibus incendia minitaturâ— Clerici Papicolae praecipuè Cardinales de gradibus suis dejicientur Loiolistae ubique ad mortem rapientur nec Gallis aut Hispanis animus erit carnificum lâ—queos evitare Quinimò cernimus etiam in terrâ sanctâ— Ã veteribus incolisâ— oriturum Regnum quod â—rit Christianis miraculum Orbi terriculamentum Novique Imperij Revolutio istis succedet sub quo generale gaudium laetitia voluptas humano generi subministrabitur improbis ubique de medio sublatis Haec omnia per Regem quendam Borealem peragentur qui pacem Religionem Securitatem per totum Orbem miraculosè stabilibit Whereas you are angry that I keep silence concerning the estaâ—e of our most distressed Countrey Truly I have nothing now to write but that all things that I may use the words of the Poet grow worse and woese As well the King of Denmark as the Emperour earnestly endeavour to see miserable Germany destroyed as soon as may be neither do the souldiers of either of them think of any other thing then slaughter and desolation I received the other day from my dear Friend Iohn Baudensis the opinions of our Astrologers concerning that terrible Comet which appeared Anno 1618 and about the later Conjunction of Saturn and Iupiter Behold thou then a Prophecie if not Apostolical yet if I mistake not far beyond Astrological GOD hath arisen and drawn his sword There shall happen in these our European Regions the destruction of great Emperours the slaughter of people Funerals of Kings subversions of Common-wealths mutations of Monarchies massacres of Princes and illustrious Commanders violent and proud Counsels Treasons and Rebellions amongst Subjects Clergie-men shall finde a change of Laws and Ecclesiastical Constitutions by those of greater power and an insatiable desire of new things amongst common people The Northern parts of Europe shall be greatly oppressed with Warre Sicknesse and Pestilence Rich men shall be impoverished Princes cast out of their Dominions The fathers shall be banished and after a long space of trouble their children shall be restored to their former condition This Comet also threatneth the terrible ruine of Rome and burnings in all the Cities of Europe The Papistical Clergy especially the Cardinals shall be cast down from their Dignities the Jesuites every where shall be drawn to death neither shall the French-men or Spaniards have courage to save their necks from the halters Furthermore We discern a Kingdom to arise of the most ancient Inhabitants in the holy Land which to Christians shall be a Miracle and to the World a terrour and these shall obtain the Revolution of a new Empire under which shall be administred universal Gladnesseâ— Joy and Delight to mankinde the wicked being every where taken away All these things shall be effected by a certain Northern King who shall miraculously establish Peace Religion and Security throughout the whole world Thus far the words of this Letter And how punctually all these things are come to passe let the world judge We in England have felt the misery of the one and are ready stript to suffer the calamities of the other having for the present lost
Sad and serious Politicall CONSIDERATIONS Touching the invasive War against our Presbyterian Protestant Brethren in Scotland their late great Overthrow and the probable dangerous consequences thereof to both Nations and the Prorestant Religion Which may serve as a SATISFACTORY APOLOGY for such Ministers and People who out of Conscience did not observe the publike Thanksgiving against their Covenant for the great slaughter of those their Brethren in Covenant Printed in the Yeer 1650. Sad and Serious Politicall Considerations THE English Independents new invasive War against their Presbyterian Protestant Brethren of Scotland and late great rout and slaughter of their Army meeting with variety of censures and constructions according to the diveâ—sity of mens inclinations and interests some prudent Christians ingaged to no parties whose interest is onely the preservation propagation and safety of the reformed Protestant Religion against the common Enemies and Underminers thereof have these sad melancholy apprehensions thereof That it is a dolefull Prologue and tragicall Scene not onely to the approaching ruine and desolation of both Kingdoms for their manifold crying sins but likewise to the speedy subversion of the true Protestant Religion and extirpation of all zealous Professors thereof through our three Kingdoms and in forraigne parts upon these ensuing considerations 1. That the Kingdoms of England and Scotland make up the greatest Body of the Protestant Religion in Christendom being best able to defend themselves and succour other Reformed Churches when indangered and designed to ruine by Popish Enemies as the Lords and Commons declared long since in their Protestation to this Kingdom and the whole world 22. Octob. 1642. and in their Order of the seventh of October 1643. And therefore the ruine of the Protestant Party in these Kingdoms is the readiest way to indanger conquer ruine all other Reformed Churches in the world and extirpate the Protestant Religion in all other Countries as they there likewise Declare 2. That the Pope of Rome Jesuites Priests Papists and their Confederates upon this ground have for many years last past by open force and secret practices endeavoâ—red the extirpation of the Protestant Religion and most zealous Professors thereof throughout these Kingdoms and made it their chiefest designe to reduce them to their pristine obedience to the See of Rome which by the Popish Negotiations with Spain the Papisticall Match with France the Agency of the Popes Nuncio's the practices of Priests and Jesuites in England countenanced and protected against the force of Lawes and the confederacy of Popish Prelates Clergie-men and Courtiers with them in these Designes they had almost totally accomplished and brought to full perfection in all our Realms as the whole House of Commons in their Remonstrance of the state of the Kingdom 15. Decemb. 1641. and other subsequent Declarations and they and the Scottish Commissioners in their Impeachments against the Archbishop of Canterbury largely remonstrate 3. That the most zealous Protestants then branded with the name of Puritans and Presbyterians in England and Scotland were the principall and only obstacles to the finishing of this their neare compleated Work Whereupon the Jesuiticall Popish and Prelaticall prevailing Fâ—ction resolved to root them out of this Kingdom by force or drive them out with fear and rid them all out of the way For the better effecting whereof they thought it necessary to reduce Scotland to such Popish Superstitions and Innovations as might make them apt to joyn with England in that great change which was intended Whereupon new Popish Canons and a Liturgy reformed much after the modell of the Papists Misâ—alls were prest upon them and all the Arminian and Popish Doctrines broached maintained and new Popish Ceremonies practised in England were in deavoured to be planted and set up in Scotland 4. That this their dangerous ripened Designe finding no publike but onely private opposition in England by particular persons who were â—ined pillori'd stigmatized deprived of their ears close imprisoned banished and ruined by the Star-Chamber and High-Commission to the publike terror of all others thereupon the Scottish Puritans and Presbyters were the first visible Instruments raised by God to give a publique check to their successefull design beyond their or our expectations 5. That hereupon the Jesuiticall and Prelaticall Popish Party raised two severall Armies successively to suppresse and extirpate the Puritan and Presbyterian Party in Scotland as the only remoâ—a's to their design and were most active and forwards in their leavies and contributions against them indeavouring to ingage the Protestant Party in both Nations in a bloudy civill Warâ—e to their mutuall ruine to which the Puritan and Religious party in England were most averse First privately murmuring and afterwards publiquely protesting against this Warre as dishonourable and dangerous to Religion and both Kingdomes in the Parliament in April 1640. purposely summoned to raise moneys to carry on that War which they refused to grant to so ill a purpose and did all they could to blast their malicious designs and warre against Scotland whereupon the Popish party caused that Parliament to be dissolved and did all they could by violent arbitrary courses and illegall Loanes and Taxes to raise Forces and moneys to maintain a warre against them imprisoning and prosecuting those who resisted or refused to assist them in this warre in the self-same manner as those in present power have done divers of their Christian Brethren for manifesting their dislike and backwardnesse to assist them in this ungodly invasive warre against their Protestant Brethren in Covenant against many publique Ingagâ—ments and not giving publique thanks to God for their late overthrow 6. That the Scottiâ—h Puritans and Presbyterians advance with their Army into England in the year 1640. of purpose to preserve the Religion and protect themselves and their English Brethren from slavery and ruine was the priâ—cicipall and only means under God of preventing their own and our thraldome to no pâ—ry and Tyranny of frustrating all the Jesuites Papists and Prelaâ—es designs of securing Religion Laws Liberties and conveâ—ing the last Parliament which through Gods blessing on their indeavours through the assistance of the Scottish Commissioners and countenance of their Army over-powered the Popish and Prelaticall Faction brake all their former Projects in pieces suppressed all their Popish Innovations Doctrinall and Ceremoniall reconciled the differences between both Nations setled a firm unity and amity between them by an Act of Oblivion and Pacification abolished the High-Commission Star-Chamber Extravagances of the Councell-Table the Bishops Courts and Votes in Parliament Ship-money Impositions and all other illegall Taxes quickned the Laws against Jesuites Priests and Popish Recusants passed a Law for Triennuall Parliaments and another against the untimely adjourning proroguing and dissolving of themselves at the Kings own pleasure and thereby put our Religion Laws Liberties and Propertiâ—s in a farre better condition of security and the Popish and Prelaticall party into a farre
there be no decay no leading into Captivity nor complaining in their streets II. The disparity of these two contradictory conditions and the fearfull effects which they in all ages have wrought in the Consciences of men have made me at length after a long time of silence put Pen to Paper and through the intricate Labyrinth of those portions of Scripture which never Commentator yet ever medled with I mean the twelve last Chapters of Ezâ—kiel the three last of the Revelation the last of Daniel with some passages in Hosea and Zechâ—ry to descry when We People of England with all Protestants in Europe shall see an end of these our Warres and Tumults what shall be the Estate of our Churches States and Kingdomes from this present year 1650 to the beginning of the Fifth and last universall MONARCHY of the Gospel of Christ upon Earth which shall begin in the year of our Lord 1710 and in what year we may expect the downfals of the Beast of Rome the Red Dragon of Constantinople the totall Conversion and restauration both of the Eastern and Western Jews within their holy Land of Iury all which must moâ—t certainly be fulfilled before the end of the World Of these high Points and Mysteries I finde nothing in any Commentator upon the last of Daniel and the Revelations save only Brightman who being acquainted in Leiden with Ioseph Scaliger got some but those very imperfect notes of Grebner concerning those Numbers in Ezekiel and Daniel But that excellent Manuscript which Iohannes Baudenâ—is writ of the Life and Writings of Grebner declareth all these things most plainly and punctually how that greater Troubles feâ—rfulleâ— Combustions direfuller Devastations shall come upon the Western Kingdomes of Europe then yet ever did before they can expect the downfall either of Turk or Pope or the universall Monarchy of the Gospel of Christ upon Earth In which incomparable Work the Learned Astrologer bringeth Divine and Heavenly Reasons why Europe for the space of thirty seven years after that fearfull blazing Comet in 1618. should with amazed eyes behold the infinite and sudden mutations and downfals of flourishing States and potent Kingdomes the deformity of Empires and mournfull faces of Commonwealths as is lately happened in England Portugall Swethland Bohemia and Denmark the Devastations of whole Kingdoms at a clap and burning six or seven Nations at once in their ashes and cinders as of late in Germany not to make them ask whether there be a God Heaven and Providence or not or whether Empires and States depend wholly upon the will and power of man or upon secret and hidden causes beyond the thoughts and expectations of the World but to praise God for his paternall corrections seeing by this they know he remembreth them and that through this Fire and Water of Affliction he will bring his Church to a finall Conquest oveâ— her Enemies and both the Congregations of Jews and Gentiles to an universall Monarchy over the face of the whole Earth Severall passages of which Manuscript I will insert here and there in this ensuing Discourse as Method and Matter shall require III. Since the spirituall sword was sheathed in England which lopt off the serpentine Heads of Heresie and Schisme while they were yet growing it is a wonder to see how all Sects and Schismaticall Opinions in the world have like devouring Weed overgrown and choked the seed of the Word Above the rest the Millenaries have exalted themselves whose abominable Pamphlets have flown abroad like Atomes wherein they dream of a Personall Reign of Christ upon Earth how he shall descend from Heaven An. 1666 destroy all the works of darknesse in every corner of the Earth make an easie passage to men from Earth to Heaven so that they may ascend into Heaven and leap down to Earth again as oft as they list how he shall keep a Quarter Sessions or Goal-delivery in his own Person upon Mount Olivet call all Nations before him rebuke them of sin face to face and shall cut out of them their stony hearts and shall sew in their bellies hearts of flesh in stead thereof that An. Dom. 1700 shall be the day of Judgement and that the Judgement shall last other 1700 years because otherwise the glorious Attributes of Christ's Mercy and Justice cannot be sufficiently explained to the World and the Consciences of men All which Fopperies with many mo too horrid to relate are contained in M. Archers Personall Reign of Christ upon Earth Rich. Stirreys Kingdome of King Jesus and in A.R. his Caelestis Hierusalem Printed A. 1642 1644 and 1645. Now having unmasked the vanity of this Error ut contraria juxtà se posita magis elucescant I will epitomize in this Section the truth of the future estate of the World from this time to the end which afterward I intend God willing further to dilate and prosecute in this Treatise This year 1650 all Europe are in civil Warres These civill warres shall not cease till they have mustered out a great Army of the true worshippers of God to ruine Rome which shall be about Anno 1666. Rome thus destroyed the Western Jews shall begin to learn the waies of God and believe his Gospel which they cannot do so long as Rome standeth and shall Anno 1683. enter upon the conversion of their Eastern brethren the 10. Tribes now invisibly hid in Tartaria and India and they two none else shall ruine the Mahumetan Empire about An. 1698. and so shall be restored to the holy Land to reinhabit Jerusalem Then must begin a comparative felicity of the Church of God upon earth because after these times both Turk and Pope shall be destroyed Neverthelesse this felicity must be mingled with internall troubles and persecutions within the bowels of the Church because the Church shall never be wholly at rest while the world standeth Lo here the difference betwixt Truth and Heresie betwixt the opinions of the Millenaries and right sense of Scriptures The Millenaries say Christ must descend personally from heaven The Scriptures on the contrary say he shall not come from Heaven personally till the last day when he shall descend with his holy Angels in flaming fire to judge the quick and the dead He shall send power and strength from heaven to his true Worshipppers as he hath done hitherto to destroy Tuâ—k and Pope from Heaven he shall give power to his ancient people the Jews to regain their ancient Land of Judea and not by his corporeall presence upon Earth from Heaven about An. 1700. he shall transferre his Gospel from Europe as he hath done from Asia and raise up and inspire godly Ministers after his own will who shall implant his holy word in all and every of the Kingdomes and Provinces of America and in all countries of the Southern and Eastern India China Tartaria and in all the regions of the North unto the worlds end and make it shine in as great purity and glory as
before the 5 and the 6. The Devil and Antichristianity must be chained up in the dungeon of Hell for the space of a 1000 years after the Incarnation of Christ. An. 1000 must the Devil and Romish Idolatry by the Popedome of Sylvester the second be let loose to range upon Earth and tyrannize over the Church for the most part of another 1000 ever till An. 1698 numerus completus being put here pro incompleto before an happy and comfortable Estate of the Gospel can be brought forth to the World herefore all Christendome from this year 1650 must expect very sad and wofull daies much persecution bloodshed and savadge tyâ—anny in every Kingdom of Europe especially in France Spain Italy Swethland Germany and England untill An. 1698. Some of those Kingdoms which have abandoned the superstition of the beast shall by subtle allurements be perswaded to readmit and reestablish the same Wofull and unsupportable Afflictions shall befall both the European Jews which are the two Tribes of Benjamin and Iudah now resident in Christendom and Turkie as likewise the ten Tribes the Kingdom of Israel who shall insensibly and miraculously arise out of the bowels of Tartaria and India about An. 1669. who neverthelesse shall be so extraordinarily supported by God that they shall stand in little or no need at all of the Christians Because from this time of the Conversion of the Israelites for the spacâ— of 30 years these 12 Tribes shall suffer much trouble Heathens Papists and Mahometans shall strive to eradicate their name from under heaven and yet all in vain for an illustrious and heroick Prince è Tribu Nephtali oriundus shall be their valiant and fortunate Commander called Michael not proprio nomine but because he Dan. 12.1 shall stand up and shew himself the Assertor and Protector of their Religion and Liberty In which time shall be such troubles as never were no nor ever shall be to the end of the world For like as the Christians had rest 30. years from the Ascension of Christ and now have endured the fiery triall almost these 1600. years since that time from the Heathen Emperors and the Beast so the Israeliâ—es which shall 1600. years till Anno 1668. live without Prince Law Temple Sacrifice and true Religion as Hosea prophesied ch 3. v. 4 5. beginning now to be converted to Christ shall have savage times of affliction and Butcheries for other 30. years to welcome their conversion withall till Annoâ— 1698. when God shall grant rest from their enemies and begin a peaceable estate of the Church VII Entring at length upon my Notes on the afore-said Chronology I think it meet first to strengthen the former Epoch's of the ruine of Rome downfall of the Turk and Tartar and the Conversion of the Jews by the Conduct of certain memorable Numbers in holy Scriptures Grave and judicious Authours have with wonder and admiration observed the heavenly and inimitable Method of holy Scrjptures how all the Mysteries and memorable Occurrences in the same are comprized in Numbers how within the compasse of such a Quantity of years God alwayes divulged his Counsels and manifested what he purposed should be wrought among the children of men So that in considering the admirable consent and agreement of Times by things past we may probably conjecture of things to come From the Creation to the Floud was 1656 years the Floud was a sign of the Consummation of all those things which are to be fulfilled before the conclusion of time Anno Christi 1656 let the Church of God expect with joy and comfort the acting of the first Scene of the Tragedies of all those European Kingdoms which have been implacable Persecutours of the Gospel of Christ. The whole Government of Moses who was a second Noah to the Church is a shadow of the Kingdom of Christ. The Law continued in force 1529 years to the Passion of Christ But 1598 years to the Destruction of the Temple by Titus The Destruction of the Temple by Titus was according to the accompt of Dionysius Exiguus A. C. 69. From thence reckon the Number of 1598 years and you come to A. 1667 which is the year which shall smoke with the ascending up of the Flames which consume the Kingdom of the Beast From the Nativity of Christ to his Re-nativity in the preaching of his Gospel by Luther and other eminent Ministers are 1517 years And from the beginning of the Reign of the Maccabees untill the Birth of Christ are 169 years Put these two sums together and you come to Anno 1686 in which God having 18 years before enlightned the eyes of those who for almost 2000 years have sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and having laid the Kingdom of the Beast and the false Prophet in the lowest dust shall bring that people into the bosome of the true Church which within 13 years after shall deliver his children from all adversity From the universal Deluge of man-kinde by the Floud to the beginning of the universal Captivity of the Church under Nebuchadnezzar beleaguering Ierusalem are numbered 1698 years So likewise from the Birth of the King of Kings unto the final Consummation of the Miseries and restauration of the Felicity of the Church by the Destruction of Gog and Magog shall be reckoned the very same Number of 1698 years From the Confusion of the Tower of Babel to the return of the Jews from Babel are 1666 years and from prophane Pompey's spoiling of the Temple at Ierusalem when the Kingdom was taken from the house of David and Superstition and Gentilism began to spring up amongst the Jews to the Birth of of Antichrist and Apostasie in the Church of God are 666 years from thence â—eckon a 1000 years wherein the Saints must suffer Persecution and Martyrdom for the Testimony of Jesus Christ and the truth of a good Conscience Revel 20.4 and you come to A. 1666 in which shall be fulfilled all those things which are mentioned Revel 18 and the 19 Chapter So likewise from the Departure out of Aegypt untill the Death of Christ are numbered 1542 years to these adde â—hose 169 years which are from â—he beginning of the Reign of the Assomonaei or Macchabees to the Birth of Christ and you come to Anno 1711 which year shall be wonderfull and terrible to all the world because that in the year next going before viz. Anno 1710. the abominable Names and mention of Papists Turks and Tartars being eradicated from the memories of men the glorious Estate of the Gospel and the terrestial Felicity of the Church of God shall begin over the face of the whole Earth From the Birth of Moses untill the Destruction of Ierusalem by Titus which typifies the end of the world are 1646 years so many from the Incarnation of our Saviour denoted that year whose influence hath begun and shall prove fatal to most of the Kingdoms of Europâ— adde to these 20 years to come
This year the Turkish hatefull race shall rue Rome shall a fable be not true Then shall be tost all Kingdoms of the World And into a new Kingdom hurl'd That into all coasts Christ his Word may spred And be alone the Peoples Head XI The two Books of Esdras are thought and that by none of the least learned as Augustine Hierome Ambrose Tostatus Scaliger the elder Melanâ—thon Arrias Montanus Bucer and Bibliander to be Canonicall because of the most evident fulfilling of many predictions in them contained In the 11 chap. of the second of those Books there is under the type of an Eagle a manifest prophecie both of the Roman Heathenish Empire as likewise of the Papacy with her chief Leagurers to this present time throughout the whole Chapter This Eagle is that Roman Heathenish Empire her twelve feathered wings are the twelve first Emperours from Iulius Cesar to Nerva Cocceius The three Heads are the three Kingdoms of France Spain and Germany preordained of God to uphold and maintain the power of her pride when all her wings her heathenish and tyrannicall Cesars should fail her Neverthelesse under her 12 first Cesars are comprehended in generall all the Emperours which reigned in her from Iulius Cesar who first crackt the strings of her liberty to Augustulus Momyllus her last Roman Cesar for the space of 474 years Her 8 contrary feathers are the 8 terrible Inundations of severall Nations from the North God's scourges which overwhelmed her fairest Provinces sunk her State in bloud and by fire and sword humbled her as low as the dust she trod on viz. 1 Alaricus and his West-Gothes 2 Attilas and his Hunnes 3 Gensericus and his Vandals 4 Odoacer 5 Theodoricus and his East-Goths 6 Totilas and his Spaniards 7 Alboinus and his Longobards who deposed her diminitive Cesar Augustulus Momyllus 8 and lastly the intestine homebred Faction and Conspiracy which proved more pernitious then the rest as all included diseases are the worst which in the reigns of Otho the Great Otho III and Frederique II so often strove to eradicate the Papall Superiority and reedifie her S.P.Q.R. buried so many ages ago out of the ruines of the City The Head in the midst is the Germane Empire begun An. 801 on Christmas day by Charles the Great which though vers 32. it long did and yet doth put the Earth in great fear yet vers 33. must vanish in an instant as did the Wings and come to nought The Germane Empire thus destroied vers 35. The Head on the right side the Kingdom of Spain must devour the Head on the left side which is the Kingdom of France Therefore it is manifest That the Kingdom of France though now it flourisheth in what Glory and Magnificence Earth can afford must ere long be humbled by the power of Spain with many Discomfitures and brought to dolefull streights and great perplexities I my self have observed one remarkable Adjunct of that Kingdome in particular how that year in which the Figures of the Golden Number were equall to the Figures of the year of Christ hath ever proved fatall to that Monarchy for Warre Bloudshed Pestilence and Famine It was so with them from An. 1570 to An. 1576. in all which seven years the Guisian faction made lamentable havock of the Church of God and the Kingdom so shall it be in that year in which the finall Tragedy of that Kingdom shall be acted six years after which France shall be no more But when that shall be no sign of Europe shall remain nor remembrance where the wals of Rome stood The LION which vers 37. and chap. 12. v. 31. came roaring out of the Wood speaking to the Eagle and rebuking her for her wickednesse is the WIND which the most high God hath kept for Rome and her wickednesse till the end even the LION OF THE NORTH of which you shall hear anon a Prophesie of the true Merlin which shall reprove the Roman Empire and cast before her her spoils he shall set her alive in Judgement rebuke and correct her and deliver the residue of Gods people by Afflicton which are preserved upon his borders and make them joyfull untill the day of Judgement In the 13 Chapter Esdras beholds a vision of a man rising out of the Sea and devouring the multitudes of fighters that came against him neither with sword spear nor any instrument of Warre but only with the fire and storm that came out of his mouth which is Christ the son of man who through a sea of bloudy persecutions and tribulations propagated his Gospel over the Earth confounding and devouring the multitudinous Pagans and Idolaters fighting against Christians by the invincible force of the Gospel After a long time of the obstinate wilfulnesse and fulnesse of the Gentiles he shall call to himself another peaceable multitude vers 12 40. even the whole Nation of the Jews out of Armenia Tartaria and the Eastern India whom God shall defend and convert to the Gospel when he shall destroy all other Nations upon Earth These are called the peaceable People because after the conversion of the Jews shall come that Ministeriall Monarchy of the Church over the whole World that peaceable and still Time when all Kingdoms under heaven shall forget fighting one against another Warres shall cease in all the World and swords and spears shall be beaten into Plowshares and pruning hooks When the seventh Angel blew the Trumpet Luther began his Reformation then it is when the Multitude stood before the Lamb and sung the new song of Moses and then neverthelesse is but the vail only of the Tabernacle opened in heaven and a great cloud and smoak covered that Glory But it must be 180 years after when the Kingdomes of this World become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and those be destroyed that destroyed the Earth For then and not till then shall the Temple of God be fully opened in Heaven and the Ark of his Testament the very same modell which God shewed to Moses in the Mount shall be seen in Ierusalem not in a Tabernacle but in that Temple which the power of God shall make Then shall lastly the four Beasts the Elders with all the Angels of Heaven and all the creatures of Heaven and Earth and of the Sea and under the Earth fall down before the Throne and give glory honour blessing and praise unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and the four Beasts shall say Amen XII I have heard many Jews discoursing of this their glorious Restauration and Religion to come They say they never possessed no not in the time of David and Solomon when their Kingdom was largest an half of that which God promised in Deuteronomy and Ioshua Indeed it is said in Ioshua No good thing failed of what God promised but this is to be understood of their peaceable settlement in what Ioshua then conquer'd not of the utmost boundders
beginning were by a staff their growth and continuance by bastards The Sun it self shall play on the timbrell clad with a vermilion coat and the Moon with dunne buskins shall amble to the fair Laugh'st thou O King But those on whom these things shall come for grief and sorrow shall pine away All these things shall scarce be accomplisht when a Prince of royall stock shall come forth crowned from the Northern parts as to his own people unexpected but desired by forreigners who because he shall bear a Rampant Lion shall therefore be called a Lion He shall not rest till having called a Synod and after dissolved it by threats he shall advance his conquering arms against his enemies and by wofull successe shall harrase the territories of neighbour Princes He shall exceed Alexander the Great in vertue and Cyrus in successe He shall passe the seas and be saluted Emperour by many Kings A certain antient City shall he lay even with the ground In the mean while a powerfull Prince out of the East shall provoke him to battel against whom the Lion shall march with all his forces and pitching his Camp on this side Euphrates shall expect him If the Prince shall come over the river the Lion shall be overcome but he shall passe his army over the river and give his Enemy a bloudy defeat and be master of all the East While these things are in action divers petty Kings from India shall break into Syria with mighty armies and provided for battel shall wait for the Lion about the valley of Iehoshaphat where they shall by him be all wholly cut off Not long after shall the Lion himself decease after that with eminent piety he shall have established the Kingdome of fugitives This is all that is extant of this former Merlin whose glorious works and inestimable Prophecies are utterly lost to the great detriment of learning Not much unlike this is that of Grebâ—er Ban. 73. Europae labes imbecillitas singulorum ejusdem Regnorum sedem mirabilitèr struet QVINTAE MONARCHIAE quae sub tempus exitii Imperii Romani ad terrorem totius mundi ex ruinis Germaniae refulgebit Haec triennii spatio caetera Europae regna aut vi perdomitabit aut belli metu ad sociâ—tatem perpellet quò universalem Ligam Unionem omnium Protestantium eâ—â—iciâ—t sub specie bellum Poloniae inferendi re autem verâ Imperium Austriacum Italiamque invadendi Nec eum spes fefellerit Nam circà hoc tempus SECTA quaedam manachorum adeò abominabilis obscaena seditiosa in Papatâ—s siâ—â— orictur ut compellet tam Protetestantes quà m Italiae Principes extremum Romae exitium moliri The corruption of Europe and the weaknesse of her several Kingdoms shall strangely make way for the FIFTH MONARCHY which about the time of the fall of the Roman Empire to the terrour of the whole world shall appear out of the ruines of Germany She within three years shall either subdue by force the rest of the Kingdoms of Asia or for fear of war shall bring them to a league whereby she shall conclude an universal confederacy under colour of making warre against Polonia but in deed to invade the Austrian Empire and Italy Neither shall her hope fail her For about this time a certain SECT of Monks shall arise in the bosome of the Papacy so abominable obscene and seditious that it shall urge both the Protestants and Princes of Italy to endeavour the utter subversion of Rome Thus having shewed the Seat and Certainty of this V. Monarchie I come to declare what People or Kingdom in Europe shall obtain and rule it and whose it shall soly be Of the European Christians two several Kingdoms long since and of late have mainly striven for the FIFTH MONARCHY First The Kingdom of Spain hath alwayes for a matter of 170 years ago by incorporating it self with the House of Austria and the most potent Families of Germany and Italy by strange Marriages and odde medlies laboured extremely to bring all Europe under her Wings that so she might become the glorious Sun of the West On the other side the Swede of late by keeping an high hand over the King of Poland and fixing his glorious Trophies of Conquest in all corners of Germany hath brought the Emperour to so low an ebb and hath of late become so terrible to the Pope and Spaniard and lastly can in an instant enleague himself with all Protestant Kingdoms and States either for fear or favour upon any necessary occasion that many account him the man that both goeth the directest way and whom heaven hath ordained to sway the Imperial Scepter within the limits of the Church But neither of these are they who are ordained to the Empire of the fifth Monarchy Not the Spaniard because he is for his inhumane cruelty so generally hated of Christians all men avoiding him and flying from him as the Serpent from the Ash His Indian Plantations both thrive nor and likewise for their barbarousnesse are so detested of the savages worse than vipers and upon opportunities are accordingly massacred Yea those placesâ— of Italy which are under his Protection as Florence Genoa Millain and other Cities afford him as much affection as the Spider doth the Serpent Thus is He the universal Odium of all the world thrives in no place and like oyl over-swiming all other liquids and can hardly incorporate with any so seldom is he conjoyned but in natural Antipathy with all Nations Adde hereunto the austerity and unpleasantnesse of his Government chusing rather to domineer over subdued Countries by rapine and cruelty than to govern them by Love and Piety And lastly his Governours in every Province aim at their own ends pilling and squeezing the Subjects so that his Name and Government is every where abominated no Province continuing loyal any longer then they can get arms and stoutly rebel The injustice of which hath caused Portugal to be rent from him which while the world standeth shall never be his again And moreover the Oracle tels him that Naples Navar his reconciled Provinces in Belgia with his Indian Plantations the best Jewels he hath shall be pluckt within 30 years to come from his ambitious Crown never to be recovered again Secondly The Swede cannot be Paramount in this Monarchy because of the various Sects and Schisms he is pestered with so inveterate and so predominant that no Reformation can purge him of them The male Line of that Royal Pedegree is extinct and only a weak young Princess surviving the whole Kingdom shared and governed by factious Nobles and covetous Generals and while every one sucks from the veins of the Body Politique to cram his own it will be soon evacuated both of life and nourishment Besides it hath been since prophesied to Sweden that he shall not be so much as a tributary Kingdom to this great Soveraignty but shall be the first that shall be made
been in Arms or any ways acted or contributed assistance of moneys against his Father or him and to make full reparations of all damages to such Papists who have left their estates and fortunes to assist his Father or him Upon these terms he may easily gain the joynt assistance of all Popish Kings Kingdoms and States in Europe through the Popes powerfull mediation And if hereupon through their aid he should so far prevail as to get into actuall possession of his Thrones and Kingdoms by the meer power of the sword without any terms or conditions by way of Treaty of which there will be little probability we can then expect nought else but these dismall consequences First a totall â—radication of our reformed Religion and of all zealous professors thereof especially such who have acted any waies against the King or his Father a full repeal of all penal Laws against Jesuites Priests Papists and a publike profession and practise of the Romish Religion and of that only throughout our Kingdoms Secondly a totall subversion of all our former Laws and Liberties and a full exercise of all arbitrary and tyrannicall power over our lives and estates Thirdly an absolute confiscation of all our Lands and Estates together with our lives to satisfie the Kings debts gratifie his Assistants and repair the losses of his faithfull Catholikes whom we have undone by adhering to his party Fourthly an absolute inslaving of our whole Nation to these forraign Conquerours if not a totall banishment and extirpation of them out of their native soil the case of the Ancient Britains when conquered and driven out of this their Countrey by Saxons and the extraordinary Pestilence and Famine sent amongst them for their sins and then a dieu both to our Religion and Nation But in case the King should not prevail to conquer us by their power the least we can expect is First a continuall long lasting Warre and open hostility by Land and Sea with all Romish Kings and States the very charge whereof now we are almost quite undone and beggered already which will utterly ruine and undo us Secondly losse of Trade and Commerce with all those Kingdoms and States with whom we are in hostility which will utterly break us in one year or two for want of venting our Native commodities our chiefest inablement to maintain the Wars Thirdly intolerable uncessant Taxes of all sorts which will every moneth grow heavier and greater then other which accompanied with want of Trade will cause a generall Insurrection at last both of poor and rich against those in power and put all into confusion to the enemies great advantage Fourthly a necessity of seizing and selling all Colledges Corporations Companies Hospitalls and Gleab-Lands throughout the Realm and of new Projects to make new Delinquents of purpose to raise moneys to defray the extraordinary expences of the Armies and Navies And what garboils this will produce all prudent persons may easily conjecture Fiftly a generall decay of Religion Piety Learning Law and all Arts Sciences Trades Sixthly an extraordinary new effusion of Christian bloud Seventhly an inundation of all kind of sin wickednesse Atheism Heresie Blasphemy Murders Rapes Robberies Oppressions Whoredome Drunkennesse Dissolutenesse Barbarousnesse and disobedience to Laws Magistrates Ministers Parents and other disorders Eighthly Free-quarter insolences of Souldiers spoiling plundring if not pestilence and famine the usuall Concomitants of Warre which will reduce us to a condition worse then nothing in conclusion If he cast himself upon Forraign Protestant Kings Princes and States alone the far better though unlikelier of the two yet this will certainly prove 1. A great dishonour to God and scandall to reformed Religion to see them so unnaturall and unchristian as to imbrue their hands in one anothers bloud 2. An extraordinary ground of joy and triumph to the Pope and his Confederates to behold their enemies thus murthering invading and destroying each other by their mutuall dissentions when they by all their power and policy were unable to accomplish their ruine and do them so great mischief 3. A great indangering of all the Protestant Churches and States in Europe by incouraging their Popish Adversaries to invade and ruine them whilest thus ingaged in an unbrotherly and unchristian Warre between themselves and weakening impoverishing and destroying each other 5. An effusion of much precious Protestant bloud which will cry for vengeance to heaven against the originall Authors and Occasioners of such a Warre 6. If the King shall inthrone himself and regain his Kingdomes by their assistance though the profession of the Protestant Religion may still be continued yet we may justly fear 1. That the purity and power of Religion will be much abated 2. That our Lawes and Liberties will be much indangered and Eclipsed 3. Our estates confiscated to make them reparations and satisfie the Kings Ingagements 4. Their removall hence will be disputable when once possessed of our Country as the history of the Danes invasions of this Island heretofore and the Saxons full possession thereof with the Britains expulsion will manifest 5. If the King and they be repulsed by us yet this will prove a seminary of lasting wars and breaches between us and most Protestant Kingdoms and States It will hinder all commerce between them and us to the destruction of Merchandize and Trade destroy the Protestants strength and interest impoverish us through Taxes fill us with dâ—scontents augment our divisions if not conclude in our beggery and ruine If he throw himself upon forraign Papists and Protestants joyntly then First the Wars are like to be more generall dangerous and costly to us and of longer continuance Secondly The divisions and dangers from at home are like to prove the greater since all discontented and oppressed Protestants and Papists will then be apt upon all occasions and advantages to joyn with that forraign party they best affect and from whom they may expect the most favour and the best conditions Thirdly If the King prevail then both Parties must be satisfied and his debts defrayed out of our estates both gratified with a free toleration and exercise of that Religion throughout his Realms as both sides professe and between them both all will be plundered impoverished ruined and perchance inforced to quit the whole Kingdom to one or both of them who will challenge an interest therein by conquest and the longest sword and hardly part with it when once possessed thereof Fourthly If the King and they should be foiled by us yet the wars and differences would survive all commerce and trading lost Armies and Navies must still be maintained and Garrisons in all our Kingdoms to secure us taxes oppressions and all publike grievances continued and mulâ—iplied and thereby new intestine commotions raised which of themselves alone will destroy us without any otheâ— enemy And suppose the King himself should miscarry in these Warres yet the Title and Right of the Crowns of our threâ— Kingdoms sâ—rviving to his Brothers
or if they miscarry to his Sister matched to the Prince of Aurenge or if they all should fail descending to the Queen of Bohemia and Prince Elector Palattine their severall new Titles and Interests will find means to infest us with new Warres till they have either obtained their rights or ruiâ—ed both themselves and us So that unlesse God put so much wiâ—dome and spirit to the English Nation as to restore the King to his just Rights upon safe and honourable terms according to their Oaths Covenant Protestations Declarations to all the world and Principles of their Religion we can in humane probaâ—ility expect nought else but the utter ruine both of our Religion Nation Kingdoms and totall extirpation by Forraign enemies And certainly if we seriously consider 1. The infinite divisions discontents oppressions that are every where amongst us 2. The Heresies Blasphemies Sects and Schisms that are lately broached and publikely countenanced by us 3. The Generall contempt and neglect of the publike Ordinances of God and free toleration granted to all to withdraw themselves from them without the least censure or punishment 4. The generall contempt hatred discountenancing reviling and persecuting of godly and faithfuâ—l Mâ—nisters throughout the Nation and the snares that are daily laid to intrap and ruine them 5. The extraordinary Apostacy of many Professors from the truth purity and power of Religion almost to professed Atheism contempt of the Word Prayer Preaching Sacraments and all other Oâ—dinances to meer licentiousnesse lukewarmnesse and Prophanenesse 6. The generall inclination of the people to errours Eâ—thusiasmes and seducing spirits 7. The little cordiall reall love and affection between Professors of Religion and the great animosities hatreds and divisions amongst them both in Opinionâ— Practise and affection 8. The little conscience of Oaths Protestations Covenants Promises and great hypocrisie covetousnesse oppression self-seeking envy hatred and malice that is in the Nation and amongst those especially who professe themselves Saints of the highest form 9. The universall inundation of all kind of sin and wickednesse and open profession thereof in all places 10. The extraordinary Injustice Tyranny Cruelty and Mercilesnesse that all parts of the Land complain of and groan under 11. The great effusion of Christian bloud and of the bloud of our Christian Brethren in Covenant that our whole Land is polluted with and our rejoycing in this bloud-guiltinesse instead of repenting and mourning for it 12. Our present decay of Trade and Merchandize 13. Our intolerable Taxes and Impositions oâ— all sorts 14. The extreme poverty of our Kingdom and increase of poor people in all parts which have little work or none and will not staâ—ve 15. The divisions of our Forces into Ireland and Scotland where standing Armies and Garrisons must be constantly maintained for fear of revolt 16. Our great breaches with France and Portugall and no good quarter with any Forraign States or Kingdomes which as yet will neither own nor hold full and open correspondency with our new Governours or Government 17. The revolt of most of our Forraign plantations from us and the late Declaration against them as Traytors and Rebells who count us such 18. The Negotiations with the Pope and Popish Kingdomes and most Protestant Princes and States to incense them all against us as enemies to all Magistracy and publike Government and to mankind it self as Salmatius hath published us in print 19. The spreading the pestlence in many places and the feared famine throughout the Realm 20. The manifold injuries and afronts offered to all the Nobility and most of the Gentry of the Naâ—ion and the whole Nation it self in the change of the Government without and against their consent in continâ—ing and increasing their burthens Taxes and out-lawing many of them because they will not subscribe the Ingagement in erecting new High Courts to take away their lives without any legall Triall by their Peers for offences punishable by no common Law 21. The Exâ—cution of so many Protestants and not of one Papist whatsoever by these or other Courts of Justice though the chief contrivers of our late unhappy Wars and discontinuance of all Capitall proceedings against Priests and Jesuites since the abolishing of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance made principally against them and the Popes Usurpations and practises 22. The injustice of our present cause and Warre meerly against Monarchy Presbytery and old English Peers and Parliaments purposely to support the present Government set up by the meer power of the sword yea founded on the bloud of a Protestant King and ruine of the very best of Parliamenâ—s to prevent a settlement of peace and Religion by an unbloudy Treaty And then compare them with the Premises and Cardinall Richelieu his Instructions and advice to the late French King a little before his death published by an Italian of good note and printed in Italy Anno. 1645. to foment the late differences between the late King and Parliament all he could and if possible by the solicitation of his instruments to draw the Commons to change our Monarchy into a meer Republike thereby to imbroil all our Kingdomes in civill Warres against each other as the only and best policy of all to weaken and destroy both our power and Religion and advance the interest of France and Catholike Religion which we see now accomplished according to his advice and then we have just cause to fear an inevitable approaching ruine both of our Religion and Nation notwithstanding our late Victories and Successes which do but weaken impoverish destroy our selves and promote the designs of our common enemies unlesse God give us a timely sight and Reformation of this our impolitick oversight and incline our hearts to a generall peace and unity thâ—oughout our Kingdome by restoring every man to his just right and inheritance from the highest to the lowâ—st and abolishing all future seeds and occasions of our intestine Warres The serious consideration of all which Premises are a sufficient satisfactory Apology for all Ministers or others now questioned for the Non-observance of the late Thanksgiving day â—or the great rout and slaughter of our Protestant Presbyterian Brethren of Scotland against all their persecutors We shall therefore close up all with Abners Speech to Ioab in case of the civill Wars between the House of David and Saul wherein the Isâ—aelites of the same Religion and Nation unnaturally fought and slew each other Ioabs souldiers pursuing and slaughtering Abners whom they had discomfited in battell addressing to those in present power 2 Sam. 2.26 27 28. Then Abner called to Ioab and said shall the sword devoure for ever knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end how long shall it be then ere thou bid the people return from following their Brethren And Ioab said as God liveth unlesse thou hadst spoken surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following their Brethren So Ioab blew a trumpet and all
what is impossible to be regained and seeing a new storm of Devastations hanging over our heads by the young Kings late arrival in Scotland where he is received as absolute Soveraign which filâ— mens hearts with pensive thoughts and doubâ—ings what will be the end of these wofull beginnings For my part I am a zealous adorer of a Parliament nor deserve I to censure the Actions of our Representatives yet will I not promise the Term of an Age to our novel Government but think veâ—ily a change to the old Model is nigh at hand It is casual to the best Kingdoms to have Interregnums but as we stand now we shall neâ—ther be for six years together a Body Politique nor a true Church of God That excellent Astrologer of Misnia Paul Grebner was more then an Inquisitour into the Effects of Starres being questionlesse indued from above with a Prophetick spirit not to be desired much lesse expected of all He plainly affirms That as England ever was a Monarchy within it self since it was discovered by the Romans so shall it so continue and remain even then when all other Kingdoms and States in Europe are swallowed up of the FIFTH MONARCHIE of the Lion of the North. His Prophecie of our Civil Wars of the Fate of our late King and the Restauration of his Son to his Fathers Dominions runneth thus in Ban. 72. Per idem tempus Rex quidam Borcalis nomine Carolus Mariam ex Papisticâ— religione sibi assumptam in matrimonium conjunxerit ex quo evidet regum infelicissimus Unde populus ejus ipso abdicato Comitem quendam perantiquae Familiae regno praeponet qui tres annos aut circitèr durabit hoc quoque remoto Equitem quendam bellicosum in ejus locum assumet qui paulò ampliùs regnabit Post hunc eliget nullum Interea unus è stirpe Caroli in littore regni patres sui cum Gallicis Suevicis Danicis Hollandicis Burgurdicis Germanicis auxiliis stabit omnes inimicos suos cruentissimo praelio superabit posteà regnum suum felicissimè administrabit eritque Carolo magno major And in Ban. 74. he saith Circà Anno 1663 Brittaniarum Rex antiquum cum Belgarum Ordinibus foedus amicitiam rumpet ob ereptas sibi ab ipsorum piratis naviculas quasdam qui pertrepidi ad novum Danorum Regem nomine Christiernum confugient qui utrosque primò compositissimis orationibus deinde muneribus in concordiam alliciet About the same time a certain Northern King named Charles who shall marry Mary of the Popish Religion to his great unhappinesse so that his people rejecting him shall set up an Earl of a very ancient Family who shall continue three years or thereabouts he dying they shall elect in his stead a warlike Knight who shall rule a little longer after him they elect none But in the mean one of Charles his Stock shall land on the Sea-coasts of his Fathers Kingdom and with French Swedish Danish Hollandian Burgonian and German Forces in a most cruel battell shall vanquish all his Enemies and afterward most happily govern his Kingdom and be greater then Charls the Great And about the year 1663 the King of the most ancient Brittains for the losse of some Ships at Sea shall break his League and Amity with the States of Holland who fearing shall to the new King of Danes named Christiernuâ— for succour and he by fair Intreaties and large Gifts shall win either side to Agreement Nor ever doth he speak of England in all that famous manuscript but as of the most warlike and potent Kingdome in Europe Therefore all good Christians ought to wish the new Warre were concluded rather by an happy Agreement and Composition then by Sword and Musket and the King placed on his Throne rather with the hands of his loving and and rejoycefull Subjects than with the swords of Forreigners For if the beginning of his Restauration be in bloud and tumbling of garments in bloud the Accomplishment of it will be with burning and fuel of fire That this future History of Europe may be more fully and clearly understood I intend to set it down by way of Chronology upon the principall passages in Ezekiel and the Revelations as I lately collected it out of the two MSS. of Grebner and Ioannes Baudensis and afterward subscribed certain Notes and Animadversions upon the same THe woman travelleth viz. The Jewish Synagogue bringeth forth Christ whereupon ensueth the battel between Anno Christi 1 Michael and the Dragon Christ and the Devil Anno Mundi 3947 Christ being persecuted of the Devil by Herod in his Infancy flieth into Aegypt in his appointed time of 34 years suffereth and ascendeth into Heaven The Devil enraged Anno Christi 34 that he could no more persecute Christ raiseth persecutions Anno Mundi 3981 Anno Christi 65 against the Primitive Church by Nero and others Revel 12. per tot Anno Mundi 4012 Anno Christi 70 The first Seal openedâ— The white Horse and his Rider with Anno Mundi 4017 the crowned Bow signifieth the purity of the Gospel in the Primitive Church Revel 6.2 Anno Christi 71 Satan is bound for a 1000 â—ears from raging against the Church Anno Mundi 4018 Revel 20.2.8 Anno Christi 65 The second Seal opened The red Horse is the massacre of Anno Mundi 4020 Christians in the ten general Persecutions about Aâ—no 65 to An. 330. Revel 6.3 4. Anno Christi 104 The third Seal opened Simon Magus Ebion and Corinthus Anno Mundi 4051 trouble the Church with damnable and infectious Heresies Revel 6.9 6. Anno Christi 173 The fourth Seal opened Horrid Famine devouring Pestilences Anno Mundi 4120 and outragious Wars waste and depopulate the Roman Empire for cruelty to Christians Revel 6.7 8. Anno Christi 194 The fifth Seal opened Mutual Massacres of the wretched Caesars Anno Mundi 4141 beginning at Pertinax and ending at Licinius slain by Constantine the Great Revel 6.9 10 11. Anno Christi 288 The sixth Seal opened Dioclesian and Maximilian give over Anno Mundi 4235 their Caesarships because they could not eradicate Christianity Constantine strengthened with their Armies and Provinces warreth upon Licinius slayeth him destroyeth the Pretorian-Camp abolisheth Heathenism and setteth up the true Worship of God Revel 6.12 to the end The seventh Seal opened And silence in Heaven for half an hour viz. The Church enjoyeth rest thirty years all the time that Constantine Anno Mundi 4255 the Great reigned Revel 8.1 Yet clouds of persecution Anno Christi 308 Anno Mundi 4286 arise in the interim in the sky of the Church and the seven Angels Anno Christi 339 prepare themselves to blow the seven Trumpets for the space of 23 years even all the reign of Constantines three sons Revel 8.2 3. Anno Mundi 4310 Iulian that wretched Apostata bending his utmost endeavours to Anno Christi 363 ruine the Gospel licenceth 17000 Jews to return to Ierusalem to
after from that time which 980 years ago were prophesied of to be those years in which the Kingdom and the Dominion and the greatness of Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Dan. 7.17 and it will amount to the year of the fatal Ruine of the Beast Anno 1666. From these few Particulars of the Consent and Agreement of times in the holy Scriptures I infer thus much About the year 1657 shall be great Changes and Alterations in Government in every Kingdom in Europe as well Protestant as Papist attended and accompanied with such horrid Combustions and Massacres as hath not been before since the memory of man This shall make way as I said before for the Protestants to unite in a general Combination to send Forces under the Conduct of an invincible Cyrus over the Alps to harrow Italy with fire and sword and after level the wals of â—ome with the lowest dust Anno 1666. For as in the year of Grace 666 Popery was brought to a full maturity in the Womb by Vitalian who ordained Latin-Service in the Church contrary to Christs Institution and the precedent Primitive times and as 1000 the Number of Perfection and Eternity is seldom used in our ordinary Computes but left out for brevity sake as we use to say The Spanish-Armado was in 588 for 1588 and the Powder-plot in 605 for 1605. so it is most certain and indubitable that as the Birth of Antichrist was in Anno 666 so the death of it shall be Anno 1666 though the Carkasse of it may lie unburied for 30 years after yet questionlesse it shall with Gog and Magog bâ— cast into the Lake of Gods wrath at one and the same time This ruine of Rome shall make way within ten years after to the Conversion of the Jews For seeing the Kingdom of Antichrist as now it is is the only Let to their Conversion for all the Jews that now are live within the Papacy and are prohibited from turning Christians partly because of the Idolatry they see amongst the Papists in their worshipping of Images the Jews being Zealots in the second Commandment partly because at their Conversion with the Papists they must renounce all their goods as ill gotten which rigid Condition a worldly people will never yield to therefore till the very name and power of Popery be destroyed and they admitted amongst Protestant Kingdoms there can be small hope of their Conversion But now Antichrist totally destroyed they begin to see into their Errours and Ignorances endeavouâ— to learn the wayes of God and that the Saviour of the world whom they so long expected is come so many years since and suffered This Conversion of the Western Jews shall be compleated in that fatall and terrible year 1683. And six years after that shall they be united with their Eastern-Brethren the 10 Tribes captivated by Salmanasser who have for 2433 years lien invisible in the bowels of the Kingdoms of Turks and Tartarians The Christian world neither must nor ought to enquire how this people which have lien hid and obscured so long a space shall in so small a time as a year and an half so visibly so powerfully and so magnificently arise to the Terrour and Conquest of the whole Earth The holy Ghost declareth Ezek. 37.8 by the dry bones fleshed and indued with life in an instant so that they stood upon their feet and became a great Army what a strange horrid and wonderfull thing this shall be and how terrible it shall appear to the sight of the world in that year which within 15 years after viz. Anno 1698. shall fight that famous and fearfull pitcht-field with the united Forâ—s of Turks and Tartarians which shalâ— prove the Deliverance of the Church of God from all adversity Thrice shall Europe within this time strive to establish that power which Superstition and Tyranny first proâ—reated Thrice shall the children of this world raise innumerable Forces to destroy the Saints of the most high Thrice shall the Power of Godliness prevail in the hearts and arms of those who shall make the Land thrice drunk with the bloud of the Enemies of Christ and whose grand Ancestours stew'd it so oft with the bloud of the Prophets and Apostles Preparatives to these fearfull Wonders shall be those horrid and ominous Eclipses preceding the year 1660 fatall and conspicuous to Europe signs both of God's paternal Chastizements for Sects and Schisms in the Church and of his consuming Judgements impending upon the implacable Enemies thereof In the year 1654 August 2. shall happen a fearfull and lamentable total Eclipse of the Sun in the 39 Degree of Leo about half an hour before high Noon where shall be seen the mighty hand of God working Wonders in Italy Sicily Bohemia Greece Armenia and Syria the Kingdoms subject to Leo. The body of the Sun in this Eclipse will be totally darkned for the space of two hours and 29 Minutes it will be so great the like hath not been before nor after shall be greater then that Eclipse of the Sun which was Feb. 25. 1597. commonly called the dark Saturday Of this Eclipse thus Baudensis M.S. fol. 105. Exercit. 59. Papa dum Petri patrimonium dilaturus Italicum quendam Ducem possessionibus spoliabit avitis c. The Pope attempting to enlarge Peter's Patrimony by seizing upon the ancient Estate of an Italian Duke deceased without Issue sets his own Nest on fire and Rome in a Combustion This year shall a new Sect of Sodomitical Monks arise which being tollerated by the Pope sets that Quarrel betwixt him and the Duke of Florence which shall prove the downfall of both in a few years This is affirmed likewise by Grebner Ban. 75. Yet in the interim saith Baudensis God shall promote the happiness of Ierusalem Peace shall be within her wals and plenteousness within her Palaces And fol. 134. Exerc. 67. he saith The years 1657 1658 1661 1663 shall be formidable to Austria Silesia Hungary Holland France and Portugal because that every one of those years shall be attended with four Eclipses apiece portending the Mutations of all those several States and that the Revolution of time is come wherein they must give place to the Lion of the North whose Scepter shall bruise their power to nothing and his Gauntlet lay their Forces prostrate at his feet At which time all Europe shall sing this mournfull Ditty Heu mala progenies fatis servata nefandis Gensque nefandarum domitrix altrixque ferarum Quid fueras quid â—isque vide tua prima propago Bella gerit â—ibolémque petet lues atra secundam At Leo terribilis Borealibus editus oris Fammiferam ex Orco pelagi plangentibus undis Educens aciem pecudesâ— urbésque virósque Sternet antiquis Solem Lunámque movebit Sedibus ille etiam pacrio jure infima
summa Reddet Occasum sub leges mittet inermem Thus Englished Alas ill race to dismall Fates reserv'd By whom dire Beasts are tamed and preserv'd See what thou wert and art Thy first issue Inclines to War Plague doth the next subdue But Lion fierce sprung from the Northern shore Shall bring from deepest Hell and waves that rore A blasing Army he shall men o'rerun Cities and cattel yea the Moon and Sun Shall he remove and Father-like the least Make highest and give Laws to the weak West Yet he that returns back in reviewall of the conjunctions and fiery Triplicities may see how they have in part prognosticated the present troubles and and distractions of Europe with the Common-wealths of England and Scotland Anno 1603 in the first great conjunction of Saturn and Iupiter in the fiery triplicity K. Iames came to the Crown of England and so was fulfilled that Prophecie which an holy Anchoret made 890 years agoe English men for that they wonneth them to drunkeinesse to treakson and rechlesenesse of Got's house firsten by Dancs thenth by Nortmans and the thrid time by Scots whom they holden lest worthen of all they shallen be overcompn Then the world shallen be unstable and so various and diversable that the unstablenesse of thoughts shallen bâ— betookeineid by many manner diversity of cloathing This could never be fulfilled but by a Scottish King swaying the English-scepter and therefore never came to passe till the Union of the two Kingdoms under the said King As the second Conjunction Anno 1623. found Germany and most of the West involved in civil Wars and as the third An. 1643. found the King and Subjects of England in the field one against the other so the fourth Conjunction An. 1663 in Sagitarius shall begin those destructive Combustions in Italy which shall allure the Protestant Armies to make a third all-conquering Party in the same and the fifth An. 1683 in Leo shall bring forth the Conversion of the Jews but the sixth Conjunction happening in Taurus An. 1703 shall behold that which many glorious Saints and children of God have read of and â—ejoyced and desired to see and yet could not see them For now Revel 22.1 â—hall the Sea that is the miserable estate of the World by Wars Desolations and Sicknesses be destroyed and no more extant Now shall the time of Tribulation War and desolation the time of torments temptation heresie and persecution be utterly abolished from the memory of men For a new Heaven and a new Earth a renovated Church purified Saints shall succeed in the room of those Wolves who in sheeps-cloathing devoured the Flock of Christ. These are the dayes for the hope of which the stones of â—ion cry day by day though little esteeming seven thousand deaths in regard of that precious assurance gâ—aven in their Brests that they shall then and in that day behold the Lord which hath mercifully gathered them from all Nations and hath so wonderfully preserved them from the sorcery of Babylon which hath destroyed all the Earth that leadeth them in and out befâ—re Pagans Hereticks and Idolaters before the covetous and foolish-wise of this world so prudently and so invisibly that they seeing are not seen and living are not known But from these low things let us ascend up to Scripture further to prove the certainty thereof Daniels Image as it gave the first so it gave the fullest Knowledge of this great Mystery of the Church of God Dan. 2. per tot In which Image is described in brief the Estate of the World from the very day God revealed this to Daniel and he to Nebuchadnezzar to the full and final End and Conclusion of time By the golden Head silver Arms brazen Belly and iron Legs we must understand the Chaldean Persian Macedonian and Roman Monarchies which successively one after another tyrannized over mankinde by cruelty and by cruelty came to as miserable Destructions in the end The feet part of Iron and part of Clay denoted the declining Estate of the Roman Empire after that indiscreet Division of it under Charles the Great into the Eastern and Western under the present Papacy and now-vulturizing house of Austria which hitherto doth and shall continue until An. 1694. Therefore the Stone cut without hands in the 34 verse which smote the Image on his feet that were part of Iron part of Clay and so brake them to pieces that the Iron Brasse Clay Silver and Gold became as chaff of the Summer-flowers that the winde carried them away and no more place was found for them And the Stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain and filled the Earth must needs be understood of a glorious Monarchy of the Church of God upon Earth which by the Conversion of the Universal Nation of the Jews shall overcome all her Enemies and reign triumphantly in all Nations under Heaven in universality uniformity integrity and innâ—cency of life and conversation This blessed and happy estate of Christs Church upon Earth after the aforesaid battel of Gog and Magog described Ezech. 38. and 39 Chap. of which enough before is graphically deciphered in the nine last Chapters of the same Prophet beginning at the 40 where under a specious and large type of restoring the old Jewish Temple with the Sacrifices chap. 40. the measuring ordering and disposing of it in every thing thereto belonging chap. 41. as the chambers of the Priests in the Temple the holy Utensils chap. 42. the glory of God filling the house chap. 43. his paternall upbraiding the Israelites for their antient Idolatry and demonstrating his great and affectionate love to them for the present chap. 44. is contained as I said before a pithy discourse how powerfull and magnificent these new converted Christians shall be how holy learned and unanimous their Ministers should be how ardent and studious they shall be in communicating the Gospel of Christ to such as yet sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death chap. 45. how vigilant their Princes and Magistrates shall be in being keepers of the house of God that is in incouraging the Ministers tam praemio quà m paenâ to instruct the people in the knowledge of the truth that so both Ministers and people may render due obedience to their common Saviour in love to God and charity toward men And again the reserved portions of Land for the Temple City Priests and Princes all in just measures and dimensions the waters issuing out of the Temple ever increasing in Latitude and Profundity the severall divisions of the particular lots of Priests Temple Levites the City and the Princes secondarily repeated in the 45 46 47 and the last Chapters evidently declare the undoubted certainty and verity of this wonderfull mystery that the Jews shall repossesse their antient possessions and severall inheritances in the Land of Iudea how devout pious and chearfull they shall be in the worship and service of God intimated by
the frequent performing of spirituall Sacrifices and Oblations how potent and spatious their Church shall be how great and infinite the Priviledges and never decreasing Graces of God shall be to it signified by the depth and latitude of the spiritual waters of Life Thirdly Daniel in the end of his 11 Chap. doth above all other most plainly and specifiquely picture the two grand preparations to this spirituall Monarchy of Christs Church in the end of the World viz. 1 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the enemies of God and 2 the Conversion of the Jews For in the 40 41 42 and 43 verses of the said 11 Chapter declaring first what Victories the Saracens should get over the Roman Empire by saying that the King of the South should push at him viz. the Saracens should invade the Emperour and secondly what lamentable havock the Turk should make of the Roman Monarchy by conquering and subduing from them all the Eastern Empire of Constantinople in these words And the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwinde with charets and horsemen and many ships and shall enter into the Countries and shall overflow and passe thorow which was verified in the Turks conqueâ—ing all Greece Scythia Moldavia Servia Asia Syria Mesopotamia and the Isles of the Aegean sea And he shall enter into the pleasant Land and many Countries shall be overthrown but these shall escape out of his hands Edom and Moab and the chief of the Children of Ammon which also came to passe when Selimus I. invaded Egypt slew Tomumbey the Sultan thereof eradicated the very name of the Mamalucks and so got all the wealth and treasures of Memphis and Grand-Cairo and added also Iudea as a member of Egypt to the Turkish Empire An. 1517. His son Solymon the Magnificent awed India and Ethiopia and his Grandchilde Selimus II. conquered Tunis and Algiers in Afrique yet neither of them medled with the Arabians Edomites or Moabites as thinking them a people not worth conquering In the 44 verse Daniel saith But tydings out of the East and West shall trouble him the conversion of the Eastern and Western Iews shall so inrage the Turke that he shall levy innumerable Forces and march forth in great fury to destroy and root them out And he shall pitch the Tabernacle of his Palace between the seas in the glorious and holy Mountain shall fight a most terrible and bloudy pitcht Field with them in their own Land of Iury and yet shall he come to his end his power by God's Providence shall be overthrown and totally eradicated by them from off the Earth and none shall help him Lastly S. Iohn in Revel 9.15 setteth down in plain and evident numbers the very beginning increase and downfall of this hellish generation For in saying the Turkish Armies shall be prepared at an hour a day a moneth and a year he analogically declareth the very time of their birth and the year when they shall come to a finall annihilation Here a Day is to be taken prophetically for a year a Moneth for 31 daies which likewise make so many years and a year for the daies of a bissextile Iulian year which are 366 making in the same manner as many propheticall years as in the former Epoch's of Daniel and Ezekielâ— So the sum's of 366 31 and 1 make a compleat Product of 398 years which added to An. 1300 the year in which the Ottoman Empire first saw light in the world plainly demonstrates that as the Turkish Empire began An. Christi 1300 so in An. 1698 shall be the fatall end and finall downfall of the same Thus it is evident that as the downfall and captivity of the Jewish Nation fell in the building and birth of that City which was afterward the fourth Monarchy so in the buriall and ruine of the same City and Monarchy shall be their conversion to the Gospel of truth and the institution of the Fifth Monarchy in which all power and earthly magnificence must submit to the Kingdom of the Saints of God and all Scepters bow to the Authority of the Church of Christ. VIII Against these former Assertions it is thus objected That these are but the Dreams of idle-headedmen considering the sad Method of the World in the continuall increase of sin and wickednesse and degeneration of all sublunary things daily more and more to worse and because our Saviour said at his second coming he should scarce finde faith upon Earth But to this I answer No time is God's time for the propogation of the Gospel and enlargement of his Church but in the Deluge of sin and inundation of impiety then is his Power most manifest when man is weakest his Decrees most effectible when we think him the furthest off and his Providence nearest execution then when the world is most irregular and incapable of a Reformation When the Abominations and Paganismes of the old World had destroyed all true worship of God and an 120 years of repentance did no good then was God's time to separate the Wheat from the Chaffe and by saving of Noahs family to preserve a seed for the implantation of a new So in the nâ—w World when Idolatry had overspread all the Judgement and Mercy of God most appeared in Abrahams Vocation by selecting his Church from the rest of mankinde and continuing it above 2000 years in the House of Heber the true Heir to Grace and Salvation Thus was it in the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha in the Babylonish Captivity in the Reformation by Luther when all the world were become Apostates God's Providence shone out brightest and was most conspicuous in propagating Religion maugre all the opposition the devil and the world could invent or deâ—ise So shall it be in this prefixed time though the world must degenerate more and more in civility and humanity Christianity be eclipsed in a higher measure and the true Worshippers of God decrease above what ever yet hath been done though Protestantisme in many Coasts and Kingdomâ— shall be totally swallowed up of Popery and Mahumetanisme more lamentable Warres and fearfull Massacres rage through England Germany France Spain Italy and all European Monarchies then we have yet beheld and though some of these Kingdoms wholly revolt to Popery others be luke-warm and at a stand until An. 1686 yet all these shall but make way for the finall Eradication of the enemies of the Church and the glorious and wonderfull Birth and erection of the FIFTH MONARCHIE UNIVERSALL which by these pangs and sorrows of Christendome shall be brought forth about the time of the totall conversion of the Jews For the season is now come when Judgement must begin not at the Temple of Antichrist but at the House of God and what bloud soever is shed upon the soyl of the Church shall be no other then fruitfull showers and warm seasons to make the Field of Christ more pregnant in production of that glorious Harvest of Saints
which shall cover the Earth For as it shall be in the end of the World this old decrepit and corrupt world must be purged and refined with the fire of the Lord before there can be placed in stead thereof a new Heaven and a new Earth So in the finall Conclusion of the troubles of the Church warres Apostasies alterations and changes in Kingdoms and States the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Gog and Magog and all the enemies of Christ the amputation of unprofitable Trees and eradication of noxious Weeds out of the Garden of the Church shall facilitate and prepare the way for the ingresse of the Monarchy of the Gospel into the eyes of the world Far wide therefore is the Surmise of those Christians how this doctrine of the universall Regiment of the Church upon earth is a vain-glorious and fantastick dream considering the hopes of it now are small and like to be lesser because charity and devotion daily decreaseth Nay rather this is the most evident sign that it speedily approacheth because the malice of the devil with the corruption of mankinde hourly augmenteth and strives to stifle and prevent it If God be known to be God by bringing light out of darknesse and manifesting his power in weaknesse then certainly shall these warres and schismes among Christians the barbarous invasions â—nd conquests of Turks and Tartars the encreasing Idolatry of the Western and Eastern Indians be an Axe in the hand of God to lop off all superfluous branches from his Vine to make it overspread with nourishing fruit the Globe of the whole Earth IX And that these are no novell Opinions these following Testimonies may give sufficient evidence Petrus Damiani flourished Anno 1060. a laborious Divine an acute Philosopher and a witty Poet. Gesner and other Bibliothecaries say nothing of him is extant Yet I have seen in the Library of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge certain Latine Epigrams of his Of the conversion of the Jews Of the destruction of the world by fire in the last day Of the ruine of Rome and Of the last Judgement which Latine Epigrams I finde translated into English Stanza's in an old Manuscript of L. B. intituled The Dove 1. Of the Burning of the world by fire Primum foedavit mundum scelcrata libido Cujus quà m ad coelum flammea massa venit Diluvium immissum est immensumque obruit orbem Vt mala tanta pijs eluerentur aquis O dira Ebrietas mundi faex prima secundi Te opposita interiment atque elementa prement Iustitiam Domini in cunctis sic cernimus actis Vnda lavat venerem pocula flamma bibet Thus Englished As the first world did first by lust offend Whose burning rage to such a height did win That God to quench the same a Floud did send O Drunkennesse the second world's first sin The course of Vice that Element must end Which is opposed to that which did begin In every thing Gods justice we may spie As Flouds drown Lust Flames Drunkennesse must dry 2. Of the ruine of Rome Effuge Grex Christi peccati à Gurgite diro Cui meretrix odio est atque corona triplex Effuge dum Tempus datur fera praelia cessane Ne ut tu delitias sic sua damna feras Quum jam funestos Agnus superaverit hostes Pingue gregique epulum militibusque dabit Se mentem metet haec meretrix quam sevit eandem Iam Sathanae sedes quae Domina orbis erat Thus Englished Fly Faithfull Christians from that Sea of sin Who hate the Whore and the two-horned Beast Fly fly in time before their griefs begin Lest as their pleasures so their plagues you taste When once the Lamb the victory doth win He of fat things will make his Flock a Feast Who as she sowed so shall she reap those evils Once the worlds Mistresse now a Cage of devils 3. Of the conversion of the Jews Postquam Evangelium toto narretur in orbe Fulget ignotis nostris genitoribus oris Quum Gentes Christum agnoscunt generalitâ—r 〈◊〉 Quâ—s Deus aeterâ—â—im aetherea dignabitur aulaÌ„ Tunc amplectetur verum Solynaea propago Quod priùs invidid tam aversabatur iniquaÌ„ Vltima Evangelium Legem quae prima recepit Quos dâ—cuit primos postremos Christus habebit Thus Englished The Gospel once being preacht in every placeâ— To lands of which our Fathers could not tell And when the Gentiles all are drawn to Grace Which in the new Jerusalem should dwell Then shall the stubborn Jews the Truth embraceâ— From which with such disdain they did rebell Who first the Law last shall the Gospel have Christ whom he first did call shall last receivâ— 4. Of the last judgement Indictum Tempus quod totum territet orbem Per praedicta homines signa monere solet Praelia Evangelium mundo vulgatur adorant Iudaei Christum cognita jam meretrix Zelus hebet Stellaeque cadunt fera crimina regnant Aegra fides languet Daemonis ira furit Vltima jam genus omne malorum buccina clangit Supremamque diem signa tremenda notant Thus Englished That threatned time which must the world appall Is that all may amend by signs foreshown Wars rumor'd are the Gospel preach'd o're all The Jews convert the Antichrist is known Devils rage Vice reigns Zeal cools Faith fails Stars fall All sorts of plagues hath the last Trumpet blown And by prodigious signs 't may plain appear That of the Son of man the time draws near Thus by this great Divine living in the mistiest times of Popery it may plain appear that it was a received opinion that the total destruction of Rome the conversion of the Jews and the fifth Monarchy should precede the end of the world And this is also confirmed by Hieronymus Savanarola who died a Martyr at Florence A. 1498. whose Prophesies are extant in the works of Franciscus Mirandula That in the last times Jews Turks and Moors should be converted to Christ a man like Cyrus with a numerous Army of true professors should come over the Alpes and destroy Rome and ruinate all the Kingdoms and States of Italy That grievous Wars Bloud-sheddings and Massacres should arise in the world by a Northern King for a happy Reformation who should carry the Gospel out of Europe into a vast and unknown world in the end of time That an Eastern King should blow the Trumpet of God from Tartaria which should reform all the Islands of the Indian Infidels He likewise prophesied in particular of Iulio the second of the troubles of the Duke of Mirandula Of Luthers Reformation Of the Persecutions of Merindol Chabriers Angrogne the Valtolinâ— and other places of France all which most evidently came to passe Thirdly A Prophecie of the estate and condition of the times unto the end of the world was found written in Hebrew under the Foundation of the Church of S. Denis in France A. 1616. by the Sexton of the place as he
digged for the erecting of a Monument for the Lord Teligni He gave it unto the Popes Nuncio who rewarded him with 200 dollars for his pains from him it was sent to the Cardinall of Bruges who presented it unto the young K. Lewis XIII It was written in parchment and wrapped in lead in the form of an Heart Hebrew numericall letters were set at the side of every Line signifying in what Year of our Lord every accident should come to passe and be manifested to the world Out of Hebrew it was translated into Latine by Iohannes Parmarino Secretary to the said Cardinall The Prophesie runs thus Anno Christi 1661 Obruit Italiam saevo Mars impius aestu Anno Christi 1665 Vnica sint Christo pascua campus oves Anno Christi 1666 Totum operit mundum terror ira Dei. Anno Christi 1667 Pauci Iehovam venerantur Anno Christi 1678 Inclytus exurgit factis Heros Anno Christi 1686 Europa tremit AsaÌ„ urget metus Anno Christi 1693 Generalis Terrae motus ruit Anno Christi 1699 Agnoscunt omnes Gentes Deum Anno Christi 1700 Flumina siccentur ubique Anno Christi 1710 Pastor Ecclesia unica 3 Alephs The heat of war doth Italy surround Let Christ's pasture be one his sheep and ground Gods wrath and terrour doth the world confound But few that God do reverence A Prince shall rise of eminence Asia doth tremble Europe shake Now is a generall Earthquake All Nations Gods knowledge partake Rivers are dried every where Pastor and Church only one are By this Prophecy great troubles must arise in Italy within this small time cruell wars afflicting every State thereof which must be preparations to the eternall destruction and ruine of Rome the head City thereof Rome can never be destroyed except Protestants lay aside their unnecessary civill contentions which may God so disposing come to them about Anno 1665. After which great commotions are like to arisâ— in Europe till a noble Hero arise which shall quench those evils by imploying Christians in mutuall Leagues against the Turk Suddenly after which comes troublesome daies in Asia and Africk Then follows universall peace and quietnesse of Nations prophesied of by Ezechiel and S. Iohn in the Revelations which must bring forth the purity and perfection of the Gospel over the whole Earth X. Of how large an extent the Turkiâ—h Empire should be how far it should prevail against Christendome when it should be at the height and wheâ— Christians should begin to cry quits with them by victories and conquests is long since exâ—ant in ancient Prophesies One whereof M. Fox in his first Volume of Acts and Monuments pag. 746. antiq edit relates he found in the Persian language in a Manuscript of Bartholomary Georgienitz the substance whereof in Latine is this Imperator noster veniet Ethnici Principes Regnum capiet rubrum quoque pomum capiet inque suam potestatem rediget Quod si in septimum usque annum Christianorum gladius noâ— insurrexerit uâ—que ad duodecimum annum eis dominabitur Domos aedificabit vineas plantabit hortos sepibus muniet liberos procreabit post duodecimum aâ—num Christianorum gladiuâ— apparebit Turcam quaque versum in fugam aget Our Emperour shall come he shall take the Kingdom of a heathen Prince he shall also take the red apple and subdue it to himself But if the Christians sword shall not arise by the seventh year he shall reign over them to the twelfth year he shall build houses plant vineyards hedgâ— in Orchards and beget children and after the twelfth year shall the Christians sword appear and put the Turk to flight on every side M. Fox expounds these 12 years to be 12 Turkish Emperours prevailing against Christians beginning at the first Emperour Ottoman An. 1300. and so Solyman the magnificent to be the twelfth Emperour and the last that should prevail against Christians who began his reign An. 1519. and died An. 1567. But I think rather it must begin at Mahomet the II. winning of Constantinople called here rubrum pomum An. 1452. and must end at the late Emperour Mahomet the IV. his death the last August 1649. My reason is this Other Emperours have prevailed against Christians since Solyman the magnificent For Selimus the II. his son wan Cyprus from the Venetians Armurath III. took the Fort Guiermo from the Hungarians and his son Mahomet III. took Agria in Hungary and had he pursued his victory had won that whole Kingdom in lesse then a year So the late Mahomet is the 12 Emperour from Mahomet the II. and now â—fter his death shall the Turks prevail no more against Christians For fourty years agoe that Kingdom was at a stand and is declining to an eternall destruction The sword of the Christians shall now arise and prevail againâ—t the Turks â—ill An. 1696. when the converted Jews shall gather head to overcome them in a bloudy pitcht field and root out their name from off the Earth By this young Emperours decease without issue the Ottoman Line is extinct and none left One Sultan Hali a Persian by birth is now Steward of the Ottoman house and the Crim-Tartar by old composition and agreement layeth claim to the Turkish Empire which at present is in combustion because of this And though above 200000 Turks are in the Field with an intent as is thought to invade Germany yet if Christians could but leave oâ—â— their unnecessary divisions they might soon ruinate the Turkish Empire For since Armurath IV. his death An. 1642. who began to reign An. 1623. all the time of this late Mahomet's reign since there hath been continuall contentions and massacres amongst the Turks the Jannizaries eluding and despising the young and weak Emperour which terrified the Mufti and the Bassa's sore because they had a prophecy that as a Mahomet wan Constantinople so a Mahomet should lose it again to the Christians However the matter goes for the present the year 1698 shall be fatall both to them and to the Pope in both their ruines and the beginning of the comparative felicity of the Church of God as may be further manifested by an excellent Prophecy which the learned Erasmus received from Reuchliuus and was found in the study of Iustus Lypsius by Ianus Douza the younger running thus Post mille explâ—tos à partu Virginis annos Et post sexcentos rursus ab orbe datos Nonagefimus octavus mirabilis annus Ingruet is secum gaudia laeta faeret Corruet hoc anno Turcarum iâ—visa propago Roma tuum in libris fabula nomen â—rit Omnia tunc mundi sursum ibunt atque retrorsum Imperiae ut populus sceptra novella premant Vtque suum cunct as Verbum diffundat in oras Christus imperitet nomine ubique suo Thus Englished Six thousand years from Virgins birth expir'd Six hundred after that acquir'd The famous ninety eighth year shall come on Full of great Contentation
his Brethren pitied him not in the anguish of his soul yet he forgiveth and preserveth them in Aegypt and at their deliverance thence marcheth triumphantly before them to Canaan in his Coffin But yet neverthelesse Iacob was to stay in Canaan and Ioseph was to be unknown to his Brethren till Aegypt be destroied by Famine and yeeld if self to Ioseph And the bonâ—s of Ioseph too must stay in Aegypt till 600000 men besides women and children be delivered them by the hands of Moses and Aaron No departure from Aegypt no passage through the Red-Sea without the bones of Ioseph Edom in the dayes of Moses and Babylon in Daniels time suffered the severest punishments God could inflict upon a people and all for afflicting Eber. And here is a mystery not so observed as observable in Scripture As Aegypt was broken before the first Tabernacle was set up by Moses as Edom was harrowed by David before the first Temple was erected by Solomon and thirdly as Babel was Brought to nothing by Cyrus before the second Temple was built by Zorubbabel and Iâ—hoshuah so shall both Edom and Babel Turk Pope and all Monarchies in the Earth be brought to dust before the third Temple be built by the converted Jews in their native Land of Iudea and Ierusalem Ierusalem now inhabited by Turks and hereticall Christians shall at that time be purged from filth and be the only Receptacle of the children of God But when that time shall be I have abundantly shewn in the Sections before And in that season shall Benjamin be sent down from his good father in the power of his right arm and Ioseph even Ben-Ioseph shall make himself known to his Brethren who did hate him shoot at him cast him into the pir and delivered him to the Gentiles Which excellent Parallels of Ioseph and Christ are fully explained in the Massorch Zoar and in Rabbi-Asse besides Ezechiel and S. Iohn in the Revelations Notwithstanding in citing these Jewish Traditions I would not be mistaken as if I maintained a second descention of our Saviour Christ from Heaven as the Millenaries do or that the Jews must have him come personally dowm from heaven to destroy the whole world and restore them to their Land of Iudea I mean no such thing God hath other means to bring his purposes to passe then by sending his Sonne Christ to sojourn the second time upon earth A second Moses yet a King must work all this for them yet not a Moses of their own bloud but a Captain from the North who shall work the works of God in righteousnesse and make peace like a mighty stream overflow the whole earth XIV The consideration of these future great blessings of God towards this Nation of the Jews and in them to all the world in the advancement of the Gospel as likewise the laying to heart the grievous calamities which have so long tossed the Kingdomes and Free-states of Europe should move all men with repentance to prepare themselves to meet those great and fearfull mutations which God is bringing upon all the European Coasts of the world Historians have made their four Monarchies according to the rise or fall of severall particular Nations 1. Assyrians 2. Persians 3. Grecians and 4. Romans but this is a lame Division and comes far short of that transcendent Metamorphosis of humane affairs which by comparing of Histories observation of new Starres and Comets of late with the consideration of the manners and conditions of the sonnes of men we may easily perceive must within these few years be brought upon the world The learned Mathematicians and Philosophers who have more throughly searched into the secrets of Astrology rightlier place their four Monarchies according to the four coasts of Heaven 1. The Eastern Monarchy of the Assyrians 2. The two Southern Monarchies of the Persians and Grecians bounded within the circumference of 3600 miles or 11 degrees of latitude 3. The Western Monarchy of the Romans 4. and lastly the Northern Monarchy but in right accompt the fifth must be of the Northern LION which to the amazement of Christendome shall arise from the Northern Sea and pitch his Tents in the ashes of the Eastern and Western Monarchies But now having made mention so oft of this V. Monarchy in this Pamphlet I think it meet to produce two or three Reasons of the truth and certainty of it deduced out of the holy Scriptures and humane Authority First The Jews have a Tenet among them That their Messias must not come in the Flesh till the destruction of the fourth Monarchy in Daniel which is the Roman and so will not beleeve Christians professing him to be come already but say this coming is deferred till the Roman Empire be totally abolished which because it is not nor must be yet they will not beleeve he hath appeared But the Jews are deceived in this for Dan. 2.44 and 7.9 22. the Incarnation of our Saviour Christ was promised to be in the very nick of the constitution and establishment of the Roman Empire and not after the ruine of it which was performed accordingly else should there have been six Monarchies before the end of the world For the dispersion and rejection of the Jews the revelation of Antichrist with the Fulnesse of the Gentiles was prophesied to be accomplished in the fourth Monarchy all which we see are punctually fulfilled None of which should yet have come to passe if our Saviour Christ was not to be incarnate before the end of the Roman Empire Therefore as the rejection of the Jews with these other signs and things was to be in the fourth Monarchy so their conversion and remission into the Church and the glorious estate of the Gospel upon earth must be in another fifth Monarchy which is yet to come Secondly So many Empires as are comprized in Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2. must come to passe before the end of the World But five Monarchies are comprehended in that Image Ergâ— The major is manifest The minor is thus proved Nebuchadnezzar himself was the Golden Head of this Image as he was in another respect the Feet of the old decrepit Assyrian Monarchy which by his Chaldean Empire and the ruine thereof which was approaching should totally be annihilated The Armes and Brests of Silver are the Empire of the Medes and Persians The Belly of brasse is the Empire of the Grecians by Alexander the Great Lastly the Iron Leggs and the Clay Toes depictured the Roman Empire with the present declining House of Austria and the breathlesse Papacy Therefore the Stone cut without Hands which brake this Image in pieces and became a Mountain and filled the Earth must be understood as I touched before of a Fifth Monarchy yet to come in which by the Conversion of the Jews and fulnesse of the Gentiles the Gospel shall shine in majesty over all Kingdoms upon Earth Thirdly If the rejection and dispersion of the Jews were to be in