of the Covenant Espouse unto thee O God! the People in faith that all may acknowledge thee Jehovah to whom thou mayst say My People and they to thee My God Let Men thy Image now cease to respect Stones Wooden Golden and Silver gods and to exhibit honour unto those which are no Gods but Vanity Let the Society or Tribe of Priests cease to commit Preys and Robberies in thy Name and with their wickedness to rejoyce Kings and Princes with their lyes adulterating all things Appointing to themselves Kings but not by thee and setting up Princes whom thou doest not acknowledge but with their Gold and their Silver making themselves Idols to their destruction Root out therefore O God! but even now at length Idols with the Worshippers of Idols and Errors with the Sowers of Errors As thou didst in the time of Elias Ezekias Josias Let it become manifest to the World how great difference there is between Light and Darkness that Victory may give place to the Truth and all men may learn to walk in the Light and being made the Sons of the Light may be brought back again to thee the Fountain of Light Gather together the sheep going astray stragling up and down O Prince of Shepherds by men chosen to this work from the East and the West from the North and the South giving faith in to their hearts unto thy words and by a strong and inflexible obedience and dutifulness to execute the purpose of thy Eternal Counsel to bring Vengeance upon Spiritual Babylon and upon the Whore sitting upon the Beast that she may no longer by committing Fornication with her Abominations seduce the Nations on the face of the whole Earth Grant O God! that successfully and happily once may go on forward that wish'd-for Recollection or gathering up together again of thy Rational Creatures out of the Streets and Villages and from among the Lanes and out of the High-ways that they may be introduced into thy House Here indeed into the House of the Church thy Sheepfold but there into the House of Eternity thy Glory where are many Habitations and Joys never to be ended Sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob at thy Table O Jesus Christ my only Saviour and of all that believe in thee Whither also my selâ— now hastening apace I bid my last farewel to thee O World to thee my earthly Country to thee my Body the Habitation of this Soul Farewel all beloved Friends in God! known and unknown to me Ye who have not known me in this mortality shall see me in that day wherein our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the living God by his illustrious coming shall gather us call'd forth out of the Dust of the Earth and from all parts every where to himself To whom be Honour and Glory and Empire and Benediction for ever and ever Amen! After these things had been thus acted Paul Laurine a new Pastor of the Exiles and a new Adversary of Drabricius a young man and of a firm strong complexion and always otherwise lusty was seized with an unexpected Disease as hath been before noted the Physicians call'd it an Hectick but in vain was all their Physick and departed this Life about the end of September Veterine hitherto preserv'd perhaps to behold the works of God to which he stiffly and pertinaciously denies Faith and Credit and to acknowledge his Error God have Mercy on him even as also on us all whosoever do erre with whatsoever Errors Amen! So Comenius We 'll conclude onely with a wise and sober Remarque out of the Mystery of Jesuitism concerning the Prophecies of St. Hildegard which very well agrees and may very well be applied to these Thus far says he the Prophecy it self Of which and the like what to think and what credit is to be given thereto others have given their opinion viz. That 't is not impossible Prophecies and Predictions of this kind may amount to no more than the Dreams of melancholy superstitious and distempered Persons Such as of which it may be said Augurium vanum vani docuere Parentes Cui credens dignus decipiatur erit Our vain Fore-fathers taught's vain Auguries Let them be cheated that believe such Lies But to deny all credit to Prophecies is to be guilty of an incredulity greater than that of the incredulous Thomas Nor are we to think what God saith by the Prophet Joel to be spoken in vain That in the last days the old men should dream Dreams and see Visions and the Sons and Daughters prophesie Many Examples might be alledged of Prophecies of this kind which the Events have confirm'd to be true and therefore they may challenge Belief when they are in their Effects fulfilled Mystery of Jesuitism concerning St. Hildegard 's Prophecies approved of in the Councel of Trier and also by Pope Eugenius the Third Remarkable also is that of the Angel to Kotter concerning the time of accomplishment What things are said unto thee concerning things future are not said after an human manner But after a manner which thou shalt never attain by human Reason and Wit Jehovah hath these times in his power Kotter Chap. 17. Great and Marvellous are Thy Works O Lord God Omnipotent Just and True are Thy Ways Thou King of Saints Who shall not Fear Thee O Lord and Magnifie Thy Name Because Thou alone art Holy Because all Nations shall come and worship before Thee For Thy Judgements are made manifest FINIS An APPENDIX of the planting of the Christian Religion in China c. THE marvellous and unheard of Alterations and Troubles The terrible and bloody Wars and most wonderful Revolutions even of all Asia and Africa in this present Age likewise but especially of the mighty antient and most flourishing Empire of China have been no less astonishing and stupendous then the Europaean and those shameful and cursed ones of Unchristian if not Pagan Christendom But would require another and larger Table to represent also a general view thereof And therefore we shall only add an Appendix according to promise of some things remarkable touching the Introduction of the Christian Relion into China by the Fathers of the Society and the Queens the young Princes her Son the Mandarins and Colaos and chief Ministers of State c. Conversion from Idolatry to Faith in Jesus and Worship and Confession of the Son of God so nois'd of in the World of late years And probably they would have prov'd better Christians and Disciples under better Masters and Teachers then such Apostles as have now the glory thereof About the Year 1580 as soon as the Jesuites had by fair shews of Religion and Learning found general success and acceptance in Europe and well rooted themselves here With great Zeal they compass Sea and Land as far as even the East Indies and China it self to gain Proselytes After the example of the more devout Religious and Zealous Monks and Fryar before them Riccius at first mentioned and Rogerius
and the Church in this Stile Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ to you the most Illustrious King Pepin and to all Bishops Abbots c. I the Apostle Peter whose Adopted Sons you are admonish you that you perfectly come and defend this City c. And doubt you not but trust assuredly that I my self as if I stood before you do thus exhort you c. and that I Peter the Apostle of God will at the last day yeeld you mutual kindness and prepare you Tabernacles in the Heavens Upon this quarel of the Popes Pepin and his Son Charls destroy the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy and give large Territories to the Church And these things made way and gave occasion and opportunity for Charles upon his great conquests to set up the German Empire of the West Franks The Pope in requital confirms Pepin in the Ringdom of France gives his Son Charls afterwards the Title of most christian King and crowns him Emperor of the Romans at Rome An. 800. From which he would pretend to be above Emperors and Kings and to be his right to Crown confirm and depose them if not dispose of their Kingdoms But Charls at length reassumes the ancient and original Imperial Dignity and Power to Govern the Church call Councils and order Papal Elections and confirm and invest them c. against all begun usurpations and incroachments of the Pope and aws Italy And keeps the Pope still Subject which Authority of the Empire was prety well upheld during the Caroline Race The Pope in the mean while under pretext of the Christian Religion and converting Infidels and the Nations increases in Wealth Power and Authority over the World Thundering out these Decrees of Holy Church Out of the Church no Salvation The Pope's the Successor of St. Peter the visible Head of the Church the Vicar of Christ on Earth His right as aforesaid to create confirm excommunicate and depose Kings and dispose Kingdoms for the cause of Religion c. That they are Hereticks that dissent from the Roman Church the only true Catholick Church or are Enemies to it c. Hereby the Consciences of the Nations Princes and People converted to an outward christianity are aw'd and fill'd with Reverence and Zeal for the Church to convert or root out Infidel Nations c. and to do any Benefices or Services for the Church As the most acceptable Service to Christ whom they began to acknowledge and Worship as their God and Saviour Hence almost all the Nations subject themselves to the Pope as Head of the Church yea and in Temporals also in a great measure nay some to hold their Kingdoms of him c. As if they could not any better way recompence Christs Vicar for the benefit of their Eternal Salvation then to submit themselvs all theirs to his dispose And this Opinion was brought about to prevail in the World that they might redeem their sins by good deeds and charitable works and services for the Church against it's enemies c. Hence Riches and Revenues of the Clergy and Hosts and swarms of clergy men Hence Churches Temples Abbies Monastries without number c. for the Redemtion of Souls Hence Expeditions Holy Wars Leagues and undertakings for the Church Hence Pardons Indulgences and devices for mony c. 'T would be endless to mention particulars c. The Pope having thus erected his Throne in the Consciences of men strongly seated there through Ignorance and blind Zeal and Devotion begins to play Rex in the World Besides there being perpetual emulation of Princes specially in Germany and Italy for Empire and Dominion c. The Pope interests himself in one part and the other for fear of excommunication or force becomes subject to him The Pope therefore now practises all wayes he can against the superiority of the Emperor and from being any wayes subject to his Authority or control and to undermine all Supremacy in Temporals presuming that all power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth in the Church and State c. 'Till in the end they come not only to let the Emperors have nothing to do in their Election Confirmation and Investiture but also to have all in a manner themselves to do in the Creation and Coronation of the Emperors Not long after the Caroline power and race declining and that partly through the Popes practises Italy is usurp'd by several Tyrants against the Emperor and almost wholly broken from it wherein the Popes have a finger and make their own advantage upon these distractions of the Empire For An. 884. Adrian the 3 d. denyes the Emperors Authority necessary to the creating Popes and about the year 900. the Empire is wholly and perfectly translated from the French or Caroline race to the Germans by Pope Agapetus's plotting And about the year 1000. as some write Gregory the fifth appoints Electors for choosing the Emperors whereby they afterwards became weakned and the Empire broken into factions and parties and the Pope thereby to have the better opportunity to work his own ends and to raise his greatness out of others ruines striving now to be uppermost not only in Church but State too and to be above even the Emperors themselves For after this time open and down right Tyranny over the Emperors begins to manifest it self First Pope John takes away all choise of Popes from the people to the Clergy only upon this plausible ground That the People are to be taught not followed Next Clement the 2 d. about 1047. set up by the Emperor against other Anti-Popes by the Authority of a Synod caused the Romans to renounce by oath the right they claimed in choosing Popes Then about 1050. Leo the 9 th invested by the Emperor is perswaded by Hildebrand to put off his pontificalibus or papal Robes in his journey from Germany to Rome to wave the Emperor and have a new election from the Roman Clergy and then made Hildebrand Cardinal who manag'd all at his pleasure After this Nicholas the 2 d. about 1060. takes away the election from the Roman Clergy bringing it about to a Colledge of Cardinals also then instituted that is of Spiritual Temporal or Lincy-woollcy Princes like himself the Supreme Emperor as it were for the greater grandure and more magnificent authority of his Almighty Holiness who was now almost got to the top of Empire Supremacy and Omnipotency For it was decreed in Council the Pope only to be chose by Cardinals whose Wounderful Worships or Eminencies might lift him up one step higher even as it were into Heaven to be God on Earth For so some thought fitting afterwards to stile forsooth his divine Majesty c. And then they order that no lay Person should confer Ecclesiaslick Investiture For what should the Church concern them But yet they themselves would invest and Crown Lay Princes For though the State had nothing to do with the Church yet the Church had to do
his submission granted to him and his heirs The title of the Kings of England As if they never had it since the Conquest of right before Hence it is observed sayes the Popish writers That all Kings of England must acknowledg the Pope for their Landlord And in like manner his predecessor Hadrian the 4 th about 1555. gave Ireland to the Kings of England for a penny to be paid yearly out of every house as much as a shilling now But As long as there 's a Goose or Gander We must remember Alexander If it were but for this verse sake which ends a coppy sent to him by a Monkish Rimer little better in the Latin About 1190. Celestine Crowns the Emperor with his foot and then spurns it off again with this saying By me Kings reign He set all Princes almost together by the ears that Rome might gain with siding with one part or the other and making them friends again And this was and is a constant practise with them and a principal matter whereby they stand For if one deserts them another still upholds them for their own interest which is mingled with the Papal over all the World About 1200. Innocent the third raised the Otho's against Philip the Emperor resolving that he would uncrown him or be uncrown'd by him because chose without his liking And as soon as Otho himself was made Emperor excommunicates him too as also King John of England Peter King of Aragon and Raimund Earl of Tholoss And decreed in a Council held at Rome from thence forth the Pope to have the correction of all Christian Princes and no Emperor to be acknowledged all he had sworn obedience to him In pursuance whereof deposes the said King John and gives away his Kingdom to the French King causes him to surrender his crown to his Legate interdicts him the Kingdom for six years together and makes him stand to his mercy to have it again and upon the restoring to make it Tributary fining it at the yearly rent of 8000. Marks to be held of the Pope in fee-farme And his usurpations were so great here in England That the Nobles writ in their Letters to their Bishops To such a Bishop or such a Chapter who had rather dye then he ruined by the Romish Task-Masters Likewise the said King of Aragon Naples and Sicily c. was forced also to subject his Kingdoms as feudatory to the Church of Rome and to be held of the Pope And now also was brought up that Idol of Transubstantiation and adoration of the Host to subject the people to a more divine Reverance and external devotion and deportment towards their Holy things and mysteries which is wonderful to behold even to this very day and to make their Religion and Priests more Venerable at least this has been the efect thereof What matter of Zeal Fury and Persecution this became afterwards all storyes and ages ring of as if it had been to deny God indeed and Christ and all Religion to deny this their Idol God they had and have to this day so possessed people with such a fond Imagination God also giving them up to believe lyes and to erre concerning the Faith mistaking the Letter for the Spirit Also that devise of Auricular confession was introduced about this time which aws the people exceedingly likewise Moreover about the same time arose those deadly seuds between the Papaline Guelphs and Imperial Gibelines or if you will Elfs and Goblins so called as is thought from their terrible doings c. which destracted all Italy and contiuned for many ages after which factions were stirred up by the Pope and his Agents means and practises c. It was about the year 200. likewise that Philip King of France was excommunicated and then it was said In the year of the Reign of Christ not of Philip. Also 1204. the Sea of Constantinople and the Greek Church and Emperor became subject to the Roman for above 30. years through their projects c. And about 1220. the East as well as Westren Emperor was crowned at Rome by the Pope no longer now as a Servant you may now well think but their Lord and Superior by what has been already rehearsed For in this Popes time some thought fitting to make this Embleme There are two great lights The Sun that is the Pope and the Moon that is the Emperor Nay the high Papalists would have none to be truly Monarch and Soveraign that is absolute and Independent on any other as Supreme but the Pope as before has been intimated About 1240. the twentieths of Ecclesiastick Revenues are obtained for the Pope It came afterwards to the tenths nay the fifths and fourths too in some Kingdoms c. About 1245. Innocent the fourth excommunicates the Emperor Frederick the fourth time having been three times before by former Popes though he had been his greatest friend and deposes him the King of France in vain interceeding and sets up Anti-Cesaers because his Highness forsooth would not stope low enough to his Holiness and in the end because he would not bring him enough under got him poyson'd The four orders of the begging Fryars viz. the Dominicans Franciscans Carmelits and Augustins began to swarm under him as their great Patron and by their voluntary humility and external devotion to uphold this their exalted and triumphant Church and Religion This Pope demanded also the payment of the Twentieths before granted and afterwards of the Tenths of all Revenues and Profits of the Church adding grievous threatnings if they were not paid and by his Legate in Poland one fifth of all Afterwards he perswaded the French King to make War against Henry the 3 d. of England and to make him either yeeld to all the Pope demanded or to drive him out of his Kingdom An. 1255. The King of Lithuania being converted to Christianity is crowned by the Pope and subjects his Kingdom to him For if they would be Christians they must all acknowledge Christs Vicar or else be Infidels still for all other Christianity now was almost fled the Earth An. 1260. The Pope translates the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily which the King of Aragon had made feudatory to the Church as before c. and which the former Pope also would have sould to Henry the 3 d. of France from the right owners and bestows it on the French most bountifully And now was the Pope come to the hight of power riches and authority and to have mighty interest in the World and now all the Nations worshiped the Beast The Princes generally began to make appeals to the Roman Court and the people were devoted to the Romish Laws Customs and Religion The Pope had now the creating of Electors of the Empire almost as he listed and consequently the Emperor in a manner at his beck About 1270. Rodolph of Napsburg or Ausburgh the first of the Austrian House was affraid to go to Rome to take his Crown or to
upon all Kingdoms and Nations and the whole World too at least occasionally or even but to see their own interests and concerns to hate the Whore and burn her with fire Daemonis Ira premens odijs ac fraudibus orbem Implet nec damnis hominum exsaturata quiescit The Devil fill'd with Rage the World doth fill With Wars and Cheats to rule it at his will And for more mischief is more greedy still The Devil Of Evil Will never have his fill This is the Kingdom of the Beast and the Synagogue of Satan or a General draught of the hellish Hierarchy of Rome or Popedom of King and Priest Lucifer on Earth The pretended grouuds and foundations of their Popedom Spiritual have been already hinted before Those for their Temporal are much of the same nature viz. That the Pope is Christ s that is God's Vicar or Vice-Gerent and so not only Vice-Roy as it were but Vice-God on Earth which title they dare own That He 's Visible Head of the Church and so of the State too in order to the Church For that the Church is above the State The Head of the Church above the Head of the State The State for the Church not the Church for the State and therefore dominion to be founded in Grace c. And so no Enemies of the Church Infidels or Hereticks to be capable thereof but to be destroyed and rooted out c. which are all they shall judge so Likewise many Rights Priviledges and Favours granted by Constantine the Great Charls the Great and other Emperors and Kings As also usurped and long permitted or connived at Customs Examples Presidents c. But in one word an outward Carnal Religion in the Letter without the Spirit The form of Godliness without the Power Christians both Pastors Preachers and People first not having the Spirit nor the wisedom from above namely the wisedom of God and the Power of God but the wisedom of man or that which is worse the wisedom from beneath earthly sensual and devillish Hence Ceremonies without substance external and carnal Ordinances Commandements and Inventions of men in the Worship and Service of God Love of the World and things of the World Pride Ambition Covetousness and Voluptuousness and Preaching and professing Religion for such ends and taking all up from tradition authority and forefathers c. Whence contentions and divisions about needless Opinions and Ceremonies for Dignity Superiority and Supremacy for Riches and Honours c. â—nd then a pompous gaudy and merry Religion to please the people and gratifie the outward man to maintain and uphold the greatness power pomp and pleasures of the Clergy through the secret and mysterious working of Iniquity in men of corrupt minds and erring concerning the Faith and the Truth which was after godliness c. with some frightful devices to scare and awe their guilty fearful and slavish Consciences and other petty ones again to pacifie and allay them mistaking the whole Mystery of Godliness and inverting it into a Mystery of Iniquity one degree of Error and Corruption bringing in another I say all this is the foundation and Superstructure of this Kingdom of darkness and of Hell For the natural man perceiveth not the things of God and of the Kingdom of God As for the Popes Temporal Principality and Soveraigne Estate in Rome and Italy and Avignon called the Estate or Land of the Church and St. Peters Patrimony The foundation thereof as a peculiar and distinct Soveraignty apart besides the forementioned grounds of the donation of Christ to St. Peter and his Successors as his Sea c. it depends over and above on the forged and counterfeit donation of Constantine on the real donation of Pepin and Charls the Great c. on the Countess Mathilda's last Will and Testament All which gave liberally to St. Peter and lastly on Usurpation Arms and Violence And notwithstanding it 's convenient situation for the command of all Italy and the perpetual fractions there formerly yet they could never so wisely manage their Pope-craft as yet to possess themselves like the ancient Romans of the whole which remains divided among many Princes and Soveraign Estates As the Estate of ancient Lombardy under which is contained the Dukedom of Milan subject to Spain the Dukedom of Mantua Modena Montferrat and the Principality of Piemont which belongs to Savoy The great Dukedom of Tuscany or Florence The Lands or Estate of the Church or the Popes Patrimony The Kingdom of Naples with Sicily Sardinia under Spain And lastly The Commonwealth of Venice Genoa and Lucca An. 1595. The Pope chalenged the Dukedom of Ferrara for want of lawful Issue in the right of the Church and partly by force partly by composition united it for ever to the Sea of Rome An. 1626. The great Dukedom of Urbin foremerly made fudatory to the Church and held thereof in homage for want of Heirs of right fell to the Pope c. About 1647. The Pope seized on the Dukedom of Castro from the Duke of Parma upon the account of feudatory Quit-rent due to the Popes whence arose War But the Controtroversie was composed by the authority of the King of France in their late treaty 1664. when agreed that Castro should be restored to Parma and the Duke to pay the mony due c. And then agreed likewise that the K. of France should restore Avignon to the Pope w ch he had seiz'd on not long before upon the quarrel about his Embassador at Rome w ch was acordingly done And thus we have in general represented the foundations and Revolutions of the Papal Hierarchy or Kingdom of the Pope both Temporal and Spiritual its rise growth increase height and decrease not being able well to comprehend so long and mysterious an History and so confused with all others in less room and willing only to touch upon chief particulars of their usurpations incroachings and domineerings down to our times that so you might have a Map or Table and plain veiw as it were at once of this Ecclesiastical and Priestly Kingdom All which 't was necessary to fetch so high the better to understand the coherence of the story and present State thereof with the Affairs and Revolutions both of the Governments and Religions of all Christendom which it has so wretchedly involved it self with The sum of all in short is this The Popedom was a digging working and preparing as it were underground about 400. years most eminently from Victor about the year 192. and others especially afterwards from under Constantine the Great about the year 300. to Boniface the 3 d. About the year 600. As Covetous Proud Corrupt Opinionated and in one word Apostate Luciferian Bishops Pastors and Priests that had fell from their first standing and foundation of the Apostles that is the primitive purity and simplicity of the Gospel to devised Fables Ceremonies Inventions Constitutions and Prudentials c. The Popedom Spiritual or Universal
A Generall Table OF EUROPE REPRESENTING The Present and Future State thereof VIZ. The PRESENT GOVERNMENTS LANGUAGES RELIGIONS FOUNDATIONS and REVOLUTIONS both of Governments and Religions The FUTURE MUTATIONS REVOLUTIONS GOVERNMENT and RELIGION of CHRISTENDOM and of the WORLD c. From the Prophecies of the three late German Prophets KOTTERUS CHRISTINA and DRABRICIUS c. ALL Collected out of the Originals for the common Use and Information of the ENGLISH Printed for Benjamin Billingsley at the Printing Press in Broadstreet 1670. GENTLE READER THis little Piece of History has stuck in the Birth well nigh a whole year and at last is forced to come forth an imperfect Embryo through the unhappy Midwifry of the Press Yet for thy encouragement thou oughtest to know That there is none such ever yet extant in the English Tongue For for the first Part there is 1. Not a more modern and later History of Christendom in English Nor 2. a better in so small a Volumn viz. None that gives a better account of the last fore-going and this present Age which two chiefly concern us to know that is of the last considerable Affairs of the World and present state of things We say there is none extant of the like nature so short and comprehensive And for the Second Part It is the most wonderful strangest History ever yet known in the World in the English yea or any other Language And indeed not to be parallel'd by all History and Antiquity Whether those Prophetical Revelations be from GOD Man or the Devil yet they exceed all comparison If they be from GOD they are the strangest and most miraculous ever since the Apostles days If they be Delusions and Imaginations of Man they are the strangest ever suffer'd or invented by Man If lastly Devices Fascinations and Bewitchings of the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of Light c. they are the strangest still and the least Footsteps of his Cloven Foot to be discerned that ever was in any of his Juggles Onely we have been unhappily hindred by the Press from giving you a short view and taste of the Prophecies themselves as was really intended And these two things may perhaps help to make it go down with the Reader as it is notwithstanding all its faults For 't is confess'd there are many Defects procur'd through manyfold Occasions not fit here to be mentioned And if Worthy Reader thou knewest all Circumstances thou wouldst certainly be so candid as to pardon all Faults Which I doubt not but thou wilt at least for the good will and Endeavours of the Author Farewel ERRATA Courteous Reader These three or four places thou must needs be desired to amend before thou readest the Book All other faults we are forc'd to let pass c. Page 15. line 15. for of Inorganick c. read To which add The greater knowledge of and insight into the Inorganick Motion and Fermentation of Nature and Cultivation thereof And blot out those words as it were Mechanick Page 72. line 20. blot out those words or Nevers and interpose these the Prince of Conde whom the King of France c. Page 113. line 5. Note There was such News at that time that the Vizier himself was slain in a violent On-set c. This Book should have come forth then Page 159. line ult for Holiness read unholiness A General Table OF EUROPE In its Present and Future Appearance The First Part Comparative Of the Advantages of Europe in comparison of other Parts of the Universe The ARGUMENT Europe compar'd with other Parts and former Times for Arms Arts Commerce and Religion The preheminence of Empire and Arms. The preheminence of Arts and Sciences The Chinois high esteem thereof Of Riccius and Adams Jesuites there The Emperours great Grace and Favour to Adams His Edict and Charter in favour of the Christian Religion engrav'd on a stone at the entrance of their Church and Title given to it by him The Jesuites Inscription thereon The preheminence as to former times in many rare Arts and Inventions The preheminence of Riches and Commerce Shipping and Navigation The preheminence of Religion or Priviledge of Christendom Christendom the Glory of Europe All its Advantages founded on Christianity and Disadvantages on Pagan-and-Anti-christianism Shameful Dissentions of Christians and Christian Princes and States Lamentable Disorders Persecutions and Inquisitions for Religion and Conscience in Europe Liberty of the same commended Revolutions of the World Present flourishing of Europe EUROPE is at this day the most flourising part of the Universe for Empire Religion and Learning Arts and Arms and all the high distinctions of Humane kind And as she now exceeds all other Parts so the present all former Ages and Generations It is not our purpose at present in this General Table to make Comparisons and set her off by the others sad countenance but onely in first drawing some plain and rude Lineaments to expose to general view her present Portraiture and Appearance with some prospect of her future Europe then might be compar'd either with other parts or former Times of the World and every way we should find her to excel For though for largeness of extent she yeilds both to Africa and to Asia yet she surpasses them in politeness and they all seem rude and barbarous in comparison and has got those advantages and felicities above them that all their Riches cannot equal And if for vastness of single Empire and Treasure and dependencies thereon she cannot come in competition with the times of the Roman Greatness yet take her divided and all her parts together and she far exceeds them And by how much her Empire since has been disposed into divers hands by so much have her several parts been more puissant and flourishing The whole Glory of Europe then was contracted into a very narrow compass and one little corner onely and as I may say Toe of Italy For what was England France Spain and Germany c. to wâ—â—â—â—â—â—y are now surely infinitly more inglorious and despicable She could not then look down upon her Feet and inferior parts and not be like the Peacock ashamed in the height of all her pride For if we should compare her for Arts or for Arms for the Virtues of War and of Peace and therein all things else her Courts her Camps her Schools her Cities and her Fields we should find no degrees of comparison nor room in this Table We will only touch upon things loosly here as besides our present intent Asia perhaps has shewn Europe that prodigious Art of Powder and Cannon But Europe in revenge has requited her with another as great and by the Chard and Compass taught her and the World besides the use of that Invention For with her Ordinance and Men of War she has secur'd all the Coasts both of Persia and the Indies and those moreover of Ethiopia and of Peru. She has quell'd the Sophies and the Mogulls and seiz'd on their
Cottons of Bezoart nor of Indigo of Gumlac nor of Purslanes of Salt-Peter nor Salt-Amoniak And to set aside Drugs and Medicaments Tobaco and Castors and abundance of Mullet one of the most excellent Fish of the Ocean which alone makes the Riches of five or six good Cities In a word all the Riches of the Earth and all the delights of the Sea So that though every Land do not bear all things yet they need want none and may so change Commodities as if they had changed Countries one to the other And yet though Diamonds Pearls and Spices are onely fetch'd from the Indies yet some return is made for them in Coral and Amber which Europe exchanges for the Jewels of Asia The Japons all their Passion is for Coral as much as ours for Diamonds and Pearls Insomuch that a Grain of the bigness of an ordinary Egg is there worth 2000 Crowns And in the North of Asia and Cathy much is vended where all the people wear Bracelets thereof about their Necks Arms and Legs and make it their principal Ornament And use the greatest Grains thereof for their richest Purses which they wear by their sides And for Yellow Amber a great quantity is consumed in China for when a person of quality will make a splendid Treatment at the end of the Feast they bring three or four Censours wherein they sprinkle Aber sometimes to the value of a thousand Crowns being the more they burn the more it is for his glory that Treats and is much used in Fumes upon all other occasions the smell thereof being agreeable to them and the flame having something which other flames have not Hence Amber is one of the best Merchandises that Europe can send into Asia and the Holland Company reserve it particularly to themselves to sell it dear at Batavia to the Chineses If Europe then at present carries it so high both for Arts and Arms for Riches and Commerce the main Props of States and Kingdoms and all things else comprehended in them And if she now enjoyes all these advantages before all other parts more than ever heretofore She has yet that which carries her still higher and whereof to glory further as the highest prerogative of humane kind That She is no longer Europe but Christendom I say Christendom and that she has imbrac'd the true Religion and rejected Idolatry and the false Worship of the Pagans And though a new Romish and Papal Superstition and Idolatry overspread one half and more of her Dominions and with grief it is to be confessed that it is every where also yet but a lamentable Christianity and an Heathen a Pagan Unchristian and very Antichristian Christendom or Christian-Heathendom rather where Heathenish Warrs and Fightings Heathenish Rites and Customs and Heathenish Superstitions where Heathenish Sects and contendings about needless Ceremonies and Opinions Heathenish Zeal and Fury against pure Religion and undefiled like that of the Heathen against Socrates for owning the true God and Heathenish Vices and Crimes reign and rage throughout yet the true God is outwardly worshipped and owned The Doctrine or rather Mystery of a Crucified Christ but alone truly deified and adorable Man above all the Hero's and Gods and Saints and Divine-like Persons of the Pagans or Prophets of the Jews and Mahometans The Man Jesus true God and Man O the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the flesh c. hid in times past to the Gentiles c. but now revealed to the Nations of Europe more than ever and more than to all other parts of the World I say the Mystery of a Crucified Christ but true deified Person the Man Jesus the Saviour of the World is openly professed by all and seriously believed in by thousands O adorable Jesu who would not read thy Story and study thy Acts and Heroick Deeds and Virtues and imitate thy life and believe and obey in thy Kingdom an infinity of Souls are gain'd to him an infinity of Victories got over the Devil and an infinite of Trophies erected upon the ruines of Idolatry But indeed the grievous and shameful Schisms and Vices the lamentable Dissentions and Divisions of Christians and Christian Princes so prodigally throwing away so many thousand mens Christians Lives nay and Souls in unchristian-Christian Quarrels is the reproachful blur to all her Puissance and Splendor and which will never cease nor the Christian Religion ever flourish and prosper in the World as it ought and Kings be her Nursing Fathers and Queens her Nursing Mothers till they be more sunk and baptized into the thing than the name Christianity and answer throughly their Magnificent and Specious Titles of Mass Catholick most Christian c. Majesties And when once the Turks Fingers all four shall grow together Then alack and not before we may hope to see our Masters agree and co-unite Still Christian Wars they will pursue and boast Unjust Successes gain'd whilst Candy's lost Which may now e'ne just take up Rhodes Complaint against them all All gaining vainly from each others loss Whilst still the Crescent drives away the Cross The Cross which they ought to take for their Device or Motto which is believ'd to have been given from Heaven to Christendoms first Emperor in this overcome But 't is hop'd that the two generous Nations of England and Holland which are able to do much when they are entirely united will keep their Union firm for some nobler Enterprise worthy of themselves and the high Reputation they have gain'd in the World But that which more than all Eclipses and stirs her present Splendor and robs her of her Crown and Glory of Religion and hinders the progress and flourishing thereof in the Earth are the cruel and bloody Inquisitions and Persecutions for Religion and Conscience of her several Sects and parties within her self which are more merciless to one another than they would or ought to be to Pagans Turks and Infidels or Turks Pagans and Infidels would be or are to them and give less liberty of Religion amongst themselves then they may find there amongst Barbarians Which plainly shews that there lacks only common Candor and Ingenuity and but tolerable civility of men much more of Christians not to talk of prudence to introduce a reasonable Liberty of Conscience and but that aequanimity and largeness of heart for Religion as is for other matters amongst different perswasions and that only due liberty and freedom thereof that is the common right of mankind even if it were but that they would give to one another which they would have and may and do receive among Idolaters Heathens and Mahometans for the Christians have their Churches and Temples in Turky and even China it self though they have none permitted here neither I say there lacks onely this reasonable liberty and largeness of Christian Religion to make Christendom and the World happy So then Europe is at this day the most noble and fairest part of the Grand Continent for Religion Learning
Civility and Policy for the Arts and the Arms and all that is Gallant and Polite or Handsome and deserves to be stil'd The Temple of Religion the Court of Policy and Government the Academy of Civility and good Manners the Mistress of Arts and of Arms of Shipping and Navigation and indeed the Paradice of all humane Felicities in comparison For so it is that all things have their Revolutions and Periods both in regard of Times and of Places from one place to another in one Age and then in another and that the people which now live between the Euxine Streights and the Atlantick Ocean eclipse all the Sparkling and Pomp of Ancient Persia her self In a word is not France at this day incomparably more flourishing than antient Gaule Great Britane has it not quite another countenance than when it bore the name of Albion Or had Caesar then found them in this Estate could he easily have made them Roman Provinces The Tartarians and Americans the Canibals and Man-eating Barbarians shall perhaps in some Ages after be civiliz'd like us Have not the good Letters and good Manners and all the high Marks of Distinction that difference Man-kind passed insensibly from Chaldee into Egypt from Egypt into Greece from Greece into Italy and from thence into the rest of Europe Greece is become a sad and darksome Cell Where nought reigns now but Ignorance and Hell Whence th'hideous Turk hath frighted all that 's fine Greece now 's but th' shadow of old Greece's Prime Muses no more go seek those pleasant Mountains Where Language that 's Divine was taught those Fountains Are now seal'd up sweet Hippocrene clean dry And Pene ' quite forsook of Company That charming Vale where th' Laurel us'd to grow Is now frequented by the croaking Crow The universe hath often chang'd its face Rome then receiv'd when Athens did you chase Your Altars now reach these remoter Climes Under thick darkness bid in elder Times Grudge no more then your Aganippe's sourse You may one day reign i' th Grand Atlantick Course The Banks of Tigre are no longer inhabited but by Tigres The Plains of Palestine are ill cultivated Grand Caire how vast soever it may be resents nothing of the glory of Memphis and has chang'd its fortune with its Name Peloponnesse and Achaia have no more the great Captains nor the famous Philosophers and are to be numbred with the Lands which the Volga and the Tanais water with their Streams the only portion of our Europe that hath nothing of Gallantry nor Polite All her other Regions which way soever one turn are absolute Mistresses of Arms Commerce Arts and Sciences and give Laws to all the Earth But we have been too long upon Comparisons which we should not have so much as once begun had not our Author first entred us and led the way And therefore passing by further we come to a plain-general-Table of Europe consider'd absolutely in her self And therein also wholly passing by her Natural Description of her Situation Extent Climate of her Parts Lakes Rivers Mountains Mines c. of her Quality natural Riches Commodities precious Things and Products of Nature which never vary but appear almost the same in every Map We shall only take notice of her in her Politick Capacity and things subject to change and under certain chief Heads of the most material things occurring draw very plain and distinct Tables both General and Particular of the present Face of Things For the use only and general Information both plain and brief as in Tables or Draughts of ordinary and the less knowing sort of People Table General The Second Part. Description Political of EUROPE CHAP. I. The ARGUMENT General brief Tables of the present Governments Languages Religions Revolutions c. of Europe The Governments Civil and Ecclesiastick in general Table Methodick of each Estate Sovereign A List of Sovereign Princes in their prime or declining Age. Numbering of the Languages of Europe Mother Tongues Dialects and Off-springs Universal Language Partition of the World according to the different Religions Parallel of Countries and Provinces Papist and Protestant The one spread as far by the English and Hollanders as the other by the Spaniards and Portugals Navigations Table of the Revolutions of this last Age. Wars and Treaties of Peace Pretensions and Interests of Europe in General EUrope as hath been enough seen being the most accomplished and considerable though the least part of the Earth and at this day more then ever heretofore deserves chiefly and in the first place to be taken notice of by us as she appears at present To which end we shall first draw a general Table of the whole and then particular Tables of each part In both delineating only bare and naked Draughts as it were of the present Governments Languages Religions Riches Forces and Commerce Revolutions Pretentions and Interest c. of Europe with other memorable observable Things and Occurrences as they fall in our way first in General and then in Particular in the distinct description of each Region and Country thereof GOVERNMENTS We begin therefore this second Part General with the General Governments of Europe intending onely General Heads of Things in this General Table Government is considered either as Civil or Ecclesiastick The Civil Government of Europe in general is either purely Monarchick of a single Sovereign or Aristocratick of the Nobles and Senators or after a sort Democratick and Popular of the People commonly call'd Common Wealth for there 's scarce any that is purely so except you will reckon some few among the Petty Cantons of the Suisses which make but a little member of that great Body or mixt of these But more particularly whether one or the other The Principal Crowns and States Sovereign of EUROPE for they are not all worthy of the high Title of Monarchies may be reduc'd to Empires Kingdoms Principalities Dutchies and Republicks or Common-Wealths together with the Papality and State of the Pope as a Temporal Prince in Italy and the County of Venaissy which makes a Sovereignty apart After which rate Europe has two Empires seven Kingdoms seven Electorships and of late years an eight seven grand Dutchies seven Republicks or Common-Wealths three grand Principalities which are now all tributary to the grand Segnior and a Papality The two Empires are the Empire of Germany half Monarchy half Common-Wealth the Emperor not being absolute but onely in the Lands whereof he is Lord and owner And the Empire of the Turks who are subject to one onely Monarch Some add the Empire of Russia for a third The seven Kingdoms are the Kingdom of France Spain Portugal England Denmark Sweedland and Poland The first the most perfect and descends only to the Heirs Male ever since the Salique Law The five next admit the Females and all are haereditary save the last which is Elective But though all these Estates be purely Monarchick yet the three latter besides Poland are not absolute
any other Province of Greece The States General of the United Provinces did some years since contribute liberally to the charge of an Impression of the New Testament in Vulgar Greek whereto there has been joyn'd the Ancient or Original Greek for the consolation of those poor people that groan under the Tyranny of the Ottomans The Latin the other Tongue Mort has but three principal shoots or branches the Italian French and Spanish But this last has an huge medly of barbarous tearms left from the Moors And under these three are to be comprehended the Savoyan and Piemontian those of Sicily Sardinia and of the Grisons in the Alps. We might find out yet seven other Tongues in Europe but of far less extent then the preceding and not nois'd of in the World As the Albanian or Epirotick in Epirus and Macedonia The Bulgarian for Servia Bosnia and Bulgaria under the Turks The Cossack or Tartarian of the lesser Tartary in the Taurica Chersonesus and all along the River Tanais The Finnick in Finland and Lapland Provinces of Swedeland That of the Wilde Irish and Scotch in Ireland and the West of Scotland The British or Welch in Wales and some parts of Cornwal in England and half through Bretain Armorica or Little Britain in France And lastly the Biscayan on this side and that side the Pyrenean Hills and near to the Cantabrian Ocean as little understood to the rest of the World as the old British it self Besides some Arabick not worth mentioning in the Mountains of Granada call'd Alpuxarras ever since the Moors possess'd those parts Of all these Languages there are some Masculine but something rude and harsh as the German and in some sort the Spanish through the Reliques and mixture of the Moorish And some Faeminine but more delicate and fine as the Italian and in some sort the English Which are more graceful in the mouths of the Women and become them best than the Mens who cannot use too much gravity in their Speech Moreover the Language of the Spaniards is said to be Manly the Italian Courtly and the French Amorous The German is like their Nation Warlike The English is now become a compleat mixture of all viz. old Dutch or Saxon Latine and chiefly French with some sprinklings of Spanish and Italian flourishing now at length with a rare choice out of all occasioned by the constant travels and education of our English Gentry and Nobility and Scholars with them abroad By reason of all which diversities of Tongues there has been not only Designs but real Endeavours and Essayes and of late more than ever towards an Universal Character and Language to avoid the confusion of these And of all the Universally Learned Wilkins excels and has wonderfully out-done all the Ingenioso's Virtuoso's or Literado's of the World that have gone about it or medled therewith And it no longer lies now on the Inventors but the Learners no less than the whole Worlds part who are hardly taught all one thing to make it familiar and easie that is Universal RELIGIONS Three Religions do at this day divide all the Earth Heathen Mahometan and Christian The first is without doubt the largest the second in like manner carries it from the third and best but with this difference that this last is more concentred together and fills the most peopled Provinces of the Universe As for the Jews they are no Nation but dispersed in all have no fixt Seat Principalities nor Magistrates Yet their number is great both in Poland and Greece and all the Turks Dominions besides some sprinklings in Italy Holland c. Paganism or Heathenism embraces more than three quarters of both the America's and more then two thirds even of Africa and Asia also All that prodigious space of Ground of the America's greater than all the other three parts of the World besides put together is fill'd with Idolaters who worship Animals Vegetables Stars and Devils And comprehends innumerable vast Regions populous Nations and mighty Kingdoms And in Africa and Asia in like manner a fearful company of Nations Kindreds and People live in thick darkness of Paganism and Ignorance of the true God Mahometism never yet had footing in America But in Africk the mighty Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco the Jurisdictions of Tremisen Algiers Tunis Tripolis of Barce and Egypt In Asia the Grand Seignor the Kings and Princes of the three Arabia's the Grand Cham of Tartary the King of Persia the Grand Mogul the Kings of Visapor and Colconda The Kings on both the sides of Coromandel and of Malavar The King of the Maldives The King of Achem and all the Princes of the Grand Isle of Sumatra The Emperor of Java The King of Bantam and other Princes of the Neighbouring Isles For their people are generally Idolaters Which we ought no more to wonder at than at the medly that is found in like manner among Christians themselves Christianism makes two Grand Branches the Trunk or Body whereof is in Europe but the Branches extend themselves far and near into all the parts of the Universe both Asia and Africa and America And they are the Eastern Christians or the Eastern and Greek Church the Roman Christians or Papists the corrupt Church and the Protestant Christians or Reformed Church both members of the Latin or Western Church in opposition to the Greek or Eastern The Greek Church differs chiefly from the Latin about the Profession of the Holy Ghost and some other Points and Articles of Faith The Protestant from the Papistical chiefly about the Popes Supremacy and Infallability Sacrament of the Altar and Indulgences which gave the first occasion and other corrupt Points and Doctrines stablish'd since by the Council of Trent The Romans call themselves the Catholick Apostolical Church but most unjustly and all the rest Hereticks and the Protestants reckon themselves the onely true Catholick Apostolick and call the others the Antichristian Babylonish or false and themselves the Reformed Church which indeed is true so far as they are truly reformed But yet 't is much to be fear'd and shrewdly to be suspected that Antichrist reaches further than Rome and that all Rome 't is to be hoped is not Babylon The Christians of the East make up a great number and possess large Countries the Christians Roman and the Christians Protestant may dispute for Number and Power and make comparison We make none here but only of the Provinces which they possess without going beyond our mark intending only a bare Relation or plain Table and no Zeal of Comparisons In the Eastern Church are also many differences crept in but the Greeks bear the chief sway although both the Armenia's who make a company apart are a considerable Body We put all together here the Greeks the Abyssins the Armenians and the Muscovites the Nestorians the Cophites the Maronites the Georgians the Jacobites and the Melchites or Assyrians In the Reformed Church of the Protestants are the two great Sects of the
Melinda Mosambica Quiloa The Protestant some places of the same Africa upon the Western and Southern Coast as in the Kingdom of Congo Guiny and Cape Verd. The Roman Religion possesses in America Mexico and Peru the Isles of Porto Rico St. Domingo and Cuba also Brasil and Canada and some of the Antilles Islands The Protestant in like manner in the same America New England New Swede New Denmark New Holland and Virginia and now of late the Island of Jamaca and the two thirds of the Antilles Islands and heretofore the Northern part of Brasil c. By all which you may see how little reason of Geography the Religion Roman has to appropriate the Name Catholick The Jesuites as has been seen by the first part have also promoted their Religion even into China but 't is not yet become National or powerful It rests only to draw hence their Proportions thus The Proportions of Europe Asia Africa and America ought to be considered as 1 3 4 and 7. So that taking only the Inhabited part of the World the Christians possess about a sixth the Mahometans a fifth or something more and the Heathens two thirds or hardly quite so much So that dividing all the known Regions of the Earth into thirty equal parts The Christians part shall be as five the Mahometans as six and the Heathens as ninteeen which is very near two thirds of thirty As for the Christians that are found in Asia Africa and America their petty number is as it were swallowed up in this fearful multitude of Mahometans and Idolators and is elsewhere counterballanced by that of the Mahometans in Europe And if to the Lands discovered one joyn that great Southern Continent which comes near to the very Aequator and coasts as it were continually from East to West the two other Continents of Asia and Africa so that it seems to be as large as Europe Asia and Africa put together then the Heathen will surpass the Mahometans and the Christians in an excessive proportion for they will then have near as much more for 't is to be believed that that part of the World has no other for its Inhabitants than Idolaters seeing that they found no other at the point of good Hope and towards the streight of Magellan which are the most neighbouring Lands to this vast Continent of the South whose shores onely are known unto us These are the three grand Branches of the Christian Religion in Europe out of which arise onely three other that are become distinct and National viz. the Lutheran the Calvinist and the Episcoparian all of them Protestant and Reformed All of them deny the Popes Supremacy and Transubstantiation c. The Calvinists deny both Transubstantiation of the Papists Consubstantiation of the Lutherans and Episcopacy and the Discipline of the others And these again the Presbytery of the Calvinists Consubstantiation of the Lutherans and Transubstantiation Supremacy c. of the Papists only retaining Episcopacy which they contend to be Primitive and some Popish Ceremonies which they contend to be indifferent and lawful all of them at great variance and with much zeal and animosity each against the other There are indeed many other Sects and Parties and Opinions shooted out of these but none to be accounted General National or Powerful though such as have rais'd great Disputes and Contentions and overwarm Fewds and Zealousness and some to Separation from all the former And they are either such as are or may be common to all other such as are chiefly those about Doctrine as Arminianism and Antiarminianism Socinianism or Antisocinianism c. according as Reason and Faith directs each The Socinians are chiefly in Poland The Arminians are spread every where Or else such as separate from all others chiefly about Discipline as the Brownists Independants c. chiefly in England and New England the Anabaptists in Germany and England also c. and other places the Quakers the latest of all in England c. The Latitudinarians who submit to any Discipline and contend only for the Substantials of Religion Seekers or Spiritualists who submit to no Religion as whose Religion is to be not so much against as above all Religions or Forms of Religion All which are comprehensive of most others and are all generally Libertinarians more or less that is for liberty of Religion Amongst such a company of Religions in the World what other means possible can there be for Unity Peace and Love amongst Christians or mankind but Liberty rather than Uniformity For how is it possible there should be Uniformity long where there 's onely necessity not consent and harmony There are but few places where liberty of Religion is tolerated and those with difference Among the Turks in Poland Germany and Holland generally all more or less In France the Protestants only In New England all but errors judg'd fundamental The Jesuites in China and in Italy and Avignon the Jews But the World will then onely be happy when it shall once become Universal that is as large as the very Universe it self and mens minds like to Truth it self noble and free and not narrow but large spirited and diffusive like the infinite Creators who would have all men to be saved and that by perswasion and not force because impossible But we pass by this less pleasing particular As also the Commerce Commodities Riches and Forces of Europe of which it is enough to say in general that she commands by Sea all the Riches of the World and of which enough before till we come to more particulars which are best referred to each several Countrey REVOLUTIONS The late grand Revolutions of Europe have been either of States and Kingdoms whether for Dominion or Religion or of Religions themselves or of both mixtly We shall onely look so far back as to take a view or prospect of the present face of things and the Foundations of the present Governments and Religions before mentioned The Foundation of the present Germane Empire in the House of Austria which grand Revolution has made it as it were Haereditary and put a period to Liberty of Elections I. ABout the year 1250. the Empire being greatly distracted through the Popes means and practices who for above an hundred years had notoriously usurped authority over the Emperors and made a common practice of excommunicating them in a manner successively for so many years one after the other the Empire I say being distracted into many Factions each Faction chose a King of the Romans or Emperor insomuch that there were now at one time three Elected together and a fourth a year or two after bought it and presently left it again and then for several years without any The Empire fluctuating thus for about twenty years and after so long an Interregnum the Princes of Germany met at Quidlinburg and made a League of Defence together about the year 1270. Thereupon Pope Gregory the tenth sends order to them to chuse an
present House of Bourbon and granted good terms to the Protestants but was afterwards stabb'd by Ravillac of the Romish and Jesuitical Faction The first occasion as was hinted of these Troubles was the Massacre at Merindal Anno 1545. but specially the great Massacre at Paris and thereupon presently throughout the whole kingdom an 1572. from which time the Holy League began Which was a Sacred Confederation of the Pope king of Spain and Duke of Guise for the Catholick Religion and to root out Hereticks And to that end to set up some more Catholick and zealously affected and engaged King and Interest either the King of Spain or Duke of Guise of the Family of Lorrain descended from Charles the great on whom the Pope pretends to have bestowed no less than the Roman Empire upon its ruine and the kingdom of France upon its alienation to Pepin his Father Lewis the 13 th his Son succeeded 1610 the most absolute King of France since Charles the Great For he reduc'd the Protestants to his obedience and all the Forts and Castles held by them to the number of three hundred diminishes the Liberty of Religion granted by Henry the fourth by Decree ordering that all the Protestants should be in all things equal with the Catholicks and enjoy the same Priviledges and Immunities In which War the Siege of Rochel was most famous where all the Art of War was shewn Anno 1628. taken and its Walls demolished Cardinal Richlieu was his chief Counsellor and Minister of State under whom he brings all France into one entire body and state yet Liberty of Religion by agreement continued to the Protestants And from that time bent all his Horce against Spain and House of Austria then encreasing So by the Conduct of Richlieu accomplish'd great things in Italy Germany Spain and Flanders as well as his own Kingdom So that by the peace at Munster between both Emperor and Spain all Alsatia was added to France and the strongest places on this side the Rhine and a good part of Flanders c. whereby France recovered the bounds as it were of ancient Gaul The Dukedom of Lorraine also during the German wars was put into the protection of France about the restoring of which there has been some difficulties of late or demurres An. 1642. Lewis the 14 th four years old succeeds in whose minority the Queen Mother managed affairs with Cardinal Mazarine a stranger which stirred the envy and hatred of the French against him 1650. The discontented Princes are imprisoned which causes intestine commotions the Prince of Conde chief 1651. They are freed Mazarin driven out of Paris and banished But the King entering his 14th year recalled Conde arms against the King 1652. At Mazarin's return now Civil Discords revive But the Cardinal outdoes them and becomes more potent and glorious Prince of Conde takes the Spaniards part in Flanders Afterwards Mazarine made Peace with England 1660. The Wars between France and Spain for twenty six years ended and Peace made The Kings marriage with Spains Infanta follows by Mazarin's and De Haro's means Which has since occasioned the late War in Flanders Conde reconcil'd to the King and restor'd Since which the Protestants never in lower condition nor more under the hatches and have lost more by this Peace then ever they did by their own Wares Aurange taken into the Kings protection and unwalled 1661. Duke of Orleans the Kings Brother Marries the Princesse of England The Duke of Lorraine sells his Provinces to the King of France his Nephew dissenting The rest since are flesh in memory Namely the Political and Civildeath as it were of the Protestants since the General Peace 1660 and since this last Peace also The Wars with England France confederating with Holland or rather poizing the lighter Ballance or weaker side The Comprehension of the Jansenists and the four Jansenian Bishops with the chief thereof Doctor Arnaud within the Bounds of the Romish Church Marshal Turein turn'd Catholick So that France is like to be one entire Body of Catholicks which no doubt is one main design on foot of the Pope and Jesuites who by strange and unobserved artifices sway Princes and their grand Ministers of State c. The Foundation and Revolutions of Spain and Portugal After the breaking of the Roman Empire there was a Kingdom founded over all Spain and Portugal by the West Goths coming out of Italy This Kingdom was destroyed afterwards by the Moors and Saracens The Goths began soon after to revive again and to erect several lesser Kingdoms by degrees as they could which in time were variously united and disunited again and perpetual Wars with one another The grand division at last was into the kingdom of the Moors and of the Christians or Goths The Moors Kingdom in the end fixed only in Andalusia or most Southern parts of Spain The Christians became divided also in time into four chief Kingdoms Castile Arragon Navarre and Portugal which could never unite till 1. Ferdinand the Great sirnamed the Catholick King of Arragon laid the Foundations of the last and greatest Monarchy of Spain by marriage with Isabel Queen of Castile c. towards the year 1480. in which Race continued ever since Whereupon mighty things ensued 1. Perpetual Union betwixt those two potent Kingdoms 2. The utter rooting out presently thereupon the Moors and Saracens from the kingdom of Andalusia who had held Spain more or less in subjection for seven hundred years Anno 1492. Upon which they presum'd to stile themselves King and Queen of Spain i. e. all Spain to the prejudice of Navarre and Portugal who were yet distinct Kingdoms 3. The seizing on the kingdom of Navarre whereto belonged Naples and Sicily c. 4. The discovery of the New World America the year 1492. After which they had the title of Catholick by the Pope to the prejudice of all other Kingdoms 5. The marrying of their only Daughter and Heir to Philip the Emperors Son Archduke of Austria Prince of the Netherlands thereby uniting those great Estates and laying the Foundation also for the present Austrian Greatness and Family continued ever since by so many intermarriages between the Spanish and Imperial branches of that potent Family And thus the Spaniards first became considerable in the World and a Terror to Neighbours and suddenly look'd like the beginners of a fifth or Universal Monarchy of the World at least the new-New-World Which they affected first in Title Getting 1. that of Catholick Kings after they had usurped that of Kings of Spain as designed by the Pope for Universal or Catholick Monarch to promote the Catholick Cause on Religion to root out Hereticks c. which has been alwayes their pretext and which they have been alwayes zealous and mighty sticklers for And 2 they have hereby claimed prerogative over all other Kings and by pretext of their Title have ever since look'd on themselves as the Greatest Monarchs of all the World as indeed they had
the greatest Dominions And this would have been a fair step to be the Head of Kingdoms as the Pope was of the Church And just such beginnings had the Pope himself over all other Bishops Secondly by Arms. For there remained two kingdoms in Spain Portugal and Navarre both which they seize on First that of Navarre and Naples c. Whence perpetuall Wars ever since with France in Catalonia c. For this Kingdom which still retains the Title and by Arms continually requires the possession And then of Portugal by Philip the 2 d about sixty years after viz. about the 1560. Thirdly by Shipping and Sea-Forces or Power at Sea specially afterwards with their Invincible Armado in 88 wherein were above thirty thousand Souldiers to joyn with as many out of the Netherlands And again afterwards with as great Preparation against the Hollanders but to as little purpose too in the year 1640 aiming at Superiority and Dominion of the Northern Seas and consequently of all the World But the Hollanders and English were grown by that time of the World too big to do any good on them 2. To Ferdinand the Catholick succeeds Philip Archduke of Austria c. before-mentioned Son to Maximilian the Emperor about 1504. 3. After whom comes Charles the 5 th An. 1516. king of Spain Archduke of Austria Duke of Milan Burgundy Brabant Earl of Catalonia Flanders Holland c. and Emperor of the Germans under whom the Monarchy of Spain grew towards its greatest height He added the Realms of Mexico and Peru the Dukedom of Milan and several Estates in the Netherlands Marched into Africa possesses Tunis and other parts thereby disposing Kingdoms there at his pleasure But was at last soon outed of the Empire as a foresaid leaving Spain and the Netherlands and other Spanish Territories too 4. His Son Philip the 2d An. 1558. under whom this Kingdom recieved its utmost increase by Portugal and the East Indies therewith and also its greatest decrease by the Netherlands For upon the death of Sebastian King of Portugal slain in Africa without Issue appeared six chief Competitors for the Crown Of all whom the Duke of Braganza had most right but the King of Spain notwithstanding all the help from France and England got it And so was the first of the West-Goths since the Moors that obtain'd the Universal Monarchy of all Spain and both the East and West-Indies besides the Belgick Provinces and other dominions in Europe in so much that they could brag that the Sun rose and set in their ground So that now the whole bulk of his swelling titles was compleated viz. King of Spain Castile Leon Arragon Navar Hierusalem Naples Sicily Sardinia Majorck and Minorck and of the Isles and Continent of the Indies and of the Main Ocean King Arch-Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Lorraine Brabant Lucenburg Gelderland and Milan Earl of Hapsburg Flanders Artois Henault Holland Zealand c. Marquess of the Sacred Empire Lord of Friezland Meckleburgh Ulricht c. Great Lord of Asia and of Africa 5. Which mighty Monarchy labouring with its own weight soon began to fall into peeces 1 through exhausting of its people and want of men by naval expeditions into both Indies by many and long Wars by ejecting the Moors and Jews before afterwards c. by the Spanish Inquisition and grievous Taxes and oppressions of the Countrymen and labourers 2 By wasting of its Riches and Wealth by Wars and imprudence 3 By loss of kingdoms and Provinces as well as great defeats of its Armies and Armado's As namely the loss of the Netherlands the Defeat in 88 the long Wars with the French who alwayes oppos'd this rising Monarchy on all sides which brought lastly the revolt of Portugal and Catalonia and so the loss of half their entire united Monarchy besides the new conquests in Flanders the last year by the French all which have made pretty wide gaps in those numerous swelling titles 6. But this great Kingdom was chiefly impair'd by the Revolt of the Netherlands and Portugal For this Philip in indeavouring to bring Tyrannick Government both Civil and Religious specially the last by the bloudy Inquisition and to reduce them back a gain by force to the Church of Rome from that Reformation of Religion which was now every where begun whereof he was a violent Enemy was by a great part of the Provinces confederate together rejected from being their Prince An. 1581. for seeing the Spaniards would bring in absolute domination both over Soul and Body they became desperate to the death declare him for a Tyrant and perpetual Enemy and by eighty years Wars brought the Spaniard to an open confession or conviction of his bad Politicks for Force of Religion and taught them and the World too if they will be taught this Rule That a free Nation must be governed freely For the Pride and Tyranny specially in Religion and the unmerciful Inquisition fill'd all Christian People with Hate and Terror of the Spaniards specially these most concern'd For by no more powerful argument did the Prince of Orange inflame the Netherlanders Spirits than saying That These burn men alive for Religion which set them all on fire So ill does Force upon either mens Civil or Religious Liberties conduce to establish Princes where Subjects are once sensible of them And that Religion had a chief hand in these Revolutions you must know that the main design then driven on by the Catholick Princes and Party was the defence and propagation of that Religion the Protector whereof the King of Spain vaunted to be and the extirpation of Hereticks and so to make the King of Spain Universal and absolute and truly and indeed Catholick at least by some c. In such sort that about 1560 Charles the 9 th king of France with the Queen-Mother Katherine of Medices a busie and Imperious Queen and Isabel this king of Spains Wife and the Duke of Alva make a league to joyne the Power and Policies of both Nations to root out the new increasing Hereticks The Hugonots out of France and the Protestants out of the Low-Countries and Germany and immediately ensued the Holy League in France wherein this King was a mighty stickler also and then those wars here So that he not only confederated with the Leaguists against the Hugonots but also about the year 1580 when the other would not do endeavours also upon the same account to hinder the Reformation growing in his own Dominions by bringing in the Inquisition and arbitrary Government amongst them whereby he was wholly driven out of those Provinces confederating together for their Liberty and Priviledges And indeed except mens Civil Liberties be first invaded their Religious can hardly be To recover which Countries they exhausted all their strength in vain for eighty years till they were at last forc'd to a shameful submission in the Treary of Munster 1648. therein renouncing for ever all Right c. and treat with them and
those of the League that he was glad of the assistance of the Hugonots and to side with them But excommunicated thereupon by the Pope yet Henry the 4 th after he had broke the neck of the League yet to be setled secure in the Ringdom against this faction was by the practices of some won over to Popery though himself likewise before excommunicate by the Pope the better to be universally own'd and received as Ring who would hardly have any but a Catholick Such is the Zeal of People on all sides about Religion when it is not according to knowledge And this is to this day rooted in the generality of France which may be one reason to make the Ring carry so high an hand over the Portestants the better to please his Catholick subjects under all his Exactions and to oblige them to his designs c. and bind them by Religion in opposing the contrary than faster to himself An. 1630. The Duke of Lorrain ingaging in the Wars of Germany for the Emperor lost a great part to the Swede And the Ring of France picking a quarrel with him at the same time deprived him of the Dutchy of Barre and falling into Lorrain with a puissant Army when the Suedes were there compell'd him to put into his hands and protection his chief City Nantz and by consequence all the rest of his Estates An. 1633. and never since could be restor'd Since the general Peace with Spain 1660 he sold per force his Estates or the best part to the King of France his Nephew dissenting Nor has much left yet now makes War with the Palatine and is too hard for him hitherto Of the Dukedom of Holstein Holst in was part anciently of the great Dukedom of Saxony Lotharius Emperor and Duke of Saxony gives it to the Earl of Schumburg with the title of Earl thereof An. 1114. The King of Denmark by his Mothers side succeeds An. 1459. Inlarged with Ditmarsh by the Emperor and made a Dukedom 1474. An. 1500. Ditmarsh recovers its liberty from the Dane subdued again by the Dane an 1559. An. 1560. It was given by the King of Denmark to his Brother viz. the Title and a good part of the Country who governed it interchangably with the Ring in their several Turns An. 1580. It came under the protection of the Danes and performed homage by a perpetual League with the Danes Issue Male failing of these Dukes the Title was conferred afterwards on the then another King of Danes Brother where it continues Of late arose a controversie between the King of Denmark and the Dukes of Holstein about some places but composed in the late Swedish Danish-War For in the Peace at Rotschild between the two Kings 1658 the Dukes of Holstein are made absolute Princes exempt from all homage or subjection to the Dane But the Dane in the second transaction of that Peace it being broken before fully ended betwixt them opposed it But at last the Business was composed The King of Swede Charles Gustavus Adolphus had married the eldest Daughter of Holstein an 1654. that same year he was made Ring Of the Commonwealths and first of the United-Provinces The Tyranny of the Spanyard was the occasion of this Commonwealth as aforesaid The end of which Tyranny was to suppress the growing Reformation of Religion and by force to reduce them back to the Church of Rome To which end Philip the 2 d. transported with Catholick Zeal invades not only their Religious but Civil Liberties without which little good was to be hoped for against their Religious and by this twofold Tyranny endeavours absolute Dominion over them The Religious Tyranny was chiefly the Inquisition and more Episcopal Sees and Courts The Civil was in many respects But their cheif Prerogative was that if the Prince by violence or wrong did infringe any of the said Charters and Franchises the people after declaration thereof made might go to election of a new Prince Ring Philip was so Zealous in the Cause of the Romish Church that 't is thought that his eldest Son was put to death with his consent in the Inquisition House for seeming favourably inclined to the Low-Country-Hereticks as the Spaniards called them At length when they could no longer endure the Spanish Tyranny they begin to vindicate their Liberties and Priviledges by Arms under the Prince of Orange about 1568. which lasted eighty years till 1648. during which time it became the School of War for all great Captains and Warriours The Ring of Suede Gustavus Adolphus is said to have exercised Incognito as a common Souldier under the Prince of Orange The first Province was Holland about 1570. and others afterwards An. 1579. A Confederation is first made at Utricht of perpetual Union and League by certain Laws and Conditions against the Spanyard And An. 1581. they declare by writing directed to all People that Ppilip of Spain was fallen from the Government and take a new Oath which bound them never to return to the Spanish obedience But you must know first that after intolerable persecutions of the Lutherans in such sort that within fourty years an 100000 had been destroy'd and more the Nobility exhibited their humble petition an 1566. whereupon they were nicknam'd Beggars which Title they accounted their Honour and take the Arms of Beggars upon their Cloaths with this Symbole True to the King to the very Bag. The same year the commom people â—â—se every where in Tumult and with their Arms frequented Sermons in all places and practising force against Churches and Temples broke in pieces Statues and Images c. And so the War began And at length as has been hinted abjure all fidelity and obedience for ever solemnly to the King of Spain and resolve to die and undergo any death rather then yeeld and never to have any Peace or Reconciliation so long as he made the least pretence of Right to this Commonwealth which after eighty years they forced him solemnly to renounce and with so much Arder Zeal and Confidence that they had rather all Holland and Zealand should be sunk in the Sea under Water then again submit to the power of the Spanyard The Hugonots in France much about the same time upon Henry the 4 ths turning Catholick took another course and agreed upon Terms which have been but ever since a breaking This done according to their Rights and Priviledges they go to elect a new Prince and seeing the Spaniard too hard for them they seek the protection of strangers and had rather indure any Master then the Spanyard First the Arch-Duke the Emperors Brother Then the Duke of Anjou Brother to Henry the 3 d. Ring of France An. 1582. The Prince of Orange being stabb'd at Delph by a Monck An. 1584. they sue to Henry the 3 d. who was too busie at Home with the holy League c. to take care of strangers And therefore 1588 seek to Queen Elizabeth as distressed States and she of the same reformed
Religion too Who refuses the Government but sends relief by an Army under the Earl of Leicester with Cautionary Towns put into his Hands Hereupon growing prosperous But jealous of the Earl they resolve to govern and establish the Commonwealth among themselves so that the Hollanders chuse Prince Maurice and the Friezlanders Prince William Earls of Nassaw for Governours Captain Generals by whose conduct and conquests the seven Provinces were wholly vindicated from the Spaniard and reduced into one intire Body of Common-wealth An. 1594. And afterwards so prospered and succeeded that before they would hearken to any treaty or accommodation they forc'd the Spaniard to this conclusion to treat with them as a Free-State in the year 1609. and then made a twelve years truce only And 1621. renew the War again but not so hot as at first c. till the Treaty of Munster 1648. whereby the Spaniard renounces all pretensions for ever and acknowledges them for a Free-State only dependant on God A War so shamefully begun and after fourscore years so shamefully ended in a Glorious and Eternal Peace made with them for ever Liberty of Religion according to the Laws of their first Union at Utrecht 1579 was the foundation and has been and is the preservation of this Commonwealth The Reformed Religion Protestant or Calvins was publickly established The Anabaptists or Mennonites and others had their publick Temples or Congregations Only Papists and Socinians since for reason of State were forbid the publick exercise of Religion to this Day as disturbing the Peace Though the War was Civil and for their Civil rights directly as knowing well they could not violate and invade their Religious without violating and invading these first yet the end motive and occasion principally was Religion and upon that account and indirectly Religious on both sides Zeal for Religion on both sides moved both to contend for their pretended civil rights and claims And so 't was not a War for Religion but as they say a Defensive War only for their Civil Rights and Liberties though in order subserviency to Religion And yet there was at the same time more Papists then Protestants then called Lutherans at first in these Countries They indulge Liberty of Religion with which their State begins and stands But Trade and Riches has almost eaten out Pure Religion For other particulars the chief are hinted before under Spain c. and we must be short An. 1662. War between England and Holland 1653. a great Sea fight The Hollanders are beat Peace made 1654. An. 1652. The King of France and Holland make a strict League having made a new League also before with the King of England after his restoration But a breach soon arose c. Of the Republick of the Switzers These Countries lie bordering upon Germany Savoy c. Upon the fall of the Roman Empire after various Fortunes and Masters coming under the possession and power of the Austrian Family and Emperors thereof afterwards and overburdened by the Tyranny of the Austrian Governors and Lords sent amongst them and their incroachments upon their Liberties and so weary of them and finding an opportunity amidst the distractions of the Empire by the Pope c. The Swisse constitute a Confederate Republick i. e. contract an offensive and defensive League amongst themselves for desence of their Liberties Begun 1305 but not finished till 1511. For when they did endeavour by force to make them of a free Nation of the Empire the Austrian's own proper Subjects and to bring in Arbitrary Government by force also they opposed First three Rusticks or chief Country men made a League amongst themselves of expelling Tyrants whereof each brought his Town or Village into Society The rest came by degrees afterward successively til in the end after two hundred years from the first beginning of their League to the finishing them they amounted to the present number of thirteen Cantons or distinct Parts and Corporations Besides several other Towns States without the bounds of their Commonwealth also joyn'd and comparted together with them for common defence and safety And becoming Invincible in innumerable Battels and Victories at the first forreign Enemies durst never attempt them more But since frequent Civil Wars amongst themselves but never to break their first Confederacy but still friends again Their Confederacy and Liberty was confirmed and allowed afterwards by the Emperor Lewis the fourth of Bavaria for adhering to him against the faction of Austria for the Empire at the same time After their forementioned Victories and Valour shewn in those Battels Wars eminently becoming renowned for Souldiers the French King takes them into pension in his Wars who became likewise a member of their Corporation which being afterward denied they serve the Pope who stiled them Defenders of the Church An. 1510. The King of France thinks it best to take them again into pension 1522. upon very advantagious terms to themselves and as burdensome to him They became Mercenary also to other Princes Any might have them for their Mony Hence reproached for a Mercenary Nation trusted by none But the King of France bid highest for them And at this day they are in all Armies and Wars Since that agreement they obtained also sixteen hundred to be of the French Gaurd the King preferring them for their Fame and Renown At last upon the differences of Religion they became divided also in pension The Popish Cantons taking pension of the Pope and King of Spain the Protestants of France and the mixt of both and all of the Venetians There was not long since some difficulties about their Pension and Agreements c. They sent Embassadours to the present French King who magnificently received them and things composed c. An Army consisting of Swisse Foot and French Horse is accounted of all the most excellent About 1516. Zuinglius a Canon of the Church begins the Reformation of Religion here at Zurich as Luther had before with good success in Germany Whom followed those of Bern and Basil c. to the number of four in whole and two other Cantons in part which to this day remain mixt of both Those of Lucern and the rest to the number of seven remain wholly Papists Geneva also soon after followed those of the Reformed under Farel and Calvin So that now this Common-wealth became divided into two factions and thence broke out into cruel Wars between Zurich and the Romish Cantons The Protestants at the beginning are worsted Zuinglius himself Slain in the head of the Battel 1531 his heart remaining whole like Cranmers in the midst of the Fire untouched as is said after all the rest consumed to Ashes At last after various successes and defeats on both sides they agree the business upon this condition That every one should imbrace what Religion they liked and force be offer'd to none for Religion but that the ancient first League should be inviolably and religiously kept and observed
power they quite and clean forget the salvation of Souls sanctity of Life and the Commandements of God Propagation of Religion and charity towards men And to raise Arms to make War against christians to invent new devises for the getting of mony to profane sacred things for their own ends by fine tricks fair and specious shews and pretences to get into the affections of Princes and oblige them to them by several arts and wayes to keep the people in ignorance and obedience though with the reigning of all manner of vice to get all the chief Preferments Benefices and Revenues of the Church into their disposal and the whole Army and interest of the Clergy at their service and devotion in these corrupt wayes and for such like unworthy ends to possess the Consciences of men with an opinion of their infallibility and undoubted power not only in Heaven and Earth but also over Pur gatory and Hell viz. to bind and loose to save or damn and that for mony and filthy lucres sake And lastly to make the whole Gospel and Christian Religion a pretext only to get and increase Church Power Dominion and Riches yea and with the Goods and Treasures of the Church to enrich their kindred and base children and raise their families c. I say these and such like things and practises become their only study and work and the great business of that is of him that would be accounted the chief Shepherd and Bishop of Christian Souls c. We will instance only in some of the most notorious particulars and matters of fact as they occur in time by the usurping and incroaching Popes following from this Hildebrand founder of the Popedom as hath been shewn about the year 1073. Next about the year 1090. his successor Urban the 2 d. excommunicates the Emperor likewise and deposes the Antipope by him chosen and thereby sets all christiendom in a combustion for these two Popes Therefore in stead of Urban called Turban or disturber And then likewise by his Religionists and Clergy stirs up and inflames all christendom with a zeal for that bloody Holy War for recovery of the Holy Land from the Saracens Which War consisted of twelve expeditions and of many hundred thousands at a time for the space of above 200 years together to the ruine of so many millions of Lives with the Arms first of the Cross and afterwards of a Globe too upon their Habits signifying that Christ crucified And to be sure the Pope as his Vicar ought to be Lord of the whole World To allay the quarrels of Christian Princes at home this Cross is often preached up with wounderous Zeal So that the main Religion of the World the Rulers and People generally in those days lay mostly in outward Christianity against Infidels Turks and Pagans and inlarging of this Visible Church as out of which no Salvation c. But i' th mean while this exhausive War of Christendom every way made for the Papal Interest The Popes having thereby greater opportunities to work their own ends out of poor Christians misguided Zeal and by weakning and diverting the Princes to strengthen and settle themselves for during all this time most cruel and perpetual wars continued at home between the Popes and Emperors for Imperial and Papal power and priviledges the Pope still usurping and domineering every day more and more About 1100. Paschal the 2 d excommunicates the said Emperor Henry the 4 th also sets his only son Henry the 5 th against him to persecute him to death who by the Bishops is perswaded to perjury also against his own Father whom the Pope caus'd after he was dead to lye likewise unburied five years together He denyed the right of investiture of Bishops to the Emperor and other Imperial priviledges And then excommunicated the son now as devoutly as he had done the Father And entertained and upheld Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in rebellion against his Soveraign This Paschal also first of all leaves off closing his letters with the year of the Emperor and substitutes the year of his Popedom An. 1120. Calixtus the 2 d. made Gregory set up Antipope by the said Henry the 5 th to ride through Rome upon a Camels back with his face towards the Tail and the tail in his hand for a bridle To shew no doubt that he held up the Tail Caesar and not by the Head St. Peter c. and then thrust him shaven into a Monastery About 1150. the Papal Canons Decretals are first hatched which afterwards in process of time were brought into use and set up and prevailed in the World and the Church in opposition to the Civil and Imperial Law and chiefly to advance the Pontificiall Omnipotency as themselves phrase it And this Canon Law or Divinity not the Law of God became in time almost the only divinity and study of the Prelats and great Church men who studied little else then to gain and increase Church Power and Treasure to get all into their clutches and to keep all people in slavery and subjection to their Authority and Religion And for others there began to creep in a Scholastick Divinity and Philosiphy out of the Fathers and Aristotle together not the Scripture And this Philosiphic-divinity brought all confusion of Opinions and learned Ignorance and Error into the world And for the more piously inclined and devout a practical Divinity of Monkish Legends or pious Tales and at best but devout stories of the Sanctimonious lives of Saints c. all which still made for the Pope About 1160. Alexander the 3 d. opposses the Emperor Frederick the first and excommunicates him thundering out curses and raising War against him every where and by the French Kings favour settles himself in the Popedom The Emperor notwithstanding takes Rome and drives the Pope to Venice for protection and sends his Son with an Army after him whom they beat and took Prisoner neer Venice The good Father therefore to preserve his Son is forced to submit and to prostrate himself before the Pope openly in the great Church at Venice to kiss his feet Where setting his foot on the Emperors neck he impiously and imperiously was not asham'd to say Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and the Adder and the Dragon shalt thou trample under foot And when the Emperor took the boldness to reply and say I do it not to you but to Peter The proud Beast goes on To Peter and to me too And from this time forth and for evermore forsooth it must be an high favour to kiss his Toes as much as other Princes hands And all this is Your most humble Servant of the Servant of God his Title once come too Beggers of all men proudest are When once they got into the chair This Pope likewise upheld Thomas a Becket against his King here in England and made the King submit to the lash for St. Thomas's death for his Holiness Sainted the Traitor and upon
that is called God was the first Pope in Heaven and the Father of these his Sons on Earth About 1605. He excommunicated the Venetians for maintaining stoutly their Rights of state and withstanding his incroachings whereupon War insued Baronias exhorting the Pope thus Arise and Eate the Venetians as if it had been as easie as to eate his dinner But he found them a tough Morsel which he could not get down and so was held to hard meat But a Cardinal of France made up the business as well as he could but could not without enough dishonour to his Popeship He by briefs or writings sent to the Loyal Catholicks of England forbad the Oath of Allegiance to King James from his own Subjects He laid a great Tax also on the Clergy in Italy to uphold the good old Catholick cause in the Wars of Germany about 1618. and a new Order of Knighthood was erected at Vienna the Imperial Court for all Heroick Catholicks under the Patronage of the blessed Virgin St. Michael and St. Francis to root out the Hereticks But all would not do For they increased and multiplyed The Powder plot in England was also in the beginning of his Popedom set on foot by the Jesuits and their complices in England An. 1605. An. 1621. Gregory the 5 th elected by way of adoration instigates the French King against the Protestants Canonizes Ignatius the founder of a company of Incendiaries that is Jesuits for so they have proved ever since Baptized with not the Holy Ghost but with Fire answerable both to his Name and Motto and their Natures Quarrels with the Venetians for entertaining Greeks now they had no wars with Infidels the Turks To whom the Venetians wisely replyed That they held all Infidels that opposed their Commonwealth An. 1623. Twenty four of the Cardinals grew sick upon the quarrelsome and ambitions choise of Urban the 8 th whereof ten lost their lives with divers of others Father Paul a venerable Religious Monk who stood up high for his Venetians against the Jesuits who pragmatically stood up for their Pope for which they were deservedly banished by the State not till now smarts and is wounded for his crime of Loyalty to them and petty treason as it were against the Jesuits c. this Pope made War against the Duke of Parma and Florence for the Dukedom of Castro c. And no doubt he had an underhand or little finger at least in the bloudy Massacre of Ireland 1641. by the Catholicks Afterwards Innocent the 10 th pronounces void and goes about by his Legate to null the Peace of Germany made at Munster 1648 between the Protestant and the Papal princes where the Protestants both Calvinists as well as Lutherans were esserted into full and free liberty of their Religion as hurtful and dangerous to the Church forsooth But Germany no longer now fears their loud Bulls roarings and bellowings as formerly and do but laugh at such the vanity of his Omnipotent Impotency After 1654. Alexander the 7 th determines new Articles of Faith against the Jansenist's and condemnes them for Hereticks The Church of France begin to vindicate their Liberty against such new decrees and power of the Pope It grows to a great faction between them and the Jesuits The Pope and his Instruments make the King look upon them as a dangerous Sect and as it were a new kind of Calvinistical Papists that would both joyn against the true French Catholicks and endanger France both Church and State as much as formerly those Hugonots But they increased notwithstanding and several Bishops Clergy men and others adhered to them against the Novel Usurpations and determinations of the Pope who would feign have been accounted infallible in his Court and pack'd Consistory at Rome without a general Council And fowl work had like to have ensued but that the King and Pope together have lately within this year or two devised an expedient latitude for the dissenting Bishops and Leaders least the rent should be made greater willing to make use of any Salvo for such a Sore c. An. 1662. The Popes Guards by his Brothers design against the interest of France assaults the French Embassador which was connived at by the Pope and his Brother who set it on foot countenanced and due Justice evaded The King demands satisfaction prepars a great Army to enter Italy whereof some had in a manner begun to enter which made the Pope tremble and the French sing hartily Rome is ours already c. yea the grand Ball at Court since become a common Tune or Air too in England began thus Great King will you profane Your Rapier in vain Your young brave Conquering Blades ' Gainst Chaplains only with Beads c. But his Holiness wisely submits and drives on a Treaty for Satisfaction and Accommodation and thereby condescended to set up at Rome a Piller of Remembrance as it were for the Injury and Affront offered Upon which submission the King of France recieves his Embassadour through all his Kingdom with extraordinary Magnificence and ever since has been very kind to his Holy Father and lately out of complement granted the present Pope leave to take down this too lasting a Monument of their reproach but all no doubt for further ends to himself which he is driving on in the world c. And while the King was thus good to the Church The Pope takes that opportunity to see if he could get to be owned as infallible in France and supreme Judge and determiner of Controversies and differences of Opinions in Religion finding by woful experience they should never have that property of a Vice-God Omnipotency in the World before they had thisof Infallibility This was towards and in the year 1666. by Alexander the late Pope But that year has not proved so kind and lucky to their projects as they looked for Nor could they fool France into such a premunire This Pope has had little to do yet but patch up the Jansenian Breaches to avoid further mischief as but now hinted To mediate between France and Spain as much as he could and to invite Princes against a less worse Enemy to Christendom than himself the Turk who never did it half so much harm nor ever will Yet the Noble Venetians deserve Succour and the Pope destruction Yet so it is that the Kings Princes Clergy and People of the Earth have so drunk of and been intoxicated with the Cup of Romes Fornications that notwithstanding all the evill they have suffered by her Domineering and Tyrannizing over them their Kingdoms Subjects and People both Soul and Body as by the foregoing story may in part appear yet they love to commit folly and abomination with her still and her fine and goodly Religion so carnal so pleasing and sutable to flesh and bloud But in the end sure God will put it into their hearts when he shall once have opened their Eyes to see what miseries and mischiefs she has brought
flourishing Monarchy laps'd into a short liv'd Commonwealth A State A Protector and a Miraculous return to where they began an unheard of Restitution of the Banished and wonderful preserved Prince without War or Bloud-shed We have seen the mightiest Emperor deposed and strangled by his own Vassals in the same year 1648. and his Successor much a-doe to escape the Rout in 1656. that made sixteen Bashaws one Vizier forcing the Emperess and the High Priest almost equal with the Emperor himself to the Seraglio c. And the Brother of a King to depose his Prince under pretence of Loyalty and the publick good keep him in durance Rule in his stead and make the Father and High Priest of the Church give his Queen to him for wife and all the Princes of Christendom even their late Master of Spain too himself by their Embassies and for their own Interests to approve in a manner all and to Complement the new Prince Regent from all parts We have seen also above twenty years civil Wars Broyls Commotions and Factions in Poland and the poor old King made weary of his Scepter by his own restless and unconstant Subjects We have seen him and a Queen besides to lay down their Crowns of their own accord for a more quiet and happy life We have seen a Universal Calme as it were and Peace for a while but a sudden Eruption of fierce Wars again both by Sea and Land and again a present deep Silence and stand as it were of a sudden and the World gazing on one another what they are about to do c. Lastly we have seen Grand Eclipses Conjunctions Comets and new Stars Innumerable Prodigies and Signs in the Heavens in the Earth in the Waters a raging Plague marching from Country to Country together with raging Wars and the most dreadful Fire that ever was designed or contrived of one of the greatest and most flourishing Cities in Christendom And behold greater things yet to come ch following c. An additional Observation concerning the late Popes designes There has already been hinted his new Negotiation with the Kings of the Earth to establish the Papal Sea's Infalibility He had a great zeal besides in rapairing the Church of St. Peter Paul and to erect there a new Apostolick Chair And would have imposed this Inscription thereon although hindred by the wiser Cardinals In the year of the Apostolick Authority restored the first He spent likewise all the time of his Priestdom in adorning Rome with new Palaces and Basilicon's especially in raising a Palace designed for the future choice of Popes called the Conclave into a stupendons Grandure To Erect which that there might not want room he commanded many Streets of the City with Temples and Monasteries to be demolished and sent for all sorts of Artificers out of Italy as if like Nebuchadnezer he meant to say This is Babilon the Great which I have built for an house of my Kingdom and for the Glory of my Majesty c. And now we should pass to the Foundations and Revolutions of the present Religion of Christendom but that they would swell this Table of the general heads of things only into a volumn already too larg And for that they may be also somewhat apprehended from this general View of the Revolutions of States and Kingdoms Behold the desolutions of the Earth For want of the King of Peace to rule The Pretensions and Interest of Europe The pretensions of Europe are either of one part to another as of England to France Spain to Portugal c. of which 't will be needless to speak a word or else to other parts of the World as to Asia Africa or America Of which a word or two These pretences are founded on wrong and false titles as Right of discovery or of Christianity and Religion and the Popes donation and disposal of the whole Infidel world accordingly thereupon For towards the year 1500. Pope Alexander the 6th as if he was Master of the whole Earth distributed by his Bull all the new World between Ferdinand the 5th King of Spain and John King of Portugal Here was a wonderful donation indeed of the World from East to West parted between two Princes And to make them agree it was accorded that the Portuguess should equally share from the fortunate Islands or Canaries by one streight line from North to South for the first Meridian an hundred and eighty degrees that is one half of the World Eastward and the Spaniard as many Westward And that both one and the other should have right to take possession of all the Earth they could seize on and all upon this title forsooth That they should convert the Infidels and Barbarous Nations to the Christian Faith which they did indeed more like Infidels and Barbarians then Christians So mankind preys one upon another like ravenous Beasts and Birds of prey Neither can the Protestans perhaps much reproach the Papists upon this account and both will alwayes agree in this point that glory and gain are not to be neglected what ever becoms of Christianity or humanity it self But when the Portuguese through ignorance and impudence judged that they had wrong done them as yet ignorant that the World was round or might be sail'd round by great importunity they extorted that the first Meridian should be removed from the Canary Islands to the Azores three hundred miles more Westward Hence the first Meridian ever since has place not in the Canaries but the Azores Islands the cause of which mutation is not the declination of the Margent and variation of the Needle or Compass but this division between the Portuguess and Spaniard Now by this change it happened that the Portugals afterwards obtained Brasil in the West Indies which fell within the Meridian of the Azores but the Spaniards reaped a far greater advantage because they from that time chalenge right to the greatest part of the East Indies viz. the Philippy Islands which they have to this day to the Molucco's and others c. then out of dispute the Portugals And this made the Spaniard alwayes retire and adhere to the Azores for the first Meridian As for the Interests of Europe in these sad dis-unions revolutions and confusions of Christendom The Interests of the whole and of every part seems mainly to be to agree in Religion and known Articles of Faith and not devour one another as Infidels and Pagans for Opinions or Ceremonies and exclude not only one another their Church but their Nation and the World too for Hereticks or if not agreement at least Freedom and liberty of Religion which is no unpracticable Romance we see also for Christian Princes to unite not so much against the Turk as with one another and not destroy and ruine one anothers Kingdoms and so many Subjects lives in unnatural unchristian Wars and quarrels and lastly each Nation to accord and conspire together into mutual correspondence and free intercourse in all their
most excellent and useful things of Nature Art and Religion That so true Religion Learning Arts Sciences Commerce and Traffick and all things else for the Common weale of mankind may flourish and be advanced in the World that Mercy and Truth may meet together Righteousness and Peace may kiss each other on the Earth which they have so long for saken But first There are a sort of Popelings yet behind Must ride the Devil off on 's legs and break his wind CHAP. II. Of the future State and Revolution of Europe both of Church and State OUT OF The last Visions and Revelations of Drabicius the Seer concerning wonderful things shortly to come As the ruine of the House of Austria of the Pope of Spain c. by the Turks Tartars King of France c. conversion of the Turks Jews and Heathens Reformation of the World and Church by the Secular Powers The Renovation and Restitution of all things at hand New Heavens and new Earth viz. Church and State c. The Preface VVE should now finish this Table but that we think it meet to add a second Chapter of the Prophetick History of Europe not from the uncertain conjectures of Astrologians and Politicians but Revelations truly accounted Divine If it more immediately concern all to know the present State of Christendom and of this last age above all before that are past and gone and almost forgotten yet that is principally in order to what is to come And so much more it concerns us to consider what shall be hereafter then the things that have been and are And indeed this all mens minds generally are most inquisttive after yet few will have faith to believe And hence the knowledge of things to come is one part of History as well as of those that are past Wherefore I shall think it no unacceptable service to my Country men and not unbefitting this place to represent to view a summary draught also of those wonderful Visions and Revelations of Dabricius by the Godly and Learned esteemed Divine at least that few yet dare say are meer phanatick delusions or diabolical that so this Historical Table or Representation of things last past and next to come may be for more profit and advantage and of greater use to the English Reader 'T is certain all the world expects some great Catastrophe and Revolutions at hand and great have lately past in all Nations preparatory thereunto All Astrologers gaze for it All Politicians presage it all Theologers divine it And generally All People Jews Turks Christians Papists and Protestants seem to bespeak as much As if some dark intelligence were hovering up and down to abode and whisper some such matter presently to betide the world The Jews stand gazing for the Kingdom of their Messias the Turks of their Mahomet The Christians of their Christ and the Papists of their Antichrist The Planetary Conjunction and new Stars the dreadful Comets and terrifying Prodigies The remarkable predictions and prophetick Spirits yea the very false prophets too in several Countries The wonderfull providences and strange revolutions and alterations of this last Age specially those of late as the great Eclipses not many years agoe The new Star in 1572. in 1604. and lately in 1660. The fiery Trigon begun 1603. and ended with that great Conjunction of the two superior Planets Saturn and Jupiter in that fiery Trigon in 1663. never before this eight hundred years viz. at the beginning of the German Empire by Charls the Great and hoped to be the last being the seventh only of the world having never happened but six times before since the Creation And this being also the third Conjunction of those superior Planets which is every twenty years in the seventh fiery Trigon and falling in the year 1663. Rome Rome remember sixty three and three was said of that year by the Astrologers and the great congregation of all the seven Planets in the fiery signe of Sagittary also preceeding it which whether ever happened before since the beginning of the world is not known makes some not only take a Sign but a beginning of some great Mutation in Religion and Government In Religion namely the conversion of Jews Turks and all the Nations of the Gentiles In State the subversion of all Tyrannicall Rule and Domination and all manner of oppression and violence in the Earth The too late Prodigious Comets succeeding about a year after as well as those in 1652. and 1618. Saturn being in the House of Infirmity for six month before concerning which there is extent a strange Prophecy found by Capistranus above two hundred years agoe and printed above an hundred agoe at Venice and afterwards upon the Comet in 1618. appearing at Pargue in Germany in 1620. and said by the said Capistran to be one of the Sybill's twenty years before Christ concerning the ruine of the Pope and Emperor and return of the Apostolick times There is also some thing particular mentioned in Capistrans explication concerning France and others Aix la Chapelle which is forgot The Prophecy said to be of the Sybills was only in figures of a Woman with a Triple Crown embraced by a Crowned King or Emperor With a Wheel with twelve spokes denoting the Cardinals like the twelve Apostles with the Arms of France Low-Countries c. with other particulars forgotten From one Angel appeared a blazing Star darting upon the Woman and Emperor c. Capistran by a prophetick Spirit wrote an explication of every particular in short Motto's writ underneath each which he buried in a wall not daring to make it known in those times Being an enlightened Monk and was found an hundered years after and Printed as was said at Venice The Motto under the Comet is only remembered viz. Saturn in the house of Infirmity which some Astronomers say could be meant of no former Comet but this last only having examined it by their Rules Since this we have seen the sudden irruption of the French into Flanders c. and the peace soon made again at Aix la Chapel and yet indeed as good as no peace but rather a truce It were well this prophecy were better looked into to see whether any thing solid to be observed therein or any thing that may answer and concern the present affairs or the late Comet yea or no. In fine the most lamentable Wars Plagues Fires and sad calamities and heavy and grievous judgments of Gods wrath abroad in the Earth especially the astonishing Blazing Fire of London soon after in 1666. The powerful approach and threatning of the Turks and their dreadful design upon Christendom the universal unsettlement shakings of Kingdoms and Nations the high Animosities and Jealousies of Princes and States the cry of Subjects and general failing of mens hearts for fear and expectation of others and the total deluge of prophauness atheisme impenitency and unbelief with their desperate effects namely all injustice oppression wars and persecutions and universal
6. If in respect of their fitness hereunto Cotterus altogether an Idiot ignorant not only of writing but of all things except his Trade or-Craft and a little knowledge of Religion that are or are done in the World Christina could both read and write and had learnt the Catechistical Principles of Religion but by her age uncapable of high things Drabricius not ignorant of the Divine Scriptures as became a Minister but scarce acquainted with the Latin Tongue and wholly ignorant of Philosophy History and all Sublimer things For an Argument That this is not a work of human wit but of an higher Virtue namely of the divine influx 7. If we consider the manner of Revelation They were made to Cotterus by Angels only To Christina by Angels and the Lord himself To Drabricius only by the Lord. And indeed to Cotterus sometimes by Extasies yet for the most part by corporal Apparition of Angels to the outward senses in constant health of Body To Christina by perpetual Exstasies yet her flesh for the most part prepared thereunto and as it were mortified by antecedent pains Then also by Dreams and sometimes with her corporeal Eyes and Ears To Drabricius by Dreams and by and by by a lively Voice sounding in his Ears The two first could remember to a word before they were committed to writing what they had seen and heard if asked a thousand times not changing a very tittle But Drabricius distrusting perpetually his own memory was not able to write the things revealed without the Lord repeating and as it were dictating unto him Which we conjecture to be from hence that their impressions came by extasies their minds being wholly abstracted from sense But his senses were left in their former state like to ours c. For he had only first a Dream and then a Voice when he was awak'd out of his dream God speaks after divers manners Heb. 1. 1. 8 If we regard the form of speech the stile is every where prophetick and Divine yet in Cotterus more sublime and high in Christina more low in Drabricius more familiar 9. If we attend the Types and Figures used in Prophecy there are many in Cotterus fewer in Christina scarce any in Drabricius or else presently explained c. Cotterus declaring the morning as it were break of day rising out of the deep of night Christina clear day light Drabricius's points out the Sun now rising 10. As to their willingness to divulge these Revelations and so to obey God in them Cotterus resisted three whole years Drabricius concealed his first Revelation five years and being reiterated again and again he as often suppressed them a long time till at length the Lyon roaring they began to be afraid and were compelled to prophecy the Lord commanding 11. If we respect the Opinion of men All of them were contemned and derided by some wholly condemned by others as frantick or Impostors yet this could not stop the work 12. If we observe to whom they were sent They were all sent primarily to their own Nation Secondarily also unto others Cotterus unto the Germans Christina to the Polonians Drabricius to the Hungarians and from hence to all the Nations of the Earth which they are all commanded to call unto and declare the last Will of God unto all 13. If for what they were sent the two formost were simply Prophets foretelling things to come But the last a Prophet preaching what ought to be done exhorting to duty and urging with promises and threatnings 14. They were all commanded to conceal their Prophesies for a time or to communicate them only to the Godly that were afflicted for their consolation yet at last not to hold their peace but to speak to Kings Princes and all People universally For Cotterus was sent to the Elector Palatine King of Bohemia and was heard in the presence of the Grandees as also to the Elector of Brandenburg more then once but to the Elector of Saxony did his errand by others several times Christina could not but write Letters to the Duke of Fridland and carry them her self as also Drabricius to the Princes of Transilvania Therefore none of these things were done in a corner 15. All of them were commanded to speak and do things unusual absurd to reason perilous to their lives declaring a thing incredible to the States-men the subversion of the house of Austria and to most of Divines offensive and scandalous the destruction of the Pope before the last day yet they were commanded constantly to speak and write these things Cotterus also to go to Glogovia where he knew he should suffer bonds and prison Christina to write terrible things against the Imperial General Wallestein and carry them herself to his house Drabricius to call the Nations together against the House of Austria and Popedom c. 16. They were all severally examined by Divines Physicians Politicians and States-men and intire Universities Consistories Synods Yet they all perplexed the reasoning of all the most High Learned and Wise c. 17. The last Revelation to Cotterus which was of the tirrible execution of God's Judgement against the Babylonish Whore to Christina which was against Wallestein which had its effect were made by Visions in their sleep the last made to Drabricius when he was first commanded to put to a close had its beginning in sleep but the rest awake and his Eyes open being roused up by the clamors of the Jesuits undoubtedly to represent that although all may seem to be but a dream even to the Godly yet it shall conclude in a real work and effect that the world by seeing may see 18. The two first Prophecies ended in silence after they had been commanded once to seal them suffering no more Visions nor did see the deliverance But Drabricius after he was commanded to conclude and dye yet was again commanded to resume both Life and a double Spirit to prophesie received a promise not to see death till he had seen the Glory of God spread upon the Nations of the Earth And for further confirmation it might be shewn from Church history that the spirit of Prophecy hath alwayes been in the Church and that in several ages God hath raised Prophets and sent Visions and Revelations unto men But that it would be to large for the design of this present Table We will only name the more known and recorded as Hermes the Shepherd The Monk of Uguetine Fryer Robert Capistran Lichtenbergts Carion Theophrastus St. Hildegardis Elizabeth Mechthilda Briget Katharin Senensis c. Particularly in the time of St. Bernard about 1150. the Religious Virgin Hildegardis approved of by the same Father about the same time Elizabeth a German Virgin Abbess of Schonaugh familiar with Hildegard Fryer Robert a Frenchman about the year 1290. about the year 1370. St. Briget in Swedland And 1380. St. Katharin of Senna And 1508. Joseph Grunpeck Priest All of them for the main tending to the same thing
Authority committed to them of God out of the hands of the Antichristian usurper c. To call a General Council in order to a Universal Peace and Unanimity in Christendom and to agree for God and Religion for the publick good both of Church and State For that God will put it into their hearts to fulfil his Will and agree or make one Mind and Will and no longer give their Kingdoms to the Beast But that the Words of God shall be fulfilled To destroy Babylon and all her Abominations and Idols c. and to rule the World peacefully under the Banner of Christ and universally reform it out of all its horrible confusions and disorders according to the Will that is the Word of God c. And all Ecclesiasticks Angels of the Churches Pastors Bishops and Priests to perform the Ministry of their high Calling and the Service of God and the Church to restore the Primitive Reformation and do their first Works and repent and no longer neglect the Catholick Church of God through the whole World for worldly Dominion Honours Riches and Interests Nor to hinder Universal Reformation by wrangling and contesting for Opinions Ceremonies Revenues Prerogatives and Priviledges and such like vanities but rather to promote Catholick Charity and Indulgence and practise Christian Humility Self-Denyal and all the excellent virtues of the best Religion in the World which they are Chieftains of and to Sacrifice all their dearest concerns for the Salvation of Men And not mind their own things but the things of Jesus Christ c. And all Christians to endeavour and begin Reformation generally in their several places For that now is the time of Gods reforming the World more then ever That towards the end thereof it may be as from the beginning viz. one God and one Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth without Idols and false Godds and false Worships That all may inhabit peaceably the Earth without Wars Fightings Hatreds Contentions Envyings Strifes and without Sects and Parties lest his Wrath break forth upon them to the utmost and there be no Remedy for the Present Generation All which things to be sure are no other then was the drist of all the Prophets and extraordinary Messengers of God to Men of old when that all ordinary Persons Kings Princes Priests or People were become so corrupt and exorbitant that there were none that did his duty rightly but all desperately transgressed the Law of their God and provoked his Wrath without measure For what else was their Burthens but sad Lamentations for the Peoples sins and wickedness Exhortations to Repentance and amendment And denunciations of Grace upon Repentance and of Wrath upon Impenitence c. And what else are these likewise as to their main Scope and Intent The Sum and Substance of them in General now follows The Sum of all these Prophesies in the General is the same with all the Antient Prophets and indeed an Explication of them concerning the State of the Church in the last dayes And that our present Age is the last time of the World wherein shall be fully and finally accomplished all Scripture Prophesies I. Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth typified by the old to fall and its Builders to be dispersed Gen. 11. Jerem. 50. and 55. Revel 18. II. The Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands to destroy the great Image of Iron and Clay and increase into a great Mountain filling the whole Earth Dan. 2. III. The very Relicks of all Nimrodian Tyranies and Oppressions to be abolished quite and the Kingdoms given to the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. IV. Both the Beasts in the Revelations The greater with seven Heads blaspheming God and making War against the Saints and the lesser with two Horns counterfeiting a Lamb yet speaking like a Dragon now to be slain Rev. 13. V. The great Harvest and Vintage of the whole Earth at hand Rev. 14. VI. All the Vials of Gods Wrath a pouring forth upon the Earth Rev. 16. VII Till the great Beast that carries the Whore with seven Heads and ten Horns be destroyed and the Whore her self forsaken by her ten Horns viz. Kings her once defenders and lovers be burnt with fire Rev. 17. VIII The Lamb to be Victor over all Enemies Satan bound in the bottomless Pit for a thousand years The Church to be quiet Rev. 20. IX And then the Marriage of the Lamb to be solemnized under the whole Heavens Rev. 19. X. And the Church to appear in its Splendour and Glory such as the Prophets have heretofore described of old Isa 60. Rev. 21. And indeed these Books of the three Prophets are a very Revelation of the Revelation of St. John to end and decide all further contentious Comments thereabouts They being a new Comment upon that old Revelation not Humane but Divine explaining what is that Babylonish Beast making War with the Saints and the great Whore the Mother of Harlots c. riding upon the Beast and who are those Kings commanded from God to execute the Judgement upon Both. And that those destroyers of Babylon are now Born now Chosen and Called And that this whole affair is now in doing And now shortly to be Sealed and concluded by a full and compleat effect in the sight of Heaven and Earth And that we are now under the sixth Seal sixth Trumpet sixth Vial. That is That upon our times happens the great Earthquake shaking the whole frame of Heaven both of Church and State c. and the day of his great Wrath come And the day of the sixth Trumpet when the Angels bound at the great River Euphrates shall be loosed and come and kill the third part of men with Fire and Smoak and Brimstome although the rest that escape repent not And the sixth Vial poured forth upon the great River Euphrates to prepare a way for the Kings of the East to root out Babylon the unclean Spirits of Frogs mustering up heaps of Armies against them in vain to the Battel of the great Day of the Lord God Omnipotent Which Day shall come as a Thief on a sudden and unlook'd for That so the seventh Seal being opened Silence may be in the Heaven of the Church And that the seventh Trumpet sounding the Mystery of God foretold by his Servants the Prophets may be finished Namely That all the Kingdoms of the World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christs c. And that the seventh Vial being poured forth there may be Voices and Thunders and Lightnings and Earthquakes such as have not been since men have been upon the Earth whereby the Cities of the Nations may fall and great Babylon it self c. More expresly and particularly I. That the World is become as corrupt now as it was in the dayes of Noah before the Flood and in Egypt Babylon and Jerusalem when she rebelled against God especially the Christian Nations By name Germany
Eternal Word After to the Sacraments by him appointed for the remedy of Sin and so of all the other Articles of Faith from first to last and when they are well tinctured with these they then innitiate them to a more perfect course of the Christian Life And this is the manner how they propound the Christian Mysteries to the Gentiles and Idolaters beginning first with the principal Articles of the One and True God and the reward of the just and unjust c. as in this Catechism Besides this they published innumerable excellent Spiritual Books and Books of Practical Divinity and Moral Philosophy to which the Chineses are much devoted and endeavour'd to add to all rare specimens of an innocent spiritual and divine Life if we may believe their own Testimony which I confess Protestants in this end of the World have little reason to do For the Ignatians of Europe for the generality of them are more excellent at Fire Works then any thing else here and the works of the Devil then to work the Works of God But it 's like they were better there being likewise at the beginning of their Order more Spiritual and Religious then ever since the World hath found them especially England And yet we have a taste of their true Spirit in their obstructions of the Hollanders Embassy there Their first great Disciple was Paul the great Colao or Governor of the Chineses and propagator of Christianity among them Riccius put forth many admirable Books in the China Language viz. several Mathematical Books of Euclid Clavius c. Universal Geography and History of the World with Globes Maps c. Natural Philosophy the Art of Dialling Books of Astrolabes and Astronomick Instruments of Musick Musical Instruments and Organs Moral Philosophy about Friendship moderating the Passions and to live according to the dictates of right Reason and the rule of a good and happy life For the Chinois were much given to moral Philosophy and the study of virtue and happiness And Ten Paradoxes Moral and Spiritual a Book famous through all China and in great esteem and admiration among them and illustrated with Comments and high Encomiums by the most excellent of all their learn'd Leo and Paul young Convert Colao's But that which wrought unexpressible compunction of heart in them for their ill past life as they say not only among the common people but the greatest and most learned of their Monarchy viz. the Mandarins and Colao's and Eunuchs of the Kings Pallace was the Catechism of Bellarmine translated by the said Riccius The fame of which Book spread so that they were fain to print it a new several times whereby the Christian Light and Knowledge shone into every corner of the Land With several other Books for the use of others that should come thither out of Europe The next famous was Trigautius Procurator of the China expedition who return'd from China 1612. and return'd thither again with all manner of Rarities and wrote several Books for the use chiefly of the Europeans Next Father Rho Professor of Mathematicks in the Jesuites Colledge at Milan who in a short time spoke and wrote their Language like any Native and wrote several Books for the use of young Converts and with Father Schall mentioned in the first part laboured in Mathematicks for the benefit of the Chinois Who both by common and joynt study put forth above an hundred Books and especially in emendation of their Calender he was founder of a Church in the Kingdom of Sciamsi Vagnonius followed who found in the Province of Chianceu only after his return thither again from Banishment 8000 Christians and of those the chief Learned and Mandarines and afterwards died in Chianceu Anno 1640. and wrote many Books Divers others also wrote innumerable Books for the Europeanâ— help so that there were Books written by them in the China Language by the Year 1636. to the number of 340. The Mandarines and Colao's also wrote Comments on their Books c. Also when their Converts began to be too numerous for the present Fathers they began an Institution of Chatechists from amongst them to initiate persons into the Christian Mysteries These Catechists were persons much and long vers'd in the Mysteries of Religion and the Christian Law and of a very divine Life better then themselves 't is like by far and such as were inflamed with servour of the Apostolick Spirit and Zeal for the Conversion of others and they were not easily admitted unto this Office but after long experience first had of them c. Their work was to go up and down the streets and on all occasions by word and example to bring the rude and ignorant to the knowledge of the True God And as they have opportunity to sprinkle Infants and Children with Holy Water to communicate Spiritual Books to those that lack'd to resolve Doubts and Questions c. And at a certain time of the day when the Gentiles flock to their Churches out of curiosity to wait there and to explain the first Principles and Elements of the Christian Faith which were wrote or engraven in fair and large Tables and Characters hung up and down upon the Walls and by their splendid Altars to any that were desirous or curious and to shew the vanity of the false Godds And moreover to invite them home for farther instruction And by these means they got many Proselytes daily They are obliged also every day to give an account to the Fathers that are Superiors in those places what they have done that day The number of Christians in Pekin was about fourscore thousand about 1655. And though this be short of the Apostolick way of Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles yet they seem herein to out-do the Protestants and in industry labours and zeal and more abundant then they to propagate the Faith Look here you Zealous Protestants look with shame From hated Jesuites learn to spread Christs Name And Heathens form their Idols to reclaim Things proving thus prosperous they likewise had procured the Royal Patent for Power and Liberty to divulge the Gospel through all the Empire by the favour of the Grandees of the Court and Kingdom But the irruption of the Tartars about 1647. interrupted all Which hapned by reason of the Civil Wars of the Chinois among themselves which invited the Tartars to take the opportunity to break into China through the Portal of their great Wall once more as they had done formerly before in the Year 1256. which they held for above 200 years during nine Kings reigns but were at last beat and kept out again by the Chinois till this last sudden and violent return But now they over-ran it like a flood and subjected all China to their Empire the King of China was reduced to such streights that finding no way to escape from his own rebelling Subjects and so great a Monarch forsaken of all rather desirous to die then live to see worse ended his