Judgment or Prophecies, Text
Reverend Mr. Brightmans Iudgement, or Propheſies what ſhall befall Germany, Scotland, Holland, and the Churches adhering to them.
Likewiſe what ſhall befall England, and the Hierarchy therein.
Collected out of his expoſition on the Revelations, Printed above forty years ſince. Wonderfull to ſee how they are fulfilled, and in fulfilling, foreſeeing and foretelling what our eyes have ſeen, and may ſee, both in the paſt, preſent and future State of our times.
Declaring that the Reformation began in Queene Elizabeth's dayes, is not ſufficient for us under greater light.
Finiſhing the work if we now withſtand as heretofore, we are to expect, God hath a ſad Controverſie with the Land.
This faithfull Watchman or our Engliſh Prophet (as he is cald) was perſecuted and baniſhed by the Biſhops, and this Commentary condemned by them to the fire; which they could not effect in Queen Elizabeths raigne, till King Iames.
Collected for the good of thoſe who want time or coine, to purchaſe ſo large a volume.
LONDON, Printed for R. H. in Queens-head Alley.
Mr. Brightman's Iudgement or Propheſies, what ſhall beſall Germany, Scotland Holland and the Churches adhering to them.
M r. Brightman in his Booke of the expoſition on the Revelations, ſeriouſly conſidering and reſolving himſelfe, that the 7 Epiſtles S. Iohn wrote to the 7 Churches in Aſia, were alſo written and directed to the 7 ſucceeding Churches among the Gentiles, of which thoſe 7 were a type or counterpane (omitting for brevity what he ſaith, concerning the other 4 Churches) we preſent you with a briefe of what he more immediatly applies to our ſelves.
In generall (he ſaith) That there was a terrible ſtorme to be expected,In his Epiſtle and in chap. 3. ver. 10. and it would be ſuch an horrible tempeſt, that it would terribly ſhake the Chriſtian Churches.
Friſt, for Germany, there was the bittereſt ſcourge for it that ever had fallen upon it, that it was to come ſhortly; Germany ſhould be like a houſe that is robb'd by furious,Chap. 3. verſe 10. mad & cruell ſpoylers, that would have no mercy of neither Sex, nor Age; and the comming thereof ſhould be ſuddaine and unexpected, like a thiefe in the night. Which we may ſee he truly foretold, it being fulfilled in our cares, and the inhabitants thereof having found it by ſad experience; let England take warning, conſidering what (he ſaid) was the cauſe that would bring all this miſery: Becauſe (ſaith he) they tooke no care for a full and through Reformation;Chap. 3. ver. 10. v. 12. therefore by the juſt judgement of God, they ſhould looſe their Citizens and Inhabitants; and they, with other Churches, ſhould come to nothing, and ſhortly it would appeare: he cals Germany by the name of Sardis.
Secondly, for Scotland, and Holland, and the other Churches adhering to them;Chap. 3. verſe 7. &c. (typified by godly Philadelphia) He ſaith, that they ſhall ſhut and none ſhall open, and they ſhall open and none ſhall ſhut: A Virgin Church, chaſt, not ſo defiled with Rome's ſuperſtition as others; And ſpeakes of a Covenant and Society they ſhould he joynd in, and bids them, not to be perplexed nor diſcouraged, at what the world ſpitefully prateth of them, as if hee had heard men in our times call them Traytors, Rebels, Seditious, and bids them not to regard the ſcoffes of the wicked, who will deſpiſe them, becauſe they are godly, little, lowly and weake in viſible power, in compariſon of their enemies; For (ſaith he) no enemy ſhall ſhall be able to prevaile againſt them, and they ſhall ſet up a token of victory ſhortly; and every one ſhall be compelled to ſay, That they are dearely beloved of God: they ſhall be ſeen to proſper ſo exceedingly; and ſo marvellouſly promoted and advanced, beyond all mens expectation: And when that ſtorme and horrible tempeſt ſhall come upon the Chriſtian Churches;Chap. 3. 7, 8, 9 ver. theſe Churches ſhall ſtand faſt like a pillar, and be preſerved from waſting; when the other Churches which did not take care for a full Reformation (as they did) ſhall by the juſt judgment of God, come (as it were) to nothing: There ſhall bee (ſaith he) ſuch a miſerable hutly burly of all things, that there ſhould ſcarce be the forme of a Church perceived; but only with holy Philadephia.
Thirdly, for England, whoſe counterpane he takes to be Laodicea, tearming it, Lukewarme, vaineglorious Laodicea; concerning it, he ſaith: He that gathereth the teares of his children into his bottle knoweth right well; That I could never with dry eyes take a ſurvey of this Laodiceas lamentable condition, but I powred out teares and ſighs from the bottom of my heart, when I beheld Chriſts loathing of us, and were it not that out of duty, as a watchman, I dare not betray the ſalvation of this Chruch, by not giving warning, I would have held my peace; but my hope is that thoſe which love the truth will hearken and accept, and thinke (as the truth is) I envy no mans perſon, honor or greatneſſe; Yet when I perceived, that theſe ſeven Churches were propounded for a tipe of all the Churches among the Gentiles; and with all, ſaw the order, time, & marveilous agreeing of all things together, I durſt not perfidiouſly bury the truth in ſilence.
In that Chriſt ſaith of this Church,Chap 3. verſe 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold; he obſerveth, that Chriſt maketh mention of no one good thing that it hath, the worſt of all the ſeven (although there were many faithfull in it) yet not any ſo paſt hope in regard of the outward forme and government; which comes to paſſe, not ſo much through its own default, as by meanes of the faulty government of the Angels, who have ſo ordered and governed it, that it was tempered and blended together of ſtrange contraries. A Hoch-potch, not ſo cold that we would be, all Romiſh, and cleaving to ſuperſtiſion altogether; nor yet ſo hot that wee purſue and admit a full Reformation: And therefore the diſeaſe of this Church was more difficult and deſperate.
Therefore from theſe words; I would thou wert either cold or bot, ſaith he, I would thou wert either all Romiſh, or admit of a through Reformation: blaming thoſe Angels only, and thoſe that cleave to them, Prieſts and Laity; who being bewitched with ambition and covetouſneſſe, do ſcornefully reject this holy Reformation, not enduring the remedy, but accounting that worſe than the diſeaſe.
Therefore he ſaith in plaine tearmes, That the Biſhops, which he cals no better than Lord-Begger, becauſe their riches and honors (for the moſt part) they get by fawning, flattering, bribing; being ambitious to get under great men, and ſo creep into the Court for preferment. But (ſaith he) both they and their whole lukewarme Hierarchy, ſhall quite bee overthrowne,Chap. 3. verſe 14. and never recover their dignity again: And at their overthrow, they ſhall endanger the people, by reaſon of their conſenting to them: Yet the people ſhall eſcape overthrowing, but it is to be feared the people ſhall feele ſome adverſity; But God will not ſuffer the Hierarchy to eſcape; for they ſeeking honors and riches, and not thoſe things which are Chriſts, ſhall have reproachfull Iudgements; few or none ſhall ſigh or ſob for them, but they and their Prieſts ſhall be vile before the people, and men ſhall read the reports concerning them, with delight: And they ſhall be caſt out and ſpewed up as vomit out of a corrupted ſtomack, that no man will be willing to take up againe;Chaq. 3. ver. 16, 17. from theſe words, Therefore becauſe thou art lukewarme, and neither hot nor cold: It ſhall come to paſſe that I will ſpew thee out of my mouth. For thou ſaiſt, I am rich and increaſed with goods, and have need of nothing, and knoweſt not how thou artwretched, and miſerable, and poore, and blind, and naked.
The whole State of this Church of Laodicea is worthy of ſerious conſideration, as M. Brightman applyes it to England, in this and divers other Chapters, for hee ſpeakes of our times as if hee were now living.
And further he ſaith in his Epiſtle and elſewhere in his Commentary, that many are the miſeries the Chriſtian Churches muſt ſuffer, for there will be a long and dolefull Tragedy, which will overthrow with ſcourges, ſlaughters, death and ruine; and that the ſword of the Lord ſhall be made drunk in their blood, except they receive warning and amend.
But yet (ſaith hee) Bee of good comfort Germany, France and Brittany, and all you Chriſtian Churches; This is the laſt Act; for after this Theater and long Tragedy is paſt, there will ſucceed in the room thereof happy dayes, with aboundance of peace and all good things. And it is his Iudgment, (if I may not ſay his Propheſy) comparing one Scripture with another, and times with times:Chap. 19. verſe 4. That before the yeare 1650, that the Iews ſhall be called; the whore of Romes noſe ſhall be ſlit, and ſhe ſtript of all her glorious garments and attire, her power and ſinews cut, and the Pope himſelfe ſhall run out of Rome into Avignion, In his Epior into Bonia, or thereabout, one of his own Cities; and the City of Rome ſhall be burnt with fire.
And that the King of Spaine and the King of Ptolony, Chap. 19. verſe 19.and ſome other Kings ſhall bewaile her, and would faine help her, but dare not, becauſe they ſhall be afraid of their own ſafety, leaſt they be devoured, or ſcorched with the ſame fire.
And further he ſaith; that the Emperour of Germany ſhall deſtroy Rome, if he ſet to the worke, it being moſt proper for him; but if he doth it not, ſome other ſhortly will have the priſe of that victory:Chap. 18. verſe 10: Therefore (ſaith he) you godly Princes take the matter in hand, and ſet to this worke; it ſhall not be a thing of ſo great trouble as you think for; feare not the huge Armies will come to help her; if you thinke the Spaniard, or the French-man, or any other King, will raiſe mighty forces againſt you to defend her, as being Romes friends; theſe are altogether vaine feares, ſcare-Crows,Chap. 17. verſe 14. Goblins, Bugbeares for ſimple people, for her friends ſhall ſtand affarre off with waiting (teſtifying their love) ſighing and ſobbing, but taking no paines, nor ſtriking a ſtroke to deliver their Whore, being now an old withered Harlot, but crying, Alas Alas that great City. And againe he further ſaith;Chap. 17. verſe 16. and you the reſt of the Chriſtian Princes, you need do nothing, only be valiant and of good courage in diſpatching your worke for the Lord, and matters ſhall proſper as happily as you deſire;Chap. 18. ver. 10, 11. and underſtand at length by what way you may procure, as to your ſelves honor and tranquillity, ſo quietneſſe and joy to the whole Chriſtian world; Therefore draw your Swords againſt Rome, for you ſhall prevaile.
And ſaith he, within 45 years after Rome is deſtroyed;Chap. 19. verſe 19. The Pope once more gathering all his friends together to try his laſt chance, ſhall then be utterly overthrowne being about the yeare 1686,Chap. 13, verſe 5. which will be the longeſt time he can continue. But Rome being deſtroyed, and the Iewes called, there will be then to the end, a moſt happy tranquillity, and things very great indeed,In his Ep. and to be admired; the Ioy will be ſo much that it will be ſtrange and unexpected; for in the place of former troubles, there will be perpetuall peace,Chap. 20. verſe 24. and then Kings and Queenes will be nurſing fathers, and nurſing mothers unto the Chriſtian Churches.
Then the great Turke ſhall be 40 yeares on the decaying hand,Chap. 9. verſe 15. and looſe many Countries; but in the yeare 1696, He alſo ſhall be utterly overthrowne: And then Chriſt ſhall raigne with his Ordinances chiefe in the world.
They that pleaſe to examine theſe quotations in the margent, by Maſter Brightmans Booke on the Revelations, which he wrote above forty yeares agoe, they ſhall finde every noat either in the ſame words, or to the ſame purpoſe.
Yet not to forget that he ſaith further of England and Ireland. Although Chriſt be angry with us,Chap. 11. verſe 16. by reaſon we are ſo far from a perfect reformation; and they which labour to bring in the Popiſh Ceremonies hated of God, do indanger the overthrow of our Kingdome; yet he ſaith Chriſt hath begun his Kingdome (at that time he wrot) which was in the days of bleſſed Queene Elizabeth, who happily begun and proceeded in the worke of Reformation, according to the time and thoſe dayes ſhe lived in; the finiſhing whereof will be required of this Generation; otherwiſe expect God hath a ſad controverſie with this Land, but Chriſt hath begun his Kingdome both in England, and Ireland, to raigne evermore; and the enemies which ſhall endeavour many enterpriſes, yet they ſhall vaniſh like ſmoke, and they ſhal never prevaile to overthrow Chriſt his Kingdome begun here;Chap. 11. verſe 15. for there will never want Chriſtian Princes to maintaine His Truth begun; which he ſaith began from the yeare 1558. for the Seventh Angell blew his trumpet for this time, and ſaith he would raigne evermore,
And laſtly, he ſaith (for the better underſtanding of what he meanes) That the City of Rome is not limitted to that City, but extends as far as the Pope hath any dominion;Chap. 11. verſe 8. So that the City of Rome is in deſtroying, if any of her Dominions be in deſtroying; as he interprets the holy Ghoſts meaning: but the Pope is to be quite and fully overthrowne at the yeare 1686. Therefore by computation Rome muſt be in deſtroying at 1641,Chap. 19. verſe 19. in ſome of his Dominions, So I conclude this briefe Relation (of what Maſter Brightman largely iuſiſts upon, ſhewing his grounds in his Book why hee affirmes theſe things) with Chriſts Counſell to this Church of Laodicea.
I counſell thee to buy of me Gold tryed by the fire, that thou maiſt be made rich; and white rayment, that thou mayst be cloathed, that thy filthy nakedneſſe do nor appeare; and to anoint thine eyes with eye-ſalve that thou mayſt ſee.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Brightman, Judgment or Prophecies (1641)