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of these seven are idolatrous, because none of them know the true God, therefore cannot worship him aright.

So that by consequence it will follow, that they all commit fornication with idols; for whoever worships a false god, he committeth spiritual fornication, which I am sure they all do.

For neither the ministry of them, nor the people, do know the true God, nor the right devil, for if they did, then would they know what worship doth belong unto the true God now in these latter days. So that all the false worshippers from the beginning of Moses, to the end of the world, they make up but one great city Babylon, or one woman, or one scarlet whore, who hath made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication.

That is, this spirit of reason in kings and head magistrates hath made all nations to worship idols and images for God; so that they have become drunk with spiritual fornication, that the people have thirsted after the blood of the saints, as well as those in authority. So that they are all become one city Babylon, which will be destroyed at the end of the world. This is that great mystery Babylon, that great city that John did prophesy the downfall of in the sixteenth chapter.

And in the seventeenth chapter he saw by faith the total downfall of this spiritual mystery Babylon, that great city the mother of harlots; that is, of spiritual idolatry, which is spiritual whoredom. So that there were many more harlots than one, yet they are all counted by the spirit, but one whore, or

harlot;

harlot; for that great city Babylon doth consist of nothing else but spiritual harlots. So that the reader may see what is meant by this spiritual Babylon, and this great city, and what is meant by the woman, the great whore, and what is meant by her fornication; so that the reader may the better understand the interpretation of the chapter that followeth.

CHAP. LIX.

IN N chap. xvii. 1, there was one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with John by way of vision and revelation, saying unto him, Come hither, and I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.

Here it is clear that John did see by way of vision and revelation, the downfall or judgment of this great spiritual whore, which I have shewed what is meant by it before. And as for her sitting upon many waters, the many waters where the whore sitteth, it signifies multitudes of people, nations, and tongues, as you may see verse 15. That is, the spirit of reason in the whore, as aforesaid, should have such a spiritual power over the spirits of whole nations, and tongues, and multitudes of people, that she should cause them all to commit fornication with idols, or else they should be persecuted or suffer death. So that whosoever would not commit fornication with her, or at her command, they should drink of the wine of the wrath of of her fornication. That is, she would persecute K k

and

and put them to death, for death is the wine of her wrath; for the blood of the saints is that wine of her wrath, which is put into her golden cup that is in her hand, and she doth not only drink the blood of the saints that is in the golden cup herself, but she doth make the kings of the earth to drink it also.

For in verse 2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk of the wine of her fornication. That is, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, in that they have been persuaded by her, and joined with her to worship idols. For except the kings of the earth, who are the temporal power, do join with her spiritual power, she could do nothing. So that the kings of the earth committing fornication with her, that is, to worship idols with her; so they came to commit fornication with her; that is, the kings and head magistrates do uphold that spiritual power the whore hath, and do help to make the people to drink of the wine of her fornication; so that the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her forni'cation. That is, the inhabitants of the earth, what with command from the spiritual power of the whore, and what with command from the temporal power of the kings of the earth, the inhabitants of the earth are forced to commit fornication with idols also; so that they are made to drink the wine of fornica'tion with her; that is, look what comfort or satisfaction can be found in worshiping of idols, they 'shall drink it with her. But the wrath of her fornicatión, none shall drink that but the saints, because

they

they will not commit fornication with her; that is to say, not worship idols at her command.

Verse 3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns. As for the wilderness, I shall say nothing as to that, because I have opened what it is in the interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation. But this woman who doth sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, the woman is the same, as I said before, that great city Babylon. And the scarlet coloured beast, it doth signify all kings and head magistrates, who have submitted unto the false suggestions of learned men, who have pretended to be prophets, and priests, and ministers of God, without a commission from God; and so by the advice of these false prophets, priests, and ministers, kings, and head magistrates have set up images or forms of worship, and have made laws for all people to obey in point of worship. as well as in point of civil or temporal affairs. Also they have made these persons aforesaid to have the charge to see the people worship according to that law; and have given them a spiritual power to punish all those that will not worship accordingly.

This hath been the practice of all kings and head magistrates, I mean all evil kings and head magistrates, ever since the first idolatrous practices were used under Moses's commission; and so a successive idolatrous power did follow, even amongst the professors of the God of Israel; and it was practised by many wicked kings and head magistrates, and Kk 2

false

false priests, and false prophets, which did cause many true prophets, and righteous men to be persecuted and put to death, for not givining way to their false worship..

And so since the apostles commission, the same thing hath been acted by kings and priests, and so it will be to the end of the world. So that all evil kings and evil head magistrates, are counted by the spirit, but one scarlet coloured beast for the spiritual whore, the woman, to sit upon. She may be said to sit upon the beast, because she sits upon his power, for kings in all ages have been subject to the spiritual power, though it hath been never so false; for we see by experience that all those that go upon a spiritual account, if he be but a minister of the gospel, so called, yet he sits upon the magistrate. For where is there a magistrate in a parish as a deputy, or such like, but the minister sits upon him? So that one can do nothing as to matter of worship without the other. So that the idolatrous woman, who is the chief, may well be said to sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, which beast signifies all kings and head magistrates, who give themselves up to be guided in matter of worship by non-commissionated men, who pretend a spiritual power, to be prophets, priests, or ininisters of the gospel, or of the law, without a commision from God.

But this beast here spoken of by John, it doth chiefly relate to those beasts that did succeed after the destruction of Jerusalem, which was a matter of four years after Christ's death, in relation to those

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