forth that other world And that these labours and travels shall mutually follow swiftly one another Wherefore unless we will be prevented and destroyed by the unlook'd for coming of the Lord N.B. it will not behoove us to defer our repentance and reconciliation unto the last signes but ought to lay to heart those former signes which have been shewed Esdr ch 5. and that by so much the more diligently in that some of those last begin to appear But perhaps some man will say Obj. That Book of Esdras is Apechrypha and therefore deserves no credit Jerom himself rejecting it as fabulous I answer Answ Of the or dit to be given to the 4th Book of Esdras The Reasons which Jerome brings for the confirmation of his opinion are solidly confuted by M. Abraham Bartolus in his Preface to Esdras his Eagle as before that by Theodorus Bibliander a Tigurin Divine producing Demonstrations out of Joseph Scaliger and other Authors sufficiently valid deservedly to gain credit to this Book But suppose that this Book ought to be more suspected go to let us see nevertheless what Signes the Lord Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles lay before us by which concerning the end of this present world and the coming of Christ to set up his Kingdom on earth sure Prognosticks may be had which if they will agree with the Prophesie of Esdras what hinders but that this Prophesie may find belief Let us therefore hear what answer our Saviour gave to his Disciples when coming to him asked the signes of his coming and of the end of the world In those daies Mark 13. or straight after the tribâ—lation of those daies Mat. 24.29 there shall be signes in the Sun and the Moon and the Stars Luke 21.25 Behold there the signes in Heaven Now if thou dost desire to know what signes of the Coming of Christ and the end of the world shall be on earth behold the Lord presently subjoyneth in that cited place of Luke chap 21. v. 25 26 27 18. upon the earth distress of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the waves roaring ment hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a Cloud with power and great Glory And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Behold here a Prophesie above all exception and words of so certain and undoubted truth that heaven and earth shall sooner pass away than one title of them But what other thing doth this Prophesie sound forth than what we heard but now of the signes both in heaven and earth out of Esdras viz. In heaven in respect of the Sun Moon and Stars In earth by reason of the terrible things by which the minds of men shall be greatly distressed and made dubious And although the Prophesie of Esdras may seem in some particulars somewhat to differ from Christs predictions yet evidently it appears that on both sides nothing else is intended then the restitution of the Jews and by consequence that visitation of the Gentiles or that fiery Judgment on all peoples who have oppressed the Elect. Not that only the Jews are to be accompted those Elect which from the four winds from the four corners of the world are to be recollected and gathered together No by no means For under that word are comprehended all pious and sincere Christians of what Nation or rank soever viz. who being no less then the Jews as dispersed sheep under the oppression of false Christians and other Nations do lie troden underfoot and are deservedly to be annumerated to the truly converted Jews and genuine Children of Abraham But that we take here the word Elect as more specially belonging to the Jews the reason is this Because when our Lord Jesus Christ uttered these words he had only Jews standing before him to whom he foretold those things which properly appertained to their Redemption by which they might acknowledge that the Kingdom of God which Dan. 7.26 27. was promised to him was now at hand Luke 21.31 Unto them therefore saith the Lord When all these things shall begin to come to pass to wit these signs in heaven and earth then look up and lift up your heads and hearts He doth not say when ye shall see all these things fulfilled for that would be too late then to prepare for Redemption but when ye shall see these things begin then lift up your selves and elevate your selves above all earthly things for your redemption is near Now Candid Reader do thou judge whether by those things which we have before minded concerning all those signeâ— and those we see done in our Age in Heaven and Earth and which we still expect according to the Lords Prophesie it may not justly be concluded That even now the Redemption of the Jews and consequently the coming of Christ to his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 and the judgement by fire upon the world of uâ—godly 2 Pet. 3.7 draws nigh Neve theless for the greater confirmation of the thing and that we may manifest that those things which we have minded concerning the Restitution of the Jews and the end of this last Monarchy of the world are not meer dictates of the Stars or a simple single Prognostication formed by the present Conjunction but the matters born upon strong and undoubted foundations Come on let us hear also what the Apostles have delivered concerning this thing and whether the signes which they have given are now past or no and what thence may be concluded And first let us see what Peter handling of the last times and that fiery judgement wherewith the world of the ungodly shall be burnt hath left us in writing In the last daies shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asteep all things continue as they were fro mthe beginning of the Creation 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Note here a SIGN That in the last daies i. e. neer the end of these daies when now the coming of Christ shall be at hand shall discover it self To wit that then scoffers shall come ☜ who walking after their own lusts will know nothing of this coming of Christ And enquire I pray diligently and make experience what answer thou shalt bring back when once by walking over the streets of the great City Rev. 11.8 thou shalt talk with men or with the Doctors and Ductors the Leaders of the people as well among Christians as others concerning the approâ—ching of the time wherein Christ will return on earth to destroy the wicked and to set up his Kingdom of righteousness thou shalt heat whether their own mouth will not betray them that they altogether speak the self same thing which is here premonished concerning the scoffers of the
and 214 daies And is called the greatest and total Conjunction Which comes to pass when ♄ and ♃ i.e. Saturn and Jupiter having wandred over all the Triplicities return to the same Goal or bound from whence they first set forth And although upon all these 3 modes of Conjunctions of the supream Planets ♄ and ♃ Saturn and Jupiter alwaies some signal Changes in the world have followed yet notwithstanding they alwaies have by far been of the greatest moment which have followed the Great Conjunctions or Congressures of the third way or mode For example ☜ From the Fall of Adam there have been 7 of these Great Conjunctions Or if with Kepler and other the most famous Astrologers we may annumerate also the First in the very beginning of the world then from that time to our age are numbred 8 of that sort of Conjunctions For the first is numbered in the time of Adam upon which followed the Fall of all Mankind The second in the time of Enoch which was received with Tyranny Robberies building of Fortifications and walled Townes 3. In Noahs time which was entertained by the Deluge of waters whereby transgressors were blotted out from the face of the earth 4. In the life of Moses Which was welcomed in by the Israelites going out of Egypt the promulgation of the Law and the rise of the Commonwealth of Israel in Canaan The fifth in the daies of Isaiah upon which followed 1. The transportation of the 10 Tribes of Israel into the Land of Assyria who to this day have not returned and anon after that of the two Tribes Judah and Benjamin from whence nevertheless after 70 years Captivity they did return 6. From the time of Christ which was accompanied and followed by the rise of the Roman Empire and the total destruction of the Israelitish Commonwealth 7. From the Age of Charles the Great upon which followed the Division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western as also the Invasion of the Turk into the land of Promise and that Reformation sprung up in the Church whereby the Kingdom of the Apocalyptical Beast began to be obscured These things therefore being thus weighed N.B. what notable Changes these 7 former Conjunctions have brought into the world when nevertheless they consisted but of the concurse only of two or three Planets how can it be otherwise judged but that necessarily a greater change is portended under the eighth great Conjunction of them which happened in the year of Christ 1603. in Sagitarius under which we yet travel in pain and sob And so much the rather that this * By This I suppose he means this Decemb. ◠11 Anno of Chr. 166◠of which he treats and by That he means that in 1603. concurrence of all the Planets in the same fiery Sign of Sagitarius followed that in so short a time For my part those thoughts I confess spring up within me That even as anciently in the Feasts of Israel and their great Solemnities which lasted eight daies it was cautioned that the last day was alwaies to be reputed for the greatest day with which the Feast was concluded Levit. 23.36 John 7.37 So also do I judge in this matter that of all these 8 great Conjunctions this last is to be accompted for the greatest After which there is nothing more certain to follow than the Period of Esaus time and the destruction of the Beasts Dominion and false Prophet That now at last the time of Jacob may succeed and the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST and of his Saints may be established on Earth For if some greater thing is hence to be expected than ever any Conjunction afore produced what other thing can this be than the Restitution of that Kingdom so long promised and desired and which the Apostles themselves expected by Christ to be erected Acts 1.5 and the final ruine of the Kingdomes of unrighteousness in this world that another world may succeed whose Glory may be meet for God only and to him ascribed Upon the third great Conjunction aforesaid the former world perished and another came forth as if called up from the dead At the fourth Conjunction the Lord chose to himself one only Nation out of all the peoples that had in this new world corrupted themselves which he brought out of the house of Egyptian bondage and brought them into a certain Land where he himself would govern them At the Fifth Conjunction the Kingdom of Israel for the sins of that people was cleft and parted into two Kingdoms of which one was transported into Assyria not returning to this day the other into Babylon for a little time Upon the Sixth Conjunction followed the dispersion of them also which returned from Babylon which continues to this day throughout the Provinces of the Roman Empire Upon the Seventh Conjunction this very last Monarchy of the Romans underwent the same Lot as the Kingdom of Israel suffered For as this was first divided and afterwards one part of it after another was torn and carried away So this last Monarchy of the Roman Empire was first divided into Eastern and Western the first whereof the Turks now long since have invaded and possessed And what now I pray can remain to be expected upon this 8th Conjunction but that the remnant-part of the Roman Empire have the same fate as ancient Jerusalem had Truly if we consult the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles that grand and general mutation which we whether Jews or Christians do expect and is to be expected will appear to be no other than that in the room of the present Kingdoms of the world the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom N.B. which shall dissipate all other Kingdomes Dan. 2.44 And that terrible Beast of Daniel to wit the fourth Monarchy of the world which hath troden underfoot broken and crummed the whole Earth into morsels and that little and blasphemous horn shall likewise at length being brought to Judgment be deprived of their Dominion and utterly destroyed So that at last the Kingdom and the Power and the greatness of the Kingdom which is under the whole Heaven is given to the holy people of the Most High c. Dan. 7.26 27. To wit this is that change which we Christians with ourstretched neck do expect that shortly it shall comes to pass that the scattering of the holy people shall have an end Dan. 12.7 that ere long the Redeemer comes out of Sion who shall take away infidelity from Jacob Rom. 11.26 And that voice of that strong Angel who by his gloriousness shall brighten the whole earth shall ring over the whole world saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spirit and the Cage of every unclean and hareful Bird. Rev. 18.1 2. What I say is it that we Christians since once the Kingdom of the Beast hath been obscured do so anxiously desire and in all
our Prayers petition for than that at length the sixth Vial also may be poured out upon the River EUPHRATES that the way for the Kings that are to come from the East may be prepared Rev. 16.12 to wit for the KINGS of which Baruch speaks ch 5. v. 5. Arise O Jerusalem and stand on high and look towards the East and behold thy Children gathered from the west unto the east by the word of the holy One rejoycing in the remembrance of God For they departed from thee on foot and were led away of their enemies But God bringeth them unto thee exalted with Glory as children of the Kingdom And after these things what else do we expect but that the Kings of the Earth and all their hosts be by those impure Spirits Rev. 16.13 like to Frogs excited and gathered together to the war of that great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.4 Isa 13. in which God shall arise and go down into the valley of Jehosaphat and there shall judge the people and that Nation which hath hitherto so miserably broken and troden underfoot the dispersed sheep of Israel Joel 3.2 12. and that he may utterly and for ever blot our and extirpate Babylon that great City the Mother of the Fornications of the Earth that terrible and blasphemous Beast and False-Prophet Rev. 18 19. Behold that concerning these Changes not only the old Prophets but the Lord himself JESUS CHRIST and his Apostles do witness And whoever is not blind but a little exercised in the S. Script and experience of former Ages and this present it will be easie for him to collect that now all these things necessarily are at hand by and by to be expected Therefore it ought to seem a wonder to no man that these Celestial Signes which necessarily fortel the Tidings of some grand and eminent universal change are referred or applyed by us to this matter Yet that it may more clearly appear that this present Conjunction of all the Planets is with great equity to be so interpreted by us go to let us turn our selves to the Planets themselves and let us I pray thee contemplate the Constitution and Disposition of these Peers of Heaven and Regents of the world how their countenances are found disposed both towards us and one towards another in this their unusual Congressure or coming together For the Countenance as it is commonly given forth is the Index of the mind As to the POSTURE of these Regents thou shalt find them all to be complexionated with a troubled and sad countenance To wit thou shalt see the Moon newly departed from the beams of the Sun from whom she was gone scarce 7 degrees to be vehemently enflamed all fiery and burning by the corporal Conjunction of Mars and that so much the more in that Mars himself is more enflamed by the conjunction of the Sun and the Sun takes his turn to be made more hurtful and discontented by the Conjunction of Saturn To which is added that Mercury which with the good is good and with the bad is bad is here necessarily become the worst with the worst For he being corporally joyned with Saturn what else will he bring forth by his Influences in this universal Combustion but all manner of fallacies frauds betrayings filling all with sinister suspitions secret Conspiracies and intestine hatreds and so fulfilling or filling up the measure of all unrighteousness and violence on earth Whilst Venus and Jupiter whose House this is although also present yet so remore will be so hindred and obstructed by the combustion and malignity of the intercurrent Planets that they will not be able with their more benigne beams while as strangers they invaded anothers House to reach unto us And if that be true that Theodorus Hoen a Famous Astrologer affirmeth and others also testifie to be certainly collected from the Tables of Conjunctions of Planets that in the time of Noah there was the like conjunction of all the Planets in PISCES awatery Sign upon which followed that terrible Judgment of an universal Deluge which together at once blotted out all the wicked from the face of the earth why may it not be lawful for us to collect from this concurse of all the Planets in the fiery Sign Sagittarius that by it is portended and foretold that fiery Judgment which immediately foreruns the Kingdom of Christ intimated in Peter Ep. 2. ch 3. and in the Revelation ch 11. v. 18. 2. If thou consider the PLACE in which all those Aethereal Regents convene thou wilt find it to be the same wherein the late great Conjunction in the year 1603 the 29th day of Sept. or 9 of Oct. was acted under which we still labour its full and final operation being not yet at an end to wit the last Sign of Sagitarius in the fiery Trigon As if the Heavens which are said to declare the glory of God and his Justice Psal 19. did by their voice intend no other than to repeat that signification of the next preceding great Conjunction and by a second Proclamation to confirm unto us that this combustion is no other then that whereby this present world of the wicked shall be burnt For if this be true that the present world shall shortly perish by fire and that Signes thereof are by God placed in Heaven it is necessary that this Sign be some fiery one which may most aptly square with the expression of this signification And if the Sign ought to be a fiery one it must be this which is the third and last in which also the great preceding and last Conjunction was acted And that which is more and more commends this place of the Heaven is that the very next day after the said Conjunction Sept. 30. or Oct. 10. 1603. when now by the coming of Mars that great Conjunction had received its compleatment that fame New Star appeared in Serpentario precisely in the same place of Heaven on which all the Astrologers eyes were fixed expecting the Conjunction of ♄ and ♂ Saturn and Mars witness Kepler in the Book which he wrote concerning the New Star in Serpentario of which he noteth many and wonderful things I will here add one out of the said Book where the Author comparing this Star * This Star i. e. that 1603. with that which was seen in Cassiopeia in the year 1573 saith thus THAT FORMER * Former Orig. prior illa relating I suppose to that star Anno 1573. And Later relates to that 1603. as I understand Sed caveat Lector cometh on the world unpremonished and as an unlookt for enemy which having possest the City wals appeared in the Market place afore the Citizens had heard the fame of his Expedition But this LATTER being long time afore expected entred at the appointed day with great solemnity after the manner of some mighty Monarch who about to visit his Metropolitan City sending afore him his Quarter-masters designeth places to all the Princes
coelestial signes do necessarily portend some great and singular thing some mighty change as well in the Civil as the Ecclesiastical Government And for as much as according to the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the constitution of the Time wherein we live no singular thing yet remains to be fulfilled but that the Jewes may be converted unto Christ and incidently that Babylon comes into remembrance before God and all the wicked by the fire of the judgement be blotted out of the earth whereby all the Kingdoms of the world may be made obedient unto God and Christ we justly conclude hence that all these very same things are prefigured and portended to us by all the aforesaid celestial signes afore recited And therefore we ought seriously to watch and diligently to weigh with our selves how the matter stands in us with God and our neighbour Whether our loynes are girt our lamps burning N.B. That in such posture we expect the coming of our Lord to the marriage and that so soon as ever he shall come and knock we presently open to him the door Luk. 12.35 36. I say Whether our lamps be trimmed that at whatsoever hour that cry shall ring out Behold the Bridegroom cometh we forthwith be prepared to meet him If not but in the absence of our Lord we are found to have dealt perfidiously have acted strifes and contentions eaten and drunk with the drunken have fallen into a Lethargy of sloath and negligence and so have profoundly and deeply slept What remedy then How then shall we hide our selves from the wrath of the Lamb and from the face of so faithful a Master and Bridegroom who so dearly bought us and did so straitly charge us to wait for his return to the Marriage What shall we answer unto him who hath so faithfully and continually forewarned us by so many and so great monitions of his most Sacred word and by so many and so great signs in the Heavens But I seem to hear the voice of some most famous men and exercised or experienced in Astronomicals objecting 'T is true that the Planets do by their Influences act upon these inferior bodies as certain general causes but seeing the actions of men and their Effects and Consequences are not determined by those general causes but by these particular to wit by mans will and the free consults of men it were fond and beside sound reason to intend to conclude any thing certain concerning the Actions of men and their effects and consequences by those general Influences of the Planets To these things I Answer 1. We determine nothing concerning the Actions of men and their Effects and Consequences by the Stars as by their CAUSES but only as by the SIGNES of them Whereby God doth foreshew us and set before our eyes as in a Table the freest Actions of men and their Effects and Consequences For as God foresaw all things which should ever come â—o pass from the first beginning of the world as it appears plainly out of the Prophesies of Daniel chap. 2. 20. and of other Prophets so hath he set the Signes of all these things in the Heavens that they who have eyes to see might there see as in a Looking-Glass what God hath foreseen shall come to pass on earth in his time 2. In that we seem here to determine somthing as certain we have not that from the Stars but from the S. Scriptures probable Reason and by a certain sensitive experience All which seeing they do so fairly agree with the Stars and concur to the same sense they deservedly ought to be of some moment with us But grant that thou canst not know certainly any thing by those Celestial Signes as being above thee and exceed thy capacity If nevertheless thou hast thine eyes open to see what things are done on earth and thine ears to hear what the Sacred Scripture doth expresly and roundly teach there will not be wanting to thee Reasons whereby thou maist sufficiently discern the end of this world and the beginning of the next at hand For which there is no need of spiritual eyes and sublime understanding â—ut only of attentive observation of things visible and sensible and humane Faith only whereby we so believe the Signes incurring into our eyes that we be convinced For who doth not see how the whole Christian world is divided in it self and miserably torn into many contrary parties Even as the Secular Government or last Monarchy of the world And which is more how not only the whole is divided into two integral and great parts as of old but into many little small parts and again every Part every Sect every Region and Nation disagree among themselves so that the people know not which way to turn nor whom they may believe One Roman Catholick riseth against another Roman Catholick Lutheran against Lutheran Reformed against Reformed Anabaptist against Anabaptist yea one Member of the Roman Empire against another The Guest is not safe with his Host nor the Father in Law with the Son in Law the amity of Brethren also is rare as the Poet * Non â—ospes ab hospite tutus Nec socer a genere c. describeth to the life the character of the former world which the Deluge of waters of old washt away But if that the Lord Christ affirmeth Mat. 12. That a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand be of undoubted truth how I pray shall the Kingdom of Christians in respect as well of the Religious Government as of the secular so many waies divided be able to stand long If moreover the dispersing of the holy people shall have an end as the Angel in Daniel speaketh chap. 12. And if the God of Israel and Judah shall again have mercy on them and restore unto them their Kingdom as the writings of the Prophets are full of promises concerning that matter in what time I pray most likely dost thou think that will come to pass Will it not be when they shall least dare promise that thing to themselves Will they especially then expect it when they are broken with the sense of their unworthiness whether haply the Lord the God of their Fathers will vouchsafe of his meet Grace and Mercy to remember them Let whose will war against them they will take Arms against no man If any man smite them they bear it If any drive them from place to place they give place and fly away as the chased Fawns of the Hind upon the mountaines If any laies hands on them and drags them to execution to kill them as swine they deliver up themselves to the slaughter If any will kill them with the sword or burn them in the fire as in Lusitania is often done or attempt to bury them alive in pits as not many years since was done in Polonia they have nothing wherewith they oppose or defend themselves but prayers to God justifying him in his Judgments and pleasing themselves
last daies viz. All things so continue as they were from the Creation That which now happens the same likewise hath formerly happened and therefore to conclude hence any certainty are toys and phantasms of mans own imagination Which being so that we are now fallen into those times when among all peoples especially Christians who in times past were very hasty in their hope of setting up the Kingdom of Christ in all Churches Cloysters and Houses all places are full of Scoffers why do we any longer doubt but that now those daies are near in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat to destroy the ungodly with all their works that there may succeed in the room thereof a new Heaven and a new Earth in which may dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 Wherefore it ought not to seem a wonder to any man that we so diligently attend to these Signes of his coming and do so interpret them But perhaps some body will say Obj. Peter doth not here speak of those things which are aforementioned viz. concerning the Conversion of the Jews and the total destruction of the 4th Monarchy and the setting up of the Kingdom of Christ on earth but of the time wherein the Heavens shall pass away and the Elements shall be dissolved i.e. of the end of the world Answ We answer what Peter affirmes touching the Heavens Earth and Elements are not properly to be understood according to the Letter as the collation of Scriptures doth shew For Christ will not by his coming destroy the works of his Father Heaven and Earth but the works of the ungodly and whatsoever curse for mans sake came upon Heaven and Earth all this he will burn up with fire and utterly purge out as a prudent Goldsmith that labours to burn not the Gold and Silver but the Dross and Dregs which adhere to the Gold and Silver But as for the substance it self of heaven earth all that God hath created all those things shall not be burnt by the coming of Christ but shall only be renewed and purged that where before unrighteousness took place now righteousness there dwelleth And where before the violent possessed the Kingdoms of the world there now the meek shall inherit Those heavens which the ungodly feign to themselves as their hope and expectation shall perish and those Elements or Rudiments of divine worship even as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * that is Rudiments is taken in this sense wherein some foolishly stick all their life time shall be dissolved and burnt yea the works of all men shall be consumed that a new heaven and a new earth may come forth wherein may be beheld by all men all things in the glory of their perfection as a pure workmanship of God the honour whereof may redound to him himself as the Kingdom and City of God the house and habitation of God and men and a certain manifestation of the Righteousness Majesty and Love of God c. And if indeed all these things ought to be so and if it be true that with Peter according to the promise maâ—e Isa 65. we expect a now Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwels righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 it ought not to seem strange to us if before that be done a fiery Judgment preceds on earth to which these Signes in Heaven and earth have relation A judgment I say to deliver both Jews and Christians hitherto oppressed and to destroy all the destroyers and to restore all things on earth and to destroy them that have destroyed the earth Rev. 11.18 Behold now we see what signes the Ap. Peter hath set touching the coming of the Lord and how they have been fulfilled long since in an high degree so that in regard thereof nothing now remaines to be expected but the thing it self signified by those signes Now let us see moreover what the Ap. Paul that chosen vessel discourseth concerning the last times and how he limbs out in lively colours the men that shall live in that time They shall be saith he 2 Tim. 3.2 Lovers of their own selves covetous boastâ—rs proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthank ful unholy without naâ—ural affection truce breakers false accusers incontiâ—ent fierce desp sers of them that are good traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof What seemeth to thee Reader Are our times described or is it longer yet to be expected till this kind of men come upon the Stage If thou wilt acknowledge that we are indeed devolved upon or into those times wherein every where men are found to be Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud c. And that they also who carry a form of Godliness and would be reputed for godly do possess more of its external form than of the internal truth of it denying the very power of Godliness which consisteth in spirit and truth what wonder if we accompt the aforesaid signes in Heaven for fore Messengers and fore-runners of the consummation of those daies wherein the madness of all those men shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.9 that some when ' at length true right cousness love of God and the sincere power of Godliness may come in their room But that it may more clearly appear that those things which we have mentioned concerning the restitution of the Jews and the end of the last Monarchy and have by this Conjunction of the Princely or chief Stars inferred that they are at the door are not meer Astrological Prognosticks but matters founded in the Word of God Let us go also to the Apostle John that beloved Apostle who was wont to lie in Christs bosom and see what he saith of this matter in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ which Christ himself by his Angel dictated to him and commanded him to write it to the Churches 1. It is there read that the time shall come wherein the Saints of God shall be made Kings and Priests to God that as Kings they may reign on earth ch 1. v. 6. ch 5. v. 10. which thing because it cannot be done without the Jews nor before the Kingdom of the Beast and of the false Prophet be overthrown it necessarily followes that if ever that time ought to come to pass wherein the Saints shall reign on earth those former things ought first to precede or go before and if they now precede and we are come to these last times the consequence is necessary that thing to be at the door 2. In Chap. 11. of this Book of Revel which is as a kind of Compendium of the whole History of the Church or Temple of God beginning from the treading of it underfoot on earth and ending in the opening of it in heaven we read that the treading of the holy City underfoot the prophesying of the two Witnesses
until that day wherein the Beast shall be taken and cast into the Like of Fire and Brimstone Forasmuch therefore as these 5 Vials are already poured out and the obscuring of the Beasts Throne is dayly more and more encreased what I pray comes next to be expected by us but that the sixth Vial which is now pouring out shall make way for those Kings that shall come from the East of whom Baruch makes mention c. 5. v. 5. c. that the Stone out out of the Mountain without hands of which Dan. 2.45 may cast down break in pieces and destroy all the Kingdomes of the earth and in stead of them that stone may fill the whole earth And if this be that thing which comes next to be expected by us what marvel if we refer these signes in Heaven and Earth now concurring to this Matter and that we look upon them as foretellers of the Jews Conversion and the subversion of the last Monarchy of the world 4. We read also in Revel 17. That a time will one day come when the 10 Horns of the Beast on which the Harlet sits which 10 Horns are 10 Kings who have long adored the Beast and have committed fornication with the whore shall in that agree together hat with hatred they persecute the where and make her desolate and â—â—ked chap. 17.16 And we know who is that Harlot and who are those Kings which have so long served her viz. the Kings of France Spain Poland Hungary Behemiah England Scotland Portugal Suedland and Denmark All which together with the Pope lifting up himself as the Head of the Catholick Church nad their rise And because we see that in many of these Kings there hath been long since a mind that if they could would long ago have devoured her flesh but concerning the rest of the Kings which hitherto have adhered to the Harlot 't is evident that they also are gone into parties and dissent from her and begin to prepare war against her who thence may not conclude the death of that Whore Gerariae and by consequence the destruction of that Gerarian seven-headed-Beast to be before the doores And albeit there were no signes of this extant in Heaven yet to quick-sighted men and they who believe the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles those signes of it on earth which we see with our eyes and touch with our hands N.B. may be sufficient Behold now I have demonstrated that that same faithful exhortation of the aforesaid Book Printed at Groning and written upon occasion of the instant Conjunction of all the Planets in the fiery Sign of â™ Sagitary is most worthy to be heedfully observed and to be laid up in the inmost Closets of our hearts seeing the matters there set forth are not vain Phantasmes of mans Brain ☞ of idle figments of superstitious Astrology but a sure certain truth founded in Nature and on the Scriptures agreeing not only with the Tradition and Experience of the Ancients but also with the Predictions of the Lord Jesus Christ himself and of his beloved Apostles Peter Paul and John Therefore I will conclude with the words of our Lord full of Consolation and Love Luke 21.8 c. And when these things begin to come to pass then look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh 29. And he spake to them a Parable behold the Fig-tree and all the Trees 30. When they now shoot forth ye see and know of your own selves that Summer is now nigh at hand V. 31. So likewise ye when ye see these things come to pass know ye that the Kingdom of God is at hand Go to let us lay aside whatsoever might hinder us Be we like to Servants who with their Loynes girt and their Lamps burning expect their Master Let us shake off the dust of the Earth and lift up our heads with our hearts heaven-ward clearing our selves from all Impediments before it be too late that is before those last signes invade which shall unexpectedly slay the world For those things which Christ foretold Luke 21. shall come to pass are more than begun to be fulfilled And unless we make hast those last Signes which shall immediately accompany Christs coming will be now present and come upon us unaware Now the Figuree hath begen to put forth her leaves now her branch begins to wax tender Yet truly those natural Branchek of that same Noble Olive-tree of which Paul speaks Rom. 11. begâ—n to be tender as I before noted for I speak not of a thing unâ—â—pâ—rienced acknowledging themselves to be great sinners giving Glory to God and justifying him in all his Judgments exercised upon them and submitting themselves without any resistance to all afflictions reproaches and punishments and anxiously expecting if at any time God will remember them and have mercy upon them Moreover do not those signes of the end of this world aâ—â— of the Beasts last violence and of Government every where overtuâ—hing it self begin to bud forth Therefore whosoever will not be upâ—â— are destroyed and perish with the world it is of necessity that he hasten For most certainly the Summer is at hand i.e. that glorious Kingdom of God of which all the Prophets have prophesied of which also Christ so often monished his Disciples and they us supporting us continually with that Consolation is now at the door O blessed Summer and with all Prayer to be desired in which all those excellent fruits shall be presented to the eyes of all in Production whereof God and Christ have laboured so many thousand years whereby at 〈◊〉 the most bountiful God may be truly acknowledged praysed and sanctified among all peoples and inhabitants of the whole world for the works of his hands and for the unspeakable riches of his Grace Truth and Love and Faithfulness towards Mankind O blessed Kingdom where God alone shall be Kingiâ—â—â— vvhich to him only vvho hath redeemed us vvith his precious bloud from among all peoples all povver and vvisdom and honour and strength and riches shall be given vvith one consent of all Creatures vvhether Angels or men The God and Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST who by the Gospel of his Son hath called us unto that Kingdom open in us our understanding to lay these things to heart that conforming our selves wholly to these things we may be meet to have our part in the delicacies of this Summer and the ineffable Glory of the Kingdom of our Lord JESU CHRIST Blessed for ever Amen Adde to the Book the Prophesie of Tobit chap. 14. v. 3 4 5 6 7. The Pourtraiture how the Planets stood above one another every one according to his Altitude yet all of them under the same Sign Sagittarius Decemb. 1 12. In pag. 40. lin 9 10. at the words the destruction of that Gerarian seven-headed Beast read if ye please thus the destruction of that Carrieress Porteress or drudge-bearer of the seven-headed Beast FINIS