Part 2. and Protectors of popery, whofe turn fhall come to fuffer the deaths and torments, which they had caufed the faithful to fuffer; which he says came to pafs in England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 4. According to de Launay, this is the Doctrine of popery, that shall become odious to all its followers. 5. Teftard follows the Interpretation of Mede. 6. Durrham does the like. 7. And fo does Dr. More.

Interoretations of

The fourth Plague is, The Sun, whose heat and the fourth Scorching beams do burn men. 1. According to plague Forbes, this is the Light of the Gospel, which is renewed, and doubled by the Reformation, and which fills the Papifts with defpair. 2. Cocceim faith almoft the fame thing, that the Sun is Jefus Chrift, the beams are his efficacy and light, which deftroys the fuperftitions of popery by discovering them. 3. Mede thinks that the Sun in this fourth Plague is the Emperor, or fome other great Potentate, who fhallabandon popery and torment it. 4. De Launay judges, that the Sun is the Pope, (and this is the only thing in which he hath gueffed right) aud that the burning caufed by the Sun, fignifies that remorfe of Confcience, which Papifts fubjects of the Pope will feel. 5. Teftard, who every where follows Mede, does leave him here and follows Forbes. 6. Durrham follows Mede, 7. AndDr, More is of the opinion of Forbes and Cocceins.

Interprerations of

the fifth plague.

The fifth Plague falls upon the feat of the Beast, which is darkned by it. 1. According to Forbes, this is the diminution of credit and authority, which happened to popery by the Reformation. 2. According to Cocceins, the throne of the Beast fignifies a multitude of Nations, upon whom the Pope did fit, and this throne was overturn'd by the Council

C

Council of Trent, which by its excommunicati- Part 2. ons hath feperated a multitude of Nations from the See of Rome. 3. According to fofeph Mede, this fignifies, that the City of Rome fhall be utterly deftroy'd a confiderable time before popery be compleatly ruin'd. 4. This is alfo the opinion of de Launay. 5. Teftard hath followed them both. 6. And Durrbam likewife. 7. Dr. More faith, that the plague which falls upon the feat of the Beaft, and darkens it, is the difcovery of the falfhood of the pretended infallibility of the Pope.

tions of::

The fixth Plague falls upon Euphrates, whofe Interpretawaters are dryed up, that a way may be open'd to the the fixth Kings of the Eaft. 1. According to Forbes, Euphra- plague. tes fignifies the Papal power and domination; the Kings of the Eaft are Turks and Jews this Papal domination is an obftacle to the converfion ofthefe' Kings of the Eaß; when it fhall be abolifht that which is fignified by the drying up of the River Euphrates, the Turks and fews fhall be converted. 2. According to Cocceius, Euphrates fignifies alfo the power of the new Babylon. This Euphrates (faith he) this Roman power, hath been much weakned in this prefent age by the wars, which have happened between the Spaniards, the French, the Germans, the Hollanders. The Kings of the East are the Turks, which must come; but he knows not how far they must come. 3. According to Jofeph Mede, Euphrates dryed up, fignifies the ruin of the Mahometans; and the Kings of the Eaft who fhall come, are the fews, who fhall be converted. 4.De Launay, fays almoft the fame thing; fave that by the Kings of the East who fhall come, he underftands all the Nations which are on the other fide of the Bosphorus, who fhall be converted to the Faith. 5 Teftard exactly follows the conjecture

of

1

I

t

Part 2. of Iofeph Mede. 6. Iames Durrham doesnot much differ. 7. And Dr. More conjectures, that here is fignified the conjunction of the Turks and Iews, as well as their converfion. They all agree in interpreting, the three unclean spirits like unto Frogs, to be the Agents and Ambassadars of the Pope, or Monks.

Interpreta.

tions of

The feventh viol falls upon the air, and the the feventh plague confifts in thunders,lightnings,earthquakes,& plague. the divifion of the City into three parts. 1. Forbes explains this to be the total ruin of popery, but knows not what to make of the divifion of the City into three parts. parts. 2. Cocceius applies this to the wars, which have happen'd in this Age in England, Scot land, to the maffacre in Ireland, to the death of King Charles I. to the War between the Hollan ders and Spaniards; He confeffeth alfo, that he knows not what the divifion of the City into three parts means: by the City he understands the true "Church. 3. Mede alfo explains all this, to be the final deftruction of popery: but faith nothing of the divifion of the City into three parts. 4. De Lauunderstands, it after the fame manner; he says, that the three parts of the City have relation to the three great judgements, by which God will deftroy the Antichriftian Empire. 5. Teftard follows Mede, and knows no more then he the meaning of the divifion of the City into three parts. 6. According to fames Durrham, this Plague comprehends all the calamities which muit happen from the fall of Antichrift, unto the end of the world: the divifion of the City into three parts in his judgement, means nothing elfe but the total fubverfion of popery. 7. Lastly, Dr. More agreeing with the others, that this Plague comprizerh the total ruin of popery, adds that the divifion of the

nay

City into three parts, alludes to the three grand Part 2. Parties that divide the world, viz. the Infidels, he Antichriftians, and the Proteftanis this divifion indeed, is not an effect of the feventh plague; but is (faith he) afcribed to it, for the adorning of the Prophecy, but'tis a fign of no deep thinking to make fuch conjectures.

defe&ts of

all thefe

I will not spend time to lay open the weakneffes General of these Interpretations: they are so apparent, that the dimmeft eye may difcern them. Onely you Interpreta may please to remarque thefe general faults or de- tions. fects in them, 1. They confound the viols with the plagues. 2. They do not divide the times of these plagues by periods; but for the most part heap one upon another. 3. They obferve not any Chronology, or order of Hiftory. 4. They make not a Syftem of events. 5. They obferve not to fet down the refemblance between the Prophetick reprefentations and Historical events: For example, what refemblance is there between a Sea and the popish worship; between Rivers and Doctors, or Bishops? If in tome places they have laid down a refemblance between the Emblemes which the Prophet ufes, and the things to which they have applyed them. This is by meer chance, this appears, because this resemblance is onely to be found in fome places, not in all. 6. They have this common fault, that they pafs over feveral things, without explaining, for instance, the divifion of the City into three parts. Let this be carefully observed, that we, fhall give fuch an explication, in which not one of thefe faults can be found; but there will be a Syftem of events well fet together: there will be a diftinction between the viol and the plague, and the plagues will follow one another, as well as the periods: there willbe a perfect resemblance, between

the

Part 2. the Prophetick Emblems and the Events. Lastly, there will not be fo much as one article in the Prophecy, of which we have not found the compleat fulfilling in the Events recorded by history.

Part.
Ch. 8.

The Em

here bor-n

An explication of the three firft VIOLS, and
the three firft PLAGUES.

A

S to the five first plagues, I continue to have the fame thoughts, which I propofed in my prejudies against popery nothing remains, but to confirm and illuftrate them. The Text is thus:

Chap. 16. v.1. And I heard a great voyce out of the Temple, faying to the feven Angels, Go your ways, and pour out the viols of the wrath of God upon

the earth.

v.2. And the first went, and pour'd out his viol upon the earth, and there fell a noyfom andgrievous fore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipt his Image.

It is clear enough, that God makes here an allublems are fion to the plagues of Egypt: We have a little berowed from fore feen, that the Sea of glaß, i. e. of ice mingled the plagues with fire, upon whichthofe ftood who were efca

of Egypt.

ped out of the fpiritual Egypt, had its allufion unto the red fea, upon whofe thore the Ifraelites being got out of Egypt were found. In like manner, here the Prophet alludes to that pouder, which Mofes caft into the air, and which falling down upon the Egyptians became fwelling boyls. Inthe Greek there itands not in the first verse the general term plague, but an evil and wicked boyl; and this

t