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them to death, for telling them of their forfaking of the worship of the law of Mofes, and worshiping of idols.

And the fame fpirit of reason, the devil, it continued in that nation of the Jews until Chrift came, according to that porphefy of Jacob, the Scepter fhall So that there was a fcepter of governnot depart from Judah until Shiloh come. ment that did remain upon the people of the Jews, though they had no Jews kings a long time before. So that a matter of forty years after Chrift's death, in the deftruction of Jerufalem, the fcepter did depart from Judah. That is, from that nation of the Jews, fo that they are ever fince a scattered people in many parts of the earth. So that the fcepter, that is, the government is departed from them indeed, and the fame spirit of perfecution, and idolatry it doth run along in the feed of reason, the devil, in the Gentiles. So that the Gentile kings and head magiftrates have been given mightily to idolatry, imitating the worship of the gofpel. And have perfecuted and put to death many faints, for not bowing down to that worship fet up by these Gentile kings, or head magiftrates, ever fince the destruction of Jerufalem, even to this day.

So that this is to be minded by the reader, that this mystery Babylon, or great city, or whore, who hath commited fornication with the kings of the earth. The meaning of the fpirit is this, that all kings and head magiftrates in the time of the law, and in the time of the gofpel, who profess the fcriptures even to the end of the world, that have, or fhall fet up a falfe worship, or idols, by their power, and cause the people to do the fame, they may be faid to commit forniSo that whoever doth worship falfe gods, let it be in what cation with idols. form or manner it will, it is all counted by the spirit but fpiritual fornication or whoredom.

So that all false worshipers, or all that do worship idols, or falfe gods, from the greatest to the leaft, from the begining of Mofes's commiffion, to the begining of the apostles commiffion, and to the end of them; and not only fo, but to the end of the world, even to the end of the commiffion of the fpirit, even the feven churches of Europe. For all fpiritual idolatrous worship is in them alfo, though they differ in feveral forms of worship one from another. Namely, the Papilt, Epifcopacy, Prefbyterian, Independent, Baptift, Ranter, and Quaker; all other fects and opinions are involved in these seven, and every one of these seven are idolatrous, because none of them know the true God, therefore cannot worship him aright.

So that by confequence it will follow, that they all commit fornication with idols; for whoever worfhips a falfe god, he commiteth fpiritual fornication, which I am sure they all do.

For neither the miniftry of them, nor the people, do know the true God, nor the right devil, for if they did, then would they know what worship doth belong unto the true God now in these latter days. So that all the falfe worshipers from the begining of Mofes, to the end of the world, they make up but one great city Babylon, or one woman, or one scarlet whore, who hath made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication.

That is, this fpirit of reafon in kings and head magiftrates hath made all na

tions

tions to worship idols and images for God; fo that they have become drunk with fpiritual fornication, that the people have thirfted after the blood of the faints, as well as thofe in authority. So that they are all become one city Babylon, which will be destroyed at the end of the world. This is that great mystery Babylon, that great city that John did prophefy the downfal of in the fixteenth chapter.

And in the feventeenth chapter he faw by faith the total downfal of this fpiritual mystery Babylon, that great city the mother of harlots; that is, of spiritual idolatry, which is fpiritual whoredom. So that there were many more harlots than one, yet they are all counted by the fpirit, but one whore, or harlot; for that great city Babylon doth confift of nothing elfe but fpiritual harlots. So that the reader may see what is meant by this fpiritual Babylon, and this great city, and what is meant by the woman, the great whore, and what is meant by her fornication; fo that the reader may the better understand the interpretation of of the chapter that followeth.

IN

CHA P. LIX.

N chap. xvii. 1. there was one of the feven angels which had the feven vials, and talked with John by way of vision and revelation, saying unto him, Come hither, and I will fhew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that fiteth upon many waters.

Here it is clear that John did fee by way of vifion and revelation, the downfall or judgment of this great fpiritual whore, which I have fhewed what is meant by it before. And as for her fiting upon many waters, the many waters where the whore fiteth, it fignifies multitudes of people, nations, and tongues, as you may fee verfe 15. That is, the spirit of reafon in the whore, as aforefaid, should have fuch a spiritual power over the fpirits of whole nations, and tongues, and multitudes of people, that the fhould cause them all to commit fornication with idols, or else they fhould be perfecuted or fuffer death. So that whofoever would not commit fornication with her, or at her command, they fhould drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. That is, fhe would perfecute and put them to death, for death is the wine of her wrath; for the blood of the faints is that wine of her wrath, which is put into her golden cup that is in her hand, and fhe doth not only drink the blood of the faints that is in the golden cup herself, but fhe doth make the kings of the earth to drink it also.

For in verfe 2. With whom the kings of the earth have commited fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk of the wine of her fornication. That is, the kings of the earth have commited fornication with her, in that they have been perfuaded by her, and joined with her to worship idols. For except the kings of the earth, who are the temporal power, do join with her spiritual power, fhe could do nothing. So that the kings of the earth commiting fornication with her, that is, to worship idols with her; fo they came co commit fornication with her; that is, the kings and head magiftrates do uphold that fpiritual power the whore hath, and do help to make the people to drink of the wine of her fornication; fo that the inhabitants of the earth have been made

drunk

drunk with the wine of her fornication. That is the inhabitants of the earth, what with command from the fpiritual power of the whore, and what with command from the temporal power of the kings of the earth, the inhabitants of the earth are forced to commit fornication with idols alfo; fo that they are made to drink the wine of fornication with her; that is, look what comfort or fatisfaction can be found in worshiping of idols, they shall drink it with her. But the wrath of her fornication, none fhall drink that but the faints, because they will not commit fornication with her; that is to fay, not worship idols at her command. Verse 3. So be carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman fit upon a Scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blafphemy, having seven beads, and ten borns. As for the wilderness, I fhall fay nothing as to that, because I have opened what it is in the interpretation of the eleventh of the Revalation. But this woman who doth fit upon a scarlet coloured beaft, the woman is the fame, as I faid before, that great city Babylon. And the scarlet coloured beast, it doth fignify all kings and head magiftrates, who have fubmited unto the falle fuggeftions of learned men, who have pretended to be prophets, and priefts, and minifters of God, without a commiffion from God; and fo by the advice of these false prophets, priefts, and ministers, kings, and head magiftrates have fet up images or forms of worship, and have made laws for all people to obey in point of worship, as well as in point of civil or temporal affairs. Alfo they have made these persons aforefaid to have the charge to see the people worship according to that law; and have given them a fpiritual power to punish all thofe that will not worship accordingly.

This hath been the practice of all kings and head magiftrates, I mean all evil kings and head magiftrates, ever fince the firft idolatrous practices were used under Mofes's commiffion; and fo a fucceffive idolatrous power did follow, even amongst the profeffors of the God of Ifrael; and it was practifed by many wicked kings and head magiftrates, and false priests, and falfe prophets, which did cause many true prophets, and righteous men to be perfecuted and put to death, for not giving way to their falfe worship.

And fo fince the apoftles commiffion, the fame thing hath been acted by kings and priests, and fo it will be to the end of the world. So that all evil kings and evil head magiftrates, are counted by the fpirit, but one fcarlet coloured beast, for the fpiritual whore, the woman, to fit upon. She may be faid to fit upon the beaft, because fhe fits upon his power, for kings in all ages have been fubject to the fpiritual power, though it hath been never fo false; for we fee by experience that all those that go upon a fpiritual account, if he be but a minifter of the gofpel, fo called, yet he fits upon the magiftrate. For where is there a magistrate in a parish as a deputy, or fuch like, but the minister fits upon him? So that one can do nothing as to matter of worship without the other. So that the idolatrous woman, who is the chief, may well be faid to fit upon a scarlet coloured beaft, which beaft fignifies all kings and head magiftrates, who give themselves up to be guided in matter of worship by non-commiffionated men, who pretend a fpiritual power, to be prophets, priefts, or minifters of the gofpel, or of the law, without a commiffion from God.

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But this beaft here Ipoken of by John, it doth chiefly relate to those beafts that did fucceed after the deftruction of Jerufalem, which was a matter of four years after Chrift's death, in relation to those ten perfecutions, which did last a matter of three hundred years. So that all thofe beafts that perfecuted the faints in that time, they are called by the spirit a Scarlet coloured beast. He may be called a fcarlet coloured beaft, in regard he had affifted the woman with his temporal power, to perfecute and fhed the blood of faints; fo that the fins of his foul, they were as red as fcarlet with the blood of the faints, and in this sense he is called a scarlet coloured beaft, and not only fo, but full of names of blafphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns.

The meaning is this, fo many heads, fo many names of blafphemy; that is, there were feven kings that came out of his loins, as I fhewed before and all these feven heads, or beafts, they perfecuted and fhed the blood of faints, and blafphemed God that had power over plagues. So that they all blafphemed God, and shed the blood of the faints, for not worshiping their images; and in this regard he may be called a fcarlet coloured beaft, full of names of blafphemy; for their fouls were all made red as fcarlet with the blood of faints, and they all blafphemed alike, and the woman fate upon them all alike, fo that they are all called by the fpirit, but one fcarlet coloured beast.

CHA P. LX.

ERSE 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple, and Scarlet colour, and

V decked with gold, and precious stones and pearls, baving a golden cup in ber

band, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

This woman is the fame afore-mentioned, and as for her being arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour; the purple fignifies the civil outfide appearance, and rich array. That is, fhe was arrayed with fuch outfide language and gestures and ornaments concerning the worshiping of idols, that it was as a garment of purple unto her, which made the kings and people all to bow down to her, and glad they were that they might drink of that golden cup in her hand, which cup was full of abomination.

And as for the scarlet colour fhe was decked with, that is within her; that is, her foul was made as red as fcarlet, with the blood of the faints, as the beast afore faid.

And as for the precious ftones and pearls fhe was decked with, that fignifies that good esteem the beaft and the people had of her fuperftitious worship, thinking in themselves that she was precious in the eyes of the Lord, or as a pearl, or jewel in the fight of God, and that fhe did God good fervice to kill his faints, that would not bow down and worship fo holy a fervice as was required by her.

And as for the golden cup in her hand, the cup fignifies the form and manner of worship, which fhe doth prescribe to the beaft, and the people, to falfe gods; and that which this golden cup in her had is full with, it is the fuperftitious idolatrous worship, that the beast and people muft drink of; that is, they must do as The hath prescribed in matter of worship, and fo they come to drink out of the

golden

golden cup in her hand, and fo they take a full draught of her lpiritual abominations and filthiness of her fornications with idols, and in the blood of the faints.

Verfe 5. And upon ber head was a name written, mystery Babylon the great, the mother of barlots, and abominations of the earth. There need not be any interpretation upon this verfe, for I have fhewed what is meant by Babylon before, and what is meant by the mother of harlots; fo that I fhall pafs by this verfe 5. and proceed to verfe 6.

Verfe 6. And I faw the woman drunken with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus, and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Here John faw in his vifion the woman drunken with the blood of the faints, and martyrs of Jefus. That is, mystery Babylon, or city Babylon, which is compared to a woman, that is, all perfecuting fpirits in point of worship are compared to a woman; for they have all drank the blood of faints and martyrs, fo that John did fee in his vision, that they were all drunken with the blood of faints, even as men are drunken with wine. So that John did wonder with great admiration, to see that God fhould have so much patience, as to ftay fo long before he did pour out his judgments upon this woman, who had made herself drunken with the blood of the faints, and martyrs of Jesus.

But in verfe 7. The angel faid unto John, wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the feven beads, and ten horns. As if he should fay, when thou feeft the judgment of the woman, and of the beaft that I will bring upon them, thou wilt then marvel no more at their being drunken with the blood of the faints, and martyrs of Jefus.

CHA P. LXI.

N verfe 8. the angel doth explain unto John's understanding, what the beast is that doth carry the woman, as he did the woman in the feventh verfe; but the explaination of the angel, it is as dark to the reafon of man, as the vifion itfelf; for who can understand what is meant by these words, verfe 8. The beaft that thou faweft, was, and is not, and shall afcend out of the bottomless pit, and go into predition, and they that dwell upon the earth fhall wonder, whofe names were not written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, that was, and is not, and yet is.

Yet by the revelation of the spirit of faith, I fhall open the meaning of John's words. The reader may remember that I gave a touch of it in the interpretaion of the thirteenth chapter, where I have fhewed the difference between the dragon's feven heads, and ten horns, and the beast's seven heads, and ten horns. The meaning is this, the dragon's seven heads, did fignify seven kings befides himfelf. And the beast that the dragon did give his feat, power, and authority unto, who had seven heads, and ten horns, I declare his own head was one of the feven, and the first head of the feven, that did exercife the power of the dragon. So that this dragon Herod that perfecuted the woman, he is that beast that was,

and

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