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Division
Section
No
1;
LITTLE BOOK OPEN:
CONTAINING THE
CRY OF A LOUD VOICE AS WHEN A LION ROARETH;
LAYING OPEN
THE REVELATIONS,
AND ALSO THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS.
FROM THE HAND OF JOHN WHITEHEAD.
" Like as the lion, and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a MULTITUDE OF
SHEPHERDS is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase
himself for the noise of them, so shall the LORD OF HOSTS come down to fight for
Mount Zion, and for the hill thereof" Is. xxxi. 4.
" Take it, and eat it up ; and it shall make thy liclly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth
sweet as honey." Rev. x. 9.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED FOR JOHN WHITEHEAD, HAMPTON, Va.
1836.
Entered, according to the act of congress, in the year 1836, by John
Whitehead, in the clerk's office of the district court for the eastern
district of Pennsylvania. «
A. WALDIE, PR.
ERRATA.
29, for " and he their God," read a.7\d be their God.
Page 31, for " Rev. 2," read Rev. xi.
Page 47, line 3, for "we, having nothing to do, do not do it, and are sinners,"
read — we, having something to do, do not do it, and are sinners.
Page 52, last line, for " the word of God w;is written," read has written.
Page 6], line 18, for "he thirstcth," read thirsted.
Page 63, line 28, alter "to have something to" insert do.
Page 69, line 16, for " tiiat there was no power," read that there is no power.
Page 71, line 33, for " If he be utterly vain," read If it be utterly vain.
Page 72, line 4, for " Judah (and the Protestant churches,)" read Jadah (i. e. the
Protestant churches).
Page 78, line 7, for " teachers of his lies," read teachers of lies.
Page 90, line 9, for "his own religious work," read his own righteous work.
Page 92, line 6, for " bondman," read bondwoman, and correct the same in other
places.
Page 119, line 2, for " to make this beast more," read to make this beast move.
" " line 7, for " is very wicked," read is very wickedness.
Page 126, 12lh line from the bottom, for " is now cast out," read is not now
cast out.
Page 131, for " (Matth. 2. 4,)" read {Matth. 24. 22.)
Page 139, Ch. 14th, omit the letter "V" before the numerical summary of
events which are afterwards revealed.
Page 140, omit the heading "Ch. XV.," for the 14th chapter now only begins
after the preceding remarks and summary.
PREFACE.
The contents of this book are indeed extraordinary, and the
doctrine it unfolds wonderful. " To the word and to the testi-
mony^^ let every man go and search, and he will see that he who
will believe the plain and simple word and testimony of God
cannot be deceived, and cannot be mistaken. It was no doubt
necessary that such a book as this should be confirmed in an
extraordinary manner — that the evident and manifest authority
of God should be given to his own truth and doctrine, at a time
and in a day when that truth is lost and unknown in the con-
fusion of religious sects, and in the unintelligible confusion of
religious books and doctrines : and accordingly it is so.
Many things will concur to deceive men, and lead them away
from giving any heed to the contents of this book. If there
were no deceivers, no deceptions, no deceitful lusts, enticing
and blinding men, none would be deceived and none would
perish — for all would believe ; but God hath in his wisdom
suffered the devil to have great power, and suffered his delu-
sions to be strong, that they whom it is not the good pleasure
of his will to save, may not be saved against their will. There-
fore the truth of God has always appeared an absurdity to the
men of this world, and especially to the wise and prudent
among them, but who are not wise enough to receive the truth.
God will deliver those on whom he will have mercy, (to whom
he will give repentance and make willing, and draw unto him-
self,) from " all the pozver of the enemy." But Satan has got
ready beforehand delusions expressly prepared by him against
this Little Book, that the manifest truth of its contents may be
suspected, and that it may be classed with, and, if possible, be
buried in and swept away by the flood of falsehood which he
has poured out against the truth — the covenant of God's ever-
lasting love — which covenant is called a woman. Those, there-
fore, who hate the truth in their hearts, (though "with their
mouths they show much love^") will not be in want of abundant
VI prp:pace.
strong reasons, and satisfactory proofs to their minds, to reject
the counsel of God. When they saw that the truth would cut
down all the pride, and all the covetous projects, and all the
hopes and delights (or lusts) of the earthly man, they would be
very sorry indeed if this truth was so plain that they could not
possibly deny it, but must submit to it, finding no hole to creep
out of; therefore they have the secret wish of their hearts fully
gratified ; Satan provides abundant delusions for them, so
numerous and strong that {for a short time) they will not
merely escape the truth, but triumph over it altogether, and be
positively and fully convinced tliat they are right and the truth
of God is wrong.
Before Christ came, Satan, who knew he was shortly to
appear, raised up just before the time many false christs ; so
that when the true Messiah came — when God was manifested
in the flesh and named Jesus — those who wished not to receive
him, and to be saved from their sins, were able to say, " This is
merely another false christ ; he will turn out like all the others ;
it will all end in smoke. ''^
Before this little book has appeared, one man has already
come, preaching that — all the religious sects and denominations
are wrong ; and that, since the days of the apostles, the apos-
tolic form has not been followed — (as if the truth of God con-
sisted in a form.) And thus, by exposing the glaring errors of
the religious world, Satan has attempted to bring in " damnable
heresies and doctrines of devils,^' and to gain to his old lies the
name of the ^^ Reformation f^ so that he may get men still to
remain worshippers of the beast— still to have confidence in
man, and his piety, and his doings — and for a Reformation, to
adopt a form and decry some palpable errors !
Another delusion, which Satan has prepared beforehand
against the true doctrine of Christ contained in this little book,
has been a sect called Mornionites, who have put forth a book
which they say they found ready written, and to which they
attribute divine authority; thus many will be able to satisfy
themselves that they need pay no attention whatever to this
little book, by saying that it is merely another delusion of the
same description.
But (and let it be pondered well) this book does not pretend
to inspiration more than the books, and sermons, and preachers,
of all the religious sects : they all say they speak by the spirit
PREFACE. Vll
of God — and that is to be inspired. Now, if they speak the
truth, then they do speak by the spirit of God — then they are
inspired. They are obliged to say they speak by the spirit of
God, (else they must acknowledge they are liars,) and yet they
will make a great outcry against one's saying the same thing.
To the Word and to the testimony^ and no mistake can be made
who speaks by the spirit of God and who does not. But that
no one may be frightened by the cry which will doubtless be
made against "inspiration," as if it necessarily and inevitably
involved arrogance and presumption, let every man know that,
if he is a child of God and believes, he must bear this charge
and accusation upon himself also ; for the Holy Ghost has
written, that if a man is not inspired he is none of Christ's —
he does not belong to him (Romans, viii. 9). It is also written,
that a man cannot even say that Jesus is the Lord, unless he is
inspired. (1 Cor. xii. 3.)
If men were conscious that they spoke the truth, and nothing
but the truth, then they would not be afraid to acknowledge
that it was God's truth, and not their own ; but when they are
convicted by their own conscience of picking up what they
profess to know from books, and men's wisdom and teaching,
they wish that others should do the same, and make a great
outcry against being taught of God, and speaking by the spirit
of God ; for, conscious that they themselves are not taught by
God, they must persuade themselves and others that no one
else is : hence arise charges and accusations of " arrogance,"
" presumption," " inspiration," (fcc. It is indeed arrogance and
presumption when man claims any thing to himself, or as of
himself: the glory which God puts upon all his saints is not
personal, nor is it bodily ; it is Christ's, not theirs ; it is in
Christ, not in them ; " they are complete in HimJ'
Also, this book contains nothing new, but, on the contrary,
that which is old and ancient, the faith of our fathers — of Abra-
ham, Isaac, and Jacob — the faith of God's people in all ages.
The doctrines of this Time are new, the doctrines of strange
children, who " are come into thine inheritance, thy holy temple
have they defied." It contains nothing but that great truth
which is revealed and testified throughout the Scriptures, open-
ing, explaining, inculcating, and reiterating the same over and
over again in various ways.
All the efforts of the enemy will not succeed with those
Vlll PREFACE.
who " seek after wisdom as for hidden treasure,^^ to whom God
hath given the mind and the wish to know the truth : they
who would not diligently seek and enquire, who would not go
every length and make every sacrifice to obtain truth, will
surely not find it, but will give heed to the first lie which turns
away from it, (because, in truth, at the bottom of their hearts
they do not care a straw about it,) whereas they would go thou-
sands of miles and not be turned away by any persuasion from
the pursuit of a sum of money.
It is against God's elect that Satan raises up all these delu-
sions and false lights, that he may lead them astray, but he
cannot succeed with them ; God will fight for his Church, for
Mount Zion, and " iio weapon that is formed against thee shall
prosper^
" Behold, I come quickly ; blessed is he that keepeth the sayings
of the prophecy of this Book.'''' " He which testificth these things
saith, Surely I come quickly : Amen. Even so, come^ Lord Jesus."
Philadelphia, September 1, 1836.
INTRODUCTION.
CHAPTER I.
The law of God must be fulfilled, it cannot be broken ; it is the
very principle of right and wrong, and it is utterly impossible that it
can be broken in one jot or tittle. No wrong of any kind can be
done and go unpunished, else it were no law at all, and evil were no
evil at all.
The law of God is written in the hearts of all men, by which they
all know that evil is evil, and good is good. But as men pervert
this law and put it from them, and persuade themselves that evil is
not evil, God gave this law in writing to a chosen people, by Moses
and by the prophets, that truth might be known on the earth for the
sakes of all those whom he will teach knowledge.
This law of God is the very substance of right and wrong ; but for
it being written in their hearts, men would never have had any idea
or any perception whatever of right or wrong. This law, that good
must be done, and evil must not be done, God has established for
ever, and it cannot be broken. Evil is therefore sure to follow evil,
and the judgment of the world for wickedness is sure and inevitable.
This law is perfect, and therefore admits of no evil or wrong what-
ever, nothing short of perfect good is an obedience to this law ; if
it admitted less than perfect good it would be both a vain and an
unrighteous law, for the least evil being permitted, it would sanction
all evil. An imperfect obedience is a violation of it ; herein is the
condemnation of men. that they do not perfectly obey the law of
God.
All men will be judged according to this law, whether they have
obeyed it, or whether they have not, whether they have done good
or evil ; they all know and confess its truth and justice, for by it
they accuse and condemn one another, and take vengeance one upon
the other, for it is written in their hearts, they know it naturally.
When they say " if a man is virtuous he will he happy, if he is honest
he will prosper, vice will bring misery, ^^ and the like, they utter their
knowledge of the law of God, which they have by nature. When
they say " if you do good, you will go to heaven; if not you will go
to hell," they express their knowledge of the law of God which they
have naturally ; for this is the law, that good will be rewarded and
evil also will be justly rewarded. Now if the good be amplified by
being called piety, religion, faith, &c., and if the reward be amplified
by being called heaven, yet it is still only the law of God ; and if the
evil be expressed by the name of irreligion, impiety, unbelief, &c., and
the punishment more forcibly represented by the words hell and de-
struction, &c., yet it is nothing but the law of God which men know
naturally. And also if the good be inculcated and recommended by
1
2 INTRODUCTION.
speaking of Christ and love and the goodness of God, and if the evil
be exhibited as the suffering of everlasting punishment, yet none of
these additions or appendages change the fact ; it is still the law of
God which men know by nature, which law is true, and makes
known the fact, that good is surely followed by good as its reward,
and evil is inevitably allied with evil as its own punishment. All
these truths, however variously expressed, and though mixed up with
whatever other sentiments, or united with the most pathetic descrip-
tions of the death of Christ, and eulogies of the goodness of God ; —
though enforced by the most terrific descriptions of punishment to
come, are nothing but the law of God which all men know by
nature.
Those who profess to serve God and obey the Gospel, call this
natural knowledge of the law of God by the names of divinity, gospel,
piety, or religion : they are spoken of by the Spirit of God as the
Earth. Those who wickedly reject the authority of God, and revile
his word, call their '"^tural knowledge of the law of God by the
names of virtue, morality, honour, &c. ; these are described by the
Spirit as the Sea, which signifies the world in general, as the Earth
standing out of the waters signifies the body of religious professors.
But at this time the Sea and the Earth are confounded together,
there is no difference in their doctrine, it is what they know natu-
rally of the law of God. They both know the law and fulfil it not ;
they both preach that they ought to do good and practise virtue, and
they do evil. To testify against one is to testify against them both,
and to declare God's truth is to set the feet upon (that is, to testify
against) the sea and the earth, for they are now confounded together.
Wherefore the Apostle speaking before of this day, has called the
men of the Earth, not only wandering stars, having wandered far
from the truth of the kingdom of heaven, but also " raging waves of
the Sea,'''' for they are also men of the world, natural men, (calling
their natural knowledge and fleshly wisdom the Gospel of God)
'■\foaming out their oion shame ;" this they do when they talk loudly
of their convictions for sin and what hell-deserving sinners they are ;
which, true as it is, is a shame and disgrace to every man.
God has expressly declared in the psalms that " no man doeth
good, no, not one.^' All men know that they ought to do good, and
not to do evil, this is the law of God written in their hearts ; but
Righteousness, that is, doing good, does not come by knowing this ;
Righteousness does not come by the law. So certain this is, that
the Apostle declares that if having the law, knowing that we ought
to do good and not to do evil, would lead men to do good, then the
death of Christ would be unnecessary ; saying to the Galatians " if
righteousness come by the laxo, then Christ is dead in vain." Not-
withstanding the express word of God to the contrary, the Earth,
that is, the professors of religion, who profess to know and to be obe-
dient to the word of God, imagine that they do good, and call upon
men to do good, and highly esteem what they call piety, and pious
actions and feelings which they imagine to be good. They tliink
that they do good, that they obey God's law, (for there is no other
good and no other Righteousness than a perfect and continual obe-
IIVTEODUCTION. 3
dience to the law of God :) thus making God a liar, for God declares
that no man doeth good ! They cover this wickedness by deceit,
pretending to ascribe the good which they believe they do, to God,
saying they do good by the Grace of God assisting them ! God
doth not assist evil man who doeth not good, to do good : the sons
of Adam do no good, neither with nor without assistance, they do no
good at all ! God hath said this ! Christ Jesus, a new man the Son
of God, alone doeth good (therefore he is called the Holy One) : he
doeth good, that is perfect Righteousness for them that receive him,
and the evil man hath no share nor part in doing the good, the
righteousness, which he alone doeth ; this his own doing, his own
Righteousness, he gives to and puts upon them that believe, and by
this only they are righteous, and perfect fulfillers of the law, even
by his doing, and his only. Therefore, no Righteousness comes by
the law, and all Righteousness comes by Christ, and by him only,
who is the righteous One, who is the Righteousness of God.
If God had never spoken and declared that no man doeth good,
men bear witness of themselves and declare of themselves that they
do not do good, that though they know the law, and talk of virtue
and piety, yet they do not do good : their own records of themselves,
their histories for nearly 6000 years are records of crimes, and tes-
timonies of disorder, confusion and evil. Vain is all confidence in
the flesh, vain is the expectation that evil man will be good ; vain is
it to cry " do good''' " do good''' to this sinful and malicious beast,
who hath eyes but he seeth not, and ears but he heareth not.
The law of God requires men to do good continually, and to do no
evil or wrong whatever, and its curse is upon all those who do
wrong, who do not continually do good. This curse of the law is
certain and inevitable ; if it could be escaped, the law would be no
law at all, it would be a lie, and there would be no such thing as
right and wrong. Since no man doeth good, no man ca,n be saved
under this law, for it condemns all who are under it ; being under
this law a man is a transgressor and wicked ; this it is which renders
him wicked, viz. being a transgressor of this law, and not obeying it
in all things and continually. Since therefore there is no Righte-
ousness by the law, by knowing it and following it and by trying to
obey it, for let him do what he will, no man doeth good, therefore
there is no Salvation by the law, for there camiot be Salvation with-
out Righteousness.
If the Gospel of God was sent to command men to do good, there
could be no Righteousness, and consequently no salvation by the
Gospel any more than by the law ; for since God declares that no
man doeth good, no man would obey the Gospel any more than the
law, and no one could be saved by such a gospel. If the Gospel
were a new means of doing good, with stronger inducements and
better promises than the law, whereby to induce, and assist, and
help men to do good by the grace of God, then the Gospel would be
altogether vain and useless, for God expressly declares that no man
doeth good at all, and therefore it is manifest that no man doeth
good by any inducement or assistance, or grace, or help, or entice-
ment ; and thei-efore if this were the Gospel, no man would be saved
INTRODUCTION.
under it. Besides, if such were the case, if the Gospel were a pro-
mulgation of good and excellent precepts to men, to guide and teach
them to do good, if it were an inducement and persuasive to them to
do good, such a Gospel would be most vain and unnecessary, for the
Law of God is all this ! The law is a perfect and comprehensive
code of all that is good and true; it is perfect, and wants no addition
or help ; it ofiers every possible inducement and promise and stimu-
lus to men to do good, and not to do evil ; and if the Gospel was
such as this, commanding or persuading men to do good, it would be
nothing but the law itself; for the law of God commands and per-
suades men to do good '; it is perfect, and omits nothing : there is no
good that ought to be done, there is nothing wise and excellent that
men ought to pursue, but the Law of God contains and commands it
all. Whatever precepts or commands to do good can be given, they
are already contained in the Law of God. All persuasions to do good,
by whatever name they may be called, whether called virtue, or
morality, or religion, or gospel, or philosophy, or piety, are the law
of God ; whatsoever says to men " do good''' is the law and truth of
God, though it may be covered and disguised with many mixtures
and vain additions.
Therefore the Gospel of God is not the law of God ; the law of
God commands to do good, tlie Gospel brings no such command, it
is not wanted, for the law commands all good perfectly and abun-
dantly, and requires no assistance or addition, for it is perfection
itself; if the Gospel were a law commanding to do good, it would be
vain and unnecessary, since there is a law doing all this, and doing it
perfectly.
Neither does the Gospel, or the Grace of God, give any help or
assistance to men to obey the law, that is, to do good. All who are
under the law, are transgressors and wicked ; they have got to do
good, and they do not do it, and therefore they are under condemna-
tion, and are wicked. And God gives no grace to the wicked, he is
angry with them every day, as the prophet David declares. Also
Isaiah says, speaking the words of God, that it would be of no use
whatever to show them grace, that is favour ; saying, " let favour he
showed to the tvicked, yet will he not learn righteousness, in the land
of uprightness jvill he deal unjustly, and will not behold the Majesty
of the Lord.^^ God cannot show favour to those who do not per-
fectly obey the holy law, it would bo to violate his own law, which
cannot be violated ; they are under a curse, and cannot also at the
same time be under a blessing. Christ is of no effect to them who
are under the law, says the Apostle.
Besides, if Christ assisted men by his Grace to do good, then they
would do good, and God would be made a liar, for God declares they
do not do good.
If God assisted men by his Grace through Jesus Christ to do
good, they would be perfect, and never do evil, for to do good is per-
fectly to obey the law, else a man is a transgressor whatever he may
seem to do.
If men did good, being assisted or induced by the Grace and
mediation of Christ, they might boast before God : the glory woidd
INTRODUCTION. t>
be due to them, (for they would fulfil the law, else it is no good at
all,) and some thanks only would be due to God for helping them.
Man would be above God ; man would be the doer, and God a help ;
man would be the principal, and God an instrument and servant to
him. The wicked teachers of this abomination profess that it is so,
when they allege, with feigned condescension and humility, that all
the good they do is only by the instrumentality of God, making Him
an instrument to them ! This method of salvation, which proceeds
from the father of lies and is a lie, which is the false and lying Gos-
pel of this evil time, by which man is exalted above God, he, that
wicked one, doing all, by the Grace of God, is most highly pleasing
to man, but is an abomination before God.
To preach to man, the sinful man, (that is, the man of sin,) saying
to him " do good,^^ is to set at nought the Lord Christ, and to make
his death a vanity; it is to put him out of the way, which is to cru-
citV him afresh ; for the Holy Ghost has expressly declared that if
good, that is Righteousness, come by the law of doing good, by our
following it, or our exertions to obey it, then Christ is dead in vain.
To preach to man to do good, all good, the good which God's
righteous law requires, and nothing more nor less than it, real good-
doing to one another, and to all men in all things and continually,
and no wrong, no evil whatever, — to do this in deed and in truth, is
to preach God's holy, moral, just, and perfect law. But even this is
not to preach Christ or his gospel, there is no good news in this,
here are no glad tidings, for inasmuch as men do not obey this holy
law, they are condemned by it, and cannot hope for salvation under
it. But to preach to men a partial and not a perfect fulfilling of
God's law, to preach substitutes of religious invention (ideas, doc-
trines, feelings, convictions, joining societies, and churches, &;c. &c.,)
instead of the real and perfect good-doing, the righteousness of God's
eternal law of right and wrong, — to call these things good, to dare
to say that the Grace of God helps men in this wickedness, to dare
to say that having good to do, a man can be saved if he does short
of real good, and complete and continual obedience, — this is not only
not to preach Christ or his Gospel, but it is not even to preach the
law ! If even in preaching God's true and perfect law, there is no
gospel and no salvation, what salvation is there in the preaching of
the law mutilated, set aside, and overthrown ; in preaching vain
things which are not the perfect law of God 1 By the law of God,
the inviolable and perfect law of right and good, real good, that is.
Righteousness, must be done, and no wrong no evil whatever must
be done ; but to preach to men that, if they do something or any
thing whatever less than perfect obedience in all things and con-
tinually, that then they will be saved by the Grace of God, through
the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, — this is turning the Grace
of God into lasciviousness ; it is making the law a lie, since it need
not be perfectly and wholly obeyed ; it is permitting imperfect obe-
dience, which is transgression ; and it is making Christ and his
grace the minister of this sin, the means and plea for admitting evil
and overthrowing the law !
This is overthrowing, destroying, or killing God's law, taking
6 INTRODUCTION.
away all its force, and life, and power, saying it does not require
complete obedience ; and also it is destroying and killing the Gospel,
for there can be no salvation ; it cannot save, if it leaves man under
the law, bound to fulril it, and cursed and condemned as transgressors
of it. This is now done in this day, by the Earth, those who profess
to have the knowledge of God, and to be servants and children of the
most high God, the professors of religion, whp trample under foot
the Son of God, and set him at nought, looking to do good, that is
looking for Righteousness, to their own efforts and obedience of the
law, thus crucifying and despising the Son of God, the only Righteous
One ; and also while they look for life from the law of doing good,
yet at the same time trampling under foot that very law, and setting
up imaginary good of their own invention instead of it ! Thus the
two witnesses of God, the law by which God testifies to man of
righteousness and judgment to come, and the Gospel by which God
witnesses to men of Grace and of the Righteousness of God, both
these two witnesses which have long prophesied in sackcloth, in
weakness and obscurity (viz. for 42 months, i. e. 1260 years) are
now at length killed : the bodies of these witnesses are the books
which contain the testimony of the law and of the Gospel, called the
Bible; these are now dead, a dead letter, but (which would be far
better) they are not buried, the law and the Gospel are slain, but
their bodies, their mere carcasses, the bible, is set up almost as a
god, and is sent about and seen of all the sects, and names, and par-
ties (kindreds and tongues and nations) of the earth (apostate cor-
rupt Christendom).
The earthly men, professors of human piety and human Righteous-
ness, were always tormented when the truth of the law and of the
Gospel was preached, even though in sackcloth ; but now they arc
merry and triumphant, and send about the presents of their tracts and
'■'■good books;" now they are no longer tormented with hearing the
voice of truth, and in their triumph they proudly talk of bringing
about the Millennium with a little more exertion of human power and
righteousness! But their time is at hand, and they dream not of it.
They are a city, spoken of by the Spirit of God, by the name of
Sodom and Egypt and Babylon, and this city and its proud battle-
ments must be destroyed, for it is a city of falsehood and violence,
and hatred and strife, and confusion and hypocrisy.
Wickedness to such an extent, and triumphing with so much con-
fidence under the deceitful appearance of wonderful holiness and
piety and humility, has never before been witnessed in the world
since its foundation ; in no other time the law of God, that just and
true and holy law of doing right and not doing wrong, has been so
completely slain and thrust aside, and such vain and idle substitutes
set up in the place of it : and in no other time since Christ appeared,
has his holy name and doctrine been so despised and trampled under
foot. And this is now done, not by enemies, with shame and fear ;
not by the declared ungodly, but the law is thrown down and Christ
is crucified afresh and put to shame, triumphantly, boastingly, and
confidently, by those who call themselves servants and children of
God ! and they commit this wickedness under the very name and
INTRODUCTION. . 7
pretence and with the profession of serving God faithfully and zeal-
ously, and doing wonderful things for him ! Accordingly even
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of this religious genera-
tion. This generation which crucifies afresh the Lord of Glory,
setting him at nought, holding him up to scorn and derision, as per-
forming a useless work and dying in vain, setting up above him the
righteousness and piety of filthy and wicked man, this is the same
with that generation which also crucified him before, preferring their
own Righteousness before the Righteousness of God. But when
they crucified him they did not practise deceit, they did not kiss him
and pretend to obey him, nor call him " the dear Redeemer," while
they set him at nought ; they did not talk in feigned raptures of his
grace and power when they, as these do, openly exhibited him slain
by them. They also set aside the law of God by their traditions,
but they did not altogether kill it by nothing but vain substitutions
of their own piety in its place ; for they were strict and devout
according to the law, and some of them as to the righteousness of
the law were blameless.
CHAPTER II.
The doctrine is most true, that all who do good shall be saved ; all
without exception, without any favour, or election : this is true, for
it is the law of God ; whosoever he be who doeth good and who
doeth no evil, he shall save his soul alive ; this is the law of God,
and it is true ; here is no favour, here is no election ; such a person
must be saved, it is due to him, it is a debt. If God left all men
under this law, viz. that if they did good they should live, it would
be right and good ; and no man then would be saved (for no man
doeth good) and this also would be right and good.
Since this law cannot be broken, no man who is under it can be
saved unless he perfectly fulfils it in all things and at all times : and
since no man does this, no man can be saved who is under this law.
If a man is under this law, it requires of him all good and no evil ;
nothing short of perfect obedience will be admitted by it, for it is
against all evil ; and also it is inexorable, it cannot forego its de-
mands or admit of the least violation of its commands, else it were
no law at all ; and therefore no man can be saved who is under it,
for no man obeys it.
It is a monstrous deception of Satan, by which a man imagines
that God will sufter the law to be violated by taking a part obe-
dience instead of a perfect obedience, or by relaxing in its demands :
this is impossible ; God does not set up a law and then cast it down ;
all who are under this law must perfectly obey it, or they are lost.
All men are born under this law, and under it they must remain
unless God removes them from under it, for they cannot set it aside
nor escape from it. All men cannot be taken from under it, all can-
not be saved, for if so, there would be no law, that is, no right and
wrong, and the Law having been given declaring the wrath of God
against all wrong-doing, would be a lie, and there would be no wrath
a . IXTRODUCTION.
against unrighteousness and ungodliness, if all who have done un-
righteousness escajjed from the penalty of the law. God will save
some, because he will have mercy, he will save them only and en-
tirely for his own name's sake ; therefore before the world began,
long before man was made. He, seeing and knowing every one of the
human race, chose a portion out of the whole lump, each one of
whom he knew and saw, whom for his own name's sake he appointed
unto everlasting life ; whom he gave to Christ ; whom he loved in
Christ ; giving favour and grace to them in him, as members of
Christ, not as children of Adam, not as members of that corrupt
tree. In the fullness of time Christ came to redeem these from
under the law, that they might receive the adoption of sons, and
become sons of God through faith in his name, and be no longer
children of bondage. It is the will of God to punish the ungodly,
for their ungodliness and for their wicked works, and only for them
and in proportion to them, this is the law of God : and also it is the
will of God to save the ungodly for his own glory, for his own holy
name's sake, and only because he will have mercy. This is the
Grace of God. This which is his will now, was his will ever-
lastingly.
All the sins of men are done voluntarily, wilfully, maliciously, and
spontaneously ; God has not appointed them to sin, nor predestinated
them to sin, God forbid : there is no necessity over them obliging
them to sin, they sin premeditatedly, deliberately and voluntarily,
God has let them alone to do as they will for a season, but he knows
their thoughts afar off, and all that they will do in the time in which
he has given power to wickedness to do its will. He has foretold
and written down ages before they are done the very deeds that they
will wickedly do. But notwithstanding, they cannot do all they
would ; far from it ! they cann6t move the little finger till God lets
them loose ; they cannot bring all their wicked devices to pass ; God
has appointed and determined before, and knows well what he will
let them do, and what they will do ; and what he will prevent them
from doing ; and also he has appointed, that, whatever their malice
and wickedness shall do, shall tend to accomplish his will and plea-
sure : and thus, as the Psalmist says, the wicked are the hand of
God. God might have prevented all this wickedness from existing,
by not suffering the wicked to exist ; but it has been his will to per-
mit for a short time the exhibition on this earth of what a frightful
thing power is apart from (xod, and what a wretched and wicked
creature a creature is out of God. And yet all the events of this
wicked world will work in the end a glorious purpose, and God will
be justly glorified in all things.
The law of (4od makes known that evil is exceedingly evil, and
that only what is good must be done ; if a man does any evil what-
ever he is a transgressor of the law, and is condemned ; as long as
he is alive under this law which commands to do good and no evil,
he is in condemnation if he ever does any evil whatever. Therefore
there cannot be any salvation to them who are under the law, for it
says " do good ;'''' they do not do good, {no miin doeth good, no not one)
and therefore this law condemns them. This is all the damnation that
INTRODUCTION.
there is or will be, viz. the condemnation of the law ; and it is most
awful condemnation, because to do evil is most awful. A person who
is under the law which infallibly condemns all who are under it, if he
talks of Grace, and redemption, and Christ, talks in vain, for the
law cannot be broken, Christ will not take away one jot or tittle of it.
He establishes it, he does not destroy it ; wherever it is, it is impos-
sible it can fail ; whoever is under it, is under a curse ; it is invio-
lable, it cannot be set aside. Christ saves his people, not by saving
them while they remain under this law, for while a man is under it
he cannot be free from condemnation ; but by redeeming them from
under it, taking it away from over them, he delivers them from con-
demnation : and this he does, not by violating the law, for that can
never be, but by putting himself under it instead of them, taking it
oft' them upon himself, and perfectly fulfilling it for them and in their
places. He fulfilling it all for them, they have not got it to fulfil ;
thus they are not under it, it is fulfilled ; it has no demand upon
them, for whatever demand it has (and that demand is perfect
Righteousness) he satisfies it for them, and they are not under the
law, they do not live under it, they " are dead to the law by the body
of Christ.^' If he left them under the law, and having to do good,
he would not then save them, for they would not do good, and they
must be cursed for not doing it ; they must, for the law cannot be
broken ; it is impossible for a man to be saved who is under the law,
for he has got to do good, and he does not do it. Therefore Christ
came to redeem his people from under the law, to do all it requires
in their stead, even all good, that is perfect Righteousness, for this is
all that the law requires, and he has done all this for them, and thus
they have not got it to do, they have not got Righteousness to do,
they are not under the law, he does it all for us, because we cannot
do any thing of it at all ; he takes it all upon himself, and thus he is
as the Prophet Jeremiah spoke, " The Lord our Righteousness."
Blessed are they who receive him, who thirst after this Righteous-
ness which is God's Righteousness, and not man's, for man has none ;
this is to believe in his name, to receive Him for Righteousness, and
to have no hope in any other works or righteousness except his only.
Herein is his Salvation, viz. a perfect fulfilling of the law, for there
can be no Salvation without perfectly fulfilling it : He does this, and
the law, which cannot be broken, is not broken.
God has chosen his people, to redeem them from under the law,
that they might be saved in Christ, and be in him, and become dead
to the law by him, and alive to God in him; having on his Righteous-
ness, and fulfilling the law in him, that is, being perfectly righteous
in him. All are by nature under the law, children of wrath, and
none can remove themselves from under this righteous obligation to
do good and to do no evil. But God removes whom he will from
under this obligation or law, by giving them to Christ who takes it
from off" them by completely fulfilling it for them, undertaking the
whole for them, and for ever doing all it requires for them, so that
they are no longer under it. God takes whom he will from under
this law, and giving ihem to Christ, saves them, and he foreknew
2
10 INTKODUCTIOIV.
them all, and foreknowing them, he predestinated them to be con-
formed to the image of his Son. This is God's election of Grace,
having mercy on whom he will, and choosing them before, from
everlasting.
That God is righteous in leaving some under the law, to be saved
if they will do good, they themselves bear witness who wickedly
revile the Ever-living God because of this truth of his mercy and
grace. They do not wish to be redeemed from under the law, for
they wish only to be saved under the condition of the law, viz. if they
do good ; how then will they presume to revile the Majesty of God
because he leaves them under the condition which they love, viz.
that, if they do good, that is fulfil the law, they shall save their
souls alive l God is pleased to leave them under this righteous law
and just condition, and they will be judged by it, and if they have
done good, they cannot lose the reward, and if they have done evil
they cannot escape the condemnation for the evil they have done.
They love death, even the condemnation of the law, and are deter-
mined not to be saved except by doing some good ; they vainly
imagine that some good will do, instead of perfectly fulfilling the
whole law. They vainly imagine the Grace of God will help them
to do some good, and that thus they will be saved. The rejection of
Christ and the enmity against God and his Righteousness, consists in
not being willing nor desirous to be taken from under this law, and
to have perfect Righteousness by Jesus Christ without it ; and how
then can such persons find fault with God for his election of Grace,
which is the taking some, yea many, more in number than the stars
of heaven, from under this law 1 None are left under this condemn-
ing law, except those who do not wish or who would not wish to be
redeemed from under it, they are left under the law, under the con-
dition which they love, viz. that if they do good they shall live ; this
is certain condemnation, and the condemnation of the law has been
ordained from everlasting for all who do evil, and all evil doers are
appointed from everlasting to this condemnation, which is for what
they have done or shall do, and only according to what they do. To
be made willing to be redeemed from under this law, and to put on
the righteousness of God, even perfect Righteousness (which is what
the law requires) is to believe in Christ who is the Righteousness of
God, it is to be elect of God and redeemed from under the law.
When any one believes in the name of the Son of God, then he has
the Righteousness of God, Jesus Christ is in him, and all the power
and beauty and glory and righteousness of God is upon him, and if it
be not so, he is a reprobate (2 Corinths. Ch. xiii. v. 5,) that is, he
does not please God, he is not approved of God. This is Reproba-
tion and there is no other kind of reprobation, and consequently many
of God's elect, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will
make willing and obedient, are reprobates, and will be reprobates
and enemies to God till it shall please him to call them by his Grace
and give them repentance unto life.
THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
CHAPTER I.
The Faith once delivered to the Saints.
The Law says " Do, and thou, (thou thyself) shalt save thy soul
alive." God, in the glad tidings of the Gospel, says, " Believe and
thou shalt be saved.'''' These words contain in sum and substance all
the Gospel of God. Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt not save thyself, but thou shalt be saved. Now his
name is " The Lord our Righteousness," and to believe in his Name,
is to look to him for Righteousness, and only to him ; it is to receive
him as our Righteousness, to do nothing, but only believe in him.
Therefore, for a sinner to be saved, to live and to have Righteous-
ness, he has nothing whatever to do, but only to believe, and God
will do all for him, God will be his Righteousness, God will save
him !
Righteousness is doing good ; there is no other Righteousness :
he who tries to do good tries to obtain Righteousness by the works
of the Law ; but he who does nothing, but believes in Jesus Christ,
he receives in Him the gift of Righteousness without his doing any
thing at all ; he is made perfectly righteous, for the Righteousness
of God in Jesus Christ is unto him and upon him, and he is made
perfectly righteous without doing any thing. He who tries to do
good, that is to obey the law, he does not do good nor obey the law;
he a sinner cannot, it is impossible to a sinner : if he could do good
he is no sinner, and if he could get Righteousness by trying to do
good Christ is dead in vain. (Gal. ii. v. 21). Therefore he who tries
and works hard to get Righteousness cannot get it, but he who does
not try nor work at all, but only believes in the name of the Son of
God, he obtains the perfect Righteousness of God, which is (in favour
and mercy alone) given and imputed unto him. Therefore he who
believeth in Christ, who receives him for his Righteousness, has
nothing whatever to do, all is done for him, and all Righteousness is
given to him in Christ.
Jesus Christ is the only man who doeth good, and he is not a man
after the flesh, he is not a son of Adam, he is the Son of God ; he is
the only individual who doeth good, and therefore he is called the
Holy One, the Just One, the Righteous Man, or the Man of Righte-
ousness. And man who only doeth evil, is called the wicked one,
the man of sin, or sinful man, the beast, the flesh.
12 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
There is and can be no Righteousness but in Christ., and they who
gladly receive him, who look to him and trust to his Righteousness,
(that is, who believe in his name) they receive his Righteousness and
want none other at all, they are perfect in him, and abiding in him,
(that is, continuing to believe and only to look to him) they have no
good to do, no Righteousness to do, they have nothing whatever to
do, they are saved everlastingly and for ever without doing any thing.
They are saved ; it is the work of God ; they do not save them-
selves ; they have nothing to do.
There is no blessing and no peace but in Righteousness, in doing
good, and only doing good; and all Righteousness is comprehended
in fulfilling perfectly all the law of God ; so that unless a man does
really fulfil this righteous law, he is inevitably cursed and wretched.
Now herein is the Grace and Salvation of God, here are glad tidings,
viz. that Jesus Christ has entirely taken away from them that be-
lieve, or look to him, and throw themselves upon him for Righteous-
ness, all the obligation and necessity of obtaining blessing and hap-
piness and peace by doing good (a thing they will not and cannot do)
and he gives them all Righteousness and fulfils all the Righteous-
ness of the law instead of them, so that they have nothing to do, no,
nothing whatever : he requires nothing of them, he is their perfect
Saviour, and leaves nothing of this salvation in their hands, that is to
say. He is the Christ in very deed and truth ; for this is what the
Christ means, viz. the King, the Deliverer, the Saviour, the Strength,
the Righteousness of his people ! All their part in this Salvation is,
not to do any thing but to believe ; simply to take it ! (Rev. xxii. 17)
only to receive it ! and have it ! to stand still, to do nothing, to be-
hold the Salvation of God, how he, He himself will save them ; and
this is believing. All good (that is Righteousness) that was to be
done, that is to be done, and that ought for the future to be done,
they have not got to do it who only believe ; Christ Jesus hath done
it, and does it, and will do it, for them who receive him to do it, that
is to be their Righteousness ! who only believe, and cease from all
their own works, doing nothing : for he does all for them, he works
all good and Righteousness for them, they have nothing whatever to
do ! This is good news for the poor and needy, who are heavy
laden with their own iniquities, and thirst after the true Righteous-
ness ; these are glad tidings indeed for the poor and for the ungodly,
and thus the Gospel truly deserves its name '■'■good news ;''^ and so
most certainly and assuredly every word of God shall be found to be
not in vain, but to mean really what it says, and even to surpass and
be over and above the good which it says.
This is the faith once delivered to the saints, viz. " Believe," not
" do," leave that to Christ, he came on purpose to "<^o." " Lo ! I
come, to do thy will, O God /" and to do all for them that trust to
him. Yea verily this is the truth of the living God. And surely as
the Lord (Jod liveth who made heaven and all that therein is, and
the Earth and all that is therein, and the Sea and all that is therein,
so surely will (iod speedily put an end to the wicked religion of this
wicked generation, to the abomination of lies and human works
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 13
which ungodly men preach and dare to affirm that such Ues are the
Gospel of God. This Time of falsehood and abomination which has
its fixed and limited period shall very soon be no longer, but (and it
is now close at hand) when the voice of the seventh angel shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God will be finished, as God hath
plainly revealed and declared to his servants the prophets.
CHAPTER II.
There never has been any other Faith, than this Faith once delivered
to the Saints, arid it has been the same in all ages.
He who desires to be saved from unrighteousness and death, has
not to do, but only to believe ; he himself has nothing to do, he must
do nothing; his strength is to sit still (Is. ch. xxx. v. 7); he must
believe only ; he must stand still and wait upon God, and look not to
himself or his own exertions to do good, but to Christ only for his
Righteousness only, and to him only as the only doer of Good : for if
he himself could do good, Christ is dead in vain. This is the faith
once delivered to the saints, and there never has been any other kind
of faith, and never will be ; this was the faith of the saints of old.
When Pharaoh and his host pursued Israel to the Red Sea, how
did the people escape from and vanquish this powerful and formidable
host 1 Not by doing something, but by doing nothing, and trusting
in God to deliver, and leaving it to God to do all this work and sal-
vation for them. Therefore Moses preached unto them to believe,
only to believe, and not to work, but to trust to God for that ; saying
unto them " stand still, and behold the salvation of God.^''
The faith of God's elect is also shown for our instruction in the
example of Daniel, when he was cast in the den of lions ; he did
nothing ; he sat still and trusted in God, and God himself shut the
mouths of the lions ; but if he had begun to do, if he had tried to
hold their mouths and stop them, it would have been evident that he
did not entirely trust in God, (that is, believe,) and then certainly he
would have experienced no salvation, God would have left him to his
own power, and left them to devour him. So he who believeth in
God must sit still and do nothing, but let God be his Saviour, and
trust to him to deliver, and then verily he will deliver ! But if he
himself works and thinks that he can do good, and conquer Satan and
his lusts, and tries to do so, he does not believe in God, he trusts to
an arm of flesh ; he takes upon himself the very work of Christ for
which he was expressly manifested (1 John, ch. iii. v. S) and in
so doing he does not believe in Christ, nor look to him alone for
Righteousness and good-doing ; he does not put confidence in God,
but likens himself to God and trusts in himself, and God will leave
him to himself to save himself and to perish in his own destruc-
tions.
To do nothing, but to believe in the Name of the Son of God, to
trust solely to him to do all good and all Righteousness for us, this
only is honouring God, this only is worshipping God ! looking and
14 THE GOSPEL OP fiOI).
trusting to him only as our Righteousness, is an acknowledgment
that God he is God, and a confession in very deed that we are
nothing: it is believing that he is indeed the Christ, the Saviour,
that he can do all, having all power, and that he will do all for us,
being good and gracious ; otherwise wo neither believe that he has
Power, nor that he is good. The sacrifice of the wicked, says Solo-
mon, is an abomination to God, and they are wicked who look to
themselves to do good. Our working, our doing, our piety (what-
ever we may think of it) is a great abomination to God, for we are
very evil. To offer up to God the sacrifice, that is the doing and
performances of sinful man who is wicked flesh, an evil body, is an
abomination; it is THE ABOMINATION. This abomination of
human righteousness and the deeds of the human beast, whose sins are
as scarlet, has been offered up during 1260 years of the Abomination
which has made desolate ; during all which Time the daily Sacrifice
has been taken away. The sacrifice of Christ (this is the daily
sacrifice by faith) is that of a lamb without spot or blemish ; in him
and only in him God is well pleased : to believe in him is to offer up
spiritual sacrifices holy and acceptable to God ; but, to look to man
for any good, to think to please God by our deeds and piety and
obedience, is to offer up the abomination ; it is the sacrifice of swine's
flesh as the prophet Isaiah shows, and not of the Lamb. And such is
all the religion and piety, such is all the Christianity of this day; it
is all a wicked a beastly abomination which God abhors ; a sacrifice
of swine's flesh, the worship of a beast, and not of God ; it is faith
and confidence and trust in the power and virtue of a beast, not faith
in God!
This faith in man, this looking to man to do good, never was and
never will be the faith of God's people : they did nothing, they stood
still and trusted to God. This was the faith of our fathers, even of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob : so David testifies, " Oi/r Fathers trusted
in Thee r What did they do? They trusted, only trusted, they
stood still and believed ; " and Thou didst deUrer them,'''' that is what
God did, that was his work. They did nothing, but they looked to
God, and God did every thing for them, he it was who delivered
them !
Let no one dare to pervert God's word : they did not partly trust
and partly work, and God do the remaining part of the work : they
trusted, they only trusted, they altogether trusted to God (this is
faith) and God did deliver, wholly and altogether, by himself and
unassisted (and this is salvation !) Thus only God is believed and
honoured : when we believe that he indeed is quite able, and wants
no help from man, then only we believe he is the Mighty (iod and
has all power ; and when we believe that he is really and of a truth
willing to undertake so much (groat and wonderful as it is, but not
too wonderful for him) then and tiion only we believe that what he
says is true, that he is good indeed ! that he loves us! and that it is
indeed a reality, that he is not only God, and almighty, but our God,
and merciful, and gracious.
This was the faith of King Jehoshaphat, and the prophets of (iod
THK GOSPEL OF GOD. 15
who thus declared it : " Tims saith the Lord unto you. Be not afraid
nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude ; for the battle is not
yours, but God's /" " Ye shall not need to fight in this battle : set
yourselves; stand ye still; and see the Salvation of the Lord with
you. O Judah and Jerusalem.'''' (2 Chr. xx. v. 15, 17).
This was the faith of Joshua and the people with him : they did
not batter against the walls of Jericho : they did not touch them ;
they left the work to God, and God made them to fall down when
nobody touched them ; God did the work for them, they did nothing
of it, they only trusted to God.
God shows unto us by these things, that when his people believe
in him, he worketh all for them, even in small things, such as bat-
tles ; much more in greater and more difficult things, such as the
salvation of the soul ; they have nothing to do, the battle is not
theirs but God's.
The Jews of old (that is the real Jews, for they were not all Jews
who were so outwardly) were not guilty of the great abomination of
drawing nigh to God in Righteousness of their own doing, until that
wicked and self-righteous generation arose, which now is, and is not
yet passed away. (Matt. 24, ult.) The Jews looked to the blood of
the sin offering for sanctification, and not to their own righteous or
good doings. They entered into the sanctuary with sacrifice, and
received the blessing from the High Priest (the Anointed One) after
the sacrifice ; they were sanctified by the spi'inkling of the blood,
and by laying their hands upon, that is by laying hold of the sacri-
fice, thus receiving Christ ; and so they were sanctified by doing
nothing but receiving the sprinkling of the blood. They never drew
nigh unto God or entered his temple but with sin offerings ; they
had not an idea of acceptance with him but by blood ; until that evil
generation arose which taught that God could be approached with
the works of man ; that if a mnn did good, that is, in reality, if he
made himself righteous, by deeds and observances of the law, then
he was accepted of God, then they pleased God ! This they thought
to be a great and commendable zeal for the law of God and highly
pleasing to him; they knew not that it was abomination to God.
(Luke xvi. v. 15). Thus they set aside the work and oflbring and
bloodshedding of the High Priest, (that is the Christ,) and exalted and
set up the righteousness, the duties, the observances, the services,
the prayers of evil and wicked man, as an offering to God, in place
of the Righteousness and oflering of the lamb, the Christ : they
offered their own fleshly works, that is swine's flesh, instead of the
work of Christ, that is the Lamb ; they would do something, and
would not be righteous only and completely in the blood and
Righteousness of the Lamb of God. Before this generation arose,
the hope of Israel was in the Messiah, the Strength and Rock of
Israel, the Righteousness of God, who was to come ; who did come ;
and who will shortly again come in power and great glory !
Thus in former days, the saints of God did not obtain Righteous-
ness, that is did not do good by doing, but by believing, and that is
doing nothing : there was no Righteousness to man, and no accept-
16 THE GOSPEL OF OOD.
ance with God, and no sanctification by doing any thing, but by be-
lieving only, by only receiving Christ the Righteousness of God,
who was hoped in ; who was waited for ; who was longed for ; who
was seen afar oft"; and who was set before them by the continual
and daily sacrifice and shedding of blood. They all of them had not
one jot or tittle of Righteousness before God, except the Rigiiteous-
ness of God, which is Christ, the Just One, who alone doeth the will
of God. David says " / will make mention of thy Righteousness,
even of thine only!'''' and he says that he would go in no strength but
in that of the Lord God.
And all the good which the saints of old ever did, it was not they
who did it; they did nothing but only believed in God, and then
(they only believing) it was the Spirit of Christ which was in them,
which did the works; they believed, and God himself '■'•did all
things for them,^'' (Psalms ;) they had nothing to do. This is the faith
of God's elect, the faith once delivered to the Saints. For 4U months,
that is 1260 years, false and harlot churches have prevailed, and this
faith has not been known among them, they have sacrificed the abo-
mination, the offering of the works and piety of the fledh ; but in all
this period, God's people though they have all been overcome by
the beast and joined with these false churches, have only been saved
by this faith, only by Christ and his works and his deeds, for all
other deeds but his, be they ever so highly esteemed among men,
are ABOMINATION before God.
CHAPTER III.
The Christianity of this day is no more Christianity than the worship
of Juggernaut.
It appears shocking to wicked flesh, to earthy men, the men of
the Earth, to preach Christ, that is, to preach the ))ower of God
only, and not of evil man ; to preach " believe,^'' that is, do nothing.
It is an offence and a stumbling block. For fleshly man vainly and
wickedly imagines that if God is to do all, and man nothing, then
assuredly nothing will be done ! and they preach so, and tliink it
great piety ! Such a good opinion evil men have of themselves, and
such a bad opinion of God ! They think it strange that it should be
absolutely necessary for sinful man to cease from all his doings,
and they dream that man will really do some good himself, and
that God will not do any without him! nay that it cannot be done
without him ! thus they believe that God is not God unless man
exerts himself a little ! that God has neither goodness nor Grace
nor Power unless man first exerts himself a little ! Yea ! only a
little ! grant but a little ! let him have only a little to do, that God
may not be God ! This is precisely what Satan wishes, that he
may drag men in to partake of his own condemnation ; and to this
point he has now at last brought the " Earth" and taught them to
call it " Piety /" Thus they believe that no good can be done with-
out the power of man : they will not believe in God, they will not
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 17
believe in the Power of God, that is in Christ. They believe in the
power of man ; this is their God, this wicked one, man of sin, Ini-
quity, a beast, whose sins are as scarlet, twice dyed. They do not
believe in Christ, that all power in heaven and in earth is given to
him ; that he has only to speak the word, and Satan sin and death
and every enemy vanish ! that he, as man, hath gotten the victory
by himself alone and no one with him, for us men, even all of us who
rejoice to receive his work, and has already overcome all, and gives
his victory to his people who believe in his name : they will not
believe in him, but they believe that the filthy sinner himself can
conquer ; they urge him to try, to labour, to exert himself, to con-
quer, to subdue, to be Christ and God ! They will not believe that
the Son of God, with his own right hand and his holy arm hath got-
ten himself (yea, he himself and he alone) the victory ! In a word,
they do not believe in God ; to them, God is not God !
They preach that man even sinful man is enabled to do good " hy
the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.'''' This their doctrine is a
lie, and cometh from the father of lies ; it is one of the strong delu-
sions (2 Thess. chap. ii. v. 11). Man will not do good with any
help or grace whatever ; even the grace of God that is, his favour
will never lead him to do good. " Let favour (that is Grace) be
showed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness ; in the land
of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty
of the Lord'''' (Is. xxvi. v. 10). To say that evil man does good with
help or grace is to make God a liar ; for if it be so, the Scripture is
not true, which positively says a corrupt tree cannot bring forth any
good fruit at all, and which also declares that man does not do any
good at all (Psalms). God does not help Wickedness to do good :
man that is born of Adam who is also called the flesh, is Iniquity,
and Christ hath no part or lot with this old man, he hath put this
beast to death in his own body on the tree, and they who believe are
put to death with him.
They who teach this doctrine of the devil, make Christ the minis-
ter, that is the servant of sin, even of sinful man. They make him
a servant and satellite to move and drag along this man of sin, to
help him to stir himself and do good, and when they imagine they
succeed in making the beast move, then the servant, the minister,
the cord of vanity, is forgotten in the shouts of triumph they raise
when they see their God move ! If Righteousness come by the
law, Christ is dead in vain (Galatians) ; his death, his work is a
vanity ; and they make Christ a vanity, a helping instrument or
cord, a mere cart rope, to drag along the cart of Iniquity, to make
this filthy and obscene beast to move or " do good !" When they
make him move and publish triumphantly in their records of piety
the little histories of his pious movements, of his benevolent enter-
prises, of his solemn seriousness, and pious feelings, they even forget
to mention the despised rope with which they think they move him ;
and yet they dare to talk of the Grace of God ! ! They profess to
believe that the beast only moves, that is only does good, by the
Grace of God ; they are so very orthodox they would not ha,ve it
3
18 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
thought that they believed he moved vv'ithout the rope, and thus they
imagine that no one can say that they do not trust entirely, oh yes,
entirely, in the Grace of God, and hope to be saved " through Jesvs
Christ, our Lord,'''' nay, they are sometimes earnest in declaring that
they are so evil, they can do nothing without the grace of God ;
meaning however, that though the beast cannot move at all without
the rope, yet it moves extremely well with such a rope, with such a
minister and satellite to drag it ! and thus they save their own good
opinion, and count themselves believers, holding fast to lies and yet
anxious to be thought valiant for the truth ! Ages ago God pointed
out their wickedness and hypocrisy, saying, " Woe unto them that
draw Iniquity, that is sinful man, w'lth cords of vanity, and sin as it
were with a cart-rope.'''' (Isaiah, ch. v. IB).
This vile and filthy beast, this wicked one, is the God which the
Earth (the religious world) now worships, and has in this day exalted
above Him whom yet they deceitfully call God ! (2 Thess. ch. ii.)
This beast they set up in the chariot of their pride, and exert them-
selves to the utmost to make him move. This Beast is sinful man,
or the man of sin, the wicked one ; he is now revealed, triumphing
for a season, and he hath overcome and slain the two witnesses of
God, by which God testified to the world of Righteousness and
Judgment, (viz. the Law and the Gospel) (Rev. xi.) both these wit-
nesses are now slain by the beast, the exalted beast, and their dead
bodies (the dead letter of them, that is, the Bible) are paraded about
not buried (which were far better), but made use of for a brag and
a vain glory. The exaltation of the beast and the dragging him
along " by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord," as
they blasphemously say, is spiritual Wickedness; it is the same
scene of wickedness acted spiritually and deceitfully, which is acted
corporeally and openly among other deluded victims of Satan,
proving the unity of Satan's kingdom in spite of the divisions and
disputes among his servants ! showing that the world is only one
same scene of the same wickedness in different shapes and disguises.
The Christianity of this last day is the vilest kind of Idolatry. To
be an idolater, is to put trust not in God, but in that which is no
God and cannot save. They put trust in their feelings, in their
prayings, in belonging to a confederacy, and they are idolaters, for
there is no trust in God in all this ; this is not God ! They do evil,
their thoughts are unclean, and polluted, their imaginations are vile
and earthly, and yet they think that this beast, which they know is
so vile and serves such vile purposes, will yet do good and save ! for
to do good is real salvation. They themselves do that which is
wicked in thoughts and deeds, and the residue of themselves they
make a God and cry out to it " do good," that is save us ! be pious,
be righteous, save us! But it is a God which cannot save! This
idolatry is far worse than the idolatry of graven images ; for though
the wood of a graven image may have been used for roasting roast,
and kindling a fire (Isaiah) yet it hath not committed sin, fiUhy sin!
But their God is a beast, and doetli all manner of evil ! And this is
the worship of this day, " they ivorsh'ip devils and not God ;" it is
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 19
idolatry, it is calling upon the man of sin to " do good" and save
himself. Therefore if the worship of Juggernaut is bad, this wor-
ship is worse ; and so it is that the Christianity of this last day is no
more Christianity than the worship of Juggernaut. Such is the
worship of all names and sects without any exception whatsoever;
for though they have questions among themselves about doctrines,
and quarrel and devour one another, they all agree in this one thing,
viz. denying Christ, saying to filthy man " do good" " be pious,"
" be religious" " be godly," that is, setting up the man of sin as a
God able to do good, and a Saviour able to save. They all agree in
performing the part of Judas the son of perdition, for they sell
Christ to the wicked, saying, " if you do a little good, if you pray, if
you only pay the money of your piety and prayers, then you shall
be saved, that is you shall have Christ !" Thus the man of sin (sinful
man) the son of perdition, is revealed (selling Christ and salvation
for paltry considerations :) who saith that he is God, and exalts him-
self above all that is called God, for notwithstanding such wicked-
ness they yet call the Lord, God ! The Spirit spoke expressly that
thus it would be in the last days (2 Thess. ch. ii.) But now the time
is come when this time of the beast shall be no longer, and as the
Lord liveth who made heaven and all that is therein (yea the angels
of heaven are only what they are by his choice and pleasure) and the
earth and all that is therein (yea, it is a lie that proud and wicked
man can make himself a child of God and be saved if he pleases)
and the sea and all that therein is (yea, they are all the work of
God only : none are Creators but He) this TIME shall be no longer,
but when the seventh angel sounds, the Mystery of God will be
finished, the power of the wicked shall be ended, and God will take
to himself his great power !
CHAPTER IV.
Justification by faith ; that is, being made righteous by believing
only.
The Scripture says, " a man is justified by faith, without the deeds
of the law,^'' (Rms. iii. v. 28.) That is, he obtains Righteousness,
he is made perfectly righteous, by believing only, without doing any
good whatever, without doing any thing at all. The same is said in
the words " being justified freely, that is gratuitously, by his Grace.''"'
Now to be justified freely, gratuitously, or for nothing, is to be jus-
tified without doing any thing and without having any thing to do, or
else it is not gratuitous. A man cannot be righteous or justified by
any thing he does ; let him appear to do all good he is not righteous
before God ; the law requires him to do all good actions, he must do
them, it is a debt due to the law ; but, even if he does them all, the
Scripture declares " By the deeds of the law shall nofiesh be justified
i?i his sight.'''' Therefore if a man fulfilled all the law perfectly, and
did all good and no evil, yet he would not be righteous before God,
he would not be justified in the sight of God, whatever he might be
20 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
in the sight of men. The Word of God, which declares that a man
cannot be justified, that is obtain Righteousness and be righteous, if
he does ever so much, also declares that a man is justified, that is,
obtains Righteousness and is righteous, if he does nothing at all ; and
only believes in Jesus Christ ; saying, " a man is jvstijied by faith
without the deeds of the law," and also saying " by the deeds of the
law shall nofesh be justified.''''
To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is to look to him as The
Christ, that is as the anointed High Priest, to stand in our stead
before God and to perform all things for us. To receive him to do
all for us, and to offer up spiritual sacrifices for us, to submit to him
to do all this, and not presumptuously to attempt to do it ourselves,
this only is to believe in him. Christ is the Righteousness of all
them that believe in him, they want no other Righteousness, the
Righteousness of God is imputed to them, is put upon them, and they
are perfectly righteous by this imputation of God's Righteousness,
without their doing any thing whatever. This is being justified by
faith ; it is receiving Righteousness as a gift by the great favour and
kindness of God, and not getting it by doing any thing ourselves.
Righteousness is doing good ; he who looks to Christ to be his
Righteousness, looks to him to do good for him ; this is what Christ
does, this is what he came to do, viz. " to do the will of God," and
accordino^ly they who believe and receive him, have nothing to do,
but to stand still, and he comes to them and is in them, and he does
all Righteousness for them. He alone does it, they do it not ; and
what he does he imputes to them. Thus then, they who believe in
Christ have nothing to do, God is in them doing all things for
them, and giving and imputing to them all his own Righteousness,
which it is God alone who doeth. They continuing to believe, God
continues to do all things for them, and continually imputes his own
works to them. As they trust to him and look to him, so in propor-
tion he does the more for them. Thus God is in his people, and the
whole body or collection of them that believe is therefore called a
city, where God is, as the prophet Ezekiel says, " the name of the
city shall be, The Lord is there." Hence it is manifest that he
who believeth in Christ has nothing to do, for when God does all
things for him, there is nothing left for him to do.
They who believe are made righteous (that is, are justified) by
Grace, for it is extraordinary favour and wonderful grace indeed that
God should condescend to dwell with man and do such great things
for him. It is by the Promise of God, (which promise he made to
Abraham and confirmed it by an oath) ; it is by his mere mercy, his
everlasting mercy ; by his mere gift, his unspeakable gift, that it is
so ! In his rich grace and wonderful love to us, he becomes OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS, he puts all his own Righteousness upon us, he
imputes it unto and upon us, he clothes us and covers us completely
in the robe of Righteousness ! No being or creature could be more
righteous, more perfect, more holy, more pure, and more complete
than he is, be he the filthiest wretch who craAvls upon this earth,
^vho does nothing, but only believes in the name of Jesus of Naza-
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 21
reth, the Holy One of God ; who only receives him as his Anointed
or High Priest, who looks to him, and trusts wholly to him. He is
God manifest in the flesh, his name is Wonderful, and he is wonder-
ful, his power is wonderful, his grace is wonderful, and his gift and
work is wonderful to them that believe, and they, standing still and
beholding the glory of God, and his Salvation, and his work, will
exclaim with wonder joy and astonishment " What hath God
wrought /"
Thus then, to be justified by faith, is to be made righteous; and
we are made righteous by the imputation of Christ, the Righteous-
ness of God, without doing, but only believing. It is not merely
being made righteous by one single imputation of God's Righteous-
ness, made once for all, and then after that being left to do good,
which would be being left to be justified or get righteousness by the
law, far from it. God hath said " He that is justified by the law^''
(that is, who tries to do good, or to get Righteousness by his own
exertions) " is fallen from Grace.'''' Righteousness is doing good, or
else it is no Righteousness at all, and God's Righteousness is God's
doing good. Therefore when this Righteousness is unto him that
believes, then he has God to do good for him ; this is to have God's
Righteousness. This effectual Righteousness in Jesus Christ is unto
them that believe ; Righteousness is done for them by Christ him-
self, and it is imputed to them as if it was their doing, though it is
done by him only. It is done for them when they believe ; and, as
they continue in believing, it is continually done for them ; and, as it
is continually done for them, so it is continually imputed to them and
put upon them. God's Righteousness, which is his doing good, is an
everlasting Righteousness ; he continually performeth all for them
that look to him, and his gift and grace and goodness is not moment-
ary nor for once only, but everlasting, and therefore, as he constantly
and unceasingly works Righteousness for his people, so he never
ceases giving it to them and imputing it to them ! They believe and
look to him, and he worketh Righteousness for them, and imputes it
to them ; they continue to believe, abiding in faith, standing still and
looking and trusting only to him, and he continues to work for them,
and, as is written in the Psalms, to " do all things for them,'''' and
graciously to impute his own glorious work of Righteousness to
them. Thus they have nothing to do, he doeth all for them. This,
and nothing less than this, is to be justified by faith ! it is not to
have one Righteousness imputed to us for once, but continual
Righteousness, the continual good-doing of God himself, continually
imputed to us, daily, hourly, unceasingly and for ever!
Christ has not only once done all for us, but he ever liveth, and
does all, and will do all and every thing for us, when we wish, when
we desire, when we want it, that is, when we believe ! By the infi-
nite, the rich and stupendous grace of God, Righteousness is given
unto us, and is upon us, when we believe, and it is in proportion as
we desire it and hunger after it, " according to thy faith be it unto
thee,'''' that is, he who throws himself most entirely upon God, and
trusts most to him, and longeth most after his true Righteousness
22 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
(which alone is real Righteousness) will know the most of his good-
ness and power ; but he who tries be it ever so little at his own
power, can know nothing whatever of God.
When we believe this, namely this doctrine, which is the doctrine
of God, then only we believe the faithful and sure word, " Thy
Righteousness is an everlasting Righteousness.'''' Yea verily it is not
a momentary Righteousness, it is not for once, and there an end of
it, but it is for once, and it is continual, and it is for ever ! It is only
through faith we receive this Promised gift, and not by doing any
thing, far from it, but standing entirely still, trusting entirely to God,
and beholding that God is God indeed, for the Scripture says, " Be
still, and know that I am God!''^ When we cease to believe or halt
in believing then we cease to acknowledge God, and we cease to
behold the power which we do not acknowledge. Believing is not
for once nor for a moment, it is enduring to the end, and the Righte-
ousness of God, that is God's actual doing and performing Righteous-
ness, is enduring, lasting, and continually and at every moment unto
and upon them that continue in the faith. God even Jesus Christ
continually doeth Righteousness for them ; he does it, it is his work ;
he imputes it to them, and they are righteous. This is to be justi-
fied by faith ! to have God at all times to do all for us, and to have
nothing to do ourselves ! we only trusting to him, that is only
believing !
Thus, the Righteousness of God is God's working, God's doing
good : it is Christ himself, who is the Power of God, the manifested
Righteousness of God, and who alone doeth good ! So that this
Righteousness is an active, living, never-ending, everlasting Righte-
ousness ! David says " Lo! he that keepcth Israel, doth neither slum-
ber nor sleep." It is God himself in Christ who keepeth Israel in
righteousness and true holiness; he is Righteousness, he only doeth
Righteousness, he only is holy, he is the Holy One !
How, during the 42 months in which the Enemy has trodden
down the sanctuary, in which the saints of God have been overcome
by the beast, and have been joined to one or other of the nations and
kindreds of the earth (the sects of the religious professors) so as not
to be known as a separate people, as the holy nation, — yea, God's
Israel after the spirit, has been scattered over all the face of the
earth (i. e. among all the sects and churches of earthly sensual pro-
fessors) they have fallen by the edge of the sword (that is the law)
they have been led away captive into all nations (i. e. sects of the
earth) and Jerusalem, the holy city or body of God's elect, has been
trodden down of the Gentiles, (and was so to be for 1260 years (Rev.
xi.) : not earthly bodily Jerusalem ; but the holy spiritual city, the
collection of God's people : (for if earthly Jerusalem which is merely
bricks and stones, had been signified, then the time would have
expired near about the year 1260, because earthly Jerusalem began
to be subjected to the gentiles when the Christian era began, and
therefore 1260 years of that era would have fulfilled the time,) yea
the saints of God the holy city, haye been overcome by the beast all
this Time of Abomination, in which Zion has been desolate and a
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 23
widow, but the Time is now nearly fulfilled, for when the seventh
angel sounds, it shall be no longer, how during all this
Time in which the abomination of human righteousness, the swine-
flesh offering has been set up, the Gospel of the living God has been
prophesying in sackcloth (Rev. xi. v. 3.) " Lo ! He that keepeth
Israel slumbereth not /" and yet in this TIME they who have even
mightily preached the truth and the Righteousness of Christ, have
preached that the Lord Our Righteousness was a slumbering and
sleeping Righteousness ! that it was merely his obedience which he
once gave to the law in the days of his deep humiliation, which obe-
dience being then ended, was once for all imputed, at one putting on,
to them who believed, and after that they had to do good as well as
they could b)^ the grace of God ! and so there was an end of God's
Righteousness which is an Everlasting Righteousness ! without end,
eternal and for ever ! This has been indeed a covering of sackcloth
and ashes to the gold of Zion ! Blessed be God, we have not got to
do good at all, no, not by the grace of God ! and blessed be our God,
that by his Grace, his unspeakable grace and gift, all is done for us,
by Christ Jesus our Lord, the Messiah of God, and we have nothing
whatever to do !
The saints of God have been overcome by the beast, during all
the Time of the Abomination, (which Time began in the midst of
the first seven hundred years or week of centuries) for power has
been given to the Beast over them. The Time of the Abomination
began in the midst of the first seven hundi'ed years after the death
of Christ ; it began with the Romish Church, and has continued till
now. The first seven hundred years is called in Daniel a week, for
it is a week of centuries : during this week God confirmed his Cove-
nant in Christ with many, even thousands and thousands of his
beloved people, but in the midst of this week the abomination of %
human works and piety was set up, and the pure oblation and sacri-
fice which Christ alone offers up to God was" made to cease, and that
desolation (which now has come to its full) then began. " And he
shall confirm the covenant with many for one week : and in the midst
of the iDeek he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and
for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall he. poured upon the
desolate.''^ (Daniel, ch. ix. v. 27.) During all this Time, God's elect,
the holy city, has been trodden under foot, the people of God have
been overcome by the Beast, which has reigned and ruled all this
Time. Being thus overcome they have not seen Christ to be actu-
ally and truly the whole and sole doer of Righteousness for them
that receive him ; our whole and sole Righteousness, both active and
passive, and of all kinds ; yea, if there be ten million different kinds
of Righteousness, then he is all of them to us, for he is " Our Righte-
ousness'''' which includes of all kinds ! Not knowing this, not know-
ing the power of God, (though exceedingly elated and swelled up
with what we did know,) especially we, the last of them (Laodicea)
who have said we knew all, and were rich and increased in goods
and had need of nothing, and knew not our real situation (Rev. iii. 17),
24 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
we have greatly erred, and have been overcome by the beast, as
it is written, " and it was given unto him to make tear with the saints
and to overcome them : and power was given him over all kindreds
and tongnes and nations,^' (Rev. xiii. v. 7.) He who will believe
God's word, and not be disobedient, must submit and confess that all
without any exception have been overcome.
Thus then the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ is not
merely one imputation, but it is a perpetual and unceasing imputa-
tion : his work of Righteousness is not one work, done and ended
when he was on the earth, but he is " with us always even to the end
of the world,'''' and all his beauty, his glory, his perfection, his grace,
his work, his power, is with us too, that is when we believe, and then
according to our faith. This is a perfect, a continued and unceasing
work, he does all for the believer and he imputes all that he does,
and that is all Righteousness, to the believer. This and only this is
justification by faith, being made righteous by Christ without our
doing any thing : doing all and perfect Righteousness, yea walking
and living in Righteousness with God, without doing any thing, and
without any the least thing whatever to do! having Rest, having
nothing to do ! believing in God only to do all, trusting the work
entirely to Christ the Power of God, The Anointed High Priest :
yea, not fearing to cast all the burden and all the care upon him !
This is justification by faith, and short of this, or part of this, is not
justification by faith !
All that is here said is fully comprehended in the words " Christ
is our life^'' there is no life except in Righteousness, that is doing
good, and Christ, a new man, is the only man who doeth Righteous-
ness; he is Righteousness, even the Righteousness of God! To do
evil or wrong is unrighteousness, that is death and a curse. From
this death in trespasses and sins God maketh his people alive, or, as
it is written, he quickeneth them : it is a great grace and favour for
him to do so : and he doeth this by the word, giving unto them to
hear his word by his holy Spirit, which is understanding : and then,
understanding the word, they hear and believe. This is to receive
life, this is to be raised from the dead, this is to enter into the king-
dom of heaven, this is to be born of the word (which is called water)
and of the Spirit (that is understanding). It is simply to believe.
They who have understanding (which is the Spirit of God) they hear
and believe : without this understanding, " man is like the beasts that
perish.''''
Yes I to be justified by faith is to receive Righteousness or life,
only and simply in looking to God, and trusting to him in Jesus
Christ. This all will do who are wise and understand trusting him
the Christ, without working or doing at all, leaving that entirely to
Him ! This is to believe, and he who believes is justified by faith,
that is, he receives Christ to do Righteousness for him, and to make
him a doer of Righteousness, not for once only, but daily, hourly,
continually, yea every moment of our existence I By his death he
took away all our sins in his own body on the tree ; he suflered for
our transgressions, and thus God doth not impute sin unto us ; all
THE GOSPEL OF GOU.
25
our sins are hereby removed trom us as far as the East is from the
West, and we are made righteous or justified by his death : thus all
Israel was justified when they laid their hands on the sacrifice which
was slain. He shed his blood for us, and cleansed us from all sin, so
that we are made righteous, or, justified by his blood ; and thus all
the saints of old were justified being sprinkled by the blood, and thus
the saints of God in the Time of this abomination have been justi-
fied, who have had no hope in their doing good, but only in his
blood ! But this is not all, though this is all that David and the
prophets knew, and this is all that the elect of God have known dur-
ing the Time of abomination, since the first week of seven hundred
years. We are also justified by his life, " he rose again for our jus-
tification.'''' That is, he not only suffered death to destroy the body
of sin and death, and so he justified us ; he not only shed his blood
and sprinkled us therewith and made us clean from all our sins, and
so he justified us ; but what is more glorious still is the glory which
was to follow his sufiering and bloodshedding. (1 Peter, ch. i. 11,
12). He rose again to live in his people, to bless them with the
power and presence of his Righteousness, to be their life, to do all
things for them, to work all their works in them, that they might
live and have life more abundantly. Thus we are justified, made
righteous, made (by imputation) doers of Righteousness, by his life,
by his living in us, and being in us, and dwelling in us, " performing
all things for us /" This is what the Holy Ghost signifies when it
is said, " he rose again for our justification.'''' So that he not only
justifies his saints by his death and by his blood, by suffering for and
taking away all our sins, but by his life also, by living in them, and
He himself working all Righteousness for them ! This is " the
power of his resurrection" the glory which should follow his death
and sufferings. This is a great glory, as far above the being only
cleansed from all sin, as to do Righteousness is far above being
merely not unrighteous. As to have no sin imputed to us is blessed
indeed, and this was the case with David, so to have no sin imputed
to us, and also moreover to have actual Righteousness imputed to us
and so to be doers of Righteousness, is far more glorious and blessed !
and this was what David and the prophets searched to know (1
Peter, i. 10.) God is glorified hereby, for indeed it is not a glory to
us, but to God ! " Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth
much fruit /" If we did the works it would be a glory to us, but
Christ alone doeth them and God is glorified by Christ. The saints
of old searched to know of this (Peter). After the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, his people enjoyed this life and glory for one week of
seven hundred years, and in the midst of this week the abomination
of the piety of a beast, a counterfeit Christianity began, which was
to last for 42 months, that is 1260 years, and which has since made
altogether desolate. (Dan. ix. 27.) For 700 years, or a week, the
Everlasting Covenant of the Promise in Christ Jesus the seed of
Abraham was confirmed with many, yea with multitudes, of God's
beloved who believed in his Name. Since then until now, (when the
Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled) the glory of the Gospel has been
4
26 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
hidden, and this witness of God's Righteousness has testified in
sackcloth, (Rev. xi. 3). The word of God is express which de-
clared beforehand that it should be for 1260 years. (Dan. viii. 14 ;
Dan. xii. 7 ; Rev. xi. 2 ; Rev. xi. 3; Rev. xii. 6, 14).
During all the Time in which the riches of the glory of this Mys-
tery have been hidden from a proud and wicked and learned Earth
(for God would not cast his pearls before those who would trample
them under their feet, not one of the chosen seed has been lost,
though the glory has been dimmed. God has nourished his Church
though it was in the wilderness (Rev. xii. 6) and foolish faithless and
provoking as those who were 40 years in the wilderness (1 Cor. x.
11) nor, in all this Time would one, no not a single one of the wicked
and self-sanctifiers have believed in Christ alone for Righteousness,
no, not even if nothing had been hid, if their eyes had not been
blinded, and Christ had told them all! "if I tell you., ye will not
helieve^ The enemies of God under the guise of zealous believers,
denying his words, setting up their own doctrines and yet pretending
to be his servants, were to be, and to have power for a Time to show
themselves, to be let alone to do their will and build their buildings
(though even this only just so far as God had willed) and while this
has been, Christ has been waiting till the Time should be no more,
till his enemies should be made his footstool : the heavens have re-
ceived him till this Time is accomplished (Acts, iii. 21), and now,
the Time shall be no longer, and he will shortly appear, in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and all his holy angels
with him! (Acts, i. 11) and the Mystery of God will be finished.
This great and glorious Truth and Mystery of godliness, even of
Jesus Christ coming in the flesh, and doing all for his people., work-
ing all his works in them, they having nothing to do, they only be-
lieving, no one in heaven or in earth could ever find out ! There
have been during the 42 months wise and learned men, yea, there
have been saints and prophets of God who have truly testified of
Christ, (though in sackcloth,) and yet, what God hath not been
pleased to make known, no man hath known. The very length of
time it has been hid, is as if it were to humble the pride of all men,
and to let them know that the things of God knoweth no man !
(1 Cor. ii. 11) no ! no man ! but only the Spirit of God ! Boasting is
altogether excluded from the reach of filthy flesh, that is from us the
children of Adam.
CHAPTER V.
What Antichrist is, and that he now reigns in the Earth {the religious
world).
It has been seen that the Righteousness of God (and that, not a
momentary, but a perpetual ; not a passive but an active Righteous-
ness) is unto all and upon all them that believe ; that Christ Jesus
himself does all for them, and they have nothing to do. It is so !
It may be said, if this be the case, then Jesus Christ is again on
THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
27
the earth, and is not only come once in the flesh in his own body,
but is come again in the flesh in them that believe. Since He who
was manifested at the appointed time, being born of the virgin Mary,
comes and dwells in them that believe, and is in them, then Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh. It is so : this is the doctrine of God
laid open in this little book, namely, that he who believeth only in
Him hath nothing to do, for Jesus Christ cometh and dwelleth in
him, in the flesh, and doeth all and every thing for him, even all the
will of God, which as it is written in the Psalms he came on purpose
to do. He comes in the flesh to him who believes, having cleansed
him and washed him and made him a holy vessel of God !
Whosoever he be who does not confess this truth, he is Antichrist ;
whosoever he be who saith that the sinner has got any thing to do,
and does not openly declare and confess that it is Jesus Christ who
doeth all Righteousness or good, who alone doeth it, and is it, he,
even he is Antichrist ! No one can now any longer be deceived,
unless he is determined to be deceived and to perish ! for this doc-
trine is given of God as a sure and positive test to try whether
preachers or prophets are deceivers and false prophets, speaking lies
in hypocrisy, speaking by the Spirit of falsehood, or whether they
are of God. God hath had great mercy upon us in this latter day
by giving us this sure test, that we may not be deceived by the son
of perdition, even Antichrist and the beast, though he be transformed
into an angel of light and speak like a lamb, prating about the " dear
Redeemer" in all hypocrisy and all deceivableness of unrighteous-
ness. Whosoever does not teach that Christ doeth all and the
sinner hath nothing to do ; that is, that Jesus Christ is come in the
flesh and is the only worker of Righteousness ; who preaches " do
good,^^ saying that the sinner who believes has got to do good, — he
is not of God, he is a false prophet ! he is a worshipper of the beast
or of the image of the beast, (that is either of himself or what he
calls his regenerated self, a mere fiction, an image of himself.)
" Hereby know ye the Spirit of God : every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in thefiesh is of God ; and every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God.
And this is that Spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
should come ; and even now already is it in the worlds 1 John, iv.
2, 3.
Yea, they who believe have nothing to do, Christ doeth all, him-
self, for them, he is in them, he is come in the flesh ! It is only
thus that Jesus Christ can come in the flesh, even coming and being
in them that believe and receive him ! for, when he came into the
world in the due time, it was not Jesus Christ who then came in the
flesh, but God who came and was manifest in the flesh, and the
Word being made flesh, was then first called Jesus ; this is the
Christ! This is that Jesus Christ who to them that believe in his
Name, comes in the flesh, and all his Work and Beauty and Righte-
ousness comes with him! Not to receive and confess this holy truth
is to deny and refuse Jesus Christ ! And to teach any other doc-
trine, saying to evil man " do good''' is not to confess it, is Anti-
28 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
christ, yea, this is Antichrist which should come, and which should
reign and overcome for 42 months, that is 1260 years. All the
religious doctrine of this present day is Antichrist, the whole reli-
gion of this present Time is Antichrist. Not only they do not con-
fess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, to him that believes, and
that He alone bringeth forth in him Righteousness and all its fruits
(Phil. i. 11), but they know nothing whatever about it in their sen-
sual doctrine, and therefore cannot confess it ; the whole doctrine of
God is a strange thing to their natural understandings ; the very
first rudiments of the doctrine of Christ are strange and unknown to
them : they are in confusion, and stare one at another, and grope in
the dark ; their faces are as flames : while they wonder how it is
that with all their fleshly labours and pious pride they do not make a
better show in the flesh (seeing but not opening their eyes to the
vanity of their doings), and in their confusion they vainly call upon
God and his holy Spirit to join with them in " doing good" and to
help them ! to become a servant and a helpmate to them and the
satellite of their religious lusts, to di-ag along with them the chariot
of the beast, the filthy sinful and lascivious beast, which they toil
and labour to move and drag along. But it does not move, and the
city of confusion laments and cries aloud and urges on the beast in
vain !
Christ was before all worlds; the Lamb of God, slain before the
foundation of the world, in whom alone, since the world began, all
who have been saved, have been saved. When in the fulness of time
he came into the world, and was born of a woman, he was then first,
having become man, named Jesus: and was then first the man Christ
Jesus. This man in whom God is manifested, even this Jesus Christ
the Lord of Glory, is come in the flesh, to dwell in the body of all
those who believe in him : (2 Cor. vi. 16. Coloss. i. 27. Rs. viii.
10. 1 John, iv. 4. Isaiah, xii. 6 ; xxvi. 12. Ezkl. xlviiii. 35) : he
comes in them to do all righteousness for them and instead of them,
and they have nothing to do, and must do nothing, but stand still.
He that knoweth not this knoweth not the truth to this day, and he
that will not receive and confess this is Antichrist. Hereby we know
that this is the last Time, (the Time which shall be no longer,) be-
cause this truth is bitterly opposed, and the lie that man doeth good
(not Christ only) is the doctrine taught and which reigns in the
earth (that is the religious world) in this day.
This is the truth declared by John, the last disciple, and for our
sakes, that we might be certain and know assuredly, with full assur-
ance of understanding, the only true doctrine of Christ, and who and
whit Antichrist is, who opposcth Christ and cxalteth himself above
Christ and God, whom yet they call God ! It is the religion and
profession of this last day, viz. professing that man doeth good, and
not confessing that only Jesus Christ doeth good, being come in the
flesh to them that believe, doing it fi)r them.
This is the Mystery of Godliness and it is a very great mystery
indeed, which Antichrist with all his piety and hopeful seriousness
does not know nor confess. The godliness or piety which Antichrist
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 29
preaches (which is not godliness, but is an abomination) is no mys-
tery, it is a work which any fleshly man can perform and assume,
whereas, to them who only believe, God himself is the worker : He,
the Almighty God, performeth all for them, and this is a great Mys-
tery ! It is one of the wonders of the wonderful God ! (Isaiah.) It
is truly wonderful, it is stupendous, it is beyond understanding, that
God himself, the Mighty God, even the glorified Jesus Christ, should
stoop so low, and come in the flesh, yea " even to the rebellions also"
and the ungodly, and dwell in his people who receive him, and he in
them and walk in them, and he their God !
And doth Jesus Christ come in the flesh and do nothing ? or only
do part good ? part Righteousness ? does he leave the needy helpless
sinner who receives him to do good ? to do any thing at all 1 Nay
verily ! when he comes. Life and Power and Righteousness and Holi-
ness, all the work and all the fiuits of Righteousness come with him
and are by him, and remain, even more than would suffice to purify
and sanctify millions of worlds ! What then has he who believes to
do? He has to do nothing; he must stand still, believe, trust to,
receive and acknowledge God ! in a word, he has only to submit to
God ! He who does not confess this Truth, he is a deceiver and an
Antichrist.
What astonishing mercy and goodness, what exceeding great love !
that God himself should provide Righteousness for and give it freely,
to the ungodly, to a sinful and rebellious people ! a people lost in
sins, devoted to unrighteousness, and obstinately, perversely, invin-
cibly, and irreclaimably corrupted, and addicted to deceitful lusts !
And to provide Righteousness for them by means of one of them,
which would have been impossible but that he provided a new man
like unto them in every thing except in sin, a righteous man, a Holy
One ! And what not to be uttered Love, to provide this Holy One,
this man the conqueror of sin and doer of Righteousness, by his own
self entering into a body of man, and becoming man ! And the
Mighty God, the Everlasting Father having stooped down to dwell
in a fleshly temple, then to suffer patiently all degradation and
misery and contumely and insult, from his own creatures ! to be an
afflicted man, a cursed man, cursed for the sake of others, and to
suffer death as a man, and to take on himself the curse and condem-
nation of the law, and all this for the sake of those who were sinful,
and guilty, yea those who reviled and pierced him ! But, O mons-
trous iniquity ! after God has done all this, and provided Righteous-
ness for the sinful — that men loudly professing heartily and zealously
to believe what he has done, should rise up, saying, that what he had
done was good for nothing ! saying that they, evil beings, must per-
form that which is far from them, viz. Righteousness ! Thus saying
to God who has done so much, that he need not have taken so much
pains to provide Righteousness, but (since it must be provided) they
will provide it themselves ! This is trampling under foot, utterly
insulting the Son of God and crucifying him afresh ! Because verily,
as the Lord God liveth, if there could exist any such thing as Righte-
ousness from evil men and women who onlv do evil and that con-
30 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
tinually, then Christ need not have suffered at all, then all that he
suffered was vain and useless ! Therefore highly excellent as human
piety and Righteousness appears to us blind and wicked flesh, to
preach to sinful man " do good" " be pious" " be godly," or do any
thing at all of this work which is God's gracious work, which ex-
pressly belongs to Him, is to trample under foot the Son of God and
to do despite to the Spirit of Grace.
Shocking spectacle ! to see a number of poor sinful worms clothed
for a short moment in a little respectability and honour, fat with
pride and filthy with sins, — to see them strutting about and putting
on pious looks, calling themselves reverend men and yet calling
themselves hell-deserving sinners, and dreaming how nice and pretty
they are before God, because of their nice feelings and pious little
doings and attractions ! And all the while that they are so busy and
making such haste to do their wicked good, the Son of God has
stooped to suffer, (and they pretend to know it and teach it) to do
real good and all good, and to provide all Righteousness, even the
Righteousness of God for and instead of the ungodly !
If there could be such a creature as a good man, a doer of good
among the children of Adam, then the express word of God, even
the law of God would be a lie, which declares " there is none that
doeth good, no not one.'''' He therefore who believeth not in Christ
the Righteousness of God, but worketh for himself to do righteous-
ness, he maketh God a liar. (1 John, v. 10).
But since we men are too deplorably and maliciously wicked ever
to be good or to do Righteousness, blessed for ever blessed be our
God, for the good news, for the glad tidings, — we have not got any to
do ! And blessed be God for his unspeakable gift, we are not desti-
tute of Righteousness, (if we were we should perish) but the Lord is
Our Righteousness, even the Lord who gave himself for us, and we
are perfectly righteous in "OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Herein is blessedness, here is liberality and grace, here is the un-
speakable gift, here is good news, here is the talent of pure gold
(which the churlish usurer who preaches " pay something,'''' " fay
something,^'' hides and buries and wraps up in the filthy napkin of
human Righteousness, and being an austere man says that he knows
God is snch an one as himself and wants pay, and he is afraid of the
exceeding rich liberality, and hides the truth and preaches usury,
Luke, xix. 20, 21) yes! herein is blessedness and bounty, and rich
grace and glory and salvation, namely, that the needy wretched sin-
ner has nothing to do, that is, nothing to give, nothing to pay, no.
Nothing, Nothing ! Blessed be God !
God the Saviour, the Redeemer, the Righteous One, the Holy One
of Israel, doeth Righteousness and is Righteousness for him ! he is
redeemed from under the heavy obligation of " do good" and from
the horrible curse, which inevitably rests upon and adheres to every
creature which doeth evil. The curse is removed with the obliga-
tion which produced it. He is redeemed from under it ! He has no
longer got one jot or tittle of it to do, it is all done for him ! There
is no longer any wall of partition between him and his God ; there is
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 31
no longer any veil between, it is rent in twain, it is taken out of the
way : now he has peace with God, now, only believing, he has access
to God ; there is no sin upon him, " God beholdeth no iniquity in
Jacob,'''' he is cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ the
Lamb of God, he is cleansed by the word (the water of life) even
Christ, by which Word the living water, he is begotten again born
into a new life (this is to be born of water) God is with him and
dwelleth in him, he shall never perish, God is faithful ! This is the
faith of God's elect, this is the faith of Christ, the faith once
delivered to the saints: that Christ only doeth good, he undertakes
to do it all and does it all for his people who receive him, who are
all without exception who will, that is, who wish and desire to take
of the water of life freely, that is, gratuitously, not giving any thing,
doing nothing! (Rev. xxii. 17.) He comes to all such who only be-
lieve, and he is with them, and he is in them, and he, and he alone
and no one with him doeth good, that is all Righteousness for them
and instead of them ! This is the doctrine of God ! not to confess
this, not to preach this, to teach any other doctrine than this, to say
to men " do good" is Antichrist ! and a deceiver ! (2 John, i. 7).
" Many deceivers are entered into the icorld who confess not that
Jesus Christ is come in the fesh ; this is a deceiver and an Anti-
christ.^^
And now Antichrist who was to come in the last days, is revealed
in all his power and glory : This Time is the time in which the beast,
the man of sin, the wicked one, is exalted above all that is called
God (2 Thess. ii. 3, 4) ; the harlot seated and built upon the founda-
tion of this beast (not built upon Christ the only foundation) has
overspread the earth (the religious world) with the abomination of
her fornications and self-decorations of her own piety, and now this
beast has slain the two witnesses, the law and the gospel, utterly
despising them both, and yet has not buried them, but hawks about
and parades up and down their dead bodies, (viz. the dead and de-
spised letter, the bible,) and sends them about with their books and
tracts by ship loads and cart loads as presents to one another and as
marks of the triumph of the piety and goodness of impious and
wicked man ! (Rev. xi. 10). In all the Time of 1260 years, the glory
of Zion has been dimmed, and the beast has prevailed and prospered,
but, the complete extinction of all truth, the complete triumph of the
beast and its fleshly piety, the gross darkness covering the earth (the
professors of earthly religion), was reserved for this very day ! (Rev.
ii. 7.) But, as the Lord liveth, the time shall be no longer !
CHAPTER VL
Why has the sinner and the ungodly who believe nothing to do ? Is
it because nothing need be done ?
They who believe in Christ as their Righteousness have God in
them to do all things for them ; the Spirit of God dwelleth in them,
the Spirit of Christ is in them, Christ is in them (Rom. viii. 9, 10),
32 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
and having Him to do all things for them, they have nothing to do,
or in other words, they are not under the law.
But if a man does not by faith receive Jesus Christ as the fulfiller
of the whole law for him, as his Righteousness, (and that, not a pas-
sive inert Righteousness, not a dream or imagination, but an active
powerful Righteousness who worketh mightily,) then he is under the
law for he does not believe, and then he has every thing to do, and
he cannot possibly escape from it, he must fulfil it in every jot and
tittle, or he is cursed : for the law is in full force, the Gospel does
not set it aside, God forbid ! the Gospel confirms it.
It is only he who believeth in Christ Jesus to do all Righteousness
for him, who really desires and looks to him to do it, — it is only
such a one who is delivered from the law and from the curse, and
has nothing whatever to do, because it is all done for him ; he re-
ceives the Holy One to do all for him and bless him. If this is not
the case with a man, if he does not receive this Holy One of God,
the whole burden and obligation of the law is upon him, he is bound
to the law, he is married to it, and woe unto him if he putteth away
his wife, that is, if he cast off the law of God and think that he dare
treat its solemn demands in all thino^s with lightness. God is not
mocked, the law is true and cannot be evaded nor partially obeyed,
nor violated in the least degree, by any one, whosoever he be.
It is most certain and true that he who believes is not under the
law which commands to do good ; it is most certain and true that he
has not got to do good, he has not got any thing to do ! No ! blessed
be our God, he has not got any thing to do, he is free ! Christ has
made him free ! " He is dead to the laio by the body of Christ ; he ia
married to another, even to Him xoho is risen from the dead."
But what is the reason why he has nothing to do ? Is it because
nothino; needs to be done ? Is it because no Risrhteousness is to be
done ? God forbid. So far from there being no Righteousness to
be done, Christ came for the very purpose that he might do it, that
so he might save us who would not do it. " Lo ! I come to do thy
will, O God."
This was why he became man, that man might fulfil the law, and
so man might be saved. For no one can possibly be saved if the
whole Righteousness of the law is not fulfilled, either really by him,
or imputedly by him, that is by Christ, for him. Not part by him
and part by Christ ; if he fulfils only part, the whole is broken
(James, ii. 10), and if Christ fulfils only part, then also all is not ful-
filled and the whole is broken: therefore this wicked doctrine of
believing and having something to do at the same time, is a double
transgression of the law, and is an utter abomination ; it is adultery,
a being joined to two, viz. the Law and Christ, and being false to
both : and this religious generation (the earth) is an adulterous
generation ! If a man does not entirely receive Christ to do all for
him, and he himself to do nothing, the whole law is not fulfilled, and
he cannot be saved : he totally rejects and denies Christ by only
partially receiving him, and is an infidel : he totally violates the law
by only partially obeying it, and is a transgressor and is cursed !
THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
33
(such is the earth,) and it brings forth thorns and is nigh unto burn-
ing, for these are they who sin wilfully (Hebrews, x. 26, 27.)
Wherefore, and be it again and again repeated, a man cannot be
saved, except the law is perfectly and completely fultilled : sin and
malice are no jest, and the law which taketh just and sure vengeance,
is no jest neither ! Woe to them who trifle with these !
Jesus Christ the Son of God came for the express purpose, and
was delivered unto death that he, even he (not we) might destroy the
works of the devil ! (1 John, iii. 8.) But if nothing need be done,
then Christ need not have died ; and if we could do what yet must
be done, then he need not have died : but he died that He might fulfil
all Righteousness, even the whole law for the ungodly, because it
was impossible for them through their wickedness and weakness to
do it ; and yet if it was not done, it was impossible for them to be
saved : for it is utterly impossible for any one to be saved, if all the
law is not fulfilled perfectly.
Therefore Righteousness is to be done, it must be done, there is
no peace or salvation without it : he that doeth unrighteousness is of
the devil, he is not of God ; and he that does not hunger and thirst
after Righteousness, even real Righteousness in deed, not in word,
does not desire to be delivered from the works of the devil, he does
not want or care for Christ. So then he who does not truly desire
to be delivered from all his own evil ways in every respect and in all
things, he does not wish to be saved, he does not look to be saved,
that is, he does not believe, and he cannot possibly be saved ! God
himself could not save him, for he changes not, and he could not
break the law! if he would, that cup should have passed from Christ!
and therefore if a man does not wish and desire to have Christ alone,
really to fulfil all the law for him and save him completely and in
very deed from all and every one of his sins, God himself cannot
save that man ! he does not believe, that is, he does not wish to be
saved ! He who has any one sin however small in his own eyes,
which he does not long to be delivered from, which he does not wish
to forsake, he loveth unrighteousness and not Righteousness, he does
not desire Christ, that is true Righteousness, he does not wish to be
saved, he does not want deliverance, he loveth wickedness, he does
not look to Christ to deliver him : in a word, he does not believe,
and he cannot possibly be saved ! But " if any man will do," (that
is, wishes to do) the will of God, (that is, Righteousness) and not to
do the will of the flesh "Ae shall knoio the doctrine of God,'''' (John,
vii. 17) he shall know the Salvation of God, that Christ Jesus
saveth his people that look to him, doing all things for them, even
all the will of God, delivering them from sin, and they have nothing
of this his work to do ! For this, even this, is the glorious proclama-
tion of the Gospel of the living God, namely, whosoever really
wishes to be saved, he shall infallibly be saved ! If a man wishes to
take the waters of life, freely (that is, gratuitously) let him take !
and he shall be saved.
Let no one therefore blindly imagine that Christ and the works of
darkness, or any work of darkness, can possibly have any union
5
34 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
together. The pooi* and needy sinner will not so deceive himself.
Vile and unconquerable as are his lusts, overwhelming as his sins
are, over and over again that he has fallen under them, and then still
more over and over again that he has fallen under them, and so
always be has gone on, continually falling under them, yet he longs
to be delivered from them : though he is not worthy of the least of
all God's mercies (Gen. xxxii. 10), though his sins are '■^ more in
number than the hairs of his head,'''' though they are as scarlet, and
he " is a beast before God,^'' yet he desires to be delivered from
them, he abhors himself. His misery and despair, his shame and
infamy is, that it is utterly impossible for him to overcome them and
to do good, that he is in prison and cannot escape ; he knows this to
be the case, to his shame and sorrow, he knows that he has no
Righteousness, none at all ! Such an one is poor, truly poor, and if
he knows it, God says the Psalmist has taught him this out of his
law, and he is blessed ! also he is needy, because he is in need, he
would fain have Righteousness, he wants it, he longeth for it, this
wisdom also cometh from God ! it is not to be found in the proud
heart of man.
Why then has such a sinner, if he believes, nothing to do 1 Why
is he saved, doing nothing, but only looking to Christ? Not because
he may continue in sin, that is, not be saved at all, (for sin is death
and a curse) no, God forbid ! but, he has nothing to do, and must do
nothing, because Christ himself has undertaken to do all, and will do
all for him ! It is the Promise, the Covenant of God ! He will do
it himself, personally and alone and unassisted, this is his Covenant !
He will take off all the task and toil from the captive sinner, he will
set him free and ease him of all his hard work, he, the Christ, will
give him rest, this is his salvation ! This is why the sinner has
nothing to do, even because there is nothing to be done by him,
when Christ does all ! Yea, he himself will do all and every thing,
he alone, and unassisted, the sinner doing nothing at all, only desiring
him to do it, only trusting to him ; " the battle is not yours but
God's /" O ! the unspeakable riches of Christ I
Christ will do all this because of his Promise, confirmed by an
oath, and because of his rich grace and unspeakable mercy. It is
the mere mercy of God — it is out of his mere mercy that he hath
promised, and that he doeth all for us. He will do it, (he is faithful
and hath spoken) for every poor captive laden with the utmost load
of iniquity and uncleanness, who only looks to him to do it, who truly
desires him to do it, that is, who believes. " Come unto me, he says,
and I will give you Rest /" and he says, " Whosoever cometh unto
me, I will in no wise cast out.''"'
So that the sinner has nothing to do, because it is unnecessary and
superfluous that he should do any thing whatever, since all is done
for him, since such a " Mighty God and WonderfuV is with him,
graciously condescending to do for him all that should bo done, even
all the perfect Righteousness which the law declares. If the wicked
sinner was good and not bad, and then could do good, there would be
nothing whatever for him to do when a better than he did all and
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 35
every thing, lacking nothing : how much less therefore is there any
thing to do when he is bad, and being so bad, can and does only
bring forth that which is exceedingly bad 1
Therefore, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall BE
SAVED," thou shalt not have any thing to do, that is to save thy-
self. And thou shalt be saved in very deed, sin shall not have
dominion over you : you shall be saved from your sins by the grace
of Christ ; it is a favour and mercy when a man is delivered from
the power of sin; a favour from God towards him, not, as the earth
(the religious professors) wickedly imagine a favour from him
towards God : God forbid ! It does no good to God, it is no benefit
to him when we do not commit sin, but to us it is a great benefit, a
very great favour from God, it is life and peace, and this Grace is
what God gives to them that believe. He gives it to all of them,
more or less as it pleaseth him, for he giveth to every one of us who
believe severally as he will.
CHAPTER VII.
The Son of Perdition, and his doctrine ; a cry against the Earth.
By his death and sufferings Christ has purchased eternal life for
all them who (being ordained to eternal life,) shall believe in his
name. This is not an imperfect nor a doubtful purchase ; he not
only paid enough, he ^^ paid double for all our sins;^'' and, also he
knew those whom he purchased : " / knoto them.'''' The purchase is
complete, and nothing is lacking, nothing is to be done by him who
believes to further the finished work of Christ. But they who labour,
who do something for the purchase of life, when Christ himself has
finished the work, are either totally ignorant of the existence of
such a Saviour as this, or if they have heard of him, they totally
deny his power to save : for it is impossible to believe that he is The
Christ and Saviour, if a man says there is something still that ought
to be done for this salvation. Christ having taken all that the sinner
ought to do, upon himself, and since the law cannot be broken, he
himself having fulfilled it for them, and since Righteousness must
positively be done, he himself having done it, and ever doing it for
them who receive him, then after all this, to say that any Righte-
ousness whatever remains to be done, and to be done by the sinner,
is effectually to say that Jesus Christ is no Saviour at all, and that
the sinner must save himself. This is a much more complete and
outrageous denial and rejection of Christ the Lord of glory, than
they were guilty of who spat in his face and nailed him to the Cross.
If Christ had yet left any thing to be done by" the sinner that be-
lieves, there could be no salvation ; for if it were ever so small a
thing, there could not be salvation if it were not done ; and it is cer-
tain the sinner would never do it, (for the law of God declares that
there is none that doeth good, no, not one,) and therefore it is certain
that if he had any good to do, he would never do it, (for to do good
is ijot in a sinner,) and so there would be no Salvation. But if the
36 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
law of God were false, and if it were true that the sinner really did
good, even a little good, then it would not be Christ's salvation, it
would be the sinner's own, and the glory of it would be his. But
again, if the sinner did good, how would he be a sinner? It is an
absurd contradiction ; the Scripture makes no mention of good sin-
ners, that is, of good bad men ; man is not half good and half a
sinner; he is a sinner !
Therefore, and for ever blessed and praised be our God, for the
good news, the rich grace ; — therefore the unhappy sinner that
thirsteth after Righteousness, has not got to do any good whatever !
no, not the least jot or tittle. " OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS is per-
fect ; Jesus is the Christ, that is, the perfect Saviour ; he has done
all, he doeth all, and he leaves nothing to be done by man, wicked
man, to assist or promote, or finish his perfect salvation.
The wicked being full of deceit and deception, pretend to say that
they do believe that Christ has done all and that his salvation is a
finished and perfect salvation ! Oh yes ! they fully believe and preach
all this! but, they say, the sinner must do something in order to
obtain it ; he must pray, read his Bible, search the Scriptures, ask,
seek, knock, use means, &c., and then the sinner will get it ! This
is their main doctrine, this is their strong tower ! God foreknew
them ! God foresaw their wicked shifts and evasions to overthrow
his Grace, and cast Christ down from his excellency ; by which they
would pretend to believe, while they crucified afresh the Lord of
Glory. He foreknew it all, that they would sell Christ for the vile
money, the base consideration of the abomination of human prayers,
and duties, and something to be done by the beast ! knowing them of
old, he called them and their whole doctrine collectively, ages before
they were born, " the Son (f Perdition /" (2 Thess. ii. 3) because like
Judas the Son of perdition, pretending greatly to love the Saviour, to
believe in him and to follow him, yet, while they kiss him, they sell
him !
They willingly are ignorant, that though he who thirsts after
Righteousness, asks, and begs, and knocks, yet it is God who freely,
i. e. gratuitously gives him eternal life, and not for praying for it,
no; but for nothing I freely! Who gives it him only because it is
his good will and pleasure ; even because he is very very gracious
and merciful; who gives it him because he has always and before
the world began, intended and proposed to give it him ! because he
has chosen him to give it him ! because he has loved him with an
everlastitng love ! and this elect soul prays, because it is the Spirit
of God which makes intercession for him with groaning that cannot
be uttered ; it is not he a beast that prays, but the holy Spirit of
God which is given to him and is in him !
Wicked man is so fond of his own ways, and thinks his own works
of so much value, that they are shocked indeed when these works
Site pronounced to be altogether vile and worthless : yet they do not
ficruple to believe that Christ's work and Righteousness is incom-
plete and insuflicient, requiring man's help, and of no avail, unless
jnan lends a hand and does something also. This is to think highly
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 37
of man, and lightly of God ! this is to exalt the man of sin above the
Lord God Almighty. " Wliatr'' say they, " «re we to sit still and
do nothing 1 are we not to do good 1 are we not to pray ? Does not
God say, seek and ye shall Jind ? knock, pray, and that he will be en-
quired after ? This (say they) shows that we have something to do,
nothing can he plainer I Thcnfore we must use means, it is our duty,
it is the command of God, and therefore, after all, we have something
to do r
Thus our vile and proud hearts would fain turn the complete gra-
tuitousness, the rich grace and glorious freeness of Christ's salvation,
into terms and conditions; "_yoM must hunger, you must seek, it is your
duty, that is the condition, that is the money to he paid : you must ask
and pray, and then, if you do this, if you do this (see, you must do
something) then, you shall be saved ! This is the doctrine of the Son
of Perdition ! satisfied with their fleshly reasoning, they sit down
pleased with the necessary conclusion, that after all, salvation does
depend, in spite of every thing to the contrary, upon our doing some-
thing ! What is the meaning of all this 1 why, nothing more than that
we are too wicked, too proud and scornful, to receive Christ ! no !
we will not receive him freely ! we will buy him, we will pay some-
thing, at all events, for his salvation ! something however paltry we
will give, that it may not be entirely his salvation ; the very act of
begging, the very acknowledgment that we want this salvation, shall
be turned into a consideration, a money, for which, when we give it,
we are to receive this Salvation ! And since God says that it shall
be wanted by those who receive it, therefore we will make our very
want and need of it, a condition, a cause, a money which produces
it, so that it shall not be God's gratuitous gift ! This, all this, is
what the heart says and feels, though the lips may not utter it, but
may talk deceitfully of Free Grace and humility ! This is the doc-
trine of the Son of Perdition who sells Christ for something, be it
ever so little ; thus the Son of Perdition preaches and calls upon the
proud and sensual, the haters of God and enemies of Christ, to pay
down this their vile money ! " Their right hand is full of bribes,''''
they go to God with a bribe in their hand.
This idea of doing something, only a little, yet however a some-
thing ; and something for God, something for bis Grace, something
for his mercy, only proceeds from the most desperate and diabolical
wickedness, from the most brutish ignorance, veiled under the appear-
ance of the most virtuous intention.
God, who hath made known his will, the law of all right to man,
and hath shown that they should love one another, and give and lend
to all who ask, without even expecting, much more without taking
any thing in return — God ! who in his righteous law strictly forbids
usury, the taking any thing in return, — does He expect, or will he
take any return for the Grace of the Gospel ! ! Will He take re-
ward 1 Will He be recompensed ? Does he require man to do any
thing, any the least thing, any thing whatsoever for his Grace and
goodness? No indeed! Nothing! Nothing! nothing whatever ! God
will take no recompense ! (Joel, iii. 4). Woe unto them that recom-
38 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
pense God ! God will not receive any prayers in the shape of bribe
or payment or purchase, for his rich Grace and boundless, boundless
mercy ! He gives ! he gives liberally and upbraideth not ! He gives
not like man ! he gives freely, gratuitously, for nothing ! ! merely of
his own will and pleasure ,• only because he is good and gracious,
only because He will ; and when he will ; and where he will ; and to
whom he will ; and as he will ! He is God over all. They to whom
he will give, shall want, shall hunger, shall long after, and greatly
desire and greatly value and beg for the Unspeakable Gift, which he
has promised without exception to all the poor and needy, the hungry
and the thirsty. But it is by the Holy Ghost which God gives, that
they shall want and pray.
It is great wisdom, it is having understanding to desire and cry
out for this blessed salvation, and this very wisdom comes only from
him, and is his gift, the prayer of the needy is the work of the Holy
Spirit of God, which is good understanding and is in all them that
really pray, whether they know it or not.
No indeed ! God will not be recompensed ! he will give ; and he
can receive nothing from man. The austere usurers of this day,
who know not God, how good he is, how good and liberal beyond
what even they who are round his throne can think or imagine, —
they, wicked men, say they know he is just like themselves, an aus-
tere man; yea! like them, reaping where he has not sown, and
gathering where he has not strewed ; that is, expecting an evil help-
less lost sinner to do some good : yea, like them, not giving but sell-
ing ; like them, taking payment, and pretending that what they are
paid for is a mighty liberality : like them ! Churls, harsh, unforgiv-
ing, unkind, bigoted, selfish, greedy, covetous, haughty, proud, " tliou
thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself" and they
preach that God is a usurer like themselves! and therefore they are
afiaid of the rich free liberal grace and bountifulness of the Gospel
to sinners : they are afraid, they think there will be danger to
" Piety" if God's Righteousness is known; they are afraid, and they
wrap up the talent of the Gospel, the one talent, even the little they
know of it, they are afraid of it, and hide it, and gain no cities ; not
a single city of God, no tabernacle which he inhabits is among
them; and while they preach usury they do not pay it; but they ought
surely themselves to pay God a little usury when they preach so
much to their miserable hearers ! God in this parable (Matt. xxv.
24 to 27) prophesied of and described the teachers and preachers of
every age of the Christian era, and in the last of them he has de-
scribed the doctrine of this last and wicked day ; and all, before ever
there was yet a single man called a Christian on the earth ; before
ever the Christian era had begun ! How they have blasphemed God,
and how his Name is blasphemed among men through them, as it is
written. No blasphemy could be so bad as that of representing God
to be like unto corruptible man, usurious ! a violater of his own holy
law ; exacting, wanting pay, harsh, unkind ! Yea, in all their furious
exhortations to " do good" they blaspheme God ! They are an adul-
terous generation (being married and bound to the law, and death
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 3^
and conviction for sin, and pretending to be married to Christ, while
the first husband is yet ahvc, to whom also they deal falsely) they
are a generation of vipers, abominable, fearful; afraid of God's truth
and goodness ! they are called dogs, (Philipps. iii. 2) for they neither
eat themselves, nor will they suffer others to eat of the rich banquet
of the Gospel : they snarl over the gift and will suffer none to ap-
proach it ; they fawn and flatter and look kind and endearing in
order to get, but they will not give : they bite and devour and fight
with one another, and horrible madness is in their bite when they
have arrived as they now have to the pitch of their delusions, going
day and night busy and bustling and ; " doing good" about the streets
of the city, that great city, the city of confusion, perplexity and
darkness, and contradiction and controversies, Babylon ; which is
spiritually called Sodom and Egypt ; Sodom, because of its gross and
abominable perversion of the plain truth ; Egypt, because of its glory
and wealth, and refinement and learning, and darkness and Beast
worship : a city in which our Lord has been crucified afresh, and put
to an open shame ! (Rev. xi.) God knew them, the Son of Perdition,
the bargainers and sellers and condition-makers, even them and all
their thoughts before the foundation of the world : and he ordained
them to the just condemnation of their deeds which he has let them
alone to do, and given them power to do, for a Time ; but this Time
of the Beast, the reign of man and his doctrine, the man of sin, is
about to end, it shall be no longer, saith the Lord, who liveth for
ever and ever !*
* The whole Time of the Abomination, or the Falling^ away (2 Thess. ii. 3) or
Antichrist (1 John) or of the perilous times (Tim.) is 1260 years: as is expressly
declared over and over again in the Scriptures, (Dan. viii. 14 ; Dan. xii. 11 ; Rev. xi.
2,3; Rev. xii. 6,14.)
It began in the midst of the first 700 years afler the Roman Prince destroyed
the city and the Sanctuary : this 700 years is called a week, during which week
the Covenant of the Promise even the Gospel of God was confirmed of God with
many, even with multitudes of Saints. (Dan. ix. 27.) In the midst of this week,
the Abomination of the swine flesh oflTering of the sacrifice of human Righteous-
ness, (which is not Righteousness) instead of the pure and spotless offering of the
Lamb of God, was set up, and the latter, (the only true oblation strongly figured
forth in the oblation under the first dispensation) was taken away; God himself
took it away from the Earth, because they trampled the pearl under foot, (Malt,
vii. 6.)
Daring all this Time of Abomination, the glory of the Gospel has been dimmed,
(the Sun has been darkened) but yet it has shone at some periods with some degree
of light until this day, when the two witnesses are slain, having finished their tes-
timony : (Rev. xi. 7.) Now the Beast, the man of Sin, the Son of Perdition has
triumphed, and neither the Gospel nor the Law of God are preached, but lies and
human works, and the Doctrine of the Son of Perdition instead of the Gospel, and
foolish deeds of silly screaming piety and trifling observances and abstinences, in-
stead of the law ; all is darkness, gross darkness over the Earth, (that is, the reli-
gious world) and the Sea and the waves roar (that is, the irreligious world and its
chiefs are insolent and audacious in their blasphemy): gross darkness covereth the
people, and in the spiritual land of Egypt there is a darkness which can be felt.
And now God in Christ will appear, and the Time shall be no longer.
40 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
CHAPTER VIII.
To believe only in Jesus Christ, and then afterwards to worlr, is fall-
ing- from Grace ; it is after being washed to return to icallowing
in the mire.
It is only when a sinner believes, from and after he believes, that
Christ doeth all for him, and he hath nothing to do : before he believes
he has every thing to do, all Righteousness to do, and is cursed if he
does not do it.
God hath turned the earth (the religious world) upside down: it
reels to and fro like a drunkard ; for they preach the very reverse
(the upside down) of God's truth, saying that after a man believes
then he has something to do ! then he has got to do good ! this is to
frustrate the Grace of God : this is saying that before any one be-
lieves there is Grace, (when there is not ; there is nothing but con-
demnation to them that do not yet believe) but that when he believes
then there is no grace, then he has got to do good, that is, to work
Righteousness ! whereas then only there is Grace, then only there is
no condemnation, because then only he has nothing whatever to do,
and cannot have condemnation having nothing to be condemned for,
then he is under Grace, and God will do all Righteousness in him
and for him.
The sinner believing, hath nothing now to do ; but he who does
not yet believe has every thing to do ; and woe unto them who de-
spise God's law, who do not obey it, who diminish aught from it, or
add any thing to it, or put one jot or tittle of any thing instead
of it !
If, when a man has received the word, it may be with joy ; if he
begins " to do," if he turn back to the law, and tries to do good, that
is to obtain Righteousness ; then he has fallen from Grace, Christ
will profit him nothing, he is under sin! This is the falling away
which has taken place ; they have fallen from Grace ; and for now
nearly 1260 years have been seeking to " do good" that is to get
Righteousness by following the law which is seeking Righteousness,
and that is seeking to be justified by the law. (Gal. v. 4.) This is
not the faith of God's elect, of those who endure to the end, this is
the sinning wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth and
despising Christ, even turning back from him to the law, and not
deeming Christ able alone to save. " If any man turn back saith the
Lord, my sovl shall have no pleasure in him." Having believed, the
sinner is still to believe, and not go back to the mud and mire of his
working and doing; after he believes, he must believe (1 John, v. 13)
yea, and stand fast in the faith, that is in believing and doing no-
thing, only trusting to Christ, and continue in doing nothing only
believing. Having ceased from all his works and doing nothing, but
looking only to God to do all for him, he is to continue to ceose from
all his works, yea, to stand fast and be strong in doing nolhing and
not to fall away. This only is walking after the Spirit: to have some-
thing to do is being after the flesh, and is death : to have God to do
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 41
all for us is life and peace, because He alone truly does ; they that
are after the flesh say and do not.
Therefore before a man believes, he has all the law to fulfil, all
good to do ; but after he believes in the name of the Son of God, con-
tinuing only to believe, he has no good to do ! Blessed for ever
blessed be God for his unspeakable gift of Righteousness by Jesus
Christ! Believe, and let Christ be all your Righteousness, and still
believe, and let him only be your Righteousness, and then still only
believe, and let God alone work Righteousness for you. And what
then? Why then, go on to cease doing and working, to be altogether
purged from all your works, and to rest, (not turning back again to
the mire and mud of human righteousness,) and only believe. (1 John,
V. 13.) That is, in other words, receive his vast blessing and good-
ness, and then still receive; and what then? why then go on still to
receive, thanking him and praising Him for such unutterable good-
ness ! There is always more to receive than we can have any idea
of, the love, the Grace of Christ passeth knowledge, and the more a
man ceaseth from himself and trusteth to Christ, the more still he
will continue to know of the grace and power and righteousness of
God, and of that peace which passeth all understanding. This is to
grow in Grace, and to become stronger and stronger in " tlie Grace
that is in Christ Jcsiis,^^ it is becoming weaker and weaker in our-
selves ! for, says the Apostle to this effect, when we are most weak
then we are most strong ! " Let the weak say I am strong,'" saith the
Prophet.
The sinner who believes and casts all upon Christ, has nothing to
fear : he need not be anxious, he need not use any effort or exertion,
he must cease from all this, and forsake all hope in it, let him only
turn his eyes to Christ, and the serpent's bite shall be cured, and the
serpent shall bite him no more. He has found his enemies too
strong for him while he tried to overcome them, but when he tries
no longer and casts the burden entirely upon Christ, then (but never
till then) he will find that Christ is the Power of God, and greater is
Jesus Christ who is in him (1 John, 44) than he who is in the
world. He will find that Christ is the Power of the Mighty God,
who created heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is.
He who beUeves, will, standing still, beliold this salvation from sin
and the devil ; a little, if he has a little faith, and much if he has
greater faith. But he who works and tries to do good, following the
law as the rule of life (and indeed it is a rule of life, and woe to those
who being bound by this holy rule, do not fidly obey it in all things !)
— he is under the law and under condemnation and under guilty-con-
viction for sin ; he has no faith at all, no not the least, he knows (till
now) nothing of it, all his talk and feelings and ecstacies of love and
joy and glory, are fleshly puffings up and swellings of Satan, like
the swelling produced by the bite of a serpent ; they are dreams
filthy dreams, he is in bondage and death. And also, he who con-
tinues the servant of unrighteousness, and is not translated from the
power of Satan to the Kingdom of God, but loveth the world and the
things that are in it, serving divers lusts, and wishing after houses or
6
42 THE GOSPKL OF GOl).
money, or honour and respectability, he has not heheved, for he is
not saved, and it is impossible to look to Christ and not to be savod.
Christ came on purpose to save his people from — their sins, which
are death and curse and present torment and everlasting destruction.
He who does not wish to be saved from every sin, does not believe,
for to believe in Christ is to wish to be saved from sin and to be filled
with Righteousness, and to trust to him alone for all this.
As in the wilderness those among the dying people who did not
recover and live were only those who would not turn their eyes upon
the brazen serpent which Moses lifted up, so they who look not to
him who has taken upon himself the form of sinful man, they are not
saved. But as then, whosoever merely looked at it, were healed,
without their stirring a step, or so much as moving the little finger,
so now, whosoever lying in the death of sin, only looks to him, he is
and shall ever be completely saved from that horrible death. There-
fore, if a man says he believes in Christ, and continues to serve
divers lusts, or any one lust, he is a liar ; he hath not looked to
Him, nor believed in him. A servant of sin is under the law, though
he may profess to be free from it ; its curse and condemnation is
upon him. When we are led by the Spirit (that is, submit to God
and have Him to work and do all for us) then only we are not under
the law; not when we say we are not under it. (Gal. v. IH.) The
Gospel of Christ is not in word, but in power : not in saying, but in
doing : not in what man says, but in what God does. None who are
in Christ are in the kingdom of Satan, they are under grace, in the
kingdom of heaven, from whence Christ has cast out Satan. There-
fore, let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from all
iniquity. Now, he who believes, will do this, not by doing any thing
whatever himself, God forbid ! but by standing still, believing and
trusting in Christ ; He is faithful, and such an one, whatever he be,
shall behold the salvation of God !
When it is said that the Lord Jesus Christ takes all the doing
upon himself, and the sinner hath to stand still believing only ; it is
true ; for he verily is Tlie Christ ; he is the King of Israel, and
fights all their battles for his people, and goeth in and out before
them and leadeth them : he came for this very purpose, — to save !
entirely, completely and perfectly, himself, to save us ! and if he
who believes in this glorious King and Saviour has still got this
work or any of this work to do, then it is evident he hath come in
vain, for that part which the sinner had to do, if he had any thing to
do, would never be done ! But let it not be supposed that He is like
unto fleshly man and has any difficulty or hard work to perform : far
from it! He is Righteousness himself, all is done in him! That
which we have found painful, difficult, irksome and impossible, is not
a difficulty to Him. He is Lord over all ! all obey him ; he is the
Power of God, and that is Almighty : not a word, not a thought, not
a man nor a devil can stir or move or exist, but at his pleasure ! He
seeth, thousands of years before men are born, the thoughts they
will think, those which, out of thcur much evil, he will give them
liberty to think and imagine : he hath revealed the very thoughts of
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 43
this evil generation ages before. He is the Mighty God, by him all
things subsist, by him all things were made which are made ! Ail
that is required therefore to have and to know this glorious salvation,
is faith only to believe, that is, only to want it and take it ! " Who-
soever wishes (or will) let him take of the ivaters of life freely /"
" Let him that is athirst come."
How different is this Gospel of God from that false gospel which
the serpent preaches, viz. " if YOU do this thing, and if YOU do
that thing, you will go to heaven ; or rather you may possibly go
there, you may even " trust" that you will get there ! and after all, it
is very doubtful, unless you (tvho are evil) fail not to do a great deal
of goody Woe unto them ! Woe ! Woe unto them ! for whereas
they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven themselves, neither
will they suffer those that are entering in to go there ! And yet,
preaching such abomination as this they dare to talk of " free Grace"
and the " dear Redeemer !" Well hath God called them the Son of
Perdition !
CHAPTER IX.
Christ is the Sabbath.
Christ is spoken of in the Scriptures as the day, the day of the
Lord ; because he is the Light, out of him all is night and darkness.
He is the Day of Rest, the Sabbath of God, because he is the Rest.
The law testifies of him and preaches what this book contains, viz.
only believe, rest and do nothing, saying " Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath day," that is, profane it not by doing any of thy
works. " The seventh day is the Sabbath, (the Rest) of the Lord
thy God, in it thou shalt do no manner of work." Because this day,
a figure and shadow of Christ, was God's rest, in this day was his
joy and he hallowed it, and would not have it to be profaned by any
manner of work of evil man. That is, in Christ is his delight, in
him he is well pleased, in Him they who believe do rest from all
their works, and are blessed ; they are blessed in him the seed of
Abraham. David speaking by the Spirit of Christ, says " This is the
Day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoice in it."
The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Sabbath expressly shows that it
is not a day of the week, but it is Him, viz. Christ, of whom the
Sabbath is a shadow, a pattern given to Moses of things then in
heaven. (Is. Iviii. 13.) Believing in Christ the day of Rest, we enter
into rest, and have no works to do, we only keep the Sabbath, we
only believe in Christ by doing nothing. Nothing can be plainer
than this Truth, we who believe have Rest, we have nothing to do,
and must do nothing !
Christ himself says of himself, " Come unto me all ye that are
weary and heavy laden, and" — not I will tell you to do something,
but " / will give you Rest," that is, I will do all things for you,
3'ou shall have nothing to do. Since man is only evil, and that con-
tinually, what a blessed and glorious and gracious gospel this is for
44 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
such a miserable creature, viz. that he has not got any good to do !
His sin and his curse is, that he does not do good, the good news is,
that he has not got it to do, Jesus Christ does it all for liim. By the
law a man has to do good, and he who does good, that is Righteous-
ness, really, truly, and at all times, he shall save his soul alive, he
himself is a Saviour : but, by the Gospel of Grace, he who receives
this Gospel has nothing to do, for Christ in his love and pity does
all, he saves, and he is the Saviour. The law tells what good is, and
what must be done, but that is all, it leaves you to do it, and you
must do it or suffer all its penalty, else it is no law at all, it is a lie.
But Christ himself does all the work for them that believe, he leaves
them nothing to do, he does it, or else it would be no Grace at all, it
would be a law, if there was any work at all to do. (Rs. xi. 6.) Thus
all that the law says the Gospel does, and thus (iod honours and
establishes the law by Jesus Christ. They who follow the law, say
and do not ; they who believe only and do nothhig they do every
thing and fulfil the law, that is by Christ, who does all for them, and
imputes it all to them. Since under the law it is man who has to
do, and he does not do it, it is called the weakness of man ; but since
under Grace, it is God who does all, the Gospel is called what it
truly is, " the Power of God.''''
Not only he who believes has nothing to do, but he must do no-
thing. It is not left to the sinner, that if he chooses he has got
nothing to do, it is imperative, it is the fixed declaration of God, they
who will do their own works, who pollute his holy Sabbath, who de-
spise his Christ by mixing up their works with his works, their filthy
Righteousness with his glorious Righteousness, they cannot be saved.
Here is faith, not doing any thing, not seeking to do the least thing
whatsoever, but forsaking it all and trusting entirely to God : then,
that God does all for us, leaving us nothing to do, this is His Grace
and love ! The Sabbath is a shadow of Christ, and God would not
have the shadow despised, how much less therefore will he sutler the
very substance to be despised ? It is to despise Christ and his
Grace not to cease entirely from our work ; to look to him for
Righteousness, while wc are trying to do Righteousness ourselves, is
to declare by facts that we do not hope in his Righteousness alone,
nor think it quite sufficient. Therefore he who says " do good" and
professes to follow Christ at the same time is an infidel, a despiser of
Christ in whom he does not believe, and a despiser of the law which
he does not obey fully. If therefore a man preach all the doctrines
of the Gospel and afterwards add " noio you must do good,'''' he
preaches not Christ, he preaches not the Gospel, he despises, mocks
and dishonours Christ and God, he is an infidel and not a believer.
A little leaven leavoneth the whole lump, and it is better for those
who know nothing of the truth, and never heard of Christ, than for
those who have heard and known and been washed, and then despised
him, and returned to wallow in the mire and filth of their own righte-
ousness, which is not righteousness, but is an abomination. He that
despised Moses' law perished without mercy ; much less is there
mercy for those who despise Christ and honour their own Righteous-
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 45
ness or pietv. If a man but picked up a few sticks on the Sabbath,
he was to be stoned, for he profaned and polluted and despised the
Sabbath, the shadow of Clnist, the Rest of God. So also, if a man
do but add one jot or tittle of his work to Christ's work, he despises,
he dishonours Christ, and therefore " of how much sorer punishment
shall he be thought worthj/ /"' Nay let his works appear to man to
be most excellent and pure and pious, they are an abomination, an
utter abomination before God, they are an offering of swine's flesh,
and he, though ever so much like a lamb, is an enemy, a despiser of
Christ, though as the Son of Perdition also did, he may pretend to
love him, and kiss him ! God is not mocked ! " Behold, ye despisersy
and wonder and perish ; I brintr neur ]\b/ Righteous ness /" It will
not do to give some honour to Christ : partly to trust, partly to be-
lieve, is not to trust nor believe at all : partly to keep the Sabbath,
and partly to be busy at work, is not to honour this glorious Rest of
God ! A little leaven, be it ever so little, leaveneth the whole
lump !
What shall we say then of those religious despisers of Christ and
admirers of the piety of man, sinful man, who preach a little grace
and a great deal of doing ; who tell the sinner that he must try and
use means and do some of their little pious actions, and then, yes
then, if they do it with great humility and devotedness, then God
will assist them with his Grace ! then, on paying very carefully this
vile money, they will have the assistance of the Holy Ghost ! " Thy
money perish with thee, xcho has' thought that the gift of God could
he piirchased /" Thus they blasphemously teach that God is not
good except dependently, that is, only if man first shows himself
good ! but if this beast does not first put forth his goodness, then
God is not good, then there is no grace ! So that God's goodness
and Power and Grace and Salvation depend entirely upon vile and
filthy and impotent man ! Yea ! it is a bargain and sale ; they go
forth on the black horse of fleshly pride and strength, with the pair
of balances in their hands, and preach if man will give something
then God will give something ! and they pretend to hide their wick-
edness and to appear to honour God by saying what a great deal he
will give, and how good it is of him to sell so much for so little !
They (the generation of the religious of this day) are called the Son
of Perdition ! (2 Thess. ii. 3.) And how justly and appropriately ! this
one name is itself a full and complete description! they bargain for
and sell Christ ! they follow him and pretend to love him ! they call
him the Dear Redeemer and kiss him ! while they sell him ! they
are also like him a covetous generation and greedy money-gatherers !
Do they imagine that God is like unto them 1 that he knoweth not,
and regardeth not? Yea! He knew them and their thoughts long
before, and has by his holy apostles and prophets declared and writ-
ten down all their works and their triumph, and their glory which
they should exhibit in these last days !
46 THE GOSPEL OP GOD.
CHAPTER X.
The Everlasting Covenant, and The Blessing, in the seed of Abraham.
God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, and established
it for ever by an oath. In this covenant he promised that in the
seed of Abraham, in One who should spring from his loins, nations
and people of all the earth should be blessed. Therefore he called
Abraham a father of many nations, even of all that should be blessed
in Christ the seed of Abraham.
Here was a covenant in which God undertook to do himself every
thing that was in the covenant, and that was, to bless ! It was a
Promise which God made, that he would bless Abraham and many
others, and he confirmed it by an oath for an everlasting covenant
which should never be broken. After this everlasting covenant,
another was made at Horeb, when Moses gave the fiery law, and in
this second covenant, which was neither confirmed by oath, nor called
Everlasting, it was man who had to perform every thing. God's
covenant was a Promise, " I will be your God, I will bless you."
The covenant which Moses made with the people was, " We will
obey and be thy people." This covenant was broken the moment it
was made, and a broken covenant is not an everlasting covenant.
God's covenant cannot be broken, because in it, God alone and by
himself has undertaken to perform, and has promised that he will.
No blessing has ever been found from the covenant of Mount Sinai,
for all have violated that law and broken that covenant. God would
show by this, that having violated the covenant in which we are per-
formers, we must look for a Blessing only from the covenant in
which he alone is the performer : we must expect every thing from
Him, and nothing from ourselves ; we must hope all from his Ever-
lasting covenant and Promise, and hope nothing in our broken cove-
nant and in our doings and duties.
It was fit that God having undertaken and promised to bless all the
children of Abraham (and they arc of all people and nations, for he
was named the father of many nations) and having promised to bless
all these children of faithful Abraham not in the law, nor on account
of any thing they should do, (for in this His covenant there is
nothing which they have to do) but in Christ who should be of the
seed of Abraham, it was fit that God having alone undertaken to
do all that was to be done in this Everlasting covenant, should teach
us by another covenant that there is no hope at all but in his per-
formance, that so our hope and trust might he in God altogether and
not in man ! It was fit that, in order to know God's Power and love
we should learn and know our own impotency and our exceeding sin-
fulness : and this we could only learn and know by facts ! by being
tried under the covenant of the law. Therefore God gave the law,
not to supersede or set aside the Everlasting covenant, but to confirm
and establish it, and to lead us to it, and bring us into it, by showing
our need of it, and that we are lost, without it, by making us to
know that the covenant in which man has got something to do,
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 47
brings a curse, and it is only the Everlasting covenant in which God
himself performs all things for us, which brings a blessing ! to show
that we having nothing to perform, do not do it, and are sinners ;
and to show that God alone is good, God alone performs, God alone
blesses, and we must look to him for every thing and turn away
from our own works which bring death and a curse !
Such knowledge and understanding God teaches his people out of
his law, and then when they have understanding, they will believe in
God. This is not man's gross and proud understanding, it is the
very Spirit of God himself; " the Lord gweth roisdom, ovt of his
mouth Cometh knowledge and understanding.^^
Therefore the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the lamb slain before the
foundation of the world, that in Him alone we have Righteousness
and strength, in Him we live to God and walk with God and are
filled with blessing, and rest in Him, and have no works to do, but
he, Jesus Christ, fills us and clothes us with Righteousness, this Gos-
pel of the Grace of God, that he who only trusteth to God, doing
nothing whatsoever, shall be saved, — this Gospel which this little
Book opens, and preaches, this, yea This, is the Everlasting covenant
itself which God made with Abraham.
The Blessing which God promised to Abraham, and to many
nations and people of whom he is called the father, was a Blessing
only to be had in the seed of Abraham, that is, in Jesus Christ, who
was born of the stock of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah. And it is
in Christ, in Him the Holy One of God, and only in him, that we
are blessed. And what is this Blessing which God promised to
Abraham and his spiritual children, in Him Jesus Christ, the seed of
Abraham 1 It is Righteousness, and that includes every blessing.
It is perfect Righteousness, even the Righteousness of God, which
we are made to be, in Him. Perfect Righteousness is given to us
in him, by the infinite grace and mercy of God towards us ; given to
us freely, according to the multitude of his tender mercies towai'ds
us, for he knew us and loved us who believe and all who shall be-
lieve, before the world began. It is Righteousness so perfect and
complete that nothing can be added to it, and it is the utmost wick-
edness to think to add to or to help, or to increase the Righteousness
of God ! There is no want of any other Righteousness, there is
nothing whatever for us to do, to add to this Righteousness, we are
delivered from every necessity of this kind, we have nothing to do,
who believe, we are filled with Righteousness who hunger after it.
Nor is it a momentary Righteousness imputed once only, it is an
Everlasting Righteousness which shall not be abolished (Is. li. 5),
imputed unto us who believe, continually, unceasingly, and for ever :
it is an acting Righteousness, it is the life and Power of God, it is
Christ the Righteousness of God, in whom we are and he in us, by
whom we are redeemed from under the law, and have nothing to do I
No blessing so great could ever have been imagined by man, as
this, which they who believe, do have and possess in Jesus Christ
the seed of Abraham, the Son of David. It is of all Blessings that
can possibly be conceived of, the only one which really and truly is
48 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
a blessing. For, let one be ever so blessed, yea, let him be in heaven
itself as the angels were who fell, or let him be in Paradise, as Adam
was who fell, let him have all and every other possible blessing, yet,
if he is under the law and has got any thing to do, he will fall also,
he will certainly come under a curse by not doing what he lias got to
do, if he has any thing whatever to do ; because certainly he will not
and cannot do it, for there is no good, no Righteousness, no Holi-
ness, no Power, no Wisdom, in Heaven nor in Earth, nor in the
, Heaven of Heavens, except in and from God only !
What a vast and large Blessing then is this which we have in
Jesus the Christ, this gift of Righteousness in him ! What a Bless-
ing to have Him for '' OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," him to do all,
we to have nothing to do ! and to know that because He lives we
live, and shall never perish ! Such a Blessing given freely that is
gratuitously to us in Christ Jesus by the Everlasting Mercy and
Love of the living God, by his great grace and good will and good
pleasure, is so large, so great, so rich, so vast, so extensive, so mag-
nificent and liberal that none but God only, kind and good beyond
understanding, none but Love immense and immeasurable could de-
vise and accomplish it ! It is precisely that Blessing which only
really is a blessing, nothing short of this would be an equal blessing
to the sinner. It is perfect deliverance, perfect salvation, perfect
security, perfect pardon, perfect Righteousness, everlasting Rest, —
and all in Christ ! all done by him ! all received in him the seed of
Abraham! How true and how faithful God's Word is proved to be !
When he made promise to Abraham that in One of his seed those
who believe should be blessed, no one could have conceived or
imagined how completely and most abundantly he would perform the
Word which he had spoken !
There are none but the very poor and needy who will hunger after
and gladly receive, who will take this Blessing this Water of life
freely : God has foreknown them, and loved them, and chosen them,
and ordained them to eternal life : they, whoever they are, have
been taught by the Spirit of (lod out of the law, how very vain, yea
how beastly all their best looking and most pious works are, and that
there is no hope but in God alone, to whom only we must look for
Rightcsousness and the works of Righteousness which cannot be by
us, hut are only by Christ Jesus !
Such is the Everlasting covenant, and such is the Blessing of
whicii it is a sure Promise ! This covenant God made with Abra-
ham ; he remembers it at all times for us and therefore we are not
consumed. In remembrance of this covenant he blessed his people
Israel at all times, because he beheld them in Christ, and " was well
■pleased for his rli^hteousness^ sitkc^'
As the law which was given by Moses did not set aside this
coviuiant, but by its dreadful teaching went to establish and confirm
it, and as there is no blessing, but a curse in the violated covenant
of Sinai, tlierefore when God delivered the law to Moses, he did not
leave his people under the law to have hope in their own obedience
and Righteousness, for then none of the saints of old could possibly
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 49
have been saved ; because the curse of the law is upon all who do
not perfectly fulfil it, else it would be no law at all, if any who had it
to obey could escape the punishment of disobedience. While they
had the law to make known the perfection of Righteousness and the
exceeding sinfulness of sin, God showed them plainly that Righte-
ousness was not obtained by man's doing, but by faith only, and was
not performed by any man, but only by the Spirit of God. They
never sought to be accepted for obeying the law and doing good, and
therefore they never appeared before God in the Righteousness of
the law, but only in the blood of the sacrifice ; they came unto God
by the High Priest, the anointed, that is, the Christ, and not by the
law ; they offered unto God sacrifices which he had prepared for
them, and not good deeds or Righteousness which they had done.
When they touched the sin offering they were sanctified, not when
they tried to obey the law, or to do good : when they were sprinkled
with blood they were clean, not when they were sirict observers of
the law. God showed plainly by all this, that it is only in the sacri-
fice of the anointed, that is of Jesus Christ, that he accepts any
man. He showed that in him alone he is well pleased, that by him
alone the law is fulfilled (for how could God be pleased except the
law was fulfilled) and not by the obedience of man. Therefore,
while they had the Law by which is the knowledge of sin, it was
plainly shown by the sin offerings and shedding of blood, that salva-
tion from sin and acceptance with God is only in Christ : thus they
were not saved by doing any good at all, but only by Grace. If they
could have done good and work Righteousness and please God by
trying to obey the law, then all the shedding of blood, the sacrifices,
and the office of the High Priest were vain and useless ; so also if
Righteousness (that is, doing good, and by consequence, pleasing
God) can come by the Law, then Christ's death is vain and useless.
Gal. ii. 21.) The sacrifice of the sin offering showed the sacrifice of
Christ, which he should offer in the appointed time ; their sins being
laid upon it, showed that it is Christ who taketh away our sins ; its
death showed the death of Christ, and its destruction and burning
showed the entire destruction of the body of sin and death, which
should be triumphantly accomplished by the Holy One. Therefore
Christ must needs suffer, to take away the sins of his people : and
he must needs be man, that he might suffer for man and as man, and
that the law might be obeyed by man. He must needs come in
obscurity and humiliation', for how could ho have suffered death, if
he had come in the splendour and brightness of his glory and power ?
or how then would the wicked have had free course and unrestrained
opportunity and liberty to reject and despise him, if they would ; or
to receive and acknowledge him, if they would ? He must needs be
put to death by wicked men, for what good men would hurt or put
any man to death ? Therefore he came on the earth, a man, and
placed himself in the situation of the lowliest and humblest of that
lost and wretched race ! and he came at a time when there had arisen
a generation exceedingly wicked, proud and self-conceited : who
thought themselves exceedingly holy ; men who regarded not the sin
7
50 THE GOSl'EL OF GOD.
offering and its signification, but who were satisfied that they were
righteous in their austere and pious observance of" the law ; men who
thought that they did good ; even the same generation which is now
on the earth and is not yet passed away. (Mat. 24, ult.)
To this generation God delivered up his beloved his only begotten
son, that they might do unto him as they listed, and as he had fore-
determined to leave them alone to do. And this righteous, holy and
spotless One, submitted himself to their bloody hands and offered
himself up as a sacrifice, the lamb of God, for a people, an ungodly
and wicked people, whom God in his great mercy had chosen and
before ordained to bless in him, out of every kindred and nation and
people. Their transgressions he bore, knowing and seeing every
one of them ; and he suffered all the curse and death and agony of
the terrible law which by right belonged to this people ; " he died for
the ungodly,'''' he was cursed instead of them, and the law was proved
(when even such a Holy One could not escape) to be no lie, but a
truth, as assuredly it must and will be fully proved to be to all that
do wrong, and do not turn with repentance and enti'eaties to Him
who freely forgiveth. Thus God (letting them alone to do as they
pleased, and as he knew before the foundation of the world they
would do when he should let them alone) made use of Satan and his
children to accomplish, by their very wickedness, the destruction of
wickedness, and the entire removal of sin from them whom he has
chosen to be tabernacles in whom he will dwell ; and so He will be
glorified by the very existence of evil creatures, yea, and by their
vilest deeds.
CHAPTER XI.
Be ye steadfast, immoveable, in believing and doing nothing : always
abounding in the work of God, always ceasing from your oicn work.
The whole Gospel of God is plainly, emphatically and unequivo-
cally revealed in these words, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved^ It says nothing about doing, and instead
of implying it, it altogether excludes it, it is a true word, a faithful
saying.
The Scripture could not be [jlaincr, when in answer to the ques-
tion " what shall I do ?" it says " Believe,^'' and it is plain that to
believe is not to do. If there were the least atom to be done by the
sinner, he could not possibly be saved, for it never would be done.
All that is written herein, is not because the word of God is at all
doubtful, or not plain enough, or wanted proof, it wants no such thing :
this is written for the elect's sake, that they may be saved.
Jesus Christ does all for them that believe only, ho does all Right-
eousness for and instead of them, so that they cannot possibly have
the least thing to do ; and this, which is his Righteousness and his
doing entirely, he iminites graciously unto them. It is indeed won-
derful that God should do so much, and leave us nothing whatever to
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 51
do, thus saving us ! But it is not so great nor so wonderful by far,
as that God should deliver up his own righteous and sinless son and
not spare him, for our sakes, for the ungodly ! He who did this
great thing, how much more shall he not do a less thing, that is,
" icith him, also freely give us all things V And yet they who scoft*
(Peter) and will not believe the lesser grace, pretend to believe and
teach the greater ! ! God so loved the world, the elect world (not
that of which he says " / 'pray not for,"" and which he says cannot
receive the spirit) ; God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son ! This, this is the great thing which God has done for
his Israel, which surpasses every thing, which is greater than all,
and which includes and brings with it every thing. He gave his re-
deemed people to Christ, before the world began, and he gave Christ
to his people ; they are one. The Father loveth you (saith Christ)
as he loveth me, and he loved me before the foundation of the
world.
This is why any one is saved, even because, and only because the
Lord God will save him ! It is only the Will and good pleasure of God
(Eph.), for there does not exist in any human being one snigle reason
why God should have mercy upon him ! whereas there exist in all,
thousands of crying reasons why they should perish and be consumed.
But he will certainly save his people whom he hath chosen, even all
those, whoever they be, who seek him, who hope in his mercy : he
hath sworn and will not repent, therefore all the poor and needy,
however sinful and miserable, may be fully assured, and have strong
consolation, even all may, who flee for refuge to Jesus Christ, (Heb.)
God hath foreknown all such, they are elect of God, He hath given
them to Christ, He will save them by his Gospel, giving to them to
hear and believe, and then they that are dead shall live ! This is
salvation, to hear and believe the Gospel. He that doth not believe
in Jesus Christ cannot possibly be saved; there is no Righteousness,
no life without him, and without him no man can have peace with
God. " All that the Father hath given unto me, shall come unto
me," and the Lord adds, " whosoever cometh unto me," — yea, who-
soever he be, he need not stop to enquire if he is elect or not, he
cannot but know if he indeed hungers after the Righteousness of God
and that alone and none other — " whosoever cometh unto me," let
him be ever so ungodly, ever so unlikely — " I will in no wise (IN
NO WISE) cast out." Here is consolation for the poor and ungodly,
(but none for the rich, the righteous and the pious, unless they for-
sake their righteousness and piety and hope only in God !) Herein is
mercy ! it is in mere mercy and favour and loving kindness, not now
only, but from everlasting, that he receives and saves us, and not for
our being pious and religious ! far from it.
This is the mercy of God in Christ, this is all the hope of him
who writes this ; and this was all the hope of David and the prophets,
they never dreamed of being saved by religion or piety ; thus David
says, ^^ I will hope in the mercy of God for ever and ever." And
this hope in the great goodness and grace and mercy of God in
Christ Jesus, (without any hope or trust whatever in the beast, the
52 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
flesh), this hope, though heaven and earth pass away, shall never be
disappointed, and shall never pass away!
Herein is the salvation of God, viz. that he will have mercy ! He
is ever merciful and gracious, and none that hope in his mercy shall
perish ; he delighteth in them that hope in his mercy ; and all on
whom he has mercy now, he had mercy on them yesterday, and has
for ever, he hath not changed ; and when they look to him and hope
in his mercy, then they shall know that his goodness to them now is
his everlasting goodness, and that in his everlasting mercy he hath
given them understanding and led them to hope in Him ! No one
who is disobedient to his law and word, who loveth unrighteousness
and doth not look to Christ for Righteousness and deliverance from
death and sin can know this, for the wicked (that is, they who do
something and look not to Christ to do all for them) have no peace
with God. (Ish.) They cannot know God, nor his mercy, nor his
love, nor have access to him ; only the cleansed, the justified, the
righteous, they who, believing, are in Christ, can know God and
approach unto him ; the condemned (all who are under the law and
don't fulfil all its Righteousness) cannot know God ! but they who
believe will know him, because to them there is no condemnation, they
are righteous, perfectly righteous in Christ, being made righteous by
the mercy of God through faith.
God has mercy ! this is the origin and beginning, and he hath
chosen them on whom he will have mercy, and loved them from ever-
lasting : and Christ is the way, he is the means, and the only way,
and the only possible means by which the great work and purpose of
present and everlasting mercy is made effectual and is accomplished !
He himself it is who accomplishes in all things, from first to last, this
purpose of love and mercy and pity, bringing salvation, having done
and doing all things for us, plucking his people out of the very fire,
and making them righteous, and after all this, constantly keeping
them by his power ! (Peter.) Even after they are made righteous,
that is, after they believe and are justified, they arc scarcely saved !
that is, they are saved with great pains and ditficulty ; the presence
and power and might of God alone, can alone keep and secure them!
Such is the rage and such the tremendous power of Satan, which he
has got for a season, a short season (Rev. 12), and such also is the
deceitfulness of sin, such is the power of this world, such is the weak-
ness of the flesh, such the corruption of the body of sin and death,
that they, the redeemed, the justified, the righteous, the holy nation,
the chosen generation, are indeed scarcely saved ! But for ever
blessed be God, he hath undertaken and he hath promised, and con-
firmed his Promise by an oath, that none shall be able to pluck them
out of his hand, though they go through much tribulation, and are
chastened sore (for it needs be so) as the children of God ! They
are only safe when they believe and do nothing, trusting only to God :
their strength is to sit still, " this is the victory which overcometh
the world, even our faith," even leaving all the work to the Lord
Christ and of course then doing nothing ourselves.
The word of God was written for our instruction, a notable figure
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 53
of a child of God, living by faith, doing nothing. It is Daniel in the
den of lions. The lions are figures of this present evil world, and of
the raging and powerful lusts of the flesh, and threatening trials and
temptations of all kinds. We can no more overcome these, than
Daniel could master the lions. The power and glory and mercy of
God in overcoming them all, for them that trust in him, and only be-
lieve (for only believing, doing nothing, that alone is really believing)
the power and glory of God is manifest in Daniel, and he who be-
lieves is, like Daniel, preserved by the power and favour of God, from
all their rage and destructions ! It is not Daniel who has silenced
the lions ; no, it is God ! It is not Daniel who has shut their mouths
— it is God ! and they are lions still, though they are quiet, they are
not converted into lambs, nor regenerated, nor progressing towards
personal holiness and sanctification : they are ravenous and dangerous
beasts, and continue so. Again, Daniel does nothing to them, they
are stronger than him, (Ps.) he has not conquered them, he has not
subdued them, he has been sitting still and has not tried to subdue
them ! Why then are they not tearing him to pieces ? why do they
not devour him ? How is he so safe 1 — It is because Daniel sits still
and trusts to God ; to him he looks, to his power and grace ! he
believes in Him, and God, even God himself and alone has overcome
them ! he believes, he only believes, and God performs all the work
for Daniel ! Mark then, sinner, elect, saved soul, it is God who per-
forms all things for Daniel, and for you also, if you believe in him
whom God hath raised from the dead even in Jesus Christ ! that is,
if you only trust to him, sitting still like Daniel and doing nothing !
The Holy Ghost here shows forth the glory of that salvation which
is in Christ Jesus, how it is He who saves his people from their sins,
and that the child of God has not got any thing to do, Christ does
all for him. Like Daniel he cannot overcome the raging lions which
his soul is among, he cannot overcome one single lust, nor subdue a
single iniquity : how can Iniquity overcome iniquity 1 if he sets to
work and tries to do the work of Christ, even to do something, it is
plain he does not look to Christ to be saved, he does not believe.
But when he believes and ceases from his own works, his proud and
wicked works, when he does nothing and trusts entirely to Jesus
Christ, then Christ stops the mouths of the lions, and then he per-
forms all things for him f Here is the power of Christ, here is his
Grace, here is the glory of the Gospel, the Power of God ! if it were
otherwise the Gospel would not be the power of God ! Here it is seen
how God alone is glorified, for God alone performs the whole work,
the sinner absolutely does nothing ! he has absolutely nothing to do,
he only believes and trusts entirely to God, giving him credit both
for power and grace, thereby confessing that he is God indeed ! If
there is any thing shocking to man, revolting, hateful and detestable
to him, it is this holy, eternal and sure Word of Truth, namely, that
God he is God alone ! He, manifest in Christ Jesus, truly and verily
is the only Saviour, the Christ ! He saves, and he only, and the
believer has nothing, nothing, nothing whatever to do ! let him only
irust to God ! Therefore sweet as this little book will be to them
54 THE GOSPEL OP GOD.
who receive it and eat it up, they will find it bitter indeed, yea, very
bitter to the flesh, the belly ; for the world will not endure the Truth,
nor them who believe the Truth !
Let him who believeth in Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith,
remember that he lives only by faith, looking only unto Jesus, and
if he looks away, if he looks elsewhere, if he begin to imagine that
his wonderful deliverance is partly because he himself does some-
thing, or thinks or feels something, if he forget whose mercy it is
that delivers him and overcomes the lions, that it is merely in his
Grace and love that he does so great a favour for him, then he will
quickly find out, and it is time he should, that the lions are there,
and are violent and raging and ungovernable and unaltered, and that
destruction and misery reign when they prevail ! Therefore let him
take heed, let him beware ! All the cautions and instructions and
reproofs and counsels of the Scripture are necessary for him, and are
given for this very purpose, that the man of God (that is, he who is
in Christ,) may be wise unto salvation ; lest he should be wise in his
own conceit and lay aside his confidence in the Lord, and begin to
take confidence in the flesh ; lest he should forget the dangers and
snares which surround him, and that Satan goeth about like a roar-
ing lion, lest he should fall from the steadfastness of the faith, from
the simplicity that is in Christ, and instead of sitting still and doing
nothing, and only looking to Christ, he should be seduced to trust in
his own strength, and begin to dream of other righteousness and
other power and other work than that of Christ ! lest he should dis-
honour God by not believing, and honour himself by his imaginary
working : therefore, be ye steadfast and immoveable in believing, in
only believing ; in doing nothing, but in trusting entirely to God, in
standing still to behold the salvation of God, and then, yea, then you
shall always abound in the work of God, for he will work abundantly
for you, performing all things for you !
CHAPTER XIL
Little Children, fee from Idolatrr/. 1 John.
God, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in trespasses and sins, doth make us alive, giving to us to be-
lieve in his Name ; for that is to be quickened and to live, even to
believe ; that is being born of God, the being made to hear and be-
lieve by the Mighty Voice or Word of God. " Faith comcth by
hearing, and hearing hy the Word of God,''' even by that same
Word by which all things were made that are made ! he that only
and simply believes, is born ; and he is born of the Word. " Who-
soever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God." (1 John v. i.)
" Being born again by the Word of God (not by a dead letter) irhich
liveth and ahideth for ever." (1 Peter i. 23.) Thus because to believe
is to enter into life, even into Christ, it is most fitly signified in the
Scriptures by the expression " being born." God calls us by his
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 55
Mighty Voice, and the dead hear and live ! It is only his Power, it is only
his work, " the voice of the Lord is mighty.'''' As by his word he cre-
ated all things, and it was his doing and not any doing in the things
which were created when he spake to them, so also by his word he
raises the dead, and they hear and believe ; this also is alone his
doing and not any doing in them, even in us who by his word do hear
and believe. To believe, which is to live, is the Gift of God. He
only is the Creator, (Rev. x. 6,) and every thing which accompanies
this eternal life is his gift : he gives us repentance ; he gives us to
wish, that is to will to take the water of life ; he gives us to desire,
to long after, to hunger and thirst after that true Righteousness with
which we shall be filled, and to forsake and abhor that counterfeit
Righteousness or Piety which is deceitfulness and very wickedness.
But let not Satan deceive the new-born child of God : there is no
Righteousness in believing, in repenting, in seeking God, in praising
and thanking him, in praying, in hungering or thirsting, or longing
after and desiring God ! These things accompany life, but they are
not our good nor our Righteousness : like the gold, they are in the
temple of God, but they are in themselves nothing, though the earthy
worshippers (the Earth) despise Him who sanctifieth the Temple,
while they worship the gold which is in the Temple. (Matt, xxiii.
16, 17.) God does not save us because of these things, God forbid !
they do not help to save us at all, nor in the least degree whatever \
Therefore that preaching is a lie which says " if you do all these
things, if you pray, repent, go to church, (Sj'c. (Sfc. you loill he saved."
He saves us because he loves us everlastingly, because he will, yea.
He will have mercy upon us ! because it is " his good pleasure to
give us the kingdom .'" It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, (God forbid,) but of God that showeth mercy ! He who
dares to deny this, denies the Word, even Christ ! " See (says the
Apostle) that ye despise not him that speaketh.''^ It is one of the
most extraordinary and strong delusions of the religious and pious
generation of this day, earthly men (the Earth) that though they
boldly deny and evade the word of the living God, even Christ, they
confidently profess and absolutely do really imagine that they are
followers of Christ.
God gives us all these things which accompany salvation that He
may save us, that we may come, and enter into Righteousness and
be blessed, and have rest unto our souls. We are not righteous and
we are not saved because we believe, because we come to Christ, or
wish to come, nor because we hunger and thirst at'ter Him who is
Righteousness, nor because we repent and abhor ourselves ; all this
only shows how very good and gracious God is unto us, in thus lead-
ing us himself to his truth, and not how good we are ! We have no
Righteousness, and we do none, and we will not do any, and there is
none can be had and none can be done but by Christ. If it were not
so, these things which God giveth to us would be our righteousness,
and it would not be true that He is THE LORD OUR RIGHTE-
OUSNESS. Therefore, not to believe only, to have any trust in
these and such like thines is to make God a liar.
56 THE GOSPEL OF OOD.
As the trumpets which were sounded seven days before the walls
of Jericho, were not the causes why the walls fell down, so our re-
penting and praying is not the reason why God is gracious to us.
The people of Israel did not put their trust in those trumpets nor
worship them, and they who believe will have no confidence in, nor
derive joy from these things. If they had attributed any efficacy
or power whatsoever to the blowing of the trumpets, that would have
been to bow down to them and worship them. And so it is now, in
this time, men that are of the earth, earthy, sensual men, having not
the spirit, attribute, power and efficacy to their praying and crying
and seeking, and all the other deeds of their own, which they call
the means of grace and ordinances ; and they think that on account
of these their tleshly acts, God will hear and deliver them ; they jus-
tify their confidence in these their works, because they see in the
letter of the word that the redeemed of the Lord do pray and seek
after God, therefore they worship these things which God creates in
the hearts of his people, and in them they place confidence : these
are their Gods, the gold and silver and brass and wood and stone of
the temple ! which have no power, which neither can see nor hear
nor walk : these things, with their feelings and sensations, they call
experience, and to them they look for comfort, and from them they
derive their joy and their confidence : it is a refuge of lies. But let
him who believing is born of God and is a child of God, let him know
that as neither his seeking nor desiring this eternal life is the reason
why he obtains it, but only the evei'lasting love and good will of God,
so also the enjoyment and earnest of it is not a credit to him, but is
only a proof of God's love, and a reason why we should be more
abased, and thank and exalt him only. To enjoy all his blessing, to
be filled with all his fulness, to have this joy inexpressible and full
of glory, does not make him who believes better than others, nor
better than he was before ; he is not better before God on this ac-
count than the damned in hell : he is only good before God in the
person of Jesus Christ, God respectetli tlie person of no other man than
the man Christ Jesus, in whom alone he is well pleased : he is only
righteous in the personal, individual goodness of Christ the Holy
One, the new and righteous man, the Adam of a new world, the Son
of God ! Let no one therefore glory or rejoice in anv thing what-
soever, nor in any person, whosoever he be, but only in tiie Lord.
Our want and destitution, our complete unrighteousness, the know-
ledge of which will make us cry out in earnest unto God, is no merit,
is no recommendation, it is not any righteousness, it is not com-
mendable to feel it, all would feel it if they were not dead hardened
and blinded; the feeling and knowledge of it is very death.' This,
our total destitution of all righteousness, this deplorable fact, that we
are sinners, is a great disgrace and shame to us, it is a reason, and
an ample reason, why we should be damned, instead of being a reason
why we should be saved. It is only and solely because of this that
the wicked will perish everlastingly ; when Christ shall appear they
will perish and be destroyed from his presence, for this very rea-
son, because they are evil and are found naked, that is destitute of
THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
57
Righteousness. The experience and knowledge of our shame (which
the earth calls getting religion) is death, and even this death, though
they labour hard to feel it, they cannot find, they know nothing of it.
" They seek death, (it is a glory and a merit to them to feel what
hell-deserving sinners they are,) they seek death, but (saith the Lord)
they shall not find it ; they desire to die, and death is far from themy
No ! they who rejoice in calling themselves sinners, they do not
know what they talk so much about, they do not know that they are
sinners.
Therefore let the needy sinner not glory in his shame ; let him
know that his guilt and iniquity, his nakedness, his want and neces-
sity, and his cry for mercy, and his prayer for deliverance, is no
recommendation whatever. God indeed will surely hear the cry of
the really needy, not because there is good in the cry, (for there is
none,) but because He is good ! because he is very gracieus and he
delighteth in mercy, and because he has given a promise that he
will hear, and has pronounced a blessing upon the miserable, guilty
and sinful wi'etch that wanting, really seeks Him ! who is truly
ashamed of, and glories not in his shame and infamy. He will gra-
ciously and freely give the gift of Righteousness by Jesus Christ to
the ungodly, when in their need they cry, but it is only because he
will have mercy, because he is gracious and merciful, long suffering
and plenteous in goodness and truth and will abundantly pardon !
This is why God hears and saves !
If seeking and praying and asking and knocking, and reading
"good books" and keeping Sunday, and all the other false gods and
saviours, the helps and means, and conditions and causes which the
Son of Perdition hath set up, on the performance of which they
place their hopes, which they take as certain proofs that they are in
the right way, their zeal for worshipping which they audaciously
imagine pleases God ; if the most earnest and sincere and loudest
cries and knocks and entreaties could possibly save, or help to save,
they would save in that great and terrible day of the Lord, when
they who now trust in them will cry very loud, and knock and pray
very earnestly, and God will not hear them ! (Prov. i- ult.) If they
can help to save now, they will certainly help to save then ; if they
are good now, they will be good then, for whatever is really good is
eternally good.
Let the sinner know that God hath saved him before he knew his
need of salvation, he hath heard him before he cried, God hath com-
passion upon him before he had any idea of his own ruin and misery,
and because he hath loved him he hath drawn him with his love and
given him the Spirit and a good understanding to hear his voice
and to seek his Righteousness. They who now confide in these their
doings, which they call means of Grace, will discover, in that day,
that having rejected Christ there remaineth no more sacrifice for
sin : then let the gods, the means and the helps in which they have
trusted, save them if they are able. They say they do not reject
him, they only join these helps with him. But God will not be thus
dishonoured nor be helped ! He will not have any other help or god
8
58 THE GOSPEL OF OOD.
with him ! he will not falsely share the glory of that work which he
hath truly alone performed and no one with him, with things or
works or imaginations which have no part and right in the doing and
glory of it !
Here are many words to show what God in his Word has fully
shown in two or three words, saying " / am thy salvation,^'' that is,
I am ! I alone : and none of thy Righteousness, none of thy doings,
none of thy feelings, none of thy prayings, none of thy ecstacies, but
" / alone am thy salvation.'''' " I am God, and besides me there is
no Saviour." But this is the very thing which man will not acknow-
ledge, namely, that God is God alone ! they will readily pretend to
acknowledge him if they can join other gods with him according to
their own way and wisdom ; like Tiberius who was willing to enrol
Christ among the gods of Rome. But, that God is God alone, ap-
pears to the wisdom of man monstrous, absurd and wicked ! What ?
say they, God alone saves ! and nothing to help and assist him !
What ? no other God ! and all our " means of Grace," our nice feel-
ings, our sweet seasons, our prayers, our pious enterprises, our
Sabbath keeping, our dipping into water, our going to church, our
reading and singing, our abstinence from balls and theatres, our
Sunday Schools, our Missionary and Bible and Temperance Confed-
eracies, our pious and benevolent exertions, our crying and asking,
our groanings, our experiences, and all our many helps or gods —
will not they assist 1 will not they save 1 Is God indeed God alone ?
will not these things help, even at all? are they no saviours? are
these good things bad and abominable ? has not God commanded us
to pray ? does not therefore our praying help to save ? is it not there-
fore a God and a saviour along with God ? Thus Christ is to them a
stumbling block and a rock of offence.
God is a jealous God, and righteously and graciously so for the
sake of his people, for certainly and most truly there is no help what-
ever but in Him only, and no Righteousness but in Him, and since
all our help and all our Righteousness will come only from him, all
our trust must be in Him only and in his Righteousness, jiis Christ
only, and if it is not we are without God and without hope ! It is
therefore a blessed thing to know that the Lord He is God alone,
besides him and with him there is no Saviour. He was in Christ
reconciling the world unto himself, and whosoever addeth and joins
his own or any helps to Christ and his work, is an idolater, and an
unbeliever.
CHAPTER XIII.
He that wishes to he saved, shall he saved ; he that does not wish to
he saved shall he condemned, that is., damned.
How Satan has deceived and blinded men, and led them to look
for happiness in destruction and to regard good as evil. To worship
God ! what can sound more painful to the gross, fleshly understand-
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 59
ings of men, calling up to their imaginations the ideas of constraint
and penance and mortifications and misery ! And what is this, to
worship God ?
To worship God is to be willing to receive from him blessings and
joy and peace and life and eternal happiness : for it is to believe in
him ; and to believe in him and to receive at the same time the gift
of eternal life, is one and the same, for they are inseparable.
To believe in God (which is to receive life and peace, and to be
made a son or daughter of the Lord Almighty) is an acknowledgment
that God, he is God ; this is honouring him, this is in a word the true
worship and the only true worship of God : for to look elsewhere, to
trust for or expect good from any where else, is to know and to worship
other Gods. He that looketh to himself a sintul man to do good, he
worships man, that is, a beast; he that looks for good to his regenerated
self, (which is a mere fancy, fiction, a talking image of the self-same
beast,) worships the image of the beast. In a word, he who looketh for
good, for any good, to any thing or any creature, trusts in and wor-
ships that creature and not God ! his trust is there and not in God :
if he says he only expects it to do him a little good, to be of a little
service or help he is a liar, his trust is there and not with God. God
is a jealous God and there is no one with him to partake the least
atom in his work. Therefore it is evident that the Religion of this
time is idolatry and a worship of strange Gods, for they look for
good almost any where and in any thing except in God only ! if
they really worshipped God they would know and teach the doctrine
of this little book, and nothing else, for the whole doctrine is, " Look
only to God, trust only to God ; for good, for Righteousness, for good
works, for every thing ; trust no cohere else in the least degree what-
ever, cease from your own toorks, look only, to God only" This is
the sum total, the sum and substance of this little Book, all it says
is, " Him only shalt thou serve.'''' It is merely the first command-
ment which the wisdom and piety of the earth has set altogether
aside, viz. it is this, " I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have none
other Gods before me." (Ex. xx. 1.) And it is manifestly evident
that the law of God, the true worship of God, and of God only, and
of no other God, is only established through faith, that is, by the
Gospel. God forbid that we should make void the law through faith,
yea we establish the law. (Rs. iii. 31.)
Therefore to believe, to trust only to God, to look only to him for
Righteousness and for every thing, this only is really to worship and
serve God ! And as to believe and to be blessed are inseparable, to
worship God is to receive blessing immeasurable, and inconceivable
and everlasting ! It is therefore entirely to our benefit and advantage,
and no good or advantage to God whatever ! for He is only a giver
in this case, and we are only receivers.
Therefore, so far from the worship of God being desirable to
escape from and get rid of, it is that of all things which is most de-
sirable ; and which so far from being any good in us or any merit or
recommendation, or even at all commendable, when we do worship
him, is a great favour indeed, yea, the highest, the utmost of favours
60 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
to be permitted to worship him ! God does not want us to worship
him, God forbid ! but it is we who are in the utmost need and neces-
sity of worshipping him, because it alone is the only good thing for
us, and if we do not worship him we are in horrible misery. There-
fore it is our great benefit to worship him, and when the Scripture
says " Woi'ship God,''' it only says to man, be blessed, be saved, be
happy, do yourselves good, not God !
And since to be willing to receive the Righteousness of God, to
look to God only for it, to thirst for it, in a word, to wish to have it,
to desire it, is to believe, therefore when the Scripture says " he that
believeth shall be saved,"" it only says, he that wishes to be saved
shall be saved ! This indeed and in truth is the great and godlike
proclamation of the Gospel ! Such bountifulness, such graciousness,
such liberality, how churlish men have perverted this and have been
called liberal ! (Is. xxxii. 5.)
And again, when the Scripture says " he that beUeveth not shall be
damned,'^ it only says " he that wishes to be damned, he does not
desire life, he shall be damned, he shall not have life ; he shall have
his own will and wish !" Much therefore as the men of the sea, rag-
ing and proud waves, have reviled the Scriptures, and spoken hard
speeches against God, they will hereafter only have to curse them-
selves, for they will not be damned without having chosen and pre-
ferred it !
To hunger and thirst after Righteousness is really and earnestly
to wish for it, and this is believing and receiving it, for the willing-
ness to receive and the receiving are inseparable, and this Christ
says " Whosoever will, that is, whosoever inshes,let him fake freely, ^^
that is, for nothing! doing nothing for it, either before, or after, or
ever ! Such is the unspeakable Gift ! such is the great Good News !
and it is really and truly a Gift ! He who sayeth otherwise, and
who will do something, and not take it freely, he maketh God a liar !
Woe to the " abominable and fearful /" (Rev. xxi. 8.) the abomina-
ble, who love unrighteousness and their own ways and righteousness :
the fearful, who are afaidof the truth and hide it in earthy doctrines,
and think it dangerous to believe that God is true ! (Matt. xxv. 25.)
Let it be well observed this is not an idle, assumed wish, it pro-
ceeds from a good a right understanding, which is the Spirit of God,
and is given by God, whoever he may be that has got it, as the
breath in our nostrils is given, whoever has got it. No one can
possibly wish or hunger for the Righteousness of God, who does not
truly want it ; and he does not want it or stand in need of it, or wish
for it, who thinks he can do good, that is, can get Righteousness by
his doing any thing, by his following or attempted following of the
rule of Righteousness which is the law ; who thinks he can get
Righteousness by any other way than by Christ ; who looks for good
(that is, Righteousness) from any other quarter. Therefore, they
who arc trying to be good and pious, and thus to establish another
Righteousness (which is a deception, a show, a counterfeit and not a
real Righteousness) they are liars and deceive their own selves, if
they say or think that they look to Christ or wish to be saved or
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 61
thirst after Righteousness ! And also those who love iniquity and
do evil, the inhabitants of the sea, who desire no Righteousness at
all, but follow their own ways and are satisfied with the ships of their
own building, these do not desire to enter into Christ the ark of God,
they think to be safe in their own vessels when the deluge comes ; '
they do not wish for Righteousness, that is, true Righteousness, they
do not want and do not wish to be saved.
David truly hungered and thirsted after Righteousness, when he
said " Teach vie to do thy tdll, O God,'" that is, save me from my
own wicked will, from fulfilling the desires of my flesh and of my
mind, (Eph. ii. 3.); save me from my vain saying and teach me
Christ who is thy Righteousness, thy " doing." He did not ask to
know his will, but to do it ; he knew it already, for he had the form
of all truth and knowledge in the law, but he found that was not
suflicient, he, a sinful man, had not the Power to do the good he knew;
but he wanted, he wished for, he thirsted after Righteousness, and
he cried out after it, after " doing," not saying or knowing, but
doing, in spirit and in truth, that is, in reality. Thus he thirsteth
after Christ, after Him who came to do in very deed and reality
what Moses made known: for by Moses we know all the will and
Righteousness of God, but by Christ we do his will and fulfil all
Righteousness ! that is, it is Christ himself who does the will of God,
" Lo ! I come to DO thj u'ill, O God /" and then imputes it to us,
even to all of us, who by him do believe !
Thus it is, (and this is what man and his fleshly wisdom cannot
understand,) we do the will of God by doing nothing, only believing,
looking to Christ, who ^'' perforins all things for us!'''' we standing
still, and beholding the salvation of God ! sitting still (this is our
strength) and doing nothing. (Ish. xxx. 7.) Herein is seen how true
it is that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor his ways our
ways ! for this is exactly the opposite of, and directly contrary to
the thoughts and religion of earthly men, the religion of this last day ;
while also the religion of this day is directly the opposite of, and
contrary and opposed to the Truth of God ! Astonishing strength of
the delusions of Satan, astonishing all-deceivableness of unrighteous-
ness ! to make the utmost wickedness and atheism and rebellion
appear to men as if it was the highest pitch of faithfulness and obe-
dience to God ! to make bondage appear liberty, churlishness appear
bountifulness, darkness to appear light, bitter to appear sweet, and
the very reign of the devil and the beast, in all their wickedness and
malice and beastliness to appear as if it was the Millennium begun on
the earth ! for so the false and deceitful prophets have actually re-
presented it !
Wherefore, to wish for, to hunger after Righteousness, and to look
to and hope in God only for it, that is to believe : and to believe,
(only to trust in God,) that, even that, is to worship God. And so it
is, that to worship God thus truly, and to receive him gladly to do
all for us, is the summit of blessedness for man. What indeed can
be a greater blessing than to receive and have Almighty Power to be
on our side, to crown us with glory and honour, to clothe us with
()2 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
perfect Righteousness, to do us all good, and to do all good for us ?
Nothing can equal this except it be the knowledge of Him who is
thus good and gracious. Therefore the enquiry of a man should be,
— not, shall I worship God, or shall I not ? — but, as all the worship
is merely for my own supreme joy and blessedness, and all the good
the benefit and the advantage, is entirely on my side, will God
let me worship him ? that is the main point ! Will he condescend
to permit, to suffer me to draw nigh and approach unto him, and
receive from him that which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, nor
hath entered into the heart of man to conceive ! Will he take me,
and choose me, and permit me to worship him 1
Oh ! the unspeakable pride ! the insolence ! the audacity of human
man ! to imagine, to dream, that God wants him to worship Him !
and O unspeakable blindness not to see nor understand that it is we
who want, we who are in need, it is our blessing, it is life to us, it is
great salvation to us, to worship Him ! for it is only to receive all
good and every imaginable good from Him ! What frightful, yea, hor-
rible and most abominable insolence of our vain and evil hearts, when
we imagine that in muttering prayers, or reading the bible, or sing-
ing psalms, or keeping one day above another, or not dancing, or
not drinking, or not going to a theatre, that we are doing good !
serving God ! yea, doing him a favour and performing a service to
Him ! The Earth is turned upside down, (Is. xxiv.) for the truth of
God is, that God does a favour to man, and God does a service for
man ; and they turn things upside down and preach that man does a
favour to God, man does a service to (iod ! O abominable abomina-
tion ? O wickedness not to be conceived ! The Gospel is the news
of the Grace, that is, the favour of God to man, and the Religion of
this Time is just the reverse, viz. a profession of the grace, that is,
the favour of man to God !
Instead of our worship being any service or favour to God, it is a
most wonderful and astonishing condescension and humiliation on
God's part to let us worship him ! To permit us to worship him, to
give, to grant to us to believe in him, this is to make us, — us wretches,
— equal to the angels of heaven : it is to fill us with all good. Well
therefore is it said that this faith whereby we approach unto God, is
the gift and calling of God ! It cannot be otherwise, and all those
who believe, who wish for the Righteousness of God, are chosen of
God : if they hunger after Righteousness, then and not unless, it is
certain they are blessed and chosen of God ! God hath loved them
and chosen them, to cause them to approach unto Him ! Thus the
Prophet says, " Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, O Lord, and
causest to approach unto Thee /" and therefore because he hath
before chosen them and always intended to save them, they, by his
Word and his Spirit, hear and understand his Truth, and believe, and
thus approach unto Him !
It is therefore a blessed thing, if any one hungers and thirsts after
Righteousness ; for whoever he be that does, he owes that blessed-
ness entirely to God ! God hath loved him with an everlasting love,
and chosen him, and ordained him to eternal life; lie who now gives
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 63
him grace and favour in Christ, gave him Grace in Christ before the
foundation of the world! (2 Tim. i. 9.) " / have loved thee with an
everlasting love, therefore ivith loving kindness have I drawn thee''''
saith God by the Prophet Jeremiah.
CHAPTER XIV.
The inviolability of the law of God.
It is an abominable thing to teach that Christ does only a part and
not all ; and that he who believes has something to do, that Christ
does not do all for him. If Christ does any thing at all, he does all
wholly and entirely : if the sinner has any thing at all to do, then he
has all and every thing to do, and then there is no salvation.
The law which says " do" means really and truly, do all and
every thing, not in part, but wholly and perfectly ; and the Gospel
which says " believe,"" means really and truly what it says, do no-
thing at all, but leave it all to Christ, trusting in him. He who has
something to do, has all to do, for he is under the law, and the law
admits not of part being done and part being undone ; it admits no
imperfect obedience. Tliey who are under it, who are not dead to
it by the body of Christ, they must fulfil it entirely, or suffer all its
penalty : and they who believe in Him, do fulfil it entirely (by Him) ;
thus in any case by Jew or by Gentile, by Heathen or Christian, by
believer or infidel, it must be fulfilled, it cannot be broken, it is surer
than heaven and earth. Christ fulfils it for them that receive him,
without their moving the little finger of the arm of man ; but they
who will not receive him for all Righteousness, but will have some-
thing to do, they are not by their own pride removed from under its
obligation, they have got it all to fulfil and they may move heaven
and earth, they cannot fulfil it, they are too far gone in wickedness,
as all men are, for that.
They who say, or think that to believe is yet to have something to
are blind and wicked, and do not believe God's word of the gospel,
" Believe and thou shalt be saved." They very sincerely believe,
(sincerely, because we are sincerely and earnestly wicked,) that
what they do, or think they ought to do, is very good, and com-
manded of God, and will please God. Yes, so it is commanded of
him, if it be all good, for his law commands all good : and so it will
please him if they do really all good, for he is good and loveth good.
But they vainly think that their praying and going to their Church,
and keeping their Sabbath, is very gool, and the sinner who takes
to these things will please God, and they add, through Jesus Christ.
They mean to say that Christ will make all these things coming
from sinful man who does not do real good, that is all the law of good,
acceptable and pleasing to God ! So that when a man is a law
breaker, yet God will accept him through Jesus Christ : and this
violation of the law by God, or tliis his supposed admission of its
violation, they call Grace ! Abominable wickedness of Satan's de-
64 TIIK (JOSPEL OF G01>.
lusions ! Nothing but the perfect fulfilling of the law, — and this is
only by Christ, and is his work — can be pleasing to God. Christ did
not come, far, far from it, to make our filthy works good, to help to
glorify us and puff" us up with admiration of ourselves, but utterly to
destroy them altogether, and he himself to work the work of God
for us, fulfilling the whole law perfectly for the ungodly who receive
him to do it ; perfectly, not imperfectly, else it were no salvation.
If when a man has done wrong, that is, in other words, is a sinner,
then if going to Church, and praying, or keeping one day in seven,
or doing or not doing any thing whatsoever, if such things will make
it all right again, and dispose God to forgive him, then to do wrong
is a very trifling thing indeed, yea, the law of God is a jest, if thus
it can be done away by such trifling things ! But " God is not
mocked /" They preach that these things are made acceptable and
etfectual only by the Grace of God ! through Jesus Christ our Lord !
If the Grace of God did assist to give effect to such half-obediences
of the law, to such defective and sinful doings, then would Christ be
made to assist the condemned and the transgressors in violating and
despising the law of God ; for he who does not fully obey this law of
good in all things, is a transgressor and condemned. But God's holy
and righteous law, his moral, yea, and far more than moral law,
cannot possibly be broken, and most assuredly Christ does never
assist to break it ; nor does the Grace of God consist in helping him
who breaks it to patch it up again and obey it a little, that is, to do
a little good, nor any at all. No wrong of any kind can be done
with impunity by Heathen or Christian or any one whosoever he be.
No assistance, no Grace will be given to the wrong-doer to palliate
the imperfection of his obedience : imperfect obedience is no obe-
dience at all, it is total disobedience, it is crime, (James) ; herein is
the sin the crime of mankind that they do not perfectly do what is
right, they are the offerers of an imperfect obedience. If the law
that wrong must not be done, and which pronounces a curse upon all
wrong doing (that is, sin) — if this law could have been broken, then
God could have broken it, and Christ might have saved his people
without any suffering. But it was not possible that that cup should
pass from him, if we were to be saved : no, it was not possible ; the
law could not be broken ; and he drank it up to the dregs instead of
us, even the full cup of the wrath of God revealed by the law against all
unrighteousness, that is, against all wrong-doing. Therefore no wrong
whatsoever, not the least wrongcan possibly be done and go unpunished.
The death of Christ is a terrible guarantee of the inviolability of the
law. How then shall sinful man, full of all secret evil, drenched in
floods of hidden filthiness, dare to imagine and absolutely even to
preach, that a little muttering of his prayers, a little paltry piety and
devotion, a going to church, and keeping Sunday, the not drinking
spirits and not going to balls, in one word, a doing something, shall
help him to escape ? and that he will escape by the Grace of God,
through Jesus Christ ! Astonishing wickedness and delusion to dare
to think and to preach that the Grace of God is intended to give
impunity to wickedness and safety to crime ! This is the turning the
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 65
Grace of our God into lasciviousness, which is now done as it was
foretold it would be ! (Peter.)
The only reason why men dare thus to contemn God, is because
they do not really believe that God will punish, (Ps. x.) they do not
believe the law, they think their offences are light and venial, that it
is a trifling thing to do wrong ; that the law is a jest, a mere nothing,
that therefore the Grace of God rnay be depended upon to render
the enactments of the law of no effect, to weaken, to violate, to set
aside the law !
Monstrous as this perversion of the Grace of God is, great as is
the enormity of this crime, yet how all-deceivable such unrighteous-
ness and wickedness is, (2 Thess.) is proved by the fact, the aston-
ishing fact, that this very wickedness and guilt, passes both with
those who are guilty of it, and before the eyes of all others also,
under the character and appearance of uncommon sanctity and piety,
and reverence for God, and zeal for the law !
No indeed, it is a terrible thing to do wrong : it is not a trifling
thing ! No part of God's law being obeyed, though they may say
by the Grace of God, can make up for what is not obeyed. So
terrible is the law of the Almighty God, to those who do not fully
and perfectly obey it, that if any man believes the truth of the law,
he certainly will believe the Gospel, and gladly receive Jesus Christ
for all his Righteousness. But they who despise the law of God and
tremble not at it, they will despise the Gospel, they cannot believe.
(Luke xvi. 31.)
Whether we are under the law or whether we are under the Gos-
pel, the Law cannot and will not be broken. It is fully and perfectly
obeyed, and fulfilled by Christ for them that believe, and thus it is
not broken : and its curse will be fulfilled and established to all trans-
gressors in the day when God will judge the world, and thus it will
not be broken.
CHAPTER XV.
To he under the law and at the same time to believe is impossible. A
cry against the Earth.
They who cleave to the law, seeking to do good, (for to try to do
good is to try to fulfil the law and to cleave to it,) they dishonour
thereby that very law of good-doing which they vainly imagine they
love so much ! They dishonour it, for they violate it, they break it,
they do not fulfil it. If they think they keep it, or that they do
good, then they do not even believe that it is true, for it itself posi-
tively declares to them that they do not keep it at all ! (Rs. iii. 19.)
The law declares this.
He who cleaveth to the law, who has got to do good, or some-
thing to do, can have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of
God ! it is utterly impossible, for he is a ti-ansgressor, he is con-
demned, he abideth in coiidenmation and death. He is a transgressor,
for he has got to do good, he has got a law to fulfil, and as God is
9
66 TEIE GOSPEL OF GOD.
true, he does not do it : he is therefore in condemnation, and that is
death itself. Since he does not do all that which he is bound to do,
he is unrighteous and condemned, and most certain it is, no unright-
eous man, no condemned man has or can have any access to God,
nor know him, nor love him, nor have peace with him. Such a man,
whatever he may say, however he may labour to deceive himself
with vain words, and talk of Grace and peace and love, does not be-
lieve in Christ at all nor in the least degree whatever, for no one
can be condemned by the law and free from condemnation in Christ
at one and the same time ! There is no condemnation to them that
believe, they are no longer transgressors, they are justified, that is,
made righteous, and are without spot, and have peace with God. (Rs.
V. 1.) And no one can be justified and be righteous, and be con-
demned and cursed at one and the same time ! But he who follows
the law is a transgressor, and is unrighteous and condemned and
cursed, for he has got to do good and he does not do it. So that it
is utterly impossible to follow Christ and believe in him, if a man is
under the law, and follows it, and is labouring to do good, as the
Earth (the religious professors) now are doing : they do not believe,
and it is impossible for them to be saved, if they continue in unbelief,
having something to do, and not having God to do all for them, ac-
cording to his Everlasting Covenant.
The Everlasting Covenant which God made with Abraham, since
by it it only the law of God is honoured and perfectly obeyed, since
by it he that believes is blessed, wonderfully blessed in Jesus Christ,
blessed with perfect Righteousness and perfect peace, and is by and
in him a fulfiller of the whole law. This, this only is the Covenant
which God regards, which he keeps and remembers for ever, which
can never be broken, for man hath no hand in it, and which he hath
confirmed by an oath ! In this covenant only, and in none other than
this, in all times and in all ages, has any one ever been blessed who
is blessed ! All God's favours and mercies shown to his people
Israel, at all times from the foundation of the world, were shown to
them not because of the covenant of the law, nor for any of their
observance of its excellent ordinances, however strict and exact, but
whoelly, solely, and entirely in Christ Jesus who was to come, yea,
solely on account of the Righteousness of Christ by faith. It was,
(as is said in the book of Psalms, after a long enumeration of all his
mercies and goodness to the house of Israel,) it was all done and
only done " because he remembered his Holy Promise and Abraham
his servant.'''' (Ps. cv. 42.) It was not because they did any good, or
tried to do any, or because they obeyed him, or because they were
pious or religious or devout, or kept a day of the week, — far, far
from it ! it was not because of any conditions they had fulfilled or
were willing to fulfil, but only and merely because of Christ Jesus
the Righteousness of God, the end and fulfiller of the law, whom they
saw afar off" in the daily blood-shedding, and waited for him, and
hoped in him, and walked in his strength, (Ps.) and in whom God
beheld them and loved them ! For ever blessed be God for his
Everlasting Covenant, his Mercy, his Work, his Promise !
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 67
Since such was the case with Israel, what are the vain confidences
worth of those who preach a mutilated, dishonoured and partial law,
nay, a new invented law of their own which is no law ; who say " do
good" (and that even not real good) to the wicked one, the man of
sin ? What is their proud confidence worth, that they serve God
and please him, when even Israel, which followed after the holy law,
and tried to do good, by strictly following it, and did not invent
instead of it, a false law, a false standard of good, and vain substitutes
instead of the law, when they, yea, even they could not please him,
and did not please him, but were utterly, utterly cast off and abhorred,
as it is to this day, because they would not receive the only Righte-
ousness of God, even the Lord Jesus Christ ? Wicked as they were
who rejected Christ, though yet they did not entirely set aside the
law, how much more wicked are those who both reject Christ, and
also at the same time totally set aside the law ? And yet more !
how much more abominable and guilty they are who, while they
totally reject the Righteousness of God, yet pretend, with all deceiv-
able appearances of sanctity and piety, to love him and assist him
and kiss him, talking of the " dear Redeemer, Free Grace," &c. &c.
And also, while they tolally set aside the law both in theory and
practice, (setting up confederacies and substitutes for its real good-
doing, and being devoted to covetous and wicked practices of hatred
and malice,) — yet all the while wickedly pretend to obey the holy
law of God, and to follow this law which they have slain, as their
rule and guide ?
Never was there a generation on the earth so wicked and impious,
so blasphemous and proud, so confident, insolent and bold, so appa-
rently iamb-like and saintly, so truly deceitful and abominable ! They
do not hesitate, they are not afraid, to deny point blank and most
audaciously, the plain and positive word of God, being confident that
their own ways are perfectly right, and Satan persuading them that
what God says means nothing or very little, and that they will
easily find some other text or passage to overthrow or pervert or
blunt whatever appears to be against them ! Let them know how-
ever, and they shall know shortly, for the time is at hand, that the
whole word of God is against them, against their practices, and
against their doctrines ! The Scripture is full of prophecies^ against
them ; Anti-Christ is there as plainly made known as Christ, that
we, seeing what is not the doctrine of Christ, may be assured and
certain what is. All the prophecies are concentrated upon this
generation. They scoif (Peter), they think lightly of God, they
think lightly of their delusions and follies, they think their zeal, their
fleshly zeal, which indeed is great for their own glory, will atone for
their being wrong in some things, for they sometimes confess they
may be wrong in some things. Proud and deluded men, not to under-
stand that the Holy Spirit of God is wrong in nothing ; that he who
has drank of this spirit is taught aright of God and cannot be wrong.
(John.) They think lightly of their own delusions, of their perver-
sions of the Grace of God ! Every thing is light with them, pro-
vided they have a hot and fleshly zeal to do good ! Evil men ! to
68 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
dream of good from such filthy and abominable fountains ! But let
them know, and they shall know, that great and glorious and vast
and stupendous as is the Truth, the Eternal Truth of the living God,
wonderful as is his exceeding rich Grace, unutterably large and libe-
ral and god-like as is his unspeakable Gift and Truth cf his Grace,
in just such proportion are their lies and false doctrines abominable.
In such proportion as his wonderful Gospel is all that is lovely
and good, just so is even the very least perversion of it all that is
hateful and wicked ! wicked beyond conception, when wicked men
assuming the authority and very words of God for this vile purpose,
dare to counterfeit and pervert his Gospel by their own wisdom, and
teach their own theories and imaginations in place of, and casting on
one side, the Eternal Word of Truth ! This generation is called,
collectively, the Son of Perdition. (2 Thess.) Judas is a figure and
representative of them, as John also is a representative of the last
disciples, who shall eat up, yea, devour this little book, who are
to be the last and to tarry till he come : for now first the words
of Christ are understood which he said of John, that he should
tarry till he came, for he spake of us, knowing us and seeing us,
even of us who shall believe by Him, and remain on the earth till
his glorious coming ! Like Judas they appear to follow him ; like
Judas they make a bargain and sale of him, (for according as they
preach any body may have him for a little money, of piety and per-
formances,) like Judas also they kiss him while they betray and sell
him, calling him " dear Jesus," " the dear Redeemer," like Judas
they sit at table with him, and like him their consciences are so
seared and their hearts so hardened, that not suspecting their own
wickedness, they say with astonishment " Lord is it I ?" like Judas
they are transformed into Apostles, like him they cast out devils,
and do many wonderful works ; like him they are not found out till
the very last, and it is to John, the last, the beloved disciple, as he
leans on Jesus' bosom and trusts to him that Christ reveals them as
he now does openly in this little book, to them, even his beloved,
that shall believe in his Name !
CHAPTER XVL
Why the Law was given.
Man is evil and doeth evil, and for this wicked one, this scarlet
beast, being so altogether evil, to pretend that he does good, to as-
sume airs of counterfeit holiness, and put on filthy robes of human
righteousness, thinking them a fine clothing, is the very summit of
self-deception, of pride, of denial of God's truth, and of rebellion
against God and his word. It is the pride and rebellion of Satan !
When God gave his righteous law to sinful flesh, it was not in
order to set up this filthy and malignant worm as having the power
and arm of God, and able to do what God alone does in the very
angels who are around his throne ! No ! it was for the very con-
THE GOSPEL OF OOD. 69
trary purpose, to put him down, and show him by woful experience,
his utter brutishness without God. (Ps.) None is good save one, that
is God : and they who acknowledge and love him, because of his
first love to them which they believe, who trust to him, they receive
goodness from him as a gift and a Grace ; they receive his own
goodness ; and this is the only way that any one is good in heaven
or earth ! " Thou only art holy, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God.''''
(Rev.) So that it is all by faith, receiving, not working, all by the
work of God and his Grace, yea, even in the very angels.
God gave his holy law, because of transgression, (Rs.) to make
known to sinners the evil of their evil ; to make known the certainty
of the punishment of all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men : he
gave it for the wicked who do evil, and love evil, and for his people
also as long as being in unbelief they do evil, that they might know
the misery of their owza destructions ; that they might learn and
know by it their own errors and impotency, and know that there was
no power nor Righteousness but of God ; by it is known the exceed-
ing sinfulness of sin, of which otherwise we should never have anv
knowledge, no, nor even suspicion. Blessed are they who hear and
are taught by this law.
If the people whom God will save had no knowledge of the fact
of their own sinfulness, how could they look to God for Righteous-
ness ? how could they believe 1 No one looketh for that which he
does not know that he wants. And they could not know that thei-e
was any Righteousness at all, if they had not known that their own
works were evil, and all their Righteousness as filthy rags. If they
had remained in ignorance of their utter sinfulness, and never dis-
covered that not to be in God is to be evil, that to be trying to do
good by our own power, and not to have the Spirit of God in us to
do it for us, is to be like the beasts ; if they had not known this, then
they would have remained like the beasts that perish, and never have
known God, and have been always dreaming of righteousness from
themselves and imagining their evil to be good : they would never
have known Him, that he only is God, he only is good, he is Right-
eousness itself, and all that are good are only so by being filled with
him !
How, without this teaching, could they look to God only for
Righteousness ? Therefore the law is as it were a school-master,
pointing to Christ the Righteousness of God. Therefore David says,
" Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, O Lord, and teachest him
out of thy Law." And again he says why he is blessed, and why
God teaches him by his law, that it is noi; to set him to work, to do
something, no, far from it, but to give him Rest, even perfect rest
from all his own works and vain doings ! and this Rest, this Sabbath
from his own doings, this is Christ ! Yes, it is to give him Rest,
and not to make him, Iniquity, good, that is God ! Christ has de-
stroyed in his own body on the tree the beast, the flesh, the old man
of sin, born of Adam, even Iniquity, which never can be good, (John
iii. 6,) which is not subject to God's law, and cannot be, (Rs.) and
all they who believe are dead with him, that this man of sin may be
70 THE GOSPEL OF OOD.
destroyed, (not ameliorated nor made good,) that henceforth they
should not serve this body, nor do its works, but live in Jesus Christ,
clothed in the Righteousness of God !
They therefore know nothing of God, they do not believe in God,
who dream, and they are called filthy dreamers, (Jude) — who dream
that they, filthy men and women, can follow this holy law, this
perfect rule of perfect righteousness ! who dream that they, being
evil, can work the Righteousness of God ! for the Righteousness of
the law, all true Righteousness is the Righteousness of God !
He who imagines that good can come from his utmost efforts to
follow this law of good, does not believe that God alone is only good,
the only fountain and source of good, and the only doer of good : he
believes in himself and not in God ; he sets up himself for God and
Saviour ; himself a man of sin, a beast before God, or his regener-
ated self, a fiction, an imagination, an image of himself, a speaking
image of the beast. (Revs, xiii.) But if he says in the all-deceiva-
bleness of unrighteousness, that he believes in God and only partly
seeks to do good by following partly the law as a rule of life, that is,
as a guide for him to do good, then he expects good from himself,
and not from God only ! But God cannot be believed in partly, nor
by halves ; he saves wholly and altogether by himself, there is no
God with him, no Saviour besides him, no arm to help him ; He is
God alone, and his glory he will not give unto another. He who
thinks therefore that any, the least good or Righteousness can come
by his trying to do good, he entirely rejects the good, the Righteous-
ness of God, for he does not want it, it is not quite good enough for
him, he must put some of his own filthiness to it !
It will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for those wicked
persons, the inhabitants of the Sea, who have openly and altogether
denied Christ, than for those deceitful, double-minded men who have
pretended to believe in him and honour him, while they followed
after their own righteousness and believed in themselves : who had
rather he should make their wickedness good and acceptable, (which
is impossible,) than receive him at once to be all their Righteous-
ness and do all good for them, (which is easy to him and is his very
work and Grace) : who have said in their hearts we will join Christ
with Belial, we will do good and he shall make even that to be good,
and make up all deficiencies besides ! thus we will save ourselves,
and to show our humility we will say we are great sinners and call
him the Saviour !
To preach " do good," (if it be indeed and really good,) is to
preach the law of God, and with it the curse and death, because the
very law which commands to do good, at the same time declares,
" there is none that, doeth good, no, not OHe." Therefore, there is no
gospel whatever, no good news, no |>eace, nothing but the tidings of
destruction and death in such preaching ; it signifies not whatever
deceitful appearances of gospel may be mixed with it ; if the law is
there, the inevitable curse is there too, and no blessing can be min-
gled and joined with cursing. To preach therefore to men to do
good is utterly vain ; it is practicidly to tell men there is no Christ,
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 71
no Messiah, no Righteousness of God, and no salvation. It is
utterly vain, even if it be done with all faithfulness and truth, if even
the whole law of God be ri'ally taught, and all its goodness and
excellence, and all its virtue and good actions be inculcated in all
fulness and truth : it is altogether vain as concerns salvation ; it is
good only for condemnation, for a bridle and whip for the fools' back,
for a terror to wicked transgressors.
But the deceitful Anti-Christ, this religious generation, the Earth,
the earthly men, they do not preach the Law of God at all, nor its
real and perfect commands, in all their vain preaching and teaching.
The " do good" which they preach, is a false law of their own
invention, it is not the perfect, righteous, holy, moral and excellent
law of God, which commands men to do all good to one another, not
to covet houses, money and lands., nor lend out their money upon
usury, nor to take a pledge from the needy ; the " do gooiV which
they preach is all to be fulfilled by subscribing to their confederacies,
attending their meetings, assuming their looks, adopting their lan-
guage, making an outside show, pretending to be a sinner, and to
have felt convictions, subscribing money for the " cause," becoming
one of them, being puffed up with vain conceit, trusting they will go to
heaven, and swelling with fleshly dreams and good feelings, and talking
idly and audaciously of Grace and love and glory, and their inward
experiences ! " speaking great swelling words of vanity, not knowing
tvhat they say, nor lohereof they a^rm f" Herein is their salvation ;
and to those who join them, they confidently proclaim peace, when
there is no peace : so anxious is each whorish church to get and
increase the number of her lovers, (Ezk.) that " they alhire through
much wantonness of the fesh,''^ and use all sorts of attractions, hold-
ing out the lure of fleshly advantage, of worldly benefit, profit and
gain, to attract lovers, saying that men will save money by leaving
the tippling house and joining them, and that they will be more re-
spectable and get on better in the world !
If he be utterly vain as it is, even to preach perfect and real
good-doing, and all the truth and righteousness of God's law, — if
even all this, without even the least drawback, is vain and unprofita-
ble through the weakness of the flesh, and only kills instead of
giving life, (Rs. vii.) then how vain, how monstrous, how wicked,
how horribly abominable, is all this their preaching of all this their
good, which is not good ! which is abomination ! How utterly vain
is their austere inculcation of their pious practices, their fleshly Sab-
bath keeping, their society-joining, their church-joining, their tract
distributing, their abstinence from drinks and balls and theatres and
ribbons, their mournful looks, their howling and groaning, their
money gatherings, their missionary and benevolent exertions !
If the preaching of God's holy and good law, in fulness and with-
out diminution or drawback, be a vanity, and be the preaching neither
of Gospel nor of blessing, what a vanity, what more than vanity are
all these inventions, these idle, foolish and wicked substitutes, these
proud-swelling and earthly ostentations ! Never, no never, in any
age of the world, or by any people, was iniquity so completely
72 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
masked and disguised and carried to such an exalted, such a tremen-
dous pitch ! Samaria's open idolatry (the Greek and Roman Catholic
Churches) is abominable, but it is gross : but the deceitful hypocrisy
of Judah (and the Protestant Churches) is most abominable, it is a
refinement of deception and wickedness, a counterfeit, to deceive,
if it were possible, the very elect ! The wisdom and knowledge of
earthly man hath brought to pass these perversions, (Is.) because the
wisdom of God, " Believe," and nothing more, was too foolish for
them ! They laugh and scoff (Peter) at the very idea of sitting still,
of standing still, doing nothing, and having the strength of the Al-
mighty God ! (Is.) They have chosen their own way, and despised
God's way, and he hath loft them to their own delusions. This is
the strange, the wonderful work which God hath done. (Is.) God
who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, hath tried them, it
has been " the hovi' of temptation to try them that dwell on the earth,''''
(that is, the earthy men, the professors of religion and piety ; the
self-creators, the wise men, the self-electors !) They professed to
be wise, to be able to know God as they pleased, and to be ready
and obedient to obey his word, and God has tried them if they
would do so, and they have denied that God is God, that power is
only his, that he only has understanding and giveth understanding,
and doeth whatsoever he will and saveth whom he will. And deny-
ing God and his Might, they have received Satan and all his delu-
sions, they have greedily swallowed up the flood of lies and follies
and blasphemies and abominations, which he has cast out of his
mouth : (Rev. xii.) for there is no folly and wickedness of false
doctrine which in these last days the inhabiters of the earth have not
greedily swallowed.
Never will the truth of God " pride goeth before a fall," which
has already been proved true, be so fully proved as when their day
Cometh, when all their works and confidences, and troops and con-
federacies will melt away in an instant, like wax before the presence
of the Lord, and they will have nothing to lay hold of, nothing to
hope in, and no where to look, when all their proud buildings which
now appear to them so solid and excellent, will fall with a great fall,
and the sandiness of the foundation be plainly revealed. They are
those who say, and with all their saying they do not ; they worship
a speaking image, they are great speakers, but they are not doers of
the word : nor can they be, not having Christ, nor desiring him to
do all for them ! at being thus real doers they scoff, saying " what ?
are we to sit still and do nothing?" that is to say, " what ? are we
to believe V This great wisdom of God is foolishness to them. (1
Cor.)
But if any one should say, how can a man be guilty if he is not
elect? What? because there are holy, elect angels in heaven, is
therefore the wickedness which is done on the eai'th no wickedness
at all ? Is there therefore no law and no justice against deliberate,
malicious and desperate wickedness? God forbid! And because
God is willing to show mercy, and from everlasting was so deter-
mined, and therefore has an elect people, a remnant who will lx;lieve
THE UOSl'EL OK GOO. 73
and whom he will save, does that make wickedness to be no wicked-
ness ? Does God's mercy on whom he will have mercy clear the
guilty ? (Exodus.) Whether there were elect angels or not, whether
there were elect vessels or not, wickedness is wickedness, and those
who hate God, who hate his Righteousness, and wantonly and ma-
liciously despise his word, and do unrighteousness, are wicked,
maliciously and willingly wicked, and God will show his power by
them, and he hardens their hearts because of their pride and wisdom,
and they cannot escape the justice of the law by which every one
will be judged according to the deeds which he has done ! What
has the existence of a righteous generation (made righteous by great
grace and mercy) to do with the guilt of the wicked ? It interferes
with their criminality no more than the existence of a race of fishes
in the sea, or of birds in the air ! They say and know they ought
to do good, they say they can, and yet they do that which is evil,
and they fight against and wrest deceitfully God's words, and despise
and set at naught his Mercy and his Christ. Let them really do
good and they have nothing, no nothing whatever to fear, they, even
they themselves shall save their souls alive.
God's Grace in Christ Jesus to them that believe in his Name,
« THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS," does not set aside the
law, the very principle of right and wrong : they who do wrong
shall suflfer for the wrong they do, and he will save those who lay
hold of Jesus Christ, who shall be found sprinkled with his blood and
cleansed from all their wrong. But the existence of a saved and
redeemed people, will not overthrow God's law, nor bestow impunity
to wickedness.
Therefore let a man beware how he dream of rioting in evil with
impunity, pretending that because God will have mercy on whom he
will have mercy, he need not therefore care what he does ! God is
righteous and will judge the world in equity : every one will receive
according to his deeds, and will only be condemned for the wrong
which he has done ; whether there be a Gospel or not, that does not
alter the case. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God. The law of God says to all flesh, " beware lest ye
perish," and they will not hear. But the love of God says to his
people (and it is the Word the power of God) " Come unto me,"
and they hear the voice of this love by the Word of God and they
come, and they shall come, and shall never perish. " My sheep hear
my voice" — " he that is of God heareth God's words" but sinful
flesh heareth them not, and will never hear, but will do wickedly
and will not understand, (Daniel xii. 10,) and shall be judged and
perish as if there never had been any Gospel given, as also they
must, for their wickedness, if there never had been any.
10
74 THE GOSPEL OF G01>.
CHAPTER XVII.
Of the Sea and the Earth ; that they both agree in the same wicked
doctrine.
The Sea, in the prophetic language of the Scripture, describes the
world in general ; the Earth, standing out of the Sea, describes the
religious or professing world, who are apparently separated and
come out from the world. The Sea describes man as he really is.
As the Sea is sometimes calm and smooth as glass, so man appears
innocent and harmless ; but the calm is deceitful, they are only
waiting to do evil. As the sea, when the four winds blow upon it,
rages dreadfully and is ungovernable, so are men, when they are
moved by the winds of those lusts which proceed out of their hearts,
or when Satan enters into them and foments the evil ; when roused
by the love of gain, or the fear of loss, then they are like the raging
sea, unutterably and diabolically violent and wicked. Thus the Sea,
with fidelity of description, describes, by one word, the world at
large and those of it whom the men of earthly religion call infidels.
As the Sea is far more extensive than the Earth, and spreads over a
much larger surface, so are those far the most numerous who do not
believe what is called Christianity. The infidels of the world, like
the waves of the Sea, are violently opposed to the religious world,
the earth ; they foam and dash against it, like waves of the Sea, and
make in some parts great inroads upon it : they are also high and
lifted up, and proud, boisterous and blasphemous : like raging waves
of the Sea, they defy all restraint and acknowledge no master ; they
say, '■'■our tongues are our own, roho is lord over us?" Wherefore
the " Sea" is employed to signify the infidel world.
The Earth describes the religious world, which is comparatively
a small portion of professors standing out of the Sea. No word like
this could so aptly describe the religious professors. They are men
of the earth, earthy and sensual : all their doctrines are of the earth,
their wisdom is earthly, (James iii. 14, 15,) their knowledge and un-
derstanding is earthly, natural, and taught of men ; their practices
are earthly ; their hopes, views and ambitions are earthly ; they
mind earthly things ; their foundation is built upon the earth ; their
fruits are of the earth ; their conversation is upon the earth, (not in
heaven ;) their thoughts are upon the earth, and they bring forth
briars and thorns, (having fallen away from the truth of which they
have had, and profess still to have the light and the knowledge,) and
are nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. (Heb. vi. 8.)
Thus no word could possibly have been selected so true and exact to
describe them.
These two, the sea and the earth, (that is, both infidels and the
professors of religion and piety,) do now agree in doctrine, and in
believing the same lie, and in denying the same Truth ; the Sea is
bold and undisguised, the Earth indirect and disguised in its error
and wickedness.
The lie they believe is one, and it includes all lies, namely, that
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 75
God is NOT the Creator, that is, He is not God ! And the truth
which they agree in denying, and which they will not receive and
acknowledge, is one, and it includes*all truth, namely, that God is
God alone. The philosophical and wise infidels, raging waves of the
Sea, say that the worlds are self-existent, self-created, that God did
not create them, they were not created at all, or they created them-
selves. The Earthly professors also, in their wisdom and knowledge
say the same, of the new and far more glorious, creation of God ;
namely, that it is self-existent and self-created, that God does not
himself alone, by his power alone, create his own redeemed people,
they create themselves if they please. This is to deny God, it is to
say there is no God, and all the train of confusion and lies follows
with this ; and yet the depths of Satan are such, that with this lie as
their fundamental doctrine, they make themselves appear to be, and
persuade themselves that they are the servants of God, even of him
whose word and doctrine they hate and deny.
The leading, the essential doctrine of the Earth is, that to believe
(which is to be created and made alive from the dead) is the work
of man ; that it is in the power of man, even of man, if he pleases !
This is a total denial of God the Creator, and it is idolatry, for it is
making corruptible man, even the man of sin, the wicked one, a
Creator and a god, exalting him above Him whom they yet pretend
to call God, as it is foretold should be in the last day before the
coming of Christ. (2 Thess. ii. 3.)
This lie, which to them is a pious, a benevolent and rational doc-
trine, namely, that a man may and can believe if he pleases, or that
it is in the power of man to believe, they insist upon and preach as
the means of inducing wicked men to turn to God ! without it they
have no hope whatever that a man can be saved ! Thus they have
no hope whatever, but in the Power of Man ! all their Gospel is the
Power of Man ! and after such a compliment paid to human supre-
macy and power, they trust the wicked beast can hardly refuse, yea,
he may perchance be persuaded and induced, even by the grace of
God, (which they make an auxiliary to their own omnipotence,) to
put forth his Power and ascend into heaven ! and then, having thus
exalted himself, and sitting in the temple of God, this Wicked One
lyingly pretends to ascribe all the glory to the grace of God, by
which hypocrisy they also proclaim their doctrine and faith to be
nothing but a lie, and thus they are involved in lies and confusion,
and are truly a City of Confusion, that is, Babylon !
This their doctrine is entirely their own invention, and is the fruit
of their own wisdom and knowledge, for there is not one word nor
syllable nor letter in the whole Scripture of God, from beginning to
end, containing such an abominable doctrine and wicked lie ! How
then do they persuade themselves that they find this their doctrine
in the Scriptures? They obtain it by inference, by their own gross
and earthly argumentation and reasoning, by forming their own
fleshly deductions and inferences from the spiritual Word of life !
They argue and infer that because the Word says " Believe" —
76 THE GOSPEL OF GOD.
" Repent and believe the Gospel,^'' that therefore it is as a matter of
course in the power of man to repent and believe the Gospel ! And
so their whole faith and religion and all their hopes and vain confi-
dences are built and founded upon a vain and fleshly inference of the
human understanding, and thus are they built upon the foundation of
man, a scarlet beast ! on this are they seated, as well as their Mother,
the Mother of harlots, (Rev. xvii. 3,) upon whose more gross corpo-
real idolatry and harlotry they have more spiritually and hypocriti-
cally refined.
" By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the
host of them by the breath of his mouth !" " He spake, and it teas
done .'" By the same Word of the Lord, which is Christ, and by
the same breath of his mouth, which is the Spirit of God, we are
begotten again to a lively hope ; that is, by the same Word and
Mighty Power of God our Creator, we believe ! and live ! We are
his workmanship, and He is our Creator ! (Eph. ii. 10.) As a man
cannot even enter into this earthly life, in which as soon as we be
born we go astray, speaking lies, so much more a man cannot
believe, that is, enter or be born into that eternal life in which we
live in Christ the Righteousness of God ! Of both lives God is the
Creator; yea, the Lord, He is God, and besides him there is no other
God, and especially the wicked one is not as God, able to create
himself!
As it is wicked and rebellious (Is.) to complain that this earthly
life is the gift and creation of God, so it is much more wicked to
rebel against the fact that faith, the entering into heavenly life, is
His gift, and that they to whom it is given are his creation ! Where-
fore it is not in the power of man to believe, as it is not in his power
to create : he is not God !
What use? what good then is it, (says the proud and ignorant mind
of fleshly man,) to preach the Gospel .' if it is not at all in the power
of man to believe ? and if faith is (as it surely is) altogether and only
the work, word and power of God ? Thou fool ! (Psalm.) What
use 1 what good then was it that God should speak the word and
call the worlds into existence, if it was not at all in the power of the
worlds to exist themselves 1 But if God had not spoken the word
they would never have been created ; and so also if Christ did not
make the word of his gospel, namely, " Believe," to be heard, no
one would or could be saved! Therefore the preaching of the Gospel
is to them that are saved, the Power of God, but to them that perish,
abiding in unrighteousness) it is foolishness. When the dead, (and
to do unrighteousness is to be dead,) when the dead hear the voice
of Christ, they live: therefore it is that the Gospel is preached, (for
it is the voice of Christ,) that they who are dead and whom he
pleases to make alive, yea, only whom he pleases, may hear and
live ! " The Son quickeneth whom he will .'" Therefore the Gospel
of God is the word of God, it is the very Voice and Power of God !
by which the worlds were made, by which the dead are made alive,
that is, believe ; and it is " according to the good pleasure of his
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 77
will." It is the same word and Power of God by which all things
were made, without any power to make themselves ; when he merely
" spake, it was done ! he commanded and they stood fast !"
It is therefore the most abominable and most audacious Atheism,
to say that it is man, that wicked one, who if he only pleases, has
power to believe ! that is, has power though he is dead and exists
not spiritually, to create himself and enter into life, if he pleases !
This is that exaltation of sinful man (or the man of sin) above all
that is called God, (merely called by courtesy, God,) which is spoken
of by the Apostle ! (2 Thess. ii. 4.) This is his Time, in which he
is now fully revealed ! But as the Lord God liveth, who verily is
the Creator, the Time shall be no longer !
The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that
hear shall live ! Therefore blessed be God, yea, for ever blessed be
our God, for preaching his Gospel, for it is the voice of the Son of
God, which raiseth the dead and maketh them alive ; which word, if
it were not spoken and they did not hear, they never would live,
there would be no salvation ! He speaks the word, and they hear,
and believe, and live ! But why do not all hear ? because they
are wickedly and maliciously rebellious, haters of God, and disobe-
dient, that is, dead. And why do some of the rebellious and disobe-
dient hear? because God will have mercy and give them ears to
hear ; it is everlasting mercy ! " yea, upon the rebellious also, that
the Lord God may dwell amon^, that is, in them /" When they
believe, they enter into life ; they are born, and verily they are born
" not of the will of the jlesh, nor of the will of man, hut of God,"
for it is only God who is merciful, who hath good will towards man
and will save many ! So he who believes is born of God and is a
child of God, and he can joyfully praise God and give glory to him,
saying, Blessed art thou O God, my God, for to Thee I owe my
existence in Christ, thou hast created me and not I myself, thanks,
thanks be to Thee, O my Father and my Creator, Glory be only to
Thee, O My God, by thy great favour I am what I am !
Yea, let God's children who believe in his name, his Power, his
Grace, his Righteousness, even in Him, for all this is Him, let
them know and love the Truth, (and God will give them understand-
ing and the Spirit of a sound mind,) lest they be wise in their own
conceits, lest they fall into the error of the wicked, and not acknow-
ledge God to be the Creator of all things in heaven and in earth.
For the time now is when men will not endure sound doctrine,
(2 Tim. iv. 3,) but it is the foundation and comer-stone of their
religion to deny that God is the Creator, that He is God alone !
Man of sin says that he is as God, that he is creator, and creates
himself into the kingdom of heaven (that is, he believes and can
believe) if he only pleases, according to the pleasure of his will !
Such are the strong delusions which God in his just indignation has
sent upon the earth, (even upon the religious world, because they
received not the truth in the love of it,) that Satan has both seduced
men to overthrow God's holy law of right and wrong, and set up in
its stead all sorts of vain and foolish laws, and fanciful criterions of
78 THE GOSPEL OP GOD.
good which they have invented, and has also led them utterly and
altogether, and withal boldly daringly and confidently to deny God the
Creator, and set up sinful man as God ! and all this is done under the
very name and pretence of being very zealous for God and serving
him ! This time has been foretold, its limits are marked out, and
the day is close at hand that it shall be no longer : yea, let not the
man of sin, let not the false prophets and teachers of his lies think
to go on much longer, for God hath confirmed by an oath the cer-
tainty of the approaching end of all these abominations. He causeth
his servant to swear that as the Lord liveth this Time shall be no
longer !
Let the elect and beloved child of God, to whom it is given to
believe in his Name, know that God is the Creator, that he has a
family in heaven, and will add to them from out of the earth, (Jude,
v. 22,) and also from out of the sea, out of which, as the Prophet
Isaiah has said, he will save a multitude ; and they are all elect :
they are his workmanship, it is according to the good pleasure
of his will, according to his Grace, and his everlasting purpose
of love ! Thus it is, He who made heaven and all that is therein,
and the Earth and all that is therein, and the Sea and all that
therein is ! The only reason why Michael is his archangel, is
because God has made him such ; the only reason why his holy
angels are holy and in heaven, is because God has made them
such and placed them there ; and let him know also, that the only
reason why a sinner is or will be saved out of the Earth, and out of
the Sea, why he will hear and believe, is only because it is the gra-
cious will and pleasure of God the Creator to have everlasting mercy
upon him ! because He giveth him life, giving him to believe, having
chosen him before the foundation of the world, to dwell in him ! All
is merely according to his pleasure ! '■'■for thy pleasure they are and
were created /" (Rev. iv. 11.) God is God alone !
This first and most glorious Name of God in Christ, cannot be
given to another, nor be arrogated by creatures of any kind, much
less by exceedingly sinful creatures ! it is this, "God who created !"
But they who daringly affirm and imagine that man of sin can give
himself life if he pleases, can raise himself from the dead, can create
himself into life, can hear and believe, if he an evil and disobedient
creature pleases, they affirm and imagine that he being exceedingly
evil is as God ! And thus the doctrine of the Sea and of the Earth,
(of the philosophical world and of the religious world,) astonishing as
it is, is truly one and the same ; showing that without knowing it,
(for they are blind,) they belong to and serve one same master,
Satan. To such an end his own wisdom and knowledge has led the
earthly wise man. (Is. xlvii. 10.) The Sea believes that the worlds
created themselves and are self-existent, and the Eartii (the religious
professors) believe the same of a creation far more exceedingly
glorious and eternal ! Against the wicked doctrine of both (which
is the doctrine of devils) God testifies : the doctrine of both, is one
and the same, altiiough they so bitterly hate each other, and fight
and are divided, yet Satan's kingdom is not divided, it is one ; his
THE GOSPEL OF GOD. 79
divinity and morality is one, the doctrines of the Sea and the Earth
are one, and the whole of it is, the exalting of the power and wisdom
and goodness and virtue of a wicked and malicious beast, and denying
and rejecting the Power and Goodness and Mercy and Salvation of
God ! Therefore, in preaching and testifying against them both, he
who writes these words preaches and testifies, that is, sets his feet
upon both of them, placing one foot upon the sea and the other upon
the earth, and cries against them with a loud voice, and thus the
Scriptures are fulfilled, which cannot be broken !
Their doctrine is one, and the source is one, it is the pride and
rebellion of Satan ! To deny God's election of Grace, to dare to
deny his sole Power and Will in creating by the voice of his word
the living and believing man, is Atheism. The Sea denies that he is
the Creator of the worlds, that is its Atheism ; the Earth denies that
he is the Creator of heaven, and that is its Atheism ! And this
denial of the Power of God they call religion and piety ! Most
astonishing depths of Satan ! wonderful all-deceivableness of un-
righteousness ! that Atheism and Idolatry of the worst and foulest
description should pass off" before men for truth and faith and love
and zeal and obedience to God ! It is the highest possible pitch to
which wickedness could attain, and the highest possible pitch of
deceit and pride and hypocrisy !
END OF PART I.
A LITTLE BOOK OPEN.
PART THE SECOND.
CONTAINING
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
TO HIS SERVANTS.
" Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein ; for the time is at hand."
FROM THE HAND OF JOHN WHITEHEAD.
11
A LITTLE BOOK OPEN.
PART THE SECOND.
INTRODUCTION.
The revelation of Jesus Christ does not refer to the events of this
world, nor to the revolutions and convulsions of men ; these things
which are of great dignity in the eyes of men, are of no more real
importance than the fightings of dogs over a bone. They relate only
to the humble events which concern the truth and doctrine of Christ,
and his elect, a people unknown to the world : these are things
which, though little in the eyes of men, God careth for.
If this book of revelation had contained a prophecy of human events,
then it would have required a study of human history to understand
it, all which history is written by the spirit of falsehood and vain
glory. God does not send his people to such falsehood, in order that
they may understand his truth.
When Christ Jesus was in humiliation on the earth, greatly suf-
fering in the body which had been prepared for him, for the ungodly,
though he was and is the Power of God, and upheld all things ;
though it was he who had given Augustus his empire, and gave him
whatever wisdom he had to rule, yet he took no part in, and be-
stowed no notice whatever upon the things of the world. So also
the Scriptures of the new testament which are the word of his mouth,
bestow no notice whatever upon the events of the world. So also
84 INTRODUCTION.
this book of revelation and prophecy bestows not the least notice
upon the things and glories of this world, nor stops to record the
roaring and fluctuations of the sea, that is, the world. It is of very
little importance to those who look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen, to know who were the great
men, and what were the great events of that which perisheth for
ever. Of these things the people of God, (not many of whom are
wise men after the flesh,) generally know very little ; but with what
relates to the preaching of the Gospel, with the many pretences to
the truth of God in which they are sought to be ensnared, with those
who give themselves out to be possessors of the truth, these poor
people are often better acquainted than the wise and learned of this
world. These are things which come home to the humble and igno-
rant after this world : these are things God's people know well ;
these are things which make them stagger and be at their wits' end ;
these are things in which they want light and instruction ; and these
are the very things in which God in his mercy and compassion to-
wards them, has graciously given them light and instruction, even by
this sure word of prophecy. Herein the wisdom and goodness of
God is to be seen. Here is wisdom.
If any should enquire why the greater part of Christendom is
passed over with but slight notice, and that the professors in England
and America have more notice bestowed upon them, let him reflect,
that when the account of the falling away and the first beast is given,
then all the religious history of all the people settled down under the
gross and external abominations of the beast, is given once for all,
even if their time was to be prolonged for ages and ages. The
worship of the first beast is open, external, and not to be mistaken ;
no child of God could be deceived by it, or for a moment suppose
such Christians to be servants of the most high God. But in Pro-
testant countries the abomination of the beast is veiled and covered
under deeper disguise and more spiritual refinements : in England
and America, the worship of the beast and its image is spiritual
wickedness, so deceitful and so all deceivablc, that if it were possible
they would deceive the very elect. All their false doctrine is wrapped
up in Scripture language, and pretended to be derived with great
reverence from the word of God : in these countries Satan is trans-
formed into an angel of light, and they pretend to hate and abjure
the beast, while all their churches are harlots, painted up in their
own works and admiring their own garments, and all seated upon
the same foundation, viz. man and his piety and his good-doing.
They answer to Judah ; while the more gross idolaters of the Roman
and Greek churches answer to Israel or Samaria. Now, though
Judah had a great zeal against external idolatry, while Israel openly
set up a false worship, yet it was by Judah, with all its apparent
purity, that our Lord was crucified.
Therefore God, the only wise God has given, once for all, the
history of the more gross and not to be mistaken abominations,
INTRODUCTION. 85
under the revelation of the first beast, which arose first an undis-
guised beast ; and he has more fully opened and exposed the deeper,
darker, more spiritual and more deceivable refinements of that beast
which kept rising after the first, in a new form, disguised and looking
" like a lambJ''' This is the beast which ascendeth out of the bot-
tomless pit of the earth, out of the depths of the profound whoredoms
of earthly religious men ; this is the beast which is exalted as the
doer of good, in the place of the Holy One ; this is the son of
perdition ; the whole body and collection of whose worshippers is
called spiritually a city, even Sodom and Egypt, and this beast is
the Protestant earth and body of earthly worshippers, who call them-
selves the pious the godly and the evangelical.
Here are two nations of the world, the Catholics and the Protest-
ants, whom God has taken and chosen out of all the people of the
world, to whom alone of all the nations he has given his word of
truth, and both of them have utterly perverted, despised, set at
naught and trampled upon his truth ! The first and by far the largest
number have done this at an early period, openly and boldly ; but
the last, the Protestant professors, have done the same gradually,
deceitfully, and with hypocritical falsehood, pretending to love Him
and to be obedient to all his word ! Both of them have surpassed all
other nations in evil doing, in hatred and covetousness, so that the
name in which they glory, viz. Christian, has come to signify a de-
ceiver and a wicked man among the other nations. The first and
largest of these two great divisions answers to Israel or Samaria,
the smallest who have had the temple of God, even his elect among
them, answers to Judah and Benjamin. The same course which
those vineyards of God in former times pursued, has been acted over
again in these last times, by those to whom alone above all other
nations God hath given the knowledge of his truth ; showing plainly,
even by facts, that the wickedness of man is the same in all ages ;
that there is no hope at all in man, — no, not even when he is greatly
blessed above all other men, not even when he has all truth and
knowledge delivered to him ; showing plainly, that with every
promise and inducement and teaching, men will not depart from evil
and learn to do good ; showing that if the world went on for endless
ages yet it would only be the same scene of villany and hypocrisy,
acted over and over again : also showing by woful and long expe-
rience, that since there is no hope in man, if God himself had not,
of his own mercy and pleasure, reserved a remnant, no flesh should
be saved !
Let not these two nations of men expect to escape because God
has suffered their wickedness so long ; for they see before their eyes
at this very day, a former people who also like them possessed the
knowledge of his truth and yet loved unrighteousness, who, like them,
neither did righteousness themselves, and would not receive the
righteousness of God, — they see them now, monuments of his right-
eous vengennce, scattered over the face of the earth and proclaiming
eo INTRODUCTION.
to all men, that they who, being taught of God, do refuse instruction
and turn not to Him, but do unrighteousness, they shall not by any
means go unpunished. He who has scattered Israel will gather
them again, for they will repent and turn to God, God will turn
them and give them repentance ; and the Gentiles, who have done
worse than Israel, will be cast off and punished more terribly than
they have been.
THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
The Book of the Revelations contains a clear history of the false-
hood and abomination which should prevail in the Christian world,
and which should pass under the name of the " Christian Religion,"
while it was all the time opposed to the truth of Christ and to his
doctrine. The history of the Church of Christ is revealed, from the
day of Pentecost down to the end of all things ; and it is revealed
how, after the first 700 years of the Christian era, falsehood and
abomination should prevail over the truth, and the church of Christ,
the elect of God, should be trampled under foot, and not be recognised
nor known in the world, until the time allotted for the prevalence of
false churches (which time is 1260 years) should be no more. In
all this time the history of God's church is distinctly given and pre-
served, in the midst of the falsehood and abomination by which the
truth should be overcome and trampled to the ground : and that
falsehood and abomination is most clearly revealed, and also the
various names and shapes it should assume.
The kingdom of Christ is not of this world, and the history of
God's church and people is not to be found or traced in any ecclesi-
astical history, or records of the various sects. No church or sect
or religious corporation that has ever existed in all this time, has
been a church of God ; his people have been scattered among all the
tribes and kindreds of the earth, that is, among all the sects of the
religious world. Thus the heavenly Jerusalem, the holy city of
God's elect, has been trodden under foot by the Gentiles, and the
truth of God, when preached, has only been preached as it were in
sackcloth, during all this time of 1260 years.
Mournful and desolate as the condition of Zion has been all this
time, (for the abomination of false doctrine and human righteousness,
that swine's flesh offering, has made altogether desolate,) yet God,
the only wise God has, by this very means, (by this long remaining
of the heavenly Jerusalem in the wilderness, that is, in desolation,)
preserved the world from being destroyed, and at the same time has
preserved his truth in the world, by which many (a multitude that
no man can number) have been saved. For, so soon as the elect of
God shall be manifest in the world, and the power and glory and
beauty of Christ shall be manifest in them, they will be hated by all
men ; brother and sister and children and parents will rise up against
88 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
them and deliver some of them to death ; there will be a general
confederacy and alliance against them, in order utterly to destroy
them from the face of the earth ; and then will Christ appear in the
clouds of heaven, to deliver them and destroy his enemies. This
malicious warfare and this great destruction and terrible vengeance,
would have taken place before the appointed time, and before all
God's people had been gathered in, if God had not hidden his truth
in the wilderness, and if the church of Christ had been manifest
before the time which was appointed to be fulfilled.
CHAPTER I.
V. 4. " John to the seven churches which are in Asia^ Asia
Minor signifies the whole Christian earth, or Christendom ; the elect
of God have been cities in the midst of this earth ; the rivers of
Asia Minor signify Christian nations. Asia here spoken of, is a very
small part of the whole globe, and so also Christendom, or the
Christian part of the earth, has been and is but a very small portion
of the whole population of the world. This chapter is introductory
to a general history or view of the elect people of God which is
revealed in the two following chapters. The seven churches in Asia,
are the elect people of God in the midst of the Christian or profess-
ing world, (called Asia, or the earth,) from the first preaching of the
Gospel down to the present day.*
THE GENERAL HISTORY. CHAPTERS H. HI.
The second and third chapters contain a brief summary of the
general history of God's people, at seven different periods at which
they lived. This general summary is first given, previous to a more
full and more particular revelation of events happening to each, which
are afterwards revealed in succeeding chapters.
V. 1st to 7th. The first believers are called the Church at Ephe-
sus; even at this early period the church of God had enemies and
false adherents in and around them, so that the tares choked the
wheat. John lived in this church when he wrote this Revelation.
V. 8th. The second church is Smyrna : at this period of the
Christian era, the ten distinct persecutions, events well known, took
place : they are here called " tribulation, ten days ;" but in the midst
of poverty and persecution, God's people were faithful unto death.
V. 12th. The third church is Pergamos : this being a city more
in the heart of Asia than either Ephesus or Smyrna, (which are
only on the edge,) shows that the profession of Christianity had
advanced more in the world and spread to a greater extent ; the two
first churches having been only on the outskirts, as it were, of the
population of the world ; (for these two cities are on the seaboard,
* That enrlhly men, earthly minded professors of earthly relig-ion arc called
the " Earth," need surprise no one ; for even men themselves call those who are
worldly and worldly minded the " World."
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 89
or margin of Asia, that is, Christendom.) An increased corruption
is shown to have arisen around the church of God : now at this
period there are preachers who make a living and get money by
preaching, and who preach for hire and honour ; this is the doctrine
of Balaam.
V. 18. The fourth Church is Thyatyra : in this age the esta-
blishment of an earthly hierarchy begins, and that whoredom begins
which consists in thinking to please God by human deeds, by doing
something : this is that Religion which is called the Harlot or the
Whore. But it is begun gradually and seducingly, Jezebel the
whore of Rome now first shows herself, seducing to commit forni-
cation ; that is, to think to obtain a union with Christ by giving
something : this is fornication ; and to think to entice or attract
God's favour by the robe of human works is whoredom.* This
way of Jezebel had been prepared by the false preachers of the
church preceding, who had begun to teach fornication, that is, to
teach that a union with Christ was to be obtained by purchase, by
the money of praying, &;c.
The Falling away now takes place : (that is, falling from Grace,
which is heaven, all the people of God became earthly, they fell
from heaven : which falling away consists in being justified by the
law, getting righteousness by our doing good. Gal. v. 4.) The
church of the Beast rises up in this age, which rise of the Beast is
afterwards particularly described in a separate chapter. Thyatyra,
lying almost in the centre of Asia Minor, shows that Christianity
* When men preach, saying', that if you do something, if you pray, read the
Bible, go to Church, &c. &c. then you shall be saved, you will be a Christian and
have the salvation of Christ, they are fornicators; these conditions are a money
which men think to pay to be united with Christ, for that union is our salvation J
for this is fornication and it is most abominable. Christ takes his people, whom
he will, into union with himself " without money and without price," for nothing.
The purchase is on his side ; he has purchased them for himself, as his bride.
When men preach that if you are very pious and religious, if you do many good
works, if you labour to be righteous and not commit sin, then you will please God,
then he will love you, they are whoremongers, this is whoreixim : for it is imagin-
ing to obtain God's love and favour by putting on decorations and garments by
which to please him. God is only pleased in Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God ; his
offering, his work, his daily sacrifice is alone acceptable and well pleasing to God,
All other works and Righteousness but his, are abomination and abominable.
When men preach that you are under the law, and united with Christ at the
same time, bound to do good by the law, and yet being perfectly good and right-
eous in Christ, this is Adultery : for it is being married to Christ while the first
husband is yet living, in full authority over you. It is abominable adultery to think
of bringing forth fruit to God by the law, and of bringing forth fruit by Jesus
Christ at the same time 1 This is Adultery.
In the early ages of Christianity Satan did not think of seducing men out of the
right way by adultery, because the truth was too well established that Christ alone
was the Saviour, and that the Law was not a helpmate in this salvation : accord-
ingly he began his seductions by teaching fornication, pretending tliat God was so
very good and gracious tiiat men had only to offer him a little bribe, and then if
they would only give even but a little trifle, they would be saved by Jesus Christ.
The guilt and abomination of Adultery was reserved for this last and adulterous
generation. And inasmuch as an adulteress is worse than a harlot, so the protest-
ant churches are worse than the harlot of Rome.
12
90 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
had spread into the midst of the earth which it should occupy : and
it being a city famous for the manufacture of purple dye, it is with
the more force and justice applied to represent the age when the
purple diadem of Rome was first set up. This period brings us
down to the first seven hundred years of the Christian era, to the
week of centuries spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, in the midst of
which week the abomination of false doctrine was set up, and the
daily, constant work and sacrifice of Christ, his pure and unceasing
offering and oblation of his own religious work, ceased to be offered,
and instead thereof the sacrifice of the Mass, the offering of human
deeds and human righteousness, was set up. This falling from Grace,
which is a falling from heaven, which now began, has continued in
Christendom, or the earth, ever since, for it should continue 1260
years, as was revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ and his prophets
and Apostles before ever it began. During this whole week God
confirmed his Everlasting Covenant of the Gospel with many, even
with multitudes who were his people, his hidden ones ; and therefore,
notwithstanding the gradually rising and constantly increasing power
and glory of the false church around them, yet the people of God
enjoyed, for 700 years, the full light and glory of the Gospel Cove-
nant, and were full of might by the Power of the Holy Ghost, though
not recognised in the world, nor to be heard of in the religious
annals and ecclesiastical chronicles of those or any days. Such a
glory and power and blessing and full assurance of understanding,
and out-pouring of God's spirit, never, since this 700 years, till now,
have the elect of God enjoyed, or even suspected it was to be en-
joyed.*
Chap. 3, V. 1. The next age of Christianity described by the
Lord Jesus Christ, is the Church of Sardis. This consists of God's
elect people scattered up and down in the Church of Rome, and
overcome by the Beast ; it carries us as far as the period of what is
called the Reformation, when they " had a name that they lived,'^
which name and renown they have to this day.
V. 7. The next period is the Church in Philadelphia : this com-
prehends that time which succeeded some time after the schism or
separation from the Church of Rome, when the truth of God was
* The Prophet Daniel has brought down liis prophecy, from his own day exactly
to this very period, in the four last verses of iiis ninth chapter.
In the 25lh verse tlie Prophet foretells the time which would elapse from the
second buildingf of the Temple to the coming of Christ, viz. 483 years, or 6!) weeks,
a day designating a year.
In the 26th verse, he foretells the death and suffering of Christ for his people, and
the destruction of the Temple and the ruin of the Jewish nation by the Roman-
Prince Titus, which followed shortly after the death of Christ, when there was in-
deed a flood of horror and desolation to the end of the war.
In the 27th verse he foretells the events of the first 700 years (or week of centu-
ries) of the Ciiristian era ; viz. that God would confirm his covenant in Christ for
this period, but that in the midst of this 700 years the Abomination and corruption
of falsehood should be set up, and that this would make desolate (as it has done) :
but a consummation, an end of this long time of desolation is determined, which
now is nigh at hand. Thus Daniel in these verses brings down the prophecy to
the church of Thyatyra, when the Abomination was set up.
THE REVELAflON OF JESUS CHRIST. 91
known and possessed by God's people, especially in England, to an
extent which the first reformers had not known. But greatly as
the people of God at this period were blessed, yet even they also
were overcome by the Beast, lor his time was not yet ended :
though they were out of the Church of Rome, yet another Beast,
different from the Romish Church, and more like a lamb than it,
with a very numerous name, had now begun to arise out of the Earth,
as is particularly described in a subsequent chapter. The people of
God were overcome and mixed up with the Beast which arose out
of the Earth, or persecuted and slain when they attempted to escape
from its bonds ; for " it. exercised all the power of the first beast.''''
In the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was given to the harlot, or church
of England, to overcome the saints of God, so that many were sin-
cerely joined to it, and many were slain or imprisoned who attempted
to escape from it.
But at this period, notwithstanding the power of the Beast, God's
two witnesses, the Law and the Gospel, had not finished their testi-
mony, they still prophesied, though in sackcloth ; the Beast which
now was rising had not yet overcome and slain them as it should do,
and has now done in this day ; the elect of God, this Church at
Philadelphia, held fast to the truth, they had " a little strength,''^
(v. 8.) This is the brightest period that occurs since the falling
away in the week of seven hundred years. The people of God did
not deny the name of Christ, " The Lord our Righteousness,"
for that is his name ! They held fast to this glorious name and kept
his word. Therefore it is promised to this Church (v. 10) that they
should be kept from the hour of temptation which is about to come
upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the Earth ; thus
showing that a time of trial or temptation was coming upon the
Earth (that is, the professors of religion) to try them. Which
accordingly did come after this period, as is fully and particularly
related in succeeding chapters of this wonderful Revelation. To this
church Christ first says, what he said to none of the former churches,
" Behold I come quickly,'''' showing that the next and last period is
close to the time of his glorious coming.
V. 14. This next and last period in the histor}'^ of the churches,
is the Church in Laodicea : It consists of all the elect of God in this
day, and since the hour of temptation which has tried the Earth.
Notwithstanding the abominable heresies and falsehoods which have
overspread the Earth, (the religious wor'd and all the various sects,)
notwithstanding the gross delusions and lies which the Earth has
swallowed up greedily, and which Satan has poured out of his mouth
like a flood, they have not swallowed them, nor have they belonged
to the Confederacies and good-doing Societies of the Earth ; they
have believed in the name of the Son of God, " The Lord oitr
Righteousness," and in his Righteousness and his only ; they have
trusted in God's Everlasting Love, and joyed solely in his Election
of Grace ; this has been their constant theme and constant joy, and
the Earth has been tormented with their doctrine, despising them
and callinor iheni Antinomians and licentious in their doctrine.
92 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CURIST.
Though there have been wicked men who have taken up these doc-
trines, and the covetous and idolaters have been joined with them,
yet among them have been the Elect of God ; these outcast people
are the Church of Laodicea. Their doctrine has been an utter
horror and abomination to the religious world, the children of the
bondman.* But though despised and reviled by the Earth, and
abhorred by the pious and evangelical adulterers, that is, who being
married to the Law, pretended to be united to Christ, yet they have
not despised nor thought lightly of themselves. Seeing more clearly
the truth of their own doctrine, from the manifest falsehood and
fleshliness of the Religion of the earthly men, they have been puffed
up and have triumphed vaingloriousl5^ To perceive and to cry out
against falsehood and lying doctrines, has been to them instead of all
truth ; they have been puffed up with knowledge, and said they were
rich and increased in goods, (v. 17.) Boasting and vain glory has
been their characteristic, joined also with such a life as has made
the enemy triumph. They have had no strength, but been overcome
by the devil, and been given over to do unrighteousness ; thus have
they been spued out of his mouth by the Lord whom they have so
greatly dishonoured by their pride and self-conceit and folly.
Laodicea is the most remote and most inland city of the seven
cities of Asia, showing that this city of the living God (for verily
they only have been the people of God in these last days) is the last
and most remote of the seven churches or cities of God's elect people,
which have been successively in the midst of the earth of professors,
in the different ages of the Christian era. None of these seven
cities or churches of God's people have been visible and separate,
and been cities set upon a hill, glorifying God and unmixed with
human religion, except the three first, Ephesus, Smyrna and Perga-
mos. To the churches which come after these three, " what they
have," or, " the things which remain,'''' are spoken of; showing that
what now they possessed and knew, was only as it were a remnant
or a part : " things which remain," are not spoken of to the three
first churches, for they had an unction from the Holy One, and knew
all things. False and harlot churches have, since the first three,
passed among men for Christian churches, and falsehood and lies for
the " Christian Religion," and heathen, wicked people have passed
for Christians before the world, while the elect of God, the city of
God, his Jerusalem, has been trodden under foot, and been cast out
and hated and persecuted in the sight of the harlot churches of the
Earth ,- for a fixed time, (namely, 1260 years,) power has been given
to the Beast, and this imposition of the devil, of his servants for
servants of God, of his doctrines for doctrines of God, and of his
churches for churches of God, has been suffered and permitted, and
power has been given to them to overcome the saints. But this
time shall now be no longer, saith the Lord who liveth for ever !
* All the other churches are spoken of as a city, but this as a people, " the La-
odiceans," showing their miserable situation, like a city or collection of people
without walls; it is a vineyard, the wails or hedges of which are broken down and
burnt up.
THE KEVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 93
CHAPTERS IV., V.
Aftei- this general summary of the churches and their condition,
John has a view of heaven opened, and the book of the revelation ot
events which should come to pass in the world can only be opened
by Christ Jesus the Lamb of God ; none other is able to make this
wonderful Revelation, but God in Christ, and none can open it but
him : therefore this book is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
It differs in an extraordinary manner from all former prophesy, be-
cause (as will be seen by all those to whom God shall give under-
standing) it contains a continued, uninterrupted and connected history
of all the great and principal events which relate to God's people,
from the very first preaching of the Gospel, on the day of Pentecost,
to the end of all things. It is not a prophesy of one event only, but
it is a complete Book of Revelation, a relation of future events given
ages before the time, and relating them in the very order in which
they came to pass.
When the Lamb took the book, the whole company in heaven fell
down and worshipped him, ascribing to Him glory and honour and
power, (ch. v. 8.) That which excited admiration in heaven itself,
is well worthy our praise and admiration and worship, here on earth.
Let us therefore ascribe all glory to Jesus the Christ, the Lamb ot
God, as we read and understand. A peculiar blessing is pronounced
upon those who hear and keep the words of this prophecy ; for many
will not hear, but will reject them to their own everlasting confu-
sion.
CHAPTER VI.
V. 1, 2. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard, as it
were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying. Come and see. And I
saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown
was given unto Iiim : and he went forth conquering and to conquer.
Here is shown the first beginning of the Gospel, which began to
be published on the day of Pentecost. As warriors went to battle
on horses, so also a horse is used in Scripture to signify the energy
and going forth of the spiritual soldier. Here it is a white horse,
signifying it was the pure unsullied Gospel which now was sent forth ;
it was to conquer, as also it did. The first age of Christianity is
here described, and the progress and success of the simple Gospel,
in the time of the Church in Ephesus.
V. 3, 4. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say,
Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red ; and power was
given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should
kill one another : and there was given unto him a great sword.
This is the second age of the Christian era, corresponding with
the Church of Smyrna. Under the figure of a red horse is repre-
sented the bloody persecutions which the followers of the Gospel
now suffered at various times and from different princes ; they are
called the ten persecutions ; it is the tribulation of ten days, revealed
to the Church of Smyrna in the second chapter.
94 THE REVELATION OP JESUS CHRIST.
V. 5, 6. And when he had opened the third seal, I Iieard the third beast say,
Come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse ; and he that sat on him had a
pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say,
A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny ; and
see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This is the third period, corresponding with the Church in Perga-
mos. Here is represented under the figure of a black horse, the first
successful beginning of the preaching of darkness and false doctrine.
The pair of balances, show what that false doctrine consisted in, viz.
selling, weighing out as it were by scales in the balance the Gift of
God, which gift is eternal life in Jesus Christ. Now first began to
prevail that false, lying and abominable preaching which says, (though
with much plausible disguise and stoutly denying that it means what
it says,) " you must first do this or that, (pray, seek, read the Bible,
go to church, &;c.) and then, if you do this you shall be saved !"
Thus saying, if a man gives something then God will give something :
this is selling and buying. Thus they make the blessed Gospel of
God a matter of bargain and purchase. These are " the balances of
deceit,'"' spoken of in other places of the Scripture. This is the
doctrine of Balaam, which in the former chapter the Church of
Pergamos was said to be infected with. Such preachers put this
stumbling block of fornication before the children of God as Balaam
did to the people when they were just on the threshold of the pro-
mised country, and thereby destroy they many souls who are seduced
and destroyed and never enter in. It is appropriately called fornication,
for fornication is obtaining that by money and purchase which ought
only to be got by lawful marriage ; this is fornication ; union by
purchase and giving gifts, and not by marriage. So they teach that
we must first give something (however little it be) in order to enter
into union with Christ !
" A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures cf barley
for a pe7iny." By wheat and barley are signified the blessings of
the Gospel, both great and small, which constitute that blessed spi-
ritual bread which feeds the hungry. By a penny is signified the
paltry little doings of man, which it was preached must be paid or
done in order to get (that is, to buy) the bread and life of the Gospel.
It was now, in this age, that gospel life was preached as being
conditional, though to disguise the atrocious wickedness of such a
fornicating bargain, the condition, the purchase, was made very little
and trifling, viz. only a penny / As if God, who would not sell his
exceeding rich Grace and goodness for a great deal, — as if he would
sell it for a very little !
But, though the mystery of iniquity was already working, God
hindered (or let) and the truth of Christ was yet manifest in the world,
there was yet oil and wine, that is, the elect of God still possessed
the full atjointing of the Spirit of God, and the pure wine of the
Gospel unmixed with water ; these were not to be hurt by the false
teachers of earthly doctrines, for lie, even Christ, hindered, until
power was given to the Beast, and he that is Christ was taken out
of the way to wait at God's right hand until the time should come
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 95
when he would again take to himself his great power. (2 Thess.
ii. 7.)
V. 7, 8. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name
that sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him : and power was given unto
them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and
with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Here now arrive in this next period, (which corresponds with the
Church in Thyatira,) the fatal and dreadful effects of the falsehood
begun to be preached in the preceding period. Now instead of the
Gospel, which is life, there is Death. Instead of the preaching of
the complete remission of sins, and deliverance from the law and
from condemnation, there is the preaching of death. Hell, that is,
condemnation and torment and suffering and fear, follows this preach-
ing. The preaching of death is the preaching of the Law, for the
Law slays us and we die. (Rs. vii. 9.) The horse is said to be
pale from the paleness of countenance and woe and misery of those
who are sincerely labouring under the law. The horse signifies the
preaching which now went forth ; and him that it carries signifies
what was preached, and his name was Death ; that is, it was no
longer the name of the Son of God, (The Lord our Righteousness,)
which was preached, but it was Death ; man's righteousness, man's
obedience to the Law. Hell followed with ; that is, condemnation
and darkness and torment and sin accompany such a ministration,
which is also called by the Apostle the " ministration of deaths It
was now that the Beast arose from the sea, (as is related afterwards
in a separate chapter.) Now the hierarchy of earthly religion began,
and the harlot church, Jezebel, spread forth her seductions: justly
and appropriately called a harlot, which every church and every
preaching or religion is where the Righteousness of God alone is
not alone taught and set forth. Because to imagine to please God
by any other Righteousness than that alone of Jesus Christ, and to
put on other robes than those of his righteousness, is to do as a
harlot does, viz. to paint the face and put on ornaments and dress
whereby to please and excite attention and give satisfaction. This,
viz. the dressing of human righteousness, is the Abomination, which
though highly pleasing to man is pronounced to be Abomination to
God. (Luke xvi. 15.)
But He in whom alone God is well pleased was not yet taken out
of the way, (2 Thesp. ii. 7,) he was still on the earth, in the flesh,
to them that received him, he, and he alone working righteousness ;
God hath not yet caused this sacrifice and oblation to cease. (Dan.
ix. 27.) The Beast, viz. the Church of Rome, had not yet acquired
complete dominion : the power it was afterwards to have was not yet
fully given it : power was now only given it over the fourth part of the
Earth, (that is, over a great proportion of the professing community,
but not over the saints of God,) to kill those earthly professors vith
sword (that is, the dreadful terror of the law) and itith hunger (that
is, a famine of the bread of life, the word of God) and with death
(that is, the despair and agony of the consciousness of guilt and con-
96 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
viction for sin) mid with the beasts of the earth, (that is, with false
and earthly doctrines of men by which souls are destroyed.) God's
holy city of Thyatyra, that is, his chosen people in whom he dwelt,
who had not the doctrine of Jezebel and had not known the depths of
Satan, still enjoyed the full blessings of heaven, even the Grace of
God, and were not yet fallen to earthly doctrines, were not yet over-
come by the beast.
V. 9, 10, 11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slaui for the word of God, and for the testimony which
they held : And they cried with a loud voice, saying. How long, O Lord, holy
and true, doSt thou not judge and avenge our blood on Iheni that dwell on the
earth ?
The prophetic history of this period is still continued : the saints
of God have been persecuted and slain by the Beast ; here are the
prayers of God's elect, " they cried loith a loud voice." And shall
not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto Him 1
He will avenge them speedily, as now will shortly be seen ! In verse
11, it is shown that as there have been bloody persecutions, there
are to be others yet. They were to rest for a season or Time,
(which Time is now nearly fulfilled, and shall be no longer.)
In the next verse we shall see the astonishing effects of the prayers
of God's elect. As Elijah prayed there should not be rain on the
earth, and it rained not for three years and a half, so now we shall
see the next terrible event which happens, is also in like manner in
reply to the prayers of the saints, whom God will avenge. Now it
will be seen that because of the wickedness of men in putting to
cruel deaths the saints of God, and because of their despising and
rejecting the free, unconditional Gospel of the rich Gift of God, now
God will reward them according to their works, and as they would
not have life, he will give them up to death, to total spiritual death :
and as they have despised and perverted the Gospel, they shall not
have it any longer to despise, but it shall be taken away from the
earth, and they shall have their own earthly doctrines and delusions
instead. The same terrible judgment and awful sentence will now
be inflicted and pronounced upon the Gentiles for their despising
Christ, which for the very same wickedness was inflicted upon the
Jews, viz. "Lei them not come into Thy Righteousness/" They
have loved their own righteousness and rejected the Righteousness
of God, which is by the faith of Christ, and they shall have their
own righteousness, and the Gospel of God shall be taken from them I
V. 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a
great earthquake ; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the rnoon
became as blood.
Now this terrible judgment is accomplished. Here is the event of
that falling away foretold by the prophets of old, and by the Apostles
of Jesus Christ.
It takes place as foretold by Daniel, in the midst of the first cen-
tennial week after the Messiah was cut oft' for the sins of his people.
It is total : and it will also be seen that there never has been a com-
plete restoration of the Gospel since this falling away down to the
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST- 97
present day. God's elect, in the very best church since that of Thya-
tyra, (viz. the Church in Philadelphia,) are declared to have had only
" a little strength,^'' (ch. iii. 8.) And it must be so ; much as the pride
of those who think they know every thing will rebel against it, for
the sure word of prophecy has declared that this falling away and
the power of false churches, should continue during the space of
1260 years.
The precise time when it began is not known, though it was in
the midst of the first 700 years ; and God has wisely ordered this,
by which the precise day and hour when it will be no longer cannot
be known, for this, says the Lord Christ, " knoweth no mariy hut only
my Father which is in heaven.''^
As God has shown that to enter into his Righteousness, yea, into
etern9,l life, is by His Grace, by his free gift, by his especial favour,
according to the good pleasure of his will, and not of him that will-
eth ; and as God has made known that this immense Gift is given
to whom he pleases only, and them he has chosen in Christ before
the foundation of the world, — as He has shown that it is entirely his
Gift by giving it, so now he will also show that it is entirely his Gift
and just as He pleases, by not giving it ! (Wo to those wicked
priests of Baal, who deceitfully say, " yes, it is his Gift,'^ and say,
afterwards, that something must be paid for it !)
" Lo ! there was a great earthquake ;" that is, a great shaking or
change and revolution took place in the religious world, which is
called the Earth.
" The Sun became black as sackcloth of hair ;" that is, the Gospel
of light and joy (which is compared to the Sun and is called the Sun
of Righteousness) was now darkened, and made a source of mourn-
ing and wo : Christians were now to be known by sackcloth and
ashes, and not by the oil of gladness and everlasting joys upon their
head. The genius of the religion of this period is fully described by
the word sackcloth, which became the covering of all who aimed at
eminent sanctity of the flesh.
" The Moon became as blood." As the Sun which rules by day
signifies the bright, glorious and gladsome Gospel, so the Moon
(which rules by night) signifies the holy Law of God which is given
for transgressors and the ungodly, to rule over darkness, to punish
disobedience, and avenge all unrighteousness and ungodliness. (1 Tim.
i. 9.) Blood signifies life, (as is said in Deuteronomy): and now it
was, that religious people (the Earth) sought life from the Law of
God, and not by Jesus Christ, and thus the Moon (the Law) was
turned into blood, that is, was represented as if it was the Gospel, as
if it gave life, it was now preached as the source of life and salva-
tion. The works and deeds and piety of men, their obediences to
the Law, were now preached as if they were life and atonement,
(that is, as blood) : Thus while the Gospel (the Sun) was darkened,
hidden and totally obscured by the sackcloth covering of austere
works of human righteousness, at the same time also the Law (the
Moon) became " as blood," as if it were the means of life and of
atonement.
13
98 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
V. 13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her
untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
" The stars of heaven fell vnto the earth, <!^'c." That is, the chil-
dren of God, those who had till now possessed the truth and followed
sound doctrine, in the midst of error and falsehood surrounding them,
now fell from heaven, that is, from the kingdom of Grace. They
fell " to the earth,^^ that is, they became earthly, and followers of
earthly, sensual, formal religion ; they became worshippers in the
outer tabernacle of the Law, not entering into the holiest of all, into
the presence of God, where he who believes has access by Jesus
Christ, and is carried there by Him our Great anointed High Priest.
This is to be in heaven, to be brought out of the earthly tabernacle
into the holiest of all : to have peace with God and fellowship with
him by Jesus Christ. They fell completely, like untimely figs shaken
off by a mighty wind ; that is, they were overcome and shaken by
the wind of earthly doctrine, and holding but slightly to the truth,
like untimely figs to the fig tree, they did not hold fast their profes-
sion of the truth of heaven, but fell from the doctrine of God to the
earth, to false doctrine and to earthly human religion ; having begun,
they did not endure to the end, nor stand fast in the faith, in having
Christ to do all for them, they ceasing from all their works, doing
nothing. This is so contrary to man, it is so unearthly a doctrine,
that from the time any one receives the truth he will be strongly
tempted to deny it and to fall from heaven to the earth ; all will be
tried, and it will be seen who are like untimely figs and have no root
and only endure for a while ; or, who endure to the end, being rooted
and grounded in Love.
v. 14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together ; and every
mount and island were moved out of their places.
" The heaven departed:''^ that is, the doctrine of God's Grace was
no longer taught or known on the earth, " as a scroll,''^ the word of
God became shut up to the understandings of men, like a scroll rolled
together ; the word of God was now a sealed book, a scroll rolled
up, (Is. xiii. 9, 10 : xx.xiv. 4,) which was no longer open and under-
stood, as it had been.
" Every mount, <SfC.'^ These are the different churches or assem-
blages of God's people which had existed hitherto ; they were called
mounts, as elevated above the earth, which true disciples are ; and
islands, because they are spots and resting places in the midst of the
wide sea, (that is, the world.) But now all these churches of the
faithful hitherto, were to be discovered no more, they had fled away ;
the harlot Church now reigned alone, and all these little assemblages
of believers disappeared, one great mountain alone predominated,
(viz. the Church of Rome.)
V. 15, 16, 17. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men,
and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free-
man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains : And said to
the mountains and roeks, Fall on us, and hide us fiom the face of him that silteth on
the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the groat day of his wrath is
come ; and who shall be able to stand ?
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 99
Now all, without exception, kings (that is, preachers and minis-
ters who lorded over their flocks) and all, of whatsoever condition or
eminence in the churches, both high and low, hid themselves: that
is, instead of the joy and gladness of the Gospel, one universal prin-
ciple of religious awe and terror prevailed over men's minds : they
were in the condition of Adam who, when he fell, hid himself. They
were now fallen from Grace ; fear not love now prevailed, and smit-
ten by the law, and only knowing consciousness of guilt, they sought
how they could escape from wrath : they hid themselves in dens, <SfC. :
that is, they sought to cover their nakedness of true Righteousness,
with righteousness of their own working : they retired to dens and
caves and monasteries and nunneries, and solitary retirements, as
was literally the case, in order, as they said, to work out their salva-
tion and escape from wrath. To such things they now looked for
deliverance, they vainly called upon expedients such as these to hide
them from the wrath of God. They thought they would be securely
covered and protected by these their own doings and penances and se-
vere observances ; a universal religious panic pervaded all Christendom,
and men vied with each other in exhibiting their austere penances,
and in proving the sincerity of their fear. The law of God is like a
mountain weighing down a man and pressing upon him ; it is too
heavy to bea^. By faith this mountain is cast into the sea where it
properly belongs ; now, men did not desire to be delivered from this
mountain, but on the contrary were desirous that it should fall upon
them, they thought it would cover them from wrath, they thought
that by being under the law and taking the whole load of it upon
themselves, they would be saved. Thus they fell from Grace like
figs from the fig tree, " as many of you as are justified by the law,
ye are fallen from Grace, Christ is become of no effect to you," says
the Apostle. But they were diflferent from the present generation,
in that they called upon the whole mountain to cover them, whereas
they of this last day propose for themselves much easier terms, they
think to be hid from wrath by only a few grains of this enormous
and heavy mountain ; they are arrived to such a pitch of insolent
pride that they are determined they will enter into heaven on their
own terms, in spite of God, by merely joining a temperance society,
or distributing tracts, or teaching a Sunday School.
The Lamb of God was now an object of terror instead of love, his
wrath was feared, and he was hated; for all they that love death
hate and fear him. (Prov. viii. 36.) Death is condemnation and
conviction of sin, which is upon all those who love their own works,
cleaving to the Law which ministers death.
" For the creat day" — That the last day was immediately at hand,
was a universal and prevalent idea, stimulating men to great self-
mortifications and severe penances and self-denials. This idea pre-
vailed at the early commencement of the Romish power, and continued
unimpaired for a long time afterwards. Who shall be able to stand
was the general cry, and to attain this ability was the general effort.
100 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
CHAPTER VII.
A short interruption in the course of this revealed history is now
made, showing the numbers that will be saved in all this time of
falling away and power of darkness, in which the Truth is trampled
under foot and the beast prospers.
V. 1, The servants of God are sealed ; all those who shall be
saved in the time of 1260 years, are foreknown and sealed. These
are those who shall be afterwards born in and after this Time of 42
months, during which the Truth is driven into the wilderness, and
the saints of God, the holy and spiritual Jerusalem, will be trodden
under foot by the Gentiles. They are elect of God, chosen and
called and faithful ; they will believe, and they will be faithful ; they
shall never perish, for they are created by the ever living God for
his glory ; they have no hand in creating themselves ; they are kept
by his power unto salvation ; they have no hand in keeping them-
selves, they do not help in the least towards it, they only look to
God, and he alone saves them.
Great numbers of the tribes of Israel are sealed, who will be called
of God, and who will believe by the word of God ; the number of
them is expressed by thousands ; God knoweth the number. They
are mentioned first before the Gentiles, for Judah is the olive tree,
and the Gentiles who believe are grafted into that tree. For God
hath only one people, and they are all the children of Abraham by
faith in Christ Jesus ; they are all Jews, not outwardly, but inwardly ;
circumcised not in the flesh, but in the spirit. (Rs. ii. 29.)
V. 1.5. They are all before the throne of God ; whether living on
the earth during the time of Zion's affliction, or afterwards, when
the mountain of the Lord shall be exalted above the mountains, it
makes no diiference, they are all in robes made equally white by the
blood of the Lamb ; whether they knew all the goodness of God
when they lived in the body, or whether they knew not all and
rested not from their labours, it makes no difference now ; now when
they are seen by the foreknowledge of God before his throne ; for
now, being redeemed from the body they know his love which passeth
knowledge ; now are they filled with all the fullness of God, though
many of them when in the body had not faith enough to receive and
enjoy the full extent of the riches of his grace and goodness.
After this, the revealed history is resumed in the next chapter.
CHAPTER VIII.
V. 1 to 5. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in
heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood
before God ; and to them were given seven trumpets. And 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. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the
prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the
ano-el 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.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 101
It is here revealed that for a certain period of time there would be
silence in heaven ; that is, a silence of the word of Grace : for a
certain duration of the Roman hierarchy no sound was heard of
the word of the kingdom of heaven. But after this period this
silence was broken in upon, and the fire from God's altar burned in
the hearts of several who were his chosen people, and they spake
the truth as far as it was given them to know, and there were voices,
and thunderings, and an earthquake, that is, a shaking or commotion
and disturbance in the religious world, which is the earth. The
prayers of the saints now ascended up to God, though they were
mixed with smoke from the altar, that is, were offered up in legal
darkness and obscurity. These prayers however availed, and the
voices and earthquake were in consequence of them. These voices
and earthquake and thunderings and lightnings include all the reli-
gious commotions, and every voice of truth which was heard in the
Romish church previous to what is called the Reformation, when the
voices and thunderings of Wickliffe, Huss and others were heard, and
produced for the time an earthquake, or disturbance, alarm and
trembling in the earth, the religious community.
V. 6. And the seven angels, which had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves
to sound.
Seven angels now prepared to sound: by these the Lord Jesus Christ
reveals to his people the events which will come to pass on the earth
and which intimately concern his church and people, from the period
of the Church of Rome, at which we are here arrived, down to his
glorious appearance ; for when the seventh of these angels shall
begin to sound, the Time of the dominion and power of the Beast
will be no longer, and the mystery of God will be finished ; then
Christ will reign, and falsehood, deception and wickedness, under the
name of " The Christian Religion," will reign no longer.
V. 7. The first angel sounded, and tliere 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.
This is that event which is called the Reformation of Luther and
Calvin. The Gospel they preached (which was not the Gospel) is
described as " hail and fire, mingled, with blood ;" by hail and fire
is signified the terrible law of God, both which came down from
Mount Sinai when the law was given, and are those fearful terrors
which accompany the Law. The hail and fire was " mingled with
blood,'''' that is, the reformers taught also the atonement of Christ
and salvation by his death ; this is the " blood'''' which Avas mingled
with the hail and fire. The Romish church taught neither the Law
nor the Gospel. While it was undisturbed by voices, there was
silence in heaven. But now, the law, (" hail andfirCj'') was mingled
with gospel, (blood.) The effects of this Reformation are described :
viz. " the third part of the trees of the Earth, and all green grass
was burnt up." The trees of the earth are men of the earth ; a great
proportion of religious persons " was burnt up," that is, were brought
under the consuming power of God's fiery law, under conviction for
102 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
sin by the law. " All green grass toas burnt ?//>," these are the
elect of God: the prophet says, " all flesh is grass ;^^ "green" sig-
nifies those that had life, meaning God's people, who were now burnt
up by the law, that is, brought under its consuming influence and
suffered the distress and fear and destruction of their hopes which
the law produces ; they were burnt up as well as earthly professors
also, who were convicted in their own consciences as transgressors.
This ministration of hail and fire mingled with blood, or of the
law of God mingled up with a view of Christ and his atonement,
burnt up God's people, they were without strength, " Christ profited
them nothing,^'' they were not delivered from the dominion and torment
of sin, for they were under the law which is " the strength of sin,"
and they suffered by the law distress and misery and constant con-
viction of their guiltiness, which is being burnt up ; this slate of
distress and burning up, which is death, has ever since passed with
the earth for an eminent condition of Gospel life : this is what they
have called " experience." The church of Christ at this period is
called the church in Sardis, they thought this burning up was life,
but it was death ; to them Christ says, " thou hast a name that thou
livest, and art dead," the name and renown of this church continues
to this day, and men speak of this period as the " great and glorious
Reformation."
It was now that the protestant Beast arose out of the earth, out of
the pit of the earth, out of the wisdom and knowledge of earthly
men, as is related at full in a subsequent chapter ; this Beast signifies
the earthly doctrines and harlot churches of the Protestant name,
which churches now arose from religious people (the earth), not as
the first Beast, the Church of Rome, which sprung forth from secular
power and worldly men, (that is, the sea.)
V. 8, 9. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burn-
ing with fire was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood. And
the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died ; and the
third part of the ships were destroyed.
Here is described an improved era in the Church of Christ, some
time after that Reformation which has been described in the former
verses. God had bestowed more faith and more of the knowledge of
himself upon his people ; they now saw plainer than had been seen
at first by those who had a greater name and renown. They now
had " a little strength^ This is the period of the Church in Phila-
delphia, (ch. iii. 8.) They had a little strength, that is, faith ; they
had faith " as a grain of mustard seed" and therefore a great
mountain was cast by them into the sea ; that is, they were delivered
from the law, it was cast into the world, they were filled with the
Spirit of the Lord, and the world was struck and smitten by the
Law. The mouths of the wicked and ungodly were stopped, they
beheld their good works and were afraid and glorified God, and be-
came blood, that is, now even the sea, the men of the world were
constrained to become Christians in profession. Infidelity (as the
proud raging of the Sea is called) dare not open its mouth when the
people of God walk as becomes children of God : the reality of
THE REVELATION OP JESUS CHRIST. 103
God's truth is then before their eyes, and they fear the law of God ;
this law, which is " as it were a mountain burning with fire" (like
to mount Sinai which burned with fire,) is cast upon them, (into the
sea); and in their fear they become professors of religion. This
effect was by no means produced upon all, but upon a third part of
the sea, a great number ; a third part of those that had life died,
they were convinced of the law as transgressors, having been before,
alive without the law, not fearing nor believing that sin was evil, and
that there was a sure reward for evil doers ; their ships were de-
stroyed, their confidence and hope in their virtue, honour and
morality, (which are the ships of the sea,) now died away ; the men
of the world trust in these their ships and think they are safe, though
a little wind of temptation blows them to pieces. But now a third
part of these false confidences were destroyed, for the manifestation
of the power of God in his people will put to silence the boasting of
foolish men about their virtue and philosophy, and such like ships of
human building.
This period is the brightest time of God's elect during all the time
of the falling away ; now the Sun shone the brightest and was less
darkened than at any other period of the 42 months. Sound doctrine
prevailed ,• that eternal truth, that God is God, that is to say, he hath
mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth,
(which now it shocks this adulterous generation even to hear of, and
which in their wisdom and knowledge they have exploded as an ab-
surdity,) it would then have shocked the most earthly professors to
have heard called in question.
God's people of this period are called the Church in Philadelphia.
God will make the enemies of his truth to know that he loved them,
as also all his people with an everlasting love. Though a church of
Christ, yet the Truth was in the wilderness ; there was a mixed mul-
titude with them : they were in the midst of a generation which
received not the truth in the love of it, though they all appeared to
do so and were professors. But the " hour of temptation" is approach-
ing to try the earth, the earthly professors, or " them that dwell upon
the earth," whose conversation was not in heaven, who pretended to
be servants of God, and yet in their hearts stuck to the earth and
minded earthly things ; God will try them. God however restrained
it yet for a while, in the time of this church, as he had promised
that he would keep them from that dreadful hour which was coming,
(ch. iii. 10.)
V. 10. 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.
When the third angel sounded, that hour of temptation was opened.
A great star falling from heaven, signifies a professor of eminence
and renown who fell from heaven ; that is, who fell from the profes-
sion and acknowledgment of the truth of the kingdom of heaven : as
in the former chapter, they who received the heavenly truth, when
they fell from it were spoken of as stars falling from heaven. This
104 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
man therefore is one who falls from the true doctrine of heaven
which now prevailed among the Protestants.
" Burning as it were a lamp ;" that is, appearing to the world a»
if he were really a burning and a shining light ; giving a great light
'■^ as it were''' (but not really) "a lamp." The word of God is a
lamp, and the burning of this famous man, seems to be, it is as it
were the word of God, that is, a lamp. This star, this great profes-
sor who departed from the true doctrine of God, and so fell from
heaven, is the celebrated Arminius whose celebrated work at this
period made its appearance and came burning like a lamp upon the
Protestant churches. Before the appearance of this man's writings,
the doctrine of God's absolute election, which is in other words the
doctrine that God is God, had been the universal and unquestioned
doctrine of the Protestant earth, and the elect of God who received
the truth in the love of it, had been blessed and preserved. But now
the doctrine that a corrupt tree can, if it will, bring forth good fruit,
and that when it does begin then God will have mercy, but never till
then, this wicked doctrine now for the first time was publicly sent
forth, or (as The Lord Jesus Christ revealed ages before) it now fell
from heaven. The doctrine is called from the name of this great
star the " Arminian doctrine" to this day.
It fell upon " the third part of the rivers ;" that is, this man's
doctrine was immediately received by a great portion of the people
or nations of the Protestant earth : it fell upon " the fountains of
waters." The Bible, the word of God, is the fountain of living waters,
and these fountains were now perverted by the " new light" like a
lamp ; which fell upon them.
V. 11. And 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.
The name of the star is called Wormwood ; and so it is ; the
name Arminius, divested of the Latin termination, is made up of the
Hebrew root wliich signifies bitterness, that is, Wormwood. And
not only his name is literally wormwood, but also his doctrine is lite-
rally bitterness or wormwood, it is a " root of bitterness" of which
the Apostle Paul gave warning. The honey-comb of truth has been
made bitter to many by this deceiving and lying doctrine, and many
souls have been destroyed thereby, and many have died from the
bitterness of the waters ; the strong drink of the Gospel has been
made bitter to them that drink it. (Ish. 24.) The fear that there
was really something of this man's bitterness in some parts of the
Bible, has filled them with doubt and fear, and made bitter even
what they did drink.*
* The Church of the Laodiceans have imagined they had "need of nothing,"
they have imagined tiiat from the moment they obtained a knowledge of the Gospel,
they had need of nothing more, and that nothing more was to be obtained. They
have imagined that they were not to be chastened and reproved, that they had
nothing more to learn; of all these things Christ warns and notifies them, (ch. 3.)
The word of God, the fountain of living waters, has been made bitter to them, so
that they cannot read any of the exhortations of Christ to his saints without bitter-
THE REVKLATION OF JKSUS CHRIST. 105
V. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and tlie third part of tlie sun was smitten,
and the tiiird part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the tliird part
of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a liiird part of it, and the nigiit
likewise.
After the great and famous event revealed in the last verse, which
event gradually effected an entire revolution in the earth or Christian
world, which turned the earth upside down and made it reel to and
fro like a drunkard, (Is. 24) : while this " as it icere a lamp''' was
silently and gradually extending its bitter leaven, there came on
perceptibly a darkness and obscurity both of the Law and of the
Gospel (that is, of the Sun and of the Moon) and of the children of
God, (that is, the stars of heaven.) There is no fact better known
than this, viz. that what is called a great declension of religion
(which is here revealed) followed at the period which succeeded the
days of Arminius. The light cf the church which preceded that
period, (which is the Church in Philadelphia,) and the subsequent
declension and deadness in the churches, is a matter of common noto-
riety. That which thus took place was here revealed ages before
the time. This darkness with which the day was smitten, (that is,
the preaching and effects of the Gospel,) and the night likewise,
(that is, the ministration and instruction of God's law,) — this dark-
ness with which, not all yet a third part of God's people, and of the
ministration of the Gospel and of the Law was smitten, — this dark-
ness and torper and apathy of the religious world is now about to be
succeeded by what has been imagined by the earthly men to be a
wonderful " revival," according to their own expression.
V. 13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying tlirough the midst of heaven
saying with a loud voice. Woe, woe, woe to the inliabiters of the earth, by reason
of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound !
The coming events, the great revival succeeding the darkness with
which the Gospel and the Law and the followers of the truth were
in great part smitten, is of such dreadful and awful importance as to
be ushered in by the cry of " Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of
the earth." For whereas they have eagerly received falsehood and
lies, and hated the truth, God will plague them as he did the people
in the wilderness, and will send serpents which will bite them. They
ness and fainting and being weary in their minds, not knowing that the exhorta-
tion speaketh unto them " as unto children" that the Lord their God desires them
to know what is His Will, and that they have nothing to do, but Christ will work
and fulfil all the good pleasure of his will for them that only believe, who attempt
not this work themselves, but, knowing what is his good wil! and that it is only
for our own good, do seek to him and desire him to work and perform it. There is
not a member of the Church of Laodicea who has not felt how exceedingly bitter
the fountains of water liave been made to him, and that vi'henevcr he has met with
the exhortations of God, such as " mortify the deeds of the body," " walk not after
the flesh," " cease to do evil," &c. his soul has fainted and died within him, as if
he had something to do, (not discerning Ciirist,) for he knew too well that if he
had any good to do, he must perish. From this bitterness of tlie waters God will
now deliver his people, and that which has heretofore smitten them with death,
which they have fled from and shunned as being legal and savouring of bondage,
(and which is indeed bitter bondage to the children of the bondwoman,) will be
their joy and delight.
14
106 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
would not receive the Gospel which heals and gives life, but they
will receive lies and delusions which fill them with torment and
death ; and they will be proud of these delusions and call them a
revival of religion. Now the hour of temptation is fully come; now
come " serpents and scorpions and all the poiver of the enemy.''''
The solemnity of the announcement shows what a curse, what a
dreadful thing falsehood is, especially such falsehood as relates to
the truth of God. It is indeed no light thing to depart from the
truth of God and follow the doctrines and teaching of men.
CHAPTER IX.
V. 1, 2. And tlic fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto
the earth : and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 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 darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
" A star falling from heaven" signifies, as before, a man of some
eminence forsaking the right way and denying the truth. A deep
or bottomless pit is (as Solomon says) a harlot or whore, that is, a
false church, springing out of the deep pit of the inventions of the
human heart. The harlot Church here spoken of, the deep pit
which is now opened (having been quiet and shut up before), is the
Church of England ; it is a pit of the earth, that is, of earthly reli-
gious men. The smoke which now rose out of the pit, is vain and
false doctrine which now emanates from the Church of England.
This smoke darkened yet more the Sun and the air, that is, the
brightness and life of the glorious Gospel of God, as it yet shone
upon the earth.
V. 3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth ; and unto them
was given power, as the scorpions of the cartii have power.
These locusts are the swarms of Methodist preachers which the
smoke, the vain religious glory and false doctrine which arose from
the pit aforementioned, now engendered. They now came upon the
earth, that is made their appearance in the religious world ; they are
as locusts because of their multitude, and because, spreading over
the religious world, like locusts they destroy, as much as was per-
mitted them to do, whatever was green and flourishing on it. Power
was given unto them, as scorpions : that is, they were permitted to
sting men as scorpions sting, first producing pain, writhing and
convulsion ; and next a swelling or puffing up. First they sting with
the stings of conscience, and then they filled men with vain and ini-
ao^inary swellings of peace and glory.
V. 4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the
earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men wliich have
not the seal of God in their foreheads.
That is, no power was given them over God's elect, to hurt them ;
for according to the words of Christ he gives them power " to tread
on serpents and scorpions and all the poioer of the enemy, ''^ therefore
they could not be hurt by these ; God's elect are the grass of the
earth and the green thing and the trees of God's planting ; but they
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 107
had power over those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Accordingly they made their converts from the sea more than from
the earth ; that is, from among people who hitherto made no pro-
fession of religion rather than from the religious world, which is
the earth : the success of the Methodists this way, sometimes over
whole districts of irreligious persons, was very great.
V. 5. And to them it was given that they should not liill them, but that they
should be tormented five months : and their torment was as the torment of a scor-
pion, when he slriketh a man.
They should not kill them, that is, they should not lead any man to
a real conviction and suffering for sin, which is the real death the
Law of God inflicts upon men whose consciences aie brought under
its power : they were to torment them and sting them with terrors
and fears and alarms, and this power is to be possessed by them five
months, that is, the doctrine and power of the Methodists is to prevail
for 150 years from its first rise, and no longer. Their torment was to
be like that of a scorpion, that is, to make men writhe and be convulsed
with pain and then to be swelled up bodily, that is, in their fleshly
minds. Accordingly this sect has always pretended to enjoy more
happiness and to feel more lively feelings than others, because while
others were slain by the sword of the law, they were not killed by it.
Joel also prophesies of them, calling them grasshoppers, and saying
they would fall upon the sword (of the law) and it should not kill
them.
V. fi. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall
desire to die, and death shall flee fi'om them.
In those days, men, (and therefore though this thing is peculiar to
the Methodist sect, it does not distinguish them alone, it has been a
fashion among all the sects,) " men shall seek death ;" that is, they
will labour and try, with all their might and main, to get conviction
for sin, or religion, or a religious experience, as they call it. They
will try to persuade themselves and to feel that they are dead sinners,
hell-deserving sinners (death they consider the very essence of vital
religion) : they will seek to have experiences ; and try to force them-
selves to feel that distress and sorrow for sin which is a truly painful
and terrible state of death ; but, they will try in vain, they shall not
find it, said the Holy Spirit of Christ by the Apostle John, in the
Revelation of Jesus Christ, ages before this thing came to pass.
This death, this knowledge of sin which is by the Law, is not a forced
work, and at the command of men when they please : it is God only
" xoho teacheth man knowledge,^'' who bringeth his people whom he
chooses to the gates of death, that he may lift them up again and
give them to live for ever. All this forced labour and straining
efforts of men to squeeze themselves as it were to feel what sinners
they are, this seeking of death, shall be in vain ! they will not know
nor find in reality that which they talk and glory so much about !
lliey shall desire to die ; they shall wish hard and desire very
much indeed and very sincerely to get conviction and an experience.
Such is literallv the case with the inhabiters of the earth, and has
108 THE REVELATION" OF JESUS CHUIST.
been the case with men ever since the days of the Methodists " in
those days." It has been a universal rage, a mania, a religious
fashion of the first importance and necessity to seek death.
Herein we may behold the wonderful, the just and righteous retri-
bution of God ! for the Methodist doctrine teaches that Life is in a
man's own power; God hereby determines that not even Death is in
their own power ! " Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit
snith the Lord.'''' That which God gives only, and gives freely and
for notiiing from us, is not to be gotten by might or efiort ; it is
only to be passively received. To think to get it by effort or trying
is effectually denying that it is a gift ; and how should God give any
good thing to them who deny that He gives ?
V. 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle :
and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the
faces of men.
A horse prepared unto battle, represents a fleshly preacher, going
forth with inward confidence in his own strength and prowess, going
to do great exploits as he vainly and pompously imagines. A liorse
aptly represents animal strength and beauty, it is admirable in its
going and is an object of pride and admiration among men ; so also
are such preachers spiritually. These locusts are preachers ; they
have on their heads " crowns, as it were, like gold." The saints of
God have crowns of pure gold on their heads ; but these have imita-
tions, counterfeits, they are, as it were, like gold, but not real and
genuine gold. The glory of Christ is the crown of glory to the
saints of God ; these also appear to have a crown of glory, and often
exclaim '■'■glory, glory" but it is only a poor resemblance to the
real glory, to the genuine gold, though it is as it were, and, like.
By these appearances of glory and holiness they who have not the
seal of God in their foreheads are deceived and judging after the
outward appearance, think that surely these are the people of God,
these are the saints !
V. 8. And they liad hair as tlic liair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth
of lions.
This is truly and literally the case : this is the way in which the
preachers of the Methodists, and especially when they first appeared,
were all of them in the habit of wearing their hair, having it smoothed
down and flattened in front, and some even wearing it long behind,
exactly like the hair of women, giving to their faces (which were
the faces of men) the meek and gentle appearance of women. But
with all these gentle and woman-like appearances, they had teeth
like lions, they destroyed souls and devoured men. (Joel.) No de-
scription could be more exact than this description which the Lord
Jesus Christ has made of them many ages before they or their
fathers were born. " i/e knowetk our thoughts afar off!''''
V. 9. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron ; and the sound
of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
A breastplate signifies Righteousness ; being as it were of iron,
represents with great exactness the nattn-e and description of the
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 109
righteousness inculcated and (as a breastplate) buckled on by this
religious sect. It is not the Righteousness of Christ, which being
imputed they reject and deny (and thereby reject Christ, for Christ
himself is the righteousness which is imputed to them that believe):
but it is a harsh, a severe, a strict, a cold, austere righteousness ; in
a word, it is an iron righteousness which they put on like a breast-
plate.
The sound of their wings: here is represented the noise and bustle
they make when they assemble : the confusion, bustling, prancing and
shouting with which they go to battle, and gather together at their
camp meetings, &;c.: for their noise is verj' great.
V. 10. And they liad tails like unto scorpions ; and there were stings in their
tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
They had tails ; " the prophets ichich speak lies they are the
tail" saith the prophet Isaiah. They are not described as having
heads, " the ancient and honourable they are the head,'''' says the
same prophet ; these have not the head, because the Methodists
have been from their beginning an ignoble people, not generally
composed, like some sects, of the high and honourable classes, but
on the contrary of the lower classes. These tails sting and torment
like scorpions, and it is here again repeated, their power is limited
to five months, that is, 150 years : more than a hundred years of this
time is already expired, for they first appeared about the year 1725.
V. 11, 12. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless
pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath
his name Apollyon. One woe is past: and, behold, there come two woes more
hereafter.
This king or prince over them, whom they obeyed implicitly, and
whose word they study and follow to this day, is John Wesley ; he
was an angel^ that is, a messenger of that deep pit or harlot, the
Church of England, having been sent forth from her and commis-
sioned or ordained by her, and ever zealously devoted to her, always
believing that her harlot trimmings and dresses were more pleasing
to God than the forms and trimmings of any other harlot whatever.
This name which God has given him is Abaddon and Apollyon,
which signifies the Destroyer. For he destroyed many, many souls!
This name is given to him in Greek and in Hebrew, showing that
he was an eminent Greek and Hebrew scholar, and therefore he has
a name in both those languages ; also because he was both a Greek
and a Hebrew, for he united in himself the two distinct principles of
opposition which, in the beginning of the Gospel, were made by the
Greeks and by the Hebrews separately. The Greeks sought after
wisdom, and thought to know God thereby, (1 Cor. i. 22,) and the
Hebrews, being ignorant of God's Righteousness, went about to
establish their own righteousness. (Romans x. 3.) John Wesley
was both Greek and Hebrew, he sought after wisdom, and he went
about to establish his own righteousness. His name is therefore in
both these languages, signifying a destroyer.
But how wonderful, how astonishing are God's ways ! how he
renders to every man according to his works ! This destroyer, this
110 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
great king of this great multitude, has in his writings called God,
the living God, the merciful God and Saviour, " a Destroyer of
men,''' because he is pleased to save ; because of his merciful election
of Grace, which is the act of his salvation, and but for which all
would meet the merited fate of Sodom and Gomorrah ! (Isah. i. 9.)
V. 12. One woe is past ; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
The rise and origin of this sect having been described, and the
time it should continue made known, there are now two other woes
or cries of prophetic warning to be fulfilled, for three were uttered,
in the last verse of the chapter preceding.
V. 13, 14. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four
horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixlli angel which had
the trumpet, loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
When the sixth angel sounds, four angels are loosed in the river
Euphrates. These angels are also messengers as the angel in the
former chapter ; hitherto they have been restrained, but now they
are loosed to do their will.
The great river Euphrates, signifies a people : the river Euphrates
is the utmost and western river of Asia Minor, by which all Chris-
tendom is signified, and this great river Euphrates signifies the
people of North America, they are the great western river, or people
of Asia, that is, of the Christian world. The religious activity of
Satan could not come on till God let them loose : and this has been
later than it began in England.
V. 15, 16. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour,
and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the
number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand : and I
heard tiie number of them.
The time is fixed and limited which is given to the American
messengers to slay men by doctrines and preaching which is of death
and not of life. They are also numbered, every one of them is
known, and it is a very great number of fleshly preachers, which (as
it has been seen before) are signified by the word " horsemen.''''
Whoever they are who go forth to preach damnation instead of salva-
tion, and death instead of life, let them learn that they are numbered,
" / heard the number of them,''^ they are all numbered, all that have
been and that are and that shall be. It is an exceeding great
number. America has exceeded England in the number, variety
and zeal of fleshly horsemen and angels (that is, messengers) of
Satan, preaching death and killing men.
V. 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on tiiem, hav-
ing breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone : and the heads of the iiorses
were as tiie heads of lions: and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and
brimstone.
The breastplates represent the kind of righteousness which these
spiritual horsemen teach and inclucate : " of fire, ^^ that is burning,
zealous and fierce : " of brimstone,^' that is, threatening, terrific and
fearful, derived from the fear of hell, as that of fire signifies it is
derived from fear of the law ; of jacinth, that is, more polished,
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. Ill
gentle, and more beautiful in appearance ; but none of them are the
breastplates of the Righteousness of God. Now whereas only three
kinds of righteousness are described, and yet there are four classes
of horsemen, including all the sects and preachers of every descrip-
tion, it shows that the Methodist name is one of the four in America
as well as in England, the breastplate of whose righteousness has
already been described, as being of ii-on.
Their heads are as the heads of lions, that is, Christ, the Lamb
of God is not their head. The fire, smoke and brimstone which
issue out of their mouths, describes the nature of their preaching;
"^re," that is, they preach the terror and condemnation of the law :
" smoke,'''' that is, all sorts of fuming vanity, and false vainglorious
doctrine and boasting : " brimstone,^'' that is, threats of hell fire and
damnation.
V. 18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the
smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
By these three the third part of the men of the earth are killed,
that is, by the preaching of these spiritual horsemen. Only three
are mentioned who kill men, because the locusts described before do
not kill men, but on the contrary puff them up with a vain persuasion
of life and glory, after having stung them a little at first. The
others, however, three out of the four grand divisions, kill men, that
is, they inflict upon men's minds that conviction, horror and fear,
that inward dread and anguish which belongs to the guilty con-
science, and which is death.
V. 19. For their power is in their mouths, and in their tails: for their tails were
like unto serpents, and had heads, and with tliem they do hurt.
Their tails were like unto serpents ; as God plagues them that
hate him, so they who hate his truth and doctrine are plagued with
serpents which torment and kill, that is, false prophets who preach
death and not life, driving men to desperation, insanity and death,
filling them with inward torments and banishing all peace from them,
and then calling such torture and misery the Gospel ! The tails are
false prophets, teachers of lies, and beads are ancient and honourable
persons. (Isaiah.) The Methodists were described as having tails,
but no mention was made of heads, because in England they are an
ignoble people, composed of the meaner sort. But in America all
the various sects have the honourable, wealthy and great in union
and connection with them, that is, they have heads. It is well known
that this is the case in the United States, where at any great meet-
ing whatever, of the great religious confederacies, the ancient and
honourable, that is, the head, are to be seen at the right hand of the
false prophets, (that is, the tail.) Members of Congress and persons
in honour are joined with the false prophets, making speeches and
assisting to give credit and eclat to the cause and proceedings of that
great city Sodom and Egypt.
V. 20, 21. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet
repented not of the works of their bands, that they should not worship devils, and
idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood : which neither can see,
112 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
nor hear, nor walk : Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries,
nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
The utter impotency and total inefficiency of the mighty efforts and
zeal of the religious horsemen is manifest enough. Notwithstanding
the plagues with which they kill some men, notwithstanding their
preaching of fire and brimstone, they do not lead men to repentance.
Some indeed are killed and some are driven to madness by their
preaching, but as to all the rest of their numerous followers and
congregations, no repentance or shame for doing evil is produced
upon them. Men only become more sinful and hardened by such a
ministration of death. The effects of such preaching are here de-
scribed : " yet they repented not of the loorks of their hands,'''' that
they should not worship devils ; for though they appear and profess
to sacrifice to God, the Apostle declares '' they sacrifice to devils and
not to God.'''' The gold and silver and brass and stone and wood of
the temple are their idols, in these they trust, in praying and reading
and singing and going to Church, even all the things which are found
in the temple of God, but which are not God and cannot save ; in
these and all such things and works of their own they have confi-
dence and trust, (that is, they worship them,) and dream of going to
heaven by their influence, while murder, sorcery, fornication and
covetousness is in their hearts, and they repent not of it. Murder,
that is, hatred and strife (1 John); sorceries, that is, trusting to the
imaginary power and charms of men and things which have no
power ; fornication, that is, thinking to be partakers of the grace of
Christ by purchase and bribe ; theft, that is, covetousness, greediness
after money, cheating, roguery and tricks, all which is become com-
mon and almost reputable in the way of business. Of all these
things, whether literal or spiritual, men do not now-a-days repent,
but excuse them, laugh at them, or glory in them, in spite of the fire
and brimstone which they sit under.
Here the bitter fruits of the wicked religion and doctrines of devils
of this last day are summarily and strongly described, and that
dreadful state of society, that general demoralization and accumula-
tion of crime which falsehood would produce, Eind has produced in
this day, is made known by the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He hath
told all these things long before they came to pass, that now that
they are come to pass ye may believe.
CHAPTER X.
The former chapter brought the revelation down to the present
day, describing in the two concluding verses the present desolation,
the impenitent, hardened and dreadful condition of the earth, the
result of the Abomination which has made desolate. Now is arrived
the announcement of the approaching end of the Time of Abomina-
tion, which is without doubt revealed with so much minuteness, that
they who are ordained unto eternal life, according to the everlasting
mercy and pitiful compassions of the Lord Almighty, may believe.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. Il3
V. 1. And I saw another mig^hty angel come down from heaven, clotlied with
a cloud ; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and
his feet as pillars of fire.
An angel is simply a messenger ; this is merely a messenger whom
God sends : here again, as before, this messenger is a man. He is
called " mighty'''' or strong, because he is weak, according to the
words of the prophet, " let, the tceak say I am strong ;" that is, hav-
ing a little faith, he is " strong in the Lord and in the power of his
might :" it is not his strength, but the strength of Christ.
" Come doim from heaven,''^ signifies that he is not sent by man,
that he comes from no sect or denomination of the earth, (that is,
the religious world,) but that he comes declaring the truth of the
Gospel of the Grace of God, by the Spirit of God.
" Clothed with a clottd,^' signifies clothed with the Spirit of God,
like a cloud, being full of rain ready to water the earth : it also
signifies that he is encompassed with infirmities and involved in ob-
scurity and contempt according to this world.
" A rainbotv upon his head,''^ signifies the covenant of God's
mercy, showing that God in the midst of wrath will remember
mercy ; that when he shall bring the flood of his indignation and
wrath upon the despisers of God, upon them who walk after their
own pleasure and lust, that he will not forget his Covenant, but will
save all those who hope in his mercy, even a people prepared for
his glory. Being on the head of this man, is to show that God's
Covenant, mercy and everlasting Love towards his elect, (which the
earth, the religious people abhor and revile,) is his crown of glory
and rejoicing, that God hath covered him therewith, and in remem-
brance of his mercy will certainly overshadow and preserve him in
the day of trouble.
" His face was as it were the sun," signifies that he comes in a
greater glory than the glory of the Law, when Moses' face did
even shine with that glory : this man's face shines with the bright-
ness of the glory of the Sun of Righteousness, it is the glory of
Christ and his Righteousness which shines as the sun, and makes
the faces of all his chosen and beloved to shine. (2 Cor. iii. 7.)
^^ His feet as pillars of fire," signifies the message which he brings,
his preaching of the Gospel and the Truth of God : for he brings
a message of great glad tidings to God's prisoners and disconsolate
people, who are in bondage, and a message of fear and terror to the
enemies of God which shall burn them up like fire : they are called
feet, for he comes not in chariot or on horses, in the strength and
parade of fleshly glory, but as a plain and simple messenger of
another, that is, of God, not as a warrior doing great things, but
doing nothing, believing and trusting all to God : they are called
" pillars" for the message is sure and certain and firm and esta-
blished like a pillar : ^^ of fire," for it will burn up the chaflf and
stubble of wicked lies and abominations.
V. 2. And he had in his hand a little book open ; and he set his right foot upon
the sea, and his left foot on the earth.
This book is the little book ; it is little, for it comes devoid of
15
114 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHKIST.
earthly honour, applause and recommendation, because it is little and
despised in the eyes of men: it is called open, for it is not sealed; it
is plain and open, it lays open the faith once delivered to the saints,
and it lays open the word and prophecies of God, which have been
sealed hitherto.
The sea is the world, and the earth is the religious world, the
professors of religion, who while they pretend to be children of the
most High God, to be believers in Christ and consequently in heaven,
" sealed together icith him in heavenly places.,^'' (Eph. ii. 6.) yet do
mind earthly things and are devoted to the earth; on one side he
preaches and testifies against the world, that is, the sea, against its
wisdom, its pride, and its blasphemy ; and on the other side, he testi-
fies against the religious world, (that is, the earth,) against its lying
doctrines, its falsehood and deceitful abominations ; this testimony
against them both, is setting his feet upon them.
V. 3. And cried witli a loud voice, as when a lion roareth : and wlien he had'
cried, seven thunders uttered tlieir voices.
To cry with a loud voice, signifies the testimony he has borne and
uttered against the religious wickedness of this Time : it is called
loud, because it is not a muttering, doubtful voice, like that of the
false prophets, (Is.) but open and loud : as trhen a lion roareth, because
it will fill with terror like the terrible roaring of a lion, because it is
not he that speaks, but the Spirit of Christ, the lion of the tribe of
Judah which speaketh in him, (Mark xiii. 11,) roaring like a lion
against the whole multitude of shepherds. (Isaiah.)
" When he had cried:'''' this first took place after he understood
this Revelation at Norris Town, Penn. in the court house of that
town, before a large multitude, on the the 9th March, 1834.
V. 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to
write : and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things
which the seven thunders uttered, and write lliem not.
It is a great mercy that these things which are to happen are con-
cealed, so that the people of God, who shall believe in his name, are
not given to know before the things which will happen to them ; but
let them know that they are uttered.
V. 5, 6, 7. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth,
lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who
created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that
tlierein are, and the sea, and tlie tilings which are therein, that there should be
lime no longer : but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his
servants the prophets.
This took place several times in Philadelphia, when this messenger
had not any idea that it was fulfilling the prophecy and word of God.
On the Common opposite the Globe Mill he repeatedly declared in
these words, " as the Lord God liveth who made heaven and earth,
and the sea and all that therein is, so surely will He destroy the
wicked religion of this day, shortly." In other and similar words,
he repeatedly swore by the living God, to the effect that the Religion
of this time would soon be ended or destroyed. Only meaning, as
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHKIST. 115
lie imagined at the time, to express iiis certain conviction (of which
he had no doubt whatever) that the religious world was gone a
whoring from God, and that God would soon prove it, and prove the
truth of the doctrines he taught. Little did he imagine, when he
thus spoke, that it was not him but the Spirit of God speaking in
him ; that " the religion of this day," " the wicked abominations of
the religious teachers," terms which he then made use of, signified
this Time, and that one of the most wonderful of the prophecies of
God was then actually fulfilled. There must be many people in Phila-
delphia who heard him thus speak, and that often.
The religion, the abominations, the lies and blasphemies and false
doctrines called by the name of " Piety and Religion," which he
sware by the living God should be no longer, these are the " Time,"
the Abomination, which now draws near to an end. The words,
" who created heaven and the earth and. the sea and the things therein,^''^
are not like the words of men, rhetorical flourishes or vain expletives,
but, as all the word of God, are full of significancy ; for now, at this
time, both the sea and the earth unite in the same spii-it of Atheism,
to deny that it is God loho created : teaching that they create them-
selves, and calling upon fleshly men to create themselves in Christ
Jesus, telling them they can if they please, and upbraiding them for
their sluggishness.
V. 8. And the voice which I heard from Iicaven spake unto me acfain, and said>
Go and take the httle book wliich is open in tlie hand of the angel whicii slandeth
upon the sea and upon the earth.
This voice from heaven is the Spirit of God, by which the people
of God will be directed and led to take this little book, for no one
can take or receive it, unless directed by the Spirit, and no one can
receive the truth but the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. ii. 11.)
" / heard •" it is John, the beloved disciple who speaks, and who
is directed by the Spirit to receive this book : the due time is now
come when Christ makes it first to be understood why John was
called the beloved disciple, " that disciple whom Jesus loved,'''' and
what was signified when he said to him '■'■if I will that he tai'ry
till I come.'''' Christ was pleased to behold and to represent by John,
the beloved of his soul to whom he will give to believe in Him in this
last day ; John was a representative of them when he lay in Jesus'
bosom ; as their representative he speaks in this verse, he represents
them receiving the book, and eating it up, they are those who shall
tarry till the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, " till he come,''''
and they are doubtless the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to whom
God will give repentance and an inheritance through the faith of
Jesus Christ, among them that are sanctified through faith. They
will believe, for the Spirit of God will lead them and guide them,
and say " Go and take," and be in them, giving them understand-
ing.
V. 9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book'
And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up ; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but
it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
11(> THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
To eat up the little book, is to receive with the appetite of want
and gladness the truth of God which it contains, the same manner of
expression is common among men ; he who delights in what he reads
is said to devour it.
" It shall make thy belly hitter ;" belly signifies the earthly man,
the flesh; thus David says, "?/?// belly cleaveth to the dust.'''' They
who receive the truth, the doctrine of Christ, will find it bitter indeed
to the flesh ; they will sufler hatred and scorn and contempt, they
will be hated of all the world : Jesus Christ, in the days of his bitter
humiliation, had not where to lay his head, and his people will be
partakers of his sufferings ; honour, fortune, fame, respectability,
reputation, and the praise of men, are not to be expected or sought
after by them. But, bitter as the doctrine of Christ will be to the
flesh, great suflering that it will expose them to who believe, it will
be sweeter than honey to the mouth, to the spiritual man ; yea, for
ever sweet, enduring and increasing for ever, rendering all the suffer-
ings of the ffesh as nothing, knowing that we are suffering with
Christ, and that the life from which it pains us so much to part is
very death, and that our profit and joy is to die daily, waiting for the
redemption from this vile body.
V. 10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up : and it
was in my mouth sweet as honey ; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was
bitter.
The beloved disciple, he whom Jesus loved, took the book, and eat
it up. It is certain that he whom Jesus loves in these last days, will
take and devour with joy and gladness the truth of the Gospel of the
Grace of God, made open in this little book. And it is certain that
so soon as they shall receive the truth of Christ and submit them-
selves to God, altogether, (which is eating up his doctrine,) so soon
they will find his doctrine bitter to the belly, to the earthly man.
V. 11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples,
and nations, and tongues, and kings.
The saints and people of God must prophecy again. " This Gos-
pel must be preached in all the world, then cometh theend.^'' (Mat. 24.)
They have long been silenced and silent, or only prophesied in sack-
cloth in all the time of the Beast ; but now again (that is, once more,
after so long an interval) the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, will be preached in all the world by the saints and
servants of God, upon whom he will pour out abundantly of his holy
Spirit, before many people and nations, and tongues and kings.
CHAPTER XI.
A more particular revelation of the state to which the earth (the
professing world) would at last come, (which is now its actual condi-
tion,) is given in this chapter ; also, how it will end is revealed ;
the whole is preceded by a brief recapitulation of the state of things
in all the time of the falling away, until the present time.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 117
V. 1, 2. And there was given rae a reed like unto a rod ; and the an^el stood,
saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship
therein. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not;
for it is given unto the Gentiles : and the holy city shall they tread under foot
forty and two montiis.
Here it is shown that God has an inner temple of spiritual wor-
shippers, and that there is also an outer, an exterior fleshly temple
of earthly, sensual and fleshly worshippers; these latter (the earth)
are not counted when God counts up his jewels, they are not mea-
sured when he takes the account of them that serve him. It is also
here shown that for the space of 1260 years the Gentiles have been
earthly, outside worshippers, and power has been given them over
the holy city, and during all the time of 1260 years they have trod-
den it under foot : that is, God's chosen and elect people are collec-
tively, in a body, the holy city, or Jerusalem, while also the collected
body of false and earthly worshippers is called a city, viz. Babylon,
or Sodom and Egypt. The holy city here spoken of, signifies the
people of God collectively, and this is manifest, because if the mate-
rial city of Jerusalem had been signified, then the 1260 years would
have been completed nearly six hundred years ago, for Jerusalem
after the flesh, the material city of bricks and stone, began to be
subjugated to the Gentiles shortly after the death of Christ. This
holy city is therefore the collection of God's spiritual people, and
for the space of 1260 years the false worshippers of the beast have
overcome and trodden them under foot, and have prospered against
them, as Daniel prophesied.
V. 3 to 6. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall pro-
phesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These
are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the
earth. And if any man will hurl them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and
devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner
be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their
prophecy : and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the
earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
In these verses it is shown what has been the spiritual light granted
to the people of God in this long time of darkness, previous to the
present triumph of the beast. The two witnesses are the Law and the
Gospel of God, by the former of which God has testified to men of
righteousness and judgment, declaring his wrath against every kind
of wickedness and wrong-doing : by the latter mercy and truth and
life and salvation are testified of. During the 1260 years these two
witnesses of God to man, have prophesied in sackcloth, as it is here
again repeated, for 1260 years : that is, neither the Law nor the
Gospel have been preached in the fulness of their power and glory
in the earth during all this time ; and also when they have been
preached, they have been together, the Law has been joined to and
mixed up with the Gospel, thus taking away from the excellence
and power of both of them ; for no righteousness comes by the law,
it is intended for those who are disobedient and rebellious, who do
wrong ; to teach, warn and reprove, and to punish, curb and restrain
them ; while the Gospel is for them only who believe, who are no
118 THE RFA'ELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
longer disobedient, to edify and strengthen them in Him, in whom
alone they have life and righteousness without the law.
Nevertheless, in all this period, no attacks of the sea, no power of
wicked men, has been able to hurt them until now ; fire has proceed-
ed out of their mouths and destroyed their enemies ; that is, the
judgments of God have fallen like fire from heaven upon those who
have attacked and denied these witnesses of God. Numerous in-
stances of this are upon record, where men who have blasphemously
denied and reviled the truth of God, have perished miserably by the
manifest judgment of God.*
Also, during all the time of the falling away heaven has been shut
and there has been no rain upon the earth (the religious world) : that
is, the Spirit of God (which alone, like rain on the material earth,
makes them who believe to be fruitful in good works) has not been
poured out upon God's people who were on the earth, as it was
before the falling away, during the week of 700 years when God
confirmed his Covenant with many : the waters of life have been
converted to blood, that is, have only been received and understood
in a fleshly way, and men have been plagued and smitten with
plagues of serpents and scorpions biting and tormenting them, and
this has been by the judgment of God's Law and Gospel, his two
holy witnesses which have been united together in one, and brought
judgments upon men because of their evil and because of the abomi-
nation.
V. 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascend-
eth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome
them, and kill them.
This is now in this day fulfilled : they have finished their testi-
mony ; the beast that ascendeth out of the deep or bottomless pit,
out of the earth, has made war against them, has overcome them
and killed them. The beast is the flesh, fleshly man and his doctrine;
it is called a scarlet beast, because his sins are as scarlet: he is
called sinful man, or the man of sin, the wicked one, the son of
perdition ; he is now exalted, " sittin!>- in the temple of God, showing
that he is God.'''' (2 Thess. ii. 4.) There he sits, exalted ; he is the
abomination, his offering is the swine-flesh oflfering, he is now "stand-
ing where it ought not, (^let him that readeth understand.y (Mark
xiii. 14.) He is exalted above Him whom nevertheless in all the
deceivableness of unrighteousness they call God, though they exalt
themselves above Him. This beast is worshipped, for they say he
can save, and they call upon him to save, that is, to do good, to work
righteousness, which he who doeth is a saviour, for he cannot but
save himself if he does it. The religion of this day, this Time,
(which shall be no longer,) is the exaltation and worship of sinful
man : he is exalted high in the chariot of his pride, in his own fleshly
* Such a case occurred lately in the city of New York ; one Cohen, on the
same day on which he had published a manifesto of Atheism in a publication called
the Free Enquirer, was blown to pieces and his body scattered abroad in fragments
by a combustible preparation of his own workmanship. This was the fire of God's
law falling down from heaven upon him.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 119
excellence and works : all the toil and labour and zeal of the priests
of this god, is to make this beast more ; they cry aloud and shout
and weary themselves in calling upon him to be up and to be doing,
to show his power, his goodness, his piety and his humility, to do
good, to be good. This man of sin, this son of perdition, stained
and dyed in sins, as scarlet is dyed, is iniquity itself; " his inward
part is very wicked,''^ saith the prophet David ; " the invard part,^'
for externally he appeareth like a iamb, as an angel of light ; this is
the Iniquity which they are engaged this day in " drawing with cords
of vanity,^'' with means and helps which are vain. (Isaiah.) They
labour to make it move with main force, and when it moves in its
wicked self-righteous career, which they deem to be righteousness^
then they raise shouts of triumph and talk of and spread abroad the
anecdotes of the pious doings of the idol.
The beast has killed both the Law and the Gospel of God, (which
till this day did prophesy, though in sackcloth,) by setting up its own
precepts and ordinances and experiences, and all sorts of religious
inventions, instead of the plain and simple Law and Truth of God.
Instead of the law of God, to do good, not to God, but to one another
and to all men, to show kindness to the stranger, the fatherless and
widow, to draw out their bread to the hungry and to do mercy and
love justice, not to lend out their money upon usury, nor speak
deceitfully, instead of the kindness and good actions ol" man to man
which the law of God teaches, they teach to belong to a church and
confederacy, to subscribe money to their societies, to have certain
abstinences, to keep a particular day in the Aveek ; thus they have
set aside the law, and every violation of it is righteous and of no
consequence in their eyes, provided their own inventions are zeal-
ously attended to. They have killed this witness, they regard it no
longer, it is a dead letter to them, they only regard their own flexi-
ble and undefined code of piety. They have also overcome and slain
the other witness of God, the Gospel, by preaching their own works,
(which they call means and grace,) and instead of the Power of God,
preaching the power of man, thus exalting him above Christ. In-
stead of confessing that God only is the Creator, they preach that
man is ; that he, if he only pleases, makes himself to be a child of
God. Thus they, that is, collectively, the beast, and it is only the
Protestant beast which is here spoken of, have killed the two wit-
nesses, the Law and the Gospel, and preach and regard and believe
not, neither the one nor the other. All they care for, all they re-
gard, is the idol, the beast which they have exalted ; its piety, its
goodness, its excellence, is what they wish to see prosper and pre-
vail, and they labour hard to this end, and dream that thus they
please God ! This man of sin dictates what he pleases, both for law
and gospel, selecting what suits him in the Scriptures and adapting
it to his own pleasure and doctrines, and rejecting what suits him
not.*
* A late prophet of God, (Dr. Hawker,) whose testimony greatly tormented them
that dwelt upon the earth, spake by the Spirit of God when he called this genera-
tion " a Christ-despising generation.'"
120 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
What the beast is and whence he has sprung, who has thus killed
these two witnesses of God, is particularly revealed. It is not the
beast which arose out of the sea, but the beast which was seen
rising out of the earth, the beast which has been set up and exalted
by religious men, professors, men of earthly religion ; it is the beast
whom the churches of earthly men have set up and exalted ; harlot
churches (a deep or bottomless pit into which men fall inextricably) ;
it is the beast which their wicked doctrines have raised to this wicked
exaltation. This beast which has sprung from such a deep pit, the
offspring of religious wickedness, is the beast which has triumphed
and slain the witnesses. " The beast that ascendcth out of the bot-
tomless j)it shall make war against tltem and overcome them.^''
There are only two beasts ; the first, which is the Roman Catholic
Church, which beast ascendeth out of the sea ; the second, which
are the Protestant churches ; which is the beast which ascendeth
out of the pit of the earth, out of the religious whoredoms of the
earth, that is, men of the earth. It is only the last of these two
beasts which makes war against the true doctrines of God, his two
witnesses ; resisting, opposing, setting them aside, and making them
of no effect, that is, killing them by their own doctrines and tradi-
tions ; the first beast does not meddle with the two witnesses, it has
buried them both long ago, and will not sutler their bodies to be
brought out and to be seen, that is, to be read by the people.
V. 8. And their dead bodies sliall lie in the street of the great city, which
spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also oar Lord was crucified.
A city is a collection of souls ; as the city of Jerusalem is the
whole collection of God's people, so the city called Sodom and Egypt,
is collectively the multitude of religious professors among the Pro-
testants who assume to be the city of God, whereas they are a city
of their own building, built on the foundation of man. The Romish
Church is called Babylon, it is one and compact ; these are called
Sodom and Egypt.
Their dead bodies are Bibles : the bible contains the letter of the
truth of God, viz. the law and the gospel, which are the only two
witnesses by which God has ever testified to mankind. Without the
Spirit of God, the Scripture is a dead letter without life ; it is a dead
body, a mere body in which there is no spirit of life. Both these
witnesses are now killed, because the Earth has made the word of
God to be a dead letter ; it has no real authority with them, they
wrest and pervert its words. Now, though they have effectually
killed the two witnesses, yet they have got their dead bodies in the
street of their city ; they lie in the street, they are made a common
thing. In all the different ramifications and sects of this great
spiritual Sodom, they have the dead bodies, that is, bibles, there
they lie.
This city is the very same in spirit and in deeds and in professions
as that city of the wicked, (the Scribes and the Pharisees,) where
also, as well as here, our Lord was crucified : for now, in this day
and by this generation he is crucified afresh. It is the same genera-
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 121
tion, in spirit and conduct, which was not to pass away till all be
fulfilled, (Matt. 24, last v.) but now the time is at hand.
V. 9, 10. And they of the people, and kindreds, and tonjfues, and nations, shall
see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies
to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them,
and make merry, and shall send g^ifts one to another ; because these two prophets
tormented them tliat dwelt on the earth.
Three days and a half signifies the precise time which shall be
permitted to this generation to triumph in their deeds of religious
whoredom, while in this time the two witnesses are dead and silent.
The former triumph lasted three days ; but then the body of our
Lord was put in a grave ; it is not so now, however ; for they do
not put the dead bodies of the two witnesses away and out of sight,
far from it, they would not sutler this on any account, for they
pretend that instead of having killed them, they honour and obey
them, therefore they parade the dead bodies (the bible) all about,
and make a great show of them. Much better for them would it be
if they had not these dead bodies, if they were put in graves, (as the
Roman Catholics have done,) buried far out of sight, than that they
should add deceit to wickedness and pretend to love the word of God
while they kill it and trample it under foot.
But now they triumph in their deeds, and talk of the Millennium,
as if they had already made a beginning of it ! They are not now
as formerly tormented in their triumph by even the sound of a
whisper of God's truth in the land. Before the two witnesses had
finished their conjoined testimony, before truth was perished out of
the earth, every now and then there arose some solitary prophet who
preached the Righteousness of God, his work and election of Grace,
and the utter beastliness and filthiness of the rags of human piety
and righteousness ; this vexed and greatly tormented " them that
dwelt upon the earth,^"" the earthly followers and professors of earthly
wisdom and righteousness : but now they rejoice and make merry
and triumph, and send gifts to one another ; they have societies or
confederacies organised for the very purpose of sending gifts to one
another, gifts of money and tracts and " good books" and dead
bodies.
V. 11. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into
them, and they stood upon tlieir feet ; and great fear fell upon them which saw
them.
At the expiration of the time appointed to their triumph, the truth
of God, in his Law and in his Gospel will be heard, declared in the
power of the Holy Spirit. This is what is signified when it is said
the two witnesses will stand upon their feet ; that is, the truth of
God, witnessed by these two, will be preached : the Spirit of God
will raise up whom he pleases to speak the truth of God, this is what
is signified by the spirit of life from God entering into them. Great
fear will fall upon them who see this ; for whereas, even before, the
truth of God tormented them and they never could endure it ; now
in the midst of their triumph, when they think such doctrines are
crushed for ever, to see them suddenly revive with power, even with
16
122 THK KEVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
the power of the Spirit of God, will cause great fear to fall upon
them, such a fear as fell upon Belshazzar when the hand writing
appeared upon the wall ; for they are the same Belshazzar, they arc
making merry and rejoicing in their hearts, and they use the holy
things out of God's temple, they make use of the very words of God
in their abominations and when they offer swine's flesh upon his altar.
Yea, they will fear, for the time is at hand.
V. 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up
hither. And tliey ascended up to heaven in a cloud ; and their enemies beheld
them.
They heard a great voice from heaven ; they heard, that is, he
who preaclied or proclaimed them, heard the voice, for, when it was
before said they prophesied in sackcloth for 1260 years, it signified
that the truth of the Law and of the Gospel was preached by men ;
so here it is revealed that some one of God's children by whom the
Gospel shall be preached in the power of the Spirit, shall be trans-
lated and taken up to heaven in the sight of the deceitful and false
worshippers, as Enoch was, and as Elijah was. The great voice is
the voice of Jesus Christ, the son of God, which voice is the Power
of God, which created all things when it spoke, and which will raise
the dead, for as David testifies, " the voice of the Lord is mighty^
The enemies of God's truth, the opposers of his doctrine will be-
hold it.*
V. 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of
the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand : and the
remnant were atTrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
* There is a wonderful resemblance between the present day, and the day of
that Elijah wh» lived in the days of Ahab. Then all Israel had departed from Ood,
and was abandoned to the worship of beasts. So it is now. Then no doubt as
now, they were positive that they worshipped God, and pleased him : no doubt
they were firmly convinced tliat a noisy, bustling, showy religion, and the per-
formance of services and duties of man's invention, would make depraved creatures
pleasing to God, and would please him much more than simply obeying and taking
heed to his holy law, which sim[)ly teaches men to do good to one another, (not to
God,) thereby showing indeed that they loved God. They thought no doubt that
evil deeds and covetousness signified very little and would be passed over, provided
they were very religions, not knowing tliat tiiere is no other real religion or wor-
shipping but the showing kindness and doing mercy to all men. ((ial. v. 14: James
i. 27.) Then, as also now, there were many zealous devoted priests, but Elijah was
the only one who preached the truth of (iod. Then, it rained not on the earth for
the space of three years and six months, and this was because of the prayer of
Elijah : and now also, at the prayer of the saints (on the opening of the tifth seal,
oh. 6) it has not rained upon the earth for 12G0 years; that is, the Holy Ghost has
not been poured out upon believers, they have been scaled. And furthermore, that
we may not doubt the truth as to this time, but that we may understand by the
instruction of that time, there are exactly 42 months, that is, 12G0 days in the three
years and six months, when then it rained not, showing indubitably that those
things " happened for our ensample upon whom the ends of the world are come."
Also then, as now, God's i)ower and truth was manifested, and the dcceivings of the
false prophets utterly exposed, and then, as now it will be, the false teachers were
destroyed; then, as now, .lezebel, the painted scducting harlot (a figure of the har-
lotry of human righteousness and piety) was predominant : and also then as it w ill
again be in this day, the Elijah of that day was taken up into heaven.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 123
Whoever this be, he will know that it is not for his own sake, or
for his holiness that God doeth this ; far, far from it, but for the elect's
sake, for his people's sake, that they may understand and believe :
for, immediately upon the happening of this thing, '■Hn the same hour"
there will take place a great shaking, commotion or alteration in the
religious world, this is revealed by the words " there ivas a great
earthquake,'''' and a great part, a tenth, of the spiritual city of Sodom
and Egypt will fall, they will come out from among the earthly
worshippers, and hear and believe : others, to the amount of seven
thousand, though they will not believe, will be slain, that is, all their
former confidence will perish, their consciences will be awaked and
smitten, and thus they will be slain ; and the rest will be affrighted
and give glory to the God of heaven, though they will neither believe
nor be slain.
V. 14. The second wo is past, and, behold, the third wo cometh quickly.
The third wo cometh quickly ; there will yet be an interval of
some time before the kingdom of Christ will begin upon the earth,
before that will take place for which God's people have. been taught
to pray, viz. " thy kingdom come.'''' The rule and dominion of the
beast, of the doctrine that man can please God and ascend into heaven
by his own piety and exertions, will still continue, and men will still
be seduced by the all-deceivableness of unrighteousness to trust in
the arm of flesh and not to trust in God only.
V. 15, adfinem. And the seventh angel sounded : and there were great voices
in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The Time of the beast is now finished. Now begins the reign of
Righteousness, even of Christ, of truth and blessedness upon the
earth. God will now take to himself his great power, now the
Temple of God is opened in heaven.
In these verses the events which will happen when the seventh
Angel sounds are summarily revealed ; they do not however come to
pass all at once and together ; but here a brief summary of them is
given, and afterwards the particulars are revealed more fully and the
order in which all these things will be fulfilled. In the meanwhile,
a short pause and interruption is made, to reveal yet more fully and
in a separate chapter the things relating to the two beasts and their
time, and to give again a general summary of the whole, from the
period when Christ was glorified to the present day.
CHAPTER XII.
The things which will come to pass while the seventh angel sounds,
are resumed in the 14th chapter ; in the mean time a most minute
revelation is made in the l'3th chapter of the rise, and also of the
character of that false and abominable System of Antichrist, of that
Christianity or that counterfeit Christianity, which in various guise
was to have power to continue for 1260 years, that is, 42 months.
These religious earthly systems of earthly men, always bitter
124 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST*
opposers of the offensive doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ, are now
fully described under the name and figure of a beast. The whole is
preceded in this 12th chapter by a summary of what has been before
revealed ; and this being given in another form, yet perfectly agrees
with and establishes the whole, confirming it by constant repetition.
V. 1, 2. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven ; a woman clothed with
the sun, and the moon under lier feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:
And she being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
The two Covenants are spoken of in the Scriptures under the
similitude of women, the one, the covenant of Mount Sinai, is called
a bondman, the other is called a free woman. The Apostle speaking
of the Everlasting Covenant, which was four hundred and thirty
years before the Law, says " Jervsalem above vs is free, who is the
mother of us ally This is the woman here seen. They who believe
are the children of the free woman, or the children of promise, and
they are the whole body of Christ ; each individual being only a
member of that one body ; this whole body is the n)an-child which
will reign on the earth. But they who are under the law are the
children of the bond woman.
Until the suffering of Christ and the glory which followed, the
free woman had been barren, but the other had had many children ;
but when Christ was glorified, then were fulfilled the words of the
prophet, " Rejoice thou barren that bearesf not, break forth and cry
thou that travaileth not, for the desolate hath many more children
than she which hath a husband.''^ This is the wonder which now
appeared ; it appeared immediately after the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, and this wonder was seen for a week of seven
hundred years ; for, during that time God confirmed the covenant
with many, as the prophet Daniel has written. Then first, after
Christ was glorified, the church was beheld in heaven, having access
into the presence of God by Him, then were they clothed with the
Sun, clothed in the bright and glorious righteousness of the Sun of
Righteousness, even Jesus Christ ; then were they delivered from
fear and all condemnation, for the Law (that is, the Moon, the light
which rules by night) was under their feet. Now were children
born to the free woman, " she being icith child cried."
V. 3,4. And there appeared another wonder in heaven ; and behold, a great red
dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And
his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth :
and the dragon stood before the woman wliich was ready to be delivered, for to de-
vour her child as soon as it was born.
Here again is repeated that which has before been revealed in the
preceding chapters ; namely, the rise of the beast " having seven
heads and ten horns," for now in the time of the church of Perga-
mos, Satan, the dragon, appeared with the abominations of false and
lying doctrines, in heaven, that is, in the midst of the church of God,
seducing by his preaching, (that is, his tail drew,) them who had
the truth of the kingdom of heaven, who are called the stars of
heaven.
" His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast
THE REVELATION OF JESITS CHRIST. 125
thevi to the earth." Here again is repeated the falling away revealed
before at the opening of the sixth seal in the 6th chapter ; they fell
to the earth like untimely figs from the fig tree, they departed from
the truth as it is in Christ ; they became earthly ; seeking right-
eousness from the man of the earth, and looking to him for piety
and good works, instead of looking to Christ only. Satan stood
ready to devour the children of the Covenant, the heirs of promise
as soon as they were born ; that is, the moment any one believed in
Christ, he was prepared with the abominations of earthly religion to
seduce him from the simplicity which is in Christ.
V. 5. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod
of iron : and her child was caug'ht up unto God, and to his throne.
Believers are the body of Christ : the man child signifies the chil-
dren of the covenant, they are " to reign on the earth.'''' Those who
now were born to the free woman were caught up unto God and his
throne, they disappeared entirely from the earth, none were left who
were true children of the Covenant, the falling away was total, the
heavens departed as a scroll, the grace of the kingdom was now no
longer known or preached, " there icas silence in heaven,''''
V. 6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared
of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and ihrcescore
days.
Here again is repeated what was before revealed ; that the dura-
tion of this falling away, and the reign of the Abomination would be
for the space of 1260 years. During all this time the Covenant of
God's Grace, his Everlasting Covenant in Christ has been fled from
the earth, has been in the wilderness in desolation, and has not been
known among the earthly worshippers, the followers of the Abomi-
nation, even the abomination of man's piety and works, that swine
flesh offering.
V. 7, 8. And there was war in heaven : Michael and his angels fought against
the dragon ; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not ; neither was
their place found any more in heaven.
It is after the falling away, and after the free woman is fled into the
wilderness, that what is now revealed takes place.
" There was war in heaven." Though at the falling away when
the 1260 years began, there were none left Avho kept the truth, all
the children of the heavenly Jerusalem being taken from the earth,
yet afterwards there were those who were " in heaven," that is who
believed, and had access by faith into Grace, which is heaven: these
were the Church in Philadelphia, as it has been revealed in the pre-
ceding chapters. But this very word, " there was war in heaven"
shows what a state of conflict they were in ; nevertheless Satan pre-
vailed not, he could not deprive them of their peace and Rest by the
accusations of the law, for " Michael and his angels fought ;" as
David says, "<Ae angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that
fear him, and delivereth them" so it was now, for it is God who
fighteth for his people, it is not they who fight and conquer.
126 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
V. 9. And tlie great drag-on was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceivctli the whole world : lie was cast out into the earth, and his
angels were cast out with him.
From this eftort to disturb the peace of God's elect, who were
translated through faith out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom
of heaven, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels with him,
that is, the Church in Philadelphia was kept by the power of God,
Satan could not prevail over them as it was promised to them in the
10th verse of the 3d chapter. The earth signifies earthly worship-
pers, who are in the outer tabernacle and enter not by foith into the
holiest of all, but remain outside, oflering gifts and sacrifices that
can never make him that does the service perfect as pertaining to
the conscience ; these carnal ordinances were given only as patterns
of things in heaven, till Christ should come by his own blood and not
by any other means to cleanse our consciences from all sin, and open
for us the way into heaven ; — now they who still cleave to the earthly
patterns and reject the heavenly gift, are called the earth ; into this
earth Satan was now cast out ; but those who being already com-
pletely in the power of Satan and worshipping idols did not worship
in the outer tabernacle any more than Pagans, such are not here
signified under the name of the earth, they are the whole world,"
and therefore the " earth'''' into which Satan was now cast out, signi-
fies the earthly worshippers among the Protestants ; and now begins
the " hour of teniptation^^ spoken of before, when evil angels appear
preaching and seducing the men of the earth, '■'■privily hr'tng'tng
in damnable heresies,^' as revealed in the 9th ciiapter.
" Hs was cast out into the earth ;" this is after the falling away,
and after the woman had fled into the wilderness : this casting out of
Satan into the earth is not the beginning of the 1260 years, for it is
revealed as taking place in the midst of that time. The earth here
signifies only the protestant worshippers, earthly men, who say they
are Jews, that is, the chosen people of God and servants of God,
when they are not, for they do not obey him and submit to his words.
Till now, Satan had not been cast into them, but was restrained and
hindered for the sake of the saints in Philadelphia : he was not now
cast out into the Roman Catholic Church, because he was already
there, it was his seat, and he gave that church his power and great
authority ; therefore being there already, he is now cast out into
them. It is the protestant beast which is here signified ; till now
they had kept the. outward form of sound doctrine ; but now, because
they were earthly and loved not the truth which they had, God doth
send them strong delusions, he sends evil angels among them ; now
begins that flood of disorder, confusion, false doctrine, perplexity and
error which has ever since prevailed among the protestant sects.
" His angels with him.'''' He does not come alone, multitudes of
devils enter into tiie earth (the earthly professors) with him, trans-
formed into angels of hght, preacliing doctrines of devils, and (which
is the character and name of Satan) accusing, condemning, threaten-
ing and grievously tormenting the dwellers on the cartli, and teaching
them to call condemnation and death and guilt on their consciences,
TlIK IJKVELATION OF JESUS CUKIoT. 127
the experience and possession of the glorious Gospel of God ! how
this has been the case was revealed in tlic Oth chapter.
Christ prophesied of this generation which has exalted the man of
sin, and trampled under foot the Man of Righteousness, the only
Holy One of Israel, saying that they were not to pass away till all
was fiiihlled, and also saying, (and his words are faithful and true,)
that after they had had some devil cast out of them and become
religious, and been empty, swept and garnished, (tlius for a time
escaping the pollutions of the world through their fleshly knowledge
of the truth,) then the devil cast out would return and bring other
devils more wicked than himself, and the last state should be worse
than the first. Even so is it with this generation ; after sanctifying
themselves, they are confident that they are Jews, when they are of
the synagogue of Satan, and being pufted up with the persuasion of
their piety and sanctity, they are filled with more wicked devils than
they were servants to before their imaginary conversion, so that their
last state is worse than the first. This is the generation which was
not to pass away till all things were fulfilled.
V. 10, 11. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation,
and strcngtl), and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ : for tiie
accuser of our brethren is cast down, whicli accused them before our God day and
night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony ; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
His accusation by the law is his warfare : and but for the blood of
Christ, by this warfare and accusation he would succeed in dragging
all the saints of God from heaven, that is, in depriving them of peace
with God and of a purified conscience ; for the accusation is true,
they have grievously sinned, and by the just and righteous law which
they have violated he claims to have power over them to torment
and punish them. But fbr ever, yea, for ever blessed be God ! by
the blood of the Lamb, we are more than conquerors, and answer
doubly all his accusations, his blood cleanseth us from all sin ; this
blood sprinkling us, purges our consciences, we are freed from guilt
and condemnation, and he cannot prevail against us. Even the blood
of rams and of goats and the sprinkling of a heiter, inasmuch as it
testified of Christ, sanctified in former days ; how much more doth
the blood of Jesus Christ, the lamb which God himself provided,
purge our consciences from dead works 1 God having provided a
sacrifice for us, we have not to provide or furnish any whatever, it
is an abomination to offer up any other sacrifice : in Him the Lamb
of God, God is well pleased.
" They overcame him by the wot-d of their testimony. ^^ It was
expressly pronfised to the church in Philadelphia, that they should be
kept from this dreadful time of Satan when he would be cast unto the
earth, because they kept his word.
" They loved 7wt their lives unto the death.'" When a man loves
his life, he will be in death ; when a man hates his life and desires,
and is willing to be crucified together with Christ, he will obtain life
eternal. " Our bellies cleave to the dust," we cling to the life of
this world, and are unwilling to forsake all and follow Christ, it is
128 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
literally parting with our lives ; until God makes us fit for the king-
dom of heaven, we keep looking back after we have put our hands
to the plough. But he who will live with Christ must die with him,
must drink of that cup, forsake his life, and surrender his body to
be crucified in its affections and lusts, Christ will do all this for him
according to his faith, according to his hungering after the true
Righteousness, and he will also give him this faith. The church in
Philadelphia " loved not their lives unto the death." It is a painful
conflict, it is dying, it is being " put to death together with him ;"
yea, with him, for he sutlers when his people, his members sufler.
V. 12. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea ! for the devil is come down unto you, having
great wrath, because he knoweth that he hatii but a short time.
" Woe to the inhabiters of the ea?-th." This same woe was uttered
before, previous to the appearance of the many delusions and errors
which immediately followed, as revealed in the 9th chapter. Of this
time also, and of this Woe, Daniel prophesied, saying, "a/u/ there shall
be a time of trouble, such as never icas since there ivas a nation, even
to that same time.'' This word " irotible," signifies the tribulation
and trouble which now is ; it is confusion, perplexity, disorder, tu-
mult ; it is trouble : it is not the day of wrath and vengeance, that
is to come, after this day of trouble and disorder. Isaiah has also
prophesied of this day of trouble, and reeling to and fro, showing how
the star called Wormwood has made the strong drink of the Gospel
bitter to them that drink it, how the inhabitants of the earth are
burned, (which burning by the law, they call the beauty of the
Gospel.) Ch. xxiv; ch. ii, v. 24, 25.
" Woe to the inhabiters of the sea." Not only has the earth been
deceived and followed doctrines of devils, but also as it has been seen
in these days, the inhabiters of the sea have not escaped. They who
have not been joined to religious societies but have boldly rejected
the Scriptures, have also followed devils, and the most absurd, abo-
minable and blasphemous theories and madness has been engendered
and received among them at the same time with the earth. It has
been the age of abominations, of diabolical activity and folly, both in
the sea and in the earth, that is, both among infidels and religious
sects. It has been a time of trouble and perplexity, such as never
has been known since the world began ; the sea and its waves roar-
ing with a blasphemous audacity and boldness such as never before
at any time was witnessed. It has been the flood and deluge of
Satan. The commencement of this time of trouble (when Satan,
failing in the war in heaven against them in Philadelphia, was cast
out into the earth) has been revealed in the 9th chapter. But it was
not only Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, but also Woe to the
inhabiters of the sea ; for while Satan was working religiously in
England he was also busy in the Sea, especially in France, where
infidelity was as active as religious falsehood was in England. The
French R(;volution and the blasphemies of the French Philosophers
was contemporaneous with the rise of serpents and scorpions in the
religious world, that is, both occurred about the same time, fulfilling
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 129
the words, " Woe to the inhabiters of the sea." Because iniquity-
has so dreadfully abounded in all this time of trouble, both religious
and political, the love of many (namely, of Laodicea) has waxed
cold ; for which lukewarmness, (waxing cold, though not quite cold,)
Laodicea was reproved in the third chaper ; by which also we know
that this is that very time of tribulation which Christ foretold should
come to pass ; and we know that immediately after this tribulation
there will come a darkness over the earth, the sun will be darkened :
(but not to the elect of God ; only to the earth : " ye brethren are not
in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all
the children of the light and the children of the day, we are not of the
night nor of darkness,") and in the midst of this darkness, the day
of the Lord will come, a day of darkness to them that dwell on the
earth ; and then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds
of heaven with power and great glory. (Zeph. i. 14 to 17. Amos
V. 18, 20. Joel iii. 14, 15, 16. Ezl. xxxii. 7, 8. Ez. xxx. 2, 3. Is.
V. 30. Is. viii. 22. Is. xiii. 9, 10.)
" He hath but a short time.'" Hence it is manifest that the day is
close at hand, when he shall be bound for a thousand years, as it is
revealed in another chapter : therefore, immediately after these tri-
bulations which he bringeth on the earth, the day of the Lord will
come, as Christ has also foretold, (Matt. 24,) but first night will
come, and gross darkness upon the earth ; " the sun shall be dark-
ened and the moon shall not give her light." That day will come
" in the night," as a thief.
V. 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted
the woman which brought forth the man child.
In all the hour of temptation from which the church in Philadel-
phia was kept, which began after the Woe pronounced above, the
great, constant, and inexhaustible topic of the false prophets and
preachers of the earth, has ever been to preach and declaim in all
their sermons, and warn men against the free woman, that is, the
doctrine of Christ, the doctrine which gives freedom from the law
of death and condemnation. To hear of it, tormented them beyond
measure, they denounced it as licentious, immoral, antinomian, blas-
phemous, (kc. The preachers of this blessed Gospel of ..^o and
liberty, of whom there were several in the church of Laodicea, (be-
fore the two witnesses had finished their testimony,)* were hated
and cast out, and considered as enemies of religion.
" He persecuted the woman." It was the doctrine they persecuted,
the woman, not the followers of the doctrine, the church of the Lao-
diceans, because they excited no envy, their walk and conversation
being carnal, was a triumph to the earth, but the time is coming
when they will persecute them also as well as their doctrine, when
they shall behold in them the Power and Might of God. They des-
pised and pitied them when they saw them not approved, spued out
of his mouth, and almost as hot and burning in lust after money and
the things of this life as themselves ; there was nothing to create
* Such were Mr. Romainc, Dr. Hawker, Win. Huntington, and others.
17
130 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
their envy, and they only therefore persecuted the " wonianJ''' La-
odicea has trusted in gold that would not stand the fire, in feelings,
frames and experiences ; they have been naked and their shame has
appeared, and their enemies have triumphed over them j Christ
counsels them to buy of him gold tried in the fire, which will with-
stand every fiery trial, and white raiment that they may be clothed ;
he stands at the door and knocks ; (he that hath ears to hear, let
him hear.) Thus Satan has persecuted the woman which brought
forth the man child. The persecution has not been against them
who believed for the reasons mentioned above, but against the truth
and doctrine, the Everlasting Covenant of God's Righteousness and
Love in which they trusted, against the woman, viz. " Jerusalem,
which is above, who is free, and i.s the mother of zis all.^^ But not-
withstanding their hatred, let them know that this woman hath
" brought forth a man child ivhich is to rule all nations uith a rod of
iron," that is, them who believe, the children of the kingdom, and
they all are together the body of Christ, and " they shall reign on
the earth. ^^
V. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might
fly into the wilderness, into her place ; where she is nourislied for a time, and times,
and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Here again is revealed (as hath so frequently been repeated) the
duration of the time in which the Abomination will prevail and the
truth be hidden from the world, viz. 1260 years. A time is a Jewish
year, times are two of the years, and a half is six months, making
in all 42 months and 1260 days, signifying that number of years.
" That she micht fij into the wilderness, into her place jvhcre she is
nourished,^' shows that the time of 1260 years did not now first
begin, but that with respect to the church in Philadelphia, the people
of God were in a better condition than any had been in since the
falling away, so that the woman had, as it were, left her place in the
wilderness ; for then she was, though desolate, yet less desolate than at
any other period of the Abomination which has made desolate. " She
flew into her place," that is, now when Satan was cast out into the
Protestant earth of earthly men, (who till this time had enjoyed
quiet for the sake of the church in Philadelphia,) the desolation be-
came greater than ever it had been before. The truth of God rapidly
disappeared, she fled with wings as of an eagle. And so it has been
in this hour of temptation and time of tribulation ; the truth of God,
Zion, has been more desolate, has been fled further away, has been
more removed from the earth than ever it has been in any former
time, till now at last, the truth is utterly cast out and the children of
the bondwoman triumph and make merry and send presents one to
another, because, they are no longer tormented with hearing the
preaching and prophesying of God's eternal truth, and everlasting
Gospel.
V. 15. And the serpent cast out of his month water as a flood, after the woman,
that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
" Water as a food." The word of God is called water, and so
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 131
also the teaching and lies of Satan are called water : the false doc-
trines whtch have deluged the religious world, giving rise to innu-
merable sects, are here signified. Satan has cast these " out of his
mouth, after the woman /"that is, against the Covenant of God's grace
and everlasting love to his elect in Christ Jesus, which it has been
the object of the dragon to destroy ; and truly in these days, in which
we have seen the flood of Satan's doctrines overflowing the earth, it
has been seen that they have all been directed against and in oppo-
sition to the Everlasting Covenant. It is against this Covenant,
against Jerusalem which is above, against " the woman''' that Satan
has poured out all his flood of delusions. Against it the false pro-
phets have directed all their venom. In this has been fulfilled the
prophecy of the Apostle Paul, " God shall send them strong delusions,^''
and he says it will be because they did not receive the truth in the
love of it. The object of Satan was that the Truth " might be car-
ried away in the food." No engine against the truth could be more
powerful than an imitation and counterfeit, getting men to follow this
instead of the real ; Satan had already tried this and succeeded for a
long time, and yet, notwithstanding the church in Philadelphia, and
some even in Sardis, received the truth and rejected the counterfeit
and abomination. But now towards the end of the 42 months,
knowing that his time is short and being cast out upon the earth
from his effort to overthrow the people of God in Philadelphia, who
had access by faith into Grace, that is, into heaven, he now makes
one great effort, more violent than any before ; he pours out an
immense flood of delusions ; not one abomination, not one counterfeit
and false system of Christianity, but thousands ; and the object is as
is here expressed, " that he might cause her to be carried away of
the food" that in the midst of such a vast crowd of falsehoods,
deceptions and delusions, the truth may be lost and swept away, that
men may be thereby deceived, and being lost and bewildered in the
confusion of so much religious madness and folly may be led to
suppose that there is no Truth of God at all, and that since there
are such floods of delusions all is a delusion, and there is no truth of
God. Thus he hoped to sweep away the only truth, by a great flood
of counterfeits, that it might be carried away in the flood and so no
one might believe, and so no flesh might be saved ! And except the
Lord had shortened these days no flesh should be saved ; but for the
elect's sake whom he hath chosen he will shorten these days. (Mat.
ii. 4.)
V. 16. And the earth helped tlie woman ; and the eartli opened her mouth, and
swallowed ap the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
The earth, (the religious professors,) has opened its mouth and
swallowed up the flood which the dragon has cast out of his mouth :
there is no folly and delusion however monstrous and abominable,
which they have not greedily swallowed. It has been indeed " an
hour of temptation, to try them that dwell on the earth.''^ They
would not receive the truth that God, he alone is God and the
Creator, he alone is holy and he alone has power, he alone saves,
132 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
and saves whom he will — they asserted that man has holiness,
" personal holmess" and power, and is a self creator, if he chooses ;
the truth they would not receive, but every falsehood and all sorts
of lies and absurdities they have greedily received and swallowed.
In doing so they have " helped the wonmn,^^ for the truth being the
only thing they would not receive, all agreeing in a general malig-
nity against it, they have set it apart, and separated it from their
own doctrines and abominations, and thus set a mark upon it which
cannot be mistaken. The covenant of God's Righteousness, even of
his Christ, by whom and in whom they that receive him are blessed,
by faith and without doing any thing, — this Covenant of Grace and
favour and Love, in being thus thrust out from such company, is
individualized and separated from out of the flood of religious decep-
tions and delusions ; and thus the earth which would not receive the
truth, has helped the truth by receiving and swallowing the flood of
error.
V. 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, which keep the commands of God, and have the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
" The remnant of her seed,'''' shows that the child caught up to
God and his throne, as mentioned in the fifth verse, signified only
a part of her seed ; there is a remnant yet remaining of the man
child, the seed of the free woman, the children of light, the chil-
dren of the kingdom ; all who believe are collectively the man
child, the seed of the free woman, of whom David says, "a seed
shall serve him" which seed the Apostle Paul testifies is the
whole body of Christ, " and every one of us members in particular."
Satan makes war against this seed of the woman, for he is wroth
against her, and against the truth of Jesus Christ. He does not go
to war with the earth, he bites and torments them ; he has warred
against them of Laodicea and overcome them, for they have not been
in heaven " seated together with Him in heavenhj places" they have
been " carnal, and ivalked as men," therefore because they were
neither hot nor cold the Lord has " spued them out of his mouth,"
that is, they have not been delivered, but have been given over to
Satan ^^for the destrvciion of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved
in the day of the Lord Jesiis." To them it is said, " Behold I stand
at the door and knock." But the remnant of her seed here spoken
of, signifies those who will now believe, the remnant which is yet to
be fulfilled of the body of Christ, against whom he is going to make
furious war, and against whom he shall not prevail, for their Re-
deemer is mighty, the Lord of Hosts is his name. This remnant is
yet to be gathered in before the end cometh : the church of Laodi-
cea is among them, they will hear the voice of Christ, they will
follow him, and not love their lives ; " he that is of God hoareth
God's words," and they will hear, after they have been chastened
and rebuked. And not they only, but also the multitude of the sea,
(as the prophet has foretold,) and also Israel, and also many of the
earth, of Sodom and Egypt, and also of Great Babylon. " And
there shall be One Lord and his name One."
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 133
CHAPTER XIII.
A more particular Revelation is now made of the various churches
or ecclesiastical establishments which have during the time of 1260
years passed under the name of churches of God, when they were
inventions of men, and churches of the devil.
The power, reign and dominion of these establishments is called a
" Beast," and by the prophet Daniel a " King" for man exalted
and honoured is the whole foundation of their religion, and their
reign and dominion is the reign and dominion of man and not of
Christ ; David testifies that " man that is in honour and understand-
eth not, is like the beasts that perish" and Daniel says, (speaking of
four different dominions,) " the four beasts are kings." This Beast
is sinful man, exalted and set in honour as a king and a saviour ; he
is called by the Apostle Paul the " 7}ian of sin," that is, simply sinful
man ; and because his sins are as scarlet, he is also called a " scarlet
beast."
V. 1. And I 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.
This beast rose up out of the sea, for the Roman and also the
Greek Church (which are the same and were one at their origin)
was set up and received its power from the sea, from the world, and
men of this world, among whom the Emperor Constantino is most
distinguished. This beast is the same which in the preceding chapter
was revealed as appearing and standing before the woman to devour
her seed ; there it was called the dragon, and here it is man, for
they are both one, as Christ and his people are both one, but are a
lamb not a dragon.
V. 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as
the feet of a bear, aud his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him
his power, and his seat, and great authority.
A leopard represents sinful man ; the prophet Jeremiah says, " can
the leopard change his sjwts ?" The dragon gave him great au-
thority ; the Church of Rome has had great authority indeed, and it
has been both the authority of man and the authority of Satan in
one.
V. 3, 4. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ; and his
deadly wound was healed : and all the world wondered after the beast. And they
worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast : and they worshipped the
beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast ? who is able to make war with him ?
Christ put to death the body of sin and death ; then was the old
Adam, the old man slain, then that beast received his death wound ;
but now by the falsehood of Satan he is revived again, as if he had
life and could do good, and notwithstanding that deadly wound putting
him to death, is taught by this Church as having life and power and
being able to do good and serve God and work righteousness. This
beast thus revived by false doctrine now excited the wonder of all
the world by liis apparent life, and the apparent works of goodness
and sanctity which he now began to exhibit.
134 THE REVKLATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
V. 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blas-
phemies : and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Here again is revealed (which has so often been repeated) that the
power of the Beast should continue lor 1260 years, in which time
the saints of God should not have power, but should be overcome, as
the following verses show.
V. 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth ; and he had two
horns like a larnb, and he spake as a dragon.
This second beast comprehends all the number and variety of all
other churches or religious bodies which at different times have
sprung up, since what is called the reformation.
" Coming up out of the earth,'''' shows that they did not arise all
at once, in unity as the former establishment did, but at different
times, as it were continually springing up : " out of the earth,'''' that
is, they were not set up by princes or emperors, men of the sea, but
arose from the fleshly zeal and piety of religious persons, from the
whoredoms of men, from the bottomless pit of the earth.
" Tioo horns like a lamb ;" these are Luther and Calvin, both
acknowledged as the two great authorities or horns of the reforma-
tion : " I'lke a lamb,'''' for the doctrine and ministration which now
began was very much like the doctrine of Christ the Lamb of God ;
it was a counterfeit more subtle and more resembling the truth than
the former establishment.
" He spake as a dragon :" that is, although the beast which is
here revealed as now arising, appeared like a lamb, it was not in
reality the power and reign of Christ the Lamb which now arose ;
for " he spake as a dragon ,•" the dragon is the accuser, the opposer,
using the Law to accuse and to oppose the Grace of God ; so also,
as the dragon, both Luther and Calvin preached the Law which
accuses and condemns, and thus they spake as a dragon. " He (the
beast) spake as a dragon ;" this beast in all its many and various
shapes and forms has always spoken as a dragon ; like a dragon
breathing out fire and smoke and brimstone ; using all the terrors of
the law, and fears and threats, as instruments of its religion.
V. 12. And he exerciseth all the povfer of the first beast before him, and causeth
the earth, and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly
wound was healed.
" All the power of the first beast before him :" that is, the very
same kind of power which the Roman Catholic beast exercised, has
been since him exercised by the Protestant beast. " And cavseth
the earth to worship ;" the Protestant churches have been as intole-
rant as the Roman Catholic church, and forced or " caused" men
to worship according to their forms, and punished men for non-
conformity as well as the beast before, thus caus'mg the earth to wor-
ship.*
* The cruel and bloody persecutions of the Church of England against those
who would not conform to her, arc well known. In 170.3, when an act of tole-
ration was brought forward in Scotland for the benefit of those who did not conform
to the PrcBbyterian church, the General Assembly of the Presbyterians presented
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CnEIST. 135
" To worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.''''
The Roman Catholic Church worshipped several beasts : it is repre-
sented with seven heads ; the head signifies the abomination, the
object of trust and confidence, as Christ is the " head of the church:''''
one of the objects of trust and confidence in the Roman Church, as
well as their images, saints and mass, &c.,is man, the old man, the
body of sin and death, in him they also trust, in his doing good, in
his works and piety ; this is one of the heads of that church ; this is
sinful man, the beast, the body of sin and death which received a
deadly wound, which was put to death in the body of Jesus Christ :
this beast which though put to death yet lives, {it is not and yet is,)
is that one of the seven heads which the Protestant Beast has caused
men to worship ; this is the beast whose deadly wound was healed,
and it is the same as the first beast ; and they have caused men to
worship it : " it is of the seven," and yet it is " the eighth," and
" it ascendeth out of the hottojnless pit,''' that is, religious whoredom
is that which has raised and exalted it, and it shall be destroyed, that
is, " it goeth into perdition"
V. 13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from
heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
" He doeth great u-onders ;" these are the deeds of piety and
apparent holiness which this beast has done : the wonderful reforma-
tions it has apparently wrought, the devils it has cast out ; for of a
truth many evil livers and drunkards and others have had such devils
as were in them cast out, and to the wonder of the sea and admira-
tion of the earth have joined the church and become pious, being
" made perfect in thefesh" This beast has also often preached the
terrible law of God, which is a law against all unrighteousness and
ungodliness of men, and which is true and certain, though even Satan
preached it ; and thus, not knowing what spirit they were of, (Luke
ix. 54, 55,) they have made the dreadful judgments of God's law to
fall like fire from heaven upon wicked transgressors. The manifest
judgments of the law which have often and in the most awful manner
fallen upon men, after the threatening and denunciations of this beast,
are great wonders which he has done. Even in this day these
wonders are often trumpeted forth in the newspapers, and it is re-
lated how men have returned money or other things which they had
stolen before they became religious ; these things are called the
" Power of Religion," &c. and create admiration and wonder in the
sight of men when they behold the firo of God's law causing evil
man " ^o do many things.'^
V. 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those mira-
cles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell
on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound
by a sword, and did live.
a representation against it, which caused it to be laid aside. This "causing men
to worship,'" refusing toleration, using constraint and force, is the same power as
was exercised by the beast before : as if God would have among his people those
who served him unwillingly I
136 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
By means of these wonders or miracles, which are not by the
Spirit of Christ, he deceiveth the men of the eartii ; they have taken
the dreadful certainty of the law to be a clear proof that they pos-
sessed the Gospel, and have been deceived.
" Saying, they should make an linage to the beast :" here is another
deception revealed, the deepest and most wonderful of all. The
astonishing and manifest truth of this which is here revealed, shows
the wisdom and almighty power and glory of Christ, who revealed
this thing so many ages before ; " truly,^^ they will say who do not
harden their hearts, truly this is the Christ, the only Saviour, and
his 7cord is true.
The abomination, the beast to which the Protestant harlots or
beasts, have said men should make an image, is particularly specified
and designated, it is " the beast which had a wound by a sword and
did lice,^^ it is man, the flesh, the body of sin and death, it is of the
seven abominations of the beast before, and in the Protestant beast it
is an eighth, it is the beast that was, and is not, and yet is ; it is the
beast which has ascended out of the bottomless pit, which has sprung
out of the religious whoredom and wisdom of earthly men ; it is man,
sinful man, iniquity, the wicked one, the head of earthly worshippers,
as the Holy One is the head of them that worship God in spirit and
in truth. This wicked one is now fully revealed and greatly exalted,
and now in this day, even all shame is passed away and the power
and excellence and goodness and hopefulness of this wicked one,
" sifting as God in the temj)le of God,''"' is openly maintained and
exalted. Let us now see what is signified by making an image to
this beast.
The beast with two horns, that is, the body of Protestants, has
always spoken bitterly against the first beast, viz. the Roman Catho-
lics, and against their abomination of confiding in the works of man
and exalting that beast which had the deadly wound. But while
they have been talking loudly against their elder sister (Ezek. xxiii.),
they have set up the same beast and taught religious people, the
earth, to look to the beast, that is, to their own doings, the doings of
man, to his piety, his labour and efforts for working righteousness,
that is, doing good. But, as they have both preached and written and
fought against the Roman Catholics, and especially against this one of
the seven heads of their abominations, they have therefore pretended
to much more purity, and have not openly and directly set up the beast,
but instead thereof have said to their followers, {tJicm that dwell on
the earth) that they should make an image to this beast ; and behold
how they have done it. They have preached and taught, that to be
born again is to have a new man created internally, and that it is
this new creature, this image of man, an imaginary man, who does
good ; thus they have deceived themselves and others, saying " it is
not the old man who dors gcod, it is not the beast, but it is the ne\o man,
this image of the beast.^'' Thus they escape from Christ, and reject
him, tli(!y will not have him to work righteousness for them and so
to save them, and yet they dare not set up the old man ; therefore
they set up an image of the old man, an imagination, an image of the
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 137
beast, and this is their saviour ; this regenerate man, yea, this
" reoenerate sinner," as they call the image of the old sinner (for
they confess it is a sinner, a beast) does good, that is, works right-
eousness and saves them !
This substitute for the beast they call " a change cf heart,'''' and
they teach that though the old man, the sinful man or the beast,
cannot do good, yet they get a new man, they themselves, that is,
the filthy beast, becomes a changed man, and it is this changed man,
or this regenerate man, who does good ! who, in other words, is their
saviour ; for at all events they will not receive Christ to be the Christ
and saviour, " 7vorking mightily in them that believe.'''' Thus they
substitute an ideal image of the beast for the beast itself. This is the
image of the beast which they say that the men of the earth should
make ! it is an imaginary creature instead of the old creature, an
image of the beast instead of the beast itself; it is an imagination of
their own, that is, an image.
Thus while they pretend to say they cannot do good, and persuade
themselves they have no trust in man, (that is, are not worshippers
of the beast,) yet as soon as they have taught a man to make this
image, then they tell him he has got a change, a new heart, an ima-
ginary something in him, and now he can do good ; and they call
upon the filthy sinner, " the regenerate sinner,'''' to do good, that is,
to work righteousness, letting him know, every now and then, that it
is not he who does good, but this new thing, this image of the old
man, this image of the beast. Thus by their gross, fleshly and
abominable perversion of the words of God, by their sensual and
earthly interpretations, they bring forth the old man, the beast, under
a new form or image ; inculcating earnestly the necessity of the new
birth, by which they signify the necessity of making this Image.
Constantly talking of Christ, they reject him and will not receive
him ; but they will receive this something within them, this ideality,
this image, this new self, yea, they will receive any thing to work
righteousness and save them, rather than Christ ; they will acknow-
ledge any god but the only true God. Idolatry, wickedness and evil
deeds are dreadful indeed, even alone and by themselves, but when
covetous men and men who do wrong, add furthermore to their evil
the pretence of worshipping God, and say they are his servants, and
his children, and have his good Spirit, then wickedness can go no
farther. This is hypocrisy, when a servant to sin deems himself to
be a servant of God.
V. 15. And he Iiad power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image
of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed.
This image of the beast appears to have life ; they presume to say,
that the grace of God is with it, giving it life and enabling it to do
good. It has its experiences, its feelings, its holy frames, its pious
ecstacies ; it is full of talk, it is a speaking image ; it has made a
great show of life, some of its worshippers have exhibited the utmost
attainments of fleshly perfection. It causes them that will not wor-
ship the image to be killed, that is, it breathes out condemnation and
18
138 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHKIST.
death to those who do not make " a new heart" to themselves ; and
men who do not set up the image, feel condemned, that is, are killed
for not doing so, for not being pious, as they feel they ought to be.
Thus, in this wonderful book of Revelation, the Spirit of Christ
has accurately revealed, many ages before, what would come to pass;
viz. that men of the earth, professing themselves to be children of
a heavenly kingdom, would not only look to sinful man to do the
work of Christ, and thus exalt him in the place of Christ, that is,
God ; but that also, plunging deeper than this into guile and confu-
sion and lies, would set up an image, a pretended new form or image
of man, another man as they would persuade themselves, a regenerate
man, and, to avoid the condemnation of worshipping the first beast,
would look to this imaginary man, this image of the beast for right-
eousness ; that is, would trust to and worship it, attributing to it
wisdom and power and goodness which are only in Christ, that is, in
God.
V. 16. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to
receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
Every one receives a mark ; it is called the mark of the name,
that is, of the denomination ; no one can belong to them without
receiving the peculiar mark or characteristic of the sect he belongs
to ; this mark or characteristic of each name or denomination con-
sists in tenets or doctrines they hold, or in particular practices or
habits they adopt ; the principles or tenets form the mark in their
foreheads, and the practice they pursue is the mark in the hand.
V. 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the
name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The power of the Protestant beast which has been elevated out of
the profound depths of the wicked heart of earthly men, (that is, out
of the pit of the earth,) is diflerent to the power of the first beast, the
Roman Catholic Church ; they have no sword in their hand, no
secular authority, therefore they resort to a different way of exercis-
ing authority and spreading their religious influence. If they can
possibly prevent it, no man may buy or sell, no man may trade or
carry on business unless he is " decidedly pious.^'' If it is known
that a man who carries on any business is opposed to them, or is not
a friend to the cause, who does not belong to some religious society,
(that is, who has not the name of the beast or the number of his
name,) they will not suffer that man to do business if they can help
it. Thus " he caiiseth that no man might buy or sell save he that has
the mark, or the name of the beast or the number of his name." By
this means the community is in fear of them, and they exercise great
dominion, and cause men to worship the beast by such a mercenary
coercion, which is tacitly understood. Few of those who have ven-
tured to war against them, have escaped being what is called ruined
in their business and prospects.
V. 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of
the beast : for it is the number of a man : and his number is Six hundred three-
score and six.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 189
The number of the beast is six hundred and sixty-six : it is the
number of a man, for the beast is a man, even sinful man ; the whole
number of this beast is six hundred and sixty-six, let him that hath
understanding, count the names, or denominations, and the whole
number of the name which this beast has or has had, will be found
to be exactly the Number here revealed.
CHAPTER XIV.
Now is resumed the continuation of the Revelation from the last
verses of the 11th chapter, after the interruption made in the two
preceding chapters, revealing the things relating to the Beast and
his time.
It was revealed at the end of the 11th chapter, that when the
seventh Angel sounded the reign of Christ was come, and the time
of the dead that they should be judged ; that which was there re-
vealed as being the things which will then come to pass, is now
revealed in the order and particulars of the events which now are to
take place. The following are those events which will come to pass
in the time of the sounding of the seventh angel.
V. 1. The church of God's elect, with the lost sheep of the house
of Israel, will be assembled at Mount Zion, and nations will flow
unto it.
V. 2. The everlasting Gospel will be preached in all the world,
going forth from Mount Zion.
V. 3, The blessedness of those who now repent and believe, will
henceforth be greater than has been for 1260 years.
V. 4. The elect of God will be reaped or gathered in from the
world, great multitudes will believe, for the harvest will have come ;
after which many false professors, the vine of the earth, will be
reaped, and the winepress trodden.
V. 5. Now before the end cometh, seven last plagues will be
poured out upon the earth.
V. 6. A great confederacy and alliance will be entered into by
the beast, like a lamb with the kings of the earth against the saints
of God. They will have a false prophet among them, working
miracles and deceiving them that worship the beast and his image.
Their power will appear overwhelming and invincible, and it will
appear to them that God has commissioned them ; they will be like
Sennacherib and his host in the days of King Hezekiah : which Sen-
nacherib is a prophetic type of this great and powerful confederacy.
As Hezekiah trembled so the saints of God will be alarmed and
tremble, that is, " the powers which are in heaven will be shaken."
Many among lliem will prove they were not of them and will fall
from the steadfastness they may have hitherto maintained, that is,
" the stars will fall from heaven." There will be gross darkness in
the earth which however they will mistake for light, " the sun will
be darkened and the moon will not give her light," this will be in
all the land of Egypt. They will gather together to destroy the
saints of God, in a place called in Hebrew Armageddon.
140 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
V. 7. The Roman Catholic Church, which is Babylon, the
Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth, will be utterly
destroyed before the coming of Christ, as Jeremiah and the other
prophets have foretold, God will send against them a powerful nation
from the north ; but the Son of Perdition, the beast like a lamb, the
earthly protestants and their doctrine (viz. exalting sinful man, or
an imaginary man, as doing good or working righteousness) will
remain till the coming of the Lord, " whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming."
V. 8. When the enemies of God's people appear sure of triumph
and too powerful to be overcome, being gathered together with great
confidence and power as if for inevitable victory and triumph, so that
the saints of God are shaken and troubled, then God will hear their
cry and behold their distress and the pride of the enemy, and he will
come down to deliver them. Then, even then the Lord Jesus Christ
will appear, coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great
glory and all his holy angels with him, in flaming fire, taking ven-
geance of his enemies. The mighty host of his enemies will be
destroyed by the word of his mouth and the brightness of his coming,
the bodies of this huge carcass will be given to the fowls of heaven,
the carcass will be there, and thither will the eagles be gathered
together.
V. 9. The resurrection of them that are Christ's will now take
place at this his coming, and some will rise to shame and everlasting
contempt. The seventh angel now will have finished sounding, Christ
will reign ; God will have taken to himself his great power, and the
mystery of God will be finished, as was uttered by the four and
twenty elders, when at the beginning of the sounding of the seventh
angel they fell upon their faces and worshipped God. This is the
first resurrection.
Thus the world will go on as usual and the idolatrous and unbe-
lieving be as confident as ever in the things in which they trust, and
will not acknowledge nor trust in God only, till the very moment
when Christ shall appear in the clouds of heaven with ten thousand
of his saints to exercise judgment upon all, as Enoch prophesied.
They will wilfully shut their eyes to the truth, to invincible facts,
because they will love darkness rather than light, till the very
moment when sudden destruction will come upon them unawares,
and they will suddenly be destroyed, and that without mercy.
CHAPTER XV.
V. 1. And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and witli him a
hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their fore-
heads.
The church of falsehood and confusion has been signified by a
beast ; the Church of Christ is also designated under the figure of a
beast ; but the one is a dragon, the other is a Lamb. It is here
revealed that the Church of Christ will stand on Mount Zion : hither-
to a beast " like a lamW'' has been seen on the earth, deceiving men,
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 141
but now the real lamb is seen on Mount Zion, " a city set upon a
hill."
Now will be fulfilled the words spoken before by the prophets
Isaiah and Micah, who prophesied of these times. " But in the last
days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lordy
shall he established in the top of the mountains, and. it shall he exalted
above the hills, and people shall foio unto it.'''' (Micah iv. 1.)
With the Lamb there are a hundred forty and four thousand :
these are of the tribes of Israel, they have joined the Lamb, the
Church of Christ, they are " with him."
V. 3. And they snng- as it were a new song before tlie throne, and before the
four beasls, and the elders : and no man could learn that song but the hundred and
forty and four tiiousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
No man could learn that song but those of the tribes of Israel.
When God shall gather together the lost sheep of the house of Is-
rael, as he hath promised that he would do when they should accept
their long punishment and banishment, and return to him acknow-
ledging their sins, then among all the redeemed of the Lord, these
will have a song of praise, which they only can learn who have
suffered what they have suffered. It is the song of the house of Is-
rael, on the turning again of its captivity.
V. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women ; for they are virgins.
These are they which follow the liamb whithersoever lie goeth. These were re-
deemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb.
They are Israelites indeed, in spirit, not in the letter, in whom is
no guile : they are " without fault^'' being sprinkled with the blood
of Christ, the lamb, the passover which is slain for us ; God beholdeth
no iniquity in Jacob, in their great High Priest in whom he vieweth
them, who also bears their names on his bosom. They were not
defiled with women, with the harlot churches of the earth, as niany
have been ; they follow the lamb : " my sheep hear my voice and I
know them, and they follow me^
V. 6, 7. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ever-
lasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying v;ith a loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to him ; for the hour of his judgment is come : and worship him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Now will be fulfilled the words of Christ, " and this Gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a xcitness unto all na-
tions ; and then shall the end corned For now the Gospel goes forth
from the hill of Zion, it is preached to the religious world that now
is, and also to every nation, " unto them that dwell on the earth, and
to every nation:'''' confirming the fact that the '^'^ earth'''' signifies only
the professing world, who are the enemies of Christ, who " shall he
made his footstool ;" and another Scripture says, " the earth is his
footstool."
V. 8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that
great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her for.
nication.
142 THE REVELATION OP JESUS CHRIST.
The fall of Babylon, " that great city,'''' the Mother of harlots and
abominations of the earth, viz. the Roman Catholic Church, is here
announced and its destruction cometh immediately.
V. 9 to 11. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and iiis image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in
his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation ; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in tiie presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of
the Lamb : and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever : and
they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and wlioso-
ever receiveth the mark of his name.
After the warning to the Roman Catholic beast, comes a separate
warning to the Protestant beast, and those that receive the number
of its name. It is a dreadful warning given to those who will still
proudly continue to worship the beast, or his image, (that is, to look
to sinful man, or to what they call the regenerate, sinful man, to
work righteousness, instead of looking to, that is, worshipping Christ.)
The warning is given to all who still will adhere to the religious
tenets or practices of the beast, " I'lke a lamb ;" that is, who receive
the mark of any denomination or name whatever. It is a warning of
the most awful judgment that is to be found in all the Scriptures.
V. 12. Here is the patience of the saints ; here are they that keep the com-
mandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The patience and suffering of the saints will be chiefly exercised
in resisting the strong delusions of the beast and his image ; of the
piety of man a sinner, or of the imaginary regenerate sinner : they
who overcome are those who keep the commandments of God and
the faith of Jesus.
V. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto mc, Write, Blessed are the
dead which die in the Lord from henceforth : Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may
rest from their labours ; and their works do follow them.
Now the time is come when they are blessed who die in the Lord,
they rest from their labours and sufferings ; that is, hitherto in the
time of the 42 months, or 12G0 years, the people of God who have
died in the Lord, who have died to every false hope and been poor
and needy and contrite and broken in spirit, from the knowledge of
their total destitution of all righteousness, (which knowledge of sin
is by the law, and is death,) they have not been blessed and com-
pletely delivered from labour and sorrow, and brought forth the fruits
of righteousness by Jesus Christ ; but now " henceforth. Blessed are
the dead tohich die in the Lord,^' they who now are slain or dead by
the knowledge of their unrighteousness and the want of righteousness,
who now suffer this repentance and abhorrence of their own works,
will immediately enter into Rest, and be delivered from their labours
and be filled with Christ and his righteousness ; " their works (which
are by Him) do follow them." That " to die in the Lord" signifies
what is here stated is manifest, for they who believe " die no more ;"
even when they depart out of the world they do not die, they sleep
in Jesus.
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 143
V. 14 to 16. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one
sat like unto the Son of men, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand
a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying witii a loud voice
to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap : for the time is come
for thee to reap ; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud
thrust in his sickle cjn the earth; and the earth was reaped.
" The earth is reapedy Now, before the tares are destroyed,
Christ gathers his wheat into his garner ; he " gathers together his
elect from the four corners of the earth.''"'
V. 18, to the find. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power
over fire ; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying,
Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth ; for her
grapes are fully ripe.
And after the earth has been reaped " the vine of the earth is
gathered,'''' the vine of Sodom, which when God looked that it should
bring forth grapes, brought forth wild grapes.
CHAPTER XV.
In this chapter it is revealed, that immediately before the pouring
out of the last vials of God's wrath upon the earth, the redeemed of
the Lord are collected from off the earth and gathered together, and
the temple of God is opened in heaven.
CHAPTER XVI.
The vials of God's wrath are now poured out.
V. 10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and
his kingdom was full of darkness ; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.
When the fifth is poured out the kingdom of the beast is full of
darkness, then is darkness in the land of Egypt ; the sun and the
moon are darkened and do not give their light ; now also many who
love this present world will fall from their steadfastness, these are
called stars falling from heaven. All these things will come to pass
in the sounding of the seventh angel, and it is immediately after the
trouble and tribulation of this present day, spoken of in chapter 12th,
for the sounding of the seventh angel is the time after this previous
time of trouble, when Satan has poured out his flood upon the earth.
Christ foretold this darkness which will now take place, saying,
" immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be
darkened and the moon shall not g'lve her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the poivers of the heavens shall be shaken ; and
then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and. then shall
all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven w'lth power and great glory.'''' (Matt.
xxiv. 29, 30.)
V. 14 to 16. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of
that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that
watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Arma-
geddon.
144 THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
When the sixth is poured out, the confederacy against the holy city
begins, and at the same time the glorious coming of Christ is an-
nounced : " Behold I come as a t/iicf, Blessed is he that watcheth and
keepeth his garments." It is here revealed that the enemies of the
Gospel will be gathered together into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon.
When the seventh vial is poured out, "It is done" is pronounced
out of the temple of heaven from the throne. The time of his coming
is now arrived, first there are voices and thunderings and lightnings;
Babylon is shaken and divided into three parts ; there is a " great
hail." The particulars of the coming of Christ are revealed in a
subsequent chapter, and in the meanwhile, in the next.
In the 17th chapter, a minute description is given of Babylon, the
Mother of harlots, previous to her utter destruction ; and in the 18th
chapter a separate account of her terrible ruin is given, these two
chapters forming an interruption to the revelation, the order of which
is again resumed in the 19th chapter.
CHAPTER XIX.
V. 1 to 3. True and rig-hteous are his judgments ; for he hath judged the great
whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the
blood of his servants at lier hand. And again they said. Alleluia. And her smoke
rose up for ever and ever.
The Roman Catholic Church and the Greek, a branch of her, will
now have been destroyed ; previous to the coming of Christ : here
end the 42 months, for she was to continue that time. The beast
like a lamb, the protestant beast still remains, for as the Apostle
prophesied to the Thessalonians, this beast was only to be destroyed
" vdth the brightness of his coining," whereby it is manifest that the
man of sin, the son of perdition who shall be destroyed with the
brightness of his coming, is indeed the second beast, which rose out
of the earth, out of the deep pit, viz. the Protestant beast like a
lamb ; for the first beast is destroyed before his appearing, as it is
written, " her smoke rose up for ecer and ever."^
V. 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him : for the marriage of
the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
The marriage of the Lamb is now come : now " when he shall
appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is." (1
John iii. 2.)
V. 11 to 15. And I saw heaven opened, and bcliold, a white horse ; and he that
sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge
and make war. And tiie armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, while and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp
sword, that with it he sliould smite the nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod
of iron : and he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God.
This is the glorious coming of Christ, who comes with destruction
to his enemies, for he s!i;ill make war against them and destroy them
" by the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming" as
THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. 145
the Apostle Paul has foretold. " The spirit of his mouth," is here
signified by the figure " a sharp sword.''''
V. 17 to 19. And I saw an angel standing in the sun ; and he cried with a loud
voice, saying- to all the fowls that tly in the midst heaven, Come, and gather your-
selves together unto the supper of the great God ; that ye may eat the flesh of
kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses,
and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both
small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and tlieir armies,
gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his
army.
The body or carcass of his enemies who were gathered together
against his people, and the fowls which are assembled, were both
foretold by Christ in these words, " Wheresoever the carcass is, thither
will the eagles be gathered together." They are now gathered to-
gether by command, for the carcass is there, a great supper ready
for them.
CHAPTER XX.
The first resurrection now comes to pass ; which Daniel has also
foretold, saying, " And many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth shall atcake." When he says " many," he shows that it is
not the last and great resurrection, but of many, that is, not of all.
Paul also prophesied by the Spirit of Christ of this first resurrection,
showing that the end, when the general resurrection will be, cometh
after this : saying, " But every man in his own order : Christ the
first fruits ; afterward they that are Chrisfs at his coming ; then
cometh the end," which end here spoken of, is the Resurrection when
the thousand years have expired. He also says in another place :
Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : then we which are
alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
The judgment of the enemies of Christ will now be, as well as the
reward of them that have loved him. " As for those mine enemies
that would not I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay
them before me." And Daniel prophesies that now there will be a
resurrection of " some to shame and everlasting contempt." Now
is the kingdom of Christ, and all who have belonged to his kingdom
will be judged by the words of his mouth
These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets
sent his angel to show unto his servants the things vi'hich must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly ; blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of
this book. I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning'
star. And the Spirit and the bride say. Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely. He which testifleth these things saith, Surely I come quickly :
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all. Amen.
19
THE
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
Christ himself (not only in the Revelations) but also when on
earth even before he suffered, prophesied of this generation and
accurately described them. The people thought that the kingdom
of God would then appear, upon which he spake this parable unto
them, in which he describes the diiferent ages of Christianity in
three divisions, and shows to the utmost exactness the character of
this the last generation.
LUKE, CHAPTER XIX.
V. 12. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive
for himself a kingdom, and to return.
Christ ascended into heaven the far country, to sit on the throne
of his glory, at the right hand of God, till his enemies were made his
footstool, and then (that is now quickly) to return.
V. 13. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said
unto them, Occupy till I come.
The money or talents represents the treasure of the Gospel which
in the several times he hath given, in such proportion as pleased him.
V. 14. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We
will not have this man to reign over us.
Here is described the world in general (the sea), those who have
altogether rejected his authority.
V. 15. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the
kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had
given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
The coming of Christ and the judgment is here described, when
Christ shall come and judge his people.
Vs. 16, 17. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
And he said unto him. Well, thou good servant : because thou hast been faithful in
a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
The first age of Christianity is here described, when the treasure
of the Gospel was faithfully dispensed by those who had it in their
charge, and brought forth fruit abundantly.
Vs. 18, 19. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five
pounds. And he said likewise to him. Be thou also over five cities.
The second period is here represented, when false doctrine had
spread, and the fruit of the Gospel was diminished.
V. 20 to 23. And another came, saying. Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which
I have kept laid up in a napkin : For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man :
thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and rcapcst that thou didst not sow. And
he saith unto him. Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant.
Thou knewcst that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and
THE PARABLE OP THE TALENTS. 147
reaping that I did not sow : Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the
bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury ?
The present and last Time is here described in which the Gospel
is entirely hid and wrapped up in the filthy napkin of human Righte-
ousness. The preachers of this time are accurately described. God
saves the poor and the helpless freely and gratis ; only because he
will have mercy and is gracious, it is the entire and sole act of his
Grace and favour ; and since it is of Grace, the sinner has nothing to
pay or to do, otherwise it is no Grace at all. (Romans.)
This is the glorious and joyful tidings to sinners, that God in the
man Christ Jesus has done and doeth and will do all for them ; but
they who have got this rich talent of precious gold and pretend to
dispense it faithfully, hide it, wrap it up, and falsify it, and preach
that the sinner has still got something to do. They don't believe
God's simple and plain word, " Believe and thou shalt be saved,'' they
are afraid of this glorious Gospel, they cannot give credit to such
good news, such complete salvation, so glorious, so entire, so befitting
the Mighty God, so completely fitted for the wretched and helpless
sinner, such a royal proclamation of such exceeding riches of Grace
and Glory. They are afraid of the true Gospel ; they hide, they wrap
it up, they guard and surround it with checks and provisos. They
think it pious and righteous to preach human works, to deny, to
despise, to qualify, to dilute, to hold back the real good news. They
are (in their own eyes) wiser than God : they question the safety,
the propriety of such exceeding rich and boundless liberality, they
think it unsafe dangerous doctrine ; they are afraid, yea they are
fearful of God's holy truth and rich Grace, and therefore they wrap
it up, or bury it in the earth (in the mass and heap of their own
earthly and worldly doctrines) they want to know how the sinner can
serve God, if he has nothing to do, if he has all Righteousness in
Christ, if he is quite delivered from the bit and bridle; they are at a
loss to imagine how Christ Jesus the Mighty God can possibly save
them if he is so kind and liberal, and if they have nothing to do.
Woe unto them, yea woe unto them ; for whereas Christ came to
save, they step in between to hinder, to deny, to contradict, to kill
and to destroy ! They falsify and hide and bury the glad tidings ;
they give wormwood instead of the honey-comb of the Gospel, they
withhold water from the faint and thirsty soul. They are afraid of
the truth and hide it ; and they say God is an austere man ; that is,
being themselves austere, morose and bigoted taskmasters, they think
God is such an one as themselves, and they preach him as such, as
laying heavy burdens upon sinners, as reaping where he has not
sown, as wanting something from the evil and unrighteous and
poor and miserable sinners ! They being austere men themselves
represent God as such an one as themselves, and they hide the talent
and preach their own wisdom instead thereof, and they gain no cities,
they produce no fruit, the Gospel in the little proportion they know
it, produces nothing.
V. 22, 23. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,
thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I
148 THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
laid not down, and reaping^ that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou
my money into the bank, that at my coming' I might have required mine own with
usury ?
They will be judged out of their own mouths, for since they being
usurers, and never giving except to get, and demanding a strict return
for every penny they disburse, — since they think God like unto them-
selves and represent him as an usurer, not giving except he gets
something in return, preaching that men must pay God a little piety
or something else for his Grace and Goodness, — since they so preach,
why do they not also themselves actually pay God ? Why do they
not really return him something for the talent of gold ? Nay, they
make their living and their fortunes out of it, instead of paying for it
themselves, and they tell others to pay while they pay nothing them-
selves ! But why do they not really do good and so pay usury, since
they say they are bound to do it? by the law of their own mouth
they are condemned for not doing it. Why, instead of paying God
his own do they so act that the most wicked men take courage and
blaspheme God when they see their pride and covetousness, their
folly, their inconsistency, their bitter wrathful and wrangling spirit 1
Out of their own inouths they are judged !
Thus this astonishing parable is a prophecy, and contains a most
accurate portraiture of the religious generation of this last day, which
is the same generation of serpents that crucified the Lord of Glory,
and is not yet passed away.
This parable was to be hid and could not possibly be understood
till this time. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, and his
astonishing wisdom and righteousness, yea, his goodness and mercy
in blinding the eyes of the wicked and letting them wander in the
complications of their own wisdom will be made manifest to their
complete confusion. If this crime of the wicked ( — yea, this heinous
crime; for, can there be a greater enormity than to make God a liar?
To tell sinners they have got something to do, when God has freely
forgiven all and done all ? to tell them who cannot pay, that God is a
usurer and expects to be paid ? To tell them that such usuriousness
is God's Grace? to tell them that Christ's death is not sufficient?
that his Power and his Righteousness is not sufficient ? that he with-
out their work cannot save, and that without it he will not save? Is
it a light thing to call such lies the truth of God ? to represent God
thus evil, austere and usurious, like unto corruptible man? Is this a
light thing? and to do all this wickedness with solemn declarations of
loving God and obeying him, and with all deceitful appearance of piety
and holiness? Is this a light thing?) If this crime of the wisdom and
knowledge of man had been foretold plainly and communicated to
them before it came to pass it would have been preventing them
from pursuing their own way and doing as they listed, they would
not have done the deed which was exposed, and so to expose it would
have been to prevent them from doing it, and to falsify the prophecy
after it was given. They would have invented some other way of
perverting and denying the grace and goodness of God, and if that
too had been foretold so that they should understand, then they
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. 149
would have evaded that also and run upon some other artful perver-
sion. No, when God would let them have their own way and will
(which has been given to them for an appointed Time) it would not
have been to do so, by premature disclosures. It would have been a
total hindrance of their own ways to show exactly what they would
wickedly do ; and then what they would do, they would pretend they
had done by obligation, or by predestination, or by necessity. They
were before of old ordained to this condemnation, that is to the con-
demnation for this wickedness which they would wilfully and wickedly
do ; and they were let alone to do the things for which their condem-
nation was before of old ordained ; therefore if their eyes had not been
blinded that they should not see, they would have been hindered in
pursuing their own way. But now when it is come to pass, it is laid
open that they have done as God revealed they would do, ages before,
even before there was yet a single Christian in the world, that ye
may believe, and that ye may know verily that God was in Christ
Jesus, that he knew all things and knoweth all things, yea the very
thoughts and secrets of men long before.
Some one will say, God could have prevented all this evil. Men
hate him, because he does prevent and hinder them from fulfilling all
their lusts and bringing all their wicked devices to pass ; and yet
they charge him also because he does not prevent them ! He suffers
them to show what they really are, he lets them alone to do as they
list and fulfil some out of their many wicked thoughts, and then
when they have greedily committed evil, they say " He might have
hindered it — rchy does he not prevent the evil ;" again, he does not let
them fulfill all their wicked lusts, he limits and prevents them, and
they say " There is constraint, we have not free will, therefore we are
not responsible.^''
They professed to know God, to know his will, to follow it, and to
be able and willing to work Righteousness, that is, to do good, and
being confident in the wisdom of their own hearts and sure that they
could find out God, God has tried them, and given them power and
space to try what they could do, and they have tried what they could
do, and they have laboured to show how they could ascend into
heaven. If they had not been tried, they would have charged God fool-
ishly : being confident and having a firm conviction that their wisdom
and knowledge would lift them up to God, instead of carrying them
further and further away from him. And if they had not had their
way and their trial, how would God's elect have known assuredly
that but for his everlasting Love, and eternal purpose of Grace and
mercy towards them, yea, but for his election of Grace, but for his
creation of them to be his own peculiar people, they with all their
knowledge and understanding, with all their pious and endearing
feelings, with all their inward light and fine resolutions, with all their
earnest efforts and toils, with all their divinity and morality, with all
their intellectual faculties, they never never never would have turned
to him and heard his voice and believed ! no ! never ! but if left to
try their own selves and their power, and their piety, they would only
have sinned the more and more, and departed further and further
150 THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
from God. Therefore as all things are for the elect's sake, the very
wickedness which the wicked have been let alone to commit and had
free will to exhibit, will tend to their salvation and make them
acknowledge his wonderful mercy, his great power, his great good-
ness and love to them, that he only is their Creator and he alone
their God ; that there was and is no hope in themselves, and they
will therefore praise and exalt him and magnify his holy name for
ever and ever.
NOTE TO CHAPTER VIII. V. 10th.
Since the eager reception given by the Earth to this falsification
of the word of God, it is incalculable to what extent the power of
Satan has increased and spread among those people whom God had
blessed above all other people with the revelation of his holy truth.
Before this doctrine appeared, the power of God was manifest in
them that believed the Gospel, and the law of God was reverenced
and feared by all others. But, since this star fell burning like a
lamp, since this root of bitterness sprung up, there has been gradually
arising (creeping in, coming on step by step, slowly, without being
noticed, unawares, as the Apostle Jude foretold) the most abominable
doctrines, and wickedness, and a contempt of God's law, till at length
it has now attained to a height unequaled in any former period of
the world. No heathen people ever lived in such practical contempt
of their false gods, of their maxims of virtue, of all law, as Christian
people now do of the true God and of his righteous law. Never was
the law of God so totally disregarded, so utterly slain, as it is at this
day. Never was truth regarded with such tririing mind, and looked
UDon as a secondary thing, subordinate to earthly things, as it now
is. Never was atheism, blasphemy and lying so unblushingly as-
serted and accredited as it now is. Never was covetousness and
unkindness from man to man so recognised and even admitted as a
prudential virtue as it now is; (the existence of a hospital and poor
house, or an ostentatious subscription, or the payment of a tax, being
deemed sufficient excuse for covetousness, hard-heartcdness and in-
humanity; being the Corban by paying of which men deem they are
quit henceforth of obeying God's law.) Never was money so much
worshipped, respected and greedily sought after ; never was the evil
eye, the frightful eagerness and making haste to get rich so general
and wide spread. And amid all this wickedness and moral deprava-
tion, never was there witnessed on the earth before, so much
hypocrisy and boasting on such a miserable foundation ; never such
great swelling words of vanity, such religious pride, such glorying
in the power of man and his vinue, as now is beheld among the
earthly professors whose abominations have at length produced such
a consummation of desolation so appalling, such a wide-spreading of
moral anarchy and crime.
The reasoning of the men of the Sea is, that since such are the
servants of God pretending to know and obey Him, " we will not
serve God," and others, " there is no God." Woe unto them ! Yes,
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS. 151
since they who pretend they believe in God, and say they have his
good spirit, are manifest to the world and confessed by their own
mutual recriminations to be abominable and evil, griping, greedy of
gain, harsh, bijfoted, backbiters, usurers, contentious, malicious, heady,
hio-hminded, unforgiving, unmerciful, — while their virtue and piety is
beheld to be an odious severity of outward appearances and petty ab-
stinences, and their religion an empty boasting and affectation of
sentiment and feelings, — if these sects of wickedness (who believe
each other to be Christians and yet mutually profess of one another
that they are all departed from the truth) if these are servants of
God and led by his good spirit, no marvel the Sea has come openly
to the conclusion that there is no God. But " rcrih/ there is a God
whojudgelh in the earth'''' and they shall know it to their utter horror
and dismay, who, pretending to serve him, yet following their own
wisdom and theories and rejecting his word and truth, doing injustice,
cause his Holy Name to be so bldsphemed through their wicked pre-
tences. And also they shall find it out to their everlasting shame and
confusion, who, being themselves evil men, judge Him by wicked men
like unto themselves, and dare to blaspheme their all-wise and Al-
mighty Creator, whose word alone daily sustains them and whose
long suffering permits their wickedness. No man can be excused
for following the delusions of the religious world, for no one who
believes the word of God can believe that they are disciples of
Christ: the Lord hath plainly declared how to know his disciples,
saying " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have
love one to another."" They themselves when they have to choose be-
tween Christ and the things of this life deny him for the sake of the
latter, and declare of themselves that they are not Christians.
" Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee thou wicked servant," saith the
Lord.
In the spring of the year 1832 he who writes these things left
Philadelphia, going without scrip or purse to preach the Gospel of
.Tesus Christ. Having preached at several places (no man receiving
his testimony) he arrived at Bethlehem a city inhabited by a people
called Moravians. When he made known to them that he would
preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ in the market place, they
laughed and told him that they had the gospel ; now it is certain if
he had said he came to bring them a bag of gold they would not
have refused it and said they had gold. Being first desirous to obtain
a place to preach in, he was obliged to call upon their Minister, who
received him at his door where they stood and talked together.
When he had communicated his request and been refused permission
to preach in their preaching house, as evening was now fast drawing
on and he knew not where to lay his head he enquired of their
preacher whether he knew who in that place was worthy, upon which
he was briefly answered " No." Thinking it possible that the person
to whom he spoke might not understand his enquiry he said " I
mean can you tell me of any one in this place who is a Christian,"
and he was answered briefly again, " No." Much surprised, he said
152 THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
" Do you really say you know not one Christian in this place ?" and
again he said " No." Perceiving that this created some surprise the
pastor candidly explained, saying " he did not like to mention any
one, as they would blame him for recommending me to them." Thus
when it came to the point either to take a stranger in, or to deny
that they were Christians, he did not hesitate in the choice, but
repeatedly affirmed he did not know a single Christian in the whole
town. Afterwards meeting with another person whose mortified and
pious countenance engaged his attention, he asked him if he could
tell him whether he knew any one who was a Christian in this town:
this man immediately replied " No ;" and smiled at the same time at
the singular question and answer. Now these people sing and talk a
great deal about Christ's love ! They speak much of Jesus, calling
him " dear Jesus," " the dear Redeemer," " lovely Jesus," and talk
much of his precious love and such like things. God abhors such
abominable flatteries and hypocrisy: he will not judge men according
to their professions and declarations however fine they may be, but
" by thy works thou shalt be judged," by what thou doest and not by
what thou sayest. Professions and words and talk are all worth
nothing, they are utterly despicable, be they ever so orthodox or
ever so ecstatic. God searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, and
if a man says that he loves Him, he shall be tried whether he be of
the truth or whether he be a liar, whether he love God or whether
he love the world and the things of the world. This matter was of
God who would prove them. Now when they unhesitatingly declare
that they are not Christians, can they complain if another says the
same thing? The same thing happened to him in other places also.
God delighteth not in fair speeches and smooth words and flattering
lips, but he delighteth in mercy, even in mercy to the ungodly and
to the sinner; and also in them who are merciful to the stranger the
forlorn and the unworthy, hoping for nothing again: with such sacri-
fices God is well pleased. Let no one however imagine he can
please God by any thing he can do ; " no man cometh unto the Father
hut by me ;" it is only by Jesus Christ that any one can approach
unto God and offer sacrifices to him : " whatsoever is not of faith is
sin;" all the deeds of men are sin. When the Lord Jesus Christ
was on the earth suffering and in humiliation, the just for the unjust,
he lived by faith, even He in whom was no sin ! God was in Him,
and God did the works which he did, he believed ; thus he said,
" The father which dnelleth in me, he doeth the loorks.^'' God was in
Christ doing the works : and they who believe in his name, Jesus
Christ is in them doing the works which please God : so that it is
not they who do, but it is Christ who dwelleth in them: as he says
" I in them and Thou in ?/ie," and this is what this is what this little
book preaches, " I in them," they only believing, doing nothing,
ceasing from all their works, standing still, having rest, hallowing
the Sabbath, even Him, and then the Power of God resteth on them!
Blessed are all they who put their trust in Him !
FINIS.
BS2827 .W59
A little book open : containing the cry
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