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I

THE

EPISTLE to the READER.

Had thoughts when I writ the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation, to have written no more books, thinking in myself that there were fufficient mysteries written to have fatisfied the spirit of any man, as well as myself, who came to understand the myfteries of the true God, and the right devil, as I myself did.

And because those heavenly things there treated upon were fo ftrange, neither did I ever find, or read fuch a kind of language, not in all the ancient fathers writings, and all who have undertaken to interpret the scriptures, and especially this book of the Revelation of faint John.

In all my zeal in religion, which was very great, I found no fatisfaction neither in their writings, nor in their preaching; which was an evident fign to me, that those preachers and writers were not fent of God.

For certainly if they had, I fhould have found reft there, and fo would many more; but I fee all our preachers and teachers of all opinions in religion, they did, and do come short of the glory of God, in that none of them hath, or can declare unto the people neither by writing, nor fpeaking, what the true God is in his form and nature, nor the right devil his form and nature, not with all their wisdom of reason, and great learning, and ftudy of the scriptures.

When as to know God, is life eternal, fo that I know now by experience, that there is a great deal of difference between knowledge, and thinking I know; for true knowledge it gives fatisfaction to the fpirit of man, and whoever knoweth the true God, muft needs know the right devil: And can a man be more fatisfied in his mind than he that knows the true God, and the right devil? for by this knowledge the fpirit of man hath peace with God.

Alfo he knowing the devil, where he is, and what he is, he is not afraid of him, for the great trouble that lieth almost upon all men and women's fpirits, is, they know not God, therefore they do not love God, but fear his anger they do not know.

And as for the devil, they fear him to be fome spirit flying in the air, even a fiction of their own brain: the imagination of reafon through its ignorance hath created fuch a devil to itself, that the fear of it hath caufed many men and women to loose their wits. When as indeed, and in truth, there is no devil but men and women, neither doth any devil commit fornication, neither temporal nor spiritual with idols, but men and women; neither doth any devil perfecute and kill the faints or others, but men and women; fo that there is no other devil to be damned to eternity, but men and women.

And

So that this is to be minded, that all the fcriptures as they were spoken by the holy prophets and apoftles, they were fpoken to men and women; that is, to faint and devil, for the fcriptures were fpoken to none but to these two. these two are men, both faint and devil, and yet all the interpreters of scriptures cannot find what the devil is, nor where he is. And if they were well examined, they would hardly find where, and who are faints.

And all this ignorance that lieth upon the fpirits of men and women, that produceth the trouble of mind, or that non-fatisfaction, it is because the teachers of the people are ignorant, and blind themselves in the knowledge of the true God, and the right devil, and of the true interpretation of the fcriptures.

So the mysteries of the kingdom of eternal Glory is hid from their eyes, fo that they have not fatisfaction in themselves, nor the people that hear them; fo that whilft they preach to others, they themselves are caft-aways, or as Chrift faith, The blind leads the blind, and both fall into the ditch of eternal perdition.

Yet I confefs they cannot help it, for it is the inftinct of nature for the spirit of reafon in man, to go to preach before he be fent; and it is the inftinct and nature of the spirit of faith not to be willing to go on God's meffages, when he is fent of God,

This I can experience to be truth in myself, for I was the unwillingeft man in the world to be publick, either in temporal things, or in fpiritual matters, fo that I was forced by a curfe from the Lord if I would not go.

But now I fee the fame curfe did God lay upon all prophets and meffengers whom he had chofe, if they should not obey to go where God would fend them: witness Mofes, Jeremiah, and divers other prophets, and us the Witnesses of the Spirit.

So that I would have the reader to understand thus much, that where a true minifter is, he is fent of God, and the doctrine he doth bring, it giveth fatiffaction unto himself, and to all those that do truly receive it.

So on the contary, that minister that is not fent of God, his doctrine doth neither fatisfy himself, nor him that receives him; this most people's experience can witness unto..

Elfe, as Samuel faid to Saul, What meaneth the lowing of the oxen, and bleating of the sheep in mine ears?

So in like manner, if men were true meffengers of Chrift, what meaneth the horror and torment of confcience, and the fear of eternal damnation in the fouls both of minister and people? this many a minister and hearer of them, can witness unto. And all is, because they were not sent of God, for it is counted as great a fin to run before a man is fent of God, as it is not to go when he is fent, which fin is called rebellion, which is as bad as the fin of whitchcraft.

I fpeak this only that the reader, the feed of faith, may fee the difference between those meffengers that are not fent of God, and their doctrine, from those that are fent of God, and their doctrine, and fee which will fatisfy the spirit beft, for I know fome have tafted of both, therefore they can tell beft.

For this is to be minded, that every true prophet, or meffenger of Christ, can trace the footsteps of God in the fcriptures, for the fcriptures are the paths

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for

for God's fpirit to walk in, and the paths of God are but three paths, to wit, the three records in earth, water, blood, and spirit.

That is to fay, the commiffion of Mofes; the commiffion of Jefus and the apostles; and the commiffion of the Spirit; thefe are the three paths which God doth walk through, which every commiffionated prophet could find out God in that path he walked in: Thus when God's fpirit walked through the law of Mofes, that being the path for God's fpirit to walk in, the prophets afterwards did find him out in that worship of the law.

So likewife when God's spirit did walk in the path of the gofpel, the apostles did find him out in the gofpel, and could trace his fteps in the paths of the law: So that the apostles found God out in those two paths, aforefaid.

Thirdly, the witneffes of the spirit have found God out in all his three paths, as thus: 1. The prophets kept close to the worship of the law of Mofes, and therein they found God. 2. The apoftles kept close to the worship of the gofpel, and therein they found God. 3. The witneffes of the spirit keep close to the worship of God in fpirit and truth; thefe three records on earth, are the three paths for God to walk in, and whoever doth walk in them shall find him. Only I would have the feed of faith to mind, what advantage one commiffion hath over another; the commiffion of the gospel had great advantage of those in the law; in that the apostles knew the path of the law, and the path of the gospel also, fo that they had proofs from Mofes, and the prophets, that they were chofen to bear witnefs unto Jefus, and that worship fet up by them, when as Moses had no books to prove he was chofen of God, but he had the power of miracles to prove he was fent of God, and the prophets after him had his writings, to prove that God had appeared to Mofes; fo that the prophets could go no farther than Mofes, and he that could trace the steps of God until he came to Mofes, he was fure to find God there; but if any man went any farther he could never find God at all.

So that the apostles advantage was great in that they had two paths to walk in, when as the prophets had but one: for the prophets in their time did fee that God would become flesh, and the apostles did fee that God is become flesh, fo that their advantage was great. Thirdly, the commiffion of the spirit hath advantage above them both in this refpect, in that the worship of the spirit is fpiritual, without any outward ordinances, fo that the fpirit of faith, or revelation, can walk through the path of the law, and can find that God was there, but he is not there now. Secondly, this commiffion of the fpirit can walk through the worship of the apoftles, and do find that God was there, but he is not there now. Thirdly, fo that God is walking now in the third path, or third record on earth, even the commiffion of the fpirit, and there is no affurance for any man to find God but there; for there is the knowledge of the true God, and the true interpretation of the fcriptures, fo that this commiffion of the fpirit, it hath a great advantage of the other two aforefaid, in that the knowledge of the spirit is a higher knowledge than that of the prophets and apoftles, and the interpretation of fcripture, more abundant than either prophet or apostle, and more especially the interpretation of heavenly vifions.

For

For this the feed of faith may mind, that heavenly visions are hard to utter by those men that fee them, but it is more hard for a man to interpret that which he never faw; for any man's reafon would tell him, that it was more eafy for Pharoah and Belteshaazzar to tell their dreams and visions on their heads, than it was for Jofeph and Daniel to interpret their dreams. Yet this gift was given them of God fo to do. So likewife God hath given us, the chofen Witnesses of the Spirit, more knowledge in the fcriptures, than all the men in the world at this day; and not only fo, but God hath given me the gift of revelation and interpretation of many vifions and revelations in the fcriptures of truth, and more especially in this book of the Revelation of faint John. Which book doth confift of little elfe but heavenly revelation, and fpiritual vifions; which if the feed of faith do but mind, they will find in this treatise all the most confiderable revelations and vifions, and myftical fayings in the book of John's Revelation, opened and interpreted.

So that whoever doth truly understand the interpretation of them may receive much fatisfaction, as to discourse in the scripture language with any learned man in the world, that speaks the English tongue. And not only fo, but much fatiffaction will arife from the true understanding of it, to their eternal peace, joy, and glory hereafter.

And though I had thoughts, as aforefaid, to write no more books after the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation, yet I have writen two fince; one the Quakers did extort out of me by their writing unto me: but this the revelation in opening many places of this book of the Revelation of John, it came fo powerfully upon me, that I thought it was better to break convenant with myself, than to bury thofe heavenly myfteries, and divine fecrets with myself. And being importuned by fome to let it be publick, I did apply myfelf the more ferious unto it, fo that I am now glad I did perfect the thing, for now others will have it as well as myfelf, fo that I make no queftion but many will receive benefit by it, which fhall laft to the end of their lives; and not only fo, but the knowledge and benefit of this book of the Interpretation of all the chief myfterious fayings, and vifions in the book of John's Revelation, it shall remain in fome to the end of the world, and happy will thofe be in whom it doth remain, and miferable will those be who defpife and reject it, though I be laid in the duft, fo I fhall leave the iffue to my God, my King, and my Redeemer, the Lord Jefus Chrift, God and Man, in one fingular perfon, who is diftinct of himself from angels, and men, and conclude this epistle.

Written by LODOWICK MUGGLETON, one of the last Witnesses of the Spirit, unto the High and Mighty God, the Man Chrift Jefus in Glory.

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THE

CONTENT

C

S.

HAP. I. What is meant by him that is, which was, and which is to come
and of the seven spirits, or seven bleffings of the feven churches of Afia.
Chap. II. What is meant by eating of the tree of life; and of not being hurt by
the fecond death; and of the hidden manna; and what is meant by ruling with a rod
of iron.

Chap. III. What is meant by not bloting a man's name out of the book of life; and
by being a pillar in the temple of God; and by him that overcometh.

Chap. IV. What is meant by the feven Spirits of God; and how thofe feven Spi-
rits are but one Spirit.

Chap. V. What is meant by the throne of God; and that there is a kingdom above
the ftars, as there is here below.

Chap. VI. How Jefus Chrift is call'd by the spirit the Alpha and Omega; and how
God was in a two-fold condition, and fo made capable to fuffer the pains of death.
Chap. VII. The refemblance and likeness of the feven churches of Europe, unto the
feven churches of Afia; how their ministry doth differ; and how their reward will
differ also.

Chap .VIII. A farther interpretation of the throne of God in heaven; and of the
feven lamps burning with fire; and of the feven Spirits of God.

Chap. IX. What is meant by the fea of glass in heaven; and of the four beafts
full of eyes; and how Chrift is call'd David's lord, and David's fon; and the
difference of the four beafts in their forms, yet all but men.

Chap. X. The interpretation of the fix wings the four beafts had apiece; and what
is meant by their being full of eyes before and behind; and of their giving thanks,
praife, honour, and glory to Chrift, as he is the Creator.

Chap. XI. The difference of the power of God as he was the Creator, and his
power as he is a Redeemer, there being a two-fold state and condition in God;
what is meant by the book of life, and the feals on the back fide.

Chap. XII. How John wept, because he could fee none in heaven, nor in earth, that could
open the book of life, how the lion of the tribe of Judah doth prevail to open the
book, as he is the Redeemer, and not as he is the Creator; and what is meant by the
feven borns.

Chap. XIII. A farther interpretation of the feven horns; and what is meant by ten days
tribulation; and by the feven eyes; how Chrift opened the book of life, as he is a Son.
Chap. XIV. The interpretation of the song of Mofes, and of the Lamb; why
Mofes's fong may be called an old fong, and the fong of the Lamb a new fong;
and what is meant by the golden vials and harps.

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Chap

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