there is here on earth and there is a King of heaven to sit upon that Throne of Glory as there is many kings here in earth which doth sit upon Thrones of glory here Because this world is in many Kings hands therefore divided into many Kingdomes 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 sitteth upon the Throne of Glory But I shall have occasion to speak something more of Thrones hereafter therefore I shall say no more of it here onely this will give you a little light into it CHAP. VI. ANd because men might be throughly convinced that Jesus Christ is the onely God I would have them to consider these places of Scriptures and the interpretation And see if they will bear any other sense and being well grounded upon that they will understand the whole matter the better Therefore I shall pass by some verses in this chapter I not conceiving them to be of so great concernment as this is The 8th verse of this chapter John meaning Christ where he saith I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Here you that have faith to believe may understand that Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end the Lord Almighty And as John being in the Isle of Patmos as he saith in the 9th verse for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ here John seemeth as if he did suffer persecution for two that is to say for God and for Jesus Christ yet in the 10. and 11. verses he concludes them both in one saying That he was in the spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde me as he saith a great voice as of a trumpet I would have the Reader to observe that the Seventh-day Sabbath which was given to the Jews was called the Lords day Because it was given by the Lord Almighty to Moses and by him given to the people of Israel and so called the Lords day So likewise the Resurrection of Christ it being the first day of the week is called the Lords day also Now here being two Lords-days and yet but one Lord of them both how shall this matter be reconciled Thus the Lords-day which was made by the power of his Creation is one thing and the Lords-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 spiritual substance a body in form like a man but no flesh blood and bone This God was when he created man and all things else 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 Seed of Adam to a more excellent condition then that was wherein he was created and a more miserable condition to the seed of the serpent then he was created in And this I would have the Seed of Faith to understand that the same God which created man I say the same God redeemed man which thing is two proper and distinct works for one and the same God to do Therefore distinguished by two several 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 serpent or devil have put God to death if God had not took upon him the nature of man For the nature of man cloathes it self with flesh blood and bone and so is made capable to be put to death by the seed and nature of reason which is the serpent or devil But I shall speak more of Gods death hereafter onely this I would have the Seed of Faith to minde that twofold condition of God as aforesaid And then you will not stumble at Johns saying that he did suffer for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ As if they had been two distinct things and so he doth in some other places in this book of the Revelation as in the first chapter verse 5 he saying And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness c. Which doth intimate to the seed of reason as if there were two Gods But I declare it is spoken with relation to Gods twofold condition that is to say 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 states therefore set forth by the revelations in the Scriptures under nomination of Father and Son Therefore I would willingly have the Seed of Faith to understand the twofold condition of God And then the Scriptures which doth seem to contradict one the other will be reconciled in one and so there will be a great deal of peace arise from the right understanding of the Scriptures And the cause why where is so much dissatisfaction in reading the Scriptures by the professors now adays it is because they understand them not this I know by experience But as I said before as there was a twofold state in one God So likewise there was two Lords-days as aforesaid yet but one God But the meaning of John when he saith he was in the spirit on the Lords day I declare his meaning was the day of Christs Resurrection And this he calls the Lords-day that is it was the day of Gods rising 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 Christ must needs be 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 Resurrection of a new life and an eternal Redemption but the blood and death of God himself Therefore let the Seed of Faith lay as much trust 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 satisfaction they shall finde So on the contrary those that deny and call it blasphemy for a man to say that God did die I say there is no salvation for such a man neither will he finde any benefit by the blood of Christ because he looks upon it to be but the blood of the humane nature or the blood of a man notwithstanding the Scriptures is so full to prove that Christ is God and Christ he died therefore God did die And this
days was the ten persecutions which did last a matter of three hundred years as aforesaid I say now he saw these seven Angels stand before God and to them were given seven Trumpets that is each of them had trumpets given unto them So that every one of them might sound forth some Plague and Judgement or other upon the earth where wicked men doth dwell who persecuted the innocent to the death And in the 3 verse it is said Another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden altar which was before the Throne This Angel I declare was Moses who was to officiate the Office of offering up the prayers of all the Saints with the incense upon the golden altar which was before the Throne in the vision as he did in his Commission of the Law when he was here upon earth So that he is called by Johns revelation Another Angel that came and stood at the altar c. And in the 4 verse The smoak of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And in the 5 verse And the Angel took the censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth and there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an Earthquake This is spoken with relation to those offerings which Moses the Angel of the Covenant of works did practice in the time of the Law And as he was the Angel that gave forth the Law and so appointed and ordained Censers Altars and Offerings to be offered up unto the Lord in that Tabernacle which was but a pattern of the true So Moses is that Angel that is said by John in his vision to offer up the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was before the Throne It is called a Golden Altar because it is spiritual and heavenly and the sacrifice which is the prayers of Saints is spiritual also In opposition to that altar and sacrifices Moses had in the time of the Law So that when the Angel had offered up the prayers of all the Saints and the smoak of the incense and the Saints Prayers together they ascended up before God out of the Angels hand And when this was accomplished the Angel took the Censer and filled it with fire and cast it into the earth Onely to signifie some extraordinary Plagues and Judgements that should follow upon the sounding of every one of the seven Angels Trumpets Now I would have you the Seed of Faith to consider that as there was a real visible and temporal altar sacrifice incense censer used in the visible worship in the time of the Law the very same things are expressed by John in a spiritual sense both by way of vision and revelation So that what Moses did as he was the Angel of the Covenant of works and visible worship John doth express it in a spiritual and heavenly sense So that there is a true reality in the spiritual sense though invisible which cannot be seen but by the eye of Faith as the temporal was seen and known by the eye of reason So that those Judgements aâ—d Plagues that were acted in Moses Commission they are rehearsed by John over again in a spiritual sense So that the things that three of these seven Angels did the Plagues that doth appear upon the earth at the sounding of their trumpets they were fulfilled in the Commission of Moses which was of the Law Therefore it is worth the minding to know what Plagues did follow upon the sounding of every one of these seven Angels which had seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound For observe that when the Angel aforesaid had took the Censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth it produced immediately there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an Earthquake So likewise upon the sounding of the seven Trumpets which the seven Angels had which prepared themselves to sound The first Angel sounded and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood and they were cast upon the earth and the third part of trees was burnt up and all green grass was burnt up The Plague that followed upon the first Angels sounding was upon Pharaoh and his people when Moses was sent of God to him to let the children of Israel go into the wilderness to worship I need not to relate the particular Plagues because they may be read in the Scriptures But at the first Angels sounding Pharaoh and his people had that Hail and Fire mingled with blood amongst them so that other great Plagues were upon man and beast in Egypt as you may read concerning those seven Plagues which Moses brought upon it because Pharaoh would not let the people of Israel go and this was the fruits of the first Angel sounding his trumpet And in the eighth verse And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great Mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood And in the ninth verse The third part of creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of ships were destroyed This great Mountain burning with fire which was cast into the sea when the second Angel did sound was Pharaoh and all his host for Pharaoh was a great Mountain that is a King of great power And he burned with the fire of envy and madness that the people of Israel should be carried out of his kingdom and enrich themselves with the Egyptians Jewels and other things which they had borrowed It was enough to make this great Mountain to burn with the fire of madness and revenge So that he and all his host would follow to the Sea side that his wrath might burn as a fire of revenge upon the people of Israel and bring them back again But in the conclusion this great Mountain that burned with the fire of revenge was cast into the sea That is King Pharaoh the great Mountain and all his host who burned with revenge like fire were cast into the sea So that the third part of the sea may be said to become blood because the destruction was exceeding great so that the their part of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed that is the third part of Pharaohs kingdom were cast into the sea So that though the poor creatures had life when they were in the midst of the sea following of Moses The sea swallowed them up so that the third part of the kingdom of Egypt died in the sea And the third part of ships were destroyed That is the third part of Pharaohs Charriots and Waggons which the kingdome would afford were destroyed in the sea John calls them ships because they carried him
into the sea and after they were destroyed the Charriots swum upâ—n the waters and in this regard they are called by the Revelation of John ships For when Pharaoh was drowned we do not read that he nor no Nation else had any ships but what hath been builded since So that John might call his Charriots that swum upon the waters after they were destroyed ships And the life of his horses and his mules and his men were the third part of creatures which died in the sea And this was that Mountain burning with fire that was cast into the sea at the second Angels sounding the trumpet c. CHAP. XXIII VErse the tenth And the third Angel sounded and there fell a great Star from Heaven burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters And in the eleventh verse The Name of the Star is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became Wormwood and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter This third Angel sounded when Elijah and Elisha did those wonderful Mâ—racles in Israel in their reproving of Ahab and his sons for their idolatry and when Isaiah the Prophet prophesied against the King of Assyria For when the Angel doth sound there is always some great trouble upon the earth attends to one or more particular Nations As there was in the days of Elijah and more especially in the days of Elisha the Prophet when as the King of Syria warred with Israel but was prevented by the Prophet Elishas counsel As you may read 2 Kings and the sixth Chapter beginning at the eighth verse how many times he prevented the King of Syria But in process of time another King of Syria came against Samaria as in the 14 verse of this Chapter so that there was a great and extream famine in Samaria as may be read in that Chapter But this King of Syria was disappointed also And in process of time there arose another King of Assyria which came up against Samaria and besieged it and at the three years end took it as in 2 Kings chap. 13. verse 8. So in the 18 chapter verse 13. In the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah did the King of Assyria come up against all the fenced Cities of Judah and took them And further he went on until he came to besiege Jerusalem with great high boasting words against the God of Israel as he did against other idol gods Which he cast into the fire as Rabshakeh the servant of the King of Assyria doth declare as the History doth abundantly relate So that Hezekiah King of Judah did send to the Prophet Isaiah to enquire of the Lord as in 2 Kings 19. verse 2. And the Prophet Isaiah put the king in good comfort that the Lord would destroy the king of Assyria and his host as afterwards was done according to the words of the Prophet Isaiah as may be read in the Chapter aforesaid Now this king of Assyria and the other kings of Syria and the king of Moab that rebelled against Israel but especially this great king of Assyria was that great Star which John saw in his vision fall from heaven burning as it were a Lamp for he was in his own thought with pride and loftiness of his heart as high as the Stars are from the earth in power from the King of Judah So that Hezekiah his strength it was but as the earth for him to tread upon or like a reed which he could crush in his hand And this Star it burned like a Lamp that is a rumor and noise of his great army it went thorow many kingdoms putting them into such a fear which made the inhabitants hearts to burn with fear of his strength for he burned as a Lamp That is not swiftly but slowly that is he overcame one kingdom after another for when he had burned one kingdom by overcoming them by the word and firing their wooden gods The noise of this burned like a Lamp in other Kings hearts with fear that they and their gods should be served so And so it did prove as you may read 2 Kings the 19. chapter and the 12 verse what a many kings and gods did he destroy So that he burned indeed like a Lamp until he had consumeâ— many kings and their wooden gods So that his heart was lifted up with pride even as a great Star in heaven so that he thought to do by the God of Jacob in whom Hezekiah did trust as he did by those wooden gods which other nations did worship Therefore he proudly saith What God shall deliver Hezekiah the King out of his hand So that he burned as a Lamp with fear and terror both to the King and all Judah so that Kings are called Stars as it is said in Scripture speaking of Christ A Star shall come out of Jacob. So that Christ being the King of the Jews he is called a Star So likewise this great King of Assyria who had overcome so many Kings and had burned all their wooden gods who thought to do so to Judah he was that Star that fell from heaven burning as it were a lamp It fell upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters this Star is said to burn like a lamp in regard he conquered so many Kings and burned their gods with fire And this Star is said to fall upon the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters because he fell upon those kings that were scituated by Jordan and the Sea-coast many kings did Senacherib King of Assyria subdue and burn their gods with fire as you may see 2 Kings 19. and 18 verse So 2 Kings 1. ver 33. Hath any of the Gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the King of Assyria Where saith he are the Gods of Hamath with divers other Kings and Samaria or countries that have been delivered out of the King of Assyria's hand So that he hath digged and drunk strange waters and with the sole of his feet hath he dryed up all the rivers of besieged places as in the 2 Kings 19.24 And this was that great Star that fell from heaven which burned like a Lamp as aforesaid And this Star fell upon the third part of the rivers and fountain of waters It is said to be the third part of the rivers and fountains of waters in regard he stopped all those rivers and fountains of waters which did belong to all those kingdoms and lands which he conquered So that the inhabitants of those Lands could have no benefit of those Rivers and Fountains of waters which did belong to their Land For this Star falling upon their rivers and fountains of waters in besieging their Cities so that their rivers fountains of waters were dryed up with the sole of his feet For his Army was so great that the feet of
of the natural Moon and Stars it is their proper place when they shine to give light in the night But I have spoken more of the Moon in The interpretation of the Eleventh of the Revelation therefore I shall speak no more of it here Onely this to remind the Seed of Faith what great judgements did ensue upon the sounding of this fourth Angel Persecution of the Gospel persecution of the Law and destruction of the Jews which were the Stars These things were at the sounding of the fourth Angel You whose understandings are inlightned may see what hath followed upon the sounding of the Trumpet of these four Angels And how this fourth Angel it sounded half upon the Law of Moses and half upon the Gospel of Jesus So that now there is three Angels more to sound and great woes will follow upon it As it is said in the last verse of this chapter Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the Trumpets of the three Angels that are yet to sound So that there will follow a great woe upon the sounding of these three Angels Which I shall unfold in order as they follow in the next chapter So I shall say no more of this I having given the interpretation in short of all the chief things of concernment in the eighth chapter CHAP. XXVI CHapter the nineth At the sounding of the fifth Angel in the first verse John saw a Star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the Key of the bottomless pit Now this Star that fell from heaven unto the earth it was that beast or king that did arise out of the Sea which is spoken of Revel the 13 chapter and the first verse This beast was one of Herods the Dragons sons and the next beast that did arise after him And this beast he was like a Leopard and he had seven heads and ten horns and the Dragon gave him his power and authority And this beast had Crowns upon his ten horns And upon his heads the name of blasphemy So that he was furnished with the Dragons power and authority and his blasphemy to despise the living God and to persecute the Saints as his father the Dragon did when he persecuted Christ at his birth and made war with the remnant of his seed So that this beast which arose out of the Sea he may be said to be a Star that fell from heaven unto the earth because he was one of the Dragons sons For John saith he saw a wonder in heaven a great red Dragon that persecuted the woman which red Dragon was no other but Herod And this Star which fell from heaven unto the earth it was Herods first-born son therefore called a Star that fell from heaven unto the earth It is said to fall from heaven because this Star was of the same seed or nature as the Dragon was of For it is said by John that he saw a wonder in heaven a great red Dragon this red Dragon is said to be in heaven Because he had the spirit or seed of the fallen Angel in him in a great and extraordinary measure Which Angel was first in heaven he being created an Angel of light but was thrown down unto this earth when he deceived Eve Neither did that Angel that deceived her ever ascend up into heaven again to this day nor never shall But Herod and his sons and all wicked kings and rulers they being of the fallen Angels seed they may be said to fall from heaven And they being of his seed they may be called a Dragon and Satan a Serpent a Devil and Stars Though they act several ways yet all from one root that is from one seed even from the spirit or seed of the fallen Angel as aforesaid Therefore if any Head-magistrate or man doth act after the manner of a Dragon he may be said to be a Dragon as Herod And if any man act after the manner of a subtile serpent as those Jews did that tempted Christ they may be called Serpents And if any man act the part of a devil as Judas did he may be called a devil And if any king doth act as a Star that burneth like a Lamp or more worse this Star did that fell at the sounding of the fifth angel they may be called Stars that fal from heaven unto the earth Because as I said before the original or father of all wickedness even the fallen Angel he was thrown down from heaven unto this earth And the Dragon Serpent Devil and Stars they being of his seed they may be said by the Revelation of John to fall from heaven unto this earth For when the Angel was thrown down from heaven unto this earth his seed was all thrown down unto this earth with him And this earth hath and is the devils kingdom ever since and will be to the end of the world And in this sense it may be said that this Star fell from heaven unto the earth and to him that is unto this Star was given the Key of the bottomless pit And in the second verse it is said And he opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace and the Sun and the Air were darkned by reason of the smoke of the pit This bottomless pit here spoken of it is the imagination of reason in man for the imagination of mans heart is continually evil or bottomless or topless That is the imagination of Reason cannot finde out what God is nor where he is nor what the devil is nor where he is notwithstanding he is the devil himself That is the spirit of Reason which is the soul of man is the devil and the imaginations that proceeds from it is that bottomless pit the Scriptures speaketh of It is bottomless because it is eteenal for that which is eternal hath no end therefore no bottom so called by the Spirit A bottomless pit and he that had the key of the bottomless pit was the Star aforesaid The meaning is this He may be said to open the bottomless pit in that he had power given him to command the dark reason and imaginations of the idolatrous peoples hearts to come forth to fight for his Crown and Dignity and for the Image and Worship which he did set up Now he had power given him of the Angel of the bottomless pit that is from the fallen Angel aforesaid He being the Angel of the bottomless pit as it is said in the eleventh verse of this Chapter And they had a King over them which is the Angel of the bottomless pit whose name is Abaddon c. Now I would have the Reader to understand that from this king the Angel of the bottomless pit did Herod the Dragon receive his power He being that beast that did ascend out of the bottomless pit which is spoken of in the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation which
the Presbyterian did persecute upon the account of Religion as many can witness at this day Likewise was not the King driven from Whitehall by the Presbyterians and Independents Was not great Armies raised against him was there not many men slain by both Armies Were there not many thousands of people undone and destroyed by these plagues and troubles at the sounding of these two Anti-Angels namely Presbytery and Independency When I say Presbytery the Scots are included So that plagues doth follow upon the sounding of the trumpets of these Anti-angels as there did at the sounding of the trumpets of the Angels of Asia And the Angel of the Presbyterian signifies and resembles the Angel of the Church of Pergamos And the Angel of the Independent doth signifie and resemble the Angel of the Church of Thyatira 5. Fifthly Was there not great plagues at the founding of the Baptists and the Angel of the Ranters these two sounded together also That is their Ministery sounded forth together as the Presbytery and Independent did And they held together in War as the other two Did not great plagues follow upon the sounding of these two Anti-angels Was not Oliver Cromwel upon the Baptists score at the first was not he made General was not many Baptists and Ranters made great Officers of the Army for the Levellers were of the Ranters and the Fifth-monarchy men were of the Baptists So that the Levellers were a Branch that sprouted forth of the Ranters And the Fifth-Monarchy men were a Branch that sprouted forth of the Baptists And were not these the men that overthrew the Kings Army and the Scotch Army Did not these beat down all those that stood against them Did not these cause Judgement to be given upon the King when they had overcome him Did not these make France Spain and Holland to bow and fear before them Was not Olivers name dreadful to Neighbor Nations was not he a Terror to the Cavaliers was there not great destruction in England and else where at the sounding of these two Anti-angels These things many that are now living can witness So that there is plagues upon the earth at the sounding of every Angel for the Angel of the Baptist being the fifth in resembling the Angel of the Church in Sardis And the Ministery of the Ranters being the sixth Angel in relation to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia So that great plagues hath been upon the earth at the sounding of every one of these six Anti-angels far more than I can relate Onely this may give the Seed of Faith a hint whereby they may see what a suitableness there is in the sounding of the trumpets of the Anti-angels of the Churches of Europe to the Angels of the Churches of Asia and what plagues did follow CHAP. XXXI NOw when the seventh Angel of Asia did sound it is said That there should be time no longer as in Revel 10.6 And in Revel 11.15 it is said And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Intimating the end of all time at the sounding of the seventh Angel And as the Revelation of John hath involved the three Records in earth to agree in one That is to say the Water Blood and Spirit or the Commission of the Law and Commission of the Gospel and Commission of the Spirit These three being several and a great distance of time between every one of them as they were acted upon this earth Yet all but one record so is it with the Revelation of John in his vision he hath joyned the sounding of the seven trumpets of the seven Angels as if they did relate to no other but to the seven Churches of Asia When as the same spirit did sound in the time of the Law and so it doth now in these last days in the Commission of the Spirit For some of those Plagues that were upon the earth at the sounding of those four Angels they were acted in the time of the record of the Law which signifies the water yet seen in the vision by John as if they were all acted and performed by the seven Churches of Asia So likewise the seven Churches of Europe were included in the vision also For there is a remnant of the seed of the woman in all the seven Churches of Europe that will be saved though the Ministery of them be Anti. They being non-commissionated Angels yet called Angels who sound their trumpets And at the sounding of these Anti-angels great Plagues hath followed as I have shewed before Now the Quakers being the seventh and last Anti-angel that will sound in resemblance of the Angel of Laodicea There will fall great Plagues upon the earth at the sounding and in the sounding of this seventh and last Anti-angel For there is no more Angels to sound after the Quakers Ministery for this Ministery will last to the end of the world For there will never come no better nor higher Ministery while the world â—oth last For the Quakers Ministery is the seventh and last Anti-angel that will sound and as the mystery of God was finished in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel when it did begin to sound as in Revel the 10. and as I have declared in The Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation So likewise when this Angel hath sounded out-right the world will be at an end and the Kingdoms of this world will become our Lord Christs and he shall raign for ever and ever Revel 11.15 And this Plague will be the greatest Plague of all the other six Plagues unto the seed of reason who have persecuted the innocent and killed the just But how long time it will be when these things shall come it is not revealed to me nor no man else Onely this by revelation I know that the last or third Commission of the Spirit is now extant upon the earth And that the Quakers Ministery is the seventh and last Angel that will sound But how long time it will sound is not yet revealed to me But this I know that they are the last and being the last they may last a pretty while Neither would I have the Reader to think that the Ministery of the other six Angels will be extinguished for they will last to the end of the world also Onely this I would have the Reader to understand that all Sects and Opinions in matter of Religion are comprised in these seven Churches of Europe So that these seven Churches are the root and body and the other Opinions in religion though seemingly they differ from them yet I say they are but branches that are sprouted forth from some of these seven Churches of Europe Though they seem very great branches yet they are but branches as doubtless there was many differing opinions in the seven Churches of Asia
yet all are comprised by the Revelation and vision of John in the seven Angels Ministery of Asia So all Sects and Opinions are comprised in the seven Anti-angels Ministery of Europe And the Quakers Ministery it being the seventh and last Anti-angel that will sound the trumpet in regard there will come nor arise no higher nor better things in matter of Religion to the eye of reason So that men and women which doth not know truth when they want satisfaction in their mindes they must fall into the Quakers And as the Plagues and Judgements upon the earth are greater at the sounding of the Trumpet of the seventh Angel of Asia it being no less Plague then the end of the world Which Plague is far more greater then those six Plagues which was at the other Angels sounding So likewise there will be greater Plagues upon the earth at the sounding of the Trumpet of the seventh and last Anti-angel then there hath been at the sounding of the other six Angels for no more will come to the end of the world And the nearer it grows to the end the greater Plagues will be upon the earth For is not almost all the world in an uproar killing and destroying one another ever since the seventh Anti-angel did begin to sound And yet greater Plagues then hath been or is now will ensue upon the sounding of this Angel But I shall leave it to what providence and time will bring forth onely this to let the Reader see and know what a resemblance there is between the seven Churches of Europe and the seven Churches of Asia And how that the seven Anti-angels were included in the vision in the seven Angels of Asia and Plagues on the earth in like manner And as the Revelation of John in his vision did see that the end of the world would be at the sounding the trumpet of the seventh Angel the Anti-angel being included in the vision it will so come to pass But what day hour or year is not known to any man Therefore I shall leave it unto God who hath appointed an end in his own secret decree and hath declared it by his servants the Prophets and Apostles therefore ought to be believed by all that do expect eternal life by Gods putting an end to this world Neither can there be any satisfaction to the mind of man except it be believed It is that that satisfies me so that I do not question the thing though the time when is uncertain an end there will be as certain as there was a beginning So I shall leave it unto God that made a beginning of this world unto man and according to his own appointment there will be an end So that I need not say any more concerning the seven Churches of Europe there being a likeness and resemblance of their Ministery unto the Ministery the seven Churches of Asia And so may be called Seven Angels that sounded their trumpets and Plagues did and doth fall upon the earth at the sounding of every one of the Anti-angels as aforesaid Now I have given the interpretation of the seven Anti-angels I shall pass by the 10 11 and 12 chapters as I said before and proceed to interpret the chief things of concernment in the thirteenth chapter CHAP. XXXII IN the first verse of the thirteenth chapter John saith he stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise up out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten Crowns and upon his heads the name of Blasphemy I would not have the Reader to understand that John did stand upon the sand of the Sea with the feet of his body when he saw this beast to arise out of the Sea But the meaning is the revelation of his spirit it was carried in the vision by the revelation of Faith as if he had stood upon the sand of the Sea-shore For the revelation of the spirit can stand upon the sand or upon the Sea though the body of a man be many miles distant from it Likewise it is not to be understood that this beast which he saw did arise out of the Sea but as I said before in another case this beast with seven heads and ten horns he did arise out of those Islands which did border about the Sea or lands that are environed about with the Sea and other great rivers of waters as some places of this earth is as that of Jordan and other places Which those that have travelled the earth and sea can better relate then I. But it may be said that this beast did arise out of the Sea in regard this borders kingdomes and people were environed or surrounded by the Sea as the land of Canaan was So that except the waters of Jordan had been dryed up by the power of God there had been no entring into it by the people of the Jews And so those four Angels that were bound on the river Euphrates as I shewed before so is it with this beast that John saw to arise out of the Sea He may be said to arise out of the Sea for those reasons aforesaid This beast is said to have seven heads and ten horns Now it is said Revel 12.2 That the great red Dragon had seven heads and ten horns also The difference between these two is this the Dragons seven heads and ten horns is spoken with relation to seven Kings that should proceed out of his loins that should have ten horns That is they should exercise persecution against the Saints ten times in the time of the Apostles Commission And this was the Dragons war that he made with the remnant of the womans seed as in Revelation the 12 and the last verse And the ten horns that the Dragon had were the Ten Persecutions of the Saints which are called by the revelation of John ten horns as is more opened in The Divine Looking-Glass But the thing I would have the Reader to minde is this the difference why the Dragon is said to have seven heads and ten horns and the beast that John saw to arise out of the Sea he had seven heads and ten horns also The meaning is this the Dragons seven heads did signifie seven Kings besides himself that should exercise the same idolatry and persecution of the Saints as he did For he gave his power unto this beast who had the seven heads and ten horns But this beast that did arise out of the Sea is said to have seven heads and ten horns in regard that he was one of the seven heads himself And the first of the seven heads that the Dragon had So that the Dragon is the eighth and is gone into perdition as I shall open more when I come to it Onely this that the Seed of Faith may see some difference between the Dragons seven heads and ten horns and the Beasts seven heads and ten horns The one having seven heads besides himself and the other having
were but shadows and no real thing or substance Onely things produced out of the strength of his own imagination it being stronger then others it did subject the imaginations of others under it And so they were deceived by it their phantasies being dazled and over powered by his knowledge and wisdom in the dark power of reason the devil He could present to their dazled phantasies such like shapes and signs as aforementioned Likewise it was in John Tancy his heart to have offered up his son to a diabolical Diety that he might attain to a greater and higher spiritual power then he had yet attained unto With other strange things he did and would have done had not the Law of the Land been against such things to put them to death He would have done much like Manasses 2 Kings 21.6 who made his son pass thorow the fire So that wonderful strange things may be attained unto by the spirit of reason in man when it is religiously about But I shall speak no more of these things here onely these few lines are to let the Reader to see what strange things hath been acted here in England by men upon a religious account and many more which I will not mention now CHAP. XXXIX BUt I shall open a little what is meant by receiving the mark of the Beast in the right hand or in the forehead The mark of the beast is this when a Head Magistrate or Chief Council in a Nation or Kingdom shall set up by his or their power and authority a Set-form of Worship he or they having no Commission from God so to do And shall cause the people by their power and authority both small and great bond and free to worship after this maner of Worship that is set up by authority as this beast did else they shall be persecuted or killed This Form of Worship so set up without a Commission from God it may and is called by the Spirit An Image for all people to worship by vertue of that Power that did set it up For this I must say that all manner of Forms of Worship which are set up by men who have no Commission from God they are but Idols and Images And who ever doth worship God in those Forms of Worship set up by Non commissionated men they may be said to receive the mark of the beast in the right hand or in the forehead But there was alwayes in most parts of the earth one Supream Power in all Nations that had power to set up Form of Worship as an Image and to command and compel all those that were under their power to worship the Image set up by the Power or by the Beast For all Head-Magistrates are called Beasts as well as Kings else the people have not been suffered to buy nor sell but have been persecuted and killed even as they were at that time by the beast that had two horns like a Lamb. For whosoever would not receive his mark either in his forehead or his right hand that is if they would not worship the Image set up by the beast they should be killed or not suffered to buy nor sell That is not to trade which is as bad to some as death it self So hath it been ever since and will be to the end of the world little or much For let the Reader consider how many have lost their lives for not submitting to the Worship or as I may say Image that hath been set up by the Papists The multitude of people that Power hath slain and persecuted upon that account are hardly to be numbred by man So likewise the Episcopal Power of Worship hath for their Image persecuted and put to death many Also the Presbytery for their Worship or Image have persecuted and put to death many witness New-England Scotland and other places The Independent also for his Worship or Image hath been guilty of persecution The Baptist they also have been guilty of persecution for his Image or Worship witness that one particular of James Naylor For that little Parliament that punished him were most of them Independents and Baptists so that all men when they are in power fall to persecution for Religion if men differ from them in point of Worship And as for the Ranter and Quaker they never were in power so that their persecuting spirits for Religion cannot be seen yet all these seven Churches have an Image to worship That is they every one of them doth set up a several Form of Worship but all false for none of them knoweth the true God neither hath any of them a Commission from God to set up such a Form of Worship as they do So that all Forms of Worship in what manner soever that are set up by Non-commissionated men who are not authorized of God their Forms are but Images or Idols and the Worshippers are Idolaters and doth receive the mark of the beast either in the forehead or in the right hand For the spirit of reason in man is the Beast that sets up Worship as an Image let it be in high or low but more especially in higher Powers who have power to command people to worship his Image And in so doing they do receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or right hand Now a man may be said to receive the mark of the beast in his forehead when as a man doth worship in that form and manner as is set up by the beasts authority willingly then doth a man receive the mark in his forehead And when a man receives the mark of the beast in his right hand it is when men doth worship and bow down to that form of worship or Image set up by the beast against a mans own mind or unwillingly for fear he shall suffer if he do it not This is to receive the mark of the Beast in his right hand For if the mark of the Beast be not seen in the forehead or in the right hand they shall either be killed or not suffered to trade That is to buy and sell one of these he must be sure to suffer if he hath not the mark in either of those two places aforesaid That is if the people doth not come to the publick worship set up by the Beast either willingly or unwillingly it was known that they had not received the mark of the Beast neither in the forehead nor in the right hand It is called the right hand because the right hand is that that subscribes or writes his name to any thing of concernment So that no man should buy or sell save him that had the mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name Now observe he that had the name of the Beast or the number of his name were those men that were in offices and places in the Beasts dominions or that had a badge of the Beasts arms upon them For they knew the number of Beasts which
make war with the Lamb that is they make war with the Saints and shed their blood For these ten Kings do execute the will of the beast in making war with the Saints for in making war with the Saints they may be said to make war with the Lamb. And as the faith and patience of the Saints did bear their cruel torments to the terrifying of the souls of their persecutors even whilest in this life So that the sufferings of the Saints with patience and chearfulness for they have no other weapons of war but the weapon of the Spirit That is to say a Breast-plate of Righteousness the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit these are the Lambs weapons of war and he doth furnish his Saints with them so that they shall be able to overcome all their enemies Who fighteth with Spear and Shield or with Sword of steel or Gun these are the devils weapons of war and he fighteth with the Saints with these and such like weapons and so kills the body and hath no more to do That is he puts to death this natural life which is called but a killing the body and hath no more to do But the weapons of war the Saints do use they being spiritual they kill the persecutors soul and yet shed no blood For as carnal weapons doth kill the natural life of man and shed his blood So likewise those spiritual weapons afore-mentioned doth kill that spiritual life in the persecutors with an eternal or second death and yet shed no blood and in this manner shall the Lamb overcome these ten Kings which ten Kings doth include all persecuting spirits whatsoever For the Lamb being King of kings and Lord of Lords he hath chosen his Saints and they are faithful to fight under his banner for he hath called them for that purpose And the Lamb being their King and Captain the Saints shall certainly overcome their persecutors and in this sense the Lamb shall overcome them CHAP. LXIIII. VErse the fifteenth And he saith unto me the waters which thâ—â— sawest where the whore sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues I have opened this verse before so that I need not speak any thing more of it here but I shall pass by this and go to the sixteenth verse Verse the sixteenth And the ten borne thou sawest upon the beast these shall hate the where and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire These ten horns are those ten Kings aforesaid they received power before from the beast to persecute the Saints and to make war with the Lamb. And now they receive power from God to hate the whore and to fight against her spiritual power as you may see in the seventeenth verse For God hath put it into their hearts to fulfil his will Yet I would have the Reader to minde that these ten horns or ten kings doth imploy all wicked kings who are subordinate or under the beast For all wicked beasts are included in this one beast and all idolatrous spiritual power is included in this one whore or City Babylon So that God will put it into the hearts of wicked kings to put down the spiritual power of idolatry So that the Fifth-Monarchy-men are mightily mistaken thinking in themselves that those Kings or great persons that shall pull down the Popes spiritual power or any other spiritual power that hath neer affinity with the Popish worship I say they are much mistaken For God will put it into the hearts of wicked reprobate men to do his will they shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked That it they shall smite her flesh with a sword of steel and burn her with fire that is they shall utterly destroy her For burning with fire signifies utter destruction and eating her flesh it signifies the being well pleased in their mindes so that their mindes doth feed upon the destruction of her and in this sense they may be said to eat her flesh Onely this I do confess that the Pope is that whore that must be made desolate for the same spirit of fornication concerning spiritual matters or worshipping of idols is in the Pope and others as there was in other whores who profess the same spiritual power as the Pope doth For one spirit of idolatry hath run thorow the line of them all in all ages and the Pope succeeding after the Ten Persecutions he is called by the Spirit a whore and the last whore And doth not she by her spiritual power sit upon many waters which waters doth signifie multitudes of people nations and tongues doth not she by her spiritual power and temporal both sit almost upon all Europe Doth noâ— she sit upon almost all the Beasts that is the Kings of Europe So that when this whore is made desolate the world will be at an end Onely this I would have the Fifth-Monarchy-men to minde that they must be wicked reprobate men that doth make her desolate for all that fighteth with carnal weapons that is a sword and Gun they are wicked Though God doth put it into their hearts to do his will for one wicked man shall destroy another with carnal weapons For these ten horns which signifies all wicked Kings when they have made the whore desolate they shall give their kingdoms unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled That is these conquerors over the whore shall give their kingdoms unto the Beast who gave them Commission and power at the first to persecute and kill the Saints So that they take no notice that God did put it into their hearts to do his will upon the whore but they attribute all the power and glory of it to the beast looking more upon his Commission and Authority that he gave them To destroy the Saints and by the same Authority they think they do make the whore desolate not minding Gods putting it into their hearts Therefore it is they give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled That is they shall give their kingdoms unto the beast until the end of the world When God shall make a final end that is an eternal destruction of the beast and of the whore and of these ten horns that gave their kingdoms unto the beast then will the words of God be fulfilled CHAP. LXV VErse the eighteenth and the last verse of this chapter And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which raigneth over the Kings of the earth I have spoken of these things in this verse in divers places before so that I need not say no more of it Onely this I would have the Reader to minde that all this seventeenth Chapter the things contained in it it was shewed unto John by way of vision And what judgement should befall in the end to all those that were concerned in those matters of spiritual and temporal
express these heavealy Secrets as well as I could rather than to bury them with my self alone So that who ever doth read this Treatise of the Interpretation of this Book of the Revelation of St. John I say they must take it as it is and let them remember that God seldom chose Learned men to declare the mysteries of his kingdom but let that pass When I had weighed and pondered in my minde this great mystery of God that God became flesh I was moved in my minde to express my self thus unto God Oh Lord God of truth thou that wert from eternity and hadst thy being of thy self a spiritual body in form like a man thou who knowst no beginning of thy self neither dost thou know any ending of thy self yet thou by thy own wisdom and power became very man clothing thy spiritual body with pure humane flesh onely the Life of that body was no other but the Godhead Life so that thou madest thy self a little lower then the Angels also thou madest thy self capable to suffer the pains of death by thy own creatures and so thy vesture was made red it being dipt in thy own blood for the Redemption of thy own seed the seed of Adam It is thee O Lord that wert the first revealer of heavenly secrets unto mankinde some thou hast revealed thy minde unto by voice of words some by secret inspiration of thy Spirit and others thou hast revealed the mysteries concerning thy self and thy kingdom by the Spirit of Faith that doth arise out of its seed so that the original of all true Revelation and understanding the mysteries of thy kingdom it doth come from thee Oh Lord God of truth so that I can truly say with Moses the Prophets Apostles and Saints Blessed be the Lord God of truth who hath revealed unto me the mystery of God and the mystery of the right devil with the interpretation of many other heavenly secrets spoken of by John in this Book never revealed before unto Prophet or Apostle therefore unto thee O Lord God of truth thou that art King of kings and Lord of lords who art that Alpha and Omega whose garment of flesh was made red and whose vesture of flesh was dipt in his own blood for the Redemption of mankinde thou who art the first and the last even he that was dead but is alive and behold he liveth for evermore to thee onely be ascribed all Allelujah of praises by me thy servant whom thou hast chosen when I thought not of it Also let Allelujah blessing glory and honor be given unto him by all those that doth truly understand and believe these things interpreted in this Treatise I say again let us give all praises honor and glory unto our God our King and our Redeemer even the Lord Jesus Christ both now and for evermore Amen Amen CHAP. LXXX AS for this twentieth Chapter it is onely a relation of things done before and as for the chief things in this Chapter concerning Satans being bound for a thousand years and after the thousand years was expired Satan was let loose with many other things depending thereupon they are opened already in the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation Onely I shall give a word or two to shew what is meant by Gog and Magog This Gog and Magog is the Turk Pagan and all heathen men who never professed the worship of Moses nor the worship of the Gospel that is the same spirit that was in the heathen in former time who were called by the Spirit Gog and Magog as you may see Ezekiel 39.1 Thus saith the Lord God behold I am against thee O Gog. And in verse 6. God will send a fire on Magog So chapter 38.2 Son of Man set thy face against Gog the land of Magog and in the 3 verse and say Thus saith the Lord behold I am against thee O Gog the chief Princes of Meshech Now this Gog and Magog spoken of in Ezekiel it was no other but Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon he I say is called by the Spirit Gog as in 2 Chron. 36 6 and all his princes who had great armies who helped him to fight against Jerusalem and they are called by the Spirit Magog as you may see 2 Kings 24.1 2. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came up that is he came up to fight against Jerusalem and there came against Jerusalem bands of the Caldees and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the children of Ammon these all came against Judah to destroy it and so they did according to the word of the Lord. And these bands of men aforesaid are called by the Spirit Magog so that it may be clear to the Reader that this Gog and Magog spoken of by John it is meant all the Heathen power upon the face of the earth in that the heathen hath three parts of the world in his hands For this is to be minded by the Reader that this Gog and Magog spoken of by the Prophets they were Heathen powers and people who never did profess nor confess the Scriptures of truth And this Gog and Magog John speaketh of are Heathen men also for the same spirit that was in that Gog and Magog it doth run in the line of that seed even to the end of the world So that the Heathen that shall be destroyed at the end of time may be called Gog and Magog as the other Gog and Magog was destroyed after the seventy years were expired they were destroyed with a temporal destruction but this Gog and Magog John speaketh of they will be destroyed with an eternal destruction at the end of time For this spirit of reason the devil or Satan that was bound for a thousand years and when the thousand years was expired he was let loose which things I have opened in The Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation This spirit of reason the devil as aforesaid it being loosed out of prison which prison I have shewed what it is in that book aforesaid so that this Satan being loosed he goeth forth to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth as in the eighth verse of this chapter Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea So that the Reader may see that Satan shall go out to deceive the nations that are in the four quarters of the earth which four quarters doth signifie all the world for the world is divided but into four parts and all these four parts of the earth they are deceived by this spirit of Satan which spirit of Satan I have shewed what it is in my other writings but this is to be minded that the Saints the Seed of Faith are excepted by the Spirit for though they live in the four parts of the earth yet they are not deceived by the spirit of Satan not as to their eternal perdition as the other
sense upon the words of this Prophecy even what their imaginations doth dictate unto them they being uncertain in themselves that what they say to be true So that who ever doth take upon him to be a Minister of the Gospel to interprete the Scriptures without a Commission from God or that knowledge aforesaid I say such men as those may be said to add unto the words of the Prophecy of this Book of the Revelation and not only so but to the whole Book of the Scriptures For all men that do undertake to be Ministers and Preachers of Christ without a Commission from him they not being sent by him these men onely are those that do add unto the Prophecy of this Book that is they add their own vain thoughts and conceivings of their own imaginations unto the truths of God So that in stead of the true meaning of the Scriptures the people have nothing else but the Preachers thoughts and conceivings of the Scriptures and so are altogether unsatisfied in their spirits and these are those men that do add unto the Prophecy of this Book of the Revelation and to the Book of the Scriptures So in like manner will God add unto him or them the plagues that are written in this Book Now what these plagues are they are spoken of in this Book The plagues that shall be added unto them are spiritual that is to say spiritual darkness upon the minde here and the fear of the second death so that the soul of man shall possess the second death which shall burn as a lake of fire and brimstone in utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth to eternity These are those spiritual plagues that God will add to all those men that go to be Preachers of his Gospel and were not sent by him for they onely do add unto the Prophecy of this Book So that the Reader may see what a dangerous thing it is for a man to take upon him to prophesie preach or teach as a Messenger of Christ without a Commission from him For who ever doth so he doth add his own vain thoughts and imaginations in the Scriptures of those Heavenly Secrets Mysteries and Visions declared by holy men who were inspired by the holy Ghost or the revelation of Faith to write those things aforesaid yet men by their own imaginations by the gift of Learning and by the natural wisdom of Reason will undertake to interprete Scriptures and to be Preachers to others without a Commission from God and without any true knowledge of God And so these men do come to add other Interpretations of their own conceivings unto the Scriptures which is contrary to the mind of that Spirit that writ them and so they become capable to receive of those plagues that are written in this Book as aforesaid CHAP. LXXXII ALso I would have the Reader to know that the same men that do add their conceivings unto this book the same sort of men do take away from the words of this Book of this Prophecy They may be said to take away from it in that they will not suffer any true Interpreter to expound the meaning of the words of the Prophecy of that Book of the Revelation or any other Scriptures onely this some mens mindes are acted out one way and some another some men so they may be suffered to speak their own phantasies upon the Scriptures so as to please themselves and their Hearers that is they care not how much they add to this Book not minding to take any thing from it It is not their principles to take any thing from the Scriptures but their delight is altogether to add their vain conceptions conceiving the meaning thus and thus But he that taketh away from this Book is such a one that will not suffer the true Interpretation of the Scriptures nor of this Book of the Revelation because the true Interpretation of the Scriptures overthroweth all the Principles of Religion in the world So that if truth should be suffered to have freedom in the world then all the old Principles of Religion that have been received in the world so many hundred years by the Pope and others they would quite fall to the ground So that there is a necessity that there should be a number of men to add unto this Book and a number of men to take away from it For true revelation always had some to add to it and some to take from it so that he that taketh from it God will take his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this Book The meaning is this that as they would not suffer no true Interpretation of the Scriptures to abide in the world but would take it quite away both the Interpretation and the Interpreter also So in like manner God will take his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City so that he shall have no part in that glory and everlasting life which is written of in this Book of the Revelation That is he thought by taking away from the words of this book that is by his persecuting the true Interpretation of it that he did God good service even as he did that added to it for he that adds unto it as aforesaid doth think he doth God good service So in like manner he that taketh from it as aforesaid that persecutes true Revelation and true Interpretation he doth think he doth God good service in so doing and so he thinks to have a part in the Book of Life and to be one of the members of the holy City and to have a right to that glory and happiness that is written in this Book when as alas alas he is one of them that hath taken away from the Prophecy of this Book by persecuting the true Interpretation of it so that God hath taken away that part he thought he had in the Book of Life and that confidence he had in being a member of the holy City and of the glory hereafter I say all these things will God take away from those men that doth take away from the words of the Prophecy of this book of the Scriptures and more especially this book of the Revelation of Saint John This is the true meaning of the Spirit in adding and taking away from this Book of Johns Revelation Oh where is there a man hardly to be found but he is guilty of one of these two either to add or to take away from this mysterious book of the Revelation of John So that the Reader may see what the Spirit doth mean by adding and taking away and who they are that doth this for this is to be considered that no man can interpret the Scriptures truly but he that is chosen and sent of God as Moses and Aaron Peter and Paul and us the Witnesses of the Spirit Also none can interpret the Scriptures truly but those that have the same Spirit as those had that spake the Scriptures that spirit can trace the steps of God Almighty in those three paths which God hath walked in Those three parths are Gods three Commissions or three Records on earth to wit the Water Blood and Spirit so that no Commissionated man of God can be said either to add to or diminish from the word of God for he is chosen of God to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom unto his chosen ones which mysteries are hidden in that letter So that the messengers of God they shall be punished of God if they will not go forth to declare the mysteries of his kingdom but on the contrary if men go are not sent of God they are punished of God for going before they were sent and in going before they are sent they do add and take away from the Scriptures and from this book of the Revelation for they being not chosen nor sent of God they do not know the true meaning of the Scriptures so they not knowing the truth of them they add their own conceits and senses upon them and diminish and take away the true Interpreter by persecution and will not suffer it to abide in the world lâ—st their own principles should fall by it and this is the true meaning of the Spirit and what is meant by adding and taking away from the words of the prophecy of this book of the Revelation of St. John I thought it something necessary to open these two verses because it hath been a thing common in most peoples mouths when they have heard the interpretation of Scriptures with many deep Secrets opened and many heavenly Mysteries revealed which never was revealed before or that hath not been commonly known amongst Religious people they have seemed hard sayings So that men have cryed out O Blasphemy or else say I have added to the word of God or if the interpretation doth differ from the common received opinion or interpretation Then they will say I take away from the word of God yet they know not what it is to add or to take away from it therefore I have opened these two verses in the last chapter and the last verses but one of the Revelation of St. John that the Seed of Faith may know what it is and who they are that add and diminish the words of the prophecy of this book aforesaid and who it is that doth not add nor diminish but doth give the true interpretation of all the deep secrets and hidden mysteries of the whole book of the Revelation And now last of all what it is to add and take away with the joy and glory of them that doth not add nor diminish thereunto with the plagues shame and misery of all those that doth add thereunto or diminish there from So much for the Interpretation of all the chief Head and hard sayings in the whole book of the Revelation of St. John and the conclusion of this Epistle Lodowick Muggleton FINIS
of the Son-ship he is exceeding glorious seemingly more glorious and terrible then under the title of God the Father For here his eyes are like unto a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass yet all this while it is he the same he which is the first and the last that is cloathed with flesh and bone yet a glorified body in the heavens above the Stars Fifthly Unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars This he is Christ the first and the last he that was dead and is alive this is he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars Who can have the seven spirits of God but he that is God And who can rule and govern the seven Stars which are the seven Churches but God onely Sixthly To the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write These things saith he that is holy he that is true he that hath the Key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth I suppose that all men which profess the Scriptures will acknowledge that this must needs be God he which is Holy he that is true he that hath the key of David who can shut up the minde of man in ignorance and darkness as he doth the wise and prudent men of this world and no man can open their understandings Also he can open the understandings of the Seed of Faith and let the light of life shine into their hearts and no man can shut up their hearts And he that can do this it God I suppose it will be confest by all but not believed but by few yet it is plain in Johns Revelation that this God is no other but Jesus Christ Seventhly To the Angel of the Church of the Loadiceans write These things saith the Amen the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Jesus Christ is the Amen the true and faithful witness he is also the beginning of the Creation of God because he is and was that God that created the world and all things therein in the beginning According to that saying in Scripture speaking of Christ By him the world was made and without him was nothing made which was made Intimating that there was nor is any thing created or made by any other God or infinite Spirit whatsoever but by the Lord Jesus Christ onely Here the Seed of Faith may see that the Revelation of John hath set forth Jesus Christ to be he that is and which was and which is to come and that these seven Spirits before his Throne proceeded from Jesus Christ the onely wise God blessed for ever yet I declare that it was all but one Spirit of God going forth into the seven Churches of Asia in giving them seven several reproofs and seven several blessings as aforesaid as I have here set down Also the Revelation of John hath given answerable to the seven Blessings seven several Titles to this God according to their several operations and Blessings in the seven Churches of Asia Therefore called the seven Spirits which are before his Throne Therefore I have set them down in order as before written And because the Seed of Faith may understand and know that these seven Spirits spoken of by John are no other but that one Spirit of Jesus Christ the onely wise God he that is and he that was and he which is to come I say from this Jesus proceeded those seven Spirits and those seven Titles are attributed to him which is which was and which is to come That is this Jesus is he that by his Spirit or Grace holdeth 1. The seven Stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks The seven Stars in his right hand is the the Ministry of the seven Churches and the Golden Candlesticks are the Churches themselves as aforesaid 2. This Jesus is he that is the first and the last which was dead and is alive 3. Christ is he that hath the sharp Sword with two edges in that he is the Judge of the quick and the dead 4. This Christ Jesus is he whose eyes are like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass 5. This Jesus is he that hath the seven Spirits of God because he is God and hath the seven Stars 6. This Jesus is he that is holy he that is true he that hath the Key of David he that openeth and no man shuteth and shuteth and no man openeth 7. This Jesus is the Amen the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God CHAP. V. THus in some measure I have opened what is meant by him which is which was and which is to come and what is meant by the seven Spirits before his Throne It will be necessary to open something what is meant by his Throne The Throne of Christ 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 sit in Judgement upon any matters of life and death But if he be not there in his own person yet his Arms is set over every place of Judicatory and the Judge of that place doth sit under the Kings Arms representing the person of the King And so the Judge fits in the Kings Throne Yet it may be said that the Kings Throne is there also for the Kings Throne is all over his Dominions and Kingdoms though he himself be but in one particular place where his honor and glory and greatness may be most manifest And that place where his glory is most seen and where he doth usually sit in Judgement I say that place may properly be called the Kings Throne For if the king were not a person and had a kingdom how could he set up a Throne in it And if there be a Throne set up in a kingdome there must of necessity be a King to sit upon it And this King must be the person of a man else why should we call him a King So likewise the Lord Jesus Christ he being God and Man in one single person he hath a kingdom above and beyond the Stars and he being King of heaven he hath a Throne to sit upon himself And many other Thrones in his kingdom above the Stars for all his Prophets Apostles and Messengers which he hath sent in this world Even as a King hath many Judges and Messengers in his earthly kingdom and the King hath given them many Thrones to sit upon which are visibly seen by the eye of sence and reason So likewise the eye of Faith doth as perfectly see God their King sitting upon his Throne in the kingdom of glory above the Stars and all those Prophets and Apostles Messengers and Ambassadors which he hath sent to sit upon Thrones of glory also So that there is Thrones of Glory in Heaven as