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 than that was wherein he was created, and a more miserable condition to the seed of the serpent, than he was cre-

ated 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 a man.

For the nature of a man cloathes itself 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 God's death hereafter, only this I would have the seed of faith to mind that two-fold condition of God, as aforesaid.

And then you will not stumble at John's 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 chap. i. 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 God's two-fold 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 two-fold 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 there is so much dissatisfaction in reading the scriptures, by the professors now a-days, it is because they understand them not; this I know by experience.

But as I said before, as there was a two-fold state in one God.

So likewise there was two Lord's-days as aforesaid, yet but one God.

But the meaning of John, when he saith, he was in the spirit on the Lord's day. I declare his meaning was the day of Christ's resurrection.

And

And this he calls the Lord's day, that is, it was the day of God's 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 the 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 find.

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 find any benefit by the blood of Christ, because he looks upon it to be but the blood of the human nature, or the blood of a man, notwithstanding the scriptures are so full to prove that Christ is God, and Christ he died, therefore God did die.

And this Revelation of John is more clear that God did die, than any other scripture, as you may see in ver. 11, of this chapter; in ver. 10, he was in the spirit on the Lord's day; what day that was I have shewn before.

And John heard behind him a great voice, as of a trumpet, in ver. 11, saying, I am Alpha and

Omega,

Omega, the First and the Last, and what thou seesť write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches, &c.

And in ver. 12, John turned to see the voice that spake to him, and being turned, he saw seven golden candlesticks. These seven golden candlesticks were the seven churches of Asia, as aforesaid.

And in ver. 13. And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man, cloathed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the waste with a golden girdle.

This great voice which John heard, it being as the sound of a trumpet, came from no other but from Jesus Christ the only God, he being that Alpha and Omega, the First and the last, which bade John write in a book what he had seen.

And in ver. 12. John turned to see the voice, and instead of seeing the voice, he saw him that spake the voice.

And he was like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot.

Now what this garment is, I shall unfold hereafter. There are many other glorious expressions in this chapter, to set forth this Son of Man in his glory, but I shall pass by them, only this I would have the seed of faith to mind, that this Son of Man which John saw in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, who was cloathed with a garment down to the foot.

1 declare it was the same Alpha and Omega, which spake that great voice, and John turning to see this Alpha and Omega, he saw him like unto the Son of Man.

Therefore

Therefore I would have the seed of faith to observe, that there is no seeing of God, the Alpha and Omega, neither by vision nor by faith, but in the form of a man.

Therefore called the Son of Man, so that though Christ be called the Son of Man, yet he is nevertheless God.

For he is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, as you plainly see in verse 17 of this chapter, where he saith, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the First and the Last. I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death.

Here you that have faith in the true God, may clearly understand that this Jesus Christ, which is called the Son of Man, is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last.

Also it may be as clearly understood by the seed of faith, that God did die.

For if God be Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, as I think all men will confess, then I say the same Alpha and Omega, and the same First and Last, is he which was dead, and is alive for evermore. And was there any God that suffer'd death and rose again, but Christ?

Hath any God the keys of hell and of death in his hands, but Christ only?

And that you may see the truth of this, that Christ is Alpha and Omega, the First and the last, though become a son, having flesh, blood and bone, that

he