The Little Horns Downfall, Endorsements – Imprimatur
THey that have any knowledge of my ſelf, how worthleſs a worm I am; do alſo know how unfit I am either to write Books, or to judge of others writings: yet owing reſpect to this Author, I could not deny a word, being deſired to read and ſay ſomething.
And this I muſt ſay (though not concurring in all things touching the perſonal (a)Which I eve… accounted a harmleſs Errour, if an Errour.reign, that this Author hath theſe things commendable in the enſuing Treatiſe.
Firſt, That ſhe hath taught her ſexe that there are more ways then one to avoid idleneſs (the devils cuſhion) on which ſo many ſit and ſleep their laſt. They that will not uſe the Diſtaff, may improve a Pen.
Secondly, A holy, modeſt, and painfull ſpirit, runs through her endeavours; which I deſire may not be ſlighted by any, nor thrown by: for good wine may be found in this Cluſter: in this dreſs you ſhall neither ſee naked Breſts, black Patches, nor long Trains; but an heart breathing after the coming of Chriſt, and the comfort of Saints.
Thirdly, Scriptures cleerly opened, and properly applied; yea, ſo well, that you might eaſily think ſhe plow'd with anothers Heifer, were not the contrary well known.
Upon the whole matter, I believe that it will be acceptable to all thoſe that deſire to ſee Chriſt as he is; who will not be offended at this Treatiſe, or rather the Spouſes wiſh and longing, Make haſte, my beloved, and be thou like a young roe, or a hart, upon the mountains of Spices, Cant. 8. ult.
Two of this ſexe I have met with, very famous for more then their mothertongue, and for that we call Learning, yet living. The one an unhappie branch of that Tree which is cut off, and pulling up by the roots; of whom I could ſay much, to whom I owe much. The other of deſerved note in Vtrecht, the glory of her ſexe in Holland. But this my Country-woman ſpeaks the beſt Language; yea, I will adde: Other daughters have done vertuouſly, but thou ſurmounteſt them, Prov. 31. 29.
More would I ſay; but my feeble thoughts or words will adde but little to her labours. Doubtleſs ſhe had good help from above in her travel for this birth: I will bequeath her Solomons laſt words of his good houſwife.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, ſhee ſhall be praiſed. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praiſe her in the gates, Prov. 31. 30, 31.
Hugh Peters.
Touching this Treatiſe the Judgement of H. Jeſſey.
SEeing BLESSED is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of THIS PROPHECY, and that keep the the things that are written therein, Rev. 1. 3. it muſt needs have a tendency to Bleſſedneſs, to help others in the underſtanding thereof. The giver of any Talent or Talents this way, requires the improvement thereof to our utmoſt for out Lords advantage, Matt. 25.
I have been frequently greatly refreſhed in my ſpirits, for above twenty yeers, with the conſideration of the GLORIOUS STATE and PRIVILEDGES of the NEW JERUSALEM that ſhall be on earth, and the certainty thereof, foretold by the Prophets and Apoſtles; whoſe prophecies to this purpoſe being cited in this book, are therein, with much cleerneſs, familiar ly explained.
And for the application here of the little Horn, to the late King; and of the time of the ſlaying of the Witneſſes, to 1645; and the Jews converſion, to 1656 and Chriſt's kingdom's being in its compleat glory, to 1701; the grounds here laid down deſerve to be well weighed, and time will make the Truth evident.
And whereas both here, and in the Authors former book on Rev. II. (called the RESURRECTION of the WITNESSES) their ſlaying is ſaid to be paſt, and they are ſaid to be riſen again, henceforth no more to be ſlain, nor to be under Babels power or yoke; to this I may ſay with Jeremiah in another caſe, Amen; though yet I know ſome others, acquainted with much of the Lords minde, that do judge that the ſlaying of the Witneſſes is not yet paſt, but to come ſhortly; (ſome of them judge before the yeer 1654.) to which I ſay,
Firſt, If this latter judge ment ſhall prove to be the truth, it were beſt to know the worſt before it overtake us unawares. And
Secondly, I account that this worſt (if it ſhall prove to be future) ſhall prove but a ſhort time of travel, [three days and a half ſpace] of the woman with childe, that had for a long time been in much ſorrow and pains; and then being delivered, ſhe rejoyceth, and forgetteth all her pangs and former ſorrows, Joh. 16.
Of theſe GREAT CHANGES in all the WORLD, now at hand; of the POURING out of four VIALS; and of the ſlaying and riſing of the Witneſſes, and of the converſion of the JEWS probably before 1658, and of the SCRIPTURES ORDER in theſe proceedings, before the converſion of the Jews, and thence until the THOUSAND yeers of Chriſts REIGN begin, and of marvelous things therein and afterwards; I had made a Collection from the Book of the Revelation, and from Daniel, and other Scriptures; which was appointed to be printed before my Store-houſe of caſes of Conſcience was printed, in 1650. but ſome reaſons have hitherunto moved me to forbear the publiſhing thereof: but thoſe reaſons appear to me now an inſufficient ground to forbear longer, having afreſh conſidered that pregnant Motive from Rev. 1. 3. before recited, and the ſweetneſs of the precious things to come, foretold herein, as well as therein, which ſhould urge us not to be wanting to help others, as far as in us is, to the ſweet and comfortable knowledge of the wonderful great things that our God is about to do for his people ſhortly; as he himſelf ſaith, Behold I come quickly, [or ſpeedily:] Amen. Even ſo COME LORD JESUS,
Saith the ſoul of his ſervant, H. J.
Reader,
IT may ſo be, That thou art one of thoſe, who are willing to follow the Lamb, whither ſoever he goeth; and rejoyceſt in ſpirit, that the King of Saints doth begin to be terrible to the Kings of the Earth. Now, if thou ſtaggereſt not through unbelief, at thoſe exceeding great and precious promiſes which are recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, concerning the fifth kingdom; thou ſhalt in due time, behold, with a mixture of joy and wonder, thoſe other grand Mutations, and extraordinary Revolutions, which are even at the door, and ready to break in upon the Princes and upon the People of the whole earth.
Indeed, many wiſe men after the fleſh have been (and now are) much offended, that a company of illiterate men, and ſilly women, ſhould pretend to any skill in dark prophecies, and to a foreſight of future events, which the moſt learned Rabbies, and the moſt knowing Politicians have not preſumed to hope for. But (after they who are thus offended, have peruſed thoſe Scriptures mentioned in the margint)' *Pſal. 119. 98, 99. 100.they ſhall do well to obſerve the fruits of that Faith and fore-ſight which dwelt in the hearts and in the minds of the old godly Nonconformiſts in Queen Elizabeths. and King James his days; there having been many hundreds of thoſe ſilly and illiterate ones (ſo called) of whom it may be ſaid at this day, that they were wiſer then their enemies, wiſer then their teachers, wiſer then the Ancients, (Pſa. 119. 98, 99, 100.) where may be ſeen the proper reaſon of this their wiſdom. For, are not thoſe things come to paſs, which they foreſaw, and foretold, concerning that fatal Cataſtrophe which hath now befallen the Prelates and their adherents? whereas the generality of the Miniſters and people of the Land, had very little acquaintance with the minde of God in thoſe particulars. And ſurely that eminent inſtance of the Teachings of the Spirit, and that full aſſurance of Faith beſtowed upon thoſe Saints which like Caleb and Joſhua followed the Lord fully, may ſuggeſt ſuch a thought as this, That there may be now in this juncture of time, ſome neglected, deſpiſed reproached Ones, both men and women, who clearly underſtand and perceive many precious truths (concerning the golden Image, the fourth Beaſt, the ſeven Vials, the ſeventh Trumpet, the New Jeruſalem, the binding of Satan the pouring out of the Spirit, the glorious advance of knowledge and Grace, the univerſal Gospel-peace, the power and dominion of the Saints &c.) which not onelyonly the world generally, but many of the Saints themſelves look upon as well-compoſed Fables, and as the Viſions of their own hearts who are the teachers of them.
The enſuing Diſcourſe, treating of ſome of thoſe things (being a Gentlewomans thoughts put into form and order by her ſelf) was brought to me to peruſe, with this deſire added, That (if I judged it meet) I would prefix a few words, to ſignifie my judgement concerning the uſefulneſs thereof.
Two things there are which to me ſavor very well, and I believe will take the hearts of divers Chriſtians. The one is the Collection and Collation of ſo many of thoſe precious promiſes which concern the times yet to come, and the preſenting them to the Readers view, (in words at length, and) not in figures, as the manner of many is.
The other is, her vigilant care to inſert here and there, as occaſion is offered, ſuch neceſſary cautions as tend to the wiping off of thoſe unjuſt aſperſions which Hierom and others would caſt upon the Millenaries, as they are called. For in the Book thou wilt finde her pleading for the advance of holineſs, in the midſt of all that happineſs which is prepared for the Saints in that thouſand yeers.
As for her thoughts concerning the little Horn, thou wilt ſay (when thou readeſt) they are new and ſingular; therefore, be thou the more careful, and, if thou canſt, ſerve the Saints with a more probable Expoſition, and ſee the Apology in the 45 and 46 pages.
Many are running too and fro, and knowledge is increaſing, Dan. 12. 4. But together therewith, the Lord be pleaſed, for the Lords ſake, to advance the power of godlineſs, zeal for the truth, and the delight of the Saints in Communion with the Father and his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and one with another. Do thou, Reader, ſay Amen beleevingly, with
Thy ſervant for the Lords ſake, CHRISTOPHER FEAKE.
Errata.
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IMPRIMATUR.
Joſeph Caryl.