The opening of the first Seal,
Rev. 6. ver. 1, 2.
AT the opening of the first Seal, the Spirit of Faith came forth to encounter with the fearful and unbelieving Spirits, that set before me an Impossibility of ever reaching to a Paradisical Purity and Mount-Zion-Dignity: And I was kept under a great Fear and Perplexity, under the Dominion of Unbelief, until this first Seal was broke open. For thereupon the strong Lion of the Tribe of Judah set me free to run the Race of Faith unto the end, giving in this Caution, “To take care to be well mounted on this Horse of the Spirit of Faith, and to hold fast to him who rides on it, who hath the conquering Bow in his Hand, to shoot his Arrows into those unbelieving Spirits, that would still keep us in Doubts and Perplexity.”
The opening of the second Seal,
Rev. 6. v. 3,4
At the opening of the second Seal, all Peace, Pleasure and Joy were taken away from the Earthly Life, and withal such a Light broke forth, which made me see the vile Abomination of an Earthly state, compared with the Perfection of the Divine Life: So that now I rejoyc’d in nothing more than to see him who sate upon the Red Horse, slaying with his Sword the Beasts and creeping things of the Earth; that is, all the moving stirring Essences springing from the original source of Evil, and to find him taking away Peace from the Earthly Life, so that the Earthly Mind is bereft of all Peace, Rest, Content and Satisfaction in all its goings out, whether in Thought, Word or Action. But how comes this to pass? Why ? because he that sits on the Red Horse gives a mighty Sword to the Spirit of the Soul, that thereby it may kill and destroy all the Essences of the Earthly Life, in joint-Union with Christ. Which Sword is nothing else but the Power of the spirit of Life, which is Christ’s Deity in his Eternal Humanity, now fixed in the Centre of the Soul. It is Christ’s risen Life in his Saints enabling them to Conquer the Essences of the Earthly Life (which is the Beast) in themselves. Now this taking away of Peace from the Earthly Life, is a blessed Introduction to its final Destruction, which is to follow upon it, according to the intention of the Kingly Redeemer.
The opening of the third Seal,
Rev. 6.5,6.
The opening of the third Seal, sheweth Christ, in us, riding on a Black Horse, with a pair of Balances in his Hand, signifying Famine on the Life of the Beast in his Saints, that its day of plenty is passing away, and that its Earthly Essences must be weighed in the Balance of Righteousness. For the Lamb’s Life rising in his dead and risen Saints, putting them into one Scale, weigheth all their Thoughts, Words and Actions, in the weight of Perfection; Christ, the holy One, being in the other, to see whether they be brought into an even Pois with it; to the end that so all Increase and Plenty might richly abound in the fruitfulness of the Spirit; from which Heavenly sowing, such a Crop doth spring as may proclaim a Plenty, that may all former exceed; and thus it will naturally spring in the Soul, which is Even balanced with Christ the Anointed: And nothing of the Oyl and Wine, which from hence shall proceed, shall ever be hurt or diminished.
The opening of the fourth Seal,
Rev. 6.7,8
At the opening of the fourth Seal, Christ rides in his Saints on a Powerful Horse, whose Name is Conquering Death, and hath Hell following him. But tho’ this Death looks grim, yet it is such a Death as shall only hurt the fourth part of the Earth: that is, the evil Principle in the earthly Life, which reigns, and hath the dominion until the Life of Christ be risen in his Saints. Till which Time the Beast may be permitted to kill the Life of Christ in the Soul with Hunger, Famine, and languishing Death: For it is said, that the Beast shall make War with the Saints, and for a time overcome them; that is, keep them under, by reigning over them in the Worldly Dominion; which reacheth to their outward Man, as standing in his Elementary Kingdom, where he hath great Power to afflict, and to famish unto Death, by several Cruelties; when he is so far permitted.
Particular Experiences concerning
this fourth Seal opening.
But I have experimentally found that the greatest Fury, Hellish Force, and Wrath of the Dragon is quelled, subdued, and totally overcome by the Blood, and inlaid Life of the Holy Lamb of God, rising in his powerful Might within me. Who upon my complaint of the continual Usurpation of the Beast’s Kingdom, hath given assurance that there is a Vial of Wrath preparing to be poured out upon him; which shall drown his Kingdom in everlasting Perdition: that he may no longer insult over the sealed Ones of God; to whom Power shall be given to bind him in everlasting Chains. For the Lord Omnipotent, in the Life of the Lamb, is coming to reign over all the Beasts of the Earth: and to exalt Them to a victorious Kingdom, who have been killed and slain with him.
The opening of the fifth Seal,
Rev. 6.9, 10, 11.
The opening of the fifth Seal, discovers the Souls of the slain Saints under the Altar of the Deity and Humanity: Here the Soul witnesseth Conformity to the Death of the Lamb, and lies as a live burning Coal under his Altar; and cries incessantly to arise in such Power of Majesty, that it might be able to take Vengeance of those that have killed the Just One: whose Eternal Generation is to be counted from the Virgin-Seed, introduced into Nature. Who hath lain a long time sealed up in Death: But as Abel’s Blood did cry for Vengeance, so doth the Blood of Jesus cry, more strongly in the Souls of them who are dead with Christ. And the Lord hath expressly assured, that when the rising Incense goeth up from the Altar, from the Soul’s live Coal, it is a sure Testimony that the Resurrection is nigh: when the naked Soul shall be cloathed with its long white Robe. And though this hath been a long Rest and Confinement to many; yet it hath only been permitted that a stronger Cry might ascend: Even as we see that John’s long sleeping Prophecy is Now by some strong crying Souls awakened, till all the seals be made to fly open, to the end that these Imprisoned Souls in Christ may by their opening, come to be set upon the Throne, where they shall judge the Dragon and the Beast, with all their Adherents, that formerly exercised Cruelty over them unto Death. Therefore rejoyce all ye, who do find the Effects of the fifth Seal opening in your selves: for by them ye may know the Nearness of the Jerusalem-Kingdom. Look for its fulfilling in the World Within: which shall also in due time be fulfilled in the Outward World.
The opening of the sixth Seal,
Rev. 6.10 to the end, & chap 7.
I proceed now to the opening of the sixth Seal, where the first thing observable, is the great Earthquake, representing the terrible Shakings of the very Foundations of the old Earth; in which is the original Seed of Sin: the Hour of whose Judgment is come; and the Trumpet hath sounded for the dissolving this first Earth and Heavens, that their Place may be no more found; the Wind of the mighty Spirit blows upon all Flesh, to make it dye and wither. The Sun of the outward Reason is changed into Blackness, and the Moon of the Senses into Blood, and all the Starry Imaginations drop like untimely Fruit, and every Island and Mountain of strength melteth away; For there can be no hiding in this Day, a Consumption being determined upon the whole Universe, which hath been under the Beast’s captivity. We may call this a blessed Ruin and Undoing, to see a Destruction come upon all that hath kept the Lamb and his Kingdom out. This causes a very great out-cry and perplexity in the Properties of degenerate Nature, where the King of Reason, and the Captains, the Senses, do not know whither to flee from the Face of Him, who is come to make all things New: which could not be till all of the old Building was broken down, and taken to pieces, where the fretting Leprosie of Sin doth still rise. The Wisdom of God could no better way contrive, for the laying of a sound and sinless Foundation for the New-Jerusalem, according to this fore-contrived Model: As by express Word it came unto me, that none could, or ever should come to the opening of the seventh Seal, till all this were fully finished; And I must give Witness that it is a doing, and it doth not seem grievous, because of what is to succeed and follow, when the next Seal shall be opened.
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