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end of time, which thing will be unexpreffibly lad to all thole who have no water of life in their fouls to drink.

It is faid by the spirit of John, that this great river Euphrates was dryed up, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. Now what thefe kings of the Eaft are, is very neceffary to know. Thefe kings of the Eaft, I declare they are all good kings, further I declare that Chrift the king of heaven, is faid to come out of the Eaft, as you may read, Math. ii. 2, 3. where the wife men from the Eaft came to Jerufalem, faying, where is he that is born king of the Jews, for we have feen his ftar in the Eaft, and are come to worship him?

So that this Jefus the king of the Jews, he is called the king of the Eaft, because his star in the Eaft directed the wife men to find him out that they might worfhip him. Now this is to be minded by the reader, that prophets, apofties, and faints, they are called by the spirit kings, and priests unto God, as the fcripture faith; so that all prophets, apoftles, and true believers may be called kings. And feeing the King of Kings came out of the Eaft, thefe all following him in the fame fteps of faith and patience, they are called by the fpirit, kings of the Eaft. So that Chrift, his prophets, apostles, and faints, are thofe kings of the Eaft, who have the aforefaid waters dryed up, that the way for thefe kings of the Eaft might be prepared. That is, there are no natural rivers upon earth, that shall hinder or keep from being dryed up, neither temporal nor fpiritual.

For the vial of God's wrath, it will dry up all the rivers of waters upon earth natural, and all rivers of waters fpiritual, when Chrift fhall come in the clouds of heaven with all his faints, the kings of the East, to put an end to this bloody, perfecuting, unbelieving world; and to dry up all the waters of peace in men's fouls. And the kings of the Eaft, by their faith and patience, fhall walk upon the waters of wicked, perfecuting men's fouls, as upon dry ground. That is, the kings of the East shall rejoyce in the eternal dectruction of their enemies, even as their enemies did over them, when they perfecuted and put them to death; fo that the way, that is, the hearts of the faints enemies, may be as a way for the kings of the Eaft to tread and trample upon all that joy, and peace, and comfort, that the dragon beaft, and false prophet had, when they perfecuted the faints; which faints are the kings of the Eaft, and that faith and patience the faints had, it prepared themselves to fuffer with chearfulness the perfecution, and death itself. So that the waters of the great river Euphrates, even the waters of their perfecutors fouls were dryed up, that the kings of the Eaft, that is, the faints might be prepared to fight that good fight of faith, as the faints did in the time of the ten perfecutions. So much for the interpretation of the twelfth verfe.

CHAP. LII.

VERSE dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of

ERSE 13. And I faw three unclean fpirits like frogs, came out of the mouths

the false prophet.

These three unclean fpirits like frogs, they are faid to come out of the mouths of three feveral perfons, to wit, the dragon, beast, and falfe prophet; yet these

three

three proceed all from one fpirit, even the fpirit of the fallen angel, or as I may fay, the spirit of Cain that dragon-devil, who was the firft murderer. And the fpirit of Cain remaining in the feed, it bringeth forth many dragon-devils like himfelf. So that all dragon-devils make up but one dragon, and fo all wicked beafts make up but one wicked beaft; fo all falfe prophets, and falfe priests, or falfe fpeakers, they make up but one falfe prophet.

ways,

Now they are called three unclean fpirits, like frogs, in regard of the threefold operations and workings of them; for they proceeded from that one fpirit of reason, the devil; only this one fpirit of reafon it doth work three feveral and by three feveral perfons, yet all three of them were like frogs; they were all alike for wicked idolatry, and perfecution of the faints, and to deceive the people; for they are the fpirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty, as in verfe 14. of this chapter.

So that these three fpirits like frogs, that came out of the dragon's mouth, and cut of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, they were to go forth to all the kings of the earth, and not only fo, but to all great men in the whole world, to invite them to perfecute, and to fight against the faints with a fword of fteel, and with other cruel deaths; when as the faints had no, other weapons of war, but thofe that were fpiritual, to wit, the fword of the fpirit, the fhield of faith, the helmet of falvation; thefe and fuch like weapons of war the faints do fight withal.

But the dragon, beaft, and falfe prophet, they by their council, power, and authority, did invite all the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to fight against the Lord Jefus, and the remnant of the feed of faith, who are the faints, with perfecution and death as aforefaid, with carnal weapons, and inventions of cruel deaths, as the fcriptures, and hiftory doth make mention of.

But the Revelation of John gave him to fee, that the laft battle that will be fought between God Almighty, and the dragon, beast, and falfe prophet, it will be at the end of the world; that is, Jefus Chrift he is God Almighty, he, and his faints, and angels, fhall fight with the dragon, beaft, and falfe prophet, and with all the kings of the whole world; and he, and his faints fhall give them an utter overthrow; that is, an eternal overthrow, fo that the dragon, beaft, and falfe prophet, with all the adherents unto them, fhall be deftroyed with a fcond death, which fhall burn as a lake of fire, for ever and ever.

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IT will be neceffary to open fomething more of the dragon, beast, and falfe prophet, and of those three unclean Spirits like frogs that came out of their mouths. The reader may remember that I fhewed before, that there were many dragons fince Cain, yet all counted by the fpirit but one dragon; and fo of the beaft, and falfe prophet, all are included into one. Now this dragon fpoken of, he is meant the fame great read dragon fpoken of in Revel. xii. who perfecuted the woman, namely, Herod; though there were many dragons after him, yet

it

it is called all but one dragon, they being all partakers of the fame fpirit, and acted in the fame perfecution of the faints.

So likewife that beast that did arife out of the fea, with feven heads, and ten borns, as in chap. xiii. 1. is that beast spoken of here by the fpirit, though there were divers other beafts after him, yet they acting by the fame fpirit of perfecution of the faints, they are all called by the fpirit, but one beast.

So likewise the false prophet is meant that government of worship that was established upon the chief or high priests of the nations, fo that there was a fpiritual government of worship which did belong to those images and idols that were fet up by the power and authority of the beaft; as all forms of worships, let them be true or falfe, there must be fome particular head; as Aaron was high priest of the worship of the law, and Chrift the head of the gofpel worship; yet there were many more high priests befides Aaron; yet all called but Aaron the high priest.

Even fo it was with the falfe prophet, the fame fpirit of idolatry and perfecution for conscience fake, for not fubmiting to worship the beast and his image, it did run through the fpirits of all the falfe priefts, as it did in him that was the chief, who was fet up by the power of the beaft at the first.

So that though there were many priests that fucceeded him, and many that did officiate the priests office befides, yet they being all of one and the fame fpirit, they are called by the spirit in John but one falfe prophet. For priests are called by the spirit many times prophets, as Baal had four hundred falfe prophets did belong to him; that is, they were four hundred falfe priests.

Now this I would have the reader to mind, that these three fpirits like frogs, that came out of the dragon's mouth, and the beaft's mouth, and the falfe prophet's mouth, I would not have reader to think that these three fpirits like frogs, did cease in the time of the ten perfecutions, neither would I have him to think that there is no dragon, nor beaft, nor falfe prophet now, though there was then. Although I confefs the main drift of John's Revelation had relation chiefly to those wonderful ftrange actions that were acted by the dragon, beaft, and falfe prophet, unto the faints, in the time of that commiffion of the gofpel. But this is for certain, that the fpirit of the dragon, and the fpirit of the beaft, and the spirit of the false prophet, remains in its feed to this day, and will do to the end of the world. So that the fpirit of the dragon, beaft, and falfe prophet, these three unclean spirits do fend forth their fpirits like frogs, to the kings of the earth, to encourage them all to fight against truth, and against true worshp, and to make the faints to fubmit to their idolatrous worship; for, as I faid before, all forms of worship that are fet up by men who have no commiffion from God, are all falfe worships; and whoever is the chief minifter in that worship fo fet up, he may be faid to be a falfe prophet. And by this rule, all opinions in religion, and forms of religion, or worship, that are fet up in the world at this day by feveral forts of people, they are all falfe, because the minifters are falfe; and fo they may be all called but one falfe prophet, even from the firft Pope, to the laft Quaker, their miniftry being all falfe, even one as well as the other.

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CHA P. LIV.

GAIN, I fhall give the reader a little diftinction of the feveral operations of these three spirits, and yet they all join together to fight against God Almighty; and yet cozen and cheat one another, and cheat the people of the world alfo. So that very few in the whole world do escape being deceived by one, or more of these three unclean fpirits like frogs that come out of the dragon, beaft, and false prophet's mouths.

First, the unclean fpirit of the dragon it feeketh after natural wifdom, as natural philofophy, aftrology, magick, and fo becomes a phyfician, or a doctor of phyfick to cure defeafes.

The wisdom of the dragon it doth pry into the knowledge of the stars, and the influence of them, as the magicians of Egypt did, that they may be counted wife men.

Likewise this spirit of the dragon it doth pry unto the nature of herbs, plants, with the fpirits of all vegetables, and all things of curious arts, fo that the spirit of the dragon comes to be wifer in things of nature, than all other men.

So that all other men that are not skill'd in this wisdom of nature, they are fubverted and deceived by this fpirit, and do honour him as a god, thinking that God hath given him more wisdom in this kind, than to all other men. So that this knowledge of natural philofophy, aftrology, and phyfick, makes men become honourable in the fight of all people, Alfo it makes the people to part with their filver freely; alfo it cloathes the physician in rich velvet, fo that people may know what he is by his vefture.

All this honour, and much more than I can relate, doth the spirit of the dragon procure by that unclean fpirit that cometh out of his mouth, for all those wife magicians, aftrologers, natural philofophers, doctors of phyfick, are those frogs that came out of the dragon's mouth; for these afore-mentioned they are a great multitude, and do fwarm as the frogs in a warm day, and do deceive multitudes both of their health, and of their filver, under pretence of doing them good. This is the proper work and operation of the fpirit or wisdom of reason, that cometh out of the dragon's mouth.

CHAP. LV.

ECONDLY, The unclean spirit that cometh out of the beaft's mouth, it is those persons that study the laws of the land. In as much as the beaft is the head of the law, it is he that doth authorize men to be expounders and interpreters of the law, he doth authorize fome to be judges, fome councellors, fome attorneys, with many other titles that lawyers have.

So that this unclean fpirit that cometh out of the beaft's mouth, it is the multitude of lawyers that are authorized by him; and thefe lawyers they may be faid to come out of his mouth, because without his power and authority they can do nothing. That is, they cannot cheat and deceive the people as they do;

fo

fo that the lawyers who practice cafes of law, they are fo numerous that they can hardly be numbered. Also they are cloathed with fine fcarlet, with deceiving the people; yet the lawyers are but the fproutings forth of the unclean fpirit that cometh out of the beaft's mouth. And it is the proper work of the fpirit of the beast to cloathe thefe lawyers in scarlet, even as the fpirit of the dragon did the doctors of phyfick, cloathe them in velvet; yet notwithstanding they are in their natures no other but frogs, fent forth by these two fpirits aforefaid, to deceive them that dwell upon the earth.

CHAP. LVI.

HIRDLY, The other unclean Spirit it came out of the mouth of the falfe prophet.

TH

This falfe prophet fignifies the chief and head governor of fpiritual worfhip, as the Pope, or any head minifter, of any religion watfoever, but more especially of that head minifter, or head prieft that is upheld by the beaft, or the civil power. For there is a spiritual power invefted upon the false prophet by the beast, or civil power, fo that none fhall exercife or officiate the office of a minifter, but fuch as the falfe prophet fhall fend forth. So that thofe men this falfe prophet, or chief priest doth fend forth to preach, these are fent forth from that unclean fpirit that cometh out of the falfe prophet's mouth. For the falfe prophet hath full power to ordain and fend forth men to preach, to deceive the people in a way of falfe worship, as the dragon had to the phyfician; and as the beaft had to the lawyer.

And as the doctor of phyfick by his deceit came to be cloathed in velvet, and the lawyer by his deceit came to be cloathed in fcarlet; fo likewife the preachers ordained by the falfe prophet, they came by their deceit to be cloathed in fheeps cloathing, made of the fineft wool, with garments down to the heel.

So that the outward garb and cloathing of these three, they do carry fuch a glory, honour, and majefty among the people in outward appearance; that the people do believe or think there is more honour and glory within, whereby they are mightily deceived in their expectations. For these three forts of men aforementioned, are counted by the fpirit of revelation in John, no other but three forts of frogs; and those three fpirits that fent them out, they were but three unclean fpirits.

And the work those frogs aforefaid are to do, it is to go forth to deceive the people of the earth; for where is there a man hardly to be found, not fourteen years ago upon the earth, but they were deceived either by the phyfician, lawyer, or prieft; nay, they deceive one another; for the prieft is is deceived by the doctor of phyfick; and the doctor of phyfick he is deceived by the priest; for the priest deceives his foul, in that the doctor thinks he can preach fuch faving doctrine that may fave his foul; but alas, he is altogether deceived, for the priest doth not know what will become of his own foul after death, much less of another's. So likewife the doctor of phyfick he deceives the priest, making him believe and think that he will give him fuch a potion of phyfick, as fhall restore him to life and health, when as many times it doth caufe the want of P 2 health

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