Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

A Prophecy of the Turkish empire. Delivered by some of their own Diviners in the Persian Language.

OUR monarch shall come, he shall dispossess the unbelieving prince of his kingdom: he shall subdue the red apple, and make it yield to his government. And if happily the christian sword prevail not unto the seventh year, he shall overrule them unto the twelfth year: he shall build castles, plant vineyards, and fortify his gardens with walls: he shall increase in issue; but after the aforesaid twelfth year, the sword of the Christians shall approach, which shall put the Turks to flight, utterly vanquishing and destroying them.

This Prophecy I find recited in a treatise, entitled "A Discoursive Problem concerning Prophecies, by John Harvey, Physician of King's Lynn in Norfolk," (who appears by that work to have been a very learned and great-read man) published in the year 1580.

How the overthrow of the Ottoman empire is to be accomplished, we know not: the present interference of Russia in the affairs of Persia may lead to it, and pave the way eventually for the great predicted empire of the north.

The Cry of a Stone; or a relation of something spoken at Whitehall, by Anna Trapnel, (being in the Visions of God,) relating to Governors, Armies, Churches, &c.

Extracted from the original work, printed 1653.

Two things are foretold by all the prophets shall be brought to pass, which seal up the prophecies and finish the mystery of God: the Lord's appearing in his glory upon Mount Sion, and the darkening of sun and moon, that is, the shaming, confounding, and casting out of all wisdom and power, and whatsoever is but the excellency and glory of man.

I finding my heart in a very low dead frame, much contention and crookedness working in my spirit, I asked of God what was the matter? He answered me thus: I let thee see what thou art in thyself, to keep thee humble; I am about to shew thee great things and visions, which thou hast been ignorant of.

Then broke forth a vision as to the horns. I saw four horns, which were four powers; the first was that of the bishops, that I saw was broken in two and thrown aside: the second horn, more white, had joined to it an head, endeavouring to get up a mount, and suddenly it was pushed down and broken to pieces: the third horn had many splinters joined to it, like

to the scales upon the back of a fish, and this was presented to be a power or a representative consisting of many men, having fair pretences of love to all under forms; this I saw broken and scattered, that not as much as any bit of it was left. As to the fourth horn, that was short, but full of variety of colours, sparkling, red and white; it was said to me, this is different from the three other, because great swelling words and great offers of kindness should go forth to all people from it, like unto that of Absalom, speaking good words to the people in the gate to draw them from the honest David.

But it is not now as it was in times past, that a kingly progeny should reign, for that was but for a time, and then after they should be judged, destroyed, and taken off, and be no more, and then shall the kingdom of the Lord Jesus come forth, and all the kingdoms of man thrown down before it *.

England, 'tis only by thy parliaments that thou canst be ruined; but beware of those who, by promising more than can be realized, would hasten and make more sure thy downfal. Look steadfastly to the substance of 1688, and follow not the shadow of 1819. Wonderful are the

* This last passage corresponds to a degree of exactness with Christopher Love. See his Prophecy, p. 48.

ways of Providence, and most mysterious his decrees. Repine not at an ill, however grievous, which is ordained to work its own cure.

Unanimity forms the strength of nations; where there is no opposition there can be no struggle, there can be no bloodshed.

This vision, if it is to be considered as a prediction, is dark, mysterious, and dangerous to unravel.

The Knowledge of the Times; or how long it shall be until the End of Wonders. By John Tillinghast, a servant of Jesus Christ.

From the original, printed 1654.

Ir is a most certain truth, that every prophecy left us in the word of God hath in itself sufficient characters to lead us, by comparing the characters of it with the mind of God in other prophecies, to the knowledge of the substance of that truth that is in it held forth; for otherwise the word should be imperfect, and not able to expound itself.

For an example, I shall pitch upon Daniel's little horn, which is one of the most famous prophecies in all the scripture,

That the kingdom of the little horn must be

in the latter days; the reason is, because the extreme and utmost part of Nebuchadnezzar's great image, viz. the feet and toes, Dan. ii. 41, 42, 43, are the same with the little horn, chap. vii.

To whose kingdom this phrase is most properly applicable, the apostle's use of the same phrase, 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3, doth clearly teach us, that this kingdom of the little horn must neces_sarily appertain to the Roman monarchy.

That it cannot be any power distinct from, and succeeding the Roman monarchy, is also clear,

1. Because no place in Daniel, or elsewhere, doth so much as once countenance any such opinion as this, viz. That there should be any worldly government succeeding the Roman monarchy. Nay, let me say, the scripture is clear against such a notion, for it is manifest, Dan. vii. 12, 13, 14, Rev. xix. 11, 12, compared with ver. 19, 20, that the destruction of the beast, i. e. the Roman monarchy, is under Antichrist.

2. Because the beast is slain, his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame; and that for the blasphemies of the little horn, Dan. vii. 11. This beast, I say, can be no other but the fourth and last beast, ver. 7, which beast is the Roman monarchy.

Hence I gather, That the government of the little horn cannot be a government distinct from the Roman monarchy, a thing the Roman mon

[ocr errors]
« VorigeDoorgaan »