Predictions of Christopher Love, Part 5
From M`Auliffe's Prophecies.
AND in those days it shall come to pass, that the nations of Europe will be moved to war, and that mighty men and princes will unite from all corners of the ea…th to maintain their power, and that they will gather from all quarters thousands and tens of thousands to fight their battles, and establish their dominions over multitudes and nations; but their arms shall avail them nought: in their union they shall find destruction, and their mighty hosts shall be scattered like chaff before the wind; pestilence and famine shall overtake those who escape from the sword, and few shall live to bring home the news of their mishap▪ and defeats. The stars of nations shall then fall, and desolation shall reign among the great and proud of the earth; for their ways are the ways of ungodliness, and their paths are those of injustice and oppression. In those days (and they are at hand) the mighty Lord of truth shall avenge the injuries of his people, and his name shall be known throughout. The reign of his justice shall succeed that of his mercy, and long forbearance; his mighty arm shall exalt the humble, and prostrate the proud. It shall also come to pass in those days, that the blood of Africans shall be repaid, and slavery shall be no more; the beams of truth all strike on the eyes of all nations, and Evangelical love shall pervade all hearts, equa… rights shall be the foundation of continua… peace; and the glory of all people shall be to know the Lord of armies, and obey his eternal laws.
It is to be lamented that the Compiler could not collect the whole of this great man's predictions, but hopes to get them shortly, being promised them by a friend, who will interpret them faithfully from the old Irish. The families of M`Auliffes were formerly an ancient Irish family in the County of Cork, and possessed of large estates there; some of which are now enjoyed by the respectable families of the name of St. Leger, who purchased them; this great prophet foretold the transferring of all the family property, and the total extinction of his name, which he said would be forgotten, and hardly remembered by the rising generations; which has all turned out as …e foretold. He also foretold a gentleman in his days, named Anthony St. Leger, that he would live to a great age, providing he would never pass over Bennet's Bridge in the county of Kilkenny, and if he would, that there he most undoubtedly was to lose his life; but as destiny in human circumstances is by some deemed unavoidable, it was most unfortunately verified in Mr. S. who lost his life by a gun shot at Bennet's Bridge, by the following accident:—One of his carriage horses had dropped a shoe traveling through that country, from which accident Mr. S. could not pursue his journey without getting a shoe on his beast, and being told there was a smith's forge at Bennet's Bridge, on his way, he drove to the fatal place (where a forge remains to this day) but there had not been any person at work in it; the smith was found, and applied to, to put a shoe on the horse with all convenient dispatch; who excused himself, saying he had no iron. The horse being lame, and not able to go on further without a shoe, necessitated Mr. S. to get out of his carriage and im…ortune the smith to search diligently for iron sufficient for the purpose▪ when after a long research it could not be obtained, without having recourse to an old rusty gun barrel, from which a shot had not been fired p…rhaps for half a century b…fore, and being in some useful position, was at length put into the furnace by the smith with reluctance, for the …urpose of taking off sufficient to make an horse… shoe: little did Mr. S. think of M`Auliffe's prophecy, or eternity at hand, whilst he stood in the forge all the time. The rusty old gunbarrel, which had been load…d with powder and ball of a long time, no sooner had got the heat of the fire, than the contents went off, and unluckily killed Mr. S. on the spot, which shews that Mr. S. had either disbelieved or had forgotten the Prophet's caution, which too often has been the case of many, who are ashamed of taking council in pe…ilous cases. least they may become thereby subjects for the ridicule of their more hardened acquaintances.
The following other prophecy of M'Auliffe's, has not yet come to pass, and is dev…utly hoped it never may.—When every running water in Ireland shall turn a mill wheel, the… shall the Protestants and Romanists (Papists) kill each other with great slaughter. But as his prophecies have been spoken and wrote in Irish, it is left with the wise and sagacious to explain his words, which signify battles between the Sasanoughs and Irish. The Irish word Sasanough signifies an English Protestant, and what is difficult to explain; whether between the people of the Romish persuasion, aginst the other dissenting sects in Ireland, or nation against nation, is not easy to say.
Another of his prophecies is as follows:
In seventeen hundred ninety and five,
Whoever will be at that period alive,
Will see plenty revisit this fortunate land,
And Ireland emerg'd from her slavish command;
Ere the period arrives will a torrent of blood,
Discolour'd, be forc'd from it's primitive flood;
The verdure of Spring will be shaded with red,
And the fruits of the earth oppress'd with the dead.
It should be seriously remarked, that the year 1795 has been pointed out particularly by different Prophets, as a year of greater destruction and human slaughter than any year previous; even Mrs. Shipton prophecied a century or two back, that E—'s ruin would begin in 1792, and terminate in 1795. The wicked in all nations and ages ridicule prophecies, never acknowledging the ordained will of an angry Providence; yet they are always more fearful than such as believe: and though it appears in holy writ, that revolutions happen from the foundation of the world, and will to the end of time; yet the Almighty always, and without exception, gives some people the gift of foretelling such changes in human affairs, and expressly declares he will not do any such things, but he will first impart to his servants the Prophets. And as often as he threatens his creatures with any dreadful change, it is to convince them it proceeds from his wrath and indignation, originating from their intolerable wickedness, and changing his love into hatred, yet always and at all times promises to withhold the scourge or persecution, if the threatened nations of people will cry out for mercy, and call in fervency upon his holy name, to come to their a…istance, and avert his dreadful wrath and vengeance from them, but they seldom or never do, though he quotes examples (to every succeeding generation in vain) viz. Noah's flood, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, with many others, when the people laughed at predictions, and timely advice, as they do still. In the whole course of human affairs holy writ proves his threats and promises are all conditional, calculated to stimulate people to call always on him for mercy, and to execute his easy commands, particularly his doctrines in the new Testament; be their accursed hearts are hardened, and the shut the gates of their understanding again… him, and in the blind career of their lives have insensibly bid defiance to him and his laws. that the text of scripture in the book of Esdras may be fulfilled to their eternal condemnation, wherein the Lord God desires Esdras not mind who shall be damned, but seek after them who shall be saved, for Hell was created for the multitude, and Heaven for the few. Let all who read this book strive to be of that few, and mind the rules mentioned therein, and also in the new Testament, and if they do not, they will be outcasts in Hell, and all their finery and …rippery here, will be their open and everlasting shame there. If the bible was universally …ad, and fulfilled to the utmost of human power, the mighty God would not have so great cause against his creatures, or to warn them to turn to him (the merciful and loving Father) by the voice of Prophets and other warnings, than that blessed book. Is he not constantly looking down from his holy mountain (the variety of the glories and pleasures of which never yet entered the heart of mankind to conceive the least idea of,) on the wicked universe with grief and sorrow, saying, O my people, my people, how often would I have gathered ye together, as a hen gathers her chickens, but ye would not. Hear now, Readers, you have a loving God, a weeping God, and a God who tells you in the bible his nature and his name is Love, with out-stretched arms, open to receive …very one that will turn unto him, but ye will not; therefore, if you do not, when you die (a…ter performing faithfully all the works of the Devil, by greedily desiring and pursuing with your wicked hearts and inclinations, the alluring ways of this world, in which all your thoughts are enveloped) expect the dreadful sentence from him, who will then, he says, appear to ye as a roaring Lion, and say I know ye not; go ye accursed into everlasting torments, prepared for the Devil and his servants. Let none be alarmed at the revolution in France, such revolutions must happen in all idolatrous nations; they corroborate with the holy bible, a nation shall be converted in a day, that is, emerging from idolatry and idolatrous persecution, at destined periods, in the fulness of the time of the Most High, and so on previous to the coming of the great Judge, idolatrous Monarchs must be all cut off. But if mighty men should plan and scheme for centuries to reduce things to their own human weak and wicked wishes, their labour is in vain, they are mocked by God, they cannot see into the great causes; they are greedy for dominion and filthy lucre, they are cruel and unjust, and all their ways are an abomination before the face of the great One; they are poor, blind, naked, miserable, foolish and wicked. Give attention now …ll who never go… the gift of repentance from above, read the new Testament, and the most imaginary innocent among ye, will find yourselves fitted for Hell's torments; rouse to immediate repentance, call on the Most High for mercy, cease from Hell-born wickedness, such as gambling, night parties, revelling, balls, assembli…s, drums, hellish masquerades, drunkenness, glu… tony, dress, and pride, which Christ says is of your father the Devil; cease from superfluous dress, be a Quaker entirely in dress, and a very plain one, for your soul's sake, to obey Christ, and fulfill the holy scriptures, cry aloud to the Most High (with the true baptismal tears of repentance) which is the real water baptism of salvation, previous to the operation of the Holy Ghost, and externally described in the third chapter of St. John in the new Testament. Beware of hypocrisy, ostentation, and falsehood, banish these hydras from the inmost recesses of your hearts; make room there for the Holy Ghost to dwell in, for with them hydras he cannot dwell, and without him do not trouble yourselves to look forward to salvation; do not strive to please human creatures, or you cannot please God; talk no more of fashions or of the circle of your acquaintances, such conversation is abominable to God; boast no more of your acquaintances, Lord such a one, or Lady such a one, they are earth and dirt, titles are sacrilegeous and blasphemous, which is always the consequence of accursed wealth, for wealth is a curse from God, because it never was and never will be applied as God commanded it, therefore he declares it is harder for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of Heaven than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle; when a person gets wealth he gets pride, and contempt for all who do not possess the same curse, wealth, and in consequence of that wealth and pride, the Devil instigates him to renounce his name, and take the ridiculous name of a river, a town, a hill, or a province, and tacks God's name and title to it. Then he is exalted, and God positively declares and says, whoever exalts himself shall surely be abased, that is, cast into Hell; and thus does the Devil sport with all wealthy people, and proud people, and dressy people. Dress draws every curse from God down upon the soul; the more dressy, the more vicious; clothing was first invented to cover sin and shame, and ought therefore be as plain as possible, besides God strictly commands it should be so. Now, hear the declaration of a fine shewy dressy person to God, viz. I will dress, powder, curl, and paint, to spite you, God, because you desire me not; I will flirt, laugh, please and be pleased, praise and be praised, read plays, romances, and all other devilish books, because you say all those will corrupt me, and that I must account for every idle word I speak; I will not read the bible, nor do therein, because you desire me, for every thing you command me I will not do, and every thing you forbid me I will do, God, because my father and mother brought me up this way, and they follow the same life themselves, for we all prefer the damnation of Hell, to you and your old book filled with stories of love, terrors, Heaven, Hell, and all such tedious nonsense, to people of fashion going into Perdition. The more wicked and abominable a person is before God, the more glaringly they wish to adorn the filthy carcase, iniquity invented new fashions, it originated in France; every married woman there was despised if she was not a w—; the bible was forbid to be read by order of Ant…christ and his Deputies, least the people should perceive their own damnation, and rebel against idolatry; the contagion is in England, Ireland, &c.; the world is teeming with wickedness, the Lord God is like a roaring lion, filled with wrath, fury, and revenge, he is thundering down his vengeance in a variety of …hapes, previous to the general judgment, which is now the general dread of the people, teeming with iniquity, and filled with terrors without one single exception among the wicked. whenever the Almighty intendsany great event he puts it more or less in the people's minds before the execution, to induce them to holiness; for there is no other way to prevent his wrath. But instead, they continue to act as if they were never to die, and blinding each other with praise, flattery, hypocrisy, and deceit. Suppose Christ was this instant to come down and judge all people, shewing Heaven's great expanse of innumerable pleasures on one side, and Hell's yawning torments on the other, how would the proud and dressy appear? Would the not with their pride and fashionable dress in Hell, where it originated? Are they the pious holy people, marked with the Holy Ghost to sa…vation, that could run to meet Christ, whose face is of flaming fire? Or are they those pointed out in the bible, who are marked by the Devil, to devote themselves to the pleasures and passions of this Hell-grown world? Let them answer for themselves; … if they cannot, I can; they are of the latter description, they are an ab…mination before the L…rd, and before his holy people on earth; they have stipulated with the Devil their pre…ious souls for fashionable dress & pride; and as God says, cannot escape the damnation of Hell. Therefore, Readers, do not ye be of this accursed number, but follow the advice given in this little pamphlet of very great value; cast away instantly your fashionable dress, pride, …rippery, and all accursed worldly show, and you will make the Devil fly away from you, roaring with despair; and God and the innumerable host of Heaven will shout for joy, and the windows of Heaven will be opened unto you. Give atrention now, ye wealthy, ye great wicked ones, who are squandering thousands and tens of thousands yearly in superfluous excesses, which are the works of the son of Perdition. Squander your thousands on the purchase of millions of bibles, new testaments, hymn books, and psalm books, scatter them among the people like corn before the plow, by which all the human race will learn to know the Lord, and do his blessed will; propagate the gospel of Christ in its original purity, until all the people shall know that the gospel sound alone is sure salvation, and not the abominable works of man's hands; renounce idolatry; sue for the property of the distressed, when wronged by the unjust; distrib…te justice without favour or affection, and God will love you and keep you in safety. Read the bible the ensuing long winter evenings, ye and your families; expound it to each other every night, and if at leisure in the day time also. Glorify God, let your conversation turn on every verse, on every chapter you read, of the wonderful works of the Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles: then your conversation will be in Heaven, and this is also the communion of Saints, so little understood in this world. Let that same Jesus never leave your thoughts; this is what the Apostle means, where he says, pray without ceasing; this incessant silent meditation on Jesus, is certain salvation; this is worshiping in spirit and in truth, because God is in Christ, your souls then feed on him, and grow rich in grace, and grace is the gradual operation of the Holy Ghost, which brings you from glory to glory. Let all men and women be exhorters to good, by their profound knowledge of the bible, which will abolish evil from the human race; empty your purses to put all the indigent to industry, who have the inclination but not the means; and after doing all these things, and ten thousand times more, do not take the least merit to yourselves; it is not ye that do it, it is the Holy Ghost in ye; therefore give all the merit to God, and all the glory; and then know he has only done ye the honor of choosing ye to be useful machines to do his business; and if ye are conscious in your hearts it is so, and that ye firmly believe that property which ye so distribute is his, and not your own, (as all wealthy fools imagine) then the wide expanse of Heaven is open for your enjoyment as soon as your fervency of love for him desire it, with millions of millions of pleasures, with him on his holy mountain; do all those things if you can, and if you can and do not, read your dreadful sentence in the new testament. Give attention again, ye wealthy; cast away all your …rippery, your variegated head-dr…sses, and all other ornaments calculated to adorn your carcas…s for praise and admiration, which is certain c…demnation to your souls; play no cards or other gambling; never enter them hellish seminaries of corruption called play-houses; do not suffer a play book of any kind, romance or novel, inside your houses; they are the keys that unlock the doors of Hell; propagate industry, the arts and sciences, travels, voyages, geography, the globes, the maps, &c. among the poor; squander God's money in all such employments, but let holy writ be always uppermost in your thoughts, and the subjects of your conversations, when the others are not absolutely necessary; become domesticks, and …ay no more ridiculous fashionable vis…ts; do not continue to make Gods of your filthy carcases, with made dishes, Iuscious meats and …rinks, or other vicious extravagancies; you must certainly give an account of every shilling you unnecessarily lay out on your persons and families, and if contrary to the observations made here and in the new testament, th…n the dreadful and intolerable sentence is … for an endless eternity.