Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 16:4

4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters , and they became blood .

Mr. Mede and Dr. Moor both agree in interpreting this of the Iesuits and other Popish Emissa[illegible: 1 letter]ies.

And the Laws made for the Execution of them in England in the time of Qu. Elizabeth, not excluding those civil Powers, which are the Upholders and Maintainers of Antichrist, as the Spaniard, who also within these last 100 years, hath had Blood enough given him to drink, both in 1588, and in the Low-C[illegible: 3 letters]tries. It seemeth a little hard to interpret a Prophecy relating to the whole Church, by what is done in so small a part of it. We know in what credit these Emissaries are at this day, both in the Empire, and in Spain, and in France, and Venice, (from whence they sometimes were expelled.) We have, indeed, Laws against them in England but principally relating to those of them, who, being native Subjects of England, have apostatized. So as I had rather think this Vial is not yet poured out, or that Interpreters mistake the meaning of these Fountains and Rivers, than agree with them in that Interpretation of this Prophecy. I am much disposed to believe that we are not further than the pouring out of the second Vial. God, indeed, hath made the Romish Clergy contemptible enough, and hath vexed and enraged them sufficiently. He hath also made their Scenical Religion as contemptible to, and justly abhorred by a great part of the Christian World; but how far he hath proceeded further to the Ruine of Antichrist, I do not understand.