be asked Whether or not ought the People to resist the Magistrate Say I The lawfulness or unlawfulness of their resisting only dependeth from the nature of the quarrel It is clear to me as is fully evinced in the following Treatise not only the whole Power but also any considerable power of the People may vâ—ry justly resist the Magistrate in maintaining and promoting their own just Liberty and freedom for as the whole Power of the People is superiour so any considerable part thereof is not inferiour to the Magistrate's power And thus my judgment leadeth me no other wales to resist a tyrannous Magistrate but as I am added by Providence to that Body whose Quarrel is not only just but also whose Power is either superiour to the Magistrate's Power or at least so far equal to it as that it is in a capacity of resisting it Now if I either mistake the Quarrel or the considerable capacity of resisting 't is my rashness to engage against the Ruler and just with God to punish my seditiousness though my engaging be upon zealous and conscientious accompts Let a very Pâ—ter be rebuked though in zeal he smile Malchus not being able to maintain his act of Resistance As to example had I a year or two since spoken or acted against the late Parliament me thinks I had not only done unwisely unless as I said before I had been raised up extraordinarily as were the Prophets of old in speaking and acting against the tyranny of the Magistrate but also seditiously But now it is high time for me or any wel-wisher of the People's Liberty to speak and act in our several employments and vocations against the late Power As it is time to sail when tide and wind make and no sooner so it is time to engage and no sooner for Freedom and Liberty when either the People's willingness or a standing Power call for it Then let every man according to his ability whose ambition is to promote just Freedom and Liberty improve his time letting no occasion slip but strike the iron while it is yet hot Sooner it is folly and latter it is but a beating of the air And thus let every cordial wel-wisher of Freedom walk wisely neither going a step before nor a step behind the willingness and power of the People in promoting the foresaid Interest The Quarrel of just Freedom not arightly timed is lost labour and an untimely birth This possibly will be called Policy rather then Piety But it matters not if this Policy be true Divinity as is already shewed to be He is worthy of all commendation who neither resisteth the Ruler's superiority nor thwarteth but promoteth the People's Liberty Thus is he neither rebellious nor malignant but obedient to his superiour during his Command and faithful to the Interest of the People Let me obey the Tyrant so long as he commandeth but side with the People when they oppose him Beside what I have spoken if I may be called to counsel I would willingly offer some of my earnest wishes unto your Lordship O that constrained maintenance for upholding Priests Chaplains and Masters in Universities were at an end Oh that all who are able and willing to preach the Gospel might be encouraged with all due freedom and protection therein upon all occasions and in all convenient places without molestation whether in private or in places of publick meeting All which shall come to passe when that is accomplished which is foretold in Isa 26.12 14 15. As for annual Representatives the levelling of the Law subjecting all to it without exception the disposing so of all Rents Revenues Forfeitures Sequestrations and such like as that competences may be provided out of them for all that want they be things too high for me I only take liberty to speak in order to such things as immediatly relate to the Freedom of Saints and the Fall of Babylon As to Religion's Interest every wel-wisher of Zion may use freedom Howsoever I judge it needless for me to speak any thing of these last particulars seeing as I conceive they are already taken into consideration by all these who mind the true and just Interest of the People Nay but my Lord J cannot forget how that one day after another J hear large discourse of Levelling But though the most part be for it excepting the Rich as it was of old in the dayes of Agis and Gracchus J cannot well learn what is intended thereby Only J do find in it these two things which be either redundant or defective as to the nature of right Levelling First some understand no more but the levelling of the Law Secondly others overturn propriety so much as that they intend no more use of the Creation but here to day and yonder to morrow J shall not dispute this case at present but only adde some few words to what is spoken in this matter As J understand people so much the more cheerfully ought to engage to promote their just Civil Freedom and Liberty how much the more the fall of Babylon and the interest of Zion are concerned therein 'T is a debate to me to engage for the one the other not being linked therewith though self-defence be lawful upon all accompts Howsoever the Quarrel of the Lamb is that which J heed most But if your Lordship and others in power will allow me in this case to remonstrate to the world the practice of the Jewish Athenian Lacedemonian Roman and of other ancient and notable Commonwealths J shall be most willing to do so at command And J shall endeavour to publish nothing but what is according to the Scriptures the practice of the chiefest Commonwealths the judgment yea and practice of the chiefest States-men Philosophers Orators and Historians O! but all of us will be prevented in these things by the sudden approach of the Ancient of dayes who being come will level spirits powers and estates Till then there will be no more but the beginnings of Liberty the earnest of what shall be when the Lord alone shall be exalted staining the pride of all Glory and bringing into contempt all the Honourable of the Earth Yea as I conceive it is impossible a solid and entire Freedom can be established till His approach for then He shal judge among the Nations becoming our Lord our King and Law-giver the Law going out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem I rest satisfied in the expectation thereof not exercising my self in great matters nor in things too high for me When he cometh crooked things shall be made straight and mountains shall be made valleys The Lord will hasten it in his time Lastly J would offer my judgment to your Lordship concerning the Power of the People in choosing Rulers J shall only hint at this in a word To me it is clear that as Nature in the state of fallen-man unlesse all should go to ruin cannot be without Government even though all men
to the equal And if not subject to the Sanhedrin I see no reason why he was not also unpunishable and absolute And so the Judge had greater power then the King Which I am sure none will admit Secondly before the institution of the Sanhedrin all the greater and hard matters were reserved to Moses Ex. 18. And in this Moses power was greater then the power of those Judges which he appointed at the advice and counsel of Juthro But Moses finding that he alone was not able to manage all the weighticst matters therefore in greatest earnestnesse he besought the Lord to adde some to him who might help him therein and exonerate him of his burden Mark a little Either Moses as yet remained the only Judge of greatest matters or else every one of the higher Sanhedrin had equal power with him The reason is because Moses power was according to the object of it The greater matters the greater power Ex. 18. So proportion of Nature requireth If you say that not witstanding the institution of the Sanhedrin and its intermedling with great and weighty businesses the greatest of matters were reserved for Moses and the Judge's managing I understand not that That is against Moses desire The thing which he prayeth for is That the Lord would ordain some to bear burden with him in discharging the weightiest matters We find no such distinction in his desire as that some might be appointed to oversee some weighty matters and himself notwithstanding to reserve in his own hand the managing of the greatest affairs Friend this had been but a little easing of Moses burden under which he did grievously groan Yea in this case there had been great by-respect and self-interest in Moses desire No lesse forsooth then he should be eased of his burden and notwithstanding reserve a lording power over his brethren There is no little carnality in this desire and as great absurdity to bind it upon Moses Yea were this true he had been in power above the Seventy for so his power did reach furthe othen theirs and might do what they could not Tell not me that his desire was to be cased of his burden and notwithstanding to remain chief man in the Commonwealth There is great carnality and self-interest there also Moses desire is positive without distinction And if he or any of the Judges was major singulis I see no reason why they were not as essentially Kings as Saul David c. The Kings had no more power None of them according to Law was major universis So is demonstrated already And so in the ordination of Kings there was no essential and substantial change in the Common-wealth The people sought a King from Samuel Was it not a foolish desire to seek what they had already Samuel denied a King to them Was it not foolishnesse in him to deny them that which already they had and debate so much against it Verily there was nothing between them if this be true but pugna de lana caprina And verily Beliarm me wrongeth the people of the Jews very much in alleadging they sought a despotick heril and hereditary King There is no such thing in their desire as is shewed already They sought no more but a King According to the Law he was regulated And it is known that they did not give the kingdom to Saul's posterity Well let it be so the Judge had greater power then any one member of the Sanhedrin yet doth it follow that he only had such power as the annual Magistrate v. g. in the Athenian Commonwealth He had greater power then any one of the Councel And yet he had not a kingly power Here from we draw this Argument That Government is simply and absolutely best and most for the advantage both of Church and Commonwealth which the Lord not only did firstly institute amongst the people of the Jews but also was unwilling to change it and set-up another Government in place thereof But the Lord not only did firstly institute Democracy amongst the people of the Jews but also was unwilling to change it and set-up another Government in place thereof Ergo Democracy simply and absolutely is the best Government and most for the advantage both of Church and Commonwealth The Proposition I suppose cannot be denied for whatsoever is most for the good of Church and Commonwealth is most also for the glory and honour of God And shall not I imagine that the Lord most endeavoureth that which is most for his honour As there is nothing which is so precious in the eyes of God as his own honour so he endeavoureth most to erect preserve and maintain that which most contributeth thereto None will say that the Lord slighteth his own honour and postponeth it to any created interest The Assumption is made good from what foregoeth not only in this but also in the preceding Subsection Secondly from the judgment of the gravest and wisest Philosophs So Solon of whom it is storied 1. That he not only refused himself to reign over the Athenians as King but also he much endeavoured that Pisistratus should not attain thereto This he did for preserving the liberties of the Athenians and popular government amongst them inviolable 2. He wrote severall verses against the Athenians because they had set Pisistratus over them sharply rebuking them that they had gone from the better to the worse 3. Because the Atheniums had set up Monarchy amongst them therefore he lest Athens and went into Egypt 4. Not desiring to live under Kingly government he left Egypt Cyprus and Lydia and came into Cilicia where he built a City and called the name of it Solos And it is very observable that Craesus having desired him to come and live beside him he thanked him for his benevolent courtesie But with all he added that if he desired not to live in a free Common-wealth which he had set-up in Cilicia he would choose rather to live with him then in Athens 5. Being desired by Pisistratus to return to Athens he told him he would not lest he should appear an approver of his deed in taking upon him to reign as King 6. He wrote an Epistle to Epimenides wherein he exceedingly regrateth the foolishnesse of the Athenians in translating Democracy into Monarchy 7. He wrote to Periander King of Corinth desiring him to lay-down his Kingly power 8. It is reported that he did institute popular government amongst the Athenians But the simple truth is it was long before instituted by Theseus And by processe of time the Common wealth and the Laws thereof being corrupted Solon reformed both And as Solon so likewaies all the rest of the Sages did prefer Democracy to any other government Thales wrote to Solon in exile desiring him to come and dwell beside him at Miletum And if he did abominate the Milesian Monarchy there was no-where he could be free of the trouble of Kings And therefore he thought it best he should live with
1 Sam. 3. Pet. Mart com in Jud. cap. 1. Virg. Malvez disc 39. See also Buchanan de Jur. Reg. ap Scot. SECT III. Whether or not is a Common-wealth the best of Governments WE know Rollists hold the Quarie absurd But with their leave I freely offer my judgment in the following Affertion Assert Without all controversie Democracy arightly instituted simply and absolutely is of all Governments the sweetest and contributeth most to the good of the people In establishing this we observe this order Firstly from the first and primary institution of the Jewish Commonwealth It cannot be denied but it was popular and democratick and that for these reasons 1. Because the Judges and Rulers of Israel were not choosed and set apart upon the accompt of any nationall and carnall priviledge The Holy Ghost giveth them no preeminence above their brethren for old descent worldly honour and riches Men to govern in it were not choosed for their riches nobility and blood respects No verily They had onely place to govern because of vertue and godlinesse Moreover thou shalt provideable men such as fear God men of truth bating covetousnesse and place such over them to be â— rulers and let them judge the people at all seasons And Moses choosed able men and made them heads over the people rulers And they judged the people at all seasons Exod. 18. Mark there is not a word here of choosing the rich and honorable or of any carnall or blood-tie The Judges that are choosed are men qualified vertuous and godly able to discharge their trust And this was not onely required in inferiour Judges but even in the higher Judges also members of the Sandrin The Seventy were wise men and understanding and known amongst the tribes Deut. 1. They were not choosed at randome or at all adventures No verily They were selected out from amongst the Judges spoken of Ex. 18. And the LORD said unto Moses Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people and officers over them Num. 11. Now it is shewed that such men were vertuous and godly able for places of trust And yet the LORD rested not satisfied therewith but being about to entrust them with higher matters he doubleth the spirit upon them And I wili come-down and talk with thee there and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee that thou bear it not thy-self alone And the LORD came down in a cloud and spake unto him and took of the spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the seventy elders Num. ib. Neither can it be denied but those who were called Judges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of excellency were most eminently qualified far beyond any other GOD had a most speciall hand in calling them to the charge Judg. 2. So Moses Joshuab c. Tell me I pray you have not we more then reason to say That the first and primary Government amongst the people of the Jews was popular I denie not but qualification may be looked-to and have place both in Monarchy and Optimacy But observe both of these Governments in their best institution do look to riches and honour as a necessary condition As for Monarchy there is noquestion And Aristotle distinguisheth between the government of few and Optimacy Both which ordinarily passe under the notion of Aristocracy And Oligarchy saith he onely looketh to riches and honour Pol 4. cap. 5. as Optimacy doth both to riches and vertue cap. 7. Thus whether in Monâ—rchy or Aristocracy in their most reformed condition not onely qualification is looked-to but also naturall priviledges are required as necessary conditions But we hear not a word of any naturall priviledge in choosing and setting-apart the Judges and Rulers of the Jewish first Commonwealth There is not a word spoken of their riches and honour but of their abilities for the discharge of their trust The Holy Ghost faith not The wise men rich and honorable together with the heirs of the Rulers were appointed to govern There is not a word of any such naturall respect And do you imagine that the Holy Ghost at any time would have past-by in silence these naturall priviledges if they had been required as necessary conditions in the Judges and Rulers of the Jewes Well is it so that according to the Holy Ghost's way only the vertuous and godly should govern and none other did bear rule in the first institution of the Jewish Commonwealth why shall we imagine but the people did bear rule amongst them I hope you will not say that vertue and godlinesse is not to be found amongst the people but amongst the great ones The contrary is rather true 'T is hard for a rich man to enter Heaven Mat. 19 Job 32 9.1 Cor. 1 26 27 28 29. 'T is observable at this time there was but small difference amongst the people of the Jews in the matter of riches The most they had was the gold and silver they had gotten from the Egyptians Ex. 3.11 and 12. And every man and woman amonost them gote jewels of silver and gold from the Egyptians Nay but it was not a time of their wealth whileas they travelled in the wilderness Their condition then was very unsetled What they had then was from hand to mouth Any provision they had was from GOD'S extraordinary furnishing And they were all that way a-like served And after they had entered the Land and gotten possession of it we read the Land was equally divided amongst them according to their Tribes and Families They lived then as a peculiar people claiming neerer relation one to another then any people did In after-ages and corrupt times they could all tell you they all were the children and seed of Abraham The neerest bonds of Nature tied every one of them to supply another's wants And as for Titles of honour amongst them we read of none till they gote Kings Such vile and prodigall titles as to day are used then were unknown Yet obeserve there was a two sold and only a two-fold sort of Titles amongst them 1. A Title of Office And thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Officers Ex. 18. Deut. 1. Josh 24 Both which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers And as by their vertue they came to be Judges and Rulers so by that same they attained to these Titles of Office Which are most approved and commendable as they are most ordinary and usuall 2. A title of meer nature Thus in the time of Judges and Captains they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaves Josh 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chief of the Fathers Ezâ— 4.8 and 10. These Titles and Priviledges they had from the precedency of Nature as the first-born hath from the younger The very Law of Nature
it-self admitteth precedency both in respect of office and of naturall generation and priority Otherwise every thing should be turned topsie turvie and all should run into confusion But you shall not find thorow all the Book of GOD any other sort of titles used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King is also a title of office You shall not shew me where the Rulers of the people of Israel are called Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts c. Such titles I think came from hell and I wish they may thither return Now tell me whether or not I have good reason to say that the Jewish Commonwealth under Judges was popular and democratick No precedency amongst them was known then but what either office or nature did bear them to They knew not precedency because of honour and riches what it meaned Any precedency amongst them was either from naturall generation or from qualification And none amongst them was advanced to any place of trust because of any natural priviledge and carnal respect but because of vertue and godlinesse And this was to be found amongst the people We believe qualification hangeth not at the girdles of great men And such were not amongst the people of the Jews in the time of the Judges And though the Seventy were chosen out from amongst the Judges and Officers of the people yet doth it not follow but they were popular for the Rulers were chosen from amongst the people And so the Seventy being of the Rulers it necessarily followeth that they were chosen from among the people It will never conclude that they were not popular Governours but that afterward they were advanced to an higher degree of office then they were formerly The Sanhedrin was entrusted with the management of the most publick and greatest matters 2. It is said Thoushalt provide out of all the people able men And Moses chose able men out of all Israel Ex. 18. There is a noble emphasis in all or in all Israel Mark the vastnesse and latitude thereof It is not said Judges were chosen from amongst the rich and honorable of Israel That indeed had insinuated the restriction of places of office and trust to the rich and honourable Blood-respect and natural ties had been necessary conditions in the choosing of Judges if that had been said But the word all a note of universality doth exempt none therefrom It declareth all and every one of the people without exception who were vertuous and godly and fit for the discharge of publick trust secluding all natural ties and priviledges to be capable of official power Indeed you need not take all in a restricted sense for at this time they had none inclosing rich men worldly worms and vain-gloriously honourable They knew nothing but the priority of Nature and the precedency of Vertue And if you call not this Popular Government I know not what you call Popular Howsoever let me have this and I crave no better Because it is alleadged Moses Jeshua and the other Judges did reign as Kings we shall shortly demonstrate to you what power they had Therefore shortly observe these Conclusions Conclus 1. Moses before the counsel of Jethro had a Kingly Power This is more then manifest Ever till then Moses governed all and none but he Exod. 18. This he did not because he delighted to lord over the people and that none should rule but he 'T is known that he rested not contented with what Rulers he had appointed at the desire and counsell of Jethro He intreated the Lord to appoint other Rulers to bear burden with him Num. 11. Deut. 1. Neither will I say that Moses out of meer simplicity and ignorance before Jethro's counsel did forbear to set any Rulers over the people beside himself The very light of Nature taught him that help was good and that he alone was not able to discharge all the businesses of the people But I conceive he did it upon other grounds He knew that the people of Israel were the Lord 's peculiar people whom he had brought out of Egypt extraordinarily and over whom he had set him in an extraordinary way Yea he waited for judgment to the people at the very mouth of the Lord. What Laws and Ordinances he delivered to the people and what judgment he executed amongst them were done according to extraordinary and immediat revelation from the Lord. Which maketh me think that Moses in all matters of importance taking the word from God's mouth and depending from his immediate revelation wholly waited upon God's Oracle where and when one way or other should be revealed to him how and what Judges should be appointed to rule with him And so he perceiving Jethro's counsel to be wholesome and from the Lord and that God had employed him as an instrument of accomplishing his expectation therefore he thought good not to despise it but speedily to embrace it So we see he wholly casteth the election of the Seventy over upon God and therein only taketh the word at his mouth Num. 11 Deut 1. Albeit Moses all this while did reign as King yet doth it make nothing for Kingly Government 1. Because he was the Lord's extraordinary Lieutenant He was extraordinarily and immediatly designed by God to the charge And to speak properly and precisely in a politick notion not Moses but God himself was their King What Moses did was by an immediate dependency from the Lord. He took the word at God's mouth He enquired of God judgment and was for the people to God-ward Ex. 18. He was as God's mouth to the people God employed him to deliver his Laws and Ordinances to the people because they were afraid the Lord should speak to them They could not without fear behold his glory and terrour Exod. 20. And Moses finding that his charge immediatly and extraordinarily depended from the Lord therfore he waited upon God till he manifested one way or other where when and how other Governours should be designed to rule with him over the people And thus all the while he did govern alone not he but God properly and in a politick notion was their King for he did nothing to the people but by a special extraordinary and immediat dependency from the Lord. 2. Till in and about the time of Jethro's counsel there was no fit time to create Rulers over the people All the while before they were in a chased most unsetled condition In which time Moses did reign through meet necessity and exigency of the times He did rule alone because the case of the times so required Thus Moses was King per accidens and not per se 3. Although Moses had had an absolute and arbitrary power over the people of Israel yet would it plead no whit for Kingly Government By manifold and most eminent obligations they were tied to him For their sake he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter preserring affliction with them to all the pleasures and pomp of Pharaoh's Court. He
the head and glory thereof And that because the Nations and great ones of the Earth be two main pillars by which Babylon is underpropped for as the Whore doth sit upon the Nations Rev. 17.1.15 so the great men of the Earth bewail her desolation Rev 18.9 10 11 2 13 14 15 16 17 18 19.23 yea and side with her as she engageth against the Saints of the Most High Rev. 19.19 A great Star from Heaven burning as a Lamp shal fall upon the waters and their fountains Rev. 8.10 by which the waters shall be enbitâ—ered as with wormwood v. 11. so that many of them shall die being turned into blood and made bitter kev. 8.11 compared with chap. 17.4 Which waters and sountains thereof be the very destroyers and persecutors of the Saints Rev. 16.6 expounded to be Babylon and such as side with her Rev. 18.24 Behold how the Lord in overthrowing Babylon maketh its King and Lucifer Isa 14.4 compared with v. 12. to fall from his throne and dignity Whose fall seiseth upon the Nations and the great ones of the Earth by which they are enbittered and enraged making die and made to die And that because the ruin of Babylon is attended and accomplished with the fall of the Nations Rev. 16.19 and overthrow of Kings Rev. 19.20 21. the Lord of hosts staining the pride of all glory and bringing into contempt all the honourable of the Earth Isa 23.9 Where upon the heathen shall rage and the people imagine a vain thing the Kings of the Earth shall set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed Psa 2.1 2. So that as they shall be enbittered making many die many men dying of the waters because of their bitterness so they themselves shall be destroyed the waters and fountains thereof turning into blood And thus the three main props of Babylon shall be quite overturned viz. the forces of the Nations their heads and the Nations themselves the Lord overturning overturning overturning Babylon that it be no more until he come whose right it is the Lord giving unto his Son the Diadem and the Crown Ezek. 21.26 27. anointing him King on his holy Hill Zion laying the Government on his shoulders in the day of his Personal Appearance And thus there is an overturn for every pillar of Babylon The fourth party plagued is the Sun Rev. 16 8. which in Scripture is taken these several wayes 1 for the physical and visible Sun Gen. 15.12 2 God himself Psa 84.11 3 Christ Cant. 1.6 Mal. 4.2 4 by way of comparison it is taken for the Church Cant. 6.10 5 the chief though transformed light or the Lucifer of an Antichristian and Babylonish state Isa 13.10 compared with chap. 14.12 Jer. 15.9 Ezek. 32.7 Joel 2.10 31. chap. 3.15 Amos 8.9 Mic. 3.6 Matth. 24.29 Mark 13.24 Acts 2.20 Rev. 6.12 6 a main and chief light of the Church of God Isa 30.26 No man in reason will say that in the out-powring of the fourth vial is understood the plaguing of God of Christ which to aver is blasphemy or any such like thing but the darkning the Lucifer of Babylon or the main pretended light of the antichristian state with spiritual darkness So that all the transformed and pretended lights of the Babylonish state shall be in a great part thereof smitten with darknes Rev. 8.12 having their understanding darkened being alienated from the â—e of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart Ephes 4.18 God sending them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lye 2 Thess 2.11 The fisth party plagued is the Seat of the Beast Rev. 16.10 i. e. his power and authority which shall be smitten with great darkness his kingdom being full thereof Rev. 16.10 compared with chap. 13.2 A smoke rising out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace by which the Sun and Air are darkened at the sounding of the fifth Angel while-as a star falleth from Heaven on the Earth Rev. 9.1 2. whence Babylon is overthrown by violence and darkness the day of the Lord upon it being a day of wastness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess a day of clouds and thick darkness Zeph. 1.15 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light even very dark and no brightness in it Amos 5.20 And thus with a whirlwind of violence and a cloud of darkness the Lord cometh up from the North Ezek. 1.4 to lay Babylon with all her glory in the dust for as by violence the powers of Babylon are overthrown so by darkness they are hardened in heart contemning the truth blaspheming God and not repenting of their deeds Rev. 16.9 10 11. So that the greater violence is executed against them the more obstinate in wickedness they become blaspheming God his People and Interest Rev. 16.21 Pharaoh-like the more plagued the more hardened As appeareth in some measure at this very hour among the enemies of Zion's Interest The more to day the Egyptians are plagued the more blasphemously do they reproach and are hardened in heart The sixth party plagued is the River Euphrates Rev. 16.12 Concerning which there be these things considerable 1 The up-drying of it Which cannot be understood mystically seeing in no place of Scripture the word Euphrates is taken in a mystical sense It is read twenty times only in the Scriptures and no where is it taken mystically but literally as is more then evident to any that shall enquire after it We must needs therefore say that the River Euphrates shall be dried up the Lord with his mighty wind shaking his hand over it smiting it in the seven streams and making men to go over it dry-shod Isa 11.15 2 The end for which it is dried-up Which is to prepare a way for those Kings that come up from the East or the rising of the Sun Rev. 16.12 And thus there shall be an high way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up from the Land of Egypt Isa 11.16 Whence the Lord setting his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people Israel from Assyria and from Egypt Isa 11.11 shall miraculously deliver them as he did while-as he set his hand the first time in bringing them up from Egypt by the conduct of Moses for as at the first time he dried-up the Red-sea before them so at the second time of their recovery he will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian-sea and dry up the River Euphrates before them smiting it in its seven streams that they may go over it dry-shod Now upon what accompt the people of the Jews are called the Kings of the East you may reade for this The Saints Kingdom sect 7. 3 The engagement the people of the Jews come to as they come up from the East Then do the unclean spirits