Now I would have the reader to understand, that all these four beasts spoken of here, they were men, though they be called by the Revelation of John, beafts. Alfo he doth diftinguish them into four feveral forms; the first like a lion, the fecond like a calf, the third beaft had a face like a man, and the fourth beaft was like a flying eagle.

These four beafts, as I faid before, were all men, and not only fo, but good men; only this I would have the reader to mind that they are called beafts, in relation to the work that they were to do.

And fo they acted after that manner as fuch beasts use to do.

As the nature of a lion is to deftroy and tear in pieces.

And the nature of a calf is to act fimply and foolishly, and yet innocent alfo. Now the third beaft had a face like a man, that is, he acted as a rational man, by wisdom and policy.

And the fourth beaft was like a flying eagle, that is, he acted in swiftness and ftrength, and according to other properties that are in an eagle.

And fo according to the natures and properties of these four beafts did men act, and do act in this world; therefore called four beasts, when as they were no other but men.

But I fhall leave the diftinction of the perfons of the other three to thofe that are better read in hiftories than I am.

Neither is it revealed unto me who the perfons were; therefore I shall speak no more than is revealed unto me; but the reader may understand what the four, brafts are, by what is afore-written, therefore I fhall fay no more of it, but go unto verfe 8.

CHA P. X.

N verfe 8. it is faid, That the four beasts had each of them fix wings about them, and they were full of eyes within, and they reft not day and night, Saying, Holy, boly, boly Lord God Almighty, which was, and which is, and which

is to come.

The chief things in this verfe to be known, are what is meant by those fix wings which the four beafts had, which were full of eyes within.

The meaning is this, that each of these four beafts had fix wings, that is they had fix wings apiece.

And these fix wings apiece, it was the fpirit of revelation which gave them wisdom, to order and manage the affairs of their battles.

And these fix wings were employed thus ;

Two of them were to be employed before, in the fore-front of the battle. And two of them were to be employed in the rear, or hinder part of the army, leaft the enemy fhould come upon the back of them.

And the other two wings were to be employd in the middle, that in case their enemy fhould put them to the worst both before and behind, that they might fly away with thofe two wings in the midst.

And this was very good revelation and wisdom, and called by the Revelation John, fix wings;

For

For the fcriptures doth call' revelation and good counfel, wings; as that faying, Revel. xii. 14. it is faid, There was given unto the woman two wings of a great eagle, that fhe might flee into the wilderness.

Which wings were no other but Revelation, as I have opened in the Interpretation of the Eleventh of the Revelation.

And where we find in the scriptures that God hath commanded his prophets and apostles to fly from one place to another, in cafe of perfecution, it is not meant that God would give them wings to fly.

But he will give them wisdom and revelation to get from it.
And in this fenfe they may be faid to have wings to fly away;

And in this fenfe the four beafts aforefaid, may be faid to have each of them fix wings.

And as for their being full of eyes within, that is, they had a spirit of difcerning both of fpiritual and of temporal things.

Therefore it is faid, that thefe four beafts full of eyes before and behind, that is,' thay had the eye of faith before, and the eye of reafon behind.

That is, they did difcern by the eye of faith before, the things of God, and how he became flesh, and fhed his blood, as afterwards is expreffed by these

four beafts.

And the eye of reafon being behind, it did difcern and fee how the matters went in this world.

For tho' it be faid they were full of eyes, yet they had but two eyes apiece, that is, the eye of faith, and the eye of reafon. But neither of these two eyes did offend them, as it doth many thousands now adays..

And because the feed of faith may not ftumble at this interpretation, because I fay there were but two eyes, when as John faith they were full of eyes.

You may remember that I have written before concerning the feven fpirits of God, and yet but one spirit.

Only that one fpirit had feven feveral workings in the feven churches of Afia. So likewife thefe beafts having but two eyes, yet they were full of difcerning. both of spiritual and temporal matters.

For the eye of faith did fee up into heaven, and the glory thereof; and the eye of reafon did fee the utmost parts of this world here below.

For these two eyes did fee as much as could be feen; if they had had forty eyes, they could have feen no more..

But in regard they did fee fo much, they are faid by the revelation of the fpirit, that they were full of eyes before and behind, &c.

Again it is faid, That thefe four beafts reft not day and night, faying Holy, boly, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

That is, they ceafe not to give glory; honour, and thanks to him that fate on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever.

I would have the feed of faith to obferve, that thefe four beafts give glory and honour unto Chrift here, as he was God the Father.

As Ifaiah vi. 3. where it is faid, And one cryed one to another, and faid, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hofts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

D 2

Like

Likewife the four and twenty elders fall down before him that fate on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and caft their crowns before the throne, faying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleafure they are and were created, Revelations iv. 10. II.

Here you may fee that the four beafts, and the four and twenty elders give glory unto Chrift the only God, as he was the Creator, and in the condition of the Father.

He being the Lord Almighty, the Lord of Hofts, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft; he that liveth for ever and ever, in that death could not keep him under, as aforefaid.

But in chap. v. the four and twenty elders give glory unto this Chrift, the only God, as he is a Son, and hath redemed them, and fo doth the four beasts also. And as for the four and twenty elders, I fhall fay nothing of them here, because I have fpoken of them in the Interpretation of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation. So I having given the interpretation of the chief things in chap. iv. of John's Revelation, I fhall go unto chapter v. and give the interpretation of the chief things in that alfo.

I

CHA P. XI.

י,

wed

N chap. v. verfe 1. John faw in the right band of him that fate on the throne, a book written within, and on the back fide fealed with feven feals.

Why doth John say he saw in the right hand of him that fate upon the throne a book written within, and fealed on the back fide with feven feals, when as he that fate on the throne was no other but God, the Creator of all things?

And Jefus Chrift is he that created the world, and all things therein, as aforefaid?

And yet he that had the book in his right hand, was not to open the book, nor to loose the feals thereof.

The meaning is this, that Chrift Jefus as he was God the Father, and Creator of all things, it was not his proper place and work to open the book with feven Seals;

For it doth belong to him, as he is God the Redeemer.

For, as I faid before, God did, and doth act according to the two-fold ftate and condition he was in.

So that he had the book of life in his right hand, as he was God the Creator; but as he is God the Redeemer, he must take the book out of his own right hand, and open it, and loose the feals thereof.

For John in his vifion did fee Chrift to fit upon the thorne, as he was God the Father, and the Creator.

Alfo in his vifion he faw Chrift fit upon the throne, as he was God the Son, and as he fuffered death, and fo redeemed mankind.

And in like manner he and the elders give thanks and praise unto him, as he is the Creator..

And

And fometimens they give thanks unto him all together, as he is the Redeemer.

Yet all but one God, however it doth feem by John's vifion, as if there were two, when as it is spoken with relation to a two-fold state and condition in God.

But who can understand but the feed of faith?

Therefore I would not have the feed of faith to stumble at these fayings of John, which doth here and there fpeak as if there were two Gods..

But confider, he speaks it but by way of vifion, and all vifions can never be understood fo clear and plain as interpretation is.

For I am certain that John did believe in no other God but one, even Jefus Chrift the only wife God, bleffed for ever and ever, though fpoken of with relation to a two-fold condition, as I have fhewed before.

This book which was in Chrift's right hand, as he was God the Father, I declare it was the book of life, wherein was written the names of all the elect feed of all the feven churches of Afia, and of all the elect feed of the feven churches of Europe.

I fay, the elect feed are all written in that book of life which is in Chrift's right hand, and the feven feals on the back fide of this book, they were the feven vifible churches of Afia,

That is, they were fealed up by the doctrine and faith of the gofpel; they received the holy spirit of promife, whereby they were fealed in their fouls with the the holy fpirit of promife, that they were redeemed unto eternal happiness, by the blood of the Lamb.

And this I fay, that the witness of the fpirit of faith, in the confcience here in mortality, it is but a fealing up to the day of glory.

Therefore what affurance, witness, or fealing foever a man hath in his foul, in this life, it is called by the Revelation of John, but a feal on the back fide of the book of life.

For those seven churches of Afia were fealed with the holy fpirit of promife, in that they believed the doctrine of Chrift's death and refurrection, and fo they were fealed in their hearts with the affurance of eternal life, their names being written within the book of life.

And because there were feven churches of Afia, which did truly believe, and were fealed in their fouls with the affurance of everlafting life,

They are called seven seals on the back fide of the book of life.

For all fealing of this fide of death, it is called but fealing on the back fide of the book of life.

For it is much like unto a book or letter, the matter and fubftance is within the letter or book, but the feal is without, or on the back fide:

But he that breaketh open the feal of the letter or book, he feeth what is within. So is it with Chrift, he having the book of life in his right hand, wherein the elect feed are written, and the affurance of faith which is the elect feed of the seven churches of Afia had, and as others have, are called the feven feals on the back fide of the book of life,

Which

Which no man in heaven nor in earth could open the book, nor loofe the feals thereof, but Chrift as he is God and Redeemer.

You that have faith may fee what is meant by the book, and by the féven feals on the back fide. &c. RO

CHA P. XII.

,,、

N verfe 2 John saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is

I worthy to open the book, and to loose the feals thereof

And in verfe 3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth; neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

I fhall pass by thefe two verfes, there being but little matter of concernment in them, but, I fhall go to verse 4.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open, and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Here John w at a hard fet in his vifion, when he faw God have a book in his right hand, and no man in heaven, nor in earth could open it, nor read it. There was caufe enough for John to weep, because that book was the book of life, and many thousands and millions of fouls were written in that book.

As he afterwards maketh mention of, and many that had fuffered perfecution unto the death, which were flain under the altar, who fuffered for the testimony of Jefus, whofe names were written in the book of life.

And if this book fhould not have been opened, the condition of the faints would have been fad, which fuffered all thofe things for the name of Jefus, who loved not their lives unto death, who had their names recorded in the book of life. That at the general day of God's account, when he fhall make up his jewels, their names being written in the book of life.

They may have that bleffed reward which God did promife, and they did faithfully believe, and expect:

But if none could have opened the book, neither in heaven nor in earth, what benefit would they have had for all their faith and fufferings?

This was enough to make John and all other prophets and believers to weep alfo, if there fhould be none found neither in heaven nor in earth, that could open the book of life.

But in verfe 5. one of the elders faid unto John in the vifion, Weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David bath prevailed to open the book, and to loofe the feven feals thereof.

One of the elders puts John in good comfort again; for there is one found now that can open the book, and read it alfo.

This is that lion, as Jacob prophefied of, Gen. lix. 9. as I have fpoken of before. This lion hath prevailed to open the book.

He openeth the book as he is God the Son,

And as he became a Son, he is called the lion of the tribe of Judah; and as he is God the Son, he is called a Lamb.

And as he was God the Son, he fuffered death to redeem his people.

And