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Intimating that there was, nor is any thing created or made by any other God or infinite fpirit whatfoever, but by the Lord Jefus Chrift only.

Here the feed of faith may fee that the Revelation of John, hath fet forth Jefus Chrift to be he that is, and which was, and which is to come; and that these seven spirits before his throne, proceeded from Jefus Chrift the only wife God, bleffed for ever; yet I declare that it was all but one spirit of God, going forth into the feven churches of Afia, in giving them feven feveral reproofs, and feven feveral bleffings, as aforefaid, as I have here fet down.

Alfo the Revelation of John hath given, anfwerable to the feven bleffings, feven feveral titles to this God, according to their feveral operations and bleffings in the feven churches of Afia.

Therefore called the feven fpirits which are before his throne.

Therefore I have fet them down in order as before written.

And because the feed of faith may understand and know that these seven spirits fpoken of by John, are no other but that one spirit of Jefus Chrift, the only wife God, be that is, and he that was, and he which is to come.

I fay, from this Jefus proceeded thofe feven fpirits, and thofe feven titles are attributed to him which is, which was, and which is to come,

That is, this Jefus is he that by his fpirit or grace holdeth.

1. The feven ftars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the feven golden candlesticks. The feven stars, in his right hand is the miniftry of the feven churches, and the golden candlesticks are the churches themselves, as aforesaid. 2. This Jefus is he that is the First, and the Laft, which was dead, and is alive. 3. Chrift is he that hath the fharp fword with two edges, in that he his the judge of the quick and the dead.

4. This Chrift Jefus is he whofe eyes are like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brafs.

5. This Jefus is he that hath the feven fpirits of God, because he is God, and and hath the seven stars.

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6. This Jefus is he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man fhuteth, and fhuteth, and no man openeth.

7. This Jefus is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

CHAP. V.

TH

HUS in fome measure I have opened what is meant by him which is, which was, and which is to come, and what is ment by the feven spirits before his throne.

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It will be neceffary to open fomething what is meant by his throne. The throne of Chrift I declare is where he is, as it is with an earthly king; where the king is, there is his throne, especially where the king doth fit in judgment upon any matters of life and death.

But if he be not there in his own perfon, yet his arms is fet over every place of judicatory, and the judge of that place doth fit under the king's arms, reprefenting the perfon of the king.

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And

And fo the judge fits in the king's throne.

Yet it may be faid that the king's throne is there alfo, for the king's throne is all over his dominions and kingdoms, though he himself be but in one particular place, where his honour, and glory, and greatnefs may be moft manifeft.

And that place where his glory is moft feen, and where he doth ufually fit in judgment, I fay that place may properly be called the king's throne.

For if the king were not a perfon, and had a kingdom, how could he fet up a

throne in it?

And if there be a throne fet up in a kingdom, there muft of neceffity be a king to fit upon it.

And this king must be the perfon of a man, elfe why should we call him a king? So likewife the Lord Jefus Chrift, he being God and man in one fingle perfon, he hath a kingdom above and beyond the ftars, and he being king of heaven, he hath a throne to fit upon himself.

And many other thrones in his kingdom above the stars for all his prophets, apoftles, and meffengers which he hath fent in this world.

Even as a king hath many judges and meffengers in his earthly kingdom, and the king hath given them many thrones to fit upon which are visibly seen by the eye of fenfe and reafon;

So likewife the eye of faith doth as perfectly fee God their king fitting upon his throne in the kingdom of glory above the ftars, and all thofe prophets, and apostles, meffengers, and ambaffadors which he hath fent, to fit upon thrones of glory alfo.

So that there are thrones of glory in heaven, as there are here on earth; and there is a king of heaven to fit upon that throne of glory, as there are many kings here in earth, which do fit upon thrones of glory here.

Because this world is in many kings hands, therefore divided into many kingdoms; and that is the very cause that earthly kings fight, and kill one the other. But the kingdom above the stars is but one kingdom, and hath but one king over it, and this king is no other but God himself, which fitteth upon the throne of glory.

But I fhall have occafion to speak fomething more of thrones hereafter, therefore I fhall fay no more of it here, only this will give you a little light into it,

CHAP. VI.

ND because men might be throughly convinced that Jefus Chrift is the only God, I would have them to confider thefe places of fcriptures, and

the interpretation.

And fee if they will bear any other fenfe; and being well grounded upon that, they will understand the whole matter the better.

Therefore I fhall pafs by fome verfes in this chapter, I not conceiving them to be of fo great concernment as this is.

The 8th verfe of this chapter, John meaning Chrift, where he faith, I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, faith the Lord which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Here

Here you that have faith to believe, may understand that Jefus Chrift is the Beginning and the End, the Lord Almighty.

And as John, being in the Ifle of Patmos, as he faith in the 9th verfe, for the word of God, and for the teftimony of Jefus Chrift; here John feemeth as if he did fuffer perfecution for two, that is to fay, for God, and for Jefus Chrift; yet in the 10th and 11th verfes, he concludes them both in one, faying, That be was in the spirit on the Lord's-day, and heard behind me, as he faith, a great voice as of a trumpet.

I would have the reader to obferve that the feventh day fabbath which was given to the Jews, was called the Lord's day.

Because it was given by the Lord Almighty to Mofes, and by him given to the people of Ifrael, and fo called the Lord's day.

So likewise the refurrection of Chrift, it being the first day of the week, is call'd the Lord's day also.

Now here being two Lord's days, and yet but one Lord of them both, how fhall this matter be reconciled?

Thus, the Lord's day, which was made by the power of his creation, is one thing, and the Lord's day that is made by the power of his redemption is another. Because the Lord Almighty was in two several states; as thus, when he created the world, and made man in his own image and likeness, he himself was a fpiritual fubftance, a body in form like a man, but no flesh, blood, or bone. This God was when he created man, and all things elfe; but when God became flesh, he was in another condition, he now having flesh, blood and bone, that he might work a redemption to the feed of Adam, to a more excellent condition than that was wherein he was created, and a more miferable condition to the feed of the ferpent, than he was created in.

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And this I would have the feed of faith to understand, which created man, I fay, the fame God redeemed man; proper and diftinct works for one and the fame God to do. Therefore distinguished by two feveral denominations, of Father and Son. Neither was it proper for God, after he became flesh, to create any thing. Neither could God have redeemed mankind to an eternal happiness, but by his becoming flesh.

Neither could any ferpent or devil have put God to death, if God had not took upon him the nature of a man.

For the nature of a man cloathes itself with flesh, blood and bone, and fo is made capable to be put to death by the feed and nature of reafon; which is the ferpent, or devil.

But I fhall speak more of God's death hereafter, only this I would have the feed of faith to mind that two-fold condition of God, as aforefaid.

And then you will not stumble at John's faying, that he did suffer for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jefus Chrift.

As if they had been two diftinct things, and fo he doth in fome other places in this book of the Revelation, as in chap. i. verfe 5. he faying, and from Jefus Chrift, who is the faithful witness, &c.

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Which

Which doth intimate to the feed of reafon, as if there were two Gods. But I declare it is fpoken with relation to God's two-fold condition, that is to fay, the proper power and work of God, as he was the Father, it was to create. And the proper power and work of God, as he is the Son, it is to die, and to redeem. And yet all but one God, but in two conditions, or in two ftates, therefore fet forth by the Revelations in the fcriptures under nomination of Father and Son. Therefore I would willingly have the feed of faith to understand the two-fold condition of God.

And then the fcriptures, which doth feem to contradict one the other, will be reconciled in one, and fo there will be a great deal of peace arife from the right understanding of the fcriptures.

And the caufe why there is fo much diffatisfaction in reading the fcriptures, by the profeffors now a-days, it is because they understand them not; this I know by experience.

But as I faid before, as there was a two-fold ftate in one God.

So likewife there was two Lord's days as aforefaid, yet but one God.

But the meaning of John, when he faith, he was in the spirit on the Lord's day. I declare his meaning was the day of Chrift's refurrection

And this he calls the Lord's day, that is, it was the day of God's rifing from death to life, in that death was not able to keep him under; for death doth keep every creature under it; neither could any creature, nor Son of God, overcome death, but God himself.

Therefore Chrift muft needs be the God the Father of all life, in that he gave life to all creatures in his creation.

And nothing could procure, by his death, a refurrection of a new life, and an eternal redemption, but the blood and death of God himself.

Therefore let the feed of faith lay as much truft upon the blood of Christ, believing it to be the blood of God, as they can.

The more weight they lay upon it, the more peace and fatisfaction they shall find. So on the contrary, thofe that deny and call it blafphemy for a man to fay that God did die, I fay there is no falvation for fuch a man, neither will he find any benefit by the blood of Chrift, becaufe he looks upon it to be but the blood of the human nature, or the blood of a man, notwithstanding the fcriptures are fo full to prove that Chrift is God, and Chrift he died, therefore God did die.

And this Revelation of John is more clear that God did dye, than any other fcripture, as you may fee in ver. 11. of this chapter; in ver. 10. he was in the fpirit on the Lord's day; what day that was I have fhewn before.

And John heard behind him a great voice, as of a trumpet, in ver. 11. faying, I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, and what thou feest write in a book, and fend it unto the feven churches, &c.

And in ver. 12. John turned to see the voice that spake to him, and being turned, he faw feven golden candlesticks. Thefe feven golden candlesticks were

the feven churches of Afia, as aforefaid.

And in ver. 13. And in the midst of the feven golden candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the wafte with a golden girdle.

This

This great voice which John heard, it being as the found of a trumpet, came from no other but from Jefus Chrift, the only God, he being that Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, which bade John write in a book what he had feen. And in ver. 12. John turned to fee the voice, and instead of seeing the voice, he faw him that fpake the voice.

And he was like unto the Son of Man clothed with a garment down to the foot. Now what this garment is, I fhall unfold hereafter: There are many other glorious expreffions in this chapter, to fet forth this Son of Man in his glory, but I fhall pafs by them, only this I would have the feed of faith to mind, that this Son of Man which John faw in the midst of the feven golden candlesticks, who was cloathed with a garment down to the foot.

I declare it was the fame Alpha and Omega, which fpake that great voice, and John turning to fee this Alpna and Omega, he faw him like unto the Son of Man. Therefore I would have the feed of faith to obferve, that there is no feeing of God, the Alpha and Omega, neither by vision nor by faith, but in the form of a man. Therefore called the Son of Man, fo that though Chrift be called the Son of Man, yet he is nevertheless God.

For he is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, as you may plainly fee in verfe 17 of this chapter, where he faith, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, faying unto me, fear not, I am the the First and the Laft. I am be that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evemore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death.

Here you that have faith in the true God, may clearly understand that this Jefus Chrift, which is called the Son of Man, is the Alpha and Omega, the Firft and the Laft.

Also it may be as clearly understood by the feed of faith, that God did die. For if God be Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, as I think all men will confefs, then I fay the fame Alpha and Omega, and the fame First and Laft, is he which was dead, and is alive for evermore.

And was there any God that fuffer'd death and rofe again, but Chrift?

Hath any God the keys of hell and of death in his hands, but Chrift only? And that you may fee the truth of this, that Chrift is Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, though become a fon, having flefh, blood and bone, that he might be capable to fuffer the pains of death, as aforefaid.

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Yet he is looked upon by the eye of faith, to be the First and the Laft, the Lord Almighty, he being the fame as the prophets prophefied of, as you may fee Ifaiah xli. 4. Who bath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord the First, and with the Laft, I am be.

So likewife in Ifaiah xliv. 6. Thus faith the Lord, the king of Ifrael, and his redeemer, the Lord of Hofts, I am the First, and I am the Laft, and befides me there is no God.

I would have the feed of faith to understand that this Lord and this God, which is the First and the Laft that Ifaiah fpeaketh of, is the fame that John fpeaketh of in the Revelation, only the prophet fpeaketh of him as he was in the condition of the Father, and was to redeem his people from their fins; but

John

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