Of the PROPHECY which relates to the present time of the WORLD, the present WAR, and the approaching DISTRESS of all Nations.
The Prophet Daniel, Chap. vii.
1. In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions in the night on his bed; then he wrote the visions, to shew the substance of what they contained.
2. Daniel spake and said; I saw in my vision by night, and behold the four winds of the heaven strove on the great sea.
3. And four great beasts came from the sea, different one from another.
4. The first was like a lion, and it had eagle's wings: I beheld until the wings were plucked, when it was lifted up on the earth, and made stand on the feet as a man; and a man's heart was given to it.
The lion means George the Third, the present king of England; plucking the wings of the lion, means taking away the power of the king; made stand on the feet as a man, with a man's heart, means his reduction to the condition of other men, and possessing similar thoughts.
It is more than twenty months since I first wrote to the king, queen, and minister of state, to inform them of many things that would come to pass; that the time was nearly accomplished for some of the judgments of God to be made manifest, and also that this prophecy was fulfilling: I beseeched them in the most earnest and respectful language, not to join in the war on any account whatever, or even encourage it; for the death of Louis the sixteenth would be impossible to prevent, it was recorded, and could not be avoided; the revolution in France, and its consequences, proceeded entirely from the judgment of God to fulfil this prophecy of Daniel: therefore all attempts to overthrow the judgment, and preserve the monarchy by force, was opposing what was determined in the Scripture of Truth should most certainly take place.
The aspect of the war was delusive, the encouragements of success that it held out to princes were deceitful; but those encouragements of delusion were permitted, to bring many nations under the judgment of God, and punish them for the heavy guilt of opposing his decrees.
If many had no more to sight against than a few men alone, or nations but one divided nation to subdue, then it might with reason be expected that the greatest number would soon overcome the least, and that many strong nations would soon conquer a weak one: but it is many men fighting against the Spirit of God, and strong nations labouring in vain with their blood and treasure to overthrow his judgment.
The Lord God permits this opposition for three years and a half, to fulfil the determined part of this prophecy on all that oppose it; that done, his judgments will take place, to punish man and lay waste kingdoms.
St. John the Apostle, in the nineteenth chapter of the Revelation, alludes to the present time of the world, and means the same things, though differently described, as the Prophet Daniel does in the seventh chapter; for which I am commanded to insert a part, that all princes and governments may be publicly warned, that they may know the consequences of this war, from the judgment of God, will be—death to millions, and everlasting distress to all nations.
10. And I fell at his feet to worship him, and he said to me, see thou do it not; I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11. And I saw heaven opened; and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True: and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself.
13. And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called, The word of God.
14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, cloathed in fine linen, white and clean.
The armies are an allusion to the powerful judgments of God, under what—or how many different forms their visitation of death is made on the world.
15. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he will rule them with a rod of iron; and he treads the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.
17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he •ried with a loud voice, (meaning thunder, which is explained in the first book of Revealed Knowledge) saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the Great God.
18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them; and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together, to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat on the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Chap. vii. continued. 5. And behold, another beast; a second, like a bear: and it raised itself up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh.
This verse means the present Empress of Russia: She is according to the judgment of God in this prophecy, decreed to suffer death: and by revelation I am informed it will be done by the hands of man.
6. After this, I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard: which had on its back four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads, and dominion was given to it.
The leopard, means Louis the sixteenth king of France: the wings of a fowl on its back, is, like the eagle's on the lion, an allusion to the king's great moveable power.
The fall of this monarch from a throne, and afterwards suffering death, to fulfil the judgment of God by his prophet Daniel, was impossible for all the armies of Europe to prevent; equally so as the decreed death of Charles the first, king of England, which is mentioned by St. John in the thirteenth chapter and third verse of the Revelation: the deadly wound being healed, in the same verse; means the recovery of monarchy by the restoration of Charles the second.
7. After this I saw in the night visions a fourth beast; and behold, it was dreadful, and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped on the residue (meaning the electors) with its feet; it was different from all the beasts that were seen before, and it had ten horns.
This great beast, so different from the others, means the present Emperor of Germany; the ten horns, mean the electors, or princes of the empire.
In one part of this chapter the horns are denominated kings; the reason is, they raise armies, go to war, and govern with absolute power, like them; but notwithstanding, they all acknowledge the Emperor as their chief, and under that acknowledgment of subjection are solemnly engaged to defend his empire when called on. For which, to conceal the meaning of the prophesy, until the fulness of time comes and the appointed person for it to be revealed to, the vision represents the German princes as horns of defence belonging to the Emperor's head.
It devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped on the residue with its feet—means the entire destruction of the German electors; and the possession of their territories by the Emperor: he will destroy them, and also spread his dominion over Italy; threatening at the same time all Europe, and despising its kings with their feeble efforts to oppose him. Rome will fall under his power, and so will Venice likewise; the former will be retaken by the French republic, but the latter will be plundered and almost destroyed. After this, to fulfil the prophecy and the judgment of God, he will suffer death from the hands of man.
The orders of the Emperor, in the Netherlands are, that if the Austrian army should be defeated, and it most surely will, for I am commanded to repeat, as an example and warning, what the prophet Jeremiah was commanded to say to the messengers of Zedekiah, king of Judah.
Chap. xxxvii. 9. Thus says the Lord; Deceive not yourselves, saying, the Chaldeans will surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.
10. For though he had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men, yet they should rise up, every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
By the same example, if the French army was to be defeated, even again, and again it should recover and conquer likewise; (that all the judgments of God, in the seventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, may take their course, and be fulfilled,) to acknowledge the French republic, and make an immediate peace on the best terms that can be obtained, the interests of other nations will not be much consulted: time, the threats of a victorious enemy, and the perilous condition of the German army, will not admit the least delay.
The English will sharply remonstrate against this conduct; for which their army, however incredible it may appear to the Government now, will be surrounded, disarmed, and commanded to depart: but their General will be detained by the Austrian; and by revelation from the Lord God to me, he falls to the ground.
The Emperor being exhausted of money by the war, but having a large army at his command, determines, now he has made peace with the French, and quarrelled with the English, to execute the plan he has for some time conceived the hopes of being one day able to accomplish— his father and uncle, strange as it may appear, yet it is most certainly true, for I am informed, by revelation, conceived the same design, and believed the attempt easily practicable when the opportunity offered, which is—the reduction of all Germany, under the sole government of himself.
He begins with seizing on the electorate of Hanover, and plundering it quite bare: after this success, his ambition for more extensive dominion will rise; it will now lead him boldly forward to subject and devour them all. For God, to fulfil his judgments, and this prophecy of Daniel, in chapter vii. will deliver him over, to be governed by the secret, but powerful workings of an evil spirit; because his inclinations are bad: according to all that I informed the King and Queen of in May and June 1792; as he did Ahab, king of Israel, to accomplish his fall, and the entire destruction of his family.
First of Kings, Chap. xxii.
4. And he said to Jehoshaphat, wilt thou go with me to the battle to Ramoth Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am the same as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5. And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, from the word of the Lord to day.
6. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle; or shall I forbear? and they said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
7. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
8. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is one man yet, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him, for he does not prophecy good of me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
11. And Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made horns of iron; and he said, Thus says the Lord, with these thou shalt push the Syrians, until thou consume them.
12. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand.
13. And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, spake to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets are as one mouth, declaring good to the king: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good also.
14. And Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that will I speak:
17. And he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the hills as sheep which have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, these have no master; let them return, every man to his house in peace.
18. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would prophecy no good for me, but evil?
19. And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left
20. And the Lord said, who will persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead; and one said in this manner, and another said in that manner.
21. And there came forth a Spirit, and he stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
22. And the Lord said to him, In what manner? and he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: Go forth, and do so.
23. Now, therefore, behold, the Lord God has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord has spoken of evil concerning thee.
The Emperor's council will be filled with the same delusive evil spirit, that they may concur with him, and possess the same violent inclination for war and human destruction as himself. At this time a fresh decree will be issued from Vienna, commanding all Germany, and all the people under his government, as he conquers them by fire and sword, to offer solemn prayers up to the Lord God, for the further success of his imperial majesty's arms, the entire destruction of his enemies, and the preservation of himself; styling him, in blasphemy against God, then most gracious, just, and merciful sovereign Lord.
The other nations of Europe, afraid and trembling, will as solemnly implore the same Lord God for peace and safety, against such a cruel enemy, forgetting, that it was but a little time before, they were praying in the same strain of blasphemy as himself—to destroy their enemies, and give success to their arms; to that very gracious a• compassionate God, who sealed the redemption of man with his own blood, and strictly commanded all nations, as his children and people, to live in peace and brotherly love.
Opposition is in vain; he goes through the principalities like a flood, and collects in his progress a mighty army. The course of the prophecy is, That he shall conquer and destroy all before him: therefore he certainly will; and take away the treasure of many wealthy cities likewise.
After this, to finish oppression, and fulfil the decreed judgment of God, the French republic will be raised against him; his army will be entirely overthrown in Italy, and himself will be compelled to seek shelter among the very people whose relations he destroyed, whose towns he plundered and burnt but a little time before. This is Francis, the present reigning Emperor of Germany, who is described, in chap. vii. ver. 7. of the prophecy of Daniel, as great, strong, and terrible; stamping under his feet with contempt, and destroying all the princes round him. His ambition will encrease with his dominion, and his conquests will be so wonderful, for a short time, as to make all Europe tremble; his end is miserable; and as he treated others without mercy, no mercy will be shewn to him. His death, by the hands of man is certain, because decreed; and his punishment everlasting, because recorded. To be related to him now, will be considered hereafter as a capital crime.
Chap. vii. continued. 8. I considered the horns, and behold there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
This little horn, that grows great, and becomes so ambitious as to pluck up three of the other horns, to extend his own dominion, is the present king of Prussia. He is one of the imperial electors, and to fulfil exactly what the visions of God describe him to be, he confidently calls himself, in great words,—The preponderating member of the Germanic body.
The king of Prussia will acknowledge the French republic, and also make peace with it: he will oppose the Emperor, and likewise follow his example; by which his dominions, to fulfil the prophecy, will be enlarged (comparatively for a moment only) by the addition of three electorates, when the Bear, (meaning Russia,) watching for the opportunity, will rise and devour Prussia at one side, while the Emperor destroys him at the other. His armies will be defeated, and his capitol set on fire by the Bear: his life will be taken away from the earth, and his monarchy, to fulfil the everlasting decrees of the Lord God, in the prophecy of Daniel, will be destroyed; never, never, to be restored any more.
Russia will assist the Emperor in the beginning to promote her favourite design of destroying the Turkish empire; she will also quarrel with the Poles, and devour great numbers of them; Warsaw will be set on fire, and the government entirely changed. At this time the Russian army, (or Bear,) as if impatient for its food, to rise and devour much flesh, will enter Turkey, and comparatively run over the land; treading down, and devouring with great fury, all opposition in its way. At the capitol it stops; here are its decreed bounds; no farther it must go. Here the Russian general divides the spoils of many cities with his army, and the rich provinces of Turkey between his officers. Here he despises the oath of fidelity, and throws away the submission of a subject—proclaiming himself Emperor of Greece.
After this the Swedes will enter Russia, and destroy with great fury; even the ships of war and capitol will not escape. The Russian empire will be convulsed in many parts by its general and governors, each rising up in his place, and claiming an authority to command the other: they will fight until great multitudes are destroyed, and the country made desolate. The imperial family will all be cut off, and no successor will for ever after arise; the government, at the same time, will be broke to pieces, and utterly dissolved; never, never, to be restored any more.
The Spanish Monarchy will cease by this war, and the Stadholdership of Holland will be cut off close to the ground; according to the visions of God to me, in 1792, and which I communicated at that time by his sacred command to the king and queen of England.
The king of Sardinia will be dethroned, and the Popedom destroyed for ever! according to the revelation of God to me, and which I communicated to the English prime minister before the war with France was entered into; concluding what I wrote to him with these words—It is not all the navy of England, nor the armies of Europe united, can prevent the king of Sardinia from being dethroned.
The death of the French king, as one of the particular number mentioned in the seventh chapter of Daniel, decreed to die, took place, to fulfil the pre-determined judgment of God by this prophet; the monarchy of France is likewise by the same judgment, abolished for ever, and the present form of government established. Therefore marvel no more that it cannot be conquered by all the armies without, nor destroyed by all the commotions within; if it could, by human power, the Horn (meaning the king of Prussia) would be the alloted man to accomplish it: for the meaning of the prophecy is, that he shall prevail against France for three years and a half, but not to conquer the whole: he would have faithfully kept with his army in France the promises he made with his mouth on entering it; which were, to deliver over the towns for plunder, and the people for death, if he was opposed. It is for this that he is described by Daniel, to have a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. All this would have been permitted, because recorded, to fulfil the prophecy; to hasten his own destruction, and the general fall of European monarchy.
The Dutch will acknowledge the French republic, and also make a hasty peace with it; the Portuguese will do the same.
To the KING and PARLIAMENT of GREAT BRITAIN.
Hear what the Lord God additionally says to me by revelation, and commands me to write— France seeing England left alone, deserted by all her allies, will require, as the conditions of peace, an acknowledgment of the republic, a restoration of the colonies, and the ships taken away from Toulon. For a short time he will permit England, as he will Russia and Germany, to succeed in the acquisition of delusive conquest, but it is the better—the more effectual, and more imperceptible to human foresight, to accomplish his judgment on her, according to the prophecy of Daniel and revelation of St. John; after that short time is expired, which is nearly so now, new enemies will rise up, some warring against her openly, others privately; all will prevail, until she that sits now, as a queen among the nations, is, according to the vision of God, in my first book, without a covering on her head, worn thread-bare, and rent in many places.
Will England continue this war any longer against a people that has the judgment of God in their favour? Will she, by a continuance of the present war against France, enter into another for the safety of Hanover, against the Emperor of Germany, who will be rendered invincible for a time, as a scourge, to fulfil the recorded judgments of God? Will she continue this war and longer for her destruction, that she may enter into a fresh one with America to hasten it? Is the king of England so regardless of his own life, and the preservation of his family, as to involve them with himself in certain misery and death, by • longer continuance of this war? Is the government, the parliament, the clergy and people, so insensible to the blessings of peace, and the happiness of fortune, as to prefer the absolute certainty of losing all they possess, and being destroyed themselves, to support a war which, in its consequences, to fulfil the judgment of God, is designed shall throw down for ever, the English monarchy; and from the confusion it will make, throughout the country, involve almost every family of wealth in beggary and death?
Are you, William Pitt, to whom I wrote in May and June, 1792, informing you of the consequences of this war to your country, when the war was not intended, so insensible to your own preservation and the benefit of your brother, as to continue any longer a war that will involve both you and him in certain death? What I acquainted you with in 1792, and often since, was made known to me by visions and revelations from the Lord God. The death of Louis XVI. and the removal of the English crown from the king's head, to a level with the ground, according to the seventh chapter of Daniel; the fall of the queen's palace, and the destruction of the tower; your own removal from administration, and afterwards death, was among the things which I informed you of, would most certainly come to pass as the evil consequences of this delusive war. My account to you then, of futurity, concluded with these words—"The visions are established, and the things mentioned most certain and true."
When I informed you that England would enter into this war, and the consequences which would, in despite of all your efforts, flow from it, you despised me; for, at that time, the war was not intended; and to tell of evils that would most certainly ensue from a thing, when the thing they were to proceed from was not designed, were to you the effects of folly and deceit.
My knowledge of future things is given me from God; therefore what I wrote was true: A little time longer, and England will be so much entangled as not to be able to go forward without feeling the pains of that colonial conquest which is to be the cause of her death; nor to retire, without falling under that foreign blow, which will break the empires in pieces, and throw herself down on the ground; from whence she is never to rise up any more.
Neither evil can be prevented, and both will take place, to fulfil the judgment of God, according to the prophecy of Daniel and revelation of St. John; unless what I write is believed to be tru• and the advice I give is strictly followed. Fleets and armies are great things to talk of, because terrible to destroy mankind; but, when opposed by the power of Heaven, they become weak, they lose their force and terror; for most of those in Europe are destined for the rocks and the flames▪ They are permitted to conquer a little for a short time now; but it is, like Russia and Germany, to hasten that dreadful fall of human government which will soon take place in the world: for they ever have been, in the hand of God, the very instruments to effect what princes designed to prevent.
On the 12th of the month called May, 1792, I wrote to the king, minister of state, and speaker of the commons, that no person should be able to say, hereafter, my conduct was irregular, or in the least disrespectful, to inform them that I was commanded by the Lord God, to go to the Parliament-house on the 17th following, and acquaint the members, for their own personal safety, and the general benefit of the country— That the time of the world was come to fulfil the seventh chapter of the prophecy of Daniel, and some of the judgments of God in the Revelation; that the death of Louis the XVI. and the revolution in France, for the perpetual destruction of its monarchy, was decreed in the Scripture of Truth; and would, against all human opposition, most surely take place: To inform them that the war, just going to be commenced by Prussia and Austria, against France, was the very war alluded to by St. John, in the Revelation, chap. xix. which God called a war against himself; because it went to oppose his decrees, and because it would be an effort of kings to overthrow his unalterable judgment. I was commanded to advise them, as I was the king and minister of state, not to join in the war, or even encourage it on any account whatever: To inform them of the approaching fall of monarchy in Europe, the great distress this war would be productive of to all nations, but particularly to those that engaged in it: and likewise to inform them of their own sudden fall in the jaws of the earth by a pre-determined earthquake, according to the judgment of God, in chap. xvi. ver. 16, 17, 18 and 19, of the Revelation; and, lastly, to entreat them to acknowledge this gracious communication from God, for their length of life and blessing, by an obedience to his good advice.
When at the door, on the 17th, I informed the Speaker, by a letter, that I waited, and was ready to communicate all that I was commanded. In a few minutes after a messenger returned, with my own letter, who treated me, in such a public place particularly, with unfeeling contempt and incivility. The Lord God spoke to me instantly, on being ordered to go about my business, and said—Get away, get away from this place; be under no concern, it was not you that was despised and ordered away, but me, in your person, that sent you.
Soon after my return home I was in a vision, and saw a large measuring rod move through the streets in great haste, and strike many of the houses as it passed, marking them for their approaching fall. After this I was made to look towards the Treasury, while the Lord God pronounced at the same time—All that side shall fall. In an instant, the whole place was covered with thick darkness; it seemed to be everlasting darkness; darkness that should never be removed: And, again, he pronounced, in quick words, as if displeased—The whole shall fall.
The information, as will be plainly seen by the date, which I gave to the king and minister of state, with what I was commanded to offer to the parliament, was not only before the present war with France was entered into, but also some length of time before it was ever intended: therefore no person can say, with justice, that either my conduct in obeying the positive commands of God, or my endeavours to preserve this country from the many evils it has now to encounter with according to the determined judgment of unerring prophecy; originated from weak ideas or political motives. No, my knowledge is given from God; I see all things now as they truly are; and know their consequences, to change them to what they really will be hereafter.
I am commanded to keep no company, and live retired; that I may avoid the temptation of political discussion, or any other argument, that would create animosity and strife.