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and the feven plagues, becaufe upon them de- Part 2. pends our whole Syfteme of the approaching Fall of the Antichriftian Empire, I intend to do two things. The first is, to lay down certain Principies, which muit ferve us as guides. The fecond is, to do that very briefly, which I have omitted in. other places. I mean, to relate the various Interpretations of Divines. For that which they have faid, is fo far from the likeness of Truth, that it may by oppofing my Commentaries and theirs eafily be feen, who hath hit upon the truth,

The Principles are thefe:.

Principles tor the un

viols, in

the Revel.

viols are 7

of God up

of Ants

1. The pouring out of the viols, and the feveral derftandplagues, which follow upon their effufion, do cer- ing the 7. rainly fignify the judgements of God upon the King-the 16th dom of Antichritt: But we must not imagine that Chap. of they are as fo many steps, which fenfibly carry it. Princito its ruin. God does afflict Common-wealths by ple. The 7 Peftilence, Famines, and Wars; and yet they do judgments not perish by thefe calamities. They continue a on the long time under them, and fometimes do regain Kingdom their former luftre after them. This principle mult chri be carefully minded, because all other Interpreters, have been mistaken; either through their not at tending to it, or their not due understanding of it. This they have understood, that we ought not to place the beginning of the pouring out of the viols, untill after that we fee the Empire of Popery fenfibly to fall. Hence fome have not placed their be ginning, till after the preaching of Luther.

chrift.

2. Princi

nify 7 pe

2. The fecond Principle, That these seven viols ple, Thefe do certainly fignify feven periods of time, which ought 7 viols figto be diftinguisht one from another. As the feven rods of Seals and feven Trumpets in the preceding Chap- sime. ters did fignify feven periods, which fucceeded one to another the figurative expreffion of vials, borrowed

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Part 2. borrowed from hour-glaffes, which measured time, fignifies this thing more naturally then the Seals and Trumpets. And this again is a Principle, which other Interpreters have not at all regarded, whence it is that they confound the viols, and make either all, or almost all of them, to be poured out in the fame Period.

3. Principle, The

viol does

3. The third Principle, That to every Period or viol, a plague is annexed; but we mult diftindiffer from guish between the viol and the plague. The viol the plague. fignifies the period of time, the plague fignifies the judgement of God, which falls out during the period. 'Tis true, that the plagues are not alwayes reftrained unto the duration of the viol, or of the Period marked by the viol, but fometimes do reach both before and after it; the reafon of which we will give hereafter. This again is a Principle which hath not at all been taken notice of: the viols and plagues have been confounded by Interpreters, as if they were one and the fame thing, and almost all of them have been placed in the fame time.

Princi

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4. The fourth Principle, That all that is denoted ple, No. and fignified by these viols, is evil to be inflicted on the thing but evil is de- Antichriftian Kingdom: So that nothing but noted by Judgements can be found in them. But it must be never any confidered, that thefe Judgements do fall fome

the viols,

good.

times upon the head of the Antichriftian Kingdom alone, and fometimes upon the body alone, and fometimes upon both together. And we muft not imagine, that all thofe plagues do denote evil or mischief unto Antichrift, i.e. the head of the Antichriftian Kingdom: This again is a Principle, which hath not been minded; for men have imagi ned, that every one of these feven viols, must be ta tal to the power of the Beast.

The

is repre

der an Em

5. The fifth Principle, That the Antichriftian Part 2. ! Kingdom is here reprefented under a figure drawn & Princi ple, The from the Syfteme of the World: Hence it is, that Antichriftimention is made of the Earth of the Sea, of an Empire Rivers, of the Sun. The Earth is the entire Globe, fented uncompofed of Land and Water, and this fignifies the blem of the whole mass of the Antichriftian World, both the fyfteme of the world. head and the members. The Sea and the Rivers, fignify the people, according to the conftant ftyle of the Prophets. But the people diftinguitht from their head and foveraign, the Sun denotes the foveraign of this Kingdom, as will be made out clearly in the fequel. All these Principles in my judgement are clear, and whoever will examine them well by the Text, and the Commentaries an nexed, will not doubt of their truth. Let us fee how ill the modern Interpreters have followed them.

ons of the

The firft Plague is, a noyfom and grievous fore seven In upon the men that had the mark of the Beat. terpretati 1. Forbes understands by this, the filthiness of the first plague, Clergy, their pride, covetoufnefs, and other vices: but he does not reftrain this to any period; affirming, that this corruption is to be confidered, as taking in, or reaching unto the whole duration of the Antichriftian Empire. 2. Cocceius underftands this of the fchifms, and divifions, and difputes, which have been ad ftill continue in the Popedom: Inftances difputes about Images; about the fingle life of the Clergy about Investitures; the feveral fchifms of Popes; the grand fchifme of the Weft the difputes between the Scotifts and Thomifts; the quarrels about the Authority of the Pope: So that according to him, this plague hath laited near a thousand years, i. e. ever nice the contentions betwixt the Iconoclasts and the Icono Latres

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Part 2. latres, or Patrons of Image-worship untill our times. It is not poffible that a man fhould be more mistaken then this Author; and I wonder, that an Author, who had fo much studied Prophecies, fhould not perceive that the viols fignify here Pe-. riods, and different times, and confequently, that we must not make run the fame plague to all these times: Befides, there is no exactness in this conception, nor any agreement between divifions, and a noysome fore. 3. Jofeph Mede, takes this noyfome fore to be the fury and rage, with which the papits were feifed upon the preaching ofthe Wal denfes. 4. Dr. More follows him in this, as almoft in all other things. 5. De Launay alfo, will have it to be that vexation of Spirit, which the fubjects of Antichrift muft feel, when they fhall fee his compleat ruin. 6. Teftard is of the fame opinion. 7. James Durrham, a Scotish Minifter at Glafcow afferts, that the Earth in this first plague is the Authority of the Pope; and that this noyfome fore fignifies the diminution which that Authority hath fuffer'd by the Reformation.

Seven In

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The fecond Plague is, The fea turned into blood, terpreta and the fishes dying in the fea. One would think the fecond that Authors have with earneftness ftrove who plague. fhould keep fartheft from the very likeness of truth in this matter. 1. According to Forbes, this fea turned into blood. is the univerfal reproach, under which the worship of Popery is fallen, together with its doctrines; for instance, its worship of Images, its Purgatory, its facrifice of the Mafs,&c. Behold, what an agreement there is between this, and a fea of blood. 2. Cocceius afferts, that this fea fignifies the reduction of the Lombards, Hungarians, Poles, Bohemians, Vandals, Goths, Danes, Saxons, Franks, &c. in a word, of all the Western nations;

unto

I unto the obedience of the Church of Rome. But Part 2. befides, that in this there is no fhadow of refemblance between the Prophetick Emblem, and that which is pretended to be fignified by it; this contradicts the evident Principle, that thefe plagues never fignify good to the Antichriftian Empire: The reduction of fo many Nations under the obe dience of the Pope, is the greatest advantage that hath happened to the Antichriftian Kingdom. 3. According to Mede, it is the popish fea, Dain and turn'd into blood by the Reformation, which was done in the laft Age. 4. According to De Launay, it is the government of foveraign Princes allied with the Pope, which fhall become tyrannical and odious to their fubjects.5. Teftard thinks that it fignifies, that many States fhall withdraw them-* felves from the jurifdiction of the Pope, fo that this domination fhall become like a bloody carkafs, which putrifies the waters. 6. According to Durrham, the waters are Ecclefiaftical conftitutions, decrees, Canons, worthip, Mafs,&c. And that the violfhall make all these become deadly to thofe who use them. 7. Laftly, in the judgement of Dr. More, the fishes here fignify men, and the fenfe is, that men fhall withdraw themfelves from the dominion of the Pope, fo that no more any men shall be found under that dominion.

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third

The third Plague is, The Rivers turned into Interpretablood. 1. According to Forbes, thefe are the Do- tion of the. tors, Bishops, and Priests ofthe Church of Rome, plague. which must become ftinking unto the people, even as Rivers of blood. 2. According to Cocceius, this fignifies the wars and divifions, which have spilt fo much blood among Chriftian Princes, fince the time of the Waldenfes and Albigenfes. 3. According to Mede, the Rivers are the Emissaries, Agents, and

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