in the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation, and to repeat one thing twice over would be needlefs; and as for the chief heads contained in chapters xxi. xxii. I have opened them in the said Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation. So that I shall interpret a little what is meant by those words of John's Revelation, in chap. xxii. and verfes 18, 19. and' fo conclude this epiftle.

CHA P. LXXXI.

HESE words of John have been an occafion of many perfecuting, and

Tignorant men and women's fpirits, to perfecute and rail against the pureft. truth that ever was declared, and against the true meffengers whom God hath chofen and fent; whom he hath endued with the fpirit of revelation, and interpretation of fcriptures, more than all the men in the world befides, in that when things have been declared, and fcriptures interpreted beyond the common sense that learned men have declared and interpreted, they have faid with great anger and zeal, that we have either added to the word of God, or else we have diminifhed from it. Therefore to fatisfy the reader, I fhall open how a man may be faid to add unto the prophefy of this book of John's Revelation, and how he may be faid to diminish, or take away the words of this prophefy of this book.

The words of John are these, verse 18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophefy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God fball add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. Verse 19. And if any man fhall take away from the words of the book of this prophesy, God fhall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

I would have the reader to mind, and he may know whether a man doth add unto this book, or take from it; for this is to be minded, that whoever doth undertake to be a minister of Chrift without a commiffion from him, or fhall undertake to give the interpretation of the fcriptures, without having the gift of interpretation; which gift he cannot have except he have a commiffion from God, or from him that did receive it from God. For how is it poffible that any man should give true interpretations of the scriptures, and of that book of the Revelation of Saint John, and yet not know the true God, nor the right devil? Therefore it is for certain, that all non-commiffionated minifters and fpeakers whatsoever in all these seven churches in Europe, I fay, it is they only that do add unto this book, and they only that do take from it. They may be faid to add to it, because they give this, and that fenfe upon the words of this prophecy, even what their imaginations doth dictate unto them, they being uncertain in themselves that what they fay to be true. So that whoever doth take upon him to be a minister of the gofpel, and to interpret the fcriptures without a commiffion from God, or that knowledge aforefaid, I fay fuch men as thofe may be faid to add unto the words of the prophecy of this book of the Revelation; and not only fo, but to the whole book of the fcriptures. For all men that do undertake to be minifters and preachers of Chrift without a commiffion from him, they not being fent by him, these men only are those that do add unto the pro

phecy

phecy of this book; that is, they add their own vain thoughts and conceivngs of their own imaginations unto the truths of God. So that inftead of the true meaning of the fcriptures, the people have nothing elfe but the preachers thoughts and conceivings of the fcriptures, and fo are altogether unfatisfied in their spirits ; and these are those men that do add unto the prophefy of this book of the Revelation, and to the book of the fcriptures. So in like manner will God add unto him, or them, the plagues that are written in this book.

Now what these plagues are, they are spoken of in this book. The plagues that shall be added unto them, are fpiritual; that is to fay, fpiritual darkness upon the mind here, and the fear of the second death; so that the foul of man fhall poffefs the fecond death, which fhall burn as a lake of fire and brimstone in utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth to eternity. These are thofe fpiritual plagues that God will add to all those men that go to be preachers of his gofpel, and were not fent by him; for they only do add unto the prophefy of this book. So that the readey may fee, what a dangerous thing it is for a man to take upon him to prophefy, preach, or teach as a meffenger of Chrift, without a commiffion from him. For whoever doth fo, he doth add his own vain thoughts and imaginations in the fcriptures of those heavenly fecrets, mysteries, and vifions declared by holy men, who were infpired by the holy Ghost, or the revelation of faith, to write thofe things aforefaid; yet men by their own imaginations, by the gift of learning, and by the natural wisdom of reason, will undertake to interpret fcriptures, and to be preachers to others, without a commiffion from God, and without any true knowledge of God. And fo these men do come to add other interpretations of their own conceivings unto the fcriptures, which is contrary to the mind of that fpirit that writ them, and fo they become capable to receive of those plagues that are written in this book, as aforesaid.

A

CHAP. LXXXII.

LSO I would have the reader to know, that the fame men that do add their conceivings unto this book, the fame fort of men do take away from the words of this book of this prophefy. They may be faid to take away from it, in that they will not fuffer any true interpreter to expound the meaning of the words of the prophecy of that book of the Revelation, or any other fcriptures ; only this, fome men's minds are acted out one way, and fome another; fome men fo they may be fuffered to fpeak thir own phantafies upon the fcriptures, fo as to please themselves and their hearers; that is, they care not how much they add to this book, not minding to take any thing from it. It is not their principles to take any thing from the fcriptures, but their delight is altogether to add their vain conceptions, conceiving the meaning thus, and thus.

But he that taketh away from this book, is fuch a one that will not suffer the true interpretation of the fcriptures, nor of this book of the Revelation; because the true interpretaiton of the scriptures overthroweth all the principles of religion in the world. So that if truth fhould be fuffered to have freedom in the world, then all the old principles of religion that have been received in the world fo many

hundred

hundred years by the Pope and others, they would quite fall to the ground. So that there is a neceffity that there should be a number of men to add unto this book, and a number of men to take away from it. For true revelation always had fome to add to it, and some to take from it: fo that he that taketh from it, God will take his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. The meaning is this, that as they would not fuffer any true interpretation of the fcriptures to abide in the world, but would take it quite away, both the interpretation, and the interpreter alfo: So in like manner God will take his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city; fo that he shall have no part in that glory and everlasting life which is written of in this book of the Revelation. That is, he thought by taking away from the words of this book; that is, by his perfecuting the true intepretation of it, that he did God good fervice, even as he did that added to it; for he that adds unto it, as aforefaid, doth think he doth God good fervice; so in like manner he that taketh from it, as aforefaid, that perfectes true revelation and true interpretation, he doth think he doth God good fervice in fo doing; and fo he thinks to have a part in the book of life, and to be one the of the members of the holy city, and to have a right to that glory and happiness that is written in this book; when, alas, alas! he is one of them that hath taken from the prophecy of this book, by perfecuting the true interpretation of it, fo that God hath taken away that part he thought he had in the book of life, and that confidence he had in being a member of the holy city, and of the glory hereafter.

I say all these things will God take away from thofe men, that do take away from the words of the prophecy of this book of the fcriptures, and more.efpeci ally this book of the Revelation of faint John. this is the true meaning of the spirit in adding and taking away from this book of John's Revelation.

Oh where is there a man hardly to be found, but he is guilty of one of thefe two, either to add, or to take away from this myfterios book of the Revelation John; fo the reader may fee, what the fpirit doth mean by adding and taking away, and who they are that do this; for this is to be confidered that no man can interpret the fcriptures but he that is chofen and fent of God, as Mofes and Aaron, Peter and Paul, and us the Witneffes of the Spirit.

Also none can interpret the fcriptures truly, but those that have the fame spirit as thofe had that fpake the fcriptures; that fpirit can trace the steps of God Almighty in thofe three paths which God hath walked in; those three paths are God's three commiffions, or three records on earth; to wit, water, blood, and spirit; fo that no commissionated man of God can be faid either to add to, or diminish from the word of God, for he is chofen of God to reveal the myfteries of the kingdom unto his chofen ones, which mysteries are hidden in that letter. So that the meffengers of God fhall be punished of God if they will not go forth to declare the myfteries of the kingdom; but on the contrary, if men go and are not fent of God, they are punished of God for going before they were fent; and in going before they are fent, they do add and take away from the fcriptures, and from this book of the revelation; for they being not chofen, nor fent of God, they do not know the true meaning of the fcriptures: fo they not U know