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tion for conscience sake, he is called by the spirit an evil beast, a serpent, a devil, a dragon. So that when the spirit or seed of reason doth act in the head magistrate like a dragon, that king or head magistrate may be said to be a dragon, as Herod.

And when a head magistrate doth act as a subtle serpent, he may be called a serpent, as did those Jews in Christ's and the apostles time. And when a head magistrate doth aet as a devil, he may be called a devil, as murdering Cain in point of worship, slew his brother Abel, and so the Jews did by Christ in point of worship.

Therefore Christ calls those Jews which were headmagistrates, as the high priests and levites, he calls them serpents, devils, saying they were of their father the devil, for he was a murderer, and a liar from the beginning.

Now Cain was the first liar and murderer, and so the first devil in the state of mortality. And those Jews that would have killed Christ, were the children of Cain, therefore called devils, because they did the same works as Cain, their father had done, for they had persecuted and killed prophets and righteous men, and so they did Christ himself, as Peter doth relate in the Acts of the Apostles. So that they walked in the way of their father Cain, therefore called devils.

Only this I would have the reader to understand, that when the spirit of reason doth act in the head magistrate, as a serpent, or as a devil, or as a dragon, or any other way that the scriptures doth brand for

wickedness,

wickedness, it is all acted in this world, though John doth say he saw it in heaven.

But it is by way of vision, but the wickedness is acted in this earth; for the spirit of reason, which is the devil, is become mortal, and so he exercises his cruelties and murders upon mortals like himself. But it is said to be in heaven, because the first original of reason came from heaven; the fallen angels nature being the spirit of reason fallen, it became mortal, and so hath run through the seed of mortality, and so acts in the state of mortality, as a serpent, devil, or dragon. And is said by the Revelation of John to be seen in heaven, because the spirit of reason, the devil, the original of it, came from heaven, but the things acted by it are acted in this earth,&c.

CHAP. XXXV.

NOW the spirit of reason in this beast that did arise out of the sea, to whom the dragon gave his power, seat, and authority unto, he is said to be like unto a leopard.

Now a leopard is a speckled or spotted creature. Now this beast is said to be like unto a leopard, in regard of the policy which he did exercise to gain the people to fight for him and his image; for he seemed to the people to be very religious and zealous in worship, but it was to images of wood and

stone.

Yet this form of worship and command he gave to the people to worship the image, they were as white spots of righteousness. And his threatning

of

of those that would not bow down to worship the image, these were his black spots; so that he in this regard may be said to be like a leopard, that is, spotted black and white; black to the saints, but white to those that received the mark of the beast in his right hand, or in his forehead; and in this regard he may be said to be like a leopard.

Secondly, He is said, to have feet as it were the feet of a bear, that is, he acted as a bear doth with his feet. That is, to claw and break the bones of that in pieces which he hath power over; for the strength and mischief of a bear it lieth most in his feet. So was it with the beast, he by his command to worship the image which he set up, did claw and break the bones of those saints that would not fall down and worship the image, by persecution, imprisonment, and death itself; and in this regard he may be said to have feet as it were the feet of a bear.

Thirdly, It is said, And his mouth was as the mouth of a lion; the meaning is this, he acted with his mouth as the mouth of a lion doth. That is, as the mouth of a lion doth roar wirh such an exceeding great and terrible noise, that the beasts of the forrests exceedingly fear and tremble at the noise of the lion, that cometh out of his mouth; so likewise the roaring noise that came out of this beast's mouth made all the saints in Asia at that time to fear and tremble; for there was gone out of this beast's mouth great blasphemy, as in verse 5. And a command went out of his mouth that they should worship the dragon, who gave his power, scat, and authority unto this beast.

And

And in regard the dragon's power, seat, and authority was given and established upon this beast, there went a command out of this beast's mouth, that all people should worship the beast, as they did the dragon, as in verse 4. of this chapter. So that the mouth of this beast may be said to be like the mouth of a lion; for these his commands to worship devils, and blasphemies against the living God, proceeded out of the beast's mouth. even as the floods of water did out of the dragon's mouth; and in this regard the beast may be said to have a mouth like the mouth of a lion.

Now it is to be observed, that this beast had one of his heads as it were wounded unto death. Now it is to be minded, that it was but as it were, nor was thought unto death, but his head was not quite dead; if it had, he would have done no more mischief to the saints; but his deadly wound was healed, so that the world did the more wonder after him, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?

Now I would have the seed of faith to mind who it was that did give this beast that deadly wound in his head, and yet was healed again. It was the faith and patience of the saints that did give him this deadly wound, in that they would not worship the beast, nor his image, but did suffer persecution unto the death joyfully. So that this beast was sick with torment of soul, in that he could not bring them from the faith of Jesus, to worship devils, nor to submit to his will, so that he was wounded almost to death.

So

So that he was weary of persecuting the saints, his conscience being so wounded he gave over persecuting for a season, until his conscience was healed again.

And though it be said, that he had a wound by a sword, and did live, it was no other sword but the sword of the spirit, which was in the saints; even the faith of Jesus, which enabled them to suffer with chearfulness the spoiling of their goods, and not loving their lives unto the death, rather than to worship the beast, or his image. And this was that deadly wound that the beast had in his head; and this was the first day, and one of the ten days tribulation the saints did undergo. For when men suffer meerly for their faith of Jesus, or in innocency of mind in matter of worship, they do by their sufferings wound the persecutors souls more, that if they should turn again and fight with a sword of steel. So that it was the saints patient sufferings than did give this beast as John speaketh of, that deadly wound in his head..

But after a season his deadly wound was healed. That is, after the plague of his heart was over, that he saw he should not die, he grew worse, much like Pharaoh, when Moses had taken away the plague from him and his people, his heart was hardened, and made more cruel and worse. So was it with this beast, when his conscience had the fear of the present death taken off him, so that he was healed as to that; then he grew worse than he was before. For now his mouth uttered blasphemy, and power

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