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wicked, reprobate men that do make her desolate; for all that fight with carnal weapons, that is a sword and gun, they are wicked, though God doth put it into their hearts to do his will, for one wicked man shall destroy another with carnal weapons.

For these ten horns which signify all wicked kings, when they have made the whore desolate, they shall give their kingdoms unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. That is, these conquerors over the whore, shall give their kingdoms unto the beast, who gave them commission and power at the first, to persecute and kill the saints. So that they take no notice that God did put it into their hearts to do his will upon the whore, but they attribute all the power and glory of it to the beast, looking more upon his commission and authority that he gave them, to destroy the saints, and by the same authority they think they do make the whore desolate, not minding God's putting it into their hearts ; therefore it is they give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. That is, they shall give their kingdoms unto the beast, until the end of the world; when God shall make a final end; that is, an eternal destruction of the beast, and of the whore, and of these ten horns, that gave their kingdoms unto the beast, then will the words of God be fulfilled.

CHAP. LXV.

VERSE 18, and the last verse of this chapter.

And the woman which thou sawest, is that great

city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

I have spoken of these things in this verse, in divers places before, so that I need not say any more of it; only this I would have the reader to mind, that all this seventeenth chapter, the things contained in it, it was shewed unto John by way of vision. And what judgment should befal in the end, to all those that were concerned in those matters of spiritual and temporal power here upon this earth, this was shewed him in a vision from the first verse to the ninth verse; and from the ninth verse to the end of the chapter, it is an interpretation to John's understanding of the things he saw in his vision.

And though John did understand the interpretation thereof, few or none else since that time that could interpret John's vision, or understand them either. Nay, none but he that hath a commission from God can do it, so that there is great need of the interpretation of these mystical sayings in this chapter, and in the whole book of the Revelation of John, unto the seed of faith.

But by the seed of reason, wise, and learned men, perhaps it will be counted but as dreams, and fancies of my own brain, though they themselves do not know how to interpret one verse in the whole book truly. But I shall let them pass, and advise the seed of faith, especially those that understand tl.e doctrine of the true God, and the right devil, to mind the interpretation of this chapter, and all the rest, and they will see how one thing depends upon another; so that great satisfaction may be found, as to their eternal salvation.

CHAP

CHAP. LXVI.

CHAP. xviii. it doth contain a prophesy of the utter downfal and destruction of the spiritual Babylon, who hath shed the blood of prophets, apostles, and saints, for worshiping the true God, and not worshiping her idols; even as the temporal Babylon was utterly destroyed, for her cruelties to Judah and Jerusalem, as you may see Isaiah xlvii. 6, and Jer. xxv. 12. So that there was a perpetual destruction upon the temporal city Babylon, when the seventy years were expired, for their cruelties to the Jews,

So likewise when the time appointed of God is expired, there will be a perpetual downfal and destruction of this city, spiritual Babylon, for her cruelties to prophets, apostles, and saints, about worship.

In verse 1, of this chapter, John saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, so that the earth was lighted with his glory. And in verse 2. His message was to cry mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. She may well be called Babylon the great, because this Babylon is a spiritual Babylon, and of a longer standing than the other Babylon; for this spiritual Babylon hath had a being ever since Moses and Joshua were taken out of this world, ever since false worship hath been set up by man, and learned men have had power given them from the civil magistrate, to set up forms of worship. So that it is become the greatest

city

city in the world, and will remain to the end of time before it be utterly destroyed.

Neither was there found in the destruction of the temporal Babylon, any blood of prophets, apostles, or martyrs of Jesus, as there will in this spiritual Babylon; for though the temporal Babylon was cruel, it was upon a temporal account; neither was their cruelty to last but a matter of threescore and ten years; but the cruelties of this spiritual Babylon, it hath been upon a spiritual account. And these cruelties have been acted by her these many thousand years; so that all the blood that hath been shed upon a spiritual account, from the creation to the end of time, may be brought upon this great city spiritual Babylon, because she is become an habitation of devils, and a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

It may well be said she is a habitation of devils, for none but devils will execute her commands, and such people that are of the worst sort of devils, even unclean spirits, or like hateful birds. So that her power and authority, it is as a cage to shelter these devils, and unclean spirits, and hateful birds; for this is to be minded by the reader, that these devils are men, the unclean spirits are men, and the hateful birds are men, and those wicked men who are employed in the whore's service, to punish all those that will not worship her idols, or false worship. So that she is become a cage for all wicked spirited people to shroud themselves under, as may be seen in verse 3. For all nations have drank of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth

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have commited fornication with her. That is, by her spiritual power she hath sent forth these devils, unclean spirits, and hateful birds, with commission from her to all nations to drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication; that is, if the nations would not commit fornication with idols willingly; that is, worship according to her command; for her idolatrous worship, the pleasure she receives in it, is called the wine of her fornication. But if people will not obey to worship, as is required by these unclean spirits, and hateful birds, then they must drink of the wrath of her fornication, perhaps excommunication, or death itself.

For though she hath a golden cup in her hand, full of wine, yet if people will not drink with her freely and willingly, she will put poison, that is, her wrath into the wine, and make them drink whether they will or no. So that they must either drink her wine without wrath, or the wine of her fornication, and her wrath together.

Oh! how many millions of people have drank her wine alone, and many thousands have drank her wine and wrath together? And that which is more than this, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. That is, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, in that they have worshiped false gods, by the instigation of the whore, she making them believe that that is the way to save their souls. So that she hath deceived the kings of the earth, and all nations, either by their commiting fornication with her, or else by spiritual drinking the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

So

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