Now that the whole world might take notice and discerne when this Sealed Prophesie shall be opened the time is more then once repeated even at the time is more then once repeated even at the time of the end when the King of the South shall push at the King of the North and the King of the North shall come against him like a Whirle-winde for till then though many shall run too and fro by the Art of Navigation discovering an other Hemisphere Sayling by the Compasse and the Needle found out by expert men and knowledge increased furnishing Magnificent Libraries with printed Bookes By which two Arts chiefly the Gospell shall bee published to all Nations yet the Character of this Booke shall not bee read till the time of the end which time is easie to be knowne even without the Notice of the yeares closed vp in this Booke where Eagles are gathered together you suppose some Carcasse to be there The Fig-tree when her Branch is yet tender and putteth forth her leaues ye know that Summer is neere Ierusalem when it was compassed with Armies the Desolation was nigh In like manner when yee see these things come to passe fore-told you know the end is nie even at the dore But of the day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells that are in Heaven neither the Sonne but the Father the accompt in this Booke of note being by Centuries of yeares Then I DANIEL looked and behold there stood other Two the two Oliue Trees the Tree of Life either of them bearing Twelue manner of Fruites the Two Witnesses into whom after Three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of Life from God entred and they stood vpon their feet The one on this side of the banke of the River and the other on that side of the bank of the River The foūdations of the wall of the City Iesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone And one said to the man clothed in Linnen that was vpon the waters of the Rivers that cryed with a loude voyce as when a Lyon Roareth Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome of Israell how long shall it be to the end of these wonders or tell vs when these things shall bee and what shall bee the signe of thy comming and of the end of the world And he held vp his right hand and his left hand to Heaven shewing his Resurrection and Ascention and sware by him that Liveth for ever and ever Heaven and Earth shall passe away but my Word shall not passe neither this froward generation this Nation till all these things bee done spoken of by my Mouth and the Prophets there be some standing here which shall not taste of Death till they see the Sonne of Man comming in his Kingdome his servants will fight for him So shall even all my words be fulfilled It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power But goe thou thy way and rest and stand in the Lot Seale vp those things which the Seven thunders vttered and write them not it shall be for a time and times and halfe then all these things shall be finished as a Henne gathereth her Chickens or as a scattered Army in that day the Holy People shall be gathered together in the meane time many shall bee purified and made white by the fiery Tryall The wicked shall doe wickedly and shall not vnderstand but the wise it is given vnto them to vnderstand the misteries of the Kingdome of Heaven And from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall bee taken away or the yearely Passeover by the destruction of Ierusalem to place the Abomination that maketh desolate there shall be a Thousand Two hundred and Ninetie dayes Heere is the Measure of the Temple and the Altar and them that worship therein And here is also the breach of the first Commandements spoken of by our Lord the abomination that maketh desolate not only the Sanctuary but the Citie the first ripe Apples that hang so high against the Sunne The Divell thought if hee could reach these the rest were his owne therefore to plucke them downe in the primitiue times he began to reare his Ladder in the holy Places to set vp his plurality adding the Images of living Mortall men to be worshipped with Divine honour and vaine supplications as if themselues were present making no doubt hauing no egresse and regresse in time to bring his owne amongst them into the nomber in which expectation hee fayled not much for who is this here that sits in the Temple of God as if there were Two Gods besides his PIGMALION-like Image the parts of which are seldome colde if there bee heate in the Kisses of such holy People The swiftnesse of time is such I cannot gather all the Spices and dropping Myrrhe of this Tree I can fixe no longer speaking what manner God will sit alone in his holy Temple abhorring not only the people but the place where a Coleague is joyned with him in office therefore of the next branch Suppose a man after his Marriage to a young Virgin should say my experience is more then yours I cannot alwayes walke hand in hand with you neither may I keepe you in a Cloister that will not be for your health or my profit neither must you forget your Covenant to bee subiect to my desires not tending to the harme of either of vs I loue you as mine owne Body if I should not loue you I should not loue my selfe you are tender and faire without blemish or blot so I would haue your minde also without spot or wrinckle like your face many strangers will striue to bee your Servants not all for your beautie but some for malice and enuie to me Though your intent be good in all things yet because I am very jealous of mine honor entertaine none in that manner though they be silent for a time and conceale themselues in the end they will draw your affection from me Besides much resort though shee be never so chaste is dalliance the marke of a knowne Harlot which sort of women I would haue you differ from and no marke I know more fit to put a difference betweene you then this For much entertainment will not only waste our substance better imployed vpon more necessary occasions but consume time in vnprofitable idlenesse Is there no consequent yes doubtlesse I am the Lord thy God thou shalt haue no other Gods but me thou shalt not make Images of any likenesse to bowe or humble thy selfe before them for of my honor I am a jealous God you are mine I bought you to enioy the libertie of my service I brought yee out of the house of bondage which no other God could doe thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and keepe his charge and his Statutes When yee goe forth to shew the way of truth to other Nations this spirituall dalliance which in the
bitter Starre turning Iudgement into Gaule of Aspes falne from Heaven Signifying the losing of his Keyes pride will haue a fall for which hee was cast out of the presence of God God and Mammon cannot be served together here hath hee the command of the bottomlesse Pit smoaking with Heresie and ignorance The Keys of the Kingdome of Hell which trust so much hee boasteth of given him by the Dragon the Divell to deceiue them that dwell vpon the Earth saying in the sight and opinion of men Let it be knowne this day that I haue done all these things at thy word that these are thy Keyes I am thy Apostle and if I be the man of God let fire come downe from Heaven and consume all those that obey not my orders and Lawes and at what time yee heare the sound of my Instruments fall downe and worship the Image that I NABVCHANDNEZAR haue set vp whose breath is in my hand and whole are all my wayes to glorisie mee and who so falleth not down c This Baals Prophet the last Beast having devoured and broken in peeces the Roman Empire exercising all the power of him whose Rome he vsurpeth the Lord saying I that forme the Light and create Darknesse I that make Peace and create evill I will strengthen the Armies of the King of Babilon and put my Sword into his hand But I will breake PHAROAHS Arme and and he shall groane before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man Moreover thus saith the Lord of Hosts that keepes backe no mans pay The King of Babilon caused his Army to serue a great seruice against CHILDRIC King of Tirus euery head was made Bald of his Race and euery shoulder peel'd yet had hee no wages for his Armie Therefore the Land of Egypt shall bee his for his labour because they wrought for mee saith the Lord for there shall be no more a Prince in Egypt whose brightnesse was Excellent and the forme thereof terrible to all the world But rather a painted Image a Vassoll that the working of the poysoned Potion in the golden Cup the mysterie of iniquitie bee not hindred A base Kingdome the basest of all Kingdomes neither shall it exalt it selfe any more aboue the Nations for I will diminish them it shall be no more the confidence of the house Israell Having now the spoyle of the Land for his Armie and the Sword and Ballances in his owne hand to make a prey of mercy and truth with his Hornes and heeles as weapons to warre and weare out the Saints given into his hand vntill a time and times and the deviding of times Three dayes and a halfe Two and fortie Moneths Three yeares and a halfe halfe the mysticall weeke vntill the Day of sudgement to make Merchandize of euery thing that no man may buy or sell without his Marke marked with his fiends foote which is his Seale the signet of the Fisherman that beareth the name of the Beast The nomber of his name is then the nomber of a man which is the nomber of his Age or Dayes but this is the nomber of his Moneths Naturall Beasts not living so long the yeares being not so many as the dayes are to few As one saith the nomber of his Moneths are with the Lord Also halfe the mysticall Weeke is delivered by the same measure The latter Six Moneths added to the former Six hundred making as compleat Fiftie as Threescore make Fiue yeares Here is Wisdome the counsell of times and seasons revealed according to the eternall purpose which the wisedome of the Father put in his owne power God hath numbred thy Kingdome and finished it thou art weighed in the ballances thou tyrant that boastest of thy wit and art found wanting graines innumberable thy Kingdome is divided and given to the people of the Saints of the most Highest whose Kingdome is an everlasting kingdome c. Therfore let him that readeth count this number well and well marke the marke of the Beast is the Signet of the Fisherman which men take in their right hand wherewith his Band are branded in the foreheads and this is the Caractor and colours that distinguisheth his Traine-Souldiers from the followers of the Truth Therefore thus saith the Lord to the King of Babilon Antichrist thy dayes be few The great day of my wrath is at hand even for the Elects sake and the Soules that rest vnder the Altar crying for Execution and Vengeance vpon thee whose Bodyes thou hast beheaded burned and buryed aliue slaine for the Testimony they held the time is shortned thy Bishoppricke shall bee voyde and become a habitation for Divells and because thou remembrest not to shew mercy by swift destruction thy memorie shall be cut off from the Earth thy Damnation slumbreth not as a theefe in the night and as a snare it shall come shortly vpon thee Thou hast loved cursing in blessing thou hast not delighted but as a cloake for Covetousnesse selling to thy Marchants for money those foule oyntments to fill thy Bagge calling and crying from thy Exchange and darke shoppe if any man Thirst to commit Whoredom spirituall or carnall Treason or Murther let him come to mee and drinke of my Golden Cuppe Incest or Parricide Hoc misterium firmiter profitemur what doe yee lacke wee can sell you for Gold Silver and pretious stones thin Wood Brasse Iron and Marble all manner of Vessells in Nunneries or Stewes what will yee giue These execrable odors and thy Brazen browed Bulls casting flakes of Fire and fulminations in the sight of men from their noysome Nostrills and Thundring throates as with a Garment thou hast cloathed thy selfe thou hast robbed mee even of this whole Nation therefore prepare thy selfe thou cursed for everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells which shall enter into thy Bowells like water and soake with thine oyntments as oyle into thy Bones and mingle with thy marrow thus let the Enemies of the Lord bee rewarded yea in the meane time let them be their own executioners let one IVDAS with Poyson burst out the Bowells of another let their hope be as the giuing vp of the Ghost and their righteousnesse wherein they trust in thy remembrance as water that passeth away Let them curse but Blesse thou ô Lord to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe lift vp thy selfe thou Iudge of the Earth and to this proude man of Sinne render a reward let him not haue the vpper hand sitting vpon the Throne of Iniquitie in thy Temple shewing himselfe that hee is God Consume him ô Lord with the Breath of thy mouth and destroy him quickly with the Brightnesse of thy comming Lastly this Beast his habitation is compared to a woman for Sorceries shamelesnesse and gorgious trimming arrayed in Purple and Scarlet the Virgin daughter of the King of Egipt is become the Whore of the King of Babilon the faithfull Citie is become a Harlot hauing in her hand a Cuppe full of abominations Witchraft
Plague is come The Thrones of these Earthly Kingdomes cast downe the auncient of dayes shall appeare his long Traine and the great white Throne whereon he sate from whose Face the Earth and the Heavens vncleane in his sight fled away in whose presence ministred Thousand thousands and Ten thousand times Tenne Thousands also the Two Witnesses are brought forth the Books of the Law and the Prophets to Iudge every man by his workes or according to his faith for if they beleeue not the writings of MOSES how can they beleeue his words of whom MOSES wrote These Bookes shall accuse them the witnesses which God the Father beareth of his Sonne The other Booke is the Booke of Life written with the names of Saints that shall liue for ever To whom the iust Iudge shall deliver the possession of that Kingdome that shall never passe away to be destroyed but remaineth for ever even for ever and ever The foule Beast some of his purtenances will be wanting if his hornes be not farther Considered foure came vp out of the North part of his head the French Emperours of the South side sixe Spanish before whom there were Three of the first their Race pluckt vp by the Rootes amongst these came vp an other little Horne about the midst of the time in this Horne were eyes like the eyes of a man in workmanship striuing to set Nature a patterne curious in all Arts and doing honour to vertue but wanting the gift of grace opened a fearefull Mouth the King of the East whose looke is more stout then the highest of his fellow Hornes Hitherto is the end of the matter of these earthly Monarchies and the day of Iudgement hath beene also declared the matter of the end The Story is yet but chalked out Therefore in these following Visions is contained more at large the occurrence of theose dayes before mentioned even to the end of the world Wherein my desire is not as hee that rowleth a stone to returne vpon himselfe but to make it a twisted Threefold Cord to draw vp the weight that presseth so hard of infidelitie The Prophet beheld till the auncient of dayes did sit to Iudge the quicke and the dead and the Beast cast aliue into the Lake Fire his Body destroyed and given to the Burning flame to be tormented day and night for ever and ever DANIEL CHAP. VIII IN the third yeare of BELSHAZZER a Vision appeared vnto DANIEL alone even to himselfe and hee heard a mans voyce that called saying GABRIEL make the man vnderstand the Vision so he came neere vnto him and said O Sonne of man the time of this Vision extends to the end of all things behold therefore I will make thee know what shall come to passe euen to the last day the great day of Wrath and Indignation for at the time appointed the end shall be MEDES AND PERSIANS THE ROVGHE GOATE SEND MEE SPANIARDS THE GOTHE ROAGVE The first matter giuen him to vanderstand is the breaking in peeces of the Roman Empire which spiritually is called Sodome and Egipt where also the members of our Lords Body are Crucified signified by the Ram the Hee Goate is the Turke The Roman Emperours the Two hornes in the East and West are also signified by the Kings of Media and Persia The foure Kingdomes standing vp out of that Nation are the Isles of Great Britaine France Spaine and Turky Lastly the Goate himselfe shall be hunted by a King of a fierce Countenance not regarding the person of the old nor shewing fauour to the young casting downe some of the hoast of PHAROAH and of the Starres to the ground For the transgression against the daily Sacrifice was the Hoast given over A King vnderstanding darke sentences which are some part of the holy Scriptures through policie and supposed wisdome he shall cause the craft of the Divell to prosper for by Peace and affected pittie and satisfying the ambitious mindes of some Christians he shall not only draw them to denie the faith but many others following their example Not by his owne power but by the Divells policie he shall be mighty whose looke is more stout then his fellowes But by the great day of the Lord he shall be broken without hand Now in those dayes when the Goate was come close vnto the Ramme and had cast him downe and stamped vpon him The Prophet that beheld as by a perspectiue these remote things heard also one Saint speaking and an other Saint said vnto that certaine Saint that spoke how long is the time for this Vision to the end of the world that the holy Citie of God and his chosen People be no longer trodden vnder foote And hee said vnto mee vnto Two Thousand Three hundred dayes Then shall the Sanctuarie bee cleansed and the holy People Iustified The dayes bee so many yeares to the end of the world beginning at the Vision which was about the yeare of the world 342.5 Of the certaine Saints speaking or the nomber of wonderfull secrets I omit to speake that to the most part might appeare being in this Land and these late dayes but some tale of a Phenix though to bee testified of more then fiue hundred men and women besides my selfe DANIEL CHAP. IX AFter these Visions in the first yeare of DARIVS the Son of AHASHVERVS the Prophet vnderstood by Bookes and Computations the nomber of yeares whereof the world of the Lord came to IEREMIAH the Prophet concerning the desolation of Ierusalem that seventie yeares should be accomplished And whilst hee was speaking in Prayer and presenting his supplication before the Lord for the holy Mountaine the People of God euen for the holy Citie the Church that to the end of the world must be trodden vnder foote whereof that ruinons place the Citie of Ierusalem is a figure trodden downe at this day Yet was this Hebron built seaven yeares before Zoan in Egipt The man GABRIEL which was caused to flie swiftly touched him and said alluding to the former matter of his studie and meditations as of troublous appetites and Cogitations somtimes Dreames are deriued O DANIEL I am come vnto thee againe to giue thee more skill and vnderstanding Seuentie weekes are determined vpon the holy Citie signifying the time not onely when the Sonne of God by his suffering should make reconciliation for sinne but a time and times and part of time three dayes and a halfe halfe the mysticall Weeke to make an end of Sinnes to finish transgression and to make a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth everlasting righteousnesse to seale vp the Visions and Prophecies with the Seale of assurance that all these things are past and true and to annoint the most holy King and Kings and Lord and Lords the first and the last And here againe the Angell GABRIEL willeth him to know and vnderstand the things of which he shall informe him The first is this that from the going forth of the Commandement which is the beginning
at the dreadfull Funerall of this most mighty Prince The Sonne as Chiefe covering and hiding his astonished face with hideous Cloudes as blacke as Sackcloth of haire to vtter the height and depth of silent speaking sorrow by whose darke vaile and traine the shadow of Death turning the Day to Night wherein all Creatures are a Corps and the world but a Tombe detesting and abhorring his Beames of light should beare witnesse the true light of Men by mankinde was so vngratefully and vnkindely extinguished the expresse Pure Image of the Maker the Prince of life The Person of God not made turn'd to a lumpe of Clay by a shamelesse accusation an vnjust sentence and a cursed Executoner To Slay these Lords that haue dominion over vs hee pulled the house downe vpon his owne head the mightie deliverer of Israel His God head and death being Incompatible choosing rather to forgoe and forsake the one then forget his promise leaue the will of his Father vndone or his worke vnfinished His sufferings being by a vacancy of Power as sometimes cold may abate and abolish the sense of feeling yet retayned by the vitall parts the losse is not irrecoverable Whose Hart would not melt Haire stare and Hands become faint to write or heare such a story Yet here is not an end what shall he doe now chased as a Bird betweene Heaven and Earth since his resurrection pull'd by Bitts to peeces throwne to hungry Hell hounds the Divells Dogs Caniballs did not his power to deliver his Darling surmount the greedy arrogant policie of these Barbarians spoken without aggravation both one Spaune acting in their Copes I might say party coloured fooles Coates like painted Peacocks the part of HECUBA the franticke Troyan Wiues and POLLIXINA Such pompe and gaudinesse of Masking garments being fitter for the Theator then the Temple the state thereof requiring rather Mourners with all their BACCUS Savage Ceremonies apish and affected Fashions No Vice on a Stage with senselesse jests to moue the vulgars laughter good folkes ashamed So rediculous without vnderstanding babling like Parrots or Children a Tongue they know not yet no Babes or Children in Mallice Pyping without distinction Pricketh not this the hearts of the hearers twanging vpon a Harpe Instead of an Egge asking a Scorpion and saying Amen to any Pater-Noster Is there any sorrow like this whose Mirth is so great whose heart so hard as not to be greeved for this affliction can wee forbeare to bow our selues and not to Travell for these paines To heare the Arke not only is taken but helpe Lord alas to see the Heire apparant of the living God so dishonoured and mangled amongst his Enemies O the wonder of wonders a lying Wonder to see creatures endued with sense and reason beleeue a senslesse Miracle here is the Doctrine or spirits of Divells three uncleane spirits Three Frogs forg'd one like another or a false lye spit vp by the Divell the Beast and the false Prophet from their vncleane slimy Mouthes Into the Ovens and kneading Troughs of the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the Battell of the great Day of God Almighty Also to decide the question with full consent when this doctrine working miracles was coniured vp When Transgressors are come to the full the water dried vp that the way of the Kings of the East might bee prepared The Tartars whose looke is more stout then his fellowes Righteous art thou ô Lord which art which wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them vp to blaspheme the God of Heaven to beleeue a lye false teachers that teach thou hast given them Blood to drinke the Blood of the living God as it were the Blood of a Dead man here is a sore lye a grievous Soare well may such mad Dogs gnaw their Blistered Tongues Then shall stand vp in his estate a raiser of Taxes in the glory of the Kingdome but in few dayes hee shall bee destroyed in the strength of his Age neither in anger nor in Battaile but in a sport of Tilting by a splinter in his Eye And in his estate shall stand vp a vilde person or a Luxurious to whom they shall not giue the honour of the Kingdome but he shall come in peaceably and obtayne the Kingdome by Flatterie and with the Armes of a Flood or as the sodaine inundation of Nilus so shall the Faithfull people be overflowne from before him they shall bee broken by a cruell Massacre yea also the Prince of the Covenant and after the league made with him even the Great King of the North hee shall worke deceitfully with the holy people for hee shall come vp and shall become strong with a small people he shall enter peaceably even vpon the fattest places of the Province for he shall doe that which his Fathers haue not done nor his Fathers Fathers he shall scatter among them the prey spoyle and riches of the wicked yea and he shall fore-cast his devices against the strong Holds of Sathan for a time not to the End And he shall stir vp his Power and his great Courage against the King of the South with a great Army the King of the South shall be stirred vp to Battell with a very great and mightie Army but hee shall not stand for they shall fore-cast devices against him yea his owne Dogs stiled Gods that feed of the Portion of his meate shall destroy him After whose decease his Army shall overflow and many of the righteous shall fall downe slaine and both these Kings hearts shal be to doe mischiefe and they shall speake lies against the knowne truth both at one Table but it shall not prosper for yet the end of all things shall be at the time appointed Then shall hee returne into his owne Land with great riches and little profit and his hart shall be against the holy Covenant therefore the next blow was at the hart And he shall doe exploits and returne to his own Land At the time appointed hee shall returne even the King of the North spoken of before that should certainly come after certaine yeares with a great Army and a multitude greater then the former with much riches and shall come towards the South but it shal not be as the former or as the latter for hee shall wound as it were his owne sides The Ships of Shittim shall come against him therefore he shall be grieved and returne against his owne strength and haue indignation against the holy Covenants So he shall doe he shall returne and haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy Covenant these Ships built with pretious Wood whose Anchor is the Lord tossed too and fro with flouds of vngodly men in the Sea of Babilon and compassed with the Waues of death but when they cry vnto the Lord and are at their wits end Hee who walketh vpon the Sea