The Turks have a traditionary prophecy among them which says that they are at last to be destroyed by a Northern nation, which have a white and yellow hair.
The pious Archbishop Usher was of opinion, that the last persecution would fall upon all the Protestant churches in Europe, but with this difference: in the former, the most eminent Ministers and Christians did generally suffer; but in this last persecution, these shall be preserved by God; which shall immediately follow as soon as the storm is over, which shall take away the hypocrites and formal professors of Christianity.
STATE OF THE WORLD IN 1792.
Perfidious Mars long plighted leagues divides,
And o’er the wasted world in triumph rides;
The peaceful peasants to the war are prest,
The fields lie fallow in inglorious rest,
The plain no pasture to the flock affords,
The crooked scythes are straighten’d into swords;
Now impious arms from ev’ry part resound,
And, like a deluge, cover all the ground.
The time does not yet appear arrived when the nations of the world shall learn war no more, nor beat their swords into plowshares, nor their spears into pruning hooks.
“How pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” was the observation of the Psalmist of old. And the command of the great Lawgiver is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord thy God is one Lord:” and “Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul; and the second is like unto this: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Was this practical truth observed more, we should then soon see what most people are so earnestly desiring; namely, better times; the world would soon bear another aspect, and all would be harmony and peace.
The Almighty God of all principalities and powers, by his infinite wisdom and all-seeing providence, hath intended and proposed, and by these his glorious and powerful instruments, declares and presignifies such notable events and transactions, such unexpected commotions and various mutations to happen to many of the principal kingdoms and nations in the world; for the affairs thereof seem to be in a hurry and confusion, and to be acted by such a ferment as is not usual; their passions and fury rise higher; and the ill success of the advocates of power and tyranny is an encouragement to the friends of liberty, both civil and religious, to go on. In the Eastern part of the world, a nation or country is near being swallowed up more fatally than Jonas in the whale’s belly. The Turks are eminently pointed at by these celestial messengers. War and desolation has already invaded their territories. The Ottoman empire must be weakened, and Antichrist must be destroyed; France and Italy, more especially Lorrain and Naples, will meet with new troubles. New troubles and misfortunes arise in the North. The King of P— will suffer by sickness, or some other calamity; but however he will gain some military honours and advantages this year. A great General stoops to fate. Death alone convinces us, that all men are vanity. Some losses or misfortunes seem to threaten Portugal; and Spain is not past the vortex of ill fortune. One loss comes upon the back of another, which at last brings her to reason, and will pave the way to liberty. Here now follows one of Michael Nostrodamus’s Prophecies, which is now fulfilling, or near these times.
On the left hand over against Vitry,
The three Red ones of France shall be watched for;
All the Red shall be knockt dead, the black not murdered,
By Britain set up again in security.
MOORE’S OBSERVATIONS.
Reason, certainly, if it is but permitted to employ the powers with which it is capacitated, not only instructs us that man lives after death, but also that he lives more; that is, that he then comes into the essence and spirit of his life, before imprisoned.