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 who 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 mind of men 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, is God: I suppose it will be confest by all, but not believed but by few, yet it is plain in John's 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 only.

Here the seed of faith may see that the Revelation of John, hath set forth Jesus Christ to be he that is,

and

and which was, and which is to come; and that these seven spirits before his throne, proceeded from Jesus Christ the only 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 only 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 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

3. Christ is he that hath the sharp sword with two edges, in that he his 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 shutteth, and shutteth, 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 judgment 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 king's arms, representing the person of the king.

And so the judge sits in the king's throne. Yet it may be said thah the king's throne is there also, for the king's throne is all over his dominions

and

and kingdoms, though he himself be but in one particular place, where his honour, and glory, and greatness may be most manifest.

And that place where his glory is most seen, and where he doth usually sit in judgment, I say that place may properly be called the king's 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 kingdom, 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 sense 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 are thrones of glory in heaven, as there are here on earth; and there is a king of heaven to sit upon that throne of glory, as there

are

are many kings here in earth, which do sit upon thrones of glory here.

Because this world is in many kings hands, therefore divided into many kingdoms; 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, only this will give you a little light into it.

CHAP. VI.

AND because men might be thoroughly convin

ced that Jesus Christ is the only 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.

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