A Revealed Knowledge of the Prophecies and Times, Book 2

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Other Parts of the Revelation to St. John which are to be fulfilled, and which the Lord God commands me now to publish.

Chap. xiii. 1.

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns; and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of Blasphemy.

This beast means the English monarchy; and it is by ships and commerce that it has rose from the sea to such astonishing grandeur and magnitude. The heads, horns, and crowns, allude to the many departments of government, and their splendid distinctions. The Blasphemy means the titles given to, and assumed by the king of England; such as, Our most Gracious Sovereign Lord, sacred Person, Majesty, defender of the Faith, and supreme head of the Church; all which names belong to God, he only can be what they express, and when they are applied to any other, the sin is blasphemy in his sight.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The English monarchy, for being supreme head of the Church, and over the many religious sects tolerated in the country, is the reason that it is, for their great number, compared to a leopard full of spots.

As a bear is very strong on his feet, so is the English monarchy: and as a lion roars with his mouth the loudest of any beast, so does the English monarchy proclaim its greatness more than any other.

3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The beginning of this verse means the death of Charles the first, king of England: and the deadly wound being healed, means the recovery of monarchy by the restoration of Charles the second. During the interval of time between the death and succession, all the world wondered if the English monarchy would ever be restored again.

9. If any man have an ear let him hear. He that leads into captivity, shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The leading into captivity means imprisonment and slavery: and killing with the sword, means violence and war. The patience of the saints is, to bear quietly with those evils, and to resist the temptations of wealth to do them: All that have faith in God will not do such things, from a belief that they are offensive, because he commands them not.

11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This verse means the Elector of Hanover. Coming up out of the earth, is to signify that his country or government is situated inland. The horns of a lamb, and the voice of a dragon, means that although he is weak in power like a lamb, yet by his voice he can threaten in great and mighty words like a dragon.

12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, &c.

It means the elector of Hanover's succession to the crown, place, and power of the former king of England. To fulfil this part of the prophecy given by revelation to St. John, the utter expulsion of the Stuart family must against all human opposition have taken place to admit the elector of Hanover.

A great part of this chapter is taken up in describing the king and parliament. I am commanded to inform both of the recorded judgments of God, the dangers which threaten them, and their certainty of taking place, unless they implore him for mercy, and obtain it.

They have individually promised, by their godfathers and godmothers, in the sacred covenant of baptism, and acknowledge a confirmation of it by receiving the sacrament, (for both were instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ) to believe in him and obey his commands; yet, notwithstanding this heaviest of all obligations which a human being can enter into, (for it is with his God,) and on the performance of which his salvation depends, the laws they make a part of the Thirty nine Articles, and some of the forms of prayer, used in public worship, goes more to break the covenant of baptism, to dishonour God, and oppose an obedience to his blessed Gospel, than was ever authorised in any other nation.

Without submitting to the forms of law prescribed by act of parliament, which are in direct opposition to the commands of Christ, and very sinful to do, no man can hold any place of profit or trust, enjoy the privilege of freedom, and comparatively to buy or sell.

17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.

This verse means the the English parliament; and although it exceeds the number mentioned here, yet notwithstanding, it is the real and very assembly of men alluded to in the Revelation, by the number of 666.

Because the parliament acknowledge and address the king by the divine names which belong only to God; such as, our most gracious Sovereign Lord, Sire, Majesty, and honour him with equal humility in supplication, when they require any thing, as if he really was the Lord of heaven and earth; such as, Humbly praying that your Majesty would be most graciously pleased, &c. Therefore God, in his great anger, being jealous of his name and honour, calls the king a beast, and the parliament his image and number.

Chap. xiv. 1. And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood on Mount Sion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his father's name written in their fore-heads

The lamb, mentioned here, means myself as Prince of the Hebrews; and Mount Sion, Jerusalem: the hundred and forty-four thousand with me, having the name of my father wrote in their foreheads, means not only the visible Jews of the twelve tribe, but likewise the invisible—it comprehends all of Hebrew extraction that will believe in the testimony of God by me.

6. And I saw another angel 〈◊〉 in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, to preack to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people; saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; that great city! because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

9. And the third angel followed them, saying, with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast, and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever, receives the mark of his name.

12. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Chap. xvi 1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.

4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and was, and shalt be; because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to to drink; for they are worthy.

10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain; and blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Chap. xxi. 6. And he said to me, it is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give to him that is a-thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8. But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

The Lord God commands me to say to you, George the third, king of England, that immediately on my being revealed, in London, to the Hebrews as their prince, and to all nations as their governor, your crown must be delivered up to me, that all your power and authority may instantly cease. On my being revealed, the invisible power of the angel of God, which gaurds me now, will then become visible as a flame of fire; the very same that accompanied Moses and the children of Israel out of Egypt. I must not acknowledge any superior but the Lord Christ, who is the Lord God: and as a man raised up, like David, by him to be a prince, he commands me to allow no equal, but instantly to burn out of his kingdom the rebellious and disobedient. Read the xli. chap. and verse 25, of Isaiah.

Be advised by this, for evil is going to be let loose; when it is, the king of England will no more believe the signs of God by me than the king of Egypt would by Moses; therefore, desire your servants to deliver to you all letters and messages from me; for, it is for your contempt to me that your country is ordered to be invaded, and your power to be destroyed. The tall oak, with all its branches cut off, mentioned in one of the visions of God, in the preceding part of this book, means yourself and family.

The Lord God commands me to say to you, Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, that as you are reviled and considered, by your former acquaintances, as ruined and lost, for speaking the truth as he manifested it to you, for publishing your testimony of me, his servant, you shall, by the expiration of three months, from this day, have your choice of being either governor general of India, or president of the board of controul in England; that all men may be convinced, that he that rules in heaven is able to exalt or to abase; that he is still able, even at this late hour of a wicked world, to reward the obedient to his blessed Spirit, and give the most eminent places on earth to whomsoever he pleases.

The Lord God commands me to inform all men, as a prevention, in future, to their asking unnecessary questions, that all that is proper and allowable for me to relate from him, is published in this book.

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The Copy of a letter to William Pitt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, which the Lord commands me now to publish.

In obedience to the sacred command of the Lord God, whose servant and prophet I am, I inform the chancellor of the Exchequer, that the prisoners now in confinement, and on trial, charged with the crime of High Treason against the king's life, are innocent.

I am likewise commanded to inform you, because God is very merciful and compassionate, that the seventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, and last part of the sixth chapter in the Revelation to St. John, will be fulfilled before the expiration of seven months from this day. And also my revelation to the Hebrews, as their prince and leader, according to the twelfth chapter of the prophecy of Daniel; to the king and people of England, and the people of all nations, as their ruler—for—and immediately under God, according to the twenty-second chapter of the second book of Samuel; to all nations, as the promised Signet of Peace, according to the second chapter of Haggai; and as Elijah, to the wicked, the revilers, and blasphemers against God, according to the fourth chapter of Malachi.

RICHARD BROTHERS.

No. 57. Paddington Street,
9th of the month called November.

The king and duke of Portland, as secretary of state, were wrote to at the same time.

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Revelation, Chap. xi.

15. And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdome of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

RICHARD BROTHERS,

The man that will be revealed to the Hebrews as their prince; to all nations as their governor; according to the covenant to king David, immediately under God.

LONDON, No. 57, Paddington Street,
20th of the month called February, 1795.

THE END.

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ANECDOTES OF RICHARD BROTHERS, THE PROPHET.

[From the Register of the Times, for March, 1795.]

This extraordinary character having, for some months past, been the theme of the public in general, induces us to state some particulars respecting him, that, we trust, will gratify the curiosity of our readers. To see a man rising from the humble state of a workhouse, to that of a person attracting the attention of all ranks and degrees, for his prophetic assertions, has justly excited astonishment. Let him be a madman, enthusiast, or hypocrite, he must be considered as the most extraordinary man this century has produced. To cause the most distinguished divines to hesitate in their opinions, respecting the truth or falsehood of his scripture expositions, is, surely, in an untutored man, a most wonderful trait of character. Allowing him to be a hypocrite, to blind an appearance of truth so artfully, with the reality of falsehood, as to confound the most learned in scripture, evinces a faculty that few men, however powerful in the arts of delusion, in the course of ages, are found to possess. As a madman, there is such an urbanity of manners, such a piety of principle, such a forbearance of self-gratification, such a uniform perseverance in attending to the welfare of human nature -- that we think it impossible for all the faculty, versed in the different kinds of Mania, to define the nature of Mr. Brothers's madness, and to class it under its respective species. Supposing him an enthusiast, he is equally extraordinary. Such persons are generally impelled to the most strenuous and violent of bodily and mental efforts. Their faculties are in a state of perpetual agitation. Their passions seldom find a quiescent pause from continual excitement. -- Their object, whatever it may be, so powerfully interests all their thoughts, that they are never becalmed, by rest or peace, until nature, exhausted, submits to their soothing influence; but, contrary to this, Mr. Brothers has appeared to be almost divested of the common passions of nature. Ever calm -- ever collected -- ever affable and communicative of sentiments, dictated by a boundless attachment to the peace of man, if an enthusiast, he is, of all enthusiasts, -- the most wonderful.

The above observations are stated merely as evidence of his singularity of character. They are not meant to vindicate or disprove the veracity of his predictions, or his being the chosen restorer of the Israelites to their kingdom.

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With regard to the particulars that have transpired respecting Richard Brothers, -- we have to state the following:

In 1782, he was a lieutenant on board the Albion, of 64 guns. This ship being paid off in 1783, he was reduced to his half-pay, on which he supported himself until 1789, when some religious scruples arising in his mind against the taking of oaths, he was prevented receiving his arrears until there were two years due, in 1791. At this period he lodged with a Mrs. Green, in Dartmouth Street, with whom he had then resided three years. During this time, he behaved with honesty, affable temper, and morality of principle.

Although he suffered the greatest distress from not receiving his arrears of pay, amounting to 130l. by refusing to take the necessary oaths before the Agent, yet he persisted in refusing to be guilty of the crime, which he calls voluntarily swearing. -- The reason he stated for his refusal was, that he considered swearing, every six months, as a qualification to receive pay, was unnecessary, unjust, and wicked. Having stated what he considered the concealed and unheeded cruelty of the oath, in addition to objections against the form, he was told, there was an order of council to take the oath, and that it was not in the power of the admiralty to dispense with it.

He soon after supported his former objections, and made another request, that he might receive his pay without being obliged to take the oath. On this occasion, he observed, that if the order of council inforced an oath, in any manner or any form whatever, and that the man it was directed to operate upon, swore that he was not forced, but that the oath he took was a voluntary act, the result of his own free will -- would it not, in the sight of God in heaven, and every man of discernment under him on earth, amount to a false oath? These reasons and objections he published, at the time, in the Public Advertiser. He also published the letter he received from the admiralty, stating their insufficient power to dispense with the usual form of swearing. Knowing the president of the admiralty was a member of the council, he wrote to him: In this, he stated, that as men, whether few in number, or the increased multitude of a senate, were not infallible, they must consequently be subject to error. To enforce this assertion, he alluded to the decision of the privy council, relative to a native of Glasgow, who had his ship seized in the West-Indies, for what, he considered, was an undesigned infringement of the Navigation Act.

Such was his aversion to taking the oath that he endured the want of even a bit of bread. Without considering him a Prophet, but merely as a man of purity and piety of principle, he is to be admired for the fortitude with which he endured his sufferings, rather than obtain relief by committing an act, which appeared to him most offensive to God and man. This conduct may be admitted as a proof of his being, at least, sincere in his religion professions, however he may be the dupe of his own visionary delusions.

Mrs. Green being greatly distressed for the money due to her from Mr. Brothers, applied to the work house board of the United Parishes of St. Margaret's and St. John's the Evangelist, Westminster. The work-house board considering the distress she must suffer, as well as what appeared to them, the lamentable situation of our Prophet himself, resolved to receive him as a casual pauper. Agreeably to an order from the board, he was brought about a week after to the work-house. He entered the room with his hat on, and requested they would excuse his taking it off, as that homage he considered only due to the Almighty.

At first he appeared offended with his examination; but being desired to take a chair, his good temper returned. He then took off his hat, and said, he knew when he was treated with that respect his character demanded. In this instance, he appears to have refused taking off his hat, more from ideas of personal consequence, than any peculiar homage he meant to reserve for the Almighty. His examination containing sentiments which serve to display his temper, and the state of his mind, we insert it as follows. Pray, sir, do you know the reason of your being brought to this house? Indeed I do not. All that I know of the matter is, that I was brought in a very rough manner; but as external objects affect me but little, I acquiesce.

I think, sir, you are in his Majesty's service?

You are mistaken, I resigned two years since. I am in the service of a Prince, the greatest and most potent. A Prince, in whose service my wages will be certain; but his kingdom is not of this world. What, sir, was your reason for resigning your commission; Disgust; I conceived the military life to be totally repugnant to the duties of christianity, and that I could not conscientiously receive the wages of plunder, bloodshed, and murder.

How did you imagine that you could live without your pay, and that pay, which, from your character and appearance, we should suppose with honour to yourself and advantage to your country? Therefore I rejected. I observed before, that it was impossible for a military man to take his pay with a safe conscience; I trust the matter I serve will not suffer me to want. I shall, in a few days, receive a sum more than sufficient to pay this woman's debt, ten times over.

Pray, sir, have you ever been a house-keeper? I cannot absolutely say I have not; I once agreed for a house and was two mouths in possession; but as a very melancholy idea comes across my mind when I think of that period, I hope you will not press me further upon that question.

Certainly we shall not. We understand, sir, that you were born in America? I was, in the town of Placentia, in Newfoundland; I have not a friend or relation in this part of the world.

Where did you lodge before you came to Westminster? In Bridewell precinct.

You will excuse us, sir, we mean it not as impertinent, but as a necessary question; What did you pay weekly? I am above that false pride which thinks from inquiry, I will answer any question you please to put to me.

I have always endeavoured to live within the bounds of my income -- narrow as they were; but you may suppose, that out of nominally 3s, but really 2s. 10d. per day, I could not afford any superb lodgings. In fact, I paid 2s. 6d. per week for my room.

[The conclusion of the anecdotes of Mr. Brothers are promised in the succeeding number of the Register of the Times, which has not yet been received by the American editors.]