Page images
PDF
EPUB

beast that persecuted the saints after the apostles commission came to be published upon the earth; that is, this was the first beast that made war with the saints about worship; and so the same spirit, power, and authority that was in this beast, it did run through the loins of all other beasts that succeeded him all the time of the ten persecutions. And the same spirit hath, and doth run in the line of all wicked, persecuting idolaters, kings and head magistrates, they are called by the spirit but one beast.

And look what beast, or beasts, are alive at the end of the world, they shall be all counted but one beast, and shall all be overthrown with one overthrow, even as Pharoah king of Egypt was; for though there were many Pharoahs kings of Egypt, as aforesaid, yet in the destruction of that one king Pharoah, all wicked Pharoahs are destroyed in him.

So likewise Herod that did seek to kill Christ when he was born, in that he slew all the male children in Bethlehem, who were two years old or under. I declare this Herod was that dragon John speaks of in divers places in the book of the Revelation, who gave his power, seat, and authority unto this beast. And so successively the spirit of the dragon, it runs through the line of all wicked beasts to the world's end, even as the spirit of the dragon did run through the lines of many Herods, since Cain's birth; yet this Herod that persecuted Christ, as soon as he was born, is called by the spirit in John, that great red dragon. Avd his spirit of persecution it was given to all those wicked

beasts

beasts that did succeed immediately after him, and that shall succeed to the end of the world.

For this is to be minded by the reader, that the Herod that would have killed Christ, he died before this beast had any power; but Herod the dragon's spirit remained in other Herods, as that Herod that beheaded John Baptist, who was eaten up with lice. So that there were more Herods than one, yet the same spirit of Cain the devil, was in them all. So that they may be called by the spirit, but one Herod, dragon, or devil, they being all guided by one evil spirit, even the spirit of murdering Cain the first man-devil, or the devil become flesh.

So that this spirit of Cain who ruled in all those Pharoahs and Herods before God was manifest in the flesh, is that dragon-devil who gave his power, seat, and authority unto the beast. That is, the spirit of the dragon did persecute, oppress, and kill before Christ came upon a natural account, for fear of losing his kingdom, as Pharoah king of Egypt did. And Herod the dragon he slew the young children, for fear Christ should take his kingdom out of his hands. So that most of their cruel murders they acted, were upon a temporal

account.

But the cruelties that were acted by those beasts, were upon a spiritual account; I call it a spiritual account, because the persecuting and putting to death of the saints, it was for worshiping of Christ, according to the doctrine of the apostles, who set up a worship contrary to that which was set up by those

those beasts; for there was a liberty granted of God unto the worship of the law of Moses, for the Jews to fight with the sword of steel, and to destroy those kings or beasts that did molest them. But the worship of the gospel did not teach men so to do, but altogether to the contrary.

So that the sufferings of the saints under the gospel, and ever since, it is upon a spiritual account; for whoever doth suffer merely for his faith, or his religion, or his worship, he may be said to suffer upon a spiritual account. And those beasts that do persecute upon that account, they persecute upon a spiritual account; even as this beast did, spoken of by John, for this beast did persecute the saints in the time of the gospel, for worshiping of Christ, and not worshiping his image, as Pharoah did to the people of Israel in the temporal. And look what plagues were poured out upon Pharoah, and all the land of Egypt in the temporal; so likewise will spiritual plagues be poured out upon the beasts, and upon all that worship him, or his image.

And as there was a natural darkness in all the land of Egypt, upon the king, as upon the people, so likewise this spiritual darknesss is poured out upon the seat of the beast. That is, there is a darkness poured out upon the minds of all evil kings and head magistrates, who undertake to set up forms of worship, as idols and images, for the people to worship. And there being a darkness poured out upon the mind of the beast, so that he doth worship false Gods and not only so, but this vial of darkness is poured out upon the minds of all

those

[ocr errors]

those people who worship false gods. That is, there is a spiritual darkness upon the mind and spirit of the beast, and all that worship a false god. I say a spiritual darkness is poured out upon them all, even whilst they are here in this world; even as that natural darkness was poured out upon Pharoah, and all the land of the Egyptians.

I say there is as gross a thick darkness poured out upon the spirits of the greatest part of men and women at this day, concerning the true knowledge of God and the true worship that God requireth, as there was upon Egypt. And this spiritual darkness of the mind, it is but a preparation or fore-runner of that eternal darkness, which will as certainly be when time shall be no more, as the darkness of the mind is at present in all the seed of the serpent who worship false gods.

But as there was light in all the places of the children of Israel's dwellings, as you may see Exod. x. 23, which dwellings of theirs it was in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were, as in Exod. ix. 26. Now this land of Goshen it signifies the light of grace, or spiritual and heavenly light in the minds of the seed of faith; and the children of Israel signify the true saints, or true worhipers of God in spirit and truth. So that evey true believer in the true God, he may be said to dwell in the land of Goshen in his own mind; in which land there is the light of faith whereby they may see the way to that eternal light of glory, where no sad or melancholly thought shall arise to darken the light of peace, joy, and everlasting glory. So on the contrary,

the

the land of Egypt it signifies that hell and darkness of the mind.

So that all those who know not the true God, nor his true worship, they are in that spiritual darkness in their minds, as the Egyptians were who gnawed their tongues for pain. Even so will it be with all those wicked beasts who have, and do set up images, and idols of gold, wood, and stone, or any false worship whatsoever, contrary to Moses, the apostles, and the two witnesses of the spirit. I say, all those that worship contrary to these three commissions, they are in that spiritual Egyptian darkness in their minds, whilst they are here in this world; and this darkness in their spirits, it will lead them to that eternal dark night, when as no light shall appear for ever. That is, no motion of peace, or hope of deliverance shall arise in their minds for ever and

ever.

And then shall this beast, and all that received his mark, name, or number of his name, gnaw their tongues for pain to eternity. For this vial or plague is poured out upon the seat of the beast; then of necessity it will follow, that all that worship according to his command, will have the vial of darkness poured out upon them also. So much for the interpretation of the fifth vial, and of the tenth

verse.

I

CHAP. LI.

Shall pass by the eleventh, and come to the twelfth verse. And the sixth angel poured out his

« EelmineJätka »