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I would have the seed of faith to observe, that these four beasts give glory and honour unto Christ here, as he was God the Father.

As Isaiah vi. 3, where it is said, And one cryed one to another, and said, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

Likewise the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sate on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created, Revelations iv. 10. 11.

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

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

But in chap. v. the four and twenty elders give glory unto this Christ, the only God, as he is a Son, and hath redeemed them, and so doth the four beasts also.

And as for the four and twenty elders, I shall say nothing of them here, because I have spoken of them in the Interpretation of the eleventh Chapter of the Revelation.

So I have given the interpretation of the chief things in chap. iv. of John's Revelation, I shall go unto chapter v. and give the interpretation of the chief things in that also.

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CHAP. XI.

IN N chap. v. verse 1, John saw in the right hand of him that sate on the throne, a book written within, and on the back side sealed with seven seals.

Why doth John say he saw in the right hand of him that sate upon the throne a book written within, and sealed on the back side with seven seals, when as he that sate on the throne was no other but God, the Creator of all things?

And Jesus Christ is he that created the world, and all things therein, as aforesaid.

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

The meaning is this, that Christ Jesus as he was God the Father, and Creator of all things, it was not his proper place and work to open the book with seven seals;

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

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

So that he had the book of life in his right hand, as he was God the Creator; but as he is God the Redeemer, he must take the book out of his own right hand, and open it, and loose the seals thereof. For John in his vision did sce Christ to sit upon

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the throne, as he was God the Father, and the Creator.

Also in his vision he saw Christ sit upon the throne, as he was God the Son, and as he suffered death, and so redeemed mankind.

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

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

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

But who can understand but the seed of faith?

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

But consider, he speaks it but by way of vision, and all visions can never be understood so clear and. plain as interpretation is.

For I am certain that John did believe in no other God but one, even Jesus Christ the only wise God, blessed for ever and ever, though spoken of with relation to a two-fold condition, as I have shewed before.

This book which was in Christ's right hand, as he was God the Father, I declare it was the book of life, wherein was written the names of all the elect seed of all the seven churches of Asia, and of all the elect seed of the seven churches of Europe.

I say, the elect seed are all written in that book of life which is in Christ's right hand, and the seven

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seals on the back side of this book, they were the seven visible churches of Asia.

That is, they were sealed up by the doctrine and faith of the gospel; they received the holy spirit of promise, whereby they were sealed in their souls with the holy spirit of promise, that they were redeemed unto eternal happiness, by the blood of the Lamb.

And this I say, that the witness of the spirit of faith, in the conscience here in mortality, it is but a sealing up to the day of glory.

Therefore what assurance, witness, or sealing soever a man hath in his soul, in this life, it is called by the Revelation of John, but a seal on the back side of the book of life.

For those seven churches of Asia were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, in that they believed the doctrine of Christ's death and resurrection, and so they were sealed in their hearts with the assurance of eternal life, their names being written within the book of life.

And because there were seven churches of Asia, which did truly believe, and were sealed in their souls with the assurance of everlasting life,

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

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

For it is much like unto a book or letter, the matter and substance is within the letter or book, but the seal is without, or on the back side:

But he that breaketh open the seal of the letter or book, he seeth what is within.

So

So is it with Christ, he having the Book of life in his right hand, wherein the elect seed are written, and the assurance of faith which is the elect seed of the seven churches of Asia had, and as others have, are called the seven seals on the back side of the book of life.

Which no man in heaven nor in earth could open the book, nor loose the seals thereof, but Christ as he is God and Redeemer.

You that have faith may see what is meant by the book, and by the seven seals on the back side. &c.

IN

CHAP. XII.

verse 2. John saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

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

I shall pass by these two verses, there being but little matter of concernment in them, but I shall go to verse 4.

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

Here John was at a hard set in his vision, when he saw God have a book in his right hand, and no man in heaven, nor in earth could open it, nor read it.

There was cause enough for John to weep, because that book was the book of life, and many thousands and millions of souls were written in that book.

As he afterwards maketh mention of, and many

that

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