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miniftry of the feven churches of Afia. Thefe being thofe feven angels which John did write unto, as I faid before; for these feven angels which John did write unto in chap. ii. it was to fignify thofe great tribulations and fufferings, that the ministry and the churches themfelves fhould undergo.

But in chap. viii. John faw these feven angels, which were the ministers of the feven churches of Afia, in another condition; he faw them now as if they were in a state of glory. And now instead of tributlation for ten days, which ten days were the ten perfecutions, which did laft a matter of three hundred years, as aforefaid. I fay, now he faw these feven angels ftand before God, and to them were given feven trumpets; that is, each of them had trumpets given unto them; fo that every one of them might found forth fome plague, and judgement or other upon the earth, where wicked men do dwell, who perfecuted the innocent to the death.

And in verfe 3. it is faid, Another angel came and stood at the altar, having golden cenfer, and there was given unto him much incenfe that he should offer it, with the prayers of all faints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne. This angel I declare was Mofes, who was to officiate the office of offering up the prayers of all the faints, with the incenfe upon the golden altar, which was before the throne in the vifion, as he did in his commiffion of the law, when he was here upon earth; fo that he is called by John's Revelation, Another angel that came and stood at the altar, &c..

And in verfe 4. The fmoke of the incenfe which came with the prayers of the faints, afcended up before Good out of the angels hand. And in verfe 5. And the angel took the cenfer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and caft it into the earth, and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

This is spoken with relation to thofe offerings, which Mofes the angel of the covenant of works, did practice in the time of the law. And as he was the angel that gave forth the law, and so appointed and ordained cenfers, altars, and offerings to be offered up unto the Lord in that tabernacle, which was but a pattern of the true; fo Mofes is that angel that is faid by John in is vifion, to offer up the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. It is called a golden altar, because it is fpiritual and heavenly, and the facrifice, which is the prayers of faints, is fpiritual alfo, in oppofition to that altar and facrifices Mofes had in the time of the law. So that when the angel had offered up the prayers of all the faints and the fmoak of the incenfe, and the faints prayers together, they afcended up before God out of the angel's hand. And when this was accomplished, the angel took the cenfer, and filled it with fire, and caft it into the earth. Only to fignify fome extraordinary plagues and judgments that fhould follow upon the founding of every one of the feven angels trumpets.

Now I would have you the feed of faith to confider, that as there was a real, visible, and temporal altar, facrifice, incence, cenfer, used in the vifible worship in the time of the law, the very fame things are exprefs'd by John in a spiritual sense, both by way of vision and revelation. So that what Mofes did as he was the angel of the covenant of works, and visible worship, John doth express it in a fpiritual and an heavenly fenfe. So that there is a true reality in the fpiritual fenfe, though

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invifible, which cannot be feen but by the eye of faith, as the temporal was feen and known by the eye of reafon. So that thofe judgments and plagues that were acted in Mofes's commiffion, they are rehearsed by John over again in a fpiritual fenfe. So that the things that three of thefe feven angels did, the plagues that doth appear upon the earth at the founding of their trumpets, they were fulfilled in the commiffion of Mofes, which was of the law. Therefore it is worth the minding, to know what plagues did follow upon the founding of every one of these feven angels who had feven trumpets prepared themselves to found. For obferve, that when the angel aforefaid, had took the cenfer and filled it with fire of the altar, and caft it into the earth, it produced immediately, there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake; So likewise upon the founding of the feven trumpets which the feven angels had which prepared themselves to found. The first angel founded, and there followed hail, and fire mingled with blood; and they were cast upon the earth, and the third part of trees were burnt up, and all green grafs was burnt up.

The plague that followed upon the firft angel's founding, was upon Pharaoh and his people, when Mofes was fent of God to him to let the children of Ifrael go into the wilderness to worship. I need not to relate the particular plagues, because they may be read in the fcriptures. But at the firft angel's founding, Pharaoh and his people had that hail, and fire mingled with blood amongst them; fo that other great plagues were upon man and beaft in Egypt; as you may read concerning thofe feven plagues which Mofes brought upon it, becaufe Pharaoh would not let the people of Ifrael go: and these were the fruits of the first angel founding his trumpet.

And in verfe 8. And the fecond angel founded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was caft into the fea, and the third part of the fea became blood. And in verfe 9. The third part of creatures which were in the fea, and had life, died, and the third part of ships were destroyed.

This great mountain burning with fire which was caft into the fea, when the fecond angel did found, was Pharaoh and all his hoft; for Pharaoh was a great mountain, that is a king of great power. And he burned with the fire of envy and madnefs, that the people of Ifrael fhould be carried out of his kingdom, and enrich themfelves with the Egyptians jewels, and other things which they had borrow'd. It was enough to make this great mountain to burn with the fire of madness and revenge; so that he and all his hoft would follow to the fea fide, that his wrath might burn as a fire of revenge upon the people of Ifrael, and bring them back again.

But in the conclufion, this great mountain that burned with the fire of revenge, was caft into the fea. That is, king Pharaoh, the great mountain, and all his hoft, who burned with revenge like fire, were caft into the fea. So that the third part of the fea may be faid to become blood, because the destruction was exceeding great, fo that the third part of the creatures which were in the fea, and had life, died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed; that is, the third of Pharaohs kingdom was caft into the fea, fo that though the poor creatures had life when they were in the midst of the fea following of Mofes, the fea fwallowed them up, fo that the third part of the kingdom of Egypt died in the

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fea. And the third part of fhips were deftroyed: that is, the third part of Pharaoh's chariots and waggons which the kingdom would afford, were deftroyed in the fea.

John calls them fhips, because they carried him into the fea, and after they were deftroyed, the chariots fwum upon the waters; and in this regard they are called by the Revelation of John, fhips. For when Pharaoh was drowned, we do not read that he, nor any nation elfe had any fhips, but what hath been built fince. So that John might call his chariots that fwum upon the waters after they were deftroyed, ships. And the lives of his horfes, and his mules, and his men, were the third part of creatures which died in the fea. And this was that mountain burning with fire that was caft into the fea, at the fecond angel's founding the trumpet, &c.

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CHA P. XXIII.

ERSE 10. And the third angel founded, and there fell a great ftar from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And in verfe 11. The Name of the ftar is called wormwood, and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter

This third angel founded when Elijah and Elisha did those wonderful miracles in Ifrael, in their reproving of Ahab and his fons for their idolatry, and when Ifaiah the prophet prophefied against the king of Affyria. For when the angel doth found, there is always fome great trouble upon the earth attends to one or more particular nations; as there was in the days of Elijah, and more efpecially in the days of Elisha the prophet, when as the king of Syria warred with Ifrael, but was prevented by the prophet Elisha's counsel.

As you may read 2 Kings vi. 8. how many times he prevented the king of Syria: But in procefs of time another king of Syria came against Samaria, as in verse 14. of this chapter; so that there was a great and extream famine in Samaria, as may be read in that chapter. But this King of Syria was disappointed alfo; and in process of time there arose another king of Affyria, which came up against Samaria and befieged it, and at the three years end took it, as in 2 Kings xiii. 8.

So in 2 Kings xviii. 13. In the fourteenth year of the reign of king Hezekiah, did the king of Affyria coming up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. And further he went on, until he came to befiege Jerufalem, with great high boasting words against the God of Ifrael, as he did against other idol gods; which he caft into the fire, as Rabfhaketh the fervant of the king Affyria doth declare, as the history doth abundantly relate.

So that Hezekiah king of Judah did fend to the prophet Ifaiah to enquire of the Lord, as in 2 Kings xix. 2. And the prophet Ifaiah put the king in good comfort, that the Lord would deftroy the king of Affyria and his hoft, as afterwards was done, according to the words of the prophet Ifaiah, as may be read in the chapter aforesaid.

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Now this king of Affyria, and the other kings of Syria, and the king of Moab that rebelled againft Ifrael; but especially this great king of Affyria, was that great ftar which John faw in his vifion fall from heaven, burning as it were a lamp; for he was in his own thought with pride and loftinefs of his heart as high as the stars are from the earth, in power, from the king of Judah. So that Hezekiah his strength it was but as the earth for him to tread upon, or like a reed which he could crufh in his hand.

And this ftar it burned like a lamp, that is, a rumour and noise of his great army, it went thorough many kingdoms, putting them into fuch a fear, which made the inhabitants hearts to burn with fear of his strength; for he burned as a lamp. That is, not fwiftly, but flowly; that is, he overcame one kingdom after another, for when he had burned one kingdom by overcoming them by the fword, and firing their wooden gods, the noise of this burned like a lamp in other kings hearts, with fear that they and their gods should be served fo. And fo it did prove, as you may read 2 Kings xix. 12. what a many kings and gods did he destroy; fo that he burned indeed like a lamp until he had confumed many kings and their wooden gods. So that his heart was lifted up with pride, even as a great ftar in heaven, fo that he thought to do by the God of Jacob in whom Hezekiah did truft, as he did by thofe wooden gods which other nations did worship. Therefore he proudly faith, What God fhall deliver Hezekiah the king out of his band? So that he burned as a lamp with fear and terror both to the king and all Judah, so that kings are called ftars, as it is faid in fcripture, fpeaking of Chrift, Aftar fhall come out of Jacob. So that Chrift being the king of the Jews, he is called a star. So likewise this great king of Affyria who had overcome fo many kings, and had burned all their wooden gods, who thought to do fo to Judah, he was that ftar that fell from heaven burning as it were a lamp. It fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: this ftar is faid to burn like a lamp, in regard he conquered fo many kings, and burned their gods with fire. And this ftar is faid to fall upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters, because he fell upon those kings that were fituated by Jordan and the fea-coaft, and many kings did Senacherib king of Affyria fubdue, and burn their gods with fire, as you may fee 2 Kings xix. 18. So 2 Kings i. 33. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the band of the king of Affyria?

Where, faith he, are the gods of Hamath, with divers other kings, and Samaria, or countries that have been delivered out of the king of Affyria's hand? So that he hath digged and drunk strange waters, and with the fole of his feet hath he dryed up all the rivers of befieged places, as in 2 Kings xix. 24. And this was that great ftar that fell from heaven which burned like a lamp, as aforefaid. And this star fell upon the third part of the rivers and fountains of waters. It is faid to be the third part of the rivers and fountains of waters, in regard he stopped all thofe rivers and fountains of waters, which did belong to all those kingdoms and lands which he conquered. So that the inhabitants of thofe lands could have no benefit of those rivers and fountains of waters, which did belong to their land; for this ftar falling upon the rivers and fountains of waters in

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befieging their cities; fo that their rivers and fountains of waters were dryed up with the foul of his feet; for his Army was fo great that the feet of his foldiers were every where upon the rivers and fountains of water; fo that they were all become dry to the people of thofe lands. Neither could any of the inhabitants of thofe lands, not fo much as tafte of those rivers and fountains of water, which did belong unto them. For the feet of his army had befieged every place, and in this regard the king of Affyria, that ftar that fell from heaven, may be faid to fall upon the third of the rivers and fountains of waters, and that he had part dryed them up with the fole of his feet.

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CHAP. XXIV.

ND in verfe 11. John faith, the name of the star is called wormwood, and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. Now John calls the name of this ftar aforefaid wormwood, in regard it made the third part of the waters it fell upon to be wormwood alfo; for many men that drank of these waters, which this star fell upon, died, because they were made bitter.

The meaning is this, that when the men of those islands or lands did fally out,' or any other ways to get water out of those rivers or fountains, to give themfelves and their cattle drink, then the feet of this ftar, that is, his foldiers fell upon those men and killed them. So that the waters became bitter, and that many men died of the waters; for the waters were good of themselves, but they could get none of them, neither could they get water any where else, so that they must have of those rivers and fountains of water where the ftar fell, or else they must perish both men and beast for want of water. So that they were forced to drink of those bitter waters, though they died with it. For the star whose name was wormwood, was fallen upon them, that is, he had befiged the waters fo in every place, that the waters became as bitter as wormwood. So that whofoever did drink of them without the star's leave, he muft die. So that the waters became bitter indeed; likewise many of Judah did drink of these bitter waters, and as you may fee, Ifaiah viii. 7.

In verfe 6. Judah is blamed for refufing the waters of Shiloah, and many other waters; therefore in verfe 7. it is faid Now behold the Lord bringeth up upon the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Affyria, and all his glory, and be fhall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks. So that this ftar whose name is wormwood, muft go over the channels and banks of Judah and Samaria, and make their waters as bitter as wormwood. So that they must many of them die of the waters alfo, as it is faid, Jer. ix. 15. Therefore thus faith the Lord of Hofts, the God of Ifrael, behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. So that befieged waters are called by the revelation of the prophets, and of John, wormwood of waters, and bitter waters, and many are faid to die of the waters, because they were bitter.

It is because of the drought, in that the ftar, the king of Affyria, or any other power

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