THE POWRING OVT OF THE SEVEN VIALS OR AN EXPOSITION OF THE 16. Chapter of the REVELATION with an Application of it to our Times Wherein is revealed Gods powring out the full Vials of his fierce wrath 1. Upon the lowest and basest sort of Catholicks 2. Their Worship and Religion 3. Their Priests and Ministers 4. The House of Austria and Popes Supremacy 5. Episcopall Government 6. Their Euphrates or the streame of their supportments 7. Their grosse Ignorance and blind Superstitions Very fit and necessary for this Present Age. Preached in sundry Sermons at Boston in New-England By the Learned and Reverend IOHN COTTON BB. of Divinity and Teacher to the Church there LONDON Printed for R. S. and are to sold at Henry Overtons shop in Popes-head Alley 1642. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader Thou hast here presented to thy view a taste of the ordinary Weeke-daies exercise of that Reverend man taken from his owne mouth whose Pen would have more fully answered thy greatest expectations could his time drunke up with continuall waighty and various imployments afforded him more liberty and leisure to have fyled over his owne notions It is hoped they may be of great use unto thee and the rather because of the excellency and seasonablenesse of the Subject to erect thy hopes and to put an edge upon thy Prayers and desires for the more spedier bringing forth of those great workes which this and the following Age are to produce The good that may accrue to thy selfe and the common cause produced this Worke into the light which was not intended when first delivered for any more publike use then of his owne private Auditotie Now the Father of lights and God of all grace fill our hearts with the life and power of faith and zeale to pray for long for speed and write for the most desired ruine and speedy begunne-downefall of that most cursed Kingdome of Antichrist according to the scope and drift of that Prophesie expressed in the powring out of these Seven Vials Thine in the Lord I. H. Viall I. The powring out of the SEVEN VIALS OR AN EXPOSITION with an Application of the 16th Chapter of the REVELATION REVELATION 16.1.2 And J heard a great voyce out of the Temple saying to the Seven Angels Goe your wayes and poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth And the first went and poured out his Viall upon the Earth and there fell a noysome and grievous sore upon the men which had the Marke of the Beast and upon them which Worshipped the Image YOu have heard in the former Chapter of the Preparation of the Seven Angels to poure out the seven last Plagues of God upon the Antichristian State In this Chapter you read a large Description of their Execution of that worke which is First Commanded Verse 1. Secondly Performed in the sequell of the Chapter Commanded wherein observe that Commandement set forth First by the Jnstrumentall efficient Promulger of it a great voice I heard a great Voice Secondly By the Subject-place whence this Voice came forth out of the Temple A great voice out of the Temple Thirdly By the matter commanded by the voice Goe your waies and poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth This Commandement thus given was accordingly performed by all the seven Angels in this whole Chapter The first Angel poureth out his Viall ver 2. and that is first set forth by the subject upon which he poured it upon the earth Secondly It is amplified by the effect it wrought There fell a noysome and grievous sore upon the men What men They are of two sorts First Such as had the Marke of the Breast Secondly Such as worshipped his Image The words are somewhat darke and there is much variety in the Interpretation of them I shall shortly open to you what by the comparing of this and other Scriptures together I take to be the meaning of the Words First when he saith I heard a great voice It is a voice of Authority and Power And whose can that be but his that hath power over all these Plagues even God himselfe and the Lord Iesus Christ who also have power in the Temple It is not the voyce of one of the foure Beasts the Officers of the Church alone but a further power doth concur with this voice such as carried Majestie and authority with it Secondly Out of the Temple It implieth it was a voyce delivered not by one of the foure Officers in private but came out of Publike Administration where onely the Lord speaking did with Authority set forward these Angels upon this work And it may further Imply that it sprung upon some Prayers of the Church in the Temple for all the voices in the Temple are either the voice of the Church unto Christ or of Christ unto the Church And if the Lord speake graciously in the Temple It is commonly obtained in the Praiers of the Church craving answer from him To the seven Angels That is to say Seven sorts of Gods Messengers whether Magistrates or Ministers or whosoever they be that poure out these Vials they are Angels of God as being the Messengers of his wrath Neither is it meant of seven Individuall persons but seven sorts of Persons that set forward this worke And withall I doe accord with those that say that in all these administrations there is some presence of the heavenly Angels accompaning the men in the worke Goe your waies your waies is not in the Originall but Goe poure out the Vials The Vials are vessels of large content but of narrow mouthes they poure out slowly but drench deepely and distill effectually the wrath of God Vessels they are of full and just measure as all these judgements are dispensed in weight and measure Of the wrath of God That argueth that upon what subject soever these Vials fell the wrath of God fell together with them upon the same And that helpeth not a little to open the place and to shew the danger of some interpretations which doe expound the Sunne vers 8. to be the Scriptures If these Vials be the Vials of Gods wrath how shall any of them be conceived to be poured out upon the Scripture is the wrath of God kindled against the Scripture And for the Earth vers 2. Some conceive it to be meant of the common sort of godly Christians but though some soare plagues might befall some of them yet how can the wrath of God be conceived to be powred upon them It cannot therefore be meant as some of good note say of the Waldenses and Albugenses Hugonets and Lollards but the wrath of God falleth upon such as worship the Beast and his Image And therefore take that for certaine that what things soever the Vials of Gods wrath are poured upon they are such as God is deepely displeased withall Vpon the earth They thought right that thought it to bee meant of the common sort of Catholikes
but let us further consider how it commeth to passe that the first of these Angels poureth out his Viall upon the earth and the rest upon other things yet they aâ—l have a Commission to poure out the Vials of the wrath of God upon the earth For the opening of this difficulty which else might exercise some we must know that in this Prophecie sometimes earth is opposed to Heaven and then as by Heaven is meant the pure Church as Revel 4.1 12.1 So by Earth is meant an earthly and corrupt Church Sometimes also by Heaven is meant a corrupt state of Religion wherein heavenly and divine honour is given to Satan or Idols as Revel 12.3.7 Againe sometimes Earth is opposed not unto Heaven but unto some other Element in the World and so is it in this Chap. The first Angel poureth forth his Viall upon the Earth the second poureth his Viall on the Sea c. So then in this case the Earth is to be understood in a double sense In generall of the Antichristian state or world Vers 1. And in the Antichristian World they have some things that represent the Earth and some things the Sea and some things represent the Sunne of that World and some things represent that Ayre of that world therefore in the particular execution of this Commission When the first Angel poureth out his Viall upon the Earth it is upon the lowest and basest Element in the Antichristian world and that can bee no other but the lowest sort of vulgar Catholiks and they were the first that had the wrath of God pour'd upon them which did afterwards arise higher to the Sea and then to the Fountaines and Rivers of water then to the Sunne then to the throne of the Beast then to the River Euphrates and last of all to the Ayre and in all these doth the wrath of God ascend higher and higher as may afterwards more clearely appeare The first Angel went and poure out his Viall upon the earth This first Angel must be these first sort of Gods Messengers that did poure out some wrath upon Common Catholikes And doubtlesse such wrath it was as being poured out did worke a Noysome and grievous sore upon them that worshipped the Beast and his Image as the Text expresseth They that had the Mark of the Beast you heard before out of the 13. Chapt. are such as receive some indeliable Character of the Beast such are their Secular or Regular Priests and all that receive religious Orders from the Church of Rome Who then are they that worship his Image The Jmage of the first Beast you know is all Nationall and Diocesan and Provinciall Churches and they that rule them are the Image of the second Beast So then they that worship the Image of the Beast be such as are devoted to the Canons of Popish Churches who drink them up and receive them as Articles of their Faith these are all afflicted with a noisome and grievous sore by the pouring out of this first Viall For those who did poure it out they were such as did convince them of the Damnable estate of a Catholike and taught them that by their Religion they could go not beyond a Reprobate and this was the common practise of the Martyrs of Iesus Christ in Queene Maries time in Edward the sixth and in Henry the eight's time who discovered unto you that all their Religion was but the worship of God after the devises of men even Will-worship such as they were led into by the Man of Sinne who being himselfe blinde leadeth those that are blinde and both fall into the ditch those that thus discovered the unsoundnesse of the Religion of these Catholikes who before seemed to be good Church-men and good House-keepers and good Christmas-keepers they were the men that poured out this first Viall upon the earth And upon this their discovery there fell a noysome and grieveous sore upon their Catholike Priests who had borne the common sort in hand That Ignorance was the mother of Devotion and such ignorant Devotion was the way of Salvation when they see that all their People who were heretofore their honest and good Neighbours full of benevolence towards them were now informed that they lay under a state of deepe Damnation it was an eye-sore to their Catholike Priests and all of that Religious Order a double sore fell upon them First a sore of envy and malice against all the Martyrs of Christ and all that sought for Reformation of Religion against whom their spirits were so strongly embittered that happy was he that could bring Fire and Faggot to execute vengeance upon them that did discover the state of the common sort of Catholikes to be so dangerous It was a publike speech of Henry the eight when he sate in Parliament Complaining of the stirs that were made about Religion There are many saith he that are too busie with their new Sumpsimus meaning those that clave to that which he counted the new Religion though withall others he taxed who doated as he said not amisse much upon their old Mâ—mpsimus The new Religion though true Hee and they all envied the Old though his owne he despised Secondly there was a noysome loathsomenesse discovered by these true Witnesses and Martyrs of Christ unto the people Whereby they began to see that the common sort of their Religious Orders were full of Idlenesse of Ignorance of Covetousnes of Pride and of Hypocrysie and that they had laid such a foundation of Religion as was not Iesus Christ the true Foundation but had indeed reared up an Antichristian Religion whereof as it is said Isai 28.19 it shall be a vexation to heare the Report A grievous malignant ulcer it was and the more they stirred in it the more they were vexed And this let me further adde for open ng the words it is an allusion to that noysome sore of Egypt that fell upon the Common sort of the people and upon the Magitians also Exod. 9.11 So that they could not stand before Moses and so it was here these noisome sores of which wee have spoken did so fall upon the common sort of Catholikes and upon their common Religious Orders that they fell before the Angell that poured out this Viall as Dagon before the Arke Thus you see meaning of these words Now for the Notes that arise from them You may observe that Chap. 15 7. One of the foure Beasts gave unto the seven Angels Seven golden Viols full of the wrath of God but they went not then to poure them out untill they heare a great voice out of the Temple and now they goe So that the Doctrine in the first place to be observed is this Doct. 1 Though the counsell and instruction and advise of a Church-Officer may be a good invitement and inducement and preparative unto a Calling yet it is the mighty Voice of Christ specially in Publike Ordinances that Effectually stirreth up a man to the execution
a man from Publike Ordinances and cause him to sleight them then ever looke at it as a manifest delusion for every dispensation of God doth but enkindle a more earnest longing that the Lord should confirme the same by his broad Letters Patents the Publicke Word and Sacraments in the Church Yea so farre doe the Saints of God stand hereupon that whatsoever is in private onely brought unto them to beleeve they will finde much adoe to rest satisfied in it untill they see it confirmed in publike also As when men have any speciall grant from their Prince and have it confirmed by the Privy Seale they will not rest therwith but will go to the Lord Keeper for the Broad Seale to confirme what was before Sealed to them though either of them apart be sure yet both joyned together will make it more sure Shall men be so carefull for this world and for temporall Patrimonies and shall Christians take up every motion in private and sleight publicke Ordinances Be not deceived whatsoever is brought unto you by the spirit of God in private Will cause you to seeke for more cleare evidence from his loud voice in Publike where his voice goeth on more strongly and powerfully convincing the Conscience and breaking downe all Temptations and discouragements that might hinder the comfort of Gods people The use in the 2. place serveth to reflect a iust reprofe therfore Vse 2 upon any that shall despise or neglect the Publike ordinances of God in the Church for you see here that what is confirmed in the whole Church is the great voyce of God and that without contradiction to the holy Saints and Angels if therefore the Publick ordinances be vndermined and borne witnesse against by any that commeth not from the spirit of these Angels but from some evill roote in the hearts of the sonnes and daughters of men the report of which is a vexation of spirit to heare thereof Thus much for the first note Goe poure out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth And the first Angel went and poured out his viall vpon the Earth c. Here is a world you see discribed having an earth and sea and rivers and fountaines and sunne and aire and they all belong unto the Beast and therefore the first Viall is poured upon them that had the marke of the Beast and the last brought in the fall of Babilon So that from first to last they are the judgments of God vpon the Roman Antichristian state as sixe of the seaven seales brought in judgements upon the Pagan Romane world and the seven Trumpets his Iudgements upon the Christian world as they were ruled by Christian Emperours so are the seven last Vials powred out upon the Antichristian world From hence therefore you may note thus much Doct. 2 That the whole antichristian world or state is but earthly and not heavenly For all these Angels are commanded to poure the vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth and they went not beyond their commission in pouring them upon the sea and Rivers and fountains and vpon the sunne and upon the throne of the Beast and the River Euphrates and the Aire whereby the Holy Ghost holdeth forth vnto us that all these are but earthly the sea is but earthly the fountaines and rivers earthly their sunne an earthly sunne and the throne earthly c. And though it is true as some say poure out any iudgement upon any element and the earth fareth the worse for it yet take the description of the Holy Ghost as it is plaine and it intendeth the antichristian world alone They are of the world therefore they speake of the world and the world heareth them 1 Ioh. 4 5. And he that is of the earth speaketh of the Earth Ioh. 3.31 And so also are all their ordinances earthly Reas 1 The first Reason is taken from the efficient cause of all their frame and state which is but from the Earth all their Doctrine worship and government so farre as it is Antichristian is but humane if not divellish Rev. 13.18 The whole number of the Beast whatsoever is numbred to belong unto him is but the number of a Man humane inventions and will-wisedome men will have it so and this is the Summe of all Popish Religion Reas 2 As the whole frame of their Religion commeth from the earth so doeth it tend to the earth againe for where doth all drive at but the maintenance of an earthly Pompious stately Prelacy nothing in the world but devices to get money they are full of covetousness and ambition both which what are they but an open doore to their earthly libertie these are sensuall saith Iude ver 19. not having the spirit There is nothing spirituall in all their orders nor in their pleasant sights sweet smells delightfull musique and many goodly Feasts they have and what are they but to please the tasts of men and all their carved and painted stocks and stones their goodly Images what doe they but please mens fancies And This you shall finde in the third place that their best devotions Reason 3 doe but leave a man in an earthly and carnall estate and therefore the Holy Ghost speaketh boldly Rev. 13.8 That all that worship the Beast their names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world There is not a man of them that knowing and beleeving no more then what he hath from the Beast can be saved therefore they thought not amisse who have written that a Papist by his Religion cannot goe beyond a Reprobate so then whatsoever is meant by these things in the antichristian world whereon these vials were poured all is but earthly an earthly sea an earthly sunne an earthly light an earthly aire fitter to choake men so farre as it is Antichristian then to breath any life into the soules of Christians To shew you the vanity of all their indeavours that study to reconcile Popish and Protestant Churches together I will Vse 1 say but thus much you may as soone bring Heaven and earth together as you can draw Popish and Protestant Religion together for Popish Religion is all but earthly and all the Churches of Christ are Heavenly and therefore when Heaven and earth meete then will Poperie and Protrolemy meete together In the second place let all men beware lest they have any licourish affection towards the old Religion as they call it if you Vse 2 shall hearken to the voyce of such charmers charme they never so wisely your best Religion will be but earthly your prayers earthly your faith earthly your obedience will bee earthly you shall find nothing therein able to answer an Heavenly and spirituall mind what though they tell you that Protestant Religion loveth case but as for them they have their whippings scourgings and fastings and these they will say are no such earthly dainties Truely these so farre as they are
of God that certainly the Popish State is going fast to perdition and the great lights of that State both the lights of that State great like the Sun in the firmament be they Civil Magistrates in their sphaere in highest place or take it as the Popish Prelacie do they will be highest in both kindes be it as it will be as the common people have been visited with judgement their Religion corrupt and Priests and Jesuits plagued and the Lord hath begun to plague their lights in this world and Church lights too So make account of this forasmuch as they repent not to give God glory but break forth to greater wrath and outrage against the Lord and his Church and servants and secret ones what will the end of all this be Never did any man strive against God and prospered what under the mighty hand of God under the Vials of Gods wrath and still blaspheme the name of God and still hope to prosper Verily you may write upon it God wil wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their wickednesse Psal 68.21 Let them look to it the Lord hath begun to pour out his wrath and one Vial hath not done when another begins to work but they are pouring upon the common people and upon Priests and Jesuits and will be more and more and so shall both the house of Austria and the Pope himself in their supremacie and lordly authority and howsoever they may have some refreshing and succour and supply in their declining state yet as their apostacies and backslidings are perpetuall as the Text saith they are seeing they repent not to give God glory the Lord hath set it down and the Scripture must be fulfilled they will go on in their rage and blasphemie against the God of Israel and what will the issue of that be Truly if men prosper in hardnesse of heart and blasphemy then let Pharaoh prosper of old and let all wicked States prosper but the Lord sent judgement upon judgement upon Pharaoh first upon the waters and then upon the fruits of the field at length he came to Murrain of the Beasts and then a plague upon their first-born and when that served not then the wrath of God came upon the red Sea and over-whelmed them all This is Gods manner of dealing and let the Imperiall State and all blasphemers know it that they shall not prosper in stouting it out against the Lord but believe it as they have begun to fall before reformed Churches so they shall surely fall As it was told Haman in Ester 6.13 If this Mordecai be of the seed of the Iews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail but shalt surely fall before him So fall they will and in falling they shall fall and yet more and more fall till the Lord hath cut them off root branch there is more judgments you shall read of a further Vial upon the throne of the Beast and upon the air and then Babilon is fallen it is not long till then there is but three Vials more and whether some of them be not yet begun to be poured out it is not yet so cleer Let them know it for their terrour and we for our comfort the Lord will go on in destroying to destroy them It is a speech the Lord often useth in Isaiah 9.12 13 14. Yet for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Why For the people turn not to him that smites them neither do they seek the Lord of hoasts and when they do not turn to him then the hand of the Lord is not drawn back but stretched out still that is the constant course of Gods providence as the people turn not to him that smites them so the Lord will go on and cut off head and tail branch and rush in one day ancient honorable he is the head and the Prophet that teacheth lyes hee is the tail c. For a second Use of this Point This may serve to teach us that the Lord is the chief Governour Vse 2 and hath the chief power of all the plagues and judgements that do fall upon men And that aggravates the impenitencie of these wicked men that they do not fall under his hand that hath power over these plagues but still go on hardning themselves against him whose plague is upon them Therefore he hath power over them and he will maintain it and the judgements shall go on destroying to destroy till like Vials of quick-silver they have rooted them out from the land of the living Is there any evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 If a man were to speak to Christian Princes in other parts how might a man call upon them to beware of timerousnesse and fear in provoking the displeasure of the house of Austria or of the Pope For the wrath of God is gone out against that State and the Pope and the Lord hath power over these plagues Why should we fear all the power of the house of Austria or Papall thunderbolts when the Lord hath you under his hand when he means to go on plaguing to plague Shall men underprop this rotten building which the Lord intends to destroy This cursed fabrick which the Lord will ruinate Do you think to strengthen your selves by them when they are not able to help themselves No it is a time of Gods plague and therefore it is a warning and Trumpet to all Christian nations and to us do not think if we shall not yield to this and that of Antichrist then Churches and Magistrates shall never subsist fear it not I tell you all the States that cleave to Popery shall fall with Popery if they continue in it Indeed if the Lord rescue and redeem them with a mighty hand and bow their power and Crown to comply with the Lord Jesus and his people they may save themselves and their Kingdoms but otherwise it is not possible for them to prosper in maintaining this ruinous Babylon that hastens to destruction The Lords plagues they are and it is not all the power of men or Princes no nor of Angels in heaven nor devils in hell that can take off the plagues that God hath set on Thirdly it teacheth us what is the duty of all the sons of men Vse 3 under Gods hand namely to repent of sin which hath brought Gods hand for this is an aggravation of the wickednesse of these lights that they repented not to give God glory when the vials of Gods wrath was upon them but stil grew more wicked even to blaspheme What saith the Apostle Peter Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 Hath the Lord begun to smite the common state and it may be the body of the countrey in that which is the sinewes of trading in the scarcities of
giving him glory let all run in that streame that we acknowledge his justice and truth and mercy and grace and look up to him for receiving from him whatever is of his mercy and grace needfull for us and then we shall avoid those plagues and judgements which are threatned or gone forth against us and shall recover from under Gods hand like gold out of the fire THE FIFT VIALL REVEL 16.10 11. And the fifth Angell poured out his Viall upon the seat of the Beast or as the word is in the Originall the Thrones and his Kingdome was full of darkenesse and they gnawed their Tongues for paine And blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their paines and their sores and repented not of their deeds IN these words you have described the powring out of the Viall of the fifth Angell and described it is First by the subject on which it was powred On the throne of the Beast Secondly by the effect of it which is double 1. Proper and primary His Kingdome was thereby darkened 2. The secondary and accidentall events were three 1. Anguish and indignationâ— They gnawed their Tounges for paine 2. Blasphemy They blasphemed the God of Heaven 3. Impenitency They repented not of their deeds This Scripture and the interpretation of it is the more difficult because it is generally conceived that the execution of Gods judgements upon the Beast hath not yet gone beyond the powring out of the fourth Viall therefore conjectures about it will be the more difficult and it may be more uncertaine yet because the Scripture in it selfe is not darke how darke so ever we may be in our apprehensions The Kingdome of the Beast is darke but not the Kingdome of Christ And the Lord hath promised a gracious blessing upon all that read and heare the words of this prophecy Chap. 1. verse 3. so that by the comparing of one part of this prophecy with another and observing the due poise of every word in his place with holy feare and reverence the Lord is wont to lead his people into truth according to the promise made to the Apostle Iohn 16.13 which is fulfilled to every successour of theirs in some measure Let us therefore goe on in the feare of God to consider of these things First the difficulty chiefely lyeth in opening the subject whereon this Viall will be powred for open that and the rest will be cleare The seat of the Beast is generally taken for the City of Rome and it is confirmed from the like speech Rev. 13.2 Where the Dragon gave the Beast his power and his seat or throne and great authority and therefore they gather from hence the ruine of Rome applying also hereunto some prophecies of the Sibills who in their Language tell us thus much that Rome shall then be desolate and be as if it had never been a state Now though we have much cause to glorifie God for the labours of such of his servants as have giveÌ„ that exposition yet I must confesse I cannot rest satisfied with that interpretation for I finde it cleare in the sequell of this Chapter that Babilon which is doubtlesse meant of Rome As throughout the seventeenth Chapter it is also is said to come up into Remembrance before God in the 19. verse of this Chapter And that is in the powring out the seventh Viall which implyeth that before it came not up in remembrance before God in point of actuall punishment for things are said to come up into â—â—â—â—â—brance before God when he taketh in hand either to shew mercy to them or to powre out wrath upon them a signe that the Viall and fiercenesse of his wrath was not yet powred out upon Rome besides it is expressed in this Text that upon the powring out of this Viall the Kingdome of the beast was darkened but there is a great difference betweene darkning and destroying Egypt was darkened before Pharoh was destroyed or the body of Egypt overwhelmed in the red Sea Upon these grounds therefore I cannot conceive that it is meant of Rome but of something else which in Scripture is to be understood by Throne sometimes it is put for that forme of government and authority which any person or state sitting on that throne doth administer as it is said of Christ that his throne is a throne of Righteousnesse and that is not so much spoken of the place where he governeth as of the government it selfe so in the 89 Psalme 29. 36 37. I will make his throne as the dayes of Heaven and againe his throne shall be as the Sunne before me It shall be established for ever as the Moone and in Psalme 122.5 Thrones of judgement are distinguished from the thrones of the house of David to wit such as David hath erected so by the like proposition it is here meant of that forme of government which the beast exerciseth in the Church both subjectively that which himselfe doth occupy over the Churches subject to him and effectively that which proceedeth from him and is exercised by others in other Churches according to the frame and forme of government received from him and that is such a peerelesse kind of government as wherein one alone doth rule for a throne is such a kind of seate wherein one of peerelesse authority doth governe as a Monarch in his owne Dominion Indeed the universall supremacy of the Pope both in spirituall and temporall things whereby he challengeth transcendent authority over all Kings and Princes that was violated by the fourth Viall of these Angels but yet still here is another throne which yet hitherto remaineth unplagued and that is his singular sole authority and monarchicall government whereby he sitteth chiefe and onely Judge in Ecclesiasticall causes in his own jurisdiction and like unto which he hath established the government of all National Provinciall and Diocesan Churches and so this interpretation doth very fitly suit with the proper effect of the powring out of this Viall expressed in the Text his Kingdome was darkened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what kinde of government is that such as wherein one doth raigne as they are wont to say there must be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Prince in a state this forme of government himselfe doth exercise still in his owne jurisdiction inviolately and this he hath brought into all national and Provinciall and Diocesan Churches in the world where popery hath prevailed and which still continueth in some Protestant Churches where though the Doctrine and worship of Popery be abolished and the transcendent supremacy of his government yet the forme of his government monarchicall or sole and singular government by one that is Episcopacy is still continued Who is then the fifth Angel that hath powred out his Viall upon this peerelesse government the Episcopacy Though it be said this Viall is not yet powred out and though it haply was not powred out with the writings of such men who so conceived were under their hands
write such things as these openly we speak of the generality of Prelates not of some to whom God hath given a better spirit then the spirit of the throne they sit upon Reason The first ground hereof is taken from the nature of all these judgements they are the last plague Rev. 15.11 The very dreggs and sediments of the wrath of God and there is no grace of Repentance laid up in them for the wrath of God is come upon them to the uttermost wonder not therefore if you doe not heare of many Bishops or Pariters repentance though God may bring some of them to Repentance yet the body and state of them is not like to repent but to belch out blasphemings against the Lord. Rea. 2 Secondly the reason is taken from the cause that moveth God to give men up to such delusions Because they received not the love of the trueth that they might be saved therefore doth God give them up to the efficacy of delusions that they should beleive a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse those that preached the truth and Doctrines of Repentance and reformation they branded them with the name of Puritans they hated them with a perfect hatred they loved not blessing therefore it is far from them it is the nature and common fashion of superstition to leave men besotted in their owne Religion This may teach us to looke at it as a ground of Faith that the Vse 1 Lord will goe on to destroy the throne of the Beast for when God taketh a sword into his hand it is not his manner to put it into his sheath againe according to that which Amos saith Chap. 3.5 Shall one take up a snare from the Earth and have taken nothing at all noe the Lord will either subdue their spirits to unfeigned Repentance or else he will goe on insnaring to insnare them till he have swept them like doung from the face of the Earth For when Israel turneth not to him that smiteth him then is not his anger turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isai 9.12.13 Therefore men cannot more dishonour nor oppose the Lord then by seeking to underprop this sandy building The Second one of this point may be to teach us all in the feare Vse 2 of God what to doe whensoever we feele but drops of wrath powred upons us you see to whom it belongeth to be impenitent to whom it belongeth to blaspheme the name of the Lord even to those that sit upon the throne of the Beast it is an Episcopall sinne anâ— Hierarcâ—icall wickednesse a beastly frame of spirit for men whiles they are under Gods Hand to grow more froward and discontented and filled with indignation If therefore the Lord afflict the whole state of the Country with any drops of his displeasure let us not cry out upon the Lord and his dealing nor upon the Churches but let our unthankfull hearts for his mercies beare the burden and learne we to repent of our deeds that know not how to keepe our selves close to the ordinances of God when we grow not thankfull nor fruitfull under light and liberties received THE SIXTH VIALL REVEL 16.12 13 14 15 16. And the sixth Angell powred out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the water thereof was dryed up that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared c. IN these verses the powring out of the Viall of the sixth Angel is described First by the subject upon which it is powred the River Euphrates which is amplifyed by the adjunct of greatnesse The great River Euphrates Secondly by the effects of it which are two 1. First the water thereof was dryed up and that is amplifyed by the end which God aimed at in it That the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared 2. Secondly the warrelike preparations unto a great battell and those are described 1. By the principall commanders in that preparation and war which are said to be three The Devill the Beast and the false Prophet 2. By the instruments and Ministers of it who are certaine spirits and they are described many wayes as 1. By their nature and quality Vncleane spirits 2. By their number three 3. By by their resemblance Like Froggs 4. By their originall descent which is threefold They come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet And that descent is amplifyed by the Cause of it for they are the spirits of Devills 5. They are described by their effects which are three-fold 1. They worke miracles 2. They goe forth to the Kings of the Earth and of the world to gather them to the battell of that great Day of God Almighty Ver. 14. 3. They are efficacious and successefull herein they doe gather them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon Ve. 16. 3. These warlike preparations are described by the watchword which the God of Israel giveth unto his owne troopes and that is a word of watchfulnesse behold I come as a thiefe blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments least he walke naked and they see his shame Thus standeth the Text. Now for the meaning of it It is the more darke because it is though not altogether yet in a great part to come and such as shall seriously consider what is the meaning shal happily find it no small difficulty to satisfy themselves and much more to satisfy others yet by the helpe of God let us endeavour to open some such part of the words as we may be likely to finish at this time First what is meant by the river Euphrates Secondly who are the Angels that powre out this Viall upon this river Thirdly what is the drying up of this river Fourthly who are these Kings of the East These things containe the principall difficulties in the partes of this Viall other things may more easily be opened if these things be premised and cleared 1. What is meant by the great river Euphrates Some of our host interpreters to whom God hath given most light in these spirituall mysteries doe understand it properly for the river that did run along by the walles of old Babylon in Chaldea which made the City impregnable and yet by the stratagem of Cyrus was dryed up by turning the Course of the streames to runne in other channels whereby the channell before the City was dryed up and the reedes burnt by the Souldiers and the City sacked when as Belshazzar was quaffing in the vessels of the Temple this was foretold by Jeremy Chap 50.38 A drought is upon her waters and they shall be dried up for it is the Land of graven Images and they are mad upon their Idolls And Ier. 51.31 32. One poste shall run to meete another and one messenger to meete another to shew the King of Babylon that his
come to passe that there will be a way made for the Kings of the East to come in for yee heard that by the Kings of the East are properly meant the Iewes as being of old called Kings A royall Priesthood so that way is made for them by this reformation of religion in Christendome The removing of those abuses to wit of the corruption of religion and popish superstition and idolatry way is made for their conversion and doe but dry up those streames and then you leave Babylon dry and you leave the Turkish Monarchy weakened for the staffe of the Turkish Monarchy is the superstition of Antichristianisme From hence therefore yee have heard already these two notes gathered and handled the first is this that the dayes are comming wherein Christian Princes shall dry up the streames of antichristian corruption in Religion And thereby also dry up the Fountaines of the streames of the Turkish tyranny Secondly yee have heard this note also gathered and handled That upon the drying up of the streames of corruption of Antichristian religion and of Turkish Tyranny way is made for the conversion of the Iewes the antient people of God Of these two wee spake the last day and thus much was needfull to be repeated that yee might understand where wee are To proceede to the next note then the third that concernes this Viall but the first at this time Let me first gather the note and then shew you how it rises out of the Text then give some grounds of it and make use of it as the Lord shall helpe the note is this Upon the drying up of the streames of the corruption of religion Doct. 3 in Christendome the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet shall send forth their choisest instruments to stir up and gather together both Popish and Pagan Princes unto a great battell to withstand the reformation of Christians and the conversion of the Jewes This is the summe See all these points expresly and distinctly delivered and fully in these two Verses the 13 and 14. For further then so I shall not goe at this time And this one note opens both these Verses and all the passages therein First yee see upon the powring out of this Viall upon the river Euphrates and the drying up the streames thereof that is upon the drying up of the corruptions of religion superstition Idolatry Murthers and Whordomes restraining and drying up all such Fountaines what followes He saith the Beast the Dragon and the false Prophet sent out of their mouthes three unclean spirits like Frogs which goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty To open this doctrine and the words a little First for the Dragon yee have heard it noted before from the 12. Rev. 9. verse him to be the old Serpent Satan but taken chiefly as he doth act and govern and dwell in the Roman state And therefore he is described to have seaven hads and ten Hornes in the third verse of the 12 Chapter But take him as he is Satan spiritually and he hath neither heads nor hornes Take him as he governes Rome and so he hath seven heads and ten hones The seven heads are seven hilles And the ten hornes are ten governments who then is the Beast the Beast as ye have heard he is described by the very same Characters seven heads and ten hornes 13. Rev 9. verse It is said to be him to whom the Dragon hath given his power and his seat and great authority it doth therefore hold forth the Roman state not Rome Pagan nor Rome Christian as yee have heard It remaines therefore to be Rome antichristian which is that The Roman visible Catholique Church that 's the first Beast which claimes all the power by pretence of religion which old Rome and the Roman Monarchy claimed by force of armes Who is then the false Prophet The false Prophet hee is never mentioned before in this booke not by name and yet hee is spoken of here as well knowne It appeares therefore this false Prophet is the 2 Beast in 13 Rev. 11 verse to the end The second Beast there is said to worke Miracles in the 13 Verse he doth great wonders c. And 18 Verse he deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by the meanes of these miracles c. And the same yee shall reade of the false Prophet in the 19 Rev. 20 Verse The Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had received the marke of the Beast And them which worshiped his Image c. The description is the same of the false Prophet and of the Beast both of them holding forth the head of the Roman Church The false Prophet Balaam the Bishop or Antichrist of Rome So that it doth imply thus much that the Dragon and the Devill himselfe did stir up not the Pope onely but the whole Catholicke Church to gather into some councill or some other solemne meeting some chiefe concurse of them who by common content shall out of their mouthes that is to say by their commands their Cannons and Decrees for that is out of their mouthes out of their commands out of their edicts out of their injunctions shall send forth their uncleane Spirits Spirits they be for nimblenesse and activity Spirits they bee for impetuousnesse and strength Spirits they be also for close and cleanly conveyance There is no stoping the gates against Spirits yee cannot so stop the Cinque-ports but they will in they will enter into any Court Princes Palaces or great mens Houses there 's no hindering of them they have a cleanly conveyance and secret and close passage And they are also Spirits of Devills It is not the ordinary word Devill but Daemon the which is wont to expresse Spirits for their knowledge and learning They are learned spirits and yet Devills for their deceit and mischeife Ye are of your Father the devill the works of your Father ye will doe Iohn 8 44. Liers for deceit Murtherers for mischeif these are the spirits he sends forth which surely comming as they doe out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet they are not spirits properly so called They are therefore Emissaries sent forth by them men of nimble wits and parts active for nimblenesse and close conveyance and full of deceit and mischiefe And these are the spirits are sent forth and here said to be three spirits comming out of their mouthes not as if one came out of the mouth of one and another came out of the mouth of another but all three of them came out of all their mouthes together at once It is not rightly translated here that he saith he saw them comming out for the word comming out is not in the originall but hee
saw them out of those mouthes out of those mouthes they had came thence they had their originall and from thence they sprange Much inquiry there is who they should bee I will not trouble you with variety of mens judgements The Dragon is no more here the Turkish Empire then before but the Dragon here is hee that is before called Satan acting Rome and so hath seven Heads and ten Hornes which are the Armes of Rome as yee have heard before not of Constantinople And it is hee that consults and conspires with the Beast of Rome to send forth these three uncleane Spirits Now if you shall put all together that hath beene observed by different Interpreters and consider withall what kinde of spirits the Catholique Church and the head thereof the Bishop of Rome hath troubled the Church withall yee shall finde they all fall under three sorts three sorts of spirits they doe all issue from and these have all inspired and breathed into them the very Character of the nature which is found in the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet There are many rables of popish orders which were endlesse to name now But they are all summed up in three Heads for all the other are but hangbies and traines to them all the Emissaries of Rome the spirits whereby shee hath troubled the Church they all fall under these three either Cardinalls Bishops or Jesuites and under the Jesuites I ranke all regular Fryers they are all of them of one nature regular men Cloyster-men of which the Jesuites are the cheife and I would rather instance the Jesuites because the rest of that rabble the other orders of Fryers and Monkes they are described not under the name of Frogs but under the name of Locusts chirping Creatures as the Frogs are Croking and both come out of the bottomlesse pit But the other are more like to Locusts in the 9 Revelations 3 to 11. They be both of them mischeivous both the Locusts and the Frogs too but the Frogs are a little too dull for this kind of imployment which is attributed to the Frogs but these three the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet send forth the Cardinalls the Bishops and the Jesuites yee shall finde the quintessence of nimble wits in these Spirits active and nimble spirits yee shall finde them close and secret in their conveyances like spirits no part can be so secretly watcht but they will enter in no Gates of Princes Pallaces so secret but thy will enter them And uncleane they be as neither fit for meat nor for sacrifice as uncleane Beasts were They are neither fit for Church nor Common-wealth neither fit for the one nor the other neither for meate nor sacrifice uncleane also arising out of the mud uncleane in their Doctrine rooting out the Doctrine of Life uncleane in their conversation as all false Teachers more or lesse bee Iude 8. and 10 Verse And making the Countries uncleane where they come they let loose the raines and open a doore unto all Licentiousnesse and Prophanesse Three unclean Spirits like Frogs This description of them likening of them to Frogs doth exclude them from the Locusts for they are not Amphibia as they call them such as can live upon the Waters or Earth for Locusts love not to be in the Waters but these are indifferent on Earth or Waters Therefore these three can indifferently live either upon the waters or upon the Earth and even as well in the one as in the other It is indifferent to them whether yee imploy them in Church worke they can domineer there or whether you imploy them in state matters they are as free and as busy there in the Courts of Princes and the states of Commonwealths and as impetuous there and as active there and as cunning and as dominering and Lordly there as they are in the Church And therefore looke as were the plagues of Egypt which is called Sodom so are these plagues of spirituall Sodom The Frogs they came upon them cunningly and would come into the Kings Pallaces and no place could be kept free from them Even such are these three uncleane spirits no place can they be kept out from And like unto Frogs are they for their continuall croking nothing but one kinde of tune their own matters they never leave croking of not like these Frogs here in America that have a severall tune in each part of the yeare but they are alwayes in one or two or three at the most either the Catholique visible Church or the Pope the Judge of controversies or of visible succession And then looke as yee see it is with Frogs they are most busy with their notes when it growes darke and in the heat of the day they are a great deall more silent for then they get them downe into the mud so it is with these uncleane spirits they ly close if the light of the Gospell shines forth brightly And if it grow warme in the zeall of the spirits of Christians then yee here no newes of them but they are in some muddy places then they are husht then I if you should come with a Torch in the midnight they are silent and still then But now when there is want of light or want of heat of Religion then it is indeed that these spirits are most croking and tumultuous and unquiet but otherwise if the spirits of Christians and States-men grow warme in Religion ther 's no noise nor newes of these spirits so these are the three uncleane spirits that come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet And these three have left a spice of their own nature in them the Devill hath left a spice of his murther and malice against religion and well ordered government tending to disorder the Catholique Church hath left them hir state and preheminence hir Lordly Dominion and spirituall supremacy and authority carying all before him The false Prophet hath left them corrupt Doctrine and corrupt worship These corrupt all where they come and with cleanly conveyance in the Name of the Lord and thus saith the Lord when indeed it is nothing but the meere inventions of the sinfull false hearts of the sonnes of men To goe on a little further in the exposition of these spirits They are the spirits of Devills That is to say all of a devillish nature they are not Gods spirits men they will be accounted to be but they are spirits of the bottomlesse pit the spirits of Devills Devills for learning and Devills for deceit and Devills for mischeife Working miracles It is a proper worke of the second Beast but they are all but lying wonders they come saith the Apostle Paul with all power of signes and lying wonders 2 Thes 2.9 And these being all thus furnisht the Text tells you They goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth by Earth in this booke is meant the