The Seven Vials, Explication 2 · Part 3
The Third Vial powred out. V. 4. And the third Angel poured out his vial vponupon the Riuers, and fountaines of waters, and they became blood; And I heard the Angel of the waters say▪ Thou art righteous O Lord, which art, and wast▪ and shalt be, because thou hast iudged thus. For they shed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke, for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the Altar say, even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy iudgements.
All Riuers (saith the Preacher) come from the …, and thither returne. Rivers then, sent out from the Sea,Eccles. 1.7. doe here signifie all Romes Emissaries,See King Iames his Paraphrase. as all Seminary Priests and Iesuites, who, as Rivers, doe convey and diffuse the Sea-waters of Romes doctrines to all Countries, and parts of the earth. And this Viall holds the like proportion to the third Trumpet, as the second Viall did to the second Trumpet. For the third part of the sea blood;Chap. 8.11. here all: and for the the third part of the Rivers imbittered; here all are turned into blood; for the same reason alledged in the former Viall. Only here seemeth to be a little difference between the Seas blood, and this of the Rivers: for that is as the blood of a dead man; this blood only, without other addition. Yet, at the best, blood it is. Here then are meant not only all those, that hauehave written large Commentaries vponupon the Councell of Trent, as Vega, Soto, Catharinus, Andradius, Bellarmine, &c. who with their Philosophycall, and Aristotelian Divinity, and Schoole-nicities, and quaint distinctions, hauehave laboured to giuegive a fairer luster to the blacke gore-blood thereof, and to propine it to the simple and subtile both, in Babylons golden cup, as Doctors ministring poysoned pills guilded over: but (as I said) all Priests and Iesuites, (whom King Iames calls the last brood of the Divell) who by their actiue motion, as Rivers, (the voluminous workes of their Rabbies, being but as great vnwealdy ponds, and standing lakes, in comparison) run more curr…ntly through the world. And in this one particular, note how the Councell of Trent it selfe hath turned the Rivers of Romes doctrine, I meane her writers, which before the Councell were but as it were a third part blood, now all into blood; namely, by their Index Expurgatorius, cancelling and letting out what purer waters they find in their writings (as might …e shewed by many famous instances) so that now all their Rivers must run nothing but blood.
And these may well be resembled to Rivers, for sundry respect… ▪ For first, as all Rivers hauehave their originall from, and finall course to the Sea: for all Romish Emissaries must divulge no other doctrine, but such as they derive from the Sea of Trents doctrines… and their course must tend to the inriching of the Sea of Rome. Secondly, as Rivers (like Fama malum, quo non aliud velocius vll…m. Mobilitate viget, vires que acquirit eundo. Parva me…u prim…, mox sese attollit in auras. Ingreditur que so…o, & caput inter nubila condit. Virgil. AEne.Fame) are small in the beginning, but running along, grow greater and greater, till they powre their full channells into the Sea: so all Iesuites, though at first they arise like poore brookes, yet by their long current they come to returne full streames of commodities to the Sea of Rome. Thirdly, as Rivers are of an incessant, and indefatigable motion, Labituret labetur in omne volubilis aevum: so are the most industrious, actiue, and vnwearied Iesuites. Fourthly, Rivers are full of windings: so Iesuites (like the Serpent) are full sly of insinuations, by meanes whereof (as Rivers) they traverse the greater tract of ground the more easily. Fifthly, Rivers vsually run along the fartest soyles, and fairest meadowes: and do not Iesuites so? Sixthly, Rivers in their spring are but weake, but being suffered to run along, by their strong and swift current, beare downe all obstacles that come in their way; so Iesuites at their first arrivall, when the Sluces or Sinque ports are not well stopt, are but weake in the beginning, but in tract of time they grow impetuous, and intollerable. Seventhly, Rivers cannot brooke the abundance of rain-waters from heaven, but being troubled therewith, by the stirring of their owne mud, they discontentedly swell over their bankes, and so cause inundations on every side: No more can these Rivers of Rome brooke the plentifull showres of the heavenly raine of the Gospell, but their muddy malice being troubled therewith, the more it raineth, the more they swell, and no bankes can containe or content them, but over they will, to bring a deluge ouer all. In a word, Rivers are pleasant, hauehave a gentle gliding motion; but if a man will commit his small vessell to the guidance and convoy of the streame, it will ingu…h him at length into the all-devouring Ocean. And such is the pleasant and plausible current of Iesuiticall perswasions, and faire motions, that if a man will pin his soule vponupon his sleeue, he will carry it hand smooth into the bottomlesse gulfe of the infernall Lake.
But herein vnlike to Rivers. For first, Rivers, though they come from the Sea, yet passing through the narrow veines, and secret pores of the earth, they put off all their brackishnesse: but these, as they come from a Sea of blood, so they run blood. Secondly, Rivers refresh all places, and the weary travailour especially: but these are bainfull wheresoever they come, and so farre from refreshing the weary Pilgrim, that is bound for the heavenly Hierusalem, that they poyson the soule of him that drinkes of them, sending him downe to the Mare mortuum, the Lake of Sodom. Thirdly, Rivers are many wayes commodious to the parts they runne by, importing necessaries, and exporting superfluities: but these are no way commodious, only bringing in false wares, or Babells toyes, for which they carry away the riches of the land, and that which is most precious of all, poore seduced soules of men. In a word,Revel. 18·13. Rivers breede and feede plenty of good fish for the vse of men: but these are full of netts to catch, and bainfull intoxicating baites to kill all the fish, that come within their Channell.
The summe is; the pouring out of this third Viall, is to discover the deadly and dangerous doctrines, which (of all other) Romes Emissaries, Iesuites doe broch and vent in all Countries. Yea the confirmation of this Ignati…n, or Igniferian Order, the Divells last brood, (as King Iames calls them) by Pope Paul 3. in the time of the Councell of Trent, doth plainly point them out, for those speciall Rivers here, which deriue their bloody waters immedatly from that bloody sea. Their doctrines are bloody, in a twofold respect. First, in that they cause and procure infinite blood-sheds in the world, not sparing the sacred blood of Kings and Princes, and of all Gods Saints and servants. Secondly, in a spirituall regard, by killing the soules of those, that drinke in these bloody waters, in stead of the pure fountain-water of the word of God. And this is specially that blood here meant. It is no lesse mortiferous, then that of the Sea, in the former Viall, whereof every living soule therein, dieth. For what other doctrines doe the Iesuites bring, but such as are agreeable to those of Trent; all blood? Though they smooth it over never so artificially, yet all is but Babylons cup of poyson, and of all abominations, only ministred and served in, in glistering gold of gloseing glosses.
For this cause, is added here an acknowledgement of Gods iustice, vponupon those that drinke of this blood, to wit, all Papists. Thou are righteous O Lord, &c. because thou hast iudged thus; for they shed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke, for they are worthy. God is still the same righteous God, that ever he was, and will be to the end, notwithstanding the prevalent impotent spirit of all-daring Atheisme, wherewith the world is now towards the end possessed; wherein is verified that of Saint Peter, 2 Pet. 3.3. &c. When shall come scoffers, walking after their owne Iusts, saying, where is the promise of his comming? Well, howsoever the daft world little discerne or dreame of it, the righteous God is still a pouring out the Vialls of his wrath vponupon the vessells of wrath, fitted to destruction. Marke it well Gods righteousnesse is here magnified, for revenging▪ the innocent blood of his Saints, cruelly and prodigally spilt by their bloody persecuters, those of the Church of Rome mainely, which being made drunke with the blood of the Saints▪ and of the Martyrs of Iesus, as Chapter 17: therefore they hauehave blood given them to drinke, for they are worthy. So righteous is God▪ to recomp…nse blood to the bloody. As Q…eene Tomyris, having in a bloody field, vanquished Cyrus, Hero dot. in … lib. 1.and slaine him, she chopt off his head, and putting it into a Vessell, full of blood, (for Cyrus had formerly slaine her sonne) she said, Now satiate and glutt thy selfe with bloud, which, living, thou didst so much chirst after. The like may the spowse of Christ say to Rome and her followers, who for their cruell massacring and marryring her innocent sonnes, hauehave now blood in bowles, yea whole Rivers, given them to drinke, for they are worthy.
But he that will discerne the fearefull plague vponupon all Papists, must with Dauid goe into the sanctuary of the Lord ▪ he must be an Angell from the Altar, he must hauehave a spirituall eye to discerne it. For doth any Papist so much as once dreame, that he is a drinker of blood; That all his religion, and the practise of it, all his adoring of, or before his gaye pictures and images, all his invocating of his bead-rowle of Saints, all the Masses he heareth, all his or her turning over their devoute beads, all their Ave mari…s ▪ and Agnus D…es; all their shrifts, confessions, and absolutions, all their whipping chere in Lent, when they let themselues blood, all their confidence in the Popes pardon…, all their falling down at the tinkling of the bell, when their little God almighty is solemnely caryed abroad, all their trust in selfe-merits, and distrust in Gods mercyes, as they are inioyned, and a rabble of infinite more pretty knacks, so pleasing and plausible to flesh and bloud, which at the ripest age hath not overgrowne the state of little children, being altogether affected with all such baby play, as their mother Babell hath invented for her children: that all this should be a drinking of blood? Yes. So saith the spirit of God here. That which they esteeme their only blisse, is their only hauehave. These Doctrines which Romes fishes drinke in like water, yea as wine, is no other then filthy corrupt gore-blood. Oh fearefull condition I Well may such be reckoned among one of the seven last plagues poured out of the Vials of the wrath of God. That being properly a plague, which tends to the perdition of the soule, different from other afflictions, which may amend their patients. For how can false and corrupt doctrines ever bring a man to reformation, and repentance, when they corrupt his very intellectualls, where by his moralls should be guided? But it is in vayne to inculcate this in the eares of dead fishes, which living in the flesh, are so spiritually dead, as they can never be so perswaded, that they are those, to whom God hath gipen blood to drinke.
No? will they not belieue it? But here is a reason added, forcible enough to perswade even common sense: for they are worthy? For they hauehave shedde the blood of Saints and Prophets. See King Iames his Paraphrase.They▪ Who? who, but the Church of Rome? Who, but Popish persecuters? who, but Babylon, drunke with the blood of the Saints, and of the Martyrs of Iesu… ?Chap. 17.6. But how is this appliable to the Papists here in England? Did this generation (at least wise) ever shed the blood of Martyrs and Saints? If no, how is God righteous in giving them blood to drinke? How are they worthy? The last Martyrs of Iesus, that suffered in England, were they not in Queene Maryes dayes? And is not that generation of persecutors quite extinct? How then can the hands of Papists in these dayes, be sayd to be imbrued in the blood of the Saint…? But what if their hearts be imbrued in it, at least by assent, affection, approbation, allowance of the crueltie of their fore-fathers, who had a hand in slaying of them▪ But perhaps our Papists will say in this case, as the Iewes in the like, If we had … in the dayes of our Fathers; we… would not hauehave been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. Yet even hereupon Christ tells them▪ wherfore ye be witnesses vntounto your selues, tha… ye are the children of them, which killed the Prophets, fill ye up then the measur… of your Fathers. But these Iewes built and garnish…d … Sepulchres of those Prophets, whom their forefathers had slaine; a signe, that they honoured the memory of the Prophets. And who seeme more to honour the ancient holy Martyrs, not only in erecting, and adorning their Sepulchres and Shrines, yea and adoring of them too; then all Papists doe? In this kind the Papists doe exceed the Iewes infinitely. How then may it be said of them, fill ye vp then the measure of your Fathers? Or, how may this Viall be poured on Papists as a vengeance, that they should be found worthy to drinke such blood? At least wise, our present English Papists will say, they are not the off-spring of those, whose hands were imbrued in the blood of Martyrs. Yea, they will deny those to be Martyrs of Christ, who were put to death in Queene Maries dayes. Here are two things to be answered▪ we will answer the last first. It is shamelesse impudency to deny those to be Martyrs of Christ, who were then put to death for religion. And for what other religion, then that same, for which the Old Martyrs were persecuted and slaine? We will challenge all Papists in the world, that they are not able to shew any difference in all the maine grounds of religion, betweene these lat…er, and those ancienter Martyrs. Which till they shall doe, let them not envy the honourable name of Martyrs of Christ, to such as were slaine by the purple Whore. To the former we answer, that perhaps many Papists in England were not the very naturall off-spring of those Fathers, who persecuted the Martyrs in Queene Maries dayes. Yet I dare be bold to say▪ that all the Papists now in England are the spirituall off-spring at least of those persecuters. Doe they not imitate them in the same Romish faith, (yea and that Iesui…ed too, which was then but in the bud) which those persecuters then imbraced? And did not Christ call the Iewes, sonnes of the Divell, because they imitated his workes? But yet haply our English Papists will say, if we had lived in the dayes of our forefathers, we would not hauehave put these men to death. But let such take heed they speake it not in the hearing of their Ghostly …ather; least he impose vponupon them some sharper penance, and stricter discipline, for their want of Romish zeale, and Iesuiticall spirit. No, nor yet for so saying, let them looke for more credit to be given them of vsus, then Christ gaue to the Iewes; who told them plainly, that for all their protestation, and pretence to the contrary, yet they were guilty of the blood of all those Prophets, whom their forefathers had killed. That vponupon You (saith he) may come all the righteous blood shed vponupon the earth, Mat. 23.35.from the blood of righteous Abel, vntounto the blood of Zacharias, sonne of Barachia…, whom Ye slew betweene the Temple and the Altar. Whom Ye slew? Did these Iewes (to whom Christ now spake) slay Abel and Zacharias, who were killed so many generations past?2 Chron. 2.22. See Calvin on Matth. 23.35. Was not this Zacharias slaine in King Io… his raigne? how then did these Iewes slay him, and the rest of the old Prophets, even vntounto Abel? Surely because they repented not of the cruell actions and affections of their forefathers, who slew those Prophets, who retained and nourished the same spirit of cruelty and disaffection towards the true Prophets: witnesse their carriage towards Christ himselfe the Prince of Prophets. How did they intreat, intertaine him? Did they not in fine put him to death? And if they did this to the greene tree, was it likely they would hauehave spared the dry, and those ancient Prophets, who spake of Christ, & whom, for witnessing the truth, their forefathers killed, as these did Christ, for the same cause? And did the A…ostles and Disciples of Christ speed any better at their hands? How say these Iewes then, If we had liued in the dayes of our forefathers, we would not hauehave beene partakers with them, (no▪ in no sort) in the blood of the Prophets? A likely matter indeed, that these murtherers would hauehave spared the old Prophets, who were so beastly cruell to the innocent Lambe, and Sonne of God.
Let this example of the Iewes (who justly brought themselues vnderunder the guilt of all the inn…ent blo…shed from the beginning of the world, by their imitation of their forefathers cruelty▪ by following them in their wicked faith, and affections, and hatred of the truth) admonish all our English Papists, and mind them whose sonnes they be, that shed the blood of the Martyrs; for being their sonnes, at least (and that in the worst kind) by spirituall propagation of the false and Antichristian faith, and by the imitation of their inveterate hatred to the truth of the Gospell, and to those that preach and professe it, they become thereby guilty of all the blood of those Martyrs, who were slaine for the selfe same faith and truth, which we of the Church of England at this day professe and avow: and conseque…tly, ye are found to be worthy to drinke the most bainfull blood of Romes deadly doctrines, (the fearfullest plague, that ever could befall you) to your eternall perdition, without speedy repentance, and conversion to the truth. Nay (which my pen trembleth to set downe) Papists are found to be copartners with the Iewes, in crucifying even of Christ himselfe, whom they so persecute in his truth, and in his members▪ for which cause (saith the royall Paraphrast) they are partners with Iudas in the death of Christ. Read for this purpose the 11. chapter of this booke, together with King Iames his Paraphrase vponupon it. Nor can any Papist, though never so full of subtile shifts▪ shift this Scripture off from himselfe, and all those of the Church of Rome. There is nothing more cleare, (no, not the Sun when it shineth brightest in the Summer Meridian) then that the Pope of Rome is that Beast Rev. 13. and the Church of Rome that Babylon, drunke with the blood of the Saints, and of the Martyrs of Iesus, Chapter 17: all Iesuiticall sophistry cannot avoid it. And if Papists durst but looke vponupon this Scripture, it would make their haire stand on end, to see in what a deplored state they are, … vponupon them mainly (the Beast-marked, his Image-worshippers) all these seaven Vialls, one in the necke of another, poure forth their plagu…s, never ceassing, till they hauehave fulfilled the wrath of God in the finall and fatall ruine and desolation of that whole Synagogue of Rome, which now approacheth, and hastneth on apace.
It is added: And I heard another out of the Altar say, Euen so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy iudgement…. These word… are a confirmation of the former. This voice is but inculcated, and ingeminated, to rowse vp the Infidell and Atheisticall world to take notice of Gods truth and righteousnesse; of his truth, concerning all those Prophecies in his word denouncing destruction to the enemies of his Church, which we hauehave in a good part seene, and for the rest shall be no lesse certainly in their due time accomplished: also, of his divine, exact, vnpartiall justice, by recompensing, leg… Talionis, like for like, like punishments and judgements for like sinnes; like spirituall thirst after the blood of the Saints, who follow the truth to their salvation, with like spirituall drinke of the bainfull blood of pestilentiall doctrines, and lies, which all Papists drinke in, to their damnation.
But why, Another from the Altar? Surely I cannot conceiue the reason hereof, vnlesse it be this. We all know what infinite havock the Church of Rome hath of a long time, and dayly doth make of the blood of Christ, vponupon their Popish Altar. HaueHave they not even stopped and dryed vp that fountaine of his blood, set open for Israel and Iuda, for sinne and for vncleanesse? hauehave they not robbed the poore people of the Sacramentall Cup, which should bee a fresh memoriall, and effectuall application of that sinne purging blood to every faithfull receiver? HaueHave they not hereby evacuated that covenant of the New Testament, which was ratified and sealed with the blood of Christ, without which is no remission? HaueHave they not thus torne away the seale from the Testament of grace? HaueHave they not in stead thereof erected a new vnbloody sacrifice of a fantasticall inchanted body▪ which they notwithstanding mo… blasphemously and senselesly call their Propitiatory sacrifice for the quick …, and a … all sore…? Doe they not thus account the bloud of the covenant, which should sanctifie them, an vnholy thing? Doe they not thus trample vnderunder foote the Sonne of God▪ And …hat even then, when they would seeme most of all to elevate him in their fained Host vponupon their Altar? Their very Alltar (as holy, as they would make it … be) …o deeply stained with the guilt of Christs bloud spil… vponupon it. Therefore here is one sent from the Altar of God (even from Iesus Christ, our only Al…ar, on whom we offer vp the Calues of our lips) who mightily magnifieth the truth and iustice of God… in giving spirituall deadly blood to them to drinke, who (hauehave …pon their Idoll-Altar taken away and disanulled that only Propitiatory blood of Christ. which he hath left to his Church, for every faithfull man to drinke spiritually by faith, to the consolation of his conscience, the confirmation of his faith, and the salvation of his soule. Thus iust and true is God, every way, at every turne, to meet with his enemyes, and to pay them home with their owne coyne.