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himself, until he did reveal it unto some man; so that when the name of God was known to no man but to he himself, the thing was then a secret thing, but now it is revealed unto man, it doth belong unto us, and to our children; for seceret things belong unto God, and revealed things to us, and our children. So that when God hath revealed any secret, or heavenly mystery unto man, it may not then be called any more secret, but no man may know it in a measure even as God doth himself. So that the name of God is known by his servants, the prophets, apostles, and witnesses of the spirit, and by his saints, to their exceeding great joy and glory, so that his name is known to others now besides himself.

CHAP. LXXIV.

VERSE 13. And he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood, and his name is called the word of God. The reader may remember, that when I came to the thirteenth verse of the first chapter of John's Revelation, I found such a like saying as this: that is, John saw in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot. Which garment I said I would open hereafter; so that now being come to it again, I shall open what is meant by this garment down to the foot, and by his vesture dipt in blood.

This Son of Man John saw in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, it was no other but Jesus Christ, and this Jesus Christ is the only wise God, as I have shewed before. And it is he that John

saw

saw cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and it is he that is cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood. Now the word vesture, and the word garment, signifies both one thing; only this is to be minded by the reader, what the spirit doth mean by this garment down to his foot, and his vesture dipt in blood. The meaning of the spirit is this; the eternal spirit it became flesh, so that the flesh of Christ was a garment or a vesture that did cloath the Godhead spirit with; so that he being cloathed with flesh from the head to the foot, this flesh is called by the spirit a garment down to the foot. So that this garment of flesh is that vesture dipt in blood, according to that saying of Isaiah the prophet, Isaiah lxiii. 1, Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments?

So in verse 2. Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? This prophesy of Isaiah is, that God would become flesh, and so cloath himself with a garment of flesh, so that this garment might be made red with blood; that is, the whole body of flesh which is called the garment of the God-head life, might be made red, even as one that treadeth the wine-fat; for if a man should tread the wine-fat of the grapes with no other apparel on but his flesh only, it would make him look red as if he had been treading in a pool of blood. Even so doth the prophet's words signify when he saith, Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garment like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? as if the prophet should say, Wherefore doth thy flesh, which is thy apparel, or thy garment, look red? for thou hast been tread

ing the wine-press of the wrath of Almighty God, like unto him that treadeth the wine-fat of the grape; so that thy flesh, which is thy garment down to the foot, must needs look red with blood; for the garment of his flesh his that vesture dipt in blood. This the prophets did see by the eye of faith, and so they called the flesh of Christ a garment, red like the wine of the ripe grape, in regard he had not yet suffered death in the flesh, but was to suffer.

But the Revelation of John saw that he had suffered death in that flesh, and therefore saith, And he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood; meaning his flesh was dipt in blood, in that he had troden the wine-press of the wrath of Almighty God; that is, he trod the wine-press of his own wrath against sin. For he is the Almighty God himself, though he cloathed himself with a garment of flesh that he might be capable to die, and that reason, the devil, might be the more capable to put him to death.

That the garment, or vesture of flesh he had on him, might be dipt in blood for the redemption of the seed of Adam to an eternal happiness, and that his blood might keep down the reprobate seed to endless misery. So that the reader may see what the spirit doth mean by Christ being cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and his vesture dipt in blood; for I think none are so ignorant as to think that it was any woollen, or linen, or silk garment that was dipt in blood; that would have been little benefit to any man. But the ignorance of people is so great, that they will think and believe any thing, though never so contrary to reason, and yet seem to

be

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be wise men in reason; but the greater is their darkness in spiritual and heavenly things; yet the seed of faith may see what this vesture dipt in blood is, and who it was that was cloathed with this ment down to the foot; it was no other but God himself, as is said in the same verse. And his name is called the word of God; for there is none can truly be called the word of God but God; for the word was with God, and the word was God, as I have shewed before.

CHAP. LXXV.

VERSE 14. And the armies which were in heaven, followed him upon white horses, cloatbed in fine linen, white and clean.

These armies which were in heaven, they are the saints; and the prophets, apostles, and witnesses of the spirit, are the captains over these armies; that is, all true believers in every commission are in these three armies, and there is one chief general in all the armies in heaven, and that is God himself; so that all these armies in heaven follow him upon white horses. For as the general hath a white horse to sit upon, so likewise have all the armies in heaven; that is to say, all the saints, white horses to sit upon also.

The reader may remember that I shewed before what is meant by a white horse, and how that God himself had a white horse to sit upon; to wit, his own righteousness of faith; by which power of faith God created all things, and by the power of faith he fulfilled the law, and by the power of faith he laid down

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his life unto death, and by the power of faith did rise again; so that this righteousness of faith is that white horse that Christ doth sit upon. Likewise the armies in heaven they follow him upon white horses also; that is, all the saints, as aforesaid, being true believers in Christ,s death, that his blood was the blood of God, so that this blood hath washed their souls in it, that their hearts are purified by faith in the blood of the Lamb, so that they have the righteousness of faith in them; and this righteousness of faith is called by the spirit, a white horse. So that all the armies in heaven, that is all true believers, they have white horses to sit upon to follow their God, their King, and their Redeemer. And as for their being cloathed in fine linen, white and clean, that signifies their souls being purified by faith, the guilt of all sin is cleansed from them; so that though their souls were red as scarlet with the guilt of sin, yet now being purified by faith, they are made as white as snow; so that their souls are cloathed now with peace, joy, and glory which is as fine linen, white and clean, &c.

Verse 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. This sharp sword that goeth out of his mouth, it is out of the mouth of Christ; that is, when he shall command his angels to pour out their vials of wrath, or plagues, upon the enemies of truth. It may be called a sharp sword that goeth out of his mouth, so that by the word of his mouth he shall cause his

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