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And as he is a Redeemer, he hath prevailed to open the book, and to loole the feven feals thereof.

That is, as he is the Redeemer, he hath power to raise every one of them again that are written in the book of life.

That is, all the feed of faith which are elected in the fecret decree and council of God, as he was the Creator.

And as he is the Redeemer, he hath power to give life everlasting to every one of the feed of faith, who were written in the book of life.

And when John faw there was one found in heaven that could open the book, he gave over weeping.

For one of the elders had fhewed him in the vifion one that could open the book, and loose the feven feals thereof.

For in verfe 6. John beheld, and lo in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, Stood a Lamb, as it had been flain, having feven borns, and feven eyes, which are the feven fpirits of God, fent forth into all the earth. This Lamb which John faw in the vifion in the midst of the four beasts and the elders, it was Chrift.

This I fuppofe all men that profefs the fcriptures will confefs it.

Now observe that this Lamb which stood as it had been flain, it was no other than God himself;

For this Lamb had seven horns and feven eyes; now these feven horns which the Lamb had, it was the faith and patience which the seven churches of Asia had, which did enable them to go through their fufferings with cheerfulness.

For when a man doth fuffer for his faith in God patiently, and willingly, he destroyeth his enemy more in fubmitting unto fuffering, or death itself, than if he fhould refift his enemy.

And this doth become a horn to push the perfecutor's foul.

Thus it was with the feven churches of Afia, they were by their faith and patience made able to fuffer perfecution and death itself.

Which became as feven horns to push and gall the fouls of their perfecutors. For though the horns of a Lamb doth but little harm to the outward flesh, yet when they get within the flesh they will gall very much.

That is, when the horn of fuffering for righteoufnefs gets into the mind and foul of the perfecutor, it doth gall his foul exceedingly with the fear of eternal damnation.

This I think experience will fhew the truth of it.

For the Quakers and others who fuffer for a lie, yet they think they suffer for truth; and the perfecutors know no other but that they do fuffer for truth. Therefore the fufferings of the Quakers cannot choose but push and gall the perfecutors confciences;

The Quakers being fo ftedfaft and confident in their way, who do not fear their lives unto the death.

This fuffering of theirs doth trouble and moleft the minds of the civil powers; which doth fhew that fuffering in innocency, though for a lie, it will be a horn to push and gall the fouls of the perfecutors.

Then

gall they

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That is, if their ministry which provoke them to meet contrary to the parlia ment's order were true, as the miniftry of the feven churches of Afia were.

But it is not; therefore they fuffer for a lie, yet the perfecutor not knowing it, he is, and will be pushed and galled in his foul with the fear of eternal death, for doing it.

NOW

CHA P. XIII.

OW it is to be obferved, that this Lamb that was flain had the feven horns, and the feven eyes.

Now these feven horns, as I faid before, which the Lamb had, they were the sufferings of the feven churches of Afia, in the ten perfecutions.

According to that faying of John's Revelation, ii. 10. he giving an exhortation to the church in Smirna, that they fhould fear none of thofe things which they should suffer.

Behold the devil fhall caft fome of you into prison, that ye may be tryed, and ye fhall have tribulation ten days.

Now this devil that fhall caft fome of them in prifon, I fhall fhew what he is hereafter.

But as for the ten days tribulation which the faints should fuffer, it was spoken with relation to the ten perfecutions,

And they are called by the revelation of the spirit but ten days, when as it was at times a matter of three hundred years that their tribulation did laft, which were the ten perfecutions, yet called by the fpirit, but ten days tribulation.

And the faith and patience which these feven churches of Afia had, being made able to suffer with chearfulness those ten days tribulation, it being the ten perfecutions aforefaid, they are called the feven horns which the Lamb had;

For they by their fufferings, did push and gall the fouls of the perfecutors, as the Lamb himself did when he did fuffer death:

For he did procure no less than eternal damnation to his perfecutors, by his fuffering of death, and being flain by them.

And these feven churches having their power and strength to fuffer from Chrift, the Lamb flain, they walked in his steps in the way of fuffering; therefore called the feven horns of the Lamb, or the Lamb's feven horns.

And as for the feven eyes which the Lamb had, they are called the seven spirits of God fent forth into all the earth.

You may remember that I have fhewed before what the seven spirits before the throne is. And these seven spirits which the Lamb hath, are the very fame; that is, thy are all but one fpirit of Chrift, only this one spirit doth operate and work seven several ways, to wit, in the feven churches of Afia.

Therefore faid to be fent forth into all the earth, because the found of these seven churches of Afia, of their gifts and fufferings, went through all the earth. Therefore called the feven fpirits of God; yet I would have the reader to understand thus much, that the Lamb that had power to open the book, the fame Lamb had the feven horns, and the feven eyes.

Now

Now if these feven eyes were the feven fpirits of God, then the Lamb muft needs be God; for the Lamb had the seven spirits in him, and he fent them forth unto the feven churches of Afia.

Only this I would have the Reader to understand, that here he is called God, as he is a Lamb flain; or as he was in the condition of a Son and a Redeemer, So that what power, honour, or glory foever be attributed to God, by the redeemed ones, it is with relation to the Son-fhip of God.

He being a Son he is called a Lion, and called a Lamb, which titles belong only to the Son-ship of Chrift, he being the only God, though in a two fold state and condition, as afordfaid. And in verfe 7. it is faid, And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that fate upon the throne.

This he that took the book out of his right hand that fate upon the throne, it was the Lamb, and this Lamb is Chrift, and Chrift is God, and Chrift is called the Lamb of God that taketh away the fins of the world. He may well be called the Lamb of God, because he is God. For who can take away the fins of the world, but God?

But God must become a little child of flefh, blood and bone, and grow up to a man, that he may be capable to fuffer the pains of death, in that he fhed his most precious blood, before he could take away the fins of the world.

And this Lamb which was flain, here fpoken of by John, was no other but God himself.

But he being now in the condition of a Son, in that he had been flain, and was now rifen again, and had accomplished the work of redemption, he was able to fit down in the midst of the throne, and to take the book out of his own right hand, as he was the Father and Creator of all things. cy

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And as he was the Son, or Lamb, which fhed his precious blood, to redeem his people from their fins, it was his proper work and place to take the book out of his own right hand, as he was the Creator, and to open the book and loose the feven feals thereof; for in his opening the book of life, he found the names. of all the elect feed written therein, which were washed and redeemed with his precious blood.

Therefore it is faid, That no man in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth could open the book, but the Lamb only.

So that this Lamb must needs be God the Father, as well as God the Son; for who can open the book of life but God himfelf? But he muft open it as he was God the Son, therefore faid to take it out of the right hand of him that fate upon the Throrne, &c.

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CHA P. XIV.

ND in verfe, 8. The four beafts, and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb.

And in verfe 9. They fung a new fong, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book. and open the feals thereof, for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, &c.

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I would have the reader to mind these words, why the four beafts, and the elders did fing a new song.

Obferve, it is called, a new fong, in oppofition to the old fong, as the gospel of Jefus is called the New Teftament, and the law of Mofes is called the Old Teftament; so likewise there is the fong of Mofes, and of the Lamb; that is, the fong of the Lamb.

Now the fong of Mofes, may be called the old fong, or the first song, because Mofes, the prophets, elders of Ifrael, and faints under that Teftament, I fay, they gave praife, honour, and glory unto Chrift, as he was God the Father and Creator. And as he was the Creator, he bleffed them with temporal bleffings, and temporal deliverances.

So that Mofes and the people of Ifrael, fing praise unto God for his wonderful works, which he had wrought by the hand of Mofes; as you may read in the fcriptures, in the fong of Mofes, how wonderfully he doth praise, honour, and magnify the God of Ifrael, who had gotten himself a great and terrible name among the Heathen.

And this is called the fong of Mofes, or the old, or first song, because it was the firft manifeftation of God, as he is the Creator; for Mofes was the first. man that gave us to know any difference of the God of Ifrael, from the God of the Heathen. And this manifeftation as Mofes gives us, is that we might know God, as he was the Creator, and did deliver his people in a more wonderful manner than any other Heathen gods could do.

And in this regard Mofes and the elders of Ifrael gave praise, honour, and glory, unto the God of Jacob, he delivering them out of fo many temporal dangers; and not only fo, but bleffing them with many temporal bleffings, which caused this fong of Mofes to be fung by the children of Ifrael.

And in this regard the fong of Mofes may be faid to be old, or the first song, he being the first commiffionated man to write that which we call the Old Testament. Therefore the fong of Mofes may be called an old fong, because the song of the Lamb is more new; for redemption was after creation, therefore called a new fong. It is called a new fong in relation to a new condition; as the fong of Mofes was with relation to temporal bleffings, as aforefaid. But this new fong of the Lamb is with relation to spiritual and eternal bleffings. So that John in his vision was fenfible upon what account this new fong was fung.

And he seeing in the vifion the four beafts, and the four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials, full of odours, which are the prayers of faints.

Now these golden vials are meant the hearts and fouls of the four beafts, and four and twenty elders.

And the odours, is that grace and fupplications which were offered up unto the Lamb through those golden vials; which vials are the hearts and fouls, as aforefaid. And thofe Harps are the tongues of the beasts, and elders, and faints, which are as harps to found forth the praise of the Lamb.

For this I muft tell you, that the tongue of every faint fhall be as a harp, to praise the Lamb for his great and unspeakable work of redemption, which is more

to

to be magnified by the feed of faith, than the work of creation; fo that the beasts, the elders, and faints may very well fing that new fong, in verfe 9. faying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open be feals thereof, for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

That is, thou haft redeemed us to thyfelf by thy own blood, for though thou art called a Lamb, thou art no other but God. And thy blood is no other but the blood of God, though called the blood of the Lamb; because of that twofold ftate and condition thou wert in.

And as the work of redemption is of greater value to the redeemed ones, than their creation was, therefore it is that those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb, have harps given them to found, or fing this new fong of praise and thanksgiving unto him that hath washed them in his own blood.

And the new fong which the beafts, and elders, and faints doth fing, is fet down in verfe 12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing.

And fo to the end of the chapter, giving praise unto the Lamb; for their redemption.

And this is that new fong which the beasts, and elders, and faints, shall fing to eternity.

It is called a new fong, because it is the fong of the Lamb; for there are but two fongs in all, to wit, the fong of Mofes, and the fong of the Lamb ; and bleffed and happy are all thofe that can truly fing the fong of the Lamb, to know they are redeemed and washed in his blood.

NOW

CHAP. XV.

OWI have given the interpretation of the things that are of moft concernment in chap. v. I fhall proceed to open the chief things contained in chap. vi. In verfe 1. of this chapter, John faw in his vifion the Lamb opening the seals, and and at the Lamb's opening of the first seal, John heard as it were the noise of thunder.' And in the vision one of the four beafts faid unto John, Come and fee.

As for the four beasts you may remember I have fhewed what they are before, and now these four beafts doth prefent to John's understanding, in the vision, four other beafts, as in a figure to be four horfes; namely, a white horse, a red horse, a black horfe, and a pale horse.

I would have the reader to mind the interpretation of these four horses, and their riders; for there is one called, he that fate on every one of these four horfes. Also there was fome great and wonderful work done by every one of these that fate on these horses. Therefore called the opening of the feals.

And at the opening of the first seal, John heard as it were, in the vifion, the noise of thunder, and after that there was prefented unto his view, in the vifion, a white horse. And he that fat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

Now this white horse which John faw in the vision, it is the righteousness of

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