body so as he was all over like raw flesh and lived in great misery about a week after and then died A Dogge neere-the Chancell doore was fiercely whirled up three times and the last time fell down dead Some seats in the body of the Church were torn up and overwhelmed up-side-down yet they that were in them had no harme notwithstanding that they were thereby throwne out of them into other seats foure or five pewes higher About the number of eight boyes sitting about the railes of the Communion Table heere wee may observe what a superstitious Church it was like almost all the rest of our Churches in these miserable daies were all of them taken up by the violence of this so terrible a storme and throwne on heaps within the railes but had no hurt at all A beame was broken in the midst and fell downe between the Minister and his Clerke but neither of them hurt thereby The Church was also very much defaced and torn in many parts of it and a great stone neere the very foundation was torne up and removed thence Other stones were violently throwne out of the tower as thick as if there had been an hundred men throwing them some stones of them of such a weight and bignesse as no one man was able to lift One of the Pinacles of the Tower was tumbled downe into the Church A man sitting on the Church-beere at the lower end of the Church had the said beere torne in pieces under him and himself thrown into a seat by the wall but hâ—d no other hurt A great stone was throwne about an hundred yards from the Church and sunke into the ground so deep and so fast that it could hardly be seen afterward A Bowling-alley also neere the Church-yard was strangely turned into deep pits and a Wine-Taverne nere the Church had the side thereof next the Church torne up and the top or covering broken and caried off and one of the rafters broken into the said house And was not heere a most terrible and almost an incredible print and impression of Gods threatned wrath and indignation against both the internall and externall vanity and impiety of such profuse and superfluous Church-buildings vaine and needlesse I say now under the Gospel though in the time of the Leviticall Law most requisite and lawfull in most gorgeous maner to be set out as typifying Christ Jesus in all his excellencies and graces and therefore these fearefull examples may serve as a remarkable caution and fore-warning of Gods displeasure heerein But because t is likely our superstitious Cathedralists will bee apt to object in their carnall incredulity that one Swallow makes not a Summer and so one single testimony is not sufficient to confirme so weighty a conclusion and inference as I would fain gather from these fearefull premises I shall therefore in the next place give the Reader other remarkâ—ble examples of Gods semblable undoubted displeasure with the vanity and impiety of our Churches and Church government and services too long exercised among us to the high indignation of the Lord especially now of late since our Prelats began so grosly to tyrannize over the consciences of Gods people and then say whether thou canst not easily be induced to beleeve with me this truth which I have hence collected and which the Lord by these feareful examples seems most plainly to have indigitated and demonstrated to us And therefore to cry out with the Prophet in holy admiration and trembling Who would not feare thee O King of Nations to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners In January also then next ensuing there was very great hurt done in and upon divers other Churches in other parts of this Kingdome by thunder and lightning and mighty stormy weather to the great and terrible astonishment of the inhabitants and beholders As namely upon the 14. day of the aforesayd month about five of the clock at night three Churches were wasted and defaced with fearefull thunder and lightning and most violent windes the one was Micham in Kent also Greenhith and Stone-Church both in the sayd County of Kent And upon Whitsunday 1640. in the Parish Church of S. Anthony in Cornewall great hurt was done by terrible thunder and lightning the people being then in the Church at their Sabbath dayes exercises As heer thou seest it summarily and briefly delineated in those following Figures or Emblemes 3 or 4 Churches more as namely Micham and Greenhith in Kent also Stone-church all fearefully defaced with lightning and thunder the Ianuary following And St Anthonies Church in Cornwall Anno Dom 1640 ANd here againe that All may clearly see False-worship and Idolatry to be The sin of England God in other places More Houses of such worship much defaces With fearfull storms lightnings fierce claps of thunder Churches and Steeples rends and cleaves asunder Though many other sins doe England staine Tet this of all the rest is dy'd in graine Idolatry and Superstition base The Lord will not endure in any case And therefore shewes by so many examples With how great wrath under his feet he tramples Such Romish-trash and all Wil-worship vaine And only will unmixed Truth maintaine Be warned then betimes England take heed Lest wrath without redresse does make thee bleed Now all these considered together with the time of the yeere the Winter season and the day whereon they fell the Lords day and that which is so much the more remarkable in the time of their Sabbath dayes duties tell me can any man be so Atheistically minded and blindly or obstinately opinionated as to thinke that these so fearfull and formidable affrightments immediately from heaven can bee meerly casuall or contingent by naturall concurrences only and not rather immediate demonstrations and fore-runners of Gods high indignation for the great sins and provocations of our Clergy and Prelaticall Church-government Certainly it were meere madnesse or at least grosse carnall security if not diabolicall delusion to say or thinke otherwise For if we looke on our late most intolerable superstitious and idolatrous times not silently-creeping but audaciously running and with the Romish-whores unblushing face breaking out upon us and impudently and too frequently practised among us by crossing and Jesu-cringing altar-worship rayling in of our Communion-tables turned into altars Popish sumptuous and superstitious adornation and bedawbing of Churches with crucifixes other Popish pictures apish gestures vestures and such like beggarly-rudiments and ceremonies as the Apostle cals them making more by farre of the meere wals and dead stones of their Churches than of the living stones of Gods House and Temple What other thing could be discovered by all these but a most disloyall apostacy and almost a generall backsliding and defection from our first love the Lord Jesus Christ and from his found faith to Antichrist Arminianisme and Atheisticall profanenesse
often seen in Germany by the inhabitants thereof in many places notable fore-runners and predictions of Germanies succeeding miserie still fresh in the memory of many yet living who have been both eye and eare witnesses of the manifold and most lamentable distresses and destructions which have befallen and even to this day lye still very heavy on that once most famous and flourishing Eden of the whole Christian world now made a desolate defart and bare and barren wildernesse But all this while that we have only heard that our neighbours houses have been so fearfully on fire what use have we of England made thereof How have we endeavoured to keep the flame off from our own houses and habitations Certainly wee have not made that holy and humbling use thereof as we might and ought to have done considering our meanes of grace and reconciliation wherewith we have been even lifted up like Capernaum to heaven far beyond our neighbours round about us We have not been wise by other mens harmes as meer humane and worldly wisedome might have taught us to be But have contrariwise drunk wine in bowles as the Prophet complaines and stretched our selves on our beds of Ivory none of us hardly being grieved for the afflictions of Ioseph in the aforesaid Germany and now also of late and lamentably bleeding Ireland Wherefore the Lord hath and that most justly come neerer home to our owne doores and begunne to make us who were only supine spectators of others miseries now unhappy spectacles to others of imbred and homebred devouring destructions Nor yet I say in all these our selfe-procured sorrowes can we justly taxe the Lord in the least measure with any more harsh or hasty proceedings heerein with us then with any of his other servants in by-past times but have been every-way wholy left without excuse For hath not the Lord for these many yeares together both called upon us by by his faithfull and painfull Preachers of the word fore-warned us to flie from the wrath to come Have they not frequently and servently cried out and told us that except we repent we also should perish Yea when this one great and maine meanes of reclaming us his people from our sinnes would not serve hath not the Lord used that other more terrible and heart-frighting course heer mainly intended in this treatise of Prodigies Signes and Apparitions in the ayre and other most degenerating unnaturall and wonder-striking contingents amongst us here at home As now I intend more exactly and particularly to set forth and shew to the Reader whereby wee shall easily discerne and discover to our owne hearts if we will not bee too wilfully blind which as I shewed before was the first and worst signe of smart and sorrow in Jerusalem and more then marble-hearted most apparent prints and even visible footsteps and impressions of Gods highly conceived indignation and provoked patience turned into enforced furie by our constant and unconscionable sinning against him and now resolved to execute the utmost severitie of his wrath upon us if now at last wee hasten not most heartily to prevent and divert it by true and timely repentance and reformation And now I say that we may no longer looke abroad into forreigne parts nor many yeeres past for examples of this sort I shall desire the Reader to remember what yet may be fresh in memory among us That in the Reigne of King Iames that so peacefull a Prince who so much delighted in the name and worke of Peace both at home and abroad that hee had this Motto given to him Beati Pacifici Blessed are the Peace-makers And so successefully had he prosecuted his affections therin that as heere you may see in this Embleme or following Figure Every man fate under his owne Vine and under his owne figge tree even from Dan to Beersheba all the dayes of the sayd King Iames our so peacefull King as it Every man Sitting vnder his vine vnder his owne fig gtree enjoying all good things in the days of King James But on the 18th of November 1618 A great Blazing-starr with 7 long streames appeared much damping mens hearts HEre every one sits under his owne Vine All under their-own Figtrees sup and dine In Pleasures Treasures and all joyes encrease In pleasant Plentie amiable Peace But whiles this Peace and Plentie brings forth Pride Luxurie Loosnes and all sinnes besides Gods wrath is kindled Heav'n therwith offended Lets England see his judgements sore intended By a strange Blazing-starre which every day Betimes ith'morning did bright beames display Which as a Warning piece the Lord thus sent To rouze-up England timely to repent And to prevent his judgements thus foreshown Lest still secure England be overthrown See here th' indulgence of a gratious God Who ere he strikes first shewes and shakes his Rod was said of King Salomon also that Prince of Peace But this peace being but a meer externall and sensuall peace and so the mother of Luxury Libertinisme and prophanenesse whereof the whole Kingdome did then and so all along to this very day too risely and rankly abound together with all kind of sinfulnesse Piety being then turned into Court-Policy and sincerity into outside and Diabolicall hypocrisie The Lord therefore even about the yeere 1618. November 18 sent a visible demonstration of his just wrath and displeasure namely a great Comet or Blazing Star as there also you have it in the Embleme with seven streames which continued to the 16. of Decemb. following rising every morning about three or foure of the clocke and so continued shining most cleerly and bright till day light appeared the streames of it blazing upwards Now what this Comet or Blazing Star might portend and prognosticate hath been evidently seene and known amongst us by reall and sensible experience ever since not only over all Christendome in general as in Germany Rochel in France and still fresh bleeding and lamentably dilacerated and forlorne Ireland but even within our owne bosomes in England also as in the death of Queene Anne and of King Iames also himselfe not long after yea and many most eminent Peeres and Nobles of this Land suddenly taken away but by what stroke is not yet fully discovered though greatly suspected as the Marquesse of Hamilton the Duke of Richmond and the Lord Belfast c. all eminent Common wealths men fierce and furious warres also and rumours of warres Nation against Nation and Kingdome against Kingdome And as I toucht before wee now see our too secure Kingdom must also share in these common calamities now fallen upon the earth England having sinned and done very foolishly England must also come under the lash of Gods justice and greatly incensed indignation against it as well as Germany Rochell and Ireland Before I can leave the blazoning of this Blazing-star I must give the Reader one more remarkable note and observation on it Namely that at
to our sorrow such divisions by two heads the King and this renowned Parliament some siding with the one and some with the other by two hearts Papists and Protestants or Malignant and well affected Christians some standing for Truth and some for Errour some for Christ and some for Antichrist some for Gospel and a holy Reformation and some for beggarly Ceremonies and Romish trash and trumpery two armes or armies for just defence in England and Scotland and a miserable and monstrous stump of an arme in lamentably torne and mangled Ireland And this use I remember our brethren in New England not long since made of another most prodigious and mishapen and monstrous birth brought foorth by a Gentlewoman of that New Plantation who had beene a maine fautrix if not originall broacher of very many most wicked dangerous damnable opinions in their Church God having declared his high displeasure therat by her so fearfull monstrous and mis-shapen birth which as a godly Minister there related had as many externall and corporall deformities in its body as she maintained diversities of most dangerous opinions Which was all of it I say testified for most true by some of the most learned and godly Pastours and people amongst them Againe have we not had many most remarkable warnings and fearfull forerunners of Gods displeasure against us for our sinns and transgressions by most hideous and horrour-striking-thunder-claps and spirit affrighting-Lightnings doing much and most fearfull hurt burning defacing and spoiling our very materiall Churches and houses in this Kingdome most manifestly giving us to understand that something surely is much amisse even in our Churches and worship and service of the Lord our God as I shall afterward more particularly and truly shew in our most sumptuous and superfluously huge built Churches and Cathedrall Minsters indeed farre more like Heathen Temples then Christian Churches And as an undoubted testimony of Gods displeasure heerein take first that most memorable and terrible yea never to bee forgotten example of Gods wrath deep indignation manifested by thunder and lightning against superstitious superfluous and idolatrous impieties in our Churches of England which God was pleased to manifest upon the Parish Church of Withcombe in Devonshire besides divers other Churches in other places much about the same time also which is the more remarkeable being a very faire Church and but then newly trimmed having a very fayre Towre with great and small pinnacles and reported to be one of the fairest and most famous Church steeples in all the Westerne parts of England which I have heere described and set foorth in this Figure and Embleme for the Readers better content and satisfaction Which said faire Church and steeple was most fearfully and furiously assaulted with most hideous thunder and lightning on the 21. day of October 1638. which also was so much the more admirable being in the Winter season which was the Lords Day and in the time of their Church Service or Evening Prayer still the more observable in the midst of the performance of which duties I say on a sudden there was heard most fearfull heart-damping claps of thunder much like the roaring noise or ratling reports of great A most prodigious fearefull storme of winde lightning thunder mightily defaceing Withcomb-church in Deuon burning and slayeing diverse men and women all this in service-time on the Lords day Octob 21. 1638 HEre Reader ope thine eyes and ears and heart Consider what this figure doth impart Behold and tremble to behold and see How Christ Gods Lambe a Lion fierce can be When Sin doth patience into passion turne And make sweet favour like fierce fury burne When Bethel is a baudie-Babel made God will his fair Jerusalems invade When for pure worship of his sacred name We Idol-Altars Popish-Rites will frame O how the jealousie of God doth burn All Idol-worship quite to over-turne Shall England thus pretend a reformation And yet uphold Romish abomination Surely as here God will let England know If these continue God will angry grow Canons and musket shot discharged upon which presently followed a most fearfull Fog and almost palpable darknesse all over the Church and a most strong and almost stifling Stygian stink and loathsome smell of brimstone together with a most boysterous and blustering blast of wind and clap of thunder which strucke in at the Northside of the steeple or towre and tearing through a strong wall came into the Church through the highest window and bare before it sheere away a great part thereof and with a mighty power it also strook away the Northside wall of the Church and violently battered and shook it very much passing on toward the Pulpit and in the way tooke with it the lime and sand from off the wall grating the wall much and mightily defacing it it having been but lately new whited and trimmed as aforesaid It tore away also most fiercely the side Deske from the Pulpit colouring the pulpit it selfe of a black hew and leaving it as moist as if it had been newly washed over with inke In which time there was also a most terrible and heart-astonishing lightning which did both mightily affright the people and even scald their skin with the extreame heat thereof insomuch as the greatest part of them fell prostrate some on their faces and some on their knees and some one upon another screeking and crying out in a most pittifull and patheticall manner The Ministers wife there present had her Ruffe and Linnen next her body burnt off and her body it self grievously scorched One Mistresse Ditford sitting in the seat with her had her Gowne two Wast-coats and her linnen next her body also grievously scorched Another woman frighted with this fearfull spectacle running out of the Church had her cloathes set on fire her body scorched her flesh torne on her back in a most grievous manner One Master Hill a Gentleman had his head smitten against the wall and died the very next day of it Sir Richard Reynolds his Waâ—â—iner had his head cloven his skull rent in three pieces whereof two fell in the next seat the other fell down in the seat where he sate his braines fell entirely whole into the next seat behinde him his blood dasht against the wall some of the skin of his head flesh and haire to the quantity of an handfull was carried into the Chancell his body left in the seat as though he had been alive sitting asleep and leaning on his elbow resting on the desk of his Pew with the fore-part of his head and face whole O most terrible and fearfull power of the Lord A man that sate before him in the same seat was scalded and burnt all over on that side next the said Warriner In the second seat behinde the Warriner a man was in a most grievous manner burnt and scalded all over his
â—RODIGIES Apparitions or Englands Warning Pieces â—eing a Seasonable Description â—y lively figures apt illustration â—â— many remarkable prodigious fore-runers apparent Predictions of Gods Wrath against England if not timely prevented by true Repentance Written by J. V. Are to be sould by Tho Bates in ould Bâ—â—â— by Ralphe Markland neere the 〈◊〉 PRODIGIES and APPARITIONS OR ENGLANDS Warning-Pieces HIstories doe report and make mention of Tamberlane that famous Warriour and great scourge of the Turke as he was termed that in his battels especially in his intended siege and assault of a City or Towne his custome was first to hang out a white flag or banner in the sight of the Besieged thereby intimating to them his tender of mercy and favourable-quarter to them if they would instantly yeeld and submit to his mercy But if that would not serve but that they resolved to stand it out against him and put it to the hazard of warre then hee hung out a red flag in token that now there was nothing but death and destruction to be expected upon their refusall of his profered favor and mercy to them Even so Almighty God the great and supreme Sovereigne of all Nations and Kingdomes and the most terrible heart-tamer and wonder-working-King of all Kings who with the word of his mouth and breath of his nostrils is able to subdue the mightiest Kings Kingdoms and people and to cast down al strong holds and mightiest mountaines before him as those Heathen Kings Nebuchadnezar and King Darius freely confessed Yet I say though he be so mighty and terrible a God when hee is provoked to wrath by the sinnes and transgressions of a nation or people he never punisheth but he first admonisheth and heerin like this foresaid Tamberlane before hee intends the ruine of a Nation or a Kingdome he first holds out the white flag of his profered grace and mercy on their true repentance and hearty reformation from their evill courses and conversation but if this will not worke kindly on them but they wil obstinately and stubbornly stand out and refuse his mercy and proffered grace and favour then at last he hangs out his red-flag of wrath and confusion and sodainly consumes his proud and rebellious opposers all insolent and incorrigible sinners who have thus made themselves uncapable of mercy and compassion and are so become as combustible stubble in the presence of a terrible and angry God who as a consuming fire devoures them as in a moment For as the Prophet sayes who is able to stand before or to dwell with everlasting burnings Now this mercifull course of our mercifull God in thus hanging out first this white-flag of favour and mercifull premonitions which is the thing mainly intended to be described in these following figures and ocular-Emblemes of prodigious portentious and apparitions before he inflicteth severe punishments on his sinning Servants The Lord useth to manifest unto them divers waies but most especially and most remarkably these two waies Either by his Prophets and faithfull Preachers declaring his word and will to his people as Ionas in Ninevie and all the Prophets else to the people of Israel in their constant proclaiming mercy to Penitents but judgement and wrath to obstinate sinners and refractorie transgressours Or else by sending prodigious signes and wonders among them either by fearfull apparitions in the ayre monstrous births heart-frighting-voyces and exclamations oftimes unknowne from whence or by whome uttered and such like And this last course the Lord hath also frequently taken with a provoking and impenitent people in all ages and times And this is the thing which in this little Treatise is mainly intended to be declared and insisted upon Namely to shew that even of late also in these our modern times as well as in former and ancient ages we being by our sins and transgressions a greatly provoking people incensing and exasperating the high indignation and wrath of the Lord against us yet he hath among us also shewn himself to bee God that changeth not full of compassion and slow to wrath bending his bow whetting his sword holding up his arm ready to let it down yet loath to strike that so by these preparations to the blow before it falls heavie upon us we might see and shun and avoid it by our true and cordiall repentance Now in the first place I shall very briefly give you a taste and sight of what God hath done in this nature and kinde in former ages and times and so passe on succinctly to our owne times which I say is here mainly intended And first to begin with him who is the beginning and end of all things even the Lord Jesus Christ our most pretious and deare Saviour the authour and finisher of our faith that glorious Lord of life and Prince of peace who being born into the world in the dayes of an Emperour of peace Augustus Caesar then Emperour of Rome yet bringing into the world not onely peace but a sword also peace to penitent and broken-hearted beleevers and a sword of variance and revenge to proud and impenitent sinners Therefore at his birth what a most admirable and unparalel'd Starre was seen in the East so great and so miraculous a Starre as hath puzled and posed the greatest and most learned Astronomers and Mathematicians of the world A white Flag of mercy indeed yea of everlasting redemption from Sin Death and Hell if graciously accepted with firm faith and found universall obedience But a red Flag of wrath and confusion yea of horror and perdition if obstinately rejected or lazily neglected by sin and ignorance and infidelity Again a little before the destruction of that great and most magnificent Metropolis of the whole world Jerusalem I mean what fearfull and prodigious fore-warnings were sent to that Citie to foreshew them the wrath to come As first a fearfull blindnesse and stupidity of minde or hardnesse of heart the most fearfull fore-runner of wrath toward them of all the rest not to see or beleeve those wonderfull fore-warnings which God then sent among them Secondly a Comet like a sword and a bright shining light in their Temple round about their Altar in the midst of the night Thirdly a Cow which should have then been sacrificed that brought forth a Lamb in the midst of the Temple Fourthly the great and massie brasen gate of the Temple which opened of it self Fiftly fearfull and hideous sights and apparitions in the aire of mighty companies of Chariots and armed men in an hostile manner Sixtly and lastly a voyce was heard in the Temple crying out Let us goe hence With other such like mentioned by Iosephus in his famous history of the Jewes page 738. But to come neerer to our own times Are not the fearfull apparitions and signes in the heavens and prodigies on the earth
the first appearing of this Star wee were all in peace and seeming serene tranquility but indeed as was fore-mentioned such a peace as justly rendred us setled on the lees of carnall security Even as if this Star had been sent among us in speciall to fore-warne us of our present too loose security and therefore future ensuing infelicity if not speedily prevented by true and unfained repentance For it first appeared as I said the 18 of November the day after the annuall memoriall of Queen Elizabeths of ever most famous memory most happy inauguration to the Crowne of England the day when we began to enjoy the liberty of the Gospel and deliverance from that former most formidable yoke of Romish Egyptian bondage and slavery under bloody Babylonish and terrible conscience-curbing task-masters and which so blessed liberty we have now in a good and great measure enjoyed at least these three-score yeares And this I say seemed most particularly to bee delineated out unto us by this notable Comets appearing just on the next day to the 17 of November as if the Lord would thus have expostulated with us O England ungratefull and unfruitfull England thou hast now these sixty yeares by my free favour and bounty enjoyed my Gospel of pure peace together with the sweet and amiable peace of this my Gospel but hast beene all the while but little the better if not far the worser by it Well though I confesse I know not what I could have done more for England my choyce vine my pleasant plant then I have done having so hedged digged and dressed it yea and watered it with the dewes and drops of heaven and now that I expected it should have brought me forth sweet grapes of faith and pure obedience it hath contrariwise brought forth the wilde grapes of sin and rebellion though I say it deserves like the fruitlesse Fig-tree to be cut down and not suffered to encumber the ground any longer yet out of my meer mercy and indulgence to England I will let it alone one yeare of patience more and onely shake my rod over it with this prodigious apparition and celestiall signe of my just displeasure as a premonition thereof to move it to repentance which if it cordially fall upon well and good if not whereas all this while I have been severely whipping and scourging other neighbour-nations especially her sister Ireland to make England if it might be wise by others woes my leaden-heeles of long-sufferance patience and compassion shall be found to have Iron-hands of wrath without remedy and then I will doe my work my strange worke and bring to passe my act my strange act and when I begin I will also make an end The Lord timely open the eyes of Englands understanding that shee may see yet in this her day the things that concern her eternall peace left hereafter they bee everlastingly hid from her A second warning-piece worthy our serious notice of Gods gracious longanimity and patient forbearance toward us notwithstanding our pertinacious provocations and refractory rebellions towards him may be this A prodigious-birth and monstrous Man-childe borne in Old-bride-well about October 3. 1633. having two heads two A man-Childe born in old-Bridewell precinct having two distinct Heades two Hearts two armes the Stump of another growing-out from the back Shewn to King Charles y Queen Anno Dom 1633 Buried October the 3d BEhold good Reader here a monstrous birth To damp thy sinnes delight and marre such mirth A Man-childe born in most prodigious sort Which for undoubted truth thou mayst report Two distinct heads it had and eke two hearts Two arms whence grew a stump In other parts Like other children What may this pâ—â—tend Sure monstrous plagues doe monstrous sinnes attend The sinnes of Heads in government abus'd The sinnes of hearts opinions false infus'd And broacht abroad to raise up foes and factions And Armes and Armies to confound with fractions Dis-joynted States like stump-like Ireland Whiles brothers thus 'gainst brothers lift their hand This surely God seemes hereby to foretell That having Plagues must hideous Sinnes expell hearts two armes and a stump beside This childe was borne of poor parents inhabitants in that precinct Which foresaid Birth being so marvellous and prodigious a Monster in nature was carried and shewed to King Charles our Soveraigne and his royall consort the Queen who greatly astonisht at the sight thereof most graciously and charitably sent the poore woman the mother of it five pieces to refresh her in her present poverty and weaknesse Now whereas peradventure some may here object and say Why doe you count this such a wonder which is as the Naturalists and Philosophers affirme and write but a deficiencie and weaknesse of nature Whereunto I answer This is an objection indeed but of a meere naturalist and carnall man who is willing only to look upon externall and secondarie causes not considering the wonders and operations of Gods hands David could say that a man in his ordinary naturall and well-composed generation is fearfully and wonderfully made how much more terribly and wonderfully when the Lord is pleased to frame such a fearfull and wonder-striking birth in the womb of his creature so contrary to nature And did not the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe the fountaine of wisedome and understanding yea far more wise then all the Naturalists and Philosophers that ever were or will be tell his Disciples who curiously questioned the cause why that man mentioned in the Gospel that was borne blinde from his mothers wombe was so made by God that the Lords mighty power might be manifested in him And although it cannot be denied but that sometimes such monstrous births are produced by defect of nature yet it s as true that frequently the Lord is pleased to cause such monstrous productions from his creatures as predictions and forerunners of some fearefull judgement to come for sinne For otherwise God could have given power as in an ordinary way he does to have brought forth to perfection But t is confest clearly by that wise and famous Historian Iosephus foâ—ementioned at the beginning of this Treatise who there brings in that strange and unnaturall birth of the Cow which brought forth in the Temple of Jerusalem a Lamb instead of a Calfe and which he there introduceth as one of the fearfull forerunners and signes of Jerusalems ensuing misery and desolation to which prodigious birth this also me thinkes may fitly be a paralell and justly be taken for a fearfull prediction of wrath to come if not prevented by timely repentance And why may wee not yet farther consider even with particular application this monstrous birth to this effect That God by these two heads two hearts two armes and a stump of another in this child might let us now see his hastning judgements and wrath on our Kingdoms of England and Ireland wherein hath beene too manifestly seen
both in Priest and people And may we not then justly conceive and beleeve that the Lord by these so fearfull and I dare say unparallel'd examples of wrath on even these materiall Churches might truly indigitate and point-out unto us his holy purpose to ruinate this Romish-rubbish to purge his holy Temple and worship from these out-side formalities and fopperies and to set up and establish a more pure and powerfull a more precious and glorious internall spirituall simple and plaine unmixed-worship to himselfe and such faithfull and fruitfull worshippers as should worship him in spirit and in truth in plaine simplicity and singlenesse of heart for such worshippers now under the Gospel hath hee chosen to himself as our Saviour Christ Jesus himselfe assures us whose infallible heavenly authority I choose rather to beleeve then the best and most reverend pretended antiquity of primitive Fathers and humane authorities so urgently and instantly pressed upon us by our late Romish-hearted Prelates and Pontifician Doctors whomsoever What a most notable warning-piece also did the Lord make visible unto us by Sea about the moneth of September 1640. namely that Spanish Fleet which came without controule most audaciously upon our English coasts with many and mighty Vessels full fraught and furnished with armes ammunition and many thousand Souldiers almost such another formidable and affrighting Armado as that was in 1588. thinking then also to have swallowed us up and to have found us and our brethren of Scotland together by the â—ares that so they might with the more ease have unresistibly set firme footing and securely have landed on our English shore and so have stept in betweene both parties and have made up their mouthes with a fat and full prey of three rich and royall Diademes at once which indeed hath beene the long expected prize of the Spaniards most greedy appetite and hungry hope to have made up his long dreamed of universall Monarchy as here you see it set forth and described in this next Figure or Embleme A second Spanish-Armado much like that in 1588 hovering about our English Sea 's near Deale Douer hoping to have made England thier pray to have found us fighting with our brethren of Scotland but beaten back and destroyed by Van Trump and his Dutch Fleet An Dom 1642. ANd here another Warning-piece we had A â—righting Storme by Sea t'have made us sad Had not Heav'ns wisedome power and providence Prevented it and beene our strong defence A Spanish Fleet floating upon our Seas Hopefull to land upon our Land with ease To finde us fearlesse or engag'd in fight With Scotland through intestine dâ—epe despite But whiles they hovered about Deale and Dover Watching occasion us to triumph over Whiles we-our-selves dreadlesse of danger were So neare our ruine yet so void of fâ—are The Lord a Fleet of Dutchmen to them sent To pay their pride their mischiefe to prevent This Warning-piece we therefore may ad â—ire Preserv'd thus strangely from destruction dire But it pleased the Lord to direct the Dutch Fleet at that time abroad at Sea under the command of Van Trump their Admirall to meet with them and before Deale and Dover to fight with them for us when wee little thought of fighting for our selves though ready to be made a prey to this devouring Spanish-Leviathan Here I say also did the Lord by them ring us such a peale of thundring Canon as it were knocking at our doores to awaken us out of our marvellous Lethargy of ease and carnall security or of blockish stupidity as might have beene thought sufficient to have made us recollect our thoughts open our eyes and looke about us and see the hand of God lifted up against us yet loath to let the stroke fall so heavily upon us to our irrecoverable ruine and destruction as our sinnes most justly deserved had hee in his justice so dealt with us On Thursday also August 4. 1642. about 5. of the clocke in the afternoone at a Towne called Alborough in the County of Suffolke there was heard in the ayre and evidently seene a mighty sound of drummes beating very loud after which was also heard at the same time a long and fierce peale of small shot as of Muskets and such like and then as it were a discharging of great Ordnance in a pitcht field all this continuing about an houre and a halfe and then there was a mighty and terrible report or noise of them all together At the ceasing whereof a blacke stone was as it were shot out of the skye being about eight inches long and five or sixe inches broad and about two inches thicke which was taken up by two men which stood by and heard the foresaid noise and the whistling of the stone over their head as it past by them but they could not see it they found it by meanes of a little dogge who followed it by the sent and ran barking to and fro till they following the dogge were brought to the place where it lay covered with earth and grasse The men that found it brought it to London and presented it to a Burgesse of Parliament upon whose ground it was found and by him was shewne to divers others One Captaine Iohnson and one Master Thompson men well knowne in those parts of Suffolke being at a Towne called Woodbridge hearing of this marvellous noyse toward Alborough verily supposing that some enemy was landed and had made some sodaine onset or invasion upon the Town took horse and rode hastily homeward the rather becâ—use they heard of the battaile louder and louder and being on their way neare Alborough they met with the greatest part of the townsmen who were generally run out of their houses round about much amazed with such an uncouth noise of war But after all this there was for certaine sodainly heard a most joyfull noyse of sweet musicke and of sundry rare musicall instruments sounding in a most melodious manner for a good space together and at last it all concluded with a most harmonious noise as it were of delicate ringing of well-tuned bels A most terrible representation of a great fight in the Ayre at Alborough in Suffolk drum's beateing Canons and Musketts-shooting a black stone shooting out from the cloudes found by a tugg on the ground but all at last ending with most melodious musick and ringing of belles as an triumph of some victories Aug 4. 1642. OF all the Warning-Pieces to us sent See here a Master-piece of wonderment A mighty battell fought as 't were in th' aire Which Alb'rough Townsmen mightily did scare For first they heard Drummes beating loud alarms Great Canons shooting as in fields of Armes Thick and quick vollies of small shot likewise A stone most black breaking forth from the skies Which whistling through the air did pierce the ground And by a Dogge where it fell down was found But suddenly this frighting feare was past And by melodious musicke turnd at last Into
much joy and great alacrity Bells as 't were ringing most harmoniously As if the Lord would hereby let us see His gracious love at last to set us free From all our fore-felt feares and terrors great To crown us with a conquest most complete Shown in this figure Tragi-comicall Heav'n say Amen to this So pray we all Now this Tragi-Comicall Warning-piece for so methinkes I may fitly call it which we have here described and set forth as well as a figure and expression of that nature might be beginning so terribly and concluding so sweetly did far transcend in prognosticating comfort in the issue all the fore-mentioned marvellous prodigies and predictions either in Jerusalem Germany or elsewhere among us and may therefore surely serve as a soveraigne antidote against our too much fainting and affrighting feares The Lord our good God seeming hereby to foreshew us as blessed Mr. Brightman also that famous Divine and faithfull servant of the Lord in his most bright and learned revelation of the Revelations of Saint Iohn hath even prophetically written that Englands terrible storme of woes and warres now begun in it by Papists Atheists and profane Malignants whom God hath stirred up to disturb its abused peace and plenty and as a just punishment of Englands great sins and enormities though for a while it may seeme sharp yet shall be short and prove sweet in the issue fanning away the chaffe and burning up the drosse thereof and making way for a glorious peace and perfect reformation and for the setting up of Christs Throne and advancing of his Scepter in the power and purity of holy ordinances in the issue and conclusion It is our part therefore in faith patience and prayer to possesse our souls and to wait on the Lord for the happy performance of the same in his due time and by that way which is best pleasing to his most wise providence And the Lord in mercy perfect our expectation thereof in his appointed season Amen and Amen I have made no mention all the while of the many strange fearfull and unaccustomed Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone which have been seen from yeare to yeare both in other parts and also in our owne English Horizon which also by the judgement of the best Astrologers and Mathematicians have and doe prognosticate and declare unto us many notable changes and overtures of States and Kingdoms as also that late and memorable conjunction of Saturne and Iupiter among us in February last 1643. which hath been written of long before it fell out and which with all the rest doth prognosticate and demonstrate unto us as so many Warning-pieces the great alteration and vicissitude of Kingdoms Countreyes times and things in Church and State especially I say this late and great conjunction of those two celestiall Planets as Mr. Booker in his Prognostication for this instant yeare 1643. doth most notably declare and manifest unto us But of these and some other such like strange apparitions in the aire I shall desire with wise King Solomon all my Christian brethren and friends to take holy and wholsome counsell which the Spirit of God prompts the children of wisedome to embrace and follow viz. A prudent man fore-sees the evill or approaching storme and hideth himself from it And what better nay what so safe a hiding-place as the clifts and holes of the Rocks even the wounds of the Lord Jesus Christ that immoveable and everlasting Rock of our Salvation and under the holy and heavenly wings of the Sunne of Righteousnesse where onely as the Prophet sayes is true and infallible Soule-healing comfort indeed to all truly penitent and conscience-wounded sinners who with godly sorrow and unfained repentance and reformation by faith in prayer seeke and sue unto him which the Lord give us all wisedome and grace so to doe Amen FINIS Tamberlaine the Scourge of the Turk A white-flag A Red-flag Dan. 3.26 and 6.26.27 Gods White-flag of mercy Gods Red-flag of wrath and confusion Heb. 12.29 Esay 33.14 2 Sorts of Gods White-flagges 1. The word preached 2. Signes and wonders and Apparitions Psal. 7 12.13 A Jove omne principium Heb. 12 2. Mat. 10 34.35 The admirable Star in the East seen at Christs birth A white Flag Joh. 3 16. A red Flag Heb. 2 2 3. Jerusalem 1. Blindnesse of minde 2. A Comet like a sword 3. A Cow which brought forth a Lamb 4. The Brass gate of the temple opened of it selfe 5. Armed men and chariots in the aire 6. A voice in the Temple Germany Germany the Eden of Europe Mat. 11.23 England like Capernaum Amos 6.6 England left without Excuse 1. Ministers to admonish us Luk. 1.33 2. Prodigies to fear fright us An Introduction to the first Embleme or Apparition 1 Kings 4.23 A Comet or blazing Star The effects of the said Comet or blazing Star Death of great ones A remarkable note on the rising of the blazing starre Esay 5.1 2 3 c. Luke 13.7 Esay 28.21 1 Sam. 3.12 â— A monstrous birth a man-child born with two heads 2 hearts two arms and 2 stump Shewn to King Charles and the Queen An Object Answer Psal. 139.24 Joh. 19.3 A particular application of this strange birth to our strange times A most prodigious and monstrous birth also in New-England Thunder and lightning Churches mightily defaâ—ed and destroyâ—d by thunder and lightning Withcomb in Devonshire a mighty faire Church October 21. 1638. being the Lords day In the winter season The storm begun The fearfull effects of it The steeple torne The north side wall broken The pulpit strangely defaced A fearfull flash of lightning The Ministers wives case A Gentlewoman also sitting with her A woman running out of the Church A Gentleman slaine Sir Richard Reynolds his Warriners most fearfull death Another man by him A third man most grievously slaine A Dogge kild A strange preservation Eight Boyes at the rails of the Altar thrown on heaps on each other A beam fell down but hurt none A foundation stone torn up Stones but of the Tower throwne downe thick A pinacle tumbled down A great stone thrown an hundred yards off A Bowling alley and a Tavern neere the Church defaced Briefe notes on the premisses The Jews Temple under the Law most sumptuous and why Ob. One Swallow makes noâ— a summer Answ. Prelaticall Church-government â—er 10.7 Janu. 14. 1639. 3. Churches in Kent defaced with thunder and lightning And Saint Anthonies in Cornwall 1640 More full observations on all these Church-ruines Whether they were naturally occasional or otherwise Gal. 4.9 Col. 2.20 Joh. 4.23 Admirable sweet musicke heard plainly after all that terrible noise