hells destruction. by the lady eleanor douglas eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) hells destruction. by the lady eleanor douglas eleanor, lady, d. . p. s.n.], [london : printed in the year . place of publication from wing. reproduction of the original in the harvard university library. eng hell -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . a r (wing d ). civilwar no hells destruction. by the lady eleanor douglas. douglas, eleanor, lady c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion hells destruction . by the lady eleanor douglas . apocal. behold , the devil shall cast some of you into prison , that you may be tryed ; and you shall have tribulation ten days , &c. printed in the year . hells destruction . behold , the devil shall cast some of you into prison , that ye may be tryed ; and ye shall have tribulation ten days , &c. apoc. most learned and honored iudges , with whom so precious restles time , of which as who can be over frugal , shunning therefore multiplicity ; long process but wearisom to the wise : seeing then our laws how ballanced with gods law its profound precepts , said to be founded thereon , and reason in its purity consonant thereto , otherwise hath with it no affinity . emboldens to present this paradice posey , durable presidents which too circumspect wherein ye cannot be , hereof as ensues . adam that first lord chief iustice or iudge , before whom the lord god brought every creature formed of the earth , to see what he would call them ; and whatsoever he called every living creature , that was the name thereof : of a certain admits of no wrong or contrary names whatsoever in any courts of record to be legal or answered unto . as these inform , accords with the former , the iudge of quick and dead ; where demanded first , what his name was ? before obtain'd a pass for that baptized herd the gentiles prototype doubtless , the devil his godfather ; who made answer , saying , legion , for they were many ; he resident ( as it were ) in hell , among the graves distracted , &c. thus as we see and know irrational creatures , these of several kindes retain their proper names ; and very devils not debarred theirs . nevertheless that dominion have over them , man the little world , to angels not much inferior , deemed no little vvonder , as though confined to a lower region then they , suffer our selves , worse then bruits undergo names enjoyned utterly false , instanced as here the dead childe like in stead of the living laid in her bosom , disputed in solomons presence ; whereby no less then bereft both of her good name and liberty , witness this their erroneous vvarrant of arrest , ecce vera copia . eleanor lady davers alias douglas , committed to woodstreet-compter by steedman officer to the lord major ( july . ) . as true that might have stiled her lord major , &c. for any relation between davers and douglas : but by a non-sence alias a seeming connexion far from holy vvrits example , slime in stead of morter , and brick-bats for firm stone , with it dispenses not ; confusion of that consequence . vvhence follows next simon magus alias peter , &c. saints and devils become fellows ; also fool and racha : what not ? as out of the path of his commandments : of warrants that latitude allowed them , one name because lighted on , matters not how many false beside , so at all with logicks definition or reason , agrees not , authorized by the proviso ( alias ) the meaning of it ; sometime or otherwise &c. though she never afore at any time called by the aforesaid name belonging to another tribe or family ; he that calls the stars by their names ( as it were ) male and female , those lights : where joyns names , no such bills of divorce tolerates neither what antiquity or custom either occasions , as referred to those judicious , the sequel of what concernment . lastly wherwith even whose additionals abraham & sarahs , consists but of a letter both alike old and new consenting in one . also paul for saul , one so cautious that way , witness in mentioning the said patriarks blessing as well observes , saying , not seeds , as of many , &c. but seed , &c. and so much for that , they would have said , &c. in stead of alius : all they can alledge or say for themselves so contradictory to sense and verity , better to be justified by some blinde slow belly cretians such vipers , then by those interested in the name of christians , who would be unwilling to subscribe to any other . and hereupon of her false imprisonment undergone ; so many years , if when the cause of the law ceases , then ceases the law it self : wherefore when the adversary detains the work , for which the bond was entred into , occasioned it , why should he keep it , and her person in hold both ? or by what iustice and equity stands such an execution any longer afoot or in force , she having been since put to the charge for imprinting the same all over , for which was acknowledged the said obligation of sixty pounds , no benefit whereby accrewing to her , by a certain printer , one pain , upon whose importunity and protestation 't was obtained . another quaere , since scandalous names bear action to be termed bankrupt , &c. why unjust cut-throat actions what the adversary pleases , no redress in that case ; as amounting to hundreds no few by this broken printer and his consorts , the burthen of them , no short furrows plowed , &c. by city unmerciful adonizebeks , unmindeful of his confession , as hehad done , god had requited him , threescore and ten had dismembred them , &c. and abimelech how rewarded , doing execution on his seventy brethren , a woman his executioner ( judges . ) laying on himself ( as it were ) violent hands , caused one to slay him , not impertinent here to unmerciful executions . vvith the milstones lighting on his head , a presaging to the press , and majorship both , by those several tables under which so many fed by him , of his thumbs to be pared and great-toes . and what figs and grapes such thistles and thorns produces , proceeding therewith the plot of this cut-throat fellow ; which aforesaid arrest in his own house , who to draw her thither fain'd had lost the copy , &c. the ready way for compassing their desperate ends , supposed in having her life at mercy , being sent to the compter , lock'd into her chamber by the keeper : not long after ( she all unready , &c. ) between two of them carried down thence , instantly shut and bolted was into the dungeon-hole , hells epitomy , in the dark out of call or cry , searching first her coats pockets : frustrate that way , with the key took away the candle , there left in their pest-house on the wet floor to take up her lodging , beyond any draught , by so many poysonous vermin harbored : like disquieted spirits setting up fearful several notes , coursing about , &c. about an hour after , when ▪ as no need of sun , moon or other ( anno . july . ) whereof notice extraordinary taken about the city , they brought her again to a chamber , that night till day break , the heavens without intermission flashing out lightnings , as noon-day ; the element like a casemate standing open , without thunder at all , or any rain , those continued fire-works notwithstanding . vvhich time twelve-moneth that adonizebek lord major was committed to the tower , and his brethren ( anno . ) when the armies unexpected arrival at the whitsontide , &c. as for the perfideous printer how hapned with him , soon spued out of house and home , his vvife within few days dead , in whose brothers unhappy name the bond taken . and so when the smoaky bottomless pit to be opened , the purifying days over , oppressed captives , seasonable for elevating their weary heads , signs in heaven and earth , sea and waters , contribute their testimony , no mute obscure tokens , like the floods voice uttering theirs , unbound as it were , clapping their hands for company ; perplexed people at their vvits-end ( luke . ) on all sides in that unparalleld thraldom , mutinying , then these uncircumcised their commissions date expired : as he that reads that magna charta the prophet isaiahs good tidings for them bound , &c. those doors to be unbar'd . of which groaning days thus , alluding to their moneth of travel the tenth , or lying in , paralleld with the ten persecutions , ten days shall have tribulation ; the mysterious beasts reign , crown'd or mitre'd with his ten horns , charged with open blasphemy , spewed out by so many heads , against the tabernacle , the presence , &c. opening no narrow throat , repaid lex talionis , that leads into captivity , &c. rev. . and so much for the year of redemption , arrived that haven , tokens of it likened to the springs infallible messengers of summers approach , the fig-tree and the rest , proclaimed by heavenly heralds , which powers above shaken , like those boughs , others bids beware the tree or ax. vvitness our new star in cassiopei , the french taking essay of its influence , that herodian massacre not long after it , seen years before the year . the heavy day of reckonings forerunner ; of which great-seal day john heard the number ( rev. . ) even sealed the year of god ao dom. . observing the motion of the former , that in the east years afore jerusalems ludgement , the numbred time of our captivity or coming out of heathen babylons purgatory , of whose habeas corpus sealed vvrits a discharge thence of the restless abyss , touching obligations sealed and the like : these an express command ( rev. . ) commanded henceforth not to harm or touch any such , but those branded or charged with murther and theft , &c. ( ver. . ) breach of his law , the commandments . and for this time so much , prefixt fixt or set times though said to be but a certain time for an uncertain , and the like , questionless of highest concernment those undervalued most , or least in request , because flatters not or torments them , termed wilde notions and brainsick , &c. likewise for uncertain names on record , darius as it were for david ; like that dispute about her having five ( ioh. ) bidden go call her husband : whence follows , if davers one , then ( otherwise ) called douglas , he none of hers either . as sarthermore for tedious apprentiships their farewel , together with that granted , what is not true is false ; ergo , libel bastard slips , and sinister actions imposed on his people , unlawful to be fathered on gods vvord , his law thereon either erring not in a tittle . finis . from the fleet . easter . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- consisting of about foot and horse , the length of times foot , the distracted time aged ear ● years , he legton also , &c. the dutch stiled gravs and boors their late loss put into the reckoning , mat. . mark . luk , &c. cap. . luke . revel. . shewing they have a king 〈◊〉 them , &c. ( of the roman faction ) where those cald cavaleers or royalists , and coyn dollors and half crown pieces adored ( daemoniae ) ( he heard the number of them ) with pieces of ordnance , the fleet or navies preparation by those hideous hieroglyphicks signified , &c. whereas divers scandalous untruths and treasonable assertions against our person and government have heretofore been annually dispersed, under pretence of predicting and prognosticating future events, in several books commonly called almanacks and prognostications: ... england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles ii) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; : f [ ]) whereas divers scandalous untruths and treasonable assertions against our person and government have heretofore been annually dispersed, under pretence of predicting and prognosticating future events, in several books commonly called almanacks and prognostications: ... england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles ii) charles ii, king of england, - . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] title from opening lines of text. imprint from wing. dated at end: given at our court at white-hall the . day of september, in the . year of our reign. by his majesties command. edw: nicholas. against issuing almanacs or prognostications without licence. annotation on thomason copy: "octob ." reproduction of the original in the british library. eng almanacs -- england -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no charles r. whereas divers scandalous untruths and treasonable assertions against our person and government have heretofore been annually dis england and wales. sovereign a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion charles r. whereas divers scandalous untruths and treasonable assertions against our person and government have heretofore been annually dispersed , under pretence of predicting and prognosticating future events , in several books commonly called almanacks and prognostications : our will and pleasure is , that no almanacks or prognostications , or any other books of that nature , under what name or title soever , be printed , published or dispersed , within our kingdome of england and dominion of wales , but such as shall be first perused , approved of , and licenced by our trusty and wel-beloved george wharton esquire : and that all writers of almanacks and prognostications , printers , book-sellers , and other persons whatsoever herein concerned , do take special notice of , and pay obedience to this our royal command , as they will answer the contrary at their peril . given at ovr court at white-hall the . day of september , in the . year of ovr reign . by his majesties command . edw : nicholas . the visions and prophecies concerning england, scotland, and ireland, of ezekiel grebner, son of obadiah grebner, son of paul grebner, who presented the famous book of prophecies to queen elisabeth. cowley, abraham, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) the visions and prophecies concerning england, scotland, and ireland, of ezekiel grebner, son of obadiah grebner, son of paul grebner, who presented the famous book of prophecies to queen elisabeth. cowley, abraham, - . [ ], p. printed for henry herringman, and are to be sold at his shop, at the sign of the anchor, in the lower walk in the new-exchange, london : [i.e. ] anonymous. by abraham cowley cf. wing. partly in verse. annotation on thomason copy: "nouemb:"; the in the imprint date has been changed to a . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng grebner, ezekiel -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no the visions and prophecies concerning england, scotland, and ireland, of ezekiel grebner, son of obadiah grebner, son of paul grebner, who p cowley, abraham c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the visions and prophecies concerning england , scotland , and ireland , of ezekiel grebner , son of obadiah grebner , son of paul grebner , who presented the famous book of prophecies to queen elisabeth . ezekiel . . for they are impudent children , and stiff-hearted ; i do send thee unto them , and thou shalt say unto them , thus saith the lord god . . and they , whether they will hear , or whether they will forbear ( for they are a rebellious house ) yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them . london , printed for henry herringman , and are to be sold at his shop , at the sign of the anchor , in the lower walk in the new exchange . ● . advertisement concerning the book and author . paul grebner came out of germany in the reign of queen elizabeth , and presented to her a book of prophecies , which she gave to dr. nevill dean of her chapel , and he to trinity college in cambridge , whereof he was master , where it remains still in the library , and has of late years been made very famous by the fulfilling of many of the predictions in it concerning our nation , and mens hopes of the speedy accomplishment of some others concerning the re-establishment and exaltation of the afflicted royal family . this paul grebner maried a wife with a considerable fortune in the north , and had by her a son called obadiah grebner , and two daughters ( who both dyed young ) after which he made a journey into his own country ( leaving his family in england ) and there deceased . his son abeut the middle of king james his time maried too in the north , and had by his wife ( who lost her own life in the child-birth ) this ezechiel grebner , whom hee bred up very carefully in all manner of good literature , being himself a person of great piety and learning , and esteemed to have the gift of prophecie as well as his father , though nothing of that kind was published by him . from these two sprung our son and grandchild of prophets , who was first educated a while at the university of cambridge , and after sent to several academies beyond seas , where he got great reputation for his extraordinary parts and virtues ; at the beginning of the late troubles he returned into england , and engaged with the parliament , not forsaking them , till they ( as he was wont to say ) revolting ? had left their cause and him to shift for themselves among the men whom he had fought against . ater the death of the king , not onely his detestation of the fact , but his indignation to be so abused and deluded , as to have his own innocency made instrumental towards the producing of such wicked ends , drew him to such an open and avowed hatred of them , as occasioned the ruine of his estate , the danger of his life , and the losse twice of his liberty , first under the parliament , and then under the protector , at the time of whose funeral ( as appeareth by the book it self ) this vision happened to him , which that he might write and publish with lesse danger than he had formerly spoken , he made a journey into germany , and had no sooner done the thing he went for , but he died at strasburg last october . he left all his papers with a dutch gentleman called conrart sluys ( who had lived long in england , and spoke our language perfectly well . ) there were of them ( as i understand ) several little treaties in english and latin , a book of verses upon different occasions , some english , some latin , and some dutch ( for it seems he was a great lover and writer of verse , as you will find by his frequent excursions into it in this discourse ) and lastly three books of visions and prophecies concerning the affairs of our three nations ; the first ( which is but as it were a preface to the other ) is that which is here published ; the second contains a discourse with the angel guardian of england , concerning all the late confusions and misfortunes of it ; the third denounces heavy judgements against the three kingdoms , and several places and parties in them , unlesse they prevent them speedily by serious repentance , and that greatest and hardest work of it , restitution . there is there upon this subject , the burden of england , the burden of scotland , the burden of ireland , the burden of london , the burden of the army , the burden of the divines , the burden of the lawyers , and many others , after the manner of prophetical threatnings in the old testament . thus i am told by the gentleman who gave me this first book , and who had read the other two . this was left in his hands accidentally , the other were carried , as we believe , into italy by mr. conrart sluys , and we have used means to recover them from him if it be possible , hoping that they may be blessedly instrumental towards that repentance and conversion of our nations , which is so evidently necessary for the diverting of all those calamities which are there foretold , and which hang already so apparently over our heads , that they may be seen even by human reason , as well as foreseen by divine inspiration . both the book and this preface were written in the time of the late little protector richard . the visions and prophecies concerning england , scotland , and ireland . it was the funeral day of the late man who made himself to be called protectour , and though i bore but little affection , either to the memory of him , or to the trouble and folly of all publick pageantry , yet i was forced by the importunity of my company to go along with them , and be a spectator of that solemnity , the expectation of which had been so great , that it was said to have brought some very curious persons ( and no doubt singular virtuosos ) as far as from the mount in cornwall , and from the orcades . i found there had been much more cost bestowed than either the dead man , or indeed death it self could deserve . there was a mighty train of black assistants , among which too divers princes in the persons of their ambassadors ( being infinitely afflicted for the losse of their brother ) were pleased to attend ; the herse was magnificent , the idol crowned , and ( not to mention all other ceremonies which are practised at royal interrements , and therefore by no means could be omitted here ) the vast multitude of spectators made up , as it uses to do , no small part of the spectacle it self . but yet i know not how , the whole was so managed , that , methoughts , it somewhat represented the life of him for whom it was made ; much noise , much tumult , much expence , much magnificence , much vain-glory ; briefly , a great show , and yet after all this , but an ill sight . at last ( for it seemed long to me , and like his short reign too , very tedious ) the whole scene past by , and i retired back to my chamber , weary , and i think more melancholy than any of the mourners . where i began to reflect upon the whole life of this prodigious man , and sometimes i was filled with horror and detestation of his actions , and sometimes i inclined a little to reverence and admiration of his courage , conduct , and successe ; till by these different motions and agitations of mind rocked , as it were , a sleep , i fell at last into this vision , or if you please to call it but a dream , i shall not take it ill , because the father of poets tells us , even dreams too are from god . but sure it was no dream ; for i was suddenly transported afar off ( whether in the body , or out of the body , like st. paul , i know not ) and found my self upon the top of that famous hill in the island mona , which has the prospect of three great , and not-long-since most happy king doms ; as soon as ever i lookt upon them , the not-long-since strook upon my memory , and called forth the sad representation of all the sins , and all the miseries that had overwhelmed them these twenty years . and i wept bitterly for two or three hours , and when my present stock of moisture was all wasted , i fell a sighing for an hour more , and as soon as i recovered from my passion the use of speech and reason , i broke forth , as i remember ( looking upon england ) into this complaint . i. ah , happy isle , how art thou chang'd and curst , since i was born , and knew thee first ! when peace , which had forsook the world around , ( frighted with noise , and the shrill trumpets found ) thee for a private place of rest , and a secure retirement chose wherein to build her halcyon nest ; no wind durst stir abroad the air to discompose . . when all the riches of the globe beside flow'd in to thee with every tide ; when all that nature did thy soil deny , the grouth was of thy fruitfull ▪ industry , when all the proud and dreadfull sea , and all his tributary streams , a constant tribute paid to thee . when all the liquid world was one extended thames . . when plenty in each village did appear , and bounty was it's steward there ; when gold walkt free about in open view , ere it one conquering parties prisoner grew ; when the religion of our state had face and substance with her voice , ere she by ' er foolish loves of late , like eccho ( once a nymph ) turn'd onely into noise . . when men to men respect and friendship bore , and god with reverence did adore ; when upon earth no kingdom could have shown a happier monarch to us than our own , and yet his subjects by him were ( which is a truth will hardly be receiv'd by any vulgar ear , a secret known to few ) made happi'r ev'n than he. . thou doest a chaos , and confusion now , a babel , and a bedlam grow , and like a frantick person thou doest tear the ornaments and cloaths which thou should'st wear , and cut thy limbs ; and if we see ( just as thy barbarous britons did ) thy body with hypocrisie painted all ore , thou think'st , thy naked shame is hid . . the nations , which envied thee erewhile , now l●ugh ( too little 't is to smile ) they laugh , and would have pitty'd the : ( ●las ! ) but that thy faults all pity do surpasse . art thou the country which didst hate , and mock the french inconstancy ? and have we , have we seen of late lesse change of habits there , than governments in thee ? . unhappy isle ! no ship of thine at sea , was ever tost and torn like thee . thy naked hulk loose on the waves does beat , the rocks and banks around her ruin threat ; what did thy foolish pilots ail , to lay the compasse quite aside ? without a law or rule to sayl , and rather take the winds , then heavens to be their guide ? . yet , mighty god , yet , yet , we humbly crave , this floating isle from shipwrack save ; and though to wash that bloud which does it stain , it well deserves to sink into the main ; yet for the royal martyrs prayer ( the royal martyr p●ays we know ) this guilty , perishing vessel spare ; hear but his soul above , and not his bloud below . i think i should have gone on , but that i was interrupted by a strange and terrible apparition , for there appeared to me ( arising out of the earth , as i conceived ) the figure of a man taller than a gyant , or indeed than the shadow of any gyant in the evening . his body was naked , but that nakednesse adorn'd , or rather deform'd all over , with several figures , after the manner of the antient britons , painted upon it : and i perceived that most of them were the representation of the late battels in our civil warrs , and ( if i be not much mistaken ) it was the battel of nasbey that was drawn upon his breast . his eyes were like burning brasse , and there were three crowns of the same mettal ( as i guest ) and that lookt as red-hot too , upon his head . he held in his right hand a sword that was yet bloody , and neverthelesse the motto of it was pax quaeritur bello , and in his left hand a thick book , upon the back of wich was written in letters of gold , acts , ordinances , protestations , covenants , engagements , declarations , remonstrances , &c. though this suddain , unusual , and dreadful object might have quelled a greater courage than mine , yet so it pleased god ( for there is nothhing bolder than a man in a vision ) that i was not at all daunted , but askt him resolutely and briefly , what art thou ? and he said , i am called the north-west principality , his highnesse , the protector of the common-wealth of england , scotland , and ireland , and the dominions belonging thereunto , for i am that angel to whom the almighty has committed the government of those three kingdoms which thou seest from this place . and i answered and said , if it be so , sir , it seems to me that for almost these● twenty years past your highnesse has been absent from your charge : for not onely if any angel , but if any wise and honest men had since that time been our governour , we should not have wandred thus long in these laborious and endlesse labyrinths of confusion , but either not have entered at all into them , or at least have returned back ere we had absolutely lost our way ; but instead of your highnesse , we have had since such a protector as was his predecessor richard the third to the king his nephew ; for he presently slew the common-wealth , which he pretended to protect , and set up himself in the place of it ; a little lesse guilty indeed in one respect , because the other slew an innocent , and this man did but murder a muderer . such a protector we have had as we would have been glad to have changed for any enemy , and rather received a constant turk , than this every moneths apostate ; such a protector as man is to his flocks , which he sheers , and sells , or devours himself ; and i would fain know , what the wolf , which he protects him from , could do more . such a protector — and as i was proceeding , me-thoughts , his highnesse began to put on a displeased and threatning countenance , as men use to do when their dearest friends happen to be traduced in their company , which gave me the first rise of jealousy against him , for i did not believe that cromwell amongst all his forein correspondences had ever held any with angels . however i was not hardned enough yet to venture a quarrel with him then ; and therefore ( as if i had spoken to the protector himself in white-hall ) i desired him that his highnesse would please to pardon me if i had unwittingly spoken any thing to the disparagement of a person , whose relations to his highnesse i had not the honour to know . at which he told me , that he had no other concernment for his late highnesse , than as he took him to be the greatest man that ever was of the english nation , if not ( said he ) of the whole world , which gives me a just title to the defence of his reputation , since i now account my self , as it were , a naturalized english angel , by having had so long the management of the affairs of that country . and pray country-man ( said he , very kindly and very flateringly ) for i would not have you fall into the general errour of the world , that detests and decryes so extraordinary a virtue , what can be more extraordinary than that a person of mean birth , no fortune , no eminent qualities of body ( which have sometimes ) or of mind ( which have often raised men to the highest dignities ) should have the courage to attempt , and the happinesse to succeed in so improbable a design , as the destruction of one of the most antient , and in all appearance most solidly founded monarchies upon the earth ? that he should have the power or boldnesse to put his prince and master to an open and infamous death ? to banish that numerous , and strongly-allied family ? to do all this under the name and wages of a parliament ; to trample upon them too as he pleased , and spurn them out of dores when he grew weary of them ; to raise up a new and unheard-of monster out of their ashes ; to stifle that in the very infancy , and set up himself above all things that ever were called soveraign in england ; to oppress all his enemies by arms , and all his friends afterwards by artifice ; to serve all parties patiently for a while , and to command them victoriously at last ; to over-run each corner of the three nations , and overcome with equal facility both the riches of the south , and the poverty of the north ; to be feared and courted by all forein princes , and adopted a brother to the gods of the earth ; to call together parliaments with a word of his pen , and scatter them again with the breath of his mouth ; to be humbly and daily petitioned that he would please to be hired at the rate of two millions a year , to be the master of those who had hired him before to be their servant ; to have the estates and lives of three kingdoms as much at his disposal , as was the little inheritance of his father , and to be as noble and liberal in the spending of them ; and lastly ( for there is no end of all the particulars of his glory ) to bequeath all this with one word to his posterity ; to die with peace at home , and triumph abroad ; to be buried among kings , and with more than regal solemnity ; and to leave a name behind him , not to be extinguisht , but with the whole world , which as it is now too little for his praises , so might have been too for his conquests if the short line of his humarie life could have been strecht out to the extent of his immortal designs ? by this speech i began to understand perfectly well what kind of angel his pretended highnesse was , and having fortified my self privately with a short mental prayer , and with the sign of the crosse ( not out of any superstition to the sign , but as a recognition of my baptism in christ ) i grew a little bolder , and replyed in this manner ; i should not venture to oppose what you are pleased to say in commendation of the late great , and ( i confesse ) extraordinary person , but that i remember christ forbids us to give assent to any other doctrine but what himself has taught us , even though it should be delivered by an angel ; and if such you be , sir , it may be you have spoken all this rather to try than to tempt my frailty : for sure i am , that we must renounce or forget all the laws of the new and old testament , and those which are the foundation of both , even the laws of moral and natural honesty , if we approve of the actions of that man whom i suppose you commend by irony . there would be no end to instance in the particulars of all his wickednesse ; but to sum up a part of it briefly ; what can be more extraordinarily wicked , than for a person , such as your self qualify him rightly , to endeavour not onely to exalt himself above , but to trample upon all his equals and betters ? to pretend freedom for all men , and under the help of that petence to make all men his servants ? to take arms against taxes of scarce two hundred thousand pounds a year , and to raise them himself to above two milions ? to quarrel for the losse of three or four eares , and strike off three or four hundred heads ? to fight against an imaginary suspition of i know not what two thousand guards to be fetcht for the king , i know not from whence , and to keep up for himself no lesse than forty thousand ? to pretend the defence of parliaments , and violently to dissolve all even of his own calling , and almost choosing ? to undertake the reformation of religion , to rob it even to the very skin , and then to expose it naked to the rage of all sects and heresies ? to set up counsels of rapine , and courts of murder ? to fight against the king under a commission for him ; to take him forceably out of the hands of those for whom he had conquered him ; to draw him into his net , with protestations and vows of fidelity , and when he had caught him in it , to butcher him , with as little shame , as conscience , or humanity , in the open face of the whole world ? to receive a commission for king and parliament , to murder ( as i said ) the one , and destroy no lesse impudently the other ? to fight against monarchy when he declared for it , and declare against it when he contrived for it in his own person ? to abase perfideously and supplant ingratefully his own general first , and afterwards most of those officers , who with the losse of their honour , and hazard of their souls , had lifted him up to the top of his unreasonable ambitions ? to break his faith with all enemies , and with all friends equally ? and to make no lesse frequent use of the most solemn perjuries than the looser sort of people do of customary oaths ? to usurp three kingdoms without any shadow of the least pretensions , and to govern them as unjustly as he got them ? to set himself up as an idol ( which we know as st. paul sayes , in it self is nothing ) and make the very streets of london , like the valley of hinnon , by burning the bowels of men as a sacrifice to his moloch-ship ? to seek to entail this usurpation upon his posterity , and with it an endlesse war upon the nation ? and lastly , by the severest judgement of almighty god , to dye i ardned , and mad , and unrepentant , with the curses of the present age , and the detestation of all to succeed . though i had much more to say ( for the life of man is so short , that it allows not time enough to speak against a tyrant ) yet because i had a mind to hear how my strange adversary would behave himself upon this subject , and to give even the devil ( as they say ) his right , and fair play in a disputation , i stopt here , and expected ( not without the frailty of a little fear ) that he should have broke into a violent passion in behalf of his favourite ; but he on the contrary very calmly , and with the dove-like innocency of a serpent that was not yet warm'd enough to sting , thus replyed to me . it is not so much out of my affection to that person whom we discourse of ( whose greatnesse is too solid to be shaken by the breath of any oratory ) as for your own sake ( honest country-man ) whom i conceive to err , rather by mistake than out of malice , that i shall endeavour to reform your uncharitable and unjust opinion . and in the first place i must needs put you in mind of a sentence of the most antient of the heathen divines , that you men are acquainted withall , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , t is wicked with insulting feet to tread upon the monuments of the dead . and the intention of the reproof there is no lesse proper for this subject ; for it is spoken to a person who was proud and insolent against those dead men to whom he had been humble and obedient whilst they lived . your highnesse may please ( said i ) to add the verse that follows , as no lesse proper for this subject whom god's just doom and their own sins have sent already to their punishment . but i take this to be the rule in the case , that when we fix any infamy upon deceased persons , it should not be done out of hatred to the dead , but out of love and charity to the living , that the curses which onely remain in mens thoughts , and dare not come forth against tyrants ( because they are tyrants ) whilest they are so , may at least be for ever setled and engraven upon their memories , to deterre all others from the like wickednesse , which else in the time of their foolish prosperity , the flattery of their own hearts , and of other mens toungs , would not suffer them to perceive . ambition is so subtil a tempter , and the corruption of humane nature so susceptible of the temptation , that a man can hardly resist it , be he never so much forewarn'd of the evil consequences , much lesse if he find not onely the concurrence of the present , but the approbation too of following ages , which have the liberty to judge more freely . the mischief of tyranny is too great , even in the shortest time that it can continue , it is endlesse and insupportable , if the example be to reign too , and if a lambert must be invited to follow the steps of a cromwell as well by the voice of honour , as by the sight of power and riches . though it may seem to some fantastically , yet was it wisely done of the syracusians , to implead with the forms of their ordinary justice , to condemn , and de●●roy even the statues of all their tyrants ; if it were possible to cut them out of all history , and to extinguish their very names , i am of opinion that it ought to be done ; but since they have left behind them too deep wounds to be ever closed up without a scar , at least let us set such a mark upon their memory , that men of the same wicked inclinations may be no lesse affrighted with their lasting ignominy , than enticed by their momentary glories . and that your highnesse may perceive that i speak not all this out of any private animosity against the person of the late protector , i assure you upon my faith that i bear no more hatred to his name , than i do to that of marius or sylla , who never did me or any friend of mine the least injury ; and with that transported by a holy fury , i fell into this sudden rapture . . curst be the man ( what do i wish ? as though the wretch already were not so ; but curst on let him be ) who thinks it brave and great , his countrey to enslave . who seeks to overpoise alone the balance of a nation ; against the whole but naked state , who in his own light scale makes up with arms the weight . . who of his nation loves to be the first , though at the rate of being worst . who would be rather a great monster , than a well-proportion'd man . the son of earth with hundred hands upon his three-pil'd mountain stands , till thunder strikes him from the sky ; the son of earth again in his earths womb does lie . . what bloud , confusion , ruin , to obtain a short and m●serable reign ? in what oblique , and humble creeping wise does the mischievous serpent rise ? but even his forked toung st●ikes dead , when h'as reard up his wicked head , he murders with his mortal frown , a basilisk he grows , if once he get a crown . . but no guards can oppose assaulting eares , or undermining tears . no more than doors , or close-drawn curtains keep the swarming dreams out when we sleep . that bloudy conscience too of his ( for , oh , a rebell red-coat 't is ) does here his early hell begin , he sees his slaves without , his tyrant feels within . . let , gracious god , let never more thine hand lift up this rod against our land . a tyrant is a rod and serpent too , and brings worse plagues than egypt knew . what rivers stain'd with bloud have been ? what storm and hail-shot have we seen ? what sores deform'd the ulcerous state ? what darknesse to be felt has buried us of late ? . how has it snatcht our flocks and herds away ? and made even of our sons a prey ? what croaking sects and vermine has it sent the restlesse nation to torment ? what greedy troups , what armed power of flies and locusts to devour the land which every where they fill ? nor fly they , lord , away ; no , they devour it still . . come the eleventh plague , rather than this should be ; come sink us rather in the sea . come rather pestilence , and reap us down ; come gods sword rather than our own . let rather roman come again , or saxon , norman , or the dane , in all the bonds we ever bore , we griev'd , we sigh'd , we wept ; we never blusht before . . if by our sins the divine justice be call'd to this last extremity , let some denouncing jonas first be sent , to try if england can repent . methinks at least some prodigy , some dreadfull comet from on high , should terribly forewarn the earth , as of good princes deaths , so of a tyrants birth . here the spirit of verse beginning a little to fail , i stopt , and his highnesse smiling said , i was glad to see you engaged in the enclosures of meeter , for if you had staid in the open plain of declaiming against the word tyrant , i must have had patience for half a dosen hours , till you had tired your self as well as me . but pray , countrey-man , to avoid this sciomachy , or imaginary combat with words , let me know fir●t what you mean by the name of tyrant , for i remember that among your antient authors , not onely all kings , but even jupiter himself ( your juvans pater ) is so termed , and perhaps as it was used formerly in a good sence , so we shall find it upon better consideration to be still a good thing for the benefit and peace of mankind , at least it will appear whether your interpretation of it may be justly applied to the person who is now the subject of our discourse . i call him ( said i ) a tyrant , who either intrudes himself forcibly into the government of his fellow citizens without any legal authority over them , or who having a just title to the government of a people , abuses it to the destruction , or tormenting of them . so that all tyrants are at the same time usurpers , either of the whole or at least of a part of that power which they assume to themselves , and no lesse are they to be accounted rebels , since no man can usurp authority over others , but by rebelling against them who had it before , or at least against those laws which were his superiors ; and in all these sences no history can affoard us a more evident example of tyranny , or more out all possibility of excuse , or palliation , than that of the person whom you are pleased to defend , whether we consid●r his reiterated rebellions against all his superiors , or his usurpation of the supream power to himself , or his tyranny in the exercise of it ; and if lawfull princes have been esteemed tyrants by not containing themselves within the bounds of those laws which have been left them as the sphere of their authority by their fore-fathers , what shall we say of that man , who having by right no power at all in this nation , could not content himself with that which had satisfied the most ambitious of our princes ? nay , not with those vastly extended limits of soverainty , which he ( disdaining all that had been prescribed and observed before ) was pleased ( but of great modesty ) to set to himself ? not abstaining from rebellion and usurpation even against his own laws as well as those of the nation ? hold friend ( said his highnesse , ( pulling me by my arm ) for i see your zeal is transporting you again ) whether the protector were a tyrant in the exorbirant exercise of his power we shall see anon , it is requisite to examine first whether he were so in the usurpation of it . and i say , that not onely he , but no man else ever was , or can be so ; and that for these reasons . first , because all power belongs onely to god , who is the source and fountain of it , as kings are of all honours in their dominions . princes are but his viceroys in the little provinces of this world , and to some he gives their places for a few years , to some for their lives , and to others ( upon ends or deserts best known to himself , or meerly for his undisputable good pleasure ) he bestows as it were leases upon them , and their posterity , for such a date of time as is prefixt in that patent of their destiny , which is not legible to you men below . neither is it more unlawfull for oliver to succeed charls in the kingdom of england , when god so disposes of it , than it had been for him to have succeeded the lord strafford in the lieutenancy of ireland , if he had been appointed to it by the king then reigning . men are in both the cases obliged to obey him whom they see actually invested with the authority by that sovereign from whom he ought to derive it , without disputing or examining the causes , either of the removeal of the one , or the preferment of the other . secondly , because all power is attained either by the election and consent of the people , and that takes away your objection of forcible intrusion ; or else by a conquest of them , and that gives such a legal authority as you mention to be wanting in the usurpation of a tyrant ; so that either this title is right , and then there are no usurpers , or else it is a wrong one , and then there are none else but usurpers , if you examine the original pretences of the princes of the world . thirdly , ( which quitting the dispute in general , is a particular justification of his highnesse ) the government of england was totally broken and dissolved , and extinguisht by the confusions of a civil war , so that his highnesse could not be accused to have possest himself violently of the antient building of the commonwealth , but to have prudently and peaceably built up a new one out of the ruins and ashes of the former ; and he who after a deplorable shipwrack can with extraordinary industry gather together the disperst and broken planks and pieces of it , and with no lesse wonderfull art and f●licity so rejoyn them as to make a new vessel more tight and beautifull than the old one , deserves no doubt to have the command of her ( even as his highnesse had ) by the desire of the sea-men and passengers themselves . and do but consider lastly ( for i omit multitude of weighty things that might be spoken upon this noble argument ) do but consider seriously and impartially with your self , what admirable parts of wit and prudence , what indefatigable diligence and invincible courage must of necessity have concurred in the person of that man , who from so contemptible beginnings ( as i observed before ) and through so many thousand difficulties , was able not onely to make himself the greatest and most absolute monarch of this nation , but to add to it the entire conquest of ireland and scotland ( which the whole force of the world joyned with the roman virtue could never attain to ) and to crown all this with illustrious and heroical undertakings , and successes upon ' all our forein enemies ; do but ( i say again ) consider this , and you will confesse , that his prodigious merits were a better title to imperial dignity , than the bloud of an hundred royal progenitors ; and will rather lament that he lived not to overcome more nations , than envy him the conquest and dominion of these . who ever you are ( said i , my indignation making me somewhat bolder ) your discourse ( methinks ) becomes as little the person of a tutelar angel , as cromwels actions did that of a protector . it is upon these principles that all the great crimes of the world have been committed , and most particularly those which i have had the misfortune to see in my own time , and in my own countrey . if these be to be allowed , we must break up human society , retire into the woods , and equally there stand upon our guards against our brethren mankind , and our rebels the wild beasts . for if there can be no usurpation upon the rights of a whole nation , there can be none most certainly upon those of a private person ; and if the robbers of countreys be gods vicegerents , there is no doubt but the thieves , and banditos , and murderers are his under officers . it is true which you say , that god is the scource and fountain of all power , and it it is no lesse true that he is the creator of serpents as well as angels , nor does his goodnesse fail of its ends even in the malice of his own creatures . what power he suffers the devil to exercise in this world , is too apparent by our daily experience , and by nothing more than the late monsterous iniquities which you dispute for , and patronize in england ; but would you inferre from thence , that the power of the devil is a just and lawful one , and that all men ought , as well as most men do , obey him ? god is the fountain of all powers ; but some flow from the right hand ( as it were ) of his goodnesse , and others from the left hand of his justice ; and the world , like an island between these two rivers , is sometimes refresht and nourished by the one , and sometimes overrun and ruined by the other ; and ( to continue a little farther the allegory ) we are never overwhelmed with the latter , till either by our malice or negligence we have slopt and damm'd up the former . but to come a little closer to your argument , or rather the image of an argument , your similitude ; if cromwell had come to command ireland in the place of the late lord strafford , i should have yielded obedience , not for the equipage , and the strength , and the guards which he brought with him , but for the commission which he should first have showed me from our common soveraign that sent him ; and if he could have done that from god almighty , i would have obeyed him too in england ; but that he was so far from being able to do , that on the contrary , i read nothing but commands , and even publick proclamations from god almighty , not to admit him . your second argument is , that he had the same right for his authority , that is the foundation of all others , even the right of conquest . are we then so unhappy as to be conquered by the person , whom we hired at a daily rate , like a labourer , to conquer others for us ? did we furnish him with arms , onely to draw and try upon our enemies ( as we , it seems , falsely thought them ) and keep them for ever sheath'd in the bowels of his friends ? did we fight for liberty against our prince , that we might become slaves to our servant ? this is such an impudent pretence , as neither he nor any of his flatterers for him had ever the face to mention . though it can hardly be spoken or thought of without passion , yet i shall , if you please , argue it more calmly than the case deserves . the right certainly of conquest can onely be exercised upon those against whom the war is declared , and the victory obtained . so that no whole nation can be said to be conquered but by forein force . in all civil wars men are so far from stating the quarrel against their country , that they do it onely against a person or party which they really believe , or at least pretend to be pernicious to it , neither can there be any just cause for the destruction of a part of the body , but when it is done for the preservation and safety of the whole . 't is our country that raises men in the quarrel , our country that arms , our country that payes them , our country that authorises the undertaking , and by that distinguishes it from rapine and murder ; lastly , 't is our country that directs and commands the army , and is indeed their general . so that to say in civil warrs that the prevailing party conquers their country , is to say , the country conquers it self . and if the general onely of that party be the conquerour , the army by which he is made so , is no lesse conquered than the army which is beaten , and have as little reason to triumph in that victory , by which they lose both their honour and liberty . so that if cromwell conquered any party , it was onely that against which he was sent , and what that was , must appear by his commission . it was ( sayes that ) against a company of evil counsellours , and disaffected persons , who kept the king from a good intelligence and conjunction with his people . it was not then against the people . it is so far from being so , that even of that party which was beaten , the conquest did not belong to cromwell but to the parliament which employed him in their service , or rather indeed to the king and parliament , for whose service ( if there had been any faith in mens vows and protestations ) the warrs were undertaken . merciful god! did the right of this miserable conquest remain then in his majesty , and didst thou suffer him to be des●royed with more barbarity than if he had been conquered even by savages and cannibals ? was it for king and parliament that we fought , and has it fared with them just as with the army which we fought against , the one part being slain , and the other fled ? it appears therefore plainly , that cromwell was not a conquerour , but a thief and robber of the rights of the king and parliament , and an usurper upon those of the people . i do not here de●y conquest to be sometimes ( though it be very rarely ) a true title , but i deny this to be a true conquest . sure i am , that the race of our princes came not in by such a one . one nation may conquer another sometimes justly , and if it be unjusty , yet still it is a true conquest , and they are to answer for the injustice onely to god almighty ( having nothing else in authority above them ) and not as particular rebels to their country , which is , and ought alwaies to be their superior and their lord . if perhaps we find usurpation instead of conquest in the original titles of some royal families abroad ( as no doubt there have been many usurpers before ours , though none in so impudent and execrable a manner ) all i can say for them is , that their title was very weak , till by length of time , and the death of all just●r pretenders , it became to be the true , because it was the onely one . your third defence of his highnesse ( as your highnesse pleases to call him ) enters in most seasonably after his pretence of conquest , for then a man may say any thing . the government was broken ; who broke it ? it was dissolved ; who dissolved it ? it was extinguisht ; who was it but cromwell , who not onely put out the light , but cast away even the very snuff of it ? as if a man should murder a whole family , and then possesse himself of the house , because 't is better that he than that onely rats should live there . jesus god! ( said i , and at that word i perceived my pretended angel to give a start , and trembled , but i took no notice of it , and went on ) this were a wicked pretension even though the whole family were destroyed , but the heirs ( blessed be god ) are yet surviveing , and likely to outlive all heirs of their dispossessors , besides their infamy . rode caper vitem , &c. there will be yet wine enough left for the sacrifice of these wild beasts that have made so much spoil in the vine yard . but did cromwell think , like nero , to set the city on fire , onely that he might have the honour of being founder of a new and more beautiful one ? he could not have such a shadow of virtue in his wickednesse ; he meant onely to rob more securely and more richly in midst of the combustion ; he little thought then that he should ever have been able to make himself . master of the palace , as well as plunder the goods of the commonwealth . he was glad to see the publick vessel ( the soveraign of the seas ) in as desperate a condition as his own little canou , and thought onely with some scattered planks of that great shipwrack to make a better fisherboat for himself . but when he saw that by the drowning of the master ( whom he himself treacherously knockt on the head as he was swimming for his life ) by the flight and dispersion of others , and cowardly patience of the remaining company , that all was abandoned to his pleasure , with the old hulk and new mis-shapen and disagreeing peeces of his own , he made up with much adoe that piratical vessel which we have seen him command , and which how tight indeed it was , may best be judged by it's perpetual leaking . first then ( much more wicked than those foolish daughters in the fable , who cut their old father into pieces , in hope by charms and witchcraft to make him young and lusty again ) this man endeavoured to destroy the building , before he could imagine in what manner , with what materials , by what workmen , or what architect it was to be rebuilt . secondly , if he had dream't himself to be able to revive that body which he had killed , yet it had been but the insupportable insolence of an ignorant mountebanck ; and thirdly ( which concerns us nearest ) that very new thing which he made out of the ruines of the old , is no more like the original , either for beauty , use , or duration , than an artificial plant raised by the fire of a chymist is comparable to the true and natural one which he first burnt , that out of the ashes of it he might produce an imperfect similitude of his own making . your last argument is such ( when reduced to syllogism ) that the major proposition of it would make strange work in the world , if it were received for truth ; to wit , that he who has the best parts in a nation , has the right of being king over it . we had enough to do here of old with the contention between two branches of the same family , what would become of us when every man in england should lay his claim to the government ? and truly if cromwell should have commenced his plea when he seems to have begun his ambition , there were few persons besides that might not at the same time have put in theirs to . but his deserts i suppose you will date from the same term that i do his great demerits , that is , from the beginning of our late calamities , ( for as for his private faults before , i can onely wish ( and that with as much charity to him as to the publick ) that he had continued in them till his death , rather than changed them for those of his latter dayes ) and therefore we must begin the consideration of his greatnesse from the unlucky aera of our own misfortunes , which puts me in mind of what was said lesse truly of pompey the great , nostra miseria magnus es . but because the general ground of your argumentation consists in this , that all men who are the effecters of extraordinary mutations in the world , must needs have extraordinary forces of nature by which they are enabled to turn about , as they please , so great a wheel ; i shall speak first a few words upon this universal proposition , which seems so reasonable , and is so popular , before i descend to the particular examination of the eminences of that person which is in question . i have often observed ( with all submission and resignation of spirit to the inscrutable mysteries of eternal providence ) that when the fulnesse and maturity of time is come that produces the great confusions and changes in the world , it usually pleases god to make it appear by the manner of them , that they are not the effects of humane sorce or policy , but of the divine justice and predestination , and though we see a man , like that which we call jack of the clo●khonse , striking , as it were , the hour of that fulnesse of time , yet our reason must needs be convinced , that his hand is moved by some secret , and , to us who stand without , invisible direction . and the stream of the current is then so violent , that the strongest men in the world cannot draw up against it , and none are so weak , but they may sail down with it . these are the spring-tides of publick affairs which we see often happen , but seek in vain to discover any certain causes , — omnia fluminis ritu feruntur , nunc medio alveo cum pace delabentis hetruscum in mare , nunc lapides adesos stirpesque raptas , & pecus & domos volventis una , non sine montium clamore , vicinaeque silvae ; cumfera diluvies quietos irritat amnes , — and one man then , by malitiously opening all the sluces that he can come at , can never be the sole author of all this ( though he may be as guilty as if really he were , by intending and imagining to be so ) but it is god that breaks up the flood-gates of so general a deluge , and all the art then and industry of mankind is not sufficient to raise up dikes and ramparts against it . in such a time it was as this , that not all the wisdom and power of the roman senate , nor the wit and eloquence of cicero , nor the courage and virtue of brutus was able to defend their countrey or themselves against the unexperienced rashnesse of a beardlesse boy , and the loose rage of a voluptuous mad-man . the valour and prudent counsels on the one side are made fruitlesse , and the errors and cowardize on the other harmlesse , by unexpected accidents . the one general saves his life , and gains the whole world , by a very dream ; and the other loses both at once by a little mistake of the shortnesse of his sight . and though this be not alwayes so , for we see that in the translation of the great monarchies from one to another , it pleased god to make choise of the most eminent men in nature , as cyrus , alexander , scipio and his contemporaries , for his chief instruments and actors in so admirable a work ( the end of this being not onely to destroy or punish one nation , which may be done by the worst of mankind , but to exalt and blesse another , which is onely to be effected by great and virtuous persons ) yet when god onely intends the temporary chastisement of a people , he does not raise up his servant cyrus ( as he himself is pleased to call him ) or an alexander ( who had as many virtues to do good , as vices to do harm ) but he makes the massanell●s , and the johns of leyden the instruments of his vengeance , that the power of the almighty might bee more evident by the weaknesse of the means which he chooses to demonstrate it . hee did not assemble the serpents and the monsters of afrique to correct the pride of the egyptians , but called for his armies of locusts out of aethiopia , and formed new ones of vermine out of the very dust ; and because you see a whole countrey destroyed by these , will you argue from thence that they must needs have had both the craft of foxes , and the courage of lions ? it is easie to apply this general observation to the particular case of our troubles in england , and that they seem onely to be meant for a temporary chastisement of our sins , and not for a total abolishment of the old , and introduction of a new government , appears probable to me from these considerations , as farre as we may be bold to make a judgement of the will of god in future events . first , because he has suffered nothing to settle or take root in the place of that which hath been so unwisely and unjustly removed , that none of these untempered mortars can hold out against the next blast of wind , nor any stone stick to a stone , till that which these foolish builders have refused be made again the head of the corner . for when the indisposed and long tormented commonwealth has wearied and spent it self almost to nothing with the chargeable , various , and dangerous experiments of several mountebanks , it is to be supposed it will have the wit at last to send for a true physician , especially when it sees ( which is the second consideration ) most evidently ( as it now begins to do , and will do every day more and more , and might have done perfectly long since ) that no usurpation ( under what name or pretext soever ) can be kept up without open force , nor force without the continuance of those oppressions upon the people , which will at last tire out their patience , though it be great even to stupidity . they cannot be so dull ( when poverty and hunger begins to whet their understanding ) as not to find out this no extraordinary mystery , that 't is madnesse in a nation to pay three millions a year for the maintaining of their servitude under tyrants , when they might live free for nothing under their princes . this , i say , will not alwayes ly hid even to the slowest capacities , and the next truth they will discover afterwards , is , that a whole people can never have the will without having at the same time the power to redeem themselves . thirdly , it does not look ( methinks ) as if god had forsaken the family of that man , from whom he has raised up five children , of as eminent virtue , and all other commendable qualities , as ever lived perhaps ( for so many together , and so young ) in any other family in the whole world . especially if we add hereto this consideration , that by protecting and preserving some of them already through as great dangers as ever were past with safety , either by prince or private person , he has given them already ( as we may reasonably hope it to be meant ) a promise and ●arnest of his future favours . and lastly ( to return closely to the discourse from which i have a little digrest ) because i see nothing of those excellent parts of nature , and mixture of merit with their vices in the late disturbers of our peace and happinesse , that uses to be found in the persons of those who are born for the erection of new empires . and i confesse i find nothing of that kind , no not any shadow ( taking away the false light of some prosperity ) in the man whom you extol for the first example of it . and certainly all virtues being rightly devided into moral and intellectual , i know not how we can better judge of the former than by mens actions , or of the latter than by their writings or speeches . as for these latter ( which are least in merit , or rather which are onely the instruments of mischief where the other are wanting ) i think you can hardly pick out the name of a man who ever was called great , besides him we are now speaking of , who never left the memory behind him of one wife or witty apothegm even amongst his domestique servants or greatest flatterers . that little in print which remains upon a sad record for him , is such , as a satyre against him would not have made him say , for fear of transgressing too much the rules of probability . i know not what you can produce for the justification of his parts in this kind , but his having been able to deceive so many particular persons , and so many whole parties ; which if you please to take notice of for the advantage of his intellectuals , i desire you to allow me the liberty to do so too , when i am to speak of his morals . the truth of the thing is this , that if craft be wisdom , and dissimulation wit , ( assisted both and improved with hypocrisies and perjuries ) i must not deny him to have been singular in both ; but so grosse was the manner in which he made use of them , that as wise-men ought not to have believed him at first , so no man was fool enough to believe him at last ; neither did any man seem to do it , but those who thought they gained as much by that dissembling , as he did by his . his very actings of godlinesse grew at last as ridiculous , as if a player , by putting on a gown , should think he represented excellently a woman , though his beard at the same time were seen by all the spectators . if you ask me why they did not hisse , and explode him off of the stage , i can onely answer , that they durst not do so , because the actors and the door-keepers were too strong for the company . i must confesse that by these arts ( how grosly soever managed , as by hypocritical praying , and silly preaching , by unmanly tears and whinings , by falshoods and perjuries even diabolical ) he had at first the good fortune ( as men call it , that is the ill fortune ) to attain his ends ; but it was because his ends were so unreasonable , that no human reason could foresee them ; which made them who had to do with him believe that he was rather a well meaning and deluded bigot , than a crafty and malicious impost●r , that these arts were helpt by an indesatigable industry ( as you term it ) i am so far from doubting , that i intended to object that diligence as the worst of his crimes . it makes me almost mad when i hear a man commended for his diligence in wickednesse . if i were his son i should wish to god he had been a more lazie person , and that we might have found him sleeping at the hours when other men are ordinarily waking , rather than waking for those ends of his when other men were ordinarily asleep ; how diligent the wicked are the scripture often tells us ; their feet run to evil , and they make haste to shed innocent bloud , isa. . . he travels with iniquity , psal. . . he deviseth mischief upon his bed , psal. . . they search out iniquity , they accomplish a diligent search , psal. . . and in a multitude of other places . and would it not seem ridiculous to praise a wolf for his watchfulnesse , and for his indefatigable industry in ranging all night about the countrey , whilest the sheep , and perhaps the shepherd , and perhaps thevery dogs too are all asleep ? the charereux wants the warning of a bell to call him to the duties of his cell ; there needs no noise at all t' awaken sin , th' adulterer and the thief his larum has within . and if the diligence of wicked persons be so much to be blamed , as that it is onely an emphasis and exaggetation of their wickednesse , i see not how their courage can avoid the same censure . if the undertaking bold , and vast , and unreasonable designs can deserve that honorable name , i am sure faux and his fellow gun-powder fiends will have cause to pretend , though not an equal , yet at least the next place of honour , neither can i doubt but if they too had succeeded , they would have found their applauders and admirers . it was bold unquestionably for a man in defiance of all human and divine laws ( and with so little probability of a long impunity ) so publiquely and so outragiously to murder his master ; it was bold with so much insolence and affront to expell and disperse all the chief partners of his guilt , and creators of his power ; it was bold to violate so openly and so scornfully all acts and constitutions of a nation , and afterwards even of his own making ; it was bold to assume the authority of calling , and bolder yet of breaking so many parliaments ; it was bold to trample upon the patience of his own , and provoke that of all neighbouring countreys ; it was bold , i say , above all boldnesses , to usurp this tyranny to himself , and impudent above all impudences to endeavour to transmit it to his posterity . but all this boldnesse is so far from being a sign of manly courage , ( which dares not transgresse the rules of any other virtue ) that it is onely a demonstration of brutish madnesse or diabolical possession . in both which last cases there uses frequent examples to appear of such extraordinary force as may justly seem more wonderfull and astonishing than the actions of cromwell , neither is it stranger to believe that a whole nation should not be able to govern him and a mad army , than that five or six men should not be strong enough to bind a distracted girl . there is no man ever succeeds in one wickednesse but it gives him the boldnesse to attempt a greater ; 't was boldly done of n●ro to kill his mother , and all the chief nobility of the empire ; 't was boldly done to set the metropolis of the whole world on fire , and undauntedly play upon his harp wnilest he saw it burning ; i could reckon up five hundred boldnesses of that great person ( for why should not he too be called so ? ) who wanted when he was to die that courage which could hardly have failed any woman in the like necessity . it would look ( i must confesse ) like envy or too much partiality if i should say that personal kind of courage had been deficient in the man we speak of ; i am confident it was not , and yet i may venture i think to asfirm , that no man ever bore the honour of so many victories , at the rate of fewer wounds or dangers of his own body , and though his valour might perhaps have given him a ju●t pretension to one of the first charges in an army , it could not certainly be a sufficient ground for a title to the command of three nations . what then shall we say ? that he did all this by witchcraft ? he did so indeed in a great measure by a sin that is called like it in the scriptures . but truely and unpassionately reflecting upon the advantages of his person which might be thought to have produced those of his fortune , i can espy no other but extraordinary diligence and infinite dissimulation ; and believe he was exalted above his nation partly by his own faults , but chiefly for ours . we have brought him thus briefly ( not through all his labyrinths ) to the supreme uusurpt authority , and because you say it was great pitie he did not live to command more kingdoms , be pleased to let me represent to you in a few words , how well i conceive he governed these . and we will divide the consideration into that of his forein and domestique actions . the first of his forein was a peace with our brethren of holland ( who were the first of our neighbours that god chastised for having had so great a hand in the encouraging and abetting our troubles at home ) who would not imagine at first glympse that this had been the most virtuous and laudable deed that his whole life could make any parade of ? but no man can look upon all the circumstances without perceiving , that it was purely the sale and sacrifizing of the greatest advantages that this countrey could ever hope , and was ready to reap , from a forein war , to the private interests of his covetousnesse and ambition , and the security of his new and unsetled usurpation . no sooner is that danger past , but this beatus pacificus is kindling a fire in the northern world , and carrying a war two thousand miles off westwards . two millions a year ( besides all the vales of his protectorship ) is as little capable to suffice now either his avarice or prodigality , as the two hundred pounds were that he was born to . he must have his prey of the whole indies both by sea and land , this great aligator . to satisfie our anti-solomon ( who ●as made silver almost as rare as gold , and gold as precious stones in his new jerusalem ) we must go , ten thousand of his slaves , to fetch him riches from his fantastical ophir . and because his flatterers brag of him as the most fortunate prince ( the faustus as well as sylla of our nation , whom god never forsook in any of his undertakings ) i desire them to consider , how since the english name was ever heard of , it never received so great and so infamous a blow as under the imprudent conduct of this unlucky faustus ; and herein let me admire the justice of god in this circumstance , that they who had enslaved their country ( though a great army , which i wish may be observed by ours with trembling ) should bee so shamefully defeated by the hands of forty slaves . it was very ridiculous to see how prettily they endeavoured to hide this ignominy under the great name of the conquest of jamaica , as if a defeated army should have the impudence to brag afterwards of the victory , because though they had fled out of the field of battel , yet they quartered that night in a village of the enemies . the war with spain was a necessary consequence of this folly , and how much we have gotten by it , let the custom-house and exchange inform you ; and if he please to boast of the taking a part of the silver-fleet ( which indeed no body else but he , who was the sole gainer , has cause to do ) at least let him give leave to the rest of the nation ( which is the onely loser ) to complain of the losse of twelve hundred of her ships . but because it may here perhaps be answered , that his successes nearer home have extinguisht the disgrace of so remote miscariages , and that dunkirk ought more to be remembred for his glory , than st. domingo for his disadvantage ; i must confesse , as to the honour of the english courage , that they were not wanting upon that occasion ( excepting onely the fault of serving at least indirectly against their master ) to the upholding of the renown of their warlike ancestors . but for his particular share of it , who sat still at home , and exposed them so frankly abroad , i can onely say , that for lesse money than he in the short time of his reign exacted from his fellow subjects , some of our former princes ( with the daily hazard of their own persons ) have added to the dominion of england not onely one town , but even a greater kingdom than it self . and this beeing all considerable as concerning his enterprises abroad , let us examine in the next place , how much wee owe him for his justice and good government at home . and first he found the common-wealth ( as they then called it ) in a ready stock of about m pounds , he left the commonwealth ( as he had the impudent raillery still to call it ) some two millions and an half in debt . he found our trade very much decayd indeed , in comparison of the golden times of our late princes ; he left it as much again more decayd than he found it ; and yet not onely no prince in england , but no tyrant in the world ever sought out more base or infamous means to raise moneys . i shall onely instance in one that he put in practice , and another that he attempted , but was frighted from the execution ( even he ) by the infamy of it . that which he put in practice was decimation ; which was the most impudent breach of all publick faith that the whole nation had given , and all private capitulations which himself had made , as the nations general and servant , that can be found out ( i believe ) in all history from any of the most barbarous generals of the most barbarous people . which because it has been most excellently and most largely layd open by a whole book written upon that subject , i shall onely desire you here to remember the thing in general , and to be pleased to look upon that author when you would recollect all the particulars and circumstances of the iniquity . the other design of raising a present sum of money , which he violently persued , but durst not put in execution , was by the calling in and establishment of the jews at london ; from which he was rebuted by the universal outcry of the divines , and even of the citizens too , who took it ill that a considerable number at least amongst themselves were not thought jews enough by their own herod . and for this design , they say , he invented ( oh antichrist ! {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ! ) to sell st. pauls to them for a synagogue , if their purs●s and devotions could have reacht to the purchase . and this indeed if he had done onely to reward that nation which had given the first noble example of crucifying their king , it might have had some appearance of gratitude , but he did it onely for love of their mammon ; and would have sold afterwards for as much more st. peters ( even at his own westminster ) to the turks for a mosquito . such was his extraordinary piety to god , that he desired he might be worshipped in all manners , excepting onely that heathenish way of the common-prayer book . but what do i speak of his wicked inventions for getting money ? when every penny that for almost five years he took every day from every man living in england , scotland , and ireland , was as much robbery as if it had been taken by a thief upon the high-ways . was it not so ? or can any man think that cromwell with the assistance of his forces and mosse troopers , had more right to the command of all mens purses , than he might have had to any ones whom he had met and been too strong for upon a road ? and yet when this came in the case of mr. concy , to be disputed by a legal tryal , he ( which was the highest act of tyranny that ever was seen in england ) not onely discouraged and threatned , but violently imprisoned the councel of the plaintiff ; that is , he shut up the law it self close prisoner , that no man might have relief from , or accesse to it . and it ought to be remembred , that this was done by those men , who a few years before had so bitterly decried , and openly opposed the kings regular and formal way of proceeding in the trial of a little ship-money . but though we lost the benefit of our old courts of justice , it cannot be denyed that he set up new ones ; and such they were , that as no virtuous prince before would , so no ill one durst erect . what ? have we lived so many hundred years under such a form of justice as has been able regularly to punish all men that offended against it , and is it so deficient just now , that we must seek out new wayes how to proceed against offenders ? the reason which can onely be given in nature for a necessity of this , is , because those things are now made crimes , which were never esteemed so in former ages ; and there must needs be a new court set up to punish that , which all the old ones were bound to protect and reward . but i am so far from declaming ( as you call it ) against these wickednesses ( which if i should undertake to do , i should never get to the peroration ) that you see i only give a hint of some few , and passe over the rest as things that are too many to be numbred , and must onely be weighed in grosse . let any man show me ( for though i pretend not to much reading , i will defy him in all history ) let any man show me ( i say ) an example of any nation in the world ( though much greater than ours ) where there have in the space of four years been made so many prisoners onely out of the endlesse jealousies of one tyrants guilty imagination . i grant you that marius and sylla , and the accursed triumvirate after them , put more people to death , but the reason i think partly was , because in those times that had a mixture of some honour with their madnesse , they thought it a more civil revenge against a roman to take away his life , than to take away his liberty . but truly in the point of murder too , we have little reason to think that our late tyranny has been deficient to the examples that have ever been set it in other countries . our judges and our courts of justice have not been idle ; and to omit the whole reign of our late king ( till the beginning of the war ) in which no drop of blood was ever drawn but from two or three ears , i think the longest time of our wor●t princes scarce saw many more executions than the short one of our blest reformer . and wee saw , and smelt in our open streets , ( as i markt to you at first ) the broyling of humane bowels as a burnt offering of a sweet savour to our idol ; but all murdering , and all torturing ( though after the subtilest invention of his predecessors of sicilie ) is more humane and more supportable , than his selling of christians , englishmen , gentlemen ; his selling of them ( oh monstrous ! oh incredible ! ) to be slaves in america . if his whole life could bee reproacht with no other action , yet this alone would weigh down all the multiplicity of crimes in any of our tyrants ; and i dare onely touch , without stopping or insisting upon so insolent and so execrable a cruelty , for fear of falling into so violent ( though a just ) passion , as would make me exceed that temper and moderation which i resolve to observe in this discourse with you . these are great calamities ; but even these are not the most insupportable that wee have endured ; for so it is , that the scorn , and mockery , and insultings of an enemy , are more painfull than the deepest wounds of his serious fury . this man was wanton and merry ( unwittily and ungracefully merry ) with our sufferings ; hee loved to say and do sencelesse and fantastical things , onely to shew his power of doing or saying any thing . it would ill befit mine , or any civil mouth , to repeat those words which hee spoke concerning the most sacred of our english laws , the petition of right , and magna charta . to day you should see him ranting so wildly , that no body durst come near him , the morrow flinging of cushions , and playing at snow-balls with his servants . this moneth hee assembles a parliament , and professes himself with humble tears to be onely their servant and their minister ; the next moneth hee swears by the living god , that hee vvill turn them out of dores , and hee does so , in his princely vvay of threatning bidding them , turn the buckles of their girdles behind them . the representative of a vvhole , nay of three whole nations , was in his esteem so contemptible a meeting , that hee thought the affronting and expelling of them to be a thing of so little consequence , as not to deserve that hee should advise with any mortal man about it . what shall wee call this ? boldnesse , or brutishnesse ? rashnesse , or phrensie ? there is no name can come up to it , and therefore wee must leave it without one . now a parliament must bee chosen in the new manner , next time in the old form , but all cashiered still after the newest mode . now he will govern by major generals , now by one house , now by another house , now by no house ; now the freak takes him , and hee makes seventy peers of the land at one clap ( extempore , and stans pede in uno ) and to manifest the absolute power of the potter , hee chooses not onely the worst clay he could find , but picks up even the durt and mire , to form out of it his vessels of honour . it was said antiently of fortune , that when she had a mind to be merry and to divert her self , she was wont to raise up such kind of people to the highest dignities . this son of fortune , cromwell ( who was himself one of the primest of her jests ) found out the true haut goust of this pleasure , and rejoyced in the extravagance of his wayes as the fullest demonstration of his uncontroulable soverainty . good god! what have we seen ? and what have we suffer'd ? what do all these actions signifie , what do they say aloud to the whole nation , but this ( even as plainly as if it were proclamed by heralds through the streets of london ) you are slaves and fools , and so i le use you ? these are briefly a part of those merits which you lament to have wanted the reward of more kingdomes , and suppose that if he had lived longer he might have had them ; vvhich i am so far from concurring to , that i believe his seasonable dying to have been a greater good fortune to him than all the victories and prosperities of his life . for he seemed evidently ( methinks ) to be near the end of his deceitfull glories ; his own army grew at last as weary of him as the rest of the people ; and i never past of late before his palace ( his , do i call it ? i ask god and the king pardon ) but i never past of late before whitehall without reading upon the gate of it , mene , mene , tekel , upharsin . but it pleased god to take him from the ordinary courts of men , and juries of his peers , to his own high court of justice , which being more mercifull than ours below , there is a little room yet left for the hope of his friends , if he have any ; though the outward unrepentance of his death affoard but small materials for the work of charity , especially if he designed even then to entail his own injustice upon his children , and by it inextricable confusions and civil wars upon the nation . but here 's at last an end of him ; and where 's now the fruit of all that bloud and calamity which his ambition has cost the world ? where is it ? why , his son ( you 'l say ) has the whole crop ; i doubt he will find it quickly blasted ; i have nothing to say against the gentleman , or any living of his family , on the contrary i-wish him better fortune than to have a long and unquiet possession of his masters inheritance . whatsoever i have spoken against his father , is that which i should have thought ( though decency perhaps might have hindred me from saying it ) even against mine own , if i had been so unhappy , as that mine by the same wayes should have left me three kingdoms . here i stopt ; and my pretended protector , who , i expected , should have been very angry , fell a laug●ing ; it seems at the simplicity of my discourse , for thus he replied : you seem to pretend extremely to the old obsolete rules of virtue and conscience , which makes me doubt very much whether from this vast prospect of three kingdoms you can show me any acres of your own . but these are so farre from making you a prince , that i am afraid your friends will never have the contentment to see you so much as a justice of peace in your own countrey . for this i perceive which you call virtue , is nothing else but either the frowardnesse of a cynick , or the lazinesse of an epicurean . i am glad you allow me at least artfull dissimulation , and unwearied diligence in my hero , and i assure you that he whose life is constantly drawn by those two , shall never be misled out of the way of greatnesse . but i see you are a pedant , and platonical statesman , a theoretical commonwealths man , an utopian dreamer . was ever riches gotten by your golden mediocrities ? or the supreme place attained to by virtues that must not stir out the middle ? do you study aristotles politiques , and write , if you please , comments upon them , and let another but practise matchavil , and let us see then which of you two will come to the greatest preferments . if the desire of rule and superiority be a virtue ( as sure i am it is more imprinted in human nature than any of your lethargical morals ; and what is the virtue of any creature but the exercise of those powers and inclinations which god has infused into it ? ) if that ( i say ) be virtue , we ought not to esteem any thing vice , which is the most proper , if not the onely means of attaining of it . it is a truth so certain , and so clear , that to the first-born man it did appear ; did not , the mighty heir , the noble cain , by the fresh laws of nature taught , disdain that ( though a brother ) any one should be a greater favourite to god than he ? he strook him down ; and , so ( said he ) so fell the sheep which thou didst sacrifize so well . since all the fullest sheaves which i could bring , since all were blasted in the offering , lest god should my next victime too despise , the acceptable priest i 'le sacrifize . hence coward fears ; for the first bloud so spilt as a reward , he the first citie built . 't was a beginning generous and high , fit for a grand-child of the deity . so well advanced , 't was pity there he staid ; one step of glory more he should have made , and to the utmost bounds of greatnesse gone ; had adam too been kill'd , he might have reign'd alone . one brother's death what do i mean to name , a small oblation to revenge and fame ? the mighty-soul'd abimelec to shew what for high place a higher spirit can do , a hecatomb almost of brethren slew , and seventy times in nearest bloud he dy'd ( to make it hold ) his royal purple pride . why do i name the lordly creature man ? the weak , the mild , the coward woman can , when to a crown she cuts her sacred way , all that oppose with manlike courage slay . so athaliah , when she saw her son , and with his life her dearer greatnesse gone , with a majestique fury slaughter'd all whom high birth might to high pretences call . since he was dead who all her power sustain'd , resolv'd to reign alone ; resolv'd , and reign'd . in vain her sex , in vain the laws withstood , in vain the sacred plea of davids bloud , a noble , and a bold contention , shee , ( one woman ) undertook with destiny . she to pluck down , destiny to uphold ( oblig'd by holy oracles of old ) the great jessaean race on juda's throne ; till 't was at last an equal wager grown , scarce fate , with much adoe , the better got by one . tell me not she her self at last was slain ; did she not first seven years ( a life-time ) reign ? seven royal years t' a publick spirit will seem more than the private life of a methusalem . 't is godlike to be great ; and as they say a thousand years to god are but a day : so to a man , when once a crown he wears , the coronation day's more than a thousand years . he would have gone on i perceiv'd in his blasphemies , but that by gods grace i became so bold as thus to interrupt him . i understand now perfectly ( which i guest at long before ) what kind of angel and protector you are ; and though your stile in verse be very much mended since you were wont to deliver oracles , yet your doctrine is much worse than ever you had formerly ( that i heard of ) the face to publish ; whether your long practice with mankind has ●ncreast and improved your malice , or whether you think us in this age to be grown so impudently wicked , that there needs no more art or disguises to draw us to your party . my dominion ( said he hastily , and with a dreadfull furious look ) is so great in this vvorld , and i am so powerful a monarch of it , that i need not be ashamed that you should know me ; and that you may see i know you too , i know you to bee an obstinate and inveterate malignant ; and for that reason i shall take you along with mee to the next garrison of ours ; from whence you shall go to the tower , and from thence to the court of justice , and from thence you know whither . i was almost in the very pounces of the great bird of prey , when , lo , ere the last words were fully spoke , from a fair clowd , which rather ope'd , than broke , a flash of light , rather than lightning came , so swift , and yet so gentle was the flame . upon it rode , and in his full career , seem'd to my eyes no sooner there than here , the comelyest youth of all th' angelique race ; lovely his shape , inesfable his face . the frowns with which hee strock the trembling fiend , all smiles of humane beauty did transcend . his beams of locks fell part dishevel'd down , part upwards curld , and form'd a nat'ral crown , such as the british monarchs us'd to wear ; if gold might be compar'd with angels hair . his coat and flowing mantle were so bright , they seem'd both made of woven silver light , acrosse his breast an azure ruban went , at which a medal hung that did present in wondrous , living figures to the sight , the mystick champion's , and old dragon's fight , and from his mantles side there shone afar , a fixt , and , i believe , a real star . in his fair hand ( what need was there of more ? ) no arms but th' english bloody crosse he bore , which when hee towards th'affrighted tyrant bent , and some few words pronounc'd ( but what they ment , or were , could not , alas , by me be known , onely i well perceiv'd jesus was one ) he trembled , and he roard , and fled away ; mad to quit thus his more than hop'd-for prey . such rage inflames the wolves wild heart and eyes ( rob'd as he thinks unjusty of his prize ) whom unawares the shepherd spies , and draws the bleating lamb from out his ravenous jaws . the shepherd fain himself would he assail , but fear above his hunger does prevail , hee knows his foe too strong , and must bee gone ; hee grins as hee looks back , and howls as hee goes on . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- hor. carm. . . the blasphemous charge against her douglas, eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the blasphemous charge against her douglas, eleanor, lady, d. . p. s.n.], [s.l. : . bound and filmed preceeding a. preface signed: eleanor douglas. reprinted in with title: the dragons blasphemous charge. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng douglas, eleanor, -- lady, d. . prophecies. great britain -- history -- charles i, - . a r (wing d ). civilwar no the blasphemous charge against her. douglas, eleanor, lady a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the blasphemous charge against her . matth. . and ye shal be brought before governors and kings for my sake , against them and the gentiles . printed in the year . for king charls prisoner , these . sir , upon a reference from you ( . ) to these your commissioners , i being sentenced by them , as upon record appears , because took upon me to be a prophetess ; first was fined , and then to make publique submission at pauls so many times ; that iericho for ever cursed , and farther a close prisoner to continue at your pleasure . so be it known , you are hereby required to make a publique acknowledgement of such your capital trespass and high offence ; and first to ask me foregiveness , if so be you expect to finde mercy in this world or the other . jan. . eleanor douglas . at the court of whitehal , octob. . . his majesty doth expresly command the lord archbishop of canterburies grace , and his highness commissioners for causes ecclesiastical , that the petitioner be forthwith called before them , to answer for presuming to imprint the said books , and for preferring this detestable petition . sidney mountague . concordat cum &c. tho : maydwell . registro curiae dominorum regiorum commissionariorum ad causas ecclesiasticas . extract . tertia sessio termini michaelis , . die jovis vicesimo quarto viz. die mensis octobris anno dom. millesimo sexcentesimo tricesimo tertio coram reverendissimo in christo patre & domino , domino guilielmo providenc ’ diviná cantuar’archiepiscopo totius angliae primate & metropolitano , richardo eâdem providenc ’ angliae primate & metropolitano archiepiscopo eboracensi , honorandis & praenobilibus comitibus portland , dorset , & carlisle , episcopis elien ’ , & roffen’ & oxon’ , dominis iohanne lamb , & nathanaele brent militibus legum doctoribus , matthaeo vvren de windsor , montford , & vvorral sacrae theologiae professoribus commissionariis regiis ad causas ecclesiasticas apud lambeth , judiciarum seden ’ presente thomâ mottershed regnerarii regii deputato . con ’ ellenoram audeley . dr. worrall : she appeared , and the articles and answers were publiquely read ; she was fined in three thousand pounds , imprisonment till she enter bond with sufficient security to write no more . mr. dr. wren , dean of windsor , he consenteth to that which is already said . dr. montford , similitèr with dr. worrall . sir nathanael brent , similitèr with dr. worrall ; and payment of costs . sir iohn lamb , and my lord of oxford , agreeth with the highest , with the highest ; and to acknowledge her offence at pauls cross . my lord of rochester , with the highest ; and if the court will bear it , he would send her to bedlam . my lord of ely , three thousand pounds , excommunication , condemned in costs , and committed ut prius , till she give , &c. my lord portland , and my lord of carlisle , desired to be spared from their sentence . my lord of dorset agreeth with the highest . my lords grace of york , imprisonment , and not to have pen , ink and paper , and so with the highest . my lord of canterbury , three thousand pounds , close imprisonment , and to continue till his majesties pleasure be further known . she was committed to the gatehouse . officium dominorum con’elleanorum tichet , alias davyes , alias douglas . the councel for the offence insisteth on her answers , she to appear this day and place by bond , to hear and receive the final order and iudgment of the court . at which day and place the said lady eleanor douglas being called for , appeared personally ; in whose presence the articles objected against her , and her answers made thereunto were publiquely read , with certain printed schedules & exhibites thereunto annexed , which she acknowledged to be of her own penning and publishing in print ; and the said answers to be her true answers , and to be subscribed with her own hand : by all which it evidently appeared to the court , by her own confession , that she had lately compiled and written , and caused to be printed and published , the three several schedules annexed to the said articles , some containing expositions of divers parts of the chapters of the prophet daniel , some other scandalous matter , by way of anagram or otherwife , against ecclesiastical persons and iudges of eminent place , and some others , both derogatory to his majesty and the state . and first as touching those matters of high nature , which concerned his majesty , the court did not any ways proceed against her , as holding them of too high a nature for this court to meddle withal . but forasmuch as she took upon her ( which much unbeseemed her sex ) not only to interpret the scriptures , and withal the most intricate and hard places of the prophet daniel , but also to be a prophetess , falsly pretending to have received certain revelations from god ; and had compiled certain books of such her fictions and false prophesies or revelations , which she had in person carried with her beyond the seas , and had there procured them to be printed without license , and after brought them over here into england , and here without license , vented and dispersed them , or some of them , contrary to the decree of star-chamber , made in the xxviii . year of queen eliz. of famous memory , for the restraining of unlawful printing & publishing of books , and to the manifest contempt & breach thereof , and to the great scandal of our church and state , and the reproach of the true christian religion here professed , and established within this realm . and forasmuch as by vertue of the statute of primo eliz. and by vertue of letters patents under the great seal of england , this court hath full power and authority to punish as well all transgressors and offendors against the said decree of star-chamber , touching the printing and publishing of unlicensed books , as such bold attempts as those of hers , in taking upon her to interpret and expound the holy scriptures , yea , and the most intricate and hard places therein , such as the gravest and most learned divines would not slightly or easily undertake , without much study and deliberation . for these her said bold attempts and impostures , tending to the dishonor of god , and scandal of religion , whereof she was found and adjudged guilty by the court , she was thought well worthy to be severely punished ; and was first fined in the sum of l. to his majesties use , ordered to make a publique submission in conceptis verbis , at so many times , and in such places as this court shall appoint , and as shall be delivered her under the registers hand of this court ; and she was further committed close prisoner to the gatehouse , and ordered there to remain during his majesties pleasure , who had taken special notice of her and her cause , and referred the examination and censuring thereof into this court . and lastly she was condemned in expences and costs of suit , which are to be paid before her enlargement : and the keeper of the said prison was required and commanded not to suffer her to have any pen , ink or paper to write any thing , in respect that she hath so much abused her liberty in that kinde already . concordat premissa cum originalibus in veriâ predictâ facta collacione fideli per me jo : donaldson , notarium publicum . finis . the serpents excommunication in essex where, cutting down a wood, divers of these sprouts of the warlike ash or branches grew. eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the serpents excommunication in essex where, cutting down a wood, divers of these sprouts of the warlike ash or branches grew. eleanor, lady, d. . p. s.n.], [london : . in verse. signed on p. : by the lady eleanor. caption title: their sealed pardon. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng prophecies. a r (wing d a). civilwar no the serpents excommunication in essex where, cutting down a wood, divers of these sprouts of the warlike ash or branches grew. douglas, eleanor, lady d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the serpents excommunication . in essex where cutting down a wood , divers of these sprouts of the warlike ash , or branches grew . john . and this is the condemnation , that light is come into the world , and men loved darkness more then light . printed in the year , . caeli jubilate , &c. july , anno . their sealed pardon . all joyn in consort him to praise , ye roaring sea and earth : not silent , lo with tre 〈…〉 s wilde , yield lowd extolling mirth . yea all his works in ▪ places all , whose goodness hath no end , diverts his presence not , which doth from age to age descend . magnificat , a song full new , who hath his wonders shown : vipers afore visible such , witness , the like unknown . firy serpents in likeness whose . a generation fresh : fuel a judgement bids beware the rod : betokens no less . to stiff necks all , stopping the ear , more pharaohs sirs then one : extol him then ye tokens and signs , a second egypt grown . a fresh as though him crucifi'd : bound with the heavy belt : pierced with males : the milstone like as much ; such hearts do melt . poor folk , inform'd though moses were and christ on earth again : no want of faith ; such manna now but froath , worth not a grain . the tree ( reserv'd ) of life 't is dead , poyson'd , thus cold and yong : ensign of peace , a brazen one , figur'd to look upon . the second part. lo on a pole , a living tree , moses as made for them : like mutineers erected for , or age of grateful men . the doctrine of refreshing times , bids not to day despise , when creeping things his ministers , bidden serpents like , be wise . pointing thus unto him who had decreed moses to drown'd : about his neck in cradle whose afore was ever crown'd . far better hang'd a cable then , as needless now to whom : was stonage commended t' explain , or whose that thundring doom . so vertue of this edens plant , what daphneys such divine : apollo's leaches bitten by , dismissed from this time . prescrib'd their swellings to abate , antidotes in season : no more the dragon red t' adore , in time awakens reason . the everlasting rod when buds , contrition where the bayl : neither to be deferr'd : submit , none other will avail . set in array his to aff●ont , their manhoods then brings down such sucklings by , driven to their heels , dost them victorious crown . tongues satans two edg'd swords withdrawn , serpents no more appear : the ax behold , laid to the root , no nesting ' or you here . hi● cities waste he will repair , vine-dressers other choose , fruits in due season to forecast , do not their trusts abuse . sing unto him ; so to him sing , his acts let blocks display , who hatching theirs , cockacrice balms , all one do him obey . b●● frogs and lice , corrupting flies compared with the true , feeds itching e●rs ; with flying news , egypts spells bidden adieu . the twelve alloted years expir'd , so woman r●leas'd here . stancht tedious issues thine ; peace too , be henceforth of good cheer . thou rulers daughter loe arise , friends return to your rest : t●pes both , how long of iuries such , until be dispossest . by the lady eleanor . respice finem . droit & avant . recte & perge . he that doth bear three lyons , or passant , must lyon like pass on , droit & avant . aliter , are thy ways right ? let not thy spirits faint , start not aside , be bold , if droit avant . psalmvs davisi madam ; your rod indeed hath swallowed mine , hermes may now turn hermit ; & the nine virgins turn vestals to attend that fire , which in your altars incense moveth higher than e're apollo's harp was heard : your brass doth far my caducaean staff surpass . as arch-types do types : whilest i look on your streams , i loath the lake of helicon . the most devoted to honor you , and unworthiest to be honored by you as a kinsman , m : tuke . je le tien . hold fast thy right , that no man take thy crown : unto the death , give fortune leave to frown . and thou , o tuke tipyfi'd ! loe in that one grateful man , whose fellow lepers hast out-lept , with that samaritan . then favorit irish bryon tuke , gifts those to thine but lame , conferr'd on thy grandsir : to these of thy returns again . e : do : finis . montelions predictions, or, the hogen mogen fortuneteller discovering as plain as a pike-staff, the dark intrigues, and grand catastrophes, carried on, or designed in most parts of the world. phillips, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m b wing p estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) montelions predictions, or, the hogen mogen fortuneteller discovering as plain as a pike-staff, the dark intrigues, and grand catastrophes, carried on, or designed in most parts of the world. phillips, john, - . p. printed by s. and b. griffin, for thomas palmer ..., london : . attributed to john phillips. cf. nuc. "with allowance, may , ." this work appears on reel : as wing p , and on reel : as wing m b (m b cancelled in wing cd-rom, ). reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion montelions predictions , or the hogen mogen fortuneteller . discovering as plain as a pike-staff , the dark intrigues , and grand catastrophes , carried on , or designed in most parts of the world . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with allowance , may . . london , printed by s. and b. griffin , for thomas palmer , at the sign of the crown in westminster-hall , . montelions predictions , or the hogen mogen fortuneteller . although we have ever been of opinion , that the best of our modern prophtes have been only the most lucky guessers , and find the press already opprest with swarms of prophetick pamphlets , no less numerous , than impertinent . yet that the blind world may see our skill , either in astrology , or coskinomancy ( that more mysterious art of the sieve and shears ) is not a whit inferiour to the busiest of our fellow-students , we have resolved on the question to oblige the publique ( we mean hawkers , and coffee - houses ) by delivering our sentiments on the present conjuncture of affairs , induced hereunto ; for that not only our brother , the apollo of clerkenwel green , hath for some time disappeared to mortals , being ( as we are credibly informed ) gone to visit his nurse at the antipodes , but also because the heretofore active g●osequil of our beloved pupil , the renowned poor r●bin , is of late grown dry and stubbed , yielding little more than the dregs of red-lettice wit , or nauseous repetitions . these considerations we hope will be apology enough ( even in a critick conscience ) and to offer more reasons for writing a single-sheet pamphlet , would be absurd and unmodish , since many of our great authors now a dayes can shew none at all for their more voluminous scriblings , we cannot ( to deal candidly with or readers ) pretend to any visions , apparitions , revelations , or strange voices , though perhaps that excellent new invention of , the speaking trumpet ( subtlely manag'd ) might put not a few giddy heads on that account , into a dotage beyond tom in the wood's . angels either coelestial , or golden , we dare not boast familiarity with ; comets they say are generated above the orb of the moon , and so are too high for the jacobs-staff of our groveling understanding , to find out their particular portents . the old new star in cassiopeia we shall not medle with , though we have heard our nodding grand-mother in a winters evening , discourse thereupon so profoundly , till she fell a sleep ; not trouble our self with any oppositions that may happen between saturn and jupiter , as not desiring to interpose in a quarrel 'twixt father and son : nor yet shall we put our selves to the unnecessary charges of building up twelve houses ( meer castles in the air ) in an ill favoured schem , not but that we ken the knack of those coelestial scotch-hoppers too , as throughly as the most huffing taylor i th' town : but out of pure aversion to those hackney roads of figures and characters wherewith some pretend to score out the fortune of a year , and fate of empires , in terms so uncertain and ambiguous , that they may be verified in any future contingency whatever , we decline all those amuzing parades of art , and without clouds and amphibologies , in plain english , and in rhyme too , that i may appear the more prophetick , do declare , the time 's now come must bring to pass , what fates have wrote with pens of brass . that rebel rout , whose swelling pride , princes contemn'd , and kings defi'd : before bright sol his journey take , three times a round the zodiake , shall be reduc'd to more distress , than in the dayes of royal bess. great york , the neptune of the main , their insolence shall once again chastise , until they are become , poor suppliant states of belgium : and at his brothers royal feet , submissively begg , as 't is meet . that he would lay his thunder by , and take them to his clemency . but because ( according to the grand method we have alwayes pursued in our writings ) a more particular account of the grand matters impending may be expected , we proceed in the stile of the most celebrated sons of art , and with all caution and sincerity , say : that from the vast preparations , both at land and sea , the declarations of war lately published on either side , several lowring aspects of disaffected planets , their quarrelsome positions at their vernal ingress , and diverse other secrets in art , we may ( on good grounds according to the doctrine of the antients ) prognosticate : that some ruptures are at hand , or acts of hostility designed , or ready to break forth into action in some parts of the world. and since cancer is the horoscopical sign of holland , and that none loves butter'd crabs better than a dutchman ; we are indu●ed to believe those very united provinces may much be concerned in the formidable catastrophes , whereof these ph●enomina are the indubitable prod●omt . not that we find by the abstrusest rules of geomancy , that the hogen states are any more likely this year to establish the fifth monarchy in an universal common-wealth , than sa●othy levy , to revive and recollect the ten scattered tribes , for taking possession of the holy land : yet are we more than confident , that sage aphorism of the late deceased plagiary tresmeg●●us in his temple of wisdom , will shortly be ●●●uied to a hairs breadth , viz. that wherever contrary fleets , or opposing armies happen to meet , contests will be apt to arise , and that several persons by means thereof , may chance , against all rules of physick , to be let blood i th' dog-days . about or rather much before which time we also discover , there will be heard strange and unusual noises at sea , to the great affrightment of the dolphins , and spoyling the musick of the syrens : the planets startling from their orbs with wonder , to hear our guns below out-roar their thunder . immediately after which , the long contested soveraignty of the narrow-seas shall be decided by a most equal distribution , the surface remaining in the possession of his majesty of great brittain ( the undoubted proprietor ) and his valiant subjects , whilst the bottom falls to the share of his usurping enemies , as the just reward of their unparalled ingratitude ; thereby replenishing the hungry stomacks of neptunes scaly inhabitants , who now exercise lex talionis , and by devouring their devourers , produce of metempsychosis of bodies , that pythagoras never dream'd of . for whereas a dutchman is little more than stock-fish , and red-herring fleshified , our crabs and fresh-cod , will now be only dutchmen fishified . thus a ravenous shark unnaturally feasts on the fat paunch of his own brother , an overgrown burgomaster , whilst margery the cook-maid startles to find the finger and seal-ring of myne heer , in the belly of a mackril , and the rotterdam frows deluge themselves in tears for the loss of their swil-bottles . we further find by the hermetick learning , ( for so of late our quacks do call , all tricks if strange and mystical . ) that coffee-houses ( the mint of intelligence , and forge of lies ) shall bee much frequented ; and many a pragmatick fop spend his six-pence there over night , to hear news , that knows not where to get a dinner next day ; who then with folded arms and croaking guts , does pennance for his foolish curiosity . to supply these randevouse of idleness , with continual novelties , the press spawns abortive pamphlets , that swarm abroad as thick as flies in autumn . and fame sets up a cheating lotery , where for a prize of verity , you 〈…〉 forty blanks of falshood , and in a whole volley of news scarce meet a true report : we do not find his holinesse much inclinable to entertain thoughts of marriage , but rather that if his fancy should grow a little rampant the cholick and stone , would mainly obstruct his delights in the caresses of an olympia . and seeing he labours under so many crosses , we cannot but reprove the uncharitableness of some gifted brethren , who in their little conventicles , rail so desperately at a civil grave old gentleman , whom they know no more than the pope of rome : the grand seignior may yet in spight of some foolish prognosticators ( who seven years have threatned him with a peck of troubles ) live a long time as merry as a fiddler , if the mufty will but grant him a dispensation to drink now and then a glass of sack , but his viziers corn cutter will probably be hurried with multiplicity of business : his mightinesses toes being sorely afflicted by reason to tedious marches towards hungary . the crym ta●ter in the midst of his triumphs , is tipt into his grave by a surfeit on stew'd truans . and may the guardian-angel of green-aprons , protect some eminent senators nearer home , from being choakt with custaras , or admitted knights of the noble order of the bull-feather , at a masquerade : stephen ratzins , brother stenko , seems instigated by venus , lady of the seventh , in his radix retrograte , to send an env●y extraordinary to the states general , to demand in marriage the most ill●ustrious bessabel , daughter of the much celebrated van-cobler-hewson , that they may make a prudent provision for futurity , and propagate a pretious seed of rebels and boutefeus , to disturb the peace of the next generation . munsterus that hermaphrodite of state , who with his crosses in one hand , and sword in th' other , looks like a royston crow of two colours , parte per pale , ingrail'd , lay and clergy , hovers with a wary subtlety over the heads of the furious combatants ▪ till fortune declare on whose crests she intends to plant the laurels of victory , or takes up the swissers trade , and cries , who bids most for . but manet alta mente repostam , there is no playing one game over twice . quo teneam vultum mutantem proce a nodo ? what shall restrain him from the breach of 's vows , that to no altar , but 's own interest bows . if the forces of the most christian king chance to set down before maestricht , that unhappy town will be in some danger of a seige , and rare it will be to see there so much belly-timber for a breakfast , as is confounded at a guild-hall dinner ; but a dried sprat is excellent commons for those in a strait , that in their best days thought a red-herring a feast . holland cheese we confidently predict , will be a dear commodity , but butterboxes never so cheap and contemptible , it being but just all nations should bandy to exterpate them , who have confederated to abuse all the world. if they have any assistance , it must be from beyond the line : for what christian will be a second to such insolents ? nor can they appear formidable since the brandy that was wont to inspire them with valour is now prohibited . to conclude , englands genius soars high , the lillies flourish , and may they ever retain their colour ; the emblem of integrity , the justness of our cause , the conduct and great example of our leaders , conspire with our native courage to bespeak a victory . and though we know the innate valour of our noble seamen , and others concerned in this expedition , needs not to be raised up by hobling rhyms , of a sorry bard , yet to fill up their other sheet , and that the reader may be sure to have enough for his two-pence , we have thought very fit to add this ballad loyal . a ballad loyal . i. you sons of honour , that dare die ! to serve your native land , and for your king and dear country . the shock of danger stand , now prepare for the war , shew the world your glories , do such deeds as must needs live in future stories . . go on brave hero's ! you can't misse the road to victory . where mighty york high admiral is , that soul of gallantry , he whose name rides on fame . and must still more prevail , till it make flemmings quake , and humbly strike their sail . . our ships like floating castles ride , the waves are proud to bear 'm they deafen thunder each broadside , the dutch or devils must fear 'm , no place can boast , besides our coast vessels so great and good , so many too , that strangers do think al'our downs a wood. . then pray what mean these hogen states ? ( it passes our construction ) insolently to dare their fates , and tempt their own destruction , on shore and sea ruin they 'l see on every side surrounding brave monmouth's hand wasting their land , great york their fleets confounding . . dull dutch ! can you forget when we , in three fights quell'd your pride , not long since when our brittish sea with your base blood was dy , d , and dare you then fight us again : what honour can it be to beat a new such slaves as you , whom we before made flee . . if rebell noll could make you bow , and 'fore him trembling stand , how think you fools to resist now , the mighty charles's hand , can it be said against our head you 'r likely to prevail , who heretofore , were glad t' adore , and cringe unto our taile . . wherefore brave english seamen all rouse up your valours fire couragiously upon them fall make the dull world admire , let not your breast harbour a guest , that treats of fear or flying , let not a thought centre in ought , but conquering or dying . . so may you vanquish still and take rich prizes every day : may no tempests your vessels shake , nor rock lie in your way . so may you bring to our great king a compleat victory . and he bestow again on you , a fit gratuity . . if any of you sacrifice , your hearts at cupids shrine . may no coy wench your love despise , nor to you prove unkind ; but may they all before you fall , as 't is indeed their duties : 't is reason such , as conquer dutch should triumph over beauties ; . may all your wives prove chast and be , as deaf to gallants charms , whilst you are out , as penelope , when her lord was in arms. thus will we pray each night and day , till homewards you are bound your deeds with praise your heads , with baise , in glorious manner crown'd . the post-script : since mr. lillies predictions in his admired almanack for the year . have made so much noise in the world , we cannot but think it convenient to transcribe from that celebrated author a short prayer , which we think as pertinent to the present conjuncture of affairs , as any of the rest , which follows in the said book in these word , , god grant us vnity in the church and give the presbyterians so much love unto their native countrey , as to rejoyce when we worst the dutch , and not to flag down their heads like sorrowful rabbies at our successes . finis . the bloudy vision of john farly, interpreted by arise evans. with another vision signifying peace and happiness. both which shew remarkable alterations speedily, to come to pass here in england, also a refutation of a pamphlet, lately published by one aspinwall: called a brief discription of the fifth monarchy. shewing that the late parliament was that beast mentioned, rev. . that this representative is the image thereof, and that the fifth monarchy will shortly be established in the person of charles stevvart evans, arise, b. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the bloudy vision of john farly, interpreted by arise evans. with another vision signifying peace and happiness. both which shew remarkable alterations speedily, to come to pass here in england, also a refutation of a pamphlet, lately published by one aspinwall: called a brief discription of the fifth monarchy. shewing that the late parliament was that beast mentioned, rev. . that this representative is the image thereof, and that the fifth monarchy will shortly be established in the person of charles stevvart evans, arise, b. . [ ], , - p. s.n.], [london : printed in the year. . place of publication from wing. with errata at foot of p. [ ]. text and register continuous despite pagination. in this edition, there is a comma following "speedily" on title page; a comma following "england"; the word printed before "a refutation" is "also"; "aspinwall" is followed by a colon; "fifth monarchy" is on one line; "stevvart" is spelled using v's. reproduction of the original in the william andrews clark memorial library. eng farly, john -- early works to . aspinwall, william, fl. - . -- brief description of the fifth monarchy -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . visions -- early works to . a r (wing e ). civilwar no the bloudy vision of john farly, interpreted by arise evans. with another vision signifying peace and happiness. both which shew remarkable evans, arise c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the bloudy vision of john farly , interpreted by arise evans . with another vision signifying peace and happiness . both which shew remarkable alterations speedily , to come to pass here in england , also a refutation of a pamphlet , lately published by one aspinwall : called a brief discripton of the fifth monarchy . shewing : that the late parliament was that beast mentioned , rev. . that this representative is the image thereof , and that the fifth monarchy will shortly be established in the person of charls stevvart . printed in the year . . the preface . when the lord sent moses to the children of israel which were in egypt ; he gave him two signs to shew before them , that they might believe ; & told him that if they would neither believe the voice of the first sign , nor the voice of the latter sign , then that he should take water out of the river , and pour it upon the dry land , and it should become bloud , exod. . , , , , , , , , . beloved friends , i have written two books & sent them forth in print , as two signs to the english nation ; and those in power do take no warning by them ; and now also this book is going forth to shew that the water of their river must be turned into bloud . i said in my petition to the general dated the . of the last may , that i would not willingly turn water into bloud , nor publish that bloudy vision mentioned in the aforesaid petition ; which signifieth , that we must have a bloudy war again : and that right must have right , though thereby all must be turned upside down again , but now it must not be as i will , i must publish it , or have no peace to my soul : the lyon hath roared , who will but fear : the lord god hath spoken , who can but prophesie and publish in the palaces at ashdod , amos , , . . . the great judgement coming upon it from the lord of hosts , for the lord god hath sworn by his holiness ; that lo , the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with hooks , and your posterity with fish hooks , amos . . then will you say : oh , that we had believed arise evans , and taken advise by his books and petition ; as many of the kings party now mourn , and tell me the very words that i told them . years ago ; blaming themselves for that they had no more regard unto the words then spoken by me , which now they found to be true by wofull experience : yea , and some of your late parliament men expressing their grief now ; do wish , that they had considered my words , and been perswaded by me : but alas , too late repentance is nothiug worth : but like that of esau and judas , onely brings despair , heb. . , . matt. . , , . for as the tree falleth so it lieth , eccles. . . therefore while the ax is laid to the root of the tree ; it is the best time to save it , matth. . , , . so before the judgement over take men ; it is the best time for men to do righteously , and thereby escape the wrath to come : good reader , i hope i shall be clear from the bloud of this generation , and leave them altogether in excuseable : for why , they have had more warning from me ; then ever any had that i was sent to speak unto , for when i spake to the king and his party ; if they had asked me whether i had spoken any thing by way of prophesie before that time ? surely , i could have said nothing to it then , which might have been any ways sufficient to convince them ; because that i had not before that time been sent of god to any for to declare such things : but now it is evident how i was called of god and sent to them , and upon their neglect was sent to the earl of essex , and after that to the presbyterians , and then to the late parliament , god confirming my words with as many signs as was required of me , and also fulfilling the same always in their due seasons . so that , if this people now shall likewise refuse to hear me , ( who have had so many witnesses to shew that god is pleased to declare his determinate will by me : ) they of all others will be the least excusable for disposing me , and so the least capable of mercy . for , have they not known how god by me declared the most remarkable things that befell these kingdoms since the wars began ? how that . years ago , i declared the things which befell the late king , and that i suffered . years imprisonment for the same ? how i declared to the earl of essex , . years before he was general , that he should be the peoples general against the late king ? have they not known how that in the year . i declared the downfall of the presbyterians , and suffered two moneths imprisonment for that also ? how i declared in the year . that the kings son would come to england long before he came to worcester , & his succes likewise ? how i declared to the late parliament many times , that they should be destroyed long before their dissolution ? and have i not declared to them in the last moneth of may , that king charles will come in victoriously this year . and had they not a sign to confirm it , according to their own chusing and desire ? which sign was , that if it did rain ( more or less ) . sundays then next following successively , they would believe my words . and did it not rain accordingly for seven sundays together , as many thousands who observed it can witness , although it was in the very drought of summer , and that there was scarce any rain all the other week dayes besides ? also many other signs were given by me to several persons divers times in several places , to confirm the truth of those things , therefore to god be the glorie of all . neither was there any remarkable ingagement of late days , either by sea , or land , since the people began to inquire of me ; but god was pleased to reveal by me the event thereof . surely , if these men were either faithfull , or sensible , they might see the minde and will of god , by these things , but they are dead , ephes. . . they will not see , isai . . isai . . . . but still say unto me , job . . depart from us , for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways . and now , as concerning you , ye murmuring people that meet every munday in black-friers church : ye fast , ye pray , & ye preach and complain , that god doth not hear your prayers , and ye crie to god that he would send the spirit of prophesie by some one , or other , to let you understand the things to come ; & yet ye cannot see them now when god sheweth you all these things , by me his poor messenger , which are made known unto you by thos truths in my aforesaid books , called the [ voice and the eccho : ] and as in the last of them , i said to the late parliament about a moneth before they were dissolved , that their prayers were answered of god by those my books , and that if they did not believe what i said , and do the same speedily ; that god would send them strong delusions , and bring sudden destruction upon them , isa. . , . isa. . . . thes. . , , . so i say unto you now , that if ye will not be answered by the same things of god in my aforesaid books , god will likewise send you strong delusions , and bring sudden destruction upon you ; for your contempt of his truth ; in not believing it : ye cry against the late parl. because they cheated the people of their monies , and blame also these men now of westminster ( as you call them ) for treading their steps , and not calling the other to an account for all the injustice they did : alas , do ye think that these , or the like men , will ever call them to an account ? nay we must think these will rather be more chargeable to the people then they were . for do ye think , that such mean men raised to such high places , who not having means of their own , sufficiently to maintain their greatness ; will not have it out from the people , over whom they have now the power and command ? and will they not raise their children , friends , and relations to all places of profit ? truly it were a shame for them if they did it not : and i am confident that if ye were in their place ye would do no less , although the countrey should still suffer by it : yea , and its like to suffer , untill the king , nobles , and gentry of england injoy their rights again : for they having great revenues of their own , by which they are able to bear such places of authority , and govern the people at their own proper charges : therefore i say unto you if ye would have men in places of lawfull authority , that are not self-ended and covetous , why do not ye bend the strength of your prayers for charls your right king , and his party , that they may enjoy their rights again ? and then ye may be sure , that he will call your late parliament to an exact account for all those monies ye speak off , and ease the people of their heavy taxations : and doubtless ye shall prevail with god in prayer for him , and have all your desires accomplished . i beseech you to consider the difference between this state-government , and a monarchy ; queen elizabeth had wars with spain , and wars in ireland , and also assisted holland : all which was done with her own revenues , and without any taxations from the subjects : but now where are the crown lands ? what 's become of the bishops , deans , and chapters lands , and delinquents estates , and many other things that are gone i know not where ? and do ye think that the people are ever like to be eased from the abundance of assessments and taxes , whilest the great revenues belonging to the crown are gone , which saved the people from such heavy and continual taxes , and by which large revenues queen elizabeth did such great things , and yet left behinde her abundance of treasures ? so that you may clearly see , that there was a great part of the kingdome juggled away from the nation by the late parliament , when the new state was set up ; because what was the kings was theirs , for the saving of their own goods , & bearing their charges : and so was the church-lands also appointed to ease the people , that they should be free from being at charge to pay those that were the chief rulers of the church , and took care for their souls . and now if ye would have god to hear you , why do not ye hear him , by doing justly to the king ▪ and kingdom , that righteousness may run down as a river , amos . , , , . or else all your seeking of the lord will be in vain : for if ye will still have your prayers granted according to your own sense and will , that is , for you to prevail , kill and slay all that will not submit to you ; then the lord will shew your folly to all the world . and do not you boast as some of you do , that ye have had the spirit of prophesie these seven years ; that your armies over-coming their enemies , is the fruit of your prayers : alas , it is but your pride , for it was gods decree to deliver his people into your hands for a time , to punish them for their sins : and he revealed it unto me , years ago , that your party should prevail as they have done , and then come to a miserable end , as i have declared . thus ye may see , that it is not your spirit of prophesie which you ( deceiving your selves ) do imagine to have , nor yet is it the fruit of your prayers , that hath done it : for if ye had never opened your mouthes such things had come to pass : & you shall see within a short time that god will deliver you into the hands of his people to be utterly destroyed , and all your prophesying and praying shall not deliver you in that day . then leave off sacrificing to your calf , for it is no more then if the egyptians should have sacrificed to their false gods , for giving them power to overcome the israelites , and keep them in bondage : but god had shewed to abraham long before , that his seed should serve the egyptians , gen. . . . and when the time of the israels deliyerance came , then neither , the egyptians nor all their gods could keep them one day longer , exodus . . . so likewise the babilonians might have gloried ( as you do ) and attributed their success to their own parts , or to the power of their gods : when they had overcome israel : but they were more modest then so ; and knew very well that they could not detain them any longer , then god had decreed : whereby you see that they in the very nick of gods time set down by the prophet jeremiah , chron. . , , , ezra . did send them home and restore all which was theirs to them aagain . here i have taken an occasion by the way to speak a word also to mr. feake , mr. simpson , and others of their party meeting in black-friers , not doubting but when god shall arrest them saying , kings . . hast thou kild and taken possession in that place where king charls and his people lost their bloud , in that very place shall thy bloud be spilt , even thine : and set their bloudy deeds to cry unto their consciences , saying we are thine , & we will not leave thee untill thy judgment come : then their courrage will be abated , and they shall know that they are not for the interest of jesus christ , as they falsly affirm . but are for the interest of the devil , who was murtherer from the beginning , john . . john . . and when nathans ridle is opened unto others , saying : thou art the man , sam. . . . for thou hast given great occasion to the papist to blaspheme . saying , these are the works of such as would be altogether ruled by the bible : they will for swear themselves , and murder their king , and kill , rob , and steal , by authority ; when like davids psalm , . . their sin as a bloudy sheet is set before them , it will make them roar like david , saying , i acknowledge mine iniquity and my sin is ever before me , against thee ; thee , onely have i sinned by causing the enemies to blaspheme thy word , the holy bible . oh now , i will repent and endeavour to restore the kings family and other families ; which most unfaithfully and unjustly : we have spoiled , and i will pay my vows and stop the mouths of the blasphemers of thy word thereby , so far as i am able , help me lord , that i may prevail and appease thy hot indignation against me : and i could wish that those of feake and simpsons party would repent and be of the same resolution : but i know of a certain there is a party in this land , that shall fall by their willfull impenitency . now i draw to a conclusion , desiring all in generall to observe diligently the rest of the matter following in this little book , and if any do desire to know further of me , let them get the other books here mentioned : for my part , if it be the will of god , i am willing to be offered for the defence of the faith of gods elect . titus , . but i cannot desire that god should not take me away in the midst of my days psalm . . because i am already past it , nor say as jacob said to pharaoh , that i have not attaind to the years of the life of my father gen. . . for i have out-lived my father and elder brother in years ; who died both a natural death ; therefore the remnant of days that now i have to live , i count to be extraordinarily given me of god : even to glorifie him wholly withall ; and if it please him that i die a martyr and that in my death i glorifie god , i hope he will give me strength to triumph that way ; but wo to such a party as takes my life violently from me , for declaring to them the truth in love , committed to my charge . truly i have no cause to doubt these people ; for though they have not yielded to the truth : yet they have been perswaded that my declaration was so much in the way of gods spirit , that they did not molest me at all when i delivered my petition to the counsel of the army , may . . and spoke in the defence of king charls , at that time when i disputed it before them all , four hours together . i spake there more fully for ( him ) then ever i did by writing ; so that i may say this word of the prophet to god , was verified on me , isai . , . thou wilt keep him in perfect peace , whose heart is stayed on thee , because he trusteth in thee , i may say experimentally that this is true , even that i had such a peace of god , as passeth all understanding , phil. . . that is peace and liberty to the soul and body . therefore , i will trust in the lord , for in the lord jehovah is everlasting strength isai . . and now i am as the paul of this time : he was a mechanick , a tent maker , acts . . i am a taylor , i plant and shew these things , apollo , that is the eloquent ministers of christ are to water them , but god giveth the increase acts . , , , , , corin. . . i recommend all to god and his ministers , and i remain your faithfull servant in christ jesus . arise evans from long-ally in black-friers sep. the . . errata . page . line . for , it signifies or firmness thereof , the certainty , read , it signifies the certainty or firmness thereof , the bloudy vision of john farly interpreted , with another vision signifying peace and happiness , &c. before i come to shew you the visions , it will be needfull to let you understand a little of the life and quality of this mr. farly , according as i have heard it , both from himself and others that knew him very well , who acknowledged him to have been a gentleman of good estate , living near wallington in shropshire , and always was counted a very honest man , and of a milde disposition : also in these troublesome times he payed all taxes freely to both sides , king and parliament , and yet was very much plundered and wronged by both , untill at last they brought him so low that he was forced to moregage his own lands , and afterwards to fearm another gentlemans estate in wales : but having many crosses there likewise , he was forced to leave that place also , not being able to manage it for want of stock . at this time he had a wife and eight children to maintain , and very little money remaining , so that he knew not what course to take for a lively hood : but calling to minde that a gentleman and a dear friend of his was in the lord generals life-guard , and hoping by his means to get some place under the parliament , whereby to maintain his charge . in the year . he came to london with all his family , and took a house at the upper end of drury-lane , where he lived very poorly , and could neither meet with his friend nor get any imployment , but was in great distress for want of means to maintain his charge , and to pay every one his own . and on the of january . in the morning he being in his bed , was very much troubled in his minde at his crosses , but yet meditating and in his thoughts trusting in the lord for supplie , he fell into a trance and saw the following visions , and when he came to himself again , being unaccustomed with such things , he was much troubled at it , and arising in haste , told his wife thereof : and immediately went forth to several of his friends , ministers , and others , and related what he had seen to them , desiring them to give him their judgement there upon , for he was afraid that his visions did onely predict some misfortune to himself , and when some of them told him , they could not give him the interpretation ; or at least would not : but that these were matters of higher concernment : he was the more afraid to conceal the same , so that then they became a burthen unto him . at last he came to another friends house , and told these things also there , and as they were wondring at the strangeness of those visions , and could make no construction thereof : nor what they did signifie , one being there present that hath a book of mine , called [ a voyce from heaven to the common-wealth of england , and lent it to him : and likewise derected him to me , saying it was very likely that i could give him the right interpretation of those things , and after he had read some part thereof he came to my house , and being in a kinde of extasie , sate down and showed me the book , and declared the cause of his coming , and how he had been all that moruing in several places to have his visions interpreted , but found none that could interprete the same . but now was by a devine providence & my book directed to me , he being very confident that it was given for me to interpret it . then i considering with my self that in regard of the multitude of people daily inquiring of me concerning what hopes i saw of their redemption from these troublesom times , i having for a whole fortnight before constantly prayed to god to send me some extraordinary knowledge , now to satisfie and comfort the people , and found by the strangeness of this mans coming , before he related his visions , that he was sent of god unto me therewith , as answers to my prayers , i desired him to declare them unto me , promising him through gods assistance to shew the interpretation thereof , and there upon he repeated them to be in this manner . . i saw in a vision revealed unto me as i was standing upon stone-steps , at a place in london , there came a man riding before me , and made a stand against me , and th n i saw a coatch coming between the man and me passing by , and in the coatch was a woman cloathed in scarlet , and one who stood by me , said : behold this woman , how do you like of her ? and i answered , i liked none , but mine own , and then the man who was on the horse back , said unto me , then it seemeth you like none , but one of your own breaking , then there came six youths , who were in blue coats and blue caps , ( like to the hospital youths , ) and stood between the man on horse back and me , & said , behold , take notice of the moon , and thereupon i looked up and saw a sign post , with the sign of the moon hanging as a sign under it , which i beholding presently there appeared a spot of bloud upon the picture of the moon , which spot spread it self over all the moon , and the bloud sparkled up upon the skey and overspread the same . then suddenly falling down upon my knees , and lifting up my hands to heaven , i called upon the lord to be my guider and defender , and immediatly upon that there appeared by the picture of the moon a man sitting , having a candle lighted in his hand , then came another man with a candle unlighted in his hand , and he lighted his candle at the other candle , that the other man had in his hand , and departed : and then the man who sat by the moon spake and said , i thank you all for beholding the same . then there came a chariot with milk white horses like as if it had come out of a court by the place where i stood , and as they aproached near me , i thought them to be of fire , so sparkling that the heat thereof came mightily unto me , whereby i was forced to shrink back from the extreamitie thereof , and returning two or three steps back , i beheld the horses and chariot coming up the steps after me , thus going back , and seeking for some place to shelter my self from the heat thereof : but finde in the street as i went , neither door nor shop window open , i could have no place of safeguard . and seeing before me another chariot with horses aproaching toward me , i was greatly troubled in minde , and then beholding upon my right hand a street turning another way in which i thought to be free , entered the same : and having gone but a little way therein , it was beset in like manner . and there came foremost a man having a long light like unto a tortch in his haud , which when i saw , i thought it was domes day , and fell to the ground as a dead man , and could not move hand nor foot , yet had my remembrance perfect , and when he came unto me , he said , who is here : but i said nothing unto him , and then he strode one foot over me , and lift me up from the earth , and held me in his arms and blue into mine ears three or four times , then said he there was no means to help me , but to be washed with the bloud of jesus christ , so soon as he had spoken i perceived my self to be naked , and then he washed and bathed my bodie all in bloud ; which being done he departed and went foreward , ana i thought he drew me after him . then presently i was brought like as if i had been in some great church , wherein was much timber work , and there i saw men washing , and besmearing all the posts and timber with bloud , and then i seemed as if i were to depart out of the same place , but coming to the door of it , i heard as it were a rushing of a mightie winde , with a noise of chariots and horses , with beholding of sumptuous buildings and multitudes of men , and being astonished therewith , i returned into the church again , and then by that time i seemed to have a great bundel of bladders about me which vanished all , but three , whereof one was very little , and the rest were very great , especially one of them , and these two seemed like two earthen pots , which wearied me to bear . and as i went forward in a bake-way flying from the church , i heard a voice , saying , go apace : and when i came to the end , at a place where i could go no further ; i thought these pots did diminish mightily , and there came a voice unto me , saying , there will not be left the worth of a half peny remaining of all this fight , so i awaked . and i being in fear and amazement at this bloudy vision , within a quarter of an hour after fell into a trance again and saw another vision , which is as followeth : i beheld , and lo , i was in a field ( as i thought ) newly sown with wheat , and as i beheld , i saw upon the land sowed , a company of doves being milk white , and all of them stood in a round ring , or ci●kle , and in the midst was onely one alone by himself which surpassed all the rest in brightness , shining like the sun-beams in its brightness , so did this dove appear in brightness and glorie , and i awaked again . these were the visions which he related unto me , and now i shall give you the interpretation thereof , as i gave it to him then . the interpretation of the first vision . whereas you saw your self standing upon stone steps in london , it signifies , or firmnes thereof , the certainty , and that by degrees , your vision will be fulfilled here in england , jer. . , . and whereas you saw a man on horse back coming speedily to the place where you stood , it doth signifie that they will speedily come to pass , ezek. . , , , . habak. . . also the vision being revealed to you in the morning , signifies the day of its fulling is near at hand , rom. . . and whereas you saw a coatch with a woman in it , all cloathed in scarlet passing by , that signifies this bloudy parliament and state , which will suddenly vanish away and be consumed , rev. . , , . thess. . . and whereas you saw six youths all in blue , they signifie charls his wayne , and their voice which said , behold , take notice of the moon , signifies the comet , or blazing star , that appeared in december ● . near the stars , which star , or comet doth presage the dissolution of this present power speedily also , judg. . , . job . . , , . amos . . and whereas you saw a sign post with the sign of the moon to it , and of the sport of bloud that appeared upon it , and overspread both it and the skey , by the sign of the moon is signified , that when this parliament is destroyed , they will make an image , or a representation of the same parliament , and in that , divisions will break out into bloud , which will overspread the kingdom more then ever it did , joel . . , . rev. . , . psal. . . and whereas you saw a man sitting by the picture of the moon with a light like a candle in his hand , and another man coming to him with a candle unlighted , and lightning it at the other mans candle , and so depart , and then the man sitting by the picture of the moon , his giving thanks to the spectators : is signified that a great commander at this time of division shall be hard put to it , and be forced to issue forth a commission to one that shall help him , and he will be very gratefull unto such as shall discover the treachery and plots that are intended against him , psalm . . isa. . . and whereas you saw a chariot with milk white horses coming out of a court hard by you , and the chariot all of fire , so that you fled before it , and could have no place of safeguard , and that another chariot came against it : that signifies that the king and court interest now begins to be violent and hot on foot again , prevailing , notwithstanding , there is another chariot , or power coming against it , which will meet in london streets , so hot that all will in that day be forced to shut up their shop-windows and doors for fear , so that he which is without doors shall not finde a place wherein to hide his head , isa. . , , , . amos . , , . isa. . . and whereas you saw a street on your right hand in the which you thought to escape , but found it beset with a multitude of men , and that he which came foremost had a tortch lighted in his hand , before whom you fell as a dead man , yet your remembrance was perfect , and he having compassion on you , calls to you , takes you up , blows in your cars , to see if that would revive you : but seeing it would not do , doth pronounce that you must be washed in bloud , and after you are washed , you are revived and follow him : the foremost man signifies the king , who shall enter his kingdom at this time , and in compassion lovingly shall send forth his declaration and proclamation to his people : but they will not come in to him , nor stir no more then you did when the man call'd to you , took you up , and blue in your ears , then seeing that he must do it , the king will resolve to proceed with fire and sword to wash the kingdom with bloud , then the kingdom will come in to him , and he will prevail , judges . , . thus by compulsion he must draw his people after him , song . . . and whereas you saw that you came into a great church where men washed all the posts with bloud : it signifies that god will now avenge himself on such as have destroyed , defiled , and robbed his sanctuaries , i mean cathetheral churches , and other churches , and things dedicated to gods service : insomuch that god will for that cause require the bloud of those , who are guilty of these crimes , to satisfie his hot indignation , and to cleanse his sanctuaries with bloud , for if the lord jesus was so sore offended with those that sold doves for the sacrifice in the temple at jerusalem , and so zealous for it that he would not suffer any to carry a vessel through it , how much more is he offended with those that so highly abused , robed , and destroyed the christian temples builded for him to be worshipped in , mark . . , ● . joh. . , , . jer. . . jer. . , , . malach. . . rom. . . and whereas you saw your self departing out of the church , and as you were at the door heard the rushing of a mightie winde , with noise of chariots clattering together with beholding of men armed in multitudes , and sumptuous spacious buildings : it signifies that in the citie of london there shall be great busling , troubles , and most terrible fightings in all parts thereof at this time , jer. . , , , . and whereas you saw that as you returned again , and found another way to go out of the church , you were burthened with a bundel of blown bladders , which vanished from you as you went , saving onely three remained : by which is signified that the parliament men , whose winde have voted these mischiefs which are come upon this kingdom , and the vain professors who have executed their votes , and never had any thing of truth in them , but rather delighted themselves with their vain , wicked , windy , and fruitless notions , now all such will be troubled and get together , being assured that they shall now be called to an account for their works , yet thinking to do some feats by raising armies to preserve themselves , but they shall be cut off in the bud one after another , as they are about it , except three that will escape , cor. . , . hos. . . tit. . . james . . matth. . , , . and whereas you saw three bladders remaining and that one of them was a very little one , and the other t●o verie great ones , but especially one surpassing in greatness , and that these became too earthen pots , which by degrees diminished as you went foreward , then the voice that said to you , go apace , and after your coming to a place where there was a stop , that you could go no further : it signifies that three parliament men , one that hath been the greatest actor in these times ▪ the other hath acted much , but the third very little . these three will get two flying armies , and being persued will diminish untill at last they get into some strong hold , from whence happily they may make their peace , judges . . and whereas last of all , you heard a voice , saying , that there will not be left the worth of a half pennie of all this sight : it signifies that of all the riches and glorie that the parliament and their party seem to have got , there shall not be left unto them the worth of a half penny , jer. . . isa. . . isa. . . this is the interpretation of your first vision , which indeed is a terrible one , and i could wish withall my heart , that if it be possible it come not to pass : but rather that god would be pleased to pardon the sins of this land , and to give them grace to receive the king in peace , and if it be his blessed will , that the parliament and state would not bring utter ruine upon themselves , and upon this distracted nation . now after i had interpreted this bloudy vision , he was very well satisfied in his spirit , and desired me to interpret the other vision , which he had within a quarter of an hour after the former , but he said it never troubled him as the other did , and i said it shall be also done ; for it may be there is more of comfort in that , then there is of sorrow in this . the interpretation of the second vision . then said i , whereas you saw your self in a field newly sown with wheat : that signifies that now there shall be a new kingdom established again here in brittain , more glorious then ever was upon earth , jer. . , . isa. . , , . psal. . . matth. . . and whereas you saw a companie of milk white doves upon that field , all in a round ring , or circle : the ring , or circle signifies the endless , everlasting , and everstanding court that shall be raised and established here again . and the companie of milk white doves signifies the spotless nobles that have continued faithfull all this time . therefore , both they and their seed shall triumph gloriously in the court for ever , isa. . . psal. . , . psal. . . song . . . and whereas you saw one dove alone in the middle of the ring , or circle , which did shine like the sun in brightness , by that dove is signified the king , who in due time will shine like the sun over all the earth , to answer the expectation of all nations , and fulfill the promise of our lord jesus , so that jews and turks shall then acknowledge jesus christ to be the onely saviour of souls , psal. . . psal. . ● , , , . and after i had interpreted his visions , he called for pen and ink and wrote them , and left them to my disposing : but i desired him to get them fairely written , and that i would get the interpretations of them also fairely written , and that he should carry them to the lord general cromwell , and a petition with them ; to shew his case and condition , telling him that the general was a good man , and would perhaps do something for him : and then he was inclinable to take my counsel , but two dayes after , he came again to see me , and brought his wife with him , i propounded the same motion to him again , saying , that it was best for him to go with his visions to the lord general . and he answered me , saying , that one mr wilde , ( as he heard , ) was then , and had been a long time prisoner in newgate , for declaring a vision that he had seen , and that if his excellencie should send him to prison upon it , both he , his wife , and children might come to starve by that means : but said he , i refer it to god and your disgression to publish it in due time , according as god shall direct you . then i considered how i had prayed , and that god sent the visions to him as a conduit to convey them to me , and to answer my prayers , and as a talent for me to give an account off : therefore i moved him no more to that purpose : and the man presently after , being much troubled in minde , at his wants and crosses in the world , went to virginia with some friends of his to trie his fortune there : now the reasons , why i look upon these visions as an immediat warning from god to this nation , are these five following . . because he was not factious on any side , or a seeker after new opinions but was well grounded in the true christian faith of the church of england , believing the truth of it , and without dispute resting constantly in the same faith that he was taught in at first , and hence i do gather , that he was beloved of god , who shewed him those visions . . because i saw that he had not a spirit of pride , or revenge in him , for although he lost all he had in these times for no cause , but onely that he was peaceable : yet did i never hear him speak a word against the parliament , or any other that had wronged him , but contrarily sought for a place under any of them , to get anywhere a poor honest living , patiently waiting on god without any pride , or thoughts of revenge . . because that after he had seen the visions , though he said to me that he was never so troubled before , yet now had he no rest in his spirit , untill he got a satisfactory interpretation to them from me , and then had perfect rest and peace in minde concerning the visions . . because i saw it was the fruit of my prayers to god , who since he called me to this his peculiar service , never denied me any thing that was needfull for me to know , and whereby to warn this nation : therefore whatsoever others think of these visions , i shall look upon them as certain truths consonant to the scriptures , which suddenly will come to pass . . because that from the time i had these visions thus left with me unto this present , it hath been a great burthen to my spirit , so that i finde it impossible for me to keep them in silence , and have rest : and although i had rather be a jonah then a jeremy , in pronouncing of judgement , and that england might become a ninive , and not a jewry in matter of repentance , jonah . . , . jer. . . jer. . yet gods decree must stand , isa. . , , , , . and the stout harted shall bow down to it , ye stand upon your sword , saith god : and i will call for a sword against it ; throughout my mountains , saith the lord god , every mans sword shall be against his brother , ezek. . . ezek. . . amos . . that all flesh may know , that i the lord have drawn my sword , ezek. . . therefore be thou instructed , oh jerusalem , lest my soul depart from thee , lest i make thee desolate , a land not inhabited , jer. . . now i have given you an account of these visions , to the intent that god might be glorified , you profitted and my self eased of my burthen , i shall endeavour to inform you further of what i see and discern in scripture concerning this nation , but i shall direct my speech chiefly to those gentlemen of the representative now at west-minster , and then to the rest of this kingdom , beseeching all of them to consider what i have said in my former books , the one called [ a voice from heaven , ] and the other [ an eccho unto that voice , ] and take special notice of the dates of those books , and likewise how those sayings are come to pass ; since they were published , and lay them to heart seriously , and then consider , that if i keep a clear conscience i must declare the truth . admonitions to all the people of this kingdom , but chiefly to those that have the power in their hands . by arise evans . men and brethren i beseech you , let me freely speak unto you , in the language of the apostle , acts . . how be it , as his speech was distastefull then , so i doubt mine will be to many palets now , but i hope such as fear the lord ; will hear and be pricked in their hearts , acts . . truly , though i have received his spirit for my directions herein , . cor. . . eccles. . . yet if it were possible i would not displease you : i confess my matter , or message is contrary to most of your judgements : but for all that ; as i shall endeavour to deliver the same in as fair terms as i can : so i hope ye will accordingly take the same in good part , surely i look upon your declaration to be your real intention , and take it as a great mercy of god that ye are such men , as be able to hear reproof , prov. . . prov. . . . . and of such qualifications to fulfill such terrible places of scripture , whereas if it had been the lot of some proud , hot , intemporate men , who would not endure to be told of what they were by their station , they might have gone to hell without mollestation , or any to pity them . it is averred by some that a cockatrice seeing it self in a glass , and by beholding its own deformity immediately dieth , i do not wish you should do so : but i wish that when i shew you by the scripture what ye are now , that ye would become what you should be , to your eternal happiness : i know god can turn a saul to paul , acts . , . and i hope no less of you , for god can turn the shadow of death into a morning , amos . . he can make darkness light , and crooked things straight , isai . . so that there shall be no shadow of death , nor darkness where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves , job . . all these things are possible with god for them that believeth , mark . . . matth ▪ . . indeed my main matter is both hard for me to utter , and for you to understand , rom. . . . john . . timoth. . . heb. . . nahum . . , . haba● . . , . for i am under a burthen which presseth me sore , and have been twenty years under the same , and though many think it but an easie thing to declare the minde of god , and to open the mysteries of his word as they are fulfilled , yet i tell you it is so hard , and requireth so much courage , strength , and labour , that none knoweth it , but such as are exercised therein , jer. . . jer. . , . but it is an easie thing to be a flattering false prophet , who swim always with the stream , crying peace where there is no peace , and the world follow such , jer. . . for we see the true prophets were generally men of sorrows , condemned , and persecuted by the world : because they did not flatter , nor spare men in authority but told them their sins , for which cause they were so rejected , that some of them wished to die , or that they had never been born to see the truth , and their love slighted and the people ruined , jer. . . jer. . . , , , , . king. . . and men in authority never wanted false prophets to flatter , and destroy them by perswading them to go on and prosper , kings . . until their sins were ripe , and no remedy left . therefore it is better for you to hear me now while the sun of prosperity shineth upon you , then to hear those thousands who tell you the world is yours , and cause you to bless your selves in the imaginations of your own hearts , deut. . , , . as if god were pleased with injustice , bloud ▪ shed , tebellion , robbery , opression , spiritual pride , drunkenness , and a many other abominable inormities which the late parliament countenanced among us , for i am assured , that what i do now tell you is true , and will as certainly come to pass as those truths have done , which i foretold to those that were in authority before you . it is certain that you do by your declaration require a worship , and acknowledgement of your power , as if you were a parliament : why should i wrong and flatter you , by giving you a false title , ye cannot be ignorant that according to the laws of england , ye are not a parliament : and i wonder much that ye did take that name upon you , ye being so unlike to it , for ye know a parliament consists of lords spiritual , and temporal , and commons called in by the kings writ , and chosen by the people , but the generality of them , as one said to me , do not look upon you as a parliament , though many be forced to lie against their consciences by calling you so : is it not therefore best that i tell you the truth , which is that the people do not own you as a parliament , which i fear ye will finde when they see a fit opportunity , which they wait for , to rise up against you , whereof if i should not warn you , and tell you the truth , which is so clearly revealed unto me , i should be a murtherer , and bring your bloud upon mine own head , ezek. . , , , , , , , , . then how can i rest , or hold my tongue , seeing no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him ? joh. . . and sure it is , that there is a heavy judgement to come upon you , unless by repentance and amendment ye speedily prevent it . and now me thinks i hear some of them in power say , what shall we do to prevent this judgement ? i answer , give that unto god which is his due , and unto caesar what is due unto him , and unto all people thier just rights and liberties . . do right unto god , and that is , restore to god all those things which were taken from the church by the late parliament , or any other in tithes and offerings , malach. . , , , , , , , . ye know well enough what the tithes are , and for the offerings , first , they are the praises of god , which were sung and said dayly in our churches , both cathedrals and others throughout the kingdom , which singing and praising of god with instruments of musick in scripture is called the daily sacrifice , daniel . , , . daniel . . psalm . psalm . , . rev. . , . rev. . , . all which praises being his due , ye ought to restore unto him again , and for other offerings belonging to god , they are all those things which have been given by our fore-fathers for pious uses , whether to the church to maintain ministers in in several places , or to the maintainance of poor orfants and aged people , or any other ways left to be disposed : all which ye are to restore and dispose off , according to the minde of those good people that gave them ; for those things were sacr●ficed unto god , who taketh care for his ministers and for the poor , and acknowledgeth that what was given to them , matt. . . was given to him , and what was taken from them is a robbing of him , and also declareth that such as rob him in those things are accursed , malach. . , . but ye will say , those that gave these things were idolatrously devoted , i answer : thou that abhorrest idols , doest thou commit sacriledge ? rom. . . our church in the days of king henry . king edward . and queen elizabeth took sufficient care for that matter : therefore take heed , least ye by running away from idolatry split your selves upon sacriledge , and robbing of god , but rather do right to god in restoring these things , that ye may be blessed . the next thing is , that ye do right unto all men from the highest to the lowest , and that you restore to every one what is his birth-right and due by the laws of the land , according to the intention of our worthy predecessours that made them : and that ye neither alter nor destroy those laws , they being experimentally found to be the best in all the world for the government of a people , according to the word of god . insomuch that before this time brittain might have been called the glorie of the whole earth , for righteousness towards god and man , if they had not come short in the execution of the laws , according to the true meaning thereof , for the laws are good , though the administratours thereof being corrupted , have through bribery many times wrested them , and thereby wronged the subjects , and it is a notable character of the beast , or anti-christ , that he shall think to change times and laws , daniel . . therefore it were good that ye would leave off your destroying of our laws , and changing of times . . the third thing is ; that ye restore the government of the church , and preserve the laws and ordinances thereof as well as of the state , according as they were established in the beginning of these troubles : and that for the better purging and taking away of all abuses and errours crept in since that time , ye advise with such conscientious learned , sober , and honest bishops , and other orthodox clergie and lawyers as be most able to direct you as from the mouth of god : but beware of the leaven of the pharisees , i mean the presbyterian , or puritanical faction , who have brought all this misery upon themselves and us : for though they be now so sensible of their errours , that many of their ministers and ring-leaders do begin to creep toward the bishops good old way : yet it will not be wisdom to trust them : least their old leprosie break out again . and now in the name of god almighty , i testifie and affirm unto you , that this is the very minde of god and of the most conscientious , and judicious men in the kingdom , which here i present unto you to be done for the good and happiness of the nation . therefore , ( as i said , ) whilst ye stand in the station wherein ye are now , i dare not ( for my part ) lie so grosly agrinst the truth & mine own conscience , as to call you a parliament , for i have proved by the scripture in my book called [ a voice from heaven , ] written in the year . that the late parliament which was rightly called together at first , by doing those unreasonable actions which the beast spoken off , rev. . was to do ; according to the scripture , became that beast : now the beast being wounded by a sword and dissolved , yet liveth in its acts , that ye are the representative , or image of the same beast , rev. . , , , , . and what penalty is appointed for any that giveth any title of honour , worship , or reverence to the beast , or to his image is evident , rev. . . . and truely , let me tell you mine own infirmities also , that it is no small grief unto me , that i am confined upon pain of eternal damnation , not to give you the titel and reverence that ye expect from these three kingdoms , for i am confident that some of your intentions and meanings are good , though your errours and want of true understanding be very evil : so that it is harder for to bring you , or such as profess so much knowledge to a right understanding , then it is to bring them that never made any profession of religion at all , to acknowledge the truth : for as the lord christ found more true understanding and faith in heathens and publicans , then in the self-conceited pharisical jews , matth. . , . so now those that seems to have nothing of value in them by the judgement of your precisians , i finde to be most capable to understand and to believe the saving truth that i now declare ; for the open prophane through infirmities and weakness of the flesh , being right & firm in the true principles of faith , are better then those who profess outward holiness with errours in judgement & faith : yea , and are more humble and consequently more capable to receive the truth , luke . , , , , . but i hope better things of you , though i thus speak . that notwithstanding the great difference between king charls and you , ye shall finde him to be a child of god , and appointed to be the most eminent servant of jesus christ in all the world , and that ye will be yet his most glorious subjects , to vindicat him from all the aspersions laid upon him , and to wound the head of his enemies : and yet , truly gentlemen , if i should believe reports , there is small cause for me to stand so much for him : for i heard it of a certain , that some eminent pretended friends of his , ( who thinks to bear a great sway in this kingdom ; ) have positively said : that when he cometh to his throne , he must of necessity put me to death : because ( say they ) i laid too much honour upon his father , and did blaspheme therein , but i believe they are not able to prove their assertion from scripture against me , though they take up the teners of the pharisee : for a man may blaspheme god & the king , but to joyn god and the king together in one , is no blasphemy by scripture rule : but howsoever , i shall both do him right , & not be danted at their ignorant threats : for i believe the king shall have such wisdom to rule , that all things will not be done as such ignorants would , for though they think the revolutions of these times to be nothing , but accidental changes , yet wiser men who shall then bear rule with the king , when he cometh to his throne , will finde and believe that these revolutions and changes came to pass , even to fulfill the words and promises of god , which are laid down in scripture , as they are and have been opened and declared by me these twenty years in some measure by gods assistance and appointment . and whereas many say , the kings bloud lies upon this man and that man , and that the king cannot pardon such , and such a man ; and that he can never be reconciled to such a party , or parties . i am sure , you that so think , or affirm , are as much concerned in the late kings death , as any of them you speak off , and ye do this king more injury then any man doth , by perswading the king and people , that what ye report in this matter is true , so that you most unadvisedly set one against another : and therefore the hearts of them that are in power are so hardned against the king , that though they were willing to restore him to his right , yet will they not do it , least thereby they should fall into such bloud-thirsty mens hands , as they fear you ( by your own words ) to be : and i am perswaded ( as my reason tells me : ) that your threatning of the late parliament and souldiery , was the main cause , why they put the late king to death ; for what is it that men will not do to save their own lives and estates ? therefore they strike when you do but threaten . but if you would enquire by humane sense and reason , from whence these miseries came , ye will finde that they did spring from the covetousness of some clergy man , tim. . . . tim. . . . for ye will finde a covetous man come to the ministry , and he must have two or three church-livings whatsoever they cost him , and he will get some poor curates for a small matter to serve for him , who although they be learned , yet they shall never be able to get so much under him as will buy them books , or hardly bread , so that they being starved , are not able to feed the people with knowledge : whereupon they hire themselves a lectorer , and these hirelings being wolves , put on sheeps cloathing , matth. . . , , , . and to fill their bags they will flatter the people , and preach them all to be saints forsooth that follows them : so they become puritanes , and say to the other , stand apart and come not near me , for i am holier then thou , isai . . . and while the one part of the parrish are drunk at the ale-house , and on the sundays run into all manner of incivilities , for want of sober godly preaching , isai . , , . the other part with immoderate teachings do run in spiritual whoredom and drunkenness , isai . . and this hireling becomes famous for finding that pleasing to the people , and profital for his purpose , he will cast out words against the church-government and bishops , untill he be taken hold on , and questioned for it : then most men cry him up for a gallant man ; and rail upon the bishops , as upon persecuters of godly men : then many others of that coat seeing this hireling-judas , by this means to fill his bags so fast , do take up his doctrine , john . , . and . , , . yea , the lawyer & physician finding this trade better then their own , do follow it also for lucres sake : hence the puritanical faction getting enterance by the covetousness , and negligence of the lasie prelates , now like a canker runs over and poysons the whole kingdom , tim. . , . and the roman catholick laughs at this sport , getteth a place to play his cards once more , and thinketh to get the game . but we have another way to cure all this busines , and that 's by calling a parliament : of which , if the priviledge had been maintained , we had been happy by this time : now when the parliament was called , the puritan and hireling ministers of london , &c. began to stir up the citie against the king , bishops & major part of the parliament , ( which properly was the parliament ) who for fear of the tumults durst not appear : thus judgement is turned away backward , and equity cannot enter , isai . , , . and he that is righteous maketh himself a prey , the truth hath no place , for lies and faseshood prevaileth : therefore i say that on the authours of those tumults , lies the kings bloud , and all the bloud that hath been spilt since ; notwithstanding the london ministers remonstrance at the kings death , who like pylat seemed to wash their hands , as being innocent of his bloud : but woe unto them , for they have gone in the way of cain , and run greedily after the errour of balaam for reward , and they shall perish in the gain-saying of core , jude . for they maliciously preached up the people into disorder , hoping thereby to raise themselves in the casting down of the bishops , every one seeking his own advantage , but the wheel turns round , & such as were not thought on then , now rules the roast ; so that they could not so fully compass nor enjoy the ends they aimed at . how thirsty were the presbyterian ministers for the innocent bishop of canterburie , and other mens bloud , saying , the cause of their god would never prosper untill such were put to death , taxing the bishop with popery , &c. whereas indeed , the pope had not such an adversary on earth as the bishop was , who if he had lived would have drawn all obedience from him in a short time : for the pope feareth no protestant so much , as that man who cometh nearest unto him in order and decency , yet keeps his principles in faith and doctrine : and for those who are now in power , they are not so much concerned in the kings bloud , as the generality of the people do imagine : the lord general cromwell himself could not either do much for him nor against him at that time , but as the stream of the parliament , army and people went then , so must he go , or else be disabled , ruinated , and dealt with as a malignant . but many of them who are most guilty , ( to clear themselves ) would fain lay all upon the lord general , saying , that he was the busiest in bringing the king to his end ; suppose he was , divine providence so ordered the matter , that it was his place , for he was a servant in it to the parliament , to the lord general fairfax , to the army , and to the people : and if he had refused , there were many that would have been glad of his place to have done i● so that his deligence & faithfulness appeared in this , as in whatsoever service else he is intrusted with , although in many things he goeth on as he did in this with simplicity , not knowing the consequence , but hoping by the providence of god that all will be brought about to a good issue . others there be , that say he promised with several solemne oaths to the king when he was in the army , that he would do his best endeavour to save him , and restore him to his throne : truely whether it was so , or no , i know not , god and himself knows best : but of this i am sure , that if he had gone about to do it then ; he could not have done it : but would have disabled himself of power to do what he may be forced to do to that purpose now , for i am perswaded so well of the lord general , and of many belonging to him , that they have a desire to deal faithfully , and truely toward god and man : and i doubt not but they shall finde an opportunity to perform their desires . and although mr. feack do affirm before his congregation ; that the general and parliament ( as he calls it ) are yet in babylon : but he shall finde to his sorrow , that they will inshort time obey the truth , and come out of babylon . therefore , all ye of the kings party , give up your selves to god in prayer , and serving of him , with a holy and sober life , not giving your selves to rayoting , drinking , swearing , nor working of plots : for the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the chilnren of god , luke . . and god would not have you to use any such wicked means , whereby to establish your selves , and get the glorie from him : but rather to stand still , wait , and behold the salvation of god , that ye may give him the glorie of your salvation : and as for you that are ministers , pray and preach with fervencie of spirit , and by the power of the same spirit laid down in the holy scriptures , glorifie god , strengthen the hearts of the people in the faith , and thereby overcome your adversaries , and glorie not so much as ye do in your vain phylosophy , coloss. . . which by a faithfull soul is of no more esteem , in regard of the word of god in scripture , then chaff is in comparifon of wheat , jerem. . . tim. . , , , . and i dare affirm that a sincere plain man with his meditating and studying the scriptures onely , and conversing with the like , shall attain to a more excellent power to maintain his doctrine , then many of you have , so that for all your learning , if ye be not so expert in the scripture as he is , he will overthrow you . therefore if ye expect the blessing of restoration , matth. . . mark . . . acts . . . leave your luke-warmness , and be more diligent in searching the scriptures , and in preaching them , lift up your voice like a trumpet , isai . . and . . to rouse the people out of their slumbering sins , to be fervent in prayer that the lord would rent the heavens , and come down to deliver his people from the hands of their oppressours , that we may praise him with songs of deliverance . what is the reason that the bride-groom doth not come ? matth. . , , , , , . is it not because the bride doth not make her self ready to receive him ? what is the reason that some of you count me a blasphemer in what i say concerning king charl ? is it not your ignorance of the scriptures ? matth. . . what is the reason , that though ye have the truth on your side , yet ye are not able to incounter in dispute , either with the plain countrey-men , or mechanicks , or heriticks of these times ? is it not because of your ignorance of the scriptures , and luke-warmness ? for ye onely desire to know them but afar off . ah , this negligence will never make us happy : ye shame your selves ; that childe which neither by prosperity , nor adversity will be brought home to his father ; is a lost childe : consider what i say , and the lord give you understanding in all things , tim. . . if ye be the servants of christ , your word should be a word of power , such as all your enemies could not be able to gain-say , nor resist , luke . . acts . . yea , one of you should chase a thousand , and too put ten thousand to flight , deut. . , . if ye did but obey the voice of the lord . i must needs confess , i speak these things unto you with grief of heart , for seeing ye walking as men , who have not the spirit of courage , and boldness as the apostles had in adversitie , acts . , . acts . , , , . i doubt very much what will become of you , whether god will not cast you off , and put into the ministry men according to his own heart , that will serve him with more diligence and fervency , with greater boldness and courage , not fearing the faces of men , though persecutours : i do not thus speak to all the ministers , but to the proud , envious , ignorant , and negligent , that will neither do the work of god themselves , nor allow of such as do it : for many of this sort , i know there be● ; and some of them have come to cavell with me , and to despise me , because god hath made me more bold then they , in delaring the truth . but suppose now that a man should meet one of our great officers walking in the fields , having a new scarlet cloak , and enter into discourse with him , if the man in the midst of their discourse should snatch the cloak off his back and rent it into twelve pieces , and give him ten pieces of it again , saying , the lord will divide the army , and give you ten parts thereof & ye shall prevail , would not such kind of ministers as you , condemn this man , for his so bold an act ? yet he might be a prophet of god therein , & the thing come to pass as truly now , as it did when such a thing was done by the prophet ahijah , kings . , , , . but these men are miserable comforters . again , i finde a contrary spirit , not onely in the ministers , but in the generality of the kings party also ; some do suppose that it is impossible for the king to come in , because ( say they ) these men now in power are so strong and mighty , speaking as if they were the sons of anack , by their account , numb. . , , , , , , . others there be of calebs spirit , numb. . . who speak comfortable : words to the people , and declare the hopefull things which they conceive , surely god is well pleased with these , and they shall injoy their desires : but for the other let them , take heed , ( as the lord saith , numb. . . ) least they shall know my breach of promise . and if our adversaries had regard to the works of the lord against them , they might see what is become of the most eminent of them that rose against the king : how fell essex , brook , hampden , hotham and his son : how fell hurry poyer , waller , brown , massey , and love ; yea , fairfax and bradshow are falling , how did all the presbyterians sall out of the sadel , whereis the five treacherous members that withstood the late king at first : it is true , one yet remaineth to drink the dregs of his fellows cup : where is the great ministers that preached the people into tumults and rebellion ? do they not stink now in the nostrils of those whom they preach'd up ? how is their glorious parliament as it were sunk quick to hell ? how hath scotland and their great ones there , been punished for their rising against the king , as a just reward of their folly ? for of all men living they should never have done so , how did the immediate hand of god appear against marleborough , it being one of the first towns that arose in england , and made them a wooden god to mock the king ? how is coronet joyce that first laid hands on the king , as also john lilburn , and divers others rewarded for their services , all which fell , as commonly the enemies of israel fell by the hand of their own party , judges . . chron. . , . and as concerning the churches , how many men have been slain and hurt , whilest they were in obstructing the work about st. pauls church ? how were those men cast down ; mained , and spoyled , when they went about building a preaching place for the anabaptists in the stone chappel thereof ? what became of the lord brook that grand enemy of gods worship ? when he thought his armour inpenetrable , how was he smote in the head , from the cathedral church at lich-field , as goliath was by david , i sam. . , , , , . i have said little in comparison of what might be said in this matter , but if i should say all that can be said , yet they would not regard it , psal. . . for they are blinded with their prosperity in the war , though they may know by the things visible against them ; that one days loss now , will keep them under for ever , and that day is not far off , for it is with them as david saith , psal. . . because they have no changes ; therefore they fear not god : and as job saith , they prosper , and the rod of god is not upon them : therefore they say unto god depart from us , for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies , job . , , , , , , , . but ye that hope for deliverance , are to consider , that by your manifold afflictions ye are corrected to refine you , that ye may be made holy , pet. . , . and more innocent then doves , more wise then serpents , matth. . . more precious then the gold of ophir , isai . . malach. . . the end which god hath in afflicting you , is to bring you to such a condition : and then the assyrian ( the rod of his anger : ) who thinketh not to cut off a few nations , shall be burned ; isa. . , , , , , , . for the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous , psal. . . and the family of david ; that is , the kings friends , when they sin , god will correct them with the rod of men , sam. . . . psal. . , . for god makes his rod most usually of wicked men ; by which he corrects his children , therefore say not that there is no hopes , but rather comfort one another ; look upon portingals deliverance ! did not god reveal it afore-hand unto them , even by a poor cobler that could not write a word , but got little scool boys to write for him : who prophesied many remarkable things that came truely to pass , and among the rest he prophesied that in . they should have a king in portugal again . although the king of spain for this cause sought by all means to prevent it ; yet when the time came : notwithstanding , the set year was far spent , they considering that none of the poor mans prophesies had ever yet failed , but that all had been truely fulfilled , they were thereby so much the more imboldned ; so that god stirred up the spirits of the nobles , and valiant men of portugal , and smote the souldiery with terrour , that ( as it were ) in a moment the king was set on his throne : and suddenly had all the strong holds throughout the land surrendred unto him , and there was not three men kill'd in the quarrel . then , why may not god do as much for england ? or why may not those ten valiant commanders that took the kingdom from the late king charls , and according as god had decreed , gave it for sometime to the late parliament , or as it is in scripture language , to the beast ? rev. . , , . and then afterward according as god did put in their hearts ; to destroy the very same parliament , & take the kingdom again from them : as you may see how it was done , rev. . from vers. . to the end of the chapter : i say , why may not god now also move the hearts of the said ten commanders to give the kingdom to him whose right it is , i mean the present king charls , ezek. . . we say , and it is a proverb among us , that if a man lie in a ditch , and cry god help me , and not use his own ability to get out ; he may lay there and perish : but if a man call to god for help , and withall do what he can to help himself ▪ surely god will help him , for if you understand your selves ; when you say god help us : it doth not argue that god shall do all and you nothing ; but it doth argue that god will help you in what you go about to do ; and that if you put too your strength , god will strengthen and prosper you therein , when your actions be right , good , and lawfull , and that especially in the fulfilling of his word . for there is nothing more easie then to fullfill a prophesie : because god is assistant to them , and active with them that do it : how was god with josuah to incourage him , kings . josuah . how was god with jehu , with josiah , with nebuchadnezar , with cyrus : yea , good josiah must die for going out against pharaohn-echo king of egypt , who had a command from god to go against the king of assiria , kings . . chron. . , , , . and what great rewards did god give them that fulfilled his word ? kings . . isa. . from verse . to verse . chron. . , . macchab. . . how prosperous were the late parliament against the late king ▪ why ? because it was prophesied he should fall ; how prosperous was the independents against the presbyterians ? why ? because it was prophesied that they should fall , how prosperous was the army against the late parliament , and how easily did they dissolve it ? why ? because it was prophesied they should fall , how easily did the portingals set up their king ? why ? because it was prophefied of before : then , why cannot they as easily set up the king ; as they did dissolve the parliament ? and why ? even because the word is gone forth for it , isa. . , . for there is no word gone forth against them as yet , notwithstanding all the muttering of their false prophets against them . it is to be considered also what a heavy judgement befell those nobles of israel , who searched the land of canaan , that when they came back perswaded the people that there was no hopes of getting that land , and that it was but in vain to go up and fulfill the lords word by possessing it , genes . . , , , , , , , , . for all those nobles died immediately of the plague , before the lord , numb. . , . and because the people gave ear to their perswasion , the lord would have destroyed them all , had not moses stood up and besought the lord for them , yet for all that , the lord would let none of that generation go up into the land of canaan save caleb and josuah , who were truely noble and valiant : yea , and though the people saw what sudden judgements befell those nobles that had perswaded them : repented and mourned for their sins of murmuring , and immediatly would needs have gone up and possessed the land : yet they found it was too late , for the lord was departed from them , and had changed the time , and given out a new decree : therefore those that went up presumptuously were smitten before their enemies , as you may see all this passage , numb. . and . . here was a heavy judgement upon israel , because they for their own good , would not believe nor fulfill the prophesies and promises of god : but it was well for the cananites , for thereby they injoyed the land fourty years longer . and for certain , there will be no peace to any in this land untill the king come : but fear upon the one and upon the other , and their hearts shall tremble for fear one another ; yea , men in arms shall have trembling hearts , and men in power shall have no rest : therefore i beseech you once more noble gentlemen , to call him home and set him up , ye have the power to do it , and thereby to save a great deal of christian bloud : and they in whose power it is to save mens lives , and will not do it , must expect the like ▪ dealing from the lord : i could wish that such as sit at the helm , would consider the times , things strangely work ; that what a man may do to day , he may want power to do tomorrow , and what two moneths time may bring to pass in such changing times as these , may possibly amaze the world to behold . surely there will some strange news be abroad before the . of january . be past , prov. . , , . heb. . , . prov. . . prov. . . psal. . , , . i pray god it may be for the best ▪ and that some great person may escape the hands of his enemies : it is true that fair opportunities misused , or neglected often bring too late repentance , and sometimes everlasting sorrow . and who knoweth the value of a seasonable well spent day ? i hope that i do not speak this in the ear of deaf adders : neither do i doubt but these things are already thought upon by some ; yet as we say , forewarning is half arming : therefore it is not hurtfull for any of whatsomever degree , to have their dangers foretold ; but if like cesar they will not believe , then may such as be esteemed wise in many other things , prove very unwise in the main thing as he did . a coveat for astrologers , but more especially to george wharton , esq ; and concerning some passages in his almanacks , for the year . mr. wharton , i perceive that there are two almanacks come forth under your name for the year . having two faces ; the one seems to be very much for the romish church , and the other as much against it , page . . you tell us that you believe the romish hierachy shall stand , and do blame those that speaks against it : and say , that we of brittain , or england at first received the christian faith from rome : also you blame such as apply the prophesies in sacred write to this mole-bill of england , ( as you call it , ) and to particular persons therein , who take upon them the name of protestants , and the rule and government , as if this ( say you ) were the place and they ( forsooth ) the persons onely aimed at by the prophets . sir , by this i finde you are more for rome than england , i wonder you know not better by histories , how that joseph of aremathea , ( who was the most honourable of christs disciples , matth. . . . mark . . . ) came hither and preached the gospel before there was a church of christ at rome ; and that he lieth buried at glassenbury : besides him , was not thomas the apostle sent hither about the same time , who preached christ to us , as our ancient chronicles declare ? and was not lucius king of brittain , ( who builded st. peters church in corn-hill london ) the first christian king in all the world ? and was not constantine king of great brittain the first christian emperour in all the world ? where is the like then unto this mole-hill of england , for had it not the preheminence , in regard of its first dominion above all the christian world ? it may be in those times of the ten persecutions , that some came from rome hither for shelter and did preach , but wee stood in no need of them : for we then had preachers enough besides them , onely in love , we received them , as christian brethren . and had nor constantine , by the providence of god gone over to rome , with an army of christian brittains , and conquered the tyrants there , and elsewhere , so far as the citie of constantinople , which was built for the honour of his name ; else the romish church would not have had such esteem as it had by his means : therefore it is evident that the romish church was then beholding to england , so that england may say to god and his church : i am like a green fir-tree from me is thy fruit found , hosea . . and god say of england ; vnto thee shall it come even the first dominion , the kingdom shall come to the daughter of jerusalem , micah . . . as if he should say to england : jerusalem hath brought thee forth , thou art her onely daughter and her heir : thou art that new jerusalem , rev. . . and hath god from this mole-hill of england in those times sent such glorious instruments to comfort all that trusted in christ , and to settle them in peace : and shall he not do the like now ? or doth not the forementioned things predict , that god hath a special regard to england , and snew that it is the glorious holy mountain between the seas ? and though anti-christ for the present , plant his tabernacles here , yet he shall vanish speedily , dan. . . and shortly after , from this land the glorious presence of god shall go forth into all the world , to settle them in everlasting peace and tranquility . but sir , you wheel about in the second part of your almanack . as if you had met king henry the eights ghost in the way ; for it is reported that he at a certain time , when his parliament would not pass a bill which he would have done , to extirpat popery ; he came roughly among them into the parliament house with his short dagger ; saying , who is he that will not pass this bill , and so examined them one by one , till all said : i , to it , thus did he awe them with his terrible presence , and prevailed : then departing the house , said unto them , all good men , all good men : so it is like that you met with king henry the eights ghost , which made you to change your note , for in the last part of your almanack , pag , . you say in brief from this eclips , the pope and hierarchy of rome shall exceedingly suffer : it is evident from holy write that a time shall come , in which babylon must fall : and from the rules of astrology , it is very evident that that prophesie will be fulfilled , ere time put a period to this eclips , which will be before the expiration of the year . howsoever , if this publick ruin should at this time escape them : i am very confident that italy and rome shall be in great distress , and often troubled with tumults and uproars . indeed , sir , i am glad of your conversion , if it be real , yet your sentence here is very sudden against the pope , and hierarchy of rome : and to account of it as babylon is very harsh , from you that was a little before so much for it . but this i tell you in love , that your words ought to be one and the same constantly , and desire you to take the advise of the wise man , eccl. . . . winnow not with every winde , and go not into every way , for so dothithe sinner that hath a double tongue , be stedfast in thy understanding and let thy word be the same . i remember a story of a man that dwelt in a little town , & he was counted weather wise and his common custom was , when he arose in the morning to go along the one side of the street , saying to the people as he went , to day will be a fair day , and when he came back again on the other side , to say , to day will be foul weather : whereupon they thought he had some skill , for he had always as many for him as was against him : so you astrologers now use many words , both for and against , so that something must needs be true that you say : but he that is moved and acteth by the spirit , or direction of astrologers , or goeth to them to have his nativity cast : and to know the event of his fortune , is a meer naturalist appointed unto wrath , thes. . . it is usual for theeves to go to cunning men , or astrologers , who tell them that their fortune is to be hanged , therefore they take such evil courses as brings them to that end ▪ as i have heard many of the theeves ( when i was in prison ) say , they had been with the cunning man , who told them their end was to be hang'd , therefore they would steal and not work , yea , and others that go to them , though they be of great quality , and they tell them of great things that they shall do , yet commonly they tell them also of an unhappy end too . but when did any astrologer speak of a martyre● death ? for those that go to astrologers forsake the direction of gods spirit , and therefore god will forsake them : for god is said to forsake his people , because they had regard to such things , isai : . and god sends spirituail babylon to her astrologers that predict for her , and promise her , that she shall not fall : to see if they can save her , who answer , that they must fall with her , as you may see at large by comparing isai . with revel. . and as i said before that jerusalem hath a daughter , called new jerusalem , rev. . . who hath onely the spirit of god ( in his ministers ) for her direction : babylon hath a daughter , isai . . called spiritual babylon and sodom , rev. . . who persecutes the ministers of god , and will not be directed by them : but by inehanters and astrologers , for all that are unlawfull preachers , and bring false doctrine are inchanters and witches , gal. . . and in the primitive times , those that went preaching without a lawfull call , and were neither sent from christ nor his apostles , were beaten by the devil . and as those that used curious arts and were converted , even astrologers and the like , knowing how inconsistent and disagreeable it was with the christian faith , they burned their books , that they might use such arts no more , acts . , , , , , . so i say , it is hard to judge wheather those that take upon them to foretell things by the rules of astrologie : be christians or not , for they are condemned as men contrary to the spirit of god , both in the old and new testaments , and as you said in your first almanack , that it was a strange thing to see mr. george wharton come forth in an almanack , so i hope you will leave to study astrologie , and shew your self in some other way that may be more acceptable to god , and beneficial to his people , which for your souls health is the desire of your friend . arise evans . a refvtation of a pamphlet , lately published by one aspinvvall , entituled , a brief description of the fift monarchy . mr aspinwall , i shall not contradict you , in that there is a fift monarchy to be expected in this world ; and that it will shortly appear . but in what you say as concerning k. charls ; though i be the least of the flock , by the assistance of gods spirit , i hope to confute and drive you away , and make it appear , that you are a venemous asp , pulling your pine out of your wall , on which you hang all your glory , and that your asp-pinewall will down : for i am sure , that you are beside the mark concerning k. charls ; in that you condemn the just , and justifie the unjust ; and though you huddle up a great many texts to make your matter good , and to blind the reader ; yet it is clear , that you lay a wrong foundation , and err in applying of those texts to k. charls . for , if k. charls be one of those ten horns , or kings , as you affirm him to be the last of them ; then he cannot be the little horn , as you unjustly assert him to be ; seeing the texts alledged by you , dan. . . ▪ prove that the little horn is not one of those ten ; for the little horn cometh up after the ten horns , and plucks up three of them by the roots . the words are plain in the vision it self , v. . i considered the horns , and behold there came up among them , another little horn ; before whom there were three of the first horns pluckt up by the roots . here it is evident , that the little horn is none of the ten ; which is yet more plain in the interpretation of v. . and the ten horns out of this kingdom , are ten kings that shall arise ; and another shal arise after them ; and he shall be divers from the first , and he shall subdue three kings . neither is the little horn called a king in all the scripture ; but , he shall be divers from the first , and he shall subdue three kings ; giving us to understand , that the little horn is an enemy to kings ; as a thing of a contrary being , or differing in nature . the little horn is also called a beast , v. . and as the fourth beast is divers from the other three , who were true to their heads ; both it , and the little horn , are alike adversaries to kingly power , as you see . the state of rome clipt and turn'd out the emperour from his superiority ; so in a more barbarous manner the state of england turn'd out , and put the late king to death . so it is evident , that this little horn is not a king , but a state , that completeth the wickedness of the state of rome , and fourth beast . good reader , take heed therefore of this aspinwall , and all such ; for this is not only a matter of life and death , but also of salvation and damnation of souls ; and know for a certain , that he either understandeth not , or wresteth the scriptures , as you see apparent by what hath been already spoken ; so that he is both deceived , and deceiveth others , making them serve his turn , in speaking for the present time , be it never so wicked . now m. aspinwall , i hope you see it is clear , that you have said a wrong foundation for your fabrick , or fist monarchy ; in applying those texts to k. charls ; which doth further appear dan. . . he shall subdue three kings ; and this [ he ] you say is k. charls . how did k. charls subdue three kings ? did he ever take any kingdoms from any ? it is true , by birth he was heir to three kingdoms , and did enjoy them , to the great happiness of his subjects ; until that unreasonable beast parliament , violently and unjustly did wear out his people , took his three kingdoms from him , and his life too . and did not that beast parliament , v. . change times , and laws ? and was not that beast parliament destroyed april . . as ye have it v. ? and though that beast parliament be destroyed in part ; that is , as they were a body consisting of so many men , yet the parliament men being in gods account , every one of them a beast by himself , and are called beasts , v. . who though their dominion be taken away from them at the time of their dissolution ; yet have they their lives prolonged for a season , and time fit to call them to a further account , and total destruction ; as ye have it v. . again , m. aspinwall , you may clearly see your error ; that k. charls was not the little horn , neither are the kings of europe those beasts who had their dominion taken away when k. charls died : for where is any of those seven kings whereof you speak , that have lost their dominion ? but it is evident to all ; that the parliament was that beast , or little horn ; and that the parliament men are those beasts ; who lost their dominion when the parliament was destroyed . further , by this also the little horn appeareth to be the last parliament ; the little horn had eys , and a mouth speaking great things ; and looked more stout then his fellows ; v. . . is not the eys , their knowledge , by which the late parliament pretended to see more from scripture , then any other before them ? so that in their own conceits , they were both wiser and stouter then any former parliament : that their mouth and votes spake great and monstrous things , even such as were never heard of before in any heathenish assembly of state ; so that all christians , yea i am confident , some of themselves , do now abhor the wickedness that proceeded from them , sam. . . and as concerning the ten horns or kings , there is no judgement to come upon any of them all , but only three of them ; namely , england , scotland , and ireland , for they suffer very much ; and according to their sufferings , they shall be exalted again , to reigne with their king in glory . dan. . . for as you have it v , , , , . . . by the ancient of days there , is signified jesus christ ; and by the son of man , is signified k. charls ; who in regard the lord jesus found him faithful to the death , for the maintenance of his laws in church and state , will make him ruler , ( according to the promise , luke . , , . ) over all that he hath . so that this charls stuart ( thus being found so just a steward ) whom aspinwall doth vilifie , is indeed that wise and faithful steward , whose seed shall rule all that the lord jesus hath , for ever ; and is the most high on earth ; dan. . . . and prince of the host , or prince of princes : dan. . , , . . who ( under jesus christ ) is the only father , and begetter of the fift monarchy ; and his seed shall be chief in it for ever . and the laws of england , both for church and state , as it was established in his time , for the maintenance of which laws he died , even that law shall go over all the earth , and shall be the law of the fift monarchy for ever . and to make it yet more clear , the little horn in dan. . . is that beast , rev. . . that hath its ten horns also ; as is evident by the mark in its mouth : for , as the little horn had a mouth speaking great things ; dan. . . . . so the beast in rev. . , . hath a mouth speaking great things . again , the late parliament in scripture is called by divers names ; somtimes it is called the little horn , dan. . . . somtimes the beast , dan. . . rev. . . and somtimes the whore , rev. . , . in regard of its unfaithfulness and trechery to their king , head , father , and husband of the kingdom . and as the beast , or where was to be destroyed with its own ten horns , rev. . . so the beast parliament was destroyed , april . . by the now lord general , and about ten of those horns that afore defended them ; for the beast was to be destroyed without hands ; only by the spirit of his mouth ; dan. . . dan. . . thes. , . so that beast parliament ( a raiser of taxes ) was destroyed without anger , without battel , without hands ; only by the word from the generals mouth : whereby it is evident , to all who are not wilfully blind , that the late parliament was this little horn , or beast , expressed in the former cited scriptures . but as concerning k. charls himself , there was much anger , and after many battels fought against him , he , and his followers , had many hands laid upon them , and then ( according to the word , rev. ▪ . ) they had their heads cut off , because they would not worship and submit to that beast parliament . and see how the holy spirit long before takes notice of the nature and cowardlyness of this beast , who ( as before ) saith of them , that they should be destroyed without hands ; that is , without so much as one box of the ear ; much less then to have a sword drawn against them ; and yet saith , that this beast should have its deadly wound by a sword , rev. . . . so that but only ten of their servants came into the house , and spake to them , not in anger ; the very thought of a sword , struck them all dead ; so that they who about nine of the clock came into the house , looking upon themselves to be the greatest princes in europe , before eleven , went out baser then the basest of all the people ; insomuch that the very boys in the streets , and the most vulgar sort of people , did hiss and hoot at them , as at the most abject and abominable creatures ▪ not worthy to live ; yea the very balladmongers had them in derision . whereas indeed , had they been valiant men for the truth , and worthy to rule , before they had quitted their places , and left the nations , who depended upon their protection , in such a distraction , as to deliver them unto the power of the sword , hundreds of them would have risen up , and seized on those ten , and committed them to the tower , and immediately also sent to the army in all places , not to stir , on pain of death , without their commands . but the general knew what they were ; and that most of them durst not behold the drawing of a sword , much less to contend with such a man as he is . yet k. charls his valour was such , that he contended to the death , for the truth ; being faithful , and trusting in god , not fearing what man could do unto him . and further , if we would compare k. charls with them ; we shall find him to be the true shepherd , who gave his life , and all that he had , to maintain the laws and liberties of his people ; john . , . but contrarywise the hypocritical hireling parliament , that styled themselves , the keepers of the liberties of england , at the sight of a few souldiers coming to the house , where they sate , did shamefully fly , and surrender the people into the mouth of the wolf , or power of the sword ; to have all their laws , lives , liberties , and substance , devoured by it at pleasure . and thereby their hypocrisie is discovered to all the world ; for they gave out themselves to be saints , that feared god , and trusted not in the arm of flesh , nor feared it ; but coming to the tryal , it is evident , they trusted not in god , but in the arm of flesh , which they only confided in , and feared . for no sooner did the general ( who is but a mortal man ) appear , but they vanished ; so that to stand out for god , and his people , in hope of assistance from him , against the arm of flesh , was counted folly by that hypocritical generation . therefore for your pretended saints , we deny them to be any of the saints of god ; or that they have any godliness , and true faith , justifiable by gods word in them . for , will you make solemn protestations in hypocrisie , lifting up your hands before the lord , who is the searcher of all hearts , whereby to draw the people ( who entrusted you ) from their dutiful obedience to the lords anoynted , both to ensnare them , and damn their souls with false oaths ; and say , this is godliness ? is not this the height of hypocrisie ? hos. . . zach. . , . eccles. . , , . rom. . . . sam. . . . will you destroy gods ministers and ordinances ? will you destroy and defile his sanctuary ? will you rob him in tythes and offerings , committing all manner of sacriledge against him ; and say , this is godliness ? cor. . , . mal. . , , . rom. . . will you break all your oaths of allegiance and supremacy to god and the king ? will you break your protestations and covenants , calling god to witness to them ; and say , that all this is godliness still ? zach. . , . hos. : . prov. . , . will you ( contrary to your solemn oaths ) destroy the king . the lords anoynted , for keeping his oath to god , and his people , committed to his charge ? will you rob him , and his posterity of all their rights for ever ; and say , this is godliness too ? eccles . , , . eccles. . . chron. . , . zach. . . will you kill , destroy , and rob the lords people , that keep faith , and a good conscience , by observing their oaths to god and the king ; and say , this is godliness ? jer. . , , , . will you make jesus christ as your captain who are such apparent robbers , murderers , spiritual whoremongers , and false swearers ? surely he will be avenged on you for these things . tim. . , . luke . , dan. . . will you ( through your policy ) betray the nation of their laws , lives , liberties , livelyhoods , and their good conscience also , by forcing them to forswear themselves ; and say . this is godliness ? isa. . . will you seek the ruine of other nations ? will you yet thirst after more innocent blood , until ye be drunk therewith ; and say , this is godlyness ? isa. . . rev. . . will you set up your abomination that maketh desolate in every place where it comes ; destroying the faithful ones , tolerating all sorts of wicked atheists , blasphemers , hereticks , and cursed rebels against god ; and say , this is godliness ? matth. . . m. aspinwall , you know , such are your saints , on whom you put all the glory ; they come neer to god with their mouths , but their hearts are far from him , and their works abominable to god and man : and how contrary their sending forth preachers to preach , is to the way of jesus christ , who sent his disciples , is evident ; they send forth their preachers with swords , pistols , and troops of horse ; as vavasour powel went into wales , with commission to raise forces to propagate the gospel , as they call it ; and such kind is of the divel , mahomet , or john of leydens sending forth to preach . for iesus christ when he sent forth his disciples , though he could command legions of angels to go with them , doth not ; matth. . . but he bids them take no provision for their journey , no , not so much as a staff for their own defence ; matth. . , . luke . . luke . , . yet m. powel in his commission , must have a power to raise a troop of horse , and souldiers , to guard him , and to terrifie and plunder the country . iesus christ bids his disciples wheresoever they came , to salute all with peace ; and if the people should rise up against them , to flee from that place to another ; matth. . , . . luke . . m. powel bids his disciples with arms to salute the country , and if they rise , to persecute them , and beat them from one place to another . iesus christ bids his disciples freely heal the sick , where ever they come ; matth. . . luke . . m. powel is so far from healing them , that he bids his disciples fight and wound them . thus you see clearly how opposite in all things you are to the gospel of peace , eph. . . for my part , i have no spleen or malice against any mans person : god knows , i speak the truth ; for i am as a dying man , lame , and sickly , not able , but creeping about the house ; every night at deaths door ; yea , desiring to die , and to be with my lord iesus christ : but i would die with a clear conscience , and not have my talents buried with me ; but lay them out to the glory of god , and for the benefit of the living : therefore ( i beseech you ) bear with my boldness of speech ( for i would not willingly offend any one ) and though you will not , yet i must not forbear to declare , and make the things of god fully known ; for a necessity is laid upon me , and wo is me , if i do it not ; cor. . , . now i proceed further concerning the late beast parliament ; which though it be destroyed according to the word of god , yet it liveth still in its acts ; and the same ( one ) that did destroy it , commanded to make a representative , or image thereof . and he ( the lord general ) had power to give life to the image of the beast parliament ( which image is this present parliament , as they call themselves ) that the image of the beast should both speak , and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast , should be killed . and if you look upon the manner of the dissolution of the late parliament by the lord general , and his councel , and upon the continuing of their acts still in force , as they were before ; by which the late parliament seemeth vet to live ; and upon the manner and calling of this present representative , or image of them ( a representative being but an image like somthing that it doth represent ; as the image of a man , beast , or whatsoever else ) as also upon the manner how these had their power from the lord general , as he gave them authority , life , or spirit to act ; and compare all these particulars with rev . . , , , , . and you shall find that this scripture was so really fulfilled , both in the manner of the lord generals destroying of the late parliament , and his setting up of this ; as if he had purposely set this very scripture before his eyes , and taken it for his absolute direction therein ; he not erring one jot in the performance of the substance thereof . hence you see , both what the beast is , and his image ; in the next place i shall shew you , what the mark of the beast is ; and what is the name of the beast ; and likewise , the number of his name , rev. . , , . . concerning the mark of the beast ; it is a word abused : for they call ( as i proved before ) the height of wickedness , godlyness ; and that is the mark . for , saith the author of the grand politick informer , upon the seventh of iuly , . it was resolved , that no person should be employed , or admitted to publike service , but such as this representative should be first satisfied of their real godlyness ; saith he , this word godliness , will shortly become the mark of the beast . indeed there is a god of this world , cor. . . which many expound to be the divel ; and there are those , who account that godiyness , which is most contrary thereunto ; tim. . . and such such , as put light for darkness , and darkness for light ; isa. . . now if we enquire who is a godly person after their account ? it will appear to be such an one , as hath broken his faith to god and man ; or one , that is a robber , murtherer , false swearer ; or hath been , or is an approver of all the bloody actions of the late beast parliament ; so that this sort of people are their godly persons ; and this pretended godlyness , is the mark of the beast , as the apostle describeth them sufficiently , tim. . , , . tim. . , . and bids every true believer withdraw himself , and turn away from such , as from the most dangerous people to converse withall . whereby it is evident , that this pretended godlinesse is the mark of the beast ; which they that will be gainers in this weal publick of england , must needs have ; else they shall not be preferred , trade , or prosper in these times ; rev. . , . and now having shewed you what the mark of the beast is , viz. a pretended godlinesse ; next in order i shall ( through gods assistance ) shew you , what the name of the beast is , and the number of his name , rev. . , . he that will have any preferment from these people , or gain by them , must acknowledge them to be the states of england , or the commonwealth of england , or the weal publick of england ; for if he call this the kingdom of england , and stick to that ancient name ; he shall be cast off , as one that hath not their stamp , and have nothing to do in matter of office ▪ or way of profit from them , rev. . , . and i find , that it cannot bear the name of the commonwealth of england , since the election of a parliament was taken away from the commonalty , or generality of the people ; and that a publike party excludes all the rest , and sets up a parliament : but i find its proper name to be , the weal publike of england ; for the word commonwealth is excluded long ago from a weal being ; so that none but those in publick places do prosper ; therefore ( i say ) it is not the commonweal , but the weal publick of england . and i find the number of this name [ the vveal pvblike of england ] to be . for the numeral letters of it , are these ; dll . . lvv . . vi . . so that in all , they come to . there is also another name no less proper both to the late beast parliament , and to this representative , which is its image ; in regard the people did and do so much idolize them , by their petitions to them , and their esteem of them otherwise more then ordinary ; rev. . . so that they way be called englands idols ; which word englands idols , in the ancient welsh , or brittish language , is , delwau lloiger ; and i find the numoer of this name , delwau lloiger , to be . for the numeral letters of it also , are these ; dll ▪ lvv . . vi . . so that in all , they come likewise to . now the words of the scripture that declares the number of the beast , are these ; rev . . here is wisdom , let him that hath understanding , count the number of the beast , ( for it is the number of a man , ) and his number is six hundred sixty and six . now it remaineth that i should speak somthing of this man ; for it is the number of a man , saith the text . this title [ a man ] is a note of eminency ; which signisies a man of god ; sam. . . chron. . . or , a man of a thousand , eccles. . . so that from rev. . . mav be observed , that the man expressed by these words , for it is a man ; is such a man , as carrieth a divine majesty with him . so that i must needs infer from those words , that the apostle john means here ▪ a justified man , a man opposite to the beast , though in the number of their names they partly agree . and know , that in the new testament , none is called the man of god , but only a bishop ; tim. . , , . and we may gather also from the same scripture , and the scope of the apostle pauls words to timothy , when this bishop , and man of god is to appear ; which will be in the last days ; tim. . , , , ; . . when men break forth into rebellion against god and his church ; and certain it is , that the late bishop of canterbury was the same man : for the number of his name , as divers affirm , that in all businesses which he subscribed , he wrote only thus , will ▪ laud . and i find the number of this name , vvill lavd , to be . for the numeral letters are these , and they be the very same that ye have in the other names before , dll . lvv . vi . so that in all they come to . but if we take notice of the name of this man of god , as it is at large ; we shall find another mysterie therein . for i find the number of this name , vvilliam lavd , to be . and the numeral letters are these , m . dll . lvv . vii . so that in all they come to . and that is the yeer of rest ; for before it be anno dom. . most of the world , yea , and rome it self will acknowledge their error ; see the truth , and submit to william lauds rule in form of worship , doctrine , and discipline , as the only way to salvation , the most decent and agreeable to gods word , being without doubt the true way whereby to worship god , long before preordained of god to abide , for the direction of men for ever and ever ; which rule was given in king edw. . his days , preserved and refined in queen elizabeth and king james their days , sealed and perfected , to the glory of jesus christ , with the blood of his noble mattyrs , chiefty of king charls , and bishop william laud ; who as the scripture saith , heb. . . would not accept of deliverance , when he was offered by the parliament to go into new england with m. peters ; but he chose rather to die , that he might obtain a better resurrection . therefore to conclude , i say , that the book of common prayer , as it was established in the church of england , is the only true way whereby to worship god ; as i have sufficiently proved by the scripture , in my book called a voice from heaven ; and in my other book , called an eccho to that voice from heaven ; written in the yeers . and . and as for your vain jangling , god hath not any delight in it , tim. . . tim. titus . . for the coming neer unto god with the mouth , and the worshipping of god according to the commandments of private men , is a vain thing ; mat. . , , , , . that is , when they command that every one may do in the worship of god , what seemeth right in his own eyes , judg , . , . and ▪ . as israel did when they had no king ; but the event of such a state , was destructive to them ; as you may read and see , judg. . and . and . but for the kings command , it is said eccles. . . i charge thee to keep the kings commandment , and that in regard of the oath of god ; thou hast sworn to obey him . again , it s said , prov. . . a divine sentence is in the lips of the king , his mouth erreth not in judgement . thus a true christian king is endued with an infallible judgement , and so is the sentences of k. charls his mouth ; to this king the apostle commands obedience in all things , pet. , , . submit your selves to every ordinance of man , for the lords sake , whether it be to the king , as supreme ; or unto governours , as them that are sent by him : for the apostle foresaw by the scripture , zach. . . zeph. . . that the lord would hold forth at last , a king whose laws in all things should be right : of this you have more at large in my fore mentioned books ; for there is no right nor peace to be had ; but where there is a king of righteousnes , and a king of peace ; that is , when the king comes in by the right way , being the right heir . and though the title [ king ; ] be given by the scripture somtimes to usurpers , set up by the peoples power , and by money ; which is but a molten calf ; god owns them not ; but calls them , their idols , for saith he , hos. , , , . they have set up kings , but not by me ; they have made princes , and i knew it not ; of their silver , and their gold have they made them idols ; that they may be cut off ; thy calf o samaria , &c. and again saith he ; eze. . . let them put away their whordoms and the carcasses of their kings far from me ; and of such kings , he speaks rev. , , , , , , . as you shall find it made cleare at large in the postscript of my book , called , a voice from heaven . and of such kings the lord saith , that they had set their thresholds , by his thresholds ; & their post , by his post ; ezek. , . for the lord had a post by which his kings of the seed of david stood ; kin. . . ezek. . . according to gods command ; & it seems the usurping idolatrous kings , set up by the people , presum'd to come there , as our great ones presume now , to bury their friends in the royal sepulchers at westminster ; where none but the kings family was wont to be buried ; yet certainly their carcasses shall be removed , as the lord hath spoken , eze. , , , . but the true king that cometh to judge the wicked ones , is called the glory of the god of israel , that is , the glory of jesus christ ; for he is the god of israel ; and if we compare scripture with scripture , we shall find it so ; for you shall fine , ezek. , , . that the king coming form the ea●t with his train and armie , is called , the glory of the god of israel ; and v. . he saith it was like the glory that he saw when he came to destroy the citie ; that is , like nebachadnezzars coming in the head of his army to destroy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; and v. . he saith , that the glory of the lord filled the house , v. . he tels us , that this glory spake to him , and it a man , & saith he , the man stood by me , and he said unto me , &c. v. , . he tels you what this glorious king said ; to make it yet more clear , observe v. . that this glory came into the house at the east gate . and compare it with eze. , , , . and you shall find , that the east gate must be shut , & that none must com in or out by that gate , but the king here m aspinwall may see , that the true kings , set up of god ; may come to the post , and the threshold of that gate , as their own place ; ezek. , ▪ chron. . . and that the usurping kings , set up by the people , and called ( their kings ) must be put away , ezek , . and though saul , who indeed was the lords anointed , sam. . sam. , . sam. , . sam. , , . yet for that the first moving cause for him , was from the people ; his heart was not real to god ▪ therefore saul relying so much upon them , t●●●ease the people ▪ disobeyed the command of god , and lost the kingdom , . sam. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspin wall , concerning your throwing away of our laws , therein you talk idly ; for do you think that your generation ( who are of no such wisdom and learning as our former parliaments were ) can make better laws in one year , then out laws be ▪ which were in making and ●●●●…ing above five hundred years ? and had not our former parliaments the word of god for their direction therein , as well as you or any now a daies ? and were they not more sober and prudent in the understanding of those lawes ? i pray entertain no such foolish conceit . and you tell us likewise of the statutes of omri ▪ mica . . that is , even such things as you set up ; for if you observe jeroboam , omri and ahab , though they had many sorts of worship , yet any one abject of the people , served to be a priest , or a teacher of them , kin ▪ , . chro. , , . kin , . , . and must the statutes of david be cast away , because the statutes of omri be nought ? must the statutes of k. hen. . k. edw. . and q eliz. which are against popery , be cast away , because other kings statutes are idolatrous , and for popery ? and further , you tell us an untruth ; that jehojada the priest having the supreme authority in his hand , took men recommended to him by some others , whom you call the church ; to put them in civil authority . no sir ; jehojada had not ( as you affirm ) the supreme authority then ; for it is evident , athaliah did reign that six veers while he was guardian to the kings son , kings . . but in the seventh yeer ( he being the priest of god ) god stirred up the spirit of jehojada , to do right to the king , princes and levites ; so that he sent to bring the princes , who by right were rulers over hundreds ; and took an oath of them to be true to the king , and presented him before them ; and they by his command gathered the faithful levites to come to their charge ; neither took he anv mans advise in the businesse , nor was any upon the attest of others received by him , and put into civil authority , as you falsly assert ; for he had the spirit of god to direct him ( as our every one to his charge and place ; and directed them in what they should do , as from the mouth of god ; and all of them did so obey jehojada , that the work was perfected , even the king set on his throne , as you may see , kings . chron. . but you seem ( by such fal●e grounds ) to set up the tenent of the romish church , which is , if a man by birth be heir to a kingdom , and ought there to rule , yet if the church of rome do not approve of him ; they will deprive him , if they can ; and give his right by their attest unto another , whereby to enjoy that civil power ; so that their church do unjustly in this thing . thus , there will be brave stir , when your divided churches , which are part of iron , part of clay , even the toes of the image , dan. . , , . go about to set up men by their attest to govern , in civil authority . then jack straw is set up by one congregation , and hob. carter , by another , to throw him down ; so that there shall be an endlesse war among them , until the stone cut out of the mountain without attest of hands to justify it , smite the image upon the feet , and break it to shivers ; dan. . , , . for the king needs not the attest of men , because all know him to be the ruler by right . another untruth you would force upon us , on that text in gen. . , which saith ; the scepter shall not depart from judah , nor a law-giver from between his feet , untill shilo come ; from judah many kings have sprung , who gave good laws & kept the scepter ; what say you of david and salomons writings , are there therein no laws given out by them ? sure they had power from god to do it , and iesus christ himself alloweth of their laws ; insomuch that he somtimes defends himself thereby against his enemies ; and did not jesus himself come of iudah , who removeth that earthly scepter from iudah , according to the word , and gives it to shiloh ? which shiloh we must understand to be another tribe , come from japhets loyns , and not from sem , gen. . , . yet you say , the kings of iudah gave no laws , nor could any give laws , till iesus came . how contrary to the truth , even to christs own words , this your assertion is , is manifest by the scripture . christ would no● be troubled with such outward things ; for when the people would have enforced him to be their king , he absolutely refused it ; joh. . . neither would he be so much as a iudge in a civil cause , luk. . , . nor would he take , but rather give tribute , mat. . , to . & . . to . therefore your assertion is utterly false , and you force the text to a quite contrary sense , as you do in all the rest of your pamphlet wrest other scriptures . now for the law of christ , it is altogether a spiritual law , which serveth not for any particular country , but for all in general , as a rule whereby to frame laws . therefore saith christ , by me kings reign , and princes decree justice ; by me princes rule , and nobles , even all the judges of the earth ; pro. . , . that is , what laws they make according to his word , are made by him . for this cause the apostle peter saith , pet. . . submit your selves to every ordinance of man , for the lords sake ; first , to the king ▪ as supreme ; then , to them that are sent by him . and why ? because whatever is done by the king , and his nobles , or judges , is done by the lord iesus ; for they being his ministers , rom. . , , . are directed by him ; and the kings heart is in the hand of the lord , pro. ● . ● . therefore his mouth cannot err in judgment , pro. . . now to leave gods rule , and set up silly mean fellows to be judges , & they to search for precepts , that are ( as you say ) scattered up and down the scripture whereby to rule all countries , in all causes , and then be subject to their wresting those scriptures what way they please , would be a brave way of judging the people , who having no known laws whereby to walk , must be alway waiting what scripture the iudge will make use of to please his fancy , either to make them offenders , or to favour them ; and if you say , the iudge must allow a dispute , then may the greatest offender beat him with his own weapon , and escape ; no , christ hath not promised to rule by such vile persons , but by men of eminency , viz. by kings , princes , nobles , & judges , who decree justly pro. . , ▪ and if that land be blessed , whose king is the son of nobles , eccl. . . then that land is cursed , whose rulers are sons of clowns , that have no nobility in them . therefore to conclude , i beseech you to consider seriously what you do , and pull not down your house , before you have ability , skil , opportunity , & time to erect another ; lest you becom in a worse condition then the wilde beast of the field ; all the statute laws , that were in force in the days of k. charls , were right . but for the evil customs that crept into courts , & places of iudicatory , through the corruption of men in authority , which the law never intended , i am against , as much as you can be . and now m. aspinwall you see wherein we differ , and that it is , because you did not search the scriptures so exactly , as to find out the truth of them ; wherein therefore you err concerning k. charls , for i am better opinionated of you ; then to think you did it wilfully , because the times favor such things ; or that you are so hardned , but that you may be yet converted ; which is the humble desire of your friend , and servant in christ iesus , arise evans . postscript . you may please to see the folly and falseness of this aspinwall , in his pamphlet ; who first , would needs perswade us , that the late k. charls was a fierce arrogant tyrant ; whereas indeed , the world knows , there was not a more mild and gracious king upon earth , to his subjects , then he was . . he would blind our eys , and perswade us , that those people are saints , and must govern the world , who when they had gotten from k. charls more then ever was g●●●…ted by any k. of england to the subject ; who so rewardeth evil for good , evil shall not depart from his house . prov. . . rendred him evil for good , most abominably rose against him , & deprived him of life and all . surely there is no man , having the spirit of jesus christ in him , dare say , such doings are the deeds of saints ; or they are saints , that to deceive , will forswear themselves , and keep no faith toward god or man . . he would have 〈◊〉 think jesus christ to be the head of such perfidious people ; and that he will put the power of 〈◊〉 kingdom , or fi●t monarchy , into such went hands ; as if he intended that when they get the power of the kingdom of iesus into their hands , they may serve him as they did k. charls , and deprive him of all his right on earth ; but they cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the searcher of the heart , as they deceived k. charls , ier. . . for saith he ▪ i the lord search the heart , i try the reins , even to give to every man according to his ways , & according to the fruit of his doings ; so that we must rather believe that iesus will judg them for their wicked deeds against him , & his anoynted , then put the power of his kingdom into the hands of such a perfideous generation ; and that he will exalt charls ( that was faithful to the death for him ) to the throne , re. . . & . that charls and his seed for ever , should have the preheminence ever all the earth . . he would perswade us to cast away our law , made and composed by holy men , according to the word of god ; which by all mens judgement , hath brought england to such a civility , that no country can be compared to it ; and seek a new law , he saying , it is scattered up and down the scripture . truly the scripture is a sweet garden for that purpose , and serves for all the world ; but since our predecessors sought in this garden , and gathered the sweetest flowers thereof , and composed them together into so sweet a posie , that we , and all the world ( as many of them as came among us ) have found the experience thereof , and bear witness , that there is not the like on earth ; for us to cast this law away , and look for a new law from this generations composing , were , as if a man should leave his sheep , and go snear the hogs ; so he should find a great cry , but little wool ; as we found from our long sitting parliament , great votes , but little good laws : or as if a man have a great sack of wool , and cast it away , and then go a wool gathering among briers and thorns , it could not but be counted a great folly ; so for us to cast away our laws , and be perswaded by such silly fellows as aspinwall , is a greater folly . . i beseech you also to consider this shallow brain'd fellow ; a child that can but tell . will tell you that ten , and one , is . yet aspinwall cannot make more of the ten horns , and a little horn , ( which ten and . must needs be counted . ) but ten ; which interpretation of the horns , he makes the principal matter in his pamphlet , both in the first and last page thereof ; and judge you whether a man that is not able to tell . but misseth . in . is fit to declare such high things to the world , and to presage of times consider what i say , and the lord give you understanding in all things . tim. . . arise evens . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- isa. ● . . deut. . . isa. . , , , , , . ▪ , , , . isa. . , , , . a prophecy on the conjunction of saturn & jupiter in this present year with some prophetical predictions of what is likely to ensue thereupon in the year / by john case ... case, john, fl. - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a prophecy on the conjunction of saturn & jupiter in this present year with some prophetical predictions of what is likely to ensue thereupon in the year / by john case ... case, john, fl. - . p. printed for j. smith, london : . reproduction of original in the bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng human beings -- effect of saturn on. astrology -- early works to . prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a prophecy on the conjunction of saturn & jupiter in this present year . with some prophetical predictions of what is likely to ensue thereupon in the year , . astra regunt homines , sed regit astra deus . by john case , student in physick & astrology . london , printed for j. smith . . a prophecy on the conjunction of saturn & jupiter in this present year . the voice of the stars , the messengers of the lord , cry aloud in my ears , declaring the great troubles and afflictions and calamities which are coming on us ; insomuch , that i can no longer refrain from making known unto you people what the lord is about to do , o christian reader , the great god and creator of all things doth not now show what he is about to doe by visions , or working miracles as he was pleased to do to his people formerly , as you may read joshua . , . sun stand thou still in gibeon , and thou moon in the valley of ajalon , and the sun abode , and the moon stood still ; and in isaiah . vers . . the sun went back ten degrees and returned again , these things are not to be expected now to manifest unto us the intention of the almighty ; for the sun , the moon and the stars remain firm in their courses and orbs ; o you english men , you that have ears to hear , and eyes to see , the stars and strange signs in the heavens , have more reason to cry out with admiration than dyonisius areopagita , who seeing the strange eclypse of the sun and moon at the instant hour of our saviours passion said , aut deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissolvitur , which is , either the god of nature suffers , or else the frame of the world is dissolved , saturn and jupiter are now met together which hath not been almost this thirty years . saturn you must know is lodged in that place of the heavens , wh●ch is by many learned men termed hell , and according to his station so is his nature , evil and corrupt , self-ended , covetous and malitious , one who hath been an underground worker this many years in contriving damned plots to the ruin and subversion of nations , but now meeting with jupiter , whose resident place is in the third heaven ( which st. paul mentions ) being by nature good and upright in all things and religious , hath convinced saturn of his wicked designs , so that by this we may have some hopes of a better understanding amongst men , and after the bitter taste of three judgments is over , then there will be a blessed day of peace in the whole universe , and before the three judgments are past , viz. war , famine and plague , there will arise three heads , and they will look three ways , two of them will not remain , but one will stand fast ; mavors , one of the messengers of the creator informs me , that a rumbling noise af war will sound loud in our ears from the east , attended with ruine and destruction of building , insomuch that it will make the miter and half-moon to move , and then the four winds will begin to blow and come from the four cor●ers of the earth , and spread it self through the whole world , but especially in italy , scicily , bohemia , turkey , rome , and several other countreys , and this will be after falcifer and mavors have whispered together , which will be in the year . october the d. then women will begin to stand in the place of men , and spread their wings , as a hen to save her young ones . again , two messengers more cry aloud to me ( viz. ) titan and lucina the two great lights or lamps of heaven , informing me that there will be a great and fierce dispute about religion , and presently a great mortality and pest in most parts of europe with strange signs to be seen in the starry heaven , great distempers , hydropical diseases , &c. with sedition and the disease of france , naples , spain , and england , and indeed of all the world ; let them that are much inclined to venery have a care , and thus much from the great eye of heaven . the next news is from lucina the lesser light , which threatens rebellion and tumults amongst people against their head and rulers , by reason of a scarcity of bread and deadness of trade , these things will be after a dark day and a dark night , in which the two great lights of heaven will suffer an eclypse , visible to us even to admiration , the dark day will be july the second , and the dark night will be december the th beginning at at night . our saviour tells us , that before the dissolution of the world , there shall be wars and rumors of wars , i can assure you here are coming great alterations and changes , here hath appeared a new star almost visible to the whole world , as was at the birth of our saviour , just before whose birth there was a great conjunction of saturn and jupiter in leo , which is specified by abraham judaeus . likewise , there was a great conjunction of saturn and jupiter in aquarius , ante exitum judaeorum de aegypto , which is likewise mentioned in the same author , i will lay before your view the remarkable passages which have followed the conjunction of the two superiors saturn and jupiter in the fiery trigon , viz. being in number . . enoch's translation . . noah's eloud . . moses's deliverance . . solomon's glory . . christ's redemption . . charles the great 's greatness . . the lambs marriage with the bride . both in scripture and history you may find that the church of god was afflicted before deliverance , according to the saying of the famous tycho brahe , who writes that the first conjunction of saturn and jupiter in leo was under enoch in years of the world , he walked with god , and lived years , and so long was the church of god preserved . secondly , the second conjunction of saturn and jupiter in leo , was under noah , in years of the world , which world was destroyed , at what time noah was a preserver of the church of god in the arke . the third revolution fell out in the years of the world under moses , which was a deliverance of the people of god from the egyptian yoak . the fourth revolution fell out in the year of the world under solomon king of israel , who builded a temple for the people of god. the fifth revolution fell out in the year of the world , at what time christ came upon the face of the earth to work mankinds redemption . the sixth revolution fell out in the year of the world , which was under charles the great , who caused a flourishing state of the church of god. the two superiors saturn and jupiter come to a conjunction in three numbers of years , viz. every years . secondly , every years , and thirdly , every years , but these forementioned remarks are taken from the first of these , viz. years , which is their revolution from the begining of the world , and this one of these revolutions under which may be supposed the time in which god will unite his people together both jews and gentiles , and they shall be all of one minde , and of one heart , and of one flock , having onely one shepherd , this must be says the scripture before the final end of the world , the time is approaching , we may apprehend it if we but take notice of that star which ushered in this remarkable conjunction under the next great revolution in the fiery trigon , which will be in years , will be the dissolution of this world , every thing returning and remaining in its former chaos or confusion . vale j. c. bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years , , , , , which were by him predicted for the said years : wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years : likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration, which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness : also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamitites that would ensue. ussher, james, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing u estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years , , , , , which were by him predicted for the said years : wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years : likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration, which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness : also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamitites that would ensue. ussher, james, - . [ ], p. printed for john hunt ..., london : . reproduction of original in bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng anti-catholicism -- england. prophecies. great britain -- history -- restoration, - . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion bishop ushers second prophesie which he delivered to his daughter on his sick-bed . wherein is contained divers prophetick sayings for the years , , , , . which were by him predicted for the said years . wherein also is laid down the divers revolutions for the ensuing years . likewise a very strange prophesie concerning the kings restauration , which he gave to a person of quality in the time of his sickness . also he foretels that the papists were the persons that should cause all the calamities that would ensue . london , printed for john hunt at the sign of the black spread eagle without temple-bar . . bishop usher's second prophesie , which he discovered to his daughter on his sick-bed , &c. he prophesied of the rebellion in ireland , and massacre there , and the wars in england , many years before they brake out ; and this he saw fulfilled . he prophesied of another great persecution that was to come ; and when one demanded of him , whether that great persecution were passed or not ? he turning his eyes to the person asking him , and fixing them after an ireful manner , as he was wont to do , when he spake not his own words ; and when the power of god was upon him ; he said , feed not your selves with vain hopes of its being past : for i tell you , all you have seen , is but the beginning of sorrow , to that which is to come over all the protestant churches of christ , who e're long will fall under a sharper persecution than ever they have had upon them ; and therefore , ( said he to the person that spake to him ) look you be not found in the outward court ; for christ will measure all that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward court he will leave out to be trodden under foot , and to be swept away , whose religion stands in performing the outward part , without the inward power of faith , and love uniting them unto christ. those god will give to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers which are in the temple before the altar , are those who indeed worship god in spirit , and in truth ; whose souls are made his temples , by whom he is loved and adored in their most inward thoughts : they have , and do sacrifice their lusts and vile corrupt affections , and their own will to him . these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wing . and this shall be one great difference between the last and all preceding persecutions , that whereas in the former , the most eminent saints were cut off , here the most eminent and faithful to god shall be preserved by god as a seed for the glory which shall immediately follow to the churches , as soon as this storm shall be blown over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be a short persecution , and shall take away the dross with hypocrites and formalists , whilst the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity is over . it was then asked , by what instruments this persecution should be carried on ? he answered , by the papists . it was answered , that seemed improbable , since they were now less countenanced , and less numerous than heretofore in these nations , and people more against them . he replyed , it should be by their hands , and by the way of a suddain massacre ; and that the pope should be the instrument of it . and these things he pake with that assurance , and that was seen to be , which had been observed in him , when he predicted several things formerly , which came to pass accordingly , in the observation , and to the knowledge of those he spake them to . and he added , those were in his esteem the gentiles spoken of , rev. . and the second , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot , they having received the gentiles worship by images and many mediators . and this , saith he , is more designing among them , and will come ; therefore look you be found watching and ready . the like he spake also to the lady tyrrel , his daughter , about the same time , expressing himself as above : and the said lady adds , that after she had opened the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lifted up to heaven , and tears running down his cheeks apace , and in a kind of extasie , wherein he continued after she came in , near half an hour , without taking any notice of her ; and then recovering , told her , his thoughts were exercised in contemplating the great miseries and persecution which was coming , which would be so sharp and bitter , as that they had drawn those tears from his eyes ; but he hoped he should not live to see it ; but possibly she might : for they are , said he , even at the door ; therefore take heed you be not found sleeping . the same also he repeated to mrs. bisse , the chief baron of ireland's wife in dublin , with this circuustance added to her , that , said he , if they bring in the king , and restore him , it may a little longer be deferred ; but it will surely come ; and therefore be not unprovided for it . finis . to the inhabitants of london, this is, a message, in the name of the lord. wollrich, humphry, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) to the inhabitants of london, this is, a message, in the name of the lord. wollrich, humphry, ?- . sheet ([ ] p.). [s.n.], london, : printed in the year . signed: humphrey wollrich. reproduction of original in: friends' library (london, england). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church and state -- quaker authors -- early works to . prophecies -- quaker authors -- early works to . broadsides -- england -- london -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the inhabitants of london , this is , a message , in the name of the lord . thus saith the lord , heaven and earth shall pass away , before one jot or tittle of my word shall pass away unfulfilled ; even my living word is established for ever , and standeth fast in all generations : that which no man made , can no man alter nor change . and this is it to london and the inhabitants thereof ; open your ears to hear , and your hearts to understand the lord's controversie with you : even this is my controversie , saith the lord , and my determination saith the almighty ; who am mighty to perform that which i have spoken , and to bring to pass the thoughs of my heart in all generations . thy decrees made in thee shall not stand , the unrighteous precepts prescribed by thy law-makers shall not continue , they that make them are like unto them , the thoughts of their hearts are altogether vain ; they shall not abide nor continue , but pass away as their own dung , and as the untimely birth of a woman : they shall never see the perfection of that day they look for ; a cloud shall cover it , and a night from the lord , that livethfor ever and ever , shall dwell upon it ; that which is unto the wicked , as the shadow of death , shall dwell upon it . wo be unto all treacherous hearted in thee , that pretend liberty , while they are whetting their swords to slay , and pointing their arrows to shoot at the innocent . their swords shall enter into their own bowels , and arrows stick in their reins , the pit they are digging for the anointed of the lord , and holes to fling his jewels into , they themselves shall fall in . this is my controversie and my determination saith the lord of the whole earth . but , they that make the lord their refuge , even the lord their hiding-place ( at all times ) and fear not man , that must die , and perish as his own dung , but wait on the lord , and in all things that befall them , acknowledge him able to save out of all : your hearts shall live , that seek the lord , even him alone , and his face continually ; in his salvation shall ye rejoyce , and your souls in it shall delight world without end . live in god , the fountain of love , life and power ; there is an end of all sufferings , there the weary be at rest , there the prisoners rest together out of the reach of the oppressor . judge self in every state , strait , and condition ; give not your power to the beast , neither strengthen the wicked , ( nor give them ease ) by looking or seeking unto them for help and deliverance , that are your persecutors ; but with david , let your souls and minds say , our help standeth in the name of the lord , that made heaven and earth . and so , the lord god visit thy own in every one , that we that love it , may rejoyce with it , now and ever more . humphrey wollrich . london , printed in the year . the lord merlins prophecy concerning the king of scots: foretelling the strange and wonderfull things that shall befall him in england. as also, the time and manner of a dismal and fatall battel; the event and success thereof: a great blowe to be given, and the northern chicken inforced to flie to forraign countries for aid & succour. also, king james his dream. and queen ann's prophecy touching the king, and the redusing of england, scotland, and ireland from monarchy. with the lady sybilla's prophecy, touching the destroying of the nobility, and what shall afterwards befall this nation in government and discipline. likevvise, the prophecy of paul grebner (a german) concerning charles son of charles the emp: foretelling his greatness and victorious conquests. presented to queen elizabeth anno . and recorded in the library of trinity colledge in cambridge, by dr. nevill, clerk of her majesties closet. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing l thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) the lord merlins prophecy concerning the king of scots: foretelling the strange and wonderfull things that shall befall him in england. as also, the time and manner of a dismal and fatall battel; the event and success thereof: a great blowe to be given, and the northern chicken inforced to flie to forraign countries for aid & succour. also, king james his dream. and queen ann's prophecy touching the king, and the redusing of england, scotland, and ireland from monarchy. with the lady sybilla's prophecy, touching the destroying of the nobility, and what shall afterwards befall this nation in government and discipline. likevvise, the prophecy of paul grebner (a german) concerning charles son of charles the emp: foretelling his greatness and victorious conquests. presented to queen elizabeth anno . and recorded in the library of trinity colledge in cambridge, by dr. nevill, clerk of her majesties closet. merlin ambrosius, attributed name. grebner, paul. anne, queen, consort of james i, king of england, - , attributed name. james i, king of england, - , attributed name. [ ], p. printed by j.c. for g. horton, london : . annotation on thomason copy: "aug: ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng charles -- i, -- king of england, - . charles -- ii, -- king of england, - . prophecies -- early works to . great britain -- history -- civil war, - -- prophecies -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no the lord merlins prophecy concerning the king of scots:: foretelling the strange and wonderfull things that shall befall him in england. as merlin ambrosius, attributed name c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jason colman sampled and proofread - jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the lord merlins prophecy concerning the king of scots : foretelling the strange and wonderfull things that shall befall him in england . as also , the time and manner of a dismal and fatall battel ; the event and success thereof : a great blowe to be given , and the northern chicken inforced to flie to forraign countries for aid & succour . also , king james his dream , and queen ann's prophecy touching the king , and the redusing of england , scotland , and ireland from monarchy . with the lady sybilla's prophecy , touching the destroying of the nobility , and what shall afterwards befall this nation in government and discipline . likevvise , the prophecy of paul grebner ( a german ) concerning charles son of charles the emp : foretelling his greatness and victorious conquests . presented to queen elizabeth anno . and recorded in the library of trinity colledge in cambridge , by dr. nevill , clerk of her majesties closet . london , printed by j. c. for g. horton , . a prophesie of the king of scots , &c. vvhen the lyon of righteousnesse is dead , then shall rise a white king in britain , first flying , and after riding , after ligging down , and in this ligging down he shal be lymed , after that he shal be led . this is verified by k. james , who was by the prophet styled , the lyon of righteousness ; for many affirm , that he had the picture of a lyon on his brest , or side : and indeed he was the most acutest prince of spirit that ever we read of , both in judgment either in things divine or humane , but the least addicted unto martial discipline . he was admonished of his death by a dream ; for his majesty dreamed , that his tutor bachanan appeared unto him in his sleep , and gave him these two verses : for the rarity thereof i thought good to repeat them . sexte verere deum , tibi vitae terminus instat , cum tua candenti flagrat carbunculus igne . in english thus : thou iames the sixt of that name king of scots , fear god , the term of thy life is neer at hand , when thy carbuncle stone burns in the hot fire . the next morning the king related his dream to divers of the lords of his privie counsel , as also the preceding verses , which did exceeding astonish them ; and suddenly after , as the king was sitting by the fire side , the great carbuncle stone that he usually had fixed to his hat , fell out into the fire , & his majesty immediatly fell sick , and died . after king james was dead , charles stuart ( the white king ) was then proclaimed king of great brittain ; so called , by reason of his apparelling himself the day of his coronation in a white garment , representing his innocency , as the bishop of canterbury was pleased to demonstrate ; whose office was to present the crown : but the king impatiently in great haste , took up the crown , and placed it upon his head with his own hands , which moved the spanish embassador , who was then present , to say ; the kings putting the crown upon his head so rashly with his own hands , was an ill omen . the preceding prophecie was written by ambrose merlin ( the scot ) years since ; but by reason there is another ancient copy extant , of the lady postons more large and emphaticall , concerning the white king , i shall here render it verbatim , as followeth : the lyon of righteousness being dead , there shall arise in britain a white king ; first flying , then riding ; then descending ; and in his descent he shall be insnared . then men will point with their fingers , and say , where is this white and noble king ? at that time there will be chattering of men , even in the same nature as we do with sheep and oxen , & it will be publikely by some reported , there is a king : others shall say , there is no king . after these things he shall lift up his head as a king , or shall manifest himself to be king ; it will be a time of gleads or kytes , and seven years shall this war continue within the kingdom . after that the young one of the eagle , or his chicken , shall come upon woodden horses , within a year and a half into brittain , and then there shall be war , at what time little shall be the charity of most men , for what a man is master of overnight , shall be taken from him in the morning . after that the white king shall go towards the west to an ancient place , near to a running water . then his enemies shall make hast to meet him , and their army shall be formed in shape of a buckler ; the king shall be straightned before and behind , and on every side ; and then the white , king shall slide into an hall &c. what remains unfullfilled is in these words : after that the chicken of the eagle shall build in the highest rock of all britain : nay , he shall not be slain young : nor shall he come to old age . note , that the prophet mentions not the chicken of the eagle ( who is the present k. of scots ) with any kingly title : nor doth he say , he shall acquire his fathers inheritance , or in plain terms , obtain the kingdom of england , or be crowned king thereof : he onely saith , he shall build his nest in the chiefest rock of all britain : which imports no more , but that like a flying fowl , or as a man chased from one place to another , so shall his worldly condition be in this world . another excellent prophecie i cannot omit , penned by sybilla the prophetess ( a scottish lady ) touching the reign of the kings of england and scotland ; and if you will know the time of the extirpation of monarchy ▪ be pleased to take a thousand in calculation and the longest of the lyon four crescents under one crown with st. andrews cross thrice then three score and thrice three in that year there shall a king , a duke and no crowned king , because the prince shall be young , and tender of years . much sorrow and strife shall be in lowthian and fife . these are all the scottish prophecies , which ever i could attain sight of ; and yet none of these make any mention of a fifth monarchy , or the lyon of the north , or do any other wayes mention that so great a king as charles the great , nay greater then he , shall be born of the scottish race , or in scotland , or shall come from scotland . from all which , i onely conclude thus much : that the present charles stuart is not that great lyon of the north , or he that must conquer the english , or the present common-wealth of england . to which prophetical expressions , give me leave , i beseech you , to add the ancient prophecie of david vpan , a welch man , viz. karonog fab ane yo wna diwedh ar y dro gane . in english thus : the son of ann crown'd , ends all our prophecies . we never had yet any king whose mothers name was ann , but king charles his mother was ann , sister to the king of denmark late deceased . the putting to death of the late king was prophecied of above years before it was done , by nostradamus , whose words were these : senat de londres mettront a mort leur roy . in english thus : the senate or parliament of london shall put to death their k. there is another significant prophecie now extant , which hath been reserved in several libraries of this nation , even unto this day , which i shall here present , according to the original , as followeth : carolus anglorum , ultimus britannorum rex . when one , named charles , shall be king of the english , he shall be the last king of the brittans . mr. iohn fox also foretels and shewes , the causes of the northern rebellion and in the year . prophecied , that the time should come , when no king should reign in england , the noblemen to be destroyed , and the nation to be ruled by four governours , to be elected and appointed by the commons , holding a parliament in commotion , to begin at the south and north seas of england . all the kings that have reigned in england since wil ▪ the conquerour , have descended from his issue ; but this prophet affirms , that in these dayes there shall be an end of his line , and that his posterity shall fail of enjoying the crown of england . again , remember m d. c. l x , vand i , then ne're a rex . calculated thus : in , there will be no king here , or pretending to the crown of england ; for charles the white king of brittains diadem , shall most unfortunately lose his realm by evill counsel ; and his kingly head and life shall part from body , not in bed . his wife shall flee unto her native nest , his bearn's both rob'd of honour , means and rest , his son , successive to the crown , shall be enforced unto forraign parts to flee for ayd , his right and crown for to regain ; many shall promise help , yet prove all vain and false to him ; for thus it is decreed no king , from hence , shall rule on this side tweed . an irish man speaking of king iames and his issue , he bursts out . et semen regis erit mendicum in terra aliena in aeternum , viz. the off-spring of the king shall be poor , and for ever after live in a strange country . so merliu in an ancient prophecie saith , that his seed shall become fatherless in a strange land for evermore . yet notwithstanding prophet carion ( a german writer ) affirmeth , that the church shall be restored and reformed by a charles ; and that there shall arise an emperour named charles , who shall rule imperially in europe , by whom the decayed estate of the church shall be reformed , and the ancient glory of the empire again restored ; for there shall come a people without an head , and then wo shall be unto priests : horrible mutations of all kingdome 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 hand ; the beast of the west , and the lyon of the east shall be 〈◊〉 rule over all the world . this in no wayes reflects upon charles stuart . nostradamus the ancient prophet further saith , that there shall arise in the last times a prince , sprung from the emperour charles , which shall recover the land of promise , and shall be emperour of europe . and iohannes amatus likewise saith , that in the latter dayes there shall be great wars and bloudshed , the fary of the wars shall last a long time , whole provinces shall be left naked of inhabitants , many cities forsaken of people , the nobility slaughter'd , the gentry ruined , and great changes of kings , common wealths , and rulers . the north prevaileth against the south , a learned and eloquent prince , by little and little , shall attain the empire ; and a new king shall surmount all the rest , he shall make change of religion , when he holds thereynes of the empire . somewhat neere these times also shall a great eagle arise , and shall have power given him of the most high : he shall carry with him by conquest three kingdoms : he shall foyl the lillies in the land of virgo ; the sun it felf shalt mourn with the lyon , &c. by what i have delivered out of many reverend mens prophecies , i onely evince thus much : that the late king charles was not the lyon of the north ; or that his son , it that charles , or that eagle which the wise men of former times prophecied of ; or that he shall act either such wonderful deeds in war or peace , at the admirers of grebners false printed prophecy would fasten upon him ; who say , that a certain northern king named charles , who shall marry mary of the popish religion , to his great unhappiness ; so that his people rejecting him , shall set up an earl of a very ancient family , who shall continue three years or thereabouts ; he dying , they shall elect in his stead a warlike knight , who shall rule a little longer ; after him they shall elect none . but in the mean while one of charles his stock shal land on the sea coasts of his fathers kingdom , and with french , swedish , danish , hollandian , burgonian , and german forces , in a most cruel battel shall vanquish all his enemies , and afterward most happily govern his kingdom , and be greater than charles the great . and about the year . the king of the most ancient britains , for the losse of some ships at sea , shall break his league and amity with the states of holland ; who fearing , shall have recourse unto the new king of danes ( named christiernus ) for succour , and he by fair intreaties and large gifts shall win ei he side to agreement . nor doth he ever speak of england in all that samous manuscript , but as the most warlike and potent kingdom in europe . therefore all good christians ought to wish the new warre were concluded , rather by an happy agreement and composition , than by sword and musket , and the king placed on his throne rather with the hands of his loving and rejoyceful subjects , then with the swords of forraigners . for if the beginning of his restauration be in blood , and tumbling of garments in blood , the accomplishment of it will be with burning and fuel of fire . i shall not spend much time in confutation of these many untruths , and abusive predictions , referring the reader only unto : he true original which i hereafter publish . the true prophecy of paul grebner a german , presented to queen elizabeth . a fatal necessity having torne and pull'd from the house of austria the old roman scepter and diadem , and after an oppression of the same austrian house by the incursions of french , english , danish , swedish , making their irruptions on all sides ; there shall arise a horrid , bloody , sharp contest in europe , which shall cruelly shake and break away part thereof , yea shall expose the same being strangely spoiled and dismembred to egregious alterations . a swedish king then reigning , shall be invited to that quarrel to break in upon pomerane , mechlenburge , and some provinces belonging to denmark , being provoked by some offensive papers of the romish see : whereunto if he shall hearken , he shall unseasonably and very unprosperously become an allie to one that is most neer and intimate to him . wherefore i advise the swede to leave him in the same state wherein he findes him . by which meanes he , his family and posterity remaining contented with the bounds of their own natural dominions shall preserve intire , and keep in good order and allegiance their own subjects officiously disposed to peace and tranquillity . but if he shall in his heart propose to pervert his subjects by fair perswasions , god shall soon cut him off . and then from a charles a great charles shall obtain the scepter , who with great success and prosperity shall reign over the northern parts of the world ; yea , the same charles shall much break the power and tyranny of the spaniard , and obtain a signal victory over his navy and armadoe . and after the conjunction of his forces with the states of christendom he shall win a difficult , cruel battel . after this , god shall remove his popish wife , to the great terror of the bishop of rome , who being incensed and stirred thereby , king charles shall profess hastily against antichrist , and joyning forces with the german and other allies shall become enemy to him , and the crown of spain both . at that time shall the swede be very succesfull and perform admirable service against the enemy with men and ships , as well by land as by sea . out of the manuscript of paul grebner of sneburgh remaining in the library of trinity colleage in cambridge , given there by queen elizabeth . another prophecy taken out of a certain library . after a certain time being past , the tayle of the virgin shall enter the lyon , and scorpio shall ascend the back of sagitary : the northern kingdoms shall be wasted by reapers , the southern paincipalities shall end in dust , and the powers of the island monarchies without either bridle or saddle shall be harnessed . cruel warres shall be scattered by the winds , and quell'd by a revengeful hayle ; whose beginnings were by a staffe , their growth and continuance by bastards . the sunne it selfe shall play on the timbrel clad with a vermilion coat , and the moon with dun buskins , shall amble to the faire . laughest thou oh king ? but those on whom these things shall come , for grief and sorrow shall pine away . all these things shall scarce be accomplished , when a prince of royal stock shall come forth crowned from the northern parts , as to his own people unexpected , but desired by forraigners ; who because he shall bear a rampant lyon , shall therefore be called a lyon . he shall not rest , till having called a synod , and after dissolved it by threats , he shall advance his conquering armes against his enemies , and by woful success shall harrasse the territories of neighbor princes . he shall exceed alexander the great in vertue , and cyrus in success : he shall passe the seas , and be saluted emperour by many kings . a certain ancient city shall he say levell with the ground . in the mean while a powerful prince out of the east shall provoke him to battle , against whom the lyon shall march with all his forces , and pitching his camp on this side euphrates shall expect him . if the prince shall come over the river , the lyon shall be overcome ; but he shall passe his army over the river , and give his enemy a bloody defeat , and be master of all the east . whilst these things are in action , divers petty kings from india shall break into syria with mighty armies , and provided for battlle shall wait for the lyon about the valley of iehosaphat , where they shal by him be all wholly cut off . not long after shall the wars shall cease , after that , with eminent piety , he shall have established the kingdom of fugitives . our authour is now ingenuous , whilst he confesseth there is nothing more extant of this scotish merlines but this only peece . i would know of the wisest man living , how this prophecy , ( had it not seemingly tended to this purpose , we had not seen this rarity ; but if we admit it once ) can it any way prejudice our present state , or further the present scotish king ? for wherein is he nominated in this or scotland it self ? it rather seemes a general prophecy of the last times . certainly , had king iames been a warlike prince , many things herein might be appropriated unto him , but because of his extream cowardize , its fit not him : we know he was called the lyon of the north , and that he procured the synod of dort ; and how he was reputed righteous , &c. but it had no relation unto him , nor hath it any to the present scotish king ; the very words of the prophecy are so significant , they need no refutation or further exposi●ion , they agreeing wholly with many others in the sam thing , viz. that a certain prince shall in the last times arise , who shall oever-run all europe suddenly , and also destroy some eastern princes . to make an end of this story , i shall conclude with the prophecie of sybilla tiburtina , long since made publique unto the world . which prophecie of hers followeth : orietur sydus in europe supra iberes admagnam septentrionis domum , &c. in english thus : a star shall arise in europe over the iberians , towards the great house of the north , whose beams shall unexpectedly enlighten the whole world . this shall be in a most acceptable time , when as mortal men being wearied with war and arms , shall unanimously be desirous to embrace peace . certainly in those times it will be stoutly controverted , who shall be the best man , or unto whom the greatest dominion may befall ; during a vacancie of a governour , and whilest there is an interregnum or discontinuance of some prisoners . but at length the off-spring of a most ancient family prevails , and will proceed in a course of war , untill contrary fortune overthrow him . for even at the same time , or near unto the setting of this star , or dying of the prince , signified by that star , a light as ancient as the former shall break out , burning with more eager flames of war , and shall inlarge his dominion unto the coast of the antipodes . it hath been the onely labour of this discourse all along , to manifest unto this nation ; first , that the present king of scots is not that great charles intended in grebner , or any other prophecy extanr either in manuscript or in print . secondly , we have shewed from the writings of very famous men , of what nation the great charles , or lyon of the north shall be or native of . thirdly , we have examined the prophecies both of the scottish , welch , and english prophets , and from their writings have discovered , that there are no more kings to be expected to reign in england . we have much reason to believe their sayings shall prove true , having evidently beforehand known all or most of what they have prophecied to have exactly come to passe , even in our own dayes , and not before : i do neither add nor diminish unto them ; i sparingly deliver my own conceptions , nor do i paraphrase upon the prophecies , they are so plain and significant ; there is not in any of these any the least mention of this present king of scotland , nor is he called by the name of the northern lion , or is he designed to be the man , who shall raise a fift universal monarchy upon the earth . these are untruths and the fantasies of leud men . i know it will be expected i should say somewhat concerning this northern lion , who most assuredly shall appear unto the world , the prodromus whereof was the star , which appeared . many authors or manuscripts mentioning such a lion , such a northern prince , or the eagle of the north , the wonderful eagle , or such a man that shall in the latter times , or declining age of the world , do wonderful acts in w●● , equalling , if not transcending all those we read of in the preceding histories , either prophane or divine ; but they all unanimously proclaim a short reign , and a violent death , in his younger years ; and to say the truth , there is scarce a prophet or man of any nation in europe , who hath been indued with prophetick spirit , but he in some part of his works , or other , hath hinted at such a person , emperor , or king ; nay some have not been wanting to affirm his name , as you may see in the chronicles of magdeburg , testified by carion in his third book . the wonderfull year of the world . the certain year of these monethly predictions is not to be revealed , but such there will be in that great year , before the wonderful catastrophe of this world shall happen . ianuary . a showr of bloud shall rain continually for one houre space in one land of europe ; that reign or people thereof shall first come to destruction . february . all nations troubled with rumours of wars , every region preparing armies , and mustering men , traffique generally prohibited by land and by sea , every country inforced to live of their own stock and commodities . march the main sea shall hugely swell with mighty tempests and windes , so that the sea-bankes in many places shall overflow their accustomed bounds , inundations universally or in every country , one island shall be quite overflown with the sea , where the double cross hath government , the sins of the prince or rulers thereof being so extreme high against the majesty of god . april . a terrible sea-fight , such as hath not been before , occasioning the water to look more red then the red sea , the water all turn'd to bloud ; england thou wilt have a share in this fight , god of his great goodnesse make thee victorious ; after a hard fight thou shalt overcome . may . war and bloudshed over all the earth , one nation shall send so many men to the wars , that it shall for a time even be desolate of men , so that twelve women will be glad of one man : nay hardly procure one young men for them all . june . in the eastern parts of the world a whole nation shall fight a great battle in a wrong cause , and defend an evil man ; but the vengeance of god will rain down a showr of fire from the throne of heaven , and consume that army wholly with all their wealth and treasures , even as they lodge in their tents , &c. july . so great a drought will appear , that multitudes of people shall die in many places , for mere want of water ; soldiers shall not be able for heat to carry their arms ; the earth shall be so dry and parched with the sun it shall yield no fruit to feed cattle . august . great plagues and mortality will cover the whole face of the earth , and so destroy mankind , that there will not be sufficient labourers to get in harvest , or the fruits of the earth ; in this month such swarms of noysome fowls , and flies shall come from the east , as they shall devour the corn on the ground , the fruit on trees , that all shall be barren ▪ men living in those times , and in this moneth , shall have more sorrow and woes , and more famine and distress , then was in ierusalem when titus besieged it . september . the season of this month will be so unnatural , and the earth so unfit for tillage , that all manner of cattle will rat on the ground , which will breed such store of flies and vermine , that the earth will be empoysoned , and receive no fruit to increase . october . a general famine and dearth of corn will overspread most nations of europe , so that the child shall sterve at her mothers breast , the mother having no food to nourish her self or child . november . one appears suddenly and unexpectedly a great conqueror , the world filled with the fame of this man , who suddenly , like augustus , gives peace unto the whole earth . december . all wars end , religion truly preached universally over the world , a general peace , no more treason or rebellion ; not long after the trumpet founds , and christ appears . divers predictions upon the conjunction of saturn and jupiter , july . divers sinister events shall seem to conspire together for the crossing of a great prince , who by oppressing the common people , shall in the end drive them to sedition . this came to passe accordingly in k. charles his reign . the conjunction of jupiter and saturn in the house caelestial , called that of death , doth portend that some prince shall be detained prisoner , to the great disadvantage of his affairs of estate . vpon the first quarter of the moon , which shall be the of february , is foretold , that some king or prince shall undertake a voyage of great consequence without certainty of return , which at the best shall be both later then expectation , and after the induring of many miseries . king charles his succesless journey into spain . he which shall stand on the top of fortunes wheel , let him look warily to his feet , for fear of slipping ; because so great a fall is threatned him , as shall astonish those who have climed up into the seats of honour unworthily . read the annalls of . . and . a monarch that hath betrusted his affairs of great consequence to the direction of one , who was no way capable of so weighty a charge , shall be sensible of the great fault he hath committed , whereof he shall too late repent . king charles relying on canterbury and other silly fellowes makes this good . the stirrers and incendiaries of sedition shall make residence in the houses of kings and princes . war deferr'd through want of money . the land and town geminist shall bewail the want of her son . london here is intended . there shall be great levying of souldiers for the execution of some stratagem , but all shall turn to nothing ; for the sudden departure of a great personage shall cause much murmuring and discontent . it intends the private raising of horse in germany , &c. men disguised shall desire that their outward semblance may make shew of that which they are not , and shall be the authours of many particular combats in the land geminist . thus much was in the old manuscript . because i would give full satisfaction unto the three nations of england , scotland and ireland , and beat all our enemies with their own weapons , viz. with real prophecies , give me leave to repeat a scotish prophecy . priscae scotorum prophetiae . scotland be sad now , and lament thy child whom thou hast lost : bereft of kings , falsly undone by thy unkindly host . alas , the free , bond is become , and deceit is thy fall ; thy falshood to the brutish race has brought thee into thrall . the grave of the most noble prince to all is great regrate , not subject to law , who doth leave the kingdom and estate . oh anguish great , where every kind and age doth lament , whom bitter death has tane away , shall scotland sore repent . lately a land of rich increase , a nation stout and true , has lost their former dear estate , which they did hold of due : by hard conflict and by chance of mobile fortunes force thy hap and thy prosperity is turned into worse . thou w●nt to win , now art subdu'd and come in under yoke : a stranger reignes , and doth destroy what likes with swords stroke . the english race , whom neither force nor manner do approve ; woe is to thee , by guilt and slight is only win above . the mighty nation was to fore invincible and stout . has yielded lewe to destiny , great pitty is but doubt . in former age the scots renown did flourish goodly gay , but now alas is overcled with a great dark decay . then mark and see what is the cause of this so wondrous fall ; contempt of faith , falshood , deceit , the wrath of god withall . vnsatiable greedy of worlds gain , oppression , cries of poor perpetual , a slanderous race , no justice put in ure . the haughty pride of mighty men , of former vice chief cause , the nurtriture of wickedness , and unjust match of laws . therefore this case the prophets old , of long time did presage , as now has happened every point into this present age . since fate is so , now scotland learn in patience to abide slanders , great fears , and suddain plagues , and dolers more beside . for out of thee shall people rise , with divers happiness : and yet a pen can scarcely write thy hurt , skath and distress . the english nation shall invade , &c. the prophecy of queen ann ( queen of scotland ) mother to the late king , concerning his maj and his three kingdoms . charles stuart , late king of england , was born at dumferlin in scotland , . novem. . he lived years , and about dayes : he died in the beginning of his climacterical year , fatal many times where killing directions in the nativity threaten : he came to the crown being aged years , and about moneths , and was noted to be very wilful and obstinate by queen ann his mother ; who hearing that he was sick and like to die , said , he would not then die , or at that time , but live to the ruine of himself , and occasion the loss of his three kingdoms , by his too much wilfulness . a sad prediction from a mother , who most intirely loved him ; but it proved very true in the sequel . yet while he was young he followed his book seriously , which his elder brother prince henry could not endure ; and therefore king iames would frequently blame prince henry with the neglect of his book , and tell him how his brother charles followed it ; whereupon the prince would reply , when that he himself should be king , he would make his brother charles archbishop of canterbury . examined by the original papers , sent from the vniversity of cambridge ; and other libraries in england and scotland , licensed and published by authority ; and now presented to publike view , ( together with a description of the wonderfull year of the world ) to the end , that this treatise may be dispierced throughout all cities and market towns in england and wales . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- the protestant's crums of comfort containing i. prayers and meditations, with ejaculations for every day in the week, and other occasions. ii. thanksgivings for deliverances from popery, tyranny, and arbitrary power. iii. the rebellion in ireland, and massacre of paris. iv. the learned bishop usher's prophecy, concerning ireland, and the downfall of rome. v. advice to the late besieged in london-derry, under that reverend divine and valiant commander, coll. george walker. illustrated with pictures suitable to each particular occasion. walker, george, of londonderry. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the protestant's crums of comfort containing i. prayers and meditations, with ejaculations for every day in the week, and other occasions. ii. thanksgivings for deliverances from popery, tyranny, and arbitrary power. iii. the rebellion in ireland, and massacre of paris. iv. the learned bishop usher's prophecy, concerning ireland, and the downfall of rome. v. advice to the late besieged in london-derry, under that reverend divine and valiant commander, coll. george walker. illustrated with pictures suitable to each particular occasion. walker, george, of londonderry. [ ], , [ ] p., [ ] leaves of plates : port. printed by w.w. for nicholas bodington at the golden ball in duck-lane, london : . with a licence to print on verso of title page dated december th. . dedication signed: g.w.; attributed by wing to george walker. each part of the text headed by a caption title; on p. : "the protestants manual of prayers and meditations"; on p. : "ejaculations upon several occasions out of the holy scriptures"; on p. : "a short account of the massacre in ireland & paris"; on p. : "strange and remarkable predictions of that holy, learned, and excellent bishop, james usher, late lord primate of ireland"; on p. : "thanksgivings for god's wonderful deliverances"; on p. : "christian courage in affliction". frontis. = plate; consists of medallion portraits of queen elizabeth, king james i, king william iii and queen mary; the three folded plates include woodcuts of the coronation of william and mary, the reverend bishop usher, the irish rebellion, and french massacre, the downfall of rome, the spanish invasion, the gun powder plot, and the arrival of the prince of orange. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng walker, george, ?- -- early works to . ussher, james, - -- early works to . prayers -- early works to . protestants -- ireland -- early works to . protestants -- france -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . londonderry (northern ireland) -- history -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the protestant's crums of comfort : containing i. prayers and meditations , with ejaculations for every day in the week , and other occasions . ii. thanksgivings for deliverances from popery , tyranny , and arbitrary power . iii. the rebellion in ireland , and massacre of paris . iv. the learned bishop usher's prophecy , concerning ireland and the downfall of rome . v. advice to the late besieged in london-derry , under that reverend divine and valiant commander coll. george walker . ilustrated with pictures sutable to each particular occasion . london ; printed by w. w. for nicholas bodington at the golden ball in duck-lane . defenders of y e protestant religio● q. elizabeth . k. william . k. james q. mary ii. of sam. xxiii v. . he that ruleth ore men must be just ruling in y e fear of god. licensed , december th . . to the honourable the lady p. t. madam , where true piety inhabites , charity always ●ims a priviledge in ●owning religious actions ▪ ●d , like the good samaritan , ●ords the oil of relief to the ●ounds of the distressed . such tender compassion al●●ys attends the great and ●st , of whom , madam , you ● a perfect pattern ; your ●…nty has been unlimited to 〈…〉 distressed and afflicted , to 〈…〉 fatherless and the widow , ●…t even commiseration it self has been your daily delight and practice . divine souls , like yours can never be free from humbl● addressers , which creates ● pr●sumption in me to lay th●… tract at your la●●ships door where i humbly conceive yo● will honour it so far , as 〈◊〉 take it into your closet . that heaven may prosp●… you with length of days here and reward you with a cro●… of glory hereafter , is t●… hearty prayer of , madam , your most obedient servan● g. w. the protestant's manual , of prayers and meditations ▪ when we first awake . o god , thou art my god , early will i seek thee . i will sing of thy power , ●…d will praise thy mercy becomes in the morning ; for ●…ou hast been , and wilt be 〈…〉 defence and refuge in the ●…y of my trouble . a prayer for the morning o eternal god , whose providence has protected m● the night past , & brought me t● the beginning of this day ; defend me , o lord , in the same by thy almighty power , an● grant that this day i fall into n● sin , neither run into any kin● of danger , but that all m● doings may be ordered by th● governance , to do alway● that which is righteous in th● sight , through jesus christ. ii. i praise thy name , th●● thou hast still continued to 〈◊〉 the opportunity of servin● thee , and advancing my hop● of a blessed eternity ; preser●●●● me this day from all violence and snares of my enemies , visible and invisible ; keep me from all pride , self-love , and vain-glory ; all obstinacy and disobedience ; all fraudulency and dissimulation , and let the graces of thy holy spirit take an absolute possession of my soul , and all its faculties , that i may finally tread down satan under my feet ; all this i beg for thy son jesus christ his sake , amen . a prayer for the evening . almighty god , i praise and magnifie thy holy name , for thy preservation of me this day , and all the days of my life ; for unless thy mercy had withheld me , i had committed ▪ more and more grievous sins , and had been overwhelmed by thy just wrath , and severest judgments : pardon , o lord , i beseech thee , the sins and offences of my youth , and the irregularity of all my actions , either in thought , word , or deed . ii. let thy heavenly grace be present with me , that though my body sleep , yet let my soul be vigilant , lest i sleep in sin , and be forgetfull of my duty towards thee ; let thy goodness and loving kindness never slip out of my remembrance , but so unite my heart unto thee with fervent charity , that whatever i do , may redound to thy glory . iii. grant that whether i sleep or wake , live or dye , i may never lose the light of thy countenance , but evermore live in thy favour ; that escaping from the darkness of this world , i may at last arrive at the land of everlasting peace and happiness , to behold thy power and glory , amen . meditations for sunday morning . let god arise , and let his enemies be scattered ; let them also that hate him , flee before him . like as the smoak vanisheth , so shalt thou drive them away ; and like as wax melteth at the fire , so let the ungodly perish at the presence of god. but let the righteous be glad and rejoyce before god ; let them also be merry and joyfull . ii. o sing unto god , and sing praises unto his name ; magnifie him that rideth upon the heavens as it were upon an horse ; praise him in his name , yea , and rejoyce before him . he is a father of the fatherless , and defendeth the cause of the widows ; even god in his holy habitation . he is the god that maketh men to be of one mind in an house , and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity , but letteth the runnagates continue in scarceness . iii. o god , when thou wentest forth before the people , when thou wentest through the wilderness : the earth shook , and the heavens dropped at the presence of god , even as sina● also was moved at the presence of god , which is the god of israel . thou , o god , sentest a gracious rain upon thine in heritance , and refreshed'st i● when it was weary . thy congregation shall dwell therein ; for thou , o god , hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor . iv. the lord gave the word : great was the company of the preachers . kings with their armies did flee , and were discomfited , and they of the household divided the spoil . though ye have li●n among the pots , yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove , that is covered with silver wings , and her feathers like gold. v. when the almighty scattered kings for their sake , then were they as white as snow in salmon . as the hill of basan , so is god's hill ; even an high hill , as the hill of basan . why hop ye so , ye high hills ? this is god's hill , in which it pleaseth him to dwell ; yea , the lord will abide in it for ever . vi. the chariots of god are twenty thousand , even thousands of angels , and the lord is among them , as in the holy place of sin●i . thou art gone up on high , ●hou hast led captivity captive , and received gifts for men ; yea , even for thine enemies , that the lord god might dwell among them . vii . praised be the lord daily , even the god which helpeth us , and poureth his benefits upon us . he is our god , even the god of whom cometh ●alvation : god is the lord by whom we escape death . god shall wound the head of his enemies , and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on s●ill in his wickedness . viii . the lord hath said , i will bring my people again , as i did from basan : mine own will i bring again , as i did sometime from the deep of the sea. that thy foot may be dipped in the bloud of thine enemies ; and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same . ix . it is well seen , o god , how thou goest ; how thou , my god , and my king , goest in the sanctuary . the singers go before , the minstrels follow after ; in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels . give thanks , o israel , unto god the lord in the congregations , from the ground of the heart . there is little benjamin their ruler , and the princes of juda● , their counsel ; the princes of zabul●n , and the princes of napthali . x. thy god hath sent forth strength for thee : stablish the thing , o god , that thou hast wrought in us . for thy temples sake at jerusalem ; so shall kings bring presents unto thee . when the company of the spear-men and multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the people , ( so that they humbly bring pieces of silver , ) and when he hath scattered the people that delight in war. then shall the princes come out of egypt ; the morians land shall soon stretch out her hands unto god. the prayer . most gracious god , who art ● father of the fatherless , and pleadest the cause of the wido● , have mercy upon thy holy catholick church , and since her lord is ●scended up on high , even to his heavenly mansions , leave us not alone comfortless , but send thy holy spirit into our hearts , that by his assistance we may escape spiritual , and the bitterness of the temporal . ii. send a gracious showre , even the dew of thy divine favours , to refresh our weariness in this calamity ; make thy people as doves , innocent and chast , and adorn them with the beauty of inward sanctity : let all kings , princes , and rulers of the earth , confess thy name , and thy honour ; that thy gospel extending forth into all lands , peace , and all thy blessings may follow it , and thy praise be encreased from generation to generation , through christ our lord and saviour , amen . sunday noons meditations . sing unto god , o ye kingdoms of the earth : o sing praises unto the lord , who sitteth in the heavens over all from the beginning : lo , he doth send forth his voice , yea , and that a mighty voice . ascribe ye the power to god over israel ; his worship and strength is in the clouds . o god , wonderfull art thou in thy holy places ! even the god of israel ; he will give strength unto his people , blessed be god. ii. o clap your hands together , all ye people ; o sing unto god with the voice of melody . for the lord is high , and to be feared ; he is the great king upon all the earth . he shall subdue the people under us , and the nations under our feet . he shall chuse out an heritage for us ; even the worship of jacob whom he loved . iii. god is gone up with a merry noise , and the lord with the sound of the trump . o sing praises , sing praises unto our god : o sing praises , sing praises unto our king. for god is the king of all the earth : sing ye praises with understanding . the prayer . o lord god , celestial king , who reign●st potentate in all the world , thou art exalted above all creatures , and art to be feared in all the dominions of the earth ; let the seed of thy glorious gospel be planted in all parts of the habitable world , that thy saving health may be known unto all nations . ii. let thy grace pull down all the strong holds of sin and satan , that any ways oppose thy holy name and word ; subdue all thy people unto thee , and the nations under thy feet , so that we that are thy people , and sheep of thy hands , may become one sheepfold under one shepherd , jesus christ , our blessed lord and saviour . meditations for sunday night . i will magnifie thee , o god , my king ; and i will praise thy name for ever and ever . every day will i give thanks unto thee , and praise thy name for ever and ever . great is the lord , and marvellous worthy to be praised ; there is no end of his greatness . ii. one generation shall praise thy works unto another , and declare thy power . as for me i will be talking of thy worship , thy glory , thy praise , and wondrous works . so that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts ; and i will also tell of thy greatness . the memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed , and men shall sing of thy righteousness . iii. the lord is gracious and mercifull , long-suffering , and of great goodness . the lord is loving unto every one , and his mercy is over all his works . all thy works praise thee , o lord , and thy saints give thanks unto thee . they shew the glory of thy kingdom , and talk of thy power . that thy power , thy glory , and mightiness of thy kingdom might be known unto men. thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom ; and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages . the prayer . most mighty god , marvellous worthy art thou to be praised , and of thy greatness there is no end ; give us sanctified hearts , and lips , that we may express thy righteousness , and magnifie thy glory , worship , and wondrous works . ii. all the earth praises thee , o lord , and thy saints give thanks unto thee : make us religious and sincere before thee , and to lay aside all hypocrisie . protect us , o lord , by thy hand of providence , that we fall not , and raise us up when we are down . iii. give us spiritual and temporal meat in thy o●n due time for our souls and bodies ; that we being filled abundantly with thy mercies here , we may have our hearts desire fulfilled , and satisfied hereafter , among such as fear thee , and praise thy holy name for evermore . amen . monday mornings meditations . the lord upholdeth all such as fall , and lifteth up all those that be down . for he shall deliver the poor when he cryeth ; the needy also , and him that hath no helper . he shall be favourable to the simple and needy , and shall preserve the souls of the poor . he shall deliver their souls from wrong , and falshood , and dear shall their bloud be in his sight . ii. there shall be a heap of corn in the earth , high upon the hills : his fruit shall shake like li●anus , and he shall be green in the city , like grass upon the earth . his name shall endure for ever ; his name shall remain under the sun among the posterities , which shall be blessed through him , and all the heathen shall praise him . iii. blessed be the lord god of israel , who only doth wondrous things . and blessed be the name of his majesty for ever , and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty , amen . the prayer . o eternal god , thou that defendest the children and poor , but pu●ishest the wrong doer , have mercy upon thy people under affliction ; extend thy mercy and compassion from ●ne sea to another , even unto the worlds end . ii. make thy people , who love thy name , flourish ; and subdue their enemies under them , that neither ●alshood nor wrong may any ways ●p●ress them . bless them with peace ●nd tranquillity , and satisfie them with thy righteousness and salvation , through thy mercy , o blessed ●esu , amen . mōnday noon's meditations . not unto us , o lord , not unto us , but unto thy name give the praise , for thy loving mercy , and for thy truths sake . wherefore shall the heathen say , where is now their god ? as for our god , he is in heaven ; he hath done whatsoever pleaseth him . ii. their idols are silver and gold , even the work of mens hands . they have mouths and speak not ; eyes have they , and see not . they have ears and hear not ; noses have they and smell not . they have hands , and handle not : feet have they , and walk not ; neither speak they through their throat . they that make them are like unto them ; and so are all such as put their trust in them . iii. but thou house of israel , trust thou in the lord : he is ●●eir succour and defender . ye house of aaron , put your trust in the lord : he is ●heir helper and defender . the lord hath been mind●ull of us , and he shall bless ●…s : even he shall bless the ●ouse of israel , he shall bless ●●e house of aaron . he shall bless them that ●…ar the lord , both small and ●…reat . the prayer . almighty god , whose dwelling is in the highest heavens , and ●st whatsoever pleaseth thee both in heaven and on earth ; give grace , 〈…〉 beavenly father , that in all our ●…ubles and calamities , we may put 〈…〉 who le trust in thee , who art our ●…y succour , defender , and deliver . ii. let us evermore praise thy holy name , and never ascribe to our selves any honour , and glory , or thank● of any good action , or prosper o● success ; but to thee alone who a●● the author and giver of all good things . keep us from idolatry from worshipping vain imagination● and any thing which is contrary to t●● gospel . bless us in all our way● that when we go from hence , we 〈…〉 inherit thy kingdom . amen . meditations for monday night . i will lift up mine eyes un● the hills , from when cometh my help . my help cometh even from the lord , which hath ma● heaven and earth . ii. he will not suffer thy fo● to be moved : and he th● keepeth thee will not sleep . behold he that keepeth israel shall neither slumber nor ●●eep . iii. the lord himself is thy keeper : the lord is thy defence upon the right hand . so that the sun shall not ●urn thee by day , nor the moon by night . iv. the lord shall preserve thee ●●om evil : yea , it is even he ●hat shall keep thy soul. the lord shall preserve thy ●oing out , and thy coming in , ●●om this time forth for evermore . the prayer . o god , from whence cometh all our help and succour , pre●…ve us by thy power and providence , ●…at nothing either by day or night ●…ay molest our peace , or disturh our ●afety ; suffer not the vanities of ●…e one to allure us , nor the terrours 〈…〉 the other to amaze and affright us . ii. let our feet be immoveable , an● fixed upon the rock and foundation christ jesus ; and so dispose of o● going out , and coming in , that ● may not swerve from thy commandments : but walk according to t● holy rule in all things , who art o● lord and saviour . meditations for tuesday morning . they that put their tr●… in the lord shall be ev●… as the mount sion , which m●… not be removed , but stande●… fast for ever . the hills stand about jerusalem : even so standeth t●… lord round about his peop●… from this time forth for ev●… more . ii. for the rod of the ungo●… cometh not into the lot of t●… righteous ; lest the righteous out their hands unto wickedness . do well , o lord , unto ●hose that be good and true of heart . as for such as turn back un●o their own wickedness , the ●ord shall lead them forth with the evil-doers : but ●eace shall be upon israel . the prayer . merciful god , our ▪ only trust and confidence , and whosoever ●usteth in thee shall not be removed , ●●t stand fast for ever ; let thy pow●● and glory stand round about us , ●nd all thy holy people , like hills ●…r our protection and safety , that ●…e may be sheltered from our enemies . ii. permit us not to put our hands to wickedness , neither let us partake 〈◊〉 the lot of the ungodly , whom thou or dainest for destruction : b●… let us receive that blessing which o●… lord and saviour hath left 〈…〉 church , even the peace of god t●… father , son , and holy ghost : 〈…〉 whom be all honour and glory , wor●… without end . amen . meditations for tuesday noon . when the lord turned again the captivity 〈…〉 sion , then were we like unt●… them that dream . then was our mouth fil●…ed with laughter , and o●… tongue with joy. ii. then said they among th● heathen , the lord hath do●… great things for them . yea , the lord hath do●… great things for us already whereof we rejoyce . iii. turn thou our captivity , o lord , as the rivers in the south . they that sow in tears shall ●eap in joy. he that now goeth on his way weeping , and beareth ●orth good seed , shall doubt●ess come again with joy , and ●ring his sheaves with him . the prayer . gracious god , who hast promised life and salvation to thy cho●en servants , and hast wrought ●ighty things for them already , ●hereof they rejoyce . deliver us we ●eseech thee , from the slavery and ●etters of sin and misery ; dissipate ●nd scatter all our enemies which ●ay close siege to us , seeking to destroy us . ii. fill our hearts with con̄t●ition , ●or having trespassed against thee ; teach us that divine art of self denial , to mo●tifie our affection 〈◊〉 our lust , and extinguish a●●●●shly temptations ; that when th● great harvest shall come , ●e may 〈◊〉 admitted as fellow labourers 〈◊〉 work in thy spiritual kingdom through jesus christ. amen . meditations for tuesday night . out of the deep have called unto thee , o lord lord hear my voice . oh let thine ears conside● well the voice of my complaint . ii. if thou , lord , wilt be extream to mark what is done a● miss , o lord , who may a● bide it ? for there is mercy with thee : therefore snalt thou b● feared . i look for the lord , my soul doth wait for him ; in his word is my trust. iii. my soul flieth unto the lord before the morning watch : i say before the morning watch. o israel trust in the lord : for with the lord there is mercy , and with him is plenteous redemption . and he shall redeem israel from all his sins . the prayer . o blessed lord , who with thy most precious blood , didst pay ●ur ransom , to purchase for us freedom , and salvation . with thee , ●here is mercy and plenteous redemption ; o let the height of that mercy ●ake us out of the bottomless pit of ●in and misery . ii. be not extream , o lord , in marking out what we have done amiss in our life time , but rather blot out th● hand-writing which is against us ▪ and as thy boundless mercy pardon● what is past , so let the sweetness of i● create thy fear in our hearts , that we may never more dare to offend s● gracious and merciful a saviour a● thou art to us . grant this , o lord , i beseech thee , for thy alone sake . amen . meditations for wednesday morning . deliver me , o lord , from the evil man , and preserve me from the wicked man. which imagine mischief i● their hearts , and stir up stris● all the day long . they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent : adders poyson is under their lips. ii. keep me , o lord , from the hands of the ungodly , preserve me from the wicked men , which are purposed to overthrow my going . the proud have laid a s●are for me , and spread a net abroad with cords ; yea , and set traps in my way . iii. i said unto the lord , thou art my god : hear the voice of my prayers , o lord. o lord god , thou strength of my health , thou hast covered my head in the day of battle . iv. let not the ungodly have his desire , o lord : let not his mischievous imagination prosper , lest they be too proud. let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them that compass me about . a man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth : evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him . the prayer . o lord god , the strength of all those that depend upon thee ; deliver us from evil and wicked men : that neither their examples may corrupt us , nor their counsels misguide us , or their mischief disturb our safety . ii. but do thou , o lord , cover our heads in the day of battle and strife against all our bodily and ghostly enemies ; that though they pursue us to overthrow us , yet we may be safe on earth under thy favour and almighty protection , and at the last being removed from all fears and dangers , we may appear in thy sight amongst the righteous for evermore . meditations for wednesday noon . hear my prayer , o lord , and consider my desire : hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness sake . and enter not into judgment with thy servant : for in thy sight shall no one living be justified . ii. for the enemy hath persecuted my soul , he hath smitten my life down to the ground , he hath laid me in the darkness , as the men that have been long dead . therefore is my spirit vexed within me , and my heart within me is desolate . iii. yet do i remember the time past , i muse upon all thy works : yea , i exercise my self in the works of thy hands . i stretch forth my hands unto thee : my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. the prayer . most righteous judge and dear redeemer , hear us for thy truth and mercies sake ; free us from the hainous guilt of all our sins , and renounce those punishments due to us for the same . ii. enter not at any time into judgment with us , for in thy sight no flesh can be justified by its own worthiness . fortifie our souls with the holiness of a lively faith , which worketh by charity , that at last we enter into thy holy of holies , even life everlasting . amen . meditations for wednesday night . hear me , o lord , and that soon , for my spirit waxeth faint : hide not thy face from me , lest i be like unto them that go down into the pit. o let me hear thy loving kindness betimes in the morning , for in thee is my trust : shew thou me the way that i should walk in , for i lift up my soul unto thee . ii. deliver me , o lord , from mine enemies : for i flie unto thee to hide me . teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee , for thou art my god : let thy loving spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness . iii. quicken me , o lord , for thy names sake : and for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble . and of thy goodness slay mine enemies , and destroy all them that vex my soul ; for i am thy servant . the prayer . bow down thine ear , o lord , and hear my complaint , support my weak spirit with thy heavenly grace , which is sufficient for me . hide not the light of thy countenance from me , but replenish me with the beams of thy mercy and goodness . ii. direct me in the way that i should walk in ; instruct me to do whatsoever pleaseth thee , quicken my soul in thy paths which lead to life eternal ; and so continue the conduct of thy blessed spirit to me , that it may never depart from me , till i am brought out of this temporal world , and am safely arrived at thy spiritual kingdom . amen . meditations for thursday morning . praise the lord , o my soul ; while i live will i praise the lord ; yea , as long as i have any being , will i sing praises unto my god. o put not your trust in princes , nor in any child of man : ●or there is no help in them . for when the breath of man goeth out , he shall turn again to his earth : and then all his thoughts perish . ii. blessed is he that hath the god of jacob for his help , and whose hope is in the lord his god. which made heaven and earth , the sea and all that therein is ; which keepeth his promise for ever . which helpeth them to right that suffer wrong ; which feedeth the hungry . iii. the lord looseth men out of prison : the lord giveth sight to the blind . the lord helpeth them that are fallen : the lord careth for the righteous . the lord careth for the strangers ; he defendeth the fatherless and widow : as for the way of the ungodly , he turneth it upside down . the lord thy god , o sion , shall be king for evermore , and throughout all generations . the prayer . great god , who art king for everlasting , world without end , vouchsafe us thy grace , and assist us with thy ready help , that we may fix all our hopes in thee ; for thou alone art able to grant deliverance . ii. lord , feed our souls , and satisfie us with thy salvation , when we hunger and thirst after thee ; revenge our cause , when we suffer wrong ; and heal our back-slidings . enlighten our darkness , that we walk not in the shadow of death , and let thy hand of providence take care of us in all our necessities , that when our life is expired , and we return to that earth from whence we were taken , we may reign with thee for evermore . meditations for thursday noon . i cryed unto the lord with my voice , yea , even unto the lord did i make my supplication . i poured out my complaints before him , and shewed him of my trouble . when my spirit was in heaviness , thou knewest my path : in the way wherein i walked have they privily laid a snare for me . ii. i looked also upon my right hand , and saw there was no man that would know me . i had no place to flie unto : and no man cared for my soul. i cried unto thee , o lord , and said , thou art my hope , and my portion in the land of the living . iii. consider my complaint : for i am brought very low . o deliver me from my persecutors , for they are too strong for me . bring my soul out of prison , that i may give thanks unto thy name ; which thing if thou wilt grant me , then shall the righteous resort unto my company . the prayer . thou art our place , o lord to flee unto , and the only sanctuary wherein is safety : o hide us under the shadow of thy wings , keep us from all those dangers which increase upon us when our spirits are in heaviness , and our bodies bowed down with infirmities . ii. stand thou evermore at our right hand , and aid us so with the power of thy grace , that our temptations and enemies may at no time molest and disturb us : grant that our souls in thy good time may depart out of the prison of the body with joy and not with grief , and enter into thine eternal joy to reign with thee for evermore , amen . meditations for thursday night . o lord , thou hast searched me out , and known me ; thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising ; thou understandest my thoughts long before . thou art about my bed , and about my path , and spiest out all my ways . for lo , there is not a word in my tongue , but thou , o lord , knowest it altogether . thou hast fashioned me behind and before , and laid thine hand upon me . ii. such knowledge is too wonderfull and excellent for me , i cannot attain unto it . whither shall i go then from thy spirit ? or whither shall i go then from thy presence ? if i climb up into heaven , thou art there : if i go down to hell , thou art there also . if i take the wings of the morning , and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea. iii. even there also shall thy hand lead me , and thy right hand shall hold me . if i say , peradventure the darkness shall cover me ; then shall my night be turned into day . yea , the darkness is no darkness with thee , but the night is as clear as the day ; the darkness and light to thee are both alike . for my reins are thine ; thou hast covered me in my mothers womb. the prayer . infinite art thou , o lord , in wisedom , and omnipresent in all places ; thou fillest heaven and earth with majesty , and the effects of thy glory : hell feels thy mighty power , but thou communicatest to us thy poor creatures thy boundless mercy . ii. and , o lord , as thou art present with us , so we humbly beseech thee be president amongst us ; teach us thy holy laws , and so guide us by thy golden rule , and divine precepts , that we wander not in the darkness of our own errors , but in thy light whom no clouds can overcast , nor darkness eclipse : preserve us , o lord , from falling into utter darkness , where there is weeping , and wailing and gnashing of teeth . meditations for friday morning . i will give thanks unto thee , o lord , for i am fearfully and wonderfully made ; marvellous are thy works , and that my soul knoweth right well . my bones are not hid from thee , though i am made secretly , and fashioned beneath in the earth . thine eyes did see my substance , yet being unperfect , and in thy book were all my members written . which day by day were fashioned , when as yet there was none of them . ii. how dear are thy counsels unto me , o god! o how great is the summe of them ! if i tell them , they are more ●n number than the sand : when i awake up , i am pre●ent with thee . wilt thou not slay the wick●d , o god ? depart from me ●e bloud-thirsty men. for they speak unrighte●usly against thee , and thine enemies take thy name in ●ain . iii. do not i hate them , o lord that hate thee ? and am not grieved with those that ri●● up against thee ? yea , i hate them right sor● even as though they we●● mine enemies . try me , o god , and se●● the ground of my heart prove me , and examine m● thoughts . look well if there be a● way of wickedness in m● and lead me in the way ev●● lasting . the prayer . o lord , thy works are marvell● for thou hast done great thi● for my soul ; it is thou that hast 〈◊〉 med me in the womb , and thy 〈◊〉 der care hath preserved me to 〈◊〉 moment : teach me to hate and hor all iniquity , und to love counsells as my dearest treasure , we may be as fearfull of committing sins in secret , with that circumspection , as in the eye of the world. ii. lead me in thy truth , and guide me in the paths of a holy life , that i may examine my self strictly of what sins i stand guilty off , and earnestly repent of those offences : make me to shun all wicked ways , and conduct me into the way everlasting , through christ our lord , amen . friday noon's meditations . o god , my heart is ready , my heart is ready , i will sing , and give praise with the best member i have . awake thou lute and harp , i my self will awake right early . i will give thanks unto thee , o lord , among the people : i will sing praises unto thee among the nations . ii. for thy mercy is greater than the heavens , and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds . set up thy self , o god , above the heavens ; and thy glory above all the earth . that thy beloved may be delivered , let thy right hand save them , and hear thou me . iii. god hath spoken in his holiness , i will rejoyce therefore and divide sic●em , and meet out the valley of succoth . gilead is mine , and mana●se● is mine ; ephraim also is the strength of mine head . juda is my law-giver ; moab is my wash-pot ; over edom will i ●ast out my shoe ; upon the philistines will i triumph . iii. who will lead me into the strong city ? and who will bring me into edom ? hast not thou forsaken us , o god ? and wilt not thou , o god , go forth with our hosts ? o help us against the enemy ; for vain is the help of man. through god we shall do great acts ; and it is he that shall tread down our enemies . the prayer . early , o my god , to thee will i make my prayer and supplication ! for thy mercy in extent is greater than the heavens , and thy glory above all the earth ; for ever be thou exalted in thine own strength , and magnifie thy power , and thy never-failing mercy in defending us and all thy holy church against all our enemies temporal and spiritual . ii. leave us not , nor forsake us , o god , who art our strong tower and defence , for in vain is man's help , unless thou strengthen us ; fortifie us , and go forth with our hosts to battel , that we being defended and armed by thee , may perform acts great and good , fighting thy battels , and place our confidence in thy righteousness only , and thy salvation , amen . meditations for friday evening . in jury is god known ; his name is great in israel ; at salem is his tabernacle , and his dwelling in sion . there he brake the arrows of the bow , the shield , the sword , and the battel . thou art of more honour and might than the hills of the robbers . ii. the proud are robbed , they have slept their sleep ; and all the men , whose hands were mighty , have found nothing . at thy rebuke , o god of jacob , both the chariot and horse are fallen . thou even thou , art to be ●cared , and who may stand ●n thy sight when thou art angry ? thou didst cause thy judgments to be heard from heaven : the earth trembled and was still . iii. when god arose to judgment , and to help all the meek upon earth . the fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise , and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain . promise unto the lord your god , and keep it , all ye that be round about him : bring presents unto him that ought to be feared . he shall refrain the spirit of princes ; and is wonderful among the kings of the earth . the prayer . great is thy name , o lord , and thy dwelling in the highest heavens ; give a deep impression of a dread and reverence of thee and thy power in our hearts : let thy threatnings and judgments which descend from heaven , and are executed upon stubborn and disobedient people ; make us loath sin , or the thoughts of it , and shun all the occasions and alluring baits of it . ii. o let thy continued mercies , and loving kindnesses be ever in our remembrance ; and make our hearts still , full of smoothness and tranquillity , that we may not fear the rigour of man , or the cruel wrath of those whose spirits thou canst refrain , lest we be hindred in our duty towards thee ; but let us so fear to offend thee , that we may press forwards from fear to love , from apprehensions of thy wrath , to the sense and comfort of thy mercies . meditations for saturday morning . unto thee , o god , do we give thanks ; yea , unto thee do we give thanks . thy name also is so nigh ; and that do thy wondrous works declare . when i receive the congregation , i shall judge according unto right . the earth is weak , and all the inhabitants thereof : i bear up the pillars of it . ii. i said unto the fools , deal not so madly : and to the ungodly , set not up your horn. set not up your horn on high , and speak not with a stiff neck . for promotion cometh neither from the east , nor from the west , nor yet from the south . and why ? god is the judge : he putteth down one , and setteth up another . iii. for in the hand of the lord there is a cup , and the wine is red : it is full mixt , and he poureth out of the same . as for the dregs thereof , all the ungodly of the earth shall drink them , and suck them out . but i will talk of the god of jacob , and praise him for ever . all the horns of the ungodly also will i break : and the horns of the righteous shall be exalted . the prayer . great judge of the whole universe , from whom proceeds all promotion and punishment , extend thy mercy now upon us , at the hour of death , and in the day of judgment , when thou shalt judge all the society of men and angels according to right . ii. o give us thy powerful grace , that we may expect thy coming in humility and perfect charity , and not be puft up and exalted in our fancies and imaginations , but may submit to thy will with meekness and holy obedience ; that when thou shalt pour forth thy wrath upon the ungodly , we may not be numbered amongst them , but partake of those mercies thou hast provided for those that love and fear thee . amen . meditations for saturday noon . hast thee , o god , to deliver me : make hast to help me , o lord. let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul : let them be turned back-ward , and put to confusion that wish me evil. let them , for their reward , be soon brought to shame that cry over me , there , there . ii. but let all those that seek thee , be joyful and glad in thee : and let all such as delight in thy salvation , say always , the lord be praised . as for me , i am poor and in misery : hast thee unto me , o god. thou art my helper and my redeemer : o lord , make no long tarrying . the prayer . thou , o god , art our deliverer , helper , and redeemer , have mercy upon us , and all those which serve thee , in sincerity and truth ; help us , o god , against those that seek to destroy our souls : let our delight be , to wait for thy salvation , and to trust in thy never-failing mercies , that our feet being guided by thy direction , we may remain safe under thy providence . ii. suffer us not , o thou , who art a god of power and great glory , to be a prey to our enemies ; but dissipate and scatter them , as offensive clouds to the light of thy gospel . strengthen our weakness by thy power , pardon our sins by thy mercies , and justifie our souls by thy free grace , that we may now , and evermore with the humble addresses of devotion , give thee praise , not only with our lips , but in our lives , through jesus christ our lord. amen . meditations for saturday night . god be merciful unto us , and bless us , and shew us the light of his countenance , and be merciful unto us . that thy way may be known upon earth , thy saving health among all nations . let the people praise thee , o god ; yea , let all the people praise thee . ii. o let the nations rejoyce and be glad ; for thou shalt judge the folk righteously , and govern the nations upon earth . let the people praise thee , o god ; let all the people praise thee . then shall the earth bring forth her encrease , and god , even our own god , shall give us his blessing . god shall bless us , and all the ends of the world shall fear him . the prayer . o god , thou great governour of all mankind , and judge of the whole earth , have mercy upon us , and bless us . thou makest the resplendent beams of thy unwearied sun to shine , and cast his lustre upon all corners of the habitable world , bestowing his light both on the good and bad. ii. let the blessed light of thy bright countenance , spread it self to all nations , and to all people : lighten all our darknesses with the radiant beams of thy divine favour , teach thy ways to all people , and give thy saving health to all nations ; that all may joyn with one consent to fear thee , and praise thy name for evermore . amen . ejaculations upon several occasions out of the holy scriptures ▪ in the morning my voice shalt thou hear betimes , o lord : early in the morning will i direct my prayer unto thee , and will look up , psal. . . my days are like the days of an hireling . untill the day break , and the shadows flie away , job . . cant. . . at going forth . the lord preserve my going out , and my coming in : from this time forth , and for evermore , psal. . . o hold thou up my goings in thy paths ; that my footsteps slip not , psal. . . beginning a good work. in the volume of the book it is written of me : i delight to do thy will , o my god ; yea , thy law is within my heart , psal. . , . in good inspirations . the lord god hath opened my ear , and i was not rebellious against him , isa. . . at church . o how amiable are thy tabernacles , o lord of hosts , psal. . . before reading . speak , lord , for thy servant heareth , sam. . . speaking . my heart is inditing a good matter ; i speak of the things which i have made touching the king , psalm . . . when you go about worldly affairs . o let not my heart be inclined to any evil thing : let me not be occupied in ungodly works , with the men that work wickedness , lest i eat of such things as please them . psalm . . deliver me , o lord , from every evil work : and establish me in every good word and work . . tim. . . god shall bring every work into judgment , with every secret thing ; whether it be good , or whether it be evil . before eating . thou openest thine hand , and satisfiest the desire of every living thing . psalm . . ● . after eating . the lord is to be praised , who satisfieth thy mouth with good things ; making thee young and lusty as an eagle ▪ psal. . . in prosperity . if i do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth , if i prefer not thee above my chie● joy. psal. . . adversity . the lord killeth and maketh alive , . sam. . . shall we receive good at the hand of god ? and shall we no● receive evil ? job . . ought not christ to have suffered these things , and to enter into his glory ? luk● . . troubles . surely man walketh in ● vain shew ; surely they are disquieted in vain . psalm . . . calumnies . if i pleased men , i should not be the servant of christ , gal. . . praises . not unto us , o lord , not unto us , but unto thy name give glory , psal. . . against vain hope . as a dream when one awaketh ; so , o lord , when thou awakest , thou shalt de●pise their image , psal. . ● . pride . whosoever exalteth himself , shall be abased , luke . . covetousness . it is more blessed to give than to receive , acts . . luxury . know ye not that your bodies are the members of christ , cor. . . envy . he that loveth not his brother , abideth in sin , john ● . gluttony . the kingdom of god is n● meat and drink , rom. . ● anger . learn of me , for i am me● and lowly in heart , mat. ● . sloth . cursed be he that doth t● work of the lord negligentl● jer. . . rules of faith. remove not the anci● bounds which thy fath● have set , prov. . . acts of faith. lord , i believe , help th● my unbelief , mark . . i know that my redeem● liveth , &c. job . . hope . though i walk through t● valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil ; for thou art with me , psal. . . i will be with him in trouble ; i will deliver him , and honour him , psal. . . charity . whom have i in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that i desire in comparison of thee . my flesh and my heart faileth ; but god is the strength of my heart , and my portion for ever , psal. . , . against worshipping of idols . to whom will you liken god ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? isa. . . woe unto him that saith to the wood , awake ; to the dumb stone , arise , it shall teach ; behold it is laid over with gold and silver , and there is no breath at all in the midst of it , hab. . . if ye do return unto the lord with all your hearts ; then put away the strange gods , and ashtaroth from among you , and prepare your hearts unto the lord , and serve him only . then the children of israel did put away baalim and ashtaroth , and served the lord only ▪ sam. . , . against popish tradition . for as much as this people draw near me with their mouth , and with their lip● do honour me , but have removed their heart far from me , isa. . . in vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines th● commandments of men , ma● ▪ . . take heed and beware o● the leaven of the pharisees an● of the sadduces . against praying to saints . whosoever shall call upon the name of the lord , shall be saved . rom. . . when you pray , say , our father which art in heaven , &c. luke . . against antichrist . little children , it is the last time , and as you have heard that antichrist shall come ; even now are there many antichrists , whereby we know it is the last time , i john . . let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come , except there come ● falling away first , and that man of sin be revealed , the son of perdition : who opposeth and exal●eth himself above all that is called god , or that is worshipped ; so that he , as god , ●itteth in the temple of god , ●he wing himself that he is god. and for this cause god shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie , that they all might be damned who believed not the truth , but had pleasure in unrighteousness . . thes. , , , , . divine breathings of the soul , towards the evening . as the hart panteth after the vvater-brooks , so longeth my soul after thee , o god. my soul is athirst for god , even for the living god ▪ when shall i ▪ come to appear before the presence of god ▪ ●salm . . . . thy loving kindness is better than life it self ; therefore my lips shall praise thee . psal . . a prayer for a family , that may serve for morning or evening . o eternal , lord god , we thy poor and unworthy servants , prostrate our selves before thee , in all humility ; to ask pardon for all our sins and offences : thou art a god of purer eyes , than to behold iniquity , yet so infinitely gracious , that none ever trusted in thee , and was confounded : thou hadst an eye upon us , in the womb , and notwithstanding our unworthiness , thou still relievest us , giving us our daily food , and hourly breath . ii. what can we render unto thee , o lord , for all thy mercies which thou continually bestowest upon us : o let the ocean of this thy mercy be a partition betwixt us and our sins , and betwixt thee and thy judgments ; remove from us whatsoever displeaseth thee ; and we beseech thee be not extream in marking our imperfections ; thou hast gone along with us , and hast kept us and preserved us this night past , from fire , water , robbery , sudden death , and desolation : day past from wilful snining , frights , and fears , maiming , drowning , and fire , from bad company , and false witnesses , which might lay to our charge , things that we know not , and from all other sad accidents which might have be●aln us . iii. bless our gracious deliverers , and sovereign lord and lady , k william and q. mary , defend their persons , uphold their crown , and maintain their state , give them continual peace , length of days , and much happiness : bless catherine the queen dowager , her royal highness , the princess anne of denmark , and the rest of the royal family : let thy blessing be upon this family , guide us in our ways , and lead us in thy truth : bless all our relations and friends , guide and govern us by thy good spirit of grace ; and whatsoever thou knowest to be needful and convenient for us , we beseech thee grant it . iv. lastly , we come unto thee for a blessing , for all that are distressed either in body , mind , or estate , especially those who suffer persecution , for enjoying the light of thy gospel , and fly into this land for succour : hear us , o lord , for them , and thy whole church , and hear christ for us all , in whose name , and word , we further call upon thee , saying , our father , &c. a prayer before the communion . o merciful jesu , who diedst an ignominious death upon the cross for my sins , and didst bequeath in thy last will and testament , this holy sacrament for my souls nourishment : my sins , o lord , are great , but i lament my uncleanness , and renounce my unworthiness . ii. i come not to thy holy table , because worthy , but necessitous ; i come to be made clean and purged from my dross and filthiness ; thy body and bloud can make me clean , thy merits can make me a worthy receiver ; and here is a conveyance of thy blessed body and bloud in this holy sacrament : give my sins thy pardon , my soul thy heavenly grace , and what thou dost convey , seal unto me , for thy alone sake , my only saviour and redeemer . amen . at receiving the bread. blessed jesu , as thou hast given thy flesh to be the bread of life and salvation ; so vouchsafe to work in me by a lively faith , that i receiving the same , may evermore continue in thee , and thou in me , amen . at receiving the cup. lord , grant , that as thy bloud was shed to wash me a poor sinner ; so grant , that it may through a lively faith take effect in me , that i may become a fit member of thee , and live , and die in thee for ever . a prayer after the communion . glory , honour , and praise be given unto thee , o lord , most holy , for all thy mercies bestowed upon me : i have now been partaker of bread and wine : lord make me partaker of thy body and bloud : the one turns to the nourishment of my body ; but the other , with thy grace , is the nourishment of my soul. ii. o let not thy precious bloud be shed in vain for my sins , but let my hearty repentance , with thy grace , fully purge me from all uncleanness : i have this day been put in mind of the benefit by christ's death ; let me every day learn to die unto sin , and live the life of the righteous ; that at last i may become a new creature : unto thee , o father , my creator and preserver ; unto thee , o christ , my redeemer and justifier ; unto thee , o holy ghost , my sanctifier and instructer , be ascribed , all honour , power , and glory , now and for evermore . amen . for the church . we beseech thee , o lord , graciously to accept the prayers of thy church ; that she being delivered from all adversity and errour , may serve thee in safety and freedom , through jesus christ our lord. amen . for the king and queen . o lord , we beseech thee ▪ bless our sovereign lord and lady , king william ▪ and queen mary , by thy gracious appointment our supream governours ; enrich them with all increase of vertues , whereby they may be able to eschew evil , and to follow thee , the way , the truth , and the life , through jesus christ our lord. amen . for the royal family . we beseech thee , o lord , to bless catherine the queen dowager , her royal highness the princess anne of denmark , and the rest of the royal family : grant that they may walk in the ways of thy holy commandments , all the days of their lives , through christ our lord. amen . for the high court of parliament . o lord , bless the great council of the nation , direct the joyfull coronation of king william and queen mary at westminster abby , april the th . april ●he th . . their majesties went from 〈…〉 c-hall to westminster , 〈…〉 heralds being ready , 〈…〉 peers in the lords house , and the p●eresses in the painted chamber , so that 〈…〉 even in the morning the● majesties , and the wh●… proceeding were conducted to westminster-hall , where a throne being erected , 〈…〉 majesties took their sea● and after the ceremon● was ended , the proceeding began from westminster-hall to the abby , where bein●…d in order , the lord ●ishop of london began ●…th the recognition , which ended with an universal acclam●tion of joy ; then the 〈…〉 of st. asaph and ban●r sung the l●●t●ny ▪ 〈…〉 ended , the communion service began , the epistle taken out of the . pet. . 〈…〉 . . read by the bishop o● carlisle ; the gospel , 〈…〉 . . . . read by the bishop of st. asaph ; then followed the sermon by the 〈…〉 of salisbury , whose tex● was . sam. . . . 〈…〉 god of israel said , the roc● of israel spake , &c. s●●mon being ended , t●… majesties took the oath , a●d were solnmnly anoi●…nd 〈…〉 crowns placed on their heads by the lord bishop of london , assisted by 〈…〉 lord bishop of rochest● upon which the dr●…t , the trumpets sounded , the great guns were fired , yet were drowned , in a man●…y the loud shouts and ●…lamations of the peopl●… many other royal ceremonies ●as used , too tedious to insert in this narrow 〈…〉 about eight in the eve●ing their majesties r●…d to white-hall . and prosper all their consultations , grant that what they do , may be to the advancement of thy glory , the good of thy church , the safety , honour , and welfare of our sovereign lord and lady , and their kingdoms ; that all things may be so well ordered , and firmly settled by their good endeavours upon the best and surest foundations , that peace and happiness , truth and justice , religion and piety may be established among us , for all generations . these and all other necessaries for them , for us , and thy whole church , we humbly beg for thy son's sake , our saviour . amen . for the clergy . almighty and everlasting god , who by thy spirit dost sanctifie and govern the whole body of thy church , graciously hear our prayers , for all those whom thou hast ordained , and called to the publick service of thy sanctuary ; that by the help of thy grace , they may faithfully serve thee in their several degrees , through jesus christ our lord. for friends . i beseech thee , o lord , for all those to whom i am indebted , for my birth , education , instruction , promotion ; their necessities are known unto thee ; thou art rich in all things ; reward them for these benefits , with blessings both temporal and eternal . for a family . almighty and everlasting god , send down thy holy angel from heaven , to visit , protect , and defend all that dwell in this house , through christ our lord. for a friend . almighty and everlasting lord god , have mercy upon thy . servant n. and direct him by thy goodness into the way of eternal salvation ; that through thy grace , he may desire those things which please thee , and with his whole endeavour perform the same , through jesus christ our lord. for peace . o god , from whom all holy desires , all good counsels , and all just works do proceed , give unto us thy servants that peace which the world cannot give , that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments , and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies , may pass our time , in rest and quietness , through the merits of jesus christ our saviour . in the time of plague . let thy anger cease , o lord , and be appeased for the inquity of thy people , as thou hast sworn by thy self . o holy god , holy and strong , holy and immortal , have mercy upon us . for a city . compass this city , o lord , with thy protection , and let thy holy angels guard the walls thereof : o lord , mercifully hear thy people . for grace . lord from whom all good things do come , grant unto us thy humble servants , that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good , and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same , through our lord jesus christ. for enemies . o god the lover and preserver of peace and charity , give unto all our enemies thy true peace and love , and remission of sins ; and mightily deliver us from their snares , through jesus christ our lord. for the afflicted . o almighty god , the afflicted soul , the troubled spirit crieth unto thee : hear , o lord , and have mercy , for thou art a merciful god. for travellers . assist us mercifully , o lord , in our supplications and prayers ; and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation , that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life , they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help , through christ our lord. for the fruits of the earth . o god , in whom we live , move , and have our being , open thy treasure , in the due season , and give a blessing to the works of thy hands , through jesus christ our lord. against temptation . almighty god , which doth see that we have no power of our selves , to help our selves , keep us both outwardly in our bodies , and inwardly in our souls , that we may be defended from all adversities , which may happen to the body , and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul , through jesus christ. for misbelievers and sinners . almighty and everlasting god who desirest not the death of a sinner , mercifully look upon all that are deceived by the subtilty of satan , that all evil prejudice laid aside , they may return to the unity of thy truth and love. for temporal necessities . replenish those , o lord , we beseech thee with temporal nourishment , whom thou hast refreshed with thy blessed ▪ sacraments . against tempests . drive spiritual wickedness from thy house , o lord , and preserve it from the malignity of tempestuous weather . for women in travel . o lord , of thy abundant goodness , and mercy , help thy servants who are in great pains and perils of child-birth ; that being delivered out of their present danger , they may glorifie thy holy name , who art blessed for evermore . for the sick. o god , the only refuge of our infirmities , by thy mighty power relieve thy sick servants , that they , with thy gracious assistance , may be able to give thanks unto thee , in thy holy church , through jesus christ. for prisoners . o god , who deliveredst thy apostle peter from his chains , and restoredst him to liberty , have pity upon thy servants in captivity , release their bonds , and grant them freedom and safety : accept of the hearty repentance of those that are appointed to dye , and save their souls for his merits who liveth and reigneth with thee , and the holy ghost , ever one god , vvorld without end . for the dying . father of all flesh , and god of all spirits , receive the souls which thou hast redeemed with thy bloud , returning to thee . a prayer before study . o unspeakable creatour , who , out of the treasure of thy vvisdom , hast ordained hierarchies of angels , and hast placed them above the highest heaven in a wonderfull order , and disposed them sweetly for all parts of the vvorld ; thou , the true fountain and incomprehensible principle of light and vvisdom , vouchsafe to illuminate the darkness of my understanding with a beam of thy light ; remove the darkness wherein i was born ▪ , sin and ignorance ; thou , who makest the tongues of infants eloquent , loosen my tongue , and pour forth the grace of thy spirit upon my lips , give me acuteness to apprehend , capacity to retain , subtilty to interpret , aptness to learn , readiness to speak ; direct my beginning , farther my progression , and perfect my conclusion . when the bell tolls for a dying person . o gracious god , be with this person in the holy operations of thy grace , and in the yearnings of thy tenderest mercies ; in the dreadfull moment when the soul shall depart from the body , and conduct this thy dying creature through the valley of the shadow of death unto the land of everlasting life , through jesus christ our lord , amen . a concluding prayer . almighty god , who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy son's name ; we beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us , who have now made our supplications and prayers unto thee ; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy vvill , may be effectually obtained to the relief of our necessities , and to the setting forth of thy glory , through jesus christ our lord. the peace of god which passeth all understanding , keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of god , and of his son jesus christ , our lord ; and the blessing of god almighty , the father , son , and holy ghost , be with us now , at the hour of death , and at the day of judgment . king edward the sixth's prayer against popery . lord god , deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life , and take me among thy chosen : howbeit not my will , but thy will be done : lord i commit my spirit to thee : o lord , thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee ; yet for thy chosen's sake ; send me life and health , that i may truly serve thee . ii. o my lord god , bless thy people , and save thine inheritance : o lord god , save thy chosen people of england : o my lord god defend this realm from papistry ; and maintain thy true religion , that i and my people may praise thy holy name , amen . for god's mercies upon their majesties forces , under the command and conduct of his grace the duke of schomberg . o most powerfull and great god , mighty in battel , fearfull in praises , doing wonders ; thou hast done mighty things already for us , whereof we rejoice : o be pleased still to continue thy undeserved mercies towards us , and accomplish what thou hast already begun for us : go forth we humbly beseech thee , with our armies against those who would make a prey of thy people . ii. protect and guide our great governour and commander , whose commission is to fight thy battel ; guide him , and counsel him in all his undertakings , and cover his head in the day of battel ; cause those that hate thy name and people , to flee before him , and scatter them as the dust before the wind ; crown him with victory and great success , that at the last he may return home in peace and safety , to thy glory , their majesties comfort , his own satisfaction , and all the nation 's happiness ; this we beg for the merits of jesus christ , amen . for mercy to the whole nation . o lord god , who art full of mercy and compassion to all thy people , bless us , we beseech thee , from all domestick and foreign enemies , that would endeavour to ruine our souls , and betray our lives : let thy goodness and loving kindness evermore watch over us to defend , protect , and keep us from all assaults and temptations of the enemy , and grant that we may live sober , godly , quiet lives , to the glory of thy holy name , amen . a short account of the massacre in ireland & paris . the popish party in ireland pretending the english unjustly detained their lands from 'em , which were justly forfeited to the laws , by their continual rebellions and treasons ; they did at last resolve to stir up all the cursed romish faction , to shew their utmost zeal , for the protestant's destruction . when their business was well laid , in their publick prayers , they recommended the good success of a great design , to advance their catholick cause ; and to stir up the people to act this villany , with the greater cruelty , they publickly discoursed , that the english protestants were hereticks , and not to be suffered to live any longer amongst them ; that it was no more sin to kill one of them , than to kill a dog : and a mortal sin to protect , or relieve any one of them . when their plot was ripe for execution , they proceeded against the english in divers methods ; some of the papists only stripping the protestants , and turn'd them out of doors naked ; others murdering men , women , and children , without mercy ; they all agreed ●o root out all the protestants the most reverend bishop usher . the irish rebellion , and french massacre . the downfall of rome . the massacre in ireland happened in the year , which by the learned bishop usher was predicted in . at which time the irish and english papists , by all manner of cursed cruelties , murdered near three hundred thousand innocent english protestants , without the least cause or provocation given them ▪ whose bloud yet cries for vengeance from heaven against them , and which we doubt not but the god of vengeance will judge in his due time . the massacre of paris was in the time of bloudy king charles the ninth , the papists used divers means to draw the chief of the protestants to paris , under pretence of a marriage between the king of navarre , a protestant , and the lady margaret , sister to the french king. admral coligni , a protestant gentleman , 〈◊〉 invited to the wedding , and in the evening the duke of guise sent for the captain of the switzers , and shewed him the king's commission , for murdering the admiral , and at midnight the provosts , sheriffs , and captains of every ward had the same commission shewed them ; the watch-word for the general massacre was , the tolling of the bel in the king's pallace a break of day , and that the executioners should be known by white handkerchiefs tied on their arms , and a white cross in their hats ; no s●oner was the watch wo●●● given , but they felt to their barbarity , and murdered the admiral , and in two days there was slain in paris above ten thousand men , women , and children . popery , slavery , and arbitrary power being vanquished , rome's idolatry must expect its downfall ; the multitude being got together begun to root out their damnable religion here in england , by falling down , burning , and demolishing most of their chappels and houses ; but the utter ruine of rome will be when she thinks her self most secure , as the learned bishop usher mentions in his prophesie . in that kingdom ; and so great was their violence , that they would not permit the english language to be spoke , but punished all that used it ; they likewise changed the names of all english places , killing , or maiming all sorts of cattle , which belonged to the english protestants . the popish priests gave their sacrament to several irish , on condition they should spare none of the protestants , but wash their hands in their bloud . they also excommunicated those that afforded any relief , so that many were ●●●●ved and perished ; their friars and monks exhorted them with tears not to spare any of the english , and boasted when they had destroyed them 〈◊〉 ireland , they would go into england , & do the like ; for they ●●ld it as lawsull to kill an english man , as to kill a sheep or a dog ; and that it was no more conscience to deprive them of their lives and ●s●ates , than to take a bone from ● dog 's mouth . the day before this bloudy massacre ; the priests gave them admission after mass , telling them , they had now fre● liberty to go and take possession of their lands , and 〈◊〉 strip , rob , and despoil all the english , of whatever they had that killing them was a mentorious act , and would preserve them from the pains 〈…〉 purgatory ; which cause some of these murtherous v●…lains , after they had ●lain multitude of the english , pu●… lickly to boast , that if the should die immediately , th●● were sure of heaven , and escape purgatory . they then proceeded commit all manner of cru●…ties and villanies imaginabl● stripping naked man , woman , and child , driving eight hundred and odd into a river , where they were drowned , and put one hundred and fifty into a castle , and burned them altogether . an abstract of their popish tortures , and cruelties against the protestants in ireland and paris . a protestant woman being delivered in the fields , they gave the new born infant to the dogs to be devoured . the irish women followed the camp , and stirred up the men to cruelty , crying , kill them all ; spare neither man , woman , or child ; yea , such was their detestable malice , that they taught their children to kill english children . an irish woman was very angry with a soldier , that he did not bring the grease of a ●at english gentlewoman , who was murdered , to make candles with ; which they barbarously did in many places . by all manner of cursed cruelties , the irish and english papists , in a short time , murdered near three hundred thousand protestants , without the least cause or provocation , whose bloud yet crys loud for vengeance from heaven against them , and doubt not but god will avenge it in his due time . children have been cast to dogs and swine to be devoured by them . women great with child have been hanged up , and their bellies ripped open , that the infant has dropped out , and been thrown into a ditch . youths have had their brains dashedout against trees , and some have been trampled to death . some infants have been found sucking the breasts of their dead mother . a great commander took delight to ●lea off the skins of men , and to head his drums with them . some have been driven to a river where the bridge has been broken down , and there drowned ; if any of them could swim , they either shot at them with musquets , or knocked them on the head , as they came near the land. some were put into dungeons full of mire and dirt , and having bolts put on their legs there perish'd with hunger . some had their eyes plucked out , and their hands cut off , and so let go , to pine away in misery . many have been stoned to death , and some have been stripped stark naked , and driven into the woods and mountains in the extremity of frost and snow , and there starved . some have been compelled to carry their own parents to execution , others to give fire to the wood that burnt them . mothers have been forced to throw their own children into the water ; wives to hang their own husbands ; children to hang up their own parents ; and when they have done all this , in hope , and upon promise of life , they themselves were barbarously murthered . some have been boiled alive in cauldrons ; some have been put into a hole in the ground , all but the head , and there forc'd to continue till they died . some have been driven through the streets naked ; and if , through weakness , they kept not their pace , they were pricked forward with spears and swords . some have been so rack'd and tormented , that worms have bred in their putrified sores ; infants have been closed again in their mothers bellies , which the villains had ript up , and there strangled , some have been wounded deadly , and then hung upon tenter-hooks , and others have been hung by the arms , that the souldiers might try their valour , and the strength of their swords upon them . some have been ript up , and their guts let out to trail about their heels , others have been dragged with wythes and ropes about their necks , through the vvaters , bogs , woods , and streets , to force them to confess their treasure , which when they had gotten , they were basely murdered . one hundred and four sheltred themselves in caves , and by smoak , made with wet straw , at the mouth thereof , have been smothered . the same cruelties we must have expected again to have ●aln upon all protestants , if god in his great mercy had not prevented them . strange and remarkable predictions of that holy , learned , and excellent bishop , james usher , late lord primate of ireland . the author of the life of this worthy archbishop relates , that amongst other extraordinary gifts and graces , the almighty had bestowed upon him , he was wonderfully endued with a prophetick spirit , whereby he predicted several things sometime long before they came to pass , whereof some we have seen fulfilled , and others remain yet to be accomplished : and though he was one that abhorr'd enthusiastick noti●●s , being too learned , rational , and knowing , to admit such idle freaks and whimsies : yet he profest , that several times in his life he had many things imprest upon his mind , concerning future events , with so much warmness and importunity , that he was not able to keep them secret , but lay under an un●voidable necessity to make them known . from which spirit he foretold the irish rebellion forty years before it came , with the time when it should break forth , in a sermon at dublin , in ; where from ezek. . . discoursing concerning the prophets bearing the iniquity of judah forty days , the lord therein appointed a day for a year : he made this direct application in relation to the connivance of popery at that time . from this year , says he , will i ●eckon the sin of ireland , that those whom you now embrace , shall be your ruine , and you shall bear this iniquity . which prediction proved exactly true ; for from that time , to the year , was forty years , in which it is notoriously known , that the rebellion and destruction of ireland happened , which was acted by those popish emissaries , which were then connived at . and of this sermon the bishop reserved the notes , and made a remark of it in the margent of his bible ; and for years before , he lived in the expectation of the fulfilling of it , and the nearer the time was , the more he was confident it was near accomplishment ; though as yet , there was no visible appearance . the year before the rebellion brokeforth , ( says dr. bernard ) the bishop taking his leave of me , being going from ireland to england , he advised me to a serious preparation ; for i should see heavy sorrows and miseries before i saw him again ; which he delivered with as great confidence , as if he had seen it ▪ which seems to verifie that of the prophet , amos . . surely the lord will do nothing , but he will reveal it to his servants , the prophets . from this prophetick spirit he foresaw the changes and miseries of england in church and state ; for having in one of his books , ( de prim. eccl. brit. ) given a large account of the destruction of the britains , by the saxons , about years after christ , he gives this among other reasons , why he insisted so largely upon it ; that he foresaw that a like judgment was yet behind , if timely repentance and reformation did not prevent it ; and he would often mourn upon the foresight of this , long before it came . from this spirit he gave mournfull intimations of the death of king charles the i ▪ of whom he would be often speaking with fear and trembling , even when the king had the greatest success ; and would therefore constantly pray , and gave all advice possible , to prevent any such thing . from this spirit he foresaw his own poverty in worldly things ; and this he would often speak of , with admiration to the hearers , when he was in his greatest prosperity , which the event did most certainly verifie . from this spirit he predicted the divisions and confusions in england , about religion , and the sad consequences of it ; some of which we have seen fulfilled , and i pray god the rest , which he feared , may not also be accomplished . lastly , from this spirit he foretold , that the greatest stroke upon the reformed churches was yet to come ; and the time of the utter ruine of rome should be when she thought her self most secure ; and to this last , i shall add a brief account from the person 's own hand who was concern'd . the year before the primate's death , i went to him , and earnestly desired him to grant me in writing his apprehensions of justification , and sanctification by christ , because i had formerly heard him preach upon those points , wherein he seemed to make those great mysteries more intelligible to my mean capacity , than any discourse i had heard from others ; but by reason i had an imperfect memory of the particulars , i took the boldness to importune him , that he would please to give me a brief account of them in writing , whereby i might the better imprint them in my memory ; o● which he would willingly have excused himself , by declaring , his intentions of not writing any more ; adding , that if he did write any thing , it should not exceed a sheet or two : but upon my continued importunity , i at last obtained his promise . he coming to town some time after , was pleased to give me a visit ; where i failed not to challenge the benefit of his promise made to me ; to which he replyed , that he had not writ , and yet could not charge himself with any breach of promise ; for ( said he ) i did begin to write , but when i came to write of sanctification , that is , of the new creature , which god formeth by his spirit in every soul , which he doth truly regenerate , i found so little of it wrought in my self , that i could speak of it only as parrots by rote , and without the knowledge and understanding of what i might have exprest ; and therefore i durst not presume to proceed any farther upon it . when i seemed to stand amaz'd to hear such an humble confession , from so great and experienced a christian. he added : i must tell you , we do not well understand what sanctification , and the new creature are ; it is no less , than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of god , and to live in the offering up of his soul , continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt-offering to christ , and how little ( says he ) are many of those who profess christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls . by this discourse , i conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that part of sanctification , which he was unwilling to write . i then presumed to enquire of him , what his present apprehensions were , concerning a great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland , and ireland , of which this reverend primate had spoken many years before , when we were in peace and settlement . i ask'd him whether he did believe those sad times were past , or to come , he told me , they were to come , and that he did as fully expect it , as ever he had done : adding , that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches in europe . i replyed , i hoped it might be past , as to these nations of ours , since i thought , that though we have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars have made far less devastations , than war commonly brings where it pleaseth god in judgment to suffer it ; yet we must needs acknowledge , that many great houses have been burnt , ruined , and left without inhabitants ; many great families impoverithed and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloudy war , and that ireland , and scotland , as well as england , had drunk very deep of the cup of god's anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man turning to me , and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and irefull look which he usually had , when he spoke god's word , and not his own ; and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , which i could easily discern much to differ from the countenance wherewith he usually spake to me . he said thus : fool not your self with such hopes ; for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows , to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will e'er long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has upon them ; and therefore ( said he to me ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshipper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward worshippers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the out-side duties of christianity , without having an inward life and power of faith , and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden down and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers within the temple , and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him ; and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings . and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceeding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers , and christians did generally suffer most , and were most violently fallen upon ; but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god , as ● seed to partake of that glory , which shall immediately follow , and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all , and shall only take away the gross hypocrites , and formal professors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over-past . i then asked him by what means or instruments this great tryal should be brough● on . he answered , by th● papists . i replyed , th●● it seemed to me very improbable they should be able t● do it , since they were no●● little countenanced , and b●● few in these nations , and that ●he hearts of the people were ●ore set against them , than e●er since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be , by the hands of papists , and in the way of a sudden massacre ; and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it . all this he spake with so great assurance , and with the same serious and concerned countenance , which i have before observed him to have , when i have heard him foretel some things which in all humane appearance were very unlikely to come to pass , which yet i my self have lived to see happen according to his prediction : and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered . he then added , that the papists were in his opinion the gentiles spoken of in the eleventh of the revelations ; to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot ; they having received the gentiles worship , in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators : and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . this was the substance , and i think ( for the greatest part ) the very same words which this holy man spake to me , not long before his death , and which i writ down , that so great and notable a prediction might not be lost by my self or others . this gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter the lady tyrrel , and that with many tears , and much about the same time that he had exprest the aforesaid to me , and which ●…e lady tyrrel assured me of ●…ith her own mouth to this ●…rpose : that opening the door of ●…s chamber , she found him ●…ith his eyes lift up to heaven , ●…d the tears running apace ●…own his cheeks , and that ●…e seemed to be in an ecstasie , ●…herein he continued for a●…out half an hour , not taking ●…e least notice of her , though ●…e came into the room ; but 〈…〉 last turning to her , he told ●…er , that his thoughts had ●…en taken up about the mi●…ries and persecutions that ●…ere coming upon the chur●…es of christ , which would ●…e so sharp and bitter , that ●…e contemplation of them ●…d fetched those tears from ●…s eyes , and that he hoped ●…e should not live to see it , ●…ut possibly she might , for it ●…as even at the door ; therefore take heed ( says he ) that y●… be not found sleeping . the same things he also r●…peated to the lady bysse 〈…〉 wife to the lord chief . b●…ron of ireland ; but addin●… this circumstance , that 〈…〉 they brought back the king , 〈…〉 might be delayed a little longer , but ( said he ) it will s●r●… come ; therefore be sure to look th●… you be not found unprepared for it . to conclude in the wor●… of dr. bernard , speaking 〈…〉 this excellent person : no●… howsoever i am far fro●… heeding of prophecies , ye●… with me it is not improbabl●… that so great a prophet , s●… sanctified from his youth 〈…〉 so knowing , and emine●… throughout the univers●… church , might have , at som●… special times , more than o●…dinary motions and impu●…ses in doing the watch-man 〈…〉 part , of giving warning o●… judgments approaching . the spanish inv●ion , . gun powder treason , nov . . the arrival of the prince of orange nov. . . the thanksgiving for the deliverance from the spanish ar●ada , was august . . their fleet was ships , and galleons , which were to join the duke of parma , who had ships of war , flat-bottoms , and ● boats which lay in newport haven , with empty cas●s to cho●k havens , and make bridges : to this design the pope contribute● a million of gold. november the . was our great deliverance from the hellish powder-plot , and ●e miraculous finding of it out , was by a letter sent to the lord mounteagle , to advise him to take care of himself , for the parliame●● should receive such a blow , and not see who hurt them : the con●ir●●ors were everard digby knight , robert catesby esq ambrose rockwood esq francis tresham esq robert vvinter esq tho. piercy gent. tho. vvinter gent. john vvright gent. christ. wright gent. john grant gent. robert keys gent. g●y fa●x , and bates , catesby's man : provisions for this horrid design was barrels of powder , faggots , and billets . november the . , was our happy deliverance from popery , slavery , and arbitrary power , by the arrival of the prince of orange , who landed with a considerable army at brixam key in devonshire , where the whole country congratulated him , and brought plenty of provisions and necessaries for the s●diers . thanksgivings for god's wonderful deliverances . from the spanish invasion . we laud and magnifie thy holy name for this wonderfull deliverance wrought for our ancestors , which were surrounded with fear of roman slavery , and popish usurpation , which would have destroyed both queen and kingdom , when their gallies and ships came to assault us , with murthering pieces , and instruments of cruelty , which none but satan and themselves could invent ; as whips to scourge us , seals to mark us , and fetters to manacle us . ii. they were full of pride calling themselves invincible and had hemm'd us in on every side , trusting in their own arm of flesh , and pursuing our ruine and destruction ; then , o lord , thou didst awake as one out of sleep , and , as a giant , refreshed with wine , and smotest our enemies in the hinder parts , putting them all to confusion : blessed be thy name for this , and all other mercies bestowed upon us , and grant that we may never want thankfull ▪ hearts to praise thee . from the gun-powder treason , november th . . blessed lord , whose eye of providence watched over us , and didst discover to us those hellish contrivances which were laid in the dark , but not hid from thine all-seeing eye ; rome's factors were then busie in contriving to blow up the bodies of our king and nobles with a most barbarous and unnatural invention . ii. what had they done to them to be adjudged to so strange a death ? and what had they done for thee , to be so graciously preserved ? as we consider their inhumanity in laying their cruel project , so we must acknowledge thy goodness in revealing the same , to whom be glory , now , and for ever , amen . for our deliverance from popery , tyranny , and arbitrary power . o eternal god , who hast wrought so great a deliverance to all thy people , by raising up happy instruments for thy glory , and our peace and safety , even thy servants , our dear and dread soveraign lord and lady k. william and q. mary , who , like moses , stood in the gap , between us and pharaoh's cruelties . ii. thou hast delivered us , o lord , thou god of mercy , when we were even ready for destruction , tyranny , and what else their roman malice could invent , or slavish yoke have imposed upon us ; but blessed be thy holy name , that thou hast snatched us as a brand out of the burning , and hast restored those good laws and liberties , which our forefathers l●ave enjoyed ; teach us to prize & value this great mercy , that all nations may say , happy are the people , that are in such a case , yea happy is the people whose god is their lord. for the relief of london-derry . in ireland . o lord of heaven and earth , who didst in thy great mercy remember thy poor servants when they were in trouble , and besieged round about , being in great necessity s ●race the duke of sc●●mberg . the valiant governour walker . the siege of london-derry , . the irish and french forces being leaded by the late king james , laid close siege to london-derry , at which time collonel lundy , and others , 〈◊〉 driven away by fear , they were destitute of a governour , the town then consisting of about nine thousand fighting men , they 〈◊〉 chose col. vvalker their governour , and preserved the place couragiously , enduring great extremity ; but at last they were supplie● with provisions by way of the river , and the besiegers , after great loss sustained , drew off and left them , august the th . his grace 〈◊〉 duke of schombergh l●nded his forces in ireland , near carrickfergus , and reduced divers places to obedience , causing the french and irish army to retrea● . not long after , governour walker safely arrived in england , and waited upon their majesties at hampton-court , with an humble address from the governours , officers , clergy , and gentlemen in the city and garison of london-derry , at which time his majesty was pleased , as a mark of his royal ●ounty , to order him five thousand pounds , with this assurance , that it should not at all lessen his kindness to him and his family . for want of food , and other necessaries , thou didst in thy due time send them relief and succour , else they had perished in their affliction . ii. and what can we render , o lord , sufficient for these things ; our best thanks we can pay , o god , are less than the least of all thy mercies ; yet in the mean time we desire to acknowledge thine abundant goodness , and loving kindness to us , and to praise thy name for evermore . for the gifts of god. i yield thee all humble and hearty thanks , o mercifull god , that by the death of thine only son hast redeemed us from death to life , and hast continually a care of us , preserving us as the apple of thine eye from the dangerous assaults of satan , and providest for us all things necessary , that more thanks and praise is due unto thee , than the tongue of men or angels can declare . ii. accept these my praises and thanksgivings , o lord , ibeseech thee , and encrease in me a daily desire to praise thy goodness , acknowledging every good and perfect gift to come from thee ; to whom with the son and the holy ghost , be all honour and glory , now and for evermore , amen . to god for all his benefits . most merciful god , we yield thee humble thanks for thy continual favour and kindness towards us thy poor and unworthy creatures , for whose salvation , when we were lost , thou wert pleased , even of thy mere love , to send thine only beloved son , christ jesus , into the world , taking humane nature upon him , and suffering most bitter pangs of death upon the cross , to redeem us again to thy favour . ii. such , o lord , was thine unspeakable love , for which we are never able to pay the least recompence ; but give us , o lord , thankfull and obedient hearts , that we may yield thee praises not only with our lips , but in our lives ; not only in giving thy son for us , but in leaving unto us a continual remembrance of the same thine unspeakable love , thy holy gospel , wherein consists the rule whereby we are directed ; and though heaven and earth pass away , yet not one tittle of that shall decay or diminish ; for without which we should have been in our accustomed ignorance : accept us , we beseech thee , in thy son , our blessed lord and saviour . amen . christian courage in affliction . a prayer before the following advice to the besieged souldiers in london-derry , under the command of that worthy divine and most loyal and valiant commander col. walker . o most eternal lord god , whose providence never fails those who trust in thy name and word , mercifully we beseech thee to cast down thy eyes of pity and compassion upon us miserable sinners which are here met together ; we do in all humility prostrate our selves before thy divine majesty , beseeching thee to pardon all our sins , and help our infirmities ; o lord , we are not able of our selves to do any thing , but offend thee , committing daily and hourly sins without number : but , o lord , hear thy son christ jesus for us , and nail them to his cross , that they may never rise up in judgment against us , either to shame us in this world , or condemn us in the world to come ; bury them in the bottomless sea of thy mercy and forgetfulness , that they may never appear before thee , to hinder thy favours unto us ; seal the remission of them to our souls and consciences , that they may not disturb or distract us in our devotions and duty ; pour thy grace and holy spirit into us , that may enable us to walk before thee in holiness , righteousness , and in sobriety , all the days of our lives . bless we beseech thee , our dear and dread soveraign lord and lady , king william and queen mary , katherine the queen dowager , the princess anne of denmark , and the rest of the royal family : bless the archbishops , and bishops , with the rest of the dispencers of thy holy sacraments , and grant that the light of thy gospel may never depart from us . and lastly , we come unto thee for a blessing upon our governours , commanders , and fellow souldiers ; guide and conduct them in this calamity , fortifie them with courage and strength against our romish adversaries , that thy name may be glorified , our lives preserved , and our souls eternally saved , in the great day of the lord jesus , when all flesh shall appear . grant that our meeting at this time may be for the better , and not for the worse ; to praise and glorifie thy holy name , in whose holy name and word we put up these our imperfect prayers , in that most absolute and perfect form of prayer which christ himself bath taught us . our father , &c. christian courage in affliction . a discourse by way of advice to the besieged in london-derry . chron. . chap. verse . latter part of it . be not afraid nor dismay'd by ▪ reason of this great multitude ; for the battel is not yours , but god's . the context runs thus , and he said , hearken ye , all judah , and ye inhabitants of jerusalem , and thou king jehoshaphat : thus saith the lord unto you , be not afraid , nor dismaied by reason of this great multitude ; for the battel is not yours , but god's . these are the words of god , which he commanded jahaziel the prophet to deliver to jehoshaphat king of judah . when the moabites and ammonites came to make war against him , to dispossess him of his kingdom , verse the th of this chapter , and may be a seasonable text for this auditory . our sins indeed are many , which have justly provoked god's heavy wrath against us : and our enemies are very numerous which surround us , therefore now let us cry mightily unto god , earnestly beseeching him , that he would pardon all our sins , blot out all our iniquities , and receive us graciously ; let us sincerely repent and be heartily sorry for our manifold transgressions committed against him , so shall we by his divine assistance be in a readiness to encounter with roman malice , these moabites and ammonites , who are enemies to our lives , religion , laws , and liberties ; and be animated with courage to go out cheerfully against rome's force and cruelties , fighting manfully the lord's battel , every one of us , laying his hand upon his heart , with this comfortable expression in our mouths , be not afraid , nor dismaied by reason of this great multitude , for the battel is not ours , but god's . servile fear is the harbinger of the guilty , and a slavish timorousness belongs not to the strong and couragious , but a god like fear attends upon the vertuous , and produces success in their undertakings . holy job that great proficient in god's school , and great example of christian patience tells you , job . . the fear of the lord , that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil is understanding . this is the only supream good and fear , which secures us from committing , shameful acts , and creates a circumspection in our lives ; for as the shadow of the body is followed by the sun , so doth glory attend vertue in our progress to christ. let us then put our whole trust in god , in this time of danger , and take the royal prophets resolution , psal. . . not to fear what man can do unto us ; but rather fear the lord , who pitieth those that fear him , psal. . . it is the duty of every one of us to be circumspect in our lives , but more especially at this season and time of affliction , when the hand of god is stretched out against us ; when the enemy waits even at our doors ready to devour us , when they stand gaping ready to swallow us up quick , and none of us can prognosticate how soon his life may be lost , or be in danger ; therefore it behoves us to lay hold on that advice which st. paul gave the ephesians , ephes. . , . be ye strong in the lord , and in the power of his might . put on the whole armour of god , that ye may be able to stand . so shall we be fortified with that courage which is mentioned here in my text , of being not afraid , or dismaied by reason of this great multitude , for the battel is not ours , but god's . be not afraid , or dismaied by reason of this great multitude , is the command of god , and therefore in obedience to his command let us humbly obey his divine order , and valiantly fight under his protection . a multitude there is , and very great ; what then , the battel is god's , and david tells us , chron. . . great is the lord , and greatly to be praised ; he is also to be feared above all gods. the multitude here in my text were moabites , and ammonites ; but the multitude which layeth close siege to us , are jesuits and bloudy papists , whose damnable principles , and hellish doctrines are to quench the light of the gospel , to root and destroy all christianity , who blasphemously think to gain heaven by massacring god ' people , and triumph in the effussion of shedding innocent bloud : it is their glory to lay kingdoms wast , and countries desolate , reduce cities to ashes , and ruine families those which will not fall down to worship their idols , false gods of wood and stone , are fit objects of their fury ; their cruelty is beyond what malice can invent , or hell imagine , and solomon gives a true character of them , prov. . . wrath is cruel , and anger is outragious ; but who is able to stand before envy ? but god will pour out his wrath upon them , and shoot at them with his arrows , that they shall be wounded , his vengeance will speedily overtake , and drown them , like harden'd pharaob in the red sea of perdition ; let him who hath provoked god to anger , lay his hand on his heart , and now say with nehemiah , shall such an one as i flie ? shall i whom god hath honoured so much , dishonour him by oaths so greatly ? who am placed in an higher sphere than others , be either a dim or a wandering star ? shall i who am most obliged to god by the bonds of wealth and power , exceed the bounds of truth and justice ? whom he hath made a ruler of the people , not rule my self and my own kingdoms according to his golden rule ? god forbid . god will not permit their romish policy to overthrow our christian piety , he will not suffer them to break the bruised reed of the distressed , nor quench the smoaking flax of their necessities , he will be a lamp unto our feet , and a light unto our path in this extremity ; therefore be not afraid , or dismaied by reason of this great multitude , &c. we must every one of us look upon this great affliction as sent from god , for he knows what is better for us , than we do for our selves ; and that which seems most evil at present , may turn at last to our greatest benefit . none of us ought to despair of god's mercy , for when our weak apprehensions of god are such as drive us from him , we overthrow the main end of religion , which is to bring god , and our selves nearer together . none ought to exclude themselves from god's mercy , whom he excludes not from it ; and god excludes none , whom he invites to repent , with a promise of forgiveness , if they do it : and the goodness and long suffering , and forbearance of us sinners , is on purpose design'd to lead us to repentance ; so that after all this , to despair , and fail in our courage , is only to reject the mercy which god offers , but to question his truth and sincerity , to slight his patience , to disparage his goodness , and to look upon him as a most revengeful and implacable being , is to admit and entertain most dishonourable and unworthy thoughts of the best , the wisest , the most merciful and compassionate being in the world , who hath proclaim'd himself , exod. . , . to be a god merciful and gracious , long-suffering , and abundant in goodness and truth , keeping mercy for thousands , for giving iniquity , transgresson , and sin ; that is , to all that truly repent : so that when we consider , we have no reason to despair of his mercy to us , but readily and willingly to obey his command , and not shrink from those principles which prompt us to his honour and glory , in whose service is perfect freedom ; but to rouse up our selves like men , stand upon our guard , fortifie our selves and be vigilant , not being afraid , or dismaied by reason of this great multitude ; for it is god's cause which we fight for , and our lives cannot be better imployed than in his service , from whom we received all we have , or can pretend to ; therefore let us press forwards in obedience to his command , for the battel is not yours , but god's . when the lord's battel is to be fought , we must endeavour to follow his holy order and discipline , and not our own sinfull lusts and appetires , like brute beasts , which have no understanding : let us seriously consider , i beseech you , what it is we fight for ? it is to defend our religion , and oppose idolatry ? to maintain truth , and beat down falshood ? to exalt glory , and decry shame ? and to enjoy our freedom , and not espouse slavery ? let happy england now be our pattern for loyalty magnanimity & courage ; then shall we arrive at that serene state , which holy david expresses , psal. . . where mercy and truth are met together , righteousness and peace have kissed each other ; if on the contrary we revolt , nothing can be expected but parisian slavery to ●●thrall us , and romish idolatry to attend us : have we not felt the smarting rod of popery for many years ? yea , within a few years , when legality was changed into arbitrary government ; orthodox religion grosly invaded and innovated ; popish doctrines publickly preached ; crucifixes erected ; adoration to saints and altars practised , and ten ave maria's said for one pater nesler ? the same may be said of ireland , as once a reverend divine wittily said of england : though it was but a little place , yet there was a great deal of rome in it . and shall not i visit for these things ? saith the lord , shall not my soul be a●enged on such a nation as this ? jer. . . yes surely , god will avenge himself , and defeat all their policies ; he will laugh a● their galamity , and meek when the ●●●● cometh , when their fear come as desolation , and destruction as whirlwind . prov. . , , . he is able , and will deliver us , if we trust in him ; he has promised us , who will not break his word : psal. . . call upon me in the time of trouble : i will deliver thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . therefore let us be all of one mind , and not halt between two opinions , but stand fast , fear not , nor be dismayed , for the battel is not ours , but god's . is it god's battel we are to fight ? let not sloth then seize upon us , or a supine carelessness take hold of us ; but let us quit our selves like men , and fight , sam. . . securing to our selves that religion , the light of that glorious gospel god hath given us , not forgetting to take the prophet jeremiah's counsel , in the . w●ap . of his prophecy , ver . . pe●nd ye in the way , and see and ask 〈◊〉 the good old paths , where is the good way , and walk therein , and you shall find rest unto your souls . the well compacted hedge of our laws was trodden down : let us therefore be diligent , and repair those breaches our sins have made , by our earnest supplications to the throne of grace ; so true is that maxime , inter arma , silent leges , the voice of law cannot be heard for the noise of drums , and the threatning cannon . o let policy now amongst us ever give place to piety ; and now let me exhort the chiefest amongst us , beseeching you to let your private affections be swallowed up in the common cause , as small rivers lose their name in the ocean . that practice of pompey deserveth well your observation and imitation , who when his soldiers would needs leave the camp , threw himself down at the narrow passage , and bid them goe , but they should tread first upon their general . so let your pious resolutions , and valiant examples stir up the courage of our weak brethren ; expose your selves to the worst of dangers , and endure the bru●●t , that they may not desert you ; may it be your glory in after ages , to be loudly proclaimed , that you were the champions of the lord to fight his battel ; that you stood in defence of your religion against gross idolatry ; that you promoted peace against bloudy persecution ; and rather choose to endure affliction with the people of god , than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season . in our duty in matters of religion , we are no farther to walk after ruler's commands , than they walk after god's ; fatherly power is the rise of all authority ; and yet our saviour tells us , he that loves father or mother more than him , is not worthy of him , mat. . . parents must be honoured , but god preferred ; it is as true in regard of regal as paternal authority ; the instances of the hebrew midwives , exod. . . the three worthies , and daniel , are obvious to all , dan. . . . . that epithete that was given to b●c●n of doctor resolutus , in this case well becomes every christian. it was a just resolve of luther in divine matters , cedo nulli ; and a remarkable speech of the apostles . acts . . . . that we ought to obey god rather than men ; it is true , when the supream authority enjoins what god inhibits , we must patiently undergo the punishment inflicted , but not willingly walk after the commandment prescribed . it was a pious speech of king henry the eighth to sir thomas more , when he made him chancellour , look first at god , then at me . st. augustine's rule is excellent , the supream power hath a superiour in heaven ; for fear of one , we must contemn the other ; the one may threaten the prison , but the other has ordained hell. in a word , neither must princes leave the people to their own will , nor the people conform themselves to the prince's will , but both to god's will in matters of religion , lest otherways both prince and people be consumed . but , o lord , we have sinned against thee , and as the prophet david says psal. . . who can stand in thy sight , when thou art angry ? no bounds could keep us from sinning , and therefore god's wrath knows no bounds in punishin●… our transgression was above measure , so god's judgment is without measure . it is st. chrysostom's note , concerning that fiery shower which god rained upon sodom , that as the sodomites inverted the course of nature , to seek woman in man ; so god changed the order , by showring down fire instead of water . thus doth the almighty's justice ever proportion the smart to the fault ; so that here we may at once behold the greatness of our sin in the punishment , and the fitness of the punishment to the sin ; invasion , and being besieged by romish adversaries , for our neglecting god's commands , which ought to be our rule , and despising of his goodness , which should lead us sinners to repentance . but as the water that is poured on the earth , can never be gathered up again ; so let us pour out all our sins , and god will not pour out all his wrath : let us speedily cast away the filth of our transgressions , and he will soon stop the current of his indignation ; let us cheerfully reform , and he will willingly assist us , let us repent of our provocations , and he will bring us out of this calamity ; may this our great work , be wisely and speedily accomplished , and by the divine assistance , and our weak endeavours faithfully performed , that the power of religion may be advanced , the name of god honoured , the fury of our enemies suppressed , the hearts of gospel-friends comforted , and which is above all , and beyond all , christ over antichrist , in the purity of his gospel among us and our posterity for ever . which god of his infinite mercy grant us , to whom be ascribed , as most due , all honour , power , and glory , adoration and subjection , now , and for evermore . the prayer afterwards . blessed , lord , who a●t our strength , hope , and fortress , our castle , and deliverer , our defender in whom we trust ; how the heavens , o lord , come down and save us , send down thine hand from above , deliver us , and take us from the great waters , from those miseries and afflictions which come upon us , by reason of our sins , and from the condition of mortality , and from the hand of strange children , whose right hand is a right hand of wickedness . give us , o lord , victory and peace , and all the blessings belonging to it , with which thou usest to adorn and bea●tifie the dwellings of the righteous , that we may be happy in the continual descent of thy favours ; but above all , that our happiness may consist in being thy people , and thou being our god , that we may be blessed for ever in so happy a union , through jesus christ our lord , and saviour . amen . a prayer for the preservation of our most gracious soveraign lord king william , in his royal undertaking to subdue ireland , and for his safe return to england , o most mighty god , the great creatour of the world , and the preserver of all mankind ; preserve , we beseech thee , our most gracious soveraign lord , king william , whom thou hast made the happy instrument of our mighty deliverance : let thy blessing accompany him in his journey , and voyage ; protect him from all dangers ; visit him as thou didst moses in the bush , joshua in the battel , gid●on in the field , and samuel in the temple : let the dew of thy never failing mercies fall upon his head , and give him the blessing of david and solomon . ii. be unto him an helmet of salvation , and cover him with thy grace , as with a buckler against the face of his enemies ; dissipate , and scatter all those which shall oppose him , as the dust before the wind , and as the clay in the streets , direct him in all his counsels , to the end , that being blessed with success in this great design , he may employ all that great power which thy omnipotence shall ●ntrust him with , to the honour of thy holy name , the establishment and advancement of the true religion , and to the peace , and happiness of thine , and his people , and the perfect deliverance of our poor distressed brethren in ireland , that they may rejoice together with us , and triumph in thy praise . iii. grant him in this enterprize a good event , that he may return home with joy and victory : let his reign be prosperous , and his days many ; let peace , and love , and holiness , let justice , and truth , and all christian vertues , flourish in his time : let his people serve him with honour and obedience ; and let him so duly serve thee here on earth , that he may hereafter everlastingly reign with thee in heaven , through jesus christ , our lord , amen . the contents . when we first awake pag. . a prayer for the morning , . a prayer for the evening sunday mornings meditations the prayer sunday noons meditations the prayer sunday nights meditations the prayer monday mornings meditations the prayer monday noons meditations ibid. the prayer monday nights meditations the prayer tuesday mornings meditations the prayer tuesday noons meditations the prayer tuesday nights meditations the prayer wednesday mornings meditations the prayer . wednesday noons meditations the prayer wednesday nights meditations the prayer thursday mornings meditations the prayer thursday noons meditations the prayer thursday nights meditations the prayer friday mornings meditations the prayer friday noons meditations the prayer friday nights meditations the prayer saturday mornings meditations the prayer saturday noons meditations the prayer . saturday nights meditations the prayer ejaculations upon several occasions out of the holy scriptures ▪ in the morning at going forth beginning a good work ibid. in good inspirations ibid. at church ibid. before reading ibid. speaking when you go about worldly affairs ibid. before eating ibid. after eating in prosperity ibid. adversity ibid. troubles ibid. galumnies praises ibid. against vain hope ibid. pride ibid. covetousness ibid. luxury ibid. envy gluttony ibid. anger ibid. sloth ibid. rules of faith ibid. acts of faith ibid. hope ibid. charity against worshipping of idols ibid. popish tradition praying to saints antichrist ibid. divine breathings of the soul towards the evening . a prayer for a family , that may serve for morning or evening a prayer before the communion at receiving the bread at receiving the cup ibid. a prayer after the communion for the church for the king and queen for the royal family ibid. for the high court of parliament ibid. for the clergy for friends for a family ibid. for a friend for peace ibid. in time of the plague for a city ibid. for grace ibid. for enemies ibid. for the afflicted ● for travellers ibid. for the fruits of the earth ibid. a prayer against temptations for misbelievers and sinners ibid. for temporal necessities ibid. against tempests for women in travel ibid. for the sick ibid. for prisoners for the dying ibid. a prayer before study ibid. when the bell tolls for a dying person a concluding prayer . king edward the sixth's prayer against popery . a prayer for god's mercies upon their majesties forces under the command and conduct of his grace the duke of schomberg a prayer for mercy to the whole nation a short account of the massacre in ireland an abstract of their popish tortures and cruelties bishop usher's prophecy concerning rome's downfal thanksgivings for god's wonderful deliverances . a thanksgiving for our deliverances from the spanish invasion from the powder treason ▪ november the th . for our deliverance from popery , slavery , and arbitrary power for the relief of london-derry in ireland for the gifts of god to god for all his benefits a prayer before the following discourse . christian courage in affliction , a discourse by way of advice to the besieged in london-derry , under the command of that worthy divine , and valiant commander , col. walker the prayer afterwards a prayer for the preservation of our most gracious saveraign lord king william , in his royal vndertaking to subdue ireland , and for his safe return to england . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e in the morning . in the evening . the prophecy of gnatus a brittish prophet: introduced by a preface of robert ware, esq; and set forth with a few notes by the introductor. gnatus. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the prophecy of gnatus a brittish prophet: introduced by a preface of robert ware, esq; and set forth with a few notes by the introductor. gnatus. ware, robert, d. . [ ], p. printed by joseph ray at colledge-green, for samuel helsham bookseller, at the colledge-arms in castle-street, dublin, : . reproduction of original in the trinity college library (dublin, ireland). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. great britain -- history -- prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the prophecy of gnatus a brittish prophet : introduced by a preface of robert ware , esq ; and set forth with a few notes by the introductor . dvblin , printed by joseph ray at colledge-green , for samuel helsham bookseller , at the colledge-arms in castle-street , . the preface . as almighty god hath dignified man with the similitude of his own image , so hath he been pleased of special priviledge to raise some of mankind by extraordinary elevation of spirit above the rest , not only in natural and artificial endowments of understanding and perception , but also hath many times infused into them above the sagacity of ordinary gifts , a faculty of foreseeing and declaring unto others fatal events , unperceived by any but themselves , who have therefore been called prophets ; and such a one , gnatus , the author of this prediction seems to have been : who being a christian , cannot be presumed to have founded his predictions in drycraft deopo●craft / or any other ealdre healsung / or ancient heathenish rites or ceremonies then used , nor with regard to constellations , or dominion of planets , or mid heofonlicum wondrum / i. e. prodigies of heaven . but as beda terms it , mid godcunde / or godcundre onbry ardnysse / that is to say , by divine instinct . nor did he by iergon / or the jugling artifice of ambiguous expressions , cast a mist about his words , or inwrap them in darkness of sense ; but in clear terms sets forth his meaning in the following prophecy ; which being of late casually found , and drawn out of the archives of sir james ware 's rich and careful preserved antiquities , now breaks forth like a star newly created in the firmament of heaven , which draws all the world to look upon it with admiration ; and moreover , affords things new and old , that is to say , an historical instruction of what is past , as well as predictions of very fatal events hereafter to be accomplish'd , depending on the behaviour of nobles , and people practising and maintaining the true religion against idolatry , and subduing the lusts and appetites of the flesh . r. w. a brittish prophecy in the sixth century after christ : taken out of an old register book belonging to rochester , and translated out of the saxon character into english , by john gravener , some time chaplain to the said bishop ; being named edmond gest , anno . in the days of ethelbert king of kent , augustin chief patron of carlem , that palace being bestowed on him by the king , he bearing his banner in procession at his first entrance into this isle of brittain , one gnatus , the then brittish prophet met him , to whom he thus spake . you a nor your master have not observed the masters precepts , which is this : let him that is the meanest of you be as master , and the master as the meanest . which precept , had he that sent you but observed , he nor ye had not fallen . for hierusalem hath fallen out with antioch , and she with her . so likewise hath constantinople with rome , and she with her , from whence thou now comest . where is then the peace of christ , with which thou must qualify the people of this isle , seeing ye have rented your saviours seamless garment ? for the light hath shined with in this isle for many days past ; b be thou therefore cautious neither to add nor diminish what hath been already planted by thy predecessors within the same , least you and yours become as odious as those that sent you ; c for ambition , pride , and covetousness , hath already brought in antichrist sprinkled amongst them , which as yet is insufficient . d for another antichrist is arising to contend with antichrist ; who by little and little , and in space of days shall make them vassals , and subject to their power , and so inherit what they now possess . but if you and yours follow their paths more then christs , you and your successors shall be hated as they , by the people of this isle : e then in the height of yours , and their pomp , through vain glory , covetousness , and idolatry ; ye and they shall be mowed as the grass , and wither within the same . f then brittain shall bring forth a babe , from whose lips shall flow sweetness : g which antichrist within this isle shall for five days make it bitter , h until a judith shall rise and refresh their senses ; who hath heard , and will not hear ; seen , and will not see ; who hath tasted , and yet doth not taste ; who have smelt , and yet were not sensible of its fragrancy ; who have held , and yet let it go . i thus truth being planted , and sprung up afresh ; shall never wither within this isle , unless her nobles and her people wilfully follow strange gods , through the lusts and appetites of the flesh ; and then become the children of wrath. to prove that there was a wise man with whom the brittish clergy conversed ; and is supposed to be the said gnatus . . that ethelbert was contemporary with augustin , appears by the ecclesiastical history of venerable beda ; and that he had communion in a synod with augustin in the time of dynoth abbot of bangor : there also it appeareth what was done in this synod . beda lib. . cap. . . carlem was at that time the chief city of kent , and as the author of the brittish history affirmeth , was built by rudhurdibras , or as some copies have it , lud rudibras , almost nine hundred years before the incarnation of christ ; and the same is called by henry of huntingdon , cacr kent , in his recital of ancient brittish cities . . banner , this banner was the cross and image of christ , which beda calls , lib. . cap. . cristes gade tacen silfrene / and cristes mael mid him . . gnatus , so far as the probability of conjecture may administer credit , this gnatus was the holy and prudent anchorite , with whom ( as beda in his ecclesiastical history saith ) seven brittissh bishops , and many most learned men came to advise , when they were to consult with augustin ; for these are the words of beda , that they came aerst to sumum ancram se was mid him halig and wis / i. e. they came to a certain anchorite , whom they reputed holy and wise . hence it may be observed , that the brittish church was a well constituted church , at and before the time of augustine's first coming ; which could on the sudden , out of the kingdom of kent , assemble seven bishops , and so many most learned men. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a the prophet checketh austin at his first entrance into brittain . b he gives rome a caution not to bring in popish ceremonies into the liturgy . c he shews what hath brought in antichrist . d antichrist against antichrist , is supposed the mahumetan sect against the roman sect. e king h. th . his dissolving of the monasteries , priories , abbies , &c. f k. e. ths . reformation . g romes tyranny during qu. maries days . h qu. elizabeth . i a warning to the protestant church to keep unity against rome and her devices . the authors to prove that the clergy in those days did not own rome , nor her tenents , viz. beda , stow , baker , fullar , and lambard . for carlem to be the kings chief seat. see lambard's perambulation of kent . a iewes prophesy, with newes from rome of two mightie armies, aswell footemen as horsmen, the first of the great sophy, the other of an hebrew people, till this time not discouered, comming from the mountaines of caspij, who pretend their warre is to recouer the land of promise, & expell the turks out of christendome / translated out of italian into english by w.w. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a iewes prophesy, with newes from rome of two mightie armies, aswell footemen as horsmen, the first of the great sophy, the other of an hebrew people, till this time not discouered, comming from the mountaines of caspij, who pretend their warre is to recouer the land of promise, & expell the turks out of christendome / translated out of italian into english by w.w. . buonaccorsi, andrea. [ ] p. printed by w.i. for henry gosson, and are to be sold in pater noster rowe at the signe of the sunne, [london] : [ ] illustrated t.p. also published under title: newes from rome. "a modernized version of Ǹewes come latle fro[m] pera, of two most mighty armies, ́which is signed on a v: andrew ben accorto"--nuc pre- imprints. attributed to andrea buonaccorsi by stc ( nd ed.). dedication signed: signior valesco. place and date of publication suggested by nuc pre- imprints. signatures: a-b⁴. reproduction of original in the harvard university. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. turkey -- history -- - . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a iewes prophesy , with newes from rome . of two mightie armies , aswell footemen as horsmen : the first of the great sophy , the other of an hebrew people , till this time not discouered , comming from the mountaines of caspij , who pretend their warre is to recouer the land of promise , & expell the turks out of christendome . translated out of italian into english , by w. w. . printed by w. i. for henry gosson , and are to be sold in pater noster rowe at the signe of the sunne . ❧ to the renowned lord , don mathias de rensie of venice . after the particuler thinges alleaged in my former writings vnto your lordshippe , i thought it good and conuenient by this my letter , to aduertise your lordship , of certaine great , horrible , and fearefull things that hapned in this quarter . purposing to certifie your lordship of the pompe and great triumph at the presenting of the captaines of the sea , vnto the great turke : the miserie and vnhappines of the poore prisoners : the discorde & contention that came by the sonne of the vice roy of naples , being prisoner : the threatnings made to the christians : the receiuing of the ambassadors of the soffy : the pompes , tryumphes , and entertainments made vnto them , and yet dissembled enough , with mocking one the other at their departing : the presents giuen : the going of the great turke a hunting , and all other thinges written at large , as your lordship shall vnderstand . but now your lordship shall vnderstand at thys time , the greatest , the most wonderfull , and most strange thing that euer was heard of . the which partly hath so troubled the great turke , and all the rest , that they haue left of all other affayres , to prouide for the perrill and danger that at this time hangeth ouer theyr heads . your lordships to vse , signior valesco . the iewes prophesie . the newes are come that the king of hungarie waketh a great army , which shall haue for his ayde the gailies of buda , and of many other princes of christendome . and they say moreouer , that the king of bohemia will helpe therein , and that the most part of christian princes will come and ayde him in this enterprize against the turke , except the signorie of venice , which meddleth nothing at all in it . these reporters of newes affirme , that there shall come aboue a hundred gallies , besides other barks , ships , & hulkes without number , which is occasion that they hasten the warre the more . notwithstanding , men esteeme not so much hereof , as of the war that is made beyond the mountaines ▪ as you shall vnderstand not without wondering at it . the tartars make friendes vpon the greater sea , & haue made a league and friendship with the great turke , requiring ayde , for they are molested with war by the great emperor of moscouia , & prince of sagodie , of pogore , of sme●●ngie , of drossy , of gazam , of virgolosam , of tartarie , of cham , and of diuers other people and regions lying toward the south : they say that this emperor or duke hath two armies , and is called iohn dwatillo , a young man , of the age of xxiiii . yeares , noble and valiant , and a christian , after the institution of the greekes , and presumeth that by reason of his bloud , the empire of constantinople doth belong to him . and these two armies are about a two hundered thousand horse . they were not wont in times past to be so strong , nor so feared of the turkes , for they had not the vse of artillary in the warre : but nowe they haue maruailous great preparation in theyr warre . hee hath in wages certaine dutch captaines , and about tenne thousand maister gunners , and is maruailous well furnished with harquebushes and artillery , and because men vnderstand that hee hath so vanquisht the tartarians , and brought thē to such a state , that they cannot much more resist him and that if the saide ▪ muscouite should bemaisters ouer the tartars , they should consequently be rulers of the great sea , & the way should be open and easie for them to come , not onely to constantinoble , but also to driue the turke out of europe : and because that the saide great turke is assured of this enterprize and commotion of the greekes : he hath cōcluded and determined , to send to the sayde tartars a good assystance of fifteene thousand fighting men , and also for this purpose , he hath sent to the sea ten gallies to passe them ouer . men make mention and doubt of mondaccio , which is a great prince and ruler , and able to make fourescore , or a hundred thousand horse : and yet men are vncertaine whose part he will take , because he is a tributary vnto the great turke . there is newes also from affrica , that the king of bugien , the king tramece , the king of tunis , the children of serif ; the lorde of murocho , and of gran , with the arabians & other , haue taken in hand to dryue and expulse the turke wholy out of affrica , & to endomage him as much as they may . men know not yet in what place they will war , but we shall know it shortly . the newes also is , that the soffie is in campe with a great army , and hath the medes to helpe him , which border vppon the caspian sea , and of one side neighbur to the hircans , called at this day correxans and zecatans , with whom he hath made a league and peace . there are on his side also the ibeans and albians , and also the people of mel●●ar , which harbor vpon the indians , & likewise with the king of bosphorus , all beeing people maruailous swift and nimble . in this so mighty an host and armie , is also bascet the sonne of the great turke , by meanes whereof all in those partes is in great trouble , as well as heere . it seemeth that the ianissaries bring him the lot of turkie , as baduget , zermonia , alepo , and all the regions lying neere to the sossi is reuolted , all the which particularities shall be vnderstood more at large . this newes is great , & hath made the great turk to muse enough vpon it , but aboue all these maruelous and dreadfull newes which are hapned , there is yet chanced another , which hath greatly feared and abashed all men , which although it seemeth to bee incredible , yet vpon my credit it is most true , and that is , that a people heretofore vnknowne , mighty , swift , & marueilous nimble , hath taken weapon in hand , to the disaduantage and losse of the house of ottoman . they saye that alexander the great did in times past driue beyond the mountaine caspe nine tribes and a halfe of the haebrewes which worshipped the calfe & serpent of gold and draue them away , that neuer since there was no newes of them , neither knew any man if they were in the worlde or not : because the sea of sande , or the sandy sea , by a certaine inconuenience of sand grauel or beche , swelled and rose so high , that it vtterly took from them the way into this our region . but now by the meane of the new nauigation that the pollanders haue made , they are arriued in their country , and haue espied out all their dooings : and after y t the sayd hollanders had instructed and taught them in the science and knowledge to artillery , and gun-powder for harquebushes & dags , whereunto they are maruelous apt and ready , they are become in all thinges very perfit . after this they egged them forward ▪ to take weapon in hand , and passe the sayd mountaine by land. and because the sandy sea did hinder their passage , it appeareth y t some dutchman or italian , which yet men knewe not , but notwithstanding some great astrologian or cosmographer taught them the way , making some hill plaine with fire , whereby they might easilye passe , which is a thing of great wonder . these people haue two mighty great armies , and infinite store of victualles , by reason of the fruitfulnesse of their country , they are also well prouided of all maner of preparation for war , and cunning in the practise of their weapons . they say they will come & recouer the land of promise , towards the which the first army is already very neere , to the great terror and dread of euery man which hath either seene or hearde of them . the spyes which haue beene sent out by the great turke to descry them , do affirme , that beside a hundred and two armies , there followe an infinite number of people , as well foot-men as horse-men , and theyr first army is already arriued vppon the limmits of turky , putting all to fire and sword . theyr language is bastard hebrew : and because men speake much of it here , i will not forgette to speake also something thereof woorthy to bee noted , and well vnderstoode : the hebrewes of constantinople say , that they haue certaine prophesies , among the which one maketh mention , that ftom the foure parts of the world , shall rise a people , and come into gog and magog , and then shall appeare ( as they perswade themselues ) their messias in might and power , and then they shall haue dominion and rule in the world , whereof they secretly reioyce , and are wonderous glad . they say moreouer , that there is a prophecie grauen in a piller set at podromo which saith thus : a mighty prince shall rise , whose beginning shall be of smal reputation , who by his issue shal wax of such force and strength ( with the helpe of god ) that he shall bring to nothing , the empire and rule of ottoman , and shall be the right possessor and inheritor of the empire of constantinople , & they beleeue all that ii shall be this emperor and duke of muscouia . which is already in great estimation among the greeks . the turkes haue a prophecie , which they sing often and weepe bitterly the while , for it betokeneth and denounceth vnto them , their vtter ruine and destruction . and although it seeme straunge , to say that the turkes haue prophecies , it is no meruaile : for balam was a false prophet : the sybilles also prophecied and were pagans . for all these causes the great turke hath forbidden wine , & will that all men goe fiue times in a day to the moschea , and pray to god for theyr helth and safetie . and so he prepareth three great armies , one against the muscouites , another againste the soffie , and the third for to goe against the haebrewes of the mountaines of caspij . within these fewe dayes you shal haue other newes , wherefore thus making an end , i commend me vnto your good lordship : from rome , the first day of iune , . your faithfull and trusty seruant , signior valesco . the description of the first armie , conducted by zoroam a iew , captaine generall of the armies . first of all a iew of verie great stature , of a fleshlie colour , more red then otherwise , with broad eyes , called zoroam , is captaine generall of all the armies , hee leadeth vnder his ensigne twelue thousand horse , and twenty thousand footmen . the horse-men are armed after a light sort , but very good harnes , almost aftet our fashion : they carrie launces of longe reedes , very hard and light , yet so sharpe pointed , that they passe thorowe a thing with incredible lightnesse : they carry also shields or targets of bone , and in steede of swords , they vse certaine courtilaxes . they are apparrelled with the colour of their ensigne , and all clothed with silke : the foote-men carrie pikes of the same sort , with helmet and habergin : their ensigne is of blacke silke and blewe , with a dog following a hart , or bucke , and a saying written in it , which is in our language thus : either quick or dead . . of the armie of don phares . there is one called phares , which is an carle , yong and valiant , not regarding this present life : this man hath vnder his commaund fifteene hundred horsemen armed lightly , onely on the fore-part and head-peece : yet this armour is so well tempered and wrought , that it keepeth out a launce and harquebush shot . this manner of arming themselues , is to the intent they may neuer turne their backe to runne away : they haue also fierce and light horses : they are eighteene thousand footemen , apparrelled with a kinde of sodden leather , made of the skinne of a certaine beast , so that no pike nor harquebush can pearse it . these men are beastly people , and wil neuer flie for any thing , they are very obedient and subiect vnto their prince , and their ordinary apparrel is silke . the ensigne that they beare , is a falcon pecking or billing with another byrde , with a sentence that saith , either thine of mine shall breake . of the marquesse of galair . there is a marquesse of galair called goes , this man leadeth fifteen hūdred men of armes , which be all exceeding well armed and stout , strong , and rebust men : their horses be moriskes , the greatest , the strongest , the fairest , and the best that be in the world : there are also seuenteene thousand souldiors , very wel appointed with launce and harquebush : theyr ensigne or armes is a redde field , with a maide clothed in greene , holding a lion in her hand , with these words , i hope to subdue a greater thing . of the duke of falach . there is a duke of falach , called obeth , who hath vnder his conduct xx . thousand footmen , armed with a certaine mettall like yron , but it is light and hard , they haue many good swords , launces , and otherforce , harquebushes , and wiflers : their ensigne or armes , is a mermaid in a blacke field , and the deuise thus , my singing shall not cease vntill the end . the description of the armie conducted by captaine nauison : there is a captaine called nauison , which hath vnder him xx . thousand men , appointed and armed with the skin of a serpent , most hard & stiffe , they haue axes , pollaxes , pikes , harquebushes , and other kind of weapons : their ensigne or armes , is a white snaile in a blacke sielde , with a deuise about it , by litle and little men go very farre . of the tribe of simeon there is a prince of arsay , whose name is not yet known , but they say he is a deuill , great , grosse , & thicke beyond measure , with a flat nose , and both he and his men are of the stature of giants : he leadeth with him xx . thousand footemen , almost all alfiers , which are also so swift & nimble , that they will take horses running : they make a meruailous noise , such as no people vse : their ensigne is , an eute in a blacke field , and hane for their posye , such is my gouernment . of the duke of barsalda . there is a duke of barsalda , and he is the conductes of xiii . thousand footmen , which are all harquebushers , & carry no fire matches , but strike it with a stone : they are apparrelled & armed with such a hard kinde of leather , and so enchaunted , that no yron weapon in the world is able to perse it thorow . they bee also very swift and light : their ensigne or armes , is a dry tree in a blew field , and their deuise thus , i hope to spread , and be greene againe . of the armie of the duke pasill . there is a duke of pasill called abia , he hath vnder his conduct a thousand footemen , very cruell , hauing all kind of weapons to push or pricke far off , and to strike night , but farre different from ours , they are very expert in artificiall fire , and make the greatest and most dreadfull thinges with all y t a man can imagin : they do it either by arte or enchauntmen , so that it seemeth that it raigneth fire vpon their enemies , and yet notwithstanding hurteth not themselues at all , by reason they are apparrelled with a certaine serpents skin which preserueth them . their ensigne is a cat holding a rat in her paw in a blacke sielde ; and their posy thus , euen so hapneth it to him that is not gouerned . of the army conducted by the earle there is an earle of albary caled orut , which hath vnder his gouernaunce a thousand horse-men with crosse-bowes , some of them weare certaine light armour of a kind of hard mettall , with rapyers and daggers after theyr manner , they sight alwayes running , and their horses are so swift that it is wonderfull . this man also hath xx . thousand horses barbed with very fine leather . some cary pikes and partisans , & such like weapons . their ensigne or armes is a man in chaines , in a field parted halfe with greene and purple , and this deuise withall , my chaines shall bind another man. of the marquesse of vorio . there is a marques of vorio called manasses , who hath vnder his conduct xvii . thousand footemen , armed with a very hard & strong leather , which men beleeue to be enchaunted , because that no weapon nor harquebush is able to perse it thorowe , yet it is as light as linnen cloth , and a thing very fayre to see to . these now haue all sorts of weapons that an armie may haue : and they are diuided and set in a very faire , comely , and decent order : their ensigne is an old man in a chariot , in a blacke fielde , saying thus , after a long iourney i shall be happy . caleb shilock his prophesie , for the yeere , . be it knowne vnro all men , that in the yeare . when as the moone is in the watrye signe , the world is like to bee in great danger : for a learned iew , named caleb shilock , doth write that in the foresaid yeere , the sun shall be couered with the dragon in the morning , from fiue of the clocke vntill nine , and will appeare like fire : therefore it is not good that any man do behold the same , for by beholding thereof , hee may lose his sight . secondly , there shall come in the same yeare a meruailous great flood of water , to the great terror and amazement uf many people . thirdly , there shall arise a meruailous great wind , and for feare thereof many people shall be consumed or distraughted of their wits . fourthly the same yeare , about the month of may , will arise another wonderfull great flood , and so great as no man hath seene since noyes flood , which wil continue three daies , and three nightes , whereby many citties and townes which standeth vppon sandie ground will be in great danger . fiftly , infidels and hereticks , through great feare and dread , will flye and gather together , and asmuch as in them lies , make war against christian princes . sixtly , in the same yeare after the great waters be past , about the end of the yeere will be very great and fearefull sicknesses : so that many people are like to die by the infection of strange diseases . seauenthly , there will be throughout the worlde great trouble and contention about matters of religion , and wonderfull strange newes vnto all people , as concerning the same . eightly , the turke with his god mahomet shall bee in daunger to loose his septer , through the great change and alteration in his regiment , by reason of famine and warres , so that the most part of his people will rather seeke reliefe from the christian , then from him . ninthlie , there will also arise great earth-quakes , whereby diuers goodly buildings & high houses , are like to be ouerthrowne and ruinated . lastlie , there will be great remoouings of the earth in diuers places , so that for feare thereof , many people will be in a strange amazement and terror . these punishments are prognosticated by this lerned iew , to fall vpon the whole worlde by reason of sinne , wherefore it behoueth all christians to amende their euill liues , and to pray earnestly vnto god to with-hold these calamities from vs , and to conuart our harts wholy to him , whereby we may sind fauour in our time of neede , through iesus christ our lord. amen . finis . the prophecy of bishop usher unto which is added two letters, one from sir william boswell ... to the most reverend william laud ... : the other from the reverend john bramhall ... to the most reverend james usher, late archbishop of armah. ussher, james, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing u estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the prophecy of bishop usher unto which is added two letters, one from sir william boswell ... to the most reverend william laud ... : the other from the reverend john bramhall ... to the most reverend james usher, late archbishop of armah. ussher, james, - . boswell, william, sir, d. . bramhall, john, - . [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . reproduction of original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the prophecy of bishop usher . unto which is added two letters , one from sir william boswell ( ambassadour at the hague ) to the most reverend william laud , late archbishop of canterbury . the other from the reverend john bramhall , bishop of derry in ireland , to the most reverend james usher , late archbishop of armah . london : printed in the year , . the prophecy of bishop usher . the prediction of the most learned and pious arch-bishop usher , is very remarkable , as it was printed about seven years ago with licence , and the truth of the matter of fact therein delivered , never that i know of denied , but confirmed by many , which in short was thus . — that the year before this holy primate died ( who was buried in the abbey at westminster of april , . the usuper cromwel allowing . towards his funeral , so great his worth , that it even charmed that tyrant , otherwise far from being a friend to any of his profession : ) an intimate friend of the arch-bishop's asking him ( amongst other discourse ) what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland and ireland , ( of which he had heard him speak with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement ) and whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come ? he answered — that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it as ever be had done . adding , that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of europe . his friend arguing , that he hoped the afflicton might now be over , and be intended of our late calamitous civil wars . the reverend prelate turning towards him , and fixing his eyes upon him with that serious and severe look which he usually had when he spake god's word , and not his own , and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , said thus : fool not your selves with such hopes , for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will ere long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has been upon them ; and therefore ( said he to him ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshiper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and outward worshipers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion l●es in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life and power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and th●se god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles : but the worshipers within the temple , and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and there own wills to him ; and th●se god will bide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ? and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions , for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer m●st , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal professors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over past . his friend then asked him , by what means or instruments this great tryal should be brought on . he answered , by the papists . his friend replyed , that it seemed very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these nations , and that the hearts of the people were more set against them than ever since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be by the hands of papists , and in the way of a suddain massacre , and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it . he also added , that the papists were in his opinion the gentiles spoken of , rev. . to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot ▪ they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators : and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . this gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter the lady tyrril , and that with many tears , and much about the same time . a letter from sir william boswell , to the most reverend william laud , late arch-bishop of canterbury , remaining with sir robert cotton's choice papers . most reverend ; as i am here employ'd by our soveraign lord the king , vour grace can testify that i have left no stone unturn'd for his majesty's advancement ; neither can i omit ( whenever i meet with treacheries or conspiracies against the church and state of england ) the sending your grace an account in general . i fear matters will not answer your expectations , if your grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation . for be you assur , d , the romish clergy have gull'd the misled party of our english nation , and that under a puritanical dress ; for which the several fraternities of that church , have lately received indulgence from the see of rome , and council of cardinals , or to educate several of the young fry of the church of rome , who be natives of his majesty's realms and dominions , and instruct them in all manner of principles and tenents contrary to the episcopacy of the church of england . there be in the town of hague , to my certain knowledge , two dangerous impostors , of whom i have given notice to the prince of orange , who have large indulgences granted them , and known to be of the church of rome , altho they seem puritans , and do converse with several of our english factors . the one , james murray a scotchman , and the other john napper , a yorkshire blade . the main drift of these intentions is , to pull down the english episcopacy , as being the chief support of the imperial crown of our nation : for which purpose above sixty romish clergy-men are gone within these two years out of the monasteries of the french king's dominions , to preach up the scotch covenant , and mr. knox his discriptions and rules within that kirk , and to spread the same about the nothern coasts of england . let therefore his majesty have an inkling of these crotchets , that he might be persuaded , whenever matters of the church come before you , to refer them to your grace , and the episcopal party of the realm : for there be great preparations making ready against the liturgy and ceremonies of the church of england : and all evil contrivances here and in france , and in other protestant holdings to make your grace and the episcopacy odious to all reformed protestants abroad : it has wrought so much on divers of the forreign ministers of the protestants , that they esteem our clergy little better than papists . the main things that they hit in our teath are , our bishops to be called lords ; the service of the church ; the cross in baptism ; confirmation ; bowing at the name of jesus ; the communion tables placed alter-ways ; our manner of consecrations : and several other matters which be of late buzz'd into the heads of the forreign clergy , to make your grievances the less regarded in case of a change , which is aimed at , if not speedily prevented . your grace's letter is carefully delivered by my gentleman 's own hands unto the prince . thus craving your graces hearty prayers for my undertakings abroad , as also for my safe arrival , that i may have the freedom to kiss your grace's hands , and to tell you more at large of these things ; i rest , your graces most humble servant , w. b. hague , june . . a letter from the right reverend j. bramhall bishop of derry ; ( afterwards primate of ireland ) to the most reverend james usher arch-bishop of armagh . most reverend ; i thank god i do take my pilgrimage patiently , yet i cannot but condole the change of the church and state of england . and more in my pilgrimage than ever , because i dare not witness and declare to that straying flock of our brethren in england , who have misled them , and who they are that feed them . but that your lordship may be more sensible of the churches calamities , and of the dange●s she is in of being ruin'd , if god be not merciful unto her , i have sent you a part of my discoveries , and it from credible hands , at this present having so sure a messenger , and so fit an opportunity . it plainly appears , that in the year , by order from rome , above , of the romish clergy were sent into england , consisting of english , scotch , and irish , who had been educated in france , italy , germany , and spain ; part of these within the several schools there appointed for their iustructions . in each of these romish nurseries , these scholars were taught several handicraft-trades and callings , as their ingenuities were most bending , besides their orders , or functions of that church . they have many yet at paris a fitting up to be sent over , who twice in the week oppose one the other ; one pretending presbytery , the other independency ; some anabaptism , and other contrary tenents , dangerous and prejudicial to the church of england , and to all the reformed churches here abroad . but they are wisely preparing to prevent these designs , which i heartily wish were considered in england among the wise there . when the romish orders do thus argue pro and con , there is appointed one of the learned of those convents to take notes and to judg : and as he findes their fancies , whether for presbytery , independency , anabaptism , atheism , or for any new tenents , so accordingly they be to act , and to exercise their wits . upon their permission when they be sent abroad , they enter their names in the convent registry , also their licences : if a franciscan , if a dominican , or jesuit , or any other order , having several names there entered in their licence ; in case of a discovery in one place , then to fly to another , and there to change their names or habit. for an assurance of their constancy to their several orders , they are to give monthly intelligence to their fraternities , of all affairs where-ever they be dispers'd : so that the english abroad , know news better than ye at home . when they return into england , they are taught their lesson , to say ( if any enquire from whence they come ) that they were poor christians formerly that fled beyond-sea for their religion-sake , and are now returned , with glad news , to enjoy their liberty of conscience . the men that went over ; were most of them soldiers in the parliament's army , and were daily to correspond with those romanists in our late king's army , that were lately at oxford , and pretended to fight for his sacred majesty : for at that time , there were some roman-catholicks who did not know the design a contriving against our church and state of england . but the year following , , many of those romish orders , who came over the year before , were in consultation together , knowing each other . and those of the king's party asking some why they took with the parliament's side , and asking others whether they were bewitched to turn puritans , not knowing the design : but at last , secret bulls , and licences being produced by those of the parliament's side , it was declared between them , there was no better design to confound the church of england , than by pretending liberty of conscience . it was argued then , that england would be a second holland , a common-wealth ; and if so , what would become of the king ? it was answered , would to god it were come to that point . it was again reply'd , your selves have preached so much against rome , and his holiness , that rome and her romanists will be little the better for that change : but it was answered , you shall have mass sufficient for in a short space , and the governors never the wiser . then some of the mercifullest of the romanist said , this cannot be done unless the king die : upon which argument , the romish orders thus licenced , and in the parliament army , wrote unto their several convents , but especially to the sorbonists , whether it may be scrupled to make away our late godly king , and his majesty his son , our king and master ; who , blessed be god , hath escaped their romish snares laid for him ? it was returned from the sorbonists . that it was lawful for roman catholicks to work changes in governments for the mother churches advancement , and chiefly in an heretical kingdom ? and so lawfully make away the king. thus much to my knowledge , have i seen and heard since my leaving your lordship , which i thought very requisite to inform your grace ; for my self would hardly have credited these things , had not mine eyes seen sure evidence of the same . let these things sleep within your gracious lordships breast , and not awake but upon sure grounds , for this age can trust no man , there being so great fallacy amongst men. so the lord preserve your lordship in health , for the nations good , and the benefit of your friends ; which shall be the prayers of your humble servant , j. derensis . july , . . these two letters were taken out of that treasury of choice letters published by dr. parr , his lordships chaplain , and printed for nathaniel ranew at the kings-arms , in st. pauls church-yard . . finis . brightmans predictions and prophecies vvritten yeares since : concerning the three churches of germanie, england, and scotland : fore-telling the miserie of germanie, the fall of the pride of bishops in england by the assistance of the scottish kirk : all which should happen, as he foretold, between the yeares of and , &c. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing b ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) brightmans predictions and prophecies vvritten yeares since : concerning the three churches of germanie, england, and scotland : fore-telling the miserie of germanie, the fall of the pride of bishops in england by the assistance of the scottish kirk : all which should happen, as he foretold, between the yeares of and , &c. brightman, thomas, - . apocalypsis apocalypseos. brightman, thomas, - . judgement or prophesies, what shall befall germany, scotland, holland, and the churches adhering to them. p. s.n.], [s.l. : . a free epitome in prose and verse, with interpolations of thomas brightman's "apocalypsis apocalypseos" , chapters - . this is a different work from "reverend mr. brightmans iudgement or prophesies" , and "an epitome of mr. brightman his exposition upon the revelation" . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng bible. -- n.t. -- revelation xiii -- criticism, interpretation, etc. prophecies. bible -- prophecies. a r (wing b ). civilwar no brightmans predictions and prophesies: vvritten . yeares since; concerning the three churches of germanie, england and scotland. fore-tell [no entry] c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion brightmans predictions and prophesies : vvritten . yeares since ; . concerning the three churches of germanie , england and scotland . fore-telling the miserie of germanie , the fall of the pride of bishops in england by the assistance of the scottish kirk . all which should happen ( as he foretold ) between the yeares of . and . &c. printed in the yeare . predictions and prophesies of these times : written fortie sixe yeares since , &c. divers and sundry predictions and prophesies have bin made by our ancient prophets , bards , and fatidicall vaticinators , which in their due times have futurely , both punctually and exactly come to passe , as of the sybills ( so often and frequently alledged by the fathers ) who many years before predicted of the incarnation of our blessed saviour . the like did merlin ambrosins , that famous cambrian prophet , who flourished in the time of vortiger , king of britaine , whose south-saies ( for so they called them in old time ) have proved true even to these latter dayes , which is made plenally apparent in a book not long since published by the title of merlins life and prophesies , which whosoever shall read may be amply satisfied what prevalence his prenotions had , all of them in the processe of time , being seasonably and maturely accomplished . but to leave others , and insist only upon mr. brightmans stupendious revelations , a zealous divine , who in his learned sermons preached in the later end of queene elizabeths days ( of most blessed memorie ) about the three and foure and fortieth yeare of her reigne ; which was immediately before the comming in of k. iames , father to our royall soveraigne k. charles , ( of like sacred memorie with the former ) his predictions were out of the . and . chapters of the revelations : in which there is mention made of . epistles sent to the . churches of asia , which were types of . other succeeding churches to come . the . asian churches as you shall finde there mentioned , were ephesus , smyrna , pergamus , thyatira , sardis , philadelphia , and laodicea ; in three of which he figured the state at that time , and that should hereafter be of the three churches of germanie , of scotland , and of england , making the church of germanie a counterpaine of sardis , the church of scotland a type of philadelphia , the church of england represented in laodicea . the church of germanie had its initiation or beginning in martin luther of wittenburg a towne in saxonie ; in the yeare of grace . now as mr. brightman vatically observeth , the church of thyatira was much blamed for suffering the woman iezabel , who cals her selfe a prophetesse , to teach & deceive christs servants , and commit fornication , by which is meant idolatrie , &c. but this the church of sardis reformed : notwithstanding which , she still retained many errors , as consubstantiation of the lords supper , and about free-will , justification , good works , &c. by which he foreseeing the miserie since come upon them , admonished the germans to consider of it before hand , and to prevent these impending judgements by reformation and timely repentance , grounding his conjectures upon the words of the text , which are these : but if thou wilt not watch , i will come upon thee as a thiefe : that is , suddenly and unexpected : now these judgements are thus fatidically delivered . his prediction of the church of germanie . like to a whirle-wind shall destruction come , sword , fire , and famine , wasting all and some , cities be turn'd to townes , and townes converted to villages , forsaken , and deserted . the people of all comfort quite bereft , and scarce one hundred of a thousand left . fire with the sword shall strive for soveraigne power , and when they spare , the plague and pest devoure : and such as their sterne furie shall evade , a more sad prey be unto famine made . forc't shall they be to eate of snailes and frogs , the long dead carkasses of rats and dogs . mothers their babes shall without mercie kill , and cook their limbes , their starved guts to fill : ( the like have brothers to their sisters done ) sights that at noone-day have eclipst the sun : and that which all beliefe seems to exceed , dig corses from their graves , and thereon feed . nor cease the judgements thus , ( as if they had their period here : to death they tortures add ; exquisite tortures , ( fitting to deplore ) being a nation never slav'd before : for what is it the foe will not devise , to force them tell where all their treasure lies , to pierce and cut with bodkins and with knives their skinne and flesh , indangering so their lives . draw strings and wyers through all their brawnie parts , of thighes and armes , some stabbing to the hearts : others into hot ovens they shall thrust , and stop them up till they be dry'd to dust . by lingring fires roast some on wooden spits , basted with lard : what i' st their savage wits cannot devise ? here men new strangled lie , there others stifled with wet stubble die : others being gag'd , they downe their throats will powre , all puddle trash , with vrine stale and sower , till their guts break , their miseries transcend ; of which for many yeares shall be no end &c. of all which , and how punctually they have happened , whosoever would be fully satisfied , i referre them ( the better to confirm their truth ) to divers letters sent out of germanie , bewayling their sad and lamentable estate , and are to be read in print , one sent from swebrugden , the . of november , . by the ministers of germanie to the dutch church in london : another written by a worthy minister of messenbeim , upon the edge of the lower palatinate , the first of februarie , . and a third also sent from worms , and written by a godly minister the tenth of febr. in the same year : all which you may find in a book called the lamentations of germanie , to which may be added ( namely to the premisses ) what happened to a learned and a godly preacher of especiall note and remark , at the taking in of magdenburg , who was dragged from the church unto his owne house , where having seen his wife and daughters ravished before his face , and his yong infants torne from their mothers armes , and pitcht upon the tops of pikes : when his eyes were blood-shot with these savage and brutish objects , they led him bound to the market-place , and having tied him to a stake , pill'd all his books about him , of which setting fire , they burnt them with his bodie to ashes . god almighty in great mercie , avert the like judgements from us . as concerning the church of scotland , in which he likewise includeth the two churches of geneva and holland , which ( he saith ) were truely figured in the asian philadelphia : of them he saith , that in no place of christendome , the doctrine of christ soundeth more purely , the worship of god is exercised more incorruptly : nor the diligence of pastors and teachers is performed more faithfully &c. to which he also addeth , that the philadelphians ( meaning the churches of scotland , geneva , and holland ) shall continue till the appearance of the new ierusalem , and that they shall bee joyned with it in covenant and so●ietie , proceeding with this encouragement , nourish and cherish thy hopes with these things , o holy philadelphia , and be not perplexed , whatsoever the world vainely prates of thee , thou art little and lowly , god shall exalt thee , goe forward constantly , &c. which words , with many more to that effect , were delivered by him both in word and writing , more than . years agoe . but now to come to a view how nearely he reflected upon their estate , and what hath happened unto them of late in these times , fresh in our owne notion and knowledge . his prediction of the church of scotland , the victorie the philadelphians had over the iewes ( in christ ) to make them glad , is but a figure in the daies to come , of the great triumph you shall have o're rome , and their prelatick pomp : the time was when you warr'd against it but with inke and pen , ( and then prevaild ) but after shall doe more , chase with the sword that babylonish whore , like iehu new anointed to the crowne , with furious march you shall at length pull downe idolatrous ahabs issue , and then call to one assembly all the priests of baal , there slay them to one man : storie shall tell how you that painted harlot iezabel shall from the window , where she struts in state , downe headlong to the earth precipitate ; whose braines dasht out ; and whilst her limbs yet bleed ; vpon her flesh the hungrie dogs shall feed . geneva standing on a ticklish ground , as by the forraigne foe incompast round ; for many yeares attempted , but in vaine , by the three potent powers , rome , france , and spaine , shall flourish still : the hollander opprest by spanish tyrants , shall still keep her crest levell with theirs , by equall strength on land ; but on the seas shall have that prime command , that when their fleets encounter , though 'gainst odds , as if descended from the marine gods , manger the pride of their hesperian braves , the brinie billowes shall be made their graves . and the scotch church , that little seems and low , shall be in th' end their bishops overthrow : by whose example others shall be drawne to question miters , copes , and sleeves of lawne . then these with others , shall combine in on● , to put the arch-priest from his papall throne , much more is spoken by mr. brightman to the like purpose , which into these few words are contracted , speaking of those churches before named , as had he lived in these our dayes , and had seene and knowne all the contingents late happened : of which , because they are so frequent , and familiar in everie mans notion , i purpose no longer to insist , but proceed to the last . in laodicea ( saith he ) is figured the church of england , ( called reformed ) in which he presageth the state of the prelacie , and clergy of england , and how it now stands ; and least he should be taxed of any spleene or malice conceived against them in regard of sundry troubles and tribulations which he in those times suffered by them : therefore hee maketh this apologie in the epistle to his worke . god is my witnesse , that i am not grieved through envie at the wealth or honours of any of them , being sufficiently contented with that small and competent estate which god hath allotted me : neither thought i ever any thing more foolish than for any man to please himselfe by distasting others . but when i perceived that these seven cities were propounded for a type of all the churches amongst the gentiles : and when i did moreover see so clearely both the order , the time , and the marvellous agreeing of all things together , i durst not perfidiously burie the truth in silence ; for god forbid that i should willingly distaine that church with the least aspersion or infamy , which by the mercy of god hath brought me forth , and hath brought me up , and doth now sustaine me ; yet i thought it my duty rather to cast my selfe upon any trouble whatsoever , than to betray the salvation of that church , whose estate ought to be of more accompt with every one of us than our owne . for he that gathereth the tears of his children into his bottle doth know right wel that i have not with dry eyes taken a survey of laodicea . thus it appeares by his owne ingenious confession , that these enthusiasmes & raptures which proceeded from him , were meer inspirations , and no vaine and idle fancies and fantasmes , the fruit of a distracted braine : of which no better testimonie can be given , than the event , which in the subsequence will be more apparent ; for it thus followeth . his prediction of the church of england , the counterpaine of laodicea stands , ( as third in rank ) i th' church of englands hands ; and by the angell of the church is meant the pastor of the same , or president , of whom'tis said , ( to her no little blot ) i know thy works , th' art neither cold nor hot . what art thou then ? some medley stuffe compos'd of hodge podge temper , ( fit to be disclos'd ) thou art not cold , thy doctrine 's sound and pure ; such , as a firie tryall can endure . nor art thou hot : thy zeale is of no price , losing its heat , it falls as cold as ice . how else could a reformed church admit of popish superstitions mixt with it ? they thy infatuated sences charme , to be nor one , nor other , but luke-warme : 't is equall with thee to be romish all , or one of those which we reformed call : if on this weak poynt thou thy judgement stay , to know gods truth , and serve him the wrong way , if baal be god , before his fires appeare : if god be god , then follow him in feare : he 's justly taxed of spirituall sloath who is a ne●ter , and shall halt tween both . we of thee laodicea further find , the text saith , then art naked , poore , and blind : not poore in spirit , that were a blessed thing ; for some have dar'd to write , i and my king : yet beggers too , but not of pence , but pounds , and besides clergie tithes of temporall grounds . darke art thou in thy canons long since past , as in th●se future , which shall come on fast : which throughly sifted , and in everie part , it will appeare to all , how blind thou act . these with thy innovations , cruell doomes , and popish trinkats , all which once were romes , vncover shall thy skirts , and as i ghesse , before the nations shew thy nakednesse , which shall a double sanedrin invite , to clip thy wings , or else to plume thee quite , &c. thus you have heard the whose summe of what was amply delivered by him , briefly epitomized , and i hope so plainly , that there needeth no further comment upon it : which i entreat the read●●●●y be perused considerately and carefully : for all predictions of this na●●re ought to bee three times read , before once determinately censured . finis . the life and death of mother shipton being not only a true account of her strange birth and most important passages of her life, but also all her prophesies, now newly collected and historically experienced from the time of her birth, in the reign of king henry the seventh until this present year , containing the most important passages of state during the reign of these kings and queens of england ... : strangely preserved amongst other writings belonging to an old monastary in york-shire, and now published for the information of posterity. head, richard, ?- ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the life and death of mother shipton being not only a true account of her strange birth and most important passages of her life, but also all her prophesies, now newly collected and historically experienced from the time of her birth, in the reign of king henry the seventh until this present year , containing the most important passages of state during the reign of these kings and queens of england ... : strangely preserved amongst other writings belonging to an old monastary in york-shire, and now published for the information of posterity. head, richard, ?- ? [ ], p. printed for b. harris ..., london : . illustrated t.p. signed on p. [ ]: r. head. mother shipton, reputed prophetess, is in all likelihood a wholly mythical personage, and the work an "imaginary biography". cf. dnb. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng shipton, -- mother -- (ursula) prophets -- england -- biography. prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the life and death of mother shipton . being not only a true account of her strange birth ; and most important passages of her life ; but also all her prophesies , now newly collected , and historically experienced , from the time of her birth , in the reign of king henry the seventh , until this present year containing the most important passages of state during the reign of these kings and queens of england following , viz. henry the eighth . edward the sixth queen mary queen elizabeth . king james . king charles the first . king charles the second . strangely preserved amongst other writings belonging to an old monastary in york-shire , and now published for the information of posterity . london , printed for b. harris , at the stationers arms in swe●things-ally near the royal exchange in cornhill , . beloved countrey-men ; the great fame , and general received opinion of mother shipton , with the credit she hath obtained by those several prophesies uttered by her , which since in the greatest measure have come to pass : these considerations ( i say ) put me upon a resolution to search out by my best endeavour , the parents , place , and time wherein this mother shipton flourished . many old manuscripts and rusty records i turned over , but all in vain ; at last i was informed by a gentleman ( whose ancestors by the gift of king henry the eighth , enjoyed a monastary in those parts ) that he had in his keeping some ancient writings which would in that point satisfie my desire , were they not so injured by time , as now not legible to read ; however , i not despairing to find out their meaning , with much importunity desired to have a sight of them ; which having obtained , i took of the best galls i could get , beat them grosly , and laid them to steep one day in good white-wine , that done , i distilled them with the wine ; and with the distilled water that came off them , i wetted handsomly the old letters , whereby they seemed as fresh and fair , as if they had been but newly written ; here did i find her life and prophesies copied out by an impartial hand , which i have in this book presented to thy view , together with an exposition upon her prophesies , for the better understanding of them , and which may serve to them whose leisure will not permit to read , or want of money forbid to buy more voluminous authors ; this ( i say ) may serve to them instead of a chronicle , wherein they may find related the chiefest matters performed in each king and queens reign since the time wherein she flourished : much more might be added , but least i should exceed the bounds of an epistle , and like the citizens of mindium , make my gates too bigg for my city , i shall here break off abruptly , wishing thee as much pleasure in the reading thereof , as i had in the vvriting of it ; and so farewel . r. head. postscript . courteous reader , let me desire thee candidly to pass over some seemingly impossibilities in the first sheet , ( allowing the author licentia poetica in her description ) and some actions performed in her minority ; and only to weigh the more serious parts of her prophesies , wherein ( if thou bee'st rational ) i doubt not but thou wilt receive ample satisfaction . the contents . chap. i. what her father and mother were , and what wonderful things happen'd at her birth ; as also the place of her nativity . chap. ii. how the devil constantly visited her , in what forms and shapes , what strange things she did to those that offended her , harming some , and making sport with others . chap. iii. how agatha shipton was apprehended , and brought before a justice ; what her confession was , her mittimus being made to be sent to prison , how she escaped by the help of her friend the fiend ; she is retaken , and found with child , is bail'd , chap. iv. what kind of shape mother shipton had when she was born , how she was put to nurse at the charge of the parish , and what strange things were seen in the house where she was nurst , during the space of four years . chap. v. how mother shipton whilst but very young at nurse , was daily visited by spirits , in divers shapes and forms , and what prancks they plaid during her abode there . chap. vi. how mother shipton was put to school , learning more in a day , than other children could in a month ; how she was jeer'd by her school-fellows for having such a monstrous long nose , and what prancks she plaid upon them by way of revenge , she now growing very famous . chap. vii . how several persons came to mother shipton for her predictions , and how a rich heiress being deceived by her maid , fell sick and dyed . chap. viii . mother shipton's prophesies concerning henry the eighth's journey into france , of gardinal woolsey , and other things . chap. ix . her prophesies to the abbot of beverly , concerning the downfal of abbyes , nunneries , priories , &c. with other things . chap. x. her prophesies concerning king edward the sixth , the rebellion of the commons , the death of the duke of somerset , with other things . chap. xi . her prophesies concerning the death of jane grey , the burning of the martyrs , of wyats rebellion , the death of queen mary , and cardinal pool . chap. xii . her prophesies concerning the reign of queen elizabeth the change of religion , the attempts of the papists upon the queen , the spanish invasion , the burning of pauls steeple , the death of the queen of scots , the reducing of ireland , the beheading the earl of essex , &c. chap. xiii . the prophesies of the reign of king james , his uniting england and scotland , his peaceable reign , a learned time , the powder treason , the marriage with the prince elector and lady elizabeth , the death of prince henry . chap. xiv . the prophesies of the reign of king charles the first , his marriage with france , the murther of the duke of buckingham , the scottish troubles of the long parliament , & bloody warr ensuing after the execrable murther of the king. chap , xv. the reign of king charles the second , the vsurpation of cromwel , the strang confusion of a democratical government , the restauration of the king , the great sickness , the burning of the city of london . the life and death of mother shipton . chap. i. what her father and mother were , and what wonderful things happened at her birth , as also the place of her nativity . in the second year of king henry the seventh , which was in the year of our lord one thousand four hundred eighty and six ; there lived a woman called agatha shipton , at a place called naseborough near the dropping-well in york-shire . she came of poor parentage , who died and left her to shift for her self , at the age of fifteen . after their decease , she still inhabited in the old house ; but being now deprived of those helps she formerly enjoyed conducible to a lively-hood , she was constrained to seek relief from the parish ? which she did , but with so much regret and grief , that she seemed in her begging rather to command alms , then in an humble manner to desire it . at length she arrived to that pass , that she was upon the matter starving , rather then she would be beholding to the charity of any . the devil looking on her poverty to be great , and knowing her evil inclinations by her completion ( for you must understand , that the devil is a great scholar , well read in all things , and much acquainted with the constitutions of all sorts of persons . ) i say , perceiving that she was willing to accept of any proposition to change her condition ▪ he one time as she was sitting melancholy under a tree by a river side , accosted her in the form of a very handsome young man , well apparel'd with all things suitable to a youthful garb . pretty maid , ( quoth he ) why dost thou fit so sad ? thy age is too slender for thy head to be troubled with cares of the world ; come tell me what is the matter , and if it lie within my power to assist thee ( as i am sure it doth ) thou shalt not want a friend of me . agatha casting up her eyes , and there seeing a face so lovely , could not suspect a devil bid in that comely shape ; whereupon in a lamentable tone she exprest all that troubled her , informing him of her great wants , and that knowing not how to work , she could not provide what her necessaries required : pish ( said the devil ) this is nothing , be ruled by me , and all shall be well ; she told him she would ; hereupon be ordered her to meet him at the same place the next day , and he would bring some friends along with him , for he told her he resolved to marry her ; she promised him she would , and accordingly they met . he came riding upon a stately horse , with a pillion behind for his spouse , attended by a great many gallants ( as they appeared ) well mounted , and in a noble equipage . his devilships attendants soon conveyed his mistris behind him , as she imagined ; not in the least doubting the reality of all she saw . they needed neither switch nor spurr to hasten them forward , the iades were fiery enough of themselves , and ran with that swiftness that the wind could not over-take them in their full speed ; soon they arrived at their journies end , where seemed to be a very stately house , with a great pair of gates , which at their approach opened by a porter with his stick , in his livery-gown : alighting , she went in , where she saw a great many servants , which seemed at the sight of her and their master , to show much respect and obeisance . now did the devil command rich garments to be brought , which she was immediately cloathed with , and being , thus richly attired , she was ushered into a great hall , where was a long lable furnished with all the varieties the whole world could afford ; at the upper end of which table she was placed , next her the friend her intended husband ; all the rest of the guests did place themselves as they thought fit . as they had the choicest cheere , so had they the best of wines , and sweetest musick . dinner being ended , they fell to dancing ; and now could my lecherous devil stay no longer , but he must needs walk a co●ant with his mistris into another private room , and there courted her to lust ; the simple girle consented , and so they both went to bed together , with the ceremonies of marriage . his touches ( as she confessed to the midwife that delivered her of her devilish off-spring ) were as cold as ice , or snow . after they had lain a little while together , he told her what he was , and what she must do hereafter , if she intended to live happy and delightful days . first , he told her that he was no mortal , but a spirit immaterial , and not burdened by a body , nor hindred by any material thing ; so that i can when i please pierce through the earth and ransack its treasures , and bring what precious things i please from thence to bestow on those that serve me . i know all rare arts and sciences , and can teach them to whom i please . i can disturb the element , stir up thunders and lightnings , destroy the best of things which were created for the use of man , and can appear in what shape , or form i please . it will be too long to discribe my power , or tell thee what i can do ; but will only tell thee what thou shalt do . that being done , i will give shee power to raise haile , tempests , with lightning and thunder ; the winds shall be at thy command , and shall bear thee whither thou art willing to go , though never so far off , and shall bring thee back again when thou bast a mind to return . the hidden treasures of the earth shall be at thy dispose and pleasure , and nothing shall be wanting to compleat thy happiness here . thou shalt moreover , heal or kill whom thou pleasest ; destroy or preserve either man or beast ; know what is past , and assuredly tell what is to come . here note by the way , the devil is a lyar from the beginning , and will promise more by ten millions , than he knows he is capable to perform , to the intent he may insnare and damn a soul. this poor ignorant wretch easily believed what this grand deceiver of man kind told her ; and being ravish't with the thoughts of being so highly prefer'd , she condescended to all the devil would have her do : whereupon he bid her say after him , in this manner : raziel ellimiham irammish ziragia psonthonphanchia raphael elhaveruna tapinotambecaz mitzphecat jarid cuman hapheah gabriel heydoncurris dungeonis philonomostarkes sophecord hankim . after she had repeated these words after him , he pluckt her by the groin , and there immediately grew a kind of let , which he instantly suckt , telling her that must be his constant custom with her morning and evening ; now did he bid her say after him again , kametzeatuph odel pharaz tumbagin gall flemmngen victow denmarkeonto . having finisht his last bellish speech , which the chiefest of his minions understand not , out of which none but the devil himself can pick out the meaning ; i say it thundred so horridly , that every clap seemed as if the vaulted roof of heaven had crackt and was tumbling down on her head ; and withal that stately palace which she thought she had been in , vanisht in a trice ; so did her sumptuous apparel : and now her eyes being opened , she found her self in a dark dolesom wood ; a place which from the creation , had scarce ever injoyed the benefit of one single sun-beam . whilst she was thinking what course to steer in order to her return , two flaming fiery dragons appear'd before her tied to a chariot , and as she was consulting with her self what was best to be done , she insensibly was hoisted into it , and with speed unimaginable conveyed through the air to her own poor cottage . chap. ii. how the devil constantly visited her , in what forms and shapes ; what strange things she did to those that offended her , harming some , and making sport with others ; and at length brought to bed of a child , which is commonly called , mother shipton . being come home , the neighbours flockt about her , having mist her two or three days , shrewdly suspecting some mischief had befallen her ; but when they beheld her face they were all amazed , to see such a strange alteration in her countenance , in so short a time ; and here the proverb was verified in her : she lookt as if a hagg had rid her . before she met with this wanton devil , she lookt plump and fresh , which were all the good quallities she had in her ill featured face ; but now that red plumpness vanisht , and there was nothing to be seen but a pale shriveled skin on her cheek , which for want of flesh seemed to fall in her mouth , to be devoured by her hunger-starved jaws . those about her which were charitable minded , pittied her , comforted and gave her monys , which with a great deal of disdain and scorn she threw them , saying , she wanted not , nor stood in need of their alms ; for look ye here ( said she ) is many enough , plucking her hand out of her pocket , the people drawing near her , discovered that what was in her hands , was nothing else but some aspin-leaves : and notwithstanding , they endeavoured to perswade her that she was mistaken in supposing that to be money , yet would she not believe them ; so strong a power the devil had gotten over her already . in fine , she did bid them all be gone , for now she began to take little delight in humane society : it was not long that they had left her , before the devil ( with whom she made a hellish contract ) came in to see her , in the same handsome young form as he first appeared unto her , telling her that he came to supply the company of those she had wisely dismist , that she needed not the society of humane creatures , for he would not fail to he constantly with her ; always bringing with him what should not only serve for a bare livelihood , but her delight , pleasure , and satisfaction : hereupon by the devil's command , there instantly appeared seemingly , a compleat noise of musick , with dishes of meat , great variety of the choicest and most pleasing sort : which so ravished agatha , that she fell to the ground in a very profound and deep trance . one of her neighbours coming in this while , wondered to see agatha lying on the floor motionless ; however out of pity and commiseration , she kneeled down , and having crost her self , and said a short prayer , she endeavoured to waken agatha , but using what means she could , it all signified nothing ; she shook and pincht her , and pulled her by the nose , yet still she lay insensibly : this neighbouring-woman being strangly amazed and scared hereat , ran out amongst the rest of the neighbours , crying out , that poor agatha shipton was suddenly struck dead , and so desired them to go into the house with her , and they should there be the eye-witnesses of the truth thereof ; whereupon several went and found what this woman had said , to be seemingly true : but one wiser then the rest stooped down and perceiving that she breathed , spake aloud , friends , ye are all mistaken , agatha is not dead , but in a trance , or else she is bewitched ; she had scarce uttered these words before agatha began to stir ; and soon after , raised her self on her leggs , crying out in a very distracted tone , what make ye here , vile wretches ? cannot i enjoy my pleasures , but ye must be ches-dropping ? get ye gone , as having nothing to do here , and hereupon she fell a dauncing , which they wondered at because they could here no musick . at length agatha turning about , and seeing they were not gone ; said , if ye are resolved thus to disturb me , and will not go , i will make ye : this something affrighted them , for they now verily believed she was a witch ; and as they were hastning away with all imaginable speed , a sudden strong wind boisted them a great height into the air , falling all to the ground again without the least barm , only some shame to the women , for they descended with their heads downwards , their coats over their ears , their lower parts appearing all naked to the astonished spectators ; the men were seen like overgrown goats with larg horns on their heads , and women riding on their backs : which sights as they produced inexpressible wonder , so amidst their amazement , they could not but burst out into excessive laughter . this wonderful and unexpected exploit , was instantly noised all about the countrey , which occasioned a great resort of people to the place where agatha lived ; which so perplext her by their undesired visits , that she resolved within her self to be revenged on some of them ; which by the devils help she effected ; mischieving some in their persons , others in their cartel , and others in their credits : one had a horse that dyed suddenly , and being opened , there was found in his stomack fish-books , and hair , instead of hay and dars . another going to sit down at table with persons of good quality at dinner-time , and thinking himself very spruce and fine , had in an instant his kuffe pull'd off , and the seat of an house of office clapt on in its place , he that sate next him , breaking out into a great laughter at the sight thereof , was served little better ; for his hatt was invisibly conveyed away , and the pan of a close-stool which stood in the next room , put on instead thereof ; a modest young gentlewoman which did sit at the table at that time , on no other errand but to see this young witch which was so much talked of ; looking on these two worthy spectacles of laughter , endeavoured all she could to refrain laughing , but could not , and withal continued farting for above a quarter of an bour ; this made them all laugh so extreamly that the master of the house was alarum'd ( below ) therewith , and being desirous to share with his guests in their mirth , came running up stairs as fast as his legs would carry him , about to enter the door , he could not , and no wonder , since the oldest man living , never saw a larger pair of horns then he had on his head : whilst they were gazeing one on another as more then half distracted , they were all reduced to the same condition they were in before ; after which there followed a noise , as if an hundred persons were laughing together , but nothing at all was seen . these persons fearing something worse might befal them if they staid any longer , made all the hast they could to be gone : agatha knowing their intent resolved to take her farwel of them by serving them one trick more , which was thus ; as they were about to mount on horse-back , they were pelted with rotten apples , dung , and stuff that smelt worse then can be imagined . as they rid through the town , such men as thought they rid singly , were all observed to have behind them a deformed old woman ; and as their faces differ'd all one from another , so did their habits , which were all tatter'd and ragged , and patcht with a hundred colours , fear , shame , and the hooting of the people , made them put spurs to their horses , neither did they forbear the switch , nor any thing that might add speed to their horses heels , so that it may be said , they rather flew then rode ; how could it be otherwise ? for needs must he go whom the devil drives . coming home , they declare what wonderful things they had seen performed , though by a young one , yet as they believed the greatest witch in the world : this news being so generally spred , came at length to the ear of the iustices , who now thought it high-time to question and bring into examination a person that was so much talked of , and might , if let alone , do a great deal of mischief . chap. iii how agatha shipton was apprehended and brought before a justice ; what her confession was , her mittimus being made to be sent to prison ; how she escaped by the help of her friend , the fiend ; she is retaken , and being found with child , is bail'd . agatha is now no longer suspected , but plainly known to be a witch , doing something or other daily which was very remarkable ; she hath been frequently observed to walk alone muttering to her self , and having been watcht by some , they have seen her stamp upon the ground thrice , then wound her hands over her head , lastly , she spake one word thrice , and in the twinkling of an eye , the sky hath been dark and gloomy , though clear before , which belcht out nothing for half an hour but flames , thundring after a most hideous manner . but now the time draws on , wherein she must give an account for what she hath done , and in order thereunto , she is apprehended by two resolute fellows , who were not a whit daunted when they entred the house , though toads , adders , and such like noisome creatures crawled up and down the house , but could not chuse but be much startled when they seiz'd her and were carrying her , to hear such a terrible crack of thunder , the house at that time reeling too and fro like a cradle . however they carryed her before the iustice , where being brought , she was strictly examined by him ; she not a jot daunted , told him that she had more authority then he , and that notwithstanding his power , she could command one that could over-rule him when he list ; that she was a princess , and could have at her beck a thousand spirits of the air , and as many of the earth and water ; that she could raise a tempest presently , that should overturn his house about his ears ; and that you may know , it lies not in your power to detain me , three words shall procure my liberty : hereupon she said updraxi , call stygicon helluox , she had not scarce uttered the last word , before there came in a horrid winged-dragon , which immediately took her up , and carried her away from the amazed iustice and attendants about him , half dead with fear . this so affrighted all that heard of it , that none would undertake to meddle with her more ; so that she had a constderable time of respire . but she now began to be more admired than before , being discovered by the great swelling of her belly , to be with child : the people could not tell what to think , or who should be the father , concluding that none would be so vile and wicked , as to have copulation with a devil incarnate ; neither could they believe a spirit had either desire or power , to generate with any humane creature ; while people were generally passing their verdicts on agatha , she was once more taken and brought before a iustice , and amongst other questions , was asked , whether she was with child , she acknowledged it ; nay further , that it was begot by no mortal wight : the iustice gave no credit to what she said , as looking on her as an ignorant seduced woman ; and so askt her what bail she could produce , intending to deferr the business till she was delivered ; in this very nick of time two gentlemen as they appeared by their habits , voluntarily proffered themselves , which as soon as accepted for baile , vanish't presently , however agatha had permission to go home . chap. iv. what kind of shape mother shipton had when she was born : how she was put to nurse at the charge of the parish ; and what strange things were seen in that house where she was nurst , during the time of four years . the usual time of forty weeks being expired , her mother , after many strange and horrible torments which she underwent in her travil , was at last delivered ( by the rare skill and industry of her midwife , and others of that sir ) of her which is now called , mother shipton , which proved the conclusion of her miserable life . but her entry into the world was such a terror to all that beheld her , that several credible persons then present , have several times confest that they never beheld the like : such strange and horrible noises , that the persons concern'd about her , could scarce find so much courage in themselves as to continue in the place where she was , much less when they beheld the strange and unparrallel'd phistognomy of the child , which was so mishapen , that it is altogether impossible to express it fully in words , or the most ingennous to limn her in colours , though many persons of eminent qualifications in that art have often attempted it , but without any success ; therefore according to the best observations of her , take this true , though not full account of her features , and body : she was of an indifferent height , but very morose and big hon'd , her head very long , with very great goggling , but sharp and fiery eyes , her nose of an incredible and unproportionable length , having in it many crooks and turnings , adorned with many strange pimples of divers colours , as red , blew and mixt , which like uapours of brimstone gave such a lustre to her affrighted spectators in the dead time of the night , that one of them confessed several times in my hearing , that her nurse needed no other light to assist her , in the performance of her duty : her cheeks were of a black swarthy complexion , much like a mixture of the black and yellow jaundies ; wrinckled , shrivelled and very hollow ; insomuch , that as the ribs of her body , so she impression of her teeth were easily to be discerned , through both sides of her face , answering one side to the other , like the notches in a ualley , excepting only two of them which stood quite out of her mouth , in imitation of the lushes of a wild bore , or the tooth of an elephant , a thing so strange in an infant , that no age can parallel : her chin was of the same completion as her face , turning up towards her mouth , and shreeks being heard , from an unknown cause , as if there had been a more than an ordinary correspondence between her teeth and it . her neck so strangely distorted , that her right shoulder was forced to be a supporter to her head , it being propt up by the help of her chin , in such sort , that the right side of her body stood much lower than the left ; like the reeling of a ship that sails with a side winde . again , her left side was quite turned the contrary way , as if her body had been screw'd together piece after piece ; and not rightly placed : her left shoulder hanging just perpendicular to her fundament . her leggs very crooked and mishapen : the toes of her feet looking towards her left side ; so that it was very hard for any person ( could she have stood up ) to guess which road she intended to stear her course ; because she never could look that way she resolved to go . after she had remained under the care of her nurse , for the space of a moon , or there abouts , her mother being unable to provide for her , she was put out to nurse at the charge of the parish , to a poor woman hard by in the town , where she continued for the space of half a year or there abouts , the house not being any waies disturbed at all , till at last her nurse having been abroad amongst some of the chief of the parishoners , either to procure something of their charity for her subsistance , and the maintainance of her family , or else to fetch her money from the overseers of the poor , for nursing the child ; and returning home to her house , she found her dores unbard and wide open , whereat she much amazed and affcighted , ran to her next neighbour , and acquainted her that she was quite undone , for her house was broken open and robbed ; the man immediately riseth from his dinner , carrying his bread and cheese in his hand , accompanied with his wise and another labring man ; approaching the door , endeavoured to enter , but before they could all get quite in , there was immediately a very strange noise heard in the next room to them as if it had been a consort of catts , which so affrighted them , that they all ran towards the door endeavouring to get out again but it was in vain ; for at their approach there were great long yoaks about their necks , in the form of a cross , or turned stile ; so that they could not possibly return ; and while they were thus striving and crying out for help ; their yoaks at last fell off , and a cou●e-staff , or brewers-sting laid upon the mens shoulders ; upon which an old woman presented her self naked , some times hanging by the heels , some times by the toes , anon by the middle ; with divers other postures , they continuing for the space of half an hour , in such sort , that the poor men were never more tired in clearing of leggs , nor less pleased at any thing than in being constrained to humour this peice of hellish activity . after they had got a discharge from this their new employment , the house being now quiet , and they a little recovered their sences and missing the women , they ran further into the house , where at last they found them lying flat upon their bellies , their clothes being turned backwards over their heads , two great black catts were playing hocus pocus upon their posters , which the men in vain attempted to drive away , untill at last their own stavery procured the womens freedom from that employment , though they changed not much for the better , for as they were coming out of that room , in the next their stood a pair of yarwingles , made in the form of a cross , uppon which women use to put great skains of yarn , that so they may wind it off with more case and less trouble : these being placed in the middle of the room , the two men and two women were forced to take the four ends the e●f in their hand , and so daunce round about the room one after another , until such time as they were almost tired to death , carrying upon every one of their shoulders an imp in the likeness of a monkey or ape , which hung close upon them ; and when ever they stackned their pace , these spirits pricked them forward , continuing this recreation for a very considerable time ; and being cloy'd with this kind of diversion , they vanished quite out of fight , leaving these poor wretches as weary , as astonished ; who ( notwithstanding ) no sooner perceived themselves at liberty but they presently quitted the house , and soon after addressed themselves to several of the neighbourhood , acquainting them with what bad happened , which caused great amazement amongst them , and immediately the whose town was in an uproar ; and the minister and several of the most eminent inhabitants , consulted together what the occasion thereof should be , and what to do in the bussness , some of them threatning the informers ; others thinking they were distracted : but at last they resolved to go to the house ; yet when they came near , there arose a great dispute amongst them who should first enter , which at last was agreed upon , and the parson ( with his congregation attending him in the rear ; ) gave them the first onset , and entring the door quivering and shaking , they heard the nurse-child cry in a most hideous and doleful manner ; whereupon there was suddenly a noise like the treading of people upon stones , though the house in any place had no other then an earthen floor ; at which the child ceased , and a very sweet musical harmony of several notes was heard , and all presently banished again : after which the minister and inhabitants entring , and searching the house , and at length missing the child one of them looking up the chimney , saw the cradle wonderfully hanging about three yards high without any support ; which being as strangly conveyed down again : they encouraged the nurse , and leaving her in the house ( though affrighted ) they departed for the present . chap. v. how mother shipton whilst but very young at nurse , was daily visited by spirits , in divers shapes and forms ; and what prancks they play'd during her abode there . mother shipton now grew a pace , and as her stature encreased , so did her deformity : her supposed father ( the foul fiend ) omitted not a day wherein he visited not the house where she was , sometimes visibly in the form of a cat , dog , bat , or hog ; at other times , invisibly by noises , so terrible , as it so affrighted the nurse , that she oftentimes resolved to deliver up her charge , and forsake her habitation ; sometimes she came in a pleasant humour , either singing or playing on an instrument , which was usually a scotch bag-pipe . her nurse sometimes was in great perplexity , not knowing what was become of her , for an whole day together ; but when she was in her greatest search after her , she saw her oftentimes drop through the roof of the house : going out , upon her return , she many times found her child stretcht out to a prodigious length , caller than the tallest living ; and at other times as much decreast or shortned . the poor womans work for the maior part , was only to rectifie what these spirits disordered about her house ; the chairs and stools would frequently march up stairs and down , and they usually plaid below at bowls with the trenchers and dishes : going to dinner , the meat was removed before she could touch a bit of it , which things , as they much troubled the nurse , so they gave much satisfaction to mother shipton ; as it appeared by her monstrous smiles : now and then to pacifie her nurse , when she saw her much vext hereat , she would say , be contented there is nothing here will harm you . to be short , the nurse was so continually terrified by these apparitions , that she resolved to complain to the parrish ; and having made known the truth of what had past , in commiseration to the woman almost distracted , they removed mother shipton to another place , where she was put to school , being of an age now fitting for it . chap. vi. how mother shipton was put to school , learning more in a day , then other children in a moneth : how she was jeered by her school-fellows , for having such a monstrous long nose : and what pranks she plaid upon them , by way of revenge ; growing now very famous . mother shipton was now grown a lusty girl ; and as she was left to the care of the parish , so the parish took care that she should have the common sort of learning ; that is to say , reading and writing bestowed upon her . comming to school , her mistriss began to instruct her , as other children , beginning with the cris-cross-row as they call'd it , showing and naming only three or four letters at first , but to the amazement and astonishment of her mistris ; she exactly pronourced every letter in the alphabet without teaching . hereupon her mistris , shewed her a primmer , which she read as well at first sight , as any in the school , and so proceeded in any book was shown her . as this produced wonder in her school-mistris , so hatred and enby in her comrades ; some flouted her for her monstrous long nose , others endevoured to heat her , and all strove to mischief her ; but she valued them not , revenging her self upon every one of them , that intended her harm . some were pinch't , and yet no hand seen that did it ; others struck speechless when they were about to say their lessons , not being able to utter a word ; and none escaped from being served one scurby trick , or other . this so inraged the parents of these children , looking on mother shipton the sole cause hereof ; that she was discharged the school , and so lest to the wide world. she hath been often seen when alone , to laugh hartily ; at other times to talk by her self , uttering very strange riddles , which occasioned some of the more sober sort to converse with her , receiving such strange things from her , as required a long study to find out the meaning . never a day passed , wherein she related not something very remarkable , and required the most serious consideration . and now it was that people flockt to her far and near , ( her fame was so great ) to be resolved of their doubts , all returning wonderfully satisfied in the resolution of their questions . chap. vii . how several persons came to mother shipton , for her predictions , and how a rich heire being deceived by her maid , fell sick of grief , and dyed . and now mother shipton beginning to grow famous in the world , for her notable iudgment in things to come : there reforted to her house a number of people , of all sorts , both old and young , rich and poor ; especially , of the female sex viz. young maids and wenches , who have alwaies a great itching desire to know when they shall be married ; as also , what manner of husbands they shall have ; to which she gave such satisfactory answers , both for the persons , and time ; that no sooner could a young maid get into the teens , but she would presently trott to mother shiptons , to be resolved of her doubt . now though she were not mercenary her self , but refused great gifts , when proffered unto her ; yet did she keep a young wench , who rather then fail , if they forgot to open their purse to her she would remember to open her mouth to them , and tell them , that her dame shipton , nor she , could not be maintained with thanks , but that the belly required meat to feed it : and that it was money which made the mare to go . one day there came a certain young heir thither , whose father was sick , to be resolved by her , whether he should live or die ; but mother shipton could by no means be wrought upon to tell him any thing ; whereupon he proffered the maid great store of money , if she could by any means perswade her dame , to fulfil his request ; the wench greedy of money , promised him fair ; and that if he would come the next morning , he should be certain to be resolved ; in the mean time , she importuned her dame with the most cunning rhetorick that she could invent ; but she was deaf to all entreaties , and would by no means be induced thereto , whereupon the wench resolved with her self , rather than to lose the money , to give him an answer of her own intention ; which the next morning she performed in these words . the grave prepared hath a room , prepare for death , thy hour is come . the young gentleman having received this answer , went home joyfully , hoping presently to reap the golden crop which his father had sown , and to be in an instant , possessed of all his vast estate , but the sequel proved quite contrary ; for by that time he came home , great hopes of amendment appeared in his father , who each day grew better and better , so that in a short time he became perfectly well . this unexpected recovery of the old man , struck such a dump in our young heir , that he presently took his bed , fell extream sick , and in a short time grew extraordinary ill , that all the symptoms of a dying man appeared in him : the old man , who had carked and cared all his life time for his son , ( having no more children but he ) was very desious of his life , and to know whether be should recover ; whereupon he sent to mother shipton about the same ; who knowing by her art , what her maid bad done , sufficiently did chide her for the same : threatning upon such another offence , to turn her out of her service . in the mean time , the messenger was come to her house , who having delivered his errant , was turned back with this answer . for others deaths who do gape out , their own unlook't for , comes about : earth he did seek , e're long shall have , of earth his fill , within his grave . the old man having received this answer , was much troubled , as thinking his own death predicted thereby , not imagining in the least , what his son had done ; but he was soon quit of that suspicion , for within two daies the young man dyed ; when by a servant ( who knew the passages ) he was informed the truth of the whole matter . chap. viii . mother shipsons prophecies concerning king henry the eighth's journey into france ; of cardinal wolsey , and other things . about this time , some differences arising betwixt king henry the eighth , and the french king ; great preparations of war were made in england , the drums beating in every county , to summon voluntary valour to express it self , indefence of their king and country , many heroick spirits , who made honour their aime , not dreading any dangers for the attaining thereof , now listed themselves bellona's followers : so many appearing under mars his banner , that he who was furnished with limbs and an estate , to decline the service , was adjudged a coward . there was then living in the north , a young heir , who was newly come to his estate , one whose tongue was all fire , and his heart all ire , who would kill thousands with words , but durst not adventure to do any thing in deeds . this gallant being by some of his equals , pricked on to make his appearance in the fields of mars , and not to lie sleeping at home , when fame summoned him forth to action , he knew not what to do in this case ; loath was he to lose his loved life , and yet the aspersion of a coward , though to a coward himself , is of all things most odious ? he therefore promised them fair ; that none should be more willing then he , to to spend his blood in the quarrel of that country , from whence he received his dearest life ; but yet resolved with himself , not to set one step forward in that path of danger , till he had first consulted with mother shipton , concerning what success he should have in his journey ; if bad , be was resolved by a feigned sickness to evade , thinking it no policy for a man to part away with that life in an instant , which with great cost and care , had been many years in bringing up . hereupon he basts to our northern propheress , acquaints her with his condition , and very earnestly desires of her ( as she to whom nothing was unhid ) that she would unfold to him whether-good , or bad fortune should be his attendant , in this his expedition . mother shipton though she perceived his sheepless courage to be every way unanswerable to that of a souldier , yet foreknowing what would come to pass , returned him this answer ; which without more ado , fully satisfied him to proceed , and perform what be had promised ; the answer was this . when the english lyon shall set his paw on the galligue shore , then shall the lillies begin to drop for fear : there shall be much weeping and wailing amongst the ladies of that country ; because the princely eagle shall joyn with the lyon , to tread down all that shall oppose them : and though many sagitaries shall appear in defence of the lillies , yet shall they not prevaile ; because the dull animal of the north shall put them to confusion ; and though it be against his will , yet shall cause great shame unto them . now shall the mitred pearock first begin to plume , whose train shall make a great show in the world , for a time ; but shall afterwards vanish away , and his great honour come to nothing ; which shall take its end at kingston . the explanation of the prophecy . by the english lyon was meant the king of england ; and by setting his paw on the gallique shore , the landing of his army in france , which not long after he did ; by the lillies beginning to drop for fear , was signified the great trouble and perplexity of the french , the lillies being the arms of france ; the weeping and wailing amongst the ladies of that country , denotes the miseries and destructions incident to war , the sword , famine , destruction and desolation being inseparable companions ; by the princely eagle joyning with the lyon , and treading down all that should oppose them , is meant maximilian the german emperor ( whose arms were the eagle ) who not only joyned in amity with king henry , but also took wages of him , and served him in his wars as an hired souldier ; by the sagitaries that appeared in defence of the lillies , was meant the french cavalry , the chief strength of france , consisting of horse-men , who appearing like sagitaries , that is to say , half men , and half horses , gave mother shipton to use that expression ; whereas it is said , yet they should not prevail , it fell out so accordingly ; for notwithstanding all the oppositions of the french armies , king henry proceeded on vigorously , conquering and taking several towns of importance , as tourmey , bulloign , &c. but to come to that which most nearly concerns the matter , viz. the success of our young heir , in this expedition , which was hinted forth unto him in these words , because the dull animal of the north shall put them to confusion ; and though it be against his will , yet shall cause great shame unto them ; by the dull animal of the north , was meant this fresh water souldier , who according to the prophecy , put the frenchmen to confusion , and great shame ; for passing the seas with king henry , being mounted on a stately horse , as both armies confronted each other , he being in the head of the battel , just before the charge , some body striking his horse , the iade carried him perforce upon the enemy , with such violence , as put their front into some disorder , which being perceived by our men , they presently so seconded him , that in fine , the french very fairely ran away , leaving the english a glorious victory , purchased with a little cost . by this means was mother shiptons prediction fulfilled to the disgrace of the french , and great praise of the young gallant ; for the rest of the prophecy , the interpretation thereof runs thus . by the mitred peacock was intended cardinal wolsey , signified by that bird , because of his great pride , who being but a poor butlers son of ipswich in suffolk , grew to such height , that he thought himself superior to she chief novies of the land , living in such splendor as not to be parallel'd , according to the prophecy : whose train shall make a great show in the world , and whereas it is said , the peacock shall then begin to plume , so it was , that when king henry had taken the city of tourney , in france he made wolsey bishop thereof , who soon after rose to the highest degree of honour a subject could be capable of , which afterwards ( as the prophecy saies ) vanished away , and his great honour come to nothing : and lastly , whereas it is said , be should have his end at kingstone ; the cardinal being told of this prophecy , would never pass through the town of kingstone , though lying directly in the road , from his own house to the court , but afterwards being arrested of high treason , by the earl of northumberland and sir anthony kingston the lieutenant of the tower sent unto him , his very name ( remembring this prophesie ) struck such a terror to his heart , that he soon after expired . chap. ix . her prophecy to the abbot of beverly , concerning the downfal of abbeys , nunneries , priories , &c. with other things . mother shiptons prediction● coming thus effectually to pass , spread her fame far wider than it was ; insomuch , that many who before looked upon her as a crackt-brain'd woman , now began to admire her , and to esteem of her words as oracles . and as the nature of english people is , rather to destre to know what is to come , than to seek to rectifie ought what is done amiss ; so the greatest part of her disitants , came only to be resolved , of what she knew , would come to pass , of which number was the abbot of beverly , who fearing the downfal of religious houses , and a change of the religion then professed , putting on the counterfeit cloaths of a lay-person , he came to mother shiptons , and knocking at the door , she being within , called to him , and said , come in mr. abbot , for you are not so much disguised , but the for may be seen through the sheeps skin ; it is not those cloaths makes you a lay-person , no more than a long-town , makes a man a lawyer ; come , take a stool and sit down , for you shall not go away unsatisfied of what you destre , and thereupon she began to utter forth her prophecys in this sort . when the cow doth ride the bull , then priest beware thy soul. and when the lower shrubs do fall , the great trees quickly follow shall . the miter'd peacocks lofty pride . shall to his master be a guide . and one great court to pass shall bring , what was neer done by any king. the poor shall grieve , to see that day , and who did feast , must fast and pray . fate so decreed their overthrow , riches brought pride , and pride brought woe . these prophesies were thus explained ; by the cow was meant king henry , who gave the same , by reason of the earldom of richmond , which was his inheritance : and the bull betokeneth mrs. anne bulloign , whome the king took to wife , in the room of queen catharine , her father gave the black bulls head in his cognizance , and was his beast ; and when the king had married queen anne , then was fulfilled the second line of the prophecy , viz. then priest beware thy scul ; for what a number of priests religious and secular , lost their heads for offending of those laws made to bring this matter to pass . and when the lower shrubs do fall , the great trees quickly follow shall . the miter'd peacocks lofty pride . shall to his master be a guide . cardinal wolsey ( who is here intended by the miter'd peacock ) in the height of his pride , and vastness of his undertakings , intending to erect two fair colledges , one at ipswich where he was born , the other at oxford where he was bred ; and finding himself unable to endow them at his own charges ; be obtained license of pope clement the seventh , anno , to suppress forty small monasteries in england , and to lay their old lands to his new foundations , which was done accordingly ; and the poor people that lived in them , turned out of doors , many of the clergy were very much against this action of wolseys , especially , john fisher bishop of rochester , alledging for the same an apologue out of aesop , that the iron head of the axe , craved a handle of the wood of oaks , only to cut off the seere boughs of the tree ; but when it was a compleat instrumental axe , it felled all the wood : applying it , that the suppressing of those smaller houses , would in fine , prove destructive to all the rest ; which came to pass accordingly ; for king henry seeing the cardinals power to extend so far ; as to suppress these lower shrubs , be thought his prerogative might stretch so far , as to fell down the great trees ; and soon after dissolved the priory of christ's church nigh aldgate in london , now known by the name of dukes-place , and which was the richest in lands , and ornaments of all the priories in london , or middlesex ; and which was a fore-runner of the dissolution of all the rest ; and which not long after came to pass . and one great court to pass shall bring , what was ne're done by any king. by the great court , is meant the parliament , the supreamest court of england ; who in the twenty seventh of king henry's reign , anno . to support the kings states , and supply his wants , contented on the crown , all religious houses , which were not able clearly to expend above two hundred pounds a year ; the great ones not long after following the same fortune of the smaller , which was ne're done ( though attempted ) by any king before . the poor shall grieve to see that day . the abbots and priors being most bountiful house-keepers , relieving all comers and goers , got themselves much reputation for their hospitality . and who did feast , must fast and pray . by the dissolution of these houses , many thousands were driven to seek their fortunes in the wide world , and become utterly exposed to want , when monkish profession was without possession ; many a young nun proved an old beggar , and were forced to fast for want of victuals , who formerly had it provided for them , to their hands . fate so decreed their overthrow , riches brought pride , and pride brought woe . the great riches and pride of the monks and eryers was ( no doubt ) the main cause of their overthrow ; for whatsoever was the pretence , questionless profit was the rope which pulled these religious houses down . all these things coming to pass before such time as this abbot died , caused him to have a great esteem of mother shipton , and to value her prophecys more than ordinary conjectures ; though at the first , he could not tell what to make of her ambiguous lines , which like the oracles , formerly delivered at delphos ? rather brought one into a labyrinth of confused conjectures , then satisfied the expectation , until by the clue of time , the riddles were manifest , and that which at first seemed so hard , now appeared to the understanding , as easie : however , be at present kindly thanked mother shipton , and liverally rewarded her maid ( who else would have put him in mind of his neglect ) much admiring that she should be so clear-sighted , as to see through his counterfeit dress ; resolving afterwards to be more informed by her , concerning future events ; be at that time took his solemn leave of her , and returned home . chap. x. her prophecys concerning king edward the sixth : the rebellion of the commons : the death of the duke of somerset , with other things . not long had the abbot been at home , but his abby was visited by some instruments employed by the lord cromwel for that purpose . he who knew what was intended by this complement , thought it not safe to strive against the stream , and therefore quietly surrendred his monastary , into the kings hands . and now perceiving mother shiptons prophecy plainly fulfiled , in the downful of those houses , which were judged impregnable , against all the assaults of malice and time ; considering the strange revolutions of so short a space : he was very desirous to be more fully informed of the future . in this resolution be repairs again to mother shiptons , whom he now accosts more familiarly , than he did before , making himself plainly known unto her ; telling her that as what she had formerly spoken , he had found to be true in the event ; so his iudgment perswaded him , she was not ignorant of those things which were for the future to ensue ; and therefore desired her , she would not be nice in imparting of this her fore-knowledg unto him ; for which so great favour , though it were more than his deserts could command , yet should there never in him be wanting a grateful tongue to acknowledge , and a grateful heart to be thankful unto her , for so great a favour . mr. abbot ( said she ) leave off complementing , as more fit for courtiers , and lovers , and not agreeable to an old woman , who will neither flatter , nor be flattered by any : and for what you came about , i shall not be squeamish to fulfil your request , let me therefore desire you , to lend me your attention , and thereupon ( after some short pause ) she thus began . a prince that never shall be born , shall make the shaved heads forlorn . then shall commons rise in armes , and womens malice cause much harmes . o deadly pride ! o hateful strife ! brothers to seek each others life . ambition shall so deadly spread , the griffin fierce shall lose his head. soon after shall the lyon die , and mildness usher cruelty . these ten lines being prophecies of the actions in king edwards reign ; for the readers benefit ; ( before we proceed any further in her predictions , ) we will unfold the meaning of them by themselves , that we may not too much burthen their memory ; but by variety add a pleasure to the reading of them . a prince that never shall be born . shall make the shaved heads forlorn . by the prince that never shall be born is meant king edward the sixth , of whom all reports do constantly run , that be was not by natural passage delivered into the world , but that his mothers body was opened for his birth , that she died of the incision the fourth day following ; and by the shaved heads , is understood the monks , fryers , &c. who are said to be become forlorn : the reformation beginning , with the beginning of king edwards reign : and the popes priests put down , as his supremacy was before , then shall commons rise in armes . king edward having set out certain injunctions , for the reformation of religion , as the commissioners passed to divers places for the establishing of them , many scorns were cast upon them , and the farther they went from london , as the people were more uncivil , so did they more rise into insolency and contempt ; for in cornwal , the commons flocked together , having killed one of the commissioners ; and albeit iustice was done upon the offenders , the principal of them being executed in several places , yet could not their boldness be beaten down with their severity , but that the mischief spread farther , in wiltshire , and somerset-shire , where the people supposeing that a common-wealth could not stand without commons beat down inclosures , and said parks , and fields champion . the like commotions followed in sussex , hamp-shire , kent , glocester-shire , warwickshire , essex , hartford-shire , lecester-shire , worcester-shire , and rutland-shire . but the greatest of all , was in devon-shire and norfolk : the one headed by henry arundel esquire , governour of the mount in cornwal , the other by robert ket a tanner of windham in norfolk : those of devon-shire , were accounted above ten thousand , who with a close and smart siege , surrounded the city of exeter , which they brought to extream misery , having a potent foe abroad , and famine sorely rageing within ; insomuch , as they were fain to bake bran and meal moulded up in clothes , for otherwise it would not stick together ; at last the rebels were routed from thence ; by the lord privy seal , with the loss of a thousand of their number , and soon after totally routed , at a place called clift-heath . these of norfolk , were judged to be more dangerous ; both because their strength was great , being estimated to be above twenty thousand ; as also the city of norwich was a friend unto them , or at least wished them no harm : this rude rout encamped on monshold-hill , a place impregnable in some sort , being neer to norwich ; against whom was sent the marquess of northampton , and afterwards the carl of warwick , who made many sallies upon the rebels with various success ; had the rebels kept in this fort , they might have tired out the earl , his horse being useless against them ; but they relying on an old prophecy , came down into dassin dale and quitted the fort : the words of the prophecy were these . the country knuffs , hob , dic , and hic , with clubs , and clouted shone , shall fill up dassin-dale with blood , of slaughtred bodies soon . which they interpreted to be of their enemies bodies , though it proved of their own ; for the earl setting upon them , after a stout resistance , they were overcome , two thousand stain upon the place ; ret with his brother and nine others executed ; the rest taken unto mercy . and womens malice cause much harms . lamentable was the effects occasioned by the malice of two women in this kings reign , which that you may the better understand , we shall declare the original grounds thereof . the king had two unkles , brothers to queen jane his deceased mother , edward duke of somerset , lord protector , &c. and thomas lord seymor baron of sudly , high admiral of england : the lord sudly , had taken to wife katherine parr , queen dowager , last wife to king henry the eighth . the duke had married the lady ann stanhope , a woman for many imperfections intollerable ; this woman did bare such invincible bate , first against the queen dowager for light causes , and womens quartels ; especially , for that she had precedency of place before her ; that albeit , the queen dowager dyed by child-birth , yet would not her malice either die , or decrease , but hated the lord sudly , for her sake ; and left buzzing fears and jealousses in her husbands pate , ( who was of an easie belief ) that within few days the lord sudley was arrested and sent to the tower , and in very short time after condemned by act of parliament ; and within few days after his condemnation , a warrant was sent , under the hand of his brother the duke , whereby his head was delivered to the axe ; which verified what was before predicted : o deadly pride ! o hateful strife ! brothers to seek each others life . o wives ! the most sweetest poyson , the most destred evil in the world ! certainly . as it is true , as syracides faith , that there is no malice to the malice of a woman : so no mischief wanteth , where a malicious woman beareth sway ; a woman was first given to man for a comforter , but not for a counseller , much less a controler and director ; and therefore , in the first sentence against man , the cause is exprest , because thou obeyest the voice of thy wife . and doubtless the protector , by being thus ruled to the death of his brother , seemed with his left hand to have cut off his right ; for hereby he left himself now unguarded from the malice of his enemies , the earl of warwick , etc. who being ambitious of ingrossing all power into his own hands , soon wrought the confusion of the duke , as it follows in the prophecy . ambition shall so deadly spread , the griffin fierce shall lose his head. for the earl of warwick espying opportunity , shewing himself , and knowing , that in troublesome times , the obedience of great persons is most easily shaken , drew about eighteen of the privy council to knit with him against the lord protector : these he did , to wind up his purpose , that they withdrew from the court , fell to private consultations , and so ordered the matter , that at length they brought the protector upon the scaffold , wherein fine he had his head cut off , figured here by the name of the griffin . soon after shall the lyon die , and mildness usher cruelty . by the lyon is meant king edward , who survived his unkie the duke of somerset , nor above two years grief for his death ( as it is generally conceived ) bringing him into a consumption , though some have reported him to be poysoned ; soon after his death mass and popery was restored again by queen mary , for which cause many afterwards fryed in the flames , berifying the last verse . and mildness usher cruelty . chap. xi . her prophecys concerning the death of lady iane grey ; the burning of the martyrs ; of wyats rebellion ; the death of queen mary ; and of cardinal pool . by parents too ambitious pride , the scaffold shall with blood be di'de . a vertuous lady then shall die , for being raised up too high. her death shall cause anothers joy , who will the kingdom much anoy . miters shall rise , miters come down , and streams of blood shall smithfield drown . england shall joyn in league with spain , which some to hinder strive in vain . the lyoness from life retires , and pontificial priest expires . this prophery is peruliarly applyed to the reign of queen mary , and may be interpreted after this manner . by parents too ambitious pride , the scaffold shall with blood be di'de . this is meant by the lady jane grey daughter to the duke of suffolk , who having married the lord gilford dudly , son to the duke of northumberland , the ambition of northumberland was so great , that be practised much on king edwards tender years , who now was much weakned with sickness , that excluding his two sisters , the lady mary , and lady elizabeth , he conveyed the crown to the lady jane , by that which we may call the testament of king edward , and the will of the duke of northumberland . but the commons taking part with the lady mary , notwithstanding , the duke went with great forces against her , yet his souldiers differting him , he was forced to tach about , and with an unwilling mind proclaim her dueen , whom in his heart be hated above all others . a vertuous lady then shall die , for being raised up too high . the lady jane grey , who out of dutifulness to her parents , assuming the title of queen upon her , for her offence , lost her head : this lady jane was a woman of most rare and incomparable perfections ; for besides her excellent beauty , adorned with all bariety of bertues , as a clear sky with stars , as a princely diadem with iewels ; she was the mirror of her time , for her religion and education in the knowledg of the liveral sciences , and skill in languages , for in thealogy , in phylosophy , in all the liveral arts , in the latine and greek longues , and in the vulgar languages of divers near nations , she far exceeded all of her sex , and every one of her years . her death shall cause anothers joy , who will the kingdom much anoy . the death of the lady jane was supposed to be a rejoycing to queen mary , and who by restoring popery , and the persecutions that the professors of the gospel suffered in her time , is said to bring the kingdome to anoy . miters shall rise , miters come down , and streams of blood shall smithfield drown . by the miters are meant the bishops , who in the change of religion found great change ; very few of them keeping their seats wherein they had been seated by king edward the sixth , the names of the bishops thus put down , were these , cranmer arch bishop of canterbury , ridly bishop of london , poynet bishop of winchester , holgate arch-bishop of york , bush bishop of bristol , bird bishop of chester , hoopen bishop of worcester and glocester , barlo bishop of bath and wells , scory bishop of chichester , ferrar bishop of st. davids , coverdale bishop of exeter , taylor bishop of lincoln , and harley bishop of hereford ; in the room of these bishops thus put down , several bishops were raised , as cardinal pool made arch-bishop of canterbury , bonner bishop of london , gardiner bishop of winchester , heath arch-bishop of york , holeman bishop of bristol , gotes bishop of chester , brook bishop of glocester , pates bishop of worcester , bourn bishop of bath and wells ; christopherson bishop of chichester , morgan bishop of st. davids , turbervile bishop of exeter , white bishop of lincoln , and parfew bishop of hereford . and streams of blood shall smithfield drown . great was the number of martyrs burned in smithfield in this queens reign , under the bloody bands of bonner bishop of london , and dr. story dean of st. pauls ; the first persecuting by wholesale , the second by retail ; the names of all those who in this place thus restified their faith by the loss of their lives , would be too long here to recite : the chief of them were , mr. john rogers , mr. john bradford , mr. robert glover , &c. england shall joyn in league with spain , which some to hinder strive in vain . queen mary intending to match her self with philip king of spain , the bruit thereof being spread amongst the people , was by them ill resented , as dreading to be under the yoak of a stranger ; to hinder the same ( amongst others ) sir thomas wyat , a kentish knight , took armes , with a great party assisting him . the queen bearing of his commotion , sent a herald to him to desist , which be refusing to do , she resolves upon force , sending the duke of norfolk with five hundered londoners against him ; but these souldiers bearing more affection to wyats cause than the queens , forsook their leader , and their loyalry together , and joyned themselves to wyats faction ; who much elated with this supply , presently resolves for london , promising to himself easte entrance into that city , and hearty entertainment therein ; but contrary to his expectation , coming to southwark , he found all the lowers of the tower , and the tops of the square steeples neer the bridg-foot on the other side , planted with ordnance against him , so that both church and state threatned his ruine ; so that seeing no good to be done there , with a swift march ( having the darkness of the night for his coverture ) he hasteth to kingston , passeth the river , and comes to knights-bridg , before almost any had notice of his motion . here he divides his army into two parts , five hundred of them wheels down towards white-hall , but could not force their passage into it ; himself with the rest of the army went directly to charing-cross , where he met with some opposition , but nothing daunted thereat , he marched directly down the strand and fleet-street , and coming to ludgate promised himself entrance into the city , but finding the gate close shut , and well fortified against him , with men and ammunition , his hopes then began to fail him ; retreating to temple-bar , he was faced with some norse , where after a short fight , he submitted himself prisoner , being first carried to white-hall to be examined , from thence to the tower , and soon after to the scaffold , where he received the rewards of his revellion . the lyoness from life retires , and pontificial priest expires . by the lyoness is meant queen mary , who having reigned five years and some odd months , dyed of a dropsie , though others say of grief for the absence of her husband king philip , and others again , for calice ( taken not long before ) and that she should say , if after she was dead they ripped her up , they would find calice written on her heart . the pontificial priest signified cardinal pool , who expired within sew hours after the death of queen mary . this prelate was of princely extraction , his mother margaret being daughter to george duke of clarence ; when he was young be was brought up together with queen mary , and being a zealous catholick during king edwards reign , suffered a voluntary exile for the same ; when the marriage with prince philip and queen mary was made up , be returned into england , was made arch-bishop of canterbury , more moderate than some othes of his fellow bishops , having a favourable inclination towards the protestants . he survived the queen but few hours , and was buried in his own cathedral at canterbury , with this short and modest epitaph on his monument , de positum cardinalis poli. chap. xii . her prophecys concerning the reign of queen elizabeth ; the change of religion ; the attempts of the papists , upon the queen ; the spanish invasion ; the burning of pauls steeple ; the death of the queen of scots ; the reducing ireland ; the beheading the earl of esser , &c. the lyon fierce being dead and gone , a maiden queen shall reign anon . those who sighed , then shall sing , and the bells shall changes ring . the papal power shall bear no sway , roms trash shall hence be swept away . the locusts sent from the seven hills , the english rose shall seek to kill . the western monarks wooden horses , shall be destroyed by the drakes forces . troy novant's triumphant spir● , shall be consum'd with flames of fire . more wonders yet ! a widowed queen , in england shall be headless seen . the harp shall give a better sound , an earle without a head be found . soon after shall the english rose , unto a male her place dispose . these lines being a prophecy of the most remarkable actions , during the reign of queen elizabeth , are to be interpreted after this manner . the lyon fierce being dead and gone , a maiden queen shall reign anon . queen mary is here meant by the fierce lyon ; so called , not so much for the cruelty done by her , as by the bishops and priests was done under her ; for take her in her self , secluded from bloody counsellors , and she was a most merciful , pious , iust princess ; but in respect of the blood that was shed , and the persecutions then suffered , she is here termed a fierce lyon : after whom is said , a maiden queen to reign anon , meant by queen elizabeth , one who was the mirrour of her set and age , who for above forty years , to the admitation of enby it self , mannaged the affairs of this kingdom ; having when she began , few friends that durst help , and leaving no foes when she died that could hurt her ; acting her part so well whilest here she reigned ; that history canscarcely afford us one prince to be matched to her fame , in all considerable particulars . those who sighed then shall sing , and the bells shall changes ring . many who sat and sighed in the daies of queen mary , by reason of the hot persecution , being forced to forsake their houses , because they should not forsake their religion ; now that queen elizabeth began to reign , their mourning was turned into joy , their sighing into singing ; returning from their etile , with psalmes of thanksgiving in their mouthes : where their bells rang such changes in religion , that the mass was put down , and the common prayer set up : popery banished , and reformation established ; the ministers of the bospel advanced , and the schaveling priests , monks and fryers , depressed . the papal power shall bear no sway ; roomes trash shall hence be swept away . soon after the queens coming to the crown , a parliament began at westminster , wherein the laws of king henry , the eighth against the see of rome were renewed , and those of king edward the sixth , in favour of the protestants revived , and the laws by queen mary made against them repealed : uniformity of prayer , and administration of sacraments was enacted , with a restitution of first fruits and tenths to the crown ; and the queen acknowledged to be the only and supream governour of her kingdomes : the people in each place beating down superstitious pictures and images , which blind and misguided zeal had set up . the locusts sent from the seven hill , the english rose shall seek to kill . by the locusts are meant the priests , fryars and iesuits , who spread all the world over in greater numbers than the locust did in the land of egypt ; and by the seven hills is meant rome , which is built upon seven hills ; and by the english rose is signified queen elizabeth , whom the priest and iesuits by their instruments did often attempt to kill ; so that if we seriously consider her reign , we shall scarcely find any prince , whose life was so often attempted as hers , of which to give you some examples would not be impertinent to our purpose , and first in her sisters reign ; stephen gardiner bishoy of winchester , and other romanists , offended with her religion , so wrought with queen mary , suggesting that she was consenting to wyats insurrection , that she was sent prisoner to the tower , and ( as it is said ) a warrant intended to be sealed for her execution , had not king philip interceeded . after she came to the crown she was as incident to troubles as the month april is to showres , spain , france and scotland , combining against her , pope plus quintus by his bull deposes her , in prosecution whereof the earls of northumberland and westmoreland rise up in rebellion , being to have been assisted by the duke d'alva out of the low-countries , but out of these troubles she was delivered by their confussion . after these leonard dakers , second san to william lord dakers of gellesland , endeavoured to bring her into trouble , being intrusted by her with competent forces , which he intending to have imployed to her detriment , failed in his hopes and power ; and brought both shame and ruine to himselfe . next did thomas and edward stanley younger sons to the earl of darbey , with several others , plot against her ; all which ended in their ruine and her safety . these failing , captain stukley promised to perform wonders against her , but his mountaines proved not so much as mole-bills , he being stain in barberry , his design failed . but to speak of personal attempts against her , one somervile drew his sword in the court to have slain her , doctor parry a spaniolized italian intended to have pistoled her as she walked in her privy garden : savage , windsor , salisbury , tilney , and others , conspired to kill her , the which they waited several times to effect : one william stafford , by the instigation of the french ambastador , undertook to kill her : doctor laper one of her sworn physicians , for a sum of money , engaged to poyson her : and to conclude all , one edward squire , formerly belonging to her stable , with a mortifferous confection , poysoned the pomel of her saddle , when she was riding out ; from all which notwithstanding , though she were maliciously poysoned , she was miraculously preserved , and died in peace ; maugre all the malice of her enemies . the western monarchs wooden horses , shall be destroy'd by the drakes forces . by the western monarchs wooden horses , is meant the king of spains , great armado , in the year , by them termed invincible , though the success of it answered not the name , being by sr. francis drake and others , brave sons of neptune , and soldiers of mars , met withal , fought with , and really vanquisht , most of them sook , and the rest destitute and scatter'd , being chased by our ships past the degree of northern latitude , and there left to be pursued by hunger and cold , a victory so remarkable , that time , nor age , will ever weare the remembrance thereof away . troy novant's triumphant spire , shall be consum'd with flames of fire . by troy novant is meant london , which in ancient writings is called troy novant ; and the triumphant spire , signifies pauls-steeple , which in the year the fourth of june , strangly fell on fire , burning for the space of five full hours , in which time it melted all the lead off the church , only the stone archer escaping the fury thereof ; sundry causes were attributed by sundry persons of this fire ; some that it was casually blasted with lightning ; others that it was mischievously done by art magick ; and others which was most likely ) done by the negligence of a plummer carelesly leaving his coals therein . the queen was much grieved for this mischance , but by her bounty , the cities liberality , and a contribution from the clergy , it was afterwards repaired , only the blunt tower had not the top thereof sharpened into a spire as before . more wonders yet ! a widowed queen , in england shall be headless seen . the widowed queen signifies the queen of scots , the mother of king james , who was beheaded at fotheringhay-castle some say by the privity , others to the great discontent of queen elizabeth : a lany of a sharp wit , undaunted spirit , comely person , beautiful face , majestick presence , a fluent orator , and an excellent poet , as may appear by several things now extant ; amongst others of her verses , this was one , which she wrote with a pointed diamond , in a window , during her imprisonment in fortheringhay-castle . from the top of all my trust , mishap hath laid me in the dust . she was beheaded the _____ day of _____ anno , and was first buried in the quire of peterborough , afterwards by her son king james , solemnly removed from thence to westminster , where in the south side of the chappel of king henry the seventh , be exected a stately monument to her memory . the harp shall give a better sound . the harp signifies ireland , as being the armes of that country , which queen elizabeth by reducing to a better obedience , made it give a better sound , that is , made it more civilized , and profitable to the exchequer then ever before . an earl without a head be found . this was spoken of the earl of essex , one who was the favourite of the queen , and darling of the poeple ; ( two things which seldome come together , and yet could not both of them protect him from the scaffold , but that thereon he left his head : soon after shall the english rose , unto a male her place dispose . by the english rose is meant queen elizabeth , as we said before ; by whose death , the right and title to the crown , came to james the sirth , king of scotland , as lineally descended from margaret the eldest daughter to king henry the seventh ; the issue male failing , by the death of queen elizabeth : and here is to be remembred , the policy of king henry the seventh , who having two daughters , married the oldest of them to the king of scotland ; and the youngest to the king of france , that if his issue male should happen'd to fail ( as it afterwards did ) then scotland might wait upon england as the greater kingdom , and not england upon france as the lesser : besides there was an old prophecy , which intimated king james his coming to the english crown ; for when king edward the first baraced scotland amongst other things he brought from thence their ropal chair , ( still preserved at the abby in westminster ) upon which chair these verses were writ . if fates go right , where ere this chair is pight , the regal race of scots shall rule that place . which by the coronation of king james there performed , made good the words of the prophecy . chap. xiii . the prophesies of the reign of king iames , his uniting england and scotland , his peaceable reign , a learned time , the powder treason , the marriage with the prince elector , and lady elizabeth ; the death of prince henry . the northern lyon over tweed , the maiden queen shall then succeed , and joyn in one , two mighty states , ianus then shall shut his gates . mars shall yeild to mercury , all things tend to prosperity . hells power by a fatall blow , shall seek the land to overthrow . which by mistake shall be reverst , and heads from shoulders be disperst . the british olive next shall twine in mariage with the german vine . the ninth to death his power shall yeild , death conquers all , he winns the feild . next follows the remarkable actions of king james's reign , predicted in the foregoing lines , which may be thus explained . the northern lyon over tweed , the maiden queen shall then succeed , and joyn in one , two mighty states . by the northern lyon , is meant king james ; and by the maiden queen , queen elizabeth , whom king james , being king of scotland succeeded in the english crown , joyned thereby the two nations of england and scotland , which had been often attempted before , not only by conquest , but by marriage ; once by conquest , by king edward the first , who subdued their armies , took their strong places , and made their nobles yield him obeisance ; yet what they thus lost by him , they recovered of his son king edward the second ; the other of marriage , was by king henry the eighth , who endeavoured to have matched his son , prince edward , with the heiress of scotland , and had proceeded very far therein , when death cut him off ; and though afterwards attempted by the duke of somerset , lord protector , and the scots beaten at musselborough-field , yet all would not prevail ; god having decreed their union to be afterwards , in a more peaceable manner . janus then shall shut his gates . janus was one of the gods belonging to the ancient romans ; whose temple was never shut , but in the days of peace , which happened not above twice , in the space of two thousand years : king james his reign being a very peaceable time , when swords rusted in their sheaths for want of using them ; mother shipton in her prophesse alludes thereto . mars shall yield to mercury , all things tend to prosperity . war shall give place to peace , fighting to pleading , the sword to the gown , the pike to the pen , barbarism to learning , &c. this peace shall cause plenty , plenty work prosperity , &c. hells power by a fatal blow , shall seek the land to overthrow . which by mistake shall be reverst , and heads from shoulders be disperst . these lines have reference to the horrid powder plat , which was to have been acted by some desperate papists , to have blown up the parliament house with gun-powder , and therein our religion , laws , king , prince , peers , bishops , iudges , knights and burgesses , all designed to destruction : the chief actors herein were , robert catesby , thomas perey , sir everard digby , francis thresham , robert winster , thomas winter , john wright , chris . wright , ambrose bookwood , robert key , john graunt , guido faux , and bates , catesbies man , gentlemen most , of ancient families , some of plentiful fortunes , but all of resolute spirits : these being suggested by the devil , and seconded by his agents , the iesuits , to bring their purpose about , hired a vault under the parliament house , wherein they stowed thirty six barrels of powder , with several iron barrs , to make the force of the fire more effectual , all which they covered with billets , thinking thereby to have covered their design , from being discovered : on the fifth of november , the day of the parliaments first sitting , was the time appointed , to put their design in execution ; but providence had ordered it otherwise , that those who intended mischief , should taste the effects of it ; on the evening before , came to the lord monteagle , a strange letter , from a strange hand , by a strange messenger ; without date to it , name at it , and ( to outward appearance ) sense in it ? a letter which when it was opened , was even still sealed , such the affected obscurity therein : the letter contained these words , my lord , out of the love i bear to some of your friends , i have a care of your preservation ; therefore i would advise you , as you tender your life , to devise some excuse to shift off your attendance at this parliament : for god and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time . and think not slightly of this advertisement , but retire your self into your country , where you may expect the event in safety : for though there be no appearance of any stir , yet i say , they shall receive a terrible blow this parliament , and yet they shall not see who hurts them : this counsel is not to be contemned , because it may do you good , and can do you no harm ; for the danger is past so soon as you have burnt the letter ; and i hope god will give you the grace to make good use of it : to whose holy protection i commend you . this letter being communicated to the king , he expounds the mystical blow , to be meant by gun-powder , and thereupon commanded the rooms under the parliament house to be searcht , where the mystery of iniquity was quickly discovered , some of the traytors taken in london , others in the country , the hands of iustice overtaking them , they became examples of iustice , and tasted of that cup ( though not with that cruelty ) which they intended others should have drank of . the british olive next shall twine , in marriage with the german vine . by the british olive , is meant the lady elizabeth , daughter to king james ; and by the german vine , the most illustrious prince frederick , count palatine of the rhine ; this lady elizabeth was enriched with all the endowments both of body and mind , which make to the compleating of a princess ; most dearly beloved of the english , as one that deserved well of all ; hear a wit of that age thus complaining . most sweet elixabeth ! that happy name , if we lost nothing else by losing thee , so dear to england is , we are too blame : if without tears and sighs we parted be . they were married with great solemnity , at westminster , february , anno . the ninth to death his power shall yield . death conquers all , he wins the field . this is meant of prince henry , who is called the ninth , in regard that if be had lived till king james dyed , he would have been the ninth king of that name , since the conquest : he was a prince of most excellent parts , not wanting any thing wherewith nature and art could enrich him ; of a very pious disposition , never heard by any alive to swear an dath , for which arch-bishop abbot commended him in his funeral sermon , the prince being wont to say , that he knew no game or value to be wonne or lost , that could be worth an oath . he died of an extraordinary burning feaver , being generally lamented of the whole land. chap. xiv . the prophesies of the reign of king charles the first , his marriage with france , the murther of the duke of buckingham , the scottish troubles , of the long parliament , and bloody war ensuing after the execrable murther of the king. mother shipton having proceeded thus far in her prophesies , broke off abruptly with a deep sigh , the tears trickling down her cheeks , accompanied with the wringing of her hands , as if some extraordinary mischance had befallen her . the abbot wondred greatly what should be the cause of this sudden alteration , having observed all along before a setled composedness in her countenance , and now to break out into such exclamations : he therefore thus said unto her , mother shipton , it is more than some ordinary matter which hath made you to break out into this sudden passion , and if it may not be troublesome unto you , i shall desire , that as hitherto you have not been scrupulous in revealing those secrets unto me , which have wrought in me both wonder and amarement , so that now you will not so abruptly break off , as to leave me in suspence of the cause of your sorrow ; ah mr. abbot ( said she ) who can with dry eyes repeat what must next ensue , or but think upon it without a heart full of agony , to see vertue trampled on , and vice exalted ; beggars on horse-back , and princes on foot ; the innocent condemned , and the blood-thirsty go free . but since my promise binds me to fulfil your request , i shall proceed where i left . the crown then fits the white kings head , who with the lillies soon shall wed ; then shall a peasants bloody knife , deprive a great man of his life . forth from the north shall mischief blow , and english hob shall add thereto . then shall the council great assemble , who shall make great and small to tremble . mars shall rage as he were wood , and earth shall drunken be with blood . the white king then ( o grief to see ) by wicked hands shall murdered be . these lines are so plain , relating to the actions of the late times , as shall need no oedipus to explain them ; however , as we have all a long before made several comments upon her text we shall here likewise proceed in the same method as we did before . the crown then fits the white kings head. by the white king , is meant king charles the first , so called not only in respect of the purity and uprightness of his life , signified by white ; but also that at the time of his coronation he was clothed in white , which some venemous tongues have since urged against him , that he was not crowned as other kings , as if princes might not have the same liverty as meaner persons , to assume what coloured bard they list to wear , to themselves . who with the lillies soon shall wed . somewhat before king james his death a marriage was concluded on betwixt prince charles , and the lady henrietta maria , daughter to that martial prince henry the fourth , king of france ; but before the consummation thereof , king james dyed , not long after his funerals were over , she was brought into england , and solemnly married to king charles , who is hereupon said to wed the lillies , the lillies being the armes of france . then shall a peasants bloody knife , deprive a great man of his life . this is spoken of the duke of buckingham , the greated man in favour of those times , and thereupon ( as it is most commonly seen ) most bated of the people ; who laid the blame of all miscariages in the state upon him ; right or wrong he was sure to undergo their censure : being made general for the relief of rochel ) then besteged by the french forces ( before he imbarked at portsmouth , he was most villanously stabbed by one felton a discontented officer in his army ; who was so far from flying for the same , that though be might have passed away undiscovered , he holdly avowed himself to be the man that did it ; alledging that he had therein done his country good service ; but before his death , was better principled , and made sensible of the beinousnes of the sin of murther , recanting his former erronious principles , and dying very penitently , being banged in chains at portsmouth , anno . forth from the north shall mischief blow , and english hob shall add thereto . this prophesie alludes to that ancient proverb , from the cold north all ill comes forth ; and may be understood of our troubles commencing in , taking their original rise from scotland , and fomented by several factions spirits in england , the dagon of presbytery beginning then to appear in its own colours , the kirk of scotland having so high an opinion of its own purity , that it participated more of moses his platform in the mount , than other protestant churches , being a reformed reformation ; so that the practice thereof might be divertory to othere , and she fit to give , not take , write , not receive copies from any neighbouring church ; desiring that all others were like unto them , save only in their afflictions . hereupon they stood so high upon their pantoffles , that they refused the common-prayer , disclaimed their bishops , raised lumults , and under the pretence of defending the scotish kirk , raised a war against the english state , the benom of which poyson so infected the veins of the english , who followed this scottish president , that it brake forth into a most bitter war , and ended not , but with the deaths of many thousands of people . then shall the council great assemble , who shall make great and small to tremble . by the great council is meant the long-lasting parliament , so known to all posterity , for the remarkable transactions therein : it began november the d , and may more properly be said to be the parliament that wrought wonders , then that in the time of king henry the third , which had the same appellation . by them sell the wise stafford , and reverend laud , by them was episcopary voted down , and presbytery voted up ; by them was the common-prayer denyed , and the directory exalted ? they were the first that brought that strange kiddle into the world , that a man might fight for , and against his king ; by them was the dath ex officio condemned and the covenant ( fat worse ) applauded ; in sum , by them was the church and state turned topsey turvey ; but this cannot be reported of all amongst them , many of them hated their doings , dissented from them , and suffered by them . mars shall rage as he were wood , and earth shall drunken be with blood . to repeat all the skirmishes , fights , and battles that have happened betwixt the kings and parliaments forces ) here intended by this prophesie ( would of its self , require a volume , in some of which , viz. that at marston-more eight thousand men were killed at a time , so that the earth might well be said to be drunken with their blood ; and which is the more pity , was shed by english men of one country , citizens against citizens , neighbours against neighbours , nay , one kinsman against another , and prosecuted with the greatest bigor that might be , according to that of the poet. the highest fury reigns in civil warr , and country men in fight most cruel are . as was verified all a long during our unnaturall civil war , none holding out with more obstinacy , fighting more eagerly , nor in the execution more bloody than they ! the white king then ( o grief to see ) by wicked hands shall murthered be . spoken concerning the execrable murther of that pious prince king charles the first , the most renowned for piety , prudence and patience ; of all his contemporary princes throughout the whole world ; of whom when all is said that can be spoken , yet doth all come far short of his deserved praises : i shall therefore sum up all with this epitaph made on him by a learned pen. he that can spell a sigh , and read a tear , pronounce amazement , and accent wild fear : having all grief by heart ; he , only he , is fit to write and read thy elegie . unvalued charles ! thou art so hard a text , writ in one age , not understood i' th next . chp. xv. the reign of king charles the second ; the usurpation of cromwell ; the strange confusions of a democrital government ; the restauration of the king ; the great sickness ; the burning of the city of london . the white king dead , the wolf shall then , with blood possess the lyons den . but death shall hurry him away , confusion shall a while bear sway : but fate to england shall restore , a king to reign as heretofore . mercy , and justice too , likewise , hein his time shall exercise . great death in london shall be though , and men on tops of houses go . these prophesies being all fulfilled in the memory of man , and so well known unto the world , we shall be the briefer in the explanation of them . the white king dead , the wolf shall then , with blood possess the lyons den . by the white king ( as we said before ) is meant king charles the first ; and by the wolf , oliver cromwel , so termed by reason of his bloody disposition ; that beast being judged most greedy and ravenous of all others ; and therefore fitly resembled to cromwel , whose ambition was such , that he left no means unattempted , until he had got into the lyons den , that is to say , untill he had attained the sole government ; which being done , he then plucked the stairs down by which he had mounted ; turning the rump out of dores , making them his servants , who had formerly been his masters ; exercising his cruelty upon cavailiers , which he deemed double policy , as being thereby rid of his enemies , and enriching his coffers with their wealth , though it were in effect but murther and robbery , and proclaimed him to be a blood-thirsty-lyrant . but death shall hurry him away . very remarkable was the day in which the protector dyed , being the third of september anno , wherein the wind was so violent , that it overthrew many houses , tore up many trees by the roots , tumbled down chimneys , and unreav'd barns and stables ; but as it is a very ill wind that blows none good , so with all the burt this wind did , it made some recompence , in blowing this bloody tyrant away , which made the people so little sensible of their losses , that they thought their private harms not to stand in competition with this general good . confusion shall a while bear sway . spoken in respect of the confusion of governments we then had : first , a rump parliament , then a protector , next a rump parliament agen , then a fools bauble , called a committee of safety , afterwards a rump parliament agen ; now thus , then that , a great many governments , and none good . but fate to england shall restore , a king to reign as heretofore . this was fulfilled in the happy restoration of king charles the second , which put a period to all those oligarchical confusions , and restored the land to its ancient pristine government ; which till then , groaned under the pressurers of a company of mechanical ( and therein the worst sort of ) lyrants . mercy and justice too likewise , he in his time shall exercise . of this many are the examples which might be produced ; how many , though notorious delinquents , received to mercy ? life given to those , who would have taken his life away ; few only suffering , but such whose offences were so capital , as could not come well within the verge of a pardon , or stood upon iustification of their former execrable actions : such rotten members deserving to be cut off from the body of the common-wealth , who otherwise would have been very obnoxious and prejudicial to those that were found . great death in london shall be though . verified by the great plague in london ( which for number ) was the greatest that hath been known in these latter centuries of years , and which ( if not any thing else ) might convince our sectaries , how necessary that prayer in the letany is for to be used , from plague , pestilence and famine , good lord deliver us . and men on tops of houses go . this was suddenly fulfilled in that great conflagration of fire , which happened in london , sept. . . and . anno . by which so many houses were destroyed , that men afterwards in the kuins went on the tops of those houses , whose lofty structures not long before seemed to brave the skie , and which would dazle weak eyes to look up and behold the tops of them . the fiery year as soon as o're , peace shall then be as before . a phenix city in strange wise , shall out of fatal ashes rise . these predictions were exactly accomplisht by the peace concluded with the dutch soon after , called here properly the fiery year , and the wonderful rebuilding of the city of london to greater magnificence than ever in so short a space . when mars again unsheaths his sword , your treacherous friends small aid afford : great noise there shall be heard , great shouts and cries , and seas shall thunder louder than the skies . this alludes to the second dutch war , wherein the french pretended to be friends to the english , but afforded them small aid , but in truth basely deserted them in the engagements at sea , where the canons were louder than thunder . a boat a boat , look twart the thames , the southern pile is all on flames . this can be understood of nothing but the great fire in southwark , wherein the best part of the burrough , which she calls the southern pile , was consumed . the world 's in arms , and ill at ease , another world looks on in peace . the happy isle shall freely trade , while blood and horror mighty realms invade . this was happily as to england verified in the year . when she only stood looking on in peace , and enjoyed freedom of trade , whilst all the rest of europe were fiercely engaged in war. here follow other prophestes she uttered , which seem to foretel the overthrow of the french , or some great disaster to that nation , with several other revolutions ; but because they concern future times , we shall leave the interpretation to time and the intelliligent reader . i. the eagle droops , and moults his wings , and fewds shall grow between northern kings . holland is threatned , spain doth pine , and blood shall swell the rapid rhyne . ii. when once the orange and the rose unite , beware old englands foes . iii. 't is done , no more shall monsteurs pride triumphant over nations ride . the meteor falls , and scarce shall have a mourning tear , or christian grave . iiii. the lillies now bewail their loss , and serve but to adorn the cross . v. the work 's begun , but would you see the harvest ripe , joyn eight to three . the northern star at last appears , and an all-conquering banner rears . vi. howl , howl , you miscreants , all your deeds shall now receive their worthy meeds ; but long e're this poor shipton sleeps in her safe grave , and europe weeps . this mother shipton , the authoress of these and the foregoing prophesies , lived till she was of an extraordinary age , and though she was generally believed to be a witch , yet all persons whatsoever that either read or heard her prophestes , have esteemed them little less than oraculous , and her memory to this day is much honoured by those of her own country . finis . the pope translated out of the old dutch coppye, in print all most yeares since, and novv reprinted, . john, of capistrano, saint, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the pope translated out of the old dutch coppye, in print all most yeares since, and novv reprinted, . john, of capistrano, saint, - . leaves : ill. s.n.], [london : . attributed to st. john of capistrano by stc ( nd ed.). reproduction of original in: trinity college (university of cambridge). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their 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characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. anti-catholicism -- early works to . europe -- history -- - -- prophecies. broadsides -- london (england) -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - chris scherer sampled and proofread - chris scherer text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the pope . de paus. the french king shal be driven out of his land by his owne subjects / for he shall excercise tyrannie against the professours of the gospell of christ / therto styrred up / & sporred forwards by the priests and bishopps . who being with money bought treacherouslie to betray him / shall mislead and deliver him / yet he shall seeme to doe the same in respect of his freinds / and being thrust out and deceived / he shal be left and forsaken of those whom he most trusted to / this shall happen in the end of the second course of tyme / then the armes hang on a drie or witherdstock . now this is understood as passed , in the time of h. de valoys . the lion prepares for his yong a strong and everlasting neast / but none of the same shall possesse it / though they were set in it / but when the lion shall fal into the third course of tyme / then shall there foorthwith be elected in his place a zealous resolute person / by name frederick on the rhyn / by aken / whose ofspring shall stretch it selfe to the end of world / for the end is at hand . the king of fraunce after being a wearie of banishment / and crosses turning / about shal joyn himselfe to the assemblie of the christians / striving against the enemies of the word / and be received again of his own / for in those tymes shall the christian church there have no other antistes nor head . the pope sheweth the declining and help-seeking emperour the ballaunce / saying : ponder with your self and consider wheither i have any place at rome or not / for i am quite of all except your helpe / otherwise i should hold my oath / but the r. c. shal be remooved to ments . their bishoppricks shall get others / who shall with more fruite of godlines and lesse pride raygne then the other have done . in the yeares . and . shall these things come to passe / and he that shall then live shall much admire the peace / unitie / rest / and ease among men . for there shall be so great slaughters and bloodshed that those very few / which remayn over / shal see and have god and the old peace to dwel with them / and that for a certayne space of tyme. at the same time shall the pope cardinalls archbishops / and all spiritual states by divers punishments and suffering be driv'ne unto the former life of the apostles i capis : serv : of ies ; chr : after this have seen in a vision . streames / from the . corners of the world / in strife with the great seo / who when they could not get the victorie came oceanus / but oceanus & the . streames overmaysterd the great sea. by oceanus compared vvith the great sea , the interpreters understand the iland of brittayne . o pope , o duke of millyane , how faeminine is thy warre , how woman like are they that depend on thee , wheras al warre bends itselfe against thee , to the end that thou mayst fal . the hellish dragon his counsel giver . all the empires of the world shal be cast vnder our feete . this lion is borgondie . the christiā church . the scrues that doe guide the shippe . these are onlie the trustie ●●rs of the ship. the cockboat the antichr : beast , sprong up anno : : vvho shauld have power for vveeks , vvhich make . dayes , or yeares , from vvhich abstract . vvherby it agrees vvith the propheticall time , the remaynder joynd to the former make . the time that c : v. must give libertie of conscience , adding therto or . according to capistranus so have vve . . this strange figure hath beene thus drawne / and paynted out two hundred yeares afore the byrth of carolus m : and found in a stone wall / but then alltogeither without any interpretation therby / onelie that by the one person was written the name of carolus / by the other the pope ; neither did any man presume to foretell or prognosticate any thing therout / save onelie mr. iohn carion , who fortold the death of some / although not wholly so well as this figure / for he fayled yeares in his accoumpt . but there hath lived in our tymes a moonk in a cloyster in slesia / named capistranus , who was highlie esteemed / and of great accoumpt among the mathematicians / and in many things ( as it is sayd ) a prognosticatour and a prophet . who as he chaunced to get this figure / which was of it selfe without any explication therof therby / he laboured very diligentlie / to discover the misteries therof / and by al means to make knowne the secrets of the same / but when he saw his labour lost and all in vayne / he committed therfore the revelation therof wholly unto god / not long after which tyme appeared a very fearfull commeet in the firmament / by meanes wherof began the revolution of the same / and by calculating uppon that celestiall figure / with examining and curious looking therinto / he found that it threatned all germanie / and the romayne empire / with great destruction and ruine / then caused he this figure to be drawen uppon a francine or parchement / and carefully shutting the same into a clefte of a wall / leaving ther a marckable signe / wherby it might after his death be found out dispersed and divulged / it was in anno . when i gotte the same of hem that found it . i capistranus a servant of god have seen by the revelation of the most high / the signification of this figure / even through calculating uppon the fearfull commeet / the variation of tymes and empires . namely that in the yeare . shall arise a very bitter enemie of the word of god / while he shall give himselfe out for a defender of the same / then by falshood and deceit pretending to joyn with the duitch princes / he shall seeme to set before them the disobedience of some particular men / as also a pretense for the reformation of the church / this shall from north and south bring great destruction with it / al these things notwithstādinge he shal chastise the foolish bewitched germaynes with their owne weapons / and oppresse the heads of the empire / in the first course of tyme he shall without bloodshed have all to his owne will / he shall enlarge the corners of / or between his columns or pillars / in those . yeares shall he deprive them of their might and priviledge . in the second course shal he priviledge and make free al those of his beliefe labour to breake downe and destroy gods building / & to curbe those that withstand him : than shal the desolate dukes and princes see that they are deceived / and shal be possessed with terrour and feare on every side . in these . yeares shall he attempt to doe many things / but in respect of the manyfold troubles that shal come / he shall be hindered from his deseignes / yet he shall give no credit unto the traytours / and he shall in all quarters shed much christian blood . in the thyrd cours he shall in a kind of a phrensie bring a number lesse multitude of all sorts of people / for to roote out and displant both the word of god and the christian princes / and so shall there be every where madnes and bloodshed / then shall there be elected a king / who notwithstanding his being a king / he shall not be honourd with kinglie honour / yet many shall depend uppon him . in these . yeares shall they bring carolus his ofspring and posteritie / with all his confederates and adherentes under subjection and obedience . translated out of the old dutch coppye , in print all most . yeares since . and novv reprinted , . all is not gold that glisters: or, a warning-piece to england being a prophecie, written by that famous and learned knight sir walter rawleigh, the day before he was beheaded on tower-hill, in the raign of our late soveraign lord king james. fore-telling the great and wonderful things that will befall the king of scots, the people of this nation, the change of religion and law, and how long the government shall continue without a king, or house of lords. also, the landing of an english army in france this summer, the taking of the city of rome, and the beheading of the pope, and seven of his cardinals. with other remarkable passages and presidents. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing a a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing a a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) all is not gold that glisters: or, a warning-piece to england being a prophecie, written by that famous and learned knight sir walter rawleigh, the day before he was beheaded on tower-hill, in the raign of our late soveraign lord king james. fore-telling the great and wonderful things that will befall the king of scots, the people of this nation, the change of religion and law, and how long the government shall continue without a king, or house of lords. also, the landing of an english army in france this summer, the taking of the city of rome, and the beheading of the pope, and seven of his cardinals. with other remarkable passages and presidents. raleigh, walter, sir, ?- , attributed name. p. printed for g. horton, london : . not in fact by raleigh. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng james -- i, -- king of england, - . prophecies -- early works to . a r (wing a a). civilwar no all is not gold that glisters: or, a warning-piece to england. being a prophecie, written by that famous and learned knight sir walter rawle [no entry] d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion all is not gold that glisters : or , a warning-piece to england , being a prophecie , written by that famous and learned knight sir walter rawleigh , the day before he was beheaded on tower-hill , in the raign of our late soveraign lord king james . fore-telling the great and wonderful things that will befall the king of scots , the people of this nation , the change of religion and law , and how long the government shall continue without a king , or house of lords . also , the landing of an english army in france this summer , the taking of the city of rome , and the beheading of the pope , and seven of his cardinals . with other remarkable passages and presidents . london , printed for g. horton , . all is not gold that glisters . as for the present estate and condition of the common-wealth of england , 't is affirmed by famous sir walter rawleigh , in his prophecy , written by his own hand , the day before he was executed at tower hill , in the dayes of king james , that it should remain without a kingly head for the space of years ; and that before , & at the expiration thereof great troubles should arise ; much striving for the government and crown , but to little purpose ; for be assured ( saith he ) o ye people of england , that the dayes will come , when diligent inquisition shall be made for innocent bloud , both from kings , parliaments , common-wealths , & states ; and that great will be the fall of tyrants and usurpers ; yet nevertheless ( after a short time ) the people shall be governed by a head , a mutual enjoyment of peace , will attend the english nation ; and all the saints and inhabitants thereof shall sing hallelujah , hallelujah , blessed be the name of the lord , for this great work of reformation , and restoring of us to our former pristine condition . this government shall refrain firm and unmoveable , & all the princes of the earth shall adhere thereunto . it is likewise prophecied , that in the year , . the english shall become masters of france ; and in the year , the germans and danes shall submit . lastly , that in , the lord generall cromwel shall enter italy with an army , and in . the city of rome shall be taken by his excellency , and the pope and seven cardinals shall fall under the fatal blow of the ax , and be headless . on the instant , came an expresse from france , signifying , that all the troubles in burdeaux are appeased ; the nobility and citizens of the town of guienne declare for the prince of conde , which draws a conjunction of all burdeaux to his highnesse , whose army and provisions increased daily . gen. harcourt hath writ to the queen , that his officers have prot●sted against the cardinal , and have deserted his majesties service , by reason that he is made generalissimo of the kings army . this cardinal is both a great politici●n , a gallant souldier , and a learned scholler . the parl. of paris sent two of their members to the court to the king and queen , to inhibite the coming in of the said cardinal , which two members were taken prisoners ; but this breach doth exceedingly exasperate the spirits of the parl. insomuch , that they immediatly sent a declaration to the king , wherein they declared , that if his majesty would not vouchsafe to hearken to the advice of his parliament , and to leave his evil councel , and return to paris within the space of ten dayes , that then they would depose him , sequester all his lands and revenues , degrade him of his crown , honours , and dignities , and fight against him and the kingdoms enemies . the duke of guise is come into province with souldiers from the king of spain to assist the prince of conde . the duke of longueville sent a message to his highnesse , assuring his excellency that he hath horse , and foot for his service . the lord chancellor of france , and divers other dukes , marquesses , and noblemen , offer great sums of money out of their own estates to maintain him . whereupon the duke of orleans ( at a full assembly in paris ) declared , that he was resolved ( with god assistance ) to expose life , fortune , and estate , for the preservation of the kingdoms rights and interests , protesting his integrity to be true and faithful therein , in the preservation and maintenance of so great and good a cause . the senate of burdeaux ( since the cardinals coming in ) sent to the king to take off the declaration against the prince of conde . but instead thereof , the king sent a proclamation to his atturney general , by which the parliament , jurats , and all their officers there , are discharged of their offices , which so inflamed them , that they took the letters from the atturney general , and sent them to the prince , resolving to adhere to the prince upon that account . his highnesse the duke of orleans forces are marched towards zayr , to hinder the cardinal from joyning , or getting to the king at poictiers . col. hollac ( a german ) is come in to the duke of orleans with gallant horse , and were honourably entertained . divers other eminent commanders belonging to gen , d'aumont have likewise tender'd their service , which was received with great applause , and tryumph . from scotland they write , that the last week there was a generall meeting of the ministers and lay-men in edenburgh ; their debates are very high , crying out , great is diana of the ephesians ; great is the scots presb●tery . on the next sabbath they intend a fast . well may they fast and pray , if it he but to learn humility . from genoa thus : that since the coming of don john into the leaguer before barcelona , that the french are with foot , and horse recruited , that they approach the city daily , and never leave off to vex them , by day with canon , and by night with granadoes : sheep going before the town are taken . at the sea-coast it was besieged with ships , and galleys , so that it was impossible to bring there any thing more in ; and they have taken the two barques with corn that intended to have come in . the catalonians began to strengthen the forts ( on the place formerly where the jews use to bury their dead ) to entertain correspondence with the city , but the spanish are about to hinder them . the earl iglia was come from france to matara with horse , and foot , intending to get into barcelona ; but hearing by the way of more difficulty than he expected , went no farther , tarrying for col. haudencourt . at genoa are arrived the gallies from spain with a million of money . a great fleet is setting forth for the safety of that republick . in the next place , take a review ( i beseech you ) of certain remarkable presidents , worthy of observation . agrippa the elder being in cesaraea , and cloathed with sumptuous apparel , and sitting in a high and regal seat , began to make a speech to the people ; but some of his people cryed out , that it was the voice of some god , and not of man ; which words being grateful unto him , ( who could be willing to assume divine honour to himself ) he was suddenly strucken with an angel , and so his flesh and bowels putrifying , he was consumed with lice . the syrians being overcome in war by the israelites in certain mountainous places , ascribed their overthrow to the gods of the mountains , who ( they said ) did favour the israelite ; therefore they would fight with the israelites in the vallies , where they thought the god of israel was not interessed ; upon which cause , god by his prophet thus spake to the king of israel ; quia dixerunt syri , &c. because the syrians said , the lord is god of the mountains , and not of the valies , i will give all this great multitude in to thy hand , and you shall know , that i am the lord . and thereupon both their armies joyning battel after , the israelites ( though but few in number ) killed in one day a hundred thousand footmen : and there remained in a neer place twenty seven thousand syrians , who flying into the city , were killed with the fall of the city walls : doubtlesly this was a manifest revenge and punishment of the former blasphemy . nicanor being leader of the army of demetrius the king , and intending to invade the jews upon the sabboth , was admonished that in honour and reverence to god ( who seeth all things ) he should forbear that sacred day : to the which advise he thus answered : estne potens quispiam in caelo &c. is there a lord in heaven , that commands the sabbath-day to be kept ? to whom when it was answered . est dominus vivus &c. there is a living lord , which ruleth in heaven , who commandeth the seaventh day to be kept : he replyed ; et ego potens &c. and i am migh●y upon earth to command them , for to arm themselves , and to perform the kings business . upon which occasion the day of war being begun , though nicanor had a most powerful army , furnished with all kind of munition and armour ; yet was he overthrown by a very few , with the loss of men . his blasphemous tongue was likewise cut off . at what time achior commended the power of the god of heaven , and averred , that the jewes were secure and safe , in that they worshipped god religiously , at which words holofernes in great indignation thus answered . quoniam prophetasti , &c. because thou hast prophecyed among us to day , that the people of israel is defended by their god , i will shew thee , that there is no other god , but nabuchodonosor , &c. for which blasphemy he payed dear , for his own head was cut off by the hand of a woman , and his army being driven to flight , a great part therof was put to the sword by the jewes . antiochus for his pride and blasphemy , was strucken from god with an invisible and incurable disease ; for first , suddenly a violent pain of his bowels invaded him ; and then quickly after he fell out of his chariot , wounding himself dangerously : lastly his body putrifying with a filthy consumption , and breathing out a most loathsom smell , was consumed alive with worms . balthazar ( king of the chaldeans ) when he commanded the holy vessels to be brought to him ( which were taken out of the temple of the lord at jerusalem ) and did drink in them with his noble men , and his concubines ; for such his prof●ning of them did presently feel gods just revenge ; for in the middest of the banquet and jollity with his guests , it is said , appa uerunt digiti , &c. there appeared fingers of mans hand , which wrot over he candl-stick upon the plaster of the wall of the kings palace . and this appeared in the ●ight of all men , and with great consternation of mind and fear to the king himself . nabuchadonosor ( king of chaldea ) when in his fury he cast the three children into the fiery furnace , for that they refused to adore a statue erected by him , and further blasphemed against god , in prefer●ing his own power before the power of god , in these words : quis est de us ? who is god that can take you out of my hands ? did immediatly after acknowledge the contrary , and confessed a deity , through the sight of that stupendious miracle , by the which the children being in the midst of the flames , remained unhurt and not burned . but after when he had forgot the same , and bear himself with his former elation and pride of mind , maintaining , that his power and glory stood obnoxious or subject to none , he was suddenly punished by god ; a voyce from heaven rushing upon him , and speaking thus : tibi di●itur nabuchodonosor rex , &c. o king nabuchodonosor , to thee be it spoken : thy kingdom shall depart from thee . and they shall drive thee from men , and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field ; they shall make thee to eat grass as the oxen ; and seven times shall passe over thee , till thou knowest , that the most high beareth rule over the sons of men , and giveth it to whomsoever he will . which voice being ended , he was presently deprived of reason and grew mad . whereupon being driven from all mens society , he begun to live in the woods among beasts , and during seven yeares lived after the manner of beasts . which period of time being ended , he was restored to his wits and senses , and preently thereupon most excellently confessed a divine power . that this was to happen unto him , god foreshewed it a year before in a vision which he had , while he dreamed ; which vision daniel did interpret . from constantinople they write , that the emperour of turkey hath positively declared against all the kings , princes , states , and common-wealths in christendom , and hath imprisoned about christians ; amongst the rest , many eminent gentlemen : some whereof , are men of quality , belonging to the english nation ; who were agents and factors at ska●o●n , smirna , and other places ; yet notwithstanding the janisaries are not a little obstructive to his proceedings ; which in time may cause a glorious sun-shine of the gospel , over those dark atheistical and methometan corners ; but as ancient pithogoras said , that he was assured the ayr was full of spiri●s ; so am i confident ( as yet ) that turkey is full of devils . but the venetians are preparing a great summer fleet , to go out against the turks , under the command of the lord high admiral foscolo , who hath already took stately gallies ; and hath made himself master of the strong castle of nedron , wherein he found brasse pieces , barrels of powder , and great store of ammunition . the emperor of germany is likewise raising men , to retard the turkes design against christendom . finis . the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love, minister of the gospel at laurence jury, london who was beheaded on tower-hill, in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england. giving an account of babylon's fall, and in that glorious event, a general reformation over all the world. with a most extraordinary prophecy, of the late revolution in france, and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom, in that country. by m. peter jurieu. also, nixon's chesire prophecy. love, christopher, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing l a estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love, minister of the gospel at laurence jury, london who was beheaded on tower-hill, in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england. giving an account of babylon's fall, and in that glorious event, a general reformation over all the world. with a most extraordinary prophecy, of the late revolution in france, and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom, in that country. by m. peter jurieu. also, nixon's chesire prophecy. love, christopher, - . jurieu, pierre, - . ussher, james, - . grey, jane, lady, - . wallace, lady, fl. . nixon, robert, fl. ? nixon's cheshire prophecy at large. , [ ] p. printed for the bookseller, london : [ ?] date of publication conjectured by wing. work is actually a collection of prophecies by love, peter jurieu [i.e. pierre jurieu], richard nixon, james usher [i.e. james ussher], lady jane grey and lady wallace; each with separate caption titles. reproduction of the original in the trinity college library, dublin. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the strange and wonderful predictions of mr. christopher love , minister of the gospel at laurence jury , london : who was beheaded on tower-hill , in the time of oliver cromwell's government of england . giving an account of babylon's fall , and in that glorious event , a general reformation over all the world . with a most extraordinary prophecy , of the late revolution in france , and the downfall of the antichristian kingdom , in that country . by m. peter jurieu . also , nixon's cheshire prophecy . london : printed for the booksellers . to the public . the following prophecies , some of which have been accomplished in our own time , must appear interesting , and as such we publish them ; those of mr. love promise great events , which must happen before the present generation passes away : and as to monsieur jurieu's predictions , relative to the french revolution , they point out so clearly part of what has already come to pass , in france , that it may be reasonably presumed the rest will be verified in due time . predictions of mr. christopher love , a few nights after he was sentenced to be b●●eaded , on tower-hill , which was on the d day of august , , ten days before his appointed time , by the sentence he received at the bar , being one night visited by two of his intimate acquaintances , or bosom friends , as he himself called them , they began to complain of the cruelty of the times , and the malice and usage of time-serving brethren ; to which mr. love answered , and think you this is an evil time ? no , no ; this is the very time when grace and true god●iness can be distinguished f●om hypocrisy : many have followed christ hitherto for the loaves , and are now turned back for the roughness of the way , and the sore trial and tribulation which others met with who are gone be●ore them . there are many in london at this very day , who think to go to heaven in their gilded coaches , and have denied christ's cause before men ( against whom i now witness ) and christ in his never failing word has promised to deny all such before his father and the holy angels . this is the time to discern be●ween him that s●rveth god , and him that serveth him not . they formerly were my familiar acq●ain●ance , in fellowship and sweet converse . i sent this day to have a few words with them here in prison ; but they would not come ; for their countenance is fallen , their consciences wounded , — they cannot look me in the face ; because i knew of their resolution , and was a witness to their perjuration , — but , ah ! how will they look the blessed jesus in the face in the morning of the resurrection ? what answer or excuse will they have for what they have done ? o foolish people ! who think to escape the cross , nay , you must all suffer persecution who follow the lamb ; we must be hated of all nations for christ's sake ; we must come thro' great tribulation , thro' the fiery furnace of affl●ction , before we can enter the land of joy and felicity . know ye not that the souls that were slain for the testimony of jesus are placed under the altar ? happy , happy are those men at this day , and ever shall be happy , who suffer for christ's sake in a right and charitable way — thro' love to his cause , and honesty of heart : not thro' pride and hypocrisy , without the root of the matter , to have it said they died 〈◊〉 : these are they who will miss their mark ; and those who denied the call and looked back shall never have the honour to find it i am now pointed out by many to be in a destitute and forlorn condition ; but i would not exchange my state , no , not for all the glory that 's on the earth ; i find my r●deemer's love stronger in my bonds , than ever i did in the days of my liberty ; therefore i hold living here as death itself . i am as full of love and joy in the holy spirit , as ever bo●●le was fi●led with new wine . i am ready to cry out , the spirit of the lord is upon me ; i will not take upon me to prophecy ; neve●theless the spirit of the lord causeth me to utter : — this usurped authority of cromwell , shall shortly be at an end ; england shall be blessed with meek kings , and mild governments ; powerful preachers , and dull hearers : good sermons to them will be as music to a sleepy man ; they shall hear , but not understand , nor lay the word 〈◊〉 the heart , to practise it in their lives , to walk by it . o england , thou shalt wax old in wickedness ; thy sins abound like those of sodom ; thy voluptuousness shall cry aloud for vengeance ; the lord shall threaten and chastise thee , yet in mercy and love will he look upon those that fear him , and call upon his name : he will spare of his anger , when the wicked shall be sifted from amongst you as the chaff is sifted from amongst the wheat ; for out of thee , o england , shall a bright star arise , whose light and voice shall make the heathen to quake , and knock under with submission to the gospel of jesus ; he shall be as a sound of thunder in the ears of the wicked , and as a ●anthorn to the jews , to lead them to the knowledge of jesus , the only son of god , and true messiah , whom they so long mistrusted , for the short work spoken of by the apostle , which the lord is to make upon the earth , in the latter age of the world , cannot be far off . observe , my dear friend , while you live my calculation of the dates in the book of the revelation , and in daniel , which the spirit of the lord led me into ; for the lord will reveal it to some of his own , ere that time come ; for the nearer the time is , the seals shall be taken away , and more and more shall be revealed to god's people ; for the lord doth nothing without he reveal it , by his spirit , to his servants the prophets : he destroyed not the old world , without the knowledge of noah — he did not overthrow sodom and gomorrah , without the knowledge of abraham . i do not mean now , that any new prophet shall arise ; but the lord by his spirit shall cause knowledge to abound among his people , whereby the old prophecies shall be clearly and perfectly understood . and i die in that thought , and really believe that my calculations are right , on the revelation by st. john , and the prophecy which st. jerome copied off and translated out of the hebrew language , as it is written on seth's pillar in damascus , which pillar is said to have stood since before the flood and was built by seth , adam's son , and written by enoch the prophet ; as likewise the holy precepts whereby the patriarch walked before the law was given to moses , which were also engraven on the said pillar . whereof many jews have copies , in their own language written on parchment , and engraven on brass and copper ; but the alteration of the date makes them to stagger at it , not knowing that the dates were to be altered by the birth of christ. first , this prophecy is enti●led . a short work of the lord 's in the latter age of the world . great earthquakes and commotions by sea and land shall come in the year of god . great wars in germany and america , in . the destruction of popery , or babylon's fall , in the year . god will be known by many in the year . this will produce a great man. the stars will wander , and the moon turn as blood , in . africa , asia , and america , will tremble , in . a great earthquake over all the world , in . god will be universally known by all : then a general reformation , and peace for ever , when the people shall learn war no more . happy is the man that liveth to see this day ! prophecy of the french revolution , from a publication by the late mr. peter jurieu , in . rev. xi . . and the same hour was there a great earthquake , and the tenth part of the city fell , and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand , and the remnant were affrighted , and gave glory to god. now what is this tenth part of this city , which shall fall ? we cannot doubt that 't is france . this kingdom is the most considerable part or piece of the ten horns , or states , which once made up the great babylonian city : it fell ; this does not signify , that the french monarchy shall be ruined ; it may be humbled ; but in all appearance providence does design a great elevation for her afterward . 't is highly probable , that god will not let go unpunished the horrible outrages which it acts at this day . afterward , it must build its greatness upon the ruins of the papal empire , and enrich itself with the spoils of those who shall take part with the papacy . they who at this day persecute the protestants , know not whither god is leading them : this is not the way by which he will lead france to the height of glory . if she comes thither 'tis because she shall shortly change her road . her greatening will be no damage to protestant states ; on the contrary , the protestant states shall be enriched with the spoils of others ; and be strengthened by the fall of antichrist's empire . this tenth part of the city shall fall , with respect to the papacy ; it shall break with rome , and the roman religion . one thing is certain , that the babylonian empire shall perish through the refusal of obedience by the ten kings , who had given their power to the beast . the thing is already come to pass in part . the kingdoms of sweden , denmark , england , and several sovereign states of germany , have withdrawn themselves from the iurisdiction of the pope . they have spoiled the h●rlot of her riches . they have eaten her flesh , ie . seized her benefices and revenues , which she had in their countries . this must go on , and be finished as it began . the kings , who yet remain under the empire of rome , must break with her , leave her solitary and desolate . but who must begin this last revolt ? 't is most probable that france shall . not spain , which as yet is plunged in superstition , and is as much under the tyranny of the clergy as ever . not the emperor , who in temporals is subject to the pope , and permits the archbishop of strigonium in his states , to teach that the pope can take away the imperial crown from him . it cannot be any country but france , which a long time ago hath begun to shake off the yoke of rome . 't is well known , how solemnly and openly war hath been declared against the pope , by declaration of the king ( ratified in all the parliaments ) by the decisions of the assembly of the french clergy , by a disputation against the authority of the pope , managed in the sorbon , solemnly , and by order of the court. and to heighten the affront , the theses were posted up , even upon the gates of his nuncio . nothing of this kind had h●●herto happened , at least in a time of peace , and unless the pope had given occasion by his infolencies . besides this , superstition and idolatry lose their credit much in france . — there is a secret party , though well enough known , which greatly despiseth the popular devotions , images , worship of saints , and is convinced that these are human inventions ; god is before-hand preparing for this great work . to this it may be objected , that for the last fifty years , the pope's empire hath not been made up of ten kings , because england , sweden , denmark , &c. have thrown off his government ; and consequently , france is not at this day the tenth part of the babylonian empire ; for 't is more than a tenth part of it . but this is no difficulty : for we must know , that things retain the names which they bore in their original ( without regarding the alterations which time does bring along ) . though at this day , there are not ten kingdoms under the babylonian empire , 't is notwithstanding certain , that each kingdom was called , and ought to be called in 〈◊〉 prophecy , the tenth part ; because the prophet having described this empire in its beginning , by its ten horns or ten kings , 't is necessary for our clear understanding , that every one of these ten kings , and kingdoms should be called one of the ten kings or of the ten kingdoms , with respect to the constitution of the antichristian empire . seeing the tenth part of the city that must fall , is france , this gives me some hopes , that the death of the two witnesses hath a particular relation to this kingdom . 't is the street or place of this city . i. e. the most fair and eminent part of it . the witnesses must remain dead upon this street , and upon it they must be raised again . and as the death of the witnesses and their resurrection have a relation to the kingdom of france , it may well fall out , that we may not be far distant from the time of the resurrection of the witnesses seeing the three years and a half of their death are either begun , or will begin shortly . and in the earthquake were slain seven thousand ; in the greek it is , seven thousand names of men , and not seven thousand men . i consess , that this seems somewhat mystericus : in other places we find not this phrase , names of men , put simply for men . perhaps there is here a figure of grammar called hypallage casus , so that names of men are put for men of name , i. e. of raised and considerable quality , be it on account of riches , or of dignity , or of learning . but i am more inclined to say , that here these words , names of men , must be taken in their natural signification , and do intimate , that the total reformation of france shall not be made without bloodshed , nothing shall be destroyed but names ; such as are the names of monks , of carmelites , of augustines , of dominicans , of iacobins , of franciscans , capuchins , iesuites , minimes , and an infinite company of others , whose number 't is not easy to define , and which the holy ghost denotes by the number seven , which is the number of perfection , to signify , the number of monks and nuns shall perish for ever . this is an institution so degenerated from its first original , that 't is become the arm of antichrist . these orders cannot perish one without another . these great events deserve to be distinguished from all others ; for they have changed , and shall change , the whole face of the world . introduction to nixon's cheshire prophecy , by the author of his life . this remarkable prophecy has been carefully revised , ●orrected , and improved ; also some account given of our author , robert nixon , who was but a kind of ideot , and used to be employed in following the plough . he lived in some farmers ' families , and was their drudge and jest . at last , thomas cholmondeley , of vale-royal , esq. took him into his house , and he lived there when he composed this prophecy , which he delivered with as much gravity and solemnity as if he had been an oracle ; and it was observed , that though the fool was a driveler , and could not speak common sense when he was uninspired , yet in delivering his propecies he spoke plainly and sensibly ; how truly will be seen in the following pages . as to the credit of this prophecy , i dare say it is as well attested as any of nostradamus's or merlin's , and come to pass as well as the best of squire bickerstaff's . it is pain enough that great men have in all ages had recourse to prophecy as well as the vulgar . i would not have all grave persons despise the inspirations of nixon . the late french king gave audience to an inspired farrier , and rewarded him with an hundred pistoles for his prophetical intelligence ; though by what i can learn , he did not come near our nixon for gifts . the simplicity , the circumstances , and history , of the cheshire prophecy , are so remarkable , that i hope the public will be as much delighted as i was myself . by the way , this is not a prophecy of to-day ; it is as old as the powder plot , and the story will make it appear that there is as little imp●sture in it as the jacobites pretend there is in the person it seems to have an eye to : but whether they are both impostures alike or not , i leave to the reader to determine . j. oldmixon . the prophecy . in the reign of king james the first , there lived a man , generally repu●ed a fool , whose name was nixon . one day , when he returned home from ploughing in the field , he laid the things down which he had in his hands , and continuing for some time in a seemingly deep and thoughtful meditation , at length he pronounced in a loud voice , now i will prophesy . and spoke as follows : when a raven shall build in a stone lion's mouth on the top of a church in cheshire , then a king of england shall be driven out of his kingdom , and never return more . when an eagle shall sit on the top of the house , then an heir shall be born to the cholmodeley's family ; and this heir shall live to see england invaded by foreigners , who shall proceed so far as a town in cheshire ; but a miller named peter , shall be born with two heels on one foot and at that time living in a mill of mr cholmondeley's , he shall be instrumental in delivering the nation . the person who then governs the nation will be in great trouble , and 〈◊〉 about : the invading king shall be killed , laid across a horse's back like a calf , and led in triumph . the miller having been instrumental in it , shall bring forth the person that then governs the kingdom , and be knighted for what he has done ; and after that england see happy days . a young new set of men shall come , who shall prosper , and make a flourishing church for two hundred years . as a token of the truth of all this , a wall of mr. cholmondeley's shall fall : if it fall downwards , the church shall be oppressed , and rise no more : but if upwards , next the rising hill on the side of it , then it shall flourish again . under this wall shall be found the bones of a british king. a pond shall run with blood three days , and the cross-stone pillar in the forest su●k so low into the ground , that a crow from the top of it shall drink of the best blood in england . a boy shall be born with three thumbs , and shall hold three king's horses , while england shall be three times won and lost in one day . the original may be seen in several families in cheshire , and in particular in the hands of mr. egerton of oulton , with many other remarkable circumstances : as that pecferton wind mill should be removed to ludditon hill , that horses saddled should run about 'till their girts rotted away . but this is sufficient to prove nixon as great a prophet as partridge , and we shall give other proofs of it before we have done . now as for authorities to prove this prophecy to be genuine , and how it has hitherto been accomplished , i might refer myself to the whole county of chester , where it is in every one's mouth , and has been for these forty years . as much as i have of the manuscript was sent me by a person of sense and veracity , and as little disposed to believe visions as any body . there is something so very odd in the story , and so pat in the wording of it , that i cannot help giving it as i found it . the family of the cholmondeley's is very ancient in this county , and takes its name from a place so called near nantwich . there are also cholmton and cholmondeston ; but the feat of that branch of the family , which kept our prophet nixon , is at vale royal , on the river weaver in delamere forest . it was formerly an abbey founded by edward i. and came to the cholmondeley's from the famous family of the holcro●ts . when nixon prophesied , this family was near being extinct , the heir having married sir walter st. john's daughter , a lady not esteemed very young , who , notwithstanding being with child , fell in labour , and continued so for some days . during which time an eagle fat upon the house-top , and flew away when she was delivered , which proved to be a son . a raven is also known to have built in a stone lion's mouth , in the steeple of the church of over , in the forest of delamere . not long before the abdication of king james , the wall spoken of fell down and fell upwards , and in removing the rubbish , were found the bones of a man of more than ordinary size . a pond at the same time ran with water that had a reddish tincture , and was never known to have done so before or since . headless cross , in the forest , which in the memory of man was several feet high , is now sunk within half a ●oot of the ground . in the parish of budworth , a boy was born with three thumbs ; he had also two heels on one foot ▪ — lady egerton , wishing well to another restoration , often instigated her husband to turn peter , the miller of negenshire mills , out of the mills ; but he locoked upon it as a whimsy , and so permitted peter still to ontinue there , in hopes of becoming as good a knight as sir philip his landlord was . of this peter i have been told that the lady narcliff , of chelsea , and the lady st. john of battersea have often been heard to talk , and that they both asserted the truth of our prophecy , and its accomplishment , with particulars that are more extraordinary than any i have yet mentioned . the noise of nixon's predictions reaching the ears of king james the first , he would needs ●ee this fool , who cried and made a●o that he might not go to court ; and the reason that he gave was , that he should be starved . ( a very whimsical fancy of his : courts are not places where people use to starve in , when they once come there , whatever they did before . ) the king being informed of nixon's refusing to come , said he would take particular care that he should not be starved , and ordered him to be brought up . nixon cried out , he was sent for again , and soon after the messenger arrived , who brought him up from cheshire . how or whether he prophesied to his majesty , no body can tell ; but he is not the first fool that has made a good court prophet . that nixon might be well provided for , 't was ordered that he should be kept in the kitchen , where he grew so troublesome in licking and picking the meat , that the cooks locked him up in a hole , and the king going on a sudden from ham●ton court to london , they forgot the fool in the hurry , and he was really starved to death . there are a great many passages of this fool-phrophet's life and sayings transmitted by tradition from father to son in this county palatine ; as , that when he lived with a farmer , before he was taken into mr. cholmondeley's family , he gored an ●x so cruelly , that one of the ploughmen threatened to beat him for abusing his master's beast . nixon said , my master's beast will not be his three days . a life in an estate dropping in that time , the lord of the manor took the same ox for an herriot . this account , as whimsical and romantic as it is , was told to the lady cowper , in the year , by dr. parric● , late bishop of ely , then chaplain to s●r walter st. john ; and that lady had the following farther particulars , relating to this prophecy , and the fulfilling of many parts of it , from mrs chute , fister of mrs. cholmondeley , of vale-royal who affirmed , that a multitude of people gathering together to see the eagle before mentioned , the bird was ●rightened from her young ▪ that she herself was one of them , and the cry among the people was , nixon's phrophecy is fulfil●ed , and we shall have a foreign king. she declared , that she read over the prophecy many times , when her sister was with child of the heir who now enjoys the estate . she particularly remembered membered that king james ii. was plainly pointed at , and that it was foretold he would endeavour to subvert the laws and religion of this kingdom , for which reason they would rise and turn him out ; that the eagle of which nixon prophesied perched in one of the windows at the time her sister was in labour . she said it was the biggest bird she ever saw ; that it was in a deep snow , and that it perched on the edge of a great bow-window , which had a large border on the outside , and she and many others opened the window , to try to scare it away , but it would not stir till mrs cholmondeley was delivered ; after which it took flight to a great tree over against the room her sister lay in , where having staid about three days , it flew away in the night . she affirmed further to the lady cowper , that the falling of the garden-wall was a thing not to be questioned , it being in so many people's memory ; that it was foretold that the heir of vale-royal should live to see england invaded by foreigners , and that he should fight bravely for his king and his country : that the miller mentioned is alive , and expects to be knighted , and is in the very mill that is foretold : that he should kill two invaders who would come in , the one from the west , and the other from the north : that he from the north should bring with him of all nations ; swedes , danes , germans , and dutch ; and that in the solds of his garments he should bring fire and famine , plague and murder : that many great battles should be fought in england , one upon london bridge , which would be so bloody , that people would ride in london streets up to their horses bellies in blood ; that several other battles should be sought up and down most parts in cheshire ; and that the last that ever would be fought in england should be on delamere fo●est : that the heir of oalton , whose name is e — n , and has married earl cholmondeley's si●ter , shall be hanged up at his own gate . lastly , he foretels great glory and prosperity to those who stand up in defence of their laws and liberties , and ruin and misery to those that should betray them . he says , the year before this would happen , bread-corn would be very dear , and that the year following more troubles should begin which would last three years ; that the first would be moderate , the second bloody , and the third intolerable ; that unless they were shortened no mortal could bear them ; and that there were no mischiefs but what poor england would feel at that time . but that george , the son of george , shall put an end to all . that afterwards the church should fl●uri●h , and england be the most glorious nation upon earth . the same lady cowper was not content to take these particulars from mrs. chute , but she inquired of sir thomas aston of the truth of this prophecy , and he attested it was in great reputation in cheshire , and that the facts were known by every one to have happened as nixon said they would , adding , that the morning before the garden-wall fell , his neighbour mr. cholmondeley going to ride out a hunting , said , nixon seldom fails , but now i think he will ; for he foretold that this day ●y garden wall would fall , and i think it looks as if it would stand these forty years ; that he had not been gone a quarter of an hour before the wall split , and fell upwards against the rising of the hill , which , as nixon would have it , was the presage of a flourishing church . as to the removal of pecserton mill , it was done by sir john crewe , the mill having lost its trade there , for which he ordered it to be set upon ludditon hill ; and being asked if he did it to fulfill the prophecy , he declared he never thought of it . i myself have inquired of a person who knows mr. cholmondeley's pond as well as rosamond's in st. james's park , and he assured me the falling of the wall , and the pond running blood as they call it , are facts which , in cheshire , any one would be reckoned mad for making the least question of . as there are several particulars in this prophecy which remain unfulfilled , so when they come to pass some other circumstances may be added , which are not convenient to be told now for private reasons , but will shortly appear . if i had a mind to look into the antiquities of this county , i might ●ind that prodigies and prophecies are no unusual things there . cambden tells us , that at brereton , not many miles from vale royal , which gave name to a famous , antient , numerous , and knightly family , there is a thing as strange as the perching eagle , or the falling of the wall , which he says was attested to him by many persons , and was commonly believed ; that before any heir of this family dies , there are s●en in a lake adjoining , the bodies of trees swimming upon the water for several days together . he likewise adds , that near the abbey of st. maurice , in burgundy , there is a fish-pond , in which a number of fishes are put equal to the number of monks of that place ; and if any one of them happens to be sick , there is a fish seen floating on the water : and in case the fit of sickness proves fatal to the monk , the fish foretells it by its own death some days before . this the learned cambden relates in his description of cheshire , and the opinion of the trees swimming in the lake near brereton prevails all about the country to this day , only with this difference , that some say 't is one log that swims , and some say many . j. oldmixon . strange and remarkable prophecies and predictions , of the holy , learned , and excellent james usher , late lord bishop of armagh , and lord primate of ireland : giving an account of his foretelling . i. the rebellion in ireland forty years before it came to pass . ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state. iii. the death of king charles the first . iv. his own poverty and want. v. the divisions in england in matters of religion . lastly , of great and terrible persecutions which shall fall upon the reformed churches by the papists , wherein the pope should be chiefly concerned . written by the person who heard it from this excellent man 's own mouth , and now published e●rnestly to persuade us to that repentance and reformation which can only prevent our ruin and destruction . and the lord said , shall i hide from abraham the thing which i do ? gen. xviii . . strange and remarkable predictions of that holy , learned , and excellent bishop james usher , late lord primate of ireland . the author of the life of this excellent and worthy primate and archbishop , gives an account that , among other extraordinary gifts and graces , which it pleased the almighty to bestow upon him , he was wonderfully endued with a spirit of prophecy , whereby he gave out several true predictions and prophecies of things a great while before they came to pass , whereof some we have seen fulfilled , and others remain y●t to be accomplished . and though he was one that abhorred enthusiastic notions , being too learn●d , rational , and knowing , to admit of such idle freaks and whimsies : yet he professed , that several times in his life he had many things , impressed upon his mind concerning future events , with so much warmness and importunity , that he was not able to keep them secret , but lay under an unavoidable necessity to make them known . from which spirit he foretold the irish rebellion forty years before it came to pass , with the very time when it should break forth , in a sermon preached in dublin in , where , from ezek. iv . , discoursing concerning the prophets bearing the iniquity of iudah forty days , the lord therein appointed a day for a year : he made this direct application in relation to the connivance at popery at that time. from this year ( says he ) will i reckon the sin of ireland , that those whom you now embrace , shall be your r●in , and you shall bear this ●niquity . which prediction proved exactly true , for from that time , to the year , was just forty years , in which it is notoriously known , that the rebellion and destruction of ireland happened , which was acted by those popish priests , and other papists , which were then connived at . and of this sermon the bishop reserved the notes , and put a note thereof in the margin of his bible ; and for twenty years before , he still lived in the expectation of the fulfilling thereof ; and the nearer the time was , the more confident he was that it was near accomplishment , though there was no visible appearance of any such thing ; and , ( says dr. bernard ) the year before the rebellion broke forth , the bishop taking his leave of me , being then going from ireland to england , he advised me to a serious preparation , for i should see heavy sorrows and miseries before i saw him again , which he delivered with as great confidence as if he had seen it with his eyes ; which seems to verify that of the prophet , amos iii. . surely the lord will do nothing , but he will reveal it to his servants , the prophets . from this spirit of prophecy , he foresaw the changes and miseries of england in church and state ; for having in one of his books , called de prim. eccl. brit. given a large account of the destruction of the church and state of the britons , by the saxons , about ● years after christ : he gives this among ●ther reasons , why he insisted so largely upon 〈◊〉 ; that he foresaw , that a like judgment was ●●et behind if timely repentance and reforma●●on did not prevent it ; and he would often ●ourn upon the foresight of this long before it ●ame . from this spirit he gave mournful intima●●ons of the death of our sovereign charles the 〈◊〉 , of whom he would be often speaking 〈◊〉 fear and trembling , even when the king 〈◊〉 the greatest success ; and would therefore 〈◊〉 pray , and gave all advice possible 〈◊〉 prevent any such thing . from this spirit he foresaw his own poverty in worldly things ; and this he would often speak 〈◊〉 with admiration to the hearers ; when he was in his greatest prosperity , which the event did most certainly verify . from this spirit he predicted the divisions and con●usions in england in matters of religion , and the sad consequences thereof ; some of which we have seen fulfilled ; and i pray god , the rest which he feared may not also be accomplished upon us . lastly , from this spirit he foretold , that the grea●●st stroke upon the reformed church●s was yet to come ; and that the time of the utter ruin of the see of rome should be whe● she thought herself most secure : and as to thi● last , i shall add a brief account 〈◊〉 the person 's own hand who was concerned therein which followeth in these words : the year before this learned and holy primate archbishop usher , died , i went to him , an● earnestly desired him , to give me in writing his apprehensions concerning justification , an sancti●ication by christ : because i had for merly heard ●im preach upon those point● wherein he seemed to make those great mysteries more intelligible to my mean capacity , tha● any thing which i had ever heard from 〈◊〉 other : but because i had but an imperfect 〈◊〉 confused remembrance of the particulars , took the boldness to importune him , that 〈◊〉 would please to give a brief account of them 〈◊〉 writing , whereby i might the better impri●● them in my memory ; of which he would 〈◊〉 have excused himself , by declaring his 〈◊〉 of not writing any more ; adding , that if he did write any thing it should not exceed above a sheet or two : but upon my continued importunity , i at last obtained his promise . he coming to town some time after , was pleased to give me a visit at my own house where i failed not to challenge the benefit of the promise he had made me : he replied , that he had not writ , and yet he could not charge himself with any breach of promise ; for ( said he ) i did begin to write , but when i came to write of sanctification , that is , of the new creature which god formeth by his spirit in every soul which he doth truly regenerate , i found so little of it wrought in myself , that i could speak of it only as parrots by rote , and without the knowledge and understanding of what i might have expressed , and therefore i durst not presume to proceed any further upon it . and when i seemed to sta●d amazed , to hear such an humble confession from so great and experienced a christian , he added , i must tell you , we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are ; it is no less than for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of god , and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt offering to christ ; and how little ( says he ) are many of those who profess christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls ? by this discourse , i conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that par● of sanctification which he was unwilling to write . i then presumed to enquire of him what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland , and ireland , of which this reverend primate had spoken with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement . i asked him whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come ? to which he answered , that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect i● as ever he had done , adding , that this sad per●ecution would fall upon all the protestan● churches of europe ; i replied , that i did hope it might have been past as to these nations of ours , since i thought that th●ugh we , who are the people thereof , have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars had made far less devastations than war commonly brings upon those countries where it pleaseth god in judgment to suffer it ; yet we must needs acknowledge , that many great houses had been burnt , ruined , and left without inhabitants , many great families impoverished and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloody war , and that ireland and scotland , as well as england , had drank very deep of the cup of god's anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man turning to me , and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and ireful look which he usually had when he spake god's word , and not his own , and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain● him to speak , which i could easily discern much to differ from the countenance wherewith he usually spake to me ; he said thus : fool not yourself with such hopes , for i tell you all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will , ere long , fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet was upon them ; and therefore ( said he to me ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshiper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life and power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers within the temple , and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him ; and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ; and this shall be one great diffe●●nce between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally 〈◊〉 most , and were most v●olently fallen upon , but in this last persecuti●● these shall be preserved by god as a seed to p●rtake of that glory which shall immediately fo●●ow and come upon the church , as soon as eve● this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the ●●arpest , so it shall be the short●st persecution 〈◊〉 them all , and sha●l only take away the gross ●●ypocrites and formal professors , but the 〈◊〉 spiritual believers shall be preserved till 〈◊〉 calamity be 〈◊〉 . i then asked him by what means or instruments this great trial was to be brought on ? ●e answered , by the papists ; i replied , that it 〈◊〉 to me very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenan●ed , and 〈◊〉 in these nations , and that the hea●●s o● the people were m●re set against 〈◊〉 than eve● 〈◊〉 the reformation . he 〈◊〉 again , that it would be by the hands of pa●is●s , in a time when they would be in gr●at power , and in the way of a sudden 〈◊〉 , and that the pope should be the chief instrument of it . all this he spake with so great assurance , and with the same serious and concerned 〈…〉 which i have before observed him to have , when i have heard him foretel some things which in all human appearance were very unlikely to come to pass , which yet i myself have lived to see happen according to his prediction , and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered . he then added , that the pa●ists were th● gentiles spoken of in the th of the revelations , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it under foot , they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators ; and this ( said he ) the papists are always designing among themselves , therefore be sure you be ready ▪ and not found wanting . this was the substance , and , i think , for the greatest part , the very same words which this holy man spake to me at the time before mentioned , not long before his death , and which i writ down , that so great and notable a prediction might not b●-lost and forgotten by myself nor others . this gracious man repeated the same things in substaace to his only daughter the lady tyr●il , and that with many tears , and much about the same time that he had expressed what is aforesaid to me , and which the lady tyrril assured me of with her own m●uth to this purpose : that opening the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lift up to heaven , and the tears running apace down his cheeks , and 〈…〉 continued for about half an hour , not taking the least notice of her , though she came into the room ; but at last turning to her , he told her , that his thoughts had been taken up about the miseries and persecutions that were coming upon the churches of christ , which would be so sharp and bitter , that the contemplation of them had fetched those tears from his eyes . the same things he also repeated to the lady bysse , wife to the then present lord chief baron of ireland , but with adding this circumstance , wo unto them that are found unprepared for it . ●o conclude in the words of dr. bernard , speaking of this excellent person , now howsoever i may be as far from heeding of prophe●cies this way as any , yet with me it is not improbable , that so great a prophet , so sanctified from his youth , so knowing and eminent throughout the universal church , might have at some special times more than ordinary motions and impulses in doing the watchman's part of giving warning of judgments approaching . from m` auliffe's prophecies . and in those days it shall come to pass , that the nations of europe will be moved to war , and that mighty men and princes will unite from all corners of the ea●th to maintain their power , and that they will gather from all quarters thousands and tens of thousands to fight their battles , and establish their dominions over multitudes and nations ; but their arms shall avail them nought : in their union they shall find destruction , and their mighty hosts shall be scattered like chaff before the wind ; pestilence and famine shall overtake those who escape from the sword , and few shall live to bring home the news of their mishap ▪ and defeats . the stars of nations shall then fall , and desolation shall reign among the great and proud of the earth ; for their ways are the ways of ungodliness , and their paths are those of injustice and oppression . in those days ( and they are at hand ) the mighty lord of truth shall avenge the injuries of his people , and his name shall be known throughout . the reign of his justice shall succeed that of his mercy , and long forbearance ; his mighty arm shall exalt the humble , and prostrate the proud . it shall also come to pass in those days , that the blood of africans shall be repaid , and slavery shall be no more ; the beams of truth all strike on the eyes of all nations , and evangelical love shall pervade all hearts , equa● rights shall be the foundation of continua● peace ; and the glory of all people shall be to know the lord of armies , and obey his eternal laws . it is to be lamented that the compiler could not collect the whole of this great man's predictions , but hopes to get them shortly , being promised them by a friend , who will interpret them faithfully from the old irish. the families of m` auliffes were formerly an ancient irish family in the county of cork , and possessed of large estates there ; some of which are now enjoyed by the respectable families of the name of st. leger , who purchased them ; this great prophet foretold the transferring of all the family property , and the total extinction of his name , which he said would be forgotten , and hardly remembered by the rising generations ; which has all turned out as ●e foretold . he also foretold a gentleman in his days , named anthony st. leger , that he would live to a great age , providing he would never pass over bennet's bridge in the county of kilkenny , and if he would , that there he most undoubtedly was to lose his life ; but as destiny in human circumstances is by some deemed unavoidable , it was most unfortunately verified in mr. s. who lost his life by a gun shot at bennet's bridge , by the following accident : — one of his carriage horses had dropped a shoe traveling through that country , from which accident mr. s. could not pursue his journey without getting a shoe on his beast , and being told there was a smith's forge at bennet's bridge , on his way , he drove to the fatal place ( where a forge remains to this day ) but there had not been any person at work in it ; the smith was found , and applied to , to put a shoe on the horse with all convenient dispatch ; who excused himself , saying he had no iron . the horse being lame , and not able to go on further without a shoe , necessitated mr. s. to get out of his carriage and im●ortune the smith to search diligently for iron sufficient for the purpose ▪ when after a long research it could not be obtained , without having recourse to an old rusty gun barrel , from which a shot had not been fired p●rhaps for half a century b●fore , and being in some useful position , was at length put into the furnace by the smith with reluctance , for the ●urpose of taking off sufficient to make an horse● shoe : little did mr. s. think of m` auliffe's prophecy , or eternity at hand , whilst he stood in the forge all the time . the rusty old gunbarrel , which had been load●d with powder and ball of a long time , no sooner had got the heat of the fire , than the contents went off , and unluckily killed mr. s. on the spot , which shews that mr. s. had either disbelieved or had forgotten the prophet's caution , which too often has been the case of many , who are ashamed of taking council in pe●ilous cases . least they may become thereby subjects for the ridicule of their more hardened acquaintances . the following other prophecy of m'auliffe's , has not yet come to pass , and is dev●utly hoped it never may . — when every running water in ireland shall turn a mill wheel , the● shall the protestants and romanists ( papists ) kill each other with great slaughter . but as his prophecies have been spoken and wrote in irish , it is left with the wise and sagacious to explain his words , which signify battles between the sasanoughs and irish. the irish word sasanough signifies an english protestant , and what is difficult to explain ; whether between the people of the romish persuasion , aginst the other dissenting sects in ireland , or nation against nation , is not easy to say . another of his prophecies is as follows : in seventeen hundred ninety and five , whoever will be at that period alive , will see plenty revisit this fortunate land , and ireland emerg'd from her slavish command ; ere the period arrives will a torrent of blood , discolour'd , be forc'd from it's primitive flood ; the verdure of spring will be shaded with red , and the fruits of the earth oppress'd with the dead . it should be seriously remarked , that the year has been pointed out particularly by different prophets , as a year of greater destruction and human slaughter than any year previous ; even mrs. shipton prophecied a century or two back , that e — 's ruin would begin in , and terminate in . the wicked in all nations and ages ridicule prophecies , never acknowledging the ordained will of an angry providence ; yet they are always more fearful than such as believe : and though it appears in holy writ , that revolutions happen from the foundation of the world , and will to the end of time ; yet the almighty always , and without exception , gives some people the gift of foretelling such changes in human affairs , and expressly declares he will not do any such things , but he will first impart to his servants the prophets . and as often as he threatens his creatures with any dreadful change , it is to convince them it proceeds from his wrath and indignation , originating from their intolerable wickedness , and changing his love into hatred , yet always and at all times promises to withhold the scourge or persecution , if the threatened nations of people will cry out for mercy , and call in fervency upon his holy name , to come to their a●●istance , and avert his dreadful wrath and vengeance from them , but they seldom or never do , though he quotes examples ( to every succeeding generation in vain ) viz. noah's flood , the cities of sodom and gomorrah , with many others , when the people laughed at predictions , and timely advice , as they do still . in the whole course of human affairs holy writ proves his threats and promises are all conditional , calculated to stimulate people to call always on him for mercy , and to execute his easy commands , particularly his doctrines in the new testament ; be their accursed hearts are hardened , and the shut the gates of their understanding again●● him , and in the blind career of their lives have insensibly bid defiance to him and his laws . that the text of scripture in the book of esdras may be fulfilled to their eternal condemnation , wherein the lord god desires esdras not mind who shall be damned , but seek after them who shall be saved , for hell was created for the multitude , and heaven for the few . let all who read this book strive to be of that few , and mind the rules mentioned therein , and also in the new testament , and if they do not , they will be outcasts in hell , and all their finery and ●rippery here , will be their open and everlasting shame there . if the bible was universally ●●ad , and fulfilled to the utmost of human power , the mighty god would not have so great cause against his creatures , or to warn them to turn to him ( the merciful and loving father ) by the voice of prophets and other warnings , than that blessed book . is he not constantly looking down from his holy mountain ( the variety of the glories and pleasures of which never yet entered the heart of mankind to conceive the least idea of , ) on the wicked universe with grief and sorrow , saying , o my people , my people , how often would i have gathered ye together , as a hen gathers her chickens , but ye would not . hear now , readers , you have a loving god , a weeping god , and a god who tells you in the bible his nature and his name is love , with out-stretched arms , open to receive ●very one that will turn unto him , but ye will not ; therefore , if you do not , when you die ( a●ter performing faithfully all the works of the devil , by greedily desiring and pursuing with your wicked hearts and inclinations , the alluring ways of this world , in which all your thoughts are enveloped ) expect the dreadful sentence from him , who will then , he says , appear to ye as a roaring lion , and say i know ye not ; go ye accursed into everlasting torments , prepared for the devil and his servants . let none be alarmed at the revolution in france , such revolutions must happen in all idolatrous nations ; they corroborate with the holy bible , a nation shall be converted in a day , that is , emerging from idolatry and idolatrous persecution , at destined periods , in the fulness of the time of the most high , and so on previous to the coming of the great judge , idolatrous monarchs must be all cut off . but if mighty men should plan and scheme for centuries to reduce things to their own human weak and wicked wishes , their labour is in vain , they are mocked by god , they cannot see into the great causes ; they are greedy for dominion and filthy lucre , they are cruel and unjust , and all their ways are an abomination before the face of the great one ; they are poor , blind , naked , miserable , foolish and wicked . give attention now ●ll who never go● the gift of repentance from above , read the new testament , and the most imaginary innocent among ye , will find yourselves fitted for hell's torments ; rouse to immediate repentance , call on the most high for mercy , cease from hell-born wickedness , such as gambling , night parties , revelling , balls , assembli●s , drums , hellish masquerades , drunkenness , glu●tony , dress , and pride , which christ says is of your father the devil ; cease from superfluous dress , be a quaker entirely in dress , and a very plain one , for your soul's sake , to obey christ , and fulfill the holy scriptures , cry aloud to the most high ( with the true baptismal tears of repentance ) which is the real water baptism of salvation , previous to the operation of the holy ghost , and externally described in the third chapter of st. john in the new testament . beware of hypocrisy , ostentation , and falsehood , banish these hydras from the inmost recesses of your hearts ; make room there for the holy ghost to dwell in , for with them hydras he cannot dwell , and without him do not trouble yourselves to look forward to salvation ; do not strive to please human creatures , or you cannot please god ; talk no more of fashions or of the circle of your acquaintances , such conversation is abominable to god ; boast no more of your acquaintances , lord such a one , or lady such a one , they are earth and dirt , titles are sacrilegeous and blasphemous , which is always the consequence of accursed wealth , for wealth is a curse from god , because it never was and never will be applied as god commanded it , therefore he declares it is harder for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle ; when a person gets wealth he gets pride , and contempt for all who do not possess the same curse , wealth , and in consequence of that wealth and pride , the devil instigates him to renounce his name , and take the ridiculous name of a river , a town , a hill , or a province , and tacks god's name and title to it . then he is exalted , and god positively declares and says , whoever exalts himself shall surely be abased , that is , cast into hell ; and thus does the devil sport with all wealthy people , and proud people , and dressy people . dress draws every curse from god down upon the soul ; the more dressy , the more vicious ; clothing was first invented to cover sin and shame , and ought therefore be as plain as possible , besides god strictly commands it should be so . now , hear the declaration of a fine shewy dressy person to god , viz. i will dress , powder , curl , and paint , to spite you , god , because you desire me not ; i will flirt , laugh , please and be pleased , praise and be praised , read plays , romances , and all other devilish books , because you say all those will corrupt me , and that i must account for every idle word i speak ; i will not read the bible , nor do therein , because you desire me , for every thing you command me i will not do , and every thing you forbid me i will do , god , because my father and mother brought me up this way , and they follow the same life themselves , for we all prefer the damnation of hell , to you and your old book filled with stories of love , terrors , heaven , hell , and all such tedious nonsense , to people of fashion going into perdition . the more wicked and abominable a person is before god , the more glaringly they wish to adorn the filthy carcase , iniquity invented new fashions , it originated in france ; every married woman there was despised if she was not a w — ; the bible was forbid to be read by order of ant●christ and his deputies , least the people should perceive their own damnation , and rebel against idolatry ; the contagion is in england , ireland , &c. ; the world is teeming with wickedness , the lord god is like a roaring lion , filled with wrath , fury , and revenge , he is thundering down his vengeance in a variety of ●hapes , previous to the general judgment , which is now the general dread of the people , teeming with iniquity , and filled with terrors without one single exception among the wicked . whenever the almighty intendsany great event he puts it more or less in the people's minds before the execution , to induce them to holiness ; for there is no other way to prevent his wrath . but instead , they continue to act as if they were never to die , and blinding each other with praise , flattery , hypocrisy , and deceit . suppose christ was this instant to come down and judge all people , shewing heaven's great expanse of innumerable pleasures on one side , and hell's yawning torments on the other , how would the proud and dressy appear ? would the not with their pride and fashionable dress in hell , where it originated ? are they the pious holy people , marked with the holy ghost to sa●vation , that could run to meet christ , whose face is of flaming fire ? or are they those pointed out in the bible , who are marked by the devil , to devote themselves to the pleasures and passions of this hell-grown world ? let them answer for themselves ; 〈◊〉 if they cannot , i can ; they are of the latter description , they are an ab●mination before the l●rd , and before his holy people on earth ; they have stipulated with the devil their pre●ious souls for fashionable dress & pride ; and as god says , cannot escape the damnation of hell. therefore , readers , do not ye be of this accursed number , but follow the advice given in this little pamphlet of very great value ; cast away instantly your fashionable dress , pride , ●rippery , and all accursed worldly show , and you will make the devil fly away from you , roaring with despair ; and god and the innumerable host of heaven will shout for joy , and the windows of heaven will be opened unto you . give atrention now , ye wealthy , ye great wicked ones , who are squandering thousands and tens of thousands yearly in superfluous excesses , which are the works of the son of perdition . squander your thousands on the purchase of millions of bibles , new testaments , hymn books , and psalm books , scatter them among the people like corn before the plow , by which all the human race will learn to know the lord , and do his blessed will ; propagate the gospel of christ in its original purity , until all the people shall know that the gospel sound alone is sure salvation , and not the abominable works of man's hands ; renounce idolatry ; sue for the property of the distressed , when wronged by the unjust ; distrib●te justice without favour or affection , and god will love you and keep you in safety . read the bible the ensuing long winter evenings , ye and your families ; expound it to each other every night , and if at leisure in the day time also . glorify god , let your conversation turn on every verse , on every chapter you read , of the wonderful works of the lord iesus christ and his apostles : then your conversation will be in heaven , and this is also the communion of saints , so little understood in this world . let that same jesus never leave your thoughts ; this is what the apostle means , where he says , pray without ceasing ; this incessant silent meditation on jesus , is certain salvation ; this is worshiping in spirit and in truth , because god is in christ , your souls then feed on him , and grow rich in grace , and grace is the gradual operation of the holy ghost , which brings you from glory to glory . let all men and women be exhorters to good , by their profound knowledge of the bible , which will abolish evil from the human race ; empty your purses to put all the indigent to industry , who have the inclination but not the means ; and after doing all these things , and ten thousand times more , do not take the least merit to yourselves ; it is not ye that do it , it is the holy ghost in ye ; therefore give all the merit to god , and all the glory ; and then know he has only done ye the honor of choosing ye to be useful machines to do his business ; and if ye are conscious in your hearts it is so , and that ye firmly believe that property which ye so distribute is his , and not your own , ( as all wealthy fools imagine ) then the wide expanse of heaven is open for your enjoyment as soon as your fervency of love for him desire it , with millions of millions of pleasures , with him on his holy mountain ; do all those things if you can , and if you can and do not , read your dreadful sentence in the new testament . give attention again , ye wealthy ; cast away all your ●rippery , your variegated head-dr●sses , and all other ornaments calculated to adorn your carcas●s for praise and admiration , which is certain c●●demnation to your souls ; play no cards or other gambling ; never enter them hellish seminaries of corruption called play-houses ; do not suffer a play book of any kind , romance or novel , inside your houses ; they are the keys that unlock the doors of hell ; propagate industry , the arts and sciences , travels , voyages , geography , the globes , the maps , &c. among the poor ; squander god's money in all such employments , but let holy writ be always uppermost in your thoughts , and the subjects of your conversations , when the others are not absolutely necessary ; become domesticks , and ●ay no more ridiculous fashionable vis●ts ; do not continue to make gods of your filthy carcases , with made dishes , iuscious meats and ●rinks , or other vicious extravagancies ; you must certainly give an account of every shilling you unnecessarily lay out on your persons and families , and if contrary to the observations made here and in the new testament , th●n the dreadful and intolerable sentence is 〈◊〉 for an endless eternity . a seasonable hint dear f●llow traveller thro' the wilderness of this world. you and i must soon appear before the judgment seat of christ , and as we may possibly never meet again in this ●if● , a 〈◊〉 hints concerning that most joyful or most awful event may not be unseasonable . the bible is the word of the living god ; for all scrip●ure is given by inspiration of god : holy men of god s●ake and worte as they were move● by the holy ghost the follwing hints taken from that divine book deserve your immediate and most serious consideration . the word of god assures us , that you and i are sinners , for god hath n●lu●ed all under sin , — there is none that doeth good and 〈◊〉 not , no not one , — we were even sh●p●n in iniquity , and in sin did our mother con●●ive us . another awful truth contained in scripture is , that the wages of sin , is hell — and that it is appointed unto all men once to a●e , and after death the iudgment ; that heart searching judgment , where not an action in your life , — not a word of your tongue , nor a thought of your heart , — will escape the notice of that jesus , who will be the judge of both the quick and the dead ; then the righteous and the wicked will recei●● according to the things done in the body , whether 〈◊〉 be good or evil . the righteous shall go away into everlasting life , — but the wicked will be ●ast down to hell , to be tormented with devils and damned spirits for ever and ever . oh , how dreadful will that be to you and m● if thro' our sins we should come into that ●lace of torment ! i would further ●int to you that the blessed god hath manifested his grace and love and hath shewn his tender pity and compassion in giving his dear son , the lord jesus christ to be a redeemer , and saviour of poor lost sinners ; that jesus is both god and man in one divine person , that he might be able to save the very worst of sinners who come unto god thro' him . his blood was shed on the cro●s for your redemption , from sin , death , and hell , — his spotless righteousness was wrought out for your eternal justification , if you indeed , and in truth believe in him . he obeyed the law of god in your room and 〈◊〉 ; and be died , that you might not die eternally ; and is that glorious sun of righteousness that will arise and shine upon his people for ever and ever . in order to your saving knowledge of jesus christ , your having ●aith in him , and a living union with him , a very great change must pass in your heart and li●e . this change is the peculiar work o● the holy ghost , and is called in scripture , re●eneration , or the new birth . except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom of god. you know , that this divine change manifests itself by a heart deeply humbled under a sense of sin ; and an earnest desire after salvation . it further shews itself by a discovery of jesus christ , as a suitable , compassionate , and all ●ufficient saviour , and by a holy life and conversation . to them that believe christ is percious . — he is the chief among ten thousand , and altogether lovely . — oh is he ●o to you and me ! ●xamine your heart daily on this weighty question — do you know jesus christ ? do you love him ? are you devoted to him , and do you put all your trust in him ? if you do , you are happy . — if not , your condition is most miserable . l●t me beseech you by the mercies of god , by the love of jesus , and by the worth of your precio●s soul , that you earnestly pray , o! my heavenly father , forgive my sins , and ●eveal thy dear son in me ; blessed jesus ! let me be redeemed by thy blood , and clothed with thy righteousness . — oh! holy and blessed spirit , ●anctify my heart , be in me a spirit of frequent and fervent prayer . give me faith in jesus christ — teach me to love him , and give me grace to grow like him — and make me what thou wouldst have me to be . guide me by thy counsel and fit me for thy glory . let me beg of you , ( my dear ) to give up your heart to these things , that we may meet in heaven , and be for ever with the lord . i conclude with intreating you most affectionately to consider these things directly . life is uncertain — death — judgment , — heaven and hell , are at hand , and are awful things — devote your time to seek an interest in jesus christ as your saviour and redeemfr — ask and you shall re●●ive , seek and you shall find , kno●k and it shall be opened unto you . that the lord may bless these hints to your soul , is the earnest prayer of your hearty well-wisher , for jesus ' sake . christianus . the quaker's advice . as i have often , in passing along the streets and highways , heard the most sacred name very profane●y made use of , both by men and women , and many grievously calling for damnation on themselves and one on another , my heart has been , and is , deeply afflicted t●ereat : and therefore i beseech you , in the name of jesus christ , do not defile your souls which are dear and precious , by any wilful sin : and amongst other things , do not ta●e the holy name of god in vain , for the lord will not hold him or her guiltless that taketh his holy name in vain . god is willing to save you ; why should any of you lose and destroy yourselves ? observe this attentively ; for notwithstanding all that the lord has done , and is d●ing for us , such as die in their sins , where he is gone , they can never come . abstain from drunkenness , and all excess , and from every appearance of evil , love one another , as jesus christ hath loved you ; apply yourselves to the witness of god within you , which reproves you for evil ; submit to , and obey its holy manifestations and discoveries and it will do much more for you than a●● you can hear from any man. this witness of god is the word of his grace , even the word of life , the holy ghost , which is able to save your souls . in the love of the gospel , i invite you all to come and taste how good and merciful the lord is towards all those that return to him with their whole hearts . if you are such a one , who can , through an ill habit and bad custom , curse , swear , and do any other bad action , almost without reproof or feeling ; though your case be so desperate , there is yet mercy with god that he may be feared : and i advise you to endeavour to be still a few minutes in the morning , when you awake , before you rise up , and then think seriously with yourself thus : i have not given my being to myself : i am accountable to the author and creator of it ; and this day he ( the lord of all ) will take notice of all my actions ; this day he will hear all my words ; this day he will know all my thoughts ; and at a certain time ( yet unknown to me when ) my soul must give him a full account . i am not without some degree of hope , that such serious reflections may be conducive to raise desires like these : oh! that i may be watchful . oh! that i may sin no more as long as i live : for we must cease to do evil before we can learn to do well . therefore silence before the lord , and attention to his reproofs of instruction in your own heart , which are the way to life , are the first steps to come to christ , and to be made a real christian. self enquiries for every morning . . was god in my thoughts at lying down and ●ising up ? and were the thoughts of him sweet and refreshing to my soul ? . in what frame is my heart this morning ? do i admire the goodness of god in the last night's sleep , and for adding more time to my life ? and am i heartily thankful ? . can i r●ally commit myself and all my affairs to god this day , to be guided by his counsel , and protected and provided for , by his care , and to be entirely at his disposal ? . am i resolved to speak for god and his glory ? and in the strength of christ , will i n●ither be afraid , ashamed , nor weary of well-doing ? . am i a child of god and an heir of glory ? and does the spirit of god testify that i am born again . if i am god's child , should i not wear the garments of righteousness , and take heed of defiling myself with sin ? should i n●t do more than others ? . who is the greatest deceiver ? if my heart should i not be jealous . and watchful over it : where are the greatest dangers , and m●st p●rnicious mistakes ? if in so●l concerns , should i not venture the loss of all things rather than lose my precious , never-dying soul ? who are my most implacable , powerful and soul-destroying enemies , but the world , the flesh and the devil ? and should i no● w●●ch and be sober ; so as neither to idoli●e the 〈◊〉 ▪ pamper the second , nor listen to the third ? who is or can be my best friend ▪ but god ? and should i not fear his displeasure more than death , desire his favour more than life , and thro' all this day love , honour , and obey him . . where is the greatest vanity and vexation , but in the world ? and should i not live above it ? 〈◊〉 not godliness the greatest gain ? and should i not make it my chiefest business . . what is my heavenly work ▪ but to strive , r●● , w●estle , fight ? and can ● do all this withou● care , dilige●ce and watchfulness ? . whose eyes will be upon me all this day , to observe my head and heart , my lip , and life , but his who is the judge of all the earth ? and dare i sin in his presence , and affront him to his face ? . if i should spend this day in vanity , idleness , or sin , will it not be sorrow●ul at night ? if i spend it holily and p●ofitably , shall i not pray with greater confidence , lie down more peacefully , and have 〈◊〉 ●estimony of a good conscience for my rejoicing . how would i have this day appear at the day of judgment ? ought not my though●s , words and actions to be such now , as i 〈◊〉 then wish them to have been ? . how may i this day order my secular business with most prudence and wisdom , integrity and upligh●ness and for my real advantage ? . am i now fit to draw nigh to god in pray●● , and can i seek first . and as my chief concern , the kingdom of god and his righteousness ? . am i now willing to take christ alone for righteousness ? and to devote all my time and 〈◊〉 to him ? and to offer him praise continually ? self enquiries for every evening . . what have i done this day for god and his glory ? what can i look back upon with comfo●● ? . in what frame hath my heart been all this day ? have i more desired heavenly or earthly things ? hath my jo●s been more in god and in the hopes of ●uture glory , than in worldly riches , honours or pleasures ▪ was my g●●ef more for sin or for the troubles of li●e ? have i more derived comfort from the broken cis●erns of created good , or from god the living fountain ? . what were m● intentions ? have i been sincere , and maintained a conscience void of off●●c● towards god and towards man ? did i eat and drink , pray , and converse to the glory of ged , or was self ●ppermost in all ? . what spiritual duties have i performed this day ? did i regard the manner as well as the ma●●er , and do them from conscience not from custom ? did i pray servently , and ●ead and m●ditate so as to affect my heart ? . how faithful diligent ▪ and care●ul , have i been in my place and calling ? and have there been no idle hours in the day ? . what has been my company this day ? what good have i done them or received from them ? did ● reprove , exhort and strengthen ▪ encourage , comfort and w●rn , as the matter required ? . how have i bo●●e the crosses and troubles of the day ? did i neither despise them , nor saint under them ; neither entert●in hard thoughts of god , nor utter rash words against him ? . what were my temptations this day ? was i easi●y d●awn into sin , or restrained and overawed by god's all-seeing eye , merciful heart , or a●enging hand ? what convict●on , merey , or warning did i sin against ? and have i repented of my sin ? . what were my enjoyments , and how was my hear●●ffected under them ? was i affected with the goodness of god to me in my health , ●riends and estate , and unfeignedly thankful for them ? . what have i learned this day ? have i got more heart-affecting knowledge of god and of his glory ; and of myself and of my sins ? of this word and that which is to come ? . what have i remembered of the word of god , whether read or heard ? was any 〈◊〉 sweet 〈◊〉 my soul , and did i by ●aith make any promise my ow● did any particular precept 〈…〉 ? . what graces have i 〈…〉 ? have i lived by ●ai●h . loved god , and 〈…〉 for chr●st : have i had 〈◊〉 to god the 〈◊〉 , as my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ; to 〈…〉 saviour , 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ; and to the holy 〈◊〉 as my 〈◊〉 strength and com●o●●er ? have i been suitably affected with the 〈◊〉 or miseries of others , whether 〈…〉 have i had a compassionate heart , and 〈◊〉 hand to any in want ? have i especially done good to them who a●e of the 〈…〉 . however 〈…〉 ? . did the c●●●ch of god 〈…〉 of christ ●e near my heart ? have i 〈…〉 the welfare of christs chu●ch , and 〈◊〉 its desolations , and 〈◊〉 heav●n abo●e my 〈◊〉 joy. . have i really set death before me , and 〈◊〉 my life as a vapour ? if god should this ●ight clo●e my eyes in death , how is it like to be with my soul ? . lo●●nceivably great , glorious and terrible as the day of judgment will be , dare i meet christ at his coming ? will my graces bear the t●ial of that day ? can i now with joy say , even so , come 〈◊〉 iesus ? lady jane grey's letter to her sister , the evening before she was beheaded in the towe● of london . translated from the original gre●k . i have sent you , my dear fi●●er catharine , a book , which , though ●t be not exte●nal●y 〈◊〉 with gold , or curious embroidery of nee●l● work , ● internally of more value than a● the precious mines in the wide world , my only dear and best beloved 〈◊〉 , it is the book of the law of our great and dear redeemer ; his testimony and last 〈◊〉 ▪ bequeathed to lead us to e●ernal happiness . read it with attention and an earnest de●ire to follow its precepts , and it wi●●urely bring you to immo●tal and everlasting life , teach you to live ●nd die , win you to god. e●dow you with happiness and glory . labour to live acco●ding to the rules it contains , and you shall inherit su●h riches , as the covetous cannot wi●hd●●w , the thie● steal , nor the moth corrupt . my dear sister , ask wisdom from above , and de●ire with david to understand the law of the lord our god , 〈◊〉 on the 〈◊〉 of thy heart by divi●e love , live still to die , that through death you may obtain eternal life . let not your youth blind you from knowing that at all hours , times , and seasons , are alike to the most high god , when he 〈…〉 are they 〈◊〉 ●amps are 〈◊〉 when he comes ; the lord is equall● glorified in the young as in the old ; my dear good si●ter , 〈◊〉 to die , deny the ●en 〈◊〉 of the wo●●d , the 〈◊〉 , and the d●vil , and delight 〈…〉 in the lo●d . jesus christ ; be sorry for yo●r sins ; love god , do●●e●lpair , be strong in faith in christ , live and die him the dear redeemer , and with st. paul , wh● fi●led with the fulness of divine love , you will 〈◊〉 to be d●ssolved , to be with christ , wi●h whom 〈◊〉 love and life eternal ; be the good servant , that wh●●eath steals on , like a thief in the n●gh● , you b● not found in da●k●ess , with the children of th● world , who know not god , and be not witho●● oil in your lamp , like the foolish virgins , least yo● be re●used ad●it●ance to the marriage ●upper of th● lamb ; or w●thou● the w●dding ga●ment , least 〈◊〉 be cast into outer da●kness ; rejoice in the redeemer , follow our great master christ , ●heerfully bear your cross or crosses , lay a●l your sins on hi● shoul●ers , and embrace him always . rejoice with me , at my death , my dearest sister . that i shall be delivered from this body of corruption , and clothed with the garment of incorruption ; for by 〈◊〉 this mortal life , i shall obtain one immor●al , joyful , glorious , and eve●lasting , which i pray the almighty god to give you when he shall please to call you hence , and send you all sufficient grace . ●o live in his love and fear , and die in true christian ●aith , in christ jesus , who redeemed us , and all who love him , and long for his coming ; a●d i now exhort you , in the name of our almighty father , neve● to swerve either from the hope of life or ●ear of death : for if you deny his truth to prolong a we●ry and corrupt being , omniporence himself will 〈◊〉 you , and cu● sho●● by his vengeance , what 〈◊〉 were desirous of prolonging , by the loss of your precious soul. cleave to him ▪ and he will ex●end : your days to a 〈◊〉 circumsribed to his own glory ; to which i 〈◊〉 god bring me now , a●d you hereaf●er , when it shall please him to call you farewell . once more , my beloved 〈◊〉 , put your whole ●ru●t in the great 〈◊〉 who alone ca● help you — amen your loving sister , j●ne dudley . she was a lady of the m●st amiable person , most engaging disposition , and 〈◊〉 ●●c●mpl●shed parts . she 〈…〉 greatest 〈◊〉 in acq●●●ing every part of poli●e li●e●●●ure ▪ had a 〈◊〉 knowledge of the ro●●a● and greek languages , 〈◊〉 modern tongues , and the elega●● arts ▪ the best of wives to the most aff●cti●nate husband , she re●u●ed being placed on the ●hrone , till 〈◊〉 by her father , father-in-law and h●sb●●d : when she had been warned to prepare for death , which she had long expected , she received the dreadful news with jo● , the queen 's bigo●●ed zeal ( under colour of tender mercy to the prisoner's soul ) induced her to send priests , who tormented her wi●h perpetual disputations , and ● 〈◊〉 was granted her on conditions that she would embrace the ●do●atrous wo●ship of the church of rome : 〈◊〉 she he●d death and christ in greater esteem . lady jane had presence of mind ( in them 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 circumstances , to d●fend her religion with a christian for●itude , supported from holy writ ▪ and also wrote a letter to her sister in the ●reek ●angua●e , exhorting her to maintain , in every reve●se of fortune , the like steady ●erse●erance ▪ on the da● of her execution . she re●used to see her ●●sband lord guil●ord , but sent him word ▪ that the ●e●derness of their ●arting , might probab●● 〈…〉 ▪ 〈…〉 from that co●●●ancy which their approaching end ●●qu●red of them . their separation would be only fo● a m●m●nt , and would soon r●join each other in 〈◊〉 , where their affections would be 〈…〉 ; and where death , disappointments , and 〈◊〉 co●ld no lo●ger have access to them , 〈◊〉 break on their happin●●s . extracts relative to the church of rome . ( by lady wallace . ) to be able to judge of the discontent which is now general in all roman catholic countries , as well to draw natural conclu●ions from those com●●●tions which seem to be inevitable , from the a●arice of the c●ergy , you must go back to the infancy of christianity , and make you●self acquainted with the increase , abuse , and decrease of the power of the church of rome , which now , even it s once most supe●stitious adherents begin to revolt against , from the avarice and depravity of the clergy . begin from a d. , when we find the marty●●dom of pe●er and paul upon record : and the appointment of st. lin , to be bishop of rome ; happy for ch●istianity , the cruel 〈◊〉 which cru●hed and ha●assed the ens●●ved people , rendered them greedy to adopt a doctrine which promised comfo●t to their sufferings , eternal rest and blessings herea●●e● , in proportion to their oppression and sufferings in this world . in the three fi●st ages of the church . the bishop of rome ▪ in common wi●h the other ●ishops ▪ preached the ●●ctrine of christianity in all tha● purity which ou● s●viour commanded to all his disciples , vested all with equal powers : piety , moderation , and priva●●on ma●ked their lives , and there never was me●tion m●de of any superior power being invested in the bishop of rome , till the days of constantine the 〈…〉 new mode●●ed the empire , and gave the 〈…〉 power of regulating all religious disputes 〈◊〉 church rites and re●orms ; but always re●erving to the emperor the power of au●horizing . or a●●ulling , the decisions of the bishop this power , ●he e●npero●s continued to exercise , without any bishop having ever hinted , that by divine authority he poss●ss●d any superiority over the other bishops , or over the government of his own country , far less in that of his ●eighbours . at the period when civil discord and foreign wars so convul●ed and dis●embered the empire , that no 〈◊〉 could take upon him the government of the 〈◊〉 , the emperor invested the bishops as his agents ; and they assumed af●erwards this power as their right , in the fourth century , and no emperor afterwards was powerful enough to re-assume his rights . upon the popes becoming ve●ted with the civil government , their luxury and v●ces became scandalous . they were followed by ●l●ves and mistress●s in the streets in the greatest pomp , and from their riches and power they were able to usu●p that superiority over the other bishops which they some time a●●er a●●empted to m●ke their credulous adherents believe they had been impowered by christ to assume . the high 〈◊〉 and affluence bestowed by constantine upon the s●e of rome , made all the 〈◊〉 bishops anxiou● to succeed to it , and ●●storia●s tell us , that the sa●e co●●up●ion and in●rigue were u●●d in those days as there is now to make a pope . in . the emperor gratian formed a spiritual court , which confisted of the bishop of rome , and seven ●●her bishops ; to judge finally of all church 〈◊〉 ; and he 〈◊〉 that all his subjects should ●ddp● the belief of the trinity , and become of the christian church , whi●● proved that he ( who was bec●me a christian ) was head of the church and supreme in power ▪ and this was frequently shewn by the emp●rors making the monks serve as soldiers , and the bishops of rome as ambassadors : one of the popes , sylverius , was starved to death when on an embassy . ●till the eighth century , we 〈◊〉 the popes power no greater than that o● our archbi●hops ; after that 〈◊〉 , the imbeci●●●y , superstition , and often the poverty and difficulties of the emperors , tempted them to give the popes sovereign power over provinces , titles , a●d homage , to gain 〈◊〉 , or pardon of their 〈◊〉 . so soon as 〈…〉 were declared head of the. church , they 〈…〉 those pagans who had turned 〈◊〉 christianity to 〈◊〉 same ideas to them that they had to their 〈◊〉 druids , that the per●on who was exc●mmunicated by them , was degraded , and deprived of the common 〈◊〉 of the people ; and thu● 〈◊〉 began first to 〈◊〉 damnation on nations and king ; who devia●ed from 〈◊〉 politics . in this same century , pep●● , in 〈◊〉 , finding his sovereign , childeric , a weak p●ince , ●o 〈◊〉 the ambitious scheme of 〈◊〉 him , and 〈◊〉 his throne , which pope z●cheria encouraged him 〈◊〉 do ; knowing that if pepin succeeded , he could not do without the influence of the church , over the minds of the people , as well as the riches of its treasury : for which pepin promised to aid him with his arms , and every art to establish his power ; and after pepin by these means had completed his 〈◊〉 , the ; pope was attacked by allulph , a lomb●rd prince . when pepin hastened to his succour , and forced 〈…〉 totally to give●up to the pope the 〈◊〉 of rome . in the time of pope adrian , who succeeded zacheria , charlemagne , who succeeded pepin , again rep●l●ed the lombard princes , who wi●hed to reduce the ●avished power of the papal splendor . char●emagne ●ound the pope a ve●y powerful friend : from the bigotry , the natural produce of ignorance , which reigned in those day● , the princes and people impover●shed themselves to make presents to the pope , whom they believed to be endowed with su●ernatural powers , from the miracles and 〈◊〉 they daily 〈◊〉 by their know●edge in 〈◊〉 and chemistry , which knowledge was 〈◊〉 confined to the priesthood . thus by reading history , you will 〈◊〉 by what almost imperceptible degrees the church of rome emerged from all the simplicity and 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 doct●ines of christ , to e●joy that splendour and corruption which have 〈…〉 many ages distinguished it . surely the leading 〈◊〉 to become a traitor and a 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 ●o the doc●rines of our saviour . one of the pope● causes of the great success of the 〈◊〉 was , that 〈◊〉 were elected ; they were 〈◊〉 always men of ●ho●en abilities , and a●ts , 〈◊〉 to the study of enr●ching and agrandizing the 〈◊〉 : if any pope turned out a man of a different cast , the cardinals lost no time to murder or depo●e him ; whereas the princes who succeeded their 〈◊〉 were either fools or wise men , as the chance of fortune directed . the popes , under pretence of managing the 〈◊〉 of the church and the con●ciences of kings , were a●ways fending men to undermine the polities of every cabinet ; either by encouraging the weaknesses of the leading men , or by denouncing thunders which 〈◊〉 the weak minde● and 〈◊〉 ; and thus with the aid of all powerful gold 〈…〉 i●fluence . there●ore , it is 〈◊〉 to be wondered at , that they should so long have kept all europe in a state of blood , barbari●m and bigotry , which 〈◊〉 would have been i●s wretched 〈◊〉 , had not england , swi●zerland , and many of the german principalities , by the will of providence , re●o●med ▪ an● 〈◊〉 from the u●j●st vsurpa●ion of the church of rome . re●igion 〈◊〉 that period has ce●sed to be the 〈…〉 of state intrigues in those rival nations which gave laws to the world . should a general reform of that church now h●ppen , which is very probab●e , the minds of its ad●e●ents seem ripe for revolt , from their groaning severely under the tyranny of a corrupt avar●cious clergy ; and we may expect to see all europe enjoy pe●manent peace ●ut the restless spirit of domination in the romish clergy will leave no attempt u●●ried to secu●e their power ; and it is only by a conflict which must produce va●ied 〈◊〉 of blo●d , that they will submit to restore their usurped spoils : we find that already many of them have kept the chair by ass●ssinations , cruelty and treachery . sergiu● the third made one of his numerous bas●ards , pope , under the name of john the eleventh . john the twel●th was also a bastard of pope agape●us ; for in those days , 〈◊〉 those heroes willingly made the sacrifice to god of that generally troublesome appendage to a libe●●ine — a wife , yet the● could not dispense with a variety of mistresses . gregory the se●ond profited the most by his amours ; for the empr●ss matilda , and the daughter of the duke of tuscany left him large legacies . pascal the second stirred up and supported henry the fifth to act so bad a part by his father ; for it was those scan●●lous ●epresentatives of divine virtue which armed ●ons against their fathers , and made them be●●me ra●●ors to their oath and allegiance . alexander the 〈◊〉 is reco●ded as a wonder of brutal crimes-clement the seventh had the mortification to see 〈…〉 his cha●● , and could work no miracle to prevent his being dr●ven out of rome . he also 〈◊〉 the emperor 〈◊〉 cry loudly against the pow●r and u●urpation of the 〈◊〉 , which awed him so ●uch that he lost england , as he dared not give 〈◊〉 to hen●y the eighth to divor●e catharine of a●●agon , becau●e she was the aunt of charles whom he was afraid more to irritate . henry , enraged against every thing which stood in opposition to his wishes , bu●ned the pope in ●ffigy in lon●on , and ordered every ore to change their ●eligion with as little remoise as he changed his wife : thus an 〈◊〉 people are for e●er persecuted by despotic ●ools . paul the third was famous for being the most luxurious and licen●ious man of his time ; he made his ba●●ards cardinals whe● boys . at this period the ●lergy made a violent effort to re-establish their power in englan● ; and mary with that cru●l , revengeful spirit , which seems to have been the most powerful engine of the church , by burning and ex●irpating all those who dared oppose her , did all she could to bring england again under the yoke of pop●●y : but such a co●●uct was not calculated to make pro●elytes of the minds of men , enlightened by the mild i●fluence of truth , and it soon pleased god to purge the ear●h of such a monster . but it was 〈◊〉 to paul the fourth to see the mortal blow given to the power of the s●e of rome , in the glorious reign of elizabeth , whose want of ●oleration , which stained her name with a sister's death , arose from a conviction that tolerating such opposite doct●ines in the chur●● , must inevitably , sooner or later , involve the 〈◊〉 in civil disco●d . six●us the 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 , at england's having not only thrown off the 〈◊〉 of rome but her sudden rise to grand ●r and 〈◊〉 , that he promised philip the second to secure to him the 〈◊〉 of britain , prov●ded he would do h●m●ge to him , but all his hol● 〈◊〉 and masses would not save the invin●●b●e armada . in latter times , the popes have 〈◊〉 a ver● 〈◊〉 conduct in com●arison to 〈◊〉 former . their intrigues are now chie●ly 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 money on the superstitious , and in that debau●her● which so eminently distinguishes the clerg● in the roman catholic count●ies , where the harrassed people revo●● at seeing the divine representatives of christ such avaricious 〈◊〉 ; and poor , miserable and di●contented they only wait an opportunity to throw off the yoke , and worship god in purity and sincerity no p●i●ce is now so ignorant as to tremble at the thunders of the vatican : yet the pope c●●tinues to impoveri●h the neigh●ouring ki●gdoms , b● selling every year his bulls nec●ss●ry for all ranks of the priesthood , to their being in orders ; it would appear very wonderful that sovereig●s should continue to submit to what so evidentl● impoverishes their people , did not that love of despotism . which is imbi●ed with the name of king , render them unwilling to destroy its chief source . on a view of the many vicious characters who have filled the chair , one shudders to think in this enlightened age , that any part of mankind shou●d attribute to such sinners the virtues of christ , and lo●k on men polluted with every crime , as ves●ed with a supernatural power . at fi●st , by degree● , by treac●ery and us●rpation on the part of the 〈◊〉 of rome , by interested motives on the part of the emperor , and b● big●try in the people , they a●●ved a● that wealth , splendor and power . wh●ch th●y make their 〈◊〉 followers falsely believe th●● have derived ●●om heaven : but now the mi●ds of men are ope●ing to the treacherous delusions which have so long duped them . and reformation o● an absolu●● revolution , will most likely soon be ●ffected in all 〈◊〉 governments . an answer to doctor priestly , and all other deis●ical unitarians , who deny christ's divinity ; by a christian unitarian , who believes in christ's divinity . this is a subject of the greatest importance to mankind , par●i●ularly as their eternal happiness depends on the knowledge of this great divine m●ster● , which the pe●ple who imagine they are christians ▪ concei●edly 〈◊〉 themselves they have a perfect knowledge of ; and some independent people will spurn with contempt at the impudence of any spiritual , enlightened person , who will dare intrude so trifling a subj●ct on their idle fashionable hours : yet a great many who read this will acknowledge that not one in a million know any thing of the matter , not know how to-call-on the deity , or what deity to-call-on . mankind may be informed in the new testament , that in the last days , ( which is shortly before the general judgmen● ) fa●se prophe●s shall appear and deny the lord j●sus christ , who bought them with his blood , and will almost deceive the very el●ct . the word elect means such as are filled with the holy ghost . in the book of isaiah the propher , in the old testament , god speaks frequently of his intention of essuming flesh and becoming man , and even speaks to the humanity , and the humanity to his divinity ; which confound the unconverted , not knowing how to separate the divinity from the humanity . the followi●g remarks and explanations will prove there 〈◊〉 but one god ▪ or one being to be worshipped , which is the invisible god in the visible christ , and the holy ghost in god this is well known to the elect only and is also called grace , which word grace 〈◊〉 understood by the unconverted externally only , not internally . whosoever worships christ , includes the god-head . in isaiah , cha● . , and ver . , god calls himself the holy one of israel , verse , he never delighted in offerings . verse . incense an a●omination , verse , though your sins be red as scarlet they shall be made white as snow , verse , lord of hosts . mighty one of israel . chap. . verse , shews how the virgin mary was to conceive and bear a son , whole name should be ●manuel ( which is god ) . chap . verse , , the lord of hosts himself shall be your fear a●d dread , he shall be for a sanctuary ( a holy place to resort to ) , but to some people a stumbling none , a rock of offence , and a sna●e , ●such as despise information to holiness and christ. the same words are mentioned of christ in the new testament . chap. , verse , shews the birth of christ , that his name shall be wonderful , counsellor , the migh●y god , the everlasting father , the p●ince of peace there shall be no end to his government , it shall hold for ever this chapter and verse is sufficient to prove christ god. chap , and five first verses , shew the birth of christ , that is in his human nature , saying , there shall appear ▪ a rod , or branch of the root of j●sse [ j●ss●-was david's father . ] and the 〈◊〉 of the lord shall rest-upon him , he shall be filled with wisdom , understanding , counsel , might , knowledge , righteousness . ver. . the lord shall set his hand the second time [ christ ] to recover the remnant 〈◊〉 p●ople . chap , his people will praise him , and say , behold god is my salvation , the lord jehovah 〈◊〉 my strength , &c. chap , verse , , lord god of israel , man's maker , and holy one of is●ael . verse , the god of s●lvation ▪ and the rock . chap , ●erse . . the voice of john the bap●ist in the wilderne●s [ ●his worl● ] p●epa●e the way of the lord in the 〈…〉 make a straight way for our god [ christ ] . ver. 〈◊〉 all s●●sh shall see it , which was god's sanctua●y , christ. v . b●● old your god. verse , behold the lord god will come , with a strong hand he shall rule , his reward is with him , his work [ on earth ] is 〈◊〉 him . verse , he shall 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 like a ●hepherd , gather his lambs , carry them in his bosom , a●d gently lead those that are wi●h young , &c. chap. , verle , iam the first and the last . verse ▪ ▪ he i● lord god , the redeemer and holy 〈…〉 . chap. , first five verses , god speaks of assu●ing fle●h , and then says he h●s cr●at●d heaven and ea●th , and all thing● , and gave breath to the peop●e . chap ▪ verse ▪ i am the lord god , the holy o●e of is●ael , , the 〈◊〉 . ver. 〈◊〉 i am he lord and only saviour . ve●se . , before the ●ay was made , i am . verse ▪ god is lord re●eemer and holy one of israel . vers. . i b●●t out transgression , and will not remember 〈◊〉 for my own sake . chap. ▪ verse ▪ i am the lord , the 〈◊〉 of israel , the re●e●mer , 〈◊〉 lord of hosts , i am 〈…〉 and i am the last , a●d b●sides me there is no god. chap. , verse , god of is●ael , the sav●●ur . chap. , verse , 〈…〉 , i am the 〈◊〉 , i also am the 〈◊〉 . verse . the lord , re●e●mer , holy one of israel , the lord god. chap . this chapter entirely requ●●es to be expl●in●d , out it is suff●cient to say , 〈◊〉 the humanity and 〈…〉 , to , and of , each other . in verse , god concludes , saying , ●ll fleth shall know , that i the lord am saviour , redeemer , and mighty one of israel . chap. , verse , , ▪ god speaks in the divinity , and in verse ▪ ▪ ▪ . &c. he speaks in the in●ended humanity ▪ and says , i gave my back to 〈◊〉 ●miters , and my che●ks to them that plucked off the hair , i hid 〈◊〉 my face from shame and spi●●ing . ch. ● verse , he speaks in the divinity , and calls himself the rock . chap , , god calls his humanity [ ch●●●● ] his arm , he has no beauty extraordinary , but 〈◊〉 in his human form be de●pis●d and ●ej●cted among men , a man of sorrows , and acq●ainted with g●ief , shu●●ed by men and not esteemed , he bore manking's grief and sorrow ▪ though they believed he was 〈…〉 , and afflict●d of god , with his sufferings to the end of this chapter . chap , verse , god sa●s , i am creator , lord of ●●osts , redeemer , holy one of israel , and god of the whole earth . jeremiah , chap. . ver , god is the fountain of hving waters . zacariah , chap. , verse . they shall look 〈◊〉 whom they have pierced . having made a few observations out of many , from isaiah the prophet , proving god to have become christ , by taking on him human nature , and appearing like man : it now remains necessary to prove christ from the doctrines of the new testament , to be that same god spoken of in the old by references . in the beginning of the new testament , and first chapter of matthew , verse , , , it appears the virgin mary was to bring forth a ●on , who should save his people from their sins , and his name shall be called emanuel [ that is god ] reference to isaiah , c. . v. . c. , v . c , v. , c , v. ● . mathew , chap. , v , , his star in heaven guided the wise m●n of the east to . jerus●lem , to worship jesus and the● called jesus king of the jews a●d worshiped him . 〈◊〉 ●● , and they fell down and worshiped him . ma●hew , c. , v . john bap●it●●●id , prepare the way of the lord , make his path stra●gh● . refer to isaiah , ch . v. , in isaiah jesus is called g●d . mathew . chap. . v. , man shall ●ve by every word that proceeds out of ●he mou●h of god. 〈◊〉 . jesus said to the devil , it is written again , thou 〈◊〉 not tempt the lord thy g●d : here jesus calls himself god twice . v. , the devil temp●e● j●sus a third time , and jesus grew a●gry and bid him 〈◊〉 , and desired him to worship jesus , for he was the lord god. ch. . v , , jesus pronounces 〈◊〉 as god. ch. . v. , jesus forgive● sins , refer to isaiah . c , v. mathew , c , v. , a great man wo●ships jesus c. . v. je●us is lord of the sab●th , c. . v , , the woman said to jesus , have mercy on me , o lord , and worshiped him . luke , c , v. . j●sus christ is saviour and lord , refer to isaiah , c. , v. , v. . c. . v. . c . v ● . john , c. ● . in the beginning was the word , and the word was god , a●l things were made by him , and without him was not any thing made , in him was life , which was light . [ or spiritual knowledge ] to mankind . and the light shined in darkness [ mankind ] and the darkness [ of stubborn man ] comprehended it not . he was the true light , he was in the world ▪ he created the world , and the people of it , and they did not know him ; he came to his own [ the jews ] and his own would not receive him . and [ god ] the word was made flesh [ jesu● ] a●d dwelt among mankind on earth , who behe●d the glo●● of the father in him . full of grace and truth . ver. , no man hath seen god at any time , the only begotten son ( or human tabernac●e ) which is in the bosom ( o● pro●ection ) of the father , hath d●clared him . verse . st. john says , he takes away the sins of the world . v. , jesus baptizes with the holy ghost [ rivers of living water ] . this chapter proves christ the same god [ as has been observed from the book of isaiah ] the fi●st verse prove● him god [ or rather the earthy 〈…〉 th●ough ] the second and third ve●●●s prove him from the beginning to be god , the creator of all things . the tenth verse proves j●sus she same god and creator . and in the th verse the word ( god ) was made fl●sh , and lived in the world . in the th verse , the divinity [ or god ] was invisi●le , speaking in the 〈◊〉 jesus , or jesus the 〈◊〉 , decla●ing god in the d ve●se st. john says . he is the same god spoken of by isaiah the p●ophet . n●w , if he was not god , he could not forgive 〈◊〉 nor dispose of the holy ghost as he pleased ▪ nor create all things , nor did he commit sin himself , and if he was no● god , he would not suffer the people to worship him frequently . there is no nec●ssity ●o re●er to isaiah , to corroborate the observations made in this chapter , as most of the quotations from isaiah 〈◊〉 it . ch. . v. ▪ if jesus was not god , he c●uld 〈◊〉 offer the w●man of samaria ▪ living waters , which is the holy gh●st refer to j●remiah , c. . v. , in v ● of st. joh●'s , ●h chap jesus said , whoever drinks of the wat●r i give , it shall be a well in him sp●inging up to everlasting life ( which water is the holy ghost ) refer to jeremiah , as before . a●d in john. c v. , . jesus said , true worshipers shall worship ●he ●ather in spirit and in truth . now observ● god [ out of christ ] is a co●suming fire , therefore he is to be worshiped in chinst , [ the sat●ctuary and propitiation for 〈◊〉 . ] ver. , christ the saviour of the world refer isaiah , c . v. . ● . j●hn , c v. , ▪ ▪ ▪ 〈◊〉 says , my judgment is ●●ue , i am not alone , but i and the father tha sent me , this prove● god in jesus , the earthen vess i which god made and sent ; and again he says , the test mony of two are true . god and himself ; and again he says to the people , if ●e had known me , ye would know the father also . v he that sent me is with me , the father has not left me alone , for i do alwa●s the things that please him . v. . j●sus said before abraham was , i am , and in the old testament god is called the great i am . ch. , jesus said i am the door of the sheep . by me man sh●●l be saved . i am the good shepherd , i giv● my life for my sheep . i am the good sh●pherd ▪ i know my sheep , and they know me , i lay down my life for my sheep , no man compels me or takes it from me ▪ i lay it down of myself , and take it again , because i have power , i and my father are one , the father is in me and i in him refer to isaiah , c. , v ● . in john , c. ● , v. , jesus says , whoever sees me . sees 〈◊〉 father also ; c. . v. , whoever knows me k●ows the father , and have seen him and known him . v. , he that knows me , sees and knows the father . v. , i am in the father , and the father in me , and the words that i speak are not sp●ken by me , but by the father that dwells in me ; he does the works . acts , c , v. , g●d was crucified ▪ and purchased his people with his won blood corinth c. . v ● , god was in christ , reconciling the world to himself . the first epistle general of john , c v. god was manifested in the fl●●h [ chri●● ] to take away sins . rev. c. , v , . j●sus is god , behold i●come in the clouds , and every eye shall see , and also them that pierced him , and the people shall weal ; then he said , i am alpha and omega ▪ the beginning and the end , saith the lord , which is ▪ a●d which was [ on earth ] and which is to come again on earth , the almighty . v , i am a●pha and omega , the fi●st and the last . v. . like the son of man [ jesus ] v. , , i am the first and the last . i am he that lived , and was crucified , and behold i am a●ive again for ever more 〈◊〉 , v , j●sus is the first and the last , that was crucified , and is a live . ch. v. . . , , christ proved to be god. ch. , v . jesus is called the lion of the tri●e of juda. ch , v. ▪ j●sus is called god , opening the books and judgi●g the world . ch , v , , , and he tha● sat up●n the throne [ jesus judging the world ] said it is done , i am alpha and o●ega , the beginning and the end . i will give u●to the thi●sty the fountain of living waters . but unbelievers , liars , &c ▪ shall be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone . ch. . v. , , behold i come quickly , my reward is with me ▪ to give according to people's works . i am alpha and om●ga , the beginning a●d the end , the fi●st and the last . i jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these thing● in the churches [ among the people ] ver. ▪ he that testifies these things ▪ saith , surely i come quickly , the lord jesus 〈◊〉 . a most effectual plan , to prevent a french invasion . the people who are to execute this plan , are that class , who are possessed of perpetuities of upwards of one thousand pounds yearly , after a deduction of two thousand pounds , principal money , for each of his or her children , except the eldest son , who should have l . yearly from the age of , and the remainder at his father's death , except l . yearly to the widow , if a widow should be . religion , and the bare necessaries of life , are such total strangers to the lower class of people that they are always looking for a change in the government favourable to a total annihilation of the wealthy ; and the wealthy , on the other hand , believe keeping the poor in profound pove●ty and darkness , the best way to keep them quiet ; but it is not , and only resembles a fire to be quenched by putting dry fuel on it , which will make it burn more violent ; oppression always terminates in human slaughter , though the fire may be a century kindling , or centuries : it is better for the wealthy lose a liable voluntarily , than lose all with the loss of life , i●voluntarily , like a death bed repentance , which god does not listen to ; for what man worth five , ten , or twenty thousand pounds yearly , in the hands of a banditti of assassins , would not give it all for his life . here follows the preventative : take a poor man , and settle him in a comfortable situation , making him pay ( or fecure ) a reasonable valuation ; then see what family he has , and for himself , wife , and children , abate twenty shillings yearly , each , on the following terms , give him the book called the new testament , and then say , do you and your family read this as often as ye are at leisure , and whilst you perform its contents , i will keep you in the comfortable place i have given , but no longer : wealthy one , you must do more , establish a school in your parish , or neighbourhood , and pay the teacher also ; and thus do ye wealthy ones , with all the poor , and idolatry goes to destruction ; the poor will all love you , and god will love you , the poor will revolt at the idea of invasion , or revolution , or any change that should di●comfit their comfort . or if you will not do this , subscribe a million of guineas , and all people you suspect for wishing your overthrow , give them a guinea an head to each in their families , to go to america . but this last advice will not prevent an invasion , it would be only a foolish act of charity , that god reqnires ; besides , it wonld depopulate the nation , and lessen the rent roll , then would the wealthy cry out , o my rent roll , my rent roll is not half what it was ; but god will answer , o thy rent roll has shut thee out eternally from me , thou did not send my messenger among the nations ( that is to distribute the new testament among the poor ) ; thou did not propagate the gospel . you will say your ministers did propagate the gospel , but the lord will say . your ministers are ordained with human forms , but my ministers are ordained with the holy ghost , from the foondations of the world , but ye and your ministers persecute them : and perhaps he will even say , ye have also called yourselves lords , and great ones who are but earth , which names and titles are for me only , and how can you look in my face . extracts , from dupaty's travels , in italy . in my way to the capitol i met a coach , in which were two recollet friars , the one seated backwards , the other forwards , holding between their legs something i could not distinguish . every one stopped and saluted with profound respect . i asked to whom this reverence was addressed . it is , answered one of the standers-by , to the bambino , which these good fathers are carrying to a prelate , who is very ill and given over by his physicians . i afterwards procured an explanation what this bambino was . the bambino is a little wooden jesus , richly dressed and ornamented . the convent , which has the good fortune to possess this image , neither has , nor needs any other patrimony . as soon as any person ( who can afford the expence , ) is seriously ill , they send for the bambino , and always in a coach , for he never goes on foot . two recollets conduct , and place him by the sick man , where they remain , at his expence , until he dies or recovers . the bambino is constantly running about ; they sometimes fight who shall have him at the gate of the convent , and tear him from each other ; in the summer , especially , he has extraordinary business , though he makes them pay very dearly for his visits , on account of the demand , and the hot weather . this is but fair . the progress , insolence , and intolerable tyranny of the church of rome , is now become of serious consideration and publick complaint , the establishment of which will infallibly be the destruction of church , state , laws , liberties , properties , and lives . the protestant writers , ever since the revolution , have frequently and effectually exposed and confuted this pernicious doctrine , calculated to plunder and rob the ignorant and illiterate ; to whom only the church of rome pretends to be the mother and mistress of all churches ; and domineers the vulgar and wicked into that belief , or faith ; always exerting her tyranny to continue them in the grossest darkness , and from a knowledge of the gospel light from generation to generation . the pope always imposes a belief on the ignorant , that he is successor to christ , st. peter , &c. and such blasphemy ; and none can be saved but his subjects : and eating of all the luxuries and dainties in the world , on a friday or saturday , sends people to heaven , except meat , which sends to hell , but all his , wicked doctrines being contrary to that of christ , he takes ●are the gospel light shall be kept from them , as long as he can ; well knowing a general knowledge of it , would destroy his craft , as st. paul did that of alexander the copper-smith . finis . antichrist stormed, or, mystery babylon the great whore, and great city, proved to be the present church of rome wherein all objections are fully answered : to which is added, the time of the end, or a clear explanation of scripture prophecies, with the judgment of divers learned men concerning the final ruine of the romish church, that it will be in this present age : together with an account of the two witnesses, who they are, with their killing, resurrection & ascention : also an examination and confutation of what mr. jurieu hath lately written concerning the effusion of the vials ... : likewise a brief review of d. tho. goodwins exposition of the th chapter of the revelations, concerning the witnesses, and of that street in which they should lie slain, proving it to be meant of great brittain : and a brief collection of divers strange prophecies, some very antient / by benj. keach ... ; to which is annext, a short treatise in two parts : . the calculation of scripture numbers by scripture only, without the help of humane history, . upon the witnesses, giving light to the whole book. keach, benjamin, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing k estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) antichrist stormed, or, mystery babylon the great whore, and great city, proved to be the present church of rome wherein all objections are fully answered : to which is added, the time of the end, or a clear explanation of scripture prophecies, with the judgment of divers learned men concerning the final ruine of the romish church, that it will be in this present age : together with an account of the two witnesses, who they are, with their killing, resurrection & ascention : also an examination and confutation of what mr. jurieu hath lately written concerning the effusion of the vials ... : likewise a brief review of d. tho. goodwins exposition of the th chapter of the revelations, concerning the witnesses, and of that street in which they should lie slain, proving it to be meant of great brittain : and a brief collection of divers strange prophecies, some very antient / by benj. keach ... ; to which is annext, a short treatise in two parts : . the calculation of scripture numbers by scripture only, without the help of humane history, . upon the witnesses, giving light to the whole book. keach, benjamin, - . [ ], , [ ] p., leaf of plates. printed for nath. crouch ..., london : . advertisement: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng goodwin, thomas, - . -- exposition on part of the epistle to the ephesians and on the book of revelation. jurieu, pierre, - . catholic church -- controversial literature. prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion antychrist storme● antichrist stormed : or , mystery babylon the great whore , and great city , proved to be the present church of rome . wherein all objections are fully answered . to which is added , the time of the end , or a clear explanation of scripture prophecies , with the judgment of divers learned men concerning the final ruine of the romish church , that it will be in this present age. together with an account of the two witnesses , who they are , with their killing , resurrection & ascention . also an examination and confutation of what mr. jurieu hath lately written concerning the effusion of the vials , proving none of them are yet poured out , with mr. canns reasons to confirm the same . likewise a brief review of d. tho. goodwins exposition of the th chapter of the revelations , concerning the witnesses , and of that street in which they should lie slain , proving it to be meant of great brittain . and a brief collection of divers strange prophecies , some very antient. by benj. keach , author of sion in distress to which is annext , a short treatise in two parts . . the calculation of scripture numbers by scripture only , without the help of humane history . . upon the witnesses ; giving light to the whole book . london , printed for nath. crouch at the bell in the poultrey near cheapside . . to the reader . christian reader , that which induced me to publishthe insuing treatise , at this time , is first , the consideration of the present providence of the great god , under which we are exercised ; wherein it may appear to all , that he hath with an out-stretched arm , begun to deliver his people , and to plead the controversie of sion , against his old and implacable enemies , such a gracious dispensation as we have certainly never before seen , and what the issue or event of it will be , we cannot be ignorant , if we consult his word , babylon must fall , that is evident , and that this mystery babylon is the church of rome , is fully cleared in this treatise , which we hope may tend to convince such who have had any doubt upon their spirits about it , and confirm others in the stedfast belief thereof ; true 't is not above or years , since we wrote something of the same nature , but that lying in a folio , a book that comes but into a few hands ; besides this is great part new , and many things of another nature insisted on ; i have been stirred up to make it publick in this small tract , hoping that such who read it will see some further cause to hate the whore and all her off-spring who still retain her persecuting spirit , tho' blessed be god , this nation and scotland likewise , are stirred up of late , with just revenge against her , the lord continue it , for there is much work still to be done both here and abroad , before that glorious state of the church comes in , which we have so long waited for , as touching the time of babylons final ruin and overthrow , something we have here said , and have also given the various apprehensions of many learned and worthy writers in respect of that , as also tou●●ing the slaying and resurrection of the two witnesses , together with their ascention , which will have its further opening by the works and providence of god , so that our light , like the path of the just , shall shine more and more to the perfect day ; time will make manifest what is in the womb of the present providence . that which adds further incouragement , is , i perceive almost every where gods people are much upon the search into the prophesies of the scripture , and revelations of st. john about the time of the end . we have given some brief hints touching the seven seals , trumpets , and the seven vials or last plagues spoken of by st. john , which may , we hope , let in a little light into some mens understandings , and tend to the putting of them upon a further search , we conclude that the six first seals spoken of , rev. . open things that were to come to pass in the world , from the time that john received his revelations until the years or , or there abouts , which produced , ( . ) that fearful apostacy from the apostolical faith , and true christianity of the gospel church . ( . ) the utter overthrow of the sixth head of the beast or pagan emperors reign , and so put an end to the ten bloody persecutions under them , for under the sixth seal was effected or brought to pass their final ruin signified by an earthquake , rev. . which overthrow was first begun by constantine the great , and fully compleated according to history by theodosius about . under the seal there was silence in heaven for half an hour , viz. a short time of rest for the church and saints of god , which began in constantines dayes and lasted as some conceive till the troubles rose by the arians which was , if i mistake not , about the latter end of his reign , but others say it continued till theodosius died , in the year . also under the seventh seal come in the angels with their seven trumpets the first trumpets ( 't is concluded by most learned writers ) brought in those things that were effected or accomplished under the papal power and turkish empire as also the death and resurrection of the witnesses , and so brings in the second woe . the seventh trumpet , as i conceive , brings in the ascention of the witnesses , and then comes out the seven angels with the seven vials and last plagues ; the first of which i cannot believe hath as yet been poured out , nor shall , till the ascention of the witnesses , which will be attended with that second earthquake , rev. . and from that very time i conclude the kingdom of christ will begin , which i know is quite contrary to what dr. goodwin , dr. more , du moulin , and of late peter jurie● have written ; the reasons why i am of this opinion , you will find if you read the latter part of this treatise . dr. goodwin , if i mistake him not , says that waldo , &c. might be said to pour out the first vial , and that two or three more of them have since been poured out by the angels or ministers of god out of the temple , as they have been indued with more or lesser light , but we cannot think any of the sackcloth witnesses , who have lived under the time of the beasts months , can be said to pour out any of those vials , because they are said to be clothed with pure white linnen , and to have golden girdles about their breasts and for several other reasons which we have here given , 't is indeed very strange to many wise men that mr. jurieu should so confidently affirm that all the vials should be already poured out by gods ministers , and that they are still in their sackcloath ▪ and have so all along . others there are who judge that the seven vials shall none of them be poured out till the seventh trumpet shall begin to sound , which will effect her utter overthrow , and so bring in the third woe ; of this opinion was that worthy and learned divine , mr. john canne and some others , time will open these things more clearly , but i am perswaded whensoever those vials and last plagues come to be poured out , gods judgments will be so manifest , that they will be discerned and known of all , and be quite different from all other judgments that have fallen upon the antichristian state and people from their first rise . but since we are in the judgment of all godly and learned men , come towards the end of the wonders , let none be discouraged , for though there is very near a most dismal hour , yet it will doubtless fall upon the heads of the wicked , and such who are of baby lons race and spirit , the godly shall see the lord hath not forgotten them , nor the righteous blood that has been shed , but will appear suddenly to plead sion's controversie , and set up his own kingdom ; therefore let us be much in prayer , and cry mightily to god , and be ready to meet the lord in his more glorious appearance , for we are very confident a very dreadful hour is near , and it will come upon carnal , secure , and all formal protestants , nay , fear shall surprize the sinners in sion , tho' it will be a glorious hour to all that are found faithful to jesus christ ; i desire all enquiring persons to weigh well what we have said in the latter part of this treatise , and if it affords any further light to any of them , let them bless god , i am in hopes it will put many upon a further search into the prophesies of the scripture about the time of the end : however i sha'l at present say no more , but leave it to the blessing of the lord , ( till i see a little further what god is about to do ) and at present take my leave of thee , and remain thy servant in the gospel , benj. keach . the contents . chap. . various opinions concerning mystery babylon . . not the world of wicked men . . not old chaldea babylon . . not jerusalem . . not the turks and saracens . . not rome heathen . . not rome towards the end of the world , after , some papists say , rome shall apostatize to paganism again . . by mystery babylon is meant the present papal or romish church , proved from p. . to p. . ch. . proving all the marks that the scripture gives of mystery babylon meet directly in papal rome , from p. . to p. . ch. . literal babylon a type of mystery babylon , shewed in particulars , from p. . to p. . ch. . shewing the little horn , dan. . to mean the pope in particulars , from p. . to p. . ch. . proving that our saviour in mat. . . and st. paul in acts . . and tim. . thes. . . pointed out the papal church , from p. . to p. . ch. . shewing the judgment of divers eminent writers concerning who the two witnesses are , and who not , p. . that they have been lately slain , and are risen , or about to rise , p. , . what the ascention of the two witnesses are , and that 't is near , p. . ch. . where is shewed the judgment of many english writers about the seven vials , with an answer to mr. peter jurieu , who has lately asserted in his treatise , that they are all poured out ; proving by many arguments that there is none of them as yet poured out , nor will till the seventh angel blows his . trumpet , from p. . that england is the street of the great city where the witnesses were to be slain or lye dead . p. , , &c. the kingdom of christ begins at the earthquake , or at the beginning of sounding of the seventh trumpee , and that 't is at the door , p. , , . divers strange prophesies , p. , . postscript . wherein you have the substance of what a late nameless great french writer has said in answer to mr. jurieu about the non-effusion of the vials , p. . antichrist stormed : or mystery babylon the great whore , and great city proved to be the present church of rome , or papal hierarchy . chap. i. wherein the various opinions concerning mystery babylon , are discovered and all their objections answered , who deny by her is meant , the papal power , or present state and church of rome . 't is evident to all who are men of any reading , that most of our eminent protestant writers , both ancient and modern , do affirm without the least doubt , that the church of rome is the great whore spoken of , rev. . called , mystery babylon : yet we find that most worthy men , who have of latter times , so well defended the truths of the gospel , in opposition to popery , have not so much bent their study this way ; i mean directly to prove that which is our present task — as it hath been to detect divers or most of her erroneous principles , and detestable practices , which is rather to lop off some of the branches of this evil and cursed tree , than to dig it up by the root , for if it be clearly proved , that she is that great whore ; viz. mystery babylon the great , mother of harlots ; down she goes at once ; and if we have not done it so effectually as it may be desired , yet we are in hope wherein we have been defective , it may stir up some abler pen , to perfect what we have anew undertaken ; — but to proceed , for the more orderly management of our present work , it may not be amiss if we give you the various opinions that have more or less presented themselves to the world , about who or what people this great whore mystery babylon is , which may be reduced to these seven following heads . . and first of all , as reverent mr. pool observes , some would have it to be the whole world of wicked men . . others would have this woman , ●or this babylon to be old chaldean babylon . . that it is jerusalem ; and that for two reasons : . because the man of sin , or last beast , that is to head this babylon , is set forth by st. paul , to sit in the temple of god , shewing himself to be god. . because this city where the beast reigns , and - shall slay the witnesses , is spiritually called sodom and egypt , where our lord was crucified , rev. . . . that it is the turkish empire , or power of the saracens ; which mr. mede somewhat touches , and in a brief way most learnedly argues against : in his third book , pag. , . . that it is indeed rome , the seat of the fourth , or last empire ; but rome , in its heathen state , under the idolatrous and persecuting emperors : so the rhemists would have it , if there be a necessity to fix upon rome , to be this apocalyptical , or mystery babylon . for this opinion the present romanists have no better advocate than dr. hammond , who hath done very worthily at other turns ; but here has doubtless greatly mistaken his way ; see his annotations upon the th chapter of the apocalypse . . that it is the present power & church of rome who under pretence of the most high and ecclesiastical jurisdiction , doth influence and govern the secular power and state of kingdom● . of this last opinion were the ancient waldenses who felt the bloody power of of rome , venting it self in most horrid and barbarous cruelties against them , and that for a long series of time , as appears by our most authentick , ancient , and modern writers , who give a very ample account of the great persecution of christians for many hundred years last past , in all parts of the christian world , where they have had power . to which opinion of the waldenses most of our modern protestant divines agree , of which we shall mention only cartwright , fulk , the worthily admired , and learned mede , not forgetting famous du moulin of france , as may be seen in their works at large . . some of the papists who grant that by babylon , rome is meant , but would have it to be rome towards the end of the world , when they say rome shall apostatize from the pope to paganism again ; and now , because we will not take things upon trust , nor refer the reader to many books and quotations , it appears needful that we remove the objections with as much brevity as we can . and first , that mystery babylon cannot be fairly applyed unto the whole world of wicked men , nor to old chaldean babylon , nor to jerusalem , the turks nor saracens , nor terminate in the heathenish state of rome , no● rome towards the end of the world , when they say rome shall apostatize from the pope to paganism again . and that none else can be meant or intended by her but the papal power of the church of rome . . mystery babylon cannot be the whole world of wickedmen ; for in opposition to this , . the apostle john speaks here of a certain great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth , v. . this cannot be meant of the wicked world . . the world of wicked men , are those inhabitants of the earth , whom this woman made drunk with the wine of her fornication : now she that made them drunk , and those that were made drunk , cannot be the same . . this woman , v. . sitteth on seven mountains , and so do not all the wicked of the world. . we are commanded to come out of this babylon , but we are not obliged to go out of the world. . if she were the old chaldean babylon then , ( . ) where is the mystery mentioned rev. . . ( . ) mystery babylon here mentioned is by all acknowledged to be the seat of antichrist ; so was never old chaldean , ( . ) besides it is generally agreed to by all , not without good grounds , that literal babylon was no more than the type of her , which is all we will speak to it . . it cannot be meant the city of jerusalem . . because jerusalem did not reign over the kings of the earth in st. john's time , when he saw this vision , and wrote the revelation , which this city babylon is expresly said to do , rev. . . and the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth . jerusalem having been not only under captivity divers times before , but was then entirely under the power of the roman yoke , as the whole history of the gospel doth confirm , and themselves do most plainly confess ; we have no king but caesar. . jerusalem was never in so high esteem with the beast , as to be capable to ride as queen regent upon him , ( as this woman , whore , or city is said to do ) rev. . . and the angel said unto me , wherefore didst thou marvel ? i will tell thee the mystery of the woman , and the beast that carryeth her , which hath the seven heads , and ten horns , rev. . . compared with verse . so he carryed me away in the spirit into the wilderness , and i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , having seven heads , and ten horns , — for by the woman sitting , and the beast carrying , is undoubtedly signified , influence , power , and dominion , which jerusalem was far remote from , not only under the roman monarchy , but also under the three kingdoms that went before it , ( viz. ) the babylonian , grecian , and persian ; as might be largely illustrated both out of sacred and humane history . . jerusalem did not sit upon many waters , which is interpreted to be people , nations , and tongues , that is , had not command or dominion over them : as this woman , whore , or city is said to have , rev. . . and he saith , the waters which thou sawest , where the whore sitteth , are peoples , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues : the whole land of judea , being under tribute to the roman government at that time , luk. . . and it came to pass in those days , that there went out a decree from caesar augustus , that all the world should be taxed ; and particularly galilee , nazareth , judea , and the city of david called bethlehem . . jerusalem was not capable to enchant and bewitch all nations round about her , either by her religion and doctrine , or by great gifts and rewards . . because the roman power , kept her under , and much in awe , on the one hand , not owning nor subscribing to her religion . . the christian doctrine and religion ; blocked up her way on the other hand , that she could not extend her influence to either neighbouring , or remote nations , as this woman , whore , or city is said to do , rev. . . for thy merchants were the great men of the earth ; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived . . jerusalem though she were guilty of much blood , from the beginning of her excellency and glory in solomons time , killing prophets , even all that were sent unto her , murthered , john baptist , and our lord and saviour , as also the blessed martyr st. stephen ; yet in her could not be found that great mass of blood that was shed , and myriads of christian saints that have been barbarously murthered , by massacre , and publick martyrdom , since they were ruined and destroyed by titus vespasian , which we find positively charged upon this city babylon , rev. . . and i saw the woman drunk with the blood of saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of jesus ; and i wondred with great admiration , as indeed well he might , ( as shall be shewn : ) and in her was found the blood of prophets , and of saints , and of all that were slain upon the earth , that is , since the destruction of jerusalem . . and lastly ; not to multiply more upon this head , though jerusalem was fearfully destroyed , as the history of josephus shews , yet shall she rise again , be built upon her own heap , be replenished with her own children , which this city babylon under consideration shall never be , after this catastrophe , which john saw visionally coming upon it ; rev. . . and a mighty angel took up a stone , like a great milstone , and cast it into the sea , saying , thus with violence shall that great city babylon be thrown down , and shall be found no more at all . . it cannot be the turks and saracens for two reasons offered by the learned mede , lib. . p. . . because , though they did arise to great power in the world , yet they had not their seat in that great city , which in st. johns time , reigned over the kings of the earth , which this babylon is expresly said to have . . that they did not rise by apostacy , from the christian religion , which this babylon , with her head ( the man of sin ) did ; for , as this worthy author saith , the turk , ( whatever he be ) could be no apostate , because he was of a nation that never was christian. to which we shall add somthing for the clearing of this head , that we may discharge that debt we owe to god , to the church , and the world. . it cannot be the turks , because they are not strangely and wonderfully mysterious , which this babylon is said to be , rev. . . and upon her fore-head was a name written , mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth . and the angel said unto me , wherefore didst thou marvel ? i will tell thee the mystery of the woman and the beast which carryeth her , which hath the seven heads and ten horns . what special mystery hath shewed it self to the world from the turks and saracens , more than from other common empires or kingdoms , that is matter of admiration to the wisest of men ? is it matter of wonder , that the turks do own but one true and most high god ? is it matter of wonder , that they do own jesus christ to be a prophet and a good man ? is it matter of highest wonder that they prefer mahomet above jesus ? is it matter of wonder , that they appear true to their contracts , in matters of civil commerce ? is it matter of highest wonder , for them to endeavour to keep what dominion they have , and to enlarge it , to make slaves and prizes of those profest enemies they take prisoners ? we say , in none of these things is there any high mystery , or matter of greatest wonder , being things common to all places and kingdoms invested with power : for , . did not the great king of literal babylon own the only true god , yet still held the church in captivity ? . did not israel own the same , and yet kept their idols after their revolt from judah . . did not judah prefer moses above and before christ , and at that time when christ was personally among them working most stupendious miracles which did evince his divine mission ? nay , did they not prefer a common and notorious villain before the blessed lord of glory , when they desired a murtherer to be freed , and pressed hard to have the good and blessed jesus the saviour of the world , killed ? and did not this wise apostle know this to be true in fact , and to equal , nay , outdo any thing that the turks , or saracens ever did , or can be accused of ? and if st. john was transported with astonishing wonder , at matters much less than he had seen before , doth it not give good reason to suspect him of weakness and defect , that he should suffer himself to be surprised with the greatest wonder , at far less things than he had seen and known before ; certainly therefore we must conclude there was something more of mystery in johns vision than what had been shewed to the world , by the great turk , or any other power ; and indeed undoubtedly , the greatest mystery that ever the world was acquainted with : for the characters of babylon must either be singular , that is , such as none have besides ; or else they must be transcendent , to go far beyond what others had in a lesser degree . otherwise john might have kept the description of babylon to himself , there being no clear distinctions , to render the wisest and most discerning men able to make judgment upon her ; the mystery then , that is written upon this woman , babylon , seems clearly to lye in these particulars following . first , that she doth transact the most horrid wickednesses that ever the world was or is like to be acquainted with . secondly , that under this monstrous guilt , she is prodigiously confident , and without all regret , or show of shame , and most impudently boasts of the highest sanctity and holiness in the world , ( viz. ) that she is totally pure , infallibly certain , and cannot err , &c. that this indeed is a mystery to be wondered at , let it be considered , . that a shepherd should be a wolf , and devour that flock which he pretends to be an overseer or pastor of . . that a professed servant of jesus christ , and the meanest of saints , should exalt himself above his master , and not above his master only , but above the god of his master , and all other deputed gods , that are vicegerents to the king of heaven , by slighting and trampling upon the holy scriptures and laws both of god and princes , dispensing with the breach of them , indulging the highest violation thereof , and setting up his own inventions , traditions and decrees above them ; insomuch that there is a thousand times less danger ( in their esteem ) in respect of excommunications , and corporal punishments in this world , or of damnation in the world to come , in breaking and violating the laws of god and princes , than there is in the violation or breach of the inventions , traditions and decrees of mystery babylon , and her head. . that one sitting in the temple of god , pretending himself as a poor apostle , vicar , and successor of christ , nay , as the successor of a poor fisher ▪ man , should wear the highest ensigns of imperial dignity ! . that he should be so lordly and prodigiously insolent ( who was commanded to the greatest humility and abasement ) as to tread upon the necks of emperors , kick off the crowns of great princes , and make kings his foot pages . . that he should pretend highly , most highly , to god , christ , religion , and holiness , and yet espouse to himself , as the darlings of his bosom , not only the chiefest sons of belial , but all that will decline sanctity and religion , and embody themselves with those first born sons of wickedness , that are of the highest magnitude , and engage themselves in such monstrous and butcherly practices , that humane nature , as such , could never act in the butchering brute beasts . . that the spouse of this prodigious monster should in profession own god , jesus christ , and the things of religion , of which justice and charity , holiness and compassion , are not the least parts ; and yet under this vizard , and in the very time of these pretensions , perpetrate the greatest and most unparallel'd villanies in the world ; first , in being the top of pride ; secondly , in committing palpable idolatry ; thirdly , fill themselves with excess and drunkenness ; fourthly , to curse , swear and blaspheme the very name they profess to be sacred ; fifthly , to cast down the truth , burn the bible , deface the holy books and laws of god ; sixthly , to assume not only a power to dispense with the violation in the highest nature , but to pardon and forgive them at pleasure ; seventhly , to commit adultery , and account it a venial crime ; eighthly , to break covenants , to drive a trade in perjury , forswear every thing they are justly charged with , and is fully proved against them ; ninthly , to foment wars and broils in every kingdom and countrey where they have power , contrive the ruine of towns , places , cities , countreys , and kingdoms , by fire , sword , and most cruel devastations ; tenthly , to slaughter , kill , and barbarously murther both men , women and children , even all that dare make a shew of conscience and religion , so far as to abhor and dissent from these villanies : this is such a scheme of religion , and systeme of divinity to come from an apostle , a shepherd , a vicar , and successor of christ , from a church , sheep , saints , and the pretended followers of the meek , peaceable , and innocent jesus , who taught altogether otherwise by his doctrine and example , that it might well be wondred at , and is the strangest mystery that ever appeared , of which we challenge the whole world to shew the like in the turks and saracens . for men to swear , lye , and to forswear themselves , and yet be true men ; to contrive rebellion , murther , and treason , and yet be as innocent as the child unborn : to be elevated to the highest pinnacle of pride , even above emperours and kings , above jesus christ , and god his father , and yet be humble and lowly : to commit gross idolatry , and yet be the servants of the living god : to be filled with , and make a trade of excess and drùnkenness , and yet be patterns and standards of sobriety and temperance : to cast down the truth to the ground , deface the laws of god , and burn the scriptures , and yet be the true witnesses of it : to forgive sins , and yet be the greatest sinners themselves : to commit fornication and adultery , and yet be spotless and pure in heart : to foment wars and broils in every kingdom and countrey where they have power ; to contrive the ruine of towns and places cities , countreys and kingdoms , by fire , sword , and cruel devastations , and yet be as harmless as doves to all mankind , the only sons of peace and quietness : to slaughter , kill , and barbarously murther men , women and children , that dare not be so wicked as themselves ; and yet to be full of mercy , tender pity and compassion , an apostle , shepherd & vicar , successor of the meek and lamb-like saviour . and for the dear consort of this impious head , on man of sin , do not only confederate with him , but a principal in all these unparallel'd villanies , and most butcherly and rapacious murthers ; and yet be the holy catholick church of god , the pure and spotless spouse of jesus christ , the true sheep , the harmless lambs , the best of saints , and close followers of the lord jesus , who always taught the contrary by his holy doctrine , and meek example . we say , these things not being found by secret search , but are written in capital letters upon her forehead , appear in open view , to be read by every one that is not wilfully blind . let any one shew us a greater mystery in the world than this , and we will subscribe to it . . it cannot be the turks , because they are not the mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth ; which this babylon is said to be , rev. . . and upon her forehead , was a name written , mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth . and here we demand , in excuse to the turks , this one thing . from whence did proceed the murthers , massacres , and martyrdoms , of all the religious professors of christianity , that have died by violence in the christian world , for the space of twelve hundred years last past ? and from what people did proceed those horrid oaths , blasphemies , and execrations , that the world hath wofully been acquainted with , most horrid and strangely astonishing to repeat ? came these unparallel'd degrees of impiety from the turks ? from the waldensians , lutherians , calvinists , or any non-conforming protestants ? no , no ; why whose language then is it ? whose ! why , 't is the language of the beast of the bottomless pit , and bloody whore , who bare these blasphemous sons of her own body , daily nourishes them at her breast , and strengthens them in their sinful courses , by accounting them the sons , the precious sons of sion , the true sons of the catholick church , the darlings of heaven , the beloved ones of the virgin mary , and gives them pardons for these bold and heaven daring sins , as often as they commit them , and come to ask pardon for them ; so that sin and pardon is as constant and common with them , as breathing and eating . and these things are done to seal and confirm lies , which is the more heavy , heinous , and prodigious ; for if men may lye by allowance ; may kill , and shed innocent blood , without controul of conscience and church censure● ; may swear and blaspheme , and challenge god himself to damn them ; may burn men for religion , consume cities to ashes , conspire the death of kings , the ruin and overthrow of kingdoms , whore , and murther infants ; and yet be accounted a church , the members and parts of it called saints , holy children and the sons of the most high god : then may we claim a patent , and take a license to change the name of all things , and alter the ideas of the minds of men ; call and account beelzebub a good god , and all his black tribe , the pure saints of the most high ; call the lower regions of blackness and darkness , to which he is confined , the heaven of glory and eternal light , of which things we ought in justice to clear the turks : until witnesses of undoubted credit shall come forth , and evidence that the turkish state , is the mother of as great abominations as these are . . and lastly ; the turks cannot be mystery babylon , because they never were made drunk with the blood of the saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of jesus ; which this woman mystery babylon , is expresly said to be , rev. . . and i saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of jesus : and i wondred with great admiration . now let any man shew such blood-shed , saints bloodshed , by massacres and martyrdom , for the professing of christianity ( which must be if the text be answered in that clause , blood of the martyrs of jesus , ) by the turks , either within their dominions , or without , as hath been shed by a generation , nearer home , and we shall become like the man without the wedding garment , wholly speechless , and say not a word more about babylon . . now that babylon in the apocalypse is great rome , that in former times reigned , and in suture times shall be destroyed , is owned by some of the papists themselves , and is asserted by all protestants ; the difference betwixt them is brought to this narrow point . the one wholly confines babylon to rome heathen , and there totally to terminate ; the other brings babylon down lower , to rome antichristian , or papal rome . now that this work may be to edification , and more full satisfaction in this great case , we shall advance to the last and chief secret that is to be opened and considered , namely , whether all things in john's vision or prophecy that are applied to mystery babylon did compleatly terminate in rome heathen , and came no further ? in answer to this great enquiry , we do with the body of protestants in opposition to the papists , conclude the negative ; viz. that all things in the apocalypse applied to mystery babylon , did not terminate in rome heathen ; the reasons of which negative are as followeth . . because the beast , that mystery babylon , rides on , is the eighth head , or last ruling power of that city that is seated upon seven hills , which must be rome papal , because the whole race of rome heathen was gone off , before the eighth head came up — the sixth head was in john's time ; the seventh was to come and continue but a short space ; the beast that carries the woman ; ( viz. ) babylon , is of the seventh , but is the eighth , and shall be the last ; for he goeth into perdition . this being so evident from the letter of the text , needs nothing more to confirm it . now that rome heathen was not the last part of the romish power , is not only the full and joynt consent of all writers upon this subject , but is so evident to all the christian world , that it would be vanity it self to make a shew of proof . the conclusion then is this ; if the very last part of the roman power carries the woman babylon , and that the heathen state of rome went off before , and was not the last ; then babylon could not terminate in rome heathen , but must come down to rome papal ; see rev. . , , , . . if babylon be totally terminated in rome heathen , then the book of the apocalypse is of little use to the latter ages of the christian world ? for if the whole . transactions relating to the persecution of the church and the slaughter and destruction of god's enemies , did end in rome heathen , then it served only to give a characteristical account of a beast , and whore that was grown old , and ready to go off the stage ; but hath wholly left us in the dark , and given us no notice at all of that horrible confusion and bloody persecutions , which have reigned in the christian world for more than a thousand years last past ; which for length of time , numbers of murthers , and manner of cruelties , hath outdone all the wickedness of rome in its heathen state. which is not at all likely , that a vision should be given , and a revelation made , and call'd so , about a state that was almost expired , and the most and great principal part wholly left out , and said nothing to . who can imagine , that a careful saviour should be so full in his discoveries to the jewish church , concerning their sufferings , and the time under egypt , and babylon literal ; and be so short and lean to his gospel church , to leave them altogether without any written prospect , or extraordinary prophet , to inform them what should come to pass in the world , from the going off of the power of rome heathen , to the end of all the churches troubles , which have already lasted above a thousand years ? the conceit of which is fit but for two ranks of men to receive , ( viz. ) the roman catholicks and such protestants as look for antichrist to come at the end of the world , after the restauration of the jews to their own land , and building a material temple at jerusalem where antichrist shall sit three days and an half , or years , to kill two men called the two witnesses . . if this last babylon was wholly to terminate in rome heathen , then there was no cause of wonderment and great admiration for a wise man , to see in a vision an heathenish state , under a diabolical influence , to perform actions suitable to their state , and not contrary to their professions for what matter of wonderment can it be to feel the wind blow , to see the sea foam and hear the waves rage and roar , when the winds oppose his effluxion ? and what cause of great wonderment and admiration for a wise man to see wicked heathens oppose and persecute christianity when it is so suitable to their spirit , and agreeable to their profession so to do , we cannot yet understand , and we will diligently listen to them who will undertake to inform us : for the thing is true , that a wise man did wonder at the sight he saw with great admiration , rev. . . i saw the woman drunk with the blood of the martyrs of jesus , and i wondred with great admiration . wondred ! o strange ! at what ? to see that which was common to all ages , the seed of the serpent , that profest heathenism , the wicked , even the worst of the wicked by principles and profession , to plot again● the righteous , and to gnash upon him wit● their teeth ; idolaters ; profest idolaters , t● persecute the servants , and worshipers of th● true god ; those that were born after the flesh and live after the flesh , to persecute them tha● were born of the spirit , and lived after th● spirit ; surely if our adversaries opinion w● true in this case , that babylon is only rom● heathen , st. john had forgot that cain kille● abel , and ishmael persecuted isaac ; and too● not so much notice of the course of the world common to every age , as paul did , wh● said , but as he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit as it was then , so it is now : and what strang● wonder is in all this ? . rome heathen never was espoused married , or united to the lord jesus , in spiritual way , visibly owning his laws , and submitting to his government , as a wife submits to , and obeys her husband , and afterwards casts him oft , and chuses another hea● and husband ; and therefore cannot be mystical babylon , or the great whore : for though the heathens were great idolaters , yet were they never charged with spiritual adultery● nor could they , unless they had once by visible profession , made a covenant with , o● espoused themselves to the lord jesus , which rome papal before its apostacy did ; therefore rome heathen could not be the great whore or mystical babylon . . rome heathen cannot be the babylon ●et forth by st. john , unless she be guilty of all the christian bloud shed upon the earth since the destruction of jerusalem , for as the guilt of all the blood shed , from righteous abel , to the death of zacharias , is by our saviour fix'd upon jerusalem , and cannot be ●emoved to another people , so the blood of ●ll martyrs and followers of jesus is by the revelation fix'd upon the last babylon , rev. ● . . i saw a woman drunk with the blood ●f the saints , and of the martyrs of jesus , chap. . v. . and in her was found the ●lood of the prophets , of saints , and of all ●hat were slain upon the earth . but rome ●eathen was not guilty of all the christian ●lood that was shed upon the earth , by mur●ers , massacres , and martyrdoms since the ●istruction of jerusalem : for to look back , ●ut for six hundred years last past , in which ●me we shall find hundreds of thousands of pro●st christians most butcherly and barbarously ●ut to death for their zeal and love to the ●hristian religion , in the respective nations ●f europe , before which the heathenish state ●f rome was gone off about the space of six ●undred years , so that if we will regard the full satisfying of this prediction about mystery babylon we must of necessity bring her down lower than the heathenish state of rome . . rome heathen cannot be this babylon under consideration , because the discoverie : of other prophecies , relating to the same state , no way agree to the power of rome heathen . . this state of babylon is called mystery of iniquity , this no way agrees to rome heathen , but fully agrees to rome papal ; compare thes. . . with rev. . . ( viz. ) for the mystery of iniquiry doth already work — the , angel said unto me ; wherefore didst thou marvel ? i will tell thee the mystery of the woman , and of the beast that carryeth her . . the head of this state of mystery babylon , is called the man of sin by way of eminency , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only beyond the common rank of men , but beyond the highes● sons of wickedness that went before him ▪ and there is a great truth in this , for if w● consider the pope in respect of pride , hypocrisy , idolatry , and blood , he is the most un● parallel'd man of sin. . this state or mystery of iniquity b● gan to work in the apostles days , which 〈◊〉 no way applicable to the power of rome hea● then ; for that did not then begin , it bein● at that time in the very meridian of its greatness , and universal sovereignty , luke . . and it came to pass in those days , that there came out a decree from caesar augustus , that all the world should be taxed . . this man of sin , mystery of iniquity , or head of the babylonish state , is said to be let or hindred in his designs , he that now letteth , will let , until he be taken out of the way , thes. . . but now rome heathen had no let or hindrance , either from the word of god , or that declared it ( as it was a civil magistracy ) to be gods ordinance ; nor from any opposite power , either civil or military , they giving laws to the greatest part of the world , and enjoying the supream government of the best kingdoms in the universe , none being able to cope with them at that time . . this head of the babylonish state is said to sit in the temple of god , which the power of rome heathen did not do , neither in the temple of jerusalem , nor in the church , which is more properly the temple of god : for the jews kept the possession of the litteral temple , till it was destroyed ; and for the church of god , the heathen emperors never loved it so well , as to make their residence in it , but the bishop of rome before he shewed himself to be that wicked one ( viz. ) the man of sin , did evidently sit in the church or temple of god , and so fulfilled this prophecy in the very letter of it . . he ( that is , the man of sin , or head of this babylonish state , ) was to rise by apostacy , or falling away from the christian religion , thes. . . there shall come a falling away first ; exactly agreeing with another prophecy to the same purpose , . tim. . . now the spirit speaketh expresly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , &c. but rome heathen did not rise by apostacy from the christian religion , or a departing from the faith , which they never professed , as is evident to the whole world : ergo. rome heathen cannot be this babylonish state. . this man of sin , or head of mystery babylon , lay hid in the apostles time and was not revealed : but the power of rome heathen did not then lye hid , or wanted to be revealed ; for it stood visible and high , upon a hill , even upon seven hills according to the roman poet ovid , ( who lived about the very time of christ's being on earth ) in lib. de tristibus . sed quae de septem totum circumspicit orbem montibus , imperii roma deûmque locus . that is , but rome which from her seven hills , the whole earth views around , the place of gods and rule &c. ergo rome heathen cannot be this babylonish state. . this mystery of iniquity is said , to oppose and exalt himself above all that is called god , or that is worshipped , thes. . . but this the power of rome in its heathen state did not do ; for they worshipped , offered sacrifices , and bore a reverence to their gods , which by nature indeed were no gods ; and 't is only the head of rome papal , that runs down all gods : but those of his own making ; ergo rome papal , and not rome heathen , must of necessity be this mystery of iniquity . . the rise or coming of this mystery of iniquity , is after the working of satan , thes. . . but the rise of the romish greatness and power , when heathen , was not after the working of satan , but was said by daniel to be produced by the providence of god , or the four winds of heaven ; and by the apostle , to the powers ordained of god , rom. . . therefore rome heathen cannot be the mystery of iniquity &c. here meant ▪ . this mystery of iniquity is not only said to come after the working of satan , thes. . . but also with all power , &c. but the rise of rome heathen was not after that manner : ergo &c. to illustrate the first proposition note , that the term ( all power ) marks out the romish pope so notoriously , that whosoever runs may read it ; for if we do but impartially consider his impudent usurpations upon crowned heads , and his pretences of supremacy over the whole christian world ; his proud imperious decrees , bulls , &c. his disposal of the kingdoms of princes , and the inheritances , yea the very lives of private persons , of any rank , that dare disobey him ; his pretences to shut and open heaven , hell , and his feigned purgatory ; his carrying a symbol of that vast and god like power ( viz ) a brace of keys hanging at his girdle : all these will appear as clear demonstrations , that the head of rome papal , is the head of babylon , and the grand impostor , or the capital manager of this mystery of iniquity , he having ( most sacrilegiously ) assumed to himself , all heavenly power of damning or saving , and all earthly power , both temporal or civil , and ecclesiastical or spiritual . . the wicked babylonish state , comes forth with a great pretence of miracles , which are but false signs , and lying wonders , to deceive and cheat the people ; and by this means they conquer nations , and carry away their kings to their wicked interest . this rome heathen did not do ; for though the heathenish power of rome did conquer nations , and countrys , with their kings ; yet it was by state policy , and force of arms , not by pretended miracles , false signs , and lying wonders , therefore rome heathen cannot be this mystery of iniquity , or babylonish state. . this wicked state , under consideration , is declared not only to depart from the faith by a palpable apostacy , but to forbid marriage , and command a long lent , and many other fast days , whereon some sorts of meat are prohibited to be eaten ; which doth so fully agree to the papal state of rome , that nothing can be more plain , unless the spirit had expresly told us ; this will be fulfilled by rome papal , for these two things we have their canons upon record , the which if none can shew the like of the heathen state of rome , then rome papal shall carry the title of this mystery of iniquity , and babylonish state. . if the babylon under consideration , be only confined to the power of heathen rome ; then there is a more evident , and apparent mystery upon the state , or power of rome heathen , than upon any power o● state that went before it , or shall come after it ; for so the text imports , rev. . ▪ and upon her fore-head was a name written , mystery babylon the great , &c. but there did no such mystery appear , upon the power , or state of rome heathen , therefore this babylon cannot terminate there ; what great mystery appeared upon the power and state of rome heathen , more than appeared upon the power and state , of the three foregoing monarchies ? . this babylon cannot be confined to the power of rome only in its heathen state , because babylon is to continue till the good people shall ( with the horns that did support her , which is the last part of the wicked and persecuting power , answerable to the te● toes in daniels great image ) reward and destroy her , for the injury that she did unto them ; according to these three texts of scripture , rev. . . dan . , , . rev. . . and i heard another voice from heaven , saying , come out of her , my people , that ye be not partakers of her sins , &c. ver . . reward her even as she hath rewarded you , and deal unto her double according to her works : in the cup that she hath filled , fill to her double : how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously , so much torment and sorrow give her . and the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast , these shall hate the whore , & shall make her desolate and naked , and eat her flesh , and burn her with fire : which the power of rome in its heathen state felt not , but ended its course without being destroyed by good people , and the ten horns , which is the last part of the image government . and in the days of these kings , ( viz. ) ( ten toes , ten horns , ten kings , ) shall the god of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed : and the kingdom shall not be le●t to another people , but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms , and it shall stand for ever . which could not be fulfilled in what constantine did in the time of maxentius , as dr. hammond would have us believe , for these three reasons . ( . ) because the ten horns , that afterwards the roman power fell into , were not come up , and so could not destroy the power of rome in its heathen state . ( . ) because babylons persecution , mystery and confusion , did not utterly cease , which it must have done , so as to rise no more for ever , if the power of rome heathen destroyed by constantine , had been this mystery babylon . ( . ) because tho there might be a body of good people with constantine , when he overthrew maxentius , yet the power of the kingdom was not so established in the hand of good people , as not afterward to be left to others , as the text affirms . and the kingdom shall not be left to another people . for ( as we shall anon shew ) the kingdom or power that ceased to be in the hands of heathens , and by mighty and divine providence came to be in the hands of worthy and renowned christian emperors came afterwards into the hands of very devils incarnate , who acted all the violence of the heathen power over again , and indeed out-did them . . those that are for confining this babylon to the power of rome in its heathen state , are not well aware what they do ; for if they do demand it , their opposits who hold it to be rome papal , may grant it for arguments sake : but then the remedy is worse than the disease ; for they slip into such a precipice , as neither baronius , bellarmine , dr. hammond or the rhemists , can save or deliver them from . the true state of the case 〈◊〉 this : rome heathen is mystery babylon ; th●● say the papists : and the more willing they are to say so because it is a good argument to prove that peter was at rome he subscribing his first epistle from babylon , pet. . ▪ the church that is at babylon elected together with you saluteth you , &c. but this being allowed , the worst is to come . this babylon is destroyed , when the power of rome heathen is taken away , so as to be no more for ever ; but then what condition doth the state of babylon fall into ? doth it become the throne of the lamb ▪ the city of the living god , the habitation of holiness , and dwelling place of zion , the true church , the place of the holy ones , and saints of the most high ? o no! what then ? hearken , and an angel from heaven shall tell you , rev. . . . and after these thinge ( of the horns hating the whore , making of her naked , and burning her flesh with fire ) . i saw another angel come down from heaven , having great power , and the earth was lightned with his glory ; and he cryed mightily with a strong voice , saying , babylon the great is fallen , is fallen , and is become the habitation of devils , and the hold of every foul spirit , and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. now , you papists , if you will have babylon to be rome heathen , take it , but then make rome papal better than an habitation of devils if you can . if it be not rome heathen , then adieu to dr. hammond , and the rhemists ; we have what we desire . if it be , then rome papal ●s a far worse ( if possible ) than rome heathen , ●n babylon never was : and then what a fine church do the people make themselves ? . if the place , seat and city of rome was not utterly ruined ( so as to be no more for ever as a place of commerce , trade , and humane society ) when the heathen power ceased , then rome heathen cannot be this babylon , because at the ending and downfal of this babylon , the place , seat , and city will be utterly ruined so as to be no more a place of trade , commerce , or humane society , rev. . . and the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast , these shall hate the whore , and shall make her desolate , and shall eat her flesh , and bur● her with fire . v. . and the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth , revel . . ▪ for her sins which god hath remembred which have reached unto heaven , therefore shall he● plagues come in one day , death , and mourning , and famine , and she shall be utterly burn● with fire : for strong is the lord god w●● judgeth her , v. , , . all sorts of merchandize , traffick , trade , and commer● with humane society , shall cease , so as to be no more in her at all ; and the good thing● which she in fulness enjoyed before , even al● things that were dainty and goodly , are no● departed ▪ from her , and shall find them 〈◊〉 more at all , ver . . for in an hour is s●● made desolate . and a mighty angel took up a stone , like a great milstone , and cast it into the sea , saying . thus with violence shall that great city babylon be thrown down , and shall be found no more at all , ver . . and the voice of harpers , and musicians , and of pipers , and trumpeters , shall be heard no more at all in thee ; and no craftsmen of whatsoever craft he be , shall be found any more in thee ; and the sound of a milstone shall be heard no more at all in thee ; ver . . and the light of the candle shall shine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the bridegroom , and of the bride , shall be heard no more at all in thee ; verse . but the place , seat and city of rome was not so utterly ruined as to be no more , for ever a place of trade , traffick , merchandize , and humane society , when the heathen power of rome ended , ergo rome heathen cannot be the whore of babylon under present consideration , whose seat or city , hath since had a powerful government , reigning in pride and pomp , for some hundreds of years . vii . as touching that notion of the papists , ( i. e. ) that by this great ▪ whore mystery babylon is meant rome after she shall apostatize from the pope to paganism again at the latter end of the world it is such an opinion that has no foundation in scripture , nor in the judgment of the antients ; besides , some of the papists themselves reject it as improbable and detestable , as our annotators observe , for then sr. john in the revelations passes by in utter silence , all the transactings that have been in the world , under papal rome , even ever since the seven head or christian emperors government went off of the stage , which is near years which is ridiculous to suppose . besides it cannot be understood of rome in either of the other notions , as hath been proved . . because antichrist is to sit in the temple of god , thes. . . as god , therefore not in a pagan city . the mystery of iniquiry was working in the apostles time , but v. . the roman empire hindred the appearance of antichrist , till the popes had wrung rome out of their hands , and were the sole rulers there , then antichrist shewed himself . . because there is nothing said of this great whore or this babylon , but admirably agreeth to rome in its present state . we shall conclude with the whole ▪ if by mystery babylon , is not meant the whole world of wicked men , nor old chaldean babylon , nor jerusalem , the turks nor saracens , nor rome in its heathenish state , nor rome after she shall desert the pope , and turn again to paganism , then it must be papal rome , or the romish church ; but she is none of the former six we have proved : ergo she is papal rome . now to make way for the second chapter , we shall state this argument following . if all the marks and characters left us upon divine records , to know mystery babylon by , do most aptly and directly agree to rome papal , then rome papal is mystery babylon , but all the marks and characters left upon divine record do most aptly and directly agree to rome papal , or the present state and church of rome : ergo rome papal is mystery babylon . chap. ii. wherein is clearly proved that all the marks of mystery babylon doth fully meet in , and agree to rome papal , or the church of rome . first of all let it be considered , babylon is set forth by a woman , which imports either a single person ranked in the feminine gender ; or a body of people related to some head , husband , or publick person , to whom she is joyned in wedlock , by covenant or matrimonial contract , as eve was related to adam , & therefore called woman ; or as judah & israel , who were joyned in covenant with god , and therefore called a woman , or as the true church now marryed or joyned to christ , and therefore called a woman . a single person as eve was , she cannot be , because the character given of her in respect of her state and actions , doth no way comport with it : she must therefore be a body of people , related to some head , husband , or publick person , as judah and israel of old was , who are often called by the title of a woman : and in like manner babylon , before the degeneracy , where a people , joyned in matrimonial contract , by gospel covenant and profession to the son of god. . mystery babylon ( it appears from hence ) imports a body of people that were once united in a solemn gospel covenant to the son of god and hence metaphorically called a woman and i saw a woman set , &c. and the woman was arayed in purple and scarlet , &c. parallel . rome papal or church of rome is a body , a great body of people , which before their apostacy were a true church , by gospel covenant and profession united to the son of god as her publick head and husband , rom. . . among whom are ye also the called of jesus christ. to all that be in rome beloved of god called to be saints . . mystery babylon is a city , a very great mystical city in a threefold respect . . in respect of power , rev . . in respect of people , rev. . . . , , . . in respect of place , or residence , where this power and people is seated , city being indefinitely taken for either of these , or comprehending all , as in these instances , psal. . isa. . . acts . . parallel . so likewise the church of rome is a city , a very great mystical city , and may be so called in a threefold consideration . . in respect of power , which is twosold ; . civil . . ecclesiastical , signified by two horns like a lamb. . in respect of people , which are great , the fame of which people as a mystical city or church was great before the power and chief dominion of the place was joyned with it as a church which came in by the apostasy , rom. . . first i thank my god through jesus christ for you all , that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. and since they adulterated from their primitive purity , and become antichristian , they have been and still are a great people , no united body calling themselves a church of christ in respect of number and for fame coming near them . . great in respect of place or chief residence where this power and great people are seated , and by way of eminency , as a mystical city , it may indeed well bear the bell away . for what people have given further occasion to be spoken of in respect of power , people and place of chief residence throughout the whole world as rome has , as will hereafter be made more evident . iii. mystery babylon is not only a mystica● city and woman , but a bad woman and city , a city of confusion . for so the word babel or babylon signifies , viz. evil or confusion parallel . rome papal or church of rome is not only a mystical woman , city , but a very evil woman , a city indeed of confusion ; there is the name of the lamb much spoken of , but his doctrine contemn'd slighted and under valued and his laws and ordinances trample● upon , and notoriously violated , his institution not regarded , nor his example imitated , either by the bishop himself , his cardinals or inferior orders , they having his humility and self-denial only in their mouths , but none of it i● their hearts , like those the apostle speaketh of who in words profess they know god , but in work● deny him . for under this verbal and pretended humility lies covered the greatest pride in the world , and under this verbal meekness and self-denial the greatest oppression , cruelty , superstition , covetousness , vain glory and love of the world that ever was manifest , as appears by their pompous and glistering garbs , their cruel persecutions , and the vast sums of money brought in from all parts of their dominions , by sleights , cunning and deceitful cheats : besides a meer hodg-podg of principles , one order or fraternity professing that which another writes against , and cries down ; which is the more strange to come from a church infallible , and that cannot err . besides the strange mixtures in their visible worship , of traditions , and humane inventions , of lying and diabolical tricks , of blessing by a cross , pardons and indulgences for money , consecrating holy water , and cleansing by it , which are too numerous and tedious to relate , and less needful to mention , because so well known to all men . and let any people in the christian world pretending to religion be compared to them , for supernumeraries , trifling & ●nsignificant ceremonies crouded into their pretended worship ; nay , let all the people in the christian world be laid in the ballance against the church of rome in this respect , and they will be found inconceivably wanting , for which we have this reason to ●udge her to be babylon or the city of confusion . if there is more confusion ( in contrariety of principles , practices , contradicting pretensions , supernumeraries , foolish and unscriptur● inventions crouded into their visible worship in the church of rome , than is to be found amongst any sort of people pretending to religion , in all the world besides , then is rome papal or the church of rome the great babylon or city of confusion ; but there is more confusion in the forementioned respects to be found in the church of rome than in any other church or people in the world pretending to religion : ergo rome papal is mystery babylon . iv. mystery babylon is not only set forth 〈◊〉 a woman , and city of confusion , but is also called a whore , a word which carries in it , one of the highest impeachments , yet no other that was given to israel , judah & jerusalem in the days of old upon the very same reason ? isa. . and . . and hos. . . . . for they being joyned in covenant with god ( as a woman is to an husband ) to be the lords , to serve him in obedience and subjection , did like to an adulterous woman , break wedlock , and set up other lovers , or idols in his stead , and continued so a long time , till a bill of divorce w● given , and god proclaimed them adulteresses , and that he was not their husband , nor they his wife , but a whore and divorced ; yet it is observable , that they , tho they worshipped idols , cryed , the temple , the temple of the lord are we , and would by all means be accounted the church of god. paral. even so in like manner rome papal , or the church of rome , is not only called a woman ; but according to scripture history , and notorious matter of fact , she is a whore , having utterly adulterated from what she was once , and so may justly bear that brand or black name , for in the apostles time she joined her self to the lord , to be his , by firm tyes of a gospel covenant and profession , and as a renowned spouse of jesus christ , owned and professed him in the time of heathenish rome , and received the apostles and servants of god amongst them , and withstood the fury of the emperors , suffering persecution , and had their faith spoken of throughout the whole world ; but yet after all this , like israel of old , she left god , jesus christ , and almost all his holy laws , and ordinances , and made idols to her self of saints , angels , reliques and images , upon which she doted , and forsook the son of god , upon the working and appearance of the vile person or man of sin , who exalted himself into the place of christ ; and became her head , by which means she is so far degenerated from what she once was , that she retains nothing of what really appertains to true godliness , but the bare names of god , christ and christian religion , having corrupted the true worship of the son of god , her first husband , and notoriously abandoned obedience and subjection to him , taking this vile person the pope to be her head , and chief guide , and setting him up in the place of , and in dignity above christ , her first head and only guide of her youth , and yet ( like israel of old ) still cryes , the true church , the holy catholick church , and mother church are we ; having on her forehead a strange mystery written , i. e. god , christ , truth , verity , unity , universality , infallibility ; and yet with that on her forehead , and in her heart too , is written , devil , pope , lying , blasphemy , idolatry , deceit , perjury , blood and horrible cruelty towards the best of men , professing christ and religion in uprightness and truth : for which her abominable idolatry , and change of her first head and husband , and setting up this vile person with which she commits most horrid lewdness or spiritual whoredom , together with the kings of the earth , she is ranked by the holy ghost , amongst the worst of women , and stil'd the great whore , and as her type and predecessor of old , a well favoured harlot , but since her spiritual adultery and whoredom hath been so apparently proved upon her , by many worthy and eminent authors , or protestant writers , we shall conclude this black character with this following argument and proceed to the next mark . if there be no body of professing people , in the christian world , that have so apparently , declined , or adulterated from what they once were , deserting the holy headship , doctrine , example , and right government of jesus christ , having set up another visible , publick , and universal head of the church , in room and stead of him ; whose power , laws and edicts , are preferred above and before the authority , laws and precepts of the lord jesus christ , as rome papal or church of rome hath done : then the church of rome is mystery babylon , or the great whore spoken of . but there is no body of professing people in the christian world , nor throughout the earth , who have so apparently declined , adulterated , and deserted the holy headship , doctrine , example and right government of jesus christ , ut supra , as rome papal or church of rome hath done . ergo rome papal or church of rome , is mystery babylon the great whore. if any should think this argument not weighty , let them shew if they can , that some other people different from the church of rome , have made as great or like change in point of religion and headship , and matter● thereto pertaining , so as this black character of whore , great whore , may more fitly and fully be made to meet upon them , and we must confess our argument not weighty , but till then , we conclude it carries conviction in the bowels of it . v. mystery babylon is not only set forth by a woman , city of confusion and whore , but also a great city , and great whore , and the great city was divided , &c. rev. . ▪ and the woman which thou sawest is that great city , rev. . . i will shew thee the judgment of the great whore , rev. . . i think it necessary to reassume this character again , the spirit of god noting this as a most eminent mark of her . paral : now that the church of rome is not only a whore and mystical city but a very great city , and whore , will yet appear more evident . . she hath a great name ; no name so great in the christian world , as the name of rome ; she is called a queen , and being joined by contract to her universal head , viz. the pope or man of sin , she would seem to be far greater than emperors , and temporal princes , and pretends a power to give them their crowns , and set them upon their heads , and kick them off again at pleasure . . great in power . she gives rules and laws to kingdoms , advances her ecclesiastical edicts above temporal ; she sets the pope , and the chiefest of her sons , above secular jurisdiction ; makes them unacountable , and pretends a power , to absolve , to bless and curse at her pleasure , and without controversy the lesser is blessed of the greater . . great in multitude . there are no people besides , that are in a spiritual united body , and visible community , professing christianity , comparable to her , for multitude , or the vast numbers of her children . . great in actions , vile actions , such as deposing and poysoning princes , fomenting jealousies , raising wars , setting nations together by the ears , invading rights and properties of nations and kingdoms by subtile insnarements , and cunning stratagems , making tumults and uproars , contriving masscres , burning cities , and carrying on dreadful devastations , where she is gain-said ; and that which adds to her greatness , is that invincible confidence she hath , that all persons and things are made for her , and given to her , so that all things she doth are allowed as legal and just in heaven , tho the actions are most vile and as unhumane as any can be , in the judgment of any undeceived mortal : from whence we shall frame this argument . arg. if there be no united body of people , or visible community in the christian world , that is so great in name , power , multitudes , and actions , vile actions , as rome papal or church of rome hath been , and still is — then the church of rome is mystery babylon . but there is no united body of people , or community in the christian world that is so great in name , power , multitude , and actions , vile actions , as rome papal or church of rome . ergo rome papal is this great city , whore or mystery babylon . vi. mystery babylon is said to sit upon many waters , which is expounded to be people , multitudes , nations and tongues , rev. . , . and he said unto me , the waters which thou sawest , where the whore sitteth , are people , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues , &c. which according to the learned mede , peter du moulin , and other famous protestant writers , is more than a third part of the ten considerable parts , which the roman monarchy fell into , not long before the pope that man of sin , and head of mystery babylon , assumed the imperial seat and throne , which afterwards became ten kingdoms with crowned heads , assisting the beast against the lamb , and persecuting of the saints , distinguished into ten kingdoms of the empires , i. of germany . ii. france . iii. england . iv. scotland . v. denmark . vi. polonia . vii . the kingdom of spain . viii . the kingdom of navarre . ix . the kingdom of hungary . x. the kingdom of naples and sicily . all which rome papal had in possession , as our french author saith , in the days of pope leo the tenth . paral. so then it appears evidently that the church of rome has directly this mark of mystery babylon also , she sitting upon many waters , viz. people , multitudes , nations , and languages , that she sate upon , or ruled over , more than one third part of the ten , which was formerly under the roman empire , in its civil state , is evident , which● ( more ▪ than one third part ) hath since fallen into ten kingdoms , under the government of ten crowned heads , and have all agreed to give their power to this last beast ( as they received power as kings one hour with him ) according to what was foretold , which makes good what st. john ●n the apocalypse hath made known ; as also daniel concerning the little horn , which had ● mouth speaking great things , whose looks were more stout than his fellows , dan. . by whom three of the first horns of the roman power in its civil state , were pluck't up by the roots , and in their place succeeded ten kings or crowned heads , who have their crowns given to them by this last beast ; ( and as they had their crowns given by , and hold their kingly power under the pope , little horn , last beast , or man of sin , ) in requital of his fatherly care in giving his sons so great a patrimony , so they give their power to him , and ingaged against the lamb , in making war with , and persecuting the saints of the most high , and will do so till the vvord of god , or prophecy of daniel , and revelations of st. john , &c. is fulfilled ; which ten crowned heads answer to the ten toes in nebuchadnezzars image , and to the ten horns in this th of the apocalypse , which are so concerned in the beasts kingdom ; and who will at last by the gracious providence of god ( that is some of them ) be overcome by the lamb , and turn to hate the whore , and make her desolate , whom before they for a long time join'd with and supported , and for whose pleasure they did persecute the saints ; which ten states or kingdoms are by our french author peter du moulin , ( in his book called the accomplishment of the prophecy , page . ) distinguished , as we before shewed ; all which kingdoms , as king james the first , in his learned works makes out , took their rise with rome papal , upon the division or ruine of the roman empire in its civil state , the body of which kingdoms may well be called many waters , viz. people , multitudes , nations and tongues , or people of several languages , which were as well known to have been under the usurpation , and jurisdiction of papal rome , as 't is known there have been and still are papists in the world , which doth fully answer to the very letter of the text , viz. the waters which thou sawest whereon the whore sitteth , are people , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues , rev. . . . this is very evident yet further by her making all the european kingdoms , and merchants thereof rich , that traffick by sea , by the great expence of all commodities , which are swallowed up , by reason of her pride and bravery , which could never be effected , unless she had nations , and multitudes , under her jurisdiction to contribute to her great pride and luxury . . a third instance to confirm it is , the numberless number of good christians she has prey'd upon and murdered , in most of these kingdoms for no other cause , but for witnessing against her idolatry and usurpation , which shews what power she had over these nations , and tongues , &c. . and lastly , the vast sums of money she has extorted and squeezed from these kingdoms and nations , to uphold her pretended right , preheminency , and usurpation over them , which you have an account of by several worthy writers , who fully witness to the truth of what we say upon this respect . and from the whole we shall draw this argument and proceed . arg. if there be no body of people , professed church or state in the world ( under any single denomination ) that sits upon , i. e. commands , or bears rule over people , multitudes , nations , and tongues , as rome papal or church of rome doth ; then rome papal or the church of rome , is mystery babylon . but there is no body of people , professed church or state ( under any single denomination ) that sits upon , i. e. commands , or bears rule over people , multitudes , nations , and tongues , as rome papal or church of rome doth ; ergo rome papal , or church of rome , is mystery babylon . to the establishing this argument , let it be considered that the whole state of the christian world consists but of these two parts , viz. the church of rome considered as head and body , and those who dissent from her , who are so inconsiderable , whether the waldenses , albingenses , hugonots or other parties of protestants , that no one party of , nay if we put them altogether , can be said to sit upon , i. e. command , or bear rule over people , multitudes , nations , and tongues , to answer to this character of mystery babylon ; the waldenses and hugonots , have been and still are a persecuted people ; the lutherans never got up so high as to command many states , or kingdoms , or people of many languages ; great britain ( tho a protestant state or kingdom , ) comes not up to answer this character , much less the seven united provinces that of late times revolted from the crown of spain ; so that if rome papal hath done so , and no other people that dissent from her , have ever yet nor could do the like , then this proves rome papal that great whore viz , mystery babylon that sits upon many waters , &c. vii . the seventh mark or character of mystery babylon is this , viz. she is such a whore , that kings and great men of the earth , are said to commit fornication with her ; see the text rev. . . with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication , i. e spiritual fornication ▪ or fornication in a mystery , or after a mysterious manner , such as jerusalem of old was charged with , chron. . . isa. . . which was a following like idolatry that this woman babylon hath done , viz. corrupting the true worship of god , and adoring idols , or making of images and representations of the true god , by which they pretended to worship him ; and so great was her fornication that 't is said she did corrupt the earth with it . paral. now that rome papal , or church of rome , hath this black mark and character upon her , is most evident , viz. such a whore that the kings of the earth , have committed fornication with her , she having corrupted the earth with her filthy fornications , they following her abominable superstition and idolatry . . for first , hath she adored the pope , as her lord god , universal head , and infallible bishop , setting him up above all laws ? the kings of the earth have been so intoxicated , with the cup of her fornication , that they likewise have done the same . . hath and doth she worship the virgin mary , angels , and many departed saints ? even so have and do many of the kings of the earth likewise . . hath she adored images , the crucifix , the host , and pictures of pretended saints ? even so she has caused the kings of the earth to do likewise . . hath she foolishly , and idolatroully de based her self with the adoration of the relick● of known and unknown saints ? so the very same has she caused the kings and great men to do also . . hath she grosly , and superstitiously worshiped the true god , in a false manner ? by crouding in an innumerous train of detestable , and foolish fopperies into his worship , and pretended service , which he never ordained , as candles , candlesticks , altars , vestments , spittle , salt , oyl , holy water , beads , and a world of such like trumpery ? so have the kings and noble ones of the earth done and still do ; as the emperour of germany , kings of france , spain , portugal and england , formerly and of late also ; from whence we will draw this argument . arg. if there be no body of people in the christian world , pretending to a church state , that have set up idolatry to such a degree , and with whom the kings of the earth have jointly agreed , and complied , as rome papal or church of rome hath done , then rome papal or church of rome , is this mystery babylon spoken of . but there is no body of people in the christian world , pretending to a church state , that hath set up idolatry to such a degree , and with whom the kings of the earth have complied , as rome papal , &c. hath done , ergo the church of rome is mystery babylon . to reinforce this argument , let any man that will become an advocate for the church of rome , shew that any people , differing and dissenting from the church of rome , are guilty of like idolatry , with whom the kings of the earth have complied , as aforementioned , and we will reject this argument ; but if this character doth more fitly , nay directly meet in papal rome , our argument is good and unanswerable . viii . another scripture mark and character of mystery babylon is this , i. e. she doth not only cause the kings of the earth to commit fornication with her , but she hath intoxicated the minds and hearts of multitudes , and corrupted great part of the world , with the wine of her fornication , even the common sort of people ; see rev. . . and the inhabitants of the earth , have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication , &c. paral. that rome papal or church of rome hath not only caused kings of the earth , and great men , to commit fornication with her , by dancing after her pipes , in all her mysterious allurements , and detestable errors , but hath also intoxicated the minds and hearts of multitudes , and miserably corrupted and bewi●ched great part of the world , or common sort of people , by her erroneous and wicked doctrine : o what a world of poor people hath she a long time deceived , and made to commit spiritual fornication with her , in italy , germany , poland , france , spain , portugal , ireland , and lastly in england and scotland too , besides many other countreys ! . as first , is it not a strange intoxication , that such a multitude of the inhabitants of the earth , should believe , that a wicked man should be appointed of god to be the vicar of christ , as if god had no more regard to the honour of his own name , and the good of his church , and dignity of his son , than to substitute a child of the devil , ( as all wicked men are ) to be vice-gerent to the most holy jesus , in the highest transactions that relate to heaven and the souls of men ? surely if god shut judas out of his bishoprick for his wickedness , tho an apostle , it can't stand consistent with his truth and holiness , to set up or allow of a wicked and imperious pope , got up to the highest pinacle of pride , and make him the immediate deputy , and successor of christ , and to impose a wolf as shepherd upon the universal church . . one who saith that he is an infallible judge , to determine articles of faith , and indued with power to impose them , upon great penalties ; so that as a lord he hath dominion over mens faith , consciences , and souls too ; which the apostles disclaimed . . is it not a strange intoxication , that such a multitude of poor people should believe , that the church cannot err , tho god and thousands of good men , see and fully know , there are not such abominable errors in principles , nor such villanous enormities , cursed actions , cruel and immoral practices , in the world ? nay , such that turks and infidels do abhor . yet this doctrine that the church is infallible , and cannot err , the poor deluded multitude believes , and hate , nay kill , others that oppose it , and venture body and soul upon it . . is it not a strange intoxication , that such a multitude of the inhabitants of the earth , should believe , that the pope tho never so wicked , nay a priest ( tho he be a treacherous villain , a contriver of murther , and an abominable adulterer ) hath power to absolve his equals and fellow sinners from all their sins , tho directly committed against god ; if he come to confession ? tho the pretended penitent keeps his old evil habit , of wickedness still ; contrary to what god and jesus christ in his blessed word saith ; where 't is recorded that 't is god alone that forgiveth sins , and blo●●eth out our iniquities , and that a man must be born again ; i. e. the evil habits must be changed , and all wicked practices must be forsaken ; or no forgiveness nor entring into the kingdom of heaven , john . . . is it not a strange piece of witchcraft and intoxication , that such a multitude of the inhabitants of the earth , should believe that there is a purgatory , which is no part of heaven nor hell , and that men may be redeemed out of it with money ? tho god saith , the redemption of the soul is precious , and ceaseth for ever , psal. . i. e. after the offering of the body of jesus christ once for all , and that 't is only the blood of christ which purges and cleanses from all sin , jo. . . and that we are not redeemed with corruptible things , as silver and gold , but with the precious blood of christ , as a lamb without blemish and without spot . . is it not a strange intoxication , and a clear demonstration that the inhabitants of the earth have drunk of the wine of this whores fornication , that such a multitude of poor souls should believe , that a filthy and wicked priest , by speaking a few words can not only make bread and wine sacred , but also turn and change the bread into the real body and blood of the son of god , and make whole christ of a pittyful wafer-cake , by a charm of five latin words , viz. hoc est enim corpus meum ; and this transubstantiated idol they fall down before , & adore as their maker , anathematizing and cursing all that shall deny this idol of indignation , to be adored with the highest degree of divine worship , which is proper to god only , for she saith 't is her god , as she singeth in her roman missal . plagas sicut thomas non intueor , deum tamen meum te confiteor . wounds as thomas did i not see , yet do i confess thee my god to be . in this , as one observes , they out-do the vanity of the heathens , who thought none was so witless , as to believe , that that which is eaten is a god , yet this god of theirs these canibals devour , even flesh , blood and bones in their conceit , the poor deluded multitude believieng contrary to their own natural reason , and all their sences , that they eat real flesh , when they eat that wafer-cake , the substance nor quality being changed , the form , colour and taste of bread remaining after the words of consecration . . is it not a strange intoxication , that such a multitude of people should believe , that evil and idle doctrine of hers , viz. that no person , how good and pious so ever he be , can be saved , out of the pale of their polluted , ungodly , and devilish church , notwithstanding 't is a great doubt and question whether any member of such a false church can be saved , sith the holy scripture saith , that no idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of god ; and again , that if any man worship the beast , and his image , and receive his mark in his forehead , or in his hand , the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of god , &c. rev. . , . and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone , in the presence of the holy angels , and in the presence of the lamb , &c. besides , considering the scripture directly holdeth forth that all who are born again , or truly regenerate , shall be saved , let them be of what church they will , provided they are sound in the essentials of the christian faith , and not guilty of idolatry , for certainly the new birth comprehends , a change of all such erroneous principles , as well as of other evil and corrupt habits and wicked practices . . is it not a strange kind of spiritual intoxication , that such a number of the inhabitants of the earth , should believe , that 't is no sin to lie , swear , and for-swear , to kill , slay , and murther , such they call hereticks ( tho never so godly ) if it be for the cause of holy church , with a thousand things of the like nature , which the people do believe , and dare not disown upon their salvation , but boldly adventure to ingage at all opportunitys to fight , and make war , burn citys , lay waste countries and kingdoms , and destroy by massacres , and all manner of murthering ways , all ranks , and degrees of men , who oppose the horrid principles of this vile church , and cursed practices of these sons of belial . nay they will go boldly to their own deaths , when convicted and justly condemned for such like villanies , and deny to day what they were convicted of yesterday , and tho never so notoriously guilty , yet will take it upon their death , they are as innocent as the child unborn ; what can this be , tho they drink it down as sweet wine , but an infusion of the rankest and most deadly poyson that the lowest celler of the bottomless pit can afford , the very wine of the whores fornication , and the most dangerous intoxication in the world ? which is attended with this aggravation , i. e. the best medicines of the wisest physicians will not recover them ; for babylon having made the multitude drunk with this sort of poysoned wine , how rare is it to have any to come to themselves , or to their right minds again ? and to shut up this head take this argument . arg. if no people in the christian world have made the multitude of the common people , or inhabitants of the earth drunk , i. e. corrupted and intoxicated their minds with wicked lyes , falshood , and detestable doctrines , as rome papal or church of rome hath done ; then rome papal , &c. is mystery babylon . but no people in the christian world , have made the multitude of the inhabitants of the earth drunk , i. e. corrupted , and intoxicated their minds by wicked lies , falsehood , and detestable doctrine , such as before mentioned , as the church of rome hath done . ergo rome papal is mystery babylon . ix . mystery . babylon is said to sit upon a scarlet-colour'd beast ; and this beast is full of the names of blasphemy : and i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of the names of blasphemy , &c. rev. . . so that it appears the woman and the beast are distinct ; by the woman is meant the false church , by the beast is meant the secular power or civil state , or the antichrist , or that government that is the eighth , and of the seventh , who assumeth both the civil and ecclesiastical authority by whom the whore , false church and worship is supported : that the beast and whore are distinct is evident , . from other prophecies relating to the same thing . . from the letter of the text . . from arguments grounded on reason . . from the confession of the whore her self . . from the prophecies in the scripture describing the same state of the roman monarchy , dan . the latter part of the image is partly iron , and partly clay , two states that were really distinct , that could never so in corporate as to become one . . from the letter of the text , i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast , full of the names of blasphemies . the colours of the royal and imperial vestments , as the angel declared them distinct , so the apostle saw them distinct . . they appear to be distinct from argments grounded upon reason . for , ( . ) the beast is in the masculine gender , the whore in the feminine gender . ( . ) because the whore is said to ride upon the beast , the one carrying the other . ( . ) the horns being of the beast , 't is said , shall hate the whore ; if they were not distinct the whore must hate her self , and eat her own flesh , &c. which is nonsensical . ( . ) the beast shall abide , tho in captivity , after the whore is thrown down and destroy'd . . from the plain confession of the whore her self , they are distinct , who saith i sit a queen , i am no widdow , &c. ergo , she has a head or husband , which is the vile person , little horn and ecclesiastical beast , or that man of sin st. paul declared should rise after the then present romish power which did lett , was taken away , which the primitive fathers , as tertullian , cyprian , jerome , and others understood to be the imperial power in its pure , civil , iron or unmixt-state or legs of the image , dan. . paral. rome papal , or church of rome , hath not only drawn into idolatry the kings of the earth , great men abusing god , his son jesus christ and the christian religion , and the blessed books of the old and new testament , but she hath made the lower and ruder sort of the people drunk too , ( as hath been shewed . ) and 't is no wonder she thinks she may do any thing , having a dispensation from heaven ( as she pretends . ) which the pope keeps the keys of , fearing no power on earth . and now that she hath the secular power to support her , upon which she sits or rides in great pomp , is evident , and that they are really distinct , for what of the secular power is still left at rome , is under the conduct and management of the church , there being no civil administration of justice or exercise of laws , but what is authorized and allowed by the pope , the head of this ecclesiastical state ; to make this further evident , the pope doth not only exercise a power of appointing seculars at rome , and near to it , but he claims the like supremacy abroad in other kingdoms ; if the secular princes fall off from him , or will not be reconciled to him , and own him as head of the church , he will excommunicate and depose them , and takes away their crown● and sceptres from them ; that the pope is a temporal prince , as well as an ecclesiastical bishop , i. e. makes laws , exacts tribute , raises souldiers , and acts a monarch , is notoriously known ; which fairly affords him the title of beast , that his royal and scarlet robes , the chair he sits in to his very hose and shoes , with the vestments of his cardinals , is scarlet ; so that ye need not doubt but here you have the scarlet coloured beast ; besides no man can reasonably doubt , that what the civil power claims the ecclesiastical power exercises , and that this princely pope is in the masculine , and this harlot or false church in the feminine gender is owned by all partys . that the church state doth sit upon , ride , and govern the secular at rome , italy , and all its territories ; that the church of rome owns that she is no widdow , but hath a head , called his holiness , or supreme ruler of the church , is so evident , that we cannot find them upon any file of record of controversy . there remains therefore , no more to be done here , sith this black character of mystery babylon doth so well meet in the romish church . arg. if there be no visible state in the christian world , that doth so apparently sit upon , command , and govern the beast or a great secular power , clothed in scarlet vestments , as rome papal doth , then rome papal 〈◊〉 church of rome is mystery babylon . but there is no visible state in the christian world , that doth so apparently sit upon , command , and govern the beast , or secular power , cloth'd in scarlet vestments , as rome papal or church of rome . ergo rome papal &c. is mystery babylon . to reinforce this argument we challenge any papists , atheists , or any else to shew where there are any other people or party to whom these characters agree as well as with rome papal , and then we will let this argument sall . x. the beast that mystery babylon sits upon , commands and governs , is not only clothed in scarlet , but is also full of the names of blasphemy , rev. . paral. now that the church of rome hath this mark also of mystery babylon is evident , viz. that the beast cloathed in scarlet that bears up that whorish churhc , is full of the names of blasphemy ; this appears by his ascribing that to creatures which belongs to god and jesus christ only , and in divers other respects . ( . ) when the cursed beast is called our lord. god the pope , * and whatsoever he doth , no man may say to him , why do you this ? and whosoever obeyeth not his precepts incurreth the sin of idolatry , doth he not in this shew himself indeed to be god ? what greater blasphemy can there be ? ( . ) when he is called universal head of the catholick church is not this blasphemy against christ , who alone is the head of the universal church ? ( . ) when he is called the lamb of god , he light of the world , the root of david , the lion of the tribe of judah . ( . ) when the orders of the church , oral traditions and decrees of councils are said to be of greater authority than the holy scriptures ; cardinal hositis in his advertisement to king sigismund hath these expressions , if they ( that is , the hereticks ) say it is written , that is the voice of the devil , speaking in his members ; * they call the scripture paper and parchment , and that 't is an absurd thing to attribute more authority to the scripture than to the church , which they call a nose of wax , which suffers it self to be turned hither or thither as a man pleaseth , and that the scripture is the daughter and their church the mother ; is not this horrid blasphemy against god , and the holy spirit who gave the scripture forth , and whose sacred off-spring they are ? ( . ) when the virgin mary , angels , and saints , are invocated with prayers and addresses , that only belong to the divine majesty , as if those creature were infinite , and could hear us at so great a distance as earth is from heaven , which they could not do if perpendicularly over us , much less from all parts of the world , over which they cannot be ; whether this ascribing infiniteness and omnisciency , and divine adoration to creatures , which is only due to the creator , is not blaspemy ? ( . ) whether it be not blasphemy , as well as idolatry to say that images ought to be worshipped , with the same honour and worship , which is given to him whose image it is . for so azorius affirms , and bellarmin saith that images are not only to be worshippe● † as they are exemplars , but also properly and by themselves , so as the worship may be terminated i● them . * ( . ) to conclude with this mark , whether it be not blasphemy with a witness , to affirm that a priest can make a whole christ of a wafer cake , by uttering a few words ? and is not this to exalt the man of sin above god himself ? for this which they affirm i● to do more than god indeed can do ; see m● pools dialogue p. . there are some thing● which it is no dishonour to god , to say he cannot do them , because they are either sinful ( so god cannot lie ; ) or absolutely impossible : god himself cannot make a man alive and dead at the same time , god cannot make the whole to be less than a part of it ; he cannot make three to be more than threescore ; he cannot make a son to beget the father , he cannot make the same man to be born at two several times , ( as popish authon confess ; ) and therefore he can't make the same body to be in two several places ( much less in two thousand places at one and ▪ the same time ; ) to which we may add , can god make that to be that , which it is not ? all know the bread is not flesh , but really bread after consecration . arg. if no people in the christian world are born up and supported by a scarlet coloured beast , full of the names of blasphemy , maintaining from him such blasphemous opinions , than rome papal , or church of rome , then rome papal is mystery babylon : but there is no people in the christian world that are born up by such a blasphemous beast as the church of rome is ; ergo rome papal as mystery babylon . xi . mystery babylon is not only said to sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of the names of blasphemy , but also that she is adorned with great pomp and outward glory , rev. . . and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet , and decked with gold and precious stones , and pearl , &c. parallel . rome papal , or church of rome ▪ doth not only sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , &c. but she is also beautified and adorned with great pomp and external glory , beyond any people calling themselves a church of christ in all the christian world : this is such a visible brand and mark upon this people , and well noted by all , that much we need not speak to it ; for all the world knows the church of rome delights in outward gaudery , being a people whose worship is filled not only with detestable tradisions , and blasphemous doctrines ; but also to please the carnal and sensitive eye , she se● it off with rich and costly pictures , curious● drawn , and other outward gallantry . ( . ) loo● into the patrimony of consecrated saint there you shall find riches and honour , th● not durable riches and righteousness . ( . ) loo● upon their garbs and vestments , and the● you shall find her popes and cardinals g●● stering in cloath of gold , and adorned li● emperors and splendid princes ; nay , and are some of her priests and heads of parti● what think you ( saith one of the anti●● fathers ) of this man the pope sitting on hi● in his throne glistering in purple and clo● of gold — sitting in the temple god , shewing out himself as if were a god ; her priests are ado●● in such costly habiliments , that for riches th● might become the highest order of ● jewish priesthood . ( . ) look on the inst●ments and mode of their worship , and the you shall find rich altars , and candlesticks gold , the vessels for oyl , and po●s of p●sication , as if their predecessors had been solomon's temple . ( . ) look into 〈◊〉 churches , and there you shall find great o● ward glory and bravery . ( . ) enquire co●cerning her revenues and vast incomes , a● there you will find she out-does all comm●nities in the world. arg. if no people in the christian world hath such riches , splendour , outward pomp and bravery in the maintenance and management of their worship , as rome papal , or church of rome hath : then rome papal , or church of rome , is this gaudy harlot , or mystery babylon . but there is no people or church in the christian world , that hath such riches , splendour , outward pomp and bravery , in the maintenance and management of their religious worship , as the church of rome hath ; ergo the church of rome is mystery babylon . xii . as mystery babylon is thus adorned with outward pomp , and external riches and glory ; so likewise another mark or character the holy ghost hath laid down of her is this , i. e. upon her fore-head a name is written , mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth . mother of harlots may refer in part to external whoredoms , but chiefly 't is to be taken in a mystical sense , i. e. she breeds and brings forth spiritual harlots ; viz. unclean communities . parallel . that this character meets directly in the church of rome , is very clear , upon her forehead denotes ( as our late worthy annotators observe ) the open guilt ●nd impudence of this spiritual harlot mystery babylon , that is , there is a mystery in what follows in her name — the great , not to be understood of the chaldean babylon , but of a city or policy under the gospel , as cap. . . she is called spiritual sodom and egypt ; so in a spiritual or mystical sense she is called babylon , because a city like to babylon for idolatry and persecution of god's israel . not a meer harlot , but one that breed ▪ up harlots , and nourishes idolatry , communicating it to others ; and this is the true name of rome instead of mother church ▪ . here is a name written in capital letters , and written upon her fore-head , so as to be read of all , i. e. there is no way to hide o● cover her whoredoms , or to defend or deliver her self from being the mother of harlots ▪ if this were not to be seen and read by all inlightened christians and professors , it would not not so much concern us ; for if the book of the revelations were not written for the christian world , it leaves us at an uncertainty ; nor are we in a capacity to make a judgment in this great case , who this great who●● is . . nay , and if this babylon were a small and private people and community of christians ( or such who pretend themselves so to be ) she could not be called great babylon ▪ and mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth . but rome is a great people , a great whore , or false church ; and her detestable spiritual adultery appears obvious to the whole world ; nay , her images and idolatry causes both jews and turks the more to hate and abhor that christian religion which she professeth , ( as it has been manifestly made known by many worthy writers . ) . and for mystery , see what we have said in the first chapter of this treatise , wherein is opened that strange mystery of the romish church . is it not this mystery babylon that says she is the true church , by pretending to visibility , as one of the chief evidences thereof ? and yet 't is positively said that the true woman or church of god was for the space of years in the wilderness , rev. . where she was hid all that time , or abode in an obscure condition . is it not a riddle and confus'd mystery , that she being queen regent , riding upon the beast in state , all along , and yet that very poor and distressed woman , that fled into the wilderness , and abides there in a suffering condition all the time of the beasts reign . is not this a riddle and strange mystery ▪ that one pretending her self to be the only true church of god , and mother of peace , purity and charity ; and yet notoriously known to be the breeder , bringer forth , and cherisher of division , falshood , most ▪ bloody butcheries , and barbarous cruelties and murders . . she is called babylon , or babel , i. e. confusion ; and doth not this agree to the church of rome ? doth she not openly shew her self to be the absolute antitype of old babel ? . in devising and setting up another way to heaven ( than what god hath ordained and appointed ; viz. a tower of their own raising ) not by christ alone , but by the demerits of their own good works ; and you know what some of those works are that she calls meritorious , which is , to destroy and cut the throats of such she calls hereticks , i. e. godly protestants : this is the way she ha● found out for the salvation of her dear children . . in plucking up , or endeavou●ing to rase out the true worship of god , as old caldea● babylon did , and setting up idolatry in the room of it . . the church of rome may well be called babylon , in respect of her doctrine ▪ principles , and modes of worship , which i● such a jumble , strange mixture , and heap o● human inventions , that may well go fo● ●onfusion it self ( see our third mark ) in her orders , diversities , and long muster roll of officers , that are so numerous , as well as un●criptural , that if mixture , and confusion be ●ny where , 't is to be found in this pretended church , where you have pope , cardinals , priests , and arch-priests , bishops , lord bishops , and arch-bishops , deans , and arch●eacons , suffragans , patriarchs , abbots , friars , monks , nuns , seminaries , jesuits , followers of st. francis , jansenius , augustine , capu●hins , &c. and what not , this romish har●ot hath received some of her jolly church ●relats , with their exorb●tant power from her heathenish predecessors , romu●us and numa pompilius who made flamins , arch-flamins , and a pon●ifex maxim●s , to sacrifice unto the gods ; and some of her ceremonies she has taken from other infidels , as the shaving of priests crowns like the priests of isis and serapis in egypt , nay for confusion and filthy abomination she has out-done heathen rome , for numa , the king of the antique romans , forbad them to think that the ▪ image of god had the shape of a man , or form of other living creatures ; yet this mother of idolatry alloweth the image of god the father , in form of an old man , and holy ghost in form of a dove , tho the holy prophet , inveigh●ing against this detestable vanity , demandeth , to whom will ye liken god ? or what similitud● will ye set up unto him ? — yet this whoris● church to these teachers of lies ( as one observes ) and counterfeits of god , to the shame of christians , adoreth these images , or rather the devil in them , whose worship it is , and so fulfils that which is written of her , rev. . . that men would not repent of the works of their hands , and of the worship of devils , and idols of gold , and silver , and br●s● , and of stone , and of wood , which neither can see , neither ●ear , nor go . as she appeareth in all these things to be mystery babylon the great , and abomination of the earth , so ( as worthy mr. ainsworth observeth ) in her divine service , she has babels very language , an unknown tongue ; so is it an idol wholly made ( as the scripture speaketh ) according to her own understanding ; and is all the works of the crafts-men , the prelates and popes , the lovers of this great whore who have patched together in their several ages the limbs of this deformed monster , the mass and canon thereof , a sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead ; with the litany and collects , an●hems and responds , and in this liturgy , god and his angels , apostles and martyrs , and confessors with he saints , and she saints ( and some , that had satans sanctity , ) are wrapt up together , with a stage-play like worship , with musical instruments to make them merry , as nebuchadnezzar ; with melody celebrated the dedication of his golden image , which portal , and missal , these artizans have framed , exceeding all superstitions , abominations , and confession , that ever were in the world , the meer device and forgery of their own brains , by the help of the devil , provoking god to jealousie and wrath , which suddenly she must pertake of without mixture . . mother of harlots . hath not papal rome this very character upon her forehead ? it meets in none as in her , all protestants of what denomination soever , utterly disallow of fornication , whoredom and adultery , in persons of any ranks whatsoever , maintaining constantly that marriage is honourable in all : whereas the church of rome , 't is noto●iously known , gives publick toleration to ●bominable whoredoms , and the most shame●ess and unatural bestialities as ever were in the world , but this epithet , mother of harlots , ●ay more properly refer to spiritual adultery , ●nd that the church of rome is a mystical mo●her is very plain and evident , for do not all her children own her to be the mother church ? ●nd therefore . protestants are exhorted to return into the bosom of their mother . . all polluted and national churches in the european kingdoms sprang from her , as the churches of france , spain , portugal , &c. and do call her mother . . all corruption in doctrine and discipline , were bred and brought forth by her , she is certainly the mother of all these cursed titles , and errors following , viz. universal , supream , infallible head , holy father the pope , his holiness , in the abstract — our lord god the pope , unerring church ▪ priestly absolution , selling pardons , indulgences , dispensations , adoring the crucifix , worshiping of images , anointing , and sprinkling of holy-water , the adoration of the mass , nay and the adoring the devils own engine , i. e. the cross or gibbet whereon the devils emissaries killed or crucified the lord of life and glory , for the curse of the law was ▪ to be done away by ● cursed death upon a tree , o● which whosoever was hanged ▪ the curse of god was upon him ; this death the innocent lamb , jesus christ suffered f●● our sakes , at the hands of wicked sinne● pilate and the jews , the children of the d●vil ; who used all exquisite torments to mak● his death miserable , crowning him wi●● thorns , piercing his hands , feet , and sides with nails , and a spear , hanging him on the tree until he died . and this pretended tree or cross , thorns , and nails , with other counterfeits of them , this mother of harlots , teaches her children to adore and honour , with as good ground and devotion ( as one observes ) as the ophites or serpentories , are said to honour the serpent the devils instrument , for to bring man to the knowledge of good and evil . and that all the world might take notice , that rome is the city , where our lord was crucified , this mother of harlots doth proclaim , that the cross was that altar , whereon the great sacrifice christ ▪ was offered : whereas the scripture teacheth that the bodies of those beasts whose blood was brought to make reconciliation in the holy place were burnt , without the host , or camp of israel , and not on the altar which stood before the door of the tabernacle , according to which figure jesus also , that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood , suffered without the gate of jerusalem , which was a reproach ; yet will these god-eaters , and crucifiers of our blessed saviour ▪ make the cursed cross , to be the altar most holy , and so greater than christ the sacrifice , as being that which sanctified him , for the al●ar sanctified the offering . and hereupon they call the cross blessed , and ascribe unto it worthiness to bear the talent of the world , they account it among the most precious reliques , and not only the whole , but every piece thereof ; they adore it , salute it , pray unto it , and trust therein for salvation , crying , hail , o cross , our only hope , increase thou to the godly righteousness , and unto sinners give pardon ; save thou the company gathered together in thy praises ; yea , the very sign of this idol made in the air , upon the forehead , or over any thing is sacred and ven●rable , and hath force to drive away devils , and do many like feats : wherefore this abomination hath prevailed above other , and is like beel●ebub prince of the devils , the badg of the beast , and character of mystery babylon , imprinted in churches , chappels , altars , houses and high ways , in books , writings , in prayers , sacraments , in garments , bodies and souls of men , both quick and dead ; nay , nothing is well hallowed without it , no sacrament perfect without it . and this great honour hath the cross , because the devil , and his instruments , killed or crucified our saviour upon it ; so that a marvel it is , how judas lips scaped honour , seeing he also was satans instrument , to betray christ with a kiss , wherefore this spiritual egypt , pseudo catholick church , deserveth more to be branded by some satyrist , for worshiping monsters , than the first egypt , whose less impiety a heathen poet did deride . . as she is the mother of harlots , and mother of all corrupt doctrine and detestable errors , &c. so also is she mother of all personal vices , and fleshly abominations , as horrid oaths and blasphemies , most astonishing perjury , and subtil equivocation , hypocrisies , uncleannesses , lying , subornations , secret poysonings , stabing , throat-cutings , adulteries , covenant-breaking , and what not ; are these things allowed amongst protestants ? no certainly ; yet they are not only allowed by this whore , but esteemed merito●ious , if it be done for the good , and promo●ion of holy church ; and for these things may she not rightly be called mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth ? — which i shall conclude with this argument . argu. if this name mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth , in all these respects we have noted , doth not so fully and fitly agree to any people as they do to rome papal or church of rome , then rome papal &c. is mystery babylon ; but this name mystery babylon , the great mother of harlots , and abominations of the earth , in all these respects noted , does not agree so fitly and fully to any people in the world as to the church of rome . ergo rome papal or church of rome is mystery babylon . xiii . but further , to put it out of all doubt , who this whore is , 't is said she was drunk with blood ; this is another mark and character the holy ghost hath given to know her by . and i saw a woman drunk with the blood of the saints , and the blood of the martyrs of jesus , and i wondered with great admiration , rev. . . now if the church of rome be guilty here , or hath this black mark and character upon her , she is the unhappiest church and people in all the world , and gives cause enough to angels , as well as to the apostles and holy men to wonder , i. e. to see a woman pretending to be nobly descended , the daughter of the great king of heaven and earth , the only chast spouse of the lamb , the mother of all peace , holiness , and innocency , not only defiled with all those foul and abominable errors , idolatries , and detestable pollutions , but also guilty of so much blood of saints , and of the precious blood of the martyrs of jesus , and not only guilty of blood , but also drunk with blood , yea drunk with such blood ; but that this the church of rome is guilty of nothing is more clear , which indeed gives cause to every good man in the world to abhor her . and that we may make this most evidently to appear , . consider what it is to be drunk . . what things do necessarily contribute to it . . shew what the true and proper signs of it are . . whether such things can be fixed upon the church of rome . . to be drunk is to take in excessively any thing as disorders nature in its course and operations ; this we take to be a general definition of it , including the proper and metaphorical notions thereof . . such things as necessarily contribute to it , are , ( . ) great and vehement desire or thirst after it . ( . ) plenty of the thing thirsted after . ( . ) the greedy taking their fill of it . . the signs of drunkenness , are ( . ) when the faculties are so disordered , that they will not submit to the best reason that can be given them . ( . ) when they will abuse those whom they are most obliged to love and respect . ( . ) when they have cast off all considerations of their own , and others good , and for bear no mischief but what they are restrained from by force . ( . ) that these things are evident in the church of rome will appear , . because she hath shed a mass , a very great mass of blood of saints , and of the martyrs of jesus ; who is able to account the numbers of them that she hath murthered in all parts of the christian world , only upon the account of religion , particularly in bohemia , germany , poland , lithuania , france , spain , italy , portugal , low countrys , england , scotland and ireland ? 't is enough to peirce an heart of stone to hear of the barbarous crueltys and devilish inhumanities exercised for more than five hundred years upon the poor waldenses and albingenses , by the hands of this bloody whore or romish harlot , besides the wonderful numbers and multitudes of them , for according to the account i have met with in history , hundreds of thousands , nay some millions of those godly christians were most unhumanely butchered by the bloody papists , children born of her own body , nay , in every street of this great city , the blood of the saints hath run down like a river ; were this not notoriously known to the whole world , i could give an account of the vast numbers slain in bohemia , in france , and in ireland , of late years , where there were not fewer than two hundred thousand souls sacrificed , to allay the thirst of this bloudy whore. so that it is out of dispute , she hath the first signs of a most filthy , shameless , drunken strumpet , i. e. she has been excessive in drinking of innocent blood ; and . not only so , but she has drunk so much , that she is intoxicated , and disordered , that she would never submit to the best reason that could be given her , for she has been so mad , that none could disswade her from exercising her cruelties ( on the bodies of the saints , whose blood she thirsted after ) in as unhumane a manner as incarnate devils could devise ; as if to murther them was not sufficient , nor could it satisfie her , but she would have them die many deaths , as hanging by the feet , by the hands , by the middle on a beam , by the hair of the head , on tenters , pouring melted lead on their heads , boiling in caldrons , rosting alive , and burning alive . the poor waldenses living in , and about the valleys of piedmont , about the year were most cruelly and barbarously murthered ; to allay her excessive thirst , some were stript stark naked and whip'd to death with rods of iron , others drawn through the streets and burnt with fire brands , some thrown down an high tower , and some cut in pieces with sharp knives , fourscore persons had their throats cut , as butchers kill their sheep , threescore women were so cruelly rackt , that the cords pierced their arms and legs to the bones , and then being cast into prison they all died except nine of them ; young virgins were ravished in a barbarous manner until they died , children were pull'd alive out of their mothers bellies , and the breasts of many women cut off , so that the infants died of famine ; and many other strange kind of tortures , for many years together multitudes of those godly waldenses indured . and the albingenses who professed the same doctrine and principles , were all along in the like or worse sort and manner ( if possible ) butchered ; in the city of bezier , there were , saith my author , threescore thousand persons slain , the priests and fryers going about the streets in the mean time with crosses and banners , and singing , te deum laudamus ; in the year in the valley of lucerna and other places , this bloody strumpet thirsting still after the blood of the saints , and like a filthy drunken wretch caused an edict to be put forth , that such who would not turn papists within three days , must take what would follow , and indeed that was bad enough , as you may see in sir samuel morelands history of that late persecution , it began jan. . . upon which some thousands of those poor souls were forc't to fly for their lives in the depth of snow , when all the valleys were covered with water , there being amongst them some women with child , others newly delivered , some sick and diseased , children crying and lamenting , old men and women , some decre●it leaning on their staves , all dragged or forc't over the ice & snow ▪ &c. with bitter tears , sighings , cries , and wringing of hands , beating of breasts , mourning and complaining of the cruelties of those merciless papists , but alas so drunk with blood before , that they like brutes regarded none of their cries , no more than the bleating of sheep ; but this is not all , no sooner that they were forc't from their ha●itations , but their houses were pillaged , rifled , and ransackt of all that was left , and this not sufficient neither , to satisfie their rage and cruel thirst , they fell upon them , putting them to all manner of unhumane and cruel deaths they could devise ; so that in a few days they destroyed near thirty thousand souls in one place , they most cruelly tormented an hundred and fifty women and children , and afterwards chop'd off the heads of some , and dash'd out the brains of others , some had their feet nail'd to trees with their heads downwards , one antient woman they ript up alive , putting a sickle into her privy parts , and so slit up her belly , after which they dragg'd her about , and at last cut off her head ; other women had their breasts , noses , privities and hands cut off , and so left miserably to perish ; another they stab'd in the soles of his feet , then cut off his privities and fry'd them , giving them their comrades to eat as a delicate dish , then they seared his wounds , with flaming candles , cut off his ears , and to●e off his nails with burning pincers , to make him renounce his religion . and then ti'd one of his legs to a mule , ( being yet alive ) and drag'd him about the streets , and after all this , they bound a cord about his head , and twisted it with a stick till his eyes and brains burst out , and then cast his body into a river ; an old woman had her hands and nose cut off , and so was left alive , some had their bodies cut all into pieces , and their limbs strowed in the high-ways , some had their flesh sliced from their bones , & chop 't like minced meat ; little infants were thrown down steep rocks , whereby they were dash'd to pieces some children they tore limb from limb before their parents faces , others they flead off their skins alive , in another place they took eleven protestants , and heating a furnace they forc'● them to throw one another into it , till it came to the last , and him they threw in ; if these are not signs of one drunk with blood , i know not what is . but time would fail me to tell you of all the cruel deaths , and sufferings of this poor people , for that it contains a great volume . in bohemia , poland , and lithuania , the sufferings of the lords witnesses were as great , and their cruel usages as bloody ; besides , in one or two of those places they began very early , about . where my author says godly ministers , and other pious , holy , and godly people suffered such barbarities , and inhumanities from this harlot , that the ears of a christian cannot hear , nor his tongue relate them , without the greatest abhorrency and indignation ; some of them were stoned to death , others hanged upon a beam , with a soft fire made under them were roasted to death as well as hanged , they hanged one minister up by the privy members being seventy years old , and burn'd his books under him ; another they laid on his back , ramming his mouth full of gunpowder , set fire to it and so blew his head all to pieces . at a town called meldorp a godly minister was forc't out of his bed , and to go some miles on foot in frost and snow , upon the ice bare-footed and bare-legged , beating , cutting , and slashing him , and pricking him with their halberts , andat last they cruelly roasted him to death ; they yoak'd some ladies and gentlewomen together like beasts , and forc't them into woods , where they were ravished and abused , and then had their hair and ears cut off and disfigured , they forc'● some poor christians to eat their own excrements , and if any refused so to do , they thr●● them down their throats , till they were choaked , they cram'd the secret parts of several women with gun powder , and setting fire to it most barbarously tore their bellies and wombs thereby ; others they hung up by the privy parts ; some they plained the faces off with chisels ; others they made 〈◊〉 put on boots filled with scalding oil , and then roasted their legs over a fire ; some men the● gelt in the presents of their wives and children ; some had gags put into their mouth and then put stinking water and piss down their throats through a tunnel , till the● bellies swelled like a tun , whereby they perished in a miserable manner ; they sawe off the legs of some alive ; a godly minister they bound upon a table , and placing a c● so that she scratcht his guts out of his belly with her teeth and claws , till he miserable died . in lithuania . this whore thirsting still for more protestant blood , great slaughter was made without regard to aged sex ; here many had their skins flead of whilst they were alive ; others had their hands and feet cut off ; the bowels of divers were also taken out alive ; others having their shin-bones bored through , they poured melted lead into the wounds of others , whom they had cut in the head , and other parts of their bodys ; some had their eyes pulled out , and multitudes were hanged in divers places , nay , and the poor protestants accounted it a mercy and great favour , to be killed outright without any other torment . should we come into france , and give an account of the horrid cruelties of this great whore there , it would , if possible , exceed what you have heard , the blood of ten thousand this cursed strumpet has drunk off , ( as it were at one draught ) there , and not a jot more satisfied than she was before ; here they roasted young children , ravishing women and maidens in such a shameless manner , and barbarously killing them afterwards , that 't is not fit to be spoken . a black smith had his head laid on his own anvil , and then his brains beat out with hammers , also a young woman was forc't ( after they had ravished her ) to take hold of a rapier , wherewith one of the villains thrusting her arm , made her kill her own dear husband , some women with child were rip'd up , and divers buried alive . i migh come to the siege of rochel , and tell you what misery some thousands suffered by famine ; some hundred thousands of poor protestants , have been barbarously murthered by her means in france , and tho of late she hath not put many to death , yet they have exercised all manner of new invented ways to destroy their souls , and the souls of their children too . i might also speak of the spanish inquisition and of the hellish torments thereof , as also of the crueltys of this whore , exercised on the poor heathen in america by the spaniards , where they destroyed more than millions of souls , as appears by history besides , they put them to all manner of cruel deaths they could devise , but i am weary of relating these dismal stories ; besides , they are generally well known , together with the massacre in ireland where no less than the blood of two hundred thousand persons could satisfie the blood of this craving locust , and sh'd in as barbarou● a manner as you have heard in other places . ● might also mention the bloody persecutio● here in england in the reign of queen mary● wherein many holy and gracious prelates an● people were burned to ashes , for witnessing to the truths of jesus christ ; all which fully shews , that this second mark of drunkenness ▪ drunk with blood of the saints , and of the martyrs of jesus , meets in the church of rome . thirdly , she has the other mark of drunkenness upon her also , i. e. she matters not who she abuses , and exercises her cruelties upon ; she has sometimes cut off her own dear children , viz. roman catholicks , amongst such she calls hereticks , as it happened at bezier , and other places , crying out , kill all both catholicks and hereticks , saying , the lord knows who are his ; nay , she has made the wife to kill her husband , the husband to murther the wife , children to destroy their own dear parents , and parents their children , ●f these things do not shew she is drunk , drunk with blood , what can ? from whence ● shall draw this argument and conclude . arg. if there be no body of people or community of christians in the world , who have been guilty of so much blood , blood of saints ●nd good men , even so as to be drunk with blood , as the church of rome are ; then ●he church of rome is mystery babylon . but there is no people or community of christians , ●hat are so guilty , &c. as rome papal or church of rome is . ergo the church of rome ● mystery babylon . xiv . mystery babylon hath one mark more whereby she may be known , i. e. she ● said to sit upon a beast , that hath seven heads and ten horns , the seven heads ●●em to signify ( as the angel opens it ) seven sorts of soveraign governments as well as hills ▪ read the text , and here is the mind that hat● wisdom , the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth ; and there ar● seven kings , five are fallen , one is and one ● not yet come , but when he is come , he ma● continue a short space ; and the beast that w● and is not , even he is the eighth and of the seve● and goeth into perdition . rev. . , , ▪ besides all that we have said , it we find n● papal rome here viz. having this characte● upon her , we will acquit her for ever , for t● city that is built upon seven hills is rome nay , you will find that all authors do general assert that rome is the only city in the wor● that is founded on seven hills , and fame for it by its old poets ( as it is noted by ● late annotators ) as ovid , virgil , hora● propertius ; the names of these hills a● known , viz. palatinus , quirinalis , ave●●nus , celius , veminalis , esquilinus , capit●nus ; but the seven heads do not only ( as ● said before ) signify seven hills or mountai●● but also seven kings , that is , seven sorts governments , which ruled or were to rule that city where the beast reigned , that ca●ried this cursed harlot ( the term kings , scripture signifying rulers , whether the government was in a single person , or more , ● deut. . . ) now that rome hath had sev● sorts of distinct soveraign governments in her , is so notoriously known that the romanists can't deny it . ● . kings ( romulus being the first king , ) ii. consuls , iii. tribunes , iv. decemvirs , v. dictators , vi. emperors that were pagans . vii . emperors that were christians , five of these were fallen or gone off the stage before st. john received his revelations , the government of the pagan emperors was in being at that very time the seventh was to appear and to continue but a short spaco , viz. the christian emperors government ; for it cannot be the papal power for that was not up in st. johns time so not the sixth head. and as the papal power for that reason , could not be the sixth head , so for a very good reason it could not be the th government , because whensoever that appeared it was to continue but a short space ; which cannot intend the papal power , but answereth to the christian empire , for that government did continue but a little while comparatively , but 't is evident the papal power has continued longer , than any of the other sove●●ignties ▪ ▪ that wont before : and if the papal power be not the sixth head nor the seventh , then it must needs be the eighth , which is of the seventh and ●oes into perdition , ●…fe it can't be any power at all of the fourth 〈◊〉 roman monarchy ; but a power it is , yea , and a great power too of the fourth or roman monarchy ; and that which carrys the whore , according to the express letter of the text , and so acknowledged by the best of exposition , so that in the whole by the woman , city , or whore , that sitteth upon the seven mountains , and where there hath been seven several sorts or forms of government is meant rome , there is no cause to doubt , for the great sons of rome themselves , as baronius , bellarmine , and many others do confess the same , but would defend their mother from being mystery babylon , by putting it off to rome-pagan , which we have clearly detected in the first chapter of this treatise ; and therefore do affirm that rome papal is neither the sixth no● seventh sort of government , but is the eighth and of the seventh . the christian emperon in an overheated zeal and bounty to the roman bishops , giving him the advantage by getting that power which through policy and pride he attained to in the end , & so he comes to be the last beast or eighth government , in which there is a secular and an ecclesiastical power , joined together which makes up ● beast , a blasphemous beast ( who hath two horns like a lamb , which is this twofold power but a mouth like a dragon ) and a whore , a most devilish drunken and bloody whore. &c. arg. if rome papal or church of rome , be born up by a secular power which hath had seven soveraign governments in a city , seated upon seven hills or mountains , then rome papal or church of rome is mystery babylon the great whore. but rome papal or church of rome , is born up by a secular power , which hath had seven soveraign governments in a city , seated upon seven hills or mountains . ergo , rome papal , &c. is mystery babylon . xv. there is yet one mark or character more of mystery babylon ; i. e. she is said to be that city that reigned over the kings of the earth ; and the woman that thou sawest is that city that reigns over the kings of the earth , rev. , . now that rome is such a city that since st. johns time hath for several hundred of years , reigned over the kings of the earth is so evident none can deny , nay , and that rome papal hath governed a great part of italy , her self owneth , ever since constantine who gave it ( as she saith ) as a patrimony to st. peter , and that she hath governed or hath had her kingdom over germany , poland , france , spain , portugal , england , scotland and ireland , &c. is clear so that their kings have been governed by her , whom she would they killed , and whom she would they saved alive , whom she willed they worshiped , and so became guilty of drinking the wine of her fornication ; whom she willed they set up , and whom she willed they pulled down , when she willed they raised arms , and when she willed they laid them down again ; what shall we say ? the church of rome hath had such power over the kingdoms of europe , th●● the power and wills of princes have been controuled and over-ruled , when in any considerable case , they have gone contrary to the sense and interest of the church , and to such a degree , as they have sometimes made th●● do penance , resign up their crowns , and receive them again as an act of kindness , that he set them upon their heads with his foote such is the pride and grandeur of st. peter chair . see our first chapter . if the church of rome is that people , woman or church , that above all others in the world , hath reigned over the kings of the earth , then rome papal is mystery babylon . but the church of rome is that people , woman or church , that reigns and hath reigned over the kings of the earth . ergo rome papal or church of rome mystery babylon . chap. iii. proving that literal babylon in chaldea , was a type or figure of rome papal or the present church of rome , and that in many particulars . we having shewed and clearly evinced by an induction of fifteen particulars , that rome papal is mystery babylon the great , the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth , she having all the marks or characters directly meeting in her , that are by the holy ghost given of that great whore ; we shall in the next place briefly consider , how the acts and progress of the romish church , do most fitly and fully comport with other types , and prophecies of her in the holy scripture , and first with literal or chaldean babylon , from whence i find most writers conclude , she had the name babylon , given to her , in respect of the growth , acts and deeds of that old babylonian monarchy , which we shall now open and run the parallel in divers particulars as followeth . i. literal babylon had a great head or king ever her , called a head of gold , also lucifer or son of the morning . so likewise rome papal hath a great head or king over her , called the universal bishop , whose power is magnified above the powers of emperors , and all kings and princes of the earth . ii. literal babylon had dominion over many countreys or provinces . in like manner rome papal hath had dominion over many countries or kingdoms , no less than the territories or jurisdictions of ten considerable kingdoms , called ten horns , ( ● we have shewed . ) iii. chaldean or literal babylon , fell under a four-fold circumstance , in respect of her supream head , viz. nebuchadnezzar . ( . ) that he was , when in great pride he insultingly said , is not this great babylon that i have built by the might of my power , and for the honour of my majesty . ( . ) he was not , when by the watchers , and the holy ones he was toss'd from his throne , and made to eat grass with oxen till seven times past over him . ( . ) yet he was , when his reason , and the hearts of his nobles , and glory returned to him again . ( . ) he went off finally , when god brought the medes and persians against his successor , into whose hands the kingdom was translated . rome , or mystery babylon , is foretold by the angel to fall under a four-fold circumstance also , in respect of the beast that is said to carry the whore , and make war with the saints ; and the beast which thou sawest was , is not , and yet is , and shall go into perdition , rev. . . ( . ) he was of old in his pagan state , triumphing in great glory and grandeur , but received a wound , yea a deadly wound in one of his heads , viz. in his sixth head ( which was the pagan power ) in constantine's time , and so he was not . the christian emperors having the government of the roman monarch ; and to the same purpose speak our late annotators on the chap. of rev. v. . and chap. . . it must , saith he , be the sixth head , viz. the pagan emperors who had that mortal wound , and that wound was the conquering the pagan emperors , and the abolishing of paganism and idolatry , and putting an end or stop to persecution , which was done by the seventh government , viz. the christian emperors , he yet is , i. e. his wound was healed by the rising of the eighth government which was of the seventh , who appeared in a new dress , viz. a beast with two horns like a lamb but spake like a dragon , which was the antichristian power or papal rome , and more particularly the pope ; time ( the best opener of these great mysteries ) has fully discovered these things to 〈◊〉 . ( . ) he shall go into perdition , i. e. be utterly destroyed by the bright appearance of the lord jesus , and be cast at last into the botomless pit after the months are expired ; so that in these four respects chaldean babylon , it appears , was a lively type or figure of papal rome , who from hence also shews her self to be mystery babylon . iv. the chaldean kingdom or literal babylon invaded judea , besieged and took jerusalem , and trampled it under foot , &c. even so in like manner the last beast , the pope and papal power hath invaded the city of the living god , or true gospel church , taking away all her sacred rights , laws and priviledges , and not only besieg'd her , closely block'd her up , but trampled under foot the holy city for a long space of time , rev. . ● . v. chaldean or literal babylon , was a mo● lofty , proud and imperious people called the lady of kingdoms , and the glory and beauty ● excellency , for which god doth severely threaten her , isa. . . behold i am against thee , o thou most proud , saith ● lord god of hosts , &c. isa. . . so in like manner rome who is myster babylon , notwithstanding her horrid crime and most amazing wickednesses , is a v●● proud and imperious people , exceeding all ● the christian world , saying in her heart , sit a queen , am no widow , shall see no sorrow ; for which haughtiness and pride the lord will suddenly remember her with judgments and sore severity , he being now risen up to make inquisition for blood , and to avenge upon her the injury done to sion , rev. . . how much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously , so much torment and sorrow give her . vi. chaldean or literal babylon set up images , and had idols of silver and gold , wood and stone , to which they bowed and worshipped , which were also representations of the gods and saints whom they adored , to wit , of bel ( which was jupiter ) and nebo and succoth berioth , and the like , and such who would not bow down to her images , she threatned to cast into the fire , into the burning fiery furnace , jer. . . jer. . ▪ - . isa. . . dan. . . rome in this shews her self to be her antitype very plainly , for hath she not ordained to her self temples , images of christ and the virgin mary , and other saints , nay ; and not only these but the crucifix , but especially the great idol of the mass ? so that whosoever will not own that most ridiculous idolatry of a piece of bread consecrated by the foul mouth and unhallowed hands of their cursed priests , to be their god and saviour , must be burned at a stake , these idols they tell us ought to have due honour given to them , because the honour which is given to them is referred to the prototype whom they do represent , and these abominations she kisseth , as idolaters of old were wont to kiss the calves ; lighteth tapers before them as the literal babyloniam did candles before their images , &c. vii . literal babylon or chaldea were not only a people of great pomp , pride and covetousness , but had also great riches and treasures . o thou that dwellest upon many waters , abundant in treasures , thine end is ●ome , the end of thy covetousness , jer. . . . . so in like manner papal rome is not only ● people puft up with pride and vain-glory , but as 't is said of mystery babylon she is very rich , being arrayed with purple , scarlet , gold , pearl and precious stones . but she sits also upon many waters ; to wit , people , multitudes , nations and tongues . but is very covetous as well as proud , and full of treasures , for besides the gifts she boasts were first given to her in the time of constantine the great , she hath made a prey upon the nations thro' her fearful covetousness , and not only a prey upon nations and kingdoms , but a spoil upon saints and holy martyrs , and hath had the gifts of kings , and vast revenues setled upon her orders and clergy ; nay , and she has peeled the people by selling pardons and indulgences , and raising peter-pence , besides vast sums for praying poor souls out of the scorching flames of purgatory ; nay , so horrid covetous is she , that she is not willing any should go to heaven without great gifts of money to holy church ; besides , much money comes in by tolerating whores and whoredoms , ( which thing is notoriously known to be done in many cities of the popedom ) by which slights she is grown-so exceeding rich and full of treasure , that she can afford a golden cup to present her intoxicating wine in , to be cloth'd ( as we said before ) with scarlet , deck'd with gold , pearl and precious stones ; yea , she maketh the merchants of the earth rich who trade with her , she doth indeed as fully answer to the type in this , as lam. . . stretching forth her hand upon all the pleasant things of those countries and kingdoms where she hath sate as a queen . viii . literal babylon made the worst of men among the nations and provinces , chief officers and rulers , those that were rais'd to preferment were enemies to gods people , and to his ways of worship — her adversaries prosper ( that is , the adversaries of sion ) and are the chief , &c. this character hath rome papal upon her , for she hath all along made base and vil● men rulers and chief among the people , not suffering any men to bear office in kingdom , cities or corporations , but such vile time-serving persons that would sacrifice all justice ▪ right and honesty to her cursed will and unsatisfied lust , no nor indeed have so much as a vote , to chuse persons to bear rule i● government , nor comfortably to buy nor ●ell unless they would relinquish all goodness and religion , and receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or right hands , viz. publickly to profess , or privately subscribe to ●ud injunctions and commands of the beast , the against their consciences , and inconsiste● with their religion . who can be cardina● unless they do own the pope ? who can b● kings without being in danger of being deposed or poysoned that subscribe not to the s●● of rome ? who can sit safe as governo● over cities , &c. where she sits as queen regent , without truckling under that yoak o● subjection which she puts on the necks of all her vassals ; nay , pope martin the fifth i● his bull added to the council of constance ( ●● pareus tells us ) prohibits all roman catholicks to suffer any hereticks to have any dwellings in their countries , or to make any bargains , or use any trades , or to perform to them any civil offices , which makes good th●● word , rev. . , . ix . chaldea or literal babylon made the ways of sion to mourn , hindred men to come to her solemn assemblies , made her ministers to sigh , defiled the godly women , and ravished the virgins in the streets of jerusalem , and burned down the houses and dwelling-places of gods people , starving and famishing of them , and miserably destroyed them by several cruel deaths , hanging their princes by the hands , and caused the faces of their elders not to be honoured , &c. rome papal , or the romish church , in all these things hath exceedingly out-done literal babylon , that so she might make it appear she is her direct antitype , and that they were but her fore-runners in these respects , for this mystical babylon hath with a witness made the ways of sion to mourn for these twelve hundred years , hindring all she could in every kingdom from coming to their solemn assemblies , driving them into corners , frightning and dispersing their auditors by fines , imprisonments , banishments , and other cruel usages ; pulling down their churches and publick meeting-places , causing her faithful ministers to sigh , and pastors to mourn , because they might not preach to their poor afflicted flocks , and the people grieve , because they could not hear the pleasant voice of their pastors by reason of violence , &c. she hath also been guilty of that most horrid cruelty of forcing both ministers and people from their dwellings , labouring to starve or famish both their bodies and souls too , and not contented to burn their bodies to ashes , but has oft-times burn'd their houses , towns and cities , as germany hath wofully experienced , and england also , witness the burning of the famous city of london , southwark , and its adjacent places ; who knows how many fires she hath kindled in the space of twenty eight years last past in this island ? and then for ravishing godly women and chast virgins in a beastly manner , she hath imitated old babylon , nay , far exceeded her , that she might shew to all she was her antitype in these villanies . they have ravished women before their husbands faces , maidens before their parents faces , as you have heard , openly in the streets in the sight of the sun , and then imbruing their barbarous hands in their blood , as divers histories do declare . x. there is one thing more in chaldean babylon in respect of her ruin , which i think not amiss here to add , viz. we find god by the prophet speaks of her sudden destruction , jer. . . babylon is suddenly fallen , and that also she shall be destroyed by an army out of the north countreys , for lo i will raise and cause to come up against babylon an assembly of great nations from the north countrey , and they shall set themselves in array against her , from thence she shall be taken , &c. jer. . . from hence we may conclude as some , to judge that those people who shall be the instruments in the hand of god to destroy mystery babylon shall be the people in these northern countreys , as brandenburgh , sweedland , denmark , the united provinces ; together with england , scotland and ireland ; and it may be hoped the people of these nations and kingdoms , ( some of which were always accounted as horns of the beasts ) do already begin to hate her , and are preparing war against her , and that from hence her ruin shall suddenly come ; and it may be a just and righteous thing with god thus to order the matter , since she hath such an implacable hatred of these northern parts , because of that which she calls the northern heresie , and hath of late without all doubt , designed and secretly resolved utterly to destroy these protestant countries , and to make these kingdoms and states desolate , but god hath , and will put it into their hearts to agree and fulfil his will , i. e. hate the where , and make her desolate , eat her flesh , and burn her with fire , rev. . . and so avenge the righ●eous blood she has publickly and secretly poured out like water ; nay , i am very confident a very short time will make this thing to appear , and it shall as fully be made good in the antitype as it was in type , concerning the medes , &c. nor shall they do it alone , i mean the common people of these countreys , with their heads and renowned heroes , but gods choice and beloved ones in these nations shall joyn in with them , and so fulfil also what is said in jer. . , . rev. . thou art my battle ax , with thee will i break in pieces the nations , and with thee will i destroy kingdoms , &c. come out of her my people , reward her as she hath rewarded you , double upon her , &c. xi . chaldea or literal babylon , carried away into captivity judea , and the inhabitants of jerusalem , or the church and people of god , and there held them for the space of seventy years , a prefixt time by the almighty , and when that set time was come to an end , the lord brought them back , and caused cyrus to make proclamation f●● the rebuilding the temple and holy city ezra . . . so likewise hath papal rom● captivated the true israel and holy people ● god , and held them also under sore oppress● on and persecution , for the space of ● years , a set time also prefixt by the lord , a● when that time is expired , ( to which peri● 't is hoped we are arrived ) the israel of g● shall be delivered , and our captivity shall be returned , but as they gradually returned out of the literal captivity , so shall the lords people out of their spiritual captivity ; and as it was said of them , when god brought back at first the captivity of sion , they were as those who dreamed , psal. . . so likewise are we at this very time , under this most amazing providence of god , who hath begun to deliver us from the cursed yoak of mystery babylon ; and now also you shall see , i doubt not , liberty proclaimed ( as it were ) for the rebuilding of the holy temple the second time , the work having been obstructed by those sa●ballts and tobiahs of our times , and the work shall go on in the hands of our renowned zerubbabel , and that not so much by might nor by power , but by the spirit of the lord , zech. . , . and the great mountain on the other side of the flood shall become a plain . xii . literal babylon or the chaldean monarchy , was brought down not only suddenly , but with great vengeance which they could not avoid by all their craft , subtilty , nor strength , and also in such an hour as they little thought of , when belshazzar was feasting with his concubines , and drinking wine in bowls and vessels , taken out of the temple which was at jerusalem , dan. . , , . praising the gods of gold and silver , of brass , iron , wood and of stone , doubtless they thought themselves very safe , and little dreamed of their sudden overthrow , till the han● writing came out of the wall , — the sa●● night w●● belshazzar the king and the chaldeans slain , and darius the median took t●● kingdom , &c. dan. . . so in like manner shall rome or mystery babylon , not only suddenly in one hour com● down , but with great vengeance , which s●● shall not be able to avoid , nor put off with 〈…〉 her craft , subtilty nor strength , but as a mil ▪ stone is cast into the sea , so with violence sh●… the great city babylon be thrown down , a●… shall be found no more at all , rev. . ●… and that too when she thinks her self safe an● secure , and seems to fear no danger , but sai● in her heart , i sit a queen , shall see no so●ro● nor know loss of children , nor widdow-hood 〈…〉 more . and somewhat like this sudden fall , can't but think we have seen of late , ( in 〈◊〉 ▪ pect of babylons fall ) in england , ▪ the te●… part of that great city , and as suddenly 〈…〉 may hope it will come upon her in ot●… places in due time . chap. iv. shewing that by the little horn , dan. . and vile person , dan. , is meant the papal power of rome , or the pope , who is the supream bishop thereof , all the marks and chief characters of the little horn , meeting directly also in him as the head of the present church of rome . some will have this little horn to be antiochus epiphanes , others julius caesar , others the turks . i suppose antiochus epi●ha●es might be a type of this little horn , for it could not , be antiochus , because he rose up ●nder the grec●an monarchy , whereas this is ●●id directly to rise up under the fourth mo●archy , or when the roman empire stood ●pon his last legs . 〈…〉 for concerning this little horn : read 〈…〉 text dan. . , . after this i saw in ●he night vision , and behold a fourth beast , readful and terrible , &c ▪ v. . i considered ●●e horns , and behold there came up among ●●em another little horn , before whom there was three of the first horns , pluckt up by the roots , and behold in this horn were eyes , like the eyes of man , and a mouth speaking great things . and so the popes of rome were kept under by the emperors , who kept a strict eye over them , curb'd their insolencies , and exorbitances , and at the first appearance nipping their aspiring projects in the very bud ; sometimes deposing and banishing some proud prelates , when they shewed at what they levelled their designs . but after the power of rome , which before was in tire in one emperor , fell into ten parts and divisions , which happened in or about the year of our lord , ▪ as du moulin , and the learned mede shew 〈…〉 large , out of the roman histories , upon th●… division and weakening of the empire , th● bishop of rome took his advantage to ma●● his advance , and rose up to regal power , enacting laws , raising taxes , and levying souldiers ; by which means he struck in wit● partys , and encroached ▪ upon italy , and the parts adjacent . . this power arising upon the weakening and division of the old ▪ state of the fourth monarchy or kingdom , is called a little horn , because truely so at its first beginning dan. . . and behold , there came up among them another little horn &c. the pap●● power , or bishop of rome , before this division , was but low and small , being confined to his episcopal power over the church , till by his arts he had got up gradually to the regal seat , and power of the temporal sword , which he managed with so much craft and policy , that afterwards he enlarged his dominions ; but is very rightfully in his infancy stiled a little prince , power , or horn , arising up amongst , or after the rest , which began presently after the death of julian about the year , in which time was a most fearful earthquake , the like never known before , betokening the decay of the fourth kingdom , in its civil state or power by a division or falling of nations , who set themselves against the power of rome , and harassed , wasted and destroyed the provinces thereof for near forty five years together . see mede lib. . pag. . . this little horn , after his rise to temporal power , plucks up three of the ten horns by the roots , dan. . . before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots . the papal rome having gained the temporal sword , tho ▪ but a little horn at his beginning ; did practise and prosper so , that betwixt the year and the year , or soon after , when rome was sack'd by gensericus , he gained such enlargments , that he came to possess about three parts of ten , of the former or old roman dominions , according to the rule or measure of the compass , as we find in mr. mede , lib. . p. . and famous du moulin ubi supra , upon which three characters of the little horn , we frame this short argument . if the pope of rome did rise to temporal power , upon the weakening of caesarean dominion ( which before did hinder him in his aspiring usurpation ) was but little in his first rise and appearance , did enlarge and grow to a possession of power , about a third part of the old roman dominion ; then the pope of rome is the little horn , the wicked power , and vile person s●… forth by the prophet daniel . but the an●●cedent is true . — ergo , so is the consequent ▪ . this little horn hath eyes like the eyes of a man , &c. — the pope of rom● hath eyes like the eyes of a man , i. e. the resemblance of a humane look , but a heart lik● the dragon , out of which foul mouth he utters presumptuous things . his predecesson had eyes like a leopard , a bear , a lion , 〈…〉 dragon ; but his high eyes like a man , 〈…〉 which there are three things to be note● ( . ) he looks higher . ( . ) sees further and ( . ) is more enticing than those th●… went before him . ( . ) he looks higher that is , makes pretence of prety , and desig●… for heaven . ( . ) sees further , that de ceit , flattery and policy , will do more than strength . ( . ) is more inticing to kings and people , than the eyes of a leopard , lion , or dragon , or the former powers in their heathenish state. . this little horn hath a mouth speaking great or presumptuous things , above the rate of ordinary men . dan. . . the pope of rome hath a mouth speaking great or presumptuous things above the ordinary rate of men . this is evident in many respects , of which we shall give you but a few instances out of many . ( . ) that he is ( he says ) the highest deputy of god , above all the kings of the earth . ( . ) that he is infallible and cannot err , which is an incommunicable attribute of the most high . ( . ) that he is universal head and bishop of the catholick church . ( . ) he assumes the attributes of his holiness and holy father ; such an oracle , that has right or power to give laws to the world , to which all ought ●o subscribe and yield obedience , and none ●…ught to dispute ; greater and more loftily ●an no man speak , unless he will say , i am ●he supreme being , and there is no god in heaven or earth above my self ; which would ●e so highly ridiculous that every idiot would be able to detect it . . the little horn had his looks more stout than his fellows , dan. . . whose looks were ●ore stout , &c. the pope of rome has looks more stout than the horns that have been contemporary with him ; which appears in three things . ( . ) in his terrible bull● that he makes to roar and stare most dreadfully . ( . ) in his power and acts of deposing princes . ( . ) in asserting himself to be gods vicegerent , against whom no person , upon any cause or pretence whatsoever , ought to lift up hand or tongue upon the penalty of a total ruine in this world , and an eternal ruin in the world to come . . the little horn makes war with the saints ▪ dan. . . i beheld , and the same horn made war with the saints , and prevailed against them , and for a long time , even to the wearing out of the poor saints of the most high ▪ v . the pope of rome hath made wa● with the saints , and prevailed against them , and that to their ruine , as to liberty , estate ▪ and even life it self : as the true witnesses of christ have most sadly experienced in many countrys , in divers by past ages , even for such a series of time , that may be properly called a wearing out of the saints of the mo●… high. : for his cruelty ended not in a month or a year , but hath lasted for many hundred years : so that for length of time , number● of countrys and multitudes of persons , there is no power that ever reigned , hath out-done or equalized this vile and bloudy monster ; upon which we frame this argument . if the pope of rome may be more fitly said to have eyes like the eyes of a man , a mouth speaking presumptuous things , and looks more stout than his fellows ; to have made war with the saints , to have prevailed against them , and worn them out , more than any other power that ever yet reigned ; then he is the little horn , or vile person , under consideration . but the former is true . — ergo , so is the latter . . the little horn is diverse from the rest of the horns ▪ dan. . . and he shall be diverse from the first , and shall subdue three kings . the pope of rome is diverse from the rest of the potentates , in these four respects , ( . ) the manner of his rise , ( . ) his pretentions to power . ( . ) in his progress to his height of dignity . ( . ) in his management of the power he has usurped . ( . ) he was small or little in his rise , but an ordinary bishop , before he came to be a temporal prince . ( . ) he pretends not to hold his kingdom by inheritance , or gift of the people , as other kings do , but by a special and divine patent . ( . ) in his progress to the height of his dignity , by leaving his fixed station , as pastor of a church , and by deceit , treason , and violation of all laws , mounts the throne of imperial grandure . ( . ) he rules by a supreme ecclesiastical power , as well as temporal ; pretends to the keys of heaven , as well as the sword of justice on earth , shewing himself to be the beast that hath two horns like a lamb , spoken of rev. . . . this little horn hath so many marks upon him , that they are too numerous to handle distinctly after our usual methods ; and therfore we shall put the remaining part into a general rank and conclude this subject . the pope of rome hath so many marks or characters upon him , that are too numerous to be handled distinctly in a little room ; and therefore we shall but touch upon them so far as they shew the text made good , and form an idea of truth in the minds of men . ( . ) he must change times and laws , ( . ) continue a long a space of time . ( . ) he is a vile person . ( . ) had not the honour he hath fairly given him , either by god or man , but gained it by flattery . ( . ) removed the proceeding by the arms of a flood . ( . ) he became strong by a small people . ( . ) he shall have power over the fattest places of the provinces , and there scatter his riches . ( . ) such as do wickedly against religion , he shall accept . ( ) under him the saints fall by captivity and spoil , by sword and flame many days . ( . ) shall do according to his own will , not accounting himself tied to any laws . ( . ) he shall exalt himself above every god , and speak marvellous things against the god of gods. ( . ) shall not regard the god of his ancestors , ( . ) nor the desire of wedlock . ( ) nor any god in a pious way . ( . ) shall give honour to them that have armed forces . ( . ) shall own a strange god with splendid ceremonies , dan. . . . the pope of rome hath changed times and laws in two respects . . he hath set up and pluckt down kings , which is called a changing of times and seasons , dan. . . . he has made strange alterations of the laws , orders , and institutions used in the church , in respect of officers , administrations of sacraments , and celebration of days . . hath continued above twelve hundred years . . he is as vile a person as any in the world , tolerates all kind of wickedness , by his dispensations , pardons , &c. . had his exaltation neither by inheritance , lawful conquest , nor rightful gift from rightful donators . . he had the help of phocas , to kill the emperor , mauritius ; and by the help of gothes and vandals enlarged his power . . became strong by a small people , having only a declining church , and apostate christians to assist him . . he hath power over italy , which is reputed to be the garden of europe , &c. . he accepted , entertained , and encouraged the people of any nation , that would turn wicked , and sacrifice all prety and religion , to serve his interest . . under him the saints have fallen , by flames , captivity , and spoil , many days . . he hath done according to his own will , and doth not look upon any laws to be obligatory to him , either from god or men . . he ( the pope ) hath exalted himself above every god , ( that is , such that are so accounted amongst men , or gods on earth ) by excommunicating , deposing , treading upon their necks , and kicking off their crowns ; by his blasphemous edicts and injunctions he exalts himself above god himself , and his written laws , &c , . he doth not regard the god of his ancestors , either the idols of the emperors , or the god of the good bishops that went before him ▪ . he hath been remote from the desire of women in a lawful way , nay , and frights his clergy from it too , who are made uncapable of spiritual promotion , and censured as heinous transgressors , if married . . he hath not regarded in a pious way any god ; for tho' he doth name the true god often , and in words profess him , yet in works he doth defie him , and profane his holy name . . he gives honour to them who have armed forces , and lends them assistance to carry on his black diabolical designs . . he hath owned a strange god ; a mark compleatly made up in the mass , which is adored with splendid ceremonies . . the people of the saints , 't is said , shall take away his power to consume and destroy it , to the end ; i. e. the lords people in their representatives , shall take away the papal power , &c. and is it not done in part already here in england ? upon all we may frame this argument . if all these characters meet no where so clear and evident as upon the pope of rome ; then the pope of rome is the little horn , and vile person , set forth in the book of daniel . but all the aforesaid characters meet no where so clear and evident , as upon the pope of rome , &c. therefore the pope is that little horn. chap. v. shewing that the prophecies of our saviour in mat. . . also that of paul , acts . . and tim. . and thes. . . concerning false prophets and grievous wolves , as also of the man of sin , may and ought to be applied to the pope and church of rome . first , the lord jesus foretold that enemies should come in his name and deceive many , and that they should appear in sheeps clothing , and under that vizard hide their devouring teeth ; see his words , mat. . . beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing , but inwardly are ravening wolves ; that is , have a design to destroy . now 't is most evident that the popes of rome , and their long succession have thus ( especially at first appeared ) i e. in sheeps clothing , covering their hellish designs under the name of christ , vicar of christ , an apostolical bishop , &c. the true church , holy church , and christian religion , but with an intent hereby to deceive , for all their pretences of jesus christ's being the truth , christ hath been but as a vizard to hide their wolvish nature and devouring teeth , for whilst they under the notion of christianity hide themselves , they have carried on most pernicious and destructive designs , and that in these three respects following ; viz. ( . ) if there have appeared any kings or queens in the christian world , that have been piously inclined , they have forth with endeavoured to pervert them by their diabolical doctrine , oft destroying them with their holy poyson . ( . ) if any ministers , or men of parts and piety have risen up to set forth gods holy truth , and so bless the dark world with gospel light and saving doctrine , they have either choaked them with gifts and preferments , or affrighted them by dreadful fears , or by a ravenous thirsting after their blood , and have most wickedly and treacherously destroyed their lives by cruel torments . ( . ) if collective bodies of pious congregations of saints or good men , have sprung forth in the world , they have followed them like blood-hounds , and devouring wolves , with fire and sword , fearful massacres , devastations , murthers and slaughters , till they have spoiled them , torn in pieces , and devoured them : compleatly fulfilling the prediction of christ and that of the apostle , acts . , . for i know this , that after my departure , shall grievous wolves enter in amongst you , not sparing the flock : also of your own selves shall men arise , speaking perverse things , to draw the disciples after them ; who can this prophecy so exactly agree to as the bloody popes , who at first arose out of the church , and acted the part of wolves to purpose , as hath been hinted . ii. 't is also evident that all the marks of the man of sin spoken of by st. paul , thes. . . do agree exactly to the pope and the romish church . . as first he was to rise after there came a falling away from the primitive faith ; see his words , — that day shall not come except there come a falling away first , and that ma● of sin be revealed , &c. this cannot mean a particular falling away , ( as our worthy writers have shewed ) but a general apostacy of the church , from the holy and apostolical doctrine and disciplin● of the gospel , or such a falling away that should be obvious and visible to all ; that should not fall out in a corner , or among● a few private christians , because 't is laid dow● as a general rule , whereby the saints in general might know and judge of the revelation of antichrist , or man of sin. and now 't is well known that there happened this falling away or general apostacy three or four hundred years after christ , out of which ( and soon after which falling away ) he pope shewed himself to be this man of sin , nor did he arise till that apostacy happened in the world. . another mark he hath is this , — i. e. he shall exalt himself above all that is called god , &c. viz. magistrates and rulers , as kings and emperors , for these are called gods ; i said , ye are gods , &c. there are gods many , &c. this mark meets directly in the pope or popes of rome , he exalts himself above all and every one of these who are called gods. . he has assumed a name above them . . greater power than they , in that he pretends to give them their crowns , and not only so , but has power to excommunicate them , nay and depose and devest them of their regal power as he pleases , and also in his disposing of kingdoms , yea , making emperors wait a● his gate , hold his stirrup , prostrate themselves to kiss his toe , and then to tread upon their necks as alexander the third did to frederick barbaross — and this is allowed and justified by the doctors of the romish church . and bellarm. de rom. pont. lib. . c. . give● ● as a reason why the pope would not come to the council of nice , lest if the emperor should come thither , he should attempt to sit above him , so that by these two words in the text , the apostle describes him , both in his enmity and pride , opposition and exaltation . for observe first , he assumeth to himself an higher power than those that are called gods ; theirs is humane , his is divine ; their 's on the bodies or estates of men , his over the conscience ; their 's to the living , his to mens souls after death . . the man of sin , 't is said by the apostle , shall also exalt himself above all that 's call'd god , or that is worshipped as god , sitting in the temple of god , shewing himself to be god , verse . even so the pope makes himself like god , and as god , as the king of babylon of old said , i will be like the most high , isa. . . and as gods place of residence of old was said to be in the temple of jerusalem , so he as god sitteth in the temple of god , not in the material temple , but in the spiritual temple , i. e. the church of god which is so called ; the apostle speaks of him as a bishop who had a seat , and the popish writers give the pope that , and such like titles . dominus deus noster papa , idem est dominium dei & papa , tu es alter deus in terra . council later . sess. . thou art another god on earth . and as god he maketh laws to bind the conscience , and dispenses with laws both natural and moral , and pardons sins as he pleases , past , present , and to come , can deliver souls out of purgatory , and translate them to heaven ; so that this man of sin is not to be looked for amongst the turks , pagans or infidels , he sitteth in the temple , the church of god ; not that it can be the true church , where he sitteth and acteth , but rather the synagogue of satan : but that which he calleth so , and which bears that name , and also was really so before the falling away , when he first got up . he also exalteth himself above god , when he makes the scriptures to derive their authority more from the popes canonizing than god himself , and without it no man is bound to believe them , ●it . . . again , if the pope should err by commanding vice , and forbidding vertue , the church is bound to believe vice is good and vertue to be evil , bellarm. lib. . de summ . pont . c. . besides he can forgive sins tho' the evil habits be not changed , what is all this then to make himself god , and to exalt himself above god ? &c. . the man of sin 't is said could not get up until that which then , i. e. in the apostles days did let , was taken away . for the mystery of iniquity doth already work , only he we now letteth , will lett until he be taken away , verse . which was the heathen emperon government , or sixth head of the beast . this also shews the pope to be the man of sin , for he rose to his glory and wicked grandeur not till the sixth head or pagan power was gone or taken out of the way , for tho' the mystery of iniquity did work gradually , and corruptions crept into the church early , yet did he not appear till after the christian emperors had made way for him ; hence he i● said to be an eighth , and of the seventh . iii. there is another prophesie concerning this cursed antichristian state , it is i● tim. . , , . now the spirit speaked expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirit and doctrine of devils . no doubt but rome is concerned in the place , for either by doctrine of devils are meant such doctrines that are brought i● by the power and influence of the devil or devilish doctrines , or else the doctrine of damons , the apostle hereby signifying that is the latter times , that is , after the general apostacy , the man of sin , or papal rome should bring in the doctrine of the pagans concerning daemons , which were lookt upon by them to be an inferior sort of gods , a kind ●● middle beings between their highest gods and men , whose office was to be advocates or mediators between men and the highest gods , because they judged it was not lawful for men to come to the highest gods immediately , and these they worshipped by images . even so the papists or mystery babylon hath divos and divas , saints of all sorts whom she hath canonized , to be called upon in her publick prayers , altars and feast days dedicated and kept unto their memory , and many other honours , acknowledging them to be mediators between god and men , and unto these daemons or petty gods she makes her prayers , and hath their images , and to whom they do divine homage like as did the pagans of old . chap. vi. shewing the judgments of divers eminent men concerning the death , resurrection and ascention of the witnesses , and final downfal of mystery babylon ; and that in all probability it will be in this present age : together with an account of divers strange prophesies relating thereto , some very ancient , & c. having clearly demonstrated that the church of rome is that great whore mystery babylon , it may not be amiss before we conclude this 〈◊〉 treatise , to give you some account concerning her full and final overthrow , which hath been for ● long time the expectation of gods people , and multitudes of prayers have and still do go up to heaven , for the accomplishment thereof ; and reason there is for it , considering what a plague she hath been to the world and church of god for so many hundred of years , and certainly god will at la●● hear that mighty cry of prayer , and of innocen● blood that continually is in his ears , and since the death , resurrection and ascention of the witnesses ( if rightly understood ) gives such clear light as touching the fall of babylon , we shall give you some brief hints concerning this important and weighty point . the beast is to continue for the space of forty two months , and the witnesses are to prophesie in sackcloth for the space of days , which most writers conclude to be one and the same term of time , and that by days is meant yea●● all generally conclude ; and the long continuance of the beast and papal power clearly shew , that to be the mind of gods spirit in those mystical numbers yet a late worthy and learned writer hath said a great-deal to prove the forty two months are to be reckoned by the moon , and not by the sun ; and if so , then as he shews the time of the witnesses wearing sackcloth is thirty eight years longer than the forty two months , but yet are to terminate together , he concluding the witnesses put on their sackcloth so many years before the beginning or epoch of the forty two months . see his book intituled , the command of god to his people to come out if babylon . moreover he saith , the time , epoch or beginning of the forty two months must be fixed at the cessation of the seventh sort of government , or christian emperors reign , which , saith he , was in the year . and the whole time of the beasts reign and tyranny being but forty two months , which by the moon he accounts to be just years , the period of which will be , saith he , in . and this we will say , he hath doubtless fixed the epoch or beginning of the beasts kingdom more fairly than many writers before him have done , because all along where the reign of one head or government ended the other begun , as 't is said , ( you know ) the king never dies . take his own words , p. . thus far the matter is determined according to the prophesie ; i. e. whenever the th king , asserted to be the christian emperors government expir'd , viz. by a civil death , or the cessation of the imperial name and power , immediately the eighth king according to the prophesie must succeed , and bear up the roman city in gratideur , and whoever hath born up that city in supremacy , since that time , must be according to prophesie that eighth king , i. e. the beast . now i appeal to all the world what year that was when the western imperial name fell , and it is known in all history to be the year of our lord . — for in the wonderful disposes of god , no one hath claim'd a title of empire from that city since that year , but the pope . i do commend the ingenious reader to the book it self . now if this be true or can be granted we are very near the final ruin of the papistry , nay , and from divers other authors , most or all that i have met with , agree it will be in this very age ; peter du moulin a wise and renowned french authour , in his book intituled the accomplishment of the prophecy , saith , from the year . popery shall fall and go down , but all conclude that the tenth part of this great city falls first , and i doubt not but the providence of god hath brought us forth in the time of the accomplishment of that part of the prophecy , for that great brittain is that part of the great city , i see no cause to doubt , and that also the witnesses are risen , or arising , and will soon be upon their feet , is the thoughts of several worthy men , but i being limited to the number of sheets cannot inlarge as i would do , therefore we shall . briefly give you our understanding , who the t● witnesses are , in which we agree and accord with s●v●i● learned men . . what is meant by the slaying of the witnesses . . also some probable conjectures concerning the ti●● when slain , as also of their resurrection , standing 〈◊〉 their feet and ascention . . 't is not unknown to the judicious reader what different sentiments there have been about who or what the two witnesses are , some thinking they are the old and new testament , others magistracy and ministry , others two sorts of godly churches , some have thought them to be moses and elias , who tho , along time since are glorified in heaven , yet shall come again and be killed on earth ( which is the most improbable of any of the other● yet the papist writers and some others of late time● have asserted this . but we judge by them are meant gods faithf●● people , called two witnesses , because of the sma●ness of their number , who have born witness to the truths of christ , all the time of antichri●● reign , or else called two as comprehending both ministers , ( who are more directly intended ) and people ; also they may be called two , ( as so●● think ) in respect of their twofold testimony to 〈◊〉 true gospel ministry and magistracy ; and this th●● conclude because called also two candlesticks , & 〈…〉 alluding to those two sons of oyl , i. e. 〈…〉 and zerubbabel ; 't is evident god calls his people especially his faithful ministers his witnesses , ye are 〈◊〉 witnesses , saith the lord , isa. . . and saith christ , ●● shall be witnesses unto me , act. ● . . and act. . . we are his witnesses , &c. also called two , because two 〈◊〉 the number which god ordained , as sufficient to establish a truth by ; as much as to say god hath ●ad sufficient witnesses to bear a testimony to his word and gospel , in every age against antichrist , his abominable lies , usurpation and cursed idolatry . . as touching the slaying of them , it must either intend a natural death , or external slaying , or else ● civil death ; now i see no ground to conclude the former , because they were so killed all along whilst they prophecied in sack-cloath , besides , friends nor enemies would not suffer their dead bodies , to lie ●●buried in the street for the space of three years and half , for the best of expositors conclude generally , that is the time meant by three days and a half , therefore it must be a civil death or slaying . this then i conclude to be intended , viz. near the end of the two and forty months , or . years of their prophecy the beast who rose out of the bottomless pit , shall make a new rally or attempt upon gods faithful people , quite to extinguish or put ●n end to their testimony , and so far prevail as they shall be lookt upon as dead in law , or be accounted as dead and lost people , in the eye of the enemy , and in their own sight also , both in respect of the ministry and magistracy too . to this effect also dr. tho. goodwin speaks , p. , . this killing them considered as witnesses , not as men , that is , a taking away of all power from them , of prophecying as they were wont , a general silencing of ministers , and deposing magistrates and men of worth , that profess and uphold religion , &c. putting them out from all places , &c. that the popish party should again arrive to such ● in some one or more kingdoms , that were formerly a horn , or horns of the beast , or one ● the streets of the great city ; nay , and prevail ● far , as to have great hopes to work the utter ● of gods faithful people and witnesses , as to rejoy● and conclude the day will , nay is their own , ● that to such a degree that she viz. mystery babyl● shall say in her heart , i sit a queen , and shall see ● sorrow , nor know less of children any more . this ● ing dead , saith the dr. here of the witnesses , ● needs be taken metaphorically , and underst●●● of a civil death , and of a suppression of them , ● their cause , and as they are witnesses to be put do● and extinguished that they for a time remain● men dead laid forth by the walls for dead , and ● men in whose testimony , there is in appear●●● no likelyhood of a revival , their enemies has ● now got such power over them ; this certai● made the great matter of their enemies rejoyc● that as the pharisees thought they had christ 〈◊〉 enough , when they got him condemned and cr●cified , and had him in the grave : so these enemies shall think they have the witnesses do● sure enough for ever ; so great , desperate , 〈◊〉 helpless in all view , will the suppression of 〈◊〉 witnesses be by their enemies . and this is principally intended in their being said to lie 〈◊〉 and oppositely , the revival of them , and the cause , is set forth by a resurrection from the de● this great man hath given such an account of ● slaying and lying dead of the witnesses that cann● i think , be gainsayed , and speaks ( tho' so ma● years ago ) as if he had lived to see what our e● have beheld actually accomplished in this kingdom in a few years last past ; time is the only opener ● interpreter of these mysteries ; was there ever s● ●n hour upon the lords people since the beginning of the reformation , as hath been in these five or six years last past , both here and in france ; if he is right , certainly we have seen the death of gods witnesses ; ●nd with this doth a worthy , pious and learned friend ●gree in a late manuscript which is come to my ●and , and also in his said papers he speaks of that ●treet in which they are said to lye as dead , and al●o of the resurrection of them as already , tho' but ●ately come to pass , yet with that care and caution , that 't is left to the consideration of the wise and thinking christian , for too great confidence in matters of this nature is not necessary . but because some are ready to object , saith he , that if the witnesses are already slain , and are rose in these nations , they think there would then be a far greater appearance of divine glory , in order to the rescue and deliverance of gods people in other parts of the world , as well as here , whereas we know that the generality of christs witnesses elsewhere do yet remain under great persecution , &c. in answer whereunto he saith it ought to be duely considered , that the death , and resurrection of the witnesses spoken of rev. . must have of necessity a peculiar reference unto one of the streets only of the great city , for so the text expresly tells us , their dead bodies shall lye in the street , ( or in that street of the great city , ) v. . which ●eems plainly to point unto some one principal street or part of the roman jurisdiction which must needs denote such a street as where there shall be the greatest number of the most eminent and faithful witnesses of christ , even are such who have born the clearest testimony against the suppersti●ions , and abominations of the mystery of iniqui●y , and that have born the clearest testimony , concerning christ and the gospel , in the due exercise , and administration of the kingly , priestly , and prophetical offices of the lord jesus , for a● reference hereunto it is that christ values natio● and kingdoms not in respect of their opulency , ● greatness , or vastness of dominions , but where there are the greatest numbers of his chosen jewels ▪ this may serve to answer clavis apoc. in asserti● germany to be this street ; also our french autho● concerning the kingdom of france ; some one street we see by the plain words of the text is designed ● the scene where this glorious prophesie was to b● accomplished ; ( for the work must begin some where ; and what that street should be , but th● kingdom of great brittain we see no cause to doubt which all acknowledge to have been once , one ● the ten horns of the beast , and where also i thi● we may modestly affirm , there are the greatest number of christs most enlightned & faithful witnesses i will not determine , but i suppose there are f●● of ingenuity , but have read and considered t● several convincing arguments , of dr. goodwin ● rev. . wherein he doth assert , and i think ● clearly prove , that that prediction concerning t● death of the witnesses and their resurrection mu● of necessity be limited to one of the streets of the great city , and cannot fairly be expounded as having any immediate reference unto any of the rest , so ● doth as clearly demonstrate that the english juridiction , must of necessity be that street , which ● doth by comparing the arguments that are brough● by others to prove that france , germany , or any other countrey under the papal power should ● there intended with those that may justly be alledged to prove england is the spot where that prediction was to be accomplished . and now , saith he , if the witnesses are upon th●● feet , as i am strongly inclined to believe they are ; and am more and more confirmed in my notion in that respect , and that so as they shall never more be flung upon their backs , then i may confidently affirm that it will not be long ere they shall hear a great voice from heaven , saying unto them , come up hither ; and accordingly they shall ascend up into heaven in a cloud , their enemies beholding them , in which ascent of theirs , they must be conformable to the resurrection and ascention of christ himself . but whereas it is objected that if the witnesses are risen indeed , so as to be on their feet , in pursuance of that sacred prediction , rev. . there must needs have been some more than ordinary appearance , of the presence of god in the midst of his people , or at the least in a greater degree thereof than as yet we see . ans. i say no , it doth not therefore follow that it must be so : nor indeed it cann't rationally be expected till the time comes of their ascention , for this is an established rule with me , that there must and will be a signal proportion or resemblance , betwixt the death , resurrection and ascention of christs witnesses , and that of christ himself . now as to what concerneth the resurrection of our saviour himself in his own person , thus we are told , that he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs , being seen of his disciples forty days , and speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of god ; yet for ought as appears to us , he appeared unto them in all that time , but as he did before , there was no discovery of any signal majesty , or visible glory , upon him , more than they had seen upon him before his death and suffering ; neither indeed was the spirit come down upon them . and the reason is expresly rendred , because that jesus was not yet glorified , neither could the glorification of christ be expected till his ●…cention ; and consequently they could not look 〈…〉 the effusion of the spirit till then — wherefore , tho' it is true there is as yet no appearance of any signal glory upon gods people , nor any considerable measure of the holy spirit th●● there was before , yet for as much as it is highly rational to conceive that there must be , and will be as clear resemblance or proportion ( as i said before ) betwixt what passed at the resurrection of christ and his ascention , and that of the witnesses ▪ from hence it plainly sollows , that we have 〈◊〉 just ground to expect that abundant effusion of the spirit which god hath promised ( and we have been a waiting for ) till we see the witnesses upon th●● ascention-work . for as it is evident , that th●● will be a time of great confusion and desolation upon the enemies of god , so it is as evident , and we may no less groundedly expect , but that it will be a time of great glory and refreshment unto god● people by the abundant pouring out of the spir●● upon them , whereby conversion work will swiftly go on and prosper , and the gospel run and 〈◊〉 glorified ; to which let me add , why may we no● then expect such great light to break forth , or th● spirit in such a manner to be given as to convict 〈◊〉 gods children who they are that are in the true● order of the gospel ; so that all the saints and protestant churches may be united into one body an● communion , according to that holy primitive an● apostolical pattern and purity . then saith he , 〈◊〉 may justly conclude , that as it was promised of 〈◊〉 in the type , it shall be much more in the antityp● viz. that the glory of the latter house should exceed the glory of the former , which in the ty●● was fulfilled by christ's personal presence ther● according to that promise , the desire of all n●ti●● 〈…〉 ; and i will fill this house with glory , saith 〈…〉 of hosts , hag. . . now if the personal 〈…〉 of christ in that day and state of his humi●… filled that latter house or material temple 〈◊〉 glory , so that it exceeded the glory of the forther , we may after the same rule as justly conclude , that tho' the spiritual or gospel temple in the first edition of it in the apostle's days was glorious through the abundant effusion of the holy spirit ; that the same spiritual house in the second edition thereof in the latter days , to be sure will not come short , but rather exceed in glory , &c. to which let us add the glorious deliverance promised from outward oppression and persecution , which never quite ceased in the primitive days , together with that glorious union , they shall have that pure language , and shall serve the lord with one consent ; together with the great increase of the church , bringing in both jews and gentiles into one sheep-fold , but till the ascention of the witnesses comes to pass , these things cannot groundedly be expected . he also gives some hints concerning the time of the slaying of the witnesses , as also of their resurrection , which things he doth not presume positively to determine , but rather conjecturally expresseth himself ; the exact time he mentions i shall not relate , but you may conclude he fixes the slaying of them between the year and . for since the ●ime that the pretended protestant plot was talk'd ●f , and as they said discovered , and several worthy christians executed , as the ever renowned william lord russel , sheriff cornish , the noble earl 〈◊〉 essex , col. sidney , and that godly woman and martyr mrs. ga●nt , &c. what a flood of contempt , reproach , and what not , hath been ( as he ●●serves ) cast upon the whole of the true interest 〈◊〉 christ in this kingdom , with the barbarous slaughter of those worthy christians and witness●● in the west , together with that storm of persec●tion , which we have no ground to doubt was ●●●ried on by the popish enemy , and emissaries of r●●● , together with the turning out of places of tru●● many good protestants , and the taking away of charters of cities and corporations , silencing worthy ministers , &c. nay , striking at the root and whole constitution of the english government , ●●thing being designed but the utter subversion of the protestant religion , things growing every day worse and worse , nothing appearing but the blackness of darkness , and that which was worst of all many of gods witnesses seemed to be strangely despirited , whilest others truckl'd to the enemi●● yoak , suffering chapels to be erected for popery and cursed mass priests , and jesuites ; and that to● in many of the chief of our cities , nay , in famo●● london it self , and that in the very heart of it . o●● state seeming desperate and hopeless in the view 〈◊〉 all at home and abroad , many good men basely misled , joining in with them unawares , in carry●● on the design of this whore , in this her great 〈◊〉 last attempt , wherein she doubted not but to 〈◊〉 all the hereticks under her foot , and utterly to extirpate the protestant religion , such a death 〈◊〉 face of things never sure appeared , before this ho●● and power of darkness , and it was strangely pr●●ged , as many feared , by that lightening before 〈◊〉 in . upon the discovery of the popish 〈◊〉 when our hopes were raised by that great zeal 〈◊〉 our brave english parliaments , against the pa●● and popish religion , most thinking at that 〈◊〉 our morning light appeared to break forth , & the ●●●terness of death was over , but lo what a sudden ch●●● did we see ? how was our light turned into dark●● and our joy to sorrow and lamentation , and 〈◊〉 ●oy and triumph attended our popish enemies ? what ●ingings of te deum at rome , and in all popish countreys , and sending gifts one to another , for joy that these witnesses of christ were overcome , and ●aid by the walls , and their testimony and spirits gone in this kingdom , which was always a terror to the popish church , together with that wonderful success they had about the same time over the protestants , & turks in hungary , that kingdom being restored to her too ? these things made her doubtless to say ●n her heart , i sit a queen , &c. but as god foretold , the ●eople of the nations , ( viz. ) the neighbouring nations would not see nor indure to see the dead bodies ●f gods witnesses , and people put into graves , 〈◊〉 for their eyes were upon us , before they appeared ) for our help , and the fear of them doubtless ●●id prevent under god our enemies , from attempting that which we may conclude they longed to be 〈◊〉 . the worthy gentleman i mentioned before , ●ells us that he was so much the more strengthned in ●is opinion in respect of the death and resurrection of the witnesses from a threefold testimony . the first is that of socrates , who in his ecclesiastical history , affirmed that such things did appear in ●●ch a year ( which he mentioned ) that gave him ●●use to conclude there to begin the epoch or beginning of the years of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth , viz in the year which brings ●●wn the said time of the slaying of the witnesses , ●●ft to the same year he speaks of , which if he was ●●ght , the witnesses must now be risen and upon ●●eir feet . the second was , mr. william alleine whose ●●count brings the great things down to the very ●●ne year . third , mr. bright-man , he says , also affirms that about the self same year antichrists kingdom should expire . and our author looking for these great revolutions just at that time , and now perceiving them ( to appearance ) come to pass , as he says , it may be easily supposed , could not but be filled with joy , besides intimates , he still continues in a hopefulness of expectation , that the present work will go on , & sol hope it is with us all , for that god who hath begun to work such a miraculous and blessed work w●●● perfect it , he that hath shewed us such things , w●●● yet shew us greater , and certainly the present work of god in this nation , is the admiration of all the nations round about , and strikes terror into the hearts of all the lords enemies ; and in particular makes the french king to have other thoughts , th● he had a few months ago , and we hope his time 〈◊〉 at hand to drink of the cup of divine vengeance . dr. goodwin speaking , p. . of the resurrecti●● of the witnesses , saith , that whereas through a forced consent and yielding , the popes power 〈◊〉 again been entertained by that tenth part of 〈◊〉 city for the killing the witnesses ; they now 〈◊〉 cast off that power , with a mighty commotion 〈◊〉 insurrection , and so proceed to ruin the oppo●●●● party unto the witnesses , who were the instruments of that former slaughter , of which p●●● the remnant unslain do , as men affrighted , g●● glory to god , and turn back again to embrace th● truth , and acknowledge god to be in these witnesses and in their cause . so that although this may and shall end in 〈◊〉 ruin of rome , ( which is the highest effect of 〈◊〉 fifth vial ) ( for this resurrection and ascen●●●● of the witnesses , are truly the preparation unto 〈◊〉 yet this other passage of the earth quake , &c. 〈◊〉 here is said to be the same hour with their rising , is rather to be understood of the means , or thing making way unto that their resurrection , so that this insurrection , or rising of the people in the tenth part of the city , ( which is meant by the earth quake ) is the preparation unto their resurrection , which ends in the ruin of rome , the scope of the holy ghost here , being to shew , what did properly and peculiarly concern the rising of the witnesses , as the means to it ; yet so as still this earth-quake here , and fall of the tenth part of the city , are reducible unto that fifth vial , as a degree unto it ; and so that fifth vial may also be ultimately intended in this passage , recorded of the witnesses rising , as the preparation unto it ; thus in the interpretation of the vials , i shewed that there may be many sprinklings of the same vial , both long before it come to its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & vigour , & also after ; all which are , notwithstanding , to be reduced unto that vial of the kind whereof they are , or unto which they are either preparations or appendixes . . by the tenth part of the city , i understand as mr. brightman before me , some one tenth part of europe , which as it all once belonged to the jurisdiction of the city of rome , ( and is in this book called ten kingdoms ) so now again , upon the gentiles , or idolatrous papists , their recovering the outward court shall now at last , more or less come under the jurisdiction of that city , but especially , or at least this tenth part of it here intended , where most faithful witnesses shall be ●ound , and where most of them shall be triumphed over and slain , shall during these three years and a half , become a part of the city again ; and so is ●●lled a tenth part of the city ; city being put ●ere ( as it often is in this book ) for the extent of the jurisdiction of the city of rome , which had these ten european kingdoms by charter allotted unto it , chap. . and unto which these kingdoms are a second time to agree , to give up their power in one of which ten , or in the tenth part of the whole , the witnesses shall first begin to rise ; and therein shall this earth quake accompany their resurrection ; this tenth part of the city may perhaps be all one with that street of the city , mentioned v. . . by the earth-quake here which is said to be a great one , is meant , as still in this book it is , a great concussion or shaking , of states , poli●ique , 〈◊〉 ecclesiastical , for of either , or of both , it is used thus under the sixth seal , the great alteration wrought in the roman empire , when it turned from heathenism to christianity , brought abo●● by the power of constantine , with the depo●●●● those heathenish emperors , captains , and altering the face of the empires religion , is called 〈◊〉 earth-quake , chap. . so that the like mighty commotion , with an alteration of the face of things ( either civil or ecclesiastick ) shall fall out in a tenth part of the city , and shall accompany or usher 〈◊〉 this rising of the witnesses . . now by , and through this earth quakes falling thus out , in a tenth part of the city , this tenth part of it is so shaken that it falls ; that is , ceased to be a part of the city , or to belong unto its jurisdiction any longer ; or , which is all one , falls of ( as we say ) from being of the number of those th●● give their power to the beast , which if it prove 〈◊〉 be any of the protestant states , that should yet again ( as was said ) embrace the beasts power , and come under his jurisdiction , or in order to 〈◊〉 bringing in again of the popes power , should 〈◊〉 these witnesses , and so thereby become a part 〈◊〉 that city , and be reckoned pertaining unto its jurisdiction ; yet now revolting from under the power of this city , and recoiling again through this earth-quake , it may truly be said to fall ; namely , quâ urbis pars est , as it is a part of the city which it before was , but now ceaseth to be , it now utterly renouncing either to belong to its jurisdiction , or to be of its party any longer , and as earthquakes are from inward motions in the bowels of the earth , so this here may seem to rise from within that kingdom it self , whether thro' the supream magistrates beginning to hate the whore , as the promise is , chap. . or the peoples abominating the cruelty and contempt put upon the witnesses and their cause ; their consciences having been enlightned in the truth , while themselves were troden under as the outward court , by these gentiles , and so they come to shake off that yoke , and the witnesses having a spirit of life now come into them , these take heart , and join with them and their cause : whether ( i say ) through the working of either , or both of these , i cannot determine , but i think through both ; for the ruin of the city ( unto which this is at least the preparation ) is to be effected , through gods changing one of the ten kings hearts so to hate the whore , as to eat her flesh , and burn her with fire . chap. . and this voice speaking unto the witnesses out of heaven , mr. mede conjectures to be that supream authority , with which the people also shall joyn : for an earth-quake certainly notes out a commotion in the people and nations . thus far the doctor . now that which is said to be previous to the slaying of the witnesses , is the war which the beast would make against them when they were about finishing their testimony in sackcloath or in the end of the . days or years , which plainly implys two things . first , that about that time ( as the doctor intimates ) the beast that rose out of the bottomless pi● , viz. the papal power , would recover strength again in this nation or that tenth part of the city called also a street where the witnesses should be ●●ain and lie dead . secondly , make war against them with all imaginable power , craft and policy that hell could afford , endeavouring utterly to root out gods faithful witnesses or protestant interest ; now have not we seen these things which the dr. hath upon this account writ ? is it not evident that things in england , have for many years last past been carryed on by the papal power , not only in the late kings reign , but also before ? have not we seen a strange spiritual war managed by popish councils , priests and jesuits , and had they not very far prevailed ? yea so far , as to the killing of gods witnesses , ( according to what the dr. saith is meant thereby ) how much different hath the late times of trouble been to former days ? what a base compliance with the antichristian party have we seen ? what a strange dispiriting of godly people , nay , and ministers too ? never sure such a civil death in every respect , hath been seen nor known before this hour . now as to the witnesses standing on their fee● , saith the dr. p. . first , as men erect , and taking heart , their cause being just , tho' before condemned . secondly , as ready to defend it , and as men able and resolved now to confront their enemies , which strikes a mighty dread into their guilty consciences ; great fear fell upon them that saw them , their hearts begin to sink and die , at the witnesses first beginning to live , and have not we seen somewhat much like this ? what a strange spirit do we see now , in all sorts of protestants against the whore or antichristian party , both here and in scotland also ? more especially , as touching the ascention of the witnesses , they shall hear a voice , come up hither , it certainly signifies some more glorious church state , and restoration of the primitive purity , that shall attend the saints and church of god , and when that comes to pass , may be such a measure of the spirit may be given , as to unite all faithful and godly protestants into one body and communion , and then the spouse or church of god will come forth out of the wilderness , as terrible as an army with banners , cant. . . chap. vii . shewing the judgment of divers learned me● upon the pouring out of the seven vials , particularly monsieur jurieu a late french writer ; as also dr. goodwin , mr. canne , &c. proving that none of the seven vials are yet poured out , and monsieur jurieu's arguments answered , &c. together with an answer to what he says of the slaying of the witnesses , and that by the street is not meant the kingdom of france . thus i have given you a brief account of the judgment and opinion of divers worthy and learned men concerning the ri●e and ruin of antichrist and mystery babylon ; together with the death ▪ resurrection and ascention of the two witnesses , which is left to you to receive or reject according to your own conceptions and understandings , according to the light and knowledge god hath given you of these great mysteries ; — there is one thing more i shall speak to , and a little further open , which is a matter of great importance to understand , in order to the finding out the final overthrow of the papal power and ruin of antichrist , which is that of the seven vials , and last plagues spoken of rev. . it seems not a little strange to me , to see how exceedingly the learned and most renowned expositors , differ about the time of the pouring out of the vials , some concluding they are all already poured forth , others that there are only the first three poured out , and some others affirm there is not one of them as yet poured forth , but do believe they shall all be poured out under the seventh trumpet , which contains the third wo , and will effect the utter overthrow of the beasts kingdom , and the setting up the kingdom of jesus christ , we shall therefore give you some brief hints of what most of our late interpreters have said , in respect of this matter ; & in order to the doing of this , it is not amiss to note unto you , the three several periods spoken of in the book of the revelations , which seems to me to be a key to open most of those deep mysteries contained in that wonderful prophecy . first , the seven seals . second , the seven trumpets . the third , the seven vials or seven last plagues . expositors generally all agree that the six first seals contained those judgments of god , executed upon the heathen or pagan emperours , which fell out and was wholly accomplished in the space of three hundred , or three hundred and ten years or thereabouts after christ , and so ( as some conceive ) brought in the first wo. the seventh seal ( according to the late famous peter jurieu , a french writer , and some others ) produced or brought in the seven trumpets , and brings the events even to the last judgments , the first trumpet not being sounded until the seventh seal was opened , so that these seven seals , as he observes , are like six branches , that shoot forth from the body of a tree , with a seventh great branch , which it self became a great arm , and shoots forth into seven other branches ( which are the seven trumpets ) . secondly , the six first trumpets contain the judgments of god upon the world under the arian apostate persecuters , and the bringing in the antichristian state , i. e. the beast or man of sin , and mystery babylon , with the mahometan monarchy , together with the death or slaying of the witnesses of christ , which lasteth for a long series of time , at least as some conceive and odd years and compleats the second wo. thirdly , the seventh trumpet , some wise and understanding men of late do conclude , produces the seven vials and seven last plagues , which they do not think any of them as yet are poured forth , but will gradually effect the utter overthrow of the papal church containing the intire judgments or wrath of god upon the beast and babylon , and therefore called the seven last plagues , and so let in the third wo. upon the antichristian world , and brings in the glory of the latter day or kingdom of christ ; if this may be admitted , we may very well say that the seven seals contained in them the whole events of things from the time that st. john received his revelation to the end of all gods mysteries there spoken of ; but then you must observe the rule we have noted , and this seems to me the clearest and best exposition , i can arrive to the knowledge of , who have laboured , according to that light and understanding god hath given me , to find out the mysteries contained in this book , for near years last past , though i dare not be positive that none of the vials are yet poured out knowing what has been said by our able expositers to the contrary ; some of which i shall here mention , and their arguments upon which they build their conceptions ; amongst those that say the three first vials are poured forth , are these following . first , mr. joseph mede , dr. more , du moulin , mr. durham , de launay , dr. goodwin and many others ; the first vial , they say , was poured forth by the faithful ministers of christ , at the first reformation before luthers time , and that grievous sore that fell upon the antichristian state , was the discovery of the abominable idolatry of the romish clergy ; together with that hatred of them , for their odious & impure lives . the second vial some of them affirm , was poured forth by the preaching of luther , and those worthy witnesses of christ in his days . the third vial was poured forth , according to their judgments , by other worthy ministers signified by the third angel , who rose up in the church after luthers time , who in some things had more light ; and partly also by laws made against popery in the days of queen elizabeth , &c. mr. mede and dr. more seem to agree in this , as likewise do our late annotators , read them on rev. . the fourth vial , they , as well as dr. goodwin , seem to hint we are under , which is said to be poured forth upon the sun , which the dr. concludes p. . to mean either the emperor , or king of spain , or both , they being of the same house of austria , mr. parkins long before hinted that by the sun , did mean some protestant prince in germany who should have some of this vial poured forth upon him by the popish party , but being provoked thereby afterwards he should rise again , and like the sun scorch them with his heat , but the dr. rather inclines to mr. mede and dr. more . but to proceed , our late french author peter jurieu , positively affirms that six of the vials are already poured forth , and that we are under the seventh , which will effect the final ruin of the papistry or church of rome , ( if i mistake him not ) one reason why he doth thus believe , is because the vials signifie seven periods of time , which ought to be distinguisht one from another , part p. , . as the seven seals and seven trumpets did signify , seven periods , which succeeded one another ; and he concludes that the periods described by every vial , are each of them more than one age , so that , saith he , if there is but two or three of them yet to be poured out , we shall have four or five hundred years to come , before antichrists kingdom comes to an end , which i do not find him to give any convincing demonstration to make appear , tho' i cannot but say he seems to be a person of good understanding in many respects , touching these great mysteries , contained in the book of the apocalypse moreover he distinguishes between the vials and plagues , viz. saying the vial signifies the period of time , the plague signifying the judgment of god , which falls out during the period , which if it be granted , yet why must every period contain a years , or at least ( as he intimates ) years , or ? the first plague of the . he fixes to the century , in respect of the dismal corruption of the popedom in that age , p. . the first vial was poured out , saith he , upon the earth , i. e. upon the whole globe , for earth contains both dry and moist ; the corruption of manners was spread over the head and the members , over the whole papal seat , and all its subjects , but , saith he , the second vial is poured out only upon the waters , the sea and rivers , i. e. upon the people of the antichristian empire , or upon the different nations , tribes and languages , — the waters of the sea were turned into blood , and every living soul died . what more native and lively representation , saith he , could have been made of the rage of the croisades ? in all languages and in all sorts of stile , a sea of blood , rivers of blood , streams of blood , signify a very great slaughter . now the proper character of the croisades is slaughter , murther , which falls not upon the head of the antichristian empire , but upon the people , all was turned into blood. never was there such a prodigious effusion of blood in the sea , i. e. among the peoples , in the first croisade , there died more than millions of men in or years ; 't is evident that god did lead these wretched creatures as it were to the shambles , that they should find the punishment of their crimes : he took so great a quantity of blood , that he might cure the ulcers of christendom , for that he might purge it of that vast rabble , he permitted the devil to inspire them , either with such sottish superstition , or an extravagant ambition , that they must go and deliver the holy-land , or go and conquer kingdoms in the east , this plague lighted only on the sea , not at all on the dry land , upon the subjects of the popedom , not at all upon the popes . on the contrary , the popes improve that evasion to greaten their power , to plunder whole countreys , to make generals of armies , to act as soveraign monarchs , and to lay a heavyer yoke upon kings , whom they ordered to march , and sent them as their slaves into the east , and during their absence plundered their kingdoms . we must not , saith he , imagine that all the plagues laid down by st. john , must tend to the ruin of the see of rome , or to the diminution of its power ; for some are to light upon the head of that empire , to crush it , others upon the people to punish them , because they worship the beast , the plague of blood and slaughter is for the people . this plague of croisades , saith he , is divided into two plagues , because of its long duration , for it lasted years , from the end of the eleventh age , until the end of the thirteenth , this he judges the time of the d . vial and plague . the third vial or plague , fell upon the rivers or lesser waters , which he fixes upon some particular nations , as of france under the conduct of st. lewis . the fourth vial poured out on the sun , 't is known and confessed saith he , of all who know any thing of prophecies , dreams and visions , that the heavens , the sun , the constellations , and the stars , are emblems of dignity and grandeur on earth , &c. the sun does always signify the soveraign , the stars inferiors magistrates , and so by the sun under the th seal , 't is always understood the fall of the pagan empire ; that the antichristian kingdom is treated of here saith he , is generally agreed to : therefore it cannot be doubted that the sun is the soveraign of this kingdom . and he fixes upon the increase of antichrists authority and power , in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries to be meant hereby , when the sun by his excessive & scorching heat , i. e. the pope by his usurpt authority tyrannized over kings and emperors , p. . deposing , and taking away their crowns , &c. the fifth vial and plague poured on the feat of the beast , he affirms with other writers to mean the city of rome ; and when was it that this vial of gods wrath fell upon the seat of the beast , i. e. rome ? it was , saith he , when rome lost its sun ( which is spoken of in the foregoing plague ) i. e. the pope , the papal court , that like a gulf or whirl-pool , drew to it all the riches of the kingdoms of europe . in the year . clement the v. left rome to go to avignon , the city that was mistress of the world then became desolate , — when its masters kept their seat at avignon , p. . the sixth vial and plague he affirms are the turks who pass over the bosphorus and invade the greek and latin empires ; at this i can't a little wonder , because most expositors conclude , and i think with good reason , that the rise and increase of the turkish monarchy began under the sixth trumpet , and not only so , but because 't is said the angel poured forth his vial upon the great river euphrates , and ( mark ) the water thereof was dryed up , &c. which seems to intimate the decay and wasting of the turkish power , and not the increase of it , but he would have us understand the kings of the east , to mean the turks , and not euphrates , p. , . the time that this vial was a pouring forth , he says , was about or years , viz. from . until . by this he must believe the battel of arma-geddon is long since past , which he runs into a mystery by shewing that arma-geddon signifies a cutting off by a curse or excommunication , which he applys to the orders , laws and false oracles of the popedom and the antichristian head , — there is , saith he , 't is known , a curse and a arma-geddon at the end of every canon . the seventh vial and plague he affirms was by the preaching of luther , and other reformers by which the latin church was divided into three parts , papists , lutherans and reformed , i suppose he means the calvinists ; the voices , and thunders , and lightnings , that are said to be under the seventh vial , mean , he says , the voices of preachers , who labour'd in the reforming the church , page . the great city he affirms is the antichristian kingdom , and this city under the pouring forth of the seventh vial , is said to be divided into three parts , this , he says , is exactly come to pass , i. e. one part remained with antichrist , one part did separate from him , under the name of the ausburge confession a third part did separate under the confession of those who are barely stiled the reformed ; sweden , denmark , and a great part of germany , make the second part , england , and the united provinces , the reformed part of france , and part of germany , make the third part ; these , saith he are the three grand parts , that divide the western church which is the great city . let this be attentively minded , saith he , for i affirm that this passage does as it were speak with a tongue , & is able alone to convince , that our systeme of the seven plagues is most undoubted truth ; this division of the great city into three parts , so clearly points out the three communions of the latin church , that to deny it can proceed only from unreasonable passion , and opinionativeness . and if we have hit upon the truth in this point , we have done so in all ; for if this character of the seventh plague is true , and is already accomplisht , all other plagues are also accomplisht ; and if they are accomplished , i do boldly affirm they cannot be applied to any other effects than those to which we have applied them . he further shews that england cannot make a fourth part , because in doctrine she agrees with other reformed communions , in which she differs from the lutherans , — p. . who refuse such communion , &c. thus ( saith he ) in truth there are but three grand parts , into which the latin church is divided , i. e. papists , lutherans and calvinists — and this division is not her utter ruin , but after she is thus divided , god will prepare to give her the last cup of his wrath which signifies , that the division of the latin church into three parts must continue until the compleat ruin of popery . this is the seventh and last vial-glass , which , thanks be to god , will in a little time be run out , now we have that we seek , namely , an evidence that the antichristian kingdom is near at an end . we need not longer wait for the accomplishment , either of all the plagues ( as some of our interpreters say ) or of some of the plagues as others say — it is done , all is accomplisht , we are at the end of the seventh period . first , that in the whole explication of this th . chapter , there is not the least forced application ; the emblems which the prophet makes use , do exactly resemble the events set down in history . second , that in the application of these seven plagues unto the events , every thing does hang together , no part of this system contradicts another ; this being supposed , i do intreat them to consider , if chance may hit right in some points , but never does so in all , i say again , that we are at the end of the seventh period ; for it ought to be well observed , that there is not one vial , which is distinct and separated from others , lasted years , — this hath already lasted years , it cannot last much longer , 't is true , the papal authority whose beams so scorched men under the fourth vial , lasted above years , but this was because it was inlayed or jointed in those that preceded , and those that followed . and its particular strict period must be reckon'd to be only years , which begun at the year , when the croisades ended , and continued until the grand schism , which happened in the year . for then began the diminishing of the papal authority , and the darkning of the kingdom of the beast . the seventh vial hath lasted already longer than any of the rest , and 't is probable , that it must last about years , which none of the others hath done , but we shall see the reason of this , when we shew that this seventh period , is it self divided into three periods , i. e. the harvest , the vintage , and the time that is betwixt the harvest and the vintage , the harvest is already past , the time betwixt is almost expired , and we are approaching to the vintage , — p. , . he then preceeds to explain what he understands by harvest and vintage ; which the ingenious reader may guess at , i thought good to cite thus much of this author for their sakes , who have not his book , it being grown scarce , and also because he is so much cryed up ; and lastly because , what he speaks concerning the vials seems new , nor shall i passover this mans sentiments about the vials , without some modest reflections , tho' he seems to write with great confidence , in which he differs from most worthy men before him . — . it may be doubted whether he is in the right or no , in my judgment , about the vials , because it appears to me very clear , that the angels that are said to pour them out , are brought forth under the seventh trumpet , to which i find some worthy men agree ; which if this be granted , he is mistaken . . because the angels that pour them forth , are said to come out of the temple , clothed in pure and white linen , and have their breasts girded with golden girdles , rev. . . which signifies doubtless a more perfect and pure state of the church than was in any of those centurys he mentioneth , when divers of those vials , he says , were poured cut , for till near the time of the coming forth of the seventh trumpet , the saints and people of god are called witnesses clothed in sack-cloth , mourning as it were for the loss of the visibility , and glory of the gospel church state , according to the apostolical constitution ; and are represented as a few or small number of scattered christians , but under the latter part of the . trumpet , the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened , rev. . . signifying ( as i conceive ) the restoration of the church to its former glory and purity in a great measure , and that the witnesses had put off their sack-cloth , being gloriously and differently clothed , which will not be perfected till the ascention of the witnesses which will be about the beginning of the seventh trumpet , for the text says , when that begins to be sounded the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our lord and his christ , rev. . . . it should seem strange that all the vials , ( that contain in them the whole of the seven last plagues to the utter overthrow of the beasts kingdom , ) should be already poured out ( save the remaining part of the seventh ) and yet so little be done comparatively to the ruin of the whore or papistry , or that the . first vials should be so long a time a pouring forth , and so little effected for the ruin of antichrists kingdom , and so much should be expected to be done in so short a time ( as this french writer says ) by the remaining part of the seventh . . and why he should suppose if or of the vials should not be yet poured out , that the whore and beasts kingdom , must continue still at least years , i know not , for if we should conclude with some worthy men , that none of the vials should be poured forth to this day , yet why may not the ruin of the papal power , or end of the beasts kingdom be near , for tho' it be granted they may have their distinct periods , yet they may be very short , since god positively intimates his judgments , for the ruin and downfal of babylon shall be swift and on a sudden , and as it were in one hour , which certainly signifies but a very short time ; besides , he strangely confounds and mixeth the vials with some of the trumpets which i can't see any ground to believe , considering the method god uses in this book . — moreover at the resurrection or at the ascention of the witnesses , which finishes the second wo , & brings the period of the . trumpet , then the tenth part of the city falls & this is all of the fall and ruin of the great whore or great city , we read of , till the seventh trumpet begins ' to sound . and to conclude with this , i shall say with what our late annotators intimate on rev. . . it seems that the seven seals , the seven trumpets , and the seven vials , are all mentioned , in the same form of speech , and therefore the seven vials are not to be divided , some to one trumpet ▪ some to another . . because the seventh trumpet , & vials are one & the same thing , nothing being revealed under the seven vials , which doth not belong to the seventh trumpet ; they agree in their titles of woes , in the nature of the revelations , in their objects , both the one & in the other , declaring the ruin of antichrist ; both of them are mentioned as the last plagues to come upon the world before the last day . . all the vials are of the same nature , declaring but the judgments by which god setting up the kingdom of jesus christ would ruin antichrist , they differ in the degrees . . the seventh trumpet cannot declare the ruin of antichrist unless the seven vials be poured out under it , for they shew the means by which he must be destroyed ; and so bring in the third wo. . the seventh trumpet sounded immediately upon the slaying and resurrection of the witnesses , and contemporizeth with the whole course of their renewed liberty , and therefore the period by it must be before the fall of the antichristian kingdom , declared by the sixth vial. . the seventh trumpet sounded immediately after the expiration of the days , before the end of which , i see no ground to conclude any of the vials were to be poured out . now those who think that divers of the vials were poured out ( as he observes ) or shall be poured out before the sounding of the seventh trumpet say , that the beasts kingdom beginning to fall under the sixth trumpet , several of the vials , declaring the degrees of his falling must belong to that ; in answer to which we say , it appeareth by all we have in this chap. rev. . . that antichrists kingdom was in a great measure weakned under the sixth trumpet , particularly from v. . to . and tho this we grant , yet they are but some previous preparations to the final ruin of antichrist , during the period of the sixth trumpet ; but the seven vials signify the surther progress and perfection of his ruin , which falls under the seventh trumpet ; this being premised we proceed with the text ; it is , saith he , doubted whether these words , are become the kingdom of the lord and his christ , v. be to be understood as being actually so , or now beginning so to be ; those who make the sense that they now actually were so , must understand the time to be the last days , or near the coming of christ , — but i rather take the words thus , i. e. are beginning to become the kingdom of our lord , or shall shortly be so ; and if none of the seven vials are yet poured out , but do all belong to the seventh trumpet , then when that begins to sound , the little stone cut out of the mountain without hands , spoken of by daniel , shall begin to smite the image upon its feet , and antichrist from that time shall reign no more , but gradually fall and be broken to pieces , and the lords people take the kingdom , and bear the only rule in the earth but the beginning of this glorious kingdom state will be small , and hardly discerned , as it is signified by the little stone , and by other passages and places of scripture . just as i had writ this , i met with a book that mr. canne had wrote some years ago , in which he gives very great arguments to prove none of the vials are as yet poured out , notwithstanding what our french author has with much confidence asserted ; some of the reasons mr. canne gives to prove that none of the vials are as yet poured out , i shall give you , being sorry i saw not the book sooner , and that i am limited to a number of sheets , else you should have had more of him ; his first reason is taken from what mr. tilling hast and divers other learned men affirm concerning rev. . . viz. that they are gentile saints , who stand upon mount sion with the lamb , and is to come to pass after the rising of witnesses , this being so saith he , ( and that is indeed so , he further saith he could give many reasons ) then there is little reason to carry the beginning of the seven vials any higher , for tho' it be the opinion of learned and godly men , that some of the vials are poured out , yet so that they hold likewise that the have already stood with the lamb on mount sion , and there is reason and weight in it , that where we ●●gin the time of the . &c. that there we also take the beginning of the vials . and the order of the matter seems to make this clear ; the holy ghost having chap. . spoken of the harvest and vintage , that is , what sore plagues the lord brings ( first and last ) upon babylon and the followers of the beast , comes presently in ch . , and . to shew how and by what means , the earth shall be reaped , and the clusters gathered , and cast into the great wine-press of gods wrath , namely , seven angels shall come out of the temple , having the seven last plagues . — so then , to take the . to be after the witnesses are risen , and to begin the pouring forth of the vials before they are risen , in my understanding , is very improper to the scope and drift of the prophesy , and crosseth that excellent order which the spirit seems to observe . . i do not conceive how the pouring out of the plagues , and vials full of divine wrath in any good sense , and according to scripture use , may be applyed to , and understood of the preaching of the glad tidings of the gospel ; truly i think , that the publishing of the sweet and most precious soul-saving truths of jesus , all the time of the beasts reign , even months or years , is in another way , and by other words expressed , and not by the vials full of wrath ; see rev. . , , . and therefore by the seven last plagues filled up with the wrath of god , rev. . . i understand real and proper plagues , and not the preaching of the gospel , either by grosthead , wickliff , luther , calvin , &c. but rather such temporal plagues as shall be poured out upon wicked men for despising and persecuting the truth ; in her was found the blood of the prophets and saints , rev. . . it is not said that the effects of the vials shall be wrath , or turn to wrath , for in the it is filled up the wrath of god. . suppose it be granted there is a vial of wrath poured out ( which to me sounds harshly ) and that wickliff , huss , jeremy , luther , &c. were the angels , the question then is , who before them poured out their vials upon the earth ; for it is said these seven angels had the last plagues , signifying , that there were plagues before , altho for time , persons , matter , and manner of proceeding , and other circumstances , unlike . . i have ( saith he ) not seen any reason why so much time is allowed between the first and second vials : some allow years , others , and some more , namely , from the pouring out of the first vial , to the beginning of the second , and to all the rest not half the time . if those vials and last plagues have an allusion to the plagues of egypt , ( as it is generally held ) then it is probable , when there is once a beginning , they will suddenly all be poured out . some have observed from history in exodus , that within the space of days the ten plagues fell upon the egyptians ; now if ( in the antitype ) we reckon a day for a year ( as it is often in prophetical types ) then the seven last plagues will be finished in thirty years when begun ; neither is it to be doubted , but a short work will the lord make upon the earth , rom. . . when those vials begin to be poured out upon the earth , wherefore is babylon's fall set forth under the sign of a great milstone cast into the sea by a mighty angel , not only to denote her irrecoverable desolation , but also what speedy and quick dispatch the lord will make , when he calls his angels out of the temple , therefore shall her plagues come upon her in one day , rev. . . in one hour , v. , , . i● a moment , suddenly , isa. . . why 〈◊〉 ought not to conclude her plagues to intend ●ose last plagues all of them as well as some of them , i know not , i desire this may be considered , hinted it before when i had not seen this worthy writer , for this french author makes babylon a ●elling many hundred years , which must doubtless be a grand mistake , these scriptures considered . he further confirms this reason and answers objections , which i have not room to insert . . i cannot conceive , saith he how any of those persons to whom the first , second and third angels are ordinarily applied , do fairly or fitly parallel and agree with what the scriptures hold forth ; certain it is , none of the angels came out of the temple , till john saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire , and them that had gotten the victory over the beast , and over his image , and over his mark , and over the number of his name , standing on the sea of glass , having the harps of god ; and they sing the song of moses the servant of god , and the song of the lamb , rev. . , . all this well agrees with the description of the . rev. . , . but to carry these things to grostead , armachan , wickliff , luther , &c. if need were , i could shew by many reasons of the improbability of it ; for tho' many of gods people formerly received not the mark of the beast , nor his name , yet to say any of them during the months got the victory over the beast , or over his image , and number of his name , i cannot assent unto , neither do i think their opinion is well bottomed who hold this victory over the beast , and singing the song of moses , and the song of the lamb to be before the rising of the witnesses , which is the time of their prophesying in sackcloth , and whilst the woman is in the wilderness . — 't is strange indeed to think the witnesses wearing sackcloth , or in a mourning condition , can be said to sing the song of moses , as having got victory over their enemies , and yet overcome by their enemies for the song of moses , 't is well known to be that i● exodus . thou hast overcome the horse and his r●der , &c. again , ( saith he by way of question , p. . why should the song of moses , rev. &c b● carried up to the times before the rising of the witnesses and the new song rev. . . brought down many hundred years after this , seems to be against the order of the prophesie . ( . ) the matter of the song , if rightly understood , is not suitable to any time in which the beasts reigned ; neither , lastly , can it be shewed — that ever the church of the saints , have had any occasion through any deliverance or victory to sing the song of moses , &c. i am of the same opinion , unless it be in these and the approaching days . . that none of the seven last plagues or vials are yet poured out , nor will be till after the rising of the witnesses , ( does appear ) for this reason , viz. because none of the seven angels come forth with their golden vials , until the tabernacle of the testimony is opened in heaven , rev. . . but that part of the tabernacle of the testimony is to be shut all the time of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth may be gathered from rev. . . with v. . hence this argument might be framed , viz. no angel is to come forth with his golden vial , till the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven is opened . but the tabernacle of the testimony is not to be opened till after the rising of the witnesses . therefore no angel with his golden vial is come forth till after the rising of the witnesses . the proof of this argument are the scriptures before , viz. rev. . . cap. . v. , . now if any do think that the four last angels shall come forth from the temple opened in heaven , and not the first three such an opinion is against the text expresly , 〈…〉 saith the seven angels come out of the temple , verse . neither do i know any ground they have , who think that the angels pouring out the four last vials shall have more light , zeal , faith , holiness , &c. than the former three had — but certainly there is a vast difference between the state of the church now , and that when they say the first vial was poured out , nay , and the second or third too , and none can doubt but the opening of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven points to some greater church glory that shall be then , or a different state of the church than ever was before under the beasts reign . . neither do i ( saith he ) think , that the effects of any of the vials ( which some suppose are poured out ) make good what is said , rev. . . for thy judgments are made manifest , which holds forth to me much more than what followed the preaching of grostead , wickliff , huss , luther , melancthon , &c. or the switzers wars , or of that of the parliament in england , for gods judgments , notwithstanding what hath been yet done , remain still more dark , doubtful and disputable , especially to the world , than shall be under the effects of the vials . for the followers of the beast , as the egyptians under their plagues , tho' they are hardened and repent not , but blaspheme the god of heaven , not giving glory to him , shall notwithstanding see the hand of god lifted up , and be ashamed for their envy at his people , isa. . . so manifest at that time shall his judgments be , but hitherto no such things have appeared , notwithstanding all the judgments of god upon them , so dark and hidden , not manifested , have the actings of god been to his enemies , nay , and not clear or plainly manifested to his own people neither , as it appears by their different apprehensions and opinions about what hath been past , until these very days . and hence it is also that mystery babylon ever , un●il of late ( if not still ) said in her heart , i sit a queen , and am no widdow , and shall see no sorrow , rev. . . nay , and also 't is from hence that the antichristian party in their writings and ordinary discourse do stifly maintain , that gods judgments have been and still are as much manifested upon the witnesses , i. e. the hereticks , as she calls protestants , and all such who oppose them , as those of their church , viz. the papists , however let the judgments of god be hid or made manifest to them , certainly the vengeances shall clearly be seen and known to the godly , when the vials of his wrath come upon the great whore , or when the hour of her judgments shall come , they shall see it , rejoyce , and all iniquity shall stop her mouth , psal. . . . 't is evident the witnesses do not put off their sack-cloth till they have finished their testimony which will not be until the end of the months of the beasts reign and tyranny ; but saith he , these angels which pour out the seven last plagues or vials of gods wrath , have put off their sack-cloth , and are clothed in pure white linnen , and are said to have golden girdles ; from hence it must needs follow , as he observes , that none of the saints of god , in the time of the sack-cloth state , during the months can be meant by any of these seven angels , neither waldo , wickliff , luther , &c. for what is meant , saith he , by being clothed in white linnen ? the scriptures shew it was an ensign of honour , which great persons used to wear , their condition and state being changed , gen. . . est. . . pro. . . ezek. . . psal. . . the truth is , if we take not heed to distinguish between the sack-cloth time of mourning saints , and the time in which they are clothed with white linnen , & having golden girdles that is , raised out of the dust and set with princes , even with the princes of his people , psal. . , . but confound these times , which ought to be kept distinct and apart , we shall want that excellent light to bring things to their proper places . i would to god our french-man and others would consider this ; for i find those that affirm luther , mclancton , &c. to be one or more of those angels , that poured out one or two of the vials , do hold that the witnesses had put off their sack-cloth , the time of the days being expired , &c. but jurieu denies this with many others , and yet says all the seven angels have already come and poured out their vials , and yet in their sack cloth state ; but i can see no reason to believe he speaks right . . ( saith mr. canne ) if what is spoken , rev. . . of the mighty angels taking up a great milstone , and casting it into the sea , saying , thus with violence shall that great city babylon be thrown down , and shall be found no more at all , belongs to the vials ( as it seems most evident ) then what is attributed to grostead , wickliff , luther . &c. is far from the works of the angels , which shall pour forth the last plagues ; thus shall babylon be thrown drown , &c. a milstone rises no more , &c. thus , that is , when any of the angels pour out their vials , the work shall prosper in their hands , and not be hindered nor retarded by any power whatsoever . but hither by whatsoever hath been done us , yet upon babylon she hath not so fallen , — but one while she seems to sink , and then rises again , many judgments have been poured out upon babylon , no doubt of that , nay , and some too soon after she got up , but doubtless none of the seven last judgments hath she felt to this day , every vial shall effectually do its work , where , or on whom it is poured out , it being full of the divine wrath of god. . according to this notion that some of the vials are poured out , he observes all the vials may be poured out , and but a little may be done , for 〈◊〉 three or four have been poured out , and no more ●ffected ; for the tyranny and idolatry supprest by ●hem , did soon rise and spread it self again in the ●ame places . and if so , why may not after all the vials are ●oured out , the enemy rally or rise again , or the ●nterest of christ be suppressed , after the pouring ●orth of the last vials , as it has been after the pour●ng out of the former . besides , how can we think the harvest of the earth , can be said to be ripe before the set time is come that god hath appointed for its cutting down , which is months or . years ? the sin of the amorite was not fully ripe ; or that harvest fit for cutting down till the years were expired , gen. . . and yet shall babylon be ripe , and the harvest of wrath come so long before the set or appointed time of harvest ? this is a paradox . jurieu saith p. . the first vial and plague , where ( sa● i ) begins the harvest , was in the tenth century which is years ago , and above so many years before the set time of harvest ; for that was before or about the time the beast was in the height of his glory he seems to assert the harvest came soon after the seed time ; ( tho' 't is true he fixes it on the last age ) this cannot be thought , we must sure make the first vials the time of the harvest , and the latter the time of the vintage ; let this be considered , certainly none of of the former judgments on babylon belongs to the seven last plagues , for the dominion of the beast was not then ripe , nor the harvest come , but now 't is near , wo unto the earth and earthly men , the gross body of the antichristian professors , for they must have the dregs of this first vial , 't is poured out upon the earth , those that partake with her in her sins must receive of her plagues ; many will be found in her , who little think of it . but again if the vials be poured forth by the witnesses preaching the gospel in the time of the beasts reign and tyranny , why do they begin the vials , no sooner ? for there were faithful preachers who bore their testimony against the beast from his first rise , and so downward all along , and it had much like effects with waldo's , luthers , preachings , &c. to conclude with what mr. canne hath said upon this account , it doth appear to me that he is right in respect of the seven vials , not being yet poured out , because the temple is said to be filled with smoak from the glory of god , and no man could enter in , until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled , rev. . . if by the temple being filled with smoak from the glory of god , &c. the spirit alludes to the history of the tabernacle , and history of the dedication of the temple , which was filled with the cloud of the glory of god ( as most agree to , ) then here is signified a most glorious pouring forth of the holy spirit upon the angels , who pour out the vials , — and that they must tarry in the temple ( as the disciples were to do at jerusalem ) until endued with power from on high , luk. . . and this may be expected at the ascention of the witnesses and not before , for as yet , we see not such a spirit given from the glory of god , and from his power , nor may we expect it until then , that the church cometh out of the wilderness as clear as the sun , and as terrible as an army with banrers . cant. . . and like pillars of smoak perfumed with myrrh and frankincese , cart. . . . the judgment of the last plagues for the ruin of the enemy , will be the time of glory and salvation of the church , and by the on mount sion with harps , &c. singing the song of moses , &c. are held forth ( i am perswaded ) the ministrations of the saints under the seven angels , with the seven vials or seven last plagues , which days we hope are now even upon us , or very near ; and that we might let in what light worthy men of different opinions have helpt us to , about the slaying and resurrection of the witnesses , we shall give you a brief account of what jurieu our french author saith of them ; see p. . &c. these words , when they shall have finisht their testimony , must ( saith he ) not be understood as if the holy ghost would say , when the years shall be finisht , for after the years are run out there can be no persecution , seeing the beast shall have lost his power ; so that this persecution must begin and end within the years , but yet at the end of them , 't is the ordinary custom , not only of scripture , but of all men to say , that something comes to pass when this or that is finisht , because it happens when that thing is finished , and very near its end , this is therefore the last persecution of antichrist against the church ; this persecution hath its characters . — . 't is compared to a war ; the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit , shall make war against them . . this war of persecution must end in a victory over the two witnesses , and shall overcome them ; mark , god does not reckon the death and martyrdom , which the faithful suffered for the truth , as a victory that the devil gains over them , ( a very good note ) for 't is said , they , i. e. the saints and martyrs of jesus overcome them , i. e. the beast and his emissaries , and they loved not their lives unto the death , rev. . . he speaks of martyrs , when he saith , he that overcometh i will make to sit down on my throne , &c. so that when 't is said , that the beast shall overcome the witnesses , this signifies that he shall make them saint under their tryals , which thing ought to be well observed , that we discern the singular character of this present persecution that hath conquered and overcome above a million of souls , ( he means the late and present persecution in france . ) . this victory of the beast must prevail even to a total extinction of profession : there shall remain no more signs of outward life in the faithful , who shall stand for truth , * they shall lye on the ground as dead bodies . . this murther and effects of this persecution shall be done in the street of the great city . . the death of these witnesses must be years and a half , denoting these years and a half . during those years and a half , the truth shall remain as it were dead , but notwithstanding , not buried : men shall not dare to make profession of it , notwithstanding it shall be visible the people who are neighbours of them , who shall have slain it , shall hinder it from perishing and putrefaction , — . at the end of years and a half , the faithful who are oppressed and whose profession shall have been violently suppressed , shall rise again ; after that shall ascend to heaven , and shall be exalted , — . at the same time , and after the exaltation of the faithful , there shall be an earth quake , i. e. a great emotion and trouble in the world , and in antichrists kingdom . . in this emotion , a tenth part of the city shall fall , i. e. a tenth part of the antichristian kingdom , shall be taken away from it , and seven thousand men shall perish in this earth-quake , and be buried under the ruin of this city ; that this shall be brought about with some blood she● , tho' not considerable . — now when i search after the time , in which this persecution must happen , i cannot doubt but this is that in which we now are ; after this persecution shall be over , god will begin to strike those sore blows to destroy the antichristian kingdom which must be destroyed with in or years . that none may wonder , ( saith he ) that i speak so positively about a thing which seems to be as yet hid in futurity , i intreat all equitable minds to consider , that i have ( as i think ) with great evidence proved , . that the reign of the popedom must last years . . that these years began about . or . and consequently they must end about . or . this being so , we are but or years from the end of the popish kingdom . and if this be so , the present persecution must needs be the last , since there is no probability , that this present persecution being ended , the calm restored to the church should leave room for another . — for we must allow the space of at least or years , in which popery shall be attacqued and not be the aggressor and the persecutor . and certainly a shorter time cannot serve for the utter destruction of so vast a kingdom , for it shall not be destroyed in a way of violence , but in a way of perswasion . — yet he says ( it shall not be done without blood and slaughter ) i have , saith he , further proved that the fall of this popish babylonian monarchy is divided into two parts , viz. the harvest and the vintage ; that the harvest is the reformation of the last age , and the vintage is the reformation that must be made in this present age , &c. he then proceeds to shew his apprehensions that france must be that street of the great city in which the two witnesses should be slain and lye as dead , &c. p. ● . the bodies of the two witnesses , saith he , shall lye in the street of the great city . 't is to be observed , that in the text 't is not in the streets , in the plural , but 't is in the street in the singular . and i cannot hinder my self from believing , that this hath a particular regard to france which at this day is certainly the most eminent countrey which belongs to the popish kingdom , her king is called the eldest son of the church the most christian king , i. e. the most popish according to the dialect of rome ; the kings of france have by their liberalities made the popes great at this day ; it is the most flourishing state of europe , it is in the middle of the popish empire , between spain , germany , england , exactly as a street or place of concourse is in the middle of a city ; 't is also four-square , as such a place or street of a great city , i. e. almost as long as broad , and i believe , saith he , that 't is particularly in france , that the witnesses must remain dead , i. e. that the profession of the true religion must be utterly abolisht , this is already done by the revocation of the edict of nantes , and by the enormous cruelties of the souldiers , — pag. . saith he we are in my opinion certainly in this persecution which must extinguish the true religion for three years and a half ; if we will reckon those years & a half from the abrogating of the edict of nantes , in the month of october , . the deliverance of the church will fall out in the year , . and this is absolutely the conjecture of monsieur du moulin in his accomplishment of the prophesies , he hopes that the persecution of the church by the antichristian party shall cease in the year , but in p. . he seems to intimate he is not confident it will happen then ; one main reason i cite this french writer thus far , is to give you all his reasons why he judges france to be the street of the great city where the two witnesses shall be slain , &c. and to gratifie my reader , i shall also here add something out of clavis apocalyptica written many years ago by a famous german doctor who indeavours to make it appear that germany is meant by the street of the great city in which the two witnesses shall lye as dead ; but by the way 't is observable what he says , p. . concerning the trumpets in the second period , saith he , from the three hundred ninety fifth , until the one thousand six hundred fifty fifth year of our lord , where the seventh seal is opened , and seven angels with seven trumpets declare to the roman empire by seven judgments its ruine , c. . which plagues have been fulfilled . — ( see he calls the trumpets plagues . ) the first by the invasions of barbarous nations , anno . v. . the second by the destruction of the city of rome which first happened by alaricus , anno . v. . the third by taking away imperial dignity in augustulus , anno . v. . the fourth by the abolition of all eminent publick charges at rome , anno . v. . the fifth by saracens as the first wo , c. . the sixth by the turks , chap. . v. . as the second wo. in the third period when the . year doth begin the seventh angel doth sound , and withal the seventh judgment is executed upon the enemies of the church , with the third woe , whereby the mysteries of god are fulfilled — rev. . . now tho this great author was mistaken as all have been hitherto who have prefixt upon an exact time , and yet he may be right as to the seventh trumpet which , he says , brings in the last plagues , and the third and last woe . but to proceed , p. . the two witnesses shall be overcome and killed , saith he , that is , they shall be removed and thrust out of all ecclesiastical and political offices and imployments ; it appears he understood the death of the witnesses to be taken as we have hinted before , i. e. only a civil death , and so too do all expositors affirm that i can meet with , but now observe what street it is in his judgment they must lye as dead in , and that is , he saies , germany , p. . the tenth horn yet remains ; germany , or the german empire , — cannot be accounted , saith he , but one of the horns , — ( which we do not deny ) and a kingdom , saith he , by it self in the whole body of the fourth monarchy , this is the principal street in the great city , the principal horn of the beast , the principal kingdom in the fourth monarchy , whose head is represented by the city of rome , this german empire is called the street per excellentiam , — because it is the principal street in the empire — because , . 't is called the roman empire . . by reason it is as it were a figure and image of the old roman empire having seven heads , in regard of the seven princes electors , and ten provinces , in respect of the ten circles into which it is distributed . . it hath the pre-eminency above all other kings adhering to the papal state ; now , saith he , in this street we must seek the war , &c. he seems to say more for germany being the street , in my judgment , than jurieu for france to be it — but they that read our great writer dr. goodwin , will soon , i am persuaded , see more ground to believe that great britain is that very street of the great city in which the witnesses of christ were to be slain and lye dead , than any other , for , as my worthy friend before cited intimates , god values not nor accounts of people and nations from their greatness or external grandeur , but from their light , glory & excellency of their spirits , & purity ; now what nation or kingdom is so famous , or has been since the beginning of the reformation , or hath obtained so great light as this of great britain . it must be in one street of the great city doubtless , where the witnesses have finished their testimony , in which they were to be slain , and lye as dead ; and i question whether in any one kingdom of europe the faithful witnesses of christ may be said to have finished their testimony as here in this nation , for by finishing their testimony may be meant ( as some observe ) bearing witness to christ , not only in respect of every one of his offices , but also in all his ordinances . and that according to the primitive purity of them , which many think there has not been the like testimony upon this respect born any where else ; as also in respect of true church constitution and discipline , and to true magistracy and ministry , and to christ's absolute authority as king of saints , and king of nations , and born in such a publick manner as it has been here formerly and of late ; take the doctors words , p. . and if in this last combate the witnesses be singled out as one party , and by witnesses be meant only such faithful christians and professors as do , in respect of their godliness and sincerity , hold forth an eminent testimony and witness , above that which others of the croud of the common professors do , and so not men of learning , but of holiness and zeal , are they who are here said to be the real tormentors of these enemies : then surely in that part of the reformed churches , where such witnesses are chiefly found , who do continue eminently to hold forth such a kind of powerful testimony as holy men ( for this is a testimony of holiness , not of learning . ) — surely there especially will be the seat of this war , and the field where this combate is to be fought . now then look generally over ( almost ) all the reformed churches , and how few of such witnesses , with difference from the common croud , do appear amongst them ; the fire , the heat of those godly men , their first reformers ( which is the thing that should torment these enemies at last ) being gone , and the light only remaining , which gives but a faint , cold and dull testimony , and which these enemies do therefore despise . only in the witnesses of great britain , both the light and heat of religion have been kept up and increased ; and among them only hath the profession of the power of godliness been continued , with difference from the croud of common professors . ( and according to what appears in view ) more of such true witnesses now in these last days ( wherein this slaughter is to fall out ) are to be found in it , and belonging to it , than in all the reformed churches besides ; and that , according to the testimony which they of those churches ( who in these times of scattering have come hither for refuge ) have and do give ; and surely the place of this killing the witnesses , must be where most witnesses are . and so that , that kingdom may be designed more than any other ; as in which also more eminent are found of those last sorts of champions , for the beast who receive only the number of his name , who yet shall be the chief executioners of this last slaughter . — add unto this , this conjecture upon daniel . ult . which chapter from v. . hath graserus , and mr. mede in his discourse of daemons upon tim. . . . applied unto the pope who is that king there mentioned . — now when he shall go forth in this last war in such fury and rage with a purpose utterly to destroy ; the main event and issue of that expedition of his is made to be this ; viz. that he shall plant the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain : yet he shall come to his end , and none shall help him , dan. . ult . which the dr. says he fears that these british islands are here intended , in that they so eminently above all other places of the churches reformed , and with difference also from all others do stand between the seas , even wholly among seas ( penitus toto divisos orbe britannos , ) which islands likewise god hath made the eminent seat of the church in these latter days , and which he hath loved above all the inhabitants of jacob. and in that the angel there calls this mountain , in an high and transcendent phrase , yet of further difference , [ the mountain of delight of holiness ] or as junius turns it — [ the mountain of holy comeliness ] it seems in some way of peculiarity from others , even in that respect also , to note out a place , which for holiness should more eminently be gods delight , and comely in his eyes , where he should have a most holy people , and which he should make a land of uprightness , where his ma jesty and glory should more eminently shine ; which place notwithstanding , for the tryal of the witnesses in it , god shall again give up unto the power of antichrist , there to plant the tabernacle of his palace or throne , ( or his clergy , as graserus reads it ) even as a sign nebuchadhezzar did his throne at taph-hannes , when he had conquered egypt , as a sign of that his victory ; by the conquest of which kingdoms , and regaining them unto him , he shall seem so rooted in his ancient power , that in hope of all the rest , the whore shall fing , i am no widow ; and that just before her fall : yet this prevailing is but a preparation to antichrist's ruin : for is follows there in daniel yet he shall come to his end , and no●e shall help him ; which notes out as that this is to be done just before his end ; so also that that regaining his power should seem so to strengthen him , that he should be , as it were , out of the danger of ruin , and as for ever secure . but this his sudden victory is but as the planting of a tent or tabernacle in a field , not to stand past three years and a half , tho ▪ that party , and their abettors , do in their hopes think they build for eternity ; but it being of mans , not gods planting , it shall come to nothing . i cannot but conclude what this great man hath said , that great britain is more like to be that street of the great city in which the witnesses should be slain , rather than france or germany , or any other kingdom , and also am much persuaded the late times have accomplished what he so long ago foretold . methinks three years and a half sometimes since expired , looked just like the times he mentioneth ; had not the pope placed his tents here again , and hoped to have had a setled throne ? and hath not also here been a dreadful slaughter of the true witnesses of christ , as we before have hinted ? and doth there seem any ground to expect the like again ? so that either the time is past , or i hope the dr. was mistaken , if it be to come it will be the amazingest providence and revolution that ever was in the world ; i must conclude we are in a most happy hour , or else there is the most dismal hour near that ever the godly knew or saw since the reformation ; a little time will shew us more . i can't but expect the ascention of the witnesses to draw on apace , in which will first fall out that great earthquake wherein men of name will be slain , who were the chief instruments in bringing that death and dismal hour upon the witnesses of christ , which the dr. hath most excellently opened ; moreover there is one thing more he hath shewed his thoughts upon , that i am affected with , viz. concerning daniel's days and days or years , the first he says begun from julian's time , which he concluded ended at or , and that the other years will bring in the kingdom of christ , which makes , and that will expire about or , between which time he prefixeth the death , resurrection and ascention of the witnesses and the earthquake , &c. we are no doubt coming towards the end of the wonders , and the vials of gods wrath will suddenly be poured forth upon the enemies of the church , neither can i think that jurieu is in the right , who thinks the papal power , &c. will fall without or with little blood , for although when the harvest is ripe there may not fall so many as at the time of the vintage , yet 't is said of men of name shall be slain seven thousand ; how many of other sorts who can tell ? besides , that is a certain number put for an uncertain ; but when the vintage time comes , the blood shall come out of the wine-press , even to the horse bridle , by which our expositors generally say is intended a wonderful slaughter , and under the second vial , which may take in the harvest hour . god gives them blood to drink , they being worthy of it , because they have shed the blood of the saints . babylon is to be rewarded as she hath rewarded the lord's people , and must drink double of the same cup she measured to them , and then what must she look for but blood , blood , blood with a witness , rev. . , . rev. . . for what rivers of blood hath she caused to run down in every street or kingdom of this reat city . — there are two things more had i room i would speak to . . to shew how all our writers do agree that the rise of the beast was between the year and , but most fix upon , or near that time , for then the ten horns appeared with crowns upon them , who are said to receive power as kings one hour with the beast , rev. . dr. goodwin saith , p. . that by the year all the ten kings were up . brightman begins the beasts reign sooner by above years ; jurieu saith , he began about the year , and will end totally about . the second thing is to have shewed the nature & glory of christs kingdom , which i judge will begin at the ascention of the witnesses , for then , as i conclude , the seventh trumpet begins to sound , and the first angel pours out his vial , 't is certain with the seventh trumpet , the glory of the latter days begin , and the little stone then will begin to smite , & will never cease till all the image power is broken in pieces , and the little stone becomes a great mountain , and fills the whole earth ; the saints must and shall take the kingdom , and the knowledge of the glory of the lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas . — i am persuaded his present majesty is raised up to do great things for christ ; and tho' some may strive to obstruct the work of god , and uphold an interest for the beast , yet they shall be blasted in their designs , and come to shame and ruin in the end ; for god is risen up , and his enemies shall be scattered . an account of several strange prophesies . michael sa●divogius , in his treatise printed at cologn . speaketh of a northern prince that shall arise of a warlike disposition , indued with excellent vertues which no monarch doth go beyond in victories or excell in humanity and piety , and then mercy and peace shall meet together , and peace and justice shall kiss each other , truth , ( saith he , ) shall rise out of the earth , and justice look down from heaven , there shall be one sheepfold and one shepherd , he positively intimates that he shall arrive to a universal dominion . another of a nameless author in a book printed , p. . sect. . i find these words speaking of the judgments of god upon europe , for neglecting the overthrow of antichrist , ruin of rome , and annihilation of the sodomitical order of the society of jesus and in the extirpation of all kingdoms , are free estates of papists , adhereing to them to make way for the lyon of the north to erect his fifth monarchy in the ashes of germany wherein shall be established the eternal felicity of the church , &c. these three are predictions said to be of above fifty years standing . the eagle droops , and moults his wings , and fewd shall grow twixt northern kings , holland is threatned , * spain shall pine , and blood shall swell the river rhine , when once the orange and the rose , unite , beware england's old foes , this done , no more shall monstrous pride triumphant over nations ride , the miter falls and scarce shall have , a mournful tear , or certain grave , the lillies now bewail the loss , and serve but to adorn the cross. the northern star at last appears , and an all conquering banner bears , howl , howl ye merchants , all your deeds , shall now receive their worthy meeds . the fourth translated out of french in the year , . with headlong speed , that juncture doth advance , wherein the royal seat and state of france , the pope , priests , masses , images , saints shrines , and what with these against heavens will combines , by divine justice , shall to ruin fall , i much mistake ▪ or some angelical spirit these verses did suggest , whilst in the morning sleep i took my rest , i god to witness call , and●s heavenly hosts , i saw indeed , or at the least suppos'd , i saw an angel who did shew to me in a fair written table this same prophecy . the fifth is another transcribed by paraeus in his expositìon of the revelations . a prince shall rise out of the nation of the most illustrious son — having a long forehead , lofty eye-brows , long eyes , and an hau●● nose ▪ he shall draw together a great army ; and shall slay all those who fly from his face , and hide themselves in the mountains & caves , he shall be married to justice , as the bridegroom — he shall destroy and burn rome , and florence with fire ; he shal● put to death the highest prelates of the clergy , who have usurped peters seat , and many other things , he says , he shall do . predictions of mr. george withers . i shall not fail in 't which is to presage , that babylon shall fall in this our age , or set a lasting period to their hate , a bloodless massacre here is already , begun amongst us and it will be bloody , when you perceive admittance of those strangers , who first began our ●lagues , renew our dangers , and then they who suppose their persons free , will with the rest in equal perils be , for boundless lustings mischiefs will beget , which lies within the womb unheeded yet , where sin and death are twins conceived together , though born a little while before each other . another of mr. withers . there will to th ●art your hopes a new star blaze within the west , that shall the world amaze , and influences through the universe , so quickly and prodigiously disperse , that aided by concurrent constellations , it shall have some effects upon all nations , and cause such changes , as shall make a stand , in their attempts which they have now in hand . grebner banner is thus inscribed in that family ; in comitum imperii leones , cum principis gulielmi uraniae filio mauricio , faeli●i heroi socianti se alicui daniae de stirpe . . and subscribed thus , hoc vexillum de fratribus quod ; uraniae principis & eorum posteris illustrissimis intelligendum ; his words of them are these , leones nostri audaces in prima acie fremu●t , unde nobis potentia crescit , & gloria , & fama . i know not ( saith my author ) whether formerly the family of orange , did intermarry with any descendent from a daughter of denmark , as is here intimated , it is sufficiently known this princess was by her great grand mother queen anne of that family . and if the prince of orange as he here predicts , must lead the forlorn of the northern army , as he manifestly musters them with the auxiliaries of england , their growing estate and honour , must be by their aid ; and so shews who is to be the leadng monarch . this has been printed several years . nostradamus predicts , that rome shall be ruled by the britanish head , — that the new prince that joins the lower and northern countries of europe , shall be the instrument of loss to the church of rome . and that the bishop of rome , together with his clergy , except they shew themselves willing to be reformed : shall be made to spit blood when the rose shall flourish . — that of the trojan blood shall spring , a prince of a doughty dutch heart , who shall attain to so high a degree , that he shall chase far away the arabick or mahometan multitude , and likewise return to the church her ancient eminency and sincerity . i leave every man to his own liberty to judge of those predictions as he pleases , i always lookt upon such kind of prophesies as doubtful , and no certain conclusions to be drawn from them . a postscript , giving an account of the judgment of a late nameless french author , concerning the non-offusion of the seven vials , with his answer to mr. jurieu . just as i had quite finished this treatise , i met with a book lately writ by another worthy french minister , intituled , a new systeme of the apocalypse , who asserts the non-effusion of the vials , proving that none of the vials or last plagues as yet are poured out , with an answer to mr. jurieu ; which author i am not a little affected with , and therefore have thought good to add some short hints of the most remarkable passages contained in it about our present controversie . first , of the harvest and vintage . the harvest , he says , signifies those initial judgments which were executed by means of the reformation begun in the last age by the ministry of luther , zuinglius , &c. p. . to which i cannot agree , because i judge the harvest is not ripe until the end of the months , and signifies more and greater ruin to the beast and his kingdom , than was effected then , or till this time . . the vintage , he says , signifies a definitive judgment which shall ruin the papal empire , beyond recovery , and to begin at the beginning of the end of ●he months , i conclude the harvest comes in at ●he beginning of the vials , and the vintage at the ●●tter part of them . secondly , as to the opening of the temple , and of the smoke , & c. he says , the opening of the temple alludes to the church of the jews , which was shut up under ●haz , and opened under hezekiah . from hence he notes three things . ( . ) that the vials belong to this state of the church , wherein antichrist is made manifest , and wherein there shineth a measure of light in the church . ( . ) that the vials are all contained under the th trumpet . ( . ) the temple is not only here represented open in order to give passage to the angels that pour out the vials , but to give way for all nations to enter in , according as it is said , v. . that all nations shall come and worship before god. the smoke that filled the temple answereth to the cloud that covered the tabernacle of moses , and the divine glory — the smoke was a symbol of gods gracious presences in the midst of israel — and so signifieth gods return to his temple , or the glory of the church ; — 't is added , no man was able to enter into the temple till the plagues of the angels were fulfilled , which inmateth that tho' the time of the destruction of the churches enemies draweth near , and the time wherein the gospel shall shine bright in the world , yet that the gospel will not be universally received till after the subversion of babylon , which will not be until the vials have been poured out ; — yet some are ready to think the fulfilling of the plagues , &c. alludes to the fulfilling of the time of their first pouring out , and not till they are all poured out . of the trumpets , thunders , and woes . as touching the seals and trumpets , he much agrees with our expositors , he concludes the first woe fell out under the th and th trumpets ; take his own words . st. john tells us , c. . . that he heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven , saying with a loud voice , woe , woe , woe to the inhabitants of the earth , by reason of the trumpets that are yet to sound . after the sounding of the th trumpet st. john adds , one woe is past , and behold there come two more hereafter . one of these two woes fell undoubtedly out under the th trumpet , under which mahometanism and the turkish army destroyed the whole east , and therefore the third woe must come to pass under the seventh and last trumpet . that all the vials , saith he , being contained under the d woe , they are yet to be poured out , foras much as we are this year . still under the sixth trumpet , and groaning under the pressure of the d woe . so that here we have a new proof that all the vials from the first to the last are yet to be poured out , for as much as the vials are no other thing than the thunders which are spoken of , rev. . and indeed the thunders are in number as well as the vials are ; and as the thunders do signifie the judgments of god against the enemies of the church , so the vials do signifie the same , in that ▪ by them the wrath of god is to be consummated . moreover , the things threatned by the thunders are delayed from being executed until the sounding of the th trumpet and therefore were to be sealed up until the mysteries of god should be finished , ( which in my judgment means the whole of the beasts months , ) which agrees with what he further says , p. . the mysteries of god ( saith he ) is the bringing in of the kingdom of christ , and the uniting of all christians , from whence that peace of the church shall arise , and if there be any difference between the vials and the thunders , it consisteth only in this , viz. the thunders are the denunciation of the judgments of god , and the vials are the execution of them , for tho' the thunders were heard by st. john under the th trumpet , yet they were not to be executed till under the th , when all the vials shall be poured out . he then proceeds to speak his conjectures about the pouring out of all the vials . . on the earth , which ( he thinks ) intends the joss of church revenues and so falls upon the worldly and carnal interest of antichristian men ( let the carnal earthly and self-seeking prelates and clergy look to it . ) . vial upon the sea , &c. the sea , he says , is the papal kingdom , ( in this he agrees with reverend mr. knowles . ) in its uttermost extent , not only the countrey where the pope is soveraign , but likewise all those princes who acknowledge him , and this empire shall become as the blood of a dead man , &c. so that every soul which liveth in it shall die . that is ( saith he , ) the government of popish princes shall not be able to endure their yoke , as fish cannot live in waters which are turned into blood . . vial on rivers , he concludes , means popish doctrines . . vial on the sun , in all likelyhood , saith he , is the ottoman emperor , as the th trumpet raised him , so the vial shall pull him down ; i think it rather means the german emperor . . vial , on the seat of the beast , is meant the city of rome , saith he , which is here threatned , and all agree with him in this . . vial poured out on the great river euphrates , and the waters thereof were dryed up , that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared , &c. the sixth vial destroyeth the empire of the turks and their religion which the sixth trumpet had advanced to the highest pitch of its grandeur for the river euphrates does , saith he , undoubtedly signify the people of that part of the world , and its waters being dryed up denotes the end of that empire and their religion , after which there will be nothing to hinder , either the kings of the east who shall be enlightened and converted , or the jews who are there dispersed in great numbers from marching into the west , to help to finish the destruction of the beast , he after intimates that he believes by the kings of the east the jews are meant , &c. and by the ʒ unclean spirits he judges are intended the jacobins , the cordeliers and the jesuits . . vial poured into the air , he thinks , signifies the antichristian religion , and that this vial shall clear all places of it ; it is done , that is , the mystery and total ruin of the papacy — time shall be no more , for the whore or church of rome , & her idolatry . of the rise of the beast . as touching the rise of the beast , he says , p. , it was when that imperial edict came forth to establish rome , as soveraign over all other bishops which was in in favour of leo i. and so may hope to see the end about . but reverent mr. knowles rather fixes on the year , or thereabouts , for which he cites simpsons history of the church , lib. . socrat. hist. eccl. cap. . helvicus in concil . taurinat . cap. . magdeb. cent . . cap. . which ended in . a year i hope that hath laid a foundation for the utter ruin of the papacy in this kingdom , & brought a sudden change & great overthrow upon the oldwhore here amongst us ; we have a king now , blessed be god , who has it put into his heart with other kings and states to hate the whore , and the work we hope is begun . some brief hints of this french ministers answer to mr. jurieu , about the vials . saith he , mr. jurieu builds his commentary on rev. . i. e. in that he considers the seven vials , as seven periods of time , making the first vial to fall upon the th . age , and lasted years p. . and the . vial he affirms to have continued from the year . till the time of luther , at which time he begins the seventh . vial. this , saith he , is the great principle that mr. jurieu goes upon , i. e. the vials are certainly periods of time : and after this principle , saith he , he draws three conclusions . ( . ) that there is a difference between the vials and the plagues , that the plagues are the judgments of god , and the vials denote the periods of time , wherein those judgments are to fall upon the papal empire . ( . ) that all the plagues are designed against the papal kingdom , and not so much as one of them against the empire of the turks , 't is certain , saith jurieu , that the plagues are entirely intended against the empire of the beast . ( . ) that there are in all thirteen plagues , whereof the first have destroyed the roman empire as civil , & these plagues fell under the first trumpets , and that the th . trumpet which is divided into vials , shall destroy the same empire as ecclesiastical and papal , and that the vials have been pouring out since the th . century , that the th . is not yet wholly poured out , but that it begun at the time of luthers reformation , and will end at the general reformation , &c. now , saith this learned french minister , whereas mr. jurieu's principle is , that the vials are certainly periods of time , this hath no evidence in it , being neither certain nor clear , to those that are versed in the reading the prophets , — saith he , jurieu affirms that the vials signifie an hour-glass and not a cup ; for a cup is of another form than a vial , in that this hath a large belly and a narrow mouth , — to which our author saith it is not about the form of a vial that we treat , but about the signification of it , nor is there any greek author that ascribeth to the word vial , the signification of an hour-glass ; — but by all dictionaries it does appear that the term vial signifies a cup , a chalice , in a word , a vessel designed to drink in , so that mr. jurieu's great principle is more than doubtful ; but then the use to which st. john applies this term vial , does make us plainly see its falshood in rev. . . the . elders fall down before the throne , having golden vials full of odour , which are the prayers of the saints , where hour-glasses used to offer incense in , and to scatter perfumes in places of worship , — again he saith , that the term vial can have no other signification but this , i. e. in that the wrath of god whereof they are said to be full , chap. . the vials are said to be full of the wrath of god , and are poured out , are ( saith he ) hour-glasses said to be cast into the air , on the sun or sea , &c. moreover he refutes jurieu about the trumpets , and that they rather signify trumpets proclaiming war , than trumpets whereby the jubilees were published , and so shews his weakness in asserting the trumpets to signify periods of time : sith years of jubilee were years of joy , but these trumpets brought in woe and lamentation with them , so that it is not true , faith he , that the trumpets of st. john , intimate periods of time , by an allusion to the trumpet which published the jubiles , and it is yet less true that the vials are hour-glasses to mark these periods by ; mr. jurieu's principle being false , saith he , all the conclusions which he draws from it , must necessarily be false also . ( . ) 't is false that there is a difference between the plagues and the vials , seeing they are the same judgments of god , against the enemies of his church . ( . ) 't is false that the plagues are designed only against the empire of the beast , for , saith he , the trumpets and vials have in part for their object the turkish empire , and mahometan religion . ( . ) 't is false that the th trumpet is subdivided into the vials , and that the vials have been pouring out since the tenth century , for 't is the th trumpet that is subdivided into the vials , because 't is under the th trumpet that the vials shall be poured out ; whosoever well considers what is to arrive under the th vial , according as st. john has described it , and thereupon compares it with what is to come to pass under the th trumpet , may from thence prove , that the judgments of god represented by pouring forth of the vials , agree admirably with the effects of the th trumpet , and may from thence conclude , that the subdivision which mr. jurieu attributes to the th trumpet , agrees only with the th , p. . he then proceeds to defend a former book written by himself , ( as i suppose ) against jurieu about the vials . the first foundation upon which he goes is , that the apocalypse is nothing but a continuation of the prophetical history of daniel concerning the th monarchy which is the roman empire ; and concerning the kingdom of jesus christ. — the d is , that the apocalypse predicteth changes that were to befal the roman empire , by the first , it was to pass from paganism to christianity , by the second , it was to pass from christianity to antichristianism and mahometism , and by the d it is to return from antichristianism and mahometism , to christianity purified by a general reformation . the d rule by which he goes is , that the first change fell out under the th seal , that the d came to pass under of the trumpets , and that the d shall arrive under the th trumpet , that brings in the vials . the th is , that these three visions , viz. that of the seals , that of the trumpets , and that of the vials , are the three principal visions , and do comprehend the whole prophetical history concerning the roman empire , and the church of god , and that all the other visions are but commentaries upon these three . the th is , that none of the vials are contemporary with any of the trumpets , except the seventh trumpet , and that there is as much difference between the time of the trumpets , and that of the vials , as there is between the time of building , and the time of destroying what is built , and that we are to see all that overthrown under the vials , which was established under the trumpets ; this does evidently appear , in that the trumpets and the vials display themselves towards the same subjects , and that the effects of the vials , are different from those of the trumpets . and this difference is so great , that whosoever considereth it carefully and without prejudice , will be convinced that whatsoever was produced and rais●d under the trumpets , shall fall into decay and come to ruine under the vials . for whereas under the st trumpet there fell upon the earth , hail mingled with fire and blood ; instead of this under the first vial there falls upon the same earth , i. e. those who worship the beast , &c. a noisom and grievous sore . and whereas under the d trumpet there was a burning mountain cast into the sea : so that the third part only of all that was in it died . the d trumpet made the fountains and rivers become bitter ; but the third vial represents the rivers and fountains changed into blood. the th trumpet , lays before us , the third part of the sun , and of the moon , and of the stars , smitten , i. e. the d part of the roman ▪ empire darkned by the pestilential doctrine of mahomet , and invaded by the army of the turks : but the th vial which is poured forth only upon the sun , seems to threaten the ottoman empire and religion . the th trumpet foretells the fall of a great star , to whom were given the keys of the bottomless pit , out of which there rose a smoke and locusts . the keys plainly shew rome to be meant , in that she challengeth to have the custody of the keys committed to her , and pretends to be the seat of st peter ; and this denotes the growth of the papal empire . but the th vial is poured out upon the seat of the beast , i. e. upon rome , which predicts her destruction , and therefore represents his kingdom become full of darkness , and his subjects gnawing their tongues , through despair . the th trumpet , as also the th vial have the river euphrates for their subjects , but with this difference , that the th trumpet loosed the four angels that were bound in the river euphrates , which represented the growth of the turkish empire and of their religion , whereas the th vial dries up the said river , and produced the end both of their religion and empire . the th trumpet ▪ denounceth the d , and last woe , and under it the vials of gods wrath are to be poured out upon all the enemies of the church , in order thereby to manifest and fulfil the mystery of god , which is nothing else save the reuniting all nations under the scepter of jesus christ which will begin the millennian reign . these are the principles , upon which , saith he , the anonymous author , hath built the systeme of his explanations , which as he judgeth to be beyond all possibility of being overthrown , so it is from this source that he will bring his answers to those reasons which mr. jurieu hath endeavoured to prove that all the vials are already poured out , and also the defence of the reasons , by which he hath in his illustrations proved that they are not yet poured forth , p. . he then proceeds to answer all mr. jurieu's reasons which the said jurieu brings to prove all the vials already to be poured out . the proof , saith he , which mr. jurieu grounds upon the conformity of the first vials , with the events observable in the history of the pagan empire , is perfectly overthrown by considering the nature of the vials themselves , for they are nothing else but the judgments of god upon the papal empire , in order to destroy it , but the events which he will have to answer the vials , produced a quite contrary effect , i. e , they raised it , they increased it and brought the papal empire to its grandeur , the wonderful corruption of the tenth age signified according to mr. jurieu by the noisom sore of the first vial , served to diffuse the darkness of error and idolatry by which that empire is supported , the croisad's , which he will have to be signified by the sea & rivers under the d and d vials , as likewise the suns scorching men under the th vial , which he will have to prefigure the growth of the papal authority , did all contribute to the rendering the empire stronger and more terrible . how then could these vials ( which are the judgments of god , nay and the last plagues and judgments to finish the wrath of god upon the beast and babylon ) be said to be poured out to increase and perfect the grandeur of the papistry or papal empire . jurieu to answer this difficulty would have us believe , that some of the severe judgments of god , nay and they must be some of the last plagues or judgments too , the popes are not the subject , but the instruments , these plagues , saith jurieu , fall upon those who worship the beast and his image , and not upon the beast himself and false prophet . to which our worthy author replies that it is impossible that an empire should be smitten with plagues and judgments of god , in order to its being weakned , and impaired , and that its head and soveraign should in the mean time no ways suffer ( to which i might add but contrarywise great strength thereby ) the union , saith he that is between the head and the members , is wholly inconsistent with any such a notion , whensoever the body is very sick , the head is in a very ill condition ; and this holds more truly in reference to a political body than to the body natural , whereas 't is a spiritual empire , viz. antichristianism , the judgments that are to be executed upon it are to be physical and penal evils , which as punishments are to weaken and subvert it , the judgments of god against an empire whose criminalness from the very nature of it , lies in its errors , i. e. idolatry , tyranny , &c. which comprehends in them the corruption of manners , cannot consist in evils of offence , but the first vials according to jurieu , import evils of crime , & not of punishment , & do strengthen and advance the empire or papistry in all that is essential to it , instead of depressing and enfeebling it , for it never had so great power and splendor as it enjoyed from the th to the th century , and that is the time according to mr. jurieu , for the effusion of the st vials , never man was certainly more mistaken ; our author proceeds and confutes jurieu as fully , in respect of what he affirms to be the effects of the other vials , which i have not room to insert , p. . in p. . our author confesseth that luthers reformation was a judgment of god upon the papal kingdom , ( yet not the effects of the th vial according to mr. jurieu , nor the st vial according to some of our english writers ) for he withal says , that it was an effect of the th trumpet , which continueth to represent the war of antichrist against the church of god : till then antichrist had been always victorious against the saints for more than a years , but then came to receive a disaster ; now this misfortune befel the papal empire , saith he , under the sixth trumpet , which being the last save one was the season that the war was hastning to an end , and that the last trumpet was about to sound under which this war will both actually end , and all the vials come to be poured forth , but the damage which the reformation hath done the papal kingdom , tho' it hath dismembred it , is only a beginning of its sorrows , and is but an effect of the war which was to continue months , during the time of all the six trumpets , and which shall be finished thro' the effusion of the vials under the th trumpet ; to which let me add , what greater reason have our english writers to fix the pouring forth of the st vial , about the time of luther's reformation wrought by his preaching above others , who go as high as waldo , nay , with jurieu , to the tenth age , since there was some worthy men in every century , that bare a brave testimony against the papal idolatry , and wounded the papistry very sorely , tho' 't is granted not to such a degree as in the last age ? besides , what reason is there to conclude the harvest of gods wrath is come , till 't is fully ripe ? and why should we conclude it will be fully ripe till the months are expired , which seems to be the set time of cutting down ? i do conclude the slaying of the witnesses of christ quite fills up their measure , and so makes way for the th trumpet and harvest of gods wrath , — when the measure of the churches afflictions shall come to their height , and the beast will have filled up his number and measure of wrath against gods people , then will the time of gods fury break forth , which will be as he observes when the trumpets cease sounding , and the seven vials , which are the seven plagues , shall arrive and begin to take place against the papacy , and against mahometism ; 't is , saith he , for this reason that 't is said by the seven last plagues ( which are the vials ) the wrath of god is finished ; from whence it followeth that the vials are not contemporary with the sixth trumpet , and that it is not the sixth trumpet that is subdivided into the seven vials , but that this subdivision is to be assigned to the seventh trumpet ; the sixth as well as the five preceding speaketh nothing save war against the church of god ; so long as it lasts antichrist abates nothing of his fury , but constantly makes the same efforts for the oppressing of the truth , and such who do profess it : but as soon as the seventh angel comes to sound , the case will be quite altered , the wrath of god will break forth , and the vials empty themselves . and this is the reason why the vials are called the seven last plagues by which the wrath of god is fulfilled . lastly , he shews us that the seven vials or last plagues do manifestly allude to the plagues of egypt , because they are called plagues as well as vials , and are also poured out upon spiritual egypt ; and seeing , saith he , the plagues of egypt did take up but a short space of time , we may not allot years ; nay , may be , saith he , not allow months , for the execution of all the egyptian plagues , why then should it seem strange that all the vials should be poured out within the space of fifteen or eighteen years ? the third woe cometh quickly under which all the seven last plagues shall be poured out , which signifieth that all the plagues shall be poured out , saith he , close upon one another ; ( in this he so agrees with what mr. canne hath written upon the same account directly ) let us remember , that there is no natural agent which acteth with the rapidity that fire doth , our god is a consuming fire , and 't is a terrible thing to fall into his hands ; the fire of gods wrath will burn doubtless ( when it begins to seize upon the combustible matter of the antichristian state ) with great fury god will make a short riddance of his enemies ; the second woe is past , and behold the third woe cometh quickly , rev. . . we are to observe ( saith he , ) that this is not said in prediction of the two first woes , all that is said of them they shall come ; but this quickly is not added , save in the prediction of the third woe . when we may conclude , that the seventh trumpet shall immediately follow the resurrection of the witnesses , whose death , as it fell out in , so their resurrection shall ensue within three years and a half ; in this he agrees directly with jurieu , it will be well if they do not both prove mistaken . however there is no doubt but we are near the time of the end , and i hope the witnesses are risen , or suddenly ( here in great britain ) will rise . bone ( methinks ) is coming to his bone , or already have not we seen of late a day like that spoken of , ezek. . , . a noise like that of shaking , and the bones came together bone to his bone , and sinews and flesh coming upon them , and is not breath come into them ? and do they not begin to live ? is not their hopes revived , and are they not up upon their feet ? — they ●ay be a very great army in due time . look about you , o ye saints , what is your expectations ? are ye ignorant of the sign● of the times and willingly ignorant ? do you not look for great , things ? or are ye still as men that dream ? know ye assuredly that the kingdom of our lord , and of his christ is near ; nor let none perswade you there is no greater glory , nor different kingdom state approaching , than what hath been since the resurrection and ascention of christ , for 't is not till the ending , or the latter end of the fourth monarchy , that the god of heaven will set up his kingdom in the glory of it , when the knowledge of the glory of the lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the seas , all the kingdoms under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high. dan. look suddenly for a fearful and an amazing earthquake , for it will come , it cann't be far off , and it will be such a dispensation that england has not known , it will be the time of jacob ' s trouble , but he shall be saved out of it woe to the earth , to the wicked , to those who have had a hand in the slaying the witnesses , who are enemies to the power of godliness , who strive to keep up an antichristian state , their day is near , and the time they must be judged , god will now turn his hand upon his enemies , his wrath is come , and the day in which he will plead the controversie of sion , the decree is gone forth , and it cannot be reversed , watch and pray , take heed you are not found in the earthly spirit , for if you are , you will be shaken in pieces , and full with the enemy , and rise no more , yet i doubt not but the enemy will strive , kick and struggle exceedingly , ( like a beast that has received its deaths wound , ) just as they go off the stage , and somewhat like this , methinks , we plainly see at this very time . but tho' the work may seem to be obstructed , yet i doubt not but it will revive again , and in due time prosper and be accomplished . the mystical numbers in daniel and the revelations , calculated by the h. scriptures only , without the help of humane history . by a worthy minister of the gospel . god having given the scriptures to his church tim. . . for her use and benefit here on earth ; so the times & numbers ( part thereof ) have , are and will be of use to her : therefore the angel dan. . . ( for the opening the vision , and the confirmation of his faith , in the will of god revealed therein , v. . concerning his church , and what should befal her for times to come here on earth ) tells him that he would shew him what was noted in the scriptures of truth . and although this part of the word , hath been most hard to be understood ; yet ( besides that common advantage to our faith , that the times are set by god , not only in his own eternal purpose , but his revealed will ; which is a good foundation of faith to believe and expect accordingly ) the more particular knowledge of them as truly opened , must be of special use and help to our faith , both to prepare for suffering , and expect deliverance . with what diligence then should we with unbiassed minds make our applications to him that is the revealer of secrets : an essay towards which followeth . first , i premise there is as sweet a harmony in this part of the word as in any other . secondly , that this harmony , and the right understanding of the times set , is to be found out in the scriptures them selves . the first number i shall begin with , is that great number of days , ( a day for a year , as is usual in scripture , ) dan. . . which i conceive includes all the lesser in daniel and the revelations , all of them being but parts of this ; god in his wisdom having so divided this number according to the several circumstances of providence the church was to come under . i conceive this number of was headed , or doth take its beginning , from the year god translated the babylonian monarchy to the medes and persians , which was the third and last of belshazzar's reign , who was also the last of the babylonian kings . . because i find no times set in scripture to begin before they are given forth , tho' several a great while after . . the question , dan. . . is , how long is the vision to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot ? and the answer is , to days : so that time relates to the suffering of the church then to come . . daniel chap. . . dates it in the third of belshazzar , in the year he saw the vision ; tho' when he saw it , he was in shushan , a chief city in the province of elam , which is in persia. daniel was in babylon , call'd to expound the hand-writing when the city was taken , chap. . , . but when darius the median had taken babylon , and had so inlarged his dominions by the kingdom of babylon , he , for the better government of the whole , dan. . , . set over the affairs of the kingdom princes , and three presidents over them , of which he made daniel chief ; so that there is great reason why he should be in the royal city shushan . but this falling out in the third of belshazzars reign , that he lost his kingdom , daniel dates the vision that year , tho' he was in persia when he saw it . god ( chap. . and in the first of belshazzar's reign ) shewed in vision unto daniel , under the representation of four beasts the four monarchies which should rule in those parts of the world , where his church then was , and was to be in after times , during all her suffering state , till christs kingdom on earth was to come , dan. . , . god having before shewed by jeremiah , chap. . . the sufferings of his church under the first of these for years ; the ending of that monarchy , and the years was to be together in the self-same year , which was also to fall out in the reign of nebuchadnezzar's grandson , jer. . . which was this belshazzar . now in the last of this belshazzar , and the first of the medes and persians , god shews to daniel how long the church was to suffer under the three that were to succeed , and 't was to be for years longer , before the churches deliverance was to be compleated , and peace and righteousness established in the earth , under the blessed and glorious reign and government of christ and his saints on earth , dan. . ▪ . with psal. . the whole psalm . well might these heavy tydings cause his countenance to change by the trouble of his mind about this matter , as the repetition after dan. . in the description of the that were to reign the years yet to come , as v. , , , — . caused him to faint , even to sickness for certain days , v. ● . i say , well might these things be so di●●ressing to the mind and spirit of the prophet , when he was expecting deliverance to the church of god ▪ for in this very year ▪ the first of darius , dan. . , . he understood by the books of jeremiah , the ending of the ●o years captivity in babylon , together with gods providence in ending that first monarchy , jer. . . they ●●ing at a loss at which of the goings into captivity to head that number before , for there were ● goings into captivity , as chron. . . and . the next thing is how to carry on this time of years , according to scripture . and first i shall premise , . that it is not so material to enquire what of this time is run out , in and under each of these monarchies ( there being so much time alloted by divine appointment for the whole ) if we can but find the time carried on in scripture , it is sufficient , for as god set the time then to come , of the first monarchy , in the years of his churches sufferings under it , so he sets the whole time of the three that were to succeed in the years of his churches sufferings then to come . . that histories do greatly differ , both as to number of persons reigning , and the time that each reigned , that they rather confound than help in this matter , and is one reason why expositors have so varied ; each following him whom he liked best , and endeavouring to reconcile the scriptures to them , when indeed we should reconcile them to the scriptures , and if they speak not according to them , not to hear them . and therefore to prosecute my design , i find we may reckon up this account of years ( so many of them as were past at christs death ) by scripture thus . first , years after the years expired in the ending of the babylonian monarchy , which was the time of darius his reign , after he took babylon , before cyrus came to the throne , who was foretold by isaiah the prophet , chap. . . to be the person that should let go gods captives ; who accordingly did , ezra . c. . now the scriptures give us this account ; . that the medes and persians were but one monarchy . . that the government was in the seed of th● medes , at the time when babylon was taken , d●● . . ch . . . . that darius was years old when he took babylon , dan. . ( there is some reason for the spirits noting of that ) so that he might well reign years more , for that is but , and many live to that age . . that he ordered , over the affairs of the kingdom , princes , and presidents , &c. . he by the motion of these princes made that law , as firm as the laws of the medes and persians , that daniel was cast into the lions den by , dan. . , , , . . upon his miraculous deliverance , he made a decree to own the god of daniel , chap. ▪ , . and published it through all his dominions ; all these things must take up time . . daniel , c. . . is said to prosper all his reign ; therefore he did reign . . the holy spirit gives us the description of this monarchy under the ram : he tells 〈…〉 ▪ horns came up one after the other , and the last grew highest , which was cyrus a persian how he came to the throne , historians differ : some say by conquest ; this could not be : others by marriage , or some natural alliance , which is probable ; but that is not material to me , it 's sufficient that i find the scriptures say that he came to the throne . . now these years , i judge , are the days , ( a day for a year ) the angel saith the prince of the kingdom of persia withstood him , dan. . . for the better understanding of which , ( . ) in dan. . after daniel had understood by books , the expiration of the years captivity under the babylonians , he sets himself to pray for mercy and deliverance , and hath no other answer than ●th vision of weeks , and the division of them , dan. ● . , . which account was to begin from the going forth of the commandment to build the city jerusalem : weeks it should be building : and built to the messiah , and in the midst of the last week , the messiah should be cut off . so that in all this , there is no direct answer to daniels prayer for present deliverance , for the temple took up a long time in building , through the long death upon the work , before the command here spoken of for building the city came forth . now as his prayer was in the first year of darius , that is , not of his being a king , but his taking babylon , and so being concerned with the church of god , ( for god in his word takes little or no notice of earthly powers , but as ▪ in relation to his people ) so when daniel was even now going out of the world , he sets himself to pray again , in ch . . which is said to be in the third of cyrus , v. . and has this for answer , that god was not unmindful of his prayer , as v. . and gives a reason why deliverance was not yet to come ; the prince of the kingdom of 〈…〉 the prince of persia , but the prince of the kingdom of persia , i. e. darius who , tho'he was of the seed of the medes , was prince of the kingdom of persia , withstood him , that is , had not let israel go , tho' he had strengthned him in his kingdom , ch . . . now this third year of cyrus , might possibly be but the first of his absolute reign , for it 's like he might under darius , being old , rule years before his death , because it s said , chron. the last , and . ezra . . that in the first of cyrus , he let israel go , and 't is probable that daniel died in the first of his absolute reign , dan x. last , for he continued but to the first of king cyrus . now the continuance here cannot relate to his honours , that king nebuchadnezzar advanced him to , chap. . . for after his death , if not before , he retired and lived obscure at court , chap. . , . neither did the prophet daniel come out of captivity , which it's like he had done if he had lived to the time of liberty to return , being a man whose heart was so ingaged for the good of the church of god ; besides , it hath been , that such as were to succeed in the throne , have been in the management of the government , before the death of him that preceded , as in the case of solomon , and darius , being years old when he took babylon , must be when cyrus came to the government , if he managed these affairs the two last years of his life , as it 's probable he did , and when he died , being the third of cyrus his being concerned in the government , but the first of his absolute rule ; and then he gives liberty to the people of god to return and build the temple . now this work after they entred upon it , did soon meet with interruptions in the time of cyrus , that made the decree for building the temple , ezra . . , . but in the reign of darius , as v. . with chap. . . in the second year of his reign , hag. . . zech. . . god stirred up the spirit of his people , to set about the work afresh , incouraged from the prophesying of those two prophets , speaking to them from the mouth of god , and god disposing the heart of that prince to incourage it also , so that it was finished in four years , ( i. e. ) the sixth of his reign , ezra . . . . how many years this interruption continued ; or how many years it was between the first decree of cyrus , when they laid the foundation of the temple , including the years of preparation , ezra . , . and the decree of this darius , in the sixth year of whose reign it was finished , the prophet zechariah gives us an account , chap. . . to be seventy years , for the seventy years here intended , cannot be the seventy of their captivity in babylon , in which time they were to pray for the peace of the city , and of the place where they were carried captive ; for god promised that in the peace thereof they should have peace , till the time came of their return , according to divine appointment , they were to build houses , to plant and to marry , jer. . , , . without attempting to return to build the temple , till the seventy years were out ; therefore in that time to build houses in babylon , and not god's house in jerusalem , was no crime . but the great thing the prophets zechariah and haggai reprove them for , was this , — consider ( . ) the prophets were contemporary , and prophesied in the second of darius , the time that the temple work is revived and finished . ( . ) they tell the people , . that god was displeased with their fathers , and now with them . . for what he was displeased , viz. for minding their own private things , as houses and lands , &c. and letting the house of god lye waste . . the effects , in blasting all their labours , &c. ( . ) he promiseth them that upon their applying themselves to the work of finishing his house and the service of it , he would abundantly bless them ; so that the prophets applying it to that time , we have reason to judge , that it was no other but the interruption upon the work which was , as all apprehend , some considerable length of time , but are at great uncertainty how to reckon it , when the labour may be saved , and we at no loss in the thing , when the holy spirit hath reckoned it for us ; now the scripture tells us , that as the work was revived after seventy years death upon it , in the second year of darius , so it was finished in his sixth year , ezek. . . which sixth year was his last , artaxerxes succeeding him , in the seventh of whose reign there is another decree to beautifie the house of god , and to provide it with sacrifices , ezra . , , , , . for this decree relates only to the house of god , and his worship therein ; in the twentieth of whose reign another decree comes forth to build the city , neh. . . — to the ninth , and here begins daniel's seventy weeks of years ; so that , if this account be right , we have a very plain and certain account of the time , adding the seventy weeks of years to the death of christ. i know it is the opinion of most , if not all , to reckon otherwise , and indeed they cannot otherwise do , that go by history , which tells of more kings reigning , and that some of these i have mentioned did reign longer , as that this darius , in the sixth of whose reign the temple was finished , reigned in all nineteen years , as helvicus , juni●s , alsted , and others say ; but whence have they the account which we with so much confidence take up from them ? it 's from no infallible writ ; they say also , that from cyrus , including him , there was fourteen kings reigned in the persian monarchy before it was taken by the grecians ; also that cyrus in the nineteenth year of his persian monarchy conquered darius the mede king of babylon ; all which could not be : for . the babylonish monarchy was to end , and did in nebuchadnezzar's grandsons reign , jer. . , . which was belshazzar . . darius , who was of the seed of the medes , dan. . . was king of media and persia , when he took babylon , dan. . , . . there was to be but four kings in persia after cyrus , how then could thirteen reign ? dan. . . the angel , for the help of our faith , tells daniel , he would shew him the truth ; and that there should stand up yet ( that is , after cyrus , for this vision was in the third of cyrus , as before i have noted , for the , , chap. are but the continuance of the same vision ; for as i have noted also , daniel died this year ) three kings , and the fourth shall be richer , &c. — and shall stir up all against the realm of greece , and here this monarchy ends . to sum up all that we have said , there is , i. - . years of darius , before cyrus came to absolute regal power . ii. . years interruption after cyrus's decree for building the house . iii. . years of darius in finishing it after they set to the work again . iv. . years to the decree of artaxerxes to furnish it with sacrifices . v. . years to that of the th of artaxerxes to build the city jerusalem . in all years after the years captivity in babylon was out before they began to build the city jerusalem again . in daniel . . the angel tells daniel that weeks are determined upon his people and the holy city , to finish transgression , to make an end of sin , to make reconciliation for the people , and to bring in everlasting righteousness . then v. . he divides them , that from the going forth of the commandment to build the city should be seven weeks , that is , before it should be built and finished , so long in building , years , and weeks it should be built , but it should be trouble some times , and so it was with the jews , what by the grecian monarchy , and after the roman , for when the messiah christ came , they were tributary to the romans ; and in the midst of the last week the messiah should be cut off , but not for himself , by whose death the everlasting covenant was sealed , ratified and confirmed , and all the typical sacrifices and oblations to cease , as now no longer useful to the true church of god , and great desolation was to ens●e upon that people for their unbelief , which accordingly fell out , and was brought upon them by titus son of vespasian some years after the death of christ , as christ also fore-admonished them , mat. . . luke . . add now these weeks , of years , and ½ week ( for he was to suffer in the midst of a week ) which amounts to ½ unto the years aforementioned , and it makes up ½ . weeks ½ ½ before . in all ½ . as to all the other numbers , dan. . . of time , times , and dividing of time , and the same dan. . . and the and the ; i conceive all relate to the times under the gospel , and in dan. . . and . . when 't is said the daily sacrifice shall be taken away , and the abomination that makes desolate placed in the room of it , and dan. . . that from the time that this shall be done there shall be days , that is , years as before , dan. . . the sanctuary shall be cleansed , that the purity of gods worship shall be restor'd at the end of that time ; and that blessed is he that comes to , which is forty five more than . as these relate to the church under the gospel , and gods worship there , therefore not properly rendered sacrifices , as dan. . . but by way of supplement ; so i shall rather offer my thoughts of them under that of the witnesses prophesying , &c. only all must and do fall in within the time of this great number of years , and from what hath been spoken to it , we may guess how long it will be before it will expire . there are ½ to the death of christ ; and if we are right in the tradition of years since his birth , ( for divine writ being finished a little after his death , we have nothing else to go by , ) taking off the years of his life which were luke . . . when he entred upon his ministry , which he accomplished in or about the three years or half week spoken of by daniel . so that thirty three from , there rests , which added to ½ makes ½ , which last substracted from the capital number , there remains ½ the only over-plus of daniel's last number ; ½ ½ ½ ½ so that i hope that deliverance to the church and people of god is not far off , and all our sad sights are but good signs . to what hath been said there is something objected , the which with the answers take as followeth . obj. that this calculation cannot be right , because it 's said , that when the foundations of this second temple were laid , many of the priests and levites , and chief of the fathers that were ancient men , that had seen the first temple , wept , when others , that were young , and had not seen the first house , rejoyced , &c. and if this be true that it was so long before cyrus came to the absolute government , and before the decree for their return out of babylon to build the house of god , they must be older , than in reason we can judge men to live ; and this first , because they must not be infants when carried into captivity , for then they could not remember what the first temple was , ●ly . the years of captivity and the years of darius before cyrus came to the kingdom , and at least a year of preparation before they began to build , with their own age when carryed captive , which could not be in reason much less than twenty years , is years in all , which is an age beyond what usually men lived ; and it 's said there were many of those ancient men that wept , &c. ans. first , it 's to be noted , for so it is in the scriptures of truth , that there was a threefold going into captivity . the first , in the d year of jehoiakim , kin. . . with dan. . , . which was the st year of the reign of nebuchadnezzar , jer. . . in this daniel the prophet was carried captive , and was but young , as v. . this jehoiakim reigned in all years , chron. . . then nebuchadnezzar bound him in chains , and carried him to babylon , v. . and made jehoiachin king in his stead , who reigned months and days , and then the king of babylon carryed him and the rest of the vessels of the house of god , and a great captivity of the people , kings . . — to . this was the second going into captivity . zedekiah was made king by the king of babylon and reigned years , as kin. . . in the last of whose reign and the of nebuchadnezzar's , jerusalem was taken , ( as kin. . . with jer. . , , , , . ) and burnt with the temple . this is the third and last going into captivity ; between which and the first it evidently appears , there were or years , and the temple was not destroy'd till the last : so that the ancient men spoken of in ezra , might be of the last going into captivity , and then there is no need of reckoning them older than years when carried captive , years of the captivity , being gone before and of darius , in all years ; and it 's very probable many might live to that age. obj. but how doth it appear that the years doth begin in the st of these goings into captivity ? ans. very plainly ; for in jer. . . the false prophet saith that the yoak of the king of babylon should be broken , and the captivity should return in two years ; in the th of jer. the lord tells them , that were then in captivity , that they should build houses , plant gardens , and take wives in the land of their captivity , and pray for the peace of the place , for in the peace thereof they should have peace , and and in the tenth verse , that after seventy years were accomplished , they should return , and not before ; so that it is evident that the seventy years in gods appointment , did begin in their going into captivity , that were then in captivity , and not in their captivity that was yet to come , which was not till the last of zedekiah's reign . obj. . zerubbabel who came out of captivity , the prince and governour , did not only lay the foundations of the house of god , ezra . . but did also finish it , c. . . now if the interruption was seventy years , he must be very old when he finished it , or very young to be chief when they first came up , and laid the foundations . ans. we know they were reckoned princes , or chiefs by their being elder brothers , or families , whether younger or elder in years ; and he might live ( as doubtless he did ) all the time of the interruption , and be twenty or thirty years old when he came out of babylon , and be but ninety or a hundred years old , when the temple was finished , and we read not of him afterward . for ezra , who came up the seventh of artaxerxes , and nebemiah who came the twentieth of his reign , both governed and set things in order themselves , according to the commissions they had . and what ezra writes of zerubbabel is but historical , of things past and done . but if this be not right , they that go by history , must be much more out , who make the time between cyrus his decree , and the sixth of darius his reign , in which it was finished , to be at least a hundred twenty four or six , which is almost double seventy . obj. . is about the one and twenty days , dan. . . some reckon it in the time of cambyses reign , and so part of the time of the interruption upon the work after the foundation was laid ; but this could not be ; for daniel lived but to the first of cyrus absolute government . dan. . v. last . he prospered all the reign of darius , dan. . . and in the reign of cyrus , that is , to the first of his absolute government , and then dies : for he came not out of captivity , which doubtless he had done , if he had lived , being a man , whose heart was set upon the work of god , and the good of his church . others take it to be the one and twenty natural days of daniels fasting , as v. . but this cannot be , because the holy spirit , that we might not be misled , reckons them twice by weeks of daies , as v. . . that we might not take them for the time after v. . of one and twenty days as usual in scripture , a day for a year . and in what sense can we suppose that the prince of the kingdom of persia , could withstand an answer from god , of daniels prayer , when the angel tells him , that from the first day he set his heart to understand , &c. he was heard , v. . therefore to conclude , what persons histories say did reign , which the scripture knows nothing of , or the time they say they did reign , is nothing to me ; for i cannot think that god in his word would have been so distinct , and particular in the persons reigning , and their time , had it not been for a guide to us to calculate by . therefore let others go by what rule they please , i desire to abide by that word , which i know is a sure word of prophesy , and cannot deceive any that have the mind of god in it . an essay towards the understanding the time set in the scriptures respecting the witnesses , left in the word for the use and benefit of the church . and first , why two witnesses ? first , either because the scriptures tell us , that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing shall be established . two are sufficient , and less cannot ; holding forth this truth to us ; that let god's faithful servants be never so much reduced as to their number , yet he hath not left himself without sufficient witness in this world. or , secondly , to signifie unto us the greatness of that apostacy that should be from the truth , of which the false church should be composed , the whole earth wondring after the beast , and that but few comparatively should be found faithful in the time of the holy cities being trodden under footby the gentiles . or , thirdly , signifying to us , that as the church at the time of christ's coming was but one national church , therefore represented by one candlestick , zech. . . now under the gospel the true church of god , the mystical body of christ her head , consists of several visible churches , and therefore is represented by two candlesticks , rev. . . secondly , who those witnesses are ? ans. leaving them to their own thoughts , who take them to be either the two testaments , or magistracy and ministry , or two particular persons , i conceive them to be the faithful people of god , that have obtained grace to hold the truth of christ in all ages , in a faithful adherence to him , under all the apostacies that have been made from them , and oppositions that have been made by them that have apostatized from them that have not loved their lives unto the death , for the love they have had to christ and his gospel . thirdly , the time of their prophesie is set down , rev. . . and is days , that is , so many years , which time is contemporary with the gentiles treading under foot the holy city for forty two months . now although in forty two full months there are more days by about eighteen than , yet the text seems to give us to understand that these times shall begin and end together , though thus differently reckoned , the one by the sun , the other by the moon , as may more fully appear in the next consideration of their work . fourthly , their work is implied in the name given them ; they are called witnesses . to make a person a true witness , he must have a full knowledge of what he says or testifies , john . , , . therefore they are gods children here intended , that have experienced the things they testifie unto ; so the matter of their testimony is that act. . . to testifie to christ his person and offices the alone mediator , as revealed , opened and held forth in the gospel , which is that upon which the true church of god is built , eph. . , , &c. and which is the temple not given to the gentiles , whilst the court and holy city is given to them to tread under foot forty two months , all which time the witnesses here intended are to prophesie and testifie to those truths , that others under a name and profession of christ apostatized from , and intruded their false doctrines and corruptions instead of the truths and true worship of god , acts . , , . thes. . , , , . &c. tim. . , , . &c. tim. . , , , , . pet. . the whole chapter , pet. . the whole chapter , the epistle of jude , all are prophetical of great apostacies that would be from the truths and purity of the gospel . now , i say , the work of the witnesses is , to stand up for the defence of the gospel , and they shall do so for years together , and then they are slain and lye dead for three days and a half , that is , three years and a half , then the spirit of life from god shall come upon them . fifthly , their finishing their testimony , this must either respect their testimony it self , or the time allotted to them , that is , the years ; i conceive the first is intended , for after or when they are upon the finishing it , there is a fresh war made upon them , in which , they that make the war upon them prevail , so as to overcome them , and kill them , and then they lye dead for three years and ½ , now how long time this shall take up , is not said . and if the holy spirit who had been so exact , in setting down the time of years of their prophesy , and the three days and ½ of their lying dead , had omitted a time between both , the church of god had been at as great uncertainty , as if no time had been set almost . therefore if we take the finishing their testimony to respect their work , then it is our concernment to consider wherein this finishing part doth lye ; and that i conceive to be in a witness to the kingly office of christ. his prophetical , and priestly offices were first witnessed to ; and this hath been lastly contested for , even to blood , in the last wars in england , as the other had been upon which this last war hath been commenced . the testimony being further confirmed in the martyrdom of many of those concerned in the finishing of this testimony . the sufferings of the church in these late years has been carried on against her otherwise than in former ages , in other methods , and under other names , and pretences , all bespeaking that the time of finishing the testimony is come , and the war commenced , and it may be an overcoming , if not killing also . sixthly where this shall be ? ans. it will be there where this finishing part of the witness to christ is born , for there the last war is ( which is the last effort which antichrist shall make against the church of god ) and overcoming , and killing will be : and where they shall lye dead , and where they shall rise ? when the spirit of life from god comes upon them ; now where shall all these things be ? the holy spirit tells us , it shall be in the street of the great city , rev. . . not in all the ten , but in one street , and upon their resurrection the tenth part of the city falleth , not the whole city at once , v . so that in the street , or kingdom where the testimony hath been finished , there all the rest follow , and there the deliverance of the church shall begin , to an utter overthrow of all her persecutors and mortal enemies . seventhly , when this shall be ? ans. to know the beginning and end of these times and things , there are two ways of calculating . the one is beginning at the head of a number , so reckoning forward to its end ; the other is back-wards , as daniel did , chap. . beginning our reckoning at the end of the number , and so reckoning to the beginning ; now by one of these two ways , in gods time we shall infallibly know . but to the question , i suppose both ways may be a help to us now , and scripture numbers have a dependance one upon the other , and there lies the harmony of them , when that is understood . the great number , which includes all the rest , throughout the sufferings of the church of god , under the three last of daniels four monarchies , is that of years , which i have indeavoured to carry on by scripture to the end of it , within forty five or forty four years , from this year of our lord . there are two other great numbers in daniel , chap. . one of . the other . which is forty five more than the other ; so that altho' they both begin together , they do not both end together , by years . that they begin together is evident , for the th is the addition of so many to the . therefore blessed is he that lives to the forty five longer than the . for altho' the churches deliverance shall begin at the . it shall not be compleated till forty five more ; therefore blessed is he that lives till that time : so that when ever these . years begin , they end with the years also . again , the . is thirty more than . in rev. . therefore tho' they may end together , yet they cannot begin together . and because of this , expositors have generally judged , that the . in daniel relate to the jews , and the to the gentile church , but by what reason i cannot be satisfied . hence they head this . at julians attempting to rebuild the temple ; the reason of which was this , he had apostatized from christianity , and restored the gentile worship and sacrifices , and as an affront to christians , put the jews upon sacrificing also , who told him that it was not lawful for them , but in the temple at jerusalem , therefore he orders them to build it , which they attempted to do , but could but attempt , for god by his immediate power prevented them . this julian began his reign in . and reigned but three years , so that this opinion time hath confuted ; for add to , it makes but . at which time they reckon'd the jews would be called ; but no such thing hath been : therefore they expounded all these places , which we read sacrifices , with a supplement , in dan. . chap. . . chap. . . to intend the jewish worship , which julian attempted to set up in confront to christianity , to be the abomination that makes desolate , for all or any of which i see no reason . it is properly translated sacrifice in one place , as chap. . , . and this doth relate to the taking away of the sacrifices then in being , of gods own appointment , which accordingly were taken away , as christ himself also admonished . mat. . . by titus — &c. but the abomination which makes desolate , i conceive is some corruption in the gospel worship , the true worship of god ; and therefore seeing we , as before , find the apostle concerned so much in forewarning the church by a spirit of prophesie , of what had also been expresly foretold by the spirit of god ; if it was expresly foretold , it must be written some where or other : and take the apostles own exposition , tim. . , , . why may we not rather reckon this to be the abomination , to astonishment foretold by daniel , and this came in in the . year , when syricius was bishop of rome and continued years ; in his time marriage was forbidden to the priests , and in the . year caelestinus was bishop of rome and continued eight years ; he assumed the temporal power , as tim. . , , , . and why we may not head these numbers here , i would be glad to understand . in the last of which i conceive antichrist did make his first visible appearance in the world : so that add the to it makes , and you bring it to the end of days within forty five years , or a year or two , which time i conceive is alloted to pour out the vials , and to accomplish the great revolutions in , that shall come upon the earth , in order to the possessing of the kingdom , that shall be given to the saints of the most high , dan. . , , . there is time expressed by time , times , and dividing of time , three times in scripture , as dan. . . . . rev. . . i find time thus expressed but in one place more , and that is , dan. . . where it's certainly taken for years , and by what rule we will construe it otherwise in other places i see not . and that in dan. . . seems plainly to relate to a special time of the enemies accomplishing to scatter the power of the holy people , then all shall be finished , ( i e. ) the sufferings of the church , or deliverance shall thence begin , and bear date from the end of this three years and ½ in dan. . . he tells who shall act this last part , compared with rev. . and in rev. . . how god even in that time will provide for his church , when the devil pours out his last wrath upon her , knowing his time is short , and what time this should be , except the three years and ½ of the witnesses lying dead ; i cannot see the time when babylon shall say in her heart , she sits a queen , shall see no sorrow , widdow-hood , or loss of children any more , having accomplished what she had been . days labouring . at , the slaughter and death of the witnesses , whom she hath now dead at her feet ; therefore they make merry , send gifts to one another , not knowing how near utter destruction is at her door , she being like pharaoh of old . but a noise , and past her time . for i conceive the witnesses cannot be said to prophesy when dead , therefore this time follows immediatly upon the end of the days of their prophecies ; which ending in according to the preceding computation ; at which time popery came to be inthron'd in this nation , accomplished the slaughter and death of the witnesses ; the time of whose lying dead , which was to be three years and an half , being added to , amounts to and an half , which was the very time of gods lifting up his hand by his present providence to save these distressed nations . finis . a catalogue of books printed for nath-crouch at the bell in the poultrey near cheapside . history . . england's monarchs : or , a relation of the most remarkable transactions , from julius caesar ; 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conviction of formal hypocrites , awakening of all both weak and strong , o this great duty of prayer . by t. taylor , formerly minister at st. edmund's bury , now at cambridge . price one shilling . . heaven upon earth or good news for repenting sinners : being an account of the remarkable experiences & evidences of many eminent christians in several declarations made by them upon solemn occasions . displaying thē exceeding riches of the free grace and love of god in supporting them under violent temptations & at length filling their souls with divine consolations . with the memorable conversion , exemplary repentance , and dying expressions of the late earl of rochester . approved of as very necessary for comforting poor doubting believers , by w. dyer minister of the gospel . price one shilling . . the welcome communicant , containing brief directions to the weakest christians how to proceed from one grace to another , according to the rule of the sacred scriptures , that so they may come with cheerfulness and acceptance to the lords table . together with devotions and prayers before , at , and after the receiving the holy communion . by a. h. d. d. price six pence . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e ri●●mus st. thom. adsac● . eucharist . rev. . v. . . . * cum inter . in glosl . extr . job . in liv. . * de expresso dei verbo . † epiphanius horis . . per totum . * de imag. . . bernard . livius l. . plutarch in numa . bellar. de imag. sanct. l. . c. . isa . . gal. . . quis nescit vo●usi , bithinice qualia demens egyptus protent a colat , &c. j●venal sat . . notes for div a -e dan. . . ver . . ver . . dan. . . notes for div a -e pet. jurieu accom . prophe . p. . see his preface , advice to all christians . here i must n●te sith by the church he speaks of thus divided ▪ into three parts , is meant great babylon or church of rome , it f●llows plainly from hence that all these three parts are antichristian , and but as so many limbs of the great whore. pools annot on rev. . . * in this he agrees much with dr. goodwin and many other english writers that the slaying of the witnesses is not a temporal slaying but only a●i●il death , and it much comports , as we before have noted , with the late dismal days in england . our times in respect of the late king and his confederates have sufficiently made this good which the dr. so long ago hinted . — notes for div a -e * so 't is now by france . notes for div a -e see mr knowles exposition on the rev. p. . notes for div a -e ans. ans. the certain predictions of the great alcos, astrologer and mathematician in ordinary to the duke of parma upon the two comets which have appeared in our hemisphere . alcos. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the certain predictions of the great alcos, astrologer and mathematician in ordinary to the duke of parma upon the two comets which have appeared in our hemisphere . alcos. broadside. s.n., [london? : ] "according to the original printed at parma by john zapate." reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng comets -- . prophecies (occultism) astrology -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the certain predictions of the great alcos , astrologer and mathematician in ordinary to the duke of parma , upon the two comets which have appeared in our hemisphere , after having diligently considered the course of the planets , made observations upon the malignant influences of the stars , and passed whole nights in contemplation of the comet which appeared in the heavens , in the close of the evening , and of that which appeared in the morning before break of day ; and having considered by the rules of astrology , that the evening comet entring into capricorn , and going out by the scorpions tayl , which extends it self leagues , threatens a general plague , terrible earthquakes , and prodigious thunders , by which several towns in christendom will be swallowed up and laid in ashes . the comet which appears in the morning , having cancer reverst underneath it , visibly declares that the angel abiron , punisher of the sins of the world hath a sword drawn for the destruction of a maritine prince , who hath drawn on himself the just anger of god , but that the presence of the sun which hides this angry and fiery comet from our sight , assures us , that the religious valour of the knights of maltha , encouraged by the extraordinary zeal of our holy father the pope , will appease the god of mercy and bounty , and that their armes will be so victorious over the turks , that their success shall amaze all the world. the approaching summer shall be dry so long , that the greatest rivers shall be dried up , and the ground so hot , that the beasts , serpents and other animals , shall be forced to come out of their dens and holes ; and men shall be afflicted with burning feavers , swellings and bloody fluxes . the ram ascending towards libra shews us , that the last year in the month of august , the mart is entred into the barr before gri riere after shews , that in april of this present year the sovereign abesse of franconia shall be delivered of a son , which shall neither be of cap nor ville , but of mart and of rig , who shall be an astrologer in our dutchy of parma , and shall one day be acknowledged prince of franconia . the july mars following at the heels of sagittary with his dart , we may expect so general a hail , that it will be very prejudicial to all grain that is not gotten in ; and bacchus will be so afflicted , that he exhorts his good children not idly to empty all the vessels this year . in fine , heaven is so angry , and the whole world so laden with sins , disorders and abominations , that nature her self shall be ready to expire , and the earth hold as it were but by a thread ▪ vices , as ambition , jealousie , envy , impiety , and irreligion of all nations ingeneral , and every man in particular have drawn down the just anger of god upon us europe will fall quickly ; i know no estate whose ruine we may not fear . this age perhaps shall be the last of all empires , and ( may be ) we shall hear , that the universe is at its end ; all mountains shall be brought low , the alpes shall be thunder-stricken , the pireneans beaten down and levelled ; the sins of men are grown so great , and their disorders so monstrous and prodigious , that we may well expect to see this last moment , if we repent not , and mortifie our selves ; which only can avert the severity of these terrible judgments of god. god through his love to us doth show , by th' stars what he intends to do ; that thereby knowing his intent , we may of our ill works repent . according to the original printed at parma by john zapate . a rule from heaven, or, vvholsom counsel to a distracted state wherein is discovered the onely way for settling the good old cause and removing the maladies incident thereunto : and mr. pugh his prophesies opened / by arise evans. evans, arise, b. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a rule from heaven, or, vvholsom counsel to a distracted state wherein is discovered the onely way for settling the good old cause and removing the maladies incident thereunto : and mr. pugh his prophesies opened / by arise evans. evans, arise, b. . [ ], p. printed for the author, and are to be sold at his house ..., london : . reproduction of original in bodleian library. eng pugh, thomas. -- brittish and out-landish prophesies. bible -- prophecies. prophecies. a r (wing e ). civilwar no a rule from heaven: or, vvholsom counsel to a distracted state: wherein is discovered, the onely way for settling the good old cause, and re evans, arise c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a rule from heaven ▪ or , vvholsom counsel to a distracted state : wherein is discovered , the onely way for settling the good old cavse , and ▪ removing the maladies incident thereunto ▪ and mr. pugh his prophesies ▪ opened ▪ by arise evans . thes. . . despise not prophesyings . mat. . . but seek ye first the kingdom of god and his righteousness , and all these things shall be added unto you ▪ london ▪ printed for the author , and are to be sold at his house in long-alley in black-fryers . . the introduction . although we have been of all nations the most sinful , yet from time to time , god in mercy did deal with us , that we britans might be a people saved to the glory and honour of his free grace : as it is written , isa. . . this people have i formed for my self : they shall shew forth my praise . and as it is seen from age to age , gods justice is such , that it will not pass by the sins of any people , but especially his own people , as you see , amos . . so he owning us , did severely punish us for our sins at all times : first , by the grecians , when our royal city of troy was destroyed ; and then after we came hither , by the romans , saxons , danes , normans ; yea ; god made use of all the nations round about us , when we sinned , to punish us for our sins , not according as our enemies willed , who would have utterly destroyed us , nor according to our deserts , who deserved no less then utter destruction ; but god , according to his purpose , corrected us in mercy and measure . and when our city of troy was destroyed , and we scattered from thence , to seek a new habitation ; some of us came to italy ( which country long after gloried in being trojans ) but the nobles followed brute their prince , and from all parts as they were informed , came unto him , into grecia , where in time , brute became potent , having with him in towns , woods and desarts a strong party : & when at the request of brute , pandrasus king of greece would not grant them liberty in his countrey , or leave to depart out of his country , but went about to punish them ; brutus overthrew the king in battle , took him prisoner ; that pandrasus king of greece , to reedeem himself according to agreement made between them , was glad to furnish him with a navy and much treasure , and give him his daughter to wife : whereupon brute and his company leaving grecia , came through many countries , found many more of the dispersed trojans , fought many battels victoriously , got much honour and riches , and made no stay until he came to this land , which god had promised him in a vision at leogitia . and coming , by gods providence , to this land , we found here certain giants descended from ham the son of noah , who then called the name of this land albion ; from albion the fourth son of neptune , that was the first king which reigned here of that race : those giants did oppose us ; but we destroyed them all ; and the name of the land we called according to the name of brute , britain : and as we searched the land , we found in many places of it , but most of them inhabiting north-wales , a people descended from japhet the son of noah , called samotheans . this samothea by moses , gen. . . is called meshech , and he came here within years after the flood ; he excelled all the men of that age in wisdom , learning and knowledge , both in divinity and philosophy ; and being skilful in the law of god and man , he was exceedingly given to the religion of his grandfather noah , which he upheld in his family ; and when the earth was dividid , gen. . , . he had for his portion in europe all the country lying between the river of rhene and the pirenian mountains ; which lands he peopled with such number as could be gotten in those days : but he chose for his own habitation this island , and called it samothe : he dwelt in north-wales ; and samothea ▪ begat magus ; magus , begat sarron ; sarron , begat drius ; dri●●… , begat bardy : these five , samothea , magu● ▪ sarron , drius , bardy , reigned here long time before albion came ; and they were so famous for learning , that every one of these erected a colledge of himself ; so that the greeks , persians , athenians , even all the gentiles , had their characters and learning from these colledges first ; which then was pure knowledge , though afterward corrupted by new devises among them of other countries , who thought they were no body if they did not adde to it . when we britains being descended of gomer the son of japhet& found these samotheans our brethren , not onely because of kinde , but also for their learning and vertue , we were right glad to meet with them , so that we joyned with them , and became one people ; and in short time after , things in britain were so settled , specially in matters of religion , that as i may so say , we were christians above a thousand years before christ was born . first , we believed in the onely true ever-living god , maker of all things . secondly , we had three names to the same god , by which we called upon him , and did worship him ; believing that he was three in one , and one in three . thirdly , we believed that the soul is immortal ; and that when one died , his soul entred into another body prepared of god for him : so that if he that died was a good man , his soul was raised and went into a more honourable and glorious body ; but if he that dyed was a bad man , his soul descended and went into a more dishonourable and base body : god in this case judging every man according to his works done in his body : thus we believed the resurrection ; and surely it doth in some measure agree with the gospel , as may be proved by many texts ; and was not the soul of elijah in john the baptist , which made our saviour affirm that john was elijah ? mat. . , . fourthly , for the government of this religion , the land was divided into parts , where were seated flamines , whereof three of them were called archflamines , which were then as the bishops and archbishops of our time , but after a more perfect manner ; for then there was three archflamines over the britains , which did signifie the trinity and personalty of the godhead ; but our church of england had but two archbishops . therefore it was not a hard thing for lucius king of the britains to stablish the christian faith in his kingdom , it being all one with that they had in doctrine and government , onely differing in names and ceremonies ; so that lucius which was the first christian king in the world , quickly , and without violence , brought the britains to the christian faith : who hearing christ preached , immediately believed , and were baptized : that lucius changeing the word flamine into bishop , thus altering few names and ceremonies , the work of reformation in britain is done quickly . and in contemplation of these things , i see jesus while he was on earth viewing the daughters of the gentiles , to finde out his spouse ; and among them all , concludes britain to be the most amiable ; and being in love with her beauty , according to solomon , song . is resolved to take her to wife , that he might beget a son of her body to inherit his glory : therefore jesus the king , after the manner of kings , sends the most honourable of all his disciples , joseph of arimathea by name , an embassadour to britain ; and he coming to arviragus then king of britain , was so courteously received , that the king gave him some land to inhabit , and liberty to declare his message to the british lady , so called for method sake : but the said lady , notwithstanding the kings consent , for modesty sake , as prudent ladies use to do in such a case , doth not seem to grant her love to her beloved at the first motion , because she might have been judged to be of an unconstant minde , for altering her estate suddenly , and without mature deliberation : for these causes the suit continueth ; so that the agreement is not fully made between jesus christ and the british lady until king lucius time , and then they were married with great joy : and not long after , the british lady brings forth a son to jesus christ , namely , constantine the great , who gave such a wound to the enemies of jesus christ , that they could never recover it : we then being assured that the british lady should bring forth another son to destroy all the enemies of jesus christ , and receive of his glory , for this cause britain had many enemies that envied her , because of this honour that god was pleased to give her : which is worth your consideration . britain being thus exalted , and her son made emperour , satans friends fell into a tottering condition ; therefore he stirreth all his instruments against the british nation ; as the saxons , danes , normans , and all the nations round about sought to destroy them , till they drove the britains into wales ; and at last , after much wars for a long time , through a guile used in their agreement with edward the first , who privately sent his queen to carnarvon , where the first prince of the english race was born ; and the britains submitting to him , brought themselves into such misery , that from edward the first , to henry the sevenths time , the britains were in great slavery ; the english using them cruelly , destroying their ancient records , prohibiting them to bring their children up in learning , intending to extinguish their ancient language , and bring the prophesies and promises written in the same language to none effect : but for all that , the britains through gods providence preserved their language , and so much of their writings as is needful to hold forth the truth for them . and of all the enemies that we had since our coming to britain , the romans were the most honest and noblest enemy ; for they indeed esteemed the britains according to their worth and quality , making a difference between us and the barbarous people round about us , because the romans found the britains to be as good men as themselves were : for all the countries hereabout submitted to julius caesar without any great resistance : but when he sent to cassibelan king of the britains to have him submit , cassibelan sent him word , that he and the britains had not learned as yet to live in servitude ; and that caesar should find it a hard matter to bring them to it : whereupon caesar being in wrath , came to britain with all his power ; but he found britain so hot , that he was forced to go back into france from whence he came ; and after many returns to little purpose , being half ashamed , caesar sought to gaine the britains by love , and at last came to an agreement with them , that the romans and the britains should become one people . thus they concluded ▪ so that you may see in the chronicles ( as many more were ) constantine the great was a britain by the one side , and a roman by the other ; for which cause pompey who was sent from rome to conquer the other side of the world , sent a jeere to caesar , for that he could not otherways overcome such a small handful of people as he judged the britains to be : therefore caesar bore him a grudge for it to his dying day ; so that before pompey came to rome , caesar having many of the britains with him , met him , and shewed him the britains valour in a battel where pompey was slain , and caesar made conqueror of the world . and know this also , that the romans should never have had footing in britain , had britain then been united within it self : for king lud died , and left behind him under age four sons : cassibellan his brother was made protector ; and usurping the throne , androgeus son and heir to lud , being deprived of his right , agreed and sided with caesar , and went to rome ; therefore many towns not submitting to cassibellan , because he was not their lawful king , made much for caesar , and brought in the romans as abovesaid : so that caesars report is true , saying , that britain was divided when he invaded it : but had he come in king luds time , he had found no entrance into britain . yet as the truth is , our confedracie with the romans did us much evil : for our men going out of the land to maintain the romish interest , made our number decrease , and emboldened our pilfring enemies to set upon us , specially after they saw that huge host go out of britain for the service of christ under constantine the great . thus much touching the romans , as being worthy of note , i thought good to shew you . and now to return where i left : the britains , as before you see , were in great distress , from the time of edward the first , to the time of henry the seventh ; that is to say , above two hundred years ; and for all their enemies could do to them , the britains kept their language , records and prophesies : so that henry the seventh being a britain-promised prince , had them prophesies as his guide ; and he observing them , came accordingly to the throne , to the comfort of all people : for he united york and lancaster , redeemed wales , and was the means to bring england and scotland under one head ; and from that time to this day , the welch british blood , according to the welch prophesies , hath continued on the throne of great britain . thus far god hath done for us in fulfilling our prophesies ; blessed be his name for ever : and more is yet to be fulfilled of the said prophesies , which will infallibly come to pass as the rest did ; for god is come in his promises , therefore now it is time for you english-men to consider it , ( and not henceforth to despise , deride and scorn the welch ) that ye may as britains be made partakers of the blessing with us , denying your english or saxon interest ; for surely the saxons shall vanish , as god hath determined it by our prophesies . the mystery of our prophesies and knowledge was delivered to us of old , by samothea , or , as moses calls him , gen. . . meshech , that is , a messenger or angel of god : others call him , diese , that is , god ; they attributing the godhead to him , in regard of the light come from him to the world : but we call him samothea , that is ▪ a man endued with wisdome or sapience above others ; who indeed at first laid the platform of true knowledge among us ; by which evangelical divine rules , our bards were guided to prophesie : and specially having the mystery opened by the coming of jesus christ , they were the more informed by his spirit ; so that they became undoubtful and certain in what they said and delivered to the britains . and there is a book of one mr. thomas pugh , called , british and outlandish prophesies , printed , for lodowick lloyd at the castle in gornhil in london ; in which book you shall finde much of our welch prophesies , ( though mis-applyed by the author ) to which book i refer you : for in that book you are to look upon a thing done according to the pattern , heb. . . that is , a thing in form like the old testament , and beginning the year of christ , page . first of all , you shall finde there a second moses , or an angelical child taken out of the water , called taliesin , whom many our nation much honour : for the said taliesin tells you many things that were in the beginning , as moses doth ; pronounceth woes against all sorts of sinners ; sheweth you his belief in jesus christ ; warns you of the romish faction ; and tells you a forehand of the britain captivity being overcome by the saxons , and of their restoration in due time by the seed of the woman , whom he calls by name angharad , many hundred years before she was born , pag. . and pag. . and that out of the said woman should come a valiant conquerour called kar , that is , karolus or charles , pag. . this taliesin , and the prophets or wise men that followed , do foretel you the death of king charles , the place of it , the manner of it , and shew you by whom it is done , pag. . and who for a time shall enjoy his territories , pag. . secondly , you shall finde that charles the king , and oliver that enjoys his kingdoms , are both the seed of the same angharad , as jacob and esau were , gen. . see for this , pag. , and , and . thirdly , you shall find that these prophets do agree , and testifie that the said charles , called by them koronog vaban ; in english , the crowned son of anne , shall rise again , and not onely conquer britain , or recover his own , but also shall conquer the whole world : that is , the line and race of the said charles , shall do it : for you must understand it in a reasonable way : see for this , pag. , . and also pag. , , , , . fourthly , for a miraculous witness , that that race and line of koronog vaban shall be raised again to conquer , as abovesaid , you shall find , pag. . taliesin's prophesie of great stones raised from a bottom , and set on a hill ( which stones are so big , that no creature can move them ) when the head of koronog faban was to be raised ; and that came to pass at the coronation of king james in england , who had been crowned many years afore in scotland while he was in his cradle ; which being in that regard a crowned baby , is also upon that account coronog faban : for koronog vaban in english , is either the crowned baby , or the crowned son of anne ; both are included in the word . and the author confesseth it to be a word of a double signification , . neither durst he put out such prophesies , had he not seemed to be exceedingly for oliver : therefore he wresteth the prophesies to speak for him ; and it was god's providence that brought them forth : for oliver was rather more angry then pleased with the author for such a discovery . fifthly , you shall find that after taliesin had set forth olivers deeds , p. . he termineth and limiteth his time ; and then pag. . he saluteth charles the second by name , though mystically ; and there the author is at a stand , not daring to interpret it , nor knowing what to say : but pag. . he seemeth to shew the time of the beginning of the departing of oliver and coming of charles , and of his deeds , as followeth , pag. . this is the whole substance of pughs book , and it is agreeable to the scripture ; it is agreeable to the jews expectation , and agreeable to our christian religion . and these prophesies did never fail hitherto , as our countrey-men know ; but at one time our country-men and bards were amazed , and thought they had failed : for in . the golden number being . the moon also changing on lower sunday-eve , there was a prophesie that pronounced a wo to britain in that year ; and moreover , bidding us beware of a fire upon the land ( that year ) the second thursday after midsummer day ; and therefore they looked for that day to be the day of judgement : but finding nothing come to pass then , they thought all their prophesies were lies , and that no more credit was to be given to them . but , as i was informed , upon that very thursday , in that very year , oliver cromwel presented a petition to king james touching the fens in lincolnshire , and about eli , he being backt with abundance of country-men , on stilts ; and as soon as king james took the petition , his nose fell a bleeding , that he swore it was an ill omen , saying , if he could tell how , he would hang that fellow that had given him that paper . but oliver had a strong party with him , so that the king was pacified , and thought it best to be quiet . thus the king and countrey began to jar about the fens , which the king had sold from the countrey to some dutchmen ; & oliver at the first began to gain the love of the people by this means : for none durst head them then but he . now you see how the fire began between the king and country on that very day : so that the prophesie was fulfilled , though our country were ignorant of it : which fire burned the king and his party to nothing ; so that as s. clement saith , they shall be renewed , and rise as the phoenix doth , out of its own ashes : and for this nation , i believe that the generality of the people of this land are britains ( or welch , as now we call them ) by descent : for though they lost their language by reason of their mixture with romans , saxons , danes , normans , and other nations which came to this land from time to time ; yet they did not lose their consanguinity : and you must conceive thus much , that though this land was many times conquered by forrainers , yet none of the poor people and husband-men , nor any that did submit to the conquering party , were removed ; and that it was always the chief nobility , being overcome , fled to wales , or to any place where they could finde a refuge . therefore we , whose noble descent you see , ought not to be divided : truly wales had never been brought under england , but for its division : and now what danger are we in , being divided , and do no righteous things ? we cannot stand long if we have not a king . but you will say , who shall be king ? if you go in a righteous way , i will shew you that charles stuart is the man who by right should enjoy it according to our ancient custome : for he is the true heir of all ; for in him runs that stream of royal blood that shall make glad the city of god : for all the blood-royal of the britains , scots , saxons , normans , is primary in him . i could make this out , and shew you his lineal descent , if i thought you would question it : i could also make it appear abundantly by their prophesies in mr. pughs book , that god long before this time hath determined and declared his fall and his restoration ; and that word koronog vaban , which is the key of all our prophesies , belongs to him ; and that it cannot be brought to speak for oliver cromwel , as mr. pugh would have it . but what should i trouble you with these things which you cannot relish ? i shall shew you a more excellent way ; for god did not cast down charles , to the end that he should be set up again upon the same slipery foundation : for he had better he a step lower then he was , that he might stand surer : therefore take this as followeth . men and brethren : i having read histories , and seen the course of the world from time to time , i finde that from the creation to this day , there is troubles in the world about superiority , and that much innocent blood hath been spilt by governors to maintain their worldly interests ; yet for all that , could they never make themselves and posterity sure to hold long , nor finde a way to govern , that was not defective in the issue : their foundation being bloody , could not stay them from falling : they would not come to judgement , nor be called to an account for what they did , and their shedding of innocent blood : but they could not shun it when gods time came . i might prove this , not onely from histories , but also from the holy scripture , that it is so now , and hath been so at all times , in all the habitable world , among all nations from the beginning : but my business is not to make great volumes to shew all that might be said in this case : onely i say , that all sorts of government , yet known and established among men , whether by kings hereditary , ( counted best ) or by elective kings , or by states , or whatsoever else is or hath been , it is nought , and destructive to men : therefore i through gods help briefly shall shew you a form of government that hath not been yet made known to the world , though figured forth in the gospel by jesus christ and his apostles , this sixteen hundred yeers : and now our necessity requireth me to hold it forth : we have had much talk of the kingdom of jesus-christ , but we are ignorant of it all this while ; none sheweth it , though it be time : for if the protector , army , and parliament , striving about the militia ( as they did with the late king ) fall to war again ( as it is like they will ) then wo to england , that ever the gospel shined so bright in it , and that by it , it could not finde the way of peace : therefore take this as followeth for your direction . . let not the chief of great britain and ireland enter into his power and government , until he be above fifty yeers of age . . let him be a poor , honest , godly man ; even so poor ( though industrious in his calling ) that he hath been forced to take almes : and let him be chosen by lot . . when he is king ( for that title the scripture gives him , pet. . . and that title is best known to england by our law ) let him have the sole power in church and state : namely , the militia , or whatsoever else is appointed for the good and defence of the nation , shall be his ; and let him be accountable to no man . . let all writs go , and whatsoever is done , let it be done , as heretofore in the kings name , and let him have but a hundred pound a year to maintian him . . let the kings personall work be so little , so plain , and easie , that notwithstanding his great power , yet so that he cannot erre in what he doth : which shall be onely to call a parliament , and sit with them ; and let there be but one house of parliament . . let the protector , steward , deputy , king , or whatsoever you please to call him , be hereditary in a male line , of ability and stature to rule , and let him go on ruling as the protector doth now : only he must give account before the king and parliament every third year ; for all that is done amisse in ruling , by him or his officers under him ( though done by a constable or corporal ) shall be laid to his charge , because that upon knowledge thereof he did not punish the offendours . . the king every third year , upon the third week of december , shall send forth writs to call a parliament , and command them to meet him at the parliament-house the first week in march , and they are to sit untill the first of september , and no longer . . that no man be chosen to serve in parliament , but such as are above fifty year old , and that are judicious able men in knowledge of law and judgement . . that none be put in nomination to be chosen , but such as fear god , hate covetousnesse , love the poor , and is peaceable . chuse none that hath not been just and honest in his dealing with all men , good and charitable to the poor , and is full of the holy ghost . . that none be chosen , which be in places of profit or preferment under the deputy or protector , as now ye call him , nor any commander of the army , who all are subjects to be judged by the parliament , and not to sit as judges in their own cause : for though the protector be liable to suffer for every fault his officers do , he not avenging the oppressed that made his complaint to him , or he not sitting in the seat of judgement to hear complaints thrice a week , where the poorest sort , as well as the rich , without hinderance may come , be heard , and relieved : yet shall his officers suffer every one for his own fault according to his desert , and the king and parliament shall judge it ; but whosoever he be that sought not to the protector first , and is not relieved in a weeks time after his complaint made , though the wrong be done him in parliament time , yet shall he not be heard by the king and parliament . . the deputy , or protector , every week thrice shall sit on a throne in an open place , where every one may come and make his complaint to him , clearing it by evidence ; and after that , he must give just judgement speedily in a weeks time , or else the king and parliament shall call him to account for it : neither is it intended that the protector must judge all causes between man and man , but to judge the wrong done by any in authority to a private man or woman . . if by chance there come into the house a close hypocrite that is contentious , the parliament speedily shall cast him out , and by their order the countrey shall suddenly chuse another , or send him up which he out-voted at the time of election : neither may he at any time be chosen again to sit in parliament . countrey and city , as one man , upon every occasion , shall stand up for king and parliament , to beat down their opposers : for in them is the safety of the nation ; and whatsoever in our law is contrary to this rule , shall be made void and of none effect . direction to chuse a king . it is fit that london being the chief city of these nations , england , scotland , and ireland , who are now one body , should have the preheminence as the royall city of all ; and that the king should be chosen in london ; then let the lord major ( when a king is to be chosen ) take the names of all the parishes under his command , and divide them , and cast lots untill the number be under eight : then shall he send unto those parishes which the lord hath taken , that every parish at such a day shall send a man to such a place ; whereupon every parish of them shall call a vestry to chuse a man that is above fifty years of age , that hath been a seeker of god , and that fears god , that is full of the scripture and holy ghost ( not full of the scripture , yet deny it to be gods word , as some do ) that is diligent in his calling , yet his getting being so small , that he is forced to take some alms to preserve himself and family : a poor man , that is not worth five pounds , nor is five pound in debt ; one that can write and read , and hath good understanding and reason , and one that is a native born in britain or ireland . such men shall be chosen and sent to the lord major at the time appointed , and he and the aldermen shall question them one by one , and take out of them eight in number , two of the fittest persons among them ; and after prayer , the lord major shall cast the lot ; and he on whom the lot is fallen , always shall be proclaimed by the name of king charles ; and there shall be allowed him that is king , two hundred pound a year : one hundred for himself , to maintain him during his life ; the other hundred to be divided among fifty poor old men for gowns , and the rest for them in money yearly , and to be paid out of the kingdomes treasury : and in regard of it , the old men are to pray for the king while he liveth ; and when he dieth , to accompany him to his grave ; and his buriall shall be decent according to his means , and not costly as the former kings burialls were . . i thought of another way of election : namely , that he which is the oldest charterhouse-man , shall be alwayes king ( i mean not the oldest in years , but he that was longest in the house ) it would save the trouble of electing the king , for there is a continuall succession or supply of poor old men coming in there continually ; but that it is necessary to chuse a king of the purest sort , and at last to let god chuse him , or decide it by lot , which is his own ordinance that he alwayes answereth by , in such matters that cannot be known or decided otherwayes ; as you see in the old testament and new , joshua . . judges . . , . samuel . , , , , . jonah . , . acts . , , , . besides , there might happen some treachery among these old men : for it is not convenient for any to know aforehand who shall be the next king : and the king being alwayes of one name charles , there is no interregnum , notwithstanding the time of chusing a king should be somewhat long ; for the king is alwayes living , though not declared untill elected : therefore the first is the best way for election . and now i shall shew you how this is our saviour christs institution for his kingdome . first , take notice of matthew . , , , , , , , , , mark . , , , , , , , . , , . luke . , , , . all which sheweth , that when the apostles strove for greatnesse in his kingdome , he tells them that they must not be as the gentiles were , who did alwayes exalt their great and rich ones to reign over them ; but they contrariwise , are commanded to exalt the low and poore to reign over them . and indeed , there is weighty reasons why it should be so , that the great ones should be kept down : for the great ones alwayes striving to be greater , and to have more wealth and honour , they being never satisfied , was the destruction of themselves and followers ; and were the disquieting and ruine of good , meek , innocent , peaceable men : and is it not so to this day among us , and all them who would be accounted christians ? . the holy apostle saint paul further expounding the abovesaid words of our saviour jesus christ , saith , cor. . , , . god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise , and god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty : and base things of the world , and things which are despised , hath god chosen : yea , and things which are not , to bring to nought things that are , that no flesh should glory in his presence . and further he sheweth , who are those chosen ones ; and that they are not them whom the world onely count base , but also such as the church do despise and undervalue : even such men as is above mentioned in the election , poor , yet wise men ; as you see cor. . , . saying , if then ye have judgement of things pertaining to this life , set them to judge which are least esteemed in the church : so that it is clear , the holy apostle would have the christians ( according to christs words ) to make them judges , or kings , of poor weak old men , which never had any state in the world , nor look for any thing of the world , but food and raiment . and cor. . , , . he there tells you , that there is a necessity of such men for this purpose ; and that upon such ye should put the greatest honour , they being godly and wise in a just way . . the holy apostle saint james clears it further , shewing you , that such poor men are the royall seed of christs kingdome , james . . hearken my beloved , ( saith he , regard what i say ) hath not god chosen the poor of this world , rich in faith , and heirs to the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him ? christians , this is the kingdome that ye dayly pray for , when ye say to god , thy kingdome come , thy will be done on earth , &c. and yet you will not have it come on earth : for ( speaking to the generality or middle sort of men ) saith he , james . . ye have despised the poor : do not the rich men oppresse you , and draw you before the judgement-seat ? as if he should say , i appeal to your own knowledge , whether it be not the rich ones that bring all evil upon you : ye despise the poor harmlesse men , which love god and not the world ; and ye would not have them which by gods apointment should reign over you , and ye have chosen the rich to reign over you , that love the world and not god ; but what do you get by it ? do they not make war among you ; & to maintain their humours , draw you , drive you , yea , consume you to nothing many times ? this you see is true . and again , these poor must not be such poor as make themselves voluntarily poor ; you know some of the church of rome do so , and glory in it ; but alas , it is a vain glory . neither are they such as become poor by prodigality and evil-husbandry ; but such poor as the lord doth delight in , and which follow him , and have been industrious also : yet through crosses and temptations have been kept alwayes under by the power of god , so that they could not attain to any state in the world , for they do not desire it ; much being content with what god sends them : for they know riches is a tempting thing that doth cause many to forget god , and be as strangers to him ; and that of this sort is the tempting love of riches , to which most mens wills are inclinable ; and therefore it is a dangerous temptation , timoth. . , . buried in oblivion by them : for the temptation they are acquainted with , is their sufferings , and their adversaries reproaching of them , because of their godlinesse and low condition ; and to such poor our saviour saith , luke . , , . ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations , and i appoint unto you a kingdome , as my father hath appointed me ; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdome , and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of israel : and as saint james saith , james . . blessed is the man that indureth temptation ; for when he is tried , he shall receive the crown of life , which the lord hath promised to them that love him : for you must understand , that these poor must be just and holy ones ; and that no wicked ones shall inherit this kingdome of god , cor. . , . let this suffice to prove , that christs kingdome is that which i have shewed you in the foregoing passage : now i say unto you , it is in vain for any to think of setting up any other government ( as saith the angel to ezra , esdras . . ) for in the place wherein the highest beginneth to shew his kingdome or citie , there can no mans building be able to stand ; and god hath begun here to shew it this many years ; therefore your buildings fall . reasons why this kingdome should be set up among us . . because it is of christ founded : therefore it is his kingdome , which is most perfect ( though contrary to the kingdomes of men ) which shall stand for ever , to his glory . . because we were taught by christ to pray , saying , thy kingdome come : therefore we ought to endeavour to fulfill our prayers in setting it up , for our good . . because such a king , being old , and hath not long to live here , and but a poor allowance of a hundred pound a year ; one that fears god , and is chosen of god by lot ; one whose integrity is known to men before he is chosen , so that he never was for the world : i say , such a one will do right , and cannot do wrong ; for the fear of god , his age , weaknesse , disability in money , and the law , will bind him to it . there is none else can do us right , but such a one as christ and his apostles , and i , do shew you : for our former kings had mighty revenues and power , therefore they did what they listed against law and reason , for which cause they came to destruction many times : our former parliaments being up , were worse then our kings , laying heavier burthens on us : therefore the generall of our army pulls them down , and he sets up himself under the name of protector : but nothing is mended ; therefore the army pulls him down , and are in confusion , not knowing what to do ; and nothing shall stand but this kingdome that i shew you , because it is of god : it is in vain for you to set up any other form of government ; for it shall fall , it shall be pull'd down by others . . this kingdom is not any way against the kings of the earth , but of much advantage to secure both great and smal in their just rights : for whereas now , they , through their corrupt and boundlesse resolution , hazard souls , bodies , & states , to maintain their prodigall unjust deeds , untill they lose all for it ; this kingdome and king will keep them in safety and sure possession : for understanding that they are to give account every third year , they will take heed what they do , and not run in such extravagant , unjust courses , and ungodly wayes , and have much more comfort by it then now they have : for god & the people will blesse them , and there is no other way to establish and confirm every one in his just right but this : for christ is the prince of peace , and will not disinherit any line , yet will punish offenders , and preserve their seed that amend . . it prevents all treason : for to what end should any conspire against this king , that hath but a hundred pound a year , which they shall not enjoy , if they kill , him ? the law goes on , another is chosen , and they are to suffer the most infamous and cruel death as can be devised , and none can come that way to reign in this kingdome . it shall not be here as formerly it was , or as the saying is , treason never prospereth : for if it prosper , who dare call it treason ? they shall not advance themselves thereby : all treason aims at some good advantage and preferment ; but here is nothing to be had ; if any do it , death and damnation is their reward , which none living can desire : therefore this king needs no guard , god and his innocency is sufficient for his guard ; and let not his deputy have any guard to encourage him in wickednesse , but let him have officers , persons to keep order about him , as the lord major of london hath now about him . . because in such a king christ comes to reign upon earth ; for christs coming must be as the coming of eliah was in john baptist , for eliah was taken up to heaven , kings . , . as christ was , acts . , , . and it was as hard a thing to see him ascend , as it was to see eliah ascend ; and as there was a promise that eliah should come on earth again , malachi . . so he came in john baptist , luke . . and christ saith , that john was that eliah , matth. . , . therefore christ comes not as men imagine , but according to the scripture , as i shew you here ; and they that look for his coming in this way , shall see him , heb. . , and the rest shall never see him , but shall be shut up in darknesse . there is abundance more reasons that i could give you , to shew the beauty and excellency of this kingdome : which i omit for the present ; because i intend to be brief , and the time doth require it : therefore now i shall shew you some reasons to shew why this kingdome was not set up afore this time . . because our saviour christ foresaw , that the kings of the gentiles would not have suffered the gospel to be preached in their kingdomes , if so be that the apostles had gone then to put them down , and set up of the poor to be kings over them . . because the gospel of this kingdome , was first to be preached in all the world for a witnesse to all nations ; and then ( which is now ) comes the end of their kingdomes , and christs kingdome takes place , matth. . , . and the princes of the gentiles shall mourn , because they must bow to this kingdome , and become servants to the poor . . because the gentiles have their times limited , luke . . and though known then to none but the father , acts . , . so that the apostle then speaking of it , puts a certain time for an uncertain , revel. . . but now the tokens are come , the time is manifested , matth. . , . that all may see it . . because the scripture was ingrossed heretofore in the great mens hands , so that they might do as they pleased with the people that knew little or nothing of scripture ; but when the art of printing was found , and they had liberty to have the scripture , knowledge is increased among the people , and shall increase : so that they will not be ruled by the kings set up after the manner of the gentiles any more . here is the good old cause that god raised our army to stand for ; and if they will not stand for this kingdome and government of christs own institution , which i do shew here , they shall fall : and those that take up this interest shall prevail . here you see the reasons why this kingdome ought to be set up , and reasons why it was not set up before this time . and if you ask me the reason why king charles is so unfortunate , since i make him to be the best of all kings : truely i answer , because his resolution is not right , for he would come in and settle all things as formerly we had them , therefore he cannot prosper ; but let him leave that resolution , and resolve to stand for this way , surely he shall find better fortune , and be more glorious , and more surer in his throne then any of his predecessors , though he seem to be a step lower then they were : for i say to him that shall be king , and to him that is deputy and king also , for a deputy was king , kings . . let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted : but the rich , in that he is made low , james . , . here is matter of joy for both . mens good old cause shall fall : indeed mr. prin doth shew the right cause of this war , as at first it was declared , and that was but a pretence , for they quickly routed such as stuck to that : their cause was to get all from the king , countrey , and church , and to keep it ; and this they call the good old cause , and they that stand for this , are counted the good people and well-affected ; but i am sure their cause is neither good nor old : and if the long parliament come together , and sit to maintain it , according to their invitation ; let them beware of john , lest they also be served as baal's worshippers were , kings . . and it was a wise saying of the philistines to their king , sam. . . wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master ? should it not be with the heads of these men ? thus you see mens cause , and gods cause ; mens end , and gods end and intention . therefore let the parliament at their next meeting settle this government , for none else will stand : for if the long parliament go settle themselves as heretofore , their generall in time will break them , and set up himself , so that there shall be nothing but tossing the nations to and fro in bloud , until this way of christ be setled . and if you desire to know who hath wrote these lines , you may come to know me by my face , and form of my visage , which of late hath been changed : i nor any other can give a reason for it , but this , that it 's a sign of god , and a seal to this work of god , that should stop the kings of the gentiles mouths , isaiah . , , . but methinks i hear some say , the jews will have no such poor king as you set forth ; they refused king jesus , because he was outwardly poor . i say , god hath provided one that is so noble in birth and parentage for them , that none is equall to him upon that account ; yet he and all such shall be servants to our poor kings : and the jews shall be satisfied in my next that followeth , both in english and latine , that was a long while ago given to the great jewish rabby , manasseh ben israel . a word to the souldiery , and the people in general . and truely the people are now in such amazement , that they know not who to obey with safety : for lenthals parliament sits , though few in number , to maintain ( as they call it ) a free state ; but the main end of it is to hugge and make sure to themselves the unrighteous mammon gotten by deceit . chiefly , church and crown-lands ; and this is a matter of joy to their party : bampfields parliament , as report goes , look upon themselves as yet not dissolved , but rejourned , and have in their meetings more members then lenthal : but prins parliament exceeds both , in regard of its members and right cause ; which truth the records of the times , and all honest people can witnesse , that the army was raised for the defence of the king and parliament , as mr. prin maintains . these parliaments signifie nothing , no nor the head-officers of the army ; but the noble spirits of the under-officers and agitators doth all : therefore you brave britains , stand up for christs kingdom , let not self-interest blinde your eyes ; the glory is yours , for you are christs chief instruments ; kings or parliaments are as nothing before you : yea , you souldiers can take down your head-officers , if they stand between you and christ : o go on as ye are christians , and go on as ye are bold britains of a noble stock ( as ye have it in the introduction of this book ) to set up christs kingdom . was it not a bold british souldier , under king belinus the britain , that struck one of the grave senators of romes beard , while yet they were gentiles ? for when belinus king of the britains had conquered all so far as rome , the roman senators said , and sent to him , saying , that he must not come there , for it was the seat of the gods : and when belinus boldly resolved to try whether they were gods or no , he marched to them , and found no resistance , because they were not able to fight him : for the senators thought , they being set on thrones in a gallant posture , to daunt & perswade the souldiers , that they were gods that could destroy the souldiers in a moment ; but the undaunted british souldiers being not afraid of their presence , came to see them ; and a bold souldier , to try their deity , taking one of them by the beard , made them all flee , and be glad to give of their gold to serve the souldiers need . here were gallant spirits ; and much more gallant were the britains that went with constantine the great to raise up christs church , and make it famous in the world ; but your work is more eminent then both the others . o fail not to do it , set up christs kingdome . and because none shall disgrace me , saying , he set a time for the kings coming in . and it came not to passe : i did not conclude so , but made a doubtfull case of it , as you may see in my book called the eccho , pag. . and printed . and now i shall shew you a seasonable vision that i had in . i saw my self standing on a pool of water in merionithshire , at the parish of talyllun ; the pool is called in our welch language llunniamgyl ; the honourable colonel john jones , one of your house , knows the place : and as i stood upon the water , i saw a company of black foxes pursuing a young lion ; and as they followed the lion , they ran round about me , sometimes on the water , and sometimes on the high way , that is on the north-side of the pool : i pitied the lion , and cast stones at the foxes with all my might : but as i was throwing stones at the foxes , immediately they appeared to be young children , that stood still a while on the way , the north side of the pool ; and a voice said to me , why dost thou cast stones at the children ? and as i came to land , immediately they turned to be black foxes , pursuing the lion again : but on a sudden , the foxes being on the water , became white lambs , stood still ; and the lion being on the water turned to them ; and they , as it seemed to me , kissed each other : thus the vision ended . the interpretation , as i humbly conceive , is this . charles is the lion , and you are the foxes , the stones are the words of my former books against you , for which i was reproved : your becoming children was your dissolution , or interruption , which made you repent that you did not before make your peace with charles : your turning to black foxes again , signifieth that you are the same now as ye were before your dissolution ; your turning to be white lambs , is , that you shall propound this way of peace to charles ; and your kissing each other , signifieth that you will effect it , and settle peace in a glorious manner . this is the summe of all in few lines to you : consider it ; and know , that these words are faithfull and true . this vision i had quite forgot , untill within this twelve-moneth : i told it many , but i could not tell how to apply it right , untill this time of your second meeting : i pray god it be rightly interpreted , so that there may be no more innocent blood spilt in this cause ; and that this word become not unprofitable to you , through the deceitfulnesse of riches gotten in these times , & that you do not lose the immortal glory set before you here : and take notice , that this word i present you withall , is the word of the kingdom , matth. . . and i know nothing more against it , then seeming godly mens self-interest in the world : which interest will ruine them , if they go on in holding for it as they do . the postscript . and to shew you all in a word : first , you see that jesus christ is for a single person , and not for a free state ( as you call it : ) he that is chief , luke . . those mine enemies which would not that i should reign , luk. . . so that jesus when he speaks of these things , he is for a king , and a kingdome ; as you may see throughout the gospel . secondly , you see that he would not have the great and rich to be his kings ( like as the gentiles have ) but would have the poor and low exalted to the throne , lu. . , , , , , . thirdly , you see , that ( as i said before ) there must be two exalted in his kingdom , yet one above the other must be the chief : for when the mother of zebedees children petitioned our saviour jesus christ , for her two sonnes james and john , saying , grant that these my two sons may sit , the one on thy right hand , the other on thy left , in thy kingdome ; he doth not answer her , saying , there is no such thing to be in my kingdome ; but saith , to sit on my right hand and on my left , is not mine to give ; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father , matth. . , , . here you see that two are to be exalted , yet differ in power one above the other , as the right hand is above the left : and if you consider this word , prepared and promised , you shall find the harmony of it touching this kingdome , and admire it : for , saith the king , inherit the kingdome prepared for you , matth. . . and saint james calls it , the crown of life , and kingdome promised of god to them that love him , james . . james . . and to you , i say , the parliament that now sit ( for i have not addressed my self to any other power before , though i had this knowledge long before now ) do you set up this kingdome , for you are those like zorobabel that began the work , do you also finish it , zachar. . . do you make an agreement with charles stuart , and call him in ( if you think fit ) to rule , and inherit his own , and set a king above him according to this discovery : for i do believe , seeing things going on since as they did , many of you repented that you did not agree with him before you were dissolved ; but then you had not this way to propound to him , which being observed , will secure every man in his right , after the agreement , so that none shall wrong another : for christ in the poor man being exalted to the right hand , having the sole power , will keep all in order and subjection . and as god hath been preparing this kingdome for us , from the foundation of the world : so you , after your late repulse , are better prepared to set it up , then you were before : and do it : let no self-interest hinder it ; for you may secure all ye have thus in peace , better then to keep up your free state ( as ye call it ) by war and fear , untill at last you lose all : and it is necessary that ye are now in such a state , else you could never have power to make agreement , and to set up christs kingdom ; but have a care that ye lose it not again before you do the work : for our noble army , whose wisdome and valour you know , whose descent i shew from the original , may have a design which ye cannot apprehend . finis . the crying charge douglas, eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the crying charge douglas, eleanor, lady, d. . p. s.n.], [s.l. : . bound and filmed with d proceeding. caption title head of p. has: "by the lady eleanor douglas." reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng douglas, eleanor, -- lady, d. . castlehaven, mervyn touchet, -- earl of, ?- . prophecies. great britain -- history -- charles i, - . a r (wing d a). civilwar no the crying charge. douglas, eleanor, lady b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the crying charge . ezekiel . now thou son of man , wilt thou judge , wilt thou judge the bloody city ? yea , thou shalt shevv her all her abominations , &c. printed in the yeer . to the high court of iustice , appointed for the tryal of charles stvart king of england . by the lady eleanor douglas . shews , the kings consent therewith , how mervin e. of castlehaven , lord audeley , unmercifully was sentenced to death easter term . and in may cruelly executed a●● tower-hill , accused falsly of two crimes , what lewdnes could and malice produce ; one , of his being accessary to a rape committed on ann his wife , done by a page , one broadway ; and , of sodomy ( made death h : . ) committed with an irish footman , fitzpatrick o donel ; which aforesaid lord audeley indicted of felony , brought to his tryal at westminster , the k. attorney where shew'd , the king like god , would extend to the prisoner all mercy : likewise the lo : keeper that day lo : high steward , because the cry was great of sodom , would see whether those things were so ; the witnesses whereupon call'd to appear , she a common whore her husbands accuser , without ever appearing in court , or taking any oath , had there contrary to the law , one of her consorts that said , my lady upon her honor saith thus , &c. or , it was true . the other witness , the irishman , he a vagrant , had served under the emperor , although a papist , had contrary to law , his oath taken at the bar , refusing the oath of allegiance ; where askt by one of the judges the maner , confest , not the act , but somewhat of a foul nature , &c. what such malice & the like might invent , promised to be the queens footman . the attorney , one not to seek of his errand , saying , howsoever , it was an act of uncleanness ; prayed the court to proceed upon it : my lords , said he , you have heard this odious crime , how dark and mysterious 't is grown ; you must be curious therefore how you admit of any mitigation : who accordingly his counsel took , &c. vpon which pronounced , lord have mercy upon thee the prisoner , to lose his life forthwith , of such promised mercy enjoyed the first-fruits . all which undue sinister proceedings by way of humble petition signified to the k. when perceived to what a low ebb the cry vvas faln and his chaplains , deans and others appointed to attend the prisoner , partly by their relation , he thrice in their presence had taken the sacrament upon it , he was not guilty of those criminals ; was pleased by them to let the prisoner know his gracious answer , he should dye like a peer of the realm , be beheaded , and not hanged like a common person : whose servants , his page the principal , who ought to have suffered , before the accessary ; he and his fellow-servant the footman were brought to their tryal the next term . in behalf of whom the aforesaid broadway , came up divers gentlemen of the county to inform the king , able to testifie of the youths coming home to his fathers house , more then six moneths afore the time put down by her of the ravishment , this broadway come away from his lords service . who at last cast ; when upon the ladder so far protested both his masters innocency that way and his own ; taking god to witness , a virgin he came into his service , and a virgin went forth of it . o donel praying to st. dennis , cryed out upon some of the privy councel that told him , he must speak for the king , and thought not to be served so . and this mans house utterly ruined , chiefly , because had declined popery , before his untimely death ever suspected ; endeavoring to reform his family , by which means cast himself upon the merciless times . mervin earl of castlehaven , that faithful martyr , suffering ( as it were ) between those twain , one on the right hand , the other on the lest , the honor having to be the first entred into the joy of his lord ; of whom notwithstanding the worst any in the world could world could say , was , he had the best things in him of any , and the worst : vpon the scaffold making this his confession ; in the name of god amen . i mervin earl of castlehaven , being in my full strength and memory , thanks be given unto my maker , having been branded and openly accused for change , alteration and doubtfulness of my faith and religion ; i thought fit , like a christian man to give satisfaction upon what ground i stand for my belief , and to express it under my hand , for the satisfaction of all charitable people and christians . first , i do believe in the blessed and glorious trinity , three persons ; one eternal and everlasting god , god the father , god my redeemer , and god my sanctifier . i do relye upon the merit , death and passion of our blessed savior christ iesus , and upon his mediation for the remission of my sins . i do believe and use with most humble reverence our lords prayer , the creed of the apostles , and the ten commandments , as they are set down and allowed in the church of england . i do believe the canonical scriptures , and that they are written by the inspiration of the holy spirit . and for the rest of my belief , i do refer it to the true orthodox faith of our church of england . and from the articles received at this present in the church of england , and confirmed by authority of parliament , i do not differ in any point , renouncing all the superstitions and errors taught or believed in the church of rome or any other church ; in which faith i will , god willing , continue to my lives end : in testimony whereof , i have hereunto subscribed my hand this first of may , . castlehaven . psal. . right dear in the sight of the lord is the death of his saints . finis . a brief survey of the prophetical and evangelical events of the last times: vvherein that which principally is insisted on, is the prophetical little horn, or man of sin, and evangelical beast, and his seven heads and ten hornes. shewing by the scriptures what they be, when their rise, what their work, how long their continuance, and their end and ruine. much differing from former and common interpretations hereupon. wherein also those prophecies are briefly touched which concern the persecution of the saints, the falling away of the churches, the night of darknesse, the virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom, the mystical whore, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome to all the world, and the gathering of the jewes into their own land. being a portion of the paines in searching of the holy scriptures by several members of the congregation of orpington in kent. and now published for the comfort of all those that have an interest in the lord jesus christ, and wait, look for, and long after his coming, tit. . , , . / by capt. john brovvne a member of that congregation. browne, john, captain. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing b thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a brief survey of the prophetical and evangelical events of the last times: vvherein that which principally is insisted on, is the prophetical little horn, or man of sin, and evangelical beast, and his seven heads and ten hornes. shewing by the scriptures what they be, when their rise, what their work, how long their continuance, and their end and ruine. much differing from former and common interpretations hereupon. wherein also those prophecies are briefly touched which concern the persecution of the saints, the falling away of the churches, the night of darknesse, the virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom, the mystical whore, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome to all the world, and the gathering of the jewes into their own land. being a portion of the paines in searching of the holy scriptures by several members of the congregation of orpington in kent. and now published for the comfort of all those that have an interest in the lord jesus christ, and wait, look for, and long after his coming, tit. . , , . / by capt. john brovvne a member of that congregation. browne, john, captain. [ ], p. printed by gartrude dawson, london, : anno dom. . annotation on thomason copy: "feb: d"; the final in imprint date crossed out, and replaced with a . reproduction of the original in the british library. eng prophecies -- early works to . millenialism -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no a brief survey of the prophetical and evangelical events of the last times:: vvherein that which principally is insisted on, is the prophet browne, john, captain. d the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the d category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - pip willcox sampled and proofread - pip willcox text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief survey of the prophetical and evangelical events of the last times : vvherein that which principally is insisted on , is the prophetical little horn , or man of sin , and evangelical beast , and his seven heads and ten hornes . shewing by the scriptures what they be , when their rise , what their work , how long their continuance , and their end and ruine . much differing from former and common interpretations hereupon . wherein also those prophecies are briefly touched which concern the persecution of the saints , the falling away of the churches , the night of darknesse , the virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom , the mystical whore , the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome to all the world , and the gathering of the jewes into their own land . being a portion of the paines in searching of the holy scriptures by several of the members of the congregation of orpington in kent . and now published for the comfort of all those that have an interest in the lord jesus christ , and walt , look for , and long after his coming , tit. . , , . by capt. john brovvne a member of that congregation . london , printed by gartrude dawson , anno dom. to his highnesse oliver lord protector of the common-wealth of england , scotland & ireland . my lord , the actings of the almighty , in this last age of the world , are visible to the eyes of all persons in generall in these nations , ( especially to those that love and obey him ) over whom providence hath placed you as the chief magistrate , in whose hands you have been an eminent instrument , to bring to pass those things which he had determined so to be , and foretold by his prophets , the lord jesus and his apostles ; which having in some measure been discovered to some of his ( despised in this world ) they durst not hide their talent in a napkin , but what was freely given in to them , of knowledge & understanding in things yet to be brought to passe , they doe as freely communicate to all , there being duties to be performed by all , and especially by those who have power in their hands to make good use of it , and their time , in imploying of it so , as that this gospel of the kingdome may be preached in all the world , and the jews brought to their own land , that so the coming and kingdom of the lord iesus to raign on the earth with his saints may be hastened ; who knowes but that the time of deliverance to his people is nigh ; the lord grant that there may be no cursed murmurers , or wicked transgressors among us , whereby that deliverance should yet be retarded a longer time , as it was with israel for such transgressions , who were deprived of the possession of the land of promise a long time , and wandred in the wildernesses fourty yeares . my lord , the work is great that is to be done , and it will be done in a short time , if we put forth our selves , conquest and liberty to preach the gospel of the kingdome go together ; our eares have heard you have some design on the western parts of the world , where these glad tidings were never as yet made known ; if your highness have any desire that the same should be there , or in any other part of the world published , you need not fear the attempt . at your spare time cast your eye upon what this ushers to your view , and if the lord have appointed you for the great work that is yet to be done , he will stirre up your heart to a speedy acting therein ; to whom our prayers for your direction , and blessing therein , and protection over you ( that under your government we may live a quiet and peaceable life , in all godliness and honesty ) shall not be wanting , in whom we desire to be found . my lord , your highnesses in all faithfull obedience to your commands , not disagreeing to the command of our god and our lord iesus . signed in the name of several believers in christ , and especially of many of the congregation at orpington , john browne . to all christian readers by profession in general , but especially to such who have made manifest their faith in the lord jesus christ , by yeilding obedience to all his commandements . this little trratise comes forth to the publick view of all naked ( yet innotent ) and that to an encounter with eminent expositers ( both antient and modern ) on this subject of the beast , like a stripling david with the great a goliah of gath , one of the sons of b harephah , well and compleatly armed , when little david brings with him onely a c staffe or sling , with a scrip , wherein he puts a few smooth stones which he had taken out of the brook , contemptible weapons in themselves for to incounter such a gyant ; such may this seem to be , which shall dare to oppose the volumes of the many famous authors , for so many ages past , who have so largely expressed themselves in their writings on this subject , all of them in generall concluding , that this beast is risen long since , yea many hundreds of yeares past ( but with much difference of opinion as to the time , as mr. tillinghast in his late treatise of the knowledge of the times hath observed ) when as this doth clearly prove , that he is not yet risen ( if they mean the little horn or vile person in daniels prophesie , or the beast with seven heads and ten hornes in johns visions ) nor shall not arise till the seventh head , king or government be risen and fallen , which is but yet arising ; the truth of this , with the event of the combate , will evidently appear to such as desire after true knowledge ( who are not prepossest with the opinion of other expositers , like a vessel that is first seasoned with unsavory liquor , which will hardly be c●eansed , and that not without some tang or relish of its first seasoning ) there being nothing but plain scripture proofes ( weapons like a staffe or sling ) and a few observations out of history ( like a few smooth stones out of the brook ) for what we doe alledge ; as for our opponents , who are many , how they build one upon another , and adde strength to strength till they become a gyant ( invincible and unanswerable in their own and others opinions ) and armed with a staffe ( many scriptures , but how rightly applied weigh and consider ) but beyond that of a sling , a spear , whose shaft was like a weavers beam , armed with an iron head weighing six hundred shekels ; that is , pretending many hundreds of yeares past for the originall of that which they affirm ; so that for poor contemptible ones to come with a new doctrine , a new interpretation of these prophesies and visions , may seem very adventurous ( possibly to some a rash and a distemper'd brain ) yea and be cried down as dangerous and not to be tollerated ; but we beg this favour of the readers , as to be spectators a while , and if any will be judges let them have patience also , and suspend their judgements for a time ( which will trie the truth of all things ) and they may possibly receive some better satisfaction , after a more serious consideration of the scripture arguments on both sides . this had come forth in publick sooner , if the clarke to the company of stationers had not refused the entrance of the coppy in their hall book , for the poor ( a widdow ) printer , because it was not licensed by some of the old licensers ( there being no law in force for it , and if there were , what a sad condition would it be , for poor inquiring souls to be deprived of true light and knowledge , because the licensers are of a contrary judgement ) or subscribed by one of the wardens of that company , the one refusing to put to his hand , the other her adversary , from whom she could expect little good ; so that might and partiallity are as opposite to good , and as active to the hinderance of the poor widdow and fatherlesse as ever . the lord teach us all to see the evill of our wayes , and the vanity of our doings , and repent thereof whilst we have time , least our master call us to an account before we are ready for it . readers , if ye shall reap any profit by this little treatise , render unto the great god and our lord jesus christ a tribute of prayse for the same , for from him have we received all the light and truth thereof ; if any thing therein shall upon the touchstone of the word be found not to be the true mettall we bring it for , let that be imputed to us , who have our failings as well as others ; be as wise as the noble bereans , to search the scriptures that we have brought for what we affirm , and the lord give you understanding therein , so prayeth he for you that have an interest in the lord jesus , j. b. errata . page : line : record , read recorded : l , : stability , r : abillety : p : : l : : not , to be left out : l : : gratified , r : practised : l : : fall , r : fell : p : : l : : to others , r : to others not : p : : l : . women , r : woman : p : : l : : r : monarchy : p : : l : : this , r : his : l : : tysris , r : tygris : p : : berod●sh and merodash , r : berodach and merodach : l : ult : r : tir●aka : p : : l , , r : of agustus cesar . the passages of providence in relation to the actings of men , and fufferings of the saints ( both iews and gentiles ) from and after the death of our lord jesus christ are many and full of variety , both as to the time past and to come , which we shall endeavour to lay down and clear , as they lye in order ( as near as we can ) to succeed . the first thing that was to befall the saints after the death , resurrection and ascension of the lord iesus ( and after the gifts of the holy spirit were given forth ( according to his promise , and command to his disciples to wait for in jerusalem , . luk. , compared with the . chapter of the acts and . verse ) is , persecution ; which is agreeable to what our saviour had foretold , and recorded by the apostle iohn . chapter . verse ; if they have persecuted me , they will also persecute you : and the evangelist l●ke declares as much . chapter . they shall lay their hands on you ( saith he , speaking the words of the lord jesus ) and persecute you , delivering you up to the synagogues , and into prisons , being brought before kings and rulers for my names sake . yea the lord jesus tels us , before we become his disciples that if we will be his disciples , we must hate all our dear and near relations , in comparison of him , of loving them , and take up our crosse and follow him , . luk. , . and this not to be the portion of ordinary disciples , but also of the most eminent among them , read the words of the lord jesus , record by the evangelist luke , in his . chapter . ver. therefore also , said the wisdome of god , i will send them prophets and apostles , and some of them they shall slay and persecute . and this persecution is not to extend onely to the saints who are believers in christ , but also to the woman ( the church of the iews ) which is to bring forth the man child ( which are believers in the lord jesus both iews and gentiles , of which we shall write more fully hereafter ) . revelations . and to the remnant of her seed , by the dragons making war with them , . rev. . which as it had its beginning on abel ( the second person begotten after the creation ) so it will continue to be the portion of gods people , till their last enemy is destroyed , gog and magog , ▪ rev. , but with some breathing time , as was in the dayes of the judges ; ( viz. ) a othniel , b ehud , c deborah , d gideon , and others ) as also of solomon , and a short time in the apostles dayes , acts . and will be during the whole reign of christ , for one thousand year upon the earth ; for then that enemy of the saints , who was ( and will be ) the chief cause of all the persecution ( that they did , or shall go under ) in any age of the world ) will then be chained up , . revel , , . but will be loosed afterwards for a little season , as in the latter part of that third verse before quoted , compared with the , , , verses of that chapter . therefore the people of god are to take notice of his wisdom and goodnesse to them , in that he knoweth how much better persecutions and afflictions are for them than rest and prosperity , and accordingly administers the same to them , in a proportion to the stability he hath given to every one of them . now as we have proved that persecution is the portion of the saints in this life , because they are not of the world . iohn . so the next thing that was to befall the churches , was their falling away from the truth of that doctrine that was taught them by the lord jesus and his apostles ; and this the apostle paul foretels the church at thesalonica , that there should be a falling away before the man of sin would be revealed , thess. . . the occasion whereof is not so much the times of persecution as the churches neglect of the light ( the word ) that is left them , by which they ought to walk in the times of darknesse . the beginning of the falling away of the churches ; was before iohns writing of the book of the revelations , in which the church of ephesus is exhorted to remember from whence she is fallen , and repent and do the first works , ar else ( saith christ ) i will come unto thee quickly , and will remove thy candlestick out of his place , except thou repent , . chapter at the . verse . the said falling away ushers in the d subsequent thing that we are to treat on , that is the night of darknesse , which was foretold ▪ by our lord jesus , the night cometh , saith he , when no man can work . . iohn . also the same evangelist in his . chapter , and . verses relateth more expressions of our said lord , to the same effect ; take the words as they are recorded by him , then iesus said unto them , yet a little while is the light with you , walk while you have the light , lest darknesse come upon you : for he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whether he goeth : i am come a light into the world , that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darknesse . we do not say that this night of darknesse was immediatly to follow the death resurrection , or ascension of christ ; for although he be the day , or great light of the world ( for by him all things were made that were made , iohn . ) according to iohn the baptists expression , . iohn , . and the sun of righteousnes , according to the prophet malachies prophesie , in his . chapter . verse , compared with zacharies prophesie . luke . . yet he himself saith , that his disciples are also the light of the world , . mathew . which they are to hold forth to others , verse . neither doth the said night of darknesse presently follow the decease of the apostles ; for the apostle paul tels the church of philippi , that although they were in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation , yet among them they shine as lights in the world , philippians . as also the same apostle writting to the church at thesalonica declares to them , ye are not , ( saith he ) the children of light ; and the children of the day ; we are not of the night , nor of darknesse , th●s. . . but when once the churches ( who believed and gratified the foundation principles of the doctrine of christ ) ceased to be , then came the night of darknesse on . now this darknesse was to fall upon the iewes first , for their rejecting of the light ; the lord jesus bemoanes their sad condition for the same , saying , if thou hadst known , even thou , at least in this thy day , the things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes , . luke . and the apostle iohn relates the exhortation of the lord jesus to them ( the words we have already repeated at large upon another occasion , . iohn . which compared with the expressions of the appostle paul to the jews , for their contradicting and blaspheming : then paul and barnabas waxed h●ld and said , it was necessary that the word of god should first have been spoken to you : but seing you put it from you , and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life ; lo , we turn to the gentiles , acts . will clear our affirmation . as this night of darknesse came upon the jewes for their rejecting of the light , so in the second place it came upon the gentiles for their neglecting of it . the apostle paul writing to the church at rome , bids them have a care of boasting ; take his expressions a little at large ; thou wilt say then , the branches were broken off , that i might be grafted in . well , because of unbelief they were broken off , and thou standest by faith . be not high minded ▪ but fear : for if god spare not the naturall branches , tak● heed least he also spare not thee behold ther fore the goodnesse and severity of god ; on them which fall , severity ; but towards thee goodnesse , if thou continue in his goodnesse ; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off . compare this with the advise of the lord jesus to the church at ephesus , remember from whence thou art fallen , revel. . . and withall consider well of the words of the author of the epistle to the hebrewes , ( who were believers in christ , and had believed and practised the beginnings of the doctrine of christ , hebr. . , . ) for ( saith he ) if the word spok●n by angels was stedfast , and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward : how shall we escape , if we neglect so great salvation , which at the first began to be spoken by the lord , and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him , hebr. . , . this darknesse , after the ascention of the lord jesus , decease of the apostles , and falling away of the churches , was a general darknesse , and so brought on the night , in which the virgins were to goe forth , to meet the bridegroom , the lord jesus , math. . . but while he tarrieth they fall asleep , vers . and at midnight the cry was made , behold the bridegroom cometh , vers. . which though a parable ( or dark saying ) yet ●t holds forth something , which then , as to persons and time , should be . and to them which have believed and practised the principles of the doctrine of christ , it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome to others , math. . . now for the persons that doe goe forth to meet the bridegroom , the scripture ( as we have already declared ) stiles them virgins , that is , pure persons , and such as those who have laid the two first foundation principles , viz. repentance and faith : that is , have repented that they have sinned , and doe believe that god hath pardoned their sins by the bloud of the lord jesus , and therefore such must needs be pure persons . but the scripture makes a clear distinction between the spouse of christ and virgins : solomon ( the wisest of men ) in his song , speaking in the person of the spouse to her beloved , saith , let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth , for thy love is better than wine . because of the savour of thy good ointments , thy name is as ointment poured sorth , therefore doe the virgins love th●e , cant. . , . in which two verses there is a clear distinction i say , between the spouse ( let him kisse me ) and virgins ( the virgins love thee . ) take one other expression of his in his said song , chapter . , . there are threescore queens , and fourscore concubines , and virgins without number . my dove , my undifiled is but one : she is the onely one of her mother she is the choice one of her that bare her ; the daughters saw her and blessed her ; yea the queenes and the concubines , and they praised her . for a farther proof of our assertion , that there is such a clear distinction betwixt the spouse and virgins , take the words of a man after gods own heart , the psalmist david in his . psalm , and . verses ; the kings daughter ( saith he ) is all glorious within ; her clothing is of wrought gold : she shall be brought unto the king in rayment of needle-work : the virgins , her companions , that follow her , shall be brought unto thee . octject . doth not the apostle paul , in his epistle to the church of christ at corinth , call her there a virgin ? for i have espoused you ( saith he ) to one husband , that i may present you as a chast virgin to christ . answ. she is a chast virgin indeed , but is no where in scripture called by the name of virgins , in the plurall number ; for solomon in his cant. . . before quoted , saith , my dove , my undefiled is but one , she is the onely one of her mother ; and that expression of the psalmist david , psalm . . will farther clear this objection . object . if there be such a distinction between the church of christ and virgins , then may not we safely conclude , that the one hundred fourty and four thousand , mentioned in the . revelations . ( who are there called virgins ) to be the virgins that attend the spouse in the . psalm . answ. no , for when the spouse , or the kings daughter , is presented unto the lamb , she hath both virgins and companions attending on her ; whereas the one hundred fourty and four thousand are not sealed till after the spouse of christ ( that is the believing saints ) are taken up ; consider well of that part of the vision that the apostle john saw in the chapter of his revelations , , and . verses , where after he hath given some account of the opening of the sixth seal in the precedent chapter from the verse to the end , in the first verse of his seventh chapter , saith , and after these things ( which went before in the sixth chapter ( not that all things mentioned in this book of the revelations are to succeed in order ) as they are laid down ; but to question the things related in the opening of the seven seales , whether or , no they shall succeed in order as we find them writtenwere to question , whether it were day when the sun shineth ) i saw four angels , &c. and in the verse , i saw another angel ascending from the east , having the seal of the living god , and he cried with a loud voy●e to the four angels , to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea , saying , hurt not the earth , neither the sea , nor the trees , till we have sealed the servants of god in their foreheads . and i heard the number of them which were s●aled , and there were sealed an hundred fourty and four thousand , of all the tribes of the children of israel . now this doth clearly prove , that the hundred fourty and four thousand , who are called virgins , cannot be said to be the virgins that attend the spouse , the lambs wife , seeing they are upon the earth after the said spouse is taken up . and hereafter we shall ( with the lords assistance ) prove , that this a hundered fourty and four thousand is the women that flyeth into the wildernesse , mentioned in the . rev. . now as we have declared something what the scripture doth hold forth to be the night of darknesse , in which the virgins do go forth to me●t the bridegroom ; so in the next place we are to consider their actions , what they do . first , they take their lamps and go forth to meet the bridegroome ▪ their lamps is the word of god , it s the expression of the holy spirit , in the mouth of a man after gods own heart , the kingly prophet david in the psalm . thy w●rd ( saith he ) is a lamp unto my feet , and a light unto my path . secondly , the wise took oyle n their vessels with their lamps ; so that there we have a distinguishing of them , for although all of them take their lamps , yet five of them are said to be wise ▪ & five of them to be foolish ; that which gives them this tittle is , their taking , or not taking oyl with them ; for the foolish took their lamps , yet took no oyl with them , but the wise took oyle in their vessels with their lamps . their vessels , which all of them had , ●s their bodies , for proof thereof , take an expression of the apostle paul to the church of corinth , speaking of the glorious light of the gospel of christ ; but we ( saith he ) have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power might be of god , and not of us ; cor. . . look also on that portion of scripture written for our learning in tim. . . as also . acts . by the oyle is meant joy and gladnesse , as for ioy take notice of the prophet esaies expression from the lord to his people ; to appoint unto them that mourn in sion , to give unto them beauty for ashes , and the oyl of j●y for mourning , esai . and for gladnesse see what the spirit of god by the prophet david , speaking concerning christ , thou lovest righteousnesse , ( saith he ) and hatest wickedn●sse , therefore god , thy god hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellows . thirdly , they slumbered and slept ; not a naturall but a spirituall slumbring and sleeping , which they fall into by reason of the bridegroomes long tarrying , for had they not so done , they would have yeelded obedience to all the commands of christ , and laid the foundation principles compleat , whereby they might have been admitted as the spouse of christ , which now by reason of their sleeping condition , they proceed no further than to repentance and faith , and thereby are deprived of that happinesse , yet holding fast what they had , they have this honour to be virgins , to attend the bride the lambs wife : and this sleeping condition seized not onely upon the saints who had laid these beginning doctrines of christ , ( repentance and faith ) presently after the falling away of the churches : but also upon the saints for many ages since ; and it would be much rejoicing to us if we could see the saints by profession , in this age freed from it ; that is , that would rouze up their spirits , and no longer neglect the means afforded them , whereby they may attain unto the hight of happines , that is to be members of the spouse , the bride , the lambs wife . oh the abundance of corruption that is in all our hearts by nature , and which we are too much in love withall ; which appears evidently in that we are so unwilling to hazard the losse of honour , friends , means , and reputation , for the gaining of so great an happinesse and honour as to be the spouse of christ ; truly they that will not forsake all for christ , are not worthy of him , . mat. . . but the saints in this age ought to consider what they do ; for they cannot deny but that they are awakened by the cry that is begun to be made , behold the bridegroom cometh , which is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome : and if they do not proceed so far , as to attain the happinesse of being the lambs wife , through their own neglect and corruption ; yet they ought to be very carefull , that they take and trim their lamps , and oyl in their vessels ( joy and gladnesse in what they h●ve b●gun ) least they act the part of the foolish virgins , and so be shut out , with a verily i say to you i know you not . again , let us consider of some other things that were to fall out in this time of darknesse , beside the virgins sleeping ; a the coming forth of the mysticall whore of babylon ; which will be in the sixth head or monarch , . rev. , . and will continue till the coming forth of the ten hornes ▪ which will not be till after the rise and fall of the seventh head , verse , . concerning this mysticall whore , we are to consider these particulars . first , who she is , the discription of her you will find in . rev. , , . verses . . the place of her abode , see the . verse of that . chapter , where the holy spirit unfolding unto iohn the mystery of those things mentioned in that chapter , tells him , and the woman which thou sawest ( saith the angel ) is that great city , which reigneth over the kings of the earth . which city , comparing scripture and history together , we shall find to be ( and it could be none other but ) rome , the chief seat of the sixth head , or roman monarchy , as we shall more fully clear hereafter , the lord assisting us . . what she would doe ; consider what the apostle paul did by the spirit foretell what should fall out in the latter times , in his second epistle to timothy chap. . , , . whose words are these . now the spirit speaketh expresly , that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith , giving heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of devils : speaking lies in hypocrisie , having their consciences seared with a hot iron . forbidding to marry , and commanding to abstain from meats , which god hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth . which words spoken of some in the plurall number , cannot more properly be applied to any then to the popes of rome , typified by the woman setting upon a scarlet coloured beast , r●vel . . . and we may appeal to the hearts and consciences of all true christian readeis hereof , whether that which the apostle wrote in those three verses to timothy hath not been fulfilled by the papall power of rome . again , let us see and consider one other prophesie concerning her acting , which the angell shewed unto the apostle iohn , and which he saw , revel. . . and i saw the woman drunken with the bloud of the saints , and with the bloud of the martyrs of iesus ; and when i saw h●r i wondred with great admiration now if we may give any credit to mr. fox his history of the martyrs of jesus ( which we shall not question ) that prophesie hath been fulfilled to the purpose , of which many of the poor saints in this island in the dayes of henry the eighth , and queen maries time , were witnesses thereof . her judgement , with the persons o● powers that shall execute it ; take one clear scripture for it in the . revel. . and the ten hornes ( saith the angel unto iohn ) which thou sawest upon the beast , these shall hate the whore , and shall make h●r desolate , and naked , and shall eat her flesh , and burn ●er with fire . object . but some may say , how can this scripture clear or prove that which you bring it for ; it speaking concerning the hating of the whore , not of the woman ; therefore this verse may rather seem to have relation to the first verse of that . chapter , where the angel tells iohn , he will shew him the iudgement of the great whore , th●t sitteth upon many waters : and in the . verse of that chapter , the angel tells him , that the waters whi●h thou sawest , where the whore sitteth , are peoples , and multitud●s , and nations , and tongues . answ. the book of the revelations is full of mysteries and prophecies , and not easily to be understood , not onely upon the first , but also not upon many readings thereof ; for if it had , how comes it to passe , that those interpreters thereof ( whose writings are extant ) are so dark in those things that they undertook to open and clear ; as in this age we find some that have contradicted others that went before them , in the unfolding of these mysteries ; and we question not , but the lord will give a clearer light to others , to make more clear those things , which in this short treatise we have in some measure ( though darkly ) unfolded . but as to the objection we say , that by comparing one place in this chapter with another , and by clearing some improbabilities ( if not impossibilities ) in it , that which we have affirmed concerning the judgement of the woman or whore , will evidently appear to be truth . first , consider whether the title whore be not proper to this woman , in the . verse of that . chapter she is said to have a golden cup in her hand , full of the abominations and filthinesse of her fornication . now judge , whether she that hath committed fornication , doth not justly deserve the title of whore to be given her . secondly , for the improbability of it ; consider whether its likely that the beast , unto whom these ten hornes give their kingdome , would be acceptable unto him , when as they had destroyed the seat of his empire , babylon ; if so be that the word whore in the sixteenth verse had relation to the word great whore in the first verse , or whore in the fifteenth verse . . the fifth thing to be considered of , and that will fall out before the taking up of the saints , is , the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome , math. ▪ . the lord jesus speaking to his disciples , in answer to the three questions propounded by them to him in the third verse , begins with the first , telling them what should fall out in after times , and amongst other things tells them , that this gospel of the kingdome shall be preached in all the world , for a witn●sse unto all nations , and then shall the end come . this gospel of the kingdome was begun to be preached by the lord jesus himself , as the said evangelist mathew●ath recorded in the . chapter . and iesus went about all galilee , teaching in their synag●gues , and preaching the gospel of the kingdome : also in mathew . . you have it there recorded again of his so doing . and this he doth not onely make a part of his own work , but also when he sends forth his twelve apostles , he commands them , saying , as ye g●e preach saying , the kingdome of heaven is at hand , mathew . . which also phillip one of the seven deacons preacheth up , as appeares in acts . . and that chosen vessell of the lord , the apostle paul , he declares and preacheth the same , and now behold , i know that yee all , among wh●m i have gone preaching the kingdome of god , shall see my face no more . act. . . yea the last words and actions that are recorded of him , in the . acts , and , verses , doth declare as much ; the words are these , and paul dwelt two wh●le years in his own hired house , and received all that came in unto him , preaching the kingdome of god , and teaching those things which concern the lord iesus christ , with all confidence , no man forbidding him . now this gospel of the kingdome ceased to be preached after the falling away of the churches , and hath continued so for many ages ; but the time drawing nigh of the coming of that kingdome , it is begun to be held forth again , and must be preached in all nations before that time come ( which was not done in the primative times , by reason a great part of the now known world was not then discovered ) according to what we have already declared from the mouth of the lord jesus , math. ▪ . sixthly , when the gospel ( or glad tidings ) of the kingdome is begun to be preached in the last age of the world , ( which is a sign of the near approach of that kingdome ) then will follow the calling of the two tribes of iudah and benjamin to ierusalem ; see what the lord declares by the prophet ieremy concerning this ; thus saith the lord , behold i will bring again the captivity of jacobs tents , and have mercy on his dwelling places : and the city shall be builded upon her own heaps , and the pallace shall remain after the manner 〈◊〉 so that comparing the latter part of the verse with the former part , it will plainly appear , that by iacobs tents cannot be meant the whole twelve tribes , or the ten tribes , but the two tribes onely ( not but that there may be some of every tribe amongst the two tribes , as there was some did cleave to the house of david , when it s said the ten tribes fell away ) for these here that shall be brought back , are said to be first brought back , and then the city is built , which bringing back of the ten tr●bes w●●l not be compleated till a●ter the saints are taken up , when as before that time both ierusalem and the temple will be built , and sacrifices offered ; of which we shall have ●ccasion to inlarge upon hereafter . consider of ●nother prophesie concerning this in the zach●r● ▪ in that day i will make the governours of jud●h lik● a ha●th o● fi●e among the w●od , and like a torch of 〈…〉 shall devour all the people round about ▪ on the 〈…〉 and on the left : and jerusalem shall be inhabited 〈…〉 own place , even in jerusalem . the lord also shall save the t●n●s of judah first . seventhly , after the calling of the two tribes for to build and inhabite ierusalem , the next remarkable thing that will in those dayes fall out to be , is the rising or manifesting of the beast , and ten hornes , or kings , mentioned by the apostle iohn in his . chapter of the revelations . in which these following particulers will be worthy of our consideration , in the opening of them . . who the beast is , and secondly , who the ten kings are . . the place from whence they and he will arise . . what they and he are to doe when risen , viz. first , before the saints are taken up , and secondly after they are taken up . . his reign , viz. how long time . . his ruine , and how farre they suffer in it . for the first , the beast , who he is . he is that beast that was shewn to the apostle iohn , which he describes in his . chapter of the revelations and . verse , having seven heads and ten hornes , which compared with other scriptures , we shall find him to have several titles or denominations , 〈◊〉 which he is discovered , viz. he is called the little horn , dan. , . the vile person , dan. . . the man of sin , thes. . . in iohns description befo●e quoted , he hath seven heads as well as ten hornes . now that ●e may know , who or ●hat these seven heads are ; if we co●sider well of the angels interpretation to iohn , chap. . and upon search of other scriptures , we shall find , that they are seven governments , that should be supream in the severall ages of the world , from the dayes of noah after the floud ▪ till the rise of the ten hornes ▪ five of which heads or governments had been before iohn saw this vision , the sixth was then in being ( and is now towards its period ) and the seventh was not then come , but is now arising . the first head ( or government ) was the assyrian and babylonian monarchy joyned under one head , viz. nimrod , compare the writings of moses concerning this person , government and country , with that of the prophet esay , and consider how they prove our assertion moses giving us some account of noahs posterity , and speaking of that of his son ham , saith , ham begat cush , and cush begat nimrod : he began to be a mighty one in the earth . he was a mighty hunter before the lord . wherefore it is said , even as nimrod the mighty hunter before the lord . and the beginning of his kingdome was babell , and eresh , and achad , and ca●neh , in the land of shinar . out of that land went forth ashur , and builded niniveh , and the city reho both and calah . also the same moses speaketh farther concerning noahs posterity , and the whole earth was of one language and of one speech . and it came to passe as they journeyed from the east , that they found a plain in the land of shinar , and they dwelt there . now take what esay writeth concerning this ; b●hold the land of the caldeans , this people was not , till the assyrian founded it , for them that dwell in the wilderness : they set up the towers thereof , th●y raised up the pallaces thereof , and he brought it to ruine . so that moses gives us to understand thus much , that nimrod was the first mighty one upon the earth , whose ●●●gdome was babell : and ashur went out from thence and built niniveh ; which ashur could be no other then this nimrod ; for when he came or journeyed out of the east , he came into the land of shinar , and dwelt there , which land of shinar must needs be caldea , babell being built in it , as we have now related out of moses , which the prophet esay calls c●ldea , as you have his words also . in brief thus much , nimrod an assyrian by birth or habitation ( or both ) comes into shinar or caldea , sets up his kingdome , builds babell his chief seat , and other cities ; afterwards goeth out thence into assyria again , and builds niniveh and other cities ; which is the ground of our stiling him by the title of the assy●ian and babylonian monarch : and he is the first ( after the floud ) that the scripture mentioneth ; but of his continuance , or length of his raign , it is silent . some historians doe give some account thereof , but with diversity of opinions concerning it , therefore leave the curious therein to search them . the second head , is the assyrian alone , under another family , the line of nimrod being extinct in sardanapulus , ( as sir walter rawleigh in his history of the world ( the first impression ) the first part , folio . doth at large relate ) whose first king , that the scripture mentioneth , was pull ( or phull ) by whom , and tiglath pilessar ( his successor , if not son ) the two tribes and half were first carried away captive : see a proof for this out of the scripture in the chron. . . and the god of israel stirred up the spirit of pull king of assyria , and the spirit of tiglath-pilnesar king of assyria , and he carried them away ( even the reubenites , and the gadites , and the half tribe of manassah ) and brought them unto halath , and habor , and hara , and to the river gos●n unto this day . by whom also the syrians ( the great oppressors of israel in several ages ) were subdued , kings also by shalmaness●r , ( his successor , if not son , the rest of the ten ●ribes , in the dayes of hoshea king of israel , are carried captive kings . , and . these are carried captive into the ●and of assyria ( it is not said cal●ea ) not but that caldea and babylon were under the assyrian mona●chy ▪ ) kings ▪ . then 〈◊〉 the ●uccessor ( if not son ) of shalm●ness●r in the fourteenth yeer of king h●zekiah , comes up with a great army against the fenced cities of iudah , and takes them , to whom hezekiah is willing to submit , and therefore sends him great presents , and for want of his own borrowes from the temple : but the king of assyria is not content therewith , and therefore sends an army under the command of his captaines , tartan , rabsaris , rabshakeh , to ierusalem to take it , either by words or deeds , kings . . to the end . but these not being able to prevail , return to their master , the king of assyria , who was warring against libnah , from whence he sends messengers with a blasphemous letter to king hezekiah , with which he goeth up to the house of the lord and prayeth ; the efficacy whereof was such , that that night the angel of the lord destroyes . men in the assyrian host ; who returning with the remaining number to his own land , and city nineveh , is there slain ●y two of his own sons , as he is worshipping in the temple of nisroch his god ; and ezrahaddon his son reigneth in his stead , verse , . now that the assyrian alone was the next great monarch ( or chief government of note in the world ) to the assyrian and babylonian together ; we doe prove , not onely by what hath been related , as to what four of those kings did , but also for these insuing reasons , grounded upon history and scripture . first from history ; pull ( whom the scripture mentions , chron. . . ) who was but sardanapulus lieutenant in babylon , and conspiring with arbaces , another of his lieutenants in media , ( who was incited thereunto , partly by the prediction of this pull , and partly by his own ( in that having had a sight of the person of his king , found him disguised in womans apparel , striving to counterfeit an harlot ) these two after several battels overthrew him , and beseiging him in this great city niniveh ; by the overflowing of the river tysris , whereby twenty furlongs of that great wall was overthrown , they take the city , but not their master ; for he finding himself in a lost condition , shuts up him●●lf in his pallace , with his wives , eunuches , and all his treasures , and sets fire thereunto , whereby both he and they were all consumed . after which , the median is content with his own government of media , but pull and his posterity are not with theirs , till they get possession of that great city nineveh , which they make the seat of their monarchy , and therefore is called the assyrian alone , to distinguish it from the first , whose chief city in nimrods time was babylon . second reason : because the scripture mentions a larger extent of dominion to this second monarchy , then unto the first . for we doe not find , that nimrods dominion did extend westward from the river euphrates , that is into syria ; ( if it did it was but of short continuance ) but this of pulls doth , and that very farre , even to the land of israel and iudah , whose lot was bounded by the mediteranean sea , ioshua . . called the great sea . and we find , that media that was under nimrods posterity ( and after usurped by arbac●s ) is a great part ( if not all ) brought under by the assyrian : for shalmanessar , who carries the remaining part of the ten tribes captive , placeth some of them in the cities of the medes , kings . , and the prophet ezekiel , speaking unto pharaoh in the name of the lord , maketh mention of the greatnesse of the assyrian , ezek. . . to the , verse , as also of his fall and ruine by the caldean , chap. . , . which makes way for the third head or monarchy . the third head of the beast , is the caldean monarchy , whose foundation was laid in the dayes of berodach baladan the son of balladan , who sent unto hezekiah king of iudah , both letters and a present , king. . . which was in or about the fifteenth year of hezekiah's raign ; for in his fourteen year sennacherib ( the king of assyria ) invades iudea , kings . . and after the great losse of . he returnes into his own land . in those dayes hezekiah falls sick , kings ▪ . upon whose earnest prayer ( and the promise of god to david ; for hezekiah had no son as yet , that the scripture mentions , and manasseh his successor was not born in three yeares after , for he was but twelve yeers old when he began to raign , kings . . ) the lord ●nds him a message by the prophet esay , that he would adde fifteen yeares to his dayes : and a sign for his recovery is , that the sun should goe ten degrees backward , by which it had gone down in the dyall of ahaz , kings . , . and the whole raign of hezekiah was but twenty nine yeers , kings . . now though the scripture be silent , as to inform us , how berodash baladan came to be king of babylon ; yet we find , that both he and the caldeans take notice of hezekiahs sicknesse and recovery , with that great sign in the heaven of the suns going backward , ( the caldeans being famous in astronimie , and naturall astrologie , as well as infamous for their divellish astrologie ) which was in or about the fifteenth year of his raign : which as it was the last of sennacheribs , so it was the first of berodash : for we read in the scripture of no king of babylon , since nimrod , to this time ; not but that babylon was a famous city all along . and if we may give credit to sir walter rawleigh ( of whose extraordinary travell in searching of histories , of all ages past , to the finishing of that excellent piece of his , called , the hystory of the world ) that this berodash ( or as he cass him ( as also the geneva translation ) merodash ) took time by the foretop , and laid hold on the present opportunity that offered it self , which was this : merodash was lieutenant in babylon under sennacherib ( whose head city was niniveh ) who having warres in syria and aegypt , had levied a very great army , and having been forced to raise his seige from before pelusium in aegypt , and that not without some losse , and more disgrace , through the coming of tirhaba king of ethiopia ( or arabia ) to the aid of the aegyptian ; he was the more desirous to have had possession of ierusalem , to have retreated unto with his army ; but failing of his purpose , sends a great part thereof to beseige it , with the rest he beseigeth lachish , and afterwards lib●ah ▪ kings . . of which army , presently after , the angell of the lord destroyes in one night . verse upon which he returnes with the remaining part thereof to niniveh ( and not to babylon , though much the nearer , not daring to trust to m●rodash , as having had some inckling of his ambition , if not of his treason , then a hatching , as is supposed ) and within a short time after ( tobit saith , five and fifty dayes chap. . . ) is slain by two of his sons , ( the reason supposed is , that they being the eldest , were disinherited by their father , and the younger brother appointed to be his successor , which they could not prevent with their paracide ) and as●rhaddon being but weak in himself ( though strong in friends and souldiers , for he held merod●sh hard to it all his dayes , which was eleven yeares ) he supposeth it no difficulter a peice of work , to gain the kingdome of babylon unto himself , then pull found ( who joyned ) with arbac●s the median , to unthrone sardanapulus , ( the last of nimrods race ) whose posterity became eminent afterwards , especially sennacherib , who is called , the great king of assyria , kings . . and therefore upon sennacheribs death , breaks out into open rebellion , and stiles himself king of babylon , and is so called in scripture , kings . . whose posterity is not spoken of in sacred writ , till nebuchadnessar . but our afore quoted author faith , his son ben ▪ merodach raigned after him , and then nebulassar his son , the last year of whose raign was the third year of iehoiakim king of iudah , dan. . . for the prophet ieremy in his . chap. . saith , that the first yeer of nebuchadnessar's raign was the fourth year of iehoiakim's raign ; which may seem to be some contradiction in the prophets , but both scripture and history will help us to clear this ; for it was the usuall custome of those eastern kings , to appoint their successors in their life time , and to admit them to have a share in the managing of the affaires of the kingdome , as david doth solomon , vz●iah ( or azariah ) doth iotham , and iehoiakim doth his son ; which latter seemes something difficult to be apprehended at the first view , and therefore shall clear it before we passe any farther ; iehoiakim the son of iosiah being made king in the room of iehoahaz ( by phara●h necho ) raigneth eleven yeares ( and is bound to be carried captive to babylon , but is slain , and had the buriall of an asse , according to ieremies prophesie , chap. ▪ , . ) and his son iehoiakim reigneth in his stead , who was eight yeares old when he began to raign , and raigned three months in ierusalem , chron . , , , , , . and in the kings . . it is said , that iehoiakim was eighteen yeares old when he began to raign , and reigned three months in ierusalem ; so that to reconcile these two places , it doth appear , that i●hoiakim the son was but eight yeeres old when he began to raign with his father , and reigned with him ten yeares , and he was eighteen yeares old when he began to reign alone , and reigned three months . so that although the scripture doth not so fully clear it to us , that nebuchadnessar was the great grand-child of merodash baladan king of babylon , yet the two prophets , daniel and ieremy cannot be reconciled , without admitting nebuchadnessar to reign some time with his predecessor , one year at the least ; besides the scriptures doe mention some distance of time between the first year of merodash , and the first year of nebuchadnessar ; for hezekiah reigned about fifteen yeares after the death of sennacherib , manasseh reigned fifty five yeares , ammon two yeares , iosiah thirty one yeares , and in the fourth year of iehoiakim doth nebuchadnessar begin to raign , ieremy . so that there i● about . yeares , which must ●●eds admit of some successors to merodash before nebuchadnessar . object . but how comes it to passe , that we have no more concerning the kings of babylon from merodash's time till nebuchadnessar , or the last year of his predecessor . answ. merodash had but laid the foundation of his kingdome in the fifteenth year of hezekiah ; and sir walter rawleigh saith , that he had eleven yeares contention with asarhaddon , even till his death , which gave merodash a little better assurance of what he then had , and some hopes to inlarge his dominion , especially towards assyria : as for syria he had no fear from thence , having ( as may be apprehended ) made a league with hezekiah , and therefore did chuse rather to inlarge his dominion eastward and northward , agreeable to what the prophet ezekiel had prophesied ( though not upon that account ) where the prophet speakes concerning the destruction of ashur and other nations , by the babylonians , ezek. . . to the , verse . and for what the other two successors of merodash did , seeing the scripture is silent , and historians speak but little ; ( onely their taking the great city niniveh , and bringing the whole dominion of assyria under the cald an or babylonian yoak , which was not accomplished in or near . yeares time ) we shall treat concerning him , whom the scripture doth mention , that is nebuchadnessar ( or as he is called in some places of the scriptures , nebuchadressar . ) the first year of whose raign was the fourth year of iehoiakim king of iudah , as we have formerly mentioned , in which year he smiteth the army of pharaoh necho king of aegypt , by the river perah ( or euphrates ) in carchemish , ierem. . in the second year of his raign he hath a dream , which he forgets , and daniel declares to him , with the interpretation thereof , daniel . the whole chapter . about his seventh year he takes iehoiakim , and binds him to carry him to babell , ( at which time , or a little before , he began the famous seige of tyrus , which lasted thirteen yeares ) but causeth him to be slain , and gives him the burial of an asse , according to the prophet ieremies prophesie , for his burning of the roll , ierem. , . compared with the . chapter , . and for his son iehoiakim he raigned but three months alone , and was carried captive to babylon with his mother , as the same prophet prophesied , chap. , , , . compared with kings . , which was done in the eighth year of nebuchadnessar's raign , verse . who set up zedekias ▪ ( his uncle ) king in his room ; who about the nineteenth year of his raign ( which was the eleventh year of zedekias ▪ raign ) takes ierusalem and the king , and destroyes the city , and the temple , and carries the remnant of them that escaped the sword captive to babylon , kings . about which time the famous city o●tyrus was taken also by him ; after which he destroyed edem and the zydonians , and several other nations , according to ez●kiels prophesie , chap. . . to the end . in the three and twentieth year of his raign , nebusaradon , the captain of his guard , comes up to ierusalem again , and carries away . iewes captive , ierem. . . after which , when be hath subdued all the nations about him , he sets up his golden image , for all people , nations and languages to fall down and worship it , daniel . . which when shadrech , meshach and abednego refuse so to do , they are cast into the hot fiery furnace , verse . and delivered from the danger thereof , verse . . after which he destroyes aegypt , as sir walter rawleigh saith ; but the scripture is silent as to the time of the destruction of that rich country , onely ezekiel in his chapter . saith , in the twenty seven year the word of the lord came to him ; but whether it were the twenty seven year of his captivity , or of iehoiakim's , captivity , or of nebuchadn●ssars raign , is questionable , however so it was , that aegypt was destroyed , according to the prophesies of ezekiel and ieremy , chap. . and chap. . . to the end . afterwards daniel tells him the interpretation of his dream concerning the tree , dan. , to the . and about a year after the same is fulfilled , for his not bearkening to the counsell of the prophet , and is cast out for seven yeares , which is towards the end of his raign ; for neither scripture nor history maketh any mention of any acts of his after his restauration . the length of whose raign was about . or . yeares : for the fourth year of iehoiakin was the first year of his raign , and the thirty seventh year of iehoiakim's captivity , is the first year of evilmerodach king of babylon , successor ( if not son ) to nebuchadnessar , kings . . evilmerodach in the first year of his raign , lifteth up the head of iehoiachin king of iudah , and brought him out of prison , the . ieremy . to the end . what other thing of note he did , or how long he reigned , the scripture is altogether silent . history saith , he lost some part of his dominions , and lost his successor imbroyld in a dangerous warre against the meades ; but whether balthazar was his immediate successor , or no , we cannot positively conclude from the scriptures , onely we find him the next to evilmerodach that the scriptures doe mention ; and cannot but conclude him to be of nebuchadnessars race , because of ieremies prophesie , chap ▪ . . where it is said , all nations shall serve him , and his son , and his sons son , untill the very time of his land come , and then many nations and great king's shall serve themselves of him . in the first year of this balthazar daniel sees the vision of four beasts , chap. . . in his third year daniel sees the vision of the ram , and of the hee-goat , chap. . . and in his last year , the last day thereof , daniel read the hand writing on the wall , and tells him the interpretation thereof , chap. . , , , . and verse . in that night was balthazar the king of the caldeans slain , and darius the median took the kingdom , verse . now how long these two last successors of nebuchadnessar reigned , the scripture doth not mention in particular ; onely between them two is spent , either thirty and three yeares , or fourty and four yeares . the ground of our apprehension , as to this is , the seventy yeares of the iewes captivity , which began either in the first year of iehoiachin's captivity , or the last year of zedekiah , when the city was taken , and the temple was bu●nt ; if it began at the first , then the scripture tells us , that evilmerodach king of babylon lifted up the head of iehoiachin , and brought him out of prison in the seven and thirtieth year of his captivity , and first year of his raign , ierem. . . so that adding thirty and three yeares to thirty and seven , and then the seventy yeares is fulfilled : but if the captivity began not till zedekiah's death , then there must be added eleven yeares more ( for he raigned eleven yeares after iehoiachin was carried captive ) to thirty and three yeares , which is fourty and four , and then iehoiachin was carried captive to babylon , eleven yeares before the seventy yeares began , which were to be fulfilled before they were to return out of captivity . and that the seventy yeares were fulfilled at the death of belshazar , daniel tells us , that in the first year of darius the mede , which was made king over the realm of the caldeans . dan. . , , . that after he had fasted and prayed , that the man gabriel ( or angel of the lord ) revealed the same to him ; take his words at large . and whiles i was speaking , and praying , and conf●ssing my sin , and the sin of my people israel , and presenting my supplication before the lord my god for the holy mountain of my god ; yea , whiles i was speaking in prayer , even the man gabriel , whom i had seen in the vision at the beginning , being caused to fly swiftly , touched me about the time of the evening oblation . and he informed me , and talked with me , and said , o daniel , i am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding . at the beginning of thy supplication , the commandement came forth , and i am come to shew thee : for thou art greatly beloved ; therefore understand the matter , and consider the vision . seventy weeks are determined upon thy people , and upon thy holy city , to finish the transgression , and make an end of sinnes , and to make reconciliation for iniquity , and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse , and to seal up the vision and prophesie , and to annoint the most holy ; verse , , , , . whichleads us to the fourth head , the meades and persians . the caldean ending in belshazar , as we said before , darius the mede being made king over the realm of caldea , dan. . . in the first year of whose raign ( who raigned about two yeares , saith sir walter rawleigh ) daniel by the searching of books , and by the man gabriel , attaines to the knowledge of knowing the seventy weeks are expired , that the iewes were to be in captivity . in the first year of cyrus the persian the iewes are permitted to return to their own land , and that openly , by way of proclamation , chron. . , . and ezra . , , , . who also delivers the vessels of the house of the lord to sheshbazzer the prince of iudah , verse , . and this was according to what was foretold by the prophets , concerning their seventy yeares captivity , ier. . . and chap. . . and cyrus to be the man to deliver gods people , esay . last , and chap. . , , , , . in the third year of cyrus , daniel sees a vision , chap. . . and talketh with one , like the similitude of the son of man , whom he calls my lord , verse ▪ . and is made acquainted by revelation , what governments should succeed in the world , till the coming of the lord iesus to raign on the earth , chap. . . to the beginning of the . chapter . concerning the remainder of the yeares of cyrus raign , how long , or what he did , the scriptures are silent . onely the apocripha mentions some obstruction in the building of the temple , during the raign of cyrus , by his son cambyse● , whom he made his lieutenant in all his dominions , while himself followeth the wars ; and this was not onely done by him , during his fathers raign , but also during his own , and that out of naturall and politique ends . the first , in that he was a cruell tyrant , whose will was a law , and his flatterers told him , that all things were lawfull for the kings of persia , upon which he married two of his sisters , against the lawes of his kingdome . and for the second , he had an intention to invade aegypt , and feared least the iewes should prove such as his provintiall governours had written to him ( under the name of artaxerxes ) of , ezra . . to the . that the iewes . and inhabitants of ierusalem , were a rebellious people ; and tha● it was a common opinion , that the iewes descended of those nations , because they issued thence under moses , when they conquered iudea ; and that if their city were repaired and fortified , they might give some disturbance to his intended conquest of that country , as they had done in h●zekiah's dayes to sennacherib , when he went to invade aegypt . wherefore he commanded them to be hindred in that work of the building of the temple and city . which hindrance continued till the second year of darius king of persia , ezra . . ( the successor of cambyses , or as the scripture calls him artaxerxes ) how he came to the kingdome , read sir walt. rawleigh . book chapter . paragraph ; who in that yeer gave order for the building of the temple of ierusalem at his own charge , ezra , , , , , ▪ the iewes being incouraged unto this by the prophets , haggai , and zacheriah , ezra . . which work was finished in the sixth year of the raign of darius , ezra . . though not ful●y , because in the fourteenth verse he saith , they builded and finished it , according to the commandement of cyrus , darius and artaxerxes , kings of persia . in the dayes of artaxerxes , the successor ( if not son ) of darius , in the seventh year of his raign , ezra and his company goe from babylon to ierusalem , ezra . , , . in the twentieth year nehemiah obtaines leave , to goe and build the walls of ierusalem , nehem. . . who sets the king a time for his return , verse . and in the two and thirtieth year he obtaines leave the second time , to goe to ierusalem again , chap. . , concerning what is spoken about esther , in the dayes of ahashueresh , who he was whether this king artaxerxes , or any other , the scripture is silent : much might be said , that he was , or was not the same person ; but it would be found a very difficult thing to make an agreement in severall scriptures concerning the same ▪ who were the succeeding kings of persia , till the coming of alexander the macedonian , the scripture mentioneth not , onely daniel is shewd in a vision , in the third year of cyrus , chap. . . what kings there should be after him in persia , whose words are these ; and now i will shew thee the truth ; behold there shall stand up yet three kings in persia , and the fourth shall be farre richer than they all : and by his strength , through his riches , he shall stirre up all against the realm of grecia , dan. . . now if we may give credit to historians , concerning whom this last rich king was , they say , he was darius , the son of arsames , who was subdued by alexander the grecian ( or macedonian ) which brings us to the fifth head or monarchy . the fifth head was the grecian , revealed to daniel in a vision of a he goat , or rough goat , chap. . ▪ . ( as the meades and persians was a ram with two hornes , dan. , . . ) what this grecian did , we must be beholding to historians ▪ for our knowledge ; the scriptures canonicall not mentioning any ; the apocripha but a little , that which is may be found in the first book of the maccabees chap. . , , , , , , , verses : which as he did much in regard he came to be a third of daniels beasts or monarchies , therefore it is said , he carried his victories with wings , who from a small kingdome , extended it to a very great distance , eastward , and southward , and northward , but withall , it was but of short continuance ( as all violent things and motions are ) but twelve yeares , being poysoned by the conspiracy of his servants , who stood in fear of his cruelty . upon whose death his large dominions was divided ( though not presently ) among four of his great captaines , according to daniels vision , chap. . : and interpretation , verse . iosephus names five , viz. antigonus was lord of asia ( whose dominion being lost there , his posterity injoyed macedon : ) seleucus nicator of babylon and the bordering nations ; lysymachus had hellespont ; cassander had macedon ( whose dominion ended with him , his sons being slain , not long after his death ; ) and ptolemy the son of lagus had aegypt : all which took the titles of kings on them in a short time , onely cassander , whose successor did take the same also , though with ill successe . seleucus nicator was the first that took the title of king of babylon and the bordering nations ; his son antiochus soter succeeds him , and raignes nineteen yeares ; after him his son antiochus theos raignes fifteen yeares ; his son seleuchus callinicus twenty yeares , and left two sons , viz. seleucus ceraunus who raigned three yeares , and antiochus the great thirty six yeares ; who left seleucus philopater who raigned twelve yeares saith eusebius , seven yeares saith iosephus ; and antiochus epiphanes , which was he that commanded swines flesh to be offered on severall alters in the temple at ierusalem , which caused much affliction and misery to the iewes , being a type of that which daniel prophesied in his eighth chapter , but cannot be the same , as is apprehended by some ; because the lord jesus would not have told his disciples by way of prophesie what had been past , but rather , he told them what should be hereafter , mathew . . what the successors of alexanders captaines did ( who had divided his large dominions among themselves ) history doth declare . this may be noted concerning them ( which is sir walter rawleigs observation of them f. . ) that the successors of ptolemey were the first that made a league with the romans , and the last that were subdued by them . which brings us to the sixth head , government or monarchy , viz. the romans , whose chief city was rome , which was built in or about the year of the world . and after the building of the temple of salomon . and before the birth of our lord christ . whose greatnesse began to appear out of its infancy , in the time of pyrrus king of epirus , successor to cassander in half the kingdome of macedon , taken from cassanders children , by him and lysimachus king of thracia : ( he being a powerfull prince , viz. pyrrhus ) and they ( viz. the romans ) but few yeares before freed themselves from the gaules , who had taken all from them , yea , rome it self , the capitoll excepted , and drove him out of italy , in or about . yeares after rome was built ; and about . yeares after they take the whole kingdome of macedon , with perseus the last king thereof , and make a province of it . in the dayes of antiochus epiphanes , who began to raign about the year ▪ after rome was built ( who was he that commanded swines flesh to be offered on severall altars in the temple at ierusalem ) the romans have increased their dominions so largely , as that they take upon them , as to command him to depart out of egypt ( who had almost subdued that country ) and he obeyes . in the dayes of demetrius the son of seleucus philopater ( elder brother to antiochus epiphanes ) iudas macabeus sends embassadors to rome , who make a league with the iewes , macabeus . who at that time , saith iosephus f. . had conquered gaule ( or france ) spain , carthage and greece ; whose power and dominion from that time groweth up mightily ; for in the dayes of pompey all syria was subdued , and he himself gone up into armenia , in pursuit of the warre betwixt the romans and tygranes , iosephus lib. . ch ▪ . and in the dayes of augustus cesar there came forth a decree , that all the world should be taxed , luke . . which the author of the notes in the bible of the geneva translation saith , that it was so far as the empire of the romans did extend , which was of a far greater extent than all the precedent monarchies did contain , especially towards the south , and the north west from babylon and ierusalem . and this was agreeable to daniels prophesie , chap. . . who saith , that the fourth kingdome from nebuchadnesser should be strong as iron , for as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things , and as iron bruisetb all those things , so shall it break in pieces and bruise it . and in his vision in the first year of belshazar , he seeth these four kingdomes under severall types of beasts , but the fourth was different from , or unlike to , all the rest , verse . and in the interpretation it is said , it shall be unlike to all the kingdomes , and shall devoure the whole earth , and shall tread it down , and break it in pieces , verse . and out of this must arise ten hornes , which are ten kings ; and another shall arise after them , and he shall be unlike to the first , and subdue three kings , and shall speak words against the most high , verse , . so that we find daniels prophesie , concerning this fourth kingdome ( or sixth king in the apostle iohns revelations , chap. . . ) to have been fulfilled in the time of christ and his apostles , it then being in its heighth . for master edward grimstone , in his emperiall hystory in the life of augustus , folio . saith , that the subjects of the empire were very obedient unto him ; and all others sent him embassadors , seeking his favour and friendship , offering him their service : yea the indians ( a people of the remotest parts of the east ) and also the scythians which inhabit in the north , and the parthians ( a people most feirce and untamed ) sent their embassodors to him , giving security to keep the peace , and delivered the standerds and eagles taken ●n battell when marcus crassus was slain . there came also kings , friends and subjects to the empire , to rome , to doe him honour as his familiar friends ▪ leying aside their ensignes and rovall robes ▪ and many of them built cities to his name ●or h●s ●onour , calling them cesareas in remembrance of ▪ him ▪ 〈◊〉 whose time the temple of ianus was thrice shut up ; which never wa● but twice before from romes foundation . so that his dominion must needs be of a large extent ; rome still being the apitall city ( or imperiall seat ▪ ) and continued so ▪ till constantine removed it , who made byzantium in thracia ( scituated between the two seas ▪ viz. the euxine and the mediteranean ) his emperiall city ; which was afterward by him , and to his honour , called , constantine the noble ( and by contraction , constantinople ; ) this being done about the year o our lord christ . now though constantine , by reason of his removing of his imperiall seat , from rome out of the west , to constantinople in the east , did much weaken the imperiall power ; yet the empire was not fully divided in many yeares after ; but some partings there were before , as in the raign of the emperour iovinianus , ( the successor of iulian the apostate ) about the year of christ . ( who reigned but seven months ) he was compelled to make peace with sapores the king of persia for thirty yeares , leaving unto the said persian king , all the provinces belonging unto the romane empire , lying beyond the river tygris , as also some cities in armenia ; and he was not to aid or assist arsaces king of armenia . and about the year of our lord , . the gaules , or french , in the west ( in the dayes of the emperours honorius and arcadius , sons of theodosius the great ) fell off from the empire , and set up pharamond , the son of marcomir , for their king . about which time did the gothes , who possessed a great part of spain ( and some part of that country which is now under the dominion of the fr●nch ) set up vallia , their first king , whose royall seats were narbon● and tholouse . also in the year . hermerick , king of the sueves , a little before his death , had so pacified the people of galicia , as he raigned over them . and about the year . in the raign of theodosius the second , and valentinianus , emperours , the brittaines in this island ( being sorsaken of the roman aid which they expected against the picts ) chose vor●iger for their king . about which time alaricus , king of the gothe● , came into italy , and took and destroyed the city of rome , yeares after it was built ; honorius the emperour ( with his brother arcadius ) living at ravenna , which in those dayes was a great and principall city . but the great division of the empire was in the dayes of constanstine the sixth , and his mother irene ; l●o the third being pope of rome , who at a solemn m●sse ( being assisted by his cardinals ) crowned charles the great king of france ( born in germany ) emperour of rome , on the . of december , in the year of our lord , about . yeares after constantine the great removed his emperiall seat out of the west into the east . which division some doe apprehend to be the time that daniel's vision of the image , which nebuchadnezar saw , did hold forth , as consisting of two legs that were of iron , which implieth strength . but how could that be ? for this division of the empire , instead of strengthning of it , made it weaker daily , as the that will take a little paines to search in grimstones imperiall hystory , from and after this time , shall find ; for the western empire is afterwards divided into severall kingdomes and governments , and the eastern is quite devoured by the turks in the year of our lord . constantine paleologus being the last emperour , and slain in the city of constantinople , when it was taken by that famous turk , mahomet the great , the first of that name ; and with it the whole grecian or eastern empi●e about ▪ yeares after it had been the head city of that empire . so that the decay of one of these iron legs of the image , ( viz. the roman empire ) makes way for the other iron leg , upon which the whole body is supported , which is the seventh head , or king , in iohns revelation , chap . . and there are seven kings , ( and they are seven kings , saith the geneva translation ) five are fallen , one is , and the other is not yet come , and when he cometh , he must continue a short space ; which compared with the . daniel . and you shall find him there stiled , a raiser of taxes ; then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes , in the glory of the kingdome , but within few dayes he shall be destroyed , neither in anger , nor in battel . object . in the . daniel . verse , the two iron legs in the vision are called but one kingdome in the interpretation , verse . answ. that many times the lord is pleased in the visions of the prophets , to wrap up many things in one . as for instance , in the . daniel , in the vision of the rough goat , upon whose fall four hornes or kingdomes arise , and out of them came forth a little horn , which waxed exceeding great , &c. verse , , , , . which compared with the interpretation thereof , verse , , , . it will evidently appear , that this little horn must be the same with the vile person , man of sin , and beast , that iohn speaks of in the . revelations , because his power is mighty , but not by his own power , he getting the dominion by flattery , dan. . and he shall stand up against the prince of princes ( which antiochus never did , as some say , who imagine him to be this little horn ) and be broken without hands , which cannot have relation to his person onely , but to his power also , which antiochus power was not , though he himself were consumed by wormes . but this vile person , little horn , man of sin , or beast , his army is destroyed , and himself taken alive , and cast into a lake of fire , revel. , , , . which if so , then is not onely the fourth kingdome left out , in the . dan. . but also that raiser of taxes , daniel . . another instance in the . daniel , in that vision , he having spoken of the persian and grecian dominion , and the ruine of the last , and rise of the four kingdomes out of it ; there is declared , what shall fall out between the two dominions of the north and the south ( viz. the seleucides and ptolomeys ) but nothing at all of the fourth beast or kingdom , and sixth head or kingdome in iohns revelation . and then comes to mention the successor of the king of the north , whom he calls a raiser of taxes , verse . where it is said , then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes , in the glory of the kingdome , but within few dayes he shall be destroyed , neither in anger or in battell , and verse the . and in his estate shall stand up a vile person , &c. one instance more , in the . daniel , where the prophet sees the vision of four monarchies typified by four beasts , and the fourth beast to have ten hornes , verse . where is left out the raiser of taxes , that is to arise before the ten hornes , as will plainly appear in the : chapter of iohn's revelations . the seventh head must arise before the beast , and the ten hornes are to have power one hour with the beast , verse . so that these three instances doe make it evidently appear , that the lord in his visions to his prophet doth not at one time shew all things that should be , or fall out , but in some more , in some lesse , as we see here in these instances ; in the first is left out the fourth kingdome or sixth head , and the raiser of taxes or seventh head . in the second is left out the fourth kingdom or sixth head onely : and in the last is left out the raiser of taxes or seventh head onely . now concerning this seventh head in iohns revelations chapter . according to the geneva translation it is rendred thus ; here is the mind that hath wisdome , the seven heads are seven mountaines , whereon the woman sitteth , they are also seven kings , verse . five are fallen , and one is , and another is not yet come , and when he cometh he must continue a short space , and verse . and the beast that was , and is not , is even the eighth , and is one of the seven , and shall goe into destruction ; which compared with the . daniel , . we shall find , that the raiser of taxes ( which , by what we have already proved , ●ust needs be this seventh head ) doth arise the next , before the vile person , then shall stand up in his place , in the glory of the kingdome , &c. yet he ( viz. the vile person ) shall come to his end , and none shall help him , verse . object . but may we not question the geneva translation as to this particular seeing all our common translations render it in another sense ; as thus , and there are seven kings ; not , they are seven kings . answ. we doe not onely find it in our english bibles , of the geneva translation , and that of tindals translation , but also the italian , and ancient french bibles , printed near one hundred yeares since at ly●ns ; however the current of the scriptures will clear it to be so ; as that mountaines doe imply persons and powers , or persons in power ; look upon and consider well of that expression of the prophet ieremy , in his . chapter . behold i am against thee , o destroying mountain , saith the lord ( speaking of babylon in the foregoing verse ) which destroyeth all the earth , and i will stretch out mine hand upon thee , and roll the down from the rocks , and will make thee a burnt mountain . also that of the prophet zachery in his . chapter . who art thou o great mountain ? ( speaking of the persian monarch ) before zerubbabell thou shalt become a plain . and if that we should say , that this seventh head is now arising ( for we have already shewed , that the sixth head is so farre decayed , that there is little of it now appeares , in comparison of what it was ) i hope we should not be found to be in an error . and we shall lay down some grounds for what we hope , or in this thing should seem to maintain . . first we are to observe , that the rise of one head was the ruine of that which was before it ; or the decay of the one made way for the rise of the other , as we have already proved . . that this seventh head or government , according to daniels prophesie chap. . . is stiled a raiser of taxes , that is a government which is upheld by taxes ; not a government that hath a vast treasure hoorded up , as was in the capitall at rome ; nor that hath a great revenue of lands or tribute , as kingly and monarchicall governments in these ages have ; and in particular , this nation had , when under such a government ; but it is a government that is wholly supported and upheld by taxes , as this nation wherein we live is ; and this nation ( in respect of government ) would not be able to subsist , were it not for this supportation ; for now here is no treasure to be found , nor revenue left to defray the ordinary charges incident thereunto , much lesse for the maintenance of an army in the three ( quondam ) kingdomes , and a navy near ten times as great as was ordinarily maintained under the royall government . object . but was not augustus cesar this person or government , which did subsist in this way ; for the evangelist luke in his . chapter . saith , and it came to passe in those dayes , that there came a decree from augustus cesar , that all the world should be taxed . answ. it could not be , for these reasons : first , that government by taxes must immediately precede the vile person ; and that government of augustus was that which iohn calls the sixth head , five are fallen , one is , which is this under which iohn lived , and was banished by into the isle of patmos , and the other is not yet come , which then was not , and is that we now write of , that of taxes . secondly , that government of augustus continued some hundred of yeares in its height , and was many ages in declining , this government by taxes shall continue a short space , comparatively with the other . so that we may safely conclude , that this government , which is to be supported by taxes , cannot properly be said to have been in any nation , that was under any of the other six heads or governments , if not in this common-wealth of england , scotland and ireland . . ground of our apprehending that the seventh head is arising ( and that among us ) which is to be maintained by taxes , is the liberty of conscience ( or freedome to exercise that knowledge , which is communicated to any , in spirituall things , agreeable to the word of god , or not repugnant to it ) that is granted here , whereby the gospel of the kingdome ( or personall raign of christ on earth ) may be freely preached among us ( and so shall passe into all the world afterwards , the sword making way for this liberty ) which freedome or liberty is granted in no nation , especially upon that account as here ; in france there is some tolleration , but of necessity ( those that they call protestants there being a considerable powerful party , and so not easily to be suppressed : ) in the united provinces the liberty granted , proves very advantaglous to them , by drawing others ( that cannot have that liberty in their own country ) thither , who bring with them estates ; but whether poor or rich , they doe contribute little or much towards the charge of maintaining them in their civill liberties . but in england it is otherwise , the liberty that is granted and enjoyed is meerly upon the account , that light is broke forth ; and since this liberty hath been granted ( and upon this account ) all eyes ( that are not wilfully shut from beholding the same ) have seen , that no nation hath prospered , or hath had the like successe that we have had against all our enemies ; in so much that the neighbour nations stand in admiration at it , if not tremble , ( to god onely be all the glory ) as they have good cause , if at any time they shall combine against us ; for the seventh head must have as large dominions as any ( if not as all ) the precedent had . now concerning the lords work , which he will doe under this seventh head , we shall find it to be twofold , and that in a way of mercy , as he permitted a twofold work to be done under the sixth head , in a way of affliction or persecution . the first of which ( under the sixth head ) was the ten persecutions of the saints ( which could not be the ten hornes , as some have imagined , and the whore of rome to be the beast ) in the first three hundred yeares after christ , who then suffered under the litterall babylonish whore , in respect of worship , because they would not sacrifice to idols ; whose judgement ( viz. the litterall babylonish whore ) in respect of worship , was shewn to iohn in his . revelations , . and that by the rise of another whore ( or whorish or false worship ) in the . verse , iohn being carried by the spirit into the wildernesse , where he saw a woman that sat upon a skarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , having seven heads and ten hornes . whose rise of worship ( viz. the spirituall babylonish or romish ) is and hath been the ruine of the first ; and her practise is , by her emissaries , in respect of doctrine , to cry down all litterall sacrifices ( as killing of beasts and fowles , &c. ) on●ly a spirituall sacrifice that they bring instead there of , by offering up their wafer god ( so called ) in the hands of their priests ; by whom also that absurd doctrine ( and bloudy to those poor saints in the marian dayes , that would not believe a lie . ) of transubstantiation was brought in : in opposing of her spirituall whorish worship , how many saints ( since her rise ) hath she made the martyrs of jesus , being drunken with their bloud ; at which the apostle iohn wondred with great admiration , verse . and this was the second work that should be brought to passe under the sixth head , in respect of affliction or persecution ; which power of hers , in respect of worship , will continue in the time of the seventh head ; for she is to sit upon the beast with seven heads and ten hornes ; so that she is to have a being after the rise of the ten hornes , who arise not till the seventh head hath raigned ; and she shall afterwards be destroyed by them in respect of place , or seat , ( viz. rome it self ) if not of worship also , verse , , . now the lords work that is to be done under this seventh head is , as we said , twofold : first , the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome , math. . . secondly , the calling home of the iewes into their own land ( viz. the two tribes , iudah and benjami● ) to build the city of ierusalem and the temple . object . concerning the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome , some it may be will say , it hath been preached already , in the dayes of the apostles , who went about into all parts of the world , according to their masters commission in math. . goe ye into all the world , preach the gospel to every creature , &c. and the apostle paul in the . romans . saith , their sound went into all the earth ; which say some , is the gospel spoken of in the . verse of that chapter , but they have not all obeyed the gospel , answ. to which we answer , that the gospel of the kingdome could not possibly have been preached in all the earth in the apostles time ; for if it had so been , the end of it had been presently , that is , it would not have been any more preached . . it could not have been so preached then , because a large part of the now known world was not then known or discovered , nor in many hundred yeares after them ; and it may well be questioned , whether it hath at all been preached ( yea hardly known or believed by any there ) in the english plantations in america , much lesse in the plantations of other nations ( in that now known part of the world ) who cannot endure to have the least light of spirituall things to break forth in their dominions ; witnesse that damnable doctrine of theirs , so highly cried up by the popish party , that ignorance is the mother of devotion , joyned with another of the same stamp , that images are lay-mens books : but chiefly their cruell tyrannizing over the consciences of their people , by setting up their hell upon earth , their cruell inquisition , which so long as that is maintained in a nation , there is little hopes of this gospel to be preached there . and as concerning that scripture of the apostle paul in his . chapter of his epistle to the church at rome , verse . if the coherence of the words be well weighed , the gospel there spoken of , cannot be the gospel of christ , which the apostles had in commission from him to preach : but it was the gospel or glad tydings , spoken of in the writings of the prophets ( viz. in isaiah and nahum ) for the apostle in the . verse of that . chapter saith , as it is written , how beautifull are the feet , &c. therefore we suppose we may conclude safely , that this gospel of the kingdome or raign of christ upon earth ) hath not been published or made known in all the world . object . but why must it now be preached in these dayes , in the time of the seventh head or government , or what necessity is there for it . answ. first , because it hath in some measure been proved ( if not fully ) that it hath not been preached in all the world as yet , therefore it must be continued to be preached till it hath so been . secondly , because the time of the seventh heads power or raign is but short , therefore to be hastened in that time , for there is little hopes of peace or liberty for the saints in the time of the ten hornes or kings and the beast . thirdly , it cannot be published in any place , but where there is liberty and peace , as there is among us , and it is hoped , the sword that is in the now magistrates hand of this nation , will procure the same in other nations , that there it may be preached also . fourthly , because the coming of the lord jesus christ draweth nigh , ( especially in relation to the taking up of the saints ) for if it be so , that the seventh head be arising and shall continue but a short space , then immediately ( upon his decay or setting ) the ten hornes and the beast will arise , before whose power is at the height ( viz ▪ the beasts ) the saints will be taken up ( as we shall clear it more fully hereafter , especially when we open the . chapter of the book of the revelation● ) therefore the more reason to set upon this most necessary work of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome , least we be found retarders of our own happinesse . and as concerning the calling of the i●ws in thi● time o● government , we say , that is that other work the lord will now have brought to passe ; for as yet they are not so called , nor permitted by the turks ( who have the possession of their country ) to make any habitation there , nor to come thither but as pilgrims , or to bury the bones of their deceased friends , which they bring thither from all parts where they inhabit . secondly , the scriptures of the prophets doe declare , that ierusalem must be built in its own place ( which now it is not , if we may give any belief to historians and travellers ) so what the prophet ieremy foretels concerning this particular in his . chapter . whose words are these ; thus saith the lord , behold i will bring again the captivity of jacobs tents , and have mercy on his dwelling places : and the city shall be builded upon her own heap , and the pallace shall remain after the manner thereof . also consider of the prophet zachery's prophesie as to this particular , in his . chapter . in that day will i make the governours of judah like a hearth of fire among the wood , and like a torch of fire in a sheaf , and they shall devoure all the people round about , on the right hand and on the left , and jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place , even in jerusalem , and the other prophets doe declare , that the city must be beseiged , and the daily sacrisice taken away , and great tribulation upon that people , and all this before the beast is at his height , in regard of his power , who doth immediately arise upon the fall of the seventh head . so that now having fully made manifest the beast , in respect of his seven heads ; the next thing to be declared and opened is the ten hornes or kings ; viz. who they are , concerning which the scripture is silent , onely that they are the ten toes of nebuchadnessar's image , daniel . as to their persons and dominion , in respect of countries , where they shall particularly raign , we find not , and that as yet , they are not risen ; for the apostle iohn in his . revelations . saith , they are ten kings , who have received no kingdome as yet , but receive power one hour with the beast . but thus much we may take notice of by the way , that the ten hornes and the beast , when they arise , will make nebuchadnezars image compleat , daniel . . whose feet were part of iron , and part of clay ; of whose iron legs we have already given some account ) which in the interpretation he saith , whereas thou sawest the feet and toes , part of potters clay , and part of iron ; the kingdome shall be divided , but there shall be in it of the strength of iron , for as much as thou sawest the iron mixed with the mirie clay : and as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay ; so the kingdome shall be partly strong , and partly broken . and whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with the mirie clay , they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men , but they shall not cleave one to another , even as iron is not mixed with clay . and in the daye● of those kings shall the god of heaven set up a kingdome , which shall never be destroyed , and the kingdome shall not be left to other people , but it shall break in peices and consume all these kingdomes , and it shall stand for ever , verse , , , . so that as they are partly strong and partly weak ( they being but a mixt power , that are united for the perfecting of some great design , but will not long hold together , for before the little horn will three of the ten hornes be pluckt away , daniel . ● . which in the interpretation verse . its said , he shall subdue three kings ) it intimates , that they will be divided , and he shall have those that will oppose him , yea , and destroy his royal seats , of which more hereafter . secondly , concerning the place from whence the beast and ten kings are to arise , it will evidently appear to be , out of the dominion that the seventh head is to have , though daniel seemeth to say , that they shall arise out of the sixth head or fourth beast in his . chapter , yet compared with other scriptures , it will plainly appear , that they will arise out of the seventh head ; see the . revelations , . and daniel . . but they must arise out of that part of the dominion that was under the sixth head , or romane monarchy , in iohns time , for the dominion of the seventh head will be of a farre larger extent than ever the sixth was in iohns dayes , in regard of that large part of the world , that was unknown , and undiscovered in those dayes , but now is , and shall be brought under the power and government of the seventh head . and in particular , the beast that was and is not ( which is the beast compleat with seven heads and ten hornes ) and which yet shall be , he is the eight , and is of the seven ; his rise will be in that part of the world that it was at the first , viz. in assyria , and in that part thereof which was called caldea ; whose chief city shall be babylon , as it was at the first ; for iohn saith , the beast that thou sawest , was , and is not , and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit , chap. . . not that it was then so made manifest or known ; for iohn saw not things as they then were apparent to the world , but what should be in its time ; nor that it should be made manifest when the beast did arise , but what it should be afterwards : so that his rise is out of that part of the world , that should in its time be made manifest to be the bottomlesse pit ; out of which pit the locusts shall arise , that shall plague or sting the inhabitants of the earth , which have not the seal of god in their foreheads , revel. . , . and in which place the devill shall be chained up for a thousand yeares , revel. . , , . now that the bottomlesse pit shall be in caldea ; see what the same apostle iohn heard , as concerning babylon , what it should be ; viz the habitation of devils , and the hold of every foul spirit , and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird , revel. . . which compared with the . isaiah , . , . and chap. . , . you will find how they agree in their prophesies and visions concerning the desolation and destruction of that place ▪ i shall ( to conclude as concerning the bottomlesse pit , which shall be in caldea , and chiefly in babylon ) relate a little at large what the prophet ieremy hath foretold concerning it , whose words are these , therefore the wild beasts of the desert , with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there , and the owles shall dwell therein ; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever ; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation . as god overthrew sodome and gomorha , and the neighbor cities thereof , saith the lord ; so shall no man abide there , neither shall any son of man dwell therein . the third thing to be considered of , is what the ten horns and beast will doe before and after the taking up of the saints . first , before the taking up of the saints , the ten hornes will arise , and hate the whore , and make her desolate , &c. revel. . . and this whore or woman , is that great city , which raigneth over the kings of the earth , verse . ( viz. in that time that iohn saw the vision and wrote this book ) and god hath put into their hearts to fulfill his will , and to agree with one consent to give their kingdome unto the beast , untill the words of god be fulfilled , verse . so that they must first hate the whore , and destroy her , before they give up their power unto the beast . secondly , as to the beast , what he will doe . first , before the saints are taken up , we find much in the . chapter of daniels prophesie after his rise . as that armes shall be overthrown with a floud before him , and shall be broken , and also the prince of the covenant ( or chief of those who had joyned in a league to oppose him ; ) and after the league made with him ( he having obtained his power and dominion at the first by flatteries ) he shall work deceitfully , for he shall come up and overcome with a small people ( in regard the nations had no thoughts of a warre , a league being lately made before between them ) and he shall enter into the quiet and plentifull province ( that is , into the land of canaan , whose barrennesse shall then be healed , as severall of the prophets have foretold ; esay . . and in his . chapter . he faith , for the lord shall comfort sion ; he will comfort all her wast places , and he will make her wildernesse like eden , and her desert like the garden of the lord : ioy and gladnesse shall be found therein , thanksgiving and the voyce of melody : also the . ieremiah . and chap. . . to the . verse . ezekiel . . and ioell . , , , . ) and he shall doe that which his fathers have not done , nor his fathers fathers ; he shall divide among them the prey , and the spoil , and the substance ( a thing which his fathers , nor none of his predecessors ever did , for they took all from the people of the iewes , never divided any among them , which he shall doe ) yea ; he shall forecast his devises against the strong holds , even for a time , verse . although at that time he doth doe much for them , onely to put them into a secure condition . in the . and . verses it is said , he shall make warre with the king of the south ( the aegyptdan prince ) and he shall be betrayed to the vile person , by those that feed of the portion of his meat , but afterwards they shall be reconciled seemingly , for they shall talk of deceit ( or speak lies ) at one table , verse . and both set their hearts to doe mischief , but it shall not avail , for yet the end shall be at the time appointed : and verse . he shall return into his own land , with great substance ( or riches ) and his heart shall be against the holy covenant ( or people of the iowes , with whom he had before made a league , and divided his spoll among them ) so shall he doe , and return to his own land ; that is , his evill thoughts will then begin to work against them , according to ez●kiels prophesie in his . chapter , , . for this gog or prince of meshech and tuball will evidently appear to be be this vile person or iohns beast , if we compare ezok. . . to the . and . chapter , , , with the . revel. , . ) and at the time appointed he shall return and come toward the south ; ( at which return of his , his evill thoughts doe then begin to shew themselves in actions , by his causing them ( viz. the iewes ) to be beseiged , as he passeth through their country towards the king of the south . for then it is , that sheba , and dedan , and the merchants of tarshish shall say , ( to gog or this vile person ) art thou come to take the prey and the spoile , ezek. . . so that now will begin to be fulfilled another part of daniels prophesie , who saith in his . chapter , . that the time that the dayly sacrifice shall be taken away , and the transgression of desolation , to give both the sanctuary and the host , to be trodden under feet , shall be two thousand three hundred dayes , and then the sanctuary shall be cleansed . so that the taking away of the daily sacrifice ( by reason of his beseiging ierusalem ) shall be near three yeares , or about a thousand dayes , before the abomination that makes desolate be set up ( which cannot be till after the city is taken by the vile person : and from that time , that the abomination is set up , it shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety dayes before the end of the vile persons raign be ; and blessed is he that wait●th and cometh to the one thousand three hundred and five and thirty dayes , daniel . , . ) but the last ( expedition ) shall not be as the first ; for the ships of chittim shall come against him , &c. verse . who they are the scripture is silent ; onely we find another prophesie of balaam to this effect in the . numbers . where it is said , and skips shall come from the coast of chittim , and shall afflict ashur , and shall afflict eber , and he ( ashur ) also shall perish for ever . now we shall give in something of our own thoughts concerning this verse ( and yet not our own , but what is given in unto us ; which its likely will be sleighted by those that are prepossessed with former and antient expositions on this subject , but we shall leave it to after time , which will manifest whether we are in the truth or no ; ) the ships of chittim we doe apprehend to be the power or forces of the ten hornes or kings , who had lately destroyed rome , and now are invited by the king of the south ( or aegypt ) . ( whom we doe apprehend to be one or those ten kings , a part of whose forces hath been with the rest in destroying the whore or woman viz rome ) to help him against the vile person , who he heares is preparing for a second invasion on him , which they hearken unto ( in regard they have done their great work in destroying the whore , rome ; ) and the vile person finding it ( by his intelligences ) to be true : he considers with himself , that this must needs be a very great power that is coming against him , ( that had destroyed so great and famous a city as rome ) which makes him sorry that he must leave his southern design , and therefore now frets himself against the holy covenant , and returnes against the people of the iews , whom he will then beseige with his whole force ; and in the heighth of his power thinking to take it , is he and his army so terrified with that dreadfull sight of the graves opening , and the believing saints being taken up to meet the lord jesus in the air ( at which time the devill shall be cast into the earth , and shall give his power unto the beast ) that they shall fly and call to the rocks to fall upon them , &c. rev. . and during the time of that terror will the church of the iews ( viz. the one hundred fourty and four thousand ) fly out of ierusalem into the wildernesse . and now we come to declare what he ( id ●st , the v●le person or beast ) will doe after the saints are taken up ; that is , he and his army , after a short space , will recover their spirits again , and being impowred by the devill ( according to what iohn saw in a vision that would be in his . rev. . ) he takes ierusalem , and half the city is carried into captivity , the other half remaining therein , za●h . . . and then will he set himself in the temple of god , and exalt himself above all that is called god , thess. . . and dan. . . presently after this will another part of daniels prophesies be fulfilled , verse . and armes shall stand on his part , &c. for the forces of the ten hornes or kings , who came to assist the king of the south ( by reason of satans malioe , increasing against the woman , or church of the iewes , fled into the wildernesse ) are now perswaded , by the dragon and the vile person , to joyn with him , in utterly rooting out this people of the iewes out of that plentifull country ; and to cause them the sooner to comply with him , he will tell them how great his power is , as that that great terror that fell upon all the inhabitants of the world , was not in any favour or assistance to the iews ( whom he then beseiged ) but to him ; the god of this world ( the devill ) having now communicated his power to him , as the apostle iohn declares the dragon will doe , rev. . . and his lies prevail with them , according to the prophesie of the apostle paul , thess. . . which he having effected , he then is that beast compleat with seven heads and ten hornes , having them all under his power and command . and now we apprehend will be the time , when all the world will wonder after the beast , whose deadly wound by a sword was healed and did live , rev. . , . which deadly wound had relation to the time that phull and arbaces did divide the assyrian and babylonian monarchy between them , in the dayes of sardanapulus the last of nimrods posterity ; which beast the apostle iohn saith in the . rev. . was and is not , and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pit , and shall goe into perdition , and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder ( whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world ) when they behold the beast that was , and is not , and yet is . as if it had been a thing impossible , that ever any monarch should arise out of that place again . ) and so they come and joyn with him , who immediately ( after this conjunction ) persueth the woman ( the church of the iews ) that is fled into the wildernesse ; and they staying behind to keep possession of ierusalem , by the perswasion of the false prophet ( who arose among them ) set up the abomination that makes desolate , as is prophesied of by daniel in his . chapter . verse : which prophesie could not be fulfilled in the dayes of antiochus epiphanes ( though that might be a type of this ) as the marginall notes in the geneva translation seem to hold forth , for they say , the said antiochus did then set up the image of iupiter olimpius in the temple of ierusalem : now if that prophesie had then been fulfilled , the lord jesus ( by two of his evangelists , mathew and mark ) would not have left it upon record , ( math. . . mark . . ) for the iowes to take notice of , that then would be the time that they had most need to fly , in regard of the great tribulation that would immediatly follow , such as was not from the beginning of the world to that time , nor shall be , math. . . therefore this could not be fulfilled before . besides this abomination that is then to be set up , is the image of the vile person or beast ( who is not yet risen as to be made manifest ) according to the apostle iohns r●velation , chap. . , . and not any other image , or offering of swines flesh , as some other expositors on that place doe hold forth . now having declared something of the actings of this beast , both before and after the saints are taken up , we shall in the next place mention something of the time of hi● raign , how long it will be , with some passages of things during that time , which we have not already declared . as to the time , the apostle iohn in his . chapter of his revelations . saith but the court that is without the temple , cast out and meet it not , for it is given unto the gentiles , and the holy city shall they trea● under foot two and fourty months . which compared with the . daniel . and he shall confirme the covenant with many for one week , and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease , &c. and he shall speak great words against the most high , and shall weare out the saints of the most high , and think to change times and lawes : and they shall be given into his hands untill a time , and times , and the dividing of time , daniel . . also other scriptures for the farther clearing of this may be found in the daniel , , . verses . so that from the time of the saints being taken up , and the dragon or devill being cast down ( who gives his power to the beast ) to the time that the beast and false prophet will be taken alive and cast into the lake ●f fire , and the said devill or dragon bound up with a chain , will be but a short time ; for the v●yce in heaven , revelation . . and the beginning , and the . verse , the latter end , declares a wo● to the inhabitants of the earth , and of the sea , for the d●vill is come down unto you , which hath great wrath , knowing that he hath but a sh●rt time , so that taking the longest time of the prophecies concerning him , from the said time of the saints being taken up , to his end , will not be four yeares . a short time in respect of eternity , but a long time in respect of the miseries and plagues that will fall upon the inhabitants of the earth . in that time this little horn ( as daniel calls him in his . chapter . ) shall subdue three kings , which in the . verse of that chapter the calls hornes ; who these three are , probably they may be found , to be aegypt , lybia , and aeth●opia , daniel . . but if these be not those , then as yet we cannot discern from the scriptures who they are . also in that time the witnesses prophesie , who have pow●r to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will ; and then will the seven trumpets sound , and the seven vi●ls be poured forth ; of which we shall hereafter , as time and opportunity shall serve , and the lord assisting of us , declare further what is given in unto us concerning them . fifthly , for his ruine , it will be after he hath raised a very great army , and that by the spirits of devills working miracles , that goe out of his mouth , and the dragons , and the false prophets , who goe unto the kings of the earth , and of the whole world , to gather them to the battell of the great day of god almighty , revelations . , . for in the . revelations , . iohn saith , and i saw the beast , and the kings of the earth , and their hosts gathered together to make battell against him that sat on the horse , and against his army ; but the beast was taken , and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him , whereby he dcceived them that received : the beasts mark , and them that worshipped his image ; these both were alive cast into a lake of fire , burning with brimstone . now if we compar● this scripture of his ruine with o her scriptures , we shall find , that the beast , the man of sin , the vile person , the little horn , and gog the prince of meshech and tuball , to be all one person , under severall names and titles , i● we consider their actings and ends . . first for the man of fin , the apostle paul gives the church at thessalonica a description of him , by his actings and end , thess. , , , , , , ▪ . . for the vile person , though we have not so clear a scripture how he shall come to his ●nd , yet his actings will demonstrate him to be the same , daniel . ● . and so forward but in the . verse you have the substance of all ; and the king shall doe what him list , he shall exalt himself , and magnifie himself ahove every god , and shall speak marvellous things against the god of gods ▪ and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished , for that that is determined shall be done . and in the last vers● , he shall come to his end . . for the little horn , daniel in his . chap●●● . tells us , that then he beh●ld , because of 〈◊〉 voyce of the presumptuous words which the little h●rn spake , i beh●ld even till the beast was 〈◊〉 , and his body destroyed a●d given to the burning flame . . for gog the prince of meshech and tuball , the prophet ezekiel who saw his rise and ruine , gives an account of him in his . and chapters , whose end is sutable to the other description of the prophets ( both before and after ezekiels prophesie ) and apostles of that person , whose power shall be so great in the latter dayes ; consider well of the . verse of ezekiels . chapter , and in the : verse of that chapter is the ruine of his army declared ; and the fowles of the heaven are invited to this great slaughter or sacrifice of the lord , chap : : , : compared with the : rev. , . now though the ruine of the beast or vile person , &c. be on this manner , yet it may very well be questioned , whether the ten hornes or kings ( or rather seven of the ten , the beast having already rcoted up three of them ) are destroyed with him ; for if we consider well of th●t portion of daniels prophesie , chap : : : where it is said , as concerning the other beasts , they had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a certain time and season : we may rather conclude , that they were not destroyed with the beast . the next particular that we shall ( with the lords assistance ) treat upon , will be the opening of the : chapter of the apostle johns visions and revelations , which as we shall not declare rash and sudden thoughts thereon , so we desire it may not be suddenly expected from us , but rather to wait a while , for light is breaking forth daily , and that which may be apprehended for a truth to day ; to morrow may easily be discerned to be a mistake ; it is with us as with military persons upon duty in the field , especially those that are upon the guard , who looking about them continually ( but chiefly upon break of the day ) discover variety of objects as they apprehend , & as there are , quot homines tot sententioe , so many men so many minds or opinions , for one saith , that such a black thing that is at a pretty distance , is a man , another saith a tree , another a horse , another this or that , when as possibly within a short time after ( the day dawning more and more ) they plainly perceive that they were all in an error , though then when they gave their opinions , they all might be confident , that what they said it was , it was , and then ( as we apprehend ) no evill in them , because they knew not the contrary , though not possible , that one object upon the near approach , or by day light , could be the same thing that men of severall judgements said it was : so it is with us , in respect of what we have already written , or shall ; for many before us , in times of darknesse , have given their interpretation , on these subjects , in a contrary sense ; and saying , that these prophesies have all ( or the most part ) been fulfilled long since ; but we who are come near to the dawning of the day of the lord jesus , doe clearly discern , that th●se that went before us , and writ on these subjects , were much mistaken ; and those that come after us will have a clearer and fuller discovery of these things then as yet we have ; which then we hope will appear evidently to the eyes of all those , whose eyes of their understandings are enlightned by the word and spirit of god , to be such . now to god onely wise , and our father , and the lord jesus christ our saviour , who hath not left us comfortlesse , but hath sent us his holy spirit into our hearts , to guide and direct us in the way of truth , be glory , praise and dominion for ever : amen . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- a sam. . . b chro. . . c sam. . . notes for div a e- persecuton . a . judges b judges c judges d judges . falingaway of the churches . . the night of darkdnesse . rom. . , , , . the virgins go forth . cor. . . . the mysticall whore of babylon . the preaching of the gospel of the kingdome . the gathering of the two tribes to jerusalem . jer. . the rise of the beast with the ten kings . the beast who he is . first head . gen. . , & , , . gen. . , . esay . d . head . ki●gs . , , . kings , v. . and . v. . v. . sir w. rawle●gh first part , f. . sir w. r. f. , . d 〈◊〉 sir w. r. ●irst part , f. ● . sir w. r. first part , f . and . sir w. r. th head . third book chap. . sir w. r. . book . chap. . p●ragraph . th head . vide , sit w. r. . book . chap. . from the beginnlng of alexanders raign to his end . josephus . book first chapter . sir w. r. book f : . sir w. r. . book f. . th head , the romans . sir w. r. f. . daniel . ●●●mstone ● . . generall history of spain . f. . grimstone ● ▪ . howe 's chronicle f. . grimstone f. . grimstone f. . th head . calling of the jewes ▪ the ten hornes . feet and toes . ▪ the place where . jer. . , . what they will doe . the time of his raign , how long after the saints are taken up . his ruine . a warning to all the inhabitants of the earth where this shall come, but especially to those that are called magistrates or rulers, and so pretend to bear a sword of justice for the punishment of evil-doers these are those things which hath been laid upon me from the great jehovah as his commands to you, and they are as followeth. eeds, judith. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a warning to all the inhabitants of the earth where this shall come, but especially to those that are called magistrates or rulers, and so pretend to bear a sword of justice for the punishment of evil-doers these are those things which hath been laid upon me from the great jehovah as his commands to you, and they are as followeth. eeds, judith. [ ] p. printed by j.b. for the author, london : . caption title. signed at end: judith eeds. imprint from colophon. reproduction of original in huntington library. eng prophecies. a r (wing e a). civilwar no a warning to all the inhabitants of the earth where this shall come; but especially to those that are called magistrates, or rulers, and so eeds, judith f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion christian reader , i have lived an unworthy minister in the same town with the authour of this treatise these six and twenty years , and have been a constant observer and admirer , as of her other eminent gifts , so especially of ( those which give the highest lustre to them all ) her humble piety and charity . and ( if i mistake not ) this deborah doth here present unto thee in these her labours bee-like a sting and hony conjoyn'd . hony-sweet instructions , counsels and exhortations gathered out of severall flowres growing in gods paradise , tending to all sorts of good husbandry , and also sharp stings of reproof against all kinds of unthriftiness , not sparing the worst of them , our church ▪ dividing errours in these times . who knows , but that , after the lightnings of so many worthy barak's , and thundrings of ●om● powerfull boanergesses both from the pulpit and presse , against th●●● troublers of our israel , the lord may be pleased to make so man● 〈◊〉 these sisera's fall by the hand and pen of a woman ? first read , 〈…〉 judge : a 〈…〉 ( as barnabas did at antioch , acts . . ) when 〈…〉 hast seen the grace of god , be glad and say , the lord be magn 〈…〉 who ( as he may do what he will with his own , so ) hath given 〈…〉 gifts to a woman , the fruits whereof shee here by her private 〈…〉 sends forth with her earnest desire for the glory of god , and 〈◊〉 publike good . which is also the hearty prayer of thy christian friend and well-wisher in the 〈…〉 robert cade . reader , in this tract as in a former by her written , thou m 〈…〉 find verified , eminency of gifts , humility of spirit , elegan●● 〈◊〉 style , soldity of matter , height of fancy , depth of judgment 〈…〉 nesse of apprehension , strength of reason , all sweetly met 〈…〉 and truly ( as well as piously ) improved for the mayntenance 〈…〉 old ●●uths of jesus christ , against the new errours of these i 〈…〉 the phoenix of this age , this rare and precious gentlewoma● 〈…〉 envy and glory of her sex . a warning to all the inhabitants of the earth where this shall come ; but especially to those that are called magistrates , or rulers , and so pretend to bear a sword of justice , for the punishment of evil-doers . these are those things which hath been laid upon me from the great jehovah , as his commands to you ; and they are as followeth . first , i warn you , that you under the pretence of bearing a law to execute punishment on all those that offend , as you call it , that you do not form your weapons against the work of this the day of my god , in which he is over-turning babylon the great , the mother of harlots , even the mystery of iniquity , under which you have committed all your spiritual whoredoms , under the name of christians ; and so lucifer which was a morning-star , but was cast off , and droven into darkness , is become your head and law-giver ; from whence did come all your church-forms and powers , seeking to make all the earth to worship the beast and the dragon , and they have had power to slay the two witnesses and have caused their dead bodies to lie in the streets , not being buried , because they were not to rot , but to be dryed up by the heat of their persecution ; for darkness hath been spread over all nations , by reason of the abominations which they have been made fat withall , having drunk the bloud of the innocent , as an ox drinketh the water , and yet have they not enough ; therefore cain's spirit is not satisfied with bloud , till he hath bloud to drink ; and then will he cry out enough , which the lord will assuredly do ▪ if he cease not to shed bloud : therefore , before the day of reward come upon you , cease , cease persecuting any for matter of conscience , for the lord is breaking the clouds , and the vail is a rending , and the sons and daughters of adam shall be redeemed from the earth , in which they have been in bondage . therefore i warn you all , that you abound no longer in making use of those old cursed laws , which bloud-suckers did create and form , in the time that darkness had wholly clouded the mind of man from knowing any god in being , and so made gods unto themselves , and worshipped the works of their own hands , and leaving a law that after generations should bow to their idols ; but the spirit of jah hath blown the breath of li●e into the dead bones , and ●●esh , and sinews , are they covered now with all , which feels and knows the living god from a dum idol ; and the invisible life of power hath raised up a quick living witness , whose mouth shall declare his work in this day , which is to bring to an end all types and figures which are all to end in the body for sacrifices , offering burnt-offering , and the bloud of bulls , and the fat of rams , could not perfect the comer then unto . therefore a body did he prepare to do the w●ll ; which body put an end to all types and figures , days , new moons , and sabbath-days , as you call them ; for who have you consecrated them to , to your selves , or to the lord : if to your selves , then are they abomination unto the lord ; for he that keeps a day , let him keep it to the lord , and not unto his own lusts , for that is not pleasing in his sight ; and if it had been kept unto the lord , why are you w●ath when he hath brought an end to it ? but you will say , what will he put an end to our sabbath-day ? did he not make heaven and earth on six days ; and did he not rest the seventh day ? and did he not g●ve a c●mmand that on the seventh day , man should do no manner of work , he , nor his ox , nor his ass ; and there was no burthen to be born within the gates , nor no fire to be kindled on that day : and what will you not keep it now ? o foolish people ! void of understanding ! where are you ? what is become of your jesus , as you call h●m , that you stand in the observations of days and times ? for when god made all things , was it not by him ? for without him , was not any thing made that was made ; for he was the word , which wotd was his power ; by which power he formed all things ; and his power was the light or life of man ; and in it was man in perfect rest or union with his maker . and what need had man of one day of rest , when as he rested in god ; and a thousand years was but as one day in his sight . nay , man had no need of one day in seven , if man had no need : of necessity it will follow , god had no need . why what was the seventh day for , seeing that in six days he sp●ke , and did not rest ; what of his works did he rest in ? was it not in man , that the godhead did rest in first ? yea , for man was the express image of the father , which he could not have been , had not the seed rested in him . but if god did make man his rest , and man did rest in god , what need had men of a seventh day ? which is a day of rest . yea , god's wisdom was seen in providing a day of rest for fallen-man ▪ that so man might not altogether faint ; but having one day of rest , it might figure forth ▪ that there was a restauration for man , to rest in god , or god to rest in man ; and for that purpose , was there one day left to be kept , till the time that the godhead should in body it self in the humane nature , which was acc●mp●ished when the eternal light of life did over pour or operate with the nature of the virgin ; and then did god rest again in man , and man in god ; and put an end to the seventh day , having abolished all the enmity which was between the god head and the man-head . and so is he the day of rest to all that come to live in him ; for he is light ▪ 〈…〉 staid in him , they have no lack ; but he is their life , in which they rest out of all observations ; and they dare not stand in the observing of your holy days , nor of your sabbath-days for if they should , they must deny christ come in the flesh , and if christ the light be not in them , then are they reprobates . but you may s●y , we do not keep our sunday as the jews sabbath , but as the first day of the week , on which christ rose from the dead and met with his disciples , for breaking of bread and prayer . oh fools ! when will you be wise ? was there ever any command given by christ , or any of his apostles ▪ that the generations to come should cease from publick labour , and in private should serve their lu●●s , in providing dainty food , and brave cloths ; and so your backs and your bellies are your ●ods . o abomination ! must we suffer in imprsonments , if we will not mock god with you in owning such a day , and call it a sunday or a sabbath , or a day holier then another days , when you have consecrated it more to the devillish lusts , then all the other days : for is it not the market-day wherein all your false tea●hers , be they never such drunken beasts , if they can but get the bible in their hands , and words in their mouthes , will prate an hour for ten or twenty shillings ; and ●f any of the people of the lord be moved to go into their idol-temples to declare against their wickedness , presently hall them to the magistrate , and then the whip , or stocks , or prisons , or any cruel usage you can afflict on them , is too go●d in your sights : o abominable stink are you in the nostrils of my god , made up in iniquity , fit for destruction , if you repent not quickly . therefore , all you children of light , bring forth your testimony against their idol-day break it down to the ground , and the living presence of him that is a cons●mi●g fire shall be with you , and one shall put a thousand to flight , and the wicked shall be as stubble before you , when as one man , you shall in the strength of jah every one appear in your outward labour on their sunday , as they call it . take no thought what to say , i the lord will be words in your mouth , and a sword in your hands , and it shall pierce their bowels ; for when they think to execute their law on your bodies , i le raise up my light in them sharp and powerful , and it shall kindle as a fire in their breasts to devour . therefore in tender bowels of love , am i made to warn all , professors and profain , that you take heed how you reject the light that is in you ▪ which reproves for sin ; and if you would believe it to be the spirit of god made manifest in you , to destroy the lusts of the flesh , the power of death , hell and grave ; for whoso ver comes to believe in him that is light , shall not abide in darkness ; but christ , in them , the first fruits unto the father ; and then in order the members of your mortal bodies , which shall be made his ; when by judgement they are redeemed from the earth , up into the invisible love or life of god ; for mans love or life hath been wholly drawn or droven into the earth , and hath united it self unto the visible things ; and so the visible have been a vail or separation between god and men . b●t as man comes to feel something to judge him for his loving earthly things , more then the command of god ; for his commands have been near , even in thee if thou wouldest have obeyed it ; that would have led thee to love the lord 〈…〉 an end to all sin would soon be known ; for , if mans love were returned unto god from the things of this world , all coufening , cheating , lying , swearing , stealing , and murder would be at an end ; for were there not something that were the cause these sins would not be produced ; which cause , is love to the things of this life ; for mans love being in them , what will he not do to obtain the thing , that he coveteth after : so the root of all evil is covetousness : therefore there is but one way for man to be set free from the root of sin , and that is by owning of gods righteous law ; in himself , by which he may come to feel ; judgement executed on the first adam , which is now a child of wrath , being poluted by transgression : and concluded under sin , which none can see but those that owne that light in them , which is the pure law , that reveals the man of sin , to be in all the children of the earthly adam ; for before ever man can come to know life in god , he must come to know a death ; in , and to self ; for the whole have no need of a phisician ; but such as be broken ; for if man be not lost in the earth ; what need was there of the blood of the sonne of god ; to ransom man ; but when with the law , or light , man comes to see himself polluted in his own blood ; cast out into the open field ; no eye to pitty , but a will-leading to sin ; and a law-condemning sin : which law is quick and powerful ; in rendering condemnation on the body of sin ; or the child of the fallen adam : which law or light will not depart , from the seed of judah in thee : if thou cast it not behind thy back , until it hath brought thee to know the wrath of god due to all sinners ; and to thee in particular , and then the earth shall be shaken and thou shalt quake and tremble , by reason of the terrours of the almighty , that shall be poured out upon the head of the dragonish nature , that hath born rule in thee . then paleness of face with thy hands on thy loynes , as a woman in travil crying to be delivered , from that body of sin , which is the cause of such a sorrow ; but from it thou shall not git , till every tittle of the law be executed on thee ; that so thou mayest come to know the worth of the blood , that satisfieth the wrath of god , and turneth it into love ; for in the revealing of his love to thee in time of need ; thy body , soul and spirit shall be ravished , to behold that way of life , which he shall make thee partakers of , when he shall appear to annoint thy wounded spirit , and by his free eternal love , shall bind up that which he hath broken : and this shall he do , and more then tongue is able to express ; for all that will be willing , that his light , life and power in them shall rain ; to the glorifying of him in their mortal bodies : but if you will not own his light , and to it bring all your deeds , that thereby they may be judged , and you by judgment be redeemed , this is that you shall have at the hand of my god , indignation and wrath , tribulation and anguish for ever . this from one that is a daughter of jah , judith eeds . london , printed by j. b. for the author , . poor robins prophesies and divertisements poor robin. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing p a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) poor robins prophesies and divertisements poor robin. winstanley, william, ?- . broadside. h.b., [london?] : . attributed to winstanley by brit. mus. cat. and dict. nat. biog. caption title. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies (occultism) fortune-telling. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion poor robins prophesies . and divertisements . since the sybils , and nostredamus , mother shipton , grebnerus , and lilly , by predictions , have made themselves famous ; tho' never so dark and so silly . let poor robbin put in for a prophet with an innocent prognostication , if there happen no good to come of it , it shall yet do no hurt to the nation . but from starrgazing wisards of state , with their factius prognostiques ; defend us ; what they seem to foretel , they create and they cause all the ills they portend us . 't is but tuning the phansy of the rabble , and they 'l swear 't is the starrs ; when 't is they do 't ; not so much as this pittiful bauble , but i 'le hang , if they don't put a key to 't upon turning up the foundation of mushrome-hall , there was found a porridge-pot with an alms-box in it . the pott was made of red earth , as man was , and upon it , in saxon characters , as much as to say , our original . in the box were two prophesies , written also in the same tongue , which are here faithfully translated , as follows . the first prophesy . when the toad shall run away with a legg of the lyon , and advance it self against the eagle , then shall the men of the white island suffer great tribulation , by reason of the excessive price of horn-books , and the danger of their bacon ; and take grievous surfeits of rotten wardens . then shall the fox whistle , and the geese dance , to the tune of when jocky first the war began ; and there shall be notable glee among the children of the lake . after this , there shall appear a face of brass , under a new thatch'd house , and a voice shall be heard crying wo , wo , wo , unto those that bawl ; which shall be terrible to the translater of the dobuni , and the poor whores , with their petitions , shall fall down before it . then shall men be distracted in their reckoning , and refuse to give accompt of their stewardships ; and being far gone in ale and concupiscence , they shall have a hankering after the flesh , and run their heads against cross-beames in the middle of their cariere after the strange woman ; their eyes being sunk into their breeches , and the understanding fallen into the lower parts . the second prophesy . when the moon-calf shall chop logique with the three lyons , and the fatherless-child enter into a league with the french cutter , the trusty shall take possession of the house-top , and the clother of the dead shall call in the man of letter ; to his 〈…〉 and the canon shall play upon him , from the man of po. in those dayes there shall come forth a mighty prophet out of the river of the south , whose daddy shall not be known , for he shall spring like a chedir-cheese ; out of the milk of the whole parish . he shall confound the oracles of the pagan almanacks , and give thanks upon his knees to st. stephen , before the great tribunal , for his success . when this is come to pass , the spirit of delusion shall preach a new gospel , in the name of the fall'n angel ; maintaining that rebellion , rapine , and bearing false witness are the special privileges of a babe of grace . his sound shall go out into arabia ; he shall hold forth in the synagogues of smoke , and the martyr shall give testimony unto his doctrine . he shall be skill'd in all the learning of the egyptians ; and of so wonderful a memory , that he shall never forget any thing , but his sins , his friends , and the masters of his parish . he shall shew his parts before principalities and powers , and make great presents of state-spectacles , for the discovery of non-entities , and seeing things invisible : by which means , his virtues shall be made manifest . and then shall come forth in a fair foolls-capp , and bound up in calves-leather , the living history of the phylosophy of gotham with certain learned exercitations upon the devils arss of peake , which shall make the squire of the wandle , and the lady of the sorrowful countenance , great in their generations . but behold there is a sad catastrophe at hand ; for the proud shall be humbled , st. george appeareth , and the puissant shall eat grayns . divertisements . . if there be any man , woman , or child , in town , or country , that can furnish a considerable quantity of good substantial statutable bawdery , let them repair with it to the sign of the kings whisperer , and they shall be well paid for their pains , the master and mistress of the house , being upon a collection of curiosities of that kind , which they intend to publish with aretines cutts , and their own notes upon them , for the edification of both sexes . . there is now ready for the press , an excellent piece , call'd , the memoirs of grim the collier of croydon , and dame gillian his spouse , with instructions how a man may thrive in the world , without either brains , or honesty ; being of singular use , for buffoons , pimps , and parish-children . . lost betwixt tarts coffee house , and parliament stairs , out of a calves-leather-case , a very fair , large conscience , ready harden'd , and fit for use ; together with bills of accompts , and two apologys , one for judas , and another for the seaven deadly sins , clearly proving that the devil is not so black as they paint him , with a receipt to turn hob-nails into guinnyes . whosoever has found them , and will deliver them to the true owner , in the christ-cross-row , shall have a good reward . . the dr. that makes the rare varnish for keeping people in countenance in the cases of swearing , lying & stealing without the common helps of pillory or carting , so that they shall out-face a court of justice , and never change colour for 't , does now stand fair for professor to the societies of newgate and the gatehouse , & is to be spoke with , from to . in the morning , at the graceless babe ; & from to in the afternoon , at the sign of the cloake-carrier . at other times he may be heard of at the virginia in black-fryers . this may be printed may , . r. l'estrange . printed by h. b. in the year . mr. whallies the famous irish astrologer, his wonderfull prophesies,and general observations upon the year whalley, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w c estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) mr. whallies the famous irish astrologer, his wonderfull prophesies,and general observations upon the year whalley, john, - . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london? : ] imprint from wing. copy lacks p. [ ] on microfilm, copy has catchword: june; with print show-through, affecting text. reproduction of the original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -- early works to . predictive astrology -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion mr. whallies the famous irish astrologer , his wonderfull prophesies , and general observations upon the year . but to the matter in hand . the last quarter , or the beginning of this will contribute justly to a general peace between the christians and the turks , and friendship betweem several nations , for carrying on some great ends , which i incline to conjecture to shew themselves before the summer quarter be justly expired , whatever they may be , they will be attended with blows and bloody noses before their effects are over . i expect that either this quarter or the beginning of the next , will give an insight unto some of these predictions in my last years almanack . and among the rest , i cannot but perswade my self , that there will be about that time something more than ordinary to do in france or spain , but chiefly the former . and i verily believe , notwithstanding of the long expectations had of his death , that the king of the latter lives to see it . the spring and summer in general , will supplie us with vanity of odd news , and much of it surprising too . and among the rest , strange debates about persons , and things relating to laws , religion and settlement , which for a time will unsettle things of the nature , and beget uneasie disputes betwixt some prince and his clergy . however his majesty of great brlttaln is highly courted , and honourablie addrest both at home , and from some of the most roping neighbouring states : yet i wish this summer do not produce some roguery , even in the city of london : at least i doubt they will give uneasiness in their most national counsels , if not worse trouble in flanders . and i think the empire or emperour of germany will not be altogether free from some under hand dealings or villanies , nor the duke of bavaria form some disturbance , either in health mind or body , or altogether . may . the configurations of the last moneths latter end , and beginning of this threatens disorders , mischiefs and villanies of several kinds , and such too as will prove of no small consequences , to more places and people than one in europe , and in particular , i doubt will more then a little concern even the city of london . it s twenty to one , but we shal about this time be made sensible of some popish or jacobite roguery , which for some moneths past have been carried on in the dark , to undermine the foundation of the present government . this i believe will produce uneasiness , disturbance , troubles , and removals of several kinds , but in a more eminent manner in some of the superior station , if not raptures also in the general affairs of the world june a discourse concerning vulgar prophecies wherein the vanity of receiving them as the certain indications of any future event is discovered, and some characters of distinction between true and pretending prophets are laid down / by john spencer. spencer, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse concerning vulgar prophecies wherein the vanity of receiving them as the certain indications of any future event is discovered, and some characters of distinction between true and pretending prophets are laid down / by john spencer. spencer, john, - . [ ], , [ ] p. printed by j. field for timothy garthwait, london : . reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse concerning vulgar prophecies . wherein the vanity of receiving them as the certain indications of any future event is discovered ; and some characters of distinction between true and pretending prophets are laid down . by john spencer , b. d. isai . . , . i am the lord , that stretcheth forth the heavens alone , — that frustrateth the tokens of the lyars , and maketh diviners mad . ezek . . . my hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity , and that divine lies ; they shall not be in the assembly of my people . london , printed by i. field for timothy garthwait at the kings head in s. pauls church-yard , . c the preface the soul of man was ●●de for intimacy and converse with god , and therefore ; in a tacit sense thereof , is continually reaching and aspiring after it . but lust and pride having blinded its eye , it is apt to affect and seek it in fond and fantastick ways . whereas good men are ( as antoninus speaks ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , become familiar with god by holy practices , by profound humility , by abstractions from the world and lust ; men have conceited it is procured and maintained by going off from reason , by raptures , visions , prophecies , enthusiasms , hot and vigorous impressions of spirit ; and have verily thought ( as the ancient heathens by their prophets ) that they are scarce ever full of god , till they are half beside themselves . and therefore the lives of the romish saints are stuffed out with perpetual stories of such things as these , which do but render them ●o the contempt of men that have a true and sober notion of religion . in confidence of this conceit , such numbers of devoto's in all times have pretended enthusiasm and extraordinary illapse from heaven , though to different ends and purposes , according as a different habit of mind or body and some mutable circumstances of the age or course of life might determine an hot humor and busie fancy ( for it is little else ) to ●xert it self . among the many giddy fancies and errors of the late times , bred , like the worms in the manna , out of the body of our corrupted government and discipline , this was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lea●ing imposture , that the true seculum spiritus sancti was now coming on upon the world , wherein the immediate teachings of god should antiquate the more dead an● obscure teachings of the gospel , as those did the more weak and cloudy instructions of the law ; that the minds of holy men should conceive ( like the virgin mary ) by the sole overshadowings of the holy ghost , without any assistances from man or humane literature . that men should be autorized and assisted to the due performance of the duties of publick preaching and praying by the incitements of god upon the place . that god was about no new work , but his secrets were still made known unto the faithful . that the mighty impressions and propensions upon the spirits of the faithful , was an interpretative voice from heaven , a kind of bath-col to supply the defect of scripture-prophecy in dispensations more dark and aenigmatical . whence it came to pass that every morbid heat of passion and blind zeal was christened by the name of an ignis sacer , the sacred impress and discovery of the holy ghost , and every crazy fancy and dream dub'd a prophetick vision . now as storms and tempests at sea , though they prove the evils of many a private man , yet are the good things of catholick nature , because serving as a kind of natural exercise to keep that vast body of waters from putrefaction : thus howsoever the bold pretences to revelations , prophecy , and a greater intimacy with the divine spirit , proved the great evils of those particular times , causing many ( weaker vessels especially ) to make shipwrack of conscience and a sound mind , and betrayed them to gross and shameful notions in religion and policy ; yet to the church of god in general this hath proved the happy issue of this ignis fatuus of enthusiasm ( in all the expresses thereof ) even so effectual a discovery of it , both i● its effects , those bogs of sedition , blasphemy , profaneness , giddiness , it leads into , and in its cause , onely a natural f●rvor and pregnancy of spirit i● some more refined , and an heated melancholy in other grosser enthusiasts , then hath been formerly made ; and such as might effectually secure the person that can do more then believe , from being easily abused by such shining vanities as any pretended enthusiasms make a proffer of . so that the present undertaking to lay forth the impostures wrapt up in this most famo●us instance of enthusiasm , supposed prophecy , may seem to have nothing to justifie it but an honest intention : especially considering tha● there are penal statutes provided to prevent the spreading of seditious prophecies , by the severities of which those may be whipt into their wits , whom the physick of an argument cannot cure of their prophetick frenzies . these considerations would easily have perswaded me to have spared the reader and my self a further trouble , but that i saw so great an affinity between the present and precedent subject , that the discourses upon both would ( like both the feet ) derive a mutual strength and assurance upon each other ; and that the prophecies which are the issues of an hot head and disturbed imagination , are but the one half of those which abuse the faith of the people : i considered withal that prophecy is the most obstinate piece of enthusiasm , having our innate curiosity and an experience as great as prodigies to make it considerable . besides , while good laws are the best security of the peace , sober principles laid in the minds of the people are the best security of the laws . a discourse of the vanity of vulgar prophecies . chap. i. some general accounts given of the argument . counterfeits in art , nature and religion . false prophecy one instance of them . what kind of false prophets the times of the new testament are freed from . the miscarriage of states oft by occasions contemptible , noted . the present argument sutable to the age , because an age of action , of intellectual improvement , and yet , in many , of enthusiasm . several confident pretenders to prophecy of late , taken notice of . the affinity between prodigies and prophecies in the general ●ends of both . prophecies of evil consequence in states and why . our nation extremely inclined toward them in former times . the ancient ethnick statesmen how they secured themselves against the prophetick humor of the people . judges of prophecy in plato , who . the sibylline oracles of what use among the romans . the opinions the ancients had of prophecy , couched in the fable of teresia . religion a great sufferer by them in the practise , credit , doctrine and foundation thereof . these noted prejudicial to the mind , and why : and to common life . two examples to evince that , taken notice of prophecies as universally attended to as prodigies , amongst heathens , jews , christians , with a threefold account thereof . the hypocrisies of things are as familiar as those of men , for as there is a great deal of reprobate silver which carries the image of the king and looks like sterling , so there are in art , in nature , in religion the many instances of things that do only a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry a fair face , bear a title and garb beyond their true and real value ▪ as there is a ●●ue masculine rhetorick wherein the golden aples of some rich conceptions are set in the silver pictures of some b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of desire , expressions chosen and fitly set , so there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the charm of some soft and siren words and periods which ( like a tinkling cimbal ) make a pretty sound in the ear for a time , and rather inchant the mind then inform it . in nature also there are the real diamonds , and angels of light , and others which by sophistry c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are only transformed into their likeness and usurp their title . religion also ( through the arts of evil men ) is forced to carry two differen● faces of things under the hood of one and the same name and outward appearance : in which we find lying wonders , d fan●astical depths , a knowledg falsly so called , a spirit of error , and so false prophecies disguised in the titles and images of the true . it is indeed the great blessing promised to the times of the new testament , that we should be delivered from all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as the e targum stiles them ) prophets of the spirit of a ly , which should call men to the worship of images : and god hath fulfilled the same unto us , there being now none of those lying prophets among us that the minds of the heathens were abused withall , who used to erect some idols themselves had devised , telling the people f they were the images of such a star or constellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was made known to them by prophecy . yet there are still left among us ( that there may be an exercise of christian prudence as well as of other virtues ) some prophets of a ly , which call men to a reverence of the images of their own busy fancy , some who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( as g theodoret of the enthusiasts of his age ) call the idle phantasms of their dreams , prophetick visions . our present business therefore is , to rub off the gilt of these shining vanities supposed prophecies , and to discover the folly of that faith and affection with which they are so generally entertained ; and in order thereunto to lay down some characters of dictinction between real and pretending prophets , and to inquire ( as we can ) whether the h sun be quite gone down over the prophets , and the minds of men never visited now with any beams of prophetick light , so familiar in the former ages of the world. the argument , i know , is as fruitful a field of imposture as the fo●egoing , and the persons to whom i oppose my self therein , are men of a more exe●cised faith then understanding , and there is nothing more reverenced by some , and e●ploded by others then prophecying ; and therefore i easily foresee that i shall ( like the candle ) praelucendo perire , suffer greatly my self in the prepossest thoughts of the most , while attempting to give light to others in so imposterous and litigious an argument as this is . but when bodies politick have been often choked ( like adrian ) with g●ats , ruined by some occasions they despised and thought most beneath their caution , ( propheci●s and enthusiasms among the rest ) and because if all men of more improved intellectuals should value themselves so far , ●s never to stoop to a notice of those contemptible errors which the people are abused withall , no body would be informed , ( as no bodies sores cured if all should be nice : ) i have the intentions and hopes of a publick service to ballance the prejudices of some severer persons . but that which more effectually reconciled me to this attempt , was a regard to the special sutableness thereof to the present age : and the great affinity between this and the foregoing argument . the age wherein our lot is fallen , is an age of action and expectation , and in such times , prophecies generally take confidence to become publick , being then most grateful to men , usually very impatient of uncertainties where they are hugely concerned . among the jews we find prophets and oracles especially consulted in times of some publick distraction , and i polybius tells us that when the armies of the romans and carthaginians were ready every day to joyn battel , every bodies mouth was full of oracles and prophecies . men upon such occasions are apt to believe as they affect , and then to presage as they believe . besides , 't is a time of improvement in all humane and divine knowledg , and that happy day seems risen upon us to which god hath promised an k increase of knowledg : nature begins now to be studied more then aristotle , and men are resolved upon a philosophy that bottoms not upon phancy but experience , a philosophy that they can prove and use , not that which commenceth in faith and concludes in talk . and considerate men are too much themselves now to be brought ( like bees ) to hive under any odd form of opinion and party of men , by the confused noise and dinn of carnal reason , the spirit of god , superstition , reformation , and the coming in of popery . now while wisdom seems thus to have hewn out her seven pillars and her house is going up so fast , it is ● duty to assist her work by removing a●l the rubbish of prodigies , vulgar prophecie● , and what ever doctrine makes the minds of men soft and easy ( by teaching men to believe without evidence ) and so , unfit to make a due judgment of things . more-over , 't is a time wherein ( as 't is usual ) folly is as busy as wisdom . never greater talk of terrible signs , revelations , new-lights , prophecies and visions in our own and other kingdoms then now . * we have had ● volumes of prophecies and visions lately tendred to the world , and that by men of no common name , and with a confidence , i think , beyond the examples of history . for as many amongst our selves , disbelieve the writing of god though sealed with so many mighty signs , martyrdoms , accomplished predictions , a resurrection from the dead , and the attestation of millions of wise and good men ; so they protest their visions in the face of the sun , without any considerable signs , and notwithstanding the contempt of all sober christians , and those contrary events whereby god hath frustrated the tokens of these lyars and made these diviners mad . and some of them stic● not to tell the world , that by how much the ●carer that great day of the lord is , the more evidently and familiarly doth he excite his prophets ; and that they understand the frequent possessions , witchcrafts ▪ and fanatical enthusiasms of the quakers ; k satanicas esse praestigias , quibus opera dei obsuscare nituntur , ut olim jannes & jambres mosi restitére , to be the delusions of the devil , whereby they endeavor to obscure the works of god , as jannes and jambres withstood moses of old . as for that affinity noted between this argument and the fore-going , it will appear in the correspondence observable between prodigies and prodigies in the general nature , evil consequents , and common acceptance of them both . . in their general nature . for as prodigies are received ( as the l reason of the name intimates ) as a kind of real prophecies , ( predictions , as in a figure , of some great plague or change in state. ) so prophecies as a kind of verbal prodigies , wonderful indications of the fortunes of kingdoms or private persons : both feed the curiosities of men by the pretended notices of the future ; and have alwaies gone undivided in the opinions and regards of easie men , both among heathens and christians . having therefore imbittered , and dryed up that one breast , the opinion of prodigies , which used to suckle this childish humor of curiosity in men : i shall endeavour to do as much to that other of common prophecies , that so the minds of men may be forced to take to some more substantial nourishment and may come the more entire and undisturbed to sober and wise thoughts . . in their evil consequents . these vulgar prophecies having as malign an influence upon the state , religion , the understanding , and common life as prodigies . . they are of very evil consequence in the state. the monuments of our own and forrein nations assure us that there is not a more fruitful womb of seditions and confusions in states then the opinion of such predictions is . he that shall read ur histories ( saith our great l lawyer ) shall find what lamentable and fatal events have fallen out upon vain prophecies , carried out of the inventions of wicked men ; pretended to be ancient , but newly framed to deceive true men : and withall , how credulous and inclinable to them our countrey-men in former times have been . the reason why the publication of any such evil prophecies ( as he tells us ) hath been made felony without clergy by some ancient statutes in our kingdom ; and still interdicted under severe penalties both in our own and * forrein countries . what attempt will not take confidence from a perswasion that god will succeed it , and that it is the accomplishment of some divine prediction ? and besides , how certainly will the best cause fall to the ground , where the hands which are to suport it , are weakned by an opinion of some unpromising omen or prophecy ? the ancient ethnick states-men seem very sensible what a ready weapon of sedition this sacred opinion of prophecies in the people was , and therefore being unable to wrest it from them , they endeavoured as much as they could to blunt its edg ; by subtil maxims , such as these , m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , persons very simple or very poor , never saw any dreams in which the publick was concerned . and that none but a king or a general was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preferred by the gods the prophet of a city : or by appointing some prudentdent over-seers and interpreters of prophecies . their doctrine ( as we learn from n plato ) was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. it is not for the person acted by a pr●phetick fury , whether he continue in it still or no , of himself to judg his prophetick visions or speeches : for ( as it is commonly and truly said ) to speak and do things becoming , belongs soly to a wise person . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wherefore the law provides that an order of prophets be set iudges over all enthusiastick divinations , which prophets some by mistake call diviners . where indeed the order of prophets to whom he gives the preheminence , were none else but wise and prudent men ( as a o late writer , truly ) but whereas he adds , who by reason of the sagacity of their understandings were able to judg of those things which were uttered by this dull spirit of divination , which resided only in faculties inferior to reason , i conceive he misapprehends the end and office of these prudent persons ; who were indeed iudges , but not to interpret but to moderate these prophetick furies . for if these enthusiasms were really divine , no wise man would , and if really phrenetical , no wise man could judg them , so as to expound and interpret them ; for can any man make any sober judgment of the phantasms and heats of distraction , or find any reason in that which never approached the faculty of reason ? these wise men therefore seem a ●ind of ethnick sanhedrim to judg of pretended prophecy in an authoritative way , and to expunge or expound according as might best comport with the occasions of state. and the better to blanch over their sentences and to make them look like oracle , they were themselves reported and verily thought by the people , really prophetick persons . answerable to which subtil men among the graecians , the romans had constantly chosen out of the city , their sole keepers and interpreters of the sibylline prophecies , which serve● as a kind of ethnick alcoran , expounded alway by those mufties according as the circumstances of state might require : and 't is not unlikely that caesar had been tampering with one of them , who told the romans in open senate , as from the oracles , of sibylla that p he that they had now their king in reality , must have the title of king too , if they would be in a safe condition . i incline to believe that this political sophism in reference to prophecy , was couched by the poets in the fable of their hermaphrodite-prophet teresia , whom they feign stricken with blindness by iuno , but in recompense of that ill turn , blest by iupiter with prophecy : and further that this q person had the forms of both sexes , and was often instrumental to accord many differences and strifes among the god. wherein they seem to intimate that prophecy ( as found among them ) was given only to persons bereft of the use of wisdom , as in a dream , or in the eclypse of reason by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as plutarch calls it ) prophetick effiux , ( in truth , a subtil vapor ascending the body of the pythia from those hollow caverns over which she stood , and begetting a kind of dry drunkenness in her for a time , and so disposing her to an imitation of the ecstacies and prophecies of an enthusiast . ) or else of the very habit of wisdom ; ( and that by iuno , a hand of providence ) as no men distracted , hypochondriacks , epileptical persons , old women : and this by god , to compensate their great blindness and r folly in all other matters . now these prophecies seemed to carry the form of a woman ▪ as being delivered generally by that sex , but constantly by persons extremely ignorant , credulous , talkative , and impotent both in mind and body ; and of a man , as being directed , expounded and over-look'd by the care and wisdom of some prudent men. and the fable seems further to intimate of what singular use in state , these pretended prophecies proved ( when subtilly managed ) to compound differences among the gods , men of minds or power too high to be set down by any law but what pretends from god ; and to conclude all pro and con in a nation about matters referring to the gods and religion . accordingly the ancient law-givers , numa , scipio , lycurgus , lysistratus , sertorius , and the rest , called their laws oracles , and the ten tables pretended from god as well as the two . and s tully advised the secret custody of the sibylline oracles , valeantque ( saith he ) ad deponendas potius quam ad suscipiendas novas religiones ; thus some subtil men among the iews , to accord the fierce disputes between the school of hillel and schammai , invented the story of a t bath kol ( the lowest degree of prophecy , according to them ) a voice from heaven , saying , et horum & illorum verba sunt verba dei viventis . but when the laws of god will not warrant us to tell a ly for his honor , much less for our interest , it is an instance of the piety and policy of the state to enact severe laws against persons of so prostitute a conscience , as to encourage a sedition by any pretended prophecy : that so the just reverence of divine prophecy may be secured , and faction may not use those arts to disturb , which honesty dare not to secure the common peace . . vulgar prophecies have as malign an influence upon religion . in the practice thereof : for in an opinion of such things , the thoughts of some men are wholy entertained with enquiries where will god be next , and their great question is , watchman , what of the night ? what news of things as yet in the dark and out of view ? the work of the day scarce ever aproacheth their thoughts : the great sign with them of a familiar acquaintance with god is , whe● he is continually whispering news in mens ears , and making them intimate to his secrets , and no man shall be thought a spiritual preacher by them , but he that can loose the seals of the apocalyptick visions . in the interim by such fond thoughts and curiosities the minds of men are made vain and trifling ▪ their spirits too subtil and airy to fix upon a serious thing , and while their eies are thus , at the ends of the earth , they neglect to hee● their way , and become ( like silly birds ) but the fairer mark for the fowler , by standing thus at gaze . and as great a sufferer by such things , is religion in the reputation thereof ; for when subtil men shall see us ( like the ancient egyptians ) inshrine every ape , give reverence to every vain person and clouted rhime , which may ape the gestures and stile of a prophet or prophecy , they will be ready to conclude religion a meer systeme of phantasms , inexplicable impressions , and a tutoring of men to a faith of contrad●ctions or meer imaginations . and all the devoto's in the world shall be thought a society of easy men that can say much and prove nothing , and that ( what was falsly ●aid of the iews of old ) give worship to an asses head , to the idle visions of their own or other mens heads , as soft and ignorant as theirs . besides , an easy faith of such vulgar prophecies as of divine impression , doth greatly prejudice religion in the doctrine thereof . for men will readily conclude him a man of god , and that the word of the lord is with him ( be his doctrine what it will ) that seems to tell them things to come , ( the reason why the seducers of greatest name in story have pretended prophecy . ) the church of rome proves her self the temple of the living god , and gods presence with her , by the voice of his oracles heard therein . she hath ( she tells us ) the spirit of prophecy ( called the testimony of iesus ) to bear u witness to her doctrine , discipline and worship : and to this purpose gives us in a list of her prophets ( but most of them women ) and of their wonderful predictions , and challengeth us to instance any such parallel examples . to whom we return , w we are not careful to answer thee in this matter : while the house of god with us is built upon the foundation of the true prophets and apostles , it will not need daubing with any such untempered mortar as vulgar prophecies are , to give strength or beauty thereunto . but religion is a far greater sufferer by such spurious visions , and prophecies , in the foundation thereof , that sure word of prophecy upon which it bottoms . there can hardly be a more subtil way invented to sink the value and credit of all divine prophecies and illapses , then the multitude of those tinsil enthusiasms wh●h are in the world. men will quickly grow coy , and loth to trust themselves w●th a revelation , when they see so much imposture breaking in upon the world that usurps that name . the ethnick world had been for many ages imposed upon by enthusiasms , dreams , oracles , prophecies , apparitions of the gods , till socrates ( in a discovery of the vanity of them ) called men to an use of judgment , and taught them to entertain no doctrine without or against apparent reason . and the many abuses formerly put upon them , made them no : only readily entertain his doctrine , but so prejudiced them against the very air of a revelation , that as the jewish masters were perpetually demanding of signs , so the gentile philosophers , demonstrations , of the first preachers of the gospel , and upbraiding them that their doctrine was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a paradoxical doctrine , and altogether impossible to be demonstrated . and amongst our selves , while some must have an enthusiasm in all the great turns of life , and must be fed , like the patriarchs , with visions and prophecy , others ( seeing the impos●ures wrapt up in them ) hate such light meat , and begin to look upon a revelation as a matter un-intelligible , both in the maner of conveyance , and the way of discovery and discrimination , and to think no man can answer the taking up of any opinion upon the credit of a prophetick testimony , to his cool and advised thoughts . but if the more fortunate credulity and simplicity of the persons to whom these visions and prophetick raptures happen , make them impregnable by a temptation to any such subtil atheism , yet still scripture is disparaged while the affections of men are divided between an old prophecy and a new , and that sickly humor in some men of longing after somewhat new in religion , is fed , mens gadding fancies are gratified , and religion is exposed to the danger of being evaporated into air and rapture . . these pretended prophecies do as much usurp upon the mind and understanding : because instructing both deliverers and receivers onely to a bold and forward faith. for they that deliver them presume it were not to believe but to dispute , if they should ( like x gideon ) desire a sign of god that it is he indeed that talketh with them : these impressions they conceive are both writing and seal to themselves , and proclaim by their own mighty force and vivacity that they are set on by a divine hand : the mind of man ( say they ) under the divine visitations , is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to attend ▪ in an humble passiveness and silence , to god , while instructing it by the whispers of his spirit . a doctrine which is virtually an infinite imposture , and which brings a man into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as the y arabians call the wilderness ) a desert of wandering , wherein he may run for ever from one wild imagination to another ; and contains as much reason therein , as the conceit of that mariner that should think his ship ran a right course onely because driven with a fierce wind . and as much do these prop●ecies usurp upon the understandings of those to whom they are tendred ; we must trust our faith with these things , but never o●fer to demand first the security of some divine sign ; we must believe them of divine inspiration onely because we are told they are so : and if we demur , as thinking the condition unreasonable , we are bidden to have a care we be not found to fight against god , and so must become fools for fear we prove knaves . but when our blessed savio● himself would not so far controul the law of reasonable nature in man , as to require him to a faith of his prophecies before sufficient assurance given of their divinity ; we know not to value our selves , if we suffer a faith of these common prophecies to be forc'd upon us , which offer nothing to assure them but solemn looks and verily verily . the world swarms with pretended prophecies and revelations ; we have not onely our monthly but our daily prognosticators , and therefore the honest looks of the proposers are not sufficient grounds of trust in this business . that proposition , intellectus patiens recipit phantasmata , is a truth also in divinity ; the soly passive intellect , that is impressive and easie , that doth not use it self to discourse and judg , receives fantasms into it self , little besides the airy visions of its own or other mens vain imaginations . . these prophecies are of very evil consequence in common life : they give silly men to conceit they are never gods favorites till they are half mad , and have constant intelligence from heaven by some new vision . they torture mens minds with infinite anxieties , and lay upon their thoughts the evils of an age to lament at once . they encourage them in very evil purposes , by the confidence they give them of success . they keep men from possessing themselves in peace by a secure repose on the wisdom and goodness of god. they tempt them to a neglect of those faithful and acknowledged rules of life , scripture , and the maxims of reason , to attend to measures fantastical and never proved . they cow mens spirits , and betray those succors which reason affords and commands the use of . thus the z historian tells us the senate of florence would by no means make opposition to the french king charls the eighth , because advised to the contrary by the reputed prophecies of savanarola . the examples of men which have run themselves upon strange precipices by following these foolish fires , are infinite . i shall instance but two , to stop , if it were possible , the mouths of my two adversaries in this argument , the papist and the enthusiast . the first shall be the strange example of pope gregory the ninth , who was perswaded by the pretended visions and prophecies of catharina de senis to go from avenion to rome , against the reasons and perswasions of his cardinals and friends ; whereby he became the occasion of that schism which lasted for about forty years in that church . a in an easie foresight whereof , a few hours before his death ( which hapned within half a year after his coming thither ) having the holy eucharist in his hands , he protested before them all , that they should beware of either men or women delivering , under a s●ew of religion , the visions of their own hea● ; because himself , being seduced by such , had , in a neglect of the sober counsels of his friends , drawn himself and the whole church into danger of imminent schism , except the mercy of christ interposed . the other example toucheth closer upon our present times ; that of comenius ( a person whose other works praise him , so that i need say nothing ) who was so inchanted by the simplicity of maners , solemn asseverations , frequent extasies , rapturous speeches , devout language , pompous visions , unaccountable passions , some casually accomplished predictions of those three pretending prophets , christopherus kotterus , christina poniatovia , nicholaus drabicius , as greatly to reverence their persons , to record and at last to publish their visions and prophecies under the specious title of lux in tenebris , to write the history of their lives and prophetick raptures , to attempt to reconcile the contradictions in their predictions : and where their deformity appeared through the finest colors he could dissemble it with , he ventures to bring himself off , thus ; b sapientiam dei varie nobiscum ludere , & lusisse hac in re , haec ostendunt , &c. and elswhere , c non invenio quid dicendum restet , nisi aut haec prophetica non esse divina , aut hypothesin theologiae nostra ( de omnimoda immutabilitate dei , etiam nostri & temporalium respectu ) vacillare . utrum potius suspicandum sit , quid si pronunciare ne festinemus ? and the like : which is to make god a deceiver ( i speak as a man ) that so silly men may speak truth . thirdly , prophecies and prodigies touch and agree in the universal reception of them both . prophecy never wanted professors or auditors in any age or place in the world. it was the opinion of some of the iews , and most of the gentile philosophers of old , that the soul came down into the body , pregnant with d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a prophetick power , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but it is muffled and blinded because of its commixture and confusion with this lump of earth , whic● perpetually sends up such a thick mist of fantasms before its eyes , that it cannot now see afar off . a doctrine , which the deport of the soul , while a prisoner to its own house , seems a little to encourage : for as the bush in the fable , having sustained a great loss of cloth , is fancied to stand ever since by the high-way catching hold of every mans clothes , in hopes to recover its own lost goods ; so the souls of men seem to express a tacit sense of a great loss in regard of the knowledg of things future , in this embodied state , in that they stand ( as it were ) in triviis , and hastily catch at any pre●ending prophecy and shadow of divination : 〈◊〉 indeed i have nothing ( in this matter ) 〈…〉 to accuse my own nation then others 〈…〉 being an argument of the blindness of most ages and nations , that they readily swallow down such flies as these when tendred to them . what place and repute prophecy held among the gentiles of old , those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the like , and that vast rabble of chaldeans , astrologers , soothsayers , necromancers , interpreters of dreams and prodigies , diviners by the smoke , the exta , the incense on the altar , by a staff , the chirping of birds , all of familiar occurrence in their writings , are a sufficient assurance . particularly the eastern nations were so mad upon divination , that e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are full of the east seems used proverbially by the prophet , to set forth that mighty passion with which the iews were carried after divination and the knowledg of futurities . and with how easie a faith the iews used to meet any pretenders to prophecy , though calling them ( to the most open defiance of reason and religion ) idolatry , the writings of the old testament will sufficiently resolve us . and christians ( though these vulgar prophecies have been proved , by an infinite experience , a dead catch , devoid of the life of truth and perspicuity ) stoop as greedily to them , when ever thrown before them , as if they were all oracle . for they easily believe no man to be so projectedly atheistical , as to intitle god to the visions of his own brain : not considering that the spirit of heated melancholy may inspire these prophets , and abuse them with some vigorous impressions as much as they do other men . now it cannot but seem strange to our first thoughts , that while all other sects and impostures suited to the present gusto of the people , have had their peculiar times and places of acceptance , and the wheel of fortune ( as it is called ) hath gone over them all and crush'd them in the dust , enthusiasts and pretences to prophecy should prove an obstinate cheat which all ages and nations have been thus gull'd withal ; especially considering that the hiding of events from us is so great a security to the quiet of our minds , and felicities are always greater , and evils ( because they then afflict us but once ) the lighter , which do surprize us . this so strange and catholick a vanity must determine our inquiries after some catholick and immutable causes in humane nature which may give us some probable account thereof . they are ( i conceive ) especially these three : . a catholick presumption of the singular readiness of god to communicate with man , especially if a more refined person , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and separate from all the ways of the people ( as the masters say a prophet must be . ) this perswasion may grow either from a kind of tacit sense in the soul that it was made for converse with god , to refer to him , to derive light and law from him . a remembrance of which birthright of the soul remained a while in the more simple and innocent years of the world , in that frequent intercourse between god and man , by the mission of angels , vouchsafing of divine visions and prophecies , immediate oracles , and that administration of civil affairs in the iewish kingdom by the immediate direction of god himself . or else ( which is more explicable ) it might possibly arise from a fantastical measure of goodness in god. men have thought it could not stand with the goodness of god to suppose him reserved , and to leave them in the dark in some very doubtful and perplexed circumstances of life : and therefore si dii sint , divinatio est was thought by tully and others a very natural consequence . and a late writer , to prove prophecy not yet ceased , placeth this in the front of his demonstrations ( so he calls them ) the eternal duration of the divine goodness and bounty ; which will oblige him ( saith he ) to as free a communication of this prophetick light now , as in the years of old : and therefore concludes his argument with a brand upon the f inexcusable wickedness and rashness of those men who would have this fountain of divine grace dried up , while denying prophecy . but who art thou , o vain man , that wilt thus mete out the heavens with thy span ? prefer thy short thoughts of what is fit and good the measures of infinite bounty and goodness ? doth not the papist conclude an infallible spirit in the church , from the same topick the enthusiast doth a prophetical spirit therein , even because god's goodness will not permit him to withhold so great a blessing ? certainly if god's goodness prove the spirit of prophecy to be at all in the church , it will prove it also as plentifully poured out now , as in the primitive times , god being as rich in goodness now as then . . opinions of this world vast and unmeasured , is another great support of the credit of vulgar prophecies . men in all times have been apt to value the concerns of this world amiss , to think persons and affairs hold the same place in the thoughts of god as of a man , and could not imagine that what was a great reality to their inchanted minds , was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a great fancy in the account of heaven : and therefore easily conceived that all events of greater note came with observation , and had the harbinger of a prodigy or prophecy to run before and give notice when ever they are coming after . this vulgar judgment of things drew forth that speech from the g roman historian , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. it hath often occurred to my thoughts as a wonder , that when the city of byzantium hath risen so exceedingly , that no city besides can vie fortunes or greatness with it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , no prophecy was ever given our ancestors from the gods of its singular felicities and increase . and my thoughts ( as he goes on ) oft running upon this strange instance , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , having turned over many volumes of history and collections of oracles , scarce at last have i light upon an oracle of sibylla erythrea which seems to carry some prophetick ayrs of the succeeding grandeur of this city . but yet after a full recital of the oracle , he concludes ( as he had reason , so loose and general the words are ) if the oracle shall seem to any one to speak a different sense , let him take to it if he please . . there is in the minds of men an infinite thirst after the knowledg of futurities . what purchase would be thought ( by many men ) too great for the knowledg of such things as these , how long such a king shall reign , who shall succeed to the throne , when antichrist shall fall , how long they shall live , whom they shall marry , what shall be the issue of such a war , when such a cloud of affliction shall go off from their tabernacle : this thirst made the religion of the gentiles ( that thought there was nothing beyond the horizon of sense ) almost nothing but a continued divination , an unwearied pursuit of this knowledg , in oracles , in omens , in prophecies , in prodigies , in auguries , in the signs of heaven , in the guts of the sacrifice , and the like ; and so far befooled them that they oft preferred the ravings of a mad-man , the chirpings of a bird , the babble of an astrologer , and the dreams of an old woman , to greater veneration then the words of the wise ; and made the smoke of his house appear a better oracle then the man of counsel that dwelt in it . and an impatience of the ignorance of things to come , fooled the iews as well as the gentiles out of their reason and religion both at once , tempting them to g ask counsel at their stocks , and to seek to their staff to declare futurities unto them . amongst our selves a like affection for this knowledg betrays so many men to such opinions of astrologers , fortune-tellers , the predictions of enthusiasts , and men upon a death-bed . look as those gross vapors , which , while he●e below , are of no name and consideration , but as soon as they mount the heavens , and carry light and fire with them , draw the eyes of men upon them , and are thought divine presages . thus those persons , whose grossness and dulness in all matters referring to religion , learning or common life , rendred them to the neglect or pity of sober men , as soon as that black humor in them takes fire , and the men seem to speak from heaven , and to carry a prophetick light with them , they presently become considerable , are advanced the common subjects of discourse , their prophecies are studied more then the bible , and men wonder to see how little those fools-bolts mist of the mark they were level'd unto . now the teeth of men have thus water'd for this forbidden fruit , the knowledg of things to come , partly from a weakness and childishness of temper whereby they cannot relish and digest the strong meat of substantial doctrine and solid argument ; partly from some present uneasiness of condition , the duration whereof looks like an eternity to their short spirits , while they know no end thereof ; partly in a vain hope that according as a good or an evil is prophesied concerning them , so their diligence may be applied to promote it or prevent it . in consideration of all the premises , i have applied my self with the greater seriousness to sink the reputation of those pretending prophecies which so much ingross the studies and affections of many men , and to evince that pretenders to predictions now , are , in all likelihood , prophets onely of the deceit of their own heart , and that none of their prophecies are to be attended to , as the certain indications of a future time . chap. ii. the vanity of vulgar prophecies detected from the unworthiness of the pretenders to them . all things and persons thought by the heathens to partake somewhat of a prophetick power . wisdom onely excluded by them from any share in that gift . the perswasion too much abetted by some christians . to reprehend which , the first consideration is proposed . that prophetick maxim , that prophecy rests not but upon a wise , a valiant and a rich man , how understood by the modern jews : a conjecture concerning the reason of it , in their sense . how understood by the more ancient jews , shewn at large from their writings . god's prophets never mad in a prophetick fit . wise-men an ancient addition of the prophets : the title usurped by the ancient philosophers and magicians . jews , christians and heathens required sanctity in order to true prophecy . none born prophets of the jews , and why . our pretended prophets largely proved devoid of all true prophetical qualifications , and therefore not creditable . the church of rome why so fruitful in such prophets . how much a fond affection for prophecy had blinded the minds of the ethnick world , appears by their conceiting the prophetick light as much diffused as the natural ; and that as every thing did , according to its measure , participate of the i goodness , so of the prescience of god. they regarded the whole world , and all the k parts thereof , but as so many softer oracles : not a star or comet in the firmament , not a monster on earth , not a staff in the wood , not a gut in the sacrifice , not a line in the hand , but was thought prophetical . the earth was thought pregnant with a l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a kind of prophetick efflux and most divine spirit , able to inspire the pythia which stood over it . the souls of all men were thought continually uttering some softer voices of prophecy , but could not be heard till a dream , or an ecstacy , or a frenzy had hush'd the clamors of an obstreperous reason ; and therefore even persons which could not speak sense , yet were presumed able to speak a prophecy . in short , every thing was thought pregnant with some presage , but onely reason and the mind that had wisdom ; for as to that , their doctrine was m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mortal wisdom ( stylo novo , corrupt reason ) diverts and extinguisheth that enthuusiasm which would otherwise rise upon the soul. and i am sorry to see , that amidst all this light which falls upon us from heaven , men should yet be so little awakened out of the dreams of gentilism , as to think divination almost as familiar a thing as the heathens did ; an● that while we profess miracles the seal of faith , and prophecy the rule , and prophet the great title of the lord thereof , we should be so lavish of these sacred names , as to throw them away upon every prodigy which our philosophy cannot salve ; and should still conceit a monster , a comet , a great wind , the falling of the salt , or the tingling of the ears as prophetical as they did ; and profane the sacred title of prophecy by bestowing it upon the crazy fancies of every idle visionist ; and be ready to call him a prophet , that hath scarce reason or morality enough to intitle him man. that this is no scandal may in part appear from the fore-going treatise , but will more fully by what time we dismiss our first consideration to reprehend the vanity of receiving these vulgar prophecies as gods signs of the condition of a future time ; which is this , the prophets which deliver them are generally devoid of all the prophetick qualifications necessary to conciliate reverence to their persons and prophecies . what these are we may best learn from the jewish masters ; now with them , 't is a ruling maxim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n prophecy rests not but upon a wise , a valiant and a rich man : where by the wise man , they understand a man of prudence , and well practiced especially in their cabbalistical and traditional learning , in great price with them : the other words they expound in the rigid an● usual sense and meaning of them ; because observing in scripture so much courage attending the prophetick spirit , and generally great riches , excepting ( o say they ) in t●e instances of moses , samuel , amos and iona ; who yet did not conflict with extreme necessities , nor yet ( i think ) any of the prophets , except in a time of some common calamity , when their strai●s and indigencies were rather a p testimony to their office then a scandal . but i think the most rational account that can be given of this maxim thus expounded , is this ▪ the greatest assurances which faith can require in the prophet himself , are these two : that he appear a person not apt to be deceived himself ( by taking the impression ; of a strong fancy for the hand of god upon him ) which therefore , that first requisite of wisdom secures him from the suspicion of : and that he appear a person not apt to deceive others . now all aptness to deceive others grows q either from a fear of cispleasing by some greivous , or hope of reward by some grateful prediction ; and therefore that he may be proof against temptaion from fear or hope , they make him armed with valor and riches . and perhaps that * maxim we met with before among the heathens somewhat like this among the present jews ) might carry some respects to some such considerations as these . but i conceive the more ancient rabbies intended some richer sence in this maxim , understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wise man , in a more lax and general signification : so as to comprehend a person furnished with all the kinds of wisdom : with natural wisdom , that is , soundness of mind both before and in the time of the prophetick afflatus . accordingly , r vorstius tells us from the writings of the jews , that among many other preparatory requisites to prophecy , the first they lay donw is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a natural disposition , an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a firm and sound constitution of body , that there appear no shew of a person crazy and sunk into phantasms . and s all writers ancient and modern have been careful to secure the divine prophets in the opinion of being sober and rational , even while acted by the prophetick spirit , fully able to conceive and express what was sealed upon their minds by the hand of god upon them . god sometimes sent his servants ( as t epiphanius distinguisheth ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the ecstacy of sleep ( in the silence and composure whereof , the soul might best attend the softer whisperings of the spirit ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not an ecstasy of mind , whereby the understanding became useless , and the language confused and inconsequent : whereas the ethnick prophet was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the organ of the devil , sounding forth such discordant and rude airs as he inspired him with , of which the person scarce retained the remembrance when the fit was over . 't is noted of the idol-prophet , that he used not to prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u till in the previous use of some extatical solemnities , he became frantick and epileptical . to this natural was superadded a livine widom , great skill in the law of god , and the mysteries relating to the person and kingdom of the messiah , in conjunction with a divine philosophy , the knowledg of the works of nature , with reference to piety and virtue , ( the most valued learning of those whiter ages of the world. ) god did not w use to hazard the reputation of his oracles by trusting them with such prophets , whose rudeness would have rendered their persons and message to the common scorn ; but the prophetick spirit found them or made them wise and understanding men : and that in so eminent a degree , that the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise men x seems to have been anciently the peculiar addition of prophets and used characteristically , as scribe was originally the distinctive title of a son of the prophets , and an expectant of that sacred function : and therefore an ancient doctor y of the jewish nation tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after years ( the time they assign to prophecy after the second temple ) all the wise-men were called the men of the great synagogue : as conceiving that title now too august and sacred for them to wear , as the primitive bishops did the title of apostles , to whose places but not to their measures of the spirit they did succeed ; and from hence it came to pass , that all the devils prophets that assumed the skill , usurpt also the stile of god's prophets , and were intitled z wise men ; and perhaps the more ancient philosophers amongst the gentiles , as they borrowed their wisdom , so also the stile of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wise men , from the prophetick doctors of the jewish church so eminent in all the parts of wisdom . by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rich man there , they understand ( as b maimonides expounds the word ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man that rejoyceth in his portion , of riches , honor , health , pleasure , which his father hath allotted to him , that is of a contented and chearful spirit : for as that water which is not mudded with earth nor ruffled with the wind , is most apt to receive and reflect an image , so that minde which is not soyled with covetous desires as with earth , nor discomposed with anger or sorrow , as with wind , is most receptive of a prophetick image and impression . accordingly we find none of gods prophets ( nay none of his servants ) blemished in scripture for an inordinate love to this worlds goods ; and so far did they stand from a morose and sowr humor , that we scarce read of any inspired persons but were c frequent in the use of the instruments of musick , that by the soft and gent●e airs thereof they might allay all undue ●eats , and charm their unquiet thoughts into stilness and silence . by that third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understood ( i conceive ) these three excellencies : ( . ) great courage and presence of mind : that which we may find a●l the prophets in scripture eminent for : upon which account perhaps , the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , stout or valiant , became the almost distinctive epithite of a prophet . our forementioned d master , speaking of abraham describes him by the character of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this stout one . and some of the r●bbins conjecture , that the moneth tisri o● september is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , kings . . the moneth of the valiant , because ( say they ) three great prophets were born therein . but this e singular presence of m●nd , i conceive rather an effect of then a disposition to the prophetick spirit . ( . ) power over inordinate affections , for so maimonides having asked ( upon occasion of this maxim ) who is the strong man ? makes answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the man that subdues his concupiscence ; for herein the true strength and vigor of the soul reports it self , that it can maintain its supremacy , and give check to all its rebel-passions : and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( a word used in scripture for temperance ) signifies a having somewhat in ones power , and holding it within the compass of ones strength . all inordinate passions the iews used to stile the vails of the prophets , which intercepted the light of prophecy , ready otherwise to fall upon them ; and therefore rightly judged , a power over the motions of the lower soul essential to the prophetick state. ( . ) singular gravity and severity of life and manners : for in such a sence the word occurs , sam. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the strongly or heroically perfect , thou wilt shew thy self perfect . and a late f learned papist conceives that the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. . . was anciently the distinctive character of the prophets , and that we are not there and in other places to understand ( as we translate it ) gyants , sed homines virtute & sanctitate ad miraculum usque potentes , & quasi gygantes : for which he gives several reasons . it hath been the acknowledged doctrine both of iews , christians , yea heathens , that god never sets up a prophetick light but in golden candle-sticks , persons of most refined minds and maners . amongst the jews it obtained so much , that g maimonides tells us that hitherto there was never the man that would say that god did cause the divine majesty to dwell in a bad man , but then only when he had reformed his life : nay so ass●r'd were they in this doctrine , that the same master tells us h elsewhere , that if a prophet arise and shew them a sign or a wonder , yet they believe him not , if not found to have walked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in the waies of prophecy , in holiness and separation from the world , in the study of wisdom , &c and as much was this doctrine subscribed unto by the christians . i origen takes notice that the prophets god ever spake by , were eminent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the inimitable sanctity and incomparable settledness of life and maners ; and many more besides himself cited by a k modern writer concerning prophecy . and the very heathens thought the divine majesty did so hate to touch any unclean thing , that the prophetick illapses could never grace an impure soul. aristotle ( speaking of prophetick dreams ) tells us to suppose that they are ever sent from god , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and that he sends them not to the best and wisest of men , but indifferently and as it happens , is an absurd conceit : and therefore the wiser heathens prepared themselves for the reception of any divine communications by abstinencies , washings , some fantastical separations and sanctities ; which proceeded upon a tacit sense of this truth , that the light of heaven cannot shine through dirt and filth , nor god ever make an unhallowed place or person , his oracle . and if we consult scripture , we shall find that howsoever the order of kings by whom the judicial , and of priests by whom the ceremonial law was administred , was maintained by a natural and hereditary succession of persons in the families of david and aron ; yet the order of prophets ( by whose care the moral law was especially secured ) was alwaies elective : never any born prophet of the iews , but the office was served by such persons as god found qualified , generally with wisdom , always with piety . and therefore our savior tells us we may know fals-prophets m by their fruits : by some evil maners , or some doctrine which directly tends to incourage them . as for the instances of n amos , balaam and caiaphas , which may be opposed to what hath been said , i shall return but this ( for brevity's sake ) that they are examples singular , and in their occasions extraordinary and therefore ( like the jogging of young trees ) do but more fully confirm and settle the rule they seem to shake . having thus fitted our prophetick ballance , if we proceed now to weigh our pretending prophets therein they will be found greatly wanting . for the greater part of our little prophets , appear devoid of that natural wisdom , and soundness of mind of which the true prophets of god gave such undoubted evidences . that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophets ( deriving from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 madness ) carries in the original thereof a remembrance what kind of crack'd mettal , the ethnick prophets of old were generally made of : and it derives a great suspicion upon our modem prophets of some such crazy temper , that so o great a part of these ignes fatui have risen from the boggs of the romish cells and hermitages , where the strict separations from company and hones : business , the high applauses of an abstract and ecstatical devotion , the severe disciplines of the body by excessive fastings and scourgings , the strict forbidding of marriage ●o persons not capable of that doctrine , the common opinion of the frequent visits of the v. mary and other saints vouchsaft to more severe livers , together with a strong opinion of meriting , by such devout singularities , the highest favors and intimacies with god , cannot easily fail of intoxicating , weaker heads especially , with the conceit of some extraordinary visions and prophetick inspirations . accordingly such swarms of prophets and rapturists have flown out of those hives in some ages , that the council of constance , anno . was conven'd ( as p gerson tells us ) especially to determine which should pass for canonical and which for apocryphal prophets in that church : and the many gross fallacies put , even upon wise men , by such frequent visionists , put him upon writing those learned and pious pieces extant in the collection of his works , de probatione spirituum , de distinctione verarum visionam à falsis , de examine doctrinarum , and that epistle intituled doctrinae ad quendam eremitam , in all which he doth with great sobriety and christian zeal advise against the spreading infection of those more solemn and demurer frenzies , visions and pretended prophecies . nor perhaps will that term be thought a bolt let fly without aim , if the reader consider further how frequent such prophetick visions and illapses are with these persons ; revelations usually are as familiar with them as arguments with other men , those three q prophets , kotterus , christina , and drabicius , which of late years have made such a noise in germany ( as fruitful in enthusiasts as africa in monsters ) had their weekly or dayly visions , and heard from god almost every day : and the visions of any one of them may compare numbers with all that the prophetick writings make mention of . a consideration that will give us a great jealousy that the most of them were but the visions of a disturbed fancy , and the spurious issues of that inchanting humor of melancholy which will present as many delusive images to a man as a conjurers glass . and perhaps , therefore did the holy prophets record the year and the month when they received the divine illapses , that so their visions and prophecies might not be thought the fatal and therefore frequent workings of that black humor in them , but the arbitrary , and therefore oft interrupted , visits of the true prophetick spirit . if we proceed next to make search into their acquired wisdom , we shall soon perceive them greatly unworthy the title they assume : is the hundredth part of them ( as formerly ) improved by any ingenuous education ? are they not persons generally whose grosness and ignorance gives them a great confidence , credulity , and talkativeness , three gifts of singular use to men of their profession ? are they not silly women , s. brigit , s. hildegardis , s. catherin senensis , s. teresia , s. matild , s. elizabeth , which are of greatest name for prophecy in the romish church ? who were the men in the late times that most affected the opinion of prophecy and inspiration , but they which ( like the r lyon in sacred writ ) would gladly tear god's learned prophets in pieces , but had a kindness for the ass ? the ebionites ( a sort of ancient enthusiasts ) * eusebius tells took their name originally from the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying poor , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , because of the poverty of their understanding : and s calvin speaking of the enthusiasts of his time , saith of them , ignari sunt supra quam dici possit ; and as vast as that number of pretenders to revelation was in germany , ( even ) the t historian relates , in tanta hominum colluvie , ne unus quidem inventus traditur qui literas didicerit : in such a rout of people , the followers of their prophet muncer , not a man was found that could read ; and of u david george ( that famous new new-light of germany in the last age ) 't is recorded , that he was a man of little learning , but of an extraordinary self-love . 't is only because the men are in the dark , that every rotten imagination shines to them and looks like prophecy . they are easily imposed upon by a busy fancy , because their undisciplin'd mind is unable to disabuse it self by an appeal to some sober and enduring principles . and their morals will appear as unworthy of the prophetick dignity as their intellectuals . are they not persons generally discontented with the present s●ate of things , and therefore clap the mantle of samuel over the devil of sedition , and disguize the wishes of or encouragements unto some sudden change , in the sacred livery of a prophecy ? are they not persons generally extremely indigent and therefore have their eies much upon the rewards of divination ? are they not persons commonly of a very morose and sowr humor , especially where they perceive themselves neglected ? is there any shadow of that unforc'd gravity , real sanctity , contempt of the profits and applauses of this world which made the faces of god's prophets to shine before men ? what indifferency to the opinions of men discovers it self in them ? how much the notices of men affect them , appea●s from the many ecce's and selah's they affix to their prophetick speeches if ever they chance to hit . whereas we may observe that howsoever there be a very critical notice taken in the gospels how all the lines both of typical and verbal prophecy centered in the person of our savior , and how all were exactly fulfilled which referred to him ( the more to assure our faith in so concerning an article as his being the true messiah ) yet there is so little intimation given when and how those other prophecies ( in daniel especially and the revelations ) of a more common and worldly reference , had their accomplishments , that there is scarce any argument wherein divines more labor then in determining the places and seasons of them : and this , that god's prophets might appear satisfied from themselves , and nothing sollicitous about the opinion of a vain man. but especially notorious shall we find these pretending prophets for sensuallity and sedition . the gnosticks which arrogated such an intimacy with god stand branded with sensuallity and opposition to magistrates , in w sacred writ . mahomet was a most unclean and turbulent prophet , the chief doctrines taught and practiced by the muncerians in germany , were multiplicity of wives , and no necessity of magistracy : and that false prophetess ( whether person or society ) in the revelation is called x iezebel , who was a very turbulent and a very lascivious woman . whereas when the true spirit of prophecy was powred out upon men in the primitive times , it made them famous especially for purity , and a perfect submission to the most inhumane magistrates . to think now that the prophetick spirit ( if yet found in the world ) balks all the more lively images of god therein , all those persons whose singular lives and learning were most likely to derive a reputation upon their message , and dwells with those which have scarce any thing of man , besides speech and figure , is to approach very near the judgment of the old heathens subscribed by y celsus , that bruit beasts were not only wiser then man-kind , but more dear to god a conceit easily pardonable to their hypothesis , that god conveyed the knowledg of futurities to man , through them . the z ●athers thought it sufficiently to reproach the faith of all the ethnick prophecies and oracles , that they were delivered by persons notorious for nothing but the grossness of their minds or manners . it will here perhaps be opposed that very many modern prophets have been persons of unstained lives , persons whose piety and prophecy reflected a mutual grace upon each other . to which i answer , that we scarce ever met with a false prophet in a scripture but challenged for some enormity of life or doctrine , and therefore the spirits which came out of the mouth of the false prophet are well emblem'd by b frogs , which as they can only croke and make a noise , so they live in the mud , and are impure creatures . and as it was then , so it is generally now . paracelsus ( several of whose prophecies are extant ) was a walking dunghil ( so offensive and corrupt his life ) if c story do not misreport him . d savanarola ( the italian prophet ) was condemned , by the senate of florence , to the fire , for raising seditions in the state. e drabicius ( so much the discourse of late ) was excommunicate for his scandalous maners not long before he fell a prophesying . as for the piety of the rest , it usually keeps pace with their prophecy , being as fantastical as that , consisting in some pathetical prayers , vehement expressions , bodily severities , affected anomalies and aversions from the innocent usages of men , not in a profound humility and universal charity . but if any of these persons were so really religious as it is pretended , i cannot weaken their title to prophecy by this first consideration , but may possibly effect it by some that shall succeed . chap. iii. vulgar prophecies proved vain from the intrinsick circumstances of them . several circumstances in the matter and stile of those prophecies instanced in , which speak them unworthy of god. their being generally delivered in numbers noted as a character of vanity , and why . the devil's oracles of old delivered usually in verse . why afterward in more natural and familiar forms . tully's exception against the pretended oracles of the sibyls justified . what appearance of poetry in the prophetick writing● . these prophecies noted to be delivered without any or a very long time prefixed for their accomplishment : useless upon that account to any good end . why scripture-prophecies may be allowed a long time to be accomplished in , but not vulgar . the devil concluded to influence these vulgar prophecies , and therefore not to be credited . our second consideration , to evince the vanity of these petty oracles , is this : their very shape and character speak them greatly unworthy of god , who alone is able to declare the things that are to come . for * they seem not at all level'd ( what was f noted of old of all the devil's predictions ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to ●he bettering and correction of mens lives and maners , but rather to curiosity and sedition in the state. * god is seldom owned in them as the author of the evils foretold , nor repentance as the remedy . * they frequently betray men ( by some ambiguous expression ) to the evils they seem to warn them of . * they commonly come forth , and are most attended to in times of action and expectation , and therefore most likely to be then invented . * they are generally found ( as lines drawn by no rule ) to cross and thwart one another . * the stile they are delivered in , commonly wears the devil's livery , being so full of darkness and perplexity , that it may serve to any interpretation . * the knowledg they pretend to give , is profitable to no great end , whereas all the gifts of the spirit are bestowed g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to some common benefit . * they are generally delivered in such affected barbarisms , halting meeter , fantastical pictures and emblems , which carry nothing of that grace and majesty which attends the breathings of the true spirit of prophecy in scripture . * events are oft foretold in them , without those circumstances of time , place , persons , and the like , which might assure the events to be as well foreseen as foretold when they come to pass . * the matter 's foretold in them are cheap and trivial , and such as it were infinitely better for men not to know . * the pretended visions , often monstrous beyond the fictions of bedlam , the stile fluttering and uneven , like the heated spirits which conduct it . in short , let but any wise man read over the prophecies of scripture , and then those of merlin or nostredame , and i believe he will scarce need an argument to perswade him that they were never both inspired by the same spirit . but there are two things of more especial note in these vulgar prophecies , which are the characters of vanity : ( . ) those poetical numbers in which they are frequently delivered : for whereas all the great prophets of god delivered themselves in a natural and unforc'd order of words , the far greater part of these pretended oracles of elder and later times are delivered in verse , the better to inchant the fancies of the people , and to become observable ; for an oracle in verse at once commands and courts the soul to a regard thereof . the devil's oracles of old were so generally clothed in numbers , and those enamel'd with all the curiosities of art , that when they became about the times of plutarch more familiar and simple , it was so much observed , that he wrote a d●scourse upon the occasion , intitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , why the pythia doth not now as heretofore use poetry in her oracular speeches . to satisfie which q●estion , among other things , he tells his reader , that h god had now removed from his oracles , poetry , and variety of dialect , and circumlocution , and obscurity ; and ordered them to speak to those which counsu●t them , as kings to their people , and masters to their scholars , in language intelligible and perswasive . but this rather shews the knot then unties it . the true reason of this change of language was ( i conceive ) either because men began to suspect that where there was so much of man appearing in the oracle there could not be much of god , and that inspiration is too hot and active a thing to move the sober and cool pace of a poem : or else because the tempers of men were grown more sedate , their minds & discourses not so turgent and ecstatical as heretofore ; or because he saw the clouds began to break , and god addrest him to men in more natural and familiar ways , and therefore the devil ( who would never be out of fashion ) came nearer to the minds of men , and laid aside the state and solemnity he formerly spake to them with . or perhaps because the true oracles of god , delivered in more easie and neglected language , began to lie more exposed to the common view , and he would not have his to differ from them , but to imitate them . there is that coolness and curiousness in a verse , which speaks it greatly unsuitable to the vehemence and seriousness of the prophetick spirit . it useth to beget transports of mind , which cannot bear the slowness and nicety of a poem : for , as common and quotidian thoughts are beneath the grace of a verse ; so great and vehement are above the straits thereof ; they are impatient of borrowing feet , that are fit to fly . and therefore i tull● enters this judicious exception against the cibylline oracles of his time , that they we●e delivered in verses , and many of those acrosticks , and ca●ried the evident tokens of art and contrivance ; and therefore ( saith he ) magis artis & diligentiae erant , quam incitationis & motus , they were rather the issue of art and diligence , then enthusiasm and divine motion . nor is the exception entred by a k late learned writer against this exception of tully , that the book of job is poetical , and some of the psalms acrosticks , of any great moment ; those writings being inspired by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy ghos● ( as the iews distinguish ) a more gentle and easie afflatus , that was still and sedate , and approach'd very near to the more rational and divine actings of a wel-disposed mind . whereas the motions of the prophetick spirit ( strictly so called ) are quick and vehement , and such as the slow feet of a verse cannot hold pace withal . and as for the poetry in those books , it is rathe● in the phrase and matter of them then in the measure . for if there be any set numbe●s observed in them , they are generally so mysteriously couch'd that none of the learned have been able yet to make any certain report of them . and therefore , upon this score , i should make no great doubt to throw out the vast rabble of rhyming , clinching , versing prophets , as persons that tell the worst lies in the best maner . another thing which proclaims the vanity of these vulgar prophecies , is , the circumstance of time with which they are generally delivered : for either they prefix no time at all , or a very long period thereof to be accomplish'd in ; whereby they can minister neither to the honor of god nor the good of man. for they can give no testimony to his providence or prescience , because they will be thought to be fulfilled by chance , or the prophecy ( because long ago delivered ) will be forgotten , and the event , when it comes , be thought to have stood in no relation at all to the prophecy ; and therefore it may perhaps , by the singularity thereof , beget wonder in men , but not piety . nor can any man be warned by them to avoid an evil , which may come ( for ought he knows ) not till his head be laid ; nor can they give check to the sins of the time , for men will be ready to say , like the scorners in the prophet , the days are prolonged , and every vision faileth . nor ( if the prophecy fail ) shall the prophet be alive to bear the shame of his impostures . the condition of those prophecies in sacred writ , which take ages to be accomplish'd in , is quite diffe●ent ; for they stand perpetuated in scrip●ure , and therefore fall under the daily notices of men ; so that when the events foretold come to pass , they may readily be compared with the prophecies ; which , the more ancient date they bear , the more wonderful will they appear when accomplish'd , and the more full reports will they make of their divine original , and of the scripture wherein they are found . for there is nothing doth so seal the faith of the divine inspiration of scripture , as the various predictions therein , delivered at such distant times and places , exactly accomplish'd in thei● seasons . but these vulgar prophecies are either not delivered to writing at all , or the writings forgotten , or look'd into but by a few curious persons , and therefore easily altered and varied ( as the prophecies of me●lin have been ) as might suit occasions , or mens humors . besides , though even these scripture-prophecies , which are of a m●re catholick concern ( as those relating to the messiah and his kingdom ) received a slow accomplishment , yet the prophecies of a more confined reference did not use to go long before they were delivered of the evils they were pregnant with , m especially after men grew so wicked as to deride the patience of god , and to think they lived the longer for being threatned by his prophets . from all this it appears , in a great degree of probability , that the father of lies gave being to very many of these spurious prophecies , that by these false he might derive a suspicion upon the true ones , or abuse the minds of men with vain hopes , panick fears , or curious impertinences . and will any man , that owns his savior for his prophet , receive the devil for his oracle ? or when he is sick of things present , go to the god of ekron ( by attending to any prophecy of his incitation ) for quiet and resolution ? shall we value our faith at so cheap a rate as to trust it with the oracles of the father of lies ? can the devil be presumed n able to give us true resolutions to any questions concerning the future ? ( did god ever make him of his councel , or deliver times and seasons into his power ? ) or willing , if able , to do it with any fair and single intentions ? have the beams of the sun of righteousness put out all the fires on his altars , the glory and power of the divine oracles and miracles spoiled his great trade of lying oracles and wonders , and shall our easiness and vanity encourage him to drive this more secret and little trade of prophecies and prodigies ? certainly that man is strangely desirous of news that will go to the devil for intelligence . chap. iv. the vanity of these prophecies evinc'd by their coming unattended with signs . the difference between a sign and a wonder . of what kind of prophets no sign was to be required . what method the jews observed in the trial of prophets . miracles not a sign required of all prophets . six p●ophetical signs taken notice of . our savior's prophecy confirmed by them all . signs of the prophet and of the prophecy . none of these vulgar prophets give a sign . their pretended sanctity no sufficient sign . their admired gift of prayer of as little credit as that . natural ●rdor how effectual to enable the power of speaking freely o● the sudden : that confirmed by the example of the ancient roman orators . quintilian . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of o●d , what . why some men fluen● onely before company . the great efficacy of exalted imagination to assist an ex●emporary rhetorick . why vehement speeches so migh●ily move men . what kind of heats commendable in religion . the powerful impression of these prophecies ●o sign of their divinity . divine impressions not distinguishable soly by their power and evidence , asserted ag●inst some jewish rabbins . artemidorus . some accomplished predictions , no safe sign of the inspiration of ou● modern prophets . the vanity of receiving these prophecies as the certain indications of any future event further appears from hence ; the deliverers of them shew neither sign nor wonder to derive authority upon their persons and prophecies . signs and wonders so often coupled together , & somtimes used indifferently in the writings of the old and new testament , are not alway the same thing ; every wonder or miracle being indeed a sign , and so often stiled ; but every sign is not ( if we speak acc●rately ) a miracle . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a miracle , is some mighty work transcendent to the powers and capacities of natural agents , but o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sign , is any extraordinary indication , besides , sufficient to make faith of the real inspiration of the person who pretends to speak from god. now all persons that pretended of old to speak immediately from god , came attested with some sign or wonder ; except they onely called men to obedience to some acknowledged precept in the law of moses : for then ( as p grot●us , i think , truly notes ) no sign or wonder was required of them , because the condition of that oeconomy , in which god had promised and the people more wanted such extraordinary teachers , was a competent security to their faith , that they were not imposed upon by any such pretender , especially if the forementioned prophetick qualifications were found about him . but if the inspired man required them to a faith of some prediction or doctrine , really or in appearance , new , he came always authorized by some divine sign or wonder . it is therefore a maxim with the masters , that q when ever god sends a prophet to a people , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gives him a sign or a wo●der that the people may know god hath truly seat him . accordingly we meet with the iews r often demanding a sign of our savior as the seal of his divine mission and prophecy ; and what a singular respect they had to some sign in the trial of prophets , may appear , as from the sacred , so also , from the iewish s monuments . in consideration whereof , all the impostors anciently , which usurp'd the title of prophets , pretended to u signs , without which counterfeit seal they and their doctrine could never have past unsuspected among the people : and the better to ape a miracle , most of those pretenders to enthusiasm among the iews , christians , and heathens , were magicians , as might be made appear were it here pertinent . he that was truth it self was content to borrow credit and authority ( before men ) to his prophecy , from signs and wonders , act. . . now miracles were generally reserved to seal the person and message of such inspired persons as were to introduce a way of worship , in truth or common opinion , new : and therefore were never wrought ( fam●liarly at least ) but by moses the deliverer ▪ elijah and elisha the restorers , and our savior the fulfiller and finisher of the law ▪ and his d●sciples , the preachers of a gospel which was a w novel doctrine in the opinion of me● , at that time . scarce any prophet was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a worker of paradoxes ( as iosephus saith of our savior ) but he that was a preacher of them . but however , all the heralds of heaven had the badg of some divine signs , whereby unpossest minds might easily distinguish them from impostors . of these , it will suffice to my present purpose briefly to point to some few , which the ages , to which prophecy was promised , seem to have made the greatest reckoning of . as ( . ) the discovery of some present matter , evidently out of the compass of all humane knowledg : as the secrets of the heart , the counsels of the bed-chamber , matters done at distance and with all possible secrecy , and the like . such wonderful discoveries were of x great consideration with the people ( in that time to which god had promised prophecy ) to assure the divine mission of the prophets : accordingly our savior was y frequent in the use of such divine signs , and so were the z other prophets it is likely : and therefore the iews , which looked upon our savior but as a mock-prophet , required him to a discovery of a a mock-secret , the person who smote him on the face while he was blindfolded ; the revealing whereof they called prophecy , 〈◊〉 discovery of such kind of secrets being received as the seals of a prophetick spirit . ( . ) the constant coming to pass of eve●●s foretold in very b critical and contingent circumstances . many things the prophets foretold to fall out within the compass of a few months or days , that so their prophecies of a longer time might have the greater credit , and men might quickly understand that they were established prophets of the lord. thus it is said , they knew c samuel to be , when they saw none of his prophetick words to fall to the ground : and d ezekiel having delivered his prediction , adds , and when this cometh to pass , then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them . and god himself , in the trial of prophets , appointed the iews to look to the issues of their predictions , deut , . , . upon which text , e maimonides lets fall this gloss : cum quis , ipsum munus propheticum sibi vendicaverit , dicemus ei , ede nobis promissi , & refer nobis aliqua eorum quae nota fecit tibi dominus ; quo referente , si vera evas●rint promissa ejus omnia , hinc prophetiae ejus veritatem percipiemus . quod si in aliquo ipsorū , vel minutissimo , mendax fuerit , hinc nendacem cum esse cognoscemus . atque haec est expressa legis de hujusmodi probatione sententia . so that it seems probable that the ●●ews required but the sign of some accomplish'd prediction ( not always a miracle ) from the more common sort of prophets : and therefore f some derive the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sign , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit , because the most frequent sign of prophecy the prophets g gave , and the people required , was the coming to pass of some prediction , delivered is such circumstances as no eye of humane prudence could possibly foresee . ( . ) some gifts and abilities extraordinary gotten suddenly and without humane industry , and abiding with them , ( for many possest persons have for some time h spoken languages , and made shew of singular abilities to discredit this prophetick sign , ) as to deliver himself ex tempore in very weighty sentences , to sing praises to god with singular art and dexterity upon the place , to interpret scripture with great evidence of truth . all which were i comprized by the iewish doctors , in that degree of prophecy they stiled ( for distinction's sake ) spiritus sanctus . this prophetick sign our k savior and his l followers did seal the truth of their enthusiasm withal , as other ancient prophets had done before them . it is god onely that can make his way to the soul immediately , and seal it with the abiding characters of wisdom . ( . ) the attestation of some person of whose prophetick spirit there is no question : according to that maxim of the m masters , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prophet of whom some other undoubted prophet witnesseth that he is a prophet , is assuredly a prophet . accordingly they note that the testimony of n moses to the divine mission of ioshua procured him the faith of the people before his conduct was credited from heaven by any miracle . which rule i take to have a truth therein , though i de●ur upon that other they sometimes superadd to it , o every prophet which arose ; spake in testimony of his companion in prophecy . it is likely some p did . and therefore perhaps would our savior have his prophecy attested by q iohn the baptist ( generally reputed a r prophet by the people ) that so ●his , as well as all other prophetick signs , which ever singly and apart derived credit upon the person and message of any other inferior prophet , might conspire in the person and prophecy of him the great prophet of his church . ( . ) the immediate voice of god from heaven to him , before witnesses , was another sign of a prophet s in ancient times ; especially before the building of the tabernacle : but when prophecy became more common , god chose to speak to holy men t by dreams and visions : and perhaps the ceasing of that more usual way of divine manifestation under the second temple , might occasion some to think he might possibly return to the more ancient way of revealing himself , by a bath kol , a voice from heaven . however , with this also sign god u dignified our savior . ( . ) the general prevalency of their prayers , especially in matters of a more publick reference , was a very probable sign of true prophets anciently . god assigns this as the characteristick note between false and true prophets , that one had great interest and power in the court of heaven , and the other none at all . w but if they be prophets , and if the word of the lord be with them , let them now make intercession to the lord of hosts , &c. this was a sign of a prophet , because it was a sign he prayed by a special instinct from god , whereby he knew what blessings god was ready to bestow ; and besides , it was a sign of that singular favor he had with god : and therefore we shall find an high value set upon the the prayers of a prophet both by god and men , x in scripture . and perhaps in confidence of the y prevalence of his prayers , some people that held our savior for a great prophet though not the messiah , brought their young children to him that he might lay his hands upon them and pray , matth. . . this prophetick sign also attested the prophecy of our bl. savior , ioh. . . these were some of those more general signs which gave testimony to the divine mission of a prophet : but besides these , there were also frequently added some particular signs of the truth of this or that extraordinay prediction ; especially if of some matter of greater import , of the truth whereof it was somewhat necessary the people should have a full assurance : the instances whereof are of familiar occurrence z in the book of god , and therefore the disciples , when our savior had foretold an event so great , as the destruction of ierusalem and the temple , demanded of him a sign both of the truth and time of the accomplishment of that prophecy . a master when shall these things be , and what shall be the sign when all these things shall come to pass ? these particular and almost present signs , gave assurance that the prophet did not deliver conjectures but prophecies , and the doubling thus of his prophecy was a sign that the thing was certain with god , and not foretold conditionally onely , ( as judgments and blessings often were ) and that the agreement between the prediction and the event when coming to pass , was not a chance but a providence . so that these were more immediately the signs of the prophecy , as the other six of the prophet . from all this , it seems more then probable , that all true prophets came distinguished by some divine sign , although it appear not now from scripture , what particular sign it was which gave credit to each prophet therein mentioned ; and that anciently men were wiser then to let every prophecy pass currant , as soon as ever it had the image of the king of heaven stampt upon it , carryed the face of an inspiration from god. men then understood prophecy , upon many accounts , too much exposed to suspicion of imposture to be credited upon the single testimony of every zealous pretender thereunto : ●and therefore all prophets though they came not recommended by equal testimony ( the occasions they were to serve not being of equal moment ) yet still with what might suffice to place their divine mission beyond a question . some were attested by wonders , some by signs , some by both . if then ( to apply all this to the occasion ) men would once be so advised as to demand some such divine sign as used heretofore to credit the prophetick function of these pretended prophets , they would certainly all sneak away like juglers when called to shew a miracle . what have they generally beyond ordinary besides ignorance and confidence ? what miracle or sign doth god bear witness to their b mission by ? what have all the great swelling words of enthusiasts been at last delivered of , beside the crude air of some flatulent imagination ? have they , after all the noise they have made , blest the world with the discovery of any useful secret in philosophy or divinity ? are not scripture prophecies as dark , diseases as desperate , nature vail'd as much now as in former ages ? do not all their books ( like the barren fig-tree ) bear leaves only , a few rampant metaphors , and some higher straines of prophetick scripture , jumbled together like the images of a dream ? shall we then appear so unworthy of the title we carry as to think a few exstatical looks and scripture phrases sufficient to intitle a man to the opinion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a master of light ? as the iews use to stile a prophet : it is not to be imagined that god would send prophecy into the world , and not have it regarded , or that it can be regarded , if it come attended with nothing whereby it can be known . when the apostles had such an extraordinary measure of the spirit , there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a manifestation of the spirit ; as the extraordinary measure of the spirit then poured out gave c testimony to the gospel , so the mighty signs and wonders which attended it gave testimony to the spirit . to all this , i know , it will be opposed that many of these modern prophets come attended with signs sufficent to the man who is of an humble and teachable temper , whom alone god seeks to satisfie : viz. these four , eminent sanctity . a very liberal and powerful gift of prayer . the mighty energy and impression of their visions and prophecies . the accomplishment of very many of their predictions . to all which i shall return a few words . first , we are told that they are persons of very eminent sanctity , that are wholy abstract from the pleasures and honors of this world , and have no fleshly relishes appearing in them , and therefore 't is most unlikely that they would deceive others or should be deceived themselves by a false prophecy . to which i answer , there is nothing more misjudged then sanctity , 't is too commonly thought to stand in some more solemn looks at a sacrament , in visiting of an holy shrine , in some extatical devotions , in the use of some interpreting garbs , faces and phrases , in caressing of christ by some pretty attributes , in declaiming with much zeal against some odious names , heresie , antichrist and superstition , in carrying it very morosely towards men of a different form from ones self , in some severer disciplines and neglects of the body : and therefore 't is unsafe trusting our faith with a prophecy upon a report of the sanctity of the prophet . besides , no men more subject to such delusions , then men of devout affections , if of strong fancies , impressive tempers , and weak intell●ctuals : for in such persons ; an indiscreet use of r●ligion by very pensive and solemn thoughts , affected retirements and silences , ●oo intense meditations , continual fervors and endeavored heats , unreasonable fastings and watchings , the neglect of innocent diversions and relaxations , especially if joyn'd with the continual study of some dark prophecies and visions in scripture ( more proper entertainments for men of great learning ) cannot easily fail of intoxicating the mind with wild and extravagant imaginations . the overstraining of them by such intense devotions and perpetual fervors , d hath produced so many crack'd brains , pretended prophets and visionists in the religio● houses of the romish church ; who is yet so ill advised as to cite them as the proofs of that prophetick spirit she laies claim unto . moreover , it hath ever been the policy of the devil to do the church the greatest mischief by men of greatest name for religion . he knows good men are soonest decoyed by those which seem of a feathe● with themselves , and that error will soo●er be entertained from a●pious then truth from a profane person . and therefore the iews among the four things which they say destroy the world , number , a religious man that is a fool. god perhaps permits it thus to be , that men might learn to make him only lord of their faith ; and not to give an absolute trust ( his due alone ) to the wisest or best of men. good men are no more exempt from mistakes and lunacies , then they are from a feaver or the infirmities of age. but we are further told that many of these prophetick persons are sealed by the singular gift of praying in the holy-ghost . their lips seem touch'd by a coal from the altar , so fervent and so scripture-like are the expressions they bespeak god withall upon the suddain . nature useth to be eloquent indeed in its own concerns , but lisps and is a child in the things of heaven , useth to speak to god in language of ic● , words that freeze and even dy between the lips ; and besides , where words come without forcing , and sit handsomely about the matter , dantur in illa hora , 't is ( surely ) not they which speak but the holy-ghost which speaketh in them . nature seems not sufficient for such singular performances upon the place . moreover , their words ( like arrows pointed and fired ) make a very deep and abiding impression upon the hearts of the hearers , the souls of men become half unbodyed , while they hang upon the lips of these extraordinary persons ; and therefore surely non vox hominem sonat ; there is more in these words then the voice of a man , and the charms of a little fervent and pathetical language . i answer , this devout ardor with the effects consequent thereunto , doth extremely inchant the minds of men with great opinions of the men in whom it appears ; and is readily received ( like the divine fire that came down upon the sacrifice ) as the testimony of god to the person and to all he offers . david george obtained the repute of a prophet chiefly e assiduo ac ardenti in speciem preces ad deum funclendi studio . whereas all these strange phoenomena may be salved by meer mecharical principles , all generally being but the ●ssue of a natural pregnancy and fervor of temper , exerting it self in fluent words tinctured with religion and scripture phrases . where there is naturalis quaedam animi mobilitas ( which quintilian requires in order to speaking well ex tempore ) a natural moveableness of soul , whereby it is inabled to turn it self nimbly and with ease to new thoughts and words , and this ass●sted ( or rather created ) by some more brisk and active spirits , it may equal , perhaps exceed the performances of more advised thoughts . a moderate heat , wherein all the spirits flow to their proper principles and fountains , the vital to the heart , and the animal to the brain , and are put into quick but manageable motions , doth raise in a man a more fine and exquisite power of perception , and cause the images of things to appear more distinct , and to come faster upon his mind , then otherwise they would , and by consequence make the understanding more pregnant , and the expressions more fluent and easy . and therefore when the orators of old attributed their more fortunate performances and rhetorical inlargements in their extempore declamations before the people , ( then much in use ) to the special assistance and incitation of god ; quintilian judiciously gives them to the present heat and fermentation of spirits , the great instruments whereby the soul performs all its works in this embodied state . his words are these , f si quem calor ac spiritus tulit , frequenter accidit , ut successum extemporalem consequi cut a non possit ; deum tunc adfuisse , veteres oratores aiebant , sed ratio manifesta est : nam bene concepti affectus & recentes rerum imagines continuo impetu feruntur , quae nonnunquam mora styli refrigescunt , & dilatae non revertuntur . which words i shall dismiss untranslated , lest ( like liquors put into another vessel ) they should contract a flatness and loose spirits . now these words of quintilia● give a good account of the extempore felcities of the orators of those times , which themselves had such great thoughts of , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak divinely or by inspiration g was the usual phrase whereby they exprest speaking fluently , pathetically and with coherence , without more thoughts then just ushered the words they spake . and that spirit which generally inspires our divine orators and makes them un-over with such winning rhetorick , is much of kind with that which incited those civil ones ; viz. a natural fervor of temper , excited by some superficial affection , and assisted by a plenty of fit expressions made familiar to them by study and custom . for we find men of very evil lives i ignatius , k hacket , and others eminent for this religious rhetorick and fervor ; and many of these orators have confest themselves greatly straitned and bound ut ( as the phrase is ) when in their closets , who are carried with full sails when to act before a l company ; because desire of opinion makes them more concerned , excites affection , and consequently that ardor so essential to a smooth performance . they are ( in the phrase of plato ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ful of the theater , are touched with applause , and therefore act to the height of themselves in publick , but are cold and indifferent where the breath of man is wanting to excite and blow them up . now our admired prophets having this natural fervor and pregnancy of spirit to wing their fancies , and this heat intended by the new forces of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as longinus stiles the earthy vapor which inspired the pythia ) an enthusiastick vapor of heated melancholy arising from the hypochondria , it cannot fail of displaying it self in such rapturous and lofty strains of divine rhetorick ; as shall be verily thought to flow m è vena israelis , from the same divine spirit which inspired the prophets : when the persons are but heightned by a fume somewhat more gross and unruly then that which inspires our common poets , whose more happy heats and sprucer fancies have been thought the issue of borrowed spirits , and therefore the blood of the grape been generally vouched by them the most natural exciter of the poetick vein . besides , these prophets are much advantaged for a more lively imitation of enthusiasm above the more vulgar pretenders to it , by an exalted imagination . for the most vehement objects of religion , god , heaven , hell , the glories of the new hierusalem , some prophetick scheams , being made familiar to their softer fancies , stand before their minds in very distinct and affecting ideas . now where imagination is thus boiled up and often rub'd upon by the most moving objects , it fails not of raising affections and and consequently expressions great and vehement as the objects are from whence they do arise . and therefore n quintilian , to assist the power of speaking very movingly and fluently extempore ( which the orators of those times so much endeavoured ) adviseth to imprint upon imagination , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the images of the things we are to speak about : as if we were to speak about the murder of any person , suddenly to make all the terrible images of the bleeding man to walk upon the scene of phancy , and to set ( as it were ) before our eyes all the black circumstances of the action , thereby to quicken affection , and by that expression . i intend not these words to stifle the devout ardors of holy men displayed in affectionate o pantings after god and a divine nature , in desires too big for words , divine relishes , and that unforced rhetorick which the abundance of their hearts instructs them unto , when to bespeak god in private . for our religion could no more please our selves then god , if it could not ravish the heart as well as renew it , if it were a kind of caput mortuum , an heavy , stark , insipid thing , without heat and spirit . heat and zeal is the calidum innatum of the new man , without which he neither lives nor moves . only care must be had , that this heat and zeal ( like the flame at pentecost ) aspire and mount upward , but without firing the persons head , and making him of too hot and firy a temper to bear any confinement of opinion or practice , by scripture , laws or the reasons of wise men . i have in all this designed only the disparagement of the ignorant imaginations of those men , which ( like the heathens of old ) look upon heat and noise , words full of charms thrown out without method or measure upon the suddain , and very vehement affections , the symptomes of a person full of god , and managed by some power transcendent to natural . whereas all these things , howsoever , like meteors , they carry an heavenly appearance in the eie of ignorance , we have found of a more common and base extraction . nor is the mighty power they may have over the spirits of others , any argument to the contrary ; all fluent language , feathered with soft and delicate phrases , and pointed with pathetical accents , being naturally fitted ( as the stage will assure us ) to make a deep impression upon the heart . p plutarch speaking of that rare art , those masters of language , the graecian sophists , discovered in composing and delivering of their orations , tells us , that they raised up a kind of bacchical enthusiasm , and transported their hearers , with some honey words , soft and effeminate phrases and accents , and a kind of singing tones . and no doubt those hearers , of whom he there speaks , which used to applaud their orators at the end of their declamations with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , divinely , heavenly , inimitably spoken ; found themselves as much stirred and moved as many a man at a sermon , who yet thinks 't is not the art of the preacher but the spirit of god that warms and excites him . it is further alledged in vindication of these prophecies , that they are no evanid and languishing imaginations ; but come upon the minds of those that have them with a light and evidence which bears before it all scruple about their divine original : now the devil or melancholy cannot possibly seal the mind with opinions which carry that energy with them as these do : so that the very great strength of the impressions ( like that of samson ) speaks the mighty presence of god with them : for how did the prophets of god of old know themselves divinely incited but by feeling the hand of god strong upon them , and his q word in their heart as a burning fire shut up within their bones , whence they were weary of forbearing and could not stay ? i answer , whence these prophetick phancies come to be thus vigorous and importunate shall be inquired in due place ; for the present , i assert ( yet not i but the r lord ) that there may be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , energy of error as well as truth , which may strongly carry a man quite out of the hearing of what ever reason may be tendered to disabuse him . s theodoret tells us of some enthusiasts of his time , which receiving the vigorous working of some daemon in them , took it to be the presence of the holy ghost . and t gerson of many others , of which every one had it ( he said ) certainly revealed to him that he should be pope . amongst which there was one of great name and learning which left this revelation in writing with his own hand , and endeavoured to make it good by many arguments and conjectures : and we find in scripture , false prophets as much pretending plerophories and strength of perswasion as the true . as for those characters whereby gods prophets were enabled to distinguish infallibly a divine dream and prophetick impression , in their own minds , from the delusions of the devil or phancy , it is extremely difficult at this distance from that age of prophecy , clearly to assign them . u a late learned writer , from aberbanel and maimonides , in this matter thus ventures to resolve his reader : a prophet when he is asleep may distinguish a prophetical dream and that which is not such , by the vigor and liveliness of the perception , whereby he apprehends the thing propounded , or else by the imbecility and weakeness thereof . and therefore maimon . hath said well . all prophecy makes it self known to the prophet that it is prophecy indeed , that is , makes it self known to the prophet , by the strength and vigor of the perception , so that his mind is freed from all scruple whatsoever about it . ( a notion which he there endeavours to build up by scriptures , but how short they fall of reaching the proof thereof , the indifferent reader may easily perceive . ) but though i doubt not but the divine illapses made a very deep impression upon the minds of holy men , and came attended with such light and evidence as chased away all shadow of scruple about their divine original , yet i think to assert this vivacity of impression the distinctive character of divine from pretending enthusiasms and dreams , is neither true nor safe . which will perhaps appear by what time i have shewn the reader , that the ancient interpreters of dreams proceeded by some such rule as this . artemidorus gives this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a natural and divine dream : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a common dream is the meer figment of men asleep , of which he saith , w so far as it appears in sleep it is vigorous and active upon the scene of fancy , but as soon as the sleep determines , that vanisheth from the thoughts . but then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a divinatory dream , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hath a more lasting energy upon the mind , x creates a regard of the futurities declared in it , ingageth endeavor , and is made apt extreamly to stir up and excite the soul that hath it . besides , if that power and evidence , with which a conceit may bear down the mind to a perswasion thereof , may be preferred the sign of its divine original , how many men shall we soon have that will look demurely , and tell the world ( as the sons of fancy among us used to do ) that god hath made out this or that to them , and that this is much upon their spirits , and therefore past question an intimation from god ? as for those accomplish'd predictions brought to support the falling credit of these modern prophets , they will prove but z as a foot out of joint . for there was no prophetick sign foregoing to assure the accomplishment to be any other then a lucky his . and besides , the a papists , nay the b heathens , tell us ( and men must be willing to give that faith they expect from others ) of many instances of such predictions deliveted by their popes , religioso's , diviners , oracles , very particularly accomplish'd . now then i demand , were these prophecies from heaven , or from men ? if from heaven , why then do many men think with no more favor of the heathens and papists , to whom god seems to give the testimony of iesus , the spirit of prophecy ? if from men ( assisted by civil prudence or evil spirits ) then all accomplish'd predictions are not concluding arguments of the divine inspiration of the authors . but because god in the trial of prophets hath c directed us to a regard of the issues of their prophecies , this matter may seem to merit a more close and particular consideration , to which therefore i shall next apply my self . chap. v. the failing of vulgar prophecies an assurance of their vanity . vulgar prophecies referring to the publick , generally false : that proved from justin martyr , and the falshood of some modern prophecies particularly instanced in . a fayleur but in a circumstance a sign of the forgery of the whole prophecy , and why ● . a five fold account given of the pretended accomplishments of some modern prophecies . how far it seems fitting that prophecies should descend to the circumstances of events . an account why some of these prophecies hit and others miss . all divine prophecies fulfilled which were absolutely delivered . some characters to distinguish such prophecies by . that which may yet more fully secure us in a perswasion of the vanity of all these modern prophecies , is this : all these unattested prophets generally fail in all their prophecies , but always in some . generally in all ; viz. such are most fit to assure men of their divine inspiration , as those onely are which are of a publick reference . d ieremiah tells us , that the prophets which had been before him of old , prophesied both against many countries , and against great kingdoms , of war and of evil and of pestilence ; as they also did sometimes of great national blessings . now the coming to pass of such prophecies was the most undoubted evidence of their divinity : for though the devil may be presumed able to bring about some little turns in the lives of private men , yet the spirit of the living creature onely moves in those great wheels , the turns in states are soly under the particular conduct of god ; those wheels are too great for him to move one way or other . and therefore e iustin martyr , when the accomplish'd predictions of the ethnick prophets were opposed to him , returns this judicious answer ; no event which the ethnick prophets foretold , either against the truth of god , or his worshippers , or referring to the publick affairs of the grecian states , ever came to pass ; though perhaps some matters of a more narrow concern might , which fell more within the devil's compass . an observation more fully justified in the pretending prophets of later times : what is become of all the oracular leaves of grebner ? hath not the wind taken them away , and the whirlwind scattered them ? ( as it did those of the sibyl . ) he prophesied ( saith f mr mede ) great matters of henry the fourth of france , which proved clean contrary ; of queen elizabeth , and other princes , which never came to pass : i have , i know not how often to satisfie one or other , told them as i now tell you , and yet every five or six years it comes up again as if it had never been discovered . men are prone to believe anything they would have , &c. and how have all the swelling prophecies of cotterus , christina poniativia , and drabicius , concerning the sudden conversion of the turks , the establishment of the german churches by frederick king of bohemia and gustavus of sweden , the sudden propagation of the gospel throughout the world , the advancement first of ragotzi the father , and then the son and then the brother , to the crown of hungary , of the dreadful overthrow of the papacy ( many of them delivered about fifty years ago ) been delivered of nothing but the wind ? even their great g patrons themselves being witnesses ; while yet so inchanted with the opinion of them as to publish them now as the oracles of god , when divine providence hath encouraged sober christians to hiss them out of the world. and indeed it is so h the usage of divine providence to shame the impatience and curiosity of men discovered in attending to such prophecies , that i perswade my self it is next to impossible to instance a modern prophecy referring to the publick , that speaks distinctly as to words and time of accomplishment , that failed not in the substance or some eminent circumstance thereof . now a fayleur but in a tittle , is a dead flie sufficient to make the whole prophecy smell strongly of an imposture . of divine prophecies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as the master to whom we have had such frequent recourse , well notes ) not the greater nor lesser part , substance or circumstance , ever fell to the ground . and he tells us , those words of ieremiah , k the prophet that hath a dream , let him tell a dream ; and he that hath my word , let him speak my word faithfully ; what is the chaff to the wheat ? their doctors used to gloss thus ; prophecy is a thing pure without the allay of any falshood mixed with it , like wheat cleansed from the chaff ; but dreams and other vulgar indications have a lie always intermixed , and are like chaff in which there are but some few grains of wheat . god is careful to accomplish the very criticisms and circumstances of his predictions , because this gives the greatest assurance of their divine author . for the substance of events may possibly be thought object great enough for the eye of humane prudence to see afar off , but circumstances are easily presumed too little for our heavy eyes to discern at any great removes . if any person better seen in the writings of modern prophets , then i have any ambition to be thought to be , is able to instance a prophecy of any longer date , whose words did exactly touch the event foretold both in the substance and circumstance thereof ; yet he shall alway observe his prophet to have failed in some one , nay in very many other instances , if any thing talkative ( as it is well the prophetick humor in such persons disposeth them to be ) which is a sufficient assurance that he foretold nothing by a divine suggestion . thus savanarola ( a dominican ) foretold long before , that charls the eighth of france should come into italy with a great army , which came to pass : but l withal , that god had revealed to him that the state ecclesiastick should be reformed by force of arms : which ( saith the historian ) hath not yet ( nor yet ) hapned , but at that time was very likely to have been effected . the examples of this kind are too great for arithmetick . the two branches of this consideration i find struck at by a double objection , which i shall endeavor to secure them from . it is opposed to the first , that very many of these modern prophecies have been very punctually accomplish'd , though unseal'd by any divine sign attending the delivery of them . in answer hereunto , i return , ( . ) meer prudential conjectures after the event often commence accomplish'd prophecies in vulgar opinion : the common sort of people being apt to invest every thing that lies out of the road of their thoughts and observations with the opinion of some divinity lodged in it . thus that famous speech of seneca the tragaedian , — venient annis secula seris , quibus oceanus vincula rerum laxet , & ingen . pateat tellus , typhisque novo . detegat orbes ; nec sit terris ultima thule , — hath been concluded the voice of god , a prophetick instinct referring to the discovery of america in these latter ages , which was indeed but the voice of a man , a rational conjecture proceeding upon a probable perswasion , that so great a part of the globe of the earth was not all sea , and so would in time be found . m cardan having related several very strange predictions of his , exactly fulfilled , adds , neither would i have any one think these to have been far fetch'd , either from the devil or the stars ; but onely from the oracle of aristotle , who gives true divination onely to prudent persons . this prudential divination , which is but the foresight of the effect in the promises of some parturient causes , is familiar with wise and observant men . for a wise - mans heart will tell him more then seven watchmen that are upon a tower , whose office it is to see men and things at distance . prudence is but the contraction of providence in the name , and the commendable n image of it in the nature thereof . ( . ) many of these accomplishments were rather lucky hits then divine foresights . these prophets are many , and perpetually shooting of their bolts , and it were hard if they did not sometimes hit the mark , especially when standing so near as sometimes they do before they let fly ( foretelling things , removed by no great distance of time . ) such a lucky cast was that singular foresight of tully , reflected upon by o himself as a kind of divine testimony to the sincerity of his intentions in reference to the commonwealth . and the fortunate speech of that ancient greeian philosopher lucanus ocellus , p greece hath been often barbarous heretofore , and so shall be again in after ages , some would be ready now to prefer to the repute of a prophecy , which was but a loose & conjectural conclusion built upon an observation that bodies politick , as well as natural , have their decays and years of dotage , and that the deepest dye of any worldly felicity would in time languish and change color . ( . ) a great part of these prophecies are meer impostures , and contrived after the event , by some idle heads . for it is seldom that we hear of them , till the matters related in them are past ; and then these prophets , having the event before them to take measure of , make their prophecy to fit it exactly , both in substance and circumstance , that so there might be the less suspicion that they saw things to come ( like the man but half cured of his blindness ) onely in rude generals , and by the heavy eye of humane prudence . whereas there cannot be a greater assurance of sophistry in a prediction , then an over-busie and critical enumeration of events therein . for prophecies should deliver the general substance or some one great circumstance of an event so distinctly that they be not thought loose conjectures , but as to the circumstances of less remark , they should be wholy silent , that they be not suspected onely disguized histories when once they are fulfilled . for this reason perhaps the divine prophecies come forth ( like the pillar in the wilderness ) partly cloud and partly fire , cloudy and obscure as to the lesser circumstances , but bright and clear enough as to the substance of events foretold . whereas these vulgar prophecies either stay in loose generals , and like a sack are so contrived that they may be clapt upon any person , but perfectly fit none ; or else are most industriously particular and scarce omit a circumstance . thus the pretended q sibylline oracles tell out saviors very name iesus ; and whereas the prophet onely foretels , a virgin shall conceive , they add , the virgin mary shall conceive , and the like . for so it is usual for such apes of prophecy to become ridiculous by an over-acted imitation . ( . ) many of these vulgar prophecies o● their successes , in all probability , to diabolical efficiency . the devil first excites such images in the fancies of these prophets , as may probably determine them to foretel many things , which he conceives most likely to fall within his sphere of activity , and then he accomplisheth as many as he can , though with no more of true foresight then that man hath that should think fit , when he knows them , to fulfil many of his neighbors dreams . and he is the more ready to interpose his power in this business , because when men shall see their prophecies or dreams , of future contingencies especially , thus strangely issued , they will stroke their heads presently , and make no doubt of their near approaches to the prophetick grace ; and whilest other men are detained in an idle attendance to such shining vanities , they are r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , taken alive by this fowler in his net . and this consideration may probably resolve us why some of these prophecies so strangely hit , and others miss ; viz. because the devil fulfils as many of them as fall within his compass , and those which his confined power extends not to accomplish necessarily fall to the ground . ( . ) several of these prophecies are delivered in words so loose and unconfined both as to sense and time , that it were a great wonder , if amidst the vast varieties of providence they appeared not fulfilled in some event and time or other . thus it was noted of old of the true s sibylline oracles , that they were composed in such dark and undetermined expressions , that fancy might make them , like a picture , look to any person , any event whatsoever . all this offers us some account of those successes which these propheticall essays have sometimes been followed with ; and withal conclude the great necessity of some divine sign to attest the prophet or prophecy , that so it may be known that the event was not a chance , a prudential foresight , or diabolical delusion , but a true prophetical accomplishment . to the second branch of the present argument it is opposed , that many of god's prophecies were never fulfilled . if all were ( saith t comenius ) whence was it that the prophets became the publick scorn , the people sarcastically demanding , where is the word of the lord ? let it come now , ierem , . . to this objection ( though indeed it merit rather a censure then an answer ) i return , that scripture u abundantly assures ●s , that never one word which god spake fell to the ground : and therefore perhaps the lxx chose to render urim and thum●nim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , manifestation and truth , because by these two especially were god's oracles distinguish'd from the devil's : god's being eminent for perspicuity and truth , and the devil 's for obscurity and falshood . god hath given us this character to know a false prophet by , w when a prophet speaketh in the name of the lord , if the thing follow not , nor come to pass , this is the thing which the lord hath not spoken , but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously ; and therefore we may rest assured , that god , if he x speak with his mouth , will fulfil with his hand . true indeed , we read of some divine prophecies of great blessings and judgments not literally fulfilled : but these ( as god himself y tells us ) though absolute in their terms , yet were always conditional in their interpretation ; and therefore when ever they were not fulfilled in terms , there was some great sin or repentance interposing which gave a very rational account thereof to the minds of men . but all divine prophecy , absolute both in its terms and intent , constantly was fulfilled . now when the prophecy was such , the people might understand by such signs as these , * if the prophecy were sealed with the oath of god , or some equivalent asseveration : * if it were delivered as a sign of the truth of the prophet's mission , or of some other more considerable prediction : * if the prediction were delivered in terms of the preter-tense : * if it were often repeated by the same or more prophets : * if it were a prediction of some evil against things or persons evidently devoted to destruction : * if the things foretold were of an indifferent nature , not greatly good or evil , and many such like . these i say constantly came to pass : and therefore to those words of the people ( which thought a prophecy delay'd , forgotten ) i oppose the words of god appealing to the experience of these very people : my words and my statutes which i commanded my servants the prophets , did they not take hold of your fathers ? to which the people , in a more serious temper , return ; like as the lord of hosts thought to do unto us , according to our ways , and according to our doings , so hath he done unto us . chap. vi. many modern prophecies proved to arise from melancholy . the strong opinion of inspiration in modern prophets , proved an effect of the power of melancholy . their pretended visions attributed to the same cause . the visions of melancholy men , why many , and to them very evident . their vehement incitations to prophecy proved also a symptome of melancholy . how this humor becomes effectual thus to excite to prophecy . dying men , why often , in appearance , prophetical . a natural account of the prophetical essays of the plutarch's philosophical account of some ceasing oracles justified . the ardors in these prophets and the sibyls , natural . the delusions of melancholy assisted usually by the cooperation of the devil . a fifth consideration to reprehend the faith of these prophecies , is this ; those popular wonders which shew forth themselves in the authors of them , plainly appear but the natural effects of melancholy tinctured with religion . this will appear more clearly if we be a little particular : ( . ) that invincible confidence ( which inchants the vulgar ) of their being divinely inspired . it is ordinary with such such men to take to themselves the titles of the b trump of god , the last prophet , c the word and power of god , and the like ; and that with a plerophory that shall bear it self against the strongest reasons , contrary events of things , yea sometimes the greatest bodily severities that can be used to discompose their dreams . now as the heathens holding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that the brain was sacred , and the seat of some deity , when any one neezed they would venerate the noise as a kind of expression of the deity inshrined in the head ; thus these men being strongly possest by this conceit , that they are goded with god , and that the holy ghost is lodged in their heads , not a fancy can rise up therein but it is received with as sacred opinions as a papist doth the regs and reliques of his saint ; not a cloudy expression drops from them but it is christned d a depth and a great mystery , their ear cannot tingle but god is thought to whisper into it , and the men cannot dream at the common rate of other mortals . whereas all these imaginations are but the issues of that impostrous humor when it passeth into a disease . a melancholy fancy is a kind of incubus and succubus to it self , serving to beget and to conceive any odd crotchet , and that with so much strength , that it appears before the mind in the certainty of sight or tast . and it is so usual for this black humor to bew●tch the mind into some one wild and extravagant conceit , while it appears sound and untouch'd in all its other judgments , that the greek physician hath defin'd it , e a solemn sadness and seriousness about some one odd fancy without a feaver . now look as the images which appears before our minds in a dream , ow their general odness of composure to the power of fancy over reason in our sleep , but their more particular figures usually to the occasions of the day before : thus the conceits of melancholy ( the dreams of waking men ) ow their general wildness and fondness , to the undue figuration of the brain or spirits by this anomalous humor , but their particular kinds to those mutable occasions of common life , the head is most accustomed to receive impressions from . men of a more contemplative genius , conceit themselves inspired with some rare mysteries in nature , with the cabbalistick sense of scripture , with the understanding of the hidden analogies between the sensible and intelligible , and the greater and lesser world , with the art to cure all the natural leprosies of mettals , and the like : men whose course of life determines their thoughts more upon civil affairs this humor possesseth with the opinion of their being designed popes or princes , or some restorers of the publick liberty . and persons of a more devotional complexion talk much of visions , raptures , converse with angels and prophecie , and are apt to fall down before every idol of their busy fancy , as if some deity were lodged in it . thus this giddy humor moves every man ( ●s f plutarch saith the divinatory enthusiasm doth ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , according as he is naturally disposed and inclined . how the humors of the body arive at an ability thus to impregnate the mind with conceits wild and monstrous beyond the varieties of africa , is an enquiry not pertinent here ; but to question that so they can , is to speak our selves strangers to all the stories of hypocondriacks , books and discourses abound withall ; and that 't is nothing but the enormous power of a disturbed imagination that bears down these persons into a belief of divine visions , voices and illapse , sappears sufficiently in that they usually commence prophets per saltum , and before they are tolerably qualified with knowledg or piety , they become inspired ; and that though heaven and earth refute their predictions once and again , an heart deceived by the fulness and importunity of the impression , hath so turned them aside , that they cannot attend ; and therefore are no more awakened out of their prophetick dreams by any contrary events , then the begger out of his dreams of greatness and honor by the rags he wears and the dunghill he sleeps on . an example of which grossness and non-attendance we have in drabicius ( a german prophet , of whom so much written and discourst of late ) who though he saw his predictions clearly refuted by events , and told thereof at one ear by his friends and at both ears by his enemies , yet was so * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried away by the power of his prophetick dreams as to secure himself in his fond opinion of inspiration by returning , g annon vox dei est quae dicit , &c. is it not the voice of god which h saith , god doth nothing but he reveals his secrets to his servants , and that in the later daies he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh , and young men shall see visions and old men dream dreams : scriptures which any pretender to prophecy might have cited in his vindication , as well as he . . those wonderful visions represented to their minds in some ecstacy or profound sleep . at such a time some very frightful or lovely images shew themselves upon the scene of fancy , and those ( as dreams take figure from the occasions of the day ) generally made after the likeness of those apocalyptical or other prophetick visions , with which the minds of such persons when awake are commonly entertained and deeply sealed . now these visa , by the great singularity of their form , vivacity of representation , and prophetical analogy , do so wonderfully affect and possess the mind , and inchant it with such huge fears or joys , that the melancholy person doubts not to receive them with the faith and affection of divine discoveries . and therefore if the more terrible aspect of the images represented to his mind , proclaim them the proper emblems of some great evils , he presently concludes that god , who tenders his servants with the care and affection a mother doth her sucking child , would willingly have them forewarned , that so they might by repentance , prayers or prudence avert the impendent evil from themselves , or fortifie their minds with christian patience to receive its coming . but if their more delightful form prefer them the types of some joyful event , as is the freedom of the church laboring under some heavy oppression , the propagation of the gospel , and the enlargement of christs kingdom ; they hastily catch at the welcome token , and that is thought foretold therein which themselves have the greatest passion for . and they are the more soft and easy to such prophetical conceits , because those passions of fear and hope , so intimate to our natures , and which generally govern the perswasions even of wiser men , are so regnant in their souls made so impressive by melancholy and some tinctures of religion . now these pretended visions , which conciliate veneration to these prophets with ruder persons , will appear much beneath our wonder , if it be considered that melancholy when it exceeds its just proportions , is very productive of them . this the philosopher hath noted , i men that are of a talkative and melancholy temper see any kind of visions . and this , especially because they have so deep a resentment of the most affecting objects , whose images therefore recur to the fancy when they are asleep , in most distinct and lively figures . now the visions of such men are the more evident and lively , because of the dryness of their temper ( as l gallen gives the reason ) whereby there are no such mysts and vapors rising up to confound and obscure them , which are the cause why the night-visions of persons full fed , or overcome with wine , are so confused and leave such languishing impressions upon their waking fancies . these images being so clear and active , the mind takes them ( as the birds did those on the tables of apelles ) for true and real things ; and as when we suddainly awake out of some very affecting dream , the figures which its clearness and strength of impression made upon the fancy , cannot not presently be blotted out , but we continue for a time to entertain it with the affections of a great reality ; thus ( but by a more obstinate delusion ) are the persons we now speak of imposed upon by an unruly fancy . for when deep sleep hath fallen upon them , and cut the soul off from all converse with things sensible , it is wholy immerst in the view of those images which walk upon the stage of imagination , with which the common sense is as inwardly moved , as if excited by some object from abroad ; and therefore it receives them with the opinion of their being not phantastical but real and divine appearances . as for those visions these prophets speak of when they are awake , they may arise from those m vehement and intense thoughts , which represent some great objects to them in very distinct and affecting ideas ; with which the mind is so fully possest and sealed , as not much to attend to the circumstance of the real presence thereof ; and therefore easily perswades it self , that object stood before it of which it had so lively a perception , and with which it was so inwardly touched and affected . besides , nothing so familiar as for men of very impressive phancies and timerous dispos●tions to have a continual scene of strange sights presented before them . the n philos●pher noted long ago , that to persons young and that look intensly , if it be dark , there appear many strange images moving to and fro , so that in a great fear they hide themselves in the bed-clothes . whereas in such sights the fancy is both scene and spectator to it self . this shews that 't is possible that these pretended visions may be but the inchantments of melancholy . but he that considers that divine visions were vouchsaft as rarely and upon as concerning occasions as miracles will believe it probable that they are no other . did god dispense the favors of these divine visits to the patriarchs and prophets so sparingly of old , and are they become now as familiar to some men as dreams to others ? familiars , hath been the title of bad spirits but never of good . . their vehement incitations to prophecy . they feel the new images of things or persons striking with great strength and evidence upon their fancies , and themselves quickened by a very hot and active principle , whose powers they cannot easily stand against , to make the vision plain , and to declare to others what conceits and passions it comes attended with : and therefore they conceive that the word of the lord is as a fire shut up in their bones , and that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , wholy possest by some divine power which they cannot bear themselves against , nay indeed should not , for who are they that should withstand god ? whereas all these things are but the subtil fallacies which the fumes of hypochondriacal melancholy , when grown hot and fiery , put upon the fancy , being as apt to intoxicate the brain , and make it impressive to as odd conceits , as the active vapors of lusty wine . these vapors being carried by the brain with a mighty force , confou●d the natural figurations thereof and excite some new idols therein , which by the s●ngularity of their appearance , and importunity of occurrence , cannot but create affections correspondent to them u which together with those firy spirits , will put men upon great freedom of speech ( that which a very affecting dream will sometimes do ) to deliver themselves of those strange thoughts which upon such occasions will rise up within them . now 't is no wonder at all ( as the w philosopher saith ) if such kind of men being thus incited to speak very much and of very various things ( the scenes of fancy being so often shifted by these giddy vapors ) that they have some fortunate hits , and true divinations . that 't is only the forrein heat of these vapors which excites these predictions , appears probable in that every x flatuous calefaction of the brain whence soever it arise , is apt to make a man ecstatical , to express it self in wonderful speeches , and those often prophetical . the vapors of wine meeting with some constitutions , have strangely ap'd an enthusiasm ; as appears from those verses of the y poet , upon occasion of the truly iovial doings upon some of their idolatrous festivals . invenies illic qui nestoris ebibat annos quae sit per calices facta sibylla suos . there shall you find old men turn'd boies by wine , young maids old sibyls , who by th' cup divine . accordingly in some z oracular places , the diviners used to excite the prophetick faculty ( as they thought ) by a liberal , dose of wine or some water which had a kind of inebriating property : such hot and unwieldy vapors ( though excited by a feaver ) have made dying men so famous , for their prophetical essays , in all ages and nations : though they have been vainly thought ( as all extraordinaries , especially about the minds of men usually are ) of a more divine extraction . and that prophetick fit which seiz'd the pythia placed over some hollow cavern of the earth , was owing to the subtil and fiery spirit ( as a iamblicus calls it ) thence ascending her tender body and b intoxicating of her , though in so●ewhat a more violent maner then wine w●uld have done ( in so much as sometimes she dyed in the fit ) and sealing her fancy ( already strongly possest with the extraordinary sacredness of her place and office ) with wild conceits which she delivered in as wild a maner : and this account of the pretended inspiration of the pythia is favored by c strabo , telling us that she expected the oracular power being placed ove● the narrow mouth of the sacred cavern , and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from thence was carried forth an enthusiastick d vapor or spirit , which excited the atent disposition to prophecy in her soul , as the wind doth the musical power of some well-tuned organ . and therefore i think plutarch , not so much out , as commonly thought in his treatise , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , concerning the ceasing oracles , ( for so it should be rendered , e all not being silenced in his time , nor long after ) when attributing their silence in some formerly famous places , to the languishing of that enthusiastick vapor which inspired the p●ophetess , the caverns ( as he conceives ) lying continually open being apt ( like exposed liquors ) to lose spirits ; and to decay it their ancient vertues . this imposture the devil abused the world withal , till the light of the gospel and philosophy made the fallacy notorious . to return . as for that mighty ardor whereby they are carried forth to deliver themselves , it is perfectly a natural thing , being but the impatience of that hot and nimble vapor of fermented melancholy . the sibyls of old ( which f aristotle rightly judgeth inspired only by this fiery spirit ) used g often to mention those divine fires they felt themselves ( as they thought ) quickned and excited by ; which were only the symptomes of this exalted humor of which the same philosopher notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. it becomes even like boyling water when once sufficiently heated . and that they are only these hot and restless spirits arising out of the caverns of the body ( much of temper with those in the pythia ) which inspire them , appears in that we generally find them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as h eusebius stiles the preachers , of montanus his doctrine ) prophets that talk without measure . their books and discourses are so voluminous as if they feared nothing more then the poor title of minor prophets : witness the mighty bulk to which the revelations of st. brigid , drabitius and others swell into . we may ever have prophecies from these persons very good cheap . whereas when the spirit of wisdom incited the holy men of old , their words were weighed in a balance , their discourses consequent , their seasons of prophecy few and chosen , and their doctrine precious as the gold of ophir . while i thus salve the strange phoenomena about these vulgar prophets by the powers of melancholy ; i intend not to deny but that the devil ( who works by darkness as god by light ) may sometimes interpose , and where he finds the mind fitted by this distemper for him to work upon , may ( to make the imposture more fine and subtil ) act it to some expressions beyond the bare capacities of this jugling humor , as to speak languages , to tell some things at distance , as the certain coming of such a friend or epileptick fit , upon such a day or hour ( which the german prophetess christina often did . ) it seems to have been the received opinion of the ancient iews that an high melancholy or distraction was attended alway with an evil spirit . whence that speech of the●rs concerning our savior . * he hath a devil and is mad , upon which text mr mead tells us that they used to stile their melancholici and maniaci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and according to the strain of all the jewish scholiasts ( as i master smith informs us ) by the evil spirit of saul nothing else is meant but a melancholy kind of madness which made him prophecy or speak distractedly and inconsistently : and when the gentle aires and motions of * musick had dissipated these melancholy vapors the evil spirit departed with them . chap. vii . probable arguments to prove all divine prophecy now ceast . the cessation of prophecy now , not absolutely asserted , and why . five reasons alledged to prove its cessat on , probable . a promise of prophecy to any age , the greatest security that it is not imposed upon by pretenders to it . no promise of prophecy made to the ends of the world. the several ends prophecy served to under the times of the old and new testament : proved unserviceable t●● any such ends now . why prophecy not given now to comfort good men it affliction . why it exspired in the jewish church so long before our saviors coming . several reasons alledged against the received opinion of a bath kol succceding to prophecy under the second temple . the original of that speech of strabo , that moses advanced him self by the promise of a religion without sacrifice or prophecy , guest at . such a religion proved the felicity of this new dispensation . the last consideration which i shall superadd to disparage the saith of these vulgar prophecies is this . it seems highly probable that the true prophetick spirit is now gone up , and that all divine revelations , as well of future events as new doctrines , are wholy ceast in the church of god. i shall not be positive in this assertion , because i find a synod convened in germany , anno . where the divines being moved by some zealous persons to declare themselves against all pretended revelations and prophecies , now that god had so eminently refuted the famous visions of cotterus and christina poniatovia in the unexpected deaths of gustavus of sweden and frederick of bohemia , prophecyed of by them , as the saviors and restorers of the german protestants ; they declined it , adding , that k yet no church , or consistory or university had altogether rejected or condemned , such kind of new prophecies , and why would we be the first ? certainly then 't will very ill become my privacy and obscurity to take the chair and pronounce confidently that folly is with them all , and that there is nothing of divine prophecy now in the world besides the vain noise and affectation thereof . i shall only crave the freedom to tender those reasons which make it seem probable to my self that there are no such extraordinary visits of the divine spirit now to be found in the world . whereof the first is this : . god hath by no promise encouraged our expectation of any such prophetick inspiration in these latter ages of the world. when ever god gave prophecy to his church , as it usually came attended with some other eminent gifts , whereby men might understand it was an age of extraordinaries ; so it was alway ushered by some promise thereof . god gave prophecy to the church of the old testament , and to the times wherein our savior was first manifested and preached to the world ( stiled the l last daies , being the expiring times of the jewish oeconomie ) and there was notice given thereof by a fore-running promise delivered by m moses and ioel. god would not have so great a gift , that comes forth ( as all extraordinary ones do ) upon some errand of import , to steal into the world ; and men be in danger of losing the benefit thereof , while destitute of any thing to resolve them whether there be any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , holy ghost thus given yea or no. besides , where we have no special promise , we have no ground at all of expectation or trust , and if we trust our faith with any pretended prophecy and revelation though presented with all the probable appearances of truth , before we know whether god hath made promise of any such matter now , we do but tempt god , and expect he should charge himself with us while we walk in praecipitiis , in waies wherein he never told us we should meet him . a promise from god in this matter , is ( i think ) one of the most necessary securities to our faith . there were under the times of the old testament undoubtedly , as many persons inspired only by the spirit of heated melancholy , and more by a much worse , then now there are ; but that which was the great security to the minds of good men then , that they were not cheated by any of the gilded prophecies then current among them , was , that god had made them a promise to send them prophets from time to time to resolve them in all matters relating to this life as well as the other : and therefore they might presume the providence of god would be more especially watchful to preserve them ( if not greatly wanting to themselves ) from being fatally abused while expecting instruction by a prophecy , a way of divine sanction in those times . in confidence especially of this divine security , we find even n princes proceeding without scruple to action , and in matters of very great moment , upon the bare word of a person that pretended to speak from god , though without any sign ( that we read of ) given to seal his mission from god upon that occasion ; whereas now a prince would but fall the martyr of his own credulity , if trusting his affairs with the most importunate voices of a pretending prophet against sober reasons of state , when there appears neither divine sign , nor promise of prophecy , to warrant his faith. it is readily acknowledged , that none of god's true prophets but came attested at one time or other with some divine signs ; but yet he that shall consider that these were not vouchsafed to bear testimony to each particular message which they delivered as from god , and that many signs were given by them ( as the causing of iron to swim , disclosing the secrets of the bedchamber , foretelling the death of some person , and some seeming contingencies ) which ●t is likely fall within the devil's compass to shew ; and that sometimes the prophets o countermanded their own counsels and advices , and that those holy men were no more exempt from the delusions of melancholy then good men are now ; and that miracles have been so counterfeited by the arts of magick , that even wise men have not been able to detect the imposture ; must needs grant , that the promise of god to teach men by prophecy , together with the prophet his appearing ( as the iews speak ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man fit for prophecy , was generally the firmest ground of trust they had to build the faith of the divinity of his signs and prophecy upon . and therefore i think many signs might more firmly conclude the divine inspiration of men in those ages to which prophecy was promised , then the like can do if tendred by any pretender to inspiration in our own . now then , there being not the least air of any promise of prophecy made to the last times of the world , we have reason to think that the prophetick spirit is flown back to heaven ( like elijah ) and hath left nothing behind it , but its mantle , its garb and dress , which imposture sometimes walks up and down the world withal . as for that place of scripture so often alledged by the modern enthusiasts , to justifie the expectation of prophecy now ; it shall come to pass in the last days that i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh , and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie , &c. it is wholy impertinent , because , as q theodoret notes , it received its evident and literal accomplishment at the day of pentecost . but a greater then theodoret is here , s. peter , who r expresly fixeth the accomplishment of that prophecy in the liberal effusions of the extraordinary gifts of the spirit upon that great day : where we may note by the way , that he seems not to understand the place of prophecy strictly taken ( for prediction ) in favor of which alone it is alledged by our adversaries , but for those other extraordinary gifts of the spirit there mentioned , and for which prophecy doth often suppose elswhere in scripture . . all other extraordinary gifts which anciently attended the prophetick spirit , are now ceased . the gifts of healing , of working miracles , of discerning of spirits , of divers tongues , of interpretation of scripture , have all expired with their occasion ; and why should we imagine that prophecy ( numbred with them ) survives them all ? a gift of which i am sure the world hath incomparably less need then of any of the rest ! those other gifts of the spirit could ease the pains , enlighten the eyes , resolve the conscience , presently confirm the faith of men , which a prophecy could not do : and therefore whereas we find those gifts very familiarly used , and liberally conferred in the first times of the gospel , yet we meet with this prophetick gift very rarely exerted by our savior or his apostles ; and some of the persons who had it ( as if they were rarely to be found ) are particularly mentioned in the new testament ; viz. agabus , barnabas , simon niger , lucius , manahen , silas , the four daughters of philip , and some few others . why then should a gift , which was of so little name and consideration ●n compare with the rest , continue in the church , when all the other ( like scaffolds when the house is built ) are taken away , now that the house of god is built up , and the faith confirmed ? certainly the fond affection which some men have for prophecy , and that strength of face with which others pretend to it , are the things which suborn their understandings to believe that so acceptable a gift is honored with a longer continuance in the world then the rest of its brethren . if we consult antiquity , it will appear more likely that this gift alone is faln , there being r more frequent mention therein of some miracles wrought in the name of christ , but less is said concerning the prophetical spirit , especially after the second century . . prophecy cannot now minister to any of those great ends , to which under the first times of the old and new testament it did . it served under the old testament as a seal of the divine inspiration of those scriptures in which it was found ; and was a pregnant assurance to present and future times , that all those promises , precepts , threatnings , found in conjunction with any accomplish'd prophecy , were equally of divine original . to this purpose speaks a s iewish doctor , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fundamental reason why prophecy is extant in the prophets , is onely this , that they may with the greater authority exhort men to an observation of the law , to divine worship , and to do what is acceptable unto god , and that man may be perfect with god , not barely that they may declare things to come . this is found in the prophets but out of a secondary intention , onely to confirm the truth of their inspiration ; and the like reason of prophecy in scripture is alleged by t origen . whereas these vulgar prophecies cannot ( need not ) seal any divine doctrine or part of scripture if they should be fulfilled ; and therefore have no more real value then the seal in separation from the writing . they tell us perhaps ( which no wise man much concerns himself to know ) that after such a period of time , such a great prince shall ascend the throne , such a famous event shall fall ; and if the prediction chance to succeed , the prophet looks big , and the people wonder , and that 's all . moreover , prophecy served ( like the shechinah in the temple ) as a u testimony of god's dwelling in and owning of that church in which it was found . and accordingly the departing of the prophetick spirit from a people , if found elswhere in the world , was a sign god had given them a bill of divorce . thus god at last assured his rejection of the iewish and acknowledgment of the gentile church , by his taking prophecy wholy from the one , and giving it at the same time unto the other ; that which w origen and x iustin martyr take frequent notice of in their disputes against the iews and heathens . now prophecy is no more necessary in this age then miracles to witness christs presence with his church , for she hath had it liberally already ; and when it departed , it went not from her to iew or turk , but back to heaven , leaving behind it the many virtues of the spirit , in themselves more undoubted pledges of his favor . and besides , the christian church now is crumbled into so many sects and forms , that were prophecy now in the world , men would be apt to receive it as a testimony , not to their church , but to their party , ( to which purpose the faction of rome pretends it ; ) and therefore perhaps prophecy was to be found in the more united times both of the iewish and christian church , but went away when they began to distinguish themselves by little forms and notions , lest it should seem to witness not to the truth of god , but humors of men. a third reason assigned by some y iewish and christian writers , why god gave the people of the iews their oracles and prophets to give them the knowledge of futurities , as the success of a battel , the issue of a sickness , the condition of other kingdoms in after-times , &c. is this ; because else in all likelihood they would have apostatized to the rites of the heathen , who had their oracles and diviners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being prompted thereunto by that natural liquorousness in the minds of men after the knowledg of things to come , as z origen gives the reason ; and a scripture seems to assign the same why god gave them prophecy , even to secure them from all temptation to consult the oracles of the heathen , which we find they sometimes did in the b silence or c absence of the true prophets . to suppose prophecy necessary now for this end , to save mens longing after the knowledg of things sealed up in the counsels of god , is to reproach the world , and to suppose it as liquorish as in its more childish years . hath not the world out-grown the follies of auguries , soothsaying , and profest diviners long ago , and took up in the resolves of reason , as the best oracle to consult in a civil business ? and must christians be thought the onely persons that want a prophecy to arrest their anxieties in reference to hereafter , and a prophecy of the certain truth whereof they are as much unresolved as of the issue of affairs ? and besides , we shall observe how god sometimes chastised that wanton humor in the iews , by permitting even his own predictions to be , not seldom , the d occasions of very evil effects . if we proceed to a view of those ends which prophecy serv'd to more specially in the times of the new testament , it will more clearly appear a great impertinence now . it served then as a divine largess to grace the solemn inauguration of our saviour to his mediatory kingdom : to assure the acceptance of his person and undertaking with god , who impowered him to confer such great gifts on men . to fore-warn and so to fore-arm young coverts , apt otherwise to be scandalized by the then approaching persecutions for christ's sake . to seal the reception of the gentiles to the dignity of sonship , upon whom god had bestowed so great a portion of his spirit . to prefer the christian oeconomy to as sacred regards with men as the iewish had of old , because attended with as liberal an effusion of all extraordinary gifts upon men , as that was . now it were greatly to under-rate the reader 's time and my own , to prove prophecy in this age utterly unnecessary for the service of any such ends as these . so that there appears not any sufficient reason why we should believe there are any examples of the prophetick spirit now extant in the world. miracles and prophecies always came forth from god to serve some great occasions , ( his servants never wrought a miracle , or foretold an event , as juglers shew tricks , or gypsies tell fortunes , onely to cause wonder or to supply discourse : ) now these occasions being long ago expired , it is but reasonable to presume that miracles and prophecies are faln with them . to all this perhaps it will be opposed , that oft-times a very black and tedious night of affliction covers the servants of god , and that a prophecy might then serve as the voice of the cock to bring the joyful news of an approaching morning of deliverance ; and that for this end also god often favored his ancient people the iews with prophecy , even to let them understand when their miseries should determine , lest they should grow weary and faint in their minds . i answer ; god hath now supplied good men with higher cordials then a prophecy to support their sinking spirits with in a day of evil. he hath confirmed his singular affection to them by the great gift of his son , he hath told them that all things shall work together for their temporal or eternal good , that they have a merciful high-priest that is touch'd with a feeling of all their infirmities , that their light affliction which is but for a moment works for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; and are not these considerations better to them then ten prophecies ? besides , god having now caused the felicities of the other world to stand before us in so full a light , he would have our minds less intangled with sollicitous and unquiet thoughts about the futurities of this . it greatly becomes us now to be more heroical and manly in our hopes and resolutions then the iews were , whose temper was as weak , wordly and carnal , as their way of worship ; in compliance with which god encouraged their service by a covenant made up of worldly promises , possession of the land , the abundance of all things , freedom from evils and bondage . now , lest in a tedious affliction they should think god had forgotten his covenant , and should cast about for some new master , the prophets were sent from time to time , to resolve them of the cause and continuance thereof , and ( that their patience might not tire ) to tell them when their warfare should be accomplish'd . besides , their notices of the felicities of the other world , being so obscure and languishing , might easily render them to greater impatience of the undetermined miseries of this : and therefore when in the times of the second temple they began to be more clear in the doctrine of a resurrection and a life to come , prophecies of a temporal reference became more rare ; as appears from the words of that e psalm , written ( it is thought ) after the captivity , where the church under great pressures thus bemoans her self : we see not our signs , there is no more any prophet , neither is there any among us that knoweth how long : which words suggest to us a fourth reason . . prophecy expired in the jewish church for two or three hundred years before the coming of our savior . this is a truth of catholick acknowledgment , all ievish and christian writers confess it but only iustin martyr , who once and again f tell ; trypho the iew , there never ceased in your nation , either prophet or prince till iesus christ was both born and had suffred . but in this opinion that excellent man stands against all the ancients , and against g canon and h apocrypha ; and therefore his testimony not binding . now if prophecy ceased then , we have no reason to presume it continues now ; for what ever arguments seem to conclude it necessary to the christian church now , would with much more strength conclude the necessity of it to the iewish then : for the scripture was then more dark and incompleat then now , the people were of a more weak and worldly temper , the oeconomy more carnal , the age more accustomed to prophecies , men more in danger of being tempted by the absence of prophecy to consult the devil's prophets and oracles , then so frequent in the world , and a succession of prophets more fully promised without any limitation of time , then now . besides , the reason of its cessation seems to have been catholick , viz. this : it had now ministred to all those great ends to which it was thought necessary in the times to which it was vouchsafed ; and therefore ( as it is said of david ) having thus served its generation , it fell asleep . for though it be true that the cessation of prophecy , as also the absence of the many glories from the second temple which the first had , might serve to take men off from looking too intently upon the face of moses , whose splendor plainly appeared to be nigh to vanishing away , and to quicken their desires after the more inward and abiding glories of the messiah's kingdom , and to cause them to expect that new dispensation so long promised before , which should restore the prophetical spirit more abundantly ; yet i conceive this to be neither the onely nor the principal reason of that long interstitium of prophecy in the iewish church . for the ark , the shechinah , the heavenly fire , and the rest , were ceremonial appendices , and served the pomp and splendor of that lower dispensation , the utter absence whereof from the second temple might shew that oeconomy now waxing old and wearing away ; but prophecy lasted ( it is concluded ) for at least forty or fifty years under the second temple , and besides was given rather for moral then ceremonial ends , which having sufficiently served , it was beneath the sacredness thereof to be continued to serve onely the pomp of the church , or the curiosities of men. the onely thing now occurring to my thoughts , which may seem to weaken the force of this reason , is the common opinion of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filia vocis , a soft voice , heard as descending from heaven , and was ( say the masters ) a lower degree of prophecy continuing under the times of the second temple as a kind of twilight in the iewish church after the setting of the sun of prophecy ; and to which the i targum is thought sometimes to refer . but as for this prophetick voice , i see no great reason why we should stick to number it with those iewish fables mentioned tit. . . and invented ( as many more were ) to serve the glory of that nation , and to greaten the favor of heaven thereunto : there being no two nations so much remarked for vanity and pride , both in sacred and profane writings , as the iewish and grecian ; and there are none that have so corrupted histories , and obtruded so many legends upon the credulity of the world , to inhance the credit and reputation of their own people . can it easily be thought that god would now speak from heaven to them who had turned the deaf ear to all his prophets , and were now so addicted to magick , superstition , and all the examples of folly and profaneness ? what reason can be given why god should silence all the prophets , the oracles by urim , and by visions , and honor that obdurate people by any immediate addresses ? what higher grace did god confer upon abraham , upon moses , nay upon his son , then to speak to them by a voice from the excellent glory ? what are all the occasions , upon which they say it was heard , but weak and tri●ling , and evidently unworthy of so sacred an oracle ? when ionathan began his paraphrase , k they tell us he was check'd by a bath kol , saying , quis est ille qui revelat filiis hominum mysteria legis ? when rab. iuda sanctus died , the l talmudists tell us , bath kol beatitudinem eum plangentibus pronunciavit , and the like . besides , a voice from heaven seems reserved as the more sacred way of divine revelation ( so far is it from being the lowest degree of prophecy ) for the times of the gospel . it was a m voice from heaven that gave testimony to christ , that occasioned s. paul's conversion ; and it is urged as a strong argument against refusing the gospel , because it is a n turning away from him that speaketh from heaven : and we shall observe that all the prophecies of the old testament have not that expression , i heard a voice from heaven , so oft as that single prophecy of the new , the revelation : god generally making use of other ways before , to give his prophets an intimation of his counsels : so that this notion cannot greatly prejudice the reason alledged , having so little color of truth to recommend it . nor am i alone in this perswasion , finding some learned men speaking o very doubtfully of it , and others very p confidently against it . though perhaps all this be more then i need have said , for this was no personal prophecy , nor ( that i can find ) ever asserted to declare things to come , but to direct in some emergent difficulties in common life . in confirmation of what hath been said , 't were easy to superadd the many testimonies of the ancients to prove the going up of the prophetick spirit in this confirm'd state of the kingdom of the messiah , who are so full in this perswasion , that ( as 't is noted ) the montanists are by some of the fathers proved to be no better then dissemblers when they pretended to the gift of prophecy , for that it was then ceased in the church . but that i seem not to boast in q another man's line , i shall dismiss this chapter with a conjecture upon a passage in r strabo applicable to our present purpose . he , coming to speak of moses and some jewish customs , makes ( after the manner of the heathen ) a very invidious relation of what arts he used to oblige so great a multitude his followers . one of which , he saith was a promise to deliver to them , such a worship , and such rites of sacrifice , as should not trouble the users of them with any great expenses , nor prophetical raptures and ecstacies , nor any other absurd businesses in religion . a speech that assures strabo not over-fond of such things himself , for else he could not so easily have believed a promise of deliverance from them , the best bait moses could use to catch the hearts of the multitude withall . but certain it is that no promise was further from his thoughts then this ; for his law was a s law of rites and costly sacrifices , and his great with was that all the lords people were prophets , and nothing that himself more pretended or t promised then prophecy . i conceive therefore that ( as most lies bottom upon some truth ) this relation was originally but some traditional prophecy of the state of the times under the messiah current ( among some others ) among the jews , or else a right opinion of theirs founded in a mistaken sense of that prophecy of u daniel concerning the messiah , that he should seal up vision and prophecy and cause sacrifice and oblation to cease . now this notion of the ceasing of prophecy and sacrifice might ( as some other did ) arrive at last among the gentiles , who understanding it to halfes , might easily intitle moses to the promise thereof , a person of so great name both among the iews and themselves . but a freedom from these two is , if not the promise , the performance only of the mediator of a better covenant the● moses , who by the offering of himself to god left place for no other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the w living sacrifice of our selves to god ; and by the more liberal effusions of his spirit to enlighten our minds , and to place oru hearts above the fears and hopes of this world hath made prophecy less necessary now , and therefore most likely not be at all therein . sure i am god hath no where promised it to the ends of the world , nor do men most disposed , by great wisdom and sanctity , to receive it , either feel it or desire it , and all that ever have , with the greatest wariness , trusted to it , have been at last clothed with shame and confusion ; and god in his providence seems to deliver all pretences to it to persons so extremely ignorant , vicious , vain or hypochondrical , that 't is become a scandal to profess it , & for a man to pretend an enthusiasm now , gives notice that he wants a physician ; whereas heretofore his greatest judgments miracles and signs came to secure the honor of prophecy , and of those excellent persons which profest it . now there is scarce any man but hath a quick sense of the happiness of being freed from a religion made grievous by so many chargeable sacrifices as the jewish was : and who so considers that it was so hard to distinguish true prophecy from false even in that age to which it was promised , that often the people , and x sometimes the true prophets were abused by the pretenders to it , and that it could not but have some uneasinesses therein , while attended with those y vehement transports , consternations , tremors , aenigmatical visions , and that harshness which the most gentle strokes the hand of god made upon the faculties of those holy men which were acted by it , cannot but value it as a happiness that god hath delivered us now to the conduct only of that sure word of prophecy , the scripture , and the evident and gentle maxims of right reason . chap. viii . the conclusion . private persons not competent iudges of prop●ecy , and why . the decree of pope leo touching new prophets commended . men formerly and still subject to b● imposed upon by seeming miracles . the discrediting of t●ese prophecies of great advantage to the church . lest these considerations should not be thought sufficient to disparage that easy faith which private men usually meet these vulgar prophecies withall ; i shall further mind the reader , that prophecy is in it self and so hath been judged by wise men a matter too nice and subtile for any , much less for men that z occupy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the room of the unlearned in the church , to make an hasty judgment in . therefore ( ●s was noted before from plato ) the laws in the graecian commonwealth , appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some publick iudges over enthusiastick prophecies : which institution , whatever further end the state aimed at therein , proceeded upon this acknowledg'd principle , that prophecy was in the source and sense thereof too perplext and dark a business for the ruder minds of private men to make any steady judgment in . and therefore as passionately as the romish church laies claim to the spirit of prophecy , as the testimony of god to her , yet upon occasion of some enthusiasts which would define the particular time of the day of judgment , we find a very severe and punctual decree made by pope leo to limit the judgment of such persons , the summ whereof is this . a if god have revealed some things to come to any of them , we will by no means that they be presently reputed impostors , or any way disturbed , ( against the apostolical command of not despising prophesyings ) but b we will that by an ordinary law all such asserted inspirations before they be published or preached to the people , be from henceforth understood reserved solely to the cognizance of the apostolical chair . but if that may not be without some danger of delay , and an urgent necessity advise otherwise , then that they be notified to the ordinary of the place , that he taking with him three or four grave and learned men , and having diligently examined the whole business with them , when they shall judg it convenient ( upon which we charge their own consciences ) they may give licence for the publication of them . and after many other proviso's in this affair , the whole is concluded with a severe temporal and spiritual punishment threatned upon the offenders in the premises . should appear ictus piscator , the pope once stricken by such apish prophets became wise , and would no longer entrust the judgment of them with the sof● and ignorant multitude . now prophecy hath been thus wisely reserved to the cognizance of persons of more exercised minds , because c humane nature undisciplin'd is so extremely prone to meet things pompous and vehement with very sacred and solemn thoughts , and to think ( as the frogs in the fable , by the bloc● which fell among them ) if the person make a great noise and busse , come attended with flaming expressions , pathetical devotions , si●gularities of gesture and phrase , affected silences and severities , that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; sent from god extraordinarily , to rule in their minds and lives . besides , men that have no notices of the compass of natural or diabolical operation , are ready to receive the sudden tremors , frequent ecstacies and other works which fall not within the little circle of their ●bservation , as the powers of god and exam●les miraculous . and this they may be the more easily tempted to do , because though sometimes the signs these prophets shew are so thin and weak that the dullest eye may see through them , and discover them to be the delusions of the devil or melancholy : ( such was that of d drabicius and many of apollavius , ) yet sometimes jugling prophets have acted a miracle so to the life , that even wise men have been imposed upon by the sine and subtil management of the imposture ; as may apear by that chapter in e iamblicus intitled miracula multa fiunt . à prophetis , and f other writers . if all these considerations might obtain with men to give no faith or ( which is next to it ) a very slow and doubtful one to all pretended prophets now , the happy consequent would be the freedom of the world at last from these ancient cheats , for these little oracles ( like those of old ) would soon become less talkative if men were once become less credulous ; and god would no more be look'd for in the whirl-wind of raptures , mystical phrases , and ecstatical orations , but in the still voice of a great humility , a sound mind , and an heart reconciled to himself and all the world ; and they would begin to believe god knows better what is good for us then we do our selves , while hiding futurities from us , that so we might not be discomposed by any joys , sorrows or fears born out of due time ; and they would cast anchor onely upon his promises and attributes , when afflicted with all his waves , and value them as sufficient security to the peace and quiet of their minds in the worst of evils . finally all the ends the devil seeks to serve upon such prophecies would be happily defeated ; who if they chance to hit , fails not to possess the deliverer of them with an impregnable perswasion that he is god's holy one , his ( urim ) sacred oracles being found with him ; and the receiver with such great opinions of them as shall render him curious , credulous , anxious , impertinent in his studies , and regardless of the known rules of life . but if they miss , he tempts men to a suspicion of all prophecy for the sake of the false , and to regard even the revelations of scripture but as more venerable impostures . finis . the contents of the treatise of vulgar prophecies . chap. . some general accounts given of the argument . counterfeits in art , nature and religion . false prophecy one instance of them . what kind of false prophets the times of the new testament are freed from . the miscarriage of states oft by occasions contemptible , noted . the present argument sutable to the age , because an age of action , of intellectual improvement , and yet , in many , of enthusiasm . several confident pretenders to prophecy of late , taken notice of . the affinity between prodigies and prophecies in the general ends of both . prophecies of evil consequence in states and why . our nation extremely inclined toward them in former times . the ancient ethnick statsmen how they secured themselves against the prophetick humor of the people . judges of prophecy in plato , who . the sibylline oracles of what use among the romans . the opinons the ancients had of prophecy . couched in the fable of teresia . religion a great sufferer by them in the practise , credit , doctrine and foundation thereof . these noted prejudicial to the mind , and why : and to common life . two examples to evince that , taken notice of . prophesies as universally attended to as prodigies , among the heathens , jews , christians , with a threefold account thereof . p. . chap. ii. the vanity of vulgar prophecie : detected from the unworthiness of the pretenders to them . all things and persons thought by the heathens to partake somewhat of a prophetick power . wisdom onely excluded by them from any share in that gift . the perswasion too much abetted by some christians . to reprehend which , the first consideration is proposed . that prophetick maxim. that prophecy rests not but upon ● wise a valiant and a rich man , how understood by the modern jews : a conjecture concerning the reason of it , in their sense . how understood by the more ancient jews , shewn at large from their writings . god's prophets never mad in a prophetick sit . wise-men an ancient ad●ition of the prophets : the title usurped by the ancient philosophers and magicians . jews , christians and heathens required sanctity in order to true prophecy . none b●rn prophets of the jews , and why . our pretended prop●ets largely proved devoid of all true prophetical qualifications , and therefore not creditable . the church of rome why so fruitful in such prophets . p. . chap. iii. vulgar prophecies proved vain from the intrinsick circumstances of them . several circumstances in the matter and stile of the prophecies instanced in , which speak them unwor●hy of god. their being generally delivered in numbers noted as a character of vanity , and why . the devil's oracles of old delivered usually in verse . why afterwa●d in more natural and familiar forms . tully's exception against the pretended oracles of the sibyls justified . what appe●rance of poetry in the prophetick writings . these prophecies noted to be delivered without an● or a very long time prefixed for their accomplishment : useless upon that account to any good end . why scripture-prophecies may be allowed a long time to be accomplished in , but not vulgar . the devil concluded to influence these vulgar prophecies , and therefore not to be credited . p. . chap. iv. the vanity of these prophecies evinc'd by their coming unattended with signs . the difference between a sign and a wonder . of what kind of prophets no sign was to be required . what method the jews observed in the trial of prophets . miracles not a sign required of all prophets . six prophetical signs taken notice of . our savior's prophecy confirmed by them all . signs of the prophet and of the prophecy . none of these vulgar prophets give a sign . their pretended sanctity no sufficient sign . their admired gift of prayer of as little credit as that . natural ardor how effectual to enable the power of speaking freely on the sudden : that confirmed by the example of the ancient roman orators . quintilian . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old , what . why some men fluent onely before company . the great efficacy of exalted imagination to assist an extemporary rhetorick . why vehement speeches so mightily move men . what kind of heats commendable in religion . the powerful impression of these prophecies no sign of their divinity . divine impressions not distinguishable soly by their power and evidence , asserted against some jewish rabbins . artemidorus . some accomplished predictions , no safe sign of the inspiration of our modern prophets . p. . chap. v. the failing of vulgar prophecies an assurance of their vanity . vulgar prophecies referring to the publick , generally false : that proved from justin martyr , and the falshood of some modern prophecies particularly in●tanced in . a fayleur but in a circumstance , a sign of the forgery of the whole prophecy , and why . a fivefold acco●nt given of the pretended accomplishments of some modern prophecies . how far it seems fitting that prophecies should des●end to the circumstances of events . an account why some of these prophecies hit and others miss . all divine prophecies fulfilled which were absolutely delivered . some characters to distinguish such prophecies by . p. . chap. vi. many modern prophecies proved to arise from melancholy . the strong opinion of inspiration in modern prophets , proved an effect of the power of melancholy . their pretended visions attributed to the same cause . the visions of melancholy men , why many , and to them very evident . their vehem●nt in●itations to prophecy proved also a symptom of melancholy . how this humor becomes effectual thus to excite to prophecy . dying men , why often , in appearance , prophetical . a natural account of the prophetical essays of the pythia . plutarch's philosophical account of some ceasing oracles justified . the ardors in these prophets and the sibyls , natural . the delusions of melancholy assisted usually by the cooperation of the devil . p. . chap. vii . probable arguments to prove all divine prophecy now ceast . the cessation of prophecy now , not absolutely ●sserted , and why . five reasons alledged to prove its cessation , probable . a promise of prophecy to any age , the greatest security that it is not imposed upon by pretenders to ●t . no promise of prophecy made to the ends of the world. the several ends prophecy served to under the times of the old and new testament : proved unserviceable to any such ends now . why prophecy not given now to comfort good men in affliction . why it exspired in the jewish church so long before our saviors coming . several reasons alledged against the received opinion of a bath kol succeeding to prophecy under the second temple . the original of that speech of strabo , that moses advanced himself by the promise of a religion without sacrifice or prophecy , guest at . such a religion proved the felicity of this new dispensation . p. . chap. viii . the conclusion . private persons not competent iudges of prophecy , and why . the decree of pope leo touching new prophets commended . men formerly and still subject to be imposed upon by seeming miracles . the discrediting of these prophecies of great advantage to the church . p. . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a gal. . . b eccles. . c cor. . d rev. . . ● e z●ch . . . king. . . f maimonid . de idolat . c. . sect . . g theodor. l. . c. . h mic. . . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . polib . hist. lib. . k dan. . . * lu● in tenebris . edit . histor. revel . edit . per i. a. c. . revel . divin . epitom . edit . . k histor. rev. p. . l quia ostendunt , porte●dunt , monstrant , prae●icunt , ostenta , portenta , monstra , prodigi● , dicuntur . tull. de divin . l. . l sir ed. cooks instit. p. . c. . * see le●d howard defensat . against prophecies . c. . m artemid . oncirocrit . l. . c. . n plat. in tim. o mr smith disc. of proph●●y . p. . p tull. de div. l. . sub fin . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. iust. mart. quaest. & resp. ad ort●o● . q. . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. in tim. s lib. . de divin . t vid. doctor lightfoot , hor. habr . p. . u vid. bozium eugub . de signis eccles. l. c. . w dan. . . * iust. martyr . in dial. cum tryph. p. . x judg. . . y maimonid . mor. nevoc . p. . c. . z senatus plurimumei tribuebat , & ipsius permoti concionibus , nihil sibi contra regem suscipiendum esse putabant . comin . de bel. neapolit . l. . a hic positus in extremis , habens in manibus sacrum christi corpus , protestatus est coram omnibus ut caverent sive à viris sive à mulieribus sub specie religionis , loquentibus visiones sui capitis , quia per tales , &c. j. gerson . de exam. doctrin . consid . . b histor. dabric . p. . c ib. p. . d piutarc . de defect . o●ac . e isai. . . f inexcusabilis ●rgò est hominum illorū malitia & temeritas , qui hunc divinae gratiae fontem exsic●atum hodic volunt : non minus peccādo quam malev●li philisth●i , gen. . , &c. author . lib. cui tit . probat . vis. apud comen . in hist. revel . p. . g zosim . histor. l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g hos. . . jer. . . i sicut imago ipsius boni in omnibus deum praefert , sic in cunctis est vestigium aliquod vaticinii . jambl. de myster . aegyp . in . p. . k tanta est exuberantia providentiae ad ostendenda nobis signa , ut etiam in calculis , virgis , lignis lapidibus , frumento , farin● , indicia praebeat futurorum , &c. id. ib. p. . l plut. de def. orac. m plut. de def. orac. consider . . n maimonid . praef. in sed. zer . & de fund . leg . c. . sect . . o vid. vorst . in not. ad . maim . p. . p cor. . . habac. . . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . artemid . on●iroc . l. . c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r vorst . ub . sup . s v. blond●ll's treat . of the sibyls . l. . c. . fusè sherlog . antiq. heb. l. . dis. . t l. . cont . haer●s . . u mai● . idolat . c. . sect . . pet. . . w rarò sub v. t. prophetiae donum contingebat nisi iis qui diu in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essent instituti . cui rei inserviebant prophetarum scholae . grot. in sap. . . x scripture seems to refer to these titles . prov. . . jer. . , , . mat. . . cor. . . hos. . . y cited by m. smith , disc of prophes . p. . z dan. . . . exod. . . scld. dc . iur nat. & gent. l. . c. . b apud cl. d. pocock . port. mos. p. . c exod. . . sam. . . chron. . . king. . . d maimon . d● idolat . c. . sec. . e mic. . . isa. . . ezek. . . act. . . . f iacob . bold . de eccles. ante leg . l. . c. . p● . . . g hucusque nemo adhuc fuit , qui dicere voluerit , deum majestatem suam divinam habitare facere in viro malo , sed tum demū si in melius ipsum prius converterit . maimon . mor. nevoc . p. . c. . h de fundam . leg . ch . . sec. vid. & phil. iud. quis rer . div . haeres . i l. . cont . cels. p. . k christ. à ca stro de vaticin . l. . c. . & . de divin . per. insom . c. . & iamblic . de myst . aegypt . cap. cui . tit . inspirat . vacat . &c. m mat. . , . n amos . . o see a book intit . admirable and notable prophecies uttered by roman catholicks . by james maxwel . cd . . p tract . de probat . spir. q vid. revel . div. epitom . r kin. . * lib. . c. 〈◊〉 . s c. . cont . libertin . t sleid. comment . l. . u erat david ille homo exiguae quidem peritiae sed philautiae maximae . ub. em. l. de spirit . david . georg. p. . w ep. s. jud. ver . . pet. . . x rev. . ● . y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . orig. cont . cels. l. . p. . z orig. cont . cels. l. . p. a mic. . . . ezec. . . pet. . , , . mat. . . b rev. . . c v. hornbeck de weigelian . d cominaeus de bel. neapol . l. . e vis. drabic . histor. per i. a. c. p. . considerat . . f orig. l. . cont . cels. p. . g cor. . . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . &c. i tull. de div . l. ● . k amyrald . dissertat . de trinit . ezek. . . m see ezek. . , , , . n isai. . . & chap. . . consid. . o and so eustathius seems to distinguish , saying , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in . iliad . p notandum est hoc , ab eo prophetâ qu● tantum hortatur ad implenda legis jussa , nulla signa requiri . grot. not. in deut. . . q maimonid . de fundam . leg. c. . sect . . r mat . . luke . . mat. . . luke . . s singularem signi ( quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant ) in prophetis dijudicandis rationē haberi , apud judaeos , tum è sacris literis tum è magistrorum doctrinâ discimus . selden . de synedr . l. . c. . u mat. . . rev. . , thes. . . deut. . . act. . . w act. . . x joh. . , , . cor. . . y mat. . . luk. . , . . . . z king. . . sam. ▪ . a luk. . . b non ex solo successu , verbis respondente , cognosci propheta potest , nisi successui mult●s addiderit circumstantias quas nulla humana prudentia pro●picere possit . grot. not. in deut. . . c sam. . , . and . . d ezek. . jer. . . e maimonid . praefat. in sed. zer . è vers . d. pocock , p. . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gerundensi● derivat ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit , quoniam v●nturum aliquod significat , ut si dixero , ego sum propheta verus à deo missus , & hoc erit vobis signum , eras veniet locusta , asellus & bruchus . drus. in deut. . g king. . jer. . , mat. . . h vid. psel . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & i. voss. de idol . l. . c. . p. . i raymund . pud . fid. p. . k jo. . , . l act. . . cor. . . m maimonid . fund . leg . c. . sect . . n deut. . . josh. . . o omnis vates qui surrexit locutus est de prophetiis so cii sui . vorst . in maim . de ●und . leg . c. . p king. . , . q joh. . . r luk. . . s psa. . , . job . . exod. . . t num. . . u pet. . . joh. . ● . w jer. . ● . ezek. . , ● . x gen. . . sam. . . deut. . . . king. . . mat. . . y observandū est propheterū preces esse efficaces , plurimum conferre ad vitam , si pr● iliquo preces ad deum fuderint . procop. com . in gen. . . z is. ● . . jer. . . sam. . . king. . , king. . . sam. . , , a luke . . c gal. . . d de multis in religione & austeritate vitae constitutis , incredibilia ●ere sunt quae idoneis testibus refrentibus audivi . gers. de dist . ver. vis. à fals . e spaenhem . de orig. anabap. sec. . f inst. orat. l. . c. . g v. francis. ferr. de acclamationib . vet. l. . c. . i interdum ficbat ut preces inter & sacrificia , tantis ardoribus astuaret , ut omnes partes corporis exarde secrent , facies instar purpurae rubcret , &c. vit. & glor . s. ignat. per. anon. c. . k dr. casaub. enthas . m. p. . l extemporalis actio auditorum frequentiâ ut miles concentu signorum excitatur , secundos impetus auget placendi cupido , velo , inio . quintil. l. . c. . m ps. . . n quintil. instit . orat. l. . c. . o ps. . . p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q jer. . . . r thess. . . s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hist. eccles. l. . c. . t inter hos quidam bend literatus & famolus hoc etiam propria manu in scriptis , quae legi , reliquit & argumentis & conjecturis plurimis asserere conatus est . j. gers. de distinct . ver . vis . à falsis . u mr. smith . disc. of prophecies , c. . w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . artemid . oneiroc . l. . c. . z prov. . . a see several examples in boz . eugubin . de sig. eccles. l. . c. . b tul. de div. l. . sibyllas praevidisse apud multas gentes pericula divinitus imminentia admonuissc populos , &c. jambl. de myst. aegyp . m. p. . c deut. . , . confiderat . . d jer. . . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. resp. ad orthod . q. . f v. mr medes letter to mr hartlib , part. . p. . g patiamini apologiam meam , quam post publicatas revelationes cotteri , drabicii , &c. & mox contra omnem spem eventus spei nostrae contrarios , amicorū trepidatio texere coegerat . j. comen . in praefar . ad histor. revelat . h isai. . . vid. pocock . port. mos. p. . k jer. . . l ad haec divinitus fibi patefactū esse dicebat oportere statum ecclosiasticum per vim armorum em●ndari . nondum quidem istu● accidit , sed tunc t●mporis prope●erat ut ficret . phil. co●●inaeus , de bel . neap. l. . p. m. . m nec velim quenquam opinari quod haec longius petita sint , aut ex daemonc aut ex astris , sed ex aristotelis oraculo , solum enim inquit ille , prudentum ac sapientum veram esse divinationem . card. de vit . propr . c. . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . synes . de reg. o praeclara conscientia , sustentor , cum cogito me de rep. aut meruisse optimè cum potuerim , aut certe nunquā nisi divinè cogitasse , cāabque ; ipsa tempestate eversam esse remp. quam ego annis ante prospexerim . epist. l. . . p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . lucan . occl. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q v. lib. . orac. sibyl . r tim. . . s callidè , qui illa oracula composuit , perfecit , ut quodcunque accidisset , praedictum videretur , hominū & temporum definitione sublat● adhibuit ctiā lat●bram obscuritatis , ut iidem versus ali●s in aliam rem posse accommodari viderentur . tul. de div. l. . t si omnia , unde igitur fuit , quòd israelitici●tiam ●tiam prophetae à suis ludibria passi , quaeritantibus , ubi est verbum , &c. praefat. in hist. revel . p. . u see num. . . isai. . . josh. . . sam. . . isai. . . mat. . . hab. . . w deut. . . x kin. , . y jer. . , , sam. . ▪ king. . . zech. . . consid. . b placuit deoper me tanquā ultimam suam tubam nationibus , &c. drabic . revel , div. epit. p. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uti maximil-montani prophetis . apud eus. l. . c. . d rev. . . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . aret. cappad . l. . c. . f plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. * jud. ver . . g hist. revel . p. . h amos . . joel . . . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. de div . per insomn . c. l melancholicis , propter ficcitatem , visae in somnis prorsus evidentia apparent . comment . in hippocrat . de humor . l. . m v. joh. de guevar . de inter . sens. l. . q. . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . de. insom . c. . u job . , , . w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . de divin . per insomn . c. . x cerebri fla tuosa calcfactio , undecun que proveniat , sub certa temperic constituta incitat ad mira eloquenda , per cantilenas , hominemque supra se penè constituit . christ. à castr● . de v●ticin . l. . c. . y ovid. fastor . l. . z in hoc adyto , liberi , vaticinaturi , plurimo mero sumpto , uti apud clarium aqua epota effantur oracula . macrob. satum . l. . c. . v. is. vos . de idolat . l. . p. . a sibylla suscipiebat deum per spiritum quendā tenuem igneumque qui crumpebat ex ore antri , &c. de myst. egypt . m. p. . b alibi fatidic● sp●cus , quorum exha●ation● temulenti , futura praecinunt , ut delphis , &c. plin. nat. hist. l. . p. . c strab. geog. l. . d to this purpose prudentius : p●rdidit insanos m●ndax dodona vapores . in apoth . tit . cont . jud. e vid. molin . va● . l. . c. . f arist. probl. sec. . g sibyllae crebro se dicunt ardere , torrente vi magna flammarum . ammian . mar ▪ cel . l. . sub init . ub . sup . h euseb. hist. eccles. l. . c. . joh. . . * joh. . . i disc. of prophec . p. . * sam. . . confid . . k nondum ullam ecclesiam , aut consistorium , vel academiam , no vas id genus prophetias penitus rejecisse , aut condemnasse : nos cur primi esse vellemus ? hist revel . per j. a. c. p. reas. . l act. . . m deut. . joel . . . n see king. . , , . chro. . , , , , . chro. . , , , . o sam. . , . joel . . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comment . in loc . r act. . , . reas. . cor. . . acts . . r v. mr. smith disc. of prophec . p. . reas. . s author sep● . ik . l. . c. . ap . vois . in pug. fid. p. . t orig. l. . cont . cels. p. . ed. cantabr . u ecclus. . . rev. . . luk. . . joel . . isai. . , . w orig. cont . cels. l. . p. x iust. m. dial. cum tryp . p. . & . y deus prophetas mittendo fecit ne opus haberemus astrologis & divinatoribus & ariolis , quoniam illos consulere possumus , &c. maimon . apud d. pocock . p. m. p. . z orig. cont . cels. l. . p. . l. . p. . a deut. . , . b sam. . , . c kin. . . d king. . , , . king. . . king. . , . e psa. . . reas. . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . dialog . cum tryph. p. . & . g psal. . . h mac. . . . . . . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 targum . in cantic . cap. . k v. christoph. helvic . de paraph. chald. p. . l dr. lightfoot hor. hebr. p. . m mat. . . joh. . . n heb. . . o vocale responsum quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur , sub secundo templo fuisse , nul lo idoneo testimonio potest comprobari , quamvis iudaei contra pertendant . molin . vat. l. . c. . p credamne ●go deum populo tam dirâ apostasia laboranti , ita indulgentem , ut è coelo cum iis familiariter colloqui dignaretur , atque iis oracula tam sublimia exhibere , tamque frequentia ut non paria prophetis ? &c. r. dr. lightfoot , hor. hebr. p. . q see their several testimonies in mr. smith's disc. of prophec . p. . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , geogr. l. . s heb. . . eph. . . t deut. . . . u dan. . . . w rom. , . x king. . , . y isa. . . gen. . . dan. . . jer. . . z cor. . a caterum , si quibusdam eorum dominm futura quaed● in dei ecclesi● inspiratione quapiam revelaverit , &c. concil . later . sub. leon. . ses. . b volum●● ut lege ordinariae tales assertae inspirattones , antequam publicentur a●t aut populo praedicentur , ex nunc apostolicae sedis examini reservatae intelligantur , &c. c solent americani ipsos montes & quicquid communem naturae ordinem egr●ditur , venerari . d. vos . de id●lol . p. . d zeii excessu signum aliquod ( ut gedeoni vel maria ) dari inflanter petiit d●abic . datumque est frontis punctura & velut igne ambusta . facies ( risum ten●atis ? ) histor. drab . per. j. a. c. p. ● ▪ e multi eorum admoto igne non uruntur , ignem videlicet repellente deo intus afflante , vel si uruntur non persentiunt , neque pungentia percipiunt vel radentia vel ulla tormenta . — per invia vadunt 〈◊〉 ignem feruntur intacti , &c. de myst. aeg. f m. mede apost . lat times . p. . c. . & . mat. . . an exact collection of many wonderful prophecies relating to the government of england &c. since the first year of the reign of king james i to this present time all which have been truly fulfilled and accomplished : also ... foretelling what government is to succeed to make this kingdom happy : with the certain time of the downfal of antichrist throughout the world / written and published ... by p.c. p. c. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an exact collection of many wonderful prophecies relating to the government of england &c. since the first year of the reign of king james i to this present time all which have been truly fulfilled and accomplished : also ... foretelling what government is to succeed to make this kingdom happy : with the certain time of the downfal of antichrist throughout the world / written and published ... by p.c. p. c. wither, george, - . [ ], p. printed for thomas salusbury ..., london : [ ?] "withers's prophecie of the downfall of antichrist": p. - . "george withers his prophecie of the downfal of antichrist": p. - . imperfect: print show-through with loss of print. reproduction of original in the university of illinois (urbana-champaign campus). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. antichrist. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion collection of many wonderful prophesies relating to the government of england , &c. since the first year of the reign of king james i to this present time. all which have been truly fulfilled and accomplished . also of many prophesies , yet foretelling what government is to succeed to make this kingdom happy : with the certain time of the downfal of antichrist throughout the world. written and published in the years , , , , , and . with many special remarks on the same , and on the several changes of government . by p. c. m. d. a lover of religion and his country . dedicated to the lords and commons now assembled . london , printed for thomas salusbury at the sign of the temple , near temple-bar . . advertisement . several discourses and characters , addressed to the ladies of the age. wherein the vanities of the modish women are discovered . written at the request of a lady , by a person of honour . printed for thomas salusbury , at the sign of the temple , next to the inner temple-gate in fleet-street , . to the right honourable the lords spiritual and temporal , and the house of commons assembled in this present convention . the following poem containing several remarkable prophesies of what has happened for several ages past , with directions and assurances of what must succeed to make this kingdom happy ; which business being at present under your joint consideration , i thought it expedient to dedicate these lines to your honours ; which , if perused , i doubt not may be both acceptable and useful , and is the only reason that it is published , hoping the success may be according to the earnest desire of a lover of religion and his country . p. c. to the reader . the ensuing prophesies being of great use in this present conjuncture , i thought it not amiss to expose them for the publick benefit , which all true english men desire should be setled under a happy government , without personal interest , and will certainly be effected according to the purport of this poem ; the author having had the said revelations from god so many several years before they were acted , which are past , as also those that succeed , as may appear by the several dates when they were exposed by the said author , and i hope will be now acceptable to all that love their religion and country , and are enemies of antichrist and his adherents . farewel . an exact collection of many wonderful prophesies relating to the government of england , &c. this was printed in the year . and since men wandring in a wood by night , when they shall through a glade behold some light , take thereby courage to walk chearly on , in hope their fears and toyls are nearly gone . i 'le from a cloud flash out a little gleam of lightning , and disclose a little beam ; whereby on you a glimmering shall be cast of what you may attain to at the last . for i will shew you by what pedegree that government to you deriv'd shall be , which will at last the british islands bless with inward peace and outward happiness : it was of late a brief presage of his who oft hath truth foretold , and it is this . when here a a scot shall think his throne to set above the circle of a british king , he shall a b dateless parliament beget , from whence a c dreadful armed brood shall spring . this off-spring shall beget a wild confusion ; confusion shall an d anarchy beget : that anarchy shall bring forth in conclusion a e creature that you have no name for yet . this creature shall conceive a sickly state , which will an f aristocracy produce : the many headed beast , not liking that , to raise democracy shall rather choose . and then democracy's production shall a g moon-calfe be , which some a mole do call ; a false conception of imperfect nature , and of a shapeless and a brutish feature . for these descents shall live and reign together , so acting for a while , that few shall know which of them has the sovereignty , or whether there be among them a supream or no. when they with jars and janglings have defac'd your h triple building , and themselves nigh worn into contempt , they of one cup shall tast , and into their i first elements return . five af them k shall subdue the other five ; and then those five shall , in a doubtful strife each others death so happily contrive , that they shall dye to live a better life ; and out of their corruption rise there shall a l true supream , acknowledged by all : in whom the power of all the five shall be , with unity , made visible in three . prince , people , parliamen , with priests and peers , shall be a while your emulous grandees , make a confused pentarchy some years , and leave off their distinct claims by degrees . and then shall righteousness ascend the throne , then truth and love and peace re-enter shall , then faith and reason shall agree in one , and all the virtues to their council call . and timely out of all these shall arise that kingdom and that happy government , which is the scope of all those prophesies that future truths obscurely represent . but how this done shall be , few men shall see ; for wrought in clouds and darkness it will be : and e're it come to pass to publick view , most of m these following signs must first ensue . a n king shall willingly himself unking , and thereby o grow far greater than before . the p priests their priesthood to contempt shall bring , and piety thereby shall thrive the more . a q parliament it self shall overthrow , and thereby shall a better being gain . the r peers , by setting of themselves below , a more ennobling honour shall obtain . the ſ people for a time shall be enslav'd ; but that shall make them for the future free . by t private loss the publick shall be sav'd . an v army shall , by yeilding , victor be . the x cities wealth her poverty shall cause . the laws corruption shall reform the laws . and y bullocks of the largest northern breed shall fatted be where now scarce sheep can feed . you may perhaps deride what 's here recited , as heretofore you other truths have slighted ; but some of my presage you have beheld already in obscurity fulfill'd : the rest shall in its time appointed come , and sooner than will pleasing be to some . the a last nine signs or symptoms of the ten , which should precede them , shall appear to men of all conditions ; but our author saith , the b first is but in hope , not yet in faith , and may be , or not be ; for so or so that c king shall have his lot as he shall do . if all his sins he heartily repent , god will remit even all his punishment , and him unto his peoples hearts restore , with greater honour than he had before . if he remain impenitent , like saul god from the throne shall cast both him and all his whole descent , and leave him not a man to fill it , though he had a jonathan ▪ if ahab-like his mourning has respects to temporary losses or effects , like ahab then it therewithal shall carry some benefit , which is but temporary . a real penitence , thô somewhat late , the rigour of his doom may much abate , by leaving him a part of what he had . when he a forfeiture of all hath made ; or else by d rooting out those who in sin with him have actually partakers been ; and placing in their steads a e branch of his , whose innocency no way question'd is . this was printed in the year . god hath a controversie with our land ; and in an evil plight affairs do stand : and though we always smart for doing ill , yet us the hand of god afflicteth still ; and many see it not , as many be so wilful , that his hand they will not see . some plainly view the same , but nothing care . some at the sight thereof amazed are , like belteshazar , have a trembling heart , but will not from their wickedness depart . some dream that all things do by chance succeed , and that i prate more of them than i need . but heaven and earth to witness i invoke , that nothing causlesly i here have spoke . if this , o! sickly island , thou believe , and for thy great infirmities shalt grieve , and knowing of thy follies , make confessions , and then bewail thine infinite transgressions , and then amend those errors , god shall then thy manifold distempers cure again , make all thy scarlet sins as white as snow , and cast thy threatned judgment on thy foe . but if thou , fondly thinking thou art well , shalt slight this message which my muse doth tell , and scorn her counsel ; if thou shalt not rue thy former ways , but frowardly persue thy wilful course , then hark what i am bold ( in spite of all thy madness ) to unfold : for i will tell thy fortune , which when they that are unborn shall read another day , they shall believe god's mercy did infuse thy poet's breast with a prophetick muse ; and know that he this author did prefer , to be , from him , this isles remembrancer . — this land shall breed a a nasty generation , unworthy either of the reputation or name of men ; for they , as lice , shall feed even on the body whence they did proceed . there shall moreover swarms of divers flies engendred be in thy prosperities , to be a plague , and still are humming so , as if they meant some weighty work to do ; whenas upon the common stock they spend , and nought perform of what they do pretend . then shall b a darkness follow , far more black than when the light corporeal thou dost lack . for grossest ignorance , oreshadowing all , shall in so thick a darkness thee enthrall , that thou a blockish people shalt be made , still wandring on in a deceiving shade ; mistrusting those that safest paths are shewing , most trusting them who counsel thy undoing ; and aye tormented be with doubts and fears , as one who outcries in dark places hears . nor shall the hand of god from thee return , till he hath also smote thine eldest born ; that is , till he hath taken from thee quite ev'n that whereon thou sett'st thine whole delight ; and filled every house throughout the nation with c deaths unlooked for and lamentation . so great shall be thy ruin and thy shame , that when thy neighbouring kingdoms hear the same , their ears shall tingle ; and when that day comes , in which thy follies must receive their dooms , a day of clouds , a day of gloominess , a day of black despair and heaviness it will appear ; and then thy vanities , thy gold and silver , thy confederacies , and all those reeds , on which thou hast depended , will fail thy trust , and leave thee unbefriended . thy d king , thy priests , and prophets then shall mourn , and peradventure feignedly return , to beg of god to succour them ; but they who will not hearken to his voice to day shall cry unheeded , and he will despise their vows , their prayers , and their sacrifice . a sea of troubles all thy hopes shall swallow ; as wave on wave , so plague on plague shall follow : and every thing that was a blessing to thee shall turn to be a curse to help undo thee . and when thy sin is fully ripe in thee , thy e prince and people then alike shall be ; thou shalt have babes to be thy kings , or worse , those tyrants who by cruelty and force shall take away the antient charters quite from all their subjects , yea , themselves delight in their vexation ; and all those that are made slaves thereby shall murmur , yet not dare to stir against them . by degrees they shall deprive thee of thy patrimonials all ; compel thee , as in other lands this day , for thine own meat and thine own drink to pay ; and at the last begin to exercise upon thy sons all heathenish tyrannies , as just prerogatives : to these intents thy nobles shall become their instruments . for they who had their births f from noble races shall some and some be brought into disgraces ; from offices they shall excluded stand , and all their virtuous offspring from the land shall quite be worn : instead of whom shall rise a g brood advanced by impieties , that seek how they more great and strong may grow , by compassing the publick overthrow . these shall abuse thy kings with tales and lyes , with seeming love and servile flatteries ; they shall persuade them , they have power to make their wills their law , and as they please to take their peoples goods , their children and their lives , ev'n by their just and due prerogatives . when thus much they have made them to believe , then they shall teach them practices to grieve their subjects by , and instruments become , to help the screwing up by some and some of monarchies to tyrannies : they shall abuse religion , honesty , and all to compass their designs they shall devise h strange projects , and with impudence and lyes proceed in setling them ; they shall forget those reverend usages which do befit the majesty of state , and rail and storm , when they pretend disorders to reform in their i high councils ; and where men should have kind admonitions , and reprovings grave , when they offend , they shall be threatned there , and scoft and taunted , thô no cause appear . whatever from thy people they can tear , or borrow , they shall keep , as if it were a prize which had been taken from the foe , and they shall make no conscience what they do to prejudice posterity ; for they , to gain their lusts but for the present day , shall with such love unto themselves endeavour , that thô they know it will undo for ever their own posterity , it shall not make these monsters any better course to take . nay , god shall give them up , for their offences , to such uncomly reprobated senses , and blind them so , that when the ax they see even hewing at the root of their own tree , by their own handy stroaks , they shall not grieve for their approaching fall ; no ; nor believe their fall approacheth , nor assume that heed , which might prevent it , till they fall indeed . mark well , o! britain , what i now shall say , and do not slightly pass these words away ; but be assured , that when god begins to bring this vengeance on thee for thy sins , which hazard will thy total overthrow , thy prophets and thy priests shall slily sow the seeds of that dissention and sedition , which time will ripen for thy said perdition ; but not unless the priests thereto consent : for in those days shall few men innocent be griev'd through any quarter of the land , in which thy k clergy shall not have some hand . thy l cities and thy palaces , wherein most neatness and magnificence hath been , shall heaps of rubbish be . — instead of lyons m tyrants thou shalt breed , who nor of law nor conscience shall take heed ; but on the weak man's portion lay their paw ▪ and make their pleasures to become their law. thy n judges wilfully shall wrest the laws , and , to the ruin of the common cause , shall misinterpret them , in hope of grace from those who might despoil them of their place . yea , that whereto they are obliged both by conscience , by their calling , and their oath , to put in execution , they shall fear , and leave them helpless who oppressed are . this was dedicated to the city of london , in the year . though i have written heretofore in vain , and may do now , yet i will write again , in hope that what , by reason and by rhime , was not effected , may be done in time ; and that although my pains be lost to some , it may not fruitless unto all become . behold that which was coming long ago draws now so near , that none shall need foreshew what at the last will thereupon ensue ; for we without a glass may plainly view such things in kenning , that unless our god to them shall please to put a period ; or make some such diversion as no man conjecture of by any symptome can , an universal plague will on us seize , instead of remedies for our disease . have you not yet discover'd , who be they that cheat you , and for whom this game you play , by your divisions ; and when others find their falshood for you , will you still be blind ? or wink , as careless of the things you heed , till by long winking you grow blind indeed ? cannot you yet discover , through the mist , these jugglings which the o spawn of anti-christ , false priests and lying prophets practise now , to raise themselves and work your overthrow ; nor with what impudence they publish lyes , their bitter jeerings , and their blasphemies , to make new breaches , or to widen those which love and prudency began to close ; and which ere this time closed up had been , had they not cast intempered dirt between ? have you concluded never to retire , in your career , till p all is on a fire ; and you and yours lie sprawling in the plashes of your own blood , and in your city ashes ; and till you see this goodly stately frame , the work of many ages , in a flame ? withers's prophesie of the downfall of antichrist . published anno . that year in which romes long-liv'd emperie shall , from the day in which it was at height , sum up mdclxv and i , in order as these letters do incite , that year , that day , that hour , will put a date to her usurped power , reserving neither top , root , or branch , of that accursed state , nor hand or body , limb , horn , claw or feather ; for here are all the numerals of rome , and cannot make a less or greater sum , without disorder , want , or iteration . nor shall it longer stand , or sooner fall , if i mistake not him , who governs all . two famous numbers are in them contain'd ; the first declares the length of time , wherein the q devil was by providence restrain'd from setting up that mystery of sin. the later is the number of the beast , which , when the let was taken quite away , whereby he was a thousand years supprest , doth number out his kingdom to a day . it is the number of the name or power even of a man , of that mysterious man , by whom that mystery is to this hour continu'd , and by whom it first began . and he that can begin the thousandth year , shall find the ruin of both beasts are near . to search that out , it seems not hard to me , who do believe that when of her chief sin. rome to be guilty did appear to be , her declination did ev'n then begin . and sure of all her sins the greatest crime was crucifying of the lord of life ; and her unjustly persecuting them who tendred saving grace to their belief . then i presume she first to fall began , and that god measur'd , weigh'd , and number'd out , how many backward rounds her wheel should run , before it should the last time run about . thus in those numerals which are her own , joyn'd altogether was her fate writ down . to bring to pass that work there was a let to be remov'd , of no mean consequence , which was removed at the time foreset ; and her new r off-spring hath reign'd ever since . but with exceeding infamy and scorns , the beast which now so powerful seems to some , shall lose his head , and molt away his horns , and to the world a laughing-stock become . then many jugglings hitherto conceal'd , and which , to blind the heedless christian's eye , in seven dark mysteries have long been seal'd , shall to the faithful soul uncover'd lie . that kingdom which the jew did long ago mould out according to his erring brain , and whereof many zealous christians too unwarrantable fancies entertain . that kingdom , whereof now in types we hear , shall to the world essentially appear . be patient therefore , ye that are opprest ; this generation shall not pass away , till some behold the downfal of that beast which yet among us with his tail doth play . then will the lamb of god begin to take the kingdom to himself , and every king , that of his right shall usurpation make , to judgment and destruction he shall bring . no kingling then assume the boldness shall , blasphemously ( for know it is no less ) to style himself the king catholical , as if earths universal globe were his . for thô another hath usurp'd thereon , that title doth belong to christ alone . and 't is no wonder , if the potentates , kings , and the rulers of the world combine by policy to strengthen their estates , and with the beast , with gog and magog joyn . no marvel , if enraged they appear , through jealousies and fears of losing that by which their pride and lust maintained were , and which base fear and flattery first begat . for all those kingdoms , and those emperies , throughout the world , which their beginnings took by human wit , fraud , force , and tyrannies , shall pass away , and vanish into smoke . an ſ army , whereof yet there 's little hope , shall wrest the scepter both from turk and pope . religion , and mere shews of piety , have been so long the mask of base designs ; the great t vicegerents of their deity have made such polititians of divines , and these together have so fool'd and cheated the consciences of persons well enclin'd , that of all freedoms men are nigh defeated , belonging to the body or the mind . yea , they have so mockt god , and on his throne and his prerogative so far encroach , that of his honour being jealous grown , much longer bear he will not such reproach ; but to the saints their liberties restore , and give those kings their portions with the whore. d' ye startle at it , as if i had spoke high treason , or as if what i now say , without a warrant i had undertook to publish , as perhaps you think i may . george withers his prophesie , of the downfall of antichrist . published anno . and if , by storm , they take my life away , which i as little do regard as they ; it in their souls may leave a sting behind it , which will , with torment , make them sometimes mind it . but here i yet remain , and , for a close , in reference to our antichristian foes , i 'le add this corollary by the way , whilst , on his horns , the beast is tossing hay : for if deceiv'd i am not , our disease chiefly proceedeth underhand from these . and though a further-off removed cause , pretending they bescratch us with the paws of other beasts , it plainly may be seen . by whom our troubles have contrived been . i therefore make but a defensive war , with such as mine own adversaries are . and to his captains , as th' assyrian king , once gave command , intend no dart to fling , to be destructive to men , great or small , whose hate to me is only personal ; but as those only , whose hate doth extend to him , and his , on whom i do depend . to act their last scene , which precedes their doom , they now , new vampt , upon the stage are come . and thô , that with the king , as if his friends , they seem to side , they come to other ends ; which he , not yet discerning , in his grace vouchsafes them a considerable place : and of prevailing , they already boast , as if they saw the lamb , and all his host quite overthrown , which me as confident hath made , that god their proud hope will prevent , and overthrow that tyranny outright , by what they think shall raise it to its height . but many tryals must the saints abide , and very much their patience will be try'd , here and elsewhere , before that act is done , which with an antimask is now begun . our friends inhabiting beyond the waters , and who were of our tragedies spectators now twenty years , though they perceive it not , or seem not to perceive it , in that lot , which these have cast for us , designed are , or in what follows next to have a share : for haman's pur's on foot , not only here , but likewise almost every other where ; and these think , that to take them by his gin with some speed , is with us first to begin . but there 's a countermine which will be sprung , will blow up them , and all their mines , e're long . six hundred sixty six draws on apace , and not one day beyond that shall they pass . it is the number of that man of sin , whereto his kingdom hath confined been by him that cannot lye ; and long ago to many that epocha i did shew , from whence his reign begins , and by a light , as i believe , which shines without deceit , it numbers out his reign , as certainly as women reckon the nativity of children in their wombs , which hath success within a very few days , more or less . and of that mystery what heretofore i have exprest , i 'le here express once more , because those notions which may much be needed , cannot be too oft told , nor too well heeded . to former times this mystery was dark , and lay a long while cover'd , like a spark in ashes , lest perhaps what at this time will comfort us , might have discourag'd them , who lived then ; for men rejoyce to hear the day of their deliverance is near . but nothing , save discomfort , could they gain ▪ by knowing tyranny so long should reign . herein i circumstantially perchance may somwhat err , through human ignorance ; but as to that which was essentially to us intended by this mystery , i shall not fail of , which is to presage , that babylon shall fall in this our age. seven numerals the roman empire had , by which of old they computations made ; and in them was their destiny foreshewn , thô to themselves perhaps it was unknown . these placed singly , as they valu'd are , do truly , thô mysteriously , declare , how long that empire , with what sprung therefrom , should last , when to the full height it was come . for mdclx , with v and i , do number up , in chronogrammistry , years sixteen hundred sixty six , and that will be of roman tyrannies the date . no other number , either more or less , if none of these you double or displace , can be by them exprest : if you ask , when this number did begin , i say ev'n then when rome declin'd first from her height of pride , which was when jesus christ was crucifi'd . for at that time her glory did abate ; this number therefore you must calculate from , or about , the known time of christ's passion , not from the first day of his incarnation : a silence ( as it were ) seem'd to have been in heaven , during th' interval between his death and his ascention , as if caus'd , by seeing that done , which had much amaz'd the whole creation , when that they did see the lord of life hang dead upon a tree . the devil probably , at that time too , was at a stand , and knew not what to do ; but soon perceiving , that the snare he wrought was broke , to make another straight he sought : which to prevent ▪ an angel , in a chain , his other pow'rs him suffering to retain , did , for a thousand years , restrain the devil from setting up the mystery of evil , which in paul's time he was at work upon ; but when those thousand years were fully gone , he rais'd it up , and god permitted him . to manage his own engine for a time ; that truth and error might here for a space make tryals of their strength , and that each grace and virtue of the saints , by exercise , improv'd might be to fit them for the prize , prepar'd for those who shall engage with christ , to overcome the dragon and the beast . a thousand years sharp tryals they withstood ; yet then they struggled but with flesh and blood : and for the most part all their combats then were like s t paul's at ephesus , with men resembling beasts : but since iniquity was set up , vailed with a mystery , as in these later times , with greater evils the saints do grasp , for they contend with devils in shape of men , in temporal confusion , made terrible by spiritual delusion . and therefore god allotted unto him , who tyrannizeth now , a shorter time ; and to a certain day his reign did six , which is six hundred sixty years and six : and he who knows on what day it begun , may know the day on which it will be done ; which i believe will visibly appear , in or about the seventeen-hundredth year . and thus much therefore only to foreknow , with how nigh to an end it seemeth now , may make us hopeful , and our faith uphold , as well as if day , year , and hour were told : yea , and it better serves to exercise our constancy , than if 't were otherwise , and , if well heeded , peradventure may keep some upright , who else might fall away , in these back-sliding days , wherein they see the a beast's late deadly wound nigh cur'd to be . they on a sudden are become as jolly , as if they thought it to be cured wholly ; and , to impose their mark , will now begin to be more strict than ever they have been ; so that ere long few men shall live in peace , bear office , or a free estate possess , where they have power , unless they b marked are in hand or forehead with their character . but if that , whereof some imperfect views far off appears , accordingly ensues , there will , to thwart their hopes , a c new star blaze within the west , which will the world amaze , and influences , through the universe , so quickly and prodigiously disperse , that , aided by concurring constellations , it will have some effect upon most nations , and cause such changes which will make a stand in those attempts , which they have now in hand . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a m. charles i. raised money , viz. ship-money and loan-money , without a parliament . b the long parliament , whom the k. granted to fit until they should put a period to their own sitting . c the army . d k. charles's death . e ol. cromwel l. protector . f when rich. cromwel was deposed , g the committee of safety , where happen'd so great a confusion between lambert , fleetwood hazelrig , lenthal , sir hen. vane , &c. that none knew who was uppermost , all aiming to be chief . h our government of king , lords , and commons . i all to private men again . k five commissioners or generals were appointed by the army for the government thereof ▪ and five by the rump parliament , of which last monk was chief , who acting distinct from the other four , carried the matter , & brought in k. charles the second . l king charles the second his reign . m signs to forerun this happy state. n k. james the second . o an apology follows for this expression . p this is now acting . q the last parliament at oxford . r this is now , when the peers decline the kings interest , and joyn with the people . ſ this has been under the late governments . t the king's loss . v the king's army . x this happened upon the chamber of london being broke , and the charter seized , &c. y improvements by clover seed in the west of england , which was before very barren . a priests , parliaments , 〈◊〉 , peers , people , army , &c. b the king willingly to unking himself . c king james the second . d lord chancellor , judges , &c. e ( i. e. ) of the king 's . notes for div a -e a this is effected since the restauration . b popery in king james the second's reign . c several put to death , both here and in the west , about the duke of monmouth's plot. d in time of the popish plot. e the reign of these two last kings . f as oxford , clarendon , bedford , &c. g as jefferies , &c. h ecclesiastical commission . i the privy council . k oxford , chester , durham , &c. l 〈◊〉 fire of 〈◊〉 city of ●●●don . m mayors and ●●●riffs and ●●●tices in the ●●●ntry . n ●udges . notes for div a -e o popish priests . p 〈…〉 of london . notes for div a -e q the devil bound a thousand years in the revelations . r this beast to reign years . ſ prince of orange's army . t kings . notes for div a -e at the restauration , popery came in . a the wound given by luther and calvin , &c. b the mark of the forehead is by open profession ; the mark in the hand is those who mercenarily will be bribed to be their drudges . c the blazing star in the year , which is the only star that ever appeared in the west . the prophesie of haggai, interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons by the famous and judicious divine, john rainolds, d.d. never before printed, beeing very usefull for these times. rainolds, john, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing r thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) the prophesie of haggai, interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons by the famous and judicious divine, john rainolds, d.d. never before printed, beeing very usefull for these times. rainolds, john, - . [ ], , - , - , [ ] p. : ill., port. printed by w.w. for william lee, and are to be sold at the turkes-head neere the miter taverne in fleetstreet, london : . a v contains a portrait of john rainolds. pagination and signatures irregular. pp. - appear to be another setting of pp. - . pp. - repeated in page numbering only. annotation on thomason copy: "nou: st". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible. -- o.t. -- haggai -- commentaries. prophecies -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion portrait of john rainolds see heer , th ' effigies , louely , lively face , of reverend rainolds , full of fayth & grace ; oxfords renowned doctor of the chaire , acute , mellifluos oratour , most rare ! t. cross sculp the prophesie of haggai , interpreted and applyed in sundry sermons by that famous and judicious divine , john rainolds , d. d. never before printed , beeing very usefull for these times . haggai chap. . verse , , . thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your wayes . goe up to the mountaine , and bring wood , and build the house , and i will take pleasure in it , and i will bee glorified , saith the lord. ye looked for much , and loe , it came to little : and when ye brought it home , i did blow upon it : why , saith the lord of hosts ? because of mine house that is wast , and ye run every man unto his own house . london , printed by w. w. for william lee , and are to be sold at the turkes-head neere the miter taverne in fleetstreet . . to the christian reader . reader , i shall promise a few words concerning both the authour and worke . for the authour of it , it was doctor john rainolds , a man eminent both for learning and piety . no man mee thinkes ( saith * one ) is happy on earth to him that hath grace for substance and learning for ornament . this verse is written about dr. rainolds air picture , in●ertum est fuerit , doctior an melior . it is doubtfull whether he were more learned or pious . when bellarmine came out first , both the vniversities chose one in each academy to confute him . oxford ( for i must ever give that the preheminence ) chose doctor rainolds for their champion . cambridge , doctor whitaker for theirs . whitaker was more nimble , for hee went over a great part of bellarmines controversies , and so solidly consuted him , that it is credibly related by some english-men that travelled into italy , that bellarmine himselfe procured his picture out of england , & placed it in his study , secretly admiring him for his great learning ; and when hee was asked by another jesuite his friend and companion , why hee would have the picture of that heretick , hee was wont to answer , that although hee was an heretick , and an adversary , yet hee was a learned adversary . whitaker , that honour of our schooles , and angell of our church , learned whitaker , then whom our age saw nothing more memorable ; what clearnesse of judgment ? what sweetnesse of stile ? what gravity of person ? what grace of carriage was in that man ? who ever saw him without reverence , or heard him without wonder ? doctor rainolds ( whom a very reverend divine compares to a pen too full of inke ) thought at the first , that in two or three yeares he should have been able to have gone over all bellarmin● controversies , but he was yeares about the very fir●● of 〈◊〉 de ●bris apocryphis , which yet he finished not neither , insomuch that one mr. walter travers jested with him , and told him , he was so long in reading the apocrypha here , that he would read the canon●cals in heaven . yet his conference with hart ▪ & that worke together , doe amply discover his great abilities , and he is justly stiled by one of our owne writers , pontificiorum malleus , & patriae suae dulcissimum decus , the hammer of the papists , and most sweet ornament of his owne country . doctor rainolds alone was a well furnisht library , * full of all faculties , of all studies , of all learning : the memory , the reading of this man were neare to a miracle . for this worke of his , it was reviewed and perfected by that reverend divine master william hinde , sometimes preacher of gods word at bunbury in cheshire , whose intention was to have printed it in his life time , hee having set forth some other of the same authors workes , as that on obadiah , these sermons immediately following thereupon , to bee handled in the doctors ordinary course of preaching , as appeares in the first page of these sermons . this copy therefore being left with mee ( by master nathaniel hinde , a minister in staffordshire , and sonne to the forementioned master william hinde ) with a desire also of the publication of it : i thought good to preface thus much in the behalfe both of the author and worke . it is ( i suppose ) the best copy that is extant ; and though he wholly finished not the second chapter of haggai , yet because the maine subject of that booke is the building of the temple , it will not seeme unseasonable for these times , wherein reformation should bee the aime of all ; and in another respect also this worke may bee suitable to the present season , because this learned and religious author in this book seemes to favour the presbiterian way . what ever it bee , i commend it and thee to gods blessing , and rest , thy hearty well-wisher , edvvard leigh . an exposition upon haggai . sermon the first . chap. . vers . . in the second yeare of darius the king in the sixt moneth , the first , day of the moneth came the word of the lord by the hand of the prophet ▪ haggai unto zerubbabel the sonne of shealtiel , a prince of judah , and to jehosuah the sonne of jehozadak the high priest saying , thus hath the lord of hoasts charged me to say , this people say the time is not yet come , the time that the lords house shall be builded . then came the word of the lord by the hand of the prophet haggai saying ▪ is it time for you sirs to sit downe in your seiled houses whiles this house lyes waste ? you have heard in the conclusion of the prophesie of obadiah , the promise of deliverance made by god unto the jewes , and in them , to all his chosen , that their enemies should be overthrown , and they restored to their ancient inheritance which should be performed by saviours , which should come up to mount sion to judge the mount of esau , and that the kingdome should bee the lords , which that you might see how it was in shaddow , performed to the jewes , and in truth to all the chosen of god , i thought good to entreat of this prophesie of haggai , wherein the same is delivered unto us . in which we are taught , that the temple having been begun to be built long before , and the worke intermitted , was with much adoe continued by zerubbabel and jehosua , who were thereunto moved by the ministery of haggai , prospered by the assistance of the godly , encouraged by gods word , and grace of his spirit , which representeth un o us the frame of the spirituall house , the church which christ built by his apostles , which were sent from sion as was prophesied of them . the doctrine shall come from sion . next if we consider the circumstances of the times , letts , helps , the persons , people , princes , preists , dealings , it may be an example unto us , and to such as are to deale any way in the building of the church , how to behave themselves therein . moreover by the consequence that once more he would shake the heavens and the earth , bring the desire of all nations , and fill that house with glory , he comprehendeth the fulfilling of all his promises made to his church in christ jesus , finally he layeth downe the everlasting destruction of the heathen . when he sheweth that he will destroy the throne of kingdomes , and the strength of the kingdome of the heathen , &c. and set zerubbabell ( that is christ of whom he was a signe ) as a signet , for i have chosen thee saith the lord of hosts , whereby was signified the princly estate of the kingdome of the jewes , under the king of kings , and utter ruine of all those that should set themselves against christ and his church . so the words of the doctrine touched darkly by obadiah shall be opened more at large in the expounding of this prophet haggai . the prophet , first by commission from god reprooveth the people for neglecting the building of the temple , convincing them of sloath , which he doth , partly , by rebuking the care which they tooke , every man in building his owne house , and partly , by the chastisements which god had for their sinnes laid upon them . this that we may understand the better , we are to remember out of the . of ezra , that whereas by the appointment of cyrus they had laid the foundation of the temple in his dayes , the building of the temple , was hindred by the people of the land , who discouraged the jewes , troubled them in building , and hired accusers to accuse them to the king of persia , so that in the dayes of ahashuerosh , and artaxerxes , they were stayed for going forward , artaxerxes decreeing that they should cease . when artaxerxes was dead , and darius reigned in his stead , they ceased also from the worke , pretending that having ▪ beene often forbid before by cambises and darius histaspis , and not receiving any licence from the new king , they might either be hindred as before , or accused of treason for breaking the former kings commandement ; and lastly , that it was not yet time to doe it . the prophet in the verse noteth diligently the time , the yeare , the moneth , and day when he received this commission from god. in the he proposeth their fault , which in the verse he reproveth , both which are uttered by mentioning the messenger , with the commandement of god in the verse ; and in the verse the two persons by whom chiefly the worke was to be set forward , the times are especially noted , to shew what just cause the lord had to reprove them , having so long neglected his will , and the just cause of punishing them for their neglect . in the reproofe we may note things . first , the time when this commandement was given to the prophet . secondly , the author thereof , the lord. thirdly , the persons by whom the thing was to be done . fourthly , the fault that was committed by them , they said the time was not yet come . fiftly , the reproofe it selfe , is it time for you sirs ? which circumstances , as they are first to be considered of us , so shall wee make our best profit by them , if wee compare our church with theirs : for as the jewes were long in bondage in babylon , but at length were brought back by cyrus ; so our ancestors were held long under the bondage of the spirituall slavery of rome , which is spirituall babylon , whence by the meanes of h. . as they by cyrus , they were delivered . the jewes being restored , laid the foundation of the temple , but were not able to goe further by reason of enemies that procured them displeasure with the kings of persia . god hath dealt more graciously with us , to whom hee hath granted gracious princes to set forward this worke ; yet notwithstanding are not wee so forward as they : for , whereas they had laid the whole foundation in the dayes of cyrus , we in many places have not laid that : for what is the foundation that is first to be laid ? the apostle teacheth , even the doctrine of the beginnings of christ : as the doctrine of repentance from dead workes , and of faith towards god ; the doctrine of baptismes . now how farre the people are from these things in many places , wee may heare of those that speake out of experience ; for sundry there are , who when they heare tell of these things , wonder at them , as the athenians did at paul , and mervaile what so strange doctrine meaneth ; which is a lamentable thing , confidering how mercifully god hath dealt with the churches elsewhere . and as it is said by the prophet , he hath caused it to raine upon one city , and not to raine upon another : so two or three cities wandred to one city to drinke water , but were not satisfied the word of god , and doctrine of religion is in scripture compared unto raine , the preaching thereof unto the dropping and falling downe thereof ; for which cause the prophets are commanded to droppe their words . some cities amongst us have had this raine to droppe upon them , others have not : yea , it hath dropped upon one part of a citie and not upon another , yet have they had clouds hanging over them ; but clouds without water , laborers that have seemed to put to their hands , and yet but seemed onely ; ambassadors without tongues , without the tongue of the learned builders , without hands , hands to lay the foundation ; yea the doctrine of baptisme is strange to many , that long since have been baptized , and hands laid on them , as justly may be feared to no great purpose . many there are againe , which have stayed at the foundation , but have not held on to build the walls , they have not been led on to perfection , and instructed in the wisedome of christ . for wee are not alwayes to be sucking of milke , we must at length be acquainted with strong meat , there is the begining and the perfect knowledge also . wherein againe appeareth the fault of many , who as though they were only appointed as nurses to feed their children with milke , are able to doe no more , whereas they should be stewards , fit to deliver a portion to every one of the family , not onely to lay the foundation but to raise up the walls also howbeit yet god hath dealt more mercifully with some , that the foundation hath not onely been laid , but the walls also built , and they raised , even to the roofe : but that hath wanted : that is the doctrine of christ hath been preached , but there hath wanted asistance of such , as by discipline should correct the unruly , admonish the faulty , suspend the offendours , excommunicate the stubborne , and absolve the penitent , such as were among the jewes the archisynagogi , by whom notorious offendors were excluded from the society of the faithfull ; such our saviour spake of when he commanded that if our brother had ought against us , we should first admonish him privately , if he would not hearken to us to take two or three with us , and to tell him his faulti , f hee would not heare them to signifie it to the church , if he would not obey them , to hold him as a heathen or publican . such as the apostle appointed in every city , that small faults might be by them reproved , grievous offendors excommunicated , as the incestous person was dealt withall among the corinthians , such as were in the primitive church , as appeareth by the practise thereof . the necessity and commodity whereof in the church of god , if it appeare not by that which divines and protestants have taught ; by the use of the jewes ; by the commandement of christ and his apostles ; the practise of the primitive church : as paul willeth the corinthians to their shame , to set up those which were least esteemed in the church , if there were not one wise man among them to judge betwixt brother and brother : so will i send them that are not satisfied with that which hath beene said for this point unto a popish lawyer ; his words are these , illud apud genevates laudabile , si quid usquam gentium , quodque rempublicam efficit , si non opibus , et imperij magnitudine , certè virtutibus , ao pietate florentem : illa scilicet pontificum censura , qua nihil majus , aut divinius cogitari potuit , ad coercendas hominum cupiditates , et ea vitia , quae legibus humanis a● judiciis emendari nullo modo possunt : haeo tamèn coertio , ad christi normam dirigitur , tacenter primùm et amice , deinde paulo acerbius , tum nisi parcas , sequitur interdictio sacrorum , gravis et efficax . interdictionem animadversio magistratuum : ridiculum est enim ut ait seneca , ad legem bonum esse . it a fit , u● quae legibus nusquam vindicantur , illic sine vi , et tumultu coerceantur ab ijs censoribus , qui summam virtutis opinionemde seipsis excitarunt . igitur nulla meretricia , nullae ebrietates , nullae saltationes , nulli mendici , nulli otiosi mea civitate reperiuntur . this testimony is much , proceeding from a papist , bighly commending this divine order , and thereby reproving the want thereof in their church . but is it to be hoped that in other places we should find no dancing , when there are dancing-schooles in the chief cities ? that there should be no idle persons among us , where there are so many so ill occupied ? that there should be no gamesters , while there are divers publiquely permitted , not onely in houses of the town , but also in halls and colledges of the university ? i am loath to move this sinke any more , therefore i leave it to the consideration of that which hath beene said ; how necessary it is to lay the roofe upon the building , to preserve the worke , and to keepe out the snow and raine , that is , all manner of vices that hurt and injure the building , and cannot otherwayes than hereby bee redressed ; as idlenesse , riotousnesse , drunkennesse , swearing , which for want hereof swarme among us , not onely to the discomfort of gods servants , but also to the destruction of them that are pestred with them : so then if we compare our church with that temple of the jewes , we see that in some places the foundation is not yet laid , in some the walls not built , finally that the roofe yet wanteth to the perfecting of the work , which i would the rather wish you to marke , for that through the whole prophesie , i will speake nothing but what shall necessarily appertaine to some part hereof . now let us come to consider the circumstances and first the time . it is said in the second yeare of darius , in the sixt moneth , in the first day of the moneth , who this darius was there is some difference in judgments amongst the learned , some thinke it to be histaspis some artaxerxes &c. but not to stand upon the refutation of those opinions , or naming of them that were of that minde ( who are ratherto be commended for their diligence , in laboring to find out the truth , than reproved for not meeting with it ) i will set downe that which seemeth best to agree with the course of the scripture , and verity of the history . it seemeth therefore that darius here mentioned was he that was surnamed nothus , the bastard , as may be gathered by the fourth and seventh chapters of ezra , in the fourth chapter it is said that artaxerxes , who for had the building of the temple , reigned before darius , in the seventh it is said , after the death of darius in the raigne of artaxerxes , the jewes had leave by him to build the temple . this then must be that darius which came between the two artaxerxes : of whom the former was surnamed longimanus , father to this darius , and the other mnemon , who was his sonne , so that it appeareth by the course of the hystory written by ezra , that this darius was he whom hystories call darius nothus , darius the bastard . now from the time of cyrus king of persia , when the foundation began first to be laid , unto the raigne of this darius is accounted of some . yeares , but because it was a custome amongst them when their kings went to warre to appoint their sonnes kings in their roome , it cometh to passe that the same yeares may be accounted in the reigne of the sonne , which are in the fathers , as artaxerxes is said to have reigned yeares , whereas he reigned yeares before his father died : wherefore happily the number of those yeares was lesse , than that number . but suppose it were or , and if you will somewhat above fourtie as the jewes seemed to have received by tradition , when they said in the gospell . years was this temple in building . it was a long time no doubt from the laying of the foundation to the perfecting of the work . which may be a lesson for the godly and zealous preachers of gods word , not to be discouraged , though all things succeed not according to their desire and hope , and not to faint in their ministery , taking for their example the prophet , who , though the word had ceased a long time , yet was not discouraged , despairing that his exhortation would take no successe . rome ( as they say ) was not built in one day : no mervaile then if jerusalem be not ; for it is easier and sooner done to build the tower of babylon , than the tower of sion ; the chappell of the devill , than the church of god ; therfore such as desire , and wish for building of the church , are not in any case to cast away all hope , though things be not done with expedition : for if wee consider the times , there are no more yeares passed since the laying of the foundation among us , than these which were past from the reigne of cyrus , to the time of darius . wherefore as the prophet and other godly persons did , let us also wait the good leisure of our god , continuing each one in his calling to further the worke , and pray unto god that hee would stirre up the spirit of zerubbabel and iehoshua ; that is , all such as be put in authority to perfect this holy worke . this darius was not for his civill behaviour , so vertuous a prince as many of his predecessors , but noted to bee faulty in sundry things , yet did he suffer the jewes to build the temple ; yea , when their enemies accused them , he caused the monuments to be searched , and found out the grant of cyrus , which hee ratified ; giving them besides out of the kings revenues money towards their expences ; yet this darius that dealt with them so religiously , did marry his fathers sister ; through perjury deprived his elder brother of the kingdome , and put him to a most cruell death , as ctesias , who lived in his dayes hath written ▪ this is noted against that naughty jesuite al●●● , who in his infamous libell against the defence of the execution of justice , would alledge it as some staine and discredit to our religion , because the restoring thereof amongst us was wrought by h. . a wicked man ( as hee saith ) by king edward a child ; by her majesty a woman . i will not speake any thing of the persons , what a man , what a child , what a woman , let us suppose they were defiled more than any slanderous person can say , yet that hindreth nothing but that they might set forward and promote the truth , and god● religion : for even darius , an incestuous person , perjured , ye even a murtherer of his owne brother , set forward the building of the temple , yet it was no discredit to the worke , nor to the godly that laboured with all their might therein . no man can be a discredit to the gospell , neither doth the truth of christs religion depend upon the person of each one of them by whom it pleaseth god to prosper it . solomon the best king , even hee that first built the temple of god , did raise up a high place to c●emosh , the abomination of moab , and unto molech , the abomination of the children of ammon . jehu , that was worse than hee , pulled downe the house of baal , &c. constantino , that christian emperour was not without some blemish for the murther of his sonne . wherefore , as the temple in jerusalem was not to be refused because the persian kings furthered the building thereof ; so , no more is our religion and church to bee abandoned , whatsoever they were that furthered the promotion thereof ▪ and as darius the bastard was no discredit to haggeus prophesie ; so may wee note against the jesuites slanders , that to the truth no discredit can come by them that favoured it ; for whatsoever the princes are whom god stirreth up to maintaine it , the gospell is to be reverenced and imbraced for it selfe . the month also is noted , when it is said , in the sixth month , because that it is the custome of the scriptures not to give the proper names to the moneth whereby they are called but to note them by their order , as the first , second month &c. there are some which mislike that this use is no● rather observed , than that which wee have for the prophane use of the months and dayes of the weeke , but chiefly they mislike the recayning of the names of feasts , as christmas , michaelmas , candlemas , where the use of the names of masse derived from that abomination seemeth to savour of some superstition and prophanenesse : to which , though happily it might be said that some of those names might seeme not so to have been framed , but rather to have come from the old saxon language , as in the names of lamonds , &c. yet if wee grant that thence they were derived , i● followeth not that wee may not note or call the dayes or months otherwise than after the manner that is here used . for as i acknowledge a godly mind in them that desire to speake in more religious sort , and to banish as much as in them lieth the remembrance and names of all idolatry ; so of the things i say as st. paul doth to the carinthians , art thou called being a servant , care not for it ? but yet if thou maist be free , use it rather . if we live amongst them that use no other names for these times , wee may ( seeing otherwise they cannot understand us to whom wee speake ) use these words and names , and care not for it : but if we bee amongst those that have left the use of them , wee are to use the other rather . as for the manner which is mentioned in the scripture , not only the jewes named their months after their order , as in this place , but sometimes they also used their proper names also , as in moses , the month of abib &c. and after their returne from babylon they did not still follow their number and order , but sometime they used the chaldean language , and the names which they gave their months ; as appeareth in the bookes of nehemiah , ezra , esther ; where are mentioned the months of nisan , zinan , elul , shepat , tebet , adar , cisleu , seven of the chaldeans months , the names of some of which came perhaps from the idolatry of the chaldeans , which may appeare by one of them called tammuz , of the solemne feasts of tammuz , which they celebrated with weeping and lamentation yearly in the th month . of which superstition the prophet speaketh when hoe . mentioneth the women that wept for tammuz . wherefore , although the prophet calls it here the sixt month , it followeth not that we may not , or they might not call it by any other name ; for in nehemiah the same month is called elul . and this liberty have the children of god used , not onely in the names of times , but of places also and persons . daniel was called by the name of belteshazzer , which name was imposed upon him by the idolatrous king , and was derived from the name of bell , the idol which the chaldeans worshipped ; yea daniel speaking of himselfe , giveth himselfe that very name . st. luke mentioneth appollonia , where through st. paul passed , which city had its name of apollo : neither did st. paul care to enter into the ship the badge whereof was castor and pollux ( which yet were saints of the heathen which they worshipped ) knowing that it was lawfull to use that vessell in a civill sort which was in some sort dedicated to the use of an idol . it is true that by moses the people of god were commanded not to use the names of the idols of canaan , or take them in their mouth . and david , inflamed with a zeale of gods honour , protested that he would not take their names in his mouth : but this was , that the names should bee used not in any honour of them , but detestation ; not to sweare by them , or any way to reverence them . howbeit when for necessity we must needs use them to open our mindes to them that heare us : when we cannot otherwise be understood , no doubt wee may use them , as the prophets and holy men of god have done , both in the names of times places and persons . the name of candlemas commeth from a double solemnitie , the one of burning candles , a superstition derived from the heathen ; the other from the masse , the idol of popery . it is no more unlawfull for us to use that name , than for the jewes the name of tammuz . and hereby also shall wee know how to answer another argument of the papists : looke ( saith bristow ) on the names of shrovetide , candlemas , christmas &c. speake they lutheranisme ? which argument , if it bee good against us , what is it against the prophets ? for the names not onely of one day , but of whole months , the names of elul , shepat &c. looke what religion they speake , whether judaisme or paganisme , or what if the heathenish romans should so speake to the popish romans . looke on the names of your * owne months , do they not speake our religion : january , of janus the two-faced god ; february , of februo , which signifieth to purge , for that twelve dayes of this month the people was exercised in kindling tapers and candles , and offering sacrifices for the rest of the soules departed ; march of mars ; may of maj● , jupiters whore ; iuly and august of divus iul. and d. august . what speake these names , christianity or idolatry ? and what can the use of the name of candlemas make more against us , than the name of february against them ? save that it very well fitteth them , agreeing in their ceremonies then used , merve●lous well with the gentiles : for as they use candles and tapers , so did the heathen : as they offer for the rest and quietnesse of the dead , so did the heathen : as they did indeed agree with them in many other of their rites ; as if you compare the carrying about of their idols with the papists carrying about their bread , or breaden god , on corpus christi day : &c. wherefore let us rather when wee heare or remember any of these names , consider the goodnesse of god , and his great mercy towards us , which hath delivered us from the superstition which these names signifie : and as the jewes by the name of nisan , eelul &c. which they used having received them from the chaldeans , were brought in minde of that slavery and captivity under which they were held , and so occasioned the more to praise the mercy of god in their deliverance ; so likewise should wee by these names consider that great captivity wherein wee were held , much more greater & grievouser than that of babylon ; and thus much we may marke considering the circumstance of the time . the second sermon . apr. . . this parcell opening an entrance to the exhortation to hold on the building of the temple begun , containeth many speciall points , which being therein comprised , have beene heretofore laid downe , and out of the first such necessary lessons delivered as made for our understanding , concerning the time , yeare , month and day of this prophesie . the rest of the points convenient and fit to be noted concerning this message , as yet remaine , and are these , . from whom this message commeth , the lord of hoasts . . by whom it is sent , by the hand or ministery of haggeus . . to whom , to zerubbabel the sonne of shealtiel prince of iudah ; and to jehosua the sonne of jehosadac the high priest . . in what sort , by noting the peoples fault , and reproving it ; this people say the time is not yet come that the lord &c. in the first appeareth the singular favour of god , and his goodnesse towards his children , who by the ministery of his word calleth them to life , and thereby stirreth up their mindes to bee carefull of it , as hee dealt with abraham , whom hee called out of ur of the chaldeans , with whom afterwards hee made his covenant , and even so hath hee dealt with the the children of abraham according to that promise , i will bee thy god , and the god of thy seed ; which how hee hath performed , i need not by the severall examples of the prophets , patriarkes and apostles to make manifest unto you : when elipbaz and elibu note even among the gentiles that god speaketh by dreames and visions , revealing 〈◊〉 the eare of man , and sealing his correction , that man may remove his worke , and that hee may hide the pride of man , which he also used before the severing of the jewes and gentiles , as in his dealing with our first parents , to whom by his word hee opened his will. so that whosoever is , or hath beene of his church , to him hath hee revealed his will by one meanes or other of what age , state or condition soever , for god is , and alwayes hath been to his people a pastor , master , father and teacher . in the second wee learne of the heavenly ministers who they are by whom this message is sent ; it is sent not to them in elder time , by voice , dreame , or sight in trance , but by the hand , that is , the ministery of haggeus . which manifestation , though it may seeme lesse , in that men are the messengers ; yet if wee consider the matter , wee shall find it farre greater : for when as their ancestors at the giving of the law , heard the lord speake unto them from mount sinai , they were so dismayed , that they said unto moses , talke thou with us , and let not the lord talke with us lest wee dye : upon which speech god approved their words , and said , they had spoken well ; whereupon hee promised them that hee would raise up a prophet like unto m●ses , into whose mouth hee would put his words . wherefore to relieve our weaknesse , and deliver us from this feare ( wherewith we understand how greatly daniel and iohn were stricken and astonished ) it pleased god of his abundant mercy and favour to raise up of our owne flesh of our brethren and of our sonnes , men like unto our selves , as more familiar teachers ; for hee hath ordained and given to his church prophets , and them either ordinary , or extraordinary . ordinary , such as were then before the comming of christ , the priests and levites ; since , pastors and doctors : extraordinary , such as then and since have beene sent by especiall authority from god to teach his church . of which sort aggeus was , i cannot certainly pronounce , for the scripture telleth us not of what tribe hee was , but wee know that god had given him an extraordinary gift to foresee and foretell the comming of christ . hence we may learne how much they are bound to gods gracious mercy , who sent unto them his word by so fit a messenger ; by nature , a man ; by affinity , their brother ; in quality , like unto moses . which benefit though it be great , yet behold a greater , where it is declared to whom this message was sent ; namely , to zerubbabel prince of iudah ; and to jehoshua the sonne of jehosadac the high priest : where wee may see how it pleased god not onely to make the prophet aggeus , but the prince and priest also messengers of this errand which was sent to the people , to the end that if it should bee the lesse regarded because of the person of the prophet , the authority of the ecclesiasticall and civill governour giving it countenance , they might the sooner bee moved to heare it more reverently , and obey it more readily . for although it were partly sent to them to stirre them up ( as the godly are slow inough ) yet because the fault is noted especially to bee in the people ( as their reproofe argueth ) it seemeth therefore that this was sent unto these governours , chiefly for their sakes , that the power of the prince and priest might the rather move them to goe forward in that which they had begun . wherin , as the lord dealt graciously with them ; so hath he , and doth he with us : his word hath come by the preachers thereof to our governours of all sorts and states , to the end that this whole nation would agree to set forward the building and worke of his house , the edifying of his church , the glory of the word ; which that it may be the better furthered by every one in this assembly ( as god giveth grace ) i am heartily to request such amongst us that are set in place of governement , as namely our heads , that by the example of zerubbabel and iehoshua , they would vouchsafe to countenance the message of aggeus , by their presence here , and in such places . for indeed the message is not ours , although it be brought out by our hand ; but hee is in heaven , from whence hee filleth all things with his power and majestie , whose word it is . wee are sent by the like authority that aggeus was , though not furnished with the same measure of grace . the treasure that hee brought and wee bring , is the same , though the vessell wherein it is carried bee lesse precious : neither are you , ( fathers ) equall to those governours to whom this message was sent , for zerubbabel sonne of shealtiel was heire apparent to the crowne of judah : iehoshua high priest and chiefe governour in matters touching god. zerubbabel , lord president of jury under king darius : jehoshua , high priest by his fathers stock , descended of phineas , both figures of our saviour christ . zerubbabel of his kingdome , of whom also hee descended according to the flesh : iehoshua , of his priesthood , whose name also hee bore , both very aged and reverend persons , having held this roome and place neere a hundred yeares . now if such as these men disdained not to heare of one so inferiour in dignity , in yeares and experience also ( as may be thought ; ) none of you will , i hope : sure i am you should not disdaine to heare what god speaketh to you by us , how inferiour soever , either in dignity , in yeares or experience ; though there were nothing else to bee considered in us than that wee are stewards of his house . but chiefely , since the gospel and ministery thereof excelleth the ministery of aggeus so much as the cleare sun-light the light of any of the starres ; so that we may , without pride , for our message-sake , preferre our selves before him . for iohn baptist , our saviour testifieth to have beene greater than any prophet that was borne of woman ; yet he saith , the least in the kingdome of heaven should bee greater than he . i wot well that you are better able to teach , than they who speake unto you ; neither speake i this for that i thinke you have such great need to learne . ( as daniel , albeit furnished with merveilons ▪ wisedome and knowledge from god , yet excercised himselfe , and tooke profit by reading the prophesie of ieremie ) so the best may gather some commodity by the labours of those that are inferior to them . but i make this exhortation to them , that they would vouchsafe us their presence for examples sake ; that they by so doing , might seem to say as the princes did of ieremin , this man speaketh in the name of the lord. and that the commandment of paul might bee the better observed , let no man despise ▪ thy youth ; for so i doubt not but their presence would cause , that they who come would heare and marke more carefully , and that some would come who now refraine . the judgement of rulers and governours prevaile much with the multitude , but their private and publick example more . in which case the common proverbes are often true ; such prince , such people ; such master , such man ; such mother , such daughter . but if this bee not sufficient to move them , let them consider further , that although zerubbabel knew how to build the temple ; yet was not his heart , nor the heart of jehashua so zealous ; their hands so ready , their minds so prepared as they ought to have beene . in consideration wherof , they needed to be exhorted ; for when they heard this message , their hearts were stirred up . let us not bee ashamed to acknowledge the want that is in us , or slack the meanes that may remedie it . the words of the wise ( saith solomon ) are like to goads , wherewith our lazinesse and sluggishnesse is pricked forward , and wee stand in need of them ; for howsoever the spirit be willing , the flesh is weake , which is a thing that ▪ toucheth all christians . so therefore desiring god that we may teach faithfully , and you heare diligently , i will proceed to the next point , which is the message it selfe . thus hath the lord of hoast ▪ charged mee to say ▪ this people say that the time is not yet come , the time wherein the house of the lord &c. when adam after hee had broken the commandement of the lord , heard his voice in the garden , he hid himselfe , and feared : the cause whereof hee sayes was , for that hee was naked ; so hee said indeed , but fa●●ly ; for the cause was not his nakednesse , but his wickednesse , in that he had eaten of the forbidden fruit . since which time , it hath been a custome amongst the sonnes of adam , to cover iniquity with hypocrisie , and cloake their offences with excuses . as in this place , the cause why the people did not build the house of the lord , was , that every man was wholy set to the building of his owne house ; to the regard of his owne private profit and ease ; yet laid they the cause on the time ; the time is not yet come , the time to build the house of the lord. wherefore as it pleased god to deale mercifully with adam , and to the end hee might bring him to the acknowledgement of his transgression , demanded of him , hast thou eaten of the fruit ? so likewise here he dealeth with this people , when he saith , is it time ▪ for you sirs to sit downe in your seeled houses , while this house lieth waste ? where he sheweth the true causes indeed to bee not the time , as they pretended , but worldlinesse and idlenesse , in that they tooke so great care to build and furnish their owne houses , and that not onely for commodity , but for pleasure also ; for they built their houses and seeled them also . idlenesse , in that they sate them downe to take their rest and ease , for that doth the hebrew word in this place properly signifie . this fault therefore was shewed them , to the end they might acknowledge it , and amend it ; that indeed their pretence for want of time was but hypocriticall , the true cause being their worldlinesse and idlenesse , that they might confesse their offence , repent , and in time amend it . which fruit also , that you may take hereby , it hath beene heretofore shewed you in the generall argument of this prophesie , in what points our estate may bee compared with theirs ; that as it fared with them , so doth it with us ▪ as they were delivered from the bodily captivitie by cyrus ; so we have beene delivered from the spirituall captivity by king henry the . another cyrus : and as they , though having received a grant and commission from cyrus , &c. yet built not up the materiall temple in such sort and speed as was given them in commandment ; so also wee have not beene so painefull and diligent in building up the spirituall temple and church of god. the foundation of this worke was said to bee the beginnings of the doctrine of christianity , the which the apostle calleth the laying of the foundation . the raising of the walls is the perfect understanding of those mysteries of christ which the angels desire to behold . the roofe to bee laid upon this building , to keep them that are within the house from the annoyance of raine and weather , of heat and blasts ; that is , from sins and offences , is ecclesiasticall discipline ; which according to the example of the jewes , christ commanded , his apostles constituted , the primitive church observed , the reformed have restored to the singular commodity and good governance of the places where it is received , even in the judgement of a papist : by reason that a learned pastor joyned to a sufficient number of grave and sober elders , hath the oversight of the congregation . first , to admonish privately offenders ; then , if they amend not , to proceed forward &c : so to keepe them from such sinnes as civill lawes partly doe not , partly cannot punish , and yet are such as shut out the committers from the kingdome of god , into which , no uncleane , adulterous , or covetous person can enter . wherefore , seeing that in many places of this land the foundation is not yet laid ; the congregations being not catechised ; in others , if there be catechising , yet no preaching , and so the walls not built ; in others no discipline excercised , and therefore the roofe not laid upon the building . it is manifest that the temple of the lord is not built amongst us as it ought , and so that our case and fault is like unto theirs , whom the lord by the prophet here reproveth , for so his house lieth waste among us : somewhere lesse , somewhere more , but lye waste it doth ; not indeed as the temple when daniel prayed , and said , thy sanctuary lyes waste ; but as god saith here that it did , when there was an altar built . but is this fault defended by us , with such excuses as it was maintained by them ? in some part no doubt it is : for although i cannot say of this people in generall as the prophet doth of the jewes , for there are many that confesse the time to bee come to build the lords house ( god increase the number of them ) yet some there be that say the time is not yet come , as hath appeared by the open reproofe of that which in this matter i have heretofore spoken unto you : wherein first i would advise you diligently to beware that you stumble not at their offences , neither conceive worse of the church because of the jarres that happen in it . paul and barnabas disagreed , yet were they of the true church , as these were of whom the prophet speaketh . hee with the prince and high priest dissented from the people , the people thought and held that the time was not yet come to build the house of the lord ; but the other were of a contrary judgement , yet were they of the true church , which note also confuteth a foolish motive of our adversaries concerning discord and universality , for here wee see that the greater part held the false opinion , and that the true church dissented from it selfe . next let us remember who they were that said , the time is not yet come , namely , the people , for even so they who say among us the time is not yet come , are of this people , of the people of god indeed , yet of the people only . for they that are in the place of zerubbabel and iehoshua say that it is high time ; in the booke of ordeining bishops and ministers , there is granted unto the minister authority to preach the word , minister the sacraments , excercise discipline , which more at large appeareth in a learned discourse of bucers , whence into that booke they have translated that point . the . commissioners in king edwards daies , appointed to set down orders for the redress of ecclesiastical matters , set down this order , that the minister with others according to christs cōmandement should first deale by brotherly admonition , and so to proceed according to christs rule in this case . master nowel , whose praise is great in the gospell , hath written more fully and largely in his latine catechisme , that every church well grounded ought to have a sufficient number of elders , who together with their pastors should excercise church-discipline , and so avoid all those offences and faults which happen in the congregation . this catechisme by authority from the bishops in their convocations is authorized , as the only latine catechisme to be read in all schools throughout the realme , and appointed also to be translated into the vulgar tongue , to be read and understood of all : whereby we may perceive that the queens majestie her brothers of blessed memory , bishop cranmer , master bucer , peter martyr , master nowel , the commissioners , eight bishops , eight divines , eight common lawyers , eight counsellors , with the parliament have thought it time fit to build the house of the lord with doctrine and discipline ; wherefore it is not zerubbabel nor jehoshua , but this people that say it is not time to build the lords house though the people of god indeed , yet but of the people , who , if they entred into their own hearts should find , i doubt not , whatsoever excuse they alledge , that it is but a meere pretence like to this which is here reproved ; the truth is , there is some other fault in them which they would with this excuse cloake , which i will not now deale with , nor enter into a particular confutation of the pretences they alledge . i leave it to your particular considerations , wishing , that as the fault hath beene discovered , it might be amended , so it may be by every one of us , so farre as it concerneth each particular mans person . wherein first to you i need not say so much for the laying of the foundation , if the good order already taken for catechising in every house were diligently and carefully looked unto , but albeit the foundation be laid yet in building the walls , there would be somewhat added . i have heard , and so have others , of strangers of godly zeale and good credit , who comming into our university , have made complaint that on the sunday in the afternoone there hath not been a serm●n in all oxford , which were a speciall service for the sanctifying of that day , when there were fewer preachers among us than now there are , yet were there more sermons than now adaies there be ; so that it might truly be said , the people is increased , but their joy is diminished : although i nothing doubt but there would enow bee found voluntarily to performe this worke , yet thinke i it more convenient , and likelier to continue , if the publique readers , the heads of the colledges with the prebends of christ-church will take the charge of it , that whereas now they are to preach once , they would vouchsafe to doe it twice , which might be done with little increase of their paines , and great profit of the university . this thing i doubt not but it would bee established , if it would please god to stirre up his spirit that is in the roome of the magistrate to propose it in the convocation , by the godly disposition of the doctors in commending it to the house of the proctors to gather the voyces , and of the body of the university to agree to it . but howsoever the foundation and walls are built among us , in other places certainely they are not , for which , such as doe it not , but indeed ought to doe it , are in great fault . i meane the meere non-resident , that stayeth here from his charge without any just or necessary occasion , whereby it commeth to passe that in many places of this land they are so farre from laying on the roofe , that the foundation is not laid . this offence is so great , that not the people and the prince , but even their owne consciences also ( if they be not by gods judgement seared ) confesse that it is time to amend it , which is laid downe more plaine in the synod but now alledged , wherein the bishops affirme this non-residence to be a thing foule and unhonest in it selfe , shamefull and detestable among the people , pernicious and hurtfull to the church of god ; i doe but english their owne words , foedo in se , odiosa in vulgus , pernitiosa ecclesiae dei. the . commissioners before mentioned , appointed that none having the charge of soules elsewhere should continue in the university , and no mervaile because in the booke of ordering of ministers , each one at the time of his ordering solemnly promiseth before god and his elect angels , to give all diligence , to teach his people with all care , &c. which booke being established againe , such as are ordered , being made by this order , yet abide many of them among us breaking this solemne promise and vow to almighty god , and yet are not ashamed to looke men in the faces , as though god had not said , performe thy vowes , and that he delighteth not in fools , &c. yet we , for all they be such men , honour them , bestow graces on them , give them great commendation of learning and honesty , whereas by this breaking of their vow and promise they declare themselvs to be sacrilegious persons . a great fault in us regentes , if not also in non regentes : if we have not learned that this is a sufficient cause to deny graces , but grant them to such persons , to the shame and obloquie of the university . and here i am sorry that i cannot touch this fault , but that i must you also ( reverend fathers ) who although you be called to the same office and duty that the others be , yet are not in the same measure of sin that they are ; howbeit these are strengthened in their offence by your example . let no mā thinke that when we speake of this fault to have it redressed , that we cast daggers into our fathers bosomes , but let them consider the cause that moveth us thus to doe . in the persian story written by herodotus and trogus , wee read that after the death of cambises , the magi got the crowne , seven of the nobility conspired together to slay the magi : and as darius and gobrias made at one of them , darius staying to strike , gobrias asked what he meant that he slew not his enemy , for feare ( saith he ) lest in the darke i slay thee ; to whom gobrias answered , stay not for that , but hartily run us both through . gobrias was content , if it could no otherwise be done , that himselfe should be slaine , so that the sorcerer , the usurper might die also . some thinke you should bee content that we strike you , if no otherwise , that these sorcerers may be removed . i call them so justly , for god hath said that disobedience is as the sinne of sorcerie . this sinne of non-residence is a sinne of disobedience , and a mother of as many trasgressions as ever was sodome . bee content therefore if to the end , to slay them , wee touch your bodies and credit , seeing it may be that as the sorcerer was slaine , and gobrias escaped ; so you may escape though they be slaine . would to god we might see your diligence to cast out these sorcerers as saul did out of israel , and so to cast them out , as withall to take heed that you follow not his example who afterwards went himselfe to consult with a soceress with one that had a familiar spirit , because that god answered him not otherwise , this was a perswasible reason to flesh and bloud , god doth not answer me , therefore why may i not aske of a witch ? and shall not yours be like if you thus gather ? god doth not otherwise provide for mee , therefore will i robbe churches , &c. but how farre from this minde was st. paul , and how farre from his are such men ? he was content rather to betake himselfe to a base occupation , wherein hee had been before trayned up , thā he would but then the churches ; which he might nevertheless have done lawfully : and better were it for you to return again to the teaching of schollars , than to provide for yourselves by such meanes , though i hope you shall not need to doe that neither : god having provided that you may live honestly by other meanes if you can be content to beare a lower saile remembring the heathen mans rule ingens vectigal parsimonia . abraham , when god called him , forsooke a fruitfull and plentifull soyle , to go he knew not whither . moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the children of god than to enjoy the delights of egypt . when david was to fight with goliah , saul furnished him with his good armour , but when he had them on he saw they were not fit for him , wherefore he said i cannot go with these for i am not accustomed ? wherefore he put them off and tooke his staffe in his hand which was fitter for him : verely fathers these livings which you cannot discharge are like the helmet of brasse the brigandine and sword wherewith david was furnished , if you will fight you must be content to forgoe them , christ saith he is not worthy to be his disciple , who forsaketh not all even his owne life to follow him : will you not be content to forgoe these things for his sake who for yours did forgoe his owne bloud ? no doubt if we would earnestly regard & reprove these things here , it would move godly patrons to send hither for able and fit men to discharge their roome , or god would move her matie to procure that better order may be taken in this case , that it may not be lawfull for patrons to preferre such beggarly creatures as often they doe the very filth and rascality of the people , jeroboam priests . concerning the last point , which is the setting up of the roofe upon the building , let us remember the commandement of christ , if our brother trespasse against us to tell him his fault between thee and him , and if he heare thee not doe it before two or three , if he vouchsafe not to hear them , to tell it unto the church , whō if he refuse to heare , to count him as a heathen , let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works , and use all meanes to recall sinners from their ungodlinesse to which purpose let us joyne one to another in this worke as paul to the gal. joyneth himselfe with all the brethren , and to the thessalonians with timotheus and silvanus , as barnabas joyned himselfe to silas , &c. so let us joyne together our strength and use one anothers helpe to the forwarding of sincerity , in which respect i thought it necessary to speake of this matter at this time and in this place , for though it may seeme that it were fitter to be delivered in other places yet it is not amisse also here , for there are many here that may come to those places , and therefore it is necessary they should know the truth of this doctrine : there are some here that may stand before the prince as nehemiah did before artaxerxes . but where it may be said that the vniversities are not sufficient to send forth so many as may furnish the land , it is true indeed , where it lieth on them that are in authority to set forward another thing ordered by the commissioners before mentioned who mentiō three seminaries which should serve for this purpose whereof the one is the vniversity , another bishops houses , wherein they appoint that men should be trained up in learning that they may be fit for such charges to which end they required that the bishops keep no idle persons in their houses but that ( besides their necessary servants ) all about them should be brought up in learning , for this say they is another meanes whereby the church may be furnished with able ministers concluding , sic instituta fuit augustini domus , &c. the third they appointed in cathedrall churches where they ordain to retaine a scholar and an instructer to train up youth in knowledg whereunto maketh that which bucer hath in his treatise de reformatione canonici collegij : where he sheweth that the first end of the ordaining of such cathedr . chur. was this , that therein men might be brought up in good learning , now if there were a learned ministry setled in each place of this land , that the people might be catechised and instructed the rest would soone follow , wherefore such whom it hath pleased god to enable in the building of his church , i beseech or rather charge as paul did timothy to be carefull of that which they are put intrust withall , and withall their diligence to set forward the building of the lords house , by procuring the establishing of a learned ministerie , and whereby the foundation may be laid , saith walls built , and the roofe laid upon , even as god hath appointed . the prophet saith not here without cause that the lord of hoasts charged him to speake , even hee who is able to revenge the contempt of the commandement and to reward the keeping of it which god grant that we may also earnestly consider , and thereby be moved more effectually to the doing of our duty and his commandement . the third sermon . jun. . ver. . now therefore thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your own wayes in your hearts . . yea have sowen much and ye bring little in , yee eat but yee have not enough , yee drinke but are not filled , you put on clothes but ye be not warme : he that getteth wages , getteth wages , and putteth it into a broken bagge . thus saith the lord of hosts . go up to the mountaines and bring down wood , and build this house , and i will take delight in it , and i will be glorified saith the lord. yee looked for much but loe you got little , and when you brought it home i did blow upon it , and why saith the lord of hosts , because of my new house that lyes wast and every man runneth to his own house . therefore the heaven over you staid it selfe from dew , and the earth her fruit . and i called for a drought upon the land , and upon the mountaines , and upon the corne , and upon the wine , and upon the oyle , upon all that the land should bring forth , both upon men and upon cattle , and upon all the labour of the hands . as the good samaratane ( of whom our saviour speaketh ) taking compassion on the man that had fallen amongst theeves , bound up his wounds , and powred into them , not onely sharpe vinegar to scoure but also mild oyle to supplie : even so the prophet , meaning to heale the wounds of his people , who had suffered the temple of the lord to lie waste , hath first sharply reproved them in the former verses , laying open their faults , and here mildlyexhorting them to that which they had omitted , that by all meanes they might be brought to do this which god commandeth thē , and first hee sheweth his warrant and letter of credance for his message , that the thing he commandeth them might be esteemed , not by the worthinesse of the man by whom but rather of god from whom it was sent , wherefore hee willeth them to consider with themselves , that is deeply and throughly to waigh and marke their owne wayes , that is their workes and behaviour , for if they did so , they should perceive the greatnesse of their sins , and transgressions , at least if they would indeavour the punishments which god had laid upon them , and consider the scarcitie in their goods , and want of naturall heate and strength in their bodies . in that they sowed much and brought in little , they eat , but were not satisfied ; cloathed themselves but were not warmed , &c. which punishment god had laid upon them to the end they might perceeve their sinne and acknowledge it , which he wisheth them to amend by building the house of the lord , whereunto hee would stirr them up the rather , by setting downe the promise of grace and favour , by blessing of their labours and gratiously receiving their service , but because the promise of good doth lesse move , than the feare of evill , especially the stubborne , and froward sinner : therefore the prophet telleth them againe of that rodd which god held over them , namely of the want and scarcity which they suffered , and least they might imagine , that albeit they suffered these things yet happilie they might come from some other causes and not from god , hee bringeth in the lord protesting so much ( i did blow upon it ) or if they would suppose that albeit it were the hand of god ; yet that it might come for some other cause than this , it is also added all this came on them because of his house , that was waste while every man rann to his owne house . this is the substance of the exhortation whereby he inciteth them to continue the building of the lords house , which they had so long neglected , wherefore they were punished of god by scarcity and need in their goods , and by want of strength in their bodies . the first point to be noted is that the prophet saieth nothing unto the people but what the lord hath given him in charge , for which cause he doth so often put them in minde that this is the word of the lord , for both the exhortation in the . and . verses have the same annexed , and the two reasons adjoyned to strengthen them in the . and . verses , wherein he sheweth himselfe a wise and faithfull steward in dispensing the mysteries of god : faithfull , in that he goeth not beyond his charge , wise , in that he fasteneth the thing which hee would teach them the more deeply in their mindes , by sundry repetitions . for such is the frowardnesse of mans perverse nature , that if we be any way crost wee believe not , at the least seeme not to believe the message therewithall sent us , but perswade our selves that the ministers rather speake out of affection . example whereof we have in johanan and the rest &c , who when jerusalem was taken by the caldeans , came to the prophet jeremiah beseeching him to pray to god for them to teach them the way in which they should walke , promimising very earnestly to do according to all things for which the lord should send him to them ; but when jeremiah had told them , that it was the commandement of the lord that they should dwell in the land and not go up into egypt , &c. them johanan and all the proud men said unto jeremy thou speakest falsely , the lord our god hath not sent thee to say go not into egypt to dwell there , but baruch provoked thee against us , &c. a man would have thought that they who made so solemne promise would not have so disobeied the commandemen● of god. but jeremiah so behaved himselfe in this message , that they were ashamed to lay the blame ( which they pretended ) on him , but said that he was thereto perswaded by them to cast off the word of the lord , as it had been a lye devised against them by the malice of man : and that which increased the mischief , they said it was done to the end that the caldeans might destroy them ; whereas indeed it was onely for their good . we are therefore diligently to beware of these inchanting syrens , flesh and blood , not to hearken unto them : and howbeit the message delivered us by gods ministers serve not our humour of pleasure and ease , yet to receive the same not as the words of man , but as they are indeed , the words of god : for although we speak not by revelation as the prophet did , yet we speak by knowledge ; and the very same which they saw by extraordinary , do we know by ordinary . the godly ministers are called to the same office that were the priests of the law , as malachi saith , to be the messengers of the lord of hosts : and paul speaketh not onely of himself , but of others also , such as apollos and sosthenes were , let a man so think of us , as the ministers of christ , &c. whatsoever therefore the man be , so long as he preacheth the truth , let us account thereof as of the doctrine of god himself ; and so oft as the word of god is alleadged , so oft let us think that this soundeth in our ears , the lord of hosts . upon this riseth another point to be likewise observed , that the preachers and dispensers of gods word in all their office behave themselves faithfully according to the function wherewith they are put in charge : and so paul hauing taught the corinthians their duties towards gods messengers , straitly addeth the duty of the ministers : now , saith he , it is required of the stewards , that they be found faithful ; which faithfulnesse concerneth not onely the matter which they are to handle , but the manner also , that they deliver the truth of god with all reverence , discretion , and sobernesse ; which peter teacheth also , when he saith , if any speak , let him speak as the words of god ; wherefore he must say nothing but what he may warrant by this which the prophet speaketh , thus saith the lord. but if hereunto the commandment of christ and his apostles move nothing , let the curse threatned against the breakers of this commandment move us . in the prophecie of ezekiel mention is made of two sorts of them that break this commandment , prophesying out of their own hearts , following their own spirit , when they had seen nothing : the one , of such men as saw lyes , saying , the lord sa●th it , when the lord hath not sent them : one ( saith the prophet ) built up a wall , and the other daubed it up with untempered mortar ; and because of that , the lord saith his hand shall be upon them , they shall not be in the assemblies of his people , &c. the other sort were of the prophets that sowed pillows under all arm-holes , &c. soothing up the wicked with promises of all happinesse , telling them of peace , peace , as if all things were well , when as the lord had threatned heavie plagues against them ; for which cause there is a wo threatned them : which judgement is therefore said to be pronounced against them , because they spake and prophesied , when the lord commanded them not : whereby we are put in minde to be careful in behaving our selves faithfully , as moses did in all his house , not to sooth up men in their sins , nor to flatter the breakers of his commandments . in which point i was desirous to satisfie them who have a care how the church may be builded ; which causeth me to call to minde a point mistaken by some , wherein i have been thought to have sown cushions under the elbowes , and pillows under the arm-holes of some non-residents , when by accasion heretofore i spake against that sin ; whereas i indeed , if my words had been generally of them who multiply living upon living , and have no care to discharge any of them , that i had justified the incomparison of the meer non-residents , who stay here having no charge at all , or calling in this place , i might have been justly condemned of this fault : but speaking in respect of some that were present , who have a good care to build the church of god , though they do it not in every place with that diligence and assiduity they ought ; & comparing them with others that having no charge in this place follow onely their pleasure , not doing so much on any of their charges , as these do on all , i trust i shall be cleared from this suspition : wherfore i would you did consider , that when i put a difference in the degrees of this sin , i meant not to deny that all of it was wicked & to be condemned , & that you would also receive the message with such equity as it was delivered . i should come to the exhortation , but that somwhat is to be first said of the repetition , namely , why so often this is added , thus saith the lord ; no doubt to give this lesson to teachers , not to be grieved to teach the self-same things oftentimes , if they be necessary to the hearers ; not to think it loathsome to be taught the same matter , if it be profitable and expedient for them : if paul said that it grieved safe there , caused them to cast off the word of the lord as it had been a lye devised against them by the malice of man , and that which increased the mischiefe , they said it was done to the end that the caldeans might destroy them , whereas it was indeed only for their good ; we are therefore diligently to beware of these enchanting sirens flesh and bloud , not to hearken unto them , and howbeit the message delivered us by gods ministers serve not our humour of pleasure and ease , yet to receive the same not as the words of man , but as they are indeed the words of god ; for although we speake not by revelation as the prophet did , yet we speak by knowledge , and the very same which they saw by extraordinary , doe we know by ordinary . the godly ministers are called to the same office that were the priests of the law , as malachy saith to be the messengers of the lord of hosts , and paul speaketh not onely of himselfe , but of others also such as apollos and sosthenes were ; let a man so thinke of us as the ministers of christ &c. whatsoever therefore the man be , so long as he preacheth the truth , let us account thereof as of the doctrine of god himselfe , and so oft as the word of god is alledged , so oft let us thinke that this soundeth in our eares the lord of hosts . upon this riseth another point to be likewise observed , that the preachers and dispensers of gods word in all their office behave themselves faithfully according to the function wherewith they are put in charge : and so paul having taught rhe corinthians their duties towards gods messengers , straitly addeth the duty of the ministers , now saith he , it is required of the stewards that they be found faithfull , which faithfulnesse concerneth not onel● the matter which they are to handle , but the manner also 〈…〉 they deliver the truth of god with all reverence , discre●● 〈…〉 sobernesse ; which peter teacheth also when he saith ; 〈…〉 let him speaks as the words of god ; wherefore he 〈…〉 but what he may warrant by this which the 〈…〉 thus saith the lord. but if hereunto the 〈…〉 christ and his apostles move nothing , le● 〈…〉 against the breakers of this commander 〈…〉 prophecy of ezekiel mention is made 〈…〉 breake this commandment , prophesy 〈…〉 following their owne spirit when 〈…〉 one , of such men as saw lyes , 〈…〉 lord hath not sent them , one ( saith the prophet ) built up a wall , and the others daubed it up with untempered morter , and because thereof the lord saith his hand shall be upon them , they shall not he in the assemblies of his people , &c. the other sort were of the prophets that sowed pillowes under all arme-holes &c , soothing up the wicked with promises of all happinesse , telling them of peace , peace , as if all things were well when as the lord had threatned heavy plagues against them , for which cause there is a woe threatned them : which judgement is therefore said to be pronounced against them , because they spake and prophesied when the lord commanded them not ; whereby we are put in minde to be carefull in behaving our selves faithfully as moses did in all his house , not to sooth up men in their sins nor to flatter the breakers of his commandements . in which point i was desirous to satisfie them who have a care how the church may be builded , which causeth me to call to minde a point mistaken by some , wherein i have been thought to have sowen cushions under the elbowes , and pillowes under the arm-holes of some non-residents when by occasion heretofore i spake against that sinne , whereas i indeed if my words had been generally of them who multiply living upon living , and have no care to discharge any of them , that i had justified the incomparison of the meer non-residents who stay here having no charge at all , or calling in this place . i might have been justly condemned of this fault , but speaking in respect of some that were present who have a good care to build the church of god : though they do it not in every place with that diligence and assiduity they ought , & comparing them with others that having no charge in this place ●llow only their pleasure , not doing so much on any of their 〈…〉 , as these do on all ; i trust i shall be cleared from this sus 〈…〉 ●herefore i would you did consider that when i put a di 〈…〉 ●he degrees of this sin , i meant not to deny that all of 〈…〉 to be condemned , & that you would also receive 〈…〉 such equity as it was delivered . i should come to 〈…〉 that somewhat is to be first said of the repe 〈…〉 often this is added ( thus saith the lord ) no 〈…〉 to teachers , not to be grieved to teach 〈…〉 times , if they be necessary to the hea 〈…〉 to be caught the same matter if it 〈…〉 , if paul said that it grieved not not him to write the same things , and that it was for them to whom he wrote a safe thing , how much lesse ought it to grieve us , how much more safe is it for you , being a warrant by the example of the prophet in this place who repeateth the same words in his exhortation in the and verses , and the reason of his exhortation to the same effect , and in the and verses which considering the prophets set down their sermons in fewer words than they preached , confirmeth more that which hath been said , for if the holy ghost thought it necessary in so breif a rehearsall to set so oft in the same words the exhortation and reason of it : we may well know that it is also needful for us often to keep the selfe same things , how oft is this one speech repeated in the prophets , shew the house of israel their sinnes , how often doth s. iohn iterate that commandment , love one another ? this is that old commandement , &c. this is that new commandement , &c. how often doth our saviour by divers similitudes teach one and the very same thing , the seven epistles in the apocalips are all shut up with one court answer , let him that hath eares heare what the spirit saith , &c , which point i would they did consider who are greived that we speake so much of that sinne of the negligence of carelesse pastors : for if skilfull chirurgeons after they have lanced imposthumes put in new tents day by day , should not we also whom god hath called to be the physitians and chyrurgeons of your soules after we have lanced your wounds , daily also put in new tents , that at length they may be healed . the lord by ezekiel reproveth such prophets as rose not up in the gappes , and stood not in the breaches where he useth a metaphor drawne from the manner of warriors , who are wont to joyne their force together and to make a head against their enemies in such places as they had made a breach : this fault of the negligent pastour , is one of the greatest breaches whereunto if we runne not and stand not up in it : what may our generall and captaine thinke of us ? when coesar besieged avaritium in france , his souldiers raised a bulwarke against it , the citizens set it on fire , which when caesars souldiers laboured to quench , one stood in the gate to whom was brought such matter as might be cast into the fort to continue the flame , he that first was there placed , was shot through with a scorpions bone and so was slaine , in whose place came the second who being so served , there followed the third and the fourth , neither was that place left without a man while there remained any hope to do good : there hath been a fire kindled to consume this hold of sinne , god forbid it should be quenched , nay it cannot indeed , for it is nourished by gods spirit . the papists themselves at their councell of trent , after they had long debated the matter , they were enforced by the clearnesse of the truth to conclude , that the pastor by the law of god is bound to be resident on his charge , what the law of man permits , it is for the heardnes of mens hearts , whereunto that may be replyed , that from the beginning it was not so ; wherefore although we be shot through with speeches as sharpe as arrowes , yet let us shew ourselves no lesse valiant than did the citizens of avaricum , chiefly seing they fought but for a corruptible city for the safguard of the body , and that with uncertaine hope : but we fight for an incorruptible crowne of glory , for the eternall salvation of the soule , and that under undoubted hope . but we perswade our selves better things of you brethren , whom we desire to remember that the wounds of a freind is better than the kisses of an enemy . of my selfe i know , and i conceive the the like of others , that i onely reprove this sinne for the salvation of your soules , and of them that are committed to your charge : and why the same is done so often we have example and warrant of the prophet using so many iterations of the same thing , and of the good chyrurgeons , who cease not to apply their medicines till such time as they have cured the wound . now to proceed , the exhortation is laid down in the verse goe up to the mountaine and bring wood and build this house , the reasons hereof are because the lord had already corrected them , ver . , . , , where , as he threatneth them punishment if they do it not , so on the other side he promiseth that he will take pleasure in them , &c. vers . and bestow his blessing on them if they do his commandement : but for that you have heard sufficiently already in the exhortation ▪ i will come to the reasons . jt is first set downe for them to consider , that because of the neglect of gods commandment he had chastised them with dearth , famine , scarcity : wherein , the first point to be observed , is , that the lord did send these punishments on them , for it is said , i blowed on it , i called for a drought . for as god hath by his power created all things , so doth he continually by his providence governe & dispose of them . so that it is verified that our saviour saith my father worketh hetherto , and i also worke . for all things are his worke and come from his power , though it be true that he worketh most by secundary causes , even as it is here said , that to cause a famine among this people , he called for a drought upon the land and upon the mountaines &c. for the heavens are appointed to water the earth , to make it fruitfull that it may yeeld seed to the sower , but neither can the raine make the earth fruitfull , nor can the earth bring forth her fruit without his blessing and providing : which the prophet by occasion of the mention of gods blessing to his church doth lay open . in that day i will heare , saith the lord , i will hear even the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle , and they shall heare israel . by which is signified that all creatures shall labour with common consent for israel for such as feare and serve god : that as they wish to have necessaries from the earth , so the earth shall look for rain from the heavens &c , but all this the lord saith he will heare , that we may learn to lift up our eyes from these second causes , to him ; for men that regard not this , would goe no further than to say , this dearth came from want of rain &c. as though it were not the lord that ruleth these things : which seneca might teach us when he saith , what thou callest nature , is god for nature created the heavens earth and corne : may say to us as john and peter said to the people , why looke you on us as though by our power and strength we had done this . a sparrow falleth not to the ground without his providence . there is no evill in the city , ( .i. no punishment of evill ) which the lord hath not wrought . the want and need in goods , the weakenesse of the body , the punishments here mentioned are said to come from him ; for sometimes he withdraweth the things themselves from them , sometimes the power and faculty of them , though they remaine . for sometimes he worketh by these meanes and second causes , sometimes without them , yea also against them : as he teacheth us when signifying how wonderfully he preserved them in the wildernes and fed them , he yeeldeth this as the reason , that he might teach them , that men liveth not by bread onely , but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the lord : that is whatsoever he enforceth or commandeth to feed us . yea by the same power he caused their raiment to endure and not to wax old , and kept their feet that they swelled not . daniel appointed to be fed with the kings ordinary ; fearing lest thereby he should be defiled , therwith , besought his governour that he and his fellowes might feed on pulse instead thereof : but the governour feared least so they should be in worse taking than the rest who fared on finer meats , but through gods blessing they looked better with their diet than the other with the kings ordinary . pulse is but a homely meate , and by the physitians judgement but of a bad juyce yet with gods blessing it is better than a prinoes fare ; contrariwise without this when the people looked for much it came to little , and when it was brought home the lord blowed upon it and it dispersed and vanished as it had been nothing , they dranke but were not filled , they did eat but were not satisfied , put on clothes but were not warmed , because these creatures wanted that secret blessing , by which god giveth force to the clothes to warme , bread to nourish , drink to quench the thirst : as when he pleaseth , he sometimes taketh away the things themselves , in both to teach us to cast up our eyes from the earth to heaven , from the the creature to the creator , which let us do and when such things befalls us , remember the speech of job , who when his goods were spoyled , &c. considered not the sabeans but looked directly upon the first cause which ruled and governed the second , and therefore said the lord hath given , and the lord hath taken ; which that we may so much the more , let us also consider the next point that followeth , which is the benefit that ariseth to the church by these punishments , for as the physitian ministreth a bitter potion to his patient and draweth away his meate to the end to heale and cure his malady ; and as the father chastiseth his childe who he would have reclaimed : so the lord corrected this people that they might leave their sinnes , which is taught them when the prophet saith that this was done because each man ranne to his own house and suffered the lords house to lye waste , and so also would it fare with us when we neglect god , we would even perish out of the way , if god called us not back by his correction , which elihu also noteth to be one meanes whereby god doth recall men from sinne : he also striketh him with sorrow on his bed , and the multitude of his bones with a soare griefe &c. if there be with him a messenger , and interpreter one of a thousand who can shew man his equity &c. and the prophet at large in the psalme openeth the same by sundry examples of such as wander up and downe , and them that are in prison or tossed on the sea and that inhabit barren grounds , &c. noting this of them all , that when they cry to him out of their distresse he heareth them and helpeth ; as he did ionah out of the whales belly : this should we consider to be the cause of warres and other chastisements and not refer them ( as some are wont ) to the eclipse of the sunne or moone , or conjunction of some planetts , or to the sextile or quadrate aspect of them : no : plagues , warres , sicknesse , famine , they are not effects of these causes , the eclipse is in us , not in the sunne or moon that causeth these things : it is for that the moon , whereby ( in the apocalips ) are signified all changeable things , is not trode under our feet as it should be , but is lifted above us , and doth eclipse the light of gods grace that it cannot shine upon us : mens unchaste and unnatural conjunctions , their greedy and covetous aspects , their cruelty and extortion , these are the planets whose conjunction and aspects cause warres , plagues and famine ; which i do not speake as though the heavenly bodyes did not worke at all , i know and confesse they have their physicall effects ( though the division of heavens into the houses and parts , which the astrologians set downe , be most phantasticall and blockish ) but to teach us to cast our eyes from the second causes to the first , and that we would have our eyes fixed on our own sins for which god layeth his chastisement upon us , whereof the jewes had experience , who were then punished by tyrants and oppressors when they fell from god and renounced his religion ; which the prophet sheweth when he saith , that warre taught them that which they could not before learne in peace . when elies sons through their wickednesse caused the service of god to be despised , the lord sent warre amongst them , and the arke was taken , &c. when the jewes would be by no meanes reclaimed , the lord telleth them by the prophet that he would do unto them as he had done unto shilo for the wickednesse of his people , to the same effect also the same prophet . chap. . , , &c. threatneth the like curse to all the cities of judah , &c , whereby we may gather that the lord calleth his servents by warre , dearth , &c , at such time as they are as you would say provender pricked . but leaving them let us apply these things to our selves , remember the exhortation which the prophet useth to the building of the lords house , and you have heard the proportion betwixt their temple and our church . the time admonisheth us even as it did them to consider our wayes for we are visited with scarcity even as were they , but behold when as by reason hereof we should be humbled under the mighty hand of god , to call our wayes to remembrance and to mend our naughty manners , we are wanton and give our selves to sporting and pastime , the which is by the sound of the trumpet signified , not the sound of atrumpet to proclaim a fast , as the lord commandeth by the prophet : but to proclaime idle and ungodly playes , as though wee were resolved to verefie that which the prophet saith , i called ( saith the lord ) to weeping and mourning , and behold eating and drinking , &c. which is also so much the worse that these playes have been condemned by statute of our university , yea worst of all for that at this time there is an order appointed by authority for extraordinary prayers to be used , whereas we not onely take no such order but rather the quite contrary by this disorder , which is such that the cry thereof is carried from one side of the towne to the other , and though that cannot be said of it as of the cry of them that sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play . it is not the sound of them that have the worse , &c. yet not farre unlike may it be said . jt is not the cry of warriours but of wantons . and here the prophet setteth it downe that they sowed much &c. and layeth downe the cause for that the lords house did lye waste , let us also consider , as the prophet commandeth , our own ways i will not discend to particular persons , but let every man consider it on his bed , whether there be not some who having many ecclesiasticall livings and much coming in yearely into their hands thereby , yet may count it so as though it had been put into a bottomlesse purse : and whether many that live on pulse be not in as good liking as they that feed on such variety : i leave it to your owne consideration . in ancient time the pastours had good livings allotted them , but they waxed carelesse , negligent and slothfull in discharging their duties , insomuch that certaine hundred of yeares the fault of non-residency was spoke against and misliked , as edward his epistle to the pope doth testifie . what ensued hereupon ? were not the livings hereupon so abused , taken away by little and little ? and they , who were put in trust to dispose them , did they not make marchandize of them , that so the church was spoyled on each side ; and of them that should feed others it might be said , you feed your selves . now because pastours cannot feed others unlesse themselves be also nourished , and that there might be a continuall supply when any failed , our ancestors provided nurseries for learning , as abbies , bishops-houses , cathedral-churches , colledges in sundry places of this realme , beside our universities . the abbies they fell to idlenesse , pleasure , pampering of their bodies &c , wherefore god hath done unto them as he did unto shilo , their dwellings were wasted , &c. shilo was destroyed for the wickednesse of the priests from whom iniquity ( as the prophet saith ) went forth into all the land , and is it not to be feared , lest the same also happen to our bishopricks ? nay would to god it were not past fearing : for are not bishops impoverished ? cathedrall churches also , and but very few colledges except these in our universities , but they have been brought to the same decay that abbies have been , and shall not the like happen to our colledges ? i am sorry to say it , but the lord hath said it ( and not one of his words shall fall to the ground ) if we hear not his word to turne from our evil wayes , and leave our transgressions , he will doe unto us as he did to shilo . god hath provided a nursery for his church by these meanes to the establishing of doctrine and discipline amongst us , but seeing that the meanes for this end appointed have not been so used he will no doubt even deale with bishopricks as he hath done with abbies for the word of god is gone out of his mouth and shall be certainely accomplished : he that is neither prophet nor prophets child may see this . all men know what forwardnesse the thing was in in k. edwards dayes , when so many things went to wrack not through his fault , but theirs , who in his minority were put in trust with the matters of the realme , whenas the dissolution of the bishoprick of durham was brought about which had been so continued , had it not pleased god to send queene mary to dissolve that dissolution , as he sent the philistims to deliver david , els had a bishoprick ( so necessary for the church ) been quite lost and had come to the same end that shilo did , god he praised our prince hath been carefull to preserve these , and give us grace to use them to his glory , least that happen to them which the ungodly wish for ▪ who in their minds have devoured them . the onely way to turne away these plagues is for us to do our duty in that vocation whereunto we are called . the history of agrippa and his fable for the belly and other members . if they shall see these things so well bestowed and necessarily as he proved to them , and will be as well content as the romanes to maintaine the senators . sermon the fourth , june . . verse . go up to the mountaine and bring timber and build this house and i will take delight in it , and i will be glorified in it , saith the lord. the prophet haggai , being sent by special commandement of the highest to preach to the jewes that were returned from the captivity of babylon and to stir them up to the building of the temple , the foundation whereof was laid before , because they were faulty herein , doth first reprove them for that they were so careful to seel their own houses , but suffer the lords house to lye waste , and next doth advertise them to call to minde the punishments , which they ●uffered , in sowing much , and bringing home little , in eating , and not having enough , in drinking but not being filled , in clothing themselves but not being warme , in earning of wages and putting it as it were into a bottomlesse bagge , shewing that all this did light upon them for this cause , because they left the house of the lord waste and every man ran to his owne house . thirdly , he exhorteth them that they would go up to the mountaine , and bring timber and build the house , and so promiseth he will accept thereof and be glorified , &c. of the former parts and namely of the reproof and advertisement , i have spoken heretofore , it followeth that i now speake of the exhortation in this verse , in the which there are two things to be observed . first , who it is that exhorteth , secondly , what he exhorteth unto . first , who exhorteth , the lord himself , signified in the last words of the verse ( saith the lord ) secondly to what he exhorteth , that they go up to the mountain and bring timber to build the house : the which exhortation that it may be more effectuall he addeth thereunto , two reasons to stirre them up to that , he exhorteth them , first that he will accept of it , secondly , that he will be glorified , so that in the substance there are three branches commended to us in these words to be considred first , who exhorteth ; secondly , the thing he exhorteth , thirdly the reasons for which he exhorteth them the reunto . for the first , it is the lord , for though the exhortation be delivered by the voice and ministry of the prophet , yet is it indeed the lord that exhorteth them , even as it is added ( saith the lord ) and this as the rest of the prophets are wont often to mention , and that to raise up the hearts of the people to the dutifull consideration of that which is uttered , for haggai also mentioneth the same both in the former words , and here againe , and likewise afterward , having thought it good to put them still in remembrance hereof , thereby to move them to obey and beleeve the commandment and promise delivered from the lord , the which the very name of god which the prophet useth , doth therefore recommend more effectually to them , because it layeth before their eyes the majesty of him that speaketh and the truth of the speech . for whereas in the language which the prophet spake there are divers names attributed to god , some of them betokening his almightinesse and alsufficiency , some his majesty and power , some his authority and judgement , one there is above the rest that most lively expresseth his eternall essence , the constancy also and the truth of his word , as the which is derived from a word that signifieth to be , betokening not onely the eternall essence of the lord of majesty , as john sheweth in his revelation , where he openeth the meaning of that name when he saith . i am alpha and omega , the beginning and the ending saith the lord , which is , which was , and which is to come , even the almighty : as it were interpreting that which he spake of himself by the prophet . moses demanded by what name he should call him if the people of israel enquired who sent him , i am , saith he that i am ; for when our saviour said of himselfe , before abraham was i am , he ment to shew the eternity and everlastingnesse of his god-head that was from the beginning , or rather indeed without any beginning or end , being the same yesterday and to day and for ever . neither thereby is the eternity onely of his majestie noted , but the truth also and certainety of his word and promise , which in the of exod. is signified so plainely , that the words could not be interpreted , unles the name iehovah were there retained , i apeared unto abraham , to isaac , and to iacob , by the name of almighty , but by my name jehovah was i not knowne unto them , whereby he signifieth that as afterwards himselfe expoundeth it , that unto them he made the promise of giving them the land of canaan but that he had not made his promise to bee , as a man would say , therefore afterwards he addeth to tell the children of israel , i am jehovah i will bring you from under the burthen of egypt , i am jehovah , i will make that to be which i have promised to your fathers who relyed on my promises , as knowing me by my name almighty , and beleiving that i would do it , but not by my name jehovah that i did it indeed . but after the yeares were accomplished ( which was the time prescribed to abraham ) then performed he , that which before he had promis●d , and this the apo●tle declareth when he , speaking of the hope of eternall life , saith , that god which cannot lye hath promised ●efore the world began . as if he would ▪ say that if it be his promise then must it needs be performed , for he is not a man that he should lye , nor as the sonne of man that he should promise and not performe . so that by the name of lord of majesty , which the prophet useth in his language , betokening him that was from everlasting that is and is to come , the same for ever , who is most true in his word , most constant in his promises , god which cannot lye , the prophet would stirr them up to be carefull to receive the message delivered with faith to his promise , adjoyned to the precept and obedience to the precept established by the promise , and this is the holy preparation which wee also have need of , that the message delivered from god may with faith and obedience be received of us , as of them . this though i need not to stand upon here because it hath been oftentimes handled in your hearing , yet because the prophet againe and againe repeateth it i cannot passe it over , cheifly seeing that the prophet though sent immediately and instructed of god , useth to warrant his message by these words , the case being not alike in us who although we be sent of god , yet are we sent by men also , neither have we our commission from his owne mouth immediately , but by writing in the scripture , but you that have learned that the whole scripture given by inspiration of god is profitable to teach , convince , correct and instruct in righteousnesse , that the man of god may be absolute even throughly absolute and made perfect unto all good workes , i say you have also learned that the message therein delivered us , is the same message sent before by the prophets and apostles , to whom the lord himselfe spake immediately , neither did he onely ordaine in his church apostles and prophets , but gave also pastors and teachers for gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of christ . therefore we also have commission from god to deliver his will unto you , and do his message so long as we can soundly professe that the corrections , exhortations &c. which we use are deduced from the writing of the apostles , and prophets which he hath delivered to his church and appointed us his servants to cut his word aright and thereby to feed your soules ; it must be therefore our care , that the words we speake be as the words of god , and you brethren should be likewise skilful in the scriptures to discerne the spirits of them that preach unto you , but the doctrine we preach being rightly delivered , you are no otherwise to receive than if the lord himself by his prophets & apostles did speake unto you : and this being the substance of that which i thought to nete briefely in this first point , namely that both we which teach are to learne , that what we teach wee must deliver unto you as the word of god , and you that heare are to ●eceive and heare it as it is indeed , not the word of man , but of god. i come to the doctrine comprehended in the point ( with the matter of the exhortation ) delivered ; first to the jewes by the prophet , ly by consequence to us all . go up ( saith the prophet ) to the mountaine , bring timber and build this house : where first for the better understanding of these words , that is to be observed , that this house of god in jerusalem was built on a mountaine , even on the mountaine or hill of moriah , as it is apparent out of chron. . . which place being chose by the lord himselfe for the seat of his sanctuary , the jewes returning out of captivity , came by direction of zorobbabel and jehoshua to set the temple on her former seat , that is to say upon her old foundation , as t' is declared in the booke of ezra , chap. . and as they came to set it on the old foundation ; so they began in the chap. though hindred by divers devises of the adversaries all the dayes of cyrus , and unto the second yeare of darius the prophet therefore now in the second yeare of darius stirreth them up to go forward with the worke begun , and to build up the whole worke upon the foundation , exhorting them to goe up to the mountaine and bring timber and build the house : but because the work was paineful and laborious and the people of the jewes as all of us are by nature had rather to play for nothing than worke for nothing , therefore the lord by the prophet stirreth them 〈◊〉 hereunto by adjoyning his promises , of his grace and favour , . with his gracious blessings , i wil take delight in it . i will be glorified . touching the former it may seeme strange that god promiseth to take delight in the temple , for if he taketh no pleasure in the strength of a horse neither delight in any mans leggs , how much lesse likely is it that he should take delight in an heape of stones and timber ? but we must consider the temple not nakedly in it selfe but in such sort as respecteth the use and signification of it . first the signification , in that it betokened christ jesus , of whom it was a figure and shadow , secondly the use and end whereunto it was directed , namely to serve god. for the signification you know that the apostle in the epistle to the hebrewes as also to the colossians both plainely teach that the things under the law were shadowes to represent christ : they were shadowes but he the body ; even so the whole temple was a figure and a shadow of christ , and that nor of himselfe onely , but of his church also : of him , as the head , of it as the body so the parts thereof shaddowed him as the apostle in the and to the heb. teacheth : the verse signifying his flesh whereby he entred into heaven as into the holy of holyes : so the altar of incense , the sacrifices , the bloud which were offered , the table whereon they were offered , &c. all these things appertaining to the leviticall services , were so many mysteries to represent and shadowed out unto us the person of christ in whom the light and truth of them all shineth . neither hereby onely was the head figured , but the whole body also , for so saith the apostle to the corinthians : you are the temple of the living god. now the lord himselfe saith of our saviour , this is my beloved sonne in whom i am well pleased , and we also read in the ephes . . that it hath pleased him of his infinite mercy to accept and take delight in us in his beloved . wherefore you see that god might take delight in the temple in that it signified and shadowed out christ ( in whom only , if we speak absolutely and properly , god is delighted ) as also his members whom it hath pleased god to adopt , and so to delight in his beloved sonne whom also he vouchsafeth ; this grace , that he accepteth not onely of their persons , but of their workes too : wherein the latter promise is contained ( and i will be glorified ) which regardeth the end whereunto this house was built to be a house of prayer , and to offer up praise and thanksgiving for his mercy ; to heare his word read and expounded : and so because these workes of christians are acceptable through christ , in this respect also it may be said that he tooke great delight in the temple . not in it selfe as pilgrimagers imagine that god delighteth in places for themselves , or because that holy men haue possessed them . for when these actions i spake of were not practised in this place but the temple was so polluted that it did not represent his dearly beloved son , god himselfe shewed ( sending his prophets to them ) that he took no delight in it , and namely by the prophet ezekiel to whom the lord shewed the great abominations that the house of israel had committed to cause him to depart from his sanctuary , &c. which having at large in that chap. shewed in the chapter he declareth how the cherubims lift up their wings and mounted from the earth and went forth and stood upon the mountain : and so by degrees the lord forsook them from the sanctuary to the threshold of the temple then to the cherubims which stood at the right hand of the court , verse then to the eastgate and entrance of the court. verse to provoke the people of the city to repentance and openly to shew his departure , finally flying from the city into the mountaine . chap. . . declaring thereby that he took no delight no not in his temple , when his religion was not therein maintained , and it not applyed to those uses whereunto it was erected , and where ever hath there been either any person more holy abiding , or any actions more godly practised then in the temple at jerusalem where christ jesus himselfe preached and taught the people , yet even this place , if ever any beloved both for the persons and actions , was so detested of him when it ceased to practice these actions , and to present that whereunto it was instituted , that not many yeares after our saviours death it was as you know ruined by the romanes , and made even with the ground , yea when julian the apostata in despite of christ went about to raise it up again , it pleased god by miracles to shew his dislike therereof , first by an earth-quake and then by flakes of fire issuing out of the earth and plagueing the workmen ( which not only ruffinus and zozomene write of but also aminimi marcellus who lived at that time ) and served iulian being a great admirer of him , witnessing that out of the earth there issued such flames of fire as consumed the worke men sundry times and so brought to passe that the worke could not be accomplished , hereby it is manifest , that god delighted not in the temple of it selfe , neither yet for the persons that have been conversant therein , & actions performed when they ceased to be : but because it r●pre●ented christ jesus and his church in whom indeed he delighted , and as it might be used to the service of the people of god therin to worship him with a holy worship , yea in this respect he saith he will take such delight in it , that this temple should be more accepted than the former ( though it were for the building nothing so glorious ) because in this christ jesus himself should be present in person . and this is the former reason namely the favour which he will shew them , nowout of his favour proceedeth his benefit , and that is it which he addeth ; i will be glorified : for we may perceive that this is the meaning of these words , if we match them with those that go before , and those that follow after , for having before laid downe the punishments that were fallen upon them he adjoyneth withall , the cause thereof , for that each man ran to his owne house , and left the house of the lord waste . now things contrary have contrary consequences , as if he had thus said in effect , as those chastisements which heretofore you suffered came upon you because you did not build the house of the lord , so on the other side if you do build the same you shall be refreshed by sundry blessings : yet by the way when he saith , i will be glorified , he putteth them in minde what they ought to do , when they have received these benefits , for so by the consequent , he betokeneth the antecedent , by the glorifying of him , the holy invocation of his name wherby he is glorified , and these be the reasons whereby he stirreth up the jewes to go up and bring timber and build the house . but doth the prophet stirre up them only , and not us also ? ( yes my brethren ) even us also : for whom , whatsoever before time was written ( as the apostle saith to the romanes ) for our sakes i say was it written , that we in the assurance of gods favours and blessings ( which containe the promises of this life and that which is to come ) should do the same things that here are mentioned ; therefore up to the mountaine bring wood and build this house for as you have heard that this house was a figure of christ and christians so let us remember , as they were willed to build that materiall temple , so we likewise are required to edisie the church of christ , which that you may the better do , consider with me the points noted in the things whereunto they are exhorted , and the reasons , although the time will not suffer me indeed to stand on th reasons , howbeit i must request that in the meane while you have an eye unto the reasons that are drawne from the rewards proposed to them that performe the commandment : that so you may be stirred up with a fervent zeale to performe that , to which so glorious a reward is promised . and first let us consider who they are that be exhorted . it is before said , zerubbabel and ioshua , the prince and the priest as they whose helpe , and endeavour is most necessary to the building of the church , because they were as guides to direct others : yet as it is manifest in the and verses , the prophet was sent to the remnant of the people , and the promise as well made unto them , and their hearts likewise stirred up that they came and did the worke of the house of the lord. they therefore who are to build by gods commandment are zerubbabel and ioshua , with all the remnant of the people ; principally zerubbabel and joshua , who are best able for speciall graces , and gifts bestowed on them , or because of the ministery of the word , and authority committed unto them , but next all the people likewise , not the prince and high priest only : now for the princes , how the temple is to be built by them ; i shewed you when i spake of the former verse , at which time i shewed for the generall building that the foundation hereof is as the apostle to the hebrewes declareth the doctrine of the beginning of christ taught and contained in the catachisme , the building of the wall the laying of the roof is the perfection of doctrine and encrease of godlines , till it be built in all respectts perfect , even such aone pleaseth god himselfe to pourtray out in scripture . therefore touching the generall building , i then spake , which must be done by them that are in principall place the queenes highnesse and the states in parliament , and declared how it was to be done for the increase of true godlinesse by preaching of whol ▪ some doctrine and establishing godly discipline through all churches in the realme according to the prescription of the lord revealed in his word : a thing though hardly hoped for in these dayes , in which so small care is had in universities to make sufficient persons to furnish the ministery , and of patrons abroad to call them that are sufficient , finally so small will in the people to submit themselves to the yoake of christ : yet it is to be prayed for of gods people according to the example of daniel who when the temple of god lay waste more then ours , did make earnest prayer to god to cause his face toshine on his sanctuary that did lye waste , for the lords sake : but leaving this to them that have amongst us the place of zerubbabel and ioshua and of whom we are to hope in due time they will have a care that the church of god in all places be perfectly built up in the wisdome and spirit of joshua : let us remember the next branch , namely that this commandment reacheth also to all the rest of the people : for that this charge concerneth also all us likewise , saint jude the apostle and brother of iames expresly teacheth , when he saith , but ye beloved edefie your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy ghost and keeping your selves in the love of god , looking for the mercy of the lord jesus christ unto eternall life and have compassion of some , in putting difference : and others save some with feare pulling them out of the fi●e , and hate even the garment spotted with the flesh . for whom are they that jude giveth this charge ? even they who are called and sanctified of god the father and saved by iesus christ even as the title of the epistle sheweth , in which respect it is also called generall as written to all faithfull christians ; now the foundation that we are to build upon , is , as the apostle here saith , the most holy faith , for that iude signifieth when he saith edefie , or build up your selves on your most holy faith : the walls and roofe of the house are the exercise of the workes of faith , namely the love of god and man breeking out into fruits of righteousnesse , so that we hate even the garment spotted by flesh . in which speech there is an allusion to the law of moses , wherein the clothes and garments that had touched any unclean things were likewise accounted uncleane , as if he would thereby teach them that they were to grow on continually from faith to faith in practise of godlinesse with such a fervent zeale that they detest all contagion of sin , and shew themselves perfect ( according as the weakenes of men will suffer ) as their heavenly father is perfect : but alas may i make this exhortation to all that are assembled in this place ? i may make it to all , but would to god there were not in some even a want of the foundation . for what is the foundation ? it is as iude saith , a most holy faith . now s. paul to the thessalontans writeth that all have not faith : doubtlesse these words were true , not onely in his dayes but in ours , wherein , sure , all men have not faith , and though all had faith , yet have they not this faith which jude nameth a most holy faith ; for many have faith which yet have not a most holy faith , which is the essentiall difference , whereby the faith of hypocrites and wicked men is distinguished from the faith of gods true servants . for there is a beliefe which is without holinesse whereof saint james speaketh when he saith , the devils beleeve and tremble . but as for you ( my brethren ) who by the testimony of your consciences , know that iude speaketh to you who are called and sanctified , remember you that this exhortation is in speciall sort made to you , namely , that you build up your selves upon your most holy faith , keeping your selves in the love of god and man &c : the exhortation is made to all , god grant that all may imbrace it , but it shall be imbraced of all to whom s. iude writeth let us all then that make a profession of this faith , joyne vertue with your faith , with vertue knowledg , with knowledg temperance , with temperance patience , with patience godlines , with godlines brotherly kindnes , and with brotherly kindnes love . in which words as it were saint peter doth interpret the other ; making faith the foundation as it were of all other vertues , willing the rest to be built upon it , not as though these were distinct but mentioning so oft the same by divers names , as if he would shew he could not satisfie himselfe with any words , when he was earnest to exhort such as called upon the name of the lord to depart from iniquity , and to lay the walls of a holy and godly conversation upon the foundation of an holy and sound faith the apostle paul likewise to titus delivereth the same thing though in fewer words the grace of god ( saith he ) that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared and teacheth us that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly , righteously and godly in this present evil world ; which words would god they were so well marked of us , as they are continually rehearsed in our assemblies , soberly , righteously , godly , containing the substance of all religion ; soberly in respect of our owne vessels , righteously in respect of other men , godly in respect of god himselfe . in the duties touching the which three , the whole law and the prophets consist , neither must we only take care to build up our selves in this sort but others also . for so saint iude also commandeth and have compassion of some and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire . though if saint iude taught it not yet we may learne it out of saint paul when he willeth us to exhort one another , for every one of us is the temple of gods holy spirit and every one of us is exhorted to build up this temple according to the grace which is given him . not all indeed as the ministers who are specially given for the gathering of the saints together for the worke of the ministery and for edification of the body of christ , but in some sort by example , and word , at due times and seasons according to the measure of grace given to them , and this do the godly in the prophecy of esau , where they are brought in , one exhorting , encouraging , and calling upon another come let us go up to the house of the lord , and he will teach us his wayes , and we will walke in his paths , and david rejoyced when he heard them say come let us go up to the house of the lord , our feet shall stand in thy gates o jerusalem ; but with us there is so little care had hereof , that men take scorne to be advertised of their duty especially by their inferiours , yea that they who should advertise others and be advertised themselves too , are most carelesse of all men , and some there are so wretchlesse and carelesse in this respect of going up and bringing timber , and building the house of the lord that they no whit regard it , as though it no whit appertained to them to build others , but let us learne that it was the voice of cain , am i my brothers keeper ; reuben though none of the best sonnes of jacob yet when he saw that ioseph was not in the pit , he rent his clothes and returning to his brethren said , the childe is not yonder , and i alas whither shall i goe . this then is the first point that we are to mark , that they who are willed to go up and build are not zerubbabel and ioshua onely , but all the remnant of the people , and all faithfull christians are bound to build up themselves and others for both we are the body of christ & others also : both which are noted by the name of the temple both in the cor. . . and cor. . . in the former place he speaking to every one saith , that their bodyes are the temples of the holy ghost , and in the latter he speaking to the congregation , saith they are the temple of god. the second point to be noted is that we are not onely commanded to build but that with industry also and paines , for the prophet saith go up to the mountaine , bring wood and timber and build this house , wherin by proposing the particularities of the paines , difficulty and labours , he telleth them that though indeed it be painefull and hard , yet it is the duty which god requireth of them : to goe up a hill is not very pleasant , but to go up having carriage & burthen must needs be troublesome now the prophet telleth them that they were not onely to go up a hill , but to carry up timber thither also : and it seemeth the prophet would mention the hardest thing , for what was it to bring timber ? in the third of ezra . . it is declared how they gave mony to the carpenters and fellers of wood , and meat and drinke and oyle unto them of tyrus and sidon to bring them caedar-wood from libanon to the sea to ioppa : so that if we consider the difficulties , first in felling of the trees at libanon then of bringing them to the sea to ioppa , then the carriage of them to jerusalem and the bringing of them up to the mountaine , we shall finde that it was a matter of no smal weight , nor importance , and yet all this was but little in comparison of that which they are lastly commanded , namely to build the house , especially considering that salomon having so many workmen , & all things ready prepared for the building was yet as we read some seven yeares in building it , when therefore he saith , go up bring timber and build the house , he teacheth us that if we meane to build this temple of the lord , we must not do as they who take their ease and stretch themselves on their beds , and drink wine in bowles , killing oxen and sheep , and eating the fattest of the heard , anoynting themselves with oyle and singing of songs to the instruments of musick ; but we are to take paines to fetch timber and to build ; he that will not do this is no workeman for the house of the lord : a hard speach for us ( my brethren ) who are like them that are troubled with the greene sicknesse that we cannot well travell on plaine ground , much lesse climbe up mountains with burthens on our backs : or like the roman gentleman , who when others were busied in military exercises , laid him downe and tumbled in the grasse saying , v●inam hoc esset laborare , o would that this were to take paines : imagining so many difficulties , and adversaries to come against us if we should set our selves about it , as though we were the persons described by salomon , the slothfull man saith a lyon is in the way , a lyon in the streets , as the door turneth upon his hinges , so doth the sluggard on his bed ; the slothfull man hideth his hand in his bosome and it grieveth him to put it againe to his mouth . the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seven men that can render a reason . but these are slothfull men ; saint paul is of another mind , of another spirit who fought with beasts at ephesus , and was not afraid to meet a lyon in the streets of rome , from whose mouth he also saith that the lord delivered him , yea who was contented that he might do this worke , to suffer imprisonment , stripes , hunger , nakednesse , even death as it were often , as he sheweth in the to the corinthians . furnished indeed with a greater measure of grace then all or any of us are to looke for ; but according to the measure which we have received wee must all learne to take paines in our calling and state , to build this house . it is a generall rule of the apostle , that he who will not labour let him not eat , there are indeed divers and sundry vocations amongst men , but they are all ordained by god to furnish us that we may be better able to travell in this worke : so that there are none exempt from labour , no not gentlemen , and princes for it is not enough for one of them to say , i will not , i need not labour , i can live on my lands ; for so could adam have said in paradice more truly , when god set him in it to manure and till it , that we might learne that not adam himselfe ( though all things yeelded their increase to him without his labour ) yet that he was not by god created to be idle . now if that adam were not then to be idle when he had need neither to labour for maintenance of himselfe nor yet was fit to fall into wickednesse through idlenesse : how much more necessary is it for us to learne that we bestow our selves in some profitable and lawfull labour , on whom this burthen through the sinne of adam is laid that we should eat our bread in the sweate of our browes ? and experience sufficiently teacheth us there is nothing sooner casteth men headlong into the sinke of all ungodlinesse then the foregoing the honest paines and labours ; which yet i speake not as though all were to take bodily labour : for there is also a labour of the minde , which spendeth the body happily more , then the other , neither as if i thought it not lawfull to use recreation for the comfort and strengthening of the body and minde , for he that willed timothy to drinke a little wine for his stomacks sake , by proportion granteth us to use a little recreation also if our bodyes stand in need of it ; but this is granted and must be used in such sort that it may tend to make us more able , each one , in some vocation lawfull , to build this house unto the lord. so then must the minister give attendance to teaching , reading and exhorting . i need not speake of all singular vocations , seing we have a generall rule that every one continue in the vocation whereunto he is called of god , to serve him with paines and industry carefully and diligently . for we are commanded not only to build , but in such sort as we use all diligence , as also saint peter hath expressed it , considering what our saviour hath told us namely , that the way is narrow and the gate strait whereby men passe to life , and therefore that it is necessary that we labour and strive to enter therein and that the kingdome of heaven suffereth violence , and that the violent take it by force ; and if it be required in all vocations that we should be painefull what is required then of the minister of whom in especiall it is exacted that he should build this house , and then ( alasse ) what shall we say of them who not onely go not up to the mountaine , but being in the mountaine stay not there , but come downe into the valley ? or if they stay in the mountaine yet preach nor there , no caring to bring up timber and to build ; nay i would there were not many of them that behave themselves so wickedly in their conversation that they may be rightly joyned with them of whom it is written in the ps●●mes , that they breake downe all the carved worke of gods house with axes and hammers : but leaving them to their just judgement seeing exhortations pierce not their hearts , having been so often called upon : let us ( my brethren ) remember that this building requireth one point further , even for the generall commandement ; namely , that this labour and diligence be continuall even till the worke be fully ended , and ended it is not so long as we live here , which the prophet seemeth to insinuate in that he maketh mention of timber onely and not of stone : at least when he maketh mention of timber , which we know was to be brought from libanon to accomplish the worke and to serve to make the roofe ; whereby they are taught that they should not leave till they had brought it to a perfect and absolute worke ; and so let us thinke that we are to build vp the temple of god not in part but in whole ; understanding that he is accounted but a foolish builder that beginneth to build , and is not able to make an end , and he is unworthy of the kingdome of god who laying his hand to the plowe looketh back behinde him . let demas therefore alone who having been companion with paul left him and followed the present world , but for us who i hope be carefull as we have begun to goe forward , let us not like doggs returne to our vomit but let us set before us the exhortation here made and remember the words of the apostle , if any man withdraw himselfe my soule shall have no pleasure in him , but we are not they that withdraw themselves unto perdition , but follow faith unto the conservation of the soule . it is to destruction if we withdraw our selves , let us then go forward knowing that the price is promised to none but to him that overcometh , and him saith christ i will make a pillar in the house of god as it is in the chap of the revel . and in the chapter and ver . . the coward is commanded to be cast out , but he that overcometh and continueth unto the end he shall be made a pillar in the house of god and shall not be cast out : let us not therefore be weary of well doing fot we shall reape in due time if we faint not , let the words the apostle useth be our encouragement against the manifold impediments and lets set by the wicked to hinder us as here were by adversaries of iudah and benjamin to stop the building of the temple . for all this those that faint not neither by reason of persons or thing that stand up against them shal be sure to reape in due season , and these are the speciall reasons and things therein to be observed , but beside there are two or three points to be noted in the severall words of the exhortation . this house was to be but upon a mountaine , go up to the mountaine , and our saviour in the of mathew saith of his church that it is as a city set on a hill , wherefore if it were but only for this reason that the house we are to build standeth on a hill and therefore many eyes are cast upon us , because we may be seene afarre off : as david prayed the lord to guide him because of them that eyed him , so we because of the wicked and ungodly that looke upon us ought to be more carefull to looke unto it that we build carefully because the house standeth on a mountaine , let us thesefore remember that those words of our saviour are spoken to all , a city set on a hill cannot be hid , neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candle-stick : you are the salt of the earth , but if the salt have lost its saltnesse wherewith shall it be seasoned ? the papists on this similitude teach very largely that the church of god is visible and ought to be so : as though we denyed it , but the grosse errours which they deliver in urging this place are all of them plainely refuted by saint mathew in the very text . for first they imagine that if the church be visible it may be seen to every place , as though a city built on the alpes because it is a mountaine , must needs therefore be seene to rome , or a city on the pirenian mountaine of necessity must be seene to toledo . nay to come neere to the particular thing we have in hand , bethania is but two miles from ierusalem , and yet they who have travelled in those countreyes say that a man cannot see jerusalem from that place , albeit that jerusalem were a city built upon a mountaine , yea upon many mountaines as the prophet saith of it , her foundations are among the holy mountaines , but yet cannot men see it as i said from bethania by reason of mount olivet that lyeth betwixt jerusalem and it : or that i may open it to you by a more familiar example , although a man should go to shotover , yet should he not see harrow on the hill , ( the very name whereof notwithstanding declares that it standeth on a hill ) nay it may be that all who have travelled from hence to london have not seen it . perhaps they were blinde , perhaps they cast not their eyes that way , perhaps though they did , yet were there such mists that by reason of them they could not see it , which indeed our saviour , in the similitude adjoyned , expresly teacheth , you are saith hee the light of the world , neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushell , but on a candlesticke , and it gives light unto all to all that are in the house : the candle gives light indeed , yet not to all , but to all in the house , but not to them that are without the house , the walls of the house keepe it from others , againe they imagine that because it is a city set on a hill , that therefore it must alwayes continue in the same case , and not sometimes decay , and sometimes have nothing remaining of it but only the foundation . old salisbury was a city built upon a hill howbeit now there is not much to be seen of it . rome it selfe was built on seven hills , yet on the chiefest of them aventinus , collatinus , capotolinus , on which it was first founded there is no building now to be found as they write that know it , unles it be three or four harlotrey houses or happily some monastery or a few gardens . a city therefore on a hill may sometime be decayed and this our saviour signifieth in another similitude , you are the salt of the earth , but if the salt have lost his saltnesse , salt may lose his saltnesse then , and so a church seated upon a hill may have that happen unto it , which is correspondent to that in salt to lose his savour . finally they imagine that all houses built upon a hill must be of one sort , nor of one sort onely , but of like condition and state , whereas it may be that some are fallen some standing , some hidden , some of divers kinds . and this our saviour also putteth us in mind of : for did they to whom our saviour speaketh , make all one church or city severed from the jewes that were then of jerusalem ? no ; for the papists say that after christs ascension , they first began to make a severall church from the jewes ; therefore then they should have confidered that there were some of the church who were members of it , disagreing from them to whom christ spake : as were in jerusalem they which frequented the publique and ordinary service of god , resorted to the temple and heard the law , who yet in opinion and judgement dissented from christ and those that beleived in him . now in comparison of that multitude , the disciples of christ were but few in that city : and even so in the midst of popery there have beene some saints of god scattered among the wicked , as were the apostles among the unbeleeving jewes in jerusalem to whom this appertained ; you are the light of the world : and were they hidden ? no sure , they were not hidden for the papists found them out , and some of them alive paid for it whom they burned that their light might shine and be seene , and some they digged out of their graves when they had layen long dead , and that in them it was easily seen that they were as a city set on a hill that could not be hidde ; and so we may see it hath gone with the saints of god even here in england since religion was first planted in it , and with the church which at one time hath been in better case then at another , even as it happeneth to cities amongst us which are not at all times so well built & maintained , and churches also who at all times are not so well repaired , but to returne to our purpose seeing wee are built on a mountaine and therefore are sure to have so many eyes looking upon us , let us be more wary to looke to our selves , and seeing wee are to live in the midst of a froward and crooked generation let us have care to shine forth like lights in the world as the apostle exhorteth the philippians , and hold out the light as those that were persecuted in the time of the arrians who yet were light and salt who were to give light to them in the house and season them that received their words . another thing to be observed is the timber whereof this house was built , which they were commanded to bring , which was caedar , whereby we are to remember that there , is commended to us that stuffe for the building o● the church , which is durable and in all respects most fitt for it . for they that write of the nature of the caedar-tree , some of them say that it is odoriferous , but all agree that it will not putrify ; insomuch that pliny seemeth to attribute eternity to it , for that it will continue so long as any wood : but it is most true in the word of god , which as saint peter sayeth lasteth for ever . therefore the stuffe wherewith we are to build must be proportionable hereunto even to caedar . so the apostle exhorteth the ephesians . let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouthes but that which is good to edefie withall , &c. where he useth the same similitude of building and so proportionably , our talke , wherewith we should edefie and build up others should be sound and durable , not rotten at the word properly signifieth , which the apostle useth contrary to the nature and quality of the caedar , which is the timber that this house was to be built with , let no rotten speech proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to edefie and build withall , there are divers other things besides caedars necessary to this building but by the name of this one of timber all other whatsoever likewise necessary are understood , and so must we likewise understand in our building : and here , by occasion , i am to commend one thing to you , for seing they were to bring timber , it was necessary that it should be first cut downe , whereunto are necessary instruments , as also workemen . now to us for instruments and tooles are indeed our lawes and statutes whereby our worke is to be framed and directed . when the children of the prophets came to elizeus and craved leave of him that , because the place where they dwelt was too little for them , they might go to jordan , that every one might take thence a beame and make them more roome , and he granting them leave , and going himselfe with them : as they were about their worke a● one was a felling a tree , the axe head fell into the water , whereupon he cryed out unto elizeus and said , alas master it was but borrowed , the man of god therfore considering not only that the instrument was borrowed but also how necessary it was for their purpose , cutting downe a piece of wood and casting it into the water caused the iron to swimme ; we have my brethren amongst us our lawes as it were instruments wherewith to fell our timber : a great part of them is fallen into the water indeed they be in the proctors booke but there they be as if they were fallen into the water . the children of the prophets have complained unto elizeus alas master they were but borroed , and great need have they to know them , for that they are bound in conscience by oath to keep them . to which purpose some have taken paines to restore them ; notwithstanding it hath yet pleased god to move them that should see it accomplished , howbeit we may hope to see it when it shall please god to place in that room a man that hath elizeus spirit : sure , there is great use of them for the cutting and framing of the caedars wherewith to build , especially if those which be knowne already were kept , which i must needs also adde , because that of those which are knowne many have their edges rebated by dispensations . a lamentable thing that we keepe yet so much that which was received from the sinke of rome , which i speake not as though our dispensations were so detestable as his who taketh upon him to dispense against the commandment of the apostle however it please him , to distinguish of the precepts of the apostle which he commandeth not god ; but in a place and matter where lawes and orders are taken to the contrary , it is no way tollerable . pluto and aristotle the princes of the phylosophers have affirmed , that it is most pernicious in a common-wealth to breake the lawes which are once appointed , which we learne even out of them , if we reade them to make our profit of them , and not only to talke of them : which neither yet do i speake as though i would have nothing dispensable , but that when it is so ordered that there shall not in such cases be any dispensations absolulutely , yet that we should continually come against this decree . for what can be more absurd than that men of judgement and discretion should make no more account to breake gods lawes than children would do to break sticks ; but if statutes were only broken by dispensations the matter were more tollerable , for then should we also have our parts in it , but statutes have been broken without dispensations , wherof the experience is fresh in your memory , the last week as you know , or if you know it not , i tell what i meane , even the playes kept against the expresse statute , by the tollerance and connivance of the magistrate , the statute hath been broken . some there are who be perswaded that thence may be gathered good timber for this building . happily indeed some bushes and brambles , or muske-roses ; and that is the best , and i would to god it were the worst . for many there are who are brought through such corruptions to lewd perswasions , but doubtles they make evil work for the church of god , they that heard them may say more , but this one of their owne prophets hath said of that place , ille locus casti damna pudoris habet . which was spoken of such places as that where these were kept , i need not adde as the apostle doth , this testimony is true therefore rebuke them sharpely , yet will i say to them that be heads of houses parents of families , tutors of schollers one of their own prophets have sayed , & the testimony is true , therfore rebuke them sharply god be blessed and pardon our sins for his sons sake . amen . sermon the . december . . ver. . go up to the mountain and bring timber and build this house and i will take delight in it , and i will be glorified in it saith the lord. this sentence of the prophet haggai , exhorting the jewes that were returned from babylon , that they should build the house of the lord , containeth as hath beene before declared when i last spake to you of it out of this place , the reason why he exhorteth he that exhorteth is the lord , he exhorteth them to build the house of the lord , to go up to the mountains to bring timber . . the reasons : i will take delight in it i wil be glorified , for the meaning of all which we understand then that it was the lord that by the ministery of the prophet , made this exhortation : for the thing where unto they are exhorted , that it was the building of the temple on the mountain moriah whereon it stood before . what the reasons were , why he ought to do this . because he would take delight in it . because he would beglorified , of the former two points namely the lord who exhorteth , and the thing whereunto , i spake then as grace was ministred & time served : there now remaineth the last circumstance at this time to be handled which containeth the reasons why they should goe up to the mountaine and builde . and for the meaning of the reasons . i opened that at that present , touching the former that god will not delight it it , for it selfe as in the timber and stones &c. but because of the signification and use thereof in that it betoken●th jesus our saviour , as is plainely declared in the epistle to the heb. neither him onely as the head of the church , but his body also together with him , both the catholike church , which is partly on earth , and partly received into glory . the church militant , & the church triumphant , and visible churches not onely as bodies considered wholy , but also each member of the same in particular , as by the places then alledged ephes . . cor . was made manifest . now concerning the use of the temple , we know it was called the house of prayer in regard of the holy exercises and rites prescribed by god which were therein performed , which ceasing to be used in such sort as were by gods commandment appointed , it was , according to the threatnings of the prophets ( as before ) destroyed by the babylonians , so ( after it was renewed ) was it made desolate by antiochus and in the end of all ( as our saviour foretold ) quite overthrowne by the romans , wherefore it was the regard of the mystery thereby figured , for the vaile as it is shewed by the evangilist signified christ the holy of holyest , &c. and the exercises by god prescribed , for which he saith that he would delight therein . from the delight which he promiseth to take in it , to stirre them up yet the rather , he proceedeth and addeth the latter reason , he will also be glorified ; whereby is meant that he will also poure his blessings upon them in such sort that they should have occasion hereby to praise and magnifie his mercy . for that this is the meaning of the prophet , it is manifest by the antithesis which is here used , for setting downe how for their negligence they had been afflicted , eating and not being satisfied , putting on cl●thes and not being warmed , &c. so contrariwise he promiseth , that doing his commandment these evills should be removed and good things bestowed on them , whereby they should have cause to glorifie his holy name for his mercy . in these reasons proposed to them to move them to the building of the temple , let us first consider how the truth was first performed to the jewes , the lord promiseth his favour and likeing of them , and his blessings proceeding from his favour ; how this was to be performed the prophet expoundeth in the chapter in the words of the lord himselfe v. . . , , . where willing them to consider how they had been afflicted , he bids them to reckon from that day , signifying that from that day forth he would blesse them . neither promiseth he onely temporall blessings and corporall , for which they should glorifie and praise his name , but eternall and spirituall also : which is likewise sheweth in the chapter in the words of the lord , ver . , , , . yet once againe saith the lord and i will shake all nations , and the desire of all nations shall come and i will fill this house with glory , silver is mine , and gold is mine , the glory of this house shall be greater than the former , i will give peace in it . in which promise the lord of hosts so often repeated he noteth the greatnesse and power of him that maketh this promise , & this peace & glory signifieth not worldly prosperity , or earthly peace , in which respect this temple exceeded not that of sol●mons , but hereby is signified another peace , even a peace of peaces , the peace of god which passeth all understanding : which the apostle wisheth the faithfull , grace and peace , peace betwixt god and us in the covenant of grace , of which i say he saith unto us a sonne is given , the prince of peace , ephes . he is our peace he came and preached the gospel of peace , a covenant betwixt god and man. that this is the meaning is most evident by heb. . . akingdome that cannot be moved , and luke . . , . peace on earth . in this second temple the prince of peace was to sitt , here the jewes have on their heartes the vaile : aske them how this was performed , seeing the temple was destroyed , how the glory of the latter temple was greater than the former , some of them will say in regard of the building , for that albeit it were at the first lesser than solomons , yet was it after amplyfied by herod : others in respect of the continuance , for that as they account , this stood ten yeares longer than the former , which is laid down by the author of their ordinary glosse , but the promise of glory is made to this temple which in the of ezra was nothing in comparison of the former : so that although it be true , that afterwards it was inlarged by herod , as josephus sheweth , yet the promise is of glory , not greatnesse onely which stretcheth further . saul had a greater body yet was he moved with anger thinking that a greater glory was given to 〈◊〉 in the womens song : and when the lord saith silver is mi●● he could ( if he had pleased ) have made it in that respect more glorious than solomons yet ( as the rabbins confesse themselves ) in respect of the gold the latter was nothing to the former , which as the scripture sheweth was all covered with gold , walles , beames , floores , posts , and that with the fine gold of opher read josephus , lib. car . . and lib. . ult . for the comparison of the two temples : in respect then of the glory by greatnesse and beauty joyned together especially of the riches of gold and silver &c. the latter was nothing . as for the continuance that is nothing , for what if it stood ten years longer could it therfore be more glorious , amongst all the kings of judah solomon excelled in glory , yet reigned but forth yeares , manasses . did he therefore excell him , for it be said that he was in thraldome part of that time , so may it be said of the dishonoring of this temple by pompey and cassiu● , but vriah reigned yeares as much longer then solomon as this temple stood longer than the former ; wherfore if it be repugnant to scripture to say ste excelleth therefore in glory solomon , so it is for this cause to say that this temple did excell the former . nay they are convinced of madnesse by the same rabine , for on the same word , because the hebrew word wanteth the letter ( ▪ ) which in number standeth with them for th he saith it is a note a mystery for that this latter temple wanted things which the former had , vrim and thummin : the arke of the covenant , fire from heaven , the signe of gods glory . presence of the holy ghost , and this i● proved , alledging a place of talmud , which is among the the jewes as the decretall among the papists , the author thereof would no more erre than can the pope , a talmudicall fancie : for although ( ▪ ) were wanting ( as it is not in those copies which are received without points , ) but if it were by their fault that copied out the booke what reason that there should want things because ( ▪ ) signifieth in numbring , which is nothing but a sottish , and cabalistine toy , for even this temple wanted more than these five things , as they also confesse even in the same booke , for there was not the cup of manna and therefore not onely but , or more were were wanting . but to take that which they grant , seing these five things were not in the latter temple which were in the former unlesse the thinges of latter which were not in the former may match and excell these , it cannot be said that so the glory of the latter should excell the glory of the former . it may be that zacheus in some one coyne or other had some more money then herod , as happily a meane gold-smith in london may have in crasadoes or florrens or duckets more than the prince , yet if herods treasure farre passe the wealth of zacheus , and the princes the substance of the gold-smith , were not he absurd that would say the gold-smith were richer than the prince ? in like sort sith the glory of the latter temple was to excell the glory of the former and howsoever in continuance , and bignes it passed the latter , if in other points of greater glory it were behinde it , how shall one truly say that this was performed , wherefore if those things which they confesse be wanting in the latter , nay if some one of them be more glorious than the continuance wherein they make this excellency , the glory thereof must be placed in some other thing than they fancy . now how excellent was the vrim and thummin whereof deut. , the mercy seat , arke , fire from heaven , glory of god visible in the cloud that filled the temple , presence of the holy ghost , succession of prophets . whereof seeing some one , how much more all ? farre exceed the ten yeares continuance , it followeth that in this respect the glory of the latter house could not be greater ; therefore since god promised that it should be greater , and that cannot be but in respect that in this christ taking flesh should personally teach during the same , make attonement betweene god and man , working our redemption ; which one thing , farre excelleth all that were in the former temple , he being the truth , and they but shadowes . it is most manifest that the jewes were possessed with a spirit of giddinesse as was threatned them , their ears dulled , their eyes darkened against the evident light of gods truth . but for us we are assured that this peace was performed in our saviour , as all circumstances noted by the prophets agreeing to him , of the time , by daniel mentioned , the place , by michael , his name ; his progeny , his mother , so that in respect of us to whom god hath made this known , we may use those words for i tell you that many prophets and kings and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seene them , and to heare those things which you heare , and have not heard them ; to whom is this performed , this promise of peace as the angell said to the shepheards ; for behold i bring you glad tidings of great joy which shal be to all people , for unto you is borne this day in the city of david a saviour which is christ the lord. and this is the first point by reason of the celebration of the lords nativity in accomplishing the promise of god by giving peace above all blessings , sending christ a saviour to take flesh upon him . the next point in these words is , that god taketh delight , and will poure a blessing upon it , on the temple onely in respect of christ figured , and holy exercises commanded , by him therein practised how the temple figured christ and the exercises there , the duties of christians in perticular set down , else we are not to stand on them . but note the blockishnesse , first of the jewes , then of the papists , for they in their talmud thought that god tooke delight in the temple , that now for sorrow he hath destroyed it , he spendeth many houres in bewayling the same , the papists though the temple be overthrowne , yet thinke that that god tooke such delight in the place where it stood , that they goe on pilgrimages , as though yet that prayer of solomons were in force for them that pray more in that place then the other , blinde men that consider not rudiments of the law , while the jewes as children were therby to be schooled to christ our saviour to the samaritane so expounded it , woman beleeve me , the hour cometh wherin ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet in jerusalem worship the father . but the houre cometh , and now is when the true worshippers of the father shall worship him in spirit and in truth : meaning the time had been when the place of true worship appointed was jerusalem , but the truth being come , all places are now sanctified as jerusalem , according to that tim. . . i will therefore that men pray very where , lifting up pure hands without wrath & doubting . the remish jesuites upon matthew . ver . . say the mountaine is called holy by saint peter pet. ver . . as that place by moses exod. . . was called holy ground , whereby it is evident say they that by such a precious place they are sanctified , and thereupon groweth a religion and devotion in the faithfull towards such places , and that there was great pilgrimage in the primitive church to this mountain , and unto all those places which our saviour had sanctified with his presence and with his miracles , and therefore to the whole land of promise , also upon iohn . . the gentiles say they came to adore , the gentiles came of devotion pilgrimage to the temple of jerusalem , and acts . note that the ethiopian came to jerusalem to adore , that is on pilgrimage . out of all these places they would prove that yet we should goe to jerusalem , by vertue of which conclusion they may also prove that we should also offer bulls and calves , which were prescribed by the law as was this coming to jerusalē for as they were bound to come up to appear before the lord , so were they also commanded not to come empty : if bound to jerusalem , because of a speciall promise made to that place , why not to all the ordinances prescribed by moses ? besides pauls resort to jerusalem at the feast was for the opportunity of preaching to them then assembled as on the saboth acts . . and so they may conclude that we are to keepe the jewes sabboth , which the jesuites will deny . therefore of the example of paul going up to jerusalem it can no more be proved that we ought to go thither , than that we should also yet offer , for that we reade he did so in the temple , acts . . and it maketh as much for his offring as the other for the going thither . the remists note on the of mathew is more forcible in shew but as weake in substance : that the mount was called holy , because it was sanctified by that apparition , we grant , but was it then so sanctified that holinesse must then needs cleave unto it for ever , and still abide therewith ? peter called it the holy hill , so likewise mathew . . calleth jerusalem the holy city , and the the holy place , namely as other things are called holy because consecrated to holy uses , so the city because of the holy assemblies to it , because of the church of god it signified and the temple , more especially because of the glory of god which appeared therein . but those holy actions when they were omitted , and the contrary practised , howsoever they were holy in respect of the things they prefigured : yet doubtlesse they were profane nd unholy insomuch that christ said even of the temple that it was made a den of theeves , and the faithfull city was become a harlot , and the pollutions thereof were such , and the profanations so many , that christ threatned , and it came to passe that not a stone therein should be left upon a stone , in the psalme the mountaines whereon jerusalem was founded were called holy : but were they accounted so any longer than were the holy exercises by god appointed therein practised ? in the . . of ezekiel their abominations are described and the punishments of the same in the and how the lord for the same left and forsooke them , yea how he departed from the temple first , and then quite from the city : whereby is taught us , that there is no place never so holy which god detesteth not , when his commandements therein are broken , and his majesty profained . the jesuites themselves will confesse , that churches although sanctifyed by the pope , yet that the holinesse of them ceaseth if murther be committed in them ; whereby they might see that such things might be committed in places otherwise holy , that the places may become so prophane , that god will not only not delight in them , but detest and abhorre them , as it was manifest by jerusalem : for else what meant our saviour by that threat against it ? o jerusalem jerusalem thou that stonest the prophets . see what greg. naz. sai●h in a sermon touching them that run about to such places a pilgrimages were made to such places say the jesuites not long after christs time , but yet they were reproved by that fathers judgement , because jerusalem is called the holy city , and is it not also called spiritually sodom and gomorah because of the wickednesse therein committed ? and what shall we say of rome sith that it is likewise called spiritually babylon in the revelation ? but such is the blindnesse of that man of sin that albeit it be the place where the saints of christ in the revelation are said to be slain as christ in jerusalem , yet commend they it as the place wherein above others god will delight most , as the jewes fancie of jerusalem : hereupon boniface the ordained that whosoever would come up to rome anno ( at which time he lived ) should have most full remission of all sinnes extranag . com . lib. . de peniten . et remission cap. . et cap. . in bulla clem. . the very circumstances of which places deriving their jubile from moses law , and building it on the merits of peter and paul and binding all the solemnity thereof to their church of rome do sufficiently shew the superstition of it . this same boniface ordained at the first , that every yeares they should injoy the same pardons : which after by another was abridged to and then to , for their yeare of jubilee . now we know the yeare of jubilee as joseph de antiquitat . liber . chap. . was ceremonious , that every fifty yeares liberty should be proclamed , to the bond freedome , to their servants lands restored . now this was a figure of christ as isai he sent to proclaime spirituall liberty to the captives the opening of the prison the acceptable year of the lord , which in the chapter and the and verses he had called the acceptable time and day of salvation , and the apostle . . cor. . . expoundeth it of the time whensoever the gospell is preached , behold now is the acceptable day , and the pope as though christ were not yet come or had not put an end to these things applyed this to his yeare of jubile . and bristow in his motives doth exhort all catholicks to prepare themselves against this most acceptable yeare of grace , jeroboams charge to his calves . but all this must be to rome ; whereby you may note the originall of all this superstition , which indeed is the coveteousnesse of the pope . for it is not jerusalem that he careth for , nor the temple of peter and paul , these are onely faire pretences , the holy place , the holy land , the temples of the apostle , the yeare of jubile , the year . but the thing to which all serveth was the commodity which thereby cometh to the popes coffer . for that law out of deuteronomy must be kept inviolable , that none appeare here empty : which mystery bewrayeth the knavery : for in the yeare , because the offerings came not to such abundance as was looked and hoped for , the pope sent abroade to such as had not been there his plenary pardons , offring to them that would buy for mony the same grace and favour which they should have been partakers of had they come that yeare , which he might well and truly promise , whereby it pleased god to awaken christians by the ministery of master luther to see the sinke of that iniquity which appeared manifestly in this abuse in ti●ulo de clericis peregrinantibus , so in effect for the place he hath brought it from jerusalem to rome , for the yeare of jubile , by mincing it in parts for his greater advantages . so the end of their pilgrimage is the popes commodity , saint peters church is the popes court , there offring to him purchaseth their pardons , but to whom doth this indulgence good ? to all that pay ; nay they will not say so but vere ▪ penitentibus they who truly repent shall have forgivenesse of all their sinnes most true indeed . therefore if christians know that , they would little trust to themselves for his pardon or the year of jubile ; for i can assure them out of the word of god , that whensoever they repent though they never see rome or jerusalem , yet shall they be forgiven and their sinnes done away , though the pope receive not a penny of them , yea even this day , and in this house , and in this place freely and without mony i assure all such , as unfaignedly repent and turne to god , assurance of the forgivenesse and remission of all their sins , though the popes pardon never come amongst us , nor we once thinke on this yeare of jubile . sermon . february . . haggai . ver . yee looked for much and it came to little . and when ye brought it home i did blow upon it , and why saith the lord of hosts ? because of mine house that lay waste , and yee ranne every man to his owne house . verse therefore against you the heavens stayed it selfe from dew and the earth stayed from fruit . ver. and i have called for drought upon the land , and upon the mountaines , and upon the corne and upon the wine , and upon the oyle and upon that which the earth bringeth forth both upon men and upon cattel , and upon all the labours of their hands . the prophet haggai having exhorted the jewes to go forward with the temple and sanctuary , and having moved them thereunto by laying before them the gracious promises of god , that he would be favourable and take delight therein , doth further stirre them up with these words by calling to their remembrance that great want and scarcety wherewith god did not chastise them , who therefore did not prosper the labours of their hands nor give successe to their endeavours , for that every one ran to the building of his own house , and the trimmingup thereof , they laboured not to advance the house of the lord , for as the lord had threatned in his law , that if they would not hearken to his voice to do his will they should be cursed in the towne , and in the field , and in the fruit of their body , and the fruit of the earth , that the heavens over them should be brasse , and the earth under them iron . so did they feele by experience that those threats were performed to them from heaven and earth in themselves , and in theirs and in the field and in the towne , because that they were commanded by the lord to build this house they tooke all opportunity to do it , and to perswade them hereunto to leave their slackenesse and bestirre themselves hereabout , he sheweth how god had withdrawen his blessings from those creatures that should have done them good , and had stretched out his hand against them . haggai therefore doth advertise them shewing that they were chastised in the towne and in the field , forasmuch as they tooke great paines and got little , and that which they got and brought home , he did as with a whirlwinde disperse and scatter , and why ? because they left the house of the lord waste and every man ran to his own house , therefore against you the heavens , &c. wherin , to affect them with a more lively feeling of their misery laid upon them , because they suffered the lords house to lie waste , the prophet doth more particularly specefie the meanes used by god to worke these wants . the things they wanted were the blessings of this life , the hurt themselves and theirs felt , whereby he noteth their sin , and the correspondency of their chastisements which they felt , which appeareth by the word wherein their fault was noted , compared with their punishment , as it is laid downe more evidently in the originall , for the word which is rendred ( waste ) verse doth first signifie dry , and by consequence waste , because places which are dry and want moisture are likewise waste and desolate , now verse it is said he had called for a drought : the word cometh from the same stemme in the hebrew that the other doth , and in the sense of wastenesse doth expresse more plainly the agreement of the punishment with the manner of their sinne , as though he should say , because you have suffered my house and sanctuary to lye waste , therefore have i also by calling for a drought brought also a waste upon you , you have beene most carefull to provide for your selves and yours whatsoever was needfull , and might by you any wayes be purchased . but behold i have wasted and consumed that , i have called for a drought . so the lord hereby doth declare the performance of that which he threatned , that he would deale overthwartly with them that overthwarted him , and that to the froward he would become froward : howbeit let not any that have offended flatter themselves as these men , because they feel not such chastisement as these did , because they are not plunged , nay because they live at such ease and contentation of heart , that as the prophet speaketh their eyes start out of their heads , although they be nothing carefull to build gods house , nay be carefull to build their owne , nay runne to it , and that to build them with bloud , for albeit they felt not the experience of this punishment in temporall blessings , yet let them remember the words of the prophet , when i went into the sanctuary of god then understood i the end of these men , surely thou settest them in the slipery places , and castest them into utter desolation , slipery places , utter desolation , as it is taught in the history of job , the rejoycing of the wicked is but short , though his excellency mount upon the heavens and his head reach to the clouds , yet shall he perish for ever like the dunge and they that have seene him , shall say where is he ? but the children of god are dealt withal as children , although he chasten them , as what son is there that he chasteneth not , yet will he not withdraw his mercy from them , neither here nor hereafter , so that everlasting mercy it surely acertained : for , what is said of solomon , if he sinne i will chasten him with the rod of men , but my mercy shall not depart from him , the same is performed to other the children of david , even to all the faithfull and eiect . and the example of the corinthians may teach us the end of gods chastisements on his servants , the apostle sheweth for their unreverent receaving of the sacrament , some were sicke and some fallen asleepe , that is taken away , and thereupon shewing that this appertaineth to all , he saith , when we are judged we are chastened of the lord , because we should not be condemned of the world . howbeit if any of the servants of the lord who have neglected their dutie , have not felt his hand , let them not be high-minded , but feare and be humbled , as , who knoweth not what the late evening-tide may bring forth ; remember that , which is written to put them in remembrance , the judgment of god is just against the ungodly that do such things : and what thinkest thou o man● that judgest them that do such things , & dost the same , that thou shalt escape the just judgement of god : or ●espisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and pa●ience , and longsufferance ? for it is most plaine that they shall not enter into the holy tabernacle hereafter , who persist not to build christs tabernacle here , as the and psalmes plainely shew : wherefore as we tender our owne salvation , not only the favour of god and the benefitts of this life let us every one be carefull for the building of the church and temple of god , according as god hath committed a charge to every one for the edefying of the same , remembring that commandement of our saviour , first seek the kingdom of god , and then all these things shall be given you after , if first we will seeke the kingdome , then these at leasure , to be regarded afterwards , and not to follow the example of them whom the lord here reproveth , which runne to the building of their own house , and were so slow in the lords worke : we see david so to have beene carefull thereabouts , that his purpose was not to take benefit of one nights sleepe in his owne house which he had built , untill he had finished the house of god , which although he could not accomplish because of the warres wherewith he was troubled against the enemies of the lord , yet solomon his sonne followed the same course , and built first the lords house , and after he had finished that , his owne house , for which god accordingly blessed them , though neither of them wanted chastisements , because also some times they faulted therein , yet were great blessings bestowed on them both in this life , vouchsafed out of the everlasting favour and blessing of god as by the monuments of them both is manifest . by example of whom we are instructed to follow the commandement of god in building his house , in going at leastwise as farre as david in providing those things that were requi●●te , for perfecting thereof : which worke was referred to solomon , let us be moved with the example of gods mercies on them , to look for the like blessing , if we follow them in well doing , remembring that which is written by the prophet , how that afterward he had espoused them to himselfe in kindnesse and mercy , and had made a covenant with them by this , that he promiseth that he will heare the heavens , and the heavens shall heare the earth , and the earth shall heare israel , nay they may assure themselves not onely of these blessings , but of such as are inestimably to be preferred before them , whereof mention is made in the apocalips , though represented also by such things as manna , the tree of life , to conquerers , to them that goe forward in the building of the temple , and of the sanctuary . this exhortation pertaineth more specially indeed to the principall builders of it : but it doth also belong unto all the people of the land , not to the ministery or spirituality as they tearme it , but to all christians who must all be spirituall : if they will all be christians , they must as lively stones be built upon the foundation , they must offer up themselves a living holy and acceptable sacrifice , none is exempted from this labour , all must be kings to conquer their lusts and affections that rebell against gods commandements , all priests to offer up spirituall sacrifice , yea they are each one to go further , and not onely to build themselves but others also , every one one another , remembring that which the apostle exhorteth the thessalonians , exhort one another and edefie one another , therefore all must be builders all our speech must be to edefie , poudred with salt , our actions , rules of godlinesse , that we may be patternes for others to behold ; for our saviour spake to all his disciples , ye are the salt of the earth , and the light of the world , not onely the bishops and the deacons as philippi , but also the rest of them were as lights shining forth holding forth for others : salt serveth for many use● to season other things , light to light others also ; therefore all are to edefie not themselves but others also . this exhortation made to all we ought to call to remembrance , that so we are for this cause termed salt , light , a princely priesthood , a chosen nation whom god hath sanctified to shew forth the vertue of him that hath called them , and the care which they are to have one of another . it was cains voice , am i the keeper of my brother ? but we are rather to propose unto ourselves the example of moses , when he was not yet called to be delivered of his brethrenbut prepared thereunto , he laboured to reconcile his brethren that were at discord , yet this exhortation concerneth principally zerubbabel and joshua , because they be the chiefest of the lords servants , and the graces of god are most eminent in them whose heart god hath so touched , that they pitty the dust & the stons , the ruines of jerusalem , who as trees of righteousnes moistned by gods spirit , sanctified by gods grace , that was poured upon christ jesus , are appointed to build the old waste places , to raise up the former desolations , and to repaire the cities that were desolate and waste through many desolations , which words of the prophet must teach us , who are called especially to the charge of building , to take delight in the stones thereof , to be carefull for the raising up of them , to repaire the desolate cities of judah and jerusalem , wherby i am moved to beseech you ( fathers ) who are inabled with gifts to performe this duty to the whole houshold , that you would not onely raise up others to do this holy worke , but that you with more care diligence would performe the same your selves : for though you are content to heare the young sort , and sometimes eliba may speak more wisely than his elders : the youth of timothy is not to be despised , yet many have more regard of the gray head , & aged paul is able to speake with great gravity , and therefore is wont to be heard with great reverence and profit . gideon when he had taken the k. of midian zeba and zalmanna , he spake to jether his first-born to rise up and slay them ; but the boy drew not his sword , because he feared , because he was yet young : then the kings said unto gideon , rise thou and fall upon us , for as the man is so is his strength : our carnall lusts and carnall concupiscence , whereby we are led to wickednesse , fight against the spirit of god , and they are the enemies of the lord , and therefore we are willed of the apostle to mortifie our members that are on earth , fornication , uncleannesse , the inordinate affection , coveteousnesse which is idolatry : the wicked affections are ( as the apostle saith ) limbes of one body growing so fast unto us by the depravation of our nature , as our armes or leggs do to our bodies , therefore these limbs of our body must be slaine , the sword wherewith we must doe it is the word of god , as the apostle teacheth , why these lusts are for the most part so slowly slaine ; there are many reasons partly because gideon spe●keth to his first borne to slay them , not boyes indeed as he was to whom gideon spake but of riper yeares , yet our sonnes though our first-borne and flower of our sonnes , yet but our sons zeba and zalmanna knew well enough , that jether though gideons first-borne , yet he could not make so quicke dispatch in killing of them , because they were to dye by his hand , they were to dye a lingring death : wherefore although your children are loth to say to you , that you your selves are rather to rise up and performe this duty , as nether jether did to his father gideon , give us leave as zeba and zalmunna to will you to rise up and runne upon your lusts and slay them , for as the man is so is his strength god forbid you should be justly to be taxed with that reproof which is laid upon the great men and the tekoils , of whom when the prophets had shewed the building of the walles of jerusalem , each sort fortified in their place , but the great with he of the tekoits put not their necks to the worke of the lord ; the phrase here used noteth the kinde of labour they should have taken , even to carry stones and morter , a base worke that great men should be labourers in , yet we see the holy ghost toucheth them with just reproofe of ingratitude , that they submitted not themselves thereunto considering that it was the worke of the lord to whom they did owe themselves , and all others the building of christs-church is a worke base and contemptible in the judgement of the world , though before god most excellent & precious . but it is base as we list to account it . if we cannot submit our selves to the bearing of these burthens , let us remember it is our lords worke , and let us fear the just reproch which the tekoits bear for the neglecting of it . in the french story we read that at a dangerous siege of rochel , for the fortifying a bulwarke against the enemies , each one so bestirred themselves that even the gentlewomen and ladyes carryed stones and rubbish for the raising thereof , which therefore was called the ladyes bulwarke , because the great women in the siege of rochel were content to submit themselves to bear rubbish , it was the worke of the lord by a consequent , and shall it not be a shame for men of how great calling soever they be , or count themselvsto be , not to submit themselvs to the work of the lord ▪ if they be such as have taken in hand to build many places , let them remember that they are bound to build in all places , even as the tekoits were of whom it is noted that they edefied in divers places which in that building might more be done , because that being many when they had perfected the work in one place , they might after go to another : but how many or any of us , may undertake to build in sundry places i see not , for if the building be such as requireth continuall labour therein , of laying of living stones continually requireth residence of the builders , that they should still be present on their charge , that as new stones as still brought so they may still be laid on stil more & more , to be won to god ; let them remember that this is the lords worke ; and if they be not able to build in many places , let them be content to resigne their charges , so that there may be a workeman able to furnish the places appointed thereunto . cursed be the man that doth the worke of the lord negligently , and cursed be the man that withholdeth his hand from bloud , saith the lord by his prophet : he speaketh of killing the enemies of the lord , god forbid that a curse should fall upon us , amongst those that have faulted therein , and that it may not fall the lord hold still up their hearts to performe that with all care which the spirit of god teacheth to be their duty namely to advance the glory of god , in building the temple and sanctuary of god. for the rest which are not such as the tekoits and yet are comprised in the number of them that are said to build the sanctuary and set to fight the lords battailes , let them remember that they were cursed that withheld their swords from bloud , although they have not the strength of gideon , yet let them remember that the word of god is sharper then any two edged sword , and peirceth through the dividing of the joynts and marrow , wherefore if we builde in that measure which god hath given us , god will yeeld his blessing and put strenght unto it , and though we be not able with david to kill our ten thousand , yet let us be content with saul to slay our thousands , yea there were of davids worthies that slew but their hundreds , let us remember the promise made to them that do their duty herein . and that this sword may the better strike and wound , we must remember that it must be applyed to the limbes and members , we must take heed that we content not our selves to runne on the generalities ; and to stand upon flourishes , but apply this sword to the speciall faults of our hearers , for so it is like to peirce the better : there are some also which although they use this sword , yet they cover it with such a scabbard , that by reason thereof it is not able to wound in such sort as it should , as either with intermingling of strange language without any necessity or heaping up of many testimonies , or other things not so fruitfull , so that although they come neere with the sword yet because of these scabbards they perform not that duty which they ought to doe , wherfore we may remember that the builders which the apostle speaketh of , the corinthians are reproved not onely for the matter which they built , as for raising hay and stubble upon the foundation , but also for the forme and manner they used : let these men set before their eyes the examples of the prophets and apostles in their preaching , yea of the fathers themselves , whom they like so well : and marke in what sort they apply this sword to the mortifying and slaying of the old man. a great helpe hereunto might have beene the example if it had continued of many , who heretofore out of other places , and lastly out of this have broken the bread of life amongst us . but what shall i complain of the masse of freewill-offerings , when even those that were necessarily appointed , either the morning or the evening offerings are oftentimes wanting , so that often that which should be offered in the evening , is offered in the morning , is offered in the morning , as at this present . howbeit , that the free-will offrings so long continued should be intermitted the next year after god had delivered us from the spaniard , i cannot but lament , when such offrings should rather be encreased to the glory of god , and testimony of our thankefulnesse for so wonderfull a deliverance . the fault hereof i cannot lay on them that before took pains herein , or on the cheife magistrate , for that of them many are otherwise imployed . and the magestrate i thinke was ignorant , that it hath been the use for them in that place to solicite others , for this thing was at the beginning of the entrance into his office . but i beseech you that are the lords remembrancers , that you would use all meanes to procure that these free-will offerings may be continued again . when there had been long want of raine in israel , elias promised ahab , at length , that there should be raine , and going to the top of a mountaine sent his servant to looke , who at the first saw nothing , and he still sent him down till at the time , when at length he saw a little cloud arising like a hand at the first , whereof afterwards ensued great raine : it may be you shall not have your desire at the first , nor at the second time , yet i beseech you not to omit this thing for at length , doubt not after seven times you shall see , though it be not a cloud , whereof may ensue great store of raine . a cause of the intermitting hereof may be the dislike which by some division amongst us by preaching might be bred , because that all of us are not of one minde . for though all agree that the foundations and walls of the building of the lords temple be laid , and raised amongst us , yesome thinke the covering of the same is not so good as it ought to be : others are of opinion that it is good and sufficient , some thinke that there wanteth a fence about it for the keeping out of beasts , as we reade nehemiah required him timber of king artaxerxes , for building of the gates of inclosure that appertained to the house of the lord , though weknow that in the dayes of darius the temple was perfected , howbeit whatsoever dissention there be among us about circumstances , yet we are brethren , and god forbid we should come any more to such distempered speeches , as some one both sides have done : if they had had to have dealt with the samaritan , that had been enough , yea happily to much , some of it , seeing it falleth within that which the apostle hath forbidden , as not fit to be amongst saints . let us remember that which the apostle writeth to the philippians , in that whereunto we are come , let us proceed by one rule , that we may minde one thing , now unto this we are all come , that we acknowledge that there is necessary in the church an able and sufficient ministery , and that in this seminary such might be trained up in learning and godlinesse here amongst us , that being thorowly seasoned therewithall , they may be made fit to build up the church of god , not as deceitfull workemen , but as wise and faithfull builders . one of the wisest amongst the philosophers giving precepts for the good government of a common-wealth , shewing of what sort governours , assistants and others should be , saith , that god in framing men for government , in those which are to be chiefe hath mixed gold , in those which are fit to assist silver , in husbandmen and such as are to obey , brasse and iron ; now these are of one kindred that beget their like ; yet sometimes it falleth out that a golden father begetteth a brazen childe , and a brazen father begetteth a golden childe , that the sonne shall not be permitted to take the office of his father , but that he should be set among the husbandmen : and if a brasen father should have a golden sonne , that the governours should take him from amongst the brasse and iron , and place him amongst the golden children , receiving this as an oracle that the common-wealth must then go to wrack , when they shall be contented to preferr brasse and iron to the place appointed for gold and silver . this is but a fable i know , and like to that of jothans , but the morall of it is agreable to our purpose , there are amongst us certaine dispositions as it were of gold and silver , fit to be placed among ecclesiasticall and civill charges of government , some of another temper , not fit for government , great care is to be had by those that are in place of government , that brasse sonnes are not preferred to places appointed for golden children , that if they be not furnished for such places , they may be applied for that to which they are fit . therefore you that govern considering according to the rule of the holy scripturs , that all must go to wracke when brasse and iron are placed in charge , are to be requested to have care , that when you are to make choise of such as are to be in place of government , that you make choise of such as are of gold ; at least of silver dispositions , but if you meet with such as are of brasse and iron , then play the part of apollonians , and signifie to their freinds that they are not fit for such places , but that they may be set to that wherewith they may do most good . especially care would be had of statutes which godly founders have provided for maintenance , of such as being fit for such places , their parents being not able to traine them up : a lamentable case that golden purses should be preferred before golden witts . it is pittisull though we ought also to be thankefull for it , that the parliament hath taken such order therein , which we our selves would not , yet pittifull it is that a law should be made for the restraint of corruption in those matters , howbeit , if this law do not restraine them that buy and sell for gold , let them moreover take heed lest favour sometime compasse that corruption which mony did before : nay if your owne children and freinds be brasse beware you preferre them not , when gold should be preferred , prefer your own you may , but then when they be fitt . moses made not any of his children rulers after him , but joshua , yet made he his brethren priests and his children , because they were fit for those places ; his owne they were not , we have laws to shew whom they be that be so qualified that they may be chosen , our founders had such care therein , that they would not so much as have their owne kinsmen preferred unles they be so qualified . the candlesticks of the sanctuary were of gold , which were to hold out the lights , some parts of the sanctuary were covered with silver , there was also about the santuary use for brasse , but for government they onely are to be chosen whom god in their creating hath intermingled gold with their mettall , and as they should have specall care hereof in election sa afterwards they are made fit , lest that which is degenerate end become copper , for many things shew to be gold which afterwards prove otherwise , so are they not to be taken for gold untill that by constancy in going forward they make perfection of the same , they are by their towardnesse before to be esteemed but their tryall comes after . this might be performed if orders already provided heretofore were performed , and where they want they were supplied , that such exercises were maintained in all colledges and halls , to make these instruments indeed of gold fit for these purposes : i am loth to enter into discourse of our particular fault herein , of the negligence and some what more then negligence of many neither of the faction maintained in sundry places , by such as love to fish in troubled waters , onely in generall . i would have such to remember as are to be made stones of this spirituall building , cheife stones and corner stones , to be trimmed up to serve either in church or common-wealth , that they ought willingly to submit themselves to good orders , whereby they may be fit for the building . the stones must be squared , carved , polished and graven , which had they reason and sense , they would not have neglected , how much more willing should you be to submit your selves hereunto , especially for that so wonderfull-use . the philosophers said that the stones appointed for altars were happy instruction , reproof , correction , may seem unpleasant , but if you have that care which living stones should have , that religious feeling which you ought , you will be content to submit your selves to such things , without which you cannot be made fit , and be content though you be restrained of such things as else where happily be hold tolerable , and may not be permitted , as your christmas lords , an use taken from the heathen , as polidorus virgill sheweth , which in no place are tollerable : but among the prophets and their children such discords are most of all to be condemned , the very name thereof sheweth the inconvenience of the thing , as also the rest unprofitable and unfruitfull delights , as playes to say no more of them . it is observed that corruption entered first amongst the jewes by those meanes whereby through the policy of antiochus and the enemies , their minds were so much effeminated . in this also we all agree , that as there ought also to be godly and learned ministers , so there should be a sufficient maintenance for them : which in some places being sufficient , they only are to be requested who are in authority to dispose of such livings as patrons : that they have a care that the candlesticks which are to hold out the light may be of gold , but such are a great deale worse , which take gold to preferre brazen-nose men , but let them take heed lest they fall into that mischiefe , which the example of ananias and saphira , teacheth against them that go about to intervert any part of those livings which either themselves on their predecessors have applyed to the maintenance of the house of god. it may be there are not many in this place that have to deal in this matter , but some there are that hereafter may , to whom this latter exhortation may appertain , namly that where there is not a sufficient maintenance appointed for the minister , there themselvs would be carefull to increase it ; following the example of the princes of judah , who with willing harts ( as moses noteth ) off●to the lord , as also ● chron , last chapter , yea all the people are said to have been so ready that they were content to have given more than was sufficient , because they offered with an intire and willing heart . but that others also may be more willing to provide for the maintenance of the ministery , by providing that which is wanting , we in this place so much as lyeth in us are to give example hereof in those things which are in our hand , bestowing tha● on a fit person which amounteth out of the commodity of such living , without decaying that which is , to be applyed also to the service of the ministery , you know my meaning is it were to be wished that you should shew that especiall care in bestowing impropriations which are in your gifts , upon men able to do good in the church , that your example may provoke others to do also the like , at least that the surplusage may thus be bestowed , & if we would in this place begin , it were to be hoped that others would follow : the priests begin to offer though in ▪ indeed it be too late for us to beginne for others whom god hath filled with the zeale of this house herein some go before us . joas king of judah is said to have commanded the priests to cause the ruines of the temple to be repaired , and it appeareth that the king was more forward then the preists i mention it to our shame that our princes and rulers should in building and repairing the house of god be still found more ready then we , can we not find one fit man on whom such things as we have may be bestowed , and will not there one of our governours be found that will have care to turne that which riseth out of the commodite of these livings to the benefit of him that may serve in that place to bring men unto god , rather then a tobiab and amonite : shall we still suffer his majesties lawes to go before us ? shall we be carefull of the establishment and foundation of our foundations which we before should have been carefull of , and shall we not be carefull to use the benefit thereof so as may be most sor gods glory ? if we expect also till by law she drive us to this , whereas it is presently in our owne power let us take heed it be not laid to our charge god grant it be not in that day . i know it will be said , that regard is to be had of such as live upon those livings , and it is true so farre as may be done without prejudice to that great matter in regard whereof that is but small , when tobias was placed in a chamber which belonged to the house of god , nehemiah passed but a little to thrust him out of it , although tobias was authorized to keep the same by the priest but he thrust him out and cast his stuffe and garment out of doors after him , if the mind of jonas were in these rather cast into the sea , when the marriners see they cannot be safe whilest he being in , seeing that god is able to preserve them if they were so cast out as ●●nah , and that money which is offered for the compassing of voyces ( i speak what i know ) though i wish no man to say to them , as peter did to simon magus , thy mony perish with thee . i would rather wish they would be perswaded to bestow it on somewhat that they may better hold , as for the gain which is said may arise to the vniversity by the fine , alasse do we not see how cursed such fines and such mony is , how many hundred pounds have in few yeares been brought to nothing , as though all had been put into a broken bagge , but if we grant it not , it will be feared , that our posterity will , yet we herein shall sh●w the ●●●d of david , who though he himselfe could not build the house of god , yet he prepared whatsoever was fit and convenient for the same , and who knoweth but the lord may send a sol●●●n to turn it to that end we meane it , it is not sufficient for us to say we wish these things were done , thus and thus ordered as were best but we must be content to put to our helping hand and labour to the uttermost to bring it to passe , else we shall doe as the man s. james speaketh of , that saith to the needy person , go in peace and warme thee , but gives him not to releive his poverty . if these things move us not , let the last reason move us that among the sacriledges committed by the abbies and monasteries which drew downe gods wrath upon them , this was one , that they spoyled their churches for their provision of able ministers and having commodities in their hands , set onely such hedge-priests to be over them , feeding themselves of the rest ; neither doubt i but god will raise up others , if you be loth to move the chancellor and others to be content to suffer us to bestow these livings as we have intended , and for which cause we have withstood , and satisfied the request of other honorable personages in this suite , and it may be said as mordecal said to esther , if thou neglect it god will send helpe from some other place , but then thou and thy fathers house shall surely be destroyed , i would have stood longer upon other things , but i speak to men of understanding . sermon the seventh . haggai chap. . verse , . vers . . then zerubbabel the son of shealtiel , and joshua the sonne of josedech the high priest , with all the remnant of the people , obeyed the voice of the lord their god , and the words of haggai the prophet ( as the lord their god had sent him ) and the people did feare before the lord. vers . . then spake haggai the lords messenger in the lords message unto the people , saying ; i am with you saith the lord. when the prophet haggai had delivered his message from the lord of hosts , unto zerubbabel , joshua and the remnant of the people ; the fruit of this message from the lord is here set downe , what effect it wrought in the hearts of the hearers , not only of zerubbabel , and joshua , but even of the people also . the principall effects that followed upon the prophets sermon are here noted to be two , one of obedience . they all obeyed the voice of the lord , another of reverence , and the people did feare before the lord. the word of the lord by the messenger of the lord , had brought some feare and reverence upon them , to cause them to stoope unto the will of god , and this feare had wrought some desire in their hearts to yeeld themselves in obedience , to do the worke of the lord in the building of the temple also . it is said of christ isai . chapter that the feare of the lord should rest upon him ! and so it may be likewise of all true christians , that the feare of the lord is before them , not that fear which john speaks of , which is a feare that hath painfulnesse wherewith the wicked are vexed , dreading punishment , that being a slavish and a servile feare : but such a feare as abraham had , when he would have offered his deare sonne for a sacrifice to the lord , feare arising from faith and love , and drawing us on to obedience . that fear of the lord , which joh. saith continueth with love for ever : herein is love perfect that we should have boldnes in the day of judgement . this feare is a token of grace in the children of god , that they tremble and feare at the word of the lord , so saith the lord by the prophet isai , is . . c. v. . to this man i looked even to him , that is poor and of a contrite spirit , and trembleth at my word , and againe v. hear the word of the lord ye that tremble at his word . such a●●are did the lord himselfe approve and commend in the heart of goo● 〈◊〉 fiah kings . chap. . ver . because thine heart was tender , and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the lord , when thou heardest what i spake against this place , and against the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse , and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me , i also have heard thee saith the lord. and such a feare joyned with obedience the lord requireth in all his servants . who is among you that feareth the lord , that obeyeth the voice of his servant , that walketh in darkenesse and hate no light , let him trust in the name of the lord , and stay upon his god. thus did zerubbabel , joshua , with the remnant of the people , they obeyed the voice of the lord their god , and the words of haggai the prophet , as the lord their god had sent him , and the people did before feare the lord. a lesson of no small importance both to us that preach the word , and to you that heare it also . for us that preach , that we do the worke , and preach the word of the lord not onely faithfully , but plainely also , that the people that heare us may be effectually moved to reverence and obedience there withall to you that heare : that you receive the message not as from men , but as from god , as did the thessalonians to whom the apostle gives testimony with thanksgiving and that without ceasing , for that when they receaved the word which they heard of him , and others of gods ministers , they receaved it not as the word of men , but as it is in truth , the word of god , which effectually worketh in them that beleeve . and let us here consider what the apostle saith , follow after charity , and desire spirituall gifts , but rather that yee may prophecy . all preachers of the word after a sort are prophets , not because they foretell things to come , but because they open and reveale the word of the lord , and apply it also unto gods people for he that prophecieth speaketh from god unto men , to edefication , exhortation , and comfort , and so is he said to edefie the church of god according to that of the apostle , he that speaketh a strange language edefieth himselfe , but he that prophesieth edefieth the church . the church is said to be edefied by a metaphor , when they that are believers are layd as living stones one up●● another , being edefied , that is built as a spirituall 〈◊〉 is by gods ministers , who are therefore called gods build●●s , as the people are gods building , cor. . . and so it it is said , acts . . that the church had rest throughout all judea , and galile , and samaria , and were edefied , and walking in the feare of the lord , and in the comfort of the holy ghost , were multiplyed . to preach or prophecy therefore is not to speake strange language , if we will ever have the people edefied , but we must prophecy as the prophets and apostles did in plaine evidence of spirit and speech , rather to profit , than to please , either our selves , or those whom we speake unto , which if either we would follow the apostles judgement , or did minde so much the peoples profit as he did , we would be much more willing to do so our selves also . for though he could speake as many and more languages than any of them all , yet had he rather ( said he ) speake five words plainly and profitably to instruct others , than ten thousand in a strange tongue . and it is well worth the observing , that which the apostle hath noted already , that when god spake in a strange language , he did it because of the peoples infidelity , cor . . and it was no mercy but a judgment , that the lord would speake with other tongues to that people , isai . , . for all that , will they not heare me saith the lo the fathers of the greek church , never preached in the learned hebrew , but in their vulgar tongue , neither any church till papistry came in . the apostles themselves being filled with the holy ghost , began to speake with other tongues , as the spirit gave them utterance , and although the multitude which heard them were of divers languages , yet did they heare what the apostles spake every man in their owne tongue wherein they were borne . they spake not in greeke to the arabians , nor in latine to the egyptians , nor in the parthian tongue to the phrygians , nor in the hebrew tongue to the grecians : but the people heard them speakeing in their owne tongues the wonderfull things of god. what the true language and learning is , which preachers should labour for , and so present unto gods people : we may understand and finde by the prophet isai , speaking in the person of christ the cheife preacher of the gospel , the lord god hath given me the tongue of the learned , that i should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary , which also we may take from his owne blessed mouth in his owne person to the same purpose , matth. . . when that of the prophet was accomplished , come unto me saith he , all yee that are weary and laden , and i will give you rest . take my yoke upon you , and learne of me , for i am meeke and lowly in heart , and you shall finde rest unto your soules , and yet more effectually , when that scripture esai . , by his owne testimony was fulfilled in him , and by him . luk. . . the spirit of the lord is upon me , because the lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke , he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted , to proclame liberty to the captives , and the opening of the prison to them that are bound , &c. and began to say unto them , this day is the scripture fullfilled in your eares , and in the pening and applying of which words , he did so wonderfully affect the minds and harts of his hearers , that as the evangelist saith they all bearim witnesse , and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth . here then may we see indeed what true learning is , and who hath the tongue of the learned , who he is that is best able to preach the gospel with most power and best fruit even he that hath the spirit of god upon him in some measure , as christ had above measure , and so delivering the word of grace causeth those that heare it to wonder at the gratious words that proceeded out of his mouth . that preaching then is most warrantable , which is most profitable , and that most profitable which is most powerfull , and that most powerfull which best informeth the minde , enlightneth the judgement , affecteth the soule aright , and warmeth the heart with the comforts and contentments of it . as it fell out with the two disciples going to emaus . did not our hearts say they burne within us while he talked with us by the way , and while he opened to us the scriptures ? which no doubt he did , not in any strange language to procure the credit of a learned tongue , but in plaine evidence of speech and spirit for the helpe of their understandings and affections in their vulgar language well knowne unto them . saint paul exhorteth to prophecy in words of understanding , and not to use a strange language ; learning doubtlesse is fallen to a low ebb , if men cannot understand us , nor will acknowledge any learning in us , except we construe greek or hebrew , and stuffe our sermons with allegations of divers languages , which may indeed please our selves , and humor others , but tendeth nothing to the profit and edification of them that heare us , and albeit the scripture seemeth sometimes to use some words of a strange language , yet must we wisely consider upon what just occasion such words were so uttered , and then so recorded , by the penmen of the holy-ghost , it was not for any vaine ostentation , nor purposely for our imitation , but either for the explication of some mystery , or exposition of some prophecy . when christ raised up the daughter of jairus ruler of the synagogue from the death to life , he said , using these words of the syrian language tabitha-cumi : to put them in minde of the scripture , that was now performed which isai prophecyed , isai . . send ye the lambe to the ruler of the land , from the rocke of the desert to the mount of the daughter of sion , when the eares of the deafe were opened , mat. . . he said ephatha a word of the syrian tongue , which the evangelist presently expounded ( be opened ) that so that might be knowne to be performed which was spoken by the prophet isay . . . then shall the eyes of the blinde be enlightned , and the eares of the deafe be opened , when he was crucified in his greivous agony upon the crosse , he cryed out with a loud voice in these words , eli , eli , lamma-saba●thani , the former of which words being hebrew , and the latter beings words of the syrian language which christ uttered and the evangelist interpreted ( my god , my god , why hast thouforsaken me , and this was done to shew both the accomplishing of the prophecy of david psal . , concerning his person and bitter passion , whence these words were taken , and also the bitter mocking of the jewes , who hearing him call eli , eli , said in a scoffing manner he calleth upon elias , and let him alone , let us see whether elias will come to take him downe , and so we finde that both christ and his apostles did divers times in the new testament use the syrian word abba father , when they called upon god or spake of the voice of the spirit of adoption in our hearts , whereby we cry unto god as unto our father ; a probable argument , as some do conceive that usually they did both preach and pray , in a knowne language , even in the vulgar tongue : all which being duely weighed and considered , we may easily perceive that it is much safer and better both for preachers , and hearers , that the word be delivered , not in words and sentences of a strange language , but to the best capacity of the hearers in a knowne tongue , for as we must not so preach , that we may seeme to be learned , so neither may the hearers desire to hear otherwise our other things , then such as whereby they may goe away better instructed and edefied in the faith and feare of god. and then if thus we speake and thus we heare , and if thus we deliver , and thus we receive the lords message from the lords messengers , as the people of god did in this place , we shall receive the patterne of wholsome words , and be better acquainted with the forme of true godlinesse , we shall speake as the words of god , and receive the word that is brought us , not as the word of man , but as indeed it is , the word and oracles of the living god. such was the effect and fruit ▪ of peters sermon , act. . when he spake not onely so plainely to their eares and understanding , but also powerfully , and peirceingly to their very heartes and affections , concerning christ the son of god , whom with their wicked hands they had crucified , for they upon the hearing thereof they were pricked in their hearts , perplexed in their spirits , they repented of their sins , beleeved the apostles , wer● baptized , and received the holy ghost , and the same day there were added unto them about three hundred soules : and albeit the word of god though powerfully and plainely preached , have not alwayes the same or the like gracious effect and fruit , ye shall it alwayes more or lesse accomplish the worke and will of him that sends it . it shall not only shake and move the weake and slender reed , but cause also the stoutest and strongest caedar to quake and tremble , so did it prevaile with faelix , when he heard paul preaching , and disputing of righteousnesse , and temperance , and of the judgement to come , for the text saith he trembled ; and answered , go thy way for this time , when i have a convenient season , i will call for thee . it hath been ever , and is yet still the use and custome of froward and profane people , when either their ministers or their friends did rebuke and reprove them , not so much to be grieved that they had offended , as to be angry and moved that their faults were tould them . it was an affection of an naughty tyrant to cast iohn baptist into prison , for reproving his incest in retaining and maintaining his brother phillips wife . when alippins a young man of great hope , and of austines acquaintance , was too much transported , with an inordinate desire and delight , in and after the games and spectacles at carthage , especially those which they called the circences ludi austine much desired and endeavoured out of the love he bare unto him , by the best meanes he could to reclame him , but could not for the thife prevaile with him . not long after the same alppins hearing austin in his rhethoricke lector at carthage , drawing a similitude from the same playes to make the matter he had in hand more plaine , and pleasing with a kinde of biting derision , of those who were captivated too much with the madnesse of those sports , alippins tooke the whole matter unto himselfe , and was perswaded saith austin , that i had not spoken so much but even for his sake , and that which another would have taken as an occasion to be angry with me , the honest young man , made an occasion to be angry with himself , and to love me more fervently . for thou hast said it o lord , and set downe in thy writings , rebuke the wise man and he will love thee . thus was alipins both healed of his error , and reclaimed from his vaine sports , by the good providence and power of god in the hand of austine never thinking of alippins nor intending his curing or healing , as he himselfe saith at that time . for after those words the filthinesse of all those sports and delights , did so recoyle and vanish from his mind and heart , that he never after came amongst them any more . now let us well consider my brethren , that if alippins profited so well in hearing a rhethorick lecture , both for the informing of his judgement , and reformation of his life , and all by the blessing of god , as austine himselfe doth acknowledge in that place , why may not , why ought not we to looke for the like good fruit and effect of our desires , and labours in hearing of divine lectures , and godly sermons , such as may be more able having a better promise , to convince the judgement , convert a sinner , save a soule and cover a multitude of finnes . and this we shall yet the more effectually finde and feele , if we reverently and obediently ( as it now followeth in this scripture ) hearken to the messenger of the lord in the lords message : then spake haggai the lords messenger in the lords message unto the people , saying i am with you saith the lord. these words comprehend another sermon of the prophet haggai , and do signify thus much in effect unto us , that after the people were moved a little , at the first sermon to reverence and obey the word of the lord sent unto them : yet notwitstanding they stayed a little , and then the prophet came againe unto them , both to take some feare out of their hearts , which was upon them , and also to make them a promise of gods gratious presence , and assistance in this great businesse , feare not i am with you saith the lord of hosts . by the words of the prophet it doth evidently appeare that in this worke of the building of the temple , they much feared the persian king , lest he should molest or hinder them in the same , therfore the lord sendeth them this word that they should not feare , for he would be with them to incourage and strenthen them , and cause the worke to prosper in their hands : and least they should think he spake this of himself and not from the lord , the prophet addeth thus . then spake haggai the lords messenger , in the lords message unto the people , saying , i am with you saith the lord , shewing therby that he came unto them , not only as the messenger of the lord , but that the thing which he brought was the lords message also . when david being troubled in his minde that he should dwel in a house of caedar trees , & the ark of god , remain under curtaines , he purposed in his thoughts to build a house unto the lord , nathan the prophet spake unto him saying , go , do all that is in thy heart , for the lord is with thee . nathan that spake this was the messenger of the lord , because he was a holy prophet of the lord , but that which he spake was his own and not any message from the lord ; for the fame night the word of the lord came unto nathan , to let david understand that not he , but his son that should proceed out of his loynes , should build a house unto the lord. a good lesson for such as preach , or prophecy unto gods people , to hold nothing backe from them , which the lord by them hath sent unto them , but to open unto them the whole councell of god , as saint paul did , that they may say with more comfort , even as he sayed , that which we have received deliver we unto you as the message of the lord , and the lords messenger . which also justly condemneth such of our prophets and preachers , as refusing to stand in the councell of the lord , and to deliver his word unto his people , do utter the dreames and deceipt of their owne hearts , and put upon them the fancies and visions of their owne heads , of whom the lord may justly say now as he said of some such prophets in jeremiahs time . i have not sent these prophets yet they ran , i have not spoken unto them , yet they prophesied : and this may well serve also for a christian admonition unto all such as are hearers of the lords prophets , to looke as carefully to the message as to the messenger , to the matter as to the man , and to try the spirits , and proving all things take hold of that which is good , like the men of berea who are said to be more noble than they of thessalonica in that they received the word with all readinesse of minde , and searched the scriptures dayly whether , those things which paul had taught them were so . we may heare also well and worthily observe how necessary often preaching is to gods people , if ever we will draw them to walke in his feare , the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weake as our saviour saith , and when we are at the best , our best dutyes are full of many wants , and mingled with much imperfection , insomuch that we have need continually to be stirred up quickned and strengthened unto every good worke by the preaching of the word . it is not enough for paul to plant unlesse apollos doth water also , there must be precept upon precept , line upon line , here a little and there a little , neither must the philippians be weary of hearing the same things often , seing it is not grievous unto paul to write them , and for them it is a safe thing : when moses and the prophets spake of preaching , they called it a dropping , my doctrine shall droppe as the raine and my speech shall distill as the dew . sonne of man set thy face toward the south , and drop thy word toward the south , and prophecy against the forrest of the south-field , for as the raine by often dropping and falling upon the earth doth soften it and make it fruitfull , so doth the word by often preaching make the hearts of men like good ground to bring forth their good fruit in due season , it was the councell and charge of paul to timothy to preach the word in season and out of season , not only ordinarily in a constant course , but extraordinary also if any just occasion should so require ; and if we well consider the good successe which haggais often preaching found with this people it may be an incouragement unto us to take the like course to procure the like blessing : his first sermon was delivered in the first day of the sixt month , and therein their finnes discovered and reproved , gods judgements opened and applyed , for their neglect in building the lords house , and themselves exhorted to go up to the mountaine to bring timber to undertake the worke , and to build the house , had not this been thus spoken , the worke had not beene so thought upon , nor taken into due consideration . his second sermon was preached unto them in the foure and twentieth day of the same month somewhat about three weekes afterwards , and had not this been added unto the former , the worke in all likelihood had been neglected still ; this made the prophet to strike once and againe , while the iron was hot , least the sparks which were kindled by the first sermon , should have beene either quenched , or cooled for want of another to second and abett the same , unto this the lord himselfe giveth testimony , when he telleth us ezra . that the elders of the jews having now taken the work in hand builded the house of the lord and prospered through the prophecying of haggai the prophet , and of zachary the sonne of iddo : and thus doth the lord make his owne word by faithfull and frequent preaching , either as a hammer to bruse us , or a fire to melt us , that so he may accomplish his owne worke which he requireth at our hands . the eight sermon . haggai chap. verse . and the lord stirred up the spirit of zerubbabel the sonne of shealtie a prince of judah , and the spirit of joshua the sonne of jehosideck the high-priest . it hath been heretofore declared in the explication of the former part of this chapter , how the jewes having begunne to lay the foundation of the temple of the lord , did afterward surcease from proceeding in the lords worke , wherefore they were first sharpely reprehended , and reproved , by the prophet of the lord for their sinne , and afterwards he did incovrage them to go on forward in the building of the temple . in these words , he sheweth how the lord unto the words of the prophet did adde the inward operation of his spirit . the lord did stirre up the spirit , &c. the obedience of the prince and people thereunto , in the words following ; and they came and did the worke . the first needeth no exposition , saving , that whereas it is said , that the lord did stirre them up , we may conceive their drowsle sluggishnesse was like unto a sleepe , and sleepe is nothing but a similitude of death , wherefore the apostle saith , ephes . . . awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead , and christ shall give thee light . the same admonion the jewes did receive by god at the time when by stirring them up he awoke them out of sleep . the next point is the circumstance of time , v. . in the day of the sixt moneth , in the second year of darius the king , which doth shew that the part doth not belong to the second chapter , but to the first , for the scriptures were delivered into chapters a little before our age , but the scripture it selfe sheweth this division is more probable seeing that the second verse of the next charter should begin with another circumstance of time , so saint jerome and others have divided the same , a matter wherein i would not have spent so many words , but that the councell of trent , and some of the antient fathers have joyned the same to the second chapter according to the translation of the old latins , sextus the doth not joyn this to the former but to the latter circumstance in the second chapter . paulius de palatio , one of the popish writers , would have this part according to the hebrewes to be joyned to the circumstance of time , and rebera also a man of the papists , and of greater judgment , affirmeth that this circumstance of time , in the first verse of the second chapter , appertaineth to the first charter . so cleare and undoubted it is that the circumstance of time and the course of the scripture , doth shew that as soone as the spirit of the lord did stirre them up , they made no delay , but went and built the house of the lord , so that they did not then deferre , so many dayes as before they had done yeares , but went and did worke in the lords house : we may also further here observe that this house is called the house of the lord of hosts ; to shew his power over all creatures , a thing which might stand much for their incouragement : for whenas they had began to build the house of the lord. ezdras , . by the permission of cyras : then their adversaries procured a commission from artaxerxes to hinder and molest them in the building of the roofe , and afterwards they obtained liberty to reedifie the same , in the dayes of darius as appeareth , ezdras . , so that they might have beene discouraged , if they had not considered that the hearts of princes are in the hands of god as the rivers of waters : as his power , so his fatherly goodnesse is shewed in this , in that he is called their god , as he made promise to abraham to be a god unto him and to his seed for ever ; so now he sheweth himselfe to be their god , being abrahams seed . the consideration whereof must needs breed a child-like affection in them to obey so good a father , for when he might have justly punished them for their daily sinnes , yet as a loving father , he raised them out of the same , which must needs incourage them and make them thankefull for it ( and the lord stirred up the spirit of zerubbabel . ) the spirit of god teaceth us that what soever is written a fore time is written for our instruction , so that in this place we may learne divers lessons for our learning . first where the lord is said to have stirred up the spirit of zerubbabel with this connexion ( and the lord &c. the connexion sheweth that it dependeth on the words which went before , whence we may observe , that the orninary meanes which the lord useth to stirre us up and to convert us unto himselfe is the ministry of the word , so that it pleaseth him to send his messengers , not only to the meaner sort of men , but to kings and princes also for the same purpose . a thing the more to be marked , because there are some as tradsmen , schollers and divines , which may happily thinke themselves not to be charged with these things , or els not to have need thereof , whereby they may seeme to be exempted from them , but let such men consider that this is the meanes whereby they must be stirred up . lydia a seller of purple had her heart opened thereby , even at the preaching of saint paul. and as for others , although they have never so much learning , yet i hope they neither may nor will preferre themselves before david a man after gods own heart , and indued with a principall and singular spirit , who did not arise out of the dead sleepe of sinne , untill the prophet nathan came unto him , to stirre him up , and them he cryed as it is psalm . , have mercy upon me o god , cast me not away from thy presence , nor take thy holy spirit from me , and this the same spirit of god doth manifest unto us , that which our saviour christ said to nicodemus , that we must be borne anew : except a man be borne againe be cannot see the kingdome of god , and borne againe we cannot be unlesse we be first begotten by the word ; and though it be true , that god begetts us by the inward operation of his holy spirit , yet he useth the outward meanes of the ministry to the perfecting an laccomplishing of the same : and therefore paul is said to beget the corinthians , and onesimus by the word : so unlesse we receive the messengers which bring this word unto us , and apply the same unto our hearts , we can have no regeneration of the spirit . god the creator of all things might have begotten us without fathers or mothers , or any other meanes as he did in adam and eve , and he might of stones , have raised up children unto abraham , but he ordained and used the meanes of naturall generation , and so must we in our new birth , that so we may be-gotten , not of mortall seed , but of immortall by the word of god , which liveth and endureth for ever : rachel said give me children or else i die , unto whom jacob answered , am i in gods steed who hath withholden from thee the fruit of thy wombe : so that as in naturall generation the fruit of the body cometh by the blessing of god , so is it in our spirituall regeneration also ; if rachel had not asked of god , god had not remembred her , and if she had not used the meanes she had not beene the mother of joseph and benjamin , which teacheth us , that we must use the meanes of the ministery ; that we may be begotten and borne again : as many , as will be the children of god they must receive the word which is brought unto them by the lords messengers , that they may be begotten anew by the same , and being thus begotten and borne anew , we must not stay here but be nursed up further , and brought up with the pure milke of the word , that as new borne babes we may grow thereby : and when we be growne to be of riper age , in christ ; then this word will afford us strong meat also , for this is not onely the sincere milke of the soule which as new borne babes we must desire , that we may grow thereby , as pet. . . but as it is also strong meat for strong men , and belongeth also to them of riper age which through long custome have their witts exercised to discerne both good and evill . as heb. . . let us not therefore neglect the means of our so great salvation , for if he which despiseth moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses , how much more sore punishment shall he be worthy of , that neglecteth the worke of reconciliation , whereby we grow up in christ jesus , remember the word of the lord , spoken by the prophet amos . behold the dayes come saith the lord that i will send a famine in the land , not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water , but for hearing of the word of the lord , and they shall wander from sea to sea , and from the north even unto the east shall they runne , and seeke the word of the lord and shall not finde it : and this plague shall not onely be upon the ancient and elders of israel , but he addeth further , that even the faire virgins and young men shall perish for thirst : a most evident proofe that as our bodyes would quickly perish , unlesse they should be strengthened with materiall food and nourishment , even so our soules unlesse they be fedd and nourished with the heavenly food of the word brought unto us by the ministers and preachers thereof ; would quickly dye and perish , whereby we are to acknowledge the singular goodnesse of god , and his great mercy shewed unto us above the jewes in sending us so great plenty of this food , and therefore the more wretched and ungratefull are we , if we contemne so great a grace and mercy when it is offered unto us , it is said jer. . that the lord had sent them . prophets rising up early and instructing them , yet they were not obedient to receive doctrine ; the word of rising early should put the ministers in minde of their industry and diligence in their vocation , and delivering the message of the lord : and if this early rising do seem to be to early to some , let them remember the saying of the wise man in the proverbs which may helpe to awake them , how long wilt thou sleep o sluggard , when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? yet a little sleep a little slumber , a little foulding of the hands to sleep ; therefore thy poverty cometh as one that travaileth by the way , and thy necessity as an armed man ; wherefore let every one awaken and strengthen the things that remaine , least if we do not watch , he come upon us as a theife in the night at unawares . if we say with the church of the laodiceans , that we are rich and increase with goods and have need of nothing : then it is to be feared least indeed we be wretched , and miserable and poore , blinde and naked , or if we thinke it enough for us to be present onely where the word is preached though we take it not home to our owne hearts , let us consider that the high priests did frequent those places where the messengers of the lord did deliver their message ; but it was not sufficient unlesse they did apply the message to themselves which was brought unto them unto that end . moreover where it is said , that the lord did stirre up the spirit of zerubbabel , the son of shealtiel , we are taught that neither the chastisements of the lord , nor yet the preaching of the word can bring us out of the sleepe of sinne , unlesse it please god to adde thereunto the inward operation of the spirit to awake us , for though affliction do cause us to cry and call unto the lord , as isai saith , lord in trouble they have visited thee , they poured out a prayer when thy chastisements was upon them , yet oftentimes afflictions doe worke no such effect in the hearts of men , else would not the lord have said , why do i correct you in vaine ? nay many times , the very griefe of affliction doth estrange men from god , cause them to blaspheme the name of the lord , and breed hardnesse of heart in many of the wicked , as is manifest revel . , when the angell did plague the wicked , they boyled in great heat , and then they blasphemed the name of god , which had power over plagues and they repented not to give him glory ; and if they breake not out to these extremities — yet they will continue still in their wickednesse , and not turne unto the lord that he may have mercy upon them : so that neither afflictions , nor yet the preaching of the word can stirre us up , unlesse god do adde the secret operation of his holy spirit thereunto . a resemblance herereof the romans do afford us by the fact of camillus , who when he had besieged the city of phalisci with ten yeares warre and attempted by the sword and famine to cause them to yeeld unto him , yet all was in vaine , till at length by his clemency and lenity he prevailed with them ; for when the schoolmaster of the city , who had the charge of the noblemens sonnes , did bring them and betray them to camillus , that thereby they might be enforced to yeeld up themselves , and the city for the ransoming and redeeming of their children , camillus considering that the falshood and treachery of the school-master could bring him neither comfort nor credit , commanded his officers to stripp him naked , and binde his hands behinde his backe ; and to cause the children his schollers each of them having rod in his hand to whip him backe into the city againe . at which noble action , the citizens were so moved , that they presently delivered up their city unto him acknowledging camillus as their saviour and god , and father : even so oftentimes the lord doth plague us with famine and sword , but yet we will not turne unto him , untill by his holy spirit he gently move our hearts to yeeld unto him , and then we beginne to acknowledge him our saviour our father , our god in christ jesus ; we indeed are oftentimes overcome with such a dead sleep of security that affliction doth not awake us , nor worke our amendment that we might turn unto god : nay rather the greife of a son as hath beene said , doth many times more withdraw and estrange our hearts from the lord. it is recorded that the men of canas after they were overcome by the carthaginians alledged that they prospered better so long as they burnt their children unto their idols , but what should i speake of the heathen , seeing the people of god the jewes , blush not to tell the prophet jeremy , that whilest they burnt incense to the queene of heaven , and poured out drinke offerings unto her , they had plenty of victualls , and saw no evill but since they left off say they to burne incense to the queene of heaven and to poure out drinke offerings unto her , we have wanted all things and have been consumed by the sword and by famine . the word of god i confesse is a very forceable meanes to stirre them up , and to prevaile for obedience , but yet of it selfe insufficient , unlesse by the power of gods spirit it be put upon our minds and written upon our hearts , and therfore our saviour christ and his apostles dealing with the unbeleving & stifnecked jews said unto them , as was prophecied of them , hearing ye shall heare , and shall not understand , and seing ye shall see and shall not perceive ; for the hart of this people is waxed fat , and their eares are dull of hearing , they have eyes and see not , eares and heare not , and all because as the prophet speaketh , they are a rebellious house , wherefore we may say with elihu , job . surely there is a spirit in man , but the inspiration of the almighty giveth understanding , and this is not true only in the first operation of the spirit , but in going on forward in the grace b●gunne , and not therein only but in the perfecting of the same so that we may well acknowledge , that of our saviour , that no man cometh unto the father , except the father draw him , and the spouse in the canticles saith wisely , draw me and i will run after thee , and the apostle to the philippians sheweth , that it is god that worketh in us both to will and to do ; and when the apostle had preached the gospell , from jerusalem and round about to illericum , he ascribeth nothing unto himselfe , but all to the power of the spirit and grace of god which was with him . but some may object that if god do onely worke in us all good motives and actions , by the secret and inward operation of his holy spirit , and that we can do nothing of our selves , why then doth god punish us for not doing these things , seeing that he himself is the cause why we do them not ? to this i answer , that god doth justly punish us for that we have lost that knowledge that was given us in our first creation , and then we had free will to do good our selves , but now we are ignorant thereof , and therefore are justly punished . for as laertius reporteth of piltacus , who made lawes , whosoever were drunke should be double punished if he committed any offence , according as aristole also witnesseth tertio ethicorum cap. . first for his drunkennesse , and secondly for his fault committed in his drinke , so we are justly punished , not onely for the fault or sinne it selfe , but because of our originall corruption and ignorance which is incident into us by reason of that generall curse which fell upon all mankinde at the beginning , but as for us that have better learned christ , and can cut of all objections with the word we know that it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth but in god that sheweth mercy , and therefore we may say with the apostle , o man who art thou that pleadest with god , shall the thing formed , say unto him that formed it , why hast thou made me thus ? it may therefore suffice us to know that our corruption is such , that we falling into the sleep of sinne cannot of our selves arise unlesse gods spirit awake us , for although the prophet zac. saith turn unto me saith the lord , and i will turne unto you , yet it may not so be understood as though man had power as in himselfe to turne unto the lord , but it must be god that must first convert ; and therefore we must say with the prophet jeremy , convert thou me and i shall be converted for thou art my lord and my god , and as it is in the lamentations , turne thou us unto thee o lord and we shall be turned , renew our dayes as of old , so that it appeareth manifestly , that the grace of god must worke in our hearts before we can doe any thing , it is of his grace both to will and to do . awake therefore thou that sleepest , and stand up from the dead , and christ shall give thee light , let us remember that although we be exhorted often to renew and repaire our building and to return unto the lord yet it must be by grace , and this grace must be wrought in us by the secret operation of the spirit of god. but if any man will say that he can awake of himself , let him consider the saying of the lord by the prophet zachariah to zerubbabel , that the lord doth preserve his chosen church and chosen people , neither by an army nor by strength , but by his holy spirit , and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shouting and with crying , grace , grace unto it : and they came and did the worke of the lord , in the house of the lord of hostes their god in the foure and twentieth day of the moneth , in the second yeare of darius the king. the next point is their example of obedience , whereby wee are taught that we must worke in gods house , that is in gods church , whose house we are , if we hold fast , the confidence and and rejoycing of the hope unto the end , heb. . whereby he sheweth that the mysticall members of christ , are his church , as also he saith cor. . ye are the temple of the living god , yet all this is but one house , and as the saints of god are but one spouse of christ in generall , so are they but one house also , the building wherof although it depend upon the ministery cheifly whom are by an excellency termed builders , yet all must worke and build his house , and this duty belongeth to all , as saint jude speaketh edifie your selves in your most holy faith , praying in the holy ghost : for as in the materiall building of the tabernacle or temple they did not bring gold , silver or brasse , blew silke purple , scarlet and fine linnen , but those which were lesse able , brought goats hair , and rams-skinns dyed red , and badgers skinns with shittim wood ▪ so in the spirituall building , all must build but not all in like manner ; the ministers they must be the cheife , they must build with silver and with gold , and precious stones ▪ and the inferious they must build with goats haire and ramms skins , and so all must be workemen in the building as many as are of christ they must be christians , not cretians not idle slow bellies , even in paradice . adam must worke and dresse the garden , therefore how more must we , and ought we to labour in this estate of earthly corruption , paul must plant and apollos must water , and not they onely as the cheife , but every man in his severall estate must labour , every mans faith must worke by love , the noble example of these principall persons who did themselves , worke in this building , may put us in mind that we should not post off this building unto others , but put to our owne hands and be builders our selves of the lords house , cyrus as xenephon reporteth of him was so greatly delighted with the workes of husbandry , that amidst his royallity his goodly aparell his golden chaines , his rings and his precious stones , he would neither eat nor drinke , untill he had been planting , or some other painfull action procured sweat . if cyrus being a noble prince thought it no disgrace to his majesty to labour in husbandry much lesse ought the ministers of the king of kings and lord of lords , either because of this great calling , or at least because of his small ability and weakenesse abstaine from doing of the lords husbandry . paul must plant and apollos , must water that god giving the increase , his church may be edefied , and his name be glorified . macrobius reporteth that a captaine of augustus having sustained many dangers , and suffered many wounds in his defence , in the end being accused wrongfully and much distressed , desired augustus himselfe to worke his liberty . the captaine then seing he went not himselfe , but would have sent one of his servants about it presently baring his brest and body , shewed the wounds he had received for his sake , and told agustus very boldly , that he had not sustained those wounds by any vicar , but by his own person for him , and therefore had well deserved that not his servant , but he himselfe should deliver him . augustus blushed and being moved thereat , became his advocate himselfe , ut qui vereretur non superbus tantum sed et ingratus videri . as one fearing least he should be thought to be both proud and unthankefull . our saviour christ as our good captaine , hath suffered many things for our sakes , he hath troden the wine-presse of the wrath of god and therefore ought we not to send others as our deputies or vicars , but with our owne hands , and in our owne hands , and inour owne persons to doe this worke and 〈…〉 his holy temple , especially if we have the blush that augustus had , and beare the like mind toward christ that he bore toward the captaine , even to feare the suspition of pride or unthankefulnesse , seeing he hath wrought so great things for us , i confesse that weakenesse and sicknesse may hinder some , and also old age which is a kinde of sicknesse may hinder and let others from building , yet such as cannot themselves , they must assist and also encourage others by all meanes to the building of the temple : plutarch in the life of ca●o the elder reports , that in the building of minervais temple when one of the old mules , could not carry such things as were necessary , he would not withstanding according to his former custome go with the rest empty , wherby the rest were drawne to worke and labour more cheerfully . if any of our elders , be by reason of old age and weakenesse of boby unable themselves to build , yet let them accompany those that are young , and by all good meanes provoke them to the building of the temple , but if being able to do little or nothing themselves , they will not favour nor cherish others , then it is to be feared they be but deceitfull workemen pretending to build the house of the lord , when indeed they do but build a temple for idolls . the two reasons follow drawne from the two circumstances , one of person whose house they were to build , viz. the house of the lord of hostes their god. and the other of the time without delay in the foure and twentieth day of the sixt moneth , so soone as the lord had stirred up their spirits , they began to build the house of the lord , the former circumstance of the person containeth a double reason to move them to all speedy and due regard of building of the temple ; one saw the power and all sufficiency of him , whose worke it is , viz. the lord of hosts , ●o called because he is the chiefe commander , and possessor of heaven and earth , and useth all creatures as his armies and souldiers , to execute his will both for his freinds and against his enemies , the due consideration whereof , might greatly incourage them against all the power of the persian kings , and all other their adversaries that should attempt to hinder their worke and the other from his goodnesse and mercy , in that he was by covenant the lord their god , and therefore considering that the building of the temple was the worke of god their father th● 〈◊〉 ●●ght and ought to encourage themselves in going forward 〈◊〉 , being well assured that he would both blesse them in their labour and take it in good part at their hands . in regard wherereof it were no lesse than their bounden duty , to bestowe not onely their labour but their lives also in the building of their fathers house , the temple of the lord their god. the summe and substance of both which reasons drawne from gods power that he was able , and from his mercy that he was willing to blesse and prosper them in their worke ; i do further commend unto you in the example of the three children mentioned daniel who being in danger of the fiery furnace , resolved to cast and repose themselves upon gods power and mercy , and so to be constant in their profession , both in doing and suffering his good pleasure whatsoever should befall them . our god is able to deliver us dan. if it be so , say they , our god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace , and he will deliver us out of thy hands o king , but if not be it knowne to thee , that we will not serve thy gods , nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set up , as also in that example of s. paul , what do you weeping and breaking my heart for i am ready not only to be bound , but also to dye at jerusalem for the name of the lord jesus . if this were so ingraven in our hearts , that the lord of hosts is our god able and willing to defend us , it would teach us to have a good conscience , and to shew forth a good profession , knowing that in all this the lord of hosts both can and will be our guide unto death , he that regardeth the wind ( as the wiseman saith ) shall never sow , therefore let us , casting from us all things which might presse down , go forth in the strength of the lord onely , and so build in his temple assuring our selves with the prophet david , that the lord is our strength and stony rock , and defence and saviour , and our god and our might , in wham we will trust , our buckler the horne of our salvation , and our refuge . the last reason to move us hereunto is the shortnesse of time wherein we are to build , we must apply our selves to that which is in hand , we must remember that this is our day , and it may be but a day , let us therefore as children of the day , walke in the light , and worke in the day , the night of death may come we know not how soone , whereof we may be put in minde every night when we lye downe to rest , our sleepe being and image of death , our beds a resemblace of our graves , our sheets of our winding sheets , the putting off our cloathes , the putting of our mortality wherwith we are clothed , the putting them on & our rising up a figure of our resurrection from our graves , and the putting on of mortality , let us therefore remember that the lord may say unto us , as he said to the rich man in the gospell , this night shall they take thy soule from thee , the consideration whereof might cause us to go on forward in the building of our temple : and other reason is effectuall might move us hereunto , the unreasonablenesse of the weather , whereby the judgement of the lord do light upon us , therefore if now we will begin to build this house , then he will be mercifull unto us , and we shall see great plenty , and if he will not deliver us from these plagues yet let us assure our selves with the thee children , that he is able if he will to take these plagues from us , but if he will not , let us resolve to worship none but him , and confesse with saint paul , that we are not onely ready to suffer these punishments , but even to dye at jerusalem , being alwayes prepared to build his temple , seeing he is the lord of hosts and therefore able mightily to defend us , and our god therefore kind and loving unto us his children that call upon him . therefore to this our god together with the son and holy-ghost be rendred all praise , power , might and dominion both now and for evermore , amen . sermon the ninth . haggai . , , , . in the seventh moneth , and in the one and twentieth day of the moneth , came the word of the lord by the prophet haggai , saying , speake now to zerubbabel the sonne of shealtiel governour of judah , and to joshua the sonne of josedech the high priest , &c. to the end of the fourth verse . when as the jewes had eftsoones beene exhorted by the word and after stirred up by the quickning power of the spirit to build the temple of the lord whose foundation long before was laid , the lord here least they should be hindred in their worke , stirs them up with a new message , enjoyning them to goe forward . ezra . we read that when the foundation of this house was laid in the dayes of cyrus , many of the antient men , which had seen the former temple built by salomon wept with a loud voice conjecturing by these beginnings ( as well they might ) that this latter temple would be nothing so beautifull and magnificent as the former was , the cause wherof some interpretors thinke was the decree of cyrus , ezra . who commanded that the height should be sixty cubits , and the breadth cubits , and that it should be made ex lapidibus impolitis , as the vulgar latin hath it of rough and vnhewed stones , whereas the former as we may rather gather from kings . . and . and chron. . . was in breadth cubits , in height an hundred and twenty cubits , and in lenght sixty cubits , after the cubit of the sanctuary which was as long againe , as the common cubit , and all made of broad and faire hewed stones , others not perswaded that cyrus herein differed so much from the former , attributed this to thir poverty and meane estate that built it , who coming farre short of solomon in riches and magnificence we are not able to bestow so much on this as he did on the other . and indeed it agreeth with that caldee word used in that place , that it was not rough stones as the vulgar latin hath it , but faire and great stones as the septuagint agree , whereof this house was built , wherefore though ribera a papists upon this place in his commentaries give this decree of cyrus as a reason thereof , yet in his second booke de templo etijs quae ad templum pertinent , he denieth the same , adding for the credit of their latine text , that where it is written , ex impolitie , it should be , ex politus lapidibus , whatsoever was the cause the thing is cleare , that the ancient men had marked that this temple was no way compararable to the magnificence of the former temple , now seeing hope deferred maketh the heart faint , as it is in the proverb , to faile in our desire in any thing hindreth our resolution to go forward with it , the jewes whose cheife honour was in the glory of their temple , and therefore they would faine have seen it as fair as ever it was before , could not but be thereat dismaid and discouraged . and therefore the lord here by his prophet with this thought laid before them encourageth them to goe forward in the building of the temple , adding to stirre them up hereunto three most gracious promises , first of his assistance with his word and spirt in the building of the temple , ver . , . be strong and worke and i am with you : secondly of honouring it with christs presence in it , verse , . thirdly , of enriching it more then the former setling in it peace and all felicity , ver , , . this message he commands his servants to carry , ver . . . in the seventh moneth , in the one and twentieth day , &c. the thought and cogitation that hindred them he layes before them ver . . who might be left , &c. and then he exhorts them with courage to goe forward verse . yet now be of good courage . after which he adderh the promises , verse , , , , , . i will be with you my spirit shall be with you , i will fill this house with glory , &c. concerning the charge given to the prophet , we must call to minde that in the first day of the sixth moneth he was sent unto them from the lord to exhort them to build , and after in the foure and twentieth day of the same moneth , he was sent with a new message to cause them to goe forward in building , with one of these promises concerning the lords assistance , when they stirred up with things being considered and compared with that which followeth , that notwithstanding both the former sermons of the prophet and the working grace of the spirit , to meet wit this temptation hindring them , they were to be stirred up yet with a new message , & to be encouraged with more promises , as they instruct us on the one side that gods grace must be both prevenient to go before , and subsequent to follow after us in all things . first to worke in us , and then together with us , first to stir us up & after to help us forward , so do they on the one side teach us , that the good graces of god even in the best of us will be quickly extinguished and put out , if so be they be not quickned and repaired in us by hearing the word of life , whereupon it is that christ jesus when he ascended into heaven gave gifts unto men : besides those which were to remaine for a time even which should continue for ever , for the repairing of the saints , for the work of the ministery , for the edefying of the body , the church whereon was built this temple , a type of those pastours which he hath given , paul writing to timothy commands that they preach the word , and be instant in season and out of season , which though they seeme , yet it is not disagreeing with that of christ luke where he commendeth the faithfull seward which giveth to each servant his portion of meat in due season , for men are so backward to come where this meat is to be received , and so many excuses they make , as trying of oxen , seeing a farme , marrying a wife , that the importunity which may seeme to them and perhaps also sometime to the minister to be unseasonable , is hereby the apostle commanded to be practised , so that the ministers are to teach instantly , and as some thinke unseasonably , and common sense will teach us this , if we will consider the parable of our saviour christ , whereas he compareth the minister to the steward , the people to the servants , the word to the food , so that as food sustaines the body , so doth this word mainetaine the soule spiritually for the word he useth in the greeke , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or signifieth a measure of corne , so many pecks as was wont to be given unto servants for their monethly allowance , which if they should not receive havingno more to live one , common sense would teach us that they could not but be pined , and what may we looke for , if we regard not to receive this our allowance , when it is distributed but to be pined with that famine threatned amos . not a famine to bread nor thirst for water , but of hearing of the word of god , when men shall wander even from sea to sea , and from the north to the east and shall runne to an fro , and shall seeke the word of the lord , and shall not finde it , which i would to god they would consider better of , and for small causes , absent themselves from ecclesiasticall exercises , where the servants of the lord destribute these portions light of nature , should ( as i thinke ) so much teach them that herein they so much injury themselves as he did his servants , of whom the poet juvinall speakes , servorem ventres modio castigat iniquo . and this should make them herein more carefull , socrat. lib. . cap. . writes of an unlearned monke , who living in the wildernesse of egypt called pambo , who coming to one and requesting to be taught , he reading that in the psalme , i said that i will take heed to my wayes , that i offend not in my tongue : pambo would heare no more , but requested him to stay there till he had learned that , and so departed from the man , who meeting him six monethes after , and asked him why he had not come unto him againe ? why saith pambo , because i have not as yet learned that lesson perfectly ; socrates might well note that he was an unlearned man , or else he might have knowne that this was not sufficient and have gone no further then the psa . where it is said , if any desire life let him keepe his tongue from evill , but not that only , but let him eschew evill , and doe good , seeke peace and enshew it . and admit that nothing else were needfull , but the brideling of the tongue were sufficient , yet here we learn , that to learne sucha lesson throughly , we must heare more of the word of god , zerubbabel and joshua who had beene taught this lesson , with more words then was pambo , yet had need to be taught the same often viz. in the sixt moneth more then once , as in the former chap. and here in the seventh moneth , as also in the eight moneth , as we finde in zachary : and againe , lastly in the ninth moneth , as in the words after this text , ver . , and if they had stayed so long after the first lesson in the sixt moneth as pambo did , they had still lien frozen in their dreggs . far therefore be from us , such monkish fashion , and though some in regard of their affections commend them , yet let us remember that lesson of the apostle , heb. . . let us consider one another to provoke one another to love , and to good workes , not forsaking the fellowship that wee have among our selves as the manner of some is , meaning meeting in ecclesiasticall services , and thus much doth this message , with relation to that which went before commend unto us . now the message it self followeth verse , who is lest among you , and laying before them their conceit and cogitation , which containeth an ingenuous and modest confession of some things wanting which might seeme somewhat to touch their credit , the more by us to be observed , because commonly we are prone to flatter our selves like the church of laodicea , who said , revel . . i am rich and increase with good , and have need of nothing , and knew not that she was wretched and miserable , and poore , and blinde . and naked , seneca saith many might have obtained unto wisedomt if they had not thought they had not obtained to it already , from which their ingenuous acknowledgment , we may learne to examine what is wanting , and if the spirit gives us those eyes , which they had , we may see if we look on that sanctuary built by the apostle in the acts , that that which is built since our return from babylon , wants much of the former , acts . we read there how the multitude of beleevers were of one heart and one minde , and had all things common , and what care they had for the poore , with us ( god be thanked ) the poore are cared for by good statutes if the godly magistrates would put them in execution , but for that unity of heart which was among them , alasse , where is it in one towards another among us , turtullian writes in the of his apology , that the heathen in his time gave it for a marke to christians . see how they love one another , well noted saith turtullian for they hate one another , and that they will dye one for an other well marked , for they kill one another . but is it not amongst us now , rather as among the heathen . tertullian noted it to be in his time , as the heathen noted it to be among the christians , in our factions doe we not hate one another rather then love one another , and be we not more ready to kill one another then to dye one for another . againe acts . we reade that the apostles ordained by election elders in every church . first , pastors such as paul describes , writing to titus that they ought so to be qualifyed that they might exhort with wholesome doctrine , and convince those that gainesay it , which continuance of a learned ministery is commended by justin martyr in his apology , where he writeth that the faithfull in the primitive church used on the sunday to assemble themselves together , both they that dwelt within , and those that dwelt without the towne , and after certaine parts of scripture read , the pastor stood up , and taught and expounded some peice of the scripture to the people ; but now a●a●●e abroad in our land , many of our churches are destitute of pastors and have onely readers , wherein least we deceive our selves , though it be a great grace and blessing of god to have the scriptures read in a vulgar tongue , yet our saviour christ jesus , though the jewes had moses law read in their synagogues , and the prophets also as may be gathered , act. . greived mat. . to see the multitude wandering as sheep without a sheepherd , thereby implying that the readers were no pastors , for else the jewes having readers had not beene without pastors , as he grieved that they were , when he considered what was requisite for a minister , namely to bring back that which was gone astray , to preserve from danger , to heale the sore to binde up the wounded , an● all the other properties which the word requireth of a good pastour , and therefore he sent the apostle by preaching to perform that which by reading they could not . and if that to heare the law and the prophets beene enough , then had the jewes knowne christ , for moses wrote of him , and so likewiae did the prophets , and amongst them , the prophet isai so plainely , that s. jerome sticks not to call him an evangelist , and yet the nobleman when he read isai the prophet , could not understand him , but had need of phillip to come and teach him , and preach unto him , and if this instruction did not need , but by reading the ignorant people might understand the meaning of the word , yet those of greatest knowledg may , and often be , so surprised with passions of infirmity , that they had not need of the help of others by applying of the word to heale their diseases , whether moses were read in davids time , we cannot certainely affirme , yet certaine it is that david , whose whole delight and study was in the law of god , as may appeare psa . was well skilled therein , so that this knowledge could serve him to conclude ; that he who had committed murther and adultry , as sure as god liveth was the childe of death , and yet he had need to have nathan , to apply this unto him and to tell him he was the man , so that we see how needfull the pastour is to the people ( as aristotle in his politicks , that they were wont to bring in strange phisitians into the sicke , and yet thought them not fit to heale themselves ) least they be accounted in christs judgement , as sheepe without a sheepheard . and of this modest acknowledgment of what was wanting , we have paul for an example , who titus the first gives a reason why he set titus in crete , because there were many dis obedient , whose mouthes must be stopped , where the apostle acknowledgeth that his paines had not profited all , but untill that were brought to passe , that they were convinced , reproved or converted , there must needs be something acknowledged to be wanting , and so must we ingeniously untill this be brought to passe something to be wanting . i may not go further herein , and from the generall come to the particular temple of each mans soule , whereof this temple as paul to the corinthians sheweth was a type ; but i leave it to the godly in particular to consider of , howbeit i do not doubt but if we examine our selves upon our beds the best of us , and those who were long since called and built as temples of the lord , may soone finde some want if we compare the present building with the former . it was said to the church of ephesus that she had lost her first love , and would it not appeare if we were well tryed , that some of us had lost our first love , our first sincerity , our first sobriety , our first zeale and godly vertues , acknowledg therfore your first buildings not to be comparable to that before , but consider that all this acknowledgement must be to this end , that notwithstanding these defects which we must modestly acknowledge , we must still go forward and strive to repaire our ruines as followeth in the third place , yet now be strong , o zirubbabel saith the lord. it was a saying amongst the heathen testified by tully in an epistle to marius , that when a mans estate begun any way to be impoverished , there was no cause why he should desire to live any longer , but that he might make himselfe away , which saying was so approved amongst the people , that many when their honours or riches are impared , or desires frustrate , did not sticke to dispatch themselves as we read of atheniensis and cato viticensis and divers others , and tully himselfe so farre approveth it , that although he laied not violent hands on himselfe , yet he said he knew not why a mans estate was decayed he should wish to live any longer , but here we are taught another lesson that though we finde our selves in particular or our church in generall any whit impaired , yet we must not despaire , but take example by this exhortation to strive to amend what we finde amisse , yet now be of good courage o zerubbabel and be of good courage o jehoshua &c. thus we see it hath pleased the lord in great mercy to prevent a temptation which might else have been taken up , wherfore the prophet isai as christ expoundeth it mat. . telleth us , that he wil not quench the smoaking flax , nor break the bruised reed . where by flax he understandeth the weeke of a candle , and by smoaking , burning darkely , that signifying , that so long as there is any light in us he will not put it out , but cherish and maintaine it in us , this must we in particular marke when we consider any defect in our selves , for to him to whom it is said , thou hast lost thy first love , to him also it was said , remember therefore from whence thou art fallen , and repent , and do the first workes . whosoever therefore feels or shall feel any decay in himself or his charge , let him strive to stirre up the good graces of god in himselfe , and in the place where he is set . let him helpe to strengthen the weake hands . beloved , let there be no factions among you , except it be a spirituall and christian faction , for so it comes to passe now a dayes as it did in tertullians time , that the religious consent of the godly in the best causes is malitiously traduced by the name of a faction , so that now we are driven with tertullian to distinguish betwixt a godly and an ungodly faction , but rather let us as much as may be to have peace with all men , without which no man shall see god , and in this peace and love let us seeke to edefie one another , and save one another , and so build up the ruins of this temple of the lord , especially tutors are to labour herein , for that they may hope that the temple of the lord may be repaired by them which are now under thē , as we read it was by joash , being well brought up under good jehoida , & though perhaps they that be in your charge some of them be not of that ability to preferre worthy men to the building of the temple , yet may they be so brought up by you as they be fitted to be preferred by others , and move the hearts of patrons to preferre them that are worthy , to the building of this house . but those which especially are to be builders of this house , i meane the ministers , though as yet they are not called to any particular charge , yet i heartily beseech you in our saviour jesus christ , to consider that your colledges wherein you live are places to furnish and prepare you against you goe abroad , and therefore that you labour here to fit your selves for imployment wheresoever god shall call you , remembring in the meane time to releive them by your preaching which have onely reading , as the prophet in the old time did where the priest could not ; do not stand idle all the day though no man have hired you , indeed the labourer is worthy of his hire , yet the same grace & providence which brought joseph ( by telling of the butlers dream afterwards to honour in egypt , may after also by this meanes bring you to a convenient charge , wherein you may imploy your labours ; as for those who already are called to a particular charge , let me onely commend unto them the exhortation of the lord by the prophet , ezek. . . son of man i have made thee a watcbman over the house of israel , therefore heare the word of my mouth , and give them warning from me , when i shall say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou givest him not warning nor speake to admonish the wicked of his wickednesse , that he may live ; the same wicked man shall dye in his wickednesse , but his bloud will i require at thy hand , they that are so called to any charge may thinke themselves spoken to in ezek. the ancient councell of melde in the chapter reproveing the practise of pastors as damnable , who do not by themselvs but by others feed their flocke , saith that they are bound necessarily hereunto by the prophet . the name of watchmen here used is drawne from the time of warre , where the watchman was set in a high tower , to descry the enemies comming , whereof if he did not tell the people , but the enemies came and assaulted the people unprepared , his bloud is to answer it , but if he give warning he was safe . i am loath to mention that heavy threat of the lord , his bloud that perisheth will i require at the watchmens hands , but it were to be wished that we did consider that if we would reape temporall things we must sow spirituall things , and if any of us cannot performe this by reason of other charges which we must attend , and for looking to the profits and fruits which may arise from them , how much better were it for them to have that cogitation that david had , chro. . who when he had desired to drinke of the water of the well of bethlem ; and three of his valiant men had broken through the host of the philistimes , and had drawne of the water and brought it to him , would not drinke if it , but poured it out for an oblation unto the lord , and said , let not my god suffer me to doe this , should i drinke the bloud of these mens lives , and is not this the blood of these mens lives which we drinke when we are cloathed , and fedd with that which they allow us , and yet leave them in that case , that they pine away for want of feeding , and as the prophet saith they dye in this blindnesse and ignorance for want of teaching . therefore i beseech you in jesus christ , though perhaps you have had a longing desire to drinke of this water , yet thinke better on it , and take davids affection and resolution , and say , let not my god suffer me to do this , and rather bate of that you spend of your raiment and faire , then take such dead pay , and keep backe other faithfull watchmen , which else they might have . the lord for his mercy so sanctifie our harts that by the often hearing of his holy word we may consider and acknowledg our wants and imperfections ; and hereby be stirred up to redresse what we find amisse in our selves , to the building of his church to the comfort of our owne soules , to the glory of his blessed name through the grace of his holy spirit in christ jesus our lord and saviour , to whom with the father and the same holy spirit be all praise for evermore , amen amen . sermon the tenth , . haggai . , . for i am with you saith the lord of hosts according to the word that i covenanted with you , when ye came forth of egypt , so my spirit shall remaine among you feare not . how the lord by the ministry of the prophet haggai did often and earnestly exhort and stirre forward the jewes after their returne from the captivity of babylon to the building up of the temple , hath beene hitherto declared unto you : now of the promises or causes of encouragement , whereby it pleased god to harten them least the conceit which they had , that this house should not be so famous and so execellent as the former , should discourage them and hinder them from that businesse , this is the first which i have read unto you : which containeth in it a most gracious promise of his aid and assistance by his spirit , because that flesh and blood is ready to suggest into the minde of a man that which is in the proverbs , it is better to be idle than to be occupied in vaine , and to make folke measure things by the event , so that unlesse they see present meanes to effect that which they undertake , they cast off all hope of accomplishing their purpose , and so cease from medling any further , whereon it was that moses exod. . . when he should be sent to pharaoh excused himself that he was not eloquent , that he had a stammering tongue , but the lord raised him up from that thought , telling him that he should trust in the grace of the almighty , saying , who hath given the mouth to man , or who maketh the dumbe to speake &c. do not i the lord ? now therefore go and i will teach thee what to say , to the like effect is the message sent to haggai , because that zerubbabel and jehoshua , and the rest which should have been the chief in the worke , having laid the foundation of the temple , despaired of finishing it , and so despaired before he began it . the lord therefore stirred them up to go forward by these words which i have now read unto you , a reason very forcible , and motive very pregnant to move them forward , i am with you saith the lord of hostes : which words the prophet often useth there , by putting them in minde both of his power that sets them forward , whose will all creatures as souldiers are ready to performe : and meaning thereby also , that by his favourable assistance he will blesse them and that by his spirit he will give them grace to accomplish that which they had undertaken . in the second place the doubtfull understanding of the word , ( word ) hath caused interpretors diversly to expound it , for by word in scripture is sometimes signified the second person in the trinity , the saviour of the world , the essentiall and eternall word of god of which john speaketh , john . in the beginning was the word , by whom all things were made , and through whom all things are now preserved , and so here should be three things which the lord should novv promise , his owne presence . the presence of his son. the presence of the holy ghost which sense the hebrewe would beare as may be translated , and then it should be translated thus , i am with you by my word that i covenanted with you , &c. whereto also the argument agreeth because he was the angell mentioned . exo. . . that spake unto moses in mount sinai , that gave the law unto the israelites and promised them his favour , if they kept his covenant as stephen sheweth , act. . , sometimes it signifieth a promise made unto any , insomuch that david psal . . ver . : mentioning the covenant , that the lord made with abraham , saith thus , he hath alwayes remembred his covenant , and presently addeth this word of promise made to a thousand generations , and thus othersome do thinke it to be taken in this place , and this indeed the text will best beare , and so much the more , sith the lord on the like occasion saith deut. . ver . . that he himselfe would goe before them , and therefore encourageth them not to feare , or be discouraged , for himselfe would be with them , and would not faile them nor forsake them , and this the ordinary construction of the hebrewes doth include , as they know that are skilled that way , especially i say if these words be compared with the , . verses of the psal . before mentioned , besides there is a more pregnant motive to induce me hereunto , even the authority of the apostle himselfe , who heb. . . declareth that those words which are in the next place set downe by hag. were spoken by christ himselfe , yet once more , i will shake the heavens : so by the word in this place , cannot be meant christ , seeing christ is said to have spoken this . it followeth therefore that his word was not the essentiall word of god , but some externall word , not the eternall word of god , but some word that had a beginning , namely when this promise and covenant was made , when the lord brought the israelites out of egypt , and delivered them by his angel , god the father by his son promised his favour & assistance , if we follow this interpretation , the sense will well agree with the former , namely , this word , this promise , was made by christ , considering that in him all promises are yea and amen , cor. . and considering that christ saith joh. , , . that if we love him and keep his commandements , he will pray the father and he will give us another comforter , that he may abide with us for ever , whence the latter place in the text of the holy ghost receiveth also light , our saviour there calling him the comforter , and promising his abiding with us , not for a season but for ever , and this for the meaning of the words , whereby the lord encouraged zerubbabel and the rest to go about the building of the temple , assuring them that he will be with them , and that he will be mercifull unto them and prosper them in their endeavours , that he will send them his spirit to guide and direct them , and to releive them in all wants and doth not the lord here likewise stirre up and exhort us to go forward with the building of the spirituall house , not only such as have the place of zerubbabel , or the office of jehosua , but all the faithfull also , that every one in his vocation should doe what in him li●th to the building up of the body of christ , no doubt as we have the like command , so to us likewise is given the like encouragement according to the rule of the apostles . ro. . ver . . whatsoever is written , is written for our learning . for why have not we temples to build as well as they ? are not our bodyes called temples of the holy ghost , ephe. . cor. . cor . . and therefore not onely the church that is the church universall assem●ly of the faithfull is to do this , but also every man and woman in particular , and albeit the ministers of the word and sacraments , pastors and teachers are to be principal labourers herein , because they were cheifely given to this end , eph. . . yet all the faithfull are appointed as under-workemen for as much as the lord exhorteth them that they exhort and edifie one another , thes . . . and iude commandeth them to have care to edifie one another in their most holy faith verse . the commandement therefore that was given to them is given to us , which is so much the more to be regarded of us , how much more neere to god , and more precious the spirituall house , that is built on christ and is to last for ever , is above the materiall temple built on earth which was not to continue but to be laid waste , insomuch that one stone should not be left one upon another ; so that thus you see that in respect of the like commandment , we also are to build up our spiritual tabernacle and temple to the lord , which also we must do in respect of the like promises , that they had , which the lord most graciously hath made unto us , as he did unto them , to the end that we should cast away all feare and distrustfulnes , nay rather we have greater promises made unto us than ever they had to them , at lest in measure greater howsoever in substance they be the same , for what saith christ mat. . . the last ver . behold i am with you to the end of the world , what promise can be more gracious ? what more comfortable ? which cannot be understood of the disciples and apostles only , because of that circumstance ( till the end of the world , and though they did belong chiefly to the ministers , who were to observe and teach all that the lord had commanded them , yet in command they also respect all other , as many as beleeve in the lord by their ministery , as christ well sheweth in his praise , iob. . . where he addeth the en● also , that they might be all one they in him , and he in them , as the father is in him , yea the promise is more graciously given to us then to them , insomuch that heb. . . the words of jeremy that the lord spake unto the jewes are cited [ i will be their god , and they shall be my people saith &c. ] are appointed unto us , promising us that he will prosper us , he will not leave nor forsake us , that he will blesse us not onely with heavenly blessings , but also with temporall and with earthly treasures , according to the meaning of the very same promise made to abraham gen. . . i will be thy god , and renewed to us jer. . and yet with more kinde words cor. . . i will be a father unto you , and you shall be my sons and daughters . ly in respect of like or greater promises we must build up our spirituall temple , . we must do it respect of the like continuance of the spirit which we have amongst us as they had , for christ promiseth us , iohn . . that he will pray the father and he will give us a comfortor and he shall abide with us for ever , which least any should thinke to be spoken in respect of the disciples onely , the apostle cor. . telleth us that the spirit of god dwelleth in us also thereby the metaphor of abiding in us as it may be explained , by that which cato in tully saith of the soule , namely , that nature hath given it an abiding place in the body , not a dwelling place , therefore it must go out of the body , as out of an inne , and not out of a dwelling house , yea this is so to be understood of all christians , that the apostle saith rom. . after he had used the same phrase of the soule dwelling in us , that he that hath not the spirit of god dwelling in him , is none of gods avouching , that there is no christian to whom this promise is not made good or verified , it is true indeed that the spirit being god filleth full all places , taking in it that generality , but when we shall talke of this dwelling amoung the faithfull , we take it after a more particular manner , that he dwelleth in them by his gifts and graces as the apostle signifyeth , ephes . . , when he saith that he would pray that christ might dwell in their hearts by faith , for so christ dwelleth in us by communicating his spirit . the spirit i say shedding in our hearts faith and love , and then christ cometh and dwelleth in them , which augustine implyeth when he applyed those words to the widdow that wept for her husband , why saith he dost thou weepe for thy husband ? thou hast by faith a better husband in thy heart , for thou hast christ himselfe for thy husband . a sentence , beloved , most comfortable to the faithfull , and which may serve well to assure them of their salvation by christ , and therefore the papists desiring to impair it , where cyril useth the same words they willed them to be put out , least any of their schollers reading them in cyrill not so corrected , should conceive that christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith : but blessed be god that our students may read it not only in cyril but also in gods own truth , and the unlearned may heare it preaced by others , thus ly . in respect of the continuance of the spirit , we are likewise to build up our selves as well as others . lastly we have the same promises that they had from the same lord of hosts jesus christ as he is described rev. . . where it is said that the warriers or armies which were in heaven follow him , and if they so excellent creatures , then much more ▪ we who are farre inferiour : nay he more kindly promiseth it to us , promising that he will be with us by his spirit for ever to guide and comfort us in all our calamities , and therefore it is our duty aswell as theirs to set aside all feare , distrustfulnesse , and with all courage go forward , and with all encouragement to strengthen our weak knees and lift up our feeble hands that we may be able insome measure to accomplish the worke the lord hath enjoyned every one ; for we have the like commandement that zerubbabel had , the like promises yea the same promises , and the assistance of the same spirit , and he that promiseth to be with us is the lord of hostes most mighty and able to do whatsoever he will , which name least happily it should somewhat affright us , let us remember that he is mighty and powerful against his enemies , and towards his sonnes and servants mercifull , and full of compassion , yea he i● the bishop and sheepherd of our soules , pet. . and therefore it ought more to embolden us , than discourage us , as it did david psa . . my sheepherd ( saith he ) is the living lord , therefore will i feare no ill , and indeed he himself shewed it to be true in his owne particular , by his godly example in all his life , and first when there was but a step betweene him and death , as he had told his friend ionathan . sam. . he went forward with some circumspection indeed and care , to prevent danger , but yet never a whit discouraged , because he knew that the almighty was his sheepherd , and that he was able to keep and defend him , yea that he would defend him because that he had promised to de-defend all such as put their trust in him , and why ? for the kings hart is in the hand of the lord , and he turneth it whether soever he willl , and that as easily as a husbandman can turne the streames of waters : and so the lord did the heart of saul to david , as appeareth by the sequell of that story , and when the lord did not deliver him by his power , yet he preserved him by his goodnesse , elias might have feared ahab , and ehizeus might have beene dismaied with the taunts that were cast on him , by ieroboam , but they went boldly forward , shewing indeed that they had no cause to feare or be discouraged , for they knew well enough that the lord was with them , the memorable example of the three children sheweth the like courage to have been in them , when they said , our god is able to deliver us , & if he do it not yet know o king , that we will not worship , &c. whereby they shewed that they were fully perswaded , that the lord is present with his servants , either by his power or by his goodnesse , by his power to deliver them , or by his goodnesse to comfort and strentghen them , if to endure torments were most for gods glory , yea the very example of these three sheweth , how true that in the proverbs is , when a mans wayes please the lord , he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him , so that not only the fury of kings shall be turned away , but if need be they shall become ever friends , and if the hearts of princes be so subject to the lords ordination and government , which seeeme to have some freedome , how much more are the hearts of inferiour creatures , the slothfull man saith that a lyon is in the street , but the lord hath lyons at command , so that they shall not hurt his saints dan. . he that observeth the winds shall not sow , and he that marketh the clouds shall not reape , so that the lyon feareth the slothfull man on the one side and the winde on the other side keepeth him backe , that he cannot go forward , but for the true children of god who know that both winde and weather sea and aire are at gods command , they feare neither the heat of summer nor the cold of winter , nor the storme of persecution ; but goe boldly on in their calling , following the precept of their god and committing all other things to his providence , for they know that he is with them even in affliction as david witnesseth , psal . . thy rod and thy staffe comfort me , where we are to consider , that the rod and the staffe are tearmes used in respect of the former word sheepherd , the word rod signifieth a long thing to strike with , but yet used as sheepherds use the like about their sheep , to keep them in by threatning them , and a little tipping them , the word staffe is borrowed from a word that signifieth to leane on , which sheepheards use to leane on , and withall to keep their sheepe , but in proper , the prophet declareth that the lord would not chasten him , or if he did his chastisement should be but such as should comfort him , as he saith else where , psalme . it was good for me that i was punished , and before i was smitten , i went wrong . columella writing of the use of the latter word for staffe , saith that in some countries the sheeherds use to leane on their staffes and never sit downe , but stand upright to looke on their flocke least that any sheepe comming after might be entercepted of wilde beasts , of which the country is full , in which sence , if we take the word staffe it sheweth that the lord is watchfull over his , & so regardeth them , that none of his perish , and look what chastisement he giveth them it shall in the end turne to their salvation : and hence it was that the apostle paul when the lord bad him , be of good courage none shall hurt him , he boldly and joyfully went about his calling , even then when the lord was not with him in his power to deliver him , but yet by his goodnesse to comfort him , as i said yea , when he knew that he should be delivered up , he boldly without feare went on to build up that body which he was sent for , teaching us by his example to remember that in the epistle to the romans cap. . . , , . if god be on our side who can be against us ? nothing can separate us from his love which we have in christ jesus , wherefore that this might the better be kept and performed , the pastours are to stir up the people to this boldnesse , remembring that even in weakenes the lord will perfect his strength , and bring his will to passe , and that he often useth weake instruments to great purposes , which they should do well to remember that separate themselves from us , because there is not that perfection in us , which they dreame there should be : in the church of sardis , there were but a few names left among them ? was the minister then to leave them , because it was even then decaying and declining , no he was to stirre them up againe to awake and strengthen the things that remaine ; which is not spoken to the ministers alone , but to all the rest that remaine , as appeareth ver . . . the like charge paul gave to archippus , col : . , namely that he should take heed to the ministery , that he should fulfill it , which certainely ought to stirre up all such as have charges , that they imploy themselves about their calling , teaching them privately & publickly as it is , acts . not thinking it enough to read unto their charge once a moneth , for so they shall never fulfill their ministery , well may they indeed quite starve their flocke , which columella waiting of sheepherds well sheweth , and when he saith a few sheepe well fed , will bring more profit to the owner then a grat many ill fed , for besides that they bring small profit , they also perish and in fect others ; for leannesse breeds scabbs and scabbs death , and therefore are ministers to labour and feed the lords flocke according to their gifts , that the lord may receive the advantage according to the quantitie of the tallent . and therefore let me beseech them to give themselves to reading and exhortation , if their maintenance be not sufficient that they should leave their colledge , let them remember how the lord fed the israelites with manna , and how the widdowes oyle was increased , and how elias was fed with ravens , and not to go to — miracles , how the shunamites provided for the prophet , how paul laboured with his owne hands , nay remember , that golden mediocritie which paul , speaketh of in tim. if we have food and raiment , we ought therewith to be content , and for such as have charges and yet preach not , but pretend they be not eloquent , &c. let them remember what the lord said to moses pretending the like , will they doe better then they can , you know what julius florus said to julius secundus , a little boy should make a declamation which he had done , saving he wanted a fit proem which he laboured three dayes for , and could not hitt of any to his liking , and thereby grew very heavy , julius florus his vncle would needs know the cause , he tol● him , whereupon he smiling said numquid tu melius vis dicere quam potes , so may we say to them , will they doe better then they can , god regardeth that they can doe , not that which they cannot , when as socrates had bid many to dinner , his wife told him that there was but a little meat , why saith he , if they be honest men it is enough , if not too much , so may they thinke if their hearers be godly , be it a little that they bring it shall suffice , be they wicked it will be too much , and therefore feare not to be bold , the lord will be with you in the preparation and in the delivery , and see others which are hearers , such as take not that profit by the word as they hold , whose flesh is alwayes rebelling against the spirit , let them endeavour and the lord will adde a blessing , endeavour they must to reforme themselves , and to informe others : for the more they heare the more they understand , the more will be looked for at their hands , let them not use those idle excuses of a lion in the street , let neither the frost in the winter , nor the heate in the summer hinder you from going forward , be faithfull unto the death , and you shall have the crown of life , which the lord grant , for his sonnes sake jesus christ , amen . sermon the eeleventh . haggai . , . yet once againe ( that is but a little ) and i will shake the heavens and the earth , and i will move all nations , and the desire of all nations shall come , and i will fill this house with glory saith the lord of hostes . of the three most gratious promises whereby the lord encouraged zerubbabel , and the residue of the jewes to go forward in the building of the temple , the second , ( in these words ensuing ) doth declare that our saviour christ by his presence , and powerfull preaching to the salvation of them that should believe , would replenish this house with glory ; a blessing which how excellent it is , we are by st. paul. eph. . . and col. . . sufficiently taught , and this is both compared to and amplified by the benifit which the people had in their deliverance out of egypt , mentioned in the former verse , when he saith here , yet once that is small , for so it is in the originiall , which is diversly supplied by the learned interpreters , somethinking here a short time to be meant put it thus , ( after , or yet a little while ) as if it had bin spoken to comfort the godly in the shortnesse of the time as isay . hab. . heb. . others deeming the thing b●fore spoken of to be meant , which sence i take to be more agreeable to the place , read it by aparenthesis , yet once ( i that is a small thing ) viz. to bring them out of egypt , i le doe a greater matter , which kind of phrase we have also . isay . . . but howsoever it be taken , the rest of the words wherein these leanes doe extoll the benifit of the gospell by christ brought to all nations , comparing it with the law delivered to the jewes , as the apostle inferres it , heb. . , . where having stirred them up to receive the gospell he adds that as a reason , that if they escaped not which refused him , that spake on earth , much lesse should they that refuse him speaking from heaven , whose voyce then shooke the earth , and hath now also declared , saving yet once more will i shake not the earth onely , but also the heaven , to which in this place is added the seas and lands as parts of the earth , for greater amplification , whereby is imployed that as when the lord gave the law on mount sinai , he made the earth to shake . exod. . so now would he shake not onely the earth but the heaven also , to authorize the gospell , which corporally was done as both matth. and luke record , when as reconciling the gentiles by his passion , the earth quaked , and when the glad tidings of this , reconciliation was sent to the apostles , there came a voyce from heaven as a mighty winde and the earth eftsoones shaked , although taken figuratively , spirituall things may be thought to be intimated as some expound it , that the earth and the heaven may rejoyce for that whereby a new heaven and a new earth was to be made , as did the angels in heaven as well as the men on earth , then verse . there followes the efficacy of the gospell toward them , to whom it is sent , wherein are noted two points , first , their moving . secondly , their drawing . their moving i will move all nations which was done partly by himselfe when iohn . many of the gentiles desired to see him , and partly more fully by his servants , the apostles by whose preaching all nations were moved , as appeares , act. . . and the ecclesiasticall hystories report , the latter he notes when he saith , and the desire of all nations shall come , which was performed when the desired persons . i. e. the elect came unto the temple unto christ , and to the church verifying that which began in the first f●uits of the gentiles , acts. . where it is said that when paul preached christ unto them , as many as were ordained unto life believed , which exposition , i take to be agreeable unto this place , especially because the verbe in the heb. is of the plurall number venient desiderium , which according to the phrase both in the hebrew and other languages we translate , venient desiderati , meaning thereby that the church of god which is called ieremi . . the portion of desire , as daniel is called a man of desires , eph. . the faithfull are called the adopted in christ according to the good pleasure of his will. our saviour christ , matth. . when he had found in the centurion more faith than in israel , speaking of his coming said , that many shall come from the east and west , &c. and yet of this he speaketh , iohn . where he saith , none can come to me except the father draw him , and iohn . . shewing the meanes how the father will draw all the elect as austin and gregorie well expound it , against this is apposed simply the exposition of ierom who reads it in the singular , veniet desideratus which to countenance , ribera a man learned , and industrious , if he were not sometimes blinded or bleared with a papish humor , saith that the originall was since jeromes time corrupted , which is a great marvell that he should say , when as the greeke inter●●eters , the . long before jerome tooke it in the plurall , translating it by desideria , the elect as jerome , himselfe doth , as also that is strange , the miracles wrought in the establishing of the gospel ( on which jerome and ambrose ground ) he should take the sence to be alegoricall , rather of shaking the heavens , when as so nothing can be meant but the angels , but greater then any circumstance is that of the apostles , heb. . . that they shall come to christ , for if he had spoken of his owne person , as they would have it , likely he would not have spoken in the third person , having before spoken in the first , i will shake , i will move , and so after in that as followes , and i will fill this house with glory , when his glory after his death should be published , which was done when in the acts , by the preaching of the apostles his glory was spread farre and neere , and so he became glorious who in his passion had bin infamous , and therefore the apostle , cor. . often repeates that the ministery of the gospell was glorious , because it did publish the glory of him , now this being done , first at jerusalem , luke . and the apostles abiding in the temple , acts. the . and when they weare arrested , act. . therefore he saith heare that he will fill it with glory , this then is the comfort whereby the lord seekes in this place to stirre them repeating eft soones , that the lord of hostes would do it , that considering not the earth but the heaven also should be moved : so they should in greater alacritie go forward in their duty , out of which that we may note something concerning our duty . . the first words yet once , so give occasion to note what the apostle saith , heb. . . that the things which are shaken as being made with hands : are removed , that the things which are not now shaken may remaine for ever , yet that notes a change but once , that sheweth that we must expect but one change lasting for ever . now what the things shaken and made with hands are , appeares in the type of the law , the parts of the tabernacle , noteing the heaven and earth which should be shaken , and the ceremonies taken away : when christ should enter not into the santuary made with hands , but into heaven above , as heb , . . but those things which are purchased by christ must continue not shaken , therefore the gospel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an everlasting gospel not to be altered any more but to endure for ever , i need not here to take occasion to refute those hereticks who thinke that as christ added to the law , so also there remaines to be added to the gospel as montanus did take upon him , the person of the holy ghost ; but i rather note another error in some churches not farre from us , if not also in some of our owne , viz. that popish error which have brought in types and ceremonies which were by christ abolished , that the thing signified which cannot be shaken , might remaine for ever as might be shewed at large in respect of both time and place , and persons out of their missals , decretalls , pontificialls , but i will onely note that which this present time brings to passe , out of their yeare of jubile , we read leviticus . that god commanded that the fiftieth yeare should be kept holy unto the lord , as a yeare of deliverance from service , release of debt , and restoring of land to the owners , thereby shadowing the time of liberty which christ was to bring from sin . now pope boniface chap. in the extravagants hath set downe , that the . yeare is a yeare of pardon and freedome from all sins whatsoever , to them that will come devoutly to visit certaine churches in rome , and to abide there if they bee strangers , forth space of . daies , if italia , . because saith he , the . yeare is the yeare of remission , and christ came not to abolish the law , but to fulfill it . and yet the prophet isay . . sheweth plainely , that that was a type , the substance whereof was established by christ , who was anointed ( as he saith ) to preach deliverance to the captives , and the acceptable yeare of the lord , as he expounds it of himselfe , luke . . the accepted yeare of gods favour , wherein as at the jubilee , all were set at liberty , and restored to their former estate ; so when christ came , they should bee delivered from bondage , and restored to the liberty of the sonnes of god , which to bee done by christ to continue , as the apostle witnesseth , corin. where hee saith , now is that acceptable time , now is that day of salvation : which to restraine to one yeare in . if i should compare them to beggerly rudiments , i should too much honour them , being rather a profane error , which i need not further to make infamous then by opening their covetousnesse shewed therein , which polidore virg. our owne histioriographer , chapter . sets downe , writing that the last great jubilee before , this in the yeare . pope alexander the . in great kindnesse to the englishmen , sends them over a spaniard , to shew them the way how to come to heaven by this jubilee ; yea , and further also how they might have the benefit of it , and stay at home . but saith polidore virgit , ejus liberal tas non fuit gratuita ; and lest ( saith he ) the king should hinder it , he was content to part stakes with him ; but as for us , this yet once sheweth that our jubilee is yet perpetuall , every day , yea every houre is a yeare of jubilee and deliveance unto us if wee seeke it . the time once changed , continues for ever , for therefore ( saith the apostle ) was it said yet once more , that those things which were made with hands being abolished , these might continue for ever . . another thing , hence the prophet here commends unto us , in that it is the lord that speakes unto us himselfe from heaven , as here hee saith , i will shake him ; that therefore with all dutifulnesse wee are to accept the doctrine of the gospell , for so the apostle concludes all that hee had said of keeping faith , retaining hope , maintaining love , receiving the kingdome unshaken , that not despising him that speaketh , we may have grace to serve him , with shamefastnesse and feare , and lest the earthlinesse else should abase the credit thereof , therefore he saith , the heavens which yet he purposed to doe , onely by the ministery of his servants , for that which they doe , hee accounteth it as that which he himselfe doth , having said luke . he that heareth you , beareth mee : and therefore st. paul saith that christ speaketh in him , in cor. . . thes . . . he thankes god for them , that they received the word of him : and silvanus and timotheus , not as the word of men , but as it was indeed the word of god. and doth not our saviour , cite that out of john , i say they shall bee all taught of god : now god teacheth inwardly by his spirit , and outwardly by his ministers , as from christ , and christ from heaven by them , for so the apostle speaketh heb. . . wee must therefore come with these , and such like minds , to such assemblies , that as eli bad samuel say when the lord called him , speake lord , for thy servant heareth ; so when the servants of the lord speakes the lords message unto us , we should hearken as to the lord ; esteeme of them as to the minister of christ , lest god say of us , as of the israelites to samuel , they have not cast away thee , but they have cast away me ; which also may bee a lesson for the minister , to deliver the lords message , not his owne . john and iames are called marke . boanerges the sonnes of thunder , but howsoever certainely they were so called , because , by them hee used to shake the heavens as in thunder : now how iames thundered may appeare , in that he was chosen as the chiefe preacher first to bee put to death , acts . and iohn , though he lived longer , yet how did hee thunder in his gospell against the hereticks that denied christs deity ; and in his epistle against the great breaker of the bond of love ? it were to bee wished that our preachers would thunder but as the sonnes of thunder , to shake the heavens , so as to move all people to those things which remaine and continue , psalme . by the sharpe arrowes the people shall be subdued unto thee . it 's not by bol● , but by sharpe arrowes ; therefore the ministers of god had need to sharpen their arrowes by taking heed , as the apostle wisheth timothy . to learning , to wrap himselfe as it were therein , for so the word signifies , that so he may save himselfe , and those that heare him : for though gods providence doe cast somewhat further , that all that heare are not saved , hereby humility and modesty is commended to the ministers , as to know that they are only instruments , and therefore to pray , as paul requested the ephesians for himselfe , that a doore of utterance might bee given him , and yet when they have that , all is nothing , but that god it is by whom that is performed , which followeth , that the desire shall come , &c. yet all must be moved , for that it is an effect in all ; many are called , but few are chosen ; many moved , few drawne , and none can come to christ , except they be called , matth. . when christ came to jerusalem , many , even the whole citie were moved , and what a tumult was there , and yet not many drawne : and acts . many were pricked , hearing peter , when at the first they jested . and acts . when paul preached at athens , some mocked , and some , as damaris clave unto the lord ; these were of the desired of the nations , and so was lydia , of whom it was said ▪ that it was god that opened her heart to attend unto that which paul preached . the whole glory therefore is to be ascribed unto the lord , who of his speciall mercy drawes some , and leaves others to their owne corruptions ; for it is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in god that sheweth mercy : hee it is that accepteth , and approveth , and maketh desired , where by the way is a lesson for us , how we account of them whom god makes his desire and liking , especially psal . . the prophet requires as a thing necessary in him that will dwell in gods tabernacle , and rest in his holy mountaine , that in his eyes , a vile person bee contemned , but that he make much of them that feare the lord. and psal . . all my delight is on the saints that dwell on the earth . and isay . where god describeth the state of his church , he saith , he will lay her stones with carbuncles , and her foundation with saphires ; and make her windowes of emerods , and her gates of shining stones , and all her borders of pleasant stones , or stones of delight , those that hee builds up his church withall , that so wee may say with the prophet david , all my delight is in them . but alas , too too many wayes are our delights carried , but not that way as they should , valerius maximus reports , that a gentleman of capua , coming to cornelius house shewed her his jewels , and desired to see hers , but she having none as was likely , put him off with some other talke , till her sonnes the two grachi came in from the schoole , which then shee shewed saying , here are my jewells , and indeed these are jewells well brought up . if she tooke such joy in her children , how may we thinke god doth , and therefore we may delight and rejoyce in his godly children , especially seeing he reckons of them as his chiefe treasure and choise jewes , psal . . . malach. . . i will fill this house with glory ; which commends unto us a duoble point . first , of wisedome , secondly of comfort , first , to teach us , and then to strengthen us . to teach us first , that the glory here spoken of doth singnifie that true glory , wherewith he will fill this house , for other places are filled with painted glory , the want of which wisedome draweth many to noisome lusts and pleasures for false glorie . againe we must know to this glory is joyned infamie , as we see in the apostles , who weare counted the scumme of the world , yea how many speake contumeliously of christ himself , and his fellowers , who weare voted with that ignominious name of nazarites , act. . touching which , when paul came to rome : act. . . the jewes told paul , that it was every where spoken against , which may put us in minde of that which simion spake of christ , luke . that christ was appointed as a signe to be gaine-sayed , wherefore it is to be meant true glory , which is here accompanied with unjust and untrue reproach and infamy which yet the godly may rejoyce in , austin tractat . . in fol. . on these words , the holy ghost shall glorisie me , defining glory to be a speech of many consisting in ones praise , saith he , when we commend or praise either for that things should not be commended , or secondly , that person that indeed is not to be commended ; as for example saith he , to bestow mony on stage playes is a fault , and not a vertue ; yet saith austin many praise it , for the wicked saith he , citing out of the . psal . are praised for the lusts of their owne hearts ; and so againe saith he , the wicked when hearing the face of the righteous they are praised , and men deceaved , this is false glory . but if the righteous not seeking praise of the world , are praised for their vertues , this is true glory : now st. austin meaning that christ was glorified with true glory for the glorious workes of his function and passion , may teach us to avoid the occasion of their error which mislike the calling of the ministery , and griefe at their reproach ; st. paul considering how this true glory was joyned with ignominie but false ; resolves , cor. . . to approve himselfe by honor and dishonour , by good report and ill report as we see , act. . he was accussed as a chiefe maintainer of the sect of the nazarites , herein appeared his glory , so athanasius as it is in theodorets . chap. . being falsly accused of murther and adultery , his glory appearead when the man was brought forth with both his armes whole , whose armes he was accused to have cut off , and when the woman had falsly accused him for being naught with her , chargeing another in his presence , as mistaking him , athanasius sufficiently cleared him , so calvin is accused in this place for receiving venient desiderati , to applie unto others that which belongs unto christ , by one in that booke called calvinus judaizaus , wherein stapleton sooths him , as glad to finde any fault , but that this and others which he brings are but false reproaches , david pareas doth sufliciently make cleare , but if heb. . our saviour himselfe did so patiently endure the gaine sayings of sinfull men , how may these be content : and since not onely paul and athanasius , and calvin , but even christ himselfe suffered reproach , this shewes that since christ was glorified with true glory ; that a christian may have true glory , though untrue ignominie and reproach do accompany it , which may serve in the second place , for the increase of our comfort , since it s said , matth. . blessed are ye that suffer , &c. so that we need not to marvaile that act. the . the apostles so rejoyce that they were thought worthy so to suffer for christ , or that philip. . paul saith , that it was given to them to suffer , and that he would rejoyce in the crosse and markes of the lord jesus , which we may so much the more doe , if they be wicked that wrong us , but if they be godly , yet take comfort in this we may , that the cause is not just , if all were like datinius , milo might take comfort as tully saith , but its likely that even cato , being as to his praise , plinie notes . times accused , and every time acquited , yet was sometimes accused by honest men . but then hic murus aheneus esto nil consciere sibi , consider the example of job , james . . what end the lord made , he was charged with hypocrisie , but in the end cleared . yea put christ for example , if they have called the master of the house belzebub , no marvell that they use the servants sharper , but we deare bretheren must heere follow christ , who ▪ heb : . for the glory that was set before him , endured the crosse , despised the shame . for rom. . if wee will reigne with him , wee must also suffer with him , we must not thinke to goe to heaven in a horse-litter , here wee shall have true glory , but hereafter more perfect glory . o lord instruct us , that we may imbrace the things that remaine , and hearken unto that thou commandest , that we may stir up our selves so to performe our duty ; that here being partakers of true glory , wee may hereafter bee brought to perfect glory , even by the god of glory , christ jesus , amen . sermon the twelfth . haggai . . . the silver is mine , and the gold is mine , saith the lord of hoasts : the glory of this last house shall be greater then the glory of the first , saith the lord of hosts , and in this house will i give peace , saith the lord of hosts . godlinesse is profitable to all things , having the promise of this life , and that to come , saith paul to timothy ; the truth of which sentence is here illustrated by an example of a duty here comanded , touching the building of the temple : for of the three gracious promises made by the lord to stir up the jewes thereto , the two lastly handled , concerne the promise of the life to come , the glad tidings of the gospell ; and the last now to be unfolded , comprised in the words read , containes the promise of this present life . silver is mine , &c. wee heard before , as may be gathered from the prophets words , is it not as nothing , &c. that the people were discouraged when they saw the foundation of the temple how farre short it would come of the former , to recomfort them , therefore this is added , that the glory of this latter house should be greater then the glory of the former , and that not only in respect of the spirituall glory mentioned in the former verse , and i will fill this house with glory ; but even with temporall and eternall glory also , wherewith because the other was so beautified , they were cast downe and discouraged , as if the latter would be nothing in respect of the former ; therefore the lord here doth not only promise to fill it with glory , but also that the glory thereof shall be greater then the glory of the former ; which for that ( in respect of that glory which they meant , it might seeme a thing unpossible , since they had not the riches of solomon which built the former . ) therefore first the lord mentions that the silver is his , and the gold is his , &c. the silver is mine , and the gold is mine , as if hee had said , notwithstanding yee are now poore , and see no meanes how to effect this , yet it is in my power to inrich you , the earth is the lords , and all that therein is , which he shewed when hee fulfilled his promise by raising up herod , and inriching him to build up this house in glory , as an eye witnesse , josephus by name antiquitat . l. . e. ult . and de bello judaico , lib. . cap. , as it is divided in the greeke , doth testifie ; the disciples desire our saviour to behold the goodly buildings of the temple . and luke . . it is said that some did admire the temple , how it was garnished with goodly stones and consecrated things : now for the stones , josephus , who at large expounds that in luke , saith the temple was made all of white stones , some six cubits long , and sive broad , some of twelve , and some of twenty five , some of forty five , in respect of which , perhaps it might be compared with that other built by solomon . now for those consecrated things which luke calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same josephus saith , that all the upper parts of the temple were set about with spoyles which herod had taken from the arabians and others . further he affirmeth , that nine of the doores were covered with gold , the upper gate with corinthian brasse , the inward with gold : the posts were covered with gold , the forefronts with plates of gold , the roofe set with round spires and boules of gold , so that all was either glistering white , or shining with gold . and so also within , the vessels were many of gold , some of those as were before , others made new , especially the golden table , candlestick , and altar of incense ; insomuch , that besides luke and josephus , even externe writers , as tacitus lib. . history saith , that it was immensae opulentiae templum . now whether in these respects it may be said to be more glorious than the former , i pronounce not ; but certainely in respect of the spirituall glory mentioned in the former verse , and this temporall added together , it was much more eminent and glorious then the former . now hereto is added , and in this house i will give peace , meaning thereby that not onely warre and dissention should cease , as we commonly take the name of peace ; but that also all prosperity & temporall blessings should be added , as the word in the hebrew doth signifie perfection and integrity , salubritie and inc●●lumitie , as they used it in their salutations , peace be unto you , wishing them all good , as wee may see sam. . . where it is said that david asked of vriah , of the peace of the warre , that is , of the prosperousnes and of the good successe of the war , which zachary , zach. . makes plaine to be meant here , speaking of the same thing two yeares after , for there he asked them whether before they received the commandement of building the lords house , they did not remember there was no peace , nay saith god , i did set every one against his brother , but now there is a seed of peace , as ( i. ) as translations render it a prosperous seed ; noting , that by peace is meant prosperitie , for which they must waite , as husbandmen doe untill it grow up , which is plaine from the words following , that as other peace cannot ( as it is said doth ) make the vines to bud , but is gods gift of peeac , as after he saith ; and you that were once accursed , shall be a blessing among all nations ; so that by peace there is not meant onely concord and unitie , but that as is promised deut. . all prosperitie to them that obey the lord. and this you see , that the lord of hostes , the almighty god , signifying unto these people , that gold and siluer is his , and therefore that he can performe what they cannot , doth promise also that he will make the glory of this latter house greater then the former , and therewithall will blesse it with peace and temporall prosperitie . the foundation of which promise being a premonition to take away distrustfulnesse from them , the silver is mine , doth instruct us in this ground of common faith , that the lord of heaven by the right of creation , doth injoy and possesse all earthly blessings , and can as he please dispose them . this moses and aaron did not so well remember , when numb . . being commanded to speake to the rocke , and promised that the water should flow out , they by destrusting gods power , did not sanctifie the lord in their hearts , nor so before the people by beleeving his promise as they should have done , that therefore he would not let them bring the people into canaan , god then sanctified by beleeving , this which here is said that the silver is his , under which are comprehended all other creatures and temporall blessings as his owne and at his disposing , serving for the performance of his will , the benefit of his servants . when samaria was besieged and the famine so sore that the mothr was to boyle her sonne , and to refresh her selfe with her owne childe as we reade , kings . and the prophet coming to the king told him from the lord , that by to morrow this time there should be plenty in the gate of samaria : a prince on whom the king leaned , thinking it a thing impossible , answered the man of god and said , behold , if god should make windows in the heaven , could this come to passe ? the prophet replyed that he was sent from god and confirming that which he said , threatned him punishment for his incredulity , that he should see it with his eyes , but that he should not taste thereof , as also it came to passe when the angell gabriel sent from god promised zachary a sonne , luke . how can this be , saith he , since i am old and my wife barren ? well saith the angel , i am sent from god and it shall be , but because thou hast not beleeved thou shalt be dumbe untill this thing be done , which example of moses , of aaron , of the prince and of zachariah , doth teach us to beleeve , that what the lord doth promise in his word it shal undoubtedly be made good by his worke in due season , silver is his , and gold is his , for so saith the lord of hostes , the silver is mine , and the gold is mine , &c. a point that may further teach us to remember that seeing also these earthly blessings are the lords , therefore in getting , using , loosing or wanting them , we should have care so to behave our selves as those that know they are not ours , but the lords , in getting he giveth it them to whom it pleaseth him , and it is not ( as many foolishly imagine ) committed to the prince of the world , to be disposed by him at his pleasure : it 's true indeed , that sathan said so , that all the kingdomes of the world , and the glory of them are delivered unto him , and to whom hee would , he gave them , but he said it falsly , and for the most part as false as this wee see here worldly men , as if silver and gold and these worldly things were not the blessings which god bestowes , seeke them by unjust and unlawfull meanes , belike thinking they are none of gods at all , otherwise as jacob said hee would serve laban seven yeares for his daughter rachel ; so they would also serve god for his blessings . but with many ( as the wise man saith ) stolne waters are sweet , and his bread is pleasant . the sonnes of eli robbed the people that came to sacrifice , and tooke by force that which was not theirs : and i would to god that not only the sons of eli , but that also our elies themselves , for i would be loath to judge any , did they not , i will not say rob , but did they take more then their owne from the portion of the lords sacrifices , &c. sure if any so doe , they consider not with david , psalme . that preferment comes not , neither from the east , nor from the west , but that it is the lord that doth give it , else they would be of davids mind i hope , who would not doe any thing that hee should not against saul , a wicked-king , no not for a kingdome ; god forbid that i should doe this , and sinne egainst god , &c. they that pray to god as their heavenly father , give as this day our daily bread , and yet delight in stolne waters , shew that they doe the lusts of another father ; god forbid that i should say they are of another father , but sure herein they serve him , by serving another then the lord in good duties , they should get that they desire by good meanes ; for silver is mine , and gold is mine , &c. secondly , in using we are but stewards to the lord , in using and disposing those blessings which wee enjoy , and therefore must remember , that wee must give an account thereof unto the lord. nabal , when davids messengers came to him for some provision to refresh himselfe and his followers , sam. . shall i take my bread , and my wine , and my flesh , &c. and give it to strangers ? all was mine , and mine , and mine with him , he did not consider , that he had received them from god , to be at his will disposed , not all for himselfe , but some for others also . it is said proverbs . withold not the goods from the owner thereof ; neither say to thy neighbour , goe , and come againe too morrow , &c. the owners are called , them that has need of any good we have , and we are but as stewards to dispose it to them , according to that rule in the epistle to the corinthians , he that soweth bountifully , shall also reape bountifully , for the lord loves a cheerefull giver , and he gives twice , that gives quickly . the israelites in hosea , had forgotten that it was the lord that gave them silver and gold , flax and oyle , which they gave to baal , and therefore hee threatens to take it away ; so , if wee bestow those blessings that he gives us , amisse , let us know , that he yet retaines an interest in them to take away . what if his silver and his gold bee bestowed upon papists images , idolatry , &c. what if men make their bellies their gods , as phil. . and serve them with their riches like polixhemus in euripides , who said he never sacrificed to any god but to his belly , and he thought that wise men would thinke that it 's a mans god to eate and drinke ; yet for all this , the right of these blessings thus abused by wicked men , belongs unto god , and hee will at his pleasure both take them away from them , and call them to an account for the abuse of them . alas , if it were not so with us also , we should be more ready to come to these assemblies , when as we are so ready to fill our owne bellies , but let us know , that we have now but the disposing of these things , and the lord will require an account of us . thirdly , what if we loose them , yet let us comfort our selves with job , remembring , that the lord gives , and the lord takes away , and therefore blessed be the name of the lord. fourthly , if we want them , yet remember they are the lords , who if he please , can give them ● but say that we want them , and the lord bestowes them upon the wicked that worse deserves them ? this is a grea● temptation i confesse to the godly , as we may see in david , and jeremy , yet consider he is the saviour of all , though especially of the godly , and he makes his sun to shine , and his raine to fall on all sorts , that so by his long suffering and goodnesse , he may call them to repentance , or at last , as acts . filling their hearts with food and gladnesse , he may not leave himselfe without witnesse . but to come from this point , which is set downe to strengthen their faith in the power of god to the promise it selfe , of greater glory , the glory of this house shall be greater then the former , which ministers greater comfort to the church , as comprehended with judah in this promise under the name of israel , zach. . . whereby israel is meant the same as in that speech , gallat . . as many as walke according to this rule , peace shall be upon them , and upon the israels of god , &c. israel not according to the flesh , but according to the spirit . even the gentiles which are joyned in the building of this latter house , as the peophet isa . speaks , isa . . . alluding to the temple , the glory of lebanon shall come to thee , the firre tree , the elme tree , and the boxtree together , ( i. ) the gentiles to beautifie the place of my sanctuary , and then shewing he meanes hereby the church to be gathered out of all nations , he saith , the sons of them that hated thee shall bow to thee , &c. and , i will make thee an eternall glory and joy ; noting thereby , that before the gospell was preached , the jewes were hated by all , who then being converted , shall submit themselves to that religion , which before they detested , so that there should be a perpetuall joy made for all the church . and verse . he saith , that the isles shall come , and the ships of tarshish , &c. even they that grow by merchandise unto greater wealth , as isa . . speaks of tyrus , that came with their silver and their gold unto the lord , to beautifie therewith his spirituall temple , the church . this is that then which here is promised , that god will provide for the merchandise of his church those things that may be sufficient , as for food and raiment ; for so the apostle interpreting the promise , limits it tim. . when we have food and raiment , let us therewith bee content . howbeit to this is added a greater glory due in this life , ( that prerogative to bee called the sonnes of god ) and fellow heires with christ , rom. the . and after this life , to enjoy an exceeding weight of glory . so that the church shall be blessed , though not with abundance and superfluitie of earthly goods ( it may be ) for it was not for nought that solomon prayed , proverbs . give me neither poverty nor riches . and deut. . we see , that when the people waxed full , they spurned against the lord. but alwaies with sufficiency , and with a spirituall glory greater yet in this li●e , and an immortall weight of glory in the life io come . therefore to those that lead a religious christian and a godly life that indeavour to build upon themselves and others in an holy building to the lord , is this promise made that this later house shall be more glorious than the former . they before christ having but a taste in comparison of that , whereof we have the full fruition , this is it that solomon hath proverb . . exalt wisedome and it will exalt thee , and he learned it from his father , who taught that god would give both grace and glory . psal . . . and no good thing will i with hould from those that walke uprightly , no good thing , nothing that if indeed good for them , with that moderation , cor. . the apostle saith of himselfe and such as he was , that they were a gasing stock unto angels and men , hungry and thirsty , naked and buffeted , but cor. . he addeth that those small afflictions should worke in them a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory , so that god workes alwayes that which is most of al for our good , therefore in respect of those other greater good things these lesser are denyed , whosoever saith christ , shall loose father and mother , or friends , for my name sake he shall even in this life receive a hundred fould , but with persecutions , & in the world to come life eternall , he that hath given us his sonne how should he not give us all things together with him , the lord can deny nothing that is good to them that walk uprightly , but then we must walke uprightly , and in so doing our glory shall be the greater , for if we build the lords house then wee glorifie and honour him and their it is written , them that honour me i will honour , saith the lord. sam. . . now the last promise and in this house will i give peace , is made of a seed of peace , &c. not onely that discention shall cease , but that the heavens shall heare the earth to give her dew , and the earth shall heare the corne to give her fruit , &c. and they shall heare israel , so travel in the building of the house of the lord and the service of him as they ought , which may put us in mind , that we may feare that we have not laboured so as we ought in the building of the house of the lord , forasmuch as there be so many breaches and vents among us , and in the seventh chapter the prophet tells them , that before when they built not the lords house but every one his owne , that the heaven staid it selfe from dew , and the earth her selfe from her fruite , there was no peace , nay saith zach. . . before those dayes there was no hire for man nor beast , neither was there any peace to him that went out , nor to him that came in , because of the affliction , for saith god , i set every one against his neighbour and that by the just judgement and vengeance of god , because they travelled not in the building of the house of the lord. from whence are wars and contentions saith james ? are they not hence , even from your owne lusts and pleasures that fight in your members ; and are not our contentions to maintaine our lusts and our pleasures , also i would to god we did consider aright the roote of them , it s an old proverb to fish in troubled waters , cleon in aristophanes was told that he dealt like them that fished for eles , for as they when the lake is calme and cleare can take nothing , and therefore do they trouble it and stirre up the mud and slime , so when the city was quiet he could get nothing , and therefore he sought to make strife in the city , if any such cleons be amongst us , i would they would remember that they are called not to be fishers of eles , but to be fishers of men , not of such slimy stuffe which hab. . is called thicke clay , but for the soules of men which are most pretious , and which they must seeke for ; as for the wisdom of such as fish for eles it descendeth not from above as st. james saith , but is earthly , sensuall , carnall , & devilish , such as do not consider that the lord saith , silver is mine and gold is mine , and i will give peace in this house , but if st. james cannot serve to perswade , then let them yet remember what a heathen man , worthy their remembrance , saith varro by name , whom austin so commends , distractione civium saith he languescit praecipium civitatis bonum est incipit aegrotare & deflorescere out of all controversie , the prophet having promised peace unto them when the temple and house of the lord was built , doth shew plainely that we doe not build the lords house , because we are not at peace . but is by the example and promise wee hope to have peace , let us looke to be fishers of men , and not of ecles , then shall we bee sure to have prosperous successe , and to bee inriched as the jewes were afterward , wo be to him saith god to jehocakim , that buildeth his house with unrighteousnesse , and his chambers by wrong . did not thy father josiah eate and drinke , and prosper when he executeted judgement and justice . if men could be content with moderation as josiah was , and not seeke to justifie their inordinate lusts and affections as many doe , then might they eate and drinke , and prosper , as josiah did , but when they begin with jehoiakim to follow after their owne wicked lusts , then it s not moderate eating and drinking that will serve their turne . they thinke they must shift for more by other meanes , the sentence that st. iames addeth upon his exhortation and reprofe of their contentions , iam. . . is worthy our remembrance . vi●le , the fruit of righteousnesse i● sown● in pence to them that exercise peace , wherein the former place peace is taken for gods love and favor accumpanied with temporall and spirituall blessings , and in the latter for peace and concord , and so doubtlesse gods eternall peace which passeth all understanding , is sowne to them that make peace , yet they must waite as the husbandman doth for fruit , and not thinke to have it straightway , but certainely they may expect it for the lord hath promised , that as many as sow righteousnesse shal have the fruite of peace in this life and in the life to come life everlasting . but i beseech you to remember that which is prophesied to come to passe in the time of the gospel , to breake our swords into mattocks , and our speares into sithes , let us lay aside the instruments of war , and take unto us the instruments of gods husbandmen , and labourers , and so build the house of god that the lord may dwell among us , sanctifie us o lord that we may remember that the gold is thine . sermon the thirtenth . haggai . , . in the fourth day came the word of the lord saying , thus saith the lord aske now the priests concerning the law , and say if one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment , and with his skirt do touch bread , or pottage , or wine , or eyle , or any meat , shall it be holy ? and the priests answered , and said , no. after many and great promises of sundry blessings and benifits whereby the lord had before incurraged these people of the jewes to go forward in the building of the temple , wherein at this time they shewed themselves somewhat slacke : heare againe for the strengthening of their hands , and the chearing of their hearts to stirre them up , againe in these words , the prophet reneweth one of the former promises , concerning the plenty of temporall blessings of wine and oyle , so the comfort of which benifit is annexed and set out by the contrary ( to wit ) barrenesse , blasting , by which for their sinnes they were chastised in the former yeare , and least being the only people chosen to serve the lord , they should flatter themselves in the multitude of their sacrifices and religious worshiping of the lord , and thinke therefore that they weare not so plagued for their sinnes , they are advertized from the lord , that notwithstanding their daly offerings and services , and not only their other actions weare displeasing to him , but even their sacrifices abominable in his sight , so long as they neglected his commandements and left his temple unbuilt . the severall points to be observed are these , first that their sinnes is opened , and they by themselves convinced of it . v. . to v. . secondly , the prophet sheweth that therfore they were plagued with barrennesse from v. . to v. . thirdly , vpon amendment of this fault , and going constantly on in building , plenty is promised , v. . to v. . the first point is as much i shall be able to handle at this time , though i did reade all because of the connection and coherance of one part with another . for the first therefore to omit the other whereon this depends . their sinne , the prophet opens by two misticall resemblances rawne from moses law , v. , . and declaring thence , v. . that they being themselves uncleane , so were all their workes and their sacrifices , which they more effectually to perswade them , the lord , v. . commandeth haggai to aske the priest concerning the law , as by the witnesses of them that were therein skilfull to convince them , and perhaps to reprove the priest which should before have taught the people according to the law. now the law of moses laith open these two types for levit. . . concerning the sinne offering , the lord by moses pronounceth , that it was most holy , and whatsoever should touch the flesh should be holy , and here is the former question made by the prophet , v. , . if one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment , and with the skirt doe touch the bread or the pottage , whether the bread or the meate so touched , shall be holy , whereunto the priest answered , no : and that eightly , for though it be said there , that whatsoever thing the flesh of the finne-offering toucheth shall be holy , yet doth he not say that whatsoever toucheth that which toucheth the flesh shall be holy , in like manner the iewes in their sacrifice could not be said to be holy , because they touched that onely which touched the thing that was holy , and never touched that thing which was holy , to witt the true flesh of sinne as he called gal. . the body of those shaddowes , heb. . . who was sacrificed on the crosse to take away sinne , whom and whose garments as they only who touched , by faith were healed , mar. . . matth. . so onely as many as touched him in the sacrifices of the iewes , spiritually by a true and a lively faith ; first , those that spiritually believed in him were saved , and so consequently sanctified ; which spirituall touch is required , ioh. . heb. . . wherefore as the iewes by neglecting the building of the temple , and therein their obedience shewed their unbelief wanting that faith which worketh by love , although they touched the outward shaddowes and cerimonies yet since they touched not christ the substance and body of them by a true faith they remained yet unholy still , againe , numb . . . it is written , that whosoever toucheth the corps of a dead man shall be polluted and uncleane , and whatsoever the uncleane person toucheth , it shall be also uncleane ▪ and hence is the second question moved , whether if a person sopolluted by touching a dead body ( as the word in the originall sheweth and is although not here , y●t levit. . . translated , touch any thing uncleane by the dead ) whether the thing so touched should be unclean : to this question the prophet answers yes , it shall be uncleane , and that also agreeable to the law as before we have heard ▪ wherefore the touching of a dead body doth betoken the committing of sinne , which is called ●● dead ●ork heb. . . as may appeare by christs blood ●●●ging ●●om us the uncleannesse of sinne , to that clen●●ng water which purged them from that uncleannesse of the dead , heb ▪ . 〈…〉 that the iewe● howsoever by the sacrifices and ceremonies , they were outwardly washed , from such pollutio● yet being not washed by christ blood they were dead in the 〈◊〉 and sinnes , and so polluted with dead workes that all of them were unclean ▪ yea and their sacrifices defiled , and all they did which is the maine point of reproofe inferred as from those former proofes ▪ by the testimony eve● of the priests themselves , concerned 〈◊〉 where the prophet answereth , so i● this people , 〈◊〉 which say it is not time to build the lords house , 〈…〉 cleane before me saith the lord ( i ▪ ) in my judgment howsoever they thinke themselves cleane by their sacrifice● and so ar● 〈◊〉 but all the workes of their hands and that which the● effect here . viz. as we may gather from their da●ly 〈◊〉 offering into uncleane ▪ th●● weare the iewe● informed how they did 〈◊〉 against the law of god in not building a● they weare commanded , the temple of the lord and therefore for ( all their sacrifices they were unclean● , ●nd all their 〈◊〉 ye and their own sacrifices an abominatio● unto him and that by the confeflida of the high prie●●● , their owne teacher of which 〈◊〉 ●●ction given unto them wee may make 〈…〉 we may see . . the sinne of these iewes ▪ vi● ▪ the neglect of the ●●●filling of the lords commandement , inbuilding as 〈…〉 . the convicting of 〈…〉 . by resemblances and 〈…〉 serve for opening the meaning of these words , now see what heare we learne for instruction and our further use , v. . thus saith the lord , aske the priests , de lege , whence . we learne in generall , that for convicting men of sinne , & instructing them in the way of god the word of god , is an infallable rule and ought to be the square of all our actions , the law of the lord is perfect converting the soule , and the testimony of the lord is sure and giveth wisedome to the simple , and psalme . neither doth only david , psalm . . say that it teacheth a young man ●o redresse his way but ( even of his owne ) he saith , that the word is a la●tho●ne unto his feet : and our saviour christ when he was asked o● the scribe , how he might have eternall life , sendeth him to the law , saying , how is it written , how readest thou ? mat. ● . and so being to prove to the saduces the resurrection , he sendeth them to the scripture , saying , have ye no● read ? and mat. . so the apostle paul perswaded timothy and in them all the ministers to continue in the things they had heard , which are able to make them wise unto salvation , and desired titus to continue in the doctrine taught him and thereby to convince them that gain-say , not by mens doctrine which are all but vaine rudiments colos . . and which they teach but all invaine to worship god mat. . a doctrine necessary to be noted touching the sufficiency of the word of god against the doctrine of mens traditions , which the lord by esay complaineth of in the jewes , that gave themselves to the talmud , tying themselves to the doctrine of rabbins , and also digging broken cisterns that would hold no water , and forsaking the fountaine of living waters , alledging those canons for directing of mens actions , as now the papists in their giving directions , for the training up of their novices . a jesuite , ribera , on these words ( aske the priests ) saith that it is as much as we say , now aske the priest in cases of conscience , and the observation is very true , but then seeing cases of conscience are decided in gods word , they that be thus asked must be golded by gods spirit , and be able to answer as the papists here did , out of the law of the lord what god saith , & not out of mens doctrine , what tho. aquinas saith . but remember that they be ●ases of conscience , which only god doth determine and resolve , and herein let the● take their owne doctor thomas aquinas who par● 〈◊〉 quest● 〈◊〉 ar . . upon the words of titus , saith , that although by way of reason mens authorities may be alledged as of aratus by the apostle , yet these are but probable not demonstrative , and that onely the doctrine of the canonicall scriptures is certaine and infallible & such as whereon our faith may & must alone be grounded , as on the revelation , given immediately by god unto the prophets whereon also saint augustine saith , that he had learned to give only to the holy scriptures that reverence , that they could not erre , when all other men might , and in their writings often did . but as for us my brethren , we are not to rely upon thom. aquin. or any other man , our heavenly school-master hath taught us better , es . . should not a people inquire at their god ? to the law and to the testimony , if they speake not according to this it is because they have no light in them . they have no light in them that have not learned this , and this we learne in that the prophet did , aske the papists concerning the law . the next thing to be observed here , is , that the prophet being bidden to aske the papists , the papists make answer out of the law , where we may observe the duty of the papists , viz. that they ought to be men who ought to know the law , and thence to be able to resolve the truth in any question being asked out of the law , for so saith god , mat. . that he made his covenant with him of life and death , & hereupon inferres that the priests lipps should preserve knowledge , and the people should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the angel of the lord of hosts , we my brethren that are called to the ministery of the gospel succeed the priests in this office , though the name indeed be not given to us in the new testament , but together with other christians as may appeare by esay . . there the prophet alluding to the old name to set downe our office , saith , in the lords name i will take of them ( ) from all nations priests and levites unto me summe and therefore we also must know the law of god , and that as it was said then , so it is now said of us also , that our lipps also should preserve knowledge that we may teach the people and this saint paul requireth of tymothy to give attendance to reading , although he had beene brought up in it from his youth , and though old men may thinke that this was spoken to young men such as timothy , yet may they know that this also belonge to those who are old persons , such as paul , and that from august . epist . . terti . ●● volsianam to whom having written for resolution to austin ( as if ●● thought he knew all things ) austin correcting the opinion saith that so profound and deepe were the scriptures , that he might profit still in them , although from his child-hood unto his old age , with most diligent study he was conversant in them ; not as things necessary unto salvation were to be attained unto by so great difficulty ; an exception needfull to be inserted for the pupists , but that when they have attained to christian faith , yet such mysteries are there and so shaddowes , that although the ministers be ingenio accutissimo ani●● fiagnantissimo ▪ yet they cannot in all their life , as eccl. . attaine to them of knowledge ; so that the lesson given to young timothy is to extend to the old , also paul himselfe doing what he exhorteth timothy to doe as the glosse thereon , cherion notes and chrysostom , that paul did that himselfe which he exhorteth timothy to doe by pauls so often writing of the oracles of god in the old testament , and by other circumstances : now this knowledge is not to be kept under a bushell but we must teach and instruct the people , and resolve of questions according as it is said , aske the priests , which thing before they should have done since they could not chuse but read in deut. that they should teach jacob gods judgements , and israel his lawes , which the better to performe , they are forbidden , levit. . to drinke wine or strong drinke , when they enter into the lords tabernacle , that they may discerne things aright , & teach what was to be observed among other christian dutyes , as to instruct , correct , reprove , tim. . paul also requireth of the minister● not in the strictnesse of that law to drink no wine at all , yet not to be vinodeditus , given to wine , and for the same end according as plato in cratylo saith , that temperance is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereto aristotle assents ethic . p. . which etimologi although some gramariane dislike yet it is true that temperanc● preserveth wisedome and contra as pliny saith , lib. . cap. . sepia ob umbrator vino , and therefore of rishope and pastors , it is required that they be temperate in dy●t that so they may preserve knowledge to instruct others , the w●nt of which makes the prophet isa . . denounce wo against the pastors , as blind guides wanting knowledge , which he ascribes partly to their coveteousnesse , and partly to rio and excesse , the plagues which such draw on them for leting the people be destroyed for want of knowledge , we may see in hos . . because thou hast refused knowledge saith the lord , i will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no priest to mee , since thou hast forgotten the law of thy god , i will also forget thy children . to which if any shall reply that they have no children , and therefore thinke in this respect that they shall escape the curse , let them remember the curse their denounced , and so zach. . . o idle shepheard that leavest thy stocke , the sword shall fall upon thy right eye , &c. and i would the wise consideration of these things might stir us all up to the diligent study of the law of the lord , and faithfull delivery of the same unto his people , to seed the flock of god that dependeth on us , and that of our saviour , of the wise and faithfull steward ought to be a lesson for us in this case , and this dutie required of those priests , a direction unto us for the performance of our duty in this behalfe . a third observation . hence is gathered by the papists , that the papists were , and so consequently the church ▪ that is , as bellar. . ( de verbo dei interpreteth ) the pope with his counsell are soveraigne judges of all controversies , and that in their judging of the same they cannot be deceived , which chap. . of that book proving , or rather indeavouring to prove , he brings for his purpose amongst others , this place , where it is said , aske the priests . and that of malach. lib. . . sacerilotis custodient scientiam . the priests lips shall preserve knowledge , and they shall seeke the law at his mouth , as here the prophet is commanded . whence he concluded only that this the priests lips ought to doe , it had been well , and that which the law would beare . but whereas hereupon they would inferre , that they cannot erre in doing it , so making that a promise what they should doe , not onely a precept what they ought to doe , that very place in malach. chap. verse . sheweth the contrary , where it is added by way of reproofe ; but yee are gone out of the way , yee have caused many to fall by the law. so that it is manifest by the whole drift of that place , that the priests lips should preserve knowledge , for hee is the messenger of the lord of hoasts , and therefore they that doe not so , deserve punishment , as followeth ver . . therefore i have made you contemptible . but after this interpretation of the jesuite , every man in his calling almost as well as the priests , may claime a prerogative of not learning in the performance of this duty , rom. . of the magistrate it is said , that hee is for the praise of them that doe well . what therefore shall wee say ; nero being a magistrate , never failed therein , or that all they that did well received a promise of nero ? againe , the wife is said to be made a helpe unto her husband , what ? may we thinke that every wife is so , or that jobs wife was so , and did performe this duty to her husband ? againe mat. . a sonne honoureth his father , and a servant his master ; what ? therefore is there no stubborne child , nor disobedient son to his parents ? was that law deut. . for no purpose ? or are all servants faithfull to their masters , and is that false of our saviour , luke . o wicked servant ; these places shew indeede that the magistrates should be for the praise of them that doe well , that the wife should be a helpe to her husband , that the child should be obedient to his father , but not all of these are so alwayes : and so the priests lips should preserve knowledge , as in the future tense this word is often used , or imply a duty as even ( ribera ) a papest confesseth that even bellar : from his owne men might have learned not to have abused his reader , and for the thing itself , although the priests here twice answer well , yet other examples shew how fowly they erred oftentimes as to note but . for all in jer. . concerning the church when the prophet threatned , that god would make the temple as shilo the priests pronounced that it was a crime worthy of death , when yet the princes confessed that it was according to law , and so delivered ieremy out of their hands , and secondly , mat. , concerning christ the head of the church , when christ said that heareafter ye shall see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of god , the high priests rent their cloathes and pronounced it to be a blasphemy when indeed i was not , and perhaps he had not falne into that error if he had not knowne our savioar . this point therfore we are not to learn by the prophet in this place , but rather because they are false teachers which come in sheeps cloathings , therefore it behooveth us to be carefull that we be not ledd by false guides , for such as you have heard , may be blinde , and if the blinde lead the blinde , do not both fall into the ditch together , therfore as we are commanded let us examine the spi●its . now as these points may be learned out of the answer of the priests , for skilfulnesse and faithfulnesse is required in gods ministers , so is there here left unto all sorts a lesson of wisdome in touching of sinners , out of haggai , his wise dealing with them who because the calamity was generall , and the priests in fault aswell as the people , by his wise command , bringeth the priests to confesse against themselves , and so convinceth them also of sinne together with them . so did nathan deale with david , proposing the parable of the poore mans only sheepe , in such wisdome that david gave sentence even against himselfe , and had it returned into his own bosome with this personall arrest . thou art the man ▪ so christ dealt also with the pharasees by a parable of a vine-yard let out to a husband-man ; matth. . and after the same manner did amphitochius bish . of iconium convince theodosius the emperor of his sin in bearing too much with an arrian hereticke , for when he had entreated the emperour to banish the assembly of the arrians out of the city , as utter enemies to the sonne of god , christ jesus , and the emperour had denied his request , being loath to deale so hardly with them , amphitochius was silent for a season , but afterwards , most wisely attempted the matter againe , on this manner . entring on a time into the emperours pallace , and beholding his sonne radius ( whom he had now made emperour ) standing by him , he after his wonted manner saluted the emperour himselfe , but of purpose did not obeysance unto his son , which the emperour observing and thinking it to be done by amphitochius only of forgetfulnesse , he commanded him to come unto his sonne , and in token of honour to salute him with a kisse ; amphitochius answered that it was sufficient that he had done his duty unto him . whereat the emperourwas much moved with great indignation interpreting the neglect of his sonne to be the contempt of himselfe , then immediately the most wise amphitochius as ( theodoret stiles him ) declaring the whole purpose and drift of that he said , and cryed aloud o emperour dost thou so take to heart the neglect of thy sonne , and art thou so vehemently angry with them that are contumelious against him ? why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the almighty god doth hate the blaspheme●● of 〈◊〉 only begotten sonne , and is angry with them as being unthankefull towards him their saviour and benefactor : the emperor being convincest by these his words and deeds , did forthwith make a law for the restraint of the arrians , hereticks according to the petition of amphitochius . sermon the fourteenth . haggai . . &c. if one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment , and with the skirt do touch bread or partage , shall it be holy ? and the priests answered , and said , no , &c. and haggai said , so is this people , &c. to passe over all coherence of those words that follow with these ( noted heretofore ) and to remember you only of the drift and meaning of the same : the jewes being now returned from their babylonish captivity to jerusalem , although they went not forward with the building of the temple as the lord commanded them : yet because they offered sacrifice on the alter of the lord : built long before they supposed that they were thereby sanctified , so that their disobedience in not building the temple did not defile them . the contrary thereto , here they are taught out of the law by two resemblances , levit. ▪ & num. . for that avouching every thing that touched the flesh of the sinne offering to be cleane , did not yet imply that the bread and wine that touched the skirt , which touched the sinne offering should be likewise cleane , and the affirming them that touched a dead body to be uncleane : and whatsoever they touched also to be uncleane ; did shew plainely that all that such a party did touch , whether bread or oyle was thereby defiled and uncleane , after which points out of the law avouched by the confession of the priest ( for god bad the prophet aske them ) the latter part of the second similitude followeth , so is this people , and so is this whole nation before me , &c. the force of the illation or argument , why the jewes were not sanctified by their sacrifices , but count their sacrifices defiled by their disobedience , doth consist in the mysteries represented by those ceremonies . for first christ jesus our saviour was signified by the sinne-offering whose flesh was most holy , here called holy flesh , the touching of which here signifies the spirituall touching of christ by faith , as the woman luke . is by our saviour said only to have touched him , when as others did more then so ; wherefore , since they that truly doe beleeve in god , do love him and keep his commandements , and the jewes did not build the temple as he commanded them , it followeth that although the jewes did touch that which in some sort might be said to touch christ , viz. the sacrifices and shaddowes of the law , wherein he was covered as in the skirt of a garment , yet they did not touch christ himselfe by a lively faith working by love , therefore they were not by these sacrifices sanctified and made holy ; nay contrarily all their sacrifices were by them defiled and made uncleane , since the touching of a dead body did signifie the committing of sinfull disobedience , which was deadly : and whatsoever such a person did touch did signify whatsoever he did , which thereby he defiled , so that the jewes being themselves defiled by their disobedience in not building of the temple defiled all their works ; even their very offerings , seemed they never so holy before men , yet before god they were but polluted and defiled . now to passe by the ground of this reproofe , the testimony , namely of the priests out of the law , of which before ver . . and to proceed to other notes of instruction , from the two similitudes in generall from the ptne of their meaning applyed we may observe , that the sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law were ordained by god , not to signify only those things , which the , words barely did import unto the jewes , but other myster ies also for the comfort of the godly unto the end of the world : this the apostle , col. . . sheweth us , that these were but shadowes as it were the just draughts of the lineaments , as painters ( whence the phrase seemeth to be taken ) use first in a darker sort , as with a coal or the like to shadow forth their portraiture as apelles did ptolomie his servant , ( plin. lib. . c. . ) which after they make more perfect , and yet more plainely , heb. . . where it is said , that moses made the tabernacle , and all things therein according to the heavenly patterne which god shewed him in the mount , which patterne what was it , but the mysteries of our redemption , by our saviour christ , which were shadowed out by the tabernacle . to shew this by examples exo. . there was a paschall lambe appointed to be killed , and the bloud to be sprinkled on the doore posts , cor. . the apostle applyeth this to christ , saying , for christ our saviour is offered , exo. . . there was appointed in the daily sacrifice two lambes to be offered , one in the morning , and the other in the evening : john the baptist seeing our saviour christ ( ioh. . ) saith , behold the lambe of god that takes away the sinnes of the world . whereof indeed the other were but shadowes : numb . . moses is appointed to erect a brazen serpent , that the people who were stong with the fiery serpents might looke thereon and be healed , in john . our saviour christ doth shew , that himself was shadowed by that serpent , for as moses lifted up the serpent &c. i need not to open other mysteryes hid in these ; touching the faithfull , as that cor. , that when the pascal was eaten , they eat unleavened bread ; the apostle there seemes to signify , that we being by our saviour redeemed , are to put away all leaven of malitiousnesse , and to keepe a continuall feast all our life with the unleavened bread of sincerity & truth , and so in this place , the touching of the flesh of the sinne-offering , which did make holy that which did immediately touch it : though not that which did onely touch that as did touch it : did signifie as by the prophets application , we learne the touching of our saviour christ by a lively faith , which did sanctifie those that did so touch him ; although not those which did only touch the shaddowes wherein he was lapped ; as contrarily the touching of a dead body which did defile whom it touched and made him also to defile what he touched : did signify the committing of deadly disobedience which did defile the jewes , and the very best workes they did . these things , beloved , may serve to stir us up to the meditation of that which the apostle saith heb. . . that there are in the scriptures of god , many things hard to be uttered , and wee are dull of hearing and such as had need of milke and not of strong meats , though we may confesse with saint augustine epi. . ad volusiam that even the strongest among us may learne still more , since such a man as he , did not sticke to say of himselfe that the scripture is so profound a depth that one of farre better witt and gifts then he , though he should study in it alone and nothing else ever from a childe unto his old age , yet still might profit therein non quasi , saith he , caquae sint ad salutem necessaria were not therein plainely delivered . to prevent the objection that the papists make why the people should not read the scriptures ) but after these plaine things are learned , there are so many darklier shaddowed mysteries ( as are these , in interpreting of which many have missed , not only in the depth of the words , but even of the things therein contained ) that the learnedst may therein increase his knowledge : and this may serve to be noted from the two similitudes in generall . secondly , it followes that from the first similitude , part . we observe that by the outward service of god they are not sanctified that have not religious and beleeving harts , which being here by their similitude shaddowed forth , is in other places of scripture plainer set downe according to that with august hath . lib. . de doct . christiana , where he saith that nothing is taught obscurely in one place of the scripture which is not in another more plainely expounded , and for this doctrine , it is plaine : as first by that of samuel unto saul , sam . . doth the lord more delight in burnt offerings , than when the voyce of the lord is obeyed ; behold to obey is better then sacrifice , &c. isay goeth farther , cap. . bringing in the lord as accounting all their offerings no better then abominable , what have i to doe with the multitude of your oblations , &c. incense is an abomination unto me , but his meaning is the same that samuels was , that god did regard more their obedience , the washing of their hands and cleansing their hearts from sinne , their ceasing to doe evil , &c. then all those oblations without these , hosea . . . the place which our saviour alledgeth , matth. . . i desire mercies and not sacrifice : his meaning is by way of comparison : not sacrifice in respect of mercy , ( as the latter words added shew ) and the knowledge of god more than burnt offerings , such knowledge namely as , john . speaketh of , which is joyned with love , when he saith hereby we know that we know him , if we love him and keepe his commandements , as he indeed will that doth know god as our saviour , no marvell therefore if the jewes disobeying god in what he commanded touching the building of the temple , though they were very ready and forward in their sacrifice , as we may read . ez●● . . yet were not hereby sanctified . &c. by their disobedience , they and their sacrifices were defiled as heereafter wee shall god willing heare from the second type , first the outward service of god doth not sanctifie any in whom there is not a believing and obedient heart , our saviour christ by his coming hath ( as before was foretold he should , dan. . vlt. ) abolished those sacrifices of outward services of the law : which being but shaddowes ; were to cease , the body once come . col. . which else would signifie christ to be as yet come : we cannot therefore now serve god with the same manner of externall service as they did : but yet we have some services even under the gospel like in some proportion unto theirs , wherein wee are by ecclesiasticall assemblies to offer sacrifice unto the lord. the apostle . heb. . . mentioneth some of them exhorting them , and in them us , and all christians to offer up unto god alwayes by christ the sacrifice of praise even the fruite of the lips to confesse his name ; and rom. . . concerning sermons , the apostle saith he , was ordained a minister of the gospel of god , that the offering up of the gentiles ( the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy ghost according as isay . . was foretold , that by the preaching of the gospel the gentiles should be sacrificed up unto god : in the former of which sacrifices of prayer and thankesgiving as the people are to joyne with the minister and say amen . so in sacrificing of themselves in the later by the preaching of the gospel , they are to joyne also as the apostle doth exhort , rom. . . howbeit least we should herein vainely flatter our selves and thinke that our outward service might sanctifie us , although the jewes could not doe them we are to understand that howsoever the jewes strove indeed specially by blood , to make god appeased with them , yet had they also together with their sacrifices , both prayers , and sermons for performance of this spirituall duty , ergo . psal . . . its said in commendation of jerusalem where were the sacrifices , that thither the tribes go up unto the testimony of the lord to praise the name of the lord : and that we may know that they had prayers still together with their sacrifices , act. . we read that peter , and john , went up into the temple , at the ninth houre . . the houre of prayer : which was the houre betwixt the two evenings when the jewes did offer dayly , their evening sacrifices ; as also we may finde many psalmes . at that time ordained to be sung ; yea and besides their prayers used with their sacrifices ( which only were offered in one place , viz. at jerusalem ) they had still every where throughout jury in their synagogues , prayers and divine service and act. . . mention is made of a place by the rivers side whither the jewes usually resorted unto prayer , and againe ver . . where paul saith that the mayd mett them as they went to prayer , many thinke that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , is meant the place where they used prayer so called , as philo , who lived about that time , that sheweth they used to call their synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the prayers they used to have in them ; now that together with prayer , they had also preaching and expounding of the word , as it appeares by that place alledged , acts . where it 's sayd , that at pauls preaching god did open the hart of lydya to attend to that was spoken , so also that at ierusalem it was likewise used ; that famous place nehemiah , . doth shew sufficiently , as also in other places of jury as kings . , from that answer which the shunamites husband gave unto his wife , when her childe being dead , and he not knowing thereof , and marveiling why she sadled the asse ( asked ) why she would go to the man of god that day , since is was neither new moon nor sabboth day : the learned gather that on such feasts ( as the new moones & sabboth dayes ) the people that dwelled far off even in the countries did use to assemble unto the cities where were prophets & levites which they called men of god to be taught & instructed by them . as acts . it is sayd , that moses had them which preached him in their synagogues , being read every sabboth-day , as even in our saviours time it appeareth by that which is recorded , lu. . , where it is said , that to heare christ among the rest , there came the pharisees and teachers of the law , out of every towne of galilee , and iudea and from ierusalem , insomuch that when the scriptures were read , if there were any likely in the congregation , to preach or make any exhortation they were requested therunto , as acts . . we reade how at antiochia after the lecture of the law and the prophets , the ruler of the synagogue sent unto paul , saying , yea men and brethren if yee have any word of exhortation for the people , say on : which farther appeareth by that is storied of our saviour , luke . . how , comming into the synagogue at nazareth the booke of the prophets was delivered unto him , which having opened he read , and expounded a portion of of isay unto the people therefore since that to these sacrifices here mentioned the jews joyning both prayer and preaching of the word and yet were not thereby sanctified without obedient hearts , we may learne also : that by our calling on the name of the lord in prayer , and learning his will by hearing his word : we cannot at all be sanctified without obedient and beleeving hearts . and doth not the apostle teach us the very same things ? why else doth he exhort , tim. . . that men should pray every where lifting up pure hands , and without wrath , and without doubting if so be that onely prayer and lifting up the hands would serve , without the puriry of the affections of the heart ? and why doth he say to the hebrewes that the gospell was preached unto them , aswell as unto the old jewes in moses his time : but the word that they heard did not profit them , because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it ; if that barely to come to heare the word , were all that were required ? or why doth he say concerning the sacraments which are the visible , as the preaching is the audible word of god , cor. . that the fathers under the law did all eate of the same spirituall meate , and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke , and yet with many of them god was not pleased : so that they fell in the wildernesse : and addeth that these are examples unto us : but to instruct us , that although we have such graces as they and be partakers of the like sacraments of christ , yet if we be disobedient as they were we must looke to taste of the like plagues as they did , so evident is that doctrine which from the former similitude in the beginning i observed : that by the outward service of god none are sanctified , but those only which have faithfull and obedient hearts ? wherefore since it behooveth us ( reverend and beloved ) to be carefull of holinesse , without which none can see god. heb. . . wee see how wee should stirre up our selves not only to the outward , but even to the inward worship of the lord : for mat. . . many shall say lord , lord ( so that there shal be prayers , and have not we in thy name preached & c ? they shall use preaching also , and yet christ shall say unto them , i never knew you . seeing then the outward ceremony will not serve to sanctifie any , or bring them to salvation , we must be very careful , not only to performe this outward service to god of prayer which by an excellency is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rom. . as all other rom. . but also to offer up our soules and bodyes , even the best of our inward and spirituall sacrifices and services to gods glory , for we are bought with a price and i am sorry that i am prevented , by the time so that i must speake breifely , which else i should more largely . . how many of us are there that do not come to the outward service of god , so as they ought ? i refer it to every mans conscience to consider how they frequent the assemblies for prayer and divine service in their private collegs , but for comming at the beginning of tearmes , when as wee are by oath and conscience bound thereto , how slackly is that done , if done at all ? alasse how far are we from the zeale , that was in the iewes , who with wearisom journeys walked on through the wildernes till they appeared before god in sion , psal . ? how far from that foretold should be in the people of god , psal . . . ) thy people shall come willingly & c ? how farre from that example which the people give us , neh. . who were said to have heard the word willingly from morning untill night . so we reade act. . paul being to depart on the morrow , the people that beleeved assembled themselves together to hear him , so that he continued his preaching untill midnight , but alasse , how do we degenerate from these , who cannot indure but for an houre or two to frequent such religious assemblies , it is recorded by zoromen l. . c. . that when valence an arrian emperour had forbidden the christians to have any assemblies : the godly notwithstanding used to meet together in the fields for the service of the lord. the emperour hearing therof , was very wroth with his cheife captaine modestus , for so he was called , and so indeed he shewed himselfe , because he suffered them so to do . modestus therefore forewarning them that they should meet so no more , and threatning that if they did they should be punished ; they notwithstanding the next day in great multitudes met againe , which modestus understanding thought good to go out against them with a band , & to scatter them : but as he went a certaine woman with her head not throughly tired & with a little child in her hand overtaking them , brake through among the souldiers and made hast towards the place where the christians were assembled . modestus causing her to be called to him , demanded of her , whither she was going in such hast , shee answered : that she was going to the place where the christians were assembled , to serve god. why said modestus dost thou not know that the emperor hath commanded that they all that come thither shall be killed ? yes i do , replied she , and therefore i go the rather , that i may be martered among the rest : and why said he dost thou leade with thee that little child ? that he also ( answered shee ) may be partaker of the reward . i am loth to say that which the example of this godly woman moveth me unto , but i will onely speake in latin out of the poet , vos etenim juvenes animum geritis muliebrem , illaque virgo virum , but secondly , put case we were without exception in this behalfe : yet let them know , that are most diligent in the outward service of the lord that this sanctifieth none in whom there is not a faithfull and an obedient heart , the prophet isay . speaketh of much prayer , which yet because it was done without faith . the lord accounted no better then abomination . and ezek. . . tells us of some that would come and stand before the prophet as if they would learne the will of the lord , and yet are reproved , we see that the scribes and pharises for frequenting sermons , and using long prayers , mat. . could not be reproved , and yet our blessed saviour telleth us , that except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of them , wee cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven , mat. . but one place micah . . may serve to seale up all that i have taught . how doth the lord expostulate with his people ? my people what have i done unto thee , or wherein have i grieved thee : testifie against me ? how we may apply all this unto our selves ; consider we what god hath done for us , and how hath he greeved us , hath hee not brought us out of egypt , yea , from papistry , times a viler slavery then that of egypt ? hath hee not by a mighty hand redeemed us , when in queene maries time many suffered banishment , and others lost their lives ; and sent before us moses even our gracious queen elizabeth , whose memory is for ever blessed ; and for our preservation under her , hath raised up unto us many aarons and miriams endewed with prophets , spirits to instruct us ? can we be forgetfull what balack of spaine devised against us : or what balaam of rome answered him from shittim : under moses whither the moabite sent their daughters to corrupt the people ( a lively representation of the sending forth of the priests and jesuits to seduce us ) unto gilgall , under ioshua : where ( by circumci●ion ) the shame of egypt was taken away from them : as of late one branch thereof hath bin from us , by our joshua , his majesties proclamation against the profanation of the sabboth , and all this that wee may know the righteousnesse of the lord ? with what then shall we come before the lord ? shall we offer of prayers , or of sermons , & c ? no , he hath shewed us what is good and what he delighteth in more then all these . that wee do justly , and love mercy , and humble our selves to walke with our god , that we behave our selves religiously , as they that are indewed with an holy spirit and are heires of life remembring what is said , esay . . that god regards him that is of a contrite spirit , and that trembleth at his word , needfull it is for us to know the word of god and to use all meanes thereto , but if we do no more , we do but draw neare to god with our lips , and not with our hearts . sermon the fifteenth . haggai . , . &c. then saith haggai , if a polluted person touch any of these shall it be unclean , & c ? then answered haggai , so is this people , &c. if those two types brought to convince the jowes of error who thought they were by their sacrifices sanctified , howsoever they continued disobedient and did not build the temple as they were commanded by the lord ) the former hath already taught us that the outward service of god , doth sanctifie none , but onely him that hath a faithfull and obedient hart . and by the latter , now , further wee are to learne : that who so hath not a faithfull and obedient heart hee is not onely , not sanctified by any outward service : but on the contrary both himselfe and all his actions , yea even his outward service of god : is impure , defiled and detestable in the sight of god. for the word in the originall which wee translate a polluted person , doth properly signifie such an one as is uncleane and polluted by touching of a dead corps ( the phrase being to bee supplied from numb . ) compared with levit. . . the law concerning whom numb . . is , that whatsoever such an one toucheth should be unclean , as here the priests confesse . wherein , after the manner of the mysteries of faith , expressed as by shaddowes , and portractures in a darke manner , by legall rites and ceremones ( as heretofore hath beene shewed : the touching of a dead man ( who came unto the state of mortality by sinne genes . . ) doth import the committing of sinne which is called by the apostle a dead worke , hebr. . . and that ceremoniall uncleannesse which did exclude out of the campe numb . . . doth imply that morall uncleannesse which doth indeed defile the man , mat. . and that none so uncleane , shall enter into the kingdome of heaven . reve. . ult . and lastly in that all ( by the law ) was defiled which was touched by hand , arme , or legge of any such polluted person being all instruments of action , romans . imployeth that all whatsoever is done by the unfaithfull and disobedient is infected through the corruption of their unbelieving heart , titus . hence therefore it followed that the jewes committing dead workes of impenitency , security , unbelief and disobedience by not building the temple according to the lords command , and so being defiled ; all their workes togetheor with themselves were uncleene as verse , the prophet concludeth hereupon . so is this people , and so is this nation [ before mee ] saith the lord where the tearme [ before me ] is significantly added , to note that although in the sight of men they were accounted holy by reason of their sacrifices , yea and themselves , thought so of themselves ( as their predecessors did for another kinde of service of fasting , isay . . ) yet in the sight of god ( who beholds all their hearts , and works a farre of : and not onely those that were of greatest lustre , but others also whatsoever ) their holinesse was but hypocrisy , and themselves , and all they did abhominable : no otherwise then the pharises after them : who did weare brasse phylacteries , and used long prayers , &c. and yet , because they were hypocrits , covetous , and ambitious they had the like judgement denounced by our saviour , luke . . ●ee are they that justifie your selves before men : but god knowes your hearts : for that which is highly esteemed among men , is abomination in the sight of god : and to the same effect the lord concluding this sentence by adding [ and that which they offer here , is uncleane ] doth seem to refute as by name , that wherein the iewes hoped to be sanctified , and which they most esteemed holy both in respect of the thing : viz. their offering on the altar , exod. . . wherof all were holy and some most holy : so that their service of god in this kinde , was by an excellency called the service of god ( witnesse the apostle to the hebrewes and romans ) and also in regard of the place where they offered them , here in jerusalem the place chosen of purpose to that end : called therefore the holy city in matthew , and greatly praysed in sundry of the psalmes for that respect . seeing then the people and whole nations of the jewes yea all their workes , even their very sacrifices offered in jerusalem , were unclean , and detestable in the sight of god : because they had not faithfull and obedient hearts , but did neglect the building of the temple commanded by the lord : the lesson hence to bee gathered is plaine which in the beginning wee mentioned , viz. that whosoever hath not a faithfull and an obedient heart , himselfe and all his workes , even his divine service of god is impure , and uncleane in the sight of god. this in the carnall sacrifices as in the shaddow , doth isay teach isay . . declaring that who so is not of a contrite spirit ( as onely the faithfull are ) to tremble at gods word . if hee kill a bullock hee was as if hee flew a man , &c. for in these words expresly noting all the severall sacrifices that the jewes did offer , as greater beastes , and lesser : meate offerings and incense : and comparing them wi●h dogs flesh , and swines blood ( things forbidden by the law , nay to the murthering of a man , or the blessing of an idole ( which his soule abhorr● ) hee plainly shewes how detestuble the lord holds all these , where was wanting a faithfull , and an obedient heart in them that offer the same , also concerning spirituall sacrifices of prayers , and of sermons preached or heard , doth the spirit else where witnesse as of prayers , prov. . . hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law , even his prayer shall bee abominable : of sermons preached , psalme . but unto the wicked ( saith god ) what hast thou to doe to take my words in thy mouth , and hatest to be reformed : of sermons heard likewise , ezek. . and also ezek. . . where first the elders , and then the people are reproved , because they came and sate before the prophet as if they would learne the will of the lord , and yet their hearts went after their covetousnesse , and they did not that they were injoyned , finally all the actions of the unfaithfull whatsoever are censured by two rules of the apostle . in respect of the things themselves that are done , rom. . ( ult . ) whatsoever is not of faith is sinne , and the . in regard of the persons that do them heb. . . without faith it is impossible to please god , &c. so undoubted an axium proved by the scripture is this which here our prophet teacheth , that the best workes of men are of themselves uncleane in gods sight without a faithfull heart , &c. whence may be confuted an●er or of the prophets , who , howsoever the ancient fathers , ierome , gregory , prosper , and especially austin ( proving the point not onely by those two places last alleadged out of st. paul ) but also by that of our saviour , matth. . a corrupt tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit , do hold that all the workes of the unregenerate done before faith , are sinne and deserve gods wrath ; yet the papists i say in their authenticall counsell of trent , sescion . . cano . . pelagian-like , stick not to pronounce , that if any man shall say , that all the workes done before institution , are to be accounted properly sinnes , or do deserve the hatred and wrath of god : let him be accursed ? a curse heretically and blasphemously uttered by antichristian impes , whose faces are set against heaven , and their tongues walke through the earth , for all works done without faith are uncleane in gods sight ( as here haggi teacheth us ) but before in justification , no workes are done with faith , for then we are justified and made the sonnes of god when we believe , iohn . therefore whatsoever workes are done before in justification are properly uncleane , and do defile , but whatsoever is uncleane and doth defile is properly sinne mark. . . and cor. now god hateth all sinne zach. . he being just in all his wayes psalme . yee all workes done before in justification are properly sinne and deserve gods wrath , nor can they be pure whiles the heart , the roote or fountaine whence they proceed is impure and corrupt , now the heart is only purified by faith , act. . . and all unbelievers even in their minde and conscience are defiled , titus . . the papists therfore herein curse the prophets , nay the lord of life , who here himselfe spake by the ministery of his prophet . and shamelesse is that shift which ribera the jesuit maketh writing one this place ● . . first saying that the prophet doth not speake of all the works of the unregenerate , but only of their sacrifices , from the which glosse ( if the text it self did not refute it , yet where it is plainly added ( and all whatsoever they do ) yet st. ieroms authority ( which in other places he vvould seem to esteem . ) should have at least occasioned him to have forborn : and to have rather passed it over in silence then so to have gainsayd him , and the text , for omnia & cuncta quae agit saith ierom , ( nam de cunctis loquitur profanantur ) : nay , ierome not so content in generall only to avouch it : applies it in particular to the works of both iewes , heretichs , and gentiles , and sayth that whatsoever they do ( not only vvhatsoever they offer ) their vowes , their prayers , their charity , and almes-deeds , &c. all are unclean : for although th●se actions seem in shew to be good ( & are so indeed in their own nature ) yet because they are touched by him that is polluted , they are unclean . but as for us ( beloved ) vvho are taught for his sake to bear reproaches : and to endure curses patiently that vve may become conformable unto him , according to that of the prophet , the rebuks of them that rebuked thee , are fallen on me ( let us i say ) against all pelagian spirits hold constantly vvhat here the prophet teacheth us , &c. and let the princely prophet david , joyn vvith haggai , in interpreting this ceremoniall type of moses vvhere psame . . having confessed sins actuall , and originall vers . . he prayeth : purge mee with hysope and i shall bee clean . no vvay to be made clean but by hysop , novv vvhat that purging vvith hysop meant , vve may understand by the ceremony , num. . of the red kovv burnt vvithout the hoste , the figure of our saviours sacrifice as the apostle interprets it hebrewes ▪ vvho to sanctifie us suffered vvithout the city . and st. iohn plainly setteth dovvn that vvith by allusion only vvas signified in the figure , vvhere john . . he saith that it is the blood of christ that clenseth us from all sins , but his blood clenseth none but only such as do believe , for rom. . . . we are justified freely by grace : through the redemption that is in christ jesus , whom god hath made a propitiation through faith in his bloud . which peter . . pet. . . calles the sprinkling of chrsts blood vvhereby vvee are sanctified : by allusion to the ceremonies ! avouching the same act as plainly , that all mens hearts are clensed no othervvise then by faith . therfore against that cursed & cursing counsell of trent . wee novv see hovv moses , david , haggai , iohn , paul and peeter do avouch that vvhatsoever men do , before justification by faith in christs bloud they bee clensed : all is unclean , and so are the persons that do the same , all are sinne and deserve gods hate , and let this be the first use of this doctrine for strengthning us in the purity of our faith . a second may serve to put us in minde of our duties for the bettering of our life , for if all our vvorks , vvithout faithfull and obedient hearts bee so detestable , that god accounts them defiled , and unclean in his sight , you see hovv carefull vvee should be to avoid such vvorks of sinne , since hovvsoever othervvise vve may seeme to do some things pleafing unto god , yet they do but defile us , and make us to be shut out of the campe , even excluded out of heaven . and to stir us up herunto we have two forcible inducements in that text pet. . from the tipe or shaddow where sin is compared to a dead body , for if we should consider with our selves how lothsome the touching of a dead body is , and which is more that we are growing thereby our selves unto death , we shall be the more moved in this behalfe : and the pastors will i doubt not but be stirred up by that which our saviour speakes to the angell of the church of sardys , rev. . . . i know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou livest , but thou art dead : be awaked and strengthen the things that remaine that are ready to die for i have not found thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not full , not perfect , so he concludes that he was in part dead , and in the reast redy to die , if he did not speedily strengthen that that remained by repentance for that which was decayed : so that except the pastors works be full , howsoever he have a name , that he liveth , yet he is but dead : now know you the duties of the minisiers , or divines if they will ever fulfill their ministery to be patternes in word , in conversation , in faith , in spirit , in love , in purity , &c. to attend to reading and to exhortation , to be instant in season , &c. and the apostle collo . . . commandeth the christians to say unto archipus , take heed to thy ministery that thou hast received of the lord , that thou fulfill it , the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being compared with that other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth shew that the pastor ought to fulfill every part of his ministery , else his works are not full : and then that may be said to him , that was to the angel of sardys , strengthen the things that are ready to die : for thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead . nay , and doth not this duty belong also to every christian ! hath not every one some talent that he must imploy in the lords service and not leave it to rot , or rust lapped up in a napkin : doth not paul both say of himselfe that the grace of god that was in him was not in vaine : and bids the corinthians beware ( cor. . ) that they receive not the grace of god in vaine , but that ( cor. . ) they clense themselves , from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit . and grow up into full holinsse in the fear of god ; and doth he not philip. . and collos. pray for them and exhort that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse ? these may serve to let us know that if wee serve god by halves , and do not labour to have our works to be full , we are at least half dead , and so without speedy repentance , growing unto death . now ( accorning as the heathen speaks of vertue si oculis cerneretur quales excitaret amores , so per contrarium ) if we could consider and set before our eyes , how lothsome a thing it were to touch dead bodies and by them to grow to death our selves , it would much affectus to fly from such dead workes . when our saviour ( comming to rayse lazarus ) was about to have the stone rowled away from the dore of the sepulcher his own sister lothing , and fearing the infection , lord saith she , he stinketh now , for he hath beene already foure dayes dead : yet here the dead body was farther of from martha ; what if the dead worke be nearer unto us ? when king edward the second was by treacherous conspiracy imprisoned in the castle of barkly , and intended to be made away , the tormenters to hasten his end put him in an upper chamber : and under him in a lower roome , placed dead bodies , the stinke whereof did so stifle and torment him , that as he told one out of the window hee had never in all his life indured the like torment : ( as thomas de la more one that served him records in the story of his life ) yet these dead bodies were farther off from king edward , then many dead works are from many of us , clemens alexandrinus in his exhortatory oration ad gentes , relates that the barbarians did use to tie unto those live bodies of men that they tooke captive other dead bodies , that so both might rot together : a cruelty which virgil mentions to have bin practised by the cruell tyrant mezentius * anaeid . . tormenti genus . virgill might well call it , but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . doth expresse it in clemens , how the one did cause the other to rot together . the apostle writing to ephesus . . forbids that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — should proceeds out of their mouth : wee commonly transla●e it any corrupt communication , but the word properly signifieth that which is rotten , which compared with the verbe which clemens useth may open more of the apostles meaning then else happely would come into our minde ; which the apostle seemeth somewhat to expound , where colo. . . exhorting to the contrary ; he wisheth that their words may be gratious and seasoned with salt , salt you know being the preservative against rottennesse . and so hence we may imagine of all dead works what there the apostle speaketh of one ( viz. foolish & filthy talking ) that they are rotten , therefore as clemens speaks of those dead carcakes joyned to living bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they make them in whom they are , to rot , and putrifie ; so that they ought to be no lesse lothsome unto us then those dead bodies , were to king edward , or those by the barbarians tied unto their captives , and much more danger of infection may we feare then that which martha feared in a deady body foure dayes dead ; for what if the worke have beene foure years dead ? and the more should we fear these , because being spirituall they bring unto us a far greater destruction then the former . howbeit if any have not this spirituall sence of feeling : let him consider the two motives following . in that the lord pronounceth all our actions touched by the unfaithfull and disobedient to be uncleane in his sight : and not only swearing , lying , slandering , &c. and those that are simply evill in themselves , which should teach us , how we ought to have imperfect detestation that which god , ( seeing our hearts who must also be himselfe judge , and revenge of all ) pronounceth in his sight to be uncleane , a thing the more of us to be considered : because otherwise men , not seeing our faults but looking on our better actions , may happely account us very holy nay many deceive themselves as the pharisee , luk. . and they that justifie themselves , luk. thinking that they are holy when they are not . mans knowledge is defective , and often seeth not many things : nay wee our selves many times see not all and go in that , rev. . to stirre up the angell to this consideration it is added : for the workes are not full [ before god ] for many are accounted free from fault before men , which yet are detestable before god : yea and eph. . . the apostle we see joynes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . also as things unseemly ; which latine , phisosophers account a vertue rather , and in it selfe we used as a thing indifferent , yet is censured as a dead worke ; because it is by men commonly abused . and therefore in the same place , vers . . he addeth this exhortation , that they should not be partakers with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse ; but even reprove them rather , for it is a shame to speake of those things that are done of them in secret ; and how men flatter themselves in their sine , so they may conceale them from men . gehazo's example , kings . may sufficiently instruct us , when once the talents were conveyed into a secret place ; then he comes and stands before his master , and all he thought was well ; he had beene no where , but god saw where he had bin and revealed it unto the prophet , and so many if they can ( for schollers places , &c. which should be given freely ) take bribes , so cunningly that neither state of prince or parliament shall take hold of them ; they thinke all well and safe enough : but yet how soever in mans sight they can cover it , in gods eyes their works are abominable , and hee will discover it , wherefore good for us it is betime to begin to set before our eyes that consideration which david had , psalme . . viz. that whether soever we go we cannot hide our selves from his presence . seneca epl. . ad lucillum saith that it would be a great incitement to vertue and restraint from sinne , if wee could alwayes imagine some reverent grave man in our presence , if cato were too grave , yet laelius , supposing that a great occasion to sinne would be taken away cum peccaturis testis adsit ? but in epistle . he telleth us that he had yet profited more , that had learned so much as to reverence himselfe ; and indeed if none else be present with a man , yet his conscience , which is as a witnesses , at present ought sufficiently to move a man herein , and so it was isocrates his counsell that none should venture to do any thing in hope to conclude it , when as himselfe yet at least should thereof be conscious to himselfe ; but this witnesse also is far too short from that which is here commended to us by the prophet ; that the lord sees and censureth our actions , for our consciences may for sometime winke , and many consciences are seared ( as it were ) and past feeling but if one will be affraide to commit evill before a grave person , how should vve feare to commit any in secret alone since we are alway in the sight of god who is the searcher of the heart , much more for this , that others can be but witnesse only , but god is judge also and avenger , as the spirit saith to the angell of sardys . rev. . that if he should not be awake he vvould come on him as a theif in the night the phrase taken from thess . . . & threatning suddain destruction as gehazi leprous , and those that were uncleane in the shaddow shut out of the city , and those that are unclean in truth , not to enter into heaven , rev. . therefore since it so that god sees and judges all our actions , let us do as david did , who setting also before his eyes that other consideration , psame . . that the lord recompenceth every man according to his works . when he had defiled himselfe with adultery , and murther , and was once made sensible of it , he sought to the lord to be clensed , and after , still endeavoured to keepe himselfe clean , but if we be not both carefull of repentance for the present , and after still to keepe our selves cleane for the time to come , what may we expect but what is threatned prov. . that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the lord ; now eccles . . . wisheth us to look to our feete , ( the instruments of motion first , to have a carefull regard to all our carriage , even in these things whereby we are to be instructed ( when we enter into the house of god , ) and be nearer to heare , that is , to obey ( as the same word is used likewise , . sam. . . to obey is better then sac●ifice ) then to offer the sacrifice of fooles , as otherwise we shall if we onely outwardly heare or frequent prayers , &c. the summe of all is comprised in the covenant of god with abraham , gen. . . walk before me and be upright : and this ( beloved ) is the covenant that is made with us who are by faith in christ the sons of abraham , that we being redeemed out of the church from all our enemies should serve him in holinesse , and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life before him , luke . . let us therefore know that having our consciences by the bloud of christ purged from dead works to serve the living god heb. . . we must labour to have grace so alway to serve him that wee may please him , with reverence and fear , heb. . that we may finally be with those that serve him , day and night in his temple as it is rev. . the english of the latine in page fifth . that thing is commendable amongst those of geneva , ( if any where ) which makes a common wealth flourish , if not inriches and extent of empire , yet certainly in virtue and piety , viz. the censure of these of chiefe authority in the church , then which nothing can bee thought of greater or more divine , to restraine the irregular appetites of men , and such of their vices , which by humane lawes and decrees , could in no manner be reformed : and this coertion hath borrowed its direction from the rule of our saviour christ , first ; to proceede calmely and in a friendly manner , then more roughly , and last of all if there be not obedience , a heavy and powerfull interdiction of holy ordinances followeth , and the punishment of magistracy that interdiction . for it is a ridiculous thing saith seneca , that a good man should not stand for a law , in somuch that it comes to passe , that such things as no where are adjudged by law , there without force or tumult they are constrained by those censors , who have raised for themselves a high esteeme of their virtues . therefore no whoring , drunkenesse , no lascivious dancing , no beggers nor idle livers are found in any city . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * dr. hall de cade first epist . . dr. hall ibid. parkerus in praefat . ad lib. de descensu c●● ad inferos . * dr. hall ubi . supra . rainoldus fuit , doctrinae & omne genus eruditionis oazophylacium dix●ris . scriptores opinor omnes , prophanos ecclesiasticos , sacros ▪ concilia , patres , historias evolver●t ; li●guarum quae cunque theologo , vel adjumento sunt , vel ornamento , callentissimus : ingenio acer agilisque , judicio gravis & maturus : labore magis quam adamantius ipse in defatigabi●is : sic in omni disciplinnarum genere versatus , quasi in singulis operam suam omnem posuisset . crakanth ▪ defens . eccles anglic. c. . notes for div a -e heb. . . cor. . , . isa . . . mic. . . hag . , hag. . . hag. . . ezr. . , , , . ezr. . . . chron. . , . ezra . . , , . revel . . . . heb. . . act. . . amo. . . . isa . . heb. . , ezek. . . jude v. . esa . . . heb. . , , . cor. . . sigon de rep hebr. lib. . c. . mat. . , , , . tit. . . act. . cor. . . tertull. in apolog. cor. . . . bodin . method . hist . c. . p. . & p . paris . edit anno this latine you shall find it englished at the latter end of the booke . ezra . . . . ezra . . ezra . . joh. . . ezr. . . . king. . king. . king. . . the time th month cor. . . does nationum nominari lex prohibet non utique nomina ●orum pronunciemque nobis ut dicamus conversatioexorque sed ho● precepit n● deos vocemus illos . tertul. d idolat . cap. . sigon . de rep. hebrae lib. . c. . ezek. . neh. . . dan. . . & . . . & . . act. . . strab. l. . geogra . in fine & lib. . act. . alex. gental . dier ▪ l. . c. . l. c. . & . diod. sic. l. . c. . psal . . . durand . rat. l . c. . diony . halycar . l. . annal. rom. beat. rhen in annat . in l. . tertul. con . marcion . bristow . moti . . p . b. * macrob. saturn . l. . c. . bacon . in notis ad martyrol . rom. hospin . de festls chr. fol. b. eckius . tom . . hom . de purif dundand . rat. l. . c. . varro de lingu . lat . l. ● . p. . vide tu● . neb . in eundem . jacob. de v●rag . ser . de sanctis . d●cand . rat. l. . c. . moresin . de depravatae religionis origin . hospinian . de fostis christ . me●s . jun. fol. . . . gen. . . & . , , , . gen. . . , . job , gen. . , . heb. . psal . . . mal. . . exod. . . & . . . deut. . . . deut. . , , , . dan. . . rev. . . chro. . eph. . . chro. . jesus and joshua , as ezra . . or joshua commeth of one root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may further appeare by heb. . . cor. . . isa . . . mat. . . mat. . dan. . . jer. . . tim. . isa . . ex ancillarum moribus domine judicantur . hierom. ad salvinam devirgin . servanda . agg. . . . ●ccles . . . mat . . heb. . . pet . bodin . method hist . cap. . rev. cor. . . dan. . . ezra . , matth. . . . . in ecclesiâ si probè instituta fuerit , certus gubernatio nis ordo , & modus , disciplinaeque ecclesiasti . cae ea ratio observabitur . p. . deligebantur seniores . i. magistratus ecclesiastici , qui disciplinam ecclesiasticam tenerent , &c , hi ad h●bito pastore , &c p. . cor. . . . . mat. . . act. . & . . . . . act. . . tim. . . tit. . . thes . . . . . ▪ sam. . bucer de reformatione . canonici coll. luke . ezek. . i hil . . t. john matth. . revel . , & cap. mat. . ezek. . joh. . . heb . hos . . . acts . . amos . . deut. . . deut . . dan. . job . . . heb. . job . . psal . . revel . , , . judg. . &c. judg . . jer. . . jer. . , . isaih . , , . jer. . livi. lib. ▪ z. in oratione menenij agrippae . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apoc. . . ex. . . ioh. . . heb. . . exo. . . exo . ver , , . e● . . gen. . gal. . . acts . . tit. . . numb . . . tim. . . . ephes . , . tim . . pet. . ▪ joh. . thes . . . ▪ chron ▪ . e●ra . e●ra . . , . heb. . . col. . . heb. . . cor. . cor. . mat . . cor. . jer. . . jer. . . ezek. . . ezek . . ruffinus . l. . c. ult zozom . l. c. ult . anni mer. lib. . agg●i . rom. . . tim. . heb. c . . iude verse , , . thes . . . iam. . . pet. . . &c. tim. . . tit. . . thes . . . eph . , . esa . . . psal ● . , . gen. . . gen. . . . ezra . . kings . , . amos . . , , , . pro. . cor. . . tim. . . cor. . ●● , , , ●● . thess . . ● . gen . . tim ▪ ▪ ●● . tim. . . cor. ●● per. . mat. . . mat. . . cor. . ▪ tim. . . psal . . . eph ▪ , , . ●uk . . tim . . per. . heb. . . revel . . . gal . . ezra . . mat . . psal . . mat. . . , , mat. , . phil . . eph . . phil. . . ephes . . . rom. . dan. mic. . isai . . & . i●ua . . . luke . , ● . ioh . tim. . mat. . . pet . . exod. . . ioh. . act. . . plat. in vita bon. . oaephinus in chri. anno . the jubile was reduced by clem. . to yeares abridged by martin & paul brought down unto yeares , which was confirmed sextus vide plat . in clem. . et in nic. oaemp . in sexto . et extranag . com lib. . cap. ●o glosse in fine vide bullam clem . ibid. cap. vingenitus et bullam sixto . extra com lib. cap levit. . psal . . psa . . job . . . . sam. . . psa . . . cor. . . . rom. . . , . mat. , ult kin , , hosea , rom. . rev. . . pet. . thes . . . ephes . . col. . mat. . phil. . . phil. . , . psal . . . isai . . . ver . . ver . . isa . cap. . ioh. . . gen. . isa . . , kin. . . isa , , cap , ver , thes . . . cor. . . pet. . . cor. . . acts . . act. . . esa . . . mat. v. . mar. . . act. . cap ver . . lsai . deut . , . ezek. . tim. . , . ezra . eph . . ver . . hieron , in aggai . cap , . vulg at edit . aggai cap. . ezdras . ezra . . . ez. . . pro. . . gen. . . . & . . . and gen. . , rom. , act. . . act. . sam. . . psa . . . iohn . jam. . . pet. . cor. . phil. v. . gen. , . mat. . . gen . , iam. . . . thes . . . cor. . . pet. . . . pet. . cor. . . heb. . heb. . . heb. . . heb. . . cor. . , . amo. . kings . , . kings . . galen de senitate lib cap. pro. . . rev. . . pet. . . thes . . rev. . . isa . . . hos . . . isa . . . exo. . . re. . . . ier. . . re. . . . . amos . . , , , . plu. in vita cam. camillum setvatorem suum dumque et parentem invocantes ier. . . heb. . . heb . , . isai . . ioh. . . act. . . rom. . . eze. ioh. . . iohn . cant. . . phil. . . rom. . , cor. . . eph. . . rom . ro. . . zac. . . jer. . i am . . phil. . . eph . . thes . . . hos . . . jer. . . za. . zac. . . zac. . . zac. . . heb . . cor. . . pet. . . cor. . . epi. iude ver . . exo. . . , , . titus . . gen. . . cor . gal. . zenophon in cyrop . cor. . . cor. . . m●●●●b . satur. lib. . p. . at non ego caesar pericli●ante te actiaco bello , vicarium quae sui sed pro te ipse pugnavi , heb. . . heb. . . isai . . senectus quidam morbus est ludo senect . plut. in vit laton . cor . . two reas . gen. . ● . zac. ▪ . joel . . . gen. . . dan. . , . act. . eccles . . heb. . . psa . . , last reas . thes . . , . . somnus mortis imago . cor. . . cor. . . luk. . . ezra . . kings . . three promises to encourage the iewes to reedefie the temple ephes . . , . lu. . . di●ensum socrat. ea . hist . lib. . cap. multi ad sapientiam pervenire potuissent , nisi se jam pervenisse putassent . tertul. in apol. cap. . act. . titus . . act. . . mat . ioh. . . ▪ act. . . act. . . act . , . cor. . . vetus est enim ubi non sis qui fueris , non esse curvelis vivere cic ep . fa. l. . ad marium ep . . plu. in ejus vita . hag. . v. mat. . isai ● . . tertu . apol . cap . adversus gentiles . heb. . thes . . . ep. iude v . ezek. . ezekl . iohn . exo. . . act. . . psal . . deut . v . heb. . ephe. . , , . cor. . . cor. . . cor. gen. . . ier. . . cor . . rom. . eph . last . the same promise to encourage us as the jewes . re. . . pet. . . psal . . sam. . pro. . daniel . . eccl. . psal . . columella lib. . cap. act. . . rom. . , , . act. . tim. . . mark . . isa . . . psal . . mat. . luk. . . sam. . . zach. . , , . zach. . sam. . . ioh. . . cor. . . hos . . . in losing . in wanting . psal . . je●e . . rom. . acts . isa . . . john . cor. . psa . . hosea . . . . james , . . . heb. . prov. . . hee is wise that wineth soules jam. . . varre li. de vita populi rom. ier. . . isa . . . . . . psa . . . psa . . . tim. . . . tit. . . . ad hieronimum . epist . . august . epist aduolsianam . tanta est profunditas , &c. tim. . . tim. . . tim. . . sic quoque in proverbium essit sapientiam vino obumbracipem . lib. . cap. . isa . . v. . . gen. . theodor. eccl. hist ▪ lib. . c. . his name was planus . plin. hist . nat. lib. . cap. ● . tanta est christianarum profunditas uterarum ut in eis quotidie proficere si eas solas ab meunto aetate &c. nihil serè de illis obscuritatibus cruitur quod non planissimè dictum alibi reperiatur aug. de doct . christ lib. . cap. . phil. iud. lega . ad caium . philo iud. de vita mosis lib. . p. . vid. bez. in act. . . & act. . . heb . . mich. . ver . , , , , . heb. . . & . . mat. . , . rom. . numb . . , , , . heb. . . heb. . see stows chron in edw. . clem. alexand. orat. * mortua quin etiam jungebat corporavivis , compones marubusque manus at que oribus ora , tormenti genus & sametaboque tumentes , complexu in inifaco , longa sic morte necabat . arist . eth. lib. . cap. . & lib. . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isocrat . orat ad demon. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arist . eth. lib. . . c. the writ of restitution by the lady eleanor. eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the writ of restitution by the lady eleanor. eleanor, lady, d. . , p. s.n.], [s.l. : . bound and filmed following d . reproduction of original in the harvard university library. eng prophecies. a r (wing d ). civilwar no the writ of restitution: by the lady eleanor. douglas, eleanor, lady b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - celeste ng sampled and proofread - celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the writ of restitution : by the lady eleanor . psal. &c. be wise now therefore , o ye kings ; be learned ye that are ludges of the earth . acts . . whom the heaven must receive , till the times of restitution of all things which god hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began . printed in the year . the vvrit of restitution : by the lady eleanor . and now in this his cause , the iudge of all the earth , prince of the kings of the earth , a case wherein all concerned ; these are to pray three , who here sit in his place iudges : give me leave to speak , and shew you a mystery , from this writ amoveas manus , defended by the happy mr. maynard , notwithstanding opposed by mr. solicitor , with s. john , not knowing what spirit he 's of . before whow this day , the day of iudgements figure , shewing by reason of a writ of error , not executable , three stand charged with contempt of the court , pleading ignorance , notwithstanding the aforesaid amoveas manus writ being executed ( as it were ) the forbidden fruit tasted untimely ; these men yet each discharged and acquitted : as let it neither be reputed impossible , how much opposed soever by others , for all to be saved at last , when the utmost mite or minute satisfied or expired , the worst of reprobates not excepted , in his time whose immense mercy inscrutable : this is the argument , against whom no writ of error feisible either or possible . who saw every thing very good at first made by him , reduced to be no doubt to the same estate , as holds good from that of dust return to dust , every thing to the place from whence it came ; faln angels and men restored every one , not left a hoof , &c. or lost of that kinde bearing his image . of which general deliverance well understood to be an article of the christian faith , famous origen , from whose judgment other fathers erring , forced were to erect a purgatory for saints , that babel edifice of theirs ; of whom the aforesaid ancient father , the worst they could say of him was , as he did worst of any when he wrote ill , so exceeded all men when he did well . and so proceeding with this reported case of this days hearing , where the fiery adversary upon their surmisings , pressing for a present sentence , before the accused heard or answering , charg'd , that although moved in open court such a writ , the amoveas manus to be respited : and accordingly a supersedis issued out , delivered to the sheriff then in being ; the tenants nevertheless outed of possession by the now under-sheriff of that county about three moneths ago : whereupon he cald and appearing , demanded of whom , how those doors came to be opened , denied not what he had done by vertue of such a sealed writ , by such a solicitor brought to him ; as for other writs concerning them , pleads ignorance : one pomfred by name , ( alias pomum ) surprized in state of inocency , like her first in the transgression ; ( for pursuing which allegory thus ) shewing one massingal cald , pleading ignorāce too as the man laying the fault on eve ; he ( some three years since in that office ) onely had a supersedis , of what validity now he knows not ; for other writ , none came to his hand . also jo : rand solicitor cald , he appears , no yong fox , not to be foold with pocket errors , refers to the iudges , whether year after year that writ like to be of much force , brought beforce such and such officers ; namely the treasurer , &c. when as in being none such , or like to be : and so this the epilogue or end of it , their stale errors being quasht ; the writ stands good for taking off or removing his majesties unhealing hands , his tenants cashier'd , moreover for strengthning which , another writ , a writ of restitution produced , brought in court , stops the lyons mouthes , forced to put up their pipes , as let it happen to the enemie of general restitution , sent to that parable of the unnatural elder brother towards his own flesh and blood , luke ; and murmuring laborers , because their fellows mads partakers with them ; endless unmercifulnes thereof to bid others beware . and here to make an end with what penance imposed on those three for a presumption of that nature ; these a touch of it : the under sheriff pomfred , somewhat of a low pitch , he never to aspire or take upon him the state or stile of a high sheriff ; the other sometime in the same imployment or office , massingal to return to his domestick function or calling deserting former dainties . the honest poor solicit ' j : rand as for him unto other solicitors an example his lot , besides to pinch himself with hard and thin fare , never to attempt the kings solicitors place , or st. john to be cald like the wandring lew . and so farther , no jesting matter neither of mean consequence , where like twins , this finished tedious law suit in trinity term ; and gods word both sympathizing or joyned wedlock like the blessed virgin and just joseph cousins , though abruptly in brevities behalf handled or penn'd , presaging without doubt , maugre the old serpents plotting with his smooth outside , through the holy ghosts power , thethird person in trinity , long silent though , or vaild under a cloud as it were , will immediately decide our church-differences , of such troublesom times the cause , which lord hasten , and teach them to discern the time better . and so hastning on , shewing from hence how all shut up under ignorance , know not what they do ; the man undone by the woman , aleaging for himself , suspected not , she unto him given , the author to be of his ruine , having warning of it given him never ; the woman on the other side again , the serpents intents had she known , she had not been over reacht by such his falseness & flattery , to the overthrow of her and hers , so many : the serpent his excuse , he came but to try her for his part , what would befal was above his reach , foresawit not ; no more then the old prophet , that by means of him a lyon by the way should tear his fellow prophet : or that such a mass of corrupted mankinde should succeed to perish , since the words to them twain being , touch it not lest ye dye , importing but in danger of death . and thus since all original sin the root pardoned in that last prayer , father , forgive them , &c. sealed with his own blood on the tree , restitution of course follows , who can forbid it , or shew why the taking off , or removing of his heavy hand should not be an article of our belief , seeing this son of adam his administrator discharges all debts from the beginning of the world to the end , which by that erroneous opinion , mother of errors , they go about to annihilate that affirm , out of hell is no redemption ; who is able , having ages of ages ( rev. . ) even from the worlds beginning , the keys of hell and death , to turn this water into wine ; and where he hath given a being , to cause such judgements to be for the best , the onely clay to regain the eye-sight , howsoever excommunicated this truth by envious times ; of esau's race , endeavoring to disinherit and strip the son of god , who gave himself a ransom , not for some , but for all ; all made alive in him : forgive them , father , &c. as shewed afore , under ignorance concluded . finis . and without proving what we say , but as saying and doing , which are two , like to a cypher alone : and of more concernment these three witnesses in earth , then supposed , what power indued with , whereof as insues in relation to the three in the high court of heaven ( joh. &c. ) they stiled iudges of the earth ( to wit ) the grave and prudent barons of exchequer ; et hi tres unum , &c. mr. baron trevare , the ancient of days in his likeness , his voyce gone out into all lands , &c. psal. . the second like the son of man , the azure clouds mixt his foot-carpet ; the third answerable to the holy ghosts slow operation , miracles and prophesie for a time ceased , or like that saying of theirs , have not so much as heard whether any holy ghost , &c. committed to whose ministery the mystery of times and seasons , by all the world slighted or derided , &c. several days before whom this troublesom tryal appearing , of no mean consequence , the manor and rectory of pyreton , by what means and indirect courses taken , thereto the king intitled , by jugling projectors plots , an old outlawry revived , caused hereby to stretch it self out by their breathing into it , &c. to overthrow a lawful purchase and ioynture , after injoyed so many years , waiting their opportunity , the widows estate to cut it off , by such trivial incumbrances sifted forth : the very image of the beast , revel. . xswith the great-seal faced forth , only paying his majesty about a mark yearly such a costly purchase therein by his own officer born out , his solicitor general . not unlike that dispute about moses body , between the archangel and the other ( the tempter ) reported by jude , this law point debated so often in open court , by the advantage taken of her imprisonment , that got into possession : so passing from this to the iudges their charge for repairing this no slender breach , appointed to stand in the gap , to take off the lords heavy hand from him , namely the king , by conjuring this spirit down , raised up in his name , a lye in samuels likeness : and how came to pass , for the sin against the holy ghost committed , shewing also forgiven neither in this world nor the other ; witness the archbishop , taking prophesie for no other then madness , gone to his proper place from towerhil : and yet deliverd not groaning so long in travel the kingdoms three , such distraction under witness in ecclesiastical and civil affairs both . as not unknown to himself these , of her coming unto him without manifestation not of a commission in that case armor of proof , to give him a taste or warning of his judgement at hand , the hand writing ( dan. . ) served on him in his gallery , was immediately by a reference answered under his hand bearing date , . octob. &c. whitehal , committed for that cause the space of two years a close prisoner in the gate ▪ house , even octob. . when brought first thither , honored with the same very day of irelands massacre , octob. . and of keynton-fight , &c. stript of all ever since , a cup where of himself since hath drunk the dregs . this is the business that sleeps not . howsoever he faln asleep , like them bidden to sleep on , &c. she though then , and since armd with no few sad tokens of that kinde come to pass on others no obscure ones ; witness the dukes fatal month of august foretold . vvith this for another observation , her ioynture the manor of englefield whilest she in the gatehouse , bought by the marques of winchester , how his of basing , such an example not the like , unlucky babel towers , toward the increase of widows and fatherless , made to kiss the ground . and impeaced of treason in this kinde ; no light thing ; about their neck a meeter ornament what weight not unknown ; then s. george a horseback . yet for making atonement in that case for such his majesties folly , like as when jobs captivity said to return , was appointed to pray for his three friends : so on the other side , the aforesaid iudges three to make his peace , to turn his captivisy away , faln so low as hard to judge , whether exposed to the dunghil , or the dungeons slavery the greater or better estate , unhapily by his own seeking hapned . nor his name wiped out of this record , once a good confession made , afterward makes as bad an end , opening the very yates of hell , like balaam , loving the wages of unrighteousness ; his own solicitor general , m. st. joans holines such an adversary , wherein the general good also a copartner with this of the widows cause , which the lord defends and stands up for it . in which , if any misprision hath been since their judgement irreversable , may if they please , appoint the amoveas manus to be renewed , &c. and with this belief concluding , behold , i make all things new , as including lucifers restauration , first and last of that name , when the times of refreshing comes , morning and evening star both ; also from his badge the star born , both under one planet infers , how art thou faln too , &c. first of that name , and last of great britains kings , counseld by her his eve , or chavah , also adams figure , from whose hands the lord vouchsafes to accept satisfaction none , declared as afore , as in like case , eaten by a lyon , he sent to cry o altar , &c. charged neither to eat bread , nor water to drink there , that kings arm which restored ( kin. . ) so learned iudges , his , savory as sauls sacrifice too , whom the lord repented had made king ; for your charge as the substance or sum of it , when zions widow restored , setled in her possession , by your mediation , orders a mitigation for his discharge , set as it were fast in the sea , about whose neck a milstone to ease him , so this inference , every one in his order , even for sodom easier , &c. its inlargement , before &c. return of caernaums captivity . endless praise be to whom ascribed . anno . finis . charls stuart and oliver cromvvel united, or, glad tidings of peace to all christendom, to the jews and heathen, conversion, to the church of rome, certain downfall: the irish not to be transplanted. / extraordinarily declared by god almighty to the publisher, walter gostelow. gostelo, walter. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) charls stuart and oliver cromvvel united, or, glad tidings of peace to all christendom, to the jews and heathen, conversion, to the church of rome, certain downfall: the irish not to be transplanted. / extraordinarily declared by god almighty to the publisher, walter gostelow. gostelo, walter. [ ], p. printed for the author., [london] : . place of publication from wing. annotation on thomason copy: "jan. . "; the second in the imprint date has been crossed out. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng charles -- i, -- king of england, - -- prophecies. cromwell, oliver, - -- prophecies. prophecies -- early works to . great britain -- history -- prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion charls stuart and oliver cromvvel united , or , glad tidings of peace to all christendom , to the jews and heathen , conversion , to the church of rome , certain downfall : the irish not to be transplanted . extraordinarily declared by god almighty to the publisher , walter gostelow . psalm . vers . . . mercy and truth are met together , righteousness and peace have kissed each other and shall set us in the way of his steps . printed for the author . ● . of god. c. r. restored , and oliver cromvvel blessed . reader , to dedicate this book to any other than to whom god almighty hath directed it , i dare not , it is first to all you christian kings and princess , more especialy our own , charls stuart , and therein it shews you . that when you govern best and most pleasing to the will of the almighty , whose vice-royes you are . and of him made rulers on earth for the general good , you then live in a general peace , into which happy condition he hath now put you , that his temples may be rebuilded , his worship and his ministers restored , with what hath been stollen from both , also your subjects , gods people , well educated in his houses by his ministers , sent in the wayes of justice , peace , and holiness , without which no man shall ever see the face of god to his comfort : next it shews you that the so antiently beloved seed of faithfull abraham , the jews are now in his best times remembred , and brought into the faith of christ our lord , the onely son of god , whom they crucified , the fulness of the gentiles coming in with them also to the knowledge of his gospel , [ his ] that is the onely shilo , the onely messia , by the heathen not yet heard of , by the jews hoped for , he , i say , comes to both , making himself known , in such a manner as they expect not , most strange & wonderfully affording ▪ them his vice-roy charls stuart for their defence & protection , he professing that gospel now to be preached to the whole world , against whose rule and gospel none shall ever prosper that rebels , disobeyeth , or schismatically riseth up , therefore is the church of rome at this time sentenced to certain down-fall . the church of rome shall fall . the poor irish ▪ whom wicked men would have transplanted upon the same principles , as obdurate pharoah would not let the children of israel go , covetuousness and hard-hartedness , god doth continue in their own land , yea , under his , and their own kingly government also , to the joy of their hearts . that nation being neither such a bear , as we misapprehended them , nor their skin fit to be sold by us that did it , before warrant is given from god to deliver it : they shall not be transplanted . god now shews us , that wicked rebellion was the design , & contrive of a few in that bloudy , and ever rebellious church of rome , not the allowance of the nation : this also god shewed unto our now happy , and glorious king in heaven , whilest good on earth , it is proved to you in his letters taken at naseby , written to her majesty . my heart , you will finde the irish with you knaves , ( they might deceive the one , they could not deceive the other , ) and since that , how hath god fully cleared their majesties , as now the nation , from any allowance of that hideous rebellion . own it church of rome , it will match well with the gun-powder treason , thou didst both , as many others , thy nuntio was in ireland , yet thou shalt fall . hath not god made his late majesties abominating that wicked act , clear as the day , to be none of his ollowance ? you know , or may , that sr. phillemon o'neal , upon his trial at dublin , though pusillanimous and timed in all other things , yet when he was to give an account from whence he had his commission , god sent him a courage , gave him abilities to speak boldly and truely to gods glorie , the honour of the protestant religion , and the kings just vindication , he took heaven and earth to witness , he had neither commission from king or queen for that rebellion : he affirmed that himself , with others of the roman stamp made them , that he might play the best of his own game ; it further appears , in that oath imposed on those he subdued to his own obedience . these are things i have had from very good hands , when my self at dublin , but that traitor was executed a little before i came thither . now see what god doth , who is the searcher of all hearts , the king is in heaven , the queen declared for heaven , the nation not to be transplanted , the contrivers and aspersers of both gone to their own home , or truely discovered to us by the lord , who now throws down that wicked church . well , you shall now see we must all live together in brotherly love under kingly government also : but you will say how can these things be , considering what manner of persons we have been ? this book will shew you . it proceeds onely from the good pleasure and mercifull loving kindness of the almighty . the lord hath made our salvation , not our destruction , his glory , when all we , thy people , o god , had sinned beyond any help , then , o lord , thou sayest , lo , i come . but after how wonderfull a manner , and how certain our deliverance is , read and know . actions , salved up with a free forgiveness , are as not done , and as a bone once broken is much stronger after well setting , so is love after reconcilement : god forgives us our iniquities , and in mercy restores us our king again , who deals with us , being guided of god , as joseph did with his brethren , when onely of god made ruler in egypt , and had power to punish according to their demerit , then he treats them kindly , following the example of our lord. he forgives all past injuries , he loades them with good things , he weeps over them , when he tells them he is joseph , least they , not seeing his heart , might doubt of their forgiveness , he drops tears as bloud from pitying eyes and heart ; they well knew what themselves had been to him , unfaithfull brethren , and it s not improbable when they saw themselves by god cast under his power , and dispose , they might fear , tremble , and expect the reward of so high demerit , for the affronts they had put upon joseph . but least such fears should too much sadden their unquiet souls , he weeps over them more abundantly , imbraceth them afresh , gives them all they stood in need of , and doth not so much as once remember them of the evil measure they had dealt him , so allows them no ground at all to suspect their safety , whose injuries he had fully forgiven ; most happy re-union & meeting , that sweetens more in its return , than it imbit●ered in its absence ▪ protection my book commands , not craves under oliver cromwel protector , also his conformity thereunto , yet i beseech both , god hath now declared him to be beloved , first in heaven as you shall read , then of his king , charls stuart , and all good men on earth , the almighty both deputed him to be highly instrumental for the bringing of great and strange things to pass in this kingdom and christian world , which god will make marvelous in our eyes . as the promote of the protestant religion , and honour of his king. i may not detain you longer , nay , i dare not , from gods word of prophesie in this book , agreeable to his own , in nothing contrary , proclaim it i must to all concerned , and so i do , though the unworthiest of my lords servants , a faithfull communicator of his mercifull , loving kindness i am commanded to be unto all the sons and subjects of the protestant church , and gods vice-roy on earth , charls stuart . to the church of rome , and the rebellious faithfull will i also shew my self , that church shall fall , and no rebellion ever prosper , god hath said it , and if it come not to pass , put me to death : i may not for fear , or favour be unfaithfull to my trust , that is a sacriledge of the highest nature , and therefore in spite of the devil , or danger , i tell you wickedness shall not longer prosper on earth : did not the ground open and swallow quick those first rebels and schismaticks , corah , dathan , and abyram ? and did not absolons mule in the midst , whilst he was acting of his rebellion , go from under him , leaving him hanging by the head ? such shall no more prosper than their church of rome , which shall fall , good men shall be honourable , and rule , but for the ungodly , whilest i pray for their conversion , i fear their confusion . walter gostelo . the protestant religion more conspicuously glorious than ever ; the defendors of that faith , charles stewart and oliver cromvvel united . sect. i. having past from bristol , the seas ; and much foul weather in december , . i arrived at cork : where i heard the sentence of death pronounced upon some or more of the irish gentry and others , for several barbarous murders by them committed . the last that spoke from the bench to those unhappy men , after sentence of death read unto them , was the lord of broghill : who well minded them , that they were not proceeded against upon the accompt they shed our blouds ; either as we were english men , or else because not of their religion ; both unwarrantable . we should not kill him , we conceive , out of the way ; but rather shew him the way to walk in . 't was murder justly condemned them to suffer , not rash zeal ; with which god is not well pleased : who would that all men should live , and come to the knowledge of his truth . but for the murderer , the law of god was he should die for it : so they suffered not as they were irish , or roman catholicks . this i could not but observe passing the rather because it tended , in that so mixt assembly , highly to the setting right the judgement ( as i conceive ) to the glorie of god. and indeed the first i ever saw , or heard pronounced , from those new erected high-courts of justice : against which i have heard so many bitter invectives , that they were like hell , from whence is no returning . there it was not so : where i also saw many acquitted . from thence my business commanded me to youghill , in march following : a season more fit for travel and observance . i removed from thence to lismore , miles off , cituate upon the black-water : a seat very ancient , and not a little eminent and honourable . where having well viewed the improvements and good contrivances of the late deceased earl of cork , who had there purchased , caused to bebuilt & made many fair and commodious seats ; governing in the well mannage of affairs , as born for the publick good ; for so he was communicable to the imploy of the poor , to the improve of those lands , to the good example of others , and to the honour of this nation . that had not war prevented , and death put an end to his dayes ( both broken in upon us as a stream too violent to withstand , those inundations of evil , heightened by our sins and follies of all sorts , the onely inlets of all gods judgements upon us ) it might be presumed before this time it had in some measure risen again from the ashes ; which former wars , i conceive , had buried it in . a very fair & strong built scholehouse , with almes-houses on both sides of it , that earl lived to finish there : and now i believe he really intended to re-build the church . so that like him that was a man after gods own heart , in this he followed him , that he loved the place where his honour dwelleth . and therefore he would so provide for it , that in publick he might be worshipped ; and that youth might early be taught the wayes of godliness . thus being instrumental to well-accomplish them , he might best serve god and his nation , in being communicably good to all ; the end for which we were born . this observing , i sometimes was prone to think , that what he happily begun , might in future time , by his posterity and others be carried on , to the making it , what is to be desired , and what it once was ( as informed ) an university : so conveniently is it situate , naturally affording the delights and good accommodations , that may best commode , serve and adorne an university . as also that part of the land , in regard of its being well inhabited , and remoteness from dublin , called for and stood much in need of , the church indowments being there , and thereabouts full for incouragement and invitation , fit to help on with so good and pious a work : were not the possessors of those profits more lovers of themselves , than lovers of god and his service . is it reasonable that our fore-fathers , certainly out of love and zeal ( 't is possible not misguided too ) should so largely give and endow , for the glorie , worship and service of god almighty , and we who have more inlarged fortunes , should have more streitened hearts , and more cruel hands ? indeed onely strongly bent , & alwayes ready to pull down : and by thieving , sacriledge & covetousness , which is the root of all evil , make that ours , which neither god , man , or law ever meant should : nay , they have all forbid it , with a curse to the robber : which in the end will prove that cursed thing , that will make us and our posterity most miserable . a cole from that altar fires all our ill gotten nay other ) goods ; or else fits us and our posterity for the slaughter , which is the end of the ill-advised . into the remain of this church of lismore , thursday the of march . i came , ( as well might ; for it had neither door to keep out the unclean beasts , nor in it any thing , becoming a house set apart for the worship and service of god almighty , ) as inform'd this church had belonging to it thousand pounds per annum , before the war. out of it i often hunted beasts of several sorts ; which ( indeed ) by their dung , recreating themselves in the ruins of it , had help to make it with their fellows , more like a den of thieves , than a house of god. this seeing , i could not but lament , and did there kneel down , and supplicate god almighty , not to suffer us longer , who pretend to the most and best of piety , to carry on a war , and continue such actions , as should prove so scandalous to the protestant religion ; deterring from the profession of it , such as there lived among us : who could not certainly be drawn to the profession of it by our so bad example ; living as it were like men of dispositions , onely born to cruelty and irreligion : beseeching that he would be pleased to return to us in mercy , set every mans sins in order before his face , to the detest of them , resolving never to return to folly : and that of his goodnes he would cast thē all behind his back , that we might once more come into the houses , built for his worship and service , with prepared hearts , devout souls ; forgiving one the other ; all desirous to be taught of god : & that we might live hereafter more according to his will revealed in his word ; and so knowing his good pleasure , we might readily apply our selves to do it . further , that the ministers appointed to officiate in those places , might be men sent from god ; who , understanding his word aright , might to us so divide it . and that we might all harmoniously agree together , not onely to preach and talk down sin ; but that we might all live , for the time to come , to serve him in sincerity of heart , and in the beauty of holiness : so that others , observing gods mercies towards us , and our amendments towards him , might also with us be drawn , to glorifie our father which is in heaven . sometime of that thursday after-noon i spent in that remain of church ; so praying , meditating and reading ; and could not do otherwise . indeede , the more i prayed , the more i wept ; the more i wept , the more i joyed : and from my devotions , i remember not that i ever went away with a better return : being very highly comforted , and so assur'd that god would hear , and have mercie ; and from thenceforth , and in that place , bless me ; giving me for consolation , that a well-guided zeal for his house , worship and service , made great our own , and establish'd it also . that night i went home to a little house , i then and there lodged at , and had this dream : me thought there was a very gross and thick darkness , over the face of the whole earth ; dark beyond compare : i then heard a very terrible thunder , which more affrighted me : and looking up to heaven , i saw a glimering light ; not clear ; about the bigness , and of the proportion of a round table , some two yards over : in that light there appeared to me as the body of an oak , about a yard long : root it had not , nor top , nor leaves , nor fruit : full of sangs it was , and offensive knots : not fit for timber , or other use than the fire : this soon vanished , yet the darkness continued , but grew greater than the ●ormer , and the thunder answerable ; indeed so terrible , that it seemed to me , to waken and rouze up all the people of the land : which when risen , i prayed in these words : o lord ! the people are now risen up , and stand in readiness to do thy will : wouldst thou be pleased to let them know it : i beseech thee ( o lord ) give them a sign in heaven , or from heaven , of thy good pleasure ; and we will readily obey thee . there then appeared , as formerly , such another light ; not clearer , but bigger ; and ( as the former was ) over our heads , about the height , or distance of the clouds : having in it such a body of an oake , as the other ; in this onely differing , 't was bigger and more offensive . as we stood thus gazing , anon the heavens began to grow light in the east , as approach of day and sun : we standing , as it were , in the midst of the kingdom of england , the light encreased and came on : and with it , rose and came toward us the most glorious crown ever eyes beheld : the richest for jewels ; the most transparently cut ; every way the beautifullest imaginable : having in it , and through it , standing as the three plumes of feathers in the princes arms , a bunch of bayes , or small bay-trees : beautifull for verdure ; bearing berries , as having root : waiting upon this crown , came many goodly ships ; which crown , bayes , and ships came all along thus together in the light , from the east , toward us the people , who with fixed eyes stood looking into heaven : all which we perfectly discerning , and being come almost over our heads , we the people all of us , with one voice , gladness and consent , cried out , o lord , we praise thee ; this is of heaven , we will follow it . i then looked behinde me , for the former glimmering light , and offensive oake in it , and i saw them flying away so fast , that immediately they were gone , and no more to be seen : the people , seeing it so gone out of the heavens , reitterated the former words , and said all with one consent , come , this crown is of heaven , we will follow it ; so bowed down and worshipped , praising god. the light then went over all the heavens , towards the west , and great was the light ; the crown , bayes and ships continued in the heavens ; now light all over . after this , immediately from the heavens , i heard most sweet and pleasing sounds , as the voice , or murmur of many waters ; and on the earth shining , appeared nothing but beauty and plenty : amongst the people of the earth loving kindness and good affections : all with one consent praising god. thus , ravished with an over-joy , i wakened , and found my self very wet with tears . my greatest joyes and greatest weepings seldom are divided . i spent most of that night in meditation and casting what this dream might import : for truely this is but one , though the most considerable ( as i conceive ) of the many i have had from heaven , demonstrating several things . the next day being fryday , a day in the week , which for some seven years past , i have set apart ( though not alwayes spent , god be pleased to have mercie upon me and forgive me ) as i ought , or should , for fasting and examination of my self : that , as i am one fryday nearer my end , so i may in one measure , or another grow fitter for it : in regard of the many mercies god almighty hath been pleased to afford me , from my cradle hitherto : as that he hath been pleased to preserve me from the noisom pestilence , from the violence of the war ( where be pleased to observe , i have been committed and taken into custody three times on the kings side , and five times on the parliaments ; yet never was in action , or imploy on either part ; ) from so many great and eminent dangers , both by sea and land ; from men lying in wait particularly for my bloud : and lastly , that the lord hath not cut me off in the midst of my sins , and already given me my portion with that so sad company in hell , from whence is no returning . these were ( certainly ) grounds enough for every mans fasting and prayer ; especially living in a time , when wickedness seemed to be practiced by a law ; at least , it was not long since it was so : all these together were grounds ( i say ) more than enough , to beseech god for redress , to a distracted people , and a divided land. this fryday i repaired to that church of lismore : in it , and places fit for contempaltion , i passed that day . saturday , i could not but return thither again , and there pen the subject matter of my prayer on that thursday afternoon ; also my dream that night : and decline i must not , nay could not , to impart all so penned , to the now most honourable earl of cork , and his so well accomplished countess : and home i must press them , forthwith to re-build that church of lismore . the reasons cannot but be good and many , who considers the lord should be publickly served ; and the people well instructed , from the mouth of him , whose lips should preserve knowledge , and tongue speak a word in due season . such men are the men ( certainly ) sent , and deputed by god himself , for the better turning of sinners from the evil of their wayes , to serve the everliving god : his temple 's the fittest place also , where holiness is injoined us : beauty and decency not forbidden . to this earl and countess of cork i apply my self ; in their garden and private bed-chamber they were pleased to hear me to the full . i may not here omit to let you know , that in the morning of that very day , when , going to pray for gods guidance , in this his business of rebuilding his house , to his own glory , and good of others ; and haveing omitted that morning , to read any part of the scriptures or psalms , appointed for the day , ( the reading of gods word first , a good way to prepare for acceptable devotion , and praying aright ; ) from my knees i rose , took the bible , and there opened to me the prophet haggai ; which tied my eye upon the place ( a scripture ( god be mercifull to me ) i was not at all acquainted with : ) thus opened , i could not go on to devotion , nor to read the psalm , untill i had read that prophet out , being but two chapters ; directed and over-ruled ( as i firmly then , and now believe ) by god almighty : for , in the whole book of god , there is not any place fuller for the business i had in hand . it is well worth your , and all mens observe and retention , that have too low esteem of gods house . but what speak i of too low esteem ? indeed , none at all that good is , of the churches , or temples , built and set apart to the glory , for the publick worship and service of god. humble men they seem to be ! a stable , or kitchin will serve their turns : and ( truely ) good enough too for many , who have the impudence to abuse gods house , and endeavour there to seduce the more ignorant sort of people . these schrich-owls cannot well endure the light of his house ; therefore have they their corners and sculking places . a judicious and publick auditory , who love the place where his honour dwelleth ( which they best love to frequent , and thither go with prepared hearts , to learn that they may understand what 's fit to practice ; ) these will not be decoyed by them . with those it matters not what becomes of the house of god : yet observe and remember ( i beseech you ) what that prophet haggai there gives for reason , of all the evils that were sent , and continued upon the land ; the not-building of gods house . the lying of that waste , caused the lord to have no delight in the people . he there adviseth and enjoyns to rebuild his house ; then he assures them , he will dwell with them , and bless them beyond all compare : nay , he will take pleasure in them , verse the . he there goes on , he will shake the heavens , the earth , the sea , and the dry land : all is his , & to his , for the glory of his house , that he will fill with his own glory , and bless the land with peace and plenty ; such as was never seen , untill the building , or laying of that foundation . from that very time he blesseth them , when they rebuild his house , for his publick worship and service . the lord makes that a business fit for the imploy of another prophet also , the prophet zechary . of so much concernment you see it is with god : but lest , these things being old testament , we should conclude they concern us not under the gospel : so wicked are we grown , and so out of love with any thing , that costs us ought in the service of god , or is most to his glory and honour ; that , as any place is good enough , so indeed any calf fit to offer . thus shift we off the thing , in which our happiness most lies ; that we may make our selves most miserable : foolish men ! why consider we not , that christs courts on earth are his churches ? and , in representation thereof , he hath a throne in the midst of his temple , and sits thereon ; before whom all fall down and worship . but these times call for our lamentation , nay , deep mourning : for in this business , we deal with the house of god and his worship ( although we pretend much to both ) as amnon dealt with his sister tamar ; first ravish her , then defile her , and after turn her out of doors . but to return : truely , i could not but commend those two short , but most full chapters of this prophet haggai , to that so honourable earl and countess : for the better dispose of them ; whose affairs of concernment , are wisely managed by joynt consent . their quick discern a far off , and sound judgement at home , give them great advantages , for the well-ordering of all their affairs . who having heard me out , before i once so much as pressed them to it , the earl met me with this readiness to the work ; my father intended the building of that church , i will do it : it is onely by me , for a short time , deferred ; untill these troubles blow over , or time afford a better opportunity , for the carrying on of the work : for the rebuild of which church , i have many things already fitted , &c. i most heartily wish , and do so pray , that there might be found in all men this readiness , to make themselves happy here , and so ( certainly ) bless'd hereafter . you have the way ; love gods house , the place where his honour dwells ; also his ordinances with sound judgement ; and you cannot but be beloved of him . when david and solomon think to build god an house , to his glory , worship and service , and do so ; see how the lord declares himself , in the second of samuel to the . that he will establish their houses for ever . and are not the best of kings , the best of patterns in gods service ? who can and will do for thee also , so governing , or assisting to his glory ; as shall be most for thy lasting honour and happiness here , but everlasting hereafter . thus ends all then done , most happily , in nothing disappointed , which god put me upon . this happy day was fryday , march the . . sect . ii. a short time after , i fell into several sicknesses and diseases of that countrey , so that most of the following summer i past in changes , from one malady to another : at last i broke out into very many boyls ; so that i may truely say from the crown of my head , to my foot , i was furnished with them ; forty , or fifty at a time of all sizes : my condition in that , and some other things too very like that of job's : which escaped not my observe , in a letter , to that so eminently good countess of cork : beseeching some of her remedies ; of which she is free , and do heal as balm , from her munificent and answerable hand . to god almighty , and that honorable countess , i owe most humble thanks for recovery , from my so long and tedious sickness . about michaelmas i went to dublin , in the company and safe conduct of that most honorable lord , the lord of broghill : where i stayed untill near christmas ; then returned to youghall . after six dayes there , i could not be quiet , untill i had sapplied my self , by letter , to his lordship , giving him to understand , i had a dream at lismore , some moneths past : which dream , together with what observance , or interpretation , god was pleased to put into my heart and minde , i was to communicate to him : which i could not decline ; and therefore besought his lordship , that in his presence , and some more persons of honour , in that letter named , he and they would be pleased to lend me half an hours time , and their attention . the gout at that time was violent upon his lordship , by reason of which incommode , he was disinabled to sit up : so that his lordship was pleased to answer my letter , that for that reason onely he desired my forbearance , untill it past over ; of which ( when so ) i should have notice , and in presence of these persons desired ; also admittance so soon as convenient . his lordships letter i have , and reaped what promised , a few dayes after . being in his bed-chamber ( those i desired , present , ) i recited my dream as formerly : the observance , or interpretation i gave thus : the customary sins we were guilty of , and had unhappily involved our selves in , had now begot our security , as in the dead of night and sleep : from which we were not to be wakened , or rowzed , but by the almighty power of god : and therefore , to let us see our condition , and his displeasure for sin , whom our impieties had irritated ; he therefore came in thunder ; to shew us that our seeming righteousness reached not heaven , nearer then the clouds : our pretentions to good , went not higher : like an ignis-fatuus they were , or a gloe-worm : light they had , but not substantial , enough to shew us we were strong as the oak ; which we might there see our wicked selves compared to . strong we were to work wickedness ; governours and all : to which oak they , and we may be compared ; as in the prophet zechary the . and the . bad we were of choice ; so of practice ; so for works ; so for offence : no root ; no top ; no leaf ; no fruit ; not so much as virdure ; offensive on all sides , in regard of the snags ; not fit for timber , such our governours ; onely for the fire , such their unprofitableness ; just like the stag's horn , when the velvet of hypocricy is fallen from it ( as most excellently his majesty observes in his book ; ) which wicked governours , when the people once fail them , and truely understand them , how unprofitable , how offensive , how dangerous , how hurtfull ; they would then sufficiently hate them . when once as this oak , stript of his bark , nakedly seen , and well observed ; then fit onely for the fire . i command you read the last verses of the first of isaiah ; and see , if this interpretation be not of the lord ; yea , his own : i will give you the words , for they shall be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired : ye shall be confounded ; for ye shall be as an oak , whose leaf fadeth ; and the strong shall be as tow , and the makers of it as a spark , and they shall both burn together . here are the oaks ye have chosen , when ye forsook the lord. is not this a vision , and the interpretation of the lord ? i made it before i observed this ; i now interline it : 't is of god the interpretation . therefore the oak abides not , having no allowance , or establishment from god in heaven . fly away it doth , when the light and crown appear : to both which they being enemies and haters of , god makes them vanish , and be no more seen . though they lift themselves as high as the clouds , yet their place is below , whither he throws them . of his allowance they are not : neither do the people ; when they desire to do the will of god , and he hath opened their eyes , to discern aright , what is of god , as they confess that light , crown and bayes , they then know the crown , and him deputed to govern , to be onely of god : and because it hath its allowance of heaven , with one consent ( praising god ) they invite all to what themselves are now convinced of ; obedience to him and it onely : and so breaking forth , they altogether cry , come , this is of heaven , we will follow it . and that it may have their best affections , and firm allowance , they give it their second , the wisest and best thoughts , resolvingly too ; they reitterate the words , come , this is of heaven , we will follow it : and so down to god and it , and worshiped and praised the lord. now , although this were , and yet is our depraved condition ; and that we have added wickedness to wickedness , and made our selves strong to do so ; which the second & greater light , with the offensive and unprofitable oak in it , fully implied : yet observe the loving-kindness of god almighty : we no sooner got into a frame to beg of him inablements to know his will , resolving then to do it ; and are gotten into a posture of readiness , standing up ; but he lets us see , that his displeasure is blown over : the thunder , that ceaseth ; those wicked governours , as offensive oaks , they are fled ; the seeming light , that 's annihilated . it is his mercie that endures for ever , and his compassion assures us , he delights not in the death of a sinner ; but rather , that he would turn from his wickedness , and live : and thus expostulating with us , brings from him this expression , why will ye die , o ye house of israel ? repent , be ye converted , and return from whence ye are fallen , the contempt of gods house and worship ; obedience unto whom i have set over you for good , would you but see it ; did not your continuance in sin blinde your eyes , and deprave your understandings , yea , could not but be happy . bless us he would , and that to the full too ; as he assures us in that prophet haggai , and divers other places ; even from that time we rebuild his house , and obey whom he hath set over us for good . and if thus we would readily apply our selves , and herein obey god and our king , mark and behold , the heavens they invite you , and demonstrate their allowance ; rejoycing at it , by their pleasant sounds : the earth also its gladness , shining with variety of flowers , and abundant fruitfulness : the seas their over-joy , thinking it no burden , to their best and well-rigged ships to give way , and bow down : that all she brings from forreign and the rich returns of trade , that plough her ocean , may , when so loaden , in their best dress also , wait upon the crown , peaceably attending , suffering themselves to be led by it ; all which they did , being merchant ships , not men of war. and now tell me , is it not pitie , & the greatest too , that whom god hath made the more reasonable creature , man , should onely be averse , and stand in rebellion ; going on in disobedience , to his own undoing ? but i may not complain , as anon : i shall let you see he also is , or shall come in ; for who can resist , when god will have it so ? he hath in store , nay , he is now distributing to you the greatest mercy in the world : which i dare not longer conceal , from all the sons of men ; but more especially from the so much belov'd of the lord , the seed of abraham , the jews , here 's the hope of israel ! as also to the heathen , towards whom his compassions fail not ; and to this our orthodox , true protestant religion , for the honour of it , to the unparalel'd joy of all good mens hearts . these things observed , i then applied my self to doctor mollines ; who was one of the ten persons , i desired to be present : and because i knew him to be a person of good life , & believed him of sound judgement ; i made it my beseech to him , that in a short time , he would be pleased , to give us a sermon , upon this subject , or text ; he that covers his sins , shall not prosper ; but he that confesseth , and forsaketh them , shall finde mercie . for to me it seemed , that gods return is in mercy , was onely witheld , by our going on in iniquity . here also i may not omit , but observe to you , that before i came to the lord of broghills , i was taken from my knees , and could not go on , to beseech gods blessing upon what i had to deliver to him , untill i turned to the reading psalms : but , as i was cast formerly upon the prophet haggai , with good success for the rebuild of that church ; so here i was cast upon the and psalms ; both as full as is imaginable , to any that well considers , and compares , what i observed out of my dream , and desire to the rebuild of gods house . oh , how amiable , and how much to be delighted in , is thy house ! how should our souls long after thy worship ! which when i had read , and considered the manner of my being cast upon them ; having already disputed all i intended , or almost all what i would speak to that company at the lord brougills ; i could not but conclude , what i believe every well-observing man will ; that it was the onely providence of god almighty ; who , for my further confirmation , gave me those psalms of scripture , to strengthen me , and dispose others to their duty ; who he was willing should reap the unparalel'd blessings there assured . pray , well observe it : the one lets you see , what desires we should have , for the rebuild of , & worship in gods house the other his return in mercy ; blessing the land , when we so fear and serve him : righteousness , as that light , shall then go before him ; mercy also and truth shall meet together ; righteousness and peace shall kiss each other ; and so set us in the way of his steps . full to all . having done all of interpretation , in reference to my dream , i could not pass this lightly over , but observe it to them ; as also how that god had many times shewed me several things , in and from heaven ; called me to the search , and often advised the reading of his holy word ; giving me to understand , that by so doing , i should be abundantly happy and blessed . in particular , one time it seemed to me , he took me into a great light , when all the world was in darkness ; he placed on each side of me an angel of the lord ; that on the right hand , opened a great book to me , bid me read therein , and took an angel of gold off that book , into his hand , and put it into mine : when received , i folded my arms and bowed before him ; believing it was no other , but ( as the bush of moses ) the presence of the lord : he then told me , he gave it not to be folded up , or hid ; but to be improved were his talents given ; and so advised me to read . another time , one night , about the hour ten , walking at the end of broad-street ( in which i then , and now live , ) looking up into the heavens , and observing so great a number of stars , i called to minde the promise made to abraham , that his seed should be as numberless , as the stars in heaven : so praising god , i there stood , in , or near that place , about half an hour ; where i did see the heavens opened , my saviour on the throne , the patriarks , prophets , apostles , martyrs , saints and angels , waiting round about it , and to my comfort , my own father : this i saw , when i was awake , and really there standing : something hath been shewed me , of our ever-blessed king dead , but in heaven glorious : this also i did observe to his lordship , but made no other use of it , than this , that forasmuch as all i ever dreamed , or saw , of that nature , was above in the heavens , or came from thence ; nothing ever from the bottomless pit , the earth , or seas : which gave me to believe it was the further from delusion : and much the more to be believed true , because that which is of heaven , is heavenly . and although the crown was upon no mans head , yet being waited upon by the ships , it implied he was to come from beyond the seas , whose undoubted right it was : and who that man was , to whom it properly belonged , his star demonstrated , which at pauls cross appeared , when there was a sermon preached there , upon the day he was born on , being the same ( as i conceive ) our lord rose on ; and his ( our kings ) birth also , early in the morning , as his ( our saviours ) resurrection , whose vice-roy certainly he , this charls stuart , is , as ye shall hear anon ; his father ( our late king ) then present : and as the gentleman that preached , about the hour of eleven , was giving thanks to god almighty , that to our then soveraign lord the king , and to us his subjects , was that day born a son and prince , in whom our hopes were , and assurance might be , he would prove most eminent in his church on earth , to gods glorie , and his majesties and our comfort : so thanking god for this ( for i present was ) i looked up to heaven ; and there , at almost eleven a clock , in the moneth of may a most clear day , very near the sun also did i see that his star appear : which wondering at , being just over ( as it were ) his place of birth , white-hall , or his fathers head , who was come to give god praise for him at the cross ; which was also sung by the quire on the leads ; his star then appearing , i my self shewed it to very many ; hundreds , if not thousands witness this . so that the heavens haveing now again demonstrated him , the seas waiting on him , the earth flourishing under him ; what remains , but that we get our selves into a readiness , to receive so great a blessing , from so good a god ; whom in mercy he hath appointed over us , as i firmly believe . the lord of broghill , i confess , i advised never to right , or draw sword against this king : for the war of ireland , i now understood it better than formerly ; and therefore did believe , that to his lordship , who was born there , at lismore too ( as i conceive ) and resided in that kingdom , the devices and subtleties of the church of rome , in that rebellion , or since in the carrying on of that war , were better known , than to his late majesty ; whose goodness by some was too too much abused ; seeing it not with his own eyes , but hearing it by others misrepresented . his lordship , who had that great advantage , as to be amongst them himself ( which was denied his late majesty , ) did see , that his unholiness of rome had onely a modest design , to suppress the protestant religion , and cheat the king of that kingdom , that he might the better be soon usurper of all the rest . this i now firmly believe was the ground of the lord of broghills fighting in that kingdom . so never at all against the king , but for him : and i do the rather believe this , because i never had any commission or desire , to treat him , other than with all respect , as a person of honour , that had great and good accomplishments : for i told him that day , before i went out of his presence , that i believed , he never was against the king : further , i never had desire to apply my self to any man in that kingdom but his good self . and see now ( as you shall anon ) how god honoureth that man , above all the sword-men in that kingdō ; as oliver cromwel only of the sword-men , the most in the kingdō of england . and more than to these two onely did i never apply my self ; sent of heaven to these so glorious saints , first on earth ; that they may be most glorious ones hereafter in heaven . but , thou church of rome shalt fall ( as anon i shall shew you : ) god will down with thee : these two persons of honour have , and shall the most of any two subjects in the world , help down with her . i had all most forgot my then last observe to his lordship , a material on it is , that although every man stood up , bowed , and worshipped god , following the crown , and with one consent crying out , o lord , we praise thee for this crown is of heaven , come , we will follow and obey it , yet i say this of all people , wherein no one man dissented , did not seem for number to exceed four , or five hundred persons , which occasioned from me then , this observe to his lordship . that i feared our sins and the punishment for sin would almost lay waste our land , we having so highly provoked the lord , by our too much delighted in iniquities and rebellions of all sorts , which we had just ground to bewail , least they consumed us . but truely since i have better hopes , nay , firmly believe i do , that if we would turn to god with all our hearts , and do the things here god adviseth to , by me his unworthy servant in much mercy sent unto you , that you might repent , finde deliverance , and so live abundantly happy , this number of men , which as i former observed , past for the whole people in the land , of which none dissented , i now hope and pray will most happily prove to be that number of men , which represent the whole people of the land , and yet exceed not or hundred persons now of this parliament , to which purpose i beseech every good mans prayers , and every bad mans amendment of life , and for dissenting persons in that body , believe as i do , there will not be found one , or not one to hurt us . who can be unhappy when all agree to fear god and honour their king , keeping the commandments of the one , the wholesom and well constituted laws of the other , in which doing there cannot but be happiness here , and ever hereafter , into which good old way of thine and ours good lord be pleased to set us , that we may be certainly blest , our feet being then found in the way of thy steps . thus ended all i then observed , and to my lodging i retired to the widdow marricks house in youghall . sect . iii. very few dayes past , but by accidental rancounter , i met and fell into discourse with a gentleman , who had commanded formerly a troup of horse in the parliament service ; we argued , and to this we came , whether kings were made so originally of god , or the people : the latter he held , i the former ; which i proved to him out of the word of god , that first the choice , next the anointing of them , was of god onely , and his prophets sent by his command ; as in saul , david , and others : so not at all in the people . 't is true , the people were all along commanded to pray for them , and to obey them , when thus set up by god. so we ended the discourse , and quietly parted . some four dayes after , one sunday morning ( as i best remember ) having lain most of that night in meditation & prayer , about day i did see , sitting at my beds foot , behinde the curtain , a man sent of god : whilest he continued there sitting , there fell a showre of fire , thick , and in drops , like rain , all about my beds foot : full in my eye was the spirit there sitting , and the fire falling down : awake i conceive my self to have been ; for at that very time , i called to minde the fire that came down from heaven , upon the heads of the apostles , to their inablement : anon the spirit called me by my name , walter gostellow : i indeavoured to reply , did open my mouth , tried twice , but my tongue doubled in my mouth , and i could not bring forth my words , or speak : he called me the second time by my name , walte gostellow ; i indeavoured the second reply , but my tongue doubled as formerly , and i could not speak : he called me the third time by my name , walter gostellow , to which i then answered , here i am : he asked and said unto me , did you see the fire come down from heaven , as a shore of rain ? i replied , yes , i did : he then strook by the curtain , looked me full in the face , so i him : he wept and said unto me , you do well interpret scripture ; clearly referring , as i believe , to this , that the choice of kings , this of ours especially is onely in god , and not at all in the people . this over , i wrote to the lord of broghill that nights vision ( for other i cannot call it , ) besought his lordship , that once more he would be pleased to admit me before him ; there and then to be present also some ten , or twelve persons , by me desired : he was pleased to afford me the favour , so also most of the others . by this time it pleased almighty god to let me know , he had deputed me to go to oliver cromwell , and after to his majesty that now is , charles stuart , charles the second . the imploy he would inform me of : and for the commission it self , i must believe , that from strength to strength , he would inable me , untill i came to perfect peace in zion . and although the things to be done were great , mighty , strange , and wonderfull ; yet for his honour , mercy , and names sake , he would bring them to pass ; and they should be marvellous in our eyes . thus began , and thus ended my commission of the lord. i then bethought me of what i would say to oliver cromwell , and thus resolved , that from god i would reprove him , set his sins in order before his face , and tell him he was that great deceiver , the scandal of the protestant religion , the dishonour of our nation , a whited wall he was , a great and close hypocrite , a man of bloud , and son of belial , and more than all this ( for i never loved him , ) all this i resolved to say to him : but the lord reproved me , and gave me to remember , that my self prayed in my dream , that god would be pleased , to let the men of the world , who were desirous to do his will , know it from heaven , or in the heavens , by a sign , which i have given thee , and they would readily obey , applying themselves to walk in conformity thereunto . having thus altered me , and ( as before ) again reproved me ; letting me know , god judged not as man did : he commanded me to treat , and use him kindly , the dispose of the heart being in the hand of god. so that now from former hating of him ( for so i did ; no man more ) i now cannot do other than pray for him , ( for so i should , and for all others , ) that god would be pleased to inable him , for the overcoming of all his enemies , more especially his corruptions . and firmly believe i do , that the lord will make him highly instrumental for the promote and carrying on things of very high concernment , for his glory , to his honour , and the astonishment of the world : for i know what apprehensions the most have of him , both at home and abroad : but god judgeth not , as man doth . before the lord of broghill i came the second time , and so began with him , as you read upon oliver cromwell : i then told him what i firmly believed , the lord put into my heart and tongue , by his dictates and visions ; and how that the souldery , men of valour and honour should submit to the king ; who would not onely forgive them , but give unto them all so doing , indempnity , honours , preferments , lands , places and hereditaments ; seal and confirm them unto them , in the surest tenure of this kingdom , as at , or after that of east greenwich . further ; that , as the light came on in heavens , from the east , haveing in it the richest crown ever eyes beheld , the bayes rooted and flourishing , standing in that crown , as the three plumes of feathers in his own arms & coronet ; upon which bayes was store of berries , which implieth a provision for posterity ; both waited upon by good store of shipping : so the king should come from beyond the seas ; land in the east of kent , or thereabouts ; and come on towards the west . see , thus comes the lightning , in the of matthew , the verse , out of the east , and shineth even unto the west : so also shall the coming of the son of man be . o my god , and my king ! well : i go on : this would fill the men of the kingdom , as the heavens , with rejoycing , the people praising god , and the souldiery , for their good affections to gods glory , and the kings interest ; the earth giving her encrease . all animosities thus taken away we should agree , better than ever , dwell together in brotherly love , and the most sure bond of peace , and great should be the praise of god , honour of the king and the souldiery ; also the true protestant religion receive its lustre upon the earth , and flourish beyond compare . among the persons present , i then told the lady frances boyl , eldest daughter to the so excellent countess of cork , lamed in her infancy to so much debility , that she halteth the deepest imaginable , but god almighty hath been pleased to more than recompence that debility , by the more noble endowments of her soul and minde ; which speak her not onely in them the lively image of her most excellent countess mother , but the dearly beloved of god her father which is in heaven : to this lady ( i say ) i applied my self , and told her what i believe god almighty had put into my heart and tongue : that if she were present , when the king came into england , and so received with content in state ( which would not be long ere it was so , ) she should then see , waiting on him , whom god had deputed for her husband ; a man unspotted of the flesh ; with whom she should be abundantly happy . i after besought her second daughter , the lady elizabeth boyl , to stand forth : before her i kneeled , told her , if she were then present , she should see him the lord had deputed for her husband , charls stuart , charls the second , king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith. here i could not for bear , but seeing the glory of god , and the honour of this his vice-roy on earth , to be so great , i fell on my face , as in the first of corinthians the and . and so falling down on his face , he will worship god. i take the god of heaven to witness , i know no other reason of it , it never was the least in my intentions . since i have read the prophet did so , as in the of ezekiel , the verse , and because the words , matter and manner of his government , there is so very full to my business , give me leave to observe them to you ; the rather because all of mine , whether of action , or interpretation , are so long since past , and by me this never observed , untill thursday the fourth of august . as we accompt : i look upon it , as a further confirm to me , of my so interpreting the vision , and over-ruled deportment in that action of falling upon my face , the words are these : and behold , the glory of the god of israel came from the way of the east , and his voice was like a voice of many waters , and the earth shined with his glory ; and it was according to the appearance of the vision i saw ; and i fell upon my face . and so he goes on , that the glory of the lord filled his house . see what his providence hath guided me to do : and all to observe to you ; were there but this in it , it migh confirm you , it is no delusion . o lord , let the world , as i do , stand amazed , love thee , and fear thee for ever . this done , i told them i should go into france , or beyond the seas , be highly instrumental , to turn the queen to the protestant religion , who with the king , and all of our nation , should return into this land , and there , should be no more heart-burnings , divisions , or disgust amongst us ; but we should all agree , in the future , to fear god , honour the king , and live in brotherly love , one with another ; to our general good content , and admiration of the world . i dare not here omit , to let the reader know , i did then say , i did believe these happy mutations would be shortly ; and that the kings birth-day , would be a day of great rejoycing , in these his kingdoms . nay i have expected more alterations already than yet i have seen , and said i have to some , that i did believe this summer past would have made the certain things yet to come to pass much more apparent before now . but i see where the bringing of any things to pass , depends on mans seeing to do evil , there is nothing but disappointment . o lord , if thou turn not man to thy self , or thy self do the work , when will it be ? those that have robbed thy house , and undone man their brother , whether thy ministers or others , are in no disposition as yet to part with their so much beloved sins , because profitable : those that on the otherside , have by swearing , forswearing , uncleanness , and all manner of deboystness , yet continued in giving just occasion to say , the former men , and times , were as bad as these ; because they repent not , but continue to wallow in all manner of their pleasing sins and corruptions ; who by so doing caused the protestant religion , as much as the former evil doers , to be evil spoken of . truely reader , if any thing hath befooled , in regard of time , the spiritual man , it is your sins of all sorts , yet continued in . read the of hosea and the vers . there you shall see that the iniquity of the people made that prophet mad ; & yet you , that will not part with your lusts and hypocrisies , and other impieties of all sorts , must be reckoned the onely sober and wise men , whilst he whom god hath spoken to , you account mad . did i not tell you , that he which covers his sins should not prosper , but he that confesseth and forsakes them : should finde mercy ? gods displeasure is ready to blow over , did we but seek him by our unfained repentance , and lay hold on him in faith , by our true and new obedience . doth not the scriptures all along give you this for reason of the withhold of gods mercies ? there are yet reasons : observe i beseech you , as anon i shall let you see , i had no sooner proclaimd this , and other his loving kindnesses towards us , a distracted and distressed people , in that church of youghall , which i could not chuse , neither can i do other , than apply my self to all concerned , either by word of mouth , or by writing : but i truely say unto you , i was there the third day clapt into prison : committed onely for teason ; when i know no man living is or can be further from the contrivance , or less desirous of shedding any one mans bloud in the world : nay , i would from the bottom of my heart , & so do i pray , that god would be pleased to set every mans sins in order before his face ; give him the heart , truely to repent of them ; come forth , confess , and truely forsake all his iniquities ; and practice the contrary virtues , for the time to come : so it is clearly certain , god would be most glorified , and we most happy , that have all done amiss , one way , or other . it is the worst of men can kill , but who can make alive ? the good spirit of god stirs not any man , to any private revenge : not a bird of prey , but a dove , was the shape , wherein our saviour christ appeared . many , o lord , lived by thee ; never any destroyed , onely the poor fig-tree ; as a real embleme of thy severity , to the unprofitable and fruitless . after mercy so long abused , 't is time for judgement . so that ( i say ) there i was some eight weeks imprisoned : and although i often wrote and sollicited , that i might be sent over to oliver cromwell ; to whom i was more particularly deputed , and so most considerable , for the carrying on of this work of the lord. nay , i offered , if they pleased , i would pay & bear the whole charge of a convoy to him ; and give it under my hand and faith , i would not so much as endeavour to escape . further , that if i was found to be deluded , then i was content , they should inflict upon my body what punishment they pleased : but if an impostor , or one that would deceive by lying , or false promises , speaking unto them , when not sent , or what god had not deputed me for ; then in that case that they burned me , or put me to death ; all these original papers i have by me , to shew any that doubts it . yet these prevailed not for my inlargement ; so there i was retarded in prison , and coming over , near months : and almost months more after arrived in england , before i could come to communicate , what i had to say to the general of all the english forces , oliver cromwell . here was one impede of moneths . may is now gone . such aversness have i met with , in all , or most of men : that ( truely ) had not the providence of almighty god put into the mindes and mouths of some men , i have on late dayes heard preach , and upon such suitable subjects also ; ( certainly his almighty goodness hath guided me to my great consolation , and them also , even to my great amazement , just as if they had been within me , and with me in all my sufferings ; ) i say , had i not been thus supported , i had well nigh sunk under the burden : for so fit encouragements have i had from wise men preaching , that i shall never reckon it other , than the loving kindness of god to me , for my support , and carrying on , in this his business . even so did the jews thus evilly persecute , despise , traduce , imprison , and not hearken unto the prophets sent to them , although men of their own religion . thus was i shewed , what i am to expect from all , or almost all : so that now , i thank god , i am armed for it . for further reason , i may not do other , than present you with the passage of nineveh , and the prophet jonah , who told them , that yet dayes , and that great citie should be destroyed . you may there see the good effect of true repentance , and speedy turning from bad works , how it kept off their judgement years : and can we ( then ) expect , or believe other , but that continuance in sin ( it may be augmenting them also ) will have the contrary effects , to keep off mercie ? there is yet a reason , and that is come to my cognizance and observe , in a book lately published by arise evans ( a man you are unworthy of , ) whom you have persecuted too , as you have all gods ministers , almost all , either by imprisonment , sequestration , or death , or otherwise of undoing them . and what to do , i pray , but to commit idolatry ; that those ye prefer , may set up imaginations of their own , and you ( as they ) worship that calf ? but you will say , this is no idolatry : if so , then let it go for idiotrey ; and that hath but one letter difference : pray , let it go for both , as being guilty of both . those calfs you set up , after them you low and run , but continue to neglect gods ministers , whom you will neither hear , nor prefer , lest you should be converted ; and so become poor . what ? out of love would you have us with that seeming righteousness , zeal , and godly party , which to be of , will certainly prefer us . no ; bewitcht we are with it , and for these reasons will be of no other judgement : it is you that talk foolishly , we profitably . and this kinde of idolatry in all ages , hath caused gods wrath to continue even against his own people . how long did these disobediencies keep them from entering into the promised land ? which indeed was so near them , as we may truely say even at hand moses goeth but up to the mount , to converse with god , the people mutiny , and will have him no more govern as king. and for priest and prophet , why not others as well as those god onely had set over them , seeing they took too much upon them ? what is the event of this madness ? up goes a calf presently , worship it they will , they will have governours and teachers of their own making , as well as a god ; which shall not take so much upon them : yet ruled they will be too , but it shall be by themselves . tell not us ( say they of gods mission of your prophets , or ministers onely ; we know better ; he that can do all without book , learning , or reason , then he is sent , if so gifted , if we like him also it is good warrant . thus your contempt , neglect , and persecution of those men , who undoubtedly would teach you from heaven and better things , than you either hear , or practice on earth , is another good reason ; in all ages it hath gone for a good one : and yet one of your little ones must not be offended : but , if he cries and bawls for the life and estate of the most considerable in the kingdom , to please , it must be given him , or them , babes of grace ! for you say the fat of the earth is for you , the seeming saints ; but you shall finde , and know too , anon , god will do something , for the thus persecuted , but penitent , sinners . turn you , turn you , you great hypocrites , and you shall see these things come to pass in a short time : and therefore gave i that text to that worthy doctor mollines , to let you all see , that he which covers his sins shall not prosper , but who confesseth and forsakes them , shall find mercy : and there is the reason . it is true , that good man mr. evans goes on to tell you one fault more , an error it may be , i think it is , i am sure it makes way for a great one , in giving the year its beginning from the conception , which should take it from the birth of our lord. and because you may fill the world with confusion , you keep no day for the commemoration of that neither : which helps to make that ever to be observed good day no otherwise apparent , than your charity ; whose right hand never yet knew what the left did . but you trouble me ; and i long to be rid of you . are not these reasons , if you have any for the wise delay of gods mercies , and restore of our so much desired king ? who , if he comes not yet years & months , of which opinion i am not , yet i will wait and believe ; for god hath said it , he whom you have persecuted , shall shortly come , and that in honour too : and , because he sowed in tears , he shall reap in joy , and bring his sheaves with him . oh! could i but perswade every man that reads me , or hears of what the lord is , in mercy , doing for these kingdoms , the king , and protestant religion , but to turn to him , with all his heart and soul ( for that is the taking way ) in new obedience , and to leave no sin unrepented of , and no commandment unconform'd unto , in sincerity of heart , and true obedience ; you would then all see that suddenly come to pass , and be fulfilled in your dayes and eyes ; which i do as truely believe will come to pass ( and i shall see it , nay i do already , and enjoy it also , ) as i do believe the heavens to be over my head , and the earth under my feet . which if it fail , i am content that you take me , and put me to death . these reasons given for its defer , i am brought from what i had of vision , or my own dictates , to that , which is most certainly prophesie , and the word of the lord. which , although spoken out of my mouth , & by my tongue pronounced ; yet the matter no more my conceptions , than i now dictate , or write unto you , the words , or thoughts of the most remote king , or emperour in the world : for i never so much as had things of that nature in my minde . hear the manner and the matter : they are both of the lord : to whom be given for ever honour , praise , glorie , obedience and thanksgiving . amen , o lord , amen . and now before i proceed , give me leave to tell you , that , this fryday , the of august , is come to my observe this of jeremiah , the chap. and the vers . the prophet that hath a dream , let him tell a dream ; and he that hath my word , let him speak my word faithfully : what is the chaff to the wheat ? saith the lord. o lord , this being thy command , i will obey thee : so help me , god ; for now i come to thy own words . sect . iv. some three dayes after , i returned the second time from the lord of broghills to my lodging , the widdow merricks house in youghal ; upon the or of january . lying there in bed , and having spent most part of that night in meditation and prayer , rejoycings & weepings ; for of that nature were my weepings ( the fullest of joy imaginable ) that indeed i often conceived ( not feared ) i might sooner die of an over-joy , than any grief . in that night ( i say ) from lying in my bed , i was upon a sudden taken up , that is to say , made to sit up , somewhat bowing : and when so , i did then with a loud voice , somewhat altered from my ordinary speaking , pronounce these words , which words , i say , are the words of the lord of hosts , god almighty , & are these : there is an end of all the wars in the christian world. the jews shall come in , also the heathen , and shall be converted to the true religion . the church of rome shall fall . the irish shall not be transplanted . this said , i was laid down : and wondring with my self , that i should be thus taken up , made to speak what i knew i uttered , yet not have any of those thoughts , or conceptions in my minde , nor knew not before i was taken up , that i was rising , nor one word of what i said , before pronounced ; i could not but very much admire ( and so i did ) both the manner and the matter : well , i then prayed and praised god ; for awake i was , as truely as i am now ; the sequel will prove that . i then concluded it was not at all i that did it , it was the lord , who would have it so , and his prophesie it was and is . much about half a quarter of an hour after , i was taken up again , as formerly , and spake these words : proclaim charls stuart , king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith : charls d king of the whole world. this charls stuart shall never die ; the lady elizabeth boyl shall never die ; the queen his mother ( wife to the late king , already blessed ) shall never die ; the now queen of france shall never die ; the king of france shall never die ; his brother , the queens other son shall never die ; but shall all be taken up into the kingdom of jesus christ , that never shall have end . this spoken , i was laid down again : then did one m. barret , a merchant in bristol that deals in leather and skins , who lodged in the same chamber with me ( but in another bed ) call to me , asked me how i did , and if i was well : i replied to him , very well : he asked me if i was asleep , i said no : he asked me if i knew what i said : i replied , yes , very well : he asked me if i believed what i said , i told him , he must give me leave to believe , what the lord caused me to speak , and would have done . there lodged also in the next room , one john marrick , the widdows son of that house , aged about . with him in bed another merchant , as i take it , of bristol also , or thereabouts ; to them both well known : those in that one bed , spake to me also ; i replyed to them ; many words we had , all i remember not . i was anon after , taken up again , as formerly , and spake these words : oliver cromvvell shall never die ; the countess of cork shall never die ; the earl her husband shall never die ; the ladie frances boyl ( their eldest daughter ) shall never die ; the lord of broghill shall never die ; the ladie broghill , his now wife , shall never die ; but shall all be taken up into the kingdom of jesus christ , which never shall have end . i was laid down again , and considered with my self , what , shall oliver cromwell never die ? it pleased me not : but again the lord reproved me , and would have me know , he judgeth not as man judgeth ; neither did his ways admit of any repine or contradiction . here again i spoke to the former parties , but little , lay still , praying , weeping , and praising god : for now i firmly believed , and remembered , that although these things were mightie , strange , and wonderfull ; yet , by his power , for his mercie , glorie , and names sake , he had assured me , he would bring them to pass , and they should be marvellous in our eyes , as the seal of my commission was : and remember i did , he was now giving me the matter . again anon after , i was raised , as formerly , and spake these words : thou walter gostellow shalt never die ; thy three sons shall never die ; thy wife anne , and daughter anne gostellow shall never die : but shall all be taken up into the kingdom of jesus christ ; that never shall have end . then shall the bodies of the saints , alreadie dead , arise , and be taken up into heaven also ; the sheep shall go to the right hand , and the goats to the left : pronounce this house , a blessed house , and this chamber shall for ever be called the chamber of the great prophet . thus have i set here down every word , then pronounced by me : but certainly the dictates and good pleasure of the lord of hosts , that they be published to the world concerned by me walter gostellow , his unworthy instrument . i have not added , or taken from , one word that i know of , nor misreported the manner . but as old eli asked samuel , after called of god by his name times , samuel ; & god had spoken unto him , and given him his imploy , what it was the lord had said unto him , as you may read in the chapter of that his first book , and the ver . and eli there charged him , that he hid nothing from him , but tell him all ; which samuel tels you and him in the next verse . he did so , hid nothing from him . what follows ? it is the lord , let him do what seems him good : and the lord was with samuel , he grew , and the lord let none of his words fall to the groūd . so all israel , from dan to beersheba , knew that samuel was established a prophet of the lord , things coming to pass as he had foretold . when i heard the word prophet , & knew my unworthy self to be the man , o lord , thou knowest my thoughts both then and now , they are at no time hid from thee , i stand amazed , o lord , and am silent , lay my hand i do upon my mouth , and my mouth upon the ground . a prophet ! i am unworthy o lord , yea , i am unworthy to live , much more unworthy of this so great honor : but , o lord , thou hast fashioned me , make me i beseech thee , always to do thy will , not mine own , that hath been and now is sinfull ; yea , so hath it been all my days : therefore i most humbly beseech thee , to have mercy upon me , o lord , the greatest of sinners , nay thou wilt have mercy for thy compassions fail not , and thy mercies , as thy ways , are past finding out . the rest of that night i spent in meditation and prayer ; when day , i arose : not fully dressed , took pen & ink , wrote all spoken ; but with this addition , i began with a summons and invitation to whomsoever , that they would repair the next week , thursday morning , about nine of the clock , being the of january , to the town and church of youghal , there to hear a sermon , upon this text ; he that covereth his sins , shall not prosper : but he that confesseth , and forsaketh them , shall finde mercy . the text was given by a prophet of almighty god , now here in youghall , his name walter gostelow ; which prophet will then after sermon , that day , tell you all in the church , that there is an end of all the wars in the christian world : and so i went on to finish , as before prophesied and recited . further , they should that day see riding out in great state , several of those saints , and this prophet , out of town ; and upon the strand of youghall : which to me as well as others , was given as a sign , or miracle , being yet to come , for the strengthning of my faith , as also for the conversion and ground of belief , to the sons and daughters of men. i there went on , the heathen and the jews are now fitting by the lord , to come into his doctrine , worship and service : and under his scepter . against which word of god , the holy bible not to be altered ; the book of common-prayer , in some things altered and amended , as by a council lawfully called , whom god shall direct , shall stand and flourish all over the whole world : the doctrine and faith of the church of england , being the purest in the world : against which word of god , and his sword , put into the hands of this king , charls stuart , no power on earth shall ever prevail ; that of rome is now tumbling down , and melting away like a mighty snow-ball . the king and queen of france , with that whole nation , shall ere long be converted to this faith : which kingdom of france , and all others upon the earth , under the sun and heavens , shall be obedient to this charls the second , and his rule in the kingdom of england : the lady elizabeth boyl , second daughter to the earl and countess or cork , is this kings wife . the general of all the english forces , oliver cromwell shall never die , so i here wrote him , and could not otherwise , though i tried often , and varied to give him several titles , but could not , the reason you shall have anon . be pleased to observe , in the pronounce of the prophesie , it is onely oliver cromwell ; all other persons of dignity & honour , by their titles as signiories , his onely oliver cromwell , the reason i promise . i went on ; the irish nation should not be removed , but possess their own just rights , converted to this true faith they should be : and so , praying that god would enlighten them , and all men , that we might all live in brotherly love and unity one with another , return again into his courts with praises , and there serve him in sincerity of heart , and in the beauty of holiness ; ( for so his house ought to be fitted for his service , ) that others might be invited by us and with us , to glorifie our father , which is in heaven : whose will be done on earth by men , as it is by saints and angels in heaven . thus i concluded , writing as fast as possibly , which done : i could not be quiet , but hasted immediately to that so every way eminently good countess of cork , read the paper to her , and after made it my request , very often sollicitous i was by my letters , that she would send her letters abroad , to invite in the nobles , gentry , and countrey to the town of youghall against that day , the of january : my self having read and communicated the whole to her honour , was by her and doctor mollines over-perswaded , to retire for a time to my chamber , which i did : but when there , i could not be quiet , but wrote and sent abroad to several , inviting them to youghall , that of january , to hear , as before recited , all to be divulged by me that day in the church , after sermon . i continued soliciting that countess , that she would do the like , untill i knew i became troublesom , yea very troublesom , even unto two dayes before this of january , did i thus be stir my self . in fine , my kinsman , m leonard gostelow . secretary to the earl , came to me , brought me back from her honour , divers of my own letters ; told me weeping , that the countess and his lord , with divers others , believed me certainly mad , that i would so impertinently to no purpose , trouble my self and others . he then asked me , what i would have , i told him onely the countrey , nobles , gentry , and all , to come in to hear the sermon and prophesie , that day the of january : he replied to me , if it be company you would have , trouble not your self , there will be enough here ; for on that day will be several horse-matches : which hearing , i was very much joyed , and after that time , never troubled my self in the least particular , in that business to move further : which i take god almighty to witness , untill his telling me of it , it came not into my minde ; although i confess , i had formerly heard of it ; but all the time untill then , it was no more remembered by me , than it was known to the most remortest man in the world. but i shall observe to you anon , the wisedom and good pleasure of god almighty , in casting and bringing to pass , what fell out upon that day ; the day i was most active upon , after the divulge of all i had to say , and did say it in the church . i cannot but observe to you , that when perswaded to retire to my lodging , and did so , the lord of broghill's physician came to me , closely attended me , & sweat i must , keep my bed , not stir , not write at any hand , not do any thing , but as prescribed : all which i now see were clear artifices of the lord of broghill , and that otherwise-good countess of cork ; lest i should proclaim in the church , what i had penned in the paper : for to her honour i made always my first addresses , untill it pleased god , to direct me to the lord of broghill , as more considerable , for the carrying on of this work of the lords : for it is the lords , and shall , and will come to pass , though i must tell thee , reader ( whosoever thou art ) i have met with very little other , then aversness and derision , if not scorn , from almost all ; and to be called mad , hath been in many of their mouths : yet , i praise god , though some have endeavoured to make me the sooner mad , by very uncivil carriages and affronts , no man living can say , nay , i challenge them to it , that they divulge it , if they ever saw , in any of my actions , or papers ( which i have copies of , the most considerable , and some letters returned me ) ought of levity : if so , let them shew it to the world , spare me not , i beg not their favour , i scorn it , it is no new thing ( o lord ) to bestow ill and false appellations , in all ages , upon men , thy servants sent upon the like imploy , to turn others from the errour of their ways that delight in general wickednesses . to declare ought from the lord , that suites not with their fancies , love and over-carnal apprehensions ; it must be madness in their judgements : & to advise the great , rich , covetous , proud , & high-minded , to deny themselves , madness it must be . assuredly , our portion is like that of our saviours , from the scribes and pharisees , who were so : they heard all that was said unto them , yet being proud and covetous , they derided him . but thou , o lord be thy name for ever praised , and so magnified thou assistest , thou deliverest me , thou providest for me , of thy alsufficiencie , rich mercie , and everlasting loving-kindness ; which , i now most humbly beseech thee may increase in me , not onely in a firm dependance on thee , but a walking before thee all my days , in the true practice of pietie , and ways of thy commandments : which onely can , through thy mercie , deliver in all the inundations of evil , and practices of proud and obstinate sinners ; from whom , good lord deliver me . but i hasten . thursday the of january came , in bed i would not stay , up i got , to the church i went , took a seat in the most convenient place , quietly demeaned my self until sermon was ended : here i cannot but observe to you , that although doctor mollines had his sermon in readiness ; yet by reason of a sore throat , preached not , but the ordinarie lecturer for that day : and yet , as if he had been , in some measure , privy to my prophesie , and intentions ( which be could not be ) his sermon was very much for amendment of life . and observe also he did , that enoch and elias were translated into heaven , having walked with god , and kept his commandments on earth ; so that ( as i after observed to him ) his sermon seemed to me , to be a prophesie of a prophesie . but i have had many of these , to my consolation , as formerly observed , from a mercifull god. sermon ended , i then desired the people to stay , and suffer me a few words : i told them , i had to communicate unto them , which was certainly of the lord , consisting of dream , its observe and interpretation , vision also and prophesie , all of the lord. i then reached to me the church bible , kissed it , and did promise upon that holy evangelist , i would not speak other to them , than i did believe the lord had spoken to me , no man living ever dictating a word to me , or disposing me thereunto , nor now to this ; which as i could not do other then , but speak , so now here , but publish by printing unto them , and all those concerned of the world. begin i did , as you have heard , declared my dream , its interpretation , my vision , and other dictates of mine own , which i penned not , yet so to them related , as here recited ; the prophesie i read to them as i wrote it verbatim , the morning after the lord caused me to speak it . when i came to proclaim the king , away goes the governor , colonel saunders , after him the major of the corporation . when of the protestant religion i spake , and the flourishing of that again , and how that none should ever prevail , that rose up against the word of god , and his discipline now to be established , and his sword also put into the hand of his king , charls stuart , away goes ( as i conceive ) the disaffected to both : for certainly , congregations are now adays , made up of goats and tares , lovers of our selves we are , more than god ; and yet be we must together , until the harvest come : then the prophesie , as the most sure written word of god tels you , the goats must to the left , when the sheep onely go to the right hand ; chaff and tares to their own home . in this church , although a sermon-day , but one servant of the earl of corks , not one of the lord of broghills , as i saw and remember : and why that one ? and who must that servant be , but my cosin their secretarie , one whom they knew i loved , and would be much ruled by . well , how governs he ? i suspect , by their order too , he comes to me almost as soon as i was entered upon what i intended , and had to do , desires me to desist , weeps to me , i refuse him , he after pulls me by the cloak and arm , uncivil more than enough hales me by both , prayes and weeps to have me out ; i took faster hold , told him if they would burn me , they might ; but i would not stir from that place , nor from that imploy of the lords , untill i had done that work the lord commanded me of his : then crying like a great ( yet childish ) kinsman , he went away , whilest i was over-joyed , being so well rid of him ; & so thanking god , i went quietly on , to do all i intended to a word , without any other violence offered me : yet my congregation grew very thin in the end . it is the unhappiness of these times , that where he stands up , that is not sent , thither the people run , to which ill advised , we may fitly use that of the spaniard , who , when he sees one do so , observe ( saith he ) what haste that man makes , to leave his wits behinde him : yet , to the comfort of those that hold out to the last , though but a few , if in well-doing , the blessing is to them : but its prayers must remedy this , not conceits ; the loving kindness of the lord must do it : which , when he shall be pleased to restore to us wiser teachers , we may then hope to see . in the mean time , it calls for our prayers and tears , that we see it not . it was a witty one of long since deceased mr. shuit , officiating in lombard street , i heard it from him , ( indeed he married me ; may his memory and his works ever live in us ) in a sermon , complaining of these times , which he foresaw hastning upon us , ( for such are the true prophets of the lord , and therefore ( as i conceive ) called seers ; ) the age is now grown so chimical ( said he ) that from a tailers shop-board , or weavers loom , we have those now will extract learning enough , to stand hours in a pulpit , before an apron'd & giddy auditory ( with applause too ; ) that should a wise man put his head in at the church-dore , he would judge the famine to be very sore among us , to see an asses head valued at so many pieces of silver . mais donne aux ausnes le chardons , let asses feed on thistles . but i must go on . of a like nature was one i heard , praying in the pulpit for a reformation , in those over-active times , dispairingly say , how can we hope for it to gods glory , when there is not one in our universities , or cathedrals but what are factors for that whore of babylon ? sure , he was never there , he was so ignorant , mistake me not , i mean the university ; if otherwise , give him the whet-stone , having thus preach'd for it . truely , i would not make these aberrations , but for this reason ; there was with me , all the time of my imprisonment at youghall , and a prisoner also , a person of great honour , as i firmly believe , m. david rooche , the eldest son of the viscount lord rooche ; a gentleman of very great integrity , and faithfulness , where trust and devoir lies upon him . he is a great devotery and admirer of the church of rome , and hath often told me , how like i was to be deluded , because part of my prophesie was , that the church of rome should fall ; which he laboured to have me believe , the gates of hell should never prevail against ; as being what christ promised to his church , that being it , and no other . he told me , we could shew no church , neither were we any , since fallen from them , the onely conspicuous in all ages , visibly shining , as upon an hill . that with him was the strength of his argument , any thing that ever was in ours , that looked like a church , see , because it was but like one , how god had now annihilated that also . and for the preachers of our church ( as we would have the world yet misbelieve we were a church ) now amongst us , what were they , but men unsent , who filled the world with schismes falshood , heresie , strange and lying opinions , few or none of them agreeing ; whereas unite was the best devote of a true church , and that theirs onely hath , and always had . 't was too much said , for him to prove ; yet this i will say of him , ( nay , i have prophesied it , and it will come to pass ) he is too good a man , to sin against the light of his conscience , he would fear and serve none but god onely , nor obey any but his king ; and both them with all his heart : therefore i told him , god had , of his providence , then sent him my fellow-prisoner , to shew him , first or last , the error of of his judgement , and that church : and then , because he was so eminently good otherways in his countrey so exemplarie , he would , being converted , bring his countrey to the service of god , as well as he had formerly done them to his kings service ; from which interest he would never suffer himself , nor them to be stirred in the least : for in that he was a true rooche , which in french is a rock ; whereas now i understand the honor was in a french field , but in the good service of his then king , given to his ancestors viscount lord rooche . i could not for the honor of our church , the glorie of god , and discharge of my own dutie , but reply to him , and let him know , that such foolish babblers as those , which now so preached , were no more of our church , the true protestant , than those that make merchandize of the kingdom of heaven now in the delapsed church of rome , would be reckoned to be , if that church were again restored to her pristine puritie : which i believe , god would in mercie do , by throwing down and out of her , all the workers of iniquitie , crept in in several ages ; who , for their own ends , defiled her with damnable tenents and absurdities . the beloved church of god , i observed to him , we were , though now thus beclouded . the moon , to which that church is compared , is not alwayes at full , she has wanes and changes , and eclipses also , yet still a church , as that a moon . i beseech you , is not now the honour of the protestant religion at stake ? and doth it not clearly appear to all that love her , what discervices these unsent , bold and empty babblers have done us ? those vagabonds are like those vagabond jews in the of the acts , the vers . who took upon them to call over them that had evil spirits , the name of the lord jesus , saying , we adjure you by jesus , whom paul preacheth , to come forth ; yet no good is done by them , out they come not , the evil spirits are where they were , not cast out , but replied to them , jesus we know , he is sent of god , paul we know , he is sent of jesus , but who are you ? who the devil sent you ? well : unsent of god they finde them : what doth that man possessed with the evil spirits do ? he leaps upon them , over-comes them , prevails upon them , so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded . this spread over the countrey , and the name of jesus was magnified ; so shall his name also be magnified by us , or you in authority , if you suppress those unsent , vagabond , giddy , bold , empty , scandalous ( what shall i call them ? ) itinerates , froward & factious presbyterians , dishonourers of gods true religion , church , and our nation . by sober men are not these things and times to be lamented ? and are not wise men , if now in power , obliged to help distressed religion , thus crying out , o religion , religion ! thou that art the strongest of policie , which teachest to rule well , and to be so ruled ? pray , did not the fear of god , which is the beginning of wisedom , not fear of man , make david wiser than his teachers ? and doth it not strengthen more than ten mighty men ? oh! its excellencie invites you to side with it ; though now seemingly down , it will raise it self , and all that love it . haste you , be ye of this bless'd number . but to the matter . all thus done at church , i went to the earl of cork's house , endeavoured to enter the parlour , where that day were sate divers persons of quality at dinner : i was refused enterance , though my unworthy self , formerly by the good favour of that earl and countess , was one they were pleased to admit to their own table , for some moneths : but now denied enterance i was . well ; i watched my opportunity , my business being of another nature , than eating ; it was to do the will of my father which is in heaven , which was to let that most incomparable lady , the lady elizabeth boyl ( for other i may not call her , whom god almighty hath set apart & chosen , to so much honour and bliss , as to be his queen , and the beloved of god , ) on my knees i told her , that , in obedience to the commands of god , i had that day in the church of youghall , proclaimed our king , and her good self his queen . from my knees i rose , went out , amde no disturbance ( though the most considerable there , so soon as he saw me , i well remember , rose up ) and was for my being had out : but having done what i could not choose , my duty so much desired , i took my self away , for i neither spake more , nor did more , but quietly went away . now comes the sign given me for confirmation of my faith , that the things prophesied shall come to pass , observe how it is made good to me , both for day , persons , state , and place . dinner there ended , a coach with six horses is made ready , which in that place i never saw before : into it gets the countess of cork , the lady broghall , the lady queen elizabeth boyl , the lady frances boyl , the earl of cork on hors-back , the lord of broghill likewise mounted , and all these well accountred , & no otherwise attended : in good equipage they ride through and out of this town of youghall , unto the strand , where the several hors-matches were that day run . well ; they all gone , my self rode after ; coming thither , was looked at by all for my forenoons work , the governour of the town there ; on the strand i rode , to others i told what i had in the church , did not madly rave , or beget any the least disturbance ; stayed to the last ; rode off the strand , sometimes betwixt the lord of broghill , and the governour colonel saunders ; told them what god almighty would have done and come to pass ; rode next them all through the town ; no disturbance all this while ; yet the lord of broghill told me several times i must forbear such expressions , otherwise he would order me , and committed i should be . he was as good as his word ; for out of my lodging i was fetch'd , and had to prison , but by the governours warrant , he not seen in it . truely , i think i may take his word at all times , for what he promiseth ; hear my reason : in france , some years ago , i furnished upon bills of exchange , one of his brothers with a considerable sum of money for his brothers own use ; after that near upon one hundred pounds more , for this lord of broghill , who was not then at age ; his elder brother gave me his bond , parrole and honour , to pay those bills of exchange , given me for repayment in england : this his brother was killed in the wars of ireland ; my money not paid by him the bills were drawn upon , nor ever by that his elder brother ; the principle killed , and my whole debt seemingly dead also , being very great . my self now in ireland , i reminded this lord of broghill , of what by parrole , he was debter to me , with its consideration for years , upon bill of exchange , signed by his elder brother , but never paid , his lordship not being at age , became not bound , otherwise than in point of honour , by his parrole . truely , the long time , and my discontinuance beyond the seas , having made no former application to him , had worn both out of his memory ; but upon discourse both came to his lordships reminde ; no sooner so , but we consented to refer all allowances and demands of interest to the earl his brother , and m. robert boyl his youngest . this done , by consent , his lordship a few dayes after told me , well , if my brothers , to whom we have referr'd this business , see no ground in law , possibly to proceed upon his lordship haveing not given either specialty , or promise since his being at age , to pay the moneys , so not liable in law ; if thus they proceed ( said his lordship to me ) yet come you to me , and i will compose you in conscience . but his lordships brothers , whom i found conscientious also , in six words ( as i may say ) composed me , and i have my money : and these grounds i have for the taking of his paroll , my imprisonment , and the preserve of his paroll with honour ; and to those that will preserve it , honour is due , as here to his lordship : for the publishing of this act i was debter , either to the invite , or else to the shame of others , that have more of title , but less of good conscience . good men direct into , not lead out of the way ; i am where i was , and go on to let you know , that this day , thursday the of january , all those persons being thus there , and in such good equipage , upon the same place , the sign given me for my confirmation , and others also , is fully made good to me , considering also my not commitment , that day , together with the great concourse of people , from parts far more remote than i intended my summons , for the invite in of the gentry and country , that day , to that place , for to let them know this business of the lords . thus the work of the lord is carried on to the greatest advantage , and so brought to pass , whilest we onely think to do our own wills , how doth he make us to effect his ? every creature walks blindfold , onely he that dwells in light sees whither they go . we are for hors-races , yet see how we fall under his decrees unawares , that we might the more adore the depth of his providence . for the rumore of what i had said and done that day , and the next , spred over the country ; post it went to dublin ; in england it was in a short time ; and as the cloud of elias , raised from the sea , at first appeared but as an hand-breadth , so this rumour , raised upon the strand of youghall , by the sea-side , little then , as it was , now as that cloud raised by that prophet , spread over the whole heavens and earth , and falls upon it also , what to do ? but even as his , to glad the people , and make fruitfull the earth . publick meetings and great concourses of people , fittest to disperse general mercies to the sons of men . the irish desire to know nothing more , nor enjoy any thing on earth , before their own habitations ; not to be transplanted , and to have the kingly government restored . why , they are ready to die of an over-joy . oh , the wisdom and loving kindness of the lord ! who can do other than obey him ? well , the third day in prison i am , and for treason too , there i pass a moneth , or six weeks , no offer for inlargement : on a sudden , if i will go out , i may , but i must go presently aboard a ship , there bound for england , ready to depart : many requests i made before that time , that i might be sent over prisoner to the general , oliver cromwell , to whom i was deputed ; but not in any hearkened unto . well : go i would , yet positively i said , that untill i had once more been with the lord of broghill , and given him my prophesie in writing , under my hand and seal , delivered and left with him the most material parts of it ; i would not go : that done i would go , and then his lordship should dispose of me as he pleased , i would afterwards in all things readily obey him . his lordships secretary and the earl of corks both with me , then making the offer of inlargement upon the terms as before : which when i refused , except upon my own terms , they fairly told me i should ly there three moneths longer , then be proceeded against , and for treason hang'd : to which i replied , let them burn me also , if they could ; i would not go out but upon those terms . appear to the people i would , had they put me in publickly , and will they take me out privatly ? i would appear to the people , even to all that were there , that i was enlarged ; mad i was not , the business was the lords , and he would bring it to pass , and deliver whom he had sent and commissionated , in the fittest time . i bade them be gone , told them i would do all that , and more , which was to leave another of my prophesies , under my own hand , at the house i lodged in , the widdow merricks , written in parchment , boxed up , and hanged over my beds head , in the chamber i lodged in , which i pronounced should be called the chamber of the great prophet for ever . my prophesie i wrote , gave it to the widdow merricks son in writing ; a man grown he is ; he keeps it ten dayes , or more , then returned it me , and told me his mother durst not suffer it to be hanged up , here was obedience to governours : i would it had always been so . well : the ship is gone , in prison i remain , my keeper again begins ( new it now was not ) to practice some of his former tricks upon me ; false prophet he calls me ; a child of his , some or years old , is also taught to call me so himself owns the teaching of it ; which when i desired him to forbear , or else tell me upon what ground he did it , he replied to me , he had good grounds . you are ( said he ) for the superstitious keeping of dayes and times , as in particular , that in the time of lent we should do well to fast , pray , and examin our selves , that so , through gods mercies , we may , as you say , become worthy receivers of his most blessed body and bloud , for the remission , of sins , at the feast of his resurrection at easter ; nay , you are for a passion sermon also , upon good friday ( as you call it , ) when all dayes are alike : the commemoration also of the nativity of our lord , the descending of the holy ghost , and divers other superstitious things and times ; all which the true prophets of the lord have cried down , and long since declined , as most abominable and superstitious . here lay his proof , when i asked him who those prophets were , he told me the godly ministers and prophets the parliament had preferred , & appointed to hear preach . i replied little , onely told him some reasons , that induced me to be of that judgement ; yet withall it was worth his consideration , to remember what became of those children that mocked the prophet , against whom the lord sent bears out of the wood , to tear them in pieces and devour them . well : reconciled we were , he told me it should no more be so , neither did his child any more provoke me ; but on the contrary i loved it , and the child me . upon a short time after he told me , if i were a prophet , then he was a dog : i reminded him , such expressions did not well become ; he might in that prophesie unhappily of himself ; dogs were without , when prophets were in heaven . i observed to him , he did all without reason , told him i forgave him and his son formerly , and that i prayed for both , that god would be pleased to forgive them ; ( it is true , i did so , and do so ) that he would be pleased to have mercy upon them . he bid me keep my prayers to my self , he nor his had no need of them , and desired them not . he was often girding at me , quiet i could not be for him ; i saw he loathed me , which made me sometimes think on those evil spirits , that though they knew it was our blessed lord , yet raging , asked him why he was come to torment them before their time : good he told me i could not be , because i approved not of one mr. wood , whom the parliament power had put in preacher at youghall , and settled upon him an handsom sallery of some an hundred and twenty pounds per annum . his name implies he may be timber , though some suspect he is not yet fitted for the building up the house of god. god be pleased to make all men wise and better ; certainly the best accomplished is fittest for his service . this being sunday , and my keeper going then to hear this mr. wood , command is given , none must come to me ; locked up i am : things thus hightening , and his prejudice encreasing against me , my bed the night before taken from under me , sent for away , after he came from m. woods sermon , my bolster , sheets , and whatsoever i had of his , taken away from me by himself , so great a zeal brought he home with him , from his so good preacher m. wood. well : to this condition being reduced , my self not very well , not used to such affronts , not such lodgeing , the season winter , truely i walked and prayed most of that night ; abandoned i now saw my self almost by all , nothing but hard usage and aversness do i meet with in all men , to this business of the lords , which much troubled me : and truely , i might here observe to you , that i besought god almighty to direct , deliver , and enable me to get from under those great oppressions of men , which without him i could not overcome . observe , i beseech you , god withdraws not our helps , but for a further advantage , however our hopes may seem crossed . where his name may gain , we cannot complain of loss : 't was so here ; the work was the lords , and he was pleased to assure me , i should grow from strength to strength , untill i arrived at perfect peace in zion : and how that for his glory , honour , mercy and names sake , he would bring it all to pass , & it should be marvellous in our eyes . thus beseeching the lord , i prayed , ( and now do pray the reader , that he firmly believe , as i do , it being true ) i had that night this vision , or call of the lord , come away , bring your writings , come away , reitterated just as the people you read before did , when they saw the light and crown in the heavens , bowed to god and it , it being of heaven , they all said , come we will follow it ; so here , come away , bring your writings , come away . i could here truely observe to you , that although my so civil landlord , was warm that night in a good bed , ( i cold and had none ) in bed with him such another saint , his wife , educated & married from the house of the once , no less zealous , i believe , than these two , the lord brook ; whose servants they were either both , or one : yet on a sudden she riseth and runneth , the strong water is fetched , my landlord very sick , nay , very ill , his childe had formerly been so : this strong water was to be fetched out of the next room where i was pounded up ; so know it i did , indeed his wife told me the reason of her haste and coming : well ; the strong water he had , and my prayers also for his amendment , and gods forgiveness to him : and though he formerly bade me keep them to my self , he nor his had no need of them , his child i believe fared not the worse for me , for it after loved me , when well : himself then had them , as also the strong water ; if of any validity , god almighty have the glory , he had the recovery then ; but a fool is not alwayes to be answered in his folly . this i should not have observed , but that it is in reverence to what himself hath very often told me , he was that thomas a diddimus , that should not believe any thing of my prophesie , untill he saw it come to pass : the rather because it was against those whom god approved of , and set up to his glorie ; & therefore he took the liberty to call me traitor , as to them , and false prophet as in reverence to their godly ministery ; such was his zeal , but whether well guided , or of god , that 's the question . but i leave him in his dog-kennel , for so his then habitable house was formerly called , as himself told me one time : and truely , me thinks upon this account and action , it may well retain the former name , if it hath been discontinued , dog kennel . day being come , i penned a letter , presenting the whole vision , come away , bring your writings , come away , to the secretary of the lord of broghill , entreating him , that he forthwith impart it to his lord , and others concerned for the ordering of affairs in those parts , beseeching they would , after address made to god almighty for his guidance , forthwith dispose of me as he should please to direct them to do : they , i humbly conceive , did so ; for that day , or the next morning i had word sent me , that i might go whither i would . yet observed to me it was by that gentleman , which brought me my enlargement , that i should not proclaim the king in the streets . truely , i was never guilty of any such madness , neither did it so much as once come into my thoughts . had i not been guided by god , in the penning of my prophesie , to do so in the church , i should never have done it ; but then and there wrote , i could no more decline doing it , than i can now to pray for all men , even his and my own enemies . no , they are the commands of god , which carry me on ; and not to conform to them , i neither can chuse , or dare omit . sect . v. this very morning , being now the day of september . was i a second time rouzed , and called early from my bed , by a great crack , or canon , to rise and go to work , to bring forth this my book to the world , in it concerned : defer it i dare not , though i have been by some ministers , but most of all by my other seeming friends , my wife and children crying to me also , not to publish it , all men i have yet sent to , and all means hitherto failing me , for money to get it out . nay , i have lain these dayes , the most troubled and disconsolate imaginable , for want of money to go on with it : tried all i know almost ; would have pawned what i had left , that i might raise money to do it ; am refused by all men hitherto i know ; out i would have had it come before the parliament assembled , as believing it would highly dispose them to serve god , their king and country , so invite the lord to send deliverance , and heal our land. but i see in this , as in all other of gods proceedings , i must pray to him , depend upon him , abide his good pleasure ; his own time is the best ; so is his way also ; he will do his work himself : it may be he is pleased to see what good effect the sermon mr. thomas goodwin gave them on munday last will operate , and have upon those gentlemen , as also what the protector did after communicate unto them . at the sermon i was , i heard all ; in particular , how he well advised to turn from all sin , that god would be pleased to return to us , and that they those now worthy gentlemen , called of gods goodness , as i believe , for the healing of our grievances : for , as mr. goodwin observed , there was election of persons for works , sometimes by the lord , as well as to grace and glory . david might intend to build gods house , but solomon shall . you see my main rise of all this book , and unparalel'd prophesie begins there , as that gentleman did , adviseth the rebuild of his house , the restore of his ministers , the giving them for maintenance what god hath given , and to every man his just interest , and then see how be establisheth the land , & the kings throne , which kings throne i wish he had fuller pressed , he hath done it in some other works of his ; where he hath observed , that the house of king solomon was established as davids , when they thought of , & so did build up the house of god. but he is wise , he leaves that work for the protector ; if he doth not know it , i do : he shall help to builde gods house , and bring in his king too , and that will establish his own house also , the most honourable of a subject in the world , or else put me to death , if this come not to pass . he went on , he advised them to keep us from falling into , or returning to the red-sea of bloud , which we , as the israelites had passed through . let him now take the comfort of my book , and this prophesie of the lord almighties , as i had of his sermon , in many good observances . there is an end of all the wars in the christian world ; and i hear since that oliver cromwel did that day tell you at a conference , he was ready , as a fellow-worker , to carry on the work of the lord , and would do so . see now to what purpose my gun hath wakened me this morning , to call you all to your duty , us to pray for you , that you forthwith fall to it , and work as men , whom god hath highly honoured , and now called to be the restorers of our religion , peace , the honour of our nation , and our king ; who , because the best in the world , god having made him so , for our good & happiness . bring him presently , that our rejoycing be not deferr'd , nor the world kept from coming into the then so gloriously professed protestant religion , and under his so happy goverment , to which all christendom , jews , and heathens are to conform also in gods time , which i beseech him for his name and mercy sake be pleased , o lord , to hasten . now , turks and infidels look to your selves , our king is charls stuart , the general of all our forces is oliver cromwell , both the so dearly beloved of the lord of hosts ; against whose sword put into their hands , as gods vice-roy and his lieutenant , none drawn on earth shall ever prevail . o lord , thou hast wakened me , and i will do my duty , this shall now come in that formerly was not , and my book shall out in print , to the world concerned , if i go naked ; for thou knowest ( o lord ) it had been out before now , if i had had either money to have done it , credit , or goods , to have borrowed money on . at home i continue discontented , enjoy nothing , because it is not published , fear i do , that it 's not coming out time enough , the major part in parliament will be wanting to their duty , they not yet understanding what god will have done ; were my book but once read by those members , for whom , with oliver cromwell , i first intended it , i then should fear no votes in parliament , contrary to gods glory , and the kings just interest with a parliament ; for divide them i can not . in what a troubled condition i am at home i have shewed you ; opposed and deserted by all , unable to effect any thing of my self . see now how god works for me , and carries on his own work , for his own glory , as assured me he would , that it may be marvelous in my eyes , as well as yours : for to pass it must come , that 's the seal of my commission , the time and way is his own secret . what doth the lord now do , my self being at loss ? upon the of september , to my unpararel comfort , oliver cromwell doth this work of the lords ; it is possible too , when he intends onely to establish himself . the lord often makes us to be most highly instrumental to bring his good pleasure to pass , when sinfully we may intend onely the carrying on of our own unwarrantable , proud , and ambitious end , i know not , but it was so here with him , and no otherwayes : but i do know , that in the end , thou oliver cromwel , shalt delight to do the will of thy god and thy king ; in the first place also , not minding thy self , before thy duty performed to them : in which doing thou canst not fail of being abundantly happy ; otherways disquieted , and miserable beyond all compare . the of september the house door that 's shut up , out go all you , or the most of you , whose froward principal of presbytery , or other , ( call it what you will ) is not clear for the glory of god , and honour of his king , but our sovereign charles stuart ; whose power & unquestionable right with parliament oliver cromwell takes into his own hand , suffers it not to come into yours onely , he remembers very well when you formerly forced it from the king into a parliament onely , where god and our laws had never placed it . how you abused it ! though your pretentions , oaths , and votes , at the first , were high , deep , and many , to the contrary ; all that you might not be distrusted ; his person and his honour also you would preserve ; yet see , misimployed this militia you did , and turned it was to the destruction of his person & honour : the last you first wounded him in , that you might the better kill him in his body : done it was to the perpetual shame of them that did it , profess you what you will for religion , presbytery , anabaptism , independency , or any thing that is unwarrantable ; distinctions multiplied with your novelties and successes . truely my charitie leads me to believe , there were some gentlemen refused to settle the militia in the hands of oliver cromwell , that it might the sooner return into those hands , which their consciences are now troubled that they ever forst it from : which unhappie act , i am of opinion , first set us together by the ears , most hastened , and so enabled the contrivers of that unnatural war ; which the lord in mercie hath now put an end to . if such another vote engage us not afresh , from returning to which red sea of bloud , good lord deliver us ; as mr. thomas goodwin preached , advised , and prayed . but this militia is now safe where it should be , in the hands and power of the best subject , oliver cromwell , for the warrantable interest of the best of kings , his master charls stuart . see how the ways of god are past finding out ! o lord , never any man lost by referring all to thy good time , and best way . i do not in the least doubt thee oliver cromwell ; i know god hath , or will fit thee for the work , who onely hath thus directed , and over-ruled , that his name may have the glorie , and thy person the greater honor ; forsaking all on earth for the command of heaven . the interest in the militia is a crown-jewel , which god will have thee ( o cromwell ) not suffer to be divided from the crown , but give it to the supply and making of a better than that which bad men have by violence taken and shared amongst the self-deniers , as they call themselves : but thou , oliver cromwell , wilt prove thy self one , they onely promised to do what thou canst not but do ; make him a glorious king ; for by thy means god will have it so . distrust him not , you members , yet dissenting , who have a clear mind to do the work of the lord. obey god , and your king , with him : gods word , and the known laws of the land will best direct in both . comply with oliver cromwell , he is for the service of god , and his duty to his kings just interest with a parliament : you understand not how highly god will make him subservient to both . my book is coming to you , to let you know how , much we are mistaken in him , and how transcendently much we are for ever obliged to our mercifull god , whose work this is alone , to the amazement of the world , both for time and manner , his goodness making it marvelous in our eyes . i could not sleep the night of that active day the instrument for subscription was presented ; god keeping me waking to his glory , and my own content : for as his gun , and call , hath set me to work at other times , so here i rose and wrote this letter to oliver cromwell the very next morning ; & because but short , i here give it you , that you may see my actions are all above-bord , and that this work on earth comes from above in heaven : to pass it must come , god will have it so . sr. yesterdays actings , last nights wakings , and this day god directing hath set these words upon this paper , for your lordships observe . prudence it is not , to trust the militia in those hands , who after they had forced it from whence god almighty had placed it , ( whatsoever they pretended , ) used it to the distroying of him . sir , you are not of these bad men beloved , neither is there clear thoughts in all of them to do good : some are not fit to be trusted ; pray god amend them all . sr. part with nothing out of your own power ; that is , or may be mis-inployed , hurt the church of god , or regal rule . you are of heaven directed , doubt it not in the least , to be highly sub-servant to both : have courage ( sir , ) fear not the least ; i know you are hated , and not understood by the most , who would destroy you . sr. i had a book ready to publish dayes , or more before the parliament opened ; the highest imaginable for your advantage , and effecting what god will have done ; by the turning of good men to comply with you in all things , and not to fear any ill , because god is on your side . sr. all my friends have abandoned me , and money i could not get to print it , most men conceiving this parliament would ruin you , so hang me , if i sided with you . thus deserted and opposed by all , i could not get it out ; but i see god works for me , when man opposeth : so doth he for you ; go on ( sir , ) you are blest of heaven . your most faithfullest w. gostelow . septemb. . . this letter i sent to that hand i have sent divers others , which i know are delivered to his lordship , so sure as god is in heaven , my commission is from thence ; and that the effect will shew you all ; from thence deputed i am . and now , you honourable members of this parliament , who may if you will , readily apply your selves to be good , just , mercifull , and wise , live the honour of our nation , the beloved of god , of our king , and of all good men : your selves may have the honour to be such a parliament , so wise , so just , so well constituted , so for ever renowned , as those will be , if you should be wanting to your devoirs , which is the applying of your selves to the extirpation of all villany , and the giving to every men his just interest , to which ends we have chosen you , and should all pray , that god would so of his mercy inable you , by such a parliamēt our already glorified king adviseth in his last words , our now so abundantly happy soveraign his son , ever to be ruled by : for parliaments so principled would readily apply themselves to give the king his just rights , as truely as they would to every subject theirs , which doing , king , people , and kingdom could not be other than mutually happy and blest , living in rules of justice and loving kindness , the strongest hold-fasts . and now this thy call , o lord , and workings , when my self at my wits end , is like that afforded me of bring thy papers and come away . a deliverance it is , like that of the apostle peter , when the prison door was set open for him and his irons fell off ; so was the effect of that call , come away , the doors are opened to me the very next day . but close up my mouth , o lord , i may not complain , every defer of thine is as my self suspended for a further good , i know it : thy own time and workings have none like them : thou wilt make discoveries of men , and let us see as well , who would be good if there were no law , as who would practice wickedness by a law , & doth not god almighty put us often into his sive , several wayes also discovering the wheat from the chaff , pray we must , believe we must , that all works for the best to them that fear god , and patiently abide his good pleasure . return i must & go on to my former intentions , yet this believe me in , you worthies of parliament , this insert was not begot by either of the protectors two speeches to your good selves ; for i take god almighty to witness , i had not then read either of them . inlarged from prison , i gather in all my material papers , as commanded , which were not a few , i now see them of very great concernment , for the carrying on of this work . i believe i wrote in prison then twice as much as this book , and twice over also . this call thus directing , come away , bring your papers , come away , was certainly of god. well ; my self gotten out of prison , and my papers gotten into my possession , i hasten for england , and in easter week . came to my own house , where i now do , and have resided twenty years , being in broadstreet , near the church , over against gresham colledge , at which church once ( but not long enough ) officiated that so eminent and renowned doctor oldsworth : but thank you invisible parliament and such oakes , our then wicked governours , you sequestred , imprisoned , and destroyed him , as you did hundreds and thousands of others god sent unto you , of which you were unworthy : but you could not help it ; the jews your brethren did so persecute those sent unto them ; and aud truely you could not but follow the worst of examples ; the best are to be conformed to by these which are wiser men ; and therefore a true parliament . you long since , as your actions , have been the dishonour of the protestant religion , and the nation , all the world over ; and future times will never call you a sober parliament ; but as we desire not to believe you were english men , so well constituted parliaments for time to come will look upon you , as upon lots wife , a lasting monument of her shame , for looking towards sodom when god had set her face towards salvation . but i go on . sect . vi. having passed a few dayes in my house , i could not be in longer quiet , untill i took me a lodging near saint jame's his house , attending all opportunities and possible means to speak with the general : whom not meeting with , i wrote unto him several times , to give him to understand , that i had received of the lord the most considerable and highest things imaginable , to communicate to his good self , being therein concerned , as much as any , and to whom from prison in youghall god had pleased to send me , for that very purpose , & therefore besought him to hear me . after much attendance , and not a few disappointments , i had first at white-hall the opportunity onely to speak to him , made my self known to him , but he had not the conveniency at that time to hear me in the things i so much desired ; yet then told me he would speak with me . that further opportunity i had not , though continued seeking it , it , and reminded him by letters of his promise , untill one saturday in june , a little before the death of the portugal , when , and where , it pleased almighty god to afford me a most convenient one at hampton court , and his lordship there pleased to hear me out to the full , affording me both his patience and attention too , as i firmly believe . there was present sr. gilbert pickering , and a gentleman or two more , whom i knew not ; for all which i returned , as in duty obliged , first to god , next to his lordship , all possible prayers and humble thanks . and now least any thing might scape his lordships observe , which it is possible did my recital , he hath this second review of it ; but printed more particularly for the world of men in it so highly concerned : for i cannot be quiet , untill to them i publish it also , this being a light not to be hid ; the universal splendor of the protestant religion must break forth , also the obedience of men to the lord , who i conceive and believe is now coming in mercy , and wayes of making himself known to the christian world , jews , and heathen in mercy ; but in judgement to others ; for the evil doer shall not abide in this so great and wonderfull a change . on earth whom is the lord pleased to make his viceroy for rule ? his favour and loving kindness is the highest to our king , charls the second , charls the great , charls the good , king of the whole world : these are the words and declared pleasure of the ever living and our most mercifull god , which i dare not conceal , nor longer keep uncommunicated , but must publish them to all concerned ; to have an end of all the wars in the christian world , with the rest in the prophesie , is certainly considerable . i confess , after i had wrote to the general , i could not but also do so to his majesty my king : the import of both refers onely to my duty , in the discharge of which i onely can have quiet . the original of all letters to them i have , being to each five , in all ten : in any of them not the least thing advised to but , as i conceive , and so believe the minding both of them to the perform of such their duties , as are most acceptable with god almighty : the one how to rule well , the other so to obey : things the most to be desired of good kings , & good subjects ; of which i wish the whole world were made up of . i have therefore in the end of the book given two of those letters to publick view , that at once my inward thoughts may appear , to the excite of walking , as best becomes the most excellent of kings ; and the highest of subjects , where the meanest also have to observe , that in fearing god , and honouring their king , they are blest here , and ever so to be hereafter ; omitting it , miserable to all eternity . from which sin of rebellion , because compared with that of witchcraft , we have good reason to pray , the lord be pleased to deliver us ; especially when covetuousnes is joyned therewith , the root of all evil sins , which some men therefore will have the world justly condemned as a witch , in the end to be burnt : because it , and its lying vanities hath so bewitched us , as to prefer them before the ever living god , and our walking according to his will , revealed in his word : which is to fear god , honour the king , not to side with those , that are given to change ; but to keep his commandments , do the thing that is just , honourable , and good , that is to all men as we would they should do unto us . if we will take any thing by violence , let it be the kingdom of heaven , which ought to be our devoir , not other mens rights , whether of birth , or estates ; which ought to be our restore . write , o lord , all these things in our hearts , and incline us to keep thy law , which is the commandments of god , and not of men . i have now done referring to all of dream , and my own interpretation of that , yet what god was pleased to have me observe ; also finished some of my visions , which refer to this , as i humbly conceive , most material ; and therein i have observed what i could not but observe . for that of prophesie , truely i believe , i may without any delusion , or spirit of pride , call it the words and good pleasure of the ever living god : and so far am i from believing it to be other , or that it will not come to pass , that i could not depart youghall , before i had given it under my hand , sealed with the coat of the right honourable lord of broghill , and upon my knees delivered it , before no less than twenty other honourable and good witnesses , that if it came not to pass they put me to death . now that i may not appear other than what i was at that time , to the praise and honour of god , well in my sences ; not mad , but true to what i have received of the lord ; no impostor , nor yet a lying prophet , or one that would delude by lying vanities , and speak when and what not commissioned of the lord : i do here again confirm , agree unto , and consent , that if it come not to pass ( the things in the prophesie i refer to onely , which are of the most wonderfull and strangest nature , there is the most improbability by outward appearance ) if these come not to pass , i say , i consent that you first shew me to the world from place to place , afflicting my body , and after that burn my book , and by death put an end to my dayes , as i conceive deservedly i ought to suffer , if i speak as from the lord , when never sent . for allowance of which , to me it seems there is good warrant in that deuteronomy , the eighteenth chapter , from the twentieth verse to the end , being the word of god , to which words of god and its interpretation , i refer all i have said and prophesied , to be tried by , as being the most sure rule , against , and contrary to which word of god , no prophesie , or prediction of man can stand , as i firmly believe : which indeed the lord cromwell well observed to me , when i gave him the knowledge of my prophesie , by word of mouth . but if this be besides scripture , yet not contrary to scripture , then i say , in my judgement , it is a work fit for the mission of a prophet , or if it be for further explain of some things in scripture , not untill now , or yet fully revealed , or well understood , then also hath it warrant : but any new , or giddy tenets i will never force to my own destruction out of this holy word , o lord ; which to do , i believe is the greatest sacriledge in the whole world . but willingly i do , as i wish all men would refer all to thy most holy word , of which , i conceive wise men , and the body of that ministery , thou hast sent into the world , to be the fittest interpreters to our well understanding of it : for to and with such thou hast promised to be assisting with thy holy spirit for their enablement unto the end of the world , and that neither hell , nor the devil shall ever prevail over or against them : and those thus blest and so sent , i believe are not the pope nor his cardinals , who for their own ends make marchandise of the kingdom of heaven , that they may keep up their own upon earth , so do schismaticks & others , to the dishonouring of god , & the scandalizing of his protestant religion , which shall now flourish beyond all compare . but those shall suddenly fall and melt away , as greater and lesser snow-bals ; this is certain . and now methinks i hear some , as i read those did in the first of the acts of the apostles , and the sixth , ask our lord , wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom ? truely i know nothing to the contrary , but it will be so , if you will but break off from your so much beloved , and too long lain in sins and impieties , it may now presently be . certainly there is no better way to hasten its coming , yet the next verse tells you , it is not for you to know the times and seasons , which the father hath put in his own power . read it , the case there just as ours , the scepter departed from judah , the government forst out of the hands of the jews , the people desire nothing more than the return of it ; nay , the apostles themselves are the persons that enquire if it may not be at this time : yet observe our lords answer , even to them ; it is not for you to know what the father hath put in his own power , for shame seek the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness ; which doing , all other things shall in due time be given unto you . your selves are the cause it is not already come to pass , by your continuance in sin . suffer me but a few words , and i have done ; there is an end you hear of all the wars in the christian world ; but as yet you see it not : god be thanked for what you do see , more probability than ever . is it not very far advanced here on earth ? have we not that already with some nations & people we never had before , leagues of perpetual peace ( as i have heard ) and are we not with others in treaty ? nay , very far agreed towards that purpose ? who well understand the scriptures know it is very frequently in them used : that very expression by the prophets sent of god , the present tense for the future , there is an end , that is , it is so decreed in heaven , and it shall be so on earth ; it being the ordinary phrase of the prophets , by reason of the infallible certainty of the events , to speak of things to come , as already past ; the instances are obvious and infinite . see here another motive to repentance , that you may forthwith reap this so great a blessing of peace on earth , that which makes heaven so desireable and lovely , having in it the blessing of peace . and yet will you be mad to go on in sin , and make the prophets , sent to you for amendment of life , mad also ? as your iniquities continued in will do : it did so to that good prophet , hosea the . and the . as before . i hasten to an end ; there are persons you read of , that shall never dye , but be taken up into the kingdom of jesus christ , that never shall have end . these are the very words of this the lords prophesie , his almighty dictatings ; of which words and their strangeness , i may say , as the prophet zacharia did in a vision the lord gave him , referring to the rebuild of his temple , restore of his worship , and delight in his service , to which all are enjoyned to be assisting : begging and inviting them , as mine doth , first to seek the kingdom of heaven , his glory , worship , and service on earth . this prophet zacharia , in the . verse of that . chapter , you may there read , having seen that vision , was asked by the angel of the lord , if he knew what the vision shewed him was , he answered , no my lord. a second time he answered the very same words in the verse , no my lord , read on , and you shall finde informed he was by the angel , that prince and nobels , the high priest and the other priests under him , are the persons the two olive trees betoken ; and the candlesticks there lighted , let us see the perfection of beauty and brightness , the lord will have to be in his house . certainly where holiness is commanded , beauty , richness , and decency were never forbidden in the house of god. and now to do this , doth not the two green olive trees on each side drop golden oil , to carry on the work ? king & house of peers , bishops , priests & deacons , see here all your duties , prince , priest , & people must be assisting with purse and hand to the rebuild of gods house , for his publick worship and service , which when done , nay , doing , observe how he blessed the land , never the like before for peace and plenty . and here learn also not to wonder , if i yet know not in what manner to understand those words , they shall never die . there was a time , untill the angel gave that so emiment prophet to understand what himself did reply to , he understood not . a prophesie is a wonder sent to posterity , least they complain of want of wonders , it is a letter sealed , and sent , which to the bearer sometimes is but paper , but to the receiver , and opener , is full of power . to such another non ultra was the prophet daniel brought , in his . chapter and the . verse , where he saith , i heard , but i understood not what should be the end of these things , the next verse tells that prophet , the words were closed up , and sealed untill the end ; the last verse of that chapter assures him he shall stand in the lot at the end of the dayes . a thousand difficulties might arise out of the particularities of so strange a message , as all this his prophesie is ; yet observe , when things of such nature have been dictated to the most blessed saints in holy writ , as our ever blessed lady , and others , from these we hear of no more objections , no more interrogations . the faithfull heart , when it once hears , or knows the good pleasure of god almighty , argues no more , but sweetly rests in a quiet expectation , behold the servant of the lord , be it unto me according to thy word . and thus without all sciscitation , we are to go blind-fold whither he will lead us . all disputations with god ( after his will known ) arise from infidelity . great is the mystery of godliness , and if we will give nature leave to cavil , we cannot be christians , as good b. hall observes . t is true we read in holy writ , that wise , valiant , and good kings , and other persons of honour , have been so eminently just , holy , & communicably good to all here on earth , as of them it is said , they shall not die . nay , we see their renown lives now : that is the meaning of not dying there in one place , and though to wicked mens sense such godly persons seem to die ; as in the book of wisdom the ch. second verse , yet it did but seem to them : so dead they are not , their renown shall never die . again , we read of enoch and elias , those good prophets , so lived they with god , though here on earth , as that he took them to himself most miraculously by translation , never suffering them to lie buried in the earth , nor their bodies to return to dust ; whose souls were all heavenly mindedness , and conversation so continually above , that the took their bodies thither also , they did never die . be it in either of these two senses , here is as much honour & happiness , as mortality is capeable of , agreeable to thy word ( o lord ) it must be , or it can never stand , nor as i believe , come to pass . but my hand is upon my mouth : thy will be done , and by man for ever be thou praised , o lord , and now seeing the events of things are the best commentaries upon prophesies , the best way for these eighteen persons & all others is to walk with god , as enoch did all his dayes on earth , in a godly sorrow for sin , weeping for his own and others ; and then taken up into heaven also they may be , as enoch was , who never died , but was translated into the kingdom of jesus christ , that never shall have end . you have heard what the lord is doing . the conversion of the jews and heathen at hand , also the downfall of the church of rome ; things mighty , strange , and wonderfull , which to pass he will bring for his own glory , name , and mercies sake , making these things marvellous in our eyes . and did he not also formerly work wonderfull things , that we gentiles might be wrought upon , to come into the knowledge of his law ? whose fulness is now with the jews to come in . the heathen , a people that have not heard of the scriptures ; the jews not believing in the gospel : who , although the beloved seed of abraham , to whom the promise is for conversion , yet an obstinate , crooked , and wilfull generation . even to convert schismaticks , we may also look for signs , in , or from heaven : all whose conversion we have little hopes to see effected otherwayes than by signs & wonders , in , or from heaven . for this sixteen hundred years past the gospel not heard of by the one , not heeded by the other , who remembers not our selves cost our saviour deer ; and many wonders he did before the people would confess him the son of god : in heaven signs , on earth opening the graves , the dead bodies shewing themselves to those that knew them , himself ascending up into heaven also , in the presence of many witnesses need of all for conversion , i have done . but remember , reader , and all you that hear of what the lord is doing , and bringing by his almighty power , of his good will , to pass in the world , for the honour of his name and this professed protestant religion and good of such as fear him . take warning , go not on in your sins , break off by speedy and unfeigned repentance , and practice you , as well as invite others , to a more holy obedience than ever ; least that when god giveth deliverance to his church and people , you be found to be of the number of his adversaries , to whom he renders vengeance at the same time ; remember i have warned you ; and believe me also , i could not have any quiet , untill i had done so . thus in all ages god hath sent his prophets to forewarn , before he consume a people , or in mercy deliver them . i have done my duty , do you yours , repent and live . the number was but few i told you , though all that were then in being , who when they saw this crown in heaven , worshipped god , and said , this is of heaven , we will follow it . which when done , with my self , hear we did pleasant sounds in heaven , and saw the earth shine with plenty , amongst men good will , all praising god , and participating those blessings ; i once more tell you they were but a small number ; make haste , be you of it . before judgement is gone out , repentance is seasonable ; but you may cry to late . from this citie was the kingdom fyrced , let o lord , if it be thy good pleasure , the inhabitants tears and thy mercy spare it from an heap of ruin : a city that hath been , and yet is the harlot , mother of bastard conceptions , and prodigious births ; confusion she hath brought forth , that hath filled the world and land , to her dishonour , with god and men . spare us , o lord , we beseech thee , and have mercy upon us , even upon us also , thy most unworthy servants . here i have ended , but because god hath , as i formerly observed to you , of his wise delay , suspended the publishing of this book , for his own time , which certainly is the best and fittest , as also that my dependency on him may be the more , as his mercies the greater when deliverance afforded us , i must yet a little go on ; and one insert more be pleased to allow me , it being for the general good . let me therefore present your eye , and entertain your ear , as of gods mercy he hath done mine , for your benefit upon the day and night of the . of november last , being our lords day , on which we did commemorate gods deliverance afforded us from the gun-powder treason i dare not but do it , mark it , it is considerable , & of the lord himself , being the lord of hosts , who hath delivered us , doth deliver us , and will deliver us : all good grounds to trust him , and a set text of scripture it is for that day to be treated on . a good act of parliament we have , for the thankfull and perpetual commemoration of that so great a mercy , that god was pleased then and so to deliver , our , so good , so wise , so well-accomplished king and his posterity , to sit upon his throne , and to sway the scepter of these kingdoms for ever , as we see god hath now so appointed , whose ways admit of no variation , or shadow of turning . deliver he did , we see , the house of peers , and persons of honour , in duty waiting upon their king. deliver he did the wise and learned authors of the protestant church and religion : with them also the judges , both together the best interpreters of his word and his laws . deliver he did also those worthies of the house of commons , called thither by their king , and sent thither by the wise , obedient , and then quiet people of the land who were : and because so , shared in that deliverance , and long enjoyed they and we the blessings that succeeded of peace , order , riches , beauty , in religious worship of god almighty , in his churches , to the wonder , as well as to the envie of the world . here was a parliament of gods and good mens choise and blessing , for majesty and honour well met together . and this , when so , he delivers from that horrid & unparrall'd treason , until those times , the like not heard of . and what to do i beseech you , but to let us see how precious in his sight we are , when met together as those , to fear god , honour our king , love brotherly love , all applying our selves to live and do according to his will revealed in his word and our known laws , the onely rule we should go by , and conform unto ; applying our selves to these , not to our own willdered thoughts , for confusion , covetuousness , rebellion , irreligion , murder of those people , whose persons , peace , and propriety we come to preserve and maintain : not for our self-ends , to kill that we may divide the spoil . something like him i have heard of in the church of rome , who upon the words spoken in a vision to the apostle s. peter , arise , kill and eat , all things are now common , to please the then pope of rome , at difference with the venetians , gave this gloss upon that text , that is , saith he , your holiness may make war with the venetians , kill them , and devour their estates : up and do it , arise , take , kill , and feed upon them . thus his unholiness & suitable cleargy force mis-interpretations of holy writ to their own and others destruction , peter's successors they pretend to be , and in the worst of things they certainly follow him , nay , exceed him : draw their sword they do , cut not off the ear onely with peter , but the heads of kings and potentates , which wicked action our lord reproves , healing the person wounded when but an ear , to let us see his kingdom was not to be carried on by the sword , and shew us he doth he had no need of a fighting clergy , he made no apostle to offer violence , no bishop in buff with back-sword to help on with presbytery , no priest , or deacon to kill and supplant , that he might get his more pious , and therefore more peaceable brothers living ; because it is better than his own , which when he hath by violence gotten , he inricheth himself , but starves , or poysons those he pretended to feed better , and do more good for both in body and soul . no , these are not the men fit to build god a church , he needs no such hackers , or hewers in field , or pulpit , such furious fighters , and rash zealous clergy : go on to imitate peter further , the very next apprehension of danger , they deny their lord and saviour , for swearing him also , if once in custody , or times of persecution come upon them then they are sidonians , or samaritanes , no more jews , and they have a temple not yet dedicated to any god , which you their profitable master , so they get by you , shall call them and it what you please , for they are resolved to side with the seeming strongest , & to get by so doing , cura romana non capit ovem sine lana . oh! and have not we such peters , if but one , too many , but the more the pitie , well , i have shewed you what those furious boote-feux have done , set us and the christian world on fire ; i would to god i could shew you them imitating that blessed saint peter repenting ; which would be not onely ours , the churches , and their own rejoycing , at the conversion of such sinners there is joy in heaven ; and though by words & actions misunderstood , they have engaged us with , curse ye meros so carried on the cause falsly , perswading they are the lords battels , outward success going on that side ; what will become of a church , whose depraved judgements , corrupt head , and rotten members are thus ill principled ? this prophesie tells you : they , the church of rome and their factors shall fall : & what is become of such a parliament , or parliaments , who have been so principled , your selves see ; gone out they are , like a snuf of the worst lights , & left a stinck behinde them : whereas the memory of the just , and good , god imbalms , for our imitation , and is not spoken of , nor remembred otherwayes than most odoriferously , even as the sweet oyl poured on our saviour , leaving a perpetual renown in all ages of sweetness , and goodness , to the immortal honour of that saint that did it , as in matthew the vers . . whose memorial for good works shall never die , but still lives , and shall for ever . well ; that day the of november , you see is properly due for thanks to gods delivering a parliament made up of king , lords , and commons : let no man therefore dare to have thoughts of promoting any other , but such a one ; except it be by praying to god , and patiently waiting his good pleasure , humbly , and fervently praying that these worthy gentlemen and protector , now met in council for the general good , who cannot but know and finde themselves imperfect , without the better parts of the body of a parliament , whilst themselves are less profitable members than they might be , to gods glory , religions luster , the kingdoms strength and peace , also the peoples rejoycing ; let us not cease to pray , ( i say , ) that they forthwith apply themselves to be so compleated as may best please god , and be most warrantable by the laws of this land , which ought not to be broken through , nor can they be nulled , but by the powers that quallified them to become binding : they are the very words , ( i heard themselves observe ) upon the tryal of the earl of straford , when proceeded against for making his paperwarrants , or messengers of force to out-value , being sent out against any subject , the then laws established : which had their stamp put upon them , and onely made currant by the assent of the crown , the consent of the house of peers , and allowance of the house of commons all proceedings in any other case , pretend what they will , it was treason . law i have not , i confess my ignorance , those gentlemen certainly knew this to be law , and gave it so there , but good conscience i am sure i have , and ought to have , there ought not to be fast and loose when we please , that we may the better practice wickedness by a law of our own making : thus we strengthen our selves , and would be exempt from punishment when we do amiss , resolving to live according to the liberty we please to take , in the fairest pastures of other mens demeans and birth-rights , making our fences to others every way offensive , but for our self as much security as knavery can contrive , & violence maintain . now if they will have us keep this of november , as most commendable it is we should to gods glorie and our thankfull rememberance ; let them also keep us up such a parliament , and warrantable laws as god in mercy then delivered and continued us , if they will not , then i advise to appoint another day , that all those may meet , who with the devil , jesuits , and sons of rebellion , sectaries , or others , call them what you will , all who have made their wicked plots take by seeming righteousness , onely pretensions to reform religion , amend the laws and circumcise superfluous things , as evil counsellors , or known offenders : yet have blown up , rooted out and for ever destroyed , as much as in them lay , kings , religion , liberty , the peace and honour of this nation ; let the lovers of those confusions meet in a thanks-giving to their god for their successes also , and let us see who they are , and then if god be the lord , serve him , if baal , serve him , for we may not longer halt in things of god and religion , declare your selves you wicked ones , be no longer hypocrites and evil doers , the devil hath helped you to do that above ground , in the shape of an angel of light , that he could not effect under ground by powder , and your younger brothers , the jesuits : i have heard of those that have arrived at their wicked ends and purposes by more bloud-shed than you , but never of any that came to them by more perjury & hypocrisie , than those that were not long since our egyptian tax-masters , the scandal of the protestant religion , and dishonour of our nation . remember , i have advised you to repent and do your first and best works , from whence you are fallen , or else know your judgement sleeps not , a day , a night , a moment will do it , the sun rose and shined gloriously that very day , the evening whereof would have shewed you sodom , gomorrah , & her neighbour fornicating cities all in ashes : thou fool , this night shall thy soul be taken from thee , & as in the of acts , vers . . on a sudden in a moment the angel of the lord smote herod , and he was eaten up of worms : who knows not that in the twinkling of a eye we shall be changed , and our saviour comes to some , surprizing them as a thief in the dead of night and sleep of sin ? i before shewed you your general condition from whence gods thunder onely can awake , but i would not end in a judgement , the lord knows my heart , i pray for all your amendments and happiness , not a scotch prayer for all your gueds , but that you may repent and live . now give me leave to present your eye with what god did mine that last sunday night , being gun-powder treason , having that day received the most blessed communion of the body and bloud of our lord , beseeching him for patience , that i might bear his cross , which indeed was cast upon me the saturday and sunday night , of that very day , just as my goaler did at youghall , so here called i am seducer , false prophet , deluded , not sent of god , foolish babbler , and worse : see how doth god comfort me , when man thus misuseth me , just as when my goaler so abused me , and took my bedding from under me , and locked me up , then the lord , that very night , afforded me deliverance and comfort by his vision and call ; come away , bring thy writings , come away ; and i did so ; for this his call opened the prison doors to me ; so here that very night for my consolation , the lord shewed me very strange appearances in heaven for beauty and curious works , as first a vail , or covering , which , after i had well observed , passed away , then the heavens forthwith opened , and there did i see one , who was just for favour as our lord is in his general pictures portraited and represented to us ; which sight ravished my soul , and brought from me this expression : o it is the coming of the son of man for the conversion of sinners ; forthwith a vail came over me , that i could see no longer into the heavens : i then run and hasted to get from under that vail , that i might again look up where i was , so much ravished above in the heavens , so pressing forward that i might get from under the vail ; and so i was taken from the ground , and so moved untill i came beyond the vail , which impeded my sight , being got from under it i looked up again into heaven , where i saw what i cannot utter or set out unto you . help me , o lord , my soul is too narrow to express that glory and ravishment thou shewedst me there and then : the heavens yet opening i saw a beautifull place much about the bigness of a quadrangle of a colledge , and in such a figure also , within which sate some four and twenty persons , all in order as being in four straight lines from side to side , so adorning the whole : they were all arrayed in long white robes , richly crowned they were , and he that late in the middest the richest , on each hand of him sate also one very richly arrayed and crowned ; all of them in order and beauty beyond any expression . i was given to understand it was the coming of the son of man , i can say no more , onely tell you what it was not there was in it no disagreeing , no confusion , no striving for priority , no supplanting of one the other , all obedience , all beauty , all holiness , every one continuing in his own station , lovely throughout beyond all compare or expression ; certainly it was to let me see that at hand his coming is for the conversion of sinners , if they would but get themselves in readiness to receive and meet him with prepared hearts , he would come and dwell with them in beauty and holiness for our amendment , or else take them to himself , unto either of which happy conditions , o lord , fit us and we shall be fitted : i end , believing god hath now made this book fit for the press and you : observe to amendment of life . help out , o lord , with the book , and into thy favourable loving kindness the sons of men : this day is the first leaf of this book printed , to finish which , if thou help not , o lord i cannot give it birth ; i have not this day on penny in the world , yet i doubt not by thy providence this very day to carry on thy work , this book , nor thy power and loving kindness to effect the whole prophesie in it contained . and now , o lord , be thou pleased to help so thy most unworthy servant , and carry on this thy great work , strange and mighty to thy own glorie , and good of all men , as i set forth the truth of all , and desire from the bottom of my heart , that thou , o lord , mayest have the glory of all , and we men the comfort : o lord , i may not doubt thou wilt do it , for thy glory , mercy , and name sake ; i see it already done , as thou hast promised ; though it be thus strange , yet it is thy work and thou wilt do it , that it may become marvellous in our eyes . thus i end in the very words , which ends my own commission : in truth also be pleased , o lord , to help all men of thy goodness , as thy most indeared , yet unworthy servant from my house the of novemb . . walter gostelow . a post-script , clearing the author from guilt of pride , or falshood . what ! my book conceived in sin , and before born , or come into the world , but five sheets out , and in three of them shall i be suspected to be guilty of pride and falsehood ? certainly i will bestir my self , the rather , because a wise and good man tells me he fears the good intented to gods glory , religious luster , and the kings interest will all suffer in the publishing of it ; and upon these grounds he perswaded me to desist from printing , which i can no more refuse to do , than i can to breath & live : what shall i wound any of these in the least ? three things as precious to me , as had i ten thousand lives they should all not come into the scale with one of them ? moreover , i have presented it in my intentions to the lord protector for his protection and defence , and shall i not present it innocent ? i know him set up to be a terrour to the evil doer and deceitfull man , but to calumniated , injuriously oppressed , honest and innocent men a protector , and comfortable defender : with all reverence and humility be it spoken , thy glory , o lord , shall have the praise of this happy post-script . i know it is for a farther good to me , as well as for the worlds clearer satisfactions : by such seeming oppositions and wise delays hath thy providence reserved it , and me in the fittest time to become publick , and for the fullest discovery of truth , it is now made much longer than formerly intended , that all things , time and circumstances may be fully examined , and clearly inquired into , if there may , or can be made appear any ground for suspected delusion , or visible falshood . i fear neither , the charge , as gunpowder makes a noise , but you shall quickly see it turned into smoke and and vanish . i am to demonstrate unto you why i should not justly be condemned of pride for these words in the page , o lord , let the world , [ as i do , ] stand amazed , love thee , and fear thee for ever , what ! arguments of innocency brought to convince of evil ? be pleased to look back but two pages , the . and so on you have the reason of those words . god of his providence guiding me , at that very time to so full a scripture , which i there observed for my confirmation , in that my over-ruled deportment of falling upon my face ; haveing read that portion of scripture , not till then known to me , months after done ; and my self then penning what i there printed , i could not but in a thankfull obedience , with all possible humility in my private chamber fall upon the ground , and praise the lord for it : i beseech you let it not be laid to my charge as pride , be pleased to read it rather , o lord , let the whole world , [ as we all should do , ] stand amazed at thy goodness , therefore praise and love thee for ever . this will take me in , and i have what i intended there . the next is in the page , where i say , i expected more alteration already ready than i have yet seen ; and believe i did the summer past , would have made the certain things to come to pass , much more apparent before now than they yet are . here confessing my self mistaken is inferred , i clearly demonstrate that sent of god as one of his prophets , i cannot be ; for they are alwayes guided in words of truth and certainty . i could refer you to what follows , and fasten this yet non-accomplishment upon your selves , by reason of your continuance in sins and impieties , and well might too , but apply i will my self to satisfie reasonable men in all possible wayes and things ; yet observe , before i end that very section in the two last pages of it , and . you shall there read that i being brought from what i had of vision , dream , or my own dictates , there is the cause of those words to that which is certainly prophesie immediately following , and the words of god , by which onely i abide as infallably true , and will come to pass : going on you may there see the scripture quoted , what is the rest but as chaff to wheat , whether dream , vision , or dictate : by that prophesie i will abide whilest i am in this world , yea , o lord , though men attempt to kill me , i will yet trust in thee . so that all considered , i doubt not but to be cleared in sober mens judgements . next in page i there tell you , you are unworthy of a man sent unto you ; your eyes have seen what arise evans said already fulfilled , and this methinks might free me from this cavil , together with the known hard measure , as imprisonment and affronts late times have put upon him ; whilest the good man ( other i can not call him ) hath for your good indured so much , and almost worn himself out , that you might turn and live : yet him you asperse ; too many of you miscalling him mad , foolish , babbling mistaken fellow . i confess i knew him not untill my return from ireland , many times i visited him , and he me , when i lodged at saint jameses upon this imploy , waiting for the protector , i still reserved my self in all things , of what i have here printed . curious i was to know the manner of things coming so to his observe , the times also , his government i enquired after , looked into him as narrowly as i could , observed the effects and fulfill of things predicted , and what more i could think on , still reserving my self , having understood the manner , and in particular his alwayes being directed to the word of god , in conformity to that his word , advising all men to turn from sin , that god might return in mercy : i could not but conclude him sent of god for that very imploy , if this be to be deceived , then am i also ? but i suspect it not in the least ; he is for the rebuild of gods house , the restore of his ministers and worship , the invite-home of the king , a far greater rule given to him of god , than to any of his predecessors , also the conversion of the jews , and the spreading of the protestant religion , to which purpose and speedier invite of him home , oliver cromwell shall be highly subservient : when done , the land and people blest . this being his principles in all this , and more , he is in the right , and sent of god he is , i will not cry any of you mercy , for what i have said of him it is too little , he deserves more , he will go for a man sent of god , of whom you are unworthy , whose good admonitions you seem to contemn , as you have done his person : but mark the end of that man , it will be happines , i suspect yours : me , thinks i can right him in what you so much slight him , it is now come to my minde , he told you the king should be restored by may last , as you say , observe now upon the january , moneths before that may , i tell you from god , he is , and shall be here crowned king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith , in heaven it s done , and so i proclaimed him on the of january . in the church of youghall as commanded of god. now to us he is come , i see him already come , so might you also , but that you have neither faith nor good works , in my last letter , at the opening of this parliament , i wrot to the king these very words . sir , i see you already come to your crown and dignity , onely i do not sensibly touch you , but restor'd you are . s● do but stand still a little put all iniquity from your heart , believe in god , and your self with others shall see it so suddenly , god will have it so , you may not doubt it . the next and last also , i hope , i am sure the greatest , to give satisfaction to is how i dare be so proud as to stile my self so often a prophet , nay , a great prophet also . here , o lord , in all possible humility of soul and body , i do acknowledge my self to be the most unworthiest of the sons of men , and well know that of merit there is not any thing on this side hell , but it is too good for me , beseech thee onely , o lord , i do for thy almighty guidance and deliverance herein ; thou canst do it , and make this word good , and i know wilt of thy mercy : thy honour being at stake , i dare not doubt thy power , nor distrust thy loving kindness , who hath assured , that i should by thy enablements grow from strength to strength , until i arrived at perfect peace in sion : it is the introduction to thy commission given me for my consolation and inablement in this thy imploys . yet i will give you some reasons to beget belief in you also , and true ones too , or else may the ground open and swallow me , if i be guilty of any conspiracy , and hell for ever continue me , if in this , i am rebellious against thee my god : it is the black portion of false prophets , & may it be mine also , & that quickly too , if i have any commission for this but thine , or any aim more than thy glory : the reasons of my belief i will give you truly , and as they fell out , some of which i formerly concealed in modesty , because they referred so much to my own honour , yet i now see when calumniated i am , and suspected of pride , god clears me , and more than recompences me , he will now give honour to me and mine , yea , such honour , as i was never , in the least , worthy of . reason . vvhen i was the second time before the lord of broghall , in the presence of those persons of honour desired , declaring the vision of the fire that fell down from heaven upon me in my bed , and the man sent of god called me three times by my name , walter gostelow , asked me if i did see the fire that came down from heaven , whch i replyed to as you there may read , yea , i did then i say , that second time being before his lordship and those present , declaring that and others of my visions and revelations , in particular one that related to my eldest son richard gostelow , these words last of all on a sudden came from me . his father is a prophet , and his fathers father was a prophet : astonished i was , my very next action amazeth me also : speaking to the lady elizabeth boyl appointed of god , wife to our king charles stvart when i come to tell that lady so , i am thrown upon my face , thus over-ruled i was in these two actions of words and demenor , any reason for these two proceedings i cannot give neither of them having ever been in my thoughts or purpose , but when done , to none present more strange than to my self . now mark gods providence , as in the book you have it , he guideth me to a scripture , there observed to you , for the so falling upon my face , gives me satisfaction for my so doing : for the other of words i promise satisfaction : but first observe . that a second time in the dictate of gods prophesie which i stand to and will never alter or abate one word upon my life , there in the end of that prophesie these words are , pronounce this house a blessed house , and this chamber shall for ever be called the chamber of the great prophet , for that second time prophet spoken by me , as for all the words there , i can give no reason but over-ruled providence , it was no pride , no imagination , no , it was gods pleasure , and his will and promise by me to be declared to all people , and it was no more what i fancied , or would have come to pass than i wished well to olliver cromwel , who is in that prophesie and happy also a man i hated to the utmost , till god then , as before , reproved me , do you tell me off fancy you talke foolishly , i believe the prophesie , and i pray for o : cromwell the prophesie is gods , the duty is mine and all yours , god hath or will change o cromwel to his own glory , and your amazement , as well as mine , he hath assured it me , and i do you , take it for prophesie , i do . the third time prophet is after dictated , as soon as light appeared , i rose , before i dressed my self i write , that upon the of january , in the church of youghall , a man sent of god for that very imploy , a prophet , his name walter gostelow , will that day in that church , after sermon tell you the things god will bring to pass for his glory , mercy , and name sake , making them marvellous in our eyes . for this third time prophet , i can give you no reason , but over-ruled providence , just as in that writing i could write oliver cromwell by no other dignity , or cognisance , than the general of all the english forces , as you may there read , so here you have to observe the word prophet , spoken before the prophesie , spoken in the prophesie , and wrote after the prophesie , in all over-ruled i knew not of it untill done . yet further observe that in the dictate of prophesie , the irish are not to be transplanted , fulfilled that is for your satisfaction ; the time for their transplanting by act was may last , i am ashamed , i will not call it an act of parliament , it was so contrary to gods good pleasure , or brotherly compassion , to sweep all , that they might have all , therefore transplanted they are not , may is past ; transplanted they shall not be , upon this i will put it , burn me if they be . god hath altered that unmercifull decree , scattering those that made it , given these poor subjects & us better law-makers , more mercifull men in the room of them , who , having god before their eies , for their so doing , have learnt . be ye also mercifull , as your heavenly father is mercifull . such as these shall hereafter sit at helm , and sway the scepter of these three kingdoms , just and mercifull men sent of the omnipotent and mercifull god. in the prophesie written , the sign there given me , which i was also over-ruled to write , as well as the name prophet , is made good to me , fulfilled that is also , honourable witnesses i have enough to prove both , for times , persons , and place . there is some ground for further proof , which i cannot wholy pass over , nor decline the giving it to your consideration , just as it was given to my self , being put upon all possible proof , one night forthwith after mr. barrel the merchant , and john merrick came up into my chamber , and began thus with me , mr. gostelow here is happened below a thing that very much amazeth us , & some others . i asked what is it ? we are amazed we wonder at it , say they , speak , what is it . the little childe , say they , that came from the irish nurses , to which the widdow merrick is granmother , and mr. landey merchant her son in law , father , that child you know is very weak , & can hardly speak any thing , what it learned at nurse is irish , we were speaking below to the childe , and asking it some things in english , amongst others , what you were , the childe replied twice what we understood not , at last plainly in english , a prophet , this they admiring , came up to me then in bed , and tell me : you have the men , the matter , and their residence : if this be so , god hath sent me one witness more out of the mouth of this babe . out of all which give me leave to observe to you , for i do it with all the humility that is imaginable in the world , but do it i must , i see gods glory is at stake , and so also your and my well being , for turning from sin to amendment of life , that we may repent & do the first works , so for ever live blessed and happy ; god hath here sent me a scripture this last sunday out of the pulpit , and the mouth too of one of his ministers , so full is it to give you and me satisfaction for this word prophet , my over-ruled speaking and writing of it , that it is to me as satisfactory , and as full of consolation , as the other scripture his providence guided me to , for the proof of my over-ruled deportment , in falling down upon my face ; and because so very full , i will give it you in the very words , as i had done that , and let me tell you , the lord protector did observe part of this scripture to me , when i imparted these things to him , who then well advised me to fear god , and walk in his wayes in all humility , and for these things , which were so very strange , if to his glory , good pleasure and his prophesie , he would bring them to pass , not being contrary to scriptures , though spoken out of my mouth : as it came happily then from him , so now also from a worthy gentleman preaching , god never yet left me in my greatest straights . you have the words in the second epistle of s. peter , the first chapter and the last verse . for the prophesies came not in old times by the will of man , but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the holy ghost , and i am sure they wrote so also , but that this be not laid to my charge , as the greatest pride of all , yet spoken , or asserted by me ; i beseech you pray for me to this purpose , for i am bold to tell you my heart is fixed , o lord , my heart is fixed uprightly and sincerely to keep thy law , to love and serve thee above all things in the world ; but for any sanctity , merit , or righteousness in me , o lord , which is not thy onely grace of good will , i abominate and disown it for ever : pray for me , i beseech you , that in all the inundations of evil i may be preserved by the loving kindness of the lord , and that in all the mutations of this world , whatsoever god would be pleased to make me , and that i may be so ever found , the most humble , lowly , penitent , just , wise , mercifull , meek , patient , faithfull servant of our lord and god , and king my master ; o lord , i love thy house , worship and service , and place were thy honour dwels ; be it in thy temple , or in man that delights to do thy will , which is to fear god , & honour the king. i am unworthy , o lord , yea , o lord , i am unworthy and altogether unfit , but thy wayes , o god , are past finding out , who dares assume the name of a prophet , not i , o lord , let me rather from my soul chuse to die than live a false one , which is to be a son of belial , and accursed for ever . but doth it not manifestly appear a delation , having then also said my sons fathers father was a prophet , to this i am yet a debtor to say what i can . my father mr. richard gostelow , lived and died , where i was born , in prescot-house , a place antiently known ( in my memory ) it had groves and good walks about it , some religious house i conceive it to have been , an altar and chappel i have known in it , the parrish is croppredy in oxford shire , scituate some three miles from bambury . my elder brother , bearing his name , now lives in it , but truly i never knew my father to have any the least repute to be a prophet ; a very general repute he had to be an honest , just and charitable man , so had also his three brothers , which i well knew : but seeing the glory of god and my own reputation is to be spoken too , and my self necessitated to defend both in all possible i can , give me leave to present you in what things he was like a prophet , and this the countrey well knew of him . he was a lover of gods house , worship and ministers ; further he married a second wife , with whom he had a very considerable estate when himself in debt , her estate he imployed and put out in his own name , yet most justly gave her the procedes of it , and when he dyed , left her near four times as much as he left to all his children , which were then nine , yet she had no childe by her former husband nor him , hardly any kindred had she known to my father : this he did in good conscience , i will next shew you how he was mercifull and patient , remitting very high injuries and bearing his cross . it falls out often that the richest wives are not the best , i have heard him traduced , reproached , contumeliously used and more of such dirt thrown at him , from a person , that of all others should not have done it in wisdom or duty . yet he hath born it not provoking again , nay , at that very time he hath taken me apart , and commanded me to pray for that very party , always to be obedient to her in good observance of her , telling me it was the cross god had sent him , and his duty it was to make the best use of it , though others curse , yet let us bless and pray : next he was eminently known to be charitable and full of compassion , to the poor he often gave flesh , bread , and corn , his man , i know , he sent amongst them to distribute ; mony several times , me he hath sent also in one hand a note to whom to give , in the other hand a purse of money , to one a shilling , to others more , to some two as he judged their necessity ; distributing at good times as christmas & others bountifully . but what is all this to a prophet , i will come a little nearer , often it fell out that the continual dropping within dores drove him to seek his quiet without dores , and when gotten into his private walks , he would pray and weep ; long also as well as frequently would he do thus . i but what is this to prove him a prophet ? i will come a little nearer to you as he came nearer his end . a mild & slow way of dying he had , in which gentle sickness he wept much , but withal declared himself it was not that he was affraid to dye , his tears were occasioned by the over-joy he had that he was going to so wholy a god , to so mercifull a jesus , to such blessed company , and to so glorious a place , all this told me and you , proves him not a prophet , which i have pronounced him : i am coming a little nearer to you , my self prentise at london when he was thus drawing towards his end , he was pleased to send me a little money , with it a letter , having a great deal of good counsel in it , well minding me of my condition as a servant , remembering me of the duty i owed to god , next to my master , and charged me not to be wanting in the performance to either , but with all faithfullness to apply my self willingly to discharge it , this indeed speaks him a wise and good father , and a childe of god , but not a prophet . in this my last observe to you i come nearest , & may come home at last that his letter written with his own hand directed to my self i have bearing date in the end of it he doth pronounce me blessed and happy , first hear on earth , in heaven abundantly , so it reads something like the great blessings that befell joseph when ruler in egypt under his king and master , who is there mentioned by him for my imitation ; whilst a servant for my consolation : after in that letter of my fathers there is too much honour for a son of my demerit , both to god and him , whose commands i have not conformed too at all as i ought , to pass i say it may come and that will prove him to all a prophet , but if it do not , o lord thou ever rallest me to say so , let not man i beseech thee lay this to my charge , to speak me herein also further proud , 't is for truth sake and the worlds satisfaction , if i can , that i write this in his praise , not for vain and foolish ostentation : you see five leaves of the book was printed , & all material things of high concernment there spoken and quite finished , my self not minded , but forasmuch as in what i wrote my self presently after gods pronounced prophesie , wherein i say i was over-ruled . there are also things referring to my self and posterity i am unworthy of ; i shall therefore reserve that , as judging it fittest to shew privately to my king , when time best serves , his most excellent majesty being upon his throne : and now seeing god hath so over-ruled & brought about this published honour to my deceased father , which i never in the least thus intended , as here happily necessitated , give me leave to reminde you that in the book you shall read , when i was awake , and at the end of broad-street , seeing the heavens open , and my saviour upon the throne , i did there see my father richard gostelow amongst the patriarchs , prophets , and apostles , waiting upon that throne , and this is no new invented thing made by me now , the better to delude with ( as some have traduced me ) i can produce you witnesses that i have for many years since , but in all comfortable humility , and not otherwise , spoken it . truth i will give you throughout and nothing else ; this book will pass far from home , inquired into , i believe , every part of it will be ; observed also with desire from some , with sorrow of others for its fulfill , with what concerns my self and father , as to the name of prophet , i have done : forget not in the book , i beseech you , the passage of the goaler when he so abused and reproached me by the name of false prophet , from whose bitter words and hard usage , god in his own time , which is ever the best , delivered me on a sudden by his call , and that nights vision , come away , bring your papers , come away , it is but a little , i have more to say , and that is of croppredy church and parish , where my father lies interred , my self was christned ; and then i have done this long post-script . this parish of croppredy is or miles about , good land all of it is , being in a countrey very populous , churches it hath in that one parish four , and one little chappel of ease , the tythes of the whole , as i believe rightly informed , are worth hundred pound per annum , there doth reside & officiate in those churches now gentlemen , whose milk , pigs , eggs , nuts , and apples , with other petty tyths altogether , are worth somewhat above pound per annum , the corn , hay , and pease worth or hundred pound , that is stollen from the church , first by the roman impropriator , the lord abbot , bishop , or what he was then called , i know not , stollen it is , that clergy , say they what they will , were the great thieves , who robbed men first by perswading our forefathers to give to gods glory , and after stole it from the church to enrich their abbies , covents , or orders : so robbed they have the priest of his maintenance , and god of his true worship & service , which should alwayes have been truely maintained with that given . thieves you see they were , and now pray what are we else , receive we do , buy and sell what they stole , which in other cases , less considerable , we make death by the law. fain would i see our ministers generaly wise , good and charitable , i may never expect to see also , their maintenance once made , what certainly it ought to be good also . gentlemen , if any in the world , it is to you schollers i speak , when wise , good , and charitable , doubt not you have a god and a king that will remedy this villenous knavery , theft , and sacriledge , which hath undone so many , and made us of the protestant religion loose our renown , because we have followed the church of rome in this way of thieving ; for we restore not , which amongst other sins of the greatest magnitude now help to pronounce her down-fall , she shall fall , so shall church robbers , doubt it not : if our saviour did but whip out those that bought and sold in his temple , what think you he will do to those that buy and sell his temples , and steal the endowments , and wonder not at it , that oliver cromwell will assist in this , god hath set him up for his glory , and your maintenance , and for me his most unworthy servant , i shall have a hand , or a pen in it also , you read where and what of his mercy brought me to this imploy , seeing his temples lay waste , his ministers unprovided for , and the people untaught , because the means is stollen from the church ; if i fall short in this , let me never speak more , thou , o lord , hast made me after dumb , speak and write this for thy glory , and i do truely say , i love thy temples and the place where thy honour dwels ; also to see thy ministers well provided for , that thy name , nor the protestant religion be not evil spoken of , but that we may by well doing invite others to be of it , so communicably good to all . one passage more of croppredy , and i have done : here it was and about my once fathers house also , that our glorified king personally defeated , sr. william waller , a kinde defeat it was , he took no pleasure in the pursuance of his enemies to death , he took from him there part of his militia , the field-guns , destroyed not many of his men , yet a defeat it was , he recovered it not . the militia was that often & dangerous knife we foolish and disobedient children cried for , which haveing gotten , knew not how to use , but to our own , as others destruction , foolish and disobedient subjects , as well as children we are found to be . for with it we carry on all our committed violences and outrages , yet , for all that , men professing and practising the law , tell us this is law , certainly they speak falsly , except they mean club-law . post-master prideaux , baiting and pursuing in the gall of bitterness , sr. john stowel upon his trial , part of which i heard had this expression he admired any now would oppose , or indeavour to wrong the so innocent infant-common-wealth , very finely spoken sir , your self the father and god-father of that so newly named innocent babe ; such outcries from the mouth of some blind , not yet nine dayes old , p. p. or novises in the law , would not be much wondered at , neither can such deceive us : we well know that sober , honest men and counsel learned in the law ; for such there are , go not out of the certain track and known rule of the laws , such run true all along , open not the mouth to spend in vain , hate to misguide us , deceive us they will not , fearing least we , as they , should catch what we pursue not , and so miss of truth , the onely desired good and royal game magna charta . a lawyer with a double heart and two tongues imployed , the one to stifle truth , the other to maintain falshood , i would onely have such tongues cut out , when so ill imployed ; to such wicked ends god never gave them : for we should praise the lord with all our hearts & with our tongues next . for others that cloath and inrich themselves with bribes and the wages of unrighteousness ( for certainly of both these wicked sorts we have had too many lawyers ) such i would onely have their skins flead off them , and hang'd up over that place of judicature they cause to be so evil spoken of : i have read , or heard that so good a course was once taken for the punishment , and deter of evil judges and such lawyers . undeniable it is , that not long since wickedness was practised and committed by a law amongst us , the lawyer , he as the witness falsly accused , the sequestrator , he so condemned , the committee man he levied the estate , or sold it ; if the rent was low , then it was fittest for one of the godly party to grow rich by ; most trypartite , as a three corner cap , all of one piece , they have hanged together ; truely , if these evil doers will not repent , and bring forth better fruits , making their conversion to appear , as good zacheus did , when truely converted , who shewed it by his words and actions . if i have wronged any man , i restore to him fourfould , and for the rest of my goods i give the one half of them to the poor , you have it in the of luke , verse . if they would nor thus uprightly turn , repent , & live , truely they should uprightly and perpendicularly hang together , as being brethren in iniquity ; and this , i believe , would be pleasing to god and man , whom they have injured , and are indebted to : you wicked judges , committees , and lawyers ; repent of your club-law , too long practised upon the persons & estates of men of worth and honour , imprisoning the one , devouring the other ; tell me , if you can , from whence had you these presidences for law ? not from god , he is a god of mercy ; not from his word , that 's a word of truth , not from our well constituted , and better known laws ; those are for defence , not offence ; come , i will tell you whence you are , you say you are of the seed of abraham , but you do the works of you father the devil , and if i mistake not , it was to men of your profession and practise , our saviour said so , that could not erre . some gave that for law , which was not : when time was , they did help to undo a good king ; and run a way after : others of you have played the same game since ; and it is not improbable will shew us such a trick also ; but stay a little , and take some of my counsel before you stir , what you gave and took for counsel was too dearly bought , neither worth what 't was sold for , nor at all fit to be followed : those you have destroyed or decoyed of your own party will shortly tell you so ; be you ruled by me for the time to come , if you go on to practice in the law , do in all your cases and causes as i have done in this of mine , presented in this book : open it aright , carry it one no other ways , present it not falsly in any one circumstance , speak the whole truth , which done , pray to god almighty that he would be pleased to give you a sentence in favour , if in truth and uprightness of heart , be assured he will : desire onely that the lord may have the glory of it , and man , his creature , the benefit of his just but mercifull and righteous judgements . my imploy is not to flatter any one of you , or others , i never spoke word to sir john in my life , the accomplishments of a judge was found upon that trial , as well as others to be in the prisoner at the bar , sir john stowel , in his fixed heart was sincerity , resolution and uprightness , in his head was wisdom and discerning , in his mouth and tongue were the words of truth , the grand jury were those worthies that gave hin what you mr. post-master prideaux laboured to beguile him of , the benefit of his articles , & not you onely , but the rest of the black robe that quacked after you , the decoy , upon his left hand : all of you stole , a heard of goats you are , hoofs and horns you have for offence : in the very end of my prophesie , if you repent not you see the place you are doomed to , as well as the condition you are found in , when others are taken up into the kingdom of jesus christ , that never shall have end , the sheep , that then stand before the judge of all men , shall go to the right hand , but the goats to the left , will any of you evil doers ye go on to sin against conscience for the accursed love of the world ? do no more so ; hear and take my counsel , make not haste , haste , haste , post-haste to be rich , run not into destruction , covetuousness is known to be the root of all evil . do you sr. for the time to come , nay , let us all do , as new born babes , desire the pure milk of the gospel , ( not your law ) may we become , o lord , as little children , infants unspotted of the flesh , the world , and the devil , thus being , heaven is then open to us , and that 's a kingdom : for your infant common-wealth , truely it died ( almost as soon as born , or named , i fear not innocent also ; how have you lead me out of the way , i must return to croppredy , where i was named an infant . from croppredy-field his majesty went into the west the same summer , there god gave him such another success , but greater & over a greater number : out of their hands he took all the militia , but their persons go free , not a man perisheth by his good will. who would not have expected that these mercies , god having cast his enemies into , and under his own dispose , and all pardoned , who would not i say have presumed these carriages of mercy and unparalell'd clemency would have won his subjects to a better obedience , than forthwith to fight him afresh , o my god , i heard his majesty speak these words at southam in warwick-shire , the very day before edge-hill fight , he being then , and there importuned presently to hang men that night taken : to perswade him to it , thus some reasoned , the lord of essex is near you , the present doing it will deter your enemy , make his men , that love you not , run away , whose fear , if not affection , will be your great advantages : they were so many and so powerfull , that thus counselled , as indeed my good king had but his good conscience , mercy , and a few persons of honour on his side , of which very small number was the lord henry wilmot , and the lord willowby , son to the earle of linsey , whose father was mortally wounded the next day at edge-hill , of which he died in a few dayes after , nay , so bold and so pressing were these in his presence , that they told him , sir , if we must take these rebels , and you pardon them , when can you hope to see an end of this rebellion ; they went on to importune him to hang but of them , yet still to do it presenlly , as therein being his advantage ; his majesty wisely and mercifully replied , his design was to make a conquest of their judgements and affections by clemency and forgiveness , and not to murder their persons , they grew more impatient , pressed him then to hang . his majesty found out wise delays for not doing of that presently , to to to to they fell , still his majesty stood unmoveable , at last some of them swore , as i take it , thereby to dispose him , that passing the other day by coventry , the enemy had taken and hang'd four of his men : to second him , another said , they had hang'd five of his , more of them went on , three of theirs , two of anothers , his majesty to get rid of them , and it may be to enquire into the truth of it also , ( first i did so ) told thē he would presently take an order with them , now see the order taken by him , twelve inlarged , and of them continued , not a man suffered in his person , yet to this good king was laid the false charge of his being guilty of all the bloudshed in the three kingdoms . to witness this truth in my kings defence , when his majesty was upon his trial , i being near a hundred miles from london , heard of their quick proceedings against him , and had the saturday night before his death a very strange vision concerning him ; i made haste towards london , that he might have the benefit of this my witness in that killing and false charge : but upon the way met with the sad news of his being martyred , so that in this action the wickedness that was done , was quickly done : but i will not wound afresh , or grieve a man of you that did it , or had a hand in the bringing to pass what god would have done , that his name might have the more glory , and you now no less happy in his sons rule over you : can you but repent of this , as of all your other sins , god forgives , and of the kings forgiveness you may not doubt , the stuarts , as the kings of israel , are very mercifull kings , king james a beati pacifici , king charls , of ever blessed memory , praieth god to forgive all his enemies , when inquisition is made for bloud , then , o lord , let them be found that shed mine be sprinkled with thine , i beseech thee : charls the second , our king , will not consent that his seeming greatest enemy in the world , oliver cromwel shall privately be taken off , an act pleasing enough to many , when the remove , but of that one man onely , might probably without more bloud-shed set him upon his fathers & his own throne ; yet see how he governs , he will not so much as hear of it , you have it observed to you in the wise admonition to oliver cromwell , when wiseman and others proposed his murther to him , no at no hand , he allows it not , he will wait upon god in all his lawfull wayes , contenting himself to be charls the good , if not charls the great . and being thus principled , see , what is the happy successes of his so doing , god gives to him the crown for ever , and oliver cromwell his ready subjection , this is counsel i have given him , but first given me of god , his majesty had it from me in april last , as i take it , to forgive all his enemies , even o : cromwell , and to refer all to gods own times & way ; & it may be thou o : cromwell doth owe me something for thy well being at this day , i am sure thou doest to god almighty , give him the glory and praise of it in thy better obedience for the times to come , and i have all i desire ; i have but done my duty , and my reward is above in heaven , whither i most humbly beseech god of his infinite goodnes , and never to be dispaired of mercie , take my good king , thee , me , and all men , even the greatest sinners now on earth . whom , though the greatest , yet how often is god pleased to make of such the most glorious saints , when repenting their former wickedness , then it is turn and live for ever , you have the opportunity , lay hold on it . if any man now distrusts his own safety and forgiveness , it is onely he that keeps close his sins , or as hypocrites seem onely to repent , he that covers his sin shall not prosper , but he , that confesseth and forsakes them , shall finde mercy of god and his king. i fear you think me too long before i give you the reasons promised : why plain oliver cromwell and no more in the over-ruled dictate of prophesie , when all others by their known titles and signiories . i will onely shew you the crown on the other side , and there proclaim my king , as in gods prophesie commanded , that done , go on to let you read what follows more of my observe , as also gods disposing of oliver cromwell to the well liking of all good subjects : these worthy gentlemen , i hope , now met in parliament with them also assisting , readily to the bringing in of his majesty charls stuart , whose unquestionable the crown is right . when given unto him , the joy of all good men , the protestant religion then more gloriously conspicuous than ever , as clearly appearing to bring forth good fruits , not pretensions onely by , which our saviour lets us know we cannot judge , and thus in the end as well as in the beginning you have c. s. and o. c. united . this my so long and just defence you must forgive , i know god hath put me upon it , though thus late , that his name may have the more glorie , my self with you the better esteem , and your selves the clearer satisfaction , that i am sent of god with others to the worlds happiness , as his prophet for this very imploy of my god & my king , whom god preserve . amen . charls the second , king of england , scotland , france , and ireland , defender of the faith , king of the whole world . to this charls the good , and charls the great , is oliver cromwell by god also honoured to be general of all his forces . long live my king , and his lieut. o. c. amen , amen . yea , let all the people say , amen . but i am to give you what i promised , why oliver cromwel , and no more in the dictate of the lords prophesie , when as all others have accompanying them their titles and seignories , and further , why i could not pen him by any other title than the general of all the english forces , although i did upon the then writing of that prophesie so much endeavour it , yea , i tried and varied it several times but could never do it , forthwith when done , was given me this for reason , which indeed i have already given the general himself , when i declared the whole to him , as now to you the reader . the fountain of honour is originally in god , derivative in kings , not at all in the people , for proof of this you have the written word of god , his most holy scriptures : confirmed to me further by god , when the fire fell down from heaven in that vision all about my beds feet , and his messenger called me three times by my name , walter gostelow , also spake to me , saying , you well understand the scriptures , kings are of god , especialy yours ; from thence issues true honour , not from the people , for this reason is it in the prophesie , oliver cromwell and no more , by him that ers not , the lord. see , it is then true honour , and worth having , onely when conveyed in its right channel , otherwayes it is just as the calf the people set up , which wise-men know is not of god , and therefore worship it not . sleep yet a little in windsor chappel , my most glorious and immortal king , for dead thou art not , garter , spur , and star , yet lie still in your beds of honour , untill your son arise , we see already his aurora , as plain as we did his day-star at his birth , so visible to us is his , and all your resurrections . welcome my king , welcome now for ever ; thou shalt set no more , the day and year that brings thee must terminate , but the kingdom thou shalt be taken up into , is that of jesus christ's that never shall have end . wharton where art thou ? what the best astronimer , at sometime a prophet , and doth not thy rich sublime transcendent wit and pen yet appear , make us te deums and laudamus domine , i have left thee a break in this book more than fill it , and the world of good hearts , with gods , & thy kings just praises , but thy own duty , were not those thy verses i have so much inquired after , as well as thy most worthy self , since returned from ireland , thine , or cleavelands sure , but not yet so happy as to see either . verses that prophesied the king being inbalmed at windsor , the garter and spur should lie dormant , untill some prophet sent of god should raise them from there locked up and sealed wardrop , raised they are , make haste , adorn them , thou hast for thy enablement a mine of excellencies ; cleaveland and thee have all , give god and your king the glory of it , they have your hearts already , pen us songs and praises to our god , the quoristers and church-men did sing us such at st. pauls cross upon his birth-day , that good example was given by the angels , who did so at the glorious king of kings birth-day , who now sends our king charls the second , his vice-roy on earth , to rule the sons of men , honours he brings with him from the almighty fountain , to be derived and conferred upon such as fear god , obey , and honour this his vice-roy our king , c. s. come now , come o : cromwell , take not a share , but thy full measure , god judgeth not as man doth , we thought thee not at all worthy , now shall that celestial colour , order , ribbon of the garter , i had the honour to sell it to my king , but never thought the least to be so honoured as to repossess him of it from god. come i say , let this badge of the greatest honour now on earth , given from the greatest king , thine also , c. s. let it now be put on thee , i said it in ireland , the honourable and good souldiery submitting to their king , whom god would dispose and over-rule so to do , of which thou art found the most eminent ; they should have honours conferred upon them , indempnity , forgiveness , and large rewards given unto them , of , & by the king when restored ; put on this rich garter , which hath for its inscription hony soit qui maly pense , the other order ribin worn upon the body , remembers all subjects we should not so much as think an evil thought of the king in our hearts . and now complain not , but rejoyce for ever , o : cromwell thou seest with whom god hath ranged thee , with the greatest and happiest of kings , queens , and princes , now thy honour is worth having , there was something in it , that thy good , aged , and so lately deceased mother was as i hear a stuart , she is gone to the common wardrop of the world , the grave . be comforted , thy father is a stuart too , & he lives , the father of his countrey , and the king of all good subjects for their consolation , of which blest number we may not doubt thou art son and subject , since god hath so declar'd it , & made you united sons of the now more visible and glorious protestant church than ever , in heaven glorious to all eternity . this our king hath now largely given to him of the fountain , and as our blessed saviour came to his universal dominion , not by fighting , but winning his subjects by dying for them : so by merit , and of purchase had the ends of the earth for the bounds of his kingdom , which being but earth , the rule of it he now gives to his vice-roy , charls stuart , whom in his uncontrolable and unsearchable wisdom and mercy he hath made worthy of as much honour , command , and rule on earth , as mortality is capable of , not of merit , but to let us see that he , which gives himself to do the will of his saviour , which is in heaven , and denies him not on earth , which thy now blessed father our king did in obedience to the commands of his god , for such a witness the almighty made of him , and such a martyr we have put to death , and such a glorified saint was the crown of your rejoycing , my most blessed , and for ever happy queen , when he your majesties on earth , now in heaven glorified . be not troubled , madam , they were villains and rebels that aspersed your honour , and his majesty , you see it , as also your no otherways , vertuous and for ever happy , sister , now queen of france . see how the lord loves your souls , honours your persons , and establisheth your posterity , to you , madam : behold , the lord , now gives his and your son , but our so much honoured and ever blessed soveraign to be king of the whole world ; and to you , madam , the best of france's queens , whose two sons ; good men , saw what god did for you , gave you them both from heaven , 't is true , to make your patient expectancies , hopes , and faithfull dependencies , on him the almighty , visible to the world , as they were to heaven , he defers it in his wise delayes , which are always the best , for years , untill your glorified king also was going thither , in whose last dayes his graces , as his blessings were at the highest , for your comfort madam , and the worlds thankfull , and happy acknowledgement , had they but grace to see it , as now all may . was there ever two such kings , and mother queens on earth , yet see how the devil and his instruments would eclipse them , and hath aspersed both , but god witnesseth for you , and hath now declared you and yours beloved in heaven , and to be obeyed on earth . most excellent queen of france , you were pleased some sixteen years past , my self being at saint jermains , i came thither with the now lord jermain , your majesty after honours and favours by your most excellent and good self afforded , did interrogate me what religion i was of , i then humbly satisfied your majesty i was a catholick ; your majesty further demanded of me what catholick , i answered the best , said your majesty it is then roman catholick , is it not . i bowed before your majesty as in duty , and replied it was catholick è protestant , a la mode d' angleterre , point de rome . your majesty , whom god hath made to your power communicably good to all , pitying my condition , was pleased to offer me a letter to your kings confessor , of good will desiring my conversion , i humbly acknowledge the favour , but replied , my religion i liked so well , as not to change it . madam , be pleased to see now how god more than retributes , and no otherwayes recompenseth this your good will , to gods glorie and my good , ( as intended ) my unworthy self , madam , is now sent unto you by the lord , not onely to your so pious , and so eminently good self , but also to more than your whole kingdom , to bring your majesty and them into his only true church , that church , which is not that of rome , into one of whose chappels at saint jermains , your majesty was that day further pleased to command me , when returned from seeing the then dolphin , now king of france , your majesties son then in his cradle , to wait upon you to that chappel , to hear the musick and vespers . madam , in obedience i did so , be pleased to let me assure your majesty , i have heard very many sermons , and some good ones too in the churches of france and spain , tending to mortification , yet never was i of the roman catholick religion in all things . no , madam , it is their unwarrantable innovatious , traditions , superstitions , excesses , and idolatries of the priests and factors for rome , and his unholiness , the pope and that hierarchy . that your majesty and all must turn now from , that is the cup of fornication she hath made the kings and princes of the earth drunk with , for which wicked acts of hers , they and all shall now hate her , god hath said it in this his prophesie , down she shall , her fatal time is come , and her self must drink the dregs of that cup of fornication , hers it is , and take it she shall , the lord will have it so , she shall fall . yet madam , the lord is good to all his , though of that church , for he will purge her as your majesty shall further read anon . be pleased so excelling queen , i most humbly beseech your favourable allowance , that i go on to wait upon my own king , and gods true church , in this his business and my imploy . and now , o my king , rejoyce fully , there is no place for sorrow ( but for sin ) how like thy saviour was thy father , who dying , prayed his father in heaven , to forgive those murderers on earth , that so despitefully used him , it is not all the indigne cruelties of men that can rob him of those rich mercies ; thou , my king , prayedst for them dying , wicked , & sinfull people , you would be miserable , but he will not let you ; father forgive them they know not what they do : blest art thou , o land , when thy king is the son of nobles , who , because faithfull unto death , i will give him a crown of life : as in the of the ecclesiastes and the . also revelations the . and . i am now in heaven in the this dayes discharge of my duty , i fear you rebels , and all evil doers , as i do the devil , not at all . but i return to thee o. cromwell , the so much beloved of the lord , which we now seeing wonder it should be so : but god judgeth not as man doth , when he pleaseth the lion shall lie down with the lamb , 't is so here . oliver cromwell , i expect thee , nay , i believe thee no more ill byassed , if ever ; no more rebellious , no more ambitious , except it be of being more just and good in all wayes of honour and obedience , now endeavour thou , or encrease to be communicably good to all , the high end thou was born for : there now lies thy choice and complacencie , and for thy former wayes , as errors of thy judgement , not want of zeal to god's glorie , be comforted , it offends not that our affections are moved with zeal , but that they are inordinate : thou art not onely now thy self a detestor of them , when inordinate , but a dehortor of others from the like phrensie-practises ; so that of the mercie of god changed , or to us made known , thou here helpest to make good what our already glorified king prophesied to his now so highly honored and restored happy son and people . that those his subjects , which had erred by the artifice of others , or misguided zeal , would , when they saw the errors of their wayes , and the villenous practises of those , that had deluded and seduced them , their eyes so opened , they would then most hate them and best obey their king , here is this now fulfilled in our dayes and eyes : o you people of this land and the world also , judge now , was not my king and soveraign a great prophet , as well as the best of kings . o you deceivers ! who traduced him in his honour , that you might the better murder his person , and divide the inheritance ; if there yet lives any of you , ( for your time is but short , except you repent ) the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull man shall not live out half his dayes . whether can you turn to be in quiet , or to be beloved , who hates you not , that is either wise , or good . but god is mercifull , he is the best of paterns , his mercie is over all his works , and his compassions fail not , i must obey him , and let you know where your well-being lies , you bad men once gave the worst counsel and it prevail'd , now take the best , and follow it , from god & me , come forth , humble your selves , leave no sin unrepented of : murder and hypocrisie are two great ones , confess to god and to his glory , forsake all , that was of the devil in you , contempt of gods house , ministers , worship and service , violence to man thy brother , restore to god and man what is not your own , but stollen from both ; make all possible amends you can , for otherwayes i do tell thee , whomsoever thou art , whether yet in this kingdom , or fled already into another , that god will give deliverance to his church and people , but render vengeance to his adversaries both at once , deuteronomy the . verse the . and this he will do , that so wherein the wicked dealt proudly , god might shew himself above them , exodus the . and the . my next observe is how doth god honour that religion , which to have been of , the world hath counted madness : the jews , the heathen , the roman and our sneaking schismaticks , those that either despised christ , or falsly told you with them he was , and no where else , they are all now truely shewed , his delight was , and favour is , where they thought and taught him not to be , with the faithfull professers of that so ancient true church of god , but lately so much despised , and by them contemned church of england ; to whom , because the purest , god is now pleased to give so much honour , beauty , and renown , for the former contempt , persecution and ashes of her glorified professers and martyrs , of which number it is now demonstrative our late king is the greatest : see , god judgeth not as man doth . this is righteous judgement , which himself prophesied you should have hereafter when falsly condemned him , and had provided your selves of those at your backs , and about your bar of justice , for so it was , a bar of justice , where you had placed your criers for justice , justice , as their fellows did against our lord , crucifie him , crucifie him , spit upon him you did too , as i have heard , condemn him you did that i am sure of , no end of your malice , his bloud you thirsted for , as also the ministers of the lord , you had it , you have taken them , yet see , as he prayed , you are found besprinkled with the bloud of jesus , when inquisition is made for his and others , and thus he prayed for you , you would never confess your selves guilty , but god sees it , and forgives it too , with him there is mercie , if you confess and forsake your sins , making all possible amends and for the time to come , all your dayes walk before him in a holy obedience : to this end he in mercie hath sent me to you , that you might truely repent and live . my next observe is the church of rome shall fall , a church you see she is , so i ever , believed her to be , once a pure one in whose churches often , both in france and spain , many a good instructive sermon to amendment of life i have heard , and truely in their churches also i have often performed , i hope , acceptable devotions , beseeching god that when the people came into those churches to pray and to learn , that they might go forth , do , and practise for the time to come better things , to which end i believe our pious fore-fathers built them , pray and beseech we should for the people there assembled , that god then would be pleased to hear in heaven , also send thither to officiate such pastors and teachers , as might be most agreeable to his holy word , so more to gods glorie and the peoples good , that the people might not longer be deluded by those jugling villains , which make merchandize of the kingdom of heaven , and hold the people in sinfull ignorance , turning almost all their practises , and ( miscalled ) devotions into ( finenesses ) crafty frauds to inrich themselves by : just one with our late temporizers are those jesuits , such a stall do they both make of the pulpit , from thence teaching damnable doctrines , contrary to the word of god , calling evil good , and good evil , one of whose tenents is the depose of kings ; yea , & killing them too , if they rule not according to their fancies , is 't not pity the kings of the earth should allow either of you residence in any of their territories : fire brands you are , whose damnable tenents are so declared contrary to the king of heavens : in this i couple you together , rebels both , jesuits and sectaries , i would i could exempt the presbyterian , the froward , and worst , are not guiltless : our late king was in the right , when he advised our now soveraign his son not to have a prejudice against the protestant religion , in regard of the ill measure dealt to him his father , assure your majesty he doth , it was by such done who were no true sons of that church , the church of england abhord , as the church of god should do , all such damnable practices and wicked tenents . see here again , my king , was not your glorified father , a light of heaven shining in a dark place , as in the midst of a wicked and froward generation , to keep your feet & judgment in the way of gods commandments ? behold now the goodness of god in letting the world see , that the protestant religion taught no such corrupt doctrine , neither were the major part of the people of england so ill principled , i have heard , and from a good hand also , that the reformed churches of france did upon that act of cuting off the king , assembled their doctors and pastors , who declared and printed to the world , as a gentleman of rochel of good account assured me , that the word of god warranted so such damnable proceedings in subjects , and for their reformed church of france , as the true church of england , they neither taught nor allowed any such doctrine of devils , or practises of wicked men . behold , i say , how god hath freed this his church from that asperse , and this our nation from that dishonour , the lesser and inconfiderable : number , never yet included the greater and the wiser : it was well observed by mounsiour causabon , a learned and honourable father of the church of france , by king james he was invited hither , and rests honourably interred in west-minster abby . that it was the violence of the church of rome , not our choice that hath excluded us : because we could not love her errors , she hath ejected our persons . these are those wicked ones , that had rather rend the church , than want their wills , who can be content to sacrifice truth , peace , millions of souls , kings and all , to their own ambition and covetuousness ; one of which sins alone is the root of all evil , what is it then with the rest of their rabbel , but i may not aggravate where god hath pardoned , if we repent and bring forth better fruits : this also was prophesied , that their seditions , and madness , would at once be the scandal of the true church of god , and give advantages to the false , which is the church of rome , know you not that i speak truth ? well , down they must , both fellow-workers of iniquity . sectaries and church of rome ; a church you see she is call'd , though adulterous , and idolatrous , we read the lord calls the people of israel so guilty , yet his people , and you my people israel ; when at the same time he sends his prophets to let them know , that for these very sins his punishments were hastening to come upon them , yea to lay them waste , and cast them out of the land ; as those rebellious israelies his people , so that of rome a church . thus we allow the greatest robber to be a true man , though a notorious thief , much the better , this keeps him not from the gallows , to which a true man comes not but to look on and be premonished , by so sad a spectacle , here me thinks we might be reconciled , take now the best of all sides , something good in all hold it fast , put that together ; and you have the onely true church , against which you see the gates of hell shall never prevail , and because of the strength and yet power of that church of rome , we cannot take away the hay , and stubble , and mistempered morter , her babel-builders have raised her to this height with , that her confusion , as her fall , may be the greater , the lord himself comes to do the work , down they must , and this church of rome shall fall , he hath said it . but see the loving kindness of the lord extended to the sons of men , and to that church also , in that he tells them not onely of her fall , but whither they shall repair for safety , even under his wings , into his church , and to the obedience of his king , charls stuart , by the lord now declared defender of the faith. here 's a visibility and church , the gates of hell shall never prevail against , also a rule given and a sword put into the hands of the general of all his forces , oliver cromwell by name , against whose rule and sword never shall any prosper that riseth up or is drawn ; first proved in gods word for the defence of his church , now also by this his prophesie , and immediate dictate from heaven . well what is to be done , forthwith turn to this so mercifull lord your god withall your hearts , proclaim a fast , and keep it truely , and let us know when you do it , that we may pray together , god would be pleased to have mercie upon you , and now so direct all your counsels to his glorie , for the promotion of the true protestant religion , the just interest of all men , beseeching god for his guidance in all things and times for the best , doubt not then , but we shall all live together in brotherly-love , and the land be blest . the king presently invite home , when come , a general council assemble to reform all amiss in the church and house of god , begin , here , and you do , what god by our late king , by haggai , by zacharie , by his prophets , and by me now sent unto you , the most unworthiest of all advise too . you see we all agree in the way , it is undoubtedly the only course to remedy all amiss . thus to promote gods glorie , your soveraigns honour , and to preserve his posterity hath been the most of your pretensions , now let it be the best and speediest of your practises ; do this and live , the envy of the world , wicked men , and devils , but the joy of saints and angels , also the dearly beloved of the lord and good-men you will be , or else put me to death ; i will neither run nor hide my self to avoid it , walter gostelow dwelling in broad-street assures you of it , god having first assured him for manner and matter , as you read . the next in order is , the poor irish shall not be transplanted , see here is the bears skin you divided , before taken into power to dispose of your cruel act was , that after last may it must be death for any , not qualified as you there please to set down , if taken on this side the river chanon : mercifull men you are , & just too , as you would have us misbelieve , but pray what is become of your selves ? are not some of you gone thither ? the irish nation is not , god put it into the heart of oliver cromwell to turn you out , that would be turning of others out , that you might divide the spoil , which your selves make , no , they shall not be transplanted , to gods glorie and my comfort , this part of his prophesie is fulfilled already , as well as his sign given me for the strengthning of my faith and yours : here also you see god judgeth not as man doth , there are hundreds and thousands of that nation , i firmly believe , and i have good ground for it also , which hate that rebellion as they did the contrivers of it , and the actors of all rebellion , the devil & his instruments , with this poor and oppressed nation i have spent some time , i know this to be true , and now to their comfort i here assure it them in print , they shall not be transplanted , they and the land also may be made much better by our good example , peaceably and loveingly co-habiting : the land affords room enough , and would be made good too , if wise-men sate at helm , which i assure them shortly will , in the mean time , and at all times i advise them to the remedy of two things , to speak truth , and not to give themselves to idleness & stealing , the devil being the father of all lies , and the other his forge for all villanies : our own good example in this may much the sooner remedy both : for the former , they hate many of us , and use it as a rod of our own making for to scourge us with : for the latter , our pride and covetuousnes makes them chuse rather to steal and hang , laze and starve , than work for their beggerly , proud , & schismatical lord-like usurpers . there is a great increase of a sort of seeming strict , and consciencious living people gotten thither , they call them anabaptists , in cristmas week . to youghall came one they called doctor lamb , this wolf cast many there then upon their backs into the water , to hear , as well as see , what he did , i went ; he told them that to be sprinkled onely , as used in england , made us no more christians then those were that liv'd in france , rome , or spain ; nay , no more than such as lived in the remotest place of the world and had never heard of christ ; 't was what he did our . saviour onely injoyned , and our lord himself was not baptized untill about years of age , believing first also ; truely at this i could not keep silence , i observed our saviour alwayes believed , and was baptized when he pleased , and for the church of england , certainly he traduced and falsly slandered them , this doctor further added , wicked men , having power in their hands , had for these many years persecuted the true people of god , which they were , & laboured also to suppress his ordinances , which was to baptize & believe , as they did only : it is long to tell you more what i said in the defence of my faith and church , in fine , two of his party . sword men in that place , stood up and close to me also , and told me we had no church in england ; seeing what it was like to come to force of argument , i went out and staid with others to see the two then to be ducked , the woman near sixty years old could hardly be gotten down , she hanged so about this doctor lamb ; when in the water , under water he could not get her , the man , young by name , dived like an old duck , doctor lamb , after he had well werted them , laught at both : all this i saw and heard , these things i hope will be amended : when i was in prison , i wrote to the lord of broghill , that i would witness those words , spoken by lamb , to the slander of gods word and his church , it is before you gentlemen these things require a remedy , you imagine not what a strange sort of cattle we have in ierland for religion , mercifulness , civility , you may finde better in america , and upon my conscience many of them will be sooner converted to the protestant religion , than too many of those saints will cease to be villains , to the great dishonour of the protestant religion , and deterring of those poor people to come in to it ; i am ashamed of it , that men , which pretend to piety , should have so little ; my land-lord the goaler is a saint to some of them , yet what you have read of him is true : preachers and wise men they have amongst them , as they call them , that will tell you , me they have , i am sure of it , that there is no hell , and that their consciences never yet troubled them , though they daily swear , whore , drink drunk , besides other wickednesses , indeed what not , for sin by links is made a chain , to this they came , their conscience ought not to trouble them , for who ever yet resisted gods will ; for your ministers , which tell you this and that story out of what they call the word of god , it is but to this end , that they may the better pick your pockets , when you are amazed and over-awed by them , and so went on , i do tell you moyses was no more a prophet than the rest of the magitians , onely more cunning in smiting them first , they were all alike say these , i am afraid to tell you what i have heard amongst the wicked rabble there of new opinionests , if you will transplant any in ireland transplant these and your anabaptists , and when they have brought these wicked ones to a true belief , let them then , as the eunuchs , be rebaptized : amongst the heathen send them also , continue them not here to make rents in church & government , for they would conform to neither , had they force : they told me the lord was now coming to take the power out of wicked governors hands , and to put it into theirs , and truely that power i expected would have been exercised on me , for the sword-men stept up close to me , when doctor lamb could reason no more ; you are mistaken in them if you think them meek , they are furious and not wise , i will not call them fools , although their own words are , they desire to live and not sin against conscience , and then all cannot but be well with them , you have heard how their consciences stands affected . doth not this clearly shew you , that what our so late , but ever blessed and wise king charls prophesied , is now come to pass and fulfilled in your eyes . your disordering and tearing up by the roots the power and government of the church , that being laid wast & contemned , would bring in all sorts of wicked athiesm , villeny and such practises , speak : can any of you continue to be mad ? will you as formerly go on , what blinde for ever , adding sin to sin untill your measure is made full ? if you will do so , be sure you shall be removed , cease to do evil , learn to do well , about it presently , that this scandal may not stick upon the professors of the protestant religion , least they say of us , as they do of the spaniard in america , that it cannot be heaven where such bad men are , so come not to their religion : but my belief is , that blest america , and those people , will shortly have a better religion before their eyes than that of rome ; and a better people also to cohabite with than the spaniard : i know what god is doing , he is fitting the jews and heathen to come into the protestant religion , and i believe many of them there in america , the church of rome shall fall . to the rest of the prophesie , the two letters promised , they are now made three , the first to our king , the second to oliver cromwel , the third occasioned by a book , not untill this was almost ready for the press , then through gods blessing come to my hand and view , written by manasseth ben-israel , the book intituled the hope of israel ; to that author is my third , in those next ensuing letters , is the rest of the prophesie in some things spoken to . i would not swell this to a volume , which i intended for every mans pocket & heart , i would gladly leave the reader with good appetite , that he might not do other than be in love with the precepts and mercies of the lord , and his prophets also , which never were compared to the flat , dull , and tiresom , empty babblings of the priests of baal , or the idiots of these times , both unsent of god. my second letter to our soveraign , c. rex . most worthy doctor , sir , mine of the tenth present , i hope is received by you , it was directed to mounsieur renier bazine merchant , residing in rue de mavise parroles paris : my charge to him that forthwith he carry it to you , sir , or my soveraign , and deliver it to none else : which since i understand is done . sir , this is to describe to you the two ladies , frances the elder , and elizabeth boyl , the d. daughter to the earle and countess of cork , chosen , by the almighty , wife for our soveraign lord the king : the the elder , sir , is lamed by a fall taken at nurse , so that she goes not but with the deepest halting that is imaginable , hardly without leading ; she is very vertuous , and some years of age . for the lady elizabeth , sir , she hath the most loveliest face ever eies beheld , the most of majesty in it , nothing but loveliness in every part of it , excellency throughout : her hair is brown , her eyes black , her mouth little , her teeth the best , her complexion , as that of the canticles , brown , but most lovely , and comely as ever eyes beheld : her body the perfection of workman-ship , none did i ever see so made as to resemble it : she is aged about thirteen , she dances well , she speaks very good french , she delights in reading , serving of her god , and obeying her parents ; the chaplain in that house is doctor mollines , son to him of the church of france , a wise and good man , and of the church of england a true son also . sir , you may not doubt the indowments of her soul and minde , whom god hath set apart to be so blest , as to be our soveraigns queen , and his delight ; for she cannot be other , all that see her admire her outward perfections and deportments ; and for charity and humility , two good adorns , she is already eminent , as a queen elizabeth . sir , let me be believed in a word , she is a queen of queens , and an angel on earth : and this is my rejoycing , that the lord hath in mercie given such a lady to my king , that will go hand in hand with him in all paths of vertue and godliness ; that she is as well a nursing mother to the house of god , as his most blessed majesty by god appointed , and so commanded to be a nursing father to us , and all his now happy people . sir , i spake truth to you , and all of the lords doing for our king , whom as his queen god almighty ever bless , and let their rejoycings in his good will and commands be not deferr'd , to the joy of our hearts admiration and obedience of the world : let us pray , god save my king , charls the second , and his most delightfull queen elizabeth , both the servants of the ever living god. o my king , fail not , i beseech you of the most sincere performance of your devotions , by fasting and prayer every friday , and let there be no looking back , nor return to any sins whatsoever : let not any of a bad life , that will not be reformed , eat one bit of your bread , or receive a favour from you , more than prayers for his , or their amendment and punishment , where it is not conformed unto , be you sir , i beseech you , frequent in devotion and receiving of the most blessed communion of the body and bloud of our lord , to which you are to come alwayes well prepared , that you eat not to condemnation . o my king do you truely forgive , and so pray for the very worst of your fathers , mothers , and your own enemies , god will do you right , who ever lost by referring all to his almighty power , times , and goodness ? thus shall your fathers counsel be followed , his ever blessed memory & unparaleld good example live in you , to the joy of angels and good men . sir , god is turning for you , and to his own glory the hearts of all , or most of all to love true religion , your just interest , brotherly love , in which onely we can be happy , in that good way and best example , i beseech god be you the first and most eminent ; i may not doubt of it , for whom god almighty hath reserv'd , nay , declared such everlasting loving kindnesses . sir , i do truely tell you , i could with the most ardent desire & greatest hazard endeavoured to have hang'd , or murdered all your enemies , but god hath reproved me , i can now do nothing with more delight than to pray for them , yet let 's not trust them , that 's a folly i beseech god to deliver us from : the wisdom of the serpent is not denied , though the innocency of the dove be injoyned , both most excellent for imitation . sir , i have no intelligence more than with the common , it is believed that some dayes since from holland came expresses of the confirmation of peace , i believe after this summer , within a short time , there will be an end of all the wars in the christian world : sir , i have seen letters reporting your affairs at ratisbon to be well advanced , and in good condition ; humane wisdom , the strength of allies , and confederates for the probable carrying on or promoting of your just interest may not be neglected , or refused : but sir , i do hope ; nay , believe , that the almighty will do this great work for the good of all without bloudshed , if we give over to abuse his mercy , and provoke not his wrathfull indignation , then for his mercy , honour & name sake he hath promised to bring all these things to pass for you , this land , & protestant religion ; and although mighty , strange , and wonderfull these things are , yet he will do it for the reasons above , and it shall be marvelous in our eies ; as in my first papers you have it at full , consisting of ten sheets , numbred in the margent , as they should be read , sir , the time is now at hand , in may you shall see the fulfilling of another part of that prophesie , which the lord was pleased to have spoken by me , his most unworthy servant and prophet , the not transplanting of the irish nation : i beseech you , sir , let doctor earls first read my letters , for i spell ill , write ill , and point not well , he is a good man , let him also chuse your clergie , and be you , sir , advised by him ; god almighty be pleased to preserve you , give you abundantly of his grace , mercie , and wisdom , and with it all things that good is . sir , so prayes the humblest and unworthiest of the servants of the lord my god , and you my king. april . walter gostelo . my second letter to the protector , o. c. most excellent sir , my belief , as my hopes is , that what your lordship was pleased to say unto me , i shall in the best & fittest time reap the speaking with you : i did return to my lodging at saint james the tuesday , i promised your good self , but there i met with this affront , as to have it disposed of in my absence , contrary to my order and expectations , affronts in other places also : indeed , sir , i meet with little else but aversness to good in men , i have since expected your lordships command , or the happiness of seeing you , neither yet come to hand , or eye , did not the goodness of god , from the mouth of such as his providence guided me to hear preach , let me see what i am to expect from man , though of my own religion , my spirits would fail me : the jews so ill treated the prophets sent to them in their times , and we , no better , follow their bad examples . my lord , be not backward to hear and consider the great good , the lord is pleased to do and bring to pass for the honour of the protestant religion , the general good of all men , amongst whom more particularly our soveraign charls stuart and your good self , so sure as the heaven is over my head , and the earth under my feet : i do believe his majesty and some others , of which number you are , to be blest with long life , honour , as much as mortality is capable of here , & everlasting happiness hereafter : my lord , as these things are the decree of heaven , so are they to all assured the strongest obligations of the strictest obedience upon earth : i have already wrote to my king , i could not do otherwayes . first to let him know what god is pleased to assure shall be done for him , next to minde him of his dayly duty , how that without holiness no man shall ever see the face of god to his comfort : further , that he forgive all his fathers , mothers , and his own enemies , for no man yet ever lost by referring all to god ; in this he will best imitate his glorified father , certainly in heaven , who prayed dying for forgiveness to those that put him to death . for the remitting of the highest injuries we have the best of patterns our lord himself . my lord , if i have any other end than the glory of god , the honour of the protestant religion , the discharge of my duty , to the command of my god in my desire to speak with you , then do thou , o lord , whom i believe hath deputed me to these very ends , never suffer me to see your face : therefore , good my lord , be not backward to let me speak with you , which done , as god shall direct , i shall afterwards haste , as concerned into other kingdoms , to those in ireland ; and this , when communicated to your good self , i have done my duty , and shall i presume then have quiet , and after see the fulfill of all to gods glory , who for his name and mercy sake hath assured me he will bring it to pass , and it shall be marvelous in our eyes . my lord , i ever shall continue to pray that god would bless , and preserve you to the overcoming of all your enemies ; but more especialy your corruptions . so prayes the unworthiest of the lords servants , and yours , s r , walter gostelow at my house in broadstreet , may . . a post-sript . my lord be pleased to allow this post-script , i dare not omit it , your lordship hath heard me , and now read my prophesie , i believe divers others also , that of elenor channel , who was sometimes taken dumb , a prophesie very highly considerable , failing out in a time much about mine , the matter one with mine , sent upon that imploy of the lords to your good self , as most considerable in this kingdom ; disquieted , as i was , untill she had communicated , or made known the whole , to you onely addressed : now because it is so very full , and falls in such a conjuncture of time with mine , and but short , i have printed it at the end of this . my lord , i well remember you were pleased , after the good admonition given me to serve god , and to walk according to his will revealed in his word , to let me understand your self formerly had , and now lately also , some things presented unto you , which were since come to pass also ; but to rely on visions , or revelation we should not , having the more sure word of god , the scriptures to rest on , good counsel it was , i agree all , and the best to avoid delusion ; the prophesie being the lords , i cannot have a dis-esteem of one word of that . my lord ; is not all i have said unto you agreeable to the word of god ? is it not your duty to fear god , honour , and obey your king , to assist the rebuild of gods house , the restore of his ministers and their maintenance , not to side with those that are given to change ? to be in love with all men , also with justice , mercie , and forgiveness ; to seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness , and then all other things less considerable unpursued shall be given unto you ? my lord , do this and live for ever happy . now because its possible this hath not been done by you , certainly not by the nation , see , god sends his prophets unto both , and that you may know they are his , they bring nothing contrary to scripture ; 't is true they come to you in a unwonted and seeming strange way , the reason of that is this : to persons of honour , or a people the lord intends mercy too , it hath been his accustomary manner of proceeding , to such he sends his prophets , that they may repent and live , and shall gods mercy , your own happiness , and the kingdoms welfare become our contempt , your destructions , if not harkned unto ? no , god forbid , do you as all others what i have advised too , and be happy , nay , you shall do it . there is a gentleman of known worth and honour , his name i will not print , his paper i have , with this gentleman god hath sent me acquainted very lately ; my lord , this person of good accomplishments tells me of a vision he had some time since , and in it how he saw the king and your lordship on one side of the water , moderators on the other , debating upon the articles of the church of england , from article to article : the word protestant religion was much insisted , upon , and discussed it was , whether in so large a sence you intended it , as to take in the sectaries and disturbers of the peace of that church , and this kingdom , so to comprise all ; my lord , in fine there was so much said to his majesty , and such clear satisfaction given to your lordship by such as sate as moderators , that it brought your lordship to a most humble and thankfull submission , and so bowing before his majesty , you came both into one boat , where the king kindly and with good affection imbraced you , and so went away both together in good understanding . that done , this gentleman heard the bells generaly ring , saw the bone-fires , and great was the acclamations , as well as the rejoycings of the people in the land. my lord , make all this good , do you proclaim , as well as pray , god save the king ; and then the people will pray and say , god save the best of subjects , and the honourablest of souldiers , o. cromwell . amen say i , god preserve both . the prophesie and message of elnor channel , sent to the lord protector , oliver cromwell , april . . . peace be to this house , and peace be to the whole kingdom , and the peace of god be with us for ever . . the god of abraham , the god of isaac , and the god of jacob hath opened the mouth of the dumb to speak for peace , the sword must be stayed , the world draweth toward an end , and the knots of peace and love must be made in all the christian lands . . sir , you have taken upon you to be a protector of your lords vineyard , but he requireth that you should make the hedges and the walls of it , which is peace and love , and the true gospel , and that you protect the stuart , to plant his vine-yard . . if a man fall into the hands of a creditor , if his creditor be one of christs servants , he will not take body and goods , if his body payes the debt , his heir shall have the inheritance . reader observe , this elnor channel , arise evans , & my self with others , i have heard of , all agreeing and sent unto oliver cromwell protector upon this very imploy , the rebuild of gods house , the return of his ministers , the restore of the king , the promote , and declare of a general peace through the christian world , the conversion of the jews , the protestant religion more glorious than ever , with its fruits of peace and love amongst all men : we , i say , whom god hath sent to promote and declare these things of his mercy for you coming to pass , are all of the protestant religion , the true church of england , no papists , no schismaticks , no abettors to any faction whatsoever , yet as in duty bound , we continue to pray for the conversion of all them , and more to the true religion , which gods word shews you , as well , as our prophesies now tells you is the protestant , and shall be now more conspicuously glorious than ever . the defenders of which faith is charls stuart , and oliver cromwell united . an admonition to covetuous , and therefore miserable men . what ! compassion left the christian world , and fled into america ? certainly the gospel follows ; he hath said it , that is the word of truth ( whose compassions fails not ) through the world that shall be preached , happy america , most happy exchange hath thou made for thy clay and dirt , the surface of that earth is not so barren , thorny , & stony as our hearts , which stick to thy ore , as to our all , thou wisely sents it from thee , as a servant to do thy will , it 's unhappily become our master , whilest we neglect and contemne the onely jewel , to purchase which we should sell all : this gospel teacheth better things than you formerly have either heard , or we practised , covetuous and miserable comforters are you all , more than thirty of you in six moneths solicitation not lend so much money as to print this book , which i told you was so highly to gods glory , the kings interest , and the worlds general good , with the honour of the protestant religion , to all which you pretend good affection , but to promote any of them , this ready answer , no money ; would you borrow to set up gods kingdom , he can do that without you , our mony is to set up our own , let him look to his , we and you to our own callings , i can value your estates worth at least thousand pounds , your persons i cannot value at more than so many , miserable men , bring forth better fruits for the time to come , & know that mercy neglected , leaves room for judgement : follow me reader , and i will in the next place shew thee better jews than these were , & therefore god sends them his gospel to guide their feet in the wayes of his commandments , which are compassion and loving kindness : it is the mercifull that shall finde mercie , misers you are , going out of the world also , you shall shortly finde , if your treasure be laid up in heaven , ( for there it perisheth not ) but i may not flatter you , you have counted gain godliness , not godliness great gain ; you will reap what you have sowed , amend your lives if you would be happy , the kingdom of heaven is at hand , to your comfort , or destruction . rich men hardly enter into heaven , covetuous and unmercifull men , not at all . i beg of god for your amendments , although you have necessitated me to beg of the world mony to print this book , which i will repay god willing . yet i believe some that commoded me , rather thought it given than lent , so visibly poor hath violent men , and these ill times made me , i have lost by hundreds & thousands , despoiled of all , but what makes a continual feast : it is not for faithfull servants and good subjects to lie down in beds of roses , when their saviour stands crowned with thorns , and their king falls shorter by the head , we must suffer with them , before we can raign with them , happiness is for him that overcometh , and the crown of glorie is given to such as fear god , and honour the king. of which blest number , though i cannot presume you are , yet i hope this rabby and good jews , i next direct too , will shortly be . for mannasseth ben-israel , at amsterdam . most learned rabby , sir , your book intituled the hope of israel , dedicated to the supream court of england , a parliament , came not to my hand untill this was near ready for the press . certainly sir , you have been of gods goodness guided aright to make your addresses to this church and nation , you observe well , we have continued to pray for your conversion , duty binds us to it , to treat your persons otherwayes than well , we should not ; to assist what possible we can , a people so anciently the beloved sons of god , and most honourable off-spring of faithfull and blessed abraham is , and ought to be all our devoirs . sir , i read your so excellent and profitable resolution to carry on the famous and learned history of josephus . and also further observe your desire , that if any thing offer to men in the christian world fit for your purpose , your request is they would be pleased to acquaint you with it . sir , in this book you will finde things very highly considerable , god having been pleased to communicate it to the world in his own way by prophesie , your brethren expect a deliverance & restauration , not far off , because all the prophesies amongst your own are fulfilled . sir , it is my firm belief , that in our kings raign , charls stuart , charls the second , and under his government you will have deliverance , peace , and protection , the ground for my so believing this book will inform you , i have therefore given you it , with all its circumstancies at full , that thereby you may have the clearer satisfaction , that it is not delusion . about the th . year of my age i was in several of your synagogues , my eldest brother a studient and fellow of corpus christi colledge in oxford , there with me , to observe , & accomplish himself for the good of others . he , sir , having conversed with divers of your rabbies , did after tell me what they so believed , as not to be moved from . that for a people so beloved of god , and to whom the promises of the almighty were so peculiarly good , so many , so frequently afforded and made known , as to the jews they were , your rabbies could not be perswaded , that shilo , or the messiah could be come into the world , and they not know of it , to whom , say they , he was promised as a king to deliver , restore , and govern them in this world ; take heed , sir , the love of this world , deceives a world , thus to bound the almighty , and herein to place your happiness , demonstrates your misapprehend of him , & what was prophesied by your own of him , david tells you , as well as others , his kingdom was not of this world , he came to his own , which were your selves , but ye refused him , he after turned to us the gentiles , who indeed injoy him , that you yet hope for . i wonder , sir , you see not this clearly fulfilled and proved to you in your own prophets , as also in that so excellent piece of history , you are carrying on , josephus , was not jerusalem destroyed and made a heap of stones ? all which our saviour long foretold it should be so , and that generation should not pass untill all were fulfilled , as in the of luke , and the verse , referring to the destruction of jerusalem , that it was fulfilled , josephus his story confirmeth , and the continuance of that verdict is yet evident . the other prophesie , which evidently argues christs divinity , by its success also , is what your self , and your own rabbies cannot but see and hear fulfilled , concerning the woman that spent the oyntment on our saviour , for which he told that it should never be forgotten , but with the gospel be preached to all ages , as in matthew the . and the . your self , sir , living in the christian world cannot but see , read , and hear this fulfilled , the fathers of our church & protestant religion have published to the world the fulfill of your allowed prophesies , and shewed it you clear as the sun. sir , have you ever lain so long under gods displeasure , as since you have shut your eyes against so great and clear a truth ? that god will in mercy gather you from the corners , & parts of the world is my belief , as well as yours , that many of you are in america i may not doubt , neither do i allow for other than true the relation given to your self and others at amsterdam , in the year . by antony montezinus . i now onely advise , and especialy commend to your reading the new testament , you have it with you in languages : very many of you now sufficiently understand , god hath put us of this church and nation to give it you in more languages , hasting to you sir , that will acquaint you with truer and better things to salvation , than the story of the saba●…ic●l river , whose great stones you say rest upon your sabboth onely , but all other dayes continue to be carried about in motion . sir , to the frequent reading of that new testament , the best book in the whole world , be pleased to joyn your often prayers , beseeching the almighties guidance in all things for the better understanding of it , thus continuing in well doing , reading , and praying , you are sure to be taught of god , and know you will , that what the prophet isaiah prophesieth in his chapter , and vers . behold , i lay in zion for a foundation , a stone , a tried stone , a precious corner stone , a sure foundation : he that believeth shall not make haste . now , sir , would you , and all yours , as new born babes , desire the sincere milk of the word , that ye may grow thereby , you would suddenly know , that this corner stone , and sure foundation , is christ our lord already come , to whom coming as unto a living stone , disallowed indeed of men , but chosen of god , and precious , would you i say , but come thus fitly prepared , ye also as lively stones , are built up a spiritual house ; an holy priesthood , to offer up spiritual sacrifice , acceptable to god by jesus christ , and he that thus believeth on him , shall not be confounded ; this stone which the builders disallowed ( you jews , ) the same stone is made the head of the corner . converted to him you shall be , therefore look about you , your time is at hand , ye are a chosen generation , a royal priest-hood , an holy nation , a peculiar people , that ye should shew forth the praises of him , who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light : so that with the fulness of gentiles now coming in , you make perfect that building which himself the living corner stone holds together . this observe you have in the of peter , the chapter , from the to the verse , in that testament is the fulfill of all your prophesies of him that was to come , shilo already come , look , i say , on that his word , and know him , look not for him as a temporal king. next , sir , for your further good , make your applications to charls stuart charls the second , gods vice roy on earth , who sitting in parliament makes then the supream court of england , before not : so rightly called , thus charls is your and our king , blest and happy for ever , by god and him you may not doubt to be freed ere long from the many unsupportable pressures & sufferings ( your antony montezinus truely tells you , and us ) are imposed upon you in america , and yet endured by your brethren the jews , from the cruel hands , swords , and tongues of those proud , idolatrous , high minded , and puft up nation the spaniards , constraining the roman religion , which church of rome shall fall , god hath said it , and that nation shall not long tyrannize over you nor those poor indians there : if this come not to pass , put me to death your deliverance is not far off . sir , we have an earthly king for your comfort , that will shew you in his professed protestant religion the wayes of truth , which you and all are commanded to walk in , that you may at the last , to your comfort also , know and see him the king of glory , jesus christ our lord , that is above in heaven , which heavens must contain him untill his second coming , whose appearance , or making of himself known to you , for your conversion , i hope , ( nay , i believe ) is at hand : i beseech god open your eyes , that you may see him , though you have stopt your ears , as being not willing to hear his gospel , charm he never so sweetly : sir , you are sure of my readiness to serve you in all i can , to god first praying for you , next in my true endeavours for you and your nation , to this my king charls stuart , gods vice-roy on earth , that whilest you live in this world , you may be favoured , and defended of his goodness and power , by his so victorious , happy , and prosperous lieutenant general of all his forces , oliver cromwel . lastly , sir , when your bodies shall go the way of all flesh , my prayers have been , are , and shall be , that your souls may go the way of all saints , and so all of you sit down and keep a perpetual sabbath of rest with abraham , isaac , and jacob , in the kingdom of heaven ; to which kingdom , god of his infinite mercie bring all of you and us . sir , i doubt not to prevail with that worthy gentleman which translated your book , mr. moses wall , to translate this my letter into a language fitter for your observe , your accomplishments speak you skilled in arts and tongues , my self bread to trade and negotiation , sir , i beseech almighty god to improve all your studies to his glory , and your brethrens good such is the most affectionate & harty prayers of your undoubted friends , and servants of this nation , as also more particularly sir , your for ever to command w. gostelo . to the worthy persons of honour , now being , or to be , in parliament with the protector . gentlemen , this book hath told you what god will certainly do for this church , king , and people , yea , he will do it . i have told you in some measure what you ought to do , gods word , a good conscience , and the known laws of the land will best guide you : if not all observed to you , return you into those wayes , from which late parliaments , pretenders to reformation , have deviated . when the prophet , which god sent upon his imploy to wicked jeroboam , who indeed , as all wicked governours , when named , is remembred to posterity , he that made israel to sin , when this prophet went out of his way back again with that false one that had seduced him to eat and make provision for the flesh , as you may read in the first of the kings , and chapter , what doth the lord do to that disobedient man sent to them for reformation ? he commands a lion to meet him and kill him , the lion doth so , after stands by him , justifies the doing of it , being commissioned of god , so obeyes god in all things , ●he preyes not upon the body , he devours him not , though a disobedient prophet . gentlemen , you have now to deal with great offenders , and presumptuous wickednesses , i believe you are sent of god , be not you afraid of any . vice seasonably checked , pulls in the head , and seeks rather a hideing place than a fort , he fears every thing , that fears not god , he that fears god , fears not man at all , when disobedient to his lord , king , and maker . worthies , be you bold , as this lion sent of god , you have a lion for your leader , sent of god also , oliver cromwel , for the punishment of evil doers , follow him , do you as he adviseth , god hath commissioned him , he must act boldly , justly , and yet mercifully , gods will in all things must be done , rebellion , schism , & and villeny must be extirpated , and left dead , not stir again : i know you are too good to fall upon any man in unjust wayes for his estates sakes ; this lion did not so , he eat him not , declare you your selves that none disobedient shall escape , or go unpunished ; be an enemie to all vice , no mans person , the evil doer will vomit our his surfeits , rather than die . those boasts , if you closely pursue them will do as that i have heard of , but now remember not his name , bie of his precious stones , rather than loose himself . this will make the best amends to injured men , and give offenders the opportunity of amending also ; having taken from them their money , which is the root of all evil , give to every man his just interest , whether in church , or state , take heed of foolish pity , it marrs a citie . i have heard that the yet bishop of london & wells b. b. now ( great and rich ) complaining of the active school-boyes for throwing stones , and breaking the windows of one , or both those cathedral churches , an innocent and bold boy readily replied , sir , had your care been as great to remove the small stones , as it was to dispose of , and remove the great ones , with other things also from those cathedrals , we could not have offended you : thus he laid the fault upon the b. it may be those innocent boys intended onely a civility , to keep open the way , which too many come in by , the window : foreseeing that the dore is like shortly to be shut against them , who have shut and bard it too , against others , especialy , if the living were great & profitable . persons of honour , have no mans person in esteem , that v●lueth not his actions : that 's the duty , & therein will be your honour , for fears & scruples they are to be suggested by the wicked onely , who indeed fly when no man pursues them , but the just and good are bold as this lion , sent of the lord , have you , nothing before your eyes but gods glory , religions luster , & the peoples good , in your hearts his fear onely , do thus & you will have no need of guards , militia , or what else , bad men think to secure themselves by ; a good conscience , and wisdom , fortifies more than ten mighty men , god is then on your side , so is all good men , fear god , your king , and to sin , and you cannot fear wicked men , let me hear of no looking back to sins , or cowardise , god hath shewed you salvation : if your hearts be in sodom , ( for the wickedness of that citie , gomorra , and all the five cities hath been practised in this one ) i say , if your hearts delight in sin , your judgement sleeps not . the protestant religion , the kings honour , oliver cromwell also , the peoples just right and interest must flourish , live , and be injoyed to all good mens comfort ; whilest destruction must be suffered by those onely which continue rebellious , and will not be reformed ; whose remove will be our rejoycing , as well as gods good pleasure , for deliverance shall come from heaven to this land and people , the evil doer shall be rooted out , and sent to his own home with a vengeance . but for thee , oliver cromwell , with souldiers of honour , and such , as are of good counsel with thee , who advise the speedy remedying of all that is amiss , for such i continue to pray . that you , forthwith apply your selves to do his will , and that 's to be more than conquerors . a king & rulers on earth , whose right it is not , shall stinck on earth , ( as he that made israel to sin ) and howle in hell too very shortly , but as the memory of the just , good , and mercifull shall begin to live for ever on earth , and that shortly too , so shall thine , oliver cromwell , and others , declared in this gods prophesie , be taken up with thy king into the kingdom of our lord and saviour jesus christ , that never shall have end ; then also shall good people , & such subjects go , as the sheep in this , prophesie , to the right hand , wicked & rebellious ones , as the goats , to the left hand , unto the former happiness god of his mercie , i beseech him , bring us all , from the later , god deliver us all , he onely can do it that hath said and spoken now by me , the church of rome shall fall ; but our church for ever flourish . god save the king . amen , yea , let all the people say , amen . finis . there are two books , which have traveled far with me , if well understood , and no otherwayes practised , the two sorts of people they are more particularly directed unto , cannot miss of the best end of all our travels , heaven . the one is a priest to the temple , or the countrey parsons character , and rule of holy life . the author , mr. george herbert : the other as the former commends a holy life here , and tells you , that the habitual observing of the law of christ , is indispensibly necessary to salvation , the author , mr. richard stanix , b. d. one that i believe lives as he writes , and would have all do so . he that in travel carries in each pocket one , and in his heart both to practise , needs not doubt but one day his face shall shine with glory , having so conversed with god , be he priest , or people , for whom i pray , that god be pleased to make all , good , and happy . walter gostelow . the pouring fourth of the seventh and last viall upon all flesh and fleshlines, which will be a terror to the men that have great possessions, or, several visions which hath bin made out to me of what the all of all things is now bringing to pass ... george foster, or otherwise jacob israel. foster, george. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the pouring fourth of the seventh and last viall upon all flesh and fleshlines, which will be a terror to the men that have great possessions, or, several visions which hath bin made out to me of what the all of all things is now bringing to pass ... george foster, or otherwise jacob israel. foster, george. [ ], p. s.n.], [s.l. : . reproduction of original in bodleian library. eng prophecies. visions. great britain -- politics and government -- - . a r (wing f ). civilwar no the pouring fourth of the seventh and last viall upon all flesh and fleshlines, which will be a terror to the men that have great possession foster, george b the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the pouring forth of the seventh and last viall vpon all flesh and fleshlines , which will be a terror to the men that have great possessions . or several visions which hath bin made out to me of what the all of all things is now bringing to pass , that so the root of al malice , strife , hatred , and war may be digged up , and the only way for universal love and freedom to all sorts of people to be brought in ; but in a more especial manner , and higher and most glorious discovery of god to his peculiar people , whom the all of all things will make the praise of the whole earth . isaiah . , . and . , . for the lord shall rise up in mount perazim , he shall be wroth as in the valley of gibeon , that he may do his work , his strange work ▪ and bring to pass his act , his strange act . now therefore be ye not mockers , lest your bands be made strong ; for i have heard ▪ from the lord of host , a consumption determined upon the whole earth . remember ye not former things , neither consider the things of old . behold i will do a new thing , and now it shall spring forth . george foster , or otherwise jacob israel . printed in the yeer mdcl . the epistle to the reader . my dear hearts all and everyone of you , whether high or low , rich or poor , bond or free : i am a creature and one of your fellow-creatures , forced to send unto you a smal mite , which i have had through the speakings of my infinite father in me , which speakings in me have bin so burning hot and so powerful , that i have not bin able to resist as for to keep them in secret , they being things which in this treatise i treat of , i have seen them as being taken in a trance and lying for dead about houres : for the most part of them which in this following discourse , i had made out to me being in that condition , and assoon as i had seen and heard of them and they were over , so that i had no other at that time , i was forced to write them , it being the good pleasure of my father for to make choice of me so poor and and unable a dispised instrument , for to reveal and make known such things as shal surely come to pass , as concerning the levelling of that which men for the present call their own , and so hord up riches and treasures here on earth for to make themselves great and to be applauded of men , forgetting the exhortation of jesus christ , who bid them lay up treasures in heaven and not here on earth : for the laying up treasures here on earth christ said the rust would take it : which the apostle james saies plainly to such men that have horded up gold and silver , even the very rust of it will rise up in judgement against them : looke to your selves , here is the last vial to be poured forth , made mention of for to give you warning of your selves , for behold the day of the lord is at hand , he is coming to take vengeance on all his enemies , and for to confound you all that have bundance of treasures here on earth , and have laid up none in heaven , nay it seems to be an unpossible thing for a rich man to go into the kingdome of heaven ; for saith jesus christ , it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of an needle , then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven : o you rich men , what say you to these words ? do you think to go to heaven , when the rust of your silver wil rise up in judgement against you ? you had more need throw away your riches here , and give them to the poor ; that the crying of the poor might no longer come into my ear , saith the lord , for their sakes do i come to take vengeance on such hypocrites as you are , because you have formes of godlyness , but deny the power thereof , you would fain appear to be holy , but yet you would be loth to part from that which is the greatest enemie of you , as the apostle saies , men coveting after riches have erred from the faith , and so have peirced themselves through many sorrows : but that this may no longer trouble you and keep you from coming to me , i will shew my self for the poors sake , when you through the hardness of your hearts have rather seen them starve for want of food then give them a peice of bread , yea though they cry for the lord sake give me a peice of bread : when as all things are the lords , and the lord comes ; he comes , what to do ? he comes to bring down the pride and haughty lookes of men ; what pride and haughty lookes ? even such pride and haughty looks that scorne their fellow-creatures , even that must be brought down , even all their glory , and honour too , even that glory wherein you have gloried , and boasted your selves : as because of your riches you have thought your selves better then others ; and must have your fellow-creatures in bondage to you , and they must serve you , as to work for you , and moyl and toyle for you , standing cap in hand to you , and must not displease you , no by no meanes ; but alas , what are you now i come , saith the lord ? for i tell you that the lord of host comes with fire and sword for to bring down your pride , and your glory and honour , and all these things that you have lifted up your selves with , & have thought your selves better then the rest , i say he comes to plague you , torment you , and so to make you weary of your idols which you have made to your selves , for i must tell thee , and it wil prove very true , that the mighty god of jacob is at hand , and will come of a sudden when thou art not a ware of , even that mighty leveller , for to levell and lay mountaines and hils low , even you that are richer and greater then your fellow creatures , even as low as my may be , and so will make all equal with the plaines ; for it is but just for him to do so , seeing thou fat swine of the earth , whatsoever thou hast is not thine own , but it is all the lords ; and though it hath bin his pleasure for to bestow riches on thee , and so have let you usurpe authority over them , yet now the lords is at hand , that he will call you . to an account , and finding you to be unjust stewards , he will put you out of your stewardship , and then you must no longer usurpe , but shal be glad to be fellows with them whom now yee dispise & hate , and cannot abide to let them be in your sight ; though this may seem strange to you and you will not believe it , yet it is the lords pleasure that i should send it forth to the publick view , there being some that will consider these things before hand , & so be made for to go before in this manner , as to count nothing their own , and this they do with joy ; when you that are obstinate , & will not believe the strange work which the lord did speak by his prophets along time before this , & that new thing shall be done which people shal little think of , as i wil do a new work , which the prophets point at , even that the lord should make you throw away that which you do so much hug and look after , even the gold and silver which you make idols of : but whether you wil or no , remember that it is the lords pleasure to send you this , as a thing to scourge you , yea a very strange thing it is like it may appear to you , but read on & fear not , but that the lord of host who caused me to write this , wil in his own time ( when he sees you to be in security and peace , crying peace to your selves ) break in like a mighty man , and confound you of a sudden ; for it is his pleasure to deale harshly with you , and make you weary of your selves , that so he may bring you through the fire to himself ; and make you to glory in himself , & not in any thing else beside himself , for many reasons why the lord should do this may be shown . first , that the people may understand the lord of host is no respecter of persons , as to give liberty to some more then to others , in respect of those things that be necessary to the body , which was all made for the use of man , and that man should have the benefit of them all , which man hath a long time bin deprived of the use of these outward things , as riches which other do injoy ; and therefore seeing it was the pleasure of the father at the first , for to give to the creature man , an equall priviledge to all a like , and not made man to be lord over some part of the creation , and the other part of the creation be in subjection to some other man , no , but made man lord over all , and that all were made for the use of man ; it is therefore no reason that man should be kept in bondage , as now they are , but that the just lord who is in the midst of us , may shew his power for to restore his creature man from the bondage they are now in , and so make man know that he was made a lord over all other creatures , and so now shal once again by my power saith the lord be brought for to injoy the whole work of my hands , and so shal freely enjoy the whole creation without let or hinderance , in this day wherein i will make them free from the power of man , and so will bring man to be fellows one with the other , and not lords over one another ; as they have bin and are now . secondly , it is time for the lord to appear in this way for to soften the hearts of men , who are so cruel grown one to the other , as if they were not all of one mold or mettle , what is the reason men are so hardened one against another , but by reason of private interests which some have , and having more of their own as they cal , it then others , their hearts are puffed up with pride , and so no longer wil they be fellowes , but masters and lords over the rest , and so ingross more and more into their hands , by craftiness , until such time they get their desires , and when they have got their desires in some respect , they cannot rest satisfied , but wil stil proceed on in cruelty , and in making the rest of their fellow creatures their slaves , which is abomination to the lord that they should do so , that they should injoy the works of the lord in full , and have their fill , and wil not give to their fellow creatures any bread , yea though they beg for the lords sake for a peice of bread , yet they are so cruel as they wil not bestow any thing upon them , but many poor creatures dies for want of bread , thus cruelly they deal with their fellow creatures ; which the lord of host wil not suffer long to be , for they have hardned their hearts , and have made them as hard as a stone , but the lord will soften your hearts , and make you know that you have dealt cruelly with your fellow-creatures and have raigned over them , but you shal now no longer raign in pompe , but you shal be brought to see by the power of the lord of host , if you consider these scriptures which are at the beginning of severall visions , you shall see and know that you are as far off from fulfilling the scriptures by your cruelty , and that you may see you break them dayly for exercising so much cruelty as you do , which on the contrary if you did fulfil them , you would freely give to them that have need of them . and reader , i do hereby minde you of the other part , which i have not writ as my judgement , but by the speaking of my father to me , as concerning the jewes , even those that were jewes by nature , and are now dispersed abroad among the gentiles , how that it is the good pleasure of my father , who is infinite in himself , for to bring home his own people into his own light , and so to make them see that jesus whom their fathers crucified , was the king of the iewes , notwithstanding they could not at that time believe it , yet now through his almighty power which he will manifest by his strong and powerful hand , make them know that they have crucified their king , for which cause they have bin dispersed abroad in the nations ; but now the father of love who is infinite of himself , will in love bring home those , even the jewes , and make them his spouse and choise jewels , together with the gentiles whom he will bring out of their countrey both out of misticall and literall babylon , into their own countrey , even into the land of canaan , a land of rest ; whom the father hath appointed to be in judea , even to make the materiall city which the jews formerly did inhabite , the praise of the whole earth , and the people that shall be gathered thither , to be his choice iewes , and his wife ; which spouse and wife shall consist of all his chosen ones , whom he will bring up into his glory , both iewes and gentiles ; and how it will be his pleasure for to make others be quiet , and ly in peace , and will not let them come to disturb them , but will confound and plague them terribly , with such a blow that shall make them amazed , so that they shall not know what to do , but shall be glad , yea they shall think themselves happy if they can be at quiet and ly down in rest ; for the power of the mighty god of iacob , even the infinite iehovah shall be seen to be amongst them , so ( that they even the iewes ) shall not need to be afraid of any , but they shall ly down in peace and take their rest , and none shall make them afraid ; this will be the state and condition of sion , that shall be gathered together to the city ierusalem ; glory and light shal shine upon them , when darkness shall cover the earth . curteous reader , let not the strangeness of these things make thee hard to believe , that such things as are here mentioned shall come to pass , by the rudeness of these lines having no eloquent termes to set them forth , and by reason of the weakness or contemptibleness of the writer of this peece , which must prove a torment and a fire to burn and torment the gods of the earth , and every thing that hath bin idolized of or by men , they haveing set their fancies more upon outward objects then upon the all of all things . but rather let these times move thee to pitty , and softness and tenderness of heart , with a yearning bowels of pitty and compassion to thy poor fellow-creatures , who are destitute of the outward creatures , and perhaps have not bread to eat , or any drink to drink , or cloths to cover their nakedness , i say , be moved to all thy fellow-creatures with such pitty and compassion , as to relieve their wants , and if thou hearest any cry in the streets for the lords sake give me a peece of bread , give him , and turn not thy self away and say thou hast nothing if thou hast , lest the lord turnes away himself from you , and you cry , and he will not hear ; as thou didst hear the poor cry and would not ; for know that pure religion is to visit the widdow and the fatherless , that if you wil indeed appear to be truely religious and not hypocrites , be kind hearted & give up to the relief of those that want . moreover reader , i cannot chuse but minde thee of a word or two , and that is this , you may reade that paul was counted mad , but he said whither he was mad , or whither he were besides himself , it was for their sakes , and so say i , whether i am mad or besides my self , it is for your sakes : as it is the good pleasure of my father for to make me so , that i may give you warning of what he will do , or god in me speaks to you , for to make you cast away your idols and seem to the eye to be less practitioners of religion , that so you may be more fulfillers of your duties , and less hearers then now you are , that so you may be more perfect in doing ; and however you thinke of me , let not the notion of madness possess your spirits , as for you to thinke that i am mad , but rather think it is the pleasure of the father to turn the world upside-down , and so to make use of me as he did of his son jesus christ : and as his son jesus did do things contrary to the custome of the world in those daies , and all the powers of the world was not able for to keep him from doing his own worke , even so i say , the infinite god having chosen me for to declare these things to you , i do not question but he will by his infinite power carry this his own worke on , & none shall be able to hinder him from doing his pleasure . and however you do think of me , as to judge me by your pharisaicall holyness , and are ready to cry out , i have a devil : yet it is no other with me then it was with jesus christ : whom the wise pharises , or those that did seem to be most religious for those formes and customes as were then in use according to the law of moses , which they were loth to be beat off : even i say those did cry out against jesus that he had a devil , and was the chiefe of the divels , and that he were a blasphemer ; notwithstanding he were the only son , sent of the father for to abolish and so put to an end those ways of worships that were then extant ; but they being possest with a fancy of their own , that god would not forsake that which he had given to his servant moses , & so to them for to continue for ever , and so would not believe that the christ were the messias , because he came to alter and change the state and condition of their waies and formes as they walked by , notwithstanding it was the pleasure of the infinite god to forsake those formes although he had given them for to continue for ever , which ever came out so soon as the time was at an end , for to appear in that way , and then to leave that , and so to take to him another : and in forsaking of these formes which he had given them , his son whom he had sent , or his messengers met with many enemies , crying out against him and his apostles or disciples ; and among these his enemies were the learned pharises and priests ; and they did stir up the people for to forsake christ and not to cleave to him , for he hath a divel , he speaks blasphemy , and will you believe what he saies ? and so they cryed out against paul , how he turned the world upside-down , and away with him ( said the learned pharisee ) he is not fitting to live : and if my fathers only choise son met with such hard servants for to deale with him so cruelly , and to tel him he had a divel , it is no wonder in this age of ours why i should ( or any of the messengers of the lord of host that are sent by him ) meet with any other but the same , as to be looked upon as one that turnth the world upside down , & so not sitting to live , by declaring new things ; as if the mighty god of jacob had bound himself to be in one form , and to tarry there for ever , and so it is no more to me why you should call me a blasphemer , and you even you , o destroying priests , that run before you be sent , and so in your pulpits vent your malice as to cry against me , and so to bid people beware of me , seeing the priests in old time , & the outside hipocritical pharise in thosedaies did do it to jesus ; and i say it is no moere to me to be called so by a proud hipocritical dissembling outside pople , that vvould fain appear to be godyl & so for such to say i am a blasphemer , & have a divel ; and thus some doth come as they did to christ , some out of malice , and some out of ignorance , being loth to be deprived of these forms and customs of waies and rules to walk by , for matter of worship , religion being then grown to be more used for custom sake , then for anything else , as it is now aday ; wherby it is high time for the lord of host to appear , and so to take away your life , as your formes and waies of worships now ; and so for not making a right use of them , to deprive you of them , that you may no longer dissemble with your maker which will be but just with god for to do so : for notwithstanding all your formes and waies of worships which you have and walk by , ye are a most eruel and malicious people , full of all manner of hypocrisie , and dissembling with god and with men ; but now your hearts shall be made manifest , and ye shall now appear in your own colours , and so shall be made manifest to all what you are ; for the day of the lord of host is now at hand , to gather his out of mystical and literal babylon , even to gather sion together and so to gather the wheat from the chaffe , and though you do , not believe any thing what i say , as being a people bound up in your own waies , and so loth to be deprived of that food , ready to reason with the mightie creator why he wil reveal or make out himself to one more then to another , & will you say , surely methinks i hear you say so , that if god will make out himself by visions & revelations , surely he will do it as well to me as another , and because he doth it not to me , i do not beleive he will do it to another , and thus oye proud and stout hearted people , that think all are deluded who have visions because you your selves have none , and thus you binde and limit the holy one of israel for to do nothing but what he will first make you acquainted with , and so make out to you , or else you wil not believe ; and not only remain in unbelief , but you cry out against them , they are deluded , and are possessed with a divel , and so wil raile and speak evil against them , and thus you shew your malicious spirits , which rather declares your self to be possest with an evil spirit , or else to walk after the flesh and not after the spirit , for they that are led by the spirit of god , walk in peace , love , meeknes , quietness , soberness tenderness , and full of compassion and pitty , and these desire not to be rash and full of malice , speaking of evil , railing , cursing , judging , and condemning those that are not of the same mind with them , backbiters , adulterers , idolaters , covetous persons , thinking themselves better then others , and these and such as these walk after the flesh , and are the dogs and sorcerers that shall be left without the city , and shal not enter into the gates of the new jerusalem ; for the spirit of god is a spirit of light and love , whereas the spirit of the divel is a spirit of cruelty , and murdering of their fellow creatures and is in darkness : and the reason why i write my name to be jacob israel , is because my name was changed from goerge in in a vision , to jacob israel foster : and so i subscribe george foster . or jacob israel the pouring forth of the seventh and last vial . i saw in a vision a man giving away his money to another , and also giving away food to feed him , and cloth to cloath him . and i heard a voice say , this man lends unto the lord , and that man that feeds the hungry and clothes the naked , lends unto the lord . for he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the lord , saith solomon . o you rich men that have abundance of gold and silver , and corn of all sorts : that hord it up apace , and are loth to feed the hungry and cloth the naked , do you think you do your duty , no saith the lord of host , you do not do your duty , neither do you shew your selves ever a whit kind to me , for if you did , you would not be so eager as to lay up abundance and see your fellow creatures starve for hunger . therefore remember that he that giveth to the poor , sendeth to the lord , but you have not given to the poor ( for by the poor i mean those that are in want ) but ye have rather oppressed the poor , and have caused them to cry , and their cryes are come into mine cares , for i the lord of host to take vengeance on you for your cruelty against me ; for asmuch as you have not done it to one of these little ones , you have not done it to me , which if you had done it , as to cloth the naked and feed the hungry ; and freely disperse to them that are in want , in so doing you had done it to me , and had given me that back which i had given to you : and then you had done your duty in so doing : but because you have hardned your hearts and have heard the crying of the poor , and have not regarded them , but have thought your selves too good for them , and have not laid it to heart that they are the works of my hand , and are made of the same mettle and of the same blood as you are , but have thought your selves too good for them , because of the riches which i have lent you ; and have made your riches and your strength your god , and not me ( saith the lord , ) therefore i will now come and will not tarry , but will come quickly , and will take vengeance on you , and will judge you to be destroyed in my wrath , and confounded and stand amazed at my sore displeasure ; for i now do awake as a giant , and as a man of war to make you houl and weep , and to make you see that the rust of your gold and silver shall now rise up in judgement against you , and shall be a witness to torment you ; because you have not remembered me , as to feed the hungry , and cloath the naked : for i will now reason with you ( saith the lord ) is that which you have your own , or are they mine ? surely you will say they are mine ; for i the all of all things have made them all , yea all the beasts of the field are mine , and therefore you need not be so extraodinarily covetous as to keep these creatures which i lend you for your own private use : for if they had bin your own and you could have made them , then you might have had some colour , and have said shall i make them rich by my labour ? but know this ( o man ) that it is i , and i alone that am the life of all creatures , yea even thy life , and without me you are unable to do any thing , and it hath bin my pleasure to bestow riches on you for this end and purpose , that thou mightest give them freely to those that are in want , and not to make them your idols as you have done . but because you have done so , as to make your riches your idols and your gods , and have not considered that pure religion ( even that religion that is pleasing to me ) is to visit the widdow and the fatherless ; that is , to give and disperse that riches which you can spare to the reliefe of those that have need of them ; and then you had done well ; for in so doing you would have kept saint james from crying against you , but because you have not done it , therefore james bids you houle and weep for your gold and silver even the rust of it , even the rust or cankered stuffe that you have laid up for your sons and daughters portions for to make them rich , while in so doing you have kept back mine , which i sent you for to give to the poor ; therefore houle and weep , for i come , i come . a vision wherein i saw men feeding their enemies , and clothing of them , and so did shew abundance of love to their fellow creatures ; and i heard a voice say that these men do hold forth my image , and do shew themselves to be my sons and daughters in so doing , but they do nothing but what i have commanded them to do ( saith the lord of host ) but i will reward them for so doing , for i will keep them in my love and favour , when i will plague and torment the other that have not done so . if thy enemy hunger , feed him ; if he be naked , cloath him ; for in so doing you shall heap coales of fire on his head : hear o all flesh , for i have a controversie with you , and will now plead with you , especially you that have abundance of riches : have you fed the hungry ? hast thou fed them that thou accounts thine enemies ? if thou hast , thou in so doing hath done well ; but what meaneth the crying of the poor so much ; bread , bread , for the lord sake ? surely this argues that you have not done as you should have done , but have left that undone which you should have done ; thou hast not fed thine enemy , neither hast thou clothed the naked , which thou shouldst have done : thy own conscience accusing thee shall now torment thee ; because thou liest under the breach of that scripture , where it is said feed thine enemy if he be hungry , and give him drink , if he be thirsty : o you rich men , should you feed and cloath your enemies , as this scripture saies you must do so ; how can you think that you are the servants of the most high ? whereas instead of feeding your enemies , you destroy them ; for this is quite contrary as black is to white , surely it is a sin , i know your conscience tells you it is a sin , because you do not fulfil the scripture . if this be a sin , how far greater sin is it when you take from them that that should preserve them from want , or take away their lives ? for you see it is your duty to preserve life , and not to take away life ; it is your duty to feed them , and not to kill them , saith i the lord of host ; who will plague and torment you for not doing your duty , as to give that which you have of mine , ( that overplus which lies by and doth no good ) unto the poor , therefore houl and weep , and crie aloud , for the day of the lord is at hand that burneth as an even , and the wicked shall be but as ashes under the soals of my saints feet : you live like dives in a most voluptuous manner , wearing of the best , and eating of the best , and drinking of the best ; and as he did not remember poor lazarus , so you do not think having your fills of the poor , yea though they cry in your ear , yet you will not give them relief , but will rather see them starve for want of food : how do you provoke me to anger saith i the lord of host ? do you think that i regard you , and you only because of riches ? no i would have you think that i regard the poor as well as you , even so much that i must now come down and destroy you , and give you your portion with dives , even to throw you into my wrath and there to torment you , and so to take away your riches and give them to my saints , even to these poor and hungry souls that are now in great want and misery : houl , houl and weep , for i come , even i that will plead for these poor creatures that you tread under foot , and count them as nothing ; i come and will redeem them from you , and from your powers , and will make you know that i have regard to them , and that they are in my sight as precious as you ; and that i will be such a terror to them that have aboundance of riches , that i will make you weep to think you must part from them , and to think that every one shal have part in your riches ; you shall be so tormented that you shall have but little rest ; for i will make you throw away your idols of gold and silver , and to hide your selves for fear of me , for i am risen to destroy you and bring you to nothing , even i the lord of host , will consume you in my jealousie . i saw in a vision that one rich man had fulfilled all the commands of god but one , and that one was , he was for to sell that which he had , and was to give it to the poor : but he ( like the rich man in the scripture ) rather then he would do so , he would keep his riches , notwithstanding he was commanded to sel and distribute to the poor , and so ly under the breach of gods command ; for the which i saw this man tormented and at length was glad to give up to the poor ; and say , take eat , and fill your selves , for it is not now mine but yours . here you may see the power of the infinite jehovah , and how strict he is to them that fulfil not all his commands . as if he should say , notwithstanding your going to church , and observing sunday , and making a profession of me : and therefore you think that you shall escape my sore displeasure , in that you have done such and such things : but stay , know this afore you have rest , that one of my commands is , that you should sell your riches and give to the poor ; for saith christ go sell all that thou hast and give to the poor , and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : as if he should say if you do it not , it will be unpossible for you to get treasure in heaven , but me thinks , i hear all and every one almost say , this is a hard saying , must we sell houses and lands , and give them away ? what a condition should we bring our selves into if we should do so ? what art thou as can say , shall we give away our houses and lands ? do you know what you say , are they yours or mine ? saith i the lord of host , they be mine , and all are mine , even whatsoever thou hast is mine ; though i have lent them to you it is not that you should only enjoy them , but that you should freely give up to relieve those that are in want , and so fulfil my commandement , sell that thou hast and give to the poor , or else i will torment you as i have done this man in the vision , and will make you be glad to give up and to say , take eat and drink , and fill your selves , for it is not mine but yours ; and will make you know that i will do a strange work now here on the earth , for i will make you to see and know , that i have given unto the creature man , a priviledge for to enjoy the whole creation and so to free them from bondage and slaverie which for the present they ly under , and if you will not freely give up before i come in power , i will make you do it against your will , when i come in power , for behold i come , and will not tarry , in the mean while do not you deceive your selves , and think your selves too good for to give to the poor , for i come and will make you houl , houl ye rich men for the rust of your silver and gold will now rise up in judgement against you , for i come to destroy all things besides my self , and will suddenly take from man his gods , and pictures of gold and silver , and will make them for fear of me give them away ; for i come to take vengeance on those that have afflicted the poor : houl ye therefore that have afflicted the poor , and give up with speed before i take you and throw you into my wrath , and into my sore displeasure ; remember ye rich men that hear the cries of the poor , and come away , make your hands free to give ; remember that these are the last dayes , and that you must now use the world , as if you used it not : do you use the world as if you used it not think you ? that hord up bags of gold and silver , and lay up quarters of grain , when many poor souls are ready to starve for want of them , but is it not to use the world as if you used it not , for to have no more then the present necessity cals for , and so to take no thought for the morrow : therefore up give freely , disperse abroad , and let not the cries of the poor any longer be in mine ears ; but now follow the apostles direction , use the world as if you used it not ; for the fashion of this world goeth : what is the fashion of this world but to strive who shall be greatest and richest , who shall have the most power , and who shall be most applauded , and so have most praise of men : 't is very true that this fashion hath been a long time , but this old fashion must go out , and theremust be a new fashion : which fashion will be instead of striving after riches , giving away of riches to them that have need of them , and so to make themselves equal with the rest , and not to lord it over their fellow-creatures , but willingly do them all the good they can : for whether they be tongues they shall cease , or prophesies , they shall fail ; but charity shall abide for ever ; here the most excellent or the most transcendent things which have bin or are for the present , though little thought of , must go : and whatsoever hath been , must now fly away ; for nothing must abide or continue but charity : the striving after riches must cease , and then there will not be so much oppression as is now , the striving after honour shall cease , and then there will be no killing of men for money , striving after self must cease , and then there will be no envie or malice , as to fight one with the other ; striving after learning must cease , for tongues shall in this manner as it is now gotten by humane industry , though it may please god to indue his saints and chosen vessels with tongues at his first appearing or making out himself to them , as he did at the first appearing in flesh make out himself to his apostles ; but charity shall never cease : for indeed when all the other fore-mentioned shall perish and come to nothing , then shall this be fulfilled , and not till then ; for so soon as all things that are now at the present passes away , and all things become new ; then will charity take place and so will abide for ever . i saw in a vision one give away all that he had and would not have any thing as his own , and i heard a voice say , that this man was come up to be his son , and was a true convert , and one that is come up in that dispensation , wherein i will in time bring all , saith the lord of host . lord , lo we have left all and followed thee ; we have left all , houses , and lands , and silver , and gold , and whatsoever was near or dear unto us we have for thy sake sold , and left all : this was the saying of the apostle who was a true convert , but you that are rich think it your honour for to keep your riches , and so to take delight in getting riches : but you see that the apostle left all , and so must you if you will have that love of god and favour that the apostle had , i come saith i the lord of host , and will bring down all your pleasant things , and will bring down all your glory honour and strength , and will lay them down in the dust , i will terrifie you , and plague you , and will make you know that i the lord of host am a consuming fire , and so will make you freely give up that which you call yours , to your fellow creatures , for i have made all nations of one blood , and so will now at my bright appearing make all people equal and alike for matter of riches , and so will take away the stumbling-block of private interests , and so will make the oppressors and the opression for to cease , and will make you know that i the lord of host will do a new work on the earth , that is you shall now know that i will have all men ( after this little while ) be in no want , and so to this effect you that intend to be kept in my love and favour , be not so stout-hearted as to keep back , but freely bestow on them that have need of the outward creatures , and i will come in power , making the rich men houl and weep , and throw abroad , and give away their idols of gold and silver , and be glad to creep into the holes and clefts of the rock for to hide themselves for fear of me , saith i the lord of host . i saw in a vision a tree , and the boughs spread themselves abroad and was very great , but at length i saw one come with a sword and lopped off the boughs , and then cut off the tree in the middle , and at length digged up the roots of the tree , and so the tree fell away and was no more to be seen . and i said , lord , what meaneth this tree ? and my excellent majesty the king of eternal glory , even that alpha and omega , who is the life and fullness of all , by whom all lives , and moves , and have their being , said on this manner as followeth ; by the tree is meant all powers ( great or small ) whether they be popes , or emperors , or kings , princes , dukes , or parliaments ; he whom you saw hew off the boughes , first represents i the lord of host , who will now cut off those superfluous branches , as those that have made themselves rich by earthly powers , and not only them , but i will cut the tree in the middle , even the very heart of all powers in sunder , and so will proceed on for to cut down the very root and foundation of all earthly powers , as is shown by the digging up the root of the tree aforesaid : thus as the tree was digged up by the roots , even so as this tree represents all powers , so will i root up all powers , even i the lord of host , the root and foundation of all powers for the present are set up by the power and strength of men in all nations . it being the good pleasure of i the lord of host that it should be so : and so by the strength and might of men the mankind that are made all of one mold and clay destroy one another , which arises from a fleshly domineering and esau's power , that would raign over their fellow creatures , which power assoon as one is subdued , another takes place , and will do so still , but the time comes , and the set time of i the all of all things is to be at an end , and when the fulness of these dayes shall be expired and accomplished , then one power shall not destroy another to set himself in power to rule over his fellow creatures , no but that power shall destroy all powers besides my selfe , as honour and riches shall be destroyed , and so the root destroyed , that i the lord of host may be all and in all . and the word of the lord came again saying , behold , and lo i saw men and women runnnig together , and every one said , save my god , save my god : as if men and women had each of them a god , which god must now be destroyed , and i looked to see what their gods were that there was such running up and down to save them , and loe , i saw one company , and their gods were gold and silver , but this god was destroyed ; and another company made houses , and another made their lands , but these gods i saw destroyed ; another made their pride and honour , but these gods were destroyed also ; and so one after another they were all destroyed , even all those things which men and women have run a whoring after must be destroyed and brought to nothing : and i said , lord , what meaneth the people to call these their gods ? and my excellent majestie at whose bright appearing all things besides himself must be destroyed , who will now suddenly appear to make men weep and houl for the miseries that are now a coming upon them , said on this manner as followeth , they call these their gods because they have set their hearts more upon these things then upon me and have with all eagernesse run after these things ; but i at my appearing destroys them all , and so will take from earthly creatures those things wherein they have put most trust and confidence in , and will destroy them in their sight , even their gods of silver and gold , and will make them throw away their pictures . and again the word of the lord said , behold , and loe i saw a company of men with their hands upon their loynes , weeping and wayling , crying out for help : and i said , lord what meaneth these to be so feeble and to stand as they do crying for help ? and my eternal god said , these men represent all my enemies , and all my saints enemies , & as they stand with their hands on their loines crying for help , it showes that i the lord of host have stricken them with fear and terror , even i have taken their strength from them , and they shall become as weak as water , even so weak that one shall slay a . and a . slay . for all their strength was taken from them : so that i am confident . wil make nothing to slay if it doth please god to bring his enemies in such a condition : which prophesie i look to see fulfilled in the year of redemtion of the creation from bondage , which wil be a year of jubilee , and this jubilee is at hand ; for i the lord of host comes , and wil not tarry , but will arise like a man of war , tearing and devouring in sunder al my enemies , and wil consum them by the breath of my nostrils , & they shal not be able to stand : for i will tread & trample on them in the fierceness of my wrath , & wil make them come bowing down to the soals of the feet of my saints , & wil give the strength , & glory , & honor to my saints , and they shal rejoice and sing for ever & ever . and the word of the lord came again saying , behold what dost thou now see ? and lo i beheld a woman gloriously arrayed with a scepter in her hand , and she had a maid to wait upon her : and i said lord , what meaneth this ? and my god the most high jehovah , answered me and said , this woman represents the sons and daughters of sion , and as you saw her with a scepter in her hand , it denotes unto you that she hath power and strength over all her enemies , and so is a conqueror over them all , and so hath them in subjection , be her enemies great or small , more or less , so then the time is now a comming that sion shal rejoyce and be glad , and shall sing for joy of heart when her enemies shall stand a far off and weep for bitternesse of spirit , and as you saw her gloriously arrayed , it shewes that the sons and daughters of sion shall have of the best , they shall eat and drink of the best , and wear of the best : not that they shall have the others ( which are those whom god in love doth not make out himself unto ) in bondage & slavery , and so deprive them of the outward creatures , no , but they shal have the use of the creation , as to have their fil with food and al necessaries belonging to the body : so they shal in this sense be their servants , as is shewed by the maid waiting on the woman . and presently after , i saw one in glory with an army following him , and he cut down his enemies a pace , and left none to oppose him , and of a sudden i saw all his enemies destroyed , for this form of glory is the mighty god that is now risen to take vengeance on his enemies and to make them his foot-stool , and his armies are his ministring spirits , by which he will confound all the glory , honour , and strength of men , yea even bring to nothing all the glory and powers of all fleshly powers how high soever they be lifted up , for alas poor flesh what art thou now in my hands ? i am now risen to judge thee , to burn thee up , and so to bring thy flesh to nothing , yea i will not leave thee root or branch , for there shall not be son or nephew , but i , even i the mighty jehovah will make a short worke , for i will work , and who art thou that shall hinder me from doing my purpose ? therefore rejoyce and sing for joy of heart , for behold i come , even i thy king ô sion , shout , shout and spare not ; lift up thy voice like a trumpet , and say my god raignes , even thy holy king of sion : therefore sing aloud , and let the high praises of god be in thy mouth and a sharp two-edged sword in thy hand , and so execute vengeance on them that know not me ; bind their kings and great men in fetters of iron , and execute the doom that is written , even utter desolation upon all the high and lofty ones , bring them to utter confusion , that they may houl and weep , because they have made you even my chosen ones , to be in slavery to them , therefore rejoice ô ye daughters of sion , and shout ô daughters of jerusalem , for they king cometh , and he is meek and lowly , riding upon an as , and upon a colt the foal of an ass , sing and rejoice for joy though ye be never so much despised , he , even i the king of glory coms riding upon an ass , even upon such poor despised & harmless creatures , that are willing to bear any burdens that are laid upon them , even such do i the king of glory delight to appear in , and not in high and lofty horses , such as are puffed up in their high conceits , having a form of godliness , and so runs from scripture to scripture , and by their fleshly wisdom would have it as they please ; no , but even in such do i come , that with a meek and quiet spirit have waited upon me : therefore ye meek and despised ones sing and rejoyce , and go with joy , for behold i come , even i the lord of host , and all your enemies shall be your footstool ; for you shall now tread sathan under your feet , and that by the strength of i your almightiness dwelling in you . and again the word of the lord said , behold , and loe , i looked and i saw the appearance of seven hearts , and they did for a little while oppose one another , but at length they were still and left off striving one with the other and were all united together as one , and so became one . and i said lord , what meaneth these hearts to be thus joyned together of a sudden ? and my almightiness , even the eternall god , by whom all creatures were made , and by whom all creatures shall be brought to nothing , said on this manner as followeth , these seven hearts represent my sons and daughters that are now under several dispensations opposing one another in their judgements , one saying this is the way , another saying that is the way , and so by reason of their difference oppose one another , and it is out of a self-ish disposition that rules in them , one would be fain esteemed above another by reason of his knowledge in the scriptures , which knowledge i am now about to confound , and all their fleshly knowledge , let them go under what notion soever , and for that way of baptisme which is now practised and do hold communion with none but those that are of their own judgements , but are bitter and envious against those that are not of their way , judgeing and censuring them to be a people that slight i the lord of host , and so are not my beloved , and not those whom i will have regard unto , but now in the day of my power , i will take away that stone of stumbling , i will break them and confound them , and so will make them to see that they make much of the shell when the kernel is gone , and will make them to know that those whom they looked upon as not worthy to be called brethren , are the choice spouse of i the lord of host , and so will turne unto the people a pure language , that may all serve me with one consent , i wil even in such a clear way make out my self unto them , that they shal all see and know , and all speak by my spirit . and i saw in a vision all manner of beasts and kinds of creaturs , and i was commanded to slay and eat : notwithstanding they were none of my own , and my excellent majestie the king of eternall glory said , i will make all men know in a short time that what they possess is not their own , but all their treasurs are mine , even i the lord of host will recover my wooll and my flox , even those treasurs which they have made use of , and i will take them from them and will make them know that they shall now be for the use of my saints , even for the use of those whom they do most despise ; and if any say why do they take away my goods , as my corn and my wine , and my horses , and my cattell ? then shall even those whom i draw up into my love and favour say , we have need of them , and we in the name of our creator take them for to make use of them , or the lord hath need of them , and therefore we take them ; and what will you say to this o you great men that have abundance ? this priviledge is and will in a more clearer manifestation made out whereby the saints even poor dispised sectaries shall see and know that all things are theirs , whether it be paul or apollo , or cephas , things present , or things to come , all things are yours , and you are christs , and christ is gods : here you may see that the saints by being christs sons have all things , yea the apostle tels them that all things are theirs , houl you therefore , for the rust of your gold and silver wil now rise up in judgement against you , and it shall now torment you , and vex you ; even it will be such a terror to you , and you shall with speed throw it away , even i the lord of host will make you throw away your idols of gold & of silver , and hide your selves for fear of me , for whatsoever is in the shambles take and eat , for the earth is the lords , and the fulness thereof ; all the earth is mine , even mine it is , and all the cattel of the field , therefore slay and eat , and have all things common , as my saints at the appearing of me in flesh had , and therefore be contented , o you rich men , to give up , lest i smite you with a curse ; for behold i come and will make my saints breake bread from house to house , as formerly they did ; and will make them for to have comunion , and all things common ; so that they shall not say this is mine , or that is mine ; but i will destroy this , and so i will destroy all self in them , and they shall now live in the pure enjoyment of i the lord of host , breaking bread with singleness of heart from house to house : so that my sons and daughters shall live in more union then they do now , for now they are readie to cut and destroy one another for a little silver , which shal now perish and be accounted as nothing : even i wil make all sorts of men freely give away that they have , and be contented to have nothing but what they shall have need of from day to day ; for i wil make love and union to encrease , that the whole earth shall be a treasure for all , and not for some ; so that according as they are in want , they shal have one shal have a special care over another ; for the emnity being taken away , and the curse removed from off the earth , self-love shal cease , and universal love shall flow in , and then righteousness shal look down from heaven , and spring out of the earth ; and there will be no complaining in our streets , as there is now , crying out for bread , bread , for the lords sake ; no , but this noise shall cease , and the saying of james come more into their minds : that they shall now not think it enough to say , be ye warmed , and so give the poor nothing , but only pitty them and feed them with words , but they shal now say , come in , eat and drink with us , for you are the work of the lord , and what we have now you may freely take , for the lord of host hath now made bare his holy armes , and all the earth shall see the salvation of god , and all shall now know and see that the lord hath redeemed the creation from bondage into the liberty of the sons of god ; all men shall be freed from the bondage and slavery they now are under , and shall now begin to see and know that it is a sin to have respect to one in glorious apparel , and say , pray sir come you and sit up here , when you say to one in poor cloathes , sit thou at our foot stool , for i the lord of host will make you all know now that you are all of one blood , and so are all now fellow creatures , and that i have as much respect to one in poor cloths , as to one in gay ones ; and that i will make you know that it s your duty for to love one another , even your enemies ; for if you fulfil the royal law according to scripture , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ; which is not for the present , who art thou that hath fulfilled this scripture that can say and thy conscience not accuse thee to thy face , that thou doth love thy neighbor as thy self ? but rather thy conscience will tel thee , that thou dost not love thy neighbor as thy self ; for if thou didst , thou wouldst not let thy neighbour be in want , but would have as much care of him as thy self ; if thou hast rost-meat , to let him have rost-meat ; and in so doing thou will fulfil this scripture : therefore yea that do plead for scripture so much , and make so gallant a show of religion as you do , consider the scriptures aforementioned , and you shall see that you live far short of fulfilling the scripture : for what soever you would that men should do unto you , even so do thou unto them , for this is the law and the prophets : wouldst thou have men to love you and do you good ? if thou wouldst then thou must love them and do them good : but indeed you will say , why should i love them , they are of a strange opinion : this is but the devil in you for hating your fellow creatures , which must be destroyed and brought to nothing , that i the lord of host may be exalted ; which will not be till i make my strange work come to pass , as to destroy all self and private intrest , of saying this is mine ; and when this is done , then you will love your neighbour as your self , and then you shall see and know with the apostle , that all things are lawful for you , that is as the apostle knew that he might do what he would do , and have what creatures he would have for food and rayment , in that they are all gods : so you shall now know that you may have the use of all , and see all to be yours , and that this is the work of god for to bring in universall love and freedome . and the lord said behold , behold : what dost thou see ? loe i beheld , and there appeared a tree full of fruit ; and the fruit , much like to apples one part of them , and the other part of them like unto peares , and i said , lord , what meaneth this tree ? and the lord said , this tree doth represent christ : that as thou seest fruit upon this tree , and it is very pleasant to see to : even so is jesus christ a tree of life that bears abundance of fruit , and as thou sawest these men and women gather this fruit and eat them , and presently there was new fruit in the room of that which was pulled off . these men and women re-present my sons and daughters , who are alwayes a feeding on jesus christ , and yet cannot make him to leave off bearing fruit : and as thou sawest that these men and women that pulled and ate did live for ever , and were not to dy after it , doth shew that my sons and daughters feeding on me the lord of host , shall live for ever : for as thou sawest that this food was very pleasant ; even so am i the lord of host to those that do delight in me . and moreover this tree doth set forth the tree that is spoken of in the revelations , to be a tree of life that shall heal the nations , for as thou did see this tree appear of a sudden with fruit thereon : even so will i the lord of life , that lives for evermore , appear in such an hour , and at such a time , when most men little think of me , to the destruction of them , and bringing of them to nothing , that so i may appear to be the life of those that do now know me and enjoy me : for by my appearing will i make my self manifest to be the food that every one must eat of : and that all other food , which is not of me , must be brought to nothing : for as i am set forth by a tree , so will i appear in power to the confounding of those that feed not on me : and so will make wast all their gods which they have to feed upon besides me , and all and every one shall be brought to nothing , that i the lord of host may be all and in all , and so exalted above all , to which i say amen . and presently after this there appeared a garden full of flowers , as to my thinking , i saw them like roses of all sorts , and cornations , pinks , and all manner of flowers , and i said , lord , what doth these mean ? and the lord said , these do represent abundance of joy , even the verities of joys which my sons and daughters shall have , even they shall enjoy the most precious and most pleasant jewells that are or can be ; for they shall have the use of all things that are precious , and shall have the enjoyment of all the treasurs of the world , and nothing shall be unpleasant to them , but every thing shall give a good smell , and shall be very pleasant to them making of them to rejoyce , and sing and set forth the praise of me the lord of host : for as these flowers did smel most sweetly ; even so , saith the lord of host , will i by my own power , make all things that appear now to be unsavory or unpleasant , to give a most pleasant smell , and as thou didst see in this garden abundance of green herbes : these green herbes , doth set forth the flourishing conditions of my saints , even of my sons and daughters ; how that they shall grow and flourish in dispight of all their enemies , for their bones shall flourish as an herb , and as herbs be good for all sorts of men and women , even so shall my sons and daughters be good for all ; and by their flourishing and growing up as calves in the stall , it shews that people that are now kept in bondage , even the meaner sort , shall be by the flourishing condition of my sons and daughters , restored from that slavery and bondage as they are now kept under by rich men , so as they cannot injoy the creatures of god so as to have their bellys full even into such a condition shall they be restored as that they shall now enjoy the good creatures of god , and shall have enough of the outward mercies , as for the back and belly so that there shall be no complaining in the street . and presently after this , there appeared one that was very glorious , and he had a cup in his hand , and it was full , and he gave it to men and to women for them to drink , and i said , lord , who doth this man represent ? and what doth his cup signifie ? and what is in this cup ? and my excellent god the king of eternal glory said , by this man , is shewed i the lord of host , and the cup doth represent , that i the lord of host have something for to make men and women drink of : these men and women represent my sons and daughters ; and that which was in the cup , which the men and women drank of was wine ; which holds forth thus much : that it is the pleasure of me the lord of host , to give unto my sons and daughters for to drink-wine : for as much as wine is set forth to be a nourisher and cherisher of the nature of man , and as thou sawest them that did drink of the wine which i gave them were merry , and did fall to singing and to dancing : even so by my pouring forth of my spirit , or my self into my sons and daughters , so as to make my self manifest in a more clear discovery of my self to them , as to make them see and know that i the god of love , and peace , and glory , dwels in them , acts in them , and so doth all things in them , and that i have taken them up for to be my dweling place , and habitation , and that nothing can hurt them or do them any harm without me : will ocasion them in like manner for to break forth and sing , and dance , and leap for joy of heart , being filled with new wine of the spirit : for put new wine into old bottels and they will burst if they have not vent , or else the old bottles will spoyl the new wine : so i by filling my sons and daughters with my self , doth cause a spoyl first to be made in the old bottles , their body , and then afterwards doth cause them to bring forth my self , and so do my will : though it be the pleasure of me their king to act them in such a way as will prove the ruin of their good name , yet they must do it ; for the wine of the spirit must have a vent , or else the body will break . and the word of the lord came unto me saying , behold , and lo i looked , and there appeared a man , and he had in his hand a sharp knife , and he ripped up the bellys of men and women , even of all sorts , under what religion soever they were termed to be : and i said , lord , what is the meaning of this man that doth so as he doth . and the lord said , this man represents me the lord of host , and as thou did see him open them , it showes that i the lord of host have a peircing eye to discern what is in them , and what they are , notwithstanding their outward professions , and outward shows of holiness , yet i the god of gods see all their inward parts , and know their secret thoughts , and the private intents of their hearts , and how full of hypocrisie they are , dissembling with me and men , and how they make religion a cloak for to hide their knavery , even because they may the better cousen and cheat their fellow creatures , and keep them in bondage and slavery ; and also from the enjoyments of the outward creation , which i have made for man , that they may have the use of them , of the outward creatures , and so live comforatbly by enjoying the fruits of the earth ; for the earth is the lords and the fulness thereof , and al things are mine even mine ; therefore the crying of the poor , and the hypocrisie of all sorts of men , makes me make hast to declare that i the lord of host am now coming to judge the world with righteousness , and so to give them every one according to their deserts : but shall the son of man find faith on earth when be comes ? no , he shall not , for though i do declare my self by my servants the prophets , whom i stir up for to make out my self unto them ; yet i find and do see ; that amongst all sorts of men there is but little faith , for to believe that i the lord of host am now ready to appear in power , and in glory , and in majesty , for to confound and bring to nothing al powers beside my self , and so to make bare my holy arm in al nations , and so to lay open all mens hearts , and make them see their folly for dissembling with me : for as thou sawst them opened , and when they were opened to thy view , though before they seemed to be very white , yet even the most purest , especially those under the name of presbyterians and independents , who seemed very white , that is , they had very magilded outsides , as forms and ways of worships , as observing of the sabbath , and being zealous for they way of worship , even so zealous , as to judge , censure , and condemn those that were not of their opinion ; yet notwithstanding al this , their hearts are ful of hpyocrisie ; shewed by the blackness that was within them , and so instead of serving me , and bringing glory to my name , they make use of religion to serve their own ends , being as covetous , and as proud , and as ful of ambition and cruelty as those that make no profession at al ; and likwise the church called the anabaptists are linked much in your name , more for to make a shew of religion , then to serve god , even i the god of gods , out of love , as is showed by your harsh judgement and censureing those that do out-strip , or those whom i the lord of host am pleased to take up higher then you ; as such as are deluded and deceived by fancies , and by the divel , as it doth appear by your cruel words and speeches against them : therefore saith i the lord of host , who sees your outward professions , and knowes the secret thoughts and intents of your hearts , how that you do strive for to exalt your selves , and so to make your selves great , and are ready for to dissembly with me , the lord of host , as though you knew not any god at all ; for dissembling , and lying , and cheating that raignes amongst you , and amongst all sorts of people , ye have hardned you hearts as if the lord had spoken to you , and had told you that you shal never fal , and so you prompt your selves up in your ways , which i the lord of host must destroy , even your church ways , that so i may torment you , and purifie that blackness that remaines under your gilded professions , and so draw you up unto me , even to a more neerness and oneness with me , that so lying and dissembling may be taken away from you , and so make you deal plainly with god , and with your fellow creatures ; and for the rest even those of the world , that have no knowledge of me , i must torment them , by destroying their gods , and bringing of them to nothing : yet i must tel you , that they are in one manner not so much to be blamed as you ; because they know nothing ; therefore i look that they should perform nothing : but you that know something , and profess me , and act and walk contrary to me , you are but dissemblers and hypocrites at the best ; for you know that you must love all men , and yet you hate all that differ from you in judgement , and so deserve to be a little more tormented for dissembling with your selves ; i promise you you shal be tormented ; and though the world and you be given to dissembling and lying , and to eat and drink , and marry , and give one another in marriage , as the people of old did , it is but what our saviour jesus christ did prophesie should be the condition of you in the last age ; but as i the lord of host did forewarn my creatures , even man , and all creatures from destruction by my servant noah , and made him a preacher of righteousness , for to tel them that destruction was coming upon them , and that they for their wickedness must be destroyed : even so have i now , even i the lord of host , raised up a man , or two , or three , yea twenty , to testifie that i the lord of host wil shortly appeare , to confound and destroy all things by myself , as i did in the days of noah : for the wickedness of this generation doth surpass the wickedness of those that were in those days , but as my servant noah was mocked at , and laughed at , and also derided for telling of them that destruction was at hand , even so it is my pleasure now to send you a declaration , by one whom i have stirred up , and commanded him to put it in print , that you may see that i the lord of host wil come & confound you , and bring you to nothing , and destroy your gods , even your idols of gold and silver , & wil make you throw them away : but hang it say you , this is a delusion , the divel is in him , & so hath filled him ful of fancies , and hath distracted his braines , & hath made him mad , and so wil rail against him , and revile and speak all manner of evil against him : this i know you wil do , as they of old did unto my servant noah : but remember that that day as noah went into the ark which he builded , and all his family with him , and also all sorts of creatures , even then i the lord of host did begin to poure out upon them the fierceness of my wrath , as i had told them by noah , so you that mock , and laugh , and revile against my messengers now , & say the day of the lord is not at hand as yet , for him to do such things , ( and therefore wil not consider for to relieve the poor , and let the oppressed go free , and so to breake the bands of wickedness but wil stil persist in the evil of your wayes : as if you had no warning at all ; even for your own selves , when you think safty , and cry peace even then sudden destruction comes upon you , even when you little think of it , as it did upon the world of old , and then wil i torment and plague you for despising my messengers and servants , and wil be a terror and a dread to you , and you shal houl and weep , and my servants shall sing and rejoyce for joy and gladness of heart ; for as noah and all them that went in with him became one , and of one family , and all the creatures became one , as being in union and love one with another , even so wil i now make all creatures , especially my sons and daughters , for to eat and drink together , and so to be of one family , and of one houshold , having all things common ; and wil also make you that now revile them , be stil and silent , and in pain for doing so , and i wil make also all the creatures to be at love and peace one with the other , as they that were in noahs arke together , so that there shal be peace and union . and the lord said , behold what i wil shew thee ; and loe i looked , and there appeared a man , and he went up and down , gathering men together : and i said , lord , what meaneth this man togather men together ? and what men are these ? and my eternall god said , this man represents i the lord of host , gathering my people together : and i said , lord , what people ? and my god said , the jewes , that i may bring them in to believe on my name , and so to make them come with weeping and supplications , and and make them know that they have peirced me , and so have not bin in my way as to see and know that jesus christ their king and saviour is already come , but their eies have bin blinded and hardened , so that they could not see as yet : but though they have fell , yet i the lord of host , wil graft them into the vine again , and they shal see and know that i have according to my promise sent them a saviour and a king already , whom they have crucified , and i wil now make them see and know that they have crucified the king of the iewes in their own land , for which cause i have dispersed them , and made them to be a people scattered in all nations ; and all people have had them at command , so that they have bin the reproach of the heathen , and all the heathen or aliens from me the lord of host , hath persecuted them , and have shed their blood , but i will now even in the fulness of time open their eies , that they shall see and know , that they have crucified christ their king , whom all their prophets made mention of , and all their leviticall observations did typifie out : which king they shall now see was not to come at that time to deliver them from bondage of other nations , but shall now even at this time which is to come , see and know that all faces shall be made black with paleness , and a noise from a mongst them shall come forth , that the lord hath founded sion , and the poor of the people shall trust in it ; even i will make my people now come with singing , and with rejoycing , because i have opened their eies , and have taken out their stony hearts , and have given them hearts of flesh , even such hearts , as they shall no longer denie that jesus their saviour is come , but shall confess that he is come , and that they have crucified him ; and so shall see that i have caused them to be in such a condition as they are now in : for it was my good pleasure that it should be so ; but now will i rise , and will show my power for to redeem them from this egyptian bondage they are now in ; even as i did appear for their fathers of old , and did bring them from the land of egypt by my mightie and strong hand , by my servant moses , whom i did stir up for that purpose : even so will i make my power seen in all nations , by stiring my servants up , and also by sending them a leader for to lead them , as my sons of old had , and as all kings and great men fell that opposed them , even so will i make all for to fall and perish , and become as weak as water , that so i may bring you into your own land again ; and all those that hinder you or rise in armes against you , shall be drowned in my wrath and sore displeasure , even as pharoah of old was drowned in the red sea , so i will set me glory and honour , and will make you appear to be kings and conquerours , through me that love you ; and so wil bring you into your one land with joy and gladness , and there will make you for to ly down in peace , and to be at rest , when i will torment and trouble all nations that have fought against you , and they shall weep , and houl , and cry out for sorrow of heart ; but i will make you my chosen ones , and also them whom i wil bring up with you , and have called them by my name , to come and go up to the height of sion , with everlasting songs , singing and rejoycing with abundance of joy , in that i have created jerusalem a joy , and her people a rejoycing : for i will make a new heaven , and a new earth , wherein righteousness shall dwell , for i wil make desolation , and wil destroy all things that are now at the present , and so will make all things new ; new in respect that i have gathered you out of all countries , and have once again brought you into your own land , for to make you the joy , and the praise of the whole earth ; and the place and land where i wil in glory delight to dwel ; and so wil make all your enemies come bowing and bending and submit unto that hath and wil stil bring you in the everlasting joy , where all is joy , and all shal be joy and peace ; so that they shal bring ( even your enemies ) their treasurs and riches , and the fullness of the gentils shall be brought in : rejoyce and sing , and shout o ye daughters of jerusalem ; for behold , i will come , and will take all sorrow from you , and ye shall see evill no more , and i will make all your enemies your foot-stool ; and all evil shal cease from amongst you , and i will make the dayes of your mourning to end , and so will make everlasting joy to shew it self , and you shal sorrow no more : behold i come , even i that wil save you from all sorrow , and from the cruelty of men , and wil make bare my holy arm , and all the nations shall see the salvation of god , even all people shal see and know that i have redeemed you , and saved you , and have gathered you from among the heathen , and have brought you into your own land , there for to make you the praise of the whole earth ; and all the glory of nations shall be brought into it , even into that city , where nothing but righteousness shall dwell , and all dogs , and sorcerers , and whosoever they be that have not right to the tree of life shal not enter into this city , even into this new jerusalem , which shall be made the praise of the whole earth ; for this jerusalem consisteth of all the sons and daughters of sion , who shall be brought out of all countries , and out of all nations , into this land which i have chosen , for to make my self a glorious name , and so to make my name a terror and a dread to all that come not into this city ; for without are none but forcerers , and such as makes a ly , as dogs and such filthy creatures ; for dogs are a most beastly creature , and seem to be a creature good for little , even here such as are to be left out are compared to dogs ; for all dogs are cruel and envious , and are ready to destroy themselves by fighting one with another , and also their condition is , they alwayes are grumbling and snapping one at another , as striving for mastery ; so are these people that are to be left out of this city , a people who have given themselves over to rule and domineere over their fellow-creatures , and would have all in subjection to them , and they would be lords , and so would have their fellow-creatures in bondage to them , and keep them as servants and bond-men , even for to work and labour for them , when they themselves have all the joy and pleasure ; but now , even upon such dogs , that have risen from cain and nimrod the mighty hunter , that have hunted , and also have catch their fellow-creatures in their snare , and so esau-like , would have all in subjection to them , even upon such shall my hand fall very heavy , as for to plague them , and so to punish them , that i may make them know that my time is now at hand , for to give redemption to my creatures , especially to my sons and daughters , whom ye esaus , and great men , have kept in bondage and slavery , and so to make them a joy and rejoicing , singing for joy and gladnes of heart , where ye esaus brood that have a long time raigned over them , shall be trodden as straw under foot , and be fit for nothing but to be left without , even without my joy and love , because of your sorceries , because of your estrangness from me ; counting all your pleasurs and happines to be in things here below even in outward substance , treasuring up gold and silver , which hath bewitched you from the truth , and would not let you hear that the best and cheifest commandement is , for to sell and give to the poor , but when this hath buzzed in your eares , and your own conscience accusing you for it , you have like the young man in the gospel , as you call it , which fain would go to heaven , and so have rest , but loth to fulfil our saviours command ; sell that which thou hast and give to the poor , and so thou shalt have treasure in heaven , as if my son christ had said , do not you think that by observing a little outward way of worship , and so walking on in formes , and making an outward profession of religion , having a forme of godliness , that you shal enter into my rest , not knowing that you are bewitch from me , in that you make so much of an outward estate , as of houses , and lands , and also of gold , and silver , wherein you put more trust and confidence then in me ; therefore it is but just for me the lord of host to deal , or to give you such a hard lesson for you to learn , sell all thou hast and give to the poor , for they have need of it , even of my mony , & , houses and lands ; which if you do not , you are like to incur my sore displeasure , and so to be deprived of my rest , for not submitting to this my command ; which is one of the greatest commandements , as that thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self : but o thou proud esau , and haughty lucifer , that exalts thy self above thy fellow-creatures , what saies thou to this ? do i command thee for to sel that which thou hast and give to the poor ? and thou instead of doing so , dost quite contrary , even the oppress them , and cousen and cheat them , and bring them before the judgement-seat haling them to prisons , do you think for this that i will be as , wel pleased with you as if you had done what i commanded you to do ; sell that which thou hast and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ? which if thou dost not , i will shut thee out of my love and favour , and so thou shall not enter into the citty wherein my glory shall be manifested , and made for to out-shine all the glory of the world , because thou art disobedient to me , and wilt not love thy neighbour as thy self , according as i have commanded thee to do , but dost still persist in hording up of corn , and mony , and all the best of the things of the world for thy own private use , and so will not give to the poor , but doth count thy honour for to have abundance of the riches of this world , and wil live very gallantly , & go in the best , and eat of the best , when thy fellow-creatures have none of the worst , whom i love as well as you ; but o! thou proud esau that exalts thy self above thy fellow-creatures , i wil reason with you , how or wherein dost thou fulfil my wil ? i commanded thee , for to sell that thou hast , and give away , but that thou hast not , done : thou wilt have houses and lands of thy own , and gold and silver in bags and chests , when others have none ; and wil not if you hear one of your fellow-creatures cry for the lord sake give me something , you wil turn your eares from the crying of the poor , and wil tel a ly too , and say , you have nothing , when you have something ; though they asked in my name , yet you wil not give ; though i command thee for to give all that thou hast ; but thou wilt make a ly to save that which i have commanded thee , even all you that have abundance : to give unto thy fellow-creatures : for lyers are and shal be without : and again how dost thou love thy neighbour as thy self , when thou eatest of the best , and drinks of the best , and wears of the best , and lives at ease , freeing your selves from hard labour , which thy poor neighbours are made for your cruelty over them to undergo ? therefore consider this , left i take you away from your own pleasures , as you cal it , from eating of the best , and drinking and wearing of the best , and instead of it , give you ragges to put on , and the worst for you to eat and drink , even curse your dainty things , and make all things become gall and worm-wood ; because you break this commandement of mine : love thy neighbour as well as thy self : which if you did fulfil , which is my pleasure you should ; then would you give to your poor neighbours such things as your selves have : if you your selves have rost-meat , then would you give them rost-meat , or see that they have rost-meat ; if you your selves have good drink , then would you see that they should not drink water , but have good drink : if you your selves have good cloaths , then would you see that they should have good cloaths , and so would not let them go naked ; but would be like my servant job , give bread to the hungry , and clothes to the naked ; if you your selves have ease and rest from labour , then you would not see them labour like horses , and take no pitty of them ; neither would you then give your selves over to be so cruell and hard hearted , as to make slaves of your fellow creatures , whom i command you to love as wel as your selves : but here you may see how you slight me , and how little you regard me ; instead of doing what you should do , you do that you should not : i command you for to love your neighbour , and instead of my command , you hate your neighbour : but do you think this may serve my turn , or that i wil be pleased for you to do so as you do ? no , i wil not be pleased with you , unless you fulfil my commandements , as in love thy neighbour as well as thy self : which if you did , you would ●●●●●…te them : but you may say , they are my enemies , and shal i love them as wel as my self ? though they are your enemies , it is my pleasure that you should love them as wel as your self : love your enemies , saith my son christ , bless them , and pray for them ; that you may shew your selves to be like my father which is in heaven : but if you do not love your enemies , neither your neighbour , it shewes that you do not fulfil my command ; neither are you like me , who loves all , and causes my rain to rain on the unjust as well as on the just : but you cannot abide to hear of these things ; to let your neighbours be as your selves ; by reason of that proud flesh , that rules and domineers in you , as to make you think better of your selves then you are ; esau-like ruling and domineering over iacob , but i will cut you short , and wil make you , notwithstanding you go to church , and here sermons and have your children baptized , as you call it , and observe sunday ; that you have disobeyed my voice , and have not walked humbly with mee ; and so you are no other but sorcerers , such as must not come into my place where i will make my name known more then in any place , which shall be jerusalem the citty of the living king ; whether i will gather my sons and daughters out of all countries , to go thither and you that have loved to make a ly shall be shut cut even with dogs and sorcerers , and so having no right to the tree of life must not enter into the citty : but they that have right to the tree of life , shall enter in , even into my rest and joys , for the jerusalem which i have built , and wil gather my sons and daughters thither for to be tire place which i have appointed to be the glory of the earth ; and all the nations of the earth , even the great men , as wel as kings , and nobles , and others , that heap up corn and money , they shal bring their treasures and jewels thither , and i wil make them to rejoyce in me , and i wil joy over them and rejoyce in the midst of them ; i will be their god , and they shall be my people , even my chosen and peculiar ones , in whom i have delighted to dwel , and wil dwel ; and make them to be ful of joy and glory , even the glory of all the world ; and all the world shal become subject to me i the lord of host in my people , in my bride and spouse and chosen peculair ones , in whom i wil manifest my self to be a god of power dwelling in them , and they shal dwel in me , and they shal know that i the lord of host dwel in them , and wil make them to be a terror and a dread to all people , and all people that shal hear of my infinite goodness , which i wil manifest to them , shal even weep and houl , and knaw their tongues for pain and anguish , which shal fal upon them , being sensible of that joy , pleasure , delight and glory of that love and favour which i wil make out to my chosen & peculier ones , and nothing shal more torment them then the seeing and beholding my almightinesse ruling in them , making others to be as nothing in comparison of them , this i say shal torment you , even you o proud and stout ones , that are loth to be pulled out of your throns of glory , as to be deprived of that self & fleshly ruling power which in you , but though thou art to be deprived of it , yet thou shalt even of a sudden , yea in an hour when thou art ready to cry peace , peace , and so to flatter thy self in thy own fleshly pampe , to strive after riches and honour , and so to get thy self a great name : as when you have a bundance of oxen and cowes , and two or three farmes and perhaps bushels of money keeping poor creatures under you , even thy fellow creatures ; thus crying peace , and see no likelyness of a change , thou wilt not be mindeful of what i send unto you : but wil make slight of this businesse ; not remembring paules expressions , when you cry peace , peace , behold sudden destruction is upon you : even a consumption to all your outward glory , for a fire is kindling from me the lord of host , which shal enter into you , and burn you , until all things are according to my wil and pleasure ; for this fire is my spirit , which shal burn up all your fleshly pompe , and riches , and houses , and shal bereave you of all your gods , even your gods of gold and silver , and of worships , and houses , and lands , which you have made iodls of : even i the lord of host wil consume your glory , and honour , and wil lay it to the dust ; and thou self-interest that saies this is mine , and that is mine , shal utterly be consumed by my bright appearing , and i wil make you throw away your idols of gold , and silver , and also your lands , which now you possess , and your oxen , and horses , and all things , i wil make you say they are the all of all things , even mine the eternal god , and so say to your fellow creatures whom now we have made slaves of , we have nothing of our own , for if this be not sufficient warrant or message for to make you relieve the widdow and the fatherless , and so disperse abroad , telling of them it is yours and not mine ; i wil come with a far greater torment , and will appear in such fury , that i will make you think that you see the devil standing by you at all times tormenting you , and plaguing you , because you do not give up : therefore give up before i destroy you in my wrath and fury , for i am now risen to cal all my stewards to an account , even you mighty ones unto whom i have lent much ; but finding of you to be very cruel to your fellow-creatures , and that you have not dealt faithfully with them , i come to judge you , and to cal you to an account ; for your wickedness is so often in my eares , that i can stay no longer : therefore i pass this sentence against you , o rich men ; that i wil utterly destroy you , and bring you to nothing , yea i wil torment you day and night , that so i may make you know that the last dayes are now at hand , which my servant paul spake of , even the day is now at hand , that they that are married , shall be as if they were not , and they that use the world as if they used it not : why so , as if you should say ; the same apostle gives a reason ; for sayes he , the fashion of this world passeth away : o you rich men , leave off hording of gold and silver , least the rust and canker rises in your conscience , and so makes you hang or drown your selves , and so you run your selves into a pit of misery , even into hell , for the married shal be as if they were unmarried ; that is , i by my bright appearing wil so powerfully manifest my self , that i wil be a sharpe two edged sword , cutting and devouring in sunder all the waies that have bin acted contrary to me that is now on foot : for i wil gather my own together from the power of their enemies , that if any of mine , whether man or woman , be joined together to one , that is , of my stock , nor wil have no heed to my voice , if it be a man , he may freely leave his wife ; if a woman she may freely leave her husband , and in my sight do it lawfully , because the time is now at hand that those that are married are as if they were unmarried & i for this end and purpose , even i the lord of host wil have it to be so : that i may seperate the just and unjust , that i may gather my sons and daughters out from amongst their hateful enemies , and bring them into their own countrie ; which shal be the jerusalem that now lies wast : but it shal be inhabited once again , and made to be the praise of the whole earth : therefore flee every one of you out of babylon , for her judgements are great and reaches to the skies ; and go you up into your own countrie , and there declare the praises of god : first i would have my people go out of babylon , which if they do , they must not tarry here , or in any place wherein i do not appear for to speak to them : but come you my sons and daughters out of babylon , your captivity , and bondage , and come with me out of this confusion , and out of these false waies and governments , and formes of worships : for i must pour out my judgement upon them all , and i wil plague all them that wil hinder you from doing my wil , as to keep you that you shal not come from them , even every thing that they have shal be a divel to them , especially to those that do not give up and say to their poor fellow-creatures , these oxen , and cowes , horses , bread , wine , corn , cloath , and all things are yours , as wel as mine , but when i have brought you out from amongst them , even into your own countrie , then you shal be at rest ; for it is sion , the place that i have chosen to dwel in , and wil dwel in , even in your o sion , whom i will by my strong hand bring back into your own land , even you jews which at the present seems to be a people scattered and peeled amongst other people , even you wil i bring , with the fulness of the gentiles ; and wil make you rejoyce , and sing , and leap for joy , for the lord , the king , the holy one of israel is in thee , even in every one of you , and none of you shall see evill any more ; o what a bundance of joy wil here be ! o you jews naturall , that have a long time bin strangers , but are now called in , and grafted into the true vine again , and for you also that are gentils by name , but are taken up with the love and favour of god , even i the mightie iehovah , for you shall be both of you united together , and be but one body and spouse of the king of glory : from whom i the king of glory have wiped away all evil , and you shall see sorrow no more ; but shal rejoyce in me , as a bride doth in the bridegroom , and so also will i rejoice in you , as my wife and bride and thee only in whom i do delight to dwel , when others shal be tormented and grieved with my sore displeasure , and with that work , i am about for to make them do : which is for to make the riches which they have made gods of , become devils to torment them that they may remember the words of paul , the time is coming that they shall use the world as if they used it not : but o you rich ones , how do you do at this saying , you must use the world as if you used it not ? which if you did , you would not do as now you do , lay up treasures for the rust and canker to get at , to be a witness against you , or for you ; to lay up great store of riches , is to use the world as if you would never part from it , or as if that should never be taken from you , which i tel you , it must be taken from you , and you also made to throw away your gods of gold and silver , and also all other things , as to claim no right to them more then another man ; in so doing you may be said to use the world as if you used it not , and not while you do so , wil this saying be fulfilled which shal surely come to pass , for the fashion of this world passeth away , but how may it be said , that the fashion of this world goeth away ? the fashion of this world passeth away when that which was once in high esteem goeth out , and instead thereof there cometh a thing that is in opposition of what was before ; that which was highly esteemed of before , now grows out of date , and that which was not before comes now in , the fashion of this world hath bin in whole and in generall amongst all sorts of men under what notion of religion soever , to get riches and strive after them with all eagerness , as may be thereby thinking to get in estimation of the world , and so to be in great esteem among the rich ones of the earth , and also the fashion of this world hath bin to ly , cousen , and cheat , and also to make war one with another , one fighting against the other , with all might and strength , and only through a self and private interest , which hath occasioned so much blood to be spilt , and also hath occasioned many poor creatures to starve for want of food , and others have bin driven to extream poverty , as to steal for something whereby to keep life in the body , and all this hath bin done by the pleasure of my own self , even i the lord of host , who hath and wil suffer the things of my appointment to run their own course , until they come to their end , but now these things being allmost at an end , the word must become new , new in respect of what is now a coming on the world , that as the world hath former ly strived after , shal now become lothsome and abominable & most men shal see & know it to be so , for riches shal now be a hook which shall be readie to choak , those that have them , and so they shall see their folly in laying up treasurs for they know not who ; for what treasurs soever , or how much soever they be , must now be brought out ; for the day of the lord is at hand , which will consume all things besides himself , and so wil make that a plague which formerly hath bin the joy and delight of most men , even of all men : for former things are passed away , and all things must become new , for this ierusalem mentioned so often in scripture , must now be established above the hils and mountains , which formerly hath bin kept under by the power of man , but the world passeth away , gold and silver that hath bin made gods of , wil now be as plenty as it was in solomons daies , and as there were no beggers in israel , so now there shal be none to beg any more ; for former things are passed away , the saying this is mine , and this is mine , shal not long continue ; but at the end there shal be a change , which shal be very suddenly , to the amazement of all world-lings , and those that make riches their god , for these things go out of date , for now the time is at hand that we shall follow the practise of the apostles , and so shal hear them preach , and to break bread from house to house with singleness of heart , and so shal not so much look to our selves , as to let others be neglected , no , but we shal see to others , that they shal be in no want , and so shal have no want of any thing , which if we do , then shal we not only talke of denying our selves , but we shall wholy deny our selves , and shal not seek our own good , our own i say , and not another , but with all willingness seek the good of others , as being fellow-creatures , and all of one blood , made of one and the same mettal ; then shal wars and contention cease , and nothing but love grow and increase , and spring forth in abundance ; for i the lord of host wil make all my enemies to ly down and be at rest one with the other , so that they shal ly like a lamb and a sheep together ; and as for bears and wolves , they shal be taken away , that there may be no devouring , but there may be perfect peace , and love one with another ; for though i do gather my saints out of all nations to go to one place , even to jerusalem , so that they shal be freed from their cruel enemies , yet wil i also make such a work in all the earth , that oppression shal cease amongst them ; even those that are not brought into my love and favour , shal live and be quiet one with the other , and shal have all things common ; but for my saints , which have right to the tree of life , and so enter in through the gates into the citty , shal not be twain but shal be all one , both of one heart and one minde ; for i the lord of host , wil preach to them , and they shal hear me preach , and shal learn knowof me , even so much , that they shal see and know that they possess all things , and enjoy all things , and so have all things at command ; for this tree of life is my self , which if a man eats of , he shall live for ever , and also this tree of life , is in the city ; which city may be taken two waies , either mystical , or literal , mystically , the saints makes one city , literally , it is the jerusalem where my sons and daughters shal be gathered together ; the gates of this city is my power , which all must be indued with before they can enter into it : for the tree of life is my self , which will be there for ever , keeping of them , my sons and daughters alwaies in a continual supply , so that they shal have no want of anything , but the riches of the gentils shal be brought into this city , even into this new ierusalem , whose children shal be all righteous , and nothing but righteousness shal dwel there , nothing but the pure & chosen vessels of my love shal be there even with singing , & dancing shal they come thither , and leaping for joy , for the lord hath founded sion , and the poor of the people shal trust in it : o sion shout , shout and sing for joy , for all people shall tremble and quake for fear of thee , even for fear of thy most excellent king , i the mighty iehovah that dwels in thee , and i wil make thee to be famous , and thee to be desired far among all people ; this word shout , shewes abundance of joy , joy unspeakable in thee , shout and be glad , nothing but rejoyce and sing : let sorrow and sighing , and whatsoever hath formerly troubled thee , be now turned into joy and gladness ; i tel thee , that thou shalt be made the praise of the whole earth ; even thou ( o sion ) that hath bin scattered and driven into all nations , here and there one , but now i have founded sion , even thee , o sion , wherein i do delight to dwel , and will bring thee into my own place , even into a canaan of rest , from all thy hateful enemies ; so that thou shalt no longer be here and thereon , no , but i wil bring you all together , both iews and gentiles , and i wil make you to be both one , rejoycing in you , and wil be married to you , and you shal be my spouse , and my wife , who shal alwaies be feeding on the tree of life ; and so i wil make you live for ever : for all my joy and delight shal be in you , and i wil be your tower , and rock , and wals , and salvation for you ; and in that day you shal say , we have a strong city ; salvation will god appoint for wals and bullwarks ; even a free universal liberty from all sorts of enemies both within and without , and nothing but joy and love all being knit together in love , rejoycing in love heaving so strong a city , and all manner of precious things being there , even such a city and place for delight , that there shal be none like it in the world ; for nothing but joy wil i give you , and wil make you for to rejoyce in me your king of glory , and you shal be as so many kings and princes that shal reigne here on earth , every one of you no less then a king , that shal have all nations in subjection to you , by my mighty power which i wil manifest in you , i wil make you to break the nations in peices like potters vessels , even into , shivers shalt thou dash all thine enemies , whether they be turk or : pope , or any other countries , for all shal become as weak as water ; & i in the midst of you wil shew my self to be strong and powerful ; even so strong , that i wil make all nations to be silent , and sit stil , and let you alone , and instead of making wars against you , they shall beat their swords , and spears , and their weapons of war into pruning hooks , and the nations shall not learn war any more ; but i wil make them say , come let us go up to sion , and they will teach us their waies o what a bundance of glory wil i give unto thee o sion , that nations far and near shal come up to thee to be taught of thee ; and indeed they shall have great need , for i wil empty all other teachings of men , and all shal be barren , so that there shal be no perfect rest but to those that come to sion , where i the lord of host wil be the a lone teacher , and wil make them all to know me , even from the least to the greatest ; not only know me , and cal me god , because of my power being seen , in that i have made the heavens and the earth , for this knowledge of me all men have , yet they are ignorant of what i am ; which my people that dwel in sion shal know ; they shal see me in my glory , and know me what and where i be , they shal see me every where , and know that i am in every thing , and that the whole world is but a garment to cover me from the visible sight of men : and thus wil i appear in my people , gathering them together , where i wil manifest my self unto them , and raise them from the dead , even all israel from this death of sin and corcuption ; and wil make them to be partakers of the second resurrection , on which the first death shall have no power ; and so all israel , even the whole house of israel , shal be gathered together in righteousness and in truth , and they shal glory and rejoyce in me , even in mount sion ; yea even the place where my son jesus was transfigured and changed , so that his raiment became white and glistering , and the two apostles seeing of him in this condition , said it is good to be here ; for the glory that was seen there , which was but a resemblance of my gathering my people to sion , and so making them to be as one , and when i had so gathered them together in the last daies , there to make my glory shine in a more lustrious and glorious manner then ever i did when my son jesus was on the earth , for his being transfigured and shining so bright , shews forth abundance of light and glory that shal be manifested to you now in these last daies ; for as soon as he was in garments that were white and glistering , it shewes that i wil appear to be a light , and a more excellent light to you then yet i have bin , for the glory was so great at the transfiguration of my son , that made his disciples say , it was good for them to be there : even so shal my appearing in you and glathreing of you together , shining in you , and among you in so glorious a manner , rocking you a sleep in my glory , shal make you say it is good for us to be here , even in this place where it is thy pleasure we shal be ; for here shal we be in the same condition as the two dissciples were in ; for at the transfiguring of thy self , made them to say , it was good for to be here , by reason of the more transcendent glory they saw far more then they did before , notwithstanding they had a long time bin in jesus his companie ; so that notwithstanding those glorious discoveries which you have had of me , and those glorious breakings forth of light which hath bin among you , wil appear to be nothing in comparison of that light and glory you shal have when you are taken apart from the people , as the two apostles were had in the mount , even then shalt thou see a more glorious discovery of me , when thou art taken wholy out of babylon , and wholy from all thy enemies , and brought up into the mount even into jerusalem the place which i wil adorne with all manner of precious things ; as jewels of gold , and pearles and precious , stones of all sorts : and i wil change these glimpes of light and glory which thou now hast , and these little sparkes of light , into a full and perfect view , wherein thou maist see clearly my light and glory , and so these sparkes become coales of fire that shall appear in a more fuller manner to thee then ever they did before ; which wil be in such an extraordinary manner that al things else shal become nothing in comparison of this glory which i wil now make you to see . and whereas jesus was transfigured before his two disciples , and they saw him in glory , and he was not alone in this condition but they did see moses and elias talking with him , this is a mistery which shewes , that i the lord of host appearing in my bright and glorious dispensations , which wil now be , i shal appear alone ; but as moses and elias was with christ when , he was transfigured , even so shal moses and elias now be with me in my bright appearing to you ; and not only moses and elias , but all that have bin my faithful servants , even the whole house of israel shal appear in glory , and you shal see and know them that they are moses and elias , and the rest of my saints , whom i have now raised up to come and be with you , and have given them a body as i have seen good , and enoch of old prophesied ; the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints , so now wil i come ( not only with ten thousand , but ) with all my saints to gard and keep me company , and so wil make my name a glorious name , and a memorial for ever ; and i thus appearing in glory and majesty , wil make all my enemies to tremble and to quake , when they shal hear that i the lord doth raign in mount sion , and that i have brought moses and elias , and all the rest of the prophets thither : there for to make thee rejoyce in me the lord of host , clothing them with my self , and making them for to appear in glory , giving them a revvard , that they shal come and be in my love and favour , and that they shal now rule over all their enemies , and all their enemies shal be but their footstool , and they shal now tread and trample that wicked spirit which hath often persecuted them , to nothing ; and so now shal appear to be kings and conquerours through me that love them : here is but a glimps of that glory which you shal enjoy when you come to sion , when you see me and all my saints with me , rejoycing in me , and i in them ; but how ever know this , that sion shall be made the praise of the whole earth , and all glory shal be there , even all manner of precious things ; and all the nations shal ly down in their dust and be brought to shame and confusion and the lord alone shal be exalted , and wil magnifie himself , and wil get him glory and honour over all his enmies , and so wil bring to nothing all those that have opposed him , and wil make sion a scourge and a torment , that shal torment all nations , when they hear of the love and favour that i wil do to them , and when they hear of that glory and beauty that i wil make to shine amongst them ; and when they hear of that priviledge that i wil give you , o you sion ! that you shal alwaies rejoyce , and sing , and shal dwel in peace , and he of one heart , and of one minde , glorying in me , and rejoycing in me , and blessing your selves in my name ; and shal see nothing but joy for former things be passed away , and all things now become new , nothing but righteousnesse dwelling among you , and the glory of me the lord of host overshadowing you , and keeping of you from sorrow and weeping ; having redeemed you out of the hands of them that were stronger then you , and have made you now stronger then all your enemies , and all shall lick the dust of the soles of thy feet , and cal thee , the sion of the lord , the holy one of israel ; and whereas thou hast been forsaken that no man went through thee ; i wil make thee the glory and excellency of many generations even the joy and delight of the whole world : a place wherein there shal be nothing but singing and rejoycing in god ; even in me the lord of host , who am the all of all things . and the lord said within me , behold , & i looked & there appeared three suns ; and they were one above another ; the lowest was not so glorious as the midlemost , neither was the midlemost so glorious as the highest ; for the highest of them did outstrip the other in glory ; and did shine so gloriously , that it did darken and put out the light of both the rest ; for i did see that the midlemost had put out the light of the first , even so that it did scarse shine ; but the highest did so gloriously shine in such a bright manner , that the lesser lights were but darkness to that . and i said , lord , what meaneth these suns , and one to be so bright over the other , and so to darken the rest ? and my god said , that these three suns hold forth three dispensations , one of them more glorious then the rest , and as they do appear unto you in glory , so did they shine for the time of their being ; and the first sun doth hold forth the first dispensation , even that , which was given by me the lord of host to moses , even that law that was written in tables of stone , and the children of israel had amongst them ; therefore as i did appear to my servant moses in such away as to give him a table of stone wherein was written all my statutes , lawes and judgements , as i commanded my people israel to observe and keep , as the observing of the seventh day , and the offering of sacrifices , and the slaying of the pascall lamb , and the giving of them by tribes an inheritance , that they should not deal with other nations , as to make marchandise with them , were but all tipes and figures of the appearing of my son christ in flesh ; and so it was but a darke dispensation , in regard that it was but a dispensation that did hold forth christ to come in the flesh ; and those that lived under it at that time until christ had lawes and commandements for to observe ; which they were never able to keep or fulfil ; so in this respect it did shine gloriously for the during or continuance of that time they were to continue ; because they my people israel , had lawes and ordinances which all the nations besides them had not , and so god did not deal with other people as he did deal with them ; as the psalmist saies , god hath not dealt so with other nations as he hath dealt with us : that was in regard of my love and favour which i had to them as for to make choise of them at the first ▪ & so did take them as a peculiar people from the nations , to whom i did commit my oracles : yet this was but a weake dispensation , because it could not give life to them that did keep them ; but those that were in the account of me the lord of host , it was by looking to my promise ; even to iesus christ , which i did promise life by ; and so when the fulness of time came , that my son iesus was to be made manifest in flesh , and was borne , then the dispensation of types and figures ceased , and was not to be ; but was put out by the appearing of the second sun ; which was the second administration , even christ a saviour coming in flesh amongst man , and so was by power declared to be the son of god ; herein even i the lord of host did appear most gloriously to the people in that age , by giving of my son iesus and his disciples povver to do and work miracles , which continued so long as my son was visible amongst them in flesh , and then it ceased as he ceased from being amongst them ; and this administration , was to continue for a time , as moses were , for all the lawes , and waies , and rules that are contained in this second administration , as given out by iesus in the flesh as he were , was but to continue for a time ; which time was to last so long until all the kingdome shal be delivered up into the hand of the father , that he might be all and in all ; that is at the end of this administration , i wil take the power uuto my self that is i wil make my self manifest in such an extraordinary way or manner , as wil appear to the confounding or putting out all other lights besides my self ; as the third sun did appear very glorious to the rest , so wil i in this administration of making out my self , or preaching my self in my sons and daughters , make my glory for to shine in a more extraordinary manner then before i did , for though i by my bright appearing in my sons and daughters , and in the world , at the time that my son was on the earth , did so powerfully operate in them , as that they must needs hold forth my image of love , for it is love that holds me forth more then any thing , and love it is that is the image of god , and i the god of gods did make them shew love one unto the other , by making them give bread one to the other , as they did ; and so went from house to house and break bread together and had all things common , this was but a tipe of that great work which i wil now do , as for to make not only my sons and daughters live in love and peace , and union , but also wil make their enemies to be at peace with them , and wil make them weary of their idol gods , as gold , and silver , and so wil take from them that oppression that hath raigned from time to time ; and this i vvil do in my bright appearing in my sons and daughters , that shal see me to be their life and joy , and so to have nothing in worth or esteem besides my self , and so wil make them to be the city or temple that shall have no need of mens light , or candle-light ; but i , even i their god , will be their light , and so wil speak and preach in them peace and joy , and so wil free them not only from looking after creature objects , but wil wholly draw them up to live in me , and wil make them to see that they are dead , and cannot eat or do any thing , but all their life is i the eternal god dwelling in them , and causing them to hear a word behind them saying , this is the way walke in it ; and so the new covenant shal be written in their hearts , they shall all know me from the least to the greatest , and they shall sin no more : at by my bright appearing or making out of my self to my people , i wil make them to know me , and all the rest shal know me , for i wil be a terror and a dread to them , and so wil make them to be afraid of me , and know me by my power that i will exercise over them , when my sons and daughters , even the new jerusalem , shal see former things passed away , and all things become new ; all those things which formerly were sin to them , and did trouble them , to be no longer so , but new , and all sorrow to stay away : then it wil and shal be to them that laugh and mock and revile my saints now , a fear and a dread , whereby they shal be in misery and in pain for doing so as they have done , for i wil appear very glorious in my sons and daughters , i will destroy them all , even all their enemies , even within and without , so that they shal not sin , but shal be wholly seated in liberty and freedome , and shal do nothing but my pleasure , and i wil joy in them , and they shal joy in me for evermore . so that in this third and last dispensation , god wil appear so gloriously in his people , that those that god is not wel pleased for to make out himself in love unto , shall acknowledge that these are the sons and daughters of god , and so shal cal us even the saints , the ministers of cod , and the preists of the lord , such whom the lord hath raised up to be restorers of the breaches , and making of pathes for to dwel in ; for my work is now to make a seperation for them , says the prophet ; then shal ye return and discern betwixt the godly and the wicked , for i the lord of host in this last age wil make a clear distinction , by manifesting my power , and by destroying all things besides my self ; so that i wil make my saints to shine as stars in the firmament , by my bright appearing in them ; for i the day star , being risen in their hearts , wil occasion all darkness to vanish away , and will make them shine so gloriously , by giving them a new name , which none shall know , but them that have it ; for i wil make up my jevvels in that day , and wil make them to shine illustriously , that i wil make the wicked acknowledge of a truth , that god , even the eternal god , dwels in them , and wil now be worshipped in spirit and in truth , without forms , and rules , and ways , which hath already been : but by my teaching in them , i wil make them to give up themselves to me ; and so to rejoyce in me more then ever they have done as yet , i wil fil them with my spirit , for i being of as great power as i was of old , so that they shall now see and know with cleerness , and speak as the spirit moves them , and talk as i act in them , even in such a sure way as my servants the prophets did of old , for my hands are not yet shortned , but can do such a work stil as to make my saints no longer doubt and question what they say , but shal surely say the lord speaketh thus , and so shal speake infallible once again , and not to doubt , as they do now , and have formerly ; for i wil now open that mystery that hath been sealed up with seven seals , as a token of darkness , yea perfect darkness : which mystery wil be opened now the seven last trumpets sound , and the last vial is now a pouring forth , which mystery is only god appearing to all in all ; and i the god , even the eternal king , taking my power my self , as to make all become subject to me , and not to formes , and so to make my self known that i dwel in men , and so wil preach in men , and wil cause other preaching which hath been in my offence to cease ; and i alone wil preach and speak to men , and wil tel them this is the way walke in it , when they turn to the right hand or to the left hand , when they are going astray from me , then i wil speak to them for to make them come in the way which i would have them to walke in ; which if rightly considered , wil make my sons and daughters greatly for to rejoice to see their god eie to eie , or to hear him speak in them , it wil save abundance of trouble ; as it wil make them leave off runing after broken cisterns that can hold no water ; and also from runing from mountain to hil , and so finding no resting place : o saints here is a resting place for you , leave off gadding abroad , and runing after other lovers , for i am your rest , and your dwelling , and be silent and sit stil , and i wil speak in you , yea even i wil speak peace to you , and no good thing i will withhold from you ; and i wil shew you where i make my flock to rest and ly down at noon days , and where i lead them to the lively fountain of living waters : o this place of rest , and place where i make my flock to rest , is for to bring them up in to me and then they shal finde a canaan , a rest indeed , and a river of living water , which shal never be drie , but alwaies flowing forth with life and nourishing , joy and comfort to you that are thus brought up from all creatures , and so only wait for the speakings of me the lord host in you , which i wil surely do to the abundance satisfaction of your soules ; and you shal hear of it , and so shal ly down in ●…est when others shal go about to seek rest by outward objects , and shal finde none , or by looking after outward things , and none shal come . and i saw a vision wherein is shewed that there shal be gathered out of this land a people that shal go to jerusalem , and also the iewes that are dispersed in all nations shal be gathered together , to go with them , and also a remnant of people out of all lands , that shal go to ierusalem ; that so the saying of the prophet might be fulfilled , that all nations shal go and worship at jerusalem , the vision is as followeth . there did appear a pair of scales , and within each seale a weight , one of them being a great deal bigger then the other , and it was to me like lead ; and the other being a little one , and like unto silver , was too light for the other for a while , and so the great one weighed it up , and held it for a while up ; but at length the scales turned , and the little weight weighed up the great weight ; and the great weight fel to the earth , and was no more . and i beheld that out of this little weight there came men and women , and i said , lord , what meaneth this scale , and the hand that holds them up , and the weights in them ? and my god even the eternal king of glory said , the scales signifie the earth , in whole the material frame of heaven and of earth , and the hand by which the scales were held , is shown my power by which i have erected them and so doth stil hold them up from falling down , the weights signifie two peoples , or two powers , the wicked and the godly , or the earthly powers , or my power ; by the great weight is set forth the earthly powers , and also wicked men , which have had powers and have ruled over my sons and daughters a great while , as was shewed thee by weighing up the little weight ; and so have kept my people in bondage and slavery to one thing or other , as to the rudiments of this world , and traditions of men ; but as the scale turned , it shewes a turning of things upside down , and as the little weight waighed the great one up , for as much as by the little one is meant my sons and daughters ; and made the great one fall to the earth , and so to be no longer , is shown a destruction of those thieves that were , and that which were not , is now to come to pass ; as the powers of the earth and wicked men have ruled over my saints , the time is now come , they shal do so no longer , but must become subject to my people ; for the kingdomes of the world shal i now give to my saints , and they shal possess them for ever , and all the might , and majesty , and glory , and strength of men , shal be nothing in my sight , for i wil bring down the proud and haughty looks of men , and wil lay them low , even to the dust , that they may no longer be ; for i will now stain all the pride and glory of man , and make man appear to be but dust and of no strength , that i the lord of host may be exalted , and so become all the povver and strength of men . and whereas thou didst see men & women come out of the little weight , & sprad themselves abroad , & as they went darkness vanished away and light encreased much ; these people are my sons and daughters , vvhom i vvil stir up to go to jerusalem ; and out of this nation there shal go some , even the principal and chiefe leader of them shal be an english man , vvhom i have already chosen for to do the vvork of me : and also vvil i at this appearing stir up the jevvs that are of the natural seed of abraham , to go vvith him in their ovvn country ; and i did see also that vve that should go up should meet vvith many enemies , as moses did vvhen he brought the children of israel out of egypt , before they could get into canaan ; but as god destroyed them all before moses , and loshua and made vvay for his people then ; even so vvil he novv do the like , for he hath chosen one vvhich he hath indued vvith povver and courage ( like moses ) to be a leader , and god himself vvil fight our battels , so that al our enemies shal be made a prey to us in vvhat country soever vve pass through ; and vvhen god shal be pleased for to bring us up to jerusalem , then the lord vvil make all the inhabitants to run avvay , and so the all of all things vvil give us houses that vve builded not , for to dvvel in , and orchards and vinyard : vvhich vve planted not , for to eat the fruit thereof : and also in this vision there vvas shevved me one that vvas measuring a place , and it vvas to build a material temple , and the lord said it should be built , and i did see it built , and it vvas like unto pauls , and there vve vvere to meete tvvice or thrice , and then it should be destroyed ; and of a sudden i savv it destroyed and laid desolate , that vve should no longer meete there in that material temple ; but should worship god even the eternal king of glory , in spirit ; and presently after this , i savv al that vvere there , both men and vvomen fal dovvn to the ground as if they vvere dead ; but of a sudden i did see them all rise up , and so vvere as it vvere changed to a more glorious people then they vvere before , and they should never dy more ; and after this , there vvent a lavv out from amongst them into all nations and countries , for a law shall go out of sion , and so these vvere shevved me to be the bride , the lambs spouse and wife , to vvhom all nations shal become subject , and shal not lift up hand or foot against them , for they shal be a terror to all the earth , and all the earth shal be afraid of them , and shal vvillingly let these that are aftervvards a coming up , come up vvith ease and quietness , and help them forvvard in their vvay ; after this i savv all tears were wiped from them , and they should sorrovv and vveep no more ; but all things are now to them become new , and everlasting joy and gladness of heart , singing and rejoicing in god ; god speaking in them , and teaching them , and being the light of them , both by day and night , so as all darkness shall vanish avvay , and all become light ; and so they shal all of them be of one heart and one minde ; and after i looked and beheld , and i could see nothing but pleasant orchards & gardens , ful of fruit , and making a most pleasant smel , and all there food after this change vvas nothing but the fruit of the trees , and that they may have at any time , for as fast as one vvas pulled off , another appeared in the roome presently , and so there vvas abundance of plenty , and joy , and pleasant musick , and no more sorrovv and sighing ; but all rejoicing , freed from sickness and pain , & living in the i enjoyment of eternity ; & the joy and glory of this happiness , the more i go to relate i● , i shal but darken it , and so i leave expressing any more . and again my eternal god said unto me , behold , what dost thou now see ? and loe i looked , and there appeared a woman all in white ; and presently after the woman , there appeared a man , and he took the woman and carried her round about the room ; and when he had brought her round , he brought her in the midle of the room , and set her upon a high place , even the highest in the room ; and i said , lord , what doth this woman set forth unto me ? and the eternal god , even my father , the king of eternal glory , said , this woman doth represent my church , my spouse , my wife , even my peculiar and choise ones , whom i have brought up to see and know me , as i am the eternall being of all things , and how all things have their right being from me , who am the life all things , and for whom all things were made and created ; and as she was in white , it doth set forth , that i the eternal god have washed her from all her sins , and have taken her from all her foulness , and so have made her white , even so white , that she shal see and know now that all her sins and iniquities are pardoned and blotted out , and shal never come into my minde again , and so she shal know , even my wife , the spouse of my youth , even from all eternity , the peculiar and choise ones , and shal novv sin no more , but shal be like me , even so as i am , so they shal be , when i have gathered them out from al their enemies , into the place where it is my pleasure for to bring them , even into judea , for this is the place of my rest , and the place where i wil cause my spouse , even my wife , for to rest ; and so to be free from all her enemies , and so shal live in peace , and in quietness , resting in me , and lying down in peace , being sure that i their king wil preserve them from all their enemies . and this man which thou sawest take the woman and carry her round the room , sets forth me the lord of host , who by my own power wil do whatsoever i please with my spouse , my wife ; and so wil be controuled by none ; but wil do what i please for to do , and who are they that shal hinder me from doing of my pleasure ? and as thou sawest the woman carryed round ; it shewes forth me the lord of host , who wil by my own power go round , even the round world , and there wil appear in all places of the world where my sons and daughters are , and so by my almightiness , even by my infinite strength , bring my sons from them ; and as thou sawest the man after he had brought the woman round , carry her stil until he had brought her into the middle of the room , so wil i by my own power , not only finde them out , my sons and daughters the jewes only ; but i wil also bring them by my power into judea ; which is the middle of the world ; and as thou sawest the woman which doth represent my sons and daughters , set in the middle upon a hil ; even so wil i by my ovvn povver bring my vvife , vvhich are the jevvs , and gentils , vvhom i have chosen , into judea , and so wil set them above all hils ; even upon the proud hil , and they shal rule over the proud hil-flesh , and fleshlyness , even over al the nations ; and all the greatness of the earth shal be as nothing in my sight in comparison of them , even my chosen ones , whom i have purposed for to bring out of the countries ; where now they be under their enemies , and so wil free them from their oppressors ; and so they shal be by my mighty power , brought into a canaan of rest : again i the eternal god , even the infinite iehovah , by whom all things subsist and have a being , and i only am the life of all things ; therefore be ye not now as you was before in bondage to weak and beggerly elements , and so to be led about by the tradition and rudiments of this world , which shal perish and come to nothing ; but arise , and shine ; for thy light is come , and the glory of i the lord of host , is risen upon thee ; arise from all those foolish things , even from all things that you have lived in below me ; arise , i say , from out of the dust of the earth , and from that darkness which ye have formerly lain in , arise i say , from all death and sin , and from every thing that hath kept thee at a distance from me , and arise from all and every one of thy enemies , whom i have stricken with fear and with terror , and whom i have made to be afraid , arise i say , even ye o jewes , who are by nature the true olive branches , and once were broken off ; because of unbeliefe that the gentiles might be grafted in ; arise , i say , from that unbeliefe , to believe on me ; yea , i say , thou shalt be grafted in again , notwithstanding the unbelief , and hardness of heart ; and though thou hast bin as a woman grieved in spirit , and forsaken , having lost thy first husband , yet thou shalt now be found again , and instead of mourning and garments of sackcloth , i wil cloath thee with joy and gladness of heart , and thou shalt mourne no more ; for the daies of the mourning shall be at an end ; and instead of garments of sackcloth , i wil adorne thee with ornaments and with jewels , even the best and chiefest among all the rich treasures that can be found thou shalt be adorned with ; for i do bid thee arise from all former troubles and sorrows whatsoever thou hast bin subject unto , even from all manner of slavery ; as being servants and subject to the pleasures of kings and other great men , yea from the pope and turke ; arise saith the lord of host , for thy redeemer cometh , that shall turn away ungodliness from jacob , even all those things that you in my absent have busied your selves about , shal now be destroyed ; and all , yea whatsoever it is , must now by my bright appearing be brought to nothing and confounded , that i the lord of host may be all things ; therefore arise from death , yea every thing that you have bin acted in ; arise from them , for the time of the resurrection is now come , that you shal be raised from a condition of sorrow , and trouble , and slavery , and death it self , into a condition of joy and gladness of heart , and of life it self ; whereas formerly you have bin at the command of men , and so they have had their wils of you , it shal no longer be so with you now in this day of the resurrection : but on the contrary , you shal instead of being their servants , and at their commands , becom lords over them , and they shal withall their treasures , come bowing and bending unto you , such is the alteration that i wil now make here on earth , to redeem you out of the hands of your cruel enemies , and to bring you into my promised land , the place where formerly i did make out my glory and my name to your fathers of old , which was the people whom i did chuse out of all nations ; and so did bring them into that land where i did make my power and my name known , which was but a type of that glory which i wil now make known unto you & to my chosen servants the gentils ; whom i wil bring with you into this place where i the lord of host doth intend to hold forth my glory in a more powerful manner then ever i have done as yet ; and in a far more glorious manifestation of my self then ever i have done as yet ; even in so clear a discovery of my self to you , whom i wil bring up into the place of my glory , and the place where i wil make my self known ; and as formerly all were subject to my servant david , who was king of the jewes , even so shal all people be subject to you , whom i have appointed to bring into judea , for this is your resurrection ; i wil now raise you from all sorrow and trouble , and so wil set you free from all your enemies ; and wil make you the praise of the whole earth , and al the nations shal see and know that i have chosen judea to be the place of my rest , where i wil make my stocks to ly down at noon dayes , even in the heat of the misery of the nation wil i make the jewes and the gentils whom i wil bring up by my mighty power shal ly down and be at rest and so be in quietness and so wil cause the work of righteousness to increase , and it shal take effect , and the fwork of rightousness shal be quietness and assurance for ever for or my people , even for you o lewes and gentils whom i wil bring up into judea , and my people shal dwel in peaceable and quiet habitations , even in such peace and quietness after this first resurrection , that al your enemies shal be destroyed from you , and shal not be suffered to come to you or against you by no meanes , for there shal not be a canaanite in my house , even in this city jerusalem , or in the limits of your abode , but i the lord of host wil destroy them al , that you may be at rest , and so enjoy me without any let or hinderance at al , for wil i graft thee into the vine again ; and so wil raise thee up to thy former condition ; even to be my peculiar and choice ones , to whom i wil make out my self in a glorious dispensation and manifestation of my love and favour once again ; so that i wil make all thy sorrovvs to be forgotten , by reason of so glorious an enjoyment of me , vvho am the alpha and omega , and hath novv raised you up from from the dead , and from a condition of darkness into light . arise , and not only arise but shine , make it appear by your condition , that you are not only risen from the dead , but you have also light come into you ; therefore shine , and be not so dark as you have bin , when you were dead , and in your enemies hands , no , but be on the contrary ; shine , hold forth the glory of me your creator and redeemer , who have ransomed you from the hands of them that were stronger then you , shine , and let my glory be seen upon you , for they shal be afraid of you that hate you ; shine , ye therefore , and be like so many stars that shines in the firmament , and glister like so many as the only people that are redeemed from death to light : for thy light is come , i am your life and light , and by being absent from you , your condition was a condition of death and darkness , and you were compassed about with abundance of sorrow , by being scattered abroad in the world ; but i who am your life and light , even i the mighty god of jacob , am now risen to bring you into your own country , even together , ö daughter of sion , shout and rejoyce , and cry aloud , sing and make merry , and be glad in your king , who am now risen with mighty power , for to bring you into your own land ; therefore rejoyce and sing , for thy light is come & sion that vvas scattered abroad ; but now shal be gathered into your own country , even into judea : for the glory of the lord is risen upon you , even my glory is risen upon thee , for to bring thee out of a strange country ; and as pilgrims and sojourners into your country , there for to make my glory and light shine and rest upon thee : for the glory of the lord is risen upon thee , even upon thee ö captive daughter of sion : for to make you see and know that i have purposed to bring you into your own country once again , and there to make thee the praise of the whole earth and the earth to see and know my power by which i do things , saith i the lord of host ; who hath caused my glory for to arise upon thee ; for you have now a more surer word of prophesie , to which you do well to take heed , as to a light that shineth in a darke place , until the day dawn , and the day star arise in your hearts : this was given to the church in that age , who was to observe the word of the apostles then and at that time , they being but babes and children , & so had a rule for to walk by , which rule the apostle bids them take heed unto , that they walke by it : for how long ? even saith the same apostle , until the day break , until there be some further appearance of light , a more glorious dispensation then now is , and the day star in your harts , that is until you do see & know god dwelling in you , and so do see & know christ , who is the bright and morning star : to be one with the father , son , & holy ghost : but one god dwelling in you , who is your life and strength , and so to see this god in love , to be your all and in all , and the very life of all things : til then you being weake , have had need of a writen rule to walke by , but now you have no longer need of any thing to walk by , no not the scripture to walk by ; for i even your king and lord , wil be unto you scripture , and law , and rule , and ways , and formes of worships , yea i wil be all : arise and shine , for thy light is come , and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee , even my glory shall now shine upon thee , for to make thee the praise of the whole earth , and the joy of all the nations , arise and shine , for behold darkness shall cover the earth , and gross darkness the people ; arise , shine , your condition wil and shal be happy , saith i the lord of host , who hath made my glory to shine upon you , even upon you ö sion ; whom i wil gather into judea from amongst other people : but i wil tel you one thing , even you whom i do gather up into judea : for behold this , darkness shall cover the earth , and gross darkness the people : even when you shal see light , and walk in light , and have light to be your guide , and have my glory shining upon you , even then shal others , the earth , be covered with darkness , for there shal be no clear light , and sun shining upon the earth , even upon those that come not up to worship me the lord of host in jerusalem , but instead of light , there shal be darkness , and instead of breaking forth of light , there shal be a mist and a cloud that shal overspread it self for a while , so that they that go not up to jerusalem shal not have that clear light , neither shal they see and know that glory which i wil and shal make out to you ö sion : for you ö sion shal eat , and drink , and be ful , and have the bread of life , and water of life , when they that come not up shal be in want , and shal be hungry , when sion shal be ful ; for i wil take away all their food , even their formes and wayes of worship , and wil utterly destroy them and bring them to nothing ; for these things , as forms of worship have they had some comfort in using them ; but i wil leave these dispensations wherein i have formerly appeared , and wil make darkness cover the earth in this sence , for i wil deprive them of all their formes and church governments ; for i wil forsake them , and they shal receive no benefit by them , even darkness shal cover them , that they shal not see light in them , even gross darkness , even such a darkness wil and shal light upon poor creatures that walke by forms , and so think to be carried to heaven upon the sholders of their priests ; but darkness , yea such darkness that both priest and people shal be amased ; for they shal be driven out of their common-road , and so shal be forced to seek a new way , even this darkness shal light upon those that are malicious and ful of envy , and so would of a sudden destroy their fellow creatures ; darkness wil and shal overcome such ; for though they preach and pray , yet al wil not save them , but that they must be destroyed and brought to nothing ; for saith the lord of host darkness shall cover the earth : there wil be no clear sight of god , and no clear sight of my way : for they shal not come to my knowledge , and so to the enjoyment of me here or in any place , but where sion shal be gathered together , even my people , whom i have raised from the dead , and so wil bring them up to sion , at ierusalem the city where formerly i dwelt , which is in judea , and there i wil make them shine , and be the glory of the whole earth : and after this first resurrection that they shal have for to be raised from a condition of death and slavery , into a condition of joy and life , where the second death shal have no power over them : for this is the resurrection wherein i wil set you free from all death : and you shal dy no more , for i wil be your life , and you shal live for evermore , for now shal appear the sign of the son of man coming in the ayre : which sign of my coming , is now , forasmuch as i the lord of host , doth begin to declare unto my servants what i do now intend to do : for this ayre where it is said , then shall appear the sign of the son of man , is not meant only the ayre above , but rather that ayre which is in this earth of yours ; for as your bodies are earthy , so are they aëry , for they , even your bodys , are not compounded only of earth , but of aire , and so i appearing in your bodies , and so making choice of instruments for to do my work , and my strange worke , that is my sign , or the sign of the son of man coming in the aire : which sign is for to give people warning of what i intend to do , that so if i find them not doing what i would have them to do , they may the better be judged by me : and so punished for not doing of what i would have them do , for the appearing of my sign , is to declare unto them that i am coming to judge and destroy all things in man , especially in my saints , besides my self , and so to raise my son up from that grave and place of imprisonment , as now for the present lies in : even to restore her to life , that she may dy no more : for blessed are they that have part in the first resurrection , on whom the second death shall have no power : it is a most joyful saying to them that have themselves raised up to be brought into such a place where they shall die no more : which will be at the place where i have appointed to make my self glorious ; and so vvil appear in my glory , and so make my povver knovvn , by being a god of povver , vvho have raised up sion from amongst their enemies , and have brought her into her ovvn land , even into a place vvhere she my wife and i must be married , and so they shal live for ever , and never dy no more , for my sion shal be changed , & so shal become nevv ; for the old man vvhich for the present they carry about them , shal be destroyed , and the nevv man christ shal come forth ; and so they shall live for ever , and never dy more ; and so after this they shal be as the angels of god , as my son christ said , that should neither marry or be given in marrige but shal live in the ful enjoyment of me , vvho am the lord of host , that lives for evermore , for vvhen they are brought into the ful and perfect enjoyment of me , and be at peace vvith themselves , so as they shal never marry or give themselvs in marriage , according to the customes of us , novv these customs shall vvholy be destroyed , and a nevv one shal come in , that they shall live in pure and perfect enjoiment of me their creator , and so shal have the use of those vvhom i appoint together , and so shal have the use of one another . for the angels that neither marry or give themselves in marriage , are not any created substances besides man , as to be in a place above the skies , keeping of me company in one place : yea though it is true , the angels , the good angels as you cal them , that left not their first estate , do keep me company , and are where i am , and where i be there they be . for these angels made mention of , and also them made mention of in peter , that left their first estate , and so are reserved in chaines of darkness unto the great day : are no other angels then what is in man . for i the lord of host made man purely good , and before he fel , he was holy , just , and upright , being a pure angel of mine , and so one that should never dy if he had continued in the condition as he was set in : but it was the pleasure of i the creator to set him in such a condition as i knew wel enough he should fal : for had it been the pleasure of i the lord he should have stood and so have lived for ever ; for if he had stood and lived for ever , then should not my power have bin seen so much as it is now : for this adam was made good and just ; and all things in him , and all things besides him were good and not evil : but yet notwithstanding out of this adam who was made good and just , did proceed a serpent for to beguil eve the weaker vessel , and this serpent was not a serpent , a creature that poisons , and so lives as a creature , no , but this serpent was within eve and adam , and so was somthing from adam degenerated from its institution , from what it should be , to what it should not be ; and that is this , as adam was made good , and no evil was to be seen in him , as i the lord of host hath declared at the first : but that i the lord gave him reason , and knowledge , and wisdome , which in themselves were very good : for by these things he did differ from the beasts , and from every living creature ; and by these things , as reason , knowledge , and wisdome , did he give unto every creature which i the lord god had made , and also did he know the nature of every green herbe , and of every thing , as to give them a name . thus was adam in his first estate good , furnished with every thing , and so did live in paradise , even in god , and so had the pure and perfect enjoyment of the creator that made him ; but it did please me for to let him alone , and eve especially , being the weaker vessel and not able to contain her self in that condition , as to know much and do little : but she did put her self forward in a way for to eat the apple that she was commanded to let alone , for she had so much reason , wisdome , and knowledge , as that she knew wel enough that if she did eate of the fruit she should have bin as god ; and this the serpent , who being a more subtil creature then any of the beasts of the field was , did urge eve for to eat of the fruit : which serpent was no other but that reason , wisdome , and knowledge , which is the spirit of men , and women , and is in man very good of it self , if man had but power for to keep it under , from going about to do that it should not do ; and this was the only serpent that made eve to eat of the forbidden fruit : even that reason , knowledge , and wisdome that was in her , for that reason , and knowledge , & wisdome , that was in her , did degenerat from what it should do , and did do what it should not : the degenerating from what it should do , was its pride , by doing what it should not do : as it was given her for to know how she should keep & perform that she had a command for to do . it was good in its self , but instead of keeping , she breaks the command , & that by being beguiled by the serpent ; which is no other but her own reason , wisdome , & knowledge , as her god had given her , even i the creator : & so this reason , wisdome , & knowledge , which was a good angel , & the angels of god in adam & eve , by knowing more then they should have done , and so by presuming to go higher , even to be as god , like me their creator , this reason , knowledge , and wisdome , which was good and the good angels of god , even i the creator of all things did for presumption , turn it from what it was , even from a good angel or spirit in man , into a serpent , a wicked angel , an opposer of i their creator ; and so i did cast this wicked angel , even this wicked reason , knowledge , and wisdome , which became wicked , for presuming to go higher then it should have done , and so for this end and purpose did i the creator cast out this reason , wisdome , and knowledge , for opposing me in eve , and in adam , to be kept in chaines and in bonds of darkness , until the day of judgement , which chaines and bonds of darkness , is no other but giving it up to its own course , and so to let it run its own race in runing from me , and then giving it ever now and then a touch of my power and glory , which i do cause them to behold in whom this serpent doth remain , and so doth cause it to receive torment from me , for not making out my self unto them . and so these angels good and had are both in man ; the good . angels are the spirits of just men , that give themselves up to god , and so their reason , knowledge , and wisdome , which is the spirit of man , are the good angels of god , that are called ministring spirits : & these angels are always gods companions , and so do keep god , even i the all of all things company , and are alwayes with me , and in me , i being their rest and place of ease : for when any of my saints return from the earth , so that the body becomes to be dust again , then do i draw up the soul and its spirit to their centers , whose centers is i the lord of host , who am the life of all men : and their life is their soul , which must return to me again , i being its fountain ; and as for the spirit that returns to me when it leaves the body of a saint ; for i am unto them reason , wisdome , and knowledge , and so their spirit in them answers to mine ; which because it becomes subject to me , it is an angel of light , and also are angels and ministring spirits , whom i the lord of host sends out to minister comfort to my people ; and sometimes in formes and in shapes as i please ; and sometimes by making their spirits answerable to mine , and so make them rest in me ; whence as the body now lies in the grave , for saith the apostle , are not angels ministring spirits , set out to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation ? sent out to them whom i wil please to send them to : so then the good angels , are the spirits of just men made perfect ; and so saith the apostle , we are come to an innumerable company of angels , even to the spirits of just men made perfect , here you may see by your scriptures that angels are but the spirits of just men , for just men made perfect are angels ; ceasing from labour and sorrow , for to rest in me the all of all things , who am the life of all things ; and so the angels in scripture made mention of , are but the spirits of just men whom i can make to appear in the form of a man , and what in power , or otherwise in what shape or form i please , and so good angels are but the spirits of just men , even of my saints which are deceased , or now contiuing and abiding in me the lord of host . the bad angels that fel and are reserved in chaines of darkness unto the judgement day of the lord of host , is the serpent that is in man , and is the wisdome , and reason , and knowledge , that is in man , which is the spirit of man ; and this reason , wisdome , and knowledge , which was made good , for all things were good , and so there were no evil , this for becoming to exalt it self , as to know more then i was willing to let it know , did cast it self under my wrath , & so became a curse , under which curse it stil lies , and so wil remain unto the judgement day : for this reason , and wisdome that is in man exalting it self against god , and not becoming subject to god , is the serpent that beguiled eve , and so it did adam , and so doth and wil do until it be taken away : and for beguiling eve it became a serpent , and a wicked angel thrown out of heaven , that is , out of the love and favour of i the lord of host , into darkness , that is , into my sore displeasure : and not only a wicked angel , but a divel , and so al wicked spirits are divels : for there were nothing created evil , but all was made good ; and this reason in man was good if it had but kept his bounds wherein i had set it , but by taking liberty to do what i would not have it do , it became at enmity with me , and so became a divel and a destroyer , and so a murderer ; a destroyer and murderer in that it forsook me the fountain of life , where it might have had rest , and so have bin at quiet , and so hath destroyed it self and hath made it self the very curse , and so is become the most odious and greatest enemy to mankind , puffing it self up , and wil not willingly be subject to i the lord of host : though it is true i could make it become subject to me if so be i would shew my infinite power for to bring it from the curse , even then would reason , wisdome , and knowledge , which is the spirit of man , and so consequently , the divel if it opposes god : become the greatest joy and comfort to man : for the divel is evil in it self , not made a divel , but he became a divel by disobedience , it being the good pleasure of i the lord that it should be so , and so then the spirits of wicked men and women are witches and divels : for as you read of men that were possessed with devils ; and as you read that christ did cast out devils : these devils are nothing but the spirits of wicked men deceased ; which as soon as they go out of the body they are not at rest , neither can they rest or be at quiet , but they are alwaies seeking about in whom they may enter ; yea though it be my pleasure for to keep them out of all , yet i do not , but do let them get into some , and there he becomes a worse divel then he were before , and so doth remain for the time of the bodies being ; and after that ceases , it goeth into another ; and these are witches , even the spirits of wicked men are witches , and i make use of them as my instruments to punish and plague other wicked men in whom the same spirit remaines : and i do also allow unto these witches power for to torment , as to bewitch the cattle of men , for they in bewitching of them they dy ; for it is my pleasure to suffer this for a while : and these witches are the divel and serpent mentioned ; and the divel that christ cast forth which run into the heard of swine , was no other spirit or divel but the spirit and divel of a wicked man deceased : its going into the heard of swine by asking christ leave , shewes that it cannot go into any it self or what it doth , it doth it by having permission from me to do it , and so nothing is done but i must give way for it to be done , as i gave way for the divel that was cast out , to go into the herd of swine ; which swine sets forth wicked men , for nothing is more like to a wicked man then a swine , for as a wicked man wil drink and be drunk , so wil a swine swil til he bursts himself , if he might be put to some ale or strong beer ; so that the divel being cast out of a wicked man , and the man become a convert , there is no place for him to be any longer , but the divel begging to go into the herd of swine , shewes his earnest desire to be in his element ; for the swine sets forth wicked men , and so the divel that was cast forth went into the wicked men , even into its center from whence it came . for the very rise of this divel , and also of wicked spirits which are divels , was not made by god , even by i the lord of host , to be so , but they departing from good , and made the good which i gave them evil , and so they became divels , declining from doing that which i commanded them to do ; and so the very rise and fountain from whence the divel came , was from man , his imaginations being continually evil , though man could never do so much as to do any thing contrary to me , but must of necessity do my pleasure ; for i only am active , and the creature only and alone passive ; so that divel that doth most torment men is god , who doth give power unto wicked spirits for to punish them , and wicked spirits do nothing but what is the pleasure of i their king , who suffers them to do as they do , while the time runs round , and comes to the same being and form as it was at the first . for the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head ; this woman is the church , and so the seed is christ in this church ; so then the christ which is the new man , shal in time rise and break in peices the old man , old adam shal be destroyed and consumed to nothing , the serpent whose head must be broke , is that reason , knowledge , and wisdome , even that serpent and divel that came in by disobedience , and must be destroyed , and so cast into the lake of fire ; for the day of judgement unto which this divel is reserved and kept in chaines of darkness , is the day of my power , by which power i wil destroy and bring to nothing this divel , for the day of iudgement when i wil judge this divel , it wil be my bright appearing to confound the adversary , and so to bring to nothing all the serpentine wisdome of the flesh ; and also all the cuning and craftiness of the proud flesh ; for the chains in which this serpent is reserved , is nothing else , but that i do out give unto all that power and strength to come into its first station where in it was set , which in time i wil destroy al besides these things , that shal appear gloriously and shine by holding forth my glory , and wil make christ the new man , appear in power , spreading of it self in all , for to redeem all from this power of darkness , and wil make man to be as he was at the first , taking away the divel & wicked spirits from man , yea out of man , and that which was made good and become a divel , shal once again become good , and so become an angel of light , for my self spreading in my sons and daughters in my chosen and peculiar ones at jerusalem first , whither i wil gather my sion together , and that power that spreads in them shal in time spread it self , and never leave spreading until it hath redeemed the earth from the curse , & so hath redeemed man from being any more subject to the serpent , and so wil never leave spreading its self , until it brings all into its self from whence all came , and so shal all once again return , even into the same condition as adam was in ; for all to be as one , and all speak one language ; for as at the building of babel all were confounded in their languages , even so at the destruction of babel shal all be brought to speak one language , which wil be in revolution of all things , when the time , even that time shal be at an end , then wil there be a redemption from all bondage , not some only , but all , yea the whole creation shal then be wholly set free into the glorious liberties of the sons of god ; all creatures shal then have benefit by christ , yea the very poor beasts ; for all things shal become as they were in adams daies before he fel , even in the year vvhen i the lord even i the mighty god of iacob wil judge and destroy al that enmity that hath bin betwixt the creature , and so all that enmity that hath been betvvixt one creature and another , and all shal be set free even into liberty once again ; so that i vvil make all men to be changed , and vvil take avvay that malicious spirit that novv is and remaines amongst men ; and i , even i vvil bring all things round , and so vvil make my son christ to be a great redeemer , and he shal redeem all that did fal in adam , from death and misery , into the same condition as adam vvas in at the first , even to set all in purity , and so to make all live in god ; and so shal all israel be saved , and all ungodliness shal be turned avvay ; for it is my pleasure for to take pitty on the vvorks of my hand , & not to continue in vvrath against my poor creatures , vvho are not able to do any thing vvithout me , and so the time of the restitution of all things to the same as they vvere in adam before he fel , shal clearly be manifested after years be accomplished and brought to an end , but vvhile then , the creature man shal not be vvholy set free from the curse that is from serpentine vvisdome , and from being troubled and perplexed , because i the lord of host doth not shine upon them . for darkness shal cover the earth , and gross darkness the people , this darkness that shal cover the earth vvil be by reason it is my pleasure to forgo all forms and dispensations , and all outvvard vvorships vvhatsoever , and so vvholy to give the outvvard court to be trodden under foot , even al forms & rules , and vvorships , and governments of men vvhich they have set up , to be consumed and destroyed , and brought to nothing , and so i alone to be al & in al ; vvhen i doth this , it shal surely come to pass , even then shal the poor creatures be in darkness and not able to see light , by reason of my withdrawing my self to my own place and dispensation , even into my iudea , there for to make my light shine , & there to appear gloriously in and amongst my saints , whom all shal acknowledge that they are the seed which the lord hath blessed ; therefore my drawing my self into this peculiar place for to make my self glorious , and so to make my name in far greater esteem by all sorts of men then now it is , i wil make my light shine in a far more greater and glorious manner then now it doth , for i wil be the praise of the whole earth , i dwelling in my people , and my people dwelling in me , and i will measure the inward court , even my temple , wherein all flesh and fleshlyness shal cease and be no more , and i alone wil appear to be king , and the only ruler , and so wil cause my light to shine upon them , when darkness shal cover the earth , which darkness and gross darkness shal be by reason of my not shining in the world ; for all people shal be left in darkness and not in light that come not up to the place of rest ; where i wil cause my people for to ly down in peace , and so to be at rest , and so to be quiet , and be in peace . when nothing but sorrow and pricks of conscience shal accompany those that go not up to jerusalem , for that must be built in glory again , & set on her foundation , & so this manifestation of god not appearing to the creature , shal be hel & the lake of fire , wherein the wicked and all witches must be tormented , and ●his hel wil be in every place where i do not appear in love to the creature for wherein i do appear in love there shal be , joy , & peace , & no sorrow ; and where i do not appear in love , there shal be nothing but hel ; for hel shal be in this world , even in these bodyes shal men be tormented ; even by being cast out and not suffered to enter into the city , where nothing but peace shal be , but dogs and sorcerers shal be without , even they shal be in hel until the restitution of all things come , that there shal be no more divel nor hel , which wil be ( for all , the divel , and hel , and all witches shal cease then , even ) in the year . for that shal be a year of jubilee to all sorts of people , when all sorts then shal be brought into my love and favour , and shal so remaine ; and they shal dy , even men shal dy as formerly they used to do , that go not up to jerusalem , even they shal dy and be subject to change , until the time comes that they shal dy no more ; but my people shal hear the sound of the arch-angel , and they being dead in christ , shal be raised up to meet the lord in the ayre , even from that death they are for the present subject to , and so shal even in a moment at the founding of the last trumpet be changed , in a moment , even in the twinkling of an eye , and so shal be raised up from death into life , and from sorrow unto joy , and happiness , and so shal be ever with the lord of host , and so shal dy no more , but live for ever , and all the saints shal come with i the lord of host , even to be glorified , and so to receive what bodies it shal please i their king to give them there ; for it is true that my sons and daughters shal be brought to be glorified , and shal have bodies given them , though not the same bodies of clay as formerly they had , even they shal beraised up to live & reign for evermore ; even my saints as the saints formerly were raised out of the graves and walked up and down , so shal my saints be now raised up to be at ierusalem in glory , for the jerusalem is the place which i have chosen for to make my name glorious , and the place of my saints heaven : for though people talk of heaven above , there is none : heaven above is my self drawing my saints into my fulness , then i bring them into my third heaven , which is my highest dispensation , and the highest discovery of my love to them : and this heaven shal be here on earth , even at jerusalem , and the place about jerusalem , where i wil appoint my sons and daughters to be ; and this shal be their heaven they shal live in the ful enjoyment of i the lord almighty , and they shal see all former things to be passed away , and all things become new ; and they shal live in pure love , and in the full enjoyment , of i the lord of host , who hath made them holy whom i wil alwaies cause to rejoyce , and sing , and leap for joy of heart , because former troubles are passed away , and all are now become new , and all things shal be new ; for the lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints , and the . lord will raign in mount sion for evermore : even i the mighty god of jacob wil raign for ever over my people , and over my enemies , and all shal become subject to me . but the lord shal arise upon thee , and his glory shal be seen upon thee , when nothing but darkness shal be in the earth and in the outward court : though there be nothing else in the earth , but darkness , such darkness as men ( earthly men ) shal have no comfort at all in all their outward formes and waies of worships ; which is the outward court , and is not to be measured at all , but is to be left to be trodden under foot , as that which shal come to nothing , and as a thing of no account , by aliens and gentils , even by such as know not me the lord . but as for my sons and daughters whom i have made choice of , & so wil bring them into judea , there to make my glory to be seen amongst them : then shal they see that i am risen upon them , and so consequently , they are the inward court which is to be measured , and so to be made much of : even that new man christ the anointed that is in them , shal increase and grow so strong in every kind or degree , that their old man adam shal be destroyed and quite brought to nothing : and then in these ( i mean the jews and gentiles ) which shal be gathered into iudea the land of promise , where my glory shal be seen and made to appear to all the world , and the partakers of this great glory , shal be the inward court that shal be measurable and made glorious ; and the inward shal increase more and more , and so it shal at length break forth in such a glorious splendour , and in such a clear and bright manner as never hath bin as yet , which inward court shal be taught by my self , and so shal have the injoyment of my self , when all flesh , and fleshly actings shal be destroyed and brought to nothing ; and so shal this new man which is spiritual be wholy freed from the curse , and shal never have the like power again for to come under the curse , even under that curse which adam brought into or upon the world , as to dy and so to be subject to death or dying , but shal be wholly freed from the curse , and so shal be restored into the same condition again as adam was in before his fal , and so shal have no power any more to come under the curse ; but i their god wil so guide them by my eternal glory , which shal shine upon them , even upon the new man , which shal make al the old man cease from being , and so this new man shal be in a more glorious manner discovered to be , even this new man shal spring forth as to be altogether righteous , even the inocency and right cousness that was in adam at the first , when he was commanded not to eat the forbidden fruit : which fruit was nothing else then that he should not seek to be higher then i had set him to be , & so should not breake my words but fulfil them , which i knew wel enough he would break them and not fulfil them , by his longing desire after the fruit which i had commanded him he should not eat of , that is , he should not have any desire to know more then i had given him , but he should have rested himself in that condition which i had placed him in , and then had not he eaten of the forbidden fruit , and so had not done any thing for to displease . it is true i was displeased with him to his apprehensions , because i did curse the serpent , which serpent was that reason , knowledge and wisdome , which i had given him for to glorifie me , and so by cursing of that , it became a divel and so is my greatest enemy that now i have in paradise , even in my own peculiar people , to whom i have made out my glory most too , for the garden of paradise is man , wherein were nothing but glory , or wherein i had made my self to man to tarry , even in adam , and so would not have had him suffered at all , or knew any sorrow at al , had not he have bin so inquisitive for to have known more then i would let him at the first . and when he had eaten of the fruit , it is said he walked in the garden and was naked : that is , knew wel enough that he had disobeyed me , and so in that sence he was naked , as being stript of my glory , and of that injoyment of me which formerly he had ; even so that he could not have that free commerce or enjoyment of me as formerly he had , as to talk with me ; and he being naked , and had covered himself with sigg leaves , that he had sowed together ; was nothing but his own righteousness ; by which he would fain have hid his fault from me , and so would have made eve have lain in all the fault : and so ever since man being driven out of the garden as adam was ; which was from the ful and perfect enjoyment of i their lord : and so from having no more sweet and pleasant mirth with me , as adam had at the first ; have bin inventing and sowing sigg leaves together , that is , they have bin justifying themselves in their waies , and so wil not be ready to confess their faults , but to lay it to another , as adam did his : and adam being put out of the garden , there was set a flaming sword that turneth every way , for to keep adam from the tree of life , that so poor adam might not eat again and live for ever : for this flaming sword that did turn every way , was my power , my infinite power , for to keep adam from the ful enjoyment of me , and so from the tree of life : for i had withdrawn my self , even my power from adam , and so would not let him have that power again , but would keep him from the tree of life ; even from the pure enjoyment of me , and so from life which i had promised him , that he should have lived for ever : which priviledge he lost by disobedience , and by falling from me , and so hath never since obtained the same priviledge ; but all have lain under the curse for to dy : which priviledge i the restoring power wil now restore to my saints first , even to those whom i wil carry out of babylon , both out of mystical babylon , which is the very mystery of iniqity : and out of literal babylon , by my strong hand into judea , and so to ierusalem the place where i wil make my self more glorious then as yet since the fal of adam ; and so wil restore to my saints there , that priviledge as adam lost and hath not as yet bin obtained , but now shal be obtained , which priviledge shal be a ful and perfect enjoyment of i the creator of all creatures , and so to be freed from the curse which is from self , reason , knowledge , and wisdome , that is , they shall no longer have that reason , knowledge , and wisdome , which i did give to every adam , and so to every man going beyond the bounds , but they shal by my power stand in the ful enjoyment of me , as adam did at the first ; and so they shal never have power any more ( as adam had ) for to fal from the pure and perfect enjoyment of i their creator , as adam did ; but shal be restored into the same condition as adam was at the first , even into that condition as for to live for ever , even to all eternity , and so never to dy any more , as adam did by his fal , but shal be wholy freed from the curse ; as from all kind of sicknesses and sorrows which came into the world by reason of the curse which i pronounced against adam for breaking of my revealed wil : which condition they being restored into , there cannot chuse but be abundance of joy , which joy wil light upon my chosen ones , whom i wil gather to jerusalem , and joy and gladness shal be there : even to my sion that shal be gathered together at jerusalem , whom i wil make the praise of the whole earth , foreby light is come , and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee ; even upon thee , o sion , and thou shalt be established in glory , but the lord shal arise upon thee , and his glory shal be seen on thee , and thou shalt be made the praise of the whole earth ; and the gentiles shal come to thy light , and kings to the brightness of thy rising , even unto thy light , o ye jewes , whom i wil gather out of all the countries wherein ye have bin dispersed , even they shal come to see that light that i wil make known unto you when i shal have brought you out of captivity and bondage into the place of rest , or to that place which i wil make to be the resting place ; for thy light shal increase , and grow bigger and bigger , when all other lights shal be put out ; for i am the light , even i the lord of host , who wil make you to shine most illubriously and gloriously ; even so bright , that the gentiles , even my chosen ones ( whom i have made much of my glory out unto ) they shal see and know that your light doth not shine there , because it is my pleasure for to make my light shine upon you , even upon the jewes who ( through unbelief ) were broken off ; and gentiles were grafted in ; but now i wil appear unto them , and wil give them hearts to believe on my name , and so wil make them the desires of all nations : even all nations shal long and desire for to come to thy light ; because my glory shal be seen upon thee , when i have forsaken all other administrations besides this of mine , which i wil make more illustriously to shine , even to draw up my sons and daughters into spiritual communion with my self , and so they shal worship me in spirit and in truth : and kings shal come in , even great men of the gentiles shal be with you , for kings shal come to the brightness of thy rising : even when thou hast risen from that death which thou art for the present subject to ; so that thy brightness shal appear in a more extraordinary manner then now it doth , even then shal kings be brought to see thy rising , and to behold thy glory by my bright appearing and manifesting my glory unto you ; then shal thy glory far surpass all the glory and beauty of the world besides ; and none shal be like to thee for beauty and comliness ; for i wil make thee to shine so gloriously , that thou shalt dazle the eyes of all the earth , and all the earth shal stand and be amazed at thee , for the kings that shal come to thee , shal be such whom i have or shal crown with my love and favour , and so my love shal cause them to come to the brightness of thy rising , even thine , o iewes , who are by nature descended from abraham , and so are hebrewes , and are and shal be made the praise and glory of all nations ; for these kings shal see no light and comfort besides i the lord of host , and therefore shal they be brought to thy rising and shal see i the lord of host in a more especial manner appear to you in ierusalem , whom i wil cause to be inhabited , and made the praise of the whole earth , in such glory as they shal not be able to tarry behinde , but shal come to the brightness of thy rising ▪ even when the nations of the earth shal see that i the lord of host hath raised thee up from that poor estate and condition that thou art now in ; even from death and slavery ; and so from darkness into a most glorious condition ●nd so to make thee shine most bright and clear , o sion , and daughter of ierusalem , that was a poor and peeled remnant , scattered abroad in al the world evenwhen i thy god shal raise thee up from this condition , & make my glory to bee seen upon thee , then shalt thou be enquired after , even by kings and great men , who shal stand amazed at thy glory and honour where with i wil honour thee in this thy day from the resurrection from the dead , which i wil raise thee nito a condition of life and peace , which shal be the first resurrection from the dead ; and so no more darkness , or any longer shal satan or death have power over thee , but thou being raised from the dead , shal now live and raigne with me a thousand years ; which thousand years shal be for ever , even to eternity , and satan shal never have any power over thee , o sion , the praise of the whole earth ; but thou shal sing and rejoyce , and shal go with singing and rejoycing ; when others shal be thrown into hel , even to be deprived of my love and favour which i wil shew unto thee , o daughter of sion ; who● i wil gather into the land of judea , and without shal be those that shal apprehend me to be angry with them , and so their own consciences witnessing against them , and accusing of them wil condemn them , for their unbeliefe and hardness of heart , and so their hel shal be by being pricked in their own consciences , that they have offended me , and so shal suffer by the reason they condemn themselves , and so shal be in hel , because they shal not have any joy or comfort from me to them ; that i am a god of love to them ; and even this portion shal those drinke of that stiles themselves to be ministers , and are sent to preach by me the lord of host , and they know not me , neither can they by all their humane wisdome or phylosophie attaine to the mistery which i wil make out unto them whom i shal be pleased for to do , even for to make out my power and name , and so to cause them to see my glory ; which i wil hide from the learned ones of the world , and wil make choice of the unlearned ; and so wil make them to run when i send them to do my message , even as i stirred up poor herds-men and trades-men before the gospel in the old times , and in the primitive times , when i refused the priests , pharisees , and leaders of the people in those daies , and so those that pretend to be the heads and leaders of the people , as priests and lawyers , even they shal drink deeper then any , of my sore displeasure , because their consciences wil accuse them , and so condemn them ; for not doing that which they know they should do , and so they shal with the rest be thrown into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone ; which is not meant material fire or brimstone , but is meant the apprehensions which the ungodly shal have of me , who am a burning & consuming fire : not aprehending i their god to be a god of love and peace ; which thou daughter of sion , whom i wil bring with joy into ierusalem , & wil cause it to be built up in glory , & so wil make you for to inhabite there shal do , by my rising upon you & causing of you to shine so to be glorious in all the earth . lift up thine eies round about , and see all they gather themselves together , they come to thee ; thy sons shal come from far , and thy daughters shal be nursed at thy sides , oye my sons and daughters whom i wil bring up into judea , even you that are by nature jewes , and so are natural iewes , lift up your eies , behold , looke , and behold , and see all they gather themselves together , even the gentiles gather themselves together for to come up to thee , o sion , whom i have gathered in judea , and have made the praise of the earth even for the glory wherewith i wil glorifie thee , they shal ( even the gentiles ) make enquire after you , because you are my chosen people , and you are they to whom i wil make out my self in glory to ; therefore shal they come , even those that shal believe that i wil make you the praise of the earth ; they come , even the gentiles come to thee , because i have withdrawn my self from them , and wil not be in their worships , neither wil i cause them for to receive any joy or comfort in any place or kingdome , for to finde rest for their spirits ; but at this place where i have appointed to bring thee , o sion , out of the hands of all thy enemies , and from the power of all they that hate thee ; for thy sons shal come from far , and thy daughters shal be nursed at thy sides , even thy sons and daughters , o sion , shal come from east , west , north , south , even from all places , to be partakers of that infinite joy , pleasure , and glory , which you shal injoy ; sons they shal be , because they come after you to that ful and perfect enjoyment of i the lord of host , and nursed at thy sides , because they shal receive of that fulness which you did receive of before ; & therefore they shal come even as a child doth when he is hungry , & doth receive food with gladness ; even so shal al these that come up to thee , even thy sons and daughters , to be nursed at thy sides , come to thee as to their mother ; for ierusalem abore is the mother of us all ; even come to thee ( ö jerusalem ) for comfort , hearing that i the lord of host is pleased for to make out my self to thee in a more especial manner then formerly i have done ; and so to receive comfort from thee , even to suck , and be satisfied with the fulness of that consolation you do receive from the father : even to suck and receive comfort from the same fountain of life , even from i the lord of host ; this shal be the state and condition of you , you shal have your fil , and be ful , when others shal be in want , and not be satisfied ; and they that come up to you , shal drinke abundance of my fulness , when they that tarry behind shal be deprived of my love , light , and glory ; so that they shal find no rest for their spirits , for i wil make you to be like noahs ark , that was a place of refuge for noah and those that were in it , when others were destroyed in my wrath : even so i have appointed peace and rest to be with you , and nothing but trouble of conscience to the rest , and to those that tarry behind , and come not up to you ; but some there shal be that shal be like noahs raven that he sent forth , which wandred up and down , and could find no rest for her feet , until it came into noahs ark again ; even so shal some be troubled , and shal have no rest , until they come up to jerusalem , the place of my love and favour , and the place where i have delighted to dwel , and wil dwel forever , and whosoever comes up to that place , even to jerusalem , the city wherein i have appointed them to dwel ; shal find rest , and be in peace , freed from sorrow and trouble ; even as the raven found peace in noahs ark , and rested there . then thou shalt see and flow together , and thine heart shal fear and be inlarged , because the abundance of the sea shal be converted , the forces of the gentiles shal come unto thee , their multitudes of camels shal cover thee , the dromidaries of midian , and epha , all they from sheba shal come they shal bring gold , and incense and shal shew forth the praises of the lord ; all the flocks of kedar shal be gathered together unto thee , the rams of nebaioth shal minister unto thee , they shal come up with acceptance on my altar , and i wil glorifie the house of my glory . now shal ye gather your selves together , and rejoyce , and be glad because of those that are converted , for to come up to thee , o sion , who hath bin made a laughing stock in all nations , but now shal be made the praise of all nations , and that all shal come up to thee that wil have any rest , or be satisfied with my fulness , even those that have bin your great enemies shal now be glad to come to thee o sion , which shal be gathered to ierusalem , with their gold and incense , to praise and magnifie thee , and even i the lord of host in thee , who have chosen thee to be the glory of all nations , look and see who are those that fly as a cloud , and as doves to the windows , even these be my sons and daughters , who are gentiles , and want rest , and seek for rest , but can find none , therefore hearing of my glory wherewith i make out my self to thee , o sion : in whom i am in the midst of thee , they fly as clouds , they hasten from their countries , even to come to thee : that so they may have rest and peace with thee o sion , in whom i the holy one of israel is in the midst of , and wil be king for ever . surely the isles shal wait for me , and the ships of tarshish , for to bring thy sons from far , their silver and their gold with them , unto the name of the lord thy god ; and to the holy one of israel , because he hath glorified thee , even these ilands , as england for one , that shal be the first that strive to go to my people , who have a long time bin cast off , but now through my mighty power , will graft them into the true vine again : and they shal become glorious , and shal say , blessed be they that come in the name of the lord , hosanna in the highest , though formerly through unbeliefe and hardness of heart they crucified my son iesus , and so would not have him to be their king , because he did not come in pomp and glory , but came of a carpenters wife , and descended from so low a linage : shal we ( say they ) believe this man is the son of god , seeing that he is so poor and so mean , and seeing he came for to destroy our laws , and formes of worships and governments , and the old customes of offering up sacrifice , which was that law and testament that god gave unto moses for us to observe and keep for ever ? therefore before they would part from their formes of worships , and so would have a new one : they would crucifie my son iesus , and would not then have him to be their king , for which cause i did cast them off , and so did cause them to be dispersed in all nations . but now i have in my mercy and pitty towards them , remembred the covenant which i made to their father abraham , that in him all nations shal be blessed and so wil now restore them by my power from their enemies in what country or nation they be dispersed , and wil make them to be gathered together into their own countrey , and now i wil give them hearts to believe in me , and so willingly to receive me now i proffer my self to them to be their king , and they shal think him now happie that shal come in the name of the lord , and shal crie hosanna in the highest that is , they shal willingly receive instructions ; from i the lord of host whom they wait for and whom they do expect daily for to hear of some tha shal say the lord of host cometh for to redeem them out of all their enemies countries , and to bring them into their own land again , which tidings of their returne they shal have from england first , and how the god of iacob wil appear to be their god , and so they shal see and know that their redeemer cometh , and made himself known to some english men for to bring them word , even the iews that are dispersed about in holland , and spaine germany and italy ; and how it is the pleasure of i the lord of host , for to put my spirit of courage and valiantness for to make you that are dispersed in these countries , as holland , france , spaine , germany , & italy , gather your selves together , and so to meet all of you , and these whom i shal send out of england to you , for to meet in the year fifty ( one now a coming on ) in italy , and i wil be your rock and your strength , and wil in cheife be your leader , so that you shal not fear what man shal do unto you , for i have purposed and it shal surely come to pass that i wil bring you to ierusalem , and not only you , but all the rest that are dispersed of you in other countries , even for to make you the praise of the whole earth ; and i wil stir up armies that shal fight for you , so that i wil bring you safely into your own countreys and wil make the gentiles come with their gold and silver to you and you shal be honourable , and all your enemies that wil not serve you shal perish , for that nation and kingdom that wil not serve thee shal perish , yea those nations shal be utterly wasted , even the most proudest and stoutest king or governour shal be destroyed , even al their armies shal come to nothing , for it is my pleasure to bring down the high and mighty one , and so to lay him low , even wil i not favour any , but wil bring them all down to the ground , yea i wil bring down that potent enemie that doth so highly exalt himself , and he shal come to nothing , even the pose of rome i mean , and before the fifty five years that is now present & a coming , he shal be destroyed , even the pope of rome shal lose his life in . and so i the lord wil make known my power , by cutting off great ones , and by bringing them to nothing , and so wil make them all come bending and bowing to my sons and daughters , whom i wil bring to ierusalem ; and because it is my pleasure that it should be so , i even i the lord of host wil appear for to confound my enemies , and those that have bin enemies to my people the jews : even that proud turk that rules and domineers now , shal be before the year fifty seven consumed & destroyed , & the great head turk shal lose his life in the year and so there shal never after him , nor never any more pope be , but there shal be such alterations and changes , that things present , and have bin by custome of long standing , turned upsides once again , that i may make ierusalem the praise of the whole earth ; whose gates shal be continually open , and shal not be shut day or night , that men may bring unto them , even unto the new ierusalem , the forces of the gentiles , even such abundance there shal be that shal be brought in for to be your fellows and brethren , one and of the same citty , that the places which i formerly gave unto your fathers for their inheritances , shal be enlarged , and strangers shal build your citty , even the wals of your cities ; even such shal build them up for you , that shal not inhabite there ; and kings shal minister unto you , and shal bring their riches unto you , though you shal have no need of any ; yet it is my pleasure so much to magnifie you , that i wil make my self appear to be glorious in you , even in the midst of you : and wil make people say of a truth , that god is in you ; and so to acknowledge that you are the seed which the lord hath blessed , and so to make them see and know , that i the lord of host am in you , even in you all , ruling in you , and making all your enemies become subject to you . but i must tel you , that i wil not appear personally for to raign over you , and so to give you laws to walk by , no , but i wil raign in you , and i the god of truth wil be in you , and i wil teach you how you shal walk , by putting my laws in your inward parts , and in writing of them in your hearts , and so wil speake in you , and wil also make you for to worship me in spirit and in truth , & not in outward formes as now you do : for the glory of lebanon shal come unto thee , and the box tree , and the fir tree shal come together , to beautifie the place of my sanctuary , and so to make my feet glorious ; such is the worke of i the lord of host , that i wil make the very glory of the world be brought to sion , even for to make them glorious ; and i wil make the place of thy feet glorious , ö sion , and all the sons of them , the feet that afflicted thee , shal come bowing and bending to the soles of thy feet ; and shal cal thee the sion , the citty of the lord , the holy one of israel ; such a great work wil i do for thee , ö sion , that i wil make thee have power over al thy enemies , and none shal be able for to oppose thee : but all shal be brought to nothing and confounded ; yea even they shal be in such terror and fear now , that they shal submit themselves to thee , and cal thee , even thee o sion , whom i wil gather to jerusalem , the citty of the lord , even of i the lord of host . and whereas thou hast bin forsaken , so that no man went through thee ; even thee o ierusalem , that hath been laid wast ; i wil now of a sudden make thee an eternal excellency , a joy of many generations , even i wil make thee to be so glorious , that thou shalt be the glory and joy of nations ; for thou shalt be freed from sorrow and trouble , and vexation of spirit , and shal live in peace , and be at peace , rejoicing in i the lord of host ; when others shal be troubled and vexed , to think that they do not partake of the same glory wherewith i have and wil glorifie thee ; and thou shalt also suck the milke of the gentiles ; even that joy and comfort which formerly they had of me , when i did make out my self to them in formes of worships ; which joy and comfort you shal now have , and thou shal know that i the lord am thy saviour and thy redeemer , the mighty god of jacob : for brass thou shalt have gold ; and for iron , silver ; instead of outward forms , thou shalt have the pure injoyment of i the lord of host in spirit : and i wil make such a worke amongst you now , that instead of giving oppressours to be your officers , i wil give you such that shal be peace-makers ; and i wil make your officers or exacters over you now , to be righteous ; nay there shal be none any longer for to be officers one over another ; but you shal be all alike : for as the master is , so shal be the man ; as the mistriss , so shal be the maid ; as the buyer , so shal be the seller ; even all alike , and none greater then other , but what one hath , shal be the others : for i wil now make all things new ; for violence shal be no more heard with in thy borders , but thou shall call thy walls salvation , and thy gates praise : even thou ( ö sion ) that shal be gathered together in iudea ( and in those places thereabouts ) which by reason of the greatness of thy company , i wil enlarge thy borders ; for i the lord of host wil be your wals and your gates , and wil be salvation to you , for to keep and preserve you from all your enemies . the sun shal no more be thy light by day , neither for brightness shal the moon give light to thee , but the lord shal be unto thee an everlasting light , & thy god thy glory ; the sun shal no more go down , neither shal the moon withdraw her self , for the lord shal be even i the lord of the everlasting light , and i thy god thy glory ; and the daies of thy mourning sha be ended . whereas thou hast bin sorrowing up and down and hast i gone out of one country into the other , mourning and weeping , and so hast found no comfort : now these shal all pass from thee , and thou shalt weep no more : ö sion , for the lord hath founded thee ö sion , and wil be your king for ever , even your light , life , joy , and glory , even your all and all : so that thou shal not have need of outward ordinances , either one or the other : but i wil be a sun and a moon for to give thee light , and for to make thee see : though it hath a long time been neither light nor dark , neither day nor night , but now in the evening there shal be light : even in these last days , light shal now shine in such a perfect and clear manner , that it shal be known to be light , for i the lord of host wil be sun-light , and moon-light , and wil be day , and so indeed it wil be very glorious , when i the lord of host wil never leave them , nor forsake them ; but wil be alwaies with them : even never withdrawing light from them , but alwaies making it for to encrease and grow , and multiply it self : til it comes to be seven fold more light then formerly there hath bin : and until the weakest and feeblest that are among you be as david . and david as the angel of god , even as god , this shal be the estate and condition of you , ö sion : whom i wil gather together to ierusalem , and so wil make you the praise of the whole earth , even the very weakest of or among you shal know as much , and have as much knowledge as david had , and shal be in as great favour as david was with i the lord of host , who hath commanded the writer hereof to write it as my wil , and not as his wil , because i have purposed to appear so bright and in such a glorious manner to them , making them partakers of my glory , that they shal have as much knowledge as david , and they shal be even as , angels of god , yea even angels , and shal know as much of god even of i the lord of host , that they shal all be taught of i their god , and shal have no need of teachers to teach them , for i wil be their teacher and instructer , and so wil guide them in the way of truth , and from it they shal not err , neither shal slip aside as now they do , but they shal al of them be kept upright by my power , and i wil not let them slip aside from me ; but wil uphold them with my right hand , & wil carry them in my bosom , and so wil make them to rest in me as their only joy , even in i the lord of host ; thy people also shal al be righteous , they shal inherite the land for ever , the branch of my planting , the workes of my hands that i may be glorified , even thee ö iudea , whom i have given to my saints for to inherit , and wil bring al my sons and daughters up by degrees to thee , for to inherit and be there , even my choice and peculiar ones to be brought up to ierusalem , the place which i have chosen for to make my name glorious : for i wil make them appear to be the branch of my planting , and so they shal al be righteous , and not any one that shal be wicked shal be suffered to be there , no hypocrite or dissembler , or any one that worketh abominable mischief , or speaketh lies , shal be there , no , for it is my house and place where i have chosen to dwel , even in my saints , and i wil now fulfil the prophesie , there shal be no more a canaanite in the house of the lord for ever : but all shal be righteous and glorious , shining as so many stars in the firmament , and glistering so clear and so bright , that al the spectators shal be dasled , for mine shal be as angels , for knowledge and glory , and power ; for in deed they shal be my angels , for a little one shal become a thousand , and a smal one a strong nation , i the lord wil hasten it 〈◊〉 its time , even in those poor and dispised ones , who are but smal and little in comparison of the multitudes that are so great , even these poor and smal ones shal encrease and grow , even those who have now , the breaking forth of light in them in this nation of england which we were at the first but one , even that one that had light made out to him , as concerning his going to ierusalem , even that one shal become a great nation , and a glorious nation , even the joy and praise of the whole earth ; which i the lord wil hasten in my own time , which now wil be very shortly ; sing and shout ö daughter of ierusalem ; sing aloud ö daughter of sion , for behold thy king , the holy one of israel is in the midst of thee , and thou shalt see evil no more : but now shal go with joy and rejoycing ; and with gladness of heart to sion , singing and leaping for joy to the mountain of the house of the lord which shal be in iudea , and there shal sing and dance with the tabret and pipe , and so shal have all kind of musick and mirth : and thou shalt see sorrow no more , but weeping shall now be hid from thine eys ; for i have called thee by a new name , and so have given thee a new name : for thou shalt no longer be termed desolate and forsaken , but thou shal be called the place where i the lord of host delights to dwell ; for as soon as sion travelled she brought forth , and was delivered of a man child ▪ who hath heard such a thing ? who hath seen such a thing , that a nation should be born at once ? but now as i live 〈◊〉 the lord of host , it shall come to pass , for i will give them a new name , which none shall know but them that have it . my name changed from george foster , to jacob israel foster . finis . erra paters prophesy or frost faire / approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing e interim tract supplement guide c. .f. [ ] estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books; tract supplement ; a : [ ]) erra paters prophesy or frost faire / erra pater. sheet ([ ] p.) : ill., port. printed for iames norris at the kings armes without temple barr, [london] : [l ] verse: "old erra pater, or his rambling ghost,". place of publication from wing cd-rom, . wholly engraved. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -- early works to . winter -- england -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion erra pater s prophesy or frost faire depiction of frost fair on the thames the river of thames roasting an ox slyding in skeats the battle of hay the loyall printing howse a coach crossing the ice a bull baaiting a boate sayling on the ice the musike booth william bence three pilgrims returning from ● h old erra pater , or his rambling ghost , prognosticating of this long strong frost , some ages past , said , y t y e ice-bound thames shou'd prove a theatre for sports and games her watr'y green be turn'd into a bare , for men a citty seem , for booths a faire ; and now this stragling sprite is once more come to visit mortalls and foretel their doom : when maids grow modest y e dissenting crew become all loyal , the falsehearted true , then you may probably , and not til then expect in england such a frost ● agen . printed for iames norris at the kings armes w th : out temple barr a paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. viz. hoseah. joel. amos. obadiah. jonah. micah. nahum. habakkuk. zephaniah. haggai. zechariah. malachi. / by da. stokes. d.d. stokes, david, ?- . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. viz. hoseah. joel. amos. obadiah. jonah. micah. nahum. habakkuk. zephaniah. haggai. zechariah. malachi. / by da. stokes. d.d. stokes, david, ?- . pearson, john, - . stokes, david, ?- . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed for thomas davies, at the sign of the bible over against the little north door of st. pauls church., london, : . preface signed: john pearson. the words "nahum. .. malachi." are bracketed together on title page. includes the text of each prophet. "a paraphrasticall explication of the prophecie of habakkuk" was originaly published separately in . cf. folger catalogue, which gives signatures: a a [sic] b- q (- q ). with two final advertisement leaves. text continuous despite pagination. annotation on thomason copy: "july". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bible -- prophecies -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets . viz. hoseah . ioel. amos. obadiah . ionah . micah . nahum . habakkuk . zephaniah . haggai . zechariah . malachi . by da. stokes . d. d. james . . take , my brethren , the prophets , for an example of suffering adversitie , and of long patience — london , printed for thomas davies , at the sign of the bible over against the little north door of st. pauls church . . to the right honourable lady , the lady anne hildeyerde , madam , since your honour made me happily acquainted with most of your relations , specially with those of your truly-religious , and well-ordered family ; though i often joyed to see such varietie of rare endowments in one noble lady , yet ( amongst them all ) i could not but with more admiration observe , how as well your many devout discourses , as your pious actions ( the apparent steps , by which you climb to heaven ) were constantly maintained by many recesses , and retirements for private reading and meditation ; and how your greatest pains , and delight was more freely spent upon the holy scriptures . this made me gratefully , and willingly ambitious , to present your honour with some book , that should endeavour to facilitate some part of your study in the bible . by which means i might both give a publick testimonie of my thankfull acknowledgments to your honour , and some other of my noble friends : and withal take an occasion to discharge a part of my function , by inciting others , to follow such an eminent example ; while i give a just approbation of your love to learned piety in all kinds , and particularly of your frequent reading of gods holy word , which is best able to make you wise unto salvation . to which study therefore we have many earnest exhortations , as well in the old , and new testament , as in the writings of the most devout , and reverend fathers of the christian church . and good reason . for the word of god is the food of our souls . therefore it should be the very joy of our hearts , and sweeter in our mouths then honie , and the honie-comb . so it was to the heart , and palate of him , that was a man after gods own heart . who , in the front of his divine songs , and hymns , sings the blessednesse of him , that exerciseth himself in it , day , and night . as he did , so we have all just cause to admire , and congratulate him , that is feasted every day , with such spiritual food , and , while he is so , cannot but learn the surest way to repose his soul , every night ( after such angelical repast ) upon that pillow that passeth all understanding . i mean that peace of god , that can never be so well purchased , as by often feeding on the word of god , and concocting , and converting it into such juice , and blood , and such spirit , and vigor , as may preserve , and cherish us , in all our waies . of no lesse use is the studie of the revealed will of god , that we see in his holy word : therefore revealed , that we should often look into it , saith st. james . and i will not conceal the force of st. james his word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) that we should prie , and peep , and look narrowly , and carefully into it , that nothing escape our sight . for there we shall find the means of purchasing that , without which it will prove , that we have utterly lost our selves . if i shall need to say more , i will onely adde this confirmation of what i said , from holy david his calling it a lanthorn to his feet and gods word , ps. . would we have a light to conduct us into all necessary truths ? we must have it there . would we have an oracle to inform us infallibly of what we may trust to , in our greatest hopes , and expectations ? we must have it thence . that divine light will never mislead us . and the word of god we may safely rely upon . therefore they are wise , that receive it meekly ( i speak it in the words of an apostle ) and a good understanding have all they that do thereafter ( saith the royal prophet . ) i wish your honour , and all yours , both those parts of happinesse . which is no more , in effect , then to wish the continuance of what you have , and your perseverance in what you do . so shall you continue a pattern to all those , to whom this book shall come . which comes as presented under your name , and so received as it were from the hands of your honour . for whom , and for all that refer to you , and for all the rest of my noble and worthy friends , it is , every day , my hearty prayer , that you , and they may be preserved to everlasting felicity , by the continual blessing and mercy of almighty god. so praies your honours most obliged , and humble servant , david stokes . the authours advertisement to the reader . i was the briefer in my marginal notes , ( which some of my friends have thought fit to place at the bottom of the page ) because when i resolved to send this paraphrasticall exposition to the presse , i resolved also to present another noble friend of mine , with another work ( in the scholar's language ) out of which , the grounds , and reasons of my proceeding in this way of paraphrase might have been easily understood . and indeed that book was chiefly intended , as a prolegomenon to this , and the like essayes ; to show , before hand , some grammatical and critical observations ( hebrew and greek ) which i have met with in the course of my studies : and to make the truth of them appear , by variety of sufficient proofs , and examples out of the holy text. so should i have eased my self of giving a particular reason of these , and the like expositions , in a tedious , and troublesome way . but that ( being of a greater bulk , and proving a more chargeable attempt ) i am forced to give over , till i am better inabled to impart it to others , by the help of the printer . in the mean time , i am perswaded to publish this brief exposition of the hardest , and knottiest piece of the hebrew text. this of the minor prophets ( as they are usually stiled ) may well be called so ; their intricate prophetical passages , being cloathed with many unusual , and difficult words , and phrases , and proverbs , and hebrew-forms of speach , that require a careful , warie , observant , and pious reader . of all other parts of holy writ , such prophesies have need of readers so qualified : and , every time they come to them ( that they may pierce into such mysteries with profit ) prepared with humble and heartie prayers , or short ejaculations to almighty god ( whose word it is ) that he would enlighten our understandings by his holy spirit ( who spake by the prophets . ) so prepared , while we read in these books of so many things , so fully prophesied , and foretold before , with intermixture of divers excellent , and holy precepts , we shall plainly perceive ( what we have most need of in these wicked daies ) both the proofs of a deitie , foreknowing , ordering , governing and disposing all things , in several ages , with infinite power , wisdom , mercie , and justice : and also plentie of divine directions , and counsails , that much conduce to the true knowledge of the way of our salvation . to make such antient , and useful , and holy writers speak plain english , i thought it needful , not onely to advise with the latine and greek fathers , and other interpreters , expositors , and criticks that have gone before us : and to acquaint my self with the storie of those times , to which they chiefly refer : but , besides that , to labour to understand that idiome , and dialect , which the holy ghost pleased to make use of , as best understood , and affected by them , to whom those writings were first intended . and from whom they cannot be so profitably conveyed to us , if we studie not the stile , and garb of that original language : their little stock of ambiguous words : their concise elleiptical sentences : and other short , and emphatical expressions . all which appearing to us somewhat strange , and unusual , must be carefully and discretely examined , before they can be fitted to the right sense , and mind of the place of scripture . and , as well as these , we must both ponder , and labour to expresse their intelligent , and convincing waies of proposing & rhetorically inlarging what they would say by strange allegories , and hyperboles ; by bould , and unusual metaphors ( that no other nation hath ventured upon ) by delightful prosopopoeias , and paronomasies ( wherein they are more rich , and copious , and happie , then any other tongues ) by their dialogismes , and colloquies ) not in the psalms , and canticles onely , but in several other places ) that the reader shall now and then sodainlie fall upon , without any plain item given , for distinction of the persons , that are the interlocutors . by their frequent transposition of letters and words . by sodain apostrophes , and mutation of persons , and numbers ( when a man would least expect it . ) to which i may adde their many other schemes , and ornaments , that are set down in a kind of poetical libertie . such as we may evidently see , isai. . . &c. in the description of the tyrant of babylon's entertainment , after his death , afforded him by those of his military profession , that had gone before him to their long home . such another we find in ezekiel , ( c. . . &c. ) in the like gratulation , that other men of the sword gave to the great king of egypt , in his descent to the same place . no man would understand these literally , or , as a paraphrast , or interpreter , propose them down-right in that way . if we desire more examples in these figurative relations , after a divine poetical way , we may see them , in the royal prophets description of almighty gods sodain approach in great majesty , as riding upon a cherub , or upon the wings of the wind . psal. . , . &c. this the evangelical prophet follows , in his swift cloud , ( isa. . . ) more may appear in the prophet habakkuks questions , about the manner of gods coming out of egypt , toward the holy land. ( chap. . , . &c. ) and the prophets isai , ieremy , ioel , and haggai's deliverie of the overthrow , and desolation of nations , ( isai. . , . ierem. . . &c. and v. . ioel. . . haggai . , . after whom , st. iohn goes the same way . apoc. . , . we have yet more in iob's manner of teaching us gods providence , and protection over his servants . iob . . &c. which is paralleld . . reg. . . dan. . . and elsewhere . and what i said of iob puts me in mind of his description of leviathan ( chap. . , . ) and salomons eloquent periphrasis of old age . eccles. . to which we may adde the copie , that the holy psalmist first set , to what we observed before out of habakkuk , which we find ps. . . &c. and . . . &c. they that meet with such divine rhetorical or poetical places , cannot well paraphrase them to the reader , in another language , unlesse they take some libertie from that holy rhetorick , and poetrie , which they have before their eyes in such a description , or such a place of the original copie . in imitation of which , many learned authors , in several languages , have excellently expressed many places of holy writ . when we meet with such high pathetical streins in sacro codice , we should reverently receive and deliver them , as the issue of divine prophetical raptures . and while i , in some places , endeavour to do so , i hope , i shall be so interpreted by all good christian intelligent readers . who , though they love a translator , that will keep close to the footsteps of his author : yet they will expect , that a paraphrast should inlarge himself according to the true scope , and sense of the place , and follow the meaning of the text closer then the words . for instance , when ( in some of the forecited places of scripture ) i read of the sun , and moon darkened : the falling of the stars : the turning of the earth into the old chaos , &c. if i am a paraphrast , to an indifferent intelligent reader , it will be enough ( without particular mention of the sun , moon , stars , or chaos ) to expresse the disgrace and downfall of the principal governors , and chief men of that place , and the confusion , and disorder of the common people . for that is the meaning of it . and these figurative speaches , among the jews , were so easily interpreted , out of the usual tearms of the oriental countries , that when ioseph had dreamed " that the sun , and moon , and eleven stars , did reverence to him , his father could presently of himself , paraphrase upon the dream , and tell the meaning of it , for what is this dream ? saith he , shall i , and thy mother , and thy brethren come indeed , and fall on the ground before thee ? this was so readily said by the good patriarch , because they were the chief of his family , and so as eminent in his house , as the sun , moon , and stars in the firmament . many are the instances that i could give in the like kind , if i would venter to be tedious . but i have delivered the sum , and substance of what i chiefly desired to say . which , with the whole work , i humbly , and willingly submit to the judgement of the more judicious and learned readers : specially to those that understand the hebrew tongue , and the difficulty of many hebrew texts , which is very great . for , though all those things , that tend directly to our eternal happinesse , are plainly , and fully set down in sacrâ paginâ , yet some passages of holy scripture there are , that cannot easily be fathomed . which made a skilful divine , and reverend father of the church say , that some sacred texts are so shallow , that a lamb might passe over them without danger : and yet some so deep , that the greatest elephants ( the wisest clerks ) would be troubled at them . st. gregories expression is like it , that some go down easily , like drink : other , like meat , must be broken , and cut , and chewed , before we can make them fit nourishment . those places divines ( above all other men ) must be desirous to apprehend as fully as they may . i say [ as they may ] because , i think , some of those places will pose the subtillest , ablest , and most practised , and constant readers of the holy bible . in which , est aliquid prodire tenus . to this purpose , the iews have a saying , that we cannot have a full satisfactorie resolution of all doubts , and queries , till elias come . we must therefore be content , to follow him that said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( i. to be scholars , and learners all our life long , and as willing to be informed by others , as to informe them . ) he is well , that knows much : but no man living shall ever truly 〈◊〉 ; that he needs no help , or direction ●●om another , while that of salomon ( in his eccles. ● . . . ) holds true , as it ever will , which i conceave to be there spoken to this purpose , that god hath given the hearts of men a whole world of matter , for meditation : so large , so copious , that no man can ever fully go thorow with it , and find it out . such variety of matter affording new work of speculation for us , sometimes in plain , and easie : and sometime ( to sharpen our appetite : and increase our industrie ) in harder , and more intricate wayes , and terms : may move us willingly to joyn the help of others to our own labour , and impart our helps to them . so , out of that plentie , and varietie of matter , our prayers , and good thoughts may have a continual , and profitable supply . thence we may every day , select something , to prepossesse that room in the heart , which otherwise vain phancies ( and perhaps worse then vain phancies ) may incroach upon . and if our meditations rise out of that plentie of matter , which the holy scriptures do best and most furnish us withall : thence we have our armoury , to strengthen us in our saddest combats with our ghostly enemies . and thence we have better then the balm of gilead for curing the wounds , and diseases of the soul. there we have a kind of conversation with god himself , and the sight of his blessed will , and pleasure , in as clear a way and full measure , as is most expedient for us . in the most necessary things , we shall find it most apparently true . for , though the scriptures may be hid to them that willfully perish ( to such as come to them with the spirit of pride , or with prejudice , or faction , or contradiction , or sinister respects . ) yet , if we come otherwise , with pure , and faithful , and thirsty souls , we need not doubt , but we shall find god in that , which is his way , wherein he usually comes to us all . and god , of his infinite mercy , grant , that we may , all , so find him , to our everlasting comfort . a preface to the ensuing paraphrastical exposition ; by the most worthy and learned mr. iohn pearson , minister of st. clements eastcheape . if the eunuch in the acts , having a prophet in his hand , and being asked this question , understandest thou what thou readest ? could give no better answer than that , how can i , except some man should guide me ? if this were the best account which could there be given where the original language was familiarly understood ; what need of an interpreter must they have , who , far distant both in time and place , can read the prophets in no other than their mother-language , and that most different from the tongue in which those holy authors wrote ? as therefore the generality of christians could not read the scriptures at all , except they were first translated ; so when they are , many parts of them cannot yet be understood until they be interpreted . and , as of all the holy writers the prophets are confessedly most obscure ; so amongst them the smallest must necessarily be most intricate : brevity alwaies causing some obscurity . now , though there be many commentators which have copiously written on the prophets : yet we shall not find that light which might be expected from them ; because some have undertaken to expound those oracles , being themselves either altogether ignorant of their language , or very little versed in it . others enlarge themselves by way of doctrines or common-place , which may belong as well to any authors as to those to which they are applied . wherefore if any man hath really a desire to understand the scriptures , i commend unto him those interpreters , whose expositions are literal , searching and declaring the proprieties of the speach of the author , and the scope and aim which he that wrote had in the writing of it . of these literal interpreters , useful to all readers , those are most advantageous to the unlearned , who contrive their expositions by way of paraphase , and so make the author speak his own sense plainly , and perspicuously ; which is the greatest life that can be given unto any writing originally obscure . for if the interpreter truly understand the mind of the author , then without any trouble or circumlocution it becomes the same thing as if the writer had clearly at first exprest himself . and therefore proportionably to our opinion of the knowledge of the paraphrast , we may rely upon the understanding of the author . thus in these smaller prophets acknowledged by all , especially by such as know most , to be obscure , that interpreter which shall be able to deliver their mind , and contrive the same as if it proceeded immediately from themselves , must necessarily be confessed the best expositour . and no man can be able to perform this but he which is exactly knowing of all the idioms of the hebrew tongue , and familiarly acquainted with , and constantly versed in the prophets themselves , and the writings of the iews . now such a person as this is , hath taken the pains to benefit the church of god with a paraphrase of this nature . the reverend and learned dr. stokes , who hath from the happy beginning of his studies been known most industriously to have prosecuted that of the oriental languages , and hath for more then forty years constantly made remarques upon the hebrew text , from which he hath raised unto himself a body of critical observations ready and most fit for publique view . amongst many advantages accruing especially to the understanding of the scriptures , he hath made choice to publish this paraphrase of the small prophets : a work of more real , then seeming , value . which i cannot sufficiently commend to the reader , neither in respect of it self ( it is of so great use and benefit ) nor in reference to his other works , which we may hope to see according to the entertainment given to this . and that ( christian reader ) he desires may be found correspondent to the desert thereof ; who is the authors most affectionate friend , but in this more thine , john pearson . errata . pag. . ver . . d. [ for ] lege therefore will l. p. . v. . lege in the chief seat . p. . v. r. fallen from him . v. . r. desire to offer . p. . v. . r. illiterate . p. . l●● . r shall run . p. v. . r. to their posterity . p. . v. . r. of them n. p. . v. . r. archer . p . v. . r. houses . p. . v : r. proceeded . p. . v. . r. their family p. . l. . r. his ●ervants . p. . v. . r. iunah . p. . r. those that were . p. . v. . r. the wives p. . v. . r. of any longer . p. . v . before encrease dele l. p v. . r. sore troubled p. . l. . r. may be p. . v. . & v. . r. darius notbus , as it is truly printed r. . ( where the note in cal●e paginae , gives a reason of it ) and . l. . p. . v. . r. if by his care . p. . v. . r. angels . p. . l , r. so these . errata in the notes in calce paginae . pag. . l. totum pop . isr. . l. in h●ph . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipe . incipere . for subest . l. subesse . . l. attondebantur . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l. omni cibo . . l. futurum pro imperativo . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of hosea . chap. i. , the word of the lord that came unto hosea the son of beeri , in the daies of uzzia . jotham , ahas , and hezekiah , kings of judah , and ●n the daies of jeroboam the son of joash king of israel . . the beginning of the word of the lord by hosea ; and the lord said to hosea , go , take unto thee a wife of whoredoms , and children of whoredoms : for the land hath committed great whordom , departing from the lord. . so he went and took gomer the daughter of diblaim , which conceived and bare him a son . . and the lord said unto him , call his name jezreel : for yet a little while , and i will avenge the blood of jezreel upon the house of jehu , and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of israel . . and it shall come to passe at that day , that i will break the bow of israel in the valley of jezreel . . and she conceived again , and bare a daughter , and god said unto him , call her name lo-ruhamah : for i will no more have mercy upon the house of israel : but i will utterly take them away . . but i will have mercy upon the house of judah , and will save them by the lord their god , and will not save them by bow , nor by sword , nor by battel , by horses , nor by horsemen . . now when she had weaned lo-ruhamah , she conceived and bare a son . . then said god , call his name lo-ammi : for ye are not my people , and i will not be your god. . yet the number of the children of israel shall be as the sand of the sea , which cannot be measured nor numbred , and it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them , ye are not my people , there it shall be said unto them , ye are the sons of the living god. . then shall the children of judah , and the children of israel be gathered together , and appoint themselves one head , and they shall come up out of the land : for great shall be the day of jezreel . chap. i. . the word of the lord , which was ( made known ) to hosea , the son of beeri in the daies of uzziah , jotham , ahaz , and hezekiah , kings of judah ; and in the daies of jeroboam , the son of joash , king of israel . . when first it pleased god , to deliver his word by hosea : this it was which he said to that prophet , (a) go and take to thy self a woman , that hath lived long in whoredom : and take her children too , that have been born to her , in that time . the fittest type of the children of israel , that have lived long in spiritual whoredoms against their lord iehovah . . and accordingly the prophet went , and took gomer , the daughter of diblaim , ( which , in the very (b) names , signifies the deficiencie of that people ; and that the two houses of iudah , and israel , were like two baskets of dry figs : in which there were but very few worth the keeping . ) this gomer conceived , and bare a son to the prophet . . the prophet also had a command from the lord , to call the name of his son , jezreel , ( which (c) name referred both to iezreel , the prime city in israel : and to their glorious title of the (d) children of god : which title god would shake , by disseminating , and (e) scattering them in forreign nations , where those undeserved titles should serve them in little stead . ) and this , intimated in that name , was to begin with a fore-running punshiment , which the prophet had command to expresse in these , or the like terms , that as a revenge of the innocent blood , shed by iehu (f) in iezreel , god would shortlie send his visitations upon the house of jehu , by such a way , as should not be much unlike that bloody slaughter , that jehu had made in jezreel , upon the house of ahab . and that one effect of these heavy visitations should be this , that the kingdom of the house of israel , should cease to be any longer , in the house of iehu , ( that kingdom being thence translated to sallum , of another stock from zacharias , whom he succeeded . ) . and this was further added , concerning that time , that god would then break the strength of israel , by those civil (g) wars , that should most appear in the valley of jezreel . . after this , gomer conceaved again , and bare a daughter , which by the like divine command , had the name of lo-ruchamah . a name , that carried in it (h) the sad doom , concerning the house of israel , which god would be so far from sheltring any longer , under his merciful protection , that he would utterly remove them out of that good land . . while , in the mean time , he would gratiously defend the house of judah , in such a way , as should visibly appear to be the miraculous work of the lord their god : no strength in the arm of man , nor any art , or instruments of war being ever able to atchieve so great , and sodain a deliverie , as they should have , from the mighty host of senacherib , the king of assyria . . now , after gomer had weaned lo-ruchamah , she conceived a third time , and bare a son . . and god commanded the prophet , to give that son the name of lo-ammi . which name implied , that they (i) should be no longer his people , to enjoy any further happinesse under his service : they should rather be the unhappy people and slaves of the assyrian . and god would no longer make his provident protection , to speak him their god , as he had done . . yet should it come to passe , that when the children of israel had increased into multitudes , like the sand of the sea , which is capable of no number , then (k) instead of their name lo-ammi ( wherein god disclaimed many of them from being so much as his people ) they should have the high title of (l) the sons of the living god. . and then should the children of judah , and the children of israel ( so much divided before ) make one congregation , under one head , and governour , ( which was to be accomplished by zerobabel , in the letter ; and by christ , in the mystery ) for , then should begin the great day of jezreel , that is , of the (m) seed of god , or the sons of the living god , as they were stiled (n) before , ( whether we understand it of the religious iews , both of iudah , and israel , that (o) returned out of the captivity : or of the devout christians after them , that are the true holy seed , and the true israel of god , and were delivered from a greater bondage . ) chap. ii. . say ye unto your brethren , ammi , and to your sisters , ru-hamah : . plead with your mother , plead : for she is not my wife , neither am i her husband : let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight , and her adulteries from between her breasts ; lest i strip her naked , and set her as in the day that she was born , and make her as a wildernesse , and set her like a dry land , and slay her with th●●st . . and i will not have mercy upon her children , for they be the children of whoredoms . . for their mother hath played the harlot , she that conceived them hath done shamefully ; for she said , i will go after my lovers , that give me my bread and my water , my wool and my flax , mine oil and my drink . . therefore behold , i will hedge up thy way with thorns , and make a wall that she shall not find her paths . . and she shall follow after her lovers , but she shall not overtake them , and she shall seek them , but shall not find them : then shall she say , i will go and return to my first husband , for then was it better with me then now . for she did not know that i gave her corn , and wine , and oil , and multiplied her silver and gold , which they prepared for baal . therefore will i return , and take away my corn in the time thereof , and my wine in the season thereof , and will recover my wooll , and my flax , given to cover her nakednesse . . and now will i discover her lewdnesse in the sight of her lovers , and none shall deliver her out of mine hand . . i will also cause all her mirth to cease , her feast-daies , her new moons , and her sabbaths , and all her solemn feasts . . and i will destroy her vines , and her fig-trees , whereof she hath said , these are my rewards that my lovers have given me : and i will make them a forest , and the beasts of the field shall eat them . . and i will visit upon her the daies of baalim , wherein she burnt incense to them , and she decked herself with her ear-rings , and her jewels , and she went after her lovers , and forgat me , saith the lord. . therefore behold , i will allure her , and bring her into the wildernesse , and speak comfortably unto her . . . and i will give her her vineyards from thence , and the valley of achor for a door of hope , and she shall sing there as in the daies of her youth , and as in the day , when she came up out of the land of egypt . . and it shall be at that day , saith the lord , that thou shalt call me ishi , and shalt call me no more baali : . for i will take away the names of baalim out of her mouth , and they shall no more be remembred by their name . . and in that day will i make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field , and with the fowls of heaven , and with the creeping things of the ground : and i will break the bow and the sword , and the battel out of the earth , and will make them to lie down safely . . and i will betroth thee unto me for ever ; yea , i will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse , and in judgement , and in loving kindnesse , and in mercies . . i will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse , and thou shalt know the lord. . and it shall come to passe in that day , i will hear , saith the lord , i will hear the heavens , and they shall hear the earth , . and the earth shall hear the corn , and the wine , and the oil , and they shall hear jezreel . . and i will sow her unto me in the earth , and i will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy , and i will say to them which were not my people . thou art my people , and they shall say , thou art my god. chap. ii. . you that are of the ten tribes , say to your brethren ( those of the tribe of iudah , and benjamin ) (p) ammi , for , now i acknowledge them for my people . and say to your sisters ( of those two tribes ) ruchamah . for my mercy shall watch over them . . and when you have acknowledged their happinesse , then every one of you may think of a quarrel , a just quarrel you have to your own mother , ( i. to all the ten tribes ) for , she hath not behaved her self , like my spouse : nor shall i answer her with the love of a husband , (q) unlesse she make way for reconciliation of her self , by a clean removal of her filthy pollutions , and of her doting foolish demeanour , in the idle love , shewed to those imaginarie dieties , that deserve it not . . which she had best to remove , least ( by way of requital of her making her self gay for those , her best beloved ) i strip her stark , naked , and expose her as bare as ever she was born , to the injury of the weather , in some open wildernesse , or drie land , where i may take that advantage to kill her with very thirst . . when this severitie falls upon the mother , ( the whole nation ) the particular children have no reason to expect any mercy , being no better then children of an adulterous bed , and most foul idolatrie . . for , their mother hath played the harlot : she that conceived them hath brought shame upon her self , and them : the rather because she hath not sticked to professe it openly , that she would follow the example of her paramours , ( the assyrian , and egyptian idolaters ) that give her , forsooth , a constant supplie of her bread , and her water , and her wool , and her flax , and her oyl , and her drink , and what not ? ( for , all this she ascribes to their acquaintance , and to the bountie of their gods . ) . therefore , saith the lord , the time shall come , when she shall brag of none of these courtesies received from them . the time , when her way thither shall be hedged in , as with thorns , and in everie corner , so fenced about , that there will be no evasion from the assyrian slaverie , to which she shall be led along , in bonds , and triumph . . when her quondam-lovers have brought her to those hard embraces , she will then strive to court them , and wooe them , but shall be able to work nothing upon their affections . and finding , by sad experience , that she seeks in vain for what will not be found ; she will then fall ( if not too late ) upon this sad resolution . i will now go , and return to my right husband . he was the (r) first , and he was the (r) best . and i have since tasted of no such happinesse , as i ever was sure of , in the fruition of his favour . . this she will then say . but she should sooner have taken notice , that i was the true author of what she called her corn and wine , and oil . and it was i , that gave her that rich plentie of silver , and gold , (s) which she thought fitter to bestow in the service of baal , then in mine . . for that unseasonable abuse of what i gave her , i will come to her again , (t) with an armie of enemies raised up against her , and by them i will take away the corn , and the wine , which i had given her , in the right season of them . and when she thinks she is in a fair way of enjoying my wool and my slax ( which she would not acknowledge to come from my bountie ) (u) i will snatch them both so sodainly , and so far out of her reach , that she shall not have enough , so much as to cover her nakednesse . . so shall i give way to the discoverie of her (x) follie , and shame , in the open view of them , that she most shamefully doted upon , in the time of her plentie . and neither they , nor any other shall then be able to deliver her out of my hands . . there shall i put an end to all her jollity , to all her festival daies , and new moons , and sabbaths , and all her solemn feasts ; because she looked more to her outward worship in them , then to her inward sanctitie . . and then also her vines and her fig-trees shall vanish in a general desolation : which she never dreamed of , when she was wont to boast of them , as of presents bestowed upon her , or made surer for her use , by the benefit of her union with those her unfortunate lovers . but i that could not be acknowledged for the true founder of that her happinesse , and the onelie means to preserve it : will now show that i was so , by turning those pleasant vineyards , and other so profitable delights into a rude forest : and when they are so taken from their unthankful mouths , the verie beasts of the field shall eat them up ( or their rude destructive enemies , that may be described by a parable of wild beasts . ) . such will i make my sad visitation of those merry daies , wherein she honoured her baals , instead of her own husband ; burned her incense to them , and for their sakes , like a proud strumpet , tricked her self up in her gaudie ornaments her ear-rings , and her jewels . in which garb , she footed it after those her dearest dieties : and thought little of what i deserved , or what i could bring upon her for all this , saith the lord. . for this good behaviour of hers , (y) shall not i use her kindlie ? conduct her fairly into some solitary wildernesse , in a loving posture ? and ( in that privacie ) accost her in some amorous language , to the solace of her good heart ? yes i warrant you . i will lead her thence to her kind assyrian (z) adulterers , that shall prune her vines to the purpose . she shall have her fine valley of pleasure turned into a valley of achor ( a dismal place . ) and there will i first open (a) the way to her new instruction , wherein she shall learn a new lesson , that she never learned before . and ( because she hath formerlie been so musicallie merrie , in their sweet companie ) let her there learn to sing her meriments over again , if she can , and trie if her voice will be framed , to as merrie a tune , as ever she warbled out in her younger daies , and equal her merry sits , that she had after her safe deliverie out of egypt . . but alas , in that sad time , her mouth will not rellish those sweet , and merry ditties : nor will she have any mind to her old language of baal . though it signifie a husband , yet ( because it is the name of her idol too ) i can tell her , she will then be so warie , as rather to use the terms of (b) ishi , then baali , in the ordinarie salutations of a husband . . for , i will teach her mouth to leave her wonted names of baalim . they shall have small comfort in the use of that name hereafter , which so much abused it heretofore . . after the amendment , which shall attend this alteration , i will make a league , and covenant in their behalf , and such as shall tend to their good . it shall be a covenant with the beasts of the field , and the fowls of the aire , and the creeping things of the earth . and then ( for a covenant with men too ) i will put as clear an end to their former wars , and dissentions , as if , in their sight , i should break the bow , and the sword , and all the instruments of battel . and they shall quietly take their rest , without any fear of danger . . i will adde this too , by way of a kind apostrophe to my people . if thou wilt keep thy faith with me , for the time to come , though thou hast gone a whoring after other gods , yet will i espouse thee to my self again for ever . and that espousal shall be made by my (c) goodnesse , and by * moderation of my judgements , and that in loving kindnesse , and in much mercy . . and it shall be faithfullie done , with full resolution of keeping all promises , on my behalf : and , by that , thou shalt know me to be iehovah , ( i. that he , to whom thou art espoused , is the powerful god , that ever doth reallie make good , what he hath said , which is the chief notion , and reason of the name of iehovah . ) v. , & . then shall there be as much plentie of corn , and wine , and oil , and all necessaries , as can be desired by my people israel , which shall now have the name of (d) jezreel , as being (e) a holy seed , and a mother-church . and no blessing that can come from heaven , or earth , shall be dutifullie asked , in her behalf , but it shall be as readilie granted . . and i will (f) disseminate and disperse her far abroad in the earth , with happie enlargement like seed , that is cast about with expectation of a large increase ) and as i will therein make good the best notion of iezreel , so , in great mercy , i will change the names of (g) loruchamah , and loammi into ruchamah , and ammi . for , she shall tast of my mercy , and be my people , and resume the priviledge of calling me her god. chap. iii. . then said the lord unto me , go yet , love a woman ( beloved of her friend , yet an adulteresse ) according to the love of the lord toward the children of israel , who look to other gods , and love flagons of wine . . so i bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver , and for an homer of barley , and an half homer of barley . . and i said unto her , thou shalt abide for me many dayes , thou shalt not play the harlot , and thou shalt not be for another man , so will i also be for thee . . for the children of israel shall abide many daies without a king , and without a prince , and without a sacrifice , and without an image , and without an ephod , and without a teraphim . . afterward shall the children of israel return , and seek the lord their god , and david their kings ; and shall fear the lord , and his goodnesse in the latter dayes . chap. iii. after this , it pleased god to injoyn me once again to (h) love a woman , that had been dearly affected by her dearest friend , her husband : and yet had been false to him in no lesse a fault than whoredom . and this was another typicall expression , how great love god had shewed to the children of israel : who most ungratefully neglecting him , cast their affection upon strange gods for love of those stagons of wine , ( which being offered to such false gods , were then tasted with pleasure , by their idolaters . . conformable to this divine command ( the custome of the jewes being to purchase their wives with mony , or money-worth ) i procured such a wife , at the set price of fifteen pieces of silver , and a homer , and a half of barley . . and i agreed with her , that she should live a good while , as a widow , forsaking the love of all others , reserving her self all that while for me : as i would reserve my self for her . . for , this was also a type of the (i) children of israel , that should expect my wonted favourable protection for many dayes abiding in the mean while , (k) without a king ( of their own nation ) and a peculiar prince of their own . nay it was a figure of more than so : that they should not onely want their former way of polity , and government of the common-wealth : but the wonted liberty also of those ecclesiasticall rites , and customes , which they had used before in their sacrifices , (l) and pillars , and ephod , and teraphim , ( in all which they took themselves to make sufficient expression of their love , and service unto me . ) . after which time expired , the children , of israel should return by repentance , and seek for a reconciliation with their god , whom they had so much offended , and apply themselves to zorobabel of the line of david , whom they should account as their king , and then should they live in the fear of the lord , and acknowledge his great goodnesse , and mercy toward them , in the latter dayes . chap. iiii. . hear the word of the lord , ye children of israel : for the lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land , because there is no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of god in the land . . by swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth bloud . . therefore shall the land mourn , and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish , with the beasts of the field , and with the fowls of heaven , yea , the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away . . yet let no man strive , nor reprove another ; for this people are as they that strive with the priest. . therefore shalt thou fall in the day , and the prophet shall also fall with thee in the night , and i will destroy thy mother . . my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : because thou hast rejected knowledge , i will also reject thee , that thou shalt be no priest to me : seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy god , i will also forget thy children . . as they were increased so they sinned against me : therefore will i change their glory into shame . . they eat up the sinne of my people , and they set their heart on their iniquity . . and there shall be like people , like priest : and i will punish them for their waies , and reward them their doings . . for they shall eat , and not have enough : they shall commit whoredom , and shall not increase , because they have left off to take heed to the lord. . whoredome , and wine , and new wine take away the heart . . my people ask counsell at their stocks , and their staffe declareth unto them : for the spirit of whoredomes hath caused them to erre , and they have gone a whoring from under their god. . they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountaines , and burn incense upon the hils under oakes , and poplars , and elmes , because the shadow thereof is good : therefore your daughters shall commit whoredome , and your spouses shall commit adultery . . i will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom , nor your spouses when they commit adultery : for themselves are separated with wh●res , and they sacrifice with harlots : therefore the people that doth not understand , shall fall . . though thou israel play the harlot , yet let not iudah offend , and come not ye unto gilgal , neither go ye up to beth-aven , nor swear , the lord liveth . . for israel slideth back , as a back-sliding heifer : now the lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place . . ephraim is joyned to idols : let him alone . . their drink is sowre : they have committed whoredom continually : her rulers with shame do love , give ye . . the wind hath bound her up in her wings , and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices . chap. iiii. . in the latter dayes it will be so . but will you hear , what is to be said for the present . hear the word of the lord , ye children of israel : for , the lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land : because there is none of that truth and mercy , and knowledge of god , in the land , which they pretend to , and so no true acts of piety . . but rather by swearing falsly , and as falsly (m) denying that which is committed to their trust , by murder , and theft , and adultery , they have (n) violently , and impudently broke thorow all good lawes . and therefore , by way of punishment , they shall be suffered , so long to goe on in the current of those disorders , till among the greatest of them , that should have kept the people within their bounds , one (o) murder shall break out after another , and (p) other sinnes of a high nature , that deserve death , and effusion of blood , come on so thick , and frequent , that you may say , they are one contiguous to another . . whereupon ( though they would not mourn for this increase of sinne , yet ) the earth it self , seeming to put on her (q) mourning-weeds ( for the destruction of her fruit ) shall be as an introduction to their own sorrow , for the just increase of their calamities , which shall come so hot and thick upon them , ( those especially by tiglath-peleser , and salmenasser ) that the inbabitants of the land shall (r) faint under that grief , and perplexity , which must then be suffered . for , amongst other miseries , such an universall want shall there be of food , and nourishment : and ( by the effusion of much blood ) such a corruption of the air , and waters , that ( together with those distressed inhabitants ) the very beasts of the field , and the fowles of the aire , and the fishes of their ponds near the sea shall , many of them , be taken away , in that common calamity . . in all this , (s) certainly it will be to little purpose for any man to admonish another ; whose sinnes have contributed much to this publick misery . therefore he were as good let it alone . for , this thy people are most of them past cure , like those spoken of in the law , that will neither hearken to (t) prince , nor priest , unlesse it be to give them as good as they bring , when they are reproved , or corrected for their faults . therefore it shall (u) not be long , before i lay thee low enough , for this height of stubborness , and rebellion . and the false prophet , that hath deceived thee , shall bear thee company in that punishment , which shall suddenly come upon you , like a misfortune , that comes in the (x) night , ( when men neither look for it , nor know how to prevent it . ) and thy mother ( thy whole nation ) will i then out off from this place ( by the hand of the assyrian ) . and yet indeed , it is not i that so cut them off , but their own folly , and impiety . for i must tell thee plainly ( oh israel , and thou especially , whosoever thou art , that art a priest in israel ) thou hast made no regard of the knowledge of me , and my lawes ; therefore will i have as little regard of thee , or thy service , or those priests of thine , ( whose lips should have preserved that knowledge ) thou hast forgotten the custody of the law of thy god , which should have been most dear unto thee . therefore will i , in the very successions of the priesthood , forget the care of thy children , which are dearer in thine eye , than any thing else . . they have given me cause enough to say so . for , (y) as they increased in number , and dignity , so did they increase in sinne , ( which was no better , than turning their glory into shame ) therefore i will requite them in the same way , and make that now to be their shame , which they value as the greatest glory , that can happen to them . ( so that they shall be ashamed to think of that honour of the priesthood , that once they had . ) miserum est fuisse . . for they that were in that honour , forgat themselves , and instead of reproving the sins of the people , they rather fed themselves upon the increase of those sins : having thence such plenty of their sinne-offerings , and oblations , that helped to furnish out their table , as they (z) heartily wished to have it , by what meanes soever . . therefore , as they were alike guilty of sin : the priest and the people : so shall a punishment answerable to their sin , fall upon them both alike , when in my just visitation of their wicked waies , i shall return them the fruit of their own works . . then they ( that fed so lustily , and highly before , at their full tables ) shall find so little to feed on , that they will not be able to fill themselves with the coursest fare . and when their enemies , in the siege of samaria , have brought such a famine upon this adulterous generation : their adulterous seed shall not be so strong , and numerous , as to beat them away . and all this will come upon them , because they forlook that , which might have kept them close unto the lord. . but , how could they keep close to him , or to his precepts , when they su●●ered their dear whoredom , and their sweet wine to steale away their hearts . . it is not for nothing , that i made speciall mention of their whoredoms , and spirituall fornications . for , my people , ( unworthy of that name ) proceeded so far in them as to fetch their intelligence from their poor (a) wooden oracles , and out of (b) little sticks ( after the chaldie device of making lots ) they took their new way of information . thus the spirit of whoredoms , or rather their spirituall whoredoms , and the example of those idolaters , that they conversed withall , led them into grosse errours , while they wandred from their own god , to goe a w●oring after other gods . . when ( directly against their own law ) they made choice of the tops of mountaines , wherein to sacrifice , and offer incense : or else they did it under oakes and poplars , and elmes , for the welcome benefit of the shade . therefore will i punish one kind of whoredom with another , the spirituall with the carnall : and suffer your wives and daughters to be guilty of whoredom against your selves , as you have been against me , oh israel ! . nor will i take present punishment upon your wives and daughters for such offences , but wink at them , as if i saw not , how they goe on in the practise of those sins . because you that are fathers , and husbands showed them the way by your own example in your many diversions , and private walks into shady groves , with no better company than harlots to partake of your idolatrous sacrifice . and into these sins and these punishments may that people easily fall , that will not hold to the knowledge of the true god. . but , though you of the ten tribes will run far into the guilt of spiritual and carnall whoredom : yet let the house of judah and benjamin take heed of following so bad an example . do not you of those two tribes undertake any walks or pilgrimages to galgala , or bethel . that of bethel indeed hath a specious name as if it were the house of god : but whatsoever it hath been , it is now rather a (c) beth-aven i.e. a house of vanity or of an idoll , which is no better than vanity . learn not you to goe thither , nor ( as they do there ) to swear by their calves under the name of jehovah , whom they think they may worship in such images , and representations . in that sense to swear [ as the lord liveth ] will be such an oath , as he will not like . . as for thee , oh israel , that wouldst be dealing with such cattle ( with calves instead of a dietie ) the time is coming on , when ( to requite thy many walks to them ) thy self (k) shall wander about like a silly calf . and thou shalt be (l) fed where thou mayest have room enough indeed ; as much as sheep delight to have , that would ever be feeding in large meadowes , though to the hazard of loosing themselves . so shall your lot fall into spacious places . ( but it shall be in the assyrians grounds , and there will be little comfort of your feeding at large , in that place . ) . this is the punishment of ephraim , that beares the name of the ten tribes and is so violently addicted to idols , and so incurably sick of that maladie , that it is in vain to perswade him any more against it . therefore let him alone oh iudah , leave him to his own wayes . , such a drink offering as they pour out to their gods , hath lost his best savour , and is not worth the drinking : because it tastes strong of idolatry , the worst kind of whoredoms . though (f) their great ones come merrily to it , and they that should be like bucklers to keep the people off , do rather love to say , (g) bring hither our idols . they were as good have said , bring hither our shame . . therefore shall ephraim be as swiftly (h) carried away into a remote nation ( of the assyrian ) as if he had been taken up upon the wings of the wind . and then with shame shall they think of those sacrifices that have purchased so sad a reward for them , in that dismall place . chap. v. . hear ye this , o priests , and hearken ye house of israel , and give ye ear , o house of the king : for judgement is towards you , because ye have been a snare on m●zpah , and a net spred upon tabor . . and the revolters are profound to make slaughter , though i have been a rebuker of them all . . i know ephraim , and israel is not hid from me : for now , o ephraim , thou committest whoredom , and israel is defiled . . they will not frame their doings to turn unto their god : for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them , and they have not known the lord. and the pride of israel doth testifie to his face : therefore shall israel and ephraim fall in their iniquity : iudah also shall fall with them . . they shall go with their flocks , and with their berds to seek the lord : but they shall not find him , he hath withdrawn himself from them . . they have dealt treacherously against the lord : for they have begotten strange children , now shall a moneth devour them with their portions . . blow ye the cornet in gibea , & the trumpet in ramah ; cry aloud at bethaven , after thee , o benjamin . . ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke : among the tribes of israell have i made known that which shall surely be . . the princes of iudah were like them that remove the bound : therefore i will poure out my wrath upon them like water . . ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement : because he willingly walked after the commandment . . therefore will i be unto ephraim as a moth : and to the house of iudah as rottennesse . . when ephraim saw his sicknesse , and iudah saw his wound : then went ephraim to the assyrian , and sent to king iareb ; yet could he not heal you , nor cure you of your wound . . for i will be unto ephraim as a lion , and as a young lion to the house of iudah : i , even i , will tear and go away : i will take away , and none shall rescue him . . i will goe and return to my place , till they acknowledge their offence , and seek my face : in their affliction they will seek me early . chap. v. . you that call your selves priests in israel , and passe under that name among your countriemen , i have somewhat more for you to hear . and it will concern all you of the house of israel , to listen to it : and you specially of king menahem's court. for there is a (i) just punishment readie to fall upon you , because you have been a snare to the house of iudah , who , by your example , have been as easilie seduced , as birds are taken in nets , and gins , about the woody mountains of mizpah , and tabor : which are famous for that art of fowling , and ensnaring of those creatures . . and no wonder , if others were misled by their example : for , these (k) apostates declining from the true wayes of my service , (l) went profoundlie to work in their butchering ( for no better term deserve their so much sacrificing to idols . ) but i will (m) find a way of correction , that shall meet with them all , in a slaughter of men , not of beasts . . i know these , and other faults in those of the ten tribes , nor can any of their offences be concealed from me . i observe how ephraim goes still forward in his spiritual fornication , and all israel is defiled after their example . . they will not frame their actions towards a way of conversion unto their god. for , the spirit of that kind of whordom is in the middest of them , and they have no mind to know the lord. . which proud , and obstinate demeanour of israel doth testifie to their faces , what they are . therefore their own iniquitie shall ruine those ten tribes , ( under the assyrian ) and judah shall , not long after , fall into the like miserie ( under the egyptians and caldaeans . ) . then shall they think to make their atonement , by bringing their stocks , and their herds to be offered in sacrifice unto the lord. * but , that way of seeking their peace with god , will not then prove the way to find it . they will rather find , that he hath (n) withdrawn himself from them , and will by no means admit of those former waies of accesse . . and so he might well do , because of their unlawful accesse to women of other nations , whom they were commanded not to marry , which was a great offence against god , and a means to furnish them with strange children , that he will not own . now therefore will he suffer souldiers of a strange nation (o) in a short time by their monethlie payments and exactions , to devour them , and that substance , which he had allotted , and laid out , as a peculiar portion to themselves . . nor will i longer defer the calling of that armie , saith the lord. come on , (p) and let your trumpets and cornets give notice of your near approach . let the sound of them be heard in gibeah , and ramah ( within the portion of benjamin , and not many miles from the citie of ierusalem ) let them shout aloud at (q) bethaven , and that pincheth close upon thy back , o benjamin . so near is that place unto thee . . and if this fall upon judah . how will ephraim be laid desolate in the day of his correction ? ( under the army of salmanasser ) when i shall show my (r) constant resolution of accomplishing all that , which i had foretold to be coming upon israel . . nor , while they are so punished in israel , may the princes of iudah think to escape . for , many of them have often passed those bounds , that i set them . therefore i will poure my anger upon them , like water ( that will be kept in no bounds , and ever breaks out violentlie , and in great abundance . ) . and while i resolve of iudah's punishment , i forget not the faults of ephraim , and israel : speciallie how the people there have been crushed and oppressed by the power of their great ones , and the iniquitie of their courts of iustice. (s) my justice suffering that punishment to fall upon them , because they had a readier inclination to walk after the edicts and dictates of men , then after that which i justlie commanded . . therefore as the moth eats and consumes the garment , and rottenness the flesh : so will i for these offences cause both ephraim and iudah to be consumed , and eaten out of their own homes . and neither their own , nor other princes shall be able to relieve them . . they may remember the time , when ephraim perceiving his sicknesse , and judah feeling his wound , that troubled him : (t) ephraim applied himself to the assyrian , ( sending presents to pul ) and (u) judah made his addresses to tiglathpelezer , that he would be his good king (x) jareb , i. his protector , and (x) avenger of his cause . but , all this while , he , that was so wooed , and humbly sent to , could not heal the disease , that they were sick of : nor cure those wounds , that put them to their pain and trouble . . for , to what end is it to seek favour , and succour of men , saith the lord , when i resolve in my revenge , to be as a panther sodainly to rush upon ephraim , and as a lion violentlie to fall upon the house of judah ? when (y) i my felf prove like these fierce creatures that first come abroad to tear in pieces , and then return again into their dens to dispose of their prey : who shall then be able to rescue that , which i have so taken away ? . but i will retire my self from these sons of men , into heaven , my proper place : (z) till by repentance they acknowledge their guilt , and seek after my love and favour , which i know they will do (a) with all speed , and diligence , when the smart of their affliction hath wrought the right cure upon them . chap. vi. . come , and let us return unto the lord , for he hath torn , and he will heael us : he hath smitten , and he will bind us up . . after two daies will he revive us , in the third day he will raise us up , and we shall live in his sight . . then shall we know , if we follow on to know the lord : his going forth is prepared as the morning ; and he shall come unto us as the rain ; as the latter and former rain unto the earth . . o ephraim , what shall i do unto thee ? o iudah , what shall i do unto thee ? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud , and as the early dew it goeth away . . therefore have i hewed them by the prophets : i have slain them by the words of my mouth , and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth . . for i desired mercy , and not sacrifice ; and the knowledge of god more the● burnt offerings . . but , they like men , have transgressed the covenant : there they have dealt treacherously against me . . gilead is a city of them that work iniquity , and is polluted with blood . . and as troups of robbers wait for a man , so the company of priests murder in the way by consent : for they commit lewdnesse . . i have seen an horrible thing in the house of israel : there is the whoredom of ephraim , israel is defiled . . also , o iudah , he hath set an harvest for thee , when i returned the captivity of my people . chap. vi. . and when they so resolve to seek me by repentance , ( as i said they would do in that affliction ) they may do it , in these words , which i shall now set down to their hands . come let us seek a remedie of all our troubles , by returning unto the lord. for no raging lions could have thus torn and distressed us , but by his permission : and nothing but his mercie can find a way to relieve us . it is he that gave strength to the hand , which hath smitten , and wounded us , and none but his hand can bind up our wounds , and apply that unto them , which is their certain cure . . indeed our case is rather like theirs , that are killed outright , then onely wounded : and the day of our countries calamities may be counted the day of her death , and a ceasing quite to be , what she was before . yet such is the power of our god , that if he suffer us to lie two daies in the grave of this miserie he can make the third day , the joyful day of our resurrection to our former state , and livelyhood : and so the figure of a greater day , that he shall comfort us , and all his servants withal , in his due time : so this quickning and reviving us out of our miserie here , shall be as a pledge , and assurance , that one day we shall come to live for ever in his sight , and hear no more of his diversions , and retirements from his chosen people . . and if we will use our best endeavours , and presse on more , and more toward the knowledge and service of god , we shall soon know , that the morning of that happy day begins to dawn . for his ready help shall appear like the joyful morning , that speaks the approach of a clear day . or like the welcom rain : (b) the latter and the former rain , that prophesie a merrie day unto the earth . (c) when the montains shall skip , like rams , and the little hills like young sheep . (d) and the vallies shall stand so thick with corn , that they shall laugh and sing . . now when they have used this form of accesse to me , then will i answer them in this manner . alas ! what good can i do to you of ephraim , or to you of judah ? while you continue in that wicked state wherein you are , and frame not your selves to live well , but onely by fits , and starts . for there is no more assurance of your (e) goodnesse then there is of the morning-cloud , or the earlie dew , that vanish away , as soon as the sun begins to look upon them . ( thus you make not up your day , and how can you hope for mine ? ) . that is the reason of the sad daies , wherein i wounded you with those judgements , that i sent my prophets to foretel : and as good as killed you with threats out of my holy word , and the mouth of my messengers , that i sent unto you . in which sad time ( as i called them ) my iustice in those heavy judgements that i brought upon you , is as clear as the light of the day , ( fully deserved by you , and yet clearlie foretold by me , that you might seek to avoid them by a better course of life . ) . for (f) goodnesse , and holinesse of life is the sacrifice , with which i am best appeased : and it is not the number of your burnt-offerings , that i look after , but the zealous ardour of a good heart , that desires nothing more then to know me , as i have revealed my self in my holie word . . but what care have they taken for this goodnesse , and this knowledge , that have violated my covenant as their old father adam did in paradise ? ( who was therefore turned out of that pleasant place : as their punishment is to be turned out of their pleasant and fruitful land . and good reason : for , ) * it was not enough for them to sin there against me : ( to sin in adam ) but i shall instance in their own actual sins , and begin first with them of gilead . . gilead is a city wholy fraught with (g) makers of idols . and their bloody hands are as deep in crueltie too . if you will follow their footsteps , to find them out , in that sin , you may (h) trace them all the way by that blood , which they shed in such abundance , that i was content to appoint more cities of refuge beyond iordan ( considering the space of ground ) then there was on this side . . and this will hold true , not onely of the common people , which usually add murder to their theft , and robberie : but of their priests too , that should be their guides to better courses , and yet do as much harm to the souls of men , as others do to their bodies or estates . for , there shall you have combinations of idolatrous priests of ieroboams new religion , that have their set meetings to little better purpose , then those famous companies of troopers , and theeves , that wait for any man , that passes by the high way to sichem , there to rob , and slay . for , such (i) villanie is their work : they have little other , imployment . . from whence ( as an effect of this ) i have seen a most horrid thing in israel , idolatrie spread over the whole ten tribes by ieroboam of the tribe of ephraim : and so all israel polluted with that spiritual adulterie . . nor hath israel onely offended . i shall find cause enough to punish thee , o iudah , by sennacherib one that shall bring (k) great sorrow and affliction upon thee : after i have caused my people israel to be led captives , (l) as at first by tiglathpelezer , so the second time again by salmanasser . (k) chap. vii . . when i would have healed israel , then the iniquity of ephraim was discovered , and the wickednesse of samaria : for they commit falshood : and the thief cometh in , & the troup of robbers spoileth without . . and they consider not in their hearts : that i remember all their wickednesse : now their own doings have beset them about , they are before my face . . they make the king glad with their wickedness and the princes with their lies . . they are all adulterers , an oven heated by the baker ; who ceaseth from raising , after he hath kneaded the dough , untill it be leavened . . in the day of our king , the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine , he stretched out his hand with scorners . . for they have made ready their heart like an oven , whiles they ly in wait , their baker sleepeth all the night , in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire . they are all hot as an oven , and have devoured their iudges : all their kings are fallen , there is none among them that calleth unto me . ephraim , he hath mixed himself among the people , ephraim is a cake not turned . strangers have devoured his strength , and he knoweth it not : yea , gray haires are here and there upon him , yet he knoweth not . and the pride of israel testifieth to his face , and they do not return to the lord their god , non seek to him for all this . ephraim also is like a silly dove , without heart : they call to egypt , they go to assyria . when they shall go , i will spread my net upon them , i will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven : i will chastise them as their congregation hath heard . wo unto them , for they have fled from me : destruction unto them , because they have transgressed against me , though i bave redeemed them , yet they have spoken lies against me . and they have not cried unto me with their heart , when they howled upon their beds : they assemble themselves for corn and wine , and they rebel against me . though i have bound , & strengthened their arms , yet do they imagine mischief against me . they return , but not to the most high : they are like a deceitful bow : their princes shall fall by the sword , for the rage of their tongue : this shall be their derision in the land of egypt . chap. vii . . you have heard of their wounds , and sicknesse in israel , and their desire of recovery . now when i had begun a fair means of cure upon them ( by removing the most idolatrous house of ahab ) a new way of iniquity was discovered in ephraim , and samaria ( jehu (n) still leaving jeroboams calves to be a snare to the people ) for then fell they afresh to the making of (o) images . therefore i left them to be punished by whole troops of thieves and robbers both at home and abroad . . yet will they not think in their hearts , how i remember all their wicked actions , which will (p) shortly compasse them about ( like enemies , that come for their ruine ) if they will not remove them out of my sight . . they make a merriment of these faults before jehu their king , and cozen the princes as well as him ( with the speculation of their imaginary prosperity in this course . ) . in the mean time all these (q) idolaters are as hot upon it , as an oven : which was heated by a baker , that , when he had kneaded his dough , till it was leavened , took no care to watch , and attend the oven , (r) ( so that the fire might easily break out , and consume the whole house , thorough his supine negligence ) such were these in their idolatrous courses , the more inflamed , and indangered , while their king jehu connived , and took no care to represse them , . and now the prophet may say . in the daies of this our king jehu , our princes (s) began ( to be as hot upon their idolatry ) as if they had been ins●amed with full bottles of wine . the king , withdrawing his hand and deferring to punish those wicked and profane contemners of god and men. . for these princes ( under pretense of zeal to the cause ) fitted , and prepared their inflamed hearts for idolatry , like that oven before mentioned : treacherously deceiving the king by their evill counsailes . and the king , all the while , was like the baker ( in the (t) former parable ) that slept all night , and either did not , or would not see what they went about : till at last (u) the day came , when the king himself was as much inflamed with that false zeal , as any of them : and i might say ; as the very fire , that first set all into such a flame . . not long after , they were all become as hot as an oven , in this businesse . the people , as well as their king , and their princes , ( for , such an example could not but heat them on ) and their stomachs quickly prove so hot upon it , that they spare not to devour their own princes , and governours . (x) the time will come , when i shall punish them in the same way , by letting their kings fall by the hands of seditious people : because , in all this confusion , there were few , or none , that would call upon me for appeasing of these disorders . . therefore shall ephraim be confusedly dispersed among other nations , y and suddenly too . for he shall be like a cake half baked , devoured up before both sides be turned , and heated as they should be . . strangers will consume his wealth , before he will know why : and he shall be ruined before he is aware of it : like those that by their gray haires are here , and there fairly admonished of the approach of infirmities , and death : and yet (z) will not take any notice of that admonition . . and no wonder , if this be the doom of israel , while their proud , and obstinate demeanour testifies to their faces , what they are , and they will not , in humility , return to the lord , their god , and seek after him , for all this . . but ephraim will still be like a silly dove , that hath no understanding , and ( instead of seeking after god ) (a) fly about to his vain hopes : sometime to implore the help of egypt , and sometime to be reposed under the shelter of assyria . . but , when they have wandred , thorough all the wayes of trial , that their idle fancy can set them upon : i will catch them in a net , that i have ready to spread over them : and draw them like silly birds , whither i have already determined . and there i (b) will punish them , according to that which they have often heard from the mouth of my prophets , and others , in their several congregations . . nothing but woe can be due to them , for that often wandring away from me : nothing but desolation , ( from those they prefer before my help ) can be the doom of their grievous rebellions , and aversions from me , that have so often delivered them from the hands of their greatest enemies : though they still continue to speak falsly and vainly of me ( in expressing my glory by their idols of wood and stone . ) . to those titular gods , and not to me do they heartily make their moan , when their afflicting thoughts make them howle upon their beds . and no otherwise , in their merry dayes , when with plenty of bread , and wine , they had (c) ingurgitated themselves like beasts , did they turne away from me , the author of that plenty . so that they could never find the way to my service , either full or fasting . . whether i weakned them by afsliction , or strengthned them by (d) prosperity , still they held on their mischievous , and idolatrous devices against me , and against the pure worship of my name . . ever ready to turn away from being under the yoke of my law ( notwithstanding all their pretenses to it ) like a deceitful bow , that seems to aim one way , and strikes another . (e) (f) therefore shall god strike them with a secret arrow , that cannot be discovered , or prevented . for , their princes shall fall by the sword , in those conspiracies which shall take rise from the virulent speeches , and libels secretly cast out against them ( the usual art to feel the pulse of the people ) and this shall expose them to scorn , and contempt among their neighbours of egypt ( who are more loyall , and faithfull to their princes ; then you that should set them a copy of that obedience . ) chap. viii . . set the trumpet to thy mouth : he shall come as an eagle against the house of the lord , because they have transgressed my covenant , and trespassed against my law. israel shall cry unto me , my god , we know thee . israel hath cast off the thing that is good : the enemy shall pursue him . they have set up kings , but not by me : they have made princes , and i knew it not : of their silver and their gold have they made them idols , that they may be cut off . thy calf , o samaria , hath cast thee off , mine anger is kindled against them : how long will it be ere they attain to innocency ? for from israel was it also , the workman made it , therefore it is not god : but the calf of samaria be broken in pieces . for they have sown the wind , and they shall reap the whirlewinde : it hath no stalk : the bud shall yeild no meal : if so be it yeild , the strangers shall swallow it up . israel is swallowed up , now shall they be among the gentiles , as a vessel wherein is no pleasure . for they are gone up to assyria , a wild asse alone by himself : ephraim hath hired louers . yea , though they have hired among the nations , now will i gather them , and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princos . because ephraim hath made many altars to sin , altars shall be unto him to sinne . i have written to him the great things of my law , but they were counted as a strange thing . they sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings , and eat it ; but the lord accepteth them not : now will he remember their iniquity , and visit their sinnes : they shall return to egypt . for israel hath forgotten his maker , and buildeth temples ; and iudah hath multiplied fenced cities : but i will send a fire upon his cities , and it shall devour the palaces thereof . chap. viii . . after this , god gave a command to hoseah to this purpose . lift up thy voice , against israel , so loud , that it may be as easily heard , as the sound of a trumpet out of thy mouth , or the noise which an eagle makes above the height of the temple . so loud do thou proclaim against them for their transgressing of my covenant , and violating my law , (g) in a high way of presumption . and if that trumpet , and noise of an eagle prevaile not with them , i will fright them with the trumpets of their enemies , and with nebuchadnezar's terrible approach , which shall come as suddenly upon them , as the flight of an (h) eagle . . but they will not hear . therefore when the time comes , that they shall cry aloud to me in their affliction , and say , o my god! we of israel (i) acknowledge thee onely to be the true god. . then will i answer . for all your fair language now , you of israel , ( that took your name of (k) israel for prevailing with me ) have notwithstanding forsaken me your supreme good , and your best friend . and , in forsaking me , you have bereaved your selves of all that is good for you . for , therefore will i leave you to an enemy , that shall never forsake the pursuit of israel , till he hath brought him to utter ruine . . many kings and iudges , ( before and after jehu and his posterity ) have they set●over themselves , without any such direct order from me , or so much as inquiring after my pleasure , ( as if my permission were enough to excuse them , without my command ) this was one way , and for a second way of forsaking their chief good , of their silver and gold have they made them idols , as if it were to give me occasion , not onely to take away that wealth , which they so abused : but to cut off such a people from the place , where they have so highly offended . as i have often threatned that i would do . . for , do not think , these idols can prevent it . no , as thou didst cast me off , so thy calf will cast thee off , o samaria . that diety of thy first kings invention , and which thou makest so much of ( as the chief seat of thy idolatrous kings ) shall leave thee in the lurch , when thou hast most need of a better help . and , instead of succour from thence , her admirers shall find the effects of my fierce anger . for , how long shall i expect , ' ere they (l) wash off the guilt of those sinnes by repentance , and follow after innocence and purity in the service of the true god ? . for , this device of the calf is a trick of israels own choice , and election . they learned it not of any of their idolatrous neighbours . the first founders of it were their own fathers in the wildernesse . when their posterity long after had taken it up again , it was made by those artificers , that their own princes set on work . and , when all is done , how far it is from being a god , you shall see by my breaking of it all to pieces , ( while that is able to make no resistance . ) and the hands , that i shall make use of to that purpose , shall spend those pieces of silver , and gold , as they please , without any respect to the pretended sacred employment , which , they had before . . then shall men take up a proverb against them , and say , they have sowen the wind , and reaped the whirlewind : they have busled , and (m) troubled themselves to their own further vexation , (n) rather than any advantage . (o) for , what true fruit have they of that , whereof they are now ashamed ? and the truth of this they will see in the fruites of the earth , which will as much deceive their expectation . for , if the stalk come up , it shall have no corn upon it , or , if it have , that shall not make any good meale : or , if it do , strangers shall come and eat it up . little of it shall come into their profane mouths . . and such (p) strangers shall devour the men of israel themselves , as well as their corn , after a while . and , ( for their neglect of my service ) the moabites , and other forreign nations shall make as little account of them , as they do of a broken , or tainted vessel , that a man hath no mind to make use of , for the meanest occasion . . in this distresse , up will israel get him , to seek help of the assyrian : but he will find him slow enough to take israel's burden upon his own shoulders , for the assyrian is like a wild asse , that feeds alone to himself ( he cares not to fit himself for others employment , but for his own ease , and profit . ) therefore ephraims (q) bribes may walk to make friends of the assyrians , ( but it will be to little purpose . ) . for , imagine ( while they seek not me , their onely true god , and their best help , ) that they have some fair hopes from those nations , that are hired with their money , yet those nations will i muster up against them ( chiefly the assyrians , whom they reckon in the number of their ablest , and surest friends , ) and then shall they (r) begin to be troubled by little , and little , and oppressed with the heavy burdens , layed upon them by that king and his princes . . and , since ephraim hath taken pleasure in building many altars , wherein to offend god : they shall meet with altars ( in assyria ) that will give no little offence to them ( when , besides their other grievances , they are forced to convey wood , and water , and sacrifices to that service of the assyrian ) . all which they might easily have prevented . for , to that purpose , i gave them many good and (s) worthy lawes in writing , ( from the time of moses ) upon which they set no more value , then upon a thing , that little concerned them , or their felicity . . the flesh of those sacrifices , which they offer unto me , ( for their own sweet sakes , that must feast upon it ) let them offer it , and let them eat freely of it , if they will : ( for , i little regard either , while they are done without amendment of life ) and , for all them , they shall know , that (t) ere-long i will call their sinnes to remembrance , and punish their offences . and this , in particular , that ( contrary to their solemn ingagement to the assyrian ) they have entertained a resolution of applying themselves again to the egyptians , for an uncertain relief . . in which , as in other courses , they forget their god , that made them : and dream of building more and more (u) fair houses to their gods , from whom they expect deliverance . wherein also the kingdom of iudah hath not been a little to blame , which ( fearing the like incursions of the assyrian ) built not her hopes upon god , but upon the multitude-of her new fenced cities and palaces , which i shall send a fire to consume , ( by the hand of sennacherib . ) chap. ix . . rejoyce not , o israel , for joy as other people : for thou hast gone a whoring from thy god , thou hast loved a reward upon every corn floor . the floor and the wine-presse shall not feed them , and the new wine shall fail in her . they shall not dwell in the lords land : but ephraim shall return to egypt , and they shall eat unclean things in assyria . they shall not offer wine offerings to the lord ; neither shall they be pleasing unto him : their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners : all that eat thereof shall be polluted : for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the lord. what will ye do in the solemn day , and in the day of the feast of thè lord. for lo , they are gone because of destruction : egypt shall gather them up , memphis shall bury them : the pleasant places for their silver , nettles shall possesse them : thornes shall be in their tabernacles . the dayes of visitation are come , the dayes of recompense are come , israel shall know it ; the prophet is a fool , the spiritual man is mad , for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred . the watchman of ephraim was with my god : but the prophet is a snare of a sowler in all his waies and hatred in the house of his god. they have deeply corrupted themselves , as in the dayes of gibeah : therefore he will remember their iniquity , he will visit their sins . i found israel like grapes in the wildernesse : i saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig-tree at her first time : but they went to baal-peor , and separated themselves unto that shame , and their abominations were according as they loved . as for ephraim , their glory shall flee away like a bird : from the birth , and from the womb , and from the conception . though they bring up their children , yet will i bereave them , that there shall not be a man left : yea wo also to them when i depart from them . ephraim , as i saw tyrus , is planted in a pleasant place : but ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer . give them , o lord : what wilt thou give ? give them a miscarrying womb , and dry breasts . all their wickednesse is in gilgal : for there i hated them ; for the wickednesse of their doings i will drive them out of mine house , i will love them no more : all their princes are revolters . ephraim is smitten , their root is dried up , they shall bear no fruit : yea , they bring forth , yet will i slay even the beloved fruit of their womb . my god will cast them away , because they did not hearken unto him : and they shall be wanderers among the nations . chap. ix . . please not thy self too much , o israel , in thinking thy prosperity as secure , and permanent , as they of other nations may hope for . idolatrie is not so great a sin in them , as it is in thee . thou hast gone a whoring from the true god ( to whom thou hadst plighted thy troth ) and thou hast done it , in expectation of a good reward for it , in all thy corn-floors , ( wherein thou hopest to find more plenty , for doing that , which will bring a greater plague upon thee . ) . for , the floore and the winepresse shall not be able to maintain the owners of them , and the new wine shall faile in this land . . for , this is the lords land by a peculiar title . and he will not suffer them to be long inhabitants of his land , that have soon forgotten him , that placed them in so rich , and pleasant a soil , when he brought them out of their egyptian bondage . no : they shall many of them trot along to egypt again ( to an other bondage there ) and the rest shall be carried into assyria , where they shall be forced to eat of those meats , which their law doth account to be unclean . ( so far shall their idols be from supplying of them with that plentie , which they expected . ) . for , it is but just , that they ( which would not bring their offerings to god , when they should have done it ) should not now be suffered to present him with their wine-offerings , & usual sacrifices , when they fain would do it . or , if they would , & might then offer them , yet would not god be any way pleased with such a service , in a profane land . they should have no better acceptance , then those (x) funeral-feasts , whereof nothing was wont to be presented in the temple . all that eat of such presents ( how wel soever they relish to them ) would be thereby polluted . therefore sure they may keep the meat of such oblations (y) for themselves . for , there would be no admittance of it into the house of the lord , ( if you suppose such a house then standing , and them able to spare enough , for that use . ) . and , if your offerings will be so little regarded , what will you then resolve to do upon your new-moons , and other solemn , and festival daies , wherein you were wont to appear before the lord ? ( your new masters will hardlie give you leave to make them holy daies : or , if they do , and you would not appear empty before god ; where , and what can you then present unto god , that shall be accepted , as it hath been in your own countrie ? but , besides all this , they , that will make your blood a sacrifice to gods justice , and a (z) feast to which god himself will invite such as you would not like . they will find you out new holy daies , that you dream not of ? what will you do upon those solemn , and festival daies ? wherein they will triumph over your miseries , and make you wearie of them , and the place they live in . . will you now see , what will become of them that escape out of this then-desolate land of your own ( by running from the assyrians ? ) egypt shall find them a place , wherein to meet , and memphis shall furnish them with a place of burial : while , in the mean time , those lovely places , which they had purchased here , with their good money , shall be covered over with nettles : and thorns shall grow in those habitations , wherein , they thought , they had been richly , and safely pitched , without the likelihood of any sodain removal . . i speak not now of mere speculations . doubt not but these daies of visitation , and retribution will as certainly come , as if they were (a) come already , and that you shall know it to your cost ( that i have foretold nothing , but what is true ) and to represent my predictions in a way , that may expresse the greater assurance of truth , i speak of what shall be , as of things present , or already past . the false prophets , that lulled you asleep with other dreams of securitie , did but play the fools , and your mad upstarts , that pretended to be inspired , did contribute much to the increase of your iniquities , and specially of that your ill opinion , or that great malice rather , which you bare to all them , that would have advised you better , and withdrawn you from idolatrie . . a true watchman of israel is ever (b) for my god ( doth not side with the people , to their ruine : but speaks the truth , as in the presence of god , and for their good ) but the prophet , that they cry up , i. the pretended prophet , that we spake of : he is but like a snare , which the fowler laies to intrap you in all his waies . and what mischief one of those false prophets so doth , against a true worshiper of god : he doth it , in meer spite against the temple of his god , where that true worship is performed . . these are they , that are profound sinners ( stark nought at the heart , whatsoever they are in show ) (c) their corruptions are such as can not be matched , but in the storie of the miserable corrupted times , wherein we read of the villanie of those impudent men of gibeah . which (d) great sins of theirs , with other their offences god will remember and punish in due time : though they think he hath forgot them , and little regards what is done below . . but , who would not grieve to think , how soon israel was fallen so deep into such foul enormities : for ) when i found israel , at first , in the deserts of arabia ( in their passage out of egypt into the holy land ) upon the first trial , i found withal somewhat that was good in them , and pleased me as well , as the best grapes would please them that travail in those hot , and barren places . i could then have compared the goodnesse of your forefathers to the first fruit of the sig ( that which first appears to be now ripened , and welcom to the tast ) but ( such sigs may be soon ripe , soon rotten : and so were they . for ) it was not long e're they fell foul upon the worship of baal (e) peor ( the abomination of the moabites and ammonites ) and (f) separated themselves . not to my service , as did the true nazarites , but to the service of that shameful thing : and so because as abominible as that , whereon they doted . . their sin came on apace then : so did ephraims after them . and so shall their punishment . for the glorie of ephraim shall sodainly and swiftly flie away , like a bird . their glorie is their fruitfulnesse , which they are proud to see in their very (g) name . but what glorie will they challenge from the birth of their little ones ( when they are (h) still-born ? ) what glorie from the womb , when their wives shall be abortive ? what glorie from conception , (i) when they shall have no joy of the fruit of their womb ? . for , though they bring up their children , till they are of good years ; yet will i , more and more , bereave them of those children , till they have not a man left . part of this shall happen in their passage into assyria , and the worst , and most (k) woful part , when i leave them there , with a more sensible impression of my departure from them . . i look upon ephraim . like an other tyrus , very populous , and richly seated in a most pleasant place : but thence shall ephraim be fain to bring forth his children , to be slaughtered by their enemies . . and the passing of that heavie decree makes me , that i cannot hold from praying for some mitigation , at least , of their punishment . give them , o lord ( since it must be so ) what thou hadst first threatned , that thou wouldst give them : their unthankfulnesse for the contrarie benefits deserve no lesse . give them ( that , which sufficientlie crosseth the fair (l) omen of their name ) barrennesse . let it suffice that they shall have a barren womb , and drie breasts . for , that other is a (m) more sad , and fearful punishment , to give up their children to the mercie of the enemy , when their growth , and strength promise much help , and comfort to their parents . . yet i must confesse they deserve no such mitigation of their punishment , when i call to mind all their (n) wickednesse in gilgal . that very place might have put them in mind of the favours which i showed them there , presently after their miraculous passage through iordan , and first entrance into the land of (o) promise . there i forgave the long neglect of their circumcision , and did not onely take away that reproach : but began my work of higher mercy , and protection over them in that land . this place therefore , of all other , should have been made a place of thankful acknowledgements , and good resolutions of amendment of life , and holy obedience for the future . they should never have chose to make the (p) devila chappel , where they were first obliged to show their service to me . the circumcision of their flesh there , should have been seconded with the circumcision of their hearts , and expressed in such actions , as might have gained more of my love . but , they have so ordered it , that i cannot but hate those things , that have been done in that place . and , me thinks , i hear god saying thus of thom , for the wickednesse of those their doings , and specially the erection of a house there for idolatrie , i will drive them far from my house , and show them no more tokens of my love . the rather , because all their princes and governors ( that should have prevented these mischiefs ) have bin as deep as any other inrebellion against me . . we have now seen the stroke of justice come so heavily upon ephraim , that the verie root of that fair , and far-spreading tree is like to be dried up , and withered . or , if they of ephraim do bring any store of fruit ( and so hold out like their (q) name ) yet that is a heavy sentence , which god himself hath spoken in these sad terms . i will slay the (r) most amiable fruit of their womb ( that which they so much long for , & place so much affection upon , when they have it ) because they spoil their fair beauty , with the imitation of their fathers ugly sins . . thefore my god will cast them off with scorn , because they have not been obedient unto him . and they shall be scattered about , like vagabonds , among other nations . all which i speak (s) not as desirous to deliver a curse , but as bound to make known a prophesie against this nation . chap. x. . israel is an empty vine , he bringeth forth fruit unto himself ; according to the multitude of his fruit , he hath increased the altars , according to the goodnesse of his land , they have made goodly images . their heart is divided : now shall they be found faulty : he shall break down their altars : he shall spoil their images . for ( now they shall say ) we have no king , because we feared not the lord , what then should a king do to us ? they have spoken words , swearing falsly in making a covenant : thus judgement springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field . the inhabitants of samaria shall fear , because of the calves of beth-aven : for the people thereof shall mourn over it , and the priests thereof that rejoyced on it , for the glory thereof , because it is departed from it . it shall be also carried unto assyria for a present to king iareb : ephraim shall receive shame , and israel shall be ashamed of his own counsell . as for samaria , her king is cut off as the some upon the water . the high places also of aven , the sin of israel , shall be destroyed : the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars ; and they shall say to the mountains , cover us ; and to the hills , fall on us . o israel , thou hast sinned from the daies of gibeah : there they stood : the battail in gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them . it is in my desire that i should chastise them , and the people shall be gathered against them , when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows . and ephraim is as an heifer that is taught , and loveth to tread out the corn , but i passed over upon her fair neck : i will make ephraim to ride : iudah shall plow , and iacob shall break his clod● . sow to your selves in righteousnesse , reap in mercy : break up your fallow ground : for it is time to seek the lord , till he come and rain righteousnesse upon you . ye have plowed wickednesse , ye have reaped iniquity , ye have eaten the fruit of lies : because thou didst trust in thy way , in the multitude of thy mighty men . therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people , and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled , as shalman spoiled beth-arbel in the day of battel : the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children . so shall bethel do unto you , because of your great wickednesse : in a morning shall the king of israel be utterly cut off . chap. x. . israel is like a vine , that lies wast , and fruitlesse to him that is true owner of it . her enemies help to lay it wast , and they that should dresse her , and look to her , by their carelessenesse leave it without good sap and moisture : which makes the fruit accordingly little enough , and bad enough . yet even that little fruit , which israel hath , he (t) makes use of for himself , to be sent spent after his own humour . and , which is worse , the more god encreaseth him , with the fruits of temporal prosperitie , in a goodlie soile . he is so far from returning a thankful acknowledgement to god , the good author of it , that he doth so much the more increase the number of altars , and statues ( in remembrance of his false gods that do nothing for him ) and (u) bestow the more cost upon them . * . thus the heart of israel is now (x) clean departed from the observance of their dutie . therefore shall they be laid fullie desolate . and he that i will make the instrument of that desolation , will break those altars of theirs in pieces , and spoile their statues . . for , nothing will reduce them to their dutie unto god , and their king hosheah . but , this will be their conclusion , (y) we will neither have hosheah , nor any other king over us . for we , that durst forsake the service of god , what should we fear the forsaking of the kings service , who hath no great power now to do any thing for us , nor much power to do any thing against us , if we be resolute , and hold close to our selves . . in the progresse of such a violent , and treasonable conclusion , they will not stick at a false oath , and covenant . therefore ( to answer the former plenty of their fruitful land ) their just punishments shall encrease to as great abundance , as the worst weeds , that come up so thick in the furrowes of the field . . near these times great fear shall fall upon the inhabitants of samaria , about sending the calves of bethel and dan ( as a present to salmanaser ) for the people ( * taking them for the very golden calves ) shall be much grieved , and troubled at it . but the idol-priests shall be merrie ( and applaud their subtle arts , of sending brazen , and guilded calves , instead of those that were all of gold ) this shall be the several deportment of the priests , and people , when the riches and glorie of their idol shall be thus (z) carried into an other land , as a fore-runner of their captivitie . . and thus shall their present be carried into assyria , and offered to salmanaser , as the great king , their (a) protector , and avenger of their enemies . but , for this ( instead of succour from assyria ) shame will light upon ephraim , and confusion upon israel , for that his subtle device . . and sodainly shall samaria , and her king vanish , and be cut off from being a kingdom ; like the (b) foam , that now appears upon the superficies of the water , and instantly is gone out of sight , and become as if it had never been . . the like doom shall fall upon the high places , where the israelites were wont to worship their (c) idols . they shall be utterlie destroyed : thorns , and thistles growing , where their altars had formerlie been placed . and then where will not those sinners desire to hide themselves , from the wrath , and furie poured out upon them ? (d) they will call to the hills to cover them , and to the mountains to fall upon them . . nor are these heavy punishments to be much wondred at in thee , o israel , for it is no new thing in thee , to be much overtaken with sins of a high strain , specially from the times of gibeah . yet then , they of israel , that went against gibeah ( * though they were great sinners , and therefore sadly punished in their first assaults , yet ) they (e) remained and stood to it , like men reserved for a better day . and upon the battle in gibeah , against those grievous sinners ; though they twice miscarried , yet , at last they had the victory . no (f) man had power to take them , and wholly overcome them , because they did so severelie prosecute the revenge of a vile , and wicked offence . . but now i (g) am more then content , to have them taken , and led out of their own land in bonds , and captivite . and ( for punishment of those sins , which they themselves would take no order to correct ) i will muster up whole armies of strange people : when the time is come , that i will have them , to cast those sinners into bonds , and (h) tie them fast enough , for the libertie , which they took to themselves in those two great offences ( the worship of the two calves , that in bethel , and that in dan. ) . in which sins , they that made those calves to be their gods , may well be likened unto calves themselves . for ephraim is like a young heifer , that is easily taught , either to plow , or tread out the corn , and to do it with some delight , ( (i) being not muzled , but suffered to take part of it ) therefore , i put my yoke upon his fair neck , ( the yoke of my law ) and guided him , as one might do , that should (k) ride upon the back of such a beast , and i said , let iudah plow , and iacob break his clods , ( which is as much as if i had said to them , in other words , a good life is the best husbandrie . ) that is , . let your good and righteous actions be like your sowing of good seed , and you shall reap a good reward : (l) according to that (l) mercy , with which i shall crown that labour , break up your fallow grounds ( to fit and prepare your selves for a blessing ) and finding you are in a good time of seeking god ( by your best endeavours ) so continue till he come and shoure down his (m) benefits ( which is a piece of (m) justice , that he never fails of for his part . ) let your care be for the seed-time , and he will provide a good harvest . . as much hath been said to you , as this comes to . but your actions have been nothing answerable to such good advise . your minds run upon plowing in a worser sense , it seems . for you have laboured as hard to compasse your wicked designs , as one that follows the plow. therefore you have reaped the punishment of your sins . and the fruit of your labour hath proved but a specious show , and mere (n) delusion . this is the end of thy trusting , and flattering thy self , in thy own waies , and in the youthful strength of thy many stout companions , that have taken part with thee in those labours , that are now come to nothing . . hence arise those jars , and tumults among thy people , and the spoiling of their strong holds by strangers , in as fierce a manner , as (o) salmana was destroyed by the house of jerubbabel , in the day of battle . and with so much cruelty , that there will be no commiseration of sex , or age , the * mother being dashed in pieces with her children . . so shall bethel do unto you . it will bring you into this danger , for your great , very great offences . ( p ) your king hosheah shall be utterly destroyed , and turned out of his kingdom , as it were in the verie morning , and beginning of his reign , ( or , of a sodain , before he looked for such a disaster . ) chap. xi . when israel was a child , then i loved him , and called my son out of egypt . as they called them , so they went from them : they sacrificed unto baalim , and burnt incense to graven images . i taught ephraim also to go , taking them by their arms : but they knew not that i healed them . i drew them with cords of a man , with bands of love , and i was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws , and i laid meat unto them . he shall not return into the land of egypt ; but the assyrian shall be his king , because they refused to return . . and the sword shall abide on his cities , and shall consume his branches , and devour them , because of their own counsels . and my people are bent to back-sliding from me : though they called them to the most high , none at all would exalt him . how shall i give thee up , ephraim ? how shall i deliver thee , israel ? how shal i make thee as adamah ? how shall i set thee as zeb●im : mine heart is turned within me , my repentings are kindled together . i will not exceute the fiercenesse of mine anger , i will not return to destroy ephraim , for i am god , and not man , the holy one in the midst of thee , and i will not enter into the city . they shall walk after the lord : he shall roar like a lion : when he shall roar , then the children shall tremble from the west . they shall tremble as a bird out of egypt , and as a dove out of the land of assyria : and i will place them in their houses , saith the lord. ephraim compasseth me about with lies , and the house of israel with deceit ; but iudah yet ruleth with god , and is faithful with the saints . chap. xi . . in the first times , and tender age of the people of israel , (q) i loved him as my son , and my first born . and as i gave him the honour of that title in egypt , so with a fatherly affection i brought him out from thence , ( and made him , (r) in that a type of my own natural son , that was , in due time , to be brought out of the same place . ) . in those first , and the following times , did moses , aaron , the prophets , and other my messengers call them to works of piety , and to obedience unto me . but , how did they requite it ? the more they called , so much the readier were the israelites to turn their backs upon their teachers , and walk quite another way from their good instructions : and , leaving my service , to sacrifice to their baals , and burn incense to their graven images . . yet was it i , that nursed them , in their younger daies , and taught them gentlie , how to go sure , and safe , holding them up by the arms ( or , carrying them in my own arms , as tender nurses use to carry and hold their children ) so did i preserve them from all danger , when they were least able to help themselves . but they would not consider , that i therefore showed this care , and providence of mine , that i might so cure them of their national disease , their itching after the worship of other gods , that could not preserve them . . i drew them to me , as men would draw their dearest friends , with the (s) strongest bands of love , and affection . and , after i had been so good a friend to them , as to take off their egyptian yoke , and the bridle which their hard masters had put into their mouth , (t) then i filled their mouths with plenty of quailes and mannah , as it were of food from heaven , i. dropped out of the air unto them . . though in their latter daies , they returned into egypt , by seeking help from thence , notwithstanding i will so order it , that they shall return thither no more , upon that errand : but the assyrian shall rule over them , because they would not be converted unto me , that i might be acknowledged for their king. , . and do they not deserve this ? when the war being (u) begun in their own cities by civil dissentions , and having consumed the strongest , and chiefest of them , because they followed their own devises , and not the good counsels , that i gave unto them by my prophets : yet , for all this , they that were called my people , made no hast of their conversion unto me , but were like men (x) that knew not . what to resolve of , though all the messengers , that i sent , called them never so earnestly to return to the high god , still , as (y) if all were agreed together , not so much as one of them would rouse up himself , and follow that call . . how shall i give thee up to thy deserved punishment for these things , o ephraim ! how shall i deliver thee over , o israel ? unlesse i should give thee up , as once i gave up admah , and make thee like unto zeboim , in thy fearful , and utter ruine . but my heart is quicklie altered from the execution of so heavy a sentence , and all my bowels of compassion are at once (z) moved to repent of that , and take another way . . i will do nothing against thee in the fiercenesse of my anger . i will not return to that thought of destroying ephraim in such a manner . for i am a merciful god , that can easily remember my covenant with thy fathers , and continue my desire of thy happinesse . nor do i forget , how i have been often hallowed in the midst of thy assemblies : and i would encourage thee to return to the same acknowledgement , and performance of thy bounden dutie . therefore i will not fall upon any of thy cities , with that severitie : and specially upon ierusalem , the place set apart for my worship . . and if they will walk confidently and obediently after me : i will defend them against all that persecute them . i will be like (a) a roaring lion , and at that voice they shall tremble that come from the sea , or any of the remotest parts , to follow after them . . they shall quake like ( the stork ) the bird , that comes out of egypt : and (b) like the assyrian-dove shall they fly back into their own nests with all the speed that may be : and there will i settle them quietly , saith the lord. . this will i surely do for them : (c) yet doth ephraim fetch me about with nothing but lies , and the house of israel with deceit ( fair promises of amendment , and few or no performances ) only , the best is , iudah doth yet hold out stoutly , (d) in the daily worship of the true god , and deales faithfully with his holy prophets ( under their good king hezekiah . ) chap. xii . ephraim feedeth on wind , and followeth after the eastwind : he dayly increaseth lies and desolation , and they do make a covenant with the assyrians , and oil is carried into egypt . the lord hath also a controversie with iudah , and will punish iacob according to his waies , according to his doings will he recompense him . he took his brother by the heel in the womb , and by his strength he had power with god. yea , he had power over the angel and prevailed , he wept and made supplication unto him : he found him in bethel , and there he spake with us . even the lord god of hostes , the lord is his memoriall . therefore turn thou to thy god : keep mercy and judgement , and wait on thy god continually . he is a merchant ; the balances of deceit are in his hand : he loveth to oppresse . and ephraim said , yet i am become rich , i have found me out substance ; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me , that were sinne . and i that am the lord thy god from the land of egypt , will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles , as in the dayes of the solemn feast . i have also spoken by the prophets , and i have multiplyed visions , and used similitudes , by the ministry of the prophets . is there iniquity in gilead ? surely they are vanity , they sacrifice bullocks in gilgal ; yea , their altars are as heapes in the furrowes of the fields . and iacob fled into the countrey of syria , and israel served for a wi fe , and for a wife he kept sheep . and by a prophet the lord brought israel out of egypt , and by a prophet was he preserved . ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly : therefore shall he leave his blood upon him , and his repreach shall his lord return unto him . chap. xii . . ephraim feeds himself with the hopes of that , which is mere wind , and vanity , and will deceive him at the last . nay ( which is far worse ) he runs gaping after the east-wind . that is the wind which he followes , a wind , in these parts of the world , of most malignity , i.e. he takes a quite contrary course to appease the wrath of god. for , the increase of dissembling , and hypocrisie is alwaies ephraims fault in the fairest pretenses : he were as good resolve to increase the meanes of his own ruine and desolaiton . that will be the end of the ephramites ingaging themselves by a league with the assyrian , and at the same time , sending precious oil , and other rich presents into egypt , to beg aid from thence against their own confederates . . and as israel is guilty of this subtle art of dissembling , and false dealing : so iudah ( in that point , though not so much in the matter of idolatry ) hath his faults too , for which god hath a quarrell to him : but he will not spare to punish (e) israel : according to their wicked waies , and according to their evill doings , will he return a just recompense unto them ( who were distinguished from the tribe of judah , by the name from israel , or jacob ; and were the greater offenders , though those names should have put them more in mind of their duty . ) . the subtilty of the people of israel , is not like that of israel , their honoured patriarch : that had it in matter of praise , and admiration . for , he was called jacob , because while he was yet unborn , he did miraculously supplant his brother , and so give a presage of that felicity , which should be taken off from his brother , and laid upon him , to be injoyed by his posterity , rather than by himself . in which miraculous supplantation ( which was a kind of wrastling with his brother for the blessing ) we must not forget how afterwards (f) he wrastled , and prevailed with god himself by the strength of his hearty prayers . . for , when he had such power to prevaile over the angell ( that represented the person of god ) and to get the victory : you must needs conceive , that he was strengthned by god ( the lord of all the angels . ) his prayers , and his teares procured him that blessing in bethel , where he found that angel , and discoursed (g) with him , and herein he did as good as speak to us ( as plainly as if we had been with him ) and show us how we may prevaile with the lord of hostes. . you little thought of this , when you set up your calves in this bethel , where he worshipped , and made supplication to the true god , that delivered him in his greatest danger . the same piety to god might procure you the same assistance in all your extremities . for , iehovah , the lord of hosts is the name by which he is remembred . and out of that name you may gather the extent of his power , and goodnesse . . therefore do thou , o israel , as jacob did . return unto thy god , by an unfeigned conversion from all sinne , and keep close to mercy , and iustice : so mayst thou alwayes (h) expect the like help from thy god , and put thy trust in him. . but , to what purpose is all this good advice ? for , israel will continue still to be such a crafty merchant , as he shewed himself in his former subtilty . when he gets deceitfull weights into his hand ( any opportunity of deceiving others ) he longs to be practising his art of deceit , to the dammage and oppression of them that suspect him not . . in all which ephraim ( or israel i.e. , the ten tribes that will now be called ephraim ) hath the face to say , i am indeed become rich . i have found wayes to purchase me good store of wealth : and have i not done well in all this ? in all the paines that i have taken for it ( cavill they that will ) they will find no fault , wherein i have offended . . but , is it no fault , o ephraim , that i should be so served ? i , that am the lord tby god , that delivered thee out of the egyptian bondage , and would have made thee still to dwell (i) as securely , and chearfully , in all thy habitaitons , (k) as ever thou wert in the dayes of the solemn feast (l) of tabernacles . . to which purpose have not i spoken to thee by my prophets ? have i not sent to thee by vision after vision : and used parables , and similitudes by the ministry of my prophets ? but i have lost my labour , and so have the israelites too . . for , though they have set up an (*) idoll in gilead , yet they did it to (m) no purpose ( they missed of their aime , when they looked for help , and deliverance from such poor deities ) and they that offered bullocks ( or to bullocks in (n) gilgal ; took a wrong course in their worship , and therefore had as ill successe . for even their altars are come to ruine , and confusion , and lie but as heaps of stones , that the husbandman hath cast up and down , at a venture , in the furrowes of his field . . the time was , when jacob ( your father ) (o) fled out of syria into that region of gilead . in those dayes he could find in his heart to do service for the purchase of a wife , and for a wife to be a keeper of sheep . this did he for his two wives , but what have you done in the service of god , to win his favour ? . the time was too , when god sent moses , as a great prophet , to bring israel out of egypt , and by the care and direction of that prophet they were kept from all danger , and safely conducted in the wildernesse , till joshuah had a command to lead them into the promised land ; which is your inheritance . . but , what requitall have they , or you given to me ? nay , ephraim hath , instead of that , provoked me (p) bitterly to anger , by his wicked deeds : therefore his bloud shall be upon him , for his cruelty to many good persons , and the reproaches against me and my prophets , shall his god return upon him , in due time . chap. xiii . . when ephraim spake , trembling he exalted himself in israel ; but when he offended in baal , he died . and now they sinne more and more , and have made them molten images of their silver , and idols according to their own understanding , all of it the work of the crafts-man : they say of them , let the men that sacrifice , kisse the calves . therefore they shall be as the morning cloud , and as the early dew it passeth away , as the chaffe that is driven with a whirlwind out of the floor , and as the smoak out of the chimney . yet i am the lord thy god from the land of egypt and thou shalt know no god but me ; for there is no saviour beside me . i did know thee in the wildernesse , in the land of great drought . according to their pasture , so were they filled : they were filled , and their heart was exalted : therefore have they forgotten me . therefore i will be unto them as a lion , as a leopard by the way will i observe them . i will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps , and will rent the caul of their heart , and there will i devour them like a lion : the wild beast shall tear them . o israel , thou hast destroyed thy self , but in me it thine help . i will be thy king : where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities ? and thy iudges of whom thou saidst , give me a king and princes ? i gave thee a king in mine anger , and took him away in my wrath . the iniquity of ephraim is bound up : his sin is hid . the sorrowes of a travelling woman shall come upon him , he is an unwise son , for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children . i will ransome them from the power of the grave , i will redeem them from death : o death , i will be thy plagues : o grave , i will be thy destruction : repentance shall be hid from mine eies . though he be fruitful among his brethren , an east-wind shall come , the wind of the lord shall come up from the wildernesse , and his spring shall become dry , and his fountain shall be dried up : he shall spoile the treasures of all pleasant vessels . samaria shal become desolate , for she hath rebelled against her god : they shall fall by the sword : their infants shall be dashed in pieces , and their women with child shall be ript up . chap. xiii . . the time was also , when if ephraim stood up to speak , a kind of (q) fear , and reverence seazed upon all those of the ten tribes . this height of honour was he come to in israel . but , the times of that respect are past , and for the sinne , which he hath committed in his (r) calves , and baals , he must look for nothing but death , and destruction , . for now , this sinne hath more and more increased , amongst them , and ( not content with their calves , in dan and bethel , ) they have made themselves other molten images of their silver , after their own phansie , all of those idols the work of craftsmen . and they spare not to say to them , they among us , that offer men too in sacrifice , shall also perform (s) their homage to the calves . . therefore they shall not hold out long in this wickednesse . for , i will make them leave the place , which they have so abused , and suddenly vanish , like the morning-cloudes , and the early dew , that is soon gone , and the chaffe that is hurried away , with the whirlwind , out of the floor : and the smoak out of the chimney , that quickly leaves that place , and knows it no more . . and justly will this fall upon thee , ô israel , for , i am thy god that brought thee out of the land of egypt . therefore thou shouldst have acknowledged no other god besides me , who only can save , and deliver thee , out of all thy troubles , and am the onely preserver of mankind . . i vouchsafed to take notice , and care of thee , in the vast wildernesse , a dry , and barren place , where thou couldst otherwise have been supplied with no provisions . . i fed them there like sheep in variety of severall pastures , and when they were fully satisfied , and fatted with good fare , their hearts were puffed up with pride : that is it , that made them so soon forget me , that fed them . . therefore i will be ( no longer as a shepherd to feed them so fat , but rather ) as a lion , and a leopard to watch , (t) and walk about , and observe , how i may destroy them in the way , which they are to passe . . i will meet them in that rage , which you see in a bear , when she is robbed of her whelps , and tear in pieces their very (u) heart-strings , i will set the assyrian , like a lion , or some such wild beast to devour some , and distract others into so many divisions , that they shall not be able , in one body again , to make any resistance . . and for this thy (x) low , and miserable estate , thou mayst thank thy self , o israel : that wouldst not thank me for thy succour , in all thy necessities , it depending wholly upon mee . . for (y) what is become of thy king ? that should all this while , provide for thy safety in all thy cities , where is he ? and what is become of thy iudges , and rulers that should defend thee ? of whom thou saidst once , (z) give us a king , to rule over us , and princes to judge us , and go before us , and fight our battles . didst thou not long for them a little too soon ? . wherfore there was a time , and may be again , when i give thee a king in mine anger ( as in saul , and jeroboam ) and i take thy king away in my wrath ( as in the good josiah , ann in hosheah , of whom there was some good hope . ) . this misery will fall , especially upon the ten tribes . for i will not forget the sins of ephraim , i bound them up together in a bundle , and laid them up in a safe corner : to be again brought out , and revenged , as i see cause . . when the sad time of revenge drawes near , and the pangs come suddenly upon him , as upon a woman in travaile ; it will appear , that (a) he is like a silly babe , that knowes not how to make way for his mother's , and his own delivery . else would he seek to me , and not stay so long for succour , when he is as near the being rescued , as one that is come to the time of birth . . for (b) i can set them at liberty , in the greatest distresse : from the very power of death and the grave . and so i will do , when i see my time , and for all those that i will deliver (c) where will then be thy sting , o death ! o grave , where will then be thy victory ? but now , since they will not seek me , i will look upon no wayes how to (d) comfort me , and appease my wrath , but in their destruction . . and when ephraim is become ( like his name ) (e) fruitfull , and populous among his brethren , then a strong (f) and terrible east-wind , ( the swift and pernicious army of the assyrian ) shall come upon him from the deserts of syria , ( whence the most boisterous winds arise ) and dry up the springs , and fountains , that have hitherto refreshed him . and that wind ( or fierce army ) shall blow away , or make spoile of all the rich treasures , and severall kind of (g) things , which he hath heaped up in storè , and wherein he hath placed his delight . . samaria ( their metropolis ) must needs be (h) guilty of some great offence , that hath thus (i) bitterly provoked her god to anger . therefore shall many of them fall by the sword . (k) their infants shall be dashed in pieces , and their women with child shall be ripped up . chap. xiv . o isral , return unto the lord thy god ; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity . take with you words , and turn to the lord , say unto him , take away all iniquity , and receive us graciously : so will we render the calves of our lips . ashur shall not save us , we will not ride upon horses , neither will we say any more to the work of our hands , ye are our gods : for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy . i will heal their backsliding , i will love them freely : for mine anger is turned away from him . i will be as the dew unto israel : he shall grow as the lillie , and cast forth his roots as lebanon . his branches shall spread , and his beauty shall be as the olive tree , and his smell as lebanon . they that dwell under his shadow shall return : they shall revive as the corn , and grow as the vine , the sent thereof shall be as the wine of lebanon . ephraim shall say , what have i to do any more with idols ? i have heard him , and observed him : i am like a green firre tree , from me is thy fruit found . who so is wise , and he shall understand these things ? prudent , and he shall know them ? for the waies of the lord are right , and the just shall walk in them : but the transgressour shall fall therein . chap. xiv . (l) there is yet one way , the way of serious , and timely repentance , to prevent , or qualifie all this . come then , o israel , return again unto the lord thy god , by true repentance , as (l) thou hast taken from him by thy great offences . . take this form of confession into your mouths , and say to him , with a true penitent heart . take away the (m) punishment of all our iniquities , o lord , and pardon our (n) offences . and gratiously accept (o) of that good service , which we deserve to offer unto thee in all submission . and , though we have hitherto been● fruitlesse in our actions , yet now let the (p) fruit of our lips ( our thankful acknowledgements ) be rendred , as a pledge of our future obedience . . we will make no more addresses to assyria , when we would be saved from our enemies . we will seek no more succour from the egyptian horse . ( wherein that nation excels . ) we will never hereafter give that honour to idols , the work of our own hands , which belongs onely to god. for thou art the true and sure refuge of all that are afflicted . the very orphans , and they that are most destitute of help , are wont to find pitie in thee , when all other hopes forsake them : and a pitie , accompanied with such a loving (q) affection as a dear mother bears to the fruit in her womb . . upon this humble submission of theirs , i would give them this merciful answer ( saith god himself ) that , i will , upon their amendment of life , cure them of all their strange aversions from me . i will embrace them most lovingly , with a (r) free , and hearty affection . so easily would i be content , that mine anger should be wholly turned from them . . i will be to israel like the hopeful dew ( the pledge of a plentiful encrease ) ( s ) he shall slourish like the fair lilly , and take as deep root as the trees of lebanon . . his children like ( t ) olive-branches shall spread , and dilate themselves all abroad . for , his (u) excellencie shall be every way like that of the olive ( not in the green , and long-flourishing boughs onely , but in the goodnesse , and (x) fatnesse of the fruit , that pleaseth god , and men ) and his name and good report among other nations shall be as sweet as the smel of (y) frankincense . . so that many that , upon their fame , will come to live under the shadow , and protection of israel shall be converted to the worship of the true god , and their newness of life shall be with as much fruit as the corn that dies in the ground , and is again quickened with the advantage of much increase . it shall be compared to the growth of the fruitful vine : and the memorial of them shall be like the fragrant , and pleasant wine of lebanon , that is never remembred but with high commendation . . but ( for all these good promises of theirs , and presages of mine ) how comes it to passe , that ephraim doth still continue his worship of idols ? i am readie to hear and help him , in the time of need ( which they cannot ) and so carefully to look to him , that he shall not cease to flourish like a green sirre tree . for thou hast never done any thing , o ephraim , but it hath been found , that i have answered it to thee , with the fruit of a high reward . . will any of you now be so wise as to consider these things ? (z) will any be so prudent in their actions , as if they took full notice of the passages of the mercy , and justice of god ? though you will not do so , yet are all the counsels , and actions of god full of equity . and as all his waies are just : so all that are just will walk in his waies . but the wicked , and unjust are so far from walking in them , as they should do , that they cannot hold out long , without discoverie of their great faults , and relapses , wherein they fall foule from him , and his waies , though they may pretend to walk in them . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of ioel . chap. i. the word of the lord that came to ioel the son of pethuel . hear this , ye old men , and give ear , all ye inhabitants of the land : hath this been in your daies , or even in the daies of your fathers ? tell ye your children of it , and let your children tell their children , and their children another generation . that which the palmer-worm hath left , hath the locust eaten ; and that which the locust hath left , hath the canker-worm eaten ; and that which the canker-worm hath left , hath the caterpiller eaten . awake , ye drunkards , and weep , and howl all ye drinkers of wine , because of the new wine , for it is cut off from your mouth : for a nation is come up upon my land , strong , and without number , whose teeth are the teeth of a lion , and he hath the cheek-teeth of a great lion. he hath laid my vine wast , and barked my fig-tree : he hath made it clean bare , and cast it away , the branches thereof are made white . lament like a virgin garded with sack-cloth for the husband of her youth . the meat-offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the lord ; the priests , the lords ministers mourn . the field is wasted : the land mourneth : for the corn is wasted : the new wine is dried up , the oyl languisheth . be ye ashamed , o ye husbandmen : howl , o ye vine-dressers , for the wheat , and for the barley ; because the harvest of the field is perished . the vine is dried up , and the fig-tree languisheth , the pomegranate-tree , the palm-tree also , and the apple-tree , even all the trees of the field are withered ; because joy is withered away from the sons of men . gird your selves , and lament , ye priests : howl , ye ministers of the altar : come , lie all night in sack-cloath , ye ministers of my god , for the meat-offering , and the drink-offering is withholden from the house of your god. sanctifie ye a fast : call a solemne assembly : gather the elders , and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the lord your god , and cry unto the lord : alas for the day , for the day of the lord is at hand , and as a destruction from the almighty shall it come . is not the meat cut off before your eyes , yea ; joy and gladnesse from the house of our god ? the feed i●●rotten under their clods : the garners are laid desolate : the barns are broken down ; for the corn is withered . how do the beasts grone ? the herds of cattel are perplexed , because they have no pasture , yea the flocks of sheep are made desolate . o lord , to thee will i cry : for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse , and the flame hath burnt all the trees of the field . the beasts of the field cry also unto thee : for the rivers of waters are dried up , and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wildernesse . the prophecie of ioel was directed chiesly against iudah , as hosheahs against israel . for , though he name israel twice , yet he understands not there the ten tribes , distinct from the kingdom of iudah , but takes it as a general name to all the jews . he begins with threats , and motives to repentance : and so makes way for unspeakable comfort , in the coming of the messias : and the necessitie of yeelding obedience unto him . chap. i. . the word of the lord , which was ( made known ) to ioel , the son of pethuel . . hear ye this , you aged men , that are supposed to have encreased your knowledge with your years . and give special ear to it , all you that are inhabitants of the land of judea . and tell me if you have heard the like of what i shall now deliver , either in your daies , or in the daies of your forefathers . . i shall speak that , which you may well transmit to your children , and they to theirs , and so one age to another generation succeeding them . . and i shall begin with four several sorts of terrible locusts . you read but of one sort of them in egypt : here are more to be wondred at , and all of them greedy destroyers , not of our enemies land , but of our own , nor of the land onely , but of the (a) people . in such manner shall these come , that , what the caterpiller leaves , the grashopper shall devour ; and what the grashoper leaves , the canker-worm shall eat up ; and what the canker-worm leaves , the locust shall devour . . here is sad news to wake up the drunkards , you that are in that number , this will make you all turn your mad mirth into weeping , and howling . you that were , of all others , most soundly lulled asleep : for ( in the destruction of the vineyards ) the sweet wine will be taken away from the mouths of such lustie bibbers . . and , that you may know , what kind of creatures these locusts may be ( whether worms or men ) i will now use a plainer language , to ler you understand , what god himself saith of his people . and this it is . a nation shall certainly come upon my land ( or rather a mixture of several destructive nations , as greedie , and mischievous as any locusts ) a people excelling in strength , and number . a generation of locusts , that will bite to the purpose . for their teeth will be like lions teeth , and their grinders will have the strength of the strongest lions ( in that part . ) . this kind of monstrous creature will fearfully destroy judea , which i account as my own vineyard that my right hand hath planted . and , with that , all my best fruit will be used at the pleasure of the destroyer : among them my fig-trees will be barked , and pilled , and carelessely thrown about , not a bough retaining so much as his own colour , . for this , well maiest thou ( o judea ) take up as heavie a mourning , and lamentation , as a young woman would do , that girds her self with sackcloth , and sadly composeth her self , to bewail the losse of her dearest consort , the husband of her youth . . no other way canst thou lament for thy priests , or they for themselves . they that continually wait at the altar of the lord , to intercede for thy welfare , and present thy thankful acknowledgements , cannot otherwise expresse the absolute losse of that corn and wine , that should daily supply the meat-offering , and drink-offering for the house of the lord : and so the better inable them for the continuance of divine service in that place . . the priests mourn not alone . the grounds are so wasted , and lie so rude , and untilled , that they also seem to have put on their (b) mourning apparrel . and there is too much cause they should do so for the devastation of the fair corn-fields , and withering of the vines , and total losse of the oyl . . at this sight , how can the husbadmen but hang down their heads for shame ; and the vine-dressers cry out for sorrow ? it must trouble them all to see the fruit of the earth so destroyed , the wheat and the barly , and the whole harvest of the field . . the vines specially , they have been so abused , that they seem to (c) blush at it , as if they were ashamed to be seen in such a case . the figs are no lesse spoiled , and corrupted . and , with them , the pomegranate , the palmtree and the apple tree , and all other trees of the field are withered and decayed . and , in them , the joy and delight of the sons of men is taken away , and (d) vanished out of our sight . . now therefore , o ye priests , (e) that have nothing else to offer , come offer , and present your sad souls before the altar . and gird your bodies with sackcloth , or other mournful attire , and let your howling be heard , you that attend upon an empty altar , and are tain to lay aside your solemn musick . lie all night in sackcloth , you ministers of my god. for , meat and drink offerings , and outward sacrifices , you must look for none . you have onely your patient , and obedient hearts to be made a fit sacrifice for the lord of heaven and earth , that gives , and takes away , and restores again , at his pleasure . . nor will this sacrificing of your selves be enough . you must think what is fit to be done by the people too . to appease the wrath of god , proclaim a publick and solemn fast : let a full assembly be called . gather your senators together , to advise , and enact what is to be done : and all the inhabitants of the land , to obey their commands . gather them to the house of the lord your god , the house of prayer , and there with penitent , and unanimous hearts , cry earnestly unto him , and say , . alas for the day , the great day of the lord , that comes on apace ( the day of vengeance , and the destruction of ierusalem ) the day of destruction that is appointed by god himself , who is all-sufficient , and will not be wanting to execute his own just decrees . . do we not see a type of it already set before our eyes , do we not read some lines of it , in our present miserie , and scarcitie , that debars us of the joy , and pleasure , that we were wont to take in our rich supply of sacrifices , and offerings for the house of the lord our god. . for now , not onely the corn above ground is destroyed , but the very seed cast into the earth is putrisied under the clods , so that our hope of a good harvest is buried with it , and our garners are destroyed , our barns emptied and ruined , and our corn withered . . o how the very cattel , sensible of their wants , in their loud bellowing , seem to grone , and cry unto god ( as elsewhere the hungry ravens are said to call upon him ) who hath an ear for them : and would much more be favourable to our prayers , who are not so forward to bemoan our selves , as the herds of bruit beasts are , in their woful condition , and (f) perplexitie , for lack of pasture . and the flocks of sheep , that as heavily , though more remisly , and silently expresse their sad , and desolate case . . i can not but crie unto thee , o lord ( the roaring of the poor beasts might put me upon it ) for that cruelty of our enemies , that carrie all before them , like a consuming fire , destroying the fruitful places of the once-plentiful , but now a most desert land ; and , like a continued flame , fearfully burning up all the trees of the field . . and if i should leave crying , and calling upon thee , the beasts of the field , (g) every one of them ( as confuting the dulnesse , and coldness of my affections , and the too little pitty of my self , and them ) would continue their louder , and heavier cry unto thee : because the great rivers of waters are dried up , and the fruitful earth parched with heat is become like a drie , and desolate wildernesse ; the pastures now deserve no other name among us . chap. ii. . blow ye the trumpet in zion , and sound an alarm in my holy mountain : let all the inhabitants of the land tremble : for the day of the lord cometh , for it is high at hand ; a day of darknesse and of gloominesse , a day of clouds & of thick darkness , as the morning spread upon the mountains : a great people and a strong , there hath not been ever the like , neither shall be any more after it , even to the years of many generations . a fire devoureth before them , and behind them a flame burneth : the land is as the garden of eden before them , and behind them a desolate wilderness , yea , and nothing shall escape them . the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses ; and as horsemen so shall they run . like the noise of charets on the tops of mountains shall they leap , like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble , as a strong people , set in battle array . before their face the people shall be much pained ; all faces shal gather blacknesse . they shall run like mighty men , they shall climb the wall like men of war , and they shall march every one on his wayes , and they shall not break their ranks . neither shall one thrust another , they shall walk every one in his path : and when they fall upon the sword , they shall not be wounded . they shall run to and fro in the city : they shall run upon the wall : they shall climb up upon the houses : they shall enter in at the windowes , like a thief . the earth shall quake before them , the heavens shall tremble , the sun and the moon shall be dark , and the stars shall withdraw their shining . and the lord shall utter his voice before his army , for his camp is very great : for he is strong that executeth his word : for the day of the lord is great and very terrible , and who can abide it ? therefore also now saith the lord , turn ye even to me with all your heart , and with fasting , and with weeping , and with mourning . and rent your heart and not your garments : and turn unto the lord your god : for he is gracious and mercifull , slow to anger , and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill . who knoweth if he will return and repent , and leave a blessing behind him , even a meat offering , and a drink offering unto the lord your god ? blow the trumpet in zion , sanctifie a fast , call a solemn assembly . gather the people : sanctifie the congregation : assemble the elders : gather the children ; and those that suck the breasts : let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber , and the bride out of her closet . let the priests , the ministers of the lord , weep between the porch and the altar , and let them say ; spare thy people , o lord , and give not thing heritage to reproach , that the heathen should rule over them : wherefore should they say among the people : where is their god ? then will the lord be jealous for his land , and pity his people . yea , the lord will answer and say unto his people ; behold , i will send you corn , and wine , and oil , ye shall be satisfied therewith : and i will no more make you a reproach among the heathen . but i will remove far off from you the northern army , & will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the east sea , & his hinder part towards the utmost sea & his stink shall come up , & his ill savour shall come up , because he hath done great things . fear not , o land , be glad and rejoyce : for the lord will do great things . be not afraid , ye beasts of the field : for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring , for the tree beareth her fruit , the fig-tree and the vine do yeild their strength . be glad then , ye children of zion , and rejoyce in the lord your god : for he hath given you the former rain moderately , and he will cause to come down for you the rain , the former rain , and the latter rain in the first moneth . and the floors shall be full of wheat , and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil . and i will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten , the canker-worm , and the caterpillar , and the palmer-worm , my great army which i sent among you . and ye shall eat in plenty , and be satisfied , and praise the name of the lord your god , that hath dealt wonderously with you : and my people shall never be ashamed . and ye shall know that i am in the midst of israel , and that i am the lord your god , and none else : and my people shall never be ashamed . and it shall come to passe afterward , that i will powre out my spirit upon all flesh ; and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie , your old men shall dream dreams , your young men shall see visions . and also upon the servants , and upon the handmaids maids in those dayes will i powre out my spirit . and i will shew wonders in the heavens , and in the earth , bloud , and fire , and pillars of smoak . the sun shall be turned into darknesse , and the moon into blood , before the great and the terrible day of the lord come . and it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the lord , shall be delivered : for in mount zion , and in ierusalem shall be deliverance , as the lord hath said , and in the remnant , whom the lord shall call . chap. ii. . now , me thinks , i see ierusalem in danger of a siege . (b) nabuchodonosars souldiers are on their march . it is high time to leave your wonted mirth , and musick . let the loud sounding of your trumpets in sion ( which is a kind of summons , and alarum to the kings own house there ) and the beating of your drums in the holy mountain ( which is a watchword to those about the temple ) give notice of your necessary preparation for war. and a terrible war it may prove to all the inhabitants of these parts . they have had their day ( a long time of sin , and liberty ) and now god will have his day ( a severe time of punishment ) which comes on faster then we think for . . that destruction of ierusalem by nabuchodonosor , shall be but the forerunner of a (i) greater day , and a heavier destruction by the romans . and that will be a terrible day indeed . a sad and gloomy day : a dismal , and cloudy day , which shall come with as much speed and as sodain danger upon ierusalem , in all their security , as the clear light of the morning , that , in an instant , spreds and diffuseth it self over the mountains , and imparts his lustre to all the world . and answerable to this , will be the agilitiy and quick dispatch , that shall be used by those ( (k) locusts with lions teeth ) their numerous , and potent enemies . this will make it such a fearful day , such á terrible army , with such slaughter of men , as was never yet seen , nor ever shall be to the years of many generations . . the fearful , and utter davastation then made by the enemies , will be like that of fire both before , and behind , that sodainly and totally consumes all about it : so that this pleasant countrie of judea , that , before the entrance of the enemie , was as well stored , and delight s●me to look upon as the garden of eden , shall , before their vast army of locusts be removed , be rather like a bare , and desolate wildernesse . in which , if any shall be so fortunate , as not to perish by the sword , yet there would be no way to escape from hence , nor any hope of continuance here , without perishing by famine , or submission to the pleasure of the enemy . who will no way be hindred from having what he comes for , in the compassng of our ruine . . such will be the event of this coming of these locusts , who , by their courage , and agility , and specially by their cruel visage , wherein they will rather be like fierce horses then locusts , might fright us into death . and yet , like stout horsemen , they will fall upon us with that force and violence , that the valiantest amongst us , will never be able to resist . . in which violence , skipping with hast over our mountainous country , they will make as great a noise , as chariots would do , if they were furiously driven over such high places . or ( which is yet more horrid to the ear ) like the noise of a slanting fire , that devours the stubble . in these , or what else may be worse then these , they will show themselves like an armie of lustie men , sufficiently instructed , ordered , and prepared for war. . this quick , and rough way of onset will be terrible to our people , and make all their sad faces contract a palenesse , or rather (l) blackness , as visible as if they had lain among pots , that have changed their natural colour , over the fire . . while this fear makes us at a stand , they will on forward , like strong men in their full speed , readie to mount our walls , with a valour befitting stout , and true military persons . every man knowing his own way , and his own task . no man appearing so * slow , or carelesse , as if he were * ingaged , either to stay there , or to give way to any , that would turn him out of his place . . so will every one of them make sure , to be no hinderance to his fellow , in the execution of their charge , either in their ‖ way , or in their ‖ work . for both which they shall be so well appointed , and so strongly armed , that if they chance to light unawares upon their enemies weapon , whatsoever it is , therewill be no such hazard unto them , as to expose them to any dangerous wound . so happy , and successeful shall they be in their bold attempts . . their ventrous army being so well ordered , they will resolve to make a fierce irruption into the city ( like skipping locusts ) (m) running about the walls , and by sodain invasion , taking possession of them , (m) shaking their heels there , and dancing , as men secure of the victory , and then entring into the houses : if not at the doors , yet at least climbing in at the windows , like bold , and desperate theeves , that will neither be hindred from coming in , nor driven out again , till they have ransacked , and plundered the secretest corners , where there is any thing to be found , worth the carrying away . . after this rude , and insulting demeanour of the souldiers , it will the be easier to conjecture , what misery must needs fall upon the poor people , if we expresse it by an earthquake , and the shaking of the heavens , and the obscuring of the celestial lights . the terrour of the lower , and meaner sort of the people may be conceived by the fearful effects of an earthquake . so may the sad ruine of the nobles , by the shaking of the heavenly , or higher powers . and the woful confusion of all order , and command ( that followed upon that ) by the darkning of the sun , and moon , and the stars withdrawing their wonted lustre : to the astonishment of all the spectators , as well as of those eminent persons , that will be most concerned in that calamity . . and that you may know the just , and powerful author of all this miserie . as god himself will have us know that he sends these signs (n) before him : so god himself , in a signal victory , will seem to own our enemies as his souldiers , as plainly as if we had it from his own voice : and declare openly , that those mighty , and numerous armies , are his , and come thither by his (o) own command , and irreversible decree : and cannot be hindred from (p) doing his pleasure , in taking vengeance upon a sinful people ; that would take their liberty in their day , and now must therefore be made sensible of the great , and terrible day of the lord. and who will be able to abide that time ? wherein he pleaseth to break the hearts of them , that are assaulted , and adde courage to their enemies . . all this is threatned by him . by him , that would not be unwilling to have his hands stayed , from such a severe execution of his justice . it is therefore foretold , that it may be timely prevented . and , o that even now , while his arme is stretched out to give the blow , or his hand to sign the decree , even now , that you would return , from your dumb idols , and other vanities , unto me , saith the lord , by a sad , and serious , and hearty repentance : outwardly also , and publickly expressed by fasting ( that afflicts the body ) and by weeping , and mourning ( that speaks the inward relenting of the heart . ) these would leave behind them a hatred of those sins , that call for so sad a farewel . . but this last call of mercy will admit of no hypocrisie . the rending of your clothes , and other outward signs of repentance , will not serve the turn . the heart is open to me , saith the lord , and you must begin with rending and breaking of the heart , if you think of preparing a sacrifice fit to appease me . and i , the sad prophet of your otherwise-imminent destruction , advise you to make such a conversion to the lord your god , a total alteration , and conversion of the heart . and then , be sure , when you have so wounded your hearts , to rend all sin from them , he can heal them again . for , he is so gratious a father , that he can receive a prodigal , when he returns home to god , and himself . he is so merciful , that he is ready to make his mercy triumph over all his , and our works . he is so slow to anger , that when he hath expected , till justice can no longer defer the blow , yet he can then be entreated , and reconciled , when he is ready to strike . he is of so great kindnesse , that he is willinger to repent of the evil of punishment , then we are to forsake the evil of sin . . his threats , and his punishments aim not at our destruction , but onely at our amendment . our utter ruine must be drawn upon us by our selves : but if our hearty return will prevent it , we may yet hope to find him all-merciful , and mercie it self . therefore though the sentence seem to be irreversibly passed against us , yet (q) who knows not ? ( there is no doubt but ) that upon our returning to him by repentance , he may return to us , and repent of the punishment . and leave behind him ( with our deliverance from the enemy ) a blessing not upon our sad souls onely , but also upon our afflicted , and macerated bodies : and upon our estates too , that are even ready to be taken all away by ( an army of locusts ) a populous and cruel nation . thus may our fasting , and mourning be turned into feasting , and joy , & thankful expressions of our selves in a meat-offering , and drink-offering to the lord our god. . therefore do you , that are priests , show your selves forwardest in this work ; you that are to take care for others , as well as your selves . call the people together , ( as you use to do ) by the sound of a trumpet in sion : put them in mind , by a holy fast , to castigate the body , and spend a day in holy exercises . call for such an assembly . . thus gather the people , to joyn together in prayer , and other holy exercises : wherein the elder men should lead the way to others by their good example , and compel them by their authority . and as children , and sucking infants are concerned in the common danger , so let them bear a part in the publick humiliation . and while all are so taken up with fasting , mourning , and praying , let the bridegoom also , and the bride , leave their bride-chamber , and their mirth , for that time turning their ornaments into sack-cloth , and their joy into weeping . . above all other let the priests , whose work it is mainly to intend the service of god , and who are many wayes concerned both in the conversion and wellfare of the people , and as many wayes obliged to be earnest suiters unto god , in their behalf . let them offer up their prayers , and tears for the people committed to their charge : and offer them up between the (r) porch , and the altar ( as interposing their intreaties between a sinful people , and their angry god ) wherein ( as wholly taken up with the necessities of the people ) let them say , spare thy people , o lord , which thou hast purchased to thy self with thy mighty hand . let not thine own inheritance hear that reproach of the heathen , for being in a manner forsaken by god , whom they pretend to serve : which must needs tend to the dishonour of god , and the disparagement of his power , and love to his own servants , as our enemies will apprehend it , while they do thus insult , and domineer over us in our great misery . and of his honour we are to be more tender , then of our own deliverance . . these are the likeliest means to move the lord , not onely to be merciful to his people , and willing to spare them , but zealous also in their behalf , even to the turning of his anger upon their cruel enemies : (s) with the same affection , wherewith a husband would revenge the injuries of his beloved spouse . . in which affection , what answer can the lord make to the true repentance of his afflicted servants , and the humble supplication of their priests , but that , which shall carrie with it , a supply of their present wants , and necessities , by plenty of corn and wine and oil , and whatsoever else may serve to the taking away of their reproach among the heathens , as well as the confirming of his reconciliation with them , by such a new , and ample encrease of their store . . these blessings should have been seconded by others upon their true repentance ( for , gods favours use not to go alone . ) therefore hear the words of that gratious conditional promise to them . after you are , so well provided for , i will remove far from you the northern army , saith the lord. those hungry locusts of assyria , and chaldaea , your first and worst enemies , shall be sent far enough from iudaea , ( the garden of the world ) to a barren , and dry land : his army , by the way , scattered , and divided , the foreparts from the extreamest , as much as the east of the mediterranean sea is divided from the western parts . and in the end , the corrupt smell of the poor reliques of all their great forces , shall be as unsavory in the nostrils of such , as shall be witnesses of their ruine , and , after that , in the memorie of those , that shall make mention of their power : as all their attempts were proud , and insolent , and intollerable against the land of israel . . the whole land may turn their fear into joy and gladnesse , as soon as god begins to show , what great things he can do for them , when they are rid of such devouring locusts , and so secured of the quiet enjoying of that plenty , (t) which i said , their repentance , and amendment of life may procure for them , from a merciful and gratious god , that plainly appears great in whotsoever he doth . . this may be the effect of our repentance . but such temporal promises of plenty , and safety here , are shadows of greater happinesse , and security from our ghostly enemies , by the coming of the messias . and therefore somewhat shall now be added in speculation of that . to shadow the time of his coming , before which , the general peace , and plenty of all things , shall seem to usher in the great peace-maker : i may speak to the cattel ( such as we (u) heard awhile ago crying out for want of food ) and tell them , that our happinesse , in the near approach of the messias , , shall not begin without some comfort to the very beasts of the field . for , the pastures of the wildernesse shall (x) put on the face of joy , and the colour , which they delight in . and the trees , if they show not the same colour , shall show such plenty and variety of fruit , as shall best expresse them to be in a flourishing estate . among them , the fig-tree , and the vine ( that we most enquire after ) shall show the choicest (y) fruit in their kind , that we could expect from them . . and while the earth , and trees , and dum creatures partake of so much refreshment : much more shall our hearts be enlarged with spiritual joy , and comfort . therefore do you citizens of jerusalem , and inhabitants of judaea , or you rather that make up the true israel of god , and members of the holy church , whereof ierusalem is a type , do you studie how to expresse the solace , and content , that must needs follow upon the coming of the messiah , the true doctor , and teacher of righteousnesse : which , under the same (z) name , shall bring you the best rain , and showers from heaven ( in the preaching of his holy word ) both the first rain , that helps up the first hopes of fruit , and the latter rain , which shall , in due time , secure us of a happy harvest ( in the higher , and more spiritual sense of the successe of the gospel . ) . such a happy harvest , under the messias his kingdom , will fill all places with plenty of spiritual food . the richest flower of the best wheat : the most , and best liquor from the choicest vine , and olive will be but poor emblemes , and figures of it . . this plenty will obliterate the memory of your former greatest famine , or what other misery happened to the body , from those mighty armies of hungry locusts , the grassehoppers , cankerworms , caterpillers , and palmerworms , that i sent among you . this plenty will be abundant recompense for those times of want , and distresse . . for , if you will bring souls hungry , and thirsty , and longing to be refreshed with the best cordials , and the true manna , the food of life that came down from heaven . it is to be had without money : you may freely eat , and be fully satisfied : and have cause enough to return all possible praise and thanksgiving to the lord your god , for those wonderful unspeakable mercies , which may further oblige you to a confident , and constant devoting of your selves to his service , without any more revolting , or forsaking of him , as if you were ashamed of your profession . . to which end , you shall see enough to make you know , that i am in the midst of israel , and i am the lord your god , and no other beside me , ( whether we understand it of our saviours corporal presence , and dwelling here , as god , and man : or of his invisible assistance , and government of his church . ) therefore i might well (a) say that you shall be sufficiently obliged to his service , and to such a trust , and confidence , and joy in him , as shall make you triumph in your holy calling , rather then any way be ashamed of it . . after these times of your enjoying the happy sight of the messias , i will also send down my holy spirit , in a visible form , and bestow his spiritual graces in such abundance upon all sorts of men ( though they are but flesh and blood ) that some , even illeterate persons ) men , and women of your own nation shall show the power of a divine prophetick spirit , (b) to the speedy , and successeful propagation of the gospel . to which , in the fuller progresse , there shall not a little be added , by that , which in (c) dreams , and visions shall be revealed , not onely to some of the elder , but to some also of the younger sort . . and as no sex , or nation : so neither any rank or order of men , bond or free , masters or servants , shall be excluded from this high priviledge of partaking of the gifts of the holy ghost . . not long after this prosperous beginning , and divulging of the gospel , many prodigious signs will appear as presages , and forerunners of the fearful destruction of ierusalem , ( the sad punishment of their rebellion , and unbelief ) wonders in heaven and earth , beside the effusion of much blood , in the slaughter of many men in several places : and the flames of fire , and pillars of smoak , that will appear in the burning and destroying of many towns. . upon which there will follow such a dark , and dismal aspect , and alteration of the glorious light above , as will plainly fore-speak a sad and bloody confusion , and alteration in the jewish state : that under the romans exceeding , and compleating that under the chaldeans of the great , and terrible day of the lords coming in judgement against this sinful nation . . yet in all this misery , as the severity of god will be seen in the destruction of obstinate sinners : so his mercy and succour will not be excluded from any that call upon him , with an obedient faith . sion , and ierusalem shall not then want such a means of deliverance . and that mercy shall be continued for ever to the remnant of the iews , that will obey the voice of their messias in the gospel , the voice of their lord god , that shall call them to repentance . chap. iii. . for behold , in those dayes , and in that time , when i shall bring again the captivity of iudah and ierusalem . i will also gather all nations , and will bring them down into the vally of ieboshaphat , and will plead with them there for my people , and for my heritage israel , whom they have scattered among the nations , and parted my land . and they have cast lots for my people , and have given a boy for an harlot , and sold a girle for wine , that they might drink . yea and what have ye to do with me , o tyre and zidon , and all the coasts of palestine ? will ye render me a recompense ? and if ye recompense me , swiftly and speedily will i return your recompense upon your own head . because ye have taken my silver and my gold , and have carried into your temples , my goodly pleasant things . the children also of iudah , and the children of ierusalem have ye sold unto the grecians , that ye might remove them farre from their border . behold , i will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them , and wil return your recompense upon your own head . and i will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of iudah , and they shall sell them to the sabeans , to a people far off , for the lord hath spoken it . proclaim ye this among the gentiles : prepare war , make up the mighty men , let all the men of war draw near let them come up . beat your plow shares into swords , and your pruning hooks into spears : let the weak say , i am strong . assemble your selves and come all ye heathen , and gather your selves together round about : thither cause thy mighty ones to come down , o lord. let the heathen be wakened , & come up to the valley of iehoshaphat : for there will i sit to judge all the heathen round about . put ye in the sickle , for the harvest is ripe , come , get you down , for the press is full , the fats overflow , for the wickedness is great . multitudes , multitudes in the valley of decision : for the day of the lord is near in the valley of decision . the sun and the moon shall be darkned , and the stars shall withdraw their shining . the lord also shall roar out of zion , and utter his voice from ierusalem , and the heavens and the earth shall shake , but the lord will be the hope of his people , and the strength of the children of israel . so shall ye know that i am the lord your god , dwelling in zion , my holy mountain : then shall ierusalem be holy , and there shall no strangers passe thorow her any more . and it shall come to passe in that day ; that the mountains shall drop down new wine , and the bills shall flow with milk , and all the rivers of iudah shall flow with waters , and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the lord , & shall water the valley of shittim . egypt shall be a desolation , and edom shall be a desolate wilderness , for the violence against the children of iudah , because they have shed innocent bloud in their land . but iudah shall dwel for ever , & ierusalem from generation to generation . for i wil cleanse their bloud , that i have not cleansed , for the lord dwels in zion . chap. iii. a prophesie of what shall happen , after a longer , and more uncertain time , in the vally of iehoshaphat , which ( what particular place soever is chiefly intended ) signifies a place , or several places , wherein god will please to exercise his judgement upon his , and the churches enemies : at several times , and upon several occasions before the last day of iudgement : but compleatly then . . for , behold , it shall come to passe ( saith the lord ) in those dayes of the messias ( the times of the gospel ) when i shall bring again the captivity of iudah , and ierusalem : ● . reduce all the true israelites , jewes , and gentiles , into one fold , to be all under one shepherd . . then will i , as occasion serves , summon the enemies of the church in all nations , and i will make them appear before me , (d) in the vally of iehosphaphat ( or (e) in the place , wherein i will execute my judgement ) and there will i avenge the injuries done to my own people ( the true israel of god ) mine inheritance : whose cruell enemies dispersed them through all the world , as if they would have taken possession of my own peculiar portion , and divided it , as their own haereditary possession . . in those particular dayes of judgement ( which will be as types , and forerunners of the generall iudgement that will , at last , overtake all the enemies of the church ) it will appear , what scornes , and injuries have been put upon all the saints of god. particularly it will be made evident , that upon some of my people they have (f) cast lots : they have sold the children of christians : an ingenuous young man have they made away for the price of an harlot , and a modest virgin for a sum of money , that might furnish them with wine , to drink , and be merry . . and what have you to do with me , and my church , saith the lord. you that are as great , and close adversaries to the christians , as ever the tyrians , and sidonians , and all the tract of palestine , were to the jewes . doth your ill usage come in as a return of some injury , that i and my people seem to have offered unto you ? if you do either (g) provoke me with your ventrous , and first attempts , or pretend any such (h) requital upon me , or mine . i shall very speedily take order , to return a just recompense upon your own heads . . and i may then truely say , that you have deserved it otherwise . for both silver and gold , and other precious things , which i bestowed upon my people , those it will appear that you took away , thereby the better to furnish and adorn your own (i) temples and palaces . . likewise the true sons of mystical iudah and ierusalem ( the good , and constant professors of my gospel ) you sold , to the grecians , and other merchants , with whom you had the like commerce , and so dispersed them thorough severall remote countries , that they might be far enough from returning to their own home . . but i shall as surely recall them , and reduce them safe out of those parts , to which you thought they had been confined , by your selling of them thither . and then i will requite you in a like return of your deserts , upon your own pates . . for i will leave your sons , and daughters , upon the same termes , in the hands of those good professours , whereof iudah is the type . and they shall have power to dispose of them into far remoter parts , even as far off as the sabeans . because i have so determined to do , and have justly passed such a decree upon them . . against which decree if you can have any hope to prevaile . (k) bestir your selves to the purpose , and use all the meanes you can . publish , or proclaim your war among what nations you think fit . provide your self of the ablest auxiliaries , put all your strength upon it . and leave not out a man , that can assist you in this enterprise . when you have done all you can , all will be but lost labour , against those my servants , that i have resolved to defend . . sell your plow-shares , and sythes , and other necessary instruments , and implements of your country-labour , to supply your selves the better with weapons , and engines of war. and let the weakest of all be encouraged to do some proper service to the cause . . let your troopes , and regiments out of severall nations multiply into a mighty army , and muster up all your forces together . there and then the lord of hostes hath his greater forces ( of men , and angels , and the meanest creatures ) that will quickly , and utterly rout the very flower , and strength of your most daring souldiers : at the hearing of this short prayer , out of the mouth of his afflicted servants , there (l) let thy mighty ones descend , o lord , to the releif of thy people . . that prayer will procure a command , that shall rouse all the nations , that oppose the church , and summon them personally to appear in the vally of iehoshaphat , in the place which i shall appoint , there to sit in judgement against all nations on every side , that have been enemies to me , and my church . . upon this summons , hear how god himself encourageth those , that he makes the executioners of his justice . come , put in your sithes , for there is a great harvest before you , the wickednesse of mine enemies is now ripe . come down into this vally . for the wine-presse is full , it runs over for the exceeding abundance of their great , and bloudy offences , ( for that may be intimated in the overflowing of the blood of the grape ) . o the multitudes of hereticks , schismaticks , irreligious , and profane livers ! o the vast companies of atheists , idolaters , tyrants , and other malicious enemies of the true profession , and service of god , that , methinks , i see now making their appearance in the vally of jehoshaphat ( or devine judgement ) that may now be called the valley of (m) decision ( where they shall receive their doom ) or the vally of threshing after the harvest ( where their punishment shall begin ) for now , after they have enjoyed their time , the day of the lord the time of divine vengeance ) is ready to come upon them , in the valley of decision , and of threshing . . at the approach of this terrible day , the world will seem to be all in confusion . they that were the light , and glory of their times , and as eminent , and conspicuous in the sphaere of their government , as the sun , and moon , and stars , are in the firmament of heaven , shall be suddenly obscured , and loose their light . . the lion of the tribe of iudah shall roar out of sion , to the terrour of all his enemies . when he first utters his voice , as the defender of ierusalem ( i. of his holy church whereof jerusalem was a figure ) though the powers of heaven , and earth may shake , yet they that trust in him , will stand as firm as mount sion , that cannot be moved , the lord will shew himself our refuge , and the strength of the israel of god. . after the roaring of the lion , will you hear the comfortable voice of the lamb of god. thus shall ye know ( saith he to his servants ) thus shall you see , that i am the lord your god , that dwell in my church , as in my sion , my holy mountain . thus shall you be assured that my ierusalem , my church , is holy , and therefore shall be secured from the unhallowed hands of those strange children , that shall not be suffered , so insolently and triumphantly as they have done , to go thorough her any more . . after this treading the wine-presse of the wicked , and threshing of their harvest : we are onely to hear of the happinesse of the church . for , then shall the mountains drop new wine to her , ( for her stronger saints ) and the hils shall flow with milk , ( fit nourishment for her yet tender babes ) and all the rivers of this mysticall iudah (n) shall with waters of life ( to refresh all ) and to this end , a fountain shall come forth of the house of the lord , to supply the sacred font , which is placed in the lower part of the church , like a little valley of shittim , which is the (o) embleme of a vessel that will not putrifie . . and then while egypt , and edom , ( i. e. great enemies of the church ) shall lie ruinous , and desolate , because of the innocent blood , which they have shed in the true iudah , ( the church of god. ) . iudah in the mean while ( the holy church ) shall dwell safe , aud the true jerusalem shall be comforted with a true , and lasting felicity . . and the blood of the saints , (p) which i did not before manifest to be pure , and innocent , and therefore most unjustly spilt , that shall i , even by that meanes , declare to be pure , and innocent , namely by the exemplary (q) punishment of their executioners . and thus will god ever abide with his church , and preserve his servants in their greatest dangers , or reward them with that which shall exceed a present delivery , and be a sufficient vindication of their vertue , and innocence . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of amos . chap. i. . the word of amos , who was among the herdmen of tekoa , which he saw concerning israel , in the dayes of vzziah king of iudah , and in the daies of ieroboam the son of ioash king of israel , two years before the earthquake . and he said , the lord will roar from zion , and utter his voice from ierusalem : and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn , and the top of carmel shall wither . thus saith the lord ; for three transgressions of damascus , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof , because they have threshed gilead with threshing instruments of iron . but i will send a fire into the house of hazael , which shall devour the palaces of benhadad i will break also the bar of damascus , aud cut off the inhabitant from the plain of aven : and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of eden , and the people of syria shall go into captivity unto kir , saith the lord. thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of gaza , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because they carried away captive the whole captivity , to deliver them up to edom. but i will send a fire on the wall of gaza , which shall devour the palaces thereof . and i will cut off the inhabitant from ashdod , and him that holdeth the scepter from ashkelon , and i will turn mine hand against ekron ; and the remnant of the philistines shall perish , saith the lord god. thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of tyrus , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because they delivered up the whole captivity to edom , and remembred not the brotherly covenant . but i will send a fire on the wall of tyrus , which shall devour the palaces thereof . thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of edom , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof , because he did pursue his brother with the sword , and did cast off all pitty , and his anger did tear perpetually , and kept his wrath for ever . but i will send a fire upon teman , which shall devour the palaces of bozrah . thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of the children of ammon , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because they have ript up the women with child of gilead , that they might inlarge their border . but i will kindle a fire in the wall of rabbah , and it shall devour the palaces thereof , with shouting in the day of battel , with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind . and their king shall go into captivity , he , and his princes together , saith the lord. chap. i. . the words , (a) or things prophetically imparted to the knowledge of amos , who was among the (b) shepherds , or keepers of cattle in tekoah ( six miles from bethlehem ) which were famous for that employment . thence was he called to be a prophet , as david , before that , from following of sheep , was chosen to be a royal prophet , by that wise , and merciful god , that chuseth the base things of the world to confound the wise . now these things were revealed to amos , concerning israel , in the time of uzziah king of judah , and jeroboam , son of joash , king of israel : two years (c) before the earthquake , that happened in the reign of vzziah , that was smitten with leprosie , for attempting upon the priests office . . amos being thus made a prophet , his name agreed with the sum of his prophesie . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( amost ) signifies a burden . and that is an ordinarie term in the holy scripture for the prophesie of a heavy punishment , denounced against a nation , as this of amos was against many , specially against the ten tribes , against whom , what he had prophesied , was fulfilled by salmaneser , that led them away captive into assyria . reg. . . but let us hear the prophet himself speak , thus said amos. the lord that delighted so much in sion . and pleased to dwell between the cherubims in his temple at ierusalem , is now so offended with the sins of iudah , and israel , that he sends an angry threatning voice from sion , and ierusalem , that may terrifie them both : specially those of israel , the greater offenders . this terrible voice will have a doleful effect in the pleasant pastures of all those shepherds , that have neglected their flock ; and upon the sheep that have turned wolves against their shepherds , and raised up shepherds of their own choice , uncapable of the place . carmel among others , even carmel it self , which had the fattest pasture , and the most numerous sheep , shall in the height and glory of it be withered and made no such place for their feeding . what shall we think will become of the gentiles , when gods own people hear such sad tidings from the place of their joy , and comfort ? let us now hear that . for syria damascena first . thus saith the lord. for so many foul sins of damascus , as have filled up the full measure of their iniquity , and may be brought against them in the perfect number of seven , by the addition of four more to their first three , that were bad enough : for these (d) i will not restore damascus to my wonted favour , or i will not recal that , which i have decreed against that place . specially in that they heavily afflicted my people of gilead ( reuben , gad , and the half tribe of manasseh ) barbarously insulting over them , and (e) trampling upon them , or rather (e) laying on them like thrashers , and abusing all alike . ( as it was foretold by elisaeus , in his words to hazael , reg. , & . ) . therefore , in mine anger , i will send a furious enemie against them , which , like a fire , shall sodainly deface and ruine the royal structures erected by hazael , when they shall be the palaces of his son benhadad . . and i will break the very strength of damascus , ( their gates , fortresses , and whatsoever else it is , wherein they most confide ) and i will pack away the inhabitants of the plain of aven : and with them the idolatrous princes , that rule over (g) beth-eden , and the neighbour-cities devoted to riot and luxury . for the syrians shall be led captives into kir , saith the lord ( by the hand of tiglathpileser , king of assyria . ) . when they of gaza in palestine have made up the like (h) measure of their sins , the like punishment shall be as peremptorily decreed against them : specially because of their cruelty to those of israel , that fled into their parts for refuge , upon the invasion of sennacherib , whom , though they came (i) peaceably , and friendly to them , onely for relief , and no way to offer them any injury : yet they most injuriously sold them into edom , as if they had been their own captives , and , by right of war , taken by themselves . whereby they did as good as (k) imprison them among their capital enemies , and obstruct the means of their return unto their own home . . therefore i will cause such warlike forces to come ( from (l) hezekiah to the wall of gaza , as shall consume and burn that city , and all the fair buildings within it . . and the inhabitants of azotus shall be turned out of doors , and the rulers of ascalon shall partake of the same justice with their country-men . then ( after that blow given to gaza , azotus , and ascalon ) i will turn my striking hand against ekron also , and there the rest of the philistims shall be destroyed ( by the assyrians ) to the utter ruine of that people . . thus saith the lord , for the like overflowing of the (m) transgressions of tyrus , in so full a measure , i will not be reconciled unto them , nor reverse the decree already passed against them . because they used the like cruelty , that the philistims did , against the poor israelites , which came peaceably to them , but were sold away to the edomites , as captives taken in war. and the tyrians shall fare the worse , because (n) they so easily forgot the league , and friendship , that was (o) between their king hiram , and king david , and solomon , and so between the succeeding kings , (o) that used the stile , and love of brethren : which , no doubt , was cause of much familiarity , and many kind offices among the subjects of either nation , and was ill broken off for a matter of filthy lucre , in the sale of their confederates . . therefore will i send an enemie ( from (p) chaldaea ) to the walls of tyrus , that shall set most of the stately buildings of tyrus on such a fire , as all the water above her shall not be able to quench . . the like measure of sin will draw the like (q) punishment upon edom : because he was so unnaturally cruel to his brethren , the posterity of iacob , shewing no bowels of compassion to these brethren of the same belly , but resting upon a violent , obstinate , implacable way of furious anger , transmitted as an hereditary vice to posterity for ever . so did edom strive to keep it ever alive , to his immortal shame for such impiety , and inhumanity against so near allies . . therefore ( by sennacherib , and his souldiers ) such flames of war shall be kindled in teman , and bozra , the two cities of note in the countrey of edom , as shall consume the fair pallaces thereof . . and of another nation affianced to the people of god , thus saith the lord. for the (r) full measure of the transgressions of the ammonites , the children of lot : they shall receive the same d●om with the edomites ; the rather for their barbaro●s inhumanity , which sharpned their weapons against the weaker sex , to the ripping up of the matrones of gilead , even when they were great with child . not out of any provocation in war , but out of a mere covetous and (s) ambitions desire , to enlarge their territories . . therefore a fearful fire shall be kindled by the walls of rabbah ( the gloriousest city of animon ) that , without difference of sex , or age , shall devour such as are found in the choicest pallaces , and mansions of the ammonites . it shall come in a violent , and (t) fearful way , with military clamours , and shouting of some , and skreeching of others . it shall come of a sodain , like a horrible storm , and tempest to the ruine , and devastation of the country of ammon . . which shall be the sadder , and more irrecoverable by the captivity of the king , and his princes : and their titular deitie , and his priests . for (u) moloch himself ( for all his royal title ) shall escape no better then the meanest of the people , that must yeeld to the furie of the war. for , the lord hath spoken it . chap. ii. thus saith the lord for three transgressions of moab , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because he burnt the bones of the king of edom into lime . but i will send a fire upon moab , and it shall devour the palaces of kerioth , and moab shall die with tumult , with shouting , and with the sound of the trumpet : and i will cut off the iudge from the midst thereof , and will slay all the princes thereof with him , saith the lord. thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of iudah , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because they have despised the law of the lord , and have not kept his commandements , and their lies caused them to erre , after the which their fathers have walked . but i will send a fire upon iudah , and it shall devour the palaces of ierusalem . thus saith the lord , for three transgressions of israel , and for four , i will not turn away the punishment thereof : because they sold the righteous for silver , and the poor for a pair of shooes : that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor , and turn aside the way of the meek , and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid , to profane my holy name . and they lay themselves down upon cloathes laid to pledge , by every altar , and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. yet destroyed i the amorite before them , whose height was like the height of the cedars , and he was strong as the oakes , yet i destroyed his fruit from above , and his roots from beneath . also i brought you up from the land of egypt , and led you fourty yeares thorow the wildernesse , to possesse the land of the amorite . and i raised up of your sons for prophets , and of your young men for nazarites . is it not even thus o ye children of israel , saith the lord ? but ye gave the nazarites wine to drink , and commanded the prophets , saying , prophesie not . behold , i am pressed under you , as a cart is pressed that is ful of she●ves therefore the flight shall perish from the swift , and the strong shall not strengthen his force , neither shall the mighty deliver himself : neither shall he stand that handleth the bow , and he that is swift of foot , shall not deliver himself , neither shall he that rideth the horse , deliver himself . and he that is couragious among the mighty , shall flee away naked in that day , saith the lord. chap. ii. . thus saith the lord. because moab hath fil'd up the same measure of sin (x) with the ammonites , therefore i pronounce the same punishment to them of moab : who to their other sins added that , which showed their arrogance , and malice to edom , in burning the bones of (y) one of the kings of edom , and so most inhumanely and barbarously , (z) mingling the ashes with the lime , and mortar that they used in dawbing and plaistering of their walls , which was an act of much pride , and scorne , and contempt ; and a contumelious way of revenge . . therefore i will raise up an insolent , and cruell enemy against the country of moab , that shall kindle such a war , as shall be the sudden , fearfull and totall ruine of (a) kerioth , their chiefest city ( for such is commonly a destruction by fire ) and in the hurry , and tumult of that war , shall many of the moabites die , amidst the confused noise of the trumpets , (b) and shouts of the enemy , and their own sighes , and groanes , and heavy lamentations . . so will be cut off from moab , and especially from kerioth , ( or , the chief cities in the heart of the countrey , ) their eminentest (c) governours , and commanders : and all their princes , and the greatest of their nobility shall have their share in this punishment , that shall sweep them all away , saith the lord , that neither can , nor will be hindred , or intreated in the execution of this sentence upon moab . . and while these acts of divine justice appear among the heathen , least judah ( because of the open profession of the true religion , and worship of god among them ) should take themselves to be in a fair way of escaping the like severe revenge , that god might take upon their sins , thus saith the lord concerning his own people , because iudah presumed to (d) make up such a high measure of sinne , as cried to heaven for justice , therefore they also shall have their doom run in the same termes . specially because they forsook the most holy lawes , and statutes of god , ( as if they contemned that to which they had promised obedience ) aud were chiefly led by their own phansies , and lying vanities , and strange inclination to idolatry : as the ill example of their forefathers , and their many revolts , toald them on , and deluded their foolish hearts . . therefore nabuchadnezar's puissant , and victorious army shall raise an unquenchable fire in iudaea , that shall not end without the firing of the temple , and the palaces , and other costly pieces of building in their mother-city of ierusalem by nabuzaradan . . which severity threatned to be exercised upon the two tribes , ( among whom was the temple , and the purer worship of god , may terrifie the kingdom of israel , and be a clear evidence of their speedier , and heavier ruine . of whom thus saith the lord. for the full (e) measure of iniquity made up by the israelites , and running over , i will make good the sad irreversible sentence passed against them , and foretold by severall prophets . the rather , because of their extream , and cruell avarice , which blinded their eyes , and induced them , not onely to circumvent and defraud , but down-right , to sell men better than themselves , and righteous persons at poor rates , as if the least summe of money , or a pair of shooes were more highly to be prised , than the keeping of a poor man from perpetuall servitude . . nor will i conceale some other of their faults . in respect of their malice , (f) they are as stomachfull against the poor , as if they could eat them up like bread . and their pride is such , that they think it not enough , to throw them as low as the dust of the earth , unlesse they take of that dust , and cast it upon their heads , as a signe of greater scorn , and contempt : where they cannot so insult over the poor , yet , at least , ( that they may be doing of some mischief ) if they meet with modest , humble , and quiet men , they disturb them in the way , that is , in the course of their life , and occasions of their severall employments . from hence , laying the raines loose to all liberty , they take the impudence to proceed further to sins of another nature , to a degree of incestuous pollution , hardly named among the gentiles , that the father , and the sonne should wickedly abuse the same woman . by which horrid crimes , they do what they can to pollute my holy name : and provoke the gentiles to the blaspheming of me , as well as speaking the truth of them , that thus dishonour their god ; whose honour , and glory should be the main end , and aim of all their endeavours . . beside all this , having taken some pledges of those , that run not after the same (g) madness of idolatry with them , they made use of them for sacred vestures or carpets , in or upon them to prostrate themselves before their idol-altars ( whereas to make any use of pledges is against their law ) and ( still adding sinne unto sinne ) they delighted their palates with that wine , which they bought with what was gained by the sale of their goods , whom themselves had unjustly condemned . thus were they not ashamed to chear up themselves in the house of their false gods ; and in their service , as it were to drink up the blood of innocent men , that would not be drawn to the like excesse of idolatry with them . . in this excesse , and overslowing of sinne , how much have these men forgot themselves , and the favours , and mercies , that i heaped upon them ? how ( in the way to a land of rest , and plenty ) out of my love , and care of them , i drove away the amorite before them , a stout and strong people , giants of so vast a bignesse , and stature , that whosoever was to fight against them , would think that his sword was to hack at cedars , and oakes , rather than to cut down men : yet these cedars , and oakes did i pluck up by the roots , and cut off in the branches , and laid them prostrate ( before the children of israel ) as low as the ground they trod upon . i.e. i utterly ruined , and destroyed the amorite , so that he was no longer a people : as i did many other nations , that were vanquished , and expelled out of their antient seates , to make room for them : root , and branch : fathers , and children : princes , and subiects : all were driven out , to give them way . . this i did for them , whom i had first obliged by a miraculous delivery from their egyptian bondage , and a safe conduct thorough the red sea , and a vast , and barren wildernesse , where they were fourty yeares together plentifully supplied with all things necessary , till they came to possesse those fat , and fertile grounds of all the (h) seven nations of the amorites . . and that i might crown these temporall benefits with spirituall gifts , and graces , i raised up some of your children to be prophets , that they might instruct you , and be your guides into a place of everlasting rest , in the heavenly canaan . and ( as another meanes to that ) i made others of the nazarites that they might be as living patterns , and examples of a temperate , and holy life . tell me , if any of these things can be denied , or if all these favours were not freely thus disposed of , for your good , saith the lord ? . and yet ( as it were to crosse my ordinances , which tended so much to your own advantage ) you would often interrupt the strict order of the nazarites , by perswading them to drink wine , though it were flatly interdicted . and you longed so much to hear your prophets tell you rather of that which was pleasing , than of that which was true , that you spared not to lay it as an injunction upon them . . but for this liberty of sinne , that you have taken to your selves , (i) i will bring you into great streights , and pressures of misery , and calamity : so that as a cart , streitned in it self , and as it were oppressed with too great a burden , doth seem to groane , and make a noise of complaint under the (k) weight of many sheaves : so the enemies that set upon you , and the afflictions that distresse , and humble your soules , shall force out of you many groanes , and lamentations ( heavy , and loud expressions of your sorrow . ) . in this pressure , and streightnesse ; it will be to little purpose to think of saving your selves from your enemies by flight , or of finding wayes of evasion from your other miseries . it will be as vain to think of resisting , and overcoming them , by strength of body , or stoutnesse of heart . for , the means of flight shall be taken from them , and the stoutest shall feel his stout heart , to faint , and sink within him . and the strongest of your champions shall be so far from rescuing others , that he shall not be able to preserve his own life . . nor shall the most cunning archers be able to stand to it so long , as to make sufficient use of his bow . or the swiftest of foot , to runne so fast , as to carry himself farre enough out of danger . or , the most confident horse-man to ride so fast , but that a speedy , and deadly blow shall overtake him and make an end of his life . . and if any be accounted of so heroicall a spirit , that he may presume of better fortune than other mighty men : even he shall be forced to yeild at last : or , if he can make an escape , to betake himself to his heeles , like a naked souldier , stripped of all his harness , and leaving all his weapons behind him . for , the lord hath spoken it . chap. iii. heear this word that the lord hath spoken against you , o children of israel , against the whole family which i brought up from the land of egypt , saying , you only have i known of all the families of the earth : therefore i will punish you for all your iniquities . can two walk together , except they be agreed ? will a lion roar in the forrest , when he hath no prey ? will a young lion cry out of his den , if he have taken nothing ? can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth , where no gin is for him ? shall one take up a snare from the earth and have taken nothing at all ? shall a trumpet be blown in the city , and the people not be afraid ? shall there be evil in a city , and the lord hath not done it ? surely the lord god will do nothing , but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets . the lion hath roared , who will not fear ? the lord god hath spoken , who can but prophesie ? publish in the palaces at ashdod , and in the palaces in the land of egypt , and say , assemble your selves upon the mountains of samaria : and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof , and the oppressed in the midst thereof . for they know not to do right , saith the lord● who store up violence and robbery in their palaces . therefore thus saith the lord god , an adversary there shall be even round about the land : and he shal bring down thy strength from thee , and thy palaces shall be spoiled . thus saith the lord , as the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs or a piece of an ear : so shall the children of israel be taken out that dwel in samaria , in the corner of a bed , and in damascus in a couch . hear ye , and testifie in the house of iacob , saith the lord god , the god of hosts , that in the day that i shall visit the transgressions of israel upon him , i will also visit the altars of bethel , and the horns of the altar shall be cut off , and fall to the ground . . and i will smite the winter house with the summer house ; and the houses of ivory shall perish , and the great houses shall have an end , saith the lord. chap. iii. . hear now , o ye children of israel , what the lord saith against you , against all the twelve tribes , the whole nation of the iews , that went as one family into egypt , but were increased into a mighty people , when he delivered them out of egypt . to this purpose doth the lord speak unto you . . you onely i made choice of , and selected above all other nations , for a peculiar people , to whom i would commit my sacred oracles , and upon whom i would freely confer my greatest † favours . no nation under heaven had ever such laws ( and so conveyed unto them by my self , or by the ministery of my angels , or prophets ) or such ample promises , such miracles , and deliveries , and such other motives to good life . therefore all your unthankfulnesse , and disobedience , and wickednesse will call for a visitation , in a heavier way of punishment . both because you knew my will better , and had more means , and obligations for the performance of it : and because you were under a more peculiar way of care , and cognisance , and government under my self . . the prophets ( by whom i instructed you , and forewarned you of the plagues that would follow your rebellions , and of the mercies , and favours , that would crown all your good actions ) never said any thing to you , but what they received from me . they all agreed in expressing of the same message , as men that walk together in the same way , are agreed together . your walking * with me , and conversing in my waies , should have appeared in the like agreement of yours with me , and them . and if your actions had been so consonant to my will , and their admonitions , you had now been in as fair a way to the increase of your happinesse ; as your dissent from me , and them , hath brought you into the high way of ruine and confusion . . when my prophets came to you with threats in their mouths , it was no more then i put into them . if you will call it the * roaring of a lion , it was my voice . and will the lion roar either in the forrest or in his den , but when the prey is in his view : so near that he may take it , when he will. even so make you no other account , but that my justice will follow as sure those prophetical threats , as the prey follows upon the roaring of the lion. therefore make your peace sodainly , unlesse you will expose your selves to a sodain destruction . . do birds use to fall into a net , spred upon the ground , and be taken in it , unlesse it be purposely so laid by the fowler , that it may apprehend them . so are your punishments prophetically foretold , like snares that are laid for you in my justice , and by my direction . when the prophets have forewarned you , if you will not take heed , but by your own supine carelessenesse fall into the net : you may thank your selves . [ praemoniti praemuniti , if it be as it should be ] and your timely repentance , and amendment of life , would be a likely means for the removal of the snare , in which the assyrians and chaldaeans are thinking to catch you , and hold you fast . but if they once come near , as the fowler will not remove the snare , till the birds be caught : so neither will god recal his sentence against you , nor they remove their armies , till it be too late for you to escape . . when by the sound of a trumpet , in time of war there is notice given to a city of the forces of the enemie approaching toward them , shall not that city be afraid , and prepare for the best way of prevention , or resistance ? why then do not your fears produce the like care , when your prophets , that are your watchmen , (l) make their voices like a trumpet , to rouse you up , and acquaint you with the danger at hand ? for is there any such evil of punishment denounced , or brought upon a city , of which god himself is not the authour ? who therefore doth it , that you may either timely repent , or justly suffer . . and he keeping it not so secret , but that , by his prophets , you are made privie to his full intention , and they unanimously agreeing in the message , you cannot but confesse , that you are fairly and sufficiently forewarned , and consequently , if you use not the right means of prevention , that the true cause of all your suffering must be indeed from your selves onely , and your own impenitence . . which of you now will not be afraid at the roaring of this lion ? and which of us that are prophets , dare refuse to prophesie , and give you notice of that , which god himself ( in such a fearful manner ) injoynes us to speak , and we cannot but at our own peril , as well as yours , conceal from you ? . and that it may appear , how justly that may fall upon israel , which our prophesies have foretold , let the very heathen be called together , and made acquainted with their actions , and , out of them , speak truely what they think of the justice ever used in pronouncing , or asflicting their punishment upon them . let it be divulged in the most publick places , in the palaces of ashdod ( in palestine ) and in all the palaces of egypt , that they are invited , freely to meet together upon the mountains of samaria , and there ( though , being idolaters themselves , they may say little to their idolatrie , yet ) at least , let them take notice of the strange cruelty of the israelite , which may be evidenced by the fearful (m) outcries , and lamentable noise , and exclamations , extorted by the many oppressions , and injuries of the insolent governors , that ruled , or rather domineered (n) within the city samaria . . nay , what speak i of the cruelty of their governors ? take them in a more general view , and few or none of them did ever (o) regard , or think of doing any thing that was right , and equal , saith the lord himself of them . all their care was , by hook , or by crook : by any false , and unjust waies whatsoever : to hoord up more and more wealth : and furnish their own stately house by cheating , and impoverishing of other men . . therefore thus saith the lord god to the children of israel . an enemie ( the assyrian in the ten tribes , and the chaldaean in the other two , shall besiege , and distresse the land , round about . he shall tame thee , and bring down thy strength , and empty thy rich , and stately houses , which thou hadst so filled , and stuffed , with unlawful gain . . if any of you escape the fury of that enemy , it will prove as hard , and as strange a deliverance , as if a shepherd should venture to snatch a leg , or two , or a little piece of the ear of a sheep out of the mouth of a hungry lion. thus saith the lord of the difficultie , and paucitie of the delivered . such and so rare will be the reliques of those poor israelites , that with much hazard will be rescued out of the verie jaws of the enemie . they will be sensible of this danger , that will lie in damascus ( their confederate cities ) as in a bed ; and in samaria ( their own nests ) as in the corner of a bed , thinking to nuzzle themselves there , as in a bed of ease , and security : or a fit place for the exercise of their spiritual whoredom . this enemy will rouse them all . . hear this ( you specially , that are most concerned in the care , and oversight of the nation ) and make protestation of it in the house of iacob ( that you may move them to repentance ) saith the lord god , the lord of hosts , ( who onely can refrain the violence of the hostile armies , that come against you . ) . for ( unlesse you prevent it by repentance ) when i begin to punish those of israel , for the foul sins , which they have committed , i will not then spare the chiefest places . down will go the altars at bethel : and the hornes ( the supposed holier part ) of the chief altar will be broken in pieces , and the altar ruined , and , by that , the idolatry of that place utterly abolished . . and the court shall not stand firm , where the temple is ruined . their stately palaces shall all be laid wast . the winter-house , and the summer-house shall feel the same blow . the kings ivory-house shall have the same fate with many other houses , that shall be levelled with the ground . for the lord of hostes hath spoken it : and his sentence cannot be reversed by any other . chap. iv. hear this word ye kine of bashan , that are in the mountain of samaria , which oppresse the poor , which crush the needy , which say to their masters ; bring , and let us drink . the lord god hath sworn by his holinesse , that lo , the dayes shall come upon you , that he will take you away with hooks , and your posterity with fishhooks . and ye shall go out at the breaches , every cow at that which is before her , and ye shall cast them into the palace , saith the lord. come to bethel and transgresse , at gilgal multiply transgression ; and bring your sacrifices every morning , and your tithes after three years . and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven , and proclaim and publish the free-offerings ; for this liketh you , o ye children of israel , saith the lord god. and i also have given you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities , and want of bread●● in all your places : yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the lord. and also i have withholden the rain from you , when there were yet three moneths to the harvest , and i caused it to rain upon one city , and caused it not to rain upon another city : one piece was rained upon , and the piece whereupon it rained not , withered . so two or three cities wandred unto one city to drink water , but they were not satisfied : yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the lord. i have smitten you with blasting and mildew ; when your gardens , and your vineyards , and your fig-trees , and your olive-trees increased , the palmer-worm devoured them : yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the lord. i have sent among you pestilence , after the manner of egypt : your young men have i slain with the sword , and have taken away your horses , and i have made the stink of your camp to come up unto your nostrils , yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the lord. i have overthrown some of you , as god overthrew sodom and gomorrah , and ye were as a firebrand pinckt out of the burning : yet have ye not returned unto me , saith the lord. therefore thus will i do unto thee , o israel : and because i will do this unto thee , prepare to meet thy god , o israel . for lo , he that formeth the mountains , and createth the wind , and declareth unto man what is his thought , that maketh the morning darknesse , and treadeth upon the high places of the earth : the lord , the god of hosts is his name . chap. iv. . hear ye this , which god hath revealed unto me , concerning the punishment of you , that dwell in samaria , the metropolis of israel , pleasantly seated upon a high hill . you , that in so fair and sweet a place , live in ease , and plenty ; and spend all your precious time in pampering of your wanton bodies , like epicures , rather then worshipers of the true god , nay , like bruit beasts , rather then women , indued with reason , like fat kine (p) of basan , rather then modest , and temperate wives of such princes , as have eminent place , and authority among the people of god. you that ( in your proud , and wanton humors ) scorn , and oppresse the poor , and needy . and that you may do it with more advantage ) speak to your husbands , and rulers , to bring them some way under your command , that you may get as much out of them , as will defray the charge of your (q) drinking , and feasting among your merry gossips . hear you this message . . the lord hath sworn by his own sacred majesty , i. he hath irreversibly decreed , that the time shall come upon you ere long , wherein the enemy shall as easily and unexpectedly surprise both your selves , and your pampered children , as fishers with their (r) fishhooks , and other instruments of their art , use to catch the fishes , that sport about that , which is brought to bereave them of their liberty , and their life too . . and , for fear of the enemie , you shall be fain to creep out at the breaches , that he shall make in the walls of your citie : every one at that breach , which she can first light upon . after this inevitable flight , you shall be taken , and at last , with shame enough cast out as far as into (s) armenia , that will have no such delights for you , as you enjoyed in the rich palaces of samaria . this is that , which god himself hath decreed against you . . therefore ( if you will hear your own foolish fancies , and inclinations ) you had best enjoy your pleasure before you go thither . yes , by all means (t) get you to bethel , and take your solemn leave of your beloved calves , erected for the worship of that place , show some of your impiety there . (u) then take your way toward gilgal , to the idols of that place , there make up the full measure of your sins . every morning with great care , and diligence bring the sacrifices that should be offered to god , and offer them ( at your pleasure , and at your peril ) to those idols , your sacred dieties of gilgal forsooth . and , for those (x) tithes , which should be paid every third year in the right place , let your mistaken devotion (y) pay them to your imaginary gods in three daies , if you will , and where you like best . . if you would yet be at more cost in your will-worship , (z) offer also a sacrifice of praise , and thanksgiving to your idols , and in an offering (a) by fire make use of leaven , which i commanded to be left out in such cases . and be sure that notice be taken of your voluntary offerings . blow a trumpet before you , when you go to them : some way , or other proclaim it to the world . for this pleaseth you well , o ye children of israel , saith the lord god , and you may therefore do it , at your peril . . but remember , that for this your forsaking of my altars at your pleasure , and showing your selves so free , and liberal in your idol-service , i also pleased my self in sending such scarcity of meat in all your cities , that there was nothing of it to be seen sticking in your teeth . and it was accompanied as great a want of bread in all places . yet did not these punishments produce such a repentance as brought you throughly (b) home to me . . nor did i punish you , onely with want of food for the present , but i threatned a lasting famine , and thirst by keeping the rain from you too , whereby , in your mountainous countrie , your corn-fields were parched with heat , and your grasse withered , and those places dried up , wherein you expected your water , which is a great part of your drink . this drought you had , even in the three moneths before harvest , when you had most need of rain . and ( that you might see this was caused immediatelie by my self : not by any power in the stars ; not by anie cause in nature : not by anie accident , or chance ) i granted rain to some cities and towns , when i denied it to other neighbour-cities . nay ( which was more miraculous ) one piece of ground was rained upon , and another hard by it , for want of rain , was dried up , and became utterlie unfruitful , and barren . . so that , in this great defect of water , two or three cities were forced to travail to some other citie ( that had the benefit of some few showers ) there to quench their thirst . yet was not that city so well stored , as to let them have water , in so large a supply , as they desired . neither would this plague work so much upon you , as to bring you to a serious repentance , and acknowledgement of those sins , that drew these miseries upon you , saith the lord. . therefore i proceed against you by another plague of blasting the corn , by a drie east-wind : and of mildew , which is a kind of jaundis in the fruit , proceeding from too much moisture . what one of these did not consume , the other commonlie corrupted , of that which came out of the earth with some hope . and as you more and more multiplied , and (c) bestowed cost upon your gardens , and vineyards , and your fig-trees , and olive-trees : so did i more , and more increase the number of locusts , and canker-worms , to spoile , and devour them . so that all your cost , and labour came in the end to little , or nothing . yet so foolish , and obstinate you were , and so hardened in all sin , and impiety , that still you continued as impenitent , as you were before , saith the lord. . and when you thought , in these streights , to help your selves with corn , and other supplies out of egypt ( whither i had often charged you not to return ) in your (d) way to egypt , and from thence , i took away some of you with the pestilence , and some with the sword of the enemy , and ( among them ) some of the youngest , and lustiest men , that thought they were able to make the best resistance . this misery was increased by the losse of your horses ( which i had charged you not to multiply to your selves ) you got them in egypt , and i took them from you , in the way from egypt to you . nor did i cause you to be troubled with the fight onely , but with the stinking smell of your (e) troops , so many waies disturbed , and spent with robberie , and mortality . yet were not you so sensible of these judgements , as to stop and re●al your selves , and be converted unto me , saith the lord. . beside all this , i brought a desolation upon some others among you , somewhat like unto that of sodom , and gomrrah , so that the few , that escaped , were like firebrands , with much (f) ado , here and there , plucked out of a terrible flaming fire . and still you were far enough from making your humble addresses unto me , for mercie , and forgivenesse . . now therefore , since none of these sad calamities had the intended effect of your reformation , i have reason to continue my resolution of bringing those and the like plagues upon you , of which i have either (g) already forewarned you by the mouth of my prophets : or with which i have even now expressed , how i made trial of you heretofore . therefore because you see i am coming against you with such variety of punishments ( if you will not repent ) be wise now at last , o israel , and carefully fit and prepare your selves to meet me with bended knees , and weeping eyes , and broken hearts , and unfaigned resolutions of amendment of life . . consider who it is , that so graciously invites thee to meet him by repentance , the onely means , which is now left to turn away the execution of his wrath . he so invites thee , o israel , that hath all things in his power , and at his command . by vertue whereof he created the mighty mountains , and , at his pleasure , raiseth the violent winds . by his infinite knowledge , and all-seeing eye , he can discover the innermost conceipts , meditations , and intentions of the heart of man ; as well as what himself intends to do with him , if he do not amend his life , and return to him . it is he which makes the glorious light of the morning , that grows brighter , and brighter as he mounts himself : and can cloud or eclipse that light with sodain darknesse , at his pleasure ; as the sole author , and commander both of light and darknesse . it is he that walks upon those eminent places of the world , that are no way pervious , or passible to us , and so subdues , and subjects to himself , whatsoever is exalted to the highest pitch to which it can arrive . the lord god of hosts is his name , and all creatures are but as his souldiers and servants , where his mercie , or justice will please to employ them . chap. v. . hear ye this word which i take up against you , even a lamentation , o house of israel . the virgin of israel is fallen , she shall no more rise : she is forsaken upon her land : there is none to raise her up . for thus saith the lord god , the city that went out by a thousand , shall leave an hundred ; and that which went forth by an hundred , shall leave ten to the house of israel . for thus saith the lord unto the house of israel , seek ye me , and ye shall live . but seek not bethel , nor enter into gilgal , and passe not to beer-sheba : for gilgal shall surely go into captivity , and bethel shall come to nought . seek the lord , and ye shall live , le●t he break out like fire in the house of ioseph , and devour it , and there be none to quench it in bethel . ye who turn judgement to wormwood , and leave off righteousnesse in the earth : seek him that maketh the seven stars and orion , and turneth the shadow of death into the morning , and maketh the day dark with night : that calleth for the waters of the sea , and powreth them out upon the face of the earth : the lord is his name : that strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong : so that the spoiled shall come against the fortresse . they hate him that rebuketh in the gate : and they abhor him that speakketh uprightly . forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor , and ye take from him burdens of wheat , ye have built houses of hewen stone , but ye shall not dwell in them : ye have planted pleasant vineyards , but ye shall not drink wine of them . for i know your manifold transgressions , and your mighty sinnes : they afflict the just , they take a bribe , and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right . therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time , for it is an evill time . seek good and not evill , that ye may live : and so the lord the god of hosts shall be with you , as ye have spoken . hate the evill and love the good , and establish judgement in the gate : it may be that the lord god of hostes will be gracious unto the remnant of ioseph . therefore the lord , the god of hosts , the lord saith thus , wailing shall be in all streets , and they shall say in all the high-wayes , alas , alas ! and they shall call the husband-man to mourning , and such as are skilfull of lamentation , to wailing . and in all vineyards shall be wailing : for i will passe thorow thee , saith the lord. wo unto you that desire the day of the lord : to what end is it for you ? the day of the lord is darknesse and not light . as if a man did flee from a lion , and a bear met him , or went into the house , and leaned his hand on the wall , and a serpent bit him . shall not the day of the lord be darknesse , and not light ? even dark , and no brightnesse in it ? i hate , i despise your feast dayes , and i will not smell in your solemn assemblies . though ye offer me burnt offering , and your meat offerings , i will not accept them : neither will i regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts . take thou away from me the noise of thy songs : for i will not hear the melody of thy viols . but let judgement run down at waters , and righteousnesse as a mighty stream . have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wildernesse fourty years , o house of israel ? but ye have born the tabernacle of your moloch , and chiun your images ; the star of your god , which ye made to your selves . therefore will i cause you to go into captivity beyond damascus , saith the lord , whose name is the god of hosts . chap. v. . hear what i have to say unto you , o you children of israel . though it be a sad propheticall lamentation , yet i must speak what i am commanded , and , if that were not , i cannot but speak it over you , while i consider the deep misery , and affliction , into which you have drawn your selves , by the weight of your own grievous sinnes . . israel should be like a pure virgin , in the sincere profession , and service of the true god. but now her spirituall whoredoms represent her , as a wanton , and impudent harlot . therefore her fall from that virginity hath produced so deep , and great a fall into calamity , and desolation , that ( if she do not speedily prevent it by repentance ) there is little , or no hope of her rising again , and recovering her wonted peace , and prosperity . she is levelled with the earth , like one ready to be buried in silence , and oblivion , and knowes of none , that are able to raise her up , and reduce her to her former estate . . in this misery , and captivity , ( which i foresee as certainly coming upon her ) very few will be left , in her cities , and villages . for thus saith the lord god , a city in israel , that could send out a thousand valiant men , well appointed , shall scarcely be able to show the tenth part of them left alive : and that city which could send out a hundred , shall have as little a proportion left for the house of israel . not the tenth part , but nine parts of ten shall be taken away by the sword , or the famine , or the pestilence . . yet this sentence is not so irreversibly concluded by the lord , against the house of isaael , but that if you will now seek after your mercifull god , in that way in which only he may be found , which is in the way of repentance , you may either remove , or , at least , mitigate the decree of your most just , and deserved punishment , that will otherwise cut off so many by death . . this repentance must not be verball onely , but active , and reall . you must absolutely renounce the service of your golden calf in bethel . (h) you must have no more to do in the idolatry of gilgal or beersheba . for the right service of god will not consist with the worship of idols . therefore if you forsake not these places you must perish in them . (i) for gilgal must go into captivity ( according to the omen in her name ) and bethel ( that carries in the name of it , the house of god ) shall be turned to beth-aven , which promiseth nothing but * iniquity , vanity , and desolation . . therefore keep close to that way of repentance , wherein god is to be found . that 's the onely way to preserve you in life , and safety . and if you be not found in that way , you expose your selves to extream danger , and know not how soon the house of ioseph ( as you call your kingdom of israel , from the tribe of ephraim , the greatest part in it , and the royal tribe ) may be compassed with those flames of war , that will (k) break out on such a sudden , that the best of you , and your friends will find no time , wherein to quench , or prevent them : no not in bethel , the (l) kings court , and the eminentest place of all the kingdom . . and how can they look for a milder punishment , that turn iustice ( the sweetest , and loveliest of all vertues ) into injury and oppression , which is as unwelcome , and distastfull as the bitter wormwood : and , when they should exalt justice ( and prefer her before all other respects whatsoever ) do rather suppress her , and leave her on the ground , as a thing of no value with them ( that are bribed high for injustice , in the pronouncing of a false sentence , or the not executing of a just law , when it is in their power to do it . ) . it were well , if they would amend this fault , and resolve to do justice , in awe , and reverence of that all-seeing eye , and powerfull majesty , that created all the glorious lamps of heaven . among them , he made the pleiades , or vergiliae ( a constellation of seven stars , that ushers in the (m) delights of the spring , and the fittest time for navigation : ) and orion ( that appears about november , and threatens tempestuous , or at least (n) inconstant weather , as the name it self imports . ) it is he that can turn the shadow of death ( the most dismall , and palpable darknesse ) into the clearest morning , and , on the contrary , the brightest day into the blackest night ( which allegorically expresseth another power of his , to turn the saddest calamity into the truest felicity , and again the fairest prosperity into the greatest misery . ) it is he that can call the waters out of the sea , ( drawing them in vapours into the clouds , by the heat of the sun ) and poure them down again upon the earth in pleasant , and comfortable showres , where , and whensoever he pleaseth . it is he whose name is iehovah ( which name showes the independance of his own essence , that gives being to all other : and the constancy of his performance of whatsoever he hath promised . ) . it is he that doth often in such measure refresh , and inable a weak man , which hath been laid (n) wast , and desolate ; that he overcomes the strong . it is he that brings it so about , that a feeble man , laid desolate , shall invade , and take a strong place of defense . all these instances of his power might well perswade the israelites , that he is able to releive those that are oppressed , and wronged in their courts of justice . . yet have not they been well advised of this . for they have showed their malice against him , that ( for their injustice ) hath reproved them openly in the very gates of their cities ( that are their usuall places of judicature ) there have they made it known , how they use to abominate him , that speaks sincerely , ex animo , and to the purpose ; as if he understood the case in hand . . now because you of israel have thus unjustly oppressed , and trampled upon the poor , not onely in your courts of justice ( as you call them ) but in other places : at your own price ; taking from them burdens of wheat , which they got as a reward of their day-labour , and for the releif of your family . therefore you that ( by such unjust meanes ) have built you sumptuous houses of hewen stone shall not come to possesse , and enjoy them : nor shall ye stay so long in the land as to taste the wine of those fair and lovely vineyards , which you have planted upon the like purchase . . for i observe your manifold transgressions , those specially , wherein you afflict the just defenders of the poor , and by your bribery , and other waies keep the needy from their right , in that very place , (o) wherein they have most reason to expect it . . therefore , in such evill and corrupt times , he that is wise will spare his giving you any more good admonitions ( at his own perill ) which he sees will do no good upon men , wholly wedded , and devoted to their own waies of unlawfull gain , and injurious to them that rebuke them for it . . the thought of this may perswade you , while the punishment is yet deferred , to bethink your selves of doing that , which becomes the people of god , and by all meanes , avoiding such foule faults , that you may live , and escape the dangers , that hang over your heads . do this in time , and the lord god of hostes will be with you , as you use to boast , that he is in the midst of you , and will preserve you from any great danger . . avoid sinne , with a perfect hatred of it , and do that which is good , in pure love of vertue , and goodnesse . above all take care for the free course of iustice , in the publick places of judgement . then happily the lord of hostes will be mercifull to the poor remnant of the children of israel , now under the power of the tribe of ephraim , the son of ioseph . . for , to no other end doth the lord god of hostes threaten so much , but that your repentance might timely prevent his judgements , and lay hold of his mercy . this is the intent of that , which the lord hath said , that there shall be mourning , not in your houses onely , but in all your streets , and lamentation in all your high-waies , and publick places . where the generall calamity shall joyn whole troupes of them together in the sad tone of alas ! alas ! what will become of us ? then shall they , that dwell in cities , invite the husbandmen to bear a part in their lamentation : and they , that for their skill in those sad waies of mourning , were wont to be hired to do it , in the funerals of the richer sort of men , shall be called in : not to personate a mourner , or act a part for money , but more really , and seriously to expresse that sorrow , which equally concerned them all . . and in all the vineyards , where you were wont to have such merry shoutes , and chearfull acclamations , at the close of a happy vintage , there also shall you eccho your dolefull sighes , and outcries to one another . while i passe thorough thy land to take vengeance of all thy wickednesse , saith the lord. that they , who would not honour me for my favours , and blessings ; may acknowledge me , at least , in my righteous judgements . . then woe to them , they will be , of all other , the most unhappy , and miserable , that to their idolatry , injustice , and other clamorous sins , venture also to adde the sinnes of unbeleif , impatience , and open contempt of those many prophetical admonitions , that have been used to reclaim them : and , in that wicked disposition , are not ashamed to say . oh when will the day of the lord come , which the prophets have so often sounded in our eares ? is it the day of our death , or of the doom , that the whole nation must expect to be executed upon them ? and will it be so terrible , as they seem to conceive ? we (p) would fain see , in earnest , what that day will prove and whether the prophets were not much mistaken in their predictions . for will god ever , in such manner , forsake his holy land , and the children of abraham , isaac , and iacob , his dearest saints ? oh that the time were come , when we might try the love of god , and see the day of the lord , which is so talked of ! alas , poor soules ! why are you so willing to see it ? if you knew , what it will be to you , you would not be so earnest to hasten it forward . for , it will be a black , and dismall day , a time of extream misery , and calamity , without the mixture of any light somnesse , and comfort . and do you long for such a sad , cloudy , stormy day ? . in that day terrours , and troubles will come so thick upon you , that while you think to escape from one , you shall be overtaken by another . as if a man should run from a roaring lion , that hath him in pursuit , and , in the way , meet with an angry bear with open mouth ready to devour him , and tear him in pieces : or if he should make shift to fly from the bear too , and get safely to his own house ( as his castle of defense against all such wild beasts ) and there resting his weary body , or leaning his hand on the wall , instantly a serpent should come out thence , and bite him , and take him quite away by a present death . . will not that be a fearfull horrid , dismall day , and without any hope of light , and solace , for that time , which will have such varieties of danger , that can be no way prevented : and must end , at the last , in the ruine of a flourishing kingdom , and the slaughter , or captivity of many thousands of men , women , and children ? . to prevent this sad day of the lord ( the time of his vengeance upon impenitent , and obstinate sinners ) make your peace with him in your own day ( while you may call it your day ) by amending your lives , and ordering your conversation aright . and do not think ( without that ) to please him with your sacrifices , or ceremonies , or any outward act of seeming obedience , that proceeds not from a faithfull , and pure heart . for , will you hear what the lord himself saith of them ? i was so far from taking pleasure in them , that i ever hated , and abhorred , your festivall dayes : and your sweet incense , or what else you offered in my house , at the time of your solemn assemblies , was not accepted by me , as any sweet savour , unlesse ( with all ) piety and sincerity , and integrity of life did commend you unto me . you thought that you did me great service in your holocausts , and other oblations , but they never moved me so much , as to look favourably upon them , because you did not ( with them ) offer your selves , your soules , and bodies , as a reasonable , and lively sacrifice unto me . that 's the oblation and holocaust , which the other were but to figure , and put you in mind of . and for your fat peace-offerings ( which should have been the interpreters of your thankfull hearts ) they never gained any good liking from me , because the heart , and life of them was wholy wanting . . away with the bawling noise , and tedious iteration of your songs , and hymnes , that you do not sing with the spirit , and with understanding as if you were truely affected with , what you sing : and such have yours commonly been . the like i may say of your psalteries , and harps , and other instruments , which , being accompanied with sweet voices , you presented before me , as rare melodious musick . but it was contradicted with such a discord in your lives , and actions , that it came into my eares , like a harsh sound not to be indured . for , it is the harmony of good hearts , and the constant exercise of holy vertues , that i account the sweetest musick . . especially , the constant execution of iustice , and iudgement . to see them passe smoothly , and faeirly on in your publick courts , not like water onely , but like a mighty torrent ; with such plenty , and facility , that every cause might have a just sentence , freely , and heartily delivered , without bribes , without delaies , and unnecessary demurrs : this would please me , above all musick , above all sacrifice . . but how often did you offer me any ( such ) sacrifice , and oblation , in the time of your fourty yeares safe conduct about the wildernesse , o house of israel ? when i fed you , and protected you from all evill , though you many a time , rebelled against me . the wildernesse indeed could not often supply you with outward , and legal sacrifices ; but who hindered you from offering the inward , and spirituall sacrifice of piety , obedience and thankfulness , which is the service , that i chiefly desired ? for the main intention of your other sacrifices , was onely to keep you from idolatry , and to exercise your obedience , and thankful acknowledgements unto me . . though , on the contrary , many of your nation , at that time , in the wildernesse , were exercised in flat disobedience , and idolatrie . for , you carried about with you (q) the shrine of moloch ( a king , and idol of the moabites ) and chiun ( or remphan ) one of those images , which you represented in a (r) star , peculiar to them . these were the (s) types , these the deities , which you made to your selves , after your own idle fancies , forgetting the true god , that made you , and those creatures , to which you exhibited divine honour . . for those impieties i will cause you to be carried away captive ( not to damascus , or any place so near your own countrey , whence you have the more hope to return , but ) far (t) beyond damascus , saith the lord , whose name is the god of hostes , whose will , and pleasure cannot be resisted . chap. vi. . woe to them that are at ease in zion , and trust in the mountain of samaria , which are named chiefe of the nations , to whom the house of israel came . passe ye unto calneh , and see , and from thence goe ye to hemath the great : then go down to gath of the philistins : be they better then these kingdomes ? or their border greater then your border ? ye that put farre away the evill day , and cause the seat of violence to come neer : that lie upon beds of ivorie , and stretch themselves upon their couches , and eat the lambs out of the flock , and the calves out of the midst of the stall : that chaunt to the sound of the violl , and invent to themselves instrument of musick , like david : that drinke wine in bowles , and anoint themselves with the chief ointments : but they are not grieved for the affliction of ioseph . therefore now shall they goe captive , with the first that goe captive , and the banquet of them that stretched themselves , shall be removed . the lord god hath sworne by himselfe , saith the lord the god of hosts , i abhorre the excellencie of iacob , and hate his palaces : therefore will i deliver up the citie , with all that is therein . and it shall come to passe , if there remain ten men in one house , that they shall die . and a mans vncle shall take him up , and he that burneth him , to bring out the bones out of the house , and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house , is there yet any with thee ? and he shall say , no. then shall he say , hold thy tongue , for we may not make mention of the name of the lord. for behold , the lord commandeth , and he will smite the great house with breaches , and the little house with clefts . shall horses run upon the rock ? will one plow there with oxen ? for ye have turned judgement into gall , and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock . ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought , which say , have we not taken to us horns by our own strength ? but behold , i will raise up against you a nation , o house of israel , saith the lord , the god of hosts , and they shall afflict you from the entring in of hemath , unto the river of the wildernesse . chap. vi. . woe be to you ( both of iudah , and israel ) that ( taking no pitie upon others in great want and distresse : nor abating any thing of your jollitie and luxurie to relieve them : nor so much as being thankful to god for what you enjoy ) do live in ease , and security , in sion and samaria , never troubled with any remorse for your sins , or any fear of the punishment , that hangs over your heads . you that trust ( not in god , but ) in the strength of mount sion , and the mountain of samaria ; securing your selves , in that you have found out a shelter in syria , egypt , and other conntries , and are (u) called by the names of the chief of those great men in other nations , to (x) whom the house of israel use to (y) apply themselves , as to their noble patrons , and protectors , in time of danger . . that you may know , how you do but flatter your selves , in relying upon such forein hopes , go to chalne ( a famous citie in assyria ) and hamath the great ( once the glorie of syria ) thence come nearer unto gath , the chief strength of the philistims . inquire first , what happened to them : then let this question be asked of your selves . are (z) you in a better estate , then these eminent places in those kingdoms ? or do you extend your borders wider then they did ? have you larger possessions then they had ? why then do not you admonish your selves , by their example , that your glorie may be laid in the dust , as theirs was ? . (a) wo be to you , that perswade your selves , the time of affliction is far enough from you , and therefore you may be the bolder with your too-much authority over others , and domineer , as in a throne of ease , and liberty , and oppression . . wo be to them that lie upon sumptuous , and large ivorie beds , where they have room enough to stretch themselvss in wantonnesse and lazinesse . and , after that ease , are wont to pamper themselves at a full and costlie table , feeding upon the tenderest , choicest lambs , that can be found in all the flock : and calves purposely fatted for them in the stall . . wo be to them , that spend too much of their time in mirth , and jollitie : singing division to the (b) sound of the psalterie , and other rare instruments of musick , which they have made special choice of for themselves . and to which they think they have as fair a pretense , in the abuse of musick , as king david had to delight himself in his heavenlie hymns , or otherwise to recreate , and refresh himself with it , when he was tired with his more serious employments . . wo be to them that make too much of themselves , and show no pitie of others : drinking their wine ( not in little cups , as others do , but ) in great bowls ( to drown the memorie of all sorrow ) and annointing themselves with costly ointments ( not moderatelie for health , and neatnesse , as is the custom in the eastern parts , but wantonlie in excesse ) as not ashamed to show their vanitie and profusenesse in expenses upon themselves , while they spare litle , or nothing for the relief of their (c) own countrymen , that are in need , and miserie . . therefore , after a little while , they shall go in the head of the captives ( among them , that are first carried into captivitie ) because they were ever ready to be the first ringleaders to all sin . and there will be a speedy end of all the banquets ( even the (d) funeral banquets ) of those luxurious feasters , that stretched themselves , as they pleased , upon their beds . . for the lord god hath sworn by himself , saith the lord god of hosts , ( i. he himself hath assured us , that he hath passed this , as an unchangeable decree , saying ) i abhor the pride of all the children of israel , and whatsoever they use to boast of , though it be the temple it self . therefore not that onelie , but their palaces , and greatest buildings ( raised out of briberie , and extortion , and for that cause hated by me : their cities also and people , ( or whatsoever it is wherewith they are now plentyfully stored ) will i , when i see my time , give up into the power of a cruel enemie . . and if it chance , that some few ( escaping the furie of war ) be left in one house : they also shall perish , ( by famine , or pestilence , or some other untimelie death . ) . then if the vncle , or any near kinsman , to one that dies in the house , shall come thither to order that the dead corps may be thence removed , and burned ( to prevent the infection of others ) if he shall say to any one that is (e) within the house , be there any more left alive with thee ? one of the house shall answer , none are left , they are all dead , or unlikelie to live . then he shall reply ; (f) say no more , if that be the case of them . leave thy tears , and complaints , and be quiet , and patient . it is too late for us now , to betake our selves , by praiers , to the name of almighty god. this is the time of his just vengeance , for our mentioning him so little before , and having our idols so often in our mouths . now we must all look for a heavy blow . for god will command our enemies , the executioners of his wrath , to smite all houses , palaces , and cotages alike , with such breaches , and (g) ruines , as shall not easily be repaired , ( utter ruines will be seen in israel , and great breaches in judah . ) . but i prophesie to them , that have no ears to hear , nor hearts that can be mollified . it is as hard , and unlikely a thing to move them to repentance , as to make horses run upon slipperie rocks , or oxen plow there , with good successe . he must change the course of nature , that can do so . and he must work as great a miracle , that will prevail with them for repentance and satisfaction , that have turned iustice , and righteousnesse ( the sweetest of all vertues ) into tyrannie , and oppression , which are as bitter , and unwelcome to the honest afflicted heart , as gall , and wormwood to the taste . . wo be to you , that , from the root of pride , have brought forth such cruelty , and injustice , and yet are not humbled at the reproof it . you triumph in your own wealth , and puissance , and command which are as a matter of nothing . for you say , have not we , by our own strength , and power , pushed down the strong forts of our enemies , as it were with horns , which they were not able to resist , (h) and so made our selves glorious conquerours ? but this arrogance will not arme , and defend you against such adversaries as . i shall send . for behold i will raise up against you ( the assyrians ) a fierce , and potent nation , o house of israel , saith the lord god of hosts . and as you have persecuted , and oppressed the poor righteous man , so they shall oppresse and hunt after you , and drive you before them from one corner of the countrie to another : from the entring in of hamath , ( near (i) epiphania ) to that which is called the (k) river of the plain , or of the wildernesse because of the barren , and desert places , through which it runs ) that you may be pursued in the very place , which you boast that you have (l) added to the kingdom of israel . chap. vii . thus hath the lord god shewed unto me , and behold , he formed grashoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth : and lo , it was the latter growth after the kings mowings . and it came to passe that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land , then i said ; o lord god , forgive i beseech thee , by whom shall iacob arise ? for he is small . the lord repented for this . it shall not be , saith the lord. thus hath the lord god shewed unto me , and behold , the lord god called to contend by fire , and it devoured the great deep , and did eat up a part . then said i , o lord , cease , i bseeech thee , by whom shall iacob arise ? for he is small . the lord repented for this . this also shall not be , saith the lord god. thus he shewed me , and behold , the lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line , with a plumb-line in his hand . and the lord said unto me , amos , what seest thou ? and i said , a plumb-line . then said the lord , behold , i will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people israel , i will not again passe by them any more . and the high places of isaac shall be desolate , and the sanctuaries of israel shall be laid wast : and i will rise against the house of ieroboum with the sword . then amaziah the priest of beth-el sent to ieroboam king of israel , saying ; amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of israel : the land is not able to bear all his word . for thus amos saith , ieroboam shall die by the sword , and israel shall surely be led away captive , out of their own land . also amaziah said unto amos , o thou seer , go , flee thee away into the land of iudah , and there eat bread , and prophesie there . but prophesie not again any more at bethel : for it is the kings chappel , and it is the kings court . then answered amos , and said to amaziah , i was no prophet , neither was i a prophets son , but i was an herdsman , and a gatherer of sycomore fruit . and the lord took me as i followed the flock , and the lord said unto me , go , prophesie unto my people israel . now therefore hear thou the word of the lord , thou sayest , prophesie not against israel , and drop not thy word against the house of isaac . therefore thus saith the lord ; thy wife shall be an harlot in the city , and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword , and thy land shall be divided by line ; and thou shalt die in a polluted land , and israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land . chap. vii . . now i shall acquaint you with some afflictions , which , by way of punishment , had fallen heavily upon the people , if i had not interposed my earnest praiers , as i was their prophet . for , the lord god was pleased to show me a vision . it was in the spring time , when the earth was yet in her prime , and glorie , in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth , of the fruit of the earth , after the mowing of the hay , or cutting down of the corn , that belonged to the king. ( jeroboam , the son of joas ) then appeared to me god himself , forming of locusts , that could never come at a worse time , to do mischief to the fruit of the ground , and were as an embleme of his gathering a vast , and pernicious (a) armie , that would quickly over-run , and destroy a fruitful , and pleasant land . . and it came to passe . when the locusts seemed very busie , in cosuming the grasse , and other fruit of the land , and had done much harm already to it : i said , lord god be favourable and gratious to thy people . let not these locusts , that use to make the way to a terrible famine , prove a prophetical prediction of a numerous , and destructive hoste , that shall , for our sins , invade , and lay waste so rich and flourishing a country . for , who shall then raise up again the posteritie of iacob , which are (b) already much exhausted , and brought low by former calamities . . upon my humble petition , the lord repented of this great judgement , saying , it should not proceed , he would alter , or mitigate the intended burden of the vision ( by making pul , and his souldiers be content to be appeased with money , and voide the kingdom . ) . & . i must not conceal another vision , at which i was more amazed : a vision , and prediction of a more furious enemie , that consumed all before him , like a flaming (c) fire , ( an element that hath no mercie ) and in this manner , it was revealed unto me by the lord god himself . behold , he called ( to his angels , and other ministers ) for a judgement by fire to be brought upon his people . this fire was so violent , that it seemed to be devouring the great deep ( i. readie to lick up , and consume manie of the people , that are often compared to the manie boisterous , and raging waters of the great deep ) and it had already devoured part of them , ( or of the (d) countrie ) then said i , o lord god stay thine anger : for , how shall the children of iacob subsist after this ? such a heavie judgement will so exhaust them , that they will hardlie ever be able , to recover their strength again . . (e) so the lord repented of this also , i will not now go on with this way of revenge , saith the lord god. . another time , the lord showed me a third vision in this manner . behold the lord stood upon a wall made by line , and there was a line in his hand , . and ( that i might give the more heed to it ) the lord god said unto me , amos , what seest thou ? and i said , i see a line . then saith the lord , behold , i will now make use of the strict line of iustice , in examining the faults of my people israel . i will not so easily passe them by , with such connivence , as i did before , taking little notice of many offences . . upon my strickt marking of what is done amisse , it will soon follow , that the high places of (f) israel , erected to the honour of their false gods , will be made desolate , and the titular sanctuaries consecrated to the calves in dan , and bethel , will be laid waste . and , before that , i will rise against the house af ieroboam , the son of joas , with the sword . and zacharie his son shall perish by the sword of shallum , and in him shall that familie be extinct , and the kings of israel decay more and more , till they are quite ruined by the assyrian . . when amaziah , the chief idolatrous priest of bethel , understood of these three unwelcom prophesies , likely to be many waies prejudicial to him , & his fellow priests , if it should be known , and believed by the people , he sent to ieroboam the son of joas , then king of israel , saying , amos hath done that which tends to rebellion , and hath ventured to do it within thy own kingdom , in the middest of thy leige subjects , the house of israel , divulging such strange prophesies , and in such plain terms , as the land cannot and should not endure , being they do apparantly tend to intestine sedition , and are sufficient to provoke the people to usurp that authoritie , for the punishment of amos , which properlie belongs to the king , or such as he shall please to impower . therefore it were not amisse , to advise quicklie , what shall be done with such a one . . for thus saith amos , of the king. king ieroboam shall die by the sword : and of the people he saith , israel shall be led away captive into a strange land , as if god would cast off your majestie , and his people , and forget the great cost , and diligence which is bestowed in bethel , upon his publick service . . thus amaziah accused the prophet amos , with much subtiltie , and impudence , and verie falslie , for he said nothing of the person , but of the house of the king. yet least this his malicious accusation of the prophet should not succeed , according to his desire , he fell to foul words , and menacies , and said , heark you , you seer , you had best be packing hence into iudah , and there get a poor living , as you may , by your heretical doctrine , and false prophesies . for here is no place for such as you are . . let us hear no more of you at bethel . for here is the kings chappel , and the kings court. therefore it cannot but be verie dangerous for you , to hanker hereabouts : but in iudah , i believe , your prophesies against us may passe with the good liking , and applause of all . . to this virulent and threatning speech , amos made answer , with an humble , but an undaunted spirit , and said to amaziah . i did neither usurpe , nor ambitiously affect the place , or title of a prophet : nor had i by birth , or succession , or education in the schools of the prophets , any claim , or pretense unto it . for indeed i was brought up among flocks of sheep , (g) and herds of cattel , not in the schools , not in the court , but ) as a gatherer of sycomores for bruit beasts , rather then an instructer of men , . though it pleased god to take me from following the stock , and lay this necessitie upon me of prophesying to his people of israel . therefore i must obey the divine calling , rather then your pleasure , and advise , or the command of the king ( if he should so injoine me , as you would have him . ) for , who shall excuse me , when he saith , go , prophesie unto this people . . now therefore hear thou the word of the lord. thou , that saiest , (h) drop not thy prophetical words against israel . we desire not that one drop of them should fall upon (i) our nation . for we take them to be no drops from heaven , but meerlie from your own lips . . therefore ( as imperious , and peremptorie , as thou art , i will prophesie a little plainer of what will nearlie concern thee . thus saith the lord. thy wife , in this very city , (k) shall have her body abused , before thy face , by the assyrian souldiers . ( this will rub the memorie of that spiritual whoredom , that hath been practised , and maintained by thee , as chief priest in this citie ) thy sons also and thy daughters ( all nuzled in the same idolatrie ) shall be cut off by the assyrian swords . and thy idolatrous country shall be divided by (l) line , among those strangers which the king of assyria will send hither . and thou shalt die ( not in this holy citie , as thou accountest it , but ) in a prophane land , among the heathen . and all israel , ( as i foretold ) shall be carried captive from hence into assyria , for contenming the fair predictions , and gracious admonitions , that were afforded to them . chap. viii . thus hath the lord god shewed unto me , and behold , a basket of summer fruit . and he said , amos , what seest thou ? and i said , a basket of summer fruit , then said the lord unto me , the end is come upon my people of israel ; i will not again passe by them any more . and the songs of the temples shall be howlings in that day , saith the lord god ; there shall be many dead bodies in every place , they shall cast them forth with silence . hear this , o ye that swallow up the needy , even to make the poor of the land to fail , saying , when will the new moon be gone , that we may sell corn ? and the sabbath , that we may set forth wheat , making the ephah small , and the shekel great , and falsifying , the balances by deceit ? that we may buy the poor for silver , and the needy for a pair of shooes ; yea , and sell the refuse of the wheat ? the lord hath sworn by the excellency of iacob , surely i will never forget any of their works . shall not the land tremble for this , and every one mourn that dwelleth therein ? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood ; and it shall be cast out and drowned , as by the floud of egypt . and it shall come to passe in that day , saith the lord god , that i will cause the sun to go down at noon , and i wil darken the earth in the clear day . and i will turn your feasts into mourning , and all your songs into lamentation , and i will bring up sackcloath upon all loins , and baldnesse upon every head , and i will make it as the mourning of an onely son , and the end thereof as a bitter day . behold , the daies come , saith the lord god , that i will send a famine in the land , not a famine of bread , not a thirst for water , but of hearing the words of the lord. and they shall wander from sea to sea , and - from the north even to the east : they shall run to and fro , to seek the word of the lord , and shall not find it . in that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst . they that swear by the sin of samaria , and say , thy god , o dan , liveth , and the manner of beer-sheba liveth , even thy shall fall , and never rise up again . chap. viii . . a fourth (a) vision likewise did the lord god show unto me , and , behold , it was a basket of ripe summer-fruit . . and ( that i might the more heedfully observe the meaning of the vision ) the lord said , what seest thou , amos ? i answered , a basket of ripe summer-fruit . then the lord said unto me . the (b) end is coming upon my people of israel . for , as when fruit is fully ripe , men use to pluck it from the tree , ( least it should rot and corrupt the sooner ) so they being ripe for judgement shall be taken from their countrie . (c) i will passe by their sins no more , in such patience , and connivence , as i have formerlie used toward them . . and their merrie songs in their stately (d) palaces , shall be turned into fearful howling in that day , saith the lord god. and (e) many bodies of dead men shall want the honour of the wonted funeral rites : being privily (f) cast aside , by them that will endeavour to conceal their miserie : least their own men should be too much disheartned , or the enemie encouraged , by seeing what a number perish by famine , pestilence , or discontent , before the sword come near them . . it will highly concern you to take notice of this prophesie , and vision , that are are come to so high a degree of covetousnesse and oppression , that you are ripe enough to be taken off from any further benefit of life . you that could find in your hearts to devour the poor , and (g) meek , and humble men , and quite obliterate the name , and memory of them from the earth , that you alone might injoy the good things of this life . . you that say , when will the new moon , and the sabbath be gone ? ( we like not these festival daies , they are prejudicial to us , that might every day make our markets . it were not amisse , if they were quite put out of the kalender ) that we might be wholly employed in selling our corn , and opening our granaries of wheat , and practising the art we have in making our measures lesse , and raising the value of our coin , and falsifying our weights by sleight , and deceit . . that when we have , by these tricks , cheated , and beggered the poor , we may have an easie purchase of them , and their goods , and all that they have , for a little sum of money ; or for as poor a thing as the present supply of (h) a pair of shooes , when they are cold , and needy : or by putting off to them , at our own price , the very refuse of our wheat , that we know not otherwise how to dispose of . . therefore the lord , in his justice , hath fully resolved , and sworn by himself , whom all will acknowledge to be the (i) glorie of his people (k) israel , that since they so often forget the interest , that they have in this high title , or abuse it by making themselves guilty of such wicked deeds , i will not forget to punish any of their evill courses . i will surelie do it , saith the lord. . for , why should i not make the land tremble , and all her inhabitants mourn for these things ? why shall not this deluge of sin in this nation make her (l) punishment overflow , and overwhelm her in every part : as the (m) river nilus in egypt , ascends by degrees , and , at last , ovorflows her banks , and covers all the face of egypt with her inundations . . when that day of revenge riseth upon them , saith the lord god , i will make all their joy , and comfort to vanish on a sodain , as if the sun of a clear day should set upon them in a dark , and dismal cloud before he had run half his course . . and i will turn your merry festivals , (n) and gaudy daies into daies of mourning : and your pleasant songs into doleful lamentations : (o) your rich , and loose apparel into course * sackcloth girded about your loines : and your neat heads of hair into bald pates : that your outward garb may speak your inward sorrow for your heavy calamitie . nay , i will bring the land of israel to that passe , and that high degree of mourning , that , in all the chiefest places , men shall be found in as sad postures , and bitter exclamations , as a tender mother useth to expresse in the funerals of her onely son . and , how jolly and chearful soever they have been , they shall close up their last times in great bitternesse of woe , and miserie . . there is yet worse news behind , if it were rightly apprehended . behold the time is coming , saith the lord god , wherein i will send a famine in the land , not a famine of bread onely , or a thirst of water : but a want of spiritual food too , and of the water of life , a scarcity of the word of god , specially of the word of prophesie , which you neglect when it is offered , and therefore it will not be heard , when you long for it . . for they that are now so coy , and dainty , that no prophets can please them , shall then compasse about from sea to sea. they shall run to and fro , from one corner of the country to another , to seek the word of the lord , purely , and sincerely taught , and shall not find it . . then shall even the succulent bodies of fair damsels , and proper young men in the flower of their age , be ready to faint and wither away for thirst . . this shall happen to them , that swear by the idols of samaria , ( near bethel ) as if they had no true deitie to swear by . to them that have this form of oath [ as thy diety lives , o dan ] in imitation of their former oath [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they lord lives ] to them that swear thus [ as the living god is rightly worshipped , in that kind of service which is used in beersheba ] or [ as i wish , that the course , and religious way of beersheba may thrive ] these men shall fall from their former prosperous estate , and shall never be restored to that , or so much as to their country again . chap. ix . i saw the lord standing upon the altar , and he said , smite the lintel of the door , that the posts may shake : and cut them in the head all of them , and i will slay the last of them with the sword : he that fleeth of them , shall not flee away , and he that escapeth of them , shall not be delivered . though they dig into hell , thence shall mine hand take them : though they climbe up to heaven , thence will i bring them down . and though they hide themselves in the top of carmel , i will search and take them out thence , and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea , thence will i command the serpent , and he shall bite them . and though they go into captivity before their enemies , thence will i command the sword , and it shall slay them : and i will set mine eyes upon them for evil , and not for good . and the lord god of hosts is he that toucheth the land , and it shall melt , and all that dwell therein shall mourn , and it shall rise up wholly like a floud , and shall be drowned as by the floud of egypt . it is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven , and hath founded his troup in the earth , he that calleth for the waters of the sea , and powreth them out upon the face of the earth : the lord is his name . are ye not as children of the ethiopians unto me , o ye children of israel , saith the lord ? have not i brought up israel out of the land of egypt ? and the philistins from caphtor , and the syrians from kir ? behold , the eies of the lord god are upon the sinful kingdom , and i will destroy it from off the face of the earth ; saving that i will not utterly destroy the house of jacob , saith the lord. for lo , i will command , and i will sift the house of israel among all nations , like as corn is sifted in a sieve , yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth . all the sinners of my people shal die by the sword , which say : the evill shall not overtake nor prevent us . in that day will i raise up the tabernacle of david that is fallen , and close up the breaches thereof , and i will raise up his cumes , and i will build it as in the daies of old . that they may possesse the remnant of edom , and of all the heathen ; which are called by my name , saith the lord that doth this . behold , the daies come , saith the lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper , and the t●eader of grapes him that soweth seed , and the mountains shall drop sweet wine , and all the hills shall melt . and i will bring again the captivity of my people of israel : and they shall build the waste cities , and inhabit them , and they shall plant vineyards , and drink the wine thereof : they shall also make gardens , and eat the fruit of them . and i will plant them upon their land , and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which i have given them , saith the lord thy god. chap. ix . . i come now to a vision , that chiefly concerns ierusalem , and the two tribes . i saw ( in the spirit ) a glorie representing the majesty of god ) not (a) appearing between the cherubims , as formerly he used to do , but nearer the end of the temple , as if he were departing from that sacred place , and leaving his sanctuary by degrees . for i saw the lord ) standing upon the altar of the holocausts , as ready to slay those wicked men of judah , that had highly provoked his justice and anger to be showed amongst them , and to make such a (b) sacrifice of them , as he never calls for , but when he comes to be revenged of great sinners . and he said to some angel attending at that time , ( or as exciting the army of the chaldaeans ) smite the lintel of the door , in such a manner that the posts may shake : which signified a great blow , by his own command , to be given to them , that were thought to be most eminent , and most able to support and give aid to the temple , and the whole nation to whom it belonged . he said moreover , cut them all , or strike all (c) through in th● head piece . q. d.. let them that are in the highest place ( the guides and governours of the people ) have the first , and greatest blow , that , in them , others may see their doom . and after that , i will slay the last of them also ( the lowest of the people ) with the sword of a cruel enemie : and with such a slaughter , that he who thinks to secure himself by flight , or any other way of evading the stroke of the enemie , shall no way escape that , unlesse he fall into their power , for a worse punishment of long captivity . which doth not yet exempt him from their striking hand , when they shall have a mind to command his life . . and if there were any way to escape the enemie , yet none of them should escape me . for , who can run so far , or so fast , that divine vengeance shall not overtake him ? where is such a secret corner to be found , wherein that will not find him out ? if any of them could (d) dig as deep as hell , to fit themselves with a dark , and obscure lurking place , thence should my powerful hand pluck them out . if they could climb as high as heaven ( far enough out of their enemies reach ) thence also would i tumble them down . . if they could lie scouting , and sculking in the unfrequented caves , and holes upon the top of high carmel ( where no enemy would search for them ) yet there would i hunt them out , and cast them down from thence . if it were possible that they could conceal themselves from my sight in the bottom of the sea : i have whales , and (e) serpents of the deep that should pursue them , and bite them , and fright them out of that refuge . . could they be so subtle as to prevent the captivity of their enemies , and be gone into theirs or some other land (f) before they come near them ; yet thither will i bring the sword of those verie enemies to cut them off , and spoil all their plots . for the eye of my favour , and providence shall not watch over them for good . i will rather be intent upon what may help on the just , and severe punishment of all their sins . . where then shall they think to be safe , ( in the time of his anger ) that offend such a powerful god , whom nothing will be able to resist ? he is the lord god of hosts , ( whom all things obey , as an army ever ready for the execution of his mercie or justice ) of such power , that if he do but touch a land , with that touch he can make it melt , like wax , before him : and all the inhabitants of the land , miserablie , and lamentably to fade away , and consume ; by some calamity , that shall overwhelm them and * drown them in sorrow , and destruction , with a sodain inundation , like that of the river nilus in egypt , when it breaks over ' all the banks . . he fills heaven and earth with the majesty of his glorie . in heaven he hath built his several (g) ascents , by which we may climb to the speculation of it . the nearest to us are the heavenly orbes , that are created and moved by him , and their peculiar degrees of elevation one above another . over those orbes is his spacious court and glorious palace in a higher heaven , and , in that , his royal throne , where he sits , as in the highest ascent of majestie . vpon the earth , if we consider not the whole globe together as one (h) bundle ( and a little one too , or a little handful in the eye of god ) we may observe the several bundles of united creatures , that he hath placed over the earth ( which is as it were the foundation of all the rest . as first , that of the elements , that have their proper bounds : then , out of them , that of the vegetables and sensible , and rational creatures that have their several waies of combination : yet altogether make but a little handful before him , (i) that can measure the heavens and the earth with a span . he calls for the waters of the sea , in his anger by a deluge , or in his love to ascend up in vapours , that he may poure them down again (k) into the lap of the earth , to make her fruitful in all manner of store . he that doth all this , well may he have the name of the lord , and commander of all . . therefore account not your selves onely to be the servants . for , in that respect , what priviledge have you above all his creatures , or above all other nations ? you that descend from israel , are not you , in that point , the same to me , saith the lord , as any other , as they ( for instance ) that came from the cushites , a base , and servile nation , in your account ? to me ( your creator , and lord ) you are the same , though you may be more excellent , in respect of some other people , that have not receaved so much from me , as you have . there is nothing in your selves , but in my favour onely , that distinguisheth you from all others . nor have my favours been wanting to others , though they have exceeded towards you . for as i brought you out of egypt ( where your servitude , though you have almost forgot it , was greater then that of the cushites ) so i brought the philistims also from (l) caphtor ( or cappadocia ) and the syrians from kir ( or that part of (m) media , that lies by the river cyrrus . ) . my care , and providence hath extended to others , but much more to you , that have been most ingratefull and disobedient . yet have you larger promises of mercie , then any other . for , behold ( and you have great reason to take notice of it ) the eies of the lord god ( that created and governs all : and sets up , or puls down kingdoms , at his pleasure ) are intent upon every sinful kingdom , to destroy it from the face of the earth , unlesse they repent : (n) yet ( for my promise sake to your forefathers ) i will not utterly destroy the whole nation , and people of israel , saith the lord. . i will indeed , by my own command , so order it , that the israelites , for their sins , shall be dispersed , and tossed about , among the nations , as corn is shaked , and moved about , when it is sifted in a sieve , or winnowed with the fan : but the chaff onely shall flie away , the least grane , or scruple shall not fall to the earth . afflictions may purge , or trie the best amongst them , but they shall not consume them . . the worst , and most obstinate of my people i shall cut off by the sword , that amend not their lives upon fair admonition , and yet presume that god will not let the evil day so hastily overtake , and prevent them , but that god will deliver them at last , as he hath done their forefathers in many feares , and dangers , which they have fallen into . . their securitie may undo them . but there is a day coming , wherein i will ( by zorobabel ) restore the state of the (o) church , and kingdom of david , and whatsoever under his successors was gone much to decay . which you may look upon as a (p) type of the kingdom of the messiah , and setling of religion by him . which will be the true repairing of all breaches , and raising up the ruines made by scribes and pharises , and other enemies of the church , and building up the kingdom of the true israel of god , in greater perfection , then ever it saw before . . that my people , or they (q) that are called mine , ( i. my apostles , and servants , and their successors , whom i shall use in the restauration of the church ) (r) may take a kind of spiritual possession of the gentiles in my name , ( bringing them within the pale of the church , and fould of the great shepherd of our souls ) (t) even of the greatest enemies of the church , as the edomites were to the iews . at least of a (u) remnant of them , i. so many of them as shall return , by true repentance , and obedience from their opposing of the truth . so saith the lord himself , that will be the main agent in this great work ; and make use of his messengers , as instruments for that purpose , to effect what he hath often , and most gratiously promised , for the restoring and enlarging of his church , by the conversion , and accesse , not of gentiles onely , but of enemies too , to be incorporated into one mystical body , whereof the messias shall be the head . . behold , that joyful time is at hand , wherein the abundance of gods spirituall graces shall be prefigured in the plenty of all outward blessings . (x) the harvest shall be so long , that it shall extend , till the time of plowing the earth again . and from the beginning of vintage to the sowing of new seed , there will be employment enough in gathering of grapes , and treading the winepresse , and furnishing all the cellars with wine . of which there shall be such store , as if the mountains dropped , and distilled sweet wine , and the hills ( that use to be drie and barren ) were resolved , and moistened with the overflowings (y) of milk . which may figure the plenty of spiritual food , and heavenly comforts , that shall attend the coming of the messias . . and i will bring the captives home again ( i. such as (a) have been detained under the power of sin , and satan ) and they shall rebuild the waste cities , and re-inhabit them ( i. restore and settle the true worship of god , where it was neglected ) and they shall (b) plant vineyards , and drink the wine thereof ( i. found (b) churches , and tast the fruit of their labours bestowed upon the church ) and they shall make gardens , and eat the fruit of them , ( i. the maledictions of the (c) law being taken away , they shall be blessed in propagating the gospel , and the true service of god , for the increase of those spiritual graces , that are like fragrant flowers in the garden of the church . . and i will plant them upon their land , which i will give them : (d) out of which they shall be no more plucked up again . i. in the paradise of the church , they shall be like trees of (e) righteousnesse , so planted , that they shall take deep and firm root . nothing shall separate them from the love and service of god. (f) neither shall the gates of hell ( the extreamest dangers , or terrors ) be able to prevail against them . thus saith the lord thy god to thee , (g) o amos , ( or to thee , whosoever , that art in the number of the true israel of god. ) thou maist safely believe it , and undertake that all these things shall certainly come to passe . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of obadiah . . the vision of obadiah : thus saith the lord god concerning edom ; we have heard a rumour from the lord , and an ambassadour is sent among the heathen ! arise ye , and let us rise up against her in battell . behold , i have made thee small among the heathen : thou art greatly despised . the pride of thine heart hath deceived thee ? thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock , whose habitation is high , that saith in his heart ; who shall bring me down to the ground ? though thou exalt thy self as the eagle , and though thou set thy nest among the stars , thence will i bring thee down , saith the lord. if theives came to thee , if robbers by night , ( how art thou cut off ! ) would they not have stolne till they had enough ? if the grape gatherers came to thee , would they not leave some grapes ? how are the things of esau searched out ? how are his hid things sought up ? all the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border : the men that were at peace with thee , have deceived thee , and prevailed against thee : they that eat thy bread , have laid a wound under thee : there is none understanding in him . shall i not in that day , saith the lord , even destroy the wise men out of edom , and understanding out of the mount of esau ? and thy mighty men , o teman , shall be dismayed , to the end that every one of the mount of esau , may be cut off by slaughter . for thy violence against thy brother iacob , shame shall cover thee , and thou shalt be cut off forever . in the day that thou stoodest on the other side , in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces , and forreiners entered into his gates , and cast lots upon ierusalem , even thou wast as one of them . but thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger , neither shouldest thou have rejoyced over the children of iudah in the day of their destruction : neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse . thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity : yea , thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity , nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity . neither shouldst thou have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape , neither shouldst thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distresse . for the day of the lord is near upon all the heathen : as thou hast done , it shall be done unto thee , thy reward shall return upon thine own head . for as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain , so shall all the heathen drink continually : yea , they shall drink , and they shall swallow down , and they shall be as though they had not been . but upon mount zion shall be deliverance , and there shall be holinesse , and the house of iacob shall possesse their possessions . and the house of iacob shall be a fire , and the house of ioseph a flame , and the house of esau for stubble , and they shall kindle in them , and devour them , and there shall not be any remaining of the house of esau , for the lord hath spoken it . and they of the south shall possesse the mount of esau , and they of the plain , the philistines : and they shall possesse the fields of ephraim , and the fields of samaria , and benjamin shall possesse gilead . and the captivity of this hoste of the children of israel shall possesse that of the canaanites , even unto zarephath , and the captivity of ierusalem which is in sepharad , shall possesse the cities of the south . and saviours shall come up on mount zion to judge the mount of esau , and the kingdom shall be the lords . . the vision , or prophesie of obadiah . thus saith the lord iehovah ( and we his prophets from him ) concerning edom. . we have heard that , which you may take for a sentence as absolutely determined , and (a) pronounced by god himself , against the countrey of edom ? as if you had seen an earthly king confirm the like by his embassadours sent to the severall nations ( of the assyrians and chaldaeans ) with commission to raise up an army , and come in battle against her . . and this i have to say in his name to edom. see and wonder at thy self , what a weak and (b) silly thing , i will make thee appear to be in the account of these nations : and how miserably despicable in their eies . . for ( though i know thee in thy high thoughts to be otherwise perswaded , yet ) that pride of thy heart shall at last deceive thee , ( which promises to thy self great matters , but ever falls short in the performance ) or rather , (c) thy idoll , ( whereof thou art so proud and confident ) shall faile thee in the event . i speak it to thee , that art roosted in the clefts of those high rockes of arabia petraea , and thinkest in thy heart , that no power on earth can pull thee out of thy strong inaccessible places in mount s●ir . . thou that mountest up thy self , like an eagle , as if thou wouldst set thy nest among the stars : (d) i have many waies ( among which that of famine alone were sufficient ) to bring thee down from thence , and lay thee low enough , saith the lord. . if theives and robbers had come upon thee by night ( and how do i see thee more than miserably undone by the sudden surpriz all of such notable shavers , (e) and cutters . ) but had they so stolne upon thee , they would have been content with the filching of so much as would have served their turn . and if the grape-gatherers had come upon thee , they would have left thee some gleanings ( but thou shalt have to do with them , that will cut and sweep all away : root and branch . ) . ( nay , and thy close hoording up will be to no purpose for . ) how narrowly will those riches , that belong to esau be searched after ? and what hath he so carefully hidden in the closest corners , which shall not be sought out , and discovered ? . ( when all is gone and thy self art ready to be packing into a strange land ) at the borders of thy countrey will thy own confederates fairly take their leaves of thee : (f) they that be in league with thee will cheat , and deceive thee : they that come to thee with pretenses of peace , and concord , will be as ready as any other to prevaile against thee : and thy entirest acquaintance , (g) that have been often entertained as friends as thy table will (h) lay a stumbling-block in thy way ( to hinder all the good proceedings and proposals , that may tend to thy advantage ) so that , all that judge by the event must needs say , there is no foresight , or understanding in this people of edom. . and shall i not then make it good , by destroying those of edom , (i) that have been so famous for wisedome ? and those especially of mount seir ( of the posterity of esau ) that have been thought to exceed all the rest in matter of deep policie and understanding ( shall not i turn their wisdom into foolishness , and catch the wiliest of them , in their own craft ? ) . (k) yes , and , amongst them , thine o teman , the (l) stoutest of all , that use to build most upon the strength and reach of their own knowledge , they shall be (m) strangely brought under , to their own amazement : so that not a (n) man of any account , but shall be ( more then brought under , ) they shall be (o) utterly ruined and destroyed , from their high mountains of esau (p) because of that slaughter ( o edom. ) . and because of that apparent injury , which thou wast not ashamed to offer unto thy brethren , the sons of iacob , (q) ( when " you said of jerusalem , down with it , even to the ground ) therefore shalt thou be covered with shame , and cut off for ever , ( from being a nation , as they shall be . ) . i speak of the time , when thou stoodest like one of another side , while strangers carryed away all thy brother iacob's forces into captivity , and forreigners entred the gates of most of his cities , and cast lots upon ierusalem , ( which of them should make the first assault against that their mother-city ) when all this was done , thou ( that shouldst have been one of her best friends ) didst openly show thy self , to be one of her greatest enemies , i. one of them that had a hand in all those severall passages of cruelty . . but thou , of all other , shouldst not have endured so much as to look (r) upon the strange usage of thy brother , in that heavy time : much more shouldst thou have absteined from triumphing over the children of iudah , in the day of their destruction : and most of all shouldst thou have feared , to make thy own mouth a witnesse of thy proud and insolent insulting over their affliction , in the very day , when it fell upon them . . thou shouldst not have been so forward , as others , to rush into the gates of my peoples forts , and cities , in that time of their calamity : and then specially have made thy self a spectator of those (s) evils , that came so thick upon him , like a fearfull storm in a sad and gloomy day : and ( which is yet worse ) to have appeared as a party , which those that laid violent hands upon his substance , in that day . . nor shouldst thou have stood in the crosse wayes , where many paths meet : upon that advantage to cut off such of thy brethren , as had escaped the enemy : (t) nor shut up such as otherwise had remained free , and at liberty , in those distressed times . . for , after all these daies of yours , the lord will have his day too , a day of vengeance : and it is not long before that day will come upon all those nations about judaea , that have been so cruell to them . and then , as thou hast alone to others , it shall be done to thee : thy reward shall return upon thy own pate . . and as you of edom shall drink ( of the cup of my anger ) (v) because of my holy mountain ( and the holy land of judaea which you have persecuted ) so shall all those nations that joyned with you , ever taste of the same cup , till they have drunk it up , and be as if they had never been . . but in mount sion there shall be a great deliverance ( from the scourge that shall then be brought upon others by sennacherib ) and it shall continue a place sanctified , and set apart for divine service : and then shall they of the house of iacob ( that secured themselves for that time in jerusalem ) return to a quiet possession of (x) their severall tenures in the land of their inheritance . . then you that helped to encrease the flames of those wars , that set judaea into a combustion , shall find , that the house of iacob will prove a fire , and the house of ioseph a flame , and the house of esau like stubble before them . and they shall kindle them , and devour them , till there be none remaining of the house of esau ( that shall be able to do any great harm to the house of israel ) for , the lord hath spoken it . . and they ( of israel ) shall possesse the south ( of edom ) (y) with mount seir , and the plain with the land of the philistims . and with them , shall they possess the countrey of ephraim , and of samaria , and benjamin shall have gilead for his possession . . and those few forces of the children of israel , that return after their captivity , shall possesse whatsoever belonged to the cananites , as far as sareptah ( of the sidonians ) and they of ierusalem , which shall return from their captivity , shall possesse the parts about sepharad ( or the (z) furthest bounds ) (a) with the cities of the south . . and they (b) that have delivered themselves out of the captivity , shall not onely come again to their antient right in mount sion but ( in their posterity ) they shall go as iudges and governours , into the mountaines of esau. and then the kingdom of israel shall be under god alone ( and under the power of no forreign kings . ) a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of ionah . chap. i. . now the word of the lord came unto ionah the son of amittai , saying . arise , go to nineveh that great city , and cry against it ; for their wickednesse is come up before me . but ionah rose up to flee unto tarshish from the presence of the lord , and went down to ioppa ; and he found a ship going to tarshish : so he paid the fare thereof , and went down into it to goe with them unto tarshish , from the presence of the lord. but the lord sent out a great wind into the sea , and there was a mighty tempest in the sea , so that the ship was like to be broken . then the mariners were afraid , and cried every man unto his god , and cast forth the wares that were in the ship , into the sea , to lighten it of them ; but ionah was gone down into the sides of the ship , and he lay , and was fast asleep . so the ship-master came to him , and said unto him , what meanest thou , o sleeper ? arise , call upon thy god , if so be that god will think upon us , that we perish not . and they said every one to his fellow , come , and let us cast lots , that we may know for whose cause this ●evill is upon us . so they cast lots , and the lot fell upon ionah . then said they unto him , tell us , we pray thee , for whose cause this evill is upon us : what is thine occupation ? and whence comest thou ? what is thy countrey ? and of what people art thou ? and he said unto them , i am an hebrew , and i fear the lord the god of heaven , which hath made the sea and the dry land . then were the men exceedingly afraid , and said unto him , why hast thou done this ? ( for the men knew that he fled from the presence of the lord because he had told them ) then said they unto him , what shall we do unto thee , that the sea may be calm unto us ? ( for the sea wrought and was tempestuous . ) and he said unto them , take me up , and cast me forth into the sea ; so shall the sea be calm unto you : for i know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you . nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land , but they could not ; for the sea wrought , and was tempestuous against them . wherefore they cried unto the lord , and said , we beseech thee , o lord , we beseech thee , let us not perish for this mans life , and lay not upon us innocent blood : for thou , o lord , hast done as it pleased thee . so they took up ionah and cast him forth into the sea , and the sea ceased from her raging . then the men feared the lord exceedingly , and offered a sacrifice unto the lord , and made vowes . now the lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up ionah , and ionah was in the belly of the fish three dayes and three nights . the prophesie of jonah , who was an hebrew ( as appears by his words to the mariners ) whatsoever made lyranus think him the son of the widow of sarepta , that was raised again to life by eliah . he seems to have been of the tribe of naphthali . for he was of gath-heper , which was a city in the tribe of naphtali . and many of the iewes think , it was he , that annointed iohn at the command of elias . he lived in the time of jeroboam , the son of ioas , and prophesied of the victory , which that king of israel should obtain to the great benefit of that kingdom , he was a signe to the ninevites , and the conversion of nineveh ( the great city of assyria ) by his preaching , was a prediction of the vocation of the gentiles , and rejection of the iewes . lastly , he is (i) commended to us by our saul himself , as a type of his death , and buriall , and resurrection . chap. i. . when ionah , the son of amittai , could no way reclaim the sinfull israelites , neither by good admonitions , nor by a clear (k) prophesie of the victorious atcheivements of their puissant king that should restore all the coast of israel , from the entring of (l) hamath , unto the sea (m) of the wildernesse ( or , the great lake near the plaines of idumaea : ) then , ( that the israelites might see the greatnesse of their own (n) obstinacy in the speedy repentance of the very gentiles , and acknowledge the justice of that punishment , that followed upon that obstinacy of theirs ) the word , or command of the lord , was in this manner made known unto him , and to this purpose . . arise , and fit thy self for a long journey , go to that great city niniveh , and , with a loud voice , boldly preach unto her (o) what i have bid thee . for , their riot , oppression , and other wickednesse is grown to that height , that it calls to heaven for vengeance , and represents it self before me , in such manner , that it must be no longer suffered to go on . . ionah ( loath to be a messenger of such ill newes to another countrey , in that which boded no good to his own , instead of performing ready obedience to gods command ) thought of quitting that place , and kingdom as soon as might be , where god had so appeared unto him , and was more specially present . some reason of this kind of slight from god might be , that he conceived this threat might (p) produce mercy in god , upon the repentance of the ninivites , and their repentance might conduce to the greater shame , and punishment of his own country-men , that having greater inducements , gave lesse signe of remorse , and amendment of life , then was found among the heathen , this running in his head , put him upon a sudden resolution to flee to tarshish ; the rather , because after he had come as far as the famous port of ioppe ( the likeliest to accommodate him for this flight ) he there accordingly found a ship ready to put saile for that place . to break off all further delay , he presently paid the fare , and took his place in the ship : hoping that the further he removed from the place of gods peculiar presence , where he received his command , the further he should be from his employment to niniveh , which he desired , by all meanes , to avoid (q) ( as moses once did his journey into egypt . ) . but ( to show how hard it was to resist the will , and pleasure of him , that laid the command upon him ) while jonah thought himself secure , and at liberty , the lord sent a violent wind into the sea , which raised such a sudden impetuous tempest in that place , that they seemed all in danger of perishing by shipwrack . . this drave the fearfull mariners into such a sit of devotion , as seldome takes them but in a sad storm . first , they humbly apply themselves to their severall supposed deities : then they are as busie in using all outward means of safety by casting their wares into the sea , or whatsoever might thereby lighten the ship . in the mean time ionah had got down into the lower parts of the ship , where he slept as securely , as if he had been no way concerned in this troublesome , and perilous storm . . in this posture was he , when the master of the ship lighting upon him , ratled him up for sleeping so soundly in a time of common fear , and danger , and advised him , by their example , to fall to his prayers , and call upon his god , for his own and their safety , if perhaps god would be entreated , (r) to be propitious , and gracious unto them , and preserve them from perishing in the sea. . but the mariners ( seeing the violence of the storm no whit abated , after their addresse to their gods , seconded with the prayer of jonah , and the ordinary outward meanes of easing the ship of their portage ) began to suspect , that there was some wicked miscreant among them , whom divine vengeance would not snffer to live , and for whose sake they suffered all this misery . therefore according to their usuall course , in such extremities , they resolved upon casting of lots , and said among themselves , come , let us cast lots , that thereby we may know , the true cause , and authour of all this evill . and when they had done so , after their blunt way , without prayer , or other enquiry after god , the lot , by divine providence , fell upon ionah . . upon this , they did not presently cast him out , whom the lot had ( as they thought ) so plainly discovered to be the man , that was persecuted with that storm . but , to inform themselves more particularly , they said unto him , tell us , we pray thee , for whose cause ( as thou thinkest ) this evill is brought upon us ? art thou guilty of any horrid sinne , that might deserve it ? examine thy self . what hath been thy course of life ? ( there may be some fault of thy own , in that ) whence comest thou ? of what countrey , and of what people art thou ? ( thou mayest perhaps come from a wicked , and accursed place . ) . ionah answered punctually , to that which most reflected upon the case in hand ; that he was an ebrew , and worshipped the lord god of heaven , ( whither they did , or should have directed their prayers ) who made the vast sea ( which terrified them now ) and the dry land ( where they longed to arrive in safety . ) . the men heard not this without much fear , and terrour ; as not being wholly ignorant of the great wonders , which the power and justice of almighty god had done among the hebrews , to the admiration of all other nations . they could hardly come from joppe , and hear none of those things . they considered (s) also what he had told them of his strange disobedience , and boldnesse , in flying from the presence of so great a god , to prevent his going unto niniveh , as an unwelcome messenger of their sudden destruction . therefore they said unto him , why hast thou done this ? why wouldst thou make thy self guilty of so great a sinne ? who would think , a prophet should be afraid , or loath to speak what god had put into his mouth ? . yet not venturing rashly to make away an ebrew , and so near a servant to the great creator , and governour of all things , they advised with himself , what was fittest to be done to him , that they might appease the wrath of god , and so quiet the raging sea , which seemed still more , and more to swell , and beget more trouble to them . . then spake the prophet as from the oracle of god , and told them , that their safety could not be otherwise procured than by casting him over board , and so committing him to the mercy of god. and , that this their execution of divine iustice upon him , would calm , and still the roaring sea , which called aloud for vengeance against him , and would not be silent , but upon his patient offering himself to the mercy of almighty god , and so becoming some means of their deliverance from what himself had been a main instrument to bring upon them , ( wherein he was a type of christ , that offered himself to a crueller death for the salvation of the world . ) . neverthelesse jonas his readinesse to die for them melted the hearts of the rude mariners ( i wish our saviours offering himself for us , could work the like effect in us all ) they resolved now to venture themselves a little further for his sake , rather than secure themselves by his death . and (t) casting about in their minds all the waies by which they might preserve him , they pitched upon this as the likeliest , to try whether by rowing the ship to dry land , they might not save themselves and him too . but , after much labour , they see that they could not do it . for , the more they strived to gain the land , the more fiercely did the wind , and weather beat them into new danger upon the sea. . at last , though forced unto it , yet they would not be executioners of the death of a prophet , till they had prayed to almighty god ( whose power the prophet had made known to them ) that they might not be called to account for the losse of his life , nor his innocent blood any way laid to their charge : because all these things ( the extraordinary tempest , the event of the lottery , and jonah's own confession ) appeared plainly to fall out , and be wholly ordered , and directed , according to his own divine dispensation , and holy will , and pleasure . ( in all which prayer of the mariners , they were no types of the cruelty of the jewes to our saviour , when he died for us . ) . after this ( but much against their wills ) they took up jonah , that willingly yeilded himself , and cast him into the sea : which being done , there followed a sudden , and great calm . ( the boisterous waves and whistling winds were laid . as the fury of death , and sathan was quelled , upon our saviours exposing himself to death for our salvation . ) . these things wrought in the seamen a wonderfull fear , and reverence of the true god , the creator , and lord of all things . of whom they might have heard something in joppe , and other places of the holy land : but these passages concerning jonah , and the words , that he spake to them , wrought so powerfully in their hearts , that , upon their safe landing again , they offered sacrifice to the lord after the way of israel , according to the vowes , which they had made unto him , when they were in danger , adding other vowes , which they intended afterwards to perform , at their first opportunity . . but god ( that is able to rescue us in all places , and useth to be a present help in the greatest times of difficulty ) by his good providence , and mercy had prepared a whale to swallow up ionah alive and be as his (u) prison , or his keeper for a time . and ionah continued in the belly of the fish , three dayes , and three nights ( and so again became a type of our saviour , that was three dayes , and three nights in the heart of the earth . ) chap. ii. then ionah prayed unto the lord his god out of the fishes belly , and said , i cried by reason of mine affliction unto the lord , and he heard me : out of the belly of hell cried i , and thou heardst my voice . for thou hadst cast me into the deep , in the midst of the seas , and the flouds compassed me about , all thy billows and thy waves passed over me . then i said , i am cast out of thy sight ; yet i will look again toward thy holy temple . the waters compassed me about even unto the soul : the depth closed me round about : the weeds were wrapt about my head . i went down to the bottoms of the mountains : the earth with her bars was about me for ever : yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption , o lord my god. when my soul fainted within me , i remembered the lord , and my prayer came in unto thee , into thine holy temple . they that observe lying vanities , forsake their own mercy . but i will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanks-giving , i will pay that that i have vowed : salvation is of the lord. and the lord spake unto the fish , and it vomited out ionah upon the dry land . chap. ii. . jonah , in the time of his abode within the whale , considering the miraculous securitie that he had , being scarce out of the very mouth of one danger , ( of being swallowed up by the sea ) and yet presently in the middest of another ( in the bellie of a vast , and monstrous fish ) did not forget , to make his humble and yet confident prayer to the lord his god , a kind of prophetical assurance of his deliverie from the fish , as well as from the sea. . and he framed his prayer to this purpose , i cried unto the lord , out of that (a) fearful affliction of mine , that streightly compassed me about on every side : and by the life yet left in my bodie , with some degree of inward repose and quiet in my soul , i quickly , and easily perceived , that he had accepted and answered my prayer . yes , o my gracious and merciful god , out of the innermost parts of the whale , wherein i lay as in a kind of grave , or a shadow of darknesse like hell it self for the time : even thence i cried , and thou wert pleased to give ear to the voice of my groaning in my importunate prayer . . though what relief could i then , in any reason , have expected , when thou hadst cast me into the innermost receptacles , and bosome of the vast seas : where the overflowing of the waters circled me about , and ( which was more terrible unto me ) my accusing thoughts , in reflection upon thy heavy displeasure , and my rebellious sin , were like so many waves , and surges that passed over me , and afflicted my heavy soul. so that (c) what the royal prophet once speak in a figure , i find in a more literal , and both sensible and spiritual way made good upon me . . how could i then but take up those other words of the same prophet , wherein ( betwixt hope and discomfort ) he complains , (d) that he was cast out of thy sight , like one out of thy remembrance , and care , and providence . but in this bitter conflict , my faith , and repose in the mercy of god , at last , got the victorie , and then i altered my sad tone , and with some chearfulnesse delivered the hope , that i had to escape this peril , and live to present my hearty thanks once again in thy holy temple of jerusalem , . all this while my danger continued , and made me recal another passage of the psalmist , where he saith , (d) that the waters beset him on every side , to the hazard of his life . his words might he mine , when i was walled about with the great abysse , and a multitude of weeds ( all which strengthened , and collected into one bundle ) which seemed ready to wrap about my head , and confine me to my last unquiet bed . . for me thought that i went down to the lowest parts of those rocks and promontories , that peep out , like mountains in the sea , and that the earth had barred me out , and excluded me wholly from ever seeing the firm land again . yet out of the depth of this miserie , didst thou preserve me alive , o just and powerful lord , and my most merciful god. . when , in the middest of these difficulties , i was ready to faint , and dispair of recoverie , i forgot not to humble my self before god , and my prayer found admittance unto thee , o lord , and accesse into thy holy temple . they that perverslie wait upon idols for succour , which are but meer vanities , what do they but , in effect , wilfully relinquish that mercy , and favour , that is offered to them from heaven ? . but i will present my self before thee , o god , with the sacrifice of praise and thansgiving , and i will pay my vows unto thee , from whom onely , we may securely hope for mercy , and deliverance . . according to this prayer from a penitent , and faithful heart , the lord upon the third day , commanded the whale to cast up ionah upon the drie land ( as the grave delivered up (f) our saviour upon the third day , in the garden of ioseph of arimathea : and ( by his power , and mercie ) shall deliver us all , at last , being able to retain us no longer then the great day of the resurrection , and that general spring , when all the bodies of the saints shall budd out of the earth (g) incorruptible , though they were sown in corruption . ) chap. iii. and the word of the lord came unto ionah the second time , saying , arise , go unto nineveh that great city , and preach unto it the preaching that i bid thee . so ionah arose and went unto niniveh , according to the word of the lord : ( now nineveh was an exceeding great city of three daies journey ) and ionah began to enter into the city a daies journey ; and he cryed , and said , yet fourty daies and nineveh shall be overthrown . so the people of nineveh believed god , and proclaimed a fast , and put on sack-cloath from the greatest of them , even to the least of them . for word came unto the king of nineveh : and he arose from his throne , and he laid his robe from him , and covered him with sack-cloath , and sat in ashes . and he caused it to be proclaimed , and published through nineveh ( by the decree of the king and his nobles ) saying , let neither man nor beast , herd nor flock tast any thing ; let them not feed , nor drink water . but let man and beast be covered with sack-cloath , and cry mightily unto god ; yea , let them turn every one from his evil way , and from the violence that is in their hands . who can tell if god will turn and repent , and turn away from his fierce anger , that we perish not ? and god saw their works , that they turned from their evil way , and god repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them , and he did it not . chap. iii. . when ionas , like one risen from the dead , was returned out of that prison , and grave in the whales belly , and saw himself to be one of this world again : he heard no more of his former disobedience ( he was sufficiently admonished of that , by his punishment in the deep ) but to take away the scruple , and perplexity , that he might have in his heart , whether he should now fit himself for his journey towards ninive , or no ( for he might remember , (a) that the israelites , neglecting gods first command , of entring the land of canaan , were slain for attempting to do it afterward , upon their own bare resolution ) to resolve him in this , by a new commission , he was furnished , and encouraged again by god himself , with a second , and fresh command (b) in the same terms , wherein he received it before . that is , . arise , and go to that great city ninive , the head city of the assyrians , and preach against them what i first injoyned thee . at which if they repent , the israelites may understand by that , how much they have offended , in not being drawn to repentance , by the message of so many prophets as have been sent to them . . then ionah , having learned obedience from his afflictions , without any further delay , chearfully resolved upon his journey , and went to ninive , as god had commanded him . now ninive was a very great and spatious city , of three daies (c) journey in length , from the one end to the other . . ionah therefore beginning to enter into the city , ordered it so , that he passed thorough a third part of the city in one daies journey : exclaiming against the great sinnes of that place , and threatning that ( unlesse they did prevent it , by a serious and speedy repentance ) within fourty daies ninive should be overthrown : but upon their true conversion , they should find , that god desired not their death , but the reformation of their lives . . in which , the people of ninive believed god , and being well perswaded of his justice , and mercie , made known unto them by his prophet ; and ( contented with that first daies journey , and admonition caused a solemn fast to be proclaimed , and further to show their inward , and universal sorrow and contrition , they left off their costly apparel , and from the highest to the lowest appeared all in sackcloth , as penitent , and humble suiters for mercy . . for , the report of this prophesie was brought to the kings court , as well as to other places of the city : and the king to show good example to his courtiers , and the rest of his subjects , arose from his throne , laid aside his royal ornaments , and in sackcloth , and ashes made evidence of his great sorrow , and remorse , wherein he begged mercy for himself , and his people . . nor did he thus onely countenance , but by his royal proclamation , with the advise , and counsel of his nobles , he enjoyned a fast to be kept through all ninive , in such solemn and strict manner , that neither man , nor beast , greater or lesse , should be permitted to tast any food , or drink any water . . and it was further commanded , that both men and beasts should be covered with sackcloth , and crie mightily unto the lord ( the men out of true remorse of conscience , and hearty sorrow : the beasts , as forced to it by hunger , upon keeping them from their usual food ) and that every man should repent , renouncing and forsaking all their evil courses , and specially the (d) violence , injustice , and oppression , which they had exercised before , and which now they should wash off from their hands by charity , and restitution of what was injuriously taken away , or detained from any other : which is one of the clearest , and most evident fruits of repentance . . to all which they might be the rather induced , because they had no reason but to hope , that this message of the prophet proceeded not from any irreversible decree for their utter destruction , but rather as an invitation to repentance , and amendment of life , whereby the merciful god might be moved to reconciliation , and reversement of that heavy punishment , which they had deserved . . this command of the king , which seconded the preaching of iudah , was so readily obeyed , that god , to whom all hearts are open , seeinng their sorrow and repentance accompanied with a serious , and real intention of amendment , in forsaking their evil waies , and exercising themselves in all good works ( specially in the virtues opposite to their violence and oppression . ) he also repented of the punishment , which he threatned to bring upon them , and in his tender pitty and compassion , kept off the blow that was ready to fall upon their city . chap. iv. bvt it displeased ionah exceedingly , and he was very angry . and he prayed unto the lord and said , i pray thee , o lord , was not this my saying , when i was yet in my country ? therefore i fled before more tarshish : for i knew that thou art a gracious god and merciful , slow to anger , and of great kindness , and repentest thee of the evil . therefore now , o lord , take , i beseech thee , my life from me ; for it is better for me to die then to live . then said the lord , dost thou well to be angry● ? so ionah went out of the city , and sat on the east side of the city , and there made him a booth , and sat under it in the shadow , till he might see what would become of the city . and the lord god prepared a gourd , and made it to come up over ionah , that it might be a shadow over his head , to deliver him from his grief . so ionah was exceeding glad of the gourd . but god prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day , and it smote the gourd that it withered . and it came to passe when the sun did arise , that god prepared a vehement east-wind ; and the sun beat upon the head of ionah , that he fainted , and wished in himself to die , and said , it is better for me to die then to live . and god said to ionah , doest thou well to be angry for the gourd ? and he said , i do well to be angry even unto death . then said the lord , thou hast bad pitie on the gourd , for the which thou hast not laboured , neither madest it grow , which came up in a night , and perished in a night . and should not i spare nineveh that great city , wherein are more then six scoure thousand persons , that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand , and also much cattel ? chap. iv. . in the mean time ionah ( instead of rejoycing , and blessing god for his mercy toward the sad , and penitent ninivites ) discovered his great anger , and impatience , and too much respect , and tendernesse of his own honour , and credit , which he would not have blemished with the wellfare of the gentiles , against whom he had prophesied . and a strange thing this must needs seem to be , that a prophet should take it ill , that his prophesie was seconded with their repentance , or that their repentance should be crowned with so much mercie , and deliverance . specially , after himself had suffered so much for his disobedience and backwardnesse to prophesie to them : and been delivered out of the verie jaws of death , upon his own penitent , and humble supplication in his own behalf . for this , though it may be thought to show his tender love to his own people , that , by this repentance , and successe at nineve , were convinced of what the obstinacie of the iews deserved at ierusalem ; yet is it an evident argument of great weaknesse in the prophet , and great mercie in god , that would pardon such a fault to a weak servant of his , who seemed now to envie that favour to the gentiles , which god had long before showed himself willing to bestow , though it were to the irritation of the iews . (a) . but ionah would be like his name , (b) grieved and murmuring where he should not ; and displeased with that which pleased god. nor was this enough , unlesse he made it appear in his very prayer also , where he venters to expostulate with god , and to frame his prayer after this manner . why didst thou make me a preacher , or rather a false prophet to ninive ? is not this the verie (c) thing , that made me so loath to undertake that office , when i was in iudaea ? is not this the onely reason , that moved me to fly from thence to tharsis , that i might be far enough from this unwelcom employment ? for i said within my self , and i knew , that i had reason enough to say , that thou art a gratious god , merciful and slow to anger , and of so great kindnesse , that thou quickly repentest thee of any evil , which thou threatnest to bring upon sinners , if they are ready to repent them of their sins . . now therefore i pray thee , o lord , rid me of my life , which is a burden , and punishment unto me heavier then death . while i foresee the punishment that i may well think will fall upon my own countrie-men for their impenitence , which is now made fowler , by the repentance , and conversation of the heathen , that knew not the goodnesse , or pleasure of god so well as they did . therefore i am likely enough for this businesse at ninive , to be hated by the israelites , as well as mocked , and derided by the ninivites , that will look upon me , as one quite out in his prophesie . . yet the gratious lord answers not the prophet according to the heat of his passion , or the errour of his judgement , but in great mercy and meeknesse proposeth this question , whether he thought , that he had just cause to be angry with him for sparing so great a city upon their true repentance ? which every good man should rather beg by his prayers , then any way be troubled to see it done . . but ionah ( having little to answer in his own defense , amd being willing to see , what would be the final event of this businesse ) without any reply left the city , and sitting toward the east-side of it , made himself a little booth there , that he might rest under the shadow of it . while he expected , what would at last become of ninive , after the daies were expired . whether the citizens would so long persevere in their repentance , and , if they did not , whether justice would then be showed upon them , whom god seemed now willing to spare , upon their present conversion , and reformation of life . . now , ( when the thin slight materials of jonah his booth began to wither , and fade with heat ) the lord prepared a gourd , ( or some shrub , that used to grow in those parts ) to come over ionah , like a canopie , to shadow , and defend his head from the heat of the sun , which seemed not a little to afflict him . and with this refreshment under the gourd ionah was much delighted . . but that ease and pleasure was not long to be indulged unto him . for the next day , betimes in the morning , god prepared also a worm , which by gnawing at the lower parts of his gourd , and so extracting the moisture , was the cause , that it quickly withered away . . moreover at the rising of the sun , god sent a soft and (d) still wind the east , that had little , or no motion , or cooling quality , which was the thing that jonah desired . besides this warm breath , the son also , with some violence of heat , did beat upon the head of jonah , and became so troublesom , that it made him ready to faint , and show himself wearie of his life , plainly professing , that it was better for him now to die , then to live . which seems to be spoken in a passion , as if he thought it an injurie , to be deprived of that benefit of the gourd , which was gratiously afforded him for a time : and considered not that this variety of means might be used , to bring him to the acknowledgement of the truth of gods judgments , and the sight of his own offences , and demerites . . therefore god said unto jonah . is this well done of thee , to discover so much anger , and disturbance of thy self , for a poor little gourd ? to which question he gives a rash impatient answer , confessing that he was (e) extreamly angry , even unto death , and did well to be so . . whereupon the lord said again . art thou so affected at the withering of a poor vile gourd of a daies continuance , which neither for the coming up , nor the growth of it , is any way beholden unto thee ? . and shall not i ( the creator , and preserver of all things : whose property it is to have mercy upon me , above all my creatures ) shall not i be touched with compassion of so great , and populous a city as ninive ? wherein , beside much cattle , there are more then a hundred , and twenty thousand innocent children : so simple , and weak , that they cannot distinguish between their right hands and their left : and therefore cannot be thought , by any fault of theirs to call for this heavy destruction upon them . yet were they all ready to perish in the punishment of their parents sins , had not they timely repented . what must you then guesse of the number of men , and women of fuller growth , that have appeased my wrath by amendment of life ? which being done , their death , and ruine should not be rashly , and uncharitably desired , to make you seem the truer prophet : who was not to threaten any people , but with this implicite condition [ if they forsook not their sins . ] a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of micah . chap. i. . the word of the lord that came to micah the morasthite in the dayes of iotham , abaz and hezekiah kings of iudah , which he saw concerning samaria and ierusalem . hear all ye people , hearken , o earth , and all that therein is , and let the lord god be witnesse against you , the lord from his holy temple . for behold , the lord cometh forth out of his place and will come down , and tread upon the high places of the earth . and the mountaines shall be molten under him , and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred down a steep place . for the transgression of iacob is all this , and for the sins of the house of israel . what is the transgression of iacob ? is it not samaria ? and what are the high places of iudah ? are they not ierusalem ? therefore i will make samaria as an heap of the field , and as plantings of a vineyard : and i will poure down the stones thereof into the valley ; and i will discover the foundations thereof . and all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces , and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire : and all the idols thereof will i lay desolate : for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot , and they shall return to the hire of an harlot . therefore i will wail and howl , i will go stript and naked : i will make a wailing like the dragons , and mourning as the owles . for her wound is incurable , for it is come unto iudah : he is come unto the gate of my people , even to ierusalem . declare ye it not at gath , weep ye not at all : in the house of aphrah roll thy self in the dust . passe ye away , thou inhahitant of saphir , having thy shame naked ; the inhabitant of zaanan came not forth in the mourning of beth-ezel , he shall receive of you his standing . for the inhabitant of maroth , waited carefully for good ; but evil came down from the lord unto the gate of ierusalem . o thou inhabitant of lachish , bind the chariot to the swift beast : she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of zion : for the transgressions of israel were found in thee . therefore shalt thou give presents to moresheth-gath : the houses of achzib shall be a lie to the kings of israel . yet will i bring an heir unto thee , o inhabitant of mareshah : he shall come unto adullam the glory of israel . make thee bald , and poll thee for thy delicate children , enlarge thy baldnesse as the eagle , for they are gone into captivity from thee . chap. i. . the word of the lord , which was made known to micah , of moreshah ( a city in judaea ) in the dayes of iotham , ahaz , and hezekiah , kings of iudah : and which he had revealed to him in a vision concerning samaria , and ierusalem ( two eminent cities , by whose example the two kingdoms of judah , and israel were drawn into many grievous sins , and disorders . ) . hear all ye people of judah , and israel . attend to this prophesie of mine , you that dwell in any part of this land , how populous , and of how great extent soever it is . and for my faithfull delivery of what i am enjoyned to say , let god himself , that sees , and hears all , from his (a) holy and glorious habitation in heaven , hear witnesse against you , ( if i be at any time accused , or mistrusted for concealing any part of his will and pleasure . ) . for i wish you all to take notice of this , that god is now coming out of those high and holy places of his , to show himself in the execution of his judgements upon your nation : and the highest and strongest places , with the highest , and stateliest persons ( as stout as they are ) will he trample under his feet , and lay even with the lowest earth . . at his angry voice , the mountainous cities shall melt under him , like wax before the fire : and the lower villages in the vale shall part asunder , and leave their former glory , and station with as much speed and violence , as waters will run down in the steepest places , and leave no markes of any abode in that place from whence they come . and all this for the transgressions of iacob , and the sins of the house of israel . now , what caused the transgressions of iacob , but the ill example of samaria : and what occasioned the idolatry of the high places of iudah but the ill copy that was set them by ierusalem ? . but samaria , that first began the sin , shall feel the first smart of the punishment . and i will make samaria like a heap of rubbish in the field , or of withered plants in a vineyard . so far shall she be from having the face and show of a citie , when i have caused the stones to be cast down out of her high buildings into the lowest holes , and bottomes : and discovered the very foundations of that fabrick , wherein she gloried so much . . then shall all their graven images be beaten to peices and the (b) rich ornaments , that were bestowed upon their idoll-temples shall be consumed with fire , and the idols themselves will i lay desolate . for at the best , those fair donaries were but the rewards and bribes of their spirituall adultery with idols , and to no other end shall they come , then to what such wages of adultery and idolatry do best deserve to be brought . . ( thus said the lord. ) but , i their sad prophet cannot but interpret my inward sorrow by my bitter lamentations , and divesting my self of my best and upper garments , and , in that little better than naked posture , mourning (c) like the prodigious melancholy beasts in the desert , and howling , like the young (d) owles ( that have no other tone , and thence have their name , as fit to expresse it . . ( all which i am brought to ) because this land is so desperately wounded , that there is no hope of her cure , no not in judah , the best part of her . for which cause he that hath already given such a blow to israel , is marching toward my selected people , even to the very gates of ierusalem . . yet let not these sad things be published in gath , or any other town of the philistims our enemies . let not our teares be seen of them , that will laugh the more at our miseries . but thou (e) ephraim , ( that bearest the name of fruitfulnesse ) or rather i will call thee (f) ophrah , ( from dust and ashes , that are signes of sorrow , and barrennesse ) spare not thy sorrowes for thy self within thy own houses . wallow thy self in dust and ashes in contemplation of the sad day , wherein all thy houses shall be beaten into dust . . and you of samaria , so pleasantly seated that the name of samaria may be turned into (g) shaphir : you shall passe along from thence into a land of desolation and captivity : having your fair city laid bare and naked to your utter shame , and confusion : while thy sister that dwels in (h) sion will not stir a foot , from her (i) quiet hill , to come towards you , and releive you ; but , ( k ) keeping her own station , ( and not troubling her self any further ) she will ( for fashion sake ) take the hint of her mourning from thee , o (l) bethel , that mayest● now rather be called beth-etsel , i. a place of schism and separation . . but ( though jerusalem be yet so senselesse of misery ) yet she that dwels in (m) ramoth of judaea ( for which you may say [ by transposition of the letters ] that dwells in maroth , i. in a place destined to sorrow and bitternesse ) she shall much bewaile the losse of her good people , ere long ; for , mischief and divine vengeance shall come down at last , not to them onely of the (n) severall ramoths , and eminent seates in judaea : but to the very gates of jerusalem too , ( that is pirked up higher than all the rest . ) . and thou inhabitant of lachish shalt bind the chariot to the swift dromedaries ( that chariot , (o) that must convey sennacheribs servants to jerusalem , to demand no lesse than the rendring up of the citie into his hands ) because lachish gave the first and chief occasion of the sinne ( of idolatry ) to the daughter of sion . such great faults of the ten tribes of israel being first found in thee . . therefore also have i somewhat to say to moreshah-gath , and aczib ( the two neighbour townes of lachish ) thou , o lachish , shalt be fain to send presents and bribe the assyrians well to show favour to moreshath-gath . and the houshoulders of achzib shall be put to another shift , whereby to help themselves , i. by proving themselves false dissemblers and lyars , ( (p) as their name imports ) and betraying that trust , that was reposed in them by the kings of israel . . and now i will say somewhat alluding to the name of moreshah , as i did to that of achzib . moreshah , in the derivation of the word , referrs to an (q) heir . and i have an heir in store for thee , o inhabitant of moreshah . ( it shall be the assyrian , that shall hereafter possesse what is yet thine ) i will bring him to thee my self . and this assyrian , whom you made so much of once , as if he had been the glory of israel ; shall quickly enlarge himself and come as farre as odullam ( after he hath got the safe possession of moreshah . ) . therefore o thou poor and miserable judaea that hearest these sad prophesies against the greatest townes and cities , fall to those ceremonies now , that are the best expressions of their sorrow and heavinesse . take away thy dainty haire , and make thy self as good as bald in signe of grief , for the slaughter of thy delicate children , wherein thou hast placed thy delight . and yet enlarge thy baldnesse , like that of the eagle , in token of greater sorrow , for those thy children , that are led into captivity , ( and so have a heavier sentence passed upon them , then there was upon them , that were taken away , by death , from the sense of any further calamitie . ) chap. ii. wo to them that devise iniquity , and work evil upon their beds : when the morning is light , they practise it , because it is in the power of their hand . and they covet fields , and take them by violence : and houses , and take them away : so they oppresse a man and his house , even a man and his heritage . therefore thus saith , the lord , behold , against this family do i devise an evil , from which ye shall not remove your necks , neither shall ye go haughtily : for this time is evil . in that day shall one take up a parable against you , and lament with a doleful lamentation , and say , we be utterly spoiled : he hath changed the portion of my people : how hath he removed it from me ? turning away he hath divided our fields . therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the lord. prophesie ye not , say they to them that prophesie : they shall not prophesie to them , that they shall not take shame . o thou that art named the house of iacob , is the spirit of the lord straitened ? are these his doings ? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly ? even of late my people is risen up as an enemy : ye pull off the robe with the garment , from them that passe by securely , as men averse from war. the women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses , from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever . arise ye and depart , for this is not your rest : because it is polluted , it shall destroy you even with a fore destruction . if a man walking in the spirit and falshood , do lie , saying , i will prophesie unto thee of wine and of strong drink ; he shall even be the prophet of this people . i will surely assemble , o iacob , all of thee : i will surely gather , the remnant of israel , i will put them together as the sheep of bozrah , as the flock in the midst of their fold : they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men . the breaker is come up before them : they have broken up : and have passed through the gate , and are gone out by it , and their king shall p●sse before them , and the lord on the head of them . chap. ii. . these woes and sorrows that are threatned before , are the just rewards of sin . and they must look for a great share in that wo , that studie to be evil , and upon their beds devise iniquity , and plot several waies , wherein they may bring their wickednesse into act , as soon as the opportunity of the morning light , and their own power , and ability will give them leave . . this kind of men do no sooner fasten thei● covetousnesse upon other mens fields , but all the violence , that can be , must be used for the gaining of them : no sooner do they entertain a desire of other mens houses , but they think , they may take them as their own . such violence , and oppression do they use against other men , and their houses , and whatsoever descends to them by no lesser right then that of inheritance . . therefore thus saith the lord , these plots and devices of this family of the house of iacob , shall be answered with somewhat that i will devise against them . they contrived the evil of sin , and would not be taken off from the execution of it : so will i , in my thoughts resolve of the evil of punishment , from whence none of you shall shrink your necks out of the collar to escape it . and i will lay such a yoke upon you , that you shall be ready to sink under it , and shall not be able to go (a) upright . that will be an ill time unto all ( the time of their going into captivity , and bearing the yoke of a forein prince , and conqueror . ) . in that day shall men take up a proverb against you , and deliver it in terms of a most bitter lamentation , saying , we are utterly spoiled : and the land that was the lot and portion of my people is changed to other uses . and how strangely hath the enemy removed and taken away whatsoever he could carrie with him ? and now returns again to share our lands , and tenements ? . ( thus will they abuse us in songs , and short parables , taken up in scorn , and sung as personating of our god , and us . but now , to speak plainly and without parable , of our selves : there is too much truth in their abusive song . ) for i may say to my dear country , thou shalt never have any again , that shall divide thy several inheritances unto thee , as * they have done heretofore in the congregations of the lord. . ( and now , since i have told you others mocks against you , let me tell you , how you were wont to mock us , that are your prophets , and say ) (b) do not you drop and distil such prophesies into us , as other prophets have used to be free of . well the time will come , when such prophets as you so abused , (c) will drop no more of such prophesies upon you , like the rain , or dew from heaven . and ( when you know what it is to want them , you will resolve , that ) no prophet , that comes after , shall carry away such reproaches , instead of rewards , and have his heavenly doctrine answered with such base , and ignominious speeches . . this which i tell you , is said to the house of iacob , ( by commission from god himself . and , when these , and the like threats , in our prophesies , are declared unto you ) think ye that the merciful spirit of the lord is any way shortned , and contracted ? or doth he these things out of any ill intentions to you ? nay , are not my words ( in the mouth of my prophets ) intended to the good of every one , that walks uprightly ? ( for , i speak to you now , as from god himself , and in his person , and so i go on to speak to you , in the same person . ) . they that went awhile ago under the title of my people ( and called me their god ) do now ( as if i were become their enemie ( rise up in hostile manner against me , and they that were indeed my people . i speak it to you , who have used them so kindly , that ( according to your proverb ) you have pulled off their robe with their under garments ( and so left them to the naked world ) and no otherwise do you take any thing from those , that passe on peaceably by you , then you do from those that are returned as captives (d) from the battel ( over whom you have a fairer pretense from the priviledge of war for rifling of them . ) . ( and not the men onely , but the weaker sex too , do you use after this rude , and barbarous manner : for ) you have , against all law , ejected wives of my people out of their poor houses , wherein they took pleasure to be as good women should do , without gadding abroad . ) and so do you put them upon the inconveniences , which they must suffer , that are turned out of doors , to shift for themselves , and bring up their children , as they may , and not as they should . wherein you take away for ever that honour and glorie , which i should have had from their children ( if their education had been answerable to the will , and means of their godly parents . ) . ( therefore , as you ejected their mothers , so will i eject you . ) come then and prepare your selves to be packing out of this land , which your sins have so pulluted . it shall be no dwelling place for such as you . it shall rather be a means utterly to destroy you , and vomit you out , (e) as a matter of most filthy corruption * that hath been a long time troublesom unto her . . ( is not this a fit people to shake up their best prophets as they do ? but i can tell you , what prophets would please their phancy rarely well . ) if a man would use to vapour amongst them , like one that walks after every (f) uncertain wind , and is led by every new spirit . if he would discourse (g) non-sense and lies ( and say ) i will preach , or prophesie to thee for a little wine , or strong drink ( or any smal reward ) this were the onely prophet for this people . ( he would fit their turns as well as heart could wish . ) . ( me thinks , i see such a goodly prophet in one of his prophetical raptures , and thus he prophesies to jacob , as from god himself . ) i will surely assemble thee , o iacob , all of thee . i will not fail to gather into one the remnant of israel , like many sheep into one flock : a fair flock , like those in the rich pastures of * bozrah and moab : and that flock into one fould : and they shall have no further trouble then good store of shepherds ; more men then ordinary to wait upon them . . but ( in earnest , for all this goodly prophesie of our cheap , and upstart prophet ) the rough souldier shall be the man to break way before them ( not his imaginarie shepherd ) and he shall lead this people whither they would not go ; as you shall see , when they have broken out and passed quite through the gates ( of jerusalem ) . then shall the king of this people passe along ( as a prisoner ) before those souldiers , and (h) god himself in the head of them ( to prosper and succeed the designes of the enemie ) as of an army , that himself will own . chap. iii. and i said , hear , i pray you , o heads of iacob , and ye princes of the house of israel : is it not for you to know judgement ? who hate the good , and love the evil , who pluck off their skin from off them ; and their flesh from off their bones ? who also eat the flesh of my people , and flay their skin from off them , and they break their bones and chop them in pieces , as for the pat , and as flesh within the caldron . then shall they cry unto the lord , but he will not hear them : he will even hide his face from them at that time , as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings . thus saith the lord concerning the prophets that make my people erre , that bite with their teeth , and cry , peace : and he that putteth not into their mouthes , they even prepare war against him . therefohe night shall be unto you , that ye shall not have a vision , and it shall be dark unto you , that ye shall not divine , and the sun shall go down over the prophets , and the day shall be dark over them . then shall the seers be ashamed , and the diviners confounded : yea , they shall all cover their lips , for there is no answer of god. but truly i am full of power by the spirit of the lord , and of judgement and of might , to declare unto iacob his transgression , and to israel his sin . hear this , i pray you , ye heads of the house of iacob , and princes of the house of israel , that abhor judgement , and pervert all equity . they build up zion with blood , and ierusalem with iniquity . the heads thereof judge for reward , and the priests thereof teach for hire , and the prophets thereof divine for money : yet will they lean upon the lord and say , is not the lord among us ? none evil can come upon us . therefore shall zion for your sake be plowed as a field , and ierusalem shall become beaps , and the mountains of the house , as the high places of the forrest . chap. iii. . ( after that sad , and true prophetical contemplation , that i closed withall : desirous to show the reason of the severity of that judgement . ) * i said , give ear awhile to me now , you princes of jacob , and other subordinate governors in the house of israel . ‖ you that pronounce the sentence of judgement against other offenders , must not you needs know , what heavy punishment belongs to your selves ( if you had your due . ) . yet are you the men , that hate doing of good , and love the practise of what you know to be naught . and you use such oppression over those that are under you , that you leave no skin on their backs , nor flesh on their bones , ( you pick , and scrape away all that can be gained out of them . ) . ( and , i may say more of these cruel extortioners ) (a) when they have thus eaten the flesh of my people , and flayed the skin off the bones , then ( as if they longed for the very marrow , or loved to hear their bones crack ) they break , and divide the bones into several pieces , as the cooks use to chop , and cut out their meat into several joynts , before they put it into the pot , or sit it for the table . . there will come a time , when these men will cry to the lord , but he will not hear them ( that had no ears for the sad complaints of the oppressed ) in that time of need will he hide his face from them ( that turned their faces away from the poor afflicted ) and , as they behaved themselves extreme ill , in their doings . ( so will he show himself very just , in the punishment , which they are to suffer . ) . and ( after this said to the magistrates ) somewhat saith the lord , i have to say to those titular prophets , that lead my people into much error by their false predictions . these men , according as their teeth are plied with good meat , ( by their kind gossips ) * so do they frame their mouths to prophesie of peace , and plenty : but , if they observe a man , that cares not for so providing for their mouths , against him they will be sure to prepare tidings of war and destruction . . therefore i will bring so dark and dismal a night of affliction upon you , that you shall be able to discover no probable visions of peace . it shall be so dark and gloomy , that you shall not discern , how to pick out any clear divinations of comfort . and the sun shall set upon those prophets . ( you may bid them good night , for all the peace , they shall be able to foretel . ) the day shall be so dark over them ( that they shall be able to foresee nothing that is good , either for themselves , or you . ) . then shall those seers be ashamed to be seen , and those diviners confounded with their own divinations . (b) and all of them may put a covering upon their upper lips , ( and cry , i am unclean , i am unclean : as being in greater danger to infect the people , then any leaper , to whom that was enjoyned ) for , none of their answers will prove to be divine oracles , but mere fancies of their own . . but ( i am no prophet of that stamp . i may truely say , that ) i am furnished with those abilities , and filled (c) with that divine spirit , that should be in a prophet . i am endued with courage ( to fear no mans person ) and with judgement , and discretion , that i may seasonably tell iacob of his sins , and israel of his transgressions ( and not think it enough to preach what will please them , and to sooth them up in expectation of better times , then they are worthy to enjoy , or have any reason to hope for . ) . and now ( to put my office accordingly in execution ) * give ear to me once again , you princes of iacob , and other governors in the house of israel , that ( sit in the place of justice , and yet ) abhor doing of judgement : and ( should be the onely examples of dealing rightly , and exactly , according to the rule , and yet ) are commonly seen to pervert the rule of equity , ( and make the law serve your own turns . ) . that makes them build such houses in sion , and other parts of jerusalem , with what they gain by shedding of the blood of the innocent : and by deciding causes , that come before them , with much injustice , and iniquity . . for , the princes of this city judge for the bribe , and the priests teach for the hire , and the prophets divine for the reward in ready cash . and yet they can talk devoutly , and confidently of gods protection , for sion , and jerusalems sake , and seem to rely upon the lord , and say . doth not god dwell in the midst of us ? how then can evil betide us ( that are lodged so near to his own holy temple ? ) . ( but , talk what you will ) for you and your sins , sion shall be plowed , like a field : jerusalem shall become , like heaps of rubbish ; and mount moriah , the top of your glory , * as the place where the house of god stands , shall be like those mountains in the forrest ( that are fitter for the entertainment of beasts , then men . ) chap. iv. bvt in the last daies it shall come to passe , that the mountain of the house of the lord shall be established in the top of the mountains , and it shall be exalted above the hills , and people shall flow unto it . and many nations shall come and say , come and let us go up to the mountain of the lord , and to the house of the god of iacob , and he will teach us of his waies , and we will walk in his pathes : for the law shall go forth of zion , and the word of the lord from ierusalem . and he shall judge among many people , and rebuke strong nations afar off , and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares , and their spears into prunning hooks : nation shall not lift up a sword against nation , neither shall they learn war any more . but they shall sit every man under his vine , and under his fig-tree , and none shall make them afraid : for the mouth of the lord of hosts hath spoken it . for all people will walk every one in the name of his god , and we will walk in the name of the lord our god for ever and ever . in that day saith the lord , will i assemble her that halteth , and i will gather her that is driven out , and her that i have afflicted . and i will make her that halted , a remnant , and her that was cast far off , a strong nation ; and the lord shall reign over them in mount zion , from henceforth even for ever . and thou , o tower of the flock , the strong hold of the daughter of zion , unto thee shall it come , even the first dominion , the kingdom shall come to the daughter of ierusalem . now why dost thou cry out aloud ? is there no king in thee ? is thy councellour perished ? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail . be in pain , and labour to bring forth . o daughter of zion , like a woman in travail : for now shalt thou go forth out of the city , and thou shalt dwell in the field , and thou shalt go even to babylon , there shalt thou be delivered , there the lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies . now also many nations are gathered against thee , that say , let her be defiled , and let our eye look upon zion . but they know not the thoughts of the lord , neither understand they his counsel : for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor . arise and thresh , o daughter of zion : for i will make thine horn iron , and i will make thy hoofs brasse , and thou shalt beat in pieces many people : and i will consecrate their gain unto the lord , and their substance unto the lord of the whole earth . chap. iv. . yet ( for your comfort ) after all this desolation , there will a time come ( at their return from the captivity of babylon ) (a) when that mountain , where the house of the lord is seated , shall overtop all other mountains : and no hills , or high places ( which the pagans have made choice of , for the worship of their idol-gods ) shall any way be compared to the high glory of mount moriah : or so frequented with multitudes of men , as this shall be . . hither shall flock the true worshipers from several parts of the world , and say , come , and let us go up to the holy mountain , the mountain of the lord iehovah , and to the house of the god of iacob , and ( by his holy priests and prophets ) he will teach us , what is fittest for us to be instructed in , (b) out of his waies , (c) that we may walk in them . for thence onely must we look for the knowledge of the true god : whose divine laws ( specially in the daies of the messias ) shall go forth of sion , and his holy word out of ierusalem ( and thence be divulged , and imparted unto other nations , ) . this great god of israel ( that so instructs , and directs them , that make their humble addresses unto him ) will , for their sakes , (d) show his judgements , among many people that seek him not , and correct many remote nations , that are too strong and puissant for us to deal with ( for no strength , no distance can secure them from his power and good pleasure upon them . ) and while we serve him , he will make them to be so willingly and so absolutely resolved of peace , that they shall beat their swords into plow-shares , and their spears into pruning hooks . and ( rather then their own quarrels shall be any disturbance to us ) one nation shall not lift up a (e) weapon against another , nor shall they learn how to practise themselves in the feats of war any more . . ( and so shall it be after our return from babylon , we shall then enjoy many daies of great peace and tranquillity ) every man shall sit quietly under his own vine , and under his own fig-tree ( without any to molest him , or make him afraid . ) and ( to make us secure of all this ) it is decreed by god himself , and the mouth of the lord of hosts hath spoken it , ( who hath all hosts , and armies , and alterations of peace and war , at his disposal . ) . ( and our serving of him will be one motive of this mercy , and favour ) for , while other people addict themselves to the worship of their false gods , and , in their name , tender all their respects : we shall go on to present our humble service and devotions in the name of the lord our god , for ever and ever . in those daies , saith the lord , i will recollect into their own country , and restore to their former happinesse , that (f) poor , weak , and afflicted nation of the jews : that hath been (g) driven out of her own towns , and cities (g) into other remote parts , and there been ill intreated ( by my own permission . ) . and i will make that weak afflicted nation leave a fair remnant behind her . ( a numerous progenie to succeed her ) and over that posteritie of hers will i my self raign for ever in mount sion ( and no earthly prince shall hinder them from living after my laws , till themselves forsake me of their own accord . ) . * and thou tower of ader ( by bethlehem ) that standest in such an (h) obscure and neglected place , the daughter of sion ( the fair city of jerusalem ) shall make her accesse unto thee . and out of thee shall come the chiefest fountain of dominion , and royalty . ( the messias to be born in bethlehem ) to the daughter of jerusalem shall he come ( i say not , how strangely entertained by her . ) . but now why dost thou cry out so pitifully , and make such heavy lamentation ( at the sound of royalty ) dost thou find no king over thee ( while upon these sad prophesies , thou supposest thy self as in thy captivity ) are thy sanhedrin ( thy great counsellors ) perished ? is this the cause , why thou art so often surprised with as extream pain , and anguish , as a woman in travel ? . i cannot blame thee , thou maist well be in pain and labour to bring forth , and to be delivered of that thy trouble . and be so . for , thou shalt very (i) shortly be fain to depart out of thy cities , and be content with what lodging thou canst get abroad in the open fields , and so walk on to babylon . but , there will i find out a way of deliverance for thee : and even there shal the great jehovah rescue thee from the hands of thine enemies . , and as (k) shortly after , many men of several nations shall uuite their strength and malice against thee , which shal not spare to say , let sion be still represented to the world , as one lying in her own pollution , and exposed to the contempt of all us , that look upon her . . but , they that so talk at random , and out of malice , little know or consider what god , in his secret counsel , and providence , and mercy doth intend to do with us . but , how little soever they consider our end , they are lesse advised of their own . for , he shall gather them , as sheaves into the floor ( there to be so thrashed , and bangd , as they do not dream of . ) . ( for then will i say to sion ) rouse up thy self , and lay about thee , like a thrasher , o daughter sion . tread , and trample them under , ( which is your way of thrashing with oxen that tread out the corn ) and ( to help on the businesse ) i will make thy horns like iron , and thy hoofs like brasse , that thou maist trample them and beat them all to pieces , be they never so many . and what they have covetously hoorded i will take to my self , saith the lord. they have but laid it up , as a thing anathematized , and set apart for my peculiar service , as a deodate out of their substance : which i will chalenge , as i am lord paramont over all the earth . chap. v. now gather thy self in troups , o daughter of troups : he hath laid siege against us : they shall smite the judge of israel with a rod upon the cheek . but thou bethlehem ephratah , though thou be little among the thousands of iudah , yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me , that is to be ruler in israel : whose goings forth have been from of old , from everlasting . therefore will he give them up , untill the time that she which travelleth hath brought forth : then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of israel . and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the lord , in the majesty of the name of the lord his god , and they shall abide : for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth . and this man shall be the peace when the assyrian shall come into our land : and when he shall tread in our palaces , then shall we raise against him seven shepherds , and eight principall men . and they shall waste the land of assyria with the sword , and the land of nimrod in the enterances thereof : thus shall he deliver us from the assyrian when he cometh into our land , and when he treadeth within our borders . and the remnant of iacob shall be in the midst of many people , as a dew from the lord , as the showres upon the grasse , that tarrieth not for man , nor waiteth for the sonnes of men . and the remnant of iacob shall be among the gentiles in the midst of many people , as a lion among the beasts of the forrest , as a young lion among the flocks of sheep : who if he go through , both treadeth down , and teareth in pieces , and none can deliver . thine hand shall be lift up upon thine adversaries , and all thine enemies shall be cut off . and it shall come to passe in that day , saith the lord , that i will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee , and i will destroy thy chariots : and i will cut off the cities of thy land , and throw down all thy strong holds ; and i will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand , and thou shalt have no more sooth-sayers . thy graven images also will i cut off , and thy standing images out of the midst of thee , and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands . and i will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee : so will i destroy thy cities . and i will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen , such as they have not heard . chap. v. . what hath hitherto been said to thee , o babylon , comes to this upon the matter : that thou shalt (b) very shortly be exposed as a prey ( to thine enemy ) o thou daughter of an arrand spoiler ( of nimrod , that first began that sport over men , as well as beasts . ) and ( hear the rest from my people israel ) therefore is the babylonian spoyled , because he was the man , that laid siege against us , and ( that succeeding ) they were all so injurious and insulting over the very iudges of israel , that they presumed to strike them upon the check (c) ( which is a blow of the greatest disgrace that can be . ) . but thou , bethlehem ephratha , ( lay none of these scornes and abuses to thy heart , for great matters are intended unto thee ) it is but a little honour , that thou shouldest be reckoned among the governours of the thousands of iudah . for out of thee (d) a speciall prince shall be raised up for my own designes ( the messias ) that shall be king and ruler over the true israel of god : (e) whole originall may be deduced (f) from the top of royall antiquity , ( from the first kings of judah ) and more than that from the dayes of eternity , ( for who can declare his generation ? ) . therefore will he (g) give to them of judah ( what he hath promised , i. a safe return out of their captivity , and a place of abode again in their own countrey ) till the time , wherein she that is to bring forth the messias , shall bring forth that happinesse to the world : and till the residue of his brethren ( for (h) with that title shall he honour the lost sheep , which he shall come to seek , and reduce to his fold ) till they shall be (i) converted and united (k) to the rest of the children of israel ( and so begin all , to make one flock under one shepherd . ) . and he shall (l) never cease to feed , and govern that flock , by no lesse than a divine power , being advanced thereunto , in no other name and authority , then that of the great iehovah , his god (m) ( as he shall then stile him , when he hath humbled himself to that brother-hood , which we named before ) under that care and government shall that flock of his (n) dwell ( in joy and safety ) and good reason , because (o) from henceforth this our prince and messias shall be magnified and renowned not in jurie onely , but to all the ends of the earth . . and this (p) peace and prosperity of our nation shalt thou begin ( and not till then ) (q) when the assyrian shall have often entred into our land ( sometime of himself , sometime as an auxiliarie of the chaldaeans ) for , he shall enter in a proud and hostile manner , trampling down our fairest palaces . ( but , this pride and malice shall be the occasion of his utter ruine , and so of our more setled peace . for , we shall at last so far prevaile over the assyrian , by the assistance of almighty god , and his blessing upon our prayers , and patience , that ) we shall be the meanes of as great a tyranny over him , to be exercised by (r) many severall governours , great princes , and commanders over men ( that shall lead them and rule them as easily as sheep are by their shepherds . ) . ( and , if these may be called shepherds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as other kings and rulers are ) they shall be such as shall subdue and govern their stocks of assyrians by the sword , and the successors of nimrod in babylon , (s) with her own naked and terrible weapons . thus shall god punish them , and give us a sure peace , by delivering us from further fear of the assyrian , and letting us be revenged of him , (t) because he would needs enter so cruelly upon our land , and so proudly trample us under him in our own borders . . after this , the remnant of iacob , being freed from all such tyranny , shall be accounted by many other nations , among whom they are seated , as the dew which falls from heaven , and as the drops of rain upon the grasse , which expect not the power or pleasure of man , or any son of man , for their accesse , or recesse from this or that place ( but are sent thither , and blessed there by the sole power and favour of almighty god. ) . and in processe of time , the posterity of this remnant of iacob ( specially in the time of the maccabies ) shall be ( in respect of their power , and authoritie , and command ) among the gentiles , and in the midst of many people , as the lion is among the beasts of the forrest , and the young lion among the flocks of the sheep : who , when he is pleased to passe thorough them , doth tread them down , and tear them in pieces , without controule of any other , that is able ; to rescue and deliver them , in that distresse . . thus prosperously shall it fare with thy children , and with thee , o israel , when thy hand shall no sooner be lift up against thy enemies , but they shall be cut off , and fall before thee . ( all which about the times of the maccabies shall be but a figure of greater conquests , that they shall have over all nations , when , after the dayes of the messias , they shall begin to subdue them , and reduce them to his spirituall kingdom . ) . this mention of israels prosperity in these times must be accompanied with the prophesie of thy ruine , o babylon . for , thus saith the lord , i will cut off the strength , wherein thou makest thy boast , the multitude of thy horses and chariots . (u) them will i destroy , with the riders that were so expert in managing of them both . . and the best cities of thy land will i lay waste , and throw down all thy strong holds . . and i will down with thy witch-crafts , and thy magicall divinations . and thy soothsayers , that were so cunning at them , shall have no more to do within thee . . thy graven images , and thy rich statues will i remove from the midst of thee : so that thou shalt give no more worship to those vanities , the workmanship of thy own hands . . thy superstitious groves , and thy wealthy cities will i utterly destroy . . and in the fiercenesse of my anger will i revenge my self upon those nations , which shall not then hear and obey (x) those conquerors , and governors which i shall please to set over the kingdom of babylon . chap. vi. . hear ye now what the lord saith , arise , contend thou before the mountains , and let the hills hear thy voice . hear ye , o mountains the lords controversie , and ye strong foundations of the earth : for the lord hath a controversie with his people : and he will plead with israel . o my people , what have i done unto thee , & wherein have i wearied thee ? testifie against me . for i brought thee up out of the land of egypt , and redeemed thee out of the house of servants , and i sent before thee moses , aaron , and miriam . o my people , remember now what balak king of moab consulted , and what balaam the son of beor answered him from shittim unto gilgal , that ye may know the righteousnesse of the lerd . wherewith shall i come before the lord , and bow my self before the high god ? shall i come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old ? will the lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl ? shall i give my first born for my transgression , the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? he hath shewed thee , o man , what is good ; and what doth the lord require of thee , but to do justly , and to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy god ? the lords voice crieth unto the city , and the man of wisdom shal see thy name : hear ye the rod ; and who hath appointed it . are there yet the tresures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked , and the scant measure that is abominable ? shall i count them pure with the wicked balances , and with the bag of deceitfull weights ? for the rich men thereof are full of violence ; and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies , and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth . therefore also will i make thee sick in smiting thee , in making thee desolate because of thy sins . thou shalt eat , but not be satisfied , and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee , and thou shalt take hold , but shalt not deliver : and that which thou deliverest will i give up to the sword . thou shalt sow , but thou shalt not reap : thou shalt tread the olives , but thou shalt not anoint thee with oyl ; and sweet wine , but shalt not drink wine . for the statutes of omri are kept , and all the works of the house of ahab , and ye walk in their counsels , that i should make thee a desolation , and thē inhabitants thereof an hissing : therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people . chap. vi. . but now , least the people of god should be puft up , and forget themselves , in the meditation of the ruine , and destruction of their enemies . let tbem hear , what the lord saith to me concerning them . ) come , my prophet , saith he , rouse up thy best courage , and faculties , and thou shalt plead my cause against those (a) mountains of iudaea , against the highest and proudest of them all , that are so highly seated ( as most of them are in that countrey ) and , to that end , command attention from them . . according to that injunction , given to me by god himself , i do now ( in the power of my propheticall function ) lay this charge upon all you hills , that you prepare your selves to hear what i have to say : all you that are lift up so high , and seem to have a stronger foundation than other parts of the earth . though you are so well nested , and bear the name of gods people , ( and therefore should have been more observant of his will ) yet even with you hath god a controversie , and he will ( notwithstanding his own height above all hnmane reach , and capacity ) vouchsafe to argue , and (b) plead with you of the seed of israel , ( a poor people not (c) considerable , among other vast parts of the world . ) . this plea , and complaint , i am to deliver to you , in his name , and his person , and in these termes . o my people , ( my peculiar people , that i have chosen out of all the world ) what have i done against thee , that should provoke thee to so many sins against me ? wherein have i disturbed , and offended thee , or deserved so ill at thy hands ? bring in thy answer , i pray thee , and thy accusation against me , if any such can be found . . or if i have done well for thee , and dealt graciously with thee , make a thatkfull acknowledgement of that . confesse how i brought thee up out of the land of egypt , and delivered thee from the (d) place of bondage , and servitude , ( where you lived no better than slaves ) and how i sent ( as three speciall guides ) before thee , moses ( to instruct thee in my law , and direct thee by his good example ) aaron ( to be thy priest , and offer up sacrifices and pray for thee ) and miriam ( to be a pattern of modesty , and pietie , and gravitie to the weaker sex . ) . besides all this , o my people , (e) remember , i pray thee , what balak , king of moab , contrived against thee , and what answer i put into the mouth of balaam , the son of beor , ( of thy safety , and security , if thou didst not bring destruction upon thy self , by thy own default . ) and forget not what wonderfull things i did for thee , in all the way from shittim unto gilgal ( on either side of jordan . ) of these things thou shouldst do well to make a loving and gratefull recognition , that thou mayst so appear to take notice of the iustice and goodnesse of god. . ( and that acknowledgement would be made in such (f) words as these ) wherewith shall i appear before the lord , and make tendry of my humble duty , and observance , unto the high god ? shall i present my self before him , with whole burnt-offerings ( in testimony of his dominion over all his creatures ) or shall i come to him with young calves , or any other kind of sacrifice prescribed in the law ? . can it be thought , that god will be appeased , and pacified with thousands of rams , or ten thousand (g) rivers of oyl ? shall a man satisfie himself in giving his first-born for the transgressions , or any fruit of his body , as a satisfaction for the sins of his soule ? . no ( if i , that am his prophet , may give answer to that question . ) (h) he hath showed thee , o man ( whosoever thou art ) he hath sufficiently , and plainly enough declared by his law and prophets , what he doth chiefly exact of thee , as the best sacrifice and ransom that he wil accept . and that is no other than to do justice , and delight in shewing mercy , and kindnesse to men : and to demean thy self humbly and reverently in all thy addresses unto thy god. . and now ( because the law and prophets have not been herein observed ) the terrible voice of the lord himself , calls unto the city of jerusalem , ( to give her warning of what punishments her own sins have called for . ) and ( when thou so callest , o lord ) it is (i) true wisedom in him , that will dread thy majesty , and (k) fear thy name . give ear therefore you (l) tribes of israel , and (m) attend to him , (n) who hath appointed and decreed that which shall come upon you if you do not repent , and bring forth the fruites of repentance . ) . ( and when you examine your repentance , let this question be asked ) (o) is there yet remaining to any one a house purchased by iniquity ? hath any one yet by him treasures of wealth unjustly heaped together , and the abominable (p) false weight that wants much of what is justly to be allowed ? . ( and take another question with you , as propounded by god himself , who saith ) shall i justifie , and approve the unjust balances ? and the bag of deceitfull weights ? . or , (q) shall i justifie , ( that citie ) whose wealthy citizens are full of violence , and oppression , and her other inhabitants accustome themselves familiarly to speaking of lies , and to have deceitfull tongues , within their mouthes ( that deliver little , or nothing from the heart . ) . therefore will i chastise thee ( o thou wicked citie ) with such scourges as thou deservest with making thee poor and desolate , because of thine offences ( that hast made others poor by thy violence and rapine . ) . thou shalt eat , but thou shalt not be satisfied , and thrive with it . there shall be a kind of lanknesse , and depression within thy belly , for very famine . for extremity whereof she that conceives shall not be able to bring forth : or , if she doth , what she brings forth will i give up to the sword ( when that heavie siege comes , wherein this scarcity , and misery shall fall upon jerusalem . ) . and then what thou hast sowed , thou shalt not reap , ( the souldier shall doe it for thee ) thou mayest tread the olives , but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oyl . and as much paines mayest thou take for thy sweet wine , but in the end , thou shalt have no wine to drink . , and all this shall happen to thee , o israel , because all the edicts and (r) precepts of omri , ( that wicked king of israel ) are observed with thee , ( more readily than the precepts of the god of jacob ) and so are all the workes of the house of ahab ( the sonne of omri ) after whose advise and example you have so framed the course of your lives , as if you intended , that i should make you a desolation , and all your inhabitants a hissing . therefore shall you bear the reproach of my people . (s) ( they that passe by , and see the ruine of your citie , shall lay all the blame , and shame of it upon the rapine of her rich citizens , and the lying , cozening , and dissembling of the other inhabitants . ) chap. vii . wo is me , for i am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits , as the grape-gleanings of the vintage : there is no cluster to eat : my soul desired the first ripe fruit . the good man is perished out of the earth : and there is none upright among men : they all lie in wait for blood : they hunt every man his brother with a net . that they may do evil with both hands earnestly , the prince asketh , and the judge asketh for a reward : and the great man he uttereth his mischievous desire : so they wrap it up . the best of them is as a brier : the most upright is sharper then a thorn-hedge : the day of thy watch-men , and thy visitation cometh ; now shall be their perplexity . trust ye not in a friend , put ye not confidence in a guid : keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom . for the son dishonoreth the father , the daughter riseth up against her mother , the daughter in law against her mother in law ; a mans enemies are the men of his own house . therefore i will look unto the lord ; i will wait for the god of my salvation : my god will hear me . rejoyce not against me , o mine enemy : when i fall , i shall arise ; when i sit in darknesse , the lord shall be a light unto me . i will bear the indignation of the lord , because i have sinned against him , until he plead my cause , and execute judgement for me : he will bring me forth to the light , and i shall behold his righteousnesse . then she that is mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover her which said unto me , where is the lord thy god ? mine eyes shall behold her : and now shall she be troden down as the mire of the streets . in the day that thy walls are to be built , in that day shall the decree be far removed . in that day also he shall come even to thee from assyria , and from the fortified cities , and from the fortresse even to the river , and from sea to sea , and from mountain to mountain . notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein , for the fruit of their doings feed thy people with thy rod , the flock of thine heritage , which dwell solitarily in the wood , in the midst of carmel : let them feed in bashan and gilead , as in the daies of old . according to the daies of thy coming out of the land of egypt will i shew unto him marvellous things . the nations shall see and be confounded at all their might : they shall lay their hand upon their mouth , their ears shall be deaf . they shal lick the dust like a serpent , they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth : they shall be afraid of the lord our god , and shall fear because of thee . who is a god like vnto thee , that pardoneth iniquity , and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his anger for ever , because he delighteth in mercy . he will turn again , he will have compassion upon us : he will subdue our iniquities : and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth ; of the sea . thou wilt perform the truth to iacob , and the mercy to abraham , which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the daies of old . chap. vii . . ( you have heard what you should justly have said to god , and what he hath said as justly against you : will you now hear what i or any good man might as well say of the sad estate , wherein you shall shortly be , under the raign of manasses , a most dissolute and idolatrous prince , that will succeed the good hezekiah . ) wo is me , that i am fallen upon so unhappy an age , wherein there are few or none to be seen , that love and fear god! i am in a time like that wherein men have gathered in their summer fruits , and there are onely a few grape-gleanings left of the vintage : a time , when there is no cluster to eat : i may long , and desire with all my soul to taste some of the first-ripe fruits , ( but there is none to be had . ) . such a scarcity of goodnesse is there in this wicked age : wherein the best men are all dead , and taken out of the earth : * there is not a just , and upright person to be found among men . they are all such as lie in wait for blood . they hunt every man after his brother , and seek his (a) utter ruine and destruction . . so (b) do they hunt , and lay snares with both hands , when they are to do mischief : but when they do any good for others , the very prince , and magistrate knows how to ask ( (c) for his reward ) and the judge for his bribe , and retribution ( from him that hath the cause to go on his side ) and if a great man speak out of that wickednesse , that is in his heart ( as in some false relation , at a trial before the judge ) he orders it so , that he will thereby intricate , and (d) intangle the businesse ( the more to puzle those , that have interest in the thing to be decided by the judge . ) . and ( for this matter of briberie ) he that is accounted the best of them , is no better then a brier ( that catcheth at what can be had from all that come near it ) and he that hath the name of the uprightest man is ( without that reward ) no kinder then a thorny hedge ( that hath prickles to fetch blood out of all that meddle with it . ) but , when the day comes , which the watchmen ( thy prophets ) have foretold thee of , o jerusalem , and the time of thy visitation : then shall these men ( of all other ) be in great perplexity ( as a just reward of that (e) intangling and perplexing of causes , with their unjust relations , and seeking after bribes . ) . ( in such a wicked age for briberie and injustice ) take heed what friend you trust , and put no great confidence in (f) princes and magistrates . and keep the door of thy mouth from being too open in deliverie of thy secret thoughts to thy own wife , that lies in thy bosom ( whence they are to be picked out . ) . for ( what is done by the rest of thy family , may be done by thy wife in time ) and now adaies it is ordinarie for the son to dishonour his father ( in disclosing of his secrets ) and for the daughter to rise up ( as a witnesse ) against her mother , and the daughter in law against the mother in law . and a mans enemies are they of his own house as usually as any other . . but ( be the world never so bad ) i ( that speak all this against these wretched times ) will still look up unto god ( in my hearty prayers for patience and perseverance in doing good , and a happy deliverance , in due time , from the perils of a disordered state ) i will constantly wait for the god of my salvation . and i doubt not but my god will hear me . . ( after this prophetical discourse of my own in the foresight and contemplation of the miseries and disorders that shall happen in the reign of manasses : you shall now hear my own country ( the iewish nation her self ) bemoaning of her great affliction under zedekiah , and the babylonish captivity ; and somewhat too of their return out of captivity , under nehemiah and ezra . for , thus she bespeaks the country of the chaldeans first . ) do not triumph over me , o thou mine enemie ; when i am fallen into a low estate , i shall rise again : and , when i sit in the darknesse of a sad affliction , there shall the lord be as a light , and comfort unto me . . i will patiently bear the heavy punishment laid upon me in the fierce indignation of the lord , because i drew it upon my self by those sins , which i committed against him . this will i do , till he please to take notice of my cause , to plead for me , and to revenge the injuries , which i have received from the babylonians . as , in his justice , i know he will do in his good time . and he will bring me out of this sad and gloomy time of affliction into the chearful lustre and glorie of my former prosperity . and , in that light , i shall once again be able to see the (g) goodnesse of the lord. . and my enemie ( the whole nation of the chaldeans ) shall see it , as well as i : when she shall be ready to hide her self for shame , as impudent as she was , in the time of my captivity , to say unto me , where is now the lord thy god ? ( what is now become of that help , which you expected from him ? ) mine eies shall see her then with comfort , when she will be ashamed to look upon me . and ( when i am raised out of my low estate ) then shall she be cast down , and trampled under feet , (h) by the victorious persians , and made no more account of then the mire in the streets . . the time will then come for repairing of thy breaches , and rebuilding of thy walls , o jerusalem . and at that time , (h) the proud commands of the babylonian shall be out of date ( instead of sending abroad his high edicts to other nations , he shall have one above him , [ the conquering persians ] that shall over-master and command him . ) . about those daies , men shall begin to stock again unto thee , o jerusalem . some from assyria , and the strongest cities there . shortly after thou maiest discover them , (i) from all parts , (k) coming towards thee : some from the strongest forts beyond euphrates , towards that river . ( and so towards thee ) and in like manner from sea to sea , and from mountain to mountain shall they come to thee . . for the countries ( from whence they shall thus come to thee ) shall fall to ruine , and desolation for the sinful inhabitants thereof , which shall have that fruit of their wicked works ( and so many of them , for very need , be forced to repair unto thee . ) . so be it , o lord , for their chastisement , and for our return , and recovery of our former estate ) feed thine own people again , ( as their careful shepherd ) go before them with (l) thy shepherds hook , as the peculiar flock of thine heritage . they that have lodged long , like as in a barren , and solitary place in a wood , let them now come to feed again in as pleasant places as those of mount carmel , and in as rich pastures as those of basan , and gilead , as in the daies of old . . ( and say to thy people , o lord ) i will show thee again as wonderful things ( in mercy ) as i did heretofore , when i brought thee out of the land of egypt . and i will show as great a punishment upon thine enemies , as i then did upon the egyptians . . so let the nations all about be confounded , at all the might , and power of the jews . let them lay their hands on their mouths ( in silent admiration ) and their ears be made deaf with the noise , and fame of thy wondrous acts . . like men amazed at them , so let them fall down with fear , and astonishment , and (m) lick the dust , like a serpent . let them be forced to creep out of their secret holes , and refuges ( where they had hid themselves ) like wormes out of the earth . and ( in the complishment of these things , which our prophesies have foretold ) let them learn to fear the lord our god , and stand in awe of thee , o lord. . who , among the gods , is like unto thee ? that pardonest iniquity ( and removest the punishment thereof , upon our repentance ) and passest by many of the transgressions of the poor remnant of thy people ( as one that is unwilling to take notice of them if they may be amended ) for , he is not so implacable as to continue in his anger for ever ( though our sins extort a punishment ) his delight is rather in mercy , and loving kindnesse . . therefore will he have mercy upon us (n) again . he will trample all our offences under his feet ( as things he would see no more ) and cast them into the bottom of the sea , as things , that he will not care for hereafter , nor make any more account of . ) so , lord , wilt thou perform the truth of thy promises to iacob , and thy tender mercies to abraham , * and what thou hast confirmed by oath to our forefathers , from the daies of old . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of nahum . chap. i. the burden of nineveh . the book of the vision of nahum the elkoshite . god is jealous , and the lord revengeth , the lord revengeth and is furious , the lord will take vengeance on his adversaries , and he reserveth wrath for his enemies . the lord is slow to anger , and great in power , and will not at all acquit the wicked : the lord hath his way in the whirl-wind , and in the storm , and the clouds are the dust of his feet . he rebuketh the sea , and maketh it drie , and drieth up all the rivers : bashan languisheth , and carmel , and the flower of lebanon languisheth . the mountains quake at him , and the hills melt , and the earth is burnt at his presence , yea , the world , and all that dwell therein . who can stand before his indignation ? and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger ? his furie is poured out like fire , and the rocks are thrown down by him . the lord is good , a strong bold in the day of trouble , and he knoweth them that trust in him . but with an over-running floud he will make an utter end of the place thereof , and darknesse shall pursue his enemies . what do ye imagine against the lord ? he will make an utter end : affliction shall not rise up the second time . for while they be folden together as thorns , and while they are drunken as drunkards , they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry . there is one come out of thee , that imagineth evil against the lord a wicked counsellour . thus saith the lord , though they be quiet , and likewise many , yet thus shall they be cut down , when he shall passe through : though i have afflicted thee : i will afflict thee no more . for now will i break his yoke from off thee , and will burst thy bonds in sunder . and the lord hath given a commandment concerning thee , that no more of thy name be sown : out of the house of thy gods will i cut off the graven image , & the molten image , i wil make thy grave for thou art vile . behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good things , that publisheth peace : o iudah , keep thy solemn feasts , perform thy vows : for the wicked shall no more passe through thee , he is utterly cut off . chap. i. . the heavy doom against nivive ( and with her , against the whole assyrian empire ) foretold in this book of the prophesie of nahum , who was of * kessi , or elkesai , ( a little village in galilie . ) . god is a jealous god ( and so cannot suffer his servants to be too long and too much oppressed ) and he is the god to whom vengeance belongeth ( and so cannot suffer his enemies too long to prosper , and triumph in their wicked waies ) when he comes to take vengeance , his heavy anger against sin goes along with it , as the executioner of his justice . and , when that comes , he will not fail to be revenged of his adversaries , against whom , (a) he laid up his wrath as in a treasure , to be drawn out , and spent upon them in due time . . indeed he comes slowly to those times of the ‖ execution of his wrath , in great patience , and long-suffering , expecting their repentance : but , when he comes , he shows himself to be great in power , and one that will not acquit the impenitent , and suffer them to passe unpunished for what they have done , but rather , by heavinesse of the punishment , make a recompense for the slowness of his anger . which he shows all the way he comes to it , making it like a way in a whirlwind and mighty storm , and walking upon the clouds , as we do upon the dust of the earth , ( which he commands , as he doth the boisterous winds , and all other creatures , to be mustered up against us , at his pleasure ) . in these times , if he check and rebuke the great sea , that cheek of his dries it up , and makes it instantly vanish and fly away for fear ( as the children of israel found it in the red sea ) needs must all the lesser rivers then be dried up with the least angry breath of his ( as they found it also in the river iordan . ) and , when his just anger will show it self by land , as well as by water , a little passe granted by that authority will make the rich corn fields of carmel , and the fat meadows of basan , and all the green flaurishing woods in lebanon sodainly to fade , and wither away ( as once a word of his did it , from the mouth of elijah . . and ( to show himself the god of the hills as well as of the valleys ) he can make the strongest mountains to quake (b) for fear of him , and the highest hills to stoop and melt away , ( like the rock , * that , at his striking hand wept it self into rivers ) and what should i speak of hills , or vales , that yeeld to his anger ? any part of the earth , (c) for fear of him , and at the breath of his nostrils would be soon put into as great a heat , and flame as that of sodom and gomorrha : and the whole world with all that dwel therein may easily be consumed in the fire of his wrath ( as the greatest part will in the last conflagration , before the day of doom . ) . for who can stand firm , that is shaked by his indignation , or ( if he be once cast down ) (d) who can raise himself again to oppose the fiercenesse of his anger : which , when it breaks out like fire , is able to rend and cast down the hardest rocks , e at the fear of him . . ( this infinite power may be a terrour to his enemies , but as great a comfort and support it is to his servants : for ) the gratious lord is a sure refuge and fortresse unto all his , in the time of trouble , and will ever ( f ) acknowledge and take notice of those , * that put their trust in him . . but like an universal deluge , he will sodainly overtake , and utterly overwhelm him ( whosoever he is ) (g) that rises up against him : and all his enemies shall be pursued with the horror , and darknesse of affliction . . wherwith can you devise to stay this effect of the anger of the lord , while he is working of that , which will prove no lesse then an utter destruction , to be given at one blow , one heavy afflicting blow , that shall never need to be repeated * in a second affliction , to make all sure for a final ruine . . which may well be compared to the sodain consuming of thorns , that are tied up together before they are cast into the fire : or the sodain conquest that drunkards make over their own understanding , when they sit tipling over the sweet liquor : for , so sodainly shall they perish , as stubble doth in the flame , when it is fully drie , before it be cast into it . . ( and the lesse should be the wonder at the severity of these judgements : because ) out of thee ( o assyria ) there hath ever come some back-friend , or other : some (l) most wicked counsellor and plotter against the people of god ( some phul , or tiglath-pelezer , or sennacherib , or rabsace ) that studying to oppose the peculiar people of god , proved himself therein no better , then a (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an opposer , and contriver of mischief against god himself . . but , thus saith the lord ( against those insulting enemies ) though they had (l) attained to the perfection , ( of power , and policy ) and so to be (m) a numerous and great people ( likely enough to execute their malitious designes ) yet would it be like easie for me ( (n) when they are ripe for justice ) (n) to cut them down . and this will prove true by the event , when one ( that i shall chuse out , i. the chaldaean , as wise and populous a nation as they ) shall begin to make his way thorough them , without any resistance . when that day comes , it will not be long ere i smite thee , o ninive , with a blow , that shall come so close and home , (o) that it shall not need to be reiterated by any second attempt . . with that blow shall i break his yoke ( the troublesom and insolent oppression of that king of ninive , whosoever he be , that shall yet dare to rise up against me and my people . ) that yoke shall be no longer put upon thee ( o israel . ) and , with that , all the cords by which those assyrian tyrants held thee in subjection , will i break in pieces . that shall be thy day of ransome , and liberty . . and this shall be thy doom , o tyrant of ninive , which shall come out , as an unalterable edict from me . none of thy seed , or of thy name shall be any longer continuance . ( the world shall hear no more of such a thing , as a king of thy family , or a king of nineve . ) and , ( as i will thus cut off thee , and thine , and remove thy throne . ) so will i also down with thy idol-deities . thy temple shall be no longer a place for them . thy carved and thy molten images shall be (p) of as little esteem , as thy own stinking sepulchre . for ( whatsoever thy proud heart imagines ) all (q) these things will be most facile and easie for me to do ( with whom nothing is impossible . ) . ( when thy head shall be laid thus low , and thy glorie buried in the dust ) methinks i that prophesie of thy ruine , see the nimble feet of the joyful messengers , that shall trip it upon the mountains ( of judaea ) and deliver the good tidings of (r) peace and prosperity unto them . methinks , i hear them call to us in a wellcome voice , now , iudaea , feast it with mirth , and security : and forget not to pay thy vows as readily . for that wicked , and malitious enemie shall come no more to vaunt it against thee and thy god ( as he did in the daies of king hezekiah . ) he is now utterly cut off ( we shall hear no more of his vain pomp , and insulting tyrannical behaviour . ) chap. ii. . he that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face : keep the munition , watch the way , make thy loins strong , fortifie thy power mightily . for the lord hath turned away the excellency of iacob , as the excellency of israel : for the emptiers have emptied them out , and marred their vine branches . the shield of his mighty men is made red , the valiant men are in scarlet : the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation , and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken . the chariots shall rage in the streets , they shall justle one against another in the broad waies : they shall seem like torches , they shall run like the lightenings . he shall recount his worthies : they shall stumble in their walk : they shall make bast to the wall thereof , and the defence shall be prepared . the gates of the rivers shall be opened , and the pa●●ice shall be dissolved . and huzzab shall be led away captive , she shall be brought up , and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves , tabering upon their breasts . but nineveh is of old like a pool of water : yet they shall flee away . stand , stand , shall they cry ; but none shall look back . take ye the spoil of silver , take ye the spoil of gold : for there is none end of the store , and glory out of all the pleasant furniture . she is empty , and void , and waste , and the heart melteth , and the knees smite together , and much pain is in all loins , and the faces of them all gather blacknesse . where is the dwelling of the lion , and the feeding place of the young lions ? where the lion , even the old lion walked , and the lions whelp , and none made them afraid . the lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps , and strangled for his lionesses , and filled his holes with prey , and his dens with ravine . behold , i am against thee , saith the lord of hosts , and i will burn her chariots in the smoak , and the sword shall devour the young lions , and i will cut off thy prey from the earth , and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard . chap. ii. . he is now vanished away , in thy sight , that was wont to be ever backing , and (a) hewing at thee : and ever ready to (b) besiege thy strong forts , and place his scouts in thy way ( that should say to thee , ) gird up thy loines , ( muster up all the strength thou hast , for thy own defense ) do thy best and thy worst : ( and all that care will prove but to little purpose . ) . but ( this insolence is now at an end ) god hath now returned and requited upon this cruell enemy his (c) proud expressions of himself against iacob ( at the siege of jerusalem ) not much unlike to what he showed elsewhere against israel , ( the ten tribes , that were carried by the assyrian out of their own countrey . ) and the rather did this vengeance fall upon the assyrians , because their oppression was equall to their pride ; as it appeared , when (d) they emptied and ransacked those of judah and israel of all they had : exercising this waste and pillage upon (e) the poorest towns as well as the mother-cities : upon the children as well as the parents : upon the meanest subjects as well as the princes : and so every way showing themselves to be for root , and branch , for a finall desolation , as far as they could set it forward . . ( but i have a fierce nation in my eye , the haughty chaldaean , that shall do as much for them of assyria . ) the bucklers of those my valiant champions shall be dyed in blood ; which is the colour of most of their men of war , that are usually clad in scarlet : and the colour that their very chariot-wheeles shall sparkle out in fire , at the time of their expeditions , and their very (f) arrowes of firre shall be able to show part of the same livery , being purposely (g) venomed , to suck the deeper of the blood of their enemies . . ( in this time of execution ) their chariots of war shall rattle about , and make a clattering and fearfull noise , (h) in their open fields : and (i) the common souldiers shall fly about (k) as much in the streets of their cities . their visage shall be made terrible with their sparkling eyes , that shall be like funerall lamps , to show the assyrians the way to their graves ; or rather like thunder and lightning , that shall either (l) break , or bear down all afore them . . (m) he that shall have the command of this army shall bethink himself of his choicest warriours for this employment : who shall make their onsets with that fury , that they shall croud and trample upon one another for eagernesse , and haste . in that speed shall they scale their walls , and be as ready to sheild , and defend themselves against all opposition . . in this hurrie , their flood-gates , and other passages , and forts about the rivers shall be laid open , and uselesse . and , among them , the (n) temple ( of their bel or jupiter belus , that was not placed far from the river tigris ) shall be ruined and (o) dissolved with those water-workes about the river . . and the city of niniveh , (p) that was appointed as the cheif , and mother-city shall be led away captive : and in that capacity , shall the inferiour townes , like so many of her handmaids , attend upon her (q) driven along , like so many herds of cattle , lowing as they go : or like so many mournfull doves , all the way lamenting , and (r) striking upon their hearts , and breasts , to a heavier sound within , than their enemies could beat upon their drums . . thus do they lament the emptying of nineveh , which anciently indeed was very populous , and , in that , like a fish-pond , richly stored with water , ( if that citie may be compared to a pool so inclosed , as the people are often compared to water . ) and ( to follow the metaphore ) when it is let open , this people will be as mute as fishes . they will run all out of their citie as fast as water out of a pond . a man may cry to them , stay , stay , ( run not so fast from your richest citie ) but not a man will look back to give a word of retreat . . ( will you now hear the commission and power that god himself will give to the babylonians , for the compleating of this work upon the ninevites . it is as much as if he should say to them . ) take all their silver and gold as a spoil , ( that i allot to you for this service ) with all the (s) infinite store , which the ninivites have hoorded up : and the (t) pompous and stately furniture , which they abounded withall , above all that a man might desire . . with no other commission is niniveh so emptied , and (u) laid open , and exposed to all injury , and miserie . in the sense of it , their hearts shall melt within them , and their knees smite together , and extream pain seize upon their loines , ( as upon a woman in travaile ) which shall turn their very faces into a black , and mournfull hew . . ( when this prophesie comes to be fulfilled , you may well ask the question . ) what is now become of the high , and mighty assyrians , that domineered over other nations , as the lion doth over other creatures and made their court like the lions den , where their young ones were crammed , and enriched , with all variety of spoiles . there the lion was wont to strut himself , the old crafty lion : and the youngsters , the lions whelps , (x) which none could make afraid . . this lion hunted , and preyed sufficiently , where he list , for his young ones . he strangled other creatures , at his pleasure , to be made food for his lionesses , and so filled his dens , and every corner in them with rapine . . this i winked at for a while , saith the lord of hostes , but now (y) have at thee . for , nineve's chariots ( that were wont to fetch home her prey ) shall now , at my command , be consumed , and vanish in their smoak : and her young gallants , which were as her fierce young lions shall perish by the sword , ( in which weapon they gloried , and presumed so much , and by which i will cut off all her ability of ranging about the earth , to prey upon whom she list : ) so that nineveh's proud messages , and commands , hereafter , (z) shall find none that will give them the hearing . chap. iii. wo to the bloody city , it is all full of lies and robberies , the prey departeth not , the noise of a whip , and the noise of the ratling of the wheels ; and of the praunsing horses , and of the jumping chariots . the horseman lifteth up both the bright sword , and the glittering spear , and there is a multitude of slain , and a great number of carcas's ; and there is none end of their corpses : they stumble upon their corpses . because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wel-favoured harlot , the mistress of witch-crafts , that selleth nations through her whoredomes , and families through her witchcrafts . behold , i am against thee , saith the lord of hosts , and i will discover thy skirts upon thy face , and i will shew the nations thy nakednesse , and the kingdoms thy shame . and i will east abominable filth upon thee , and make thee vile , and will set thee as a gazing-stock . and it shall come to passe , that all they that look upon thee , shall flee from thee , and say , nineveh is laid waste , who will bemoan her ? whence shall i seek comforters for thee ? art thou better than populous no , that was situate among the● rivers ; that had the waters round about it , whose rampart was the sea , and her wall was from the sea ? ethiopia and egypt were her strength ; and it was infinite , put and lubim were thy helpers . yet was she carried away , she went into captivity : her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets : and they cast lots for her honourable men , and all her great men were bound in chains . thou also shalt be drunken : thou also shalt be hid , thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy . all thy strong holds shall be like fig-trees with the first ripe figs : if they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater . behold , thy people in the midst of thee are women : the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies , the fire shall devour thy bars . draw thee waters for the siege , fortifie thy strong holds : go into clay , and tread the morter , make strong the brickkil . there shall the fire devour thee : the sword shall cut thee off : it shall eat thee up like the canker-worm : make thy self many as the canker-worm , make thy self many as the locusts . thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven : the canker-worm spoileth and fleeth away . thy crowned are as the locusts , and thy captains as the great grashoppers , which camp in the hedges in the cold day : but when the sun ariseth they flee away , and their place is not known where they are . thy shepherds slumber , o king of assyria : thy nobles shall dwel in the dust , thy people is scattered upon the mountains , and no man gathereth them . there is no healing of thy bruise : thy wound is grievous : all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee ; for upon whom hath not thy wickednesse passed continually ? chap. iii. . wo to the bloody city , that hath filled up her measure in the heaviest sins of lying , and extortion : and when she had got a trick of spoil and rapine , could never be brought to leave it . . for this must they hear the sound of the lash held over them , and the noise of the ratling wheels ( in the chariots of war ) and of the fierce galopping steeds in those swift chariots , that seem to skip and dance , as they passe along in their speedy pace . . among these , the horseman shall advance his glittering spear , with his sparkling sword . after which , so great multitudes of the slain , and so many heaps of dead carkasses shall be thrown np together , that by the continual accesse of the dead corpses , a man shall not stir , but he shall be ready to stumble upon them . . and all this is but the just recompense of the spiritual whoredoms of the well-favoured harlot , that could charm and bewitched her lovers and was grown to be such a mistresse in that art , that she was able to enslave whole nations and families with her artificially-insinuating and inchanting waies of love . . therefore now (a) have at thee thou shamelesse strumpet ) saith the lord of hosts , and i will punish thee according to thy own shame , suffering the skirts of thy garment to be thrown over thy face , that other nations may see thy nakednesse , and other kingdoms thy shame . . and , as thou hast made thy self vile , so this punishment shall be added of casting dirt and silth upon thee ( as upon a notorious harlot ) to make thee appear vile to others , and expose thee as an example , and publick spectacle for all to gaze at . . so that every one that sees thee , shall remove further off ( as from an odious and abominable sight ) and shall say but this at the best . ninive is spoiled ( of all her wonted beauty and glory ) and who will pitie , or bemoan her ? (b) where shall i find any that would comfort her in this distresse . . ( they will rather say , thou art as justly punished as (c) no in egypt , or any other ) for , why should thou scape better then no , that was like a graver matron , and nursed up as much people . ( a city as strong , and rich and pleasantly seated as ninive every way : for no was scituate ( like a little island ) among the rivers , that circled her about on every side . the sea furnished her with continual supply of * wealth : and the water with her wooden walls , was as strong a defense to no , as ninives proud walls were to her . . cush , ( i arabia ) was another (d) supply to her rich trading and egypt . and (e) where should i make an end of numbring the several people , that were advantageous to her , and and helped on her traffick , among whom were they of africa , and specially of lybia ( the nearest part to egypt . ) . yet was this famous , and rich no carried away in captivity : her children were dashed in pieces , in all the eminentest parts of her own streets : the conquerors cast lots upon the noblest personages they had , to divide them like bondslaves among themselves : and bound all her greater and more honorable citizens in chains . . thou also , o ninive , shalt tast as deep of that bitter cup of affliction , till thou art drunk with it ( and hast no more power or understanding to contribute any thing to thy own relief , then a drunken man. ) thou shalt be fain to hide thy self , for shame : and when thou comest abroad ) for pure need be content to beg life and livelihood of thy very enemie ( that hath subdued thee , and reduced thee to so low a state . ) . all thy castles and strong holds , in the mean time , shall as easily fall into the power of the enemy , as ripe figs , and other fruit (f) that are come to their maturitie , and with the least shake of the tree , will even drop into the mouth of him , that hath a mind to eat them . . and if you wonder at the sodain fall of such strong holds , you may quickly see the reason of it , in the failing of your strong men , that are among you , who shall degenerate into the cowardize of women . their fears shall open the gates of their land unto their enemies : who will be wise enough to set them all on fire ( and so leave the passages free , at their pleasure , without being further beholden to your fears . . ( let them go on then to their other labour-in-vain , after all is already betrayed by their own cowardize , and thus bespeak their wretched ninive ) prepare good store of water before hand , that may serve in the time of thy siege : raise up some new forts of thy own ( in several places of the city . enter upon a sodain devise of clay and brick to be trampled and moulded together , and of them some rampier to be raised , that from thence thou maiest defend the city , which hath been so kind to leave open her gates in that base manner , for the entertainment of her enemies . ) . ( how long will this rare stratagem do thee any service , o ninive ? ) how soon rather , in the very same place , shall the enemies fire-works consume thee : and their swords , and and other weapons cut thee off : and their hungry souldiers devour thee , as they would the canker-worm , ( which is often a welcom food to them ) go then and fit thy self for their tooth , and before they eat thee up for a caterpiller , or cankerworm , i encrease the troops of thy souldiers , that they may be for number and mischief ( as most souldiers are ) like to the many swarms of caterpillers and locusts , that threaten the ruine of the place of their resort . ) . to this number of rude souldiers , if thou couldst add so great a multitude of wealthy merchants , as might equal the stars of heaven in number ( and be all ready with a rich supply of their aid in this thy extremity ) yet would your enemies prove to be the conquering locusts , and caterpillers , that will sodainly rush in upon you ; spread over all your city in great swarms , and do their work and sodainly vanish . . * thy strangers ( that come in for thy auxiliaries ) flock , to thee in such great troops , like the locusts . and , among them , the commanders of thy army are like the greater and (g) greedier grashoppers , that , in the cold part of the day , line their hedges with multitudes , but as soon as they feel the heat of the sun , away they fly . so will your mercenarie commanders , and other pretended friends make a fair flourish about you for a while : but in the * heat of the battle they will leave you all in the lurch : and the place they undertook to make good in your defence , ●hall not be able to show so much as the footsteps of those great undertakers . . great was that cowardize and negligence of thy commanders abroad : and as great was the drowsinesse and lazinesse and oversight of those thy magistrates and nobles at home , o king of assyria . they took their ease when they should have been like vigilant and careful shepherds , watching over the safety of the poor innocent people , that must go , like sheep , to the slaughter for their foolish oversight . thy nobles lay snorting in the bed of security , while the silly people , like so many tame cattle , must be pursued , and dispersed in the mountainous , and desert places , and have none to recal , and reunite them , and keep them together for their own defense . . and now , ninive , what cure can there be for such a (h) deadly brush , as hath been given thee by the best parts of thy own self ? and yet , be thy wound never so dangerous , and incurable , the worst is , they that hear the sad storie of thy miseries , will be so far from pitying thy heavy case , * that they will applaud , and congratulate themselves in the report of thy ruine , as in the fall of one , that hath ever been injurious and domineering over all . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of habakkuk . chap. i. the burden which habakkuk the prophet did see . o lord , how long shall i cry , and thou wilt not hear ! even cry out unto thee of violence , and thou wilt not save ! why dost thou shew me iniquity , and cause me to behold grievance ? for spoiling and violence are before me : and there are that raise up strife and contention . therefore the law is slacked , and judgement doth never go forth : for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous : therefore wrong judgment proceedeth . behold ye among the heathen , and regard , and wonder marvellously : for i will work a work in your daies , which ye will not believe , though it be told you . for lo , i raise up the chaldaeans , that bitter and hasty nation , which shall march through the breadth of the land , to possesse the dwelling places that are not theirs . they are terrible and dreadful : their judgement and their dignity shall proceed of themselves . their horses also are swifter then the leopards , and are more fierce then the evening wolves : and their horse-men shall spread themselves , and their horsemen shall come from far , they shall flie as the eagle that hasteth to eat . they shall come all for violence : their faces shall sup up as the east wind , and they shall gather the captivity as the sand . and they shall scoff at the kings , and the princes shall be a scorn unto them : they shall deride every strong hold , for they shall heap dust and take it . then shall his mind change , and he shall passe over , and offend , imputing this his power unto his god . art thou not from everlasting , o lord my god , mine holy one ? we shall not die : o lord , thou hast ordained them for judgement , and o mighty god , thou hast established them for correction . thou art of purer eies then to behold evil , and canst not look on iniquity : wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously , and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he ? and makest men as the fishes of the sea , as the creeping things that have no ruler over them . they take up all of them with the angle : they catch them in their net , and gather them in their drag ; therefore they rejoyce and are glad . therefore they sacrifice unto their net , and bnrn incense unto their drag : because by them their portion is fat , and their meat plentuous . shall they therefore empty their net , and not spare continually to slay the nations ? the sum of the first chapter of this prophesie . the first chapter sets out the sins of the time , wherein the prophet habakkuk did exercise his holy function : and the heavy punishment which they pulled both upon the iews , and upon the chaldaeans . their sins made up their full measure by neglect and contempt of the very laws , of kings , and governors , and of god himself . these strange enormities were answered with a punishment , that had matter of as much wonder , if it were well observed . for that of the chaldaeans , though it came slowly on , yet it fell the more heavily upon them , to their utter ruine , and destruction , when they were in the height of all their glory , and of their confidence , and presumption in their own strength . that of the iews came with more speed , and more favour . for , though it were very sharp for the time , yet it spent it self in the compasse of years , and left then in a fair , and easie pursuit of their former peace , and liberty , when their enemies supposed them to be so low , that there was no hope of recoverie . and the greatest wonder , and terror in their punishment , was in respect of those , to whom the execution was committed . for , being inflicted upon them by the chaldees , a fierce , and cruel nation , and far worse livers then the iews , it star●led the prophet a little at that way of divine dispensation , that suffered gods peculiar people to be so handled , by such lewd , and notorious sinners . and besides ( which might trouble them , as well as the other did the prophet ) the chaldees , that were intended for their scourge , and executioners in this calamity , were now ( in manasses his time , when this prophesie came out ) in the number of their good friends , and confederates : whom , of all other , they little suspected for the authors , and contrivers of their ruine . the paraphrastical explication of the first chapter . . the sad prophesie , and vision of that (a) burden which habakkuk foresaw , as a heavy punishment , that would shortly fall upon the iews , and chaldaeans : and which the heavier weight of their own grievous sins , had brought upon them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or , the sum of that which the the prophet received by (b) divine revelation , and which gave occasion to what he delivered amongst his own countrymen , to that effect as followeth . . o lord , how long shall i make my humble addresses unto thee , without any answer ? how long shall i continue my heavy cry , and complaint against injustice , and oppression ( the crying sins of these sad times ) while thou refusest to relive us ? . why hast thou reserved me for such wicked daies , wherein my eyes cannot but ( with tears ) behold the injurious , and violent dealing of men , in those sins , which now walk openly , and impudently , without any disguise , without any shame or care of being concealed ? above all , the unjust oppression of their neighbours , even to desolation , presents it self unto me , whither so ever i cast mine eyes . and yet (c) where there is so much cause of complaint , and calling for justice , (d) somewhat still there is , that obstructs , and hinders , or rather takes away the course of justice . . hence is it , that the (e) pulse of the law beats so slowly , as if the life of the law ( which is the execution of her e●icts ) began to draw to an end . and therefore , either justice cannot appear at all , but with too many demurs , and tedious si●●ts : or if she do , all is not right . for while the wicked ( with his malitious plots ) encloseth , and besets the righteous man on every side , and so domineers over him , that he hath not liberty , to follow the dictate of his own understanding . all this while , iustice seems to tread inward , and comes out lame , and distorted by bribes , and other by-respects , that turn her quite awry ) and so is she made altogether unlike her self . . but if justice can hear no better amongst men , let them hear the voice of divine justice from heaven . and she will tell them a wonder ( if that can get her audience ) for , thus saith she . behold , and wonder , you that make so slight of it , in your high pride , and scorn , and security , wonder , and admire at what i shall tell you of the gentiles , by whom i shall bring such a strange work to passe , in your daies , that if it were plainly told you now before hand , you would by no meane be induced to believe it . . for ( whatsoever your thoughts are of me , and my mercy , and protection over you , and yours ) i shall raise up against you the fierce and nimble chaldèans , ( that are now your confederates , and whom , of all other , you would least suspect to be ingaged in such undertakings ) and they according to their innate cruelty , and agility , shall sodainly , and barbarously over-run this land , stretching their victorious armies into every corner , and , where they please , possessing themselves of many fair habitations , that are none of theirs . . whatsoever you now conceit of them , cruel , and terrible they will then appear to be , as they are indeed ; and the rather , because (f) their will shall be their law , and out of their proud mouths shall proceed those imperious commands , and decrees , that you shall not dare to controll . . when they are once mounted on horseback , to set upon you , the nimble pace of the leopards shall not have more speed , then their horses . and ( to adde furie to their speed ) their hungry appetites shall be more eagerly bent upon the prey , then you have seen the greedy wolves , that steal out in the evening to satisfie their hunger . so shall their horse-men be affected , spreading , and disfusing themselves over the best part of your country , and from the remote parts of the babylonian empire , falling upon you with that hast , and soddainnesse , that you would think , neither the ravenning wolf , nor the hungry eagle her self should be able to exceed . . no otherwise shall they encourage one another , and proceed to their violent mischievous attempts , then (g) with such furie , and unhappy successe , as if a pestilent east-wind did set them on , to consume all before them . and , when all is done , if you would know the number of them , that shall be carried into captivity , and so by escaping a present death , reserved to a further miserie , you may as well desire to have the number of the sands on the sea-shore . . all this while there is little hope of opposition to be made against them by king , or people . as for your kings first ( if such should be your commanders abroad ) the proud chaldean doth rather scorn , and deride , then any way dread that sacred name . and for your people , or any strong forts , and bulwarks at home , that you conceive them able to make , by way of resistance , in as much scorn will he look upon them , and never doubt , by the raising of a muddie frontier against it , to make an easie surprisal of your strong defence . . which done , his haughty spirit will be the readier to passe all the bounds of moderation ( with as little difficulty , as he brake through your military works ) and so to go on to a further degree of wickedness : ascribing this goodly successe of his bold enterprises to no other deity , then one of his own making . (h) and that is his own valerous policie , which is the idol , that he will magnifie above all , that is called god. but , (i) o my lord god , ( the true deitie , whose power , and wisdom is over all ) my holy lord , who art from all eternity to oll eternity , and by whom onely we hope to be preserved from death , and destruction . hast not thou set him up ? ( hast not thou raised this babylonian tyrant : ) as the executioner of these thy judgments upon us , hast not thou inabled him thus to (k) chastise us , and thus to prevail over the rock of our strength ( that power of ours , that we accounted to be most impregnable . ) . surely thou art of purer eies , then to see , and approve the wicked designs of our cruel , and malitious enemies , that entitle their own prowesse to all their trophies , and triumphs over us . why then dost thou seem ( by their prosperous atchievements ) to favour so great sinners , and to keep silence , and wink at it , while the wicked chaldeans do thus consume thy own people , that are far more righteous then they ? . were we but onely as other men , yet shall we not , as men , have a more peculiar aspect of thy loving providence ? but we are thy people . and while we are in the troublesome sea of this world ( where the greater fishes are ever ready to devour the lesse ) shall there be no more regard had of our lives , then is of ordinary fishes , and other inferior creatures , that have no such ready addresse , as we have to the gvide , and ruler , and defender of mankind . . shall nebuchadnezar , and his rude souldiers have liberty to fish where they will , and take all for fish that comes to their net ? shal such cruel fishers of men ( that pursue their ruine , and destruction ) have so good success attending their nets , and hooks ( their projests , and devises ) that therein they shall go on to triumph , and applaud themselves . . and that therefore they shall be encouraged to * sacrifice to their own nets , and impute all their victorious successes to the virtue of their own power , and policy , by which they are inriched with so many fat booties , that increase upon them , while they devour us , and our substance , and , at their pleasure , feed greedily upon that which is none of theirs . . and , for all this , shall they be still suffered to expose , and extend their nets more , and more ? and , while they make no spare , wilt thou also defer to revenge our slaughters , and oppressions , by the deserved punishment of that barbarous people , guilty of so many , so gross sins , as they are ? chap. ii. . i will stand upon my watch , and set me upon the tower , and will watch to see what he will say unto me , and what i shall answer when i am reproved . and the lord answered me , and said , write the vision , and make it plain upon tables , that he may ●un that readeth it . for the vision is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speak , and not lie : though it tarry wait for it , because it will surely come , it will not tarry . behold , his soul which is lifted up , is not upright in him : but the just shall live by his faith . yea also , because he transgresseth by wine , he is a proud man , neither keepeth at home , who enlargeth his desire as hell , and is as death , and cannot be satisfied , but gathereth unto him all nations ; and heapeth unto him all people : shall not all these take up a parable against him , and a taunting proverb against him , and say , woe to him that increaseth that which is not his : how long ? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay . shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee , and awake that shall vex thee , and thou shalt be for booties unto them ? because thou hast spoiled many nations , all the remnan● of the people shall spoil thee : because of mens bloud , and for the violence of the land , of the city and of all that dwell therein . we to him that coveteth an evill covetousnesse to his house , that he may set his nest on high , that he may be delivered from the power of evill . thou hast consulted shame to thy house , by cutting off many people , and hast sinned against thy soul. for the stone shall cry out of the wall , and the beam out of the timber shall answer it . wo to him that buildeth a town with bloud , and stablisheth a city by iniquity . behold , it is not of the lord of hosts , that the people shall labour in the very fire , and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity ? for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the lord , as the waters cover the sea . wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink : that puttest the bottle to him , and makest him drunken also , that thou mayest look on their nakednesse . thou art filled with shame for glory : drink thou also , and let thy foreskin be uncovered : the cup of the lords right hand shall be turned unto thee , and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory . for the violence of lebanon shall cover thee : and the spoil of beasts , which made them afraid because of mens bloud , and for the violence of the land , of the city , and of all that dwell therein . what profiteth the graven image , that the maker thereof hath graven it ; the molten image , and a teacher of lies , that the maker of his work trusteth therein , to make him dumb idols ? wo unto him that saith to the wood , awake ; to the dumb stone , arise ; it shall teach : behold , it is laid over with gold and silver , and there is no breath at all in the midst of it . but the lord is in his holy temple : let all the earth keep silence before him . the sum of the second chapter . the prophets quaeries in the former chapter were followed so eagerly , in the behalf of his countrey-men , that st. hierome , and some others are almost angry with him , and think he may well take the name of chabakkuk , from his touching so near , and (a) wrastling so boldly with almighty god. not onely in his prayer for them , ( like another iacob ) in his third chapter : but in the first chapter too , ( like a close disputant ) in his pressing so hard upon god himself , and his divine providence , and disposall of humane afflictions . but whatsoever was the true occasion of the name , it seems that his open and patheticall delivery of his questions did put them upon that conjecture : and so , upon the point , that those learned men were as much troubled at his expression , as himself was at the apprehension of that strange course of divine justice . now this second chapter resolves the holy prophet ( as it may do us ) in that scruple , and showes him the progresse of god's divine iustice , overtaking the bloody , profane , sacrilegious chaldeans ( in the height of their securitie ) and falling the more heavily upon them , for their abusing the power , that was put into their hands , when they were permitted to be the scourges of men , that were (b) better than themselves . which may read a lecture to any , who contribute too much to the malignity of such wicked dayes . this may advise them ( while they have time of repentance ) seriously to examine themselves , and their own cause . this being a truth , that is evidenced by this passage of holy scripture , and this example in the jewes , and chaldees ; that god may be so angry with the sins of his own people , or so willing to have their pietie , and vertue made known to the world , that it may produce some effects , that are little expected . so that either for the severe punishment of some ( to whom it is likely he means to show the more mercy , in a greater , and more terrible day . ) or for the fatherly correction of others ( that by outward calamities he will hasten to a better amendment of life . ) or for the exacter tryall of the faith , obedience , patience , and perseverance of others , ( for whom he intends a weightier crown of glory in everlasting mansions . for these , and the like respects , it may please god , to give way to the doing of many things , which may well seem strange and wonderfull in the eies of men . and , while such things are in agitation , he may let them see many cruell , and malicious designes , seconded with as prosperous successes , as the evill hearts of the actors could wish . we found it true , in the former chapter , of the chaldeans , and may , elsewhere , of others , that were inabled to say , that god goes in , and out with their forces : that (c) he fights for them in the head of their armies , and crownes their actions with triumphs , and victories over far more innocent , and religious undertakers than they are . all this being no more , than the prophet implies here , and god himself speakes , in effect , by the mouth of his holy prophets . and yet this second chapter may inform them , that all this is not enough to secure the vain confidence of the enemies of the church : and excuse the idle boasting of strange , and fortunate attempts . which may end in as sad a catastrophe , as that of the chaldeans did , after all their pride , and effusion of much blood : as now we shall hear . the paraphrastical explication of the second chapter . . after these sad , and scrupulous quaeries , and objections , which presented themselves unto me , i could do no other , then ( as a prophet , a watchman , a seer of israel ) betake my self to my watch-tower , and , with all reverence , and patience , expect , what the divine oracle would discover unto me , and make me able to return , as the best solution of those doubts , and (d) interrogatories of my former discourse . . and such did the solution prove to be , that others have as much reason to observe it , as i have . therefore was i commanded by god himself , so clearly to deliver , and explain the vision , which i shall now relate ; that it might be given down to posterity , as a thing written , in (e) tables of some durable substance , and in fair capitall letters , so that he that runs might read it , and see in it , as in a little map , a draught of those waies of gods divine wisedome , and justice , in the ordering , and disposing of things below , far beyond the reach of our weak judgement , and apprehension . . and beyond the little compasse of our time too . for , it lookes further , than our short and euill dayes . yet , as they that live to see it accomplished , will account the hardest part of it to be slipped over , as in a dream : so we that ( by the eie of faith ) can look forward , and fix our thoughts upon that end ( which will prove the end of our misery , and the end of our enemies prosperity ) may see it posting on , as all our times do , with such speed , as if it were (f) carried upon the wings of the wind . for all which speed , nothing that is foretold of it , will fail , or (g) come short of the truth . therefore let no seeming delay take off our expectation , and hope in gods promises , which will certainly come at last , and cannot (h) come slowly to a heart , that is ready , and prepared for it : and wants not that solace , wherewith it may , in the mean while , support it self . . but that heavie , faint , (i) distrustfull soule , that drawes back with feares , and sad apprehensions of danger , faster than affiance in divine promises can incite it forward : that soule is not yet in the right posture , wherein it should be . nay , it wants that which is the very life of a soul , that is in the right indeed . for it is by a true constant faith , that the righteous man layes hold upon life . it is faith , and confidence in the truth of gods word , and promise , which makes him (k) accepted in the sight of god : and is a good meanes , both to keep him a constant servant of god in all piety , and obedience , ( which prepares him the more for the waies of his present delivery ) and to furnish him with a modest security of happinesse hereafter . for , he that is made righteous , or justified by faith , shall live for ever . . now he that labours for such a faith , is a fit auditor for such a prophesie as this , which ( after this preface ) i will now proceed to declare : that you may with me ( in this vision , and divine speculation from my propheticall watch-tower ) plainly foresee , what our common enemy , the chaldaean , will prove , after all the insolencies , and presumptions upon his own fortunate successes , & our sad afflictions . you might see him then * drunk with wine , & drunk with pride , and as a drunken man so shall he afterward be * tottering in his fortunes various , and inconsistent to himself , and to what he was every way : reeling , and wavering , and tumbled about from his highest , and most prosperous estate to worse , and worse . it was his own covetons , and ambitious desire , that set him on work , and thrust him forward , till he got up at last to that high pitch of honour , and abundance of wealth : from which , he must begin his heavier ruine , and downfall . for the longing of his greedy soule , in his filthy avarice , was enlarged like hell , ( as if he would have the devill and all ) and in his malice , and cruelty , he gaped after our destruction , like death , and the grave , that will never be satisfied . the addition of whole nations and severall sorts of people , either slain by his sword , or subdued , and united to his former too vast empire , could not work so much upon him , as to make him think , that he had enough , either of their blood , or of their wealth . . will you see , after all this , how he shall be exposed to the scorn , and derision of them , whom he hath rifled , and plundered , and abused at his own pleasure ? the time is coming on apace , when they shall take up a gibing taunt , and parable against him , and say : woe to him , that had too much of his own , and yet would never leave scraping , and heaping more and more together , out of others little store . how long will he thus toyle , and bustle in the world , to take from them ? and how little a while shall he live to enjoy it ? his heaps of gold and silver which he studies to multiply without end , are but heaps of earth , a little more resined than that thick mire , and clay , that shall , after awhile , stop his own greedy mouth . . for , as he lies gaping after us , and ours : so others shall arise up (l) from a place he little suspects , that shall gape after him , and his . nay , they shall more than gape , and threaten , and show their teeth . it shall not be long , before he feels , that they can bite too . and well might i say , that they should arise . for though ( in his supine ease , and securitie ) he may conceive them to lie still , and have no such intentions against him , unlesse it were in a dream : yet shall they suddenly awake rouse up themselves , and him too , muster up their forces , make toward him , (m) shake him in pieces , and divide him as a rich prey . . thus will they do , and thus will they speak of thee , and thy just doom , thou proud chaldean . and as thou hast preyed upon many nations , and enriched thy self with their spoiles : so shall all they that are left about thee , help to expose thee to the like spoil , and rapine . all which may justly come upon thee , for thy bloudy cruelty , and other most injurious acts of thine , which ever attended thy too furious execution of gods anger upon ours , and other (n) cities , and countries , and them that dwell in them . . woe be to his covetous , and foolish ambition , that longs for that which cannot but prove the ruine of himself , and his own house . for while he thinks of building his nest so high , as may set it (o) out of the reach of all danger : that very rise doth not onely expose it to the greater hazard , but make the fall so much the more fearfull , when it doth come . . whosoever thou art ( chaldaean , or other ) that couldst entertain a fancy of such a vast , and high building , thou wert not well advised , to take this for the best course of advancing thy self , and thy posteritie . this was not to make way to your honour , but to your shame . and know this , that while thou resolvest to raise thy self , and thine by the (p) utter ruine of many other people , thou sinnest against thy own soule , and makest thy self the greatest meanes of thy own down-fall , and their rising again . . for rather than such crying sins shall not be silenced , with the execution of justice , the very stones out of the wall will help on the cry , and the beam out of the timber-work will answer them , in as loud , and true a testimony against such cruelty , and oppression . . and the joynt cry of all together , will be nothing but woe . wo to him that layes the foundation of a town in blood , and most injuriously makes preparation of raising a city to himself out of others ruines . . upon this cry of the wood , and stones , that they have heaped together , mark if this sentence proceeds not from the lord of hostes : that this wicked warlike people have , in all their great toyle to get from others , but onely laboured to kindle a fire , wherein all they have shall be consumed . or , at least , all that they have so unjustly gotten , if it be not justly taken away , shall serve them , and theirs , for some other use , which shall show them the vanity of their own dangerous attempts . . for ere it be long , as the immense waters do fill , and cover the bottom of the vast sea : so shall their spacious land be covered , and overflowed with that which is more unruly than any waters , with innumerous troupes of several nations , and people , that shall come against the chaldeans , and let all the world (q) know ( in the finall recompense , and revenge of our enemies ) what cause they have every where to joyn with us , in giving all praise , and glory unto god. . and that universal glory to god shall be accompanied with another particular woe to our insulting enemies . wo be to him , that gaines so far upon his friend , and confederate , or any that have near reference unto him , as first to besot him with his strong , and inticing liquor : and then to make use of that time of infirmitie , for the discovery of his nakednesse , and the disclosing of any secret , which he knowes is best gotten out of him , when the warm drink hath sweetly washed away the remembrance of his duty . . this wo is for thee , o chaldaean , that art so ready to discover , and deride the weaknesse of others : for thou shalt be fuller of shame , than glory , when thou meetest with thy reward at last in a worse cup , whereof thou shalt be forced to drink deeply , when (r) thy turn comes . so shall thy nakednesse also come to be discovered , when (s) in the midst of thy pride , and gallantry , the right hand of the lord , ( which cannot be resisted , ) shall hold out that cup unto thee , and make thee drink it all off , though thou art forced to cast it up again to thy further disgrace . and so shall divine justice repay thee with that shame , and affliction , which thou hast abundantly deserved for thy insolent opprobrious dealing with others , whom thou hast laid open , and naked to all kinds of injury , and reproach . . and deserved again ( if thou hadst no other fault ) for thy base , sacrilegious , and scornfull abuses of the (t) temple , to which the whole forrest of lebanon did contribute her best timber , and therefore gave it also the name of another more sacred lebanon : but thy violent profane army have now turned it again into the likenesse of a ruder forrest , that the wild beasts have had to do withall . that (u) open injury to lebanon , that * spoil , and havock made there , to the very laying it in the dust , shall * beat those beasts ( thy rude souldiers ) into dust , that behaved themselves there like wild beasts indeed , rather than like men . that impiety , in the desolation of my holy house , ( saith the sacred oracle ) (x) shall overwhelm thee with a worthy punishment , and thy own houses , and fair structures shall therefore be laid as waste , and desolate , as that which is the openest , and vastest habitation of the wild beasts of the forrest . the rather because of thy imitation of those savage creatures in the effusion of blood , and ransacking of so many (y) persons , and places , as do now , in their ruines , give a testimony of thy barbarous proceeding against them all . . all which sacriledge , and cruell barbarisine was accompanied with other waies of irreligion , and idolatry , and what fruit , and advantage did any of them gain ? what profit can be shewed from the graven , and molten images ? he that made them , and he that preached them up for deities , were both of them inventers , and dispersers of lies . yet could that maker , and raiser of them adde this folly to the other , to trust , and repose a confidence upon such mute , and false gods , as could not so much as make answer unto their prayers . . and this calls for another wo upon that sinfull nation . wo to him that commenceth his prayer for releif to a piece of wood : and calls to the dumb idol of stone , to awake , and give him audience . the idol it self might teach him , that another deitie would be looked after , if he look for help . for who cannot see , that , though it be fairly guilded over with silver , and gold , to seem glorious to the eie , yet there is not so much breath , and spirit within it , as can adde life , and vigour to that glittering outside . . but the lord is not so . heaven is the glorious temple , wherein he dwells , and whereof all other temples are but figures . and the reverence we show in them , is a copy of that (z) fear and reverence that is due to him from all the ends of the earth . chap. iii. a prayer of habakkuk the prophet upon sigionoth . o lord , i have heard thy speech , and was afraid : o lord , revive thy work in the midst of the years , in the midst of the years make known ; in wrath remember mercy . god came from temon , and the holy one from mount paran . selah . his glory covered the heavens , and the earth was full of his praise . and his brightnesse was as the light , he had horns coming out of his hand , and there was the hiding of his power . before him went the pestilence , and burning coals went forth at his feet . he stood and measured the earth : he beheld , and drove asunder the nations , and the everlasting mountains were scattered , the perpetuall hills did bow : his waies are everlasting . i saw the tents of cushan in affliction : and the curtains of the land of midi●n did tremble . was the lord displeased against the rivers ? was thine anger against the rivers ? was thy wrath against the sea , that thou didst ride upon thine horses , and thy chariots of salvation ? thy bow was made quite naked , according to the oathes of the tribes , even thy word . selah . thou didst cleave the earth with rivers . the mountains saw thee , and they trembled : the overflowing of the water passed by : the deep uttered his voice , and lift up his hands on high . the sun and moon stood still in their habitation : at the light of thine arrows they went , and at the shining of thy glittering spear . thou didst march through the land in indignation , thou didst thresh the heathen in anger . thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people , even for salvation with thine anointed , thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked , by discovering the foundation unto the neck . selah . thou didst strike thorough with his st●ves the head of his villages : they came out as a whirl-wind to scatter me : their rejoycing was as to devour the poor secretly . thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses , through the heap of great waters . . when i heard , my belly trembled : my lips quivered at the voice : rottennesse entred into my bones , and i trembled in my self , that i might rest in the day of trouble : when he cometh up unto the people , he will invade them with his troups . although the fig-tree shall not blossome , neither shall fruit be in the vines , the labour of the olive shall fall , and the fields shall yeild no meat , the flock shall be cut off from the fold , and there shall be no herd in the stalls . yet i will rejoyce in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation . the lord god is my strength , and he will make my feet like hinds feet ; and he will make me to walk upon mine high places . to the chief singer on my stringed instruments . the sum of the third chapter . the third chapter , in a devout prayer , or divine hymne , set to an instrument of musick , admires the justice , and providence , and goodnesse of almighty god. and teacheth us , by the holy prophets example , to trust , and repose our selves in the will and mercy of god , whatsoever it pleaseth him to bring upon us . wherein we cannot but observe , that the devout prophet made no scruple , either at a set form of prayer , or of putting that prayer into a (a) song , and having that set to a musicall instrument , which containes in it not a prayer onely , but a prophesie of much sadnesse , and calamity to his whole nation . i beleive , it cannot be said , that any were more truely , and compassionately affected with it , than himself was ; and i think he was never the lesse affected with it , when he made it a part of his solemn musick . shall i adde this too ? that , though his prayer could not move god any thing the more , by the advantage of the rarest skill in musick , wherein it might be delivered : yet if the prophet , or others , that used it after him , by the help of those solemn , and harmonious tones had their own devotion any thing the more affected in the delivery : then was there motive enough , why he should ( for theirs , or his own sake ) commend it to some artist , that could fit it to a musicall instrument . of the title of the third chapter , and of the musicall termes there mentioned . . a prayer of the prophet habakkuk upon shigionoth , wherein he expresseth his content , and acquiescence in the solution of his former doubts , from the divine oracle : comforts himself in the examples of gods love and providence over his church : puts his own pious thoughts , and resolutions into a divine meditation : and refers all to be set to a musicall tune . as appears by the shigionoth in the front : and the musicall sela● in the body , and again by his neginoth in the foot of this excellent song , and divine ditty . for shigionoth first it seems to be some musicall tune , or instrument . i agree with those that take it to be some erraticall , various , delightfull modulation : and i think it to be the same tune , or instrument , that the sweet singer of israel made choice of , under the name of shiggaion , in the title of the seventh psalm . which is also a prayer of davids , made upon occasion of some words ( or actions ) of cush the benjamite , i. of saul , that was like a cush , or aethiopian in this , that he would no more change his malice to david , than the aethiopian his skin . as for selah ( in the third , and thirteenth verse of this chapter , ) that is a musicall note , which serves as a direction for the raising up of the voice in that place , wherein it is fixed . and i like that which kimehi joynes with it , the elevation of the heart too . we never meet with it , but in the psalmes of david ( in whose time it seems to have been taken up as a word of art ) and , after him , in this prayer of habakkuk . then for the word neginoth , it is properly referred to instruments of musick , especially those that were played upon with the fingers , and had the voice joyned with them , as in the solemn hymnes , and other musicall service of the jewish church . and he that had a more extraordinary skill in that way , and was the chief in composing , or overseeing that kind of melody , is called here , by the prophet habakkuk , in the conclusion of this prayer , and by the royall prophet , in the title of the fourth psalm . menatseach binginoth . one thing more i have to say , before i come to the prayer it-self , that in this chapter , ( as it may well be expected where such musick is ) the holy prophet , in expressing his meditations , seems to use a kind of divine (b) poetry . and he must follow that kind of poeticall expression , that will follow the prophet , in this musicall chapter . the paraphrastical explication of the prayer it self , beginning at the second verse . . with fear , and reverence have i heard that answer , o lord , wherein thou art pleased to reveale the execution of thy iustice. first upon the jewes by chaldeans , and then , more heavily , upon the chaldeans themselves , by other nations : when thy own people , after the expiration of seventy years , shall be graciously delivered from captivity . (c) in the interim of those years of their captivity be thou the life , and comfort of thy church , the speciall work of thy own hands , and let thy people feel the benefit of thy presence . in that sad compasse of time , o make thy self known to them that need thee most , and in the midst of thy anger , and justice , remember mercy . . remember thy tender mercies showed unto us of old , in our miraculous delivery from the egyptian bondage , when , after our safe conduct into the wildernesse , out of the reach of our enemies , thou camest in such majesty from teman , and madest thy holinesse shine forth in such beauty from mount paran . the first appearance of thy glory diffused in self over the (d) air above , filling it , after an extraordinary manner , with thunder , and lightning ( the forerunners of thy divine approach ) and the earth below was abundantly made happy with the just occasions of praise , and thankfull acclamations . . for in great light , and splendour , and (e) . glory were all the waies of god's most gracious appearance ( a figure of that greater light , and glory , which is altogether invisible and inaccessible to poor mortals ) but , for our weaknesse , they were so (f) shadowed , and qualified , as might best fit the eyes of them , that were then entertained with those wonders . . and as such lustres were a pledge , and testimony of comfort to his own people : so , as a terrour to their enemies , fearfull death , and destruction went before him , and he left behind him the foot-steps of (g) horrour , and speedy consumption . . at last , when he rested in his holy ark , in the land of promise , he divided that land by lot , for their inheritance . at his appearance the nations were so troubled . they that had dwelt so long in those (h) mountainous countries were much distracted with the sad apprehension of their likelihood , to be now roused , and expelled out of those ancient seates , and forced to submit to new lords , and masters : brought thither by him , in whose power are all the (i) actions , and alterations of the world . . it was not for any good deserts of ours , but for the wickednesse of those nations , that they were so rooted out by the hand of justice . that apparently removed ( not the cananites onely out of their dwelling , but ) the (k) midianites for their sinne . when it troubled the tents of cushan , afflicted their whole land , and made them content to pack away with their portable houses to other places of mansion , where they might be found . . but still , as the way of thy justice was observable over other nations , so was thy mercy , o lord , over us , to the very alteration of the ordinary course of nature . we found that in our passage thorough the red sea , and thorough the river jordan . the waters seemed to start aside , at our coming towards them , and , for very fear , to give way to us . was it thy anger , o lord , against the proud waves ? that forced them thus to shrink back ? was the sea afraid of thy triumphant approach ? was it the noise of thy chariots , and the prancing of thy horses that shrunk up the rivers , with this terrour , and drave them out of their wonted station ? for , in such triumph indeed didst thou seem to draw near the waters of jordan , when the ark was thy chariot , the chariot of our salvation , and thy glory seemed to be carried upon the holy cherubims . . after that glorius , and miraculous passage over (l) jordan , an angel showed himself , for a captain of the host of the lord. and thy self , o lord , as the great lord of hostes , preparedst for the battle . thine arrowes were apparently drawn out of their quiver and thy bow out of the case , to be in readinesse against thine enemies . the severall tribes of israel , as thy souldiers , were mustered up to their military sacramentall oath . and the very earth , and the waters , and all the elements divided themselves into their severall ranks , * at thy command , and for thy service . . and , when thou beganst to set forward , the mountains , o lord , as if standing higher , they had made the first discovery of thy coming afar off , were sore troubled at it , (m) like a woman that is in labour , and longs to be delivered . presently , whole rivers of waters gushed out ( as the issue of that birth ) the noise and murmur which they made at their breaking forth of the hollow earth , was like the cry of this new-born creature . and the diffusion of those waters into severall (n) courses , and rivulets , was like the stretching out of his armes ( (o) which thou canst bind , and lap up in his swadling clouts , as it pleaseth thee . ) . and if the hills can thus discover , and expresse thy powerfull approach , how can the two fair eyes of the firmament , ( the sun , and the moon ) but see it , and give some acknowledgement of it ? as they did to all the world , when the sun stood still over gibeon , (p) and the moon over the valley of ajalon : as if then indeed they had come to their (q) houses , wherein they should rest . while by that so miraculously continued light , thy hailestones , like glittering speares and ●wift arrowes did s●y about , to execute vengeance upon thine enemies . . this was the obedience every where tendred to our lord , when he brought us , and our armies to take possesion of the land of promise . into which ( we must ever thankfully acknowledge , o blessed god ) as thou didst enter with wrath , and terrour against all the inhabitants of the land , so in the end , in the like displeasure , thou didst cause the heads , and commanders of those heathen people to be (r) trampled on by the feet of the conquerours . this was thy doing o lord , and thus hast thou often gone out with our armies , to save and defend thy people , and thine annointed whom thou hast set over them . thou hast often wounded the heads of those wicked families , that oppose them , and (s) discovered their foundations : so that from the highest to the lowest part of their best hold , and confidence , they were laid open to ruine . . thou hast pierced the heads of those peasants , that sought our destruction , with the same weapons , that they used against us ( might israel then say ) and taken them in their own inventions , when they had thought , suddenly and violently like a whirl-wind , to have set upon us , scattered us , and blown us away . when their triumph before victorie was like the exultation of those that have ( in their hopes ) already devoured the poor , and innocent , that hides himself from their fury , and persecution . . so did our enemies perish in that passage , where they purchased their own death , in the pursuit of ours . while the triumph , which they hoped for was thine own , and not their horses , or chariots , but thy chariots , and armes prevailed in the red-sea , and went safe , thorough the unusuall paths , and heaps of many waters . . such hath been thy providence over us , in our former calamitie : so far did thy power then show it self in our delivery . and shall it not be such , in thy good time , from the babylonian slavery , as it was from the egyptian ? but , alas ! what do i venture to entreat ? i have (a) heard , and seen so much in my former vision , of the long sad time of our captivitie , as makes me startle , and interrupt my prayer . but my bowels do earne with compassion of my poor country-men , as well as quake for fear . my inward parts are so wholly possessed , and troubled with sorrow for them , that my fearfull quavering lips will not suffer me to expresse it . and , though i live , yet me thinks , my bones are almost consumed with rottennesse , while i labour to conceale my selfe-devouring feares , and perplexities , that i have within me . and so much the rather , because i must be still , and silent for the day of their affliction : for it seems the doom is now past , no prayer can avert it , when he shall rise up against thy poor people , that shall bring his troupes of cruell souldiers , to prey upon them . . to this most heavie , but most just sentence , i humbly submit : with this prayer , that they may endeavour , as i shall , to make sure for some inward solace , when all outward helps , and comforts shall be taken away . for (u) though the figge-tree shall not flourish , and give her wonted sweets : nor the vine-tree prosper , and yeeld her comfortable wine : though the olive shall deceive our expectation of her fatnesse , and the corn-fields shall not continue the provision of their food to strengthen us : though the sheep shall be plundered out of their folds , and the oxen out of their stalls . . yet will i resolve to place my heart in the lord , and to rejoyce in the god of my salvation . . and it shall be my prayer , and my hope , that the lord my god will be my strength , and my safeguard ; supply me with patience , and obedience , and courage : make my feet as nimble as harts-feet , and so conduct me chearfully , in the way to those high places , and sanctuaries above , were i shall be set , out of the fear of all danger , in everlasting blisse . and as a testimony of my joy , and solace in that , i will take order with the chief master of the musick , to have this prayer set to my instruments , which may help to rouse up my spirits , and my repose in god my saviour . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of zephaniah . chap. i. the word of the lord which came unto zephaniah the son of cushi , the son of gedaliah , the son of antariah , the son of hizkiah , in the daies of iosiah the son of amon king of iudah . i will utterly consume all things from off the land , saith the lord. i will consume man and beast : i will consume the fowles of the heaven , and the fishes of the sea , and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked , and i will cut off man from off the land , saith the lord. i will also stretch out mine hand upon iudah , and upon all the inhabitants of ierusalem , and i will cut off the remnant of baal from this place , and the name of the chemarims with the priests : and them that worship the host of heaven upon the house tops , and them that worship , and that swear by the lord , and that swear by malcham . and them that are turned back from the lord , and those that have not sought the lord , nor enquired for him . hold thy peace at the presence of the lord god : for the day of the lord is at hand : for the lord hath prepared a sacrifice , he hath bid his guests . and it shall come tò passe in the day of the lords sacrifice , that i will punish the princes , and the kings children , and all such as are clothed with strange apparel . in the same day also will i punish all those that leap on the threshold , which ●ill their masters houses with violence and deceit . and it shall come to passe in that day , saith the lord , that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate , and an howling from the second , and a great crashing from the hills . howl ye inhabitants of maktesh : for all the merchant-people are cut down : all they that bear silver are cut off . and it shall come to passe at that time , that i will search ierusalem with candles , and punish the men that are setled on their lees ; that say in their heart , the lord will not do good , neither will he do evil . therefore their goods shall become a booty , and their houses a disolation : they shall also build houses , but not inhabit them ; and they shall plant vineyards , but not drink the wine thereof . the great day of the lord is near , it is near , and hasteth greatly , even the voice of the day of the lord : the mighty man shall cry there bitterly . that day is a day of wrath , a day of trouble and distresse , a day of waftnesse and desolation , a day of darknesse and gloominesse , a day of clouds and thick darknesse , a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and against the high towers . and i will bring distresse upon them , that they shall walk like blind men , because they have sinned against the lord , and their blood shall be poured out as dust , and their flesh as the dung . neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the lords wrath , but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie : for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land . chap. i. . the word of the lord which was ( revealed to zephaniah ( whose very (a) name tells us , that god would more clearly reveal by him some of his secret counsail , concerning those heavy judgements , that were now ready to fall upon the iews , and so needed this nearer and clear interpreter , of his will and pleasure , as an other (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * as ioseph was called by pharaoh . ) this zephaniah was the son of cushi ; the son of gedaliah ; the son of amariah : the son of hizkiah . and he prophesied in the daies of iosiah , son of amon , king of iudah . ( for even in the raign of that good king , so pious and so eminent an example produced little amendment in a wicked , and perverse generation . therefore . i will even (c) sweep away all together out of this land , saith the lord ( and so make a quick , and fair riddance of so rebellious a nation . ) . i will make an end of man , and beast . i will consume the fouls of the air , and the fishes of the sea . i will quite take away both the wicked offenders , and all their scandalous sins , and offences . and ( all by one sin or other being gone out of the good way , wherein they promised to walk ) i will also , by one means , or other , (d) root out every man out of that land ( of promise , ( which i had bestowed upon them , saith the lord. . and even against iudah ( as i have done against israel ) will i stretch out my powerful and revenging hand : and therein against ( the proudest and worst of them ) the citizens of ierusalem . and ( i will do what good iosiah in all his care , and industrie could not do in that stubborn , and rebellious city , which should have been a pattern , and example to all the rest ) from that place will i cut off ( by the sword of my justice ) all the reliques of baal , and the name of the chemarims ( their downright idolatrous priests ) and their cohanims too , those priests of their own , that will now , and then be tampering with the accursed mysteries of baal . . such as can find a time to worship the host of heaven , upon the tops of their houses ( which were made flat for prevention of danger from thence , and not to introduce so dangerous , and flat idolatrie as that ) those (e) halters between two religions , that think they can do their homage to the true god , and to the false : and swear by iehovah , and by their (f) moloch ( the imaginarie deitie of the ammonites , (g) which they have now made to be theirs . ) . and those also that ( otherwise , and by other vanities , and diversions ( fall away from following the lord iehovah , and from seeking and inquiring after him alone ( in such holy places , and waies of divine worship , as himself hath prescribed . ) . wherein ( as being in the presence of him , and before his all-seeing eye ) use all the (h) reverence and holy fear and devotion that may best whosoever thou art , that would ( live secure , and without all fear , and danger of a day of justice , and vengeance . ) for , such day is coming , and it is near at hand , when they that offer not such pious , and chearful sacrifices to him , shall find that he will make a merry , and festival day of sacrificing them , and bidding such guests , to be entertained with that sacrifice , as they would be loath to be dressed up for , and to be devoured by such hungry companions . . and in that day of the lords sacrifice , and that feast ; he will spare none , that have not spared to serve , and sacrifice to others besides him . they must all to the pot , the highest as well as the lowest : the princes , and their royal race , and all the gandy gallants , that look so strangely upon it , in their rich , and costly apparel . . amongst all this fine irreligious rout , i will not forget to punish them , that follow the (i) superstition of the philistims , in not presuming to tread upon the threshould for sooth , but rather using the nimblenesse of their feet for a speedy conveyance ( which is no fit way of entring into the house of their god ) and with these contemners of their gods house , i will visit those that take too much care for the furnishing , and enriching of their masters house , by hook or by crook , and by all the violent and deceitful courses , that they can imagine . . and i will give you a more particular discoverie , and prediction , of what shall happen in three of the chiefest parts of the city , in that day . a great noise , and crie shall then be heard from the fish-gate ( which is in that part , which you call the city of david ) then a sad , and doleful howling from the second part of the city . and as woful and (k) crashing a noise from the highest , and most eminent part , ( wherein is the temple and the palace , places that have been often acquainted with sweeter sounds . ) . when the three chief places in ierusalem have thus begun to expresse their sad condition , then you , that dwell in (l) the hollower part of the city may second them with as doleful an eccho , to bewail the ruine of the multitudes of merchants thereabouts , and the many fair (m) heaps of silver ( that they must leave behind them . ) . then will i suffer every rich corner in ierusalem to be as narrowly searched , and ransacked ( by the chaldaean souldiers ) as a man would peep , and prie into the closest places , with the help of candles , that he might be sure to let nothing escape him , that he hath a mind to bear away . and so shall my justice meet with those , that have lived in ease , and plenty , and without any disturbance ; like wine that hath been long setled on the lees , without any removal out of one vessel into another . these are they , that soothed up themselves in their own foolish perswasion , that god took no great care of humane affairs , either to reward , or to punish us here below , according to our good or bad life , and conversation . . but , this is the day , wherein i will confute them , by exposing their ill-gotten goods as a prey to the enemie : and bringing their houses ( wherein they nestled themselves so securely ) to utter ruine , and (n) fearful desolation : or , at least , by changing the owners , so that other men shall dwell in those goodly buildings , which they have erected : and drink up the fruit of those costly vineyards , which they had planted for themselves . . this great day of the lord is near , very near : and withal , it flies swiftly towards us ( as a time that hath quicker wings then ordinarie , to convey it self . ) it will be such a bustling day , that you may hear it as well as see it : and the stoutest man ( that hears the approach of that day ) will not passe it over so quickly , but that he will be heard to expresse the bitteruesse of the day , in most bitter lamentations . . this day will be a day of wrath , and a day of trouble : and yet a day , wherein we shall be so (o) streightned , and penned in , that there will be no way of evasion . it will be a day of desolation , of utter desolation ( without hope of recoverie , to most of them . ) a dark , and gloomy day without the least appearance of comfort ) and a cloudie , and thick-cloudie day ( wherein the heavens , whither we use to cast up our eyes for relief , will seem continually to frown upon us . ) . a day that will fright us with the sound of the trumpet , and the alarm of war , against the strongest cities , and highest towers , that we have . . in this day , saith the lord , (p) i will cause men to be in such pressure , and such streights , that they shall see no more , then blind men , which way to turn themselves , or what course to take , that may rid them out of this distresse . and , in the midst of those streights , because they have sinned against the lord , their enemies shall make no more scruple of shedding their blood , then of treading upon the dust , that is under their feet : and their bodies shall have no better esteem , then the dung of the earth . . in this day of gods wrath , their silver , and gold shall not be able to purchase their ransome : but the whole land shall be sodainly consumed by the fierce and jealous wrath of the lord : wherein he will make a full and speedy riddance of all , that dwell in the land . chap. ii. gather your selves together , yea , gather together , o nation not desired . before the decree bring forth , before the day passe as the chaff , before the fierce anger of the lord come upon you , before the day of the lords anger come upon you . seek ye the lord , all ye meek of the earth , which have wrought his judgement , seek righteousnesse , seek meeknesse : it may be , ye shall be hid in the day of the lords anger . for gaza shall be forsaken , and ashkelon a desolation : they shall drive out ashdod at the noon day , and ekron shall be rooted up . wo unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast , the nation of the cherethites : the word of the lord is against you : o canaan , the land of the philistines , i will even destroy thee , that there shall be no inhabitant . and the sea-coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds , and folds for flocks . and the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of iudah , they shall feed thereupon , in the houses of ashkelon shall they ly down in the evening : for the lord their god shall visit them , and turn away their captivity . i have heard the reproach of moab , and the revilings of the children of ammon , whereby they have reproached my people , and magnified themselves against their borders . therefore as i live , saith the lord of hosts , the god of israel , surely moab shall he as sodom , and the children of ammon as gomorrah , even the breeding of nettles , and salt-pits , and a perpetual desolation , the residue of my people shall spoil them , and the remnant of my people shall possesse them . this shall they have for their pride , because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the lord of hosts . the lord will be terrible unto them : for he will famish all the gods of the earth , and men shall worship him , every one from his place , even all the isles of the heathen . ye ethiopians also , ye shall be slain by my sword . and he will stretch out his hand against the north , and destroy assyria , and will make nineveh a desolation , and dry like a wildernesse . and flocks shall lie down in the midst of her , all the beasts of the nations : both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it : their voice shall sing in the windows , desolation shall be in the thresholds : for he shall uncover the cedar-works . . this is the rejoycing city that dwelt carelesly , that said in their heart , i am , and there is none beside me : how is she become a desolation , a place for beasts to lie down in ! every one that passeth by her , shall hiss and wag his hand . chap. ii. . ( the day so foretold being so terrible , and so near at hand ) (a) make an exact scrutinie , and examination of your selves first , and then of what else may conduce to your safety . o nation , little worthy the love , and good liking of those that know your waies ! . do this , before gods peremptorie , and irrevocable decree produce the certain , and final resolution for this day : which shall be like one of his fanning , and winnoing daies , ( wherein he will separate the chaff from the good corn ) do this , before the fierce anger of the lord , and this terrible day of the execution of that fierce anger of the lord come upon you . . and for you that are of the good corn , and not of the chaff : you that are of a meeker , and gentler disposition , then others of the land are , and obey his commands , in your best devotions , and endeavours , seek after god ( and implore his merciful protection over you . ) and still seek after the exercise of goodnesse , and meeknesse , if so perhaps you may prevail so far , as to be hid under the shadow of his defense , in this day , wherein the fierce anger of the lord shall be poured out upon several parts of this wicked nation , and few or none shall escape . . for gaza shall be forsaken ( by her fearful inhabitants ) ashkelon shall be laid desolate , ( and forced to the like ) and , as for ashdod , the enemie shall be so secure of the conquest of that , that , in the very noon day , they shall attempt to drive them out of their own holds , and habitations , with happy successe . and ekron ( * according to the bad omen in the name it self ) shall be rooted out . . then wo to you of the nation of the cherethites , that dwel all along upon the sea-coast : for , i can cite the word of the lord against you . and no lesse against you , the cananites , and philistims , that are left in the land . the word of the lord , from his own mouth , concerning you , is no other then this , that he will utterly destroy your land , and all that dwel within it . . and the sea coast ( that is made choice of as the fittest place of habitation for the richest merchants ) shall be taken up with no better then cottages for poor shepherds , and folds for their flocks . . for , i have allotted that coast to those of the house of iudah that shall be left behind in the land ( when their brethren are carried into captivity ) that it may serve for the feeding of their cattle ( they that constantly attend upon their innocent charge all the day , shall there have a place to retire to , when they are weary ) in those mansions , that belonged to ashkelon , shall those shepherds of the house of iudah repose themselves in the evenings ; when the lord their god ( in that conquest of iudaea by the king of babylon ) shall lay his visitation upon the ashkalonites , and (b) reiterating their captivity , cause them to be carried again , and again into the land of chaldaea . . ( after i have showed this justice upon the land of iudaea , and the remnant of the cananites in those parts : i will then go on , to do the like justice upon the enemies of iudaea , of whose wickednesse i have not been ignorant , nor have i forgotten it , though hitherto i have deferred the execution of my wrath , in expectation of their amendment . ) for * i heard ●nd took notice of the proud opprobrious speeches of the moabites : and the reviling and (c) blasphemous taunts of the children of ammon , wherein they have reproached my people , and , with which foul language , they presumed to (d) make a most bold , and violent invasion upon those territories of the children of israel , which i my self had measured out for them , as the lot of their inheritance . . therefore , as i live , saith the lord of hosts , the god of israel , i will not fail to make as absolute a ruine of moab , and ammon as i did of sodom , and gomorrha . their populous cities shall lie wast , overgrown with netles , and over-spread with salt-pits , as a place destined to perpetual barrennesse , and desolation . and the re●idue of my people , that shall survive , and return after their great captivity , shall , in due time , invade and make spoil of the territories of that people , and take possession of theirs : as they did first so proudly attempt to make themselves masters of a part of iudaea . . this shall be the issue and the reward of their proud reproachful speeches , and of their as haughty , and insolent attempts against the peculiar people of the lord of hosts ( who will therefore show his power , and vengeance upon their gods as well as upon them . ) . for in so fearful and terrible a manner shall god come in judgement against them , that not they onely , but their very gods too shall be brought to as poor , and miserable condition , as men that are ready to be starved for hunger . and the like doom shall fall upon many idolaters , and their titular gods in other parts of the earth . so that multitudes of people shall come out of their countries to ierusalem , to worship before the true god , and such converts and proselytes shall there be from divers places beyond the seas , and from the isles of the heathen . . you of cush shall be of this number : of which countrie many shall die by my sword ( * in the hand of nebuchadnezer . ) . and he ( (f) that i make my deputy for the execution of my judgement , i. the same nebuchadnezer ) shall stretch out his hand also as far northward ( and make use of my sword in those parts ) till he hath destroyed the assyrians , and made their royal ninive a place of utter desolation , like a drie , and barren wildernesse . . flocks of sheep shall have their folds , where the ninivites had their fair houses . and all kind of other living creatures too shall find admittance and entertainment about the ruines of that city . both the pelican , and the owle shall pick o●t their nights-lodging about the (g) knops and carved prominent works upon the tops of their houses : while other birds securely sing over their several tunes in their windows . and yet other signs of (h) desolation shall appear in their doors and thresholds : and in their curious seiled rooms , where the rich cedar-work shall be laid open to the injurie of the weather , and the use of ravenous fouls of the air . . this is the end of that jovial citie , that dwelt in wealth and confidence of a lasting prosperity , and said within her self . i am the onely she , * and none will presume to come in comparison , or competition with me . how is she now become a verie picture of desolation , and a place for beasts to lie down in ? all that passe by her will hisse , and wag their hands at her , in wonder and astonishment . chap. iii. wo to her that is filthy and polluted , to the oppressing city . she obeyed not the voice : she received not correction : she trusted not in the lord : she drew not near to her god. her princes within her are roaring lions ; her judges are evening wolves , they gnaw not the bones till the morrow . her prophets are light and treacherous persons : her priests have polluted the sanctuary , they have done violence to the law . the just lord is in the midst thereof : he will not do iniquity : every morning doth he bring his judgement to light , he faileth not , but the unjust knoweth no shame . i have cut off the nations : their towers are desolate , i made their streets wast , that none passeth by : their cities are destroyed , so that there is no man , that there is none inhabitant . i said , surely thou wilt fear me : thou wilt receive instruction , so their dwelling should not be cut off , howsoever i punished them : but they rose early , and corrupted all their doings . therefore wait ye upon me , saith the lord , until the day that i rise up to the prey : for my determination is to gather the nations , that i may assemble the kingdoms , to pour upon them mine indignation , even all my fierce anger : for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie . for then will i turn to the people a pure language , that they may all call upon the name of the lord , to serve him with one consent . from beyond the rivers of ethiopia , my suppliants , even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering . in that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings , wherein thou hast transgressed against me : for then i will take away out of the midst of thee , them that rejoyce in thy pride , and thou shalt no more be haughty because of mine holy mountain . i will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people , and they shall trust in the name of the lord. the remnant of israel shall not do iniquity , nor speaks lies : neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth : for they shall feed and lie down , and none shall make them afraid . sing , o daughter of zion , shout o israel : be glad and rejoyce with all the heart , o daughter of ierusalem . the lord hath taken away thy judgements , he hath cast out thine enemy : the king of israel , even the lord is in the midst of thee : thou shalt not see evil any more . in that day it shall be said to ierusalem , fear thou not : and to zion , let not thine● hands be s●ack . the lord thy god in the midst of thee is mighty : he will save , he will rejoyce over thee with joy : he will rest in his love , he will joy over thee with singing . i will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly , who are of thee , to whom the reproach of it was a burden . behold , at that time i will undo all that afflict thee , and i will save her that halteth , and gather her that was driven out , and i will get them praise and fame in every land , where they have been put to shame . at that time will i bring you again , even in the time that i gather you● for i will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth , when i turn back your captivity before your eyes , saith the lord. chap. iii. . ( but that israel applaud not themselves too much in the ruine of their enemies royal city : let them now hear the woes pronounced against their own jerusalem ) wo to the city , that grew (a) fat with her gluttony , and polluted ( with all those sins , that accompanie a full table ) and with all kind of (b) rapine and oppression ( that were made the means to maintain it . ) . she would not hear (c) the voice ( of those that foretold her ruine , if she did not amend ) she would not entertain any such good instruction ( before the blow came ) nor would she trust in the lord iehovah , and (d) make her devout approaches , and addresses unto her god , ( in the time of her extremities ; but to the egyptians , and assyrians , and who not , rather then to him , that was ever her surest friend in the time of trouble . ) . ( and to say somewhat again of that oppression , that we named * before . ) the threats , and menaces of her princes and governors within the city were grown to be as high , and terrible , as the roaring of a lion : and her iudges , ( that , instead of doing justice , put these unjust threats in execution ) (e) became like those ravenous wolves , that seek out for their prey in the evening ( when their hunger makes them to be more greedily , and fiercely set upon it ) so that what they lay hold on is presently devoured : they (f) leave not so much as a bone to be gnawed , and examined again in the morning . . their pretended prophets ( for their lives , and for their opinions too ) are as various , and inconsistent ( as (g) water , that will not stay long in his own bounds , but must be kept in by some other bodie , that is not so fluid as that ) and ( which is yet more ) they are persidiously wicked persons ( in betraying that trust which is reposed in them , that should be the pattern● and maintainers of true religion : and not the bare outward professors of it , for their own private interests ) and the priests come not much short of the prophets , for , instead of hallowing , they pollute the sanctuary and all holy things : and , instead of keeping and expounding , they do most (r) violently ( both in their actions and expositions ) wrest and abuse the sense of the law , to what it was never intended by the law-maker . . but the righteous lord ( whose laws and sanctuaries are thus abused ) observes all that is done in this wicked city : and he will not deflect from doing right ( as they do , that should be the patrons of right and justice in his stead ) every morning will he show some examples of his justice upon them that should every day be the executioners of it upon others . ) thus will god never fail to show his justice . and yet the unjust and wicked men that know this ) are so past shame , and fear ( that they will not repent , when they see my judgements , upon their own , and their neighbour countries , saith the lord. ) . but , when i destroyed those gentiles ( for so i may call your ten tribes , that had nothing in them of israel ) i made their strong towers desolate , and their populous streets i laid wast , and left none to walk about them . even upon their greatest cities did i bring that solitude , and desolation , so that there was not left a man , nor any of mankind to dwell within them . . you should have learned to take heed by their punishment . and so i said within my self , surely thou , my land of iudah , wilt thence at least learn to fear me ( by what thou seest inflicted upon israel . ) their correction will be thy instruction ; that the cities of judah , and other places of her habitation may not be cut off in the same manner : but that all the good (i) that in my best , and kind visitations i have made profer of , may come upon her . but , they deceived my expectation , and , instead of rising early to seek me , they rose early to currupt their own waies more , and more ( as if they were so eagerly set upon mischief , that they would break their sleep to be at it . ) . therefore ( after my expectation deceived i will give you an item before hand , to expect ( that which you shall not be deceived of , i. ) my rising ( to answer yours ) and my rising out of the place of my rest to prey upon you ( and disturb you of your rest ) for , i am now resolved and have peremptorily decreed , to gather some of other nations and kingdoms together specially the chaldaeans , and their auxiliaries ) and by them to pour out my indignation upon these iews , even all the fiercenesse of my indignation . for no otherwise then in a kind of fierce zeal , shall all the land of judaea be destroyed . . but , after that affliction , i will convert the people to a more penitent and devout , and holy language , that they may call upon the name of the lord with more reverence then now is to be found amongst them , and joyntly endevour to serve , and obey him , as they that willingly joyn * their sholders together , to bear that yoke , that he laies upon them ( which easie yoke is no other then his service . ) . and then from the remotest parts of their captivity , from as far as those places about the rivers of cush shall my suppliant and humble servants , the off-spring of my people israel and judah , far and wide dispersed over several nations ; from thence shall they bring offerings unto me ( in testimony of their hearty thanks for their joyful return into their own countrie . ) . about that time will i take away the shame and grief , which thou hadst conceived for thy former great sins , and offences committed against me . for then shall i ( by death and miserie ) have removed from thee (l) those haughty and insulting countrymen and priests of thine . and then shalt thou offend no more , as thou hast done , by pride and * contempt of my holy places , and my sanctuarie in mount sion ( when those masters of misrule , and ringleaders to the proudest and most presumptious offences are taken away . ) . in stead of them i will furnish thee with (m) a meek and humble generation of men , though poor , which shall trust in the name of the lord , ( and not in the proud mistake of their own fortunes and abilities . ) . this good remnant of my people ( that return from their captivity ) shall not return to their (n) great and grievous sin ( their idolatry ) nor shall they so accustom themselves again to the speaking of lies , and deceit . therefore in all peace and plenty shall they feed well at last , and take their rest securely , having none to fright , or molest them . . rejoyce then , o daughter of sion : sing , and shout for joy , o israel . be merry , and chearfull from the bottom of a thankefull heart , o daughter of ierusalem . . for , god hath taken off those judgements , wherewith thou wert afflicted for thy sins . he hath (o) removed thy enemies out of thy sight ( that they may trouble thee no more ) and ( instead of those tyrants iehovah , the the god and king of israel is in the midst of thee , and thou shalt see no more of those calamities , which thou hast seen heretofore . . in those daies it shall be said to jerusalem , and to sion . fear not , nor be any way discouraged . let not thy bands faint , or give over ( till they have raised an other city , and temple , wherein to serve the lord. ) iehovah , thy god , in the midst of thee , is of great might , and power : and of as ready a mind , and will , to save , and defend thee . he will rejoyce over thee exceedingly . he will (p) acquiesce and solace himself in his love toward thee . they that sing for joy shall not have more content , and delight , then he will take in thee . . they that were the cause (q) of removing thy merry feasts , and solemnities , will i (r) remove far from thee . for , (s) they have been but a burden , and (t) a disgrace unto thee . . and , take notice of it , at that time will i undoe not them onely , but all those , that have any way troubled , and afflicted thee . and i will cure them amongst thee , that are any way (u) weakened in their fortunes , and gather them dayly to their own homes , that have been as good as ejected , and banished from thence , in the long time of their captivity . and i will make them famous , and renowned in those very places , where they have been put to shame , and disgrace . . ( again i say it to you all , that shall then survive , and serve me ) at that time will i reduce you ( to your own homes ) and gather you together ( to your own friends , and acquaintance ) and i will make you famous , and renowned among all the people of the earth , so that your own eyes shall see , with what advantage i have brought you back again from your captivity . a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of haggai . chap. i. in the second year of darius the king , in the sixth moneth , in the first day of the moneth , came the word of the lord by haggai the prophet unto zerubbabel the son of shealtiel , governour of iudah , and to ioshuah the son of iosedech the high priest , saying , thus speaketh the lord of hosts , saying , this people say , the time is not come , the time that the lords house should be built . then came the word of the lord by haggai the prophet , saying , is it time for you , oye , to dwell in your cieled houses , and this house lie wast ? now therefore , thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your waies . ye have sown much , and bring in little : ye eat , but ye have not enough : ye drink , but ye are not filled with drink : ye cloth you , but there is none warm : and he that earneth wages , earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes . thus saith the lord of hosts , consider your waies . go up to the mountain , and bring wood , and build the house : and i will take pleasure in it , and i will be glorified , saith the lord. ye looked for much , and lo it came to little ; and when ye brought it home , i did blow upon it : why ? saith the lord of hosts : because of mine house that is wast , and ye run every man unto his own house . therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew , and the earth is stayed from her fruit . and i called for a drought upon the land , and upon the mountains , and upon the corn , and upon the new wine , and upon the oyl , and upon that which the ground bringeth forth , and upon men , and upon cattel , and upon all the labour of the hands . then zerubbabel the son of shealtiel , and ioshua the son of iosedech the high priest , with all the remnant of the people , obeyed the voice of the lord their god , and the words of haggai the prophet , ( as the lord their god had sent him , and the people did fear before the lord. . then spake haggai the lords messenger in the lords message unto the people , saying , i am with you , saith the lord. and the lord stirred up the spirt of zerubbabel the son of shealtiel , governour of iudah , and the spirit of ioshua the son of iosedech the high priest , and the spirit of all the remnant of the people , and they came and did work in the house of the lord of hosts their god , in the four and twentieth day of the sixth month , in the second year of darius the king . of the prophesies of haggai and zacharie . haggai was the first of the prophets , that were sent to preach to the iews , after their return from the captivity of babylon . he began to prophesie in the second year of (*) darius nothus , and within two moneths , the prophet zacharie was joyned with him , and they were both sent upon this occasion . cyrus had very gratiously given leave to the iews , to return into their own countrie , and there to rebuild their city and temple . which indulgence many of them made use of , and laid the foundation of the temple , and raised the altar of holocaust : but cyrus being much intangled in ●everal wars , and cambyses , after him , not a little troubled the governors of the neighbouring places upon that advantage did much hinder the jews , accusing them , in their letters to the persian monarchs , as men that set upon that work , with a purpose of rebellion against them , when they had fortified themselves . but , after darius was come to the crown of persia : god was pleased to expresse his pleasure ( by haggai , and zacharie ) for their proceeding in the work of the temple , mercifully intending to move the heart of darius to favour the design . some there were that gave ear to these two prophets , by the encouragement of zorobabel , their commander , and iosuah , the son of iosedec , their high-priest . yet many of the common people , partly unwilling to undergo the labour of the work , and the danger of the enemie , that opposed it : and partly desirous to avoid the charge , and expense of such a fabrick , had no mind to hear of that ear : and thought it far better , and safer , to live frugallie in those houses which they had built somewhat convenient for themselves , and so ( as they thought ) to secure themselves of the profits of the country , and save their money in their purses , making no further contribution toward those publick structures , which did but give offence to their enemies . but , in processe of time , god blessing the endeavours of the two prophets , ( that preached earnestly against the peoples cowardly fear , and sloth , and covetousnesse ) and withal so inclining the heart of darius , that he gave out an edict , for the liberty of the iews to build , and their enemies to let them do so , the work of building the temple went on with happy successe . and in the prophesie of haggai , which began the exhortation to that work , something is , for their incouragement , clearly * foretold of the near approach of the messias , that was to honour the temple with his own presence . in the other , zacharie doth as plainly set out , his ‖ coming to ierusalem upon palm-sunday : and the * price that should be set on him , in that place , and his * passion there . chap. i. . in the second year of darius nothus , in the sixth moneth which hath part of august , and part of september ) in the first day of the moneth ( which the iews observed , in every moneth as a festival day ( the lord spake by haggai the prophet , unto zerubbabel , * the son of shealtiel ( or shalathiel ) governor of iudah , and to iosuah , the son of iosedec the high-priest ( who had both become too remisse in urging , and promoting forward that good work of reedifying the temple , after they perceived the slowns and backwardness of the people in that task . ) . and this was the sum of that which the lord of hosts so * spake to them two , in the audience of many other of the jews . this my people , that should be most forward to advance any work about my house : yet , for their private ease , and interests , can be content to say , the time is not yet come , the fit season , wherein the lords house is to be built . ( there is no such hast , but that we may stay well enough for a quieter , and fitter opportunity , wherein to enter upon it , without fear of interruption . ) . whereupon the word of the lord came to them by me his prophet haggai , saying . . * o you covetous people , and flow to all that is good ! is it a seasonable time for you to dwell in your fair seiled houses , while my sacred house must lie open and wast ( with nothing but a mere foundation of the structure , and an altar for the holocausts ) have you leasure , and will , and money enough for your own houses , and nothing for mine ? . now therefore , saith the lord of hosts , ( whose command all things obey ) consider well the unadvised courses , that you have followed hitherto , and the successe , that hath insued upon them , answerable unto your deserts . . you have sowed much in your fields , and brought in little into your barns ( your harvest hath no way answered the expense of your seed-time . ) god would rather revenge your neglect of him , and his house , then give a prosperous issue of your labours , which were untertaken onely in a greedy desire of your private gain . or , if you got enough to feed you , yet nature hath not thrived , and been satisfied with that food , which wanted my blessing upon it . and therefore also the good drink that you had could not chear the heart , and make you merry , nor your wonted apparel keep you so warm as it used to do . and your money which you gathered together with much labour , and industrie , you found to be so sodainly vanished away , and exhausted ( with so many several waies of losse , and expense ) as if it had been put into a bag so full of holes that nothing could be long kept within it . . therefore (a) once again doth the lord of hosts advise you to take these things to heart , and seriously consider this unexpected event of your own waies . . and , when you have done , so then ( by way of amendment ) go into these mountainous places , that are best stored with timber , and furnish your selves with so many cedars from thence , as will be needful toward the building of my house . and then raise up that structure as it should be , fit for my publick service , and i will geatiously accept of that cost and labour of yours , and requite it with many blessings , for which (b) you shall have just occasion to glorifie my holy name . . for , hitherto indeed you have looked carefully (c) to the increase of your estate , specially for your crop abroad , and have taken the best course for it , as you thought : yet you cannot but see that i brought all that great care , and expectation to little , or nothing . and when you had fetched home your gains , and your wealth so carefully purchased ; i made it to vanish aud flie away with the least blast of mine anger , as easily as the dust is blown away before a mighty wind . and why did i this ? saith the lord of hosts ( what is the reason of this curse ? ) i will tell you why i did it . because you let my house lie desolate , and unbuilt , while you were all too hastily , and wholly taken up with the building and adorning of your own private houses . so your neglect of me and my service produced my neglect of you , and your profit . . that is the reason , why the heavens , that are above you , were prohibited to supply you with that dew , which should help on the growth of those things , that spring out of the earth . and the earth , that is under you , had the like prohibition from affording her usual increase of fruit . . and i commanded a drought and barrennesse to come upon all the land , specially upon the mountainous and most eminent parts . a barrennesse both of the corn , and the new wine , and the oyl . and this barrennesse extended to all that , which is brought forth of the ground , or (d) of men , or of cattel : and so to every thing that mny be esteemed as a fruit of the labour of your hands . so that nothing that you went about did any way seem to prosper . . these words of the prophet wrought so with zerubbabel , the son of shealtiel , and iosuah the son of iosedech the high-priest , and the remnant of the iews that returned out of the captivity ; that they readily obeyed what god had injoyned them to do ; and to what his prophet haggai had delivered to them , they gave great attention , and respect , (e) because the lord , their god , had set him upon that message . and so the people humbled themselves in the fear of the lord , and submitted to what had been said against them , and to what was not required of them . . whereupon haggai , that had delivered the former message from the lord , spake again to them , by vertue of a further commission , and deputation from god himself , and said , i will be with you , saith the lord , not onely to pardon all that is past , but to prosper also what you readily undertake , for the reedifying of my temple . . in prosecution of which promise , the lord stirred up the spirit ( i. the will and courage ) of zorobabel , the son of shealtiel , governour of iudah , and the spirit of joshua , the son of josedec , the high-priest , and the spirit of all the jews , that remained after the captivity of babylon . and they began to compose , and prepare themselves for that work , in the house of the lord of hosts , their god. . and what was thus resolved on , was accordingly begun , upon the . day of the sixth moneth ( which hath part of our august , and part of september ) in the second year of darius the king. chap. ii. in the seventh moneth , in the one and twentieth day of the moneth , came the word of the lord by the prophet haggai , saying . speak now to zerubbabel the son of shealtiel governour of iudah , and to ioshua the son of iosedech the high-priest , and to the residue of the people , saying , who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory ? and how do ye see it now ? is it not in your eies in comparison of it , as nothing ? yet now be strong , o zerubbabel , saith the lord , and be strong , o ioshua , son of iosedech the high-priest , and be strong all ye people of the land , saith the lord , and work : for i am with you , saith the lord of hosts . according to the word that i covenanted with you when ye came out of egypt , so my spirit remaineth among you : fear ye not . for thus saith the lord of hosts . yet once , it is a little while , and i will shake the heavens , and the earth , and the sea , and the dry land . and i will shake all nations , and the desire of all nations shall come , and i will fill this house with glory , saith the lord of hosts . the silver is mine , and the gold is mine , saith the lord of hosts . the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former , saith the lord of hosts : and in this place will i give peace saith the lord of hosts . in the four and twentieth day of the nineth moneth , in the second year of darius came the word of the lord by haggai , the prophet , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , ask now the priests concerning the law , saying , if one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment , and with his skirt do touch bread , or pot age , or wine , or oyl , or any meat , shal it be holy ? and the priests answered & said , no. then said haggai , if one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these shall it be unclean ? and the priests answered and said , it shall be unclean . then answered haggai , and said , so is this people , and so is this nation before me , saith the lord , and so is every work of their hands , and that which they offer there is unclean . and now i pray you , consider from this day , and upward , from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the lord. since those daies were when one came to an heap of measures , there were but ten : when one came to the presse-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press , there were but twenty . i smote you with blasting , & with mildew , & with hail , in all the labour , of your hands , yet ye turned not to me , saith the lord. consider now from this day and upward , from the four and twentieth day of the ninth moneth , even from the day that the foundation of the lords temple was laid , consider it . is the seed yet in the barn● yea , as yet the vine and the fig-tree , and the pomegranate , and the olive-tree hath not brought forth : from this day will i blesse you . and again the word of the lord came unto haggai in the four & twentieth day of the moneth saying , speak to zerubbabel governour of iudah , saying , i will shake the heavens and the earth . and i will overthrow the throne of kingdoms , and i will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen , and i will overthrow the chariots , and those that ride in them , and the horses and their riders shall come down , every one by the sword of his brother . in that day , saith the lord of hosts , will i take thee , o zerubbabel my servant , the son of shealtiel saith the lord , and will make thee as a signet for i have chosen thee , saith the lord of hosts . chap. ii. . in the seventh moneth ( which consisted of part of our september , and part of october , ) and in the twenty first day of the moneth , the lord spake again to the prophet haggai , and by him to the people of the jewes , to this effect . . speak now to zerubbabel , the son of shealtiel , governour of iudah , and to ioshua the son of iosedech , the high-priest , and to the people , that are returned from the captivity of babylon , and say unto them . . (a) if there be any of you left of the captivity that hath seen the temple , which was formerly built in this place , in the rich and glorious state and beauty , which then it had ( being a work of much time , and cost ) what do you now see this likely to be ( which you have begun in haste to raise up , and cannot furnish with such wealth , and ornaments as the other had by the beneficence of severall kings of judah ) doth not this fabrick , if it be compared with that , seem to be (b) of no great hope and expectation for state and glory . . but (c) yet , be of good comfort , o zerubbabel , saith the lord , and thou , o ioshua , son of iosedech the high-priest , chear up thy self . and let the rest of the people of the land be no way discouraged . (d) but go on chearfully with the work now in hand . for i am with you ) ( to blesse and prosper you ) saith the lord of hostes ( whom all things serve and obey . . whatsoever i promised (e) and covenanted to do for you , when you came out of egypt , ( that will i make good , in my mercifull protection of you , and crowning your obedience unto me with all the blessings of that covenant . ) and my spirit shall be (f) constantly with you , by the ministery of my prophets , and other waies to direct you in this work , or what else you shall take in hand for the like advancement of my service ) therefore be not dismayed , or discouraged at these little beginnings . . for , the time is coming on , saith the lord of hostes , and it is but a little while to be expected , ( it shall be , while this temple is standing ) when i will once again make as great (g) motions and alterations in the world : in the heavens , and in the earth , and in the sea , and in the dry land , as ever i did , since i began to bring you out of (h) egypt . and you shall find a great alteration , and difference from my own workes then to be done , and those done heretofore , since your coming out of egypt . for , the thunder , and lightning from heaven in mount sinai , when i descended to give the law , will be nothing to that opening of the heavens , (i) wherein my holy spirit shall visibly descend upon the messias in jordan , and his apostles in mount sion . and again , the bringing water out of the hardest , and driest parts of the earth , or dividing the waters of the red sea , will be nothing to the earth-quakes at the death of the messias , and his coming out of the grave , and ( before that ) his walking upon the waters . . and for the motions or commotions , that i named (k) before , those commotions , and alterations in all nations shall be such , ( by severall wars , and tumults ) that they shall all be ready to shake , and tremble at them . but , after the appeasing of those stirs , the messias himself , the longing desire and (l) expectation , and the (m) delight , and sweet comfort of all people , shall come in person . and then will be the time , when by his coming into my temple , who is the king of glory , i shall fill this house that you are building , ( this second temple ) (n) with glory , indeed , saith the lord of hostes. . as for the outward splendour and rich offerings , in the first temple , i prize them not so highly as you do . and when i please to be honoured with them , i can make this temple as richly supplied as ever solomon's was . for , all the silver is at my command , and the gold is at my disposall , saith the lord of hostes. . but in far higher respects , than those of wealth , and splendour , (o) shall the glory of this latter house exceed that of the former , saith the lord of hostes. and the time of that glory shall be a time , when i will give peace unto this place , saith the lord of hostes. . in this second year of darius , upon the twenty fourth day of the ninth moneth , ( which took up part of our november , and december : and by (p) which time , the materials being prepared , the work began to be set forward with much alacrity ) the lord spake again by haggai , the prophet , saying . . thus saith the lord of hostes , ask now the priests a resolution of a case put in their own (q) law , ( wherein they are , or should be able to decide any scruple , in that kind , proposed unto them ) and do it in these termes . . if a man should carry any holy flesh , ( that , being offered up to god , hath been sanctified by the altar ) and carrying it in the skirt of his garment , should with that skirt touch any ordinary bread , or pottage , or wine , or oyl , or any kind of meat : should that , which is so touched by that wherein the holy flesh is , be therefore holy ? to this quaere the priests answered and said , no. ( the common meat would not be sanctified , by touching that wherein the sanctified meat was carried . ) . then again said the prophet haggai . but if any one that is legally unclean by touching of a dead body , should in that time , touch any of these , would that which he toucheth be unclean by the law ? and the priests answer was , (r) that it would be unclean , ( for the legall sanctity is not so easily communicated by one thing to another , as the legall impurity is . ) . to which the prophet haggai replied , and said , so is it with the impure and disobedient heart of this people , (s) that hath polluted whatsoever they offered upon their new altar , which they made in cyrus his time , (t) when they began to lay the foundation of the temple , and would not afterward so proceed in it , as i gave them direction . therefore i account no otherwise of this disobedient nation , than of a nation impure in my ●ight saith the lord. and this uncleannesse sticks to every work of their hands , and to what soever they have offered at that altar , being so polluted with the bold sinne of the neglect of that command of mine ( to raise the temple . ) for , neither can that which is sanctified impart holinesse to that which is profane : neither can that which is unclean but derive the like uncleannesse to that which was holy , which showes you a little light , wherein you may see the power of your sins above your vertues , ( if you had them . ) . and now ( to see the fruit of your unclean hearts , and hands ) consider seriously with your selves , what hath happened to you and what punishment i laid upon you , before you setled your selves to this work of re-edifying my temple , and the builders went on with the foundation of it , for the promoting of my service . . from those times of your negligence and disobedience , till that time wherein the fabrick was chearfully undertaken : when a man came to a heap of corn , in which he hoped well to be supplied with twenty measures , there he received but ten , ( the half of what he expected , according to the usuall proportion of the increase of his feed . ) and when a man came to the presse-fat , where he had thought to have drawn fifty vessels out of the presse there he drew but twenty , ( he could never see that blessed increase , that he was in hope of . ) . the reason was , because i turned that blessing into a curse . i smote the labours of your hands , and corrupted the fruit of your grounds with blasting and mildew , and haile . and therefore i did it , because i would have had you to reflect upon your sinfull hearts , and be converted unto me : but yet this punishment was not followed with your conversion , saith the lord. . and now take it also into your serious consideration , what better successe you have had from this day and upward , (u) from the twenty fourth day of the nineth moneth , wherein you began to go on with the foundation of the temple of the lord , ( which had been laid before , and too long neglected ) and again , i advise you to take speciall notice of this day . . we are now in the (x) ninth moneth . and ●s your corn , which you lately sowed , yet come into your barnes ? are you as sure of it , as if you had it home into your own possession , and at your own disposall ? no. it is still under the ground : you have it but in hope , and you stand still in need of my blessing upon it , that it may be ripened and sitted for the barn . and do you not see , that the vine , and the sig-tree , and the pomegranate , and the olive-tree are yet far from bringing forth that which gives you some likelihood of a good and plentifull year . yet from this day , ( though these fruites are no forwarder , and the seed be yet in the ground ) from this very day will i poure my blessing upon them , and so from this day give you an assurance , that all these things shall prosper and increase as you would have them . . and again the word of the lord came to the prophet haggai , in this twenty fourth day of the aforesaid moneth , to this effect . . speak to zerubbabel , the governour of iudah , and say . it shall not be long before (y) i shake the heavens , and the earth ( those that are placed above others , as in a higher orbe : and those that are under them ) with many great wars , and tumults . . i will bring ruine and destruction upon the rich and large kingdomes under the command of the persian monarch : and so overthrow that high throne , and state of his : and bring down the pride and puissance of that great empire , which so overtops the kingdoms of the heathen . i will overturn their chariots of war with their skilfull riders . and their stately steeds with those that are so bravely mounted upon them shall have a fall . they shall all perish by the sword of those nations that are their brethren in iniquity and idolatry , and deserve no better than they do . . at that time , ( when all these stormes shall fall upon them ) saith the lord of hostes will i take thee into my own (z) protection , o zerubhabel the son of shealtiel , my servant , and i will preserve thee as warily , and as carefully as a man would preserve his own signet . ( thou and thy people shall be secure in the middest of those stirs , that in thy time , and long after shall be among the greatest nations ) and all this will i do , because i have set my love and favour upon thee , and selected thee and thy nation , to be a more peculiar object of my care , and mercy , saith the lord of hostes. a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of zechariah . chap. i. . in the eighth moneth , in the second year of darius , came the word of the lord unto zechariah , the son of barachiah , the son of iddo the prophet , saying , the lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers . therefore say thou unto them , thus saith the lord of hosts , turn ye unto me , saith the lord of hosts , and i will turn unto you , saith the lord of hosts . be not as your fathers unto whom the former prophets , have cried , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , turn ye now from your evil waies , and from your evill doings : but they did not hear , nor hearken unto me saith the lord. your fathers , where are they ? and the prophets , do they live for ever ? but my words , and my statutes which i commanded my servants the prophets , did they not take hold of your fathers ? and they returned and said , like as the lord of hostes thought to do unto us , according to our waies , and according to our doings , so hath he dealt with us . upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh moneth , which is the moneth sebat , in the second year of darius , came the word of the lord unto zechariah , the son of barachiah , the son of iddo the prophet , saying , i saw by night , and behold , a man riding upon a red horse , and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom , and behind him were there red horses , speckled and white . then said i , o my lord , what are these ? and the angel that talked with me , said unto me , i will shew thee what these be . and the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said , these are they whom the lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth . and they answered the angel of the lord that stood among the myrtle-trees , and said , we have walked to and fro through the earth , and behold , all the earth sitteth still , and is at rest . then the angel of the lord answered , and said , o lord of hostes , how long wilt thou not have mercy on ierusalem , and on the cities of iudah , against which thou hast had indignation these three-score and ten years ? and the lord answered the angel that talked with me , with good words and comfortable words . so the angel that communed with me , said unto me , cry thou , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , i am jealous for ierusalem , and for zion with a great jealousie . and i am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease : for i was but a little displeased , and they helped forward the affliction . therefore thus saith the lord , i am returned to ierusalem with mercies : my house shall be built in it , saith the lord of hosts , and a line shall be stretched forth upon ierusalem . cry yet , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , my cities through prosperitie shall yet be spread abroad , and the lord shall yet comfort zion , and shall ye choose ierusalem . then lift i up mine eies , and saw , and behold four hornes . and i said unto the angel that talked with me , what be these ? and he answered me , these are the hornes which have scattered iudah , israel , and ierusalem . and the lord shewed me four carpenters . then said i , what come these to do ? and he spake , saying , these are the hornes which have scattered iudah , so that no man did lift up his head : but these are come to fray them , to cast out the horns of the gentiles , which lift up their horne over the land of iudah to scatter it . chap. i. . in the eighth moneth ( the moneth bul , which had part of our october , and part of november ) in the second yeàr of darius , the son of hystaspes , god spake unto the prophet zachary , the son of barachias , the son of iddo , and thus said unto him . ( (a) thus shalt thou say unto the jewes ) the lord was very much , though very justly , displeased with your fathers : whom he therefore delivered up , as captives , into the hands of the king of babylon . . and thou shalt further say unto them . thus saith the lord of hostes , ( whom all things serve and obey . ) return unto me by a true repentance and amendment of life , saith the lord of hostes : and i will return unto you , in that favour , and mercy , and tender care of your welfare , which the great sins of your fathers made me , for a time , withdraw from your nation , saith the lord of hostes. . be not you disobedient as your fathers were , whom the former prophets have earnestly and zealously called upon , saying , thus saith the lord of hostes , repent ye now , forsake all your evill waies , and your wicked actions , wherein you go on to get unto your selves a dangerous habit of sin . yet they would not diligently attend , and accordingly obey me , saith the great iehovah . . but , where be your fathers now , that were so refractory , and disobedient unto me , and what is b●come of their false prophets , that soothed them up in their sins , did they live for ever ? did i not send one calamity after another , to hunt after them , and bring them to their graves ? . notwithstanding all their security , and vain hopes of peace , and an imaginary protection from me , for my temples sake , have not my words , and decrees , which my servantt the good prophets delivered to them , by my command proved now to be true ? have not those judgements , which i so decreed , and foretold , at the last , justly overtaken them , so that many of them , in a true sense , and apprehension of the greatnesse of their sins , and the truth of those predictions returned in the end to a sober mind , and ing●niously acknowledging their errour could not but say , just as the lord of hostes resolved to do unto us , by inflicting a heavie punishment , answerable to our grievous sins in all the severall waies , and wicked actions , wherein we had offended , even so hath he made it good upon us . ( this confession my punishments extorted from your fathers , let it be one motive of your true repentance , that so you may escape those miseries which they pulled upon their own heads by not applying themselves unto me , by a timely repentance . ) . now within two or three moneths after zachary had preached this sermon , namely upon the twenty fourth day of the eleventh moneth , which is the moneth shebat , ( and containes part of our january , and part of february ) in the second year of darius , the son of hystaspes ; the word of the lord was revealed unto zachary , the prophet , the son of barachiah , the son of iddo , in this manner , as i shall tell it . . in the quiet silence of the night , i saw a vision ( that promised , though in a dark , and mysticall way , a quiet and peaceable time for the advancement of the work about the temple : and partly discovered , how many angels were ready , with the messias , to assist and defend the church in that time : and much more , under that figure , how many helps would be afforded from heaven , for that more spirituall church : whose foundation should be laid in that citie , by the preaching of the messias , and of his apostles , and disciples ) in this vision ( to show the speed and forwardnesse of them that were sent ) i observed , (b) a man riding upon a red horse , ( the very colour of the horse speaking the revenge , that he meant to take of the enemies of the church . ) and he stood among the myrtle-trees , that were in a bottom (c) by a river side , ( wherein again as the bottom , and the shadow of the trees bid us take notice , how obscurely these things are revealed , and how little hope appeared from men , for the delivery , and tranquillity of the church : so the trees being the sweet and humble myrtle , were a figure of meek and humble men , that were , for their holy life , accounted as a sweet odour unto god. ) but after the view of this horse-man , came more holy emblems of our help . for behind him ( as the captain ) there appeared other ( as attendants ) on red horses and speckled and white , ( as if the red were to signifie those , that should attend their great captain in prosecution of the revenge of the bloody enemies of the church , whereof we spake before : and the other two , those that came for the punishment of such as were other waies spotted with sin : and for the protection of the pure , and innocent . ) . then said i to the captain of this troop of horse , the great commander of this various armie under the lord of hostes , who are these , my lord ? and that great angel or messenger ( sent from god himself , ) vouchsafeing to answer , and discourse (d) with me , said , (e) i will let thee know what these be . . then presenting himself in the form of a man , and staying still under the shade of the myrtle-trees , he said . these are the armie and messengers , that the great iehovah sends abroad , to compasse the earth , ( to punish the worser , and defend the better sort of men . ) . whereupon the rest , in reference to what that great messenger of the great iehovah had said , while he stood under the myrtle-trees gave this further answer to what i had presumed to ask of him. we have passed thorough the whole circuit of this land , and we have taken such order , that this & all the countries hereabouts are in peace , and quiet ( and therefore they may safely , and securely proceed in the fabrick of the temple , without any fear of disturbance at home , or abroad . ) . vpon this occasion , that great messenger from the lord was pleased to say ( as the great mediator for his despised church ) o lord of hostes , how long was it , ere thou wouldst have this pitie upon ierusalem , and other the cities of iudah , ( which still appear but in their ruines and rubbish , and ) which in thine anger thou didst keep under the babylonian captivity , no lesse than threescore and ten years ( the very age of a man. ) . and the lord iehovah himself gave answer to that great angel , that had spoke so to me in most loving , and comfortable words . . hereupon that great angel , and embassador that had vouchsafed so far to commmune with me added this further , and said , go and preach again unto thy people the jewes , and say , thus saith the lord of hostes , i have indeed been jealous over ierusalem , and sion , and very jealous over them ( because of their spiritual adulteries , which they have committed against me , and i have punished them , in some proportion to that jealousie . ) . but now my anger shall fall , in as great a measure upon those nations , (f) that have enjoyed their ease , and plenty , while you have been under the rod. and i will punish them the rather , because , whereas i used them like schoolmasters for your correction onely , they added more to your punishment than they should have done : as if they endeavoured your ruine rather than your amendment : and so hindered , as much as in them lay , the good hopes of your recovery , and your return to this place , and to my service . . therefore this now is the mercifull resolution of the lord . i will return with a gracious aspect upon ierusalem , and i will prosper the building of my temple there , saith the lord of hostes. and let them be as sure of it , as if they now see their carpenters drawing out their lines for the whole work , that not the temple onely , but the citie of jerusalem too (g) shall be re-edified , and made like her self again , in her walls , and gates , and other places of ornament , and defense , that are fit for so great a city . . and add this moreover , when thou preachest to my people , and say . thus saith the lord of hostes , my cities in judah shall be so stored , and filled once again , with all good things , as a vessel is , that is (h) ready to run over , and burst with abundance of liquor . and the lord will again comfort sion , and show his loving kindnesse to ierusalem , as a place that he hath selected and picked out , for the object of his love . . after this , lifting up mine eies , i presently saw four hornes . . and i said to the great angel that discoursed with me , what mean those horns , that i see ? and he answered , these horns are four severall nations , all enemies to judaea , and ready , like wild beasts , to (i) tosse and molest her , upon every advantage : and so to hinder the good work , which she intended about the temple . (k) and these were , the cuthaeans , the ammonites , the arabians , and the philistims . . then the lord shewed me four carpenters ( well furnished with hatchets , and sawes , and other instruments of their art , as it were to cut those hornes shorter , that made so great a show : or to help forward the building of the temple . ) then said i , what come these men to do ? and he answered : the hornes that you saw , are severall nations , that would fain tosse and scatter iudah from place to place , and like horned beasts , have so gored and pushed at that weak people , that they dare not turn head against them , or make any resistance . (l) now these carpenters are come ( as friends that god hath raised up for you ) to fray away , and disperse them , and all such like among the gentiles , that shall presume to lift up their hornes against the land of iudah , to make another dispersion of that afflicted people . ( and , things being so quieted , you may the better attend the work about the house of god. ) chap. ii. i lift up mine eyes again , and looked , and behold , a man with a measuring-l●ne in his hand . then said i , whither goest thou ? and he said unto me , to measure ierusalem , to see what is the breadth thereof , and what is the length thereof . and behold , the angel that talked with me , went forth , and another angel went out to meet him , and said unto him , run , speak to this young man , saying , ierusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattel therein . for i , saith the lord , will be unto her a wall of fire round about , and will be the glory in the midst of her . ho , ho , come forth , and flee from the land of the north , saith the lord : for i have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven , saith the lord. deliver thy self , o zion , that dwellest with the daughter of babylon . for thus saith the lord of hosts , after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you , for he that toucheth you , toucheth the apple of his eye . for behold , i will shake mine hand upon them , and they shall be a spoil to their servants : and ye shall know that the lord of hosts hath sent me . sing and rejoyce , o daughter of zion : for lo , i come , & i will dwel in the midst of thee , saith the lord. and many nations shall be joyned to the lord in that day , and shall be my people : and i will dwell in the midst of thee , and thou shalt know that the lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee . and the lord shall inherit iudah his portion in the holy land , and shall choose ierusalem again . be silent , o all flesh , before the lord : for he ie raised up out of his holy habitation . chap. ii. . ( after what was told me of the four carpenters , and as it were in confirmation of that ) another vision caused the lifting up of mine eyes , where i beheld a man with a measuring line in his hand . ( * a resemblance of nehemiah , that was to take care for the employment of the builders of the city . ) . to this man i presently applied my self , and said unto him , whither art thou going ? and he returned me this answer : i am going to measure ierusalem , that i may see what is the breadth , and what is the length of it . . (a) you may take notice , that , in the mean while , the great angel , with whom i had been entertained in discourse before , withdrew himself from the place where he then stood : and another angel went out to meet him , and receive his commands . . to whom this was that , which the great angel gave first in charge . make hast , saith he , and deliver this prophesie to that young man , ( zachariah , the young prophet ) and say . ierusalem shall be once again so populous , that many of her citizens shall be fain to inhabite in the suburbs , and in the little villages all about them , because neither they , nor their cattle , and other wealth shall be able to be conteined within the walls . ( in all which jerusalem shall be but a type of a greater accesse of true converts to the church of god , which is the true jerusalem , the mother of us all . ) . and to this ierusalem ( and to that which is figured by it ) will i be like a wall of fire round about her ( to defend her from all outward assaults ) and within the citie , i will be a glory to her in the many , and miraculous expressions of my power , and majestie . . you therefore that account your selves in the number of the children of israel , and are yet in the land of your captivity . come , o come quickly to us out of those northern climates , saith the lord. for i will dilate and extend your habitations towards the four winds of heaven , and much inlarge the borders of your possession , saith the lord. . therefore make hast , come away , come away you citizens of sion . delight not to continue your captivity , and prolong the time of your banishment from your jerusalem : but speedily come out of babylon , you that hitherto have continued in that place . ( come out of your places of idolatrie , and seat your selves in the spatious limits of the true church of god. ) . for thus saith the lord of hosts ( the great deliverer and defender of his church . ) (b) come after that glory , wherein i shall go before you , as your glorious guide and champion , to conduct you safe to your jerusalem ( that here and that above ) for (c) he that sends me ( as his great angel of the covenant , and commander of his hosts . ) hath sent me , upon this errand amongst the rest , to visit the nations that spoiled you to be avenged , and to deliver you out of their tyrannie . nor could you expect any lesse , since he that toucheth you , toucheth the very apple of his eye . he is as sensible of your injuries , and sufferings , as if they were his own , and offered to him in a part of the tenderest touch . . therefore you may observe me already shaking my hand over them by way of menace . and accordingly them that have heretofore used you as servants , i shall not fail ere long to make servants unto you , and some of them more then so ( as in the time of the maccabees ) to be no better then captives , taken in warlike manner ( which shall serve also as a type and figure of those that shall be taken into my service , when * i send the rod of my power out of sion , and when my spiritual souldiers shall bring them of all nations into the number of the true israel of god ) and , when they that i send , shall compasse so great atchievements , you will know assuredly , that it was the lord of hosts that sent me ( the great commander , not of those troops onely , that appeared in the first vision , but of all things that are in heaven , and earth . ) . rejoyce then , and be exceeding glad , o daughter of sion : for , (d) which thou shalt see and wonder at , i will not onely vouchsafe to dwell in this temple , that you are building , but i will further be pleased to come & dwell with you , visibly , & personally conversing among you ( in the sacred temple of my flesh ) saith the lord iehovah . . and many nations shall apply themselves to the lord in those daies , and like true proselytes , and converts indeed , be joyned unto him , ( as souldiers to sight under his banner , and no longer as enemies to him and his church ) so shall they become my people , as you are , and true members of the true jerusalem : and i will abide , and dwell in the midst of thee , and within thee ( as my holy temple , and my heaven upon earth ) and so thou shalt be more and more assured that it was the lord of hosts , that sent me unto thee , o thou * daughter of sion , ( the church and congregation of the true servants of god. ) . with this happy successe shall the lord inherit iudah again , as his peculiar possession , in the holy land , and again make choice of ierusalem , wherein to show his power , and glory . . therefore let all (e) men be still , and show (f) fear and reverence before the lord. for he will rise up from the throne of his glory , and show himself from his holy habitation , to (g) subdue his enemies under his feet , and be glorified in his servants . chap. iii. and he shewed me ioshua the high priest , standing before the angel of the lord , and satan standing at his right hand to resist him . and the lord said unto satan , the lord rebuke thee , o satan , even the lord that hath chosen ierusalem , rebuke thee : is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire ? now ioshua was clothed with filthy garments , and stood before the angel . and he answered , and spake unto those that stood before him , saying , take away the filthy garments from him . and unto him he said , behold , i have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee , and i will clothe thee with change of raiment . and i said , let them set a fair mitre upon his head : so they set a fair , mitre upon his head , and clothed him with garments , and the angel of the lord stood by . and the angel of the lord protested unto ioshua , saying , thus saith the lord of hosts , if thou wilt walk in my waies , and if thou wilt keep my charge , then thou shalt also judge my house , and shalt also keep my courts , and i will give thee places to walk among these that stand by . hear now , o ioshua the high priest , thou and thy fellows that sit before thees for they are men wondred at : for behold , i will bring forth my servant the branch . for behold , the stone that i have laid before ioshua : upon one stone shall be seven eyes , behold , i will engrave the graving thereof , saith the lord of hosts , and i will remove the iniquity of that land in one day . in that day saith the lord of hosts shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine , and under the fig-tree . chap. iii. . now the lord , in another vision , let me see iosuah the high-priest , standing before that great angel , or messenger of the lord : and satan standing at joshuah his (a) right hand : that he might there show himself to be (a) a satan . i. an adversarie and malitious accusar of him , and so , like his name . . and the lord iehovah ( or some archangel representing his person ) said unto satan . (*) the lord rebuke , or restrain thee , o satan , from prevailing in thy malitious accusation , to any prejudice of the high-priest . even that gratious lord so restrain thee , in the behalf of jerusalems high priest , that hath in so great love made choice of ierusalem , as a place to be made a special object of his favour , and mercy . (b) for , is not this joshua , whom thou opposest , one that hath more need of divine compassion , and indulgence ; as being like a brand plucked out of many sad dangers , and fierie trials , that befel him in the time of his long captivity : and by him plucked out , and rescued thence , that gave that token of his care , and protection over him , for the time to come . . now joshuah appeared to me , in this vision , as one clad in filthy apparrel , while he thus stood before the great angel of the lord ( which might be an embleme , not so much of his poor estate , as of some (c) sin , that he had contracted in the time of his captivity . for , sin represents us no otherwise in the sight of gods pure eyes , then as men covered with rags , and pollution . . then said that great angel to the other , that stood ready to (d) obey his commands . take away joshuahs filthy garments from him ( as a sign of the removal of his sins , that had made him appear so unpleasing in the sight of god ) and then , turning himself to the high-priest see , saith he , and forget not this mercy , wherein i have caused the removal of thy sin , which might now have been laid to thy charge , and i will cause thee to be arrayed in such new and decent garments ( the robes of righteousnesse ) as wherein thou shalt be accepted . . i have also (e) taken order with my attendants , ( said he ) that they set a fair mytre upon the head of iosuah , * as the high-priest of the lord. and this they did accordingly ( in sign of a confirmation of him in his great , and sacred office , notwithstanding all that his greatest (f) enemy could have objected against him ) and they clothed him all over with new and comely apparel , and set a fair mitre upon his head , while that great angel of the lord was pleased to (g) stay there , and see all this done , as he had commanded . . after which , that great angel of the lord protested also unto ioshuah , thus consecrated for the high-priest of the jews , and said , . thus saith the lord of hosts unto thee . if thou wilt walk in those good waies which i have commanded (h) and diligently observe that charge of divine service , that i have entrusted thee withal : then thou shalt judge and determine , and give commands concerning all that belongs to the sacrifices , and ceremonies of my house , and to the custodie of the several courts of my temple . and in due time , thou shalt have more honour and liberty then to make use of the walks , and galleries about the temple ; when , for thy walking here in my waies i shall admit thee to those places , where thou shalt walk , and converse with these angels , that stand all about to (i) attend me ( this is the reward of them , that here walk with god. ) . and now give ear , o ioshuah the high-priest , to the ground of that promise . thou maist hear it , and so may thy friends ( the prophets , and other my good servants ) that use to sit with thee ( to advise of setting forward that which belongs to my service . they are fit auditors of such mysteries as these , because being (k) miracles of piety , in respect of other men , they may be accounted the more worthy to have , miracles , and signs of things to come , imparted unto them . and such are these which i shall now relate . for , behold , i will at last bring forth (l) my servant the branch . i will " make the root of iesse bud out of the earth , and appear : the messias , of whom zorobabel is now the type and figure , and that comes out of the same stock . . and there is another mysterie , worth an ecce . for you may observe (m) the plummet which zorobabel made use of , when he laid the foundation of the temple , and (n) which i caused to be given him , in the presence of thee , ioshuah the high-priest . vpon this one plummet , there appeared the figure and representation of seven eyes ( to show my (o) watchful providence over this , and all other places devoted to my service : and withall , (p) the wisdom and other graces , which should be eminent in the messias , the chief corner stone of all the mystical churches of god ) the engraving of those seven eyes in the plummet , was not cut out by any art of man , but i my self by my extraordinarie power made the engraving of it appear , as there it did , saith the lord of hosts . and , for that messias his sake , i will take away the sins of this wicked (q) world , in one day ( by virtue of his death and passion upon that day ) or , (r) at one time ( in that (s) once offering of himself for sinne . ) . in those daies of your deliverie from the bondage of sin , there shall be a time of peace , and mutual amity , when men shall be easily disposed to invite their neighbours to come , and sit with them , every man under his vine , and under his fig-tree , saith the lord of hosts , ( which is a figure of that inward peace , they shall have , and that true love they shall bear to others ; who shall feel the benefit of that daies passion , and the love , and mercy of him , that died for them . ) chap. iv. and the angel that talked with me , came again and waked me , as a man that is wakened out of his sleep . and said unto me . what seest thou ? and i said , i have looked , and behold , a candle-stick all of gold , with a bowl upon the top of it , and his seven lamps thereon , and seven pipes to the seven lamps , which were upon the top thereof : and two olive-trees by it , one upon the right side of the bowl , and the other upon the left side thereof . so i answered and spake to the angel that talked with me , saying , what are these , my lord. then the angel that talked with me , answered , and said unto me , knowest thou not what these be ? and i said , no , my lord. then he answered and spake unto me , saying , this is the word of the lord unto zerubbabel , saying . not he might● not by power , but by my spirit , saith the lord of hosts . who art thou , o great mountain ? before zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain , and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shourings , crying , grace , grace unto it . moreover , the word of the lord came unto me , saying , the hands of zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house , his hands shall also finish it ; and thou shalt know that the lord of hosts hath sent me unto you . for who hath despised the day of small things ? for they shall rejoyce , and shall see the plummet in the hand of zerubbabel with those seven , they are the eyes of the lord which run to and fro through the whole earth . then answered i and said unto him , what are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick , and upon the left side thereof ? and i answered again , and said unto him , what be these two olive-branches , which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oyl out of themselves ? and he answered me and said , knowest thou not what these be ? and i said , no my lord. then said he , these are the two anointed ones , that stand by the lord of the whole earth . chap. iv. . not long after these visions , i was rapt into another extasie , wherein the angel , that had conference with me before , seemed to come again and awake and rouse me up , as one out of a deep sleep and transe , that i might be the more attent , and observant of other mysteries , that were then to be revealed unto me , by way of vision . . and he said unto me , what seest thou zacharie ? and i said , there is another sight presented to my eyes , which takes me up with such admiration , that i cannot deliver it without an ecce . methinks i see a candlestick all of gold ( one of the great ornaments of the house of god ) and the bowl belonging to the top of it ( whence the oyl was conveyed , as out of a fountain ) and his seven lamps thereon , and seven several pipes , which emptied the oyl out of the bowl , and bestowed it the in match , or wick of the seven lamps : which pipes were upon the top of the shaft . . and by this fair candlestick stood two olive-trees , one upon the right side of the bowl , and the other upon the left-side thereof : which gave a continual supply of oyl to the bowls , and might signifie (a) the two sons of oyl ( as we call them ) i. the two sacred persons , that have holy unction , the king and the priest : and might intimate unto us , that a prince and priest we should have , till the times of the messias , according to the prophesie of iacob . though these mysteries both here , and in the temple might have a farther light in this candlestick ; to show us the ecclesiastical function in the greater church of god , wherein the several ministers , like several and clear lamps , should shine forth in their doctrine , and conversation , that others , by their good light , may be brought to glorifie their father , which is in heaven . . but , these things , at the first representation of the vision , i did not so discover , but , being wholly taken up with admiration , i proceeded , and said further to the angel , that discoursed with me , what is the meaning of these things , my lord. . to which that angel , that had pleased so to talk with me , replied , and said . dost thou not conceave what is meant , by the candlestick and the olive-trees , and the other parts of the vision ? and i said , i do not indeed , my lord : therefore i desire , that you would vouchsafe to explain the mysterie of them . . then saith he to me , by way of answer . thou maist gather part of the meaning out of those words , which thou art commanded to deliver unto zorobabel , that takes so great care , and pains about your sacred fabrick . for , thus you are commanded by god himself , so say unto zerubbabel . this building shalt thou be able to raise , and fit for my service , (b) not by any wealth or power of your own ( for , who sees not , how poor and weak your nation is at this time ) but by my spirit saith the lord of hosts , ( by the vertue and courage that i shall infuse into you all : and the means and friends that i shall raise up for you ) while your own poor abilities contribute as little to the finishing of so great a work , as you do to the supply of oyl for those lamps , which are fed by olive-trees , raised up miraculously by me , on purpose , for that intent . . and who can hinder that which the lord of hosts will do ? canst thou , o babylon ? alas , what art thou , that vaunts thy self and thy empire to overtop that of zerubbabel , and his little jury , as far as a high mountain appears above a little mole-hill ? did not i lay that high and mighty empire as low as a pore plain , in the sight of zerubbabel , ( who carried in his very name , a good omen of the confusion of babel , and the (c) dispersing of her several provinces ) shall i not do the like , against any other potentates , that oppose my poor church in any age ? yes , and now , ( to begin with iurie , and her ierusalem , and her temple there ) maugre all opposition , i inabled zerubbabel to appear * strong and powerful iu the work : i made him the man , that laid the first stone thereof , accompanied with the acclamations and good wishes of all the people , that cried out , (d) let god ever favour , let his mercy ever support it . he blesse , and succeed , and maintain this great work so happily begun . . moreover the word of the lord came to me (e) his angel , saying , . as the hands of zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house , (f) so when his hands have finished it ( i. by his care , at his command , and direction , and in his time the whole work be perfected as i foretold ) then shall you , by that accomplishment of my prediction , be able to conclude , that i came with commission from the lord of hosts , to encourage you in this businesse . . but , (g) if any man slight , and mistrust the time of these little beginnings of the fabrick , and think it promiseth but little for the conclusion . if any such there be , they will rather have cause to rejoyce and chear up themselves , when they consider what was (h) said of the plummet in the hand of zerubbabel , and of those seven eyes , that were so miraculously engraven in it by the immediate power of almighty god. for that is an embleme of the eyes of god , that run thorough the whole world , i. of his infinite providence , and care , that extends it self over all things , and specially over his own people . . then said i further to him . what is mean by those two olive-trees , whereof one stands upon the right , the other upon the left side of the candlestick ? . and , he deferring his answer . i presumed to propose the same question again unto him , and said , what are those two branches of the olives , hanging over the golden pipes , thence emptying their pretious oyl , as pure and (i) cleare as gold . . then he replying said unto me . knowest thou not yet , what is meant by them ? and i said i must confesse to my lord , i do not fullie conceave the meaning of them . . he answered . these are the two sons of oyl , as you use to speak , i. the two sorts of sacred persons , annointed with holy oyl : the prince and the high-priest , who (b) attend as two principal servants upon the lord of the whole earth , and whose vigilant care over the temple , and the whole church of god , in their respective places , is here figured by those two branches of the olive , that impart a continual supply of oyl to all the lamps , i. of comfort , and assistance to all those , that shine , as clear lights in the church of god. chap. v. then i turned , and lift up mine eyes , and looked , and behold , a flying roll . and he said unto me , what seest thou ? and i answered , i see a flying roll ; the length thereof is twenty cubits , and the breadth thereof ten cubits . then said he unto me , this is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth ; for every one that stealeth , shall be cut off as on this side , according to it : and every one that sweareth , shall be cut off as on that side , according to it . i will bring it forth , saith the lord of hosts , and it shall enter into the house of the thief , and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name : and it shall remain in the midst of his house , and shall consume it , with the timber thereof , and the stones thereof . then the angel that talked with me , went forth , and said unto me , lift up now thine eyes , and see what is this that goeth forth . and i said , what is it ? and he said , this is an ephah that goeth forth . he said moreover , this is their resemblance through all the earth . and behold , there was lift up a talent of lead : and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah . and he said , this is wickednesse ; and he cast it into the midst of the ephah , and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof . then lift i up mine eyes , and looked , and behold , there came out two women , and the wind was in their wings , ( for they had wings like the wings of a stork ) and they lift up the ephah between the earth and the heaven . then said i to the angel that talked with me , whither do these bear the ephah ? and he said unto me , to build it an house in the land of shinar , and it shall be established , and set there upon her own base . chap. v. . after this , lifting up mine eyes (a) again , i discovered that which took me up with so much wonder , that it may challenge another ecce : and it was a kind of flying book written all in one long scroul . . and the angel , that i mentioned before , said unto me , what seest thou ? and i said , i see a flying roul containing so much in that one volume , that the length of it seems twenty cubits , and the breadth ten cubits . . then said he unto me . this roule , or volume is a book of curses , or dire punishments , and it is gone out to fly through the whole land ( so far as the children of iudah or israel do inhabit ) for every one of this nation that is guilty of stealing , and hath his name for that fault on one side of the book is accordingly to be (b) emptied of his ill-gotten goods , and suffer the losse of (c) all in his house besides : and every one (d) that forswears , and hath his name , for that fault , upon the other side of the book , is emptied of what he got by his perjurie , acrording to the evidence of the fault there . . this roul will i produce , saith the lord of hosts , and it shall come into the house of him that steals , and into the house of him that swears falsly , by my name . and it shall continue in the midst of his house , till it have quite consumed it , like a fierce , and raging fire , that consumes or disperseth the very stones , as well as the timber . . then the angel , that used to discourse with me , as my interpreter and director for the understanding of these mysteries , having gone out for a while , returned again unto me , to explain a new vision , and said , lift up now thine eyes , and observe that which seems to be coming forward towards us . . at the sight of it , i demanded of the angel , what it might be ? and he replied , this is the full measure of an ephah , that now seems to move forward , and discover it self ( an embleme of their heavy sins , that have now filled up their measure , and therefore must lie no longer concealed , and winked at , as a great while they did in expectation of their repentance , before they brought them up to this height ) and he added withal , that this might serve for a fit * resemblance of those sins or sinners , through the whole land ( whose full measure of sin brought that full measure of punishment , which , you see , was visibly inflicted upon the whole nation , in this last captivity . ) . and you would wonder what a strange sight immediately appeared with it : the likenesse of a huge massie weight of lead , that was brought thither , to be laid upon it . and this other sight withal : (e) a woman sitting upon the middest of the ephah ( impudent enough , and no whit ashamed , or afraid to own such a weight of iniquity . ) . and , while i was looking upon her , and observing the pride , and shamelessenesse of her posture , the angel informed me , who it was . this is the lively portraicture of the jewish impietie , saith he , ( from whence all those robberies , and perjuries , that we named before , had their rise , and their growth , till they called to heaven for vengeance ) and , at that word , he took her , and thrust her into the midst of the epha , and laid a great (f) weight of lead upon the mouth of the ephah ) to exclude her from getting out from that , which she seemed so ready to return to , as to a creature of her own . ) . no sooner had i withdrawn my eyes from this sight , to look up again , but i perceived there two women coming forward ( suppose the two nations , the assyrian and the babylonian , by which god was pleased to revenge himself of this so great a measure of sin ) and they came with such speed , as if they had come upon the wings of the wind ( which figured the sodain execution of gods wrath , that accordingly came upon our nation , for our many offences ) and the wings seemed to be like the wings of a stork ( another expression of that sodain transmigration , and deportation out of our country ) and these two flying women lift up this ephah we spake of , between heaven and earth ( as we lift up a burden that is presently to be removed from where it is . ) . then i asked the angel that discoursed with me , whither they intended to remove that heavy weight of impiety ? ( to what place of punishment , and execution of justice . ) . the place , saith he , which they are going to provide for that purpose , is the land of babylon : where they shall be set fast , upon their own basis ( the sure footing which themselves were the cause of ) sure enough for stirring thence , till god , of his own mercy , make way for their removal . and this vision and representation of what they have suffered already , may be a fair warning , that the like sins , or sins in the like measure bring not the like punishment upon their heads again . ) chap vi. and i turned , and lift up mine eyes , and looked , and behold , there came four chariots out from between two mountains , and the mountains were mountains of brasse . in the first chariot were red horses , and in the second chariot black horses , and in the third chariot white horses , and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses . then i answered , and said unto the angel that talked with me , what are these , my lord ? and the angel answered and said unto me , these are the four spirits of the heavens , which go forth from standing before the lord of all the earth . the black horses which are therein , go forth into the north-countrey , and the white go forth after them , and the grisled go forth toward the south-countrey . and the bay went forth ; and sought to go , that they might walk to and fro through the earth : and he said , get ye hence , walk to and fro through the earth . so they walked to and fro through the earth . then cryed he upon me , and spake unto me , saying , behold , these that go toward the north countrey have quieted my spirit in the north-countrey . and the word of the lord came unto me , saying . take of them of the captivity , even of heldai , of tobijah , and of iedajah , which are come from babylon , and come thou the same day , and go into the house of iosiah the son of zephaniah ; then take silver and gold , and make crowns , and set them upon the head of ioshua , the son of iosedech the high priest . and speak unto him , saying , thus speaketh the lord of hosts , saying , behold the man whose name the branch , and he shall grow up out of his place , and he shall build the temple of the lord. even he shall build the temple of the lord , and he shall bear the glory , and , and shall sit and rule upon his throne , and he shall be a priest upon his throne , and the counsel of peace shall be between them both . and the crowns shall be to helem , and to tobijah , and to iedajah , and to hen the son of zephaniah for a memorial in the temple of the lord. aud they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the lord , and ye shall know that the lord of hosts hath sent me unto you . and this shall come to passe , if ye will diligently obey the voice of the lord your god. chap. vi. . when i lift up mine eyes again , to look about me , i saw four warlike chariots , passing from between two strong mountains , that appeared like mountains of brasse ( a type of four warlike troops , under the conduct of their famous commanders , that made , all , their passage through the (a) streights of anti-taurus , which are between the fastnesse of the rough , and craggy hills in cilicia : and through which the babylonians , and persians , and alexanders forces , and the armies of the commanders , that succeeded him , were wont to make their way into syria , and iudaea , and other parts thereabout . . the first chariot was drawn by red horses ( figuring the bloody actions of the babylonians , which we had felt already ) the second chariot was furnished with black horses ( which sad and mournful colour made them apt to represent the frequent famines , and other heavy calamities , that many were to suffer under the persian monarchie . ) . in the third chariot i observed they were white horses , which colour , in opposition to the former of the persians sable hue , might figure the joyful triumphs , and victories , that the forces of the great alexander ( who commanded that chariot ) were to have over the vast armies , and countries of the sad , and mournful persian , that was at last to tast of that sorrow , which himself , before , had brought upon others . the fourth chariot , consisting of divided forces , was brought along by horses of several colours , some (b) speckled with round white spots , like hail-stones , other of a (c) pale colour like ashes ( the emblem of the syrian , and egyptian forces : which fell so often and sodainly ( like hail-shot ) in several places , before they were looked for : and by policie , and subtilty concealed , and covered their intentions ( like fire under the ashes ) till by the sodain breath of their boisterous commands they would have it to break out . and these armies of the syrian and egyptian kings were the rather joyned together in this vision , because they came both from alexander : and the sufferings of the iews under them , should be much alike : some full of sad storms , other of greater miseries , that would turn many of them to their last dust and ashes : sometime under the one sort of commanders , and sometime under the other . . then i applied my self again to the angel , by whose instructions i had been all this while informed , and said unto him . what are these my lord ? . and he answered me to this purpose , that these were for their busling in the world ; and the large compasse they take up , (d) like the four winds under heaven , i. the four empires , under several commanders dispersed toward the four climates of the known habitable world . and though the winds may show their boisterous , and uncertain dispositions , in themselves considered : yet they shall execute nothing , but according to the providence , and wisdom , and pleasure of the lord of hosts , and therefore it is said that they go not forth , till they have (e) presented themselves before the lord of all the earth , (f) to receive his commands . . that which hath the black horses is the persian armie , which took their progresse not long since toward the northern countries . and the white , ( those of alexanders troops , shall follow as hard after them of persia , when the time of their commission for that service is is come . but the speckled , the various expeditions of alexanders forces under (g) ptolomaeus lagi , shall take their way toward the southern parts , and be setled in egypt . . and the pale horses , i. those troops of alexanders followers , that shall take their name and rise from seleucus , they shall have many several plots , and essayes about these parts of the world , and in all the countries hereabouts they will make their several attempts . (h) and the commission which they recovered from the almighty commander of all , runs in these terms . go , make your several per ambulations and assayes in several countries of the earth . and so accordingly they wil dispose of themselves here , and there , in the several progresse of their military forces . . while i was intent upon the visions , the angel called me nearer to him , as if he had some new observation to impart , and this it was . mark these armies of the persians , saith he that took their journies into the north , they have revenged the injuries you received from the babylonian , and so abundantly satisfied the anger , which i justly conceaved against those northern parts . . then came a particular commmand to me from the lord to this effect : . that i should take to me some of them , that were newly returned from the captivity of babylon ( which god had so powerfully revenged by the hand of the persian ) and , amongst those that i was to make choice of , hulday ( al. helem ) was to be called by name : from whom , and from tobijah and iedajah : my self making my appearance at the same time in the house of iosiah , the son of zephaniah . — . from them i was to receave silver and gold which lay in their hands for the ornaments of the temple ) and employ it to the making of several crowns , whereof one to be set upon the head of iosuah , the son of iosedeck , the high-priest ( that herein he may be (i) like the high-priests , his predecessors , that were wont to be honoured with a crown in times of publick joy , and gratulation . ) . and then shalt thou say unto him , behold the man , whose name is the branch , from the root of iesse . ( fix your eies upon your messias , your great deliverer , of whom and whose deliverie , all other deliverers and deliverances , as this of babylon , are but little shadows ) he shall bud forth and flourish in due time ( answerable to his name of branch ) and it shall be out of that place which himself shall make choice of , and he shall build the church of god , into a just fabrick ( your temple now to be raised , and your builders that are now in hand with the work , shall be types and figures of it . ) . it is he , that shall build that spiritual temple of the lord. it is he that shall purchase to himself great honour , and glory , and a name above every name . and he shall have not a crown onely , like your high-priest , but a throne of glory upon which he shall sit and rule , remaining a priest for ever , and a kingly priest , a priest upon his throne . and the counsail of peace shall proceed in virtue of both those titles , and dignities , that of his kingdom , and that of his priest-hood . . there shall be crowns also , as for the high-priest , so for the honorable memorie of others , that have found favour with god , for their good endeavours about the outward temple , now in hand : by name for helem , for tobijah , for iedajah , and for hen , the son of zephaniah . and these crowns shall be hung up in the temple of the lord , as a memorial of them ( with their names to that purpose expressed upon the crowns . ) . and ( to help on the work , and the ornaments , and honour of the temple ) many foreiners , and people of remote countries shall come , and contribute towards this building ( as the praeludium to the whole crowds of gentiles that shall help to build up the spiritual temple ) and by this you shall know , that i zacharie , that relate the prophesie of these things , am a true prophet of the lord , and have my commission from the lord of hosts , for what i promise to you , judge of me by the event . provided alwaies that you be diligent in obeying the commands of the lord your god. for this promise runs under that condition . chap. vii . and it came to passe in the fourth year of king darius , that the word of the lord came unto zechariah in the fourth day of the nineth moneth , even in chisleu : when they had sent unto the house of god sherezer , and regem-melech , and their men to pray before the lord. and to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the lord of hostes , and to the prophets , saying , should i weep in the fifth moneth , separating my self , as i have done these so many years ? then came the word of the lord of hosts unto me , saying , speak unto all the people of the land , and to the priests , saying , when ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh moneth , even those seventy years , did ye at all fast unto me , even unto me ? and when ye did eat , and when ye did drink , did not ye eat for your selves , and drink for your selves ? should ye not hear the words which the lord hath cried by the former prophets when ierusalem was inhabited , and in prosperity , and the cities thereof round about her , when men inhabited the south of the plain ? and the word of the lord came unto zechariah , saying , thus speaketh the lord of hosts , saying , execute true judgement , and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother . and oppresse not the widow , nor the fatherlesse , the stranger , nor the poor , and let none of you imagine evill against his brother in your heart . but they refused to hearken , and pulled away the shoulder , and stopped their ears , that they should not hear . yea , they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should hear the law , and the words which the lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets : therefore came a great wrath from the lord of hosts . therefore it is come to passe , that , as he cried , and they would not hear , so they cried , and i would not hear , saith the lord of hosts . but i scattered them with a whirl-wind among all the nations whom they knew not : thus the land was desolate after them , that no man passed through nor returned : for they laid the pleasant land desolate . chap. vii . . now in the fourth year of king darius ( the second year after they had begun the structure of the temple ) the word of the lord was again revealed unto zacharie , in the fourth day of the ninth moneth , which is called the moneth chisleu , and containes part of november , and of december and it did so , upon this occasion . . there was sent to the temple ( and to the priests there ) about that time (a) serezer , and regem-melech , and some attendants upon them , to tender their humble devotions before the lord , in the behalf of those that lived out of the city , and had sent them thither upon that service . . and withall a message they had to the priests that ministred in the temple of the lord of hostes , and to the prophets , (b) ( who were to advise and direct them in matters of scruple or controversie . ) this message came in the name of the people , who , being desirous to be satisfied in some doubts about fasting ( in which it seems all had been well , if their care to make it a true and acceptable fast unto god , had been as much as their desire , and power to enact it and enjoyn it , as a holy fast ) and being all considered as one body , they ordered their message to be delivered in these , or the like termes . shall i continue the times of fasting and mourning , which i imposed upon my self under the captivity , and have since most strictly observed ? whereof that is one in the fifth moneth , ( upon the tenth of july , in the sad (c) remembrance of the destroying , and firing of the temple by nebuzaradan ; captain of the guard , to nebuchadnezar ) shall i still afflict my self , and observe my wonted abstinence from pleasant meats , and other matters of delight , (d) like a nazarite for that day , as i have now kept it upon the return of that day , for many yeares ? . then ( as i was saying ) came the word of the lord of hostes unto me , furnishing me with an answer to that question of the people , after some things to be premised upon occasion of their fast , and saying unto me . . speak to all the people of the land , and among them to the priests too , ( to those of jerusalem , as well as to those out of the citie , that have sent these men hither ) and say . when you fasted , and mourned in the fifth moneth , in remembrance of the destruction of the temple : (e) and in the seventh moneth , in memoriall of the death of godoliah , and so in the other moneths , in like pretended humble service , for these seventy years of your captivity . did i require those fasts ? or , when they were voluntarily undertaken , did they tend , as they should do , to my honour and glory , by your true humbling , and bettering of your selves upon those dayes ? for , your fasts , without that , are , in themselves , nothing so pleasing , and acceptable to me , as you may vainly conceive . . for , as at other times , when you eat , and drink at your liberty , no advantage accrews to my honour , out of that feasting of yours , barely in it self considered ( without any other consequence of your due returnes of thankfulnesse , and obedience , for the blessing of that plenty ) so at these times , when you fast , that fasting , in its self adds nothing to me , nor is it any way considerable in my esteem . . should you not rather (f) have observed the divine commands so plainly , and openly delivered unto you , by the prophets that have gone before us , when ierusalem was at ease , and abounded in peace , and plenty . and when the cities and townes all about her : when the more mountainous , and southern parts , that were then entirely possessed , and when with them the lowest and fruitfullest countries in the plain had the same benefit of a quiet and secure repose , and a rich habitation . . and the word of the lord came again unto me , saying . . thus spake the lord of hostes ( by former prophets ) saying . in your publick places of judgement , proceed according to the rules of true iustice and equity , ( without any regard to silthy lucre , or to the prejudice of affection . ) and in your private actions , and commerce with one another , show that kindnesse and compassion , that should be expected among brethren , of the same stock and alliance , and of the same religion , and profession . . let there be no injuring , or oppressing of the widow , the orphan , the stranger , or any that are poor and afflicted amongst you . and do not , so much as in your hearts devise or conceive any mischeivous intention against one another . all this i commanded your fathers , by the former prophets . . but they would not hear of that ear , they shrunk up the shoulder , and in plain rebellion turned their backs upon their good guides : and followed those courses that would make their cares duller , for any holy counsaile that called for this obedience . . and , thus by degrees , they made their hearts ( as it were in a set opposition to all exhortations of obedience ) as hard as flint or any the hardest , and most durable stone : that (g) there might be no admittance for the voice of the law , and the precepts , which the lord of hostes sent them by those that were , to that purpose raised up , and enlightened by his holy spirit : for such were all your former prophets . and this wilfull and obstinate rebellion of theirs could not but draw down the heavie and just indignation of the lord of hostes. . and accordingly , you see , it came to passe , that as they suffered god to call upon them , and would return him no answer of obedience : so when their own miseries forced them to call for divine assistanee , then did i refuse to answer their desires , saith the lord of hostes. . and i (h) dispersed them in mine anger , as if it had been with a mighty whirl-wind into severall nations , which they never knew before : and their own land , ( after their deportation into other parts ) was left waste and desolate , like a wildernesse behind them . there was not so much as a passenger to be seen either going thither , or returning from that place , (i) that had been so much frequented . such and so heavie was the solitude and barrennesse of that land , that had been accounted the delight , and paradise of the whole earth . chap. viii . . again the word of the lord of hostes came to me , saying , . thus saith the lord of hosts , i was jealous for zion with great jealousie , and i was jealous for her with great fury . thus saith the lord , i am returned unto zion : and will dwell in the midst of ierusalem , and ierusalem shall be called a citie of truth , and the mountain of the lord of hosts , the holy mountain . thus saith the lord of hosts . there shall yet old men , and old women dwell in the streets of ierusalem , and every man with his staffe in his hand for very age . and the streets of the citie shall be full of boyes and girls playing in the streets thereof . thus saith the lord of hosts , if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes , should it also be marvellous in mine eyes ? saith the lord of hosts . thus saith the lord of hostes , behold , i will save my people from the east-countrey , and from the west-countrey . and i will bring them , and they shall dwell in the midst of ierusalem , and they shall be my people , and i will be their god , in truth and in righteousnesse . thus saith the lord of hosts , let your hands be strong , ye that hear in these dayes these words by the mouth of the prophets , which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the lord of hosts was laid , that the temple might be built . for before these daies there was no hire for man , nor any hire for beast , neither was there any peace to him that went out , or came in , because of the affliction : for i set all men , every one against his neighbour . but now i will not be unto the residue of this people , as in the former daies saith the lord of hosts . for the seed shall be prosperous , the vine shall give her fruit , and the ground shall give her encrease , and the heavens shall give their dew , and i will curse the remnant of this people to possess all these things . and it shall come to passe , that a●● ye were a curse among the heathen , o house of iudah , and house of israel : so will i save you , and ye shall be a blessing : fear not , but let your hands be strong . for thus saith the lord of hosts , as i thought to punish you , when your fathers provoked me to wrath saith the lord of hostes , and i repented not ; so again have i thought in these dayes to do well unto ierusalem , and to the house of iudah : fear ye not . these are the things that ye shall do , speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour : execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates . and let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour , and love no false oath : for all these are things that i hate , saith the lord. and the word of the lord of hosts , came unto me , saying . thus saith the lord of hosts , the fast of the fourth moneth , and the fast of the fifth , and the fast of the seventh , and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of iudah joy and gladness , and chearfull feasts : therefore love the truth and peace . thus saith the lord of hosts , it shall yet come to passe , that there shall come people , and the inhabitants of many cities . and the inhabitants of one city shbll go to another , saying , let us go speedily to pray before the lord and to seek the lord of hosts ; i will go also . yea , many people and strong nations shall come to seek the lord of hostes in ierusalem , and to pray before the lord. thus saith the lord of hostes , in those daies it shall come to passe , that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a iew , saying , we will go with you ; for we have heard that god is with you . chap. viii . . and the commands of the lord of hostes were thus expressed further upon the same occasion , and to make way for a satisfactory answer to their question . . thus saith the lord of hostes. as my great wrath , and justice upon my own people followed upon the greatnesse of those sins , which were mentioned before : so now the greatnesse of my jealousie for sion , the seat on my jewish church , and my great anger no now against her , but for her shall be felt by he● enemies . . for , thus saith the great iehovah , i return now to sion , and to my former love , and (a) compassion , that i showed to her of old . and i will dwell again in the middest of ierusalem : my gracious presence , and daily favours shall make them appear like my own domestick servants , which shull gain ierusalem the title of the city where the true religion is professed and the mount of the lord of hosts where you build your temple unto me , shall be called by the name of the holy mountain , because of the peculiar presence of my holinesse , and the daily observance of your sacred duties , and devotions in that place . . and ( concerning your temporall blessings ) thus also , saith the lord of hostes , there shall be seen again (c) in the streets of ierusalem , men venerable for their age , and grave matrons , sitting there to refresh themselves : and every one of them with a staffe in their hands to support their feeble bodies , because of their extream old age , and the extraordinary number of year , , to which they shall attain . . and with this grave sight of your ancients , sitting before your doors , you shall have another that will please you well : (c) great store of young children , that shall fill up your spacious streets with severall companies of young boyes , and girles , here and there recreating themselves with their merry , and innocent sports . . and do not startle at it , saith the lord of hostes , for though this may seem a strange and wonderfull thing , in the apprehension of this poor remnant of the people , that are now returned out of the land of their captivity : yet nothing should seem impossible for me , saith the lord of hostes. . and look not upon your selves alone , that are first returned , and can yet make up but a little company , for thus saith the lord of hostes : i will wonderfully provide for the welfare of my people in the eastern and western parts . . i 'le conduct them safely hither again from all parts of the world , whither they are dispersed , and they shall dwell in the middest of my holy city ierusalem . and they shall be my peculiar people , and i will be their powerfull god. truely and justly shall i make this good to them , by my blessing upon them : and they to me , by the true worship of my name , and their just dealing , and conversing with one another . . and therefore , go on chearfully in the building of my temple , which you have now begun , saith the lord of hostes , you that live to see these daies , and hear the comfortable words of these late prophesies , from the mouth of us the prophets , that were in the times that the foundation of the house of the lord of hostes was laid , and that god hath raised up , to incite and encourage you in the building , and perfecting of his holy temple . . and , to adde the more life , and speed to your undertakings , i am enjoyned to tell you , that , whereas before you setled your selves in earnest to this good work , your men and your cattle at home had little reward of their labour , in matter of husbandry ( ye toyled and took paines with little , or no successe ) and they that ventured further abroad , could find no peace , and quiet , by reason of some affliction or other that was ready to overtake them : beside the many quarrels and distractions which by my permission , and connivence rose up amongst you . . now , since i perceive your readinesse , and alacrity , to proceed in the building of my house , i will not show my self so averse , as formerly i have been , from this remnant of the captivity , saith the lord of hostes. . for you shall be (e) a generation , that shall live in peace and prosperity . your vines shall be fruitfull , and your land shall bring plenty of corn . for the heavens shall drop that dew , which shall make them so . and the remnant that return from babylon will i make to be eye-witnesses , and owners of all this felicity . . so shall it come to passe , that as you of the house of iudah and israel were held accursed of all nations , by reason of the great misery , that your great sins had brought upon you : so , upon this safety , and prosperity , which i shall give unto you , you shall be accounted a nation , that god hath now blessed with extraordinary favours . therefore do not faint and give back from your good intentions , but proceed on chearfully , and couragiously in the building of the temple . . for , thus saith the lord of hostes , as there was a time when my thoughts and intentions were chiefly set upon afflicting of this nation for those sins , by which your forefathers provoked me to anger : and i had no mind to repent of it ( i would not 〈◊〉 diverted . ) . so now , in these times of amendment , and of a more readiness to go on in my service , i am willing to repent , and to put on other resolutions of doing good , and bestowing favours upon iudah and ierusalem . and therefore be not discouraged , nor taken off from your good beginnings . . and let these be the (f) actions , wherein you shall practise and entertain your selves . let every man use candour and integritie in those things which refer to others and himself : and you that , as more publick persons , are intrusted in your gates , which are your courts of justice ; pass your sentences according to that truth , and equity , which will be the best means to procure and prolong your peace and prosperity . . and much more must you be careful , that there be no studying of mischief against one another : or delighting to deceive others , or dishonour my name by false oaths . for howsoever wicked men may love and take pleasure in such things , yet are (g) they all of them the object of my hatred , saith the lord of hosts . : after this , for a full and clear solution of the queries , and demands , that were the errand of sarezer , end regem-melech , the word of the lord was made known unto me , to this sense . . thus saith the lord of hosts . your fast of the fourth moneth , (h) which you observed in the sad remembrance of jerusalem at that time taken by the king of babylon : and your fast of the fifth moneth , (i) wherein the temple was consumed by fire , and the city laid ruinous , and desolate : and your fast in the seventh moneth , which put you in mind , (k) how your noble patron , and commander godoliah was treacherously and unhappily brought to an untimely death : and your fast of the tenth moneth , (l) in which the babylonians began their siege against jerusalem : all these daies of fasting shall be now to your whole nation , upon your return from babylon . festivall dayes , set times of merry and joyfull solemnities . in all which , let not your joy obliterate the memorie of your dutie : forget not to deal candidly and truly with your neighbours , and to entertain one another with the mutual offices of true love and courtesie , as well as of jollity , and feasting . . and to encourage you yet more in this : acceptable duty of mutual love , thus saith the lord of hostes of that love , and affection , wherein your own people yet abroad , (m) and others with them shall be drawn to you , and to your countrey . you are yet but a few : but the time is coming on , when many shall come hither form remoter parts , and that are now inhabitants of many feveral cities . . for , they that dwell in one city shall impart their desires to the inhabitants of another city , for a journey towards the holy land , and they shall say , come , let us go thither to tender our humble supplications before the lord , and seek the lord of hosts in his holy worship , and service , and the precepts of his law . then the several parties thus invited shall say ( every man undertaking it in his own person ) i shall willingly make one for so good a voyage . . thus shall many , and mighty nations come to ierusalem , to seek the lord of hosts , in this temple which you are building : and to be informed by your priests , and levites , which is the true way of his service , according to his divine laws : and as a good means to that , to offer up their hearty prayers for a blessing from the almighty . . for , thus again saith the lord of hosts , ten men of several languages , and nations shall then take hold of the skirts of you that are iews , and , in that action , deliver their desire to you , and your countrie , saying . let us attend you to your happy home in the holy land , (n) for we have heard how wonderfully god hath been with you , restoring you to your former happinesse in your own possessions , repressing your enemies , and setling the antient forms of his holy worship , as he had foretold by his holy prophets . and he that foretells and fullfills such things , shall be the god that we would fain serve , and obey , as you doe . chap. ii. . the burden of the word of the lord in the land of hadrach , and damascus shall be the rest thereof : when the eyes of man , as of all the tribes of israel shall be toward the lord. and hamath also shall border thereby ; tyrus and zidon , though it be very wise . and tyrus did build h●r self a strong hold , and heaped up silver as the dust , and fine gold as the mire of the streets . behold , the lord will cast her out , and he will smite her power in the sea , and she shall be devoured with fire . ashkelon shall see it , and fear ; gaza also shall see it , and be very sorrowful , and ekron : for her expectation shall be ashamed , and the king shall perish from gaza , and ashkelon shall not be inhabited . and a bastard shll dwell in ashdod , and i will cut off the pride of the philistins . and i will take away his bloud out of his mouth , and his abominations from between his teeth : but he that remaines , even he shall be for our god , and he shall be as a governour in iudah , and ekron as a iebusite . and i will enc amp about mine house because of the army , because of him that passeth by , and because of him that returneth ; and no oppressour shall passe through them any more ; for now have i seen with mine eyes . rejoyce greatly , o daughter of zion ; shout , o daughter of ierusalem : behold , thy king cometh unto thee : he is just , and having salvation , lowly , and riding upon an asse , and upon a colt , the foal of an asse . and i will cut off the chariot from ephraim , and the horse frrm ierusalem , and the battle-bow shall be cut off , and he shall speak unto the heathen : and his dominion shall be from sea to sea , and from the river even unto the ends of the earth . as for thee also , by the blood of thy covenant , i have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit , wherein is no water . turn ye to the strong hold , ye prisoners of hope , even to day do i declare , that i will render double unto thee : when i have bend iudah for me , filled the bow with ephraim , and raised up thy sons , o zion , against thy sons , o greece , and made thee as the sword of a mighty man : and the lord shall be seen over them , and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning : and the lord god shall blow the trumpet , and shall go with whirlwinds of the south . the lord of hosts shall defend them , and they shall devour , & subdue with sling-stones , and they shall drink and make a noise as through wine , and they shal be filled like bowls , and as the corners of the altar . and the lord their god shall save them in that day as the flock of his people , for they shall be as the stone , of a crown , lifted up as an ensign upon his land . for how great is his goodnesse , and how great is his beauty ? corn shall make the young men cheerfull , and new wine the maids . chap. ix . . a burdensome prophesie to the enemies of israel . i shall now acquaint thee , o iudaea , with a sad , and heavy prophesie ; nothing like that prophesie of peace , and prosperity , which i delivered to thy self . and it is the word of the lord (a) for hadrach : that is , it concerns syria one of thy places of retirement , whither thou hast often fled , to secure thy self against the assaults of a sodain enemie . and it concerns damascus too , the metropolis of syria , and her best refuge and (b) repose for security , whereon she relies , when a storm is coming upon her self . for , (c) the eies of the lord are upon all men , and all should fix their eyes upon him . ( his power , and providence , and justice watching over others (d) as well as over you , the tribes of israel , that are his peculiar people . . hamath also ( or antiochia ) must be brought within the limits and compasse of this prophesie , as it borders upon syria , and the maritine parts , tyre and sidon too , though they seem so wondrous wife that they chalenge a greater interest in wisdom , then other countries must do . . howsoever tyrus ( * to be like her name ) hath built her self a (e) strong defence , and ( knowing what are the sinews of war ) hath heaped up silver like dust , and the finest gold in such plenty , as if it were with them as ordinary * as the mire of the streets ( like the store , that your nation enjoyed in the dayes of salomon . ) . yet , you will wonder in the end , how god will (f) bring her to poverty , and cast her out of those possessions , (g) and give her wooden walls wherein she trusts so much , and with them her strong fort , another piece of her confidence , such a blow , as shall cast them altogether into the sea , while tyrus her self , with all her rich buildings , shall be (g) consumed with fire . . ashkelon will trembie , to see her neighbours houses thus set on fire , and gaza will be in as much , or more perplexity . so will ekron , for shame that she hath failed of her expectation , presuming that the enemie should have had such a blow given them , by the subtle and potent tyrians , as should have freed them from the fear of all danger . gaza , after this shall no longer be ruled by one , that shall live in the state of a king , rather then the commander of such a little compasse of ground . and ashkelon shall be laid wast , and , for a long time after this , not be inhabited . . then shall azotus be possessed by a kind of bastard-brood , a mixed and mungril people , out of the conflux from several nations . and all the neighbour parts of palestine shall have such a share in this calamity , as shall take down their haughty pride , and insulting over my people israel . . and i will take away the bloody , and abominable language out of the mouth of the domineering philistims , who delight as much in horrid , and cruel threats , as if it did them good to chew upon them , and please themselves while they keep it between their teeth , as if they would set their teeth on work too , with devouring of others , that are better then themselves . but the remnant of this fierce , and boasting nation shall come at last to be subdued , and united with the people of israel , and so brought to the service of the true god. and as the iebusite being first become a proselyte , was thereupon made capable of places of dignity , and command amonst the people of god , so shall it be with the philistine , and so with the ekronite , that in that captivity shall be in a fair way to become as one of the princes , and rulers of iudah . (h) . and i will make my angela encamp about my temple , to preserve it from all hostile and violent attempts , and sodain incursions of such as may go , or return any way near unto it . and none shall be suffered to have any passage hereafter toward those parts , with power to tyranise , and usurp upon them . for mine eyes are now and ever open to observe , and prevent the dangers , which otherwise might fall upon this holy place ( as i promised that i would be , at the consecrating of your first temple . ) . and when i cast my all-seeing eye upon times yet more remote from your daies , then i may well say of your deliverance from spiritual , and greater enemies . rejoyce exceedingly o daughter of sion : shout and sing aloud for joy , o daughter of ierusalem . for the messias , thy long-expected king , ( of whom the best of all thy kings heretofore were but types and figures ) comes to deliver thee from thy invisible enemies . he is (i) just , and merciful , and in his justice and mercy brings salvation to you that shall be justified through him . though he come not in the pomp of regality , but poor enough in outward show : and not in the flourish , and noise of (k) military forces , and horses prepared for war , but riding upon an asse , even upon a colt , the foal of an asse , which is a beast , that you use for more peaceable , and quiet journies . . then will i take away all the need of chariots and horses , and other outward military forces from ephraim and judah , or her metropolis of ierusalem , and the bow with other weapons of war will i knap in sunder . and this king , your messias , shall preach true peace to the nations of the world . and his spiritual kingdom shall be inlarged from sea to sea , and from the rivers to the ends of the earth . . and as for thee also (l) o my church , by the blood of the covenant that i have made with (m) thee , * i will redeem , and deliver thy prisoners from the infarnal pit , wherein is no water ( no hope of refreshment . ) . therefore repent , and apply your selves unto god your onely help and refuge , you that are such (n) prisoners , as are not without a good hope , and modest assurance of divine succour , and relief . for i declare to you and assure you , this very (o) time , wherein i have showed the fruit of your messias his coming in such humility , that i will return what he shall merit , in a double testimony of my love to every one of you ( that shall not onely have deliverance from what ye might fear ; but the assurance too of eternal felicity . ) . to make way to this by the publick preaching of the gospel , for subduing the nations to my spiritual kingdom ; i will pick out my first champions from among you of iudah : so that iudah shall be like my bow , that i bend , and make ready against mine enemies , and ephraim like my quiver which i will fill full of arrows to be shot against all opposers . and i will raise thy sons , o sion , against thy sons , o graecia , ( i. the first preachers that shall be iews , to reduce the graecians with the first under the easie yoke of the messias ) and i will make thee , o sion , to be like the sword of a mighty commander ( for by my word in thy (p) mouth , which is my spiritual sword , i will reduce other nations unto my kingdom . ) . and the great iehovah shall easily be seen to be a defence over these champions of iudaea , and to fight for them as out of a tower and fortresse higher then their enemies . his arrows and other instruments of this warfare shall go forth as quick as lightning . the lord himself shall be amongst them and sound the trumpet , to give the sign of battel , and shall set upon his enemies with storming like the violent southern tempests , that lay all even before them . . even the lord of hosts himself shall be their shield , and buckler to defend them , and they shall feed upon the spoiles of their enemies . and as david did goliah , with little stones out of his sling , so shall they by weak , and unliekly means vanquish and subdue the greatest that come against them . so that they shall be like those (q) conquerors that have their revenge satisfied with the blood of their enemies , and therefore shout and triumph , like those that are filled with storng wine . for they shall drink their fill of it , till they are as full as your silver bowls (r) in the sanctuary replenished with the holy offering , and the (s) horns of the altar , whereon the blood of the sacrifice is so plentifully poured . . for , in those daies , their god the great iehovah shall save and protect his souldiers in these spiritual combats , as the sheep of his flock , and his own people , that are the sheep of his pasture . and these sheep shall prove (t) lions , and conquerors for the lord of hosts in his land . and the ensignes carried before them shall be with (u) crowns set with pearls ( an embleme of the last reward of these holy victories , specially to be set upon the head of those , that are great actors , and sufferers in so great a work . . for , how great is the goodnesse of him , that is the lord of these mighty hosts ? and how great is the beauty of his glory ? that will chear them up at last , and put such joy into their hearts , as the young men use to (x) express in their shouts , when they bring home the last corn of a plentiful harvest : and the young maidens in their songs and acclamations at the end of a happy vintage , that hath furnished them with good store of new wine . chap. x. ask ye of the lord rain in the time of the later rain , so the lord shall make bright clouds , and give them showers of rain , to every one grasse in the field . for the idols have spoken vanity , and the diviners have seen a lie . and have told false dreams ; they comfort in vain : therefore they went their way as a flock , they were troubled , because there was no shepherd . mine anger was kindled against the shepherds , and i punished the goats : for the lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of iudah , and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battel . out of him came forth the corner , out of him the nail , out of him the battle-bow , out of him every oppressor together . and they shall be as mighty men , which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle , and they shall fight , because the lord is with them , and the riders on horses shall be confounded . and i will strengthen the house of iudah , and i will save the house of ioseph , and i will bring them again to place them ; for i have mercy upon them : and they shall be as though i had not cast them off : for i am the lord their god , and will hear them . and they of ephraim shall be like a mighty man , and their heart shall rejoyce , as through wine : yea , their children shall see it , and be glad , their heart shall rejoyce in the lord. i will hisse for them , and gather them ; for i have redeemed them : and they shall increase as they have increased . and i will sow them among the people : and they shall remember me in far countries , and they shall live with their children , and turn again . i will bring them again also out of the land of egypt , and gather them out of assyria , and i will bring them into the land of gilead and lebanon , and place shall not be found for them . and he shall passe through the sea with afliction , and shall smite the waves in the sea , and all the deeps of the river shall dry up : and the pride of assyria shall be brought down , and the scepter of egypt shall depart away . and i will strengthen them in the lord , and they shall walk up and down in his name , saith the lord. chap. x. . the prophesies of your plenty , and prosperity presuppose the continuance of your service , and devotion . therefore if you would live in plenty , and have your husbandry to prosper , let your hearty prayers beg rain of the lord in the time of the latter rain , which you would have for the advantage of your corn . for it is god that ordains the cloud for that use . it is he that pours you out (a) plentiful shours of rain , to help on the increase (b) of all kind of fruit , in your fields , and (c) for the good of every one . . for , if you forsake this divine help , and seek help from your idols , your own former experience in that , can show you , what you may expect . for , the answers of your idols have ever proved to be mere vanity , and their diviners flattered you with visions of that , which was but falshood and delusion ; and so led you on with fine talk , sweetned with imaginary hopes , or rather dreams of comfort . and accordingly they that relied upon those idle prophesies of future solace , were carried away captives , like silly sheep , that had no careful guide and shepherd to look to them : and in the end , (d) found nothing but that trouble and miserie which attends such transportations into a strange land . . your princes and governours should be your watchful guides and shepherds , therefore in such times of supine neglect i was most offended with them ( as you may read in the strange punishment of some of your kings ) and so will i still visete such (e) goats and rams , which rather disorder , then rule , and lead the flock , as they should do . but the lord of hosts will mercifully visit his poor deluded , and neglected flock , the house of judah . and ( when i send them against their enemies , they (f) shall not be like weak , and silly sheep , but ) i will make them (g) valiant , and strong , and couragious , like the warlike horse , (h) whose pride and glory it is to be most forward in war against the troops of the enemie . . out of this my flock and people , will i bring such as , in your civil discords , shall be like the (i) corner stones , that unite , and compact the rest together . and out of this others that shall be like nails , and pegs , that fasten the several parts of the fabrick . for they shall be staies , and supports to fix or keep up those that are weak , and wavering . and yet more , out of this ( for your expeditions against a forrein enemy ) i will raise up such as shall be of as necessary use and strength there as the bow and arrows be in the day of battle . and so what tyrants , or oppressours soever would oppose your nation they shall altogether be forced to be gone (k) from you . ( and all these main props , and defenders of your state , from your temporal enemies , shall be but the types and figures of such , as shal be used as the means of your deliverie from your spiritual enemies : the great messias himself being the head (l) corner-stone , and others to be employed by , and under him , for the general good , as he shall please to order it . . and these which i will thus raise up for your defence , shall be , in your battels , like valiant captains and commanders , that triumph over their enemies , and trample them under their feet , like the mire in the streets . they shall encounter them to the purpose . for the great iehovah is with them , as their great commander and protector . and (m) they that come against them with several troops of horse ( wherein they place their confidence ) shall carry shame and confusion away with them , instead of victory . . thus will i adde strength and courage to the house of iudah ) whence you have your greatest supply for souldiers of command ) and protect the house of ioseph or ephraim , ( that furnish you with your ordinarie fighting men ) i will (n) bring them off safe from their battels , and make them return with honour . this i will do , out of my mercy and compassion towards them . and so they shall be safe , and prosperous , as they were in former times , before i cast them out of their own country . for , i am the lord their god , and i will be ready to hear and supply them with what they want and desire of me . . and they of ephraim shall quit themselves like stout warriers : and their heart shall be as chearful in that hard employment , as the heart of a strong man , newly refreshed with wine . their very children shall take notice of their fathers alacrity , and readinesse to the war , and expresse it in their own joy and forwardnesse . thus all of them shall heartily rejoyce in the favour and protection of the lord. . i will whistle for them that are not yet returned from babylon , and egypt ( as the shepherd doth for his flock and gather them together into my own fould ( the place that i haee chosen out for my own worship ) for i have resolved to redeem , and deliver them from their enemies , and here they shall be as numerous , and as prosperous again as ever they were . . (o) for i dispersed them obroad into several and remote nations , and there they remembred to serve me . therefore now will i remember them , and theirs . they and their children shall survive and return to their own home , and their antient possessions . . i will bring them back from the land of egypt , and gather them together from the land of assyria ( by several waies , and instruments of my providence ) and reduce them to their gilead ( that furnished them with rich balms ) and lebanon that stored them with strong timber . and upon their return , they shall swell into such multitudes , that upon their own inheritance , there will hardly be found room enough , wherein to contein them . . and ( to accelerate and facilitate their return ) (p) they shall find passage through the streights of the sea : for god shall represse the waves of the sea by his mighty power , as if his own stroke made them give way to these passengers . and he shall drie up the deeper chanels of the (q) river ( euphrtaes ) i. rather then they shall not have an easie passage , the waves shall give back , and the deeps shall be dried up , to make way for them . ( all which may represent in a figure a more conspicuous conduct (r) over that great river of assyria , in the latter times . ) and as you come forward to your prosperity , so the pride of the assyrian shall go downward : and the scepter of egypt , ( to which you were subject , while you were sojurners there ) shall vanish away ( the egyptians shall have no more power , and command over you . ) . and i will make my people strong and chearful in the lord their god. and all their actions shall they prosperously undertake and finish , in that name , saith the great iehovah . chap. xi . open thy doors , o lebanon , that the fire may devour thy cedars . howl fir-tree , for the cedar is fallen , because all the mighty are spoiled ; howl , o ye oaks of bashan , for the forrest of the vintage is come down . there is a voice of the howling of the shepherds ; for their glory is spoiled , a voice of the roaring of young lions : for the pride of iordan is spoiled . . thus saith the lord my god , feed the flock of the slaughter . whose possessors slay them , and hold themselves not guilty : and they that sell them , say , blessed be the lord , for i am rich : and their own shepherds pity them not . for i will no more pity the inhabitants of the land , saith the lord : but lo , i will deliver the men every one into his neighbours hand , and into the hand of his king , and they shall smite the land , and out of their hand i will not deliver them . and i will feed the flock of the slaughter , even you , o poor of the flock : and i took unto me two staves ; the one i called beauty , and the other i called bands , and i fed the flock . three shepherds also i cut off in one moneth , and my soul loathed them , and their soul also abhorred me . then said i , i will not feed you : that that dieth , let it die : and that that is to be cut off , let it be cut off ; and let the rest eat , every one the flesh of anoanother . and i took my staff , even beauty , and cut it asunder , that i might break my covenant which i had made with all the people . and it was broken in that day : and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me , knew that it was the word of the lord. and said i unto them , if ye think good , give me my price ; and if not , forbear : so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver . and the lord said unto me , cast it unto the potter : a goodly price that i was prised at of them . and i took the thirty pieces of silver , and cast them to the potter in the house of the lord. then i cut asunder mine other staff , even bands , that i might break the brotherhood between iudah and israel . and the lord said unto me , take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd . for lo , i will raise up a shepherd in the land , which shall not visit those that be cut off , neither shall seek the young one , nor heal that that is broken , nor feed that that standeth still : but he shall eat the flesh of the fat , & tear their claws in pieces . wo to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock : the sword shall be upon his arm , and upon his right eye : his arm shall be clean dried up , and his right eye shall be utterly darkened . chap. xi . . but , your hearty obedience unto me , and to these pleasant daies of victory , and prosperity will not last for ever . some daies of heavy (a) suffering there will be , and a sad visitation of the temple , and of the city when thou o ierusalem , that hast brought (b) so much of lebanon within thy gates for the fabrick of thy temple , and other stately buildings , that thou maiest borrow the name too of another lebanon , (c) must be forced to open thy gates , and with other delights , expose all the store which thou broughtest from lebanon , to the pleasure of a cruel enemie : that with (d) fire and sword will consume thy palaces of cedar , and destroy the rich owners of those fair habitations . . there will be matter of fear and lamentation for you of the poorer sort , in the lesser towns and villages , that stand so thick about jerusalem , like the firre-trees about the tall cedars . for , some of your fairest cedares in lebanon , the (e) rich , and great ones , that are nestled so high ) must fall as how as the ground . and the gallant citizens , that looked so big upon it , must be humbled and seek abroad for another place of habitation , while jerusalem is laid desolate . you were mounted before , like the oaks of basan , but you will stoop and howl , to see your lebanon , (f) your mighty forrest cut down , ( your populous city , where the rich buildings were mounted to the height of the proudest trees in the forrest . ) . this lamentation in the forrest will cause the howling of the shepherds . l. the ruines about the temple and city , must needs be accompanied with the miserable cry of the (g) princes and of the governours both ecclesiastical and civil , whose glory is quite spoiled , when their glorious city , and temple suffer so much . shepherds did i call them ? i should rather have (h) called them lions then shepherds ( devourers , rather then feeders and governours of the people ) but now these lions shall roar , and heavily bemoan themselves ( they that lion-like , did so lord it , and domineer over their own nation , shall indure the injuries , and abuses of strangers , that will domineer over them ) while the pride of (i) iudaea that stretcheth her self as far as iordan , is turned to nothing but miserie , and desolation . . the sins and disorders that call for such desolation , will make it high time for the messias to come , the true shepherd of israel , ( of whose care and government , my exercise of my function among you is but a little shadow ) and to him thus will my lord god say , when he sends him to the lost sheep of the house of israel . (k) feed and govern these poor sheep , ( the * people of my pasture , and the sheep of my hands ; that , by ill guides , and pretended shepherds are so often in danger to become like sheep ready for the slaughter . . for their governors , that undertook the care of their wellfare , or ( as they would call themselves (l) the masters and owners of them , are little better then their butchers , that make the best advantage of their sheep , though it be by cutting of their throats and (m) selling them to their skin . and yet , all the while , they are never startled at it , as at that which makes them guilty of any great offence . but , when they have so sold them , they make a devout face at it : and ( as if they conceived , god himself had liberally conferred upon them , all that unjust gain , and would take no notice of such faults in them ) they put their applause , and hypocrisie into a solemn form of thanksgiving , and say , blessed be the lord , that hath given a happy successe to this means , by which i am enriched ( which is no better then to thank god for the successe of their wicked and cruel actions . thus these rulers , and shepherds in name , but butchers in deed , take no pitie , and so make no spare of the people , when they meet with an occasion , that fits their own advantage . . neither will i any longer spare them or any in the whole land , that countenance , or advance their wicked actions , saith the lord : but , you shall see , i will deliver them into one anothers hands , to perish by civil dissentions , and mutual slaughter . and i will give them every man into the hands of a (n) king of his own choice . ( since they will have no king but caesar ) and their ruine shall be such as if they were dashed against the earth , and hit that in their fall . and i will not deliver them (o) out of the depth of these calamities . . but now will i (p) instruct this miserablie slaughterd sheep , and among them i will speak to you , that have the meeknesse , and innocence , and patience , whereof sheep are the best emblemes : by representing a visible way of instruction before your eyes . for this is that which the lord saith unto you . long since i took to my self two shepherds-staves ( as two waies of happy government of my people , the sheep of my fould ) the one i call beauty , or (q) amiable and pleasant ( which is the way of protection from all evil , and calamities abroad ) the other i call bands , or binders , which is the way of keeping them at unity , and concord at home ) thus i did (r) govern my people at first , and it proved happy , and successeful to them , under their first king , of my own choice . . then , for the ingratitude of the people ( my simple , amd stragling flock ) within the (s) first moneth of years ( after that good government of my servant david ) i began to impair & cut off somewhat from the glory of their three chief (t) shepherds , and governors ( their kings their priests , and their prophets ) for my love was much (u) taken off from them , as theirs was now become somewhat (x) averse , and kept not touch with me . . so that i said within my self , i will (y) govern you no more , by that gentle way of loving , and solicitous care for your wellfare . they that are sickly and scabbed sheep , let them die of the ro● : and they that are so silly to be snapped up by the wolf , let them be snapped up . and the rest ( that neither die of their own inbred maladies , nor are cut off by others ) let them fall into some phrensie , and devour one anothers flesh ( like wolves out of their own sould . ) . and accordingly i took my shepherds staff , that i stiled by the name of beauty or amiable , and cut it in pieces , to signifie , that since they had broken their obligations of dutie , i would also break that part of the covenant , that concerned my self : wherein i stood conditionally ingaged to all the flock , that should have lived as the people of my pasture , and sheep that would follow my voice , whithersoever i called them . . thus , and about that (z) time was the staffe and covenant as good as broken on both sides . and in processe of time , when the meek and innocent among the sheep observed , that it was (a) so , such as had observed me too , and kept my precepts : when they saw that it was my doing , and that all these things came to passe by the command of the lord — . then i said unto them ( as willing to condescend to the giving of a reason of my actions , and to make them understand , what just cause there was , why i should at first begin to do what i did , and why i should afterwards more and more go on to desert them ) if you are indeed well pleased , that i should be your shepherd , tell me plainly what wages i shall receive ? and if you think i deserve nothing , cease from that thought : trouble your selves no further , and say , you will give me nothing . now what price do you think they set upon me ? ( for so it proved to be , rather then a fair sum , appointed as a reward of my care , and pains ) that which they weighed out for me , was thirty pieces of silver , that was the price they set me , or rather set upon me , this i zacharie saw in a vision , but they will make it good . when the messias is amongst them , they will give so much silver , (b) to be sure of him : and they will do it really , and openly , that all the world may know it . ) . after this ( the prophetical vision going on ) the lord said unto me , is not this a goodly sum , whereat they prise me ? they might have given it to the potter , for one of the worst brickle vessels , that you use about the temple . and to the potter let it go . let it be so cast away , as a sum fitter for the reward of some mean employment , then as wages for me . so i took the thirty pieces of silver ( as i was commanded in the vision ) and threw them to the potter , that hath his work-house , and (c) his field , near the temple of the lord. . then it pleased god to proceed to the breaking of the second staff , and to say . i will even break asunder my other shepherds staff too , to which i gave the name of bands , and (d) so dissolve the unity , and brotherly concord , that formerly had been between iudah , and israel ( the two tribes and the ten tribes ) as the sons of one father , coming all out of the loins of iacob . . then said the lord unto me , yet we will have somewhat more of the shepherd . go , and get thy self (e) the poor habit and furniture of some silly shepherd ( such as he useth to carry abroad with him . ) . for , this is my meaning by that silly shepherds provision , that ( for the sins of the people ) i will often send amongst them silly (f) shepherds and governors in the land , that shal neither have skill , nor will to attend any thing , but the advancement of their own advantages . they shall not do their (g) office to take care for the reducing of that which is lost and stragled from the company , nor seek after the weak lamb , that is left behind , because it cannot hold out the pace of the rest : nor heal that which is hurt and wounded by some evil accident : nor feed that , which continues healthful , and free from hurts . but ( providing rather for themselves , then their flock ) they shall feed upon the fattest : and so hurry many of their sheep up and down , at their pleasure , as if they longed to wear out their very clams , that they might not be able to stir about , for that which their shepherds will not provide for them . . wo to such shepherds (h) no shepherds ( that will have the name , and place of shepherds and governors ; but nothing else , that is requirable in good shepherds . such carelesse shepherds as these leave their flock , to look to themselves , but my curse shall attend them . such a shepherd will i strike with a bright and sharp sword , that shall break his arm , and dazle his right eye , so that his arm shall wither , and be unfit for action , because he would be lazy , where he should not : and his right eye shall not be able to see any thing , that tends to his own good , because he he would not look after that , which was for the good of his flock . chap. xii . the burden of the word of the lord for israel , saith the lord , which stretcheth forth the heavens , and layeth the foundation of the earth , and formeth the spirit of man within him . behold , i will make ierusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against iudah , and against jerusalem . and in that day will i make ierusalem a burdensome stone for all people : all that burden themselves with it , shall be cut in piece , though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it . in that day , saith the lord , i will smite every horse with astonishment , and his rider with madness , and i will open mine eyes upon the house of iudah , and will smite every horse of the people with blindnesse . and the governours of iudah shall say in their heart , the inhabitants of ierusalem shall be my strength in the lord of hosts their god. in that day will i make the governours of iudah like an hearth of fire among the wood , and like a torch of a fire in a sheaf ; and they shall devour all the people round about , on the right hand , and on the left : and ierusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place , even in ierusalem . the lord also shall save the tents of iudah first , that the glory of the house of david , and the glory of the inhabitants of ierusalem , do not magnifie themselve against iudah . in that day shall the lord defend the inhabitants of ierusalem , and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as david ; and the house of david shall be as god , as the angel of the lord before them . and it shall come to passe in that day , that i will seek to destroy all the nations that come against ierusalem . and i will pour upon the house david , and upon the inhabitants of ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications , and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced , and they shall mourn for him , as one mourneth for his onely son , and shall be in bitternesse for him , as one that is in bitterness for his first-born . in that day shall there be a great mourning in ierusalem , as the mourning of hadadrimmon in the valley of megiddon . and the land shall mourn , every family apart ; the family of the house of david apart , and their wives apart ; the family of the house of nathan apart , and their wives apart . the family of the house of levi apart and their wives apart ; the family of shimei apart , and their wives apart . all the families that remain , every family apart , and their wives apart . chap. xii . . another (a) prophesie , that carries a burden in it , to be laid upon israel , by the (b) command of the great iehovah . thus saith the great iehovah , that stretched out the heavens like a curtain : and fixed the vast * globe of the earth upon nothing : and created the breath of life , which he breathed first into (c) adam , and placed within him , i. who made all , and therefore governed all from the beginning . . you will wonder at the time , when you see all things so brought about by my providence , that ierusalem shall become like a drunken cup of giddinesse , and astonishment to all the nations about her ( not so much , that others which would greedily swallow her up , shall tast of that cup , which will work their own shame , and confusion : but in reference to her self , that she shall do the actions of (d) a giddie-headed people ) therefore upon all iudah there shall fall great (e) tribulation , by occasion of that punishment , which shall light first upon ierusalem . . but about the close of that (f) time ( when i have so punished my own people ) i will make ierusalem prove like a huge weighty stone , to all people that shall go about to disturb her . all that lift hard at her , shall sooner show their strength in breaking of their own veins in pieces , then in removing her from that loyalty towards me , and that state of tranquillity , wherein i shall place her . and this difficulty of so moving jerusalem , shall be thus , though all the people of the earth should be mustered up against her . ( and this may be a figure of what shall afterward happen to the fierce , and ventrous opposers of the mystical jerusalem , and such as are jews within : they that will be lifting at them , and heaving at the true messias ( their corner stone ) will have but ill successe in their vain attempts , but on whom●soever that stone falls , it shall bruise him to powder . ) . for , at that time , saith the lord , if they come against my people with their great forces of horse ( wherein they put their confidence , i will strike all their horses with astonishment , and their riders with furie ( as jerusalem was struck before , when she had drunk of that cup of giddinesse , that exposed her to ruine . ) but toward the house of iudah , at that time , will i open my watchful , and favourable eye , while i smite their enemies horse-forces with blindnesse , ( that they may rather ingage themselves more , and more in their own danger , then see how to effect what they subtilly plotted , and contrived against my people . ) . then shall the princes and champions of iudah say within their hearts , that the strength of the inhabitants of ierusalem must be in me : even in the lord of hosts , their god. . about that time i will make the governors of iudah , like a live coal of fire (g) compassed about with drie wood ( that can quickly set all about it in a flame ) or like a torch of fire , that is compassed about with sheafs of corn ( that will soon convey the heat and danger to all that is near ) like such a fire shall they sodainly and fearfully consume all their enemies that compasse them about on the right hand , or on the left . and ierusalem all the while shall remain immoveable ( like (h) the stone we spake of before ) in her own place ( where jerusalem was ever seated . ) ( and so shall that larger church , whereof jerusalem is but a figure . it shall not be removed from that rock , which gives it such support , * that the gates of hell shall not be able to prevail against . ) . and the lord will save the inhabitants of his people in iudaea , (i) as he ever did from the beginning , i. by himself , and his own power , and wisdom , that the honour may be his own , and man may have no part in it : and that the glory of the house of david , and the glory of the inhabitants of their great city of ierusalem do not magnifie it self for the protection of the people of iudah , as if it were to be ascribed unto them . . thus in those times shall god defend , with his people of iudaea , the inhabitants also of ierusalem ( that we may account them , (k) not our guardians , but the partakers of the same divine protection with us ) and the infirm and inferiour sort among them , that you think (l) likeliest to fall from their station , shall then prove another david ( for valour ) (m) to go before them . and they of the house of david , like men of the (n) house of god ( which is nearest to his care and defense ) and like an angel of god ( that being in near attendance upon his person , and in his holy temple above , cannot but be near to all safety and freedom from danger . ) . then shall any justice find out waies for the destruction of all those nations , that have come in hostile manner against jerusalem . . but i will pour upon the house of david , and the inhabitants of ierusalem , the graces of my spirit , in such plentiful manner , that many of them shall in hearty sorrow and contrition , and in (o) humble prayer and supplication beg my gratious pardon for what they have done amisse . and , in a sad repentance , they shall look upon me , whom they have pierced ( not in my (p) hands , and feet , and head , and side onely , but in my very heart too , with their wicked and blasphemous words , more then with their spear ) and they shall mourn for him , that suffered so much by them , before they knew him , to be what he was● as bitterly shall they mourn , (q) as one would mourn for his (r) first-born son , or his onely son , that hath the greatest share in his love , and affection , ( with such sorrow shall they look upon his passion , that they may learn to look upon it with love ; and with resolution , (s) to forbear the piercing him afresh , by continuance in sin . or else there will come a time , when they will * weep and howl too late , at the sight of him , when he comes in his glory . ) . but in the first , and more seasonable time , then will there be a great and heavy lamentation in ierusalem ( which shall be seconded in the church , that jerusalem yet resembles ) it shall be like the great mourning for the death of good (t) josiah , called the mourning of hadadrimmon a city , in the valley of mageddon , . and the whole land shall have cause to mourn every family apart . the families of the house of david apart , and their wives too apart , ( as your custome is , in times of great sorrow and repentance ) the families of the house of nathan apart , and their wives apart ( for what family hath not been guilty of piercing their messias . it is not the issue left of the royal family , nor the posterity of the princely tribe that can plead an exemption from that guilt . . the families of the house of levi apart , and their wives apart ) ( for even the priests and levites had as great a hand in it as any other ) the familie of the house ‖ shemei apart , and their wives apart . . and so , in summe , all the several families that remain un-named : every family apart . and their wives apart : as all , some way or other guilty of that great offence against the messias , whom they have pierced by contributing much to his heavy sufferings , and therefore should pierce their own hearts with some deep remorse , and impression of sorrow . ( with these shall the several families of all the nations in the world , sooner or later bewail their sins ) the chief murderers of our messias ) which make them all accessorie , or rather principals in the death of him , that is the god of life . and the sooner , the better : but still , as one eye looks upon the grief , the other looking upon the love , wherewith he was pierced . ) for , chap. xiii . in that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of david , and to the inhabitants of ierusalem , for sin , and for uncleannesse . . and it shall come to passe in that day , saith the lord of hosts , that i will cut off the names of the idols out of the land , and they shall no more be remembred and also i will cause the prophets , and the unclean spirit to passe out of the land . . and it shall come to passe , that when any shall yet prophesie , then his father and his mother , that begat him , shall say unto him , thou shalt not live ; for thou spakest lies in the name of the lord : and his father and ●his mother , that begat him , shall thrust him through when he prophesieth . . and it shall come to passe in that day , that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision , when he hath prophesied , neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive . . but he shall say , i am no prophet , i am an husband man : for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth . . and one shall say unto him , what are these wounds in thine hands ? then he shall answer , these with which i was wounded in the house of my friends . . awake , o sword , against my shepherd , and against the man that is my fellow , saith the lord of hosts : smite the shepherd , and the sheep shall be scattered : and i will turn mine hand upon the little ones . . and it shall come to passe , that in all the land , saith the lord , two parts therein shall be cut off , and die , but the third shall be left therein . . and i will bring the third part through the fire , and will refine them as silver is refined , and will try them as gold is tried : they shall call on my name , and i will hear them : i will say , it is my people : and they shall say , the lord is my god. chap. xiii . . all this mourning ( wherein their eyes become like fountains of teares ) if it be seasonably undertaken , may end in a great blessing . for (a) even them shall a fountain be opened to the house of david , and the inhabitants of ierusalem ( the mourners , that were (b) named before , as a particular instance for the rest ) a (c) fountain , that shall wash away the guilt of all their sins , though they be such as have made them most foule , and (d) polluted soules . . and then also will the time come , saith the lord of hostes , wherein i will begin to take away the very name of idolatry from off the earth ( by the conversion of the gentiles ) so that in many places there shall be no more mention of idols . and , with them , will i make the false prophets , and the divinations by help of (e) unclean spirits , to vanish out of the lands , that have been polluted with them . . and such shall be the common zeal against idolatry and false prophets , that if a man should yet venture upon that way of pretended prophesie , even his own parents shall be ready to call for justice against him , and tell him , that he is not worthy to live , because he broacheth false doctrine , under the colour of a message in the name of the lord. thus shall his own father , and mother that were the meanes of his life , become the meanes of his death too , and , in a zeal like that of (f) phineas , presently run him through , as one not to be suffered any longer to breath , after such a fault against the god of the spirits of all flesh . . and , in these dayes , you shall see it often come to passe , that the divulgers of false and erroneous doctrine , under the pretence of a vision , to usher in what they teach or foretell , shall soon be confuted , and made ashamed of those waies . neither shall they venture any more , to take the outward (g) habit of a prophet , as a sufficient cloak for their deceiving and misguiding of others . . nay , when any one of them is examined , whether he be a prophet , or no , he shall not dare to avouch it : but he shall rather confesse and say , i lay no claim to the spirit of prophesie , i am but a plain husband-man ( fitter for plowing than prophesying ) and one man or other hath still (h) trained me up that way , and had me as a servant under him , in that kind of drudgerie , from my youth upward till now . . and , if any one say , but what is the meaning of these markes , that have taken such deep impression in thy hands ? ( are they not such (i) marks , and figures as the false-prophets have , that acknowledge themselves devoted to some false gods ? or shall we call them blows , or (k) wounds , that have been otherwise received ? then , to purge himself from all suspition of idolatrie , he shall say , these were blows indeed , that have made some impression in me for the better : the signes of such correction as i deserved , while i was in the house of my friend . therefore i shall take them for no other than love-tokens . . but now , i will go on with the prophesie of the death of the messias , to show what more the lord is pleased to have foretold concerning those passages of his passion , that will be (l) like a sword , to pierce him to the heart . arise , o sword , against the shepherd of my flock , sa●th the lord of hostes , and against my dear companion , that is nearest to my love . (m) smite the shepherd , and let the sheep be scattered . yet , for the same hand , that dispersed them with that sword , will i return my gentle hand to (n) that little innocent stock , that forsook their good shepherd , out of mere infirmity ( while the storm fell about them . ) . and for the greater flock , through the whole earth , this shall come to passe , saith the great iehovah , that , of those that shall professe themselves to be of my fold , (o) two parts therein will be cut off , and (p) perish , for want of perseverance : but a third part in it shall continue (q) to the end , in obedience unto me . . and that third part will i lead along under a fiery triall , for by many temptations , i will (r) prove them , of what mettall they are , as the goldsmith makes proof of his silver and gold , ( to see what drosse there is in them ) till they are refined , as he would have it . and he (s) that under this tryall will call upon my name , and so endeavour to improve himself . i will acknowledge , he is one of my people : and he shall persevere to professe me to be his god. chap. xiv . behold , the day of the lord cometh , & thy spoil shall be devided in the midst of thee . for i will gather all nations against ierusalem to battle , and the city shall be taken , and the houses rifled , and the women ravished , and half of the city shall go forth into captivity , and residue of the people shall not be cut off from the citie . then shall the lord go forth , and fight against those nations , as when he fought in the day of battle . and his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of olives , which is before ierusalem on the east , and the mount of olives shall ●leave in the midst thereof toward the east , and toward the west , and there shall be a very great valley , and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north , and half of it toward the south . and ye shall flee to the valley of the mountaines : for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto azal ; yea , ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the dayes of vzziah king of iudah : and the lord , my god shall come and all the saints with thee . and it shall come to passe in that day , that the light shall not be clear , nor dark . but it shall be one day which shall be known to the lord , not day , nor night : but it shall come to passe● that at evening time it shall be light . and it shall be in that day , that living waters shal go out from ierusalem : half of them toward the former sea , and half of them toward the hinder sea : in summer and in winter shall it be . and the lord shall be king over all the earth : in that day shall there be one lord , and his name one . all the land shall be turned as a plain from geba to rimmon , south of ierusalem : and it shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place : from benjamins gate unto the place of the first gate , unto the corner-gate , and from the tower of hananiel unto the kings wine-presses . and men shall dwell in it , and there shall be no more utter destruction , but ierusalem shall be safely inhabited . and this shall be the plague wherewith the lord will smite all the people , that have fought against ierusalem : their shesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet , and their eyes shall consume away in their holes , & their tongue shall consume away in their mouth . and it shall come to passe in that day , that a great tumult from the lord shall be among them , & they shal layhold every oneon the hand of his neighbour & his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour . and iudah also shall fight at ierusalem , and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together , gold , and silver , and apparel in great abundance . and so shall be the plague of the horse , of the mule of the camel , and of the asse , and of all the beasts , that shall be in these tents , as this plague . and it shall come to passe , that every one that is left of all the nations which came against ierusalem , shall even go up from year to year to worship the king the lord of hosts , and to keep the feast of tabernacles . and it shall be , that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto ierusalem , to worship the king the lord of hosts , even upon them shall be no rain . and if the family of egypt go not up , and come not , that have no rain : there shall be the plague wherewith the lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles . this shall be the punishment of egypt , and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles . . in that day shal there be upon the ●els of the horses holinesse vnto the lord ; and the pots in the lords house shall be like the bowls before the altar . . yea , every pot in ierusalem and in iudah shall be holinesse unto the lord of hosts : and all they that sacrifice , shall come and take of them , & feeth therein : and in that day there shall be n● more the canaanite in the house of the lord of hosts . chap. xiv . . but , before these things come to passe , there is a sad day of the lords wrath coming on , that will more particularly touch thee , o jerusalem . for (a) they of the gentiles shall make havock of all the countries about thee , and make division of those spoiles , in the middest of thy land . . and i will muster up all sorts of people to fight against ierusalem , and by their forces the citie shall be taken : upon which advantage , the (b) houses shall be plundered , and the women ravished . and the one half of the city shall go out , and deliver themselves up , as captives , for very fear and famine : but as for the rest they shall show themselves more valorous , and religious in defense of their temple : they shall neither be iusticed , nor forced out of the citie . . after this the lord himself ( that suffered these nations , for a time , to come thither , and show their spite and furie against jerusalem ) shall appear for his people , and fight against those barbarous nations as he hath often heretofore ( at the red sea , and elsewhere ) showed himself the lord of hostes , and , in our defense , chose himself a day of battle , and victory . . in that day shall the feet of (c) him that shall be leader of those nations against jerusalem , stand upon mount olivet ( which hath the prospect of the east-part of the citie ) that he may thence spy out a fit place , wherein to pitch his camp . and , by his command , they shall dig so much toward the east , and west of that mountain , that it shall seem to have a great cleft , and rupture in the middest . which earth , being so digged ; and removed from thence , to be used for severall military designes , against the north , and south part of the city , there shall seem to be a very great valley , made out of that , which was before a great part of the mountain . . then shall you flee , like men affrighted at the valley made as it were in a mountain : for that valley so made out of the mountain shall reach as far as asel ( the place that hath the name from the (d) vicinity of that mount ) even so shall you flie from the sight of this vast rupture , as you fled from the great earthquake , (e) which made such a rupture in the same mountain , in the dayes of vzziah , king of iudah . but then shall the lord , my god , the lord of hosts himself , come to your defense , and all his heavenly host of holy (f) angels with (g) him. . but , in that day of their trouble , and affrightment ( before the lord shall thus appear ) there shall be no light of comfort , and refreshment : but cold , and quaking horrour ( fear , and astonishment . ) . but this shall be as one day ( or a time ) whereof god hath determined in his foreknowledge , and speciall providence : and which i cannot well tell , whether i should call it a day , or a night . ( for , the day is a time of comfort , but this shall have none : the night is a time of rest , and quiet , but this shall have none ) yet it shall come to passe , toward the eve and expiration of this sad time , that ( when you would think your sun is setting , and the hope and joy of your life quite vanishing away ) then shall arise a new glimpse of recovering your former happinesse ) for you shall espie a light of comfort and joy , appearing to you , (g) in the approach of those angels of light , that god shall bring for your succour . . then shall come a time of peace , and works of peace . you shall then have aquaeducts , and usefull passages for running water made from ierusalem : (h) some of them towards the eastern sea , ( the lake of asphaltites ) and some of them towards the western , or syrick sea. and they shall be constant supplies of water , for your ordinary occasions , as well in summer , as in winter . . and then shall of judaea be free from the imperious commands of forrein nations , as when the lord vouchsafed to stile himself your king , and you his people . so shall you then be in all your land under that one gracious lord , whose name , and his onely is honoured in judaea ( no usurper having power over you . ) . this time of peace shall make you populous , all the places about iudaea shall be compassed about with inhabitants : even in the plaines , and more desert places ( that have not yet been inhabited ) from (i) gibeah of benjamin , in the northern borders , even unto (k) rimmon , that lies as far south of jerusalem . and ( with the addition of her higher towers and walls ) ierusalem shall seem to lift up her self higher , and glory to see her self so fully , and richly inhabited , in her own place , (l) from the gate of benjamin ( which leades into the countrey of benjamin toward the north ) and so to the (m) old gate ( on the west ) and to the (n) corner-gate ( that hath so many towers jetted to the east ) and thence all along from the tower of hananiel ( which (o) bounds the south of your citie ) as far toward sion , as the place , where the (p) kings wine-presses were wont to be . and there also shall you have some buildings raised up for your new inhabitants . . and they which shall then inhabite it ; in so populous a manner , shall find that there will be no more such miserable destructions , as have formerly been in that place : but ierusalem shall be inhabited in safety , and security for a long time . . and these shall be the plagues , wherewith the lord shall smite all the people , that have come in hostile manner against her. (q) such a fearfull famine and sicknesse shall he send amongst them , that , their flesh shall consume away , while they stand upon their feet : their eyes shall consume away , while they are in those strong holds , wherein nature hath placed them for better use , then from thence to watch the mischief of others , that were better than themselves : and their tongues shall moulder away , while they are in their own wicked , and blasphemous mouths . so that they shall walk about , like living carcases , and ugly noisome spectacles of misery , and memorandums of divine vengeance , . and somewhat else shall happen in those dayes , as an addition to their sorrow . for , great tumults , and combustions will god raise among them , in those hurries . every man shall be willing to lay hold of his neighbour , and by their joynt-hands engage him , (r) to be faithfull , and secure unto them ; but that hand of fidelity ( as he took it ) shall deceive his trust , and be one of the first hands , that shall be lift up against him . . an● ( which is the worst of it ) such deceit , and contention shall not be onely amongst them , but even iudah too shall pick quarrels against ierusalem . and a means to tempt them to this , will be the wealth of all the heathen round about them , that shall be gathered to this place : great abundance of gold and silver , and apparel , that shall be in the tents of the enemy . . while that plague of war , and famine , that is amongst them , will breed as great a mortality among the horses , aad mules , and asses , and all the beasts in their tents , which shall be like another plague among them . . but , these afflictions , and your miraculous delivery shall prove good instructions to many , that shall be left of those nations , that marched against ierusalem . for ( in acknowledgement of gods justice upon themselves , and his miraculous protection of that place ) thither will they resort from year to year ( being made your proselytes ) to tender their worship before the king of kings , and the lord of hosts , and to keep the feast of tabernacles ( at least ) as you do : that falling out in a time more seasonable for the undertaking of long ●urnies to jerusalem . . and while they do so much ( that are but proselytes ) they read a lecture of more readinesse to be required in you . therefore whosoever of the families of this land , shall not come up to ierusalem ( out of those countries into which they are dispersed ) once a year , at least , to bear a part in the divine service of the great king of kings ; and lord of hostes , no showre of divine favour , shall be expected to be powred upon them . . as , for instance , if those jewish families that are in egypt , shall not make that ascent , and approach hither , neither shall that showre of his favour be upon them : but , in-instead of that , some plague ra●her with which the lord will strike all those people , that will not come up , to keep so much as the feast of tabernacles ( after they have taken upon them the profession of his name . ) . this shall be the punishment of those professours of the jewish religion , that live in egypt , or among any other nations , and will not come up to the solemn feast of tabernacles , and then , at least , bear a part in the publick service of god , in that place , which he hath chosen for that purpose . . in these dayes of the strict observance of the worship of god , great additions of prosperity shall be heaped upon this people ( and specially upon the place of gods service ) by rich presents from forrein nations . then the bridles of the war-horses , and the rich ornaments about them , shall be offered as a holy thing to the lord , and so come into the treasurie of the temple , as a testimonie , that they acknowledge the victorie , in which those horses were employed , is to be ascribed to god onely ( though they seemed to guide and direct the horses , with the bridle in their own hands . ) and not in this way of acknowledgement onely , but many other waies too , the offerings shall be so rich , and frequent , that the pots in the lords house shall be as (s) numerous , as the bowles before the altar , ( whereof you have greater plenty , than of any one vessell about the temple , because of the severall uses , to which they are of necessitie required , both in the offerings , and in receiving the blood of the sacrifices . ) . and , not those pots onely in the temple , but ( by reason of the great abundance of sacrifices , in those dayes ) every pot in ierusalem , and in iudah will commonly be hallowed to that use , which those in the sanctuary are employed in , for that service of the lord of hostes : that all they that bring their sacrifice , may take of them , and seeth their meat in them ( with which , after the sacrifice , they use to entertain the levites , and their friends , whom they invite to the feast ) and in those dayes , as you shall have such store of proselytes , about the house of the lord of hosts to help and encourage you in the service , so you shall have no cananites there , to draw you from the service of the true god , ( so shall you be all holy , and clean , without mixture of prophane , and idolatrous people , (t) as was prophesied long before . and withall , you shall therein give a type of that happinesse , which the whole church shall have , (u) in the last day . ) a paraphrastical explication of the prophesie of malachi . chap. i. the burden of the word of the lord to israel by malachi . i have loved you , saith the lord : yet ye say , wherein hast thou loved us ? was not esau iacobs brother , saith the lord : yet i loved iacob , and i hated esau , and laid his mountains , and his heritage wast , for the dragons of the wildernesse . whereas edom saith , we are impoverished , but we will return and build the desolate places : thus saith the lord of hosts . they shall build , but i will throw down , and they shall call them , the border of wickednesse , and the people against whom the lord hath indignation for ever , and your eyes shall see , and ye shall say , the lord will be magnified from the border of israel . a son honoreth his father , and a servant his master : if then i be a father , where is mine honour ? and if i be a master , where is my fear ? saith the lord of hosts unto you , o priests , that despise my name : and ye say , wherein have we despised thy name ? ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar ; and ye say , wherein have we polluted thee ? in that ye say , the table of the lord is contemptible . and if ye offer the blind for sacrifice , is it not evil ? and if ye offer the lame and sick , is it not evil ? offer it now unto thy governour , will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person ? saith the lord of hosts . and now i pray you , beseech god that he will be gracious unto us : this hath been by your means : will he regard your person ? saith the lord of hosts . who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought ? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought . i have no pleasure in you , saith the lord of hosts , neither will i accept an offering at your hand . for from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same , my name shall be great among the gentiles , and in the very place incense shall be offered unto my name , and a pure offering : for my name shal be great among the heathen , saith the lord of hosts . but ye have profaned it , in that ye say , the table of the lord is polluted , and the fruit thereof , even his meat is contemptible . ye said also , behold , what a wearinesse is it , and ye have snuffed at it , saith the lord of hosts , and ye brought that which was torn , and the lame , and the sick : thus ye brought an offering : should i accept this of your hands ? saith the lord. but cursed be the deceiver , which hath in his flock a male , and voweth and sacrificeth unto the lord a corrupt thing : for i am a great king , saith the lord of hosts , and my name is dreadfull amonge the heathen . chap. i. . the word of the lord , by the prophet malachi , (a) delivered in heavy , and threatning words against the israelites that were returned from the captivity , and were guilty of many great sins : specially of negligence , and misdemeanour in things belonging to the worship of god : and of keeping strange wives , against those laws , and admonitions , that should have wrought better upon them . . i might have expected better fruit from my people of israel , were it but meerly by way of thankfulnesse for my peculiar love , and indulgence unto them : not above all other nations onely , but even above those of the same stock and original with them . for , i have ever loved you of israel saith the lord , and you may read it in many arguments of that love . but you will say , wherein hast thou showed any particular instances , and evidences of that thy special love to us ? to which i answer , that , if you look to the root , from whence you took your beginning , there you may best begin to see the signes of my love . for , was not esau brother to iacob , your patriarch , by the same venter ? were they not twins , and esau the first-born ? yet did i show a more tender , and fatherly affection to iacob and his posterity , placing you in the land of promise , a land flowing with milk and honey : and , when your sins had cast you out , reducing you hither again , and shielding you here from all danger , by the hand of providence . . esau all this while , and his posterity , the edomites that came from him , may rather see the signs of my hatred and disaffection to them from the very womb . for , as i foretold , that he should be inferior to his younger brother , before he was born : so , afterwards i placed him and his in the barren mountains of seir , no way to be compared with the fruitful land of canaan . and when my justice had (b) cast him out from thence , i did not restore him thither again , as i did you into canaan : but i turned those mountains of seir , his antient habitation , into a wildernesse : and , as a testimony of mine anger , that which was his peculiar lot , and inheritance (c) i gave to the dragons , and other wild beasts of the desert , as a place of habitation for them . . and i am so far from any intention of restoring them now to those parts . that if they of (d) edom should say , we are now in poor condition indeed , but we will take courage , and return from whence we came , and there we will build up again whatsoever the enemie hath laid wast : thus would the lord of hosts answer to such fool-hardie undertakers . if they rebuild them , i will find waies to pull them down again , and lay them even with the ground . and they that see the * execution of that justice shall say , it was but deservedly done to a countrie , whose bounds , and limits , were all full of impiety to god , and unnatural cruelty to you , their brethren : and the inhabitants thereof a people , whom god had threatned with the effects of his anger , and heavy displeasure for evermore . , your own eyes shall be the witnesses of the performance of what i thus speak against the edomites , and your own tongues shall makes profession and acknowledgement of this difference that i put between you and them , and say , let god ever be magnified , and praised for his mercie to the land of israel , which he restored , and continues to us with the same bounds , and limits , that we had before . . such hath been my fatherly affection to you : and my anger and severitie upon them . which you should be so sensible of as to expresse it in your thankfulnesse and obedience . for , doth not a son worthily honour his father ? is not a servant ready to expresse his bounden duty to his master ? if my benefits show my fathèrly love , why should not your honour , and respect , be answerable to them ? if i defend , and maintain you , as your lord , and master , where is that fear , and reverence of my name , that should be seen in you ? saith the lord of hosts . specially in you my priests , that live upon such things as are devoted to my service , and yet are so far from serving me aright , that you rather openly contemn , and despise my name . if you ask , wherein you have done any thing , in neglect and contempt of me , and in derogation to the honour and majestie of my name ? look into your daily imployments about my temple , and there you will see it . . for , you bring to my altar such (e) provisions to be there offered up to me , as i can no otherwise account of , then as of things polluted , rather then sanctified to my service . but you will say yet further . what is that pollution , wherein we are said to offer contempt unto thee ? and i must tell you , it lies in those base words of yours , that the table of the lord is so despicable a thing , that we need not be very scrupulous of sacrificing and offering any thing there , though it be not so perfect and without blemish as is required . . and so , when you bring a lamb , or any other creature , that is blind , to be offered up in sacrifice , that is no great harm . o , by no means , in your opinion it is not . and when your offering is of that which is lame , and sickly , there is no ill in so doing , as you seem to imagine . but , go and bestow such a blind , and lame , and sickly present upon your prince and governour , and see if he will accept kindly of it , and be of your opinion , that it is a present good enough for him , saith the lord of hosts . sure he will not . what shall then be said of those poor contemptible sacrifices , so unfit to be brought in your addresses to me , and as types , and figures of that immaculate lamb , that must take away the sinnes of the world . . now therefore it onely remains , that in lue of them , you present your selves before him in humble prayer , that he would please to be merciful to us all : ( who are , all of us , likely to fare the worse for these great sins . ) for , it is plain , that , this (f) great fault hath been committed (g) by you . and therefore ( while you continue in it ) do you think , that you can be acceptable in his sight , at whose altar you serve , or that he shall accept of such offerings of yours , saith the lord of hosts ? . nay , if these be thought fit sacrifices for my temple , which of you will do me that acceptable service , to shut up your doors , and passages to your sanctuarie , (h) that there may be no more fire in vain kindled upon my altar ? ( for , all your service is in vain , while it is tendered in such negligent , and scornful manner ) i can take no pleasure in you that are such sacrificers , saith the lord of hosts , nor will i accept of any such sacrifices from your hands . . but i will tell you , what sacrifice i shall delight in . in the spirituall sacrifice of a good , and spiritual heart . for ere long from east to west ( all the world over ) shall my name be magnified among the gentiles : and , in every place , shall the holy incense of (i) prayer , and the pure offering of (k) themselves , their souls , and bodies , be presented unto me . for , once again i tell you , great shall my name be among the gentiles , since it is so slighted , and undervalued by you , saith the lord of hosts . . but , you still go on to pollute that sacred name , as much as in you lies : as , when you say within your selves , that the table of the lord is no such pure thing ; nor the (l) offering so pure , that is laid upon it : neither is that fire , (m) which consumes the sacrifice , so pure , that we need be so nice , and dainty about the choice of the sacrifice . . nor is this contempt among the priests onely that do attend the sacrifice , but it is the fault of you among the people too , that bring it to the priest. for , you have been heard to say , when you have brought the sheep , or what else was sent into that court of the temple , where you were to leave it . o , what a wearisom businesse is this ? how am i tired with the weight of this burden ? and then . you have puffed and blown at it , as if that you brought had been so fat and plump , that the bringing of so heavy a burden , had almost taken away your breath . this you have said in a jesting and scornfull manner , puffing at my sacrifice , and indeed slighting of it , saith the lord of hosts . nay , such things have some of you brought to be offered , as have been stolne , (n) or purchased by rapine , and oppression : and you have sent into the courts of my temple , lame and weake sickly creatures , to serve for an offering , and so for a poor acknowledgement of the many mercies , and favours , that i have showed to you . and do you think i shall ever be pleased , with what is offered (o) by you , in such contempt , saith the lord of hosts . . no , cursed be that (g) subtle , and deceitful man , that makes a mock at these acts of religion and (g) being able to send that which is good , and having in his flock , a male , (q) that is sound , and in good liking , doth yet , when he comes to pay his vows , render a poor , weak , and blemished sacrifice unto the lord. but , i am the great king of heaven , and earth , (r) and therefore other kind of presents were fitter for me , saith the lord of hosts : and among the very gentiles , more fear and reverence shall be given unto my name . chap. ii. . and now , o ye priests this commandment is for you . if ye will not hear , and if ye will not lay it to heart , to give glory unto my name , saith the lord of hosts , i will even send a curse upon you , and i will curse your blessings : yea , i have cursed them already , because ye do not lay it to heart . behold , i will corrupt your seed , and spread dung upon your faces , even the dung of your solemn feasts , and one shall take you away with it . and ye shall know that i have sent this commandment unto you , that my covenant might be with levi , saith the lord of hosts . my covenant was with him of life and peace , and i gave them to him , for the fear wherewith he feared me , and was afraid before my name . the law of truth was in his mouth , and iniquity was not found in his lips : he walked with me in peace and equity , and did turn many away from iniquity . for the priests lips should keep knowledge , and they should seek the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts . but ye are departed out of the way : ye have caused many to stumble at the law : ye have corrupted the covenant of levi , saith the lord of hosts . therefore have i also made you contemptible and base before all the people , according as ye have not kept my wayes , but have been partiall in the law. have we not all one father ? hath not one god created us ? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother , by profaning the covenant of our fathers ? iudah hath dealt treacherously , and an abomination is committed in israel and in ierusalem : for iudah hath profaned the holinesse of the lord which he loved , and hath married the daughter of a strange god . the lord will cut off the man that doth this : the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of iacob , and him that offereth an offering unto the lord of hosts . and this have ye done again , covering the altar of the lord , with tears & weeping & with crying out , insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more , or receiveth it with good will at your hand . yet ye say , wherefore because the lord hath been witnesse between thee and the wife of thy youth , against whom thou hast dealt treacherously : yet is she thy companion , and the wife of thy covenant . and did not be make one ? yet had he the residue of the spirit : and wherefore one ? that he might seek a godly seed : therefore take heed to your spirit , and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth . for the lord the god of israel saith , that he hateth putting away : for one covereth violence with his garment , saith the lord of hosts , therefore take heed to your spirit , that ye deal not treacherously . to have wearied the lord with your words : yet ye say , wherein have we wearied him ? when ye say , every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the lord , and he delighteth in them , or where is the god of judgement ? chap. ii. . and now i come to speak to you again , o you priests . for , somewhat more i have in charge to acquaint you withall . and this it is . . if you will not hear (a) and obey what is told you , by my prophets , against your own profaness , and negligence in my service : and your connivence at the like fault in the people : or rather your drawing of them into it , by the scandall of your own ill example . if you will not take it seriously to heart , and show your repentance , by your amendment , giving more honour , and respect to me in the execution of your severall functions , then you have done heretofore , saith the lord of hosts . then will i ( instead of a blessing ) send a curse upon you that sacrifice , and you the people , that bring such contemptible sacrifices unto me . and i will send a curse upon your (b) corn , and whatsoever i have bestowed upon you as a blessing upon your former labours . i will , did i say ? nay , you may see , that this curse of mine hath begun to work upon you already : because as you neglected me , and my service , so you neglected to take that great fault into your serious consideration , but made light of it , notwithstanding the many admonitions , and exhortations , that have been made unto you . . therefore ( if you will at least consider the punishment of your sin ) you shall see , and wonder what (c) destruction i will bring upon you , and your seed after you● and , when you come to appease me by sacrifices , rather then i will be pleased with such poor service , i will throw the dung of them in your faces , even the dung of your solemnest (d) sacrifices ( to show my contempt of you , in that sacred place , where you have dared to show your contempt of me ) and out of that place , out of the very temple , (e) one , that i will appoint , shall take you away with him , and dispose of you with as much scorn and contempt , as you have showed to me , and my holy altars . . thus you will know ( by your own punishments ) why i send these first commands and lawes , of reverence to be showed in my house , and in my service . i did it , that my covenant might be kept , which i made with the tribe of levi , saith the lord. . for , my covenant with the levitical priest (f) was a covenant of life and peace , i. of long life , and felicity ; or of a long prosperous and happy life : upon the carefull discharge of their priestly office . and these favours i bestowed upon him , because of his fear , and awe of me , which made him show so much heed , and reverence in my service , (g) and make his approaches before me with all religious devotion , and humility : as one sensible of the service , he was to perform to me , and in a place of my speciall presence . . nothing came out of his mouth , but what was agreeable to law and truth , and equitie . and ( when he was to expresse his judgement in any case ) no word was found to proceed from between his lips , that had any wicked , or by-respect . and his good conversation was answerable to his good words . he converted many from their sinfull and unrighteous courses . . and from whom should all this be expected , but from the priest. and so ever let the priest be exemplary in his life , and language . (h) let the priests lips preserve knowledge , and let him be such a one , that from him (i) men may enquire the true sense , and meaning of the law. for , he is like an angel of the lord ( not onely to present before god the prayers of the people : (k) but acquaint them also with the will , and pleasure of almighty god. which two , are the great employments of the blessed angels . ) . but , you are priests of no such angelical strain : for , as you have gone out of the right way your selves , so you have made others stumble after your scandalous example , and mistake the way , which is made plain for them in the law , and wherein your first and good * levites walked with me , according to the covenant : whereas (l) you take a course to frustrate and null the covenant , made with those (m) leviticall priests , saith the lord of hostes. . therefore will i also null my part of the covenant , and bring you to that passe that you shall be scorned and contemned of all the common people : because you would not contein your selves , within the wayes of my lawes , and ordinances ; but stepped aside for private respects wresting and wracking of the law , that it might be brought to what would fit your own turnes , for pleasing the persons of men . . but are we not all brethren in nature , the sons of one man , of jacob our father ? and are we not brethren in religion too ? hath not one god , by a kind of (n) new creation moulded and formed us into a peculiar people for his service ? why then do you injure and oppresse , and defraud one another , and so make a breach of that covenant , made with your fathers , and of that love , which you owe to one another , as brethren ? . they of the kingdom of iudah are guilty of this great transgression , and so are they of the kingdom of israel ( such of the ten tribes as returned with them into their own countrey . ) and they of ierusalem too , nearest to my own house , where the best livers should have been expected . they and these have been abominable in their actions . even iudah my more peculiar people , have prophaned my sanctuary , and the holy city which i honoured with so many testimonies of my love . (o) for , they have made a mixture of iewes , and gentiles , and married them that are devoted to the service of a strange god. . god will destroy the man , that hath done this vile act , whether he be priest or laick : and send him far enough from the tents of iacob . yes , though he came to make peace by presents , and offerings unto me , as to the lord of hostes. . but , there 's another fault too , that you have committed , upon occasion of this marrying of strange women , i. you show so much love to them , and so little to your own wives , that you make them cover the altar of the lord with teares , and disturb the sacred temple with bitter lamentations : so that i can have no more delight in your offerings , nor can i take any thing well from your hands , though it be purposely brought thither to appease my wrath , and make you acceptable in my sight , saith the lord. . and why so ? will you say . because the lord iehovah is a witnesse between thee and the wife of thy youth ( thy lawfull and first love ) whom thou abusest , after such a harsh and inhumane manner . but she should be used as thy dear consort , and fellow-servant to the same god , and the wife of the same covenant , ( not onely made thy wife by a solemn covenant , and stipulation mutually tendred before me , for the securing of your mutuall love , and affection : but the wife that is interested in the covenant made with god himself , to serve and obey him . whereas neither of these so strong obligations to ingage thee to those wives that are superinduced , and of meer strangers , are made the proud usurpers and commanders of thy house . ) . now echad , (p) i. abraham , whose example you pretend to follow , did not so . but he was of a more excellent spirit , and when he took a maid for his concubine , why did abraham do it ? he did it not for lust , nor with injury to sarah ( for , it was at her intreaty ) but (q) onely desirous of a (r) pious seed , and a seed promised by god himself . therefore take heed of being led by that violent and erring spirit of your own . think of abraham's meek and obedient spirit , and commit not such a cruell fault , as to suffer a stranger to domineer over the wife of thy youth . . for , thus saith the great iehovah , the god of israel . he that doth so , hates to put her away . he cannot do that , for shame : but he cloakes the injury that he doth to her , by keeping her still in his own house , saith the lord of hostes. but ( once again i warn you ) take heed of being led by your own unruly spirits , and let me hear no more of this great fault . . there is yet another thing in your ordinary talk , wherein you have offended and wearied out the patience of almighty god. and wherein have we so tired and displeased him ? will you say . it is in using those wicked proverbs of yours . every one that is evill is acceptable enough in the sight of the lord , and , sure , he takes delight in them : ( for , so you guesse by the preferment of wicked men . ) and in your other said saw . where is the god of iudgement ? ( that doth not rather presently punish those wicked men , if he knew them to be such ) as if we were to limit and confine him for his times and his waies : how and when he shall make proof of his justice . chap. iii. behold , i will send my messenger , and he shall prepare the way before me : and the lord , whom ye seek , shall suddenly come to his temple : even the messenger of the covenant , whom ye delight in : behold , he shall come , saith the lord of hosts . but who may abide the day of his coming ? and who shall stand when he appeareth ? for he is like a refiners fire , and like fullers sope . and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he shall purifie the sons of levi , and purge them as gold and silver , that they may offer unto the lord an offering in righteousnesse . then shall the offerings of iudah and ierusalem be pleasant unto the lord , as in the daies of old , and as in former years . and i will come neer to you to judgement , and i will be a swift witnesse against the sorcerers , and against the adulterers , and against false swearers , and against those that oppresse the hireling in his wages , the widow , and the fatherlesse , and that turn aside the stranger from his right , and fear not me saith the lord of hosts . for i am the lord , i change not : therefore ye sons of iacob are not consumed . even from the daies of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them : return unto me , and i will return unto you , saith the lord of hosts : but ye said , wherein shall we return ? will a man rob god ? yet ye have robbed me . but ye say , wherein have we robbed thee ? in tithes and offerings . ye are cursed with a curse : for ye have robbed one , even this whole nation . bring ye all the tithes into the store-house , that there may be meat in mine house , and prove me now herewith , saith the lord of hosts , if i will not open you the windows of heaven , and powre you out a blessing , that there shall not be room enough to receive it . and i will rebuke the devourer for your sakes : and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground , neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field , saith the lord of hosts . and all nations shall call you blessed : for ye shall be a delightsome land , saith the lord of hosts . your words have been stout against me , saith the lord : yet ye say , what have we spoken so much against thee ? ye have said , it is in vain to serve god : and what profit is it , that we have kept his ordinances , and that we have walked mournfully before the lord of hosts ? and now we call the proud happy : yea , they that work wickednesse are set up ; yea , they that tempt god , are even delivered . then they that feared the lord , spake often one to another , and the lord hearkened and heard it , and a book of remembrance was written before him , for them that feared the lord , and that thought upon his name . and they shall be mine , saith the lord of hosts , in that day when i make up my jewels , and i will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him . then shall ye return , and discern between the righteous and the wicked ; between him that serveth god , and him that serveth him not . chap. iii. . now , because you inquire after the lord of judgement , and after his coming : will you hear what himself saith of his first coming : behold i will shortly send my (a) angel or embassadour ( john the baptist , my fore-runner ) who shall prepare the way before me ( by his baptism , and sermons of repentance , and his testimonie of me and my coming ) and then the lord ( the messias ) that you so earnestly expect , and inquire after , shall sodainly come into his temple ( before (b) he is looked for : the time being concealed from men ) to (c) honour his temple at jerusalem with his bodily presence , and there to teach , and instruct his people of the house of israel . even he shall come that is the great angel of the new testament , whom you long for ( as your promised messias ) behold , he shall surely come , saith the lord of hosts . . but , who will abide the time of his coming ? and , when he appears in person , who shall be able to stand ( without great fear and terrour ) before him ( to hear the discoverie and reproof of their sinnes , and the prophesie of that heavy punishment , that will fall upon you for them , and the many afflictions , that must be expected and suffered by all those , that will follow him ) for , he shall be like a refiners fire , ( to (d) make trial of us in the fire of affliction , as well as like the fullers (e) purging herbs ( to cleanse and purge us in the laver of regeneration , by vertue of his precious bloud . and , when he settles himself to 〈◊〉 great work of trying and purging , as the refiner doth , when he removes the drosse from the pure silver : then shall he cleanse and purifie the sonnes of levi ( reducing manie of them from the drosse of their false doctrines , and traditions , and other mistakes , to the knowledge and profession of the truth . and , so being purged from what was amisse in them , ( like silver and gold , that comes out of the refiners furnace ) they shall offer unto the lord a righteous , and pious sacrifice of humble prayers and divine praises , and the constant exercise of all holy virtue . . all these offerings and sacrifices of iudah and ierusalem , shall be as acceptable , and well pleasing unto god : as ever were any of their most costly presents , and oblations in former times , and in the daies of old ( the daies of your good patriarchs , and judges , and prophets . ) . but , if you will not forsake your drosse ) * as you called for the god of judgement , so i will come near to you in the acts of iudgement and iustice. ( saith the lord ) and i ( that have been privie to all your secret sinnes , which cannot be concealed from my all-seeing eye ) i will not be wanting to be a readie witnesse , my self , against such as have been tampering with magick arts , and against adulterous and perjured persons , and against all such as defraud the poor hirelings of their wages , and the widows and orphans of that , which is their due : and against those , that oppresse the stranger , ( all which have the least means to relieve themselves ) and withall , my justice shall be showed upon all those , that do any thing against the fear and reverence of my name , saith the lord of hosts . . for i am a god immutable in all my waies ( in my waies of justice , and in my wayes of mercy ) the same god in the performance of all threats and promises upon all persons . and yet , you sonnes of iacob doe not (f) make an end of your wicked courses : and ( either for fear or love of my immutable waies ) follow those good steps , that your father iacob hath traced out before you . . and so , from the daies of all your fore-fathers , you have gone astray from the way of my statutes , and have not kept them , as you should have done . and yet return unto me by a true repentance : and i will return unto you in great mercy , saith the lord of hosts . but i know , you will be ready to excuse your selves , and ask , wherein you should return . for , you would be accounted the onely observers of my laws , and cannot bethink your selves , what it should be , wherein you have offended . . therefore i will tell you wherein . will any man think it fit , to rob , and defraude god of his due ? yet are you , that justifie your selves , guiltie of that fraude , and injurie towards me . if you ask , wherein thse your fraudulent actions against me may consist . i answer , in your tithes and offerings , which you have paid in a sordid , covetous , and deceitful way . . and , for that fraudulent detaining of my antient right from me , there is a (g) heavy curse hangs over your heads . and the whole nation are in danger of it , ( as the reward of a national fault ) if it be not averted by your speedie repentance . . but let me see you faithfully , and truely bring in all my tithes into my barnes , that there may be a plentiful provision for those that attend the dayly service of my house . and make triall of me now in this one point of your obedience , saith the lord of hosts , whether i will not open the windows of heaven , for your sakes , and powre a blessed increase upon you in such a superabundant way of plenty , that your barnes and vessels , wherein you intend to lay it up , shall not be able to contein it . . and , for your sakes , will i hinder the devouring locusts , that are destructive to your fruit , and they shall not corrupt anie more fruit of your grounds . and it shall be my care and providence , that your vines in the field ( the remotest from your eyes ) may not cast their fruit before their due time , to deceive your expectation of a good vintage , saith the lord of hosts . . and ( whereas by my curse upon you , and my punishment of your great sinnes , you lived , a long time , poor and despicable among the heathen ) now all nations shall call you blessed . for you shall be a delightsome land ( worthy the love , and admiration of all , for your peace , and plenty , and specially for the exercise of the true religion amongst you ) saith the lord of hosts . . yet , are you no way worthy of these loving promises from me , or these kind words from other people . for , you have used very bitter , and wicked words against me , saith the lord of hosts . yet you will be ready to deny it now , and to say , what is that , which we have spoken so (h) often , and so ill against thee ? . this it is . in saying , that it is a vain and unprofitable thing to serve god : and in asking , what you have gained by observing those things , that god would have you to observe , and that , in times of fasting , and humiliation , you have walked , like pensive and sad mourners , before the lord of hosts . . and this also you have said , now , when all is done , we account them the happiest men ( not that have so humbled themselves , but ) that have stoutly and proudly ( without any scruple ) showed themselves the contemners of all religion . and this too . they thrive best in (i) raising of their houses , and families , that dare do the worst things . and yet more . you say , they that have tempted and provoked god most , have been soonest delivered out of affliction , or escaped the best . . such have been the impious , and prophane words of the wicked . but then , they that fear the lord (k) have often had better discourses among one another . and to their discourse god himself gave serious attention , observing well what they said , and causing it to be written down in his book of remembrances for them that fear the lord , and think reverently of his name . . and he dismissed them with this encomium , and gracious promise . these are they , saith the lord of hosts , that shall have my special protection , at that time , (l) when i shall fully execute what i intend against the wickked . i will be as chary of them , as one would be of his choicest iewels . and ( whatsoever i lay upon others . ) i will spare , and favour them , as one would spare his own most dutifull and obedient sonne . . then you ( that have spoken so carelesly of my providence ) (m) will change your opinions , when you see what difference i put betwixt a righteous , and a wicked man : between one that serves god , and one that serves him not . ( and a special time , when that difference will appear , is the time of the destruction of jerusalem , by the romans . that is a day , when i shall come in judgement against the nation of the iews , and it shall be an image and resemblance of the last day , when i shall come in judgement against all the world. and that particular day , or time , is not far off . ) chap. iv. for behold , the day cometh that shall burn as an oven , and all the proud , yea , and all that do wickedly shall be stubble , and the day that cometh shall burn them up , saith the lord of hosts , that it shall leave them neither root nor branch . but unto you that fear my name , shall the sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings ; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall . and ye shall tread down the wicked ; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet , in the day that i shall do this , saith the lord of hosts . remember ye the law of moses my servant , which i commanded unto him in horeb for all israel , with the statutes and judgements . behold , i will send you elijah the prophet , before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the lord. and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children , and the heart of the children to their fathers , least i come and s●ite the earth with a curse . chap. iv. . for , behold , that day of the fearful destruction of ierusalem , is coming on , that shall be as burning hot as an oven ( kindled by the wrath of god ) and then (a) all the proud contemners of my service , and blasphemers of my providence , and all others , the workers of iniquity shall be like stubble , that is easily inflamed . and this hot time , that comes on so fast , shall put them into such an all-devouring heat , saith the lord of hosts , that (b) neither root , nor branch shall be left to any of that wicked crew , that shall dare to sin against me , with such a high hand . but the rising sun shall be the blessing of you that fear my name ( ever , more and more , encreasing your joy and comfort ) the true son of righteousnesse shall warm , and refresh your hearts ( while the wicked perish in the fire of my wrathful displeasure . ) and as they , like stubble , shall quickly be enflamed and consumed : so your heat of solace shall be as quick from your messias . for , he shall flie to gou with salvation under his wings , to heal your broken hearts , and set you into a sure way of eternal life . he shall do it with such an effectual , and apparent recoverie of your spiritual health , that you shall show it in the vigour of the body , and be of as good liking , and in as thriving a way , as the fatted calves , and oxen , that are purposely fed , and kept up in their stall , to make them plump and tender . and you shall (c) have full power over the wicked , that now trample and domineer over you : and they that shall be left of them , like ashes out of the furnace of gods wrath , and the flames of that sad punishment that was (c) named before , them shall you tread down like ashes , under the soles of your feet . this shall ye do , in the day wherein i shall put these things in execution , saith the lord of hosts : which are told them before-hand , that they may prevent them , or be without excuse . . in the mean time , while you are in expectation of this son of righteousnesse , and so ordering your lives , that you may escape the fire of his anger , when he comes in judgement against your city and nation . forget not to observe the law which i delivered in mount horeb to my servant moses , as a rule and direction for all the children of israel . square your selves according to those statues and iudgements , which you had from him . . and , that you may know when the time of your glorious sun-rising is come upon you : ye shall discover it by the morning-star , that appears just before him. for , observe and you shall see that i will send you his fore-runner , (d) in the power and virtue of elijah the prophet , that ( in a zeal , and austeritie of life , like his ) shall labour to restore the true (e) worship of god amongst you , before that great and terrible day of the lord come upon your nation , that shall give you the greatest blow , that ever , yet , was given . . and ( coming in a time , wherein there will be many sects , and much diversitie of opinions ) he shall labour to convert , and reconcile the hearts of parents to their children , and children to their parents : (f) directing all to their great master , and teacher ( their promised messias ) and , in him to the truth it self . and therefore will i send him upon this employment , that so he may make way to the appeasing of my wrath , least i come , and (g) utterly destroy the whole land . for , onely that romnant , which shall prevent my judgement by true repentance , shall be (h) plucked like lot out of sodom , and delivered from that common calamity , that shall then attend the destruction of ierusalem . a catalogue of books printed for , and to be sold by thomas davies , at the bible over agninst the little north door of st. pauls church . the historie of this iron age , wherein is set down the true state of europe , as it was in the year . also the original and causes of all the wars and commotions that have happened : together with a description of the most memorable battels , sieges , actions , and transactions , both in court and camp , from that time until this present year . illustrated with the lively effigies of the most renowned persons of this present time . folio . bp. andrews his sermons , which he preached at st. giles cripplegate , and elsewhere ; with a preface written by mr. th. pierce , minister of brington in northamtonshire . folio . a commentary upon the whole epistle of the apostle paul to the ephesians , wherein the text is learnedly , and fruitfully opened ; with a logical analysis , spiritual and holy observations , confutation of arminianism and popery , and sound edification of the diligent reader , by mr. paul bain , sometimes preacher of gods word at st. andrews in cambridge : the fifth edition : to which is added the life of the author , and a table of all the doctrines . folio . a commentary on the most divine epistle of st. paul to the romans : written by the learned and religious thomas wilson , late minister of gods word at st. georges in canterbury , folio . beza in novum testamentum cum camerario . folio . hews his phrases in english and latin , with an augmentation of several phrases , by alex. rosse ; a book very useful for all grammer shools . octavo . the substance of christian religion , methodically handled in lii . lectures , on chosen texts of scripture , learnedly and solidly illustrated , with apt doctrines , reasons , and uses ; by that late , famous labourer in gods vineyard , wil. ames , doctor in divinity , and professor thereof at franeker in friezland . octavo . basilius valentius his last will and testament , shewing the waies he wrought to obtain the philosophers stone , and taught it to his fellow-collegians . octavo . ougtredi trigonometria , hoc est , modus computandi triangulorum latera & angulos , ex canone mathematico traditus & demonstratus . . a discourse of the empire of germany , and of the election and crowning the emperour and king of the romans , with the interest of the electors , and the reasons why the present emperor was lately chosen ; by iames howell esq. octavo . a discourse made in the solemn assembly of nobles and learned men , at montpelleier in france , of the cure of wounds by the powder of sympathy , with the manner of making and applying the said powder ; by sr. kenelme digby kt. . by whom also all sorts of latine books transported from beyond the seas , are to be sold. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e (a) quid hîc inimicum fidei christianae , si m●retrix , relictâ fornicatione in caslam conjujem commutet● ? ( ut aug. contra faustum manichaeu●a disputaus . ) (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficiens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 du●e massae ficuum aridarum . jer. . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disseminare . (f) reg. . vide r. kimchi & lyranum . (g) sic jonathan ● kimchicitatus . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non consecuta misericordiam . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non populus meus . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (l) which answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the best sense . vide v. . (m) vide v. . (n) v. . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 populus meus . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miseri cordia consecuta . hîo potiùs claudendum primum caput , cum hieron . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies both . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies both . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) sic ab. ezra . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (x) nam nudatio pudendorum stultitia est , inquit a. ezra . (y) this seems to be ironically spoken to the ten tribes : (z) leg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinitores , ut hieron . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 institutio puerorum quasi per lineas , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vir mi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in t baal . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festivitatis gratiâ addi videtur ( ut alibi saepe ) quasi diceres , call me him husband , not baal . (c) nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe pro bonitate . * sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe sumitur . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. . . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludit iterum ad nomen jezreel . (g) chap. . , . (h) dilectionem conjugalem intelligit . (i) intellige retum populum israeliticum : tam iud. quam isra propriè dict . (k) s. in captivit . pab . & sunt qui haec exponunt ( in hoc & seq . vers . ) de iudaeis , in fine mund● ad christi fidem convertendis : post longum tempus exactum sine sacrificio , & altari . (l) non in iudátanium , sed in israel propriè dict . erant columnae , ephod , teràphim , in imitationem eorum , que in templo hierosol . habebantur : ne dissimilis cliltus sacerdotium iudae redderet augustius . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) ut vasa nimium impleta , id enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soepe pro caede (p) & pro peccatis , sanguinis effusionesi . e. morte dignis . (q) sic prata ridere dicuntur , ●n summâ rerum copiâ : hic lugere in sterili a●e aut vastatione . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labe-fieri , infirmari , cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad auxesen geminat . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certè ut psal. . ult . & job . . ult . sic mercerus , hic certè nemo ausit , i. e. reprehendi se non patientur . deut , , . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque significat , regem & sacerdotem . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi hodie ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c : . . (x) al●udit ad subito , & nocte captain hieros l. . paral. ult . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic & amplitudinem , & dignitatem significat , ut patet ex se●uent . (z) deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevare animum ad aliquid , est d●siderare . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domus peccati potius a prophetis dicitur , ob idololatriam , quam be●hel , i. e , domus dei. (k) alludit ad vitulum in beth-aven , sed iarki : a ezra & kimchi sumunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in notione rebellandi , ut dicatur hic similis bovi saginato , adeoque refractario . (l) ironicè dictum videtur , etsi kimchi sic vertat . ni defecissent pavisset eos dominus in affluentia . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceres & clypei hebr . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam propheta in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idola subintelligit : quae , eadem de causâ , alibi ettam similia habent nomina . (h) ventus ligavit eam ad ducendum in exilium , ut kimchi patrem suum dicit exposuisse , ipse autem kimchi hoc modo exponit . vt qui ligat ventum in alis suis , unde nihil boni provenit , sic qui sacrificarunt vitulis , nihil praeter confusionem , lucrantur . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paena ( secundum judicium rectum ( immine● ) vobis . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro fundarunt mactare ( ut kimchi ) i. were deeply ingaged for that sin , ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit verb. infin . modo ut alibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & sic targum . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ego correctionem pro illis pa●o , ut rectè jonathan . * sic u. ul● . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro utroque exponi potest , & pro menstrua pensione , & pro brevi tempore , quod mercero magis placet . (p) reg. . . hos. . . (q) i. bethel . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constantiam meam . (s) sic & mercero hunc locum suppleri posse videtur : (t) reg. . . & . , (u) paral. . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ca. . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ca. . . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 geminatio ad auxesin . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donec se re●s peragant . id enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signif . ut levit. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) psal. . . (d) psal. , ult . (e) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soepe significat . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic eodem sensu sumi potest , quo v. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 traced , .. &c. (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro angustiis , ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) et eleganter admodum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( afflictio , & miseria ) dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. fructus peccatorum q. d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finis . ejus est miseria . adde quod messis designat tempus judicii , vide c. . . (n) reg. . , (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. . v. . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ● . . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à vigilando c●ssavit . ex. v. . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) vide v. . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (x) . reg. . . y c. . . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) . reg. , . hos. , . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . reg. , . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ruminare ( ut hic hieron ) vel ingurgitare , vel congregare se ad comedendum , & bibendum . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) lege● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) psal. . . (g) nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est peccatum praesumptionis . (h) & de hac aquila nonnulli exponunt verba praced . (i) nam hoc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe signif . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonat cum deo pravalentem . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque complectitur , ( ut ps. l. . . ) innocentiam , & mundationem per poenitantiam . (m) job . , . (n) prov. , . (o) rom. . (p) patet ex sequentibus , (q) ezek. , . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hiph . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipere ( ut apparet ex daghes in lamed ) sed cūm aellusione aliquâ ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolere . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mult● , & magna , atque honoranda signific . (t) hoc n. est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delubra . (x) parentalia , hieron . jer. . . (y) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe sumitur . (z) vide ezek. . , , . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venerunt . ( vide c. . ult vel . ) (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum deo meo quo sensu christus dom. dixit , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — qui non est mecum , contra me est . mat. . . vel sic vertas , ephraims watchman ( for what he saith ) is counted of equal authority with my god , and his true prophet : but he is but like a snare — &c. (c) chap. . . sam. , . . jud : . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nuditas sic priapum vocabant . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made new kind of nazarites of themselves . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) sle kimchi . (i) iex sequ . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vae illis . (l) vide v. . (m) sic. a. ezra , & d. kim●ht . (n) vide cap. . . (o) vide i●s . . (p) vide c. . . & . . (q) vi v , u● . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (s) s. ia●kl . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponit , i. facit sibi . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * isa. . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. . . (y) verba sunt desperantium , ut plerique exponunt . * vide v. . et hieron . ad locum , de vitulis aeneis , & deauratis . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 migrarem in captivitate . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut c. , . est vltor , vel protector . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , qui ●ites corum dirimet , eosque ut sues , in ●utelam suscipiet . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spuma in superficie aquae ferventis , & ebullientis . vnde pro i● â vehementiori . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idolum vel pro be●h . aven . (d) luc. . . apoc. . . isai. . ult . * iud. . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ligare . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & alludit ad vitulum alligatum , qui iascivierat . (i) deut. . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta , secundum . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneficentia . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( ut suprà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) saepe pro misericordiâ & beneficentiâ ) (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( ut suprà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) saepe pro misericordiâ & beneficentiâ ) (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) alludit ad iud. . ut vult hieronim . & salman ponitur pro salmana ( vel zalmunah ) sicut & arbal pro ierubbaal , etsi aliter kimchi . * gen. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aurora . pro princ●pio vel mane exsciudi , de improviso exi●io intelligi potest . (q) ezek. . . & . . exod. . . (r) mat. . . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rudentes , vel vincula crassiera . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inclinabam cibum . i held it close to their mouths . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendent animi num ad me redeant . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (z) in●alescunt paenitudinermea . (a) potest hic subest vaticinium de reliquiis israel , ad christam convertendis per rugitum domini , i. e. evangelii praedicationem , quam , in iudaeâ primò promulgaram , iudaei primò , deinde , alii summâ cum admiratio●e , & timore amplectentur , & huno sensum versus etiam sequen● admittere potest . (b) sicut avis , & sicut columba ) hoc celeritatem divulgationis evangelii , & conversionis fidelium significare potest , si dictum , in margine , prioris versus sensum sequamur . (c) hic no●●ulli● nova prophetia incipera videtur . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut c. . (e) hebr . iacob . (f) gen. , . (g) sic utraque lectio exprimi potest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (i) hebr . pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in tents , (k) other houses were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the first use of tabernacles , wherein they dwelt in the desert . in memory whereof the feast of tabernacles was instituted , which was also a shadow of the peace , and quiet , and security , that we should have by christ. (l) nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex praecedentibus reperendum . (*) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) videour significare , & decem , & duas tribus pari idololatriae errore deceptas . nam quo tempore haec prophetabantur , galaad erat in regno decem tribuum , gil●●● duarum , ut monet hieronymus , vide cap. , . (o) sugit agrum syriae . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. . . . cap. , . (q) tempore iudicum , & regum aliquot ex eâ tribu . (r) hebraei vitulos etiam , interdum vocant baalim . (s) osculum erat signum homagii , ( ut vocatur ) & sic illud exponendum , psal . ult . sulemus enim , oscula manuum , principes adorare , & subjectionis nostrae testimonium presta●e . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gradiens , vel observans , ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (u) praecordia , vel claustra cordis , potest ad animos alludere , occlusos ad omnes admonitiones . (x) depressio tua ex te , vel perdidisti te , vel perdidit te ( iniquitas tua ) (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi tandem est rex tuus ? (z) sam. . . (a) . reg. , . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modus indicationis pro potentiali ( ut v. . i could or can — (c) . cor. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut v. . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) c. . . (f) ventus dei , i. vehemens , vel à deo missus : quem quidam de christo exponunt , qui venit ut ventus morti , & inferno noxius : mortis fonte ( peccato ) per christum abolito . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( ut scot. geare ) comprehendit omnia utensilia , &c. (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reum peragi . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) psal● , . (l) v. . vel . (l) v. . vel . (m) vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quamvis — though thou hast — (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peco●tir●m & paenam peccati significat . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sept. l●●gerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & sic heb. . . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ephes. . , . gen : . . isa. . . mic . . ps. . (u) praestantia ejus sicut olea ( praestantia ) (x) jud. . (y) or the wine of lebanon . as v. . (z) psal. . ult . jer. . . psal. . penult . notes for div a -e (a) for most take them to be the emblemes of sierce , and cruel nations , out of the sixth verse . and it is familiar in the scripture , to describe unruly , and vast armies , by such creatures , as are wholly for devastation . nor can it be meant of pul , and salmanasar , because joel prophesieth not against the ten tribes , but against judea ( unlesse it be understood of the want and calamitie , that thence afflicted judea , which had many provisions out of israel . (b) ut● contrà ridere prata dicuntur , in summâ copiâ . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) this is implied in the close of the verse . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perplexum esse , turbari . (g) plur. cum verbo sing (b) sic optimè exponitur ●x hebroeis , qui ioelem manisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse volunt . (i) sic in actis apost . cap. . exponuntur aliquot loca hujus cap. de eversione urbis hieros●l . post messiam , per rumanos , quae ioel primari● dixisse videt●r de excidio per chaldaos . (k) vrilli . c , v. , (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ollae nigredinem significat . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet significationem mora● : & pignoris . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet significationem morae : & pignoris . ‖ via utram que , notionem habet . ‖ via utram que , notionem habet . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discurrent ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) crura agitabunt ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crus . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discurrent ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crura agitabunt ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crus . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 versu praced . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who knows but that● i. who knows not , that — nam interrogativa , apud hebroeos , magis affirmant . (r) entrance or atrium● populi . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) vide v. . (u) vide c. . . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 germinabunt , virescent . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vim suam , their uttermost strength . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et doctorem & pluviam significat . (a) v. praced . (b) act. . (c) vt ( in actis ) petro , & aliis . (d) a figure of this divine help , and delivery of gods people , under the gospel , was that miraculous victory in the vally of jehoshaphat . . patal . , . therefore that name is made use of here . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) haec forte , & gentes in iudaeos faclitarunt : sed longè majora hostes evangelii in christianos . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utramque notionem in duere potest , & retribuendi , & provocandi , i. de eo etiam dicitur , qui prior contulit beneficium , vel maleficium . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leviter . & celeriter , i. quam primum . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque significat . (k) sarcasmus . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in imperativo sic exponi porest . fac fortes tuas descendere , domine , ( in auxilium tuoru●● ) (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decisionem , vel decretum : & tribulam , vel traham significat , incisionibus plenam ad frumentum excutiendum . (n) lege , shall run with waters , &c. (o) vide hieron . & lyranum . (p) subauditur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut recte hieron . (q) vide v. , , . notes for div a -e (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & ●es , & verba signif . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie either one that is onely a keeper of sheep ; or one that is a master of sheep , as was mesa king of moab , that paid to the king of israel a hundred thousand lambs , and as many rams with the wool . . reg. . . but amos seems to have kept both sheep and greater cattle , see chap. . . (c) sic . cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 — &c. vide hieron . & iosephum . & zach. . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaph . ab iis , qui apud iudaes fruges excutere solebant per instrumentae gravia , & fer●o munita . simile de cribro . luc. . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaph . ab iis , qui apud iudaes fruges excutere solebant per instrumentae gravia , & ferio munita . simile de cribro . luc. . . (g) i. the place of pleasure . (h) vt expnoitur v. . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 captivitatem pacificam . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) reg. . . (m) vt exposuimns , v. . (n) vide v. . (o) reg. . . (o) reg. . . (p) ezek. . . & chap. . & . (q) sic exponitur , v. . (r) vt exposuimus , v. . (s) jer , . . (t) jer , , . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per regem eorum , vel molochum exponi potest . (x) expon . ut cap. . , . (y) quis hic fuerit , nec ex sacra scriptura , nec alibi , ut opinor , inveniri potest , illud certè , . reg. . ult . huc tor queri non potest , videtur enim intelligi , non de harede regis edom● sed moab . (z) sic chaldaus , sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potest exponi per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro calce , instead of lime . (a) or , the houses of their chief cities . (b) sic . c. , . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hebraeis , qui aliis rex , dux , princeps (d) sic expone ex c. . . (e) sic exponitur c . (f) locus hic difficilis sic mihi reddi posse videtur , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. absorbent , vel deglutiunt pauperes , super pulverem terrae ( collocanteos ) quem pulverem etiam ponunt super captra pauperum ( pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & modestorum viam , atque institutum pervertunt . (g) sic hebraei & hicron . (h) so the name here is taken . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arctans ego , i. angustiam vobis afferam , nam hoc verbum priore loco transitivum est , posteriore neutrum , ut docet kimchi . sunt tamen qui sic exponunt . ego strideo subter vos , sicut stridet plaustrum anustum manipulis ; i. vestris sceleribus oneratus , diutiùs vos ferre nequeo . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in loco vestro , i. pressurus sum locum vestrum hostibus . † psal. . ult ; deut , . . * gen. . . exod. . . * chap. . . (l) isa ; . . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstreper● . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ea . vel intraipsam . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) sic principum uxores vo●a●u● psal. . ● . ipsi principes truculenti , & genio indulgentes vocantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tauri basan . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convivium celebrare . unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , convivium . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic vel humum piscatorium significat , vel contum quo piscatores in rebus percantandis , & explorandis utuntur , & sic dicitus à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in notione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter ferrum acutum in capite . e● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel hami v. l retia quaedam piscatoria sunt , ex spinis facta ( nam spinae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur , à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quód removendae sint ) vel naviculae piscatoriae navi maj r● adjunctae , ut iis ad littus appelletur . à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recedere● (s) sic symmachus , & hieron . & hebraei . (t) permissio ironica (u) hos. . . & . . (x) deut. . . (y) decimas ad dies afferte . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annos , vel dies significare po●est . (z) adolere . i. adolere ex fermentato sacrificium gratulatorium . levit. , . (a) s. incense implied in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & multiplicationem , & sumptum , atque culturam significare porest , the improving . (d) quidam legunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( cum caph ) ad modum aegypti . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 castra , & copias vel turmas signif . (f) zach. . . (g) vt supra v. ● . (h) vid. c. . . (i) alludit ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) ut e. , ● (m) hinc gr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , quod tempus navigationi opportunum ostendant , & lat . vergili● , à verno tempore , sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex arab. quasi stellarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen habet à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , inconstantia & levitate . virgilio , nimbosus orion . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaslitas pro vastato , & infirmo . (o) in the gate , ( the place of justice . ) (p) vide isa. , . (q) sic chald. sept. etiam reddunt per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i domunculam , vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moloch , ( pro quo aquila habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) or , accounting a star for your god. (s) vide stephani concionem . act. , , . ubi non ipsissima verba , sed mentem prophetae exprimit . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 longè ultrà . (u) hinc apud iudaeos , antipatri , alexandri , aristobuli , drusillae : possumus tamen exponere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnium gentium , nomin atissimos , vel famosissimos , eoque nomine superbos . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( va●● pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) (y) venditare , est applicare se , & in eorum tutelam se recipere . (z) est n. enallage numeri . vel , si israelitarum terram uberiurem dicit , innuit eorum ingratitudinem . (a) repete ex . v. . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) sic supra , c. . . habu●mus domum joseph pro populo israelitico . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pr. convivium funebre . (e) in femoribus domus . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) reg. . (i) vr hieron . (k) al , mare mortuum . alii nilum hic intelligun● . (l) reg. . . (a) sic ioel . . (b) sic & v. . (c) sic ioel . . per ignem hostis truculentus describitur . hic a●tem hozaelem syrum , ejusque milites intelligere possumus a qaorūsurore per orationem prophetarum liberatus est populus . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & partem significat , & praedium , agrum , regionem , gall. les champs . & lat . vocamus agrum eboracensem . — &c. vide cap. . . (e) vt v. . (f) isac , pro populo isrealitico . (g) vide c. . . (h) stillare , est prophetam agere . vid deut. . . (i) domus isaac propopul● isr. ut c . . (k) sym 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (l) per funem in palestinâ agros metiebantur , & suam cuique mensuram , & partem assignabant , quae 〈◊〉 dicitur . . cor. . . . (a) to confirm the third vision . c. . . (b) alludunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) vide c. . . (d) chaldaeus , & haebraei vectè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponunt , non de templo hierosolymitano , sed de israelitarum aedibus manificè structis . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. magna cadaverum copia ( multum cadaver ) (f) dicetur ● projice . vel projicere , pro projicient . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modesti , vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pauperes . (h) vide c●p . ● . (i) luc. . . (k) iacob hic pro populo israelitico , ut isac c : . (l) which may be meant of souldiers to over-run the country . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his idem quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) hos. , , (o) suprà v. . * job ● . . (a) isai. . & ezek. . . & . . (b) isai. . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avaritiam corum ( ut omnium malorum cap●● ) exponit hieron . ex m●drash à nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avaritta : sed melior erit constructio , & verisimilior à verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in frusta concidere : dividere . (d) psal. . . jer. . . job . . (e) tyrants go under that name in the scripture . psal. . . isai. . (f) [ ante hostes ] à mercero sic exponitur ( & si proprie significet , ducentibus cos hostibus ) & kunchi huic expositioni favere videtur , instantiam afferens de illis qui cum iohanan filio careah ( ier. ) in aegyptum aufugerunt , putantes evadere gladium chaldaeorum , qui tandim superveniente rege chaldaeorum , occisi sunt in aegypto . * sic cap. . . , . (g) hebraiper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orbes ejus caelestes ab eo creatos , & motos intelligunt , ubi singuli velut gradu uno supra alterum constituuntur . potest etiam & solium regale dici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quod per gradus plerumque ascenditur , ut reg. . . potest etiam & coelum supremum , summus rerum omnium gradus . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fasciculus . manipulus . collectio . combinatio . hebraei hic elementa intelligunt ( aquam . aerem● ignem ) quorum fundamentum est terra . ab. ezra per animantia exponit ex elementis quasi collecta , & conflata . aliit●ram orbis machinam , quae deo est velut manipulus ( vide isai. . . ) vel minor manipulo . (i) isai. . . (k) vide suprà c. . . (l) jer. . . (m) vide h. grot. in reg. . . (n) ezek. . . & . . jer. . . (o) tabernaculum ecclesiam significat , q. ex uno loco interdum in alium movetur . (p) ioel , amos , and most of the prophets conclude their prophesies with a prediction of the messiah , and his restitution of all things in a perfect way . for , the most glorious appearance under the best kings of judah was but a shadow of that splendor , and comfort , which began , when the day-spring from on high , and the son of righteousnesse came to visit his people . and this place must be so expounded out of act. . . and . . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est conjunctio , sed pronomen et est hic trajectio verborum sic itaque expone . vt illi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui mei dicentur , possideant reliquias , &c. (r) psal. . . (t) obad. (u) christi fideles , in s. script . reliquiae vocantur . respectu infidelium . ut rom. . . & . , (x) the great harvest of the church ( of which our saviour himself speaks . mat. . ) is here set down in excellent hyperbolies , which were familiar to the oriental parts . (y) hoc suppleri potest ex ioelis cap. ult : . (a) jer. . . psal. . . (b) isa. . v. . . (b) isa. . v. . . (c) vide . . . & deut. . . (d) jer. . . (e) jere. . & isa. . . (f) rom. . . mat. . . (g) est enim apostrophe ad prophe●am , vel ad populum israeliticum . notes for div a -e (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) sic jer. . . exprimitur● per idolum , quod ibi & . reg. , . terriculamentum vocatu● . (d) jer. . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex●i●us es . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimittent . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offendiculum sic supponent , non pulvinos , ut solent in conviviis . (i) jer. , (k) jer. , . (l) fortes tui . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter interfectionem & iniquit . in ia●obum . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (q) psal. , . amos. , . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (v) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum monte impletum per hyrcanum joseph . , . . macc. , . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinem dominatus . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum ut v. . (b) sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . notes for div a -e c. . . reg. . . jos. , . . reg. . . reg. , . luc. , . mat. , . (i) matt. , . (k) . reg. , . (l) num , , . (m) deut. , . (n) matt. , . (o) colligilur ex c. . . (p) vide c : . . (q) exod. . , & . . (r) hebr . cogitationem de● nobis instituere . (s) colligitur ex fine versiculi . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fodere , & metaph . cogitare , omnem animo rationem inire , & émigare , quasi aquae fundum investiga●e . pessumus itaque hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic expone●e , omnes animi , corporisque vires adhibuerunt . (u) matt. , . (a) emphasis est & in pronomine & in nomine cum duplici terminatione f●m . (c) psal. . . (d) psal. . . & v. , (d) psal. . . (f) mat. . . (g) cor. . (a) num. . ult . (b) cap. . ● . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de itinere pedestri ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambulare . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rapina , violentia , injustitia . (a) deut. . . (b) dolens , & murmurans ut columba , i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum : & rem sigrificat , & causam , (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silentem , i. sine m●tu , & frigore . (e) verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●nterdum ad a●xesin usurpatur . notes for div a -e (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 templum , & palatium significat . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animal prodigiosum & monstrosum in gon●re significat . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 owles of howling . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pulvis s●●o alludit ad ephraim . (g) i. pulchra . (h) occulto hic nomine pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qpeco●osa terra , à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (i) hoc etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signif . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in statione sua . (l) bethel etiam hic later sub nomine beth-etsel . (m) hebr . maroth . (n) ramoth the name of many several places in judaea , that were eminently seated a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) ut habetur . reg. , . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. in elevatione ●o●poris . * deut. . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne inst . lletis quod alii installarunt aut porphetarunt vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut alii prophetarunt . (c) amos . . isai. . . deut . . (d) pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reversi à praelio . (e) i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut corruptionem pessimam : * levit . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ventum & spiritum significat . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * reg. . . (h) joel . . * ut v. . ‖ ezek. . rom. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * jer. . . (b) ezek. . . levit. . , (c) pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * vide v. . * jer. . . (a) isai. . . &c. (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de vi a suis : (c) ● pro [ ut ] sicut psal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adeòut non (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soepe est , in judicium vocare , poenam inferre . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitus omne telum bellicum . (f) claudicans poniter pro insi me , & afflicto . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ultra . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ultra . * vid. c. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locus obscurus . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breui ut v. segv . &c. . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut supra . hunc v. refer ad v. praeced . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut c. . , . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . demosth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & psal. , . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mihi . (e) mat. & supra . c . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab antiquo , vel ab aeterno . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut saepe alias . (h) psal. , . (i) hoc n. est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poenitentia . (k) vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum reliquis isr. (l) perget pascere ( in hebraismo ) stay , or continue to feed . (m) psal. , . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex nunc . (p) utrumque in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sign . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quum vel quia , ut v. seq . (r) septem , & octo . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gladii stricli . (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. . (u) jer. , . (x) hebr . desideratur accusativus , ut saepe alias . (a) alludit ad regionem mon to sam . (b) isai. , , & , . (c) ier. , . (d) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non rarò usurpatur . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) loquitur ecclesia . (g) i vasa magna , ut mare in templ● . (h) loquitur propheta . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) hebr . sing . pro ph●r . (m) repet . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est , pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut . sam. . . vel pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuiquam . (p) ephah maciet . (q) rep . ex versu praced . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( cum nomine plur . ) q. d. & observa●ur unumquodque edict●rum omri , vel potius israel , f●cit se observare edicta omri , i. ultro se obtulit , in eorum obsequium . (s) v. , . * rom. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) supple ex praeced . (c) supple ex sequent . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) vt v. : (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepe pro bonita●e , & miserieordia . (h) isai. . . (h) isai. . . (i) nahnm . . ult . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro protesta●e edicta mittendi . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) psal. . . isai . . (n) revertet & miserebitur . i. iterum miserebitur ( in hebraismo ) * gen. . . notes for div a -e * chald. hieron . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pet. . . jac. . . ‖ exod. . . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * exod. . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resurget . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * ●im . . . (g) leg . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut s●pt . * ut v. . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (l) à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) at●endebuvtur . (n) at●endebuvtur . (o) v. g. (p) pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facilia à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) utrumque in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this belongs to the former verse , c. , . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) upon the branches . (f) abietes vanenatae sunt , pro , erunt . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneno insicere . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 via vel locus extra aedeis . (i) subintell , nominativus , ut sape alias , & hic v. . (k) ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discurrere . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conterere . (m) desideratur nominat : ut v. . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 von assyr . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hebr . constituere . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pulsantes corda ut tympana . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (u) vacuefacts , & inanita . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) ut c. . . (z) micah . , . (a) c. . . (b) sic v. . (c) alexandria , or rather thebes , vide boehartum in phaleg . l. c. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox assyr . pro hebr . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) locustae locustarum , ut , canticum canticorum hab . vim superlativi grad . * vide chrys. tim. . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contritio . fractura . * vide v. . notes for div a -e (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onus . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & lis est , vel sunt lites sub iu●●ice . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aufers processus forenses . i. efficit , ut optatum , successum non habeant-reticetur hic nominativus , ut , in eodem verbo . mal. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( & auferet vos ) & luc. . . ( auferent animam tuam . ) (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè de venâ pulsati●i intermittente . (f) ex se ipso judicium ejus . & superbia ejus . i. superbum judicium , vel decretum ( satis pro impert . ) (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardens desiderium in facie apparens ( à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absorbere ) ut ventus orientalis , qui in illis region●bus pestilentior . (h) ex v. . seq . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sape est signum vocat . cafus . (k) hebr. ad intrepand●m petram . * h c v. exponit illud v. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. vires ejus , illi sunt pro deosuo . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) c. , . (c) micah . . , . joel . , . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argumentum , vel argumentatio , ut job . , . (e) ut antiquitus in buxo , cedro , &c. (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in notionem sufflandi . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (i) sié exponitur hic locus , hebr. . . ub . in [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] apparet vestigium antiquae lectionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obini afflictionibus , & turbari , deficere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , q. animo contrabi . qui autem malunt adhaerere , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( in notione eminentiae ) aprè possunt exponere de superbiâ & confidentiâ in propriis viribus , quae chaldaeos ad interitum produxit , cum fides interim in deum pios israelitas , & vivos conservaret , & pristinae etiam paci restitueret . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidem , veritatem , & constantiam complectitur , ex naturâ vocis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) quod refertur ad [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] heb. . . a sit rom. . . & hebr. , . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] construitur cum [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] & idem est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ut apparet ex scop● , & mente totius epist. ad romanos . * this may allude to proud baltassar , and the childeans , that in a drunken fit , made bold with the sacred vessels of the temple , and were that night showed the uncertain estate of humane greatnesse : falling them from their height of glory , and command to little lesse than slavery under the medes , and persians . * our english translation expresseth all very well in one word . [ he shall not endure ] i. he shall not hold out in that condition , nor continue in that prosperity he was . the hebrew signifies properly , [ he shall have no sure mansion . ] he shall be like one turned out of his house , to seek his fortune , as we use to say . non dimorerà in casa sua , ( saith diod. in his ital. translation . ) (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commav●re , exagitare , lacerare . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sing . pro plur . ut v. . (o) hebr . de manu . (p) hebr . cutting off . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut agnoscant . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (t) p●r lebanum plerique templ●m intelligunt . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteret eas ( seras ) i. milnes . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteret eas ( seras ) i. milnes . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (y) ut v . (z) hebr . explicatur per silentium . (a) in like manner holy david put all his penitentiall prayers into musicall psalmes . and one of them ( the . ) as the learned grotius , and some others think , was purposely composed to be sung upon the day of expiation , which was the solemnest day for ●asting and afflicting themselves . levit. . . (b) vide observationes nostr . hebraicas , pag. vel cap. . &c. ad fin●●n lib. (c) aliam horum verborum explicationem exhibet doctissi . light footi spirilegium in exod. p. . (d) the scriptnre often expresseth the air , by the name of heaven , as mat. . . the birds of heaven . (e) hebr . brightnesse , in his very hands . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absconsio majestatis ejus . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pestis , vel sebris ardens . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( which signifie eternity ) are often put for a long time , and mountains for them that dwelt in them . (i) hebr waies , and passages of the world . (k) cush and cushan ( the diminitive of that ) are the same with midian . see bochartus in phaleg . l. . c. . and sir. w● raleigh's discourse of cush , l. . c. . of his hist. (l) jos. . . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolore partus . (n) or currents (o) job . . . (p) jos. . . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) jos. . . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proverb . hebr . (a) non dicit quid audierit . est enim rhetorica aposiopesis , quâ riste oraculum tacere mallet , quàm exprimere . (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quamvis ut jeremiah . . & alibi , vide , observat. nostr . hebr . notes for div a -e (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arcanum dei. (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * gen. . . (c) congregando consumam . i. collectim auferam . ubi . radices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) sic redditur angl . psal. . . (e) reg . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) amos . . (h) hebr. exprimunt per silentium , ut hab. . . (i) sam. . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 con — (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mortarium , & cavitatem signif . inde his locis nomen . (m) pondera argenti : vel , potest intelligi de divitibus argento onusti● . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stupenda desolatio . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coarctare ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. . (p) vt ●v . . (a) scrutamini vos ipsos , & scrutamini ( alia . ) * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegans paranomasia . (b) revertet . i. repetet captivitalem . ezek. . . * jer. . . ezek. . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemare , ut nostri psal. . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ● . greatly vaunted , or advanced themselves : or showed themselves great . * jer. . . (f) elleipses nominativi . ut hab. . . & alibi . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) nisi pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legendum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corvus . * isa. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depr●datrix , vim inferens . à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) elleipsis genitivi . psal. . . aquae pleni ( calisis ) (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accessit . * v. . (e) ezek. . . (f) hebr. they gnaw not their bones in the mornnig . (g) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de aquae , & animorum levitate . gen. . . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vine inferunt legi . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * hebr. humero ●ao . (l) hebr. tuos in superbid exultantes . * v. . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & afflictum , & humilem , ac mansuetam signif . ut g● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 removere quae offendunt . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significationem mutuatur , eisi inflexionem grammar . à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod in aliis videre est , ut mox . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auferre , ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (s) accentus in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non suo loco ponitur ut saepe in lib. psal. & prophet . (t) pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( nam y sape subintelligendum relinquitur . ) (u) siic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sumitur ut psal. . . notes for div a -e (*) by ezra it appears to be that darius which reigned betwixt the ar●ax●rxes's . now that was darius nothus , not darius h staspis . * haggai c. . . . ‖ c. . . * c. . . * c. . . & . . * luk. . . * ex v. . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ô ves . (a) ut v. . (b) or , i will show my glory there . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad rem augendam . (d) repete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) quis ●●c vobis i. siquis inter vos , ut mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. siquis . vide etiam c. . . (b) quasi non vel nihili . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est expletiva , vel excitantis particula . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro re promissa ut angl . i passed my word . (f) stay with you . (g) apparet ex hebr. . . ejusmodi motum notare mutationem eorum , quae commoventur , & regnorum mundi mutationem innui confirmatur ex bujus cap. v. . & v. . . vide & jer. . . joel . . (h) cujus mentio v. . (i) adde quod ut omne regnum , & corpus imperii mundum refer●titae coelum in hoc mundo politico quicquid excelsim est , ut terra , quod infimum sol , luna , stellae eos qui in summâ dignitate constitumtur . mare diuonis amplitudinem sub ejusdèm iuris politici communione , ut jer. . . . vide v. . hujus c. (k) v. . (l) gen. . . (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etiam delicias significat , unde mabumetam quoque sic dici volunt ejus discipuli , quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. desiderium , & delicias gentium . (n) vide c. . . (o) ut v. . (p) v. . & . (q) levit. . . ezek. . . mal. . . (r) nmmbers . . . (s) ex fine bujus versoculi : (t) ezra , . . (u) vide . v. . (x) v. . & . (y) vide quae diximus in v. . (z) sicut ante . notes for div a -e (a) ex v. . (b) apoc. . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aquarum profundum significat , vel prope aquas . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ial . . . ●●de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro ●ur col. . . (e) videre sinam . (f) ezra . . (g) nehem. . (h) haec vis voc . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde ital. rectè redd●ur per scoppieranno . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) ●nehem . . . (l) sicut ante . * nehem. . . (a) ecce . (b) rep r. ex v. praeced . (c) sic christus in evang. non semel dicit se missum â patre . * psal. . . &c. (d) ecce . * v. . (e) caro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro homine . (f) silentium saepe pro timora & reverentia . (g) psal. . (a) the place of an acouser . (a) the place of an acouser . (*) jud. v. . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) as suffering his sons to marrie strange wives . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stare , saepe pro inservire , vide c. . . (e) dixi. s. ministris . * exod. . . levit. . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut suprà . (g) nam & hoc est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut stare ital. (h) num. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eo sensu quo v. . (k) hebr. men of , or for miracles . (l) isai. . . (m) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic signif . ut cap. . . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) oculus providentiam signif . septenari●s numerus perfectionem . (p) dona spiritus : isa. . . (q) vnde illud iohannis baptista — qui tollit peccata mundi . idem n. hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra , the earth ; quod ibi mundus , & vide ad hanc interpretat . confirmandam . dan. . . vel sic verte . — amongst others , of this wicked land , — &c. (r) sic diem pro tempore sumi saepe diocimus , & appares ex v. seq . (s) hebr. . , , &c. & . c. . . (a) v. ult . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * ezra . . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 geminatio nominis ad majorem emphesir . (e) v. . & . (f) ezra . . (g) ●iquis . vide ad c. . . (h) c. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in notione inser●iendi . c. . v. . & . sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joh. . . & gen. . . deut. . . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( revertere ) in hebraismo iterationem signif . (b) wiped clean of all they had sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isa. . . & alibi . (c) ex v. seq● . (d) ut ex v. sequ . apparet . ut subintelligatu● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forma vel figura , vide thesaurum n. hebr. (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 una ut gall . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non de lapide olumsed de omni pondere graviori . (a) pyla cilicia . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chald. cinereos transtulit . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sistere coram aliquo . (f) quo sensu etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. . . & alibi . (g) called by duniel , king of the south . chap. . . (h) dix● deus . (i) vnde apoc. . . presbyteri coronas habent , qui sunt ecclesiae christianae episcopi , per principes sacerdotum , vel principes ephaemeriarum adumbrati . (a) serezer may signifie a treasurer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and regem-melech a prince about the king. and they seem to be men of great place , and repute , that are employed upon this errand . (b) deut. . . (c) jer. . . (d) huc enim alludit verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separari . (e) jer. . . . reg. . zach. . . jer. . . (f) verbum hic subintelligitur ex usitatiss . apud hebr . verborum elleipsi . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lapidem allquem durum , longóque tempore durantem significat à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & deturbavi , vel dispersi eos , velut temp●st●●e . nequ● n. est in niph . sed ●● k●● ( punct●s non obstantibus quae dilatau●●● p●opl● guttural●● in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisit eos , in kal. . p●●al . ● . . & . pio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (i) . paral. , . (a) v. & . (c) they had now living● very aged men , as zorobabel , josuah the h.p. daniel , ezra , nehemiah . (c) this time of peace , and security lasted long . . macc. . . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de quo vide thesaurum n. heb . in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) i. those things . (h) jer. . , , &c. , (i) jer. . . (k) jer. . . . . reg , . . (l) jer. . . & . . . reg , , . (m) v. . & . (n) psal. . . . (a) hadrach plerisque propr . nomen syriae . sed potest hic esse & nomen commune nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonat penetrale tuum . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 requiem ejus . (c) deo est oculus homines spectans , vel oculus hominis deu●● spect . debet . (d) ●pro sicut , ut alibi . * ezek. . , , . (e) hebr. elegans paranomasia in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tyrum & rupem signif . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munitionem . * ezek. . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque significat ad paupertatem redigere à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & possessione ejicere à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in gen . robur , vel propagnaculum signif . (g) this was done by alexanders forces . (h) maccab. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustitiae notionem habent & misericordia . sic psal. . . & . . & alibi pro misericordiâ . (k) ergo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servatus . s. à seipo suâ ipsius virtute , & sic alios servare potest . (l) est n. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pronomen in faem . ideoque nomen fam , respondens sub-intelligendum . & (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( testamenti tui ) cum pronom . faem . ad eandem ecclesiam refertur . * praet . pro futuro in prophetiis . (n) vincti spel . ex hebraeismo pro sperantes . (o) dies pro tempore . ut ital. hora. (p) ephes. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , est verbum dei. (q) a rhetorical expression of a conquest , to be here understood of a spiritual warfare . (r) num. . . (s) levit. . . & . . (t) as their master is the lamb of god , and the lion of the tribe of judah . vide c. . . (u) coronae gemmatae , ut recté bootius n. exponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 canere , aut exclamare prae gaudio . (a) pluvia imbris pro largâ . sic n. nomina geminata ad significationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usurqantur . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generalo , pro omno fruge . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hirci , vel arietes majores . (f) vide c. . . (g) hic n. est elleipsis adjectivi . ut apoc. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luna ( rubicunda ) ut sanguis . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus gloriade quâ . job , . &c. sic iudah tempore maccab. (i) sing . pro plur . (k) ludit in verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & prodire ( sensu superiori ) significat , & ( hoc sensu ) exire vel abire . sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab eo , & ex eo . (l) sa . . . (m) antioch his forces . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) ● pro enim , & futurum pro imperfecto , ut alibi saepe & cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (p) ille populus . (q) euphrates in s. script . saepe vocatur fluvius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & huc alluditur apoc. . . ubi fluvius qui hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per euphratene exponitur . vide isai. . . . (r) vide meadi . n. commentat . in apocal. ad c. . pag. . &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( ambulare ) ad actiones refertur , sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marc. . . (a) first by antiochus , then by the romans . (b) vnde civitas , & templum sub nomine libani , ut hab. . . (c) mccab . . . (d) maccab. . . (e) arbores pro hominibus , proceriores pro magnatibus . reliq . pro plibeiis . isai. . . & . . & . . apoc. . . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his non vindemiam , sed munitionem , vel munini●a significare videtur . (g) nam & reges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (h) vide . . (i) prophetae , per fluvios , regiones saepe intelligunt , ut pro nilum , egypt●m , pro euphratem , assyriam , & hic iordanem , iudaeam . (k) pascere est regere . * psal. . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) ex verbis seq . (n) the roman emperor whom the jews stiled not emperor , but king , whence he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the revelations . (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( è manu ) a●nd hebr. idem quod , è vel ex . ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex inferno . (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pascere , pro instruere . (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pav● ; eadem notione , quâ supra . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unus hebr . pro prima , unde marc. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex hebraismo . (t) vide . v. . (u) heb. shortned . (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aversari . amb. fidem non exhibere . (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regere ut v. . (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro tempore , ut saepe diximus . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) mat. . . (c) figulinam in tellige proxime templum ubi siguli vasa in usus templi fabricabant , & in quam projiciebantur fracta fictilia , aliaeque sordes . (d) this began in the rent made at the choice of jeroboam . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hebr . generalissima significationis , ut scot. gears . (f) sing . pro plur . (g) nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 efficium , & cura . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non , i. nihili vel nullius ut iob. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onerosa prophetia . (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro jussu . * job . . . (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic videtur nomen proprium . (d) as in the times of antiochus epiph. (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affligere . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies pro tempore . (g) hebr . inter ligna . (h) v. . * mat. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (k) vt v. . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (n) repete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praced . (o) jer. . . (p) psal. . mat. . . joh. . . (q) jer. . . (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro unigenito vel primogenito , vel unicé dilecto . (s) heb. . . * apoc. . . (t) reg. . . paral. . . ‖ one of the posteritie of gershon , reckanod among the first sons of levi , parael . . . . apoc. . . (a) hic etiam , & v. . dies pro temporc . (b) cap. , . (c) lavacrum regenerationis , isai. . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut menstruum . (e) i. devils , mat. . . (f) num. . . deut. . . (g) . reg. . . (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut mancipium possedit , vel instituit , nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significa● non possidere tantum , sed & discere , ut in hiph . discere facere , i. d●cere sic prov. , . , & , . & , . (i) ut apud veteres , servis , & militibus inusta fuerunt stigmata ( ad indicandum cujus erat ● mancipia , aut cui militabunt ) ita & illis etiam , qui diis gentium inserviebant , quo alluditur . apoc. . , . & ● , . & , . ezek. . . (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stigmata , vel vulnera (l) quo sensu de b. virgine , luc. , . (m) mar. , . (n) ap●stolos intelligit . (o) two parts and a third , i. a greater proportion , und a lesse , ut c. , . (p) luke . , &c. matth. , , (q) luk. , . (r) . pet. , . (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( qui ) saepe subintelligitur , ut jer. , , thren . , in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal. , . prov , , . . sam. , . (a) ex v. seq . (b) temp . maecab , . maccob . . (c) elleipsis nomini● ; hic ba●chid●● , intellige . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta . (e) amos . . (f) sancti pro angelis , ut dan. , . (g) mutatio personae hebraeis familiaris : (g) ex fine v. . (h) hebr . half of them , vide c. , . (i) , sam. , . (k) josuah . , , , & , . (l) jer. , . (m) nehem. , . (n) . paral. , . (o) nehem. , . (p) cantic . , . (q) maccab. , . (r) prov. , ● (s) elloipsis adjectivi , ●● c. . . (t) isai. , . ioel. , . (u) apoc. , , & . . notes for div a -e (a) onus verbi domini . i. onerosa prophetia à domin● . (b) jer. . . thren . . , eze● . . . (c) elleipsis verbi , nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repetamus ex praeced . (d) hi● , ut suprà edom pro edom●lis ut iacob pro is. ae●●is . * by judas maccab. and hyrcanus . (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panis , bic pro omni cibi , non pro panibus propositionis . (f) elleipsis substantivi . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per. (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut non . (i) apoc. . (k) rom. . . (l) or continual provision for supply of the offerings . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (m) hebr. that which consumes it , quod illud consumit ( s. sacrisicum ) nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est etiam consumere , & igni quasi in cibum dare . (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & dolosum significat . i. maligne astu●um à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & eum qui ●iquid potest . à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & dolosum significat . i. maligne astu●um à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & eum qui ●iquid potest . à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (q) elleipsis adjectivi . (r) vide v. . (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrumque significat . (b) haec enim vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (c) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat . psal. . . (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro victimâ , ut psal. . . (e) elleipsis nominativi ( ut habbac . , . cum eodem verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliunde supplendi . hic autem videtur intelligi , vel antiochi miles , vel miles rom. in ultimo urbis excidio . est & idem verbum auferendi similiter cum elleipsi , luc. . . (f) num. . , . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à facie nominis mei pavebat . (h) futurum pro prae● . saepe apud hebr. (i) levit. . . ezek. . . (k) levit. . deut. . . * v. . (l) zach. . . (m) sing . pro plur . (n) sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sumitur isai. , . & , . psal. . , &c. (o) nehem. , . ezra . . (p) abraham dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi vnicus , a quo omnes israelitae , & unicus in dei cultu . vide isai. . . unde hebr. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . (q) gen. . (r) semen dei , i. divinitus promissum . (a) alludit ad nomen malachiae , qui angelus dei ad iudaos postrem . i. ultimus prophetarum fuit , & à iudaeis putatur fuisse esdras ( ut kimchi nos docit in cap. . ) eum secutus praecursor domini iohannes baptista : qui hic etiam dicitur . angelus domini vel nuntius à domino , in ante●essum messia , mar. . (b) dan. . . (c) agg. . . (d) dan. . . (e) vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thesauro n. * c. . ult . (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desiistis . (g) maledictione maledicti estis . (h) frequentativum in niphal . nam crebra verborum ejusmodi repetitio , passivâ voce pro activâ positâ , sic exprimitur , ut v. . & ezek. . . (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est sobole florere , unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius dicitur , quaesi quo domus patris aedificatur , & consurvatur nomen patris , & contrà foeminae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicta à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod nomen familiae paternae in iis pereat . (k) est enim hic frequentativum , ut v. . (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (m) hebr. you will turn to ( another mind . ) (a) cap. . . & . . . (b) securis ad ●adicem . mat. . . (c) concul●abitis . (c) v. . (d) luk. . . (e) acts . . (f) matth. . . mark . . luke . . joan. . . (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & anathema significat , & occisionem , vel perditionem extremam , ut supra , de securi ad radicem posi●a . (h) rom. . . the beloved city, or, the saints reign on earth a thovsand yeares asserted and illustrated from lxv places of holy scripture, besides the judgement of holy learned men both at home and abroad, and also reason it selfe : likewise xxxv objections against this truth are here answered / written in latine by ioan henr. alstedius ... ; faithfully englished, with some occasionall notes and the judgement herein ... of some of our owne famous divines. diatribe de mille annis apocalyptis. english alsted, johann heinrich, - . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing a ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) the beloved city, or, the saints reign on earth a thovsand yeares asserted and illustrated from lxv places of holy scripture, besides the judgement of holy learned men both at home and abroad, and also reason it selfe : likewise xxxv objections against this truth are here answered / written in latine by ioan henr. alstedius ... ; faithfully englished, with some occasionall notes and the judgement herein ... of some of our owne famous divines. diatribe de mille annis apocalyptis. english alsted, johann heinrich, - . burton, william, - . [ ], viii, , [ ]- , xvii-xxiv p. [s.n.], london : . dedication signed: william burton. imperfect copy: prefaces (viii p. following dedication) wanting. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng millennium -- early works to . prophecies. a r (wing a ). civilwar no the beloved city or, the saints reign on earth a thousand yeares; asserted, and illustrated from lxv. places of holy scripture; besides the alsted, johann heinrich f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the beloved city or , the saints reign on earth a thovsand yeares ; asserted , and illustrated from lxv . places of holy scripture ; besides the judgement of holy learned men , both at home and abroad ; and also reason it selfe . likewise xxxv . objections against this truth are here answered . written in latine by ioan. henr. alstedius , professor of the university of herborne . faithfully englished ; with some occasionall notes . and the judgement herein [ not onely of tycho brabe , and carol ●●●●ltus ; but also ] of some of our owne famous divines . si aqua strangulat , quid insuper bibendum est ? m. antonin. imp. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , lib. . sect. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; could he say of athens , thou louely city of cec●ops ? and shalt not thou say of the chvrch of christ , thou lovely city of god ? * apoc. xx . . london , printed in the yeare of the last expectation of the saints . m.dc.xliii . to the right vvorshipfull , sir iohn cordwell knight , and alderman , master of the company of the mercers ; mr. lybbe chapman — surveyor . captaine thomas chambrelan mr. george burrish wardens . and to the worshipfull , the assistants and communalty of the same antient and flourishing society of mercers in the famous city of london . right worshipfvl , my ordinary employment being of late for some time interrupted , and the usuall course of my studies , not so much diverted , as quite stopt by the late generall and miserable distractions of the kingdome , and especially of the place i live in , i bethought my selfe of some meanes whereby i might mitigate my apprehension of the miseries issuing from these present distempers ; when ( i thinke god so directing it ) this treatise , with some others of the same nature , came to my hands . the author is of as generall repute among us for learning , as any late writer we have received from beyond the seas these many yeares : and the worke is an explanation of the xx . chapter of the revelation . the subject thereof is the assertion of the glorious kingdome of christ here on earth ; a matter no doubt of great comfort , and consolation to the church of god . and as i am not ignorant that apocalypticall discourses in generall are liable to many censures , and that this divine prophecy it selfe is as yet a sealed book , in so much that the great calvin was forced to acknowledge , ( if the reportes wrong him not ) that he knew not what so difficult and obscure a writer , as the author thereof , meant : so i am sure this part thereof hath beene subject to most divers and contrary interpretations ; that what hierome saith of the whole , may well be said of this passage thereof : so many words , so many mysteries . yet receiving my selfe much satisfaction and se●lednesse of mind from this exposition thereof , i thought that gods people also might reape some benefit and fruit thereby : and this is the maine cause , that i have made it publique . now that i have inscribed it onto your names i have deal● but right and 〈◊〉 therein . for owing the first groundes and foundation of my studies to your large bounty and benevolence , i must acknowledge the first fruites thereof communicated abroad ( and indeed i ever intended them so whatsoever they had been ) to be yours by ● due claime and challenge of them . the persians ( in whose schooles gratitude was taught , as letters and arts in ours , whose * laws punished the contrary almost as deepe as wee doe homicide , ) had an order in their * colledges , which were for the education of them whose service was appointed for the king , that after their greatest promotions , and abilities in publick attendance , they were to acknowledge all as received from the classis of their first institution . my naturall propension to thankfulnesse makes me confesse i owe all that i am in good letters ( i best know how little that is ) to the foundation i laid thereof in your excellent seminary of learning , and to your extraordinary favour , and encouragement to good studies and endeavours . i pray god lead you alwaies along by the hand in all your affaires and occasions . i am your very respectfull servant to be commanded , william burton . to those who shall light upon this booke . to prefix a word or two , by way of preface , may concerne thee , reader , perhaps as well as my selfe . that i might not therefore be censured for the onely idle person in these busie times , in which ( god in mercy looke upon us ! ) every man , either with his sword , or pen , strives to make the noise and tumult greater , i have thrust out this booke into the publique , in the generall crowd of those many : but with expectation of a better blessing , i hope , from god , then some of them can looke for . and although i am not ignorant , that there are a generation of men in the world , 〈…〉 alabaster ●●guent is plenns putere videtur , a 〈…〉 , having t●eir understanding corrupted by their fancy , can relish and judge aright of nothing ▪ yet so arrogant , and self-conceited , that they 〈…〉 exterminate all learning and kno 〈…〉 ●●●eth not just with their owne 〈…〉 humours , ) with farre more super 〈…〉 plato ejected homer out of his common-wealth : ( sed quid suibus cum amaracino ? they love the mi●e best ? ) notwithstanding all this , i say , the generall welcome and long entertainment , which the other learned workes of this same authour have had in our schooles , as well as in those beyond the seas , where he professed with admirable applause , seemed to me not to deny this piece an endenizing , or freedome , from some hands of a better note . yet perhaps , if thou hadst any acquaintance with me , thou wouldst wonder to see a subject of this nature to come forth into the light of learned men by my meanes , and assistance . true it is , i have under my command some discourses , i will not say of greater consequence , but i dare say , that cost me greater labour , and longer enquiry , to which these times doe deny a propitious birth . and having lost almost my employment for the time , through the present distractions ; and my bookes and i being in a manner quite severed from one another , i thought i could doe nothing better by way of l●ffning my apprehension of these publique calamities , which gods justice , and our owne unthankfulnesse , by repining at his mercies , have brought upon us . i had no intent hereby to impose upon any one , or abuse mens beliefe , by forcing their assent to an heresie , condemned in the church , as some would perswade us , so many ages agoe . yet i know well enough , that nothing pleaseth the fancy , and feedeth the humour of this age so much , as novelties ; men no lesse inquiring now after new doctrines and opinions , then of old the athenians did after new deities . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} must i say to these . i took not this paines for them . neither indeed do i my selfe goe about to assert , or maintaine any un-grounded doctrine ; knowing well , that opinion , that holy disease , how great soever her admires , and a betters are , can never be able to stand in competition with the holy word of god , and the * sound and undeniable doctrine thereof . such is alwaies my temper and moderation , that if by * one conviction thou demonstrate my error , ( much more it the chvrch shall interpose her judgement , ) whether it be in matter of opinion or action , i will retract the one , and relinquish the other . and till thou dost this in the matter , which we have in hand , be not offended , if i stand close by my author , but especially to reason , and plaine scripture it selfe alleaged by him . truth it is the onely thing i se●ke after , for the pu●●ui● of which , no man ought to be blame any more , then they are to be execused , who wilfully continue in known error , and ignorance . by the way then , good reader , let me tell thee , ( what credit soever i gaine from thee , ) that it was the constant opinion of the church , in the very next age to the apostles , that there should be a resurrection before the generall rising at the last day , and an happy condition of the faithfull upon earth for cio . yeeres . this we may learne from a tertullias , and b irenaeus : and c iustin the martyr , ( who of a philosopher became a christian some xxx . yeeres after the death of iohn the evangelist and penman of this holy prophecy ) tels us plainly , that not only himselfe , but what d christian soever in his time were in all respects orthodox , maintained the same , grounding their opinion upon these words of esay . * behold i create new heavens , and a new earth : and the former shall not be remembred , nor come into my mind . but be glad , and rejoyce for ever in th●t which i create . i know not whether so great a testimony , as this of iustin martyrs , may be brought concerning any opinion among christians , if you expect the maine articles of our beliefe . and the generall consent of all the orthodox , and in the age too next the apostles , is no small argument , or prejudice against the contrary opinion , or succeeding ages . it seemed the heretiques of those times , especially , or indeed onely , beleeved it not , and that for some private respect , because , admitting thereof , they must needs also confesse a resurrection of the flesh , and that the same god , who was mentioned in the law and prophets , is also the father of our lord iesus christ . i am sure cerinthus , that arch heretique in those daies , whom the after-ages do make the first e broacher of this opinion ( and they would also have him the author of the f revelation , ) is never taxed for it by them g who have diligently noted his heresies . and perhaps if he had any sensuall conceit hereabout , ( as it seemes he had ) he was beholding to judaisme for it : and he himselfe being a iew it was not taken notice of in him . but for a christian to have any such doting imaginations , would render him more wild-headed , and besides himselfe , in sober mens judgements , then any poet of dithyrambique verse . yet no man ought to be blamed for maintaining a truth in a iewes company , either in this matter or in any else , if with heed he passe by those grosse fancies , and stupid absurdities , which doe infatuate and blemish the same truth . more deservedly may we finde fault with dionysius of alexandria , and his followers , the great impugners of this opinion , who when about the end of the third age , the dispute about it grew very hot , to lessen the authority of the revelation , by the evident and undeniable proofes whereof the matter in question was asserted , ( o foule shame , and impiety ! ) they fathered it upon i know not whom , yet one of the same name , against the manifest witnesse of h iustin martyr , irenaeus , and all the fathers before them , who inscrib● it to iohn , the beloved disciple of christ , and evangelist : neither can hierome himselfe be ex●used , though a very learned man otherwise , but easie to be deceived , who with the same dionysius doth ( upon an uncertaine report ) fals●ly affix to the opinion of them ▪ who according to truth beleeved the thousand yeeres happinesse on earth , the i injury of circumcision , the blood of sacrifices , and rest durati●n of all the ceremonies of the law . which old pieces and rags of indaisme , or perhaps the dreames of some heretiques , being gathered , out of a study of contention , and ill will , were patched to this opinion of the primitive church but if he certainely knew that the first christians and holy martyrs did expect circumcision , and sacrifices in the kingdome of christ , how is he to be blamed , that condemned them not for it , but k left every man to the freedome of his owne judgement , either to approve , or dislike thereof . but what countenance soever this opinion hath , or shall finde in this age , let me tell thee this one thing , reader , which i will leave to be considered of by thee , that seeing there are so manifest proofes of a glorious kingdome of the saints here on earth out of the old testament , there will be no better or easier way , to deale with the iewes in matter of their conversion , then not to wrest the plaine prophecies of a second and glorious appearance of christ , to his first comming ; but rather to perswade them , that they must expect no other messias , who should fulfill all these promises , expecting what is to be expected , ( for we are not herein wholly to agree with the iewes , but to examine all things according to the rules of christian faith ▪ ) besides that iesus of nazareth , whom their ancestors crucified . and this way is every where almost through the whole revelation diligently insisted upon . for whilst we force those most cleare prophecies concerning things promised in the second , to his first comming , the iewes scorne and deride us , and are more and more confirmed in their infidelity . but for the cours which i have here set downe , i am much mistaken if it be not the same which was observed among them by peter himselfe , act. . , , . repent ye therefore , and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out , when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the lord . and he shall send jesus christ , which before was preached unto you . whom the heaven must receive , untill the times of restitution of all things , which god hath spoken by the ●●uth of all his holy prophets since the world began . but i forget my selfe ; for indeed i thinke it more fit to set downe and publish , what might be safely and piously beleeved concerning this tene● , rather in another mans sense and expressions , then in mine owne , being more willing l modestly to learne and be instructed from the abilities of others , then impudently to obtrude mine owne weaknesses upon the world . and to this end i have also collected what some of the most eminent ▪ divines of the church of england , dr. hakewill , dr. twisse , mr. mede , &c. ( that thou mightest not thinke it onely an outlandish toy , or a fancy of yesterday , muchlesse savouring of popery , ) have thought , and published concerning this opinion . besides , the irrefragable judgement of the divine tycho brahe , that singular ornament both of the heavens , and his owne denmarke , and with him the termination herein of carolus gallus , omitted by asted , and not long agoe one of the states professors of divinity in their university of leyden . if thou finde any discrepancy in their resolutions about this matter , perswade thy selfe , that time , and the holy spirit will more and more enlighten the deepe mysteries of god● word , and of its unspeakable goodnesse of the saints of god , will yet in these latter times make us all of one heart , and one mind in christ iesu● ▪ that all we that doe conf●sse his holy name , may agree in the truth of his holy word , and live in unity and godly love ; which is the prayer of our church . in the meane time , good reader , consider that it is as lawfull for men , yea for good christians themselves , to differ in circumstances of opinions , as it is requisite and seemely , that they should grow up together , like m fellow branches , in matter of good correspondence , and affection , farewell . scrib . limnoporopoli antiquorum saxonum , five regiovici in regni● x. ab v.l. ad jamissam ptolomaei , ( si non omnes depravati cod● ) in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , quod iohannes loukinn londini , iv. mater . . edw. r. . p. elizabeth● regina , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , scholpubl . gr. lat. ll. e. v. regni sui iii. to the christian reader . there are three things necessary for him , who takes upon him to expound prophecies published by the holy ghost . and first , truely the light and grace of the holy spirit is requisite . for seeing that prophecie proceedeth from the holy spirit , it is necessary that by the same also it should be expounded . next , apious and diligent reading of prophecies , and conferring them one with another , much avayleth hereunto . lastly , the fulfilling of any prophecie , and an experience in a manner thereof , is as it were the key , with which it is unlockt , and opened . wherefore that saying of irenaeus is true : every prophecy before it is fulfill'd is a riddle . but when it is fulfill'd , it hath a plain exposition , and understanding of it self . these three things , as in all holy prophecies , so in the divine revelation , may be joyned together , and namely in this piece thereof , which now according to my ability i am about to illustrate , and at this day too , wherein to the light of the gospel there is added a great catastrophe , or issue , of many things foretold by god himself ; except indeed any one happily chance to be bewitched with a prejudicate opinion . let us set sail therefore in the name of god , and comfort the desolation of germany with this pious meditation . revelation , chap. . and i saw an angel come down from heaven , having the key of the bottomelesse pit , and a great chain in his hand . . and he laid hold on the dragon , that old serpent , which is the devill and satan , and bound him a thousand yeers . . and cast him into the bottomlesse pit , and shut him up , and set a seal upon him , that he should deceive the nations no more , till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled : and after that he must be loosed a little season . . and i saw thrones , and they sate upon them , and judgement was given unto them : and i saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of iesus , and for the word of god , and which had not worshipped the beast , neither his image , neither had received his mark upon their foreheads , or in their hands , and they lived and reigned with christ a thousand y●ers . . but the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand yeers were finished . this is the first resurrection . . bless●d and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection : on such the second death hath no power , but th●y shall be priests of god , and of chr●st , and shall reign with him a thousand yeers . . and wh●n the thousand yeers are expired , satan shall be loosed out of his prison . . and shall goe out to deceive the nations , which are in the four quarters of the earth , gog and magog , to gather them together to battell : the number of whom is as the sand of the sea . . and th●y went up on the breadth of the earth , and compassed the campe of the saints about , an●●he beloved citie : and fire came down from god out of heaven , and devoured them . . and the d●vill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone , where the beast and the false prophet are , and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever . . and i saw a great white throne , and him that sate on it , from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away , and there was found no place for them . . and i saw the dead , small and great stand before god , and the books were opened : and another book was opened , which is the book of life ▪ and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books , according to their works . . and the sea gave up the dead which were in it : and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them : and they were judged every man according to their works . . and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire ▪ this is the second death . . and whosoever was not found written in the book of life , was cast into the lake of fire . prolegomena , or the preface , concerning the author , and subject of this chapter , and the connexion thereof , with the foregoing , and following chapters . § . of the author of this chapter . the principall author of this chapter is the same , who is author of the whole book , namely iesus christ ; who , as a faithfull steward of our salvation , received this revelation from god the father , and sent the same by his angel to iohn the evangelist , revel. . . wherefore the principall author is the spirit of god ; the minister or messenger partly the angel , partly iohn , who chap. . and . setteth down his name in generall ; but a little after in the ninth verse , restraining that generality , he doth as it were with his finger point at it . i john , your brother , and companion in the affliction , and kingdom , and patience * which is in jesus christ ▪ was in the island , which is called patmos . the history which eusebius relates , tells us , that iohn the evangelist , and apostlé , was banished into the island of patmos by domitian . whence it is collected , that iohn the evangelist , and apostle , was gods po●-man in the delivery of this prophecy ; and hence , that the authority of this book , and so of this chapter , which we intend to expound , is divine . wherefore deservedly , we most highly esteem of this revelation , as a part of scripture , which hath god for it's author . but especially this prophecy ought in this respect to be welcome to us , because it contains the last divine revelation of gods will ; after which , no prophecy following is to be expected ; and because this book is very profita●le in this age , in which the lively performance of things hitherto abstruse and concealed , is presented before our eyes . § . of the subject of this chapter . this chap●er discourseth of the singular happinesse of the church , both under it's warfare , and triumph . the singular happinesse of the church , during it's warfare , or being militant , is let down in three respects ; . in its security from the hostile incursions of the wicked for a yeers . . in the resurrection of the martyrs before the generall resurrection . . in the wonderfull d●liv●rance of the godly , from the last persecution of the wicked , which shall happen after those thousand yeers . the happinesse of the church triumphant , is h●re described so farre forth , as the beginning of its triumph in the last iudgement . that these things may be made more plain , i will from the very beginning , make a repetition of the state of the church here upon earth ; and i will say something briefly , concerning the state and condition thereof , in heaven . the state of the church hereupon earth , was either that before the fall of the first man , and that was wholly legall ; or that after the fall , and this is wholly evangelicall . again , the state of the church after the fall is , either internall , and perpetuall ; or externall , and temporall . the state of the church internall and perpetuall , consists in the union and communion with christ , as also in the enlightning , and guidance of the spirit , isa. . . hos. . , , . iob. . . cor. . eph. . . cor. . . cor. . . eph. . . gal. . . c●l . . . hence it is , that the church is one , holy , and invincible . the externall , or temporall state of the church , is as well under the crosse and persecution ; as light and comfort , or refreshing : which two changes the church undergoes here on earth by turns , as well under the old testament , as the new , and that either more , or lesse . for adam , and eve , after their most grievous fall , were raised up again by the most sweet promise of the gospel ; and after they had begot cain and abel , and their sisters , they were comforted with this infancy , as it were , and first foundation of the church . but no small grief followed hard upon this joy , when as cain slew his brother abel . however this breach was made up again in seth , whose posterity propagated the church , although not without grievous persecution by the race of cain , which had an end put unto it by the del●ge in the yeer of the world , . from whence the church was enlarged to the yeer , without any notable persecution , which at that time the building of the tower of babel brought , and hence sprung the division of languages . in the yeer of the world , the church was contracted into the posterity of abraham only ; and here begin the four hundred and thirty yeers , dwelling of the israelites in egypt ; where abraham , isaac , iacob , and ioseph , underwent manifold changes both of prosperity , and affliction . and their posterity after the death of ioseph was detained under a most horrid slavery , from the yeer of the world , , even to yeer , in which the israelites were brought out of egypt . from which time to the yeer , they had experience of divers blessings and judgements of god in the wildernesse . now after they were brought into the land of canaan ▪ which happened in the yeer of the world . iosuah with very good successe , for the six first yeers conquered the canaanites , vanquishing one and thirty kings . after the death of iosuah , to the yeer of the world , the isra●lites were vexed with divers slaveries and persecutions , and rescued from the same by severall judges , namely deborah , ged●on , samson , and samuel . and now the kingly power being established in the dayes of saul , or yeer , the church presently in the very beginning thereof ▪ suffered persecution from saul himself . after that it underwent divers chance● , and changes ; namely , under david and solomon it exceedingly flourished ; under rehoboam it suffered a great los●e , ten tribes falling of to ieroboam . by occasion whereof , a most sad rent of the kingdom happened , the church by little and little degenerating in israel , whose ten tribes under hoshea in the yee● of the world , . were led away into a most grievous , and yet continuing captivity , as farre as the col. hi , iberi . &c. as for the church remaining in the kingdom of iuda , it had severall entercourses of deformation , as well as reformation , of calamities , as well as victories , unto the yeer . in which began the babylonian captivity , continuing lxx yeers . in the yeer , cyrus released this captivity giving the iews free leave to return into their country , and to establish their own laws , and religion , as farre as their own country did reach . but not withstanding , this priviledge of using their own laws , was many wayes interrupted untill the yeer , that is , for yeers . from which time to the yeer . the church of the iews enjoyed happy , and halcyonian dayes under the persians ; and in like manner under alexander the great . but under the successors of alexander , especially the kings of syria , they were divers wayes afflicted , untill in the yeer of the world , and so downward ; the maccabees fought with happy successe for their religion and possessions . from the yeer . iudea was laid wast , and severall wayes oppressed by the romans , and parthians , so that the whole state thereof was exceedingly troubled . let us now come to the estate of the church of the new testament , which we will divide into four periods . the first period is of the church of the godly iews in iudea , from the time of iohn the baptist , to the councell of ierusalem ; that is , from the yeer of the world . to the fiftieth yeer of christ . in all which space of time , christ was born , baptism instituted , iohn put to death , the twelve apostles , and lxx. disciples called by christ ; christ himself suffered , the holy ghost was powred out upon the apostles ; the apostles were whipped for their bold preaching of the doctrine of christ , &c. the se●ond period is , of the church spread over the whole world , and contains the calling and conversion of most nations , from the . yeer of christ , to the beginning of the thousand yeers . and this period hath four branches . i. under the henth●n roman emperours , till const●ntine the great 's time , wherein the church was propagated under divers persecutions , of which , tenne were more notable , from the . yeer of christ , to the ● . ii. under christian emperours , from constantine the great , to phocas ; in which time , it was adorned with divers priviledg●s by constantine the great , and other godly princes : yet so , that notwithstanding it felt great persecutions by the arians , by iulian , by the persians , sandals , goth●● , &c. to the yeer of christ , . iii. under the popes of rome , while they extended their power farre and wide , from the yeer of christ , to the yeer , that is , from boniface the third ▪ to leo the tenth . in all which time the church was most miserably pressed , and only not quite oppressed , partly by the sarazens and turks in the east , partly by the popes of rome in the west . iv. under the popes of rome , now perceiving an inclination and decay of their kingdom , from the yeer of christ , to the beginning of the thousand yeers . what the condition of the church hath been , and now is , since the yeer , to this prsent , is known unto us partly from histories , partly from our own notice , and remembrance . what it shall be hereafter , from the time wherein we write this , to the beginning of the . yeers , we cannot in particular determine . but this we know in generall , that the church is to be purged , purified , and cleansed , by this persecution , which at this day it suffers ; that by this means it may be by little and little prepared for that great reformation , which the epocha ; or account of those thousand yeers shall bring . the third period of the church of the new testament , is from the beginning of the thousand yeers , to the end thereof . and it shall contain , as well the martyrs that shall then rise , as the nations not yet converted , and the iews ; and it shall be free from persecutions . which four things , because they are called into question , are the more at large to be proved . and first of all , for the resurrection of the martyrs , the truth thereof is demonstrated * to the eye , in a manner out of the of the revelation , the . verse . then for the conversion of the gentiles , which are not yet called into the church , the apostle describeth it most lively , rom. i● . . where he plainly teacheth us , that the fulnesse of the gentiles is to be gathered to the church . hitherto also appertaineth that which we read gen. . . that the seed of ephraim shall become a multitude of nations . for it cannot be interpreted of the numerous off-spring , of ephraim ; for therein the tribe of iudah especially excelled . and the word gojim is most properly meant by the heathens . therefore this is the meaning , out of ephraim shall descend in numerable nations , which in their time shall flow-in plentifully to the gospel . moreover , christ luk. . teacheth us that the times of the gentiles shall be fulfilled . so gen. . , . god promiseth abraham , that he should become a father of a multitude of nations ; and gen. . . that in him all the nations of the earth should be bl●ssed . to these places you may adde , psal. . . matth. . . and revel. . . if any one should object , that the conversion of the gentiles was a little after the first coming of christ ; he must know that at that time all nations were not called . therefore we must understand a double conversion or calling of the gentiles , a former , and a latter . the former was in the time of the apostles , and their successors . this latter hath not been as yet , but it shall be at length , a little before the conversion of the iews . so that these two conversions are joyned together , isai. . . zach. . , &c. for the maintaining of this opinion see among others , iustus heurnius de legatione evangelicâ ad indos capessendâ , and kepler de stellâ novâ serpentarii , where fol. . he writs , that all the contentions which are at this day among christians , and the difference of their worships , tends to this , that from their mutuall destroying one another , an occasion may arise , on one side of converting the indians , on another of converting the iews , and turks . now let us enter into consideration of the conversion of the iews . the promises thereof , are gen. . , . num. . . deut. . , , . and chap. . from the . to the . isai. . , . and chap. . . and so forward , chap. . , . chap. . , . iere. . . chap. . , . chap. . , , , . ezech. . . and forward , hos. . . chap. . , mich. . . chap. . . and forward , chap. . , , . zeph. . , , , , . amos . , . zach. . . rom. . , , . cor. . . matth. . . luk. . . the explications of which places , look for in the following questions , and almost every where in the author cited in the margine . and to them adde these two reasons ; ; the iews wander to and fro through the whole world dispersed , scattered ▪ and banished from their own ayr and soil . god therefore without doubt reserveth them for some great , and admirable work . . christ being born of the iews , he is promised unto them with very many and most glorious promises . therefore it is not to be beleeved , that they should not at some time or other acknowledge him as the messias . neither can you object that the iews were converted in the time of christ , and the apostles . for they were but the first fruits of the iews . and that conversion was but in part onely . see concerning this argument iustus heurnius , in his book before cited , who handles it most accurately , and is of opinion , that this order shall happen in the reconciliation of the iews . that in the first place those ten tribes ; which were carried away by the assyrians , shall be converted , to whom afterwards the tribes of iudah , and benjamin shall joyn themselves . in the same place also he conjectureth very probably , that the converted remainder of the iews , united with the converted church of the heathen , shall resist the attempts of the adversaries of god , and beat down antichrist . yet i should rather suppose that the iews should entertain the ruine of antichrist , as an occasion of their conversion . but this nothing to the main matter and substance of the question . it remains now that i make it plain that this church , gathered together of iews and gentiles , shall be freed from the persecutions of their enemies . this is proved out of deut. . , , , . psal. . psal. . , , . isai. . , . . . chap. . , chap. . chap. . , , , &c. chap. . , , , , . chap. . from the , to the verse . chap. . , , . chap. . , , , . chap. . , , , , , . chap. . . , , , , . dan. . ioel . , . , , , , , . micah . . the whole chapter . zeph. . from the ver. to the end . zach. . to the . chap. . . to the . chap. . ● . to the end . mal. . , , . revel. . . , , , , , , . chap. . quite thorow . chap. . , , . . and the following verses . chap. . in these places is described the setting at liberty of the church of the new testament from the persecution of the enemies of the gospel , by an utter overthrow of them ; from whence shall arise it's continuall peace , together with an enlightment and regeneration greater then now it hath ; as also the majesty or glory thereof shall appear , joyned with an absolute and sincere joy . all which are here and there to be found in the places quoted , and are unfolded in the following questions . and this is that happy condition and estate of the church , which shall be in this life , and shall last for a thousand years : and it consisteth of these parts : . of the resurrection of the martyrs , and of rheir reign here upon earth . . of the increase of the church , and multitude thereof , through the conversion of the gentiles and iews . . of the setting of the church at liberty from the persecution of enemies thereof , by the small destruction of them . . of the continuall and lasting peace thereof . . of the reformation of the same both in doctrine and life . . of the majesty , and great glory thereof . . of it 's true and sincere ioy . the fourth period of the church of the new testament , is from the end of the thousand yeares to the last : judgement . in which time the estate of the church shall be very miserable , by reason of the war of gog and magog , unto which christ shall put an end by his glorious coming to the generall judgement , revel. . . . ▪ , . and thus we have described the estate of the church of the old and new testament here upon earth . the estate of the church in heaven is of perfect glory , everlasting triumph , absolute regeneration , exact illumination , and unspeakable joy . and this is the full doctrine concerning the estate of the church , which we thus set forth . the state of the church is either on earth before the fall of man , fully happy . after the fall , and is , either internall , perpetuall , and common to all places , and times in respect of the elect in generall . externall , temporall , and proper , and it is either of the old testament under patriarches . iudges . kings . divers kindes of government after the babylonian captivity . new testament where are periods . of the jews to the yeare of christ , . . of the gentiles under emperours roman heathen . christian , untill phocas . popes of rome fully exercising their power . suffering some abatement thereof . . of jews and gentiles for a yeares . . of the same after those yeares finished . in heaven , where is the beginning of the triumph in the last judgement . consummation thereof in life eternall . the affections of this manifold estate are thus delineated . the estate of the church is either of one kinde ; to wit onely happy on earth before the fall . for the . yeers now at hand . in heaven . onely unhappy by reason of severall persecutions already past before these . yeares . to come after these . yeares . divers kindes ; to wit , partly happy , partly unhappy , or temporate , and lyable to the enterchange of temporall felicity , or calamity . of the connexion of this chapter with the former . iohn in his revelation which he received from god , in the yeare of christ . after the preface , chap. to the verse , describes seven generall visions in this order . the first vision is of the seven golden candlesticks , and of so many starres , and it is concerning the present and future estate of the seven churches in asia , in the , , chapters . the second vision is of the book shut up , and signed with seven seals , in the , , chapters . and it is concerning the estate of the church of the new testament after the departure of iohn , to the yeare of christ . the third vision is of the seven trumpets , in the , , , chapters , and it is concerning the state of the church from the year of christ , to the year . the fourth vision is of the woman bringing forth a childe , and of the dragon , of the beast , and the lamb , in the , , chapters . and it is partly a description of the birth of christ , partly a recapitulation and exposition of the second and third visions , and concerning the estate of the church of the new testament , from the nativity of christ , to the yeare . the fifth visiion is of the seven vials , in the and chapters ; of which the three former are poured forth from the year of christ , to the year . the four following shall be poured forth from the year , to the year of christ . in which the years seem to begin . the sixth vision is partly of the punishments , as well those which are peculiarly appointed for the whore , and her worshipyers , before the beginning of the years , in the , , . chapters , as also those which shall be inflicted upon all the enemies of the church : partly of the future happinesse of the church here upon earrh , in the chapter , from the uerse to the . after the end of those years , chap. . the , and following verses . the seventh vision is of the heavenly city , chap. ▪ . ii. the sum of this chapter . after that the evangelist hath related what happened to the first beast , and the false prophet , and their followers , chap. . verse , . he tells you now what happened to the dragon himself . for the mystery of iniquity being overthrown , and due punishments inflicted upon the first beast , and the false prophet , the angel descends from heaven , and being endowed with great power , he takes order that the dragon , that is , satan , should not any more , by the ministery of ungodly men , stirre up those accustomed troubles in the church militant . wherefore there being no place left him any longer for his wonted impostures , but bound up in the bottomlesse pit for a thousand years , the nations are not seduced ●y him , untill being loosned out of prison , he again makes use of his old engines and stratagems against the church . therefore for the space of those whole years the church shall enjoy outward peace , the martyrs being raised from the dead , and the nations , together with the jews , being converted to the faith of christ . now after the end of these thousand years , satan is again let loose , and the church , by reason of the warre of gog and magog , made sensible of more grievous afflictions then she had suffered in former times . at length he being again thrust into the bottomlesse pit , together with all his forces and power , the saints shall for ever reign with christ . iii. the analysis of the chapter . and ] that is , after that . for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is to be taken transitively here in this sense : after that i had seen the beast , and the false prophet thrown into the lake burning with b●imstone , and the rest slain with the sword of him that sate upon the horse , and all birds satisfied with the flesh of them ; i saw these things which now follow . i saw ] that is , in the spirit , or extasie of my minde . compare revel. . . an angel ] a good spirit , a minister of the judgements of god , such as were in the former visions . therefore neither christ , nor any doctor of the church is here to be understood . coming down from heaven ] to wit , the third heaven , or the heaven of the blessed . who had the key of the bottomlesse pit ] that is , who had received power from god to open and shut up hell . we must not therefore by the key of the bottomlesse pit understand any inward light or knowledge kindled by some famous doctor of the church , by whose help the scripture may be the more enlightned ; or the profound skill in divinity of such a one . and a great chain in his hand ] the great power of binding and tying up the enemy is here understood . this chain therefore is falsly expounded concerning the divine writings of some angel , or teacher of the church , whose coherence like a chain may be such , that they may bring heaven and earth together , and draw the hearts of the believers up unto god . . and he caught ] as if he had laid hands on him - the dragon ] that monstrous , virulent , and violent enemy of christ and christians . that old sorpent ] who by his winding and subtle kinde of oratory in the beginning of the world , seduced our first parents , and who yet keeps his old skin . who is the devill ] that slanderer , and sophister ; that mis-interpreter of all the good sayings and deeds , as well of god and christ , as holy angels and men . and satan ] the adversary , and everlasting enemy of god , christ , and the church . and bound him ] by hindering his wicked enterprises and attemps . a thousand yeers ] solar , and usuall years . . and he threw him into the bottomlesse pit . ] that is , with mighty power he restrained the malignity of satan , thrusting him down into hell . and * shut him up ] as if he should say , he laid him not onely fast in prison , but also shut up the prison upon him , with him in it . and set a seal upn hiom ] here are four acts of the angel ; the first bindes satan , then cast him being bound into the bottomlesse pit , then he shuts up the pit , and sets a seal upon it being shut up . that he might not seduce ] to wit , partly by idolatry , superstition , and the power of lyes , partly by bringing war upon the church . any more ] as he had formerly done . the nations ] {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the nations , ●oth jews and gentiles . this word {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} in scripture properly signifies the gentiles as they were opposed to the jews . but that in this place the signification of this word is extended , it doth hence appear : the power of the devill is so fast bound , he can no more seduce either jews or gentiles , for the space of those thousand yeers . therefore this word is to be taken in a more large signification . so that the conversion of the jews is described also implicitely , in these words , till the thousand yeers were fulfilled ] to wit , untill the whole course of the churches hapyinesse here on earth were finished . and after that he must be loosed ] for these thousand yeers being ended , the devill by the just judgement of god shall again recover his power , and indeed a farre greater . for a short time ] the kingdom of satan shall not fulfill a thousand years , but shall remain onely for a small time . . and i saw thrones ] then i saw a judiciall processe prepared . and they sate upon them ] that is , christ and his holy angels . and iudgement was given unto th●m ] the power of judgement was given by god as well to christ , as to the chief judge , as to the angels , as it were his assessors . compare mat. . . and the souls ] i saw as well the judges , christ and his angels , as also them that were to be judged , that is , to be absolved or freed in this judgement . and in this place souls are put for men . of them that were beheaded ] that is , of them that were slain by any kinde of torment : and it is a description of the martyrs . for the testimony of iesus ] whereby they witnessed concerning christ , that he was the onely iesus , that is , the onely saviour both by merit and efficacy . and for the word of god ] that is , the holy scripture , which they had learned to be the onely rule both of faith and life . and which had not worshipped the b●ast ] that is , the second beast , of which mention is in the and chapters ; which had arrogated to it self the divine honours of christ . nor his image ] that is , those kings and princes which are the image of the beast ; that is , which represent the beast in their likenesse of doctrine and life . compare revel. . v. . and had not received his mark in their foreheads . ] by mark in this place is to be understood some characteristicall note , or distinguishing signe or token , which they are said to bear in their foreheads , who publikely professe themselves to be addicted to such or such a master , or leader . or in their hands ] that is , in their actions , rites , and ceremonies . in these words therefore is contained a concealed antithesis or opposition , whereby the martyrs are declared contrary to the slaves and servants of the beast ; concerning whom there is former mention , chap. . ●● ▪ , , . that they worshipped the image of the beast , and received his mark on their right hand , or on their foreheads . from which words it is manifest that the martyrs are here described by the distinction of their sufferings and doings . and they lived ] that is . they lived again , as may be gathered from the fifth verse , but the rest of the dead lived not again . so formerly , revel. . . who was dead , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and is alive , for , hath lived again . here then is described the singular reward which the martyrs have received for their sufferings ▪ and extraordinary performances . and reign●d ] as being appointed here on earth governours of the church , having now gained it 's most welcome halcyonia , or dayes of calmnesse . with christ ] who all this while shall raign visibly in heaven , invisibly upon earth , his visible kingdom being resigned to the martyrs . for those thousand yeers ] of whi●h in the former verse ▪ for that the thousand yeers of satans binding , and of the kingdom of the holy martyrs with christ , are the same , and not distinct , or divers , the article , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , four times repeated in the , , , , verses , doth sufficiently declare , and the term of time appointed for the loosing of satan doth fully evince . it is a forced interpretation therefore that some do make , taking the thousand yeers in the and verses tropically by a synecdoche for eternity ; in the other verses , namely , , , , according to the letter . but the rest of the dead ] as well the godly , as the ungodly . * lived not again ] that is , were not made partakers of that happinesse and prerogative , whereby a number of some of the faithfull shall rise before the universall and last resurrection , and shall reign with christ here upon earth . vntill those thousand years shall be finished ] for they being ended , christ not long after shall come to judgement , which both the living and the dead must expect . this is * that first resurrection ] in which the bodies of the martyrs shall rise , in the beginning of those thousand years . we must not therefore understand in this place a spirituall resurrection , by which we are said to rise out of the sleep , and death of sinne : for that resurrection is common unto all good men , and happeneth daily . wherefore thus we are to think concerning the word resurrection , when we finde it mentioned in scripture . resurrection is either of our spirit . flesh * particularly , in the time of elisha , whose bones raised the the dead man , which was thrown upon them . christ who raised lazarus , and the daughter of the widow of naim . when divers rofe at his hanging upon the crosse , matth. . paul ; who raised a dead man to life . the . years . and this is called the first resurrection . universally , which shall happen in the end of the world ; and this is the second resurrection . . blessed . ] with a speciall blessing , and proper onely to the martyrs . and holy . ] that is , out of singular favour set apart by god for the priviledge of this peculiar blessing , who hat'● part in that first resurrection . ] who shall be in the number of the martyrs , who shall rise in this first resurrection . on him the second death shall have no power . ] the second death is the casting away of the damned to eternall torments . compare the . verse with this . otherwise it is called eternall death . but they shall be priests of god and christ . ] not in that common respect , whereby all the elect in this life are spirituall priests , who by the spirit of christ offer themselves up unto god : but by a speciall prerogative , whereby , the martyrs being raised from the dead , shall obtain chief power in the church , as it were priests of god and christ . as before these thousand yeares the priests of antichrist were cheif . and they shall raign with him for a thousand years . ] in the church , the profession of christianity being no way hindred . see revel. . . and the questions following . therefore the peculiar happinesse of the martyrs consisteth in the first resurrection in their reign with christ , in their priesthood ; in the same manner as we have described it . . and when those thousand years shall be finished . ] to wit , of the happinesse of the church , and of a free and universall profession of christianity . satan shall be loosed out of his prison . ] that is , he shall recover his power and liberty to attempt and seduce without restraint , which power had lain asleep , as it were , and been buryed for the thousand years , the angel now giving him leave , in whose hands it was , according to the pleasure and command of god , to binde and loose satan . . and he shall go forth . ] that is , out of his prison , or place of his custody , whereof in the foregoing verse ; namely , out of the bottomelesse pit , where he was detained . that he may seduce the nations in the four corners of the earth . ] that is , wicked men , who shall heer and there remain in the world at the end of the thousand years . these satan shall seduce , urging them to make warre against the saints , gog and magog . ] that is , those nations which at that time satan shall seduce , and which at the end of those . yeares shall by warre make an attempt against the church , and shall endeavour to destroy it , as in old time gog and magog vexed the people of the iews . therefore by gog and magog are heer to be understood all the professed enemies of the church ; even as gog , that is , the people of the lesser ▪ asia , which environed iudea on the north ; and magog , that is , the scythians , which inhabited places situate on the south of iudea , were the professed enemies of the iews . thus then we must understand it : the devill shall seduce the nations in the four corners of the earth ; the nations , i say , which are endued with a spirit like that of gog and magog . read the . and . chapters of ezekiel . but you will say ; how can it be that those wicked men should reassume their power after these thousand years ? i answer ; this shall be brought to passe by the just judgement of god , whereby not only the great antichrist shall flourish again , but also pagan , and barbarous people , and other monsters of the same batch shall gain encrease . and shall gather them together to battle . ] against the profession of christ in generall , that it being quite as it were thrust out of the world , they may substitute in the room thereof antichristianisme , barbarisme , and unbelief . whose number shall be a●●he sand of the sea . ] so that it shall be a most compleatly furnished army , whose like hath never been heretofore . and satan , being con●ident in the strength of these forces , shall hope thereby to swallow up the church . . and they went up on the breadth of the earth . ] so great an army shall be gathered together , that no part of the earth shall be free from it . all the ground shall be covered with souldiers . they shall come up ; that is , they shall rely upon much force and ayde . and here is an allusion to gog and magog the type , who being to besiege ierusalem , which was placed upon a hill , were of necessity to ascend . and th●y * encompassed it . ] the allusion to the type still holds : for the church at that time shall be encompassed on every side with enemies ▪ as in old time iudea was encompassed by gog and magog , those fierce and barbarous people . the campe of the saints . ] that is , wheresoever the true souldiers of christ were , making warre in their own stations . and the beloved city . ] the whole church , which is one city at that time scattered through the whole world . and fire came down from god out of heaver , and devoured them . ] some such thing verily shall happen , as we read of gen. . concerning sodome and gomorrha . and as the first world perished with the deluge of water : so gog and magog shall perish in ●●e end of the world by the destruction of fire . . and the devill that deceived th●● was cast . ] otherwise then in the third verse ; for here he is so cast , that he shall not beloosed again thence for ever . into the lake of fire ; and brimstone . ] this is a description of hell . where the beast was . ] that is , the former beast , which is described in the . chapter , v. . for that beast is distinguished from the false-prophet , who is the same with the latter beast . and the false-prophet . ] great antichrist , apollyon , the babylonian whore , who with his subtle wiles seduceth men , perswading and pressing a counterfeit religion , wholly seeking after the honours and riches of this world , no otherwise then the false prophets in the old testament were wont to do . wherefore in a speciall manner antichrist is called the false-prophet . and shall be tormented . ] to wit , they three : the devill , or dragon , and his two companions , the beast , and the false-prophet . day and night . ] continually , without intermission . for ever and ever . ] a description of all eternity . . and i saw a great white throne . ] by this throne a cloud is understood ; and being termed a great throne , the universall judgement is figured out ; and being also called a white one , truth , equity and justice are thereby signified . and one sitting thereon . ] namely , christ , god and man . now he is said to be seen to sit there , that hereby we may be taught , that he is prepared and ready to passe judgement . from whose face . ] being both most ref●lgent , and full of austherity . the earth and heaven fled away . ] that is , the fashion of this world passed away , and was consumed with fire , which went before this judge ; and the creatures , the inhabitants of earth and heaven , did all tremble at the sight of him . and there was found no place for him . ] by reason of the resplenden●y , and majesty of the judge , which no creature could endure , without being changed into some other state , and condition . therefore there shall be an universall change of the whole world in that judgement day . . and i saw the dead . ] that is , those who had been dead ; but were now raised , and restored unto life . small and great . ] a dichotomy , or division , naturally to be understood in regard of quantity ; morally in regard of quality , or dignity . so that all must be placed before the tribunall of christ . standing before god . ] as expecting his definitive sentence . and the books were opened . ] books not devised or written by any other , then by every one in his own private conscience , dictated according to his severall thoughts , words , and deeds . these books therefore thus written have hitherto been reserved , shut up , and not taken notice of , as it were in some private closet , or place of account . but now they are opened , so that they may be plainly read by every particular man . and another book was opened . ] that onely book , written by god himself . which is the book of life . ] that is , the secret and hidden decree of god concerning our election , which there shall in publike be exhibited , and made manifest . now it is called the book of life , because therein god hath as it were set down the names of them , who through his grace and favour shall become heirs of eternall life . compare luke . . and the dead were judged . ] a definitive sentence passing upon all ; acquitting some , and condemning others . out of those things which were written in the book . ] to wit , in the books of mens consciences . now these books shall be opened after a severall manner . for the books of the consciences of godly men shall not be so opened , that their sinnes shall rise up in judgement against them , ( for in this respect they are still sealed up , ) but they shall be so opened , that they may read indeed their sinnes there , many and g●eat ones , but so as they are covered by christ , and the power of them more and more weakened by the spirit of christ , through repentance and the study of good works . therefore the godly shall reade in their conscience the justice of christ covering their sinnes , and through him bringing forth good works . but the condition of the ungodly shall be farre otherwise ; for they shall read in their consciences their sinnes not pardoned by christ . according to their works . ] which shall give testimony either of their faith in christ ; or else of their impiety , and unbeleef . . and. ] t●ansitively , for after that ; that is , after the sentence of the judge now passed , and published . the sea gave up her dead that were in it . ] b●ing drowned , or devoured of fi●nes . and death . ] that is , the fire , aire , and beast of the earth , and fowls yeelded up their dead , which had not been bu●yed . and hell . ] that is , the grave . in these words then is contained partly a description of the generall resurrection , partly a distribution of the bodies of them that were dead into three sorts ; one of them that were drowned in the sea ; another of those which were not drowned in the sea , but being dead had no buriall , as being brought to ashes either by the fire or aire , or else devoured by beasts of the earth , or by flying fowls ; a third sort of those who were laid in their graves . gave up their dead . ] by the command and appointment of god . which were in them . ] the very same , and not others : the same in number . and they were judged every man . ] not any one being excepted . according to their works . ] so that no man shall have cause to complain of any injury done unto him . . and death . ] and , for but ; adversatively . death , that is , some , and indeed most , of the dead , but not buryed . and hell . ] the grave , which is here put for them that were buryed therein . and again , not all the buryed are here to be understood , but some , and indeed most . now by death and hell may be understood men deserving both . were cast into the lake of fire . ] that is , made subject and slaves to eternall damnation ; so that the saints for the time to come need not stand in any danger or fear of them . which is the second death . ] or , eternall . this relative which may either be referred to the word lake , or else may be taken collectively . in the former acception , the lake is called the second death , that is , a signe or symbol of the second , or eternall death . in the latter , the judgement of condemnation committed to execution is called the second death . now this is called the second death , because the bodies and souls of the damned do in very deed dye twice . for the body dyeth , both when it is separated from the soul , and also , when being again joyned to the body , it is seperated from god : and the soul dyeth , both when in this life it separateth it self from god by sinne , and when after this life it is separated from god by everlasting punishment . lastly , this punishment is called death , because it taketh away the life of grace and glory , with which if the life of nature be compared , it is rather to be called death then life . . and whosoever was not found . ] and , for for ; a copulative particle for a declarative . finding is here applyed to god by an {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ▪ or by attributing of humane actions , passions , and affections to the unlimited power , and unsearchable operations of the deity . written in the book of life . ] both in the former book , as well through the love and election of god : as in the latter by faith , hope , and charity . was cast into the lake of fire . ] through the just judgement of god , and by his own default . . a logicall-theologicall analysis . this chapter is divided into five parts . i. the description of the angel , vers. . ii. the effects , or operations of the angel ; that is , what the angel did . in part of the . verse . . iii. the happy estate of the church which followed upon what the angel had effected . in part of the , , , , . verses . iv. the troubled state of the church , vers. , , , . v. the description of the last judgement . from the . verse●● the end . of the first part. the angel is described , . from the person imployed therein , who is iohn the evangelist , whose effect illustrated by the time added , is expressed in these words , after that i saw . . from the proper person , or subject . an angel . . from the effect which is illustrated by the place , coming down from heaven . . from the double adjunct , illustrated by a threefold similitude , having the k●y of the bottomelesse pit , and a great chain in his hand . of the second part. five effects of this angel are recited , . the first is illustrated by an allegoricall description of the object , thus ; and he laid hold on the dragon , that old serpent , which is the devill , and satan . the second is illustrated by the circumstance of time . and he bound him for . years . . . . the other three are set down with a manifestation of the end for which this was done . and cast him into the bottomelesse pit , and shut him up , and set a seal upon him , that he should deceive the nations no more . of the third part. the happy estate of this church hereon earth is either common , or proper . the common estate of the church is that of all the godly then living , in these words , that he should not seduce them any more . and it is discribed thus , . from the extent of the subject , tha● he might not seduce the nations . . from the adjunct of time , till the thousand y●●rs should be fulfilled . . from the destructive cause of their felicity , and after that he must be loosed . now as well the efficient cause of the corruption of this felicity is declared , namely , the decree of god . he must be loosed as the manner and forme , be loosed . and lastly , the adjunct of time , for a little season . the proper estate of the church is that of the martyr , and is consists of their resurrection , and kingdom . the resurrection of the martyrs is described , . from the person imployed . then i saw . . from the impulsive procuring cause , to wit , the judgement of those heavenly powers , which is illustrated from an adjunct and effect metaphoricall , thus ; thrones , and they sate upon them , and judgement was given unto them . . from the recipient subjects , which is described from the adjunct passions , as also from the its effects ; and the souls of them , who were beheaded for , &c. the procuring cause also of these passions or sufferings is declared , to wit ▪ their confessing of christ , and their refusing of idolatry . . from the manner of their resurrection , and they lived agai● ▪ the kingdom of the martyrs is described from the effect , conn●● , and adjunct time , and th●y reigned with christ , for a thousand years . the resurrection of the martyrs is again described , . from the unlike condition of others . but the rest of the dead lived not again , untill &c. . from it's epithite . this is the first resurrection . . from four adjunct● ; of which the first , second , and fourth are peculiar ; the third common . for the martyrs are described from their particular happynesse ▪ blessed . from their particular holinesse , and holy . from their holy security , on such the second death hath no power , from the dignity of their priesthood , but they shall be priests . their kingdom with the durance thereof , is the second time also set down in the . verse . of the fourth part. the happy estate of the church shall be troubled by the extreme persecution of the wicked , that is to say , by the warre of gog and magog , the cause whereof and the event is described . the cause is as well efficient , as formal ▪ the efficient is either principall , the seducing of the devill ; or instrumentall , the wicked nations . the seducing of the devill is described , . from the time ; when the thousand years shall be finished , . from the permissive cause ; satan shall be loosed out of his prison . for he shall be let loose by the angel , god permitting , and commanding it . . from the manner , and end ; and he shall go forth that he may deceive the nations , and gather them to battl● . the wicked nations are described , . from the subject place ; the nations which are in the four corners of the earth . . from the comparison with their like ; gog and magog . . from the adjunct ; that he might gather them to battle . . from the multitude added ; which is set forth and illustrated by a simile ; whose number is as the sand of the sea . . from a double effect ; and they came up on one breadth of the earth , and encompassed , &c. the event of this warre of gog and magog is in respect ; . of the nations ; but fire came down from heaven . . of the devill ; whose action is described ; and the devill who seduced them : and his passion ; he was cast into the lake . and this punishment is described from his company ; where the beast and the false prophet are . and from the durance of time added ; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever . of the fifth part. the last judgement is described , . from the efficient cause , which is the iudge ; who is described partly from the limited place , to wit , the cloude ; then i saw a throne , &c. partly from adjunct , to wit , his majestie ; and one sitting thereon before whom the earth and the heaven fled away . . from the object , which are the guilty , or the persons to be judged ; they are described both from their past condition ; the dead both small and great , as also from their present state ; standing in the sight of god , as likewise from their future condition ; and they were judged ▪ from a tripartite distribution also from the distinct places . and the sea gave up no dead , and death , and hel●gave up their dead which were in them . . from the rule observed in the judgement , thereafter as their works are ; according to their works . this rule is declared from the infallibility thereof , which is signified by the books , that is , the consciences of men ; and the books were op●ned . and by the book of life also ; and another book was opened . . from the execution of the sentence ; of which one part here is onely mentioned , namely the casting of the wicked into the lake of fire . vers. . the other is related in the following chapter . now this casting into the lake is described partly from what went before ; and death , and hell . partly from the forme , and manner of it ; were cast into the lake of fire ; which is the second death . and partly also from the impulsive cause ; and whose names were not found in the book of life were cast into the lake of fire . if you like better of it , divide this chapter into four particular visions ; of which the . is concerning the angel . vers. . . . . is concerning the state of the church here on earth , as well in a most happy condition , verse , , , . as in a most afflicted , and troubled . verse , , , . . is concerning the throne of christ the judge , vers. . . is concerning the vniversall judgement , and the processe thereof , verse , , , . iv. the paraphrase of the chapter . the condition and estate of the militant church being laid open unto me from the yeer of christ , together with the temptations and assaults wherewith it was shaken ; the labours , wherewith it was afflicted , the deliverances , whereby it was freed ; the victory , whereby it was ennobled : but specially , and last of all , the fall of babylon being foretold and declared , . i saw in my extasie a good angel , the minister of the judgements of god , such as i had seen in my former visions ; him , i say , i saw coming down from the heaven of the blessed , who had by god entrusted to him the key of the bottomlesse pit of hell , that according to the appointment of god he might shut and open it ; also a great chain in his hand , wherewith he might binde some powerfull enemy . . this angel laid hold of the dragon , that infernall old serpent ▪ who from the beginning vomited forth his poyson upon man-kinde , and deceived them with his winding sophismes , who is both the devill , slandering god before men , and on the other side men before god ; who is also satan ▪ the adversary of god and men ; of nature in generall , and of the church . this deceiver , being found and apprehended in his sophistry and tyranny , the good angel bound with his chain , and that for a thousand solar years , and commonly used in the generall course of life . . neither was it enough for him to binde him , but moreover he cast him being bound , and threw him headlong into the bottomlesse pit , and being thrown down thither , he shut him up ; and being shut up , he sealed the cover of the bottomlesse pit , lest breaking forth by any means , he might seduce , partly to idolatry ▪ partly to the persecution of the church , any more , as he had done before , the nations , as well jews as gentiles , untill the thousand yeers are finished . for afterwards he must ( god so appointing it ) be ie● loose out of his prison for a short time , which god hath limitted , and which shall not befor a thousand yeers , as the time of his binding , and his being shut up was . . a joyfull catastrophe , or issue , shall follow this tragedy of the dragon . for i saw thrones set in order , and and christ with his holy angels sate upon them . for unto these power was given to judge , partly by giving and executing sentence , partly by approving thereof . i saw also the souls of them who were beheaded , and tormented with innumerable kinds of punishments , not indeed for their own offences , but for the testimony which they gave concerning christ , the son of god , and onely advocate of the church ; and for the word of god , which they had boldly maintained against the corruptions of men : and who had not worshipped that second beast , which i made mention of that i saw it before ; nor the image of that beast which is two-fold , both in respect of doctrine , and life : neither had received his mark in their foreheads , publikely making shew and witnessing by their words , that they belonged to the family of the beast : lastly , they had not so much 〈◊〉 received this mark in their hands , expressing the same either in their life , manners , or actions . such at these lived , their bodies being raised again , and restored to life . neither did they only live again , but also reigned in the church , freed now from persecutions , with christ , that king of kings , for a thousand years . . but the rest of the dead , as well the godly who before these yeers received not the crown of martyrdom , as the ungodly ▪ lived not again till the thousand yeers were finished . and this is the first resurrection , due onely to them as a ●rerogative , who above others have glorified the lord christ in their bodies , nothing terrified with the threats , curses , and torments of men . . these martyrs therefore , who have their part in the first resurrection , are deservedly esteemed happy above others , as also peculiarly separated , and set aside by god for the receiving of such a reward . for the second death shall have no power over them . by reason that though they live the second time here upon earth , yet they shall no more by any sin engage themselves so , that they need to fear any danger of an eternall death . for they shall be here upon earth priests of god , and of christ , not of this world : and they shall reigne with christ , not as the kings of the nations , but in the majesty of the spirit , for these thousand yeers . . now when these thousand yeers sh●●● be fulfilled , the happinesse of the church shall on the sudden begin to fail here on earth . for satan in an instant shall be ●et loose out of his prison , in which he was most carefully kept for those thousand yeers . . but being thus set at liberty , he shall not rest so , but shall return to his old game , and so he shall go forth , that he may the more freely seduce the nations , which are in the four corners of the earth , towards the east , and towards the west , towards the north ▪ and the south . now he shall not onely by heresies of all kindes ▪ lead on the blinde world to apostasie , or falling away from the faith ; but also he shall behave himself as a captain , or leader , to bring on a grievous persecution upon the church , stirring and raising up against it gog and magog , the sworn enemies thereof , and of god himself ; such as were of old those people ▪ who under these names were bitter enemies to the iews . and having thus stirred them up , he shall gather them together to batte●● , farre more cruell and bloody then hath been from the beginning of the world . for men shall enter into this battell barbarous in their monstrous cruelty , and monstrous cruell in their barbarousnesse , whose number shall be as the sand of the sea . . wherefore these vast forces , under the conduct of satan , shall come upon the earth , and shall cover the breadth thereof with their multitudes . and straightway , they shall encompasse the camp of the ▪ saints , wheresoever it shall be ; and with their utmost diligence and devices , shall endeavour quite to deface the church , that beloved city of god . but however , in the very midst of this their rage and fury , being greater then that either of the cyclops or giants , on a sudden a fire shall come down from heaven , god himself sending forth lightnings and flashings of fire upon them , and shooting out his arrows against them . this fire shall devour those his innumerable enemies , like stubble . . but neither shall their leader , the devill , who conducted , and seduced them , carry it away so without his due punishment for opposing the church of god , by the seduced nations . for he shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone , that is , into hell it self , where his companions , the first beast , and the false prophet , who is the great antichrist , being thrust down a little before the beginning of the thousand yeers , do endure their punishment . there they shall be tormented day and night without intermission , for ever and ever , that is , for all ages ; so that for the time to come they shall never scape forth again . . i saw also a great cloud like a great white throne , and christ , the son of god , the judge of the living and dead , sitting thereon with great majesty , and prepared to give judgement . from before his face the earth and the heaven fled away , and there was no place found for them . for this earth , and this heaven shall passe away at the coming of christ , and all things shall be made new . . i saw also all the dead , small and great standing before god , and ready to hear the sentence of the judge . what happens then ? the books of mens consciences are opened , the counsells of all mortell men , and the secrets of their hearts , being brought to light . now lest the elect children of god should be disheartned , every one by the particular survey of his own book , or conscience , behold another book is opened for them , i mean the book of life , in which according to the fatherly acceptance of god in christ , their names are written from everlasting . these books being thus opened , the d●ad are judged out of those things which are written in the books , according to their works ; and that after such manner , that the works of the saints are judged out of the book of life , which contains the books of their consciences , washed and cleansed with the blood of christ ; but the works of the ungodly are numbred and surveyed ; and so judged , out of the books of their own consciences , not cleansed from sins , nor purged with the blood of christ . . hereupon then the sea gave up its dead , which had been concealed in the bosome thereof . death also and the grave , that is , the fire , ayr , and the earth , and indeed all the elements d●livered up their dead , which having received formerly , they had partly consumed , partly yet preserved . they were therefore all judged , and every one in particular , none at all excepted ; and they were judged justly ; for the judgement was according to every ones works , of which their consciences bare them record . . and this being performed , ungodly men , death and hell , that is , men deserving both , were cast into that lake of fire , that there for ever they might swallow up waters running with fire , and there suffer the second death , that is , by dying the second death never to die . . for whose name soever was not found written in the book of life , was cast into that lake of fire , both by the just judgement of god , and by the heynousnesse of his own deservings . v. the questions arising in this chapter . the chief questions of this chapter are these : . whether these thousand yeers , severall times here mentioned , are alwayes to be understood literally . . whether they be already finished . . what year ought to be put for the beginning of them . . what is to be understood by the first resurrection . . who are to be understood by gog and magog . . whether the martyrs with christ shall reign here on earth . all which questions i will bring into this one ; whether there shall be any happinesse of the church here upon earth , before the last day ; and of what kinde it shall be ? this question i will handle somewhat more largely , both by way of confutation , and confirmation . i will in the first place therefore by certain classes , or ranks of arguments , confirm the truth to be maintained herein : after that i will confute the objections of the adversary part . i. the confirmation of the truth . there shall be three classes , or ranks of arguments for the maintaining of this truth , which we comprehend in the following thesis . or position : the happy estate of the church in this life shall consist of the resurrection of the martyrs , and their kingdom here on earth ; of the freedome of the church from the persecution of the enemies of the gospel , by an utter overthrow of them ; of a lasting peace which shall arise from thence ▪ of the encrease of the church , or the multitude of the believers by the conversion of the iews , and nations not yet converted ; of the reformation of doctrine , ( or a greater enlightment ) and life , among all estates of men ; of the majesty also , and great glory of the church ; and lastly , of the sincere joy thereof . now this happinesse shall begin in that very year , wherein it shall come to passe , that the kingdom of that great antichrist shall be destroyed : and it shall last for a thousand years . the truth hereof we will make good , . out of the context , and coherence of this chapter . . out of other sayings of the scripture . . lastly , by arguments taken from reason , and the consent and agreement of some holy and learned men . the first classis of arguments . from the context of the chapter we draw these arguments : the first argument is taken from the connexion of this vision with the former , which is described , chap. . verse , , . for iohn saith in the first verse of this chapter , and i saw , that is , afterwards ; to wit , after i had seen the beast , and the false prophet cast into the lake of fire . now lest any one should think that this casting of them in shall be in the end of the world , iohn doth presently adde ; and the rest were slain with the sword of him that sate on the horse , and all the fowls were filled with their flesh . from which words it is manifest , that it is spoken here concerning the destruction of antichrist , and his followers , which shall not happen in the last and universall judgement , but shall be a particular judgement by it self : which is thus demonstrated : the coming of christ to the last judgement shall at length happen after the warre of gog and magog ; which is a distinct war from that which is described , chap. . ver. . for the warre of gog shall be against the saints , having now enjoyed a long-lasting peace . but the warre of antichrist shall be against the saints , being now brought almost to nothing by some great persecution . again in this ●h chap. vers. . it is said , that the devill should be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone after the warre of gog , where the beast and the false prophet * was ; which words have a plain respect to those , chap. . ver. . these both ( the beast , and the false prophet ) were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone . the second argument is from the connexion of this vision with the following , which is set down in the ▪ chapter . for , saith iohn in the first verse thereof . after that i saw a new heaven , and a new earth ; that is , the thousand yeers being finished , the warre of gog and magog being ended , and the execution of the last judgement , of which in the ●● chapter , being accomplished : as if he should say , hitherto i have seen and declared the estate of the church militant , and beginning to triumph in the last judgement : now followeth the vision and declaration of the state of the whole church going on in it's progresse of triumph in life eternall . the third argument is from the often repetition of those words , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , [ a thousand years ] and withall the addition of the article {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , [ the , or those thousand years , ] whereof the former is once onely used , the latter four times from the verse to the . which repetition argues that these words are to be understood historically , and according to the letter ; except you had rather say that iohn is a * babler , or a vain repeater of the same words needlesly again and again . the fourth argument is from the comparing of this vision with the history of what hath hitherto happened . for it cannot be proved out of any history , that those things which were treated of in this prophesie , have yet come to passe . for as yet the d●vill was never so bound for a thousand years , as that he was cast into a bottomlesse pit , and there shut up , and withall a seal set upon him , that he might not seduce the nations any more , till the thousand years should be fulfilled ; which being expired , he should be let loose for a little season . i require then that some age of the new testament may be produced , wherein the epocha , or beginning of these years may be said to have been . again ▪ the resurrection of the martyrs is proved from the antithesis , or opposition expressed in the . and . verses ; where it is expresly said , that the rest of the dead lived not again untill the thousand years were expired . therefore , when as it is said that the martyrs lived , they are to be understood to have lived again . now let it be made appear when this living again happened . lastly , the warre of gog and magog hath not been yet , as many would have it : for after those thousand years shall be finished , in all which time no nations shall be seduced by satan ; then , i say , shall this new seduction begin over the whole face of the earth , and from the four corners of the world an innumerable army shall be gathered , which shall bring great trouble to the saints , and shall be consumed with fire sent down from god . seeing therefore these three things , which i have mentioned , are not already fulfilled , it is most certain that they are yet to be fulfilled . the fifth argument is from the absurdity that will follow : for except we keep close to the letter , and apply it to the happinesse of the church which shall be hereafter on earth , both the explication and application of this whole prophesie will prove very empty , unsavory , and wrested . let us take one of many . some say that these thousand years here mentioned began with the overthrow of the temple , and iewish worship ; because then the iews , who hitherto never ceased to trouble the nations , and to turn them aside from the gospel , being now scattered and cast off , the nations now by whole troops were brought in in their stead to the church of christ , and that then satan being bound ▪ it was made apparant that he ceased from seducing the nations . now let us see what a fine exposition this is . ierusalem was overthrown by titus in the . year of christ : here then let us begin the epocha of these thousand years , so that they may end in the year of christ . now let there be conferred with this whole course of time the conversion of the nations , the sinck of heresies , the defection and seduction of mabomet , the mystery of iniquity , and lastly the persecution of the godly ; and then let it be shewn how satan reigning all this while so powerfully , was bound for a thousand years , and seduced not the nations . let it be shewn also how any martyr ever reigned with christ from the year of the lord to the year . certainly none have yet reigned with christ , because none have yet risen from the dead . now the reign of the martyrs with christ must follow their resurrection . so that if these thousand-years were expired in the year of christ . it follows , that these years , which have passed from that time to this present year . is a little season in respect of a thousand years : because it is said , that after those thousand years the divell shall be let loose for a little season , that he may again seduce the nations , vers. , , . but years cannot be said to be a little season in regard of years , seeing they contain a great deal more then half thereof . neither doth that make voide the truth hereof , which they bring out of pet. . . that a thousand years with god are but as one day : for there it is spoken concerning god's estimate , or account ; who as he esteems a thousand years but as one day , so again he esteems one day as a thousand years , as it is plain out of the place now cited . but here it is spoken concerning man's estimate , who makes not the like account of a short , as he doth of a long time . the sixth argument is ab implicito , as they use to speak ; implyed and necessarily deduced from another truth . iohn writes , that for the space of those thousand years the nations should not be seduced , vers. . where not onely the heathens , but also the iews are to be understood . for satan is so bound , and committed to hell , that he cannot at all seduce any one . therefore neither the jews . now it plainly appears to every one , that the jews ever since the passion of christ , even to this very age of ours , have been most miserably seduced . therefore these thousand years are yet to come . again , it is very probable , that the persecution of the church hath been a great occasion , among other things , to hinder the iews gathering of themselves to the church . therefore if the jews should but see the wonderfull overthrow of antichrist , without doubt it would afford them a great occasion of their conversion . upon this ground , the overthrow of antichrist shall immediately go before , not the last judgement , but the happinesse of the church which shall happen in this life . the second classes of arguments . out of divers places of scripture we will bring severall arguments , which shall all have dependance upon this syllogi●m● . what things soever are by god foretold in the old and new testament , and are not already fulfilled , shall of certainty be yet fulfilled . but the great happinesse of the church here on earth is foretold by god in the old and new testament , but not as yet fulfilled : therefore , it shall be yet fulfilled . the assumption , or second proposition , we will demonstrate out of divers places of scripture , in which the parts of this future happinesse , which a little before we have decl●red , do either severally , or more of them together , occurre . the first place is gen. . , , . where god thus speaks unto abraham : as for me , behold i make my covenant with thee , and thou shalt be a father of many nations . neither shall thy name any more be called abram , but thy name shall be abraham : for a father of many nations have i made thee . and i will multiply thee abundantly , and i will make nations of thee , and kings shall come out of thee . in these words is promised unto abraham , that he shall be a father , not onely of the iews , but also of the gentiles . for it is plain , that divers people had their originall and descent from abraham . for besides that isaac was born of him , ismael also grew into a great people , and the edomites also descended from him were scattered farre and wide . of other sonnes also , which he had by keturah , very large families were spread abroad . but what ? moses had a farther respect in these words , namely , that the nations by faith were to be inserted into the kindred of abraham , though they were not begotten of him according to the flesh , as the apostle witnesseth rom. . the iews of all kindes , and gentiles shall be the sonnes of abraham in christ . but this is not yet brought to passe ; because the tenne tribes carried away by salmanassor have heard nothing concerning christ , and the two tribes , iudah , and benjamin , have hitherto wandred in their own wayes , as also the indians , and the like unto them . it must be therefore that they also at length be brought into the covenant made with abraham . the second place is gen. . . seeing that abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation ; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him . compare gen. . . hence i thus reason . in the seed of abraham , which is christ , all the nations of the earth shall be blessed ; but this hath not yet come about , as it appears out of the illustration of the former place . this therefore must be yet done . compare gen. . . where god promiseth abraham , that of the sonne of the bond-woman hagar he would make a nation , that is , he would cause that of him many people should be born , because he was his seed . as if he should say ; this seed of abraham also shall not slip out of my remembrance , but in it 's due time it shall know that i am the god of abraham . the third place is gen. . . when thou ( esau ) shalt have the dominion , thou shalt break his ( thy brother iacob's ) yoke from of thy neck . this shall then be done , when the posterity of esau shall grow together into one body with the israelites . which is not yet done . the fourth place is gen. . . notwithstanding his ( manasse's ) yonger brother ( ephraim ) shall grow greater then be , and his seed shall be the fulnesse of the nations . these words receive light from the chapter to the romans , where the same manner of speaking is used . this therefore shall be the meaning . out of ephraim indeed no numerous off-spring shall arise according to the flesh ( for in this respect the tribe of iudah exceeded the tribe of ephraim , ) but this shall be his prerogative , that his seed shall be the fulnesse of the gentiles : that is , shall put a conclusion to the conversion of the gentiles , and so together with the rest of the iews shall be turned unto christ . the fifth place is gen. . . which is spoken of shiloh , that is , the messias : and unto him shall the gathering [ or , obedience , ] of the people be . that is of iews , and gentiles ; as also of the turks , and indians , and of the tenne tribes . the sixth place is gen. . . here iacob breaths forth his griefs for the tribe of dan : i have waited for thy salvation , ô lord . as if he should have said ; yet at length i shall be saved , ô god , however thou meanest to scatter me with the other nine tribes of israel . for it is a very hard censure utterly to exclude those tenne tribes from the communion with christ . the seventh place is gen. . . here iacob thus speaks unto ioseph . the blessings of thy father have prevailed with the blessings of my progenitors , unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills . that is , they are not only temporall , but eternall . for he joyns together spirituall promises , with earthly ; because the one are but the resemblances , and figure of the other . therefore those last words are a circumlocution of perpetui●y . i demand then , where in the whole world were the posterity of ioseph made partakers of christ ? it is necessary therefore that this promise should yet be fulfilled . the eighth place is numb. . . where balaam thus prophecieth concerning christ . i see him , but not now : i behold him , but not nigh : there shall come a starre out of jacob , and a scepter shall arise out of israel , and shall smite all the corners of moab , and destroy all the children of seth. here by the children of seth are understood all the children of this world : because we are all sprung out of seth , who succeeded into the place of abel , who was slain . for the posterity of cain perished in the deluge . noah had his descent from seth. and from noah was the reparation of mankinde . wherefore the sonnes of seth , are as much as the sonnes of adam ; that is , all mankinde . this is the meaning ; christ who shall come out of iacob as a starre , and whose scepter shall rise out of israel , shall bring to nothing the moabites , the enemies of the israelites , and shall destroy all the sonnes of seth , that is , all men , by subjecting them to himself by his own spirit . which yet , as experience it self may be witnesse , hath not been brought to passe . now in this place i translate it , the sonnes of seth , following the lxx. interpreters , and vatablus : because the antithesis between moab , and seth so required . to say nothing that that translation , he shall destroy all that are behinde , is forced . now in the word , he shall destroy , there is an extraordinary emphasis , or significancy ; for the hebrew word denoteth as much as to break down a wall : as if he should say ; he shall break in pieces their walls , that is , whatsoever all men have of their proper holynesse , or worth , this starre shall make dimme , and obscure , and shall weaken all power , that lifteth it self up against god . the ninth place is deut. . , . then shall the lord god turn thy captivity , and shall have mercy on thee , and will return and gather thee from among all the people , whither thy lord god had scattered thee . if any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven , from thence will the lord thy god gather thee , and from thence he will fetch thee . this truly is not fully performed in the bringing back of the babylonian captivity . for neither were the tenne tribes then brought back . see also the . and the . verses . for what is spoken there concerning the circumcision of the heart is mean't of the faith in christ , without which no man's heart is cleansed . the tenth place is deut. . to the . verse . here from the first verse to the . divers passages occurre concerning the conversion of the iews , as heurnius doth learnedly expound them . then from the . verse to the . is the prophecy of the calling of the gentiles . for the apostle rom. . . alleageth the first part of the . verse to this purpose . now here it is prophesied of the destruction of the enemies of the church , and of the spilling of their bloud in fight . which destruction hath not happened yet , as is plain by this syllogisme . if the destruction , here prophesied of by moses , agrees with that ▪ which is prophesied of revel. . vers. . . it hath not yet happened out , but is to come . but the antecedent is true ; therefore also the consequent . the assumption is made good by the comparing of these two places . and here it shall not be amisse in brief to call into our memory , how many d●structions of the enemies of the church after the babylonian captivity , we meet withall in the prophets . and they are in number three . the first destruction is , of the enemies of the church of the iews in the time of the maccabees . dan. . , . the second destruction is of the enemies of the church of the gentiles . dan. . , . revel. . vers. , . the third destruction is of the enemies of the church of both gentiles and iews , a little before the end of the world . revel. . . the eleventh place is nehem. . , . here the promise of god , deut. . , . a little before explained , is repeated : and is applyed to the bringing back of the two tribes from the babylonian captivity , which was a type of the deliverance of them all , which is yet to come . for god promised the twelve tribes , that he would gather them together whither soever they were scattered among divers nations , although they were driven to the utmost part of heaven , that is , into the most remote countreys : which cannot be interpreted of the babylonian captivity alone . for neither then were all the tribes brought back ; neither was their bringing back from the remotest lands . the twelfth place is psal. . , . all the ends of the earth shall remember , and be converted unto the lord . and all the kindreds of the nations shall bow down themselves before him . compare psal. . . all nations whom thou hast made , shall come and worship before thee ▪ o lord ; and shall glorifie thy name . so psal. . . o praise the lord all ye nations ; praise him all ye people . let us search through the monuments of hictories , and then let us examine whether this hath been , or no . we shall finde indeed in some new found lands , detested in ours and our fathers memory , that the works of the conversion of the nations hath had some beginning and small progresse : but in many parts of the east to this day , we shall finde so little progresse , that not so much as a beginning thereof will anywhere yet appear . the thirteenth place is the whole . psalm . this psalm containeth a prophesie of the kingdom of christ in his church of the new testament , as may be gathered out of the . verse , the latter part of which the apostle heb. . . alleageth concerning christ . again , many islands are bid to rejoyce , which cannot be accommodated to the church of the old testament . whence by the word sion , verse . the church of the new testament is to be understood , as almost every where in isaiah . moreover in the . verse , it is said : all the pe●ple see his glory . lastly , the judgements of god upon his enemies , and the ioy of the chur●h , which both are here described , have not as yet been accomplish●d . the fourteenth place is psal. . the lord at thy right hand shall strike thorow kings in the day of his wrath . he shall judge among the h●athen , he shall fill the places with dead bodies . he shall wound the head over many countries . that these things are not yet come to passe , will appear to any one , that will take into his consideration history , and experience . but that is especially to be taken notice of , which he speaks concerning the head over many countreys . for without dou●t it is to be understood concerning that great antichrist , whom many countries acknowledge for the head of the church . the fifteenth place is isai. . , , , . here is mention made of the last times ; and four things are prophesied of , which then shall happen out . . the mountain of god shall be placed on the top of the mountains . . all nations shall flow in unto it . . the law shall come out of sion . . they shall beat their swords into plough-shares , &c. nation shall not lift up a sword against nation , &c. of these the first and the third are fulfilled : the second will be brought to passe more and more every day : the fourth is not yet accomplished ; as experience hath hitherto taught us , and doth yet teach us . the . place is isai. . ▪ , . two things are here prophesied of . . the conversion of the gentiles a little after the first coming of christ by the preaching of the gospel , verse the tenth , for it shall come to passe at that time ( of the coming of christ , of whom is the foregoing prophesie from the beginning of the chapter hitherto ) that the nations shall seek unto the roote of jesse . . the conversion of the iews and gentiles together , verse , . see h●urnius upon this place . compare this prophesie with the sixteenth verse of this chapter , and with the following twelfth chapter . the place is isai. . . where there is foretold that the lord shall reign gloriously in the mount of sion , and in the city of ierusalem : and in that manner , that the moon and sun shall be covered with shame at this glory of the kingdom of god in his church ; so great shall be the glory and splendor thereof . now this so great glory hath not as yet been seen , either in the church of the old , or new testament . therefore in it 's due time it shall be seen . the place is isai. . from the to the verse . here is contained a prophesie concerning the church of the new testament , as it appears by the comparing of the verse with rev. . and chap. . . as also by comparing the verse and the ● , with revel. . , &c. and chap. . ver. . . . . now here it is prophesied concerning the deliverance of the church from the persecution of enemies , ver. , , . concerning the destruction of the enemies thereof , vers. , . and namely , the destruction of the city of rome , ver. and . lastly , concerning the joy of the church , being now delivered from them that persecuted her , vers. . , , , . and here you must take notice , that by moab , or the moabites , the enemies of the church of the new testament are signified , and indeed those , who are joyned unto true christians , by the bond of the name christian , as the moabites were joyned to the iews by the bond of consanguinity , whom notwithstanding they persecuted with most hostible mindes and affections . the pl●ce is isai. . , , , , . where part of that song is set down , wherewith the iews were to praise god for their deliverance from the babylonian captivity ; wherewith the christians also were to praise him for their deliverance from the tyranny of antichrist ; as may be gathered from the comparing of revel. . . and chap. . . with the and verses of this chapter . the place is isai. . that this chapter doth treat of the conversion of the iews ; this may serve for a most certain argument , because the apostle alleadgeth some part of the verse , rom. . . consider also diligently the two last verses . the is isai. . , , , , . where the city it self hierusalem , so commonly called , cannot be understood , by reason that after this prophesie it was overthrown by the romans . therefore the church of the new testament is signified , which every where in the prophesies of isaiah is mystically and typically , or metaphorically called hierusalem . now the things prophesied concerning it are peace , defence against enemies , and victory . all which have not yet happened ; and therefore certainly shall . the place is isai. . from the to the verse . where you may collect that a prophesie is here contained of the overthrow of the enemies of the new testament , by comparing the verse with revel. . . and the tenth verse with revel. . and the verse with revel. . . now by the edomites , the false brethren of true christians are set forth ; and by bozrah , the chief city of edom , rome , the chief city of antichrist , is figured out , whose ruine is most feelingly described in the , , , , , , verses . the place is isai. . the whole chapter . the discourse whereof is concerning the conversion of the iews . especially consider the and verses . i will bring thy seed from the east , and gather thee from the west . i will say to the north , give up ; and to the south , keep not back : bring my sons from farre , and my daughters from the ends of the earth . the place is isai. . . and . look unto me , and be ye saved all the ends of the earth . . in the lord shall all the seed of israel be justified , and shall glory . this is spoken of the universall vocation of the gentiles , and iews : which two things have not yet come about . the is isai. . ▪ , . which words agree with the foregoing prophesie of the calling of the gentiles , from the ver. and therefore are to be interpreted of the church under the gospel , which complains of the power of her persecutors , ver . and is strengthned again by christ with promise of deliverance , verse . and with threats of the ruine of those which persecuted her , ver. . compare revel. . . the place is isai. . , , , . that this prophesie doth speak of the church of the new testament , is from hence made plain , by reason that in this chapter a prophesie is contained concerning those benefits which god would bestow upon the faithfull under the gospel , whereto it makes also , that christ , ioh. . , alleadgeth the first part of the verse . now in this place of the prophet cited by us is contained a prediction of the defence of the christian church against enemies , which is not yet fulfilled . the place is isai. . , , , , , , that here also is contained a prophesie of the church under the gospel , appears by comparing the verse with chap. . . as also the verse with rom. . . now there are three members of this prophesie : one of the destruction of the enemies of the church , which shall happen before the conversion of the iews , vers. , , , . another of the majesty or glory which shall accrew to the church by the ruine of her adversaries , vers. . when the enemy shall come in like a flood , the spirit of the lord shall lift up a standard against him . the third is of the conversion of the iews , vers. , . the place is isai. . which whole chapter treats of the happinesse which is yet to accrew to the church of the gospel ▪ as will appear to them that consider of it . the place is isai. . the first six verses . it will be made plain to any one , that this prophesie doth speak of the deliverance of the church of the new testament from the ministers and followers of antichrist , if he do but compare it with revel. , . and chap. . , and . who are signified by the edomites , and bozrab , appears by looking back to the ▪ place . the place is ierem. . , to the end . this prophesie discourseth of the conversion of the iews , ver. . the lord liveth , that brought up the children of israel from the land of the north , and from all the lands whither he had driven them : and i will bring them again into their land which i gave to their fathers . also concerning the vocation of the gentiles , ver. . the gentiles shall come unto the● from the ends of the earth , and shall say , surely our fathers have inherited lies , vanity , and things wherein there is no profit . the place is ierem. . . where the conversion of the iews is treated of . the place is ierem. . ver. . and the following . for ● , the dayes come , saith the lord , that i will bring again the captivity of my people israel , and iudah . and a little after , but they shall serve the lord their god , and david their king ; or as the chaldee paraphrase hath it , christ , the son of david their king . behold again a most sweet prophesie of the conversion of the iews ! the place is ierem. . ▪ . where in like manner the conversion of the jews is prophesied of . see heurnius in his book formerly cited by us . the place is ierem. . , ▪ , . that a prophesie concerning the church of the gospel is contained in this place , may be perceived by the alleadging thereof in matth. . . and in the epistle to the hebrews , chap. . . now the conversion of the jews is there promised , in as much as god promiseth the people of israel , that he would make a new covenant with them , by means of which he would forgive their sins , and write his law in their hearts . which conversion of the jews is not yet brought to passe , because since the gospel began to be preached , the greatest part of the jews have continued in unbelief . wherefore it shall be brought to passe in it 's good time . the place is ierem. . , . behold , i will gather them out of all countries , whither i have driven them in mine anger . and i will give them one heart , and one way , that they may fear 〈◊〉 for ever . here again is promised the conversion of the jews ; which alike belongs to the happy condition of the church of the new testament . the place is ezek. . , and the following . where the prophet saith , that it should come to passe , that god would give them a new heart , and put a new spirit within them . by which words no doubt the conversion of the jews is signified ● which having not been , it remains it shall be . the place is dan. . , . and they that understand among the people , shall instruct many : yet they shall fall by the sword , and by flame , by captivity , and by spoil many dayes . now when they shall fall , they shall be ●olpen by a little help . this prophesie is to be understood according to the letter , of the affliction and deliverance of the church in the time of antiochus , and the maccabees ; typically and mystically of the affliction and deliverance of the church under antichrist . which deliverance indeed : is part of the happinesse of the church under the gospel . now that antiochus was a type of antichrist , appears by comparing dan. . , and thess. . the place is dan. . , . but rumors out of the east , and out of the north shall trouble him . therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy , and utterly to make away many . and he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain ; yet he shall come to his end , and no●e shall help him . these three things are unfolded in this prophesie : . the protasis , or beginning of these tumults , wherewith iudea in old time , and europe at this day is most grievously afflicted . . the epitasis , or busie part , so wondrous full of troubles and contention . . lastly , the catastrophe , or issue , of these tumults , so much desired , and wished for by the church . how every one of these severally are fulfilled in antiochus , as a type of antichrist , it is nothing pertinent to our purpose to enquire . neither indeed is the matter so obscure , or unknown . let us examine how they will suit with antichrist . the protasis , or first act , as they say , is in these words : at length rumors from the east , and from the north shall trouble him . the rumour from the east sounded loud in the year of christ m. cccc.liii . when constantinople was taken : also in the year , m. cccc.lxxxi . when * geduces the bassa broke into italy . the same rumour was renewed ▪ when the house of othoman , having quite overthrown the sultans power , turned his arms the second time upon europe ; and taking a belgrad● , and the island b rhodes , began to invade the territories of the latine church . this rumor from the east , was followed with a rumor from the north , in the yeer of christ , * m.d.xvii , and so forward . the epitasis , or busie part , is in these : therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy , and utterly to make away many . and he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain . at this day antichrist in the performance thereof , goes on under full sail , wanting no favour of windes . for after he was troubled with the rumor out of the north , with great and high spirit he assaulted all them who either began this rumour , or since favoured it , or do at this time any way cherish it . neither doth he slack in these his attempts ; for he hath destroyed , and utterly made away with many of gods people . moreover he hath planted the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain , that is , he hath propagated his religion among those people , who had a long time professed the purity of religion . but it is well that the catastrophe , or last act , is not answerable to the epitasis , or middle part of the tragedy . this brave planter in the midst of his plantation , will have some unlucky chance befall him . for when he shall come to his end , none shall help him . on the sudden a tempest shall arise , which shall bring shipwrack upon this bold steers-man . but see more of this in conrodus graserus his history of antichrist . the . place is dan. . . and at that time shall michael stand up , the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people , and there shall be a time of trouble , such as never was since there was a nation , even to that same time : and at that time thy people shall be delivered , every one that shall be found written in the book . i interpret this prophesie of the last persecution , or the warre of gog and magog , which shall immediately go before the last judgement . i am perswaded hereto by these two reasons . . because the time of this trouble is said to be such , as hath not been * since there was a nation . which not● of time cannot agree with any persecution , but that which was most grievous ; such as was that of gog. . because in the . verse of this chapter , after that time of trouble , vers. . the resurrection , and the last judgement are immediately treated of . the place is dan. . , . and from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away , and the abomination , that maketh desolate , set up , there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety dayes . blessed is he that waiteth , and commeth to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty dayes . here these words ; but from the time , &c. are to be understood of the last destruction of the city hierusalem by titvs : because then the daily sacrifice was taken away , and the * abomination of desolation was set up , as appears by comparing this place with the . chap. of daniel , vers. , . again , propheticall dayes are here to be understood , that is , years : because these dayes are homogeneall , or of the same kinde with the weeks , chap. . but those weeks are propheticall ; therefore also these dayes . now daniel carries us on to the end of the world , by proposing two periods , or limited times , of the new testament , and by joyning them to his seventy weeks ▪ in this manner . the . weeks are terminated with the destruction of the city , that is , with the year of christ , . here begins the epocha , or account of dayes , that is , of so many years : so shall we come to the year of christ a . at which we must begin the epo●●● of dayes , or years : and so we shall be brought to the y●●● of christ b . in which the thousand years in the revelation shall have end : and they being ended the warre of gog and magog shall begin , to which also the last iudgement shall put an end . see more in my thesaurus chronologicus pag. c . compare also the annotations of lucas osiander on daniel . the place is hos● . . . then shall the children of judah , and the children of israel be gathered together , and appoint themselves as head , and they shall come up out of the land ; for great shall be the day of jezreel . this truely is not yet brought to passe . the place is hos. . , . for the children of israel shall abi●● many ●●yes without a king , and without a prince , and without a sacrifice , and without an imag● , and without an ephod , and without * teraphim . afterward shall the children of israel turn , and seek the lord their god , and david their king , and shall fear the lord , and his goodnesse in the latter dayes . the chaldee paraphrase turns it thus : a long 〈◊〉 the children of israel shall remain without a king of the posterity of david , neither shall there be any to bear rule in israel , or to perform acceptable sacrifice to god in hierusalem : neither shall there be any statue in samaria , nei●●●r any ephod , or prophet . afterward the israelites shall be turned , and they shall be diligen● in the ●orship of the lord their god , and they shall obey christ the sonne of david , their king ; and they shall yeeld themselves to the worship of the lord , and then his goodnesse shall be infinite , which shall happen un●● them in the last dayes . this prophesie , above all that can be said , the antient interpreters in generall do expound concerning the conversion of the iews , in the end of the world , to the christian faith . and indeed the words are very plain : because the israelites , which were carried away captives by salm●nassar , and scattered into severall countries , are prophesied of that they shall return to god , and to david their king ▪ that is , christ , whose type david was ▪ which returning of theirs ▪ seeing it hath not yet been , it is certain that in it's own time it shall be . now this belongs to the happinesse of the church under the gospel , which the revelation defines in the period , or limited time of a thousand years . the place is i●●l . . , ● . and from the . to the . which prophesie , that it speaks concerning the church of the new testament , appears plainly by comparing the . verse with revel. . the . . and . verses . now what is here spoken of the valley of i●●oshaphat , is to be taken mystically , or typically . for as god in old time , in the valley of iehoshaphat overthrew the a●●o●ites , and the moabites , and that by his angels . chron. ● . so in his good time he will slay the enemies of the church in a like place , which revel. . . is called armageddon . this also maketh hereto , that the valley of iehoshaphat is called the v●lley of threshing , because the moabites , and the ammonites were , as it may be said , threshed by the angel of god in that place ▪ by whose threshing the destruction of the enemies of christs church is signified , isaiah . . the place is amos . , . i will bring again the captivity of my people israel : and they shall build the waste cities , and inhabite them . and i will plant them upon their land ; they shall 〈◊〉 more be pulled up out of their land . which prophesie speaks of the conversion of the iews . the place is mich. . . i will surely assemble , o jacob , all of the● ; i will surely gather the re●●●nt of israel . as if he should say ; i will gather unto the messias that blessed se●● of abraham , and full store-house of 〈◊〉 , all and every tribe , 〈◊〉 they are the seed of iacob . the place is mich. . the whole chapter contai●● a prophesie of the church under the gospel , as may be gathered from these words , in the last times , or in the end of dayes , vers. . also from the description of the vocation of the gentiles , vers. , ▪ . compare with this place , isai. . but besides the prophesie of the calling of the gentiles , vers. , , . which by the preaching of the apostles , and their successors was accomplished , here is also contained a prophesie of the happy condition of the church , which yet remains to be fulfilled : namely , concerning the peace of the church , in the end of third , and verse . then of the conversion of the iews , vers. , , . of the majesty , and glory of the church , vers. . lastly , of the victory of the church , which it shall gain over it 's enemies . vers. . and the following . the place is mich. . . and the following ; where he treateth of the conversion of the iews . the place is zephan . . . i will turn to the people a * pure language , that they may all call upon the name of the lord , &c. to the end . here is contained a threefold prophesie . . of the calling of the gentiles , which was done by the preaching of the apostles , vers. . . . of the conversion of the iews . from the . to the . . of the destruction of the enemies of the church . ver. . to these words , vers. . i will save her that halteth , &c. the place is zepha . . . from beyond the rivers of * ethiopia my suppliants , even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering . the chaldee thus expresseth it : from the countries beyond the rivers of india by my mercy the banished of my people , which were carried away , shall return ▪ and they shall bring them as offerings . the place is zach. . . and the following . it appears plainly , that this prophesie speaks of the church of the new testament , by the . and : vers. where the jews are commanded to go out of the babylonian captivity , which was now at that time finished . whence it is gathered , that mention is made here of the mysticall babylon , revel. . . now here is promise made to the faithfull under the gospel of their protection against their enemies ; also of the conversion of the gentiles , and of the iews ; and of their joy which shall arise from the defence and dwelling of god with them . the place is zach. . . to the end . it may hence be perceived that the prophesie in this chapter doth speak of the church of the n. t. because experience it self opposeth the litterall sence here ▪ in the . vers. and following ▪ concerning the protection of hierusalem . for from the time of this prophesie , which was published to the iews newly returned from babylon , the city was not so protected , as is here promised ; but contrarywise overthrown by the romans . whence it plainly appears that by hierusalem here is mystically understood the church of the new testament . which mysticall manner of speaking is not unusuall in such kind of prophesies . now of the church of the n ▪ t. partly the victory thereof which it shall gain over antichrist is declared ; partly the conversion of the jews . compare revel. . . and following verses . the place is zach. . . and following . it may be from this manifestly understood that this prophesie is of the church of the n. t. in that our experience contradicts the sense of the letter concerning the plague wherewith god would smite all the people that fought against hierusalem , vers. , , . when as from the time of this prophesie the enemies of hierusalem were never strucken with such a plague ; nay , on the contrary , it self was overthrown by the romans . it remains therefore that by hierusalem we understand the church of the n. t. whose enemies shall be punished with no single plague , but many , as is here severally expressed . here then the destruction of the enemies of the church of the new t. is prophesied of : and moreover the illumination , and enlargement thereof ; of which in the . . and following verses . the place is malach. . , , . according to others , chap. . , . that this prophesie speaks of the church of the new testament is clear out of these words ; the sun of righteousnesse shall arise . now two things are promised here to the church of the n. t , which are not yet fulfilled ; namely , the destruction of her enemies , v. . and her own deliverance from persecution . the . place is mal. . , . where the coming of elias is spoken of , before the great and terrible day of the lord come . which prophesie indeed hath a double fulfilling : one , in iohn the baptist ; another , in some other great person , who is yet to come . this appears thus : christ teacheth us , mat. & chapters , that this prophesie was fulfilled in iohn the baptist , to wit , in regard of his zeal and fervency . but what else is spoken concerning elias , both in malachy and matthew , doth not suit with iohn the baptist . for malachy saith , matth. . . that elias should restore all things which iohn the baptist did not . therefore we must necessarily determine , that this prophesie will have a double fulfilling . whereto belongs that also of * augustine . elias shall restor : all , that is , in the end he shall confirm the saints troubled by the persecution of antichrist . and the rest of the fathers also have thu● interpreted malachy . theodoret in his commentary , writes thus of this place : he speaks of his second coming ; and he likewise teacheth us what the great elias shall do , when he shall come . and a little after ; elias shall first come ; and he will perswade you , o jews . that , without doubting , you would be joyned to the faithfull of the gentiles , and be brought together into my church being become one . the place is matth. . . where christ speaks thus to the unthankfull iews : for i say unto you , ye shall not see me henceforth , till ye shall say , blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord . by which words christ declares , that at length the iews should see him , not meaning in the last judgement , but before it ; because at the last judgement they shall not cry out unto him , bl●ss●d , &c. ( for then they shall tremble , that have not been converted unto him ) but at that time , when he shall shew himself to them , that he may convert them to the true faith . the place is mat. . . and this gosp●l of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world , for a witnesse unto all nations ; and then shall the end come . see now , before the last judgement the indians themselves , and others which yet acknowledge not jesus christ , shall be brought unto the church ! the place is luk. . . and they ( the jews ) shall fall with the edge of the sword , ●nd shall be led captives into all nations , and hierusalem shall be trampled on by the nations , untill the times of the gentil●s shall be fulfilled . this place shall receive light from the next following . our saviour here teacheth us , that the jews shall be vexed along time by the gentiles ; and that being ended , they shall be converted to the faith . the place is rom. . , , . the apostle teacheth us in this place , that the jews should so long remain in their blindenesse and calamity , till the fulnesse of the gentiles should come in ▪ that is , till the rest of the nations of the world should flow in unto the gospel . for then it should come to passe , that all israel should be saved . and this he calls a mystery , and that no● unfitly . for this is that propheticall secret so often pressed by the prophets ; of which paul would not have the ●entiles ignorant , lest they should despise the jews , as cast off for ever . the place is cor. . . therefore unto this very day when moses is read , the veil is upon their heart . neverth l●sse when they shall turn themselves unto the lord , the veil shall be taken away . the apostle here teacheth us two things concerning the iews : . that their mindes * were blinded , as he speaks in the foregoing verse . . that at length they are to be converted by the spirit of christ . the place is revel. . . and she brought forth a man-child ( christ ) who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron . compare psal. . you may gather out of these two places , that christ shall be lord and king of all people , jews and gentiles , when he shall gather them into his church , and there feed and rule them . the place is revel. . . where the ruine of mysticall babylon is declared ; which belongs to the happinesse of the church . but seeing it hath not happened , it shall most surely happen . the place is revel. . . to the . where is 〈◊〉 blown the destruction of the enemies of the church of the n. t●● . the place is revel. , the whole chapter . wherein i● contained a glorious prophesie concerning the destruction of the the city of rome , and the overthrow of antichrist . the place is revel. . , , . where in like manner is contained a prophesie of rome's downfall , and antichrist's●●●dition . the place is revel. . . to the end . where is a clear prophesie of the vanquishing of antichrists army . and these are the testimonies of scripture , in number * lxvi . in which the happinesse of the church , whereof we took upon us to treat , is prophesied of promised , and set forth . i make no doubt , but the attentive reader rather will easily observe a notable harmony , and concent , in these places of scripture , and from his own private reading adde also others . the third classis of arguments . this classis , or rank of arguments offords certain reasons , and the consent of some learned men . reasons , or consequences . i. all persecutors of the church have at length been punished by god . therefore at length the great antichrist also , shall certainly be punished . the antecedent , or foregoing proposition is proved partly from the nature of god , partly by induction of examples . ii. after long and grievous persecutions the church hath ever felt some rest and refreshment here on earth : therefore also she shall have some breathing time after the persecution of antichrist , and that here upon earth ; because god himself hath made her such a promise . iii. where the ayde of man failes , there the assistance of god begins ; as philo the iew said long agoe both quiently , and piously . this is most certainly witnessed by the examples of the church of the old t. miraculously delivered out of the egyptian bondage , exod. . and . by the deliverance of hierusalem from the siege of sennacheri● , kin. . by the deliverance from the hostile invasion of the ethiopians under king asa. chro. . by deliverance from the invasion of the moabites and ammonites , under king iehosaphat . chron. . and lastly , by deliverance from the oppression of antiochus epiphanes . mac. . and following chapters . adde unto these divers examples of the church of the n. t. which , when it's condition hath been granted as desperate , and quite lost , hath had deliverance by the * unexpected handy-work of god . see the ecclesiasticall history at large . from hence we may very well gather , that the church , at this time oppressed on every hand , and left destitute of all humane assistance , shall by the power of god be asserted , and vindicated , when antichrist , in the full course and carrére of his happynesse , shall little think of any such matter . iv. the downfall of antichrist , and the binding of satan for a thousand years , do without any intermission meet together . it is very probable therefore , that the beginning of these thousand years is at hand . for antichrist , at that very time , wherein he shall make the greatest boast of his victories , shall suddenly fall . revel. . , . v. the severall phaenomena , or apparitions in the heavens ; namely , new starres , and cometes ; also earthquakes , and the like , taken notice of in these latter times , do without doubt portend and manifestly foretell some notable , and extraordinary change . vi . the period or limited time , for the kingdom of antichrist to continue , is almost expired , and at an end , as appears by the revelation and history . vii . daniel chap. . declares an end of his prophesie , when he expressely sets down , that . years shall be finished after the end of his lxx. weeks , that is from the year of christ . which years , if they be added to the other , the sum of . years is made up . in which current of time all things shall happen out , which are foretold , except the last judgement , and what follows thereon . wherefore if from . years , be subducted , we shall come by the year of christ . in this year then , or sooner our thousand years shall take their beginning . the consent of godly , and learned men . in the forefront we place the fourth book of esdras . for there many passages occurre concerning the conversion of the jews , and the deliverance of the church of the n. t. from antichrist ▪ especially , that is a notable place , chap. . , . and whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him . those are tenne tribes , which were * carried away prisoners out of their own land , in the time of hoshea the king . what the same author writes concerning the eagle , and lion , is severally expounded by severall interpreters . out of the sibylls also some things are brought about the downfall of antichrist , and the happy estate which the world shall enjoy after that shall come to passe . very much mention is made of that : rome shall become a street , or high way . all the fathers were of this opinion , that elias should come , and restore all things . some , as you may see in alfonsus conradus in his commentary on the revelation , between the coming of christ in the flesh , and his coming in majesty , do maintain a certain middle coming , which they call his coming in the power and effiency of his spirit , to destroy the great antichrist , & to reform his church . this coming they say shall be in the end of the sixth millenary , or years ; of which coming they make enoch and elias the forerunners . they say that antichrist shall be destroyed by their preaching , and his kingdom abolished . after whose downfall peace shall be granted to the church , and satan shall be bound , so that he shall not be able to disturbe the tranquillity thereof . now this peace and happy progresse of the church they say shall last for the whole seventh millenary , till the last time of her troubles , by the persecution of the nations gog and magog ; because satan , who they say , shall then be set at liberty , shall stirre them up against the godly . from hence it appears , that our opinion concerning these years is not new , and unheard of . alfonsus conradus of mantua in his commentary on the revelation , published at basil. an. . writeth as followeth . in his preface . this one thing perchance will offend the ears of some , because i seem to promise a more plentifull peace to the church , then that likenesse of the crosse will allow of , to which in this world it must be made conformable to christ it's head . but let them bethink themselves , i entreat them ; that this is not so contrary to the scripture , that it should be objected against me , or laid to my charge , as fit to be reckoned in the number of those , which are termed either impious , or absurd : especially , when as i cannot perceive , by what means that happinesse , which iohn writes the church shall enjoy , satan being bound , can be made good , except we acknowledge some rest of the church , her enemies being overthrown . which i think indeed ever happened , as often as the enemies of god's people have been removed out of the way . now because the enemy which iohn tells us shall be taken away , is more dangerous then all that ever yet infested god's people , it ought not to seem strange to any one , if , he being once overcome , the church enjoy a more plentifull peace then usually . vpon the . chap. of the revel. vers. . god being about to bestow a more plentifull peace upon his church , then hitherto he had granted to it , it sufficeth him not to have removed out of the way the beast , and those kings of the earth , with a horrible slaughter , who favouring the beast , had wholly disturbed his churche's peace , except also he restrain satan , the beginner of all these mischiefs , so that he may not any more raise those usuall contentions and strife among men . wherefore the angel comes down from heaven , who repressing the fury of satan , shuts him up in the bottomelesse pit , and there forces him to remain so long , as he pleases not to have the peace of the church to be taken away . and a little after . now he binds him , and shuts him up into the bottomelesse pit for a thousand years , that is , for that whole time , wherein god hath determined that the peace of his church shall not be disturbed by satan . see more there to this purpose , lucas osiander upon daniel . . i think the end of these years will fall in with that time , in which the popedome of rome shall bodily be overturned : although in some mens mindes it shall hiddenly remain even untill the last day . matthew cotterius in his continued and demonstrative exposition of the revelation , upon the chap. satan began to be tyed in bonds , when the restored truth of the scriptures began to take place on earth , the witnesses being raised , and the dark miste of lyes being dispelled . then shall satan be bound for a thousand years , which must be expired , before he scatter new errours through the world , and by them seduce the nations . this , this is the imprisonment ; this is the liberty , or setting free of satan . in the same place upon vers. . but when began satan to be bound ? in the year . when the witnesses were raised . from that time all people generally have not drunk any new poyson of heresie , which might weaken , or overturn their faith . in the same place . to . adde . years . so you shall make . at which time satan shall again draw the nations into abominable heresies . in this exposition of cotterius , the thousand years are rightly urged according to the letter . but his epocha , or beginning of his account is not well placed in the year . for then began onely the praeludium , or proeme , of this millenary . iohn piscator in his commentary on the revelations . the happynesse of the faithfull , who shall live upon earth after the downfall of the papacy , is their security from the hostile invasions of the wicked for years . in the same place . the singular happynesse of the martyrs of christ , who before these thousand years indured persecution , is their resurrection which shall be before the generall resurrection , and their reign in heaven with christ for a thousand years before the resurrection of the rest . in this exposition the literall interpretation is rightly urged . but that he sayes the martyrs shall reign with christ in heaven for those thousand years , cannot be proved out of the text . nay , the contrary may thence be proved ; because the resurrection of the martyrs is part of the happinesse of the church here on earth . again , the kingdom which is limited by a certain number of years , cannot suite well ▪ with eternall life . see also revel. . . where the saints in heaven among other things , sing thus : and we shall reign upon the earth . but moreover the same iohn piscator maintains this opinion of the thousand years in his german translation of the bible : and a little before his death he wrote a short treatise of the future happinesse of the church in this life . out of which i have made use of many things , which i have transcribed into this meditation ; for that treatise of his hath not as yet seen the light . many writers of the former , and this present age , have published many things concerning elias the artist , who is to come ; of the lion of the north , who is neer at hand ; of a fourth northern monarchy ; of a great reformation ; of the conversion of the jews ; and the like . see theophrastus paracelsus , michael sendivogius in his treatise of sulphur , stephanus pannonius of the circle of the works and iudgements of god ; where among other things he writs thus : yet it shall come to passe that the pure gospel of god shall be preached to the americans before the end of the world . again , nothing is more sure then that , the reformation of the east and south drawing on , some famous emperour , whose types constantine , and theodosius , both entitled great , were , shall openly shew himself , and granting liberty of religion to them , who professe the name of the holy trinity , shall do some great matter in the world , for the glory of god , for the building up of the church , and for the downfall of antichrist . in the same place ; the eastern christians fired with the zeal of christ , shall make their way into asia it self , and provoke the jews to jealousie , rom. . and the spirituall babylon shall be a pray unto all nations . in the same place , a refining of the souldiers of god ; whereof there is mention , zach. . . that is , temptations , and tryalls shall go before this reformation , that the light of god may arise out of the crosse of christ . this treatise was published in the year . iohn dobricius also in the year . did set forth a notable book , entitled {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , that is , the interpreter of times ; wherein , both out of the holy scripture , and from the new star which appeared in the year * . dc.iv. and the great conjunction of the planets , many things are discoursed of concerning the reformation , and future happinesse of the church . peter du moulin , in his french book , intituled du combat christien : that is , the chrictian conflict , pag. . this persecution is a cruell tempest , which cannot last awayes . either it will take us out of the world , or god will take it away from us . pag. . every one hath but a short journey , whereby he must come to god , and the time is at hand , that we must commit our bodies to the earth , our souls to god , and to the church peace and the blessing of god . for it shall come to passe even in our times , that god shall be glorified in the great congregations : yea even in those places , where are horrible ruines , the word of god shall ●ound forth , and god shall afford us matter of praise and thanksgiving . pag. . after that god shall have shewn us his deliverances on earth , he will also shew us his riches in heaven . a confutation of the objections . i. object . is taken out of matth. . . if after the gospel preached in all the world , the end of all things shall come , that happinesse of the church in this world shall not happen out between the end thereof , and the preaching of the gospel . for the gospel is already preached through the whole earth . i answer . . the consequence is to be denyed : for although this happynesse do come between , yet it hinders not , but that the end of the world should come after the gospel preached over the whole earth . secondly , the pro-syllogisme is to be denyed , because the gospel is not already preached over the whole earth . ii. object . is taken from matth. . , . if presently after the destruction of hierusalem . christ shall come to judgement , then this happinesse of the church shall not be before his coming to judgement . answ. the matter it self speaks , and experience witnesseth , that this word immediately , or presently , is not here properly , or simply to be understood , but hyperbolically , and according to what went before , namely in relation to the foregoing prophesie concerning the overthrow of the iews , which they were to receive by the destruction of hierusalem ; so that this is the meaning ; that between this desolation of hierusalem , and the coming of christ , the iews should receive no other overthrow . iii. object . is out of the same chapter , vers. , , . if a little before the coming of christ to judgement , the state and condition of the world shall be such , as it was in the time of no●h before the deluge ; and that such a state of things is to be seen at this day : it may be hence gathered , that such a condition of the church , as is here described , shall not happen out before the coming of christ , to wit , in which a great number of beleevers for a thousand years should worship god . but rather that this coming is at the doors , or else indeed cannot any long time be delayed . answ. with that state of the faithfull , which shall last for a thousand years , the reliques and remainders of those conquered enemies of the church shall be joyned , who about the end of this millenary shall recollect their strengths , and make warre against the faithfull . and then the state of the world shall be such , as it was in the dayes of noah . as in his dayes therefore the deluge came upon the wicked : so these thousand years being finished , the last judgement shall come in the time of the warre of gog and magog . and so it will be brought about , that this prophesie of christ , notwithstanding that happinesse of the church , shall be accomplished in those wicked and ungodly men . iv. object . is taken out of luke . . if at the coming of christ to judgement , none , or indeed very few beleevers shall be found in the world , it is not probable that so great a number of beleevers shall be for those thousand years immediately before the coming to judgement . answ. * christ doth not mean by these words , that simply he shall finde but a few beleevers on earth , at his coming to judgement : but a few in respect of the enemies of the church , who then shall make warre with the saints ; the number of which enemies shall be as the sand of the sea . revel. . . v. object . is taken out of the acts . . we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of god . therefore the church in this life shall not be freed from persecution . answ. paul and barnabas speak in this place of the condition of those present times , not denying in the mean while , that there shall be certain times also wherein the church shall be delivered from persecution ; as it happened in the times of constantine the great , theodosius , and others . vi . object . is taken out of cor. . . where the apostle saith , that the ends of the world were come upon him , and the other faithfull of that time . wherefore if the ends of the world were at hand in paul's time , much more are they now at the doors , seeing from that time neer sixteen ages are expired . whereupon , it is not probable that a thousand years and more should remain to the end of the world . answ. these words of paul have not this meaning , as if the day of judgement were then at hand : for he himself rejects this opinion , thes. . , . thus therefore we must intrepret it ; that paul by the * ends of the world doth understand the state of the new testament , or the last age of the world , which began from the promulgation of the gospel over the whole earth , and shall be terminated with christ's comming to judgement , now part of this age are those thousand years , which are not yet begun . vii . object . is taken out of thes. . . where the apostle witnesseth that the lord shall at length consume antichrist by his glorious coming . wherefore if antichrist shall be consumed by the coming of christ to judgement , he shall not then be consumed a thousand yeers before that his coming . answ. the apostle speaks of the full and finall consuming of the kingdom of antichrist , whereby it shall come to passe that it shall have end together with the state of this wo●ld . yet in the mean while for these years there shall alwayes be some reliques of antichrist ▪ which at the end of this millenary shall again gather together their strengths , and shall joyn themselves to the other nations , to make war against the saints ; and then they shall be finally consumed . revel. . , . viii object . is taken out of i ioh. . . where the apostle saith , it is the last time . answ. iohn by the last time , meaneth the state of the new testament , or the last age of the world , of which also these thousand years are part . now the state of the new testament , from the promulgation of the gospel thorow the whole world , to the second coming of christ , is called the last time , because it is the last time of grace , after which we must expect no other . for christ came in the fulnesse of time , and substituted in the place of the old testament such order , and form of government , as no other is to be looked for hereafter . ix object . is taken out of revel. . . if this text be to understood of the last judgement , it is not therefore to be understood of the downfall of antichrist , as which shall be before the day of judgement a thousand years . now the former proposition is true ; therefore also the latter . the assumption is proved : because there the description of the last judgement is described ; in which close all the foregoing visions , except the first , are terminated . answ. i deny the assumption ; because from the following verse , which is joyned to this by a conjunction copulative , and by reason of this word , the rest , it manifestly appears ▪ that mention is here made of the downfall and destruction of antichrist and his followers . these are the words ; and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate upon the horse ; which sword proceeded out of his mouth : and all the fowls were filled with their flesh . but that christ shall not presently come to judgement after this destruction , is evinced from hence , that that coming shall not be till at length after the war of gog and magog , chap. . verse . . now that war shall be a distinct war from that which is mentioned in this place ; as appears by comparing both places . rev. . . rev. . . x object . is taken out of revel. . , . where it is said , that satan was bound for a thousand years , that he might not any more seduce the nations , till the thousand yeers were expired ; namely , that he might not seduce them to idolatry . now this hath been done , by the preaching of the gospel , from the yeers of christ , after that hierusalem was destroyed , the iews rejected , and the nations brought into the church in their room . then truely was satan bound , that he might not any more seduce the nations . not that he might not hurt any one any more , but that he might not any more make mad the nations with a grosse do●age upon the worship of pagan idols , and hinder the belief of the gospel among them . hence we may easily collect , where we are to fetch the epocha , or the beginning of this account of years . answ. the text doth not onely speak of seducing to idolatry , but also , and especially concerning the seducing , wherewith satan formerly enticed , and shall about the end of the world entice the nations to make war against the church . again , it is false that satan from the year of christ . was bound for a thousand years ; because from that time innumerable and horrible heresies , fallings away , and scandalls , &c. have been . indeed satan was bound at that time , but not in that manner , and measure , as he shall be bound for the thousand years . again , by nations , in the place quoted , we must understand not the gentiles onely , but also the iews ; who truely are yet seduced ; as also the indians , turks , and others . xi object . is from revel. . . where it is said , that the angel which bound satan , came down from heaven . by this angel therefore we must understand christ , who came down from heaven , ioh : . . hence we may conclude , that these thousand years began about the time of christs birth . for at that time the grae●es ceased from given answers . whereupon apollo being enquired of by augustus caesar , answered thus : me puer ebraeus , divos deus ipse gubernans , codere sede juber , tristemque redire sub orcum : ergo dehine aris tacitus discedito nostris . the hebrew child , himself a god , that rules the gods , bids me give place , and back unto sad hell return . silent therefore , depart from hence , mine altars leave . see , the devill himself confesseth , that he is bound from this time . answ. . as in the former visions good angels were the executioners of gods judgements , so it is likely that a created angel was used also in this vision . . christ in the of iohn is said to have come down from heaven , that is , to have assumed the humane nature . but the angel in this place , who hath the key of the bottomlesse pit , came down from heaven by a locall motion , that he might binde the devill for a thousand years , after the downfall of antichrist . . it is true , the devill was bound at the time of the nativity of christ ; but not after that manner , as is here declared ▪ look before in the analysis . for there are many measures and degrees , whereby the devill is bound . xii object . is this . this interpretation , concerning the resurrection of the martyrs , seems to oppose the article of our faith , i beleeve the resurrection of the flesh . for so a double resurressiion of the flesh is maintained , contrary to the apostolique faith . answ. that article speaketh of the finall and universall resurrection , which shall be in the last day , and in which all the dead shall rise again . now this resurrection is not contradicted or denyed by the resurrection of the martyrs , which is to go before it , no more then by the resurrection of the saints , who rose again , when christ breathed forth his spirit hanging upon the crosse , matth. . , , . xiii object . is taken out of revel. . . where all , and only they , are proclaimed blessed , and freed from the second death , who have their part in the first resurrection : whence it follows , that either there shall be no resurrection after the first , or that none in the second resurrection shall be blessed ; both which are absurd . answ. . nay the latter is onely absurd , being granted from the antecedent , or foregoing . . the antecedent is false , neither is it in the text . for it is not said there , they onely are happy . now that they are in particulars said to be blessed , that is in respect of their prerogative , in that they are blessed above others of the faithfull , as being to reigne years with christ before the last day . and this is intended by the word holy being added , whereby is signified that they should be separated from the other faithfull believers , and set aside for this happinesse , in that they are to rise again to reign with christ before them . . thirdly , this blessednesse consists of three parts ; the first of which being considered apart , suits also with the other believers . but as it is joyned with the other two parts , it cannot be expressed but of the martyrs only , as it will appear to any one that will examine the context of the verse . xiv . object . is taken out of revel. . . whence it is gathered , that the first resurrection hath opposed to it the first death . therefore by the first resurrection , the second life , or living again of the soul from the death of sin , by faith , and repentance , or , in a word , regeneration , is to be understood . certainly all and onely the truely regenerate , are delivered from the second , or eternall death , and certainly obtain heavenly happinesse : whence it may be sufficiently proved , that the first resurrection is not particular , or bodily . answ. the first resurrection , as it is spoken of in this place , is not opposed to the first death , of which there is here no mention ; but it is opposed to the second resurrection , as appears out of these words ; but the rest of the dead lived not again , untill the thousand yeers were finished . this is the first resurrection , xv object . is this . the first resurrection is not a bodily resurrection ; because if it be bodily , it is not the first : for the resurrection of others , namely , of those saints who rose again while christ hung on the crosse , went before it . answ. that resurrection of the martyrs is called the first by way of excellence , by reason also of the multitude of them , in respect of which that resurrection of the saints comes not within reckoning of , by reason of the fewnesse . for although many bodies of the saints are said then to have risen , yet in regard of the martyrs they were but few ; as which came forth of the graves onely , which were neer unto hierusalem . xvi object . it is a usuall axiome in the school of divines , that the first resurrection is the living again of the souls from the death of sin , by faith and repentance , which otherwise is called regeneration ; and it is opposed to the first death , which is a defection , and a casting a way of the soul from god . but the second resurrection shall be the raising of the bodies , to be united to the souls to eternall life ; to which the second death is opposed , which shall be the casting a way of the damned to eternall torments . ans. resurrection is tearmed to be the first , ambiguously . for either it is opposed to the first death , and so it is spirituall , and is proper to all believers ; or it is opposed to the second resurrection , and so it is corporeall , and of the martyrs onely . xvii object . the thousand years of satans binding contain an obscure mystery , and hidden from us . in vain therefore , and too boldly we labour in so scrupulous an uniting thereof . ans. . there are many mysteries in the revelation : which in successe of time receive light more and more . . we dislike all boldnesse ; but we commend holy diligence and industry . xviii object . from the end of satans binding , the epocha is to be collected of the thousand years in the revelation . now the term of his binding expired in the year of christ . wherein * gregory the , that devillish juggler and cozener , possessing himself of the popedome , confounded heaven and earth together , and filling the christian world with wars and slaughters , declared himself to be a singular instrument of satan let loose from his bonds . hence it appears that those thousand years began in the year of christ . answ. satan indeed in the year of christ was let loose , as he is alwayes to be conceived let loose , when he troubles the church . but that letting him loose , which shall be after the thousand years , shall be farre of another sort . for then satan shall be loosed , that he may stirre up the nations to the warre of gog and magog : and indeed he shall be so let loose , that he shall not long go on to destroy . but now from the year of christ to this present , some whole ages have passed . xix object . this opinion little differeth from the errour of the chiliasts , or millenaries , which long ago hath been exploded for this reason , because , after the downfall of antichrist , they feigned , out of this very chap. a corporeall resurrection of the martyrs , and confessors , and their reign with christ for a thousand years . answ. the opinion of the chiliasts ought not to have been exploded for this reason , because it maintained a double resurrection , one in particular , another universall ; for truely in christs time , when he hung upon the crosse , there happened a particular resurrection of the saints : the resurrection of the martyrs hath also a foundation upon this text ; whereon also our judgement for their kingdom of a thousand years is grounded . . the chiliasts erred in this respect , in that they maintained an eternall life here on earth , and in the city hierusalem . that this life should consist in the enjoyment and use of all bodily pleasures , which should last only for a thousadd years . and of their opinion they made this the foundation , because that in the chap. of rev. there was mention made of a thousand years . let us hear * augustine concerning them . the cerinthians devise also to themselves a thousand years after the resurrection which shall be in an earthly kingdom of christ , according to the * carnall pleasures of the belly and their lust : from whence also they are called chiliasts . so the chiliasts . but our opinion maintains not a thousand years of carnall pleasures , but of spirituall joyes . has omnes , ubi mille rotam volvere per annos , l●thaeum ad fluvium deus evocat agmine magno ; scilicet immemores sup●r● , ut convexa revisant , rursus & insipiant in corpora velle reverti . but they urge ; the opinion of the chiliasts in following times also hath been revived again . in a new trim or dresse ; and this exposition of yours differs not a whit from it : which they prove thus . alfonsus conradus of mantua , whom severall times you have before alleadged , writes thus upon the of the revel. but how are these thousand years to be interpreted ? shall they be said to be already past , or yet to be expected ▪ here you will not easily clear your self , seeing the expositions of this place are wondrously divers ; and yet i make a question of it , whether any either of the ancient or latter expositors , have ever touched the genuine and true meaning of the place . in the first place indeed were the chiliasts , who iudaizing , and entertaining carnall conceits concerning divine matters , did carnally also interpreted this place ; and say thus ; when six millenaries , or years , shall be accomplished from the creation of the world , then antichrist with all his forces , that is , the wicked , and whosoever have obeyed his commands against christ ▪ shall be destroyed . again , say they , for the whole th millenary , christ with his elect , shall reign here on earth , in all tranquility and peace , and without any affliction at all ▪ satan in the mean while being bound in the bottomlesse pit , that he might not any way disturb their peace . now the thousand years of peace and tranquility being accomplished , satan shall be let loose again , before christs coming to iudgement , and shall stirre up gog and magog against the godly ▪ untill by the coming of christ , the militia or strength of satan shall be repressed , and satan shut up for ever into the bottomlesse pit . but this doctrine , because it hath many absurdities , is to be avoided by all christians . so alfonsus , in the place cited . hence it appears then , that the exposition hitherto brought and maintained , is nothing else but the opinion of the chiliasts , in another dressing , or at least the errour of new chiliasts . answ. . in this opinion that is to be approved of which hath foundation in the scripture , as these three things in it have : . that antichrist shall be destroyed before these thousand years . . that the church shall be for these thousand yeers free from persecutions . . that after these thousand years the warre of gog and magog shall begin . . in the same opinion we dislike , and disprove , that it allows carnall security , that it affirms that no ungodly men shall be remaining for those thousand years ; that it maintains that christ shall reign visibly here on earth ; lastly , that it doth precisely joyn this millenary with the end of the sixth millenary of the world , which conceit is taken from the traditions of the house , or family of elias . . he is not rashly to be accused of * turcisme , or iudaisme , who affirms any truth which a turk or a iew , doth likewise maintain : as for example , that there is but one god . * so in like manner he is not straightway a chiliast , who defends the truth of any thing which the chiliasts also do rightly maintain out of scripture . for this they do not hold , and teach , as chiliasts . xx . object . the kingdom , which revel. . . is granted to the martyrs consists herein , that their souls shall reign in heaven with christ . for although the holy martyrs and confessors , who poured out their lives , and lost their fortunes , under tyrants , and antichrist , for christ's sake , were judged by the world as miserable , and wretched men ; yet the spirit of god declares otherwise of them , that they shall live and reign in happinesse with christ in heaven . answ. this resurrection is granted to the souls of the martyrs synochdochically , or totally ; because their souls shall so farre rise , or be restored , that they shall again be united to their bodies . for the dead bodies shall not rise again without their souls ; but every body again united to it's own soul . and to the souls , the rest of the dead are opposed : of whom it is said , that they lived not again till the thousand years were finished . therefore , whereas it is said of the souls of the martyrs , that they should live , it is to be understood of their resurrection in their bodies resumed , or taken to them again . . this is proper to the other elect saints , as well as to the martyrs , that their souls should reigne with christ in heaben . but in this place some prerogative is bestowed on the martyrs , which consists in this , that in the beginning of the thousand years they shall rise again , and reign with christ . . it is said , this particular kingdom shall continue for a thousand years ; which cannot be understood of eternall life . for the thousand years of satans binding , and of the kingdom of the saints with christ , are the same ; as we have formerly proved . xxi object . the war which satan , after his thousand appointed years being let loose , hath made by gog and magog , that is , by the turk , * that eastern antichrist , against the camp of the saints , and the beloved city , that is , the christian church , for years and more , with great successe even unto this day , took it's beginning from the holy warre , first raised by gregory the , pope of rome , by them who wore the signe of the crosse ; the end of which indeed shall not be before the last judgement , wherein the beast , with the false prophet shall at length be cast into the lake of fire : and the catastrophe , or issue , shall prove lamentable to all the enemies of the church , because the fire shall devour them . answ. this idle glosse , or exposition , may be confuted out of what i have said in the analysis , or unfolding of this chapter , and in answer to the objection . this in brief . the beast , with the false prophet , is thrown into the lake of fire before those thousand years : and those thousand yeers being finished , the warre of gog begins . compare revel. . . with , . again , gog and magog , do not signifie the turke : but by this manner of speaking are figured out enemies of all kindes , who by their incursions annoy , or trouble , the church ; as before we have made it plain . xxiii object . in every vision , except the first , the description of the last judgement is set down in the revelation ; more obscurely indeed in the former , but in the latter more clearly ; because all the visions are terminated in the end of the world , that the godly being injured may expect the day of their deliverance , and occasion of security may quite be taken away from the mockers . wherefore it makes nothing which they say , that revel. . . the peculiar destruction of antichrist is described , which shall not be in the last judgement , but before those thousand years . answ. . the antecedent is denyed . for in the second vision , which ends with the . chapter , a description of the last judgement is not set down , but some particular judgement to be executed about that time , which figures out the last judgement . . the text of revel. . and the last , manifestly argueth , that that vision is not terminated with the last judgement . . if however in every vision , except the first , a description of the last judgement were set down , yet it would not be otherwise then by interruption , or breaking of the present discourse , and so no essentiall part of the matter in hand : and consequently no way contradict , or weaken , this our opinion . xxiv object . the chapter of the revelation containeth a vision ▪ which is the summe of all the foregoing visions , and a succinct and brief iteration of the whole prophesie so often repeated ; which is divided into three parts . in the first is the blessed state of the church for a good space of time after the first coming of christ ; which is expressed in the first seal . in the second are described the painfull labours , and calamities . wherewith the church shall afterwards wrestle ; of which in the third and fourth seals ; and in the third , fourth , fifth , and sixth trumpets . in the third is set down the joyfull deliverance thereof , and the destruction of her adversaries , with the end and consummation of all ; as before , in the sixth seal , and the seventh trumpet , and seventh viall . but especially in this vision the punishment of the devill himself is expressed ; when as in the former the destruction of his ministers onely , and his followers was set forth . hence therefore we may perceive , that they are wide , the whole heaven , as they say , who out of this chapter do erect i know not what happynesse of the church , which is yet to come here on earth for a thousand years . answ. this whole distribution , or disposition , of the revelation , and namely of the chapter , which is here proposed , is absurd , and manifestly obscures the revelation . see what we have formerly discoursed up and down , and namely the . sect. of the connexion of this chapter with the whole systeme , or entire body of the revelation . briefly , let this maxime be observed : the divine revelation , from the departure of iohn , to the end of the world , distinctly figureth out the state of the church , and the ages thereof , by se●ls , trumpets , vialls , and the following visions ; so that all these succeed one another in a most beautifull order ; and not one and the same thing is represented by divers visions . for it doth not suite with that majestique manner of teaching , which the holy ghost observeth , that in one and the same prophesie he should propose so many visions of one and the same thing . xxv object . no where in scripture i● there any mention of these thousand years , but in this place onely . therefore it is very likely , that these thousand years signifie meerly a great time ; so that a certain number is put for an uncertain . answ. . here is no consequence : it is but once mentioned in scriptures ▪ therefore it must not be taken litterally . for also she lxx. weeks of daniel are but once mentioned ; and yet that number lxx. is litterally expounded ; so that it is taken for a certain , finite , and determined number . . this phrase , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , [ the thousand years , ] is severall times repeated in this place . which repetition is not without some cause . . from many testimonies of scripture a a little before propounded , and expounded ; from divers arguments recited in the first classis , or distribution , and compared with them places of scripture , it manifestly appears , that the happy state of the church for these thousand years , is described in this chapter . xxvi object . the number of a thousand is the number of perfection ; therefore , these thousand years in this place do denote the fulnesse of time ; but are not to be taken literally . answ. . this is an argument from a particular . a thousand sometimes denotes perfection ; therefore in this place . . that the letter is here to be retained , it is more then abundantly already proved . xxvii object . the division of the church into militant , and triumphant , opposeth this opinion of the future happinesse of the church here on earth for a thousand years : where by the militant church is understood that part thereof , which in this life is subject to the crosse and persecution : by the triumphant i● meant the whole church , in as much as after this life it shall reign with christ in heaven . answ. . the warfare of the church is not to be restrained to the persecution to which now it is subject : but it is to be extended to the spirituall combate and wrestling , which , while it lives here , it hath triall of from the lusts of the flesh . although therefore for these thousand years it shall have no warfare under the banner of the crosse ; yet the spirit will have need to strive and war against the flesh . . the triumph of the church is either in part , or totall ; particular , or universall ; begun or consummate . for oftentimes it happeneth , that we triumph in this life over the flesh , the world , and the devill . neither are we therefore said to be in the triumphant church ; as which is so called from her totall , universall , and consummate triumph . so although the church for a thousand years have some kinde of triumph here on earth , yet it shall not be sincere and perpetuall , and therefore by many degrees inferiour to that triumph , from whence the church in the life to come is called triumphant . xxviii object . the maintainers , and patrons , of this opinion do iudaiz● , that is , follow the jewish traditions ; therefore to be found fault with . answ. therefore also the scripture doth iudaiz● . see the places a little before brought out of the scripture . moreover , we generally entertain too mean a conceit of the conversion of the iews , because being over-much addicted , and carried away with scholasticall trifles , we weigh not at all the mysteries , which are propounded in the scriptures . xxix object . the church , as long as it is here on earth , is under the crosse . therefore no such happinesse thereof can be expected , as may last for a thousand years . answ. the antecedent is a vulgar axiome , or position ; but not proved , neither indeed is it to be proved , as appears by what we have urged in severall places of this our discourse . xxx object . these thousand years begin in the year . for then began antichrist to be revealed . then also were the two witnesses raised . finally , from that time the light of the gospel hath been spread abroad far and wide , and satan bound up more and more . answ. the proeme , or prologue , is confounded with the principall act ; as it will appear ; if the history of that time be compared with revel. , and our exposition . xxxi object . it is the common opinion of divines , that the last judgement is even at the door . that opinion then of a thousand years is dangerous , because it makes people secure . answ. . it is not the opinion of all divines . . this supposition is erroneous : and therefore i may use that saying ; * not to enstave our selves to suppositions . . no place of scripture teacheth us that the last judgement is at hand : nay , some places of scripture teach quite the contrary . hereto belongs what cotterius saith upon the chap. of the revel. to the year of christ , adde , so you shall make ▪ at which time at length satan shall the second time draw the nations into abominable heresies . neither is there any reason why this should trouble any ones minde , as if we put off the day too long . for i demand out of what place of scripture we have search it , that this day shall be within these two or three ages . surely we have but perswaded our selves so , because we would have it so . but i will beleeve the revelation , which verily not in one place puts the last day off for a thousand years . in the chap. you have vialls , the first of which leaves behinde it the epocha of the year , as not finished . and these vialls require some ages for their pouring out ; and not fewer then tenne . in which words of cotterius i do mightily approve of it , that he weakens that vulgar opinion concerning the end of the world , that it is at hand . but what is there said concerning the epocha , or beginning of our account of years , as also of the vialls , may be confuted out of what hath gone before ▪ it is an evill kinde of teaching , either by way of exhorting , or dehorting , which is grounded upon a ruinous , and false foundation ; as this which is drawn from the day of the last judgement , as if it were even at the door . neither indeed do we reade , that the apostles ever argued in this manner . xxxii object . this opinion of the thousand years , as it is here explained , doth , as it were , l●ade us by the hand to the day of the last judgement : yet notwithstanding christ in the of mark , v. . affirms , that of that day , and that hour , no man knoweth , 〈◊〉 not the angels which are in heaven , neither the son himself , but the father onely . and act. . . it is not for you to know the times , or seasons , which the father hath put in his own power . answ. . no man can exactly set down or define the day of the last judgement . for although by comparing daniel , and the revelation , it may appear , that the last day shall not come before the yeer of christ ; yet by no means or way possible can it be found out , in what year after this period , or set time , it shall come . . what god hath reserved to himself alone , we cannot , nor ought not to search after , or determine . but this period of years , he hath expressed in his word . xxxiii . object . it is absurd to thinke that the martyrs shall rise again to this mortall life : for this will be but an ignoble change , and for the worse , as it is in the proverbe , gold for brasse : by reason that the souls of the martyrs do now reign in heaven , and their bodies rest in the earth free from their labours . now if they rise again to this mortall life , they must endure the enterchange or vicissitude of times , as of day , and night , sommer , and winter , and must be made subject to the necessity of eating , drinking , and the like . answ. . lazarus and those saints who rose again at the time of christ's passion , were brought again after long absence here , from life eternall , into this mortall life , notwithstanding they lost not their happinesse hereby . . the state of the martyrs shall consist of a happy kingdom in this life , which shall not any way be discommodated by those things which formerly are objected , as we see the like things no way hindered adam in the state of his innocency , from the full enjoying of perfect happinesse . xxxiv . object . christ in the end of the world shall burn up the ●ares : therefore still in the militant church , there s●●ll be the bad mingled with the good , which is to be denyed in so happie a condition of the church , for these thousand years . answ. nay rather not be denied . for neither shall the men , who for all that time shall live on earth , be so blessed ▪ that either they themselves shall be voyd of sinnes , or seperated from the company of sinners . it shall not be so . there shall be a great difference between the happinesse of these thousand years , and that of everlasting life . the godly men then , ( except the martyrs ) for the whole space of these thousand years , shall be subject both to sin and death , and shall have the wicked intermix't with them . but there shall be no such matter in the life eternall . xxxv . object . the church is sufficiently reformed . therefore no other reformation ought to be expected . the antecedent may be proved from hence , because the doctrine of the fundamentalls of our salvation is proposed so , that it cannot be done more cleerly , or with greater light . answ. the great reformation which we declare shall come to passe , shall concerne matter of life , as well as doctrine . as for matter of doctrine , the foundation thereof shall remain . but as for those infinite contentions , whereby the body of christ is torn in pieces , an end shall be put unto them . again , many places of scripture , whose expositions have hitherto troubled the most learned men , shall more cleerly and better be understood . as for matter of life , what should i say ? the matter it selfe speaks loud enough , that in the whole course of our lives , as good , and as great as we are , we have little or no divinity at all . there is great need therefore of a reformation . xxxvi . object . it was an ancient distinction , that the kingdome of god is either of power , grace , or glery . but this distinction is taken away by this millenary , so much pleaded for : because it cannot be referred either to the kingdom of grace , or to the kingdome of glory . answ. it belongs to the kingdome of grace , which doth consist of divers degrees . neither is this opinion any way prejudiced , because in the former discourse i have sometimes made mention of glory and majesty , as part of the happinesse of this millenary . for this glory is only inchoative or in it's beginning , and shall be broken off by the war of gog and magog . but the glory of the life eternall is perfect , and never at all to be interrupted . v. the doctrines arising out of this chapter . . according to the order of the heads in the catechisms . i. the xi and xii articles of the creed , concerning the resurrection of the flesh , as also concerning the last iudgement , and eternall life , are treated of . ii. the first , and third precepts of the decalogue , or tenne commandments , are here illustrated in the verse , where mention is made of godly confessors , who worshipped not the image of the beast . iii. the second and sixth petitions of the lords prayer may be explained out of this chapter . . according to the order of common-places . this chapter makes mention of gods providence ; of angels ; of predestination ; of the church , and it 's enemies ; of martyrdome ; of the resurrection of the flesh ; of the last iudgement ; of life , and death eternall . . doctrines out of the severall verses . vers. . . god instructeth men sometimes , and teacheth them extraordinarily by visions , as also by divine extasies , or raptures . . the angels are ministring spritis , who receive their commands at god's hands . . good angels are endowed with great power , and strength . vers. . . good angels have power over evill angels , or spirits . . the devill is stronge , and crafty : as being both a dragon , and a serpent . . the onely , and continuall work of the devill is to calumniate , and falsly accuse both god and man ; and to endeavour the hinderance of the glory of the one , and the salvation of the other . . the militant church hath severall and differing times here on earth , namely both of oppression , and refreshment , after the divers degrees thereof , according to the dispensation , and good pleasure of god . vers. . . the devill is bound , and tyed up by the reines of god's providence . . the devill is the author of the generall seduction of mankinde . . warres shall cease for a thousand years . . the warre which shall begin after these thousand yeers shall not last long . vers. . . christ is a iudge appointed by god , to whom the holy angels are joyned as assessors , or inferiour iudges . . the professors of the gospel are hated in the sight of the world . . constancy is required in the profession of the truth . . they are idolators , who worship antichrist , and follow his doctrine . the martyrs shall reign with christ for a thousand years in the militant church . vers. . . the generall resurrection shall be in the end of the world . . the first resurrection and particular of the martyrs is the proeme unto the second , or universall resurrection . vers. . . as the children of god in this life have one above another prerogatives of gifts , works , and sufferings : so shall they also have prerogatives of blessings , both in this life , and in that also which shall be hereafter . . the common happpnesse of the godly , among other things ▪ consists in this , that the second death hath no power over them . . we must certainly resolve , that there is a second , or eternall death . . though all christians are kings and priests : yet in a mor● speciall manner the martyrs raised at the beginning of these thousand years shall be kings and priests in the militant church . vers. . . the happynesse of the church , which shall continue for the●●thousand years , must not be confounded with● or mistaken for the happynesse of life eternall . . satan can do nothing , except , by gods leave , he be let loose out of his prison . . god alone can restrain satan , as if he had him shut up in some prison . vers. . . satan , when soever he gains power , playes over his old pranks again . . satan is delighted with the shedding of mans bloud , especially of the godly ▪ and therefore useth to seduce , and entice men to warre . . whatsoever is said in the old testament of gog and magog , is to be understood partly literally , partly typically . . the enemies of the church are in number many . vers. . . men seduced by the devill set slip no occasion , so watchfull herein they are of persecuting the godly . . the chur●h is the beloved city of god . . it is the duty of christians continually to be exercised in christ's warfare . . god executes wonderfull judgements against the enemies of his church . vers. . . the devill , and his instruments are cast into hell , and shall be tormented there for ever . . eternity is nothing else , then a continuation of age to age for ever . . hell is a place full of horrour . vers. . . the m●jesty of christ coming to iudgement shall be very great . . heaven , and earth , in the day of the last judgement , shall passe away , in respect of the fashion of this world . vers. . and . . the last resurrection shall be universall . . men in the last judgement shall be judged according to their works . . the conscience of a man is like a book , in which all his thoughts , words , and deeds are as it were set down . . the book of life , or predestination shall be opened in the last judgement , for then shall it appear plainly who are the elect , and who the reprobate : who have truely beleeved in christ , who hypocritically : who have truely worshipped god , who according to appearance onely . . the last judgement shall be universall , infallible , and just . vniversall , because it shall be of the dead , and living ; of great , and small . infallible , because god is all-knowing ▪ and hath chosen his own from eternity . the omnisciency , or all-knowledge of god is signified by the books , in which the works of every particular man are written . his election is signified by the book of life . iust , because god shall judge according to every mans works , without acceptance of persons . . god knoweth in what place the particular body of every dead man is reserved . vers. . . . hell is a place full of horrour . . reprobation from life eternall is nothing else , but a not-writing in the book of life . election to eternall life , is a writing of our names in the book of life . an appendix . because in the handling of this chapter , i proposed to my self not onely to maintain that which mine own conscience witnessed with me to be true ; but withall to furnish these times also with this , not the least consolation ; it was needfull for me to use this method , which in the explanation of holy scripture , without doubt exceeds all others . it will not be amisse therefore , if i set down this method in the following table . in every chapter , yea verse , of holy scripture , there are to be considered . the prolegomena , or praecognita , that is , the foregoing matter , or things to be known before hand ; and they are either of the author , and authority thereof . subject , or matter . connexion , or coherence . the text it self , in which are to be considered the argument , or summe thereof . analysis , or resolution , either philologically , and theologically , or logically , and theologically . paraphrase , or larger upholding thereof . questions , either fundamentall ; proper to that place , and necessarily arising ; or , lesse principall ; common with other places , and honorary , or accessory , doctrines , according to the order of the heads in the catechisme . common places . the order of the context . of these the argument , paraphrase , and doctrines , belong to the handling of the sacred text in the way of preaching ; the analysis , or questions , to the scholasticall part of divinity . glory be to god alone . finis . testimonies concerning this worke of alstedius . dr. hukewill in his apology , &c. lib. . cap. . . . alstedius a famous professour at herborne , in his diatribe d● mille annis apocalypticis , published about two yeares since , is of this opinion ; as also that the thousand years mention●d in the . of the revel. ( during which time satan should be bound ) is yet to come , which assertion he first builds upon a litterall interpretation of the number , in as much as it is five severall times repeated within the compasse of seven verses , and the foure last with a special article added , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ( the thousand year●s . ) secondly , upon a supposition that satan as yet hath not been bound up a thousand yeares together , since the delivery of that prophecie by the angell to st. iohn , and by him to the church ; considering that ever since , much and grosse idolatrie hath raigned among the pagans , obstinate blindenesse among the iewes , since the rising of mahomet , pittyfull defection , & seduction among the saracens , strang errors a●d heresies , sects and schisms among the christians , and since the rising of antichrist , wonderfull ignorance sup●rstition , and persecution of the ●aints , together with a generall prophanesse , and corruption in matter of manners ; all which saith he , cannot stand with the binding up of sathan , ( the principall actor of all these ) for a thousand yeares , and consequently , that the performance of that promise is yet to be expected : and for confirmation of this opinion ( though the booke it selfe be but little ( he alleadgeth . passages of scripture , inforceth many reasons , answereth . objections , p●oduceth the testimonies of sundry learned men , either expresly defending it , or at least wise favouring ●t . and they are , iustus heurnius . ioannes keplerus . petrus curaeus . ioannes d●bricus . ioannes piscator . petrus molinaeus . ioannes ferus . seraph firmianus remalcus d● vaulx . martinus cellarius . vid apud alst●dium . christoph . b●soldus . cael sec. curio . alf. con mantuanus . lucas osiander . matthaeus cotterias . michael s●ndivoga●● . stephanus pan 〈…〉 quos●mnes su●si 〈…〉 the auth●r of a book , lat●ly published in latine , and inscribed nuncius proph●icus , who in modesty conceales his name . pag. . . diatribe de mille ●nnis , ap●ca● quem tractatum , &c. th●t is , the treatise of alstedium concerni●g the thousand yeares in the revelation , ● est●eme above the value of gold and precious stones , it being full of secret wisedome . and pag. , als●ed in his t●uely golden little work of the th●usand yeares in the ap●calypse . which work though small , yet full of great sedul●tie ▪ takes away all scruple of doubt herein ; and it is much to be de●ired , that some one or other that delights himselfe in theologicall misteries so we● worthy of our knowledge would translate it out of the latine , and make it speak english . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ▪ thou wilt straightway thinke reader , that this was no small inciteme●t to me to goe on with this translation , having before the edition of this booke taken it into mine hands . testimonies concerning the opinion it selfe , approved by some famous english divines . and first dr. h●kewill of oxford in his book intituled , an apology of the power and providence of god in the governement of the world . lib. . cap. . v. . as wee neede not doubt that antichrist is long ●ince come into the world , so many passages of holy scripture and testimonies of learned men , make us more then hope that ( notwithstanding his late victories , and triumphs ) his downefall is not farre off , and that thereupon the church of christ shall flourish more in peace , and power , in doctrine and manners , in lustre and glory , then hitherto at any time in former ages it hath done to instance in all the passages in scripture , which to this purpose are alleadged , would prove , i doubt me tedious , and in some perchance impertinent , mine endeavour then shall be to pick out the choisest , and among them specially those which seeme to point at a fuller calling as well of the gentiles , as the iews , then heretofore hath been . the particular places for brevitie i have set downe , which , reader ▪ p●ruse at thy leasure . psal. . . esay . matth. . . rom. . . . cor. . . micah● . . esay . . and . . but you shall have them all in this treatise . the doctor goes on . and all this peace ●nd glory shall arise from the subversion of rome and antichrist , a●d his adherents , so eviden●ly described in the . . and . of the revelation , that the very iesuits themselves , ribera and vegas cannot possibly devise any jugling conveyance how to shift i● off . and if for the effecting of this great worke , we should grant , ( that which all antiquity both iewish and christian much beates upo● ) that elias shall come and restore all things , i cannot see what great absurdity can from thence be inferre● , or what article of christian faith it imp●gneth . indeed our saviour telleth his disciples that elias was then come meaning iohn the baptist , whom he tear●eth e●ias in regard of his zeale , his aust●rity of life , his suffering for the truth , and his preparing a way to reformation ; but how the baptist restored all things he tells them not , neither can those words ( as i conceive ) bee prop●rly u●derstood of him , nor yet those of the prophet malachy , that elias the prophet fo● the turning of the hearts of men each to other , and all to god , shal be sent before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the lord ; where by the day of the first comming of our lord in the flesh cannot well be mea●t , in as much as that was rath●r good and gracious , then great and dreadfull : it should seeme then that either elias himself , or some other great heroical spui● matchable to him , ●s yet to bee sent , for the accomplishing of this gr●at businesse in the restoring of all things . i am sure alstedius , a famous professour a●herborne , is of that opinion &c. ut supra . thus doctor hakewill , providentīae divinae ex●urius {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} doctor twisse in his preface to mr. medes book intituled , the apostasie of the latter times . the beginning of my acquaintance with master mede was occasioned by a rumour spread of his opinion , concerning the glorious kingdome of christ here on earth , which many hundred yeares agoe was cried downe , as the errour of the millenaries : and i● seemed wondrous strange to us , that such an opinion should after so many hundred yeares bee revived ; and that in so strange a manner as now we finde , both amongst us , and amongst out-landish divines . neverthelesse my selfe being firmely set upon studies of another nature , i had no great edge so much as to hearken to it , much lesse to take it into consideration . but a friend in the country sometimes urged mee to write to an acquaintance in london ; and to enquire of master mede , whether he were of the same opinion with piscator and alstedius concerning the first resurrection , and the glorious kingdome of christ . and hereupon shortly after word was sent me , that hee did agree with piscator in this , that some shall rise a thousand yeares before others , but he differed from him in this , that piscator thought this reigne o●christ should bee in heaven ; but i ( said master mede ) agree rather with alstedius and conceive , that the thousand yeares reigne of christ shall bee on earth , yet herein he differed from alstedius ; that whereas alstedius was of opinion that the thousand yeares reigne of christ should be after the day of judgement , master medes opinion was that it should be in et durante die judicij , in and during the day of judgement ; which day of judgement should continue a thousand yeares , beginning with the ruine of antichrist , and ending with the destr●ction of gog and magog . when i heard this , my spirit was stirred up in mee to lay aside for a while my ordinarie studies , and to take this into consideration , and i prayed master mede to give me leave to propose my reasons against this opinion of his . and the truth is , the improbability of it seemed very pregnant unto naturall reason , and divers arguments that way offered themselvs , which seemed to be of very diff●cult ( if at all possible ) solution , and over and above it seemed very contradictious to divers plaine passages of holy scripture . mr. mede very readily entertained the motion , and prescribed me a time after which he should bee at leisure for me , and in a letter after this , in his familiar manner asked me saying ; when come your quaerios ? i accepted his courteous answer , and sent up unto him , first and last , twelve arguments against that opinion of his ; and at the first i sent him with an answer devised by my selfe to nine of them , for so i had promised him , namely , that i would bethinke my wits of what possibly might bee said in the solution of them , according to the straight●esse of my invention , leaving it to him to approve , or correct , or adde , as he thought good . and whereas i could devise nothing at all in answer to my tenth argument , he sent me a large answer thereunto in three sides of a sheet of paper , whereby i well perceived , . that my best arguments had been known to him and examined before i devised them . after this , i came acquainted with ma●y discourses upon the same argument , one printed at hanow in germani , de die novissimo , of the last day ; a few onely were printed , two copies ( and no more ) were brought into england , master med , bought them both , and sent me one of them to copy it out , which we did . after this , no lesse then seven manu-scripts were sent me from one divine , treating of this and other mysteries . now here i cannot but confesse my corruption , for i received them by way of a bribe , and indeed i was to doe him a favour , and i dealt plainely with him , and told him i would not sell my favours gratis , i would be well payed for them . and therefore whereas i heard hee had strange n●●ions upon the revelation , and touching the mysteries of the first resurrection ; and christs kingdome , i looked to bee fee'd with the communication of them , with promise to returne them safely , after i had suck't the hony out of them , though he had never a whit the lesse for that , such is the nature of spirituall commodities . the good man sent me word , that such bribs should never make me rich : but i returned answer , that they could make me the more rich then the enjoying of all the treasures of ae●hopia , and the hill amara to boote : and here i found rich mines inde●d , even a●l the mysteries belonging to christs glorious kingdome set downe a part , by wayd question , and a solemne resolution thereon , with proofes adjoyned out of the holy scripture . since t●at , i have met with divers choice pieces of the same argument , some prosecuting a few parts thereof onely , and others more . so farre doctor twisse , s●mi . pelagianorum bujus seculi acenimus inpugn●tor . master mede of cambridge , commena tionum apocalypticarum . part. ii. pag. . et seqq . idadeo proximi post apostolo● , &c. this opinion was so approved by the christians in the age next to the apostles , that iusti●e martyr doth witnesse that not onely himselfe , but the christian of that time in all respects orthodox did with a joynt and unanimous consent beleive it . which opinion notwithstanding of the fi●st christians , afterward deformed with some additions , or ( as i conceive ) amisse understood , posterity did after an age or two reject . yet so farre did the heate of this contention encrease ( which deservedly you may wonder at , and grieve for ) before it could be composed , that they who could ●ot otherwise get free from the power of the adverse opinion , established by the revelati●n , would rather call in question the authority of that divine prophecy , confirmed by all the schollers of the apostles , and their next successours , and openly and boldly slight it , then yeeld to this opinion : till at length happening upon some other likely interpretation o● these thousan● y●ares , permitting to the revelation it's divine authority , they ceased from their attempt , which could by no meanes be freed from the censure of impiety . conceive thus them , that the seaventh trumpet , with the whole space of those thousand yeares , and other predictions belonging thereto , doth set forth that great day of judgement , so much spoken of by the ancient church , as also by christ , and his apostles , and is not the short space of a few houres , as commonly it is beleives , but according to the manner of the h●brewes , using a day for a time , the continued intervall of many yeares , and circums●ribed with two resurrections , as with two set or limitted t●rmes : i say that this day shall bee begun first with the part●cul●r and t●mely judgement of antichrist , and oth●r ene●ies of the church , then remaining alive with the glorious appearance of our lord christ in flames of fire ; and that at length after the kingdome of a thousand yeares granted to his holy spouse the new ierusal●m here on earth , and others that shall afterward be borne this great day now drawing to an end , shall bee finish●d , aft●r the letting loose of satan and u●ter destruction of the churches e●emies , with the generall resurrection and judgement of all the dead : which being performed , the wicked shall be thrust downe i●to hell to bee torm●nted eternally , and the saints translated into heaven to live with christ there for ever . this indeed is the time of the anger of god upon the nations , and avenging the cause of them who dyed for christ , for which after the blast of the seaventh trumpet , chapter ele●enth , the el●ers give thankes with triumph , because therein god was to g●ve a reward to his servants the prophets and saints , and to them that feared his ●ame , small and great ; and would destroy th●m who destroy the earth . this is that day of judgement , and destruction of wicked men , of which peter . ep. . . having spoken , pr●sently addes : but ( beloved ) be not ignorant of this one thing , ( for before i shewed it was called a day ) that one day is with the lord as a thousand yeares , and a thousand yeares as one day . in which very day the apostle with his brethren and kinsfolk , the iewes ( to whom he writeth ) doth expect a new fashion of things to happen , of which hee saith presen●ly bvt wee expect a new heaven and a new earth ; according to his promise where in dwelleth righteousnes . take notice ; according to his promise . now where was this promise to be found of a new heaven , and new earth ( seeing iohn had not yet had this revelation ) but esaya . . and . . which promise whosoever shall reade , i should wonder if he think that it is to be accomplished anywhere else but vpon earth . this is also that kingdome , which is ioyned with christs appearance heere on earth to iudge the world , of which paul to timothy . ep. . i charge thee before god and the lord iesus christ 〈◊〉 shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome . for after the last and vniuersall resurrection , the same paul being witnesse . cor. . : christ having destroyed the last enemy death , shall deliver up the kingdome to the father , that he himselfe may be subiect to him that put all things vnder him ; so little can he be said to enter upon a new kingdome . the kingdome therefore , which neither was before the app●arance of the lord neither shall be after the last resurrection must necessarily be concluded to be batweene them both . this is the kingdom of the son of man , which dan. saw , the times of the antichristian horne being finished , or the times of the gentiles ( luke . ) being accomplished ; who shall appeare in the clouds , when power , and glory , and the kingdome shall be given to him , that all people , nations , and languages may serve him for when ( as the angel streight expoundeth it ) the kingdom and dominion , and greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven ( mark it well ) shall be given to the people of the sai●ts of the most high . for neither as i sayd before , shall this kingdome be after the last resurrection , seeing then the sonne of man shall not enter upon a kingdome , but as paul saith , he must lay it downe , and deliver to his father . now that the same kingdome is spoken of by daniel and iohn may from hence be evinced . first , because both kingdom● begin with the ruine of the fourth , or roman beast , that of daniel , when the beast under the last command of the horne which had eyes , was slaine and his body given to the burning flame ; that in th●revelation , when the beast and false prophet ( that wicked horne is dani●l having mouth and eyes like a head ) were taken and both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone . secondly , from the same sitting in judgement , which went before both : for that one place is borrowed from the other , and both ente●d the same thing , will appeare from the comparing of the descriptions of both . dan. cap. vii . apoc. xx . . ver. . i beheld till the thrones were placed . for so it must be rendred with the vulgar , lxx . and theodor , and so {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} or {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} is used of a throne in the targum on ier. . . and i saw thrones . ver. . and judgement was set . that is , judges , as in the great sanbedrim or councell of the jewes , according to the manner of which this whole description is fitted . and they sate upon them ver. . and judgement was given to the saints of the most high . that is , power to judge , whence is that of paul . the just shall judge the earth . and judgement was given unto them . and the saints possessed the kingdome . that is , with the sonne of man who came in the clouds of heaven . and the saints lived & reigned with christ a thousand yeares . moreover i would advise the reader of this ; whatsoever wholesome truth almost is delivered by the iewes , or by our saviour in the gospel , or anywhere in the new testament , by the apostles , concerning the day of the great iudgement , is taken out of this vision of daniel ; namely , the judgement which shall be by fire , christs comming in the cloudes of heaven , his comming in the glory of his father with a multitude of angels , the judging of the world by him with his saints , the abolishing of antichrist , by the glorious appearance of his comming , &c. so that they goe about to take away a pillar of our evangelicall faith , who neglecting this ancient tradition of the church , goe about to carry this prophecy another way . lastly , to make an end : this is that most great kingdome , which , as daniel interprets it , was shewed to nebuchadnezzar in that representative statue of the foure kingdomes : not that of the stone , which ( the succession of the iv monarchies yet remaining ) was cut out of the mountaine , ( for this is the present state of christs kingdom● ) but of the stone , which ( those monarchies being dissolved and overthrowne ) became a mountain● and filled the whole earth . hactenus medeus , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , in m sticis prophetiis , si quis alius , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the learned authour of a latine treatise lately printed in london , and inscribed nvnc ivs propheticvs . de millenariâ felicitate doctrinam non esse novam , besternam , &c. the future felicity of the saints and servants of god here on earth for the space of . yeares is no novell conceit , new broached fancy , or an opinion started up yesterday ; but a truth to be reverenced for its antiquity and seniority , it being countenanced and maintained above . or . yeares agoe , yea even in the infancy of the christian church . many reverend men , famous for their sanctity , and learning , who lived whilest the blood of christ was yet warme , taught freely , and fully with applause of all , and contradiction of none , concerning a great sabbath and time of rest , which should in after ages come upon the earth . some of them maintained then a twofold resurrection . . particular , of some choyce saints , especially martyrs and confessors , whose lives were shortned and imbittered for the testimony of iesus . . vniversall , of the residue of the saints with all the reprobates , which is a principall flower in the garland of every christians creed , and betwixt both , a truely golden age of . yeares continuance . peruse and ponder , good reader , revel. . . and ch. . , , . where the premises ( if my interpretation may ●eare sway ) are so manifestly asserted , as if they were written with a sunne beame . neither let any scruple at the raising of any particular saints before their brethren , seeing we have a president hereof in sacred writ , or the first good friday , ( or as i rather conceive ) on the first easter day : for at that time there arose with christ our first parents , holy patriarches and matriarchs , with many religious kings , and inspired prophets , by name , adam , eve , noah , abraham and his sarah , isaac , iacob , iob , moses , david : or at least , iohn baptist , zachary , elizabeth , simeon , anna , ioseph christs foster-father , with others who saw and conversed with christ in the flesh . moreover not a few eminent and ancient fathers were strongly opinionated that christ himselfe should then descend from heaven , and here reigne in a visible shape with great glory and tranquillity amongst his saints and holy ones , that eloquent and * candid writer lactantius , the cicero of the christians shall be the mouth of the rest . the sonne of the highest , and great god shall come to judge the living and dead , and he shall dwell among men . yeares , and he shall governe them under a most just command ; and they shall live with their bodies , they shall not dye ; but for those . yeares they shall encrease into an infinite multitude , and their issue shall be holy , and beloved of god . now they that are raised from the dead shall as iudges be placed over them that are alive . and a little after : the moone shall receive the brightnesse of the sun , and shall lose her light no more . and the sun shall be seven times more glorious then now it is . the earth shall expresse her fruitfulnesse , and bring forth of its owne accord plentifull store of corne : the cliffes of the mountaines shall sweat out honey , the springs and rivers shall flow with wine and milke . and presently againe , there shall be no ravenous beasts in this time , no birds of prey ; but all things shall be quiet and peaceable . the lyon and calfe shall feed at the same stall ; the wolfe shall not devoure the sheepe , neither shall the dogge hunt after his prey . the eagle and hawke shall doe no harme : the infan● shall play with seapents . lastly , all those things shall come to passe which the poets fable to have beene in those golden times of saturnes reigne . men shall live therefore a most quiet and plentifull life , and they shall reigne together with god , and the kings of the earth shall bring in their gifts and presents to worship and honour the great king , &c. this is the doctrine of the holy prophets , which we christians follow : this is christian wisdome . these are the words of lactantius , which though plausible at the first view ( being most part scripture phrase ) yet may here and there i grant , if minutely examined , be justly liable to exception , as bordering neere upon the heresy of cerinibus , and the old condemned millmarians , except we yeeld them spoken ( as saint paul speakes in another case ) after the manner of men . howbeit the authour may be excused , he having only amplified that in transcendent expressions and flourishing streames , which many-many lights of the east and west-churches delivered in downeright termes . but why doe i single out one lactantius , or insist thus on his rhetorique● papias a bishop , and saint iohns scholar , irenaeus and iustine , stiled the martyr , both which lived in the next age to the apostles , tertullian also and hilarius , men of admirable endowments , yea , i had almost said , and in part blessed augustine himselfe and his contemporary saint * hierome , ( all which were stars of the first magnitude in the firmament of the primitive church ) most willingly have afforded their places and suffrages to this comfortable doctrine , i meane for the maine of it . after a good pause the same author proceeds thus . lastly , in what yeare this new world shall begin , wherein holy men and women shall rejoyce and live together in a most blessed and heavenly manner , is one of the great secrets of heaven , all which are unknowne to us mortals ( alas ! our dimme eyes , the caleb and ioshua , fellow spies in this isle of man , cannot pierce those tenfold orbes of heaven . ) indeed so many men so many mindes : one author assignes this yeare , another that , a third differs in his account from both . but it is agreed on all hands that this thrice happy and golden age is now at hand . alstedius the champion of the late millenarians , and a maine prop of this new revised doctrine , names and confidently determines the yeare of christ . ( being yeares hence ) for the first yeare of this triumphant reigne of the saints here on earth . others judge the time uncertaine , and certainly their judgment ( in my judgement ) is most certaine . i will turne my private opinion into a prayer , o that the almighty would hasten , i againe and againe i wish it , this glorious kingdome , that so it may come in our times before we be lodged in the silent grave , and moulder into our principles , dust and ashes . and now i will seale this delightfull contemplation with the words of saint iohn surnamed the divine ; or rather not of the p●●man , but of the thrice blessed spirit which guided his pen , rev. . . blessed is he that hath his part in the first resurrection . sweet jesus , grant a part in the first resurrection , to thy servant and sonne of thine handymayd , t. b. i wholly submit my selfe and opinion to the determination of our long expected venerable synod . its auctori●●e in libello docto , iupiter , & laborioso ! there is extant also in print this last yeare a treatise of one master john archer , sometimes preacher of all-hallows in lombardstreet , intituled , the personall reigne of christ upon earth . the author , as i ●eare , is with god , but his booke thou maist have on every stall . but so farre out of some of our english divines . let us now heare the incomparable tycho brahe . tycho brahe : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , his testimony taken out of his first tome astronomicorum progymnasmatum not farre from the end . it is worthy our best observation , that as all the former uneven revolutions of the fiery trigon , ( namely the first , third , and fifth ) have ever beene auspicious to the world , as having ushered in some great and singular favours of the almighty to mankind : so it is probable that this seventh revolution which now reignes ever since the yeare of our lord . is the forerunner of a more happy and glorious state then all the afore p●ssed ages have eve● yet enjoyed . neither doth this disagree with the most ancien● prophecies of the wisest men , and enlightned by the holy ghost , who have foretold that before the generall conflagration of all things , that there shall be a certaine quiet and peaceable age for some good space of time upon earth , wherein the tumults and confusions happening 〈◊〉 politique states , and by reason of varieties of religions shall be setled and appeased , and at length be made more conformable to the divine will , and pleasure . which we may also not abscurely collect from the prophets themselves , who foretold that some golden age should be for a time on earth , in which men should beate their swords into plough-shares , and their speares into pruning-hookes : neither should nation lift up a sword against nation , nor learn● warre any more : but they shall sit every man under his vine , and ●nder his figure● , and none shall make them afraid , as micah the prophet hath it , ch. . and esay ch. ii. prophecyeth of the same in this manner : the wolfe shall dwell with the lambe , and the leopard shall lie downe with the kid , and the galfe and the young lion , and the ●atling together , and a little childe shall leade them . and the co● and the beare shall feed , their young ones shall lie downe together : and the lyon shall eate straw like the oxe . and the sucking childe shall play on the hole of the aspe , and the weaned childe shall put his hand on the cockatricuden . they shall not hurt in all my holy mountaine : for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord , as the waters cover the sea . and that passage also , esay . is to be referred to the mysticall hierusalem , or more perfect state of christianity then hath beene hitherto . for brasse i will bring gold , and for iron i will bring silver , and for-wood brasse , and for stones iron : i will also make thy officers , peace , and thy exactors righteousnesse : violence shall no more be heard in thy land , wasting nor destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy wals salvation , and thy gates praise . and what goes before and followes ; where at length lie thus concludes : i the lord will hasten it in his time . more places are likewise to be found as well in the prophets , as in the * revelation , promising an unusuall and unexpected happynesse of earthly things , such as never hath beene in any age of the world hitherto . the truth therefore of this prophecy shall be fulfilled before the generall destruction of all things , ( for it cannot faile , proceeding wholly from the infallible spirit of god ) and it is probable that the accomplishment thereof is at hand . why then may not all these things obtaine an expected event within the compasse of this renewed revolution of the fiery trigon , and of the other three ensuing , which compleate . yeares ? hactenus atlas ille coeli mathematici . the testimony of carolus gallus ; out of dr hakewill , in his advertisement to pag. . for i have not the booke by me . a booke written by carolus gallus a professour of divinity in the university of leyden , published in the yeare ▪ and intituled clavis prophetica nova apocalypseos iohannis apostoli & evangeliographi . in his epistle dedicatory to the prince of orenge , and the states of the netherlands , he professeth it was a worke , in quo ( saith he ) jam inde a viginti quinque annis , &c. that is in which for these xxv . yeares , i have very much laboured , by reading , meditating , searching , writing , disputing , and publiquely teaching both in churches and schooles , seeking out and letting slip nothing , which seemed to concerne the finding out of this divine treasure . now this man after all this travell , search , and study , thus concludes his eight observation upon the . chapter of that booke . breviter spiritus propheticus in hac iohannis apocalypsi , &c. that is , briefely , the spirit in this revelation of john prophecyeth concerning the particular and wonderfull resurrection , renovation , and restitution of the church , that it , in this last age , shall appeare made one of jewes and gentiles , both living and dead , and more gloriously then ever heretofore , in a wonderfull manner shall live againe from the dead , or first death , and shall be renewed , restored , and flourish againe . i thess . iv. commate . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the dead in christ [ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for christ , that is , the martyrs ] shall rise first . the interpretation will not seeme strange to any one who knowes , that the same paul , who in his owne words , is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , ephe. . . was a prisoner , on bound for the lords sake , the preposition , as fea●he● men know , sometimes signifying the cause propter q●●● ▪ that place also rev. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , they that dye in the lord , is no otherwise interpreted by some learned men ; for the whole pericope or passage there seemes plainely to point at the martyrs , who verse . are more elegantly called {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the first fruites unto god , and to the lambe , as purchased by a particular prerogative from among men . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- io. bodimus method hist. cap. epist. ad paulinum quot babet verb● , t●● sacram●nt● . * d●●tate exuperant latae contra ingra●os leges . amm. marcell . lib. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . themi●t . orat. . * xenophon {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , ● . notes for div a e- cic. academ. qu●st . l. . acts xvii . ●● . . l●ers . de libr●s he●selit● anthol . lib. g●●p . . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} o 〈…〉 dict● . vide . ep●cterum {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . tim. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . tim. . ● . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} marc. antontum {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} lib. . . . a contra matcion . b tract at contra omnes haereses . c dialog . cum tryphone iudaeo . d {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. iustine . ● . ● . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , cap. . vers. . e augustin . de haeresib . cap. . f epiphanius de heresib . g irenaeus . tertullianus . h dialog. cum trypbone . i hieron. in hierem. cap. . v. . k quae licet non sequamur , damnare non possu●●u : unulquisque in suo sensu abundee . hieron. d. l. l malens aliena verecu●de discere , quam sua impudenter ingerere . hieron. de platone epist. ad paulinam . m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . anton. lib. xi . § . notes for div a e- lib. cap. omnis prophetia priusquaro impleatur aenigm● est . quanda impleto fuerit , manifestam habet expositionem & intelligentiam . notes for div a e- * a●●t●d follows that greek copy which admits 〈◊〉 the preposicion , oth●rwise th●n our english renders it . eccles. histor. lib. cap. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} vide io●a●em buxlorf in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} object . sol. heurnius . keplerus . ioan. feru● explicat . in gen. c. , , & . seraphin . firmian enarrat . apocal cap. . remalc de . vaulx . in harpocrate divino , fol. martin cellar . tractat. de operib . dei coel. secund. curio de amplitud . beati regni dei , lib. . petr. cunaeus lib . de repub. iudzor . . iust. heurnius de legat evangelica ad indos c . ioan dobrieius in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} seu interprete temparum , christoph . besold . in pentade . et omnes theol. v●teres & recentes super . cap. epist. ad romanos . notes for div a e- * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ▪ yet some copies have {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , he bound him . i cannot tell whether as properly , by reason {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} followeth . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . but some copies have the simple {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , as in the foregoing verse . * for the article ●● , being doubled , ought to be pressed more , then we see it is in our english translation . * read king . . king. . ▪ king. . . matth. . . luk. . ● , iohn . . matth . . . . act. . . ● . . exek . ● and . object . sol. * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . phil . . revel. notes for div a e- ezek. . and . ch. notes for div a e- {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . notes for div a e- * erat , saith alsted . the originall wa●rs the verbe set down . but our english useth the present are . the vulgar edition is most dissonant from the greek , — in stagnum ignis & sulphuris , ubi & bestia & pseudoprop●e●a cruciabuntu● di● a● nocte . the author thereof qui●e mispl●ced {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the copulative before {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , putting it before {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} collectively , omitting also the interpun●●ion after {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . notwithstanding he is followed by the geneva translators . rob. steph●n . vbi erat & bestia , & ille pseudopropheta : & cruciab . the orientall ▪ translation , both arabique , and syriaque , 〈◊〉 not from the received greek ; the latter of which , in this 〈◊〉 and some other places of the ● . t. we owe to an old copy in the library of that 〈…〉 of all learning and piety , d●vsher , and to the exact pains of m● 〈…〉 of the arabique in oxford , who from thence supplied the former defects in this transl●●ion . * al●●eds word is battalogus , from the verb used by christ , mat. . . of the various interpretations therof , see the most learned fuller . miscell sa●ror . lib. . cap. . this is called receptior sententia , by dr. prideaux . in orat. . psal. . . notes for div a e- a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} paries . the participle of the verb in this place is also used isai . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} dellruens parietem . de legatione evangelic● ad indes . fol. . fol. . heurn . de legit . evang fol. & seqq. ●●●m ●ol . . * hyd●nutum in apuliaiurat caesis millib . christian● 〈◊〉 . a belgrade taken by soly●an , a. . it is plac●d by plinie in the utmost bounds of pannonia . so called in the declining time of the easterne empire . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} constantino porphyrogen de administr . imp. 〈◊〉 . . of late also called albagraec● , but most anciently taur●num , as appears by old coins found there , mentioned by busboquius , ep. leg. turcicae . in antoninus the name is corrupted in some copies to au●inum , in others , taurinum ; as it is likewise in ptolomie , where you have {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . plurima antem apud ptolemeum corrupta urbium nostrarum nomina , ●em apud 〈◊〉 , in xrquae ad britanniam pertinent itineribus foede lux●●a loca , atque pessimè à libr●lis habita , restituta , & nostris annotationibus explicata , publico , jamdudum exhibuif●emus , nisi dulciffimae patriae intesti●ae tu●bae paratam editionem praevortissent . deus malum , quod immi●e● averruncet . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} b rhodes also taken by 〈◊〉 , an. , cum t●i●emibus , & hominum . * renascentibus bonis literis religionis eti●m {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} contigle m.d.xvii . lather● per g●rmaniam leo●i●● indulgenti●s impugnante . conradus graserus . * matth. . . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} mar. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . * some refer this to the statue of adrian the emperour placed in the temple , and ●●ken away from the 〈◊〉 by those iews who escaped from the destruction of the city by 〈◊〉 . see s●idas in {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , &c. a quo ●e●pore incipient pii contradicere impierati antichristianae quae t● ▪ ad tempus a liqued perdurabis , verùm ita , ut semper ●int●uturi pii , qui se oppon●n● voce , scriptis , martyri● et sane usque ab hoc anno ad hanc 〈…〉 , & 〈…〉 nam circa an . pet●archa qui obiit taulerus qui ob . ● . wi●●●fus qui ob . . caeperunt in os contradicere antichristo romano . alsted . cl●●nol . tit. . sect ▪ b su●duc annos mille , relinquitur a. ch. epocha millenarii apocalyptic● 〈◊〉 a●●●●d . c perhaps the number is false printed . in the edit ▪ . ( which i use ) it is 〈◊〉 ● . * this word t●raphim , observe ●it by the way for them , who meeting with it in this , and other places , know not what so make of 〈◊〉 which by the 〈…〉 , they here 〈…〉 theod 〈…〉 by the same 〈…〉 which they expresse 〈…〉 the high priest ▪ had in 〈…〉 of iudgement . 〈…〉 of what was to come . moses blessing the holy tribe 〈…〉 syris . cap. . theodor . in locum . hac quidem zo●● 〈◊〉 i attributerunt ●i 〈…〉 . propheti● autem ae●e●norum bo●●rum continet promis●●onem , & omn●● gentes cognitur●n 〈…〉 . * so symmachus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . but aquila & theodo● . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} a chosen language . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} sym. mat. . . as well the old iewish church , as the christian , beleeved that elias should be the fore●unner of the day of iudgement as appears by tertull. de 〈◊〉 . cap. ● . as iohn was fore●unne● of christs ●irst coming , so elias of his last . the iews talk idlely of restoring his soul to his body . what need that , seeing he was taken up into heaven with both ? therefore tertullian 〈◊〉 anima , cap. . saith elias shall come , 〈…〉 , de quo non est exemptus , sed mundo reddendum , de quo est translatus . quod ut ver● 〈◊〉 divinitus dictum ; saith the learned ios. scaliger . * de considerat . evangel lib. cap . theodoret in his own language ( not yet printed ) out of the m. of the publike lib●ary in oxford is this : {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . paulo post . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . where by the way take na●ion , that in this ma. s. the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : hosea , hab 〈◊〉 {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} mit●● , are theo 〈◊〉 : the {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} upon the other vii are theodoret . when at the printed la●ine of 〈◊〉 gillius ( whose translation alsled made use of ) they all go under theodorets name . and yet which i wonder at ) the inscription of the gr copy in the beginning of the book is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} i owe the transcription to my learned and worthy friend 〈◊〉 henry 〈◊〉 of oxford . see d' frideaux , orat. de vocations iudeorum . sect. . concerning this place . * reade , were hardned {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} out english interpreters as well as others , confound these verbs {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} and {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ●ut none of the ancients , exci●●su●●● ( whose authority , as learned men know , in many things is to be suspected ) use {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} for 〈◊〉 . see 〈◊〉 ● . . rom. . * either alsled forgot him●self , or else the printer oversaw the . place in ▪ this number . for that being left out , as it appears it is there are in all but lxv. notes for div a e- philo iudeus lib. {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . see tycho ●r●he● iudgement concerning this life revolution of the fiery trig on which you have in the beginning of this book . esdras . * whither these ten tribes were carryed is at this day a great question . esdras tells us that they entred euphrates by the narrow passages of the river , and so travelled a vast country of a year and halfs journey ; and that the countryes called a●sareth . i finde indeed in ptolemy lib. . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ; a city of the greater {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , not farre from the place where araxes exposeth 〈◊〉 self into the caspian sea : perhaps an israelitish colony . but how all this can stand good compared with a king. . . and geography it self , viderine {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . see doctor reinold de libri● apocryphis , ad locum . bretowoods enquir . cap. . the sibylls ▪ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . the sibylls verse runnes thus , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} — the former verse in tertullians latin is nulla jam delos , harenae sa●●os , ut sibylla non mendax . lib. de pallio , vide ioan. obsopai edit. sibyll . carminum , gr. lat . parisus . alfonsus conradus mantuanus . lucas osiander . matthaeus cotterius . ioannes piscator . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . on the earth io. piscatoris de futura in tertis ecclesie , ●elicitate tractatus {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . theophrastus paracelsus . michael sendivogius . stephanus pannonius . ioannes dobricius . * in serpenta●● de quâ scrip sit ioan keplerus ▪ {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} quem vide , & nuperum item , tractatum apud nos editum nuncius propheticus inscriptum , pag. . petrus molinaeus . notes for div a e- {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . * he shall not finde faith indeed adeo frequentem in cordibus justificatorum , quam natantem in libris hypocritarum , as doctor prideaux orat. de vocat . iudaerum , where he explains this place . sect. . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , secula , ( per enallagen pro {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} ) in this place , as also in the hebrew● , chap . vers . and chapter . vers. . is used for {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , because in hebrew {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} signifieth bat . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . see plutarchs profound and learned book , de defectu o●●cul●rum see for the greek of of these verses in io obsopaeus his edition of the ancient oracles . the book is not now under my hands . * some begin these yeers at christs incarnation , and end them in s●●●ester . some at his passion , and end them in benedict ▪ some at the destruction of hierusalem , and end them in hildebrand , or gregory . which is receptio feutenti● , as d. prideaux {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , orat de gog & magog . sect. . others begin them in constantine the great , and terminate them in b●nisa●t . about the year . cerinthus being a iew , had his fond conceits concerning these years from i●d●isme . yet observe this , that i renaus and tertullian , who professedly wrote of cerinthus heresies , make not any mention of this his opinion to be one . * lib. de haeresious , cap . vide epithanium & ▪ philastrium . * which thousand years of pleasure we no more maintain , then those years mentioned in virgils purgatory . aen. . alfonsus conradus . concerning this seventh millenary , and what the iewes thought thereof , see hierome upon the of esay , and camerarius in alcinoum flitonis ; carpentarius also upon the same dialogue . pag. . * see the stupid 〈◊〉 of the t●rks opinion hereabout in the alcoran az●●●a . and . some rejected the authority of the revelation , because it seemed to favour the heresie of the cerinthians , or chilias●s but here de a●nis nihil corum narratur que cerin●hus 〈…〉 . vbi enim luxus ille : ubi cibus & poius ? ubi nuptie & 〈◊〉 sacrificia & di●sfesti hierusalem agen . saith trem. besides , cerinthus affirmed christ to be begotten at other men ; he denied god to be creator of the world ; he separated christ and iesus , as two distinct persons . et que nescires melius . * see the stupid 〈◊〉 of the t●rks opinion hereabout in the alcoran az●●●a . and . some rejected the authority of the revelation , because it seemed to favour the heresie of the cerinthians , or chilias●s but here de a●nis nihil corum narratur que cerin●hus 〈…〉 . vbi enim luxus ille : ubi cibus & poius ? ubi nuptie & 〈◊〉 sacrificia & di●sfesti hierusalem agen . saith trem. besides , cerinthus affirmed christ to be begotten at other men ; he denied god to be creator of the world ; he separated christ and iesus , as two distinct persons . et que nescires melius . * christoph . angelus , a grecian , whom i have been acquainted withall here in england , some years agoe wrote a book in greek , to prove that mahomet was that antichrist mentioned by s. paul . thes. . under the termes of the man of si●ne , and sonne of perdition . his book is ent●tu●ed {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} &c. i cannot blame the poor greek for thinking so , considering the horrid tyranny and slavery his countrymen live under , being vassals to the great turke , the admirer of mahomet : i rather wonder that there should be found among us learned men , who are ab●tters of this opinion , when as the apostle paul teacheth us expressely , that antichrist shall sit in the temple of god as god ; thes. . . and dominus deus noster papa is a thing taken notice of in the world before yesterday . the xxii objection , it appears , is left out . i know not by what chance , if not by the printers negligence . * {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . v. arislot . analys. post lib. . cap. m. cotterius {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} he alludes to glaucus , changing his golden armour with * diomedis for brasse armo●r , in . of the rhapsody of ho●●s ilias . {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . besides the antients , iustim●n useth it proverbically , p●o●m . f. notes for div a e- concerning elias comming . parvum sed magnae sedulitatis opus . als●edius . sedalitas ▪ notes for div a e- dialog cum tryphone . part of which dialogue so farre south as it con c●●●s the millenary reigne of christ , mr. mede hath bo●h corrected , and illustrated with notes , in the pag. &c. of this wo●k , where hee hath also published the opinions of the iewish doctors concerning the kingdome of the messias . every whe●e in the prophets , as when they say in that day● and e●sewhere in the o.t. a● a●so ●he n. as mat. . luk. . . & pet. . the day of an age , whi●h wee rende● , for ever and ev●r . verse . dan. . . . . . dan. . . vers . dan. . . . notes for div a e- multi ecclesiaricorum virorū & martyrum ista di●erunt , hieron. in hierem . lib. . * lactant. institut . l. . lactantius expresseth this prophecy in virgils verses , changing the order thus , . . . . . . . . . . . . . cerinthius and his followers the millenaries were branded for heretiques by reason of their carnall conceit of a meere temporall felicity : that the earth during these . yeare● should be , not a paradise of spirituall delights , but a stewes of all impure pleasures , and a stage ef libertinisme , not unlike the phantasticall heaven the turkes dreame of . this is also the fond fancy of the circumcised iewes , and our late rebaptized heretiques . * hieron. de vv. m. numerosum antiquorum pa●●●m catalogum in banc sententi●m recenset . the first revolution of the fiery trigon , happened in enco and in the then flourishing estate of the church . the third in moses and the freedome from egyptian slavery . the fifth in christ , and the restoring of us to gods ●avourby his passion . 〈…〉 sabbatismi qu●●da●●●cculta● rationē ob●inet , & praecaeteris peculiare , & magni momenti quid denunciat . tycho brahe d. l. * without doubt he meanes the chapter . vox graculi, or iacke davves prognostication no lesse wittily, then wondrously rectified, for the eleuation of all vanity, villany, sinne, and surquedrie sublimate, keeping quarter in the courts, cities, and countries, of all christendome; for this yeere . published by authority. daw, jack. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : , : ) vox graculi, or iacke davves prognostication no lesse wittily, then wondrously rectified, for the eleuation of all vanity, villany, sinne, and surquedrie sublimate, keeping quarter in the courts, cities, and countries, of all christendome; for this yeere . published by authority. daw, jack. [ ], , [ ], - p. by i. h[aviland and e. allde?] for nathaniell butter, printed at london : . jack daw is a pseudonym. with a title-page woodcut. printers' names conjectured by stc. identified as stc on umi microfilm reel . reproductions of the originals in the folger shakespeare library and the bodleian library. appears at reel (folger shakespeare library copy) and at reel (bodleian library copy). created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - elspeth healey sampled and proofread - elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion vox graculi , or iacke davves prognostication . no lesse wittily , then wondrously rectified , for the eleuation of all vanity , villany , sinne , and surquedrie sublimate , keeping quarter in the courts , cities , and countries , of all christendome ; for this yeere . saepe malum hoc vobis praedixit ab aethere cornix . published by authority . to the gentlemen readers , j wish no worse , then white bootes , and wet weather . gallants , ( and yet i hope no gulls neither ) as on a time i sate musing on the very verticke point of hie-gate-hil , ( with as little coyne in my pocket , and as much cunning in my craneon , as most of our starre-gazers haue ) to make experiment of my skill , if it could reach so high , as to take the iust altitude of the blindmans bottle-ale at holloway . i spied such a cluster of knaues below in the valley , ( like so many danske crowes summon'd on douer sands against a storme ) as that by my astrolabe i began to collect ; that this * yeere would proue intemperate , by reason of an extreame heate in summer ; insomuch that the stones in cheapside shall be so hot , that diuers steeletto-bearded scape-thrifts shall feare to goe from paules to the counter i' th poultrie : whereupon i betooke me to my ephimerides , and erecting a figure , haue found such strange accidents to fall out this yeere ( mercury being lord and predominate in the house of fortune ) that many fooles shall haue full bellies , and cramm'd coffers ; when wise men shall walke vp and downe with hungry stomackes ▪ and emptie pockets : and that many ( who haue newly buried their sires , and leap ▪ t into their lands , before they be come to their wits ) shall this yeere drowne many an acre of their ancestors , in the bottome of a wine-seller ; and burie their * demesnes in the bellies of brothell houses : moreouer , if iupiter were not ioyned with mercurie in a more fauourable aspect , butchers wines should haue little or nought to doe all lent , but ride out of towne with their iourneymen , and prouide prickes against easter : seeing therfore the wonders that are like to ensue this succeeding yeere , i haue taken vpon me ( for the beneficiall content of all my countrymen ) to complie this prognostication , discoursing & discouering briefly the disposition of the foure quarters of the yeere . the ecclipses both of sun and moone , with their dangerous and subsequent effects : by which ( if pisces play not the porter ) many poore men , wanting money , are like to fast on sundayes for lacke of food ; and such as haue no shooes , to goe bare-foot ; if certaine deuout coblers proue not the more propicious : yet astrologie is not so certaine , but that it may faile : and therefore diuers ale-stufft-beleeuing hostesses , may perhaps chalke vp more this yeere , then shall by their customers be wiped out in two yeeres after ; but v. p. for that : monedula capiet muscas , and digest them as easily , as some church-men doe two liuings , and neuer surfet on them neither . now as touching my dedication ; i was at first halfe way suggested to haue cull'd out some church-warden or other for my maecenas , who perhaps would haue bid me once a yeere to dinner , or haue fisted me with forty-pence out of the poore-mans boxe : but in the very rumination on this merry-thought , steps in a good starre , and plainely told me , that cum insipientibus ludere , insipidum est . therefore , with the rest of my weather-beaten brethen , i must needs conclude , that sapiens dominabitur astris . your vnparalleld practitioner in astrologie , i. d. health to all my friendly acquaintance . me thinkes i heare you whisper ( sirs ) that i present you with a piece of beggerie , or conceal'd crauing : and that here i show more wit than 's good : what would you haue me do ? vse citty-fashion ? heard you with braue speaking , and make the nearest show , at nearest breaking ? if pouerty be it , you so much hate ; o pardon that ; for t is the * muses fate . 't is better begge an almes , then fall to * stealing ; and worse to be dishonest , then * plaine-dealing . the hide-bound earth , of all reliefe me barres , i 'm faine to picke a liuing from the starres : and that 's the mightie motiue , which excites me to this attempt . acceptance , full requites me in amplest measure , and contents me best : but ( faith ) i 'm poore : you may conceiue the rest . of the ecclipses that shall happen in the yeere . to the wonderfull amazement of the beholders . if we may credit the authenticall censures of albumazar and ptolomey , about the circumuolutions of celestiall bodies , whose influence doth excitate and procure perpetuall mutability in this lower region : we shall finde , that the moone this yeere shall be ecclipsed ; which shall happen in one of the twelue moneths , and in some one of the foure quarters of the yeere , whose dozen of poynts , as they shall be totally darkened , so the effects shall follow most strange and wondrous . for cancer being the sole house of the moone , doth presage , that this yeere , fruits shall be rauenously deuoured by caterpillers ; as petifoggers , brokers , and flatterers , who feeding on the sweate of other mens browes , shall greatly blemish the beauty of the spring of goodnesse , and disparage the forward growth of all wholesome & hottest hearbes , vnlesse some northerly blast of heauens vengeance , cleare the plants of suc● catterpillers , with a sweeping plague . but cancer being a liquide signe , and cheife water-baylife ouer flouds and streames , it foresheweth , that fishmongers ( if they bee not narrowly lookt vnto ) shall goe downe as farre as grauesend in wherries to forestall the market , to the great preiudice of the poore , who all lent long doe partly relie on the benefit of saltfish and red herring . moreouer , it signifieth , that brewers shall make hauocke of thames water , and put more liquor then they ought amongst their mault ; to the vtter vndoing of certaine red-nos'd ale-knights , whose morning draughts of strong liquor , is a sufficient baricado against cold weather ; a lamentable case , if it bee not lookt into , and preuented by some speciall supplication to the strong coppernation , and worshipfull company of ale-cunners . but in this we haue great hope , that because the effects cannot surpasse the cause , that diuers tapsters shall trust out more in a moment , then they can get in , in a moneth ; and although they fill their iugges with frothy emptinesse , yet for want of true dealing shall they die in the brewers debt . thus much for the watry signe of cancer : and because this ecclipse is like to play vnderboard , and to be little visible in our horizon , though it will haue great operation in it , i passe it ouer with this prouiso to all sea-faring men , that they carry more shirts then one with them a ship-board , left to their great labour they bestow many houres in searching slike-wormes on the hatches . of the ecclipse of the sunne . the ecclipse of the sunne , according to * demogorgons opinion , is like to produce many hote and pestilent infirmities , especially amongst sumners and petifoggers , whose faces being combust with many fierie inflammations , shall prognosticate the scarcitie ( that by their deuout drinking ) is like to ensue of barly , if violent surfets sweepe not away speedily such deuouring maultwormes . there are many also who are like to be troubled with such hote rheumes in their heads , by walking the purlewes , that their haire shall fall off without the helpe of a * barber ; and such hote agues shall raigne this yeere , with strange feuers and calamities , that if sol were not placed in a cold signe , renish wine would mount to ten-pence a quart , before the latter end of august : but some few good and auspicious planets being retrograde , foretelleth , that lemmans this yeere shall be plenty , insomuch that many shall vse them to bed-ward , for the qualifying of their hote and inflamed stomackes . by all coniecturall arguments , the influence of mars this yeere shall be so violent , that here in our clime , great quarrels shall be stirred vp betweene man and man , especially in cases of law : * iustice and gentrie shall conniue with each other , and coine shall out-countenance the iustest cause . the dissentious corid●n shall sell his coate to striue for a straw , and lawyers laugh such fooles out of their liuings , as cannot keepe their seditious spirits from wronging their neighbours . further , there will be certaine fond sects of religion , who are like to pester the common-weale ; as sanctimonious selfe-conceiters , holy * counterfeits , whose profession and practise dwell as farre a sunder , as diues did from lazarus , when he cryed out for water to coole his toung ; these , i say , shall bandy themselues against ecclesiasticall authoritie , and be ready to out-stare ciuill gouernement , were it not that saturne with a frowning influence , did menace them with the strangling euill . but whereas the sunne is darkened but by digits , and that vpon the south-points , it presageth great miseries to southerly countries ; for there shall friars and monkes , so heate themselues this yeere with confessing of harlots , that their crownes shall grow bald of their owne accord , to the vtter impouerishing of all barbers . many braue spirits , this yeere , and men of high merit , shall be so well respected , as that for their magnanimous atchieuements , they shall be recompenced with a * belisarian almes , and haue the eyes of their reputation , popt out by the infectious fingers of enuie and base neglect , and so cast out of fauour , as vnworthy of humane societie . furthermore , let me not omit this remarkable obseruation , that this ecclipse affordeth vnto me : for this yeere there shall happen some strange births of children , produced in an hideous and formidable shape , as thus : some children shall be borne , that when they come to age , shall not know their owne fathers : others shall haue their fingers of the nature of * lime-twigs , to get most part of their liuing with fiue and a reach : some shall be borne with feete like hares , who shall runne so swift , as that they neuer shall tary with any master , but trudge from post to pillar , till they take vp beggers-bush for their lodging : others shall haue noses like swine , that there shall not be a feast within a mile , but they will smell it out : but this is shroudly to be feared , that some women this yeere shall be borne with two tongues , to the terrible griefe of those that shall marry them , thundering in their furie such * rough-cast eloquence that * knaue and slaue , shall be but holy-day words to their husbands ; dropping as fast from their litigious lips , as oathes doe from the chaps of a cholericke cooke , against a long sermō , ( frying in his own grease ) when his ioynts scorch , and are ouer roasted : of which ranke or range of men i must confesse , that some of them are already profane enough , if they could but once leaue * swearing . and whereas this fearefull ecclipse doth continue but an houre and an halfe , it fore signifieth , that this yeere , womens loues to their husbands shall be very short , and in some so * mutable , that it shall scarce continue from the church doore to the wedding house : and that hens , capons , ( geesse especially , ) and chickens , shall be banisht from poore mens houses ; and be faine to flie away with spits in their bellies to fat churles tables , whose panches iutte foorth like an aldermans dining roome , or king harries codpiece , in the tower , with bumbasting them with delicious viands . many other effects are to be prognosticated in the subsequent predictions ; giue me leaue in the meane season , to lay in this caution between my countrimen , and this wonderfull ecclipse : * let such as haue cloathes enow , keepe themselues warme , for feare of taking cold ; and i would wish rich men all this winter to sit by a good fire , and seldome to goe to bed without a cup of sacke , and that so thickly qualified with sugar , as they may not grow rheumaticke . let them take ease enough , and feed daintily , then no doubt , ( consonant to the learned iudgment of albumazar ) they are like to liue as long as they can , and not die one houre before their time : but in speciall , let them take this premonition along with them ; that they be drunke twise aweeke , and then ( vnder pretence of taking * physicke ) lie yawning two dayes after to euaporate the excesse of a surfet ; no matter , though the poore caitiffe lie staruing in the streets without respect or pitie . and thus haue i led you through the adumbrageous ecclipse of the sunne . a prediction of the generall disposition of svndrie conceited qvalities , incident vnto mens minds and natures throughout the foure quarters of the yeere , . by the merry influence of the planets , with some other tragicall obseruations , comprised vnder each separated reuolution . of winter . vvinter , the sworne enemie to summer , friend to none but colliars , chandelers and woodmongers : the frost-bitten churle , that hangs his dropping nose still ouer the fire : the dogge that bites fruits , and the waste-good , that fels wood ; the vnconscionable binder vp of vintners fagots , and the onely consumer of burnt sacke and sugar . this kinsman to death , furtherer to sicknesse , and brother to old-age , shall not put foorth his hoarie bald-pate in this climate of ours , according to our vsuall computation , vpon the . of december , at the first entring of the sunne into the first minute of the signe capricorne , &c. with much more such fustian futilitie , then euer any reasonable man could truly vnderstand ; but take this from me , as an infallible rule , that winter beginnes , when * charity blowes her nailes , and is ready to sterne , yet not so much as a drowsie watchman will lend her a flap of his freeze gowne to keepe her warme : when * tradesmen shut vp shops , by reason that their frozen-hearted creditours exact more for dayes of trust , then they are able to raise ( and play the knaues too ) out of their commodities so taken vp : when the price of sea-coale riseth , and the rate of poore mens labours is pulled downe : when euery chimney or rather tobacco pipe vomits out smoake , but scarce any doore opens , to hurle out so much as a marrow-bone for a dogge to breake his fast on : when beasts die for want of fodder in the field , and mens * bellies cry out , who are ready to famish for lacke of food in the citie : when the first word that a punke speakes at her ingles comming into her chamber in a morning , i pray thee send for some fagots ; and the cold comfort a lawyer heates you withall , is to say ; what will you giue me ? when gluttons blow their pottage to coole them ; and prentises blow their nailes to heate them : and lastly , when the * thames is couered ouer with yce , and mens hearts caked ouer , and crusted with cruelty ; then may any man boldly sweare it is winter . but let vs wade a little further into the fountaine of infallibilitie , and then shall we find , that winter this yeere , ( being the first astronomicall quarter , according to my coniecturall computation ) whatsoeuer ptolomee sayes , beginnes sooner with poore men , then with rich ; and so graunted ; by the malignant influence of saturne , whose constellation maleuolent , portends ; that such as haue no money nor credit , shall want coles and wood , and be faine to beate their iawes one against another with cold , while your old peny-fathers sit and toste themselues by the fire . and by reason that this winter will beginne , when sol makes his entrance into the degree of capricorn , that hyemall solstitial signe foreshewes , that the bakers basket shall giue the wall to the brewers barrell ; and an halfepenny dry , shall do homage to an halfepeny wet . the weather likewise shall be so vnseasonably cold , that diuers for feare of being frost-bit , shall * craftily sit all day at cardes and tables , while their poore wiues and families knocke their heeles , and fast at home for their thriftlesse follies . and for that i find , three of the planets to be drencht in aquaticke signes , as iupiter , mars , and luna , it plainely demonstrates ; that diuers pretenders to good fellowship shall for want of strong taplash , goe sober to bed against their wils . that there shall be coagulated frosts , so as vpon small acquaintance men and women shall creepe to bed together , and some of them lie so long , till they be fetcht out with a beadle , and a basen . that sea-faring men ( if they be not the better prouided of skilful pilots ) shall either sticke in the sands , or split their shippes against the sturdie rockes , and so condemne them to the bottome ; or else loose their goods by pyracie and palliardise . saturne falling retrograde in gemini , shewes , that there shall fall this winter such tenebrous fogges , and stifling mists , that many rich chuffes shall loose their purses by the high-wayes side ; and poore men be so weather-beaten by the vnconscionable craft of * vsureres , that they shall be forc't to beg their bread by the extremity of such extortion : but mercury and venus being congregated in sagittarius , prognosticate ; that for want of faire weather , such as haue but one shirt , shall goe wool-ward , till that be a washing ; and that watermen who want fares , shall sit and blow their fingers , or lie in ale-houses till they be drunke , and then for want of better employment , bast one another with their vnmercifull stretchers . and for that mars , that rugged planet , hath no predominance in this brumall reuolution , souldiers for the more part , though their fare bee hard , yet shall they lie in field beds , and not bee too much molested neither with more money then shall be necessarie : and it is greatly to be feared , that through extreame cold , diuers pooremen shall die not dine , at rich mens gates : pitty shall be exiled ; good-workes thrust out of dores with iack-a-lent , and hospitality whipt out of the country as a relicke of the old religion ; and were it not that some moyst showers of mercie shall mollifie the obduration of the frost , charity , should for want of house-roome lie and freeze to death in the heart of our highest cities . impetuous stormes are this yeare to bee expected , especially in houses where the wiues weare the breeches ; and such loud winds , that the husbands shall be whurld out of dores ; and withall there are like to fall huge hailestones , as big as ioyn'd-stooles , that some shall be sure to haue their crownes crackt , and all through the petulant disposition of venus . but mars shall come in , and play the tall man , who beeing placed in gemini , that gouernes the armes and shoulders ; and he presageth , that sundry tall fellowes shall take heart of grasse , who armed with soure cudgels shall so lambeake their irregular huswiues , that the wind shall turne into another quarter , and so the weather waxe more * calme and temperate . such superfluxe of waters are like to ensue , through this hyemall distemperature , that many bold-braines shall be drowned on drie hills ; and fish , if they could not swim , were in great danger totally to perish . eeles are like to bee deare , if there be few or none taken : but plenty of pouts shall be had in al places , especially in those countries where women haue not their owne wils . now ( patient reader ) in respect of diuers particular circumstances drawne from the quotidian motions , progressions , stations , retrogradations , aspects , and other appointments of fixed and extrauagant starres , i am induced to declare , that such as haue no fire , shall feele most cold ; that wier-drawers and presse-men , if they follow not their worke close , shall feele no great heat ; and that compositors , let them ply the boxe neuer so fast , shall share a great part of extreame cold ; and be * laught at for their labour . the distemperance of this quarter , is like to breed sundry sicknesses as well in yong as in old , proceeding either of vicious blood , or of the superabundance of inordinate guzling ; as * cephalagies , quirimobs , or whimsies in the head , that shall make men so dizzie , as that some shall stagger and stumble vp and down the streets , till they haue stollen a nappe to settle their distempered coxcombes . aches in the shoulders shall bee rife amongst diuers women that haue knaues to their husbands ; and diuers drunken sots shall bee pestered with surfets . maydens this winter shall haue strange * stitches and gripings about the girding place , which diseases principally will proceed , by their situation in supinity : and many actiue men shall bee troubled with such paine in their eies , that they shal not * know their chamber maydes from their owne wiues . now because i find in the ephimerides of heauen , certaine vnluckie , criticall , and dangerous dayes pointed out , whose foreheads are full of plagues , and vnder whose winges doe lurke other dismall calamities , that threaten this region ; it shall not be impertinent , if i open the foule bosome of winter before he passe further , and shew vnto you what contagious maladies do hang vpon him , and harbour within him . i find therfore , that a browne * dozen of ineuitable plagues , shall heauily light on the heads and hearts of this our english nation ; and thus i bring them out in orderly ranke : . the first , is the plague of * pouerty , when a man ha's neuer a peny in 's purse , credit with his neighbours , nor a hole to hide his head in : alas ! how many will lie languishing of this frensie ? how many that haunt bowling alleyes , and fill vp play-houses with their infection ; nay , how many that stalke in the middle-ile of paulcs in indifferent good clothes too , will be strucke with this plague ? it is harder to reckon them , then to summe vp the vertues of a wandring woman which are numberlesse . . the second , is the plague of discontent ; when a husband shall find cold cheare , and hote words , from a scolding wife : many coblers will be subiect to this disease ; yet they will not lie long vpon it , but euery houre be of the mending hand ; marry it is supposed , their wiues will proue worse and worse . . the third , is the plague of contention : when a trauailer hath a long iourney , a tyred horse , and a little money : this plague will meete with many poore yorke-shire clients ; and ( vnlesse they keepe it off with their hookes ) with some welch-men too . . the fourth , is the plague of deceit ; when a man hath fraudulently congested heapes of riches , enioyes it but a while , and leaues a foole behind him to spend it : it is to be feared , that some wealthy citizens , and quirking lawyers cannot escape this plague . . the fifth , is the plague of extortion ; when a man is growne old in yeeres , yet a child in goodnesse ; when his wife is a drunkard , and his daughter a wanton , his sonne a lecher , and his seruant a pilferer : this plague is sure to shake hands with exacting vsurers , and extorting landlords ; but chiefly with brokers , their bodies being subiect to many infections , and their consciences to much corruption . so that it is thought , lord haue mercy vpon vs , will sticke on most of the doores in hounds-ditch and long-lane : and that all people who loue themselues , for honestie sake , will shunne those places , and those persons , whereof but one of them is sufficient to poison a whole citie . . the sixt , is the hote plague of lust : when a maide is faire , and hath no portion ; of ripe yeeres , yet troubled with the greene-sicknesse ; and longs for a husband , yet no-body will haue her . this plague will tickle poore chamber-maids , and though it fall hard vpon them , yet will it not proue so mortall , because they haue a tricke to helpe themselues : it is to be suspected , that some citizens daughters will be tainted too , vnlesse they take a priuate receipt against it , of their fathers prentises : yong gentlewomen likewise would hardly escape , were it not that the gentlemen-vshers , and smooth-faced pages , must stand betweene them and infection . . the seuenth , is the plague of mariage : when a woman possesseth a husband that is very poore , yet iealous : young , yet a cholericke foole . seruingmens wiues ( it is thought ) will turne vp their heeles of this disease ; or if not die , yet lie for it a long time . . the eight , is the plague of debt : when a man hath much to pay ; little to discharge , and an vnmercifull creditour . this plague ( i feare me ) will flie as farre as bohemia , and pitifully pester our english souldiers , who will take more care how to wipe off the rundles in chalke , then to winne a towne from the enemie . . the ninth , is the plague of hunger : when a man sees or smels good cheare , and hath an excellent stomacke , but knowes not how to get it : if any complaine of this maladie , it will be those that are the attendants at a scamling feast , or else , such as walke snuffing vp and downe in winter euenings through pie-corner , yet haue not one crosse to replenish their pasternes . . the tenth , is the plague of prodigalitie : when a man marying a wagtaile , and letting her out to the full length of her owne lust , pride and pleasure ; must thereby be beholden to his enemie , must honour him , that hornes him , yet dares not be reuenged : the tokens of this plague will stand thicke on a number of young bankrupts , who haue had dealing with courtiers . . the eleuenth , is the horne-plague : it will be too common both in court , citie , and countrie : and albeit , it be incurable , yet none can die of it : this aking plague takes a man first in the head , and he must needs sicken of it , that is either a cuckold , a wittall , or a suffragatour . in very many streets ( besides cheapfide and the strand ) will there be houses contaminated with this monstrous disease . . the twelfth , is the fearefull plague of ingratitude : when a man hath much wealth , and no wisdome ; much coine and no conscience ; continuall health , and no grace to returne thankes vnto him that bestowes it on him : when he talkes of god , yet keepes company with the diuell . this plague strikes deepe , euen to the wounding of the soule , and yet stickes by many , euen of the better sort : besides these capitall plagues , there be many boyles , carbunkles , and blisters of impieties , that will lie sucking the bones of common people , which i omit . thus may you discouer a farre off , how sharpe a winter we are like to haue : let vs now make triall if the spring will looke vpon our horizon with a more fauourable aspect , or accorst vs with a more chearefull salutation . exit hyems . of the spring . next enters vpon her cu , that odoriferous lady ver , or the spring , attended with all her attributes of honor : for she is the bride of the sunne , the nosegay-giuer to weddings , the richest hearbe-wife in the world : the rarest gardiner , sweetest perfumer , cunningst weauer , purest dyer , and noblest musitian ; for all the quiristers of the groues are her schollers : this mother of health , physitian to the sicke , surgeon to the wounded ; this daughter of plenty , and sister to sommer , comes not attired in her verdant robes , as by poets and printers she is published , vpon the tenth day of march , after the sunne ( with an herculean vigor ) hath conquered his twelue labours , and like a skilfull charioter ) hath hurried his golden wagon through the twelue signes , ready againe ( as some will haue it ) to beginne his taske afresh , by making his entrance vpon the first minute of the equinoctiall signe of the ramme , whose hornes stand in such an euen proportion a sunder , as that the day and night take them for their measure , and are contented to be of an equall length . shall i tell you then at what signe the spring dwelleth at ? turne vp your eyes and behold ; for by these markes shall you know her , when she comes : when philomele sits singing with a briar at her breast , and the adulterer stands sighing at the thornes which pricke his c●●science : when young teares of repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liueries , and old whoremongers plucke off the vizars of their vices : when the big-bellied earth beares all kinds of flowers , and the * conrts of princes bring forth all sorts of vertues : when gardens beginne to be dressed , and abuses in the church reformed : when lords leaue falsifying their promises , and ladies leaue sophisticating their faces : when courtiers pay their debts , and citizens surcease to sell counterfeit wares : when players turne preachers , and poets cary money in their purses : when lawyers plead without fees , and taylors cary true billes to their customers : when vsurers giue all they haue to the poore , and brokers lend money without pawnes : when vintners doe not mixe their wines , nor tapsters froth vp their lugges : when ostlers leaue greasing of horses teeth , and chamberlaines forbeare to lie with country wenches : when beasts waxe wanton by nature , without violating her lawes , onely to multiply their kind for the good of man ; and when men abhorre to change themselues into the nature of beasts : then , and onely then shall the vernall gates flie wide open ; then may you boldly sweare , it is the spring . but as the * slickest horse may haue the slowest pace , and oftentimes the fairest * brow may haue the foulest body , so this beautifull daughter of old ianus , who is master porter to the twelue moneths , by dealing with some few vnsalubrious planets , is thought not to be free from diseases . a spice therefore of one plague or other , will lie in her tender bones , by which meanes this spring to some people ( especially the french , and i feare the english cannot goe scot-free ) will proue as fatall , and as busie in priuie searches , as the fall of the leafe ▪ the dugges of this delicate young bed fellow to the sunne , will so flow with the milke of profit and plenty ; that ( of all other ) some players ( if * fortune , turned phoenix , faile not of her promise ) will lie sucking at them with their fulsome forcastings , for pence and two-pences , like young * pigges at a sow newly farrowed , for that they are in danger to meet with a hard winter , and be forced to trauell softly on the hoofe . it is coniectured likewise , that in this time of coalition betweene the planets and the earth , lawyers will grow vp so thicke , as that they will scarce liue * honestly one by another ; and most of them shall proue to their clients , as tares to a field of corne : for they shall prosper best when they choake those by whom they were nourished : yet on the contrary side , shall maiden-heads be so scant , that if * two hundred be to be had ouer-night , one hundred ninety and nine of them will be strucke off before the next morning . notwithstanding all this , i finde , that winter finishing with the last grade of the watrie signe pisces , at sols ioyfull progresse into the first degree of aries , then must the spring needs march vp in the next rancke , and shew her face * when grasse begins to sprout , and trees to bud . by which i gather , that this spring will bee very ill for schollers for they shall study much , and gaine little : they shall cary more wit in their pates , then white . ●ney in their purses . * dunces shall proue more wealthy then doctors ; insomuch that sundry vnlettered sots shall scrue thēselues into the ministery , if the prouident care of reuerend bishops doe not iustle them aside . and by the opinion of proteus , * women are like to grow wilfull , and so variable , that they shal laugh and weepe , chide and chat , and all with a breath . butchers shall sell their meate as deare as they can , and if they be not carefull , hornes shall bee hurtfull vnto them : and some shall be so wedded to swines flesh , that they shall neuer be without a sow in their house as long as they liue . this vernall reuolution being naturally hote and moist , is like to be very forward for flowrie fields and blooming trees : and because saturne will reside in his proper mansion , old men are like to be very wayward , and crafty scriueners ( or * knaues , all is one ) shall neede no brokers : vsury , shall be called , good husbandrie ; and men shall be esteemed honest for their wealth , not for their * vertues . and because aquarius must keepe some leuell-coile this quarter , it is to be doubted that many springs of water will rise vp in vintners sellars , to the great weakning of their gascoine wine , and to the vtter dissolution of the ancient order of the red-noses . march beere shall also be more set by , then small ale. out of the old stocke of heresie , it is to be expected this spring , will sprout foorth new schismaticall opinions , and strange sects , as separatists , armanists , with other exoticke niceties and balductum diseases , to the disturbance of the vnity of the church , and disquieting of good mens consciences : but i could wish , that the learned doctor , sir t. tyburne might bee put to that taske , as to confute such vpstart statists , with his rope-ripe conclusions . because cancer will bee busie this spring-tide , it is therefore likely , that the flourishing blossomes of young vnstayed gentlemen , shall bee so vnmercifully annoyed with caterpillars , who shall entangle them in such statutes and recognizances , that they shall cry out against brokers , as ieremie did against the false prophets . besides , though this last winter nipt vp many picke-pockets , yet this spring is like to affoord twice as many ; so thāt at euery * tearme shall bee found an hundred at least in westminster-hall . barbers also shall become poulers of the common-wealth ; and latronicall lease-mongers , pillers of their poore tenants . mercury combust shall so set men together by the eares , that many lawyers shall grow rich , get the diuell and all , no matter * how ; and weare side gownes , and widé consciences ; still keeping their mouths open to call for a feeling , and their purses shut , when they should bestow an almes . ostlers shall steale hay in the night from gentlemens horses , and rub their teeth with tallow , that they may eate little prouender while they stand at liuery : but this i prognosticate against them , that being extruded from humane societie , they shall die in hay-lofts , and that so poorely too , as all their wealth shall scarce purchase them christian buriall . * but let me not hide these secrets from you ( my country-men ) that iupiter , being in milde aspect with venus , discouereth ; which are ; that diuers shall drinke more then they bleed ; that taylors shall steale nothing but what is brought vnto them : that poulterers shall bee stinkingly pestered with rotten egges ; and that butchers dogs shall make libels against lent , for affording no better diet then herring-cobs , for their slabbring chappes . other diseases incident to this quarter , as by astrologicall coniectures i can gather , are these ▪ prentises that haue beene soundly cudgel'd shall be troubled with a sorenesse on their shoulders ; and it shall be very ill for them that haue sore eies to haue sand thrown in them , or to looke against the sunne . this plague shall raigne mightily amongst poore stage-keepers , that they shall not be able to change a groat for a boxe o' th eare . beside , sicke folkes shall haue queasier stomacks , then those that bee sound : and men that cannot sleepe , shall take very little rest : with other accidentall infirmities , which for breuity sake i am content to flurre ouer . a prediction of summer , , now steps in the minion of the yeere , summer : the mistris of the earth , daughter and heire to the spring , and empresse ouer many kingdomes ; whose robes are fields of standing corne ; whose crowne is a garland playted of all varieties of fruites . summer , the poore mans almner , and the rich mans land-lady : the ploughmans goddes to whom he praies , the shepheards queene to whom he does homage : the filler of barnes , the feeder of birds , the fatner of men and beasts , the worlds magazine , the nurse of plenty , the sworne-enemy to dearths and scarcity . summer , that 's the saint , to whom bowyers , and fletchers kneele ; in whose praise , archers send out shouts , and hay-makers mery songs . this red-lipt , liuely-fac'd , rosie-finger'd damsell , comes not by turne to her coronation , on the eleuenth day of iune , according to vulgar astronomicall computation , when the sunne hath fetcht his cariere vp as high , as the first degree of the estiuall solstice ( cancer , ) which is the vtmost declension from the north to the equinoctiall , &c. but i find that she hath forsaken those celestiall houses , wherein she did vse to lie , in her illustrious progresse , and hath taken vp her lodging in sublunarie mansions , from whence she must issue : and these that follow shall be the harbingers , to make way , or the heralds to proclaime her comming . * when our exuberant , though superanuated grandam ( the earth ) shall ( albeit in her dayes of morositie ) be great with child of corne , flowers , and fruites , and be ioyfully deliuered of them ; yet that * vngratefull creature , enriched with reason onely , shall be barren of all goodnesse : when the heate of the sunne-beames begets gold in the veines of the earth , yet gold when it is brought foorth , shall beget a coldnesse in the hearts of men : when riuers shall swell with spring-tides , and the fountaines of learning be drawen drie ; and stopped vp with the rubbish of disreputation . when sheepe hurrie to broad trees , to shroud their carkeises vnder their shades from the wrath of heauen , and when innocencie is protected vnder the wings of greatnesse , from the furie of oppression : when cuckooes sing merrily ; and cuckolds laugh at their owne hornes : when courtiers ride the wild-goose chace ; and farmers stand by , and neuer curse their horsemanship . when haruesters come singing from the field , because their corne is bound vp in sheaues ; and when citizens wiues walke to their gardens , yet bring from thence to their husbands no nosegayes bestucke with columbines : these , and many other like these , are the badges that summer weares ; and neuer comes , but when she puts on these and such like liueries : yet for all this , that originall curse which at first was layd vpon her , shall this yeere . so crush her beautifull structure , insomuch that her lusty and neruall limbes shall grow weake , and her entrailes be ready to drie and rumple vp to nothing , by reason of a strange famine , which shall most vnmercifully feed vpon her . diuers deare yeeres haue crept out of the chronicles of precedent ages , to show their visages to this present time , but the face of this shall looke more grizly then them all . in the time of * edward the second there was such a famine , that horse-flesh then was accounted as dainty , as hares-flesh now ; and fat * dogs snapt vp as fast then , as fat pigs are now with vs at bartlemewtide ; for that oxen and sheepe , and other prouisions , were drawen vp to such an excessiue rate , as that people of the meaner ranke could not reach vnto it . but this yeere , . oxen and calues shall not be sold so deare in smithfield ; men shall be sold as cheape : nay men shall turne * omophagi , and deuoure one another . country gentlemen shall eate vp the industrious farmers : citizens , the country gentlemen : courtiers , the citizens : lease-mongers , their tenants : the diuell , the lease-mongers . the shop-keepers , or crafty-handed men , shall feed on the handicrafts men : lawyers shall swallow their clients , and many of them be suddenly choked , with a bad cause sticking crosse their throats : and vsurers shall cramme downe young heires , as if they were pickled greene geese , or bakt woodcocks . but here albumazar steps in with a crosse-point to counterbuffe mine opinion , and he will needs affirme : that when the sunne hath made his voyage through the germinall signes , aries , taurus , and gemini , and takes vp his inne at the solsticiall estiuall signe cancer , then shall the third part of the yeere , called summer , beginne his raigne : but i positiuely conclude , ( and to maintaine the prouerbe , will haue mine owne saying , ) that * summer beginnes , when the weather waxeth so hote , that beggars scorne barnes , and lie in the fields ; and the night-crowes of saint pancrace-church , build their nests vnder the shades of colman-hedge , or the new found vaulting schoole adiacent . this quarter therefore will prooue so immoderately hote , that diuers mechanickes shall hurle their cloakes into hounds-ditch , doffe their * doublets and damme them in debt-lane ; and walke in their waste-coates and greasie apernes , for nimblenesse-sake , for that they must trudge to prouide a cooling-card for their inflamed liuers . and by reason that the flammigerous , and fire-foming dog-star shall snuffe vp the planets , and with his flaring tong , licke vp the grasse off the tops of hills , parch the corne-fields , seare the low-layd valleys , and dye the face of ceres as tawnie as a gypsies , all tobacco-shops shall smoke for it ; but especially the katherine-wheele , * where ( by the confluence of kind-hearts ) shall be found these three * contentments : great pipes , good tobacco , and gentle vsage . if this yeere , aquarius pisse freely after quaffing , then at the signe of the cerulean-coloured sauage boare , shall , ( this yeere , ) be had for ready money , all sorts of precious waters ; as your aquafrigida , refecta , calida , colorata , limpida , luctuosa , fucosa , feculenta , potabilis , portabilis , vtilis , futilis , bumme , humme , and hawberna : the which hawberna , ( as it is reported by a famous , and fumous * historian ) the great duke of mosco drinkes of , but vpon festiuals : for if he should drinke it daily , the reuenues of his whole empire could not maintaine it . but because that vrsa-maior shall be auspiciously inclined to homogeneall congruity , and similiancie of condition , by his appointment shall * vrsa-minor be vnmuzzled , and blurt out more * light-headed bottle-beare then halfe barbican ; the which being once let loose , will furiously flie in any mans face ; nay , if hee gape , to gallop downe into his guts too : but being discharged , if it happen to bounce or hit against a goodfellowes nose , it will hisse like a snake bathing in the sunne vnder the skirts of a groue , or as oyle poured downe vpon an ouer-heated anuile . bottle-ale likewise shall be as busie as a foolish constable ; and mad-brain'd malt , shall bee ready to doe the offices of a knauish * beadle against meale-mouth'd wheat . of purpose to entertaine the sunnes glorious returne from the antipodes , innocent more-fields shall this quarter bee cloathed all in white : for the shirts of masters , the smockes of maydes ; the smockes of mistrisses , and the shirts of seruants , shall bee there so * promiscuously layd together , that it would almost make a sinner of a saint to behold them : and ( three to one ) if they dare lie so neere together abroad , they will venter to lie closer when they are at home ; as questionlesse they do , when ( being folded vp ) they lie one vpon another : so that this is the forcible occasion , that will stirre vp shirts and smockes to * s ; mell after each other ; or at least wise , shirts to smell after smockes all the yeere after . mercury , moreouer , hath so constituted , that those who are drunke ouer-night will bee drie in the morning : those that be-pisse their beds shall be * vexed with fleas ; and such as want meat , and haue no * money to buy it , shall bee very likely to goe supperlesse to bed . besides , this quarter , great hurly-burlyes are to be expected , and horrible stratagemes like to bee performed : for butchers shall make vnmercifull hauocke amongst flies , and beggers on sunne-shine dayes shall commit monstrous murthers vpon their neuer-ceasing blood-suckers . the assistants like wise of copersmiths-hall shall doe mightie deeds of armes vpon cuppes , kannes , pots , glasses , and blew-anckour iackes ; not giuing ouer the skirmish as long as they are able to stand , or wagge a finger . further it is to be doubted , that because venus soiournes in the house of mars ; that millars , weauers , and taylors , will proue as theeuish , as they are knauish : and maids this quarter will make sillibubbes for their louers so long , till at the length some of them calue with the cow for company . but iupiter in his exaltation presageth , that diuers * gallants shall creepe further into the mercers booke in a moneth , then they can get out in a yeere . if there be such excessiue plenty of cherries this quarter , that fruterers know not what to doe with them , they perchance may fall to sixe-shillings the pound : and costard-mongers this summer shall bee licenc'd by the wardens of their hall , to weare broad baskets on their heads , to keepe them from the heate of the sunne . but libra adust , and retrograde , foretelleth , that there is like to be a league betweene diuers bakers and the pillorie , for making their bread too light ; and the sunne shall be so hot , that it shall melt away the * dropsie consciences of couetous men ; & that by the amorous aspects of venus , residing in the lodge of scorpio , women shall fall so loue-sicke , that ciuill lawyers ; sumners , & surgeons shall feed vpon their sins , and fare the betby them all their life time after ; and besides diuers of these lying spirits shall bee seene to stand in white sheets like ghosts , in churches , of purpose to affright such like offenders . but by the way learne this of mee , that shoomakers will grow so proud , that they shall refuse the name of souters : and the taylor and the louse shall stand so vpon the poynt , in defence of each other ; that were it not , the worshipfull company of botchers haue set down this order ; that he who lies a bed , till his cloathes bee mended , needs not keepe a man to looke to his wardrobe . but amongst all , the * smiths haue exhibited a supplication to the ale-cunners , that he who goes drunke to bed , and assoone as hee wakes i' th morning , dares not carouse a hearty draught next his heart , shall be adiudged to drink small ale for his penance , prouided hee can get no strong . consonant to the variation of this season , shall variable diseases be predominant ; as namely , the * plurisie , which shall so abound in many , that in ill , they shall exceed their patterne , though in goodnesse they fall short of their samplar . fluxes also , and those in poore mens purses ; for they shall be so laxatiue , that money shall runne out faster , then they are able to put in . the small pockes amongst children , and the great amongst * great men : infirmities also in the tongue ; for some shall doe nought but lie , and oftentimes with those they should not . but because wee would not swelt , and waxe faint , vnder the heate of this vnseasonable summer , let vs make haste out of it , and descend to the next quarter , to make trial what benefits that will participate vnto vs. of autumne or the fall of the leafe . avtumnus , the chiefe barber to the right honorable lord annus , that mad shauer of bushes , hedges , and trees : the ragged prodigall that consumes all , and leaues himselfe nothing : the arrantest raggamuffin amongst all the foure quarters , and the most diseased , as being alwayes troubled with the falling-sicknesse , and ( french-man like ) not suffering an haire to stay on his head . this murderer of the spring , this theefe to summer , and bad companion to winter , scornes to come in according to his old wont , when the sunne sits iustice with a paire of scales in her hand , weighing no more houres to the day , then he does to the night , as he did before in his vernall progresse , when he rode on a ram : but this * bald pate will be seene walking vp and downe groues , gardens , medowes , fields , woods , parkes and pastures , * blasting of fruits , beating leaues from their liuings ; and trampling the gawdy garments of his sister , the spring , vnder his feete . by these tokens also shall you perceiue his approach , when the world lookes like the old chaos ; and the ground , like a young prodigall , new shorne by an vsurer : when lust rides to the ba●be , and is at great charge with cornelius to keepe him company : when luxurie flies amongst hen-sparrowes , and brings not halfe the feathers home he carried out : when * whoredome craules along with a staffe in his hand , saddle-sunke nose on his face , and a night-cap , in stead of haire , on his naked scalpe : when bawdes cry out of their bones ; punkes , pray for the morning ; and panders put off their calues with their stockings when they goe to bed ▪ when many great ones cry , oh , with a poxe to them ; and some too , who would be entitled , gentlemen ; shall not be able to lift their armes , to shew them . but all these are the fond fancies of aesoulapius , whose iudgement in these kinds i would be lothe to embrace . therefore mine opinion is , ( and that must cary it ) that this tatterdemalian autumne , ( whom physicians call , the fall of the leafe , and the farmers harnest , ) beginnes to shew his ill-fauoured face , * when co●●e is ripe , and calls to be reaped , and when the sinnes of men are shot vp to that height , as that they cry out for the sickle of gods vengeance to cut them downe ▪ when the issue of the earth are disroabed of all their verdures , and the brood o● man stipt naked of all their vertues : when greatnesse sits pruning her feathers , ( and those borrowed too ) in the sunne-shine of reputation , and goodnesse be faine to lie sculking in the shadow of contempt : when flattery is euery lords fellow in the * court , and honesty is forced to goe a begging in in the country , because the citie will not entertaine her : when cousnage shall foxe-like , be coopt and chained vp in the darke corners of sale-mens shops , and vpon aduantage , be let loose on the buyer , to gnaw out the bowels of his purse , and yet he neuer feele it . when churches shall be empty of sound-hearted professors , and ale-houses cram'd full of * bestiall and pernitious pot-suckers ▪ when murther shall be held but manly reuenge , and the maine act of man-slaughter , made but the light scaene of mans-laughter : when vsury shall be tearmed thrift , and lechery , a tolerable tricke of youth : extorsion , warie husbandrie ; pride , comlinesse ; and drunkennesse , a laudable recreation . when hypocrisie gets on the gabbardine of * sanctitie , to goe to church in on a sabbath day , where he will sit sighing at a sermon , and turne vp his eyes , as though he would shoote them through the churches roofe into heauen ; and being returned home , fals to an vndigested seeming-deuout prayer , and that so lowde too , as his * neighbours round about may heare him : yet neuerthelesse , all the weeke after will practise no worse , then to lie for aduantage , falsifie his promise , filch himselfe drunke , if he can catch it a free-cost , traduce his neighbour secretly , defraud his friend , and then fliere in his face : when children shall fling vp oathes and execrations against the face of heauen , in the streets , and their parents sit laughing at their doores , to heare them so forward of their tongues : when * iustice is so troubled with the palsey in her hand , that when she is to poyze her ballance , she makes a solide cause seeme light , and a light cause , he auie and downe-waight ; and when she heaues her sword , and strikes more out of rage then right ; mad-man like , wounding those that stand neerest vnto her . when the grafs of grace lie starke deaded in the hearts of men , and goodnesse is excluded from humaine societie . these , with a supernumerarie multitude of the same breed , shall bee the vndoubted signals of the fall of the leafe , or rather of the finall dissolution and desolation of this wide , wilde , and wicked vniuerse . but for the nature of this autumnall reuolution , because it begins in libra , i find , that grocers , chandlers , and such like , shall vse little weights in their publike shoppes , and lesser measures in their priuate chambers : that knaues shall weare smockes , and women haue warrens in their hearts , that as fast as loue creepes in at one hole , it runnes out at another . yet leo , being an igniferall signe , foresheweth ; that diuerse men shall weare their teeth longer then their * beards , and some shall be so sunne-burnt with sitting in the ale-house , that their noses shall match like , light a candle . others shall for want of money pawne their cloakes , and stalke mannerly in their hose and doublets . some also this quarter shall haue barnes , yet want corne to fill them with . rie , this quarter shall bee common and plentifull euery where , and knaues shall haue licence to sell it by the mouthfull : and hee that will not spend a penny with his friend , by the counsell of * drinkalius , shall be thrust quire out of all good company for a hoggrubber . it may be doubted , that some vncouth maladies will be obuious & obnoxious this quarter : as hollownesse of the heart , so as one shall hardly know a knaue from an honest man : lingring * consumptions also of the liuer , that diuers men of good wealth shall ( by the perswasion of their kind hearts ) spend all , and die bankrupts : some shall bee troubled with suffocations in their throates , which cannot be helpt , vnlesse brandon the hang man , play the skilfull chyrurgion . amongst the rest , many that haue wiues with faire faces , and soule hearts , shall be troubled with an inuisible swelling in their browes ; a mischieuous malady as incurable , as vnauoydable . some shall be troubled with the stone , and seeke to cunning women to asswage the fury of that disease ; an infirmity easily cured , were it not , that the doctors of bridewell did punish such feminine phisitians by a statute . but the most grieuous disease that is to be feared , is the * cataphalusie ( that is ) when good fellowes ( for want of money ) shall oft times be contented to breake vp company . thus farre haue you heard of imminent plagues , famines , and diseases , that hang in the tumerous clouds , euery minute striuing to burst out , and fall vpon our criminall coxcombes ; misfortunes are not borne alone , but like married fooles they come in couples . now must a ciuill war march at the heeles of these by-past miseries , and in this variable quarter will hee first strike vp his drum at * westminster : who in the beginning thereof , shall lie sicke of a long vacation , and being enraged with the furious operation of this disease , shee buffets her owne cheekes , teares her haire , and would drinke her owne heart-blood in the anguish of her soule . then sits shee like a * widdow in the midst of her mourning ; then doe her goodly buildings looke like infected pest-houses , from whence the inhabitants are fled : then are her chambers empty , and her common pathes vntroden . thus shall the beginning of the fall of the leafe trouble her , insomuch that she feeles the state of her body very weake , and lyable to infirmities : for these canker-wormes , called vacations , corrode her carkasse , and then leaue it in a long and wasting consumption , more grieuous to her memory , then the comming on of a tedious winters night to a man tormented with sicknesse , or a marriage delayed , to those that lye sighing for the delights thereof . but now note with mee , how suddenly the streame of her sorrow is * turn'd another way : for iust in the necke of this , shall come in the meditullium , or middle part of this interchangeable season , and bring her balme to cure her fore-receiued wounds ; and that 's the law , ( which lies in ateuery vacation ) who is brought a bed foure times a yeere , and deliuered of foure sonnes , that is , the foure tearmes ; one of which comes to visite her : at whose first sight , her heart leapes lanolto's in her bosome ; now shall ye see her as * iocund , as a damsell fast folded in the embracements of her louer : now shall her cheekes looke red , with an high and iusty colour , for she will wash them in wines : now shall her tenants sleepe securely , for they will drinke soundly : now dares she talke * any thing , for she ha's the law on her side : now shall her inhabitants bee contented to take crack't crownes , though at another time , they would goe neere to stab him , that should but play with their noses . now shall vintners be as busie , as bees in a hiue ; for as bees flie from one flower to another to sucke out honey , so shall the drawers leape from one hogshead to another to let out wines . in euery roome are the pottle-pots working , to bring in gaines to their master , as the other labour to bring forth waxe for their hiues . the stings which should be placed in their tayles , are brought in their tongues , to those that at the end of cup-emptying , are summon'd to the * barre for a reckoning ; for none but men of reckoning can there be entertained : now the drones , are such , as guzzle downe that , which would doe others good , yet hurt themselues . neither shall tauernes alone fall into this profitable and healthfull sweating * sicknesse : but all other trades , occupations , mysteries , and professions , shal row vp and downe this spring-tide streame of busines : and such good draughts shall they haue , that all shall prooue fish that come into their nets . besides , in the open streets shall be such walking , such talking , such running , such riding , such clapping too of windowes , such rapping at chamber-doores , such ratling of pen and inkehornes , such rustling of buckram-bags , such balling for prouant , such calling vpon shots , and such ruffling of stuffe gownes , that at this time , some shall verily thinke themselues in a towne of warre , and it shall truly fall out so to be . for in the height and heat of this irregular combustion , shall a most heauie , blacke , and bitter * conflict happen ( if the starres doe not gull mee ) betweene lawyers , and their clyents ; and westminster-hall shall bee the field where it shall be tryed out : what thundring , what thumping , what threatning , what mustring , what marching , what baricadoing , what countermuring , what wheelings , what windings , what summoning to parlees , what defiances will there be racketed on either side ? dismall shall this expedition be to some , deadly to others , and ioyfull to a third sort . it is not yet doom'd by the metaphysicall moderators , on whose side the * victory will flie , but by all metempsichosicall coniectures , it is thought the lawyers will carie away the day , be it but with wrangling : for those that goe armed with buckram-bagges , in stead of muskets ; with pen and inkehornes by their sides , in stead of touch-boxes , and shoote nothing but paper-pellets , shall haue those in terrible execution , * who match with blacke boxes at their girdles , and white billes in their hands . and albeit , it goe hard on either side ouernight , or that the one part be put to the worse , yet the next morning , shall there be siding into factions ; * lawyer , against lawyer ; client against client , and all of them endeauour to reassume fresh courage and magnanimity . then shall these men of law march againe into the hall , as it were to the field : the councellers shall be the leaders , atturnyes , & clerkes , petty commanders , and officers of both the armies : the trained old weather-beaten soldadoe's , shall be those that haue followed the law a long time , and by brabbles haue made themselues , and their families beggars : the fresh-water souldiers , shall be those , as were but the last tearme embarqued in the action . in which * march of theirs , if you should but fall in amongst the ranckes , you will presently suppose your selues in the turkish leaguer : for as the souldiers there , so these heere , talke of nothing but stratagems and points of warre . some threaten to ouerthrow their foe-men , vpon assaults and batteries : some ( as if an enemy were to be blowne vp in a cittadell ) sweare to driue them out by way of eiections : others , as if they came to the sacking of constantinople , vpon nothing but attachments , both of body and goods . but because i haue wit enough to keepe my selfe out of gunshot , and to remember an old-said saw , which long agoe i learn't of my grandame , that it is wholesome sleeping in a whole skin ; i will heere leaue them together by the eares * : fight dog , fight beate ; and for me the deuill part them . a briefe prediction of the . months of the yeare . . bvt for i scorne to vndervalue so my skill , as to serue vnder the standard of vulgar astronomy , i should heere lay downe some documents , when to eate hote meates , and when to drinke new wines : but because euery widgin ( that ha's money in his purse , and eyes in his head to stumble to a tauerne ) can doe this without a kalendar , i pretermit it , as friuolous and feeulent . moreouer , i should show you how many followers euery month maintaines , as some thirty , some one and thirty , and one onely but eight and twenty ; because hee is fallen to decay , and therefore keepes but a colde house : amongst which seruing creatures , i should giue you the names of the gentlemen , who are the dominc all letters , wearing red liueries both winter and sommer : but because i would not willingly haue a hand in grinding such base colours , giue me leaue to ayre your thoughts on a nimbler wing , where they shall flye in a high place ; and from whence ( as if you sate in the most perspicuous twopenny gallery of a playhouse ) you shall with perspicacity behold all the partes , which i ( your new-come astrologer ) shall act among the starres ; and thus i begin : the working dayes of euery month , shall not be obserued this yeare , as in times of yore ; by reason of certaine morball infirmities , that are vnauoydably to domineere ouer tradesmen , as the * lazie-euill , the lethargie , and the whiripuffe ; which is , a forgetfull carelesnesse of their owne state : dizzinesse of the pate , ( arising from the fumes of tap-lash ) and the like . for men of occupations shall in spite of order ; or the rules of almanacke-makers , transpose workidayes into the roomes of holidayes : yea , by my fea , and women shall hold holy-dayes in such base contempt , that though their husbands doe then shut vp shops , and lay not abroad their wares ; yet shall the wiues fall close to worke in their secret chambers . diuers grocers this yeare perhaps may breake , for many reasons , best knowne to themselues : but ( if agrippa soble me not ) those apothecaries must haue maine good doings , whose wiues are surpassing ●aire , and their doctors superlatiuely famous for their practick & chance-medley science . this yeare shall religion bee * scoft at , and a deepe scandall struck on the professors thereof : so that holinesse shall bee faine to hide its head , for feare of being branded with that irreligious nick-name of puritan ; and many zealous saints shall not dare , outwardly to shew the fruits of that profession , which inwardly hath taken deepe roote in their hearts , lest they should be snapt vp with the thorny teeth of calumnious reproach . but woe to the world ( cry i ) because of offences : for my better genius tels me , that had it not beene for these moseses , these heauenly stop-gaps , who by their powerfull ejaculations and prayers , haue from time to time , bung'd vp the vessels of gods wrath , it long ere this , had been , in no lesse fearefull manner , then plentifull measure , powred downe vpon this kingdome , to its vtter demolishment and perdition . diuers likewise this yeare , shall surfet in sinne and sensuality , wholly anchoring their hopes on the spanish prouerbe , a roma por todo , at rome there are * ablolutions enow for all manner of transgressions : and so nuzzeling themselues in all sortes of naughtinesse , at last shall dye of the * sardinian disease . o may the sunne of grace so shine into them , that at last they may see ( with melting soules ) the cimmerian blindnesse of their caltginous errors ! and that 's all the harme i wish them . this yeere , shall more newes be coyn'd by the numerous * multitude , in a minute of an houre , then shall fall out to be true , in a million of yeeres : for diuers , out of an ill-season'd , discompos'd , and vn-occasion'd affection , and fanaticall fancie , shall conclude infinite infallibilities . many monster-muliers also of our age , shall lay out large summes of time , about white-liming their cheekes , and blemishing the brightnesse of their creation ; beginning their worke in their beds betimes in the morning , and ending it at noone a little before the cloth is layd : so that i may iustly take vp this spanish prouerbe ; and ( if i dare come neere them , for feare of infection ) hurle it at their impious impudence ; that these painted * puppets , the more curious they are about their faces , the more carelesse they are about their houses ; the reparation of the one , being the ruination of the other . the losse of memorie , or the lethall euill , shall ceize vpon them that shall goe drunke to bed : but to those who recluse themselues in counters or other places of deere reckoning , because they abhorre the vanities of the world ; and to those that shall be swinged with french-birch , or be strucke with a gentleman-like disease ; the curtallest day in winter shall seeme more tedious , yea , and indeed shall produce more * wearisome houres , then s. bar●abies day , which nature ha's decreed to be the longest in the yeere . the sundayes ( as if it were bissextile , or leape-yeare ) shall be by a number leaped ouer , so that a filme of sensuality being drawne ouer their eyes , they shall not for foure , fiue , or sixe moneths together , be able ( by the aduice and helpe of those that make the best waters , to recouer eye-sight ) to see a church , but shall be struck with such megrimes , and vagaries of the braine , that in stead of going to church , they will ( if my cunning faulter not ) stumble into a tanerne . the dogge-dayes will all this yeere rage twice a weeke , and that very furiously ; but their forest out-rage will be about the beare-garden . the rising also and declination of the sunne , shall be so miraculous ; that albeit , it shine neuer so brightly in our horizon , yet there shall be certaine persons ( and those close fellowes too ) that shall not haue power at high-noone to behold it . the moone also shall be so various in her influence , that as well men as women shall be as mad in all the rest of the moneths , as in that of midsommer . the setting vp of a * whorehouse this yeere , shall be as common , as the setting vp of a trade , yea , and shall passe vnder that name . for a stock of two beds and foure wenches , shall be sufficient to put a madame pimpernelle into present practise , and bring them into reasonable doings . in these shops of the world , the flesh , and the diuell , many soules shall be set to sale , and bodies exposed to shipwrack : for men and women there shall as * familiarly goe into a chamber to endanger one another on a flock-bed , as into a tauerne to make one another merry with wine . but giue me leaue ( my little sweet sinfull citizens ) to season your dis-rellisht palates with this saucie counsell : that when you are mis-led with lust ( that will-with wispe , ) to those caues of cockatrises , gather your selues within this thought , that notwithstanding you seeme to suck coole and supple blandishments from their * moist-warme tongues , yet are they but like sampsons foxes , and carie fire in their tayles : i meane , when you are hurried with the heat of concupiscence to any of those limbo-patrums , and are at poynt of entrance , then start backe , as from a bed of snakes , or as you would doe from a house , where a red-crosse affronts the vpper post of the doore , and be sure to recall this ancient adage into your memory ; quicquid agis , prudenter agas , & respice finem : the which for the lesse-learneds benefit i conster thus : on what exploit soeuer you venter , be first well aduis'd , and remember the end . for this is probatum , whosoeuer rides long on the belly of lechery , shall be sure at last to be hurl'd at an hospitall gate . on st. lukes day is there likely to happen such a confusion of caterpillars at cuckolds-haven ; as that this yeere there shall not die one scricant ; and yet in all the . wards of london , shall there be scarce one honest man found aliue of that claw-back faculty . drunkennesse this yeere , shall turne * machiauell , and play the polititian ; for though shee cannot haue lycence to keepe open-house on the sabbath-day , and get her full swinge , to out-stare the lam , to reele & ramble out of euery tipling-schoole ; by reason of some wholesome inhibitions conceiued against her irregularity ; yet will she in the midst of diuine seruice , slily filtch her selfe into the tauerne vnder a church-wardens gowne ; where she suddenly will sacrifice more pence in pintes of sack to her spoungie lungs , then shall be after the sermon , distributed to the poore of the parish ; and at her comming soorth , shall wipe her iudicious chinne with such a compos'd grauity , as if shee had beene searching those nests , for some birds of the same feather . the gouernance of scorpio , this yeere , shall be so flammigerous ; that court-bloods shall so boyle in their burning bosomes ; as that the most monstrous or manlike lady of them all , shall be glad ( not withstanding her stilletto ) to runne behind the arras ( perhaps you will thinke , of purpose to be found there ) to hide and preserue her chastity from their vnresistable fury ; but in this jumbling * combustion , poore chamber-pot wenches shall be sure ( how ere the game goes ) to goe to the walles ; where , to cry out , will be bootlesse , for they shall bee put in no stronger hopes , then to bee vsed without pitty , vntill the storme be layde and ouerblowne . poets * who are vertues crutches , and keepe life in the dying world , this yeare , shall bee in a poore case : for if they bee but taken napping with * good cloathes on their backes , and store of money in their pockets ; they shall presently be apprehended by the citties anniuersaries , and clapt into the chronicles : but to preuent this danger , i hope , that opus and vsus , their two daily companions , will continually lye knocking at their chamber doores , to keepe them waking . proh dolor ! hinc lachryma ! very few foot-men this yeare shall purchase land : for that in the course of their liues , they commonly are vnstayed fellowes , and most an end , carry running heads . this is likely to be an heauy yeare to poore * porters too : for though sundry commutatiue differences fall betweene marchant and marchant , sale-men and countrey-chapmen , with other like accidentall occurrences ; yet the porters must beare the burthen of it ; and by the helpe of * pattence shall carry it away willingly : and besides , for that they are generally reputed , men of the best vnder-standing , they shall this yeare be trusted with the weightiest matters of the common-wealth . trumpetters , of all other men , this yeare , had most need to carry aqua-vitae bottles at their girdles ; and the reason is ; for that they are most subiect to sounding . and as for common fidlers ; they shall scrape out a poore liuing out of dryed cats-guts ; and many of them shall this yeare be troubled with abhominable noyses and singings in their heads , insomuch as the most part of them shall dye beggers ; or at the best , as bare as their cloakes , or a base vyoll vncased ; and those that suruiue , shall often feed on melody for want of better meate . and wheras the ecclipses of this yeare shall be farre remote from the signe pisces , it shewes , that there shall bee much stinking fish at belinsgate ; and that queene-borrow oyster-boates shall carry more knaues then honest men : but let fish-wiues beware , left most of them this yeare , proue not insufferable scolds : yet because pisces is a signe that gouernes the feete , they shall weare out more shooes in lent , then in any . moneths besides throughout the whole yeare , and get their liuing ( liking the wandring * iew ) by walking and crying ; because they will rayle against pye-corner , and call her , the foule-fac'd fulsome slut of the citty . i should heere vnlock the casket of my knowledge , ( hauing well nie forgot ) and lay open some rarities concerning * players : but because the cōmon-wealth affoords them not their due desert ; and for they are men of some parts , & liue not like lazy drones , but are still in action ; i am content silently to referre them to three sublunary felicities ; which are these : a faire day , a good play , and a gallant audience , and so let them shift for their liues . but now haue i an horrible monthes minde , to cut through the mayne of the . monthes , in a particuler successiue order : but the glasse which time ha's lent me , being not fill'd with many howers , i will hoyst sayle , and onely discouer sixe of them , and then cast anchor . behold them therefore at hand , how they come frisking in single file one after another , like so many morice-dancers , ( my selfe being the hobby-horse ) and euery month wearing in his cap , in stead of a feather , foure vnhandsome holesome rimes ; conformable to the fashion of our neo●ericke prognosticators . and thus heare the foreman of the morice deliuer his speach . ianvary . this mon'th drink you no wine commixt with dregs , eate capons , and fat hens with dumpling legs : whether it bluster , sleete , hayle , freeze , or snow , be sure , that from the fire you doe not goe . the first day of ianuary being raw , colde and comfortlesse to such as haue lost their mony at * dice at one of the temples ouer-night , strange apparitions are like to be seene : marchpanes marching betwixt leaden-hall and the little conduit in cheape , in such aboundance , that an hundred good fellowes may sooner starue , then catch a corner , or a comfit to sweeten their mouthes . it is also to be feared , that through frailty , if a slip be made on the messengers default that carries them , for non-deliuery at the place appointed ; that vnlesse the said messenger , be not the more inward with his mistris , his master will giue him ribrost for his newyeares-gift the next morning . this day shall be giuen many more gifts then shall be asked for : and apples , egges , and orenges , shall be lifted to a lofty rate ; when a pomewater bestucke with a few rotten cloues , shall be more worth then the honesty of an hypocrite : and halfe a dozen of egges of more estimation , then the vowes of a strumpet . poets this day shall get mightily by their pamphlets : for an hundred of eleborate lines shall be lesse esteemed in london , then an hundred of walfleet oysters at cambridge . be not proude my nimble pated mercuries : you that send forth your pamphlets flutt'ring about the city to fetch in crownes : for ere this yeares semicircles meet , ( if i ouershoot not my skill in astrologie ) * latine shal be set at a lower rate , then a lobster ; and * greeke stand begging in paules with a paper on its brest , as a punishment , that it should be so presumptuous , as to begge with an heathen tongue , in this our iewish nation ; and all this , long of a malignant aspect of some pursie planet , that had rather heare an oxe of his owne lowe in his pasture , then a scholler declaime of hospitality in his larder . the . . . and . of this month , to begin the new yeare thriftily ; he that ha's any businesse of import abroad ; the first thing he do's , must be sure , first to rise in the morning , before he goe any whether . for though albumazar and ptolomee talke of these circumstances , yet my bookes * warrant me ; that about soper-lanes end , ( heauen keepe printers from thence ) these dayes early in the morning , if you set sixe double ribbes of rost-beefe , with bread and drinke sutable ; ere a sergeant can goe to paules to say his prayers with a sound conscience , will be no more reliques seene of the rost-meate ( i trow well ) then is at this day of great illium . the sixt of this month ; if your businesse aske not much hast , it will be better going by land then by water to brainford : and being like to be colde and a close skye , better putting into an * alehouse at putney , then to wing against winde and tide without a tilt-cloath to richmond banke . about sixe a clocke in the morning ( the tide seruing well at queen-hiue ) he that sups not ouernight , and lands at the court with purse and stomacke empty , vnlesse hee finde some friend to comfort him , sixe to foure , he could finde in his heart to venter the stealing of the guards chine of beefe : which thing to doe , would be an herculean taske , considering the great fire-forke so neare , and so many sharpe shauers at hand , champions for the beefe and the bombard . this day about the houres of . . . . . and . yea in some places till midnight well nigh , will be such a massacre of spice-bread , that ere the next day at noone , a two-penny browne loafe will set twenty poore folkes teeth on edge : which hungry humour will hold so violent , that a number of good fellowes will not refuse to giue a statute marchant of all the lands and goods they enioy , for halfe a crowned worth of two-penny pasties . and if on this night there bee neuer so much masking in the strand , cheapside , holburne , or fleetstreet , yet it is to bee thought , ( propter sympathiam ) there will be as hote reuels without torch-light , in * white-friers , turnbull , field-lane , &c. at noone dayes , as you shall finde at antwerpe in lepwel-street , or london in peticote-lane . for the residue of the dayes dispositions of this month , i finde they will be conformable to the former , and farre different from that , which our annuall prognosticators shall foretell of them : therefore lest my pen should freeze to my fingers ends , i will abandon the company of this clumzy-fisted gray-bearded ianuary , and leaue him to blow his nayles . febrvary . if thou hast store of cash , drinke muskadine , and chuse a young wench to thy valentine : for shee that 's queasie , ouer-worne and olde , can make no musicke in a month so colde . febrvary fill-dike : an olde saying and a true ; for it is like this yeare to fill dike , i can tell you , but not fill dickes belly : for according to the course of astrologie , the charity of men will refrigerate extreamely with the weather ; both being as colde as the harrowes bottle-beere was the last yeare on christmas euen , which warm'd me at the heart , like the croking call of a carrion constable at midnight , abetted by his barbarous bill-men to encounter me . twenty seauen of these . dayes , men , women , & children , are like to fill the ditches in some countries , & make poore cabbins in high wayes , for want of warmer stowage , long of a swarme of cruell caterpillars , that * cormorant-like shall swallow the patrimonies of the widowes and fatherlesse , who disburse no more beneuolence at their doores , then comes from the poore , out of the backe gate of the sauoy . but that i am a prognosticator and no preacher , ( my small honest friends ) i could else render you some sauory sentences out of holy writ , against this hardnes of heart , contempt , and couetousnes , that might perhaps moue you neuer a whit to amend : but because you care as little for sermons as almanackes , and all one , i will leaue you to your idolatry , who haue seen more angels on earth , then euer you shall see in heauen ; ( vnlesse you repent ) hang me else ( vsurers ) and let me lacke no rope . to the ninth day of this month , such will be the sharpnesse of the weather for the most part ; that it will be as good walking in a fur'd gowne , as in a doublet cut vpon starke naked : and as good dining well in a matted chamber , as dialoguing with duke humphrey in paules . this day will be such stormy weather in westminster-hall , that some through the fulnesse of griefe , and emptinesse of purse , will goe nie to burne his capcase , & be glad to take . groates de claro for his gray-maro . the . . and . dayes , such a slaughter shall be cōmitted in east-cheape , st. nicholas shambles , southwarke , & smithfield-barres , that for . weekes and vpward , some one or two carnifices in those corners , are like to doe penance , & stand all day vnder a white sheet , selling that for two shillings , that they might well affoord for . pence ; if they did not pay some . markes for a license : which indeed forceth the fishmongers take vp this colde complaint , and say truely : licentiâ sumus omnes deteriores ; and wish wisely besides , that such patents did not proue patent oppressions ? but now stand off ( my friends ) giue roome i say : for here must enter that wadling , stradling , bursten-gutted carnifex of all christendome ; vulgarly enstiled shroue-tuesday , but more pertinently , sole-monarch of the mouth , high steward to the stomack , chiefe ganimede to the guts , prime peere of the pullets , first fauorite to the frying-pans , greatest bashaw to the batterbowles , protectour of the pan-cakes , first founder of the fritters , baron of bacon-flitch , earle of egge-baskets , and in the least and last place , lower warden of the stinke-ports . this corpulent commander of those chollericke things , called cookes , will shew himselfe to be but of ignoble education ; for by his manners , you may finde him better fed then taught where euer hee comes : for he feedes fulsomly on nothing but flesh , of purpose to empty plenties pallace , to fill the dirty draught ; and deuoures with delight , onely to impouerish heauens bounty , and quite eraze the race of rost-meate . by the reuolution of the starres , this is also infallible , the signe being in pisces ; that fishmongers shall sell more fish in sixe weekes this yeere , then in sixteene after easter : by which i diuine , that he that makes his dinner with red herrings on a sunday , would be * glad with all his heart of a loyne of veale , to close his stomack ; which because he cannot so conueniently cate at noone dayes in new fish-street , i wish him to the barres in smithfield , or a little beyond , where for money he may haue flesh at all times of the day . from the . to the . of this present moneth , what weather soeuer comes , ye shall at all times of the day finde such good customers in paules , that for three single yards of sattin , will seale with you to a * recognizance of an hundred pound howsoeuer : but it is to be feared , mercury being predominant , that a day or two before the day of payment , one march blast will blow them to virginia ; who when once being gone , you shall finde a measure of hercules foot , as sufficient , as their obligation euer after . for the residue of the dayes of this moneth , if the snow fall but a foote thicke , are like to be seene such formidable monsters , beares , lyons , elephants , and vnicornes , in cheapside , cornehill , fleetstreet , and paules-church-yard , that some shall not dare to put their heads out of doore , or walke the streets for feare of snapping : others , shall gather vp on credit , as much as they can , and then take ludgate for sanctuary : nay , and i feare me too , that the proudest astrologer of vs all , shall not dare to * venter by the poultry gate ; lest he should be ceaz'd on , and hurried too into a gulfe , where he shall see nothing but miserie charactred on the naked walls , lowzie lodging , and men walking vp and downe like affrighted spirits in purgatory , crying out on conscience , and cousnage , their continuall companions . dij talem terris auertite pestem . march . walke warme within thy chamber or thine hall ; march not too fast , lest thou doe catch a fall : and better is the dust ( when windes doe rise , ) to lie beneath thy feete , then in thine eyes . march , my books say , is this yeere like to be wet and windie . the . . . . and . day , such weather , that if it rayne a pace , it will be better and dryer going in thames-streete in a payre of liquor'd neates-leather bootes , then in a payre of spanish leather pumpes : and farre worse marching ouer hownslow heath without a cloake , then with one . the . . . and . dayes ; if it powre downe-right in the after noone , it will be as good tarying at an honest alchouse , and take impost , as going to a bowling alley , and loose euery bet . the . . and . if the clouds swell , and tend to skuds , though it thunder not aloft , yet sixe to foure , once ere night , it will so thunder in turne-againe-lane , that the * fish-wiues will fight a combat with belins-gate playce : whereof this yeere shall be such stinking store , that a man had better hang them at his backe , then put them in his belly . till the . of this moneth , the weather will be so raw and raynie , that neuer a merchant , metcer , grocer , draper , fishmonger , goldsmith , haberdasher , skinner , salter , iron-monger , or vintner , but had as lieue deliuer for ready money , as for dayes , to the best chapman , courtier , or customer he hath : and moreouer , will arise such gales of pestiferous gusts , that not a physitian , or chirurgeon in the towne , but had rather haue a rich man to his patient , then one who hath neither money to giue in earnest nor in ieast . the . . and so to the end of this moneth , you can guesse as well as i , what weather will happen : marie this i finde in many moe authors , then either you or i haue euer seene or heard of , that he that hath not his * rent ready some one of these dayes , being the last of march ; may perchance hop without his house in aprill , vnlesse happily his featherbed reprieue him , and his land-lord freely and friendly giue him leaue to lie in the straw , till the day of redime come on . a few flawes are like to fall the latter end of this moneth ; which foule weather , if it hold , will keepe some so fast in the counter , as that without an habeas corpus , or a better comprimise , they are not likely to walke abroad in hast . as for thunder and lightning , you shall be sure to haue more store this moneth , at the fortune in golding-lane , then in graues-end barge , or in westminster-hall , in a long vacation . aprill . aprils softshowers , as ancient authors say , bring in and beautifie the flowres of may : whether thy doublet be or thicke or thinne , t is better to be warme , then wet to'th skinne . aprill showers bring may flowers . this is as true as february fill-dike : and indeede if showers fall fast in aprill , it is like enough that some bodies money and gold will bee cleane washt out of their purses ere may : for the . . and . day of this moneth , a shoulder of mutton will then be in as good request , as at any time of the yeere before or after . the . or . and sixt , shall be many more suites of apparell worne , then will be payed for : and more money * bestowed on fat lambes in eastcheape , then will be giuen to all the poore betweene the tower and westminster . the . . . and . young men shall waxe so couetous , that they shall seeke to ceize on all the prety wenches they can come by ; and old men so lusty and wanton , that a wealthy widdow shall be better welcome vnto them , then a pure poore virgine , that ha's ne're a penny to her marriage . batchelours wiues , and maydens children in these dayes are like to be well taught , and more seeming-friendship to be had in an house of transgression for a french-crowne , though it be a bald one , then at belins-gate for a boxe o' th eare . the . . and . shall be much deluing with spade and pick-axe , amongst gardeners : but this i must tell you , that not one pot of gold so found or taken vp , shall euer be drawne in question at the exchequer , or come into the cryers mouth at * alders-gate . and if peraduenture one or other with his mattocke hit vpon any such mischance ; if hee repaire the ruines of some church with it , presently hee forfeits his eye-sight , and ten to one , will lacke money , ere hee dies , to buy his dinner . from the . to the . the weather shall be so variable , that he who lies in lud-gate , and becomes a close fellow , shall not weare out so many shooes in a day , as a foot-post will doe in a whole twelue-moneth ; and those that lye encountred , shall be sure to haue a dry house ouer their heads , when their creditours ( perhaps ) goe dabbling vp and downe in the durt : but for that venus will be in coniunction with mars , it presageth ; that many a sturdy knaue-ostler will be busie with the * kitchin-maid in the manger , while their mistresses siluer whistle keepes time to their trench-more . about this time , new playes will be in more request , then old ▪ and if company come currant to the bull and curtaine , there will be more money gathered in one after-noone , then will be giuen to kings-land spittle in a whole moneth . also , if at this time , about the houres of foure and fiue , it waxe cloudy , and then raine downe-right , they shall sit dryer in the galleries , then those who are the vnderstanding men in the yard . in the rest of this moneth will be such moisture stirring , that if some doe not looke warily this spring to the english rheume , it may chance turne the next fall to the french — p. in the last quarter , * widowes that follow their husbands howling to the church , will drill such showers of sorrow from their eyes , as that ere the buriall banquet be fully ended , they will be more then halfe sped of fresh bed-fellowes . for the stormes , showers , gusts , flawes , and changes incident in this moone , i might set downe a more : concise discourse , if i could tell how : but let this satisfie , that in this moneth , many ca●aclismes will fall in the bottomes , flats , and low grounds , that will bring foorth such fruit in february , as will goe alone with a little helpe within forty weekes after . may. to islington and hogsdon , runnes the streame of giddie people , to eate cakes and creame . which is farre wholesomer , with sugar in , then in the durt , to wade vp to the chin . may is the merry moneth , and may not be put beside his iocund humour : yet on the first day betimes in the morning , shall young fellowes and mayds be so inucloped with a mist of wandring out of their wayes , that they shall fall into ditches one vpon another , and there shall the young men lie for a little while , not being able to stand , while the maids after their downe-falls , being astonied , shall rise sooner then they would doe . yet in the after-noone , if the skie cleare vp , shall be a stinking stirre at picke-hatch , with the solemne reuels of morice-dancing , and the hobbie-horse so neately presented , as if one of the masters of the parish had playd it himselfe . against this high day likewise shall be such preparations for merry meetings , that diuers durty-sluts shall bestow more in * stuffe , lace , and making vp of a gowne , and a peticote , then their two yeeres wages comes too , besides the benefit of candles ends , and kitchin-stuffe . this day shall be erected long wooden idols called may-poles ; whereat many greasie churles shall murmure , that will not bestow so much as a faggot-sticke towards the warming of the poore : an humour , that while it seemes to smell of conscience , sauours indeed of nothing but couetousnesse . from the . to the . day , he that liues to see them , shall see more broken heads at cudgels vnder the zenith of london , then angels or french crownes in the poore mens box at ludgate . and within the compasse of these dayes , shall there happen such a tenebrous obfuscation of the sunne , that in all great britaine shall you hardly discerne a common horse-courser from an arrant knaue . as for taylors and millers , such shall be their conscience , that worke mercury neuer so mightily , they shall steale nothing , but that which is brought vnto them . the residue of this pleasant month , will bee congruous to the sweet season , onely it will be somewhat bleake in the mornings , which will so coole the hospitality of many a country-gentleman , as being in hope to buy fowles better cheape in st. nicholas-shambles , then kill them with his owne hawkes , he will leaue his bayliffe , and his dairy-maydes to multiply together at home , and either sojourne with some cittizen , for the loue of his wife ; or keepe a garden-house , and a fresh wench , some-where about the suburbes . ivne . take heede of tossing balles vntill you sweate , and to be swelted with vnkindly heate : yet though the time serue , you your sheepe may sheare , t is better haue good cloaths , then none to weare . the . . and . of this month , the weather is like to be● so inconstant in disposition ; as that he who ha's made an ill bargaine at algate , shall repent him twice , ere he come to charing-crosse . and painters shall proue the craftiest corporation in the citty : for whatsoeuer businesse they take in hand , they shall finde some colour for it . the . . . and . if the weather proue faire , many mens eyes shall be so dazeled with the illustrious coruscation of the sun-beames ; that they shall meete a * taylor in the street , and take him to be some knight : and presently after meet a knight , and thinke him to bee a gentleman of some noble descent . about this month's . . and . shall diseases raigne powerfully in this realme , and especially the swelling-euill ; insomuch as diuers fat gorrell-gutted churles , shall haue golden tumors and tympanies in their purses . but if they be long let alone ( an hundred to one ) some one or other of them will neuer see wel , till he be sheriffe of his shire , or haue bought his neighbors house ouer his head for a fauour . beggers at this time shall be no choosers , vnlesse it be robin-hoods choyse ; either this or nothing . brewers also shall by exchange , take vp money out of the thames without bill or assurance , and turne water into double beere , without miracle . hackney-men this month , shall be prodigiously planet-strucke : for hee that takes sixe shillings for three dayes hyre of a curtoll ; may happen neuer to set eye of him , till his tayle ha's attained a seauen yeares growth : such kinde * customers shall they meete with , this faire weather , that because hay and horse-meate are deare , they will giue them the running of a nag or gelding all their life-time for nothing . till the . th of this month of iune ; the weather is like to shew so serene a browe ; that watermen shall rowe in their shirts vp and downe the riuer : and he that plyes a man at paules-wharse , with his cap in 's hand for a penny ; shall be as ready to out-braue him in scuruy tearmes , the next day on the banke-side , or the beare-garden , as if he were a gentleman of fiue hundred pounds land per annum . the . . and . of this month , will be good shearing sheepe , and better owning them . these dayes , it is to be doubted , that gentlemen and wealthy countrey-chuffes , will so fleece their poore neighbours , that twenty tenements shall flye at once into one manner-house , and a goodly large common transformed to a parke , for cumbring the parish . these dayes the ecclipses chancing in cancer , sole house of the moone : colliers , smithes , blacking-boyes , armorers , and chimney-sweepers , are like to weare the foulest faces in the citty : and ladyes , landresses , and curious sempsters , the fairest hands . &c about this time of the yeare , will be farre better rising to prayers then at st. andrewes-tide : and st. antlins church better filled at sixe in the morning , then in february or march at hye noone . in this season the weather being as faire as it will be , an ambling nag shall be as easie for an olde man to ride on , as an hard trotter : and he that is perplexed with an ague , shall bee more desirous to keepe his bed , or the chimney corner , then to backe a great horse in a scottishsaddle . schollers likewise shall be kindely entreated , the rather , for it is the latter end of the quarter ; and tutors as ready to receiue quarteridge , as reade logicke lectures to their pupils . the . . and so onward to the end of this month , though the weather shall be extreamely hote , yet shall satin bee as faire wearing as sackcloath ; and a perfum'd leather ierkin , as good as a payre of sheepe-skin breeches : veluet , though it weare best in the winter , shall bee farre dearer then buckram ; and silke-stockings not so good cheape , as linnen boot-hose . about these dayes , if the lyons in the tower roare , as they were wont ; a seaming-lac'd shirt , and an open-sleeu'd doublet , shall be bought cheaper for ready money , then vpon lackadandies bond ; though it bee sealed with his wooden stump at the wrastling place . in this moneth , let graues-end barge looke to her fraight ; for lie the windes neuer so low ; if there be neither lowse , nor flea , knaue , nor drab ; thiefe , nor whore in it , it will sinke betweene wapping and woolwich , a noble to a groat . for posting betweene douer and graues-end ; howsoeuer the tide fall by day or night ; the softer you ride , ( the sooner i will not say , ) the safer you come to your iourneys end . and this i can tell you ; though the weather towards the latter end of this moneth be neuer so hot ; yet hee that lies in the bottome of the thames two houres together , were as good bee on the temple-stayres starke-naked , with an hundred pound of his owne in a bagge vnder his arme . the two last dayes of this moneth , will be as good a time to lay a furr'd gowne to pawne as in any season of the yeere ; vnlesse it be to be vsed for a greater exigent , as to bribe a sergeant , so to euolue out of a more intricate danger : then ( all excuses set apart ) pawne gowne , or whatsoeuer , according to the old aduerbe : better suffer a mischiefe then a conuenience . now at the close should i lead you vp into those spangled pallaces aboue vs , and shew you two and twenty thousand starres , and tell you the names of them all ; then bring you into the planets banquetting-house , where you might behold their glorious magnificence : but because they are ( like bad tenants here below ) alwaies remouing , i know not where to find them : the sphaeres harmonious conglomerations , &c. but some wiser then some , therefore for these trifles , i referre you to the reading of doctor dondolo : onely take this decurtate conclusiue prediction along with you for a parting blow , as touching obnoxious accidents : that it will be farre better for the bodies and purses of men to drinke bottle-ale moderately , then claret , or sacke excessiuely : and farre worse for a woman to receiue a thumpe o' th backe with a stone , or a pop i' th eye with a sticke ; then haue a messe of white-broath , or a iowle of fresh-cod to dinner . lenuoy . thvs farre ( my capricious construers ) haue i guided you , by the slender twist of my cackling skill , through the labyrinth of this busie season of sixe monthes : so that by this time , i doubt not , but you are substantially instructed in iacke dawes dialect ; which is , ( suting to the garbe of all vs astrologers ) to prattle much , to little purpose . therefore , lest my too-much chattering should pester the eares of patience , i will now take wing , and flye from out this contagious climate , into some solitary and sacred place ; where ( after pruning my infected feathers ) i will re-edisie my towzed nest , and there carefully hatch vp the other sixe monthes ; which shall be fledge and ready to flye the next tearme , or neuer . but heere suppose me to speake spanish ; or promise quousque and meane to performe vpon aduantage . till when , i hopefully conclude , to haue left behind me such an euident demonstration of my vnparaleld practise in starre-staring , as shall induce the both meanest , and most iudicious , to say ; that ( well fare his chaps ) — mouet cornicula risum . oionisma : or a cox-comicall prediction of this succeeding yeares production . . ( * ⁎ * ) ovt of high selfe-conceit , i forth could chatter , such monstrous omens , as it makes no matter , to winne a windy reputation from phlebean breath , as ( * wisely ) haue done some ; and so tho turne-key draw vpon my backe : but i haue wit enough to keepe my ● clacke , and not ore-swell my bankes ; as did that flood , who soyl'd his purer current in the mudde of scandall ; whose foule stigmaticke deepe shame , was strucke so home , as 't will out-last his name . i cannot cogge , though i can talke non-sonse ; maugre eaues-dropping slye intelligence : for who faines truth vnto a false intent ; may some sharpe vlcer play on 's fundament the spanish-panin ; or else the english horse of wood , dis-mount him , and stop 's natures course . heau'ns blesse the king : and god good-speed the plough : if corne be plentifull , wee's haue enough : if 't chance to raine or shine ; or both , or either , we shall be sure t' haue foule , or else faire weather . if flatt'ry be sent packing from the court , falshood i' th citty , shall in truthfull sort then stuffe each shop : when good-things come , bad flye ; if fish want water , they must needs be dry. if fruitlesse strife , the countrey doe dis-ease , then lawyers must ( its fury to appease ) take fees a both sides . this i dare presage , that the cleare sunne ne're look't on such an age of vntam'd badnesse , as will take's carreere quite through the circle of this sequent yeere . i am not yet excentricke ; i know how to scrue vp vice , and vertue to allow . but to all knaues this mostly will appeare ; that fooles had ne're lesse wit , than th haue this yeare . would i had crownes ▪ enow : i , those for mee ; one thousand and sixe hundred twenty three . and no more . some faults haue scap't : such faults good-men can mend : the printer's faultie : for t' was truly pe'd . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e * producing more wonders then plato's mirabilis annus . * quae malè parta , malè dilabuntur . notes for div a -e * hen quanta poeta patiunturt * yet viro esurienti , necesse est furari , saith suidas . * appare quod es , aut esto quod appares . aug. notes for div a -e * a learned author in the antipodes . * the pockes ▪ a sharpe shauer . * muli se mutuò scabunt . cic. * white deuils . * date obolum belisario , quim in●●dia , non ●utpa caec●uit . * polypus , quicquid tetigit , tenet . diog. * caninam sacundiam exercent . salust . * no better hopes of a scold . aquad pu●ice non postulanda . * a bad custome , hardly left . * mulier lun● mutabilior . * no worse counsell giuen , then i would be content to take my selfe . frustrasapit , qui sibi non sapit , eurip. * too common a shift in these times , to couer the rich mans excesse . notes for div a -e * charitas laudatur , & alget . * payd in their owne coine ; for malo herclè ▪ vestro , tam versutè vi●itis , plaut . * molestus interpellat●r venter , plaut . * a hard time for watermen . * aleator , quanto est in arte peritior , tanto est nequior , syr. * quicquid sclet nocers , ide●● solet docer● . * qui infiniti● aucup●js emu●gunt pecuniant . * post nubila , ph●bu● . * stulti fortunati mis●r●s co●temn●●t . * catching diseases , that spare none who come in their vvalkes . * a malady as vnauoydable , as incurable . * wilfull misprisions . * twelue strange plagues to happen this yeere . plague of pouerty . * animi generosi neruos egestas execat . plague of discontent . plague of contention . plague of deceit . plague of extortion . plague of lust . plague of marriage . plague of debt . plague of hunger . plague of prodigality . the horn-plague . plague of ingratitude . discription of the spring . reformation of bad manners , is the propagation of a good spring . * o 〈◊〉 * s●pè dissident ab animis gratu●antium vultus . * atterá ●anu ●ert aquam , ulter● , ignem , plutare . * praestat fortunatum , qu●● sapere . * aurisacra fames , quid non mortalia pect●ra coget ? virg. * but one step lower then impossibility . * lust , like death , sweeps all before it . * an infallible signe of the springs approach . * rebus immanis , ordine nullo , fortuna regit , spargitque manu m●nera c aeca pejora fouens , sen. * plent , rident , sapiunt , insaniunt , &c. * error ex amore , non ex more . * quarenda pecunia primum est , virtus post numnos . horat ▪ multiplicity of sects , dangerous to a state. * read me a riddle , what 's this ? * si l●●nina pelli● non suffi●ie , vulpina add●nda , zenod. * wonderfull euents premonstrated . discouery of diseases . description of summer . * entrance of summer . * non est dig●●● dandis , qui non agit grates pro datis , greg in morall . * holinshed cum multis alijs . * o quantum cogit egestas ! * homo homini lupus . * an infallible rule to know when summer beginnes . * cantabit v●e●us coram ●●●rom pota●●r . * an honest man , is his owne praiser . * contentus in pace bibere ▪ * radulphus brutus . iseldonius . * or ; the white beare . * because stopt with corke . * sic figulus figulum , sic faber fabrum odit * a fearfull confusion to happen this summer in moore-fields . * citizens , old smel-smocks . * optimum est pati , quod cmendare non potes , sen. epi. . lib. . * feras non culpes , quod vit●ri non potest . * semelenbidi , decies pallidi ▪ suidas . * qu● plus sunt pota , plus sitiunt●r aqua . * necessary impositions on pot-hunters . * in omnibus rebu● magis offendit nimium , quàm parùm , cicero . * cum magnis , magna cresennt . notes for div a -e description of the fall of the leafe . * dominatur vt in grege taurus , liu. quod non potest , vult posse , qui nimium potest . * dominatur vt in grege taurus , liu. quod non potest , vult posse , qui nimium potest . signes of his comming . * lust , it s owne punisher . * true entrance of autumne . * exeat aula qui vult esse piu● . * vbiregnat ebrieta● ▪ ibi exulat ratio . * quod simile vero est , pess●mum est mendacium , quint. d●cl . . * aliud palàm agere , aliud clam , dedecet probos . plin. lib. . * qui scel●●is parcit , o●nes perditum it bon●s , salust . * monstrum horrendum , informe , ingens , quo crinis ademptus . * one of the learned doctors of the labour-in-●ains . plutus claudus est , cùm accedit , cùm recedit aliger . lucian in timone . an vncouth malady neuer knowne before . * strange calamities to ceize on westminster . * proh dolor binc lachryme ! tem●ora temporibus mutantur tristia laetis : succedunt ●ummis , gaudia sun ▪ ma malis . character of her excescessiue ioy . quid non ? description of a well-custom'd tauerne . qui bibit , solua● , is tauerne law . morbus vtilis , non eget medicamme bono . tanto be●●o , innocens , ac noxius iuxta cadit . tacit. lib. . anual . cap. . palma in medio posita est , accipiat qui potest , terent. weakest goe to the walles . lis lit●m parit , phocylid . en quo discordia ciues , perduxit miser●● ! virg. * tutissimum in portu nauigare . * wonderfull maladies amongst tradesmen . * mockers of religion , are in the high way to reprobation . * gr●ale a frier in the fist , then liue as you list . * a disease , of which many dye laughing . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phocyl . que la muger , quento mas mirare la cara , tanto mas destruye la casa . annulus arctus , non gestandus , pythag. * an intollerable liberty in a christian common-wealth . * consuetude vim naturae obtinet propter vetustatem , cicero . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . binis fidibus con●t , aristid . non omnes qui habent cytharam , sunt cytharaedi , nar. a paradoxe . aliud agit , aliud simulas , cic. lust , lawl●sse , absque vata ● auda virtus , manca● ▪ orbis gloria , syn. epist , . * haec rarò aus nunquam . q●isque portabit onus . patientia asininum onus , saith a spaniard . read trundle , in his . tome of the wandring jew . * qui b●na , bon● ; mala malo redduns . disposition of january . * one being asked , what his opinion was of gaming , thus replyed : hee that looseth , looseth heauen , and hee that winnes , winnes hell. * quo fata trabunt , retra●untque sequamur , virg. * fat●●● cuiq , quid fleat , quid ●●●dea . sen. prou. tant● quisq● i●tus amplius stultior , quanto o●natur exteri●● , sapiens videri . greg. testudo 〈◊〉 tegumen tut● est . luc. libido nullo loco excluditur . quis metus aut pudor est v●quam proper axtis ●●ari ! description of shroue-tuesday . * esurienti ( lu-po ) ne occurras , thcocrit . cùm maximè fallit , bonus vir videri vult . semper plus a●●nus metuit , ignorans 〈◊〉 . caninam facundiam exercent , salu●● * pecuniae sunt necessariae , sine quibus n●●●l rectè geripotest , demost . . olynth . * nullum bonum est , quo quis male non vtatur . * fortuna faue●●atuis . * sinon castè , ●●men cautè . * no more pity to see a widow weep , then to see a goose go● bare-foot . * cit● ignomi●ia fit superbi gloria , sy r. omnium super●ia , procedit ex sui ignoratione . difficulter r●●iduntur vitia , quae nobiscum creuerunt . seneca . criminis medidicina princeps ipsa poenitentia , arrian . a tricke of legerdumain , called deceptio visus . fallere fallentem non est fraus . * according to the opinion of all astrologers . notes for div a -e sc●ptic● . qui nescit tacere , loqui nescit . the vvord of god, to the citie of london, from the lady eleanor: of the earle of castle-haven: condemn'd, and beheaded: aprill . . &c. eleanor, lady, d. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing d ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing d estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the vvord of god, to the citie of london, from the lady eleanor: of the earle of castle-haven: condemn'd, and beheaded: aprill . . &c. eleanor, lady, d. . [ ], - , [ ], - , - , [ ] p. s.n.], [london? : printed in the yeare . place of publication conjectured by wing. signatures: [a]⁴ a² b⁴. text continuous despite pagination. reproduction of the original in the trinity college library, dublin. eng castlehaven, mervyn touchet, -- earl of, ?- . prophecies -- early works to . a r (wing d ). civilwar no the vvord of god, to the citie of london, from the lady eleanor: of the earle of castle-haven: condemn'd, and beheaded: aprill . . &c. douglas, eleanor, lady c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the vvord of god , to the citie of london , from the lady eleanor : of the earle of castle-haven : condemn'd , and beheaded : aprill . . &c. luke , . and some of you shall they cause to be put to death , &c but there shall not a haire of your head perish . printed in the yeare . the vvord of god to the citie of london : luke evangelist the . from the lady eleanor : . to confirme it out of the mouth of two witnesses : the time of your vissitation , as formerly out of the old testament . ( of kings . &c. ) a signe given of the resurrection at what time it is reveald by the times paraleld . so here is one out of the new from a parable : ( luke the . ) witnesses the same , concerning when our saviours returne not fare off . as when thought then the kingdome of god was neere : or immediately should appeare . vvherefore of the very yeare of god . april . thus what then came to passe no inferior token or signe of it , as witnesse such a one , &c. and he said therefore a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdome , and to returne . and cald his ten servants and gave them ten pounds , &c. as moreover in what reign followed that , needs no more date but this . but his citizens hated him , and sent a message after him saying . we will not have this man to reigne over us . and thus proceeding on , as it were with the ten commandements , then came the first saying , lord thy pound hath gaind ten : and said have authority over ten cities : and the second came saying , lord thy pound hath gaind five : and he said also be thou ruler over five cities . and another came saying , lord behold here is thy one pound , that wrapt up in the heavie handcherchifeor napkin , which amounts to anno dom. . aprill . and so three of them come to their last account too , the earl of castle-haven first : one as evill requited by his family , as reputed free to his followers , and accounted just to all and charitable , &c. so farther for explanation of this peice of substraction and addition , saying lord he hath ten , whose reply was : that unto every one that hath shall be given and from him that hath not , shall be taken away that he hath . vvhen he said or gave command , take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten , where besides the aforesaid yeare of god the mistery thereof as manifested , also refers to a certaine principle so distastfull to his majestie , the parliament saying he can receive no losse : that hath nothing of his owne , or to that purpose . and so much added concerning these words , how he shall be recompencd so evill a steward of his lords money : that from him that hath not : ( notwithstanding ) shall be taken away that which he hath . accompanied with that voice of the present reigne : bring them forth and slay them before me mine enemies . and farther more to bring this home to the time : though in no small hast passing on with great brittains progresse or story in this of the . of luke &c. when he wept over that hard harted citie vissited in that manner , comming neigh bethphage and bethania , &c. which also drawes neere great brittaine , as shewes the things belonging to their peace hidden from their eyes , saying withall . jf these should hold their peace when peace in heaven proclaim'd and his comming , very stones would not be silent , but liken'd to a womans travell , would immediatly cry out . and thus having denounced their heavie sentence vissits the temple , to purifie it , casting out those making their markets there , as no newes is refullfild with us . and as this cleare and out of question this parable or portion of scripture , directed to our dayes where the faithfull rewarded with so many cities ; and the like , so evident likewise where that publican pardond , ( luke , ) saying salvation was ●ome to his house , bidden to make hast , &c. the very true portrature of him , his ●astie departure or death . the sonne of ●ld ancient abraham also : the house of audeley no obscure one , though one much envied , and such a one then come of no sodome seed , but like isaack rather sacrified , who as he sufferd for the misdemenors of an unrulie houshold sufferd by him , laying on him their faults , so had the honour to have this added . to suffer between those two the one cleering him at that houre , affirming for that fact whereof the earle of castle-haven was accusd by his wife ( such a wicked woman ) he was as innocent as the child new borne . though by the other an impudent idolater not cleered , calling out upon saint bennet , but cursing the said earle , wishing him and all his generation except his sonne hangd and damnd . and now sirs you of this honourable citie as you have heard these : shal● adde a word of his majesties atturney generall that day after they had heard the●● examination ( falne to a low ebb of what was expected ( saying my lord . you see this odious crime , and therefore you must be curious you admit of no mittigation , who came short of this first promise . that his majesties intent was like god to shew mercy , who from fifty did come down to ten when he interceeded for sodom . and so what the prisoner answered to them : when his majesties chaplins came and told him the king had a gracious purpose to alter the manner of his death . and that he should be beheaded like a noble man : replyed he should esteeme that haulter which should draw hj m to heaven before a collor of pearle or the like . and for the gallowes likewise that should bring him to his saviour and redeemer that dispised not the crosse for him ; and so much for him a man of a meane stature too , who clmbed that tree at tower-hill , when as a like no little throng or presse : a peere of two kingdomes a noble man here , a prince or earle in jreland , whose estate sometime inferior to none . and thus stands forth like that noble zacheus cal'd by his name to come downe . the earle of castle-havens confession . in the name of god amen . i mervin , earl of castle ▪ haven being in my full strength and memory thankes be given unto my maker , having been branded and openly accused for chang , alteration , and doubtfullnes of my faith and religion . i thought fitt like a christian man to give satisfaction upon what grounds i stand for my beleife , and to expresse it under my band for the satisfaction of all charitable people and christians . first , i doe believe in the blessed and glorious trinity , three persons , one eternall and everliving god , god the father , god my redeemer , and god my sanctifier . i doe relie upon the merit , death , and passion of our blessed saviour christ jesus , and upon his mediation for the remission of my sins . i doe believe and use with most humble reverence our lords prayer , the creed of the apostles and the tenn commandements , as they are set downe and allowed in the church of england . i doe believe the canonicall scriptures and that they are written by the inspiration of the holy spirit . i doe beleive the booke of common prayer , as it is allowed in the church of england , to be a good for me in those dayes for the service of god and to use the same , and for the rest of my beleife i doe referre it to the true orthodox faith of our church of england . and from the articles received at this present in the church of england , and confirmed by authority of parliament , i doe not differ in any point , renouncing all the superstitions and errors taught or beleived in the church of rome or any other church , in which faith i will , god willing continue to my lives end in testimony whereof i have hereunto subscribed my hand this first of may . castle-haven . ljkewise of whose letter , makeing bold to shew the beginning thereof : when without mercy castaway : how well resolv'd he was , who had such ill luck at one and thirty . reveale o daniel , j send thee . farewells with thankes for thy letter and advice . but j am bound for nineveh : and having bidden tarshish farewell . not fearing death , j doe not desire life . castle-haven and for more manifestation of what nature this unnaturall strange trespasse . whereof this man mer : lord audeley was accusd , his undeserv'd death is referd to geneses . judahs sonnes er : his eldest , and o n an his trespasse : and how the lord slew them both : with her disguising : putting off her widowes garment , with child by whoredome , tamer travaling with twinns those sonns : with that ominous scarlet , or red thread bound , &c. and therefore shall but name them , the contrivers of it . ann his wife , and his brother ferdinando : the one for envie , she being an heire , and such a notorious one , ( o ann ) the other a perverted papist wanting no malice : wherefore to cut him off , some time gone that way astray too : but recald himself , no aspertion was held too soule for him . and for saving her honour an adultresse by promisd preferment , a page and a fo●t man was brought forth : those vvitnesses rewarded in their kind , condemned out of their owne mouths , like sillie sheep for their labour : who came against a peere of two kingdomes , as broadway by name , charged with that breach made on her : the other one fitz patricke , or o donel a very vagarant : accusing himselfe of o nans uncleannesse or trespasse with his lord . vpon his oath beleev'd , which had never received the sacrament , or at least but one kind before him ; that thrice tooke it upon his death and one never heard to have an oath come out of his mouth , that in that kind he was not guilty , never intending to reserve oathes to that purpose to make himselfe forsworne before his death . and so much for those twinns or fellow-servants . themselves falling into the pit dig'd for another , though guilty of that : as much as those babes then born ; yet worthy of no other , witnes out of their owne mouths . therefore the executioner , or man-midwif , as the one helps them into the world , be others out of it : this work though sooner dispatched , where jrelands heavie blow at hand inclusive in these . and after came his brother with the red thred , &c. also farther for the time of the yeare , about sheep-shering time or s. georges feast : as times circumstance requisit , when it came to passe of the lord keepers giving sentence ; keeper of the great seale , made lord high steward . that judge , judah like in this , though not acknowledged , condemned one , more righteous then himselfe . yet discerne j pray you whose are these , the signit or seale , the staffe , or white rod , and bracelets or color , of what office these are the ensignes . and more over how it came to passe with him , behold his own brother sir ferdinando touchet what end he came to , that day twelve moneth in the morning at the same houre his brother was condemn'd , how he dyed suddainly , which had polluted his owne nest or house , the just hand of god displeased : this unnaturall brother , in a house of office or the like , stroke● dead coming but from the tennis on holborn hill , without any servent with him . this o nan ready to be torn in peices before the breath out of his body : some their hands in his pockets ; others for his clothes , was found thus by his servants which came to aske for him . thus rewarded as they no other deserved : jvdas-like , rather then of judahs race or kind , ( luke . ) in betraying him betrayed by friends and bretheren so openly : mervin lord avdeley , of the manor of straw-bridge , which never suspected or did know that the vvord to be of his house , or appertaining to parsonages and tithes , that mat. . thou knewest j reap where j sowed not , and gather where j have not strawed . vvhere although the arch b. of canterburies burying his lords money ( as it may well be no little or hidden of that kind in the earth ) with the loosing of his head also tyed up with that napkin or kircheife : the one gone to his owne place , little-ease or esaus rest . the other a cheife peere , though his hard hap to loose his head first , yet neverthelesse in abrahams bosome or paradice , as his saviour saying i come to save that which is lost , luk. . as when the ancient of dayes his returne shewed there , so referd to malachi , shall come as a swift witnesse in judgement , against adulterers , & adultresses and false swearers , and for tithes that robery and the like . for yee have rob'd me , &c. so come lord , and cut off such an evill time , deferre us not . finis . as these farther the summe and substance of the matter , shew'd in luke the . and mat. . when the day of judgement immediately followes , like as those servants three of them , no obscure ones doubtlesse to their account called then . so lastly with the earle of castle haven betrayed , and his sentence : follows theirs as slow . the earle of strafford deputy , &c. and the arch bb. vvhich could plead no ignorance , as referd to his own mouth . those traytors , for evidence of the end so long waited for . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- ( anagram . eleanor audeley . ) an history of apparitions, oracles, prophecies, and predictions with dreams, visions, and revelations and the cunning delusions of the devil, to strengthen the idolatry of the gentiles, and the worshipping of saints departed : with the doctrine of purgatory, a work very seasonable, for discovering the impostures and religious cheats of these times / collected out of sundry authours of great credit, and delivered into english from their several originals by t.b. ; whereunto is annexed, a learned treatise, confuting the opinions of the sadduces and epicures, (denying the appearing of angels and devils to men) with the arguments of those that deny that angels and devils can assume bodily shapes ; written in french, and now rendred into english ; with a table to the whole work. bromhall, thomas. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : or : ) an history of apparitions, oracles, prophecies, and predictions with dreams, visions, and revelations and the cunning delusions of the devil, to strengthen the idolatry of the gentiles, and the worshipping of saints departed : with the doctrine of purgatory, a work very seasonable, for discovering the impostures and religious cheats of these times / collected out of sundry authours of great credit, and delivered into english from their several originals by t.b. ; whereunto is annexed, a learned treatise, confuting the opinions of the sadduces and epicures, (denying the appearing of angels and devils to men) with the arguments of those that deny that angels and devils can assume bodily shapes ; written in french, and now rendred into english ; with a table to the whole work. bromhall, thomas. [ ], , [ ] p. printed by john streater ..., london : . "the epistle dedicatory" signed thomas bromhall. index: p. [ ]-[ ] at end. imperfect: copy at reel : has many stained pages. reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -- controversial literature. supernatural. prophecies. spirits. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an history of apparitions , oracles , prophecies , and predictions , with dreams , visions , and revelations . and the cunning delusions of the devil , to strengthen the idolatry of the gentiles , and the worshipping of saints departed ; with the doctrine of purgatory . a work very seasonable , for discovering the impostures and religious cheats of these times . collected out of sundry authours of great credit ; and delivered into english from their several originals , by t. b. whereunto is annexed , a learned treatise , confuting the opinions of the sadduces and epicures , ( denying the appearing of angels and devils to men ) with the arguments of those that deny that angels and devils can assume bodily shapes . written in french , and now rendred into english . with a table to the whole work. london , printed by john streater , dwelling in well-yard , near the hospital of s. bartholomews the lesse , . to the honourable , the lord cholmley , lord viscount kell , &c. my lord , i should in the first place ( if possible ) anticipate your wonder ; when these rude lines shall plainly salute you , defender and protector of their innocencie : since i , who have thus preposterously run them , am not so happy as to be known to your honour . i shall therefore humbly take leave to declare the grounds of this my presumption ( for i dare not call it otherwise , unlesse by your permission ) . the first is , your unbounded goodnesse ; to which i am relatively obliged , and much acquainted by the frequent commemorations of my nearest relation , whose father had the happiness to live and die under the benevolent influence of your honourable service ; and , by the information of those whose expressions proceed from the dictates of their own experience , find , that where you have once obliged any by your incomparable benignity , your favours flowed down infinitely to all relations . the next is , the worthiness of those learned authours , by whose care and industry these examples were left for the use of future ages : whose ashes might justly rise up against me , if ( being so unworthy to mention , much less to collect their labours my self ) i should not commend them to the patronage of one most noble and ingenious : nor do i conceive it the lightest consideration , that your lordship being acquainted with these collections in their severall originals , must necessarily ( for the communicative quality inherent in all truly noble and generous dispositions ) wish they were accommodated to the apprehensions of inferiour capacities . i shall not trouble your honour with what motives i had for exposing this work to publick view ; since these so much saducean and socinian times , most loudly , proclaim an eminent necessity of utmost endeavours in this particular : and since it is the duty of all men , to study rather the publick , than their own private , advantage . it being a stranger , needs the more encouragement . besides , being usher'd into this our english world by so unworthy a hand , must consequently participate of the weakness of my endeavours : but however defective , or exposed to injury , your acceptance will abundantly supply it , and your patronage secure it from the imputation or prejudice of any momus . should i further question that invincible courtesie which i hear every where extoll'd , i might thereby aggravate , instead of extenuating , my presumption . therefore i shall cease to trouble you further , but with this one request , that you will favourably interpret my boldness in subscribing my self , my lord , your honours most humbly devoted servant , thomas bromhall . a catalogue of the authors out of which these stories and examples are selected . a. adon viennensis . aelianus . aemilius . aeneas sylvius . agatinus . alexander ab alexandro . antonius beneventus . antonius de turquemada . apollonius . apulejus . artunus . athenaeus . aventinus . augustinus . b. bartholomaeus bononiensis . benno cardinalis . blondus . bonfinius . c. carolus magnus . caspar goldwurm . caspar peucerus . cassiodorus remius . catalogus treverensis . cedrenus . chronicon cassinense . chronicon helvetiae . chronicon saxoniae . cicero . coelius . collenutius . cromerus . cuspinianus . d. dictys . diodorus siculus . diogenes laertius . dion cassius . dion nicaeus . dosithaeus . e. egnatius . erasmus rotterodamus . euagrius . eunapius . eusebius . eustachius . f. franciscus petrarcha . francius . fulgosus . g. gellius . georgius agricola . georgius sabinus . gilbertus cognatus . gregoras . gregorius turonenus . gulielmus mamulsbruciensis . h. hadriani chronicon . haithonus armenus . hector boethus . henricus coloniensis . henricus erfordiensis . hermanus gygas . herodotus . hieronymus . hieronymus cardanus . homerus . i. jacobus meyer . jacobus ruffus . jason pratensis . joachimus camerarius . joannes agricola , joannes baptista porta , neapolitanus . joannes bodinus . joannes fincelius . joannes langius . joannes magus . joannes meyer . joannes saxo , grammat . joannes trithemius . joannes vierus . jobus fincelius . jodocus darmudanus . josephus . l. laurentius valla. leonides . lilius gregorius gyraldus . livius . ludovicus guicciardinus . lycosthenes . m. macrobius . malleus maleficarum . mamelburiensis . manlius . m. fritschius . m. paulus , venetus . martinus lutherus . marulus . metaphrastes . munsteri cosmographia . mutius . n. natalis comes . nauclerus . nicephorus . nicetas . nicolaus . o. olaus magnus . ovidius . p. paschasius . paulus aemilius . paulus diaconus . paulus grillandus . paulus jovius . pausanias . petrus ciezus . petrus mamorius . philippus melancthon . philostratus . platina . plinius . plutarchus . pollux . polydorus virgilius . pontanus . r. rabanus . ramulphus . regino . robertus gaguinus . rutilius . s. sabellicus . schaffnaburgensis . servius . severus sulpitius . sigebertus . sleidanus . socrates . sozomenus . statius . stobaeus . strabo . suetonius . suidas . t. theodoretus . theodoric . gresmundus . theopompus . thomas patriarcha barbasiensis . turpinus , remensis . v. valer . maximus vincentius . ulricus molitor . volaterranus . vopiscus . urbanus . urspergensis . w. wernerus . x. xiphilinus . z. zonaras . an history of most strange phantasies and apparitions , with the various sleights and cunning delusions of devils . marcus brutus and cassius , who had murther'd caesar , came together to sardis , where it is reported , brutus was accosted with a horrible vision . he was a man , naturally very watchfull , and one so laborious and continent , that he afforded himself but a very small part of his time to sleep in . in the day he rested not at all , in the night very little ; and that when ( all men being drowned in sleep ) he had neither any employment to do , nor person to converse with . and , at that time , being engaged in a war , and agitating things of a most high concernment , he was so carefull and intent concerning the prosecution and event of those affairs , that , having first ( for a short space ) refresht himself with sleep after supper , he wholly set apart the rest of the night for the promoting of his urgent occasions . and if it happened , that he had finished his businesse before , he betook himself to his study untill the third watch ; when , all his centurions and tribunes were wont to repair unto him . when he was ( i say ) at sardis , and projecting how to convey his army out of asia , in the beginning of the night the moon began to abate of her wonted lustre , the camp being in a deep silence . whilest brutus was deeply cogitating of some serious matters , he thought he heard the footsteps of some one near him ; whereat he looking back towards the door , behold , a prodigious apparition , one of a monstrous and horrid shape and bignesse stood by him , without speaking one word . brutus , not without some reluctancy , ask't him , what man or god art thou ? or what is thy businesse here ? the vision answered , o brutus , i am thy evil angel , and thou shalt see me again at philippi . at which brutus nothing daunted said again , i shall then . but when it was vanished , he called together his servants , who averred to him , they neither saw nor heard either vision or voyce ; after which brutus took his rest again . when it was light , he went to cassius , and told him of this phantasm . when , after cassius was slain at philippi , whilest he prepared for a second fight , wherein he was conquered , after he had been victor in the first ; in the night ( as the story sayes ) the same vision appeared again to brutus in the same shape , not speaking a syllable , but so vanisht . plutarchus in bruto . when marcus antonius became bankrupt at actium , cassius of parma his partner fled to athens ; where , in the dead of the night as he lay in his bed ingulph't with cares and perplexities , he phancied , a man of a monstrous magnitude , a black and ugly hue , his beard incompt and squalid , and his hair disorderly hanging down , came to him ; and being askt who he was ? answered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i.e. thy evil angel , or genius . being at last affrighted with so horrid a presence , and so evill a name , he called in his servants , and questioned them , whether they saw one of such a dresse and visage either come in , or go out of his chamber ? and when they had assured him they saw none such , he again composed himself to his rest : but presently the same phantasm haunted him ; wherefore he cast off all thought of rest , and commanded a candle up to his chamber , and enjoyned his servants not to depart from him . between this night and his execution inflicted by caesar , was but a very short interval , as you may read in valerius max. l. . c. . and sueton. in aug. and plutarch . in vita antonii . dion of syracusa , after the syracusans were made free , and a little before he was slain by calippus , as he sate by chance in his porch in the evening full of carefull thoughts , heard a sudden noise ; and looking about him , ( it being yet day-light ) he saw a huge woman , in face and habit nothing differing from a tragick fury , sweeping the house with a broom . he , very much terrified , called his friends , and acquainted them with the sight , and intreated them to stay and lodge with him that night , for he should sink under his terrour , if they should leave him , and the ghost haunt him again . the ghost , indeed , troubled him no more , but his son , being almost arrived to manhood , by reason of some slight and puerile crosse , became so sorrowfull and enraged , that he precipitated himself from the house top , and so perished . plutarchus in dione . alexander the third , king of scots took to wife joan sister to henry the third , king of england ; which joan dyed without issue : after which he married margaret , daughter of the same king henry , who bare to him alexander , david , and margaret ; all these dyed ; yet the king not altogether dispairing of an heir and successor of his body , married the third time one iola , daughter of a knight of draconum ; whilest by night they were celebrating the wedding feast , he saw the likenesse of a dead man follow the dance . the same year the king was knockt off his horse and slain . hence arose all that sedition and destruction which blasted that , formerly , flourishing kingdome . this fell out in the year of our redemption , mccl. cardanus de rerum varietate , l. . c. . there is a noble family , and among the chiefest of parma , called by the name of the tortells , which have a castle , wherein there is a hall ; in it about the chimney , an old woman for this hundred years uses to appear when any of the family dyeth , or is like to dye . on a time a gallant matron , by name paula of barbia , which was one of the same family ▪ when we were at supper together at belzois , told me , that one of the maids of the house was very ill , and that the old woman appeared ; all were of opinion that she would dye : but it fell out otherwise , for she recovered ; but another of the family which was well , dyed suddenly . they report , that this old woman , whose ghost is now seen , was formerly very rich , and was by her own nephews murthered for her moneys sake , and hackt in pieces , and thrown into the privy , cardanus , ibidem . antonius urceus codrus , a grammarian of brixia , the very same night he dyed , thought he saw one of a huge magnitude , a bald pate , his beard hanging down to the ground , fiery eyes , carrying torches in both hands , and terrible all over , and he spake to him thus ; who art thou , which walkest up and down alone thus like a fury , in that time of the night , when men are fastest asleep ? speak out , what dost thou look for ? or whither goest thou ? when he had thus said , he skipt out of his bed to avoid him , rushing in violently upon him . bartholomaeus bononiensis in ejus vitâ . jacobus donatus , patricius of venice , and also rich , when on a night sleeping with his wife he had a taper light , and two nurses also were asleep in a truckle-bed with a young child , not a year old , he saw the chamber door open by little and little , and a man , i know not who , put in his head ; the nurses also saw him , but no body knew him ; the young man being affrighted , as well he might be , snatcht his sword and buckler , each of the nurses great tapers , into the hall they come , which was near adjoyning to the chamber , where all things were close . the young man comes back with great admiration , the small infant , which was well in health , dyed the next day . cardanus de rerum varietate , lib. . cap. . vvhen cursius ruffus , in his family notable for nothing of worth , did act as quaestor at adrumetum , a city of africa , walking up and down at noon in the porch , he saw the shape of a woman of a more comely hue , far beyond any mortal creature , which spake unto him , thou art ruffus , which shalt shortly come vice-consull into this province . he being hopefully advanc'd with this prodigie , not long after enjoyed the proconsulship of africa by tiberius caesar , whereby the event of the vision was fulfilled . fulgosus lib. . cap. . edwinus being banished by ethelfred king of the northumbrians , fled to redovaldus king of the east-angles . not long after , when ethelfred by some in authority sought to kill him , he began to take great care to secure himself . in the night , when all was still , one of an unknown face and habit , having met with him , ask't him what he would give him , if he told him that which would free his mind from all manner of sadnesse . edwinus made him this answer , whatsoever was his , that he might lawfully request , and was in his power , that he will freely give him . then he prognosticated to him , that so soon as he could make an escape out of his enemies hands , he should then recover the kingdome of his ancestors , and when he had conquer'd his enemies , he should enlarge it , both far and wide ; immediately laying his hand upon the top of his head , he saith ; when any one edwinus , shall come to you , after you enjoy your own , and shall in this manner lay his hand upon your head ; be you then mindfull to keep thy promise . when he had done speaking thus , he on a sudden vanished . the young man being in a wonderfully manner transported with this oracle , a long time ruminating within himself of this matter , durst not open it to any . but when ethelfred was slain , he being brought home into his own kingdome by redovaldus , being advised by ethelberg his wife , the sister of edbaldus king of kent , to embrace the christian religion ; when he on purpose delayed the businesse , and could by no perswasion be made pliable , paulinus a devout man , which by long intreating could do no good , in the interim being taught by an oracle from heaven , ( as we must believe ) came to him , who made stay at york , and putting his most sacred hand on his head , requested him , that he would call to mind what that meant . eduinus being amazed at the oracles sudden issue , instantly fell down at the prelates feet , and was with his fellow christians washed in that holy fountain . anno . polydor. lib. . hist . angl. macchabaeus cosen german to ducanus king of scotland and banquho stuart a valiant man travailing through a forrest towards the court , met three women of an unwonted and strange habit and appearance , one of them said , hail macchabaeus , thanus glammis , which was a title of honour he had lately received . the second said to him , hail caldarius thanus , another and higher title of honour : and the third , hail macchabaeus , thou shalt hereafter become king. then said banquho , me-thinks you are something unkind whosoever you are to prefer this man not onely above all the noble men of the land , but even unto the throne , and give me no promotion at all . to this the first answered . yea we declare unto thee far greater things than these ; for this man , indeed , shall reign , but his dominion shall have an unhappy end with him for none of his posterity shall ever enjoy his kingship after him : whereas ( although thou shalt not become king thy self ) thy posterity for a very long succession shall obtain and hold the throne . when these words were ended , they all vanished out of their sight . at first these things passed as a vain phansie : but when macchabaeus first ascended to the dignity of caldarius , and afterwards beyond all expectation was made king , king ducanus being slain ; and having two sons , he began to call to mind the vision ; and inviting ●●●quhones , and his onely son fleanches to a supper , by that means projected both their deaths : but when they had slain the father , the son , by the darknesse of the night , made an escape . at length macchabaeus was slain by malcalmus the third son of ducanus and after many generations the kingdome fell into the hands of the successours and gran-children of banquhones stuart , and remains to this day in the possession of a daughter and heir of his family , cardan . l. . c. . ex hectore b●ëtho . hotherus king of the swedes and danes , as he was a hunting having lost his company , as he wandred alone espied a company of nymphs in a certain den or covert , who promised him all good fortune , but withall advised him , that he should by no means wage war against balderus king of the danes who was a superlatively wise man , and one generated by a secret seed and production of the gods. having spoken these things , they suddenly vanished , and left hotherus ( who thought he had been in a cave ) in the open field . some years after , ( having commenced a war against balderus , but hitherto with very ill successe ) he chanced to light upon the same vision ; when he sadly bewailed to them his adverse fortune , and the sadnesse of his condition ; nor would he cease his complaints untill they had made him a promise of better successe . the nymphs told him ( though he should seldome come off victor yet ) that he should lose no more men then his enemy ; and that he should obtain the victory if he could but find by what means to intercept certain food prepared for the enemy to augment his force and courage . so he departed and rallied his forces . and whilst he diligently watched the camp of the enemy , he saw three virgins go out who secretly used to carry them provision , whom he followed as fast as he could run , till at last they came to a house which they frequented ; where , by the help of his harp ; ( on which he plaid most sweetly ) he got from them a most glorious belt , and the powerfull girdle of victory , and having returned the same way he went , met the enemy , and overthrew him , so that the day after he was wafted over to proserpina , who was seen to stand by him as he slept . olaus magnus , lib. . c. . c. julius caesar , in his civill war , when he had gone as far as the bank of rubicon , is said to have stood at a pause , and considering with himself what a destruction the passing of that river would be to mankind : whilst he stayed upon the bank he had an apparition ; a man of an extraordinary bulk sitting upon the opposite bank playing upon a pipe made of reeds : and when , besides shepheards , many souldiers , and amongst them some trumpeters flock't to the bankside to hear him , one of their trumpets leap't from him into the river , and with a very shrill voice began to sound an alarum , and so passed to the other side . then caesar said , let us go , since the wonderfull signs of the gods and the wickednesse of our enemies thus invite us : the lot is now past , sabellicus l. . enead . . pelopidas , general of the theban army , ( whilest he encamped about the leuctrian field , where the daughters of scedassus were entombed ) saw scedassus and his daughters ; they lamenting about their tombs , and cursing the lacedemonians : and their father ( who long before for that he had not revenged so horrid a crime , cursing the lacedemonians , killed himself upon the tombs of his daughters ) told him , if he would conquer the lacedemonians , he must sacrifice a red virgin to his daughters . but when this seemed something too barbarous a sacrifice , to appease the gods with a humane offering , not satisfied in his mind about it , at last a young mare which had never taken horse , came from the herd and stood in that very place where he had consulted with the ghost . and when theocritus the prophet saw the mare was of a yellow shining colour , and proudly reining-in her neck , she pranced and neigh'd , he called pelopidas with a loud voice , and said , that this was his offering , and that he could expect no other virgin. then they brought the mare adorned with garlands to the sepulchre , and there sacrificed her : soon after , the battle began , wherein the lacedemonians received that memorable overthrow of leuctria by boeotarchus and pelopidas . plutarchus in pelopida . when gennadius the chief of constantinople , under leo the great emperour , was by night standing at the altar , and praying to god for the world , a certain evil spirit appeared to him , which being by him forc't away by his making a crosse , answered him thus in the voyce of a man ; that as long as he liv'd indeed , he would avoid , and be at quiet , but afterward , he would leave no way unattempted to trouble the church of god. nicephorus lib. . cap. . suidas . cedrenus ▪ a little before that henry the seventh emperour dyed , and the slaughter of the chief rulers of the nation , as musatus patavinus , and franciscus petrarcha do history it , the inhabitants of mediolanum , in the house-floor of matthaeus the chief governour , who also merited the name af matthaeus the great , when sun was set , an armed horseman appear'd to him far bigger then the shape of man ; when many for an hours space had beheld it , it then vanish'd away , with great terrour to the beholders . likewise three dayes after at the third hour , in the very same place , two horsemen in the like shape , being seen skirmishing between themselves , vanished also . sabellicus libro . cap. . two famous merchants , going into france through the groves near the alpes in italy , they met a man bigger then the ordinary size of men , he calling them suddenly , charged them thus ; speak to my brother ludovicus sfortia , and give him these letters from me . they being amazed , and enquiring , who he was ? he replyed , that he was galeacius sfortia ; and straightway he vanished from their sight . they returned in all haste to mediolanum , from thence to viglevanus , where maurus lived . they present their l●tters to the prince , the courtiers scoff at them ; but they standing stiff in their errand , were cast into prison , and being put upon the wrack , they shewed by their constancy , that there was no fraud in them . in the mean while with great fear and ostonishment they deliberated about opening the letters . all the rest making doubt what to do , one galeacius , a commander in chief feared not . the letter was folded up like a bishops writ ( as they term it ) very long , fastened with small instruments of brasse . the words whereof were these ; o , o , o ludovicus , take heed to thy self , for the venetians and the french have conspired to ruine thee and thy off-spring . but if you will give me a thousand nobles , i will endeavour to reconcile their high spirits , and to turn away your ill fortune , and i doubt not to accomplish it , if you do not stubbornly refuse me . farewell . the subscription was ; the spirit of galeacius thy brother . here some being astonished at the strangenesse of the thing , others laughing at the device , and most averring , he must put money into his hands ; yet lest he should make himself a laughing-stock , the prince refrain'd this superstitious prodigality , and sent home the merchants again . but in a short while after he was unthron'd by ludovicus the twelfth king of the french , and carried away prisoner . artunus section . historiae medionens . oculatus testis . the father of ludovicus alodisius , who was possessour of all the wealth of the city imola , a little after he went from hence , appeared in a private place to the man in his journey , whom his sonne ludovicus sent to a city in italy called ferraria , sitting on horseback with a hawk , ( as 't was his manner in hawking to hold him ) and spake to him , although in great fear , to bid his sonne to come that very next day into the same place ; for he would tell him of a businesse of great consequence . hearing that ; ludovicus , both because he was incredulous thereof , and was also afraid of some treachery , sent another in his stead . that same ghost meeting him , which appeared before , was very sad that his son came not ; for he said , he would tell him many more things : but at that time he bad him tell him onely this , that twelve years being expired , and one moneth , the day likewise being particularly set down , he should be no longer governour of that city which he had . the time which the ghost had foretold of was come ; with great diligence in that very same night , which his fathers evil angels suspected , philippus his souldiers , captain of the city mediolanum , ( with whom he had made a covenant , and therefore fear'd him not ) the trenches being hard frozen , scaled the walls , and with ladders took the city and its governour . sabeb . lib. . cap. . exempl . when constantinople was besieged by the savage turks both by land and sea , there was seen at come a city near adjoyning to france , a great company of doggs whirried up and down in the ayr , and after them flocks of divers kinds of beasts , and as it were many footmen , first of a slender harnesse , then pikemen and other weapon'd men followed after , and horsemen followed them , divided into troops , with a great army set in battle array ; they seemed for the space almost of three hours to be an army at hand . at length a huge and formidable man of a high stature , such as cannot be expressed , as general of the army , sitting upon a dreadfull horse , advanced , and some other vain apparitions , the forerunners of great mischiefs , till night drawing on , whatsoever they saw vanished away . which wonders every body thought did foretell ruine , destruction , and misery to follow after , which the fates had necessitated ; and so it came to passe . alexander lib. . cap. . as sigebertus reports in his chronicle , antiochus by a divine hand of judgment was overturned and cast down in the second year of mauritius ; a certain citizen of the place , a man of singular piety , and full of charity , and liberall in his alms , saw an old man all in white , with two more with him , standing in the midst of the city with a handkerchief in his hand , with which striking the middle part of the city , it suddenly was overturned , houses , men and all . and his two companions had much ado to perswade him to spare the rest of the city that stood ; so when he had used many comfortable speeches to this good man , they appeared no more . in the year of our lord , . a certain factor of sicilia journying from catana to messana upon the day of march took up his lodging at taurominium ; thence next morning travelling on his way not far from the town , he met pargettors , as they seemed to be carrying with them their tools , he asking whither they were bound ? they answered , to aetna , ( commonly called , the mountain gibellus ) . and soon after ten more of them , who being asked whither they all went ? returned the same answer , that their master workman had sent them to build a certain edifice at aetna ; and being asked , who their master was ? they said , he came a little after them . and suddenly he met a man exceedingly taller then any ordinary man , with a very long beard and hair , and blacker then any crow , so that he might seem to be vulcan himself , had he been lame ; he without any more complement , askt the factor , whether he met his workmen ? he answered , that indeed he saw certain men , who said they were going to build at aetna ; but whether they were his workmen or no , he knew not ; but if they were , he would be glad to know what moved him to undertake so strange a piece of work , as to build in a mountain so high , and so deep in snow , that it is hard for the ablest traveller to passe there . then said this unknown architect , although you little credit my words , you shall shortly know , and your eyes shall bear you witnesse , that i am able to perform this and much more , if i please . and with these words he vanished out of his sight . at this the man became so terrified , that he had like to have dyed in the place ; but with much ado he got back to the town full of horrour , and according to the custome procured a priest , was confest , declared his vision , and the same evening departed this life . the beginning of the night following , the . of march , there was a great earthquake , and exceeding great flames of fire burst out of the top of the mountain aetna on the east side , and were violently carried toward the sun-rising , insomuch , that the clergy and people of catana were so struck with terrour , that they all ran to the church of st. agatha , to implore divine assistance , from whence the voyce of their prayers , and excessive weeping , with their dolefull ditties , and unanimous cry for mercy , the bells all the while ringing mournfully , came to the church dedicated to the purification of the blessed virgin. and ( o wonderful event ! ) before their prayers were ended , the fire began to decrease , and in a short time became utterly extinct . gilbert . cognat . libro octavo narrationum . damascius syrus simplicius , and some other learned men came out of sicilie together , and went into persia to see king cosroes ; of whose fame and vertue they had heard great report . in their coming home , as they returned , they found the body of a man in the field unburied . they abhorring the inhumanity of the persians buried it . in the night time the shape or ghost of an old , honourable person seem'd to haunt one of the retinue , saying , do not interre that unburried corps , let the dogs tear it in pieces . the earth is the mother of us all , it admits not of that man , who depraves his mother . when he was awake , he told his vision to the rest ; wherefore going back again in the morning into the field , they saw the naked corps lay in the open field . agathius lib. . seems to speak of it , among his greek epigrams , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . let this unburied corps no buriall have , our mother earth to mother-wrongers lends no grave . edward the third king of england , when on a time the collectors of the tribute-money which was impos'd on the people , had brought before him a huge heap of money given out of that tribute , to make him merry , he suddenly thought he saw the devill sporting and playing about the money , and therefore , abhorring money of this nature , as a detestable thing , they say he presently commanded it to be taken out of his sight , and to be restored to the people . polydor. lib. . when thyana , a city of asia , ( which had rebelled ) was taken , aurelianus the emperour being in his pavilion all alone , very angry , thinking how to destroy it , he saw with great terror apollonius thyaneas the philosopher appearing to him , which was dead long since , and advising him ; aurelianus , if thou desirest to be a conquerour , think not to slay my citizens . aurelianus , if thou wilt be a ruler , shed no innocent blood . aurelianus , be mild , and gentle , if thou wilt be a victor . calius lib. . cap. . ex fl. vopisco . st . martin the bishop of yours in france , was greatly tempted by the devil . on a time the devil appeared to him all in purple , and with a diadem , in the person of christ . martin seeing this , was amaz'd ; the devil saith unto him ; know martin , whom thou adorest : i am christ , i am going to the earth , i would first make my self known to thee . here when martin replyed not , he saith again , martin , why doest thou doubt to believe in me , seeing thou seest me ? i am christ . then he being taught in gods word by the holy ghost , saith ; my christ was crucified and wounded , but i see you in no such habit , neither put i my belief in you . at this word he vanished . marulus ex severo sulpitio . we read in the life of s. german , a bishop , that on a night when the cloth was laid in an inne after supper , he much wondring at it , was inquisitive , for whom that supper was provided ? and answer was made , for good men and women which straggle up and down in the night . whereupon the holy man intended to watch them . and lo , a great company of men and women came to the table , whom he charging not to go away , the whole houshold lookt if they knew any of them . they saying they were all neighbours , every bodies house being searcht , he found them all in their beds . whereupon he presently put them all to their oaths , who acknowledged , that they were evil spirits , or devils . menippus , the scholer of the philosopher demetrius , a very handsome young man , when he went to cenchraea by corinth , he met the shape of a strange maid , beautifull and rich , which said , that she was in love with him ; thereupon she invited him to go to her house : he being love●smitten , oftentimes kept her company there , and did think to marry her . she had a house furnished like a princess . apollonius thyaneus considering all things in that house , cry'd out , that she was one of the fairies , whom some call hagges , others walking - ghosts . philostratus in vita apollonii . jamblicus that famous magician , when a certain egyptian whilst he was making his challenge , had an apparition to the great terrour of all the standers by ; bad them be of good cheer , and not wonder at it , for he knew it to be the ghost of a certain fencer , who was then lately slain in a single combat . eunapius in aedesio . when constantine the great , made gallus governour of the east ; julianus being in great hope of compassing the empire himself , sought throughout all greece for southsayers and wisards , and consulted all he could meet with , about the successe of his designes . at last he met with one who promised him great satisfaction in the foretelling of what future events he should propose . and having led him into a room beset with images , the magician began to call upon his devills , and they presently appeared , but ( as they are wont ) in an ugly black hue and shape ; insomuch that julianus , being sore afraid , signed his forehead with the sign of the crosse , whereat the devils suddenly vanished , as minded of the victory of our lord jesus , and their utter rout and ruine thereby . then the conjurer reproved julianus for being so timorous : but julianus , highly admiring the power and vertue of the crosse , clear'd his mind of the conceit of running after wisards , by this consideration ; that the devils would never have fled at the sign of the crosse , did they not perfectly hate that action . theodoretus , lib. . c. . sozomenus , lib. . cap. . a certain mediolanensian boor , as he returned homewards from his labour , about three hours within night , saw a goblin or spirit follow him , and when he endeavoured to out-run it , make he what use he could of his heels , the spectral fetch 't him up , and at last threw him to the ground , when he endeavoured to cry out , but could not . at length when he had lain long on the earth , all roll'd in mud and dirt , he was found by some who passed by that way , and carried home half dead , and at the end of eight dayes gave up the ghost . cardanus de subtilitate . a certain lacedemonian having brought the philosopher plato out of sicily , sold him off to aegina by the command of the tyrant dionysius . but in regard it was a capital crime for an athenian to come to aegina , he was called in question for his life by one comandrus : but the necessity of the matter being taken into consideration , he was sold away for twenty pounds to one aniceris of cyrenia , and by him afterwards made free . afterwards the city was taken by cabria , and this comandrus drowned in the hellespont , who was told , before his death , by an apparition that this hard fortune befel him , for the hard measure the philosopher had received . laertius , lib. . sozomenus in the th chap. of his th book , tells us that one apelles , a monk , about achoris in some of the monasteries of egypt , did many strange things , and whilst upon a certain time he was busie at some smithy-work he had in hand , there appeared to him a most beautiful and adorned lady tempting him to lust , whereat he snatch't a hot iron from the fire , and ran it into the face of the lustfull succubus , who vanished with a hideous cry at the hurt he had given her . datius bishop of mediolana , when for the profession of his faith he was put from his place , as he went towards constantinople , he put in at corinth , and there for want of better accommodation he was forc't to take up with lodgings haunted with evill spirits , and at midnight when the devils began to bray , bleat , houl , and roar about the house like lions , and other beasts , the good bishop rose , and thus expostulated with those fiends , or their head . most wicked pluto , thou who saidst , i will establish my seat in the north and will become like unto the most high , behold for thy pride thou art become like unto swine and asses , because thou deniedst obedience to thy maker . the devils at his speech were so confounded , they left haunting that house for the future . gregor . turonensis lib. . dialog . cap. . phlegon trallianus a manumisse of the emperour adrian , in his book de mirabilibus et longaevis , ( i. e. ) of wonders and antiquities ; relates a history , which if you will take his private authority , he avers he was well-acquainted with it , being in a certain city where he was : the story is this , philinnium the daughter of damostrates the inn-keeper and charitus , fell in love with one machates , one of her fathers lodgers , which her parents very much misliking , she broak her heart with grief , and was buried with publick solemnity . six moneths after , when machates was come thither again , philinnium came to him and lay with him ▪ received a gilded cup , and an iron ring which he gave her , and likewise bestowed a gold ring , and a breast-cloth upon machates , and so departed . the nurse saw the spectral and declared the businesse to her parents , who the next day came and found their daughter with their guest , whom they embraced with most passionate acclamations , whilst she spake to them in this manner . o father and mother , how unjustly do you envy me the happinesse of being two or three dayes in your house with this your guest , without doing any evill at all ; ah you will again bewail your curiosity in your choice for me , when i am gone from him to my appointed station ; for alas , i am here but by permission , and the special licence of the gods. when she had thus uttered her mind , she was instantly a dead corps again , and when they had carried her publickly to be seen , they declared the whole story to all that came flocking into the theater . the grave was found open and nothing therein , but the iron ring , and the gilded cup. the corps by the advice of hillus the south-sayer , was buried beyond the lines of the city ▪ machates through grief , became the actor of his own trajedy . hieronymus in his lives of the fathers , tells of a certain monk , who was enticed to most foul and lustfull embraces by a devill in the shape of a most amiable woman , who , when to propagate their lust , she bended forward her members towards him ; seemed like a mare or mule , or some bruit creature . and when he endeavoured to accomplish carnall copulation , she making an ugly howling noise , like a spirit as she was , and a phantasm , vanish't from between his hands as he embraced her , and left him ( wretched man ! ) miserably deluded . vierus l. . c. . de praestigiis daemonum . it is storied by vincentius in the third book of his histories , that there was in sicily under the king rogerius , a young man of good courage , and very skilfull in swimming , who about twilight in a moon-shine evening was washing himself in the sea , and a woman swimming after him caught him by the hair , as if it had been some of his fellowes that intended to drown him . he spake to her , but could not get a word from her ; whereupon he took her under his cloak , and brought her home , and afterward married her . on a time one of his fellows upbraiding him , told him he had hugg'd a phantasm ; he being horribly affrighted , drew his sword , and threatned his wife , that he would murther his son which he had by her , if she would not speak , and make her originall known . alas poor wretch , saith she , thou undoest a commodious wife , in forcing me to speak ; i should have continued with thee , and should have been beneficiall to thee , if thou hadst let me alone with my commanded silence ▪ but now thou shalt never see me more . and immediately she vanish'd . but the child grew up , and much frequented the sea. in fine , on a certain day , this phantasm meeting him in those waters , carried him away in the presence of many people . in a country called marra , there was a very gallant and handsome young lady , that had refused many in marriage , and most wickedly kept company with an evil spirit , by the greeks termed cacodaemon , who being with child by him , and by her parents severity constrained to tell the father of it ; answered , that she knew not where she was , that a very fair young man did oftentimes meet her by night , and sometimes by day . her parents , though giving small credence to their daughter , yet earnestly desiring to know the truth , who it was that had perswaded and enticed their daughter to this lewdnesse , within three dayes after , the damosel having given them notice thereof , that he which ravish'd her , was with her ; having therefore unlock'd the doors , and set up a great light , coming into the chamber , they saw an ugly foul monster , of such a fearfull hue , as no man can believe , in their daughters arms . very many that were sent for , came in all haste to this unseemly object ; among whom , a priest of an approved life , and well disciplin'd , all the rest being scared away , and amaz'd , when repeating the beginning of st. john's gospel , he came to that place , the word was made flesh , the evil genius with an horrible outery goes away , carrying the roof of the house away with him , and set all the furniture on fire . the woman being preserved from peril , was . dayes after brought to bed of a most deformed monster , such as no man ( as they say ) ever saw ; which the midwives , to prevent the infamy and disgrace of that family , heaping up a great pile of wood , did instantly burn to ashes . hector boethus libr. . hist . scotorum . the same boethus relates another story in the same place . in the year of our lord god , . as they were sailing from an arm of the sea , called phortea , to traffique into flanders , there arose such a violent wind , that the sayls , mast , tacklings , and all were broken , and the ship also was toss'd up and down the swelling waves , that every body concluded , they must certainly perish . the master of the ship admiring at that season so huge and unaccustomed churlishnesse of the heavens , ( for it was about the summer-solstice ) when with loud cryes they did not attribute it to the stars , but to the wiles of some evil devils , they heard a voyce from the lower part of the ship , of a woman miserably complaining of her self , that some hee-devil in the form of a man , with whom she had many years accompanied with , was at that time with her , and forc'd her , she would therefore yield her to the mercy of the sea , that , if she perished , who was the cause of so great and imminent danger ; all the rest by the goodnesse of god might escape safe . a priest coming to the woman bewailing her self , to counsel her for her own salvation , and them that were with her , did piously exhort her , now openly confessing and acknowledging her fault , earnestly detesting that abominable wickednesse , and repenting the fact from the bottom of her heart , with sighs expressing the same , that nothing should be wanting on her part , and he knew god would be propitious to her , &c. in the midst of the priests exhortation , when the perplexed woman with many sighs and groans was deploring that hainous crime she had committed , all that were by , saw a black cloud come forth out from the pump of the ship , and with a great noise , fire , smoak , and ill savour descended into the sea. then was it fair weather , and the sea calm , and the merchants went to their desired haven with their ship , and nothing lost . franciscus mirandula makes mention in his writings , that he knew one berna call'd benedictus , a priest , . years old , who had lain above . years with a familiar spirit for his bed-fellow , in the shape of a woman ; it came into the market with him , he conversed with it , insomuch that all the standers by , seeing nothing took him for a fool. he called her hermelina , as if she were a woman . i knew also , saith he , another , whose name was pinnetus , who was above years old , he did use the sports of venus more then years , with another spirit , which appear'd like a woman , and call'd her name florina . utramque historiam cardanus recitat . lib. . cap. . de varietate rerum . jacobus ruffus writes in the fifth book , the sixt chapter of the conception of men , that in our time magdalena , a citizens maid-servant was ravished by a foul spirit , and then took her leave on her repenting , by the order of the ministers of the church ; after which she felt such cruel torments and pangs in her belly , that she thought every hour almost that she should be delivered of a child ; then came forth out of her womb iron nails , wood , pieces of glasse , hair , wooll , stones , bones , iron , and many such like . a certain merchants wife about or . miles from wittemberg , in the way to silesia , when her husband was away , by reason of his merchandizing abroad , was wont to entertain one concubine or another . it so fell out , that her husband going forth , one of her paramouts came in the night time , and when he had made himself spruce , and satisfied his lust , as it seemed in the morning like a magpie sitting on the buttery , he bade his concubine farewell , in these words ; this was your lover : and before he had done speaking , he vanished out of sight , and never came more . benedictus the th , by his country a thuscane , by the magick of theophylact his nephew , who had been the scholer of sylvester the second , long since pope , came to be pope ; he was head of the church . years . after his death , he appear'd to a bishop which he in his life-time commonly made use of , sitting upon a black horse , much lamenting and complaining of the torments of the damned , and charging me to warn his brother john the th , to bestow that gold on the poor , which he had formerly buried under ground ; whereby he was in hopes to be freed . theophylact , nephew by his brother aldericus of the two popes , benedict and john , came to that dignity , by his magick , wherein he was alway accounted famous . he call'd himself benedict the th . he continued so by times ten years . he was at last strangled in a wood by one of those spirits , with whose familiar he was wont to converse . benno . historians report , among whom are martinus polonus , and petrus damianus , that benedict was by a hermite seen near the mill , of a terrible shape ; for in his body he was like a bear , in his head and tayl like an asse : and when he was asked , how he came to be so metamorphosed ? 't is reported he made this answer , i wander up and down in this shape now , because when i was pope , i lived as void of reason and conscience , without law , and without god , and have defiled the chair of rome with all manner of vilenesse . st . martin , bishop of yours in france , when hard by his monastery an unknown martyr's bones were by the vulgar superstitiously worshipped , that he might not by his authority corroborate their superstition , took one day with him some of his brethren , and to the place he goes , where calling upon god , he supplicates him , to manifest and clear the truth thereof unto him . on his left hand stands an ugly ghost , he makes his name known , and confesses the truth of the crime , saying , that he was a common thief , and was put to death for his villanies , and by the common peoples ignorance was honour'd for a martyr . then martin makes an edict , that the altar should out of hand be taken away , and by this means delivered the people from their superstition . severus sulpitius in ejus vita . when simonides cous supp'd at scopas his house in thessaly , and had sung that song which he had made on him , wherein many things for ornament sake , ( as the poets use to do ) were written on castor and pollux ; scopas told him , he would give him half according to their agreement for that song , but the other half he must demand of castor and pollux , whom he had equally commended with him . a little while after comes in a messenger to simonides , and tells him , there were two men at the gate calling for him very earnestly . up he arose , and went forth , but saw no body . in this very interim of time , down falls that very room where scopas was feasting , and crusht to death him and all his company . cicero in lib. de oratore . in the year of our lord , . in the eleventh year of the reign of constans , it rained ashes , so that constantinople was in great fear , fire fell from heaven , and a most grievous plague mightily increas'd for the hot moneths , a good and bad angel were seen by every body to go in the night time about the city , and as often as by the good angels command , the bad angel did smite any ones door , with a javelin which he had in his hand , so many dyed out of that house the next day . sigebertus in chronicis , et paulus diaconus , lib. . rerum romanarum . in the sixth year of constantinus copronymus , in the month of january , about of the clock there was an earthquake round about palaestine , and all syria , which destroyed many churches and monasteries . and a plague beginning in sicily and calabria , goes quite through monobasia and hellades , and through the neighbouring isles , and at last it comes to constantinople . many perplext in mind thought they saw some strange men of a stern look following them , and speaking unto them , and to enter their houses , and either to wound them there , or cast them forth out of dores ; and so it was indeed in the event . for that infection made houses which were full empty , and there was such a multitude that died , that all the sepulchres in the city and suburbs being fill'd , vaults , lakes , vineyards and gardens were made places to bury in . anno dom. . juxta sigebertum . it was a strange , and almost prodigious kind of death that theodoricus king of the ostrogoths died : for in a while after that he had slain symmachus and boethius , when a great fish's head was set before him on the table at supper , he imagined he saw symmachus his head in it , biting his nether lip in , as if he threatned him , as he himself afterwards told his physitian elpidius : with which representation he was so affrighted , that at that time going to bed , he was alway saying as long as he lived , that image amazed him . the castrobians report that aristeus proconnesius , the poet , going into a fullers shop in the isle called marmora , died there , and the fuller shutting up his shop , went away to acquaint his neighbours , that such an one was dead : this rumour being spread quite through the city , that aristeus was dead ; suddenly there came one whose name was cyzycenus , a philosopher of athens , from the city artace , who said , that he was in company with aristeus at a place called cyzicus , and spake with him . whilst he endeavoured to confirm it , all the neighbours were in a readinesse , having all things convenient to carry men forth . the house being open'd , aristeus appeared , neither living , nor yet quite dead , and . years after he was seen in proconnesus , when he composed those verses which at this time are called by the greeks arimaspei : which when they were made , he again vanished . the inhabitants of metapontis in italy , say that aristeus was seen in those quarters , and . years after , and charged that apolloes altar should be erected , and called by the name of aristeus proconnesius , &c. herodotus lib. . one leonard at basill about the year of christ , . one of no ingenuity , and who stammer'd in his speech , he was commonly called lienimannus . he , i know not by what skill entring that vault which opens to the city basill , and going further then ever any yet could , tells of strange and wonderfull sights . one going down into the cave with a lighted taper in his hand , said that he must first passe by an iron gate , then out of one vault into another , and then into fair and flourishing gardens . in the middle was a hall to be seen most richly beautified , and a very handsome virgin to the middle , with a golden diadem round about her head , downwards she was like an ugly serpent , she would lead me by the hand to the iron chest . upon that lay two black mastiffe dogs , who with their horrible barking scar'd away all that came near them . but the maid restrained them . then untying the bundle of keyes about her , she opend the chest , and took out all kind of moneys , gold , silver , and brasse , whereof by the virgins bounty he said he brought much out of the vault with him . he said moreover , that the virgin used to say , that she was by direfull imprecations long since devoted hither , and transformed into such a monster ; but she was sprung from a royall stem , and thought there was no other way to recover her safety , then if she received . kisses from a pure and undefiled young man. for then her own form would return to her , and she would give her whole treasure , otherwise called her dower , which was hid in that place , to him that freed her . he averred also , that he kissed twice , and twice took notice of her deportment , so terrible for over-much joy of her hoped - for liberty , that he was afraid , that she would tear him in pieces alive . in this intervall of time it so fell out that his nephews bringing him to a baudy-house , he accompanied with an harlor . with which foul crime being contaminated , he could never after find the way to the vault , nor enter it . whereof , poor soul , he often with weeping tears made complaint . who sees not that this was a diabolicall phantasm ? but yet verily that antient romane coin , which he brought out of the cave , and made sale of , to many of our city , do plainly shew , that some treasure was hid in that hollow place , which some covetous devill hath in custody , just as the evill spirits , to their own great perill , do in golden mines . lest any should think these things fabulous , there are some witnesses yet alive , that heard lienimannus make relation of all things . after him a citizen of basill , in a very great dearth and scarcity , that he might the better cherish his family , went down into the same cave , hoping to find some money . but he going on a little way , and finding nothing but mens bones there , in great amazement instantly came back again , quite frustrated of his hope . teste johanne stumpffio , in chron. helvetiae . vincentius reports this out of helinandus , lib. . cap. . that , in the diocesse of colony there is a famous and great palace , which looks over into the river rhene , 't is called juvamen , where many princes in former times being met , suddenly there came to them a small bark , which being fastned to her neck , a swan hall'd along with a silver chain . from thence a young souldier not known to any of them skip't forth , and the swan brought home the ship . afterwards this souldier married , and had children : at last remaining in the same palace , and beholding the swan comming with the same bark and chain , he presently went into the ship , and was never seen more , but his children abide there till this very day . from him in the castle clivens . ( where you may see also a very high and antient tower , named cygnea , on the top whereof the picture of a swan is whurried to and fro ) most bravely wrought , do they derive the antient pedigree of the clivens . dukes . vierius lib. . cap. . de praestigiis daemon . when the persians ( megara being invaded ) betook themselves to the city thebes to mardonius their general , by diana's pleasure 't was dark on a sudden , they mistaking their way , went on the hilly side of the country . there , by the delusions of spirits , were armies shooting darts ; at the stroaks of them the next rocks did as 't were groan again , they thinking they were men , that groaned by reason of their wounds and hurts , never gave over shooting , till they had spent all their arrows . and when 't was day , those of megara being well-armed , fell upon them that had no weapons very violently , and slew a great number of their army . and for this successefull event they erected an image to diana their protectresse . pausanias in atticis . in the battel of marathon against the persians , a certain rude , and rustick fellow , both by shape and habit , help't the athenians , who when with his plough he had killed very many of those barbarous people , on a sudden he vanished away . and when the athenians made enquiry , who he was , the oracle made this answer onely , honour noble ethelaeus . in that very place they set up a trophy made of white stone . pausanias in atticis . in the same fight theseus his ghost was seen by many to invade the medes . after that , the athenians adored him as a god. plutarchus , in ejus vita . when the persians under the command of xerxes , went to minervaes chappel , which is before apolloes temple , at the same time lightning fell down from heaven upon them , and two stones at the top of parnassus , making an huge noise , fell down , and prevented many of them . whereupon they which were in minervaes chappel gave a great shout , rejoycing much . the barbarians fled , those of baeotia made known their ruine . and they which remained fled straightway to baeotia reporting that they saw two huge armed men following after them . the people of baeotia told them they were two noble heroes of their own country , phylacus and autonous , whose temples are to be seen . that which was phylacus his temple , was the same way beyond minervaes , but the temple of autonous was hard by castalia under the top hyampeus . the stones which fell down from parnassus were in herodotus his time whole fixt in minervaes temple porch , to which the barbarians brought them . herodotus lib. . whil'st the greeks were fighting against xerxes at salamin 't is rumour'd , that a great light shone from the city eleusis , and that there was such a great noise in the fields of thria , as 't were of a great many men , that they heard them even to the sea side , from this company which made the noise , was seen a cloud arising , a little above the earth , and to go from that continent , and to fall upon the ships . others saw as 't were armed men reaching forth their hands from aegina to help the graecian ships : they did suppose that they belong'd to aeacides , whom before the battel they had humbly implored . plutarchus , in themistocle . when the arcadians in a hostile manner came on the coasts of the city elis , and the inhabitants thereof had set themselves in battle array against them , 't is reported that a woman which gave suck to a man-child came to the chief officers of the eleans and that she said when she told them 't was her child , that she was warn'd in a dream that he should be put to the eleans as a souldier to fight on their side , the generals took order that the naked infant should be rank't before the colours , because they were of opinion that the woman was to be credited . the arcadians making the first onset , the child in the open view of them all was metamorphosed into a snake : the enemies being affrighted with this strange and prodigious sight , presently ran away . this notable victory being obtained , he was named sosipolis from the city which was preserved ; this snake was seen to hide himself . the battell being over , they raised up a temple , and dedicated it to its proper genius , sosipolis . honours were ordained for lucina , because by her means this child was born into the world. pausanias libr. . when the people of locris skirmished with the crotoni , in the locrensians army were seen two young men on milk-white horses ; they were the foremost in the fight , who when they had conquer'd and subdued their enemies , never appeared more . the victory in the same instant it was obtain'd , was publish'd at athens , lacedemon and corinth , though places far remote from locris and croton , three hundred thousand of the people of sybaris were slain by a small number , and the city it self utterly destroyed . fulgosus lib. . cap. . the ere●rians on a time going from their own city eubea by ship , and invading the country tahagrus , they say that mercury led forth some young striplings , and himself also , who was but a youth , armed onely in a wrestlers habit , in comparison of the rest , forc'd the eubeans to take their heels , and for this very cause th●y erected a temple to mercurius promachus . pausanias in baeoticis . in the fight which the romans had against tarquinius , going to rome , as the report goes , that castor and poll●x were seen in the battel , and immediately after the fight was done , the horses being very hot , and trickling down with sweat ; messengers also of the victory were seen in the market place , where in stead of their well , they have a house . from whence they consecrated a day to castor and pollux in the ides of july . in the romane war , castor and pollux were seen to wipe off the sweat of their horses at the lake juturna , when their house , which was near the fountain was wide open . valerius maximus lib. . cap. . when a. posthumius the dictatour , and manilius octavus general of the thusculan forces , did with all might at the lake called regillus encounter one with another , and neither for a long time was worsted , castor and pollux , champions for the romane party appearing , utterly routed all their men of war. idem . lib. . cap. . when the brutii and lucani with inveterate hatred , and main strength , endeavoured to destroy the city thurina , and fabritius lucinus , cos . chiefly by his care would preserve it safe , but the event was doubtfull , both armies being met in one place , the romans not daring to enter the fight , a young man of good stature at first began to exhort them to take courage , then finding them faint-hearted , and very backward , up he takes the ladder , and away he went to the enemies tents , through the midst of their army , and scales their bulwark . then crying out with a loud voice that he had made the first step to the victory , and thus he enticed and drew on the romans to take the enemies garrison , and the lucani and brutii to defend their own , thus they stood doubtfull to encounter . but he again by the instigation of his harnesse , delivered up to the romans their prostrate enemies to be slain and taken . for twenty thousand were killed , five thousand with statius statilius general of their country , were taken , with three and twenty colours . the day after when cos . had told him that he reserved a garland amongst the renowned , for him , of whose industry he had made use by whom their quarters were supprest , and he could not be found that could ask such a reward . 't is likewise known and believed , that mars was propitious to the romans . among other things of this nature , these are manifest and clear tokens , his head-piece pointed with two spires , wherewith his heavenly pate was covered , was also one argument . therefore by the command of fabritius , supplication was made to mars , and testimonial given that his helping hand was forgotten by all the souldiers , crown'd with lawrells with great jollity . valerius lib. . cap. . empusa or onocale , an evil ghost , sent by hecate to them that are in distresse , because she can transform her self into divers shapes , thence called so , because it goes with one foot , the other is made of brasse , or is an asses foot . some thought it appeared at noon , when sacrifices were offered to the dead . aristophanes , in ranis . dialog . but , i see a great beast ; what manner of one ? an ugly one , and of many shapes . for now 't is an oxe , now a mule , another while a very handsome woman . where is it ? i 'le go near to it . but now 't is no woman , 't is now a dog ; then 't is empusa ; all his face is as 't were on fire , and he hath a foot of brasse . suidas . in that lybia which encloseth the syrtes , sometimes and most of all in a calm season , do appear shapes of severall living creatures in the ayre , some of which are still , some stir : and these sometimes flie from one , sometimes follow after one , but all of a large stature ; they terrifie and affright the ignorant . but they that follow after , environ him they catch , laying cold paws upon him . diodorus lib. . cap. . the orthomeii commonly report of actaeon , that there is a field haunted by that ghost , which rested on that stone ; ( which is between the plataeans and megarans ) . wherefore consulting apolloes oracle , they were charged to bury the reliques or remainders , if they found any , and moreover that they should fasten that representation of a goblin , which was made of brasse , unto a stone . pausanias in baeoticis . in parnassus a hill of baeotia dedicated to apollo , bacchus his feasts are every other year solemnized , and there do meet and are to be seen a numerous company of satyrs , which may be heard for the most part to speak in their own language ; there is musick likewise to be heard . macrobius lib. . saturnal . cap. . they say , gellus had a maid that died young , and 't is generally believed her ghost walks to and fro at lesbos , haunting children ; whereupon they impute to this gellus the death of any children , that die in their minority . hence comes the proverb , puerorum amans gello . erasmus , in adagiis . strabo in the sixth book of his geography relates it . that temese was the chiefest city of brutia from laus , called from him afterward templa , which being built by the ausonians , the aetolians thoas his companions did then enjoy , and when they were expelled thence , the brutii : at last hannibal and the romans utterly destroyed it . nere it , was a chappel beset with olive trees dedicated to one polites , ulysses his associate . this man , because he was affronted by the barbarians , was very irefull against them ; so that it was turned into a proverb , and they would usually say , take heed temessaeus his ghost is a coming . then when the locri and epizephyrii possest it , there was one euthymus , as saith aelian , that came thither out of italy , a famous champion , and mighty strong , who also carried about with him a stone of an huge magnitude , which he used to shew the locri. he encountered with polites , and return'd from the duel victor , and so his neighbours by his means were freed from paying tribute money , which he was wont to force from them . he also made him to return with interest , whatsoever he had taken away from them . and from hence he thinks arose this proverb to them that make wicked and unlawfull gain , that temessaeus his genius would come to them , whereby they signified , that some time or other they must with usury pay back again those things which they had wrongfully , and by fraud or force , taken from them . pausanias in eliacis , tells the story somewhat otherwise , to wit , that a comrade of ulysses , was for ravishing a virgin kill'd , and for that very fact his goblins , ( unlesse they were yearly appeased by offering a virgin ) used to be very fierce and angry , and they spared no sex , nor age. and him indeed the common people do believe to be the genius of that place which euthymus ( that noble champion ) returning from temessa supprest , by setting at liberty , and marrying that virgin , which they had promised . erasmus , in chiliadibus . there is an isle of aega , from whence the aegaean sea took its name , consecrated to neptune , wherein scarce any one could take any rest . nicocrates told this ex phantasmatum dei occursaculis , but now and then they are disturbed and cannot sleep . caelius lib. . cap. . a. l. before that c. caesar caligula his body was interred , the gardiners were haunted and disquieted with spirits . and they said in that house where he died they were every night affrighted untill the house was burnt to the ground . suetonius . nero murthered his mother agrippina , finding out , and severely chastening him for what he had said and done . but he was alwaies after troubled in conscience for that wicked act , although the souldiers , senate , and people encouraged him in it , and gave him many thanks for so doing : he often confessed that he was haunted with his mother's ghost , and beaten with furies . the magicians preparing a sacrifice , he attempted to call upon and intreat the gods. in the pilgrimage to greece he did not dare to appear at the solemnities of the eleusinians , because at the beginning of them , the wicked and prophane were summoned by the call of the cryen . suetonius . otho the emperour ( when galba was slain ) beginning his reign with tortures and terrours , the first night was so troublesome and grievous to him , that not sleeping , on a sudden being horribly affrighted , he groaned heavily , and was found by them which went to his chamber , lying on the floor . whereupon he endeavoured to pacifie and asswage galba his ghosts , by whom he thought he was troubled and disturbed . the next day devising what to do a great tempest arose , he falling down ever and anon , mutter'd and mumbled : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , suetonius . zonaras relateth out of thracesius , isaacius comnenus the empe●our hunting about neapolis saw a wild boar of a fearfull aspect , which ( loosening his horses reins ) he follow'd , as fast as he could , plunging into the sea it vanished , some judged it not to be a boar , but some diabolical spirit : in this interim , a sudden brightnesse like lightning , so dazled the emperour that striking his horse for fear , and foaming at the mouth , he was laid all along on the ground in an amaze , and from thence was carried in a fishers boat into the kings palace ; he afterwards betook himself to a monastery . zonaras . it is reported by augustinus , that the tribune hesperius had a plat of ground in the territory fusalensis , which was sorely haunted by evill spirits , so that the servants and brute beasts were grievously tormented : being therefore necessitated by this domestick misery , he went to the elders of the church , and requested that some of them would vouchsafe to read prayers there . one of them went his way thither , and prayed fervently , and zealously , he also administred the lords supper there , and immediately that vexatious crew of hobgoblins gave over coming . libro de civitate dei vigesimo , . capite . severus sulpitius writes in the life of martin his first book , and likewise in clemens his life , that a certain monk an hermit , whose father lived hard by him , who not loving his son carryed a hatchet with him , wherewith he cut down trees , to carry home as he returned ; upon which the devill in the shape of an angell appeared to this monk , then in the form of his father he was coming to him , with a hatchet to kill him , telling him , and averring he came to that end and purpose , an hermit advising him to prevent his intent and resolution , and rather first to kill him , then be killed by him . thinking therefore his father comming towards him , and saluting him , to be the devill , presently killed him , and on the other side , the devill instantly throtles the monk. under the emperour ludovicus the d , the city moguntia was miserably haunted with a daemoniall spirit . there is in germany , and in the third part of gallia , a little from the town bingus , where the river navas and rhene meet , a country town commonly called by the name of camontus , quasi caput montium , the highest mountain . there in the year . a stragling fugitive spirit did many strange miracles , and plaid many jugling tricks , so that he was a great vexation and trouble to the inhabitants . first he was a deadly dangerous ghost , which none could see , throwing stones at men , and knocking at their dores . anon in the shape of a most pestilent and wicked genius , lying lurking in corners , and prophecying , discovering robberies , most infamously branding all manner of delicts , and stirring up strife and contention among them . by degrees he burnt down their barns , and small cottages ; to one he was more vexatious , haunting him wheresoever he went , and at last set his house on fire : and that he might incense all the neighbourhood against this innocent man to put him to death , this abominable forger of lies bragg'd up and down , 't was for his impieties , that this place was so infamous and execrable . he was made to stand all night in the cold , for their night hobgoblin by force kept this good man from his house . he to satisfie his neighbours , carried a hot iron in his hand , and receiving no hurt thereby , he approved himself guiltlesse , yet neverthelesse his corn being cock't up in the fields ; this wicked and forlorn creature burnt down his dwelling house ; and when he persisted daily more and more spightfull , the townesmen bring the cause before their governour , or bishop . the priests were to purifie and expiate their fields , and town with holy and devout prayers , and holy water . this wicked and disturbed spirit at first was opposite and stubborn , wounding some with stones , but being inchanted with divine hymnes , and by prevalent prayers conjured , was at last bush't , and was never after seen . when these were gone , came another turbulent ghost , and saith , while those bald priests mumbled over and over , i know not what , i hid my self under one of their surplisses , and heard him by name to take notice of him , who the night before through my perswasion lay with his hosts daughter . when this relation was done , making a great howling , the ghost departed from those quarters , and vanished up into the ayre . sigerbertus chron. hirsaug . antoninus , a●entinus lib. . in the northern parts , there were night-walkers , that used to enclose and strangely to disturb the field-keepers , looking to their charge , with prodigious and wonderfull sights of divers kinds , the inhabitants thereabouts cal'd this nightly sports of monsters , the elves-daunce : of whom this is their opinion , that their souls , who were inclin'd to carnall pleasures and delights , being once parted from the body , rove up and down the world . amongst the number of which they reckon them to be , which yet in this our age do apply themselves in mans shape to the services of men , taking pains by night , and looking to their horses and flocks ; you may see the footsteps verily sometimes in the grasse in a dewy morning , but sometimes they are utterly consumed . olaus magnus libro . cap. . septentrional gentium . there is a castle in the coasts of finlandia , under the same dominion of su●cia , 't is called the new-castle , because built with admirable and rare workmanship , insomuch , that 't is doubted , whether by nature or art : for 't is scituated on a round mountain , having onely one ingresse , and another egresse on the west . this by a great piece of timber , fastned with great iron chains which by strong labour every day , by the help of some pulleys , by reason of the impetuous waters , is in the night time attracted by the keepers to one side of the river . by this castle runs an immense and vast river , of an unknown profundity , coming out from a white pool , which is caused by a piece of ground , of a black colour , especially in the mote about this tower , that hath and engenders fishes all black , and yet of a good and savoury rellish . but at last passing by viburgus it makes the lake to be black . at this river strange sights are now and then to be seen , and when the governours of the castle or any souldiers are near death , there appears one in the night-time playing upon an harp , in the midst of the waters , you may also hear him . olaus lib. . cap. , & . in ilandia an island under the artick pole , there is a promontory , which like the hill aetna is continually burning , and there is thought to be the place either to punish and torture , or discharge all wretched souls . for there the visions of all , which suffer a violent death do appear , so manifest and apparent to any they meet of their own acquaintance , as if they were alive , they take them by their right hand , not knowing they are dead ; neither do they apprehend themselves to be in an errour , till their spirits vanish away . the inhabitants of the place do much prognosticate the destiny of their rulers and governours , and whatsoever is done in the farthest part of the world , by the revelations of these appearances . idem lib. . cap. . uladislaus the first , king of the polonians , besieged naclus the strong castle of the pomerans . there in a moon-shiny night , the watches often saw troops as 't were of armed men , riding up out of their open camps , and rushing upon the camps of the polonians . when they often did thus , the polonians were angry , and seem'd to be disquieted , but dare not all come forth into open battell . on a night when news were brought them that the enemies were come again , they came forth on a heap out of their camp all in a rage , and running to and fro assaulted them a great way to no purpose , they which were besieged fearing of the polonian riot and having prepared a way for their excursion , suddenly brake out upon them , and threw wild fire among their works and cottages , which were covered with straw and reed , which quickly dispersing it self in many places , and few remaining in the castle to defend it , easily burnt their works with a great part of the castle . they affirm that the night-ghosts , representing an army in a hostile manner , were they , which by gods permission vext and perplext the polonians . being thus worsted , the polonians , because winter was very sharp in those regions , and now at hand , and their houses were lost and gone , without which they were not able to endure the violence and injury of the winter weather , by these affrights likewise , and sudden alterations they were made religious , but the nacli went from thence , not being able to compasse their design . cromerus lib. . histor . polon . in the countrey named cracoviensis , at a very spacious lake , by reason of the disturbance of some evill spirits , neither fit for fishing , nor any other use of man , being very hard frozen in the winter ; they say that in the year . the neighbours and priests came together , bringing with them their colours , crucifixes , and some other holy and consecrated things wherewith to force and expell them thence , that they might more freely and securely recreate themselves in fishing , but throwing in their net , at the first draught , the fishermen being at strife one with another , they drew forth but three small fishes onely , the one of them an ill-shap'd terrible monster with a goats head , and eyes flaming like fire . at which all being in an amaze , and running away ; that spectrall plunged himself under the ice , and running to and fro in the lake , made a terrible noise and outcry , and breathing on some of the company , they were miserably ulcerated . cromerus lib. . jason pratensis in his th chapter tells us a story of a distemper'd brain of a priest , which was troubled with the disease called by some incubus , or the mare , and imagined he saw a woman of his acquaintance coming to him , which laying upon him whether he would or no , did most grievously afflict and torment him . alexander in his second book of his merry dayes , writes of alexander , that he had an intimate friend of an undoubted credit , that took upon him the care of his friends funerall , and as he was going from thence to rome from whence he came , night drawing on , he turn'd into the next inne in the road , and there being very weary , he went to bed . and being all alone , and not as yet setled to sleep , he said he saw on a sudden the similitude or likenesse of his friend which lately died , comming ●owards him very pale and lean , just like him in the mouth , as he last parted from him when he lay sick , whom looking wishly upon for very fear that he was in , he was not himself , he asked him who he was ? but he answering nothing , pull'd off his clothes , and w●nt ( as it seems ) into the same bed where he lay , and came close to him , as if he would hug him . the other almost half dead for fear , went to the bed side , and would not let him come nigh him , he seeing that he was rejected , looks upon him with a stern and unusuall aspect , and taking up his clothes , presently rose out of bed , and putting them on , and his shooes , went away , and was never seen again . this good man being thus affrighted was deadly sick , and even at death's dore . to that which hath been already spoken , he said likewise , that when he was strugling with him in bed , he felt his bare foot so cold , as no ice could be colder . gordian my friend , saith the same alexander , a man of an approved trust , related to me , when with his comrade he went to the city arezzo , in his journey , as it fell our , they wandred far out of the way , by reason of many turnings and by-places , so that they saw no plough'd or arable ground , but onely woods , groves , and inaccessible places were in their sight , and solitude it self was enough to terrifie them , the sun therefore approaching the western circuit , being weary by their hard travell they sate down together , and within a while they thought they heard a mans tongue , which going after , on the next hill they espy'd three men of a huge wild and terrible form , not of the fashion of men , in black long cloaks , in a sad and mourning habit , their beard and hair hanging down to the ground , who calling and making signes to them , had almost perswaded and enticed them to them , but in that interim greater then these appeared of an immense bulk and stature of body , far exceeding mans , and another also appeared of the same shape , stark naked , leaping and skipping up and down most strangely , with other unseemly deportments at which sight they being clearly discouraged , fled away and passing that rugged and perilous way , could scarce find again that homely inne where they lodg'd . the same alexander mentions stories of the same nature in his th book , and th chapter , in these words . a very good friend of mine lately , of a good disposition , and excellent repute , told me what a strange thing , and wonderfull to be related befell him , averring and confirming the truth thereof by many sufficient testimonials , ( viz ) that when he lodg'd at neapolis with his kinsman and acquaintance : at mid-night i heard one crying , and calling for help , when i had lighted a candle , i ran to him to know what the matter was , and there i beheld the devill and one of his furies , laying violent hands upon a youth in the road-way crying out , and strugling with them ; he poor man run to him , when he came neer him and gat good hold on his doublet and hand , and along time pulling and tugging with them to no purpose , at last he cal'd upon god for help , & with much ado he set him at liberty . when he had entertained this young man at his home which was much troubled in mind , he had not power to go from him . for he was so timerous and horribly affrighted , that he knew not what he did , believing alwaies he saw that spectral before him . in fine when he came to himself , he told the whole story from the begining how it was . he was one of a perverse and wicked conversation , a despiser of god , and disobedient to his parents , whom he had at that time reviled , railed against , and contumeliously reproached . when they blessed him , he went from them most direfully cursing . thomas monachus , a good man , of whose honesty and fidelity i have large experience : told me seriously , when he was in a monastery , and cloysters in the mountain of lucania , he discoursed with many , and after many hard speeches , and brablings being troubled in mind he went alone by himself through the woods , where he met one in the shape of a man , of a grim look , an ugly and cruel aspect , a black beard , a long coat . who being asked why he stragled alone out of the way ? answered , that he had lost his horse , which he used to ride upon , and he thought he was strayed into the next fields : and when through many windings and turnings they went together to look this horse , they came to a river in the channell whereof were many obscure and dangerous gulphs . whereupon monachus , that he might the better passe over , pul'd off his shooes , the other was very earnest with him to get upon his shoulders , and he would carry him over . he yielding his assent , gat fast about the others neck , that went into the foord , and espying his feet not to be like other mens , but of a foul and ugly shape . taking notice thereof he was terribly affrighted and cal'd upon providence for help , which when he heard , he said , presently that ugly vision vanisht quite away , with a querulous noise , and so strong a whirl-wind , that it blew up an oak not far from thence by the roots , not breaking the boughs ; but he was in such an amaze , that he lay all along , a long time , as 't were without a soul , and unlesse he had foreseen it , he was perswaded that this devill would have cast him headlong into the deepest gulphs of this river . but of all that ever i heard or saw , that was the most remarkable , which of late most certainly happened at rome , when amongst the gabii a certain desperate youth of mean descent , ill-bred , and of a wicked life , had upbraided , taunted , and defamed his father , and being therefore tost and troubled with these furies , he calls on the devill , to whom he had devoted himself , and thinks to go to rome , to plot some wicked design against his father . in his journey he meets the devill like some sowre lookt fellow , of an uncompt beard and locks ; and an old decayed vesture , who keeping him company , demands of him the cause of his sadnesse and trouble , he replyed that his father and he had some words , but he had resolved a wicked design on him . to whom the devill answered , that he should have the same fortune , and he would proceed to vindicate his quarrels . night approaching , they come to a city , they turn into the first inne they come at , and together they lay , the one being fast asleep , the other awake was saying his prayers . whereupon that most ugly diabolicall fury brake forth the chamber with such might , noise , and violence , that he pul'd down the rafters , top of the house , and brake all the tyles . this young man being affrighted , and almost kill'd at this sight , repented him of his forepast life and vitious course , endewed now with another spirit , leading the remainder of his life afar off , and was a good example . haec ille . when alexander the lawyer of the city naples lay sick in his bed at rome , he saw plainly before him as he was awake the species of a woman of an excellent beauty : which when he looked upon , a long while musing , saying nothing , and bethinking himself he might be deceived . but when he perceived his senses to be fresh and lively , and that the shape never stirred from him , askt her who she was , she smiling a little , and answering what he had said , as though she intended to mock him , having a long time beheld him , went away . alexander . lib. . cap. . the spirits which go to and fro in houses , are either harmlesse , or fierce and cruel ones , the harmlesse may be termed lares which at midnight chiefly haunt houses , and seem by some kind of noise to do something , when as indeed they do nothing . wierus writes , that when he was a child , those which are called lares , were often heard in the dwellings of his progenitors , which the day before they came to them , the merchants buying hops , used to imitate the sound and noise of bags roll'd down the stairs , ( by which trick his father gain'd much ) it being alwaies a fortunate and true omen . to these were like those which the germans call guteli from the good they do , especially to them that watch and look to cattle , seldome appearing to any other . and not differing from those , they call trullae , who in a counterfeit habit , as well womans as mans in many other nations ; but chiefly among the suionae . now they which are cruell , and tormenting spirits are called larvae , which every way affright and disturb the whole family . in the mettal-mines both kinds are to be found , teste georgio agricola libro de animantibus subterraneis . and the fierce ones indeed , or they which are terrible to look upon , most commonly molest and are obnoxious to the mettal-men . such an one was annaebergius that hobgoblin , which killed twelve labourers , or more at a blast in the cave , that is called corona rosacea , left by that name , although it abounded with silver , this puffe came forth by opening his mouth when he appeared like a horse , having a long neck , and horrible eyes . such another was also schnecbergius that ghost , clad in a black hood , who in the mine named georgian , scituated one of the workmen which he took from the ground , in the top of that concavity , which heretofore was fertile of silver , crushing together his body . judaeus was by one of these spirits forc't from a very commodious mine among the turcae , which often appeared to them like a goat , having golden horns . but some of the germans , and likewise the greeks call the quiet and gentle spirits , cobalos , in that they are imitatours of men , for they shew themselves merry , they laugh , and seem to do many things when they are doing nothing at all . others call them small men of the mountains , because they appear as dwarfs , . spans long . they seem to be drowsy dotards , habited like the mettal-men , these are inoffensive to them , although sometimes perhaps they may provoke the workmen with throwing gravell , but they never hurt them unlesse by jeering or railing they provoke them . they are chiefly seen to work , or haunt those caves out of which mettals may be digged or at least-wise they hope so . therefore these labourers are not frighted from their work , but hereby promising themselves good successe , they are more chearfull , and work more eagerly , wishing for them . theodosius the emperour , having spent and exhausted his treasure by continual wars , imposed a new subsidy upon his cities , onely the city antioch refused to make paiment of it : and not onely so , but having made a mutiny , the people in a contumelious manner , drew up and down the city , the image of placella the empresse ( though already dead ) fitting and fastning a rope to her feet . which villanous act the emperour , as well he might , took so hainously , that ( unlesse being perswaded by the intreaties of d. flavianus the bishop , and the authority of d. ambrosius , he had bin bound by oath to determine nothing against offenders , till the th day was over ) he had made there also a great massacre among them , as he had done at thessalonica . nicephorus lib. . cap. . 't is reported that night before this mutiny , a tall woman was seen in the ayre , huge and very great , of a most dreadfull and fearfull countenance , which running through the streets of the city in the ayre , beat the ayre with her fan , making such a noise , as they used to do , which in dark places excite beasts to rage . idem lib. . cap. . among the italians there was a governour of a city , which most proudly and covetously domineer'd over his citizens , and by his high words , and fierce deeds was wont to punish his subjects in a slavish manner , though they did those things he commanded , and performed them well , yet for small causes did he torment or fine them . by chance a good honest fellow , though of small substance , poor , and despicable , did so beat his lord and masters greyhound , whereof he was wonderfully carefull , that he thought for it he should be put to death . when the governour understood it , being very angry , and with a stern and menacing countenance grievously chiding him , commanded him to be cast into a most base prison , and there being fast bound , was kept in a miserable custody . after some dayes came they who were willing to observe his commands , as they used to do , the prison dore being fast , and as well the dores as every passage made close , that he could not get forth , they could find him no where within the prison , who searching a long time , and he appeared not , neither was there any step or symptome of his escape to be seen , they brought the news to their governour : which seeming to him incredible , he was strangely amazed . within three dayes the same dores being strongly barr'd , that very same he , which of late was deputed to prison , every one being ignorant thereof , was again forc't and thrust into the same prison , and like to one in an amaze , requested that he might with all speed be admitted to his lord , for he had somewhat of consequence to tell him in all haste , which was not to be delayed . and when he was presently brought to him , he told him he was released by some of the infernall crew , that since he could not endure the uglinesse of the prison , he was grown desperate , and being afraid of his doom , not knowing what to do , he call'd to an evill spirit , that he would be helpfull to him , and release him out of that ill-favoured dungeon . a little while after the devill appeared to him in the same prison , of a deformed shape and terrible countenance , and that he had agreed with him that he should free him from thence and all iron bolts and locks , and should cast him into the infernall places , great depths , and the lowest part of the earth , there he might view and behold all things , the torments of the wicked and their ungodly places : their eternal darknesse and miseries , loathsome and horrible corners , their kings and chief rulers , were tortured , covered , as 't were with thick darknesse , and tormented with the burning lights of furies : he saw also the bishops with their mitres and robes , richly adorn'd and beautified with gems , and many other wretched effigies of all sorts , ages , and ranks , afflicted in severall habits , lying along in profound and deep gulphs , punish'd in eternall torments , and their damned wickednesses everlastingly tormented with grief and wo , amongst whom he had noted many which he knew in their life-time , and especially an intimate and familiar friend of his , who while he was living was his companion , and he said to him speaking unto him , he knew him very well , and calmly required of him , what businesse he had there , and what he expected there . he making answer , that his country was by hard duties and rigid government ent●ralled , was charged , to tell the governour , and bid him have a care , that he did so no more , and that he should not oppresse his subjects by burthensome taxes , and unjust toll-money , for he foretold him that there was a place , which he saw not far off lefr for him . and that he might not doubt his promise , he saith that he should call to mind , their private consultation and mutuall agreement , which they made when they were souldiers together , whereof no body knew ; which when he had readily declared and recited not onely what was said and covenanted , but every word , and their promises , whereby they were both obliged to each other : the governour hearing these things in order , being more serious , and attentive , was wonderfully amazed , and great trembling fell upon him , when he considered how those things , which were disclos'd to him alone , and never to any other , that dull pate , and blockish fellow , as 't were inspired with some deity , should know them , and repeat them with an undaunted look . to this miracle also is added , that he asked him , with whom he was talking with in hell , who appeared in handsome and neat habit and attire , whether they were any wayes punish't , that went in rich apparell , and vestments of gold ; he replyed , with everlasting burning and amongst the greatest torments they were with continuall wo oppressed and tormented , and that which before glittered with gold and purple , was now all flame and fire . he willing to make triall thereof , put his hand nearer to the purple , being warned by him not to touch it , and yet it could not be , but by the blast of heat , the palm of his hand which he put forth to the purple , was on fire . for it was almost wasted with blisters and vile ulcers , as with some poyson . st. anthonies fire , or some other mischief , that seemed to spread it self further and further . moreover they which went unto him , relate that he , after he was got from hell , was sore troubled in mind , and his senses of hearing and seeing were very much stupefied , that he was alway musing , seldome spake a word ( though oftentimes ask't ) . but he came home with so stern an aspect , and so deformed a countenance , that whom his wife and children very well knew ; after he came from thence , he was so much altered in his face , and all parts of his body , that they could hardly believe he was the same man , and oftentimes his acquaintance and kindred spake to him , weeping for his uglinesse , and the mans idea so deformedly altered ; he had scarce time to dispose of his substance , and to give good counsell to his children before his death . alexander libro . cap. . genial dier . a certain hetrurian ploughing in the fields belonging to the tarquinii , his plough going too deep into the ground , one named tages , as the story goes , brake forth in stature like a child , but in wisedome a grave and discreet senatour , and spake to him that held the plough , he being affrighted , cry'd out . at the noise whereof , at the first there was a great concourse of neighbours , then by little , and little the rumour being farther spread abroad , within few dayes all hetruria was assembled into that field . all hearing this child , that he spake many things , his words were carefully observed and written down , from which by long experience came all their divination ; yet so , that if it spread to any other nations , the hetrurians made most and chief account thereof . franciscus petrarcha . drusus made consull and warring with germany by the name of caesar augustus , and having subdued the greatest part thereof , resolved to go forward , a very great woman met with him , and seemed to say to him . whither goest thou insatiable d●usus ? is it not in the power of the fates to see all these things ? but go thy wayes , for now the end both of thy life and works is at hand . then going home , he fell into a disease , whereof he died . leonaras . dunstan an english abbot , when by the scurrilous gestures of an hobgoblin leaping and skipping before him , he understood that edmund king of england was dead , he hastned to the kings court , and in the middle of his journey he was better certified concerning the kings death . vincentius lib. . cap. . adrianus patricius being sent from basilius the emperour against the carthagenians had in peloponesus some ships in their station . on a certain night the shepheards heard those spirits that haunt thereabouts speaking one to another , and saying , that the day before the sicilians or syracusae were taken and destroyed . this rumour went up and down from one to another , and at last it came to adrian , who calling the shepheards to him , and examining them finds the report which was brought to him , confirmed by their words , that he might also by his own ears approve the truth of the news , the shepheards bring them to the place , where making enquiry of the spirits , and what they were doing , he heard them say that the syracusae were taken . cedrenus . one polycritus an aetolian , made by the people chief governour of aetolia for three years , married locrides for her vertue sake , with whom he slept three nights , in the fourth he died . the woman continued a widow at home . and when her time to be brought to bed was at hand , she was delivered of an hermophrodite , a wonderfull strange monster , the neighbours being affrighted at this chance , brought forth the young child into the market , and calling an assembly , and gathering together the priests and inspectors of monsters , they consulted about it . some of them said it did foretell some discord between the aetolians , and the locrensians . for the young one was divided , part was of the mother locrides , and part of the father aetolus : others were of opinion that the mother should with her young one be carried out of aetolia , and burnt . while they are advising on these things , on a sudden polycritus which lately died , was among the rabble , clad in a black vestment , he spake to the citizens which were amazed at this spectrall , and at first by intreaties , then by threatnings , demanded the infant to be restored to him . some denying , others not consenting , polycritus being very angry snatch't up the infant , and making many of them run away , as if he was mad he mangled and tore it in pieces . the multitude cryed out , and began to stone him . but he being insensible of their blows and hitting him , devoured the whole body of the child , laying aside his head , and presently he vanished . which fact the aetolians taking unhandsomely , and being very anxious what to do , they would send to apollo his oracle ; the childs head lying on the ground , began to speak , and in a long discourse foretold the citizens , that great misery , and destruction was hanging over their heads . when they heard this oracle , they exposed their wives , children and old people to shift for themselves , they stayed at home , expecting what was to come . it happened that in the next year there was a battel between the aetolians and the acarnanians , and on either side a great destruction . plegon trallianus de mirabilibus et longaevis , ex hierone . in the war by sicily which was between octavius caesar , and sex. pompeius , ga●ienus , the stoutest man of caesar his army , being taken by pompey his forces , lay on the shore with his neck slasht and scarce hanging together a whole day , and when it began to grow darker and darker , a great company of the vulgar being met together , with groanings and intreaties , he desired them to bid pompey come to him as soon as he could , for he was lately set loose from the infernall places , and had somewhat to tell him ; pompey sent many of his familiar friends , to whom gabien said , that pompey his causes pleased the gods below , and his devout parties were an argument of truth , that he would undertake to pacify them if he did what he was commanded , and so it fell out . plinius lib. . cap. . but the event it self discovered satan's mock . caesar with the gods above , being victour , sent pompey to his underneath . two brave and excellent young men , who came new out of the fields , told the news of the victory concerning the tarquinii , which warred with their associates the romans . they were thought to be castor and pollux . l. domitius , who first called them in the market , when then were rubbing and cherishing their horses , which were all of muck sweat , admired the newes . suetonius faith that they meeting him as he came home out of the countrey , bad him declare the victory . a while after , 't is reported , that they smiling on him , handled his beard , and it was , of a black colour , presently made a red beard , ( i speak the truth ) and therefore this man was called aenobarba . plutarchus in aemilio . the devill having transformed himself into an angell appeared to rathbodus commander of frisia , with a golden diadem , on his head , and many jewels thereon , and his vesture wrought with gold , saying , most valiant sir , who hath seduced and mislead you , that you would go from the service of god ? do not do thus , but be constant in those things you have learnt , and you shall be advanced to golden palaces , which i shall shortly give you for ever . to morrow therefore receive vulfrannus , who is the chief teacher of christians , and enquire of him , what famous everlasting mansion that is , which he promiseth you ; which if he cannot shew you , send messengers of both sides , and i will be their leader , and will shew them that golden house , and most beautifull mansion , which i promise : rathbod . being very carefull , related all to his vulfrannus , who told him : that these were meer delusions of the devill . the commander answered that he would become a christian if he would shew him that famous mansion . they presently send one of frisia on the behalf of the governour , and a priest on the behalf of st. vulfran , who going a little from the town , they met one of their comrades , who said to them , make haste quickly , and i will let you see the glorious mansion , which is provided for rathbod the general . they going on in a spatious way , and places they knew not , saw a way adorn'd with divers kinds of marble bravely polisht , and a house afar off , as of gold ; and they came to a street before the house , bestrewed with gold , and many gems . they going into the house of admirable beauty , and splendour , saw in it a throne of a wonderfull magnitude . then spake their guide to them . this is the mansion prepared for rathbod the commander . to which the priest being in an amaze , said to them . if these things be made by god , let them remain for ever ; but if by the devill , let them perish instantly . and signing himself with the sign of the holy crosse , their leader was transformed into a devill , and the golden house into mire and dirt . but the messengers were staying in a fenny and thorny place , and in three dayes space , finishing their journey , they returned back to the town , and found their commander dead , and related what they had seen , to s. vulfran . anno . vincentius lib. . cap. . ex ovone presbytero sigebertus , et erphordiensis cap. . valentinus one of the bishops of the church of millain , defender of the arrians , a man very unconstant , and of small reputation , being buried in the church of the blessed martyr syrus , there was heard by night fearfull clamours , whereat the two keepers being raised , they ran to see what the matter was , and they espied two evill spirits or ghosts drawing forth valentinus out of the temple , being fast bound by the feet , and crying out . in the morning they saw his corps laid in another place without the temple . gregorius turonensis lib. . dialog . cap. . vixit , sub justino imperatore . about the year of our lord . near a place called wormatia , there appeared a great troop of armed men for many dayes and nights , running to and fro ; and sometimes back again into a mountain , from whence they were wont to come . on a certain night a monk , taking some associates with him , and fortyfying himself with the sign of the crosse ; to the mountain he goes , and adjures all that came forth , by vertue of the holy and undivided trinity , to tell him their names . to whom one of the company said , we are phantasmes , and no living souldiers , but onely the spirits of men , sometimes warring and fighting for the prince of this world , and in a short time after killed in this very place ; the weapons , harnesses , and horses , which when we were alive , were the instruments of our sin , are now being dead , the tokens of our torment : whatsoever ye now see upon us is all on fire , though ye cannot see the fire . the monk furthermore askt them , if they could receive no help by men . then the spirits made answer to him : we may by fastings , prayers , and especially by the offering of the body and bloud of christ , and this we beseech you to do . when they had thus said , the whole company , as 't were with one voice , cryed out , orate pro nobis , orate pro nobis , orate pro nobis . and presently they all vanished into fire , and the mountain it self flam'd mightily . chronicon hirsaugiense . it is reported , that a ghost presenting it self to cicero his nurse ▪ did foretell , that she cherished great good to all the romans . these things appearing but dreams and vain phantasms , he in a short time manifested , that it was a true oracle . for consulting with apollo his oracle , how she might obtain greatest renown , answer was made by the oracles , that she should follow her own ingenuity , the ringleader of her life , and not the vulgars estimation . plutarchus in cicerone . a stubborn obstinate fellow a little before he died ( as report goes ) said , that looking into a pond , he saw a shadow in the water , which with a drawn sword threatned death to him . sa. bellic . lib. . cap. . and when annius tacitus was emperour , these were the prognosticks of his death . his fathers sepulchre opening of its own accord . likewise his mothers ghost which was long since dead , appeared to him . and his brothers spectrall with great horrour , in various shapes and places . fulgosus lib. . cap. . constantius the emperour being converted from the persian war to quiet julian in france , and in a great quandary , not having so good successe as formerly , was much affrighted , with nightly visions . and raising an army , on a night between sleeping and waking , he thought he saw as 't were his father , proffering a fair handsome child to him ; he took it up , and laid it in his bosome , throwing away the ball which he had in his right hand . which evidently demonstrated alteration of the times , though the interpreters according to their apprehension , made a more favourable construction thereof . afterwards he acknowledged to his familiar friends and acquaintances , that his genius , who was his protectour and defence had now left him ; he that heretofore had contrived and devised many things with him most familiarly , at that time seemed ugly and dreadfull , as if he would forsake him . these things appeared to him going from antioch , towards tarsus . cuspinianus . there was a temple of jupiter at apamea both very spatious , and also very famous for divers , and most specious ornaments : which when the praefect of the east , with the two tribunes entring the city , would have demolished , upon the serious survey of it , they found it to be so firmly workt , and of such huge and solid stone , that they thought it impossible to ruine so vast and firm a piece of workmanship . when marcellus the bishop , seeing him afraid of the work , desired him to make for other cities , and he went to his prayers to god , that he would put some end to so difficult a work . and in a very short time after , there came one to the bishop , who having contracted for a certain sum of money for his pains , promised he would fire the foundations of the temple , and by that means utterly demoli● ▪ but whilst he was applying his fire-works , a black devill appeared to him , and restrained the naturall force of that element . which when marcellus understood , he went into the temple , and praying most earnestly to almighty god , repelled the magick of the devill , and presently the foundation took fire , and when the piles were consumed , the whole structure went to wrack , and so it was utterly destroyed . niceph. lib ▪ . cap. . the pilappii inhabit a part of the peninsula of scandinavia . amongst them there is an innumerable company of spectrals , which converse feast and discourse with them commonly , nor can they by any means be laid or driven away . they , when they are most terrified and huspil'd by these ghosts , bury their dead friends under their fire-places , or hearths , and give them in charge to take care they be not molested in that nature : by this spell alone do they defend and save themselves from the vexations and terrour of the devils . for if they punctually observe this , no apparition ever after molesteth them , but if they neglect it , they are continually terrified and incumbred with the visions of their dead friends . at this time they are lesse infested , and have lesse incanting amongst them then formerly in regard the king of suecia hath most strictly prohibited the use of them , and as much as in him lies , takes care that the christian religion be taught them , and that their children be brought up therein . casper peucerus de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . we have it reported that a gentleman in bavaria of a most noble extract , was so grieved for the death of his wife , that abandoning all comforts whatsoever , he betook himself to a solitary life . at length when he mourned without measure or date , his wife appeared to him in the night , being risen from the dead , and told him that indeed she had once finished her naturall course in this life , but yet by his importunity she was now restored to life , and commanded by god to use his society yet longer , but upon this condition that they should again be married by a priest : and furthermore that he should abstain all railing and blasphemous words which he had formerly accustomed to use , for indeed , this was the principall or onely cause why he had been deprived of her , and that she should again presently depart this life , as soon as he should but utter any word of that nature . these things being thus performed , she took care of his houshold affairs as formerly , and bare him some children , but was all the while but of a sad and wan countenance . but many years after her husband coming home in drink , and giving his maid some hard words , in anger , more then becom'd a sober man , she went from the bed to the cup-board , where she was to fetch some fruit for her husband , and there left her clothes standing at the chest where the apples were kept , without any body in them , and was never seen more . this i have heard spoken by many worthy and authent●●●●●rsons , who affirmed that a captain of bavaria told it to a cap●●●● of saxon for a truth . this sabinus writes in the tenth book of his metamorphoses . in the . year of christ , bruno the bishop of herbipolis , with henry the third of that name , went to boiaria orientalis , or in the east by water upon the river danubius , but not in the same ship with him . it is a town of austria which they call greinon ; above which there be craggy rocks , and great heaps of stone that arise , and lye out into the waters , by reason whereof danubius ( as they say ) is carried with a very great violence , and exceeding noise which may be heard far off , and froathing by reason of the violence of the water . the teutonick hold this for an ominous and most dangerous and destructive place to navigators , and call it strudelon . bruno ( as i said before ) accompanied the king his kinsman in another ship , and when they dashed upon a very great rock in the sea , the shape of a black aethiop appeared , a vision ( as the event testified ) sufficiently apparent and ominous , and stood upon the rock haleing to bruno ; ho ho , bishop ( sayes he ) i am thy evill angell and whithersoever thou goest , thou art mine ; i have nothing to say to thee at present , but thou shalt shortly see me again . whilst they all abhorred that prodigy , the bishop having used that immortal sign of the crosse , and holy charms , and verses , the evill spirit left all there deceived . and this rock is yet noted for it , on which there was a tower built of stone , without any beam or roof , and from thence being fitly named , retains it to this very day . from whence having sailed on for about ten thousand paces , they turned in at the town of bosenburg , where the widow riclita entertained and feasted them very nobly ( whose husband adalbero of ebersperg had the dynastry of the castle of the chief boiaria , which is now a temple , and had died the last _____ before ) and desired that bosenburg and the farms which in those parts her husband held upon curtesy , might be conferred upon welpho the third her nephew by her brother . the caesar came up to supper , and whilst , before bishop bruno , and alemannus president of ebersperg , and riclita stretching out his right hand he consented to all her desires , upon a sudden , the ra●ters of the house fell and slew bruno , adventinus lib. . annal. boiorum . they say that in the mountains of bohemia oftimes a monk useth to appear , whom they call rubezl , and that many times he is seen in the baths , and doth frequently joyn himself to travailers that go that way when they are in the woods , and bid them be of good courage , telling them , that in regard they are ignorant of the way , he will lead them strait thorow the woods : whom as soon as he hath led into the most path-lesse places of the wood , that they know not which way to turn themselves , he leaps into a tree and makes such a laughter as causes the woods to ring again . this monk or rubezal is the devill , who having taken to him the shape of a monk , playes these pranks . on a certain time there was a monster taken in the sea , in all things like unto a woman of a stupendious beauty , and amiablenesse , whom one of the fisher-men , or sailers took for his wife , when she had been kept in the ship a while , and had one child by her , three years after when they came to the same place where the monster was taken , she leapt out of the ship into the waters , and took the child with her . the child perished in the sea , and she vanished out of their sight , and was never seen more by any of them . it is an easy matter ( saith luther ) for satan to assume the shape of a man or woman . ex colloquiis lutheri . one descended of a most illustrious progeny , invited martin luther and some other learned men to his countrey-house at wittenberg , and when for his pleasure , he rode forth to hunt the hare , a hare of an incredible bignesse , and forces , running very swiftly over the fields , objected themselves to his view . the noble man being excellently well-mounted , followed them with a great shour , and presently his horse fell down dead under him , and the hare vanished into the ayre . this was a truly satanicall phantasm . in the . year after christ , martin luther related at a supper , at islebia , that at thuringia , about the mountain which they call horselberg , certain noble youths , very intent in the night time in catching of hares , took in their nets about eight , which when they returned home , and hung up , they found to be in the morning onely so many horse-heads , such as are to be found stinking in some loathsome ditch . ex colloquiis lutheri . at rotenberg a certain man most gloriously attired , and one that bragged of great nobility and riches , did frequent the house of a very honest man : and had two companions no lesse gorgeous in their apparel then himself . he brought a fidler , and a piper , made banquets , called dances , and all under pretence of marrying the daughter of this good man , a very vertuous maid . he affirmed , he was born to noble parents , had immense riches , castles , farms , towns , and many of them in forrain countries . nor did he want any thing this world could afford , but a wife to his likening , qualified , and educated . this ●●●ortunity of his guest , and his companions , pleased not the master of the house , which caused him to call in the minister of the place against they came , that so whilst they were at supper , he might intermeddle some holy discourse out of holy writ . these colloquies very much offended his guest , and his friends . wherefore they desired some other subject , and argued that many witty conceits and neat jests were more suitable to feasting , and did more exhilarate the hearts of men then the exposition of holy writ , therefore they would intreat them to be no more troublesome to them , with discourse of that nature . by which the master of the house found what diabolicall spirits they had , and being now well armed against the snares of the devill , he said to his guests avaunt , or depart , o ye wicked caitifs , you shall have nothing to do with me nor mine , we are baptized and redeemed by the pretious bloud of christ , and he will defend us against your diabolicall machinations . at these words , this devillish impostor , together with his hellish companions vanished , leaving behind them a most noisome stink , and the dead bodies of three men who had been hanged . manlius , in collectaneis . a certain man who abounded with wealth , living about thirty miles from gorlitz , inviting some friends to a supper most exquisitely cooked , and they refusing to come , he grew so extream angry , that in a rage he said . if they will not come , i wish all the devils in hell would . this wish was not frustrate : for immediately a great company of them which he had called for in his wrath , came to him , which he not knowing at the first sight , went to entertain them courteously . but when instead of hands they stretched forth their claws to him , being exceedingly affrighted he well thought what kind of guests he had in his house . thus trembling with his wife he fled out of his castle , and left an infant in the cradle , and a fool sitting on a stove by it , to see to it . but the fool brought the child safe from amongst those fiends . jobus fincelius , de miraculis . some florid and learned men in the basil council , for recreation sake , went forth into a small wood , friendly to confer about the disputes of those times . as they were going along , they heard a pretty little bird singing most sweetly like a nightingale , they are ravished at her pleasant musick , not knowing what birds note it should be . entring the wood , they espy a small bird sitting on a tree , and singing most pleasantly , without giving over ; they were all very attentive : at last one having more courage , and better spirited then the rest , speaks thus to the bird : i adjure thee in the name of christ , to tell us who thou art . the bird made answer , that she was one of the damned souls , and was designed to that place , till the last day , and then she must undergo everlasting torment . when she had said this , she flew away from the tree , crying ; o how immense , and of long continuance is eternity . philippus melancthon saith , i am of opinion that this was the devil inhabiting there . all that were present at this adjuration fell very sick , and within a little after dyed . in collectaneis manlii . a certain powerful man , and very ancient , had devoted himself to conjure the devil , maintaining his study herein by that saying ; the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head : as if man had power given him over the devil , that he might call him forth , and cast him out , when he pleased . i am not ( saith luther ) of that belief , to dare to use the commerce of devils . and added moreover , what happened to nicolaus ambsdorffius bishop of ciz . who as himself related it , and truly acknowledged on a time in the city maidenburg , when he was priest there , sleeping by night in an inne , he was awakened by two noblemen long since dead , before whom went two young men carrying torches in their hands , and not being afraid , when there was no danger , being commanded to arise , he did so . there these noble-men dictated letters to him , which he wrote , and charged him to present them to a certain prince : when they had done these things , they vanished . he delivered the letters to whom he was commanded . in the year . an evil spirit straggled up and down the city rotwil , having the shape sometime of an hare , sometimes of a goose , and sometimes of a weazel , threatning with a loud voice , that he would burn the city . which did not a little terrifie the inhabitants thereof . pinc●lius , lib. . in the year . on christmas eve in a city of saxoni● , satan taking upon him the form of a man , came confidently to laurentius donerus , priest of that place , when he should hear them that were the next day to come to the holy supper of the lord , to make confession of their sins , earnestly desiring him to hear his confession . being admitted , he belched out most horrible blasphemies against christ the son of god. but being convicted by the minister , with the power of gods word , he departed , leaving an unsufferable scent behind him . idem . at fri●urga , a famous city in misnia , was there a man renowned for his religion and age , who being very dangerously sick , and almost at the point of death , the devil , clad in a prelaticall garb , came unto him , left by chance all alone , and perplexing and troubling the old man in that agony , demanded of him , to tell him in order all the faults which he had committed in his life ; and he having in a readinesse paper and ink , would set them all down . but when the old man by gods word ; mightily opposed the devil's demands , and yet he would not desist from his importunity , at last saith the old man , since you presse it so upon me , that i should particularly declare to you my faults ; write then , first of all beginning thus ; the seed of the woman shall break the serpents head . which he hearing , threw down his paper and ink upon the ground , and leaving behind him an ill favour , vanished away . the good old man not long after departed in peace . doctor willerus et manlius , in collectaneis . there was at heidelberg a doctor of divinity , a favourer of the gospel , whose servant was born in lower germany , when having visited his father , and was returning to heidelberg , not far from the city , he met an horseman sitting upon a great horse , by whom he was violently caught up upon the horse ; when he perceived himself to be on horseback , that he might take heed of falling , the other horseman straightway vanished ; but he was snatch'd off the horse into the ayr aloft , and from ●ence thrown down with great force near the city , hard by the bridge , where for some time deprived of his senses , he lay as if he were dead ; at last when he had recovered some strength , he apprehended , that he was nigh to the city , he rose up , and going into his inne , he lay there half a year , before he could be restored to his former health . in the lower germany ( they say ) walks a monster , in the bignesse of a man , but in the form of a dogg , that breathed upon them , that were to dye , as if he smelt on them . and 't was seen by many , upon whom it breathed not , and they did not dye that year . they called it the index of a funeral ; they which feared death was coming upon them , hastened by idolatrous masse to get relief and salvation . thus satan brought man to idolatry . not far from torga , one born of a noble linage , walking over ●he fields to refresh himself , met one in the habit of a knight or gentleman ( but it was the devill ) complementing with him , he takes him to wait upon him , not knowing at that time what he was , and commits the care of his horses to him . this noble man was very impious and lived chiefly by robbery and pillage , for which purpose he had got him a fit servant . on a time when he was to go a journey , he commended his horse to him above all things . his servant conveighs the horse up into a very high tower , the horse out of the tower knows his master coming home , and putting forth his head out of the turret-window , he neighs aloud , his master greatly wondring , asks who it was that carried up his horse thither : that good servant answers , 't was he that so carefully performed his masters commands . then were they constrained to let down the horse again , ( being fastned with ropes ) from the tower. it happened moreover , that they whom this noble man had plundered , pursued him , then saith the servant to his master ; master , fly , and presently he pulls forth a device out of his budget , whereby to prevent the horses of them that followed after , and to stop their course . at length being cast into prison , he implores his servants assistance . the servant makes answer , that he was fast bound with fetters , and he could not set him free . the master is very urgent , till he perswades his servant to do his endeavour herein for him . then saith the servant : i will set you at liberty , but upon this condition , that you stir not with your hands , and make no signs for your defence . he carries him away being taken from hence , with his chains and fetters , a great height into the ayre . he being amazed , cryes out , o eternall god , whither am i a going ; and immediately the devill casts him down into a moorish place . then making haste home to his wife , bids her go help her husband that stuck fast in the fennes , and was bound with fetters . certain monks travailing with their governour or father , as they call him , inned with an host , that had one of his chambers haunted with an evill spirit . the host being glad of the holy fathers coming to his house , entertained them courteously , in hopes they could by their enchantments easily cast forth that ghost , and therefore makes a bed for them in that room . at night when these holy men were fast asleep , this foul spirit often twitched and pulled them by the hair , till they made them bald . at length guardian conjures the spirit , and charges him to go from thence into the monastery . this evill spirit does as he is bidden , and having changed his colony , was there before the monks returned home ; he salutes and welcomes them coming in into the monastery , and proffers them his service . the monks entertain him , and point him out his place in the kitchin , and give him a hood and a bell hanging by him , whereby to know him , and they often employed him to carry drink , and many other things which they wanted . when he went for beer , he would not be cheated of his measure ; telling them ; see , i give you good m●ney , do you likewise give me good measure . finally , he hanged the cooks servant , that often vext and troubled him , crosse over a beam ; throwing sometimes hot water , sometimes dirty water upon him . but as to his life , he did not prejudice it . the monks fearing a sad event hereof made resignation of their office to this their servant . ex colloquiis lutheri . crescentius , the popes nuncio in the councell of trent , in the year . the . day of march , was very busy in writing letters to the pope , and continued his employment till night . then arising to refresh himself , lo , he saw a black dog , of such a bignesse as was not usuall , fiery eyes , and his ears hanging down to the ground coming in , and directly towards him he came , and at last he fell down underneath the table . being stupefied and amazed hereat , when he came to himself , he calls to his servants , that were in a chamber hard by , he bids them bring a light , and to search out the dog. and when he could in no place be found , he took a sad conceit , and falling into a disease , he died . dying also , they say he cryed out to his servant , to beat away the dog that came up to his bed . sleidanus lib. . at halberstade was there one that abounded in wealth , every day living in riot , and following his own delight and pleasure that he became so carelesse of religion , christian piety , and eternall salvation , that he did not stick to say , if he might alwaies live so here upon earth , he would never envy god in the fruition of heaven . shortly after ( before he was aware ) he died . after his death , every day in the evening such strange apparitions were seen in his stately houses , that every body left them , and no body durst inhabit them . that rich epicure appeared with his guests in the dining room , which he had divided for his delicacies , and dainties ; that servants stood by giving attendance , with lights in their hands ▪ setting on golden cups and vessels upon the table and filling it with most gallant dishes : the fidlers moreover , and musicians were standing by , and no gallantry was wanting , that this rich man usually enjoyed , when he was alive . by god's permission , and the operation of the devill , these spectrals were obvious to the eyes of men , that others might be terrified from that horrid impiety and ungodlinesse of the epicureans . ●incelius lib. . in the year . in marchia fell out a very strange thing , which many of great account and credit did affirm truly so to happen . in harvest time , on a sudden appeared some men in the fields , at first fifteen , at last twelve , all of an unwonted magnitude and an odious shape , both first and last were without heads . all these having siccles did on a cluster reap down the oats , that the noise of the iron was easily heard , yet all this while no oats were cut . immediately the report of this marvellous sight came to the court , and many , both of the courtiers and citizens went forth , and were eye-witnesses of this miraculous vision . many also going nearer to them , aske of them who they were , and of what countrey , and what they would have ? to which they made no reply , but fel stoutly to their work which they had begun . some also did dare to lay hands upon them , and to hold them , but they quickly escaped out of their hands . whereupon it evidently appeared to all that were then present , that they were spirits . that illustrious prince of marchia having convocated many of his most eminent divines , desired to know of them what they thought of this strange prodigy : most of them were of opinion , that it was the omen of an ensuing plague . fincelius lib. . in the year . on the , , and th of july , near spira , there was a vision on this manner : three fishermen , when endeavouring to catch some salmon in the river reine , they lost their labour , they washed their nets , and laid them down to sleep . when they had so done , a monk coming to them , raised one of the fishermen , and bid him go on the further bank of reine . the fisherman was obsequious to the monks commands , and instantly came six more , in look and habit like to monks , who going into the ship , sailed along with them over the river reine . these coming forth , the ship was with a most violent and swift course brought back again through reine , and presently some other monks entering into the same ship , passed over the river as the former had done . at last , the fisherman being returned to the place , where he had laid himself down to take rest , shortly after fell sick . on another night , another fisherman was awakened in the same manner , to transport some monks over the river reine , who coming to the ship , saith one of the monks , this ship will not hold all that are to go over , you must get a bigger . and passing over the second time , came . monks , clad partly in white , and some in black , with ugly hook-noses , and they going into the ship , were also carried over , who when they went out , others presently stepped in , and failed over . but whither the monks went , and whither the ship , or how he came back to the place of his rest , the sailer knew not . and he also within a small time was very ill . on the third night the like chanced to the third man , who being awakened , was likewise charged to make use of a new ship , to transport more monks , who not knowing where to acquire one , seemed to go through rough places , and rugged rocks , till he found a ship that was new made , into which many monks , ( some of small , others of a great stature , having on black , white , and severall kinds of hoods ) were shipped , passing straitwaies through the same river , not speaking one word , and when they were come to an uneven place beset with trees , they refused to go out , bidding them to sail on . when the monks went forth , the ship of it self came against the tide , near the city spira . the fisherman not knowing himself ; was returned home , and the ship restored again into his own place . the monks , when at first they questioned them whither they went , answered towards the city basill to the councill . there is one that describes these passages in an epistle , that calls himself suredabus cancrinus , who also displayes and unfolds this apparition to the life . of the same spectacle , out of an elegy of george sabine . there is an ancient city seated on , the river reine , not far from vangion . people , cal'd neme●es , enjoy'd it ; there four roman generals intombed were . caesarean coh'rts made it their seat of old , whence the name spira at this day't doth hold . here liv'd one who no noble birth could vaunt , of a small fishing ship , an occupant ; in which when titan had withdrawn his beams , he us'd t'deceive the tenants of the streams . whilst he his nets and hooks did fit and trim , of gliding reine almost upon the brim . behold a shape presented to his sight , of one he knew not in the edg of night : his vesture was ( as friars use to wear , ) such a black coul , his crown was shaven bare , the fisher greets him at his wonted rate , and asks him , what makes him abroad so late ? he answer'd he was sent from far by 's lord , desir'd him he would waft him o're that foord ; that he might th'sooner gain the other side , which curtesy he granted , nee'r deny'd . now the night 's near half spent , bootes wai● had turn'd its course , when , in the virid plain , behold five more in hoods towards him came , whom he saluted in good fortunes name ; and ask't them , whither they so late were bound , when night had finish't half her constant round . one of the five reply'd : dangers constrain us thus by night , our safety to obtain . we are infested by a wicked rout , that seek to kill us , ' cause we are devout . if in thee any love of good abide , then waft us in thy boat to th' other side ; that we may passe the waters by thy means , and be not hindred by the swelling streams ; so shall thy labour prosper at thy will , and so thy nets the pish shall crouding fill : he gave consent , and them his boat affoarded , whereby his ship they soon and safely boarded ; but then ( sayes he ) who shall the fraught defray , one of them answer'd , we 've no coin to pay , ( thou knowst ) to th' people since we are so hatefull , they seldome give us ought , but wee 'l be gratefull , if once our fortune shall establish't be , wee 'l well reward thee for thy curtesy . he loost from shore , now 's ship did gently glide , almost i' th middle of the pleasant tide : when , spissy clouds ore-veild the stars , the sails , were over-fill'd with storming southern gales . the waters roar , with rouling waves ; now rain , adds to the storm , and joyns the stars to th' main . the marriner , with horrour being struck , cries out , what causes this unthought ill-luck ? i saw no presage of a coming shower , when sol departed to his western bower : no swallow hover'd o're the waves , my eyes did see no heron : when the moon did rise , she was not black , nor pale , nor phaebus light , abated of its lustre near the night . these words disturbed were , by th' storming rain , and by the raging waves o th' foamy main : the ship was neer o're-turned by the blast , the waves had almost covered the mast . the marriner with stretcht-out hands to heaven , implored thence the divine aid . what even thou wicked wretch , dost pray ? ( sayes one o th' five ) cease sirrah , and let god alone : and then took up an heavy row , which th' poor unhappy man had us'd to wield before ; with which his shoulders he so basted o're , that even unto death he beat him sore . at last the devils wiles appear'd ; 't was plain , there did no part o th' fraud unseen remain . their bodies vanisht into the whirling wind , nothing was left but stinking smells behind . then soon the clouds were drawn , and day appear'd , the winds allayed and the weather clear'd . frighted herewith , e'n senselesse he doth bie , with 's ship toth' shore , and there onth ' grasse doth lye ; 'till sol appear'd , when by a neighbour swain , unto his home he is convey'd again . when telling all to those his friends were by , clos'd up his eyes , and so is said to dye . when bright aurora did next morn appear , and with her crocean chariot th' sky did clear . a passage like to this , the time except , and better issue to the thing , expect . when first bright sol on th' top o th' mountain shone , a traveller 'gan t'journy all alone . whilst he was on the coasts of vangion , just where they placed had the first mile-stone , behold a coach , all of a sable hiew , filled with monks , which seven horses drew , yoked in order ; but one of the four wheels , with the axetree , from the coach were tore . the coachman that did rule the reins therein , had a most rufull nose , and visage grim . the frighted traveller stood whilst it past by him , so found they spectrals were , at last the coach onth ' sudden , mounted into th' wind , when fire and smoak did follow it behind . and the sad omens of ensuing war , a noise as arms i th' ayre did clash and jar : he made return toth' city , told it , and t●me it was made known by good authority . therefore to you , wh ' in other regions dwell , i thought my meter bound these things to tell , and had they wanted an interpretation , i would have made it . now the german nation , by their king's discords , heard of nought but jars ; and now their monks inflamed had the wars . this was the tempest , this the disjoynted wheel , this was the smoak and flame , this joyntly wee 'l commend unto our god ; desire him lay these tempests , hee 'l be good to them that pray . magdalena crucia hispana , in the chief city of all corduba baetica , in her tender years , was ( whether by reason of poverty , or devotion it is uncertain ) by her poor parents , placed in the nunnery of st. clara ▪ ( which she afterwards re-built all anew , and endowed with a fair revenue ) . this magdalena , i say , being insnared by a devill that appeared to her in the form of an aethiop using many sugred and pleasureable enticements with which tender years are most taken ; began to converse very familiarly with him , but with most severe interminations , that no mortall should be made privy to their familiarity . she conversing with the devill almost every day , grew more in knowledg then could be expected from her youth , and was admired of all that knew her for her stupendious knowledg , and ingenuity , and singular piety , which the smoothnesse of her behaviour , and the austerity of her life did seem to manifest ; she had scarce attained the age of twelve years when this evill spirit , taking the opportunity of bringing her into his full and absolute possession , with glorious and gilded words moved a marriage betwixt them , and easily for the experience she had had of her improvement , by his means , was this ambitious girl perswaded to it . they joyn hands , are married , and at last lye together . magdalena in lieu of a dower , promises him the use of her body , to discourse with her , converse with her , and lye with her . the aethiop on the other side , promised to make her a large dower , and that she should by reason of her illustrious sanctity and wisedome , bear great sway throughout all spain for thirty years and upwards , insomuch that she should excell , or at least equall the most famous that ever went before her . nor would this lying spirit , in this particular , seem false that so by this his bride , he might deceive all spain . and whensoever they enjoyed their stolen delights , his servant ( for this aethiop for the honour of the businesse , kept his man ) taking her coule , to the life imitated ( like some supposititious sofia ) in the cloister abroad , or in the temple , her countenance , behaviour in walking , singing , praying , eating , and all other the like . and if perchance , when he had wearied his lady with pleasures , he went ( in pretence of looking that things went right in his mannour ) about the world , at his return he told her all that hapned in his travell worth the telling . so she being taken prisoner of franciscus king of the gauls ; so comming to the knowledg of romes being sack't , and telling she was told it by divine revelation , she grew in great esteem with the chief and noble men of the kingdome , and obtained the dignity of abbesse , all the other nuns willingly yielding to such eminent sanctity : and entertaining the businesse with exceeding joy in that they conceived great part of the glory , redounded to them who were her instructours . she was famous for many miracles , but those onely lusory , and vain fancies . in a solemn pomp upon a feast day , she was taken up into the ayre three or four cubits high , and often holding the image of the blessed child jesus in her arms , making her eyes the sluces from whence rivers of tears issued , she did suddenly extend the excrescency of her hair unto her heels , and by degrees did vanish away . and as often as the monks at set times and seasons , did take the sacrament in the eucharist-basket , there alwaies wanted one of the round pieces of the mysticall bread ( being first of all diligently reckoned ) : which magdalene did openly shew that she had it in her mouth , and that she received it by the administration of angels . hence so much was the fame of her sanctity spread abroad that high-priests , emperours , kings by their letters commended themselves to her prayers , and therefore did charls the fifth's queen take great care that her son phillip should be wrapped in those swathing clothes , which magdalene had sanctifyed by her prayers . thirty years at the least being spent in this diabolicall marriage , at length in the year of our lord , . by gods blessing and favour , and not by reason of her merit , magdalene returned to her self , and began to detest the devill , but the aethiop taking grievously her apostacy , and after diverse manners tormenting her , she , beyond all expectation freely discovered her wickednesse , to them whom they call the visitors of that order , and to them she confessed her sin , implored help , and was by them imprisoned . neither did the devill , notwithstanding all this , leave the place , but at morning prayers to the great wonder and amazement of the monks , was present in the shape and vesture of magdalene , and oft did perform other her offices . the monk now abhorring their abattesse , whom for twelve years they had entertained , at the last they were very importunate that the whole manner being found out , magdalene might be expelled the cloister , that so those enchantments might cease . neither was there any great punishment inflicted on her , because of her serious repentance and ingenuous confession ; and that , as by her feigned and daemoniacal sanctity , she had encreased the superstition of many , so by her true and christian penitency , she shewed by this memorable example , that the fountains and floud-gates of gods mercy are not dam'd up , or shut to any repentant sinner . in the year . a noble man out of his tyrannicall malice commanded one of the country men which he had power over , that he should carry home a great oak out of the wood at once by his horse-cart , and threatned him sore if he did not execute his command ; the clown easily understanding that it was utterly unpossible for him to obey his masters precept , entred the wood with great sighs , and sad complaints : there came to him a devill , haveing taken upon him a humane shape , and enquired of him the cause of his grief , to whom the rustick revealed the thing in order . the devill bad him be of good cheer , and return to his house , he would bring the oak to his masters house without delay ; the clown was scarce got home ere the devill threw the huge oak loadned with thick boughs , a thwart before the house of the noble man , and shut up the passage by reason of the thicknesse of the tree boughs ; and , when the oak had contracted an adamant-like hardnesse , neither could it by any strength or art be cut , the noble man was glad to break a wall on the other side of the house , and to make a new gate in his other houses , not without great trouble and cost . fincelius , book . there appeared to a certain honest matron , a widow , a kinswoman to phillip melancthon , sitting alone in her parlour , her husband being dead a day or two before , having for his companion a monk of tall stature . the husband spoke to his wife with all the sugred and loving expressions he could , saying , be of good comfort my wife , for i am thy husband , and weighty businesses have compelled me to come to thee ; when he had almost talked with her a whole hour , he exhorted her that she would take care that masse should be celebrated for him being dead ; and going away , he importun'd her that she should reach forth her right hand to him , which being reached out , he coloured it as black as a coal and her hand was marked and blotted with that colour all her life after . fincelius , book . in the year . there was a spectrum appeard after this manner . at brunsviga in the village of gehern , two miles distant from blomenaw there was a certain country man , being imployed with his horses and cart , going into the wood , saw before the entrance of the wood , some troops of horsemen , harnessed all with black armour , whereat being terrified , he ran back to his house and reported that a great troop of souldiers appeared abroad ; the elders therefore and the minister of the word there , accompanying them , hastily went forth , and almost a hundred persons ( some men and some women ) went with them , and did see these horsemen , and they reckoned them to be about fourteen troops , which immediately divided themselves into two companies , and they being marshalled into order , one company stood opposite to the other . at the last there issued out a tall man of a black hue very formidable , out of each company , and both of them lighting from their horses , did view accurately each company . which being done , they mounted their horses again , the army being set in rank and file , and the troops set against one another , the horsemen went forward , and filled the whole camp ; the country men were spectatours of their march untill night came on . but when they heard no further at that time of any war or marching of the foot or horsemen , they all agreed that it was a prodigy from the devill , or a sign of gods anger . fincelius , first book of miracles . in the year . in trawtenaw , a city of bohemia , there was one stephen hubener , that gathered such great riches , built such stately houses , and was so successefull that all admired . and at last falling sick , dyed , and was very honourably inter'd . but a short while after his death and buriall , his body ( or that which is more likely , the devill by his diabolicall power , carried about his body ) did pinch many men with such strait embracements , that many of them died , yet diverse recovered again , who all with one consent confessed that they were thus clasped or beclipped by this rich man , in that very habit in which they had seen him alive , therefore the magistrate of that place , that he might void or lay this satanical sight , commanded the body of that man to be digged out of the grave , after he had lain in the earth twenty weeks , yet was not corrupted or rotten , but fat , as young and well fed bodies use to be ; the body was delivered to the hangman , to be carried away to the place of execution , where he cut off his head with his axe , and anatomizing him , took out his heart , and did cleave it : there issued out of his body bloud , as if he had been alive ( witch-like ) to sustain punishment , therefore the hangman threw the body into the fire , a great company standing by , his head being bound to his feet , and so he tyed neck and heels . about two hundred years since , in hammel , a town in germany , the devill in the likenesse of a man walked about the streets of the city , playing many youthfull pranks , inticed many boyes and girls to him , and drawing them without the city gates unto a bordering mountain , he together with them vanished away : which when it was told to the citizens , by a wench which was afar off , and secure , they with great care sought their children in the rivers , woods , and all about the country , but none ever knew why or how they were thus deprived of them . which history is recorded in the annals of that forementioned city , and is read by many famous and illustrious men . fincelius , first book . on a time the devill made a great moan and complaint as though he was afflicted by some terrible pain , saying , he was the soul of this and the other man , that he might delude men , there are very many histories of this kind , and we have reckoned some before . peter mamorius saith , there was a thing happened about the river at vienna in france , in some houses of capland , in the year . that the devil did give out , he was the soul of one deceased , filling all places with his sighs , clamours and lamentations , wishing he had some prayers made for him , and that pilgrimages might be undergone , and declaring very many other things , but , said one to him , if thou wouldest have us to believe thee ; say , have mercy on me o god according to thy great mercy in christ : he made answer , he could not do so ; then they that stood by mocked him , and he being fretted went away . d. bartholomew fayus writes , when nicolas alberia vervinensis , had prayers made at his grand-fathers grave , there came out of the ground a man wrapped with a sheet , who spoke to a woman , and told her , he was her grandfather ; and , that he might be delivered from purgatory , it was needfull that they should sing masse , and have a progression into the house of the virgin mary ; then uncovering himself , she saw he was her grandfather ; then she procured a great company of masses to be said : but when she ceased from their celebration , she was grievously tormented , and at last he confessed that he was beelzebub . but this story being blazed about all france , i shall say no more of it . but now see another new story which is well-known to the citizens of paris , also printed , which happened at lutetia , at the sign of the red horse in the street of st. honoratus . a certain man called metaxarius , when he saw a neece of his who was an orphan , he took her home . whilst she prayed at her father gervase's grave , the devill met her in the shape of a tall man of black colour , and taking her by the hand , said ; friend , do not fear , thy father and thy mother are in a good place . but yet , there should some masses be said , and she should go a pilgrimage to our queen and lady of vertues , and so straightway they should go to paradise , to the virgin : she asking who he was ; he gave this answer , that he was satan , and admonished her least she should be afraid : the maid did what he commanded , which done , satan bad her take a pilgrimage to st. james . to whom she said , i cannot take such a long journey : from that time satan gave not over importunately to urge her , and familiarly calling her , said , how cruell thou art ; saying , she will not put her shears into her bosome for me , which when she had done so to satisfy him , that she might free her self from his importunity , he furthermore asked that she would give him something ; at the last proceeding , so far that he asked one of her hairs ; she gave him one : sometimes he assayed to perswade her to drown her self , and at another time to strangle her self , and he putting a rope about her neck , had been choaked if she had not cryed out , and sometimes her uncle desirous to defend her , was so beaten , he knew not by whom , that he lay sick above . dayes , and once the evill spirit offered to lye with her and to offer violence to her chastity , but she strongly resisting , was so beaten with his stripes that the bloud gushed out of her body in divers places . amongst those that saw her , there was a certain secretary of the bishop of valenti●e named choinius , who told the maid that the best way to drive the divell away , was , not to give answer to his words , although he bad her pray to god , which he never did , but after a blasphemous manner , or mocking that devotion , using it to created beings ; the devill seeing that the maid would not answer him , and that he could do no good of her in that case , took her and threw her upon the ground , and from that time she never saw him after . bodin relates these things in his treatise of magicall demon. book . chap. . michael curopalates rancabes imp. had a certain maid that was his bond-servant , which at an eclipse , or conjunction of the moon with the sun , was struck with madnesse , and cryed to the emperour , descend , descend , and give place to others : this being often done , made the emperour afraid , therefore taking counsell of his servant theodatus michael f. asked the wench that was mad , to what house of the palatinate that might belong or concern , and by what signes and tokens he might know , when the maid was in her frantick fit ; and asked , she did intimate and signify the armenian lion namely , and described its marks and its fashion . but when she commanded theodatus to come down from his tower , she did prophecy of two men which should meet him , whereof one of them sitting on a mule should be he that should possesse and enjoy the kingdome . theodatus went to that appointed place , to search about the thing , and there knew the man by his token which the girl had before taught them , and so they perceived that she did not prophecy false , by reason that she was inspired by the devill , by whom she was possessed . cedrenus and zonaras , tome . erasmus roterdamus in an oration which he writ in the praise of physick , saith , that he saw a man , one phliarius poletanus by name , who being an italian , and not at all skilled in the dutch , yet perfectly did speak that language , as though he had been possessed by the devill . wherefore he was taken in hand by a famous panacean physitian , and giving him physick , brought out of him a great sort of worms , and so freed the man of his disease , and also deprived him of his germain language . cardan de rer. var. book . chap. . norbertus at nigella using exorcisms to dispossesse a certain maid that was possessed with the devill , was derided by him , who did repeat the canticles from one end to the other , in the mouth of the girl , and after did interpret it in the latine and germain tongue ; but at last a bishop sharply withstanding him , he was expelled out of her in the year . as the continuator of sigebert hath it . in italy there was a certain virgin possessed by the devill , and utterly ignorant of the latine tongue , and being asked by lazarus bonamicus , a bononian professour , which was the best verse in virgill , she answered , or rather the devill out of her . discite justitiam moniti , & non temnere divos . be warn'd to learn right , and obey the gods . manlius , first book by the relation of phil. melancth . in a wildernesse of the countrey of tingut the voices of devils and spirits are heard , who call those by their own names who are walking alone , or else wandring aside from their company , and feigns the voices of their companions , and so misleading them out of their way , he hurries them into destructions gulph , sometimes a consort of musicall instruments are heard , but more oftner the noise of drums . munsters cosmograph . book . there was a certain citizen of erphord that for some years together kept a crow in his house , and when he saw any silent or sorrowfull , he used these words after a jesting manner ; o my crow , what makes thee so sad , what thinkest thou of ? to which , beyond all expectation , the crow , or the devill in it , clearly , and with a lively voice , recited a verse out of the . psalm , i have thought of old , and i have had eternity in my mind , and thus the devill spoke out of the crow . caspar goldw. in his book of miracles . hieronimus cardanus told his father that there appeared seven spirits which did dispute with him about divers wonderfull things , and did enucleate and unmask hidden mysteries that were before unknown out of the manuscript writings of averroes , of physitians principles . in the raign of trajan , a crow , but rather the devill out of the crow , began to speak with humane voice , and cryed out of the capitol in greek , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , omnia bellè se habebunt , i. e. all things shall be well ; from whence came that distick of an unknown authour . tarpeio quondam consedit culmine cornix , est bene non potuit dicere , dixit erit . englished thus , a chough did from tarpeia's top foretell ; though things now are not , yet they shall be well . a most certain argument to prove that those men are possessed , is , they speak those tongues which they never learnt : bodin saith , there was one whose name was samuel , being but twelve years of age in the village of wantelet ad laod , he was the son of a noble man , lord of the land , who was possessed of the devill a month after his mothers death , and grievously vexed and buffe●ted , also the devill had power over his body , and if any one would withdraw the bo●● he did retract him again by violence , his father would not have him exorcised ( for religion's sake which he professed ) . and whether or no he was freed from it , the twelfth or thirteenth year he was past , in which the woman of vervinens was possessed by an evill spirit , but she had an exorcism i know not : which history i passe over , because it was related in diverse books , which are now printed . italy and spain abounds with such demoniacal persons which had need be bound up in chains ; those can speak greek and latine , and other tongues which they never learnt ( or which is more likely , the devill speaks in them ) : for if at any time that woman of vervinensis had put out her tongue a great length , the spirit then spoke most eloquently . melancthon reports that he saw a woman in saxony that was possessed , who could neither read nor write , yet did speak greek and latine , and prophesie of that cruell war in saxony , saying ; great misery shall come upon this country , and famine upon this people . fernelius , in his book of the secret causes of things , tells , that he saw a possessed boy speaking greek , for all that he knew no letters . hippocrates , in his book de sacro morbo , thought it to be the falling sicknesse , but some afterwards in greek did accurately note the difference ; for those who were possessed spoke divers languages , and prophesied , which could not be observed in those who had the falling sicknesse . in the reign of argyropolis emperour of rome in the thracian province at the bottome of the fountain of curena , there was a miserable dolefull noise heard , mixed with howlings and lamentations not onely for once or twice , but continually dayes and nights from march to july . and when some came to see the place from whence the voice was heard , there was another howling thwarted them . i suppose this miracle did foretell the slaughter of the romans in coclosyria . cedrenus . calligraphus , a reverend man of alexandria , going out of his house in the night time , at midnight he saw brazen statues speaking with a loud voice , that mauritius the emperour of constantinople was slain , together with his children at byzantium : going forth in the morning , he related it to augustulus , who warned him not to tell it to any , and prescribing a day , in the ninth day , there came a messenger declaring the death of mauritius . then augustulus did publish to the people the devills prophecy . paul. diacon . book . of romane history ; and nicephorus , book . chap. . hircanus ▪ d captain of the jews , and high priest , when he had deputed his two sons , aristobulus and antigonus to the siege of samaria , and the samaritans having implored help of antiochus cyzicenus , it was reported that in the very same day in which his sons had entred battell with cyzicenus , the high priest being alone in the temple , heard a voice that mentioned the new gotten victory of antioch by his sons , which he ●and by going forth published to the people , and a while after his oracle came certainly to passe . josephus book . chap. . when the romans in a great battell with the tarquinians sent away l. junius brutus consull , but in the following night , such an affrightment seized upon the enemies , the tarquinians and the vejentes in silent troops returned home as conquer'd men . the report is , that in the next night after the battell out of the next wood ( which livy calls ars●a , and dyonisius said it was a holy wood ) a loud voice was heard whether it was the voice of a faune or silvaine it could not be resolved , which happened more then once in the hetrusian war , which prodigy did so affright the enemies that they yielded themselves as conquer'd . sabellicus book . ennead . valerius book . chap. . in that day which caesar fought with pompey at pharsalia , c. cornelius of patavia , being augur , when he had taken augury , at the first sight suddenly turning to those that were by him ; said , now the businesse is done , now the men begin their work , and trying his augury the second time , he with a loud voice cryed out ; o caesar , thou overcomest , they that stood about him , admiring at the thing he took the crown from off his head , and swore he would not put it on again untill the businesse made his art believed or credited . livius and plutarch in caesar and pliny , saith , there such a noise came when two armies were fighting one against the other to the augurs sitting on the patavian mountains , being bold to affirm by that , either the world would be dissolved quickly , or caesar was fighting with pompey . sabellicus book . ennead . . out of the th book of gellius chap. . when antonius fell from domitius , and a great war was expected in germany , the city being affrighted , and the people of themselves without any other author , dispersed the same of the victory , and a report going throughout rome that antonius was killed , and that no part of his army was left alive , it was so really believed that a great part of the magistrates sacrificed . but when the authour of the rumour was sought out , but none appeared , but the news was put off from one to another , every one clearing themselves of it , and being as it were labrynthed , and plunged in a vast ocean , they could not make it appear from what original or fountain it proceeded , the fame of which quickly overspread the city . but a messenger and letters meeting domitian in his journey , leading out the legions to war , intimating victory , so that one day was the day of trophyes and of fame too , in places distant more then two thousand five hundred miles . plutarchus in aemilio . sosipatra a woman of alexandrina , at a certain time being amongst her acquaintance , and a disputation arising about the soul , she was wrapt by a certain fury suddenly , she seemed as though her voice was taken away , and was for a while dumb , by and by she began to cry out , my cozen philometor being transported in a charriot , is now ore-turn'd in a thorny place , and hath hurt his ellow and his hands are wounded , and a certain man complaining , the thing was a while after known which confirmed the truth . eunapius in aedesio . thamus an egyptian pilot , sayling to rome late at night near the echinad islands , night being far spent , heard the voice of an unknown author , which cal'd him by his own name : they that were in the ship were all amazed , and when it called the third time he answered ; then saith the voice , when thou comest into the next island , the voice being heard as if it were on the foredeck . thamus being astonished , and religiously given , obeyed its commands , and immediately after it had given its precepts , such howling , mourning , and lamentations was heard in the ayre , that all thereabouts was almost dead with fear . the news quickly arrived at rome , and tiberius caesar commanded thamus to be brought before him , and examined , that he might know the truth of it ; the augures and high priests consulting about it , they answered , pana perhaps was born of mercury and penelope . plutarch relates this in his book of oracles , which oracles then were made dumb , in which place although we may acknowledge the subtily of satan , and the devill being busied about bringing the death of christ into question , and to mock it by such a fiction , except he would by pans death infer that mens souls after death should be destroyed , or annihilated . monobazus the king of the adiabenians , his sirname was barles , being in love with helens sister , married her , and of her had monobazus , and other children of other wives . at the last lying with his wife big with child , and laying his hand upon his wives belly , he thought he heard a certain voice bidding him to take off his hand from her belly , lest he should oppresse her young ; which as it was begun with divine providence , so it was likely to have a prosperous end . he was affrighted with this voice , and shewed the thing instantly to his wife , and he called the son izatch that was born at that birth ; and by reason of this prediction he made him heyre to the kingdome . but he together with his mother embracing the jewish religion , restored artabanus the king , again to the parthian kingdome , and fortunately fought against the arabians and parthians in the . year of his age and . of his reign , he died and left the kingdome to his brother monobazus . ex joseph . book . chap. . nicephorus phaeus the emperour , did fortify the palace of the constantinopolitan tower , in which it was foretold him that he should dye . at what time the walls of the palace was builded , in the night season a certain man sailing on the sea , cryed out after this manner : o emperour , thou makest up thy walls , and although thou raisest them up to heaven , whilst that which is within is evill , the city may be easily taken : he that spoke those things , was a long time and very much sought after , but never could be found out , the wall was finished , he perished that same day that he had the keyes delivered by him that had the businesse committed to him . cedrenus . when opicinus cacia novaria , being very thoughtfull or melancholly , walked alone in his house at noon-tide , he heard something call him by his name , but saw no man , and afterwards said , wouldst thou be willing that thy son should dye ? to whom he answered , ( having no time to consider of it ) he would , but afterwards coming to himself , quickly denyed that which he had assented to , and was very sorry for the cruelty of the prodigy ; therefore within three dayes his son john baptist having no more , fell sick , and two dayes after dyed . fulgosus , book . chap. . before neroes death , there was a confused murmure mixed with laughter , and a tumult in the theater with great mourning was heard when no man was there . in albania it rained bloud , and both the dores of mauseolus ( in which were the tombs of the caesars , he being the last of that stock ) and the dores of his bed of their own accord flew open , out of which there was heard a voice calling nero to him . xiphilinus ex dione . m. antonius majoragius reported that in the moneth of aprill there was heard , in eupilus lake , a sound , or voice crying after this sort , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh ; the first part of which had a musicians song , the latter part of the voice had their brief , and in those years , nor in any other , were there ever a more plentifull encrease of wine , wheat , and other things . cardane book . chap. . de rerum varietate . there appeared to hircanus the captain of the jews , and being also high priest , a certain sight , which enquired about his successour , being carefull of aristobulus and antigonus his eldest , which he loved above all their other brethren . but when god had shewed the picture of alexander , the youngest sorrowfull that he should be successefull and prosperous in all his proceedings , commanded that he should be brought out of galilee , lest he should be in any capacity of having the kingdome after him , but the event made the oracle be believed , for he was possessed of the kingdome after aristobulus who before had slain antigonus , and killed the other brother that withstood him , but the other that was contented with a private life he honoured , josephus , book . chap. . before camillus's banishment m. cedicitius a vulgar person declared , or gave it out , that in the night before he was called out of his way ( which they call the new way ) by a loud voice and looking back , and seeing no man , he heard a voice greater then a mans , which spoke thus to him : go to m. cedicitius , and tell the tribunitian souldiers , betimes in the morning , they may expect the french within a few dayes , the tribunes despised and laughed at those relations . a little after this came camillus's distresse , and the invasion of the french. plutarch . in camillo ; et sabellicus , book . ennead . . lycurgus hapned to come to olympia , and was a spectator of the games there : it is reported that this befell him , viz. that there was a voice like the voice of a man behind him rebuking him and wondring at him why he did not stir up his citizens to celebrate that solemnity , he turned himself about , and finding no man that spoke to him , then he was perswaded it was a divine voice , and gathered iphitus and his companions to himself , and made a great feast by which the solemnity became much more remarkable . plutarchus in lycurgo . cassius chaerea , captain of the guard , with some others , made a conspiracy against caligula . and when he was going into the court , he heard a voice from among the multitude , commanding him to perfect their designes , the gods being their assistants . at first he suspected that their plot was betrayed by some of the conspirators , but afterwards he perceived , that he was incited thereunto , either by some that knew it , or by an oracle from god. on the d day therefore they slew caius circensis . josephus , lib. . cap. . pertharis , king arithpertus his son , who being banished by grimoaldus , and in his banishment sailing into britain , was warn'd by an unknown voice , that grimoaldus being dead by phlebotomy , he should seek for his fathers kingdome . whereat being moved , though he knew not the authour , yet returning into italy , within three moneths after the death of grimoaldus , he was made king of the lombards . platina in dono. c. hostilius mancinus the consull , going into spain , as he was taking ship at hercules his haven , whither he went on foot , this sounded in his ears : mancinus , stay . he being affrighted herewith , turn'd his journy , and went unto genoa ; and when he had there shipped himself , a huge great snake appeared to him , and presently vanisht out of sight . he being conquer'd by the numantes , yielded basely . valerius max. lib. . cap. . henry the third being emperour , kept the feast of pentecost at the city ments in almaine . where arose a dissention between the servants of the archbishop of mogun , and the servants of abbas fuld , about their hire . they went from words to blows , and fighting with swords , they polluted the temple with mans bloud . the bishops running to them , brake off this bloudy battle , and again purged the temple . the tumult being afterwards pacified , when they sang , thou hast made this day glorious . the devill was heard to cry aloud through the temple . i have made this day quarrelsome . the emperour amazed at this strange noise , endeavoured to force away the devill by giving many alms , and he himself with his nobles , distributed to the poor those dainties which were provided for his own court. nauclerus , volumine . generatione . when ( rome being pillaged and undone by a home bred conspiracy ) constans the emperour had remained six years in sicily , he died at sarogasa a city thereof , in a bath called daphne . for one andreas went with him into the bath , and killed the emperour by throwing down a vessel on his head as he was wiping him . constans his death was known in the city the same day he died by a voice coming forth out of the ayre . zonaras & cedrenus . bodin saith of constantinus , who is accounted amongst the skillfullest workmen of the mettal-art in france , and is the most famous in all the kingdome . i have heard his comrades , when blowing a long time , no hope or likelihood of any good appeared , ask advice from the devill , if they did right , and might accomplish what they desired : but he replyed in one word , travaillez , take the pains ; the blowers being animated with this , blew so strongly that they brought all to nothing ; and they would still have blowen if constantine had not told them this was the devills usual custome , to answer doubtfully : but that word , take the pains , imployed that alchymy should be laid aside , and he should fall to some labour , and honest art or science commodious to get a living : he is a mad man , that thinks gold can so quickly be made , in making whereof nature spends more then a thousand years . a souldier gave a horse to his kinsman , that when he died , he should sell him ▪ and give the money to the poor . he sold the horse and kept the money to himself . thirty dayes after , his soul returning ; ( it was the devill ) saith , thirty dayes have i bin tormented in hell ; but thou , who gavest not to the poor what i had thee , shalt go thither to day , and i shall be translated from thence into paradise . the very same day the devils snatcht him away , and . dayes after his carcase was found in an exceeding high mountain . vincentius , lib. . cap. . hector boethius in his th book of the histories of scot. relates , that in a small village of scotland scarce . miles distant from aberdene , there was a very beautifull young man made open complaint before the governour of aberdene , that he was many months molested and troubled with a she devill , ( as they call it ) the handsomest that ever he saw , and finally when the dores were shut she came to him by night , and by her fair speeches forc't him to embrace her : when 't was almost day , she went away making no noise , and trying many wayes , he could by no means be freed from that so great and base vexation . a prudent and devout bishop commands the young man immediately to go to some other place , and according to the christian religion to conform himself to prayer , and fasting , more zealouslly then he used to do , hereby he thought the devill would be put to flight from him , when he saw him so intent upon all good works . upon this wholesome counsell followed good successe : which when the youth had religiously performed , within few dayes after he was clearly delivered from these hobgoblins . so the he-devill did no longer trouble the woman of navete , after her confession , and holy communion which accompany prayer and fasting . legitur in vitâ divi bernhardi . vierus , lib. . cap. . a certain maid in burgus possest with melancholly , acknowledged that she was haunted with vergilius his ghost , having for a long while conjured against it ; which we may the more easily believe , because she was a plain girl , very sincere , and one who never went abroad ; conjuration not at all prevailing , a physitian gave her at first some artificiall medicines , then some others to strengthen her , and so she was restored . vierus , lib. . c. . de praestigiis daemonum . philippus wesselich coloniensis , a monk of the abbey called knechtenstein an upright and pure person about the year : was miserably and sundry wayes tortured by a ghost , which brought back again the lean abbot , dead many years before . sometimes he was carried under the roof of the house , sometimes he was thrust between the rafters over the bell , oftentimes he was on a sudden conveyed through the wall . on a time he was found , his body being laid over a pond , and his head lying upon the land . at the last , out comes the ghost , relating the cause of his long and manifold trouble : to wit , that this was that abbot mathias durensis , so many years buried , who tortured him because he had so exactly drawn , as 't were to the life , the virgin maries picture , and had not answered the costs and labours of novesianus the limner , who thereby suffered much damage . this was true . hereupon he added the manner how he might be absolved , viz. that this crime could not be expiated , nor he by any means freed , unlesse for religions sake this phillip would travail into some parts of germany ( whom for his integrity the devill thought to be a fit instrument for his sports ) and three masses were read to procure his liberty , viz. de trinit . de domin . and de temp. the divines of colony consulted to satisfy his request , and the rest of the monks desired the same of their abbot gerard strailgen morsens . who thought that phillip was rather to be converted into another opinion by sounder doctrine , and sharp reproof , that relying on god the father of all mercy with a lively faith , and christ our onely saviour , he might stoutly contemn the impostures of the devill , and tell that ghost returning back , that he was not under his jurisdiction , that he lived under the rule of others , and therefore he could not observe his commands . which being done , the ghos● replyed : tell the deputy , for he hoped he would confirm his purpose . whereupon the abbot , when he perceived the devill to persevere , and the monk not confidently enough to resist his illusions , instructed him again , carefully admonishing him to repent , and not to be so prone to hearken to the sleights of the devill : but if he continued to hear those spirits , as formerly , he threatned most severely to whip him , and heavily to beat him . hereupon the ghost seeing his endeavours to be vain , by reason of the abbots constancy , and phillips mind more elevated with trust in god against the fraudulent and destructive policies of the devill , never came again , but went some where else . vierus , lib. . cap. . antonius surquetus knight , of the most noble order of the garter , and likewise a counsellour , left behind him a son , which was base born , who afterwards married a wife at brugus . this woman within a while after she was married , was lamentably tormented by an evill genius , insomuch that whithersoever she went , though in the midst of good and honest matrons , she was snatcht out of their company , and hal'd out of one chamber into another , and oftentimes conveyed away , sometimes into this hole , sometimes into that , notwithstanding all that were present did with all reluctancy and might endeavour to hold her fast : yet all this was without any great harm , or prejudice to her body . every body believed , and were perswaded that this befell to her by a drab , that envied her husband , with whom formerly she was in love withall , for he was indeed ( as i may so say ) another narcissus . in this interim she was with child , neverthelesse was she thus ill-handled . her time of delivery being at hand , when there was but one onely woman with her , and she sent away the servant to call the midwife , this harlot seemed to come in unto her , and performed the midwifes office for her . she for very grief and trouble of mind swounded away : when she came to her self , she felt that she was delivered of her burden : but the child appeared not ; every body exceedingly wondring at it . but the day after , it happened that when she awaked , she found the babe by her in the bed , swadled up , which she often suckled . but not long after , when she was asleep , the infant was taken away from her , and never afterwards found . they said , ( i know not what ) papers with magick notes were found in the dore-lock . historiam recenset vierus , lib. . cap. . de praestig . daemon . a religious maid whose name was judith , was by the devill most cruelly writhed with convulsion fits , and her jaws clang together so , that she could not eat ; her tongue also sometimes was so restrained that she could not speak , but made a most hideous and dreadfull noise . idem , lib. . cap. . a certain country priest living at durweis , about esweiler , did confidently promise , that he would set at quiet a pretty young maid named helena , which was haunted with a devill , in a village called loes , scituated by aldenhovia , some of his neighbouring priests being convocated to this solemn sight ; and strange wonder . at last the devill told this exorcist having for some while taken great pains to little or no purpose in disturbing him , that he must now desist , for about the glasse which was set to illustrate him , were many of his co-partners , which would confirm him . this poor priest giving credence to this father of lies , goes about by the glasse to force them away , but when he perceived that he laboured in vain , being very angry , he brake out into this speech , if thou canst go out of one christian into another , come forth out of her into me . to whom the devill presently replyed ; what need i tempt him , whom at the last day i am certain , is my proper right to enjoy . afterwards being desirous to know what the devills opinion was concerning the masse , johannes sartorius parochus in leon , askt him in plain english , why this little maid instantly at the ringing of the bell to masse , was alwaies by him brought into the temple . to this question he said , he could not presently make his answer , but he would consider on it . actus hic celebratus , anno . circiter . augusti . vierus , lib. . cap. . de praestigiis daemonum . the nuns of ventetus shut up close in the county of horn ▪ were cruelly handled by an evill spirit . a poor woman in lent time borrowed three measures of salt of the virgins , and restored almost twice as much about easter . here in the bed-chamber were found small white balls , as 't were seeds pargetted over with sugar , but being tasted , they were salt . in the same place they took notice of a ghost walking there , and groaning , they heard also that many virgins were called to arise , and to go with her to the fire advertising them , that she was not well . if at any time they took the chamberpot to make water , it was by force taken from them , and they watered their bed . sometimes they were haled by the feet out of their beds , and were tickled at the soles of their feet , that with overmuch laughter they were ready to dye . some had pieces of flesh pul'd off , many had their legs , arms , and faces writhed the contrary way . some were so tormented , though for fifty and odde dayes they eat nothing but turnep porrage without bread , yet they spued up such abundance of black stuffe , like ink it self so sharp , that it took off the skin from their mouth . some were lifted up above a mans height , and instantly thrown down again . when about . friends came to visit and comfort them that were sick , they fell down from the table , not speaking a word nor sensible thereof ; others lay as if they were dead with their legs and arms crosse ; one was lift up aloft , and although some standing by , strugled to save her with their hands , yet was she snatcht away above their heads , and thrown down headlong again . some went upon their toes , as if they had no feet , or at least no use of them . they climb'd trees also like cats , and came down again from them without any alteration of their body . it happened likewise , that the governesse of the monastery ( which they call the mother ) in her perambulation , as she was discoursing with margaret , countess of burens . was hurt on her thigh ; the wound was black and blue , but was healed again . this cruelty continued evidently full three years , which afterwards they concealed . vide vierum . lib. . cap. . not unlike these , did the religious virgins undergo at colonie , when they were cloyster'd up in the monastery called nazareth ; to whom yet this was added , that though they were for some years before many and sundry wayes troubled , vexed , and perplexed by the devil ; yet in the sixty fourth year , beside other specttrals often appearing in a terrible manner , they oftentimes fell flat downward , the lowest part of their body jogging up and down , as the manner is in the sports of venus , their eyes being all the while shut , which afterwards they open'd to their shame , where being out of wind by their great pains taking , they took breath . one gertrud gave a remedy to this disease , which in the th year of her age being included in a monastery , merrily underwent these pastimes in her bed , though every night almost with a consecrated robe she endeavoured to chase away her lover that lay with her . which sport , when another maid that lay in the next bed heard , she trembled all over , and was tortur'd with strange kinds of convulsions ; sometimes in the fit she was blind , and though she seem'd to be in her wits , yet she uttered divers things lightly , and desperately . so did many more beside her . thus this sore spread by little and little like an infection , most of all when they did not first take good counsel . this said paramour wrote to her sweet-heart dreadful letters , afterwards found by johannes vierus , making diligent search in the same colledge . anno . maii. vierus lib. . cap. . de praestig . daemonum . a virgin of a very noble family , being very much grieved , that she could not obtain the consent of her parents and friends to marry a young man of a mean extract , whom she most passionately loved ; as she was walking in much perplexity , for the aversness of her relations therein , the devil , in the shape of her lover , met her , and perswaded her to go to the nunnery of st. bridget near xanctae . and being there , she ran mad , pranced about , bleated , roar'd , and at last was mounted up into the ayr , and then strangled . this distemper grew as it were epidemical , and infectious amongst the other nuns ; and at length , from one to another , it seised upon a child of the keeper of the prison , whom he caught twice as he descended , and so saved him . vierus lib. . cap. . the nunnes in hesimont of neognagus , for some years were haunted , by a spirit entring in the night-time into the dormitory or bed-chamber , as though he had a great company with him ; he did seem to play most sweetly on the harp , that he might allure the nuns to dance , and then something like a dog leapt into the bed of one of them , whom they suspected therefore of unchastity . vierus ibidem . i have seen another honourable colledge on the borders of the coloniensian province , where for the space of eight years , a devill in the shape of a dog , ran all about in the day-time , lurking under the vestures of the religious nuns , and did seem to shew by the outward motion of their garments , signs of unchast actions . idem lib. . cap. . the nunnes that were in the kentorpian monasterie near old mark , in the earldom of marchland , near hammon , were grievously tormented with strange convulsion fits , they breathed out a very stinking breath in their fit , or a little after the assault of the same , which did come upon them sometimes once a day , sometimes oftner , and at some times troubled them many hours together ; the maids were very sensible of the coming of the convulsion fits , and did often affirm afterwards , that they could discern those that stood by , one from another , and could hear ; but because of the convulsion of the tongue , they could not so well speak ; some were tortured less then others : but this was almost common amongst them all ▪ that when one of them was tossed , the rest also should be laid into several beds , onely hearing a hurly-burly , that they might be vexed in the like miserable manner . the first that began to be tortured , was anne zemgaw , who first complained of a pain of the left side , or the spleen , and was therefore thought to be troubled with the falling-sicknesse , went to ariola , who made her believe they were hurted by the witchcraft af elsa the kamensian woman , which afterwards was burned alive with her mother . hence the devil got some strength , and did not onely begin to torment them with divers kinds of convulsions , but also to provoke them to bite others , and one another , and that they might strike , and be born up , and cast down , without hurt , as feathers were , from whence they were supposed they had no power over themselves : and if they were withheld from beating or striking , their hearts aked ; but if they were let alone , although they did hurt , strike , or bite themselves , yet they were sensible of no harm . and they thought it necessary , that each should tyrannize over their own bodies ; and if at any time anne did speak in her fit , she did it as though another did both breathe it in and out ; but in the interim she understood what she spoke , but the speech being done , she utterly forgat all her former words ; neither did she mind seriously any thing that was either good or evil , but was as it were in a lethargy , without sense , discretion , and judgment , or reason : if any religious man did speak to her , she seemed to be tortured by satan ; but if at any time other women did talk to her about their feminine sports , she was wonderfully taken with them ; when they were exorcized , there gushed out of their mouthes a great deal of blood ; all the virgins were so afflicted by the spirit , were unequally tormented by him , as he were a serpent , under the sole of their feet , which burnt them as if it were scalding water : and although they were diversly tormented , yet the stomach and nutrition did remain in them all alike . the devil did speak often and much out of them that were the youngest , that were mad ; to whom he appeared in a black form , in the shape of a black cat , or elsa kamensis , or of her mother , or brother ; and it was sleightly believed , that they were so cruelly handled by them all ; where in the the last place anne did firmly purpose in her mind , not to return into the monastery , where she was left by her parents direction ; and then she was not afflicted : but if at any time it chanced , that she had a letter sent from the abbatesse of that monastery or colledg , there was a great trembling and horrour that invaded her , and possessed her whole body , as though she were assaulted with the relapse of her former disease : but after she married a husband , without any sense of her disease or affliction . vierus lib. . cap. . de praestigiis daemon . john fernelius relates in his second book of occult causes , that when a certain man was travelling in summer time , he was very dry in the night , and rising out of his dream , and being awakened , and finding no drink , he by chance catched hold on some evil thing which he met ; and commanding it , he perceived that his jawes were shut together as though by a hand , and was like to have been strangled : and when he was thus besieged and beset with this spirit , he thought he saw in the dark a great black dogg , and feared to be devoured by it ; who afterwards being restored to his right wits again , did relate it all in order : many judged , this man , by his pulse , and heat and roughness of his tongue , and by reason of too much watching , was meerly mad and distracted . the same author reports , that there was another young man , of a knights family , for some few years by the shaking of his body , was judged to have the convulsion fits ; for sometimes he would so move and fling his left arm , only , sometimes his right , sometimes onely one finger , otherwhile a leg , and both at other times , and the trunck of his body with such swiftnesse , that being laid down , he could scarce be held in by four servants ; but his head laid without being shaken or stirr'd at all ; and he had his tongue and speech free , and was in his right mind and senses ; yea , in the height of his convulsions , he was taken with it at least ten times every day , but was well in the intervals , but something worn out by pain . it might have been deemed truly the falling-sickness , if it had brought madness and stupidity with it ; there were the most skilfull physitians consulted with about it , and they did think it was a convulsion , near bordering on the epilepsie , together with a malignant and venomous vapour that did beat against the back-bone , out of which the vapour came , which did flow into those nerves , which are sprigg'd from the back-bone into the joynts all about , but not into the brain ; this cause being taken for granted , that it might be removed , they ministred to him divers glysters and strong purgations of all sorts , and cupping-glasses were fastened to the roots of the nerves , nourishing things , oyntments , plaisters , which first were for purgation , after for strengthening , to drive away this malignant and poysonous humours ; these doing him little good , they procured him sweating in baths and in washes , in the juice of the ebeene tree of guaiaca , which did as little help him , because all of us strayed far from the knowledg of the truth ; for being first taken with it , in the third moneth a certain devill , being the author of all this mischief , did betray himself with a voice , and in uncouth words and phrases , and sentences , as well latin and greek , although the afflicted party was ignorant of the greek tongue ; he did detect many secrets of physitians , that he had circumvented them with much danger , and that they had by their fruitlesse medicines almost choaked his body . and as often as the father came to visit his afflicted son , he going a great way out of sight , cryed out , drive away this which is coming to him , or wrest the chain from his neck . for by this you may know , that the french knights wore gold chains , in which the image of st. michael did hang ; the subtile devil did feign , that he feared the image of st. michael , that he might more evidently deceive those that stood by : as though he feared the picture of any saint , when he feared not christ the expresse image of god , whom he was bold to assault , yea , and to tempt . furthermore , being asked , who he was ? or by what power he might be removed ? he said , that he had many receptacles , within which he lay hid , and could quietly go to other . the town of schiltach in germany the th of the ides of april , ( which day was the very thursday before easter , in the year of our lord christ , . ) was burned , being set on fire by a witch , as erasmus roterdamus relates from the authority of henricus glareanus , as also cardanus in his . book de subtilitate . the devil made a noise , and gave a hissing sign or watch-word from a certain place in one of the houses . the officer of the town thinking it to be a thief , went to search the place , but found nothing , nor any body ; but presently in another and higher room , the same noise was heard , whither also the officer went to catch the thief ( forsooth : ) but when he found no body there neither , but heard the same voyce upon the chimney top , it presently struck into his mind , that it was a spectrall , and he bid his servants be of good courage . there were presently two priests sent for , who when they had used their skill in exorcisms , were thus answered ; that he was a devil indeed . and when they asked him , what he did there ? he said , he would burn the town . and when the priests threatned him , he told them , he valued not their threatnings , for one of them was a whoremaster , and they were both thieves . presently after he took a girle , with whom he had had familiarity for fourteen years , ( when in the interim she came to confession , and received the eucharist every year once , and who had communicated but that very day ) and having carried her in the ayr , set her upon the very top of a chimney , and delivering her a pot , commanded her to turn it ; which whilest she did , the town was burned to the ground in no more than an hours space . a courtier of the kings , in a speech he made at wittemberg in the year , . concerning good and bad angels , makes mention of a certain maid possest by the devil , for whom when prayers were made in the church , the devil ceased his attempts , and made as if he had wholly left her , that by this deceit he might make her away before publique prayers were made for her . for when as they had remitted their care of her , whilest she went to the river to wash her hands , she was drowned sooner than could be imagined . in the year , , at franckford at ucadra , there was a maid , being the daughter of marcus the fisherman , that was taken with a pain in the head , and by a phrensie , one georgius a kulisch , a citizen , pitying her condition , took her into his house ; at length , when she was possessed of the devil , she did very wonderful feats , whatsoever she fingred , whether it was a cloath , any bodies breast , beard , head , she snatched at it , and afterwards she got the coyn that was used in that country , and forthwith throwing it into her mouth , she chewed and did eat it ; and she did take away money which was held fast in their hands , at which they admired greatly . sometimes of her own accord she offered the moneys unto them ; she often did swallow needles that she snatcht up , and spake in the idiome and dialect of high germany , which she was not used to , and also contrary to the propriety of her own language ; neither was it easie to comprize in words , or in an enchiridion , what was prodigiously performed and acted by her : wherefore they did enquire of doctor martin luther , what was to be done to her in that condition ? who answered , that she was to be brought to hear godly sermons , and there to be interceded for , with constant ardent prayers poured out to god : and they following luther's counsel , brought her to church , where publikely she did often contradict the minister that was preaching the word . but at the last , by the divine grace , the prayers of the church being heard , she was freed from satan , and restored to health ; neither did there any of that madnesse or demonaical disease trouble her after , but was freed from the dominion of satan , and whole both in body and mind , and after faithfully did serve the citizens of franckford : the most prudent senate of that common-wealth did command this prodigy to be published , anno . anno . not far from joachims valleys , there was a smith had a daughter excelled in modesty and honesty , being diligently conversant in exercises of piety , ( by divine permission ) she was set upon by satan about lent-time , oftentimes the divel took her , and threw her upon the ground , as if she had been vexed with the falling-sickness ; which thing troubled her parents so , that they sought counsel of them that prophesie of future things , by a pythonick or divellish spirit . by reason of the wickednesse of her parents , the devil afterwards boasted , that his power was so confirmed and encreased : about easter satan began to speak in the virgin with a humane voice , and often appeared in the form of a cuckow , of a crow , of hornets , and other birds , and did imitate their voice in every respect ; he spoke divers wonderfull things in virgin , which would be too great a work to mention them now ; and there came a great concourse of people to the maid ; many strangers did come out of severall places to see this wonder , and heard satan speaking out of the virgin ; whereupon many out of a holy zea i did provoke him by words , and undauntedly did hear him answering . in the mean time , the young woman patiently did endure the crosse , and joyned her prayers uncessantly with the prayers of the church : and as often as she did call upon the name of christ , and requested to be freed from that evil one , by whom she was oppressed ; by and by the devil did rage upon her with more outragious fury , her eyes were swelled , bunching out , her tongue was twined out of her mouth like as a limber twig , and was extended to the longitude of a mans hand ; her head was writhen and screwed unto her back , and in a sad and horrible manner satan did torment her , there was not any intermission of her sits : if any had enquired how she did , or how the case stood with her ? she answered , her affliction , as by her senses she perceived , seemed as though she even now were sticked in the bottom of a river to be drowned ; but by the coming of religious men , she deemed she was snatched out of the jawes of death . all the neighbouring priests and preachers of the gospel daily came to her , who talking with the virgin , the devil with great derision answered ; and as often as there was any mention made of christ , he did divert into some filthy and frothy fable . and being demanded , how he entred into her ? answered , in a draught of ale , in the form of a fly ; for it was two years that he had vexed her , ere ever she came to a sound mind : her parents going to a witch , was the cause why the devil had the more power over her . a certain man , one helias hirsch , singular for piety in that country , did watch with the virgin almost whole nights , and by his prayers strive against satan , upon whom he raged with opprobrious terms , and all the contumelies he could ; and as often as he was about to come forth out of his house , the evil spirit foretold , saying , behold , this sacrilegious helias comes again to afflict me . this holy and godly man , by the power of gods word , did oppose him , and frequently using the name of jesus christ , drove the devil to new outrages , as the madnesse of a daemoniack was heard afar off : sometimes the devil speaking to helias , said , one , dance with me , either go before , or follow , as thou pleasest . to which things helias replyed , let thy dance lead thee into the bottom of hell. the devil answered , go thy waies , now thou shalt see dances . these words being uttered , he roared and bellowed , and by and by entring into a stove , he appeared in the shape of a catt and dogg ; these with wonderful leaping did lead the dance , and at last vanquished : he played many pranks of this kind : two dayes after trinity-sunday the holy priest did set upon the devil again , enquiring of him by what means or power he had possessed her ? by the command of god , saith he , from whom i am sent , that i might torment the body , but i cannot hurt her soul ; that i might give notice to men , that they should abstain from pride , usury , gluttony , and other sins of that nature : and although it be sore against my will to promulgate these things , yet i am commanded by god , and forced to do it : at the last day i know , that i shall have more souls then god himself will have . to which the minister of the word of schlackwaldensis replyed , thou lyest , saith he , o sacrilegious wretch , for if sinners shall repent , they shall have salvation ; but the eternall god at the day of judgment , will thrust thee and thy companions into hell fire . why didst thou banish thy self out of heaven , when god had created thee a glorious angel. my seat was not fixed sure there , saith he , thou mayest as well spare labour , for i am not ignorant ▪ how carefull thou wast for this margaret , ( so he called the virgin , whose name was anne ) and at whitsontide made prayers publickly to god for her . i have done so , answered the minister , and i will not give over to do so yet , untill we precipitate and cast thee headlong hence into hell by our prayers : these things said , he asked him , was not thou also sent to afflict job ? what then , saith he ? oh that now i had the like power given , that i might scatter the pestilence . and this conflict did last near two hours : amongst other things , the minister said , behold , thou that hast been the chiefest and beautifullest of creatures , and the vertex of the creation , veils thy self under the ugly mask of a hog , or other unclean beast . o good priest , answered the devil , for often i am metamorphosed into a hare , and am the daintiest dish for great men , wherefore going now from hence , the priest asked him , whither he would go ? some few daies being past , the pious priest brought out the maid , and there in a great congregation of people they did pray to god , and praised him with hymnes and psalms , and as often as jesus christ was named , the devil did rage with a bellowing and hideous noise , as though a ruine was threatned to seize on all things : these things performed , they went away . when the maid was brought back from the temple , the devil roared with his voice as a warlike trumpet , saying , little doth it profit you to remove me from this place ; for truly , eight of my companions shall now depart hence . at length , the minister of the word of schlackenwaldensis , together with ten other ministers were called : john matthesius sent two deacons out of the valleys , and from morning untill noon , there was great zeal and study in the company , of praying , singing , and reading of the scriptures ; this done , they went to dinner : after they had dined , there came the minister of the gospel of schlackenwaldensis , bringing with him the governour of the castle of prague : there was present a great company of men , with one accord singing praises to , and calling upon jesus christ , and with ardent zeal pouring out their supplications to god , that they might be heard ; and then the devil was cast out , and flew out of the window like a swarm of flies : but before he went out , he desired of the girle , that he might but remain in one part of her body , in the nail of her finger , and at the last , to be but in one hair ; but every one of these was denyed to him . furthermore , being about to go out of her , he spoke after this sort ; all ye contemners of the word , ministry , and sacraments , all ye that are addicted to usury and gluttony , are mine body and soul ; and namely , he warned and admonished the priest of schlackenwaldensis , that he should call the citizens that belonged to his church , to repentance ; for god thirsts after our salvation , and therefore the devil was compelled even against his will , to warn men to repentance . when satan was cast out , the maid was carried into her father's house , and in her right mind , being refreshed in her soul and body by the blood of jesus christ ; and having her sound judgment and right wits again , she earnestly commended her self to the ministers of the church , to be remembred ●n their publique prayers . fincelius , in his third book of miracles . in the year , in trawtenaw , a city of bohemia , there was a certain man , who did so gather up riches , and erect famous buildings , and was so fortunate in all his enterprises , that every one admired at him ; at length he fell into a sicknesse , and dyed thereof , and was very honourably buried : but a little while after his death and burial , his body ( or rather a devill , who by his diabolical power carried his body all about ) did clasp and embrace very many men so straitly , that many of them dyed ; yet some of those recovered again , who all with one consent confessed , that they were thus beclipped and hugg'd by this rich man , being in the same habit that they had seen him when he was alive : therefore the governour of that place , that this spectrum might be laid and repressed , commanded the body of that man to be digged up , and the grave opened ; and although he had layn in the ground for the space of weeks , yet he was not rotten , but was as fat and plump , as young and well nourished bodies use to be ; the body was delivered to the hangman then , who carried it away unto the place where malefactors used to receive their punishment ; he cut off his head with an ax , and when the body was wrapt up , he took out the heart and cut it in pieces , there gushed blood out of his body , just as though one alive had been to suffer condign punishment ; therefore the hangman threw the body into the fire , being tyed head to feet , and burnt it , a great multitude of men standing by . caesarius coloniensis writes in his dialogue , of a priests daughter that was much tormented by a wicked spirit , and was mad ; her father was counselled to do after this manner , that he should send his daughter beyond the river rhene , and by that means the devil departed from her ; but he did so beat her father , that about three dayes after , he dyed . there are , saith bodinus , in spain , italy , and especially germany , that are possessed with the devil for ten or twenty years , that they cannot be driven away ; so there were found some boyes of amsterdam , in the year , who were possessed years , and the devils could not be driven away by any exorcism . that also was a sign that happened to those that are bewitched , because they did vomit saw-dust , small pieces of glasse , hair , needles , and other such things , which usually happened or befell to such that were enchanted or bewitched . it is recorded , that in the year , by a benedictine monk of rome , ( whom cardinal gondius , the bishop of paris had brought thither ) girles and women were possessed , and had exorcisms , but nothing could be done for six moneths . to one that asked the devil , why he did so possesse those miserable girles , he gave this answer , that he was sent from those jews that took grievously , that those whose greatest part belonged to the jewish nation were baptized , which is believed to be spoken by the devil , because he supposed or thought theatinus the pope was about to die , to whom he was an enemy . john vierus in his th book , and . chap. tells of a girl that was possessed , which he saw in germany , and that the devil gave this answer to an exorcist , telling him , that there was need that the maid should make a religious profession to marcodurus , a town in germany , and at the third time falling upon her knees , and celebrating the masse upon the altar of st. anne , she should be cured ; so it came to passe , that the girle was freed , and foretold her of such a sign of her freedom to come toward the end of the masse ; this done , at the end of the masse , the maid and the priest saw a white splendid image , and then she was freed from the demonaical spirit . there was a woman of menilius dammatinus , the lady rosse by name , who from the eighth year of her age , began to be bound by an evil spirit to a tree , or to the foot of a bed , or to a manger in the stable , one hand tyed to another by a rope , or a hair of a mares tail , or with flax , and that with such swiftnesse , that in the twinkling of an eye the devil would have done it , and vanish away . in the year . the virgin was brought to paris , doctor picardus and other divines spent all their arts to free her , but nothing took effect . hollerius medicus a physitian , laughing at them , said , she was troubled with the disease melancholly , but afterwards when he saw the wonder in a great multitude with his own eyes , and seeing the maiden standing between two or three women to cry out , and by and by to see her hands so bound as they could not be loosened , and that the bands had need to be cut , he acknowledged that it was the evill spirit . this appeared to no man , onely the virgin beheld a white cloud when the spirit drew near to bind her . sylvula , of wonderfull histories , and of magicall and diabolicall witchcrafts , and of divers of the devills delusions . apollonius being in india with the brachman-philosophers , reports that he saw very strange wonders : he said that these philosophers at their pleasure could make it fair and foul weather , bring tempests , or make calms , and could prepare feasts with all the vessels fitting for them ( yea , he saith that they did it in his presence ) when there was none to be seen , who make ready the banquet , or waited in setting on , and taking off the dishes . and moreover he said that when they pleased they could make earthquakes the same he affirms that he saw amongst the gymnosophists in aethiopia , who made the trees bend themselves to the ground , and speak . fulgosus ex philostrato . there are divers families in africa which do by their voice onely , bewitch those who they immoderately praise , pliny th book , cap. . ex isigono and nymphrodoro ; hence came the custome amongst us ( which aristotle , . sect . probl. . witnesseth ) that being about to praise any thing , we make this preface , lest our words should be to our detriment , as god shall save it . gellius th book , . chap. isigonus adds , that there are things of the same nature among the triballians and illyrians , who by their sight bewitch and kill some upon whom they look long , especially with angry eyes , yea one may perceive mischief in their eyes . and 't is more remarkable that they have two apples in each eye . apollonides reported there were divers women in scythia of this sort , which were called bythyae . and there are kind of people in pontus called thibians , and many other of the like nature , whose marks he saith are these , in one eye they have a double pupilla , in the other the picture of a horse , and moreover that they cannot sink , nor are burthened with any garments . daemon relates a sort of people called pharnacians in aethiopia , not much unlike to these , whose sweat brings rottennesse to those bodies which they touch , and there are women which every where infect with their sight , having double eyes , or pupilla's in them ; cicero also is the authour of it , and pliny in his . book . chap. neuro , tells of a people of scythia ( who are the greatest enchanters ) that they metamorphose themselves from men into wolves . herodotus , in book , . rhodus being first named ophiusa , afterwards tel●hinis , in that the telchines inhabited the island , some call them wizzards , and say , that they are inchanters , and that they sprinkle the water of styx's lake upon living creatures and plants , on purpose to destroy them ; and as diodorus saith , th book , . chap. they can cause clouds , showers of rain , hail , snow , and change their proper shapes when they will , &c. strabo book . in the ephesian letters , there is mention made of those , who with wonderful facility , as by a divine inspiration , attained to what they desired ; for they report at ephesus , there are divers notes , and magical voices , by the using of which they are victorious in every businesse , as diogenianus , eustachius reports by those letters , that there were divers words like to riddles , having no coherence , written in the feet , girdle , and crown of diana . suidas addes , in the olympian games , there was one milesius set in the ephesian wrestling-ring , and was able to do nothing in the conflict , because that ephesius had some ephesian characters written on his ankle . which being together , was marked , the letters being taken away , and ephesius that had tyred out thirty , now laid down himself , vide erasmus adagies . but that there were many of the ephesians that were conjurers , may be gathered out of , that many of them were converted by the apostles sermons , and burnt their magical books , being of great value ; for the devils power was great in that place , because the idol of diana was set up there , act. . when the goths were travelled out of scandinavia , they marched to scythia ; philimer their king did retain many of their magicall women in prison , as jordan gothus writes in that history ; which sort of women , the king accounted most pernitious , and by his proclamation banished them into wildernesses , lest they should kill the souldiers by poysons , or weaken their strength , being driven away for a long while , they wandred about the woods incestuously , committing themselves unto the embracements of their incubus spirits ; from hence they report , that the unnes , a cruel generation of men came , which used no humane language , but a certain image of speech . bonsinius second book , dec. . the northern bothnici , zappi , and finnones , are excellent magitians ; also the biarmi , who live under the pole , they assume what shape they will ; also they know what is done in the other world by their friends or enemies . olaus book . chap. . and book . chap. . it is reported , that zoroastres , the king of the bactrians , found out the art of magick , and hath written a hundred thousand of verses upon them ( as pliny witnesseth ) ; some would have this king to be mizraim the son of cham , others say he was not so ; he flourished above eight hundred years before the trojan war , which was in abraham's time ; but he , as we read in clements itinerary , being willing to contemplate god , and much given to astronomy , and minding the stars , did strike out some sparks out of the stars , that the rude multitude might be astonished at the miracle . at the last , being angry at that spirit which he often did frequent , amongst a great company of his disciples , as though he were a friend of the gods , was hurried away to heaven in a chariot of lightning . wherefore his name after his death , was zoroastres , as much as to say , a living star ; he lived in the time of king ninus , with whom he fought , and foretold when he was dying , that if they should keep his ashes , their kingdom should not be destroyed . suidas . the report went , that perses and aeta , two brethren , ruled both at one time ; this in pontus , the other in taurica , both of them being of a truculent and savage disposition ; hecate sprung from perses , nothing inferiour in cruelty and immanity to her father ; which while she was a virgin , used to shoot darts ( as the custome was then ) ; but her greater study was to make poysons ; some attribute the invention of henbane to her , and was accustomed to experience the nature and strength of poisons upon strangers ; within a short space she attempted to kill her father by her poyson , and thereby unravell'd the clew of his life , by whose death she got the kingdom ; at taurica she erected a temple to diana , at whose altar she offered , strangers , whithersoever they came , from sea or by land , she did enact , that they should be sacrificed , and by this means she thought her fame would be spread in all countries . afterwards she married her uncle , unto whom she brought forth circes , medea , and aegialeum ; circes was instructed in her mothers arts , and she did use the herball and poisons ; she added other things by her own invention : the virgin was married to the king of the sarmatarians , and by her enchantments kill'd the king , and was possessed of the kingdom ; whom because for a time she did tyrannically abuse , and cruelly handle the nations that were under her , they expelled the kingdom . after which , she with a small company of women , was reported to keep a deserted island in the ocean ; but the likelier report is , that she came into italy , and rested in the latian promontory : then that iland from her inhabiting there , got the name of circei . medea disdained not domesticall arts , yet endeavoured to know the medicinall use of herbs , and to be skill'd in the dialect and number of magical verses , but was of a far milder disposition , then either her mother or sister were , ( who were infamous for their truculency and cruelty ) as well with much art as favour , which she had much with her father ; she freed strangers destinated for slaughter . at length being suspected by her father , she flew to the temple of the sun placed on the sea-shore : the argonautes coming by night from taurica into pontus , shewed the cause of their coming unto medea , she did tell them of the imminent danger that was likely to befall them from her father , and told them of his cruelty to strangers , admonished them to beware and take heed : counsel being taken , medea promised to get a helper , to bring to perfection the proposed comba●e : she did engage her self by oath to jason , to be his wife as long as she lived . then the argonautes by night leaving their keepers in the temple , went with medea to get the golden fleece , and by her arts make aeson , jason's father , being an old man , turn young again , and delivered pelias , jason's uncle , from being slain by his daughters , and lived ten years with jason at corinth . but when she saw ●laucen or creusa , the daughter of creon the corinthians king , to be preferred before her , she covering her anger , sent a coat , being poysoned , to the new married princesse for a present ; as soon as she had put it on , she suddenly burned like fire , and by the like destruction , creon and his queen perished : she openly slew the sons which she had by jason , jason dyed for grief , she flew to the thebans , there she cured hercules of his madnesse , and from thence being heaved into the ayr by dragons , she flew to athens , and married aegeus , &c. thus saith diodorus , book . chap. . ovid . metamorph. & sabellic . paseti● farthing , is a proverb ; pases is of a soft nature , and by magick has overcome all mortals ; so that by inchantments they prepared a sumptuous supper , and servitors ; she had a farthing minted or made by her , with which she could buy what she would of them that sold any thing , and would give it them , and when she pleased it would come to her again : suidas appian the grammarian remembers her likewise . many think , that pythagoras was a magitian , and skilled in those divellish arts ; for when he had by his magicall whispering , bewitched an eagle that flew muttering over him , he brought it to him that he might make it tame , and forthwith it was made gentle . pythagoras , saith ammonius , shewed his golden thigh at the olympick games , and used to talk with an eagle . simon samaritanus , as ambrosius in hexameron , and clemens pontifex high priest testifie , in his itinerary , besides his various and wonderfull arts by which he contended with the apostle , he often appeared , sometimes in one shape , sometimes in another , and was seen to soar a loft with wings like a bird , a great way , therefore being born up by his magical arts , and by the devils help , he did so extreamly mock and bewitch the romans , that oft-times he made himself a god ; and they made a statue between the two bridges , superscribing this title , to simon , the holy god ; he bragg'd , that by many unspeakable conjurations , he could call up the ghost of an innocent boy to assist him , and by that he could make it to do whatsoever he commanded to be done : for the truth is , he was familiar with the devil , which he called the soul of the boy , that he might cautiously cover the pretence of his divinity . vierus book . chap. . ex clem. lib. . recog . there was a certain man in galeotide , that by his words could drive away diseases , and could expell unseasonable weather , and barrennesse , and poverty , with his sacrifices , and cause mutations , and give reasons for getting riches ; they report , that he was inticed into creet , by the rewards of minos , that he might find out that strange death of glaucus . suidas . apollonius tyaneus the philosopher , the son of apollonius , his mother being big with child , saw the devil standing by her , who said , he was him whom she carried in her womb viz. egyptian proteus ; hence he was accounted the son of proteus ; he flourished under claudius , caius , and nero , untill nero's reign , in which he dyed ; he was silent for five years after the pythagorean manner ; afterwards he went into egypt , thence to babylon to the magitians , from thence he went to the arabians ; and out of all these places he gathered notable delusions ; suidas philostratus has written his life : cunning satan , by the deceits of this impostor , would have brought the miracles of christ into question , and would oppose him as his antagonist ; of which magnus anastasius the bishop of theopolis thus writes : in some places unto this day , the acts of apollonius stands , and has their efficacy , some of them good for the driving evil spirits from beasts ; others to restrain the inordinate excursions of the mind , and to expell those things which endamage men ; neither did the devil do such and such things when he was alive , but also when he was dead , and went along with him to his tomb , and by his name onely did great wonders , to deceive poor ignorant men , which easily after this manner are deceived . what shall i say of the magick of manethon , who was so expert and artificiall in these divellish arts , that he openly derided and laughed at apollonius , as not being right instructed in his mystery ; for , saith he , he ought by his meer words to do what he pleases , ( as i do ) not to use any operations or means to it . cedrenus in his historical compendium . sedecius a jewish physitian , made magical places before the emperour ludovicus , and other princes , he devoured men , together with their horses and arms , and gulphed up a load of hay , with horses and cart and all ; he cut off the head and feet of divers men , & did put them with their blood into a bason , he flew through the ayr , hallowing like a hunter , and the like pranks he played , chronicon hirsaugiense ; and at last he killed charls calvus ( or the balld ) the king with poison . it is reported in the family of the earls of the andegavensium , from whence henry the second , king of england , sprung , there was a princess , a notable maga and a witch , who was constrained to worship and reverence the eucharist , who suddenly flew out of the windows of the temple , and was never heard of after . polydor . book . a certain woman of mediolensis , near the comiensem gate , strangled a boy and devoured him ; and when she was wracked for her cruelty , she said , she was perswaded by the infernal gods , that if she had sacrificed a boy three or four times , she might do whatsoever she would ; therefore she was bitterly tortured , being laid upon the wheels crosse or latticewise , and so her bones were broken , and she dyed acruel and lingring death . artanus history , mediolan sect. writes , that in his time this happened . john fernelius relates in his first book of occult causes , that he saw a certain man , who by the strength of his words could cause divers sights to be in a glasse , and those things which he commanded either in writing or in expresse images , were so lively imprinted , that they might quickly and easily be discerned by those that sate by , yea , and there were holy words heard , but filthily bespattered with obscene terms ; and after this sort they call upon the powers of the elements , and strange uncouth names of the princes of the east , west , north , and south , vierius book . chap. . of the devils deceits . facius cardanus , the father of jeremy cardanus , as he said , had an aeriall devill to be his familiar for a long time , who a long while used conjuration , and it gave him true answers , but when he had shaken it off , it returned him false answers , he was eight and twenty years a conjurer , but he was freed from his familiar about five years ▪ but whilst he retained the spirit , it was very profitable to him , neither did it alwayes come alone ( although for the most part it did ) but sometimes it came with its companions . cardane , of the variety of things , . book chap. . james jodoci de rosa cortriensis , carried a ring about with him in which he thought the devill was tyed by exorcisms , and he did speak for five dayes together at the least , and did consult with it about strange things , and diseases , and the manner of curing them . at the last being bound , and condemned to banishment , first his ring in a publique place , and a great company looking on , was bruised and broken in pieces with the bea●ing of an iron hammer by the chancellor done , at arnhemiae , . july , in the year . vierus , book . chap. . of the delusions of devils . in the year of our lord . the daughter of john vemerus a citizen of eslingensis whose name was margaret , was so swelled by the pains of her belly , that the bignesse of her belly almost clouded her face , and did seem to be ten palms in circumference , she said that there were creatures of divers sorts was fed in her belly , when in the mean time she feigned to be recreated , and refreshed by sweet odours and delicate sauces , those that stood about her bed , heard a crowing of cocks , cackling of hens , a gagling of geese , barking of dogs , bleating of sheep , grunting of hogs , lowing of cattle , and neighing of horses . there came out of her side worms and serpents of a wonderfull bignesse , about a hundred and fifty . many physitians and surgeons were enquired of , and amongst them leonhartus fuchsius tubingensis archiatrus . at length came the physitians of charls the th emperour , and ferdinand , and the hungarian king , accompanied by some of the nobles , neither found they any thing false or counterfeit . when the disease had almost endured for the space of four years , and her pains did seem to encrease more and more , the magistrate of eslingensis sent his physitian , together with three surgeons , and a nurse , that they might open the belly of the maid : they tyed her with thongs , they found her belly finely moulded up as with hands very artificially stuffed with pillows , with divers arches , by which the roundnesse of her belly was expressed : the virgin being uncovered , had a very beautifull body , her belly was brought into court , and reserved in the place of anathematism . the mother of this daughter was a witch , and being examined upon the rack confessed that by satans counsell , and for gain she had done thus , and her neck being first broken , she was publickly burned , and the daughter having holes boared thorow her knees with a hot iron was condemned to perpetual imprisonment . lycosthenes , in his prodigies . in creet there was one moses that went about almost a whole year stirring up the jews being about to draw them through the sea , no otherwise then moses of old performed . those jews gathered up all that they could . at the appointed day , he drew forth the miserable people , a great multitude of men and women going with him , the false prophet brought them unto a steep place , and there sheweth them a promontory unto the sea , and perswaded them to leap into the ocean that they might swim to him being on the other side . and afterwards he promised that they should have a safe journey : most of them leapt in , being bewitched by his large promises , but some were drowned , and perished in the waters , others were drawn out of the waves by fishermen coming that way by chance ; but many of them followed him , excepting those that narrowly escaped , who returned to the rest of their company , and did tell of the danger and destruction that others suffered . in the mean while when these things were transacted , the false prophet vanished ; therefore they were not much out of their way , who judged him to be an evill spirit , who by gods permission did delude that pittifull multitude and destroyed many . socrat. . book . chap. archas the chief of the indian wisemen being instructed by apollonius , did tell his name , parents , manners , and whatsoever happened to him , as if he had been present at all . philostratus . when the antiochians desired of apollonius antiocheno that he would turn away the earthquake by which they were afflicted , sighing , he writ thus in his tables . wo to thee , o miserable city , because thou shalt be levelled eeven with the ground by many earthquakes , and the river of orontes shall wash thee to its banks . cedrenus . jamblicus returned from his sacrifices into city talking with his schollers , and by and by fastning his eyes a while upon the ground , saith he , let us go another way , because not far from hence lies a dead carcase : some of his schollers followed him . but others , amongst whom aedesius , going forward in their journey , they met the cats who had buried the dead carcase . eunapius . govarus the king of norvegia had so much skill in the art of divination , that he could foresee whatsoever was attempted againgst him in saxony , which was above a hundred german miles off . olaus magnus , book . chap. . it is related that the magicians , by no law vindicate adulteries , but by a fiction , as a young graft being thrust through a frogs guts , and fastned by the husband in his wives flowers , then it will cause his wife to loath adultery , and be affected by its irksomenesse , which they take for granted . not much unlike that which aristotle writes , in the phasian river at colchos there is a mushroom , whose branch being lopped off by a maid , cast into his wives bed , will cause her not to love any other man. alexander , book . chap. . phhilometor began to fall in love with sosipater , eustathius's widow , a most beautifull and prudent woman , he was her cozen , who that he might enjoy her , used magicall verses , a great sophister busied about his religious rites , made her that she should not be married to him . eunapius , in aedesio . crata regneri the wife of a dane , a champion , being a witch who made a feast of three wood-snakes , not hurtfull to the body , nor destructive to the mind , she offered the white part of the m●sse made of the white serpent , to ericus her step-child , but the black part distinguish'd by red marks , made of the two other , she tendred to her son rollerus . ericus tasting of the messe to his preservation , being a courteous man , turned the platter from one side to the other , saying , thus as it wonteth to be in a story , to be cast from the hinder deck to the fore-deck ; but afterwards he did cat , and obtained the knowledge of all things , in an admirable manner so that he could understand the language of birds and beasts . crata knowing her errour , when she saw the inevitable providence of fate , she began onely to commend her son rollerus that he might suffer the fruit of that happy birth by that kind of meat to flow to his brother : this is that ericus that deserved the name of eloquent , and at the last he obtained the kingdome . john saxo grammaticu● , book . of the history of the danes . sclerus sethus , under manuel comnzenus the emperour , did entise a virgin by a persian apple sent to her by a bawd , and drew her into his love . nicetas , th book of histories . cajanus , the son of simeon , who ruled over the bulgarians , was so expert in magick , that as oft as he pleased he could turn himself into a woolf , or any wild beast . sigebert , in his chronicle . some italian women taking some kind of meats , will so lethargize mens minds , that they may seem those things to them , as they are not ; st. austin hath recorded , that he heard this of praestantius , and said , that praestantius reported , that his father was made mad by such kind of inchanted meats as these women made , and quickly fell into a great sleep , and for many dayes together could not be made awake by any medicine : and he told , that in that time he had the picture of a horse , and alwayes bore corn : and he further added the time that he carried it , the place , and the manner how . the truth of which things being afterwards enquired after , he saith , that it was found out , that a horse of that colour , which his father praestantius did speak of , and in that place carrying corn , to which he said , that it was a wonderfull thing , that women by their magical art , by giving meats , could make men think to do that to one being awake , to another being asleep , which without doubt there was no such thing : from whence in my judgment , that which is said at one time of the strigilian women , is nothing else but a magical dream ; although to others it may seem otherwise . peradventure those metamorphosings which were caused by circes , were like to these , although they give another account of an allegorical sense for them . the same was shewed in an egyptian maid , when she was transformed into a mare ; they brought her to st. hillarion , who presently turned her into her former shape . to which the like may be said of a young man , who by magical women seemed to be turned into an asse ; of whom , when peter damianus did accurately dispute before leo the high priest , he affirmed , it was the effect of magick , and no fiction . fulgosus book . chap. . in prussia , livonia , and lituania , there is a great number of witches , who at christmas before night , laying the picture of a man in a certain place , they assume the wolfs face , and go to the countrey-mens houses in the woods , and there fight ; and drink off hogs-heads of ale , kill cattel , and afterwards they count that place of the inhabitants divine ; and if at any time there happen any mischief , as a wagon overthrown and cast into the snow , they believe , that he that it belongs to , shall dye that year ; as they have found many times by sad experience . within lituania , samogetia , and curio , there is a certain stone-wall standing , being the ruines of a certain castle : at this , at an appointed time there meets of wolves , and tryes their nimblenesse in leaping , and they that cannot leap over this wall , ( as those that are fat often cannot ) they are beaten by their chief governours : and , in the last place , it is constantly affirmed , that in this multitude there are the great peers , and many of their nobility . olaus illustrates it by many examples , lib. . cap. . &c. he affirms , that the duke of prusia did give no credit to such witchcrafts , but caused a certain man , not much skilled in negromancy , to be imprisoned , till he should metamorphose himself into a wolf ; but when he saw he could not , he caused him to be burnt . uratislaus , prince of luca , who first founded uratislavia , warred against grezomislaus prince of bohemia , his nephew . they say there was a woman there , that foretold her son in law , that wish'd for the fight , that uratislaus should be killed in the battle , and the major part of the people should dye with him ; but he being but a youth , might peradventure escape , if he would be advised by her . she charg'd the young man , ( that said he would do whatever she commanded ) to kill the first he met withall , and to keep close both his ears in his pocket ; presently making a crosse with his sword on the ground , between his horses forefeet , and kissing it , he got upon his horse , and hastened away : uratislaus being slain in the camp , called thuscus , the young man , that hearkened to his mother in law , fled home safe , but found his wife , which he intirely loved , killed , without ears , and holes made in her breast . thus those ears which he had cut off from his enemy , in great amaze , he knew to be his wifes . aeneas silv. in histor . bohemia . apollonius thyaneus cured the blind , the lame , and those that were tormented with unclean spirits ; he delivered the city ephesus , that was infected with a grievous plague , by shewing them an old beggar , which he commanded should be stoned by the people , who afterwards taking away the heap of stones , was found in the shape of a dog , whom himself affirmed to be a devil . some examples of them , who by magicall enchantments continued to the end in torments , recitat . vierus lib. . cap. . de daemonum praestigiis . dussus , king of the scots , was sick of an unknown disease ; in the night he sweat very much , and in the day-time being more at ease , he took his rest . his body , like to one in a consumption , was pined away with a lingring disease . his pulse was as before when he was in health , likewise his senses and appetite to meat ; his physitians were in despair of his recovery . in the interim , about that time arose a rumour , not known by what author , that the king was poysoned by women , and that they in a town of moravia did practise the black art to destroy the king. messengers were sent to make peace between duffus the king , and the inhabitants of moravia , and being by night admitted into the castle , are warned of the whole businesse by a souldier , who searcht out the whole matter from his strumpet , whose mother was one of the witches that poyson'd him . breaking therefore into their houses , they found one of the hagges having an image of wax representing king duffus , which was made by their hellish art , fastned on a woodden spit before an hot scorching fire ; another was found muttering a charm , as he poured forth liquor on the statue by little and little . they being cast into prison , and questioned about the impiety , they made answer , whilest the image at the fire was scorching , king duffus was in a sweat , but reciting the charm , he should be alwayes awake , and at the melting of the wax , he should waste away , but it being utterly consumed , the king should instantly die . they were hired to do this wicked act by the chief governours of moravia . when the women were burnt , duffus gave over sweating , and was restored to his health . hector boethus lib. . historiae scotorum . vitolfus , cihef ruler of the helsingians did so deprive those of their eye-sight whom he pleased , that they neither could see houses , that were nigh unto them , nor certainly to go unto them , he knew so well how to dimm their eyes with a cloudy mist . olaus lib. . cap. . septentrional . the lappones and finni in the northern parts use to make short artificial javelins of lead , the length of ones finger , these they shoot at a distance towards them which they wish to be revenged of ; who having a canker arising on their leg or arm , are with extremity of pain dead within . dayes after . idem , ibidem . when isabell , king alphonsus the th his daughter , was given in marriage to johannes galeacius , governour of the city millain ; ludovicus sfortia seeing her , his affection was so ardent towards her , that he desired her father to bestow her upon him to be his wife ; and on this manner he by his magick art brought it about , that johannes galeacius for many moneths was uncapable to perform the conjugall mysteries . guicciardinus lib. . pythagoras on a time was seen at criton and metapontus on the same day and hour . apollonius in mirabil . historiis . apollonius tyaneus being kept in publique custody at the palace , and accused by domitianus , vanished clear away out of his sight , and was the same day found at puteoli , whither he had sent his comrade before , and charged him to wait for his coming thither . when this same man had a book in his hand at tigilla , wherein his accusation was included , he did miraculously and strangely cause , that this book being open , could in no place be found written . philostratus . jamblicus , a philosopher of syria , as he was praying , was lifted aloft from the ground more then ten cubits , his body and vesture was changed into the colour of gold . prayer being ended , he came again to his former effigies , and fell down to the ground ; viz. these were the illusions of magick-contemplations . eunapius , in ejus vita . it is reported by olaus in his history of the northern folks , that oddo danicus , a grand pyrate , rov'd up and down the deep sea , without the help of a ship , and did often , having enchanted a storm , overthrow his enemies shippings , and was at last ( being environ'd by an enemy of greater skill ) drowned in a gulph , who by his sleight and cunning charms , did in former times use to dance on the top of the waters . othnius the magitian brought hadingus king of denmark to his own again , when he was most sadly deluded by the tricks of the devil and magitians , and far separated from his company , on horseback over a great part of the sea , and hadingus thorow some slits of his rocket under which he lay trembling , palpably saw his horse feet tread the waves , to his great admiration . olaus lib. . cap. . thespetion , the general of the gymnosophistae in aethiopia , by his incantations injoyn'd an elm tree , that it should salute apollonius , which the tree did , with a very distinct voyce indeed , but something like a womans . philostratus in vita apollonii & volatteranus , lib. . c. . anthropol . theotecnus the magitian under maximinus , by the power of magick made the image of jupiter to utter oracles , by which the citizens were incited to persecute the christians , and the emperour was much ●fferated and exasperated against them . at last , licinius having found out his tricks , punished him severely . eusebius lib. . cap. . & . the grammarian appion , with the herb cynocephalaea ( which in egypt is called osirites , and prevails against all manner of witchcrafts , but whosoever gathers it , dies presently ) raised the ghost of homer , that he might know of what country and parents he was descended . but never durst tell what answer he received . plin. lib. . cap. . apollonius tyaneus coming to the tomb of achilles , aver'd that the ghost of achilles in his old and known likenesse and posture presented it self before him , and that thereupon the sepulchre did a little tremble or move , and presently a young man appeared , at first about five cubits high , but in a short time he became twelve in stature , and seemed handsomer than can be imagined . the youth ask't him some frivolous questions , and when he began to be somewhat too wanton and obscene , apollonius perceived he was imployed by the devill . he therefore forc't the devill to depart , and when he was gone , a certain statue hard by in the likenesse of the said youth , fell to the ground . philostratus . jamblicus the philosopher , tegether with his schollars , went to gadara to certain baths , the best in all syria , ( or the roman empire ) except onely those of baja , to which no baths could be compared : whilest they were washing there , there grew a dispute concerning these baths amongst the young gentlemen ; jamblicus smiling , commanded his pupills to inquire , of some of the men that attended the baths , of the names of the hot ones ; but which were much more pleasant than the rest , and had been named particularly for a long time . they answer , they understand not the meaning of the names ; but that one of them was called amor , and the other anterotes , the revenger of the injuries of lovers . he presently touching the water with his hand , ( for he sate perhaps upon the border of the well , where the water overflowed and ran out ) and mumbling over a few words , raised one out of the bottome of the water very fair , and of a comely stature , with his hair as yellow as gold , with a pure white skin upon his back , who was in every thing like one that washed , or had been bathed . the young man being astonished at the novity of the thing , he went to the other fountain , and did the like there , calling out the other amor , in every thing like the former ; only that this had darker hair , and longer , hanging down along his neck . both these familiars or rather tutelars , came to jamblicus , embracing and hugging him , as if he had been their own natural father , whom he restored to their former stations ; and so having washt , returned from the bath . eunapius , in his life . when basilius the emperour dyed , his eldest son constantinus dyed with him , he so passionately loved his father , that he would not live after him , but desired alwayes to see him alive . there was a certain monk called theodorus , and sirnamed santabarinus , preferred to the government in the metropolis of the enchaitee , who being a most just man , was in great favour with the king , and with whom the king conversed very familiarly , which , as one he observed to be very devout , and a great lover of the truth . he promised the king to shew him his son alive , sitting upon a horse under a green leavy shade . the foolish old man thought the vision that the minister of the devil had deceived his eys with , had been his son , and that he had embraced his son , when he had nothing but a phantasm ; and so wholly relyed on the credit of this monk , that he , in the conceit that his other son was alive , brought the king into suspition of his son leo , whom he had crowned and created king ; insomurh , that he imprisoned him , and there tormented the poor innocent prince a long while . cuspinianus out of zonara . a boy called lotharingus , come of an honest stock , being corrupted by the evill example of his equals and companions , began to frequent taverns and tipling-houses ; all this while gilbertus , a kinsman of nozerenus , to whose care he was committed , knowing nothing of it . mean while , a young man , ( which proved proved afterwards the devil in a man ) he being drinking with his pot-companions , drew him aside , and promised him he would teach him , how by saying a certain verse , and some words which he could easily learn , he might have money at his pleasure ; if in his name he would to his host reckon up a symbol , and from his heart believe those things which were in the holy book by him written ; nor would ever unfold the holy bible . the youth promising him all he desired , he told him the sum of his art therein ; then taking the book in his left hand , holding it down with his fore and middle finger of his right hand , and muttering out the verse , ( in the french tongue ) brasse and copper swims about , and gold leaps , and he shaked off his fingers crowns , the sum he desired . the youth does the like , as this his instructor did before him , and with the like successe ; but in great joy going home with the book , and being much taken with the novelty , opens it , that he might make another by it . in the middle there was a sphaerical circle , like an orb , divided with two straight diametrical lines crossewayes , upon which there was a picture drawn of a most dreadfull shape , horned , and every way like a devil ; on his right hand were two crosses that joyned together , on his left were the immodest parts , both of a man and a woman , most obscenely placed , opposite to each other . presently , as he beheld these ugly spectacles , his eyes began to darken , and his head to grow light ; and whithersoever he went , he would look back ever and anon , verily believing some body followed him close at the heels . his chamber-fellow , a young man , who had observed this prodigy , was examined about it , and confest all the businesse to his tutor , at whose perswasion the papers were cast into the fire , where they remained a full half hour , without being toucht by the fire , ( although the matter of them was to all appearance most combustible ) to the very great terrour of the young man , and the amazement of all the standers by . cognatus , l. . narrat . in the time of anastasius the emperour , the bulgari , a people before that time unknown , inroded upon illyrium and thracia . against whom certain roman captains , made a voyage with an army ; whom these bulgari , using magicall devices and straragems , did bafflle and destroy wholly , except a very few that escaped . cuspinianus . sigebert king of france was conquer'd , his army destroyed , and himself taken prisoner by a people called the hunni , by reason of their inchantments they used against him . gregor . turon . lib. . cap. . haquinus prince of norway being to fight against the danes , by his inchantments so vexed his enemies , which were of a stupendious magnitude , that their heads were so sore beaten by the storms , that their eyes were even sore with wearinesse and lost their sight , insomuch that they received more detriment by the elements than the enemy . the biarmenses , a people very near the artick pole , fighting in the north with that most powerful king regnerus , by their incantations rose a most violent storm against the danes , and suddenly afterwards a most hot gleam insomuch that between these two extreams , the enemy were both destroyed and conquered . olaus , lib. . cap. . arngrimus the swedish champion persecuting the wood - finni , or tories , and in a conflict having put them to flight , casting three stones behind their backs , they made them appear to the enemy like so many mountains , so that arngrimus seeing he was gul'd , recalled his forces from the pursuit thinking that by those great mountains their passage had been stopt . the very next day combatting with these same again , when they were not able to stand it out , throwing snow upon the ground they made the appearance of a river ; and so frighting the general of their enemy with this vain shew of waters , they again escaped . but the third day when they saw their party begin to fail , they yielded themselves up into the conquerours power . olaus , lib. . cap. . the magick vesture called indusium necessitatis amongst the germans , nothem●t , was much esteemed of old , with which they used to arm themselves , and then they were shot-free , and weapon-free , and thereby defended from all manner of bodily harms , and enabled to undergo any hardship whatsoever untoucht . this also was used by women in childbed to procure easie and safe deliverance . hence was it called the shirt of necessity , because it was put on in the greatest necessities . thus it was made . on christmas day at night , maids of most known chastity , did in the devils name , spin yarn out of the mud , weaved the same , and sewed it together . in the breast of it there were two heads sewed , of which that on the right side had a long beard , covered as it were with a helmet , but that on the left side was grim crowned , and like the devil ; on either side was a crosse made , in length it wrought from the neck down to the middle part of a man , being compleat with sleeves , &c. vierus writes in his fourth book , and . c. of the sleights of the devils , that he saw one of them in the possession of a very noble person , left him by his grandfather , a souldier , and a most stout man , and that they were very commonly used in times past , by kings and emperours . the polonians in a battle they had with them at legnicia in the year of our lord , . bore very hard upon the tartars , and when they gave ground , prosecuted the pursuit . there was in the very rear of the tartarians , an ensign whose motto was onely the letter x and upon the spear of it there was the image of an ugly black long-bearded man. when as the ensign-bearer did very much shake and waver this colour , it raised a very thick and black smoak . this cloud did not onely obscure the tartars from the sight of the polonians , but killed many of the polonians with the stink of it . the tartarians did this by some incantations they used , which as well as many other ariolations , and divinations they very much practise as well in war as upon other occasions , and do often make conjectures of future events by the entrals of men . the barbarians when they saw the enemy in a fear , rallying and encouraging one another , they made a great impression upon them , and having disordered their ranks , made no small slaughter ; in which pompo the leader of the christians , with many of his valiant associates died . there was so great a massacre of the christians that day , that the barbarians having cut off all their ear-rings , filled nine great sacks therewith . cromerus , libro . a cruel warr happening between the kings of the danes and suesia , in the year . it is written out of the danes castles , that the suecian king when he was in his pomp and prosperity , carried four old witches about with him , which by their enchanted verses did procure all the victories to the danes , that he could not do any hurt to his enemy ; and those which were besieged by the suesian king , were debilitated and made weak , and unfit for war , so that they were glad to yield themselves captives : and although at first there was no credit given to the report , yet afterward one of these witches was taken captive by a souldier of mounsieur comitis , a schwarzenburg guntheri of the duke's army ; and those things which she confessed to him , are written down ; afterwards there was found about the wells , springs , and fenny grounds , a long thred extended out a great length , upon which were many woodden crosses and pictures , with strange characters described on them . vierus saith , that they grievously offend against the manifest commands of god , that they require such unlawfull means or helps from the suesians ; and the danes they are afraid of those magical delusions , and divellish deceits and mockeries . lib. . cap. . de praestigiis daemon . empedocles agrigentinus the magitian , writes these things of himself ; medicamenta quae et mala et senectutem propulsant , audies ; tibi enim soli ego ista omnia conficiam , et sedabis indefessorum ventorum vires , qui in terram ruentes flatibus , rura corrumpunt , et vicissim si voles , reduces ventos , adduces , et efficies ex imbre nigro tempestivam siccitatem hominibus , et efficies ex aestiva siccitate , flumina foecunda quaeque in aestate spirant , et reduces ex orco defuncti animam viri . ope now the labyrinth of thy mare-like ear , and then strange cures and medicines thou shalt hear , that will all evils and old age repell , to thee alone i will this mystery tell ; and thou shalt hush the rumors of the wind , destruction's beesom when thou dost it find , to sweep the country with its poysonous breath , and dragon-like doth storm many to death : and if thou wilt that aeolus should bluster , 't is in thy power all the winds to muster . if black big-belly'd clouds appear again , as though they would nothing afford but rain , then thou shalt cause in them a barrennesse , and a great drought , and bring a great distresse upon poor mortals : and when th' earth is dry , it shall be sleckt by tears of weeping eyes : but when it 's parcht with summers sultry weather , the foaming floods shall then all flow together , and quench its thirst ; yea from black pluto's den , with orpheus thus thou'lt fetch thy friend agen . when for a certain while the winds did so vehemently blow and bluster at etesia , that they hurt the grain , he gave order that asses should be excoriated , or their skins should be pluckt off , and make bottles , and to be so far extended in the promontory , that they might receive the wind ; and he being asleep , was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as if one should say , the stayer of the winds . suidas . there are a certain people amongst the lydians , who are called persici , their cities being hierocaesaria , and hippaepae ; and in each city there are temples very large , and vaults in them , with altars , upon these are ashes of a far different colour then our ashes are ; a magitian entring in here , covers his head with a gallant attire , where the wood is laid upon the altar , and calls upon the name of his god , whosoever he be , but ( reciting a heathenish verse out of a book ) where he hath prayed , there shines forth a pure flame out of the wood , the fire being not stirr'd . pausanias , lib. . saith , he saw this himself . herodotus testifies , lib. . of xerxes's governours , that in a tempest of three dayes , they lost four hundred ships , untill the fourth day , that their magitians thety , and the nereidians did allay the tempestuous winds by their sacrifices . castabilis is the phane of the persians diana , where they say religious women go upon hot coals barefoot , and are not burnt , strabo , lib. . under the mountain of soracte , there is a city called feronia ; it is called by that name , from a goddesse they had , which the bordering people thereabout worship very much . in the same place there stands a temple , having a wonderfull kind of sacrifice ; for they that are inspired with the deity , do walk upon burning coals with their naked feet : and therefore there comes a great multitude every year , as well by reason of the solemnity and celebration , as to see the sight . idem . lib. . tullius hostilius the roman king , in the imitation of numa pompilius , whilest he endeavoured to raise up jupiter elicius , was struck with lightning when the palace took fire . tussia , a vestall virgin , being accused of incest at rome , that she might be cleared of it , and her innocency and chastity might be discovered by her prayers , she drew water with a sieve ; in the year , after the city was burnt , plinius , lib. . cap. . armiplus , an egyptian magitian , in that war which the romans had with the quadi , when there was a cruell skirmish and battel , and the victory hanging in aequilibrio , they did not know who should get the battle , by his magical arts and inchantments called upon that mercury , who dwells in the airy region , and other spirits , and begged of these a great deal of pouring rain , and thereby did so affright the quadi , that the romans got the victory . dion niceus in antonino , & suidas . some attribute this to julian the chaldean . there was in old times a northern people called finni , that in times past did sell winds to merchants , offering them three knots twisted by magicall cunning ; the first knot being opened , they should have gentle winds , and soft gales ; the second b●ing untwined , they were to have somewhat more vehement winds ; and the third knot being loosed , they should have tempestuous winds and storms . olaus lib. . cap. . ex sax. grammat . in the year of our lord , . ferdinand the king of the neapolitans , did besiege very closely the marcos town , being subjected under the tower or castle of the draconian mountain , scituated near the entrance of the massick mountains , and by reason of the scarcity and want of water , he almost compell'd them to yield and surrender themselves ; when the wicked priests durst by their conjurations cause great showers , for there were found in the townesmen who were besieged , who in the night-time deceiving the castles watches , thievously stole to the shore through rough and hard rocks , bringing with them the image of christ crucified on the crosse , first with imprecations cursing it , and prosecuting it with magicall verses ; afterwards they fall into a frenzy , calling upon heaven , earth , and sea , for a tempest . at what time these priests , the wickedest and blasphemousest of all mankind , studied by their prophane arts to please the souldiers persisting in their wicked rites and ceremonies , by which means ( as it is reported ) they procured rain , and an asse being set before the dores of their house , and they sung an elegy , as though he were troubled in mind . afterward the sacrament was thrown into his mouth , the asse making great moan , and lamenting , as though with funeral songs ; at length they buried him quick before the dores of the temple . but the rite or ceremony being scarce finished , the sky began to be , clouded , and the sea was begun also to be tempestuous , and the splendour of the noon-day was eclipsed with darknesse , and now the heavens began to shine with their flashing fiery lightning ; then all other light was obscured , heaven and earth trembled with thunder , and earthquakes , the poles of the earth were aguish , the trees that were eradicated and plucked up by the roots , they were blown about in the whirl-winds , the rocks that were cloven with lightning , filled the ayre with clamorous noises , and there came such a deluge by this rain and storms , that the cisterns and conduits were not able to contain it , but the parched stones , and scorched rocks did diffuse and spread about every where those showers , torrents , and rivers which the storm brought ; so that the king whose onely hope was to get the town by want of rain was frustrated of his purpose , and returned to his old castles at savonta . pontanus , lib. . belli neapolitani . near elton pagum a little mile from embrica , placed in the dutchesse of clivensis near the high way , about forty two years since , there was a spirit that vexed travellers after divers fashions , beating them , throwing them from their horses , and overthrowing waggons , neither was there ever any thing seen but the picture of a hand , they called it eckerken , the neighbours thereabout did attribute this wickednesse to the conjuration of a witch . wherefore a hand was sacrificed to a sybill woman named puiscops , who by right was a servant to the earl of montensis and at the last the hand being burnt , the grievance ceased . vierius , lib. . cap. . de praestig . daemon . pelopsin an olympick charriotter , got some spell or inchantment of amphion , that the horses in that very plain might alwayes be troubled with an unaccustomed fury and terrour . pausanias , lib. . pythagoras called a very cruel savage bear , of a great bignesse who struck those that looked on him with fear , and fed and nourished him with himself ; he once with a low voice as though he were conjuring in muttering and whispering words , he charged him that he should hurt no living creatures : after that , the bear going away , went into the woods , and gathering her whelps together , and with much faithfulnesse she ( which is very rare in men ) did perform that she was sworn to . perhaps from hence ( said augustine ) came pythagoricall nercomancy , by the numbers of letters , and by the moon . and it is certainly reported that pythagoras saw an oxe near tarentum , spoiling the fabacian corn with his eating , as also by the trampling of his feet , as the neatherd told him , he counselled the oxe to spare the corn. the neatherds wife laughing , i ( saith she ) have not learnt oxe-language , but thou seemest to be verst in that kind of learning , and therefore take my place : presently pythagoras bending himself to its ears , whispered some magical words into them ; and , that which is to be admired at , the most obedient oxe , being willing to be taught of o●e that was wiser then himself , not onely gave over tearing the corn then , but abstained from eating corn of that sort afterwards , and also was freed from his neatherd , and was turned from a country rustical swain to a citizen-peripatetick , and waxed old at tarentum , and was fed by mens hands . caelius , lib. . cap. . a. l. plutarchus in vita numae . the same pythagoras , as aristotle saith , killed a serpent in etruria by biting , who destroyed others by biting . apollonius in mirabil . historiis . apollonius tyaneus going from rome to byazntium by the citizens leave , did expell out of that city , a great company of serpents and scorpions lest they should hurt any one , and did quell and represse the intemperate neighing of horses at the randevouz of princes . the same thing was requested of him when he came to antioch , for when the antiochians were vexed by scorpions , and gnats , he made a brazen serpent , and put it upon a pillar erected on the earth : he commanded the people to carry reeds in their hands , and run about the city striking and lashing with their reeds , and to cry out ; let the city be free from gnats : and by that means the serpents and gnats were driven out of the city . cedrenus . in the bigger india , there is a province called maabas , famous for pretious stones and pearls , for that sea being very dangerous for sea-monsters , the abrathimins their magitians , who anciently were called brachmans , by their daily witchcraft do so bewitch the great huge whales , that they are able to hurt no body ; but in the night-time they let them have their liberty , left there should be any occasion given to thieves to steal . m. paulus venetus . lib. . cap. . rer . oriental . in the mart-towns in holland , as in rotterdam and scheidanus , they chiefly live by fishing ; those inhabitants when they sayl out to catch herring , they bring such plenty of fish home to rotterdam , that loads whole ships . these on a time , drew back their nets loaded with stones to scheidanus ; which unexpected misfortune was quickly attributed to witchcraft : wherefore they apprehended a woman , which without delay confessed , that she made it come to passe with her witchcrafts , and that she flew out of a hole of the window ; she shewed them a hole of the same bignesse , which she could hardly thrust her finger in , and whilst they were laying in wait for fishes , she went to sea in a cockle-shell , mossel sculpitis called by the fishermen , and there passed over all that space untill she came to the place where the herrings were , and there with her inchantments , made the herrings depart that place , and she stayed in their room : this rumour being spread abroad , she was committed to the flames . vierius lib. . cap. . they report that a certain man , one pasetus by name , that deserved the chief name for his skill in delusions and magick , he by his inchantments did make a banquet quickly to seem to be made ready , and furnished in all points ; again , when he pleased he could make it to vanish , suidas . brachmanns could make ready banquets of all kinds , and prepared messes of meat to be set on the table , when they could see no servitours that set them on . philostratus . it is related that numa the roman king , sometimes invited divers citizens to a banquet , and set homely sordid furniture , and a very sparing mean supper ; but it being begun , there was a speech that he was familiar with a goddesse , and instantly he let them see his house , was furnished with pretious cups , and the tables were deckt with all gallantry and magnificent feasts . plutar. in numa . william the earl of holland was crowned by the instigation of the high priest , being against frederick . and conrad . filius aquisgraci roman king , returned to his colony , and there made a gallant feast to the princes . in which it is reported that by the admirable art and skill of albertus magnus the philosopher , the trees did flourish in the depth of winter , and the herbs did grow . it is said , that the writers of that age relate , that they saw him do this ; for this deed it is said , that he had a great farm given to him , with its appurtenances , in trajecto , and to have built a monastery . cuspinianus . there is a tradition , that pythagoras did perform the pythagorian sport by a looking-glasse ; he writ something in blood in the looking-glasse , and quickly the letters being turned against the moon , being in the full , to him that stood at his back , shewed the perfect characters , as it were ingraven'd in the moon . coel. lib. . cap. . antiq. lect . ex suidâ in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . apuleius lib. . de asino aureo , haec scribit . at athens , saith he , near and over against the paecilean porch , i have seen a young chevalier plainly to have swallowed a sharp dart , pointed with a pile , and presently again without any reluctancy hide within his bowels a hunters lance made of a little stump , in which part it threatens destruction , and behold the iron of the launce came out through his gut behind , and he being a fine finnical boy tending to mollicies , by his serpentine windings did so dance , as if he had no bones to hinder him , and therefore was ●dmired of all that saw him . philumena , the harlot of apelles the heretick , did put in and take out of a little hole of a narrow glasse bottel , a great loaf of bread . d. augustinum sedecias the jew , did devour and swallow up souldiers with horse and arms , and a whole load of a hay , and flew in the air. in the reign of andronicus senior , the emperour , and young andronicus his nephew , there were magicians came out of egypt to byzantium , to shew their art : they did fasten upon a platt of ground two or three main masts of a loadned and ballasted ship with ropes , lest it should totter to and fro , or bend to either side ; afterwards they stretched one rope from the top of one mast to the top of another ; furthermore , twisting and doubling another rope that winded to the ground , they made steps , or a ladder of cords , by which they did climb to the top ; and when one of them went up to play their tricks of activity , he would stand on the bare top of the mast , now flinging out one foot , then another upwards , ( as though he despised and spurn'd at heaven ) and then turning topsie-turvy , his head inclining towards the vertex of the pole or mast ; at the last , falling on a suddain , one hand holding fast to the rope , and there he hung swinging and turning about the rope , and whirling about towards heaven ( being of a vertiginous brain ) and towards earth , in a semi-moment just like a top , afterwards bending his leg , he caught hold of the rope with that , instead of his hand , and there he would be a supine , viz. hang or lye downwards , and would then circle and turn himself about after the former manner ; by and by he would stand straight up on the rope , and taking in his hand bow and arrows , would aim and shoot at a white mark , that was put a great way off , and shoot so artificially and skilfully , as they that stood on the ground could do no better : and then again shutting his eyes , taking a boy in his arms , he would go up to a higher rope , and so would prance up and down from one rope to another ; and one man did do all this . but another that sate upon a horse , and spurring him in a race , and as the horse was running , would get upon the saddle , and stand right up on the top of it , and would sometimes with his legs being folded together , sit upon the horse's main , and on his forehead , and on his buttocks , and flying to and fro , as though he were a bird ; and sometimes he would light off from his horse as he was running , and then catching hold on his tail , would leap upon him again , and was seen sitting on his saddle presently , and lighting and shifting from another side , or part of his saddle , he would turn himself under his belly , and presently ascend on the other side of the horse , and was carried by the horse , and when he did these things , he did not neglect to whip the horse to obtain the race , and these things did another of the magitians . another of them carrying a club about half a yard long on his shoulder , did so belabour that vessel , being then full of liquor , that it lasted and was serviceable not long after . another there was that set a long spear upon his head three fathoms long , and from the top downwards , the rope net-wise was folded , or stairs made by it , and a boy did ascend to the top , sometimes shifting hands and feet untill he came to the spears top , and then he descended again , and he that carryed the spear on his head , walked all the while . another would throw up on high a globe , or a round ball of glasse , and then when it was falling again , would catch it with the extreamest parts of his nails , and sometimes by his elbows , now one now another , but some that were not very expert , fell and perished . and whereas there were above forty came out from their country , almost twenty of them came to byzantium , and they travelled all over , gathering a great deal of money of the spectators , and some came for profit , some to shew their art for ostentation sake . gregor . lib. . michael sicidites magus , manuel comnenus being emperour , who would not suffer nor allow of such sights , which did effacinate the peoples eyes , but sent all these divel 's , companions to them which he would have banished ; when he saw a little ship in in a large place of the palace , in which potts and dishes were transported , he by his magical verses caused the marriner to be squeesed and crushed , and made him no sooner leave to strike and dash the potts together , then they were all resolved to dust : a little while after stroaking his beard , he began to lament , and the mist being past , he deplored himself , that he was so handled by some irefull diety ; and being asked why he broke his ware in peices , he with much greif declared , that , being very busie rowing with his oares , there was a horrible great serpent , that extended it self over the earthen vessells , and that he saw it with staring eyes , as though it was ready to devoure him , and no sooner began to leave off rowing about , than that all the pots and platters were broken and crushed to pieces . this magitian played another prank , something like this , for washing in a bath , he began to quarrell and wrangle with them , by and by he went out of the bath , a little after some others through fear and haste running out together , and treading upon one another , did leap out of a channell , in which there was hot-water , and when they skipt ou● of it , they were as black as pitch , and they were thrown out of the bath , and were soundly kickt . nicetas . book . gregory the th , as cardinall benno saith , that when he pleased , he could so shake and strike his sleeves , from whence fire , like sparks , would come out of them , and so deluding the eyes of the simple by those petty miracles , as a signe of his holinesse . with the ostrogothians is a great lake or gulph called veter having a pleasant , but a very long island , which is as it were its center , and contains two parish churches in it ; under one of which there is found to be a den or cavern with a convex hollow entrance , and of an unmeasureable unfathomed depth , into which some men out of a tympany-like ostentation descend with lighted torches , and long threds to fathome it , and find how deep it is , as did one gilbert by name , and others , they met a famous magitian , who was overcome and bound formerly there by his own master catillus , over whom he presumed to domineer and insult , for his hands were tyed with a little rope , and certain gothish and ruthenien characters were enscribed on 't , and so was cast down into this den by his master ; gilbert remained there being immoveable ; divers did go into the cavern , not without great danger , to see these strange enchantments . afterwards the law forbad any to go down themselves , or perswade others to go down , under that perill that they were likely to undergo , viz. death , and so the mouth of the den was stopt up with stones . olaus magnus , lib. . cap. . antonius heliogabalus with his magicall arts and enchantments , did conjure up the departed souls of severius his father especially , and commodus , and many others from out of hell , who tell him of future things , he esteemed highly of apollonius cyaneus cappadocian who flourished in the reign of domitian , and honoured and praised him much , and took care that a monument should be made for him , because he was the greatest conjurer . dion ex xiphil . the potent emperour arrian , when he understood by magicall fopperies who should reign after him , whose name should begin with theta , he gave command that all those should be slain whose names began with that letter , as the theodorans , theodotans , theodulans , and a certain valiant man theodosius coming out of spain , his father who afterwards ruled theodosii . wherefore many being affrighted , anagramatized , and changed their names . it was given out that this divination was made by a libanian sophister jamblicus by name , the scholler of proclus , when there was many killed , he commanded the executioners to enquire out the authors of this divination , jamblicus fearing much the princes cruelty , took a cup of poyson and dyed . socrates , lib. . cap. . sozomenus , lib. . cap. . andronicus comnenus tyrannus did consult with one seth a magitian , ( having his eyes put out by manuel the emperour ) about his successour and his private enemy that watched for him ; about the beginning of september , the devil shewed him in muddy waters the letter sigma , and afterwards iota ; therefore andronicus thought that these letters decyphered isaurus , to wit , isaacius comneus , the nephew of manuel the emperour , who coming out of isauria , had appressed cyprus by his tyranny . much search about the businesse was there at that time ; when the spirit with a great noise flickered in the water , within the exaltation of the crosse , answered , therefore vain ( saith andronicus ) is this oracle ; for how can isaacius in so short a time come from cyprus , and take my kingdom from me ? and for this cause he sleighted such divinations and prophesies . but when one said , surely isaacius angelus was dead , or else that oracle would have been verified concerning him ; and he said further , that they imagine things that are afar off , and in the mean time neglect those things which are under their feet ; and so he was incensed against the diviners art , and puffing , sleighted isaacius angelus , as a tender soft pusillanimous fellow ; by whom a while after , he was deprived of his kingdom and life too . nicetas , lib. . euphrosyna , the wife of alexius angelus , the emperour of the byzantines , when she desired to know future contingencies , did give up her mind to all kind of wicked divinations , and acted many unlawfull things : she cut off the bill of a porcupine hogg , which she saw ready with its piked bristles and cruel teeth , to fall upon a lion in hypico ; and she chastised with many stripes , famous hercules image , the gallant workmanship of lysimachus , lying upon a lyonesse skin , and deplored her fortune , leaning with her head upon her hand ; neither was she satisfied or contented with this , but did mangle and break in pieces divers other statues and images , and knocked them on the head with hammers : some certain pedlars diligently taught birds to imitate humane words , so that in the streets and porches they would sing with their ordinary voice , justitia politica , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . nicetas . in the time of galerius maximinius , a persecutor of the christians , there was one theotecnus at athens , who was an enchanter , and a cruel enemy to the christians , and did as much as in him lay , to cause the christians to be accused and brought before the emperour ; and by this deceit he did it , by his conjurations and sorceries he caused jupiter's image to utter these words ; speak to jupiter , that these christians may be expelled out of the city and fields , and banished , as being enemies to him . the subtilty of this wicked magitian easily took effect under such a wicked prince . eusebius , lib. . jason the son of aeson , nephew to pelias the thessalonian king , wishing to do something worthy of memory , and to imitate some heroick deeds of persius and others ; pelias did consent to his desire , not that he might encrease the glory of his youth , nor adde splendour to it , but hoping that he would quickly be slain in some warlike expedition or other ; for he feared his brother aeson , lest by the help of his son , he should get the kingdom from him . in the mean while , he promised him ayd for his warr , if he would prepare for a voyage to cholcos , to get the golden fleece . then was pontus inhabited by the barbarians and wild nations , and they were so cruel to strangers , that they slew all them that sailed thereabouts ; wherefore jason makes a ship near the pelian mountain , of a greater bigness and bulk , and which had greater furniture , then in those dayes they usually had ; for there was onely then used some little ships or frigots : the rumour of this thing was spread all through greece , so that he invited many gallant young men , of their own accord , to come to his warr ; jason chose the chief of them that desired to go with him , which number was four and fifty . of these who were famous , was castor and pollux , hercules , telamon , orpheus , atalanta schenei , besides thespius's sons , and the author of the voyage , jason . the ship ( we will not say , when dipped in the water ) was called argo , from argos its builder , who also took care of repairing her , when she was sailing on her voyage ; or else named argos , for her admirable swiftnesse , because the ancients called any thing that was swift , argon ; they preferred hercules to be their captain , the chiefest for vertue and fortitude . the wings of fame flying all abroad the countrey , did bring news , that all those that sailed with jason to pontus , perished by a mortality . in the first place , pelias made jason's father to drink bull 's blood , he slew his brother pomachus , being but as yet a boy . alchimede his mother was designed for death ; for all she was a woman , yet she did one very memorable thing with a manly courage ; when she fled into the inmost recesses of the palace , and there begging of the gods , that they would reward and revenge such impiety , she ran her self thorough with a sword : jason returned back into thessaly , and the argonautes promised him to do what they could to revenge such an hainous wickednesse , if he would fight against the city . medea promised , that by her craft she would kill pelias , and would deliver the kingdom unto them without any danger , and that she would do her task too ; for she was to instruct them in every thing ; and she from the palace was to give signs of the whole affair ( smoke by day , fire by night ) to the keepers of the watch-tower on the sea-coast ; therefore preparing diana's image , which was convex and hollow , in which she hid divers kinds of venomous things . afterwards by her medicines making her hairs gray , and her face to be so rugged and wrinckled , that she seemed to all that lookt on her , to be an old woman ; then taking diana's image , went forth into the city , and stirred all up to superstition , as though she came from the northern countries for the king and citie 's good and welfare ; divers worshipped her religiously as a goddess , all the whole people was so besotted ; and they brought medea into the king's palace : these things much increased pelia's superstition , yea , and his daughters were so bewitched by medea's inchantments , that they were perswaded that she was a goddess , that was come for the prosperity and felicity of the kingdom ; for she did affirm , that diana was carried through the ayr by dragons , and that she had gone about the greatest part of the world , and that she might be perpetually worshipped , they ought to choose the most religious king they could get ; and moreover , that the goddesse had commanded her , that with some medicines , she should take away the old age from pelias , and turn him young again . at which words the king admiring , commanded medea to try the experiment upon her self , that they might believe what she said . she required , that some pure water might be brought her by one of his daughters , and when she had shut her self up in her bed , she anointed her body , and by the strength of herbs she was reduced to her former age ; it is reported , that she by her enchantments caused a goddesse in the likenesse of dragons to fly through the air , and supported by the hyberboreans , which seemed to turn towards pelias ; pelias esteemed very much of medea , and diligently commanded his daughters to do what she commanded , and be observant of her , and whatsoever she gave in charge to be done about her body , that they should do it : in the following night it 's reported , that medea should say , that it was necessary that the body of pelias should be boyled in copper , which when the virgins were about to do it , they required one experiment , that they might give trust to her words ; then there was a ram that was kept in the house for many years , to whom she promised to the virgins , if she should first boyl that , she would afterwards restore it into its former condition again . when the virgins did consent , they relate , she did boyl the body of the ram , which was divided into little pieces , and by her medicines brought forth the figure of a lamb out of the kettle ; which being done , and believing medea , all the virgin-daughters , except alcestis , ( who for her eminent piety , abstained from doing violence to her father ) they slew their father by beating of him : then it 's said , that medea , lest that they should boyl the body of pelias , made as though she would first perform her vow to the moon , and commanded the virgins with their lamps to ascend to the top of the palace , and there in the cholchians tongue , made a long speech , to drive away the time , and gave the sign to the argonautes that the time was now come of performance of the thing ; they out of a prospective glasse , saw fire , and then supposing the king was dead , came swiftly , demanding the city , and going upon the walls , and with glittering drawn swords , went straightway to the palace , kill'd all the watches that withstood them , &c. diodorus , lib. . cap. . johannes teutonicus , very famous in old time , his father was a priest , and by reason of the good opinion of learning that was had of him , he was preferred to halberstatensem parish , to which none but noblemen and true begotten legitimate , were to be admitted ; but he was much despised of his colleagues for his base birth : he invited them to a sumptuous banquet , and taking occasion , asked them whether or no they would see their own fathers . and when they told him that they earnestly desired that he would do so , and by his magicall art , he made appear horrid ghastly spectrums , representing the shape of cooks , stable-grooms , fools , ●usticks , whose faces they confessed themselves , that they had sometimes seen at their fathers houses . but teutonicus did conjure up his father in the comeliest , beautifullest shape he could , with canonicall priestly habit , in a fat visage . the shadows being passed away , he asked his guests whose father now they judged to be the nobler : they being affrighted , ( as it were planet-struck ) and confounded with shame , went every one home to their own houses , and after they never troubled johannes , who was ennobled by his vertue , if not by his extraction or birth . johannes . nicholas venetus , in his indian history , tells of a pilot of india , when the winds did cease , invoking his god which he called muthian , and that at length he went to a certain arabian , and that the man being impulsed by some invisible spirit , ran along the vessel , till he came to a table , that for that purpose was fixed to the mast , and devoured certain coals that lay thereby : and calling for a cocks bloud , when they had killed one , and brought him the bloud of it , he drank it off , and when he had done , askt them what they desired ? and when the pilot answered , wind , he re-demanded what wind , and when he told him an east-wind , he promised them for three dayes they should have it at will , and admonished them that they would be carefull to improve the opportunity . when the conjuration was past , the arabian remembred nothing of what he had prophesied , done or suffered , but to a minute of the time , all things fell out accordingly . cardanus de subtilitate , libro de daemonibus . s. jerome writes in the life of hilarion the eremite . that in a mart town of gaza , a young man languished for the exceeding love he bare to a young maid a neighbour of his , who when he could do no good by frequent courtings , touchings , jestings , noddings , whisperings , and other allureing dalliances , the common exordiums of the decay of chastity ; he went to memphis , that so having made known his condition , he might be instructed by the magitians , how to circumvent this young lady . and after he had been disciplined for a years time by the priests of aesculapius , he returned , and hides under the threshold of the young maidens dore certain magical words , and inchanting figures , graven in plates of cyprian brasse . suddenly the maid grows mad , and casting by the decent binding of her head , tears her hair , gnasheth with her teeth , calls upon the name of the young man ; such was the extasy of her love that made her raging mad . her parents bring her to a monastery , deliver her to an old man ; immediately the devill howling , confesseth ; i have suffered violence having been brought hither against my will , how bravely did i delude people by memphian dreams , o the crosses and torments that i suffer . thou wouldst have me go out , and i am fast bound under the threshold . i will not go out unlesse the young man that holdeth me bound , dismisse me . then the old man saith great is thy fortitude , who art bound by the drawings out of threds and plates ! tell why thou wast so bold as to enter into a young maid , the servant of god ? that i might preserve her a virgin. thou preserve her , thou betrayer of chastity ? why diddest thou not rather enter into him that sent thee ? to what purpose should i enter into him who had my colleague the devill of love ? the holy man did not command him to seek out the plates or gravings , lest the devill might have seemed to have quitted the inchantments , or he to have given credit to the devills speech , affirming the devills deceitfull , and dexterous in dissimulation . moreover having restored the young maid to her former right wits , he much blamed the virgin for committing such faults , whereby the devill should enter her . these things , hierome . when by the severe laws of pope hadrian the sixt , the pestilence seemed little restrained by the touching of the sick that so increased , that many dead corps were to be seen in the streets , and crosse wayes , and in few dayes that seemed to depopulate the city , but that a certain greek , by name demetrius spartanus , the common people favouring him , undertook the work of removing the plague , no man being so bold as to forbid his superstition . for a wild bull , the half of whose horn he had cut off , putting a magick verse into his right ear , suddenly he made him so tame , that casting a small thred about his whole horn , leading him which way he pleased , he immolated him at the amphitheater , to appease the divine power , nor did he wholly deceive the hope of the credulous multitude , for by the prosperous offering of that vain sacrifice the sicknesse began to asswage . jovius , lib. . as his kinsman concerning that matter of observation , and worthy animadversion , writeth , in the year of christ , . a most grievous pestilence invaded rome ; there was then a certain greek , who had a long beard , with an ugly aspect , who professed himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , a helper of evil , he promised if he should have thirty pieces of gold to him and his heirs monethly , to cause a cessation of the plague ; the romans accept of the condition . he commandeth to bring him a black bull , and find out a new well in the suburbs of the city : in the dead of night he commeth to the bottom of the hill marius , where he found the bull prepared , and the well ; he sets upon making a rope , and as he was weaving that , sometimes with a high , and sometimes a low voice , i know not what he murmured out , in greek ; the clamour of his voice was heard by many spectators : afterwards he casting a rope about the neck of the bull , they report the bull being made tame and gentle , he led him thrice about the well , then casting the bull prostrate upon the ground , the bull making three weak or harmlesse kicks , presently with little reluctancy , suffered him to cut off his horns ; which done , he commanded the bull to be led by the shepheards thorough the seven gates of the city , and the seven high-wayes , and afterwards to be let loose that he might return to the fields and pastures , wherein he was wont to feed . they that were there , then said , that he lifting up his eyes towards heaven , and making i know not what kind of humming , they saw stars falling , and innumerable likenesses of dogs , and wolves , and such kinds of living creatures , to fly all about , &c. things being finished in this manner , the magitian being returnned to the city , took such course with the roman magistrates that they commanded by publick edict that no one should of three dayes kill any four-footed beasts , the rulers of the city who were then absent , when they returned , commanded the greek impostor to be apprehended , and cast into prison ; scarse escaping the threats of the people , he was punished with eternall banishment . the magick book which he used , was publickly burnt . gilbert . cognatus , lib. . of narrations . antonius benevemus , lib. . concerning the hidden causes of sicknesses , thus writeth ; a maid of the age of sixteen , was pulled with griping grief in the bottom of her belly by infernal spirits , and falling into horrid clamours , her whole belly did on a suddain so swell , that one would have thought she had gone eight moneths with child ; she had an exhausted voyce , and sometimes casting her self upon her bed , and joyning her feet to her neck , she leaped up , and falls upon her feet again ; casting her self down , she immediately again started up ; this she oft did by turns , but by little and little coming to her self , and somewhat refreshed , she was asked how she did ; she was wholly ignorant what had passed : but we inquiring the causes of this sicknesse , thought this evill to proceed from the suffocation of the matrix , and evil vapours drawn upwards , and then striking the heart and brain : but when she could not be helped by physick , she was wonderfull fierce , looking about her with a stern countenance , fell at length to vomit , whereby she cast up long and crooked nayls , brasse pins , with wax and hairs conglomerated ; and lastly , a gobbet of such magnitude , that the gorge of no creature whatsoever could wholly devour ; and when she had done this often , i my self , being a spectator , conceived her to be possessed with an evil spirit , who whilest she did these things , amazed the beholders . wherefore being afterwards detected by more manifest signs and arguments , she was committed to the ecclesiastical physitians ; for we have heard her prophesie , and seen her do those things besides , which go beyond the power of sicknesse , and exceed humane understanding . ca●danus relates in his fifteenth book , concerning the variety of things , of a certain honest countreyman and friend , who might more easily have been deceived , then deceive , who told to him , that he had many years laboured of an unknown disease , at what time by his inchantments he vomited glass , nailes , and hair : and though at length he were restored , to the very day he relates these things , he did affirm , that he thought he had a huge heap of broken glasse in his belly , and a sound or noise as one should shake a bag full of broken glasse , by which he was much vexed , and also that he the seventh hour of every eighteenth day , although he numbred them not , had so many blowes on his heart , which was a huge trouble to him for eighteen years since his recovery ; who sees not the actions , legerdemanes , and vexations first and last , that the devil puts upon those whom he finds fit , by their simplicity , for his delusions . in pago bevenstestet under the duke of brunswick , a maid named margaret , daughter of henry achils , twenty years old , in the year , on the holy day of the visitation of the blessed virgin , about to wipe or make clean her shooes , drawes out her knife , and goes to a place fit for that purpose ; the maid having lost her strength by a long feaver , was yet weak ; contrary to her expectation , in comes to the house a woman somewhat old , and asketh her , whether she were yet troubled with her feaver ? and whether she were free from her disease ? it was answered her by the maid , as yet i have not been able to go out of the house : the shooes being made clean , she puts the knife in her bosome ; which when afterwards it was diligently sought by her , she saw a black dogg of an horrible shape , lying upon his belly under the table , which with grinning shewing his teeth , went away ; presently it seemed to the maid , that from her head to her feet did flow something , as it were , of a cold humour ; to whom happened also a defect of the mind or soul , and she becomes as dead without sense to the third day , wherein at last she begins to breathe again , and affirms , that she certainly knew , that that knife which she had taken out of the sheath of her sister , did stick fixed in the left side of her own body , for that she did perfectly feel pain in that very place ; by which she was so exercised , that being bowed double , she was forced to lean upon a staff , after three moneths there begun to appear and stand out on her left side above the spleen , betwixt her two lowest spurious ribs , an imposthume of the bignesse of a cocks egg , and like the moon , by whose increment or departure , she either swelled or grew quiet . the thirtieth of june , there issued out of the ulcer such store of matter , that the swelling was somewhat remitted , and then as it were the point of a knife appeared ; the surgeon of duke henry , sent for from the castle of wol●senbuttel , took out with instruments the point of the knife standing out under her ribs , and cured the ulcer . vierus lib. . cap. . concerning the impostures of devils . from the nativity of christ , . in a certain town of the bishoprick erstetting fugestat ; uricus newsesser , a husbandman , when he was tormented about one of the sides of his ribbs with the cruel torments of griefs , upon a sudden he feels with his hand an iron nail under his unhurt skin , which a surgeon , a servant , there digged out with his knife ; notwithstanding his griefs ceased not , but daily waxed worse and worse ; wherefore when the wretch saw there was no remedy of his grief , but by dearh , he taking a knife cut his own throat . therefore being dead , he was brought to be buried the third day ; there were present then rosenbader of wissenburg , a town of the noricks in germany , and john estentet , a servant attending about such businesse , who , a greater company beholding , fell suddenly upon opening the ventricle of the dead husbandman , wherein they found very long and smooth wood , four steel culters , partly sharp , partly like a saw with teeth , and two rough tools of iron , every one whereof did exceed the length of a span , and there was like the cover of a globe : but that thou wilt most admire , is , how so many and so great tools could be contained in the cavity of his ventricle , & by what art they are carried in ; certainly by no other , then the cunning and deceit of the devill , joan langius , in his book . epistle med . . & vierus , book . chapter . concerning the legerdemain of devils . a certain religious man an inhabitant of the town hesden in a field called leodren , for religion's sake , went to jerusalem , stayed after his companions at jerusalem that he might celebrate the holy time of easter there , which his other companions omitted ; and being afraid afterwards , lest by that delay he had lost the opportunity of conveying himself to europe , he made haste towards the sea at joppa , and therefore was weary in his journey , and meeting with a knight , who shewed himself so compassionate , that he took him up behind him , and that very day , to the great admiration of all his , was carried into his own town hesden ; where it being declared how it happened , the inhabitants thought him mad , he went to the temple of st. james in spain , and returned again before his companions were come back from jerusalem ; when that was affirmed by them , that he stayed behind them at jerusalem , then what he had told them concerning the celerity of his return was believed . fulgosus , book . chap. . boccatius of a noble lombard , who had entred himself a souldier for jerusalem , to gain the holy-land , and departing , left to his wife part of his ring , which had his coat of arms ingraven upon it , with this condition , that if he returned not within three years , with this earnest and symbol , she might marry another husband , he being taken prisoner in judaea , and carried into aegypt to the sultan ( whom his father had entertained a good while travelling into europe , though unknown ) for the hospitalities sake of his father , his own wisedome and dignity , he presently so pleased the sultan , who by dayly familiarity approveing his behaviour , he valued him more then all he had . the three years being finished he fell into great sorrow , the cause whereof the sultan having diligently searched out , calls a magitian who took that care that he caused him being fast a sleep in a pretious bed , and loaded with a great burthen of gold , and pretious stones to be carried in the last night of the three years into the chief temple in joapia , a city in lombardy . the tutor affrighted with the sight , flies , and with other things of the vision , relates in aegypt which he saw meeting him , making hast to the house of his wife who was to take home another husband the next evening . johan . baptist . port. neopotalitan , in his book . of natural magick , thus writeth , there falleth into my hands , a certain woman somewhat old , who of her own accord , undertook to inform me , within a certain time , what those things are which suck the bloud of infants in their cradles , in the form of a night owl , which men call a scritch owl ; she commands all that were come along with me witnesses , to go out of dores , and casting off her cloathes , rubbed her self very much with a certain oyntment ; we perceive through the chinks of the dore , that by vertue of the soperiferous oyl , she fell into a deep sleep , we out of dores discover great beatings , and pinings , but so great was the force of her deadly sleep , that that took her sense from her , when the strength of her physick began to decrease and grow weak , we return from without to the place , and she being called from her sleep , began to tell many raving dotages , that she had passed seas , and mountains , giving us many false informations . we shew her black and blew sores caused by the beatings which we heard , but she most stifly denies . they report apollonius tyaneus to have received of jarcka , the prince of the indian philosophers , a gift , as it were , of divine power , that he was partaker of very great secrets every other day , alex. from alex. book . chap. . augustine concerning the city of god , book . chap. . saith , when we were in italy , we heard of certain women keeping victualling-houses , and using evil arts , who by cheese given to whom they pleased , turn'd them presently into beasts , to carry necessary burdens ; which having performed , and returning to their former state , could perfectly remember all which in the mean time happened to them . apuleius also himself , in his book which he inscribed by the title of the golden asse , reports , that it happened to himself , having taken poyson , his humane soul remaining , that he was transformed into an asse , &c. but it is manifest , that these are legerdemaines , and delusions of the devil , deceiving the soul and senses of men by vain conceit . vincentius reports in his speculations , he tells us in his book . chap. . and william of malmsbury , monk , in his history , in the time of peter damianus , that there were two old women inne-holders , that is , such as gave entertainment to travellers for their money , ( for an inne is properly called a publick place of entertainment for money ) which old women living together in the same house , and exercising the same art of witchcraft , when a stranger came alone , they transformed him into an horse , a swine , or an asse , and sold him for a certain price to merchants . a certain day a young man appearing , by his gesture a stage-player , being entertained of them , and eating meat with them , was by them transformed into an asse : they gained much by him , who shewed many wonderfull tricks to passengers ; for at the command of the old women , or any sign they made , he turned , or moved which way they pleased ; for his understanding perished not , though his speech ceased , whereby the old women got much money ; which being perceived by a neighbour , he for great summe of money bought the asse ; but the women conditioned he should so keep him , that he should not go into the water . his keeper for a long time kept him from the water , but at last was so incautelous , that he brought him to a pool in the neighbourhood , where he a long time wallowing and tumbling , he was restored to his own proper shape ; and when his keeper raised him up to see whether it were his asse or no , he told him who he was ; the servant told this to his master , his master telleth the same to pope leo ; the old women being converted , confesse it . the pope doubted hereof ; but a most learned man , petrus damianus manifested to him , that it might be true , by the example of simon magus , who had imprinted upon faustinius his own image or likenesse . michael verdunus , and peter burgottus , shepherds , having contracted with the devil , could when they pleased , by the use of a certain oyntment , transform themselves into wolves , and killing men , and other creatures , they ran away amongst other wolves , as people imagined . they were burnt alive in the diocess of bisnutina , in the year of christ , . vierus , book . ch . . concerning the legerdemains of devils . in the year , on the eighth calends of february , in norway a most great earthquake did happen , as it is recorded at pannonia , illiricum , dalmatia , carnis , and histria , which lasted withou - any intermission for the space of fourty dayes ; the earth was variously shaken , wonderful works were shewed , moravia and bavaria felt the losse of twenty six towns and castles thereby thrown down , as it is related in the acts of that year ; men and beasts perished , walls , temples , buildings were overturned , whole cities overthrown ; moreover mountains burst asunder , squeezed that ruinous destruction and losse of men : for two mountains ( as it were ) ran to the devoured cities , and being drawn violently to the town of elisa , killed all living creatures that were therein ; the gaping of the earth , that thereupon ensued , partly remained as the earthquake left it ; but some part of it growing wider , swallowed up all before it , the soyl being so fallen into it , that there was no possible passage . fifty men , and more rusticks , many kindreds , with cattel , were overwhelmed , and bodies were reduced into statues of salt . conradus of meydenburg , an excellent philosopher and mathematician , speaking of this tempestuous earthquake , saith , that these statues were seen by him and the austrian chancellor at charmum . aventinus in his annal of the bozori , book . osgillus , king of the swedes and goths , an exact observer of justice and equity , lost the love of many of his nobles that disliked such severity , who being inraged at him , procured a bull charmed with magical incantations , and placed him in a high-way , wherein the king passing was set upon , and by his horns was killed , and so lost his scepter . john mag. in his book . chap. . philip melancthon reports , that he was told by christopher gross and sigismund galenius , that a certain virgin of bononia , that was conversant amongst men two years after her death , and who was at a banquet whereunto she was invited , not tasting any meat , and sitting amongst other virgins , by chance a magitian present knowing the fraud of the devil , saith to them that were present ; this pale maid hath been dead , and coming straight to her , taketh from under her right shoulder , an inchantment , whereupon she appeared an ugly dead corps . this inchantment had been performed by another magitian , and thereby the devil had carried about this corps all this while . a studious young man of sffordia , with the raging love of a virgin , became almost mad by the violence of his passion ; he being intimately acquainted with one skilfull in the magick art , was to●d by him , that he would by his skill so work , that the maid with whom he was so much in love , should come to him , so that he would abstain from the imbracing of her ; the young man promiseth continence ; presently the young maid being most beautiful , enters his bed-chamber , by words and gestures declaring much love ; which he seeing , upon his first beholding her , he was so wrapt out of himself , and unable to command his affectionate passion , imbraces her very courteously ; whereupon the virgin presently falls down dead , which did infinitely torment both him and the magitian , who by his inchantments so worked at length , that the devil entred her body , and by his motion of the devill , the maid returned home ; she was intent to her accustomed labors , but wholly pale and silent . after three dayes her parents got divines to her , who when they had seriously conversed with her , the devil went out of her , and she falling down , appeared a meer ugly base carcass ; blood is the cause of a good colour , and lively spirits ; these the devil cannot create : god onely our creator can . out of the colloquies of luther . in the year of christ , , a certain italian , by name andreas , a jugler of sathan , coming up and down amongst the sepulchres , and leading a red blind dog , by which he did many prodigious things ; sometimes in the middle of the market , andreas ( a great company standing about him ) would cause them to throw down upon the ground gold , silver , and iron rings , behind this dog , which after he had mixed together , the dog at his command would deliver every one of them as they were taken asunder to his proper owner ; in like manner divers sorts of coyn and moneys being confusedly heaped together , he would at his masters command in order discern , and deliver to the right owners ; and if he were askt , who were fornicators , adulterers , or men of great authority and credit , he would most certainly declare ; and if any such required the knowledg of any thing from him , he would suddenly satisfie them : wherefore some did not doubt to affirm , that he was possessed with a pythonical or satanick spirit . cron. hed. part . . when valens was emperour of the romans , libanus , a rhetorician , and jamblicus , the master of proclus , are reported by the divination of a dung-hill cock , to have found out who should be emperour after valens ; and moreover , after this manner it was found out ; twenty four letters are written in dust , and a grain of wheat and barley is put to every letter ; then the cock , certain verses having been recited , is let loose , and they conceiv'd out of what letters he took the corns , the same being joyned together , would declare the thing that was inquired after ; which when they had done , the cock took the corns out of the letters Θ Ε Ο Δ. they read the letters , but yet esteemed the signification doubtfull ; for it was conceived , that either theodosius , or theodorus , or theodotus , were designed thereby . it being known , according to my relation , valens suspected many that had those names , being also sought out by the diviners themselves . john faustus , a filthy beast , and a sink of many devils , carried about with him an evil spirit in the shape of a dog ; at wittenburg , when the edict of the prince to apprehend him was promulgated , he fled away ; so coming to norimburg , and being set down to dinner , he began to be very much troubled , and suddenly paying what was due to the hoast , went his way ; he was scarce gone out of the dores , but the serjeants inquire concerning him : at length , the fates compelling him , being brought to wittenburg , he sate down , being very melancholy , his host desired him to tell the cause of his sorrow ; his answer was , i pray you be not terrified this night , though you hear a huge noise , and the very shaking of the whole house ; in the morning they found him dead in his chamber , his neck being turned topsie-turvy . no wonder , that the devill is wont to give such rewards to his servants . in the year of our lord , , frederick of the austrian family , challenging to himself the title of emperour , against lewis of bavaria , emperour , waged a cruel warr , in which frederick being taken , was for three whole years detained prisoner in a castle near the famous town naburg , scituated by the river nabus . in the mean time , a certain magitian coming to duke leopold , the brother of frederick , promised , that he would free him out of prison , and take such care , that within the space of one hour , he should be safely conveyed into austria ; leopold promised great rewards to the magitian , when he should effect his promise . when night was come , both of them went into a circle designed , and prepared by magicall incantations , the magitian by his charms , raised a spirit , which appeared in the likenesse of a man , receives the mandate to bring frederick home , if he did not refuse to follow him : therefore the spirit immediately in the night , comes to the captive prince , saying to him , thy brother leopold hath sent me hither to take thee out of prison ; wherefore arise , and mount this horse , and i will safely conduct thee to thy brother . to whom duke frederick answered , who art thou ? ask not who i am , saith the spirit , but without further delay mount this horse , if thou desirest to be delivered out of prison , then great fear and trembling seized , not onely upon frederick , but also upon all that were with him ; but they signing themselves with the sign of the crosse , the spirit vanished away , and returned alone to the magitian . in the chronicle of hedion , book . it is reported that in the year of christ , . one john , an almain , a priest at halberstadium , was so skillfull in the magick art , that upon christmas eve in the morning , he said masse thrice . first at halberstadium . secondly , at moguntia . thirdly , at colonia , by the swiftnesse of his horse which he rode upon , which with incredible speed , carried him from one of these towns to the other . many very prodigious things are written , which this priest did by his magicall art. in the year of our lord , . came to cruce natum , a town in lower germany , a magitian full of tricks and legerdemains who cut off his servant's head publickly in the market place , the people being spectators , and within half an hour , joyned that to his body which lay as it had been dead , upon the ground ; the servant immediately recovering life , and becoming as sprightful as ever he was . he was seen carried up and down in the ayre , and making a great noise , he seemed to be a-hunting to those that beheld him often times . he seemed also sometimes ( to them that stood gazing at him ) to be an armed man that did greedily devour a cart or waggon of wine or wood and the horses too . in the year . two inchantresses were taken , which by tempests , hail , and cold , endeavoured to destroy the fruits of the earth . these women stole a neighbours child , which they cut in piec●s , and put into a pot to boyl . it came to passe by providence , that the mother seeking her child , came at that instant , and saw in the pot the diffected members of her child , therefore these two pestilent witches being taken and examined , confessed ( by tortures that were deservedly inflicted upon them ) that if the boyling of this child had been perfected , they had caused such terrible cold as had destroyed the fruits of the earth . hedion . book . in the year of our lord , . in a neighbour town of ahena , a certain magitian cured many mad-men by hearbs which the devill had shewed him . moreover he had commerce with him , and took dayly advice of him for curing of diseases : it happened that there was great dissentions twixt him and a neighbour of his , a carpenter ; in their railings and brawlings , the carpenter did exasperate and vex the mind of the magitian with some bitter and reproachfull speeches . after some moneths were expired , the carpenter fell into a dangerous disease , and as one having forgot all former discontent between him and the magitian , seeketh to him to cure him of his most miserably afflicting sicknesse : the magitian counterfeiting himself appeased and much his friend , whilst he promised his utmost indeavours to cure him , in the mean time he resolves , having this opportunity , to revenge the wrongs he conceived , and gives him a potion composed of venemous hearbs , which as soon as the carpenter had taken , his body was cruciated and tormented with such extream pain , that he suddenly gave up the ghost . the wife therefore of the carpenter with his kindred , accuse the magitian of man-slaughter , for which cause he is convented before the senate at ahena , and being examined by torments , he confessed this murder , and other impious and most wicked deeds , and that he had learned his magick of a certain old woman in the neighbourhood , which lived at the wood hercynia for which most horrible and flagitious arts , they caused him to be tyed to a stake and burnt to death . manlius , in his collections . martin luther using many words concerning witches , tells that his mother was many wayes vext by an inchantresse , a neighbour , insomuch that she was wont for fear to shew her much kindnesse , and by intreaties and courtesies , used to procure her good will : for this witch did so torment her infants by inchantments , that with continuall crying , they expired their lives . and when a certain preacher in his sermon declaiming against such kind of witches , and alluding to her impiety , he was so infested and infected with inchantments , that he had no way to escape destruction ; for by these witchcrafts , the ground so shrinked from his feet as he went , that he could not stay himself , but was thereby forced into the river , being unable to stay himself till he was cast therein . and when it was enquired of luther whether it were possible that such things should happen to the godly , he answered . yes certainly , for our mind or soul is subject to a lye , yea our body is obnoxious to death and afflictions ; and i am perswaded that my sicknesses , ( god permitting ) infest me by inchantments : but god , though he suffer his elect to fall into such calamities , yet he delivers them from the same . two witches being in an inne , filled two urns , or water-pots with water , and set them aside ; and when in the evening they consulted , whether they should destroy the corn or wine ? by chance the host hearing their discourse , and taking the water-pots , he came softly to the bed-side , where they lay and cast the water upon the witches in bed ; which turning suddenly into ice , the witches were utterly extinct : whereupon , saith luther , the power of satan greatly appears in these witches ; for two wayes doth god shew his power , by suffering the devill to assail men by witches ; first , to punish the sins of the wicked : secondly , to try the pious and faithful , and for their glorious approbation which they will obtain by their perseverance in faith : for without the permission of almighty god , the devil can hurt no man ; for the lord saith , he that toucheth you , toucheth the apple of mine eye : and christ , without the will of my father , a hair cannot fall from your head . alexander the sixth , when he was cardinal , spent his time both day and night , in contriving how he might obtain the popedome ; and that he might more easily accommodate his desire , he set his study upon the satanical art of magick , and so far proceeded therein , that he promised the devil diligently to observe him , if he would satisfie him in those things he inquired : he desired that the devil should take the shape of a pronotarie ; satan therefore according to his wish , appeared to him in the form of a pronotarie at the day appointed , and promised to tell him whatever he demanded ; he desires to know whether he should obtain the pontificial dignity ? which when satan affirmed , he moreover demanded , how long he should continue in that dignity ? to which question the devil so answered , that alexander understood him to promise the popedome to him eighteen years , but he reigned onely eleven years and eight dayes ; the eleven years being expired , he falling into sicknesse , commandeth one of his servants to go into the upper conclave , and bids him bring him the book that lay upon the table , in which magical arts and incantations were taught ; the servant ascending , and opening the doors , he finds satan sitting in the c●air of the pope , clad with the papal ornaments : affrighted , with which vision he returns to the pope , and tells him what he had seen : the pope hearing this , compells him to go again , to see whether the devil did continue there ? the servant coming thither again , found the devil sitting in the same habit , who demanded what he would have of him ? the servant answered , that he came thither for the pope's book . to which the devil replyed , what doest thou call the pope ? i am the pope . when the pope being sick , by his minister , heard these things , he was greatly afraid , and easily understanding how the case stood with him , by his own command he was carried into the inner conclave , whither as soon as he was come , the devil taking the habit of a post-messenger , cometh and knocketh hastily at the door , and being let in , cometh to the pope lying in his bed , and tells him , that the time was now expired , and therefore he must speedily depart this life : whereupon there arose contention , whereby those who were present , understood the strife betwixt them , to be concerning the number of the years ; but satan evidently demonstrating to him the reason , that the number of the years were expired , went away ; and in a very short time after , the pope gave up the ghost . gregorius martinus told martin luther , , a story much to be bewail'd , of a certain virgin , that instead of tears , wept drops of blood ; being brought to that miserable condition , by the malice of an inchantress , and that the witch was present , though she took no notice of it when she poured out such tears ; he said , that it was not convenient that there should have been any delay or putting off the punishment hereof ; nor that lawyers or judges needed to hear any further testimony , evidence , or demonstration . furthermore , he added as followeth ; within these few dayes , ( saith he ) there was brought to me a case concerning wives ; a wife did endeavour to kill her husband by poyson , and when the woman was examined by tortures concerning this matter , no confession of the truth could possibly be extorted from her ; for witches remain mute , notwithstanding torments , which they nothing value , the devil doth so dexterously stop their mouthes ; therefore when what they have done by witchcraft , convinceth the witches according to this example , there ought such course to be taken with them , that the example may be a terrour to others . it was reported , that some years past a magitian was suspended ; but vanishing away when he was upon the gallowes , there hanged in his stead a bundle of straw . the same man having sold to one an excellent horse , did warn him , that when he rid him , he should not hastily go to the water with him . wherefore the buyer , taken with a desire of finding out the cause , why the seller wished him to forbear bringing the horse to water , forthwith ( desirous to cause his horse to swim ) rides into a deep river , when he came to the middle thereof , he perceived that he had nothing under him but a bundle of grass and hey ; wherefore being in a most violent rage , he runs breathing as it had been for life to the house of the witch , who perceiving the coming of his defrauded chapman , laying himself down upon a bench , counterfeiting himself to be asleep , the buyer rushing himself into his stove , seeked by hawling and pulling of him , to raise him from sleep ; the witch thought he would kill him at last , and therefore exceedingly affrighted , he gets up upon his knees , and runs away speedily . the same witch did often sell to men , swine , which after they were bought , turned into bundles of straw ; at last divine justice brought him to a deserved punishment at norburg , ( with two women that were his complices ) he and they , by diabolical tricks which they used , when they were not observed , stole mens goods , of which being at last detected , they were apprehended and cast into prison together ; and a rich woman , who was till that time reputed a matron of good conversation , was confessed by the women , to be guilty of the same wickednesse of stealing and fornication , which by their legerdemaines they exercised ; and therefore she was likewise cast into prison ; but the chief magitian himself , though put to great torments , would confesse nothing ; and when it was conjectured , his art , and spirit or familiar , was in the hair of his head , they cut away his hair . whereupon he confessed all his notorious wickednesses , and after a few dayes , first the two women , and immediately after the magitian , were deservedly hanged . the horrid and much to be admired example of the power of satan , which he sheweth by his cursed instruments , witches , are fully demonstrated to us , in the book called , malleus veneficarum . and although the power of sathan be great , and that god suffereth him sometimes to ex●rcise his mischievous cruelty against some men for their sins and unbelief ; yet sometimes also it pleaseth almighty god , by the envy of the devil , to try and prove his own dear children ; nevertheless , we are assured , that their very hairs are numbred , and that not so much as one of them can fall to the ground contrary to his will : therefore we may easily arm our selves against the power and snares of the devil , if we diligently beware and take heed of sin , and persevere firm and constant in faith and prayer . but because the devil hath to this day shewed his greatest power amongst papists , therefore i will declare some examples out of the forenamed book , by which it most manifestly appears how great the power of satan is , and what inveterate envy and malice he hath towards mankind ; he who desires to see variety of discourse to this purpose , let him peruse the said author . of the filthy commixtion which witches use with the devil , it is a shame to tell ; whosoever desireth to know how these filthy plagues and beasts do commerce with the devil , ( whereby they have oft deformed births , and exercise nothing but satanical deeds ) let him , besides the foresaid author , peruse austin in his third book , and second chapter , de civitate dei. at ratisbone one of two witches which were burnt to ashes , being one that waited upon a bath , co●fessed , that she was compelled by the devil , to use several means to seduce a chaste young virgin , the daughter of a certain honest and very rich man , to lye with the devil ; to which end the devil thought it his best course to invite the virgin to his chamber , upon an holy-day , where he might talk to her in the shape of a young gallant ; which having often assay'd , the maid alwayes signing her self with the sign of the cross , his design was frustrate . another virgin of the diocesse of argentinum staying alone at her fathers house , upon a sunday there came to her a certain old woman of the same town , who after many scurrilous words which she used , she invites her to go along with her to a place where she should see all the handsomest gallants of the town ; the young maid overcome by the obscene enticing words of the old woman went along with her to her house , they were no sooner come to the house , but the old woman saith , we will go up to the chamber where the young gallants whereof i spoke of are , but take heed you sign not your self with the sign of the crosse . the young maid hearing what the old woman said to her , as she followed her up the stairs , was struck with sudden fear , and therefore she signing her self with the sign of the crosse , by prayers commendeth her self to almighty god. whereupon the devils vanished ; which the old woman perceiving , with a grim and devillish countenance , raging , and cursing the young maid , thrust her out of dores . ibid. it was likewise confessed by this woman that waited at the bath , who was formerly spoken of , that she was likewise deceived by an old woman , who brought her to the devill in a way , to whom she prostituted her self , and that he in every respect , performed the office of a lustfull man , and was alwayes prepared for that ; and that for eighteen years denying the faith , she served the devill in diabolicall letchery . in the brixiensian diocesse , a young man being inamoured with a certain young maid , much desired to have her to wife , but i know not upon what occasion altering his affection , married another , at the solemnization of the marriage , not having altogether forgot his old love , amongst others , invited his former paramour , who refused not the invitation , and when the honest matrons and virgins offered their gifts , this impudent beast comes forth , and casting her hands towards the bride ; saith to her , from this day forward thou shalt not enjoy one day of health . which words , when they understood the levity of the impudent curtesan , they took no great notice of ; but the nuptials being ended , by the force of inchantments , she lost the strength of all her members , and for ten years most miserably afflicted , she kept her bed , and then ended a most pittifull life . a certain earl of an illustrious extraction of the westraviensian territories , bordering upon the confines of the diocesse of argentinum , having married a lady of an illustrious family , being by inchantments deprived of naturall strength , for begetting issue , could by no means understand the reason thereof . it happened that after he had been three years married , he going to the city of menses , to expedite some businesse which he had , that he fell into the company of a certain woman , who for some years before his marriage , had been his concubine , whom he distasted not for what had formerly passed betwixt them , nor did he suspect her concerning the witchcrafts with which he had been afflicted , but kindly talks to her of their old love , which he was pleased to acknowledg , and inquires of her , her condition , and whether she were in good health ; she perceiving the pitty and goodnesse of the earl , inquires of him , whether he were in good health , he answered , that he was well , and that all things succeeded happily and prosperously with him . she amazed for a little while was silent ; which when the earl perceived , he by gentle speeches , invited her to discourse ; whereupon she inquires his wives condition , he answered that she was well : she again asketh whether he had any children by her . the earl answered , i have had three sons by her , she bare me one every year . then as one stupefied , she was silent . saith the earl , then pray thee my dear , why dost thou so accurately inquire of the condition of me and mine , i do not doubt but thou rejoycest at my felicity : then , said she , i am heartily glad , but cursed be that old woman , who firmly swore that by her witchcrafts , she would make you unable to perform the rites of marriage with your espoused lady , the knowledge whereof the well that stands in the middle of your court will give you ; in which an earthen pot is cast , being fill'd with inchantments , of which the old woman did affirm that so long as it should lye there , your power of rendring nuptial rites should utterly be wanting , but i understand now , and rejoyce at it , that what she spoke was vain and frivolous . the earl hearing these things , wisely dissembling the businesse , makes haste home and causeth the well to be drawn or emptied of all the water that was in it , findeth the earthen pot , which being burnt , he recovered his former strength and vigour . ibid. concerning the manner how witches use to take away the members of men , read in the book called malleus venificarum , cap. . p. . it is to be thought impossible that such members should be so occultly pulled or taken from the bodies , but by the legerdemains of the devill . in the b●esiacus in the basiliensian diocess , a young wench afterwards by means of her art , made one of the society of witches , she was brought by her aunt ( who was afterwards burnt at argentina ) to an upper chamber of the house , where there were together five gallant young men clothed in green ; then the old woman saith to the maid , chuse which of these young men thou pleasest to be thy husband ; which when the young maid refused , she did most grievously beat and hurt her . in the basiliensian diocess , a priest of the town of oberweiler was of opinion , that there were no witches in the vvorld ; and passing hastily over a bridge , he met a certain old woman in as great haste as himself ; to whom he would not give the way , but threw her off the bridge into the mire ; whereat the old woman much inraged , gave him bitter and contumelious language , saying ; — thou shalt not escape revenge for this ; which words he regarding not , nor well understanding , went home , but in the night he was become so weak and feeble below his girdling place or middle , that he could not possibly rise out of his bed ; so that he was fain to be carried by two , as oft as he went to the church , or to visit the sick ; after this affliction had continued for the space of three years , this old woman ( whom he had not without cause suspected ) falls sick , therefore she was advised to go to the priest to confesse her sins ; and although at first she refused , yet at length perswaded thereunto by her mother , she was by two fellows carried to his house , and there confessed her sins to him , but made no mention of her witchcraft ; her confession finished , she saith , knowest thou by whom thou wast bewitched into this weaknesse ? the priest answered mildly , i know not ; quoth she , thou hast suspected me , and that not without cause , i brought upon thee the evill that thou art afflicted with for that thou didst cast me off the bridge into the mire , but my departure out of this world is now at hand ; i will therefore cause that within a few dayes after my death , thou shalt recover thy health ; which happened accordingly , for according to the time for which she had contracted with the devill , she died . and within thirty dayes after , the priest recovered his former health and strength . in the lausanensian diocesse , a certain witch caused the family of a neighbour to be plagued with a grievous barrennesse , not onely all the beasts and cattle , and other domestick living creatures were unfruitfull , but the wife of the family , by the witchcrafts of this fellow , being made unfruitfull also , had seven untimely births : when at last the witch was taken and examined , he confessed that in a hole digged under the threshold of his dore , there lay hid a serpent , which as soon as removed , the misery of barrennesse would cease , which as soon as ever it was effected , fruitfullnesse was restored to the whole family . ibid. cap. . the wife of a great man , in the town of reichshoffen , being with child , got to her house , some weeks before the time she expected deliverance , a mid-wife . there was in the said town a famous witch , of whose company and discourse , the mid-wife advised the gentlewoman who was great with child , to take speciall heed ; but after some dayes , she for recreation sake , went to the castle , and met with certain women come together to a feast , where this witch was also , who touched or stroaked the belly of the lady with both her hands , as it had been in the way of salutation . whereupon , she presently perceived her young one to move in her womb with great pain and grief , whereat wonderfully affrighted , she returns home , and tells the mid-wife what had befallen her , who with a sad countenance , cries out , we have lost the child ; which came to passe accordingly , for she had an untimely birth , and that in such manner that at one time she was delivered of the head of the child , at another of the feet , at another of the hands , and so of the rest . ibidem . in a certain town of the argentinensian diocesse , one whose name for modesty sake i conceal , had at his house one of his tenants cutting wood , whom a cat of a vast magnitude at unawares set upon , which when he had driven from him by blows , another more fierce joyneth to the former , against whom , whilst he more sharply contends , a third comes , so that at first he was put to a strait , being for●'● to use the utmost of his strength against three such maine and cruell cats , neither could he drive them away , and free himself from them without the receiving of many hurts and wounds ; which combat being finished , the man falls to his work , presently two serjeants , apprehend him and carry him before the judge , who being exceedingly moved with rage and fury , commanded them to cast him into an ugly prison , his groaning and often sighings , nothing availing him for clearing or making manifest his innocency ; and the judges anger did daily encrease exclaiming against the wicked fellow ( as he called him ) who would not acknowledg his villanous doings ; after three dayes were passed , upon the often importunities of others , the judge sends for him to the senate to receive his judgment , when he was come to the senate , the inraged judge could not with patience look upon him ; he ( poor man ) falleth down upon his knees , and humbly begged that he would hear him speak for himself , the judge sadly laid to his charge that he had grievously wounded the three chief matrons of the town , and yet was so impudent that he denied the wickednesse which he had so villanously perpetrated within a few dayes past ; which the poor wretch hearing , answered , that he had never hurt any woman in all his dayes : the judge on the other side thundered out , that it was notoriously known , that he so hurt these gentlewomen , that they lay in their beds with all their members and parts of their bodies so out of joynt , that they were not able by their own proper strengths , so much as to turn themselves from one side to the other ; he again denies that he ever hurt these gentlewomen ; but , saith he , i well remember , that upon that day whereon i was apprehended , and , for that cause , was cast into prison , i being set upon by beasts , used all the vigour and strength i had to quit my self of them and drive them away , which words amazed all that were present . they enquire by what beasts he was set upon , then he declares all that was done very orderly . the truth being thus discovered , the judges seek what they can to hush up the businesse , and procure what silence they could for the preservation of the honour of the matrons . in the basiliensian diocess , in the confines of lotharingia and alsatia , a gentleman of great fame did inveigh against an old woman with somewhat bitter language ; who thereby inraged , determined to take most speedy revenge of him , as she said ; which threats he little valued , yet the very night after there arose a blister in his neck , which when he scratched , it overspread his whole face and neck , and an horrible form of leprosie made ugly his whole body : being in this condition , and suspecting the witch guilty of inchantments , he sendeth for his friends , with whom he might best advise and take counsel , and declares the whole businesse , especially the threats of the old woman . what need is there of many words ? the woman is taken , and being exercised with torments , and examined , confessed the fact ; and the judge inquiring diligently into the manner and cause ; saith she , i boyling with revenge for the contumelious words which he spake against me , returning home , met there with a maligne spirit , to whom inquiring of me the cause of my grief , i told the whole businesse , and sought to him for revenge ; whereupon the devill asked me , what evil i desired to be inflicted upon him ? i answered , i desire that his face may be so blown up , or swelled with a continual tumour , which may make him most ugly to behold : saith the devil , going from me , i have already struck him with a more loathsome plague then thou desirest ; which when she had confessed , she was deservedly burnr to ashes . serun . part. cap. . in the constantiensian diocess , betwixt the towns of brisacum and friburgum , a leprous woman told to many auditors , that she falling out with another woman , and many railing words passing betwixt them ; as soon as she came home , a sudden wind blowed upon her which came from the house wherein the woman dwelled ( opposite to her ) with whom she had contention , with which she conceived she was so struck , that she was thereby infected with a leprosie , whereof she could never be cured . in the same diocess and territories of the black wood , a hangman lifting up a witch from the ground by a pole of wood , she turning her self towards him , saith , i will give thee thy wages ; and together with these words blowing on the face of the hangman , she infected it with an ugly leprosie , whereof he dyed within a few dayes after . an honest woman of oenipontus , returning home from a garden , she had adjoyning close to a woman-neighbour , and having perceived that this neighbour of hers came oft into it , but suspecting her a witch , durst not so much as reprehend her for it ; yet she of her own accord , without any provocation of the honest woman , meeting with her , with brazen-fac'd impudence flying into the very face of her , saith , thou suspectest that i often passe thorow thy garden . to whom the other woman , fearing to brawl or chide with the witch , answereth pleasantly onely in these words ; your paths in the grass declare what trespasse you have done me . then the vvitch , much troubled that she could procure no occasion to brawl with her , went away murmuring ; within a few dayes after , the other woman was afflicted with most immane griefs of her belly , and most acute gripings in both her sides ; insomuch , that she was not onely afflicted with continual pains , but did also disquiet all her neighbours , with continuall pitifull cryings out and lamentation ; and when multitudes who came to visit her , that ( if possible ) they might relieve and comfort her , amongst the rest , a potter comes , to whom the witchcrafts of this woman were well known , and perceiving the cause of her sickness to be no other then inchantments , he commanded the husband of the afflicted woman to search , whether he could find under the threshold of his door any inchantments ; where amongst many other witchcrafts , was also found a waxen image , about the length of an hand , which being bored through , had two pins fastned on both sides , the one right over against the other ; which witchcrafts being removed , and cast into the fire , she was freed from those most grievous gripings , cap. . at zabermus in the argentinensian diocess , a witch , being a midwife , came to a certain honest and godly woman , offering her service near the time of her delivery , who knowing her infamous by her witchcrafts , dismisseth her with pleasing words , feigning , that her pains , when time should require , would be very acceptable to her ; but when the time came , neglecting her , and making use of another midwife which she sent for , she conceiving in her breast the feminine flames of anger , eight dayes after the birth , in the night , with two women cometh into the chamber of the woman that lay in , and maketh haste to her bed ; whereupon the woman in childbed endeavouring aloud to call upon her husband , finds her tongue and all her members stupify'd . then the vvitch standing in the midst between two women , said , behold , this scurvy creature scorn'd i should be her midwife ; but i 'le be reveng'd of her . the two women that stood on each side of her , interceded for the woman , saying , they never knew or heard any hurt by her . but she again thus broke out passionately , because she hath vexed my jublits , i 'le vex hers ; but for your sakes her pain shall be suspended for half a year ; and then putting her hand upon the womans belly , her guts appear'd to come out as it were , and the witch roll'd something into them ; afterwards , the women being gone , the child-bed woman being come a little to her self , call'd her husband , and tells him the whole businesse . he comforts his wife , and bids her be of good chear , for these were but vain terrours , and such as women in child-bed were usually infested with . but she answered , o she threatned i should endure this misery after half a year , but if now they are gone , i find no more hurt by it , i will rest confident upon thy opinion . she had also an arch-deacon to her son , to whom she reveal'd the business . when the six moneths were over , she began indeed to be most grievously tortured with pain in her belly , so that night nor day she could take any rest , but continually groaned and shrieked out most miserably ; nor in all these torments did she forget god , whom she still implored for his assistance , and who heard and delivered her : for on a day when she went to stool , all that filth came from her . then she called her husband and son , and said , now i hope you are convinc'd it was no vain imagination that i told you of ; who ever saw me eat thorns , sticks , and bones ? for there she shewed them rose-briars a hand length , then sticks and bones , and other rubbish , whereby she was so tormented . [ ibid. cap. . ] the devil had so efferated , and wholly acted certain witches , that they devoted even their own children , or any other infants they could come by , to him the prince of devils , with horrid execrations ; which cruelty of theirs was thus detected . when a certain witch denyed all help at the time of her travail , but onely of one daughter of her own ; her husband wondring at the thing , hid himself in the house , that so he might find out the mystery , and by that means saw the horrid rites of both the sacriledg and oblation ; he saw the infant , held up by no humane means , by the impulsion of the devil ascend up the chimney by the pot-hooks , looking with an ugly satanicall look ; the mother in the mean time calling upon the devil with her usuall diabolicall rites and acclamations . which when the man saw , ( to his amazement ) he was very earnest to have the child christened without delay ; and taking with him some neighbours , and his daughter who carried the child , for the next village he is bound in all haste , where the parish-church stood ; and having as he went along , told two of his neighbours of the businesse from first to last , when they came to a bridge they were to passe over , he drew his sword , and putting it to his daughters breast , vow'd she should there immediately dye , if she did not convey the child over the river without humane power ; for i will not have him go ( sayes he ) over the bridge , but of himself let him be conveyed immediately to the other side . and when the good woman wondred at this rigour in the man , and sought to perswade him , he yet insisted upon his demands the more resolutely , untill he forced his daughter to call up the devil , and make him convey the infant over the river without any visible means . the child being baptized , he having sufficient testimony against his daughter , when the time of purification was over , accused wife and daughter , who being brought before a magistrate , and convicted of that most impious crime , were both deservedly burnt . [ ibidem . ] in a part of suevia , a country-man walking over his ground to see his corn in a dry season , with a little girle , a daughter of his with him , wished that it would rain a good shower . the maid hearing her father say so , out of her childish simplicity told him , she could easily procure that for him . the father wondring at the childs words , askt her , how could she do such a feat ? o , ( sayes she ) i learnt that of my mother : and added , that she could easily cause it not onely to rain , but hail , and raise a great tempest , and that her mother learnt it of a master she converst with ; and that whensoever and whatsoever she required of him , was presently perform'd ; but that her mother had strictly charged her to tell no body . the father being terrified at these things , askt her if she had ever seen this master . the girle answered again , that she had seen many come in and go out , who her mother told her , were their masters and loving lords . her father again demanded , if she could just then raise a shower or storm ? she reply'd ; i , if she had but a little water : he therefore brought her to the river , where calling upon this master , she presently caused it to rain in her father's fields alone , and not in his neighbours , as he had commanded her . the man seeing that , bid her also make it hail , but so , as but in one field which he shew'd her ; this she presently effected . and then being fully resolved his wife was a wi●ch , he brought her before a magistrate , there convicted her of the crime , and burnt her ; his daughter being put to holy exercises , and by sacred means , was delivered from the power and wiles of the devil . ibid. in the town fach , a judge commanded his serjeants to apprehend a witch , and bring him to execution : but they were so annoyed with loathsome stincks , and struck with such a terrour in the businesse , that they utterly despaired of effecting it . the judge ( his name was peter ) insisting more earnestly upon the performance of his command , again exhorts them , that they would take courage and lay violent hands upon the witch , for now the appointed time was come , wherein the detected crimes of this impious person must be punished ; by which encouragements , being animated to repel the fascinations of the devil , the vvitch was taken , and brought to execution . at another place when a witch was bound and brought to the gallows top , she spet in the face of the hangman , and he presently fell down dead ; in like manner she did by a second . but the third going about a little more warily , was yet so invenom'd by her breath , that all his face swelled till he was stark blind with it , and a little after , he died of it . what power the devils have to afflict brutes , cattle , and all other creatures , and how they can raise storms and tempests , you may find sufficiently laid open in the . & . chapters of the forecited author : the examples are very horrible , nor do i think it necessary to commemorate any more of them . the history of job will evidence the same thing , what is not onely the power , but how extream the malice of that evill spirit . there were two brothers , to whom their father left a competent estate when he died , the one of them took upon him a monastick life , the other married , and set up a common inne ; and most earnestly gaping after riches , used all means possible to defraud , not onely his guests , but their beasts by false weights and measures , and conveighing their provender from before them . whilst he thus strove to be rich , his estate went to wrack on every side , and the more he took care to heap up , the more and greater losses he sustained . when his brother the monk came to him to part the estate with him according to his fathers will ; he desired his brother that he would forbear prosecuting him for the division of the goods at present , for he was poor and in a very low condition and notwithstanding that he used all means possible for the gaining of an estate , yet all the fraud he could use profited him nothing ; when the monk heard this , he said ; o my brother , if you order your family so unjustly , 't is no wonder that things go so ill with you . for you keep such a guest that consumes all , and more than you can possibly gather : and if thou wilt see him , follow me into the bottom of the cellar , and i will shew thee who consumes thy estate . whither when they were both come , the monk by his adjurations , made the devill that lay hid there , shew himself to his brother . and presently a beast of an immense bignesse , and so fat that , without much ado , he could not move himself , appeard , which when the monk saw , he said , o what a gainfull inne dost thou keep , and turning to his brother , said , behold that beast thou hast pampered by thy fraud , for whatsoever thou fraudulently gottest from any man , this ugly beast devoured . therefore hearken to me ; be faithfull and upright in thy dealing towards all men , use an equall measure , and defraud no body ; and after four years i will come again , and then divide my fathers estate with you . his brother follows the monks counsell , and as much as he went backwards in the world before , he now came on , and in a short time had such experience of divine goodnesse , that he was master of a great estate . at four years end , came his brother the monk , to see what condition his brother was yet in , who received him with great alacrity , and told him he had followed his advice , desiring to see the beast now again , in which the monk gratified his brother , and commanded the beast that lay hid in the cellar to appear , which when he came was so lean , his bones would scarce hang together . then sayes the monk to his brother , now it 's time for this guest to get hence and seek another host . but if thou shalt hereafter order thy affairs with the like justice , thou shalt alwayes learn experience of the great blessing of our great and good god. not long since ; sayes bodinus , in vallis ( which is a name of the suburbs of laodunum ) a certain witch by her inchantments , freed a woman from her disease , who was most grievously afflicted , and thus she effected it . falling down upon her knees , and looking towards the ground , she called upon the devill very often , and with a loud voice , that he would cure the woman ; and pronouncing certain strange words , gave her a morsell of bread to eat , and by this means the woman recovered . which kind of cure is plainly such , as if the sick woman had prayed to the devill for health , than which it were better to indure the most painful death . daemonomaniae , lib. . cap. . i remember about . years ago , at lutetia , in a noblemans house there , i saw a young man by often reciting certain french words in the presence of many honest people ( which i think not good to mention at this time ) make a seive dance , and move at his pleasure , and that he had a familiar to help him is manifest , for that when he was gone , and another repeated the very same words , he could effect nothing of that nature by it . idem . lib. . cap. . no country-man ( sayes the same bodinus ) is ignorant , that if two verses out of the psalms be recited while the milk is a c●urning , there will no butter be produced by any art. i was at chillis of the valesians , when a boy standing at the maids heels , hindred the butter to come or gather : but she threatning curses from god upon him , if he did not cease and remove his verses , made him speak somewhat preposterously , and backwards as 't were , and then the butter came after she had spent almost a whole day about it . if you put but a little sugar into the milk , it will make no butter ; for this proceeds from an antipathy in nature , and by the same reason , if but a little cyprian-brasse be cast into a furnace of iron it will never melt , but turn to ashes , and therefore the forge-men when they kindle the fire , see that there is none in the furnace , nor any one near the chimney . there is a diabolicall art called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or ring magick which is performed by putting a ring upon a bowl of water . this a famous vvitch , an italian born , used at lutetia in the mdlxii . year of christ , muttering out with all some kind of words , and by this conceit , gave answers aright to some that consulted her : but most were deceived by it . joachimus camerensis tells us that hieronymus the stage-player , whose son became chancellour of mediolanum , had a ring that spoke , or rather a devill speaking in a ring , which rightly rewarded the master of it at last , for it caused him to be excommunicated and cursed . bodinus , daemonom . lib. . cap. . i once saw a physitian of tolosa exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or rod-magick , and with a low voice murmure out some ( i know not what ) words , till the two ends of the rod met , and touch't each other . but when it profited nothing to the cure of the affected , he blamed their incredulity , and cutting it into pieces , he caused it to be put about the necks of those that had the quartane ague , for their remedy . ibidem . of all wicked devices of this nature , none arrive to that community and perniciousnesse , as that of restraining new-married people doth : this the common people call the binding of the ligula , which boyes practise with impunity , and with high impudence , some bragging of it . nor is this a new thing , for we read in herodotus , that amasis king of aegypt was so bound in this nature , that he could not have to do with his vvife laodice , till with exorcismes and solemn prayers he was freed . paulus aemilius also testifies in the life of clotarus the second , that his concubines used this trick against hermamberga . some epicurean philosophers laugh at this miracle , because these artists in knotting the ligula that are abroad , make people wonder when they see that they can by no means cure the same . and therefore the canon sayes thus , if at any time by witchcraft and sor●ery through the hidden , but alwayes just judgment of god permitting , and the devill preparing them , thy copulation is hindred , repair to god by humble confession . out of which place we may note four or five axioms , or undeniable positions . first , that copulation may be hindered by witchcraft , which all divines unanimously confirm , and thomas himself upon the fourth book of sentences , in the th distinction , where he saith ; that a man may be restrained in that particular , as to one woman , but not otherwise ; and in his last chapter of frigid things . the second is , that it is done occultly , but by the permission of god in just judgment . the third , that it is performed absolutely by the devill . the fourth , that in this case god is to be repaired to in fasting , which last head is chiefly to be observed , least those that are troubled with these things ( as many do , and as the devill desires and intends they should ) run to diabolical means for remedy . especially it is strange , that little boyes by pronouncing some words , should be able most exquisitely to perform this inchantment . i remember rioleus , general embassadour to the blesenses told me , that a little boy was seen tying this knot under his hat , whilest matrimony betwixt two was celebrated in the church , and that the boy being seized on , escaped with the knot . whilest at pictavium i acted as vice-procurator in the year , there was brought a case before me of this nature ; which when i told to my landlady , a very vertuous woman , she ( as if most skill'd in that art ) in the presence of jacobus bauvasius an attorney in the cause , declared there were above fifty wayes of tying this knot , whether to tye a married man , or a woman onely , that the one despising the other's infirmity , might run after adultery , but that the man for the most part was bound , but seldom and hardly the woman , and that they might be bound for a day , a year , or ever , or for as long as the knot should last , unlesse it were dissolved . that there was a knot , whereby one might be brought to love another , and not to have reciprocal returns , but extream hatred ; and that there was another way to make two love one the other most affectionately ; but if they came to lye together , that they should scratch with their nails , and beat one the other most inhumanely . as i heard at tholosa , there were two thus illigated for three years space , and then reconciled , and had a very fine child . and ( which i most admire ) the woman whilest she was ligated , declared she had little tumours like warts rose upon her as signs of children she should have had , but for this ligature . she said , there were knots to be made to hinder procreation , and not hinder copulation , that there were men could not be ligated , and some that might before marriage , and some after ; but those few , and the urines of men might be stopt by this trick , whereof they were not few that dyed . i found a poor boy almost dead with this thing ; and the man that did the feat , loos'd again the knot , and so gave his urine vent . and not many moneths after , this very sorcerer dyed of a like ligature . this mischief proceeding to a community in the countrey of the picts , the chief quaestor of niortum , when a new-married wife accused a neighbour of hers for restraining her husband , in the year of the vvorld , , he caused her to be cast into a very loathsome prison , threatening her she should never come thence till the man were loosed ; and after two dayes the imprisoned woman gave leave to the married people to enjoy each others bed ; and when the judge heard the man was freed , he freed the woman from prison . this is worthy our observation , that it passes the skill and power of the devil , or any of his agents , to restrain mens senses , or bind others from eating or drinking , by intercepting their power or stomach ; or deprive a man of the use of any member , save only that secret one , and sign of our virility , which in germany they often deprive men of , by making them run up into their bellies . sosprengerus tells of a man of spira , who when he thought he had lost his premises , sent for physitians and chirurgeons to search for them , who found no scar or wound at all ; therefore he repair'd to the vvitch he had offended , and appeas'd her , and so was cur'd . also a citizen of ratisbone furnishes us with another example , of one who violently laid hold upon a vvitch , and threatening to strangle her , compell'd her to loose him from that nodus . all these bodinus relates in chap. . of his second book . insulanus , abbot and lord of the novallians , who now is sent ambassadour to constantinople by the king , and polonus ( who is also called pruniskus ) ambassadour for france , told me , that one of the greatest kings of the vvorld being very desirous of the knowledg of the number of his years , and the time of his death , sent for jacobius , a sorcerer , who when he had ended masse , and consecrated the host , commanded a first-born son , or man-child of ten years old , who was provided for the purpose , to be beheaded presently , and putting the head upon the host , pronounced certain words , and inscribed some characters not necessary to be known by us ; then he ask'd the head , what he would have ? which answered only two words , i suffer violence . at this the king was inraged , and cryed , take away the head ; and presently in that fury dyed . this story is very common in the country , wherein it was acted , and very certainly reported , although there were onely five persons present at the thing . these things thus writes bodinus . johannes charterius , that wrote the history of charls the vii . tells us how one guilhelm . edelinus , a doctor of sorbon , was condemned for sorcery upon christmas eve , in the year , , who confest he had often in the night-time been carried abroad to a great meeting of magitians , where he alwayes renounced god , and ador'd the devil in the shape of a goat , kissing his posteriors . a certain poor man , when his wife often went forth in the night , and forth would remain the man knew not where , making for her excuse to him , either that she went to stool or bath with her neighbours ; wherein when he had often disprov'd her , he began to suspect her chastity , and threatned to kill her , unlesse she directly told him where her haunt was . she being terrified with the sense of present danger , told the matter plainly , as it was , in every particular ; and furthermore , that he might experience the truth of what she said , promised him he should see , and go himself whither she used to go . and to that purpose giving him an oyntment , wherewith they being both anointed , and she having pronounced some words , the devil immediately carried them from the countrey of the lochii , to the burdegalensian sands ( which are distant no lesse than fifteen dayes journey , or more ) ; when the man saw himself in company with magitians , witches , and devils , ( in a humane , but horrid shape ) a thing very unusual to him , and in a strange countrey , he began to blesse himself , and say , good god , where are we now ? at which words the whole company vanished . then he understood that he was naked , and was forced so to wander up and down the fields till morning , when he light upon some countrey-man that set him in his way . and so making the best shift he could , he returned to lochium , where he accused his wife positively of all these things before the magistrate , who commanded her to be apprehended : but she mi●igating the businesse as much as she could , confessed the most part of the businesse , and acknowledging her fault , returned from her wickednesse . also some few years since , a woman of great quality at lugdunum , rose in the night , and taking a gally-pot out of her closet , anointed her self with it , muttering some words withall ; a stallion that lay with her that night , observing her , when he could not see her , rose to look for her ; and when he found nothing but the gally-pot , taken with novelties and curiosity , he also , as he had seen her before , anointed himself with the oyl that was in it , when he immediately found himself to be amongst a great company of witches and sorcerers in the fields about lotharingia , whereat he was much amazed . but in the first place calling upon god to assist him , the whole company disappear'd ; and he , finding himself all naked , returned to lugdunum , accused the witch , who confessing all the businesse , was burnt for it . a thing of the same nature befell a nobleman of maldunum , who by some words of a milner , together with the instigation of his own curiosity , was induced to go amongst a company of witches to see fashions forsooth ; but when he was among the thickest of them , an extream horrour seized of him , insomuch , that although he did not invoke divine aid , the devil said with a very loud voyce , who is this that is so fearful ? and when he sought to depart their company , the witches all vanished . and when he returned , he intended to discover the sorcerers , but they fled for their safety . bodinus daemonom . lib. . cap. . we read in paulus grillandus , a lawyer of italy , a man very well experienc'd in the facts of witches and sorcerers , that there was certain country-man not far from rome , in the year of the world , . who when he saw his wife rise naked in the night to anoint her self , and that thereupon presently she was gone out of his sight , and could not be found in the house , the next day provided himself of a good cudgel wherewith to be labour her sides , untill she should tell him whither , and to what end she so conveyed her self last night , which she presently doing , he pardoned her , upon condition that she would convey him amongst her fraternity . she the next day anointed both her husband and her self , and then they were presently mounted each of them upon a goat , and so presently brought amongst the murster of witches . now his wife had forewarned the man , he should by no means name god or christ , unlesse in scorn and opproby to him : when they were thus in the croud , the wife appointed her husband to stand a little aloof till she had saluted the prince of them , ( who was most magnificently cloathed and guarded about with a great ring of men and women ; all honouring and waiting upon this their lord ) and that by so doing , he should see the whole of the businesse . when they had done thus , they began a ring-dance , ( which is now taken up among the countrey-people ) that dancing backwards , they might not see one the others faces : it may be to the intent they might not know , nor accuse one another , if perhaps they might be arraigned in the presence of one another , after : which triscalanus did , to whom charls the ninth gave leave and liberty , that he might discover his fellows . he told him , being in a great assembly of young men , that there were many there that adored and worshipped a goat in their meetings , and kissed his very posteriours ( or arse-hole in plain english , if you will have it so ) . then by reason his back was towards them , he not seeing them , they danced together , and the devils copulated together in men and womens shapes . after their dancing , the tables were covered and furnished with meat ; the woman then moved the man to salute the prince , and sitting down with the rest of the company to the table , seeing the table furnished with meat , he called for salt ; and when salt was brought to the table , before he tasted any thing , he said grace , which being ended , presently men , meats , and table vanished away , and he was left desolate alone , being very cold , and not knowing where he was ; as soon as it was day , he came to some shepherds , of whom being asked , whether he knew where he were ? he answered , that he knew himself to be in the beneventanian earldom , in the royal command of the pope . these things were done a thousand miles from rome , from whence travelling , he was forc'd to beg his meat and rayment , and at length coming home upon the eighth day after , poor and lean , he apprehended his wife ; by whom many more being accused , and confessing the truth , they were all hanged . there is in the same author , in the year , that a young maid in the dukedome of spoleto , of the age of thirteen , said , that she was brought by an old woman into the company of witches , and seeing the convention of them to be so wonderfully numerous , she cryed out , blessed god , what meaneth this ? which as soon as she had pronounced , all vanished away ; and the poor girle , being found early in the morning by a shepherd , told the whole businesse to him , who bringing her home , the witch was accused by the maid , and , being found guilty , put to death by fire . the same paulus grillandus in his book de sortilegiis writeth , that being invited by a certain nobleman to the castle of saint paul in the dukedome of spoleto , coming thither , he told him of three sage matrons , one whereof trusting in his promise that she might freely speak without danger , confessed that fifteen years since , she was brought by a sage old woman into the company of witches , where the devill being present , obliged them by an oath to renounce god their creator , faith , and religion , and to be faithfull to him , and that with their hands laid upon a book of most obscure writing , he also bound them to some solemn services to him in the night , and that they should whenever he commanded them upon holidayes , or set dayes , come whithersoever he should conduct them ; the devil on the other side promised to them mirth and felicity eternall : she confessed further that at that time she killed four men , many cattle , and brought much hurt to the fruits of the earth , and if it happened at any time that she came not to their meeting , without she were able to give good reason for it , she was so vexed that she could neither sleep nor take any rest ; when she came to their meetings , she heard the voice of a man which called the devill little lord , and sometimes mr. martinetus ; and as soon as ever she had anointed her self with a certain unction , she mounted a goat that stood ready at the door , and held by the hair and tail ; by which goat she was suddenly conveighed unto the great coverture of beneventum , where she found a very great company of witches and inchanters . there when she had vow'd allegiance to the devill , she danc't , sate at table , and last of all , every devill concopulated with her , or him they had to their peculiar protection ; and when they had thus done , every one getting upon their own devills , returned particularly , with the same incredible swiftnesse that they came thither , and that also they did privately at home adore the devill , when this was all confest , and compared to the confessions of two more there were many others accused who acknowledged the crime , and together with their oyntments and powders , they were all burnt alive . also in the third book of tarquamadas of spain , amongst others you have this more modern story . that a magitian being very importunate , at last perswaded a companion of his that he would be a most happy man , if he would but be of his faith , and come to their meetings . and when he had given him his consent , he on a night took him by the hand , and speaking some words , they were both carried through the ayre to a great company of witches in which an incredible company of both men and women compassed a throne , whereon sate the greatest of the devills in the shape of a goat , to whom all of them went to kisse en la parte masuzia quatenta ( which , to those that understand spanish , is those parts which are not fit to be named in english ) . when this new-comer saw this , he said to his companion that he could no longer patiently behold these things , and presently calling upon god with a loud voice , they all disappeared with a great tempest and whirlwind , and left him alone there , who was three whole years before he could reach his own countrey again . bodinus also writeth , that joanna halveria , born at verberium in the countrey of the compedoensians , did confesse , that by the decree of the council , by the confirmation of the judge sansifianus his mother was condemned to the fire , and that he being twelve years of age , was offered by his mother to the devil in form of a black man , with sable apparrel , boots and spurs , and a sword at his side , having a black horse at the door , and using words to this purpose ; behold my daughter , which i have espoused to thee ; and to her , behold thy love , in whom thou shalt be happy . and that from that time she renounced god and her religion , and that he lay with her , as men use to do with women , and she found no difference 'twixt him and other men , but that his seed was cold , and that the devil once asked her , whether she would be gravidated by him , which she refused , lib. . cap. . wee find in writing that at a great sessions for examination of the potezanian witches , held by andreas fertius the kings deputy over the laodunensians , where divers were burnt , out of whose confessions some things follow . margaret of bremontinus wife of noeles lavertus , walking with mary his mother the munday next after into the convent at franquisanum near lognium , which standeth in a meadow , her mother putting a broom betwixt her legs , and speaking some words ( here omitted ) suddenly both she and her mother were carried to a place where they found joanna roberta , joanna guillimina , and maria the wife of simon agnus guilelina , the wife of one grussus , with whom were six devills of humane shape horrid to behold , &c. and after some dancing with them , the devils lay with them , and had to do with them ; and that one that took her to dance with him , after he had saluted her twice , lay with her for half an hour together , and that the seed he spent was very cold . joanna guillemina assents with her in these things , confessing that it was very true , that at least half an hour they were in copulation , and that the seed she received was very cold . we read also in the th book of johannes meyerus who most accurately wrote the history of flanders , that in the th year of christ , there was a very great company of both men and women burnt in the town atrebantium , who mutually accused one another , that they met in the night , danced , and lay with the devill . likewise jacobus sprangerus , and four of his colleagues also tell us , that from the mouths of many wise and good men , they have been confirmed that many witches had at the stake in germany confessed , and in particular at constantia and ratisbon in the year , that the devill lay with them after they had by his instigation denied both god and all religion . and that not a few had repented , and turned off themselves from that wickednesse , and confessed that whilst they were witches the devill had often to do with them . it is written likewise that very many came , and freely acknowledged , though no man accused them , that they had been guilty formerly of commerce with the devill being witches , to these things spangeus adds , that witches did very oft copulate with the devill , in the sight of the sun , or clear day , and did strip themselves in fields and woods , and were often seen naked in the fields , and were sometimes taken by their husbands in the manner with devils which they conceiv'd to be men , and therefore they set upon them with swords whereby they could do no execution upon them . paulus gralandus , a lawyer of italy ( who knew very many vvitches ) doth declare in his book de sortilegiis that he was commended by an abbot of st. paul's at rome , in the year . in the moneth of september , to take cognisance of three witches , who amongst other things , confessed that every sorceresse had a particular familiar to commerce withall , in the history of st. bernard , we read there was a witch who usually copulated with the devil ; her husband not perceiving her , though he lay in the same bed with her . in the flourishing garden of antonius concerning turquomeda of spain . i found another history concerning a noble spanish woman , who related that she was induced by an old witch when she was eighteen years of age , and from that time she had to do with the devil ; which was burned alive , and unpenitent , being a cerdenate . the same doth declare that another did repent , and was put into a monastery . adamus martinus the laodunensian proctour of confession , told me ( saith bodin ) that he had a witch of biebra ( that is a village two miles distant from laodune ) in question , in the jurisdiction of d. boan , the captain of the verumandians , in the year . who was first condemned to be hanged , and afterwards to be burnt ; but she was delivered alive to the fire by the fault of the hang-man , or rather the just judgment of god , who did so demonstrate , that the punishment should be equall to the offence , neither was there any mischievous act that did more deserve fire . therefore she confessed , that satan ( whom she called her companion ) was wont to have to do with her , and that she did feel his cold seed . when i was at the great meetings of pictavius in the year . performing my office amongst the under servants of the general proctour , i took two filthy and beggarly magitians , which did beg alms at a rich mans house ; who being denied , did cast in witchcrafts , and all the houshold being driven into fury , died mad . daemonum , libro . capite . there was a crafty taylor at lutetia a magitian , who onely touching with his hand , did cure a quartane feaver , but he was in no wise cured that would not believe that he could cure him . and there was a certain italian old woman at audes curing diseases in the year . who when she was inhibited by the judge to cure any more diseases , called a court of parliament , her cause was pleaded eloquently , and likewise learnedly , by d. johannes baltruus , lawyer to plead the cases of the parliament ; fellow officer with the lord of matratius , and my countreyman ; but it is proved that the means by which she cured , did disagree with nature , as with the brains of a cat , which is poysoned ; the head of a crow , and other such like things ; which things do plainly convince , that it was not done by the strength of the excellent oyl , or of the healthfull oyntment ( which many good men , and lovers of the poor do make ) but by means beyond nature , or by charms of healing . jodocus darmudanus doth write in praxi crim . cap. . that there was a witch at bruga in flanders , having the greatest repute of holinesse , because she could cure innumerable diseases , but first she did take care for this , that they should believe that she could cure them , afterwards she did make known fasting dayes , and commanded that pater noster should be said divers times , and that they should go to compostella at st. james's , or to st. arnolds , but at length she was convinced of many magicall charms , and deservedly punished . johanna harvilleriae , which ( as we said before ) was cast alive into the fire , confessed that she cast in charms , that she might kill a man which had beaten his daughter , but he having excelled her witchcrafts , suddenly felt pain in his loyns , and his whole body . but when ( as she was greatly renowned for the fame of her art ) it was told the man that the grief could not come to him from any other person , then she promised that she would work means whereby he should recover , and took him into her custody : to that end she did require it earnestly of the devill by intreaties , and she did labour by many means ( which it doth not concern us to describe ) for his healing , which satan answered it could not be done . and therefore she saying to him , that for that cause he should come no more to her , the devil answered her , that he would not come . a little after the sick man died , and the witch hid her self , but although she was hid , she is found , and suffered deserved punishment for her wickednesse . bodin writeth that he saw a certain arvernian captive at lutetia , in the year , sometimes curing horses and men , with whom was found a very large book , full of the hairs of horses , cattel , and other beasts of all colours . this man if at any time he cast his charms on a horse , he consulted , and having the hair of that so he did cure him , that he might deliver his witchcrafts to another , but he took no money , and if he did take it , he affirmed that he did not care for it : and therefore he walked about in a very old cassock , replenished with a thousand patches . but when once he had cast his charms upon the horse of a certain noble man , being asked , he cured him , transferring his enchantments upon the servant of the same man : he answered , those that came again to have him cured , that they must know of the noble man , whether he had rather lose his servant , or his horse ? in which thing the noble man being in doubt , and striving to be advised ; the servant died , and the magitian was apprehended . i heard from the lord turnerius the aureliensian counsellour concerning hulinus parvus the aureliensian materiarius . this man by chance being deadly afflicted by magick , did take care that a man should be sent for , ( who promised that he would drive away all diseases , being suspected of the magick art ) that he might cure him . but he answered that he could not restore health to the man , unlesse he should transfer the disease to his son then sucking . the parent consented to the murder of his son , to observe the thing , that the malice of satan might so much the better be discovered . the nurse having called it to remembrance , fled away with the child , while the magitian was touching his father to cure him . the father being cured by his touch , the magitian doth require the child to be brought , which being not found , he suddenly cryed out , i am undone , where is the child ? and when he was going away he had scarce put his foot out at the dore , when the devill kill'd him presently , and his dead carcase was as black , as if any one had dyed it with a black colour on set purpose . i heard also ( saith the same man ) in the judgment of a witch at nauntes , ( which was accused of casting in charms to her neighbour ) that the judges commanded that she should touch the woman that was troubled with the charm , which is done very often by the judges of germany in the imperial camera ; she refused , but seeing her self to be compelled , she cried out , i am undone , and together touched the woman that was afflicted with the enchantment : she recovered , and the witch being dead fell down , her dead carcasse being condemned to the fire . i received the story from one of the judges that was at the judging of him . i heard also at tholosa , that a certain student of burdeaux , said to his friend , being very sick of a quartan , that he would give his feaver to one of his enemies ; but he answering , that he had no enemy ; he said , give it therefore to thy servant . at length , when it was a doubt of conscience to him to do it , the magitian said , give it me ; then the sick man consenting , the magitian dyed , being oppressed with the feaver ; and the sick man revived . bodin . lib. . cap. . but this is no news , and unheard of ; for we read in gregory the turonensian , lib. . cap. . that the wife of king childebert , as soon as she heard that her son dyed by a mischievous act , in her feminine fury she commanded a great number of witches to be apprehended , burned , and put upon wheels ; which acknowledged , that the king's son was killed by them , that they might save mummo , a great magistrate : therefore mummo being taken , and put on a horse , he said , that certain oyls and potions wer● given him by the witches , to procure ( as he thought ) the favour of princes ; and he commanded the hangman that did torment him , to tell the king , that he perceived no grief from him . then the king commanded that he should be stretched on the wrack , and sharp points of iron to be put between the nayls of his feet and hands , as it is the custome of punishment in the east , which was without the breaking of members ; the pain was intolerable . after some dayes being carried to his men of burdeaux , he dyed . but experience doth teach us , that a disease happening by a natural manner , not by witchcraft , cannot be taken away by magitians . quaesitor sprangerus doth bring an example ; when he knew that there was a counterfeit magitian among the insprugensian witches of germany , who seeing his poor neighbour to be most heavily afflicted , as if her bowels were incessantly pierced with swords : i will try , saith he , if thou art troubled with charms , and will cure thee . then poured melted lead into a round iron thing with a hole in the midst , being full of water , and putting it to the sick woman , and uttering certain words , which it doth please me to conceal , he perceived certain images in the hardened lead , by which he knew that she was afflicted with charms . this being done , he took the husband of the woman with him , and both beholding the upper post of the door , they found a waxen image set up in honour of a victory , at whose two sides two needles did stick , with other dust , grains , and serpent's bones , all which he cast into the fire : but the woman , when she had given her soul for a pledg to satan , and the magitians , to whom she had gone for her health , was recovered . ogerius terrerius , a most learned physitian , when i was at tholossa , hired handsome houses , and scituated in a very good place at bursa , for very little , in the year , because an evill spirit did trouble the inhabitants of them , being not right owners ; which he did no more care for , then athenodorus the philosopher , who durst dwell in a house forsaken by the athenians , and the inhab●tants , because of an empty spirit : but when he heard that thing which he never believed , that he could not go to the cellar safely , neither sometimes take rest , having admonished lusitanus a certain student , to be in the city , who did exhibit hidden things to be seen in the nail of a little boy , he caused that this student should use his art : but a girle full of knowledge , said , that she saw a woman most exactly adorned with most pretious chains and gold , which did bear a torch in her hand to a certain pillar : and therefore lusitanus answered the physitian , that he should take care that the ground should be digged in the cellar at the pillar , that he might find the treasure . the physitian rejoycing , commanded it to be digged up . but when he thought the treasure was almost found , a whirl-wind arising extinguished the light , and going out of the vent of the cellar , brake fourteen foot of the battlements of the walls in the neighbouring houses , part whereof fell together into the porch of the dore , part into the vent of the cellar ; part upon a woman carrying water , whose water-pot was broken . there was nothing ever after heard of the spirit . lusitanus the day after , being more surely certified of the whole matter , said that the spirit carried away the treasure , and he wondred because it did hurt the physitian , who after two dayes related the history to me . these things were done on the fifteenth day of december , in the year . the heaven being fair and clear as it is wont to be in halcyon dayes . and we at the same time saw thorough the battlements of the next house that were cast down , and the porch broken to the shop . bodin daemonomaniae , lib. . cap. . melancthon doth bring a history very like to this : ten men were overwhelmed by the ruine of the tower magdeburg , when they did dig to find treasure ; which satan had shewed them . gregorius agricola in his book de spiritibus subterraneis writeth , that at annaeberg , in that ruine , which is called the town of roses , there was a spirit in the shape of a horse that killed twelve men , and made them withdraw from the mine full of silver , which magitians found by the help of satan . i heard of a certain lugdunensian , in the temple of the virgin mary , that there was campellanus of lutetia , who with his companions revealed the treasure of arcolius near lutetia by magick-art : but when they thought to have the chest in which it was hidden , it was carried away with a whirl-wind , but part of the wall fell upon him , by which he was made lame for the whole term of his life . and when the noribergensian priest had found the treasure by the help of satan , and long ago was about to open the box , the house was abolished with a fall . i heard also from a lugdunensian practitioner in the law , that he with his companions went in the night , that they might seek out a treasure by uttering conjurations , and when they began to dig , they heard a voice as it were of a man , which was put on the wheel , most horribly crying to the thieves : so they were turned to flight : but evill spirits in the very same moment pursuing them , slew them even to that house from whence they came , and they entered it with so great a noise that the host thought it had thundered , and from that time he swore that he would never seek after treasure . bodin . bodin also proves by an example that sorcerers can bewitch mens eyes , and move laughter , and make the spectators astonished concerning triscalanus that magitian , which said of a certain curat , all the parish priests being present ; see ye that hypocrite , who feigning to bring a register , doth bring play-papers ! then the curate willing to shew that he brought a register , he seemed to himself to have play-papers , and whosoever were present , seemed to themselves to see papers , so that the curate cast away his book of account , and went away ashamed . but others coming a little after , gathered up the register book , being freed from that likenesse of papers : by which thing it was manifest that satan did delude men in many things , and also bind fast every ones eyes . for those which were not present at the former action , when the sorcerer cast his delusions before the eyes of those that were present , did see a true book of account , when others on the contrary did perceive but an appearance of papers , &c. the germanes being about to search , what witch had made a horse feeble and decaying , did draw the bowels of another horse to certain houses , and not entring the gates , but a cellar or cave under ground , did burn those bowels . then the sorceress which had committed that evil , feeling the pain of the collick all within ; she runneth streightway to the houses , where the bowels were burn'd , that she might ask for a burning cole ; and her pain did cease . but if the doors were not opened , the houses were darkened , ringed with horrible thunder , and threatned ruine , unlesse those that were within would open the door : which sprangerus writeth , that he observed , and saw in germany . i heard from d. antonius lonanius , the king 's general legate , that there was a sorcerer at ribemont , who having pronounced certain words , did discover another by a sieve . all the names of those that were suspected were brought , and when the name of that man who was in the fault was brought , the sieve did move uncessantly , and the magitian accessary to the same fault , came , which being found , the sorcerer was condemned . bodin lib. . cap. . i remember , that d. bodin the king 's general procurator , sometimes related to me , when all his cattel remained in a village at moldena , that it was told his wife , that a certain beast must be slain , which here it doth not please me to declare ; and he ought to hang it with the feet upward under the threshold of the stable , with pronouncing certain words ( which it is not needfull here to insert ) ; this being done , there did none of his cattel perish . idem . ibid. johannes martinus performing his turn of ruler of laodunum , declared to me , that when he was to try a witch by the authority of s. proba , ( for she had tormented a mason with so great sickness , that his head did hang down almost between his legs , his body being crooked , which evill he did suspect to come to him from the sorceresse ) the judg having regarded it well , he commanded , that word should be brought to the witch , that she by no other means could save her life , then by healing the mason . and therefore she commanded a swathing band to be brought home by her daughter ; she calls upon the devill , casting her countenance on the ground she muttered certain charms before them all , and delivering the swathing band to the mason , she gave commandment that he should be washed in a bath , and that which was shut in the swathing band , should be put into the bath with these words : get thou gone in the devills name . she said that there was this and no other means of recovery . these things being done , the mason was cured . but yet before those things were seen in the bath , she being willing to know what was in the swathing band ( which she had forbidden to be done ) they found three little corns in it : but the mason while he was in the bath , perceived as it were three great fishes in it , when he came forth of it , although they did seek them very diligently , yet neither the fish , nor the arm was found . the sorceresse was burned alive , and remained without repentance , idem . lib. . cap. . we read in horto antonii de tarquamedia , lib. . of a certain magitian , who said to a rustick man , whom he saw bitten by a mad-dogg , that he was one that delivered from harm , that he might not lose his life . and when he prick'd his nose thrice to let forth blood , he was cured . ca●olus martinus , governour of laodunum , being certified , that a poor woman in the valley ( that was the name of the laodunensian suburbs ) was bewitched by a sorceress her neighbour , and taking pity of her , he threatned death to the witch , unlesse she took away the disease from her neighbour . she fearing , promised to heal her ; and therefore she came to the beds feet , looked steadfastly on the earth , joyned her hands , called on the greatest devil with a loud voice ; afterwards renewed her prayers , repeating some unknown words , and delivered a crust of bread to the sick person , which in the same moment began to recover . this being done , the governour returning home , did appoint that she should be apprehended , and be burned as soon as might be ; but she was not seen in those parts from that time . idem . ibid. we shall bring a fresh example from an honourable man , president of vitriacus francus , who was assigned to all the greatest meetings of brusis , in the year , . when we wanted his help , i did earnestly sollicite him , that we might assist each ●ther in the publick burden , lest he should go out of his place before the states were dismissed ; he answered , that he had a certain friend who lay sick to death , he was sent for by him , and was made his heir , he thenceforth was sick five or six years , his members failing him , and therefore his father being advertised , that there was a man in flanders , who could cure his son , went hither presently : the sorcerer unfolded the disease of the son ( which he had never seen ) to the father , and sent him away into lusitania to another magitian ( whose name he told him ) living in the king's court. the father bearing this patiently , went into lusitania , where the magitian said to the father ( before he did onely proffer to speak ) ; friend , thy son shall be cured in a short time , go into france , thou shalt find a certain man named m. benedictus , towards noviodunum , about miles from thy house , ( but there are many of the same name ) this man shall cure thy son . and therefore the father wondring that he should undertake so great travail , that he might seek that afar off , which was near , took courage , and went to m. benedictus . but he said to the father , thou hast spent very much labour going into flanders , and lusitania , that thy son might be restored , go , command him to come to me , i am he , that will heal him . the father answered to these things : now he hath not gone out of his bed for above these years , and hath not truly the least faculty of moving in him . but at length , with no little trouble , the sick person was brought thither , and he was eased in part , but yet he was not long well . idem . ibid. jacobus sprangerus the commissioner , to enquire after the crimes of magitians , by the same argument doth write , that he saw a bishop in germany , who being very sick , he knew by an old witch , that he was sick by witchcraft ; neither was there any other way to recover his health , then that the same witch should perish by enchantment , who had cast the charme upon him . the bishop wondring , sent with all speed to rome to the pope nicolaus , v. that he might get leave to be cured by this meanes . the pope , which did love him singularly , did grant his request with this small sentence , that of two evils , he should flye the worst . the letters patents being brought , the witch said , seeing that it pleaseth the pope and the bishop , she would perform it . so in the middle of the night the bishop was restored ; but the sorceress which had bewitched him , fell into the same disease from which he was freed . but in the mean time , that sorceress , which dyed , would never consider , but uncessantly committed her self to satan , to recover her health . in the field of poictiers in france , in the year . charls the eleventh king , after dinner commanded , that triscalanus ( whom he had pardoned , that he might disclose the partakers of his fault ) should be brought to him . he confessed before the king , and a great assembly of his nobles , the manner by which sorcerers are conveyed , their dancings , sacrifices offered to satan , detestable copulations with devils , having shapes of men and women : moreover , he added , that dust was taken by many , with which they killed men , cattel , and fruit . every one admiring at these his sayings , caspar collignius , admiral of france , ( for he by chance was present ) said , that a youth was apprehended in the field of poictiers , some moneths before , being accused concerning the death of two noblemen , he confessed , that he was their servant , and he saw them with dust cast into the houses , and the corn , saying these words : a curse on that fruit , on that house , on that region : and therefore he having gotten this dust , took it , and cast it into the bed where those two nobles did lye ; so both were found dead in the bed , but swelling , and very black . the judges did discharge the boy . then triscalanus hearing that , discovered also many things of that kind . but it may be believed , if the king ( whose body otherwise had the strongest joynts and complexion ) had commanded this prince of magitians , and his other followers , to be burned together , that god would grant a longer and more blessed life to him for these judgments . for the word of god is alwayes manifest unto him , that he who quitteth a man worthy of death , doth return his deserved punishment on himself ; as the prophet said to king achab , that he , because he had shewed favour to a man that did deserve death , should dye . ibid. it is manifest unto all men , that the man of rochell , who was wounded to death , of whose health all chirurgions did despair , was so ordered by the help of a certain magitian , that he could walk and speak some dayes ; indeed satan , and not any other , did bear him , that he might shew his power to the magitians . ibid. joachimus camerarius doth declare in his book , de natura daemonum , when by chance a certain butcher went by a wood in the night , he heard a noise , and dancings ; and therefore having sought the thing diligently , coming , he saw silver cups , which things , ( as soon as the sorcerers and devils were separated , ) presently the butcher took , and the day after brought them to the magistrate : so they , whose marks were in the cups , did accuse others , being summoned to the court , and were all deservedly punished . there is another more excellent example of that execution , which was made at pictavium , in the year , . the history of which execution i learned as well from many in the same place , as also from salvertus , president of the people of poictiers , ( who was then sent for to hear the judgment with daventonius the president of poictiers , with other judges ) ; and all in that region know it . three men with one woman being sorcerers , were condemned to be burned alive together , when they were proved guilty of the death of very many men and cattel ; dust being brought to them , as they did confesse , by the help of the devil furnishing them , which they hid under the ground of sheep-cotts , and the threshold of houses . but they declared , that they were wont to go thrice to the greatest meeting , whither innumerable magitians came together to a certain cross-way where feasts are solemnized , which did afford them the use of an image ; there was before them a great black hee-goat , speaking to those that were present with humane reason , that they should leap all into the circuit of his embracements ; and then every one with a burning candle kiss his hinder-parts : this being done , the goat was consumed with fire , of whose ashes every one took , that therewith they might kill the ox of an enemy ; this man's sheep ; that man's horse ; that they might torment this man with feeblenesse , that man with death . last of all , the devil with a terrible voice did thunder out these words ; revenge your selves , or slay : so every one did return by the help of the devil the same way that they came . the president salvertus , a most vertuous man , said moreover , that it did appear from antient acts ; for magitians were condemned for the same cause years before , and by the like confessions ; and that it was done in the same place at the same cross . two of these did repent , and two dyed in their obstinacy . i read also a judgment against the sorcerers of potezana , which adrianus ferreus the king 's general vicar imparted to me at laodunum . in it their confession is after this manner ; that they near lognium at the trenquisanian prison , certain words being uttered , were carried away with brooms , and there found others furnished with brooms ready at hand , and with them six devils , whose names are kept . after that they had forsaken god , they being kissed , adored the devils in humane shape , but yet having very bad countenances ; and danced , having them in their hands : afterwards the devils had to do with the women , but they required the dust to kill cattel : lastly , it was appointed , that they should meet in the same place eight dayes after , on monday at the begining of night ; and when they had tarried there three hours , they were carried back . bovinus the ruler of gulick , being sent ambassador to biturgium by name , among the blesensians , affirmed , that there was a witch burned , he being judge , whom her daughter accused , because her mother had brought her to the meeting , and gave her to be instructed by the devil ; she among other wickednesse confessed , that she danced in the circuit of the goat , and at length she related the several gestures of the multitude at the last time , and in what manner they made use of the dust . this man saith , that he had a child killed by her , another a horse ; and he , a tree . but one being found to have done nothing from that time , received many strokes on the soles of the feet , and was derided by all others ; she also added , that it did behove them to have fresh powder often . bodin . lib. . cap. . a thing like to this , is that which we read in the judgment of another sorceress , who confessed , that she could not rest , unless she did commit some evil daily , at leastwise she should break a little vessel ; but when her mistris caught her breaking her earthen vessel of purpose , then she confessed the matter , and was adjudged to dye , because she said she could by no means rest , unless she had killed a man , or committed a mischievous act . i remember , saith the same bodin , that turnerius a learned man , an a●reliensian counsellour , told me , that there was a speech all abroad , and found out true , that the convention of witches was kept at the cleriacus , and that devils declared there , whatsoever was done in divers nations , because they do reduce the several deeds of men , as it were , into a brief history of all person's actions ; and this is the manner of divination which sorcerers use . but that sorceress , whom we mentioned , would not stirr from the sentence given , saying , she did prefer death before so great torments of the devil , from which she could not be quiet even for a moment . but this is to be observed in the first place , that there is no meeting , wherein there is no dancing . so the witches of languiana did sing when they were dancing , har , har , devil , devil , leap hither , leap thither , play here , play there ; others said , sabbath , sabbath , ( that is ) a quiet holy day , having their hands and brooms lifted upwards , that then they might certainly testifie , with how great cheerfulnesse of mind and diligence they did worship and adore the devil , as also that they might represent the worship which is due to god. there is a fresh history of naturall witchcraft , by a neapolitane , who doth declare a thing which he tryed in a woman-witch , who after she had anointed her self naked , swounding , and void of sense fell down , and being returned after three hours space into her body , she related many things from divers countries , which were afterwards found true . i heard from the turettanian president , that he saw in delphiratus a witch which was to be burned alive , therefore she lying down in the fire , saying , remain ye at home with my body , she was taken away in a trance , and because she understood nothing , her master smote her with very heavy strokes of a rod , and then also that they might see whether she had departed this life or no , the fire overcame the parts which are most sensible , neither did they any further watch her ; and therefore lying ( esteemed by her master and mistris ) dead , she was left there : she was found lying in her bed the next morning . which when her master admiring , enquired what had happened to her ? she crying out , said in her own language ; ah master ! how have you beaten me ? her master manifesting this to the neighbours , a certain man said , it is a witch : and therefore her master did not desist till she acknowledging the thing , did make manifest that she had heard the meeting of magitians in her mind . so moreover , she confessed other offences which she had committed , and she was delivered to the fire . bodin . in daemonomaniae , lib. . cap. . jacobus sprangerus the quaestor , who did examine many witches , doth write that they did confesse , when they seemed to be taken away by the spirit , yet it might seem otherwise in the body . we have had another example in our memory at burdeaux , in the year . when persecution was instituted against the magitians of france . a certain old woman at burdeaux being a witch , confessed to the judges , that she was carried with others , every week where a great hee-goat was adored , by which author they did deny god , and did promise that they would serve the devill , every one did kisse his privy parts , and after they had danced each one did receive the dust . then d. belotus , master of the bills containing supplications , ( when the sorceresse said that she could do nothing , except she was brought out of the prison ) being willing to try the truth of the thing , did command her to be brought forth ; and when she had anointed her self being naked , she fell down as if she were dead , and void of sense , afterwards coming to her sense and rising after five hours , she declared many things which were found to be so , as she had said in divers places . a certain earl of the order of men of arms , did relate this history to me , who doth live yet , and was present at that experience . olaus doth testify that it is frequent in the northern parts , and that their friends do watch the body of him that is in a trance very diligently , untill with great grief he doth return , and bring with him his ring , letter , or knife , who is absent . miles . idem . ibid. that judgment of seven magitians is alike admirable , which i learned at nauntes in the year . therefore when they promised that they would shew before many , in an hours space , what was done ten miles in circuit , they presently fell down dead , and did lye void of sense three hours : arising , they did relate whatsoever they had perceived in the whole city of nauntes , and a longer circuit , having observed places , deeds , and men , all which things were found presently . and therefore all they being accused , and found guilty of many mischievous acts , were condemned to be burned . idem . baro of razii ( who at nauntes being condemned for his magicall charms suffered punishment ) not onely confessed , that he killed eight children , and deprived others of understanding , and sacrificed his own young son to the devill , and that in her mothers womb , that he might gratify satan as much as it was possible , but also prostrating himself upon his knees in his chamber , did adore satan appearing in humane shape ; and did sacrifice with incense to him . satan did promise many admirable things to him ; and namely , that he should be great . but at length seeing himself captive , and oppressed with the most bitter evils ; confessed all things , and suffered the uttermost punishment . bodin . lib. . cap. . we read in sprangerus , when he had intelligence of a certain sorceresse , which he condemned to be burned , that she confessed , ( how she was a midwife ) that she taking children out of the mothers womb , did present them to the devill by lifting them aloft into the ayr ; afterwards she put a great pin into their heads , so that the bloud might not run out : then carrying them to be buried , going in the night she digged them up , boyled them in a furnace , did eat the flesh , and did keep the fat for her use . by this means she killed fourty children : she was a dane at basilea . cazereis was a witch at tholossa , who having brought the blessed bread to the altar , went away to drown her self , and when she was brought home again ; she confessed that she infected the blessed bread with poyson ; the bread was cast before dogs , they dye . she being in bonds , was in a trance more then six hours , void of all feeling ; afterwards rising up , cryed out she was wonderfull weary , and sent back the messengers from many places with certain signes and marks . when she was near her sentence of condemnation , and judgment was ready to be past upon her , she called upon the devill , saying , that he promised that there should come such vehement storms and showers that she might not be burned . but for all that she was not defended from the violence of the fire . bodinus daemonoman . lib. . cap. . nothing ( saith the same bodinus in lib. . cap. . ) is so wonderfull and admirable as the metamorphosing of men into beasts , and to be turned out of the shape of a man into that of a beast . yet the truth is , that this is practised among magitians ; and both divine and prophane histories do prove it certainly . in the book of inquisitions against magitians , which i have often mentioned ; we read of one statius a certain magitian that he suddenly and oftentimes flew , and escaped out of the bernates field , out of the midst of his enemies ( for he had very many ) and he could never be slain ; but when he was asleep , he left two of his disciples hippo and stadlinus which were the chief magitians in all germany , who raised tempests , caused lightning and great storms . there did arise a controversy in the parliament of dolensi , and the sentence was published the th day of january in the year , . about aegidius garnerius , lugdunensis . which judgment is not fit to be inserted here at the present , when aurelius at eligium giberium at paris with peter hayanum , commended to the french presses ; only we will set down the chief heads of those articles that he was accused and convicted of . and first , that this garnerius at michaelmas time at the wood , in the chasten●yanian vines , which are a quarter of a mile from dolensis town , took a young wench of ten or twelve years old , with his hands , which seemed like to wolves feet , and tore her to pieces with his teeth , and so devoured the flesh of her thighs and arms , and brought part of her to his wife . and about a moneth after , he got another girl in the same manner , and killed her ; and being about to eat her , unlesse three men ( as he himself confessed ) had hindered him . and about fifteen dayes after he strangled a boy of ten years old , in the vines of gredisaniorum , and did eat the flesh of his legs , thighs , and belly . and lastly , he slew a boy thirteen years of age ( being then in the shape of a man , and not of a wolf ) in a grove of the perusan ; and being very hungry ( as he of his own accord confessed ) if he had not been hindered , would have eaten him also : therefore for these reasons he was condemned to the flames ; the sentence was put in execution . there was another case agitated at vesontion , made known to , or discovered by john boinus the inquisitor , in the year of our lord , . in the moneth of december , the cause was sent into france , itally , and germany , which vierius , lib. . of witchcraft , chap. . relates at large , but i will run over a few heads of it ; peter burgottus , and michael verdunus , was found guilty , and confessed that they had renounced god and their faith , and had given themselves to the devill ; therefore michael brought burgot in that street of the carlonian castle , where each of them had a candle of green wax burning , with a dull obscure flame ; and so they danced and sacrificed to the devill . afterwards they confessed , that anointing themselves , they were transformed into wolves , running with great celerity and swiftnesse ; then again being turned into men , and a while after into wolves , and in that shape had copulation with she●wolves , and had the same pleasure with them as they were wont to have with women ; furthermore it was confessed , that burgottus with seven wolves feet and teeth , did tear to pieces and cruelly macerate a boy , and had quite devoured him had not some countreymen driven him away . and that verdunus slew a young maid gathering pease in the garden , and was driven away by the lord of cunea . and in the last place , that there were four young lasses devoured by them at a certain place and time , whose age they did relate , and that they could destroy men by casting a certain kind of dust or powder . i remember that d. bordinus , the kings generall factour , or solicitor , did tell me of another example that was sent to him out of belgia , with the whole judgment , signed by the judges and clarks and notaries ; which was concerning a wolf that was wounded in the hanch or thigh with a dart , which afterwards being turned into a man laid in his bed with the arrow in him , and being plucked out , he that was wounded acknowledged it , this was proved at that time , and in that forementioned place , both by his own confession , and by divers other testimonials . job fincelius writeth , that at padua there was one man fell mad , and his wolvish feet being cut off , instantly he appeared a man that was stumped , or had his members cut off , by which example ( saith bodinus ) the judgment against witches is confirmed , and a great company of witches in the shape of cats were wont to congregate and gather to the castle , and there were set four or five men , who were set to watch them all night , and then a great multitude of cats did invade , and set upon them , one of them was slain , the rest were sore hurt , and wounded , but many cats being cut and hurt , afterwards turned into women , were found to be sore slash't . but because the thing seems so incredible , the sentence and judgment is mute and silent . petrus marmorius in his book of divinations , saith , that he himself was an eye-witnesse of this transformation of men into wolves in lubaudia and henry coloniensis in his vol. de lamiis of vvitches , affirms it for an undoubted truth , and also ulricus molitor in his book which he dedicated to sigismundus caesar , setting down the disputation that was made before the emperour , and proves by many reasons , and also by his own experience , this strange metamorphosing of men into wolves , and tells of one that was thus transformed at constance , who was accused , convicted , condemned , and confessing it , was executed . this is shewed in many books that are set forth in germany , one of which relates that there was a christian king who was lately deceased , that oftentimes turned himself into a wolf , that he might be the prince and chief of magitians . and the truth is , this kind of vvitchcraft over-spread all greece and asia , and some of the vvestern countries , as our merchants say , that there were some that were put in the stocks , and imprisoned , who turned themselves from the shape of men into vvolves . therefore in the year . sultan solyman , getting invested in the empire , there was such a company of vvolves at constantinople , that the emperour was in arms marching against them with his praetorian souldiers , and compelled a hundred and fifty of them to fly , and vanish out of the city , all the people being spectators . job fincelius in his second book de mirabilibus , and the whole country agree to this . the germans call these wolves werwolf , the french , loups garous ; picardians , loups warous , as if thou shouldst say , divers wolves ( for the french put g in the room of w ) the greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the latines , versipelles , as plinius ( not ovid ) writing of this metamorphosis . pomponatius and theophrastus , the chiefest princes of philosophers in their age , do confirm that certainly there was such a transformation of men into wolves . casper peucerus , son in law of phillip melancthon , writes , that formerly these seemed alwayes but as meer fables and fictions to him ; but at last he was forced to believe that which so many merchants of good account and credit did confirm in livonia , many being accused , convicted , and confessed , and so were executed , and therefore he sets down the manner which they observe in livonia : for every year about the end of december , there was a knavish fellow who did stir up all the magitians , that they might have a congregation in such an appointed place , and if they did not appear there , they were corrected by the devill with an iron rod , so that the common rout were a great while after their captain , who marching before , millions followed to a certain river , and passing over it , they were transformed into wolves , and would fall upon men and beasts , and brought great detriment to the country : and twelve dayes after rowing again over the river , they reassumed the figures and shapes of men . i have oftentimes visited one languetus b●rgundus , a learned man , negotiating about important affairs with the duke of saxony , and also with the king of france for his lord and master : here he toll'd a story not much unlike to this ; he said , that having some businesse with an old man in livonia , the thing was known amongst the people , i have about me some letters of a certain german , who was a pensioner of king henry the second , written to the constable of france , by which he certifies the constable ; the which intelligence was given at mosch in livonia : and furthermore he adds , in those countreys where herodotus seems to place the neurians , among whom there were those that could change themselves into wolves , which was a common and usuall thing in livonia ; many things which were related by herodotus , seeming incredible , following ages have found to be true . and the same author saith , that there were magitians , that by certain short sentences allayed that tempest in which xerxes had above fourty ships sunk and cast away : and we read in olaus magnus , lib. . cap. . of the lappi that could sell storms , and calms , by unloosing some ropes , which all marriners know by frequent experience . we also read in the history of john tritemii , in the year , of a certain jew , bajanus by name , the son of simeon , who when be pleased , could transform himself into a wolf , and vanish out of sight , and made himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , invisible . and it is a wonderfull thing , and yet methinks 't is more admirable , that many will not believe it , when people of all nations , and historians with one consent acknowledge and confesse it : not onely herodotus hath written of it and years since , and homer . but pomponius , mela , solinus , strabo , dionysius . afer , m. varro , virgilius , ovidius , and sixty other ; and so virgilius upon this , has herbas , atque haec ponto mihi lecta venena , ipse dedit moeris ; naseuntur plurima ponto : his ego saepe lupum fieri & se condere sylvis moerin . these herbs and poysons cull'd , me maeris gave , not a few such the briny marshes have ; by this i oft maeris a wolf have seen , when in the covert woods h 'as hidden been . and taking these , into a wolf was chang'd , hiding my self , into maeris woods rang'd . but pliny , lib. . cap. . wonders , that authors should agree about this , that men , saith he , should be turned into wolves , and again return unto their proper shape , we ought to esteem false , or believe all that which we find recorded in fabulous annals ; this he durst not affirm , fearing lest he should be believed ; for among the chiefest of greek authors he bringeth evanthes upon the stage , who saith , that in arcadia , there was one of the antaean nation that did swim over a pool , and was transfigured into a wolf , and after some few years coming to the same pool again , and when he did passe over it again , he received an humane shape . and agriopas , who writ of the olympionick games , telleth of one demaenetus parrhasius , who tasting of the intrals of a boy that was sacrificed to jupiter lycaeus , was changed into a wolf , which m. varro , the most learned of all the greeks and latines , as cicero testifieth , brings it in for an example , and confirms it for an undoubted truth . olaus magnus speaking of the countries of pilapiae , narbonia , fincladia , and angermania , saith , these are heathenish nations , and full of wicked spirits and conjurers ; and in his history saith , that men are turned into beasts by them : and he that desires more examples , of which there are millions , ( which for brevity sake we will omit ) let him consult olaus , the saxo grammaticus , fincelius , and william brabantius ; i passe by ovid's metamorphosis , who intermingled many true things with his fabulous stories ; but that which he writes of lycaon , the arcadian king , turned into a wolf , is not incredible ; territus ipse fugit , nactusque silentia ruris exululat , frustraque loqui conatur . affrighted he did fly , run , howl , and walk , but oh alas , in vain he strives to talk ! obtaining silence in the country there , as he was mute or silent every where . neither is that fabulous , which homer relates of circes the witch , and of ulysses's companions being turned into hoggs , when st. augustine in civitate dei , brings in the same history , ( although wonderful , in his opinion ) and he saith , that story of the arcadians on the alps was often in his mind ; that many prating talkative women instructed in wicked arts , would give something in their cheese to travellers , by which incontinently they would be turned into cattel , that they might bear necessary burdens ; and then afterwards when they had done their work , come to themselves again , as we have shewed before , &c. we read of a like history to this in william the archbishop of tyre ; sprangerus the inquisitor relates the same of a young english souldier in cyprus , that was turned into an asse by a witch ; and when he would have swimmed back unto the ship where his companions were , he was beaten back by clubs , and went back to the witch , and was by him so used , untill the asse was seen in the church to fall down on its knees , and to do those things which could not possibly be performed by any brute beast , or meer animal ; then they apprehended the witch which they suspected to have handled him in that manner , and brought her before the judges ; and after three years was past , he was restored to himself , and she was executed : the same we read in ammonius the peripatetick philosopher , that commonly there was an asse ordinarily at the hearing of his lecture . nothing is more frequent and usual in aegypt , as our merchants report , and belonius in his observations , printed at lutetia , saith , that there was a stage-player , which he himself saw in the suburbs of cayxus , a town in egypt , who had a dialogue with an ass , and spoke with it , and discoursed with it very familiarly ; and he affirmed , that the ass , as he knew by its signs , gesture and voice , did shew and intimate , that it took wonderfull well whatsoever he spoke to it . and if the master had commanded the ass to pick out the beautifullest woman in all the company , and would eye her narrowly in all her parts , and would draw near very boldly and confidently to him , it would make much of him . if the master had given out , that there should be some barn or granary prepared for his ass , then it would have shewed a great deal of exultation more then ordinary , and a great many such kind of tricks it played ; and many such like things at large declared in belonius . i would speak more of them , but i fear that there will be bounds put to them ; and i could not have put them in my creed , had i not been an eye-witness of them amongst the cayxian people . to this is added one which vincentius writes of , in speculo , lib. . c. . that there were two guests which were witches , which sometimes were wont to change men into beasts ; and when they had turned a young man , a player , into an ass , who that he might be in his right wits , did shew great sport unto travellers ; he was bought by a neighbour with a great price , who said , they would not hold their bargain , nor perform their covenant , and if he should chance to go to a river , and so escape , therefore the ass after a few dayes were spent , went unto the next pool or lake , and dipping twice or thrice in it , re-assumed its pristine shape . peter damianus , a man to be reckoned amongst the chief of his age , when he was diligently enquired of , of the master and the ass , and of the female witches , he confessed it , and of those that saw the ass turned into his humane shape , it was related before pope leo the th , and after it was a long while disputed on both sides pro and con , before that pope ; at last it was concluded on the affirmative part . and by this means may that also be confirmed which we read in lucian and apuleius atheisticall men , to be turned into asses , who said that this happened to the witches by the thessalonian women , who therefore were enemies to them that they might know for certain whether this was true or no , for both of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atheisticall and accused of the magicall arts. wherefore apuleius turns every stone , and useth by all means and arguments in his apology that he might wash off that accusation of witchcraft and sorcery , wherewith he was defamed , &c. bodinus , lib. . cap. . of all the deeds that magitians challenge to themselves , you shall hardly find any more famous then that of causing thunder , lightning , storms , and tempests , as the law had it ventilated , and has found it for certain , and therefore in lib. . inquisitorum , it is recorded , that in the year . in the constantian diocesse , there were storms , hail , lightning , and tempests , which hurt the corn for the space of four miles , the countrey men in veighing against the magitians , there were two of them apprehended , anna de mindelen and agne , which were first attached , and when they were examined , they confessed a part , that one day they went into the field with a little water , and although one of them knew not the others mind or counsell , yet they confessed they digged a little hole , or a little ditch , and that about noon-tide , throwing a little water into the hole or ditch , and stirring the water about , using some certain kind of unknown words , and calling upon the devill ; then this being done , they both went home , and so raised the storm : both of them were burned . the same author saith that there was judgment given out by him against a witch of the constantian-field , which when she saw all the neighbours of her village to be merry , and dancing at a marriage , and taking it grievously that she was not invited thereto ; in the day time she was transported by the devill to a hill near unto the village , ( the shepherds seeing her ) and because she had not water which she should throw into the ditch that she might stir up the tempest ( for she confessed that she observed this ceremony ) she made water , and stirring that about in the ditch , she spoke some certain words ; by and by the heavens which now were ( as i may say ) all crystalline clear , were muffled with pitchy , jet-like clouds , foul and black masks , and a great shore of hail came quickly upon the dancers in the village , and the vvitch returned into the village again , they seeing her , did all verily believe that she had raised the tempest , and laid hold on her , and the shepherds did give in their testimony that they saw her carried through the ayr : which she being accused of , and convicted , acknowledged it , and was burned . we read a memorable history in pontanus . libro , the french of suetia , besieged in the neapolitan kingdome by the spaniards , when all things were parched with drought and heat , and the french in their battell having a great scarcity of fresh water ; some priests being magitians , did draw-about the crucifix in the streets in the night time , and with innumerable railings and blasphemies , they went their procession , and threw it into the sea , afterwards they gave the consecrated host to an asse , and brought him to the church-porch , and there buried him alive ; then after some verses , and horrible blasphemies ( which is not fit to be mentioned ) there came great dashing showers , and made almost a deluge , and so by this means raised the siege , and were freed from the spaniards , there was one in the year . who threw all his images and pictures into a salt-peeter pit ; and afterwards there was abundance of rain . and oftentimes witches kill cattle by sprinkling a certain kind of powder upon the thresholds they go over , not that the powder can work such an effect , which might rather ( as one would think ) kill the witches that carries it about them , then those creatures which go over it , especially when the witches hide it one foot under the ground , but onely the devill is the helper of it . i have heard of three hundred beasts by this means , which were destroyed in one instant in a sheepfold of biturgia , neither onely doth the devill exercise his power , not onely in raising of tempests , hail , lightning , and about corn and beasts , but also upon men , but chiefly upon wicked men , and those vvitches ( which were burnt at patavius in the year of our lord , . which we have mentioned ) confessed that in those conventicles in which they were congregated together , they worshipped the devill in the shape of a kid , and when they were about to depart the place , they heard a great voice pronounced by the kid , either ye shall be revenged , or else ye shall dye : and so there were many men and beasts slain by him , leaving no other means of preserving life . niderius writeth , that sentence was pronounced by him against one stadlinus of the lausanensian diocesse , who confessed that seven young children were killed in the vvombs of the mothers , and so also brought barrennesse upon all the cattle that belonged to his family , and being questioned about the matter , gave answer that there was a certain beast , whose name we keep secret , that was laid there by him at the threshold , which being taken away , b●rrennesse ceased in his house . we read in the monstreletian history of a short witch that was taken by a priest , who had two toads that she had baptized , which she used to magicall uses , which i should esteem as ridiculous , were there not daily examples that confirmed it ; vvhen sir john martin , put in stead of the governour of laodunensis , condemned a vvitch of s. proba to be burned , who shook off two great toads which they found in her coffers . the froisardian history witnesseth that there was one curio with the suesionians who asked counsell of a vvitch that he might be revenged of an enemy who counselled him that he should baptize a toad , and give it some brave name , and give it the sacrament ; which he did , and many other things which is not to be expressed here , he confessed . five inquisitors after vvitches , declare these things amongst others , that examined a vvitch , which confessed that she put the consecrated bread in a napkin which she ought to have swallowed down , and hid in the cup where sh● nourished the toad and put to it the powders which she had given her by the devill , and so she muttered some few words ( which is not fit to be mentioned here ) and so sprinked the sheepfold thresholds over which the cattle were to passe over the aforesaid powder , therefore she was apprehended , and burned . in the examination of the valerian witches in subaudia which was printed stood to be sould ; we read that casting a certain kind of powder upon plants , they will quickly wither and dye . i have ( saith bodinus ) in my power some judgments that are sent unto me by that worshipfull gentleman , the lord of pipemontens de barbu dorcaea which by a statute of parliament . of january , . one was sentenced to death by the governour of s. christopher , to sanlisium which decree was confirmed and established , and condemned to be burned , and afterward the witch confessed that she had killed three men by casting a little powder wrapped in a sheet of paper , into that place by which they were to journey , and murmuring these words . in the name of god and all devills , and other conjuring diabolicall words . which is not fit to be inserted in this place . niderus writes , who examined abundance of witches , that he saw one , who onely by his voice could kill men , and another that did turn up and down , her neighbours ghost being a horrible spectacle . anglus also writes ( of whose history we have formerly spoken ) being the physitian of the palatinate princes , that in the year . there was an husbandman of ulrichus that was afflicted with such kind of enchantments , neusessurus by name , thorow whose skin there was an iron nail strucken , and was so gnawed and tormented in his bowells ; and despairing of remedy , strangled himself , and was anatomized , and cut up in the sight of all the citizens , and there was found in his body a staff , four steel knives , two plates of iron , and a bottome of hair . and therefore no wonder is it , if the thessalonian witch at pamphila caused a womans belly to swell and be tympanized , as if she had been about to bring forth three births , and for the space of eight moneths she carried about her this burthen . in like sort did that martinian witch , which killed the german , not by poison , as tacitus saith , or by a cocks egg , but by the help of the devill . and also that witch in the constantiensian diocesse , that did so puff up a mans body , as though he had the leprosy , and a little after troubled his mind . sprangerus and other inquisitors took care that she should be burned . the same sprangerus relates , he being the cause of it that there was another burnt on the borders of basil , and alsatia , which confessed that she took grievously a contumely that was offered to her by a good honest man , a husbandman , when she was asked what mischief she desired to be done unto that husbandman that did so reproach her , to which question she gave answer , that she would have his face to swell . not long after the husbandman was infected with a leprosy ; these things she afterwards confessed to the judge , that she was not able to do such a thing , but that it was done by the devill ; by which argument we prove that all these things are done by the devill , who so insinuates and accommodates himself to the wills of men that use him , that whosoever should cure his enemy , should be killed by his sociate or companion . we also read in sprangerus's story , of one plumberus , a certain conjurer , who lived at lendenburg in germany , whom the devill taught to shoot at , and pierce a crucifix with darts before venus feasts , by which means using some kind of wicked words , and shooting and darting into the ayre , he could daily kill and slay three men which he saw and knew , although they were encloystered , and shut up in the narrow circumference of a little tower , and sometimes did deliberate and consult whether he should destroy them or no. but at last the countreymen did rear him in pieces , without any law-like judgment after he had committed many bloudy murthers : these things were done in the year . bodinus daemonom . lib. . cap. . at the pedemontanians , one caralius by name , who seemed to be an hermophrodite , and when this epicaene entred into other houses , and a while after they did kill men ; therefore the hermophrodite was attached and apprehended , and did discover the conjurations and the conventicles of all the witches , and many of their diabolical acts , ( for there were almost witches ) which did anoint the outward handle of the gates to kill men ; this was done , and happened in the year . and the same fell out afterwards at geneva in the year , where the plague raged for the space of seven years , of which there dyed many . cardan writes , that he saw a certain witch at patavia , which quickly kill'd a boy while she only gently touched his back with a rod. glauca being a zealous witch of medea , and the daughter of creon , king , who married jason , whom afterwards she slew , who sent her a golden crown on the marriage-day ; and when glauca did set the crown upon his head , there shined out a flame , by which he instantly was burned , as euripedes writes in medea , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he saith , non venenis tuis sed pharmacis , not by thy poisons , but druggs and medicines . we have before made mention of a biebrane witch , which was burnt at laodunum , in the year ; this witch did debilitate and weaken men , and strangely screwed them awry , and destroyed beasts and fruit ; but at that very instant when she was burned , all these ceased , as we have had intelligence of the judge who examined her ; besides , the same judge reported to me , that when the witch threatned a certain woman , that she should never after give suck , it so happened , that her milk instantly dryed up ; and although she bore many children , yet her breasts were dryed up : but the witch being burned quickly , her breasts abounded with milk ; i heard this of a certain nobleman , that her aunt did put an obstacle , or did cause her to be barren , and bring forth no children ; but when she dyed , she confessed that she might get a place for her children : but after her aunt dyed , and as soon as the clew of her life was unravell'd , or within a short while after , the lady was with child , and bore . or . children after she had been married eleven years . bodinus . vierus tells a story of a certain conjurer which he saw in germany , who in the day-time , in the sight of the people , ascended , flew upwards towards heaven ; and when his wife caught him by the feet as he was flying up , she was taken up together with him , and snatching hold on a maid , snatcht her up too , and they hovered a good while in the air , the multitude stood wondring at the miracle . a like example we read in the history of hugh floriacensis , a mantisconensian earl , howling with a great voice , o friends , help me , was caught up into the air and carried away , and wasn ever seen after . the same vierus relates , that he saw men snatcht into the air by devils . and it was required of a certain magitian in germany , who promised , that he would bring out the books of franciscus the first , king , out of the madrid tower ; he was transported through the ayr out of spain into france ; but for all this nothing was done , which was much feared , lest that they should rush upon the captain , and break all the necks of the ruinators . so there was a jewish magitian , sedechias by name , who ( as john the tritemian abbot relates ) did shoot a man thorough the ayr , and tore his body , and gathering up his limbs , knit them together again , as did simon magus , nero being present , who did gulph up a load of hay , with cart and horses , and drivers , in the sight of all the people . the end of the first book . the vvonderfull history of spectrals ; and the several devices and delusions of devils and evil spirits . the second book . of oracles , prophecies , and predictions of devils . telephus , the king of the mysons , who did prohibit and interdict the grecians from descending or going into the lower countreys , when he obstinately pursued ulysses amongst the vines ; but being hindred , he fell upon the trunk or stump of a vine ; achilles was a great way off , who shot a dart into the king's left thigh ; but peace being made , and the greeks returning to their own country , telephus was a long time afflicted with the pain of the wound ; and when he could not be cured by any means , when he was in great extremity , he was admonished by apollo's oracle , that he should make use of achilles and aesculapius his sons ; so he instantaneously sailed to argos , lest he should be denyed of the remedy that was promised him by the oracle ; achilles with machaon and podalyrius took care of his wound , and in a short space , that which the oracle did predict came to passe . croesu● , the king of the lydians , when he had parted with o●eson , as atium , he had another son that was dumb , and for the cure of it , he left nothing undone , no stone was unturned ; and then he sent to enquire of the oracle at delphos , to whom pythia answered : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . thy speechless son , great king , croesus high race , wish not his words to hear , thy long'd-for grace ; one day thy boon shall thee distresse , when thou shalt have with force what thou requestest now . the event did give credit to the oracle ; for the gardi being taken by cyrus , when a certain souldier rushed upon the king , his dumb son cryed out with a loud voice , when before he never spoke word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , o thou man , kill not croesus ; so that croesus by his own fault lost his kingdom , who by the words of his son , saved his life . herodotus lib. . the minyae relate or tell the story about hesiod's bones , after this manner ; the plague raging upon man and beast , they sent some to consult with the oracle , who received this answer , that to cease the plague , there was onely this one remedy ; for if they did but carry hesiod's bones out of the naupactian field , into orchomenium , otherwise their malady could not be cured : and again they asked of the oracle , in what part of the naupactian field that should find them ? pythia gave answer , that a crow would shew them the place . and when they returned back into their country , and those that were sent enquiring for it not far from the way side , saw a crow sitting on a stone , and there they digg'd , and found hesiod's bones in the concave of the monument , with this inscription , pausanias in boeticis . atheniensis , the son of catatreus the cretian's king , when he asked counsel of the oracle , had this answer given , that the fates had decreed , that his father should be slain by him ; and desiring to shun that fate , of his own accord , together with many other volunteers , went away into the mouth of rhodes , which is called camiros catatreus , by the instigation of his onely son , took his journey into rhodes , desirous of bringing his son into creet ; it was night time ere he came into the island , and there was a fight and a contention rise between his companions and the inhabitants of the iland , althemenes coming with his help , unwi●tingly he slew his father with a dart ; for which cause althemenes being struck with great sorrow , and not being able to bear the atlantean burden of that grief , he did forsake the company of men , and wandred alone thorow desarts and uncouth paths , and he being spent with grief , dyed . diodorus , lib. . cap. . amphio●'s house being wholly consumed with the plague , laius succeeded in the thebane kingdom ; he taking to wife jocasta , creon's daughter : and when he wanted children a long while , consulting the oracle , whether or no he were to have any children ? received this answer , it was not good for him to have children , because if he had , there would proceed from him a son that should kill his father , and by such an unlucky fortune should contaminate his house ; therefore laius commanded the infant that was born , that he should be thrown away , his feet being manacled in iron chains , from whence he was sirnamed oedipus , from the swelling of the wound : the houshold servants when they did not cast forth the child which they had given to them , they did delivered it to a certain woman servant , whose name was polybia ; and when he came to man's estate , laius appointed and gave order , that they should consult the oracle about the infant that was exposed and sent abroad . also oedipus being certified by whom he was so exposed ; and going to pythia , to get intelligence who were his parents ; so when he met with his father at phocidis , though they did not know one another , laius did very imperiously command oedipus to give him the way . oedipus moved with anger , slew laius , not knowing he was his father . diodorus , lib. . cap. . parysadas , the king of the bosphorean cymmerians , had three sons , eumelus , satyrus , and prytamis , who when their father was dec●ased , strove and contended for the kingdom ; eumelus by the help of ariapharnis the king of the thracians , slew prytamis ; satyrus oppugning the palace , received a wound in one of the muscles of his arm , and so perished by it ; therefore eumelus being possessed of , and invested in the kingdom for five years space , by a strange accident was slain ; for when he returned home to his house out of scythia , he hastened to a certain sacrifice , where there was a chariot running to the court , and it was carried upon four wheels , in which there was a tent or a pavilion , the horses were affrighted , and so carried him away ; when the chariot-driver could not hold the reins , the king fearing lest he should be cast into ditches , endeavoured to leap out of the chariot , and his sword being involved and sticking in one of the wheels , he was cut with it , falling cross upon it , and so was slain instantly . it is also reported , that saty●us was warned of the oracle , that he should have a care of a mouse , therefore he suffered none of his subjects to take that name , and ●●d much in fear of houshold-mice , and field-mice , and gave warning that the boyes should kill the mice , and stop the holes that they might not enter into the rooms : at last he ended his life , being wounded in a muscle of his arm . eumelus asking counsel of the oracle , received answer , that he should have a care of those things that he had carried to his house ; therefore he would not rashly enter into his house , unless first his young men had viewed the top and bottom of it ; but when he was slain by reason of the chariot wheel , because of the tent that was carried in the chariot , they all thought that the oracle was fulfilled . diodorus siculus , lib. viges . ctrus the king of the persians marching to istrum against the massagetes and essedonas , he consulted orpheus's head in lesbo ; and asking the oracle , of the event of the wars ; had this answer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i. e. similem exitum , ut ego , habebis , thou shalt dye the same death that i dyed of ; the event gave credit to the oracle : for cyrus was slain by tomyris the queen , who cut off his head , as orpheus's was by the thracian menadians . philostratus testis . polycrates the samian tyrant , after he had taken the rhene iland , and consecrated it to apollo , there was set up gallant playes at delphos ; and also sent to consult apollo's oracle , whether he should call those playes delion , or pythian ? the oracle answered , they shall be both pythion and delian playes to thee ; intimating , that he should soon dye ; and therefore it was made a proverb . there was a great slaughter revealed unto julius caesar , by many evident and wonderful prodigies ; for a few moneths before that time , when the husbandman by the julian were brought into the capuan colony to cast down the old monuments , to build new villages ; and they did it more accurately , in that some antiquarians that searched , found some brazen tables in a monument , which did give notice to them , that capys , the builder of capua , was buried there ; and there was found there that brazen plate , in which was written in greek this sentence ; when the bones of capys shall be discovered , then shall it come to passe , that one of julian - blood shall be slain by the hands of his kinsmen . and presently after italy was punished with great slaughter . and lest that any should think this thing fabulous and commentitious , the author of it is cornelius balbus , one of caesar's favourites . suetonius . titus the emperour had this of the oracle , he should dye in the same manner that ulysses perished and dyed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by the sea ; ulysses was slain by his son telegonus , by a wray-spear , that is , by a weapon of that fishe's bones , instead of an arrow ; and so titus was kill'd by his brother domitian with the poyson of a sea-hare . coelius , lib. . cap. . justinianus , the roman emperour , about the year of our lord , , sent one mundus , a captain , into dalmatia , against the ostrogoths , who inhabited salonas ; and when he went out with his son mauritius to behold the camp , he was slain by the goths ; and so fulfilled the oracle , and freed many from their fear . but there were some who said , that there were some prophetical verses pronounced by one of the sybills , whose opinion was , that mundus was to perish with his issue , where at length africk was to be taken by the romans ; but then justinian did restore africk to the tame vandals : this prophecie of sybill did much perplex and affright many men , who did expect , that there would a suddain destruction come upon the whole world : but the event , death , and end of this captain mundus and his son , did shew , that such like prophecies were obscure and ambiguous , and how fallacious the artificers of magick were . aventinus , lib. . annal. bojorum : et johan magnus , lib. . cap. . manuel comnenus hoping that the thred of his life should be extended , did put himself into a monasticall habit , so that he ended both his life and his reign together ; who had reigned eight and thirty years , excepting three moneths ; to which continuance of the empire , that old oracle seemed to allude , — tui prehendet , — te postrema nominis . viz. the last part or syllable of thy name will put finis to thy life . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last syllable of the name of manuel , with the greeks , doth comprehend or compleat that number . nicetas , lib. . xerxes beginning war with the grecians , when he was vanquished and overcome at salamina , he constituted mardonius , that he should prosecute the warr in his name ; but when he little availed and prospered at the plateas , when he fought and flew , his fame began to be mute ; mardonius left a great treasure in the tent which he had buried in the ground : polycrates the theban , enticed with hope of it , did buy the field ▪ but when he had a long time made scrutiny and search for the treasure , and yet did not find it , he consulted apollo's oracle at delphos , by what means he might find the treasure ? apollo answered him in these words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , turn every stone ; and when he did so , it is said , that he found great store of gold . erasmus in chiliadibus . after that twelve kings had created setho to be king of aegypt , and making a strict covenant between themselves that they should not entrench one upon another , and so by a sure conspiration did rule aegypt : but in the mean while , it was known by the oracle , that he that should sacrifice or offer in an iron vessell should only obtain the egyptian empire . not very long after , it came to passe that when by chance , when all the kings stood in vulcans temple in the manner of sacrificers , the chief priest of the temple , numbring each of them , except psammetichus who stood in the last place , took the phiall , and offered ; and he being compelled by necessity , took off his helmet , and sacrificed therewith , then he bore his censer as the rest of the kings did : the thing being minded , and observed , incontinently they that stood by , remembred the oracle , and consulting together , they judged psammetichus to be worthy of death . but by chance it happened to be known . the greatest part of the kingdome being shaken off , the other kings did relegate and dismisse by their law , another part of them into the fenny part of aegypt , and that the rest should abstain from that : psammetichus did take very ill that ignominy , and underhand took private counsell how he should revenge that contumely : therefore in the interim it was told by the oracle out of latone , which was in the buti city , accounted the truest of all those that the aegyptians had , that he should use the help and aid of the brazen men that should issue out of the sea , and that they should vindicate psammetichus , and inthrone him in great dignity . not much time was spent ere that the jonians mixt with the carian viewing all the sea-cost thereabouts , that they might rob thereabouts , and being driven by storms and tempests , did voluntarily steer their course into aegypt : therefore one of the inhabitants seeing them land , and come on shore , affrighted at the uncouthnesse and strangenesse of the thing , being full of fear , related it to psammetichus that the brazen men were come . for the aegyptians , untill that time , had never seen an harnessed souldier , then he perceived that the fatall time was come ; and quickly he entered in league with the jonians , and with their companions , and got them on his side , for the appointed war with many promises ; and psammetichus aided with these helps , quickly destroyed the kings by whom he was relegated and dismissed , and all the countrey was yielded to him . sabellicus lib. . ennead . . ex herodoti , lib. . manuel comnenus emperour , having a son born , that he might make his birth-day more famous , did entertain his noblest citizens ( as the custome was ) with a sumptuous feast , carrying boughs in their hands , and called his son alexius , not onely that he might honour him with his grandfathers name , but for the oracles sake , who by ambages and doubtfull speeches gave answer that so long the stock of the comnenian family should endure as the name did comprehend the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , per a. alexius ; per j. johannes ; per m. and a. manuel , and his son alexius , not obscurely did signify . nicetas lib. . the countrey of baeotia being spoiled and devastated by the sury , violence , and war of the thracians , they who over-lived the slaughter , went into the innermost concavest den where the oracle was , that there they should take up their seats , where they should see the white crows . by and by in thessaly near the pagaeatican promontory , when they were objected there to their sights , there were discovered to be white crowes , which being wet in wine , the boyes sent out de-albifyed and anointed with brine or plaister . coelius , lib. . cap. . when the teu●ri-cretensians sought themselves out new habitations , and asking advice of the oracle , received this answer , that they should there fix their station , and inhabit where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hoc est , terrae ●ilii eos adorirentur , where the sons of the earth should set upon them . they wandring about mysta and cili●ia , at last came into troy , where they fell asleep ; then a great company of domesticall mice did eat and gnaw the strings of their bowes and shields , so that when they awaked and rose up , they could make no more use of their bowes , therefore they thought that the mice were the enemies that were foretold to them by the oracle ; and sate down and lived in that place , and builded the town sminthe , because the cretans call mice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . eustachius , iliad . the phrygians being carried by aeneas their captain into the laurell field , were not willing to go any further , but listned to the oracle , that it might shew them some future events , and contingencies , the oracle told them , that there they were to have their permanent dwellings , where for hunger they should be driven to eat their tables : which not very long after their repulse hapned , and then they remembred , and made themselves bread-trenchers , which was for their meat , that for want of it they eat ; and then there was a cry from one to another , that now they were destroyed , and dead men because of their errour , for there should they have their mansions and dwellings , where they should eat such kind of tables for want of meat , which words were received with favour and consent by all them that stood about . it is not very evident where they rejected that answer of the trojan : some think at dodonaeum , others in the tent cottage of ida in erythris , which sybill did inhabit , a maid-prophetesse and dweller there . it is also said that the trojans were commanded to sail to the western countries untill they were driven into that place where they should be forced to eat their tables for want of bread . and when that happened they knew that time was come that they should end their wandring , and that they were arrived at the fatall land . sabellicus , lib. . aeneid . . the lacedemonians were led into the tarentine colony by their captain phalanthus , a spartane ; the oracle at delphos predicted , that when he did observe rain under aethra , then he should be master or overcomer of the field and city . but when he himself by the clew of his own reason , could not trace out the meaning of the oracle , neither knew what it meant , nor consulted any interpreter , he made ready his navy to go into italy ; and there when he had overcome the barbarous nations , and neither could compasse field nor city when it came into his mind , that it was utterly unpossible that that which the oracle said should be , and began to suspect it , whether it was the voice of god or no , because it could never come to passe that it should rain , when it is a pure crystalline serene heaven , which the greeks call aethra ; his wife very lovingly did comfort him by all means , who did so despond and despair , and sometimes leaning his head upon her knees , and killing flies , her tears for sorrow of heart , and the hard fortune of her husband , trickled down , that her hope was so frustrated . wherefore opening the sluces and floud-gates of her eyes , she did bedew and wet her husbands head ; then were the knots of the oracle unloosed , for the name of his wife was aethra . therefore in that very night which followed that day , he took the city , and a rich sea-town of the tarentines . pausanias in phocicis . codrus , an athenian king , sprung out of thrace , when the whole attick region was destroyed with the peloponnesian warr ; he advising with the oracle , had this answer , that they should be victors , whose captain perished by a warlike hand ; therefore putting off his kingly regal habit , he was like to a common souldier , and offered himself to the force of his enemy ; and one of the adverse souldiers struck him with his weapon , and so he voluntarily run upon his own death ; and was willing rather to perish himself , then that the athenians should perish . cicero in fine lib. . tusc . quaest . et lib. . de finibus . when xerxes made war with the grecians , the lacedemonians enquiring of the oracle about the event of the warr , they received this answer from pythia , that the athenians were to be overcome by the persians , but that the spartan king was to be kill'd in the field . mardonius saith , the athenians being relinquished and left , three hundred of the lacedemonians were slain with their king leonidas . herodot . lib. . the romans making warr against pyrrhus the epirotes king , paulus aemilius received this answer from the oracle , that he should be the victor , if he should build an altar in that place where he saw a man swallowed up in his running . a few dayes after he saw valerius torquatus swallowed up in the ground ; and therefore he built an altar there , and got the victory , and sent an hundred and sixty elephants to rome , carrying towers on their backs . plutarchus in parallelis . in the cimbrick warr batabaces came to pessinunte , being priest to the mother of great idaea , he brought the goddess out of the temple , to declare victory to the romans , and of the great glory and credit of the warr which was to come : and when the senate was agreed on it , and for victory sake had determined to go to the temple of the goddess of victory ; and when he was comeing ●or●h to make his oration to the people , that he might declare these things to them , a. pompeius , the tribune of the people , did hinder batabaces , calling him a deluder , a deceiver , and pluckt him out of his pulpit with great indignity , when the thing it self spoke for it , and commended his words ; and when pompeius returned home with whispering and muttering speeches , such a feaver bore him company , ( as every one knew ) that he dyed within seven dayes after . plutarchus in marii vita . when the vejentes in a sharp and long warr were driven within the city walls by the romans , and yet the city could not be taken ; and the delay did seem no lesse burdensome and intolerable to the besiegers , then to the besieged , the immortal gods by a wonderful miracle did make way for them , that they might accomplish their desired victory ; on a suddain the albane lake or gulph not being at all encreased by any showers from heaven , neither had it any addition from any inundation from earth , did overflow its banks ; and for inquisition sake to know the reason of it , ambassadours were sent to apollo's oracle at delphos , to know the reason of it ; they received this answer , that the water of that lake should be diffused thorough the fields ; for so even should the vejos be over-run , and brought into subjection by the romans : and before the legates might proclaim or declare , a southsayer of the vejentians was taken by a roman souldier , ( for they wanted interpreters of their own ) and he was brought into the tents , and did prophesie and predict : therefore the senate being warned by a double admonition and prediction , almost at the same time did obey the oracle , and was possessed of the city . valerius maximus , lib. . cap. . when the dorienses did often attempt to take elea against augea's posterity , whose king was then eleus , they were commanded by the oracle , that when they sailed back again , they should make trioculus captain ; and by chance oxylus met him sprung out of , and begotten of aemon of thoas his son , being a banished man in aetholia , playing in the sun , unwittingly he kill'd a man ; and when he had blinded a mule of one of his eyes , orespontes ingeniously conjectured , that the oracle belonged to oxylus , therefore the captain being elected , they passed to peloponnesus in a ship ; for he conceived , that by a foot-army they could not attempt to break thorough the straits ; so the dorienses obeyed , and they presently got elea. pausanias , lib. . the lacedemonians were alwayes overcome in warr by the tegeans : they asked advice of the oracle , how , and by what means they might so please their gods , that they might overcome the tegeans ? pythia answered , that orestes the son of ag●me●non , his bones were to be brought to lacedemon ; and they doubting and being uncertain of the place in which they were hid ; the oracle answered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to this purpose : there 's an arcadian liveth in a cot , where wind is by two hulls together got , where type on th' antitype , one dint is set upon another , where lye bury'd yet the spoyles of agamemnon : if that ground and cot thou purchase , there they may be found . when no man could understand the oracle , liches , one of the benefactors of the spartanes , came to tegea , and sitting down in a brazier's shop , wondred at his works . to whom the smith said , why dost thou wonder , o thou stranger , ( saith he ) at these ? thou wouldst much more wonder , if thou shouldst see a sepulchre which i have found , by digging a well under ground , in which i saw bones seven cubits long , which i again buried in the earth . then liches instantly call'd to mind the oracle within himself , and conceived , that those two winds which the oracle had spoken of , were the bellows of the smith ; and that the anvil was an antitype : for he was to suffer in rowing back ; and that the hammer was a sign or emblem which struck the anvil , of evil , first passive , because it suffers from the hammer ; afterwards also active , because it was invented for mens destruction . and liches ruminating with himself , did communicate this thing to the lacedemonians , and feigning an escape , returned to the tegeans ; and he bought the skeleton , of the smith , and privily carried the bones to lacedemon : and then it came to passe , that the lacedemonians overcame the spartanes in warr , almost at that very same time in which cyrus took the kingdom from croesus . herodotus , lib. . in the reign of tiberius the emperour , there was an oracle given out at rome , in these words ; bis ter trecentis circumvolventibus annis , seditio perdet romanos . ere thrice three hundred snakes incircled bee , rome by sedition ruin'd you shall see . which they did think came to passe in nero's time , which fell out near that time ; the people repeated these words , when part of the city was wickedly burnt by nero ; nero to pacifie the people , said , that there was never such words spoken : which done , the people sung this sybills verse , ultimus aeneadum matrem necat induperator . the last of the aenea's family shall kill his mother , he being emperour . which happened ; and whether it was an oracle from god , or from a prophetick spirit that was amongst the people , or by a guesse that they had from the state that things was then in , i know not ; for nero was the last of the julian-family , which sprung from aeneas which ruled . xiphilinus , in nerone . a little before the coming of the spaniards into america ; the king of the island which , after the name of the finders , they called hispaniolam ; he consulted the idol of zemus , and religiously underwent a fast for five dayes together , also much whipping , that he might know what would become of his kingdom . the devill answered , that there were bearded , which should be armed men , that should take away the kingdom by force , and that by one fatal blow , they by their swords should anatomize many bodies , and that they should oppresse the inhabitants by cruel servitude . the king hearing the words of the oracle ; and that he might appease the wrath of the gods , he epitomized and comprehended in a verse which they call arentum , which he would have to be sung at their festivals , with solemn ceremonies ; therefore many of the inhabitants when they saw the spaniards-first come into the island , they consulted how they might escape , remembring the oracle . petrus cieza , tom . . rerum indicarum . cap. . sardanapalus , an assyrian king , was besieged by arbaces a mede : ●n the city of ninus , there was an oracle given to his ancestors , that ninus could never be taken , unless the enemy should make a river to the city , which he verily believed could never be taken ; and therefore he thought he could bear out the siege , and also expected aid to come to him . when he had held out the siege for the space of two years , by lethargiz'd and idle besiedged persons the river by continual showers did flow to a very great heighth ; and when it had deluged a good part of the city , and had cast and thrown down the walls for the length of twenty furlongs ; the king thinking the time of the oracle was come to passe , despaired of remedy ; and lest that he should be taken of the enemies , he burnt the palace : arbaces creeping thorough the ruines of the walls , was made king. diodorus , lib. . cap. . there was an oracle given to the poet hesiod , that he should have a care of the temple of naemean jupiter ; when therefore he took his flight from nemean at peloponnesus , by chance he came into oeneon of locris , where there was a temple of jupiter naemean ; and being in that place , unawares he was slain by amphiphane and ganetor , the sons of physigeus , because they believed their sister was deflowred by him , and that stesichorus was sprung from him by that illegitimate means . thucyd. apud gyrald . dial. . hist . p●ët . epaminondas the thebane received this from apollo's oracle at delphos , that he was to have a care of pelagus , which he thought was to be understood of the sea ; wherefore it was his greatest care , lest he should be carried or transported any where by galleys , or by any other vessel : but the devil had forewarned him , not that he should avoid the sea , but a grove that he was to eschew at mantinea , whose name was pelagus , where he dyed . pa●sanias in arcadicis & suidas . there was an oracle also given to cambyses , a persian king , out of the city of latona of butus , that he was to yield himself to the fates in the way to ecbatanis ; he understood it of ecbatana of meda ; but when he was in syria , after the death of apis the egyptian god , he got upon his horse , his sword was naked , wounded the king in the thigh , tormented with fear and grief ; and he asked what was the name of the next town ? and when he knew that it was ecbatana , he did acknowledge his errour , and dyed despairing . herodotus lib. . pythia did prophesie and predict the death of philip king of macedonia , in this manner : — taurus adest , & finis adest , ferietque minister ▪ et graecis pariter , o utinam fierem jovis ales in aethere juxta thermodoontis aquas , procul ut bella horrida ab alto ▪ despicerem ; victus flet at hic qui vicit obivit . a bull being present , thy end 's not absent far , the servant o're the greeks shall domineer ; o that i were jove's bird eagling on high , towring alwayes near to the azure sky , o're thermodonian waters for to see such crimson and such scarlet tragedie , where conquer'd shall bewail with weeping eye , the conquerour conquer'd , by the fates shall dye . this doubtfull speech king phillip interpreted on his side , and thought that it was predicted by the oracle as though perses were to be sacrificed in the manner of a sacrifice . but the meaning was far otherwise which signifyed quite contrary , to wit , phillip being amongst a great company of men amongst the sacrifices where there ought to be a crowned bull sacrificed , and therefore he was very glad , and sacrificed joyfully , supposing afterwards to have his tutelar gods to help him to bring asia under the dominion of macedonia , and when he offered great oblations in honour of the gods , and his daughter cleopatra , which came of his wife olympias , was espoused to alexander the king of the epirots his brother , he commanded that the marriage should be celebrated in aegis the city of macedonia , and many out of all the parts of greece flocked to that jolly wedding , and magnificent consorts of musick , and contention in it , and also a great feast made to receive the friends and guests , he in the midst of the ceremonies invested in a white garment , was slain by pausaunias one of the guard , at the thermodonian river near chaeronea , where a little while before he had got a famous victory of the grecians : for pausaunias took hainously that he was complained of for ravishing of attalas the neece of olympias and was of●en derided of the king for it . diodorus lib. . & pausaunias in arcad. the same king when he had consulted the delphick oracle what he might do that he might come and attain to a full and perfect age ; pythia commanded him that he should avoid quadrigas , which he understood , was meant a cart drawn with four horses ; which hearing , he gave order that all carts throughout his whole kingdome should be removed , and would not go into boetia , which was called quadrigas . at the last he was slain by pausaunias , who carried a cart and four horses engraven in the hilt of his sword. valerius maximus , libro primo . cicero de fato . plutarch , in alexandro . others say , that when he encircled and rid about the thebane marsh , which was called currus , he was slain . aeschylus the tragick athenian poet , was told by the oracle that he should dye by a blow ; therefore being a banished man in sicilia , he did eschew roofs lest he should be oppress'd by their ruine , or knock't on the head by their fall : but it hapned that sitting on a stone in the country , with his head uncovered , and an eagle flying on high called morphos , ( whose sole property it is to break the sea shell-fish ) and being hallucinated and deceaved by the whitenesse of his bald pate , thinking it to be a chalky stone , let the shell-fish fall upon it , to have the shell-fish broken , and so aeschylus perished by that fall and stroak . idem . lib. . cap. . daphidas the sophister , when he ironically had consulted the delphick oracle , whether he might have an horse upon which he might be carried ; the oracle answered that there might be found one , but that he should be so troubled and vexed by it , that he should dye . a while after he went to attalus the king , whom he had formerly offended , and was apprehended , and so precipitated , and cast down from a stone , was called equus . cicero de fato . et valer. max. lib. . de miraculis . when dionysius the seniour , tyrant of syracusa , acted a tragedy to the a●henians in their bachanalian feasts , and when he by all their suffrages and voices was declared victor , one of the queristers or chanters of the musicall company , thinking that he should have some great reward if he were the first messenger that should relate the victory , sailed in all haste to corinth . and there found a ship that was to go to sicily , and boarding on it with prosperous winds and gales sailing to his desired haven , and arriving at syracusa , and then incontinently related the victory to the tyrant , and was gratified with great rewards . dionysius was exceeding glad of the news , and offered gratulatory sacrifices to his gods , and celebrated great feasts , banquettings , and bacchanalians ; and when he had invited his friends and familiars indulging and overcharging himself with too much wine , fell into a grievous sicknesse by reason of his too much gulphing of wine . but when he was told by his gods that he was to dye , when he had overcome his betters . he taking the oracle in this sense , to wit , as having reference to the carthagenians , that they were better , stronger , and more warlike men then he . wherefore having many conflicts , bickerings , & skirmishes with them , if the victory seemed to hang in equilibrio , i.e. eeven ballance , or rather his side was likely to have the praestat , he was wont to make the two wings of his army to fly away and to be ore-come of their own accord , least he should seem to overcome his betters , but yet for all this matchevilian policy , he could not escape the sentence which the fates had determined against him . but being an indifferent good poet , was adjudged by the a●henian suffrages to overcome better poets ; therefore the truth of the oracle being in some measure accomplished , and fulfilled , the term and date of his life ended . diodorus , lib. . alexander the epirot's king , being called into italy by the tarentines , and by the lots of the dodonean oracle , he was warned to have a care of atherusia , and the city of pandosia ; for there he was to yield himself to the fates , for this cause he sent betime into italy , that he might keep a distance from pandosia a city of epirus , and acheron its river , which the thesprotian bosome received , it flowing out of molossis , standing hellish black jet-like pools and bayes . but no humane providence or foresight could eschew fatal necessity , which for the most part rushes soonest into that which is aimed most to avoid . oftentimes alexander had overcome the brutians and lucans in battell , and had taken many of their cities . in the mean time , he had fortified and strengthened three monuments not far from the pandosian city , which did grieve and molest the borders of the lucans and brutians , and did grievously oppresse the countrey thereabouts . but continuall showers did so deluge and overflow the fields that lay between , and so the army being parted into three , could not get help from any other . alexander , not being able to get supplies , made two bulworks or castles of defence , therefore they environed with their siege , the captain parting with , and losing a great part of his riches and provision : there were of the lucans exuls and banished men about alexander ; by this means , they with their party promised that they would bring the king into their power , either alive or dead . therefore the king daring to adventure , broke through the midst of his enemies with his out-spread waving hands and arms , and killed the captain of the lucans , fighting with him hand to hand , and gathering together his army into one , he with a full body came to the river , the strength of whose tide a little before had broke down the bridge , and when he consulted of an escape over it , being not fathomed by him , and his army being tyred out , and by chance one blab'd forth the name of the river , which was much hated by the king , and so exclaimed and cryed out , art thou called acheron , which being known , he made a great haesitation whether or no he should passe over the river : and when he so delayed , one sotinus a servant , gave warning that the lucans did seek places to lye in wait for them , and when the king thought that they were ready to rush upon him , with his naked sword , he leapt into the river . a horse on the overthwart bank stood to receive him ; which when one of the lucans had wounded him with casting a dart , and the streaming tides carryed him down ( his spear sticking fast ) towards the enemies camp dead , and they tearing it to pieces , and cutting it in the midst , one part they sent away , the o●her was kept for to be mocked , which they a long while battered with stones and darts , and at the last they delivered it to a woman , that she might keep it to be a ransome to redeem her husband and children which were captives on the adverse party , and they sent away the bones of the burned body to their enemies at metapontus , from whence they were further sent to cleopaetra , and to her sister olympias , the mother of great alexander . strabo ▪ lib. . valerius maximus , lib. . there was an old oracle came from the altar of jupiter ammon , concerning the death of annibal the famous carthagenian captain . lybyssa corpus teget tuum . lybyssa shall be thy grave . anniball did suspect africa , and that his buriall should be in carthage , and thought he should end his life there , for there is a fabulous place of bythinia : beside the sea not far off , there is a little village called lybyssa , and by chance annibal was banished there ; and because he alwayes suspected the mollities , and tendernesse of the king of prussia , and abhorred the romans , therefore he opened seaven subterraneal holes or passages before his house , or out of his tent , and divers foramina or oilet holes made , in which there was many secret conspirators , privately combineing together . and when he received that commandement of t. quintius flaminius the roman ambassadour which he had desired and obtained of the king , he attempted a flight through the private holes ; but when he fell into the kingdomes snares , he determined to kill himself . some report him to wrap his neck in his cloak , and commanded his servant that he should infix his knee in his posteriours , and twine and twist him hard , untill he should dye . livius lib. . decad. . and had poison given him , which he had power to mix and mingle himself , and taking the cup himself , said , we free at last the roman people by this dayes work , when he believed that it was expected there should be a long and a tedious death of that hated old man , and by this means they say anniball perished . plutarchus in flaminio . pausaunias vero in arcadicis ; that when he got upon a horse , he of his own accord , wounded his hand , and had not rid far when a feaver got hold of him by reason of the inflammation of his wound , and that he dyed within three dayes . and so the fatall name of the man whom the nicomedienses called lybyssam , fulfilled the oracle . appius claudius in a civil war , in which cn. pompeius falling out with caesar , breaking the league , bringing both detriment to himself and to the common-wealth , desirous to find out the spring and root of that great sedition ( for he excelled in strength the achaian empire ) he compelled the chief governour of the delphick tripos , to descend into the inmost concave that they might know certain things ; consulting with the oracles , they were almost choaked such a damp and stinking vapour of that divine , or rather diabolical spirit was drawn in by them . therefore an inspired virgin by the instinct of the deity , and with a horrid voice , sung with such quavering sounds of words , uttered the destiny , or oracle . for it is nothing ( saith she ) to thee ; in this romane war , thou shalt get the valley of euboea : but he thinking to be admonished by apollo's oracles , lest there should arise any contention or difference about it , departed into that region and countrey which is between rhamminta , that noble and renouned part of micka and caristum , bordering upon the chalcidick sea , lying between , got the name of euboea , where he was spent and consumed of a disease , before the pharsalian combat and fight , and he possessed that burying place which was foretold him by the devill . valerius max. lib. . cap. . the antianaean oracles gave an item unto c. caligula that he should have a care of cassius , therefore he gave order that cassius longinus the pro-consull of asia being a lawyer , to be put to death ; but before he had satisfied his tyrannicall desires , he was slain by cassius chaerea , not being able to eschew his fate . rutilius , in vita cassii . michael comnenus palaeologus emperour , grieved with a pain at his heart , and being much troubled and perplexed with the fear of death , he asked those that stood about him , what was the name of that place . when he had heard the name of pachonii and allages , with a great sigh , he said , that there was he to finish his life , and that his death was decreed by the fates , and therefore bitterly accused himself , that before that time he had not blinded and pluck't out the eyes of that honest man pachonius , for that an oracle was publickly reported to be given out concerning the emperour , that being deceased pachonius should succeed him in the kingdome , and being deceived and blinded with the love of ruling he had not hastned to make pachonius unserviceable for the empire . gregoras lib. . there was a famous city in olympos , whose name was libethra , which mountain stretched it self forth into macedonia , not far from which city there is orpheus's tomb and monument , and there was formerly an oracle had from liberi patres , to the libethrians out of thrace , that their city should be raced out , and destroyed by a swine , when the sun first should see orpheus's bones . and therefore they being so well versed and accustomed to the oracle , that they never mistrusted any thing , neither did they believe that there was any wild beast endued with such strength that could deface such a city , which relyed no lesse upon their own confidence then it 's great strength . but when it pleased the gods that these things should come to passe , a certain shepheard at noon-tide being weary , laid down beside orpheus his tomb. and by chance falling asleep , in his dream began to chant and to sing orpheus verses in a sweet and delectable tone , and by that sweet chanting , those shepheards that were hard by , and those plowmen that were plowing not far off being much taken with it , left their work , and ran to hear the sweet song of the sleeping shepheard , and there when they joggled and justled one another nearer and nearer to the shepheard , they threw down the pillar , and that being cast down the urne was broken up , which done , the sun saw orpheus's bones : therefore in the following night , a great deal of rain came , and the river sides ( being one of olympus streams ) cast down the walls of the libethrians , and o'returned the holy temples and buildings , and destroyed all the men and beasts which were within the wals . pausaunias in baeoticis . the siph●ian ilanders , by reason of their silver and gold-mines , are very rich , heaping up great treasures , and yearly did send their tenths to apollo at delphos ; they inquired of the oracle , whether they were to possess their present enjoyments long , or no ? pythia answered ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . when you a market-house , and council-hall erect all white , beware , a cunning blade with woodden troops , and with red ensigns shall thy coasts and thee with cruelty invade . the event confirmed the oracle ; for the siphnians at that time had a market-place and a councel-house built of white parian marble ; when the samians instantly came themselves to siphnum , and sending a ship with their ambassadours to the city , which was ( as all ancient ships used to be ) painted red ; the messengers did require ten talents ; the siphnians refused : the samians possessed themselves of their fields , and slew many of their city , and took many prisoners , which the siphnians redeemed for a hundred talents ; then at last ( although it was very late ) they understood the oracle , of a woodden army , and a red ship of legates and ambassadors , herodotus , lib. . there was an ancient oracle given to the messanensians in sicily , carthaginenses urbis suae lixas futuros ; which they understood in this sense , that the carthagenians were to be slaves of the city messana , and to be serviceable to them , and by this hope were puffed up with pride ; therefore they attempted to oppose themselves against hamilcar the carthaginian captain ; but their city being taken , at the last they understood the equivocall sense of the oracle ; for hamilcar did command the carthaginian souldiers , like servants , that they should demolish and pull down all their houses , and that they should leave nothing unruinated and not pull'd down , and to burn all , and to spatter the ruines all about ; neither was there any delay for his commands , they did ruinate the walls , and o'return the buildings with such violence , that the multitude hasting , and being urgent , in a short time they had finished the work , all the monuments were presently abolished ; and the manner of the place was utterly blotted out , and the ground , where the city formerly stood , did appear so overthrown , and trampled , that scarce any tokens of habitation could be any where discerned , &c. diodorus , lib. . the phocenses being miserably vexed with war by the thessalians , sent to consult the oracle at delphos , concerning their affairs : and their ambassadours , received this answer ; mortalem atque . deum jubeo decernere ferro : victor uterque , aliud sed enim mortalis habeto . the god and man i do command to try it out by sword , who shall have victory : they both are conquerors , i do confesse , but yet the mor●al shall the god possesse . the phocenses being pusled with this dubious oracle , and not at all understanding the meaning of it , sent out three hundred scouts , who were all slain even to the last man , with their captain gelo. this slaughter struck the camp with a very great terrour . and at last they were come to that height of desperation , that they brought together their wives , children , all their goods , and whatsoever they could wrap or wring , as gold , silver , and rich clothes , and amongst the rest , the ensigns of their gods , and building about them , a very great pile , they left onely thirty men to look to them , with strict charge , that when they were in fight with their enemies , if they saw any thing go cross or against them , they should first slay their wives and children , and then cast all the goods upon the pile , and then put fire to it ; and lastly , that they should either kill one another , or run desperately upon their enemies weapons ; from which amongst the greeks all cruel and immane councels and designs were called phocica , or phocensian . things being thus ordered by the advice and counsel of tellias , an elian prophet , they draw out against the enemy , and being resolute , rush most desperately in amongst them , and being acted with utter desperation , plyed their hands so furiously , that they obtained the most absolute and signal victory that ever any age could boast of . then was the oracle plain and obvious to every ordinary understanding . for according to their custome in war , the generals on both sides gave to their souldiers tesserae , or marks to be known by from the enemy , as we do our watch-word . and these happened then to fall pat with the answer of apollo : the thessalians giving etonia minerva ; and the phocenses the founder of their country , phocus . the lacedemonians having received the most healthfull and good laws of lycurgus , after his death being ( as we say ) prick'd with provender , and not content longer to enjoy their ease and quiet , puft with the conceit of being more noble then the arcadians , they consult pythia , whether they might not attain the possession of that whole kingdom to themselves entirely ? to whom she returned this answer ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . wouldst thou arcadia have ? a pretious boon , yet i will grant many fruit-eaters soon arcadia enter shall , these it impair ; and this i grant thee , thou shalt there a fair and plenteous harvest reap their land about all rich , with fetters thou shalt measure out . when the lacedemonians had received this answer , they declined their assault of the rest of arcadia , and onely set upon the tegeates , taking fetters along with them , to wit , that having an oracle to that purpose , they might bring the tegeates into captivity ; and so make use of their fetters . but having fought them , they themselves were vanquished , and those that came alive into the enemies hand , were fettered with those very ropes they had brought , and put to mow and till the tagean land , being restrained within the length of their fetters . those very fetters remained in the temple of minerva alea at tegea , within the memory of man , being hung up as a trophie for that victory . herodotus , lib. . cleomenes , king of the spartans , consulting the oracle at delphos , had this answer , eum argos esse capturum ; which runs either thus , that he should take argos ; or , that argos should take him ; or he the argians : which oracle understanding in the more favourable sense , he was very confident of taking the city argos : but when he had surrounded some troop● of the argi in a grove , and there burnt them , asking who was the deity of that place ? and being told it was a●gus , he complained , the oracle had deluded him ; and then quitted all hope of conquering argos . herodotus , lib. . philomelus the phocensian , having taken the delphick oracle , began to compell pythia to tell him something of the future event of the affairs of his country ; at whose imperious carriage the woman being much moved , said unto him , sir , you may do what you please . at which words philomelus very much rejoyced , taking them as a most apt answer to his demands , and the prediction of his future successe ; and presently hereupon gave out in writing , that the gods had licensed him to do what he pleased ; and after the custome calling together the people , in a speech he made to them , expounded the oracle , exhorting them to be of good courage for the future ; and after this wholly bent his resolution and endeavours for military designs . there happened also a prodigy in the temple of apollo , in this manner ; an eagle hovering over the roof , cast her self down to the very ground , and followed some doves that were carried into the temple , preying upon them at the very altar ; which those that pretended skill in matters of that nature , expounded , an undoubted token of the good successe of philomelus and the phocensians in the delphic warr ; which lasted nine years dubious , but at last terminated with the destruction of the phocenses . diodor. lib. . croesus demanding of the oracle at delphos , whether he should reign long , or no ? received this answer from pythia ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . whenso'ere a mungril mule shall have the crown , wanton well fed , shall frisk it up and down with 's tender hoofs ; then fly and make no stay to ask what is the news ; away , away . craesus concluding with himself that there would never any mule reign over the medes instead of a man , thence infer'd that his rule should be perpetuall : not understanding that by a mule , was understood cyrus ; because he was descended of two severall nations : his mother mandane being of a better extract then his father cambyses . for she was a mede , and astyages the king his daughter ; and he but a persian when they were subject to the medes . herodotus lib. . arcesilaus being driven from his kingdome with his mother pheretima , being at samos ; sollicited all persons he could meet with in hope to regain his country ; and having got together a very considerable army ; he sent to delphos to consult the oracle there about his return into his own kingdome : to whom pythia returned this answer . during the time of four battus's , and as many arcesilaus's , to wit , eight generations of men apollo , hath granted thee to reign ; and further dehorts thee to endeavour . and likewise perswades thee when thou art in thy own seat , to remain in peace ; but if thou findest a furnace full of pitchers or pots , be sure thou boil them not , but fling them out ; and if thou dost fire the furnace , take heed of entring a place that is compassed with water , for if thou dost , thou shalt perish , and the bull do what he can . arcesilaus taking those forces he had gathered in samos , returned to cyrene , and having recovered his kingdome , and somewhat setled his affairs , not minding the oracle , he called his adversaries to judgment , and those that he could lay hold on , he sent to cyprus to be executed ; whom the cnidians when they were brought into their countrey rescued , and sent them to thera . some that had privately conveyed themselves into a strong tower-building combustible matter round , he burnt the tower and all . when he had done , he began to remember this was that the oracle had forbidden him , and went out of the city cyrene fearing the death predicted , for he conceived cyrene to be that circumfluous place he was warned to avoid ; and betook himself to the king of barcaeans called alazeris whose neece he had married , where some as well barcaeans as cyrenean exuls espying him walking in the forum set upon him , and divided both his and his cosen alazeris heads from their bodies . herodotus lib. . nero caesar being warned by some mathematicians that the ruine of his empire was portended by the stars , but some of them differ'd in opinion in one thing , and some in another , at last being sick , he sent to delphos to be resolved what should be the fate of his state ; and received in answer this , that he should beware of the . year . which when he heard , being an inconsiderate man , and scarce above thirty ; he so wholly gave himself up to security , that he feared nothing , concluding that the oracle had promised him a peaceable reign during his whole life , and that he could not dye before the appointed year set down by the oracle , insomuch that he arived to that height of insolence , vaine conceit , that having lost some precious jewells in a tempest ; he was confident the fishes would export them to land for him , as they were in duty bound , in his conceit : with these fond extravagancies was he elevated , even till on a sudden he was left destitute by all his friends and subjects , and forced to a most ignominous end , so well did apollo's counsell steed him . but least this father of lies should seem to deliver any untruth , the night before his death he made nero hear a voice , cursing the name of nero , and extolling that of galba , that so he might understand it was by the will and institution of the oracle that he fell ; for galba succeeded him for the space of seventy three years . petrarcha ex suetonio . xerxes the son of darius , having dig'd up an old monument of belus , found an urne of glasse , in which a dead corps lay in oyl , but the urne was not full , but empty a hands breadth from the hips of the body , near which there stood a little pillar or column , on which was contained written , that it should go ill with him that opened the sepulchre , and did not fill the urne : which when xerxes had read , he was taken with much dread and horrour , and commands presently oyl to be powred into it , with which it was not full , he therefore commands again more oyl to be bestowed upon it , and found that the urne was nothing fuller , than before ; yet he continues seeking to fill it , till he found that all his labour was in vain , and then the monument being shut , he departs in great grief and sorrow , he had fifty myriads of men in an army designed against the greeks , but returning ▪ he miserably ended his life , being kill'd by night in the streets by the hands of his own son . aelianus ex herodoti , lib. . sylvester the second , formerly called gilbertus , a french-man ( as ●hey say ) by evill arts obtained the popedome . when he was a young man , he was a monk in a monastery of florence scituated in the aurelian diocesse , but leaving the monastery , the devill followed him , to whom he wholly surrendred himself ; he came to hispalis a city of spain to study , being very desirous of learning ; in which he was so great a proficient , that in a short time , of a scholler he became chief master . martinius testifies that robert , king of france , and lotharius , a man famous by nobility and learning who was afterwards created arch-bishop of senosenses were his schollers ; gilbertus therefore , provoked by ambition and diabolicall desire of governing , first by largenesse and gifts , he obtained the arch-bishoprick of rhemes , then of ravenna , and lastly the popedome it self , the devill helping his endeavours herein , but upon this condition ; that after his death he should be wholly his , by whose assistance he had got so great dignity ; he moved the devill to tell him how long he should continue pope ; the enemy of mankind answering ( as he is wont ) ambiguously , if thou shalt not come near jerusalem , thou shalt live long . when therefore in the fourth year and first moneth of his popedome the tenth day , he had sacrificed in the great church of the holy crosse at rome , he knew that by his fate he was to dye forthwith : he therefore repented and acknowledged his wickednesse before the people , and renouncing all ambition and diabolicall fraud , he exhorted all to a good and pious life . when the boetians wasted the sea-coasts of attica , and the athenians were about their expedition against aegrina , there comes an oracle from delphos that the aeginetians could not be hurt for thirty years ; in the thirtieth year when the aeginetians had dedicated a temple to aeacus that things might succeed with them , they began their war with them ; but as they made violent war against them , so they received many losses and brought great detriment to themselves , and at the last were in great extremity when the athenians heard of this oracle , they likewise dedicated a temple to aeacus , which is now to be seen in their market-place , but they thought they were not to forbear war for thirty years , which time they heard to be fatall , but that if they forbore war they should receive many wrongs from the aeginetians . herodotus lib. . the wisedome of the persian magies and their skill in divination is kept in memory by many monuments , who as they fore old many things , so they predicted by many secret signes the cruelty that art●xerxes ochus afterwards exercised against those he sub●ued , and the miserable slaughter that ensued , for when ochus subdued the government of the persians , one of them advised a certain magitian , one of the eunuchs to observe ( the table being covered ) u●on what mea● ( amongst all that the table was furnished with ) the king should first lay his hands , who intentively marking ochus with both his hands stretched out , with his right hand he hastily took to him a knife , and with the other the biggest loaf upon the table , which with flesh upon the board he carved , and ate heartily and chearfully , these two prophets hereupon concluded , that there would ensue during his reign , fruits of the earth in great plenty , and a seasonable time to gather them , but frequent slaughters . elianus lib. . et diodor. lib. . bibliothecae . amongst the pedasensians which live above halicarnassus , it is reported that as often as any adverse fortune is ready to seize upon the amphiensians ( who live near that city ) a huge beard suddenly groweth upon the chin of their chief priest of minerva the goddesse , which happened twice amongst them . herodotus , lib. . beleses a chaldean , exhorted arbares general of the medes , to invade the kingdome of the babilonians , promising to him certain victory , which after two years , and much losse by slaughter given and received on both sides , undermining the city of ninus king of sardinapalus , he desperately burned the kings pallace , and obtained it . diodorus , lib. . cap. . thales the milesian , perceiving that the next year would be a very plentiful season for oyl , ( by the rising of the seven stars , ) bargained afore-hand with his customers for all that years oyls at a greater rate , than otherwise , by reason of the great plenty , he could have sold them for . and likewise foreseeing the next year there would be a great scarcity , he aforehand bought up many mens oyls at a cheap rate ; and the year following sold them very dear , and thereby became rich . fulgos . lib. . cap. . and others . pliny ascribes this piece of policy to democritus , and sayes , that sextius a roman used the very same cunning at athens . this man commanded his body , when he was dead , should be buried in a very obscure place of the milesian fields , foreseeing that there should be a forum or common mart erected there by the romans . plutarchus in solone . at mnesarchis the common cryer boetus was told by the chaldaeans , that his son should be victor in contentions . wherefore he would have had his son become a fencer . but afterwards he set to write tragedies , and therein was indeed the victor of all others . gellius , lib. . cap. . who relates it out of theopompus . the birth-day of the emperour augustus fortuned to fall on that very time that cataline's cause of his conjuration was a pleading in court. and his father octavius staying a little longer than ordinary , excused himself , for that his wife was newly brought to bed . p. nigidius , then present , looking his birth-hour , is said to affirm , that then was born the lord of the whole world. he being at apollonia , went with agrippa to theogenes his chamber ; but when theogenes had predicted most high things , as he thought , of agrippa's birth-day , betwixt fear and shame , lest his destiny should prove inferiour , could hardly be perswaded to tell his nativity . and when he declared it , theogenes is said to have danced about with joy , and to have worshipped him ; which somewhat animated augustus ; so that he afterwards published his destiny , and stamped a coyn , with the sign of capricorn , in which he was born . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . ex suetonio . when livia bore tiberius , scribonius the mathematitian promised great matters ; yea , and that he should reign one time or other ; but without a regal diadem : for then you must understand , the power of caesars was altogether unknown and unheard of amongst them . suetonius . tiberius caesar , that he might learn the art of the chaldeans had a teacher , one thrasyllus . as often as he consulted about these kind of matters , he went into a private and out-house , suffering no one to be privy to his business , but one free-man onely . he was altogether unlearned , but of a robustious strong body , and had gone before him through roughs and craggs ( for the house stood upon a rock ) ; and this thrasyllus his art , tiberius was resolved to try . for as he returned , if he suspected him of any fraud , he had resolved to precipitate him down a rock in his return , that there might no one remain privy to this his levity . after he had most exquisitely told tiberius how he should be emperour , and many other future events , he askt him , if he could calculate his own birth-day ? he answered , yes ; and looking into his destiny , the more he look'd , the more he quak'd and trembled , and at last cryed out , that some eminent and imminent danger attended him . when caesar saw this , he ran to him , embraced him , and told him what his danger was ; promisi●g him , for that he knew it , he should be safe of it . on a time tiberius as he was walking on the sea shore with him in much perplexity of mind , thrasyllus advised him to be of good comfort , and hope better things ; but when he grew so dejected , that he was almost ready to cast himself into the sea , being in great fear of his father in law augustus , thrasyllus espying a ship come sailing towards them , affirmed to him very confidently , that that very ship brought him good tydings . the ship being put into the haven , he received letters from augustus and livia , whereby he was recalled to rome , according to his hearts desire . dion in augusto . claudius the emperour , a little before his death creating consuls , predicted to them the moneth wherein he should dye ; and having assured them of the very utmost limit of his time , in his last counsel he did obtest , that his sons should live brotherly and lovingly , commending them to the senate , and professed it again and again to them that were present , ( and who were very sorry , desiring the contrary ) that he should dye as he had told them . suetonius . nero being born early in the morning before sun-rising , a certain astrologer looking into the course of the stars , said , that he should reign at rome , but should kill his own mother , which when agrippina his mother heard , she said , let him kill me , so he may be emperour . the event declares , that the astrologer predicted truth . xiphilinus in nerone . ascletarion , a mathematician , being brought to domitian the emperour , because he was so bold as to predict somewhat concerning his end ; when he did not deny but he had reported those things which by his art he foresaw : domitius growing very angry , commanded him to tell him what his own end should be ; and he told him , to be torn to pieces by dogs , and that very shortly . whereupon he presently commanded him to execution , and that body his should be burnt to ashes , and that the ashes should be buried , to try the truth , or rather to disprove the falshood of his assertions . but fate would not be altered ; for when the pile and all was prepared , an exceeding showr of rain came so violently , that all the executioners and company left the dead body by the pile ; and , that while , the dogs came and tore it . whilest he was at supper , latinus his jester telling him this amongst the rest , of that dayes fables and conceits ; he was so enraged , as if from this time he had been past hope of life , and lay obnoxious to all the strokes of malevolent fortune . sabellicus ex suetonio . domitian the emperour , superstitiously given to mathematical predictions , and thereby being informed of the time of his death the day before he was killed , having fruit brought him as a present , he commanded them to be set by , and kept till the next day ; and saith , if i may , i will make use of them . and then then turning to them who were next to him , he saith ; the moon tomorrow being in aquarius will look red and bloody , which demonstrates some horrid wickedness , as all men throughout the world expect . he being advised by mathematicians , to take heed of the fifth hour of that day , was solicitous to take their judgment , what great mischance would come by reason thereof , who said , that it portended great mutation in the world. he therefore when that day came , sitting idly , and scratching a little wart on his forehead , he broke it , so that some blood ran down his face ; which seeing , he said , god grant i have no greater hurt then this . and enquiring what a clock it was ? it was answered purposely , that it was the sixth hour ; though it was the fifth hour , which he so much feared ; whereupon thinking all danger past , he joyfully riseth , intending to refresh his body : but instantly his chamberlain parthenius came to him , telling , he was to speak with one in his bed-chamber upon an important business ; whither coming , he received from him and his confederates seven wounds , whereof he dyed , in the fourty sixth year of his age , and fifteenth year of his reign . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . hadrian the emperour was not onely excellent in other arts , but also in astronomy , which marius max. doth so far declare , that he knew all things concerning himself ; insomuch , that he foreshewed his acts which he should perform every day , even to the last hour of his life . it is manifest , that he told verus , whom he adopted , that the fates shew to terrene creatures what shall be done , beyond which nothing can proceed here : he wrote to that very year , yea and the moneth of that year in which he departed , and shewed , that he could not out-live that moneth . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . septimus severus pertinax is said to have been a most skilfull mathematician : when his wife martia , the mother of bassianus was dead , he calculated the nativities of all about him , and finding that julia , though not nobly descended , yet by the planet under which she was born , it was signified , that she should be empresse , he took her to wife , who was the mother of greta valeteranus . the same man travailing towards brittanie , told , that he should not thence return , and that in the roof of the palace , in which he used to sit in judgment ; he left his predictions in writing , so that all men might see them wholly , except that part of them which treated of the hour of his birth . xiphilinus dionis niraei abbreviator , in severo . a certain aegyptian from the mendosian coast , comming to constantinople , went into an inne , the hostesse whereof was a skilfull midwife , who assoon as she had drawn some wine for her guest , tells him with an extended loud voice , that a friend of hers now in labour of her third child was in great danger unlesse she had speedy help , whereupon she suddenly left the aegyptian , went and helped the woman from the misery of her travell or labour , and returns to her guest , who being angry for her absence , she relateth the cause of her stay . he exactly observed the time and hour of the day ; go , said the midwife , and tell the woman in childbed that she hath brought forth one that shall be able to do more then the emperour ; which said , she carouseth a whole bowl of wine , and told what the infant 's name should be , and accordingly afterwards he was named ablabius : who had such excesse of fortune , that in the time of constantine the great , he was made praetor , by which office he could do more then the emperour . eunapius , in vita aedosii . two jews , astrologers and magitians , promised zira prince of the arabians , empire and long life , if he would demolish the christian temples and images of saints , which he put in execution : but before a whole year came about , he died , and his son intended to punish the impostors , but they fly into isauria ( where leo , who after theodosius the third emperour was cast down , was called isaurus ) they find a boy of mean birth , but endewed with a most excellent and towardly wit and genius ; they tell him that he should be emperour , and that so confidently , that they swore by many oaths , that the event should answer their predictions , if he would but do what they desired ; and he promised to do what ever they prescribed . afterwards leo obtains the empire ; in the ninth year after , they require the performance of his promise and seek nothing but that he will abolish the pictures of christ and his mother . the emperour in observance of his promise puts down all images , and heavily punished all that worshipped or kept them . cuspinianus zonara . simon prince of the bulgarians , led his army against the crabats , and fighting them in narrow places betwixt mountains , lost all his army , a certain man named john , a magitian and astronomer comes to lucapenus the roman emperour , and adviseth him that he should send some body who might cut off the head or top of a pillar which was placed over the arch made in the remembrance of the victory of xerolophus , and over against the sun-setting , promising that thereupon simeon , ( to whom it was fatall ) should presently perish , and in the same hour the head of the statue was cut off ( as it was afterwards found by diligent inquisition made ) that simeon died by the grief or sicknesse of his heart . cedrenus . guido maltraversus , earl of patavia , and knight of lucius , had a son called nicholas by constantia the daughter of obicius marciones an estensian , whom jambonus andreas , as well a magitian as an astrologian , did predict a pernicious citizen to his countrey , and moved his father if possibly he could to dis-inherit him . guido dyes , whereby nicholas becomes powerfull in riches and credit , conspires with canes scaligerus , the destruction of his countrey : whereupon is raised a most bloudy war , in which as it is reported , an hundred thousand men and upwards were slain . so the event proved the prophecy of jambonus true . bernhardus scardoneus blandus , lib. . decad. . the french men having to their generall guido appius , and fighting against martinus , besieged the town of livius , at that time when the sicilians celebrated the french vespers . guido bonatus , prince of the forolivensian astronomers , and without doubt a magitian also , foretold the earl of mount-ferrat , that the day before the calends of may , he should make a sally contrary to the expectation of all men , whereby he should obtain most assuredly victory over his enemies , but that he should receive a wound in his hip ; and being a skillfull physitian and surgion , he took with him ovalls , glisters , and necessary things with him to bind up his wound , when he sallied out against the enemy ; nor was the event contrary to this presage , for the french were overthrown . platina in martino . . blandus lib. . decad. . antiochus tibertus excellent in chiromancy , p●romancy , and physiognomy at cresena , foretold to guidon a servant , whose sirname was guerra , that upon suspition of infidelity , he should be killed by his intimate friend ; to pandulph the tyrant he also told that he should be banished to malatesta in armenia , should in extream poverty dye a banished man ; and not long after pandulphus killed guidon , for that he was jealous of his fidelity ; and commits antiochus himself to prison , that he might try the event of his presages . antiochus so far prevailed with the daughter of the jaylour that he obtained of her a rope , by which he was let down out of the prison into a ditch , but being by the noise of his shackles discovered , he was taken as he was flying away , and brought back heavily beaten for his escape , and he and the maid both secured . at length pandulphus , a banished man , poor and forsaken of all men , died in a poor inne . so many things were portended to befall tiberius himself , which notwithstanding his warning , he could by no means avoid . jovius , in elogiis . petrus leonius of spoleto , a famous physician who first opened a dore to the learned art of physick publishing galen's most studious labours therein , he was a most dexterous astronomer and magitian , and therefore knowing that his sudden death was portended to him by the danger of water to avoid frequent navigations , he departed from petavius and the venetians to umbra and spoleto ; shortly after being invited to the company of lawrence a physitian , he by the fallacious art of astronomy predicted to him recovery of his health and present deliverance from a sicknesse , under which he grievously laboured , which made him neglect all means to obtain his former health by rejecting lazarus placentinus an illustrious physitian , who sent to him by lewis sfortia , brought physick to him , when it was too late by reason of his neglect . wherefore antiochus blamed and hated of all men after the death of lawrence , whether by his own desperate action , or by the violence of peter the son of this lawrence it is uncertain , he was precipitately drowned in a stinking ditch belonging to a town near adjacent . jov. in elogiis . bartholomaeus cocles , a bononian . scholler to antiochus , and a most exquisite palmist and physiognomist , warn'd goricus the astrologer , that he should beware , lest he suffered most violent tortures when he was at leucas . but he not minding his advice in his ephemerides that a little after he made , predicted , that joannes bentovolus should be thrust both out of his country and government , for which the tyrant caus'd him to be five times tossed in a cord ; and so he received the reward of his art. this same cocles told one coponus , that he would very shortly commit a most horrid murder ; and also told hermes the king's son , that he should be banished and kill'd in fight . hermes therefore commands coponus to kill cocles his evil prophet . cocles foresaw his danger of death by his art , and therefore wore a private helmet to defend himself , and alwayes carried a great two-handed sword . but coponus in the habit of a porter ( whilest he was earnest in unlocking his door , which coponus had before prevented , by putting a little wire into the lock , that he might have the better opportunity for his design ) beat out his brains with an ax : and being questioned for it , alledged no other thing for the fact , but that he was incited thereto by cocles his own self , telling him that he must be a murtherer , and nothing else . jovius in elogiis . a certain astrologer in the court of frederick the second , emperour , much reverenced rodolphus the haspurgensian earl with exceeding observance , though he had but a mean estate , and valued not at all men far more potent ; and being demanded a reason thereof by the emperour ; he answered , i know that rodolphus shall be emperour , and when thy issue shall decline , his renown shall be spread abroad far and near , though he be esteemed by few at this time : neither did his presage want a true event , for in the year of our lord , . in the calends of october , he was chosen king of the romans by the princes of germany at franckford , when he besieged the pallace . cuspianus , in caesaribus . when the mathematicians looked into the geniture of the great sfortia , and observed the excellent positure of the stars , and their admirable sites and aspects they predicted to him , high empire , immortal glory , and a happy off-spring : but at length they added , that he should not attain old age , but should perish by an untimely death . jovius , in ejus vita . braccius , the excellent montenensian duke , seeing the body of his enemy , sfortia the great , drowned in the river of piscaria , fell a praising the dead man with most exquisite encomiums , which of right belonged to him : but he not being freed from so great danger of a present battle , shewed to his souldiers a more cheerful countenance ; because he , being conscious of a fatal secret , had learned from astrologers , that sfortias indeed was to go before , as taken with a violent death , but a little after himself also , as it were with the like lot , should undergo the same fortune of departure : he scarce lived over the fifth moneth , when as for thirteen moneths space , making assault at aquila ; and it being in vain besieged , at length in a memorable battel , being overcome and slain by the sword of the sfortian souldier , he fullfilled both the truth of the stars , and many prophets . jovius , in the life of sfortias . unto uladislaus jagellon , king of the polanders , sophia his wife brought forth sons , uladislaus and andrew casimir ; there was at cracovia , henry a bohemian , a famous astrologer , and studious of magick ; this man foretold , that an infant new born , should be long-lived , but unfortunate ; and that he reigning , poland should be afflicted with great evils and calamities : but his brother uladislaus was to be most famous , and most victorious : and unlesse nature's destinies should envy a longer life to him , he should command many nations . both which things the issue afterwards proved ; for uladislaus , who was chosen king of poland , and king of hungary , being slain at varna by the turks , in the th year of his age , gave not satisfaction to this famous hope . but casimir , who succeeded his brother in the kingdom of poland , reigned years , lived , was bent rather on the lituanian huntings , than on the common-wealth . cromér . book . & . basil , a mathematician , but most certain soothsayer , a certain greek , foretold the murder of alexander of medicis , duke of the florentines , to be committed by laurence medices , his near kinsman ; he not onely shewed him the murder , but also the certain smiter , who should be intimate with him , of a slender form , of a boxy-coloured countenance , and of a doubtfull silence , almost not keeping company at all with others in the court. also unto cosmus of medices they promised for certain , forasmuch as in the very marking the hour of his birth , he had a happy star of capricorn , as once augustus , enlightned with a wonderfull aspect of stars agreeing together , it should come to passe , that he should increase in a wealthy inheritance . alexander indeed hearing it , and cosmus smiling , when as a great number of his kindred was to be consumed by death , before any , even a small inheritance , could come unto him . jovius . john liechtenberg , in the yearly predictions of his ephemeris , as i may so say , admonished the prince of bavaria , in a serious manner , both by writing and painting , that a lyon should seek hiding places for fear of an eagle . he despised it ; but not long after he was assaulted with a grievous warr by maximilian the emperour . agricola in germane proverbs . paul farnese the d , chief bishop , seeing he was most skillfull in astrology and magick , writeth to his son , peter aloyse , who had by force entred on the tyrannical government of placentia and parma , that he should beware of the tenth day of september , of the year , as unlucky to him . the father indeed could warn , but the son could not avoid the danger ; but by conspirators , augustine landus , and james scott , earls of placentia , in his own castle , under pretence of talk , he was slain ; and being a long time hung up by the privy parts , he was exposed to be cruelly torn in pieces by the people . sleidan . book of commentaries . there was a town of the xanthians , that had a bridge laid over the small river lycus , in which were said to have been brazen tables , wherein letters were ingraven . the empire of the persians was sometime to be overthrown by the graecians . the tables with the bridge being shaken down , a little before that it was fought at granicum by alexander the great , they had fallen into the channel of the river : alexander being much moved at the report of the tables , when as for some time he had stood doubtful , into which part he might chiefly bend the course of victory , turning to the right hand , he subdued with wonderfull speed all the sea-coast from lydia even into phaenicia . sabellicus book . ennead . . out of plutarchs alexander . in the second carthagenian war , besides many things seen and heard , which were accounted instead of wonders ; a verse or song of martius being curious , and sounded at the same time , brought the greatest care to the city . that being by a most true event proved , gave no doubtfull credit of the things that were to be . he had written , who ever that martius was ; o thou trojan born , flee thou cannae the river of romana , neither let strangers constrain thee to joyn in battell in the field of diomedes : but neither shalt thou believe me , untill thou shalt fill up the field with bloud and the river shall bring down many thousands of thine slain out of a fruitfull land , into the great sea for fishes and birds and wild beasts which inhabit the earth , unto these let thy flesh be for meat . because these things were in great part represented before the eyes of men ( for the common sort were acquainted both with the fields of diomedes , and when they had fought at canna ) there was the greater care of procureing another verse ; which was written in these words : ye romane enemies , if ye will drive away the impostume , which commeth from far nations , i judge , playes are to be vowed to apollo , the which let them be faithfully done every year to apollo , when the people shall give a part in publique , let private persons prepare to use them for them and theirs . over these sports the praetor or major shall be chief , he who shall administer the greatest right to the people and the multitude . and let the ten chief men , or decemviri after the custome of the greeks perform holy things by sacrifice . these things if ye shall rightly do , ye shall alwayes rejoyce , and your affairs shall wax better , for that god shall put out the stubborn enemy , which feedeth pleasantly on your fields . this verse being openly interpreted , sports were vowed to apollo , and solemnized in a circle . sabellic . book . ennead . . procopius the tyrant being slain by valens the emperour , the walls of chalcedon ( because the citizens of that city had favoured procopius his party ) were made equal with the ground . the which while it was done , they found a table of stone in their foundations , on which these words were written : when nymphs shall nigh the holy city dance , and wayes adorn'd with garlands ; and by chance , after the wretched walls for placing baths shall be converted , burning in maddish wrathes , a thousand shapes of men for greedy prey from divers nations thou shalt see ( i say ) with forces strong , alas , to go beyond the istrian and cimmerian sea-ey bond , then scythick people , then the maesian land shall be destroy'd with slaughter's bitter hand . when at the length unto the men of thrace the covetous lust of gain leading a trace ; the cruel barbarism shall make a breach , it shall be quenched by lot's partial reach . this prophecy was not then understood , but was afterward fulfilled , when valens had built a conveyance for water , and had brought abundance of waters to the city . for , the walls being overthrown , he made use of the stones for the conveyance of the water , which he called valense by his own name , that he might gratifie the townesmen , and the baths might be holpen by this bringing of water , although some called them constantius his baths . at length , clearch , governour of the city , in a place whose name is taurus , afterward called , the street of theodosius , built nymphaeam , or a washing-place , that he might shew the grace and pleasantnesse of the water brought in . by these buildings , the stony tabl●s signified the coming even now , of the barbarians , who in thrace it self , after destructions or robbings of the people made , were all slain . cuspinian , in valens . in the sixth year of justine the great : the city edessa was miserably defiled with uncleannesse ; and of the river scirtus , and in the bank of the river a table of stone found , written on , in hieroglyphical or mystical aegyptian letters to this purpose : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , the river scirtus shall dance or leap for the mischief of the citizens . cedrenus . unto alexander the great going out of india to babylon , nearchus admiral of the navy , who had returned from the ocean , being carried into euphrates , sheweth him , that certain chaldeans had gathered themselves together , who warned him , that he should abstain from babylon . he being nothing moved , went forward notwithstanding , where he perished . plutarch , in alexander . when l. vitellius for the favour of herod the tetrarch , would lead an army against the arabians , they report , aretas , king of the arabians , ( news being received of the dispatch of vitellius , ) to have gathered by sooth-sayings , that it was impossible for that army to have come to the rock . for one of the captains was first to dye , either he which may prepare the war , or he by whose command it may be provided , or him against whom it is to be moved . neither was the divination vain . for when vitellius was as yet at jerusalem , a message being brought concerning tiberius caesar his death , he made the expedition void . josephus , book . chap. . apollonius an aegyptian , foretold the death of caius caligula , emperour of the romans , who for that cause being sent to rome , was brought to cuius that day , in which he was to dye the death . xiphiline , the abbreviatour of dio , in caligula . apollonius the tyanean , the son of jupiter , foretold , that cilix , a certain man beyond measure lascivious , should be killed on the third day ; and that so fell out . philostratus , in his life . larginus proclus foretold openly in germany , that domitian , emperour of the romans , was to dye the death ; on which day he departed out of life . and when for this cause , by him who was chief over the province , he was sent to rome , he then also affirmed it should be so . therefore he was condemned for a capital matter . but domitian nevertheless could not escape the danger of life , because on the same day he was killed . xiphiline . julian , emperour , moving against constance , pierced illyricum , daily espying the intrails of beasts and birds , that he might contemplate of the issue . at which time a certain souldier lifting up the intrails with his hand , being fallen flat on the ground , he cryed out , many hearing him , the trojane was fallen , constance should dye with the mopsocrenians in cilicia . the which , he saith , should be by and by verified from ambassadours . cuspinian . alexander severus , emperour , when as he spake unto his army in france , desiring to begin his speech from a lucky word , fortune brought a contrary one , the which was received as an evil token ; for he began , heliogabalus the emperour being slain , begining his speech from the emperours death . but when from thence he went unto the persian war , an outragious woman spake these words in the french tongue ; go thy way , neither promise victory to thy self , neither rely thy self on the faithfulnesse of thy souldiers . that which was rightly told , the event taught , he himself not long after being killed by his souldiers . fulgosus , in book . chap. . a certain woman meeting the two maximines in the julian market-place , ( when they came against the senate with an army ) with her hair spread abroad , and a black garment , calling on the maximines with a great voyce , fell down dead before their feet . after a few dayes , the army slew the maxinines in the same place . when dioclesian , as yet warring in lesser places , stayed at tungrim in france , in a certain tavern , and had familiar company with druys a certain woman , and she blamed the niggardlinesse of the man , he is reported to have answered in jest , not in earnest , then he would be liberal , when he should be emperour . to these words she saith , do not jest , o dioclesian , plainly thou shalt be emperour , and also thou shalt kill a boar. which word indeed of the woman , he taking in the room of a-fore token , began diligently to follow wild boars in hunting ; not understanding , to wit , the riddle of the prophecies , which the issue afterward declared . for numerian , emperour , had been slain by the faction of arrius [ aper ] which signifies a boar. which thing being brought to light , the souldiers chose dioclesian the revenger , and with one accord salute him emperour . he therefore after an assembly had ; whereby he might fulfill the saying of druys , thrusts aper thorow with his own hand ; adding that of maro — aeneae manu dextrâ cadis — thou fall'st ( thou dost not stand ) by great aeneas his right hand . cuspinian . zeno emperour of constantinople , asked some secrets of marian , a most wise earl , who should succeed him in the empire ? he answered , one of the silentiaries shall take thy empire and wife ; but me thou shalt unjustly kill . both of these the end proved in its time . agilulph , duke of the city taurina , when as he brought unto authar king of the longobards , his bride theodelinda , the daughter of the king of boiaria , had a sooth sayer with him , who by the stroak of a thunder bolt foretold unto him , that a little after , he should enjoy the bride her self , and the kingdom : and that thing the issue proved to be true . for authar being killed in war , agilulph succeeded him in his kingdom and wedlock . paul deacon , of the deeds of the longobards , chap. . antonine the son of sosipater and eustathius the cappadocian , had a school at canobicum the door of nilus . he foretold to his schollars , that after his death the temples of serapis ( a god of the egyptians ) should be overthrown . the event confirmed the prophesie , under theodosius the emperour . eunapius , in aedesio . remex a certain rhodian , being estranged or angry in his mind , began to witness with a loud voyce , that before the thirtieth day there should be very great slaughters and robberies at dyrrhachium in greece , and fire and flight , but the navy it self to return home . when cn. pompey , who being pretor , was chief over the navy , had heard that , and had told it unto three men , cicero , varro , and cato , all being moved ; also some of them are said to be exceedingly affrighted . but the space of a few dayes coming between , labienus fleeing out of the battel in thessaly brought news of the overthrow of the legions , and that the army of pompey was scattered in a great battel ; by and by the publique corn was snatched out of the barns , and scattered abroad through the whole city ; they that were there , having departed with a headlong flight , were both forsaken by the rhodians , and being unwilling to follow , the ships were burnt . procopius in his third book of the vandall-war sheweth , that there was wont to be an old proverb tossed up and down in carthage by the children , that gamma should sometimes persecute beta , and again , beta , gamma . i think the childrens sport to have looked hitherto , that between neighbours there might oftentimes rise discord . but this childish saying was wrested unto the event of things , because genserick king of the vandalls had expelled boniface . afterwards belisarius , gilimer . the proverb arose , not from what happened , but was a riddle of the carthagenian children , as an oracle of that which happened afterwards . erasmus , in his adagies . there stood tombs in the leuctrian field , of the daughters of scedasus , which they call leuctrides from the place . for by chance , when they were by force ravished by the spartan-guests , they had been buried in that place . that so cruell and wicked act being committed , their father having wished for curses on the spartans , when he could nor by request obtain revenge from lacedemon , stabbed himself upon their sepulchres . from thence the prophesies and oracles daily foretold the spartans they should avoid and turn away the leuctrian revenge by the gods . but that thing many did not so understand , but doubted of the place , because also a little town placed on the shore of laconia is named leuctron . besides there is a neighbouring place of that name in megalopola of arcadia . at length the lacedemonians being in the leuctrian field of baeotia over come with a most cruell slaughter by the thebanes , lost their rule . plutarch in the life of pelopidas . there was with m. anthony [ the triumvir or ] one of the three chief men of rome , a certain magitian of aegypt , who had often moved anthony that he might withdraw himself from octavius thy fortune ( saith he ) o anthony , is of it self famous and large , but when it cleaves to octavius , it is continually blunted . thy daemon or spirit feareth his genius or angell : and when as it is of it self high and chearfull , yet at the approach of this , it is made low and fearfull . he the more easily gave him credit , because whether by lots , or pairs of cocks and hens , or quails committed to hand ; anthony was alwaies inferiour to octavius . he therefore being stirred with these things , going with octavia , from whom he had already begotten a little daughter out of italy , sailed unto athens . sabellicus in his ninth book , ennead . . most antient prophets had sung , it was wickednesse for romane weapons to go beyond ctesiphon a town , and the captains that dared to do it , were to receive punishment . they think m. crassus purposing that thing , to have perished with his army . m. ulpius having attempted to go beyond trajanum , recovered not italy , and to have lost five provinces on the other side tygris presently , and he had been better not to have undertaken the journey , he wasted , and almost consumed his legions of souldiers with long pains . and although the conquerour drew out his bounds farther , yet he profited not much ; desiring to go beyond ctesiphon , tygris being overcome , valerian was taken by sapor king of the persians . but odenatus palmyrene , a conquerour of romane majesty , came beyond tygrim , even to ctesiphon . carus , emperour , led the army of probus , a large conquerour , from the sarma●ian warr into persia , he wasted the enemies kingdom , he vanquished seleucia compassed about with euphrates , the which aelius , the true antonine , had in times past taken . and then he requiring or assaulting ctesiphon , and willing to proceed farther , either a disease , or the stroak of a thunder-bolt in a troublesome and lightning heaven took him away . cuspinian . sybill prophesied of the destruction of antichrist : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . again , he then an evill time shall see , when his own net will his destruction bee . some understand by the snare or net , the place , wherein antichrist is to be choaked . theodore bibliander , a most learned man , of the art of printing , whose matter is flax steeped and glewed together , to wit , paper , with this flax antichrist shall be dispatched , because it is that in which the holy gospel of christ , and all the prophets ( being written together ) are contained : by whose authority , as it were , by the breath of christ's mouth , the three-headed beast shall be brought to destruction . psammeticus took away tementes , king of aegypt . the god ammon had answered tementes , asking counsel of the oracle concerning the kingdom ; that he should beware of the cocks . psammeticus using familiarly pigritatus , a carian , when he had known from him , that the first or chief carians put cocks on the top of their heads , he understood the mind of the oracle , and hired a great multitude of carians , and led them toward memphis , and pitched his camps beside the temple of isis , in the pallace , which was distant from the city five furlongs : and a fight being begun , he got the victory . from these carians , a certain part of memphis was called caro-memphites . polynaeus , book . & herodotus . sybill foretold , that the warlike glory of the macedonians gotten , philip the son of amyntas reigning , in the times of another philip should go backward : the glory of macedon's people , of arcadia's kings , what philip reigning , sometimes profits , sometimes losses brings . for one , the greater of the two , his captains shall impose on people strange and cities , but ( forsooth ) by western foes : the lesse shall tamed be in years to come , and by and by illustrious honours he shall lose by eastern destiny . for the romans , who are to the west , by the ayd of attalus , and the mysians , who lye toward the rising of the sun , deprived perseus the son of philip , both of his kingdom and life . pausanias , in achaick affairs . under boleslaus the chaste prince of the polanders , in the territory of cracovia , a certain man-child having teeth , on the same day in which he was born , spake distinctly , and point by point , untill being a young beginner in christian religion , he lost both his teeth , and the use of speech . but another six moneths old in the city of cracovia , spake , that the tartarians should come ; and he foretold , they should cut off the heads of the polonians : and being asked , he answered , he knew that thing from god , and that evil hung over his own head also ; which after the twelfth year came to passe . hal● abenragell , makes mention , that in the king's pallace he saw an infant bor● , which , scarce as yet twenty four hours were finished , began to speak , and make signs with the hand . at which thing the king being exceedingly astonished , a greater miracle happened : for he saith , the king standing by , and my self also with many others , the infant cryed out , saying , i am unhappily born to disclose the losse of the kingdom , and the destruction and desolation of the nation . which words being pronounced , he fell down dead . coelius , book . chap. . pherecides the son of bades , a syrian , a heater of pittacus , walking on the samian shore , when he had seen a certain ship running with full sayls , he foretold , that a little after , it should be sunk ; and it happened , he beholding it . laertius and apollonius in their history of wonderful things . also apollonius the tyanean , having gotten a vessel fit enough to sail in , when he had reached leucas , about to go to achaia , let us go down , saith he , out of this ship. but she , although then quiet , a little after was overwhelmed . philostratus . mithridates besieging cyzicum , aristagoras said , he had received from minerva , that he being a pleasant singer , would bring the trumpeter into the lybick sea , therefore he bade the citizens to be of good courage . and straightway the south-wind blowing more strongly , mithridates his navy was troubled , and their warlike engines for the most part cast asunder . coelius , book . chap. . they tell , that pherecydes sometimes thirsting in the island scyrus , desired water from one of his schollars ; the which when he had drank , he pronounced , that after three dayes there was to be an earthquake in that island ; which saying , as the end proved it true , he brought back great glory . apollonius , history of wonders . glaucus the son of epicydides , a spartan , when as he had received a great sum of money from milesius , a guest , under the name of a depositum or pledge , and after his death , his sons had required the money . glaucus after four moneths avouched , that he would give an answer . in the mean time he enquired of the oracle at delphos , whether by denying ( through a suborned oath ) the money laid up with him , he should make a gain ? pythia answered ; it may indeed , for bold-fac'd glaucus , turn to present gain , thus by an oath to conquer , and by robbery to detain the moneys . afterward 't is death to swear , but he the man that consciously regards an oath , sustaineth with his hand . but of the oath the lad is alway mindful , neither hee with hands nor feet as swift doth make approach , but if of thee he taketh hold , will all thy house and progeny destroy , but th'after stock of swearer just , shall better things enjoy . glaucus being affrighted with that answer , prayed for pardon or leave . but pythia affirmed , the same is to tempt god , and to do it . glaucus indeed being returned home , restored the money to the young men of milesim , but not long after , his whole house and off-spring was wholly put out . herodotus , book . alphonsus , king of arragon and sicily , besieged neapolis ; a certain man came to him of a reverend countenance , and foretold , that he should conquer the city about the calends of june ; but not much after , a doubtfull battle was to be , in which the captain should be taken , perswading him , that he would not commit himself to so great danger . the former part of the prophecie was true ; for on the th of nones of june , he reduced the city into his power . a little after being about to fight in battle against anthony at caudola , in the campanian field , his friends disswading him , and objecting unto him the prophesie ; he answered ; death indeed will not affrighten a valiant man , much lesse doubtfull oracles . a battel being made , he was overcome and taken at caudola , aen. sylv. book . com. on panormitan's alphonsus . agathius in his second book of the gothish war , saith , that , the germanes to have used sometime women for prophetesses ; likewise with a most true event : plutarch in caesar calls them holy women ; and they guessed at things to come , by the whirlpools , and noyse of rivers . coelius , book . chap. . abaris the son of seuthias a divine of the hyperboreans , or those above the north-wind , wrote oracles in the countries which he wandred thorow , which are at this day extant . he also foretold earth-quakes , plagues , and the like , and heavenly things . they say when he had come to sparta , that he warned the laconians of turning away evills by holy things , which things being finished , no plague afterward was at lacedemon . apollonius in hist . of wonders . aedesius the son of chrysanthius a philosopher of sardis had a body so nimble , that it exceeded the belief of all and was plainly carried up on high . there was such a nearnesse to him with a god . that there was no need of a crown of bayes to be placed on his head , but true oracles , and framed to the proper likenesse of a spirit blown up by a power . he onely beholding the sun , would powre forth speech , although he neither knew the law or order of verses , nor yet well knew the rules of grammar . eunapius . there is at sparta , before the altar of augustus , in the market place a brazen portrayture of agias . they say this agias to have divined unto lysander that he should conquer the navy of the athenians at the river aegos , besides . gallies with oares , which by flight betook themselves into cyprus . pausan . in la●on . philumena a soothsaying maid , whose familiarity apelles the heretick , or as some will , severus used . to this maid the devill by an apparition , in the habit of a boy answered ; sometimes saying , he was christ , sometimes paul. he also wrought miracles , amongst which that is a chief , that he cast a great loaf of bread into a glasse-viall of a most narrow mouth : and lifted him up with the tops of his fingers unhurt , and with that bread alone , as with meat given her from god , he said she should be contented . augustine is witnesse . the same blessed augustine in his first book against the academicks , delivereth that there was a man at carthage ; by name albigerius , of a reproachfull life ▪ who had known all secrets , so that when he was asked a question by a scholler of romantian , unto whom augustine writeth for trialls sake , what thing he though of ? he answered , a verse of virgil. when he was again asked by the same scholler what verse ? he repeated that . cardane of diversenesse of things , book . ch . . isaac angell , emperour of the greeks , going to radaestum , a sea-city , came to basilacius , a man of an unaccustomed life , and who had obtained that opinion amongst all , as that he could foresee and foretell things to come . he uttered words confused , disagreeing among themselves , and doubtfull . the paps of women comming to him being searched , and their ankles handled , he drew out dark oracles or speeches , and to many questions he answered nothing , and finished his divinations with runnings to and fro , and mad gestures . there stood little old women by him , his kins-women , who explained to those that asked counsell , what those behaviours of basilacius might foreshew of things to come , and interpreted his silence as a wise speech . he answered nothing to the emperours saluting him , neither gave he thanks by a silent nod of his head , but leaping hither and thither like a mad man , cursed those that came to him . constantine of mesopotamia , especially who was then most familiar with isaac . at length with a walking staffe which he carried in his hands , the eyes of the emperours image , which was painted in the wall of his privy chamber of speaking , being scraped out , he also endeavoured to take the cap off from his head . the emperour despising him as a doting or raving person returned . but not long after , he was by his brother alexius deprived of both eyes and empire , and the opinion of basilacius was confirmed , the which had been at the first uncertain and doubtfull in many things . nicet . book . hector boethius in the scottish affairs saith , it was a common report , that merline was begotten by the copulation of a spirit called incubus , and a british woman of a noble bloud , of whom vincent . in . book history . thus telleth . king vortiger , counsell being taken what he ought to do for defence of himself , commanded cunning workmen to be called unto him , who should build a most strong tower. but when as the earth swallowed up their works , they perswaded the king , that he should search out a man without a father , with whose bloud the stones and morter might be sprinkled , as if by that means the morter would be made firm . therefore the young man merline by name , was found , who with his mother is brought before the king , who confesseth he was conceived by a spirit in mans shape . this merline revealed many dark things , and foretold things to come . for he opened that under the foundation there was a lake , under the lake two dragons lay hid , whereof one being red , did signify the people of the brittains , but the other being white , of the saxons : and he also prophesied , that aurelius ambrose , hengist being overcome , and vortiger burnt , should reign . vier . b. ● . ch . . of the delusions of devills . coelius writeth , there was in his countrey a poor desolate woman in a low or obscure place named jacoba , out of whose belly he himself ( and indeed an innumerable company of others , not onely at rodigium , but also almost all italy ) heard the voice of an unclean spirit , very small in deed , but yet , when he would , distinct , and altogether to be understood ; when as the mind of the great ones that was greedy of that which was to come , desired oftentimes this belly-speaking woman to be sent for , and stripped of all her cloathing , lest any thing of secret deceit should lye hid . the name of the devill was cincinnatulus . he much delighting in this name , a little after answered to one calling for him . if thou shalt demand of things past and present , what things might be most hidden , he gave oftentimes wonderfull answers . if of things to come , alwaies most false . but also his ignorance he sometimes more truly discovered by an uncertain muttering or humming . coelius book . ch . . of old readings . adrian turneb , the kings professour of the greek tongue , testified that he saw peter brabantius a crafty man , very like to euriclus aristophanes : who as often as he would , so often he spoke from the nethermost part of his body with unmoved lips : and by this imposture or cousenage of the devill , he blinded the eyes of many in many places . for when he would be love-sick , for a certain beautifull maid of paris , nor could perswade her mother , that he might espouse her to himself ; at length when they willingly and on both sides talk together of this matter , he uttereth a voice out of his body , in which the dead husband of the poor woman seemed to complain of the greatnesse of the punishments , which he should endure in purgatory for the mistrustfullnesse of his wife , because she denyed her daughter so often desired by brabantius a most excellent man , with which complaints she being affrighted , and pittying her husband , assented to the request of the knave : who notwithstanding , it sufficiently appeared , sought not so much after the daughter , as a dowry appointed her by her father in his will. for six moneths after , when as he had wasted the maids goods , the wife and mother in law being left , he fled away to lugdunum . there he had understood , that a certain merchant and very rich banker dyed . who seeing he was accounted a most unjust man , for that he had scraped together all things by right and wrong in his life time , he commeth to his son cornutus , his onely heir , walking in a porch behind the church-yard , and intimates that he was sent thither that he might teach him what was needfull for him to do . but while he saith he was to think rather of his father's soul and good name than of his death , while they speak , a voice resembling his father , is unexpectedly heard : the which when brabantius gave out of his belly , he feigned himself neverthelesse to be in a wonderfull manner astonied . but his son was moved with this voice , into what condition his father had fallen by his injustice , and with what torments of purgatory , both for his own , and his sake he should be troubled , for that he had left him an heir of unjust goods , and which could by no means be pardoned , unlesse by a just satisfaction made by his son , and due alms conferred on them who at that time chiefly wanted , and those were the christians taken by the turks . therefore the man , who when he spake , he should believe , that this was sent by godly men to constantinople to redeem them , and that he was sent therefore to him from god for that thing 's sake . cornutus , no ill man , although these words heard of gifts , he regarded not , yet because that of money seemed a hard word , he answered he would take deliberation , and bad brabantius return to the same place the next day . in the mean time being sorrowfull , he a little doubted of the place in which he had heard the voice , that it was shady and dark , and fit for mens lying in wait , and an eccho . wherefore the day after , when he brought him into another open plain place , and letted with no brambles or shades ; where neverthelesse the same song was repeated while they spake , this also being added , that six thousand french crowns being presently numbred to brabantius , he should repay three masses every day for his fathers salvation , otherwise there would be no redemption out of hell. from whence his son being tyed in conscience and religion , although with grief , yet he committed so many to the faithfull dealing of brabantius , all lawfull witnesse of the thing received and payed , being neglected . his father being freed from the fires and vulcans stroaks , for the future was quiet , nor any more called upon his son . but wretched cornutus , ( brabantius being let go ) when as he was more merry then usuall , and his other tablers could not sufficiently admire it ; straightway as soon as he declareth the cause to those enquiring it , he was presently so laughed at by all , that for grief , after some dayes he dyed , and followed his father to enquire the truth of the thing from him . vierus , book . chap. . of the delusions of devills . amphiaraus son of oicleus , a soothsayer and prophet , whom when adrastus , king of the greeks called argivi , would lead unto war against the thebanes , he refused , and that he might not be compelled , hid himself , because he foresaw that he should there perish ; yet by the deceit of his wife eriphile , ( whom he had corrupted with a jewell ) he was betrayed , and being against his will drawn to war in baeotia , in that place , which afterwards was called harma : he was by the gaping of the earth , with his chariot and horses , swallowed up . statius in thebaides . actius navius , a lad , and that thou mayest laugh the more , a shepherd , priscus tarquinius reigning , taking on himself , the use of a sooth-sayer's crooked staffe , becoming indeed suddenly an augur , from the swine-herd , through the report of the thing divulged , he was called forth to the king. whom the king beholding , and perchance scorning both his age and habit , tryed in this manner : whether ( saith he ) that which is now in my minde , may be done , or may not , i ask ? navius when he had finished his divination , answered , it might be done . but the king thinking to mock him ; but ( saith he ) i did meditate , that i might cut this whetstone with a razor . he with wonderful constancy replyed ; thou mayst therefore ; and the razour being snatched up , in the sight of the king standing amazed , and the people , he cut the whetstone . from thence divination was sacred to the romans . when l. sylla was at nola , that he might encounter with marius the elder , his mind being very much troubled , because he thought it a very hard thing ; posthumius the soothsayer , who did do a divine thing , he being present , both his hands being stretched out to sylla , said , that he should command him to be bound , and after that to be slain ; else the victory of that battle would remain in his power , and he should get a happy successe , because he had been bidden then by an augural knowledge to foresee it . for the day after , sylla entring into the city of rome , drave out marius from thence , and fulfilled his mind , as he had wished . fulgosus , in book . chap. . out of plutarch in sylla . spurina had foretold to c. julius caesar , that he should beware of the next dayes , as fatal , whose last was the ides of march. and when by chance both had come in the morning into the house of calvus domitius to the office , caesar saith to spurina , what knowest thou that the ides of march are now come ? and he , what knowest thou , that those are not yet past ? the one had cast off fear , as though the time mistrusted was finished ; the other thought , that indeed the utmost part of it was not void of danger : would god the divination had rather deceived the soothsayer , than security the father of his country . v●lerius , book . & suetonius . agrippa , the nephew of great herod , of the son of aristobulus , being cast into bonds by tiberius , emperour , because he seemed to favour caius , stood before the pallace , among certain others a like bound , leaning for grief on a certain tree ; on which when as an owl had sate , one of those that were bound , by nation a german , beholding the bird , enquired of the souldier , who that man in purple was ? and having known that it was agrippa , a most noble man of the jews , he asked the souldier , that he might have leave to come nearer unto him ; for he desired to know some things concerning his country . which being obtained by request , and an interpreter taken , he saith , o young man , so sudden and unexpected change of fortune indeed makes thee sad , neither wilt thou easily believe thy escape to be nigh at hand , divine providence so ordering thy affairs ; but i call thy country-gods to record , that i go not about to flatter thee , nor to feed thee with vain comfort . it cannot be , but that the course of things being changed , thou shalt escape forthwith out of these bonds , and come both unto the largest dignity and power , even to the envy of those unto whom thou hast seemed miserable . thou art to have also a happy departure of life , children being left in the succeeding of wealth . but remember , when thou shalt again see this bird , that the fifth day from it shall be destinous unto thee . these are the things which the heavenly ones shew to thee , by sending this bird ; therefore i intreat thee , that as soon as thou shalt perceive that happinesse to be shown thee , do thy endeavour , that we also may be taken out of these adversities . he was a true prophet . for six moneths after , tiberius dyed . caius succeeded in the empire , who made agrippa king. josephus , book . chap. . the spaniards call a people adelittans , and almagonens , who from the flying of birds , from the voyce , from the meeting of wild beasts , and of very many other things do divine , what good or evil thing is to happen ; lastly , they have books most diligently written with all prognosticall divinations . of these some are dukes , and as it were masters , others earls and schollars . there is also another cunning of these , to search out the passage , not onely of horses , and beasts , but also of men , by a cloathed or covered , by a naked , by a hard ground , by small stones , by great stones , as that the number of those who passed by , doth not at any time almost deceive them ; who by a fit word may be called searchers . these shewed forth a notable example of their art in the warr which ferdinand waged against the moors . for when as a hundred saracen's horsemen had avowed to their king , never to return , unless they had shewn forth some famous act against the christians ; and had privily come through wayes unpassible , and to fall upon the christians garrison : the searchers somewhat perceiving their way and number , made the watch acquainted of their lying in wait ; and they having followed the horsemen , they constrained them , being shut in on both sides to yield themselves in the channel of a brook , being tyed together in a long rank with one rope . laurent . valla , book . of histories . alexander , emperour , in the year of the lord , , as sigebert writeth , was idle , being given to riot and magick ; he having demanded of his juglers , whether he was to live long ? he received an answer , if he had taken away from the brazen boar in the theatre , his teeth and privy members . by which saying they did signifie , that he was given to gluttony and lusts , from the which , if he did not abstain , he would hasten his death : that which fell out . for after bathing , yielding himself to banquets and sports , a vein being broken , he dyed with an issue of bloud . zonaras & cedrenus . simeon , duke of bulgarians , had brought war on the crobatians : it is told to lacapenus , a roman emperour ; there was an image placed in the top of xerolophus his vault , toward the west , that was turned into the shape of simeon ; the head of which image , if it be cut off , the death of simeon should not be far off . that being done , the same hour it was told the emperour , he to have dyed of a pain of the stomach . zonaras . in the gades there is an old stone in the brink of the sea , most excellently graven upon the passage with saracens work , downward broad and squared ; upward narrowed , and of so great an heighth , as a crow is wont to fly on high ; upon which is the image of a man lifted up of copper , raised up on his feet , having his face toward the south , and a great club holding in his right hand . which club , as the saracens deliver , shall fall out of his hand , in the year in which a king to be in france , shall be bo●n , who in the last times shall subject all spain unto christian lawes . and straightway as soon as the saracens shall see the club fallen , they shall all flee from their treasures laid in the earth . the saracens deliver , that mahomet , while he was yet alive , built that idol , and engaged a certain legion of devils thither by the art of magick , the which holds it so strongly , that it could never be broken by any , neither doth it suffer christians to come to it without danger , but onely mahometans , and that birds sitting on it , it suddenly killeth them . turpine of rhemes , with eufordiensis , chap. . among the biarmians , laplanders , bothnians , finlanders , northern people , there is this often kind of magicall divining : the magitian goeth into a closet , content with one companion and his wife ; he smiteth a brazen frog or serpent with an hammer , upon an anvil , with certain stroaks , and turns up and down hither and thither , with a muttering of verses ; and straightway falling , is snatched into a trance , and layeth along for a short time as dead . in the mean time he is most diligently kept by his foresaid companion , lest a fly , gnat , or any other living creature should touch him . being returned to himself , he sheweth a ring or little knife , in token of his dispatched embassage , and declareth unto his hires by certain signs what is done . olaus , book . chap. . jannes , the master of theophilus the emperour , was wont to foretell things to come , by the prophesie and juglings of a bason . when as sometime the barbarians making use of three leaders , did annoy the roman power , the emperour bade him hope well . between brazen images , which were in euripus of the circle , a certain image with three heads was reported to stand ; therefore jannes commanded three brazen hammers to be framed , and them to be delivered to men of strong hands , who at an appointed hour of the night , came with him unto that image , and when he had commanded them , they should valiantly smite the heads , while they , as it were , with one stroke and force should cast down on the earth those heads . a great part of the night being now finished , jannes came with those men unto the image , and repeating a magick verse , taketh away the strength that was in the image , he bade the men with all their force to smite the heads of the image . by two of their most strong stroaks , two heads of the image shook off ; the third striking something more slackly , he bended indeed , yet plucked not away the head wholly from the body . after the same manner was it done with the captains of that nation : for an inbred sedition arising , two of the captains were slain , the third received a wound , but not deadly . the barbarians therefore being deprived of their strength , returned home . cedrene . apollonius tyaneus , when he disputed in ephesus , being almost separated from his soul , and with inbent eyes , as if he had been in the present thing , said often , smite the sinner stephen , smite him : and at last added , the tyrant is dead ; who was heard with the great admiration of all that were present : afterward they received that on the same day , and the very moment of hour , domitian the emperour was slain at rome , by a man whose name was stephen , as apollonius had then declared . fulgosus , book . chap. . & xiphiline in domitian . stephen the hagio-christophorite , ( it is the name of an office ) but for his wickednesse otherwise called antichristophorite , after that he knew from the devil , by sethus a magitian , destruction to hang over the head of andronicus comnenus , by him whose name had its beginning , [ j. s. ] he appointed isaac angell , whom andronicus despised as a low-spirited man , to be laid hold of , and first to commit him to custody , and then by the judgment of andronicus the tyrant , to kill him . therefore entring into the chamber of isaac in the evening , he commanded isaac to come down , and to follow him . but he delaying , he brought force . isaac defending himself , kills stephen , and going into the temple with his sword drawn , he goeth up into that seat where manslayers , explaining their wicked deed , desire pardon from those that go in and out . but a multitude of the city in great number , presently flow together unto the temple . the uncle of isaac helpeth him in the same , ducas , john , and his son isaac . moreover , others intreat the mingled multitude which had ran together into the temple , and afterwards did run to it , that it would stay with them , and help according to its power , those that were placed in the greatest danger . thus therefore isaac finished the whole night , that he might not think of the kingdom , but might pray against destruction . but by earnest supplication he obtained this , that a certain man of that company shut the doors of the temple , and lights being brought in , he instantly perswaded them by his example , that they would not depart home . when it was day , all the inhabitants of the city of constantinople were present , they all prayed god , that , andronicus being driven away , isaac might enjoy the empire . andronicus , who was then absent from the city , the murder of stephen being known , did nothing else , but admonish the citizens in a short writing , that they should cease to attempt new matters . whereof this was the beginning , he that hath punishment , is taken away . but in the morning , many running together , isaac is saluted emperour of the romans , when as one of the church-wardens had put the crown of constantine the great , which hanged over the communion table drawn down from the stairs , on his head , he was consecrated . now when as the emperours horses adorned with golden trappings , were brought by the crossing of the cionians , one being by a horse●rider pulled away by force , is taken , and is brought unto isaac . he , that horse being mounted on , departing from the great temple , andronicus giving counsell to himself for flight , entreth the pallace , and the saluted emperour is confirmed . nicetas . william earl of holland , king of the romans , frisia being subdued , when as nigh to a certain city he had found a sepulcher adorned with wonderfull work , and did ask , whose it was ? the citizens answer : none hitherto was buried there ; but by some hidden destiny it is reserved for a certain king of the romans . when therefore the conquerour did ride with a few men , seeking a place to turn aside in , that he might bring back his army the more safely , he fell in the ice . the frisians who lay hid , break out and before the king could be holpen , being partly cut , partly choaked in his helmet , he perished . the frisians thei● neighbours being called together , drive out the hollanders , and slay them in the year of the lord . thus by those of the same town , according to the prophecy , the king is laid in that tomb , in the ninth year of his reign . but his son florentius , the fifth of that name , after twenty seven years brought his fathers bones out of frisia into zeland , medioburg ; and laid them in a monastery of nunnes of the praemonstratian order , founded by his daughter richard● , and increased by subsidies , in the year of christ , . cuspinian . in northern gothia two tombs are seen , being huge stones in the place of way-marks or crosses , having the bodyes of two brethren laid in them , unto whom it had been foretold by a soothsayer , in their first youth it should come to passe that they should dye by mutuall wounds given . to decline the destiny , they undertook a travell unto the farthest , and most contrary parts of the world. in their utmost old age , at length returning into their countrey , when as any one hoped his brother to have long since died , not far from the town jonacum , they met one another unknown , and salutation being on both sides given and received , they rested under the next pine-tree . by and by their dogs wrangling , they also brake forth , first to quarrellings , then to mutuall wounds , and drawing out their soul , and acknowledging themselves to be brethren , they dyed in mutuall embraces . olaus , in his first book of northern customes . ch . . sigthune king of swethland , while he offered sacrifices to his gods at upsala the mother-city , an answer being received by the sacrificers , he learned that by a fatall necessity , the highest destruction and death did hang over his head from the mettall of gold , and therefore he was chiefly to take heed of it : by iron , or steel , and other mettals he could never be forced or killed . wherefore seeing he thought himself invincible , he attempted dangers of wars . he had a most beautifull daughter , gro ; this , schi●ld king of the danes required to be a wife to his son gram. but her father had already betrothed her unto a most noble champion , the brother of sumblus king of the finlanders . therefore gram thinking himself to be despised by sigthune , being cloathed about with skins of wild beasts , with great hazzard he came to the pallace of sigthune , observing a time untill the maid going forth , he might allure her unto a mutuall love , and being allured , and of her own accord willing , he might bring her away . yet first , bessus his companion , through the greatest force of wit , brought on the mind of the virgin unto the love of his king. therefore the maid nothing relenting , being brought into his denmark , he loved with a great love , and begat of her guthorme , afterwards king of denmark , and a daughter , wife of sibdager king of norway . sigthune the father of the maid , suddenly taken away , follows the danes with war , to revenge the wrong by weapons . gram , carrying a club in a giant-like manner , the which gold being powred on it , he had made the weightier , slew sigthune his father in law , too venterously approaching with his head , leaving by that deed , not an unprofitable instruction to the kings of the swedes , that they believe gold is more to be feared then iron . john magnus , book . chapter . in the bed of sempronius gratchus , two snakes were found , they afforded a sad token . for it was shewn by the soothsayer , if he had sent away the male , his wife must dye in a short time ; but if the female , himself . the which when sempronius had heard ; loving cornelia his wife very much , he sent forth the female . he kept his wife ; and himself a little after departed out of life . polydore virgil , book . of wonders . m. marcellus being inflamed with the glory of the syracusans being taken , and hanniball ; they being forced , first to flee from him before the walls of nol● , endeavoured with the greatest diligence , that he might either strike down the army of the carthagenians in italy , or might drive them out of italy , and by solemn sacrifice he searched out the pleasures of the gods . which first sacrifice fell down before the little hearth , his liver was found without a head , the next had a double head of the liver . which things being looked into , the soothsayer answered , the entrails pleased him not , because the first appeared maimed or mangled , the second too joyfull . so m. marcellus , that he might not attempt any thing rashly , the night following , daring to go forth with a few , for seeing or viewing sake , being inclosed with a multitude of his enemies in brutia , he equally brought a great grief , and dammage to his country by death . valerius , ●ock . chap. . & plutarch . in marcellus . aniharis king of the longobards , brother of garibald , king of the bavarians , ●oo● theodelinda his bride in the veronian field . not far from thence , a tree being struck from heaven , agigulph duke of the taurinians , a soothsayer being asked coun●ell of , received an answer . theodelinda the virgin to marry antharis ; but a little after , to be a widow , for agilulph . the issue confirmed the promise of the sooth-saying . for antharis , when he had fairly reigned six years , was taken away by poyson at tiotnam . the longobards gave power to theodelinda his wife , for her mildnesse , and too much courtesy , that it should be lawfull for her to take that husband whom she desired , and they promised they would have him for their king. but she chose agilulph . the marriage was solemnized at mediolum , where by the agreement of all , he is declared king of the longobards or lombards . bonfine , book . of the first decade . batabaces in the cimbrian war , a priest of the great mother ●dea , came to pessinunt . this man brought word that the goddesse had shewn him in his passage , that a victory and great glory of war was to come to the people of rome ; when there was an approvement of the senate , and it had decreed a temple to the goddesse for victories-sake : a. pompey tribune of the common people forbade him going into the assembly , that he might utter these things to the people , calling him jugler , and with disgrace drave the man out of the place of their common-pleas . which thing most of all commended his sayings . for assoon as the assembly being dismissed , pompey returned to his house , so great a force of a feaver possessed him , that it was manifest to all , and much spread abroad , that he died within the seventh day . plutarch . in the life of marius . l. sylla being returned out of asia against cinna and marius , he tells that in silvina of pontium , servus a mad man to have spoken to him , who said he shewed to him from bellona , that he should have the palme or conquering crown , and victory of the war. the which unlesse he should perfect , the capitoll was to be burnt : and that happened on the same day , which he had foretold , which was the day before the nones of the fifth moneth , which now we call july . plutarch in sylla . creophilus in the bounds of the ephesians , saith , those that built ephesus , when they were greatly in doubt of the place at length they sent unto the oracle , those which should ask , where the city was to be placed . but the devil answered , where a fish had evidently shewn , and a wild boar had taught . but there is a report , that where the fountain now called hypelaeus , is , and the holy haven , certain fishermen provided a dinner . then a certain one of the fishes leaped out together with the dead coals , and fell down into a bundle of chaff ; a green turf is presently inflamed , in which a wild boar by chance lay hid , who being much affrightned with fire , ran through a good part of a mountain , even thither where trachea is now called , and fell down , being wounded with a dart , where now the temple of pallas is erected . then the ephesians possessing the island , when they had inhabited it twenty and one years , in the twenty and second they built trachea , and afterward corissum , and there raised up the temple of diana in the market-place , and of pythius apollo , in the haven . athenaeus , book . chap. . there was among the locrians a wooden dog , having such a history . for a lot was rendred unto a certain locrian , there he should build a city , where a wooden dog had fastned a biting on him . for which cause when he had sailed unto the other shore of the sea , he trod upon a ( kunosbaton ) that is , a dog , bush or bramble , a kind of thorn , from thence when he thought the oracle to have an end , he built the cities , which the locrians call or esteem ozolae . coelius , book . chap. . out of athenaeus book . chap. . leonides in his fourth book of the people of attica , saith , when thymaetes the younger brother , who was a bastard , had beheaded aphidantes , king of the athenians , he himself reigned at athens . whereby it was brought about , that melanthus the messenian a banished man from his country , received an oracle , where he was to dwell , to whom it was answered , where it should be received for gifts from guests , setting feet and heads before him in a supper , the which afterwards happened in eleusina . for when as they had a certain solemn feast according to their countrey manner , and had spent all the flesh , and the feet onely , and heads had remained , these very things they brought to melanthus . athenaeus , book . chap. . byzantium , before called lygos , was built by the lacedemonians . pausanias being captain in the most narrow sea of europe and asia , unto whom it was said by the oracle of apollo pythius , that they should place it against blind seats , that is the megarians ; who built chalcedon in a barren soyl of the countrey , a wealthy bank being let passe . strabo , book . this city , constantine the great , who passed over the seat of the empire , from the city of rome into the east , to restrain the inroads of the parthians , compassed with new walls , being warned from god , and adorned it with most high towers , and stately buildings , that it might be thought rather the habitation of gods than of emperours . this city , when the emperour would name nea , the common people from the builder called constantinople . cuspinian . there is a report , that a wonderfull meeting of a sow that had piggs , made a divination to the trojanes of building a city , who , aeneas being captain , had come into italy . they say she was great with young , and to have come to the altars , being strucken with the hands of the sacrificers ; thence , to have sit down on a little tomb , four and twenty furlongs from the sea , in a place surely hideous , and very difficult . aeneas mindfull of the oracle , followed the sow aloof off , with a few that were by chance present , lest being nigh the trace , she should turn from the destinous way . but then contemplating the nature of the place , when as he perceived nothing in it which might invite him to the tillage of it , being doubtfull in his counsell , he was vexed , neither could he bring it into his mind , that such unfit seats were shewn him by destiny . and he was now late busied in advising of that one thing , whether he ought to be there , or should go as yet farther . when as from the next place a voice without an authour , was given , which commanded the trojans to remain there . onely they should go forward to build , other things they should leave to the destinies . others are authours , that the shape of houshold gods was here in a dream set before the eyes of aeneas , by which he was commanded to fortify the place . but whatever kind of oracle that was , it is a certain report , that the sow being the day after found with a numerous company of young , which she had brought forth in the night , to have confirmed the truth of the oracle . the tomb therefore was fenced with work done in haste , in which afterward ascanius , who succeeded his father aeneas , built the city alba , that is , white , so called from the colour of a sow . sabellicus , book . of the first ennead . tarquinius superbus , or the proud king of the romans , began to found the temple of jupiter , juno , and minerva , vowed by his grandfather in the sabine warr , in the high and rocky part of the tarpeian hill , the roughnesse of the place being first corrected . but when he had determined to consecrate the floor , according to the custome , and the compass of this space had embraced certain chappels of most ancient work ; which because they were to be unhallowed , that the workmen , all fear of religion being taken away , might demolish , they say , that then there were mockings of evil daemons , or devils , that other power had yielded up their divination to jupiter , and the goddesses , onely terminus ( some add also juventa ) could not be moved from their seat : and that thing being taken for a token of a stable , and remaining empire ; a chappel to have afterwards remained unmoved in the middle part of the temple . there is also a certain greater wonder offered to the workmen . a man's head was found with a fresh gore , by those who wrought in the lowest part . tarquine ( for none thought not that to be wonderful ) asketh counsel of houshold-prophets . these referring all the praise of that kind of learning unto the hetruscians , brought tydings to the king , that he should send into hetruria to enquire . the hetruscian prophet answered , it would be , that the tower of the empire , and the head of affairs should be there , where that wonder had appeared ; and now from thence , the place began , from tarpeium , to be called the capitol . sabellicus , book . ennead . . alexander the great , moving his camps from troas , came to the temple of minerva . there is a priest , alexander by name , when he had seen before the house of ariobarzan , who was president of phrygia , an image struck down on the ground , and other strange sights of no small moment , he came to the king , and in a great horse-exercise , confirmed , that he should be a conquerour ; especially if he did joyn his companies in battel about phrygia . he added thereto also , that he should kill the captain of his enemies with his own hands : but all those things were shewn to him by the gods themselves , and chiefly from minerva , which was to be an help to him for the performing things prosperously . alexander received the foretelling of this priest with a joyfull mind ; and presently honoured minerva with most large sacrifice , and dedicated his bucklet unto her , and by and by brought out another that was most firm for him : with which he being armed , entred the first fight , where he carried away a famous victory . diodore , book . when the grecians had gathered ships together in aulis , a haven of eubaea , to go to troy , and an altar being built , they sacrificed under a plain tree ; a serpent of a wonderful bignesse creeping under the altar , went up into the top of the plain-tree , and inclosing a sparrow's nest hanging on an outmost bough , he devoured eight young ones , and the mother her self taken by the wing , and presently himself stiffned into a stone . calchas , a prophet , interpreted the divination . the greeks should besiege troy nine years in vain , at length in the tenth year to take and overthrow it , the glory of such a deed to remain for ever . ulysses in homer . iliad . . repeats the history . alexander the great , assaulting gaza ; a crow flying over , a certain turf or lump of earth being let down from on high , smote the shoulder of alexander , and then sitting on a towr besmeared with slime , she being infolded by the tough matter , was taken by the wings . plutarch saith , she sate in an engine , and there , being ensnared in a knot of ropes , to have stuck fast . aristander the deviner beholding that thing , said it would be , that the city would be in a short time taken , but it is a danger , lest some wound the king would receive that day . and both indeed happened . sabellicus , book . ennead . . coelius pontius , when a pye had sate on his head , declaring the law , and the soothsayers had answered , the bird being let go , there would be a victory of the enemies ; but she being killed , of the commonwealth ; yet he who had oppressed it , should dye : he presently killed that bird . from which it fell out , that coelius himself , with fourty others , was slain . volatteran . book . chap. . anthro pol. alexander the great , an expedition into asia being undertaken , after he moved to the warr , both other wonders of the gods were shewn , and also a sign of orpheus at the hill libethrum , there was a cyprus tree , which issued forth about that season with a plentiful sweat . all being affrighted with that wondrous sign , aristander bade him be of good courage , he should carry on thing never to be blotted out , and famous , which should afford much sweat and pains to poets and musitians , singing them forth . plutarch , in alexander . the same alexander besieged tyre now the seventh moneth , and while he refresheth almost the whole army from their former labours , but brings a few to the walls , that his enemies might not have respite , aristander the diviner , sacrifices being slain , when he lookt into the intrails , he confidently affirmed by the crow , that that city was without doubt to be vanquished . which receiving his saying with a mock and laughter , because it was the last day ; the king seeing him troubled , and favouring alwayes his prophesies , forbade hereafter , that to be numbred the thirtieth day , but the twenty eighth of the moneth ; and a sign of the trumpet being given , he set upon the wall more sharply , than from the beginning he had begun to do . when the city was not sloathfully assaulted , neither those that were in the camps were at rest , but ran together to bring help , the tyrians were broken , and alexander took the city that day . plutarch , in alexander . the syracusans being besieged by nicias , went up to the temple of hercules , because they had not a long time performed solemn rites to hercules , and they offered sacrifice . the priests being soothsayers , declared unto the syracusans joyfull intrails and victory , if they did not begin the conflict , but beat back their force . for hercules in defending himself being first forced , overcame all . and so going forward , they made a very great and sharp sea-battel in the very harbour , and overcame the athenians . plutarch in nicias . l. sylla , when he was sent with an army to the sociall war , at laverna , a tempest lighted into a great bosome of earth , and out of it a great fire brake , and lifted up a light flame to heaven . but the fortune-tellers told , that an excellent man , and excelling in beauty , and famous , was to let loose the city unto present storms , when he had taken the highest command . sylla saith , this man to be himself : for a shining hair of a golden colour is peculiar to his face . but he would not blush if he take virtue or valour to himself , so great and famous deeds being done . plutarch in sylla . in the same warr , when he sacrificed before the pretor's house , he suddenly beheld a snake sliding down from one part of the altar , which being seen , he forthwith by the encouragement of posthumius a soothsayer , drew forth his army for the voyage , and took the most strong camps of the samnites . which victory laid the steps and foundation of his future and most large power . valer. max. book . chap. . p. scipio africanus , when he had found that army which laid carthage equall with the ground corrupted , he amended it . but they report , the hilt of his sword springing with much blood , to have foreshewn the end of the war : the which , when it was oftentimes wiped off , a little after it was more bloudy : for that monstrous thing , said the soothsay●rs , doth signifie a great slaughter of the enemies . suidas . they report , that sometime the head of a ramm with one onely horn was brought unto pericles out of the field ; and lampo the prophet , as soon as he saw the strong horn , and firm , sprung out of the middle of his forehead , to have said , the power of two factions that were in the city , of thucydides and pericles , were to be brought unto one , with whom this wonder had happened . but anaxagoras , when he had dissected the bone of the head , to have shewn , that the brain filled not up its seat , but in manner of an egg , the sharp part to have rolled out of the whole shell , in that place , from whence the root of the horn drew its beginning . and indeed they who were present , had , at the present , anaxagoras in admiration : a short time after , lampo , when as the wealth or ayds of thucydides being broken , the whole common-wealth had fallen back into the hand of pericles . but both of them might conconjecture rightly , as well the naturalist , as the prophet . the one , who well followed after the cause ; the other , the issue ; for it belonged unto his office to consider whence it had proceeded , and how it had sprung forth ; to this man , to foreshew , what there was at the time of its nativity , and what it should betoken . plutarch in pericles . before the time that alexander the great set upon the persians , they say darius ( when he first began to reign ) commanded the persian sheath or scabberds for their darts to be made after that fashion which the greeks at that time used , and then many of the chaldean prophets foretelling , that the empire of the persians should be translated to them , of whom he was king , he imitated the fashion of their sheaths for darts . it happened accordingly ; for darius being overcome and taken by alexander , the empire of the persians was translated to the greeks . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . the buckler of maximinus the father being set on fire by the sun , and his spear being struck by a thunder-bolt , was cloven through the iron and all , from the very top to the bottom thereof ; from which the soothsayers gathered , that there would arise out of that nation , emperours of the same name , who would continue but for a short time : which came to pass ; for the father and son , called by the name of maximinus , in a short space after ruled the empire together . sabellicus , lib. . cap. . dion prepared a navy of ships in zazinth against dionysius ; miltas , a thessalian prophet , observing a martinel or martin , which flying amongst the ships , lighted upon the very top of the stern of the ship wherein dion was : thereby was caused to fear , ( as he privately told his friends ) that the magnificent things which he was about to perform when they had flourished a small time , would decay and come to nothing . plutarch . in dion . dionysius syracusanus was put away by the tyrant dion , at which time an eagle snatched from one of his guard a lance , wherewith sublimely mounting , at length she let it down into the deep ; whereupon the prophet said , that the eagle was the minister of jove , and that the lance was the ensign of principality ; and therefore he concluded , that the prince of the gods would work the subversion of the tyrant . plutarch , in dion & theopomp . when croesus , king of the lydians , fought against cyrus king of the persians with equal success , and staying at sardis ; upon a suddain all the suburbs were filled with snakes , which the horses while they were going to grass , devoured ; they whom telmisses consulted about what happened , said , that there would come a forreign army which would overcome the natives ; for , say they , a snake is a child of the earth , and a native ; but a horse is an enemy , and stranger . in the mean time , croesus was taken of cyrus , and stript of his kingdom . herodotus , lib , . when dion was about to raise warr from the iland zazinth , against the tyrant dionysius , at the solemn vows and sacrifices , the moon was eclipsed ; moreover , ecliptick circuits , and the shadow which m●eteth the moon , was no strange thing to dio , who thought the earth the object of the sun : but because he desired to elevate the minds of his astonished souldiers , he called for m●ltas the thessalian prophet , who when they were all called together , made a learned oration , wherein he advised them to be of good courage , and assure themselves of great success ; for that god had declared himself defective by the eclipse , by reason of the presence of their illustrious leader ; and that there was nothing more illustrious then dionysius the tyrant , by the glorious splendour of whom , they should overcome the sicilians as soon as they should there arrive . theopompo plutarch . in dio. the sacrifices offered by dionysius the younger to the gods , portended great prodigies , at that time when he most tyrannically put away dion , the sea was so high by a tide , that it overflowed the castle ; yet within four and twenty hours the water was so sweet , that it was potable , and that many who tasted thereof , declared the same : which thing plinius remembers , in his book . cap. . swine brought forth piggs that had all their parts , but that they wanted ears ; the prophets expounded that , to portend defection and rebellion , and that the citizens should be no longer obedient to the tyrant ; and that the sweetness of the water signified a vicissitude to the syracusians , by alteration of their sad and heavy times , into better and more comfortable . theopompus and plutar. in dion . actius in bruto writeth , tarquinius superbus had a dream to this purpose , that a shepherd came to him and brought him two rams , and that he immolated one of them , and that he saw a survivour , who rushing upon him with crooked horns , he was with a suddain impetuous force cast prostrate upon the ground upon his back , and casting his eyes towards heaven , he perceived the sun to passe through a new orbe and unaccustomed way ; which when he had related to interpreters , they advised the king to take heed , lest he whom he accounted rude , a beast and monster , being armed with wisdom , should drive him out of his kingdom ; and that what was shewed him by the sun , portended a change to the people : which happened accordingly ; for brutus , whose brother the king had oppressed , and whose wit he but sported and mocked at , drove away the king , and kingly title ; and the roman state was so altered , that instead of one perpetual king , it begun to have yearly two magistrates . petrarcha de somniis , ex ciceronis , lib. . de natura deorum , accii bruto . hippocrates , the most valiant duke of athens , being alone , chanced to see at olympia , a sight portending strange things ; for when he had immolated the host , the pots ( as they were ordered ) were full of flesh and water , and without any fire put to them , grew so hot , that the water boyled over : which portent , chilon the lacedemonian , who by chance came thither , beholding , first perswaded him , that he should not bring his wife thither , being fruitfull . secondly , if he had a wife , that he should put her away ; and if she had born him ever a son , he should resign him : but hippocrates not observing the counsel of chilon , but promoting his son pisistratus , he invaded the tyrant at athens . herodot . l. . sabel . l. . ennead . . at thebes in boetia , in the temple of the law-giving ceres the time when by the conduct of epiminundas , the people of leuctrica overcame the spartanes , the spiders had woven white webs about the valleys , the macedonians now by the conduct of alexander the great , invading the coasts , there presently appeared sights portending ruine and destruction to the city , all things were filled with black workmanship . pausanias in boeoticis . this sign was three moneths before alexander came to thebes , about that time , the statues which stood in the common hall , were seen to send out of the huge gravings abundance of sweat , besides these things , it was testified to the magistrates , that the pond or standing lake which was at onchestus , sent forth a noyse like to the lowing of cattle , and that there was in dirces a certain horrid bloody shape , which swimmed upon the water , and there were not wanting some of delphos , who said , that the top of the house which the thebans built , appeared to the phocensian people to be full of blood ; the prophets said , that the web did portend the gods migration from the city ; the shape of the heavenly bow , perturbation , and various sorts of molestations ; the sweat sent from the statues , extream losses ; and moreover , the blood which was seen to appear in many places , shewed , that bloody slaughter would ensue at thebes . diodor. lib. . at saguntum , before it had suffered the misery which hannibal afterwards inflicted upon it ; amongst many and daily monstrous sights which were seen , a child which was almost born out of his mothers belly , returned back to the mothers womb again : which prodigie , the prophets said , did foreshew a destructive warr , imminent and fatal destruction ; so that it was utterly overthrown by slaughter . alex. lib. . cap. . archilaus , tetrarch of judea and idumea , was sent for , being accused of tyranny by caesar , to rome ; who after hearing the accusations of his enemies , and his own defence , banished him to vienna in france , and taking all his substance from him before he exiled him , in the tenth year of his government ; before he was sent for to rome , he told to his friends this dream ; he saw ten ripe ears of corn full of wheat taken away by oxen ; and considering that his dream was worthy to be taken notice of , he consulted with interpreters of dreams concerning it ; who disagreeing concerning the meaning thereof , simon , one of the essaei , to wit , one that abstained from flesh , wine , and women , as all the jews of that order did , ( making an apologie ) said , that this vision did portend change to archilaus , and that to the worse ; for that oxen did signifie misery , because this kind of creature is under continual labours ; and furthermore , it foreshewed mutation of things , because the ground being turn'd by the labour , retains neither the same place nor form ; but those ten ears of corn , shew the number of ten years , for that they go about by annual turnings , and that immediately there would ensue an end of the domination or rule of archilaus : so did this jew interpret the dream . five dayes after this vision , caesar sends a procurator to judaea to summon archilaus before him , joseph . l. . c. ult . at the palatine house of mediolanum , seven dayes before the lievtenant governour barnabas was taken by his cosen galeacius , there was such vehement lightning , that the hangings of his inner chamber were burnt with a thunder-bolt , and his ensign being a marble viper , was shattered in pieces . a prophet then , a domestick , whose sirname was medicina , in the nones of may , observed the unhappy conjunction of three stars , ( he had formerly predicted much ) and then he endeavoured to retain him whom he saw running precipitately towards his destruction , which was thereby threatned ; but such was the hidden power of his fate , that he went on his way , being wretchedly infatuated . jovius in barnaba . zenon the emperour hearing of the discomfiture of his army , lees into a little castle sited upon an hill , which the people called constantinople ; which considering immediately after his coming thither , he with sighing said to his company ; poor man , is it the sport of the gods , who have thus deluded me ? for the prophets did confidently affirm , that it behoved me to be at constantinople in the moneth of july ; whereupon i thought i should have been in the city , but ( poor wretch as i am ) i am onely in this little hill , which beareth the like appellation . a certain man called harold , who bragged that he had a familiar spirit ; told frederick the second that he should die in the florentine field ; therefore , in that his last journey from thuscia to apulia , he used all possible care to avoid it ; but falling into a grievous feaver , he was forc't to lye at the castle of apulia , six miles distant from luceria ( which they call florentinum ) assoon as he remembred the prediction of hariolus , and the name of florentinum , he perceived that the end of his life was at hand . collenutius , l. . historiae regni neopolitani . certain writers affirm ezelinus a roman , and albericus brethren , bloudy and fierce men to have been the sons of adebheida , a lady of the noble bloud of the tuscans , of so high a wit and discretion , that ( beyond belief ) as well by observing the heavens and stars as magicall art , she foresaw things to come . many predictions which accordingly fell out , were demonstrated to her husband and children , and especially this one ; that on the day of her death , she pronounced three verses in manner of an oracle in which she cha●ted forth the might , and progresse , and the very place of the death of her sonnes , and it appeared by the events nothing of the prophesy but came to passe . now i shall say nothing of albericus , whereas ezelinus was admonished to take heed of cassanum , being ignorant thereof by reason of the obscurenesse of the place , he ever most studiously avoided the castle cassanum , bordering upon the paduans and hetruscians , supposing it the fatall place ; at length after he attained the age of seventy years , whilst with all his might he warred against mediolanum , his terrible and insolent spirit making him hated by almost all the longobards , he was by them circumvented , for having passed the bridge , and finding himself in extream streights , and inquiring the name of the place , assoon as he heard cassanum named , and remembring the confusion threatned by it , clapping his spurs to his horse , he ran headlong into the river before him , murmuring to himself , o inevitable fate , o my mothers presages , o how was cassanum hid from me ! and before he could well swim over the river , he was fallen upon by an innumerable army , who had possessed themselves of the brink and banksides of the river . petrarcha . machabaeus king of the scots , fearing magduffus , being admonished by soothsayers , was told by a woman a fortune-teller , that he should not fall by the hands of any man that was born of a woman , and that he could not be overcome before the wood bernen were carried to the castle donusinna , which was a great way distant . therefore he falsly thought himself invincible , and free from all stratagems and deceits of his enemies , having cut down the wood birnen , and carried every stick to the castle , wherewith he compassed the castle the day before he was overcome : to be short , he was slain by magduffus , who was not born , but cut out of his mothers belly . cardanus de rerum varietate . lib. . cap. . antonius of leva animated charls the fift , emperour , to war upon on france , and undertook to be generall of the army , although he had been informed by the oracles , that he should be afflicted with cruell sicknesse , dye in france , and rest at the church of st. dionsiyus , which he interpreted should come to passe by his extending his victory to paris it self ; but it fell out far otherwise . for the caesarian army which he led , was wasted with a flux , and he , spent by watchings and griefs , died near the city narbo in france , and was buried at saint dionysius . sabellici supplementum , . amilcarus , duke of the carthagenians , besieging the syracusians against agathocles , was told by a sooth-sayer ( who gathered this conjecture by the observation of the entrals of beasts ) that the next night after he should sup with the syracusians , who when he conceived he should have obtained victory over them , by a sally which they suddenly made out of the city , took him prisoner , and carried him to sup with the syracusians , contrary to his will , where by cruell torments he died . the velitri consulting an oracle there , where caesar was born were answered long before from the top of the wall , which by its height threatned heaven , that one who should be born in that town , should be a great commander in the world , in confidence : whereof the citizens did immediately , and long afterwards , make war against the romans ; at last by what afterwards they saw , it appeared that by what was shewed , the might of augustus caesar was portended . suetonius . hadrianus cornetanus cardinal , not drawn thereto by malice but an ambitious desire of reigning , looked after the death of leo the tenth : for he conceived an assured hope of obtaining the papacy by the oracle of a fortune-telling-woman , who telling to him , asking fortune of her , many things past of his publick and private fortune , most exactly true : she also constantly affirmed that one hadrian , an old man , of obscure birth , a great and studious scholler , who by degrees obtained sacred honours by his own merit , and not by the favour of great men , assoon as leo departed this life , would succeed him in the papacy : all these descriptions he conceived did congruously and apparantly belong to him . for he was born at a poor village called cornetus , in the coasts of tuscany descended of a poor family almost sordid , onely by the benefit of his learning , attaining the dignity of sacred orders . the oracle of the old woman proved true , but hadrianus the cornetanian was deceived , for he did not succeed leo ; but one hadrian , an old man , a batavian , son to a poor labourer , being illustrious by his learning , after leo , obtained the prodigious felicity of the papacy . jov. in leonis vita , lib. . when alexander the great , determined to fight against the chief city of the oxodracian indians , a certain man called demophon , being one of those that used to make ostentation of predictions , came to the king , and told him , that he had observed by augury , that there was great danger portended to him by reason of a wound which he should receive in fighting against the indians , and therefore he admonished alexander to divert his intention from invading that city : who rebuked him for going about to apall the courage of valiant men , and providing all things necessary for his march , he leading a great army , arrived at the city , and intending to storm it , he placed his artillery against it , and making a breach in the wall , broke into the city , killed many , and pursued those that fled to the very castle ; and whilst the army of the macedonians were seeking to scale the walls , he , without any cunctation , snatching a ladder , and artificially bearing his buckler over his head , he falls a scaling the wall , and used so much celerity therein , that before the drowsy barbarians could get to the wall to defend it , he got to the top thereof : the enemies durst not approach to grapple with him , but put him hard to it by darts and arrows which they threw and shot at him . the macedonians with two ladders which they had reared to the wall , did oft endeavour to scale the wall , and relieve alexander , but were still repulsed by the enemy . wherefore he being destitute of any help , alone , and loaded with defensive and offensive arms , leaped into the very castle , and most valiantly defended himself against the indians , who violently ran about him , but he seeing a tree near the wall , stepped unto it , and leaning his back to it , made it so much his defence , that they could not come about him ; and now laying about him at his enemies by dint of sword , though he shewed great courage by his most valiant deeds , which , like a royall king , to the astonishment of his enemies , he demonstrated , insomuch that he seemed to desire nothing but a glorious death , receiving many shots and blows upon his helmet and buckler , yet at length an arrow which was shot at him , lighted a little under his pap or breast , and there sticking , he was constrained by violence of his pain to fall upon his knees ; which an indian who was enraged by a wound which he had received from him soon perceiving , furiously marched to him , and fell upon him , but was by one blow with his sword suddenly dispatched . the king then catching hold of a bough of the tree within his reach , helped himself off his knees , and begun to provoke his enemies to fight ; in which interim peusestes , one of the squires of the kings body , scaling the wall , was the first that came to the defence of his prince , and after him many more , who put the barbarians to flight , and delivered alexander from further danger . diodorus , lib. . a certain servant , a syrian , born in apemea , whose name was eunus , who delighted in magicall enchantments , and circulatory legerdemains , served amongst the eunensians in sicilia . this fellow would take upon him that he could by instinct and revelation from the gods , who appeared to him in his sleep , tell things to come ; shortly after , he bragged that he could foretell future events , not onely for that the gods appeared to him asleep , but also waking , and that they plainly told him of things to come : when as by many of his prophesies , he was found a notorious liar , yet in the mean time some things came to passe according to his predictions , which was a reason that no man questioned him for his false prophecies , but what he chanced truly to foretell , was so observed and applauded , that the people shortly had a high esteem of him ; at last he devised to blow a flame of fire out of his mouth with a certain fanatick fury , he prophesied like as it had been one of the priests of apollo , to which purpose he had a nut , or something of like nature bored through , in which he put fire , and combustible matter to nourish it , and putting it into his mouth , and blowing , sometimes sent forth sparks , and sometimes flames , this fellow was used before any defection , to brag that the syrian goddesse did appear to him in his sleep , and tell him that he should obtain regall dignity ; and he did not tell this onely to the ordinary sort of people , but likewise he daily related the same to antigines the eunensian his own master : his relation raysing much laughter , and antigines taking great delight in his prodigious lies , had him as a jester to wait upon him at his feasts , and would enquire of him concerning state-affairs , and what would become of all the company , and when he answered them all with great confidence , and promised that it would come to passe , that he should shew great lenity and clemency to his lords , he raysed great laughter amongst them . the common people raysing a tumult , come to this eunus , and asked him if the gods favoured their enterprise : he approving the thing , perswaded them to go on therein , and presently four hundred of his fellow servants , taking him for their captain , brake into the city , and made such a horrible slaughter , that they spared not very sucking infants , and this was the beginning of the servile warre which made such horrible destruction in sicily , that rutilius at length with much ado , made an end of it . diodorus siculus , lib. . when at the thermopilae long mountains passing through graece to the egaean sea , three hundred lacedemonians were to fight against xerxes , megistias acarnas , a propher of the race of melpodes , told that it was apparent , that death was imminent over all their heads ; though leonides offered openly to dismiss him , that he should not undergo such hazard of his life , yet he would not depart , but also caused his onely son to go along with him , and be a souldier ; all the rest of his fellow-souldiers which were discharged of their service , went their wayes ; the thesbiensian and theban souldiers went on , and continuing with the lacedemonians , they all perisht together . herodotus , lib. . whereas it was often given out as an edict , that whosoever either privately or publickly did predict or foretell the death of any man , should suffer death ; at length domitian the emperour commanded ascletario to be burnt , and larginus proclus to be hang'd , for that they foretold the day of his death : the one of these fortune-tellers was sent by the governour of the province of germany , to rome , where he constantly affirmed what he had predicted concerning domitian , and named a certain day , not long too , wherein the verity or vanity of his art might be judged ; therefore it pleased the emperour to defer the execution of his sen●ence till that day ; upon which , his prediction came to passe : wherefore by the favour of the noble roman , he was freed . p. aerodius suetonio . grillandus saith , that perusinus was the greatest magitian of all italy , who singing mass upon a certain day , and coming to that part of it at which he was to turn to the people and say , orate pro me , &c. he said , pray for the castles of the church , who are now expiring their lives : and at the same instant , the souldiers of a castle , twenty five miles distant from perusium where he said mass , were slain . the like story we read in philip comineus , of a certain italian archbishop of vienna , who in the presence of king lewis the th , celebrating mass upon the day of the epiphanie , at the church of st. martin at turon , when he offered the pax to the king to kiss , pronounced these words ; peace to thee , o king , thy enemy is dead . and it appeared , that charls duke of burgundie dyed the same hour at nanceum in lotharingia . cominaeus telleth many things of this archbishop , which seem to be the certain effects of meer witchcraft . of the dreams , visions , revelations , and other such kind of legerdemanes and mockeries of evil spirits . agamemnon , leader of the greeks against troy , when he had taken briseides from achilles , thetis interceding jove for her son , that he would subject the graecians to the trojans , till they really perceived , and found by wofull revenge , what losse , trouble and vexation they had caused to achilles , by their injurious dealing with him : jupiter sends a dream to agamemnon , wherein he commands him to draw out his army , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for now he should take troy. jove cannot lye , ( that he full well knew ) yet he well saw that he could not take the city that day : jupiter plaid or sported with him by the abstruse meaning of the word ; for the adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifies in the greek , not onely present , but instant ; and hath that latitude , that it signifies past , and not much past ; and to come , and not far off ; jupiter therefore meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the tenth year , which was then present , which was not long from the destruction of troy. but agamemnon interpreting , or construing his dream to mean the present day , he drew out his army immediately , and received a great overthrow . iliados . β. cyrus king of the persians , leading an army against the massagetians , being at rest , dreamed , that he saw darius the eldest son of hystaspes , having two wings , with the one whereof he overshadowed asia ; and with the other , europe . this darius being twenty years of age , at this time was left by his father at aristimentum in persia ; cyrus awakened out of his dream , and suspended with this nocturnal vision ; and casting many wayes what should be the meaning thereof ; at last said , that thereby was revealed to him from the gods , that hystaspes and his son darius did lye in wait to surprise him and his kingdom , he used therefore his utmost endeavours to return into his own countrey , the massegetians being conquered , and leaves his son in his place ; but that vision foretold , that cyrus should be shortly overthrown , and that ere long darius should obtain his kingdom : which came to passe , after a short reign of cambyses , which came betwixt this and darius his conquest . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . socrates foresaw in his dreams , that his scholler plato would be an excellent orator and philosopher ; for the day before ( he being brought to him by his father ) socrates in his dream saw a white swan fly into his bosome , which by his musicall striking of his wings , filled the ayr ; which dream , as soon as plato was brought to him , he declared . pausanias in atticis . hippocrates in his epistle to philopomenes , relates his dream thus ; that meditating solicitously of democritus , ( to whom being called to cure the abderitani , he saith , that health would meet him in the morning ) . i saw , quoth he , aesculapius , and as we were both before and even at the ports of the abderitari , aesculapius appeared not , as his pictures speak him , mild and gentle , but with squalid habit , and an horrid aspect ; and there followed him dragons , a fierce kind of creeping creatures , of huge length , hissing in desarts and lawnes ; he had in his company likewise , men that followed him with boxes of medicaments handsomely closed up : immediately he reacheth forth his hand to salute me , which , god knowes , i most joyfully imbraced ; i desired to wait upon him , and to serve him in his administring physick ; but he answered , for present 't was not needful ; for this goddess of mortals and immortals will conduct thee , being a stranger : whereupon turning my self , i beheld a goodly fair lady neatly and gloriously adorned , about whose eyes there appeared such a circle of shining splendour , that exceeded the glorious brightnesse of stars . he thereupon departed , but the lady taking me kindly by the hand , leads me on a grave pace through the city ; and when we approached near a house , wherein i thought i should have been entertained , she departed like a ghost , saying , to morrow i shall find you with democritus . to whom as she was going away , i said , dear lady who are you ? and how may i call you ? truth , sayes she , but she that thou seest coming towards thee , ( and presently another lady not uncomely appeared to me , of a more bold aspect , and more fierce ) whose name she told me was opinion , and that she lived with the abderetani . when i therefore awaked from my dream , i conceived the interpretation of it to be , that democritus needs not a physitian , god departing from administring of physick , when there is no matter or sicknesse which requires it ; but that truth , which alwayes dwelleth with democritus , saith he , is in health ; and that opinion which saith he is sick , remaineth amongst the mad abderetani . alexander was descended from hercules by carinus , and from aeacus on his mothers side by neoptolemus , as it was verily thought . it is reported , that when phillip king of macedon first courted olympiades , taken with her beauty , ( by the help of her brother arybba , whom diodore in his sixteenth book calleth arymba ) whose friendship he obtained , he stole her away from her parents , and married her , and that the night before they enjoyed nuptial rights , in a dream he thought he saw jove touch his belly , being descended from heaven in thunder ; whereupon there was a huge fire which arose , and presently dispersed it self into flames all about . the same philip , a short time after his marriage , dreamed , that he sealed his wives belly , and that the sculpture of the seal , as it seemed to him , was the image of a lyon ; which vision he declaring to some that took upon them the interpretation of dreams , they advised him to set a strict watch or guard upon his wife ; but telemesus said , she would bring a lyon-like child , for that no vain thing is to be sealed ; therefore the dream signified , that she would have a child of perfect animosity and courage . plutarchus , in alexandro . sophocles did often dream , that hercules speaking to him by name , called him thief , because he had stoln a golden vessel out of his temple . and that being detected and brought before the state , he confessed himself guilty of the theft whereof hercules accused him ; wherefore from that time ever after , the temple was called by the name of hercules his temple . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . annaeus seneca , a senator of rome , being commanded by claudius , the emperour , to undertake the tutorship of nero , as yet a child hopefull , by a towardly genius ; the night after he received him , ( as 't is reported ) he dreamed , that he had to his scholler caligula , whose famous cruelty had appeared to the world : not long after the conditions and manners of nero changing , or rather being detected , appearing , he proved himself to have a soul void of humanity ; insomuch , that it was admired , because he was so like caligula , how it could otherwise come to pass , but by the transmigration of caligula , his soul out of hell , into nero. petrarcha ex suetonio & dione . eudemus a cyprian , a familiar friend of socrates , travelling into macedonia , cometh to pherae , a rich and famous city of thessaly , but oppressed and brought somewhat low , by the inhumane tyranny of one alexander , he was there taken with such heavy sickness , that physitians despaired of his health ; who thus afflicted , dreams , that he saw a gallant young man , who coming to him , assured him of three things to come , that he , though now extreamly sick , should shortly recover his health ; that the tyrant of that city should dye within a few dayes ; and that he within five years should go to his own country . and the two first did manifestly come to passe accordingly ; for he beyond all hopes recovered his health ; the tyrant was slain by his wives brothers : the third was somewhat more obscure ; for about the end of the fifth year , as he was going from sicily , where he then lived , to cyprus , he was taken out of this world by wars at syracusa : we find , that interpreters of dreams excuse the not coming of eudemus home according to the dream , by saying , that by death his soul was delivered from the bonds of his body , and returned to her countrey . petrarcha . aspasia , the daughter of hermotimus , after her mother phocensis dyed in labour , together with her child , being educated in penury , and want of a parent , yet modestly and handsomely she often dreamed , that she saw one , who told her , that her fortune should be such , that she should be married to a gallant and honest gentleman ; it chanced to the maid , that a swelling rose upon her very chin , most ugly to behold , which was a cause of much grief both to her father and her : whereupon her father brought her to a physitian , who undertook to cure her , upon condition that he should give him three staters , ( which is worth seven shillings of our english coyn ) for his pains ; when the father said , 't was more then he had , the physitian dismissed the young maid uncured , who thereupon was most grievously tormented , so that she ate nothing ; that night , an opportune sleep seizing upon her , she had a vision , wherein she heard these words . be of good courage , and trouble not your self with physitians , but take a rose of venus , and beating it together into a salve , apply it to your swelling . which when she awaked , she accordingly performed , and her swelling was clean taken away , and aspasia so far transcended all the ladies of her time , in glorious beauty , vertuous life , and incomparable carriage , that cyrus king of the persians , enamoured with her excellencies , first married her , and after his death artaxerxes took her to wife . you may read the story elegantly set forth by aelianus de varia historia , lib. . à principio . in the time of plinius , the mother of a certain souldier who served in the praetory , dreamed , that she ought to send to her son the root of a wild rose-tree , or sweet-brier , which she had seen and observed in a grove the day before by reason of its beauty , to drink in milk : this happened in laretania , being the nearest part of spain . and it came to passe , that this souldier having been bitten with a mad-dog , whereby he grew so ill , that he began to fear the waters , and shew many symptoms of his infirmity ; he received a letter from his mother , wherein she desired him to make use of the medicine which was shewed her in his vision ; which he observing , and performing , became presently free from the misery he was in ; and not onely he , but any that afterwards upon like occasion , made use of that medicine . plinius , lib. . cap. . aesculapius of athens prescribed by oracle to plutarch an athenian , and domninus a syrian , who bruised by i know not what chance , did spit blood , that they should be filled with swines-flesh ; but plutarch , though by the law of his nation he was not forbidden swines-flesh , and therefore might have made use thereof according to the prescription , utterly refused it , and awakened from sleep , stretching forth his arms in his bed , and beholding the statue or image of aesculapius ( for he lay in the porch or entry of the temple ) he said , why didst thou prescribe this cure to an hebrew or jewish lord ? for neither hadst thou bid him to be filled with swines flesh . which words when this man had spoken , aesculapius ( a most sweet sound being uttered out of the image ) prescribed him another way of curing the disease . but domninus , having followed the dream otherwise than the instructions of the syrians , do lead unto , not the example of plutarch , he both then and ever afterwards a●e that flesh : and it is reported , if at any time it had ceased one day , the disease to have waxed worse , untill they were fullfilled . suidas . a certain persian , epixyes by name , a noble lord of the upper phrygia , laid wait for themistocles , going down unto the sea by reason of businesse pertaining to greece , after that he fled to xerxes , pisidians being long since provided , who in the town , which they call [ leontocephalon ] ( that word signifieth the heads of lyons ) that they might kill him , walking in the night . to whom they say , the mother idea being set before him by a dream , to have said ; o themistocles , avoid thou the head of lyons , least thou run into the lyon. for this thing therefore i require from thee the hand-maid mnesiptolema . from whence themistocles being overwhelmed with fears , the goddesse , being worshipped , declined the kings way , and being gone past that place , he now sate down with others in the night . but when one of the beasts which carried his tent , had slidden into the river , the servants of themistocles opened the arris hangings , being made wet , to dry them . in the mean time the pisidians run to them with their swords . but when they could not sufficiently see through those things that were dryed , unto the moon ; they thought they were the tents of themistocles , and that they should find him resting within ; when as now going nearer privily , they carried away the arries , the servants being intentive , flew upon them , and quickly took them . so he having rid himself of the danger , in reverence of the goddesse , which had been presented before him , he built the temple of dyndimena at magnesia , of whom he made his daughter mnesiptolema a nun. plutarch . in themistocles . l. lucullus going to hellespont , built or fitted a navy for the mithridatick war. being brought to troas , he turned aside in the idoll temple of venus . being asleep in the night , he seemed to see the goddesse standing by him ; who said , why sleepest thou , couragious lion here , when num'rous dogfish is next present there . he arising , his friends being called unto him , put forth the dream , it being as yet night . some of troy were also present , who shewed him , that there were five of the king's gallies with oars at the haven of the achaians , thirteen which bent their course into lemnos . therefore he presently lets loose , and obtained these ; he killed their lievetenant or chief commander . isidore , &c. plutarch in lucullus . m. arcorius , a physitian of augustus caesar ( when two armies of the romans had stood in the fields of philippi , here the army of octavius and anthony , there of brutus and cassius , and the next day they were to joyn battell ) received a dream from minerva , that he should warn octavius labouring with a grievous disease , least by reason of health being against , he should not be present in the next battell . the which when caesar had heard , he commanded him to be brought in a horse-litter into the battell , in the which while ( for the getting glory ) he had watched and warded above his strength , he was freed of his disease , and was freed from the souldiers of brutus , thinking of his murther , and robbing his camps , and striking thorow the empty horse-litter with arrowes and darts . cicero , book . of divining , in augustus . seleucus was the son of antiochus , who was one of alexanders captains . he had laodice for wife ; who , that night in which she conceived seleucus , it seemed to her , being at rest , that she lay together with apollo , from whom she had received a ring ingraven with the shape of an anchor , and that he was found in the bed , and to be kept with diligence . laodice gave him unto seleucus ( being well taught concerning his birth ) going with alexander into asia . it is added , that seleucus , and those begotten by him , had their thigh marked with a naturall anchor . when the romans being once shut up in difficult places by the samnites , were greatly pressed upon ; p. decius , then tribune of the souldiers , he saw himself in his sleep , to lye between most thick wedges , dying with much glory . by which dream , the most valiant man , most thirsty after glory , yet not so much affrighted , as encouraged unto the desire of his promised end , began to decline no kind of danger : and being admonished by friends , that he should fight the more warily , he opened unto them his dream and purpose . then notwithstanding being ( beyond thought ) unhurt he brought the army out safe from the jaws of their enemies . but after three years passed between , the late truth was brought to sleep . for in the latine war , himself being consull , sacrificed himself for the common-wealth : and being brought into the middle of the enemies armies , he dyed with such glory , that he stirred up his son unto the like desire of an hereditary death . these almost after this manner , are both written in the annals of rome , and related by tully . c. gracchus saw the shape of his brother tiberius ( who was killed in the sedition of the field law ) in his sleep , saying . he might delay as much as he would , yet he must perish with the same death , by which he had died . which also happened . for when after most destructive lawes published , he had possessed the mount of aventine with an armed multitude , by lucius opimius he was slain . cicero in book . of divination . plutarch , in the life of the gracchians . calpurnia the wife of julius caesar ; saw in her rest , that night which was the last he lived on the earth , that he was slain with many wounds , laying in her bosome : and being exceedingly affrightned through the cruelty of the dream , ceased not to intreat him , that the next day he would abstain from the court. but he not moved with a womans dream , thought to do that , he earnestly desired to go to the senate , in which the hands of parricides were brought on him ; where , by brutus and cassius he was slain . valerius , book . chap. . l. cornelius sylla , not onely foresaw his death , but also wrote somewhat of it : for in the twenty second commentary of deeds done by him , two dayes before he deceased , he set to the last hand ; and saith , the chaldeans foretold him , that where he had famously lived , he was to depart in the flowr of happiness . he telleth also , that his son , who had dyed a little before metella , was seen in a dream to stand by him in an unusual garment , and to have prayed his father , that he would lay aside cares , and would go forward with him to his mother metella , there with her to live in rest . plutarch . in sylla . a beholder of playes , who standing in the place of beholding , had mused in his sleep , that he was slain by a sword-player who seemed to be present ; by and by he told the sitters by , that he had seen the dream ; so being killed by him with an eel-spear , he taught by experience , the vain dream to be true , by a miserable issue . alexander , book . chap. . great sfortias , the day before he departed from orthona against braccius , who besieged the city aquila , in the year , dreamed about the morning , that being overwhelmed with a deep heap of waters , was conversant in the greatest danger of his life , and to have beheld a man in a gyant-like shape very like to d. christopher , of whom even with a great and often repeated voyce , he besought help in vain . but he being nothing warned by his dream , departing by orthona , in the crosse passage of the small river aternus , ( which at this day hath its name from the town piscaria ) while he brought help unto a lad , his armour-bearer being in jeopardy , his right hand being stretched forth , pitching in the muddy foord , his horse , although famous , failed in his hinder legs , and so his armour weighing him down , he was drowned . jovius , in his life . malpaga , an archer , was not an unacceptable servant unto galeatius sfortias , duke of mediolum , among his household-servants . this man , the day before that galeatius was killed , he saw in the night , at the time of rest , as if himself had been present at the thing , him being thrust thorow with wounds made , to be put together with his father in the same coffin . that which afterwards he waking beheld to be done , galeatius being dead , while a proper coffin was made for him . which sight , the same malpaga , before the duke was killed , being through fear astonished , had told unto his earls . fulgosus , b. . ch . . of examples . mark-anthony taurell , earl of guastella , when he warred in the kingdom of neapolis , in that war which ferdinand the elder , king of arragon , waged with renatus king of andegavia , in the standing camps , which he had in the country of the brutians ; arising in the morning from his bed , he told those his souldiers who had stood about him , that he saw in his sleep , that he was drowned in the water : and therefore decreed to abstain from swimming , to which he had accustomed himself . but when at noon-day after sleep , being cloathed with a souldiers warlike garment naked from above , he had come to walk to the neighbouring lake , and saw some of his souldiers swimming , being unmindfull of his night-dream , and perchance the destinies so drawing him , letting himself down with some others into the lake to swim , according to the dream that he had seen , he was drowned , when as none of his souldiers could bring him help . fulgosus , book . chap. . horace perusine , servant of the feasts or junkers unto alexander of medices , duke of the florentines , a little before that he was killed by lawrence of medices , was vexed with a feaver , from a vapour , as is meet to be believed , of black choler , he had a sight thrice in the night , in the which he beheld the prince to be stabbed by lawrence : which images of things , drave the sick-man , that he told it to paschall the prince's physitian , to be related to the prince . but paschall , carefully doing duty , found the prince in that mind , that he said it was a fable of a dreaming sick man ; admiring , why the whole house had conspired together for hatred of lawrence : the supply of sabellicus , book . out of jovius . baptista of cardanum , studying at papia , on a certain night , as soon as he arose , tryed to kindle a sparkle of fire . in the mean time he heareth this voyce , go , my son , go to rome . and he saw a great brightnesse , like a bundel of burning chaff . he being affrighted , his fire-light being laid aside , lay hid under the bed , untill his chamber-fellows returned out of the university . when they returned , thinking him to be sick , they knock at the door , he openeth it . straightway , to them enquiring the cause , he answereth , he thought his mother to be dead , and told what he had seen and heard , and also wept . they turned the thing into a jest ; partly laughing at him , partly comforting him . the day following , when as yet he had not received a message concerning his mothers sicknesse , he was certified of her death , that she breathed out her soul in that very hour , wherein he had perceived these things . the town of cardanum is absent from papia fourty two miles . cardane , of the variety of things , book . chap. . tells this of his kinsman . ulysses after his return into his countrey , being affrighted with often contrary dreams , called together most skillfull interpreters , telling , that a certain image was seen by him , of a very laudable beauty , between the countenance of a man and a god , suddenly to be sent forth out of the same place . the which , to him desiring to embrace with the greatest desire , and stretching forth his hand ; it was answered unto him in a man's voyce , that such a conjoyning was wicked , because it was of the same bloud and birth : for thereby the one would destroy the others work . and then to him more eagerly , asking it , and desiring to learn perfectly the causes of that thing , a certain sign arising from a male , came between his sight , and that second power or jurisdiction of his cast upon him , to have disjoyned both . which thing , all who were present , pronounced to be destructive with one mouth , warning him to take heed of the layings in wait of his son . so , telemachus by his fathers will , is banished into the fields which were in cephalenia . he himself going apart into hidden and separated places , endeavoured to avoid the force of the dreams . at the same time , telegonus , whom being sprung from ulysses , circe had brought up at the island acaea , when he was of ripe years , going to search out his father , came to ithaca , bearing in his hands a certin spear , whose top was armed with the bone of a sea tortle , to wit , a token of honour of that island , in which he had been brought up . being instructed where his father ulysses lived , by the keepers of the ground , being at his first passage more mistrusted , is forbidden , when as he more eagerly resisteth , he is on the contrary repulsed , he begins to cry out , it was an unworthy act that he should be forbidden from the embracement of his father . so telegonus being thought to come to bring force on the king , he is more sharply resisted , for it was not certainly known to any , that ulysses had also another son . but the young man when he saw himself the more exceedingly , and by force , to be repulsed , being raised up through grief , killeth , or being greatly wounded , weakeneth many of the keepers . which things after they were known to ulysses , he thinking the young man to have been sent by telemachus , going forth of doors , casts the lance which he had wont to carry for his own defence against telegonus . after that , the young man escaped this stroak , he sends a notable dart against his present father . when ulysses fell down with the stroak , he gave thanks for his fortune , and confessed it was very well done by him , because being slain by the force of a strange man , he had freed telemachus , a most dear son to him , from the wickednesse of parricide . and holding back the residue , he asketh the young man , who he was , and from what place risen , who durst kill ulysses the son of laertes , famous for counsel and war ? telegonus then knowing it was his father , tearing his head with both his hands , uttered a most lamentable weeping , being exceedingly tormented for the death brought by him on his father . dictys , in book . pindare , a lyrick poet , his age being now finished , seemed to see persephone to stand by him in his sleep , and to complain , that she onely of all the gods was not adorned with his verses . but when he had come unto her , he should also make an hymn on her . indeed , a little after , and even before the tenth day from that dream , he finished the duties of life . there was at thebes a certain old woman , joyned to pindare by kin , and very much exercised in singing forth many of his songs . pindare shewing himself to her at the time of rest , sung a song on persephone . she being presently awakened , wrote down all things which she had heard pindare singing , through a vision in her sleep . truly in that song , amongst other sirnames of the hell-goddess , is chrysenius , to wit ▪ from the golden rains ; which thing , it is sufficiently manifest , to have served for the snatching away of proserpina . pausanias , in his boeoticks . unto phayll king of the phocians , after the temple of delphos spoyled , he scarce as yet having come to his command , such a shew by a dream , was set before him . among the things offered to apollo , there was a very old image of brass , of a man , whose flesh being consumed , his bones alone were left . they of delphos said , it was dedicated by hippocrates the physitian . phayll seemed to see himself made like to this . and a few dayes after , pining away with leanness , he fulfilled the issue of the dream . pausanias , in his photicks . a little before the destruction of messena , in the twenty first year of the war , aristodemus , king of the messenians , seemed at the time of rest , to see , when as now arms being taken up , he was to go forth to battle , the intrails of sacrifices being placed on a table , his daughter ( whom six years before being sacrificed for the safety of his country , he had slain with his own hands ) standing by him in a black or mourning garment , and her breast being naked , shewing her wounds : and then the intrails being removed from the table , the weapons being withdrawn , her self to be endowed with that golden crown and white garments . he therefore thought this dream to betoken death unto him , because the messenians lift up the nobles being crowned , and covered with a white garment . and without delay , when by the devoting of his daughter , he saw he could nothing profit his country , at his daughter's tomb he brought death on himself . plutarch . in cleomenes . alexander king of macedonia , first knew by a dream , that the right hand of cassander would prove mortal to him , before that in the end he felt it . for he thought himself to be killed by him , when as he had never seen him . at then , sometime coming between , after that he had come into view , the image of his night-fear being disclosed , as soon as he knew it to be the son of antipater , a greek verse being added , which raiseth up the truth of the dreams , he beat back the suspition of poysoning now prepared against his head ; whereby it is reported he was slain with the hand of cassander . valerius maximus , book . chap. . sabellicus , book . ennead . . alcibiades taking a sleep , thought himself in his sleep to be covered with the cloak of his concubine . the truth whereof straightway followed . for critias , when he saw alcibiades very much to prevail in favour and authority , endeavoured to take him out of the midst of them . therefore he sent tisimen ( or as others name him , susametres ) and bagous , that they might kill him . he when he was with his leamond , being killed in her bosome , and was cast away unburied , was covered with the garment of his concubine . justine , book . plutarch . & probus , in his life . that was an effectual image of rest , which brake the courage of king croesus , first with the greatest fear , and then also with grief . for of his two sons , he thought that atys the more excelling both in great nimbleness , and endowments of body , and ordained for the succession of the empire , was taken away from him by the sword . therefore whatsoever did belong to avoid the bitternesse of a denounced slaughter , the father's care in no part ceased to turn away . the young man was wont to be sent to wage wars ; he was kept at home . he had an armory filled with plenty of all kinds of weapons ; that also he commanded to be removed . his earls used to be girded with the sword ; they were forbidden to come near . yet necessity made way for mourning . for when a wild boar of huge bigness wasted the tilled places of the mountain olympus , with often destruction of the country-people ; and help was humbly besought of the king against the unaccustomed evill , the son wrested by force from his father , that he might be sent to slay him , indeed so much the easier , because the cruelty not of the tooth , but of the sword , was laid up in fear . but while all were diligently bent on a sharp endeavour of killing the swine , a stubborn chance of a hovering force , turned the launce sent from adrastus , that he might smite the wild beast , out of the right way into him : and indeed would have that right-hand especially aspersed with the fault of a wicked murder , unto whom the defence of the son was committed by the father . valer. maximus , book . chap. . & herodotus , book . polycratis , daughter of a tyrant , of the samians , she seemed to see at the time of rest , her father to be on high in the ayr ; who should indeed be washed by jupiter , but , anointed by the sun. she being affrighted with this vision , warned her father , that he should not go to oraetes the governour of cambyses at sardis . but he obeying not the saying , was fastned to a crosse by oraetes . herodotus , book . unto hipparchus the son of pisistratus , was presented in his sleep , the image of a tall man pronouncing these verses ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . bear ( lyon ) things unsufferable , suffer with bearing mind : there is no wicked man , to whom hee 'l not repay in kind . in the morning he would refer these words to the interpreters of dreams . but straightway the vision being despised , he neglected it , and went away into the solemn fight , where , by aristogiton , and harmodius , gephyraeans , he was killed . herodotus , book . simon of athens , when as he moved an expedition against the persians , his navy being now ready , he had such a dream . an angry bitch seemed to bark at him , and to utter thereupon a voyce mixed of a man's voyce , and a dog's barking , in these words ; be gone , thou art to be a friend to me , and to my whelpish kind . astyphilus posidoniates therefore , a divining man , and familiar friend of simon , affirmed death to be foretold him , using this argument : the dog is an enemy to him whom he barks at : but to an enemy none is dear , or a friend , but when he dyeth . moreover , the mixed voyce , sheweth the mede an enemy , whose armies are mixt of greeks and barbarians . the end proved the dream to have been true : for not much time after simon dyed of a disease in the siege of citium plutarch . in his life . when as a certain one had seemed to repeat a verse of homer's unto socrates ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ thou shalt indeed on the third day to phthia come , full fraught with clods of clay . he said to aeschines , i shall dye on the third day . phthia was the country of achilles . and his friends endeavoured to perswade socrates , that he should flee into thessaly , because there he had good friends . but he drew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ] that is , to kill or corrupt . and the third day after , hemlock being drunk in prison , he perished . laertius , in his life . atterius ru●●us , a roman knight , when a sword-play was set forth by the syracusans , he saw himself in the time of sleep , to be thrust thorow by the hand of retiarius . and the next day he told it in the place of beholding unto the sitters by . afterwards it fell out , that in the next place from the knight , retiarius was brought in by the sword-player . whose face , when he had seen the same man said , he thought he should be slain by that retiarius , and forthwith he would depart thence . they , his fear being shaken off , by their speech , brought the cause of destruction to the miserable man. for the sword-player being compelled into that place , and cast down while he endeavours to strike him lying along , kills atterius being thrust thorow with his sword. valerius maximus , in the first book , chap. . julius caesar , not much before he died , in his sleep sometimes he seemed to himself to fly above the clouds , sometimes to joyn his right hand to jupiter . moreover in the same night , when he lay in his bed , all the dores of his chamber , and likewise the windowes being set open , he was affrighted both with a noise and light , and the moon shining bright , he marketh calphurnia being fast asleep , to utter dark words , and undistinct sighings . she imagined that she lamented him whom she held thrust thorow , in her bosome . others deny that sight to have been set before her . but when as a pinnacle had been ( by the decree of the senate ) adjoyned unto caesars house , as livy is author , as it were for an ornament , and enlarging it , calphurnia having imagined ( at the time of rest that to have slidden down ) she seemed to her self therefore to mourn and weep . but when light had approached , she asked caesar , if by any means it might be brought to passe , that he might not go forth , but might adjourn the senate unto another time . but if he did esteem her dreams but as a lock of wool , yet he should ask counsell of the soothsayers , and sacrifices , concerning things hanging over his head ; whence there was some suspition and fear set before him also , as it seemeth : for he took notice of no superstition before the woman was grieved or vexed for that thing which she then saw . but assoon as the soothsayers told him , satisfaction could not be made , many sacrifices being now slain , he determined , anthony being sent , to dismisse the senate . in the mean time decius brutus , surnamed albine , whom caesar , for the trust which he had to him , had written amongst his second heirs ; seeing he was a companion of the conspiracy of the other ; brutus and cassius fearing lest if caesar should passe away that day , the matter would have been told abroad , he mocked the soothsayers , and reproved caesar ; and being taken by the hand , led him forth . and so that day , in the court , being thrust thorow , with many wounds he was wretchedly slain . plutarch . caesar being slain , the people diligently sought after the conspirators being hidden . helius cinna the poet , one of caesars friends , had the night before , a fearfull dream . it seemed to him that he was invited by caesar to supper ; but when he refused , he was led by the hand against his will , and strugling . this man , hearing the body of caesar to be burnt in the market-place , although he had his vision mistrusted , and was also held with a feaver , came for the honours sake of him into the market-place , assoon as he was seen one of the common people told his name to another which asked him , he to another : straitway it spread through all , that this man was one of caesars smiters . for there was among the conspiratours , another of his surname , cornelius cinna : whom because they thought this was he , by and by , a violent force being made , they in the very market-place , tore him in pieces . plutarch . in caesar & brutus . nero ( provinces a little after falling off from him ) was affrightned with evident signes of dreams , and significations of things to come , and all things both old and new , he never wonting to dream before . at length his mother being killed , he saw at the time of rest , a ship , the stern by violence wrested from him governing it , and to be drawn by octavia his wife into the most narrow dark places . and by and by to be filled up with a multitude of winged ants , sometimes to fetch a circuit from the images of nations dedicated to the theatre or view of pompey , and to be driven away in their progresse : an ambling nag , in which he very greatly delighted , the latter part of his body transfigured into the form of an ape , and onely his head being whole , to utter forth shrill neighings . suetonius . galba the emperour , a little before his death , had set apart out of his treasure , a jewell set forth with pearls and pretious stones , to beautify his tusculane-fortuna . that on a sudden as more worthy of a famouser place , he dedicated unto venus of or in the capitoll . but the next night he saw fortune complain in his sleep , of the jewell being taken away : and in good earnest to threaten , that she would snatch away himself , and also those things which he had given . the emperour being affrighted in the dream , most early in the morning , those being sent before , who should make ready the divine thing , ran into tusculanum : and he found nothing besides warm embers on the altar , and an old man clad in black beside it , holding frankincense in a glasse dish , and unmixt wine in an earthen cup. suetonius . domitian dreamed that minerva departed out of the holy place , denying that she could defend him further , because she had been disarmed by jupiter . the same man dreamed , that a countrey-man came to him with a sword , and minerva , who was placed in his chamber , to have cast away her weapons , and the same to go down out of a chariot , which was drawn with black horses , into a great gaping of the earth . he was presently slain by his layers in wait . xiphiline , in his life . anthony caracalla , emperour , a little before that he was thrust thorow by martial , tribune of the souldiers , and prepared a setting forward out of antioch , his father severus stood by him with a sword in his sleep ; and saith , even as thou hast slain thy brother getas , so will i kill thee . anthony therefore awaking out of sleep , never doubted the end of his cruelty , and life to be at hand when as before also the diviners had foretold the like things . dion . nycaeus . dionysius of syracusa , as yet containing himself within a private habit , a certain woman hymeraea , of no obscure stock ; while she took rest , in her opinion climbed up to heaven , and there the seats of all the gods being viewed , she takes notice of a mighty man , of a yellow colour , a freckled face , bound with iron chains , covered underneath with the throne and feet of jupiter . and the young man being asked what captain , the favour of beholding heaven had used , who he was ? she heard that he was a cursed destiny unto sicily and italy , and that being loosed from bonds he was to be a destruction unto many cities . the which dream she the day after by speech divulged . and then , after that fortune , an enemy to the liberty of the syracusans , and hatefull to the lives of guiltlesse ones , cast dionysius , being freed from his heavenly custody , as it were a certain thunderbolt , into idlenesse and rest , assoon as hymeraea beheld him entring the walls among a dissolute rout , for the honouring and beholding of him , she called out , this is he whom she had seen in her sleep . that thing being known , made the tyrant carefull to take the woman out of the way . val. book . chap. . when cicero followed julius caesar into the capitoll , and told him , the last night jupiter was seen by him , who with a golden chain had let down a little boy of a wonderfull towardnesse from heaven , unto the gate of the capitoll , unto whom he had afterwards given a whip in his hand : octavius being then beheld whom caesar had brought into the capitoll for paying a vows sake , he knew that to be him whom he had seen in his sleep : his triumphs and son , being truly a scourge to the too much proud nobil●ty of rome , made cicero his dream certain . fulgosus , book . chap. . & xiphil . in augustus . q. catulus , the capitoll being dedicated , at the time of his rest , he saw jupiter to have chosen one out of many children cloat●ed in purple robes , to whom he had given the roman ensigns to be carried in his hand , and the night following , when sleeping , he would drive away that very child out of jupiters bosome , jupiter said , that he should not remove the child , because he kept him for the safeguard of the roman commonwealth . on the morning following , he by chance lighting on octavius , by his shape and garment knew , that that was he , whom he had seen at the time of sleep . fulgosus , book . chap. . & xiphilin . sleep shewed unto vespasian the father , his own royall office ; and of his sons . for when he was as yet a private man in achaia with nero , he saw it told him ( at his rest ) by an unknown person , that his happinesse shall begin when a tooth should be taken away from nero. therefore being awakened , he on whom he first happened , was a physitian , who shewed him a tooth that he had pulled out of nero. therefore not much after the death of nero followed , likewise of galba , and after them the discords of otho and vitellus , yielded the first beginnings and strength to vespasian for rule . fulgosus , book . chap. . moreover nero himself saw ( at rest ) jupiters chariot to be sent into the house of vespasian : which words when they wanted interpreting , josephus the jew said they did betoken the roman empire to vespasian . xiphiline in vespasian . julian being chosen emperour by the souldiers in france against ●is will , said to some of his more dear friends ; on that night which had gone before the day of his being declared emperour , a certain likenesse ( was seen by him ) of some genius or paynim , which said these words unto him in a chiding manner : ere while ( o julian ) i attend at the porch of thy house , hiddenly much delighting to increase thy dignity , but as often as being repulsed , i have departed : and ( the opinion of many agreeing ) neither now indeed am i received , i will go cast down and sorrowfull ; yet that i will keep in remembrance in my heart , that i will dwell no longer with thee . cuspinian . neptune seemed unto stipo the philosopher in his sleep , to be angry ▪ because he had not offered [ hecatombe ] that is , the sacrifice of an hundred beasts , as the custome was . but the philosopher being nothing disturbed at this sight , answered : what sayest thou , neptune ? dost thou so come hither as a boy with thy complaint , because money being mutually taken , i have not filled the city with a savour ? but according to the bignesse of a familiar thing , i have sacrificed unto thee some very small fishes . at these words neptune smiling , he seemed , his right hand being plucked to him , to have said unto him : for thy great favour , i will bestow on the city of the megarians , plenty of [ apues ] or very small fishes . the which also they deliver to have happened . unto hippias the son of pisistratus , while being a banished man he ambitiously seeks after kingly authority , at maratho , a night-shape of his mother , with whom he seemed to copulate , at the time of rest , was brought before him . for which thing the interpreters answered him , that authority royall was largely signified unto him , and he being put in mind thereof by his dream , and full of hope , not long after enjoyed the dominion of athens . herodotus , book . the mother of dionysius of syracusa , when she had conceived him in her womb , she seemed to bring forth a satyr ; and an interpreter of wonders ; being consulted with , she knew with a certain issue , that he was to be the most famous and most mighty of the grecian bloud . valerius , book . chap. . astyages cyrus his grandfather by the mother side , the birth of cyrus having respect unto the empire of all upper asia , two dreams of his being fore-messengers of it , endeavoured in vain to shake off mandanes his daughter , because he had seen in his sleep , her urine to have overflowed all the nations of asia , not to a most excelling man of the medes , lest the glory of the kingdom should be passed over into that family , but by assigning her unto cambyses , a man of a mean fortune of the persians , and by commanding her son cyrus to be put out ; because he ( times being quiet ) likewise had thought , through the off-spring of mandanes , the vine sprung forth would have increased so far , untill it would over-shadow all parts of his dominion : but truly he was disappointed , by endeavouring , through man's counsels , to hinder the happinesse of his nephew , appointed unto him by the judgment of the heaven-lies . valerius , book . chap. . herodotus , book . . they report , that cyrus , king of the assyrians , dreamed , the eldest of prince or duke hystaspes his sons , with two wings to overshadow , with the one , asia ; with the other , europe . therefore after his son cambyses , darius the eldest son of hystaspes having obtained the kingdoms , subdued europe and asia . herodotus , book . & justin . mithridates the sonne of ariobarzanes was a companion to demetrius son of antiogonus , and his equal , and had antigonus in reverence , a man evill neither in deed , nor in the opinion of others . an unlucky suspition happened to antigonus , concerning him by reason of a vain dream . for ( at his rest ) it had seemed to him , to have set a wide field with branches of gold , from thence first grew golden corn . a little after , he , when he had returned thither , found nothing but stubble ; and when he was very greatly grieved , he heard the voyce of a certain one , who said , mithridates , the golden corn being mowed down , went away into the euxine sea. he being much troubled , opened that sight to his son , being first brought to an oath of silence : and that thing also , that he determined by any means to kill mithridates . demetrius ( this thing being known ) was grievous sorrowfull , and when as he being a youth , according to his manner , being at leisure , had come to him , not daring for the tye of the oath , to warn him by words , drew him apart by degrees from friends ; and when they were alone , his spear being turned upside down , he wrote , he beholding him , flee mithridates : and he , the matter being understood , fled away by night into cappadocia . but destiny proved the foolish dream of antigonus to be true , by and by : for mithridates possessed a large and good country , and was the author of the kingdom of pontus , which the romans under about the eighth king , overthrew . plutarch . in demetrius . actia , the mother of augustus caesar , sleeping in the temple of apollo , she seemed to be co-mingled with a dragon , and the moneths for bringing forth being fulfilled , she brought forth . moreover , before she brought forth , she dreamed , that her bowels were carried on high into heaven , and were powred forth into the whole world. the same night , octavius saw in his sleep , that he sprang out of his mother's womb . when the infant was now born , nigidius figulus , a senatour , presently foretold unto the father , the highest royall authority unto his son . xiphilin . & sueton . in augustus . octavius , when he led an army thorow thracia , and had asked counsel of the oracle of bacchus concerning his son augustus ; the night following he presently seemed to see his son more sumptuous than in a mortal shape , with a thunder-bolt and scepter , and the spoyls of jupiter the most excellent great , and a chariot covered over with a shining crown of bay , twelve horses of an exceeding whiteness drawing it . q ▪ catulus , after the dedication of the capitol , for two nights together dreamed ; in the first , the most excellent great jupiter , many boyes in robes of purple playing together about the al●ar , separated one , and to have laid into his bosom the singe of the common-wealth which he carried in his hand ; and in the night following , to have observed , that he , the same child being in the lap or bosome of jupiter capitolinus , when he had commanded to be withdrawn , was forbidden by the warning of the god , as though he should be brought up for the safeguard of the common-wealth . and the next day beholding augustus meeting him , not without admiration , he said , he was most like to the lad of whom he had dreamed . some unfold the first dream of catulus otherwise , as though jupiter , many boyes together cloathed in purple robes , requiring a defender from him , had shewn one among them , unto whom they should bring back all their desires , and had brought his kiss untouched with his fingers , unto his mouth . marcus cicero having followed c. julius caesar into the capitol , he by chance told the dream of the foregoing night unto his familiar friends : a boy of a free countenance , let down from heaven by a golden chain , to have stood at the doors of the capitol , and jupiter to have delivered unto him a whip . and then suddenly augustus being seen , whom as yet unknown to most , his uncle caesar had brought to sacrifice , he affirmed him to be he , whose likenesse at the time of sleep was presented before him . suetonius . it is agreed amongst all , that vespasian the emperour was so sure alwayes of the off-spring of him and his , that after daily conspiracies against him , he dared to affirm to the senate , either his sons were to succeed him , or none . it is said also , that he saw a certain ballance ( at rest ) placed in the middle part of the porch of the palatine-house , with an equall beam , when as in the one scale , claudius and nero stood ; in the other he and his sons . neither did the thing deceive , when as both commanded so many years , and with the like space of time . they say , nero , in his sleep , was in his last dayes put in mind , that he should bring forth the chariot to the most excellent great jupiter out of the vestry , into the house of vespasian , and into the circle . adrian , the day before he was ordained emperour , saw at antioch of syria , in his sleep , a fire to fall from heaven on the left part to his neck or throat , straightway to creep on the right ; with which fire , ●e seemed to himself to be neither sore afraid , nor hurt . dion . of nicaea , & xiphiline in adrian . alexander , while he assaulteth the city of tyre for . moneths , with bullwarks , engines , and two hundred oar-gallies on the sea side , saw hercules , at his rest , stretching out his hand to him from the wall , and inviting him . apollo seemed to say to many of the tyrians in the dreams , that they should passe over unto alexander , for neither should those things which should be done in the city be effected by them . but they as traytors of the wickedness found out , bound the image of apollo with chains , and fastned him to the foot of a pillar with nails , calling him a favourer of alexander . another shape was set before alexander in the night . a satyre was offered to him . the which when he endeavoured quickly to take , it withdrew it self ; at length , after many intreaties and runnings about of his , it came into his hand . the diviner , the name being divided asunder , not absurdly answered , saturos . tyre shall be thine , because [ sa ] with the greeks , signifieth thine . they shew a spring , at which next after sleep , he saw the satyre . plutarch . alexander . eumenes , when he thought neoptolemus and crater to move against him , and provided to move by night ; by and by being overcharged with sleep , a wonderful vision was offered to him . he seemed to see two alexanders at a battle joyned between themselves , and both to lead all the wings : hence , to the one came minerva ; to the other ceres , for help . a sharp conflict being begun , that being scattered for whom minerva stood , ceres , ears of corn being divided asunder , weaved a crown for the conquerour . this being seen , he conjectured it was the second to him , who for a very good field , and at that time having a famous ear of corn in the knop of a rose , did fight . for it was full of sown seed , and pease yielded a bright shew , the fields having long grass in great plenty . he was now more raised up ; after that he understood minerva and alexander to be a sign of battle to the enemies . he therefore gave also ceres and alexander a sign to his souldiers , that they should redeem their head and weapons with the crown made of ears of corn. a battel being joyned , he slew neoptolemus and crater . plutarch . in eumenes . timoleon , chief commander of the corinthians , a navy being prepared for help of the sicilians , against dionysius the tyrant , and all things being delivered or supplyed , which an army had need of , the priests of proserpina seemed to see ceres and proserpinae to go far from home , adorning themselves , and with timoleon , saying , they were to sayl into sicily . wherefore they provided an holy galley with oars of corinth , named drabus . he had seven corinthian ships , the leucadians afforded the tenth , when he looseth from these parts ; when it was late in the night , and he was carried with a prosperous wind , on a sudden , the heaven seemed to him to be cleft , and a plentiful and clear flame to have been powred forth upon the ship . from thence a torch lifted up , that was proper to the mysticall or hidden things , and accompanying and holding the same course , what part of italy the governours most especially desired , it was brought into that . the prophets affirmed this shew to agree with the dreams of the priests , and that the goddesses were at hand in this voyage , and to shine before them with this shining brightnesse . for sicily was holy to proserpina , for there they fable she was allured , and that this island was given her for a nuptial gift . and truly after this manner was the navy confirmed . plutarch . in timoleon . as the dream of hannibal , captain of the carthaginians , was detestable to the roman bloud ; so , of a certain foretelling whose not onely wakings , but also very sleep was ominous unto the roman empire . for he drew forth an image agreeeble to his purpose , and desires ; and he thought a young man more noble than in a mortal shape , to be sent unto him from jupiter . by whose warning , at first , his eyes following his steps into no part , straightway a ready will of keeping an humane wit being feared , looking behind him , he perceiveth a serpent of a huge greatnesse , with a stirred force , treading every thing whatsoever he had met with under feet : and after him , showres breaking forth with a great noyse of heaven , and the light rolled up within very obscure darkness . and then being astonished , he asked , what that monster was , what it might betoken ? this is a captain ; thou seest ( saith he ) the desolation of italy ; therefore be silent , and leave other things unto silent destinies . valer. max. in book . . chap. . amandatus is a servant from mardonius unto the oracle of amphiaraus , to enquire about those things which they should execute . but he thought , in his sleep , a servant of the god was standing by him , at first indeed to drive him back by word , as if the god had been absent : but straightway , as lesse obeying , to thrust him also with his hand . last of all , to him stubbornly abiding , to have dashed a great stone in his head . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , but these things were mis●sounds of things to come . for mardonius was overcome at plataea in a great battel , and being smitten with a stone , was slain . caelius , book . chap. . out of plutarch . xerxes , the son of darius , king of the persians , was about to bring war on the greeks ; artabanus son of hystaspes , the uncle of xerxes , exceedingly withstood it . xerxes although fretting , yet he had purposed to obey artabanus . but the destinies urging him , he had the same dream twice . he saw a man in a noble likenesse , chiding him , because he deferred to bring war on greece . the thing being talked of with artabanus , he constrained artabanus cloathed with the king's garments , to take a sleep in the king's throne . the same resemblance was also presented before the eyes of artabanus : therefore he incensed xerxes unto the warr of greece , with no less diligence than before he had withstood : indeed the evil fate of xerxes so urging it , that the most proud king might pay the punishments of his rashness and pride . the same xerxes seemed to himself to be crowned with an olive-grass , with the boughs of which olive the whole earth was overwhelmed , and presently the crown , tyed fast about his head , vanished : this dream was more famous and sure than the former . xerxes had affrighted the world with warlike preparation , and now seemed to triumph over greece , athens being taken , when as he was by the diligence of themistocles broken , he was forced by a shamefull flight to shift for his life . herodotus , book . the spartans , callicratidas being captain , were to fight at arginusa in a sea-battell with the athenians , the diviners on both sides disswading them . for the head of a sacrificed beast lying on the shore , dispersed the lacedemonians , being drawn through the rage of a wave ; the soothsayers shewed , all these things betokened that the pretor of the navy was to perish in that combat . which thing being heard , they say callicratidas answered , he should withdraw nothing from the spartane worthinesse , if by fighting he should fall . but unto thrasibulus the athenian , who being then pretor , led the navy , and to whom that day , the top of royall authority had come by lot , by night this dream appeared . it seemed to him , together with six other praetors , to act the tragedy of euripides , whose title is inscribed , [ phoenissas ] in the common theatre . but it seemed his adversaries acting the tragedy , whose name is [ supplices ] , the cadmean victory to have happened to them , and all to have perished , by imitating the captains , who had pitched their tents for the assaulting of thebes . these things being heard , a prophet being called to interpret , they so expounded it , that seven captains were to fall in that battell . but the holy things otherwise openly promising victory , he bade the captains , that it may be shewed unto their companions alone concerning every ones death , but that they divulge a victory ( betokened by those very holy things ) throughout the whole army . a battell being joyned , callicratidas , some ships of the enemies being first overcharged , dyed ; the conquest remained in the power of the athenians , . ships being lost , . of the enemies sunk . they fought on both sides , with little lesse then four hundred ships , and that battel is mentioned to be the greatest of all , which indeed greeks with greeks ever fought . diodore , in book . unto pyrrhus king of the epirots besieging sparta , such a dream was offered . all lacedemon being stricken with a thunderbolt , seemed to him thereby to be set on fire , and he thereupon to leap for joy . he being stirred up with gladnesse , commands his captains , that they set the souldiers in order , and expoundeth the dream to his friends ; as if he was to vanquish the city . unto which thing when as others wonderfully agreed , the sight pleased not lysimachus . he saith , he feared , least as the places that were blasted with thunderbolt , remain inaccessible , so the god signified to pyrrhus , that he was not to enter the city : when as pyrrhus answered this man , those were meer delusions , and full of uncertainty , but that every man holding weapons in his hands , ought to bring into his remembrance . optimum id augurium , pro pyrrho exponere vitam . of divination that 's the chief , for pyrrhus to adventure life . in the first of the morning he sets upon the city . but the lacedemonians not sluggishly and beyond their strength , defending themselves , he was constrained to loose the siege . plutarch . in pyrrhus . cn . pompey , having followed king mithridates unto euphrates , fell by night . at which time it is blazed by report , that mithridates saw a resemblance in his sleep , which foreshewed him things to come . it seemed to him to sail in the pontick sea , with a prosperous wind , and now to foresee bosphorus , and courteously to speak to those that were carried together with him , as who rejoyceth in his sure and undoubted safety : but suddenly he was found forsaken by all , and tossed in a small broken piece of a ship. his friends standing by , stirred him up , being busied with those troubles and images , shewing that pompey was at hand . a fight therefore ( instead of a bulwark ) being begun , he was overcome . far more then ten thousand were slain , and the camps were taken ; mithridates himself with a draught of eight hundred horsemen with him brake through the romans . by and by the rest sliding away , he is left alone with three , among whom was the harlot hipsicratia , who had alway been of a manly boldnesse : wherefore the king called her hispicratia . but then she being cloathed with a man's persian garment , and carried on a horse , neither seemed she to be weary in body from the tediousnesse of the flight , neither the kings body and horse being taken care of , was he tired untill they came unto the towre or castle inor , where the kings money and treasures were heaped up . thence mithridates took his pretious stones , which he distributed unto those that assembled unto him out of the flight . moreover he gave a deadly poyson to a certain friend of his to be carried with him , lest any one should come into the enemies hands . from thence he strives to go into armenia to tigranes . which thing , when he forbade him , and had pronounced a hundred talents on his head , the springs of euphrates being passed by , he bends his flight through colchis . plutarch in pompey . before the pharsalian fight , it seemed to cn. pompey by night in his sleep , he entering into the theatre , the people to applaud him ; and that he adorned the temple of venus the conqueresse with many spoils . this sight partly raised him up , partly made him carefull , fearing somewhat , least grace and famousnesse should come from him unto caesars family chanting on venus , and some panick fears awakened him out of sleep : in the fourth watch over caesars camps , where all things were quiet , a great light shined out . a flaming torch kindled thereby , was brought into pompey's camps . caesar himself said he saw this , while he went about the watches . the same author , in the same place . hecuba being great with young , she seemed to bring forth a burning torch , which burned asia and europe . she not long after brought forth paris , by whose unchast loves , the country of troy being destroyed , their forces being wasted , greece was consumed by a long war , and undone . sabellicus , book . ch . . volatteran . book . anthropol . cambyses king of persians , saw smerdes ( in his sleep ) sitting in the kings throne , to touch the heaven with his crown . he for that thing , fearing lest his brother smerdes should possesse the kingdome ; sent prexaspes to kill him . neither yet could he avoid even this by his brother-killing murther ; whereby smerdes the magitian , who feigned himself to be the true smerdes son of cyrus , should the lesse invade the kingdome . cambyses going up to horse , being wounded in the thigh with a sword , died . herodotus , book . darius had moved out of susa against alexander , being supported with a multitude of armies ( for he had six hundred thousand souldiers under his ensigns ) trusting to a certain dream , the which ( the magitians flattering him ) had interpreted more than according to the likenesse of truth . the troop of the macedonians seemed to shine together with a great brightnesse of fire . but alexander to wait on him in the habit wherewith he had been cloathed , when he was [ ascandes ] that is , a messenger , or [ ascantes ] that is chamberlain to the king : and when he had entred into the temple of belus , to have been withdrawn from before his eyes . by these things ( in my opinion ) god foreshewed that the macedonians were to carry on honourable and famous matters , and alexander to obtain asia ; as darius had enjoyed it , being of a messenger or chamberlain , made king , but in a short time to lay down his life with his glory . plutarch . in alexander . curtius hath delivered , that the king imagined the camps to shine with a great brightnesse . sabellicus , book . ennead . . they report , domitian to have dreamed that a bunch sprang out from him behind a golden neck ; and to have had it for certain , that a more blessed and joyfull condition of the common-wealth was foreshewn to be after him . as indeed it so fell out in a short time , through the abstinence and moderation of following princes . sueton. ezeline , surnamed monk , a bloudy and most cruel tyrant , at his rest saw the fortune of his sons , that night in which he first came together with his wife , who was by name adela , a tuscian , of the stock of the ancient earls of montaion . for he seemed to himself to see a little hill , in which a roman town was ( in the patavine field ) placed ( the which he commanded , and was thence called romanus or a roman ) so to be carried up and exalted , that it touched heaven with its top , and the same a little after , to be melted as snow , and so to be let down , that it could no more stand up . the chances of his sons brought this effect : for the elder son , and he ezeline by name , possessed the rule of verona , patavium , vincentia , feltrium , and cividal , and marchia . but the younger , alberick , entred on the kingdom of tarvisium , and other places . but afterwards , fortune changing , in the two hundred fifty and sixth year , above the thousandth of salvation , when as the pope and the guelphians together , had moved war against ezeline his son , he lost patavium , with the whole land . but when he trusted that he should possesse the city of mediolum by craft , and for that thing had passed over the river abdua , being besieged by his enemies , overcome in battell , a wound being received , being taken nigh to soncinum , in that very same place he died , and was buried . his brother alberick being strucken with fear by this chance , when as he distrusted that he could keep tarvisium , he betook himself into the castle of saint zeno. where , in the year of salvation , . being betrayed by his own souldiers , he came into the power of his enemies . there having beheld six sons to be killed before him , and his wife margaret with two young maids to be burnt , he himself being cut through all his limbs by piece-meal , he saw ( as his father had in his dreams ) his roman stock , or nation , to be ended . fulgosus , book . chap. . the mother of phalaris saw mercury ( whose image holding a goblet in his hand , she worshipped at her own house , among the shapes of gods ) in her dreams to sprinkle bloud on the ground out of that goblet , and being dashed on the pavement , to bubble back , untill by little and little it overflowed all the house up to the top . that which was seen in one , the bloudy cruelty of her son made true in many houses . ponticus heraclidus is the author of this vision , a learned man , as saith tully , and scholler of plato . petrarcha . amilcar captain of the carthaginians , besieging syracusa , seemed to hear in his sleep , that the next day after he should sup within the walls of the besieged city . by that thing being turned to a hope of conquest , he being chearfull , set the army in order in the morning to besiege the city . unto him considering and attempting such enterprises , as often comes to passe , a great uproar arose in the camps , the carthagenians and sicilians disagreeing among themselves . the townes-men laying hold of the occasion , come suddenly forth of the gates , and their enemies being scattered , the conquerours take their captain , desiring to succour their ranks being disturbed , and therefore neglecting himself . and so being brought into the city , supping in fetters , he understood what a false expounder of the dream he had been . valer. max. book . chap. . and cicero , book . of divination . artemidore writeth , a shew was presented to a certain one in his sleep , as that he should sup with saturn ; and it so happened , that the day following , he was cast into prison . caelius , book . chap. . of book of antiq. jupiter commanded t. latinus , a man of the common people , in his sleep , that he should tell the consulls that he was not pleased with the neighbouring circean playes , of the leaders of the dance , which thing , unlesse being heeded , it were satisfied by the renewing of sports , no small danger of the city was to follow . he fearing least with some disprofit unto his religion , he should extoll the highest command , kept silence . and straightway his son , being taken with the sudden force of a disease , died . he also at the time of sleep , being asked by the same , whether he had sufficiently weighed the great punishment of his royall command neglected , continuing in his purpose , was recompenced with a weaknesse of his body . and then at length by the counsell of his friends , being brought in a horse-litter , unto the consuls judgment-seat , and from thence to the senate , the order of his whole chance being explained , with the great admiration of all , the strength of his members being recovered , he returned home on his feet . valerius , in book . chap. . cicero , in book . of divination . and livy , book . decad. . the tartars inhabit beyond the mountain belgia , the sea lying between . changius , or their fi●st emperour , saw again a white horseman , who had foretold unto him the empire , in his sleep , that it was the will of the immortal god , that in the mountain belgia being passed over , they should go forward into the west , and subdue all kingdoms . but as soon as they had come to the mountain belgia , in that part which the sea floweth on the mountain , that they should go down , and their faces being turned toward the east , they with nine bowings of the knee , worship the immortal god. changius obeyed , and all his people being led out , he compelled them to continue all night in prayers . the morning being come , he saw the sea to have went back from the mountain , nine feet , and on that side he led his whole army on dry ground thorow the waste wildernesses into asia . haithon the armenian in his book of the tartars . hannibal , captain of the carthaginians , had decreed to carry away a golden pillar , being found in the temple of juno lucina . but being not sure , whether it was of sound gold , or whether it was gilded with gold nigh the superficies , by solemnizing an assembly , he tryed it , and being made sure , that it was all of gold , he was confirmed in his purpose of snatching it away ; unto whom the shape of juno seemed to be present , while he dreamed : she admonished him , that he should abstain from covetous and sacrilegious enterprizes ; threatening , if he proceeded , that she would deprive him of one eye wherewith he should see the ground , or the sun ; with which sleep , the captain otherwise cruell , and who feared no god , there was no religion , as was written of him , yet it is delivered , being moved , he daring to move nothing out of the place of that very gold , which had fallen out of a hole while he tryed it , he took care to have a warlike engine made , and to be placed on the top of the pillar . petrarcha . valens , emperour , in his sleep , saw a certain man , saying these words unto him ; be gone with haste unto great mimas : thee the grievous force of destiny , dreading thy self , shall from thy life divorce . he being awakened out of sleep , asked the standers by , what place was called mimas ? and when at length , a certain one of the grammarians or oratours , who follow the kings court , had said , mimas was a mountain of asia , of which homer had made mention in his ulysses : and to aiery mimas . the emperour laughing , answered , what necessity enforceth me of seeing this place , and seeking a lot ? but when , fighting against the alanians , the emperour was burnt in a little cottage about adranopolis of thracia , the barbarians departing from thence , some souldiers of valens diligently searched out his dead carcass . in that cottage where he perished , was found an old grave of a certain ancient man , with this inscription , mimas a governour of the macedonians , was here laid . therefore that dream of valens was fulfilled . cuspinian . that which was once set before julius caesar in his sleep , before that he had moved into neather france , and brought offensive weapons on the city , when at his rest , it seemed to him , he ravished his mother : by which dream , the expounders stirred him up unto a most large hope , having interpreted , that the rule of the world should be given him . the same dream they mention , was offered to hippias , son of pisistratus , with no unlike issue , who being his succeeder in tyranny , used his countrey more cruelly . for a night resemblance of his mother , with whom he seemed to copulate , is said to be set before him at the time of sleep ; for which thing the interpreters answered , that rule was largely betokened unto him . and he being put in mind by his dream , and full of hope , not long after he enjoyed the dominion of athens . for this is that hippias , who having attempted a tyrannical power , not without cruel wickednesse , was more outragious and unbridled than his father , when as being a banished man , he had changed his soyl , he moved wicked arms against his countrey . at last conspiring with darius , being slain in the marathonian fight , he yielded punishments to his countrey and houshold●gods . but another son of the same pisistratus , hipparch , who exceeded the cruelty of many tyrants , when as he oppressed his country and citizens with a cruel lordlinesse , a conspiracy being made against the life of the tyrant , he was , by armodius and aristogiton , most valiant young men , not without the safety of all , slain : whose names being devoted to freedom , lest at any time it should be lawfull to institute servants , the athenians established with an open abhorrency . alexander , book . chap. . sabacus , king of aethiopians , possessed the kingdom of aegypt fifty years , which being finished , the god , which is worshipped at thebes , was seen to say unto him , his reign over the egyptians should not be happy , nor of long continuance , unless , the priests of egypt being all slain , he should passe thorow the midst of their dead carcasses with his . this dream being often set before him , he called together all the priests on every side , and what things he had received through the dream being told them : he would not , he saith , build a remaining destruction for any one in egypt , but had rather abstain from the kingdom of egypt , being pure and free of all wickedness . diodore the sicilian , & herodotus , book . sethon , king of aegypt , priest of vulcan , when as he despised the egyptians , he made use of a forreign souldier , and stripped the egyptians of their fields . for this wrong , it came to pass , that after sennacherib king of arabians and assyrians had invaded egypt with a great army , the egyptians would not help him . then the chief priest , void of counsel , betook himself into the garret or chamber of his house , and there bewailed before the image , how much he was in danger . therefore while he was lamenting , sleep crept on him , and while he slept , the god seemed to stand by , exhorting him , that he was to suffer no hurtfull thing , if he went to meet the army of the arabians , for he would send him helpers . the priest trusting to these dreams , those that were willing of the aegyptians being taken , merchants , or factors , and handycrafts-men or labourers , he pitched his tents in pelusium ; for , in this , is the aegyptian invaded . when he had come thither , in the night , a great multitude of field-mice suddenly arising , gnawed asunder both the quivers , bowes , and also the rains of the bucklers in the camps of their enemies ; so that the next day , the enemies being naked of weapons , made flight , many being lost . and now in that temple of vulcan , the king stands in stone , holding a mouse in his hand , and by letters saying these words ; who so looketh on me , let him be godly . herodotus , book . of miracles of devils , or of divers deceits and mocks of evil daemons , to strengthen the idolatry of the gentiles . the power of vesta warranted ( the fire being gone out ) a woman schollar of the virgin aemilia , to be safe from all blame , who worshipping , when she had laid a cyprus garment ( the which she had a very good one ) on the hearth , the fire suddenly shone out . valerius , book . chap. . they say , aeneas to have placed houshold-gods brought from troy , at lavinium ; thence being brought over to alba , by his son ascanius , the which he had built , to have returned again to the ancient chappel : and because that might be thought to be done by man's hand , being brought back again to alba , to have signified his will by another passage . valer. max. book . chap. . not onely the aegyptians , but almost all the world anciently worshipped isis for her miracles : for this goddess healed the diseases of those that were not well in health , in their sleep ; and they who did obey her counsel , were cured beyond thought . also those that were weak in their sight , or in other part of the body , humbly intreating the vertue of the goddess , were restored unto their former health . diodore siculus , book . chap. . of ancient things . in the temple of aesculapius among the epidaurians , they who came to pray to the god , they sleep ; and in their sleep , do learn the reason of recovering health . and then they put squares in the temple , containing the names of those that were cured , and the manner of curing . pausanias , in his corinthian affairs . there was the same custome among the romans , even to the times of the antonines , that which we may understand from a marble table of rome found in the temple of aesculapius in the island tiberia , and by the mapheans kept even to this day , in which these words are read , rendred out of greek in the latine speech , as witnesseth jer. mercurial , a most learned physitian , in his first book of exercise . in these dayes the oracle told caius , a certain blind man , that he should come to the holy altar , and should bend his knees ; he should come from the right part to the left , and should place his five fingers upon the altar , and should lift up his hand , and put it upon his own eyes , and he saw well , the people being present , and giving thanks because great miracles were done under our emperour antonine . the god answered by the oracle unto julian vomitting up bloud , being despaired of by all men , that he should come , and should take from the altar pine-kernells , and should eat them together with honey for three dayes ; and he was well , and , being alive , openly gave thanks in the presence of the people ; the god gave an oracle unto valerius aper a blind souldier , that he should come , and take the bloud of a white cock , mingling honey with it , and should make a washing water , and should use it three dayes upon his eyes , and he saw and came , and openly gave thanks to god. lucius being troubled with a pain of the side , and despaired of by all men , the god gave an oracle , he should come , and take ashes from the altar , and should mingle it together with a pretious pearl , and should lay it upon his side , and he was in health , and openly gave thanks to god : and the people gave thanks together with him . aristides a rhetorician of smyrna , when as an earthquake was at hand , was commanded by aesculapius to go a little before , unto the antient house , and on the top of the little hill atys to perform holy things , and to build altars ; the which when he had scarce finished , the earthquake arising , so shook indeed all the countrey lying between , that it left no house to resort unto , but it came not to atys , not touched any thing beyond it . stobaeus , in . speech . the veians being vanquished and plundered by camillus , it seemed meet , to carry away the ensign that was in junoes tower unto rome , as he had vowed . artificers being called together unto that thing , camillus performed holy things , and having prayed the goddesse , that she would embrace the endeavour of the romans , and being willing , that she go with her favours unto the gods inhabiting rome : they say , the ensign spake with a low voice , she was willing , and to agree by nodding . livy delivereth , that while he prayed , camillus to have handled the goddesse , and invited her , thereupon some of the standers by , to have answered , she was willing , and to agree and follow willingly . plutarch . in camillus . alexander the great making a bulwark in the sea to vanquish tyre , suddenly a whale of incredible bignesse , swam to it and one part of his body being bended on the bulwark , he stood there a long time , with the great affrightment of all beholders . he again swam out , at last into the sea. hence a very great religion or superstition possessed both , thinking that to betoken , neptune would be a helper to the macedonians , his mind being inclined even unto that which they desired . one told that such a kind of sight appeared to him in the city , as though apollo had said , the city of tyre should be forsaken by them . that thing when the common people thought it was feigned by that man in favour of alexander , and now some young ones would stone him , he being withdrawn by the magistrates out of the midst of them , fled into the temple of hercules , and so by the safeguard of the god whom he had implored , he was freed from punishment at hand . but the tyrians in nothing more . they worshipped him with much superstition , who linked apollo's statue and image with golden chains , and so by that means they supposed him to be so fettered , that he could no more depart from their city ; but for all that , their city was taken , and alexander took off the golden chains and fetters from apollo , with which the tyrians had linked him , and commanded , that he should be called philalexander ; and so he finished that magnificent sacrifice unto hercules . diodorus , lib. . phillippides the athenian , being sent embassadour and legate to lacedemonia , about the invasion and breaking in of the persians into greece , returning home again much reprehended the delayes and stay of the lacedemonians , who would not bring out their army before the full moon , and meeting pan , or the god pan , in the parthian grove , who promised that he would ayd the athenians in the fight at marathon , which was to be a while after . and so from this sprung the honours that the athenians vouchsafed to the god , or gods messenger . pausanias , lib. . in the mithridatick warr , when mithridates besieged and hovered over cyzicum with the wings of his army , the gods seemed to favour the cyzenians , and to approve of their fortitude , and to excite it by some perspicuous and transparent signs and tokens at sundry times , as well as at proserpina's feast then instant . when they wanted a black ox to sacrifice , they brought one made of bread-corn artificially made in paste , to the altar ; but the holy or consecrated cow which was at feeding , afterwards to be sacrificed to that goddess , was at pasture over sea with the rest of the flock of the cyzenians ; in that same day leaving the rest of the flock and herd , swam over alone to the town , and willingly offered it self to be sacrificed ; moreover , their goddess appeared in a dream unto aristagoras the publick school-master ; truly , saith she , here i am , and i drive and force the african fidler or musitian into the trumpeter of pontus ; do thou therefore command thy citizens to be of good chear . the cyzenians marvelled much at this speech ; and as soon as it was break of day , and that the bright luciferian star , phoebus's harbinger , did periwigg the horizon with his silver'd locks , the sea began to boyl , as though a huge wind had agitated and stirr'd it , the quaverings , machines , and engines of the king's wall , and the famous ( yea supererogating works ) of the thessalian nicomedes , with their great noise and crack did prophesie and foretell what would come to pass ; afterwards a very stormy south-wind did rise , which in a semi-moments space did so palsie and shoulder-shake a woodden tower of the heighth of a hundred cubits , and other machinaments and fortifications , that it levelled their sky-towring tops with the ground . but some relate it thus ; that minerva was seen in visions to very many , to whom she appeared in their dreams , sweat trickling down her , and shewed part of her embroidered garment or veil which was rent , and that she said , she was even now come from ayding the cyzenians . but mithridates being almost famished , ( although not in hungaria ) gave over the siege , and returned into bythinia , lucullus following him . plutarchus . the boetians being enslaved and captivated by the thracians , when they plumed their feet , and flew into the trophonian den , it was told them in a dream , that bacchus was to be their helper ; they fell upon the thracians being drunk , ( having bacchus with them also ) they redeemed one another , and built a temple to bacchus their redeemer ; as herac●dus ponticus writes . it is reported , that cleomenus , king of the spartans , after the argians were vanquished , sacrificing in juno's temple , a flame of fire streamed out of the breasts of the image ; which was an evident sign that argos was not to be conquered by assault ; for if the flame had issued out of the head of the image , it would have intimated , that he should win and take the city from the tower : but when the lightning sprung out of her breasts , then all was done that the gods would have done . herodotus , lib. . in a black sorrowful conflict and battel at pharsalia , in which pompey was overcome by caesar , which was foreshewed and written by great and wonderful signs and wonders , in elide , there was an image of victory which stood in minerva's temple , which had its back to the gate , and in that same day that the battel was fought , of its own accord it turned towards the door . at antiochus in syria , and in a town by the red-sea called ptolemais , twice in that very same day there was such a noise heard about that city , as though there were a great mutiny and murmuring of souldiers about the walls , and there was the noise of a drum heard in pergamus's temple . valerius , lib. . cap. . when attila , the king of the hunni , made an attempt about the intrenching upon the borders of the roman empire , the images of their gods was not onely seen in the night , but also in the day time to command every one to pray for himself , and that crimson and bloody drops came from heaven , and two headed monstrous infants were born , and many of their consecrated houses and temples were struck with lightning , and a voice was oft heard , cave tibi italia , o italy , take heed to thy self . bonfinius , lib. . decad . . a little before the destruction and demolishment of troy , the fire in minerva's temple did spare , to burn the sacrifices that were laid upon the altars ; the common people being much troubled at this thing , flocked together to apollo's temple to the altar there , and laying the parts of the intrails upon it , and fire being put to that , on a suddain all things began to be disturbed , fell to the ground ; by which spectacle all the people being enter'd in , much afraid and dismayed , incontinently there came an eagle with a huge noise , and snatched away apart of the intrails , and carried them to the grecian ships . dict. lib. . caesar augustus in one part of the capitol , erected a temple to thundring jove , which he had vowed in the cambrick war , and did frequent this dedicated place daily , and he thought he saw in his dream , jupiter complain , that he had taken away his worshippers ; and that he answered , that there was the thunderer set for his porter ; and by and by , he decked and encompassed the top of the dedicated place with little bells , which then in a manner did hang and were pendant upon the gates and doors . zonaras annalium , tom . . relates , that under anastasius the manichaean emperour , a magitian , a most wicked man , that had set up a brazen image to the goddess fortune , in the shape of a countrey woman , whose feet being brass , stood in a ship which was of the same mettal , in the city of constantinople ; which aforesaid ship was either eaten away by hungry time , or broken by some other secret means , so that some fragments were taken away from it . and for this cause , ladened ships could not arrive any more at byzantium ; but whensoever they approached near to it , they were driven back again by the violence of the winds , and unless they had brought their bagg and baggage in long vessels or ships rowed with oars , perhaps the people might have been famished ; which thing continuing for a good while , at last the magistrates took care of the business , and the cause of this dysaster , they enquired of a magitian , a notable diviner , and so , that the broken pieces and fragments of that brazen ship being diligently sought up , and gimmer'd and set in their proper places , then the sea or harbour was filled with voyage , navigation , and little ships ; but as soon as they knew certainly the obstacle , at the last , the fragments were dislocated ; and whatsoever ships were to arrive there , by the strength of the winds , were cast and driven back ; and the thing being discovered , the ship was renewed and made up again with great care and pains . there were in a tower in athens olive-trees , dedicated to pallas , which were called moriae halirhotius the son of neptune , did attempt to cut them down with an axe , because , by reason of their making and production , he was overcome by minerva and as he was a hewing of them , struck himself by the axe and by that wound he perished . coelius , lib. . cap. . some say that aesculapius was not born of the nymph coronis but of an egg of a little crow , because the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both a little crow , and also a nymph so called , as luc●an in his dialogue , de falso vate affirms . it is reported of the antient priests , who included and put a very little serpent into a wind-egg of a crow , and studiously anointed it with wax , and hid it in a certain myery , and by and by an altar was erected in that place , and he called the people together to a sermon , or oration , and when he had declared openly before them all , that he was about to shew himself to be a god . after the oration was ended using some unknown uncouth words , he invocated and called upon apollo and aesculapius , that they would be propitious and fortunate , and draw near to that city . afterwards dipping a water-pot into a deep place , to fetch up some water , he brought up the water , together with that egg , which he broke , a great company being by , and finding in it a young serpent , he brought them all into a wonderfull admiration , but afterwards shewing a serpent of a great bignesse in a gloomy place , a few dayes being spent , moving it self artificially , he said that it was so appointed , that he should declare that the god aesculapius was the son of apollo . and afterwards serpents were committed to his tutorage and care , and his badge or arms was a staff linked about with a serpent . ut scribit dercilus natalis comes mythol . lib. . cap. . in the year . after the building of rome , there was one atronius maximus , that led through the circle or theatre , his servant that was sore beaten , tyed and chained to a gibbet before the concertation of the spectators , for this cause jupiter was angry and commanded one annius that he should tell the senate of this , and that he was not pleased with a fast so full of cruelty ; and he smothering this , his son dyed suddenly , and for unveiling and declaring jupiters counsell , the second time , was cured of a great weaknesse that tainted and debilitated him ; so at last by the counsell and perswasion of his friends , he was carried in his couch to the senate , and when he had scarce finished his declaration he recovered his health , and went out of the court on his feet , therefore the senate did consult , and also by the maevian law that those circean dayes were to be added to pacify jupiter , and therefore was called lustratius , not from the gibbet as some conceive from the greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but from the redintegration and renewing and making up of the breach , as varro thinks , quia instaurare , he saith , is instar novare . macrobius , lib. . saturnal . cap. . the argonautes report that going out of sigea , they were tossed and tumbled with a cruel tempest , and allmost all of them in such a great danger despairing , they by their prayers called upon orpheus , together with the samothracian deities , that they would deliver them from this eminent danger . when the myniae were in the belly of all the danger , expecting no good issue , unlesse they were brought forth of it , a two-fold light of castor and pollux shined about their heads ( as it is said ) and not long after the sea began to be more calme , and for this cause the divinity of these two young men was esteemed very highly of ; and those sub●taneous castorean fires that blazed in the sea , were called gemini , and they glittered like as they were the pictures and effigies of joves twy-forked lightning which sometimes did sit upon the point of the hairs of the souldiers , that were in their night-watches , at other times upon the fore-masts of ships , and wandred up and down other parts of the ship , and with an audible sound were wont to go about . but they were a bad sign and a sad omen , when they came solitary and alone , as signifying the drowning of ships ; but when they two came together , they were a happy sign : no sign in the zodiack more fortunate then gemini , and were fore-shewers of a happy voyage : but it is said that by the same argument they are believed to fly and depart when helen comes , which is a threatning and ominous symptome ; this thing in that place was reputed a miracle , and therefore castor and pollux were religiously worshipped by the mariners , and so the people being arrived safely at their port , for their safe deliverance did solemnize their rites , and ceremonies unto the samothracian gods . sabel . lib. . ennead . . marcus tullius relates in his first book of tusculane questions , that trophonius and agamedes , building a temple unto apollo and worshipping that god , did require a reward of their labour nothing that was certain , but that which should be best for man. unto whom apollo about three dayes after did shew that he would give them that which they desired , who assoon as he began to shine ( for by apollo is meant the sun ) they were found both dead in the morning . croesus the king of the lydians being orecome by cyrus , and put upon a funeral pile , that he might be burned , with a loud voice called thrice upon solon : and cyrus , understanding the cause of it , commanded the fire to be extinguished , but a little while after when the fire prevailed much against him , and waxed very fervent , he invocated and called upon apollo , that if ever there were a gratefull sacrifice or offering to be given by him , that he would free him from the present evill ; on a sudden therefore black pitchy clouds orespread as it were with a black veil , the fair and serene face of the heavens , and bucketted down whole cataracts of liquid showers , and so put out and quenched the fire . herodotus , lib. . xerxes bringing a great navy against the greeks at the end and extremity of the magnesian land , the athenians are reported to have called upon the north-wind , they received of an oracle which they had , that they should invoke and call upon his son in law , to help them , for boreas had orythuia attica the daughter of erechtheus the king. therefore whilst they laid siege in chalcide they invocated boreas and orythuia , that they would help them , and destroy the ships of the barbarous , even as they had done before about athon : and boreas performing the same , they went thence , and extructed to him a grove near the river ilissus . but in that shipwrack , they that speak of the fewest , say not fewer then forty ships were cast away and sunk of xerxes navy ; and an innumerable company of men lost , and a great treasure of money spent , besides divers ladened or merchandizing ships , and barks , and fisher-boats . herodotus , lib. . in a vulcanian hillock hard by agrigentum , there are certain green logs and pieces of wood , which being put upon the altar , if their prayers be just and righteous , of their own accord they will kindle and catch fire ; but if their requests be unjust and unreasonable , there will be no sign of comburation or burning . fulg. lib. . cap. . romulus in the sabines war which was transacted about the capitoll , and the pallace , and high tower , when he could in no wise stay the shamefull flight of his souldiers in that skirmish he did vow to dedicate a temple unto jupiter stator , the stayer , if he would take away that aguish fear from the people that were about to fly , and would but stay the romans against their enemies the sabeans ; and that they that stayed behind , should be the victors : scarce had he said his prayers , ere he obtained his request for the wings of the army being repaired , the battel did not onely hang in aequilibrio , but the sabines were repelled ( who a while before exulted for their victory ) even unto curtius's lake , and was beat back with great detriment and slaughter . sabellicus , lib. . cap. . ex plutarchi romulo . what shall i say of numa pompilius ? ( who succeeded romulus being called into the kingdome out of the sabine courts ) how prevalent was his prayer , and how daring and bold which was ready to allure jupiter out of heaven . a thing ( of which there is sufficient witnesse ) not onely believed , but attempted of others likewise . tullus hostilius , who after him was possessed of the kingdome , who did not undergo nor perform the sacred rites wisely when his whole house was set on fire , and burned by lightning . sabel . lib. . cap. . tullus hostilius when he had marshalled and ordered his army to march tovvards the river of tibris and anienis , and in the fidenates and vejentians ; and knowing the imbecillity and want of strength of the albanes against their enemies , he vowed to sacrifice twelve samians to mars , and so quickly became the victor or overcomer of the army , who now was so accounted by right of victory , and also was grown by hope and strength unequally match't to his enemies . ibidem . a greater counterfeiting and apeing of piety ( but yet who should reckon the worshipping of heathen gods and spirits piety ? ) may be seen in tucia , and appeared most eminently in a vestall there . whether the confidence of the woman in this case , or the obedience of the evill spirits is greater , is a great doubt ; being commanded to plead her own cause , and to vindicate and clear her self from her aspersion , which was put upon her by her accuser , and the vestall was desired that if she had all her time carried and demeaned her self chastly , and piously in her ceremonies , that she should hold and fix her self with her anchora spei , upon the rock of confidence ; so she made her requests to her gods , and going to a bank of a river , having many accompanying her , that they might know the event and exit of the businesse , she brought a sieve full of the water of the river to the high priest ( before whom her cause was formerly pleaded . there is also added to this miracle , that her accuser being very narrowly sought after , never appeared more . ibidem . there was a like miracle manifested about claudius , that was the worshipper or idolizer of the same ceremony , and when her too too loose life had contracted some calumny , who did endeavour to wash off the blot , and to dispell that cloud that encurtained her glory , and to blow away that fume of opinion that was in the minds of most men , did attempt to remedy this malady by some such apparent testimony which would require more admiration of the succeeding ages to wonder at it , then faith to believe it : this vestall ( virgin shall i call her ? ) first humbly praying , and tying her belt , quickly removed a ship which carried juno , sticking in the tiberine sands , and drew it against the stream , which a great deal of the roman strength and force ( though vi et armis ) after very many encounters could not stir nor remove . sabellicus , lib. . cap. . adrian the emperour , lucius commodus being adopted , and hoping for the empire , commanded severianus , and fuscus his nephew ( which seemed to take the surrender of the empire grievously ) to be slain , much suspecting and envying them ; one of them being four score and ten years old , the other but eighteen . but severianus before he was to be strangled , called for some fire , and , burning incense ; he said , vos , ô dei , testor me nihil mali commississe : i. e. be ye my witnesses , o ye gods , that i have done no evill to adrian , i wish onely this mischief , that when he shall desire to dye , he shall not be able . and thus one of them yielded to the fates . afterwards adrian , in a great sicknesse , often desired death in vain , and often strived to be his own executioner ( by reason of his wicked heyre ) ; his epistle which intimates this is extant , for he writes thus ; how miserable a thing is it to desire death , and not to dye . dion . caessius , in vita adriani . when the athenians were infected with the plague , they had an oracle from pythia , that the city was to be purged by sacrifice : they sent niceas the son of niceratus , to a ship , who called epimenedes out of creet . he proceeding after this sort , olymp. . did purge the city thus : they took sheep that had black and white fleeces , and brought them into areopagus , and from thence permitted them to go whither they listed , and appointed severall to accompany them , and that wheresoever they should lye down , they should sacrifice severall of them to peculiar gods . and so the pestilence was quench't , hence was it that altars were oft found in the athenian villages without any name . which by chance was to the unknown god , upon which occasion , saint paul began to preach christ to the athenians . laertius . the persians being or'ecome and beat back to platea a city in boetia . apollo answered the grecians ( consulting about a sacrifice ) that they should rear up an altar to jupiter the liberatour and freer , but before they had solemnized the ceremonies , they appointed that all fire should be extinguished through the whole region which was polluted by the barbarians , and that they should kindle all their fires out of that pure fire on the common hearth at delphos . therefore by and by the magistrates of the grecians going all about , commanded all them that used any fire to extinguish it . euchidas of the plataeensians , promised that as swiftly as that could be done , that he would bring fire from the goddesse , and so he went to delphos , and so purging his body by sacrifice , and washing it with water , being crowned with laurell , took fire from the altar , and running backwards , went towards plataeas , and before the setting of the sun , returned , and in that very same day measured and travelled a thousand pa●es , so the citizens were saved , unto whom he delivered the fire , but he quickly fainted , and a while after died : the plataeensians did bury him in the temple dedicated to diana at euclia , and did superscribe this tetrameter verse . euchidas delphos cucurrit , et die reversus uno est . euchidas unto delphos one day run , return'd again ereth ' setting of the sun. plutarchus , in aristide . it is reported that hercules the son of alcmena , offering sacrifice to jupiter in olympia , when he could not drive away the flies , it is said that the elii called the driver away of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and did do sacrifice to him , and when the sacrifice was offered , on a sudden all the flies flew beyond the river alpheus . therefore was it reserved and kept by the eleans to drive away flies from olympia , and the same ceremony was used . pausanias , lib. . aurelian the emperour , when he came against the marcomannians unto mediolanum a town in italy , he writ to the senate that they should look into the sybillaean books , what rites were necessary to crave the help of their gods . which when the senate had done so , and had it revealed by a divine revelation more then by any humane strength or counsels , the barbarians durst not go beyond their prefixed limits , affrighted by such terrible sights and wonders , and so a clear path was laid open for aurelians victory . but he , least that he might not seem ungratefull not to acknowledge his help from heaven besides the great rewards of this victory , and thanks-giving being given through the whole city of rome , he gave fifteen millions of the weight of gold , and a great treasure of pearls , for a remembrance thereof . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . the persians commanding asia when they had spoiled and ransack't all the holy places and temples of the greeks excepting the temple of semidea rhea which was in castamus cherronesus , neither fortified with walls nor watches , and left it unviolated , the plundering robbers pilling and poling all places , and this was that place which was onely left unwalled , and that might of all other been taken without danger , they report the cause to be this ; the universall beneficence towards all men , for she did teach and instruct the sick in dreams , the cure of their diseases , and did recover very many that were desperately sick . furthermore , those women that were in travell , she delivered them from the perill of child-birth . diodorus , lib. . cap. . without crotonis anciently there was a temple dedicated to juno licinia and was very strict and hallowed with many religious ceremonies , and where was a grove that was hedged about with high firre-trees : in the center and middle thereof there was a feeding place , a grasse-plot where all kind of cattle was fed , which was sacrificed to the goddesse , and had no keeper , the flocks overnight would stear themselves of their own accord to their stables , being no wayes lyable either to the injury of men or beasts , there was a great wonder and miracle related of an altar there which was in the day time , never was there any ashes blown away by the violence of the winds . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . a great barrennesse comming upon the grounds of pelasgus , they devoted the spring to their gods , being able to perform their vowes , they neglected to perform it , therefore being exagitated and vexed with a grievous pestilence , and enquiring of their oracle , the cause of that evill , the oracle answered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that having whatsoever they would , they have not given that which they promised , therefore to pacify the deity , they were to pay the tenths . dionys . halicar . lib. . euseb . lib. . praeparat . evangelicae . they report that in italy the rock of the posidoniacorians there was such a miracle used : for there was a hunter in that countrey which is called andragathia ; he was wont to dedicate the heads and feet of those things , which he had killed to diana , and affix them to the trees , and when he had taken a great boar in contempt of the goddesse , he said , he would onely offer the head of it to her , and tying it to a certain tree , one day when he turned a little out of the way , to shroud himself from the heat of the sun being then noon-tide , he slept under that tree , under which he had tyed the head of it , and fell asleep ; then did the garter dissolve and untye of it self , and the head of the boar fell upon his head so that he dyed . diodorus , lib. . cap. . oeneus the king of calydonia , there being a great plenty of all kind of grain in oetolia , and when he had sacrificed to other gods , onely diana excepted , the goddesse being angry , sent a calydonian boor of a great bignesse , to destroy the neighbouring region thereabout : and meleager to stay this , being in full strength , taking many consorts with her , killed the boar , and so by the consent of all , she obtained the reward of the slain beast , that was , the skin of the boor. and when in a hunting time he was with atalanta , the daughter of schaenei , being much enamoured of her did concede and grant to her that skin , which was his reward for killing that wild beast . which being done , and thestes sons being hunters together with him , taking it very ill to prefer a stranger woman before them , and disapproving meleagrus's fact , they by their traps and ambushes , took the skin from atalanta , when she should return into arcadia ; then meleager , as well agitated by love , as exagitated and excited by ignominy , at first he admonished those robbers that they should restore the reward of vertue which was given to that woman by him , but they , contemning his words , he slew them all , for they were the brethren of althea : but she being much grieved for their slaughter , execrated and cursed meleager , and beg'd of the immortal gods , who had heard her prayers , that they would put an end to the life of her son. some say that in meleagers birth , the destinies appeared to al●hea in a dream by night , and said , then should the life of her son meleager be expired , when that wood ( which was a quenched charcolled firebrand ) was burned out : the child being born , althea thinking that by saving that wood , she should also save the life of her child , she diligently reserved and kept it . afterwards being grievously tormented , and vexed by the death of her brethren , she burned the fireband , and then the cause of her sons death came to light , and repenting her of the fact , she hanged her self . diodorus , lib. . cap. . stymphalus a river in arcadia , maketh a great lake or gulph , and percollating , and being filtred through the veins of the earth , insinuates it self at length into the argolick field , and there its name is changed ; for stymphalus 't is called erasinus in the dayes of pausanias : this miracle happened , when a solemn rite was very cursorily performed by the arcadians to the stymphalian diana ; and in the first place the rites , for their countrey being pretermitted , incontinently the grove fell upon that cavern , under which the river stymphalus did drain and sweat through the earth's pores , therefore the mouth of the passage ( by reason of the interveining rubbish ) being dam'd up , and the water making a reflux and flowing retrogradely , the water did spread and expand it self over all the adjacent fields no lesse then . paces , and made a great pool or gulph . and so by chance it happened that a hunter chasing his hart , when she had stuck her self in the dirt of the fen , being chafed with grief of mind , swam through the water , and he had not left off the pursuit after her , ere a great chasma or gulph both swallowed up him and the wild beast together ( they report ) that by and by the standing water finding the channel of the river , and following it , so that the whole lake was drunk and dryed up in one day , the ceremony being more preparedly and magnificently made to diana . pausanias in arcadicis . glaucus the son of sysiphus , who ruled at potnia despising venus's rites , was torn in pieces by his mares , which used to draw his chariot . servius , lib. . georg. hercules did erect a magnificent temple to jolaus his nephew , and instituted many hallowed rites to be consecrated in it , and if the inhabitants should be wanting at the accustomed ceremonies they quickly began to be made dumb , but when again they should obey , they were to be restored to their former soundnesse . alexandr . ab alexandro lib. . cap. . cyanippus syracusanus because he had neglected to sacrifice unto bacchus ; the god , being angred and provoked , made him run into such drunkennesse , that meeting his daughter cyane in the dark , although she resisted , he defloured her . but she snatching a ring from her father that did obstuprate her , delivered it to her nurse , that it might be for a mark and sign of him that violated her . but afterwards when a grievous pestilence did invade and come upon the city , for such a hainous perpetrated wickednesse , there was an oracle given out by pythias , that the authour of that impiety should be sacrificed to the freeing and liberating-gods . therefore cyane being conscious of these things , slew her father , haling him to the altar by the hair of the head , that the gods might be pacified . dositheus , lib. . rerum sicularum : et plutarchus , cap. . paral. in phocis at the tithorean temple of isis , for religion , the holiest of all them that ever the grecians consecrated to the egyptian goddesse , for neither is there any inward accesse into it by any , but to those whom isis in dreams seems to call to her , beloved afore the rest : to this tithorean isis are two fairs yearly celebrated in the spring and in autumn , the merchants or factors build them up shops and stalls of reeds , and of any other matter that they can light on . at the last on the third day they that come to merchandize there , buy slaves , but in the afternoons apply their minds to their devotions . they sacrifice sumptuous oxen , and harts , but geese and meleagrides , birds , more parcimoniously , &c. sometimes they say , a man is prophane when the pile begins to be burned , that through curiosity and self-confidence dare go into it . and to him if there shall seem all places filled full of hobgoblins , and such domesticall homely spirits , notwithstanding if he turn back to tithorea , and relate all that which he hath seen , he quickly dieth . pausanias in phocicis . it is found by experience that they who violate the religion of the cabirorians , the thebanes cannot escape condign punishment for their unexpiable wickednesse ; for when the naupacti a prophane generation of men , durst usurp those things that were consecrated by the thebanes , not long after they paid for their fraudulent impiety . also those persians of xerxes army , when mardonius was their captain , having their fixed station or standing camp in baeotia , one part of which not doubting to enter into the temple of the cabirorians , whether drawn thither by the desire of a great prey , or out of the contempt of the deity , all of them were strucken with madnesse ; part of them cast themselves into the sea , part of them precipitated themselves from high rocks : and when alexander in a battell had or'ecome the thebanes , and did destroy and depopulate the city and fields with fire and sword , those of the macedonians that broke into the sacred temple of the cabirorians all of them either by lightnings or by fire sent from heaven , were slain ; such was the religion of that temple from the beginning . pausanias in boeoticis . pentheus the king of the thebanes when he had grieved liber his father , and reviled him with many contumelious terms and other things , he did very insolently , but at last that he might pry into those hidden sacrifices of women , went to cytheron , and climbed into a tree , and from thence he saw all , which when the mad priestesses of bacchus saw with a great violence , they tore him being alive , in pieces , and pull'd limb from limb . they say , there was an oracle given at corinthus , that they should make inquisition for , and seek out that tree , and the finders out thereof should be worshipped with divine honours , therefore by the item or inkling given by that oracle , there was two wooden pictures found of his father , liber , put in the repository of the temple : besides two mouthes which were anointed with red lead , they name the other lyfius bacchus . pausanias in corinthiacis : euripides writing of the daughters of bacchis cadmus , and their sisters the simeles which brought up dionysius , did mention one pentheus , that each of them tugg'd away the parts of his body . natales comes mythol . lib. . cap. . when the potitians had obtained the rites of the consecrated things of bacchus , which was assigned for a gift to their nation by him , as an heritage , appius claudius the censor being the author of it , did transfer it to the servilest basest office of their servants : therefore all that were above thirty years of age , adulti , were slain and destroyed , and the name of the potitians , divided into twelve families , quickly was quite extinct . and appius for his part was made blind . valerius , lib. . cap. . livius , lib. . decad. . c. terentius varro overseer for the temples , when he made circes playes in the temple of jupiter , he put a boy of admirable beauty , a player , to keep the watches . which being done after many years it was as well expiated , as remembred : for a great while after , being made consull , fighting at cannus , he prospered so ill , that he almost lost fifty thousand romans that were slain . valer . max. lib. . cap. . annibal and himilco being two carthagenian captains , besieging agrigentum , commanded their souldiers that they should cast and throw down all the sepulchres and monuments , and so by that ruine draw and contract a great heap of rubbish and to bring it to the wals ; neither was the army slow to execute this command , nor to bring this work to passe : but whilest they were digging there , a great reverence of religion and awe of the gods began to seize on some of the minds of the army . for the tomb and sepulchre of thero , a monument of great labour and labour and art , shaken by lightning , trembled : which miracle being procured for some of their priests , when they saw the multitude make haste to pull it down , laboured with all might and main , to stay and forbid it ; and suddenly a pestilence invaded the camp , which destroyed many , neither did it wrest a few into divers afflictions and calamities in which annibal the captain himself dyed . as also those that did watch by night , did think they saw spectrums and ghosts , and the shadows of them that were dead walking and wandring in shades . and himilco gave over spoiling of the monuments , and quickly performed his rites to his gods , sacrificed an infant to saturn , and drowned a whole company of priests to appease neptune . diod. lib. . ilus when he saw minervaes temple on fire , running in haste , took up pallas's image which fell from heaven , and instantly he was struck blind . a while after the wrath of the goddesse being appeased , he recovered his sight again . plutar. cap. . paral. pegasus bearing the images of dionysius out of eleutherae a city in boetia into athens , the athenians did neglect their god , neither did they receive him ( as the custome was ) with pomp . wherefore their god was angry , and infected the privy members oft he men with a grievous disease . and enquiring of the oracle by what means they might be freed from this punishment , had this answer , that they should receive their god with pomp and honour . and so from this they carried through the whole solemnities , pikes adorned with green leaves , as well publickly as privately . natales comes , lib. . cap. . the captains of the japigans did take out the images of the gods out of the temples , who boastingly said it was fit that they should give place to those that are most potent . and because of that , they were smote with darts and fire from heaven . and there did appear darts afar off , which were shot out of the clouds . and all their children unto this day are shaven unto the skin , and wear long mourning gowns , and are to all , more rare then good men . athenaeus , lib. . cap. . when the aeginetae invaded the epidaurians , and carryed away the olive-tree images of damiae and auxesiae , by reason of which the epidaurians yearly were constrained to bear the rites to erictheus at athens ( for by that law they had granted the epidaurians power of their olive-trees ) the epidaurians refused to let go their bargain ; therefore the athenians sent a cart into aegina to fetch back the statues , that they might bring the images as though they had been made of their wood , therefore they endeavoured with might and main , and ropes cast about , to draw the statues into their ships . but as they drew them , the images fell on their knees , and from that time they alwaies remained in that posture . moreover , when there was a great thunder and earthquake , the rowers were made mad , and wounded one another grievously , and slew all , save one that was the messenger of this slaughter , who betook himself to phalerus . herodotus , libro . artabarus a persian , the son of pharnax who had a comission from mardonius , for the circuit of . miles , when he rushed into neptunes temple , and wickedly and irreligiously upon his image , in the siege of the city he was much troubled with the flux of the sea , and being constrained to raise his siege , when he with his army retreated into pallenes , he lost a great part of it by the overflowing tides of the sea. herodot . lib. . pub. scipio africanus minor , when he had granted leave to his souldiers to take carthage , a certain souldier going into the temple of apollo , did attempt to bereave the image of the golden vestment : for which thing apollo being angry , caused that those sacrilegious hands should be found cut off , among those fragments of the clothes and the skirts of the trunk or body of the image . valer. max. lib. . cap. . the grecians convented and met together in aulis being to sail to troy. agamemnon going a pretty way from the army , seeing a she-goat about dianaes grove ( ignorant of religion ) which was in that place , smote it with a dart , not long after diana being angry , sent the pestilence into his army , a certain religious woman affirmed that diana was vexed for the death of her she-goat , in which she much delighted , and that she would have punishment of the army for such a sacrilegious fact , and that she could not be appeased before he that was the authour of this wickednesse , did sacrifice his eldest daughter , &c. dictis , lib. . pancrates arcadicus , in inscriptis marinis operibus , declares the fish pompilus , called also nautillus , is not onely in esteem with neptune , but with all the gods in samothrace . when the golden kind of men as yet lived , epopaeus , of the icarian island , fishing together with his son , and seeing that he could catch no other fish but pompills , he did not refrain from eating them , but he with his son did eat them all . but shortly after he suffered for his villany . for a whale coming to the ship , swallowed up epopaeus in the sight of his son . moreover pancrates doth relate , that the pompilus is an enemy to the dolphin , and that they let the mechi go scot-free when they have eaten a pompill , for they become unprofitable ; and being troubled after they have eaten them , the water casteth them on the shore , where they are food for cormorants and gnats . athaeneus , lib. . cap. . they say that a certain man hid a piece of holy money which he stole out of the temple of apollo at delphos , in that part of parnassus , which is shadowed most with woods and trees . but a wolf violently killed him sleeping , and afterwards every day , he did make the city resound with his howlings . when the men of delphos began to think that it could not be done without some divine providence , following the beast , they found the gold which was taken away by sacriledge , and for the memory of the thing , they dedicated a brazen wolf to apollo . pausanias , lib. . sambicus a certain man of eleus ( a city of thrace ) together with some other of his companions , threw down many brazen statues , and sold them . afterwards attempting greater things , he spoiled the temple of diana their guardian . for her temple was in elis ( a city of achaia ) which they called the temple of aristarchus . but he being apprehended presently after , when he refused to betray his companions , he was torn with new devised torments , amongst which he lost his life . plutarch . in problemat . graec. philomelus , who first possessed the temple of apollo at phocis restrained his hand from the holy things , which necessity did permit him to take . but onomarchus which succeeded him , spent much of the money in war. phyallus the third , the brother of onomarchus , took away a great number of the gifts which were consecrated in the temple ; to coyn money , to pay his hired souldiers ▪ and truly having received . golden bucklers dedicated by caesar king of the lydians , which weighed two talents , he cast them aside to make money , and likewise three hundred and sixty golden cups , which weighed twenty pounds , and the golden images of a lion and a woman , so that all those things were valued at thirty talents of gold , and all those things which were coyned of the gold , according to the account of silver , did amount to four thousand talents . but all the captains did spend the summe of above six thousand talents out of silver things , which were consecrated as well by croesus , as others : that if the whole value of the gold and silver were accounted , it would amount to more then . talents . but all these were heavily punished for their impiety and contempt of the deity . for philomelus fighting against the boeotians , the revengers of sacriledge , being wounded in many places , was shut into a certain sleep place , whence he could not easily get out ( a punishment which sometimes was wont to be inflicted on captives ) ; he being afraid , cast himself headlong thence , and in the same manner , paying a due punishment to the deity , he died . diodorus , lib. . onomarchus having his army vanquished by philip the son of amyntas , swimming to the ships which were bound for the athenian shore , died in the sea. phyallus was consumed with a perpetuall contagion . but phalecus which after all them took away whatsoever was left of the gifts , lived long enough in fear , and divers great dangers , not that his fortune might be thereby better then the other companions of the wicked mischief , but that being tormented for a longer time , and made more known to many by his misery , he might undergo a more famous and much mentioned calamity . being tossed about with very much wandring , when he did resist cidonia in creet , he was stricken dead by thunder . q. fulvius flaccus did not escape unpunished , because he carried the marble tiles that were to mend the temple of juno at lacinium , to the temple of warlike fortune , which he made at rome . for it is affirmed that after this deed he was not long in his wits , but also yielded up the ghost , by very great grief of mind when he heard that one of his two sons ( which were waging war in illiricum ) was dead , and the other dangerously sick . by whose fal the senate being moved , took care that the tyles should be carried back to locrus ( a city in the uttermost part of italy which was named magna graecia . ) valerius , lib. . cap. . & livius , lib. . when the persians , under the conduct of xerxes , came to the most famous temple at delphos with an intent to spoil it , great miraculous things were presented to their sight . the evill daemons ( whose habitation without doubt the same was ) never saw a greater prey of men offered to them , then with that tempest , they could appoint the same new superstition to xerxes , and the whole world which he took with him . two rocks being suddenly smote down from the top of parnassus , tumbled down upon the enemies lying under , and broke in pieces many that resisted . moreover lightning being cast down from the heavens with thunder , and the holy armes moved out of the inner part of the house of their own accord , and a braying heard in the next temple of provident minerva , did overthrow the barbarians suddenly , so that they cast themselves headlong down from the steep places of the mountains , as if they were driven with madnesse , upon whom the men of delphos casting stones and darts made a great slaughter . and by these various phantasms , the temple remained unviolated . trogus saith , that the men of delphos found four thousand men , whose whole hands were consumed by lightning , and the filthy tempest , and at length they proclaimed openly , that by how much the greater the offense of the gods was than the offense of men , by so much ▪ they ought to use more sudden and grievous punishment . diodor. lib. . when theron king of the hither spain , was driven with rage to abolish the temple of hercules , which is at the gades , ( two isles at the further end of spain beyond granate ) having furnished his army of ships with necessaries , the men of the isles of gades came against them , being carried in swift ships , and battel being given , it was weighed in an equall ballance as yet , but on a sudden the kings ships were put to flight , and therewith being caught with an unexpected fire ; they burned . very few of the enemies which remained being taken , did declare , that lions did appear to them standing on the decks of the ships of the gades , and suddenly their ships were burned with beams sent in , such as are painted on the head of the sun. macrob. lib. . cap. . when the scythians having gone out of their bounds , had spoyled the temple of venus urania in ascalon a city of palaestine ( for it was a very ancient temple ) the goddesse smote them and their children with an effeminate disease , which they whom the scythians call enareas , can onely cure . having enjoyed the empire of asia . years , at length being taken to a banquet by cyaxares king of the medes , they were murdered , when they were merry in their cups , as it was agreed upon before . herodotus , lib. . alexander , the son of phillip of macedon , when he had overthrown miletum the best fenced city of jonia , his pillaging souldiers thronged into the temple of ceres . but milesian ceres revenging the fact , did cast flames of fire , which did strike the robbers blind . valerius , lib. . cap. . when pyrrhus king of the epirots returning out of sicily , passed by the people of locrus , he spoiled the temple of proserpina notable for much religion among the inhabitants of locrus , saying in derision : unseasonable devotion is superstition , and to gather riches together without labour is wisedome . but the day after that he had committed that sacriledg , his navy being tossed with an ugly tempest , all the ships which had the holy money , were driven to the shore of italy . with which misfortune being affrighted , he commanded that the money should be sought out , and laid up again amongst the ancient treasures of the goddesse . neither had he any good fortune afterwards . for being tossed with many mischances , at length entring into argos , he died miserably . suidas & livius , lib. . secundi belli punici . when himilco prince of carthage ( having brought almost all sicily under his subjection ) besieged syracusa , he spoiled all the temples , but in the first place , the temple of ceres and proserpina . and while he studied how to gird his camp , and encompasse his tents with a wall , he demolished all the sepulchres almost at the next work to build his wall , amongst which he spoyled the monuments of gelon of demareta and his wife , anciently builded with wonderfull work . but in a short time after he suffered deserved punishment for his sacriledge and impiety so arrogantly committed against the gods . for shortly his affairs went to wrack , all things being begun to be made worse , and afterwards when courage increased by little and little in dionysians , and he was accustomed to weary them with often sallying out , and fight with light eruptions , they alwayes returned conquerours at all skirmishes . also vain tumults among the souldiers and sudden terrours were often stirred up in the silence of midnight throughout the camp , by which they did run to arms in vain , the cause of it no man knowing , and their tents being turned upside down with earthquakes , afterwards they perceived their enemies to break out of a bulwark upon them . a pestilence invaded the camp of the besiegers in the moor with a burning heat , which consumed the number of . dionysius making use of that occasion , set fire on his navy , and drove them to such extremity , that he compelled the tyrant to buy a safe return for him and the carthagenians with a reward of three hundred talents , having left and betrayed his companions . being returned into his countrey , he did lead a life exposed to the reproach of all , and was so miserable , that he went about the temples of the city in a very thin coat , declaring his impiety , and exhibiting his punishment to the deity , having confessed his wickednesse against the gods. lastly despairing , he killed himself willfully , leaving a great fear to the citizens of violating religion . diodorus , lib. . when delos was heretofore the chief emporium of all greece and that onely fenced with religion , it defended all the inhabitants from the injuries of all others . but menophantes a certain commander of the armies of mithridates , who being driven by the command of the king , or his own insolence , arose against the island , and invaded it with his navy , having neither the defence of walls , nor arms. where all things being beaten down , taken away , and pillaged , at length he laid the very city eeven with the ground . in that destruction he cast the image of apollo ( proudly being taken from its seat ) into the sea : that , being brought by the raging of the sea to the bounds of the boeotians at laconia , named the place epidelium . but neither menophantes , nor mithridates himself did escape the wrath of the god . for not long after the calamity of delos , when he was carried into the sea , the merchants which had escaped his hand , slew menophantes . but the god compelled mithridates to lose his courage , having lost his kingdome already , and being driven to and fro by the romans , he could rest no where . there are some which say that he begged , as a great favour , from one of the mercenary barbarians , to be killed . pausanias , in laconicis . when the graecians had dragged out by force , and killed those who came to pray in the temple of neptune , in the city of helires , a great and sudden earthquake did not onely overturn the very walls , but also defaced the very foundation of the city , that there was not so much as any tokens left , whereby it might be known to future ages . and they record that another such destruction happened . helires was incompassed with a deluge of the sea in the winter season , and the very grove of neptune was so overwhelmed with that inundation , that the tops of the highest trees could hardly be discovered : which comming to passe , the whole city with its inhabitants was suddenly destroyed as well by the most violent motion of the earth , as the most abundant over-running rage of the sea. in the fourth year of the olympiad . . pausanias , in achaicis . when the lacedemonians were inraged against the inhabitants of ilota , which worshipped at the temple of neptune asphalius ( that is ) the safe , as suidas saith , ( which is at teneros ) ; sparta was shaken as well with vehement as frequent impulsions of the earth , that not one house escaped ruine , except four houses amongst all the rest which escaped unruined . pausanias , in achaicis : et aelianus , libro . variae historiae . when cytharoedes did dispute in contending for the honour of juno at sybarum , for that was the cause that provoked the sybaritans to that contentious disputation , and when they had mutually gone to arms , cytharoedes fled with his stole to the altar of juno : but they forbore not to lay violent hands upon him in that place , but a little after they saw bloud sprinkled about the temple , as if it had issued out of a continually-flowing fountain . but when the sabaritans had sent to ask counsell at the oracle of delphos , they received this answer : stand off , my sacred tables come not near ; whose hands are drench't in bloud , should justice fear . which fresh distilling , thee forbids to venter , into the threshold of my temple t' enter . good fates to them can never be foretold , who to stain junoes temple dare be bold . the muses harmlesse servant thou hast slain , the god's revenge for which , thou must sustain . who perpetrates base willfull facts , may know , he 's sure to suffer heavy judgments blow , inexorable toth' unjust immortalls prove , descended though by birth from mighty jove . who on their necks , and childrens childrens dear , justly will heaped vengeance send to bear , neither was revenge delayed . for when they waged warre with the inhabitants of crotonia , they were overcome by them , and their city was overthrown . aelianus , libro . de var. histor . in the mountain halesius , near mantinea , was the temple of warlike neptune , built by trophonias and agamedes , with oaken boards , forbidding entrance not by the opposition of any bolt , but onely with a small wollen rope drawn before it , which had a secret force to drive men away . never any one entered into this temple , besides aepytus king of arcadia , who having lost his son as soon as he entered into the temple , he was smitten blind by the sudden force of the sea-water , boyling out of holy fountains , and not long after died . when the emperour adrianus did build it up again , he did set overseers amongst the workmen , lest any one should look into the antient altar , or suffer any rubbel to be carried from it to any other place . pausanias , in arcadicis . in the mountain lycaeus of arcadia was the altar of jupiter lycaeus , whither no man could come . if any one entred despising the religion of the place , it was certainly requisite that he must dye within the space of that year . it is a wonderfull thing also that ( as they say ) as well men as beasts , which by chance come into the circuit of this place , have no shadow of their bodies . and truly a hunter cannot follow wild beasts that fly thither , but standing at the entrance , he cannot perceive any shadow that they have . it is certain that the men of syena a city of aethiopia , do shew no shadows from their bodies at that time of the year , when cancer is in conjunction with the sun. but in this lycaeus it doth happen in any part of the year . pausanias , in arcadicis . they report that in cerynaea a city of achaia , was the temple of the eumenides , dedicated by orestes . they believed that if any one entred in hither to see it , polluted either with slaughter , or any incest , or kind of impiety , he being troubled in mind , would presently be cruelly terrified . wherefore the entrance of the temple was forbidden to all that strived otherwise . pausanias , in arcadicis . when erisichthon a certain thessalonian had cut down the grove of ceres , she sent to him perpetuall hunger , and caused that he should never be satisfied with meat . he had a daughter named mestra , very well skilled in witch-craft , whom he often sold , being turned into divers forms of living creatures , which running away a little after , would return to her father having taken her former shape , and so she helped her fathers hunger according to her ability . lastly , he was driven to so great hunger , that he eat his own flesh . natales comes , mythol . libro . cap. . when cambyses king of the persians , came to the theban aegyptians , he sent fifty thousand to destroy the ammonians , and commanded that they should burn the oracle of jupiter ammon . therefore when they had gone seven dayes on their journey along the sands , and dined between the city oasis and the ammonians ; a strong south-wind overwhelmed the whole army with heaps of sand carried along . he being gone against the macrobian aethiopians with the rest of the army , when having scarce finished the fifth part of his journey , wanting victuals , he returned to memphis . where when the aegyptians did make holy-day for the apparition of osiris ; ( in the shape of a bull ) he supposed that they had done it for his disgrace , as if they had reproached him for his misfortune : he killed the priests and aegyptians playing , he wounded the bull of osiris , by which wound afterwards he pined away . a little after he killed his brother smerdes , and his sisters , suffering punishments worthy of his wickednesse . herodotus , libro . the persians burned the anactorian temple of ceres in eleusis . afterwards , when they were conquered at plataea ( a city of baeotia ) by the graecians , with a very great slaughter . not one of the persians was seen to enter the temple of ceres , which was there , nor lying about the temple , as if the goddesse did drive away those , who had destroyed her temple . herodotus , libro . suidas doth rehearse , that there was one anagyrasion a quick spirited man , ( so named from the place anagyrus in attick ) who , because an old man , his neighbour , cut down his grove , thus revenged himself . the concubine of the old man , cast a raging love upon his , who when she could in no wise penetrate the breast of the young man with the sense of her love , she voluntarily accused him before his father , that he did not cease to appeach him of whoredome . his father being perswaded by the woman , did throw his son headlong from the top of the house , and killed him . afterwards repenting his deed , he hanged himself . lastly , the woman cast her self into a well . he doth write the author of this thing , hieronymus in opere de tragaediarum scriptoribus . hence arose that proverb ; anagyrum commoves . erasmus : aesculapius grieving that a great part of a grove , which was dedicated to him at coos was cut down by turulius one of the officers of antonius , to make his ships , but in that wicked service the parties of antonius being overcome , turulius was condemned to dy by the command of caesar , who brought him to the place which he had violated , and caused , that being slain there , by the caesarean souldiers , he might suffer for the same destruction and overthrow of the trees ; ( whereby the force of that deity was made known ) and that he might obtain freedome to those that were yet standing from the like injury . afterwards the god encreased his worship , which was had alwaies in very great esteem among the inhabitants . valerius , libro . capite . lactantius , libro . de origine erroris , capite . pollux onomastici libro . writeth that amongst the athenians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , virgins of diana , were wont to be consecrated or initiated before they were marriageable , there was a law decreed at athens , that no maid should be given in marriage to a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , unlesse she had performed those sacred rites to diana , which they used to solemnize in the moneth of january . libanus in his oration which he made in praise of diana , sheweth that the virgins used to put on a garment which they named crocota , being of the colour of saffron , and that they were not to exceed the age of ten years , nor under five , diana was thought to be pleased with them , who for the like occasion , seemed to conceive some anger . they report that there was sometimes in athens a bear which was made so tame , that she was nothing at all offensive to any , but did freely feed here and there at her pleasure , wandring about , no one receiving any hurt therby . it happened that a young maid playing somewhat too sportively with the bear , who inraged therewith , suddenly and violently snatcheth her : which her brothers seeing , threw fiercely with darts , and killed her , for which cause the pestilence began to rage abroad about the countrey thereabouts . the oracles being consulted , the gods answered , that the sicknesse would not cease unlesse they compelled some virgins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , for the destruction of the bear , to kill some virgins in the honour of diana . caelius , lib. . cap. . the tanagrean boetians had a temple dedicated to mercurius creophorus for that mercury did avert the plague , when they carried about the walls a ram , for which cause he appointed that he who carried the ram should be attended by tanagrean pipes , or musick ; he of the young men who was esteemed by all to excell the rest in beauty , in the feast day of mercury , carrying a lamb upon his shoulder , went round about the walls with it , which was a most present remedy against the plague . pausanias , in boeticis . in the eighth year of the reign of numa , the pestilence which raged all about italy , wasted rome also ; the citizens struck with fear , deliver a brazen target sent down from heaven by divine power ; hereupon they tell the king wonderfull stories , that they received of aegeria at camene , and that those arms were sent for the safety of the city , and that they were to be kept with an eleven more , which were to be made of like figure amplitude and form , that no thief for his profit might be able to invent the similitude being heavenly things , and that he ought to consecrate the field at camenes , and the meadows lying about it , where they for the most part met with him , and that they should consecrate the well which watered the field to the vestall virgins , the water whereof doth purge and water all penetrables . to these having given credit , they tell that the disease presently departed . plutarch . in numa . phalesius a private man builded the temple of aesculapius at naupactum from the foundation . on a certain time the god which was worshipped at epidaurus , sent anites a noble woman , to him , when he was very sick , and almost blind , to make verses , with signed tables . the woman seemed to her self to receive them in a dream . but the thing was proved by the event . for when she was awake , she held the sealed tables in her hands . therefore when she came to naupactum , she bid phalesius to look upon the letters having taken away the seal . at first he thought that a blind man could not see the letters . but being in good hope that aesculapius had sent him something to cure him , unsealing the tables , he looked upon the wax , and forthwith he perceived himself to be eased of the calamity of his sight . pausanias , in phocicis . sesostres the king of the egyptians being dead , his son ( which herodotus calleth varro ) receiving the crown , and taking his fathers name , he in no wise imitated the glory of his father . but was afflicted with the same misfortune as his father . for being blind , either by the common nature of his father , or , as some say , for his impiety against nilus ( into whose belly he threw a dart ) he was compelled to fly to the assistance of the gods , and having made divers sacrifices to appease the deityes , for a long time he had no help . after ten years he received an answer , that the god which was worshipped in heliopolis , being appeased , he should look upon the face of a woman , which knew no man carnally besides her own husband : so beginning from his own wife when he had many , he found none that was uncorrupted , besides the wife of a certain gardiner , whom he took to wife after he had received his sight , but he burned all the rest in a certain village . which place the aegyptians afterwards called , the holy turf . but he giving thanks to the god of heliopolis according to the oracle received , he erected two obelisks of one stone , eight foot broad and an hundred high . diodorus , lib. . cap. . when a certain woman said to adrian the emperour being very sick , that she was admonished in her sleep by the gods , to exhort him , not to kill himself , although he seemed to languish under a tedious disease , because in a short time he should receive his health . the same woman did put out her own eyes , because the health of the prince did not answer in time according to her report . lastly also , she was admonished to kisse the knees of adrian , and wash her eyes with the water which was in the temple , and having followed the advice of her dream , she presently received her sight . in like manner a certain man being come from pannonia , which was blind from his birth , having touched adrian , obtained his sight , and adrian was restored to his former good health . amasis king of the aegyptians , married a wife , ( which some would have to be the daughter of battus , the son of archesilaus : others , of critobulus , a very honourable man amongst his people ) by name ladices , with whom when he lay in bed , he could not perform his marriage duty , as when he made use of other women . when it was so a long time , amasis said to her , thou , o wife hast bewitched me , and therefore thou canst not escape by any policy , whereby thou mightest not perish by the worst death among all women . when ladices could not appease amasis by denying it , she vowed ( within her self ) to venus , that if amasis might copulate that night with her , she would send an image to her at cyrena . her wish being granted , amasis copulated with her , and afterwards as often as he lay with her , he performed his matrimoniall duty , and afterwards he loved her dearly . and ladices performed her vow , having made a statue , and sent it to cyrena , which remained whole till the time of herodotus , being placed without the cyrenensian city . herodotus , lib. . when milo epirota , had cast a spear at laodamia the daughter of pyrrhus , which fled to the altar of diana , as to a defence , the goddesse revenging her , he ran mad , whereby he died within the space of . dayes . when a certain sacrifice was performed to jupiter ascraeus , a herd of goats belonging to helicarnassus being brought to the temple , stood , and the prayers being ended , one of them , ( no body guiding it ) went forward till he came to the altar , which the priest taking , sacrificed . apollonius , de hist. mirab . in boeotia they think that hercules doth shut and open the temple of ceris micalessia every night . moreover they put all the apples which autumn brings forth , at the feet of the image , and they remaine very fresh the whole year . pausanias , in boeoticis . there was a village of the nyssaenes between tralles and nyssa , not far from the city , by name achrata , where is a place belonging to pluto , encompassed with a sumptuous grove . also the temple of pluto and juno , and the den of charon , admirable by nature , which is above the grove . they report that sick people that desire to be cured by these gods , do go thither , and tarry in a village near the cave with those that are skillfull in the holy things , who sleeping , receive cures for them in their dreams . the priests calling for the remedies of the gods , do oftentimes lead them into the den , where remaining as in a cave , they spend many dayes fasting and sleeping : sometimes those that are sick , do receive health in their own dreams , by the guiding and advice of the priests . strabo , lib. . epidaurus a city of peloponesus , being ennobled by the famousnesse of aesculapius , who ( as the ancients write ) hath cured divers kinds of diseases . but the temple was filled with a multitude of sick people , and tables hanging up , in which the diseases that were cured were written . in the same manner it was in the island coa , and likewise in trica . the city was scituated in the innermost closet of the bosome of saronicus . strabo , lib. . the same strabo writeth that there was a famous temple of aesculapius at tetrapolis , which city was inhabited by the jonians and carians . that temple was full of an innumerable convention of sick people , troubled with divers diseases , and the walls were every where covered with painted tables , wherein were written the diseases and names of them which were cured by that god . they record that there is a temple of minerva ilias , in which dogs are nourished , to whom it is given naturally , as also by some certain knowledge , to fawn upon the graecians when they come , but follow the barbarians with barking wheresoever they shew themselves . coelius , lib. . cap. . antiq. lect . there is a round temple of hercules of admirable structure in the beast-market of rome , into which ( they relate ) neither dogs nor flyes can enter . as no bird can enter into the temple of achill●s before borysthenes . alexander ab alexand. lib. . cap. . there was a temple of pallas at methon , a city of peloponnesus , diomedes dedicating an image , because before that , he received damage by most violent winds in those parts , blowing very unseasonably , which presently after ceased , when they prayed to the goddesse , and afterwards no such calamity came upon the inhabitants . from whence she got the name minerva . coelius , lib. . cap. . antiq. lect . when greece was troubled with a continuall drought , and the rest of greece was no lesse distracted for want of rain , which was without isthmus , than all peloponnesus ; they sent to delphos , that they might know by the oracle the cause and remedy of the calamity . there pythia answered , that they must appease jupiter , but they must make use of aeacus to sue for them , so that he is willing to obey . therefore when they had received that answer , they sent out of every city , to entreat aeacus to undertake the entreaty . he , having finished the sacrifices to jupiter , and offered the vows , replenished all greece with abundance of rain . for the memory of the thing , the citizens of argos , did erect statues for the ambassadors . pausanias , in corinthiacis the sepulchre of aristomenes of messene , is worthy to be seen in a colledge of messene , ( a city of achaia in greece ) which they say in good earnest , is not empty , and a monument set up for honour of the body not present . for although he , being driven from the spartanes , died in banishment , yet by the command of pythius apollo , his bones were carried back into his countrey , and such things were ordained to be holy . they bound a bull which was destinated to the altar , to a pillar not far from the tomb. he , being mad , and raging because of his bonds , did strive to go away . which if the vvhile the bull moveth nimbly , and danceth according to that , it is ominous to the messenians : but if on the contrary , the bull shal stand immoveable , they interpret that it portends some calamity to them . the lacedemonians report the heroick aristomenes to have been at the leuctrican fight . years after his death , vvho assisting the thebans against them , vvrought so , that he afflicted them vvith a great discomfiture . pausanias , in messenicis . at pachinum , a promontory of sicily , apollo lybistinus is worshipped with great devotion ; for when the lybians were about to invade sicilie , their navy having arrived at the promontory , apollo being invocated by the inhabitants , sent the plague amongst their enemies , and destroyed almost all of them with suddain death ; whereupon lybistinus was added as a sirname to him . macrobius , lib. . cap. . the persians , xerxes leading them to the chappel of minerva , which standeth before the temple of delphos , as they came thither , upon a suddain a thunder-bolt from heaven fell amongst them , with the two heads of parnassus , being rent from the rest of the mountain , with an horrid noise tumbled down , and intercepted very many of them ; whereupon from the very chappel of minerva came most joyfull vociferations and jubilations . the barbarians committing themselves to flight , departing from delphos , they published their great discomfiture ; those which escaped of them , fled to boetia , reporting , that two armed men more noble then any of humane nature could possibly be , pursuing them . these two they said were natives , and heroick men at delphos , the one phylacus , the other antonius , the temples dedicated to them being there to be seen ; that dedicated to phylacus , standeth by the way above the temple of minerva ; and that which was dedicated to antonius , near castalia , under the whirl-pool hyampeum . herodotus , lib. . in the sabine warr which was waged against the romans for ravishing the virgins , the romans made haste to shut the gate which was at the foot of the viminalian hill , ( which afterwards by occasion of what happened , was called the gate of janus ) because the enemies did rush upon it ; after it was made fast , flew open ; and when again and again the third time the same thing happened , more armed men came to the threshold of it , because they could not shut it , to make it good against the enemy . and when the enemies fought most fiercely on the other side , it was presently given out , that the romans were overcome by tacitus ; for which cause , which defended the gate or entrance of the city fled . and when the sabines had made an irruption into it through the gate , it is reported , that from the house of janus , by this passage , the great power of torrents scattering water all about broke out , burning the great and vaste numbers of their enemies with scalding waters , and devouring them with rapacious gulphs . macrobius , lib. . saturnal , cap. . the holy sheep of the sunne ; which are at apollonia in the bosome of ionicum , which in the day time feed along the river side , which floweth out of the mountain lacmonen through the apolloniatan field into the sea ; and chosen men , honourable by birth and riches amongst the people , keep them lodged in the night in a cave not farr from the city , the people every year making new election , for that the apolloniatae by a certain oracle were brought to put an high value upon the sheep . there a certain gentleman called evenius chosen to take the care of looking to the sheep , upon a time fell a sleep , and wolves entring into the cave , killed sixty of them ; which when the apolloniatae understood , they condemned him to the losse of his eyes for sleeping when he should have watched : upon execution of which sentence , their cattle ceased to bring forth young ones , and the earth to yield her fruit , and they had cattle at dodona and delphos . the prophets being asked the cause of this present evill ; answered , because they had unjustly deprived evenius the keeper of the holy sheep of his eyes , and that the wolves were sent by the gods , and that their punishments for this wrong should not cease till he was satisfied by those who had perpetrated this wrong to him whatsoever evenius himself conceived due satisfaction ; and then that the gods would so blesse them , that they would find themselves happy . the apolloniatae keeping these oracles close , chose certain citizens to perform them , who come to evenius sitting in a station for the purpose , and sitting down with him , discourse of other things , at last came to speak of the miseries of the times ; which making as an introduction to speak of his wrong , they demand of him what mulct he would wish the apolloniatae to undergo for his full satisfaction , who having not heard of the sentence of the oracle , said that he desired two mannours which he conceived the greatest revennues belonging to the apolloniatae , and a house which he knew to be the best in the city : the citizens presently assented , and telling what directions they had received from the oracle , and buying the mannours of the owners thereof , gave them to evenius , who presently thereupon obtained divination from the gods , whereby he grew famous . herodotus , libro . cap. . the pilappii inhabit that furthest part of scandinavia , bordering upon the frozen sea , and almost inclosed with the sea ; these neither till the ground , nor nourish any cattle , but the tarandus or buff which they make use of in the winter when the waters are glaz'd , and all things made stiff with the frost ; for they live by hunting and fishing , and they have ever hitherto worshipped wood and stones ; when they went on hunting , fishing , or began any other business , having used certain adjurations , they endeavour to move out of their place their gods which they consult ; which if they easily perform , they conceive they favour their enterprise , and promise successe ; but if they cannot move them without much trouble , they think their success is denyed ; and if they cannot possibly move them out of their places , they conclude , that their gods are offended ; and therefore they think they are to be appeased by a certain sacrifice , which they order in this manner ; they have a brazen vessel , wherein are the pictures of all kinds of four-footed beasts , of birds , and fishes , which are common and plentifull amongst them ; they have the image of a frog made of brass annexed to a piece of iron fastned to the middle of the vessel like a plumb ; afterwards using adjurations , they beat upon the vessel , and into the picture of whatsoever creature the frog doth thereupon fall or leap , as soon as the frog had but touched it , they procure a living creature of that kind ; they kill it , and hang the head thereof upon a tree which they account holy ; the rest they cook or dress , and consume with their friends which they call about them ; and according to their sacred rites , ( as they think ) they anoint themselves with that wherewith the host is boyled ; such holy rites finished , ( as they say ) they have learned by experience , such things they undertake , succeed prosperously . olaus magnus . of sathan's wonderful legerdemains , deceits , and impostures , used , for the setting up , and establishing idolatry , by invocation of saints departed this life , worshiping of statues and images , and for confirmation of the doctrine of purgatory , contrary to the preaching of st. paul , thess . . theodosius the emperour , unjustly suspecting john damasne , a monk , of betraying the secrets of the empire to the persians , with whom he had been prisoner , punished him with the loss of one of his hands ; he therefore imploring help of the blessed virgin , as he was before her image , had his hand restored , and perfectly united to his arm in the sight of many , though it had for many days been fixed to the doors of the church . fulgosus , lib. . cap. , nicephorus , lib. . cap. . relateth , that a certain jew of the arch-synagogue was taken as the author of a tumult , raised at constantinople in the time of leo the emperour , and condemned to fearfull torments , in the midst whereof he cryed out with a loud voyce , o god of holy sergius , help me ! holy sergius , thou hast known me and mine innocency . the judges suspecting , what he spoke to be cunning dissimulation , condemned him to be burnt ; who when he was in the midst of the flames , there appeared two horsemen arrayed in white robes , who for many hours kept him preserved and untoucht by the fire ; which the people with much wonder beholding , at length , running into the flames , snatch'd him away . when the body of the virgin levinua was carried through the towns and garrisons of that part of flanders which lyeth to the sea-side , those who were sick of the palsie , deaf , lame , and troubled with other diseases , were suddenly cured . and two wax candles , put out by the wind ; as soon as they were brought to the bones of the dead virgin , kindled by vertue thereof . jacobus meyer , ex scriptis dryonis tunc temporis morinorum episcopi . many blind and lame were brought to the sepulchre of pope martin the fourth , ( who had been warlike enough ) and recovered their former health , by using such devotions there , as were then used at the sepulchres of the dead . platina . the coach in which the dead body of s. ladislaus king of hungary was carried , the keepers thereof sleeping , and the beasts feeding , without any inforcement went to varidinum with such celerity , that the keepers could not keep company with it , neither could any man by any means possibly stay it ; as they were committing the body to the sepulchre , the face of a certain man ( which they say had a loathsome smell ) turn'd towards his back , and hanged upon his shoulder , having tryed many wayes for help , and finding none , comes to the sepulchre , and cryes out with a loud voyce , o holy ladislaus , i have wronged thee , holy prince forgive me : and , the incensed divine power appeased by his humble and hearty veneration , his chin was brought to its proper place , and he perfectly restored . bosinius , lib. . decadis , . the bishop of prague in livonia , by the persecution of the abdeberti , losing a finger for the faith of christ , the executioners or cutters off of his finger , threw it into a river in the countrey of the vandals , in which countrey he had oft preached ; which a fish presently swallowed ; whereupon the fish shined with a circle of glaring flame : the fishers espying it , and taking it for a wonderfull portent , after great industry used to catch it , at last obtained their desire ; and having taken out the bowels of the fish , they found the finger shining with a glaring light . idem , lib. . decadis secundae , historiae ungar . genarius of beneventum having his head cut off for professing the faith of christ , it and his blood put into a viall , were kept in two severall churches ; and when they were both solemnly carried through the city , the blood which was congealed into a ball ; when it did but touch the head , dissolved into as fresh blood as it was when it flowed from the martyr at his decollation ; and when it was taken from his head , it congealed again into a round form as it was before : and that we might be more assured of the truth hereof , we had the testimonies of them who were diligent observers , and eye-witnesses of the same . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . valens the emperour , an arrian , when he would have translated the head of john the baptist to constantinople , could not possibly get the coach wherein he had put it , to be moved or stirred , and therefore was forc'd to desist and leave off his undertaking ; but theodosius , an orthodox christian , did afterwards with much facility translate the very same head . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . in the time of the warr of otho and philip , emperours , the bodies of eleven thousand virgins , three of them kings , were seen to return to the temple of colonia , from the abbey of fuldenses in thuringia , whence they had been translated from colonia . in the morning betimes , whilest they sung the psalms appointed by the church for nocturns , the abbot and monks of that monastery saw the bodies of the three kings going out of the temple , which not long after were found in the temple of colonia , whence they had formerly been translated , idem , ibidem . when john , a devout giver of alms , was dead , a certain woman for three dayes together continuing at his sepulchre , weeping , for that she feared lest a writing ( which she had delivered to him , and wherein was contained a great sin which she had committed , and which she had declared unto him ) should come to the hands of any body that should know and divulge it ; the eleëmosynarian appeared to the woman , and delivered the schedule sealed , in which the former writing was blotted out , and written instead thereof , for my servant john's sake , thy sin is blotted out . metap . in vita ejus . a certain german called conradus , repenting heartily of his sins , cometh to rome , hildebrand then pope , commandeth him to wear instead of a shirt , a covering next his skin , tyed together with five chains stamped with letters , containing a catalogue of his sins , and commands him to visit the holy places all the world over , and there to pray for pardon , that he might have remission of his sins : he obeys ; and travelling long and far , not omitting in his pilgrimage to visit jerusalem , at length he cometh to hungary , where he visiting the sepulchre of the holy king stephen , in the church called alba regalis , and having humbly cast himself down in prayer , before the altar , from the first hour to the ninth , being seized on by sleep the kingly saint appears , saying , rise quickly my friend , thou canst not by my merits or help , obtain pardon from the tribunal of almighty god , but go yonder to the monument of my son emericus , who by his virginity procured great favour from almighty god ; whereupon he calling on the name of that saint , found , that the chains wherewith he was tyed , fell all in sunder , and the stamps which were set upon them clean gone , so that they appeared plain ; insomuch , that there could no sinne of his be read , there not remaining so much as one small letter . ever after , this temple was visited with such devotion , that innumerable votaries came to it from very remote places . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . about the third year after the miserable slaughter received by the turks at nicopolis , in the time of sigismund the emperour , when many went into the field where that battel had been fought , they heard a voyce amongst the bones of the dead , sounding forth the names of jesus christ the saviour of the world , and the virgin mary ; and looking amongst the dead corps , they espyed out a head , which said , why stand ye gazing so stupidly here ? i am a christian , who was slain here before confession , and therefore my sinnes are not yet expiated ; the blessed mother , mary , causeth that i am not afflicted with eternal punishment , and hath so preserved me , that i have yet my speech to confess my sins , and declare my mind to the holy apostles ; wherefore i pray you send for a priest to receive my confession , and give me absolution . he being asked , how he had deserved so great favour from the virgin ? answered , she was my peculiar patroness all my life-time , seven feasts every year all my lifetime i celebrated in honour of her , and did most strictly fast , eating nothing but bread and water the eves of all those feasts ; of all my patrons and patronesses she was chiefly relyed on by me . a priest from the next town being sent for , he making an exact confession , received absolution ; whereupon silenced , he rested in peace . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . mercurius , a certain hungarian , brought up at the albensian temple , when the king , ladislaus , had commanded the tomb of st. stephen to be searcht , to see if any of the reliques were taken away ; being all alone , having retired himself into the holy quire , with a doleful countenance , and sad heart , bewailing , that he could not so much as see , much lesse obtain a kiss of the sacred body ; a young man in the dead of night appeared to him , who was beautified with incredible comeliness , having a most chearfull countenance , and arrayed in white apparrel , carrying somewhat wrapt in a fine cloath , said to him , mercury , receive what thou hast so earnestly desired , and be sure highly to esteem this precious gift committed to thy trust , keep it with care and diligence , and view it when time servs . the sacred nocturns devoutly finished , mercury going to a private place , opens the cloath , and finds the right hand and ring of the holy king ; shortly after , he being chosen governour of a monastery , built of wood , scituated at the foot of the hill carpathius , which divides transylvania from hungary , neither daring to trust himself , nor any one else with the hand , he hides it in the ground , and appointed every day some of the monks to watch it , lest any man should steal it away . then that monastery sought to king ladislaus , to be of the order of the king's hand , by whose edict , the pope's consent obtained , it was so established ; then the whole colledg of priests declaring to the king the whole story hereof , he repairs the monastery , so that he made it most beautifull to behold , and endowed it with great revenues in the year of grace , , and now they call it , the abbey of the king 's right hand . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . as bruno , bishop of hildesia , was solemnizing the octaves of the nativity of the blessed virgin mary , she appeared to him in the temple , to whom the bishop falling upon his knees , cryes out , o queen of heaven , wherefore vouchsafest thou to come to me , a wretched poor man ? to whom she answered , i rejoyce that thou art the author of the solemn celebration of the memory of my nativity , whereby such honour accrueth to my sonne . which said , she vanished away : from this time ever after , the octaves of the nativity of mary were kept holy . chron. saxon. in the year , , nicolaus , a familiar friend to the treasurer of the bishop of quincclesia , as he was coming to the king uladislaus at buda , where he sometimes used to reside , saw in the ayr a great light , which dazled his sight , and with the noyse thereof making an hideous clashing , stupified his hearing ; he was so affrighted , that he fell to the ground surprised with the strangeness thereof , and looking up towards heaven , he saw the shape of the virgin , with her son , having a glorious shining circle about them in the ayr , steering their course towards buda , and that he at that very instant shewed it to a certain stranger , called boennus , and his wife , and to his own carter , to be taken notice of with reverence , it being the very day that was appointed for celebrating the memory of the conception of the virgin-mother of god , which the hungarians ever after observed with more devotion than formerly they had done . sabellicus , lib. . cap. . saroltha , the wife of grisa , duke of the hungarians , being great with child , saw stephen the first martyr , who appearing to her said , woman , trust in the lord jesus christ , and assure thy self , that i by divine commandment am to inform thee , that thou shalt shortly be delivered of a gallant and fortunate son , who shall enjoy the diadem of the kingdom of pano●ia ; and he shall be so excellent a man , that panonia shall never have the like after him to their king : and whereas i am stephen the first martyr , who shall assist thy son , let him have my name . which spoken , he vanished away . saroltha , confirmed by her dream that these things should come to passe , accordingly commanded holy devotions to be used at all the altars of the protomartyr ; and in the year the child was born . bon. l. . decad. . the parents of nicolas tollentinates told by an oracle , what issue they should have , vowed a pilgrimage to barium , where when they had continued long at their devotion in the church of the saint who is there worshipped ; by chance , or rather providence fell asleep , wherein they were instructed with an unthought-of advertisement , and their former hopes of issue much increased , by assurance of successe to their vows and solemn devotions , nor were their prayers in vain , for greater and more blessed rewards followed then the heart of man could presume , that of unholy parents , a saint should be born . sabellicus , lib. . cap. . haldricus the leodiensian bishop was afflicted for about a whole year with a canker , and could receive no hopes of help from physicians . wherefore he commanded his servants to carry him to the temple of martin . where , when for seven dayes together he had with sighs and tears continued his devotion before the altar wearied , he fell asleep , and dreamed that he saw martin and briccius together , discoursing concerning his sicknesse , and that martin signed his forehead with the sign of the crosse , and with a staff which he carried in his hand touched that part of him which was diseased . therefore being awakened , for joy he cries out with a loud voice , to whom his servants ( wondring at the noyse ) run with speed , and removing the cloth wherewith the sore place was bound , found that it was whole , and that there onely remained a scar in the place where the canker had been . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . there was near brundulum an holy temple of saint michael , unto which one temple the people of clodia , matemancum , and the venetians themselves came with great zeal to do their devotions . it happened also that at senogallia , a certain man called sergius , a prince in wealth and authority , was afflicted with a grievous disease , who heard a voice in the night , which said , if he would make a vow to visit the holy temple of saint michael , he should recover his health . whereupon he made a vow , and according thereto leaving his country soyl , visited the temple , and bestowing great gifts upon it , returned home to his own house being freed from his sicknesse . egnatius , lib. . cap. . john orphanotropus brother to michael emperour of paphlagonia the physicians despairing of his cure , in his sleep he saw nicolas the great , who admonished him to go to myra , assuring him that assoon as he came thither , he should recover his health . he therefore speedily repairs thither , where deservedly bestowing upon the clergy of that place , oyntment and other rich and pretious gifts , and encompassing the famous city of myra with a most strong wall , he returns home perfectly cured of his disease . cedrenus . henry the second , emperour , when he took with great pain an exact view of the cities of apulia , was so miserably infested with the stone , that almost all men despaired of his recovery , but he sustained his sicknesse with so great patience , judging it to be as a rod of correction for his sins sent to him from almighty god , that as he ascended the hill cassinum , desiring the intercession of saints , saint benedict , and saint scolastica ; for physitians could do him no good : he saw , in his sleep , benedict standing by him , and with a knife to have opened his privy members , and took out a great stone , making the wound whole , and putting it into the kings hand , who awakened from his sleep , seeing and perceiving the great miracle , called his guard to him that they might fetch his prince , to whom he shewed this great miracle , which transcended humane capacity and belief , together with the scar of the incision , out of which the stone had been taken . therefore giving immense thanks to the most good , great , and immortal god , and giving to the temple of saint benedict , most great gifts and offerings , and endowing it with great possessions , and yearly rents near adjoyning thereunto : he departed from cassinum . cuspianus . manuel a captain under theophilus the emperour , who had disapproved the worship of images , and then wavered in his judgment concerning the same , fell into a grievous sicknesse , insomuch that it was verily believed he would dye thereby , certain monks of the monastery of studium , to whom it was shewed that he was dying , came to him , and approaching to his bed side , found by his breathing that he was yet alive , and delivered to him the joyfull tydings , that he should recover his health ; how can this be , saith he , speaking with a weak and low voice , the faculties of his soul being much weakened , and his body dried up with heat , the monks answered , all things are possible with god , therefore if when he should recover his health , he would endeavour that images might be restored according to the decrees of the antients , they assured him that he should be restored to life and health : which when they had with much certainty declared , they departed . in a short time after , his sicknesse was asswaged , and , his naturall faculties restored to their former strength , he was altogether freed from his sicknesse . cedrenus . a certain friend to julian travayling with much haste towards him then in persia , being forced for want of an inne , to go somewhat out of his way to a church which was near , reposed himself all night therein , whether sleeping or waking , he knew not : he saw in the night many of the apostles congregated , complaining of the contumelies and disgraces of the emperour cast upon the church , taking counsell amongst themselves , what was to be done ; and having deliberately spoken of it , and many things more , they appearing as it were perplexed , two of them rising up in the midst of them , advising them to be of good cheer , making hast to destroy the empire , they left that counsell or conference . the man who had this admirable vision , neglecting the journey he had begun , that he might see the issue of his vision , stayes another night , and sleeps in the same place , and sees the same assembly ; to whom upon a sudden , they which the night before went to fight against julian , came in , as returned from their journey , and declared to the company , that julian was dead . sozomenus , lib. . cap. . nauglerus , lib. . generatione decima-tertia , reports that basill bishop of caesaria cappadocia , by reason of julian his threatning to destroy caesaria as he returned from the persian war , proclaiming a fast to be kept for three dayes in the temple , to implore the help of almighty god in the church of the virgin mary , after finishing whereof , he saw in his sleep mercury a souldier lately dead ; who by the command of the virgin mary , killed julian , and that the arms hanging over his tomb were gone thence : and the keeper of the church demanded what was become of them , said , he knew not , but did affirm by oath that they were there the last evening ; basill therefore returning to the hill , called others up , and told them that julian was dead , and going with them to the sepulchre of mercury , found his launce restored to the place it used to hang all bloudy . but hermanus gyges , in storibus temporum , reports this in the time of julian , not by basill , but blasius a certain bishop of cerastenses . edward the third , king of england , having almost reigned his twenty fourth year , there was a ring brought him from jerusalem , by certain men who came thence , which he long before had privately given to a poor man , who obtained it as an alms which he sought for the love that the king bore to saint john the evangelist : and not long after falling sick , having learnt the most absolute vertue of a christian , which is contentedly to resign his soul to the most great and glorious god , he was buried in the temple of westminster , and shortly after canonized a saint ; the ring was long after kept with great veneration in the same church , which was a present cure to all infeebled and weak members of men and women , and by the touch of it the falling sicknesse was cured , hence it came to passe that the kings of england were wont on good - friday with many ceremonies to hallow the ring , the which whosoever put upon his finger , should never be troubled with this disease . polydor. lib. . the statue of saint paul , an old piece , which andronicus comnenus tyrannus adorning with gold , placed in the church of holy quadraginta , which wept when the time approached that andronicus was destroyed ; andronicus hearing thereof , commanded his servants to find out whether that were true : to which service besides others , his beloved servant hagiocristophorita stephanus by stairs ascended ( for the statue was in a high place ) and wiped the eyes thereof with fine linnen , whereupon tears more plentifully fell from them , as if they had flowed from a spring , which with great amazement he told . andronicus struck thereupon with great grief , often shaking his head , he said ; paul wept for the great destruction that is to come to himself , for he accounts it his own cause , for he most cordially loved paul , and did infinitely esteem his sayings , and was as well beloved by paul. and not long after , hanged up by the heels , he expired his life by horrible torments . nicetas , lib. . leo the fifth of ironomacum , his mother , as it seemed to her , saw in the temple of the virgin mary at blachernes , a certain woman ; her sonne apparelled in white , following her , and the floor of the church being besprinkled with blood , another woman carrying a spear in her hand , commanded a vessel to be filled , and to be given to the mother of the king ; which refused by her , she said to her , thy son destroyes and gluts himself with the blood of all that worship we ; wherefore i and my sonne are not without cause moved with wrath against him . the mother of the king affrighted out of her sleep , presently declares what she had by vision , and earnestly desires him to desist from the persecution of images : but he , like the deaf adder , stopped his ears , though he was somewhat afraid , and the more , for that the dream of another was declared to him : for tarasius the patriarch appeared to a certain man , calling vehemently upon one whose name was michael , that he should go to leo , and kill him , in revenge of them , whom most impiously and cruelly he had put to death for their religion . and not long after , while he was in the temple at divine service , he was slain by the conspiracy of michael traulus . cuspinianus . bardus durus , a little before his destruction , dreamed , that as he was making haste with the emperour michael , to the solemnization of a certain holy-day , to the great temple , whither when they approached near , they followed certain men apparelled in white , who led them to seats about the tribunal , wherein they saw a certain old man sitting alone , whom he thought to be peter , chief of the apostles , at whose feet ignatius was cast down , whom a little before they had severely bound and castigated in revenge of the wrongs he had done : moreover , peter delivering a sword to one of them who stood by , commanding that theorgistus ( for so he called caesar as obnoxious to divine wrath ) should be placed amongst those who stood on the left hand , and cut in pieces , and asebotecnus ; by this name he deciphers that emperour as an impious son . cedrenus . a nocturnal vision discovered to a●brose the mediolanensian bishop , the bodies of the martyrs gervasius and protasius , it not being known to that day , where they lay , they appearing to him in his sleep , such as when they were found . so at jerusalem in the seventh year of the reign of the emperour honorius , it appeared to gamaliel lucianus a priest , by dream , where the body of stephen the protomartyr , and the bodies of the sons of abiba lay ; nor did he give credit to his dream or vision , till the same was thrice presented to him in his sleep ; and then seeking for the bodies , he found them in number and form according to his vision , the church keeps a holy-day for the invention of stephen at this time in testimony hereof . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . sozomenus gives a large narration , how pulcheria , sister to theolosius found out the fourty martyrs , which suffered under lucinius at a certain placed sebastes , in armenia , whose reliques as by digging she caus'd to be search't for . thirsus the martyr appearing to her , suggested and admonish'd her to translate them to him ; and afterwards the fourty martyrs in a military habit splendidly apparelled , manifested themselves to her . sozomenus , lib. . cap. . nicephorus saith , that stephen the protomartyr appeared to pulcheria , whose reliques when the citizens of constantinople desired to take away and keep with them , he saith , the mules which drew the coach , wherein the reliques were spoke with a voyce like to men . there appeared to a certain husbandman , named calemorus , belonging to the nice-president , chophares near eleutheropolis in palestine , the prophet zacharias , who taking into a certain orchard , shewed the places digged , wherein his reliques lay . sozomenus , lib. . cap. . it was commonly reported amongst the venetians , that it was not for a long time known in what place the body of st. mark lay , and that it was either by divine power translated from the place wherein it had there layn , or was stoln away ; but upon publike warning of a solemn day , set apart to fast and pray , and observation thereof accordingly , the citizens following the clergy to the temple of the saint , they say this miracle happened , that an arm rising out of a side of the church , appeared to the anxious and solicitous multitude ; whereupon with great joy they remove the body , and lay it in a more honourable place ; moreover , it was decreed , that it should onely be lawfull for the prince , and procurators of the temple , to come to the most sacred tomb of st. mark. sabel . lib. . ennead . . saint benedict appeared to pope urban in his sleep , and said , doubt not but my body rests at cassinum ; and for a testimony of the certainty hereof , thou rising with thy brethren to perform the office of the church for nocturns , shalt be cured of the plurisie wherewith thou art now afflicted . the event proved directly according to the vision . chronicon cassinense , lib. . cap. . basilius macedo , who afterwards obtained the empire of constantinople , when he was a child , lost his father . his mother much afflicted with poverty , resolved by her labour in service to maintain her self and son , coming to megalopolis at night ; because poor woman , she wanted wherewithall to defray her charges at an inne , she went to the church of saint diomedes , and being wearied with her travel , fell asleep ; the holy martyr that night appeared to a certain deacon of that house ( which had not yet taken the orders of a priest ) in a dream , and commands , that he take into the house the king which lay out a doors , in a ditch close to the porch of the temple ; the deacon awakened with his dream , went out and finds basil , a young youth asleep , and thinking it a sleepy phantasm , returned into the temple , and falling asleep again , he was again and again awakened with the same vision , wherein he was strictly admonished , that he should fetch in the king ; therefore at length he goeth to basilius , and raising him from his sleep , courteously invited and led him into the temple , and helped him to all necessary accommodation , whereof he then stood in need : this deacon had a friend and kinsman at that time , a servant to theophiliza , who for his affinity was familiar with the emperour michael and barda caesar his uncle by his mothers side ; this deacon declares to his brother the vision he had seen , and desires him , that he would help this basill , whom according to the command he had in his vision , entertained into the service of some prince , who preferred him to his lord theophiliza ; and presently these two brothers tell the dream to basil , and bind him by oath to requite what kindness he had received from them , when ●e should enjoy his kingdom . cuspinianus , ex zonara & cedreno . elfred , king of england , heavily afflicted with the losse he received by the victory of the danes over him , bishop chulbert appeared to him in his sleep , saying , england is justly scourged for her former sins ; but almighty god looks with mercy and compassion upon the meritorious prayers , sufferings , and tears of his distressed servants and saints : thy kingdom is with much cruelty extorted from thee , but after a short time of affliction thou shalt be gloriously restored , and firmly settled in thy land ; and this shall be the sign of the certainty of what i tell thee , thy fishers shall this next day come to thee laden with infinite store of fish ; and , which increaseth the miracle , though the waters be frozen , so that humane reason cannot possibly hope for any such thing , and the coldness of the weather is such , that it seemeth a most ridiculous thing to endeavour to catch fish ; yet what i say , shall come to pass , and when thou art in prosperity , remember thy deliverance , and the messenger thereof ; his mother had the like vision , both of them awaking , tell their dreams , and immediately the fishers come to them with abundance of fish . vincentius , lib. . cap. . ex holinand . et willielmus , lib. . cap. . de gestis anglorum . when hungus , king of the picts , a christian , was to fight with athelstane king of england , in ayd of the scots ; in the night , the armies both of hungus and athelstane , saw in the firmament a shining cross in the form of st. andrews cross , resembling the greek letter χ , which was cause of fear and terrour to them . but hungus warned by a dream , encouraging his souldiers , assured them , that the cross was a sign of victory to them ; which accordingly came to pass . cardanus , lib. . de rerum varietate , cap. . edgar king of the scots , being about to fight against donaldus , was admonished by a dream , that he should bring with him the standard of st. cutbert ; therefore having performed some accustomed holy ceremonies and devotions , he took the standard out of the monastery , and the souldiers belonging to donaldus forsaking him , he was taken without sedition or blood shed . cardanus , ibidem . uladislaus and geysa , brethren , as they were setting their army in order to fight a battle against salomon , king of the hungarians , an angel was perceived by uladislaus , to put a crown of gold upon the head of geysa ; who as soon as his brother informed him thereof , vowed to dedicate a temple , in the place where he should obtain the victory , to the blessed virgin ; and the enemies being overcome , deliberately advising concerning the same , where hard by a church dedicated to st. peter , behold , a stag which had a most remarkable head , with broad interwoven horns , upon whom most shining shapes appeared , he made towards a wood , and there stood at gaze , where the temple was afterwards built , the souldiers following after the stag , and seeking with their arrows to shoot him , he fled into danubius , and was never afterwards seen . ladislaus much taken with this wonderfull sight , saith , no doubt but this was the angel of god ; but what was that appearance of a face in his horns ? presently saith geysa , they were not horns , but wings ; nor shapes of bright faces , but most glorious shining feathers ; but where he stood at gaze , is the place wherein we are directed to build the temple ; wherefore hard by the church of st. peter , they built a temple to the blessed mother . bonfinius , lib. , & . decad. . the night before theodosius joyned battle with eugenius at the alpes , he dreamed , as paul diaconus and nicephorus write , that two men gloriously apparelled in white , sitting upon white horses , commanded him to begin his battle by the break of day , for it was decreed by divine providence , that he should victoriously overcome his enemies ; and that they declared their names to be john the evangelist , and philip the apostle , and that a certain souldier had the like dream , is reported by theodoretus , lib. . cap. . massaclerus sent by the emperour honorius against gildo to regain africa from his brother , who ambitiously affected the empire , in his sleep dreamed , that he saw the mediolensian bishop , ambrose , ( a dead man long before ) with his pastorall staff to strike the ground thrice , and thrice to say , here , even in this very place . and the next day , massaclerus with much facility overthrew gildo . fulgosus . the roman prince , retreating to antioch , andrew the apostle appeared to a priest , named peter pontius , one indued with simplicity , void of fraud , and shewed to him the spear which pierced our saviour's side , which lay buried in a temple dedicated to st. peter ; upon finding whereof , the besieged city , oppressed with famine , were so far encouraged , that they made a gallant sally , wherby they overcame corbana who besieged the city by command and advice of belfech turca king of the persians , he being encouraged thereunto by divination , gathered from the flying of birds ; the bishop of nicene carrying the lance which had pierced our saviours side , amongst the troops of those who sallied out in array against the besiegers . emilius . when there had been long and doubtfull war 'twixt the romans and rossians , those who came from constantinople to john zimisca , auxiliaries to the emperour , did by divine providence assist the romans : for as it is reported , a storm did violently beat in the faces of their enemies , and furthermore a mighty horseman was seen of many , who running amongst the romans , broke the ranks of the enemies ; and it appears it was theodore , for that a religious woman of byzantium , dreamed the night before that fight , that she saw the mother of god with a great company , who said , o theodore , thy dear friend john , and mine too , is in a great strait , being now in battell . wherefore bring him speedy help , she told her dream to certain honest friends of hers , who observing the time , found that it was the very night before the last day of their fighting . ut zonoras , tomo . indicat . ariulphus duke of spoleto , fighting against the romans at camertes , and obtaining victory , inquires of his souldiers who it was that behaved himself so stoutly and gallantly in the battle ; they answered , 't was a prince : whereupon he replies , he was more powerfull then any mortall man , for when ever i was assaulted fiercely by the enemy , he with a buckler defended me from their fury : then going with all possible speed to spoleto , seeing the temple wherein the body of saint sabinus is intombed , he asked what church it was ; when they answered , it was the temple of sabinus , he hastily leaps from his horse , calling his souldiers , who as they say alwayes waited diligently upon him , walks into the church , and seeing his image , he presently with an oath affirmed 't was he that protected him from the violent assaults of his numerous enemies ; whereupon 't was presently believed that sabinus was the most pious patron of souldiers . ariulphus would not for any thing have wanted the experience of this protection of saints , which is so frequent amongst christians . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . the great sfortia for the honour he bore st. leonard , christned his son which he had by catella alopa , sister to pandulphus alopus , after his name , for that he dreamed he saw leonard in the same shape he is usually pictur'd in churches , coming to him being a prisoner with relief , breaking the iron bars of the window of the prison , and with his power loosing his shackles . the event proved this vision to be very true , for the day following this blessed dream ; jacobus gallus king , by sedition was driven out of the neopolitan kingdome , and lost both rule and liberty , and sfortia was delivered out of prison , and to the great content of all was restored to be master of the horse . jovius , in vita ejus . in the time of ferdinand first king of aragon , the city neopolitane in a most flourishing condition , and the kingdome free from all calamity , it is manifest that cataldus , about a thousand years before that time , an holy man had been bishop at tarentinum , and that the citizens thereof did worship him as their patron , in the middest of the night , he again and again appeared to a minister of holy things , who had lately taken the order of priest-hood , having been educated amongst those who vow chastity , that he should without delay take out of the ground a little book which he in his life time had writ , and hid in a private place , wherein some divine writings were , and bring it to the king , giving little credit to this dream although he saw him in his sleep very oft , and alwayes of the same shape and fashion ; being all alone early in the morning in the temple , he plainly appeared to the priest with a mitre , in such bishops weeds as he used in his life time to be aparrelled in , advised him , as he desired to avoid great punishment , that the next day without further delay , he should dig for the book which he had written , and which was hidden as he had formerly shewed him by visions , and bring it to the king , the priest and people went the next day to the place , wherein for many ages , this little book had been hid , and found it bound with a leaden cover , and locked , wherein it appeared , that the destruction of the kingdome , miserable calamities , and sad times were at hand , whereof the king was warned we have learned by experience that this prophecy was fully executed , and shewed it self to be so divine , that not long after ferdinand himself , either by the justly incensed wrath of almighty god , or other inscrutable causes of his divine will , could avoid what he was so fully admonished of , but in the very first appearance of war , departed this life , and charls the eight king of france , with a strong hand , having an huge army of neopolitans , invaded the kingdom : and alfonsus the eldest son of ferdinand , after his fathers death , having but newly undertaken the government of the kingdome , was thereof deprived , basely running away , and dying in flight as a banished man ; shortly the second son of ferdinand , the hopefullnesse of whose youth had endeared him to all men , to whom upon the death of his brother , the kingdome fell , was intangled with a miserable and fatall war , died of an immature death in the very flower of his age ; afterwards , the french and spaniards obtaining the kingdome , divided it , chasing away frederick , another son of ferdinand the elder , with a larger army , wherewith they invaded the kingdome , took to themselves all , whether holy or prophane , plundered towns and cities , laying all waste , committing most vile and filthy immanities . alexander ab alexand. cap. . james the son of zebedee appeared to charls the great , three seve●all nights , and did exhort him to drive out of the countrey of spain , in which his body rested , the saracens ; and assured him for his labour and travail therein , he should obtain an everlasting crown . henricus erphordiensis ex turpino romensi episcopo refert . cap. . the monks of the abbey of florence , assured of the expedition of the normans into france , carry the body of saint benedict to aurelia , conceiving it a more safe receptacle from the enemy , at the comming of the normans , they burnt the abbey of florence , and laid it wast , the night following , saint benedict appeared to count sigillosus , to whom the care and defence of that monastery was cammitted , and in a vision heavily chideth him , because he had not resisted the normans , when they fell upon the monastery . the earl awakening , presently fell to his arms , and with a handfull of men pursues the enemies loaden with plunder , following them with a swift course , fiercely falls upon them , and by the help of saint benedict , kills them every man , and redeems all the prisoners and booty . robertus ganquinus , lib. . childebert being king of france , the arch-angell michael again and again admonished anbertus the abrencatensian bishop , that wholly in the sea , which by reason of his eminency is called his tomb , he should build a church in memory of him ; requiring such veneration to be given him in the sea , as was exhibited to him in gorganum : in the mean time a bull which was taken by a lyon , was found bound in that place . whereupon the bishop was commanded the third time , that he should lay the foundation of the temple , where he should find the bull , and as he should observe the ground beaten with the feet of the bull , he should draw the compasse of the temple which he built in honour of saint michael , and from that time , as in the mountain gorganum formerly , in that place also now in danger of the sea , the worship of the angell was begun . sigebert , anno dom. . agnes wife to leopold marquesse of austria desired her husband to design some place wherein to build a monastery that the prayses of christ and his mother might therein be said . from a castle seated in the mountain cecium over against danubia , a gentle western wind snatched from the head of agnes a vail , and whirled it into a wood hard by , which when leopold nine years after in his game of hunting , found undecayed , being as fresh as when 't was lost , in that very place he built the monastery desired by his wife . cuspianus , in austria . the second caesar busied in divers wars , the longobards conspired and entred into covenant by oath , to be subject to conrade only ; to the reducing of whom to obedience , caesar came to mediolanum , ( where the bishop thereof had as it were the government ) and besieged it : during which time , most fearful thunder there stupified and terrified the people , and ( as it was reported by them ) the bishop and others saw in the ayr ( whilest that tempest lasted ) ambrose threatning cruel miseries to caesar ; to be short , the subburbs being burned , the emperour removed his siege in the year of our lord , , and left them to the enjoyment of their covenant , according to the account of sigebertus , . colomannus , king of the hungarians , resolving with himself to destroy by fire jadera , a city of dalmatia , for her frequent revolts , dreamed , that nicolas who in times past had been a bishop of the jaderensians , appearing to him , ( for the wickedness which he in his mind had determined ) caught him by the hair of the head , and scourged him heavily with a golden whip ; insomuch , that awaking , he both felt and saw the marks of his beating . therefore though jadera was a city given much to seek after innovations , he winked at their folly , and suffered them therein without molestation . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . saint bernard coming to spira , read in the statue of the blessed virgin these consecrated inscriptions ; oh clement , o sweet , oh holy mary , mother . then presently as they report , a voyce out of the statue said , god save you , bernard . but he suspecting the legerdemains of the devil , answereth , paul forbids a woman to speak in the church . they say , this image remains to this very day behind the walls of the temple of spira . medericus , an abbot at edunum , put his cloak upon a monk , burning with libidinous cogitations , whereby he was delivered from that misery , and the devil , the provoker thereof , was heard , departing from him , to howl ; and the monk afterwards , according to his vow , continued undefiledly firm and constant , freed from so much as the least itch or lust of uncleanness . another brother of the society , gathering together , and taking the reliques from the table of medericus , repressed the unquietness of his restless wandring mind ; whereas formerly he had by the instigation of the devil , been so far deluded , that he could by no means possible stay in the church , but alwayes before divine service was done , he ran out of the church . marulus , lib. . cap. . genovepha , when upon the sabbath about the time of cocks crowing , coming into the church of saint dionysius , the torch which was carried before her , was by chance put out , the virgins in her company being much troubled thereat , lest they should thereby suffer filthiness or horrour , she commands the torch to be delivered to her ; which as soon as it was but touched by her sacred hands , lighted of it self ; which , carried to the sick and languishing , cured most of them . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . pope leo the fourth quenched a fire by the sign of the cross , which had long raged , destroying many houses of the saxons and longobards , and was making towards the church of saint peter , when he extinguisht it upon the eighth day from the assumption of the blessed mother of god , which day ever after was kept holy , not far from the temple of st. lawrence without the walls . when in the time of pope calixt , there was such an huge & exceeding fire , having consumed almost all the city , and imminently appearing to be ready to seize upon the monastery , the monks took the corporal of the challice , which thrown into the fire , it most miraculously was forced to retreat , not daring to proceed further ; besides , the citizens saw a certain hand which drove back the fire from the monastery . the violence of the fire had no power at all to burn the corporal , or do it any hurt at all . chron. cassinense . when , for fear of the normans , the reliques of martin were translated to antisiodorum , the monks disagreed amongst themselves ; some of them contending , that the temple should be called martin's church ; and others , the church of liborius , who had first been worshipped there ; whereupon , a leprous man is placed betwixt the statues of the saints , and prayers are made with great devotion , that they would exercise their power : whereupon a voyce out of the tomb of martin , saith , thou art made whole by me from thy leprosie on the one side , the other i leave to my brother liborius to heal ; for strangers ought alwayes to be honoured . then the sick man urning himself to liborius , his other side was immediately cured . platina , in vita stephani . about the year of our lord , , certain monks returning from jerusalem , brought a small part of the towell wherewith our lord wiped the feet of his apostles before his last supper , to cassinum ; it not being believed by many , certain men , superstitiously desiring to prove the truth , cast it upon hot burning coals : whereupon it presenly put on the colour of linnen ; but as soon as it was taken out of the fire , it received its former form . chron. cassinense , lib. . cap. . when at a certain feast at bononia , a cock was dressed , served up to the table , and carved with much art , one of the guests said , it is impossible saint peter should restore this cock thus carved , to life again ; immediately upon his words , the cock leapeth up , restored to life , and clapping his wings together , scatters the broth which was in the dish , into the faces of them who sate at the table ; the blasphemer was immediately punish'd with an hereditary leprosie . vincentius , lib. . cap. . the bishop of alexandria , a very religious man , had a certain philosopher to his neighbour , named evagrius , addicted to the graecian superstition , who had been schoolfellow to the bishop ; this man , the bishop desiring to convert from his foolish worshiping of false gods to the saith of christ , called him often to him , and disputed with him ; but the philosopher more and more averse to the christian faith , ( as 't is reported ) spoke to the bishop in these words ; verily , reverend bishop , besides other things , which i dislike of your opinion , i can by no means approve of the judgment of you christians , who say , that the end of the world is to be , and that all dead bodies shall then arise , and that every one shall have reward at the last for every good deed which he hath done ; he that moved with mercy giveth to the poor , lendeth it to god , and shall receive it an hundred fold , and life everlasting . the bishop , excellently affirming and proving , that nothing of the christian religion was vain ; evagrius departed not yet fully satisfied in his mind : but after a while , amighty god joyning with the bishop's doctrine , he believed , and was baptized ; and being rich , he brought to the bishop three hundred pounds in gold , to distribute to the poor ; but upon this condition , that he should give it under his own proper hand in writing , that almighty god would restore it . the bishop received the money , and giving him a writing under his hand , ( as he desired ) divided the money amongst poor people that were in great necessity . the philosopher having for some years led a godly life , lying upon his death-bed , commanded his children , that when he should be dead , they should put this writing into his hand , and so bury him ; which being performed accordingly , the bishop the third night after in his sleep saw evagrius , who spoke to him thus ; reverend bishop , come to my grave , and receive thy writing , for my debt is paid me an hundred fold ; but that it may more plainly appear to thee , i have subscribed it with mine own hand . early in the morning the bishop sent for his sons , and when he perceived by them that the writing was buried with evagrius , he went with the clark of the city to the sepulchre , which opening , they found the philosopher sitting , and reaching out his hand with the paper in it : which when the clarks would have received , he refused to deliver to any of them ; but to the bishop extending his hand , he delivered it , and so lay in his sepulchre in peace , the bishop shewing openly the writing in the sight of all men , thus newly subscribed ; evagrius the philosopher , to the most holy bishop sinesius , my very good lord ; know holy father that i have received an hundred fold what i delivered to you ; and therefore i have sent you this writing with my hand and name subscribed , to shew that i can require nothing from you . which when it had been read to the people , he commanded the scedule subscribed by the hand of the philosopher , to be safely set up and kept in the library . cedrenus . at constantinople , in the monastery of the holy mother of god , in the church near the sepulchre of holy sopina , the image of the blessed virgin mary holding an infant in her arms which saint luke had limmed in a table in the life time of the virgin mary , was placed . this picture is called odigatria ; that is , a leader or conducter , because she appeared to two blind men , and led them to her church , and there restored to them their sight : the citizens of constantinople besieged by the saracens upon a tuesday made procession with this image the whole day throughout ; fasting , praying , and fighting ; at the same time , a certain citizen advised them that they ought to fetch that image , and all of them unanimously to pray to her in this manner . holy mother of god , who hast so often delivered us , now save us from the enemies of thy son ; if it be thy pleasure , thy image should not be drown'd in the sea , overwhelm the enemies therein , which when he had said he privily thrust the image under water , and there holds it , and immediately thereupon there arose such a violent storm that drowned some , and broke into splinters the rest of the ships of the sarazens , so that they were all destroyed . evagrius out of procopius tells us that a citizen of adessa , in despair to defend their city against cosroes the persian , sent the picture or image of christ which he himself had made , to abbagarus : who when the city was ready to be taken , drew the image to the ditch of the city , and threw it into the water , against the enemies piles ; which done , the works of wood , and heaps which cosroes had made for his foot-souldiers to go upon , being presently burnt , were reduced into ashes . the people strawing hearbs upon the tomb of nicecius the lugdunensian bishop ; aigulphus comming from rome , brought some of them with him , which a priest bestowed upon him , which giving to one in a draught of cold water , who was visited with a feaver , he presently recovered his health . gregorius turonensis . the same author , cap. . de gloria confessorum , tells us of a wonderfull revelation of valerius the cosoranensian bishop : he saith that theodore , the bishop finding two sepulchres , and doubting whether belonged to valerius ; watching a whole night , he invocated valerius that he would please to declare and manifest to him the place wherein he was buried , taking two vessells of wine and placing them before the sepulchres , he said , which of these two shall be augmented or fuller with wine , it will thereby appear a manifest testimony , that the sepulchre of valerius is placed by it : the day following , he found one of the vessels running over with wine , which was placed by the tomb of valerius . it being told ebronius master of the horse in france , that at the sepulchre of leodegarius , miracles were wrought , he sent a souldier thither to search out the truth of the report , who spurning the place with his feet ; saith , my wife doth miracles as my breech singeth : which done , ever after as oft as he spoke , he farted , and stunk most abominably . martinus in chronico feria sexta id maximè sieri solitum ait ; and that thereby the woman his wife became so resolute a christian , that she was afterwards a martyr ; and that king pipin sending for the woman , and inquiring of the truth hereof , was fully satisfied , that it was according to this relation . vincentius , book . chapter . et epherdiensis , chapter . referunt . uladislaus first king of the polonians taking to wife judith , daughter to uratislaus king of bohemia , who having been long barren , advised by the bishop of cracovia , sent messengers to the monastery of saint aegidius in the province of narbo , where the body of that dead saint lay , with magnificent gifts , whereupon there was a time set apart for three dayes fast , which the monks were to observe , and spend in prayer to almighty god , that for the merits and intercession of his gratious servant aegidius , he would grant an heir male to the princesse . the third day of their fast , it was revealed by vision to a certain pious monk , that almighty god had granted what they had with so much zeal and devotion desired ; the messengers therefore , sent away assured hereof , when they returned , found the princesse great with child , who afterwards was maturely brought to bed of a gallant young prince , to whom they gave in baptism the name of boleslaus . judith four moneths after died , who gave , being a most bountifull and pious lady , all the jewels , moneys , and estate in her power to bestow , to the relief of the poor ; and the adorning of temples whilst she was living . cromerus , lib. . when the body of vedastus the attrebatensian bishop was translated from the place , wherein times past it was laid , a blind man , named audomarus , desired of almighty god by prayer that he might see the bones of the saint , and forthwith he received his sight , and praying shortly after , if his sight did any way hinder the health of his soul , that his infirmity might return , he was again struck blind . merul. lib. . cap. . methodius , patriarch of constantinople , was pursued with much hatred by his enemies for his worshipping of images , who corrupting a notorious common whore with a sum of money which they gave her , caused her to accuse him that he had ravished her , and that before the chief of the whole senate : all which he bore with admirable patience , till they ordered that the holy man , before manuel and many of the chief of the senate , should be admitted to no other purgation , but having spoke some few words removing that part of his cloathing which covered his privities , he should shew his members to them , which done , they appeared withered and mortified , whereby it was obvious to all men that he was utterly uncapable of venery ; which to the orthodox was great cause of rejoycing , and of sorrow to sycophants and calumniators : and when the holy man was asked whether sicknesse had been the cause that his members were so weakned , not without a modest shame he answered , that in time past when he lived at rome he was by the devill instigated to the lust of the flesh , by the often burning flames of love , which daily growing and increasing in him and he fearing lest he should lose his resolved continency and chaste life , he invocated the holy apostles peter and paul , that they would help him in this combat , and praying incessantly to this purpose , in the night , saith he , in my sleep i saw two men standing by me , one whereof touched my privy parts with his hand , saying to me , be of good heart , thy fire of lust shall be suddenly asswaged , who seemed so to burn my privy parts , that with the extream pain thereof i awaked : rising from sleep , i found my privities enfeebled , and almost mortified , from which time i was never troubled with fleshly lust . cuspian . agatha , virgin and martyr , after many torments which she suffered by tyrannus , for that he could not move her from her steadfast faith , caused her breast to be torn in pieces , and afterwards cast her into prison wofully hurt and wounded , being visited by the apostle peter , on purpose to cure her , she conceiving him to be some surgeon that came to her , refused his help , and said , the lord jesus is my physitian , who by his onely word is able to cure all my infirmities , and i have never in my life used any worldly help or physick to my body . then the apostle peter declaring to her who he was , and that he was sent by our blessed saviour to her , leaving her made whole , and cured of all her hurts and wounds , vanished from her . marulus , lib. . cap. . in the reign of philip diodorus about the year of our lord , , when there was a deadly warr betwixt the rothomagensian king , and the earls of st aegidius , and no possible humane means could put an end thereunto , a certain poor man named durandus , of an obscure place named podium , a carpenter by trade , working in a wood , the mother of god appeared to him , and gave him a small piece of parchment , upon which was pictur'd the virgin and her sonne ; and in the margent thereof was written in latin , lamb of god grant us peace . he enjoyning him , as he said , that he should declare the same to the men in arms , and that he should command them to put an end to their civill and unnatural warr , and that in the name of almighty god , credit being given to his speech , and a peace concluded , there were many images made in imitation of his , which those that carryed in their hats , securely and safely without hurt , fought in battle , and likewise were upon their march or journey refreshed thereby , as much as if they had all necessary provision , they supplying the want of all . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . continuator sigesberti . dagobertus , son of clotharius the second king of france , being very young , pulled from sadregifillum , an excellent and worthy nobleman , who was designed by his father to be prefect of aquitane , his honourable ornament belonging to his place , and grievously beat him , for that he conceived that he had not that reverent observation from him which belonged to the son of a king , being offended in the first place , that he set himself frequently over against him at the table when he feasted , and that forgetting his majestie by wine , he took from his hand the cup , which is not used but amongst equals , and freely drunk in it . whereupon the nobleman went presently to the king , and shewed to him his deformed mouth , and lacerated back , with the fresh marks of all his blowes : whereat being inraged , he commanded , that his sonne should be taken and brought to him ; the young man fearing the anger of his father , flees , and from one secret place to another , absconds himself from his fury : at last , the king having but one onely son , and thinking with himself , that he had done sufficient penance for his offence , by his long fear and flight , resolves to forgive him , and be reconciled to him ; those whom the king sent to catullarus , governour of the parisians , who were to fetch his son out of the cave wherein he absconded himself , when they came thither , were taken with such fear and horrour , that the hairs of their head standing upright , and all the parts of their bodies trembling , they had no power to go into the cave ; his father supposed , that they , to gratifie his son , who was to reign after him , were unwilling to perform his command , lest his son should be angry with them : and therefore he presently pronounceth his son's pardon , that they might go into the cave to fetch him to him . in this place , far in the ground , lay buried the bodies of the martyrs dionysius rusticus , and eleutherius , which to that day was not known to any man , who appearing to dagobert in his sleep , advised him to vow the building of a church there , which he afterwards performed , bestowing upon it great endowments , and magnificently adorning it . they say , a certain woman delivered her sins in writing to basill the great , supplicating him to pray to almighty god for the forgiveness of them ; he accordingly imploring remission of her sins , all were blotted out of the writing , except one more grievous then the rest ; wherefore the woman was sent to ephem the hermite ; but by reason he was dead , she returned ( having as she conceived , laboured in vain ) to basil , who understanding that he dyed that day , after the womans abundant pouring forth of tears , he putting the paper to the breast of the dead man , who was laid upon the ground , findeth , when presently he took it away , that the remaining unblotted sin , when he there put it , was now clean blotted out . marulus , lib. . cap. . at winton in england , in the year of our lord , , elferus , prince of the marches , defended the married priests against the monks , which observed the vow of virginity ; the monks not able to defend their cause by scripture , used the assistance of dunstane archbishop of canterbury , who not being able either by scripture to maintain , that priests ought to vow virginity ; therefore all his endeavours to confute them , they esteemed in vain ; at length during this hot contest , the image of christ hanging upon a wall , spoke words to this purpose ; they are mistaken , that take part with the married priests ; by which miracle most men were satisfied , that the chaste monks were in the right ; others thought , that this image was caused to speak by magicall incantation , as they said : whereupon the married priests inviting eltheredus the bishop out of scotland , who whilest he and they were vigorously defending their cause against the monks , the room falling upon their heads , most of the priests were slain , and the rest hurt , but dunstane standing upon a beam of the room , was preserved from hurt , and the monks were likewise safe and sound , whereby dunstane received victorious honour . but it was said by many , that this came to pass by witchcraft . mamelburiensis , lib. . ranulphus , lib . cap. . polydorus , lib. . clodoveus , king of france , converted to the christian faith , by the advice of his nobility , raised a warr against the west goths , not onely because they had incroached some of the territories of france , but for that they were also assertors of the arrian heresie ; when therefore clodoveus was strenuously opposed by his enemies , and put into some danger by battle , he promised by vow , that he would offer to st. martin his horse whereon he rode , if he obtained the victory ; he was not unmindfull , when he had overcome his enemies , of his vow , but resolving to give an hundred pieces of gold in lieu of his horse towards the adorning of st. martin's temple , his horse would not be moved out of the place wherein he stood , till he gave two hundred , and then his horse moved as freely as ever ; whereupon the king merrily said , i see saint martin is ready to help in distress , but strict in requiring the full value of what is vowed . johannes magnus , lib. . cap. . when luitprandus , king of the longobards , was endeavouring to translate the reliques of st. austin out of sardinia , which was wasted by the saracens , in his journey at a certain town in the therdonensian diocess , his coach stopped so upon a sudden , that by no art he could use , it would be moved : he made a solemn vow , that if austin would propitiously hear and cause his bones to be carried to ticinum , he would give that town for the maintenance of priests , and men appointed for divine worship ; the saint hearing his request , caused the coach to be drawn with much facility . vincentius , lib. . cap. . sigebertus translationis illius meminit anno dom. . adelbertus , bishop of bohemia , visited with a most grievous feavour from his childhood , was brought to the temple of st. mary the virgin , and being pronounced by his parents , as dedicated by a vow to religion if he should recover his health , he immediately was freed from his disease . bonfinius , l. . decad . . genadius , patriarch of constantinople , having often rebuked a certain priest of the church of st. eleutherius , for that he by an evil life disgraced his profession ; and not being able by any means he could use to reform him , he at last in the temple complained to st. eleutherius , of the wickedness of this clark , and saith , saint and martyr , eleutherius , either reform and amend thy clark , or cut him off , that he may no longer disgrace his profession . cedrenus . gregorius turonensis ( de gloria confessorum , cap. . ) scribit . when hospitius was buried , a certain man took some of the dust of his sepulchre , and wrapping it in a linnen cloath , carried it with him , intending to bring it to the lirinensian monastery ; and taking ship , he sailed towards the said monastery ; upon a suddain the ship stood as immoveable in the middest of the vaste sea , as a rock , at which the jews , to whom the ship belonged , wondring , and much amazed , he declared to them , that he had with him the reliques of hospitius ; and now they might perceive , that those were the cause that the ship would not stirr , unless they would steer their course to the lyrinensian monastery , where he was to place the holy reliques . when the body of boniface , bishop of moguntinum , slain by the pagans , was carried to the fuldensian monastery through frisia , all the fields without any humane agitation , resounded with an unwonted harmonious eccho . scribit werneius in fasciculo temporum : et mutius , lib. . de germania . an eleven hundred virgins martyred by the huns , their bodies were brought to the publick church ; whereupon , when a certain priest had obtained the body of one of the virgins , that he might translate it to his church , moved thereunto by zealous devotion ; whilest they were at mattins , she resuming her body , and appearing as she had been alive , to the great wonder of the whole colledge of priests , who beheld it , worshipping the great altar , immediately departed ; the chief of the society comming therefore to the tomb , could not find the virgin who was laid therein . at these altars , innumerable solemn vows were were made , and wonderfull tables , wherein the people did write their voices , were fastned on the walls with folding doors . as a certain german , who was addicted to the religion of these people , when he was very sick , one of them came to him when he was at rest , and did let him know , that if he would say the lords prayer times , he should not want the help and protection of so many virgins at the hour of death . bonfinius , lib. . decad . . in the times of the hunni , ( a people that came out of scythia to live in hungary ) while that s. servatius , the bishop of trajectum , did offer sacrifice , the top of the house was presently opened , and a very high pillar of fire hanged out of heaven even to the very tomb , which not onely the citizens , but the borderers also , and very many strangers did see . wherefore they began to worship this most potent man , and reckon him among the gods . they did never intend to cover his sepulchre , which was placed in the middle of the house , with the roof . and although they did perform their divine duties there in the clear day , and did receive their oracles , yet there was never any rain or hail , snow or tempest wanting at these sacrifices . bonfinius , libro & capite eodem . dagobertus the king of france , erected the temple of st. dionysius from the foundation , taking away from all others , and spoyling them , whereby he might enrich this alone : neither was any of his predecessors found , who gave so magnificent and excessive yearly revenues to temples out of their patrimony . he covered the temple of dionysius onely with silver , and he made the bodies of the saints to be placed there , covered with beaten gold , and having added many rich gifts , insomuch , that that temple was sometimes his defence against the anger of his father , when the officers , which would draw him thence at the command of his father , being astonished , stood before the temple with their feet so fastned , that they could not enter . but the dedication of that temple was wonderful : for a certain leper that lay all that night in the same temple , did report to the high priests which came together to the dedication , that he saw christ , and other saints dedicating the temple : and christ commanded him , that he should relate that which he had seen , to the high priests which came thither to the dedication ; and lest happily the belief of this thing should be desired , he would shew that sign , that he should be cleansed of his leprosie ; and the skin which was full of sores by the swellings of that disease , should be wholly taken away from his face . therefore they not onely give credit to him , but also the high priests abstained from the dedication . but for the memory of the thing , the skin was also taken from the face of the leper , which being hidden in a golden box was shewed , and a day every year was celebrated among the yearly festivals . fulgosus , lib. . genovepha , a virgin of paris , did most reverently frequent the village catula , where the holy dionysius dyed , to whom she dedicated a cathedrall church . she humbly went to the colledge of the priests , that they might build a temple with the collected money . but their poverty and want of sand did alledge an excuse . on the contrary , she being carried by divine inspiration , said , i beseech you , go out to the bridge of the city , and whatsoever you hear , declare it to me . they being gone out , while they stood attentively in the market-place , if they might hear any thing , behold , two swine-herds coming towards them , talked together . the one said , whilest i did seek after the footsteps of a strayed hogg , i found a very great furnace of lime . i also ( said the other ) found it likewise in a wood . the amazed priests did relate to the virgin those things which they had heard . but she did shed tears for joy ; which when it was demonstrated to the citizens , a magnificent temple was erected with the collected money , and dedicated to dionysius . truly , holy prodigies were not wanting at building of the cathedral church . for when drink did fail the carpenters , she took a wine-vessel , which ( when she had prayed to the deity ) she hallowed with the sign of the cross ; by and by she gave it full to the labourers . the divinity alwayes renewing it with the like excessive abundance , to quench their thirst , even untill she had finished the work . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . when the first founders of venice ( which they say were the citizens of patavium in pontus ) had builded some cottages , and had not as yet dedicated a temple to any deity , suddenly a fire breaking out of the master-workmen's house in the night , the fire being continued , consumed houses ; the wind and fuel scattered all abroad , nourishing the flames . the multitude having turned themselves to prayers , did bequeath a temple to st. james . the fire at the very same instant departed , and houses were erected by their prayers . egnatius , lib. . cap. . about the year of grace , , balthasar hubmeyerus , a divine at regenspurg , at his conventions he so enflamed the magistrates against the jews , that their congregation being cut off , they might build the temple of the divine beautiful virgin mary in the same ark. which when it was said to exhibit i know not what miracles , the fame thereof being stretched out far and wide through germany , so great a concourse of strangers suddenly began to be , that neither the temple , nor the monastery , and scarcely the city it self , unless truly the large palace of the king , could suffice so great a company of vile , wicked persons . thence the fury encreased , when as a certain ratisbonian incidently remembred the beautifull virgin mary so much , that being snatcht away as it were in an extasie , did strive night and day to come straightway to her with a restless course , leaving behind him parents , wife , and children , neither saluting nor acknowledging those which he met in his journey . neither truly could he be compelled with threatnings or bonds . the people being enraged , ( for this madness had almost driven the common people and tradesmen ) snatcht with them the instruments of their art which were next to hand , did bring them to the image instead of an offering , to be hung up in the temple . thou mightest have seen women leading children , old men leaning on their staves , children reaching a crust of bread or an apple , instead of a gift ; the sick drawing near with their sheets and coverings ; dumb , deaf , and blind with their eyes open ; in the mean time , being unmindful of mear , drink , or sleep . having entred the temple , all were not affected with one and the same manner ; but those who had attained to the highest point of grace , according as the mass-priests perswaded : as soon as they saw a beautifull image , they sate down without any word speaking , like men stricken with the planet : being come to themselves , they professed all together with fury , that they were healed of their diseases . this perswasion made many , with a desire to excell in superstition , to cast themselves , at the entrance of the temple , on the ground . when the edict of the senate did severely punish this insolence of immoderate worship , whether it was done by the revenge of the deity , or the wrath of the devil , whereby that seducing dreamer ( who for eight years and more , had made the credulous germans mad ) might perish together with his miracles . there are some which think it was done by the fraud of the jews ; others , by the deceit of them which should have the greatest gain by this peregrination : this authority was purchased to that place by magick art , which the worship of the image , and the minds of the people being once deluded by superstition , encreased and enlarged . be it as it is , most men of judgment , and true catholicks , judged , that these were magical and diabolical signs , rather then divine . sebast. francus in chronicis . lampertus , a knight of lovain in brabant , did bear a full of the reliques of saints hanging down from his neck even into his breast , and he believed that this was a safe protection against all kinds of dangers . but in the battel against the duke godfrid , that inchantment fell from his neck into the field : and presently after the knight ( before invincible ) was killed , in the year , . but a certain souldier , having known the preservative against bewitching , hid it in his house . but the thing was betrayed by the swelling of his huckle-bone and thigh . therefore it was delivered to ethelon the brother of the slain knight . sigebertus , in chronico . the metensian bishop performing the government of the clergy-men , in the stead of poppo of treveris , ( a city of germany ) who was gone into palestina , made a nayl very like the altar of the lord , and hid it in his bosome , which he did restore , although swimming in blood , and shut up the earth , which was shaved away with the blood , in crystall . catalogus treverensis . constantine the emperour , did alwayes adore the nayles of christ being crucified , which were given him by helena his mother , he fastned one to the crest of his helmet , he made a bridle for his horse with the other , ( which may be seen at mediolanum to this day ) having confidence , that in the help of these , he should eschew all dangers of his life . but what is more wicked , then that thou shouldst ascribe those things to the iron , which belong to the most high god ? fulgosus , lib. . cap. . de cultu divino ex ambrosio . pope gregory ii. sent three holy sponges , to eudon the great duke of aquitan , which were wont to be used at his table . he distributed them , being cut in pieces , to his army , which he did conduct against the saracens , and it happened , that none of them which did partake of it , were wounded or slain . eudoni epistola ad gregorium , in lib. pont. a monk of the roman convent , which being a boy , was delivered by his parents to an abbot , where he did offer sacrifice , and leaving his religion , he married a wife . but being sick of the quinsie , he was brought back into the monastery , receiving the habit , and repentance , and he was beaten cruelly with whips , by st. andrew and gregory , for his faults committed . hence leaping out of his bed , he put on a garment made of goats-hair , and another that was to cast over his shoulders , and having entred the temple of st. andrew , he said to the standers by ; behold , i being so purified by the stripes of the saints i depart out of my body , as formerly i issued out clean by baptism . and dyed , while they were muttering a soul-mass for the dead . vincentius , lib. . cap. . a certain man of colonis , ( an i le in the argolick gulph ) born of a jew his father , but being converted , when he perceived the body of our lord in the paschall feast , he carryed it whole ( i know not for what use ) in his mouth home with him . but he being affrighted with the divinity , did bury it in the church-yard . the priest came suddenly upon him by chance , and discrying what was done , having opened the pit , he found the form of a child ; which when he hasted to carry it to the church , it vanished into the thin ayr. trithemius in hirsaugiensi chronico . a certain infamous woman , at the yearly solemnization of the passeover , at castrum , ( which is called , the golden mountain ) when she perceived the body of our lord in her mouth , she shut it up whole in her chest at home . a little after , when one of her lovers by chance opened it , he found the sacrifice ( as they call it ) of our lord's body , changed into the shape of flesh and blood , in the year of our lord , . sigeberti continuator . by these delusions satan doth strive to confirm the popish fiction of transubstantiation . in the year of christ , , when certain men consecrated a sacrifice , they did steal the memories of all the saints , with their own dish , which was dedicated , out of the temple ; and because they found the dish not gold , ( as they believed ) but brass gilded , they cast it into a filthy pond at the village bubalum , near the city of cracovia . presently the place shined with frequent fires , and little fire-brands some dayes and nights continually . when that miracle was presented to the bishop , not as yet discovering the cause thereof , after he had proclaimed a three dayes fast , when he went thither with an annual pomp : and having found the eucharist there , he brought it thither , from whence it was carried . but in the very same place where it was found , cazimirus ii. king , did build a magnificent temple with exceeding rich walls , entituled , the body of christ , and in process of time environing a very large space of ground with a wall , he built a new city , and called it cazimiria , after his own name . cromerus , lib. . jonathas judaeus of bruxells ( a famous city of brabant ) in the year of christ , m.ccc.lxix . redeemed certain sacrifices ( as they call them ) dedicated to holy katherin , and being slain in a garden by the assault of his enemies , he left them to his wife to keep , and she to her son abraham ; who on friday in the holy congregation of the jews , having chosen out his sacrifice , he pierced it , and did tear it in pieces . but abundance of blood proceeding , the mother of abraham being converted , divulged the miracle . wencislaus the duke of brabant , having made diligent search , he took care , that abraham and his associates should be burned alive before the temple of holy katherine , and religiously placed the sacrifice in the cathedral temple of saint gudula . ludovicus guicciardinus , in descriptione germaniae inferioris . heretofore the rule of the mass for the soul of the dead was sang openly , and with a loud voice . but pope vigilius instituted , that it should not be performed but in a holy place , in holy garments , and a low voice . it happened once , as shepherds , having put bread ridiculously upon a stone in the field , rehearsed the words of the canon , by which it was transubstantiated : and so suddenly seeing bloody humane flesh before them , and stricken by the appointment of god , they presently dyed . hermannus gygas . when the bodies were thought to rest in their graves , the earth would be carried out of the vault of the temple of paulinus at treveris , where the theban legions were killed by ricticnarius maximianus , heretofore lievtenant to the emperour , a certain head being cast forth by the priest unwarily , did bleed excessively , and remains bloody even to this day . schaffnaburgensis , anno . regino doth declare , that clodoveus , king of france , because that irreligiously he plucked the body of dionysius out of his grave , and broke his arm , and snatched him with violence ; presently being astonished , fell mad , and after two years lost his life and kingdom . idem adon vienensis aetate . & nauclerus generatione . sigebertus circa annum domini , . hector boëthius doth relate , that if any woman kicked the tomb of a blessed woman at guanora in scotland , she ever after remained barren . cardanus de rerum varietate , lib. . cap. . a certain woman which had carried the shoes of holy genovepha to lutetia , suddenly lost her eyes , and having begged pardon , received her sight . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . when a robber came to the tomb of wencislaus iv. the honourable king of the bohemians , upbraiding the dead man's life , a stony statue put upon the sepulchre gave him a buffet , and presently being smitten blind , he suffered for his wickedness . afterwards the statue was laid in the privy chappel , and another brazen one was put in the place thereof . aeneas sylvius , capite . histor . bohem. a certain constantine , the overthrower of artabasdus , seeing the image of the god-bearing-virgin standing , having caught up a stone , he threw it at the image , and brake it , and when it fell , kick'd it . and he saw her in his sleep standing by him , and saying , dost thou know how audacious a fault thou hast committed against me ? but it will fall on thy own head . on the morrow the saracens defending the walls , and the battel being joyned , he miserable wretch running to the wall , being struck on the head and face with a hurled stone , he had a punishment according to the deserts of his wickedness . paulus diaconus , lib. . rerum rom. & cedrenus . constantine the bishop of cyprus in the th action of nicena the second , doth declare ; that a certain heardsman , who had pulled out the right eye of the image of mary with a prick ; afterwards going out into the field , when he struck the cattel , his own eye dropt out . and there was another certain man in cizium , ( a town of cyprus ) because that he had driven a nail thorough the head of the same image painted upon a wall , had a mighty pain in the head , which he could be in no wise eased of before that he had drawn out the nail . also the same man doth affirm , that an agarene endeavouring to pluck out the eye of the image of mary , with a long spear in the city gabala of syria , digged out his own eye , and was tormented with a burning feaver . and in the th action ; yet other miracles are published , which were executed by images , to confirm the worship of them , which charls the great in his book of the worship of images , doth refer it to the force of superstition . a certain jew having received baptism in hannonia , being lifted up from the holy fountain by william a knight of holland , returning with the dog to his vomit , he smote the image of the virgin mary in the temple , privily with a punniard in the face , abundance of bloud gushed out , the jew prepared himself for flight . the virgin did appear to a smith in a dream , doth shew him the author of the mischief , doth exhort him to pursue him , and offering a duell to convince him of his wickedness . he doth obey , and by single combat doth drive the conquered jew to the cross . johannes trithemius in chronico hirsaugiensi . whilest a peace was contracting between henry and philip , the kings of england and france , certain officers being brought in from richard son of henry king of england , which that age called coterelli , while they played at dice , a certain man having lost his money , seeing the virgin in the porch of the temple , holding her son in her right hand , throwing a stone at the image , he broke a part of her son's arm , from whence blood plentifully flowing , it proved a remedy to many sick people , who devoutly sought help thereby ; the officer being taken away by the devil , dyed most miserably the same day . robertus gaguinus , lib. . the sixth year of king charls , the frenchmen took a town called burburgum , and having broken into the temple , a french souldier seeking to lay hold upon a silver image of st. john , it is reported , that the statue turning to him , he fell mad , and killed himself with his own teeth . robertus gaguinus . at buda , a city of panonia , two gamesters meeting together , the one said he playd in the name of god ; and the other , in the name of the devil : he which made god by his vain words , a favourer of his wickedness , lost not onely all his money , but his cloaths also ; and going towards home about mid-night , desperately inraged by his loss , as he went through a church-yard , thus possessed with anger and fury , looking upon the image of our saviour crucified upon a cross , he snatcheth up a stone , and strikes it into the face of the crucifix , which making a hole therein , stuck fast in it ; whereupon great store of blood miraculously issued thence : a butcher who was troubled with the gout , living close to the church-yard , being an old man , and in his bed , heard a low voyce , which bid him rise , and strike with his great knife whomsoever he should meet ; which words , when they had been thrice re-iterated , and that with threats of much mischief to befall him , if he refused , he resolved to obey the voyce . therefore when at first he was not able to rise out of his bed , by reason of his infirmity , at length , slowly rising , he layes hand on his slaughter-knife , and going to the church-yard , meets the wretched mad gamester coming towards him , and thrusts his knife into him ; which done , coming to the house of the judge , he desires to speak with him : the judge at first believed it to be meerly an imposture of the devil , though he declared to him his dream , and the slaughter he had committed ; but when it was light , coming to the church-yard , whilest the people flocked about the dead body , devils with terrible howling snatching away the corps , carried it into the ayr in a trice out of the sight of the spectators , which with the hole in the crucifix , out of which blood issued , demonstrated the perfidiousness of the gamester , and freed the butcher from danger . m. frischius in meteoris . in the year of our redemption , . there was in this countrey , a certain fellow named schelkrop , of mean parentage , one of the infamous rout , who naturally was indued with a bold malignant wit , and by licentiousness and custome was come to a great heighth of wickedness , wherein he not onely delighted , but gloried , he passed his time in bawdy-houses and taverns , and with great eagerness followed play ; from whence all kind of vices ingender , as fast as vermin from the putrefaction of a dead carcass ; and especially impiety towards god , is thereby begot . in all which , schelkrop was so notorious a captain , that the time wherein he lived could hardly parallell him . he upon a certain time , according to his custome , tryed his fortune at play , having choyce of companions like himself , they went to a publick gaming-house , a tavern in the suburbs of moguntinum , called filtsbach , the sign of the flower , which was commonly called zuder blumen ; and when they had for some time playd there at dice , it fell out , that schelkrop was so unfortunate , that he had lost almost all his money ; which when by continuing of play , he did not onely not recover , but very much augmented his loss , he began , as he was wont , not onely to vapour with his fellow gamesters , and give them base and unhandsome language , but likewise most impiously to blaspheme god and his saints ; some report , that when he was thus with rage and impiety incensed , that he openly threatned , that whatsoever image of our saviour he first met withall , of it he would take revenge of his present loss . but i will not confidently affirm it , but it appears plainly , that when he went from his companions , he came to a certain chappel seated betwixt the church of saint alban , and the temple of the blessed virgin , where images were kept , and suddenly fiercely hacked and hewed the image of our blessed saviour crucified upon the cross , and that with one stroke he cut off the head thereof , so that it fell from the body , and that with the edge and point of his sword he slasht and thrust many other images of saints which were placed by the cross , &c. hitherto schelkrop was mad with fury and rage ; and what followes , will declare how miraculously divine revenge seized on him ; for suddenly , dreadfully , and miraculously blood flowed from the cuts , slashes , and thrusts , that he had made in the images , as if not images made of wood , but living men had suffered that injury ; and schelkope now as one attain'd to the full measure of execrable impiety , stood still , not able to move a foot , till he was deprehended in his raging crime by passengers , that found him in the place where he had perpetrated that villany , for which they seised upon him , and brought him before the magistrates , by whom he was most deservedly condemned to die , and accordingly was burnt in the sight of all the people , not far from the city , in the place which the people commonly call the jews sand , because they were used there to interr their dead . and the images , famous by their hurts and the blood which issued from them , were translated by the hands of priests , from that little church , to the temple of the holy cross ; where to this day that dreadfull blood is to be seen , and so religiously honoured , and many mortals variously afflicted , making vows to visit that place , have obtained of the most great and good god such mercy , as to be cured of their infirmities , and delivered from their afflictions . theod●ricus gresmundus , legum doctor . and although this impiety and petulancy of furious men is no way to be tolerated , but rather by laws and punishments to be repressed , yet i believe , that , without doubt , these miracles were wrought by the fraud and imposture of the devil , to confirm idolatry in the hearts of men , by the worship and adoration of images , by which they would confine god to dwell in trunks and stones ; which idolatry was most frequent , and to this day is in the papacy . see concerning these signs and prodigies , paul's latter epistle to the thessalonians , cap. . and seriously consider the text. in the twenty fourth year of constantine , at coprominum in beritum , the image of christ was contumeliously abus'd by the jews , whereupon blood and water openly appeared to issue out of the side thereof , whereby many were cured of their infirmities : they putting it into vials sent of it all the world over , by reason whereof an holy-day was instituted the fifth ide of november , in remembrance of the passion of the image of christ . sigebert in the year of our lord , , saith , the fathers in the nicene council were of opinion , that this happened in the time of athanasius , and that he particularly related and commended it to posterity . it was translated from syria ( as it is reported ) rather by divine then humane counsel . sabellicus , lib. . ennead . . et cuspinianus . a certain jew in the time of pope pelagius , stealing the image of our saviour out of the church , and thrusting it through with a weapon , carried it privately home with him ; and being about to burn it , when he perceived it bloodied , he was so amazed thereat , that he desists from his intent , and went and hid it ; which the christians seeking for it , found it by the track of blood which fell from it as it was carried ; for which fact they stoned the jew to death . sigebertus in chron. otho and philip contending in war for the empire , many committed themselves and their goods to the temple of saint govarus , not far from trevers , because the place , as they conceived , was excellently well fenced both by nature and art . whither vernerus bolanus coming to fight against it , the besieged fearing lest the enemy should enter by a window , which they conceived the weakest part of the church placed there , the image of our saviour upon a cross which was made of wood , whereby they thought they had sufficiently secured it from the irruption of the enemy that way : a certain bow-man ayming at that place , shot his arrow into the image of christ , and presently the blood flowed out of it , as if it had been a living body . vernerus terrified therewith , takes the cross , and threw it into the sea to warr against the enemies of christ , and the image and arrow was conserved with the blood sprinkled on them , notwithstanding . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . gregory the great in his epistle to theoctistus , saith , that a certain longobard of the region of transpadua , found a golden key of peter's , which he sent as a great present to the king of the longobards , who caused it to be engraven on his sword ; which as soon as he made use of , struck with satanical fury , he cut his own throat with it , and dyed the same hour ; whence had peter so pretious a key ? and to what purpose ? aldegisius , whom pandulphus prince of capua commanded to go to cassinum , and from thence to planeta , and bring with him the chalice of the emperour , and other more pretious ornaments of the church as a pledge , whilest he was about to endeavour to perform the command of his master , at the altar , before which he stood adorned , he fell upon his face , struck with the palsie and falling-sicknesse , becoming thereby a miserable spectacle to the beholders ; from which sicknesse , though he after a sort recovered , yet his eyes and mouth continued pittifully distorted ; and moreover , the prince did not onely persist in his enterprise of sacriledg , but designed greater against the brethren , but after his death , a certain boy told to huntsmen , that he saw him tyed with iron bonds , and drown'd up to the throat in a miery stinking lake , and that by two ugly black spirits , he saw him one while cast into the deep , and another while pulled out , the cause of such horrid punishment inquired by the boy of him ; he answered , it was , because he had taken a golden chalice out of the monastery of st. benedict , and had neglected to restore it before his death , desiring the boy to acquaint his wife herewith , and wish her to restore what goods were taken from the monastery , which notwithstanding the woman being covetous , refused to perform . chronicon , lib. . cap. . a certain hermite inhabiting in a rock near an high-way of a neapolitan seigniory , looking out at a window to see what time of the night it was , after he had said over the nocturnal psalms , saw a long rank of blackmoors going loaded with straw , and threatning fire , who asking them , who they were , they answered , that they were devils , and they meant to bestow the combustible matter , they carried upon men , and that now they went for pandulph prince of capua , who was a dying ; in which very hour , as it afterwards appeared , pandulph expired his life ; and presently after , vesuvius , a mountain , vomited out such flames , that store of scorching sulphur rising thence , appeared like a torrent , with great force and violence , discharging it self into the sea. chron. cassinense , lib. . cap. . urspergensis & platina narrant , that john baptist appeared to a certain rapacious and sacrilegious fellow , ( who came to the monument of rothares , king of the longobards , in a church built for the repose of his dead body , and took away all the ornaments wherewith it was buried , ) and blamed him for his presumption to dare to touch his body ; who although he had not walked in the strict way of truth , yet he had committed himself to his patronage and protection . by reason of this impiety , this sacrilegious person could never after go into the temple ; for as often as he assayed to enter thereinto , he was driven back by a ghost , which offered to cut his throat , if so be he proceeded ; and so was forced to retreat . in that warr that charls the eighth , king of france , waged against anne dutchess of britain , whom afterwards he married , a certain souldier of britain going out of the city of rhemes , to plunder , in the temple of a certain town , whereinto the countrey people had brought the greatest part of their goods , he breaks open a chest , thinking that it belonged to some secular person , and loading himself with as much as he could well carry of the goods therein , returning home with them , he looking amongst his plunder , saw amongst the rest certain small pieces of linnen cloath , like to handkerchiefs , and not conceiving that they were such as priests use for a napkin to carry the host , he bestowed them on his landlady ; who perceiving them bloody , she first looked upon her hands ; which when she found hurt , but could not perceive any blood issue from thence , she searched her bosome , and found all the skin of her breast , lining of her wastcoar , and lower petticoat imbroydered with blood ; the woman carrying these cloaths to the river to wash , could not possibly take the blood out of them , though by washing thereof , the water seemed bloody . which is not unlike what happened to pope leo , who to those that sought from him holy reliques , he cutting part of a napkin , which is called the corporal , gave it them ; but when he perceived a certain man to despise it , leo in his presence pricked the corporal , whereby he made it plainly appear , that blood flowed from it . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . gregorius turonensis , cap. . de gloria confessorum , writes concerning marianus the hermite , a holy-day in remembrance of whom was wont yearly to be kept , that the house of a certain man ( who to perform domestick business , and his necessary occupations , neglecting the observance thereof , and being rebuked for it by a neighbour ; answered , that it was better to perform his necessary work , then shew such devotion to such a saint , whose salvation was doubted ) was set on fire and destroyed with revengefull flames , in such manner that his neighbours houses joyning close to his , received no hurt at all thereby . a certain aurelianensian , about to labour in his vineyard in the holy feast of avitus the cartonensian abbot , admonished by others to forbear work , as soon as he betook himself to labour , his face was writhed towards his back ; ( to wit , by the devil , the murtherer of mankind , turned the contrary way , ) it was a terrible sight therefore to a multitude of spectators : but the man going into the temple of avitus , and desiring forgivenesse of his sin , obtained that pardon , insomuch that his face was turned to its right place . gregor . turonens . lib. de gloria confess . cap. . a certain citizen of paris having pawn'd his cloaths to a jew , being not able to redeem them , promised to the jew , if he would restore his apparrell , to give him for the same , the host which he should receive the next easter ; which the jew consenting to , he according to his promise bringing to him ; the jew takes the host which he received , and casts it into a vessel full of boyling oyl and water , and with blasphemous words falls to scorn and reproach it ; whereupon , as 't is reported , a most beautifull young man leapt out , and with wonderfull agility avoided the jew , who sought to drown him with a staff that had an iron hook at the end thereof ; his sons standing by , and frighted with the strangenesse of the sight , run to their mother , and tell her the cruelty of their father against the young man ; immediately there is a great concourse of people , who take the host from the jew which the bishop carryed to the church of st. john in gravia , the wife and children of the jew were by this miracle converted to the christian faith , and he brought to prison , where with many words he bragg'd of the virtue of the talmud , and calls for it to be brought to him to deride thereby the superstition of the times ; which when he had received , and began to hope that he was secure from suffering for his impiety , he with his book were consumed by flames , which issued from a pile of wood made for that purpose , as violently and swiftly , as an arrow out of a bowe . thomas patriarcha barbariensis , lib. . fortalicii fidei . in the arvernensian church , a certain impious fellow swore untruly ; whereupon his tongue was suddenly tyed ; for that he could not speak , but lowed like a beast . and grieving heartily with sighs for the perjury he had perpetrated , he humbly casts himself down at the sepulchre of the bishop dretemonius , imploring his help , ( not god's , as 't is commanded ) and finds his tongue loosed , and himself able to speak as expeditely as formerly , publickly confessing his sin , for which wittingly and willingly committed , this punishment fell upon him . gregorius turonensis de confessoribus , cap. . mescho , prince of the polonians , by stratagem taking cracovia from boleslaus duke of bohemia , the princes making a truce , met together at cracovia , where boleslaus is taken at a feast , and both his eyes put out , and his nobles cruelly slain ; the prisbuicensians being privy to the treachery , and partakers of the wickednesse , the same also endeavour treacherously to kill the brother of boleslaus ; for cochares drawing the young man into a wood , upon pretence of hunting , commanded him to be bound to the stock of a tree , and shot at with arrows . it is reported , that at that time st. john baptist invocated by him , received the arrows upon an hairy cover or skin , and so defended him , and that he warned his wife by vision , to relieve her husband in that great danger ; whereupon overa , a servant to the prince , with great haste , and good speed , declared the treason to the people , who speedily comming to the relief of the duke , released him , and killed the traytors . in that place the monastery of the order of saint benedict was built , and a greater altar placed where the tree , to which janures was bound , stood . aeneas sylvius , in histor . bohem. comnenus the emperour being sick , and seeming ready to faint , was restored by the image of our saviour ; for an holy imbroydered vail placed upon the chalice , which had the picture of our saviour wrought upon it , was spread upon the bed wherein he lay , and his body wrapped in it ; whereupon the vehemency of his sickness was immediately remitted ; and he arising , took meat , was perfectly well , and freed from his disease : but when this recovery of his in this manner seemed to the people as a thing not to be believed , that he might take away the incredulity of them , he went on horseback into the market-place . cuspinianus . in the time that ptolomey sought for the cross with great anxiety , because he could no where find it , other monuments of the passion of our lord , miraculously discovered themselves to mortals ; at lutetia , ludovicus , the son of philip augustus for three years , ( the king being absent upon his holy expedition ) was visited with such violent sicknesse , that every one expected the expiration of his life , which was onely known to be in him , by weak and almost insensible breathings . mauritius , the bishop of paris , brought with great reverence to lutetia , a part of the blessed crown of thorns which was kept at the church of dionysius , and the sacred nayl , obtained by prayers ; which as soon as 't was but moved towards the sick prince , his sicknesse was driven away , and his health perfectly restored . aemilius , lib. . a certain man mortally wounded , by tasting a little bread consecrated by st. bernard , was immediately healed , he could by benediction make bread continue many years uncorrupt , retaining its colour to the sight , and sweetnesse for the taste . in the tolosanum province , many sick , by tasting the bread which st. bernard had blessed , recovered their health . a certain salernitanian citizen , with the water wherein st. bernard the abbot had washed his hands , was restored to health . autor vitae . the malmendrensian monks , after they had in vain by prayers and tears sought the free restitution of their monastery from caesar , who had subjectd it to the colonie of antistitus , they sought for the bones of st. remachus , and brought them to leodium , and layd them upon the king's table , sitting then at meat , which broken with the weight thereof , they by falling , broke the legs and feet of a certain noble-man , who by the intercession of remachus , imploring the help of almighty god , was made whole , and that in such sort , that there remained not so much as the least scarr or mark where his hurts had been ; and when as more miracles were wrought by these reliques , the king did not onely restore what he had taken from the monastery , but bestowed gifts upon the monks , anno . schaffnaburgensis . in the confines of biturgum and turonum , claudiomagus being governour , there being a famous church , in a secret place whereof , when in his pilgrimage saint martin coming thither , lodged upon straw , upon whose departure the priests and virgins in devotion , for that they had a most reverent esteem of his piety , divided amongst them the straw whereon he lay ; part whereof , when they hanged about the neck of one possessed with a devil , he was suddenly dispossest . bonfinius , l. . dec. . chronicon martini manuscriptum , reporteth , that a certain noble woman ignorantly translating the bones or reliques of stephen from jerusalem , to constantinople , thinking they had been the bones of her mother , it happened , that the devil 's howling in the ayr discovered the angels harmoniously singing , driving them away , and the daughter of the emperour possessed with a devil , cryed out , if stephen come , i shall be presently made well . a certain noble man , a prefect or provost under otho the second emperour , being possessed with a devil , by a chain , which as it was believed , had bound st. peter put about his neck , was presently dispossest in the year , . ut chronicon saxoniae habet . vincentius , lib. . cap. . othonis primi temporibus accidisse narrat , sigebertus verò secundi . the people strewing herbs about the tomb of nicetius the lugdunensian bishop , augulphus the deacon coming from rome , and bringing with him some of them which were given him by a priest , gave of them in a draught of cold water to severall visited with feavers , and they were suddenly restored to health ; gregory of turon affirms as a most certain truth , that this was done in his time . it is reported , that the albanensian bishop , sick of a feaver , taking bread and water out of a dish ( out of which st. bernard was wont to eat meat ) , as soon as he tasted thereof , recovered his health . autor vitae bernardi . gregorius turonensis de gloria confessorum , cap. . de sylvestri calvillonensis episcopi lectulo funibus ligatur , ligato mira quaedam narrat . many sick of feavers being laid upon this bed of the bishop , have been refreshed , made whole , and lusty ; he saith he saw many troubled with infirmities , who but by touching some small particles which had been cut from the ropes of the bed , restored to their former health ; he likewise saith , he saw his mother with a particle of a rope which had been cut from the ropes of that bed , to cure a woman sick of a feaver , by putting it about her neck . ivo , in chronico , & paulus diaconus , libro . cap. . de gestis longobardorum narrant , that in the time of constantine , about the year of our lord , , during the three moneths of july , august , and september , a pestilence had so depopulated ticinum , and so many of the inhabitants which remained alive , fled out of the city , that grass and weeds sprung up in the streets thereof ; whereupon it was revealed to certain men , that the plague would not thence depart , till they had built up the altar of the martyr sebastian in the church of saint peter ; and that it came accordingly to passe , for the reliques of sebastian being translated from rome to ticinum , and the altar built , the pestilence ceased . and hence it is , that the superstition which possest the minds of the ruder sort of men , by conceiving sebastian a guardian and defender of men from the plague , first took its rise . constantine the great having overcome maxentius , there appeared as a symbol , the sign of the cross in the firmament ; when he likewise thought to fall upon maximinus , a deadly enemy to the christians , he was suddenly afflicted with a disease called the elephantiasie , all his physitians despairing of his recovery : at last the greeks having a place in their capitol , in which they affirm , if the emperour wash it , being filled with the blood of children , he should recover his former health . without all doubt , that kind of remedy was familiar with the kings of aegypt ; ( scribit plinius , lib. . cap. . ) the children therefore are called together , and the hangman ready , expecting an edict to perpetrate that villany ; but the emperour , being a most humane gallant man , was so moved with tears of the tender mothers , that he could by no means find in his heart to deprive them of their children , but delivered them to their mothers , choosing rather to dye , then to ●elieve himself by the innocent blood of children : the next night he saw by vision peter and paul coming to him , who admonished him to go to sylvester the chief bishop of rome , and wash himself in a pool there which they decyphered to him ; he obeys this vision ; and bestowing himself in fasting seven dayes , he with his son crispus were washed with baptism by holy sylvester , having been anointed with oyl ; at which time an extraordinary miraculous light illustrated the place , and a melodious sound was heard ; and constantine himself being touched by a divine hand , cometh out of the laver safe and sound from his infirmity . nicephorus , lib. . cap. . et cedrenus . lotharingus being a prisoner at constantinople , was so robustious and strong , that the turks were afraid lest he should break his chain and fetters , and therefore they made an iron collar or chain , and put it about his neck , with chains of iron fastned to it five fingers broad , and three fingers thick , reaching to his fetters ; in which condition the prisoner remembring st. nicolas , who had lived in his countrey , invocates him to intercede to almighty god for him ; whereupon sleeping that night after , the next morning when the sexton opens early in the morning the door of the temple of st. nicolas at varanguilles , he finds there this captive sleeping , who awakened , acknowledged himself miraculously brought thither in his sleep , it being two thousand miles distant from nanceum , where the day before he had invocated this saint's intercession . the miracle being divulged , the people run to see it ; and after mass , having sung some praises to almighty god , four smiths are sent for to free him from his chains ; which when it appeared that they could by no humane power be dissolved of their own accord , as it were , but by the command of almighty god , leapt in sunder . vierus , lib. . cap. . de praestigiis daemonum ; ex libello de galliae sanctuariis . gregorius turonensis , lib. . cap. . writeth , that bituricus , archdeacon of lions , by the cutting of cataracts or skins which grew upon his eyes , lost his sight ; and being helpless by physitians , made his address himself , by the devotion of fasting and prayers for two or three moneths to the church of martin , that he might receive his sight ; and ardently making his prayers upon the feast-day of st. martin , obtained his desire . pope leo in the time of charls the great ; when he had led the procession through the city of rome to the church of sylvester , by his chief officer , for the celebrating the paschal ; and pambulis a priest , whose filthy life he had often corrected , was stript of his pontificial robes , and deprived of sight and speech , and coming to the monastery of erasmus , and carried to the image of albinus , in the church of st. peter , as it is reported , he there received again his eyes and tongue . sigebertus , anno . et bonfinius , lib. . decad . . gregorius turonensis , libro de gloria confessorum , cap. , tells a miraculous story of one visited with the palsie , who being drawn in a coach to celebrate the feast of alban , the andigavensian bishop , in his sleep at night he saw a man coming to him , and saying , rise the third hour , and go into the temple , for it will come to passe , that at that time martin and alban will be there ; and if thou likewise be there at that instant , thou shalt recover thy health . which miracle , according to the prediction had in his dream , was wrought in the sight of many spectators . turonensis affirmat . a certain priest sick of the palsie brought to the tomb of st. dunstan , archbishop of canterbury , was presently restored to health . at the same sepulchre a certain man possessed with a devil , vomits him up with much blood . vincentius , lib. . cap. . at grandavus in the year , , before the body of st. bavones , which then by chance was brought thither , mansuindis , a maid of antwerp , was cured of the palsie . jacobus meyer , in chronico flandrensi . cosroes king of persia hearing that sergius the martyr granted all things that were desired of him , sought of him ayd for the defence of his kingdom , and foecundity to his wife , being barren , which obtaining of him , he sent to gregorie a golden cross , dish , cup , censer , and other gi●s in honour of sergius the blessed martyr . evagrius , l. . cap. . constantine bishop of cyprus , tells in the fourth nicene act , of a certain man , who by driving a nayl into a wall , struck it into the forehead of st. peter's picture , and found that he was presently troubled with an head-ache ; whereupon , commanded to pull out the nayl , he obeying , was presently made whole . frenchmen being sent by pippin to floriacum , to carry the bones of benedict to the cassianensian monastery , as they were going into the temple , by the vertue of benedict were struck blind ; whereupon they returned back , conceiving that he rebuked them , because he would not have france deprived of such holy reliques . scribit sigebertus anno dom. . vincentius , lib. . cap. . a certain man named garganus , a citizen of pontinum , who fed a great herd of cattle in the mountain prium , lying in apuleia , which is now called garganus , or the mount of st. michael , in the time when the goths infested italy by war , seeking a bull which was strayed from the herd , at last finds him in a cave which was in a hard rock naturally without man's labour ; and angry at his straying beast , he shoots at him , the arrow lighting upon the back of the bull , rebounded back upon garganus , which he construed to have some divine signification ; wherefore he declared what happened , to lawrence a priest , who prolaiming a fast for three dayes , in the night when he was asleep , he had a vision or dream , wherein michael the arch-angel appeared to him , affirming to him , that it was his doing that the arrow retorted from the bull , that he would have that place known to be the oratory wherein he would have a church for his service ; and when the neapolitans had besieged the city of sipontinum , ( lawrence declaring the oracle of the arch-angel ) the hour they had appointed to break in , the vision was believed , and the cave of the arch-angel , which seemed as if it had been made by handy-work , began religiously to be worshipped ; and the dedication of gelasius the chief bishop which he prepared , was disapproved by the arch-angel , for that a place divinely consecrated , wanted no dedication . therefore the cave being consecrated with a most royall temple , most men were wont to come thither once every year , there were tables wherein were written the form of religion , and prayers hanged upon the walls all about , shewing their titles . and where the altar that belonged to the statue of the arch-angel was , in a place inaccessible by men , there the statue was placed , which beholding , the mind of man struck with a silent fear , by the contemplation of so great and holy meditations , powreth forth its prayers . other altars also made by neither cost nor artifice of man , which seem natural , increase devotion , pont. l. . belli neapol . an old fisherman told to the duke bartholomaeus grandonicus , when the waters rose above their ordinary custome , and thereby threatned much hurt to the venetians , that early in the morning whilest the storm raged , three men of a venerable aspect came to him , whom he carrying through the passage to the haven , the storm ceasing , they all remained in the city , one of them in the church of st. george ; another in the temple of st. nicolas ; the third , having declared the other two , to be george and nicolas , manifests himself to be mark the evangelist , and commanded that he should relate it , because he should receive great benefit from the prince of the city for his labour in ferrying them over ; and that he might have credit from them he should acquaint with the same , he bestowed a ring on him , to shew to them ; whereupon the venetians bestowing a yearly stipend on the fisherman , decreed supplications and praises . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . et egnatius eodem . the fourty fifth year after the death of stephen king of hungary , he being canonized , all the princes of hungary , with the king ladislaus , met together ; and after celebrating certain ceremonies in remembrance of the dead , at their coming to the monument of the holy king , there issued from thence such fragrant smells , that the whole church was , as it were , filled with a certain heavenly dew : finding his bones moistned , and anointed with a certain kind of balsom , laid in a syndon , they began to look for a gold ring , which was his old scepter , amongst the liquid balsom ; which when they could by no means find in the marble tomb , they endeavoured to draw out the moisture , which falling upon , and filling viols and great vessels therewith , they were nothing nearer their desire of emptying the sepulchre thereof ; for as fast as they drew it out , it was still by a divine power supplyed ; which perceived , they by degrees powred what they had drawn out upon the bones again ; and it appeared , that after their infusion thereof , there was neither more nor less in the tomb ; upon finding of which treasure there , an altar was renewed to the blessed virgin ; and after a short time , the wife of the illustrious prince called matildus , who for three years space had laboured of an intestine disease , invited by the fame hereof , vows a pilgrimage to this chappel in hungary , whither as soon as she had made her address , she was immediately freed from her torments . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . after the pope received testimony of the many miracles which were done before the sepulchre of udislaus king of hungary , which shewed the power of almighty god for his sake to be manifested , in that place he canonized him a saint . in the same hour that a child , who being an unformed lump of flesh , without hands or feet , and whose bones and s●ews were not obvious to the sight of men , was brought to his sepulchre ; as soon as the parents began their prayers , he received hands , feet , and shape , to their great comfort and rejoycing . bonfinius , lib. . decad . . the sergiopolitans or antiochians treating with cosroes king of persia , to spare their city , offer him sacred treasures for the redemption thereof , offered him a golden cross , which justinian the emperour , and theodora , had sent thither ; which cosroes receiving , required more , and amongst others , seeking to take the silver urn , in which the reliques of sergius the martyr were laid , presently an army all about the streets appeared , which chased away the persians off the city ; so the city was miraculously delivered with the help of souldiers . evagrius , lib. . cap. . in the tenth year of leo emperour of isaurus , the sarazens besieged the town of nicea in bithynia : the city long opposed by storm , and some part of her walls battered with engines to the ground , by the appearance of saints which are there worshipped , the saracens affrighted with the sight of the father , left what so hotly they had attempted , and basely fled . cedrenus . the thessalonians besieged by michael king of the bulgarians , upon a certain day went to the sepulchre , praying all night , and using an oyntment which boyled up out of the sepulchre , uniting their strength together , they all fiercely throwing open the gates , sally out upon the bulgarians ; whereat the enemy was so amazed , that fear took upon a suddain so deep impression in them , that they all betook themselves to their heels , not so much as one of them standing , or daring to defend themselves ; the leader of the roman army was a martyr , who cleared the way before him ; which the bulgarians who were taken prisoners confirmed by oath , telling , that they saw a gallant young knight on horseback , who led the roman squadrons , from whom flashes of fire came , which lighting upon their enemies , burnt and consumed them . cedrenus . the cartonensian citizens hanged up the linnen garment of the virgin mary , which charls the bald had brought from constantinople , upon the wall , instead of a flag or ensign , which struck blind rollo the dane with his army , and compelled them to depart , without doing injury to the city . ranulphus , lib. . cap. . ganguinus , lib. . when godfrey of boleign with others had undertaken the syriac expedition , setting upon the city jerusalem by storm , aimarus the aniciensian bishop was seen by many to go before the souldiers , and scaling the walls first , gave the sign to others to follow him , although it was known for certain , that he departed many moneths before from antioch , as william the bishop of tyre writeth . fulgosus , lib. . cap. . henry the second , emperour , subjugating boleslaus , who possessing bohemia , and all the sclavonian countrey , and likewise debilitating poland , taking the sword of saint adrianus the martyr , which had been long kept in a place called waldberg , divine power working with it , he was most formidable to his enemies , most prosperously prevailing over them , the martyrs , st. george , st. lawrence , and st. adrianus being seen to go before his armies , and to break the ranks of their enemies . cuspinianus . the romans carrying before them the holy lance , with which the side of our blessed saviour was pierced , instead of an ensign fighting against corbana prince of the persians , at the metropolis or chief city of syria , called antioch , slew above an hundred thousand of their enemies ; they missing when they mustered , of four hundred thousand souldiers which they had before the fight , two hundred thousand ; baldricus bishop of the dolensians , a contemporary , writeth from the mouths of them that were present , that the enemies when they joyned battle , saw three in the shape of most royal noble-men , sitting upon white horses , and a great troop of the like countenance , and in like manner apparrelled , who led the forefront against the enemies : these were not seen of all , but some of the romans , and by them they were believed to be the martyrs , george , demetrius , and mercury ; after whose appearance , the barbarians were so amazed , that void of counsel or courage , and possessed with fear , they most basely ran away . aemilius , lib. . actius being general , when john king of bohemia , father to charls the fourth , roman emperour , about the year of our lord , , invaded italy , falling sick of the gowt , underwent great perill in his affairs , circumvented by the unfaithfull dealing of his couzen german , general leodrisius , who leading the rhaetian and helvetian cohorts , and with a strong hand gathering together all banished men , came to abdua . actius , though troubled with the gowt , raised souldiers in every place , and left his garrisons well fortified to the care of governours , till such time as his expected recruits should come to him . and committing the van-guard of his army to his lievtenant nervianus , the leodrisianians had prevailed against them , had not st. ambrose , the mediolanensian guardian saint , been seen by many of the city in form of an horseman , succouting them apparently in their distress ; for there came at that time to their relief , hector panicus , with a wing of cataphractans , albrogians sent by ludovicus subaudius , father-in-law to actius , which overcame the rhaetians , unseasonably exulting and resting themselves disorderly , putting them to the sword , and took leodrisius himself prisoner ; there being slain at that time above four hundred thousand men . and in the field where this victory was obtained , a temple was built to st. ambrose in memory thereof , where yearly upon the twenty fourth of february , the mediolanensian people coming together in great pomp , with the praetor and counsellors , celebrated his feast with sacred solemnities ; jovius in actio . but fulgosus , lib. . cap. . writeth , that the auxiliaries which came to relieve actius , as soon as they began battel , clearly saw ambrose with a whip to fall upon the barbarians which martinus scaliger led , being hired thereunto by leodrisius ; and in memory of this victory , ambrose was pictured with a whip in his hand , ever after this . in the battle wherein ramirus king of spain fought against the saracens before calugurium , james the apostle was seen by all who were there , leading the christian army , and putting the saracens to flight . nicephorus , lib. . cap. . reporteth , that chrysanthus and musonius being bishops , who sate in the nicene council , and dying before they had subscribed those articles of faith which were there agreed upon ; the fathers of the council therefore went to their monuments , and holding a writing in their hands , which contained in it the articles , they spoke to them as if they had been living men hearing them ; holy fathers , you have fought a good fight with us , you have finished your course and kept the faith , if therefore what we have done ought to be allowed and confirmed , it is meet and needfull , that you ( who are illustrated by the splendour of the trinity , whose beatificall vision frees you from all obscurity and hindrance , which lets us from the clear and perfect discerning of things , ) with us subscribe this little book ; who when they had spoke these words , laid it down before the tomb sealed , and going to their rest that night , and returning in the morning , they found the book sealed with the seals inviolated , and their subscriptions inserted with the rest , which they perceived to be newly written , in these words ; we chrysanthus and musonius , with all the fathers in the first holy oecumenical and nicene council do agree , and although translated from our bodies , yet with our own proper hands we have subscribed the articles in this book . plergilis , a priest , prayed , that he might see what species laid hid under the form of bread and wine , and whilest he continued his supplications for the same , an angel from heaven appearing to him , speaketh , saying , arise quickly , if thou desire to see christ , he is present , cloathed with that body which the holy mother of god bore , he therefore casting his eyes upon the altar , seeth the child , the onely begotten son of the father , whom with trembling arms he takes and kisses , and presently restores again to the top of the altar , and falling prostrate upon his knees again , he implored almighty god again , that he would turn him again into his pristine species , and as soon as he had finished his prayer , he found the body of christ returned to his wonted form , as by prayer he had desired . rabbanus de sacramento eucharistiae , cap. . paschasius in libro , de corpore et sanguine domini , cap. . a certain souldier in the city of rome extinct by the plague , when he revived , said , that he saw a narrow bridge , under which ran a river ugly and caliginous , which sent forth an incredible stinking savour ; but on the other side of the bridge upon the bank-side of the river , he saw pleasant places , which with the variety of flowers which grew therein , sent forth such fragrant odours as much delighted the smelling faculty , and habitations all about which were of a certain divine form and splendour ; but amongst the rest , one was greater , and excelled in glory , for that it was wholly built with golden bricks ; but for whom it was built , he could not understand : but he considered , that he observed , that the just most securely passed that bridge ; and that the unjust and reprobate fell into the river : then he saw , as he said , a stranger , a priest , who inoffensively passed through those streights , having quietly and contentedly suffered the going thorow the turnings therein , for that he had lived piously in this world ; but amongst those which he saw fall , whom the whirlpool of the froathy snatching stream tossed about , he saw peter chief bishop of the ecclesiasticall family , who four years since coming that way , infolded with iron chains , and in vain striving to swim through the horrible hollow passage , he therefore had a warrant , as a punishment to him , to punish those that hereafter should be guilty , rather severely then indulgently . marulus , lib. . cap. . in the castle of the seven holy brethren , albericus , a certain noble child when he attained the tenth year of his age , afflicted with sicknesse , was brought even to deaths-door ; at which time he lay immoveable without sense , as if he had been quite dead , seven dayes and nights . in which interval brought by the blessed apostle peter , and two angels , he cometh to the infernal gulph , at length he was brought to see the pleasant things of paradise , and lifted up into the aerie heaven ; he was sufficiently instructed by peter , of things contained in the old testament , of the punishments due to sinners , and the glory of saints : he saw certain secret things which he was forbid to speak ; and so for seventy dayes he being led about the provinces by him , he was restored to life . chronicon cassionense , lib. . cap. . vincentius hath a long narration extant in his book . chap. . of tundalus , whose soul was led by an angel as well to the infernal place of punishments , as purgatory , where he saw many whom he knew , at his first entrance amongst the blessed : he met with a multitude of men and women enduring the misery of rains and winds , pining away with hunger and thirst , but injoying light , molested with no stink ; who as the angel told me , had not lived very honestly , nor had been charitable to the poor , were after some years to enjoy rest . we came then to the port , which once opened and gone through , there appears a flourishing field full of eternal light , in which many souls of both sexes exulted , destinated to those happinesses for the torments they had suffered in this life , from which they were now delivered , though not yet deserving to be joyned to the society and fellowship of the saints . there is a fountain of life , of which whosoever drinketh , shall live for ever ; going a little further , we saw concober and donatus , who were tyrannical kings in their life-time . but donatus many years bound in chains , gave all that he had to the poor . making a further progress , we came to king cormartus , under whom tundalus in his life-time served , who spending his time in a silver palace , was attended like a king by the souls of the poor and pilgrims , upon whom he , being a king , had bestowed his goods ; which beholding , the house is obscured , and all the inhabitants consternated . the king going out weeping , seeing his ministers with hands lifted up towards heaven , devoutly praying , and saying , as thou wilt and knowest best , have mercy upon thy servant . and beholding , he saw the king in fire up to the navel , and from the navel upward cloathed with hair-cloath ; saith the angel , this punishment he suffereth three hours every day , and for twenty one hours he is at rest ; for that he stained the sacrament of holy matrimony , and therefore he is purged with fire up to his navel , and weareth an hair-cloth , because he commanded his fellow to be slain at st. patricks , and prevaricated his oath ; excepting these two , all his sins were forgiven him . the soul of another certain man being led by the angel raphael to the heavens above , and infernal places , saw a man sitting in a chair of fire , into whose face most handsome curtezans threw fires which they retracted with their posteriors ; and those torments he continually endured , because in his life-time he was given over to lust and luxury . he saw a man whose skin the devils excoriated or pulled off , and throwing salt upon him , cast him upon a grid-iron , who had been cruel to those who were subject to him : another riding upon a fierce horse , offered a shee goat which he carried before him , having a monasticall vesture behind , who had lived by rapine , and had taken a goat from a poor woman : at length the monk would have put on feigned repentance . he saw religious men of divers orders , some of which had spent their time in mirth and laughter ; others who wallowed in gluttony and lust , whom the devil tormented with punishment answerable to the wickednesse they had perpetrated . lastly , he saw judas the traytor , who , envied of all the devils and damned spirits , was held in the bottom of the gulph , where he was exposed to the scorns and railings of them all . this man restored to life , beginning to tell these things to his brethren , contrary to what was given him in charge , immediately was struck upon his face with a staff by saint benedict . and ( saith he ) because thou hast offended by speaking , thou shalt be deprived of thy speech for nine dayes . and having injoyned this penance , he departed . the nine dayes being expired , he at last , as he was commanded , tells the whole story to his abbot ; and the abbot having received no order to conceal it , publisheth it to the people . vincentius , libro . cap. , , . genovepha , a virgin of paris , laboured so much of an extasie , that she was for three dayes breathless ; only her cheeks were observed to have some rednesse in them : who coming to her self , affirmed , that she had been led to hell , went to the fields of the blessed , and that she had manifestly seen the punishments of the wicked . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . erasmus , bishop and martyr , after intolerable tortures suffered by him for the testimony of jesus christ and his gospel , the apostles and prophets were seen to bring him a crown ; delighted with which vision , he prayed almighty god to put an end to his life , which he obtained , most gently breathing out his soul . martinus , lib. . cap. . ursinus , a priest nursia , as he was about to yield up his soul joyfully cryed out , giving thanks to them whom he only saw coming to him ; they that stood by , inquiring who they were , at whose coming he so greatly rejoyced , saith he , do not you see the apostles peter and paul here present , calling me away ? presently whilest turning towards them whom he alone saw , and repeating , i come , i come , behold i come , he departed , leaving his body void of a soul . gregorius , lib. . dialogorum , cap. . a certain man who led a religious life , knowing ezekiel and daniel the prophets who appeared to him , saluted them ; and whilest he shewed them re●erence , whom none else discerned , though many were present , performing his duty , he departed . idem . merulus , a gregorian monk at rome , a man adorned with notable sanctity of life , in his sleep dreamed , that he saw a crown made of most white flowers which fell from heaven , and was to be put upon his head ; afterwards visited with sickness , with great alacrity finished his course . then by the command of peter the abbot , the fourteenth year after his death , his sepulchre being opened , a most incredible sweet smell ascended out of it ; for which cause it was thought , that the vision he had was true . idem . lib. . cap. . gregorie tells us of a maid of christ named galla , living at rome ; to whom the apostle peter appeared , inviting her to go along with him , for that her sins were forgiven . this vision , when she her self had related to others , to the end to go along with him , to whom the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given ; she put off her body with as much readiness and willingness , as a man undresseth himself to take his rest . idem . lib. . cap. . de musa puella , idem gregorius , cap. . tradit , that in a vision by night there appeared to her the mother of god , with a comp●ny of virgins , injoyning her to abstain from laughter , jests , and allvanity ; for that it would come to passe , that after thirty dayes , he should exult and rejoyce in the company of her , and her virgin. whereupon being visited with sickness , and at last the time approaching of which she was foretold , comforted with the same vision again , as if she had answered to one , calling upon her , she said , i come , lady , i come . and with those words she breathed out he● soul . it is remembred , that probus rea●inus the bishop , who by his languishing condition , knew that he was shortly to depart this life ; all that were wont to be with him , by chance being gone from him , except one boy , saw juvenal and eleutherius the martyrs , entring the room ; at whose approach being terrified , and stupified with the suddain lustre and shining , understanding where they were broke suddenly out of the bed , with the noise whereof the family raised , run to the place where the bishop lay , but found nothing but his dead body , his soul being departed . marul . lib. . cap. . the body of st. jerome when he had given up his soul , was surrounded with a suddain glorious light , angels appeared , and the voyce of christ was heard , which invited him to his heavenly kingdom . the same hour cyril , bishop of jerusalen , saw his soul carried by angels going towards heaven ; the same day his holy soul shining with wonderfull brightness , appeared to augustine , bishop of hippo. at turon two monks saw a shining globe passing through the skies , and thereupon immediately heard a quire of angels most ravishingly singing , which whilest they admired , they understood that the soul of jerome the priest who dyed then at bethlehem , was carried by angels to rest in paradise , &c. idem . the day that st. augustine was buried , a certain monk who abode far off , being wrapt in spirit , saw him singularly arrayed with a miter , and bishops weeds , sitting amongst the clouds all in glorious white , such radiant beams proceeding from his eyes , as illuminated the whole church , incredible sweetnesse of odour delighting his smelling faculty . afterwards he was seen by bernard , whilest sermons were read in the night-time by his brethren in the church , casting out of his mouth most pure waters , which immeasurably flowed upon the pavement of the church . idem . as the life , so the death of francis assiatus ( from w●om the order of minors begun ) was noble and magnificent , who expiring , a certain brother saw his soul in form of a star , to slue out of his body , and fly towards heaven : the same hour an husbandman grievously sick with over-labouring , his soul being ●eady to depart , languishing and speechlesse , on a suddain broke foth into speech , saying , expect me , father , expect me ; and , being asked , he said , he saw st. francis with great light making toward heaven . which said , his soul went out of his body , making good his words by his action continually , following him whom he had said he saw . marulus , lib. . cap. . a certain monk of adoneus at rhotamagium , in the night going to see one with whom he was enamour'd , fell off the bridge into the water , and was drown'd . the devils contend with an angel for his soul ; it is agreed betwixt them , to refer it to richard duke of normandy , to end the difference . his order was , that his soul restored to his body , should first be placed upon the bridg , and if he took the way which leadeth to his beloved mistris , he should be in the power of the devil ; but if he should take toward his church , his soul should be in the power of the angel : which done , the monk returned to his monastery , and so it is believed he was freed from the jawes of the devil . ranulphus , lib. . cap. . in polychronico . when before the body of a certain dead monk , mass was celebrated , at the singing of agnus dei , he leaped off the beer , blaspheming god , refusing to kiss a woodden cross which was offered him to kiss , falling upon the virgin mary with railing words , deriding those that sung psalms , for that he was orda●ned to the horrid torments of hell. the monks beating their breasts with their fists , pour forth prayers devoutly for him ; the poor man receiving a better mind , began to laud and praise the omnipotency of christ , to renounce satan , to adore the cross , and to confess , that after he took the life of a monk upon him , and vowed chastity , he perpetrated fornication ; and praising god , the text day he comfortably departed . vincentius , lib. . cap. . a certain monk of france saw the soul of a most lewd and wicked man , who notwithstanding he put on monasticall weeds in the agony of death was bound by the devil in fiery chains , and that he saw him dragged towards hell : but at last by the intervention of st. benedict , was freed ; for that whilest he was adorn'd with , his habit he had done no hurt . also maius , a cassinensian monk , who being precipitately cast down from an high window in the night by the devil , broke his neck , he complained to a great favourer of his in the monastery , ( for that was with many prayers sought by that convent ) that in his sleep this evil was imposed on him by the devil , but that he was freed by the help of st. benedict ; from hence alms-giving , and the number of psalms said for the dead in that monastery increased . cassianus , lib. . cap. . when st. german came to turnodurum , he cometh to the sepulchre of a certain disciple which had followed him out of brittain , and asked him , whether he would warr with him any further ? who answered , that he had sufficiently warred , and that he enjoyed heaped rewards for his fight ; and further prayed , that he would depart . saith germanus , rest in peace and happinesse ; so he laying down his head , slept in the lord. when he made his journey to augustodunum , at the tomb of cassianus the bishop born in scythia , having much company , in the hearing of them all , he called to him in the tomb , and enquired what and how he did ? saith he , i enjoy sweet rest , and expect the coming of my redeemer . to whom germanus answered , rest happily therefore , and intercede more diligently for our health . bonfinius , lib. . decad. . paschasius , a deacon of the apostolicall court , excelling by his piety towards god and man , ( as it is reported by gregory , ) but that he pertinatiously stood for lawrence , ( whom he thought more worthy ) against symmachus , who was judged by the voyces of all men worthy of the place of chief bishop , when after death he was to pay punishment for his fault , he was found by germanus bishop of capua , performing the drudgery of a servant in the angulanian baths ; which germanus when he understood the cause , went away , and for some dayes made supplication for him , returning , knew that he was freed from that burthen , and that his prayers were heard , whom now he perceived was not to be found there . marul . lib. . cap. . a certain priest having come often to wash himself at the baths called centurellae , offered bread as a reward to one that had often freely waited upon him , and found , that he did not want it ; for he had been lord of that place , and after death he was there punished again , to expiate a certain offence , by suffering punishment : yet he offered much to him , if by offering consecrated bread he would pray for him ; wherefore the priest offered the holy host and praying for him , returned to the baths ; but not finding the man , he understood that he was freed from his pain . idem . benedict the tenth , chief bishop , after his death appearing to john the portuensian bishop , confesseth , that he was kept , by odilones his prayer , from eternal death ; and that he now appeared to him , that he would go to him , and desire him , that he would pray for him now being in purgatory , as he was accustomed when he was living . this message being delivered , the abbot and he prayed for him , and injoyned all the monks who were with him , to do in like manner . not long after , benedict gloriously shining , appeared to edelbertus the monk , and told him , that he was translated from purgatory to beatitude . odilones and the monks praying for him , he appeared again to odilones , giving him thanks , for that he had received so great mercy , chiefly by his prayers . idem . ibidem . robertus gaguinus telleth , that john the anchorite reported to ansoaldus , bishop of pictavum , that he was raised by a certain reverend old man from his sleep , and commanded to pray for the soul of dogabert king of france , the hour of his death : which when he had done , he saw a company of devils in the middest of the sea ; who carried the soul of the king in a boat hawling him to torments , he calling upon martin , maurice , and dionysius , the martyrs , to help him against them , and that those three men came to him cloathed in white garments , professing they were the men he called on , who helped dogabert , and freed the soul of the suppliant king from torments without delay , and carried him with them to heaven . sigebertus in chronico , about the year of our lord , . telleth to a certain man , that the soul of dagobert coming to judgment , was accused by many saints for his spoyling of churches , and that evill angels endeavouring to take him away , dionysius the parisiensian intervened and freed him , onely prescribing that , in satisfaction of the wrong he had done , he should to the honour of god , and the blessed apostles peter and paul , whom he had offended , build a church . maurice the rothamagensian bishop , brought into the temple after his death , having received his soul again , said to them that stood about him , mark well the last words of your pastour , i am naturally dead , but am revived , that i may declare to you what i have seen , for i am to retain my soul no longer then i speak to you , my conductors , whose apparrell and countenance was most fair and lovely to behold , and their speech most pleasant , promised me going towards the sun-rising , the delectable and wished for enjoyment of paradise ; and having finished the adoration of saints at jerusalem , we went towards jordan , by the inhabitants whereof our company increasing , i was filled with exceeding joy ; and when i made haste to passe the river , my companions reported , that our lord had taught , that veniall sins which i had not formerly washed away by confession , would be purged by the aspect and fear of the devil , which thereupon i should conceive ; forthwith there appeared an army of most ugly spirits , flourishing and tossing most sharp spears , and vomitting out of their mouthes flames of fire , so that the ayr seemed all over filled with iron and flames ; at which sight i was miserably filled with horrour . that therefore you may consult and provide for your safeties , i have assumed this habite to speak to you : and presently again he expired . vincentius , lib. . cap. . macarius of alexandria upon a time walking in scy●hiotican solitude , looking upon the skull of a dead man lying upon the ground , began to obtest it by the name of jesus , and to interrogate it of what countrey he was when he lived , and in what place his soul , sometimes his inhabitant , now abode ? his dry mouth denudated of flesh and nerves burst forth into speech , answering , he had been a gentile , and an inhabitant of the next village ; and that now his soul was thrust crowded as remotely deep into the gulph of infernal perdition , as heaven is distant from the earth ; but the incredulous jews were thrown lower then he , and hereticks , who endeavoured to pervert with falshood the revealed truth of divinity , lower then they . idem . cyrillus hierosolymitanus reporteth , whilest in great heaviness he was at prayer , desiring that he might know the condition of the soul of ruffus his dead nephew ; he first smell 't a most heavy stink , intolerable , if he had not stopt his nose ; and presently after he saw ruffus bound in burning chains , vomiting flames out of his mouth mixt with smoak , his body all over by reason of the hea● , he seemed to suffer within , sparkling fire ; and being much affrighted with this sad spectacle , he earnestly desired to know for what cause a man , who for his integrity of life was beloved of all men , should be judged worthy of such punishments ? no fault was objected against him , ( for ought he could find ) for which he was so tormented ; but his playing at dice , which he sundry times using , thought it a light sin , or none at all ; and therefore neglected to confess it to a priest . idem . a certain man in the confines of the province valeria , before the priest severus came to him to absolve him of his sinnes , finished his course presently ; the same day the lord looking upon the p●●●ers and tears of severus , the young man revived ; and being asked what became of his soul , whilest his body was deprived of it ? he answered , that it was snatched by certain men blacker then moors , who breathed fire out of their mouthes and nostrils , who carried him through open and rough places ; but as he was thus led , being met by young men arrayed in white garments shining with a glorious light , the devils were forced to dismiss him , and restore him to his body ; for that they said , god had granted this to severus , who had by prayer devoutly desired it : therefore having confessed his sins to the same priest , and done penance , he dyed the seventh day again , but more happily then before . marulus , ex gregorio . in the time that rome was repaired , after the goths had wasted it , one , rather wicked then ignoble , being dead , revived . as his friends were bewailing his death , and said , send one to the church of lawrence the martyr , to enquire what tiburtius the priest doth ; for i saw him put upon a pile of wood fiercely burning : i also saw another pile , which , with the point of the flame thereof , seemed to reach heaven , i heard a voyce breaking out of the flame , which shewed for whom this punishment is prepared ; which having declared , he was stricken , not with a planet , but death it self , and again returneth from whence he came ; and it appeared , tiburtius at that instant exhaled his wretched soul , whom every man almost fore-judged , every one detesting his life ; for though he was a priest , he had nothing belonging to his place besides the figure and name . idem . stephen , a roman , illustrious in his age , going to constantinople , fell sick and dyed ; and , because they who accompanied him ; had a desire by reason of the respect they owed him , to carry his body to his native countrey , they enquired for one to imbalm him , by taking out his bowels , and applying spices and ordinary means to keep the body from putrifying in the journey : they could find no imbalmer by all their inquisition they made after one , but the next day the dead body was restored to life , and lived long after , though not so reformedly as he ought . wherefore many rebuked him , because what horrid sights he had seen , did not terrifie him from evill-doing . he was wont to tell that he was then carried to hell , and saw those formidable things which formerly he had heard , and would not believe ; and that while he stood as one guilty before the tribunal of the judge , it was commanded that he should be dismissed , and their mistake who had convented him , was reprehended ; for that it was commanded , that not he , but stephen the smith should be led thither : the same hour the smith departing this life , caused this to be believed a reall vision , and not reputed an idle dream . marulus , lib. . cap. . william , a boy of fifteen years of age , had a vision in the night , wherein there appeared to him a certain glorious man , who led him to a place of torments , and seeing men excrutiated after various manners , at last was brought to the devill himself , who in his fiery mansion amidst the flames , sate as a judge in his tribunal : presently a certain ugly spirit leapt up , accusing the boy ; saith he , i have ever suggested evill things to this boy , but of those sins which he committed lately , he made no mention at all to the priest at his confession ; he that led the boy perswaded him to sign himself with the sign of the cross ; which done , all his fear of damnation was taken away . vincentius , lib. . cap. . it is reported , that in the sabine province there was a certain nunne , who strictly observed chastity , but defiled her tongue with foolish procacity ; and when she past her last day , being buried in the church , the priest coming into the church at midnight , saw her distended before the altar , cut through the middle , her higher part burnt with fire , and her lower part left untouched : in the morning therefore telling to his brethren what he saw , as he looked upon the place in which he saw her burnt ; he sheweth to them the marks which he found in the marble of the scorching fire . gregorius magnus , lib. . dialog . cap. . the end of the second book . the opinions and arguments of the sadduces , and epicures ; by which they would prove , that the angels and devils do not appear unto men ; confuted . many there have been at all times , and in all ages , which have impugned , and stifly denied the apparitions of devills , angells , and spirits : but some have done it in one sort , and some in another . for there be some , who ( to ridde themselves altogether from the question and disputation , that might be made concerning particular and speciall matters , which are often alledged , in regard of the apparition of specters ) do bend themselves against them all in generall ; that so by cutting off the root , and undermining the foundation of a principle well grounded , they may the more easily cause the overthrow and downfall of all that which dependeth upon the same . they deny therefore , that there are any angells , or devils at all : or any spirits , severed and abstracted from a corporall substance or body : to the end that by consequence they may infer and conclude , that there are not likewise any specters , nor apparitions of spirits . such were the sadduces , as we may read in the acts of the apostles ; and the epicures ; and the greatest part of the peripateticks ; and all sorts of atheists whatsoever . of which last , there are at this day more huge numbers abounding within this our realm of france , then would be tolerated . these men would not stick to affirm ( if they durst , and were it not for fear of the magistrate ) that it is free for men to abandon themselves to all kind of iniquity , impiety , and dissolute living : for so do they murmure , and mumble , when they are alone and by themselves ; that there is not either god , or any spirits at all , good , or evill : nor yet any hell , where the souls of men should suffer any pains or punishment ; but that they dye together with the body ▪ and that all whatsoever is said or alledged , touching hell-torments , is nothing but a vain and superstitious toy , and fable ; onely to make babes and children afraid : and to wrap and tye the greatest persons of the world in certain bonds of a religious superstition : for so are the words of lucretius , in this behalf . and i do believe , that they do often say in their hearts , that which pythagoras , the samian , is alledged in ovid , to have said to the inhabitants of crotona in italy , why stand you thus in fear of styx , and such vain dreamings , of manes , and of spirits , which are nought else but leasings ? certainly he that should take upon him , to instruct these athiests , should but ●ose his time : because they will admit of no reasons , no not of those that are meerly naturall . for seeing they do not believe him which hath the command and rule of nature , how can they yield any credit or belief unto those reasons that are drawn from nature it self ? other persons there are , who , being more religious , and honester men then those former ; yet have no lesse denyed the essence of angels , devils , and spirits : howbeit they have been of this opinion : that by reason both of the distance between them and us , and of the difficulty of appearing in a humane body ; they cannot possibly present themselves unto us . others also there have been , who have referred all that which is spoken of the vision of spirits , unto the naturall and perpetuall depravation of the humane senses . such were the sceptikes , and the aporreticks , who were the followers of the philosopher pirrhon : as also the second and third academy , who held , that the senses , were they never so sound , could not imagine any thing , but falsly and untruly . again , some others , with more appearance of reason then the scepticks , have affirmed ; that abundance of melancholly , and choller adust , frenzy , feavers , and the debility or corruption of the senses ( be it naturally , or by accident ) in any body , may make them to imagine many things which are not . and they do infer , that such as happen to be attainted with these maladies , do think that they have seen devills , and other such like specters . they adde moreover , that the fear , superstition , and credulity of many is such , that they will most commonly suffer themselves to be drawn into a belief and perswasion of that , which is quite contrary to truth . to make short ; others there be , wise enough and fine conceited : yet neverthelesse ( being great mockers , and incredulous , because they themselves did never happen to see any vision , nor have ever heard or touched any supernaturall thing ) they have been of this opinion ; that nothing could appear unto men , that exceeded or went beyond the course of nature . and of this number , lucian was one : who ( being also as great an infidell as any could be ) said : i believe no part of all these apparitions : because i onely amongst you all did never see any of them . and if i had seen of them , assure your selves , i would believe them , as you do . notwithstanding for all this , he opposed himself against all the famous and renowned philosophers of his time , and held argument against them , though ( as himself confessed ) they were the chiefest and most excellent in all kind of knowledg and learning . and he was not ashamed to stand onely upon his own bare conceit and opinion : impudently maintaining , without any reason at all , against them that were as wise , if not more wise then himself , and more in number : that forsooth nothing at all , whatsoever was said or alledged touching specters , ought to be admitted or believed . but what reasons i pray you doth he bring , to confirm his saying ? truly none at all : but that onely of his own absolute and uncontrouled authority , he will draw to his incredulity , all others , whom he seeth to be assured and setled in their opinion : notwithstanding , that they are certainly resolved of the truth , by the exteriour senses , with which they have perceived and known that to be true , which so constantly they do maintain and defend . but how can it possibly be , that a man should think , without any shew of reason , by incredulity and mockery onely , to confute and overthrow that , which hath been ever of all men , and in all ages , received and admitted ? certainly , this is the fashion and guise of mockers , and scorners , that that which they cannot deny , nor yet have a will to confesse , they will find the means to put it off with a jest and laughter : and so think secretly to insinuate themselves into the minds and conceits of their hearers ; especially , such as look not , nor have a regard to the truth and substance of a thing , but onely to the outward shadow , and grace of words and glorious speeches . such a scorner needeth not any great knowledge : because it is sufficient for him to be superficially skilfull in any thing ; so that he can with a kind of grave and smiling grace , shift off the reasons and arguments of those , whose knowledge , and learning , is so exceeding far beyond his , as during his whole life , he will never attain unto the like . thus did machiavel carry himself : who amongst the learned , and men of skill and judgment , knew well how to make his profit of his scoffes , and pleasant grace in jesting ; whereby he would many times strike them out of countenance , in the sight of them that heard him ; whereas , if he had come to dispute with them , by lively reasons , and solid arguments , he would at the very first blow have been overthrown and confounded . but in the end he discovered himself sufficiently , and was reputed of all men , no other then a scoffer , and an atheist , as paulus jovius testifieth of him . but we will cease to speak any further of him , of lucian , and of those of their humour , and will return to our matter , touching specters : the which , that we may the better explain ( now that we have briefly declared the diversity of opinions , of those that insist upon the contrary ) we will answer unto each of them in order , as they have been propounded . and first , as touching the sadduces , the epicures , the peripateticks , we will severally answer their arguments which they object against us : next , we will remove those difficulties , which are objected , and shew how the angels and devils may take upon them a body . afterwards , we will shew and discover unto the scepticks , that the humane senses are not so faulty and uncertain , as they would make men believe . and last of all , ( to the intent we may leave nothing behind ) we will not forget to shew , by what maladies and infirmities the senses may be hurt and troubled : and the imaginative power of man wounded and changed : so as all that which is supposed to be seen , is meerly false and untrue . to come first of all to the sadduces : it is most certain , that of all men they were the most grosse and carnall : and did not believe that any thing was spirituall : but they did imagine all to be corporall : because they said , that the humane understanding doth alwaies work with the phantasme , and with the thing imagined . and it appeareth , that in dreaming of any thing whatsoever , we do alwaies imagine it to be corporall ; whereupon they conclude , that all things are corporall ; and therefore that even god also is a corporal substance , which is the greatest absurdity and blasphemy that can be imagined in the world . for it we should restrain god into a body , we must also make him subject to a body : ( so saith saint john damascen ) which , in a word , is to restrain and shorten the power and omnipotency of god : the which being infinitely above all substances , both corporall and incorporall , is not subject to their category . the reason that moved them to believe that god was corporall , was a place of moses ( for they did not receive nor admit of any scriptures , but the five books of moses ; as saith origen ) wherein it is written . that god made moses to stay in the cave of a rock or mountain : and putting his hand upon him , did shew him his hinder parts , not suffering him to see his face . and therefore in regard that moses attributeth unto god a face , a hand , and other parts , they conclude that god hath a body . of the same opinion also was tertullian , ( as witnesseth saint augustine , writing to optatus ) and the bogomi●es , being certain heretiques of bulgary : who thought that god was as we are ( so writeth enthymus ) : and that from his two eyes , out of his brain did issue two beams ; the one called the sunne , and the other , the holy spirit : which is a most blasphemous and intolerable errour . now the occasion , why the sadduces did so eagerly defend and maintain , that god had a body ; was , because they would deny all incorporall substances : to which effect they thus argued . if god ( say they ) have created any substances , he created them to his own image and likenesse : and therefore when he made man he said , that he made him according to his own image : shewing thereby , that he was of a corporall substance : because that man , whom he formed to the pattern of his own face , is corporall . and if god have made nothing but what is corporall : it followeth , that the angells and devills which are said to be spirits , are nothing but meer fables : and that there be not any souls , or spirits separated from a corporall substance : and by consequence , that the soul of man is mortall , as the body ; and hath no need to be reunited thereunto by the generall resurrection . but it is easy to answer them ; by denying plainly , that god is corporall , or hath any body . for albeit , the holy scripture doth attribute unto god , hands , feet , face , eyes , and other parts of a body : yet this must be understood spiritually ; and by those corporall and bodily members , we must imagine the spirituall vertues of god ( according as saith s. gregory ) : as , by his eyes , we must understand his foresight and his knowledg ; to the which all things are open , and from which nothing is hidden and concealed : by his hand , is meant , his almighty power and puissance : by his face , the plenitude and fullnesse of his glory . by his hinder parts , his glory is shadowed , as under the vail of some certain form and similitude . and whereas they say , that the understanding doth work with the imagination : and that we do imagine god to be a corporal substance : this hath no reason , nor any appearance of truth at all ; but is an errour , common to them , with the epicures : to the which we will answer anon . and as touching the angels : i do greatly marvell how the saduces can deny the being of them ; seeing that moses in many places doth make mention of them , and of their apparition . we may therefore very well say of them , that they use the books of moses , as men use their stirrops , in lengthening and shortning them , at their pleasures . this is the reason , why justine martyr did not reckon them in the number of the jews ( and that worthily ) but reputed them as hereticks : not allowing them any place in the jewish church , by reason of the fond and absurd opinions which they held , not onely of god , but also of the angels , devils , and souls of men , which they affirmed to be mortall . but as concerning this latter point , we shall speak more hereafter . let us now consider the arguments of the epicures . the first errour of the epicures is , that god hath a body ; as the saduces did believe likewise . and their first argument was , that nature it self ( forsooth ) did teach and admonish us , to believe , that both god and all celestiall essences were corporall ; for two reasons : the former was , because the gods are not figured in any other , then in a humane form . and the second , because whether it be in sleeping , or in waking , when we dream or imagine of the gods , no other form doth present it self unto our imaginations , but a humane shape : and therefore they conclude , that the gods are in figure like unto men . but unto this argument , cicero answereth sufficiently ; that such humane shape , and form , is attributed unto the gods by the invention of men : and that either it proceedeth from the wisedome of the antients ; who thought thereby they should the more easily draw the spirits and minds of the ignorant , to the knowledg of spirituall , and supernatural things ; and that they should the sooner bring and reduce them into the way to live well and vertuously : or else , that the same had its beginning and first footing from a blind superstition : which doth most easily allure men to adore those gods which are portrayed and carved in a form most pleasing and agreeable unto men ; or else , that it is but a fiction of poets and painters ; who have alwaies been audacious to fain and devise any thing , rather then that which should be according to truth and verity . and this last point may well serve to answer that , which the epicures say ; that , be it in sleeping , or in waking , the gods do not present themselves unto us , in any other then a humane form : for this is certain , that by the portraiture and pictures which we see of the gods , in those forms which are common and familiar unto us ; we do imagine ( though falsly ) that which may resemble unto us , the same which we have seen to be painted . insomuch , that jupiter seemeth unto us , to have a face and countenance terrible , with his hair black , and hanging backward ; as phidias did engrave him . and minerva had her eyes blew , or of an azure colour ; as homer describeth her . mercury was painted like a young man , having his eyes alwaies open , as one that was ever waking : with bright yellow hair , and a yellow down upon his chin and cheeks , as if it did but newly begin to frizzle or to curl . venus had her eyes delicate and wanton , and her locks of gold yellow . juno had grosse and thick eyes , rising up towards her head , like unto the eyes of an oxe . and so generally were the rest of the gods painted by the gentiles , in divers forms and fashions . notwithstanding , all this proceeded of nothing else , but from the errour of our imagination , which suffereth it self to be deceived and seduced , by the painting , which imprinted in it a kind of false notion . i say , a notion : because the ignorant common sort of people , is perswaded of the same , and suffereth it to take place in their mind , or understanding : which is as easy also to be deceived , as is their imagination . but a man of wisedome and judgment , ( who hath his understanding more clear and open ) is not easily therewithall seduced : but notwithstanding all paintings and fictions , his intellect , or understanding power pierceth through the imagination ( as the sun pierceth or shineth through the clouds ) : and spreading it self , with her light , doth easily believe in a spirituall manner , that god and the angels are spiritual . the second argument of the epicures , touching the humane body of god ; was , that god took upon him that form , which was , or could be imagined , to be the most beautifull in the whole world. and they say , that the humane form , or shape , is of all others , the most goodly and excellent : and therefore we ought to think that god is carnall and corporall , as men are . hereunto needeth no answer to be made : because the consequence of their argument is not good : viz. that god should retain unto himself the figure of a man , because the same is the most excellent of all other creatures in the world. for the divinity of god , neither is , nor can be , in any corporal substance : but it is an incorporeall and spirituall essence , which hath nothing common with that substance which is proper unto these earthly creatures . the third and last argument of these philosophers , is a gradation or heaping up of syllogisms : which kind of argument , the greeks call a sorites : and they frame it in this sort ; it is held and confessed of all , that god , and all other celestiall powers , are exceedingly happy : but no person can be happy , without vertue : and vertue cannot be present in any , without reason : and reason can be in none , but in the figure and shape of man. therefore it must be granted , that the gods , which have the use of reason , have the form of man also . but the whole frame of this argument may soon and easily be dissolved , by denying , that reason can be in no other , then in a humane shape : for both god and the angels , who have a divine and spirituall understanding , have the use of reason , notwithstanding , that they be not of a corporall substance . and reason in man , commeth not of the humane body : but from the soul of man , which is spiritual and divine , made unto the likenesse of god , and capable of reason , of prudence , and of wisedome . now , whereas it might be objected to the epicures ; that in making their gods to have a humane body , they do therein make them subject to death and dissipation . to avoid this absurdity , they do tumble into a greater ; affirming , that their body is as a body ; and their bloud , as bloud ; not having any thing , but the lineaments and proportion of a man , and being exempted from all crassitude and thicknesse : which in a word , is as much as to say , that their gods were rather idols of men , then very men ; and rather framed by the pattern of men , then as men in truth and substance : which is a thing the most ridiculous that can be imagined . but , will some say , to what purpose serveth all this , touching our matter of specters ? i have said before , that the sadduces did maintain god to have a body , to the end they might the better deny the appearing of specters ; which are substances without a body . also the epicures made their gods to have bodies ; that so they might hold them in the heavens idle , and doing nothing : and by consequence might deny their apparition upon earth . for as touching devils or spirits , they believed there were not any : but did confound them all in the number of their gods. and , that they did but make a jest of specters , appeareth by the speech of cassius in plutarch : and in that that celsus ( half an epicure ) writing against the christians , did deny them flatly and absolutely , ( as is to be seen in origen , who hath answered him ) and did reprove the christians , in that they would allow of any powers , or spirits , contrary to the gods : supposing ( according to his own saying , and opinion ) that there were no devills . besides that , he made a mock and a jest of angels , and of the resurrection of the body : and generally of all those apparitions , which were made , both in the old and new testament . and now that we speak of contrary powers , it putteth me in remembrance of a speech of plutarch , who reproveth chrysippus , for that in this universall body of the world , so well ordained and framed , he should grant so great an inconvenience , ( to wit ) that there should be a kind of devills afflicting and tormenting men , to the disturbance of the concord and harmony of the world : which being well ordained by the author and maker thereof , ought not to be thought to bear or sustain any thing which should be incommodious to it self ; and by lapse , and continuance of time , should work the confusion and destruction of the same . but it seemeth , that plutarch reprehended chrysippus , upon a desire and humour of contradiction , rather then moved upon any just cause , or matter of truth . for the devills do not work any dammage or inconvenience to the world , being bridled and restrained by the hand and power of god. and if they do torment men , or tempt them , it is to exercise them , or to manifest the glory and justice of god ; of the which they are sometimes made the executioners . and as in each common-wealth , well instituted there be executioners ordained , for the punishment of malefactors , and such as trouble and disturb the publick peace , and good of the common-weal , and yet the universal body of the common-weal is not thereby offended , or endamaged : but to the contrary , rather it receiveth much more profit and commodity . even so god hath placed , and left here below in this world , devils and wicked spirits , to be as tormenters and executioners to wicked men : that so his justice might shine the more glorious , to the comfort of the godly , and of his elect , that live in the love and fear of him . but to come again unto the epicures : it is most certain , that they were no other , then the followers of nature : and that onely so far as things did fall under their outward senses . and if one should alledge unto them , that any specters , images , and visions , had presented themselves ; they would refer the same , for the most part , to the concourse and perpetuall flux of their atomes : or to some other like reasons ; the which we hold it not amisse to discover and decipher at large , as we have drawn them out of cicero , or of lucretius . all images ( say they ) which do externally present themselves unto our senses , either they are visible , or invisible ; if they be invisible , either they are created in the ayre , or in our own minds and conceits . as touching those made in the ayre ; it is not any strange thing , or abhorring from reason , that in the same should be engendred certain voices ; like as we see it is naturall , that cold commeth from the rivers ; ebbing and flowing , from the sea ; and heat , from the sun. and it may be , that some voice , being spread abroad within the valleys , doth not onely rebound back again , to the place from whence it came ; but doth dilate and scatter it self here and there , throughout the ayre , as do the sparks that mount up from the fire . so that for one voice there are many engendred ; which running through the empty ayre , do enter within the ears of those , that knew nothing of the naturall voice ; and do put them into a misconceit , and fond opinion , that they have heard either some of the fayries , or satyres , or nymphes , playing and sporting amidst the woods . as concerning those that are bred in the mind ; they say , that for the innumerable course of atomes ; all whatsoever we do dream or think of , commeth incontinently into the spirit or mind , and sometimes passeth by visions and images into the bodily eyes . but if the images be visible ; either they are reverberated and beaten back , from the chrystall and transparant ayre , exceeding clear in her superficies ? or they come of the spoyls and scales of naturall things . touching the ayre ; that it may of it self cast some kind of image , having power to appear , they prove it in this sort ; all ayre that is chrystalline or transparent , hath a kind of refraction , as appeareth by the mirrour ( whereof looking glasses are made and polished ) and by the water , and by a thick and darkned ayre . and this do the catopticks themselves teach in their principles ; now ( by the comparison and similitude of the mirror , and the water ) all ayre which hath a refraction , doth of it self yield some certain form . and therefore it is not any thing strange if in an ayre a man may see certain forms and images . and they do bring also this comparison . even as the tapestry hangings in a theater , or a large wide hall , do cast abroad round about , their naturall colour , where they find an ayre opposed against them ; and the more that the beams of the sun do beat or shine upon them , the more bright and shining lustre they carry with them ; and seem to have cast off and left their colour , in the same place , which is directly in opposition against them ; so is it most certain , that the ayre may of it self cast abroad certain forms and figures ; the which look by how much the more they be made clear , by the light which doth bring and tye them to our object , so much the more comprehensible shall they be unto our sight . in brief , concerning the spoils and scales cast from natural things , of which , in their opinion , images should be engendred . they do make this argument ; the caterpillars ( say they ) do leave their spoils in the hedges or bushes , like unto themselves ; so do the serpents among the thorns or stones ; and the little creatures , at the time of their birth , do leave behind them their after-burthen ; which is a little thin and slender skin , which they bring with them , from their dammes belly . why therefore may there not be left or cast from the bodyes of naturall things , certain thin and subtill forms , or images , proceeding from them as well , as a little skin and the after-burthen doth remain of the superfluity of little creatures ? but all these arguments may very easily be dissolved . and first , as touching the voyces , which , they say , may simply be created of the ayre ; i will not deny that . for it is most certain , that the voice , is a certain beating and concussion of the ayre , which falleth under the sense of hearing , ( as is affirmed by the grammarians . ) and the matter of the voice ( as saith galen ) is the breath , and respiration of the lungs ; but the form thereof is the ayre , without the which , neither can it be understood , nor can it be called a voice . besides i will not deny , but that the sounds are raised within the empty ayre , be it either by the winds , or by some other externall cause . but to say , that the voices , and the sounds are naturall and adherent to the ayre , as the tide to the sea ; and coldnesse to the rivers ; and heat to the sun : it would then follow , that without any externall cause at all , both the voice , and the senses should be treated in the ayre , and should perpetually adhere unto the ayre , as the tide doth to the sea ; and cold to the waters ; and heat unto the sun. but so it is , that the winds are not alwaies in the ayre : and the sounds and voices are external things , comming into the ayre , by the means of some other subject ; the which is nothing to neither in the sea , nor in the rivers , nor in the sun : because that in the seas the tide ; and cold in the waters ; and heat in the sun , are unseparably , and continually . and there is great difference between accidents that are separable , and those that are inseparable . for the separable accident as the voyces and the sounds in the ayre , may be abstracted , and drawn from the substance of the ayre , and yet the ayre shall neither perish , nor be the sooner altered thereby ; but ebbing and flowing cannot be taken from the sea , but the nature thereof must needs be changed ; nor can the heat be separated from the sun , but that he must then lose his light ; neither can the cold be severed from the rivers , but that the quality and nature of the water must be changed ; which cannot possibly be ; because naturally water is cold . and these three accidents , are inseparably knit to those three substances , no lesse , then blacknesse is to the raven , and whitenesse to the swan . moreover , it is a far greater foolery , to say , that of voices articulated and knit together , the voices themselves should be bred and engendred in the ayre : for that is not onely against the nature of the ayre , but against all order established in the world. neither is it to any purpose , to alledge for an instance , the voice of an eccho : the which being carried in the ayre , doth spread it self , and scattereth ( as a spark from the fire ) here and there , not onely towards the party that made and dispersed the sound , but to some other places likewise . for the voice of the eccho , is engendred of the voice of the party , and not of the ayre , and is dispersed ( as themselves confesse ) by the speech of the man , from whom it took its originall and first beginning . neither will i easily grant unto them , that the voice of the eccho doth disperse it self on all sides , without losing it self , or being extinguished . for it is a thing very notorious , and sufficiently proved , that if the eccho be dispersed into another place , then that from whence it first received her voice , she is no more discerned or understood as the voice of a man , but onely as a confused and uncertain sound ; which ranging through the vallies , cannot be discerned , but onely for a resounding noise , and not otherwise . now as concerning those images , or similitudes , which the epicures alledg to be created in the thought or conceit : saying , that the mind of man doth refer unto the eyes , whatsoever it dreameth , or thinketh on ; and that by means of the abundance or concourse of the atomes . i do make them the same answer , which cicero yielded them : that if the mind and the eyes do so symbolize and agree together in operations , that whatsoever the mind shall imagine and conceive , the eye may presently see ; it must needs then follow , that some things shall present themselves to our eyes and sight , which never were in being , nor ever can be . for i may dream , or think of a scylla , a chimera , a hippocentaure , and such like conceited fictions , which never were , nor can be . and i may fain unto my self , in my mind , strange monsters , and anticks ; such as painters do many times make , which neither are things , nor can possibly be . to be short , if this argument of the epicures were true ; it must needs be , that all things whatsoever the mind presenteth , should be of a certainty : and they should fall so subject to our sight , as we might plainly and sensibly see them : the which is the greatest folly , that can possibly be imagined . neither can they defend themselves with the continuall concourse of their atomes : which ( they say ) do uncessantly bring certain images into the mind , and into the eyes of men . for , be it , that we should confesse , that their atomes do slide into the mind of man : how can they conclude thereof , that they descend into the sight ; nay , how can they descend ; but that even by their own reasons , their ignorance and sottishnesse may be discovered . for , if their atomes do enter into the mind , it must needs be then by that means , that they be invisible ; and that they do fly up and down very closely , and subtilly ( as the very word doth also import . ) now if they fly invisibly in the mind ; how can they of themselves so readily make any thing visible and apt to be seen ? certainly , to make their atomes visible and corporall , there must be of necessity , beforehand , a great concurrence and huge heap of them drawn together ; which cannot be suddenly done , but will require a great time . now in the mean while that these invisible atomes shall be a gathering , and getting together into the mind , they will be flitting and flying away some other where , as soon as the mind ( which never retaineth one thing very long ) hath put them out of remembrance . so that by this means they have not any leasure to form themselves visible to the eyes of the body ; but they return back again , even as they came at first , invisible . now let us proceed , and passe on to those images , which ( say the epicures ) are reverberated from the ayre , being clear and transparant in her superficies . i do agree with them , that the catoptike , that is to say , the speculative , ( being one of the kinds of the art optike ) doth hold , that the refraction , which is made of forms ( be it either in a mirrour in the ayre , or in the water ) commeth either of the density and thicknesse of the mirrour , polished and made bright , the which keepeth sight , that it doth not disperse and scatter it self : whereas otherwise , if the mirrour were transparent , or had any pores , whereby one might see through it , the sight would disperse and scatter it self abroad : or else it commeth of the thicknesse of the ayre next adjoyning : or of the humid and moist concretion of the water , which stayeth and limiteth the beams of the eyesight . and that is the reason , why one may aswell see his visage in the water , as in a mirrour or looking-glasse ; and so also in the water of the sea , when it is not troubled nor tossed with the winds , but resteth calm and quiet ; which virgil testifieth in these verses : of late ( upon the shore ) i stood , my self beholding in waters of the sea , no stormy winds then stirring . but what will they infer of this , which every man will confesse to be true and infallible ? so it is , ( say they ) that the ayre being clear in her superficies ( like as doth the mirrour or looking glasse ) ; so will it yield of it self , some form or figure . let this also be granted them : and what of that ? forsooth they conclude , that therefore in the ayre , a man may see figures and images . but who seeth not , that this conclusion is ridiculous , and sophisticall : for it doth not answer to the terms of their proposition : but simply carrieth away the subject , without speaking of that , which is thereunto attributed , and which is the knot of the whole question . but i would know of the epicures , how they can prove unto us , that by their atomes the ayre may naturally engender forms and images of themselves , which should be visible : and , which should be moving and living , as the specters are . i do assure my self , that they have not any arguments so good , but they may as easily be dissolved and avoided , as was the former . but they will say , perhaps ; that we see often in the ayre comets , fiery flames , and other prodigies . true ; this i will not deny ; but these things ( which they say are seen in the ayre ) do not take their originall neither of their atomes , nor of the ayre ; but are engendred of the vapours dryed up from the earth , as it is well known by the writings of good philosophers . and the ayre is susceptible and capable of them , by reason of some emptinesse in it ; which doth easily yield and give place , and receiveth that which is sent unto it from below . besides it is very evident , that such figures and images as are seen in the ayre , have not any life in them , as have the true specters ; the which also ( the epicures ought to shew by good reasons ) to be carried to and fro , and to move themselves in the ayre . for if they had attributed motion and stirring unto specters ; and had proved , that naturally , without having any soul or life , they might notwithstanding be seen wandring , and running hither and thither in our form , or in any other ; and that they are not onely to be seen in all parts of the ayre , but in all other places whatsoever ; then this might have stood them in great stead , to have impugned the apparition of specters , supernaturally , or against nature . moreover , if they will affirm , that the transparent and thick ayre , receiving our figure by refraction , doth move it self as we do ; and doth live and change from place to place , as we do ; then must they also prove unto us , that the same should be a specter ; and not the image of the object opposed thereunto , the which vanisheth away assoon as the same doth absent it self from it . and seeing we are now in the discourse of images , formed in a thick ayre : it is to be understood , that their nature is to appear either by the refraction of our own naturall and proper form , or by reflexion . as touching their appearance by refraction , we have already spoken sufficiently : but as concerning those which are by reflexion ; it is most certain , that their property is to appear by another form then ours : namely , of some lightsome body , which groweth into the thick and grosse ayre , in the humid and moist concretion of the same ; or into the glasse of a mirrour , making a reflexion of that thing which is reverberated and beaten back again into our sight . thus by way of reflexion may a man see within a looking-glasse , those men which are walking and marching in the streets . and sometimes a man shall think that men are walking near the walls of his chamber : which notwithstanding is nothing so ; but that onely there is a reflexion of those persons whom we see aloof , walking and going up and down . so likewise by way of reflexion , may a man see in the heavens sometimes a second sunne , the image of the true sun ; and so likewise of the rainbow . howbeit that this latter ( as aristotle would have it ) is not any reflexion but a relation of the aspect unto our eye-sight . but under his correction , that is not so : for if the rainbow in the heavens do not yield a reflexion to our sight , it would not be seen in the water , or in a looking glasse , as it is , and as daily experience sheweth us . and this also may serve for a solution to that argument of the epicures , who by comparison of the clothes of tapistry , that imprint their colours in the wall opposed , would prove , that the ayre may also cast any form or image of it self . for the colours of the rainbow , and of tapistry-hangings , are for the most part lively colours , as azure or sky-colour , red , carnation , and green ; all which do naturally cast a great lustre , which may easily yield an impression upon any solid thing , and may reflect unto our eyes . and yet neverthelesse , i see not how this can be a good argument , to shew that the ayre can engender forms or figures ; which may refer themselves to the eyes , as specters , and not rather , as colours . last of all , touching that which the epicures affirm ; how , of the bodies of things do issue and remain certain spoils : the same hath not any foundation upon naturall reason , or upon any apparance of truth . for , is there any likelihood , or probability , that if the creatures do leave behind them their after-burthens , or other such spoils , bereaved from them , in the places where they have been : that therefore the bodies ( be they dead , or be they alive ) do leave an image , or impression of themselves , in their absence , after they are departed from those places ? it is most certain , that the bodies of any creatures , have not any thing in them , which either in their life-time , or after that their substance is perished , can be abstracted or separated from them . for otherwise , of one body there should be two made ; which were a strange thing , and altogether abhorring from nature . and were not much different , either from the fables of the poets , who of a dead body , made the abstraction of a shadow , which they called the image and idoll thereof , ( as is affirmed , both by sergius , and lucian and the commentator upon homer ) or else from those fabulous and idle dreams of the rabbins , and talmudists , which had their nephes , as saith the author of zoar. but the truth is , that those creatures which do use to cast their spoils from them , do leave no other then a thin slender skin , which being superfluous , is no more remaining or abiding with the body : howbeit , that it commeth from the body ; as appeareth both by the after-burthens of all creatures ( wherein the young ones being wrapped and enfolded in the bellies of their dams , yet in comming from thence , do easily and naturally cast them off ) as also by the spoils of the serpent , or snake , and by the skins of the silk-worms , and the caterpillars ; the which superfluities , are drawn and cast off particularly from these beasts or creatures , as a mark to the one , to wit , the silk-worms , and caterpillars , that they do change from their former state , and to the other , namely the serpents , to shew the poisons and ill hearbs and seeds , which they have eaten all the winter , according as virgil writeth of them . these arguments being thus finished : let us now come to that which the epicures affirm to be the cause why any should be touched and attained with fear ; when they see such images and figures , which they affirm naturally to flit and fly up and down . we ( say they ) are affected and altered , according to the things which we see , and which are next unto us . as for example ; we perceive , i know not what , salt humour being near the sea ; and in touching of wormwood , and of rue , we find a kind of bitternesse : and when we are near a smith , we feel our teeth to gnash , and to be set on edge , at the noise of his file , or saw , wherewith he worketh . so likewise , when these images and figures do present themselves unto us , we cannot possibly abide nor suffer them ; but we find our selves altered and changed in our understanding : howbeit some more then other some . for like as there be certain seeds within the eyes of cocks , which shining and shooting into the eyes of the lions , do so strike and pierce their eye-lids , and do inflict upon them such pain and grief , that they are constrained to fly from them , being not able to abide or endure the sight of the cock ; so are there some men , who have their senses so apprehensive and subtill , that they cannot hold from being afraid , when they see such vain images and figures before them . but hereunto we must give them this answer ; that the fear which men have by the sight of specters or spirits , commeth in regard that the things are unaccustomed and admirable to the bodily senses ; and not from any secret seeds , which are contrary to our nature , and much lesse from any natural passion ; such as that is , wherewith men are touched , that abide near the sea , or those that see rue or wormwood , or do hear the noise of a smiths file or saw . for if it were of any natural passion that this fear proceeded ; then would not the party terrified , be so confounded and astonished even in the very powers of the soul , as it is commonly seen that men are , at the sight of specters or spirits : but rather he should be onely moved by a certain antipathy or abomination ( as pomponatius calleth it ) and would onely abhor and fly from that which he so feareth . besides , things that are supernatural , do much more touch the senses of man , then those things do , which are natural . neither are they to be compared with such things , as having a natural cause ( howbeit secret ) do happen to be seen daily and ordinarily . now i say , that the cause of these things ( though naturall ) is secret : for alexander aphrodise●s , speaking of the noise of the file , and how it setteth the teeth on edge , with other things of like nature , saith , that nature hath reserved the reason thereof unto her own secret knowledg , not being willing to impart the cause thereof unto men . the like may be affirmed of the greatest part of those antipathies , which being concealed from men , yet cannot come of any secret seeds , that are contrary or enemies to nature ( as the epicures dote ) but are hidden in the secret magazin or storehouse of nature , which hath not revealed or laid the same open unto any person . who can tell the reason why the conciliatour , otherwise called peter de albano , did abhor milk ? why horace , and jaques de furly could not abide garlike ? nor cardan could away with egs. and why that gentleman of gascoigne ( of whom julius caesar scaliger speaketh ) could not abide the sound of a violl ? and of this latter in cardan you may read the history . the physitian scaliger writeth , how he himself knew a gentleman , his neighbour , which had in him such an antipathy at the sound of a violl , that as soon as ever he heard it ( were he in any company , even of the best sort , and that either at table , or elsewhere ) he was constrained to forsake the place , and to go away to make water . now it happened , that certain gentlemen having of a long time perceived and known this strange nature and disposition in him , did one day invite this gentleman to dine with them ; and having provided and suborned a certain minstrel of purpose , they caused him to be kept close till the appointed dinner time , when being set at table , they had so placed the gent. in the midst of them , as it was not possible for him to get forth . now as they were in the midst of their dinner , in came the fidler , and began to strike up his violl near unto the gent. he that never heard the sound of that instrument , but was presently taken with an extream desire to pisse , grew into an exceeding great pain : for being not able to get from the table , nor daring to lay open his imperfection to the whole company ; the poor man shewed by the often change of his countenance , in what pitiful case and pain he was . but in the end he was constrained to yield to the present mischief , and to reveal his imperfection . he that should undertake to search and find out the cause of this so admirable an antipathy , i assure my self he should be as long a time about it , as was aristotle in seeking out the cause of the flowing and ebbing of the seas , ( whereof have written gregory nazianzen , justine martyr , eusebius , and others ) and yet he could never learn the certain cause thereof . but as touching the reason why the lion doth fly from the cock : it commeth not from any seeds that lye hidden within the eyes of the cock , and which from thence , should strike into the eyes , and hurt the sight of the lion : but it is by a kind of antipathy , whereof we have formerly spoken . by which also the elephant doth fly from the hogge , and the horse from the stone taraxippe ; or else it is , for that the cock and the lion , partaking both of them of the nature of the sun ( but the cock more then the lion ; ) it happeneth that the lion perceiving it , doth presently fly from him ; as the valiant hector is said to fly before achilles , who was more brave and more warlike then he . or else it is because the cock , being a celestiall fowl , and the lion a terrestriall creature , and of a g●osser matter ( having the spirits more sensitive and brutal then the other ) doth therefore by nature yield and give place , to that which is more excellent . and this reason seemeth unto me in some sort allowable : the rather , for that those devils which are of a more materiall and terrestrial nature , and be called devils of the sun , do fly the voice of the cock , as well as the lion ( as psellus teacheth us ) . and thus , in my opinion , you see sufficiently how all the arguments and foolish dreams and fancies of the epicures , may be soon answered , and easily dissolved . the arguments of those which deny that the angells and devils can take unto them a body ; confuted . they which do deny that the angels and devills can take unto them a body , do not aim at the mark to deny their essence , ( as do the sadduces : ) but they do it onely to disprove and impugne their apparition . for it is a good consequent ; if the angels and devils take not upon them any body , then can they not appear : and if one should reply unto them and say ; that in our spirit and understanding the angels and devills may give some shew and token of their presence . to this they have their exception ready : that things spirituall and intelligible and all sorts of intelligences , do represent themselves by things that are sensible . we will see therefore by what reasons they endeavour to prove , that an angell or a devill cannot take a body unto them . no body ( say they , ) can be united to an incorporal substance , but onely that it may have an essence and a motion by the means of that substance . but the angells and devils cannot have a body united in regard of any essence : for in so doing we must conclude , that their bodies should be naturally united unto them , which is altogether untrue ; and therefore it remaineth that they cannot be united unto a body , but onely in regard of the motion : which is a reason of no sufficiency for the approving of their opinion . for thereof would follow an absurdity in regard of the angels : to wit , that they might take all those bodies that are moved by them , which is a very great and grosse errour . for the angell did move the tongue of balaams asse : and yet he entred not in his tongue . and therefore it cannot be said that an angell or a devil , can take a body unto them . to this argument i answer , that true it is , that an angel and a devill , cannot ( to speak properly ) take unto them every body that is moved : for to take a body signifieth to adhere unto the body . now the angels and the devils do take unto them a body , not to unite it to their nature , and to incorporate it together with their essence : as he that taketh any kind of meat for sustenance : much lesse to unite the same to their person : as the son of god took upon him the humane nature : but they do it onely that they may visibly represent themselves unto the fight of men . and in this sort the angels and devils are said to take a body , such as is apt and fit for their apparition , as appeareth by the authority of denis ariopagyte , " who writeth , that by the corporal forms the properties of " angels are known and discerned . again they say , that if the angels and devils ▪ do take a body , it is not for any necessity that they have , but onely to instruct and exhort us to live well , as do the angels ; or to deceive and destroy us , as do the devils . now both to the one and the other , the imaginary vision , or the tentation is sufficient ; and therefore it seemeth , that it is not needfull they should take unto them any body . i answer ; that not onely the imaginary vision of angels is necessary for our instruction , but that also which is corporall and bodily , as we shall shew anone , when we intreat of the apparition of angels . and as concerning the devils , god doth permit them both visibly and invisibly to tempt men , some to their salvation , and some to their damnation . moreover they thus agree : that god appeared unto the patriarchs ( as is to be seen in the old testament , and the good angells likewise , ) as saint augustine proveth in his book of the trinity . now we may not say , that god took upon him any body , except onely in the mystery of his incarnation . and therefore it is needlesse to affirm , that the angels which appear unto men , may take upon them a body . i answer , ( as doth saint augustine ) who saith : that all the apparitions which were in the old testament , were made by the ministery of angells , who formed and shaped unto themselves certain shapes and figures imaginary and corporal , by which they might reduce and draw unto god , the soul and spirit of him that saw them : as it is possible , that by figures which are sensible , men may be drawn and lifted up in spirit and contemplation unto god. and therefore we may well say , that the angells did take unto them a body , when they appeared in such apparitions . but now god is said to have appeared ; because god was the bu●t and mark whereunto by vision of those bodies , the angels did endeavour and seek to lift up unto god the souls of men . and this is the cause that the scripture saith , that in these apparitions sometimes god appeared , and sometimes the angels . furthermore , they make this objection . like as it is agreeing naturally to the soul to be united to the body : so , not to be united unto a body , is proper and natural unto the angels and devils . now the soul cannot be separated from the body when it will : therefore the angels and devils also cannot take unto them a body when they will. for answer whereof , i confesse that every thing is born and ingendred hath not any power over his being ; for all the power of any thing floweth from the essence thereof , or presupposeth an essence ; and because the soul by reason of her being , is united unto the body , as the form thereof ; it is not in her puissance to deliver her self from the union of the body . and so in like manner it is not in the power of any angell or devill to unite themselvs to any body as the form thereof ; but they may well take a body whereof they may be the moving cause , and ( if a man may so speak ) as the figure of the figure . the affirm moreover , that between the body assumed , ( if i may use this word ) and the party assuming , there ought to be some proportion and similitude ; but between the angell or devill , and a body , there is not any proportion ; for both the one and the other are of divers kinds , and by consequent both of them are incompatible together . to this i answer , that if the proportion be taken according to the quantity , greatnesse , and measure , there is no proportion between the angels or devils , and a body ; because their greatnesse is not of one and the same kind , nor of one and the same consideration . notwithstanding nothing can let but that there may be a certain habitude of an angell to a body : as of a thing that moveth to the motion , and of a thing figured to the figure , the which may be termed a proportion . another argument they make , which is this : no substance finite ( whatsoever it be ) can have in any operations together : an angell is a substance finite ; and therefore it cannot both minister unto us , and take to it self a body together . but this is easily dissolved : for i say , that these two operations , to take a body , and to serve in their ministery , are ordained mutually to the angels : and therefore nothing hindreth them , but that the angels may use both of them at once , and together . again they inferre , that if angells and devils do take a body either it is a celestial body ; or some other , having the nature of some of the four elements . now the angels cannot take a celestiall body , for that the body of the heaven cannot divide it self , nor cannot make any abstraction from it self : much lesse can the devils have the power , seeing the angels have it not . besides , they cannot take unto them a body of fire , for then they should consume and burn the body , near to which they do approach : much lesse can they take a body of the ayre , for that is not figurable ; neither can they take any body that is a moveable element , and retaineth no form ; nor yet by the same mean can they have a terrestriall body ; for we see it written how the angels do very soon and suddenly vanish away out of sight , as it appeared by that angell which came to tobias . and the devills also when they shew themselves in any apparition , can in a moment withdraw themselves from the sight of men . and therefore being unable and unapt to take upon them any body , either elementary or celestiall ; it must needs follow that they appear not at all . to this i answer , that the angels and devils may take a body of any element whatsoever , and which themselves will ; yea and of many elements mixt together . neverthelesse it is most likely to be true , and the common opinion is ; that they do soonest of all take unto them a body of the ayre , by thickning the same , and forming it of vapours , that mount and arise from the earth , and in turning and moving it at their pleasure , as the wind moveth the clouds , being able to make the same to disappear and vanish away again whensoever they will , by reason that it is nothing but a vapour . but yet this will not satisfy them , but they go further , saying ; that every assumption of a body , is limitted and bounded with some union : but of an angell , and of a body , there cannot be made any of those three means of unity , of which aristotle speaketh ; for they cannot be made one by continuation , by inseperability , nor by reason . to this a man may answer as before . that there is not any union in the assumption of a body by an angell . for if there were a union , then in truth that which aristotle speaketh , should be requisite between the angell and the body which it assumeth . but there is not between them any union , save onely that which is of a thing moving to the thing moved , as we have before affirmed . again , the good angels ( say they ) in appearing unto us , either do take true figures visible and palpable , or such as are altogether false : if they have such as be true , it should then follow , that if they appear in a humane body , then they do assume a true humane body ; but this is unpossible , unlesse we should say , that an angell may enter into the body of a man , which is a thing not convenient nor agreeable unto the angelicall nature . and if they have false figures , this would be much more unfitting and unbeseeming them : for that all feigning and dissembling , or any kind of fiction is very unseemly in the angels of truth . and therefore in what sort and fashion it be , the angels cannot take any body upon them . to this objection i answer , that the bodies which the angells do take , have true and unfeigned forms so far forth , as they may be seen and perceived by the senses , be it in their colour or their figure , but not according to the nature of their kind , for that cannot become sensible but by accident . that therefore is no cause why a man should say , that there is any fiction and feigning in the angells : for they do not oppose and set before our eyes humane shapes and forms , because thereby they would be thought and esteemed to be men ; but to the end that by their humane properties , we should know the vertues of the angels . and like as metaphorous speeches are not therefore any whit the sooner to be reputed false , in which by the similitude of things , other significations are comprehended ; so the figures and forms of angels are not false , because they are taken and assumed to the similitude and semblance of men . more then so ( they reply ) that the angels and devills by the vertue of their nature , cannot work or create any effects within humane bodies , save onely by the means of their naturall vertues . but their naturall vertues cannot be in things corporall to form any figure of a humane body , but onely by the usual and determined mean of generation , to wit , by the seed naturally ordained to that effect ▪ in which sort the angells and devills cannot take a body upon them . and the same reason and consideration is there of other figures of earthly bodies also which they take unto them . but hereunto this answer may be made them , that albeit the natural vertues of a body , do not suffice to produce a true shape of a humane body , but onely by the due and ordinary mean of generation : neverthelesse so it is , that the angells and devills are capable to cloath themselves , and to put on a certain similitude of humane body , as touching the colour and figure , and other such exteriour accidents , and that especially at such a time , as when it may suffice them by a locall motion to move any such bodies ; by means whereof both the vapours are thickned , and again purified and made thin , as also the clouds are diversly painted and figured . but they object again , that this is not sufficient : but ( they say ) that it behoveth the cause moving , to infuse some vertue into the body moved , but cannot infuse any vertue , except it touch it . and if it be so that the angells have not any touching nor feeling with the body , it seemeth that then they cannot move it . and therefore it must needs be , that they cannot take upon them any body . but it may be said , that the angells by their commandement onely , may move the body with a motion locall , which they give unto it in touching of it , not with a corporall kind of touching , but a spirituall . against this solution , they dispute further saying ; it behoveth the mover , and the thing moved , to be connexed , and united together , as appeareth by aristotle . but in saying that an angell doth command any thing of his own will , it is to be presupposed that then he is not together with the body , which is said to be governed by him ; and therefore he cannot move the body onely by his commandement . hereunto i answer ; that the commandement of the angell doth demand an execution of his vertue and puissance : and therefore it must of necessity be , that there be some spiritual touching of that body by which it is moved . they insist yet further , and say ; that the angells cannot move bodies with any locall motion : and that therefore in vain should the bodies be obedient unto them , seeing they should still remain immoveable . and to prove this they bring divers arguments . their first argument is taken from the authority of aristotle , who saith ; that the locall motion is the principall , and most perfect of all other motions . now the angells ( if it be granted that they take a body ) cannot use any lesser or inferiour motions ; i followeth therefore by a more forcible reason , that they can much lesse use any locall motion , which is the greatest , and the most excellent of all others . but the answer is easy , and we say ; that the angels moving themselves with a locall motion , by the phantasmaticall body which they took , may also cause the other lesser motion , by using some corporall agents for the producing of those effects which they purpose ; like as the smith useth fire to soften the iron , and to reduce it to that which they have an intention to make of it . and as touching that saying of aristotle ; that the locall motion is the chiefest of all motions ; the reason thereof is , because every corporall nature having life , is apt to move it self locally by the means of the soul , be it either reasonable or sensitive , which giveth life unto it : their second argument is ; that the locall motion of naturall bodies doth follow their forms : but the angels are not causes of the forms of natural bodies , and therefore they cannot be a mean to give them any local motion . neverthelesse , answer may be made them , that in bodies there be other locall motions then those that do adhere unto the forms : as the flowing and ebbing of the sea , do not follow the substantiall form of the water , but the influence of the moon ; with much greater reason , therefore , may other locall motions ( then such as adhere to to the forms ) follow spirituall and incorporall substances . their third argument is ; that the corporall members do obey to the conception of the soul in a locall motion , in asmuch as they have from her the beginning of life : now the bodies which the angells take unto them , have not from them the beginning of life : for then it would behove that the bodies and the angels should be united together . and therefore it followeth , that the bodies by them assumed , cannot be obedient to any locall motion . i answer , that the angells have their vertue lesse restrained or hindred then the souls , insomuch that being separated from all corporall massinesse , they may neverthelesse take an ayry body , the which they can move locally at their will and pleasure . besides all the former arguments , they reply yet further , and say : that every corporall motion doth not obey to the command of the angells , as touching the forming and fashioning thereof : now the figure which the angells take , is as a kind of form . and therefore by the onely commandement of the angels , cannot any body take any form or figure whatsoever , be it either of man , or of any other diverse kind comprised under one gender . to this the answer is , that the figure which the angells take , is in very truth a form which is made by the abscision and dismembring ( as a man may say ) of the thickning of the ayre , or by the putrefaction of it , or by the similitude and motion which may be taken of the same matter . but there is a very great difference between the form and figure that is made so accidentally , and that which is naturall and according to the true substance of a thing , the which cannot possibly be confounded with this accidentall figure . this is not all which they object : for they say further touching the devills : that if they do invest themselves with a body , then they ought to be within the body which they have taken . now saint jerome interpreting that place of the psalmist ; the lord is in his holy temple ; and the glosse do say , that the devills do command and rule over images and idolls externally , and cannot be in them internally : and the idols are bodies as every man knoweth . and therefore it cannot be said , that the devills can take upon them any bodies . i answer , that to be in or within a body of some substance , hath a double and twofold entendment of understanding . in the first sort it is understood under the terms of divinity . and in this manner , nothing letteth but that the devill may be in a body . in the second sort it is meant according to the essence , as in giving a being to the thing , and in working man in it , which is proper unto god onely : howbeit that god doth not make a part in the essence of any thing ; for god is a substance separated and abstracted solely and onely in it self . and for the further interpretation of saint jerome and the glosse , which say , that the devill is not in images : we may affirm , that they do privily and closely reprehend the false opinion of the paynims and idolaters , who made but one thing of the idoll ( were it of wood , brasse , or stone , ) and of the unclean spirit that remained within it ; and by that means would have made a living substance of that which in its own nature was senselesse and without life , not having either hands to touch withal , or feet to go on , or tongue to speak with ; except such onely as the devill did seem to give unto it , by his deceitfull illusions . to make short , they object this argument also : if the angells and devills do take to them anybody , either they are united unto the whole body , or to some part thereof : if they be united onely to a part thereof , then can they not move the other part , but onely by the means of that part which they do move . but this cannot possibly be ; for otherwise the body assumed , should have such parts as should have the organs determined to the motion , which is proper to none but living bodies . but if the angells and devills be united immediately to the whole body , it behoveth them then also to possess every part of that body which they have taken to them ; and so by that means they should be in many places , which is proper and appertaining to god onely : and therefore the angells and devills cannot take any body unto them . to this argument answer may be made in this manner ; that the angell or devill so taking any body upon him , is wholly in the whole body which it assumeth , or else in a part thereof , as the soul is in the body . for albeit he be not the form of the body which it assumeth , as is the soul ; yet so it is , that he is the mover thereof . now it behoveth that the mover and the thing moved , should be together ; and it is nothing to the purpose to say , that an angell or devill , filling a body whole and entire of substance , can be in divers places : for the whole body assumed by an angell or devil , is not but in one place onely , albeit the same be admitted to have many members and many parts . thus far have i done my best , both to set down and to refute all the reasons and arguments objected by those who deny that angels and devils can assume and take unto them a body ; to the intent that from hence forth their mouths might be stopped , and that they may not esteem as fables the history of specters , and of the apparitions of spirits . but before i come to conclude this discourse , i may not forget to tell you how that many of the rabbins and jews which have taken upon them to interpret the holy scriptures , have held opinion , and been of the belief , that those angels which appeared to the patriarks and prophets , did not appear in any body , nor did assume unto them any body to make themselves visible . and of this opinion amongst others was rabbi moses , one of the most learned rabbins of the jews , who said ; that all that which is read and recorded in the old testament of the apparition of angels , did come by an imaginary vision ; that is to say , sometimes in sleeping , and sometimes in waking . but this position ( as saint thomas of aquine calleth it , ) cannot prevail against the truth of the scriptures ; for by the phrase and manner of speeches which are usuall in the books of the old testament , it is easy to know and discern a difference , that which is signified and declared to have appeared purely and simply to our eyes , from that which is said to be done by the means of a propheticall vision . for when it ought to be understood , that any apparition was made by way of vision , there are some words put down and inserted , which do properly appertain to the vision , such as the scriptures do intend ; as in ezechiel , the spirit of the lord ( saith he ) lifted me up between the heaven and the earth , and led me into jerusalem by the visions of the lord. i say therefore , that when it appeareth that things are said to be done simply , we ought to understand them as done simply and truly . now we read in the old testament , that many apparitions have been made in body : and therefore we ought to grant , that the angells do sometimes assume and take unto them a body , in forming such a body as is sensible and subject to the external and corporal vision , as well as some kind of shapes do form themselves in our imagination , which do produce an imaginative vision , when we are sleeping . but this shall suffice touching this matter . finis . a table of the first part of this book , being the apparitions of devills , and evill spirits . the severall heads are to be found by the figures in the margin . marcus brutus his vision . marcus antonius his vision . dion of syracusa his vision . alexander king of scots his vision . the apparition of an old woman at tortils in parma . antonius urceus codrus , his vision . jacobus patricius of venice his vision . cursius ruffus , his vision . edwinus his vision . the vision of machabaeus , and banquho stuart . hotharus king of swedes , his discourse with nymphs . an apparition to julius caesar . pelopidas generall of the theban army . an evil spirit forc't away by the sign of the crosse . an apparition to matthaeus the great . an apparition of the spirit of galeacius to two merchants . the apparition of ludovicus alodisius . apparitions at a city called come near france . an apparition before the destruction of antiochus . an apparition to a factour of sicily before the bursting out of horrid flames from the top of mount aetna . a vision to one of the retinue of damascus going into persia . the vision of king edward the third . an apparition to aurelianus the emperour . the appearing of the devil to st. martin . st. germans detecting of evill spirits which appeared in the habits of men and women . menippus invited by the devill in shape of a maid , to a rich house . the apparition of the ghost of a fencer to jamblicus . julianus drove away devills by the sign of the crosse . a mediolanensian boor afflicted by a ghost . an apparition to comandrus before his being drowned in the hellespont . the appearing of a succubus to apelles a monk of aegypt . datius bishop of mediolana , delivers a house from the haunting of evill spirits . a wonderfull spectrall related by phlegon in his book de mirabilibus et longaevis . a monk deluded by the embraces of the devill in form of a beautifull woman . vincentius his story of one who married a phantasm . of a young lady of the countrey marra who kept company with an evill spirit . a woman who had accompanied the devill in form of a man , being at sea causeth a great storm . of a priest who had for forty years lain with an evil spirit . jacobus ruffus in his fifth book , his relation of a woman ravished by the devill . the devill had commerce with a merchants wife seven miles from wittenburg . the apparition of benedictus the th , pope . the apparition of theophylact who called himself benedict the ninth . the appearing of an ugly ghost to saint martin bishop of tours , where an unknown martyr was worshipped . scopas and his companie 's sudden death by the falling of a room upon them as they were feasting . the raining of ashes . an earthquake round about palestine and syria . the representation wherewith theodoricus king of the ostrogoths affrighted dies . a strange report by the castrobians concerning aristaeus the poet. the relation of one leonard's going into a cave at the city basil . of a swan which by a silver chain fastned to her neck , hal'd a bark along the river rhene . by dianaes will , a great darknesse perplexed the persians . the athenians assisted against the persians by one in the habit of a rustick fellow . lightning fell down from heaven upon the persians at minervaes temple . aeacides assists the greeks fighting against xerxes at salamin . a naked child placed before an army in battle aray . two unknown young men assisted the locrensians against the people of sibaris , leading their army , upon milk-white horses , and subduing their enemies . mercury , when a youth , leading some striplings , chased the eubaeans . castor and pollux appeared champions for the roman party . mars was propitious to the romans . bacchus's feasts solemnized at empusa , or o●acle , an evill ghost sent by hecate to them that are in distresse . in lybia ; shapes of several living creatures . the orthomei their report of a goblin . parnassus a hill in boeotia . gellus his maid who dying young , her ghost walks at lesbos . temissaeus his ghost . the isle of aega troubled with phantasms . spirits appeared at the death of caligula . nero after murthering his mother , troubled with her ghost . otho the emperour troubled with galba his ghost . a diabolicall spirit appearing in the likenesse of a wild boar. hobgoblins driven away from haunting of a place , by the sacrament and prayers . the devill appearing in the shape of an angell to a monk. a demoniall spirit driven away , by devout prayers and holy-water . prodigious and wonderfull sights of divers kinds . at new-castle in the coasts of finlandia , one in the night appears playing upon an harp before the death of any souldier . in ilandia , an island under the artick pole , a promontory like the hill aetna . night-ghosts representing an army in a hostile manner . in cracoviensis a spatious lake disturbed by evill spirits . a priest troubled with the incubus or mare . alexander his dead friend came to bed to him . gordian and his comrades saw fearfull sights as they went to the city arezzo . a devill seized upon one who had been a despiser of god , and disobedient to his parents , but was driven from him by calling upon god. the devils appearing to thomas monachus in the shape of a man. the devill appeared to a wicked young fellow , who upbraided , defamed , and taunted his father . a spectrall in the form of a beautiful woman . the harmlesse spirits , called lares ; the cruel , larvae . mettal-mines frequented with both kinds of spirits . a tall woman of a most dreadfull countenance seen in the ayre before a massacre at antioch . a prisoner agreed with the devill to be delivered out of prison and view hell. one in form of a child breaking out of the ground , spoke as wisely as a senatour to a ploughman . the devill in the shape of a tall woman appeared to drusus made consull , and warring by the name of augustus caesar . an hobgoblin leaping and skipping before dunstan an english abbot . the overthrow of the sicilians made known to shepheards by the speaking of spirits to one another in the night . an hermophrodite born at aetolia . pompeius galienus the stoutest man of caesars army . castor and pollux appear in the shape of two young gallants . the devill transformed into an angel of light , appeared to rathbodus commander of frisia . valentinius the arrian bishop his dead corps dragged out of the temple by evill spirits . a monk adjures by vertue of the holy and undivided trinity , spirits appearing like troops of armed men , to tell what they were . a ghost appeared to cicero his nurse . the prognosticks of the death of the emperour annius tacitus . constantius the emperour his strange visions . marcellus the bishop by earnest prayer repelled the magick of the devill . an innumerable company of spectralls amongst the pilappii . a noble gentleman of bavaria grieved for the death of his wife , she appeared to him . bruno bishop of herbipolis , his vision before his sudden death . the devill in shape of a monk walks in the mountains of bohemia . a fisherman taking a sea-monster of the shape of a beautifull woman , married her , and had a child by her , a satanical phantasm by the devil in form of an hare in the sight of luther , martin luther his tale at a supper , the bodies of dead men entred by devils , an innocent fool brought an infant safe out of the company of a multitude of devils . a bird melodiously singing adjured in the name of christ , confesseth herself a spirit , two noble men long before dead , appeared to nicolaus amsdorffius bishop of ciz , when he was a priest at maidenburg , in the year . an evill spirit stragled about the city rotwill . the devill comes in shape of a man desiring a priest to take his confession , the devill appearing to a good old man upon his death-bed , was driven away by a text of scripture , a doctour of divinity of lower-germany caught up by the devill on horsback , then into the ayre , whence he was cast down ; in the lower germany , a monster of the bignesse of a man formed like a dog , the devill in form of a servant waits upon a nobleman who lived by plundering , luther's relation of certain monks , their imploying the devill in the kitchin of their monastery , crescentius the popes nuncio in the councill of trent , his vision . spectralls after the death of a rich epicure at haberstade , in the year . in marhia appeared spirits in form of men without heads , reaping corn , a notable vision near spira in the year , on the th , th , and th , of july , magdalena crucia hispania , of the chief city of all corduba , boetica , married her self to the devill , whereby she performed wonders , the devill appeared to a clown to help him perform his lords unreasonable command , the dead husband of a kins-woman to phillip melancthon , appeared to her , in the year . a spectrum appeared at brunsviga , in the village of gehern , stephen hubener a rich citizen of trawtenaw in bohemia , his body after death entred into by the devill , the devill in likenesse of a man , enticing many children , stole them away from hammel , the devill appearing , pretending himself the spirit of a deceased man , the devill appearing in form of a dead man , and his appearing to a maid , seeking commerce with her . a maid possessed by the devill , prophesyeth , a man troubled with the worms , spoke dutch , a language utterly unknown to him , whereof being cured by a physitian , he was not able to speak a word of that language , exorcisms for the dispossessing of the devill , the devill speaks in a maid possest , in the wildernesse of tingut the voyces of devils are heard , the devill speaks out of a crow , the devil disputed with hieronymus cardanus , the devill out of a crow predicted things to come , a most certain argument to detect one possessed , in the time of agyropolis emperour of rome a miserable dolefull noise was heard at the bottome of the fountain curena . calligraphus of alexandria his vision , hircanus captain of the jews had news by oracle from the high priest of his sons victory , a strange prodigy , cornelius of patavia , an augur , one and the self-same day , a day of trophies and fame too , in places distant . miles , sosipatra of alexandria wrapt suddenly by a fury , an aegyptian pilot as he was sailing to rome , heard an unknown voice , which called him by his name . monabazus king of the adiabenians , heard a voice as he lay in his bed , a prediction to nicephorus phaeus the emperour , a prodigious voice called aloud to opicinius cacia novaria , a confused murmure mixed with laughing , heard in the theatre before neroes death , a voice crying oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , in eupilus lake , hircanus captain of the jews , his vision , a voice to a vulgar man foretelling the approach of the french against the tribunitian souldiers , a voice rebuking lycurgus , a voice calling to cassius , and others , conspiring against caligula , pertharis , king arithpertus his son , warned by an unknown voice . chostilius maucius consull , going into spain , heard a voice sounding in his ear , stay maucius . the devil was heard to cry aloud through the temple , i have made this day quarrelsome , constans the emperour , his death divulged by a voice in the ayre far from the place where he died , alchymists mocked by the devil , the devil seizeth upon a souldier who defrauded the poor , a young man delivered from the devill who haunted him in form of a woman ; by fasting and prayer . a melancholly maid fancying her self haunted with a ghost , cured by physick , a monk of the abbey k●etchtenstine , an upright person , tortured with a ghost , one brugus a woman , troubled with an evill genius . judith driven to convulsion fits by the devill , helena in a village called loes near auden●ovia haunted with a devill , the nuns of ventetus in the county of horn cruelly handled by an evil spirit , the virgins of the monastery of nazareth haunted with devills , a virgin of the nunnery of saint bridget being mad , was mounted up into the ayre by the devill and strangled , the devill playing melodiously upon an harp at the nunnery of neognagus , the devill in shape of a dog at a colledge in the coloniensian province , the nuns of the kentorpian monastery infested by the devill , john fernelius his relation in his second book of occult causes , the town of schiltach in germany set on fire by a witch , a maid dispossest of the devill by the prayers of the church , a fishermans daughter at urcad in franckford , possest with the devill , a smiths daughter near joakims valley possest with the devill , the dead corps of a rich man entred into by the devill at trawtenaw in bohemia , a priests daughter tormented by the devil , bodinus his relation of boyes and girls , possessed , john vierus his relation in his fifth book , of a maid possessed with the devill , the lady rosse from the eighth year of her age bound with an evill spirit , the brachman philosopher of india , families in africa who bewitch by immoderate praise , wizards at rhodus , ephesian characters , magicall women banished to wildernesses , the northern botnici zappi and finnones magitians , zoroastes king of the bactrians thought to have found out the art of magick , hecate sprung from perses , her cruelty and immanity , pasetis farthing , a proverb , pythagoras his magicall whispering , simon samaritanus his wonderfull arts , in galeotide a man who did wonders , apollonius tyanaeus the philosopher , sedetins a jewish physitian , a princesse a notable witch . a woman strangled and devoured a boy , iohn fernelius his strange relation , facius cardanus had an aeriall devill to his familiar , james jodoci had a ring wherein he thought the devil was tyed by exorcisms , margaret the daughter of iohn vemerus of eslingensis had her belly swelled to an immense greatnesse by her mothers means being a witch , the devill appearing in the shape of a man , calling himself moses , deluded many iews , archus an indian wiseman , apollonius his prediction , iamblicus returning from sacrifices , govarus king of norvegia skillfull in the art of divination , a relation how magicians teach husbands to make their wives hate adultery , philometor his using magicall verses , crata regneri the wife of a danish champion , a witch , clerus sethus enticed a virgin by a persian apple , cajanus by magick could transform himself into the shape of any beast , italian women lethargized mens minds by some kinds of meat , in prussia , livonia , and lituania a great number of witches , a witch foretold the issue of the battle 'twixt uratislaus prince of luca , and grecomislaus prince of bohemia , apollonius thioneus his strange cures , magicall inchantments , witches by the black art afflicted duffus king of the scots , utolfus chief ruler of the helsingians , the lappones and finni their manner of revenge , johannes galleacius by magick disabled to perform conjugal rights , pythagoras seen at criton and metapontus the same hour , apollonius vanished out of the custody he was under , jamblicus , praying , lift up from the ground , oddo danicus a pyrat , roved up and down the sea without a ship , othnius by magick brought hadingus king of denmark , through a great part of the sea , on horseback , thespetion his incantations , the image of jupiter made by magick to utter oracles , appion , with the hearb cynocephalea prevails against all manner of witchcrafts , the ghost of achilles presents it self to apolonius tyanaeus , jamblicus raiseth out of bathes two in the form of beautifull young men , a phantasm wrought by the devil , a notable prodigie , the bulgari use magical devices , the hunni use inchantments , aquinus prince of norway useth inchantments , the wood - finni or tores , the magick-vesture called indusium , an inchanted ensign , inchanted verses , empedocles the magitian his verses concerning himself , the magick idolatry of the persici , theti magitians allay tempest by sacrifices , inspired persians walk upon burning coals , a virgin at rome accused of incest , clears her innocence by prayers , armiplus an aegyptian magitian , a northern people called finni , sell winds to merchants , wicked blasphemous priests , near elton pagum , a spirit that vexed travellers , pelopsin an olympick charrioter his inchantment , pythagoras made tame a savage bear , apollonius tyancus his expelling of serpents , the abrathimins their magitians called brachmans , fishers of rotterdam deluded by witchcraft , pasetus by famous for his skill in magick , numa the roman king , william earl of holland made king , the pythagorian sport by a looking-glasse , a chevalier swallowes a sharp dart , philumena the harlot of apelles the heretick , magitians come out of egypt to byzantium , to shew their art , wonderful tricks shewed by some of them for money , by others for ostentation , michael sicidites , magnus manuel comnenus being emperour , would allow no such sights . gregory the seventh his miracles , in the cave of an ile belonging to the ostrogothians strange inchantments , antonius heliogabalus his magicall inchantments , the emperour atrian when he understood by magick , that one whose name begun with theta , should succeed him in the empire , commanded all to be slain whose names begun with that letter , andronicus comnenus tyrannus consulteth a magitian , euphrosina wife of alexius angelus the emperour , gave up her mind to divinations , theotecnus of athens , an inchanter , and cruel persecutoe of christians , jason's enterprize with fifty four more young gallants . johannes teutonicus by magicall art causeth spectrum to appear . an arabian after drinking cocks-blood , conjured an east wind for three dayes , a young gallant of the town of gaza consulteth magitians for the obtaining of a ladies love with whom he was enamoured , demetrius spartanus deludes the people of rome by his magick , for which he is worthily punish'd , a maid of sixteen years of age possessed with a devil , cardanus his relation out of his fifteenth book , of one possessed with a devill , vierus his strange relation of a maid bewitched , his wonderfull relation of an husbandman bewitched , fulgosus his miraculous report of a religious man , boccatius a noble lombard , johannes baptist . port. neapolitan , his relation of a witch , jarcka his gift to apollonius tyaneus , witches by giving men cheese , turn'd them into beasts , witches transforming men into beasts , sell them to merchants , michael verdunus and peter burgottus contract with the devil , an horrible earthquake in norway , in the year . . a bull charmed with magical incantations , a virgin of bononia conversant with men two years after her death , a studious young man of sfordia inamoured of a virgin , andreas an italian , a notable satanical jugler , a dunghill cock divines , john faustus carried about with him an evil spirit in shape of a dog , the devil comes to frederick of austria , being prisoner in a castle near naburg , offering to set him free , but he drives the devil away by the sign of the cross , john an almain priest at haberstadium , a magitian , a magitian who cut off his servants head , uniting it to his body again , enchantresses who desired and endeavoured to destroy the fruits of the earth , a magitian of a neighbour town of ahena , martin luther his tale of his mothers being vexed with an inchantress , without the permission of god the devil can hurt no man , pope alexander a magitian , of a virgin , who instead of tears wept drops of blood , a magitian being hanged vanished away , and a bundle of straw remained in his stead , how to arm our selves against the power of the devil , of the commixtion and commerce of the devil with witches , a witch useth means to seduce a chaste virgin to lie with the devil , a young virgin signing her self with the sign of the cross , driveth away devils , a woman prostitutes her self to the devil , in the brixiensian diocess , a young wife bewitched to death , a young noble-man deprived by witchcraft of natural strength to beget children , devils appear in form of young gallants , a priest who formerly thought there was no witches bewitched , barrenness in a family by witchcraft , a mid-wife a witch , a poor labourer set upon by gentlewomen witches in the shape of cats , which he grievously hurt , a woman to perpetrate her malice , contracteth with the devil , a woman afflicted with a leprosie by witchcraft , a witch infects an hangman with leprosie , inchantments hid under the threshold of a door , a woman by constant and fervent prayers to almighty god , delivered from witchcraft , witches devote their children to the devil , witches make it rain , hail , or cause a tempest at their pleasure , by the power of the devil , a witch causeth loathsome stinks , to the terrour of her apprehenders , a witch being to be hang'd , spits upon the face of the hang-man , whereupon he fell down dead , the history of job evidenceth the power of the devil , they who get unjustly , labour for the devil , a witch cures a woman afflicted with sickness , by praying to the devil , witchcraft by spells , and using of a sieve , two verses out of the psalms being pronounced , no butter will be produced by art , ring-magick , by putting a ring upon a bowl of water , rod-magick . amasis king of egypt so bound by magick , that he could not perform nuptial rights to his wife laodice , witchcraft performed by tying of a knot many wayes , a woman accuseth a witch for binding her husband , that he could not perform marriage rites , it passeth the power of the devil to bind men from eating or drinking , by intercepting the power of their stomach , insulanus lord of the novallians , desirous to know the number of his dayes , john charterius an historiographer , and guilhelm a doctor of sorbon , ●emned for sorcery . a ●naus witchcraft detected by her husband . a great lady of lugdunum , her witchcraft discovered by her stallion , a nobleman of maldunum , who for curiosities sake went amongst witches , a woman accused of witchcraft by her husband , a great company of witches vanished away by a young maids calling upon god , who was seduced to their society , the devill obligeth witches by an oath to renounce god , the devill seated upon a throne , the devill lyeth as men use to do with women , with a witch . confessions of witches . witches by their husbands taken in the manner with the devill , a noblewoman of spain seduced by a witch , had to do with the devil at eighteen years of age , a whole family bewitched to madnesse , a woman by magick cures feavers , a witch counterfeits holinesse , a witch who had bewitched a man , could not cure him again though she earnestly endeavoured it , a witch cureth the horse of a nobleman , and transfers the horses disease to a servant , a magitian promised to transfer the disease of the father to his sucking infant , a witch commanded by a judge to touch a woman whom she had bewitched , falls down dead , a magitian bidding a man sick of a feaver , give it his enemy , he answering he had not any , but transferring it to the witch , he died , and the sick man recovered , a great number of witches burned for witch-craft , a disease which comes to a man by a naturall cause , and not by witchcraft , cannot be cured by magick . a house troubled with an evill spirit , a spirit in shape of a horse , kills twelve men , the treasure arcolius near lutetia discovered by magick , a lawyer and his companions seeking by conjurations for treasure , are affrighted by spirits from their enterprise , satan deludes many by binding fast their eyes , a witch who enfeebled an horse by witchcraft , a way to free cattle from sorcery by using a sieve , witchcraft , a mason tormented by witchcraft , white witches or those who cure and deliver from harm , a witch cures a sick woman whom she had bewitched , a sorcerer of flanders . a bishop bewitched , triscalanus a witch whom the king of france pardoneth , confesseth the way by which sorceries are conveyed , satan enters a man mortally wounded , a butcher discovers many witches in a wood in the night . the confession of three witches who were condemned to dye for witchcrafts which they had committed , the sorcerers of potezana their confession , the confession of a witch at biturgum , the confession of a witch who could not rest unlesse she did some evil every day , the devills declare what is done in divers nations at a convention , there is no meeting of witches and devills without dancing , a witch anointing her self , lyes void of sense for three hours after , which returning to her body , relates things from divers countreys . a witch departs from her body for a whole night to the convention of devills and witches , and her spirit returns to her body in the morning , the devill in form of a great hee-goat adored by witches , the admirable judgment of seven magitians , baro of razii who was condemned for using magick , his confession . a most diabolicall bloudy mid-wife , cazereis a cursed witch of tholossa , a magician who upon a sudden oftentimes flew , articles against aegidius garnerius , whereof he was accused and convicted , peter burgottus , and michael verdunus , their confessing their sacrificing to the devill , a witch taking the form of a wolf , wounded with an arrow , witches in the forms of wolves and cats , the lappi sell calms and storms , a jew who at any time when he pleased could transform himself . nothing more clear by history , then that many have been transformed into beasts , an english souldier at cyprus turned into an asse by a witch , a dialogue betwixt a stage-player and an asse in aegypt , two witches turn men into beasts , transform a player into an asse , atheisticall men turned into asses , witches raise lightnings , storms , and tempests , how a witch caused a storm , how some wicked priests caused showers , how witches kill cattle , children killed in the wombs of their mothers by witches , a cursed witch christneth two toads . witches with a powder kill hearbs , a witch who by his voice could kill men . the devil teacheth a conjurer to shoot darts at a crucifix , an hermophrodite a witch attached , discovers the conjuration , conventicles , and diabolical acts of witches , a witch at laodunum who debilitated , and screwed men awry , and destroyed beasts and fruit , a conjurer in the sight of the people flying up towards heaven , snatch'd his wife with him , laying hold on him , and a maid also who stood by them , to the great wonder of the amazed people , who beheld them wavering in the ayr , the table to the second book , being of oracles , prophecies , &c. the severall heads are to be found by the figures in the margin . the counsel which telephus receives from the oracle at delphos for cure of his wound , croesus king of the lydians consults the oracle at delphos , for the cure of his son being dumb . the minyae , the plague raging upon man and beast , consult the oracle . atheniensis son of craterus king of the persians , consulting the oracle , was told , that he should kill his own father , oedipus kills his father according to the prediction of the oracle . the strange death of eumelus king of the bosphorean cymerians , cyrus king of the persians , consults orpheus his head at lesbos , polycrates the samian tyrant consults the oracle at delphos , great slaugter to happen revealed to julius caesar , by evident and wonderful prodigies . titus the emperour his death foretold by the oracle . mauritianus the son of justinianus the emperour being slain by the goths , the oracle was fulfilled , manuel comnenus after he had reigned years excepting moneths , hoping to prolong his life , put himself into monastical habit . polycrates the theban consults the oracle at delphos for the finding of treasure , psameticus encouraged by the oracle , gains the king of egypt , manuel comnenus emperour , nameth his son alexius , in observance of the oracles doubtful speech . boetia being spoyled , those of that countrey who escaped , run to the oracle , the teucri cretensians seek themselves new habitations , by the advice of the oracle , the phrygians carried by aeneas their captain into the lawrel field , were not willing to go any further , but hearkned to the oracle , the prediction of the oracle at delphos to the lacedemonians , codrus king of the athenians , in observance of the oracle , voluntarily sacrificed himself for the safety of his people . the oracle predicteth the overthrow of the athenians by the persians , valerius torquatus swallowed up by the ground , in which place an altar is built according to the advice of the oracle , in the cimbrick warr the goddess , mother of great idaea , declared victory to the romans , the oracle at delphos declares victory to the romans against the vientians , the dorienses obeying the command of the oracle , got elea , the oracle's advice to the lacedemonians , how to overcome the tegeans , an oracle given out in the time of tiberius emperour of rome , the devil speaketh in the idol of zemus , an oracle given to the ancestors of sardanapalus . an oracle given to the poet hesiod . epaminondas his charge from the oracle at delphos . the oracle given to cambyses the persian king. pythia predicteth the death of philip king of macedon , the doubtful oracle given him at delphos , aescylus the athenian tragick poet , his death foretold by the oracle . daphidas the sophister ironically consults the oracle at delphos . dionysius senior , tyrant of syracusa , acted a tragedy to the athenians in their bachanalian feasts . fatal necessity unavoidable , hannibal the famous carthaginian captain , his death predicted by the oracle . appius claudius consults the oracle , the antianaean oracles their advice to c. caligula , parhonius foretold by the oracle to succeed in the empire , a shepherd , laid down by orpheus his tomb , falling asleep , chants forth orpheus his verses in a sweet tone , the scythian islanders send the tenth of their treasures they get out of the silver and gold mines , yearly to apollo at delphos , an aequivocal oracle given to the messanensians , the answer of the oracle at delphos to the phocenses , the lacedemonians consult pythia , cleomenes king of the spartans , consults the oracle at delphos , philomelus having taken the delphick oracle compells pythia to tell him somewhat of future events , the oracle's answer to croesus at delphos , arcesilaus being driven from his kingdome , sent to delphos , to consult the oracle , nero the emperour , warned by mathematicians , that the ruine of the empire was portended by the stars . xerxes the son of darius finds an urn , silvester the pope reported to have obtained the popedome by evils works , whas encouragement the aeginetians received by the oracle at delphos to warr , the wisdom of the persian magies , an huge beard groweth upon the chin of the priest of minerva at pedesensia , upon a sudden , immediately before a diverse fortune seizeth upon the people , beleses a chaldean encourageth arabes general of the medes , to invade the babylonians , thales the milesian discovers the plenty one year , and scarcity another , by the rising of the seven stars , boeotius the son of a common cryer , his fortune told by a chaldean , the birth-day of the emperour augustus , observed , scribonius the mathematitian , tiberius caesar makes use of thrasillus , a cunning chaldean , claudius the emperour predicteth the time of his own death , an astronomer foretold nero his being emperour , and his killing his mother at the time of his birth , ascletario a mathematician , foretelleth his own death . domitian the emperour , superstitiously given to mathematical predictions , hadrian the emperour , an excellent astronomer , septimius severus pertinax a skilfull mathematician , a midwife of constantinople at the birth of ablabius , foretells his being praetor , two jews , astrologers , promise zira prince of the arabians empire , and long life , if he would demolish the christian temples and images of saints , the advice of john , an astronomer and magitian to lucapenus the roman emperour , nicolas son to guido earl of patavia , predicted pernition to his countrey , by jambonus andreas , an astrologian , guido bonatus foretold the earl of mountferrat , that he should receive a wound in his hip , by a salley which he should make the day before the calends of may , antiochus tibertus foretells guidon , that he should be killed by his intimate friend , upon suspition of infidelity , petrus leonius , a dextrous astronomer , discovered , by his art , that sudden death was portended to him by water , predictions by bartholomeus coclecles , an excellent physiognomist , an astrologer foretells rodulphus the haspurgensian earl his being emperour , the mathematitians predicted sfortia his high empire , braccius the montenensian duke , seeing the body of his enemy sfortia drowned , praised him with exquisite encomiums , henry a bohemian an astronomer , his predictions , basil a southsayer foretells the death of alexander medices duke of florence , john liechtenberg his prediction , the tenth day of september fatall to peter alois , brazen tables wherein was engraven a prediction , that the grecians were to overcome the persians , a wonderful thing in the second carthaginian war , verses found in a table of stone , when the walls of chalcedon were made equal with the ground , a table of stone found in the bank of the river scirtus , with hierogliphical egyptian letters written on it , chaldeans foretell alexander's danger if he went to babylon , what aretas king of the persians gathered by southsayings , apollonius an egyptian foretold the death of caius caligula the emperour , apollonius foretold cilix his slaughter , larginus proclus foretells the death of domitian the emperour , the death of constance discovered by a souldier , observing the intrals of beasts and birds . alexander severus emperour , desiring to begin his speech to his souldiers with a lucky word , fortune brought him one clean contrary . a woman meeting the two maximines in the market-place , falls dead , dioclesian his being emperour is foretold by a woman , marian a most wise earl his predictions , a soothsayers prediction to agilulph duke of the city taurina , antonine his prediction to his schollers , remex a rhodian , his prediction , an old proverb in carthage , spartan guests ravish the daughters of scedasus . the speech of a magitian of egypt to anthonie , the roman captains forbid to go with weapons beyond ctesiphon , by reason of an ancient prophesie , sybill her prophecie of the destruction of antichrist , the god ammon answereth the tementes , sybill foretells the warlike glory of the macedons , a child having teeth speaketh the same day in which he is born . a child within twenty four hours of its birth spoke and made signs with its hands , a syrian seeing a ship running with full sayles , foretold it should be sunk , phericides foretold an earthquake within three dayes , the answer which the oracle at delphos gave to glaucus enquiring counsell concerning unjustly deteyned money , alphonsus king of arragon besieging neopolis , had the taking thereof foretold him by a man of a reverend aspect , women who guessed at things to come , by whirl-pools and noyse of waters , abaris of seuthias a divine of the hyberboreans , aedesius the son of chrysanthus had a body so nimble that it exceeded humane belief . agias divined unto lysander that he should conquer the name of the athenians . philumena a soothsaying maid , saint augustine reports of algibertus , that he knew all secrets , basilacius a man of an unaccustomed life a fortune-teller . merlin begotten by a spirit called incubus , and a brittish noblewoman , foretold many things to come , an unclean spirit having possessed jacoba , speaks in her , a notable impostor of peter brabantius who as oft as he pleased spoke from the bottome of his belly without moving his lips . amphiarus a soothsayer , by the gaping of the earth swallowed up , with his chariot and horses , actius navius a shepheard boy , a soothsayer , posthumus the sooth-sayer , spurina foretells to julius caesar his danger of being killed . a german prophesyeth to agrippa thou prisoner , his deliverance , and future prosperity , the adelittans and almogonens divine from the flying of birds , and meeting of wild beasts , alexander the emperour given to riot and magick , simeon duke of the bulgarians . an idoll built by mahomet , whereunto a legion of devills are ingaged by magick , to which christians cannot come without danger , the manner how the biarmians , bothynians , finlanders , divine , how jannes the master of theophilus the emperour , foretold things to come , apollonius the emperour slain at rome by stephen according as apollonius spoke in an extasy at the instant of his death at ephesus . stephen the hagio-christophorite , knew from the devill by sethus a magitian , that destruction hanged over the head of andronicus comnenus , william king of the romans dying unfortunately and suddenly , was buried in a tomb in frisia , which had stood long beautifyed , without any man buried , because it was prophesyed that a king of the romans should be laid therein , two brothers not knowing one another , kill each other as a soothsayer foretold them , sigthune king of swethland as he sacrificed , understood that by fatall necessity , he was to die by gold , two snakes found in the bed of sempronius gracchus . the soothsayers answer to marcellinus , agigulph a soothsayer , counsells antharis king of the longobards , to take tolinda the virgin to wife , batabaces priest of the great mother idea , fore-shew's a great victory to the people of rome , a madman from bellona , shews to l. sylla , that he should obtain the palm of conquest , the builders of ephesus consult the oracle for direction where to erect it , the locrians wooden dog , melanthus a banished man from his countrey , received an oracle , the oracle apollo pythius directs pausanias where to build byzantium , a sow that had pigs , made a divination to the trojans of building a city , tarquinius superbus his founding the temple of jupiter , iuno , and minerva , alexander a priest of minerva , prophesies to alexander that he shall be a conquerour , the interpretation of a divination by calchas a prophet , aristander the diviner , his interpretation of a crow's flying when alexander the great assaulted gaza . a magpy sits on the head of coelius pontius declaring the law , at alexander the great his expedition into asia , a cyprus tree sweateth , the siracusians besieged , perform solemn rights to hercules . prodigies appear when lucius sylla went with an army to the sociall war , the hilt of p. scipio africanus his sword springs with bloud , a ram with one horn sprung out of the middle of his forehead , brought to pericles . the chaldean prophets foretel the translation of the persian empire to the macedonians . the buckler of maximinus the father set on fire by the sun , and his spear struck by a thunderbolt , a martin flying amongst a navy of ships , lighted upon the very top of the stern of the ship wherein dion was , an eagle snatcheth a spear from one of the guard of dion wherewith sublimely mounting , at length she let it fall into the deep , the suburbs of sardis filled with snakes , which the horse of croesus king of the lydians going to grasse , devours , the sacrifices offered by dionysius the younger to the gods , portend great prodigies , tarquinius superbus his dream , strange sights appear to hippocrates the most valiant duke of athens , statues sweat , with divers other formidable prodigies , the prodigious return of a child almost born , to his mothers belly again , archelaus tetrarch of judaea and idumea , his dream , the ensign of barnabas , lievtenant-governour , shattered with a thunderbolt . zeno the emperour flees to a little castle upon an hill called constantinople , frederick the second told by one who had a familiar spirit , that he should die at the florentine field , adelheida , a lady of the noble blood of the tuscans , of so high a wit , by observing the heavens and stars , that she foresaw things to come , a fortune-teller's prediction to machabaeus king of the scots , antonius of leva animates charls the fifth , emperour , to war upon france , a soothsayer's prediction to amilcarus duke of the carthaginians , the velitri consult an oracle , hadrianus cornetanus cardinal , conceives hope of obtaining the papacy by the oracle of a fortune-telling woman , demophon's advice to alexander , given from his observations in augury ; a certain syrian whose name was eunus , who delighted in magical enchantments , megistas arcanas his prophecy , domitian the emperour commands ascletario to be burnt , and larginus proclus to be hang'd , for that they foretold the day of his death , perusinus the greatest magitian of al italy , the table of dreams , visions , revelations , &c. the severall heads are to be sound by the figures in the margin . jupiter sendeth a dream to agamemnon , cyrus king of persia his dream , socrates foresaw in his dreams , that his scholler plato would be an excellent orator and philosopher , hippocrates his dream , alexander descended from hercules by carinus , and from aeacus on his mothers side , by neoptolemus ; his dream , sophocles his dream . aeneas seneca his dream , the night after he undertook the tutorship of seneca , fudemus a cyprian his dream , aspatia the daughter of hermotimus , her dream . the mother of a certain souldier , her dream . aesculapius of athens his prescription by oracle to plutarch an athenian , themistocles his vision . lucullus going to hellespont , his vision , marcorius , a physitian of augustus caesar , his dream . laodice the wife of seleucus , her dream , publius decius , tribune of the roman souldiers , his dream . gracchus , brother of tyberius his dream , calphurnia , wife of julius caesar , her vision predicting his death , cornelius his foresight of his death , a beholder of playes , his dream , great sfortia his dream , malgepa , an archer to galeacius sfortia , his dream . mark-anthonie taurell , duke of guastella his dream , horace perusine , servant of alexander medices duke of the florentines , his dream , baptista & cardanum his vision , with a voyce speaking to him at the instant of his mothers death , she dying far distant from the place where he had this vision . ulysses his contrary dreams , ●indarus a lyrick poet his dream , phail king of the phocians , his dream , aristomenes king of the messenians , his dream . alexander king of macedonia , understood by a dream , that the right hand of cassandra would prove mortal to him , alcibiades his dream , king croesus his vision . polycrates daughter of a tyrant of the samians , her vision , verses presented unto hipparchus , son of pisistratus in his sleep , the like dream had simon of athens , socrates his construction of a verse of homer read unto him , aterius rufus a roman knight , his vision , julius caesar not long before he was murthered , seemed to himself in his sleep sometimes to fly above the clouds , sometimes to joyn his right hand to jupiter , helius cuma , one of caesar's friends , his most fearful dream the night before his murther , nero affrighted with dreams and evident signs of things to come , galba the emperour his dream a little before his death , domitian his dreams immediately before he was slain . anthonie carocalla emperour , his vision a little before he was murthered , himerea her vision , cicero his vision . quintus catulus his vision , vespasian the father , his vision , julian his vision the night before his being declared emperour , stipo the philosopher his vision , hippias the sonne of pisisttratus his dream , the mother of dionysius of syracusa , her vision when she conceived him , astyages cyrus his dreams , cyrus king of the assyrians , his dream , antigonus his dream concerning mithridates , arcea , mother of augustus caesar , her vision . octavius his dream concerning his son octavius . vespasian his confidence of his sons succeeding him . adrian his vision before his being ordained emperour , alexander's visions whilest he assaulted the city of tyre , eumenes his wonderful vision , the priests of proserpina their vision , hannibal captain of the carthaginians , his vision . amandatus , servant of mardonius , his vision , xerxes his dreams . the spartans , collicratidas being captain , about to fight with the athenians , the soothsayers disswade them , pyrrhus king of the epirots , his dream when he besieged sparta . mithridates his vision , which foreshewed things to come . cneius pompeius his vision before the pharsalian fight . hecuba when she was great with child of paris , her vision , cambyses king of the persians , his vision . darius moves out of susa , against alexander , encouraged by a dream , domitian his dream , eziline , sirnamed monk , a bloody tyrant , his terrible vision , the mother of phalaris her vision , amilcar captain of the carthaginians , his dream falsly expounded , jupiter appears to t. latinus , a man of the common people , changius first emperor of the tartars , his vision . juno appears to hannibal captain of the carthaginians . valens the emperour his vision , hippias son of pisistratus , his vision , sabbacus king of the aethiopians , his vision . sethon king of egypt , priest of vulcan , his vision . the table of mocks of the devil , to strengthen the idolatry of the gentiles . the power of vesta , aeneas placeth houshold-gods , brought from troy at lavinium , the egyptians worship isis for her miracles , in the temple of aesculapius amongst the epidaurians , those who pray to the god sleeping , learn the reason of recovering health . aristides a rhetorician of smyrna , commanded by aesculapius , an ensign speaketh with a low voyce , a whale of an incredible bigness swimmeth to a bulwark in the sea at tyre , the god pan promiseth to ayd the athenians in the fight at marathon , strange visions at cyzicum , minerva was seen in visions to many . the boetians their dream , when enslaved by the thracians , the king of the spartans after the argians were vanquished , sacrificeth in juno's temple , the image of victory which stood in minerva's temple , turns its back towards the door , the images of gods appear not onely in the night , but in the day , commanding every one to pray , before the demolishment of troy , the fire in minerva's temple spares to burn the sacrifices , caesar augustus his vision . ladened ships could not arrive at byzantium , olive-trees dedicated to pallas , aesculapius reported not to be born of the nymph coronis , but of an egg of a little crow , jupiter's anger for antonius maximus his cruelty to his servant , the argonautes tossed with a tempest , call upon orpheus , thophinius and agamedes build a temple to apollo . c●oesus king of the persians overcome by cyrus , invocates solon , the athenians received by oracle , that they should invoke the north wind to help them . a vulcanian hillock near agrigentum , romulus vows to build a temple to jupiter , numa pompilius his devotion to jupiter . tullius hostilius vows to sacrifice samians to mars . counterfeiting of piety , a miracle manifested about claudius , adrian punished for his unjust shedding of blood , the oracle from pythia to the athenians , infected with the plague . apollo answers the grecians . hercules the son of alcmena , offers sacrifice to jupiter . aurelian the emperour consults the sibyllaean books , the persians spoyl all the temples of the greeks . without cratonis , a temple dedicated to juno . a great barrenness coming to pelasgus , they devote the spring to their gods , a miracle at the rock of the posidoniacorians . diana being angry sends a calydonian boar to destroy the grain in oetolia , a miracle in arcadia , glaucus the son of sisiphns , hercules erects a magnificent temple to iolaus his nephew . ciana kills her father for deflowring her . the temple of isis . the thebans their severity against those who violated their religion . pentheus king of the thebans , was torn in pieces by the priestsesses of bacchus , for abusing his father , the potilians extinct for abusing the consecrated things of bacchus , c. terentius varro overseen of the temples , hannibal and himilco two carthaginian captains , command their souldiers to cast down monuments . the image of pallas falls from heaven , the athenians neglect their god , the captains of the japignians take the images out of the temple , the aeginetae invading the epidaurians , carry away the olive-tree images of damiae auxesiae . artabarus a persian , rushes into neptune's temple , and falleth upon his image . a souldier of scipio africanus minor , attempteth to bereave the image of apollo of its golden vestment . agamemnon smote a goat with a dart near diana her grove . the fish pompilus in esteem with neptune . a certain man steals a piece of money out of the temple of apollo at delphos , sambicus throwes down brazen statues , and sells them . consecrated things taken out of the temple to pay souldiers , q. fulvius flaccus heavily punished for carrying marble tiles which were to mend the temple of juno , to the temple of warlike fortune , an horrible slaughter of the persian comming with intent to spoyl the temple at delphos . the judgment which followed theron king of the hither - spain , upon his abolishing the temple of hercules , the judgment which followed the scythians for their spoyling the temple of venus in urania , the revenge which alexander received for suffering his souldiers to throng into the temple of ceres , pyrrhus his punishment for sacriledg , the punishment of himilco prince of carthage , for his spoyling of temples , the misery which befell mithridates for his sacriledg , the misery which befell the graecians for their spoyling the temple of neptune , sparta shaken with frequent impulsions of the earth , cytharoedes flyes with his stole to the altar of juno , the temple of warlike neptune built by trophimus and agamedes , the temple of jupiter lycaeus in arcadia , the temple of eumenides dedicated by orestes in cenycaea , a city of achaia . the punishment of erisichthon for cuting down the grove of ceres , the heavy judgment which befell cambyses king of persia , and his army , for burning the oracle of jupiter ammon , the destruction of the persians , who burned the temple of ceres . the sad event of revenge , a grove dedicated to aesculapius at coos , the ceremonies which the virgins dedicated to diana used . the ceremonies which the boetians used the feast day of mercury . a well , consecrated to the vestal virgins for the ceasing of the pestilence . phalesius a private man buildeth the temple of aesculapius , the god of heliopolis , a man blind from his birth receives his his sight by touching adrian , ladices sendeth an image to venus at cyrena , for recovering her husband , who was disabled to perform nuptiall rights , laodomia daugter of pyrrhus , a goat offers it self a sacrifice to jupiter , the temple of ceres micalessia , the temple of pluto and juno , the den of charon , the temple of aesculapius at epidaurus , a city of peloponnesus , the temple of minerva ilias , the temple of hercules in the beast-market at rome , the temple of pallas at methon , greece troubled with a drought , consults pythia , the sepulchre of aristomenes at messene , a city in achaia in greece , apollo libistinus at pachinum , a promontorie of sicily , the chappel of minerva before the temple of delphos , the sabine war waged against the romans for ravishing the virgins , the holy sheep of the sun , the superstition of the philippi inhabiting the furthest part of scandinavia , a table of satan's wonderfull impostures for establishing of the idolatrous invocations of saints departed this life ; contrary to the preaching of st. paul , thess . . the miraculous restauration of john damascen his hand ( unjustly cut off by theodosius the emperor ) at the image of the blessed virgin mary , a jew delivered from death , by calling upon the god of sergius , many cured by the carrying of the dead body of the virgin levinua through part of flanders , many recover health at the sepulchre of pope martin , one cured at the grave of st. ladislaus king of hungary , the bishop of prague his finger cut off for the faith of christ and thrown into a river , shines in a fishes belly , genarius of beneventum , his head cut off for professing the faith of christ , valens the emperour an arrian , the bodies of eleven thousand virgins , john , a devout giver of alms , conradus repents heartily of his sinnes , and doth penance , the head of a dead man speaks , how the abbey of the king 's right hand , came to be so called , the blessed virgin mary appears to st. bruno , nicolaus sees the shape of the blessed virgin and her son in the ayr , on the very day wherein her conception is celebrated , st. stephen the martyr appears to saroltha , the wife of grisa duke of the hungarians , the parents of nicolas tolentinates vow a pilgrimage to barium , haldricus the laodiensian bishop cure● before the altar of st. martin , sergius , a prince in wealth and authoririty , cured of a grievous sicknesse at the temple of st. michael , john orphanotropus , brother to michael emperour of paphlagonia , cured at mira of a grievous sickness , henry the second , emperour , cured ( by interceding saints ) of the stone , manuel , who disapproved of images , upon his resolution to restore images according to the decrees of the ancients , when he was sick , was restored to health , a vision , a fast held in the church of the virgin mary three dayes , to divert the cruel intention of julian , prevails with god , a ring brought to king edward the third from jerusalem , the statue of s. paul weeps , the mother of leo of iconomarum the fifth king , her vision , bardus durus his vision , a vision discovered to ambrose the mediolanensian bishop , pulcheria , sister to theodosia , her vision , an apparition to calomerus , a strange miracle obtained by fasting and prayer , pope urban his vision , a deacon his vision , elford king of england his vision , st. andrew's cross seen in the ayr , dogar king of the scots , his vision , an apparition to uladislaus and grisa , theodosius his vision , massaclerus his vision , the appearing of st. andrew the apostle to a priest , st. theodore appears in ●efence of the romans . sabinus a most pious patron of souldiers , the great sfortia his vision , the vision of a priest , james the son of zebedee appears to charls the great , the appering of st. benedict to count sillogosus in a vision . the arch-angel michael appears in a vision to childebert king of france , agnes wife to leopold marquess of austria , desires her husband to design some place to build a monastery , st. ambrose appears threatning miseries to caesar , colanianus king of the hungarians , his vision , a voyce out of the statue of the blessed virgin salutes st. bernard , medericus abbot of edunium , cures a monk of libidinous cogitations , many cured by a candle , which extinguished , was lighted by the touch of genovepha , pope leo quencheth a fire by the sign of the cross , the corporal of the challice thrown into a fire , quencheth it . a voyce out of the tomb of s. martin , a part of the towel wherewith our lord wiped his apostles feet before his last supper , brought by monks from jerusalem , st. peter restores a cock dressed and carved , to life again , the bishop of alexandria by the help of almighty god converts a philosopher , at the monastery of the holy mother of god in constantinople , two blind men restored to sight before the image of the blessed virgin , the picture of christ which evagrius made , herbs taken from the tomb of nicetius , cure the feaver , a revelation to valerius the cosoranensian bishop , miracles wrought at the sepulchre of leodegarius , uladislaus obtains issue by his wife , having been long barren , by fasting and prayers . the body of pedastus translated from the place where formerly it lay , works a miracle , methodius , a great respecter of holy images , most unjustly accused by his enemies , is manifestly cleared to the joy of all pious men , st. peter cures agatha , virgin and martyr , her breast torn in pieces for her steadfast confession of the faith , the mother of god appeareth to a carpenter , the discovery of the bodies of the martyrs dionysius rusticus and eleutherius , a woman delivereth her sins in writing to basil the great , the image of christ speaks , the west goths , assertors of the arrian heresie , luitprandus king of the longobards , translates the body of st. austin out of sardinia to ticinum , adelbertus cured of a feaver at the temple of s. mary the virgin , genadius bishop of constantinople , rebuketh a priest for disgracing his profession , some of the dust of hospitius his sepulchre carried to the lirinensian monastery as an holy relique , boniface bishop of moguntium slain by the pagans , eleven hundred virgins martyred by the huns , a leper sees christ dedicating a temple , genovepha dedicateth a cathedrall church to st. dionysius , houses erected by prayers , the temple of the divine beautifull virgin at regenspurg , the metensian bishop , constantine adoreth the nayls of christs cross given him by his mother , pope gregory sends three sponges to eudon , duke of aquitane , a monk leaving his religion , marrieth a wife , one carrieth the body of our lord at a paschal feast whole with him in his mouth , the sacrament put into a chest by a woman , turns into the shape of flesh and blood , the reason of the building the temple , entituled , the body of christ , abundance of blood flowes from the blessed sacrament of the eucharist , being torn in pieces by jews , pope vigilius institutes , that mass for the dead should be performed in an holy place , with holy garments , and a low voyce , an head cast forth of the grave bleedeth , clodoveus king of france , falls mad for his irreligious handling the body of st. dionysius , a woman loseth her sight for carrying away the shoes of holy genovepha , a woman struck barren for kicking the tomb of a saint , a ●o●●er comes to the tomb of wenceslaus the fourth honourable king of bohemia , the judgment of god upon one for throwing a stone at the image of the blessed virgin mary , the judgment of god upon one who pulled out the eye of an image , a jew smites the image of the blessed virgin with a punniard , out of which blood flowes , blood flowing from the image of the blessed virgin , proves a remedy to many sick people , a souldier seeking to lay hold on an image , it turns towards him , and he falls mad , two gamesters , one whereof plaid in the name of god ; the other , in the name of the devil . divine vengeance seizeth on schelkrop , for slashing and thrusting through the image of christ and his saints . the miracles acknowledged , but thought by some to be done by the power of the devill , the image of christ abused by the jews , bleedeth , the judgment of god upon a jew for abusing the image of christ , the image of christ shot with an arrow , bleedeth , a golden key of st. peters . a sacrilegious person struck with a palsie in the acting of his sacriledg , an hermite his vision at the death of pandulph prince of capua , the judgment of god upon a sacrilegious person , church-cloathes plundered , when they came to be used by prophane hands , appear bloody . a man's house by divine vengeance set on fire for profaning an holy-day . a man's head turned backwards in a fearful manner , for working upon an holy-day . a jew's cruelty to the host , and the miraculous issue thereof . the tongue of a prejudiced man ●yed , st. john baptist relieves the brother of boleslaus invoking him . comnenus the emperour being sick , is restored by the image of our saviour . ptolemey seeks for the cross . st. bernard cures a man mortally wounded , by giving him consecrated bread , miracles wrought by the bones of saint remachus . one dispossessed of a devil by part of the straw whereon st. martin lay . a noble-woman ignorantly translates the bones of st. stephen from jerusalem to constantinople . a noble-man belonging to otho the emperour , dispossest of a devil by a chain which had bound st. peter . several cured of feavers by the herbs strewed about the tomb of nicetius , the pestilence at rome ceaseth upon the building up of the altar of st. sebastian in the church of st. peter . constantine the great his vision after his refusing to be cured by the blood of children . st. nicolas delivers lotharingus at constantinople , invocating him . bituricus , arch-deacon of leons , recocovers his sight by fasting and prayers at the church of martin , upon his feast-day . pambulis a priest restored to sight at the image of albinus in the church of st. peter . one sick of the palsie restored to health by st. martin , and st. alban . one sick of the palsie , restored to health at the tomb of st. dunstan . cosroe's invocating sergius , obtains the defence of his countrey and foecundity of his barren wife , a man falleth sick of the head-ach , by driving a nail into st. peter's picture , frenchmen about to translate the body of s. benedict , are struck blind st. michael the arch-angel appears to st. lawrence . three saints appear to a fisherman . stephen king of hungary canonized , udislaus king of hungary canonized , cosroes seeking to take the silver urn , wherein sergius the martyr was laid , was driven away by an heavenly host , saints defend the isaurians from the sarazens , a martyr leadeth the roman army , the cratonensians use a linnen garment of the virgin mary for a flag . amiarus a saint , assists godfrey of bolleign in the syriac expedition , st. george , s. lawrence , and s. adrian , assist henry the second , emperor . the romans carrying before them the holy lance instead of an ensign , obtain a great victory . s. ambrose the mediolanensian guardian saint . james the apostle assists the christian army . the fathers of the nicene council consult musonius and crisanthus , christ appeared in the sacrament to plergilis a priest , in that body which the virgin mary bore . the vision which a souldier of rome , who extinct by the plague , reviving , at large he declareth . a noble child dead for seven dayes , reviveth . vincentius his relation of tundalus , vincentius his relation of one who being led by the angel gabriel after death was restored to life . genovepha , a virgin of paris , in an extasie . erasmus bishop and martyr . ursinus sees s. peter and s. paul at his death . ezekiel and daniel app●●● to a religious man. the vision of merulus a religious monk at rome , st. peter the apostle appears to a virgin of christ called galla , at rome . the mother of god with a company of virgins , appears to a maid . juvenal and eleutherius the martyrs , appear to probus reatinus the bishop . the body of st. jerome , when he had given up his soul , was surrounded with a suddain glorious light . a monk wrapt in spirit sees st. augustine . st. francis assiatus his soul departs in form of a star out of his body . devils contend with an angel for the soul of a monk. mass celebrated before a dead monk. a soul dragged towards hell by the devil , is freed by s. benedict . saints speak out of their tombs , paschasius a deacon of the apostolical seat , the spirit of a dead man waits at the bathes . benedict the tenth chief bishop appearing after his death to john the portuensian bishop confesseth , that he was kept from eternal death by odilones his prayer . john the anchorite his vision . maurice the rothamagensian bishop brought into the temple after his death , having received his soul , speaks to them about him . marcius of alexandria obtesting the skull of a dead man in the name of jesus , causeth it to speak . cyrillus hierosolymitanus his vision as he was praying . a young man restored to life by the prayers and tears of severus . a man dead revives , relates his vision , and 〈◊〉 stephen a roman going to rome , falls sick and dyes , and revives again , and relateth his vision during the time his soul was separated from his body . william , a boy of fifteen years of age , his vision . in the sabine province a nun strictly observed chastity , but by procacity defiles her tongue , as appears by a vision after her death , is condignly punished , the sadduces and epicures confuted , from page , to page . the arguments of those who deny , that angels and devils can take to them a body , confuted ; from page , to the end . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a discourse of earthquakes as they are supernatural and premonitory signs to a nation with a respect to what hath occurred in this year , and some special reflections thereon : as also on that security and assurance of mind which is attainable in the light and power by the author of the fulfilling of the scriptures. fleming, robert, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse of earthquakes as they are supernatural and premonitory signs to a nation with a respect to what hath occurred in this year , and some special reflections thereon : as also on that security and assurance of mind which is attainable in the light and power by the author of the fulfilling of the scriptures. fleming, robert, - . [ ], p. printed for thomas parkhurst ... and jonathan robinson ..., london : . "the fulfilling of the scriptures" was written by robert fleming the elder -- dnb. reproduction of original in the harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng disasters -- religious aspects. prophecies. theology, doctrinal. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse of earthquakes ; as they are supernatural and premonitory signs to a nation ; with a respect to what hath occurred in this year . and some special reflections thereon . as also on that security and assurance of mind , which is attainable in the light and power of religion , under the greatest surprizals , and terrors of sense . with some enquiry upon the grounds both of our fears and hopes , as to the publick state of the church of christ in this day . by the author of the fulfilling of the scriptures . london : printed for thomas parkhust at the three bibles and crown in cheapside , and jonathan robinson at the golden lyon in st. paul's church-yard , . the preface . it is sure that the great intent of religion , is to bring men unto a near communion and intimacy with god , whilst they are here on the earth , both by his word and providences ; and where this end is not designed , it is a very low interest that can be made by the profession thereof : for it may be evident , how the intellectual part of man , when it is in a serious and true exercise , must tend either to their greatest torment , or to an unexpressible joy , when they cannot but see that their good is not in their own hand , but must every moment be dependent on an invisible refuge and support ; since men are no statues , but in the solid use of reason , must have deep impressions , both as to fears and hopes of future events , and how sad and surprizing changes may be near , in the publick state of nations and cities , as well as of persons , when all humane refuges and assistances will fail ; yea , when then the great lawgiver's right and authority to a passive obedience , will be found indisputable in the way of judgment , over such , who would not acknowledge the same by active obedience , under a treaty of grace . but yet , such is the tender regard of the majesty of god to humane race , and to the work of his own hand , that in the most severe , judicial procedure with a people and nation , he does not surprize without previous warnings before the decree go forth , and hath a time of patience herein , if so be , the voice of threatned judgment might be regarded ; and whereby such stroaks , as have at last made desolate , might have been prevented : tho i find not either in divine or humane record , that any kingdom or people , did truly meet god in the way of his wrath , to put a stop thereto , upon extraordinary premonitory signs , except that one instance of nineve . i know it is no easie thing to understand warnings from heaven aright , and to have a clear interpretation of such providences , or to discern the approaches of divine vengeance , when such tender intervals of forbearance , as are usual betwixt one step and another thereof , takes off all fear of a greater woe that may be to come . there are two things which may occasion some deep and serious thought about the same , with respect to this juncture of time we are now in : the first is , as to that difference which is betwixt extraordinary warnings in the way of a treaty , and such astonishing providences , as are of a predicting nature , as presaging signs , and as a signal of judgment in its near approach to particular places , which speaks the certainty of what is signified thereby : this is a subject that may surely cause matter of great reflection upon what hath been both of late , and for some considerable time past , made visible by strange and unusual discoveries of god this way , both from the heavens , and the earth beneath : nor can it be in the dark , how such are become then portentous signs and prognostications of future events ; when they cease to affect and warn , or to work in a monitory way upon mens spirits ; when the saddest of moral signs does not awaken , nor tend to reclaim ; when the dread and reverence of god does not accompany the most extraordinary occurences of providence , but men thus become rather more hardned ; yea , when such unusual signs meet in an extraordinary season of sin , and point as with the finger thereat ; which is a conjunction of another kind , that hath a more dismal aspect , than all that was ever pretended , or feared from the planets : but oh ! who shall live when god does this , and does cease to warn any more , after renewed and unusual methods he hath taken with this generation for this end ? but there is a second thing to be matter also of serious thoughts herewith , for what ends such extraordinary signs may be directed , since they never be in vain , when now there seems no promising efficacy or influence therewith , on the spirits of most , and are so easily past , as if they had no commission from heaven to discharge : but sure then is it that the majesty of god will make known , he hath not forsaken the earth ; so that when his word hath no regard or intercourse with mens souls , he will not yet leave them without some sensible demonstration of himself , and of a divine and invisible power above them ; as this way he will also awake and put his people more on their watch , and to be on a preparatory work , whatever storm may be to blow . this scripture on which the following discourse is founded , does give a most singular account , how far a christian may be raised above his ordinary reach , by a special faith , in the power and evidence thereof , when it can have no possible rise from any natural cause ; yea , as there is a supposal here made of such a prodigious concussion of the earth , as if the frame of nature should be dissolved by some earthquake , and is there literally to be understood ; it did give a special call to speak thereon in the first part of this discourse , when such a concurrent call was also in the way of providence thereto , and to offer some special reflections on what hath in this last year occurred . i know the publishing thereof , might seem now too late , tho i hope it may be the more seasonable to revive the sense and remembrance thereof , after some others have , ( i doubt not ) with much advantage discours'd on the same providence , tho i knew not thereof , when this was writ . and i had not the least thought to have touched any thing of that additional discourse which is in the close , if ( in the blessed disposal of the lord ) there had not then been some remarkable concurring providence , which thus put me to some deep and serious thoughts on such a subject , and to have my soul more nearly join'd in therewith , for keeping sight of the way of the lord , in such steps thereof , as needed his special conduct and teaching , in a more than ordinary way . a discourse of earthquakes . psal . . , , . god is our refuge and strength , a very present help in trouble . therefore will not we fear , though the earth be removed : and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. though the waters thereof roar and be troubled , though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof . it is one of the most adorable mysteries of truth , that for an eternity the glorious god would hide himself within himself , in that unconceivable fellowship , and enjoyment of the blessed trinity when there was no created existence . but as such a reflection must be bounded with a becoming silent and humble admiration , as being too wonderful for us to think on ; so is it matter for the highest joy and exultation of spirit , that we should have this day such a being as admits us to see and enquire upon the glory of that work , which he hath brought forth within time , so infinitely becoming the perfections of the deity ; and to have so clear a discovery of the same , not only in the whole dispensation of nature and providence , but as it 's more nearly relative to us in the dispensation of grace , and in the speciality of that work that he hath about each of his people in this militant state ; yea , thus to see on what security we are fixed against the greatest hazards , and fear of future events : it was on this account that the psalmist here , bears so great and wonderful a testimony for god , and to the sureness of their state , who have him to be their alone refuge , and trust in the most extream case . this is indeed a rare passage of scripture , and does imply , . a supposal of that which is one of the most tremendous providences that can occur , a concussion of the earth , whereby the whole frame of nature would seem not only to be shaken , and cast into a trembling posture , but turned out of its place : and there is nor eason to account a metaphor that the psalmist makes use of , but to be taken in the literal sense , as that which is supposable may occur to the most excellent on the earth . but . what is more wonderful here , is a supposal made of such a stupendous earthquake by this man of god , as though it were present and visible to his sense , without any trepidation or earthquake on his soul , to shew what a pitch sometimes the faith of assurance may be at , and what relief thus is attainable amidst the greatest terrors of sense , in the light and power of religion , as is above the comprehension of nature . he was one who had made a great tryal of god , and of acquaintance with him by inward converse , and does thus speak in a dialect that 's not intelligible to such who may pretend the highest flight by reason in the searches of nature . i shall offer some propositions for a more clear understanding and improvement of this scripture ; the first whereof is this , that the most select and eminent of the saints may meet with such a trial to their faith of the same nature as is here mentioned , of some extraordinary concussion of the earth , as would seem to overturn the setled course and constitutions of nature : it is true , such a strange providence is not still alike in the same manner or measure , but sometimes is with the most tender reguard , as a premonitory warning and sign only , when at other times it is with the greatest terror of an immediate desolating judgment . that a supposal of this kind may be suitable to the most endeared favourites of heaven , needs be no strange or difficult thing , when it 's considered how it 's by no external providences the lord hath design'd the more special discoveries of his love to his people , and that no tryal can be so astonishing or at such a pitch , as to exceed the measure and allowance of their grace ; but that the expence this way be ever proportioned to their receipts , and measure of faith ; yea , how it is to the most dismal tryals and extremity the lord hath reserved the greatest experiments of his distinguishing respects to christians , and where his leading into the one by an immediate conduct , hath been made so observable to make way for the other , and some more extraordinary appearance of himself in such a case . it is not needful to insist on any concurrence of natural and occult causes , that may be in so stupendous a providence , when such difficulty and contradiction is to be seen amongst the late writers , and such as have made the greatest search upon this head ; and is so conjectural and problematick a thing , to know what influence herein the sun may have , or subterraneous fires , as descartes speaks ; or mineral vapours and irruptions of winds , penned up in the caverns and bowels of the earth ; so dark is the judgment that is on such an amazing phenomenon , though it fall in within the sphere of nature , when it is so visibly preternatural , besides the course thereof . but it 's a remarkable reflection which aristotle makes , speaking upon this very subject , that they must be bruitish and stupid who are not deeply affected with so amazing a thing as an earthquake , not only upon the hazard , but as to the original and cause thereof ; yea , whatever subserviency the majesty of god may make of inferiour causes in such providences , when he does in so stupendous a way appear ; yet it calls us to a deep and tremendous sense hereof , as his alone work. but since this is a subject of such weight , and what may justly cause great thoughts of heart in the present day , i shall speak a little to some special enquiries hereon . the first is this , on what clear and infallible grounds such an astonishing concussion of the earth by an earthquake , should be reckoned as a divine sign , and to have a supernatural causality in directing the same to a nation , and some particular place more than to others ; for giving light thereto . . it cannot possibly be denied that such as are sacred signs , and expresly foretold in the scripture to take place , must have a divine and supernatural causality for accomplishing the same , that go above all inferiour or secondarycauses , and can have no dependance thereon . . it 's sure also , how this stupendous providence is in a peculiar way reserved by the lord to be a demonstration of himself to the world , in the greatness of his power and more immediate presence , by making that which he hath setled and made firm in it self , not only to shake , but cleave asunder ; to shew his absolute dominion over the most setled constitutions of nature . thus did he in such a way cause the earth to rent in two , and swallow dathan and abiram , to set up such a stupendous sign of judgment hereby , where nature could have no concurrence ; yea , in this way , though in a promissory sense did the lord give so extraordinary a demonstration of himself and of his immediate presence upon that marvelous effusion of the spirit , act. . . when he caused the house and earth to shake underneath ; both to seize their spirits with a more deep fear and reverence , and as a sign that he would make the nations to shake and tremble before his divine power by the gospel . yea , in the same manner did he bear testimony to the divinity of christ in his sufferings , by such a tremendous earthquake , as an immediate and supernatural sign ; in which sense through the scripture as it is ever given , as an extraordinary appearance of god for some special end , so it 's unquestionable , the greatest commenter we have on the scripture , is that which is writ by the finger of god himself in his work. . it is with an undeniable evidence , we see a supernatural influence and causality in such a providence , hath in all ages been matter of solemn observation upon these remarkable events have followed such a sign ; so as in the most judicious records of history , we do rarely find the one mentioned without respect to the other : thus josephus does most punctually relate these earthquakes , that did so nearly preside the destruction of jerusalem , and the expiration of the judaical state , as they were predicted by our lord himself , matth. . . . yea , it 's beyond question how sometimes such earthquakes fall out with these tremendous circumstances , and clear evidence of an immediate divine appearance ; as serves a constraint herewith , on a natural conscience , to see and acknowledge a supernatural cause , and that they have some extraordinary commission ; so as it 's not possible then for the worst of men , to keep off the terror and impression of an invisible god. and we see little what interest the ministry of the angels hath herein , who have surely a more peculiar delegation and service in such extraordinary acts of providence . . as it 's needful to understand the rule of providence , e're we can discern aright the seals appended thereto , so is it evident that a great and stupendous earthquake is foretold to be one of the strange events of the last trumpet ; which must assuredly take place in these last times , and have a literal accomplishment : and though its appearance then will be something we may judge of an extraordinary kind , with some astonishing marks of judgment ; yet is the intent of that prediction clear herein , that when there is any appearance of god this way , it calls the world to a very solemn and awful regard of the same , and for some correspondent acts of reverence and homage , as is suitable to a providence whereon he does put so signal an impress of his terror and greatness . but it were well if mens spirits were more prepared and inclinable , not only to entertain any such intimation with reverence and fear of the divine majesty , but to improve the same for a greater strengthning of their own faith of his glorious being , and of the divinity of his word , when it is also directed for such an end . a second enquiry upon this subject and of great use , is what may be more specially judged as the grounds of any such extraordinary warnings and signs to a nation , where god hath clearly revealed his counsels and judgments by his word , and of his making use thereof . though here the soveraignty of his will should both silence and subject our spirits in such a case , yet there can be no darkness therein , to any of a serious and judicious spirit , when they see , . such a suitable congruity therewith , to that tenderness which the son of god hath to mankind , and to kingdoms and nations in his government of the world , that he will not only speak by his word , but go to the utmost , by more extraordinary warnings of some great and unusual stroak of judgment e're it come , so as nothing may be wanting either to reclaim , or render such a people unexcusable : and it hath a most sad and fatal aspect , if this hath no suitable impression in the present day . . this can be no dark or strange thing , when the times we are in , are such , that the honour and glory of the godhead is interested to appear in some unusual manner before men , when no application of light to the judgment , either from his words or works , in an ordinary way does prevail , when his name is in so visible a way blasphemed , and all wherein he has placed his name of so low a regard with this generation . . yea , may not yet some more strange and immediate appearance to this generation be expected , when such a visible tendency now is to sacrifice to natural causes , whatever hath the greatest evidence to bring near an affecting sense of the deity unto mens conscience ; and to account it a small thing to arraign and subject the greatest of his works to the comprehension of their dark and limited reason ; and that their wisdom hath such a dominion and influence on future events , as they can give law to providence , and lay wagers on what the next day is to bring forth : oh! may not some unusual application be yet more than expected , to let men know they are under the dominion of that god , who can in a moment , break the most promising means and measures taken by human counsel , by one touch of his hand ; and what hath been thought most infallible in the course of humane affairs . . and may it not be feared , that when these are so rare , who tremble at the word and threatnings of an invisible god , they should meet with such awakening signs , as cause the earth to tremble beneath ? which in the very nature thereof , is suited to beget an awful and trembling posture of spirit , and let us see how every moment it is dependant on heaven , and in the reverence thereof , that the earth does not rent and swallow men up . but it is clear also that extraordinary appearances of god , not only in judgment , but in the way of grace , have been most discernable , when things have come to an extremity in the tryals of christians , and when their faith and patience have been ready to be overset by disappointments , and contrary appearances , answerable to that of isa . now will i arise , now will i be exalted , now will i lift up my self , saith the lord. a third enquiry , that i humbly judge is of concern here , is what suitable and safe application may be made of such extraordinary providences , to the present day and place we are in ; since it is requisite that any impression of fear on such an account , be fixed on solid and rational grounds , and we be not affrighted with shadows , but according to that evidence they bear of being supernatural signs and forewarnings , to have an answerable sense thereof ; on which account , as to a clear and applicatory judgment in such a case , i shall yet further offer a few things to be considered for this end . . that when something astonishing and unusal , above any influence of natural causes , is given to be a premonitory sign to a nation or people , and hath an extraordinary call with it , it does surely speak there is some more than ordinary piece of the work of god than in bringing forth there , and on a near approach ; yea , that it is on some great and important ground , when the lord does this way appear . . it is of undoubted evidence which we must peremptorily hold by , that where the majesty of god takes an unusual way to awake and warn a people , they must either answer the same , or else they are infallible prognosticks of wrath and judgment , and some dismal night coming on : nor can any sign be more mortal than this , that men will not consider the work of god , or regard the operation of his hand , when it hath unavoiadble evidence to be his alone work. . there may be a clear and infallible application of what 's more extraordinary in any appearance of god to a nation , when such forewarnings have most immediately gone before some astonishing judgment , on a people who have not been under more aggravating circumstances of guilt ; yea , not comparable to the height that is this day in our case : since such precedents of the severity of judgments in one place , are undoubtedly given to be a premonitory sign to another . . yea , when there is some more singular conjunction , and reiterating in a successive way of such awakening signs , it then hath not only a distinct sound , but a loud cry of some near and immediate approach of judgment , and that it may come upon the last call. i know it is one of the greatest things of practical religion , that needs a near intercourse with god , to have any such application brought near to mens souls , both in order to fear , and to account also the more immediate appearances of his power and workings , as a matter of their greatest joy , that the sense of a deity might thus more strongly work on such a generation : but oh ! how sad a token is it , when such are not only rejected , but have a sinistrous and false application made of the same ; and to see the earth trembling at the near approaches of divine wrath , when such as dwell thereon , have no fear of this kind , as habac. . . the mountains saw thee and they trembled , the overflowings of the water passed by , the deep uttered its voice ; but says the prophet there , was the lord displeased against the rivers ? was his anger against those elements , &c. no , it was against humane race , and given to be a sign thereto . but there is a fourth enquiry , which comes more close and near to us on this subject , to know what evidence such late extraordinary providences do bear , as was at jamaica , june . and here , september . to be the alone work of god in such an immediate and unusual manner , and to go forth on a special commission to england , and to this great and renowned city of london ; yea , the whole island : for answer thereto , i must crave leave with humble sobriety , to offer some reflections on both , according to the express signature and impress , they bear not only of an extraordinary appearance of god herein , but of his counsel and intent in this day . . as to that tremendous stroak on jamaica , we cannot but see . it s being directed to a place where the whole country was purely english in its interest and inhabitants , and thus a part of the same nation , though at a distance ; so that it can be no more evident that such a strange stroak was real and no imaginary thing , than that it hath a proper aspect in a monitory way on this island , and set up as a publick beacon and monument of judgment in this respect , to shew how terrible a thing it is to fall immediately into the hands of the living god , when a people may seem most secure from all humane power , yea , that there can be safety on the earth , where their adversary is above them , and is god. . we see its being directed also with a special commission to that one place , which alone was the most flourishing , populous part of the whole country ; and thus made the scaffold on which so dreadful an execution of judgment was acted , as did in two moments , swallow up near of its inhabitants , whilst no part else of the island had any such dreadful effects ; and was this a contingent and casual thing only , if men do but excercise reason herein . . this as it 's publickly known , was after some remarkable forewarnings , given by a trepidation of the earth there , a short time before though in that manner , and with such tenderness then , as might shew a holding of the hand of judgment , even when it was lifted up . . it 's yet further remarkable as i find it related from some who dwelt in that place , that no instance of traditional conveyance , was before ever known there , not only since the first english plantation , but under the spanish power ; so as in that sense as moses spoke , numb . . . the lord did thus work a new thing in such a place of the earth , as it 's thus circumstantiate . . but that which may most direct our eyes to see an immediate appearance of god herein , and a causality above nature , was , as is by all acknowledged , when such a prodigious height of impiety and wickedness seem'd to have filled up its full measure , and no ordinary means could reclaim ; so as the holy god upon the honour of his justice and government , was thus interested to put so astonishing a mark of his severity and wrath on the same , and make known what one day and hour , may at last bring forth on a city and country after a long forbearance , when it is least expected or feared . but it is on this last sign and extraordinary concussion by an earthquake , that was in the th . of september , i must offer a few reflections further , that hath come nearer to our sense , with so unusual an aspect . . that it was given in so near a conjunction with the former , and with such evidence as the lord speaks to moses , exod. . . if they will not hearken to the voice of the first sign , they may yet hearken to the voice of the second ; yea , when the first had the less influence , that it was so remote in its distance , this comes and speaks in that manner as jeremiah , i am a god near at hand , and not a far off only . . if we look on the manner of it , it is so astonishing , as is unaccountable to all humane reason , that so discernable a trepidation should be in one room in the same house , and not in another , as was certainly known ; yea , in so distinguishing a respect , that it was most perceptible and terrifying to one in the same room and not to another ; tho' both in the sober exercises of reason . . and whence should such a correspondence in this great sign have a rise , that almost in the same hour it made the earth to tremble at london , and in the sea-coasts there , in so astonishing a manner , and then also give the same signal and warning through the whole low-countries , with other adjacent parts of germany , when so great an extent of sea lyes betwixt the same ; since it is not possible that in the ordinary course of nature , the influence of any subterraneous fires or vapours , should have so immediate a conjunction with places so vastly remote , and separate from other by so great an extent of the sea. i find some famous searchers into natural causes , writ that an earthquake is simply impossible in nature , to be of any universal extent . . and though we read in the english histories some strange extraordinary instances that did occur of such a kind in queen elizabeths reign at london in the year , at marcly hill in herefordshire in the year , where it removed it self from the place where it stood , and travelled to another place ; as also a prodigy of the same kind , which was in dorsetshire , yet was none of these , in the least , of such a nature as this , or in any respect parallel thereto ; but were restricted only to particular bounds , tho' they were then matter of great observation in their day : but i humbly judge if the most exact search were made into history both modern and ancient , under such circumstances , no instance so strange and unaccountable , as to any natural causes herein will be found . . and what a state should we have been in , if it had continued but three minutes more ? or was there any humane counsel or power , that could either prevent or restrain the same in the least , of its going so far and no further , but we might see at once , our hazard and deliverance set in our sight , from an invisible power . but as all the works of god , even such as fall under the observation of each day , should be matter of special regard ; such wherein his appearance is more extraordinary , calls for some greater advertence and enquiry about the same . i must therefore offer a few reflections further on this late astonishing providence . . that as it was now ten years ago since the lord gave a sign in an unusual manner from the heavens above , by that great and remarkable comet in the year , so now after such an interval of patience to this generation he hath given a sign of another kind , which is from the deep beneath , that comes more near to us , answerable to that of isa . . where we may see how it is most eminently in these two ways the lord does appear , when he is to give some great and significative sign to the world of unusual events ; and as nothing can bring more terror therewith , than an appearance of such a kind , so needs it not be strange that this day , when the earth hath so near a resemblance to the infernal state , why this should be from beneath , and have so dreadful an aspect . . though there might be cause why such a concussion of the earth should cause just fears and tremblings of heart , yet does it exceed all humane comprehension such a circumstance herewith , which was so universally noticed of its affecting the head with a sensible giddiness , even before they did apprehend , and understood any thing of an earthquake ; which was so obvious to the most judicious observers , that it seemed as if an apoplectick distemper had seized upon them , without any known cause for the same : this i have found so general a remark , as i could not pass it over , though without any application else , but that no natural cause can be supposable herein . . and if we regard the manner of this sign , as it is directed to such a time we are in , and in so strange an extent thereof , may it not also as with clear and articulate voice be understood , that what is signified thereby will prove matter of trembling and astonishment , and may cause a trepidation in these western parts of europe answerable thereto , so as to shake the most setled constitutions of nations , if so solemn a call be not regarded . . and though it might seem a strange criticism , yet i hope not unsuitable to be noticed , that this last warning was given in the d . week of september , as directed to revive the sense , and remembrance of what had been so highly remarkable to this great city in the first week thereof , and with a new call tho in a most tender premotory way , but with that evidence , as we are sure was immediately from heaven ; only let me add herewith , that 's sure divine threatnings , and the most tremendous warnings to kingdoms and nations , are in their primary intention , design'd to keep off men from the judgments threatned , and not to be gazed at for a matter of talk and report : but oh ! if the furthest measures of this kind can have no weight to answer the intent hereof : it is sure that god will be known to be god this day unto britain , and before this generation , by such an evidence and demonstration , as will at last work effectually . but having now so far touched these two extraordinary signs that have so lately occurred , i must for the same end point at a third , as so nearly contemporating with the former , though it may be feared , is gone out of sight and forgot , when the bitterness of death seems to be past , but did cause such fears in the present time , and consternation of mind : it is that unusual and astonishing rain , which in these parts , through most of the summer continued , when thus these sweet influences from heaven by moistning showers , to restore and ripen , were in that manner changed to be destructive , when we might see the heavens with fo extraordinary an aspect , as it were mourning from above over the earth , if hereby men would be awakened to the fear and dread of that god in whose hand both our breath and bread is ; yea , when it was come to that extremity in its continued course , as threatned to make void the harvest , and when but one week almost seemed to stand betwixt us and such an unavoidable stroak ; when no humane counsel or power , could save the nation from perishing in such a case : it was then the sovereign god did stay his hand , and with an eminent testimony of his tenderness , not only shut up the clouds , but gave such a compensation by a most serene desirable season , as might recover in a short time , what the former months had spoiled , and seemed in an ordinary way to mens thoughts , irrecoverable . but i shall shut up any further insisting on this subject , with a short touch only at some improvement hereof for these ends . first to a solid fixing of our judgment and light about the same , there is nothing more amazing and dreadful to the spirit of many in this day , than any supernatural appearance in the events of providence , as renders the sense and impression of an invisible god , and his dominion over second causes , to be unavoidable , and on this account , as these seem to be in such a fear upon the truth and existence of devils , since their faith hereof , must needs bring them to the same with the devils , to believe and tremble : so is it in this case , men are so much on the rack how to solve all by natural demonstration , that may darken any immediate appearance of god ; as jannes and jambres in egypt , until at last they were constrained to see and acknowledge it was a divine power alone they opposed themselves to ; but such as will peruse what the most judicious of modern philosophers speak on this head , may see how dark and perplexed their inquisition is hereon , and how strait bounds they are penned up in , whilst they jointly confess that an earthquake is by no natural motion of the earth , but is impetuous and violent , that moves contrary to the setled course of nature , and fixedness of the earth ; but that some extraordinary stop and obstruction is herein , and when they come to fix on the particular cause hereof , think it most probable to be either ab aqua , à flammis subterraneis , vel ab halitu : but if they will rise higher upon another principle , to give a true idea of nature , they must then see also how it is acted by god as his instrument , to do whatever he will , and that the motions of all inferior causes must be ultimately resolved , both on an immediate divine concurrence to their working , and on his directing counsel to answer his intent ; since as the eye of god is still on the whole circle of the creation in its motions , so is his dominion over the deep and darkest caverns of the earth , to move upon his call ; which can never be subjected to the rule of natural causes . it is true , that in the ordinary course and procedure of providence , the only wise god hath a special respect to the order of inferior causes , and his own ordination herein , and does thus exercise his dominion over the world , and the motion of things there , according to their particular nature wherein he hath fixed them ; but when sublunary things step out of their natural course , and do either move against or above their own nature , it is surely then upon a supreme determination for a great end , and some notable step of providence is to be understood herein ; yea , it is most conspicuous in the way of god , when great events of what 's foretold in the scripture , are in bringing forth as to any piece of his work , wherein he designs some higher discovery of himself to men , that it is when secondary causes and the whole concourse of nature would seem most to controul the same ; and in this present case , if with a serious and prepared mind , men do consider these two late earthquakes under their proper circumstances , then it is not possible but they must see them to be such events , as cannot possibly be ascribed to another cause , than an immediate divine power exerted in the same . there is a second improvement , which on this head is now called for , to have our eyes thus carried up towards god by serious observation : i know this is not easily attained , to be in a due capacity and posture to converse with him this way , wherein lyes one of the nearest intercourses betwixt heaven and our soul within time ; but it is of great use to know aright where the intent of judicious observation on such an account should be most fixed , as . on the immediateness of such acts of providence to be from god alone , as can be ascribed to no created power , which is a discovery that comes not with more terror to a profane world , whose study is to live without god therein , than with unspeakable joy it meets these of a serious spirit for a more full establishment of faith , and to see it with that evidence , as makes it unavoidable to terminate their eyes otherwise than on god alone herein , deut. . see now , i even i am he , and there is no god , else ; i kill and make alive , i wound and i heal , &c. . it is then our observation is suitably fixed , when it respects the clear impress of divine truth on any extraordinary step of his way , no less than of his power , since as his work is ever answerable to his being , and the perfections of his nature , so is the outgoings of his truth , and faithfulness herein to be intensly observed ; who does rule and govern the world according to these established laws and constitutions of his revealed truth . . it is essentially requisite also to consider and see such providences as are more extraordinary , under these circumstances , which most remarkably attend the same . it being sure how great a weight one circumstance may have to render a providence in some singular way , to be both instructing and comforting , which otherwise would not work in that manner . thus did the ruler so exactly inquire and observe at what hour it was when his son recovered , and found it answer to that very time when christ had given him the assurance thereof . it is herein one of the great duties of our day lyes , and i am perswaded that great things for observation , do yet wait upon this time . providence hath been a long teacher to britain , and it useth to be the last teacher that is made use of , and the last way that the spirit of god does strive with a people or nation , before approaching judgment : we have seen it go by on the right hand in most singular dispensations of grace and mercy to these nations ; as also upon the left hand in extraordinary acts of justice , yet have we little seen or perceived to this day , the most special intent of the lord herein : but since i have spoken more expresly thereto elsewhere , i forbear to touch it further ; only this improvement further , might be suitable on such a subject , to impress mens spirits with the fear and dread of walking contrary to providence , especially in any more extraordinary discoveries of god this way , since this is the highest contempt and opposition upon the earth , to his providential government , and does in an unusual manner , hasten and prepare such for the last stroak : this seems to be one of the signs of our time , that hath a sad resemblance to these in the primitive times , . pet. . who turned divine patience to be a matter of scoff , and said , where is the promise of his coming , since we see things continue yet as they were , and have yet outlived many threatning tokens , and presages of judgment ? but it is usually seen , that such who have looked on premonitory signs with the greatest confidence , and have counted any serious regard thereto , to be a superstitious weakness , have been beyond all others , seized with the greatest terror and amazement , upon a surprizing stroak : a reverential fear and dread of divine warnings , and of the evil day , is most highly becoming such who may have the greatest security of mind , as to their own personal lot therein ; such as habac. . . when i heard this , my belly trembled , my lips quivered , &c. that i might rest in the day of trouble . a second proposition that hath the same clear evidence with the former from this scripture is this , that such an assurance of faith is attainable here on the earth , as can bear out , and secure the soul of a christian in a present extremity , and amidst the greatest terrors of sense , when there is no possible support from nature , or things seen in such a case . to this does the psalmist here bear a most clear witness . i confess it is one of the most astonishing mysteries of our religion , which is wholly unaccountable to the spirit of this world ; and it hath been matter of wonder to me , in how ordinary a way such a subject is oft spoken of , and what length is come in the notion and theory , when so little of the experimental light hereof , seems to be found on the earth in this day : but where it is known in truth , it is surely one of the greatest demonstrations of god , and of his immediate power and working on the soul in this militant state , yea , such as may supply the room of any external miracles to these , who know the same ; it is a thing of that nature , as exceeds the sphere of all created power to work , and goes far above the reach of angels to impart the same ; but to him only it belongs who is both the author and finisher of our faith ; yea , which according to the out-lettings of his spirit , herein makes so unspeakable a difference betwixt such and themselves to whom it is thus known , how in one time then they are made to differ from another , and where the sorrows and pains of a doubting heart , about the warrant of their hope is understood , it will be then known what unexpressible joy the truth of such an assurance as we find here in the text does raise , and be as a resurrection from the dead in that case . it 's true such a particular confidence and trust , that hath nothing from things seen , or on any natural account to fix , cannot bear out in the way of light only , even on the most clear grounds of a divine promise herein , but is immediately dependant on that measure of the spirit of faith , which is then given to answer to the height and measure of their present tryal ; but yet it 's sure and unquestionable , that such a faith as is not founded on appearances , hath a ballast as will not be broken by contrary appearances ; and since this may look as a very dark and amazing thing , what relates to such singular workings of a christians faith in an extremity , i would speak a few things to be previously considered in what manner this acts on the highest principles of inlightned reason , as well as by supernatural influence , and how nothing can be more rationally deduced than such a conclusion which david here makes from the foregoing premises , since it 's undeniable , . that such a sweet and absolute necessity there is for men to betake themselves to a divine power and relief , only in a present exigence of tryal , when it 's sure that god hath afforded nothing to man without himself in the whole frame of the creation , to bear up that weight of dependance and trust ; so as we must herein either cease from man , whose breath is in his nostrils , in the way of reliance or part with god : nor can any time ever find that to be blessed , on which the god of truth hath by any irrevocable sentence setled a curse . but this is one of the rare characters of a christian , when in such a manner , both his choice and confidence does center in god alone , as he is resolved to trust him only or none else ; and to ly at anchor on his revealed truth , or perish . the great former of heaven and earth will not bear the empty name and shew of being his peoples hope , when the interest and weight thereof , is laid on things beside himself . . it is no less demonstrable and known on this head , that there is no possible rest or quiet to the soul of man amidst the hazards and terrors of time , but in an intire dependance and trust on an invisible god and his being their alone refuge and help , for the profession of the only true god , and of our souls adventuring intirely on him , as the alone object of our trust , is one and the same ; and as there is a receding from the one , so is there consequentially from the other also , in denying to him the glory of his godhead . nothing is indeed more usual than to see mens confidence still ebb and flow , according to the visible posture of their affairs , tho it does sadly evidence such a trust and reliance that hath its greatest weight on something else than god , however he bear the name thereof . it is unquestionable that the greatest princes and monarchs , need to have their dependance no less setled on god , even for outward supplies , than the poor ; whose holding hereof , is no less absolutely from him , than those who may be put to live on humane charity , and are ever in his reverence , who can make the scarlet to embrace the dunghill , when it would seem not conceivable to humane reason : it is in this respect that one of the highest tryals of faith is , when external advantages do most abound , and in that sense riches prove so mortal to those who enjoy the same , and as christ himself testifies , is no less hard for such to be saved , than for a camel to go through a needle 's eye : it 's so rare for men to have the world in their hand and not upon their heart also , as the ground of their confidence and trust . . this should be also considered for giving light to the work of faith in any extraordinary tryals , that it 's sure the utmost perfection of this excellent grace , not only in its truth , but in the degree and measure thereof , is alone in this life attainable ; so , that this is not possible to be at a higher pitch than in this militant state , or to have another season for paying in that tribute of glory and praise unto the god of truth , and to his faithfulness , which is so highly called for in the way of believing , but within time only ; but , in a more special way in the greatest exigence and strait which may be in a christians case , when their hope seems most visibly stated against them . it is in this sense , the apostle speaks of the filling up of the work of faith in a christians day , . thess . . . as one of the highest designs of providence in the conflicts of their warfare , though the same measure in this work and tryals hereof , be not allotted to some as to others ; yea , it is in that respect only james speaks , chap. . . for the patience of faith to have its perfct work , and to attain this in the utmost degree , since it belongs only to this life . . but is it not a compensation to the hardest lessons of a christians confidence and trust , and to the most remarkable hour of extremity , that we know god hath reserved thereto , the most immediate and extraordinary discoveries of himself , and of his being god alone , above what is known in the ordinary course of his providence : said i , not unto you , if you would believe that ye should see the glory of god , joh. . which was a sight that our lord would not give until all support in the way of sense was taken off , and that it was put beyond the possibility of nature . and it 's sure , that on such rare experiment and tryal of god in a christians life , and in a case where none but god can act , is of such value , as to be a continued matter of admiration ; yea , is an earnest of that kind , as may bear evidence to to their security by a peci al conduct of providence in all after-times , when this is enjoyed not only as it 's demonstrative of the greatness of his power , but on the account of his promise , and as a seal thereto in the way of their relyance on him . . it is surely here in the powerful workings of a christians faith , in an extraordinary hour of tryal , that one of the great demonstrations of the truth and excellency of our religion , is exhibited before the world : and what a temporal interest does thus accompany the same , to support and quiet the soul ? yea , to bear the full expence of the saddest afflicting times , which is not known to the residue of men besides . for it should be a sad part , if any case were of that kind in a christians lot , as did exceed a supernatural relief by reliance intirely on god ; when nothing besides in any visible way is left : but here does the glory of our religion with an eminent brightness shine forth , when such as look but at a distance , can see the effects thereof , to afford quiet and rest to the mind , where it 's sure nature could give no assistance , when humane refuge hath most visibly failed , when lovers and friends have stood afar off , and when the frownings of providence have been such , as if their god was become a party against them , and their eyes made to fail in waiting for his appearance ; yea , as it 's sure all natural causes must still have their operation and effects , congruously to their proper nature , so is this alone peculiar to that excellent religion we enjoy in the truth thereof , to afford a supernatural vertue and efficacy therewith , so as to give rest and refreshment to the most perplexed and weary spirit ; and to commend its institutions by the influential presence of the spirit of god , as that way whereby man here on the earth in this visible sate , is advanced , and made capable of an immediate and familiar converse with an invisible god , which is one of the wonders of religion , that might in another manner affect and work upon us , if it were truly believed . oh! what a subject is this to converse with , that such a demonstration of the christian faith is known and sure , as a vital intercouse and communion betwixt our blessed head , and these who are united to him by faith here on the earth ; so as the greatness of that local distance , which is betwixt the third heavens and this lower world , can be no lett thereto , when yet the least moral distance by any impurity and defilement through sin does separate betwixt god and the soul , and obstruct this enjoyment . but since this is not conceivable at a distance in what manner a surprizing extremity may work , when it 's the present object of sense , and mens confidence is resolved intirely on a supernatural relief ; when it 's no theory or light in the judgment can express the same as in an experimental way is known ; yea , when the actings of faith in the power thereof , in such a tryal is so rare and wonderful a thing above natural comprehension . let me yet offer here some of the most choice improvements that are called for , to the attaining such an assurauce and establishment of faith , when things may come to some unusual exigence . . how then , such whose acquaintance with god is not to begin , can have this reflection alone with their soul , that they know whom they have believed , and his being able to keep that which was committed to him , and give an account thereof , in a day of extremity , tim. . . yea , knows the god of their trust is such , who can extend his power and relief unto things that are unconceivable to us , and past finding out ; who can serve himself of means visibly destructive to save in a way contrary to their proper nature ; whose help tarries not for man , nor waits for the sons of men ; and is ever at work to make his providence serve the interest and accomplishment of his truth to such who have setled their reliance thereon , though the whole visible state of things , would seem to conspire against the same ; and , can then look up to that god ( when there may be no look downward , but to cause terror ) whose kingdom and dominion , is not only over all but can immediately act on their souls , to quiet and settle the same , though the earth about them , should be in a visible disorder and confusion . . it is then , even under the most dismal aspect of external providences , that such can betake themselves to the certainty of divine truth , and cast anchor on that ground on which they must shortly adventure for an eternal state , in that greatest tryal at death : thus did abraham rest his soul when he had such a strange tide of contrary providences to shake him , and was not staggered at the promise , knowing it was given by that god , with whom it was unpossible to lie ; and oh ! what a hell should this earth be , if the enjoyments of a christians faith and hope , had another dependance than on god alone , and were in the reverence of outward things ; yea , if there were not such a certainty of supernatural evidence and assurance , as in a mid-night hour , can bearup against the greatest contradictions of sense . . there is this great assistance to improve in the darkest tryal , what former acquaintance with the ways of god hath been attained for discerning how the designs and methods of grace , do lye towards them , by the light of his truth : thus when present affliction and distress , seems most astonishing , they are not in the dark herein , to understand what unusual measures the most endeared favourites of heaven have had of such a tryal , whilst they were on the earth , and that they are upon no strange or unknown ground in such a case : they know thus what an illustrious and essential part the most deep distresses and straits in a christains life , hath in the great frame of divine providence , to bring forth the greatest comforts and mercies thereof ; and that according to the measure both of their grace and services for god ; they must expect his way towards them , to go out of the ordinary road of his dealing with others . . it is likewise in the most dismal hour , when all humane refuges do succumb , that such can with delight , reflect on that ancient friendship and entercourse of love hath sometimes been betwixt god and their soul , as being still an undoubted earnest in their hand , though they may not have the same inward sense and evidence therewith , on their heart as formerly : yea , the singular comfort and advantage which is in a judicious observation of these more extraordinary . acts of providence , that have met them formerly , will be then understood , when they come to a serious recollecting of the same . it 's true , the measure of such a talent with some , may much exceed that of others , whose life hath been filled up with more singular experiments of this kind , what god hath been to them in some unusual way , and in the more immediate interpositions of providence ; yet where something is in any measure of such an assistance for a clear and sweet review on the same , it 's not expressible how this will work in a new exigence ; when the comforter indeed brings it to their remembrance , it is a strong argumentation that the spirit of god affords this way to raise the confidence of his people , in the most extraordinary c●●●… , job . he will deliver in six trouble , yea in seven ; by which in scripture , style is to be understood a note of perfection , when it comes to the highest and most extream part of trouble , that then these experiences were assured pledges , that his power will not fail in the seventh , or come short for bringing forth so great a deliverance . it 's true , one day may come in a christians way to heighten the tryal of their faith , more than all the preceeding part of their life : but it is no less remarkable in the way of grace , how these also have been in some singular manner then trained and ripened for such an assault e're it came ; and , as the greatest paroxism of a disease is usual upon the height of a crisis , and when it 's on a turn , so is it experienced , how astonishing a darkness does oft fall down , when some eminent appearance of god in the way of comfort and light to a christian , hath been most immediately near . it is not conceivable also until it be tryed what satans greatest design and effort means , which each of the saints does once prove in some time of their life , though not in a like measure ; yea , how singular a time this is found to be , for some higher tryal of god beyond their former experience : but it may be a strengthening remark to our faith , how the design of those powers of darkness , are most deeply laid against the followers of christ , according to their room in the body , and any more special services for him that may be alotted to such . i remember a passage of luthers in his common places with respect to himself , very remarkable ; videtur mihi satanas a pueritia mea aliquid providisse in me eorum , quae nunc patitur , ideo ad perdendum , ad impediendumque me incredibilibus machinis insanivit , ut saepius fuerim admiratus , egone solus essem inter mortales , quem ita peteret . . there is one singular assistance also , that such who have attained fome near entercourse with god in the way of his truth , have beyond others , in the darkest hour , by a review on these peculiar promises that have been with the most full evidence and seal of the spirit of promise , sometimes enjoyed in a sensible application of the same : it was this gave david so strong an argument to plead and prevail with god , psal . . . remember the word unto thy servant whereon thou causest me to hope ; and it 's clearly in that sense it must be understood , heb. . of these who by faith obtained promises from god , being made theirs by such an immediate seal and application , that gave them as clear an interest therein , as if they were in the performance . and surely where the testimony of the renewed conscience is kept clear herewith , as to the truth of the condition to which these promises relate , the very life and comfort of a christians trust lyes in such a support , above what 's expressible , than in an hour of temptation . . but there is one improvement further in order to a christians faith and support , in the most extreme case to consider , that in a short time he is to make a tryal of faith , that will be of another nature than he hath ever known before ; and no tryal within time can be like this , which is at death ; when the whole visible part of man , must be shut up in a dark and narrow grave , which had once the spacious earth to move in , and did enjoy the light of the same , where in one moment there is a parting with all interest and comforts in this lower world , and an immediate entry on the decision of their eternal state , which is then irrevocably cast ; where they can have no intelligence from all who have gone before , what it is to die , or what manner of sight that will be , which is at the first opening of those gates of the second world , either as to blessedness or torment ; yea , where there can be no possible assistance from nature , in the shutting of this dark gulf , nor is conceivable by humane light , the way and manner of that passage ; so that any exigence which may seem most trying to a christians faith here on the earth , is but as a prelude , and preparatory part to this last step of their warfare : and as death was in its first constitution purely penal , and is no natural accident , which meets us not as we are men , but as we are sinners , there is no true support possibly attainable then , but in the vertue and power of religion . but it is now in a more applicatory way i must yet speak further , with respect to so great a subject , and what in order to light hath been held forth thereon . . that if men do not design a resolute opposition to god in those late premonitory signs of this present year , it 's not morally possible then , to withstand such a concatenation of evidences , of a supernatural discovery thereby ; and that they were surely directed with a special commission from him , and forewarnings of such a kind as are suited to the design of providence in this day ; and when there is so little faith now on the earth , with respect to any threatnings of the word , is it strange though there be some unusual demonstrations of god in the way of sense , to speak to the world by a monitory voice : it is true the lord did never give forth miracles , to attest before men the truth of his deity , which hath a witness thereto in every object of sense , and from the whole constitutions of nature , yet have these been most specially directed to awake a more deep , and tremendous impression of the majesty of god on mens souls , when the voice of his revealed truth is not regarded : and there is just cause to believe that the design of providence this day , is in another manner now , than in times past taking place , to let this generation know , that surely there is a god who judgeth in the earth , before whom the greatest of men must either bow or be broken ; and that the time is not only near , but is now come , for his taking to himself , his great power to reign , with another appearance of his greatness and terror , than was ever known before in the world. and oh ! what must be expected to work for greatr excitements to fear , and a more awful sense of a supernatural and divine power , and of his supreme government over the world , when no instituted means in a moral way , does answer to this end : tho' it is sure , if that relation we stand in to the deity , and the interest of our ingagements to him , with the greatness of our hope from him alone , were taken to heart , we could not but accountsuch , to be most desirable acts of providence ; yea , rejoyce herein , where he gives the most near and immediate discoveries of himself , when the vindication of his glory is so visibly concerned in the same , even though it should cause trembling to humane sense , and be at a very dear and expensive rate to a secure world. but it is on another head that i must more specially insist in a practical way , as to the great security of faith with such a full reliance on god , as is here held forth in this scripture , and to what a degree the elevation of a christians soul may be thus raised with that inward assurance , as can bear out against the greatest terrors of sense : this is a demonstration of god by his immediate working on the souls of men , which is wonderful , and should be matter of great improvement in the saddest tryals of our warfare , to know in what manner divine power is thus exerted , as can in a moment , dispel the most extream fears and darkness on the soul , so as to make day arise , and a sun shine there , when it hath been as midnight otherwise . and since this is a subject of such weight , as the very life , comfort , and sustaining of the soul amidst the innumerable hazards and tryals of time lyes herein , as to a full assurance and acquiescence of the mind , but the certainty of our faith that we are thus safe , and in sure terms with god , it may be needful to answer a few proposals for giving light thereto . . how we are to apprehend aright , so great an attainment of grace as this is , and to have our judgment setled , and clear about so wonderful an experiment . i know it is no ordinary standard or example , what 's here held forth in such assurance of davids faith , when no supposal of hazard or extremity , was then too great for the same ; for , even this great man of god , had at other times his low ebbs and faintings , that were as remarkable , as such a triumph and high-spring-tide , which we see here in the power of believing ; but on the other hand , this is a strange riddle to the spirit of the world , and unaccountable to all reason in the eyes of many who profess the same doctrin of our faith ; as if it were something that alone works in the power of some strong imagination , whilst they take up religion in a natural way only , which goes not above moral inducements , and the power of free-will : i must therefore speak a little in a special way , to such a proposal . . that the great design of the gospel , does most eminently ly here , not only to reveal the mystery of grace and of redemption , in what christ hath done for us , but to acquaint us also with the immediate and internal work of faith on the soul , which he does work and perfect in us , as the author and finisher thereof ; which was so wonderful a thing , as put one of the disciples of christ , to that strange enquiry , lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us , and not to the world ? and in such a distinguishing way by inward evidence and power . . this cannot be understood aright , but by such a discovery thereof , as one of the essential parts of that rare divine workmanship of the new man , which in its whole life and actings , hath no other subsistence , but by immediate supplies from heaven ; and as in one time of a christians life , his faith will need a more extraordinary allowance for support , than in another ; so i must humbly judge the present time we are in , is such as needs in a more than ordinary way , some clear understanding of this mystery of faith , by practical light , and the vertue thereof in an hour of temptation , when the times seem to be growing so dark , as the spirits of the most judicious discerners of things , are put to astonishment , to think what providence may be bringing forth , when the sea-compass seems as it were to fail , and so little of any conforting signs , but for a long time past , have been in paths so untrodden , as is not easie to trace or find a clear way before us . . but this cannot be understood as some singular and powerful operation of the spirit of god , which upon some special service for him , may be imparted to such as never knew his graci-inhabitation in their soul , or what it is to be entred in such a state of communion with the spirit , as is by his setled residence and abiding with them , john . . for such is this mystery of faith in the nature thereof , as it 's true acting and work , is not attainable without a vital influence from heaven , and where it 's gradual increase and advance is made a reward to frequency in the acts thereof , and these resolute adventures and reliance , which hath through grace , been attained on a divine power . . but for a more full understanding hereof , it is not possibly attainable , without a supernatural evidence accompanying the same ; such whereby it clearly sees both the excellency and certainty of things that are above sense , how they are no less sure than great : and though the highest enjoyments of faith , whereby the soul rests about things to come , as if they were present , hath no such immediate evidence thereof as they are in themselves , and are the objects of our sense ; else they could not be hoped for , if they were thus seen : yet it 's upon no credibility , but upon the highest certainty , that this quieting work of faith , is founded : but how this supernatural evidence does work on a christians soul in an hour of greatest tryal , is not expressible by words , tho' it doth then clear it self in the same manner , as the day-light does when the sun shines . for , when it 's known in the power thereof , in times of fainting and distress , it hath then such a call therewith , by a present efficacy , as psal . . . to return unto their rest ; a rest of tranquility and assurance from god , in the way of a promise , when there may not be the least appearance of its performance . thus did abraham know the truth and power of such an evidence upon his soul , when he staggered not at the promise through vnbelief ; when both the way of povidence and the course of nature , upon his hopes of isaac , did most visibly controul the same . but let me add herewith , that the most choice and experienced in the work and advantages of faith , hath not done with the settlement hereof , even after the greatest confirmations ; for whilst he is within time , he must still look out , both for new assaults , and further experiments of assistance for this end , and to attain a higher growth : but oh ! how dark and strange a thing is this , and how disrelishing to most in this present day ? who count it enough to have their religion in the bibls , but not in their sonl ; and to have it in external ordinances , and a visible form , but in no inward enjoyments of the same . a second proposal upon this great subject of the quieting power of faith , amidst the hazards and terrors of time , is to know the truth hereof , in the sureness of its principles , and on what a clear warrant , so wonderful a piece of our religion does found : this i must touch a little , to clear the same , both from any presumptive confidence , and enthusiastick pretences on such an account ; and that its holding in the way of right , on the warrant of divine truth , is no less sure , than the enjoyment hereof is sweet ; when we can with such evidence see . . how it hath this fundamental principle to hold by , that the god of truth hath taken the establishing of his peoples faith , under his own hand , as his alone immediate work , and is such a work , that none but he can accomplish : thus we see cor. . . the sureness of the grounds of our faith held forth , that all the promises of god in christ , are yea and amen in him , unto the glory of god , &c. but though here is enough as to a divine warrant and right , yet will not this alone bear out , without it be gods immediate work also , when a storm riseth ; therefore verse . it's expresly shewed , that he who establisheth us in christ , and hath anointed us , is god ; and hath given us the earnest of his spirit , to raise the faith of his people , answerable to the height and measure of any present tryal . . is it not on this sure principle of truth also , that faith in the power , and supports hereof , even in the most extraordinary case of tryal , does found ? that the lord jesus christ , hath not only given himself for us , by a legal substitution in our room , to satisfy divine justice , but hath given himself to us , to be enjoyed in the nearest intimacy of relation , and a vital vnion with himself , so that thus he is not only the purchaser , but the dispenser also , of such potent influences , as the faith of his people , in the most extream case does need ; and as he knows the ways of the righteous , in their necessities , temptations and hazards ; so he hath fixed them this way , in such an immediate and absolute dependance on himself , by taking off visible refuges , to give them a more special discriminating testimony of his respects , though then in the present time , it may have a very strange and dismal appearance , whilst it 's not understood in such a case , how his gracious design to accomplish the great ends of his love to his people lyes so near him , as to defer oft , an answering of their natural desires , until things come to that extremity , as may make way , both for the highest tryal and victory of their faith. . it is one of the most fundamental grounds and principles of trust , that no doctrinal knowledge of this mystery of faith , in its supporting power against the greatest of trouble , can avail , without the spirit of faith , cor. . . for here does the communion of the holy ghost , with the saints on the earth most eminently lye , and the enjoyments of faith in the saddest hours of temptation are experienced , how the joy and peace of believing in such a security of mind does thus work , when there is no natural cause , or visible appearance for the same ; and how in so strange a manner , a christians spirit hath been oft carried above the present temptation of their day , with such quiet and composure of mind , as even in the midst of great waters , they have not come near unto them , so as to shake and stagger their confidence ; and i doubt not , that many humble and tender christians , have at some times , been sealed with that inward assurance by the spirit of faith , and with such strength and clearness of evidence , in an oblignatory way to their souls , as the greatest assaults and oppositions of satan , which have been after made thereto , were never able to break the same , so bright and convincing hath the conveyance of such a seal been in that time , as they could thus humbly take instruments , that it was assuredly given them of god , and was truth , and no lie. . and is it not one of the principles and grounds of our faith , that the great author thereof , hath made its security so full , and with that evidence , as may fully countervail the want of ocular demonstration by outward sense : for thus does our blessed lord testify , joh. . . when he hath there promised the sending of his spirit to his church , whom the world cannot receive , because they see him not , and can be no object of humane sense , which is the only prevailing evidence and demonstration , with a terrene spirit ; but then shews his disciples , that they had a more full and sure testimony : for you know him , says he , and i have made you sure by a higher evidence , as can leave no room for doubtfulness ; for though herein does the excellency of faith most eminently appear , in believing things not seen , and contrary to all natural sense , on the credit of divine revelation , yet is there no darkness this way , from want of evidence , since this must be understood only , quoad evidentiam rei , sed non quoad evidentiam testimonii ; which is made as full , as that which we have seen with our eyes , or have touched and handled in that security which god hath given to us , in his way of believing . . i must yet add one principle of our faith , for giving light to that strong influence and power thereof , amidst the greatest fears and terrors of future events ; that it is sure such who are christs , have not only things present , but things to come made theirs , cor. which is one of those great assurances of truth , that seems little understood , or improved by most , as being not only founded on that fundamental right of our being christs , and made thus heirs of those promises which are in him yea , and amen to his people ; but that such an entry is also on the enjoyment of this right , by the power of believing , and inward testimony of the spirit , as can fully quiet the soul of a christian , and make things to come in another manner : there 's then the residue of the world know . it 's true , there is a rational prospect and discovery upon future things , by humane wisdom ; and the prudent man sees and foresees the evil day , to provide for the same as solomon speaks : yea , what a thing should mans life be without foresight and sagacious decerning of what may be the issue of things , in a due application of proper means for such ends ? and of those successive removes , that in the setled course and way of natural causes , seem most unavoidable ; for on this must all true humant policy found : but on the other hand , they see not how the designs of a supreme providence may be taking place above the reach of humane thoughts , which does controul their measures and hopes , and how it was above the sphere of ordinary reason or their foresight , that events have oft occurred betwixt the entry and close of a year , as they could neither see or prevent . but there is a divine foresight which is of another nature , by the evidence of faith of things not seen and future , without extraordinary revelation , as can render the enjoyments of hope on the certainty of a divine promise , to be matter of unexpressible joy and support , when it would in an ordinary way seem to be against hope . there is a third proposal , of great weight also on this head , to know what may have the most near and immediate influence on such a raisedness and security of a christians soul in an extraordinary hour of tryal , and does then give the greatest advantage to such an appearance , when it can have no visible cause for the same ; for answer thereto , it is indeed a secret betwixt god and the soul of men , and a matter of power rather than of words , what can raise such a confidence as hath no possible rise from nature herein ? and in this respect , those who look at a distance , can never know where a christians support , and his great strength lyes : yet since this seems so strange and dark a thing to most , who may give some assent to the doctrin of our faith , i must speak a little further , so far as may tend to clear their judgment , who would know what manner of persons these are , who both in a judicious and experimental way , move in so high a sphere , and are thus skilled in the way of trust , and secure reliance on an invisible refuge . but to render it the more clear , i shall touch this in the way of example , by some peculiar view of such , of whom i hope there be many this day on the earth , to shew that none goes upon higher principles of true and enlightned reason . and though the measures of a christians faith and establishment , be not alike , but of a very different size , yet may this clearly appear and be understood by some special characters to illustrate the same , . that he is one who in a serious recess , and retirement of his soul , hath made a just reckoning of such surprizing tryals , as lyable to a christians state here on the earth , where the alone way of believing against sense , must either be his support and security , or else perish . and that no present condition he is in , can be so prosperous or promising , but dark and black clouds may fall down when least expected , as all humane comfort and assistance may fail , and have no visible refuges to rest on ; which hath thus brought the serious thoughts of religion and his soul , more close together , to know such an infallible way , as can never fail , and will bear the whole expence of the most extraordinary and dismal trouble ; and that there is indeed , such a temporal interest lying thereto , as an immediate communion with heaven , when the lower springs of comfort and supply from the earth , may be shut up ; yea , such a reality , as supernatural comforts in the peace and joy of the holy ghost , which are best known in the saddest hour , to be undoubted and sure . . but when he hath thus judiciously reasoned himself to such a supposal , he is one who is no less deeply awakened to provide for the same , not only with respect to that last and great adventure of faith upon an eternal state , but to know where his strength lyes , when such a case may occurr ; for then it must in a special way lye near , to have a stedfastness of his own in the truth , and to know the strong and firm conveyances of the security of our faith on divine promise in such a manner , as should not need the seal of a miracle , or the testimony of an angel , to support the same ; since as such a settlement on the testimony of god , is surely attainable , so he cannot conceive how men can possibly walk in the light of any true joy and comfort on the earth , until they once be at rest here . . he knows also , that the greatest tryals wherein he is sisted within time , is upon the work and actings of faith , in an hour of temptation , both in the truth and in the strength thereof ; yea , how one day in his life , may have some special commission for this end , more than many years formerly have had ; but does consider herewith , how great the recompences are even within time , that wait on the issue , when the set measure shall be perfected of such unusual tryals that it shall be the same as in job , . to bring them forth as gold : and as he considers how high a value the lord does put hereon , since the great dispensation , whereby he deals with his church in this militant state is in the way of trust , and upon the credit of his truth , when there is no sensible evidence ; so it is the most important study of his life , how he may acquit himself , and stand to the proof hereof , for the honour of his god , and master , who hath counted him worthy to put him on some hotter service and more remarkable conflicts this way than others ; and that he may hold fast the beginning of his confidence unto the end . . he must be reckoned one , who hath attained to a special communion with god in the ways of providence , by frequent and deep observation of the same , and who thus can discern the great ends and designs which he hath upon his people , in such methods of his dealing with them that may seem more strange and astonishing to others , and in what dark paths he does usually lead such to whom he hath reserved the greatest testimonies of his love and respect ; so that what proves most staggering to others , as to the way of the lords training of his choicest followers in this state of warfare , is made a special assistance to his further establishment . . but more especially wherein his great strength lyes is , on that acquaintance he hath attained with the communion of the spirit of god , which was once so dark , and not conceivable by report ; but now knows that it 's an acquaintance of such a kind , as is not remote or at a distance , but by near and sensible approaches to his soul ; and is not by words , but by things of the greatest substance and reality , with the sanctifying vertue of the spirit made so evident , as can make his work and services for god , to be matter of the highest delight and enjoyment ; yea , he now knows what a spiritual faculty and life , is for corresponding with those divine communications , so as with a judicious and discerning ear , he can know the voice of his beloved master , from the voice of a stranger , both in its sweetness to allure , and in its power and efficacy to draw , and conform their soul into a nearer resemblance to himself , with that tenderness and fear , which is the native result of such an intimacy of converse . . but as to this marvelous acquaintance with the spirit of god , in order to a higher encrease of faith ; he is one who can give an account hereof also , that in no singular way it was attained , but as it does respect the whole community of the saints by an unchangeable rule , as attainable , not only in the retired duties of communion with god , but by an invisible trade and commerce with external ordinances , and the out-lettings of sanctury strength this way , answerable to that psal . . . in both which respects , his faith hath oft gained a higher interest and establishment , than by external providences , as being more immediately dependent on the spirit of god ; and as all causes must work answerably to the nature thereof , so can he put his seal and testimony to that hid vertue and vital influence , which those divine institutions of the gospel hath on mens soul , and is only peculiar thereto ; yea , when others who stay only in the outward court , are bounded this way with an audible voice to their ears , and literal discovery of sacred truth to the judgment , such can witness what unexpressible support hath been then enjoyed for a more full settlement of their faith , by immediate conveyances of power and life to their spirits , as hath made it sweet matter of admiration ; what invisible strength hath in a moral way been thus imparted , and what remarkable returns of light they have had upon such a tryal of enquiring in the temple , from the fountain of divine light , in the way of his word , under their darkest hours ; which sometimes have been like elijahs meal , in the strength whereof , he was enabled to go forty days , without faint and weariness . . but for a further illustrating of such an example whatever in a preparatory way he hath thus attained for a special acting of faith in the most extreme case : yet when this is not at a distance , but becomes a present visible object of sense , and comes so near as cannot but in some extraordinary way affect his spirit , then does it yet more appear where his strength , and immediate relief does lye , in making that great tryal of turning his eyes wholly to god , by a present address for such a special allowance from heaven , that his strength may be according to his day ; and then it is in his improvement of that way which god hath consecrated for the most extreme exigences of a christians life , he knows the high value and use of such great experiments he hath formerly made of sensible acceptance , and audience in the most astonishing straits , with such testimony from heaven herein , and inward evidence on his soul , as if fire had come from thence to consume the sacrifice , so as he could then speak in that manner psal . . . now know i that the lord saves his anointed ; and psal . . . i know i shall yet praise him ; yea , as he knows the way of humble wrestling in prayer , is not bounded in its warrant , by the greatest extremity , so , it hath been in such a case , that when god does take some unusal tryal of his people and of their faith , he then designs to give them some great and singular tryal of himself . . it may be further applicable to such an example , that though the workings of a special faith in some great exigence and distress be such , that he cannot speak to others , as it 's then felt in the light and power thereof ; yet does he then know the security hereof , and present settlement of his spirit with such evidence , as he sees as well as believes , when he cannot possibly demonstrate this to the conviction of others , but as he knows with assurance his trust in such an hour , to be one of the most highly rational acts of his life , so is this no less evident and sure , how the whole supernatural part of christianity , whereby a christian is raised above himself , and the workings of natural light and reason , hath its alone dependence on a near and immediate converse with heaven ; wherein his great strength then lies , that when a tide from without may be such as should quickly overwhelm his soul , he is thus put on a higher tryal than at other times , of the certainty of divine support by a present gale of the spirit to stemm the same ; such as riseth higher than the work or assistance of angels : yea , how it is not habitual grace only , that could make the practical use of the shield of faith to be clear and comforting in an extremity , if there were not some very immediate supplies . but if it be inquired what is the ground whereon they must adventure , and rest their soul in such an hour , and should specially fix their anchor on , it is not conceivable , without respect to two special actings of faith , by which abraham and sarah did enter on the enjoyment of the promise , when nothing seem'd in an ordinary way more impossible , than this , that he was perswaded , god was able to perform what he had promised , rom. . and she judged him faithful who had promised , heb. . . but yet now let me add this more with respect to such an example ; that he is one who in a season of greatest tryal , knows the greatness of that witness he is then sisted under , to be of another kind ; than any humane observation that may be upon him , when he hath so difficult and hazardous a part to act on the theatre of his life ; and that he hath herein , not only the witness of the elect angels , the watching and considering eye of the powers of darkness , who are against him , but above all , that he is in a more singular way than at other times , stated under the immediate witness of the glorious trinity , to see how he acts suitably to the greatness of a divine refuge , and these assurances which the god of truth hath given him to adventure on ; then is it also that he knows the tryal of his faith , does not alone lie , when he is now at so eminent a step thereof , for the quiet and support of his own spirit , but for such an appearance before men , as may tend to sanctify god before the world , and for a putting his seal hereto , that he is faithful and true ; to whom these have concredited themselves ; and that they durst follow him , with a resolute reliance , when both sense and natural reason did fail , and could give no support in such an hour . thus i have offered a view in such an example , where the support and strength of a christians faith , in the most astonishing hour of temptation does lye ; and of the solid judicious actings thereof , both in the way of light and power : and there is herewith presented , a special series and scale of these steps , whereby such a measure of establishment is attainable under that blessed conduct of the word and spirit of god , as it keeps close by the line of truth , betwixt hazards both on the right and left hand ; so that we may see on what firm and sure ground such are , and have their anchor fixed , who thus know the work of faith in an extraordinary case of tryal . but now in the last place , i must yet in an applicatory way , shut up this discourse with a more special respect to the times we are now in , when such great thoughts of heart , may be both from those strange providences that have of late gone over the churches of christ in those three nations , and what my be yet expected , and on a near approach ; since it is sure men does not know their day , nor can take to heart , time and judgment , where there is no suitable regard to the voice of god in his works , as well as in his word , and what is given to be the most remarkable talent of observation , on such an account . i have spoke a little to such a strange supposal the psalmist makes , as to what might be the tryal of his faith , in the day wherein he then stood : but let me speak a few things that may be judged more than supposable with respect to the present time wherein it seems in some singular way to be stated from other times ; and though with humble sobriety i have desired to exoner my soul on such an account , in a late essay , which hath been published ; yet having a rise , both from this subject , and the present aspects of providences , i must crave leave to offer some thoughts farther . . is it not more than supposable that such an appeal from the lord , as we have isa . , . hath a most peculiar respect beyond former times to this generation ? what could i have done more to my vineyard than i have done , by new methods and tryals , both in the way of grace , and in the severity of judgments , to bring the churches of britain , again unto god ? or hath there been such precedents in the way of the lord , with any churches else , and in that manner , as these years past , he hath made use of ? and oh ! what must be expected to work for such an end , when no instituted means does answer thereto ? and that it 's evident what the highest improvements of mens natural power can do , which is so much exalted by this generation , to shut out the necessity of supernatural influences of grace , with so little fear of such a judicial restraint thereof , as is at this day : for if men do but sincerely reason their soul unto serious thoughts of such a cafe , what can be seen now by ordinary means , to beget a deep and awful sense of god on mens souls , if he do not in some more immediate and extraordinary way appear ; but , such an astonishing confidence and contempt of all divine signs and threatnings , seem discernable as nothing in a monitory way does work or affect in mens spirits : nor is judgment from heaven , a matter of fear with most , if it be not felt . but the same spirit which we may see isa . . . may be visible in the present times , when they said , let him make speed , and hasten his work , that we may see it ; and let the counsel of the holy one of israel draw near , that we may know it ; which was in an express way to speak , that neither their faith nor their fear , did rise higher than sensible evidence and demonstration of what was present in their sight . . it 's a matter of truth also , is more than supposable , that the stability of the earth beneath us , can give no assurance and solid quiet of spirit , to those who dwell thereon , until they be at peace with heaven : but whilst they reckon that nothing is more sure to build their hopes on , than this lower earth , and thus have their hearts on the same level therewith , may see how amidst their greatest confidence and expectation , their judgment may then immediately have its rise from the same , so as in one hour , to make the alone support of their confidence , to be the grave thereof ; and whatever some have writ as to the foregoing presages of any remarkable earthquake , before it took place , yet was it never known , that an appearance of god this way , either to forewarn as a sign , or as a present judgment , did occurr but with a present surprizal , when nothing hereof , was feared or supected : and it hath ever been one of the most immediate signs of sudden destruction , when a peoples security hath come to that height , as nothing could be awakning in such a case , answerable to that thess . . . when they said , peace , peace , then was a destroying stroak most imminent and near : and i may speak this with assurance , that either these late providences by which god hath in so remarkable a manner made himself known , shall be regarded as signs , and carry mens spirits above any product of natural causes herein unto god , or will at last be felt , by what is signified thereby . . i hope , it can be no questionable thing with any of a serious and considering spirit , that as the standing of the world , and its being secured from the extremity of justice , is alone by a dispensation of grace , and the tenor of the second covenant , with respect to the church therein , so is it in no other way but of grace only , that britain hath this day , any claim or charter of right , to the blessings of providence , and for having the hedges of divine protection kept up : nor could the furthest of humane strength and counsel avail then , if once the full measure of the long-suffering and tenderness of god , should be summed up , that hath assuredly its set bounds , to the most eminent churches where sometimes god hath most remarkably shined ; and oh ! what a thing should this world be to live in , were it but fore one day or hour , if there should be a withholding of an immediate divine care and inspection over the same , or for so small a time , that door could be shut up of entercourse betwixt heaven and the saints here , which by a divine immutable constitution of grace , is kept open , whilst they are within time : but this is a thing as to any publick and national interest , that seems to have little credit or regard with men , what invisible influence such a hid party , who makes least appearance in the earth , hath on the greatest changes thereof ; and how a filling up the measure of the elect , in a nation and continuance of the candlestick there , with the oversight of a special providence , is still of the same extent . . it is a dilemma of undeniable evidence , as to the publick state and interest of those nations , that we must either have god for us , in the efficacy and out-goings of his providence , or against us : that god , who in the supreme administration of his government over the world , stands not as nouter , or as a witness only to the actings of men ; but if he be not on our side , and interested in our cause , we must then know him as an adversary : for there can be no possible midst herein , that god , whose room all the world cannot supply , if he should be shut out of our counsels ; yea , such a god we have both to fear and rely on , who is not one like to our selves , to be put off with words , or a complemental address in a stated form only , or can expect in faith , that this will bring assistance to turn the scale of providence on our side , if he be not according to his revealed counsel , with an intire reliance on him alone , adored and feared as god : yea , it 's sure in no humane affairs , he does more immediately appear , and by an extraordinary ministery of the angels , than in the decision of war and of battels , for which cause he does in so special a respect , take that style unto himself , to be the lord of hosts . it should seem a strange and astonishing thing , how men can live in the earth without god , without whom they cannot live for one moment , and in whose hand their bre●●…h is ; yet if we look to the publick state of religion this day , nothing may be more applicable to the most numerous part of the reformed churches than this ; and that the sense of a deity , hath more power and influence amongst heathens , who walk in the name of their god , than it hath amongst millions of professed christians ; for except we shut out reason , such must be surlie said to live without god in the earth , and not to walk in his name , who live without any resolute dependance and trust upon him in the course and conduct of their affairs ; whose great business in the world lies only with men , and are much more influenced by such a fear , than of his srownings , and terror , who made heaven and earth ; when it seem's now easie with most to lose god , if they may gain men , and make an intrest that way , tho the purchase will never bear the expence ; yea , can go the farthest length of external worship in church assemblies , and yet be without god , then as to any internal converse or injoyment of him by inward acts of adoration ; and what account can such possibly make of an invisible god , who know no other measure of their confidence , but as visible things do either smile or frown upon them ; but there is one respect further wherein we may see how most , who profess the name of god , do this day live without him in the earth , which is in the way of observation of what passeth betwixt him and them , whether by providences or influences on their soul , but take all things at an adventure , without any higher looke than what is from secondary causes , though it was in this way that an enoch , an noah , and the whole race of the saints , who have gon before , knew what it was to walk with god in the earth , no less in discerning his appearances , and work towards them , than their way and services towards him ; but oh ! what will he do with us , when it may be feared that the most prevailing suffrage and vote of the generation we are now in , should be this ( if their soul might speak for them in such a case ) let god depart from us , for we desire not the knowledge of the most high , since this lght tends only to be tormenting , and does afford no comfort to such ; or can it be expected , that he will allow in this age a restoring miracle to bring men again to the faith and sense of the deity , as he did in the days of elia , when we have a much greater talent to be accountable for , than these had , or any former ages past , having the whole income of their confirmations and improvements added to our stocks ? tho the great intrest of that mysterie of a christians faith , which is the special subject of this discourse , does in the first place respect our reconciled state , and justification before god , yet is it too evident that the most usually trying and difficult part thereof , is , with respect to the tryals and conflicts of time , and sucha day , when they must live immediately on god , and give him the glory of his godhead when no visible means can support , which is that wonderful experiment of faith in the power thereof that is here expresly pointed at , when it is by the spirit of god as his immediate work alone proportioned to the most extraordinary hight of a christians tryal ; but as to the filling up of this great work of faith in the appointed measure thereof , it does principally . respect the whole state and times of the elect church , and on this account , there is still a growing increase as to the measure of the work of faith since abel the righteous , and is not yet come in many degrees to that full hight of perfection which it must have before the close of time ; yea , herein hath each of the saints their proper share and interest for bringing forth the glory of this excellent grace to it's greatest display before angels and men , which is an end worthy of all the tryals , and suffering times which have ever gone over the church , because this way of giving glory to god is only within time . . but it must be understood also that in each age of the church there are some more illustrous examples that the lord does afford to the world this way , in whom his grace in the power thereof hath a greater triumph in the way of passive valour than in these , who have been most admired upon their heroick actings and conquest over men. . it is undeniable also what eminent experiments have been thus afforded , upon these adventures of a christians faith , which did not then answer the ordinary standard of the tryals , which others have had ; and though we may confidently hope , that the highest measure of the suffering times of the church is now accomplished and past , and of the tryal of the passive graces of the spirit , yet it may be matter of fear that the faith of christians in this day may have some more extraordinary essay in the way of judgment , as to the publick state of the church , and of these nations now in these last times of the gentiles , than what hath been in ages past , and may need more than ordinary ballast to bear up against the darkness thereof , when such a midnight hour seems immediately to preceed the dawning of that bright sun-shine , which may be truly reckoned the brightness of christ's second coming , in that last state of time . . may it not be matter of unavoidable evidence also as to the present state of the church that there is surely some eminent period of providence , to which so swift and extraordinary a courses of remarkable changes , as hath in a successive way still attended these nations , have aproper tendency ; these being so unusual and astonishing , and out of the way of the lords ordinary working , as the most judicious , and deep discerners of things could not to this day have reasoned their falling out on principles of humane reason ; yea such , as i must humbly judge , will not cease , until the spirit of god be quieted in that great design which he is to accomplish hereby answerable to that zach. , . on which he hath set his heart , who leaves not his work unperfected , which hath also the same sense , and intent . isa . . . shall i bring to the birth , and not cause to bring sorth , &c. nor ( i am perswaded ) will any humane counsel make civil establishments to be effectual , until that great design of providence be more understood , and concurred with . . it is now a day of great expectation how the next scene of providence may open for a farther clearing of this design of the lord about which i judge these who have nearest converse with god this day by his word and spirit , see cause to give their fears the first place before their hopes , as to some very extrordinary work of judgment that from all signs seems to lie nearest now to the reformed churches in the frame of providence , tho we are like to have little either of faith or fear , when it comes , until it be made an object of sense ; but i am sure a few of these evident prognosticks that now are in our sight , would have deeply affected the spirits of ous fathers , when we may see no providences are so extraordinary , as to have any sanctifying influence on mens souls for the most part , or to advance the publick state of religion as formerly ; when an outward calm and a dead lethargy herewith does so visibly still go together , which hath a more mortal aspect on the present state of britain than might be judged from the highest paroxism of personal sufferings ; when the christian interest this day for accomplishing the great designs of grace under a reformed profession thereof is as a low thing in mens eyes in respect of what is more extrinsick , and foreign thereto ; when also the long decrease of that tide of power , and influences of religion on mens souls hath at last come to such an ebb by these judicial removes of the spirit of god , that without some very immediate appearance from heaven we might fear lest truth should quickly perish from the earth ; yea , when it 's so evident that god is yet calling for some to stand in the gap , and make up the hedge before judgment go forth , butt almost none sound to answer it's voice ; so intently are mens spirits now , even of such , who outgo others in a profession set upon designs about their own things ; and it hath surely ever been a dismal sign to a nation , when it becomes rare to find any suitable instruments , and tools to answer a restoring work therein , or to see that raisedness of spirit for such an end , as hath been formerly , which may be feared speaks the long shadows of the evening before some horror of great darkness are too visibly stretched out . but if men do count these things small and remote from their eyes , and will raise a confidence , that it shall be peace , until there be another appearance for god and the interest of his kingdom , than hath yet been . it may make the disappointment sad , and dreadful in the issue : one thing i have thought strange , how there can be a national love and respect to its interest in another way , than to have god interested both in their case and cause , in the first room ; or how solemn and publick thaksgivings , in a stated external form for the most eminent appearances of god , whether as to a nation , or to a city , or to persons , is so visibly divided from such an essential part thereof , which is by thankofferings , and some returns to him in a promissory way by deeds and performances , as well as by words , suitable to the weight of such engagements . but this is a rare practice now to be found on the earth , to design some special consecration of the gain of any eminent national mercies unto god this way . . yet whatever may be too evident in the matter of our fear , it 's sure that the just grounds of our hopes in behalf of the church , does far exceed the same : and though there be many extraordinary signs to cause terror and consternation of spirit , there is one sign of another kind , that will compense all , which is that sign of the son of man , mat. . . as it is to be understood in a promissory sense ; and how that great mourning of the tribes of the earth , which is there spoke , to attend such a sign , hath the same sense with that , zach. . . and is clearly expository of the same , they shall look on me whom they have pierced , and mourn , &c. as also that evident parallel , rev. . . since these do so jointly bear evidence to the nature and intent of such a sign , as will then have an eminent appearance with the first entry , and returning of the jews unto him , whom their fathers did pierce . i know some of the greatest writers of this age , such as vsher , twiss , and mead , and of late that worthy man mr. mather of new-england , take this in the same sense , only seem to reckon this sign to be the thing signified of christ himself , in a visible appearance then to the world : but this will be e're long in another manner understood in the event . yet i have found it so sweet a subject of thoughts in these dismal and sad times , when other signs are so tremendous , that in some things which are most clear herein , and suitable to humble sobriety , i must speak a few things . . how it is unquestionable , this is that one sign by way of singularity , which our blessed head and redeemer , does appropriate to himself as his , and to be the sign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the son of man , such as hath never been given to the world like thereto , nor will ever be , until he come himself to judgment . . it is surely a sign which must be publick and conspicuous to the world , in some extraordinary vision to humane sense ; for therein is the intent of that prediction made express and clear : but as to the nature hereof , or its duration , i judge it suitable not to enquire , where the holy ghost hath not more particularly cleared the same , and reserved a further discovery thereof , to the event . . it is sure also , when this great appearance shall be to the world , it will be with that demonstrative and undubitable evidence as the sign of the son of man , as will beyond any contradiction , expound it self , and verify such a prediction of our blessed lord , before angels and men. . it must be understood as a sign that will be deeply affecting , and work in an extraordinary way on mens spirits , to cause so great and universal a mourning , which will not be as som have understood , a mourning from horror , but what will be a result not only of the greatness and certainty of the sign , but of an extraordinary concurrence of the spirit of god herewith , to answer that eminent design of grace , with a peculiar respect to the jewish race , as may be clearly seen zach. . . and herein i humbly judge , as in the first times of the gospel , the jews did require a sign from heaven to engage them to the christian faith , as the apostle speaks cor. . . so that this way now in the last times , both with an eminent rebuke to their infidelity , and marvelous condescendence of grace , he will yet in such a manner appear . . but it must still be according to what the scripture expresses , a sign , and not the thing signified , or personal appearance of our blessed lord in his humane nature , whom the heavens must contain until the full restitution of all things ; wherein i must differ from the judgment of such great interpreters , who take it in the other sense , though this will assuredly be such a sign , as is then to have some extraordinary impress and signature upon it , to be demonstrative to the world , and the jews more peculiarly , of the humanity of our blessed redeemer . . but whatever may be the glory and splendor of so extraordinary an appearance , it must be still reckoned such as the state of mortality can bear , since that vision that he gave to his beloved disciple john , of himself in his glorified state , rev. . was so overpowering , as he who had sometimes leaned on his bosom , whilst he was on the earth , did then fall as dead at his feet ; and except it were supposed that he should put a veil on his glory , in such a visible and immediate appearance of his humane nature , it is not conceivable , how even the saints on the earth , much more the residue of the world , could bear a sign of that nature : and herein my soul doth rest with assurance , as to the sense and intent of the scripture , about that much desired sign , after serious and humble enquiry about the same . though i must crave leave to add this further , with a special confidence , that this sign , which is to be the greatest , is to be given in a monitory way gof his second coming , is now surely on a near approach , as being both that great signal of grace to the poor jewish world , and of its being very near to a perfecting of the work of time , and his coming to judge the world ; yea , since the finishing of the times of the gentiles , and that great tide and effusion of the spirit , which will then bring a resurrection therewith , from the dead to the jews , does contemporate together , the promissory evidences of the near approach hereof , are such as i hope many of this generation now in the earth , may be made witnesses thereto . . i know it is reckoned usually , that the accomplishing of these great designs of providence , which are yet to take place now in the last ages of the world , and the exhibition of this wonderful sign of the son of man , may be at a great distance of time , as to the event thereof , upon which i have had the same thoughts , until a more deep enquiry and search about the counsel of god herein , hath brought me under a constraint of light , to see how the work of time in all its intents , is nearer to a final close , than seems to be apprehended by most ; and that we are now surely near to an entring on the last watch of that long night of the churches militant state , when her warfare shall for ever be accomplished , and there will be no more such long stages in the course and procedure of providence , as hath formerly been ; but when the last part of scripture prophesie is once come to the birth , and full height of accomplishment , then i'ts to be hoped that a few years will bring forth more than hath been formerly attained in some ages ; yea , to this doth the spirit speak expresly with respect to that great and wonderful revolution in the last times , by the incalling of the jews , and final destruction of antichrist , that then he will cut short his work in righteousness , and finish the same ; because a short work will the lord make upon the earth , rom. . . by which the way and manner of the course of providence , is clearly expressed , as it will be in the evening of time , from what it hath been formerly ; the word there in the original , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew that as the work of god which he hath upon the earth , is the alone product , and accomplishment of his word , so when the administration of providence , is drawing near to its last period and close , then will he cut it short , and hasten the same in some extraordinary way ; yea , allot more to a day or year , than he did to many years before , in the ordinary course of his working ; and as the first bringing forth of the creation was a short work , and a swift course that omnipotency took herein , so may the last consummation and close of the great work of providence , be expected to make no delay : i am sure the holy ghost speaks expresly for this end , in that aforecited scripture , besides other passages of sacred truth , which give light and confirmation thereto ; but in what sense the cutting short of the work of god in the last times , and his making a short work in the earth is to be understood , i must humbly offer what i am in faith persuaded hereof , as agreeable to the intent of that scripture . . how it is to be a short work , and a very swift motion that shall be then in the churches increase , and in gathering of the elect , as what will be answerable to that great extent of the church vniversal , when it is made up both of jews and gentiles , and in such a day of power , as the dew of his youth , shall be as the womb of the morning , psal . . . for though it be clear that the last triumph of christ's visible kingdom , and the glory of his grace in order to conversion , must assuredly have a great harvest therewith , for in-bringing of the saints , and filling up of that large room , which is yet void in the church triumphant , in the whole appointed measure thereof , yea , may be judged such as shall bear a resemblance to that progress of grace , and wonderful product of its efficacy in the first times of the gospel , so is it to be expected that this last tide of the effusion of the spirit of god , shall be so strong and prevalent , as to attain the work of an age formerly in a very short time , and verify that scripture to the amazement of the world , isa . . . how a nation and people should be born , and formed to the lord in a day . but i must herewith speak to a sad mistake , that i humbly judge many are upon , as to the measure of that prophetick millennium , and highest glory of christs visible reign herein , as if that definite time of a thousand years , should be understood extensively of such a precise number of years , and of so long a duration , when the intent of the holy ghost herein , seems so clear and evident , that it 's rather intensively to be taken in the value and splendor thereof , when the light of one day will be as of seven in one , and the work of god in a short measure of time then , will virtually amount to a thousand years . i know it 's accknowledged by all , and clearly understood as david speaks psal . . and the apostle , pet. . how a thousand years with the lord is but as a day ; yet seems the sense of this to be little apprehended by most , how a day before the lord , may be as a thousand years : and how it 's intended there , to shew his ing such a value and glory thereon , as it may amount to the product of a thousand years formerly in the ordinary course of providence . . it is in this respect also that the lords making a short work in the earth , in the last times of the church , may be understood by a more swift course than usual , in order to the perfecting of the saints , who then are on the earth , and ripening of them for heaven ; so that answerable to their attainments of grace in a more extraordinary growth herein , their translation to glory will be the more hastned , and the measure of the work and services of their time , more quickly perfected : this with humble sobriety , i have sometimes , and do still judge , that the lords cutting short his work then , may be no less remarkable in the short period and duration which the saints shall have on the earth , after their calling , than that long measure which was allotted to men in the first entry of time , as congruous to this design of grace , to make a short work then , and hasten the full translation of the church to its triumphant state. . it is to be judged in this respect also , will appear that cuting short of the work of god in the last times , by bringing forth the great designs of providence , which are then to have their full accomplishment , with so extraordinary a gale of divine power , and swift course thereof , as will admit no halting or delay , but shall attain that in a very short time , which to our thoughts , would seem great for an age to bring forth . we can see now with full evidence for what great ends the service and vse of time hath been from the first entry thereof , and what designs the blessed author of the same , hath had on the ages past : but when we look forward to the last intent and work thereof , there seems to be very dark and strange thoughts hereof , by many , though the spirit of god by divine revelation , is clear and express about the same , as to what must be yet filled up of the work and administration of providence before the end : the testimony of christ , which is the spirit of prophesie , was most specially directed under the old testament , upon his priestly office ; but now is the glory of this testimony , as to the prophesies under the new testament , in a peculiar way , settled on his kingly office , in the whole progress and gradations of his visible kingdom , until the close of time ; and it 's in a twofold respect , that the spirit of prophesie does reveal the great designs of providence , which are yet to be perfected before the end of time : the first is as to a breaking down , and final overthrow of the kingdom of antichrist under the last vials ; yea , as to the methods of providence , and the manner hereof , is also express and clear , that when the time is once come for this great and magnificent act of judgment on that city , and seat of the beast by the fifth vial , it will then make a strange and unusual dispatch , and be an amazing surprizal , as the scripture speaks rev. . , . when she says , i sit as a queen , and shall see no sorrow ; then in one day shall her plagues come ; for strong is the lord god who judgeth her . nor can this be more marvelous in our eyes when it comes , than what we have seen of the degrees of wrath and judgment , that are already fulfilled on this adversary ; so as i must judge by scripture evidence , this will be a work of short time , as it will bear an extraordinary and immediate appearance of god therewith : but there is one great design further in that way of breaking down , and overturning which must yet take place in the final judgment of the mahumetan empire , both as to turks and persians ; which as it may be clearly understood by the sixth vial , and does with great evidence relate to what is foretold of this adversary , rev. . . under the sixth trumpet , so as to the manner hereof , in that allusion of drying up the river of euphrates ; when formerly we see how these angels were let loose for destruction , who were bound thereat : we may see how the same allusion does speak such a work of judgment , as will be strange , sudden and surprizing , as the drying up of euphrates , by diversion of that river , did in one night , make way to finish the babylonish empire in the time of cyrus ; and now some prelude and remarkable steps of judgment , as to the fall of that empire , have been of late very obvious : but yet in a concurrence herewith , there is one great design of providence , to be accomplished before the end , which is for building up , and a restoring work on that great and long ruin of the scattered jews ; and thus for gathering together in one , in the dispensation of the fulness of time , all things in christ , even in him , eph. . . which scripture , i must humbly judge , speaks peculiarly to that last uniting work about the church vniversal , both of the jews and gentiles : when the times of the gentiles are once accomplished , which as i have a little touched before , then will it be understood in the event , how the value and interest of a day , may be by the lord in that manner heightned as to sum up and abridge therein , what had not been attained in a thousand years before : it was in the first times of the gospel , that the effusion of the spirit of god , and out-goings of his power was so wonderful and strong , as in forty years , the extent of the christian church , after the ascention of christ , was then greater in the world , than it seems to be at this day ; which i do not question , shall yet once more before the close of time , be no less wonderful in the swift course and conquest of grace , both as to jews and gentiles , than it was at that time . but as no great excellencies , or extraordinary splendor in any appearances of god , have been of a long duration , whilst the church here is militant , so the nearer all things are to the center in the final close of time , we should expect as god hath expresly spoke , that it will be with a remarkable cutting short of his work then ; and that the world will be in a strange manner surprized with his last coming : yea , that the greatness of such a harvest of israels conversion , will bring in more in a short time , than many ages hath done formerly . . it is also in this respect that the making a short work in the close of time , may be judged , that after such extraordinary discoveries of god , and methods of grace , the final opposition then made thereto by the world , will to the furthest , make way for the last decision of judgment , when the harvest of the earth is thus ripened and made white , under such prodigious measures of guilt , more than in all ages past ; as the righteous god will then be interested in vindication of his glory , to shut up for ever , that long period of his patience and long-sufferings . . let me but add upon this head , that i account it a peculiar demonstration of god , which he hath reserved to the last times of the church , to shew before angels and men , what use he can make of a short time , for the greatest ends , and how far he can cause it to amount in perfecting of his work , to bring forth such wonderful things in a few days or years , that would seem as incomprehensible to reason , as for the earth to bring forth in a day , or for a nation to be created therein , isa . . . it hath been the glory of god , that some should live more in a few years , and act a greater part on the stage , than others in a long age ; the first service of time was beyond all that ever followed upon this account , made wonderful and glorious , when one day brought at once forth the sun , moon , and stars ; and set them in their proper orbs , and another day brought forth that intellectual being of man , made after the image of god ; and can it be strange that the same god give such a demonstration of himself , and of the glory of his power , in the last shutting up of his work , as the world may see it 's not in the reverence of time , nor of ages , when his design and counsel herein is to take place : but if men will raise and build their hopes on the long duration of this horrid and sad world now in its old age , and think their houses shall be continued for many generations ; it will be a sad surprizal in the close , when they are found in the same posture at the coming of the son of man , as it was in the days of noah : and i doubt not the swift motions of providence , for making a short work in the earth , will be yet rendred more astonishing than all we have hitherto seen ; blessed are they that watch and wait with joy , for the drawing near of this great day of their redemption , though the precise day and time hereof , be alone known to the lord. . it is true , that the way of the lord may seem to controul any swift motion and course of providence in his procedure this day , when the wheels do to our sense stand still , and things yet kept in a suspence , as to any great or remarkable decision in the publick state of affairs ; yea , when after such expectations now for a considerable time , there is so strange an interval of silence , as to the work of god in this part of the world , and the ballance kept in an unusual manner , equal betwixt the french and the whole confederates , which are against him : it is unquestionably , matter of great thoughts of heart , what the event may be e're long of such an astonishing calm and stop. but in order to this , let me humbly speak a few things to be considered . . how in all times of the church , it hath been made observable , that when the lord is to bring forth some great work of judgment on the world , and on particular nations , he does not only reinforce warnings , and gives time herein to answer his call , but even when his hand is lifted up , will yet hold the same : but where the most signal delay and forbearance hath gone before , it 's sure the more dreadful and sad , is the stroak when it comes at last . . though there needs a divine light to make a right estimate and judgment of things which relate to the present day , yet if men admit reason , it may be too easie to see , that there is no slow motion in the visible tendency of things , as they now move in these three nations to some fatal and sudden period ; except these things which should thus awaken our fears , have a more special influence to direct unto these duties , which might yet prevent the same : for even judicious reason may prophecy what aspect such evils have , as by a native and unavoidable result have the most near and immediate influence on a nations ruin , when they are come to that height , as will admit no cure : and when the most numerous part of a protestant profession therein , are so visibly stated in emnity to other , pursuing different and contrary interests , as cannot but lay a dead lift on all publick actings this day : when also the contagion of example is so prevalent and mortal , but the comfort thereof so rare , as to any of a truly raised and heroick spirit . and if we look to these who have a leading interest in these nations , as to their stations and qualities , how few of such may be now found , whose ancestors had an eminent appearance for god in their day , that have the spirit of their fathers resting on them ? but now in the d. place , i must crave leave to speak a little more fully in order to a trying and inquisitive judgment on a very great and affecting head , what it should mean that there are such threatning appearances of hazard to britain from the french power , in these times we are in : i know it may seem a hopeful sign , that such a party as we have to deal with , are such also against whom the blood of thousands of protestants is crying to heaven . and i am perswaded , that the holy god will in due time , avenge these strange measures of cruelty exercis'd there , upon the house of bourbon ; and have indignation against that race , until the sun cease to rise and set : but on the other hand , i must speak , that surely there seems something in an unusual way , threatning in the present aspect of this adversary ; on which i shall offer a few serious reflections . . that for several years past there hath been such remarkable evidence of a seal of their commission for judgment , not only to take peace from this part of the earth , but to be the rod of divine indignation against the refomed churches : for it hath been under this rod , that hitherto the most destructive ddsigns have had the most visible successes ; and when an instrument of judgment is of gods choosing , and hath an anointing for this end put upon him , it proves then to be very formidable , as it hath the impress of his terror and greatness put thereon , beyond what is at another time ; and is thus acted with an invisible power and concurrence , until such a work of judgment be accomplished . . we see this is an adversary who in this late design against the whole protestant interest in the kingdom of france , hath had such prevailing successes , to carry on a ruining and judicial work of that nature , when in former times the protestants there , did with an heroick and invincible spirit , bear out against the utmost power and violence of four kings successively ; and could see them by an extraordinary divine hand broke : but oh ! now was the day turned no less remarkably , and the attempts of this king followed with that terror , fainting and lowness of spirit , as to any self defence , that it might be seen , as in the case of samson , their strength this way was departed , so as nothing could avail until such a work both of tryal and judgment , was accomplished : this i confess hath oft had an affecting sense on my own spirit , and brings a more extraordinary call therewith , to have our reliances more absolutely fixed on god , and promise less to our self from visible means ; yea , how to prevent such a hazard at the fountains head , as is still threatning , when there may be just matter of fear , that the date of his commission is not yet expired . but . is it not known that this is such an adversary , over whom the english nation once had so great an ascendent in times past , as they were a terror unto that people who now does not only keep , but gain ground against the united strength of so great confederacy ? so that there may be cause for a higher look than to what is humane , in the standing , supports , and growing strength of that party : and it 's surely one of the great demonstrations of providence in the world , which is both in the rising and depressing of the genius of a nation and people , answerable to the designs which god is accomplishing hereby : but this i leave to the more serious thoughts and judgments of others , what appearance such a sign hath to us this day . . it is in some singular way that it may be said the french have attained beyond others , to be united within themselves ; and on the other hand , no less skilful to divide and promote discords amongst those who are against them , and who now in this critical juncture of affairs , know how to graft their deepest designs on these intestine distempers , and convulsions which are so visible in the politick body of these nations ; yea , know how to foment the same , whilst intestine conslicts , even amongst the most serious part of protestants , are so uncessant as to shut out all fear of this kind , and despise any moral relief or cure. . tho' it may be of small notice or remark , upon any threatning aspect of such a party , yet i must look otherways thereon , even in this particular , that there has been such a long and resolute conforming amongst us to the way of that nation , in the most prodigions fashions and attires , who have delighted herein to copy after such a patern , that they may be at last in the righteousness of god , made to have as sad a tryal of them in the way of judgment , as of that continued instuence and ascendent they have had over them in the way of sin. . but there is one reflection i must yet further offer upon this head , which in this day hath had a special impression on my own spirit , that the last effort and ultimus conatus of the kingdom of antichrist before its final fall , may be feared , is not yet accomplished as to the ultima clades of the reformed churches ; yea , that this work hath fallen under his hand as the instrument waited and fitted by divine providence for such an end ; which hath oft made me judge , that the date of his commission is not yet expired , when the same provoking causes of such a desolating stroak as hath been of late on the church of france , are no less visible amongst us , and may have the same ground to fear , when we see such a remarkable beacon in their case set before us . the god of the reformed churches is no respecter of persons and nations , who will not still bear with a naked shew , and an uninlivened profession of that pure and excellent religion we enjoy ; yea , when the most near and immediate signs , which in former times have gone before some extraordinary stroak of judgment on nations and churches , are rather in some further degree , applicable to us : there may be more than ordinary cause to meditate terror on such an account , that there is a sound of great wrath on this generation , yea , that a sword is fourbished and sheathed in heaven , which is to have some great destroying work under its hand , before it be put up : but oh ! nothing is like to do until something more extraordinary than we have yet seen , draw aside that veil of security we are now under , and hide these things from our eyes . but i shall add herewith , as it should be a blessed surprizal , if the god of patience might yet spare and prolong a season of grace , and respite so threatning a woe ; so on the other hand , an experimental knowledge of the truth of divine premunitions , when it 's too late , and is had at so dear a purchase , will be very sad , when no conviction or repentance , can regain such a season as we now have , if it be once lost : but as the proverb speaks , non licet in bello aut morte bis errare . there is one thing yet further now in the shutting up of this discourse , which i must in a few words touch ; that as it is the alone prerogative of the deity to declare things to come , before they spring forth , and who hath bounded the prospect and evidence of his people as to future events , or what he is yet bringing sorth of his work in the last times , according to the extent of divine revelation herein , ( since this is to be the measure of our light and discoveries , until the second coming of the lord. ) so it 's no less evident and sure , that any pretence or prospect of the events of providence , which have no dependance on any natural causes , is beyond the possible reach of all natural science , or of that horrid profession which is so much aloft in these times of judicial astrology , as it relates to future and contingent events ; wherein men as free agents do act , when besides the known vanity of any such pretence , the god of truth hath put them in the same class with sorcerers , isa . . , . stand now with the inchantments , and the multitude of thy secrets , and let the astrologers and stargazers , stand up and save thee . it is little taken to heart how deep such real homage to the devil , under a splendid shew of a dependance on natural causes herein , may draw to a coming under greater invasions of his power , when it 's so far a giving up with their baptismal covenant . i could speak what hath been with too sad evidence known of its tragick effects , but one instance leads me now specially to speak thereto ; that before this last tremendous earthquake at jamaica , there was so strange and universal a tendence in that place , to consult astrologers in their usual vndertakings as to the event , as did inforce a serious minister of the gospel , who was there a little time before that stroak ; not only to preach , and appear against such a contagious wickedness , as that which brings some remarkable judgment with it , but to publish something in print against the same ; which is here extant : but they could not thus foresee their own destiny that was so near approching . i might further add a very sad instance as to a person who was unquestionably of eminent piety and parts , who by a too eager curiosity , was carried to make some tryal of that study , which tended not only to be his snare , but to most tragick effects in his own personal lot : though i forbear to speak more particularly herein , only that god is a jealous god , who will not pass some evils , without a severe remak thereon . an additional enquiry on that singular conduct of providence , which is about the saints here , and upon some of the greatest depths thereof , for giving further light to the foregoing discourse on that subject . i hope there may be many this day on the earth , who are indeed on so desirable a scent , and to whom this will be a subject of great weight , to know the way of the lord , and out-goings of his providence towards them , amidst the various changes of their life , and in the more eminent periods and stations thereof : but this proves in another manner , an exercising subject in an hour of great temptation , to carry the strength of a christians soul thereon , and to penetrate on such reasons and designs , that the majesty of god hath in more strange and extraordinary providences , which may for a time , put them in an amaze when darkness does overshadow the same ; since for men thus to be skilled and discerning in his ways , is surely one of the highest attainments of spiritual wisdom within time . there are two mysteries of divine truth to be matter of deep thoughts and reflection , the one is a christians conduct and passage through time , the other is his way and ascent to that blessed world which is above , at death ; which is by the immediate ministry of the angels : but it is surely the first that 's most marvelous herein , since the special leading and communion of the spirit of god is so essential thereto ; yea , the concurrence of the whole glorious trinity , and where every step in that passage is watched by infernal spirits , whilst they are beset with a body of death : but this is an experiment also does never fail , that the most dark and searching tryals , which may be in some unusual manner measured out , do still make way for the greatest discoveries of providence , and giving more light to the deep things of god herein . what i shall now speak to , is on some special enquiry for attaining a more clear light upon this subject ; in the resolution whereof , it will be found how much the highest assistance and support of a christians faith in the conflicts of their warfare , when it comes to the most trying part thereof , does lye here ; and for having some clear and experimental acquaintance with the same , which is one of the most choice improvements of grace , that we are called to within time . . enquiry that may be suitable here , is to know in what special manner a christian is stated , with respect to the administration of divine providence in his militant course , and how he is interessed herein , above the whole residue of men in a most singular respect ; for clearing of which it is evident , . that it is sure with their immediate entry unto a new state by converting grace , they come then under a special conduct and care of a watching providence , and of the delegate ministry of the angels , which will never cease , no not for one moment , until the putting off of their armour , and a being carried into the eternal imbracements of divine love. . they are in such a manner stated also , under the interpositions of this special care and oversight of providence , as if such a christian were alone on the earth , and not another , about whom so great a business and regard from heaven is put forth ; so high is that value which god does put upon one of these , who are the immediate objects of his complacence and delight . . it is in such a manner he is interested herein , as a talent under trust of the highest concern , how to be answerable thereto , both by judicious observation of what this way passeth betwixt god and them , and how their suits have been returned after much waiting hereon ; as also for answering the several ends thereof , in their improvements of the same . . yea , it is in this respect he is stated under so great an administration of providence which is ever about him , as it is the seal of heaven put to the certainty of divine truth , and the adventures of his trust thereon , wherein he can see with joy and admiration , that he on whom he did believe and not see , hath in the issue , made him see what he did believe , to be undoubted and real . . he stands thus also related thereto , in the matter of a testimony , and sanctifying of god before others , upon the account of any remarkable issues of providence , and to keep the remembrance thereof , up as a part of the most valuable interest he hath upon the earth ; when this way one hour in his life may occurr , that can fully clear the by-gons , and conflicts of many years past . . enquiry upon this subject , is to know wherein the singularity of some steps of providence , with respect to some of the saints beyond others , do most specially appear , when they are directed for some eminent design of grace herewith : for a right understanding whereof , we may see , . what strange and different measures the sovereign god does take in his refining and trying work , about some of his people , which he does not with others , as isa . . behold i have refined you , but not as silver ; when it 's at a much higher pitch , that david upon his proper tryal speaks hereof , psal . . thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed ; which is there spoke as the most intense degree of exactness in such a tryal , by a hotter furnace , whilst herein , some eminent project of love , hath been found still then in the issue . . to what an extremity also he will sometime bring such to , in a trying work before it be accomplished , so as to kill first er'e he make alive , and render the case wholly dependant on a divine miraculous power , as in that sickness of lazarus , and that last conflict of davids at ziglag , which proved the sorest of all , when it was on an immediate turn of providence , and so singular an appearance of god was breaking up herewith . . thus appears in so strange a deferring of light , and concealment of the thoughts and counsel of god towards the choicest of his people , that may be seen even under such a duration of afflicting providences , as may be ready to faint and stagger their faith , so as no intreaties , no tears or wrestlings can prevail herein , until they have stayed out their time wherein they must be tryed , as was in the case of jacob on joseph's supposed death ; who was so familiar with god , and yet kept so long in the dark therein , as also of joseph under so strange a scene , and mystery of providence towards him , until once the word of the lord had tryed him . . in his taking some of his followers by a most signal conduct of providence , of all visible and ordinary means of their relief ; and crossing all their natural inclinations and desires herein , in an irresistable way , that nothing may interpose to darken his more immediate appearance in the deliverance . . but which may seem more astonishing and singular is in such a conduct of providence , as is by contraries , and directing of means , that in their natural tendency , seem only destructive to such an end ; yea , when by a falling down of the greatest darkness , he brings their case to some higher paroxism , as may have all mortal signs , when yet such providences do then most powerfully work to hasten a comforting issue , above all which had gone before . . in an entring of the choicest of his people , with a more singular seal , and frequenter confirmations of his love than at other times , into some extraordinary course and series of trying conflicts , which have been as the falling down of a dark and long night , immediately following so great a brightness ; yea , thus also by such a constraint of providence , leading them into the same , as david speaks psal . . thou broughtest us in the net , and laidst affliction on our loins , &c. and as the disciples of christ were constrained to go to the sea , when a storm was to follow thereon . . when in following the most express and clear call to some special service and acts of duty , there occurrs greatest oppositions , and cross providences thereto , as was in paul's voyage to rome , when his commission from heaven herein was given , under so great a seal and evidence : and nothing did shake jeremiah's faith more , than that strange and growing tide of opposition , which was still in the way of his work , when his call herein was so clear and extraordinary , as put him to speak thus unto god , chap. . . thou hast perswaded me , and i was perswaded , &c. when he was almost overpowered by the enmity and violence of men in his work . . in that strange length , to which a deferred hope may be continued before its enjoyment , even where the earnest , and confirmations thereof , have been in some unusual way made evident , until it seem'd wholly desperate , and beyond hope ; yea , when under such a delay they have been exposed to all kind of temptations , which in the nature thereof , as well as duration , seem'd to contradict the same , and give it the lie. . by such a concurrence also in some part of a christians warfare , as at the same time there may be fightings without , and fears within , as the apostle speaks , such as may render it a strange mystery to others , when yet there is nothing penal herein ; yea , when this may be for a time , wholly in the dark to them , until that design of grace appear for their being trained thus by lesser conflicts for such a time in their life , wherein usually satans greatest effort lyes against them , and the highest probation of their grace , which god hath design'd to take whilst they are on the earth . . i shall but add on this head , that as the lord hath designed something in his way towards each christian , that 's peculiar to them alone , so is that variation in the methods of providence about such , remarkable , whilst some have their most choice and comforting times first , as was solomons , and his last days the worst , whilst the latter days of job were his best . but there is also some singularity in the tryals of the saints , which it's sure will never be reiterated , either in the kind or measure ; such as in abraham's being tryed in his faith ; upon the offering of isaac ; the intent thereof being purely typical : and it may be judged that job was given for an example , to have a room only proper to himself , until the church ceased to be militant . a d. enquiry which is of great concern on such a subject , lyes here , in what respects it may be said that the light and comforting side of some very dark and astonishing providences is gained , which had held such under greatest fears and suspence formerly ; so as they can now keep sight of the way of the lord towards them herein : it 's true , this is not attained in the way of light only , but of power ; and one day may fall in to raise the tryal of a christian , more than many years past have done ; when the night may be both dark and long , without either moon or stars then appearing , before there be any day-break : yet may such a rare injoyment in a special way thus be understood , when there is some clear breaking up of light herein upon these things . . how congruous such steps in the spotless way of god , that seemed to have so dismal an aspect , are to the excellencies of his nature , to the testimonies and setled constitutions of his word , and to these usual methods , which he hath taken with his greatest favourites , in cases of tryal of the same nature , and under , as trying circumstances . . when they can thus see how great a design it is , which the holy god hath on the hottest conflicts of his peoples warfare , and in redoubling their assaults , and that it is more than on the highest civil interest of kingdoms and nations : and how intensely his eyes are fixed on what part his people does then act , wherein the honour of his own grace , and their victory over the infernal world , does so much lye . . how there is surely an appointed measure , which the work and tryal of faith hath to be filled up , not only with respect to the personal case of christians , but to the state of the church militant , from the entry , to the close of time ; which hath still a growing increase , wherein each of the saints hath some proper interest that is allotted to him , for perfecting of the same . . when they can also discern by what a special overruling providence , the lord hath usually bequeathed the choicest mercies , and prevented great hazards in such a way , as was most grieving and contrary to their thoughts in the present time ; and hath ever reserved the most rare experiments and tryals of himself , to the most trying times of his peoples lot , when their support was beyond the possibility of nature . . when they can see what a foord and strange passage others have been taken through , in extraordinary cases , by that alone way of reliance on an invisible god ; which could have no rise from ordinary or natural causes ; and how sweet a remembrance such providences have thus transmitted to the after-times of a christians life , to witness that no joy or comfort on this earth , is comparable to that which hath followed the deepest agonies and down-castings . . when there is some clear breaking up of light upon the design and deep reaches of providence , which are in the most strange methods thereof , to promote the interest and service of many , by the personal conflicts of some of his people ; yea , for their being thus made a more publick blessing to the time they live in , by example , and their special improvement of the same ; since for this end , more singular cases of tryal , are usually allotted by the conduct of divine wisdom , in order to services that such are design'd for , beyond others . . when it 's evident both from scripture light and observation , how no notable mercies and enjoyments of divine respect , have ever been attained , without something no less remarkable in the proving of their patience and faith , which hath gone before : yea , in how strange a manner the lord hath then chosen , to hide his work for a time , and shut up their way , that the returns of light after the same , might be more sweet and discernable . . how it 's unalterably fixed by the standing laws of heaven , that the testimony of god in his revealed truth , must first be the object of his peoples trust and expectation , e're it be made the object of their sense and enjoyment in its performance ; and that it 's an inviolable connexion which lyes in such a method as is said of abraham , heb. . . that after he had patiently endured , he obtained the promise ; so as they can thus see how signal a part this hath in the great frame of providence , when a long term of enduring in hope , and under greatest conflicts , goes before the return and enjoyment of the same . . how clear it 's also in the way and order of grace , that god will first have a sore trouble , and depths of affliction to be deeply exercising and humbling , before it be made comforting ; but with such advantage thereby , that these will be least broke by their conflicts , who have been most bruised and bowed down by humbling exercise and work herein ; this being ever sure , that his great power will never be imployed to ruin , but to raise , and revive the spirits of such . . when they see also these tender methods of divine providence , as are made use of in the training of christians by lesser essays of tryal , with some lucid intervals betwixt one degree , and another thereof , before the lord bring forth his design upon some more solemn and extraordinary tryal , which should have otherwise crush'd and overset their spirits , if it had not been thus gradually brought on . . but in this respect most specially it may be said , the light side of the most dark and astonishing providence , is turned towards a christian , when he can discern and prove his way towards god , with such an humble reference as that , job . . but thou knowest the way that i take : and when it 's thus made evident in the hid actings of grace and that prevalency it then hath to keep close with god under the greatest temptations ; in their applications also , and retirements of their soul with him , where they can have no witness but himself , who sees in secret , that he may reward openly ; when it 's evident likewise in their designs , and being acted from internal motives herein , to have another service for god , than such as stand with him upon the wages of the hireling ; yea , can prove their way in a counter-motion to such evils , that are most contagious and exemplary in the times wherein they are ; so as thus , to save themselves from such an untoward generation : when also their work hath not only been to prove their state by sure evidence , but to know of what manner of spirit they were in such a case towards men , and these who might have had the greatest influence on their trouble and grief . but there is yet a th . enquiry , of highest consequence in order to light herein , to know where the life and comfort of a christians confidence in an hour of temptation does lye , and what hath the nearest and most immediate influence on the comforting work of faith , not only in cases of personal tryal , which may be most searching , but under any surprizal of publick judgment , that may be on a nearer approach than seems apprehended by most . it 's true , it 's honourable for god , both to try his people above the power and support of nature , and to bear them up herein , in the view of the world : but as on the one hand it seems astonishing , what providences may occurr to some of the saints of that nature , as are amongst the arcana of the divine government , so is it no less wonderful on the other hand , what he hath afforded to be assistant thereto , which lye not in the reverence of the world , but are a secret betwixt god and the souls of his people ; who hath not left them in the dark , as to the hid spring of their supplies . this i must improve further here , though it be a little touched in the foregoing discourse , in these respects . . that there is surely then such an undoubted assistance , as an immediate communion with the spirit of god , in addresses to heaven by prayer , when no visible things can be comforting , such as goes above the support of miracles , or ministry of the angels , though this be not comprehensible by the spirit of the world ; which can in a moment raise the soul above its greatest fears , when there is no cause by humane sense herein ; and affords also one of the highest demonstrations of the christian faith. . that there is herewith such an enjoyment attainable , as an ineffable sense and evidence of divine love , shed abroad on the soul by the holy ghost , which goes above any external providences for this end ; and does efficaciously work , when no light , no former experience , nor habitual grace can stemm the the tide of some extraordinary afflictions . . yea , there is also such a support to be known then , as the sensible and immediate presence of the comforter in his reviving power , and their fellowship with him , which no local distance can possibly obstruct in such an hour , when their release must either come out of heaven , or utterly fail . these are indeed great things , which cannot be believed and not admired , that have thus the nearest influence on the joy and peace of believing , such as are no abstract notions , but the greatest realities within time . . there is the comfort of such divine promises , which by some special application of that seal of the spirit of promise , hath been formerly known , will in a dark and sad hour , afford a most singular assistance : but it 's no contemplation can speak the power of that evidence which hath accompanied the same , when in an obsignatory way this is given unto the soul , or the great improvement that hath been made hereof , when all visible refuges are failed . . there is likewise the support of sanctuary strength , that 's in a most peculiar way design'd of the lord , for a supply in the most overwhelming case ; when by the publick ordinances of the gospel ( where such a door is kept open ) and under the blessing of that institution , such hid and immediate conveyances of power have been then experienced , as hath made them return with admiration upon the directing of truths to their present case , when nothing could be more seasonable ; yea , hath been so evident a return oft to some humble reference and enquiry in the temple herein , as if it had been by a voice from heaven , both in the light and power thereof . . there is the improvement of former experience of ancient friendship and love betwixt god and their soul , which in the sadest hour , is of a singular use ; as also of providences which have been more extraordinary in their life past ; since it 's thus experience worketh hope , not only upon our reasoning from the same , but in the way of an establish'd mean and ordinance for this end , by that indissoluble connexion , which god hath fixed betwixt them . . nor is it personal experience only , ( though that takes the deepest impression on mens soul ) but the improvement of such eminent acts of providence , as have been most discernable in the case of others , under their greatest exigencies , and under some observable seal of gods immediate appearance therein ; since there is a publick interest that the residue of the saints have in the same , for strengthening of their faith , as well as these who are most immediately concerned herein ; to make some new accession to the churches treasure , when the issue of some resolute and great adventures of trust and reliance on god , hath been made clear and conspicuous to the world. . there is likewise that rare assistance to a christians faith , and its comforting work in the saddest hour , which is ever then found in the actings of love , and fervent emotions thereof to him , who is the determiner of their lot ; since it 's proper to love , that it thinks no evil , but hath still honourable thoughts of god , even under the most dismal appearances of providence ; and is thus watchful , that nothing should estrange or separate betwixt them and the love of christ , whose severest act of smiting , is to heal , and is ever saving : and where this love is in exercise , it hath such a piercing intelligence with its blessed head , as to discern his heart , and the sounding of his bowels towards them , even when his hand would seem to destroy ; which renders the way of trust so sweet and delightful , that if this way could fail , they should make no other choice . . yea , there is to be known then , how the comfort of hope does work upon their being in the issue made overcomers , when the triumph shall be proportioned to the measure and greatness of these conflicts , which have been in their way ; and that it 's so near when this shall be made the object of their sense , which is now such a wonder to their faith ; and that even in this militant state on the earth , they stand in right , as a part of the church triumphano , who are insert as members thereof , on the records of heaven ; and tho' they be not yet in possession , yet have a proper room secured them in these regions of glory , who may have no title , or comforting interest now in this world : and how short a view are we to take of the things of time , whilst that other world , in both the states thereof , is each day filling up , with a growing and new increase ? let me add this further , that as each observing christian should have some record and history of himself , both as to what hath been most remarkable in the ways of god towards them , and of their designs and improvements of grace , which in any measure they have attained : so is it not expressible , what an interest this makes as a helper to their joy , when there may be a surrounding of them otherwise , with matter of heaviness under manifold temptations . it is by this short view which is now offered of assistance , that have the most immediate and prevalent influence on a comforting reliance and adventuring on god , though tryals should be at the greatest height , may let us see what an advantage such have above these who seem to have the most support and security from visible things ; yea , we know little how near such a day may be to these , who now are at ease , when no comfort or relief shall be found in another way : and oh ! that men would in the way of reason , inquire more deeply about the truth hereof , and what they will do when humane confidences are blasted , if they have no interest in such a support . i should have entred on a th : enquiry about the present appearances of the time we are in , but having both in the foregoing discourse , and another piece lately published , spoke at some length thereto , as to what may be just grounds of fear , and for confidence and hopes ; i shall forbear to add further on that head ; but whatever regard may be to the same , which i must say , hath a directing call in a special way to these , who are in the highest station and power , this day in britain ; i can with humble confidence speak that what is there offered to be awakening to us as matter of fear , when such unusual grounds are for the same , was under the dread and fear of that god , to whom i must e're long give an account of the commission i have received , as a watchman to his church ; yea , with such inward quiet and assurance of mind herein , as if the close of this discourse , should be the last of my work and service within time ; though something may possibly seem strange of what hath been offered on such an account : but i hope therein will be found nothing which may not be convincing to any of a serious and considerate spirit in the way of solid reason and was for this intent designed , that by our answering to the call and warnings of god , which have been very extraordinary and evident in our day , there might be yet a meeting him whilst he is in the way , to prevent threatned judgment , which tarrieth not for man , nor is dependent on visible things , when the time thereof , is once come : only i must shut up this with two serious reflections on the present juncture of things , as may be too obvious . . that it 's now some years past , since an unusual and conspicuous signal of judgment hath been given , not only to these nations , but to the whole reformed churches , in that astonishing stroak , and devastation of the church of france , where hath been a plucking up of what was so eminently planted there , and casting down of what was built , so as for a time , the candlestick is removed thence : this i must confess hath had to me , a more sad and affrighting aspect , that the correspondence which is this day in the publick state of the reformed churches , does so evidently in as high a prevalence of sin , and of wasting distempers , ( if not in a higher degree ) than could be than charged on that church . . that when the holy god sets up so great and eminent a beacon as such a ruin is this day in our sight , he does usually for some time , allow it to be warning and awakening to other places for whom it is design'd ; and herein as to this instance , hath he graciously held his hand , that the out-cast of his people there , might have both a retreat and relief in other churches ; but oh ! when the intent of such an astonishing beacon is not answered , and ceaseth to be affecting to our spirits as at the first , i must refer it to the thoughts and enquiry of others , whether the design of such a rod as hath been there raised and made use of for judgment and breaking down , as well as tryal , be yet sisted , and hath no further work for the same interest and vindication of the glory of god , as to other of the churches ; or if there be no cause now to fear that the dregs of such a cup is not yet wrung out ? which may be feared to be more severe at last , than what was in the first part thereof , if grace do not in a singular way , interpose : and it is on that account my heart cannot but meditate terror this day . finis . a voice from heaven to th[e] common-wealth of england with additions. evans, arise, b. . this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing e ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing e estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a voice from heaven to th[e] common-wealth of england with additions. evans, arise, b. . [ ], , [ ] p. s.n., [london] : . "to the reader" signed: arise evans. includes the author's petitions to parliament and to cromwell. title page imperfect: letter "e" in "the" missing. reproduction of original in the huntington library. eng prophecies. great britain -- history -- prophecies. a r (wing e ). civilwar no a voice from heaven to th[e] common-wealth of england. with additions. evans, arise c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a voice from heaven to th●common-wealth of england . with additions . printed in the yeer , . for ever o lord thy word is setled in heaven . some said it thundred , others said an angel spake , jesus answered and said , this voice came not because of me , but for your sake . now is the judgement of this world , now shall the prince of this world be cast out . thou shalt arise and have mercy upon sion , for the time to favour her , yea the set time is come . it is time for thee o lord to work , for they have made void thy law . arise o lord into thy rest , thou and the ark of thy strength , let thy priests be cloathed with righteousnesse , and let thy saints shout for joy , for thy servant davids sake , turn not away the face of thine anoynted . to the reader . courteous reader , these things have been under a bushell these nine moneths , so that i was in travaile untill now , as you see my condition , jer. . , ● , , . to bring forth a king , even to raise up david . i complained unto many , but i found no assistance , how i might set forth this light to all that are in the house ; and especially to them that are in the house of parliament , and to print it , that it might no longer lie upon my conscience ▪ as a heavy burthen , but appear generally before the world , untill at last being overwhelmed with sorrow , i made my complaint unto god , who in an extraordinary manner , within twenty four hours did send me help , and therefore i praised god and admired his providence in these things . and now beloved , i present these things unto you , which are no ordinary things . and ( as they came to me from god , which caused me to tremble at his word , isa. . . . ) so i wish ye would seriously receive them . for i must needs confess we doe not read the scripture , nor look into it with that holy reverence , as is requisite for so great a word of majesty , but play with it as with a pamphlet , that is to day , and to morrow is cast aside , so that it is turned to wantonness , and vaine pleasure more then purity , and powerfull practice . and therefore i beseech you heare the word of the lord , ye that tremble at his word , isa. . . . and to the rest i say , be ye not mockers ; lest your bonds be made strong , for i have heard from the lord god of hosts , a consumption even determined upon the whole earth . arise evans . a voice from heaven , to the commonwealth of england . welbeloved , though i have not expressions fitted for all sorts of people to declare my matter intended , yet my desire is , that all might understand me , that the highest would bow down his eare , & the lowest strive to understand also . i hope you will take what i shall make out in plain termes with good will , and not expect , nor respect the fine phrases of complements , but truth , though in a mean habit , will ( i hope ) by you be judged worthy of love and acceptation . and to vindicate my self against every spirit that shall rise against me , i will shew ye , first , that i have taken the engagement , that is , to be true to this commonwealth , as it now stands , without a king , or house of lords . now if i should be silent , and see the great evill that i see coming upon this state and commonwealth , and not give timely warning , that in some measure by repentance it might be prevented , i should be false to the commonwealth . therefore i do discharge my conscience in faithfulnesse to it , because i am bound by the engagement so to do , so my conscience doth witnesse to me , which conscience of mine by gods assistance , i shall keep clear , by declaring unto you the truth that is opened to us in the word of god for us to take notice of it , that we may know the truth , and be assured that god doth manifest it , to the end that all might be inexcuseable , upon the day that is coming ; because there is a day nigh at hand , in which god will judge the world , by a man which he hath appointed by the word of jesus christ , in righteousnesse . and this man is not jesus , but a man ordained , appointed and sent , by the father , and his son jesus ; who in righteousnesse will judge , and make war . and this man will be known by his rising from the dead , not in that body that he died in , but in a body of his own seed , in which he will rise and raign for ever . and not only so , but the lord jesus will raign in him for ever and ever . so that all this is done , for the glory of the lord jesus , the fulfilling of his promise , the manifestation of the true rest for his people , who are yet tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine , and without rest : neither would i have you to mistake me , as if by this , i said that there is no resurrection , but what is here mentioned ; for i shall shew you hereafter the true faith which i believed . but here i shew you , that this is a singular resurrection , to a person offered up among the gentiles , as that was of jesus among the jewes . and of both these , the apostle speaks , rom. . verse , , , , , , , . where first he shews that the coming of jesus , and the offering of him up , was to fulfill the promise made to the fathers of the jews nation : and after speaks of a person to reign amongst the gentiles ; and of their offering up of him : and he that is offered up , must be no lesse than a king . of this king there is much spoken in scripture , he must be also of the root of jesse , not by a carnall generation , but begotten of immortall seed by the bloud of jesus . and on this king , jesus layes so much honor in the gospell , and of this king he saith , that he will raise him up at the last day . and jesus when he ascended , sate at the right hand of god , expecting till this king came , to subdue all the enemies of jesus under his feet . for all things were not subdued to jesus ; though he were crowned in the apostles time , yet not in possession of his kingdome till this king came . this is that king of kings , that jesus holds forth ; this is that king that overcometh , and therefore possesseth all things that overcame , and is taken into the throne of jesus , to sit with him , as jesus overcame , and was taken into the fathers throne . this indeed is the third person , and whosoever speaks against him shall never be pardoned , because that on him the holy ghost is fully manifested , that all the scripture is opened and fulfilled in him , and jesus fully magnified by this person . for the king is the ensign of god that is set up the second time , to bring all nations to the faith of jesus , rom. . . but especially all the jewes , isaiah . , , . isai. . , . rom. . , . heb. . . ecclesiast . . . . and the king is called by nomination the holy ghost , because he is the speciall great messenger of the trinity , john . . the holy ghost is so full in him and upon him , that it gives its name to him ; as we call a cup that is full of wine , saying , give me the wine , or give me the cup , in sense is to be understood the same thing . so the king is sent to us under the name of the holy ghost , because he was full of it : but indeed properly the holy ghost is the god and father of our lord jesus christ , mathew . . . luke . . and therefore the holy ghost is called the first and the last , revel. . . because under that name he begets jesus christ , mathew . . . luke . . and seems to be elder or before jesus ; and under that same name he seemeth to be younger and after jesus , and so sent john . , . john . . john . , . and these mysteries are riddles to the world , but to the believers they are evident , john . . . there is more honor laid in scripture upon this king , than my tongue or pen can utter , though i see it in abundance . this king overcame all by his faith in jesus christ , which faith he defended by his sufferings , through which sufferings he is perfected , and become greater then the greatest conquerour of all the kings of the earth , and in time to come , they shall all submit unto him , for god hath made him king of kings , and lord of lords . for the appearing of jesus christ in him is to give rest to the people of god , and his law shall go forth into all the earth . and all the earth shall be gathered into one judgement to worship god , according to the rule that this king left to them , and sealed it with his bloud ; according to the appointment of god , and our lord jesus christ . for it is the rule of the spirit of truth which jesus promises to lead men into all truth . and now the promise is fulfilled , and the comforter is come , and the true way is perfectly known this very day : and the wicked shall fall in the way that they have chosen , and the righteous shall willingly come to the way of the truth , and the wicked shall do wickedly , none of the wicked shall understand the truth . these wicked are not prophane wicked , i mean drunkards , swearers , whoremasters , lyars , sabbatt-breakers , and the like irreligious persons ; but these wicked are such as think themselves otherwise , and the only holy , and to have most understanding ; and from a false confidence , do act in these times against the truth , and will never be perswaded , but they are the wiser sort of men . but the wise and righteous shall understand the judg-truth and believe it ; and they shall shine as the stars , and turn many to righteousnesse , who were before prophane . and their knowledge shall be encreased , for the sun of righteousdesse will shine upon them . for jesus doth shine upon him , and give him of his light . and they shalt tread down the wicked , that they shall never rise againe , or their wickednesse will be seen and abhorred of all men : and their carkasses shall be as dung upon the earth ; and they shall be eaten of worms , and devoured with the fire of their own anger , they shall never be able to help themselves . and now is the time that ye shall return and discerne between the righteous and the wicked , that ye may know who is righteous , and who is wicked ; who serveth god , and who serveth him not , and what is the true way of gods worship . of this i shall speak if god permit , and clear it out to your understanding , with the uttermost of my ability , for the salvation of your souls and bodies , and all that ye have . for i believe ye shall see more trouble upon this land suddainly , then hath been any time heretofore . all the prophets of god prophecied mystically ; and the ground-work of all the prophets is the speech of noah to his sons , gen. . , , , , , , . where he curseth ham for his rebellion against him , and blesseth shem and iaphet , who honored him . jesus christ is the god of shem , and lineally descended of shem , and conquered all the rebellious seed of ham , by his sufferings , colossians . , . and king charles is that seed of japhet , who by his coming in to jesus christ , and suffering for his truth , brings the rebellious seed of ham to such an eternall servitude , that they shall not rise again . all this the prophets foresaw , and declared mystically , which mysteries could not be opened till king charles came and finished his course . and at this time all the mysteries are fulfilled , as ye have it , revelat. . . thus , in the daies of the voice of the seventh angell , when he begins to sound , the mystery of god shall be finished , as he hath declared by his servants the prophets . again , a prophet of our nation noting to us the time , saith more clearly to the same purpose thus . coroni mab . ann. iw . diwedde u drogan . in english thus . the son ▪ of anne crowned will finish the prophecies . ye have this prophecy cited in master lillies book , called monarchie , or no monarchie , and he doth acknowledge it to be spoken of king charles his coronation . though lilly brings it to prove that there should be no more kings here in britain , but he erreth . for the said prophet saith , that all the prophecies are fulfilled in king charles , called by him mab . ann. or the sonne of anne , that we might know the time of the seventh angell . and that now there shall be a rule and a kingdome that shall subdue all , and shall stand for ever under * king charles , and his seed , whose seed by the works of god shall appear to have an unquestionable sovaraignty over all the earth ▪ that can never be shaken again . of this construction the scripture is full , and m. lillies prophets wrested by him , do intend the same thing with the scripture ; for all the kingdomes of the earth at the sound of the seventh † angell , became one kingdome of christ , revel. . . and the word jesus is left out there , and also revel. . . now christ hath a new name , that is charles , revel. . . so that charles is the christ of christ . for so it signifies , revel. . . where it is said , the kingdome of our lord jesus , and of his christ , charles : and againe saith jesus , i have set my king upon my holy hill of sion , psal. . . and this is clear by many places . and though the word charles is not in all the scripture , any more then jesus in the old testament , named : yet we find marks by which they are signified , that we might know them from all others , at the appearance of their persons to the world . the son of anne was king charles . and this prophet doth so agree with that of rev. . . as if it were the same angell sent afterwards to certifie of the time , when the seventh angell doth sound . and it is now ; which in scripture is called the end of the world ; in regard of the great alteration , destruction , persecution ▪ to come into the world , as if all things were destroyed , and made new again . divers of the prophets of the old testament spake of the end , as in dan. . . , , , , , . dan. . . . hab. . some of them call it the day of the lord , a dark day , a great , and notable day , a gloomy day , a day neither light nor dark . amos . , . ioel . . zeph. . , , , , . zach. . . , , . a day of decision to decide the long controversie , between the seed of the serpent ▪ and the seed of the woman . it is also to be observed how the prophet against this time of decision sends a proclamation to the gentil●s , invites them to come to this great work to fight , & end the controversie , and bids them beat now their plow-shares into swords , and pruning hooks into spears , ioel . . , , , , . and after the victory is obtained , then the prophet isaiah and micah , in the same words , bids them beat their swords into plow-shares , and spears into pruning hooks , for they shall learn war no more ▪ isa. . , , , . micah . , , , . and it is called a day of judgment , given to the saints , that they may possesse the kingdome for ever and ever , dan. . . in the new testament there also is much spoken of the end , mat. . . , , . and now the end is come , the abhomination of desolation standeth in the holy place , that is , every foolish man gets up into the pulpit , and powreth out his folly : now the false christs and false prophets appeare , every one would feigne himselfe to come in the name of the lord , as if he were sent indeed , and none but he a●ight . one sets up his way , another saith as much , and sets up his way , so that you may see , what times we live ▪ in by these appearances . the independent saith , here is christ , the presbyterian saith , lo here is christ , the anabaptists saith , loe here is christ , and so all other sects cry . now consider the words of the lord christ , by which you may know that none of the wayes now tolerated , and in such great esteem is the way of salvation , neither shall they be saved that continue in any of these wayes , for at this time , when all men are suffered to be of what religion they please ; yet you shall find that the faith of gods elect is forbidden , and true religion with the professors thereof according to the words of christ persecuted and driven from their habitations , for the elect must endure and flie , untill the lord come as lightening to lighten the earth , to give them hope , and assured knowledge that judgement is coming upon their persecutors , for you know that we are exhorted by christ , to compare what we see in his word with the things done in our times , for he gives us true signs , and then saith he , when ye see these things begin to come to passe , know that your redemption draweth nigh . and again , by these signs you may know which is the faith of gods elect , who are the elect of god , and where this faith is found , tit. . . mat. . . . . . mat. . . , . mar. . . . . , . luk. . , , , . first the faith of gods elect is where the abomination reigneth , though under persecution , that 's clear , mat. . . here under this state we see the abomination , therefore here are the faithfull found . secondly , the abomination cannot be said to reign but in one certain country where the elect are planted , and if possible the abomination should have his full time , no flesh should be saved , mat. . . and it is evidently seen , that the abomination reigneth here in england , therefore if the elect be destroyed here , there is no more seed left to propagate , isa. . . thirdly , consider there is but one way of salvation , but many false wayes , pet. . . and he that endureth in that way continually , notwithstanding what he may suffer for it , he shall be saved , mat. . . fourthly , consider , that when every other way is tolerated , then this true way is persecuted and forced to flie , mat. . . . . . . fifthly , consider , that the false wayes at this time are far more glorious then the way of truth , and so prevalent , that if it were possible , they should deceive the very elect , mat. . , , , . sixthly , consider , that the elect are no where els but here in england , & so tyed to this place , that if the faith of gods elect were destroyed here , there should be none sav'd , mat. . . seventhly , consider , that if the faith of gods elect were anywhere else found , it could not be subject to dangers , as it seems to be , for if it were destroyed here in this land , we should find it in some other . but the case is not so , for he doth specifie a certain place by the name of iudea , mat. . . where these things shall be seen , and it is evident that iudea to be here , for here the signes are seen , england is the place , therefore here and no where else is this faith found . and it is evident to be the faith of king edward , queen elizabeth , king iames , king charles , and if destroyed here , where else to be found ? and to shew you , that the romish faith now is not the faith of gods elect , it was determined that some should depart from the faith before the day of god came , thes. . , , . and accordingly they have departed , as you may see their actions noted unto us , tim. . , , . by their forbidding their priests to marry , and commanding to abstaine from meats , which things they do . and after their departing it was determined that there should be a reformation in the church made by publique authority according to the mind of god , which reformation or form of worship is called a form of godlinesse ; and the authors of that form are justified and called good men , tim. , , . and then it was decreed that a company of traytors should come and deny the power of this form , and say the form is not of power to make men godly , and this you may see in . tim. . , , , , , , . and they are compared to the sorcerers of egypt , because they withstand this forme , and the authors of it , as those sorcerers did moses ; who was also sent of god , and gave the law . and these men privily conspire against the truth , according to the word , pet. . , , , , , , , , , , , . tim. . . iude . , , , , . and from the conspiration of these men cometh the abomination that makes desolate , and now reigneth : and as the time of the papists departing from the faith , is called the latter times , tim. . . so the time of these are called the last dayes , tim. . . so that all comes to passe in order according to the word and knowledge of christ . and if you consider how god is a god of order , and would have all things done by lawfull authority given by himselfe ; you may see upon the papists departing from the faith , god removed the power from rome to england . first luther falls out with the pope , writes against him , endangereth the faith , and the pope is not able to help himself . secondly , upon this king hen. . writes against luther , overthrows him , and defends the faith . thirdly , upon this the pope , who should have defended the faith , because it was his proper office , gives the title from himselfe , to king hen. . and calls him the defender of the faith . fourthly , upon this the king would marry , the pope would not let him marry . the king did marry , the pope excommunicates him for it . the king by vertue of his title , defender of the faith , defends himself against the pope , calls a parliament , casts out the pope , and begins to reform all things according to the word of god ; and this parliament are called good men , tim. . fifthly , king edw. . by vertue of the same title calls a parliament , and they give the form of godlinesse to the church , purely and perfectly according to the mind and word of jesus christ . sixthly , queen mary takes in the pope again , then the martyrs stand up , and seale the true faith with their bloud , confessing the goodnesse of god to his church , and triumphing in the flames with joy over their enemies ; for the elects sake . seventhly , queen elizabeth comes out of her troubles , lightens the earth with her goodnesse and glory , as if the daughter of sion were risen from the dead , to the great comfort of gods elect . here you may see how god preserved the faith , removed the authority , reformed the church , by a publique power ; for it was determined of christ , that when princes were subjected to the faith , they must have care of his church as nursing fathers , and reform it , when need requires by their publike authority : and whatsoever is done by private rebellious subjects in private against authority , though they pretend to follow christ and his apostles in it , and think that a good warrant , yet it is damnable , condemned by christ and his apostles ; for saith he , go not to the desart , nor to the secret chambers , nor here nor there to seek me , for i will be of no such rebellious conspiring society : for he saw that the abomination of desolation would begin in such private meetings . and the apostles say , they shall privily bring in damnable heresies , and in so doing , oppose men dignified with the power of christ ; and for so doing they shall be destroyed in eternall fire , and have their wages in hell for ever . now concerning king henry . some will say , might not the pope take the title again from him , upon his revolting from the pope ? i answer no , for the chief gift once given , cannot be recalled , for god goes along with it . and he that receives the gift , is by vertue thereof made more able then he that gave it ; so that he that gave it , hath no power to command him to give it againe , and this i shall prove to you . esau parted with his gift as the pope did , and would have had it again , but could not , though he sought it of god with tears . and though jacob in a subtill way deceived his father isaac , to get the power and blessing from him , yet his father isaac could not help it , though he trembled when he came to know what he had done . oh saith he to esau , i have made him thy lord , and done thus and thus unto him , it must be so now ; what can i do for thee ? as if he should say , i am disabled , i have given all away from me ; and all was but a few words said by isaac to jacob , yet there was such power in those words , that isaac nor esau , with all they could do , could not help themselves against jacob . thus much for a preface . but my matter intended is shorter and more powerfull . for you shall see all things set down in the scripture , as they came to passe since the beginning of this parliament , to this very day , and what is to come to passe hereafter upon this nation . and you shall see all this in the eighth and nineth chapters of amos ; who first speaks of the end ( that was ) the beginning of this parliament ( and the ruine of the kings court ) & then speaks of everlasting ruine to this state ; and the renewing of the kings court , and inlarging of his power over all the earth ; and this you shall see verse after verse , as all things things come to passe hitherto in order . and now if you consider , you shall find that the prophecy of amos , which he prophecied against jeroboam the son of ioas , was not fulfilled upon him ; for he prospered all his time , but it was to be fulfilled amongst the gentiles and therefore the apostle iames alledgeth this prophecy as a thing belonging to the gentiles , and gives this note , saith he , known unto god are all his works , from the beginning of the world ; as if he had said to us , the things that are now in doing amongst you , were known to god of old , as is declared by his prophet amos. for though this prophet as others doth speak to israel , yet it belongs to the spirituall israel , as many more also did , and the apostle doth so interpret the scriptures , &c. now shall i shew you the meaning of these two chapters , the eighth and nineth of amos. amos . in ver. . . god saith to amos , what seest thou ? amos answereth , a basket of summer fruit , that signifies the harvest is come , the generation of the world is ripe in sin , fit to be cut down . then says god , the end is come upon my people , i will not pass by them any more , as if he said , i will cut them down now they are ripe . in ver. . ye have the first work this parliament did , that is , the taking down of the bishops and cathedralls , signified by these words ; the songs of the temples shall be howlings in that day . here you see judgement begins at the house of god , as ye have it in ezek. . . the pet. . . and ye have also there the dealing of our diurnalls , which say many times , we got such a strong hold , and killed so many hundred men , and we lost but five men ; but god saith , this is their policy , they lost more , and they concealed it : and it is signified in these words , there shall be many dead bodies in every place , and they shall cast them forth with silence . in ver. . . . . . ye have the sins and cause why the judgment is come , set down , and that it is not for any fault found in the publique worship of god , but for covetousnesse , hardnesse of heart towards the poore , and the deceit of the people , and their neglect in the worship of god . for the same cause there is a generall rising throughout the land , and the kings party utterly overthrown . in ver. . ye have the kings untimely death signified by the sun going down at noon , for the sun signifies the king , sam. . , , , , . mal. . . gen. . , . in v. . ye have the great mourning for the kings death , and a wrathfull indignation declared by way of revenge upon the enemies at last . in ver. , . ye have the form or worship or common-prayer book taken away , so that the elect cannot hear it read anywhere ; which book is called , the words of the lord , and the word of the lord ; and by this you may know , that book to be the only true form appointed of god before hand , the rule of the spirit of truth , the which rule jesus foresaw , and promised to send the spirit to give it : for he knew by this word that i do now open unto you , that there was a rule to come forth , and the forme of it in all things , was a secret thing , kown to none but the father , therefore christ commits the directions of the church , in the true worship to the spirit , so that untill this time the church is tossed to and fro , because there was no rule known till now , ioh. . . and now ye are come to a perfect rule , given by a perfect man , eph. . , . in ver. . ye have the constancy of the kings party to their religion and king , rev. . . and their thirsting for their religion and king again . in ver. . ye have the states party up , signiby the sin of samaria , the god of dan , the manner of bersheba , all which were idols . but saith he , they shall fall , and never rise again , implying thus much , that the king and his party , though now down , shall rise again , and stand for ever . amos . in v. . the king is risen again , and stands upon the altar , that is , the scaffold , where he suffered , and offered himselfe , there he triumpheth , and commandeth to smite lintell , that is , the speaker of the house of parliament , and cut them all on the head , and slay the last of them all : this is said of the parliament , to shew that they shall not escape the hand of this mighty lord . in ver. , , . ye see , there is no place in hell nor in heaven , nor in the top of the mountains , nor in the bottome of the sea , nor anywhere else for them to escape his hands , but he pursueth them , and takes them . in ver. . ye have a generall rising caused by his hand , throughout the whole land , and the parliaments party utterly overthrown . in verse . ye have the glorious building of the king in the heavens , above all the kings of the earth , and the power he obtained by his sufferings ; and his glorious name next to jesus , as being his most excellent servant of all others . in the . verse ye have the wrath of god declared against the parliament for their killing the king , and destroying the kingly power , by which god delivered them from the bondage of popery , and he looks upon them as black children of ethiopiaus for these ungratefull acts . in verse , , . ye have gods wrath upon the whole kingdome , he tells them , that those who depend upon their power , and think they can prevent the evill , that it shall not overtake them ; saith he , they shall surely perish , but the rest he will save ; as wheat is winnowed and saved ; and taken from the chaff . in verse , . ye have the kings tabernacle , or court see up again , and his kingdome inlarged over all the earth . in verse . ye have the king and his party taking all again from the parliament and their party ; signified in these words , the plowman shall overtake the reaper ; and the treader of grapes , him that draws forth that which is not his own . for the king coms from the altar , and gives commission to the treader of grapes ( that is ) some one of his seed that shall reigne : to cut down the grapes , ( that is ) the party now standing , as you see both parties . the reapers first , and the treader of grapes after , gets the victory . rev. . , , , , , , . in verse , . ye have the king and his parties captivity ended , &c. their building and planting , and their enjoying of the fruits of their labour , and the promise , that they shall possesse their land , without any molestation hereafter , for ever and ever . and now i beseech you look upon this scripture , and lay it to heart , and consider how ye have seen before your eyes , this . chapter of of amos fulfilled , as i have interpreted it unto you , and you see there the rule to worship god by , all which is made plain for you to see as well as i , that you may be saved . i beseech you also to lay to heart , and consider this nineth of amos , where you may see perfectly according to the promise of christ , the things to come , ioh. . . never had people the like shewed them , as ye have now so plain from these two chapters . o take heed that ye slight it not , but make use of it for your salvation ! for if ye be cut down , and cast into the winepresse of the fiercenesse of the wrath of god almighty , ye are undone for ever , and ye may see how to prevent it , rev. . , . rev. . . by what hath been spoken . and this i say to the parliament , to the army , and to all others , do the work , for it must be done . be ye valiant , set up the king , for if forraigners do it , ye are undone . and you may see it will be done by a strong power . i have also some things to shew you out of the first of isaiah , and it chiefly concernes this city of london , which in regard of its action , now , is called sodom and egypt , isa. . . rev. . . and that it was a faithfull loyall city in the time of queen elizabeth , when she was received by the citizens out of the tower , and with joy accompanied to westminster ; and though now this city be an unfaithfull harlot , yet she shall be restored againe to her former faithfulnesse . of this i shall in briefe shew you . isaiah . ver. . to ver. . ye have the king and his party signified with their condition that now they lye in , brought upon themselves by their sins : and this parliament being executioners of gods judgements upon them , yet they are owned of god as his elect , of which he will save a remnant . in ver. . ye have the word directed to you rulers of london in these words , heare the word of the lord ye rulers of sodome , give care to the law of our god ye people of gomorah . in ver. , , , , . god doth reprove you sharply for coming to his presence , and doing such things by which ye think to please him , as your daies of humiliation , your daies of thanksgiving , your solemn private meetings . but god abhors these from you , saying he will not hear you , for your hands are full of bloud , as if he should say , ye break the right proceeding of this parliament , by suffering tumults at the beginning to go to westminster , to the parliament , and wrest judgement , therefore upon you lies the bloud that ha's been spilt all this time . in verse , . ye have the law promised , in verse . being these words , wash you , make you clean , put away the evill of your doing , from before mine eyes , cease to do evill , learn to do well , seek judgement , right the oppressed , plead for the widdow , judge the fatherlesse , which widdow is the queen , and the fatherlesse are the kings children , which ye are to right , and plead for , if you will obey the voice of the lord , for he saith not widdowes , but widdow , as ye have it also in the . verse of this chapter . in ver. . ye have the promise annexed to the performance of this law , in these words , though your sins be like scarlet , they shall be white as snow , though they be red like crimson , they shall be as wool . in ver. , . ye have your choice , whether you will do this law or no , with a promise and a threatning , in these words , if ye be willing and obedient , ye shall eat the fruit of the land : but if ye refuse and rebell , ye shall be devoured with the sword : for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it . in verse . . the lord laments the fall oflondon from its former state ; saying , how is the faithfull city become an harlot ? it was full of judgement , righteousnesse lodged in it , but now murtherers : thy silver is become drosse , thy wine mixed with water . in verse . . he chargeth the rulers with rebellion , thievery , covetousnesse , and giving a hint at what he required before , in verse , . saith he ; they judge not the fatherlesse , neither doth the cause of the widdow come unto them : and because of this neglect , ah! saith god with indignation , i will ease me of mine adversaries , and avenge me of mine enemies . in verse . . to the city of london , hesaith in these words , and i will turn mine hand upon thee , and purely purge away thy drosse , & take away all thy tin , and i will restore thy judges as at the fiast , and thy councellours as at the beginning , meaning king henry , kingedward , and queen elizabeths time ; afterwards thou shalt be called the city of righteousnesse , the faithfull city . in verse . he saith of the church now under persecution , sion shall be redeemed with judgement , and her converts with righteousnesse . in verse . . . . ye have againe the transgressions mentioned , and that ye shall hereafter be ashamed of this parliament which wa desired of many , who thought it would be for their building and flourishing ; which parliamen is signified there by oaks for strength , and by a garden for flourishing . but saith he of this parliament , it shall be as an oaken leaf that fadeth , and as a garden that hath no water , and the strong shall be as tow , that is the parliament , and the maker of it , as a spark , that is their party , and they shall both burn together , and none shall quench them . it is here plain to be seen in these chapters , amos the . and the . and isaiah . verse after verse , what this parliament hath done ; and what is decreed upon them , i know not how to help them , except they repent . and now i will shew my petition unto them . to the most honorable high court of parliament at westminster . the humble petition of arise evans , dwelling in black fryers , desiring your attentive reading of all , and your serious consideration of it . humbly shevvvno , that the petitioner having taken the engagement , will without doubt be true to it , and to the utmost of his power be a means to save the governours , though the government fall ; which fall , in the eyes of men is impossible , in regard of outward provision . but the petitioner seeing this state by the spirit of god , saith it is impossible for it to stand , and its time is limited very short , which ( if the petitioner find acceptance ) it shall be manifested unto you ; he being pierced through with sorrow for you to his very heart , at the apprehension of it ; seeing no way to prevent the judgement but the way of peace . and humbly to give your honors a glimmering of what he seeth determined upon you . he beseecheth you to consider amos . where first you shall see lintell the speaker of your house smitten , and the last of the house also signified , and what follows to the . verse , and from that to the end , you see the kings tabernacle , or court built again . here is but a touch for you , and god doth not desire to slay men , who are his creatures , but to slay sinne ; neither will god save men in their own wayes by their sword , but by his spirit . now if the petitioner find acceptance , he shall by this declaration free himself from the bloud of all men . may it please your honours to send a clark to the petitioner , that he may communicate to you by his knowledge the great things of god pertaining to your salvation , & at large open the scriptures ; where you shall see the secrets of times disclosed , your actions discovered , the things past , present , and to come revealed , and your onely way of salvation shewed . and without pride the petitioner saith , he is assured by scripture , by visious , by many other infallible signs agreeable with scripture , that he onely is appointed of god , and none but he on earth can shew the like , and administer unto you the knowledge of salvation . and your petitioner shall ever pray , &c. setemb . . . arise evans . this petition was delivered upon the day dated abovesaid , to the honorable , sir gilbert pickering , a member of the house of parliament , and the councell of state . who promised to shew it to some of the house , and afterward told me that he had shewn it , and that then it was with the lord generall . so that it was published to them so far as possibly i could . i have also given the exposition of the eighth and nineth of amos to mr. hugh peter : , with other notes of the same purpose to him , but my request is not regarded . i did also direct to the honorable lord mayor and court of aldermen these things , and delivered them on the . of novemb. . and received them again from alderman andrews the . who bad me advise with some divines about them , and get them printed . i have also delivered these things to the lord generall cromwells own hands , and he had them three days also . and now i beseech you all consider that what i say unto you of my own words , i say it with love and humility as to men , whom i honor in regard i believe you would willingly fear god , and do his will . but what i say of you from scripture , i do it in faithfulnesse to you , that ye might fear god & do his will , of which ye are as yet ignorant . for though ye have thousands of instructors , yet the spirit of illumination and instruction is with me alone : and there is a darknesse upon all your divines and prophets at this time , as you may see in micah . , , , . and verse . these words are fitted for me to speak unto you . but truly i am full of power by the spirit of the lord , and of judgment , and of might , to declare to you your sins . and . years ago , i did declare the thing that came upon the king and his party . i was not then regarded , because there was a necessity that all things should come to passe , as they did , else how should the scripture have been fulfilled ? and truly yet i may strive to warn , but i know all will not believe me , notwithstanding for the elects sake , who i know not but by their conversion , i must warne all , for that 's my work ; and 't is gods to perswade the hearts of men to believe what i say . and this i understand concerning my selfe , i am a man to whom god hath given foreknowledge , which i declare with all humility , love and respect . but i find that when 't is not regarded , then immediately judgement follows , as the kings party , and afterwards the presbyterian ( who not only slighted my love , but also imprisoned me at newgate , brought me before the bar in the old-bayley , and would have had my life , if god had not been on my side ) have found it to their costs . so now the same judgement and a heavier , attends the contemners of this truth . therefore i thought my self bound in conscience to make these things known , to them whom it chiefly belongs to , that is , generally the commonwealth , in love : and to clear my self from bloud . being more satisfied with a good conscience , and perhaps the hatred of many , then to flatter them against my conscience , to obtaine a great reward . i know every one is more able then i to write , and can make their matters good against me , to seduce you , and glosse it over with pieces of scripture . but i say unto you , if any can bring you so much scripture together , that declares the things past , present , and to come , as ye have seen the things past done before your eyes , and that makes all things so clear , and easie to be understood , as this 〈◊〉 and speaks to the purpose , as amos . and . isaiah . of all , first and last . i say if any shall do so , by scripture , for the justifying of this matter , then look upon it , and judge between us . but if ye find none such , then rest in this , and remember the true religion is that of k. ed. . q. elizabeth , k. james and k. charles , which truth according to the appointment of god , is now cast down to the ground , dan. . , , , . isa. . , , , . and will , by the power of god be set up again ; and this truth will triumph over all the earth , and put down all rule and authority under its feet . cor. . , , , , . so that all shall be subject unto it . the reformation of luther in germany , of the calvinist , and hugonit in france , of john knoxe in scotland , of anabaptist , brownist , or whatsoever else , are but rebellious rules , like the rods of the sorcerers of egypt , which were devoured by the rod of aaron , exod. . , , , . so they all shall come to nought , for the apostle foresaw by the scripture that there was but one king , and one rule to be over all the earth , zech. . . zeph. . . and therefore they had an eye to that , when they wrote , as you may see in pet. . . who wrote to men of divers countries under divers kings . and when he cometh to that point , submit your selves , &c. he doth not say , whether it be to the kings , as supreme , or to governours , as to them that are sent by them , &c. but he saith , submit your selves , &c. whether it be to the king as supreme , or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him . &c. pet. . . . . so that you may s●e his meaning is not , that men should submit unto all kings in all things ; but unto one king in all things they are to submit : and this king they must honor and obey for the apostles saw tha● god would hold forth a king at last , whose lawes should be right according to gods mind : and therefore the apostle doth presse all men in point of obedience , to this king in all ●hings , pet. and this king , or angell , is said to come from the altar , and to have power over fire , which fire shall consume the corruption of the world . for this king hath the true power over fire really , and not as the wicked one , who is said to bring down fire from heaven in the sight of men , making men see things , that are not really done , as juglers couzen . and of this king and this altar , you have the prophet isaiah speaking , isaiah . , . who calls him a saviour and a great one , giving to understand , that he is not the saviour and the great one , even jesus , but one impowered by him , who suffered this altar or scaffold in spirituall sodom and egypt , rev. . . and this king is that lyon , who by his sufferings opens all the secrets both in the new and old testament , rev. . , , , , , , , . cor. . , . here is work for you that are the ministers of god , that keep your first station , preach these truths unto the world , great will be your glory thereby . and you that are in the faith of gods elect , and the elect of god , put on the bowells of compassion , edifie one another in your most holy faith , and adorn it with a holy life . ●nd ye that are our of this faith , know that though ye wash your selves with snow-water , ye cannot be saved . and now to say somthing concerning the kings life . the king all his time , untill at last had a stammering in his speech , like moses , exod. . , , therefore acknowledging his infirmity , he spake but seldome , yet when he spake none could say more to the matter , for he drove the naile to the head . but when he had lost his army , and came to dispute for the justnesse of his cause , god loosened his tongue , and he spake fluently , as many can witnesse . first , when he went for shelter , into the scots army , mr. henderson , the greatest champion minister in scotland , slew himself in disputing and striving with the king . secondly , mr. cook , that drew his charge , in his charge against the king , calls him a second solomon for wisdome . thirdly , mr. lilly , in his book called monarchy , or no monarchy , is forced to say of the king , he was a man inclined to no vice . fourthly , the plea for the commonwealth of england , & colonel ioyce saith , that the king was of a far more excellent spirit than m. love , who was the most valiant minister in all england , and suffered for it . would ye have an able wise , faithfull , wise , undefiled , good spirited , perfect man , in all things justified of god , of men , of his most deadly enemies ? look upon k. charles , he is so justified of all . again consider his great faithfulnesse , as he was was engaged to defend the faith and church of christ committed to his trust at his coronation ; after he lost his armies and three kingdoms , and was in the custody of the parliaments army , he might have had his three kingdoms again restored to him , upon terms destructive to the faith and church of christ ; but rather then so , he chuseth to lose his kingdoms , and also his life , for the defence of the faith and church committed to his trust , who ever did the like , and what glory is too great for such a king ? again consider , how perfect his love was , not only to his friends , but also to his most deadly enemies , who took his life and kingdoms from him , i mean you souldiers . so far was he from seeking revenge upon you , for all you did against him , that he praiseth you for gallant valiant men , and wishes that he had had such men , as ye may see in his book and last speech to his son , and therefore ought not you in equity to requite him with the like love ? and though you cannot give him his life again , yet to be a means to cause him that is his name to reign . for you see by the word of god that he must reign , and will not you , now you see 't is right , be the instruments to bring it to passe ? there be two commandements that sound in mine ears continually : one is this , thou shalt not fellow a multitude to do evill , neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement , exod . . the other is , thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart , thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour , and not suffer sin upon him , lev. . . my silence is a sin unto me . i should hate you , if i did not tell you the truth . the states flatterers say , that the power is radical in the people , derivative in the parliament . but the word of god saith , that the power is radicall in god , derivative in kings , and that promotion comes not from the east , nor from the west , that is , from any people , but god is the judge , he puts down one , and sets up another , psa. . , , . and by me kings reign , pro. . , . power belongs to god , psa. . . for this cause melchisedeck is said to be from all eternity , lest any should argue and say that he had his kingly power from men , heb. . , , . for a man to make a thing better than himself , and then fear , honor , and obey it as his god , is the grossest idolatry , and men do so , when they claim the power to set up rulers , hos. . , , . for men to make themselves gods is idolatry . rulers are called gods , psal. . . therefore those people are idolaters that take upon them to set up rulers , for themselves , and god will require it . again i say ▪ that power which is of men , is opposite to that which is of god , neither can both stand together . christ saith ( intimating the power of john baptist ) luk. . . was it from heaven , or of men ? mat. . . is all one as if he had said , is it from heaven , or of hell ? for what 's opposite to heaven but hell ? again saith he , act. . , . if this councell be of men 't will come to nought , but if it be of god it will stand , is all one as if he had said , if it be of the devill it will come to nought , but if it be of god it will stand ; for what 's opposite to god but the devill ? some will say , there is no power but of god , rom . . therefore the states power is of god . i answer , that which is of men , is not of god : the states power is of men , therefore not of god , but in this sense ' is of god . god by his foreknowledge did foresee this state ; and permitted it to continue so long . but that god is the author of this state is denied . for 't is clear , that the dragon gave him ( that is ) the beast or state , his power , and his seat , and great authority , rev. . . therefore they have not their authority or power to act , of god ; but they have their power permitted , to continue so long a time , as the devils had a time , which they claim , mar. . . mat. . . but paul understood that the power of the romans was of god , for it was enclosed in caesar , and caesar was a king , john . . . and paul calls him the minister of god , rom. . . because he had not his power of men , but of god . but saith he , the powers that be ( rom. . . ) hence you draw your conclusion , that the states power is to be submitted to , though it be of men . i say no , for he speaks there of the power which is of god , a kingly power : and all the stop in these words , the powers that be , is in regard caesar was not a christian but a heathen ; and therefore not altogether right , yet he calls him the minister of god , in regard his power was of god , and not of men ; therefore thus much the apostle saith here , that the power that is of god , and not of men , you must submit unto , in outward affairs , though the king be a heathen : and whereas he saith , ( rom. . . ) there is no power but of god ; he doth absolutely deny this power , as it is now the states power , to be any thing else , but a jugling shew of sathan , admired at by them that perish , as he defines it , thes. . , , . it hath all power in shew , yet it is but a deceiveable lying wonder , of no substance . as juglers make us believe they have many rare things , but when we need such things , alas , there 's nothing at all . now the power that is of god alwayes descends from heaven , as you may see , rev. . . rev. . . , , , , . rev. . . rev. . . intimating that it comes from god alone . but the other power is said alwayes to ascend out of the bottomlesse pit , ( rev. . . . . rev. . . ) out of the sea , out of the earth , rev. . . . it still comes from beneath , which signifies it comes from the locall and vulgar people , whose ignorance is set forth by a gulph or bottomlesse pit , which know nothing in comparison of god , what 's good for themselves ; therefore the power that is of men , that is , of the dragon , or of the beast , or of the devill , is one and the self-same thing , and the different terms given to it , is only to illustrate , & shew the evill of it . therefore i conclude , that this state is that beast , ( rev. . ) and i will prove it thus . . the beast had a seat of great authority ( rev. . . ) so hath this state , for it hath judged and condemned a king , and put him to death , by that seat ordained for their honor , i i mean the high court of justice , so called . . the beast beheaded them that were most eminent in opposing him , ( rev. . . ) so did did the state behead all , that by the sentence of the said high court suffered death . . the beast is not one man , but a great number of men compact together ( rev. . . ) so the state is a great number of men , of equall authority . . the beast is said to change times and laws ( dan. . . ) so do the state : they will have no christmas , no easter , no whitsuntide , and the ancient lawes and customes of england they change . . the beast by the successes of his wars , is wondred at by all that worship him , ( rev. . . ) so this state is wondred at for his wars , and prosperity therein . . the beast opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called god , or that is worshipped . so that he as god sitteth in the temple of god , shewing himself that he is god , thes. . . now i must speak of the pope , that he comes very neer this mark ; for when a king doth not comply with the pope , he is murthered , or poysoned by some of the popes adherents . but the pope seems as pilate , ( mat. . . ) to wash his hands from the bloud , and if they be found that commit the murther , they suffer death and are not protected . here the pope doth the same thing , but he doth it not to glory in before the world ; and to justifie or shew himself a god thereby , for he doth it privately , neither is it done to any whom the pope doth acknowledge himself inferiour to ; but only to such kings , or persons , as did acknowledge the pope their superiour once . but this state , who first reverenced the king as was due , and afterwards erected a tribunal on purpose ; and bringing him before it ; condemned to die by a law , glorying in it before the world , that what they did , god did , and that none ever did the like before , neither could any do the like , but god ; is the same that sits in the temple of god , and shews it self to be god . for the parliament house , where they now sit , was a church or chappell , founded by king edward the . as may appear by divers antient records . here you may see , there are consecrated or dedicated places now ; and that , that place must needs be the temple of god where the beast sits , thes. . . and ye have the same temple mentioned , ( rev. . . ) rev. . . . rev. . . i do not hereby excuse the pope , only i shew you , that this state is the little horn , that exalts it self highest , dan. . , , , . dan. . . which by the fathers is called the great antichrist . . the beast had horns like a lamb , but spake like a dragon . ( rev. . . ) so the state are meek men like lambs , in outward appearance , but in their votes , dragons , speaking against the most high , his will , and power , and kingdome . and many other marks i could shew you , but i shall here forbear . you that look for christs personall reigne here on earth ; know , that it shall be in the kingly power established here again , when this state is dissolved . you that look for the conversion of the jews , know that the aforesaid king is the means appointed by god to effect it . you that would know how long this state shall flourish , ( dan. . . ) a time , times , and the dividing of time , ( dan. . . . ) a time , times , and a halfe , ( rev. . . ) a time , times , and half a time . john gives us this above in the same words , as daniel doth , and then interprets it unto us ( rev. . . rev. . . ) to be . moneths , and that in plain , is three yeares and a half ; therefore in september next , . if not before , look for mishaps to the states affairs . now i commit you all to god , who is only wise , and knows all his works , and can save beyond mans expectation . there is another book of the authors that will come forth shortly , being a narrative of his life , the manner of his calling and visions . postscript . i beseech you consider seriously rev. . where ye have the state of rome , and the state of england interwoven till you come to ver. . for i find this state to be the worst part of popery risen up in another shape . first , consider rev. . . here are ten kings , yet have no kingdome , he doth not say in the plurall number , kingdoms , but in the singular , kingdome , these saith he , receive power as kings , at one hour with the beast . from this place it is evident , that these ten are noble persons , or men of power , in regard of their compliance , and giving their strength to the state . ver. . received power to be as kings that same hour , when england was made a state . ver. . ye have these ten make war with the kingly power . ver. . ye have the state sitting over nations and tongues , that is , over wales , scotland , and ireland . ver. . . these ten great ones which were the making of the state shall now hate her and make her desolate . * for , saith he , god hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will , and to agree , and give their kingdome unto the beast , untill the words of god shall be fulfilled . consider then , these ten have interest but in one kingdome called their kingdome , rev. . . now the kings that are under the pope , are proper kings ; and have each of them a kingdom ; so that if he had means such kings , he would have said kingdoms ; neither can it be meant of these proper kings , that they received their power at one hour with the pope , for they came to their power , some by conquest , some by bloud , some at one time , and some at another . therefore i beseech you once more seriously to consider this rlace , and remember what the evangelist saith before it , rev. . . here is the mind which hath wisdome . ezek. . . . speaking of the power , saith he , i will overturn , overturn , overturn it , and it shall be no more , untill he come whose right it is , and i will give it him . now these three overturns in rev. . . are called three woes , that follow the voice of the . . and . angels , rev. . . when the . angel sounds , you see essex falls from the king , and opens the way of rebellion : as i foretold the said earl , he should do before this parliament began . and this woe ruinates the protestant party , till ye come to ver. . where he saith one woe is past . and ver. . . the . angel soundeth , and four angels that were bound were loosed . this signifies the tolleration and liberty to all sorts , to preach . and now independency gets up , and this second woe falls on the presbyterian party , untill you come to rev. . . where he saith , the second woe is past , and behold the third woe cometh quickly . rev. . . the seventh ▪ angel soundeth , and then the king and protestant party gets the power again gloriously . and this third woe falls on the independent party . so that after . woes , or . overturnes , the crown comes to him , whose right it is by a decree of god , ezek. . . and the purpose of god shall stand , according as he hath sworne , isa. . . and what is decreed against it shall not stand , isa. . . . . . . consider what i have said , and the lord give you understanding in all things , tim. . . finis . to his excellency , the lord generall cromwell , and his honourable councell of the army at white-hall : the petition of arise evans , living in black-friers , desireth in gods glories behalf , the kingdoms behalf , your honors behalf , and the whole worlds behalf : that you would with your most serious thoughts consider these few lines following . humbly shewing , that the petitioner , having the knowledge of gods secret counsell , being called thereto , hath declared it freely to all , these ▪ years , as you may see in his book called [ a voice from heaven , ] written in the yeare . and directed to the commonwealth of england : and also further the preparation of god in him to the same purpose from his nativity to this time : and the effects thereof you have also in his book called [ an eecho to the voice from heaven , ] written in . in which books is sufficiently shewed gods determination by the actions god hath done , in fulfilling the words of your petioner , from the date of the said books to this time , and you may conclude god wil fulfill the remainder thereof , so that , as sure as the parliament is dissolved , so sure shall the king come to his throne , as it is sufficiently proved in the aforesaid books : and indeed if your honors look into your petitioners works , and seriously read his books , you shall find that he would not turn water into bloud , or smite the earth with a curse , rev. . . as it hath already been done by these unnaturall civill wars , but rather would turn bloud into water , and water into wine , to cherish the heart of the sorrowfull : and that the waters and tears of repentance might wash away the guilt of blood , and become wine of consolation to this nation , in their union with their king ; without which conjunction to their native and right king , there is no hopes of peace , certainty , and safety to this nation . most noble worthies , whose actions are glorious , though yet imperfect , the great mountain parliament is become a plain before you : next in order the king is to be exalted , signified by the head-stone , as you see zach. . . crown all your actions by setting him up , and be glorious for ever : for i am sure , if you speedily proclaim him king , you will glorifie god thereby , and save an ocean of english bloud from being spilt , and have such conditions of perfect peace from god and the king , that you and your seed may be his glorious nobles for ever : and therefore , because time is short , use your jewell for the best advantage , while you have it , lest you lose it , as the said parliament did , for want of using it aright , according to the petitioners instructions . the petitioner doth humbly desire your honors to set up the king upon his throne , ( charles stewart by name . ) do this and live for ever , joh. . . john . . he humbly desires you also to read these said books . may . . present . and your petitioner shall ever pray , &c. i did not think to put this petition into print so suddainly , but that i find the general spirit of the nations , and men of all sorts of judgements exceedingly disquieted , as not knowing what to do at this time , but crying to me , as if they expected that god will do some great things by me for the settlement and peace of this nation : it is truth , i dare not deny it , and to gods glory be it spoken , that i have received talents from him which i must not hide , but shew to all how far god is pleased to proceed how far god is pleased to proceed in his work by me ; beseeching all men to look unto him , who is the man of peace to them , i meane king charles : every one saith to me , why do not you , who have this wisdome of god , go to the general and shew him the way , and to the councell to shew them these things ? alas ! i am at too far a distance from them , for to be heard by them : men in such places cannot hear such a low voice as mine is ; it must be a generall petition of the whole nation joyned together as one man , that they will hear : therefore i could wish that the souldiery did but hear a voice behind them , saying , return to your first principles : you went out to fight for king and parliament , but now there 's none : i know that god will bring in the king again , and my hearts desire is that i might perswade men that the kings coming to his throne might be without bloud-shed , and that no party should any longer retain a spirit of revenge ; and to set you in a way of composure , i could wish , that all ( both souldiers and others ) would petition our worthy senatours , to make their peace with the king , and to receive him upon good and glorious terms , for the king , and subjects : for if the king come in by the sword , you will become slaves , and force him to use tyranny : for tyranny is a fit punishment for rebels ; neither would i have any to petition our worthies with kisses , or fine words , as judas came to our saviour , that had his band of men to second him , or as at the beginning of these times the scots presbyters and covenanters came with their petition on their pikes-points to our late king : let not men presume to do so now , be their party never so great : for though now they think that the authority hath a dependency upon them , and that there is no authority left save that : yet there is a spark of fire remaining ( as it were ) under the ashes , which is able at an instant to devour them all . therefore i beseech you , petition in simplicity and fingleness of heart , to desire the general and his councel to make their addresses to the king for peace , and ye that do this , look for life eternal : and i beseech you again ( most noble worthies ) receive all alike , and do not countenance , or discountenance any , for this notion , or for that notion , or think , that religion is only words , but rather deeds of common charity , and let not any be prided , or exalted above their brethren with a conceit of conquest , but know , that such a mind shall be abased ; and that according to our christian rule , he that suffered most is the greatest conqueror : for a subject cannot conquer his king but by suffering meekly , and a king suffering meekly by the hand of his people according to the mind of his king , was appointed to be heir of the world , rev. . . i have a bloudy vision to shew , but i look upon it as gods threatning hand , being perswaded , that if we repent , and shed tears for our rebellion and evill deeds against god and the king , we shall not bleed , nor shed bloud : for why may not god bring the king to his throne , and maintain our peace , as well in that time , as he did when the parliament was dissolved : and to men i say , he that is valiant and hath an innocent intention may do much . and the lord blesse all such . amen . may . . arise evans . the bloudy vision i speak of , was seen january . . by one mr. farly , who lived in drury-lane , at the upper end thereof , at the sign of the horse-shoe , but being terrified thereby , he immediately after went to virginia , i have it as it was written by his own hand , who after he had seen the vision could not rest , but went from place to place to seek an interpreter of it , untill by the providence of god at last he came to me , and after he told me the vision , and that i gave him to understand what god did signifie to us by it , he wrote it , and left it to my disposall , as by gods providence i should be perswaded , directed , and permitted to publish it . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- psal. . . jo. . . ver. , . eph. . . psa. . . psa. . ver. . psa. . ver. , , . notes for div a e- mat. . , , . isa. . . notes for div a e- act. . . john . . john . , . joh. . joh. . , , , , , , , . rev . . act. . . cor. . . joh. . , , . eph. . . , . heb. . , . here is the hid wisdome of god in a mystery , which none of the parliament knew , for had they known it , they would not have put the king to death , cor. . , , , , , , , , . isa. . , . isa. . . pet. . . . mat. . . joh. . , , , . heb. ▪ . . heb. . , , . rev. . , , . tim. . , , . rev. . . rev. . . rev. . . mat. . , . psal. . read all this psalm heb. . , , , . . rom. . , . zac. . , , , . heb. . , , . isa. . . zeph. . . joh. . . joh. . . . eze. . . jer. . , . jer. . ▪ . hos. . . psal. . , . dan. . . , . pro. . , , , . dan. . , . mal. . , psa. . . tim. . . , . isa. . . mat. . . mal. . . jesus blessed in shem. k. charles also blessed in japhet . * the iews look for such an one as ye see in manasseh ben israels book , called the hope of israel ; and sent to the supreme power of england . an. . one to call and deliver the ten tribes , and their hope as true , for as isaiah saith , isa. . . the redeemer shall come to sion ; that is , to the elect jewes , but say you , from whence shall he come to sion ? the apostle tells you , rom. . , . he shall come out of sion , to sion ; hence ye may see , that from the elect gentiles , our deliverer , or redeemer , charles the son of charles stuart by name , comes to the elect iews , to deliver them from the power of darknesse , and to bring them to iesus christ , and eternall life . and by the star that did appear at his death , it is evident , that god would have you know , that charls stuart is that day-star to bring the iewes to iesus ; as the star brought the wise men to iesus , mat. . . which star is promised to the gentiles , pet. . . and especially is promised to him , that overcame by his sufferings to keep and defend the church of god , rev. . , , . heb. . , , , , , , , . † that is of our lord iesus , and of his annoynted charles ; for christ is a greek word , which in english is annoynted . i saw the star on the day that king charls came to pauls to give thanks to god for the queens safe deliverance , at ten a clock in the morning , being a clear day ; and the star was neer the sun . let none oppose it , when scripture speaks , when a sign from heaven speaks and declares his righteousnesse according to the scripture ; psal ▪ . , , , . mat. . . at the appearance of iesus christ , there was a division amongst the people , some said of him , we know this man whence he is , but when christ cometh , no man knoweth whence he is , joh. . . . others said christ came of the seed of david , of the town of bethlehem , a place well known to them , joh. . . , , . now the reason of this division was the scripture , for isaiah saith , isa. . . their eyes shall see the king in his beauty , and the land that was very far off from them . and again isa. . . saith , the name of the lord cometh from far , and david saith , psal. . . that this land was on the sides of the north : and so in ezek. . . . that this chiefe prince of the gentiles should come from the north quarters ; so esdtas their last prophet , esd. . . who saw the land in a vision , but could not come to know the region , so that none of them could name the country and city where this great appearance should be , and john giveth it a name in regard of the great evill done in its darknesse . sodome and egypt , rev. . . but in regard of the light that would come forth out of its darknesse , he calls it new jerusalem , rev. . . rev. . . holy jerusalem , so that london and britain was not knowne unto them by name to be the place where these great works should be done , as it is seen this day , for the signes declare the times and place , mat. . . luk. . , , , . therefore ye are to observe the signs of these times , and to compare them with scripture . namely judea signifying england . i acknowledge god hath his elect over all the earth ; and that he will send his ministers to gather them into this only way of salvation , mat. . . but now there is no elect visibly seen , save these of the church of england ; and all the elect must come to unity with these , in forme of worship , doctrine , and discipline , before they can be justified and saved . isa. . . . isa. . mat. . , , , . pet. . iude . tim. . , , , , , , , , . heb. . , . gen. . , , , . gen. . , , , , , , , , , , , , , . king . . . . amos . . amos . . . . . . . acts . . . . . rom . . rom. . . . gal. . . the iews judgement is right , as you may see sec. of the hope of israel . they say , that their messiah , or deliverer should die in the last war of gog and magog , and rise again to be glorious and victorious . isa. . , . . the book of common-prayer is promised , and is called , the way of holinesse : and because of the abundance not only of the iewes ceremonies , but also of papists ways : so that a wise man may lose himself in them . but saith be of this way of worship , the way faring man , though a fool , shall not erre therein , because there are but a few things to be done , and plain direction for every thing , jewes , turks , papists , presbyterians , independents , brownists , anabaptists , leave your pernicious wayes , and come to this only way of truth , where you shall find rest , pet. . . heb. . , , . isa. . . hosea . , . king . , . and here is his resurrection set downe amos 〈…〉 rev. , , , , , , , . now the former part of this , rev. . , , , , , . was the state of the church from constantine the great his time , untill the church was persecuted again by the romish heresies , which was the cause that god took the sword from thence ; and put it in king hen. . hand , to defend the church as before mentioned . compare this . ver. with amos . ver. . where you have the same words in effect , onely there is added in the said . verse , and they shall be cast out : which words in isaiah . ver . are plainly opened , which i besecch you read and observe . exo. . . zac. . . ezek. . , . here i do not mean the bishops and faithful ministers of the church of england , but i mean all others generally that pretend themselves to be divines , or ministers and instructors . the author being a prisoner at the gate-house westminster in . for foretelling what befell the king . it was demanded by some , why the author did scape well , seeing pryn , bastwick , and burton , were so severely dealt with ? and it was answered , that what the author did , was from conscience to forewarn the king , but what they did , was found to proceed from malice , to raise a party against the king . so it seems , then there was liberty of conscience allowed to men in its true being , when it was found distinct from malice . . . poor protestant , thine enemies glory against thee , because of the scripture , counting thee ignorant , and not to have such interest as they have in god , and in scripture . be not dismaid , for in the thing wherein they deal proudly thou art above them , exod. . . cor. . . rev. . . rev. . three years and a halfe it doth begin from the date of that act , for to do all in the name of the common wealth . and lest you think that nothing remarkable came to passe in september last , not to matter your scuffling with the dutch , but to shew in a new thing , the threatning band of god upon you , from a nation by which god punished this land once before ; i mean , the danes stopping your ships , your sending a fleet of men of war to demand them , yet to no purpose ; and god at their return destroyes the greatest of your men of war , and brings them all so neer their end , that the mind of god might easily be read therein , on the last of september it was done ; so by his delay god would have you repent and set up the king . here was a severe judgement shown upon the head ship , yet mercy in saving so narrowly the rest , to see if this mercy might draw you to repentance ; but if not , look for judgment without mercy hereafter . notes for div a e- these ten have already brought the whore to nothing , that is , the mountain parliament is become a plain before them , and now they reign . and i am sure there is a zerubbabel among them that hates confusion , who will bring in the king signified by the headstone , zach. . . but which of the ten this zerubbabel is , the lord he knoweth . five strange and wonderfull prophesies and predictions of severall men fore-told long since all which are likely to come to passe in these our distracted times ... this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing f ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing f estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; :e , no ) five strange and wonderfull prophesies and predictions of severall men fore-told long since all which are likely to come to passe in these our distracted times ... shipton, mother (ursula) p. s.n., [s.l. : ?] caption title. in verse. "mother shiptons prophesie, ..." p. [ ] reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. (from t.p.) viz. . ignatius his prophesies and strange predictions of these times. . some of scottish metlins prophesies. . old otwell bins his prophesies. . master brightman his predictions. . mother shipton's prophesies, more fuller and larger than ever before was printed. eng prophecies. a r (wing f ). civilwar no five strange and wonderfull prophesies and predictions of severall men fore-told long since. all which are likely to come to passe in these [no entry] f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - celeste ng sampled and proofread - celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion five strange and wonderfull prophesies and predictions of severall men foretold long since . all which are likely to come to passe in these our distracted times . viz. ignatius his prophesies and strange predictions of these times . some of scottish merlins prophesies . old otwell bins his prophesies . master brightman his predictions . mother shiptons prophesies , more fuller and larger than ever before was printed . ignatius loyola his prophesies . when first and latter meet in dayes and name , some shall the church and state contemne and blame : there shall be then a church within the moone , from which most lunatick aspects shall come ; for as she shewes a changing various face , so strange new changes shall the church disgrace . downe then shall fall the bishops constellation , and all the people shall love innovation . then women shall be all allow'd to teach , and in the moone-church shall in pulpits preach ; most strange ecclipses every where abound , while darknesse strives the light still to confound : her motions shall be turned in her spheare , with apparitions shining every where , in germany , in holland , amsterdam , in scotland and all countries you can name , this moone church with a full cleere face shall shine ▪ and everie nation shall think it divine : then to make many popes it shall be fit to rule the curch with wisdome and with wit : and that which was call'd the church catholike , shall be transform'd to the church lunatick ; then all the wandring planets you shall see will in a strange and hot combustion bee : venus must yeeld a while , and mars shall raigne , and many men in battaile shall be slaine ; strange orders and strange factions shall be seene in the moone-church , the like hath never beene : then schismes and sects shall with the truth contend , when this you see , the world is neere an end . scottish merlin his prophesies of old england . when englands rose is gather'd and hence gone , there shall succeed a second salomon ; then manna downe from heaven a while shall raine , and being full they shall this food disdaine : the serpent then shall shew his power and might , and men shall dazled be with too much light : the kingdome then on waves of surging seas shall s●●at , and be call'd the antipodes : false prophets shall sow fancies for good seeds , and men be pleased then with pans rude reeds : apollo shall become a shepherd swaine , and on the mountaines keep his flocks againe , and men shall wade in bloud up to their chins , and all this come upon them for their sins . minerva then shall on the muses frowne , and the blue bonnet put the myter downe : time shall grow sick with a hot burning feaver , and the dog dayes shall last whole yeares together : a cuckow then on cheap-side crosse shall sit , and nodding with his head , cry downe with it : from an old tree a voyce shall then be heard , while asses bray therein with a long beard . then the greeke fire put to the fire in welch , shall make true protestants against them belch . when this strange metamorphosis you see , let papists then beware of the greeke p. the world shall be with child with too much wit ▪ and women mid-wives shall deliver it . when mens heads are as round as any-ball , the world shall then unto dissention fall : then sons of earth and croaking frogs shall make a strange religious noyse in pond and lake : then cork shall float , and gentry downe shall sink , and paper then much store of bloud shall drink : then commons shall grow proud , but very bare , and to be then enclos'd shall take great care ; while each one would a phaeton become , to rule the glorious charriot of the sun . then boyes along the street , as they do walk , shall like young machivels both prate and talk ▪ when this you see , then be therewith content , there 's like to be then a strange government . the hammer and the spade shall think that they could without king or kesar the land sway . the commons shall grow wild , and sometimes vex at the integrous goodnesse of r x : when this and other things before recited do happen , england shall be much affrighted : then shall the people clergy-men despise , and seek to pluck out englands two faire eyes . there shall be locusts , and of flyes great swarmes , and wings shall better be than legs and armes : strange comets shall within this land appeare , with thunder that shall fright the eye and eare . luke-warmnesse there shall be in great and small , the gospell tossed like a tennis ball ; there shall be mourning then in stead of mirth , a mouse shall be an elephants great birth : the shepherds then their cotes shall hardly keep , because they once did starve and fleece their sheep . and then a star of marses spheare shall come , that by an axe shall fall , and be undone : then irish rebels shall on bog and heath be conquer'd , and be forc'd to taste of death ; then shall the moone againe recover light , when that these rebels are all put to flight : then shal the whoore of rome weare poore apparrel , and pawne her myter to maintaine her quarrell . when the small birds and eagle joyne in one , they quickly shall subdue the whoore of rome : bu● yet a while there shall be hot fierce wits , and schismaticka shall run in frantick fits , vntill their necks grow longer , that they may grow wise and modest 'gainst another day ; then crowes and rooks shall never vex the dove , the church shall be united in true love , the lyon with the lamb shall then lye downe , and england be a land of much renowne . then all your sectaries which did abound , shall in the sheafe of unity be found . before that nine be set before twice twenty , in england there shall be much peace and plenty , and he that beareth the great worthies name , shall be the tenth great worthy by his fame . o england , now behold and see the strange sayings of a prophesie , foretold some forty yeares agone , whose words and truth shall here be showne . master brightmans prophesies . when englands church grows englands shame , full of lukewarmnesse , glory vaine , the worst in works , and outward forme , and with contrary factious torne , when romish ri●es by reformation , shall be expell'd out of this nation ▪ lord beggar-bishops then shall come to ruine , and be overthrowne . the priests shall be vile to each wight , their downfall read with much delight ; for god will not them guiltlesse hold , that neither have been hot nor cold . the scotch chu●ch shall be in condition a virgin free from superstition , they shall be joyn'd in covenant , ●gainst which the world shall boast and vaunt : but englands church must feele the storme , vntill she throughly her-selfe reforme ; such hurly burly and such stir , no forme of church shall remaine in her : but reformation must take breath , from the raigne of queene elizabeth . the prophesie of old otwell bins , kept by m. smith vicar of hudderfield yeares . then iames shall seeke a second crowne , in pulling pope and papists downe ; but iames shall vanish from the●● face at halfe elizabeths royall race . then using forraine pol●cies , grudgings and discontents arise ; yet shall they assemble at the seat of parliament , for a work most great ; but strange opinions there shall sow , dissentions that too high shall grow ; and l●odicea's , englands church , of grace and beautie some shall lurch : and smiths of policie shall invent , to cast molds of new government , while vulgar birds of weakest wing grow stout against their eagle king , whose just integrous heart shall prove the adamant of subjects love : then pride shall some in prison lock , and lop a head off on a block : by honest power they●●● all bring downe an aspirer that assum'd a crowne ; that he whose power did lawes contemne might find a grave , no diadem . some comick scenes shall then be acted by vulgar players much distructed ; the gospell from a tub or tun shall broached by mechanicks run . petticoats shall in pulpits preach , and women be allow'd to teach ; and in those gloomy dogged dayes they shall teare off the muses bayes . thus strife and furie shall encrease , and round-heads shall disturb the peace of religion , while they it tosse in blankets , and pull downe the crosse . the brownists shall no old prayers brooke , sermons shall drowne the service-booke : then all men in those times shall see great troubles and calamitie : then on the irish bogs and heath , many a man shall taste of death . the souldiers wages shall increase , till wars at last in conquest cease : to such as are good land-lords knowne , in hostile times some love is showne : but for all such as have great store , th' are in lesse safetie than the poore : then twentie pounds of coyne in hand , is worth so much of yearely land . from ireland then there shall come one , must lose his head upon a stone : but when england doth swim in flouds of plentie , and growes proud of goods , then from their sleep they shall be waked , to know themselves both blind and naked ; christs church must know some miserie , there shall be a dolefull tragedie : the lord abroad his sword will send , vnlesse they warning take t' amend : yet germany , france , and britanny , this last act of your tragedy , good dayes will follow , bad ones cease , there shall be plentie and great peace : the whore of romes nose shall be slit , and of her proud attire be stript : in the meane time bishops shall be throwne downe from all their dignitie ; their hierarchy and their traine shall ne're recover strength againe : nor is romes citie only rome , but all the popes dominion ; so that rome feeles herselfe annoy'd , while she in ireland is destroy'd : in fortie one by computation , the pope shall fall by reformation : a clergy-man shall then suffice his pride with one poore benefice ; then cambridge and the oxonian shall be scorn'd by the rotundian , and some that cannot say nor sing , shall drink much at a troubled spring , and coblers then shall leave their last , in sermons up their gall to cast : magpies and parrats then shall prate , both of the eagle and the state , vntill they bring things in conclusion , to much disorder and confusion . rebels and men most seditious shall make the times prove pernitious , rich men shall do things unbefitting , an upright iudge be scarce found sitting : vpstart honour shall seeme dreames , and bishops seas prove little streames ; while many feather'd fowle shall flie beyond the seas for jeopardie ; rumours shall be of wars and armes , and there shall be of sects great swarmes : a sort of mad rude common people shall pull the crosse from everie steeple . the king while they doe thus presume , vnto this realme the right shall doome , he shall this kingdome wisely guide , and other kingdomes more beside : then peeres and commons shall elect , whose lawes shall ever take effect ; no man shall lawyers counsell crave , for men their right at home shall have ; and officers each towne within , shall right their wrongs and punish sin ▪ worthies be nine , and reckon we , and this the tenth and last shal● be : the moone o●scur'd full sixtie yeare , shall then get light and shine full cleare ; while england then for joy shall sing , and blesse the reigne of their good king . mother shiptons prophesie , more ample and fuller than ever before printed . vvhen stern wars shall in england raigne , the plough shal cease , & citizens gain . by those have least , least shall be lost and worst for them that have the most . you shall not know of war ore night , yet in the morning it shall affright : and full three yeares this war shall last ▪ before that it be done and ●as ▪ and when all the world is as lost , it shall be then called christs crost ; and where king richard made his fray , the● shall war for halfe a crowne a day : to warfare they 'll say for your king , but stir not upon paine of hanging : for he that goes forth to complaine , shall never more returne againe : then ravens on the crosse shall sir , and nobles and commons bloud think fit to drink then london wo is me , for ever shall destroyed he : then york shall be besieg'd , and they shall keep them out till the third day , after that they will let them in , and to hang the mayor they will begin , the sheriffes too and the aldermen , and make a proclamation then , that for twent●e yeares a house or tower may be taken or any bower ; then never shall be wars againe , nor any kings or queenes shall reigne ; but the kingdome govern'd by 〈◊〉 and then old york shall london●ed : then shall be a white harvest of corne ▪ which shall by women kind he shorne : then in the north a woman shall say , mother , i hav● seene a man to day . there shall moreover for one man , a thousand women be seene ●han : on st. james church hill a man sitting shall be seene , and his fill weeping . a sh●p sailing on the thames shall come vp to the ci●●e of rich london , a ship master as he doth passe , shall say , what a faire citie this was , now nor ● house is left , i think , that for money can let 's have drink . thus shiptons wife most strange events did shew in former times , god grant they pr●ve not true . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- erroneous and popular opinions . the preaching of the gospell should have free passage . matters carried in a contrarie manner . ignorant preachers . schollers grow contemptible . dogged and dissenting ●ime ▪ the round-heads cuckow-like exclaiming against the cross● . brownists . 〈◊〉 to fire , and tame fire in welch , make puritaine . women preachers . ignorant discoursers of religion . vnworthinesse shall be advanced . relations of war in pamphlets . defended . popularitie . young statists . oxford and cambridge . greedy patentees . running away as finch did . furious and factious zeale . many things in agitation . ministers accused . the earle of strafford . the protestant church . the king and the parliament . facticus sp●rits shall not disturb the peace . vnitie in rel●gion . . or . charles our most gracious king . master brightman makes lao●icea the counterpane of england ▪ terming it lukewarme . and as for reformation next specified , he nameth the church of england a hotch-potch of cont●ar●●s ; not so cold to be all romish , nor so hot to admit a full reformation , &c. the sco●tish church typified by philadelphia , he saith shall be a virgin church , chaste , and not so defiled with romes superstitions as others . the sayings of old otwell bins of greishorow , and delivered to him by doulton a seminary , which prophesie mr. smith vicar of hud-derfield in yorkshire kept fortie yeares , begins to shew how king iames should weare the crowne of england , and raigne but halfe the time that queene elizabeth did . then it is shewed how the pride of the b●shops should lock some in pr●s●n . and should also lop a head off , as the earle of strafford . and now since religion hath been turned into a comedy , the coblers , ●eltmakers , brewers clerks and women have acted their parts therin , and like fooles beene only laught at , while the muses have been sorrie to see , that stultorum omnia sunt plena , that the high study of divinity should be mouth'd out of tubs , and be made the subject of foolish arrogancie . where you find these words , there shall be a dolefull tragedy ; master brightman saith , that after it is past , there will ensue abundance of peace , and that before the jewes shall bee called , rome demolished , and the pope quite vanquished & overcome ; and that it shall be in destroying at the year in some of his dominions . hee concludes that our king should be the tenth worthy , and that the moone , which is the church , should flourish in his raigne , which god grant that it may , to gods glorie , the honour of the king , and the prosperitie of the kingdom of england . the great and wonderful predictions of that late famous astrologer mr. lilly; and mr. partridg and mr. coley, concerning this present year to which is added a true and faithful account of the famous prophecies of the three german prophets; predicting and foretelling, some years since, this present invasion of the turks into the empire of germany and hungary, with the events of the same, to the admiration of all that shall hear or read the same. also their strange and wonderful predictions concerning the pope, and the king of france: with the total and sudden destruction of the papal power; and the miraculous conversion of the turks and jews to the christian faith. as also presaging the uniting of all religions into one visible church. which prophecies have been had in esteem by many famous and illustrious persons of these times. lilly, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing l estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the great and wonderful predictions of that late famous astrologer mr. lilly; and mr. partridg and mr. coley, concerning this present year to which is added a true and faithful account of the famous prophecies of the three german prophets; predicting and foretelling, some years since, this present invasion of the turks into the empire of germany and hungary, with the events of the same, to the admiration of all that shall hear or read the same. also their strange and wonderful predictions concerning the pope, and the king of france: with the total and sudden destruction of the papal power; and the miraculous conversion of the turks and jews to the christian faith. as also presaging the uniting of all religions into one visible church. which prophecies have been had in esteem by many famous and illustrious persons of these times. lilly, william, - . partridge, john, - . coley, henry, - ? p. printed for josh. conyers at the black raven in duck-lane, london : m dc lxxx iii. [ ] reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng astrology -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . predictive astrology -- early works to . europe -- history -- - -- prophecies -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the great and wonderful predictions of that late famous astrologer mr. lilly ; and mr. partridg and mr. coley , concerning this present year . to which is added a true and faithful account of the famous prophecies of the three german prophets ; predicting and foretelling , some years since , this present invasion of the turks into the empire of germany and hungary , with the events of the same , to the admiration of all that shall hear or read the same . also their strange and wonderful predictions concerning the pope , and the king of france : with the total and sudden destruction of the papal power ; and the miraculous conversion of the turks and iews to the christian faith. as also presaging the uniting of all religions into one visible church . which prophecies have been had in esteem by many famous and illustrious persons of these times . london , printed for iosh. conyers at the black raven in duck-lane , m dc lxxx iii. kind reader , we here present thee with some remarkable prophecies of that ancient and famous astrologer , mr. william lilly , lately deceased ; concerning this great year . predicted by him many years since , in the year . saith he , in the year eighty three , great changes there will be in england . but — long ere that time poor merlin sleeps in 's grave secure ; sad england weeps . left he no heir unhappy man , that this obscurer riddle can vnfold ? — no. in his anglicus for . he hath these words . those pretending to ●eligion , or such as are famous for schisms or heresies , or those of different judgment from that religion established by authority , for some years will grumble and repine for that restriction on their consciences , ( as they will term it ) and the nearer to the time of the conjunction , the more confederations they will have , either , near the time of the conjunction it self , or a little after ; we fear great disturbance of those nations , and the princes they live under , disquieting their governors : this for conscience sake , as they pretend . but in our nation , ( as before was expressed ) breach of the people's just priviledges , antient customes , and former injoyed rights will animate the generality to a strong and sturdy rebellion , and countenance that translation of monarchy mentioned by trithemius . again , saith he , many believe the last age of the world is at hand ; we verily conjecture , that a troublesome and vexatious time is approaching upon most nations of europe , wherein those pretending to religion , whether papist or protestant , will shew little mercy or compassion to those persons whose un●appiness it will be to fall under their subjection . god bless us from such a reformation that must be advanced in the ruins of a well setled government . mr. partridg in his astrological judgment on this year . hath these words ; saturn and iupiter in conjunction in leo , are contriving to make themselves secure , and to this end there are many and various endeavours used to convene those of the greatest and best policy , to invent and contrive some new ways of trade , commerce , and government : but methinks saturn and iupiter both peregrine , look rather like plotters than statesmen , and seem to be such as would rather overthrow a kingdom , laws , and religion , than secure any , unless it be such as serves their own turn : for you know that highway men in their way are for self-preservation , though the law be directly against them , and say , they ought to be hanged . well let them plot on , then they have the worst success that ever men had ; for what ever they contrive or consult , it will be known to their enemy , be it never so deep or clandestine . the great and wonderful prophecies of the three german prophets , christopher kotterus , christiana-pomatovia , and nicholas drabicius . we present thee , kind reader , with these remarkable prophecies of the three german prophets , which have been highly esteemed of by the famous and illustrious persons of these times , which some years since foretold the invasion of the turks in germany , and the events of the same : also predictions concerning the french king's wars , and the destruction of the papal see of rome , with the conversion of iews and turks ; which take as followeth . on the th . of iune there first of all appeared an angel in the shape of a man to kotterus , which spake to him as followeth : that the anger of god was kindled against mankind , and that in fury he hastened to inflict punishment on them , except they repent of their pride and impurity , and for contempt of god and his word . after this he vanished . the prophecy concerning rome is , that the lion of the tribe of iudah shall rore against the whore of babylon , behold she is now falling , but is not yet fallen , but presently shall fall . o thou cold , thirsty and presumptuous city ! it is not the height nor strength of thy walls shall defend thee ; behold the time is coming that thou shalt totter , and thy horrid lies , and false perverting of the scriptures with thy spiritual fornications . o you kings , you princes , and potentates , who do flatter her , and drink the wine of her impurities , and partake of the cup of her blasphemies . behold the dry and withered tree of the east begins to shoot forth her leaves , and her blushing knots ; but the trees of the north do stand unmoved . behold the lion of the north begins to rouse himself , and two other of the same colour do follow him that will pluck up the trees of the south , root and branch . o that thou hadst known the day of thy visitation ; but glory be to him that doth wonders . after a little silence , the angel said , o babylon ! fair but painted , and destitute of true foundation , false in thy doctrine , false in thy l●fe , evil in thy works , two and forty months shall quickly be expired , and the three days and half a day shall come to an end : and the spirit of life shall return into those whom thou , o wicked babylon , hast murdered . the five months of thy judgments will quickly be accomplished , and then the pope , the spouse of the devil shall fall . the angel further said , that besides the devil , the great adversary of the church , there are two others that shall destroy and tread down all things : one of them doth not yet know the true god , of whom he is now ignorant ; but shall know him , for the time is at hand that he shall acknowledg the true god , and shall accomplish his dec●ees against the great whore , sitting upon the hills above the sea , who is another trampler upon , and destroyer of the church , whose remembrance is come in the sight of god , to give her a cup of the excandescence of his anger ; he cares not for god , nor doth god care for him , for his time is almost past . then kotterus demanded of the angel , will there be a great effusion of blood ? the angel answered , yes : for since germany is so stubborn as not to pray to almighty god to withdraw his rod and heavy hand held over it , but doth more and more provoke him , and doth still fill up the measure of her sins , that it runs over with the abundance thereof , therefore there shall be a great battle and overthrow to the devil and the dragon , and a great supper shall be prepared for the fowls of the air . woe unto caesar the king , and princes , the counts , and barons : woe unto the countries and cities of the german empire ; all these things shall fall upon you , famine , dearth and war , and effusion of blood ; for the condemnation of the great beast is near and certain . kotterus interposed again , and said , shall the faithful be delivered from these great judgments ? the angel answered , reioyce o little flock , thy shepherd shall defend thee , you have in the scriptures infallible promises of deliverance . the lion of the tribe of iudah is he who wageth war against germany , and he doth manage it by the lion of the east , and the lion of the north , neither doth he want power or means to inflict his punishments for many great causes . the visions , revelations and prophecies of christiana pomatovia . there appeared to me a man armed from head to foot , whose head was as fire , and flame came out from his mouth ; he came forth , and stood by himself , and one of the company brought him a sword , and did put it into his right hand , saying , this is my strength , and with the right hand of my strength , and this sword will i destroy my adversary , behold i am prepared , and will come unexpectedly in a day that the wicked shall not think of me , and will render unto every one according to his deserts , and in my wrath will i grind into powder all unbelievers . i will now hasten my judgment , i will perform a wonderful thing , much evil shall come from the north , and from the east , upon all the inhabitants of the earth . and immediately were heard these words , b●bylon is fallen , it is fallen , the great house of austria is fallen , that proud and lofty house is fallen to the ground , neither shall it ever be built up again , and the pope , and all that devilish antichristian synagogue shall suddenly be cast down , and blotted out of memory . by the lions are the hungarian , the turk , the tartar , the sweed , the dane , the hollander , the english , the french , the switzer and saxon , by these antichrist and babylon , and kingdom of satan shall be utterly overthrown , especially that great house of austria , which they were not able to pluck down without the assistance of the white lion of the tribe of iudah . and i beheld innumerable troops of horse , and bands of footmen of all nations , drawing themselves into two great bodies , marshalled in batallia one over against another : and the lord said unto me , observe them now , and immediately i heard drums beating , and trumpets sounding , and the lord said , let us go up yonder hill and observe the success of the battle more distinctl● ; i heard the sound of the trumpet , but the battle was fought beneath us on the foot of the hill. then he said unto me , this is the army of the south , the antichristian army , the army of the whore and the beast , pointing to the southern army . and turning himself to the other army , he said , this is the army of the east and north , of which i have made mention to you . remember these things that i have declared , for all will come to pass according to the prediction . ( by the eastern army is always meant the army of the turks . ) and i looked a long time upon them , till i observed few of the northern army remained , the sad sight oppressed me with grief , fearing they would be utterly overthrown , but the antient of times comforted me , and said , behold help cometh from sion , the throne of my holiness . and i looked again , and behold a great army descended from heaven , which was commanded by a man in a flame , with a great sword in his hand , uniting himself to the northern army . and i beheld also clouds of smoak waving down , and falling down on the southern army ; and the fight was renewed , and the southern army did fall like leaves in autumn beaten by violent wind , many of the southern army after this were slain , and the rest fled , that not one of them remained of them : but the northern army having gained great spoils , returned with great ioy , and the army from heaven ascended from whence it descended . the visions and prophecies of nich. drabicius . this drabicius was born at straswick in germany , ( his father was consul of the said city ) he was minister of gods word at zeranick , he w●s attractive in his disc●urse , and grave in his conversation , he had a love and zeal to piety : his first vision was in the year . a voyce spake unto him , saying , write that the time is now come , i will revenge the offences given to my holy name , i will cause the turk to come and to overthrow vienna , as ierusalem was overthrown ; and i will bring evil upon the house of austria to cut it off from the earth , for she hath g●ven no ear to the peaceable counsels of the king of polonia , now her destruction approacheth . drabicius a●ked , when it would come to pass ? it was answered , to day and tomorrow will fill up the measure of her iniquities ; and i will bring many great and 〈◊〉 nations upon the house of austria , and they shall tread upon vienna , as ierusalem and samaria were trodden upon , to revenge my quarrel , and to drive away idolaters , with the false prophets , and to vindicate the in●uries offered to frederick that was king of bohemia , and to his progeny , with whom you also have been banished . drabicius asked , whether the progeny of the king of bohemia be restored to their dignities ? it was answered , wherefore have i afflicted germany , but because they did forsake him ; woe to the bohemians , wo to the silesians , wo to the moravians , for now is their destruction at hand . the revelation , ( ●une . ) hear the voyce , o house of austria , thy roots are in hungaria , which i am now going to pluck up : but thou shalt perish with the captain● thy coun●ellers , and thy posterity , thy strong men shall fall . the revelation of april . . as i awaked out of sleep , a voice sounded in m ears : o house of austria ! o thou house of austria , i have born with thee , i have born ; with thee , so many ages , i have advanced thy glory on high in the midst of many nations , with much patience i expected thy conversion unto me thy creator ; but thy heart is grown fat , and thy eyes are darkened , that neither thy self , nor thy captains shall see their lamentable fall and ruine , for the abomination thou hast committed . who did seduce thee , o house of austria ? thou hast forsaken me , and thrown my laws behind thy back , and hast erected idols of abomination throughout thy cities and streets , and in thy temples and chancels , thou hast set up statues and images , gilded and painted with beautiful colours . thou with thy counseller , and judges , and princes , hast neglected my word , and hast neglected justice , and righteousness , and mercy ; therefore have i brought evil upon thee , and thy house : in vain dost thou lean upon a reed , which is spain : in vain thou expectest help from the pope , bavarian or saxon , mentz and cologn will deceive thee , for they have lost their strength with thee ; for i have risen up against them , and have delivered their powers into their hands , who do make war against thee , that he may do to thee as to the house of ahab , and to thy priests , as my servant elias to the prophets of baal . october the . the word of the lord came to me again , saying , although it be not yet come to pass , whi●h not long since i declared to you , yet undoubtedly it shall take effect : for though he hath gained a peace for a time , he shall gain nothing by the delay of a little time , which nevertheless shall come , and is even at hand , for the destruction of the beast must begin in hungaria . and after a long silence , the lord said to me again , all my words shall be fulfilled , that it may be manifest unto all , that i am he that will confound the counsels of my enemi●s , and will remove the half dead person from his throne , by electing to me that chosen vessel ; the king of france , for whom germany shall cry out , long live , long live the king of france ; which as soon as it shall be done by my command , who am king of kings , and lord of lords , your liberties shall be restored , o ye worshippers of me . and o you kings , princes , and commanders of my army , and you my ministers of the gospel , throw in your net into the sea , to fish for the jews the remainder of my vintage , on the right side , and on the left , for the nations of turkey and tartary , and other places , for i have opened my prisons , and healed the wounded ▪ that they may be admitted to the banquet of my house , the church , and many rooms that are in it , are yet empty for those persons to be brought into it , the iews and the turks , and other people ignorant of the worship of the true god , and the gospel of our lord jesus , who are to acknowledg me , and to come into the pales of my beloved spouse . i will have a reformation amongst the idolatrous ministers of the whore , and those that shall be found refractory shall be put to death , for i will not have the least root of popish doctrine in any nation , and i will that there be but one order and government of the church amongst all nations . the chief scope of all these prophecies and revelations , being to invite men to attend the judgments of almighty god in his punishments of the sin● of the world , and to be made worthy of his mercies , which in the last age of the world he will pour forth on all mankind ; it well becomes all mutually to admonish one another to repentance , and to increase our faith in the promises of god , and to inflame our mutual charity , to pray for one another , that we may be made partakers of so unspeakable mercy . amen . finis . the most strange and wonderful predictions of cleombrotus, an heathen jew prophesied in the year one thousand two hundred seventy and two, upon the reigns of twenty nine kings of england, from edward the first to charles the fifth, one thousand seven hundred ninety nine : found in the college of wittenburgh in germany. cleombrotus. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the most strange and wonderful predictions of cleombrotus, an heathen jew prophesied in the year one thousand two hundred seventy and two, upon the reigns of twenty nine kings of england, from edward the first to charles the fifth, one thousand seven hundred ninety nine : found in the college of wittenburgh in germany. cleombrotus. p. printed for langley curtis, london : . reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng prophecies -- early works to . great britain -- history -- prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the most strange and wonderful predictions of cleombrotus an heathen jew , prophesied in the year one thousand two hundred seventy and two ; upon the reigns of twenty nine kings of england , from edward the first to charles the fifth , one thousand seven hundred ninety nine . found in the colledge of wittenbvrgh in germany . london . printed for langley curtis , in goat-court on ludgate-hill . mdclxxix . the most strange and wonderful predictions of cleombrotvs , &c. when sixteen hundred year is come , and twenty five , the i is done ; the letter c shall take the crown , and reign nine years in great renown ; but then beware of lebon rex , lest that the p the lyon vex ; for then sad fates and destinie by wars , throughout his reign shall be ; then , with a blow , the times will turn , and thousands for one man shall mourn ; the c shall stoop unto the c , but , pray the first , it be not he. but before this day come , there will reign a mighty war ; many towns will be brought low , stately cedars will bow their heads , and mighty castles stoop to cottages . then will england be surfeited with the blood of innocents , and remain a while without king , lords , or commons ; then will churches be made stables , and palaces become prisons . the people at that time shall stand amazed , thus bewailing : o happy certainly are they that never did live to see this day : our wealth is all unto confusion brought , by those who have not left us worth a groat . our stately livings to the ground are come , but dare not speak , we must be dumb . once had we justice , and a glorious king , now thousand tyrants in the room of him , which , like to tygers , did his life betray , since we , like sheep , must unto wolves obey . we know not where to go , nor where to flye , but , like poor job , sit down in misery . great changes at that time will happen ; and the death of some great man will then hasten : but when you remember the fall of charran cross , and see a new one built in pauls church , then will captivity be led captive , and redemption out of bondage will draw near : at which time the sea will say unto the land , i have brought home the treasure of many years voyage : and the land shall then answer , it is so rich and precious , i am not worthy to receive it . which time described , is in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty . in the sixteen hundred and sixty year strange wonders unto england shall appear ; providence by connexion joyneth close the exil'd thistle to the southern rose . for neptune of the ocean home shall bring a second c , but what a precious thing will this same letter be , and high will stand , lord of th' eleventh house , by sea and land. describe but mars and venus to command . he 'll come in may , or else the first of june . pray that the seas may calm and quiet be , twice miss'd he dangers , now again at sea , yet will be quiet from troubles , neptune roar , and when he is arrived on the shoar , observe this prophecy , 't will make appear , his reign consists , one five and fifty year ; but yet before the eighty first , you 'll see a mighty monarch in the world he 'll be , some great and hughy war may then ensue ; if that by chance the eagle proves not true , the lyon rampant may in fury grow , though 't is suspected whether he will or no ; for if the eagle he should fly too fast , 't is thought his tallons will be clip'd at last . for then in his description you will find , all europe will be subject to one mind . which is the letter c predicted true , that will some great and neighbouring prince subdue . and then , before the lyon proveth kind , he 'l have an heir according to his mind , sprung from an house that 's of a pretty name , an ostridge soundeth something near the same . then spain in fame shall last , france by chance may fall , germany will stand fast , but england all in all . now mark , that towards the year one thousand six hundred sixty two , will great contest be in england about religion , at which time , will then reign , twenty eight scots of several opinions , in which time will many sparks of dissentions , but of small continuance , like the snuff of a candle , quickly waste out and soon extinguish ; for then will the crows head and the magpies breast , be a stumbling block to erroneous errors , more disputants will be in arguing , than parish pastors in reconcileing ; many at that time will be confuted and range abroad , like seemed mad men , but after a while will be soon quieted , so that by the year , one thousand six hundred sixty five , will all become one peculiar government , and then it will be as hard to hear the name of a souldier in open hostility , as to see a white raven on the top of a pinacle , a white harvest will follow , and peace and plenty will continue , few murthers will be committed , no treasons will be thought of ; but in the year , one thousand six hundred sixty nine , or there abouts , will a ship sail up the river thames , and a merchant will ask the marriner , what news he bringeth , the marriner shall answer , that austria is removed to england , and the gates of rome doth seem to tremble ; that year will some great forreign prince have a fall , but england shall reign dominical and provide a great voyage for sea , but beware a swallow do not sit in the stern of the admiral , for if it do , it will indanger the fleet , for that bout. and in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty , great turnaments will be exercised , tilting and launces will be in high request , and that year will a talbot jump to a duke of norfolk , but it will be better for him , to absent that day , than repent of his title all the year after ; for if his horse throw him in the morning , let him abstain his honour that day , otherwise he will take a fall at court , and pitch his head at berkley castle . for the eagle and the leapard shall spurn him in the dark , for the moon at that time , will be eclipsed , but if his horse doth not stumble , as he mounteth , let him proceed , for then he shall discover , by the light of the moon , the craftiness of the eagle in all her darkness , the sixteen hundred eighty year will bring , great days of honour , by a mighty king ; for nobles in the moneth of july they , shall try great actions on the twentieth day . by which you 'l find in this same prophesie , a talbot shall the duke of norfolk be . an eagle then at this begins to spurne , till she have made the talbot 's title turn . vnhappy then will be the twentieth day , vnhappy talbot , this prediction say , if that his horse doth stumble when he mount , this is a perfect and a true account . in his behalf the moon will lose her light , and he arrested at the court for spight . for treason and contentions they have bred , he shall at barkley - castle lose his head : but if he miss that twentieth day before , he 'l live a duke for thirty years and more . the second prophesie of aldura manasach , on the year one thousand seven hundred . this will be a year of great change and alteration throughout the whole realm , but no wars heard or thought of ; and a glorious flower of long continuance that year shall fall ; his colour for the letter c will lay down in his dormitory , and a fresh rose will arise from the same root ; observe a little before and you shall see an eagle alight upon the tower of canterbury , and two white doves shall come and oppose him , but after a small repose , the eagle will return to the wood and the two doves , retire to the top of the church , and after a short space , they shall take their flight towards some great city ; then shall a man in a long gown say , this is a great and notable sign , what meaneth it ? then shall a man of a strange nation answer , shaking his head and say , some mighty monarch is desperate ill ; but if he passeth the ninth day , and the nineteenth day , and twenty ninth , it will be added to his reign fifteen years . it is observed this prediction comes near of that prophesie , on the year one thousand six hundred sixty . the third prophesie on the year one thousand seven hundred . times when the second letter c begins to reign will prosperous be , whose great abilities have been foretold , and pattern to the universal world. all malice , envy , hate , discord and spight , for length of days ( will vanish from his sight ) he will exceed all reigns of kings before , he 'l reign till forty seven , if not more . and , if in forty eight he miss a drift , he 'l reign out fifty , nay , till fifty fift . with pious , vertuous , and a godly fame , both peace and plenty then shall end his reign . a prophecy upon charles the third , and two kings after him , by cleomlrotus the jew . when that the third of this same letter c. do reign , then will be cheap all kind of grain . the space of twenty two years 't will consist , which this prediction here doth manifest . no wars nor rumours in his reign shall be . except in thirty or in thirty three , and then some foreign prince will with him jar , which in the thirty fourth proves a war ; in june do it but mark , in july after , 'twixt di●p and calis is a mighty slaughter , the first will dye , the third will have renown , and win two standards and a crown ; which ends the grudge , long time had been before , but after this will ne're be battel more . the f. shall subject be unto the e. and sail subjective unto them at sea. to charles the third will nations intercess , he 'l live in peace , and dye in quietness . but then beware o germany , for the letter i will emperour be . the second letter of this name , will be a mighty warriour abroad in other nations , great conquests will be gotten , but in the last battel he will intend to fight in the eastern part of the world , let him beware the moon he do not change , for if he do , the day will be lost in the afternoon , and a great prince of the blood will be slain ; but in the afternoon he shall recover most part by the assistance of a monk. three kings will be in the field that day , but the victory will go to the west , and suddenly after will a northern prince send an embassage to this great conquerour ; but let him beware he gives not audience , for if he do , the letter i will be in danger of stab ; and if he escape that , he will be delivered from a great many more that year following . but in the moneth of december , let him sit up late , and have trusty friends to be esquires of his body , for under the mat of his bed-chamber , will a horrid destructive bear be lodged , yet it will be discovered by the scent of a talbot , whereby the moon will be greatly ecclipsed , and indanger the loss of his light. after this the letter i will returne home , and carry the house of austria upon his back ; great lands will be subjective , and never after will wars or rebellion be heard of in his days . in canterbury he will end his reign in quiet , but before this will the prince of the blood be born in cornwal , and the fourth of the name , which begins with the letter c. but then shall london be removed to canterbury , and remain the space of sixteen years ; at which time will england be troubled , by two roman senators , for then shall two ships sail up the river of thames , and a merchant on the bridge shall ask them , what merchandize they have ; and the other shall answer , two white ravens and a black swan ; the merchant on the bridge shall ask , what they will have in exchange for them ; they will answer , the cathedral of pauls , and the reliques thereunto belonging ; then the merchant will say , the merchandize is but counterfeits , and pauls is too heavy for the strength of rome to remove , at which , the tower will seem to thunder , and dover-castle , to give an eccho . that when charles the fourth , should take the royal diadem , london will be removed to canterbury for sixteen years , in which latter time , england will be troubled with two roman senators : that is , the pope shall send to the bishops of england , and endeavour to seduce them , for to acknowledge the supremacy of rome ; the merchants on the the bridge , signifies the bishops disputing upon the grounds of religion . the two white ravens are the pope's indulgences , and the black swan his tyrannical penance ; had he but obtained his errand , the saying of the bishops , their merchandize were but counterfeits , was the invalidity of their proffers , and that pauls was too heavy for rome to carry away , signifies , they will keep up the church-government of england , and renounce his idolatry . after this , church-government shall never be attempted neither by pope nor sectarian any more . now the thundering of the tower , and the eccho of dover-castle is the roaring of some great guns in scorn to the pope's supremacy . the description of charles the fourth . when charles the fourth reigneth england's king , some great repulse to rome that year will bring . the true religion he 'l maintain as far , as charles the second his progenitor ; or charles the third of everlasting fame , or james his father , second of that name , who was victorious both by land and sea , but charles his reign , no wars in it shall be . both peace and plenty all his dayes shall spring , that 's one and twenty years he 'l be a king. so long continuance he shall rule and sway , then like a rose he will depart away . with grief of thousands , he will end his reign , then seventh edward will come in again . from james the second , know it certainly , these kings will rule imperial majesty . till charles the fifth , both king and emperour then , shall keep his court in germany again . observe that near the year , one thousand seven hundred ninety nine , there will a prince of the blood , be born in canterbury , and at two years of age , the imperial crown will be put on his head , and he shall remain under the tuition of a monk three years , but york shall have the preheminence . when that the moneth of july doth begin , in canterbury will be born a king. edward the seventh , he is called by name . but in the linage of the former name , till that the time of sixteen years doth come , a monk will be his tutor all along . but near the eighteenth , cleombrotus say , the seventh edward will depart away . and then will york rule lord protector he , till charles the fifth comes to maturity ; which when the royal diadem shall take , and make the crowns of other princes shake ; but when that twenty years is gone and past , to his native country , he comes home at last , and leave his crown , and to the grave doth go , he 'l die in love , both peace and plenty too . finis . a strange prophecie, against bishops, prelates, and all other priests, which have not kept the faithfull order of priesthood; and also against the transgressors of righteousnesse in these times. together with the downe-fall and destruction of poperie, and the ruine of romes monarchall and tyrannicall government. prophetically declared, that in the yeares , , and . the reformed churches in these westerne islands, should (both king and people) joyne with a religious consent to abolish them out of the church. written by hilgard a nunne, . and since preserved by an antiquary in this kingdome, and now published for the instruction of the church of england. hilgard, a nun. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason e _ ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing h thomason e _ estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; :e [ ]) a strange prophecie, against bishops, prelates, and all other priests, which have not kept the faithfull order of priesthood; and also against the transgressors of righteousnesse in these times. together with the downe-fall and destruction of poperie, and the ruine of romes monarchall and tyrannicall government. prophetically declared, that in the yeares , , and . the reformed churches in these westerne islands, should (both king and people) joyne with a religious consent to abolish them out of the church. written by hilgard a nunne, . and since preserved by an antiquary in this kingdome, and now published for the instruction of the church of england. hilgard, a nun. [ ] p. printed for john thomas, london : . signatures: a⁴. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng episcopacy -- controversial literature -- early works to . prophecies -- early works to . a r (thomason e _ ). civilwar no a strange prophecie, against bishops, prelates, and all other priests, which have not kept the faithfull order of priesthood;: and also aga hilgard, a nun c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - scott lepisto sampled and proofread - scott lepisto text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a strange prophecie , against bishops prelates , and all other priests , which have not kept the faithfull order of priesthood ; and also against the transgressors of righteousnesse in these times . together with the downe-fall and destruction of poperie , and the ruine of romes monarchall and tyrannicall government . prophetically declared , that in the yeares , , and . the reformed churches in these westerne islands , should ( both king and people ) joyne with a religious consent to abolish them out of the church . written by hilgard a nunne , . and since preserved by an antiquary in this kingdome , and now published for the instruction of the church of england . london , printed for john thomas . . the preface to the reader . vvhether these or such like prophecies be of god , and proceed from the holy ghost or no , let the godly judge . but surely it is commonly seene , when god will shew his displeasure and indignation , and intendeth to bring to passe some great act , that all creatures doe prophecy before , and give warning , although it helpe but little . eve● so ●ouching the subversion of jerusalem , his prophets , and ●●ophecy it before but it availed not . christ himselfe had breathed it unto them . the apostles had warned them thereof . they heard voyces in the temple . they saw signes in the element . they heard battels in the clouds . mad men , and such as were out of their wits , did prophecy it unto them , but all these signes prevailed not , they saw it in act and yet it preuailed not . they might have remedied it , if they would have suffered the emperour to rule over them , but all prevailed nothing , for they were destroyed because they dispised gods word . even so shall it happen unto the papists also . it is prophecied unto them by daniel in the . and . chap. jt is prophecied unto them by zachariah in the . chap. it is prophecied by st. john in the revel. it is prophecied unto them by christ himselfe , matth. . it is prophecied unto them by st. paul . thes. . and . tim. . it is prophecied unto them by st. pet. . it prevaileth not their owne bishops , abbots , monkes and nunnes prophecy unto them , but it prevaileth not . jt is prophecied unto them by astronomers . it is prophecied unto them by the common rumour with certaine proverbes . it is prophecied vnto them by visions and signes in the element , but all prevaileth not , they might turne it , if they would not presume to be aboue gods word and mens consciences , but would suffer god and his trueth to raigne over them and all mens consciences , but all prevaileth nothing , therefore must they be destroyed , there is no remedie , & that which they will not now , they must not see to their griefe at last , when all helpe is past . wherefore let no good christian grieue himselfe with them , but rather suffer and take patience , and pray to god that it would please him to revenge the blood of his saints , and speedily to deliver us from these cruell tyrants , & all their mischievous or rather hellish enchantments . thereby shall a man get a greater conquest over them , then by sword and armour . god knoweth well where such a titus is , as shall be the finall destruction of these arrogant rabbies , or contemptuous iewes also . to whom be all honour , praise , and glory , for euer and euer . amen . the prophecie of hilgard . all worldly princes and the common people also , shall fiercely fall upon you priests , which hitherto haue abused me . they will turne you away from them , and put you to flight . they shall take away your substance and riches , because that in your time , you have not kept the order of your priesthood well . these words will they speake by you . let us cast these oath-breakers , robbers , and people replenished with all kind of iniquity , forth of the holy catholique church : for the holy church is contaminated and polluted by them . and therefore will god suffer also such things to come over you . yea , the kings of the world , shall assist them with their earthly power and might that shall withstand you . your priestly dignity and annointing , they will esteeme as nothing worth , and to that purpose will they gather together in councell , that they may drive you out of their dominions , because you have driven away the most holy and innocent lambe from you , with your vngodly and abhominable workes . then shall the heavens raine downe divers plagues , which shall be as a revenge of god upon men . the miste shall cover the whole earth , so that all your grasse shall dry up , and your ornaments become pale . the deepe shall suffer earthquakes , and then shall appeare the very anger of god , and the rage both of heaven and earth . god will send a righteous and straight judgement against the transgressors of righteousnesse . and then shall we say altogether . how long shall we forbeare and suffer these ravening wolves ? they ought to have bin feeders of the soules , but they be destroyers of them . they bind and vnbind at their owne pleasure ( yet such power belongeth not unto them ) and as most fearefull beasts they utterly cast us away . and thus remaine we still in our misery and they in their sins , insomuch that all christendome perisheth through them . and whatsoever is right that write they not , but wrest , and onely doe that which is contrary to the law of god . they devoure us , as the wolfe devoureth the sheepe , they live continually in lust and gluttony , they bee very robbers of the church , and whatsoever they can catch or come by , they take and devoure it . they make us also with their occupation poore and beggerly . they damne themselves & desire to destroy us also . therefore will we judge them righteously , anb seperate them from vs , for they be rather seducers then teachers , &c. yet care they not for it , but remaine so still , seeking to make all kingdomes subject unto them . neverthelesse , for all this they must away , and leaue behind them all that they have , neyther shall they afterward rule any more ouer the people againe , with lands , possessions , vineyards , and other temporall goods , which worldly princes be appointed for . a pope should be a pope , a knight a knight , a gentleman a gentleman , wherefore all such things as they possesse vnrighteously , shall be taken away from them . &c. but against the same will the spiritualtie as heads of this world repine and rebell : to wit , the popes , cardinals , bishops , abbats , and other prelates . first with their curse , and with shutting up of the heavens , but the same will not serve , neither shall men feare it any whit . after that , they will get them to their armour and weapons , thinking therewith to defend themselves , but against the judgement of god they can doe nothing , for their time is come , &c. thus much prophecied the nunne hillgard . so ●o● must the bloody whore drinke of her owne challice , and the beast with the false prophets be cast down into the bottomlesse pit , where as is no rest night nor day , there to suffer paines eternally . and then will christ raise up faithfull shepheards to feed his flock . what these shall be , we find in the scriptures plainly enough declared , as they that came from him , and how may it faile , or what defect can be in such as god sendeth ? god is righteous , and also sendeth good shepheards when he seeth his time . they doe righteously , and as they teach , euen so they liue . these be the true seruants which christ speaketh of , which in due time set forth the gifts and glory or the father of the houshold , and not their owne traditions , whereof as yet the whole world is full . but the lord ( at his good pleasure ) for his sonne iesus christs sake , will scomme away all filthinesse and make his glory appeare . so be it the conclusion . divers other like prophecies there are no whit necessary to be written , because i hope there will amendment follow after this , except the readers be found to want the chiefe effects of their eies and eares : for whom would not this ancient , true , and faithfull declaration of the romish and babilonish strumpet , bring to conversion and knowledge ? shee is here so clerely set forth and painted with all her falsehood and colours , that it cannot be done more liuely . hath she not with her challice made drunke , and with her subtilty and deceit overcome emperors , kings , princes , lords ? and with her snares overthrowne all christendome ? let euery man marke it well . when did they any other thing but pole and shave , lye and deceiue , burne , and banne , continually increasing warres and murder ? untill such time as they were become heads of all kingdomes . &c. the same ( as aboue mentioned ) hath endured many yeares , but now will take an end . for the time of the whore is come about , and he commeth that speaketh in the apocalips , saying : i am alpha and omega , the beginning & the ending , the first & the last . blessed be they that follow his commandements , to the end that they may come to the tree of life , and and enter in at those straight gates of the celestiall ierusalem , out of which shall be secluded all vnbeleeuers , enchaunters , whores , murderers , idolators , and all such as loue and follow after lyes , whose portion is in the unquenchable lake that burneth with fire and brimstone . now hath jesus christ sent his angell againe , to shew the people that he is the very roote of david , and the cleere morning starre , and in none other is there any saluation , but in him onely , for it is written . there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we may be saved , but this onely . &c. now he that is faithfull still , he that is holy , let him become more holy , and continue to the end . and let him not long for the time approcheth . and thus let every man be warned , for when he knocketh , happy are they that open , but to those that doe not so , the danger is apparent : for unto such , both baptisme and all holy rites are ministred in vaine . wherefore let us beware of beeing christians onely in name , and let us pray god to blesse us , and to grant us his grace , and that he would vouchsafe to guide us aright by his holy spirit . amen . finis . an apology, or, defence of the divine art of natural astrologie being an answer to a sermon preached in cambridge, july , . ... / written by the learned and ingenious mathematician, mr. george atwell ... ; and now published by a friend ... vvhose preface is hereunto annexed. atwell, george. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing a ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an apology, or, defence of the divine art of natural astrologie being an answer to a sermon preached in cambridge, july , . ... / written by the learned and ingenious mathematician, mr. george atwell ... ; and now published by a friend ... vvhose preface is hereunto annexed. atwell, george. [ ], p. printed for samuel speed ..., london : . "wherein all the chief objections against astrology are fully answered, and the validity of the art ... held forth and maintain'd, against picus, chambers, geere, vicars, gattaker, holmes, and others." reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng astrology -- early works to . prophecies. a r (wing a ). civilwar no an apology, or, defence of the divine art of natural astrologie. being an answer to a sermon preached in cambridge, july , . wherein a atwell, george f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an apology , or , defence of the divine art of natural astrologie . being an answer to a sermon preached in cambridge , july , . wherein all the chief objections against astrology are fully answered , and the validity of the art ( in its purity ) held forth and maintain'd , against picus , chambers , geere , vicars , gattaker , holmes , and others . written by the learned and ingenious mathematician , mr. george atwel , late professor of the ma●hematicks in the university of cambridg ; and now published by a friend , for the publike benefit of his native countrymen of england . vvhose preface is hereunto annexed . card. seg. . aph. . ●ulti negligunt & contemnunt astrologiam , qui contradicit , ambitiosus est , qui maledicit , fatuus . london , printed for samuel speed , at the sign of the printing-press in paul's church-yard . anno . to the reader . courteous reader , i here present thee with a modest and learned defence of astrology , written by mr. george atwel late professor of the mathematicks in the university of cambridge● which being communicated unto me by the noble authour , and left at my dispose , i thought meet ( upon serious consideration ) to make thee partaker thereof ; considering also with my self , that at this time , the noble science of astrology hath many adversaries , the most whereof ( i dare maintein ) are altogether ignorant in the art , and in the very principles thereof , who never observed , or took any notice of the heavenly influences , and whether these men be competent judges to determine matters of such great weight and importance ( wherein they have as little judgment as honesty ) let all indifferent men judg ; but i doe not much admire hereat , when i see it apparent in all other arts and professions . scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem . how rashly doe the ignorant and common sort tax us for maintaining the truth and verity of the copernican systeme of the world : nay ! how do the generality of men unjustly asperse and revile us for that rare discovery of the truth now so cleerly proved by undeniable demonstrations geometrical . in like manner i could instance in the tenet of antipodes , and shew how lactantius , st. austin , and others , were of the contrary opinion , but i need not trouble my self , or the reader to muster us examples of mens ●●lly in this kind , for it 's cleer enough , that as there is no art , or invention whatsoever , ( though never so commodious in a common-wealth ) but may have its adversaries and opponents ; even so it is with astrology , ( which some of the learned style theologia naturalis ) shee cannot go shot-free , or escape the malevolent rayes of the malecontented , and yet is shee not the mistriss of arts ? yea , the hand-maid to divinity ? universa enim vita nostra abundè testatur , astrologiam summe utitem esse , quippe ad praecavendum quae obfutura , assequendum quae profutura sunt , maximam vim ob●ine● , ut quae doceat praecognoscere mutationes , quae in his inferioribus eventurae sunt , item quae in corporibus nostris secundum sanitatem , aegritudinem , ac mores eveniunt : ac tandem in its contingunt , quibus ut alimentis ad vitam tuendam , & medicamentis ad sanitatem procurandam , utimur . add● quod astrologia in piis orationem & pietatis studium excitet : quandoquidem mala , quae ab astris significantur , 〈◊〉 edicta praetoria , sed vitari & 〈…〉 precatione & studio possunt . orig. . de effectibus . i well know some there are that denie that the stars have any influential operation on these elementary and sublunary things , but these are a sort of men ( though perhaps otherwise learned enough ) that we may justly think are solely byassed to their own perverse and wilful opinions , who doubtless , deserve reproof , for doth not the word of god teach us the contrary ? & are not the stars there in many places called the signes of heaven . gen. . . sunto luminaria in firmamento coeli , &c. and god said , let there be lights in the firmament of heaven , to divide the day from the night : and let them be for signes , and for seasons , for dayes and years . upon which words , luther saith . simpliciter lunam cum sole & stellis in firmamento coeli , moses dicit positas , ut ●ssent signa futurorum eventuum , sicut experientia de eclipsibus , magnis conjunctionibus , & aliis quibusdam meteoris , docet . that is , moses plainly saith , that the moon with the sun and stars , were placed in the firmament of heaven , that they 〈◊〉 be for signes of future events , as experience teacheth us in eclipses , great conjunctions , meteors , and the like . again , in deut. . . you shall find that the influence of the heavens upon all vegetables is attributed to the sun and moon , where the prohet blesseth the lord for the precious hings of heaven , for the dew , and ver. . or the precious things put forth by the un , and for the precious things put forth y the moon . e coelis pugnârunt , sydera ipsa suis agerribus pugnaverunt contra siseram . ●udg . . . they fought from heaven , the ●tars in their courses fought against sisera . and the prophet jeremy adds further , that we should not be dismai'd at the signs of heaven upon wch words the divine melancthon in his praeface to job . schonerus , speaketh thus . non ●it jeremias , nihil esse signa coeli , imò cum nominat signa portendi aliquid affirmat . jeremy saith , not that the signes of heaven are nothing , but when he cals them signes , he affirmeth something to be portended . so likewise the holy man , job . , , . canst thou bind the sweet influence of ple●●●es ? or loose the bands of orion ? canst thou bring forth mazzareth in his season ? or canst thou guide arcturus with his sonnes ? knowest thou the ordinances of heaven , or the dominions thereof on the earth ? who is it now that dare denie the powerful operation and influence of the stars when god by his messenger , avers it , and call them the hoast , and ordinance of heaven , and tells us of their dominion in the earth . and although many other place● of holy writ might be quoted in defence o● this noble science , yet for brevity fake these may suffice , as being plain and evident demonstrations of the great power and influence of the coelestial bodies . and to thes● we may add the testimonies of many learned divines and scholars , but the day woul● fail me to enumerate them all . corpor● coelestia agunt in haec inferior a tribus m●dis , videl●l●mine , influentiâ & motu ; agunt no● {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , sed {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} : ●o● {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , sed {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . it is well worthy of our notice , & not to be doubted by any , but that the coelestial bodies are ( under god ) the universal causes of all mundane alterations ▪ having their singular influences upon the e●●ments ▪ meteors , metels , stones , vegitables , and animals . but what need i spend time to ●indicate the truth of this noble science ? for doth not all creatures participate of the heavenly influences ? quis e●im non videt ●olem & lunam ●●terare fruges & fruct us ▪ quis nescit vicissitudines temporu●●b ●●tri●●endere ? and the learned alstedius the book cap. reg. observes , that , nihi●●agni in hoc mund● evenit , quod non ha●e●●●estimonium in coelo . est enim coelum velut ●uidam liber manu d●i scriptus , in quo tan●uam liter as legibiles stellas coeliposuit . cer●ainly were it an art either diabolical , or of ●o certainty , it would never have gai●'d the favour and approbation of the learned in all ages , but we find that even of late times many learned men of singular skill in astronomy and the mathematicks , have travelled very far therein , and given exceeding commendation thereof as is manifest by the learned epistles of melancthon to schoner & grynaeus , by the testimony of magin●● , stof●er , leovitius , junctine the divine , argol , virdungus , origan , madronus , alstede , eichstadius our country-man dr. dee , and others . but let our adversaries both speak and write what they please against the art , and the professors thereof , for my own part , i never knew any astrologer that maintain'd any fatality in the stars , that this , or tha● thing must come to pass , as they unjustly charge against us . astra inclinant v●luntatem , in n●llo tamen necessitant . accidit tame● frequentèr astrolog●s vera prognosticare d● m●ribus hominum , propter pronitatem ●or●● ad sequendum appetitum sensitivam . the stars incline the will ( saith scotus ) yet in n● wise necessitate it , notwithstanding it ofte● hapneth that astrologers fore-tel truth● concerning the manners of men , by reaso● of their proneness to follow their sensitiv● appetite . and though some pretending t● the art have abused it , onely to please thos● that have imployed them , upon hopes to have the more liberal reward , yet what is that to us , or against pure astrology ? t● metsi ●●tē tantus hujus doctrinae sit abusus , n●● tamen ideo rejiciendus est usus , sed potius a● illo pessimo abusu distinguendus . although the abuse of this doctrine is so great , yet the use thereof is not to be rejected , but rather to be separated from that foul abuse ▪ let us hear what that famous mathemetician and astrologer mr. d. origanus saith ▪ against some in his time . merit● reprehen●en●i sunt illi deceptores ▪ juventutis , qui a●ologica turpis lucr● caussa , & ut ipsi saltem ●cepta eô commodius repetant , & sibi fami●ria , faciant , in trivio p●eris vel adolescen●us prop●nunt , quibus adminicula desunt , ● dum judicium ullum est , a● rim●ndas & ●udican●as caussas & rationes variarum in ●tura action●m ; quod simiae caput funda●nta ipsa ●equaquam intelligens p●rum at●ndit . but the honest , sober and learned astro●ger ( that makes reason his guide , and ●oks onely upon the natural and influen●al operation of the planets and stars ) ●orns & utterly abominates these actions , ●e it is that diligently weighs and considers the natural operation and secret influence ●f the stars and planets , whose dispositions ●nd vertue depend upon the heavenly mo●ions , and their various configurations at the earth . we see ( indeed ) that some astro●ogers have a greater in sight and profounder knowledg therein then others , and some ●here are that seldome fail in their praedictions , and these are men that are well ex●erienced , and not rash and over ▪ hasty i● giving judgment , whilest others again●●oo apt upon every occasion ( when t● is no remarkable position of heaven ) venture their credit and repute to the sc●dal and discredit of the art they prof●in astrologo requiritur naturatis , inclin● ad divinandum , saith or●gan , fol. . a really ( as my noble friend mr. john g●bury observes ) it is not for every man hope to be an astrologer , for heav● clubs to the act of his creation in an espcial manner ! an artist ( as a poet ) is bo● and not made . as touching the first inventions of t● art , i will not here take upon me to d●pute , though i verily believe 't was inve●ted and practised long before the floud , ● the old world , but however there may b● brought authorities of two or three thousand years antiquity of most learned a● godly men , who have by their knowledg in this art , performed many excelle● atchievements , and contrariwise that ha● eschewed many eminent dangers . julius caesar ( who was a learned astronomer , and spent many hours in the company of sosigenes , to correct the motion of 〈◊〉 sun and solar-year ) was fore-warn'd the day of his death , and there upon was ●ised by spurina , that he should ( in an ●cial manner beware of the ides of ●rch , but when the day came ( seeing spu● as he was going to the senat-house ) said unto him ; spurina ! the ides are ● come , who answered , they are come , 〈◊〉 not past , but immediately he was there ●●in , according to his prediction . aechilus the phisosopher knowing by 〈◊〉 nativity that he should perish with a ●den stroke , and the time of his predi●on approaching , he went abroad , & sub ● extra civitatem degebat , the better to ●ape the danger , but as he was walking 〈◊〉 the field , an eagle suddenly let fall a ●ortoise , or shel-crab , upon his naked ●d , whereby he suddenly perished . vitellius deriding the astrologers of his ●e for their predicting he should be em●our ( thinking with himself that he ●uld never obtein such honour ) but ●en he had obtein'd it , as they fore-told , 〈◊〉 notwithstanding banished all the astrologers out of rome , and that by a ● day they should depart italy , whereupo● they fore-seeing ( by the figure of his n●tivity ) his end approaching , fore-told the time thereof addiem , as it exactly c●me ● pass . sulla , a mathematician foretold the death of caligula , as it punctually hap●ned . picus mirandulanus , when he was for● told by bellantius ; of his death that shou● happen in the year of his age , was ● moved with wrath , that he wrote a boo● against astrologers , but notwithstandin● he co●ld not evade the immutable decr● of the heavenly book , for he died the sam● year . petrus leonius the physician , when ● astrologer fore-told him of the time ● should perish by water , he wholly avoid● to come neer the sea , and other rive● nevertheless ( about the time predicted ) ● was found drowned in a well not ● from florence , in a village , called caregio . paulus tertius , or paul the third , a skilful astrologer ( cui pontificatus fuerat prae ▪ dictus à paride ceresari● mantuano ) wrote to peter aloysius his sonne , that in the year he should beware of the day of september ( the father could fore-see the danger , but his sonne could not avoid it ) for under pretence of discourse , landus , angos●iola , and scotus , slew him the same day in his own castle . zonarus reports that an artist hearing that julian was ingaged with his army to fight his enemy , spake these words . hodiè julius in persia occiditur . to day is julian slain in persia : and this doubtless he foresaw by the figure of his nativity . i could here heap up infinite examples of this kind , but i have neither time no● room to insert them : besides our learned authour having taken the paines , to write the whole subsequent discourse pu●posely , , in vindication of the art , to satisfie the ingenious , and to un-deceiv● all such as doubt any way of the unlawfulness thereof , i shall therefore not detein you any longer , but commend the book it self to your serious consideration . vale . north-luffenham in rutland july , . vincent wing . questions concerning astrology , wheter lawful or un-lawful . if astrology be unlawful , whether is it in erecting the figure , or in judgment ? if in erecting the figure , what is there in it , but plain astronomy ? and what is it but a map of the heavens at some particular time ? for though cities ▪ towns , nor houses on earth change their places , yet the stars doe , at least in respect of us . and is not our anography as lawful as geography . ▪ for if there be nothing in it more then astronomy , why is it not as lawful as any other of the seven liberal arts . ii. if judgment be unlawful , i ask whether if upon mine own , and many others observations , we finding for the most part , we have hot weather in the dog-dayes , is it not lawful for me to judge , it will be so this or the next year , though god can alter it as he please ? and so if i see the moon full south , may i not judg it full sea at such a place , because god can alter it ? we tie not god , but alwayes deo volente is understood , neither in humane actions doe we tie the will of man : yet we say the stars doe so strongly incline that they guide the will very often . now then if both parts , that is all the parts , both erecting and judgment are lawful , then the whole astrology is lawful , neither may the whole be condemned for a part of a part , if any such be found unlawful , we must not blame moses for having skill in astrology , because the chaldeans and egyptians joyned inchantments with it , for which they are blamed in divers places of the prophets , which indeed is the ignorance , not the learning , of the egyptians , and which moses withstood , exod. . . nor yet if horary questions should prove unlawfull , blame neither ptolomy nor sir christopher heyden , who , though they never used them , yet wrote not against them , & mutato nomine chambers , sir christopher take you to task , and then de te fabula narratur , rumpuntur ilia codro . but i would fain see his book answered . but for further confirmation , let us examine the lawfulness of judgement , of such things wherein wee have a set time , by these questions following , and afterwards the horary . whether the stars are not made for signes , gen. . . jer. . . mat. . v. . if for signes , and so all men call them must they not foretel something , otherwise it is contrary to their names , their nature , and gods purpose in making them , neither are they for signes of seasons , as some would have , but for signes and seasons . if they doe not foretell something , what need men be afraid of them , or be forewarned from fear of them , jer. . . but i suppose this bidding them not to be afraid both there and in psal. . and matth. . and sundry other places , is not to tell them such events shall not come , but rather that they shall come , as in math. . . and therefore to forewarn them against these times to make their peace with god , and to shrowd themselves under the covert of his wings , psal. . . and then though ● plague shall come ▪ it shall not as he saith , come neer their dwelling . not but that a godly mans house may be infected with the plague , and a daughter of abraham possessed with a divel as well as a wicked person ; but that their shall no affliction come to them , but such as shall work together for the best to them , rom. . for in common calamities the godly must share with the wicked : jeremy must go unto captivity with others , and to tell them such plagues shall not come , is but to sow pillows under their arm-holes . if they doe foretell , is it not a meere accusing of god of idleness , if he doth not withall both allow land give to some knowledge and skil to understand their significations , otherwise the trumpet will give but an uncertain sound , and who will prepare himselfe to the battel ? is there any other way to understand their meaning besides astrology . if god made the stars , all but the sun only for lights for the night , why might not the moon have served for all , as well as the sun for the day , by placing it in a continual course opposite to the sun , for so it would have been full moon , and then all the fixed stars , and five lesser planets , might well have been spared . ye , is there any other use of them ? i think it no lesse then blasphemy , to accuse god of making them in vain . what is the influence of the pleiades , and of orion , job . and what is that lunacy , math. . . and doth not the prophet esa. . v. . threaten it as a plague , that the astrologer shall be taken away . our english hath it , the prudent ; but the hebrew , the astrologer . what was that learning of the egyptians that moses was so well skil'd in ? acts . not their enchantments , for them he withstood , exe . . . what was that cup wherein joseph divined and prophesied ? whether is it lawful in it self● to erect a figure ? whether experience doth not shew many things in astrology , even to ignorant people : as every physicia and each midwife can tell us , that the child born in the new or full moon is either short lived , or never healthful : and is this unlawful to think it , or judge it to be so ? and are the dumb creatures the bees able to foretel the weather , and the mouse when an house will fall , and must man that studies for it tell nothing , the swan celebrates her own funerals , and me thinks it should be possible for a man that studies for it , in time to atteine as much wit as a goose ? suppose bishop vsher in his macedonian year , tels us that the th . of his first moneth dius , which is about our th . of october , there will be magna aëris turbatio , great trouble of the air , because then the hyades rose at sun-setting , and though no reason can be given for them more then others , yet it seems adam knew their qualities well enough , he would never else have called them the rainers of " {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} to rain , and is this unlawful , either in adam or in bishop vsher . so also for the winds , the of his th . moneth zanticus , which is about our of march , he fore-tels the oetrithiae begin to blow , when the crown riseth in the evening , and hold till the aequinoctial , a strange thing to tell , for they were aetesae . and i think they that know the reasons of other things in astrology , will as litle find fault with them as with these . what is the reason that a child born at , , or moneths from the conception ordinarily liveth , but a child at the eighth dieth , lives not long , or is alwayes sickly ? if there be not something at least exceeding probable in astrology , how is it possible that knowing what accidents have befalne you , and at what age , together with the year and day of your birth , or perhaps in an ordinary birth by the christning day , if it be not above a fortnight after , to know the true hour and minute , and again , by knowing the true time of the birth , can it be either impossible by reduction to find out either the same accidents , or others that have befalne you , and at what time , and is it not the self-same labour , to find what is to come as what is past , and which of these three is unlawful ? how came the magi to know that the star signified that ? were the magi any other then plain astrologers ? how came they above all others to be so much respected , that god should make a new star on purposed to send so far for them ? if there be not something in astrology , how came so many to know the times of their deaths before hand , julius caesar , vitellius , caligula , domitian , picus mirandula , galeatius duke of millaine , peter leonicis , peter aloisius , archbishop pisan , philip king of macedon , machabeus king of scots , cambisis , epamonandas , amilcar , daphadus the sophister , sigthimus king of swesia , frederick the ii , ezelinus the roman tyrant , cum multis aliis . doth not that answer of our saviour , john . . seeme to defend elections of time ? are there not hours in a day , as if he should say , in one hour he might walk safe among them , in another nor . quorsum haec os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre , jussit , & ex●ctos ad sydera tollere vultus . a face upright god gave to man , the stars that he might know , all other creatures to the earth look onely to below . would you have all these phaenomena's , all these new stars , comets , eclipses , and parhelii , that have been within these years last past to signifie nothing ? never were the like in so short a time since the creation , annus , , , , , , . , , , , . in every of these years were either new stars or comets , as doctor boreman in his nuntius propheticus , hath reckoned them up : besides the parhelii or three suns , that were seen in lancashire , febr. , . being the birth day of charles the first , though not in the same year . as also the eclipse of the sun , the birth of charles the second , besides the stars then appearing in the day time , and seen of divers , his birth was may saturday , & on sunday following king charles went to pauls to give thanks , and in the afternoon was a great eclipse of the sun , which according to maginus ephemerides for the longitude of venice , he reckoned digits , m. but he saith , england & scotland should find a totall eclipse , upon which one wrote these verses : rex dum paulinas acc●ssit gratus ad aras , immicuit medio lucida stella polo : dic arcana mihi tractans aenigmata coeli , haec oriens nobis quid sibi stella velit , magnus in occiduo princeps modo nascitur orbe crasque sub eclipsi regna orientis orunt . thus much in english . when as king charles to pauls did go , to bless god for his son : the stars appear'd in firmament , and in the afternoon . toward six a clock , of that same day , the sun eclipsed was ▪ i pray thee , tell me what it means , and what will come to passe : their kingdom shall eclipsed be , these stars doe speak it plain , if i have any skill to judge , these signes are not in vain . now which of these will you find fault with ? either you must deny there were such apparitions , but you may as well deny there is any sun at all , or will you accuse god for making them , then i confesse you silence me indeed . or will you denie they signifie no such thing that the event shewed . or will you denie the iugdment lawful ? then either shew some other way whereby gods meaning may be known , or else for shame never open your mouth more against astrology , but rather confess your fault , and give glory to god with acham , for you have robbed him of his chief end in creating them , in denying them to be signes , or that no man knoweth their meaning . i could name a hundred more the like events if time would permit . and who shall tell us the signification of all these but the astrologer ? let the minister interpret the word of god , but the astrologer his works , especially of the stars , no question but god would have both interpreted , & ne sutor , &c. these phaenomena's are gods embassadors to a land , and that land is in an ill case that hath never a one that knowes their language : no marvel then , though esay count it as a plague to have the astrologer taken away . and i fear if such ministers as speak against astrology should change places with astrologers , they would prove more unable to interpret these , then the astrologers the word . is it likely that god , that was so careful in time of the prophets to forewarn his people and to comfort them alwayes in their miseries , to send them still one prophet , or other , to tell them of their freedome , and hath he left us now no meanes in the time of the gospel ? hath he no care of his church now , hath he forgot to be gracious ? god forbid . now if this or any other of these be granted , then astrology in general cannot be condemned , but rather be commended , and is it not an heynous sin in any , especially in ministers that will uphold gods truth with a lie , and so call evil good , and good evil . but you will object some goe too far in it , i answer , prove who they are , and blame them that doe it , and not the art it self . blame not moses , because the egyptians joyned inchantments with it . but you will object that horary questions are unlawful , because you say , there can be no reason given that the propounding a question at such or such a time , should produce a true answer . i answer , though no reason could be given , yet finding by continual experience that they doe produce true answers , wee cannot condemn them . and you may aswel condemn laying iron over beer to keep it from sowring as this : for no reason can be given either why thunder should sowre it , or the iron preserve it . but besides experience , we can give you reason sufficient , if you are able to understand reason . you know that though the will of man be free to propound his question when he will , yet as i said before , deo volente , god first willing , is alwayes understood . and you know also ▪ that not a hair can fall from his head , nor yet a word from his mouth , without his providence , both for quid and quando ▪ what , and when . and therefore as the stars are his servants to effect his pleasure , they do so incline the will and other concurrences withall , whereof there be many , neither doth the quaerent stand upon such precise election of time , but onely when he can conveniently meet with the astrologers , they so incline him to propound the question at such a time as that the heavens shall be in such a position as to give a true answer to the question demanded . and this is strongly backt by that which astrologers observe daily , but none other can , that a man by reason of that inclination can , or at least scarce ever doth move a question at any time with earnest desire of satisfaction , but the ascendent thereof will be either the same signe or at least one of the same triplicity with the signe of the ascendant of the radix of his nativity . if tendanda gratta ▪ then it falls between two signes or very neer . see this throughly proved in geo. trapezuntius his comment . on ptolomies second aphorisme . besides all this , i think our game is as faire as such divines as speak against it , or as they can produce against it ; we can produce as learned , judicious , painful , holy men for it , as they can against it , to the full . mr. gregory , mr. sparke , melancthon , dr. gell ▪ dr. dee , dr. preston , dr. fulke , bishop laud , bishop vsher , cum multis aliis , and garsaeus pag. . certain verses made upon another former king of this land , one of the edwards or richards , i have forgotten which , for it is years ago since i read them . principio regis oritur transgressio legis quo fortuna cadit & humus retrograda vadit , tum bene surrexit populus que●● non bene rexi● tempus adbuc plangit super hoc quod chronica tangit , stultorum vile cepit consilium invenile et sectam senium decrevit esse rejecta● , vnde catallorum gazas spoliavit ●or●m . englished thus , when first this king began to take the scepter in his hand the lawes he breaks , an earthquake great befel within his land , great wars did then this land oppress and people did rebell , the time doth yet bewail the w●es as chronicles doe tell . the grave advice of aged wise he did reject and leave , and unto dolts , and giddy colts great audience he ▪ give their goods and lands into his hands he taketh for his own , but they would not abide that lot , as time did make it known . quis cordatas dicat stellas & come● annis , , , , , , ● , , , , . nihil signif● care ? quis dicat deum frustra aliqu● facere . h. alsted . bapt. laurus pp. vrban . . a cubicu● edist . . coelum tot facibus , quasi linguis ● pertius numquam antia proloquitur . will they say god made these fo● ornament ? every eclipse is defect us they may aswell say an earthquak● that turns mountains upon cities ● an ornament to the earth , such as tha● was which fell the same year ● wherein the last blasing star was whereof i my self know one mr. robert hatley of maulden in bedfordshire then an eye witness , and whereof calvisius saith thus : in montana grisonum regione terrae motus factus est , & mons summae magnitu● dinis aug. . subcrepusculum vespe●● num commotus tantam subito ruina● fecit sub pluravicus ( my friend calls i● plowers ) cum edificiis templis pala●●isque egregiis exornatus dicto çitius cu●●ominibus . ab ortus fuerit , & ne ●vestigium ullum conspiciendam amplius ●eliquerit . or was that star of fiery foot-ball what to call it i know not , that came july the , to shithington in bedfordshire , the young men having appointed a match at foot-ball with luton , and to meet in the midway to get together , they goe to ring , in the midst of their zeale comes this star , first up a narrow lane to the church-yard , where it overthrew a little maid named hester , but did her no harm : it comes unto the church-porch where it overthrows on mr. malineux , and took the ring off his finger , it goes into the church where mr. parrat the minister was praying at the corner of the mid-alley , it past him and did him no harm , it goes into the belfree , layes dead every one of the ringers , it strikes against the wall and breakes to pieces , whereon fell such thunder , rain , and lightning as i never heard before : the first that came to live again , was one kitchiner a shoemaker & kindsman of mine , all recovered save one deare that made the foot-ball , who never revived , was this star an ornament either to heaven or earth . i think all the paper in the town will no t hold what i can say for it , if time an d meanes would serue . now i am in i cannot get out , but i will not write one word more of this , and yet i cannot leave off , but i must needs have a question or two more : and answer an objection or two of dr. wendilius , who is picus his head scholler , and thereon quotes him in divers places ▪ but withall betrayes both himself and his master , to have small skill in astrology , and therefore i may well say , scienti● nullum habe● inimicum prae●er ignorantem . he writes in page , that if ♄ be of ♏ and ♃ in the of ♉ then platick they are in an ☍ though deg. distant from a partile , whereas the largest orbs that are given by any are but deg. to ♄ and to ♃ , and some give but to either , as himself for example page ● line . now in a dexter aspect they must be within half the raie● of both added , viz. within , but in a sinister within ½ the degrees of the applier which is but at the most , so that where he gives deg. it is more by then the whole orbs of both joyned , so that this is as far as york●rom london of being any aspect at ●ll . and in another example , if ♃ be in ♈ , and ☿ in ♉ , that is a pla●icke sextile , whereas indeed it is ●ust as neer a semis●xtile as a sextile , ●s neer d. as ♉ , and if we com●are these examples with his rule , ●e can do no lesse then conclude that ●e puts no difference between a pla●ick ⚹ , and a partil □ : nay between a platick △ , and a partil □ : the one 〈◊〉 aspect of perfect amitie , the other ●f perfect enmitie ; for if there be no ●ounds to aspects ; as neither his rule ●hich is this , page , platicum ap●llarant , appelo he should have said , ●r else , appellamus , his mr. pacus and ●imselfe , cum à stella adsttellam , plu●s vel pau●iores , partes quàm aspectus , ●antit as numerantur . now if there ●ay be two more then the summe of both or as in the dexter , and as in the sinister , then both by his rule and examples there are no bounds , and so no distinction of aspects . alas , good wendiline thou mu●● to thy crosse row again for astrology , and get thee a better master the●picus , least the blind lead the blind● i dare undertake neither of you bot● know what this character ⚺ of a semisextile meaneth , if you had yo● would never have called that a ⚹ no marvel thē that though you trie● you did toto coelo errare , and coul● never find truth in it , and that mak● you think there is no truth in the art , because there is no truth in you● work . why may you not better den● that hearbs were ever created fo● physick , rather then the stars f● signes ? since in their very ordinatio●gen . . . the stars are expressely sai● to be both for lights and for signe● not for seasons , as picus , wendilin● and gauh would have them , helpi● god with a lie , and making a no● of wax of his word , but for signes a● for seasons , but as for hearbs in the same chapter v. . there such hearbs as have seed in themselves , are appointed to man for meat , and in verse the , every green hearb for food for cattel . now if that be a good reason that because the stars are made for lights and for signes of seasons , therefore not for signes and seasons , notwithstanding the word is expresse for signes and seasons . i may more safely reason thus , god creates the hearbs for food , and will you turn them to physick ? where is your warrant ? you know what is said of the holy writings exo. . . whosoever useth it to any other purpose then that which it was made for must be cut off . yet you will use hearbs for physick that were made for food , & will not use the stars for signs wch were made for signes . also if it be unlawful to use the stars for signes , ( i mean astrology ) because the chaldeans and egyptians used enchantments with it : ergo , it is unlawful for them to use hearbs for physick , because witches and conjurers use enchantments with them : yea even in the very gathering of them , this is just like many that cry out against english construing books for children , yet they themselves will use them for greek , hebrew , french , spanish , and italian . besides that , where can you produce any one place of canonical scripture where ever they were commanded to be used in physick . and therefore no marvel , though there was a time when physick was as much cried down as astrology is now . besides that it is as likely that physicians in curing any disease , make a secret compact with the devils and more then astrologers , for it is certain that together with a green ointment which cures all diseases new and old , hot and cold , they have their charmes for tooth-ake , for biting with a mad dog , for the falling sicknesse , convulsion fit , &c. again it experience will doe nothing in astrology , what reason besides experience can be given that such an hearb should cure sucha disease . if any could be given , phisicians might quickly learne to cure all diseases . or if that be so as they say , that if an astrologer doth not know , both all the stars and the nature of them , he cannot give a right judgment . where is that physician , that b●tomist , that chiru●geon , that knows all hearbs , plants , trees , minerals , and drugs , together with their natures useful in physick , who can give the reason why an ivy lease should stay the bleeding of a wound though never so fast , that it should stay it at the first touch ? surely you will say , if an astrologer layes it on , that he did it by secret compact with the devil , as some great professors told me long before i knew what astrology ment , that because in surveying i could tell distances before i measured them , that i could do it by no good meanes , and that i scandalized the gospel by it wishing me either to give it over , or my profession . and how know you that such an hearb is in such a degree of heat , or of cold ? physicians differ as much about them as astrologers about astrology . besides physitians may use astrology , but no other , hypoc●ates and galen may doe without controlment : or any other physician in his critical dayes , a physician hath as much priviledge in this as a priest to keep a concubine . and the truth is , a physician without it , is scarce half a physician , for i dare boldly say , that a physician working mathematically will three to one tell both the state of the disease , the place afflicted , and the danger of death , or hope of recovery , without failing ▪ one , to the urine thrice , witnesse dr. napier , ●lias sands , brother to the famous lord napier , of scotland , first inventer of logarithms , who was minister of linford in buckinghamshire and withall practising physick , and with whom i have often been for physick , who continually used both the urine and erected a figure also ▪ not for the time of decumbiture for in chronical diseases few know that : but as a horary question ▪ who being demanded by mr. bowles of sutton , and mr. wilson of hawnes , successor to the famous brightman , both for place and vertues , what truth he found in his figure ( for of the lawfulnesse they doubted not ) his answer was , that where his figure deceived him once , the urine did it ten times , and that sometime they would speak quite contrary things : but he always found in his figure most truth . and for that the urine would not shew many things that the figure would , as about women with child . and this mr. wilson told me ▪ of whom i was an often hearer , and that time did scruple astrology very much , and this answer he told me , satisfied both mr. bowles and him . and i fully believe , the urine will not tell whether a woman be with child or no , upon this ground . my wife practising midwifery , and going into kent , to lay a daughter of hers , one mr. sparks wife , minister of cooling , whiles she was there ▪ another gentlewoman not far of , who had been in labour a week together , who having three midwives with her , two gave her over , the third hearing of my wife , comes to her , acquaints her with the businesse , and craved her assistance , to whom she consented , together they went , and finding the gentlewoman disconsolate without hope of life , yet committed her self to my wife , who finding no such danger as the other feared , bids her be of good comfort for she doubted not but all would be well quickly , the word was no sooner spoken , but in comes a messenger whom they had sent to dr. caesar of rochester , forbidding the women to use any more ado , for she was not in labour ▪ ( no ? quoth my wife , i see then the doctor hath no skill ) and i doubt not but by gods goodnesse it shall appear within this quarter of this hour , and accordingly it fell out presently , god gave a save deliverance both of woman and child , and the woman mended quickly after . if an astrologer should commit such an errour , it would be recorded against him to all posterity . and whereas wendeline objects that an astrologer can not give a right judgment because he knowes ●ot the true number and nature of all the stars . i confesse indeed sometimes the most skilful of all misse , both of astrologers and physicians . but what shall wendeline doe then , that knoweth not what an aspect is or his master picus ? but though men doe not know all the stars and ●earbs now , yet adam knew all , but ●n him we lost it , we have still the ●parks we know now but in part , so that god made them not in vain in respect of their significations . therefore i end this argument with this , that like as in phy●ick art ●ut of the knowledge of causes , signes ●nd effects ariseth the art both of ●udging & foretelling many changes and alterations of mens bodies , ●ea even of death it self : yet this is ●onfest to be free from superstition , because it is the meditation of the divine works : so in this divining art ●udging by the position and nature of the stars of the causes , signes , and effects , what other is the consideration ●ereof then the beholding the divine works of god ? and therefore as worthy the name of an art free from all superstition as physick without astrology is , and far more , for physick cannot well exist without astrology , but astrology can without physick . besides , i wonder they should approve it in hypocrates , and condemn it in all others . and whereas w●ndoline thinks he hath wonne bullen , or rather defended it against two or three of our breaches with his one bulwark , this one distinction that the causes of all things either came by necessity , or by contingency , thinking thereby that because he knowes we maintain as litle necessity in them as himself , therefore he would fain denie all influence and inclination of the stars at all , for my part i hold that the principal cause of all is god himself who sometimes indeed works alone by himself , by stirring up principal motions in the minds of mens wherein the inclinations of the stars have no place , but proceed immediately from god such as in david , who immediately was indued with singular courage and stirred up by gods spirit to fight with goliah . a second cause is mans free will , which either followes or resists the temperament of the body . this free will of man should govern the stars which both can and ought both by meditation , invocation , the fear of god , and daily exercise , bridle , correct and take away invading evils , and ingendred vices , least that common song prove true , natura sequitur semina quisque suae . so that we maintain no necessity that nero , caligula , or anthony , were compelled to commit their wicked acts , but this we hold , fata mover● deus tollere fata potest , and that the will especially being holpen from above , yea even its owne power may avoid many such inclinations of the stars , though it be seldome done . a third cause is the divel himself , who doth often involve the wretched minds of men in this so great infirmitie in horid wickednesse . and thus nero's fury riseth not onely out 〈◊〉 his temperament , but he also earnstl● affecting it , and being in love wit● pleasures and covetousnesse is mor● and more instigated of the devil ▪ and he himself forcing it forward● is become much worse then his ow● nature though otherwise bad enough of it self gave him to be . and 〈◊〉 an innumerable company of men ▪ who together with the helpe of the stars are of very good natures mos● horribly rush into such wickednesse ▪ whole facts and events are not to b● referred to coelestial causes and the will of man . whether is it possible or whether is it lawful for one to tell of one that died this very hour miles off . this is not a foretelling , but an● aftertelling , but such a one as exceeds the common apprehension of man . if you say it is impossible , i proove it thus , i teaching a school at hitchi● in hartfordshere , about anno ● ▪ where amongst others , i teaching three of one mr. christopher butler● children of stapleford neer hartford , who inviting me to keep my christmas with them , i being there discour●ing with his wife , a godly gentlewoman , she told me she was the famous doctor foxes grand-child , that wrote the book of martyrs , and withall told me this story of him , that he being beyond sea at the time of the death of queen mary as he was preaching , about the midst of his sermon he stood still a pretty while and paused , in●omuch that the people marveiled , by and by he stands up , and utters these words : my brethren , i can do no lesse then impart unto you what the spirit of god hath now revealed to me , that this very hour queen mary is dead in england , and so it proved . and further she told me of an old man ( then alive that heard him , ) which thing i being there at whit-suntide following meeting there with him he did constantly affirm . and i fully beleeve sr. ken●elme digby her neer kinsman can say more in it then i have done . and thus much and a great deale more is recorded of him of the like kind , in a book intitled the lives of holy men of these latter times . now if you say that he did this by revelation , our church will condemn you for an heritick . if you say they are all deceived , i ask why may not a few of you more easily be mistaken in point of astrology then all of them in point of revelation . again , if you say he did it by astrology , then you not onely confesse that you denied all this while that an astrologer can not tell true . wendol●ne page , but it is either by some compact with the divel or by his secret instinct whereon he quotes aug. lib. . cap. de civitat . de● . i say , as much credit is to be given to doctor fox as to augustin . dare you or augustine either , if he were living , say doctor fox did it either by compact of the devil ▪ surely if you say that he casts out devils through beelzebub we lesser punies must not take it a mis , however you raile of us . what i pray you is becomge of mercury , when saw you him , sure he is but an ill servant to you that will scarce be feen three times in a twelve moneth , he alwayes hides himself that seldome or never he will hold the caldle unto you , yet i beleeve that is all the work you have to set him on , other service he doth you little . they count him a great astronomer , but i doubt he will scarce tell when begins spring , summer , autumn , or winter , nor when sunday comes , nor yet whether easter-day will fall on the sunday this year or no , me thinks such a servant should be small ornament to your house , and my thinks such idle fellowes as will no wayes doe you good . if you love to keep such , god send you enough of them . when he was my servant , you see he is pictur'd with wings . if i sent him presently he would fly to heaven . if i were casting a nativity , he would straight bring me word whether the child would be a good mathematician , and whether he would prove ingenious or not , and of this he never failed me , if he had , i would never have owned him but have blotted him out of the number of my servants for ever . lastly , is it not the constant tene● of all divines that that doctrin● which makes most for the glory of god , that is the truest doctrine , that this is such appeareth thus : what was the reason the chaldeans and egyptians worshipped the whole host of heaven , but this that generally they were astrologians , and that by their skill they found out their wonderful effects and operations , and withall not knowing the maker of them went as far as their knowledge led them to worship the creature in stead of the creator . and what can more move a christian astrologer to admire the wisedome , the glory , the bounty and goodnesse of god , that knows there is a god that made them , then this it will enforce him with david to say , lord , when i consider the sun , moon , and stars the works of thy hands , especially in their uses , what is mā thē that thou shouldst once remember him to make him little inferiour to the angels ? to crown him with glory in making so many glorious lights not onely to give him ●ight both day & night & to distinguish ●easons ; but infinitely more when he considers gods mercy and goodness , in sending such heralds and embas●adours to tell wife men of a plague a far of that they may hide themselves . but as for the christian astrologer to whom god reveals this magnalia dei , & makes him in stead of a prophet amongst the people , i know not what to make of him if he should not cry out , and say , i thank thee o father ▪ lord of heaven and earth , that thou hast hid these things from the wise , and prudent , and hast revealed them to me a babe and a suckling , and , me thinks , i can but wonder that such a one shall not at one time or other in the consideration and meditation thereof be as it were ravisht in spirit , and in some measure to think himself with paul taken up into the third heaven , and to feele such joy as salomon saith a stranger shal not meddle withal . but this is the reason that the divines are so mistaken , your taking things upon trust one of another without examination . i remember that this was the reason that m. wilson beforenamed , gave to one ms. hatley , who desiring of him the reason why that doctrine of the return of the jews to jerusalem should lie hid and altogether unknown till mr. brightman found it out : gave her ( as i say ) this the onely cause thereof , never was there that divine known to this day , that can be prooved to have had any good knowledge in astrology , that ever wrote against it , and therefore i conclude with that in judges , first consider , then consult , and last of all give sentence . all that i have yet spoken with finding no use for divers stars , here especially mercury are driven to this that there may be use for them in the world of the moon , let us therefore essay to take that away also and to leave them no colour for it . si● probo . where christ never redeemed any , god never created any . but christ never redeemed any in the moon . ergo the major ▪ thus god never created any reasonable creature , viz. angels or men , but he in his secret election created , or at least permitted some to proove vessels or instruments to glorifie his mercies , others to glorifie his justice , but such god created not in the moon . ergo , where christ redeemed no elect , god created n●ne elect , but christ redeemed none there . ergo . the minor thus . christ redeemed none but the seed of adam , and such as were lost in his fall . cor. . v. . . or thus , christ redeemed none but in that world in which he was both born , lived , and did miracles , and suffered , but none of these he did in the moon , for as it had been injustice in god to have cast off adam for the fall of the angels in another world so neither shall the fall of angels nor of adam be imputed to them to ther condemnation , nor yet any actions of christ here to their salvation . as man sinned , so christ must be made man , as man sinned in this world , so christ must become a man and suffer for man in this world not in heaven , much lesse in the moon for us , nor here for those in the moon . neither did christ die anywhere else but here , for he died but once , heb. . . and where is now the man in the moon ? but grant it , yet mercury is as seldome in the moon as here , by reason of his proximity to the sun . but they say each star is a several world , neither doth mendeline content himself with , but saith they are infinitely more , now if christ must suffer once for each star , how many times must he suffer in all . he had better content himself with the redemption of one , then be troubed with so many . suppose there be but of them , and that each of them cost him but years time in redeeming , it will take him up years , which in the judgment of most , if he ●ad begun as soone as adam had fell ●ould have took him up as much ●ime as the lasting of five worlds one ●fter another , heb. . . look where the same reason o ●overnment holds , there the sams ●dministration . but the same reasone ●olds with them as with us . ergo . if each world should have a seve●al government and there can be but ●ne best , then god did not order all ●y the best . but god did order all ●y the best , ergo ; sun , moon , stars ●nd earth , are ordered all by the ●ame government . but there is but ●ne faith , one christ , one baptisme , ●nd thus christ died but once , and in he earth , and for the seed of adam onely , ergo . there is one rowland who hath lately wrote against astrology , but all that he hath of his own is not worth the naming , onely to make up his book , he comes at last to quote some arguments of mr. perkins against it , where two especially are mr. perkins own , the rest are common with others , and answered before . the first is , that men have more trust to it then to gods word , and thereupon if the astrologer tell them by a figure that corne will be dear such a year , they will hard it up till it rot : i answer , that though i ingenuosly confesse mr. perkins to have been a worthy divine of his time , and one whom i ever reverenced , and further to be , as i verily think , the best skild in astrology of all that ever wrote against it , yet he is but a man and subject to errour as well as others , and one that divers good divines will beg leave to dessent from in some of his tenents as first the unlawfulnesse of cock-fightings , and dog-fightings . secondly , that it is unlawful to buy an almanack , because if that saith grain will ●e dear , it makes men trust in it and ●listruft god , i can not deny , but if ●ny shall doe so as to put any abso●ute confidence in an almanack or ●igure they greatly sin , because there ●s in them a possibility of errour , for ●everal occasions before alledged : so ●s there not in gods word ; yet there may be a kind of trust ( i doubt not ) ●n some measure , or perswasion at ●east of the truth of the almanack or figure by how much the more experience i have had of the truth of the ●ike or the same mans making before . for suppose i owe l. to be paid upon bond the first day of april , to such a one as i am sure will ●tand upon the forefeiter , but i have ● trusty tenant that never failes me , ●ut payes me l. rent the or of march , at furthest , will not any one rather trust to such a tenant , though there be a possibility of fail●ng as by thieves , fire , &c ) rather then ●o borrow it elsewhere , or sell commodities to lesse ? neither can i think but according to josephs example , it is lawful in a plentiful time with the one to lay up against a time of scarcity . the other of mr. perkins quoted by the said rowland , is concerning a rule used by some astrologers concerning the time when the effects of an eclipse begins , which is this : observe at the middle of the eclipse how far the luminary eclipsed , is distant from its rising , and how long it continueth above the horizon , then reduce them into minutes , and say by the golden rule : if the whole continuance of the luminarie eclipsed give dayes , what shall its time from the rising give ? the time hereby found , say some , is the time of the beginning of the effects . but mr. perkins there reckons many several eclipses whose effects , ( of his own knowledge ) began presently after the eclipses . where note , that we need no stronger witness to prove that eclipses have their effects ▪ and that these effects are found by astrology , deny it they that can , and for my part , i am of his mind , for the time of the beginning of the effects , and so is origanus and so is mr. wings ephemeris . yet let me answer one objection more , which is this . though in erecting of figures you doe not work by the devil , yet they that come to you doe beleeve you doe . i aske , must i give over my calling of a surveyor or inginee● because some great professors thinking ( because i could tell distances without measuring them ) that i wrought by the devil ? and thereon moved me to either leave it or my profession of the gospel , for i was a scandal to it . or must our saviour christ give over casting out devils , because some thought he wrought by beelzebub , yet i would have none so bold to tell the effects of eclipses or great conjunctions before they fall , least they misse of the time when they will fall , as lilly did , for as k●pler saith , it is hard ●o hit . near the beginning of this letter i spake a word or two in commendation of sr. christopher heydens book , and that i would fain see that answered . it hath been mine hap very lately to see a book coming under the name of one vicars b. d. as if he were a bachelor of divinity . but if that can be called an answer , certainly it is so strange an answer , that it gives me as little satisfaction as rowland● book , that promised in the beginning of it to answer sr. christopher in the end of it : but he would first answer an other : which by that time he had done answering him , mr. finis called him away , that he could never attend to answer him since . just so deale● mr. vicars , he promiseth in his title page great matters : but truly so far as i read ( which was more then ● quartern ) i may well say : parturiunt m●rtes nas●●tur ridiculu● inus . much is promised , but nothing performed . i read till i was weary , stil● expecting some arguments tha● should either disproove the lawfulnesse of astrology in general : or a●●east something that sir christopher●ad defended . but i found my expe●tation failed me : for all that time ●o far was spent against conjurers , witches ▪ charmers , inchanters , and ●uch as observe the flying of birds are ●uch as look into the river , as if sir chr●s●opher had mainteined these ●hings . i● you did it not to make the world believe so , truly you have ●aken a great deale of paines , but nihil ●d thumbum , you may as well tax m●●es as sir christopher for these things . again , you say , you have known ●ome were such dunses in the univer●ities that being fit for no learning , hey then set upon astrology , that hey may have the devils help in it , ●hough you speak never so mystically ●et i have a sound witness , even your ●wn conscience , that you would make ●en believe sr. christopher to be such ● one . i● he be not such a one , why do ●ou speak it ? if he be such a one speak ●lain english , a man may more easily ●e●end himself from a masty dog that flies at his face , then from a little whirpet that bites one by the heeles ▪ truly , sir , this is but backbiting at the best , far unbeseeming the profession of a divine , neither , is it the breach of the least commandement though it were , yet if you teach men so , you are unfit for the kingdome o● god . besides this , whether he be more in wealth , or poor in gifts , the wise man tels you , he that despiset● the poor , reprocheth him that made him . he could have made him wise and you foolish . but what is this to the matter ? this is onely against the man . besides this . how common a thing is it throughout your book , to call him , my gentleman , my gentleman . hath king james m●de him a knight , and will you degrade him and make him but a gentleman ? sir i am sure if i should call you so would you not take it as ir●nically spoken , and is this to fulfill the royal law of liberty to doe as you would be done to . quod tibi fier● non vis ●lteri ne feceris . but whether this will beare an action in the court of honour , i leave to others to judg . non nostram inter vos tant●s componere late 's . am sure it will beare an action in he high court of heaven . but sure 〈◊〉 his shews that learned king , king iames , that great enemy to astrolo●ie , whom you so boast of , saw more ● him then astrology , though you ●ee it not : otherwise he would never have made him a knight , for that he was so great an enemy , to pretenders ●e did it after he had wrote his book gainst mr. chambers , for the bookes ●ake , as i believe , rather that it was so , for that i have seen king james●uoted in defence of astrology , whatsoever you say . but here is ●othing yet against the matter . oney it argues a wrangling spirit , and you know what the apostle saith : if any man lust to be contentious we have no such custome neither have the churches of christ , for the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousness of god . but a meek spirit is a thing before god much set by . again , that that hath any seeming shew to be against the matter , you altogether desire to draw from a confession of approving that which neither he nor m●ses , nor any honest astrologer will approve of ▪ as concerning his definition of astrology , he sets it down as he mainteins it : you as the chaldeans used it , so that because you can pick no hole in his coat for his astrology , therefore you quarrel against the chaldeans astrology . go tell the chaldeans of it , what is that to sr christopher , it argues a wrangling spirit ? again , how often boiles that crambe of yours , concerning the prediction of the death of henry ii. king of france , upon a certain day , by a wound in his head , by a conjurer : if a conjurer , what is that to astrology ? but i pray how did doctor fox tell that queen mary died that very hour in england he being in germany ? or mr. brightman , the downfall of the bishops ? doe you think they did it by help of the devil ? i confesse , i have found it the rash judgement of some , that if they see any excellency in any thing that their shallow reach cannot aprehend . because mount taurus shadows the bull of lemnos , though miles off , they would have it removed if they could . but , sir , still you charge sir christopher with other mens tenents . i do not think that you can prove , that ever he predicted the very day of any mans death : if he did , you might have done well to have quoted the page , and not put us to read all his book , and yet misse of it when we have done , and you to mock us for our labour ? yet we see physicians do ●t sometimes , though perhaps more ●y help of astrology then any phy●ical notions . if hip●crates , or gallen , ●ell you of such a thing you will not ●ay they work by the devil , but sci●●tia nu●lum habet inimicum pr●ter ign●●ant●m , yet this i will say , it is posi●le out of a mans nativity to give a ●hrewd conjecture of such a thing , ●erhaps within a moneth or a week , perhaps within a day , & why not ● same day . yea , & whether he shall● a violent death or no ▪ i pray , sir , h●● you any skill in astrology or not ? you have not , then i say you kno● as little what you say as they did the condemne me for working by 〈◊〉 divel , for telling distances before had measured them : yet they 〈◊〉 honest men too . but if you have sk● you either got it by help of the devi● as you say , others doe , or else by reading the rules & aphoris●●es of ● as we doe . which if that be wor●ing by the devil in us ; it is so in yo● also . but if it be lawful to read 〈◊〉 rules ( or else how shall you be ab● to confute them ) sir , if you wi● vouchsafe to take a little mo● paines , i doubt not but yo● your se● shall easily be able to give a ver● neer conjecture of almost as great thing . then if you find the reaso● in the one you may doe it in the other . and having done , i pray the● tell me where lies the errour , let the question be how king charles com● to be beheaded , and that time , 〈◊〉 january , / . he was born in scotland anno nov. hora ′ p. m. latitudo loci medium coeli . is ♉ the r. oculus ♉ and the △ of ☽ being both in ♊ ′ if you direct m. c. to them being both together and both signifying preferment especially oculus ♉ , as you may see in the rules of directions the r. of oculus ♉ being . if thence you take the r. a. of m. c. . the art of directions is . which gives in time years and somewhat more . likewise ☾ in . of ♎ makes her △ dexter in ▪ of ♊ , the r. as . thereof is . , whence take . rests . ; which is a little less then ocu . ♉ , but both are years , which added to the year of his birth , being come to his kingdom mar. , . and if you have skill as you pretend to have , doth not the direction of m. c to the □ of ♃ tell you nothing of the difference between him and the parliament , anno . and can you gather nothing out of m. c. to the sesquiquadrant of ♄ concerning the many battels fought in anno . and notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a e- see more in the end of the book . master gaule , of great staugton in huntingtonshire . rom. . , ▪ . rom . v. , . ●●b . , . rom. . , . strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy, learned, and excellent james usher, late l. arch-bishop of armagh ... giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland ..., ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state, iii. the death of king charles the first, iv. his own poverty and want, v. the divisions in england in matters of religion ... / written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth ... ussher, james, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy, learned, and excellent james usher, late l. arch-bishop of armagh ... giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland ..., ii. the confusions and miseries of england in church and state, iii. the death of king charles the first, iv. his own poverty and want, v. the divisions in england in matters of religion ... / written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth ... ussher, james, - . person who heard it from this excellent person's own mouth. p. printed for r.g., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng ussher, james, - . prophecies. great britain -- church history -- th century -- prophecies. great britain -- history -- stuarts, - -- prophecies. ireland -- history -- rebellion of -- prophecies. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion strange and remarkable prophesies and predictions of the holy , learned , and excellent james usher , late l. arch-bishop of armagh , and lord primate of ireland . giving an account of his foretelling i. the rebellion in ireland forty years before it came to pass . ii. the confusions and miseries of england , in church and state. iii. the death of king charles the first . iv. his own poverty and want . v. the divisions in england in matters of religion . lastly , of a great and terrible persecution which shall fall upon the reformed churches by the papists , wherein the then pope should be chiefly concerned . written by the person who heard it from this excellent persons own mouth , and now publisht earnestly to perswade us to that repentance and reformation which can only prevent our ruin and destruction . and the lord said , shall i hide from abraham the thing which i do ? gen. . . licensed , november the th . london , printed for r. g. . strange and remarkable predictions of that holy , learned , and excellent bishop , james usher late lord primate of ireland . the author of the life of this excellent and worthy primate and arch-bishop , gives an account , that among other extraordinary gifts and graces , which it pleased the almighty to bestow upon him , he was wonderfully endued with a spirit of prophecy , whereby he gave out several true predictions and prophesies of things a great while before they came to pass , whereof some we have seen fulfilled , and others remain yet to be accomplished . and though he was one that abhor'd enthusiastick notions , being too learned , rational , and knowing , to admit of such idle freaks and whimsies . yet he profest , that several times in his life he had many things imprest upon his mind , concerning future events , with so much warmness and importunity , that he was not able to keep them secret , but lay under an unavoidable necessity to make them known . from which spirit he foretold the irish rebellion forty years before it came to pass , with the very time when it should break forth , in a sermon preached in dublin in . where from ezek ▪ . . discoursing concerning the prophets bearing the iniquity of judah forty days , the lord therein appointed a day for a year : he made this direct applycation in relation to the connivance at popery at that time . from this year ( says he ) will i reckon the sin of ireland , that those whom you now imbrace , shall be your ruin , and you shall bear this iniquity . which prediction proved exactly ture , for from that time , to the year , was just forty years , in which it is notoriously known , that the rebellion and destruction of ireland happened , which was acted by those popish priests , and other papists , which were then connived at . and of this sermon the bishop reserved the notes , and put a note thereof in the margent of his bible ; and for years before , he still lived in the expectation of the fulfilling thereof : and the nearer the time was , the more confident he was , that it was near accomplishment , though there was no visible appearance of any such thing : and ( sayes dr. bernard ) the year before the rebellion broke forth , the bishop taking his leave of me , being then going from ireland to england , he advised me to a serious preparation ; for i should see heavy sorrows and miseries , before i saw him again ; which he delivered with as great confidence , as if he had seen it with his eyes : which seems to verify that of the prophet , amos . . surely , the lord will do nothing , but he will reveal it to his servants , the prophets . from this spirit of prophesie , he fore-saw the changes and miseries of england in church and state ; for having in one of his books , ( called de prim , eccl. brit. ) given a larg account of the destruction of the church and state of the brittains , by the saxons , about years after christ : he gives this among other reasons , why he insisted so largely upon it ; that he fore-saw , that a like judgment was yet behind , if timely repentance and reformation did not prevent it : and he would often mourn upon the fore-sight of this , long before it came . from this spirit he gave mournful intimations of the death of our late soveraign , charles the first ; of whom he would be often speaking with fear and trembling , even when the king had the greatest success : and would therefore constantly pray , and gave all advice possible , to prevent any such thing . from this spirit he fore-saw his own poverty in worldly things ; and this he would often speak of , with admiration to the hearers , when he was in his greatest prosperity ; which the event did most certainly verify . from this spirit he predicted the divisions and confusions in england in matters of religion , and the sad consequences thereof ; some of which we have seen fulfill'd : and i pray god , the rest which he feared , may not also be accomplished upon us . lastly , from this spirit he fore-told , that the greatest stroke upon the reformed churches was yet to come ; and that the time of the utter ruin of the see of rome , should be when she thought her self most secure : and as to this last , i shall add a brief account from the persons own hand , who was concerned therein ; which followeth in these words : the year before this learned and holy primate , a. bishop usher dyed , i went to him , and earnestly desired him , to give me in writing his apprehensions concerning justification , and sanctification by christ ; because i had formerly heard him preach upon those points , wherein he seemed to make those great mysteries more intelligible to my mean capacity , than any thing which i had ever heard from any other : but because i had but an imperfect and confused remembrance of the particulars , i took the boldness to importune him , that he would please to give a brief account of them in writing ; whereby i might the better imprint them in my memory ; of which he would willingly have excused himself , by declaring his intentions of not writing any more : adding , that if he did write any thing , it should not exceed above a sheet or two : but upon my continued importunity , i at last obtained his promise . he coming to town some time after , was pleased to give me a visit at my own house ; where i failed not to challenge the benefit of the promise he had made me : he replyed ; that he had not writ , and yet he could not charge himself with any breach of promise : for ( said he ) i did begin to write ; but when i came to write of sanctification , that is , of the new creature , which god formeth by his spirit in every soul , which he doth truly regenerate , i found so little of it wrought in my self , that i could speak of it only as parrots by rote , & without the knowledge & under standing of what i might have exprest ; & therefore , i durst not presume to proceed any further upon it . and when i seemed to stand amazed , to hear such an humble confession from so great and experienced a christian , he added ; i must tell you , we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are ; it is no less then for a man to be brought to an entire resignation of his will to the will of god , and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt offering to christ , and how little ( says he ) are many of those who profess christianity experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls . by this discourse , i conceived he had very excellently and clearly discovered to me that part of sanctification which he was unwilling to write . i then presumed to enquire of him what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of god in these nations of england , scotland , and ireland , of which this reverend primate had spoken with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement . i asked him whether he did believe those sad times to be past , or that they were yet to come , to which he answered , that they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it , as ever he had done , adding , that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of europe ; i replyed , that i did hope it might have been past as to these nations of ours , since i thought , that though we , who are the people thereof , have been punished much less than our sins have deserved , and that our late wars had made far less devastations , then war commonly brings upon those countries where it pleaseth god in judgement to suffer it ; yet we must needs acknowledge , that many great houses had been burnt , ruined , and left without inhabitants , many great families impoverished and undone , and many thousand lives also had been lost in that bloody war , and that ireland and scotland , as well as england , had drunk very deep of the cup of gods anger , even to the overthrow of the government , and the utter desolation almost of a very great part of those countries . but this holy man , turning to me , and fixing his eyes upon me with that serious and ireful look which he usually had when he spake gods word and not his own ; and when the power of god seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , which i could easily discern much to differ from the countenance where with he usually spake to me ; he said thus . fool not your self with such hopes , for i tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ , who will ere long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has upon them ; and therefore ( said he to me ) look you be not found in the outward court , but a worshipper in the temple before the altar , for christ will measure all those that profess his name , & call themselves his people ; & the outward worshippers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court ( says he ) is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life & power of faith and love , uniting them to christ , and these god will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the gentiles ; but the worshippers within the temple and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts , and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him ; and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings ; and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceding persecutions ; for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer most , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal profesors , but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over-past . i then asked him by what means or instruments this great tryal should be brought on . he answered , by the papists ; i replyed , that it seemed to me very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these nations , and that the hearts of the people were more set against them then ever since the reformation . he answered again , that it would be by the hands of papists , and in the way of a suddain massacree ; and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it . all this he spake with so great assurance , and with the same serious and concerned countenance , which i have before observed him to have ▪ when i have heard him soretell some things which in all humane appearence were very unlikely to come to pass , which yet i my self have lived to see happen according to his prediction , and this made me give the more earnest attention to what he then uttered . he then added , that the papists were in his opinion the gentiles spoken of in the th of the revelations , to whom the outward court should be left , that they might tread it underfoot ; they having received the gentiles worship in their adoring images , and saints departed , and in taking to themselves many mediators ; and this ( said he ) the papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . this was the substance , & i think ( for the greatest part ) the very same words which this holy man spake to me at the time beforementioned not long before his death , and which i writ down , that so great and notable a prediction might not be lost and forgotten by my self nor others . this gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter the lady tyrril , and that with many tears , and much about the same time that he had exprest what is aforesaid to me , and which the lady tyrril assured me of with her own mouth , to this purpose . that opening the door of his chamber , she found him with his eyes lift up to heaven , and the tears running a pace down his cheeks , and that he seemed to be in an extasie , wherein he continued for about half an hour , not taking the least notice of her , though she came into the room , but at last turning to her , he told her , that his thoughts had been taken up about the miseries and persecutions that were coming upon the churches of christ , which would be so sharp ●●d bitter , that the contemplation of them had fetched those tears from his eyes , and that he hoped he should not live to see it , but possibly she might , for it was even at the door ; therefore take heed ( says he ) that you be not found sleeping . the same things he also repeated to the lady bysse , wife to the present lord chief baron of ireland , but with adding this circumstance , that if they brought back the king , it might be delayed a little longer , but ( sayd he ) it will surely come , therefore be sure to look that you be not found unprepared for it . to conclude in the words of dr. bernard , speaking of this excellent person . now howsoever i am as far from heeding of prophesies this way as any , yet with me it is not improbable , that so great a prophet , so sanctified from his youth , so knowing & eminent throughout the universal church , might have at some special times more then ordinary motions and impulses in doing the watchmans part , of giving warning of judgments approaching . finis .