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and is not. That is, he was alive in his own perfon, when he would have flain Christ with the young children, but feeing he was prevented in that, and could not devour the young child Jefus, he perfecuted the woman, and the remnant of her feed. That is, all true believers in that child Jefus, they were the remnant of her feed, but the earth help'd the woman, and fwallowed up the flood. That is, the young children that were flain by the dragon's command, are called by the fpirit, the earth, and their deaths did fwallow up the flood of perfecution, that came out of the dragon's mouth.

And this is the beast that was, and is not; that is, he is dead, and the other beast that had seven heads, and ten horns, he is that scarlet coloured beast that the woman doth fit upon. That is, all the feven heads that this beast had, his own being one, they did exercise the power of the dragon in perfecuting the faints, which was the remnant of the feed of the woman, whom the dragon did perfecute. Now this is to be minded by the reader, that the fpirit of the dragon, it did remain in the feed of reafon, that was in thofe feven heads, or feven beafts, though the dragon which is the eighth, was dead, as to his outward appearance. Neither did that vifible body of the dragon appear any more, but that fpirit of his feed, it was in his fon's feed; fo that the fame spirit of the dragon it did run through the feed of reason, through the line of those seven beafts, and did cause them to perfecute, and fhed the blood of the faints as he did, and would have done. This was chiefly with relation to those ten persecutions, in the time of the apoftles commiffion.

And as for the beast that was, and is not, and fhall afcend out of the bottomlefs pit, and go into perdition. The meaning is this, that the fame spirit of reafon, that was in the dragon, who was that beaft that was, and is not.

I fay, the fame spirit of perfecution fhall ascend out of the bottomless pit of the imagination of reafon; that is, in the other beaft that fucceeded the dragon; for all wicked beafts were, and are guided by one fpirit, even the spirit of the devil, which devil is no other but the fpirit of reason in man; and the imagination that floweth from this fpirit of reafon, it is that bottomlefs pit; fo that this beast that did ascend out of the bottomlefs pit, it was no other but the spirit of reafon that did afcend out of the hearts of thofe feven beafts aforefaid; which caused them to exercise the power of the dragon, in perfecuting and fheding the blood of the faints, and fo at the end of the world they go into perdition. For this is to be minded, that when a wicked man doth go into perdition, he doth never return again, because it is an eternal perdition.

This is to be minded alfo, that the bottomlefs pit is one thing, and perdition is another; for almost all men are in the bottomlefs pit of their own imaginations, only those that know truth; yet men's spirits of reafon may ascend out of the bottomless pit of their vain imaginations, and come to know truth, but after the fpirit of a man goeth into perdition, there is no poffibility ever to ascend out of that, because it is eternal.

Again it is faid, And they that dwell on the earth fhall wonder, whose 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. That is, the ignorant and idolatrous

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people on the earth, fhall wonder when they behold the spirit of the dragon acting itself forth in idolatry and perfecution, for not worshiping his image, as the dragon did; fo that it did feem to ignorant people to be the fame beaft, and that the dragon-beaft was rifen again, which made them to wonder to behold that beast that was, and is not, and yet is; when as it was no other but the dragon's fpirit, in the feed which acted itself forth in the person of another beast, much like unto the dragon, or beast that was not.

So that those ignorant people that dwell on the earth, they look upon fpirits going out of the body, and affuming other bodies; but there is no fuch thing. But most people on the earth then, and at this day do believe fuch things, which doth cause their vain imaginations to wonder, taking one thing for another. But the elect feed whofe names are written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world, thefe I fay, never do wonder at any fuch thing; for they know that spirits cannot flip out of the bodies, and affume other bodies, but that spirit must die with the body. Only there is a spirit remaineth in the feed, that is in another, that may act cruelties like his, or worse, but not in the fame perfon; fo was it with this beaft, that was, and is not, and yet is, and fo forth.

V

CHAP. LXII.

ERSE 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom, the feven heads are feven mountains, on which the woman fiteth.

This verfe is a begining of the interpretation of John's vision, and of the beast, and of the woman, and fo the interpretation goeth to the end of the chapter. For this must be minded, that John faw these things by vision and revelation, when he was in the isle of Patmofs, a banished man, before these things were acted upon this earth, which maketh his writings the more hard to understand, and much more hard to interpret. So that it must needs be true wisdom to know the mind of the spirit in these mystical sayings of his. Yet the revelation of faith hath understood, and given the interpretation of most of the chief things of concernment in the book of John's Revelation.

These feven heads are called by the fpirit, feven mountains on which the wo-" man fiteth. These feven mountains are those seven beafts spoken of before, though called here seven mountains. And as for the woman, I have shewed what is meant by it before, to wit, all spiritual power in relation to the worshiping of falfe gods, it being fet up by non-commiffionated men, and all falfe wor fhipers they are called by the fpirit, a woman, or the great city Babylon.

So that thofe chief men who have fet up forms of worship without a commiffion from God, they are called the woman that fiteth on feven mountains. She may be faid to fit upon them, because her fpiritual idolatrous power is above their temporal power. For, as I faid before, the temporal magiftrate is commonly fubject to the priest, especially in matters of religion, so that in this refo gard the woman may be faid to fit upon feven mountains; for fhe had power over all these seven beafts, to cause them to commit fpiritual fornication, and fpiritual whoredom with her in worshiping of false gods, and in sheding the blood of faints.

Verfe

Verfe 10. And there are feven kings, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he cometh, he muft continue a fhort space. The meaning is this, that John faw in is vifion, that five of these feven perfecuting beafts were fallen. And he, that one, is in present being in the time of the apoftles commiffion, and that was the fixth.

And the other that was not yet come, he was to come after the commiffion of the apoftles was extripated out of the world, and when he is come he shall continue a fhort fpace. That is, he fhall not continue to the end of the world, for no man knoweth what the fpirit doth mean by a fhort fpace; but the fpirit of the beast that was, and is not, he fhall continue to the end of the world, as in verfe. 11. and the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the feven, and goeth into perdition. The meaing is this, that the fpirit of the dragon Herod, the beaft who is the eighth, though of the feven wicked beasts, because they all acted by his wicked fpirit of reason, the devil.

So that the spirit of the dragon, it shall run through the loins of all perfecuting kings and head magiftrates, even to the end of the world. Hath not the fpirit of perfecution run through the loins of many Papist kings, by the power of the Popes fpiritual fornication, fince the worship of the gospel was fet up by him all over Europe?

Hath not the spirit of fpiritual fornication to worship falfe gods, run through the loins of the Papifts, Proteftant, Prefbytery, Independent, Baptift, Ranter, and Quaker, all over Europe, or as we call it Chriftendom?

So that this fpiritual fornication all opinions do commit with idols, or in wor-fhiping of falfe gods. So that they all make up but one woman, or one whore, who commiteth fpiritual fornication, or one great city Babylon. So likewife there hath many Papift kings, fince the Pope had this fpiritual power, that have been guilty of theding the blood of marytrs, more than can well be numbered. Neither can all Proteftant kings be excused in this point, nor Pesbytery, neither would the other four be excufable, if they were in power.

So that the fpirit of the dragon it doth, and hath run through the loins of all these beasts that have been fince the Roman Catholick religion was fet up. So that all the perfecution that hath been for confcience fake, all the blood that hath been shed for religion fake, it hath been acted from the fpirit of the whore aforefaid, in the priests, and from the spirit of the dragon in the head magistrate, who are called beafts. And this fpirit hath reigned, and doth reign in the head maigistrate ever since the Roman Catholick religion was fet up, as aforefaid, and fhall continue to the end of the world; they all being counted by the spirit but one beaft, because they are all guided by one fpirit of perfecution and bloodshed, for religion fake. So that I declare, that this is the beaft that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the feventh; that is his fpirit runs through the feed of the seventh, and fo it doth run through the bodies of these that are the eighth.

So that this fpirit of the dragon, which is reafon, the divil, who hath perfecuted, and fhed the blood of faints and martyrs of Jefus, for not worshiping falfe gods, that they may all go into perdition together, that is into eternal dam

nation.

CHAP.

VE

CHA P. LXIII.

ERSE 12. And the ten horns which thou fareft, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Thefe ten kings were inferior to the beaft, and were under his dominions, for the beast was as it were an emperor, who had many kings under him. And these ten kings lived in kingdoms, but were not so established as that they could keep them against the beaft's will, yet nevertheless if they would be obedient unto the beaft, and execute his will, he would give them power as kings one hour with himself, that was until they had extirpated the name of Jefus out of the world. And that power they received of the beaft, it was to persecute and kill the faints; for these ten kings were thofe ten horns upon the beast, that had seven heads. That is, these ten kings fhould receive power from the beast, to execute those ten perfecutions upon the faints. Yet I would not have the reader to think that there were but ten kings, and no more, for ten kings did not laft three hundred years. But if there were ten fcore kings, the fpirit doth call them but ten, fignifying thofe ten perfecutions in the primitive times. For the beaft had feven heads and ten horns, and these ten kings were thofe ten horns, and they received their power to perfecute, and fhed the blood of faints and martyrs of Jefus, from the feven heads, which is called a beaft. So that the one hour that thefe ten kings received power from the beaft, it was all the time of the ten perfecutions, for they were the ten horns, as aforefaid. This you may fee in verfe 13. Thefe bave one mind, and fball give their power and strength unto the beast. That is, feeing the beaft had given them power as kings, to fhed the blood of faints, they likewife proffer unto the beaft their power and ftrength to ferve him, in what they can. And the service thefe ten kings muft do the beast, it is to fhed the blood of the faints; as you may fee in verfe 14.

Verfe 14. Thefe shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them, for he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and they that are with him, are called, and chofen, and faithful. These ten kings aforefaid, are to make war with the Lamb; that is, they make war with the faints, and fhed their blood. For these ten kings do execute the will of the beaft, in making war with the faints, for in making war with the faints, they may be faid to make war with the Lamb.

And as the faith and patience of the faints did bear their cruel torments, to the terrifying of the fouls of their perfecutors, even whilft in this life; fo that the fufferings of the faints with patience and chearfulness, for they have no other weapons of war, but the weapon of the fpirit; that is to fay, a breaft-plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of falvation, the sword of the Spirit, thefe are the Lamb's weapons of war, and he doth furnish his faints with them, fo that they fhall be able to overcome all their enemies, who fight with fpear, and fhield, or with fword of fteel, or gun; thefe are the devil's weapons of war, and he fighteth with the faints, with thefe and fuch like weapons, and fo kills the body,

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and

and hath no more to do. That is, he puts to death this natural life, which is callled but killing the body, and hath no more to do. But the weapons of war the faints do use, they being fpiritual, they kill the perfecutors foul, and yet shed no blood. For as carnal weapons do kill the natural life of man, and fhed his blood; fo likewife thofe fpiritual weapons aforementioned, do kill that fpiritual life in the perfecutors, with an eternal or fecond death, and yet fhed no blood; and in this manner fhall the Lamb overcome these ten kings, which ten kings do include all perfecuting fpirits whatsoever. For the Lamb being King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, he hath chofen his faints, and they are faithful to fight under his banner, for he hath called them for that purpose. And the Lamb being their king and captain, the faints fhall certainly overcome their perfecutors, and in this fenfe the Lamb fhall overcome them.

CHA P. LXIV.

VERSE 15. And be faith unto me, the waters which thou saweft, where the

whore fiteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

I have opened this verfe before, so that I need not speak any thing more of it here, but I fhall pass by this, and go to verse 16.

Verfe 16. And the ten borns thou faweft upon the beaft, thefe fhall hate the whore, and fhall make her defolate and naked, and fhall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. These ten horns are those ten kings aforefaid, they received power before from the beast to perfecute the faints, and to make war with the Lamb; and now they receive power from God to hate the whore, and to fight against her fpiritual power, as you may fee in verfe 17. For God hath put it into their hearts, to fulfil bis will. Yet I would have the reader to mind, that these ten horns, or ten kings, do imply all wicked kings who are fubordinate, or under the beast. For all wicked beafts are included in this one beaft, and all idolatrous fpiritual power is included in this one whore, or city Babylon. So that God will put it into the hearts of wicked kings, to put down the fpiritual power of idolatry.

So that the Fifth-monarchy-men are mightily mistaken, thinking in themfelves that those kings, or great perfons that fhall pull down the Pope's fpiritual power, or any other spiritual power, that hath near affinity with the Popish worfhip, I say they are much mistaken. For God will put it into the hearts of wicked reprobate men, to do his will; they fhall hate the whore, and make her defolate and naked; that is, they fhall fmite her flesh with a fword of fteel, and burn her with fire; that is, they fhall utterly deftroy her.

For burning with fire fignifies utter deftruction; and eating her flesh, it fignifies the being well pleased in their minds, fo that their minds doth feed upon the deftruction of her; and in this sense they may be faid to eat her flesh. Only this I do confefs, that the Pope is that whore that muft be made defolate; for the fame fpirit of fornication concerning fpiritual matters, or worshiping of idols, is in the Pope and others, as there was in other whores, who profefs the same spiritual power as the Pope doth. For one fpirit of idolatry hath run through the line of them all in all ages, and the Pope fucceeding after the ten perfecutions, he is called by the fpirit, a whore, and the laft whore.

And

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