Brightmans predictions and prophecies vvritten 46 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 36 and 41, &c.

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 exa∣ctly come to passe, as of the Sybills (so often and fre∣quently alledged by the Fathers) who many years before predicted of the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour. The like did Merlin Ambrosins, that famous Cambrian Pro∣phet, 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 Prophe∣sies, 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 accom∣plished.

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 E∣lizabeths 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, fa∣ther to our Royall Soveraigne K. Charles, (of like sacred

memorie with the former) His Predictions were out of the 3. and 4. Chapters of the Revelations: in which there is mention made of 7. Epistles sent to the 7. Churches of Asia, which were Types of 7. other succeeding Churches to come. The 7. 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 1517. 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 re∣tained many errors, as Consubstantiation of the Lords Supper, and about free-will, justification, good works, &c. by which he fore∣seeing 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, sudden∣ly and unexpected: now these judgements are thus fatidically deli∣vered.

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 14. of November, 1636. by the Ministers of Germa∣nie 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, 1637. 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 ra∣vished before his face, and his yong infants torne from their Mo∣thers 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 in∣cludeth 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 di∣ligence of Pastors and Teachers is performed more faithfully &c. To which he also addeth, that the Philadelphians (meaning the Chur∣ches of Scotland, Geneva, and Holland) shall continue till the ap∣pearance 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 40. 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 con∣tingents 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 Refor∣med) in which he presageth the state of the Prelacie, and Clergy of Eng∣land, 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 tribulati∣ons 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 suf∣ficiently 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 per∣fidiously 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 su∣staine 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 Enthusi∣asmes & 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 sub∣sequence will be more apparent; for it thus followeth.

His prediction of the Church of England,

The Counterpaine of Laodicea stands, (As third in rank) Ith' 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: 'Tis 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 fur∣ther comment upon it: which I entreat the Read•••• ••••y be perused consi∣derately and carefully: For all predictions of this na••••re ought to bee three times read, before once determinately censured.

FINIS.