of cursed Cham's soul were turned to blood for uncovering his father's nakedness, in that he procured the curse from his father; and Cain had more torment upon his soul than he could bear. 3. The waters of Esau's soul were turned to blood, for despising his birth-right. 4. The waters of King Saul's soul were turned into blood, for disobeying the commandment of the Lord, in that it caused him to enquire of a witch.

These being all of them the seed of reason, and the waters; that is, the motions of peace that did arise from that seed, as you may read that Saul had many, or much peace, for he was called Saul among the prophets. And further it is said, that the good spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit from the Lord was sent unto him. That is, the motions of peace departed from him, and the motions of fear and horror were sent unto him. That is, the waters of his soul were turned to blood, and so will it be not only with these afore-mentioned, but with all the seed of the serpent who rebel against God, and that worship false Gods, as these beasts, and all those that receive his mark.

So that to conclude, this vial of God's wrath of turning the rivers and fountains of waters to blood, it hath relation to all wicked kings and head magisirates, who are called by the spirit beasts; and all those that receive the mark in the forehead, or right hand, or the name, or the number of his name. For the mark, name, and number of his name doth include all false worshipers, or idolaters whatsoever. So that this plague which is poured out by the third

angel

angel upon the rivers and fountains of waters, it is upon all those people's souls aforesaid. So that no motion of peace could arise in their souls, not to eternity; this being one of the last vials of God's wrath, which he will pour out upon this wicked, unbelieving, persecuting, idolatrous world. Turning the waters of their souls to blood; that is, all their peace shall be turned to fear, horror, and torment for ever and ever. So much for the fourth verse, and the third vial.

CHAP. XLVIII.

IN N verse 5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. Verse 6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink ; for they are worthy.

This angel of the waters, is the same angel that poured out his vial upon the waters aforesaid; and the angel giveth thanks unto Christ, the only God, because he hath judged thus. That is, because he hath poured out the vial of his wrath upon all persecuting devils, and worshipers of devils. For those that persecute, and those that worship idols, are all one, for they all help to shed the blood of saints and prophets; so that saints and prophets are forced to drink of the wine of the wrath of their fornication, in that they shed their blood; because they will not worship devils, as they do.

Ee

So

So in like manner God doth make them to drink of the wine of his wrath, in that he gives them blood to drink. That is, they have their own blood to drink, for they are worthy, and their own blood is nothing else but the wrath of God working in their souls, which turns all the motions of their minds into blood, so that they have nothing to drink, but the blood of their own souls. For as they drank the blood of saints and prophets, in that they shed their blood with delight, because they would not bow down to their worship. So now they having no more saints blood to drink, they must now drink their own blood, for they are worthy. For look what measure the seed of reason hath mete to the seed of faith, the same shall be meted to them again. For as they have drank the blood of saints, and the blood of the prophets, so God will give them their own blood to drink to eternity.

And this is righteous judgment in God, as the angel that came out from the altar doth say, as in verse 7, &c. Verse 8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. Verse 9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory.

This fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; I would have the reader to mind, that this vial that is poured out upon the sun, it hath relation to that plague the two angels that came to Lot, did pour out upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

And

And as there was a total destruction of those two cities, and the inhabitants thereof, by the fire that came from the sun at the word of the Lord. So that these two angels that came to Lot, they may be said to pour out their vial upon the sun, in that they did cause the sun to burn up those two cities, with all the people, cattle, and every thing else in them. For the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, it was only to signify that the destruction of the world at the end of time, shall be burnt up by fire, as Sodom and Gomorrah was.

And that the angel of the Lord by virtue of his commission, shall pour out his vial of God's wrath upon the sun; that is, the angel shall cause or command the sun to give forth its heat, that shall set the element on fire. So that all wicked, idolatrous men and women, shall be burnt with fire as Sodom was, for their wicked unnatural lusts. For God will punish idolaters, with the same punishment as the people of Sodom, who committed such things as are unnatural; for Sodom and Gomorrah being burnt with fire, it was an example only to shew what God will do at the end of time, unto this wicked unbelieving world, he will overthrow it, even as he did the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And because the reader may see, that the vial of God's wrath was poured out upon the sun, to execute his wrath upon Sodom, in that the sun burnt up those two cities, and the people thereof, see Gen. xix. 23, 24, it is said, The sun was risen upon the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar. That is, the sun was the captain or head governor of that fire E e 2

and

and brimstone, that was rained down from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. So that God's wrath was poured out upon the sun, that the sun might pour it out upon Sodom. For when the sun was risen upon the earth; that is, when the original or captain of all fire did arise on the earth, it commands brimstone and fire to rain down upon those two cities, even as a general of an army doth command his men to fall on upon his enemies; for the sun is appointed of God, to be the chief governor of the host of heaven; that is, the starry heavens, so that God commanding the sun to give forth its heat beyond its usual course, as he did to Hezekiah, to make the sun go ten degrees backwards; so that the sun is obedient to God's command, and if God doth give an angel a commission to command the sun to give forth its heat, and to burn, and consume a people, city, or nation, then it may be said, that the angel poured out his vial upon the sun.

Thus it was with Sodom and Gomorrah, the angel poured the vial of God's wrath upon the sun; and the sun poured it out upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, in that it caused fire and brimstone to rain down upon them, until they were utterly consumed.

So in like manner will this angel pour out his vial upon the sun at the end of time; and the sun shall do by the wicked as aforesaid, as the sun did by Sodom and Gomorrah. For that was, as I said before, only to signify what will be done at the end of time. Yet John in his vision saw the thing done;