nature; they are not Gods fpirits: men they will be accounted to be, but they are fpirits of the bottomleffè pit, the fpirits of Devills, Devills for learning, and Devills for deceit,and Devills for mifcheife.

Working miracles, ]It is a proper worke of the fecond Beaft, but they are all but lying wonders,they come (faith the Apostle Paul) with all power of fignes and lying wonders.2 Thef.2.9. And these being all thus furnisht,the Text tells you,

They goe forth unto the Kings of the Earth Joy Earth in this booke is meant the Earthly Religion, and fo to the Princes of Earthly religion they goe forth, therefore they goe unto the Kings of the Earth, And of the whole World] They doe not containe themselves in the limits of Chriftendome, but the other Princes, the Princes of the whole world(that is to fay)to Pagan Princes, They would have power to prevent (if it were pool) this great mifchiefe to themselves, that they might crush these Chriftian Kings that brought in the reformation; Therefore they goe forth to the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole World, Togather them to battell, To the battell of that great day of God Almighty.]That's not the laft judgement, as fome have thought) there will be no warring then; but every day of great execution is called a great day of God Almighty. But that we shall fpeake to (God willing) when we come to it,of that great day of God Almighty.] But what day is that? yce have it expoun ded in the 19. Rev. 17. It is the day of Gods great Supper; that yee may eat the fe of Kings, and the flesh of Captaines, and the fief of mighty men, &c. This is the great day of God Almighty, on which thefe worldly and wicked, thefe Popifh and Pagin Princes with all their power,and all their forces,and armies they are able to make, fhall come forth against the Lord Jefus, and against thefe Chriftian Princes,that have beene serious,and studious in the reformation of Religion, and in the drying upof thefe treames of corruption. Thus you fee the words opened, and the plaine and true meaning of them. I cannot fpeake f the comming of Chrift now, and of the gathering toge her to the great battell of Armageddon, and I would not open more then I am able to finish at this prefent. Therefore now confider the Doctrine againe, and the truth of it, how it doth plainly arife from the words of the Text.

Upon

Upon the powring out of the fixth Viall (that is to fay).upon the drying up of the current, and streames of the corruption of Antichriftian religion, or Chriftian religion (for Antichriftian religion is but the corruption of religion in Chriftendome, ) The Dragon(that is to fay the Devill) and the Beast (that is to fay the Roman Catholique vifible Church, and the falle Prophet (that is to fay the Pope the head of the Church) did fend forth out of their mouthes (that is to lay out of their com mands) three uncleane fpirits, (that is Cardinalls, and B.fhops, and Jefuites.)

To ttir up the Princes of the Earth, and of the whole World, (that is both Popish,and Pagan Princes) to a great battell. To what end? ye may fee by the occafion of it,is was upon the pow ing out the Viall of the wrath of God upon the ftreaines of corruption of religion, therefore they would turne the streame a gaine,to prevent the way of the Kings of the Eaft (that is) the convertion of the lewes, by bringing in old Idolatry and fuperflution,fpirituall Adulterics and Whoredomes,and Witchcrafts, for the maintenance of the Sea of Rome.

Thus you fee the point plaine from the Text,neither is there any difficulty that remaines for the opening of it, that I doe difcerne.

Now then for the Reafons of the point,and fo briefly to come to theufe. The reafons are two, why that upon this drying up of the ftreames of corruption of Religion these three great commanders fhould thus fend forth fuch kinde of Emiffaries, inftruments that will bee active, and nimble to gather fuch a fearfull Battell against the Lord, and against his fer

vants.

The first reafon is taken from the nature of their Kingdome. Res. 1. Antichrifts kingdom is contrary to the Kingdon:e of Chrift, his Kingdome is not of the Earth, theirs are from beneath; his Kingdume is not of this World, But theirs are of this World, Thefe are of the World, faith Iohn fpeaking of Antichrift, in the 1 Ioh. 4. Chapter 6 Verf. And therefore (minde yee) the weapons of their warfare are carnall, full of malice, and full of envy, and devilli hneffe; their inftruments are not fpirituall, but carnall, and worldly. And therefore being thus haken as they are, their returne is not to Fafting and Prayer,

Rea. 2.

Vse 1.

or the power of the holy Ghost, or the power of fpirituall gifts, or fo forth; thefe are estranged from them: And now they fill to carnall policy and worldly power, and devillith engines, and inftruments, thefe are fit for this ufe. This is one Reason.

The other reafon is taken from their implacable malice and hatred against the reformation of religion, and the converfion of either Iew or Gentile, to the faving knowledge of the Lord Jefus, there is nothing more grevious to thefe fpirits then the profperity of religion, they gnafh their Teeth for paine in the former Fiall, this is that will vex them more then all the reft, to see these Rivers dried up, and thefe ftreames dryed up, and now the holy City of Rome blafted; this doth ftirre them up to implacable malice, and mifchiete: and now they care not who they confederate withall, fo they may cruth the Christian Princes and hinder reformation; It was truly prophefied of by the Apostle Paul, That evill men and feducers shall wax worfe and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3.13. So it is with thefe evill men here, if they fee they cannot get victory over Proteftants, though they have pretended warre with the Turke for the recovering of the holy Land, yet now they will confent with him; they fticke not who they agree with,fo they may mantaine their war. To come then briefely to make fome ufe of what ye have heard: the ufe of the point is thus much..

First, it may teach every noble wit, and every active spirit, and every man of cleanly conveyance, not to pride himfelfe, much leffe to bleffe himselfe, in fuch gifts and parts: what ever they be pride not your felves, bleffe not your felves in them; you fee heere is a Generation of nimble spirits, and active wits; cleanly fpirits, fpirits of as neat and cleanly conveyance as ever the World faw; men full of wit, and full of dexterity; men good for Church (as they count it) notable there; and not able for the Common-Wealth; they are marvelous fit for all kinds of imployment in their owne wayes, and thats very large for their owne ends; and yet fee they are but made inftruments to the Dragon to the Beast, and to the falle Prophet: fo that verily if a man now fhould take pride in his gifts, and bleffe himfeife in the activeneffe

of

of his fphit, and cleanly conveyance, aplaud himselfe in fuch kinde of inlargements as thefe be, I tell you the Devill hath as quick wits as you are; and as active spirits as you are ; and men of as dexterous conveyance as you can be ; And therefore never pride your felves in thefe, they are fuch as are as fit inftruments for the Devill as for Chrift, and many times the Lord Jelus takes leffe delight in fuch as thefe, then hee doth in plaiser and fimpler men; Yee fee your calling Brethren (faith the Apostle Paul) in the 1 Corinthians 1. 26. How that not many wife men after the flesh, no: many mighty, not many noble are called. It is I fay (therefore) an abafement unto all flch, and unto all the glory of the flesh; all fleth is as Graffe, and the goodlicft of flesh and bloud, is but as the flower of the Field that fadeth away take it at the best its but a Flower, but take them as they may bee improved by Satan none more mifcheivous, none more active inftruments for the Devil, for finne, for Corruption then these fine quicke wits and fpirits bee, Thefe nimble wits, these active fpirits; pride not your felves in these things I fay thefe are the most dangerous if the Lord fet not in to take hold of them; pride not your felves (therefore ) in these things, The more learned and witty you bee, the more fit to act for Satan wili you bee if the Lord leave you, the more neat handed, and quicke witted and nimble fpirited you bee, the more notable, and profitable will you bee for the Devill, if hee take hold of you pride not your felves (therefore) in thefe, much leffe allow your felves in facrificeing of thefe to Satan; But fee you doe facrifice your wts, and fpirits, and dexterity, and what ever you bee, or have as a living facrifice to Christ Jefus, to his advantage or else they will bee improved to the fervice of the Devill, and his infiruments,The great and monfterous Beaft, the Roman Catholique visible Church, and the head thereof, the holy Father the Pope, as they call him.

:

Secondly, it may take off the fond doting of the fonnes fe 2. of men upon the lesrning of the Jefuites, and the glorie of the Epifcopacy, and brave eftate of the Prelates. I fay bee not deceived with thefe pompes, and empty fhewes,'

and/

and faire reprefentations of a goodly condition before the eyes of flesh and blood, bee not taken with the applaufe of these persons, yee have many at this Day., that stand and wonder upon the reading of the Jefuites, at the witty inventions, and marvelous dexterity of judgement. They are ftrong perfwaders, and ftrange practitioners of what they take in hand : marvelously are men taken with the strength of their judgements, and the ftrength of their wits And dote mervaloufly upon the Cardinalls, and upon the Bishops,and upon the Jefuites, and upon holy Catholique Mother Church, and their holy Father the Pope. These are the gods many of them doc adore.

I pray doe but looke well upon them all, what are they? all of them? Let but the holy Ghoft give his judgement of them, (who is onely wife) let his Counfell bee taken, and what? They are fpirits indeed, but uncleane fpirits, fpirits of Devills, that come out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beaft, the Roman visible Catholique Church is in the esteeme of the Holy Ghost a monsterous Beaft (as yee heard in the 13 Chapter Revel. 1 Ve.) And the head of the Popish Church a falfe Prophet. And what are these nimble wits,and goodly glorious perfons yee speake of? uncleane fpirits neither fit for meat nor facrifice, neither fit for Church nor Common-Wealth. Oh ye will fay they are fit for both; But faith the holy Ghoft they are Frogs, and not Church-men (as they call them) and uncleane, and not fit for civill use: neither fit for Church nor State; but fit to corrupt both, and breed corruption in both: Frogs they are and their Songs are much what as Frogs are, if yee mind them their note is alwayes much at one

either vifible fucceffion and that's one note; the Judge of controverfies, which they fay muft bee the Bishop of Rome, and the Roman Catholike vifible Church the holy Mother Church as they call it, thefe are their notes, their Song, but it is but a Frog-like Song what ever they thinke: and yee fball ever finde it, that when Religion hath beene moft lightfome, and Princes and States-men have beene moft warme in Religion, then yee fhall here no noife of

thefe