Chapter II: Introduction (1)

This remarkable Prophecy has been carefully revised, corrected, and improved; also some account given of our author, Robert Nixon, who was but a kind of idiot, and used to be employed in following the plough. He had lived in some farmers’ families, and was their drudge and their jest.

At last, Thomas Cholmondeley, of Vale-Royal, Esq., took him into his house, where he lived 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 driveller, and could not speak common sense when uninspired, yet in delivering his prophecies, 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 will come to pass as well as the best of Squire Bickerstaff’s; it is plain enough that great men in all ages had recourse to prophecy as well as the vulgar. I would not have all grave persons despise the inspiration 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 the 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; ’tis as old as the powder-plot, and the story will make it appear that there is as little imposture 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 the reader to determine.

J. OLDMIXON.

THE PROPHECY.

IN the reign of King James the First there lived a man generally reputed a fool, whose name was Nixon. One day, when he returned home from ploughing, he laid the things down which he had in his hands, and continued for some time in a seemingly deep and thoughtful meditation, at length he pronounced in a loud hoarse voice, ‘Now I will prophecy;’ 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 Cholmondeley family, and this heir shall live to see England invaded by foreigners, who shall proceed as 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 skulk 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 shall see happy days. A new set of young men, of virtuous manners, 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 falls downwards, the church shall be oppressed, and rise no more; but if it fall upwards, next the rising hill on the side of it, then shall it 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 sink 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 kings’ horses, while England shall be three times won and lost in one day.”

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The original may be seen in several families in the county, and in particular in the hands of Mr. Egerton, of Oulton, with many other remarkable things; as that Peckforton wind-mill should be removed to Ludington hill and that horses saddled should run about while their girths 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 with him.

I know your prophets are generally for Raw-head and bloody-bones and therefore do not mind it much; or I might add that of Oulton mill shall be driven with blood instead of water, but these soothsayers are great butchers and every hall is with them a slaughter-house.

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 country of Chester, where it is in every one’s mouth and has been so these forty years. As much as I have of the manuscript was sent me by a person of sense and veracity and as little partial to visions as any body. For my own part I build nothing on this or any other prophecy; only 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 Cholmondeleys 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 seat of that branch of the family which kept our prophet Nixon is at Vale-Royal, on the river Weave in Delamere forest. It was formerly an abbey, {43} founded by Edward I. and came to the Cholmondeleys from the famous family of the Holcrofts. 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 many days, during which time an eagle sat upon the house-top and flew away when she was delivered of 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 only half a foot from the ground.

In the parish of Budworth a boy was born about eighteen years ago with three thumbs; the youth is still living there and the miller Peter lives in Noginshire mill in expectation of fulfilling this prophecy on the person of Perkin: he hath also two heels on one foot and I find he intends to make use of them in the interest of King George, for he is a bold Briton and a loyal subject, zealous for the Protestant succession in the illustrious House of Hanover, has a vote for the knights of the shire and never fails to give it on the right side: in a word, Peter will prate or box for the good cause that Nixon had lifted him in and if he does not do the business, this must be said of him, that no man will bid fairer for it; which the Lady Egerton was so apprehensive of, that wishing well to another restoration, she often instigated her husband to turn him out of the mill; but he looked upon it as whimsical and so Peter still continues there, in hopes of being 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, together with several other persons of credit and fashion, have often been heard to talk and that they all asserted their knowledge of the truth of our prophecy and its accomplishment, with many 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 see this fool, who cried and made ado that he might not go to court and the reason that he gave was, that he should there be STARVED.—(A very whimsical fancy of his, courts not being places where people are used to starve in, when they once come there, whatever they may have done 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, that he was sent for again; and soon after the messenger arrived, who brought him up from Cheshire.

How or whether he prophecied to his Majesty, no person can tell; but he is not the first fool that has made a good court prophet.

That Nixon might be well provided for it 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 Hampton Court to London in their hurry they forgot the fool and he was really starved to death.

There are a great many passages of this fool-prophet’s life and sayings transmitted in 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 goaded an ox 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 at that time, the lord of the manor took the same ox for a heriot. This account whimsical and romantic as it is was told to the Lady Cowper in the year 1670, by Dr. Patrick late Bishop of Ely then chaplain to Sir Walter St. John; and that lady had the following further particulars relating to this prophecy and the fulfilling of many parts of it from Mrs. Chute, sister to Mrs. Cholmondeley of Vale-Royal, who affirmed that a multitude of people gathered together to see the eagle before-mentioned and the bird was frightened from her young; that she herself was one of them and the cry among the people was, Nixon’s prophecy is fulfilled and we 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 remembers that King James the Second was plainly pointed at and that it was foretold he should 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 prophecied perched in one of the windows all the time her sister was in labour. She says it was the biggest bird she ever saw; that it was in a deep snow and it perched on the edge of a great bow-window, which had a large border on the outside and that 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 stayed 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 Country: that the miller mentioned is now alive and expects to be knighted and is in the very mill that is foretold: that he should kill two invaders who should 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 folds 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 should be so bloody, that people will ride in London streets up to their horses’ bellies in blood; that several other battles should be fought up and down most parts of Cheshire; and that the last that ever would be fought in England should be on Delamere forest: that the heir of Oulston, whose name is E— and has married Earl Cholmondeley’s sister, should be hanged up at his own gate.

Lastly, Nixon foretells great glory and prosperity to those who stand up in defence of their laws and liberties; and ruin and misery to those who 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, {51} should put an end to all. That afterwards the church should flourish, and England be the most glorious nation on earth.

Lady Cowper was not content to take these particulars from Mrs. Chute, but she enquired 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 my garden wall would fall and I think it looks as if it would stand these forty years;” that he had not been gone above 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 Peckforton-mill, it was done by Sir John Crew, the mill having lost its trade there, for which he ordered it to be set upon Ludington hill; and being asked if he did it to fulfil 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 them. 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 until accomplished.

If I had a mind to look into the antiquities of this county, I might find that prodigies and prophecies are no unusual things there. Camden tells us that at Brereton not many miles from Vale-Royal which gave name to a famous, ancient, numerous, and knightly family, there is a thing as strange as that of the 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 seen, 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 fish 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 surface of the water; and in case the fit of sickness proves fatal to the monk, the fish foretells it by its death some days before. This the learned Camden relates in his description of Cheshire and the opinion of the trees swimming in the lake near Brereton, prevails all about the county to the present day, only with this difference, that some say it is one log only that swims and some say many.

Lancashire, which is not far off, has been famous for witches and I am afraid Cheshire is a little infected by its neighbourhood. Those that will not believe our prophecy may leave it alone; but if hope is a good help to faith, I shall not be long among the incredulous.

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_The Editor presents his Readers with a Copy of a printed Paper_, _which several aged Persons_, _residing near the Forest_, _have vouched for the Authenticity of_.

A true and particular Account of a strange and surprising Vision, that was seen in the Forest of Delamere, in Cheshire, on the 4th of last Month.

AS Nixon, in the reign of King James the First, prophesied of many strange and wonderful things that should come to pass, such as an heir being born to Lord Cholmondeley’s which at that time there was little reason to expect, but which came to pass; and that the eldest son or young Lord Cholmondeley should have the misfortune to break his neck by riding a hunting, which accident really did happen; and several other things already come to pass according to the said prophecy, but, in particular, of a wonderful battle or engagement that should be fought in the forest of Delamere; and as it is now fully expected that we shall have an invasion from our natural and inveterate enemies the French, it is also thought it will be in the North of England and in all probability the said Forest of Delamere may be the place of action or engagement: and what strengthens the belief more is the vision that was seen in the said forest on the 4th, as follows:

As two ancient persons were walking over the said Forest, to their great surprise, they saw at a distance before them an army rise out of the ground drawn up with their proper officers and their commanders in front of them, and whilst they were looking at and ruminating upon so strange a sight, to their most wonderful surprise and amazement there arose also another army out of the ground, at a small distance from the first, and farther in the forest, which army was headed or commanded by a man in royal apparel, who, after having drawn up his army, marched to meet and engage the first; upon which a most bloody battle ensued with firearms, and many appeared to be killed on both sides; but, being so near each other, they laid down or grounded their arms and took to their swords, with which great slaughter was made; and then came to such close quarters that they put up their swords and fought with their hands; all of which engagements continued more than three quarters of an hour, during which time the said two ancient people were spectators; and at last the remains of the army that first appeared retreated towards the sea, and vanished directly out of their sight; whilst the other army which was commanded by the man in royal apparel marched victorious out of the field as far as it was possible to see them. These ancient people having spoken of the above vision it came to the ears of several gentlemen, who sent for, and examined them concerning the truth of it, which they were ready to make oath of for their satisfaction.

On the 6th of the same month, as seven men were going to Cheshire over the said forest, about the middle of it they saw to their astonishment, a vision much resembling that which was on the sixth as above described; only with this addition that the victorious army had many slain to all appearance, yet they resumed life again and joined their own army; all which is looked upon as a good omen, that if in case England is invaded by her enemies though the nation be seemingly dead and in great division, yet on the approach of the enemy they will all in one general heart and one mind exert themselves to repel our most inveterate enemies.

As Nixon’s Prophecies are by some persons thought fables, yet by what has come to pass it is now thought and very plainly appears that most of them have or will prove true; for which reason we have all occasion not only to exert our utmost might to repel by force our enemies, but to return from our abandoned and wicked course of life, and make our continual prayers to God for protection and safety.

PROPHECY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, FROM A PUBLICATION BY THE LATE MR. PETER JURIEU, IN 1687.

Rev. xi. 13.

_And the same hour there was 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 the tenth part of the city which shall fall? in my opinion we cannot doubt that it 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 afterwards. ’Tis 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 it is 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 spoil 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. This thing is already come to pass in part. The kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark, England and several sovereign States in Germany have withdrawn themselves from the jurisdiction of the Pope. They have spoiled the harlot of her riches. They have eaten her flesh, i.e. seized on her benefices, and revenues, which she had in their countries. This must go on and be finished as it is begun. 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? it 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 temporal matters is subject to the Pope and permits that in his states the Archbishop of Strigonium should 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. ’Tis well known how solemnly and openly war hath been declared against the Pope by a 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 Sorbonne, 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 hitherto happened at least in a time of peace and unless the Pope had given occasion by his insolence.

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 beforehand preparing for his great work.

To this it may be objected that for the last hundred and fifty years the Pope’s empire hath not been made up of ten Kings, because the Kings of England, Sweden, Denmark, etc., have thrown off his government; and consequently, France is not at this day the tenth part of the Babylonian empire; for it 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, it is, notwithstanding, certain, that each kingdom was called, and ought to be called in this prophecy, the tenth part, because the prophet having described this empire in its beginning, by its ten horns, or ten kings, it is necessary for our clear understanding, that every one of these Kings and kingdoms, should be called one of the ten Kings, or of ten kingdoms, with respect to the original 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. It is the street or place of this city, i.e. the most fair and eminent part of it. The witnesses must remain dead upon the 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 confess that this seems somewhat mysterious: in other places we find not this phrase, names of men, but simply men. Perhaps there is a figure of grammar, called _hypolage 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 names of men, must be taken in their natural signification and do intimate that the total Reformation of France shall not be made with bloodshed, nothing shall be destroyed but names; such as are the names of Monks, of Carmelites, of Augustines, of Dominicans, of Jacobins, of Franciscans, Capuchins, Jesuits, Minimes and an infinite company of others, whose number it is not easy to define and which the Holy Ghost denotes by the number seven, which is the number of perfection, to signify that the orders of monks and nuns shall perish for ever. This is an institution so degenerated from its first original, that it is become the ruin of Antichrist. These orders cannot perish one without the other.

These great events deserve to be distinguished from all others; for they have changed, or shall change, THE WHOLE FACE OF THE WORLD.

EXTRACTS FROM SERMONS BY DR. JOHN GILL.

THERE are some times fixed in prophecy, which by diligence, attention, and application men may arrive to some understanding of. There are indeed some times and seasons, the knowledge of which is not to be attained unto; and it would be wrong, as well as in vain, curiously to search into them. _It is not for us to know the times or the seasons_, _which the Father hath put in his own power_; for he has _determined the times before appointed_, when every thing that he has purposed or promised shall come to pass; and he has fixed a _time for every purpose under the heaven_, for the performance of every thing he has designed shall be; _a time to be born_, _and a time to die_, and for every intermediate event; but these times are not known beforehand, until things are brought into execution. There are others and very remarkable events, the times of which are pointed at in prophecy; and which with diligence and application, a knowledge of them may in some measure be attained unto: as for instance, the first coming of Christ into this world to save men: the time for it was not only agreed upon and settled between the Father and the Son, called _the fulness of time_, but there were several prophetic hints of it; nay, not only was it described by some general circumstances, as that it should be before the second temple was destroyed, since he was to come into it and while the sceptre was in the tribe of Judah; but the precise time was fixed by Daniel’s seventy weeks, or four hundred years, which were to commence from a date given him; and before the expiration of which the Messiah was to come: and so as he by reading Jeremiah’s books knew the time when the Babylonish captivity should end; another by reading his prophecies might know when the Messiah would come; and accordingly about the time when those weeks were drawing near to an expiration, there were many that were looking for the Messiah and redemption by him, as knowing that it was about the time by these weeks that he should come. There is a time set for the second coming and God in his times will show him, or cause him openly to appear; and though he will come in an hour we know not of, yet there are some circumstances pointed out in the word of God by which it may be known that it is nigh at hand; as that the day when the Son of man shall be revealed shall be as the days of Noah and Lot, when men indulged themselves in pleasure, lived in great security, unaware of the ruin coming upon them; and that when the Son of man cometh, faith will not be found in the earth; whether this be understood of the grace or doctrine of faith, or of faith with respect to Christ’s coming: and when we compare these things with the present times, and consider the luxury, love of pleasure, carnal security and infidelity that abound among us, we might conclude that the coming of Christ is just at hand, were it not that there are many things which require time yet to be fulfilled previous to it, as the destruction of Antichrist, the conversion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles. So the last judgment which will take place at the second coming of Christ, and is most certain, being early known and often spoken of. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophecied of it, and of Christ’s coming to it; the day is appointed when it will come on, though of that day and hour knoweth no man, not the angels in heaven, but the Father only: but then the principal things that should come to pass, relative to the church, between the first and second coming of Christ to judgment, are signified to us in the book of the Revelation.

_Sermon from_ 1 _Chron._ xii. 32,
_preached Jan._ 1, 1752.

The destruction of Antichrist is the grand leading event to the glories of this state. This is hinted at in the epistle to the church at Philadelphus, the emblem of the spiritual reign; it will be the last struggle of the beast that will cause that _hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try_ the inhabitants of it: when the seventh trumpet will be sounded, which will bring on the spiritual kingdom of Christ throughout the world, he will destroy them which destroy the earth; meaning the Papists, who have destroyed the inhabitants of the earth with their false doctrine, superstitious worship, and with those bloody wars, murders, and massacres they have been at the bottom of. And till this is done the spiritual reign cannot take place, especially in its full compass, and in all its branches, for so long as Antichrist reigns, the church will be more or less in an afflicted state: the date of the church’s troubles, and of the reign of Antichrist are alike, and will expire together: the power given to the beast is to continue forty and two months; wherefore there can be no truly good and happy days, till these dates are ended.

The destruction of Antichrist will be by the spirit of Christ’s mouth, and the brightness of his coming; that is, by his coming in a spiritual way; or through the word of his mouth, his gospel attended by his spirit and power; which will shine out with so much lustre, splendour, light, and glory, as will chase away the darkness of popery, and enlighten the minds of people, to see into all the fopperies, absurdities, and wickedness of that religion and cause them to cast it off: yea, even to open the eyes of the kings and princes of the earth, to behold and loath the abominations of the whore of Rome they have committed fornication with; and fill them with wrath and indignation against her, as to hate her, make her bare and desolate, and burn her with fire.

This work will be greatly effected by the pouring out of the seven vials of God’s wrath, or the inflicting the seven last plagues upon the anti-Christian states, upon the western and eastern Antichrist, the Pope and Turk; who must be both removed to make way for the spiritual reign of Christ. These seven vials will be poured out, or those plagues inflicted by Angels; by whom we are to understand protestant kings, and princes, and generals of armies; and these will be given them by one or the first of the four beasts, or living creatures, the emblems of gospel ministers; who having some notice of the time of antichrist’s destruction being at hand, will stir and animate the christian princes and potentates to take this work in hand; and who are therefore said to go forth from the temple, the church, the place of divine and spiritual worship, and where they themselves are worshippers; and from whence they have orders to go forth and do their work.

The first five of these vials concern the western Antichrist, and his dominions: between which, and the trumpets, there is a great correspondence, though they respect different times and persons. The first vial will be poured out upon the earth, and designs those popish countries which are upon the continent, as France and Germany, especially the latter; and as the first trumpet brought the Goths into Germany, so the first vial will bring great distress upon the popish party in the empire, and issue in a reformation from popery. The second vial will be poured out upon the sea, and may intend the maritime powers belonging to the see of Rome, particularly Spain and Portugal; and as the second trumpet brought the Vandals into these places, so this vial will effect the same, and bring wars and desolations into them, and make a change in their religion. The third vial will be poured out upon the rivers and fountains of water, which may point to those places adjacent to Rome, as Italy and Savoy; and as the third trumpet brought the Huns into those parts; so this vial will bring in large armies hither, which will cause much bloodshed, and a great revolution in church and state. The fourth vial will be poured out upon the sun, which must denote some person or persons of great dignity and influence, and as the fourth trumpet brought destruction upon the Emperor of Rome, the sun of the empire, and upon governors under him, signified by the moon and stars; this vial will bring on the ruin of the pope of Rome, the sun of the antichristian empire, with all his cardinals, bishops, priests, etc. The fifth vial will be poured out upon the seat of the beast, which is Rome, the seat that the devil gave to the beast, and will produce great darkness in his kingdom; though as yet it will not be utterly destroyed, which is reserved to the seventh vial. Now these several vials as they will be so many plagues on the western Antichrist, and make so many breaches and ruins upon his states and dominions, so they will be so many gradual steps to the advancement of the glory and kingdom of Christ, and issue in the reformation of these places from popery. The sixth vial will be poured out on the river Euphrates, which designs the Turkish empire, in the midst of which that river is; and as the sixth trumpet let loose the four angels, or heads of the Ottoman family into Europe, so this vial affects the same empire and brings destruction on it, signified by the drying up of the waters of that river, as Babylon’s destruction is expressed by the drying up of her sea, Jer. li. 36, which will make way for the king, or kingdoms of the East; the kingdoms of Persia and Tartary and others, to receive and embrace the Christian religion: this is the second, or Turkish woe, which shall pass away; when the kingdoms of this world will become Christ’s and his dominion will be from sea to sea, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Sea; and from the river Euphrates to the ends of the earth. The seventh vial will be poured out upon the air, the whole kingdom of Satan, in all the branches of it, who is the prince of the power of the air; and this vial will clear the whole world of all the remains of Christ’s enemies, pagan, papal, and Mahometon, which the other vials left or did not reach; and now will Christ’s kingdom be in its full glory. Now the heathens, papists, pagans and Mahometans, will perish out of this land and these sorts of sinners will be consumed out of the earth and such wicked ones will be no more.

God will make a short work in righteousness, upon the enemies of his church: as yet I take it, none of them are poured out, though some great and learned men have so thought; as yet there have been no such devastations on the continent, as in France and Germany, as to produce the above effects; nor in the countries of Spain and Portugal; nor in Italy and Savoy, and like the places near Rome, nor in the seat of the beast, Rome itself; nor on the Pope and his cardinals; the river Euphrates is not dried up; the Ottoman empire is yet in being; the Turkish woe is not passed away; and much less the world cleared of all the enemies of Christ and his church; no, before this work is done, the outer court must be given to the Gentiles, and the witnesses must be slain. Had they begun to be poured out at the time of the reformation, as some have thought, in all likelihood they would have been finished before now; and Antichrist would have been destroyed, and better times than we are now in would have succeeded; but, however, this we may be assured of, that as the plagues in Egypt issued in the destruction of Pharaoh, and in the deliverance of the Israelites, so these vials will end in the ruin of Antichrist, and in the salvation of the church of Christ. As soon as these things will take place, nay, as soon as you hear of those seven plagues, immediately you hear of persons on a sea of glass, triumphing over Antichrist, having the harps of God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb: and no sooner it is said, that Babylon is fallen, but voices are heard in heaven ascribing salvation, glory, honour and power to God, for his judgments on the great whore; declaring that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; that the marriage of the Lamb is come; and his bride made ready; and proclaiming them happy that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb; all which respect the spiritual reign of Christ, now introduced by the ruin of Antichrist.

There will be very large conversions every where, in the several parts of the world: in all popish countries and antichristian states; even the ten kings that have given their kingdoms to the beast, have been associates of Antichrist and reigned with him, shall withdraw from him; they and their subjects shall revolt from him, and be converted, and embrace the pure gospel: as it will be the christian princes and potentates that will pour out the seven vials on Antichrist, they will carry the gospel with them wherever they go; or, however, the ministers of it will follow closely at their heels, way being made by the former for them; whose ministry will meet with great success every where, and those that escape the judgments of God in these nations, will not only be affrighted at them, but will be truly converted by the gospel and give glory to the God of heaven. In the Mahometan nations, the Turkish woe being past and that empire being destroyed and way made for the gospel to be carried into the eastern kingdoms, great and large conversions will be made by it; there is a most glaring prophecy of this in Isa. lx. 7., which whole chapter concerns the spiritual and personal reign of Christ; all the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar and I will glorify the house of my glory. Now Kedar and Nebaioth were the sons of Ishmael, Gen. xxv. 13., who settled in Arabia, the country now possessed by the Turks; so that this is a prophecy of the conversion of multitudes in those parts, whereby the interest of Christ will be increased and his church glorified. Moreover, in all Pagan countries the gospel will make its way, and be successful; the covering and veil of blindness and ignorance, cast and spread over all people and nations, will be removed by it; not only the darkness of popery and Mahometanism, but the gross darkness of paganism shall flee away at the light and brightness of Zion’s rising; the Gentiles shall come to it; the fulness and forces of them shall be brought into the church, being converted by the word: and not only vast multitudes of the common people but great personages also; kings shall be enlightened by it; these shall come to Christ, fall down before him and worship him; these shall come into his church and become members of it; kings shall be nursing fathers and queens nursing mothers to his people; they shall bring their riches, honour, and glory into his house; and his saints shall suck the breasts of kings, be enriched, honoured and protected by them. This will be the time when the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; not that there will be any change or alteration in the form and order of civil government, which will be the same as now; there will be kings and queens then, as at this time, as these prophecies show, it will not be until the personal reign of Christ takes place, that all rule, authority and power, will be put down: civil magistracy in the spiritual reign will continue as it is; only it will change hands, it will be entirely in the hands of christian kings and princes all the world over; and no doubt but it will be better exercised, be more orderly and regular; and that truth and righteousness will prevail every where. But I must not forget the conversion of that considerable body of people the Jews, who have been preserved a distinct people for several hundreds of years for this purpose; the conversion of these people will be sudden and of them altogether a nation shall be born at once. It looks as if their conversion would be like that of the apostle Paul, and he seems to hint that it will, when he says, that he, in obtaining mercy, was a pattern to them which should hereafter believe; meaning, perhaps, his own countrymen that should believe in Christ in the latter day, whose conversion would be similar to his; that as his conversion was sudden, in the midst of all his ignorance, unbelief, and rebellion, and without the word, by the immediate power and grace of God, so will theirs be in like manner: nor is it likely that their conversion should be by means of the word, since there is such an aversion in that people to the hearing of it; and a rare thing it is to see a Jew in a Christian assembly. But, however, all Israel shall be called, converted, and saved; there is a famous prophecy of this in Hos. iii. 4, 5., in the first of these verses it is said, the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king and without a prince; without any civil government of their own, the sceptre having departed from them many hundred years ago; and without sacrifice; daily or yearly, or on any occasion: they believing it to be unlawful to sacrifice any where but in their own land, and at Jerusalem, and on the altar of God there; and without an image, and without an ephod, and without seraphim; without any manner of idols, or idol-worship; they being not addicted to idolatry, since their return from the Babylonish captivity: and now as all these things are exactly fulfilled in them, so will in like manner that which follows: afterwards shall the children of Israel return: by faith and repentance, from their evil way, from their impenitence and unbelief, and rejection of the Messiah, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; the Messiah, the son of David, their king, as their own _Targum_ paraphrases it; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days; in the spiritual reign of Christ; and it is hinted as in the Philadelphian state, Rev. iii. 9, then will the children of Israel appoint themselves one head, which is Christ, whom they will own and acknowledge to be their head, lord, and king; and they shall come out of the land, or countries where they are, to their own land, and great shall be the day of Jezreel: and this will make a considerable part of the glory of Christ’s spiritual kingdom.

The light of the gospel, both in the preachers and professors of it, will be very great, clear, and distinct; the light of the moon, as in the present dispensation to which it may be compared, shall be as the light of the sun, to which that dispensation shall be like; and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days: as if the light of seven days were collected together, and shone out at once; hyperbolical expressions, setting forth the exceeding greatness of gospel light in those times: not only the watchmen, ministers of the word, shall see eye to eye, all truths clearly and distinctly, but their ideas and sentiments shall be regular and uniform; there will be an entire harmony and agreement between them; and even private Christians, common members, shall all know the Lord, and the things of the gospel, in a very clear and comfortable manner, even from the least of them unto the greatest of them; when God shall lay Zion’s stones with fair colours, and her foundation with sapphires, make her windows of agates, and her gates of carbuncles, and all her borders of pleasant stones; then all her children shall be taught of God, to such a degree as they never were before, so clearly, fully and universally.

Brotherly love, which is now waxed cold, will be in its height and glory, agreeable to the name of this state, Philadelphia, which signifies brotherly love: there will be no more contentions, animosities, and quarrels: Ephraim shall not envy Judah on account of pre-eminence of office, gifts and grace; and Judah shall not envy Ephraim, by any haughty or overbearing carriage, or with wrangling debates and opprobrious language: the two sticks of Ephraim and Judah shall be one in the hand of the Lord; there will be perfect harmony and love, nothing to disturb, distress, and make uneasy, or tend to alienate the affections of one from another; there will be no pricking briars nor grieving thorns among them; they will be like the first Christians, of one heart and of one mind, and of one judgment, all studying to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Holiness, which becomes the house of God for ever, will now adorn every member in it; nor will there be such immorality in the world as at this present time: holiness will be as common as profaneness is now; in that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses holiness to the Lord—yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah, shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: Christ therefore takes his titles in writing to the church at Philadelphia, the emblem of the spiritual reign, suitable to its state; as truth and holiness shall then prevail, he addresses it thus, these things saith he that is holy, he that is true; truth and holiness go together; truth influences the heart, and that the life and conversation.

There will be great peace and prosperity of all kinds, inward and outward, spiritual and temporal; in these days of the Messiah’s spiritual reign, shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth: as the saints will enjoy great peace of conscience and tranquillity of mind so they will have nothing to disturb them without; there will be no more persecution; there will be none to hurt or destroy in all the Lord’s holy mountain, as there will be no discord among themselves, so no distress from any enemies, violence shall no more be heard in their land, nor wasting and destruction within their border. O happy, halcyon days! I go on to observe,

There will be a personal appearance of the Son of God, and a glorious one it will be: he will personally appear; the Lord himself shall descend, not by his spirit, or by the communication of his grace, or by his gracious presence, as before; but in person he will descend from the third heaven, where he is, in our nature, into the air, where he will be visible; every eye shall see him, when he cometh with clouds, or in the clouds of heaven, which will be his chariot; he will descend on earth et the proper time; and his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives; on that spot of ground from whence he ascended to heaven. Job seems to have this descent of his in view when he says, he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; which seems to respect not so much his first coming as his second; since it is connected with the resurrection of the dead.

This appearance of Christ will be a very glorious one: it is called the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Happy are those that belong to this city, who are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; whose citizenship is in heaven, and they have a right to enter in through the gates into the holy city, the new Jerusalem; but miserable will these be that will be without, for without are dogs: and then he that is unjust, will be unjust still; and he that is filthy, will be filthy still; and he that is righteous, will be righteous still; and he that is holy, will be holy still.