upon

So in like manner will God pour out this vial of wrath upon the fea; that is, all the rivers and fountains of water, which is for the comfort, fatisfaction, and quenching the thirst of man and all other creatures. For the vial being poured out upon the fea, the fea doth imply all manner of waters whatsoever. And as this plague was poured out upon Egypt at the firft, when Mofes had his commiffion from God to gather Ifrael out of Egypt, fo in the end of the world, when Chrift fhall gather his elect together, that is, the wheat from the tares; this vial of his wrath fhall be poured out upon the fea, as really as it was poured out upon Egypt by Mofes, as aforefaid; and every creature in the fea, both man and beast, fish and fowl shall die, even as they did in Egypt.

CHAP. XLVII.

ND in verfe 4. The third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and founAlains of waters, and tire organ poured o tains of waters, and they became blood.

The meaning is this, that as the Egyptians rivers and fountains of waters were turned to blood by Mofes, fo that the Egyptians could not drink of the waters of the rivers, for they did loath to drink of them. So likewife this vial the third angel poured out, it was the wrath of God upon the fountain and river of water that is in every man. For every man hath motions of peace, and refreshing of mind that do arife in his heart from the feed of reafon, the root which doth fend forth refreshing thoughts, motions and actions. Many times the feed of reafon doth this, which is as a river of water to refresh the foul of man. But when evil thoughts, motions, and actions, do arife out of the heart, it causeth fear, wrath, and torment of faul, both of the punishment of the law. here in this life, and the punishment of eternal damnation hereafter. So that the rivers and fountains of waters that do flow out of the hearts of men and women, they are turned into blood. That is, as I faid before, the motions, thoughts, and actions, which did arife out of the heart that yielded peace to the mind, they were as water to refresh the heart of man, even as water doth quench the thirst of nature, both of man and beast.

But when these waters of the foul be turned to blood, there is nothing but thoughts of fear, motions of wrath, and fear of eternal death; fo that the foul of man is loath, or doth loathe to drink of those thoughts, motions, and actions which are turned to blood; that is, to wrath, and fear of eternal damnation.

But drink they muft of the wine of the wrath of God, for they have made the faints to drink of the wine and wrath of their perfecution, for not worshiping the beast nor his image, nor receiving his mark. Though I fpeak of all men and women in general, because all people have a river of water in their hearts, but all rivers are not turned to blood. But the meaning is, all thofe people who worship the beast, and his image, who receive the mark of his or the number of his names, these things include both the beaft, and all falfe worships, and falfe worshipers, fince Chrift gave the commiffion of the gospel to his apostles.

name,

And as Mofes poured out that plague of turning the natural rivers and foun

tains

tains of water of Egypt blood, at the firit coming into nis commillion of the law; fo likewife will Chrift pour out his vial of wrath upon the fpirits of men and women, and turn the waters of their fouls to blood, as aforefaid; and this will be executed at the latter end of the world, which end will be as certain as the beginning was by Mofes.

Therefore John, by the fpirit of Revelation, faw thefe vials poured out upon the beast, and his feat, and upon his image, and upon thofe that had his mark, name, or number of his name, as aforefaid. For it is the nature of true faith to fee things afar off, or at a diftance, as near at hand, or in prefent being. So that this vial of God's wrath, which the third angel poured out upon the rivers, and fountains of waters, I declare it is meant upon the fouls; that is, upon the peace of the fouls of thofe wicked beasts, or head magiftrates who fet up images, idols, and forms of falfe worship, and cause the people fo to do. And all thofe people that do bow down to this worship, they receive the mark of the beaft, or the name of the beaft, or the number of his name, upon all these their fouls is this vial poured out upon. That is, upon the peace of all their fouls, which peace is called by the fpirit, rivers and fountains of waters; and upon these rivers and fountains of waters, the angel doth pour out his vial, and turn the waters, of idolatrous men and women's fouls to blood. For this the reader is to mind, that there are motions that do run in the mind of man, as the waters do in a river or fpring. And thefe motions do cool or fatisfy the foul of man, as water doth when men are thirfty; as the rich man Chrift fpeaks of, who being in hell defired one drop of cold water to cool his tongue; that is, one motion of peace or hope of deliverance out of this heat; for if there could but one motion. of peace arife out of the heart of one being in hell, it would be that drop of cold water to cool the tongue of the foul.

t

But these waters being turned to blood by the vial of God's wrath being poured upon it, no waters can arife. That is, no peace can fpring from the fouls of men and women, who have this vial poured out upon them; that is, who have the waters of their fouls turned to blood; that is, to wrath, torment, and the fear of eternal damnation.

And because the reader may know, that the motions of peace in a man's mind, may be called a river of water, you may mind the words of Chrift, where he faith, He that believeth in me, out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living water, So likewife Chrift said to the woman of Samaria, If thou hadst asked me, I would have given thee water of life: it should have been a well fpringing up unto eternal life.

Thefe waters flow from the feed of faith in the foul of men and women; these are not those waters that are turned to blood. But there are waters that proceed from the feed of reafon in the heart of men and women, which are motions of natural peace that do arife from the feed of reafon in man; and these are those waters that are turned to blood by the pouring out of the vial of God's wrath upon them, as will appear by fcripture.

As first, the waters of Cain's foul were turned to blood for killing his brother Abel. 2. The waters of curfed Cham's foul were turned to blood for uncover

ing

ing his father's nakednels, in that he procured the curfe of his father; and Cain had more torment upon his foul than he could bear. 3. The waters of Efau's foul were turned to blood, for defpifing his birth-right. 4. The waters of King Saul's foul were 'turned into blood, for difobeying the commandment of the Lord, in that it caufed him to enqure of a witch.

Thefe being all of them the feed of reason, and the waters; that is, the motions of peace that did arife from that feed, as you may read that Saul had many, or much peace, for he was called Saul among the prophets. And further it is faid, that the good spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil fpirit from the Lord was fent unto him. That is, the motions of peace departed from him, and the motions of fear and horror were fent unto him. That is, the waters of his foul were turned to blood, and fo will it be not only with thefe afore-mentioned, but with all the feed of the ferpent who rebel against God, and that worship false gods, as these beafts, 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 magistrates, who are called by the spirit beasts; and all those that recieve the mark in the forehead, or right hand, or his name, or the number of his name. For the mark, name, and number of his name, doth include all falfe worshipers, or idolaters whatsoever. So that this plague which is pour'd out by the third angel upon the rivers and fountains of waters, it is upon all thofe people's fouls aforefaid. So that no motion of peace could arife in their fouls, not to eternity; this being one of the laft vials of God's wrath, which he will pour out upon this wicked, unbelieving, perfecuiting, idolatrous world. Turning the waters of their fouls to blood; that is, all their peace fhall be turned to fear, horror, and torment for ever and ever. So much for the fourth verfe, and the third vial.

CHAP. XLVIII.

N verfe 5. And I heard the angel of the waters fay, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and waft, and fhalt be, because thou haft judged thus. Verfe 6. For they have shed the blood of faints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

This angel of the waters, is the fame angel that poured out his vial upon the waters aforefaid; and the angel giveth thanks unto Chrift, the only God, because he hath judged thus. That is, because he hath poured out the vial of his wrath upon all perfecuting devils, and worshipers of devils. For thofe that perfecute, and thofe that worship idols, are all one, for they all help to fhed the blood of faints and prophets; fo that faints and prophets are forced to drink of the wine of the wrath of their fornication, in that they fhed their blood; because they will not worship devils, as they do.

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 fouls, which turns all the motions of their minds into blood,

fo

fo that they have nothing to drink, but the blood of their own fouls. For as they drank the blood of faints and prophets, in that they fhed their blood with delight, because they would not bow down to their worship. So now they having no more faints blood to drink, they must now drink their own blood, for they are worthy. For look what measure the feed of reafon hath meet to the feed of faith, the fame fhall be meeted to them again. For as they have drank the blood of faints, and the blood of prophets, fo 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 fay, as in verfe 7. &c. Verfe 8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the fun, and power was given unto him to Scorch men with fire. Verfe And men were Scorched with great heat, and blafphemed the name of God, which bath power over thefe plagues, and they repented not to give him glory.

"

9.

This fourth angel poured out his vial upon the fun; I would have the reader to mind, that this vial that is poured out upon the fun, it hath relation to that plague the two angels that came to Lot, did pour out upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And as there was a total destruction of thofe two cities, and the inhabitants thereof, by the fire that came from the fun at the word of the Lord. So that these two angels that came to Lot, they may be faid to pour out their vial upon the fun, in that they did caufe the fun to burn up those two cities, with all the people, cattle, and every thing elfe in them. For the deftruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, it was only to fignify that the deftruction of the world at the end of time, fhall be burnt up by fire, as Sodom and Gomorrah was.

And that the angel of the Lord by vertue of his commiffion, fhall pour out his vial of God's wrath upon the fun; that is, the angel fhall caufe or command the fun to give forth its heat, that shall fet the element on fire. So that all wicked, idolatrous men and women, fhall be burnt with fire as Sodom was, for their wicked unnatural lufts. For God will punish idolaters, with the fame punishment as the people of Scdom, who committed fuch things as are unnatural; for Sodom and Gomorrah being burnt with fire, it was an example only to fhew 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 fee, that the vial of God's wrath was poured out upon the fun, to execute his wrath upon Sodom, in that the fun burnt up thofe two cities, and the people thereof, fee Gen. xix. 23. 24, it is faid, The fun was rifen upon the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar. That is, the fun was the captain or head governor of that fire and brimftone, that was rained down from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. So that God's wrath was poured out upon the fun, that the fun might pour it out upon Sodom. For when the fun was rifen upon the earth; that is, when the original or captain of all fire did arife on the earth, it commands brimstone and fire to rain down upon thofe two cities, even as a general of an army doth command his men to fall on upon his enemies; for the fun is appointed of God, to be the chief governor of the host of heaven; that is, the ftarry heavens; fo that God commanding the fun to give forth its heat beyond its usual courfe, as he did to Hezekiah, to make the fun go ten degrees back

wards

wards; fo that the fun is obedient to God's command, and if God doth give an angel a commiffion to command the fun to give forth its heat, and to burn, and confume a people, city, or nation, then it may be said, that the angel poured out his vial upon the fun.

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

So in like manner, will this angel pour out his vial upon the fun at the end of time; and the fun fhall do by the wicked as aforefaid, as the fun did by Sodom. and Gomorrah. For that was, as I faid before, only to fignfy what will be done at the end of time. Yet John in his vifion faw the thing done; that is, according to his faith it is done, for faith admits of no time but what is prefent.

But this I would have the reader to mind, though there will be destruction by the fire of the fun at the end of the world, like unto that of Sodom and Gomorrah, as aforefaid, yet there is a fpiritual meaning in these words alfo, which I fhall unfold as followeth. This fun fpoken of here, it doth fignify, in the fpiritual, the Son of God, whofe eyes are like a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine brafs. This is he that treadeth the wine prefs of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, as in Revel. xix. 15.

Now as the vial of God's wrath was poured out upon the natural fun, in that the fun had power to burn up Sodom and Gomorrah, as aforefaid; fo likewife the Son of Rightoufnefs had the vial of God's wrath poured out upon him also, in that he treaded the fiercenefs of God's wrath, that is, his own wrath, as he was the Creator. So that he fuffered death at the hands of his creatures, which death is called by the spirit the wine prefs of God's wrath. And this wrath being poured out upon the Son of Righteoufnefs, he hath power given him to fcorch men with fire. That is, he had power to fcorch the confciences of wicked men, with the fire of hell. This power alfo doth he give to every true prophet, and apostle, and minifter, whom he doth chufe.

And as the death of Chrift is called the fierce wrath of God, fo likewife it may be call'd a fire; for the wrath of God may be called a fire, though executed in feveral other ways. So that this death of the Son, it being charged upon the confciences of all wicked, perfecuting, idolatrous men and women, by the apoftles, prophets, and minifters chofen by them, it doth fcorch their confciences with the fear of eternal death, which is the fire of hell, as in verfe 9. And men were fcorched with great heat, and blafphemed the name of God, which hath power over thefe plagues.

So that every true meffenger of Christ, hath power to scorch the confciences of men, and to kindle the fire of hell in all perfecuting fpirits, and falfe worshipers, who worship falfe gods. And this fire, and heat was very much poured out by the apoftles, and thofe minifters, ordained by them in the primitive times, fo called. For none know what thofe perfecuting beafts, and falfe worfhipers who received the beaft's mark, did fuffer, nor how their confciences were fcorched with the fire of hell, even whilft they were in this world, which was but a taste of O what