Fulfilling of prophecies: or The Prophecies and predictions of the late learned and Reverend James Usher, Ld. Archbishop of Armagh, and Lord Primate of Ireland

THE
jfttlftUtns of ^opljecies:
O R T H E
i ^
A N D
PREDICTIONS
Of the late Learned and Reverend
JAMES USHER.
Ld Archbifliop of Armagh,
And Lord Primate of IRELAND*.
;• ■" jp1 1 * /*;,> -i * ^+S$L - wA: A z&J* ■, ■ v::-.
Licenfed ancf Entred according to Order,
p*’ |H ^Hough in thefe latter Ages of the Church, many, ’
Learned and Pious' ivien, have made it a quefti- |
on, whether Cod how fpeaks to any by a pfo-
phetick Spirit; yet (urely ’twere a great Bold-
nefs and Prefumption for any peremptorily to
determine that he does not j for though it mufl be acknow¬
ledged, that thefe ways of God’s revealing himfelf, are lefs
frequent in thefe lafl and word times, fince the great Reafon ,
affigned for the frequency of Miracles and Revelation in the
nrft Ages of the Church,("for converting men to, and
Conforming them in the Chriftian Faith,} is in a great mea- ■
lure ceafed •, For we have ■now a more fare word of Tejiimony, as -
the Apoflle Saint ^fdr fays, to wit, the written word of God.\ ]
Wherein we have the Chriftian Doftrine difplayed, together 1
vvirh the Lives, piracies, and Examples of our Saviour and
his Apoftles. But there is nothing has brought the matter of i
Prophecy and ReVelation fo much into queftion, as the Frauds i
and Forgeries of Lying Popifh Priefts, vyho by counterfeit “
Miracles have ftrove each one to eftablifh their feveral Orders}*
or, for.the magnifying their particular Saints, Patrons, or Pa- ^
froneftes, have filled the World with moft ridiculous and ab- -
furd Stories of pretended Miracles; But Qod be thanked,,
the Authour we have here propofed is removed far enough,
from the Exception that may be juftly taken againft thofe we-
were fpeaking of, being a Perfon of that known Learning,
Piety, and Integrity 5 for all which he is famed through the-
Chriftian World, that ’cvvould be needlefs as well as impofti-
ble for me to recommend him.
■ Now to confirm what I have been faying, that the Spirit of
’Prophecy has not wholly left the world, even in this Age, L
have here propofed this great Man, Archbifhop VJljer, for an
Example, as it is delivered by Dr. Ber/wrd,'Chaplain to the
ArchbiHiop.^ And certainly, let any Man lay afide Prejudice,'
and rclieft on what has Hbcn alreadyCaccompliihed, as to his
Own particular, as well as in fome part to Ireland formerly,
and what is now fadly fulfilling in that miferable Kingdom,
and he will be forced to confefs, that this holy Man was itr-
deed a Prophet.. , -
1? The Author of the Life of this Excellent and Worthy Pri4
flmate and Archbifhop, gives an Account, that among other
^extraordinary gifts and graces^ which it pleafed the Almigh-
' ty to beftow upon him, he was wonderfully endued with a
^Spirit of Prophecy, Whereby he gave out feveral true Pre-
di&ions and Prophefies of things a great while before they
‘.came to pafs, whereof fome we have feen fulfilled, and others
^remain yet to be 'accomplifhed. And though he was one thac
abhorr’d Enthufiaftick Notions, being too Learned, Rational,:
•’and knowing, to admit of fuch idle Freaks and Whimfies,;
yet he profeft. That feveral times in his Life he had many things
iimpred upon his mind, concerning future Events, with fo much
warmnefs and importunity, that he was not able to keep them fecret,
' but lay under an unavoidable neceffity to make them known.
From which Spirit ne» foretold the Irifl) Rebellion Forty?
fyears before it came to pafs,with the very time when it ftiould
break forth, in a Sermon Preached in Dublin in idol, where
frpm Eyck? 4* d. Difcourfmg concerning the Prophets bearing, the;
^Iniquity of ]ud<Lh forty days, the Lord therein appointed a day for <t
'year v he made this dir eft application in Relation to the connivance
at Popery at that time. From this year ffayshe j will I reckon'
-the fin of Ireland, that thofe whom you now imbrace, (hall be
your Ruine, and you (hall bear this Iniquity. Which Predifti-
on proved exaftly truefor from that time 1601. to the year 1641..
was juft forty years, in which it is notvrioufly known, that the Re¬
bellion and Deftruftion 0/Ireland happened, Which was afted by
thofe Popift) Priefts, and other Papfts, who were then conftived at*.
And of this Sermon the Bifhop referved the Notes} and put a>
Note thereof in the margent of his Bible, and for 20 years
before he ftill lived in the expectation of the fulfilling there¬
of, and the nearer the time was, themore confident he was,
? that it was near accompliftiment, though there was no vifihle
appearance of any. fueh thing } and (lays Br.'BernardJ The
year before the Rebellion broke forth, the Bifhop taking his leave
of me, beingthen going from Ireland to England, he advifed me
to a ferious preparation, for I ftmld fee heavy forrows and miftries
before I faw him again, which he delivered with as great confix
dertcef