Prelections Upon Revelation, Title page – Dedication
¶ Praelections vponupon the Sacred and holy Reuelation of S. Iohn, written in latine by William Fulke Doctor of Diuinitie, and translated into English by George Gyffard:
IOAN. 21. vers. 24.
¶ This is the Disciple which beareth witnesse of these thinges, and whiche wrote these thinges, and we know that his testimonie is true.
☞ Reuel. 22. vsus. 8.
¶ I am Iohn which sawe and heard these thinges.
¶ Imprinted at London, by Thomas Purfoote, at the signe of the Lucrece.
Anno. 1573.
¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnorable and noble Lorde Ambrose Dudley, Earle of VVarwike, Baron Lisle, generall of the Q. Maiesties Ordinance, and Knight of the most noble order of the Garter.
THE lyfe of man (right Honorable) is sayd of the holy man Iob to be a continuall warfare on earth: wherby it is euident, that so long as we remayne in the tabernacle of this fleshe, we are euen in the middest of this difficulte and daungerouse fighte, compassed in on euerye syde withe huge Armies of feyrce and cruell enemies, and also subiecte at eueryevery momēt to the furiouse assaults and inuasions of stronge and subtill aduersaries. As the holy Aposte S. Paule witnesseth Ephes. 6. That we wrastle not againste fleshe and bloud, but againste principalities, against powers, and against the worldly gouernours, the Princes of the darckenesse of this world, againste spirituall wickednesses which are in the highe places. Being therefore so weake and feble of our selues, that we are altogether vnable to resist or to stand in battaill, and encounter with so mightie stoute Champions as these, namely that old serpent with all the whole rablement of the hellishe Armye, which by long practise are so experte, that there subtiltie is more to be feared then there power: the holy ghost warneth all those that wilbe the true souldiours of Christ, to put on all the armour of God▪ as to hauehave there loynes gyrded about with veritie, hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse, and to hauehave there feete shood with the preparation to the Gospell of peace, to take the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirite, the helmet of Saluation. All which spirituall weapōs, the Lord doth minister vntounto vsus by his holy woorde. And our sauiour Christ as a moste mightie Captaine, by his example hath taught all his souldiours howe they shall vse the same to the vanquishinge of Sathan. But the malice of the deuill wrought so effectuously in the corrupt nature of mā: that by the meanes of his generall Vicar Antichrist, for a longe space of time, he had almost quite banished these spirituall weapōs and Christian armour, and brought in a great number of his owne framing, which are so farre vnfite or vnable to repell the violence of his fyerie dartes, that of themselues they giuegive deadly woundes vntounto all those that put or repose any confidence in them. For of them selues (whatsoeuer they seeme to be) they are nothing els to the soules of men, but deadly poison. And yet notwithstandinge, the blindnesse of the worlde through the iust iudgement of God: For the cōtempt of his holy word, was such, that being made drunckē with the abominatiōs of Antichrist, it rāne a whoring after strange Gods, and in such filthie maner, that fully it hathe bene verified in thē which the Lord doth greuously complayne of by his Prophete saying, my people hauehave cōmitted two euils: they hauehave forsakē me the foūtayn of liuing waters to digge to thē selues pits euē brokē pits, that can hold no waters, yea this madnes proc…aded so farre and the corruptions of Antichrist were so depely roted in the hartes of men, that euen vntounto this daye, althoughe the LORD in great mercye by placinge a noble and vertuouse Prince to raigne ouer vsus, whiche hathe set vp and maintayned his holy woorde, hathe outwardlye banished them, they remayne still in the mindes of the people: but whereto maye this be imputed, that in all places almost of this Realme, the greater parte beare more fauour to the monstruouse proceadinges of the man of sinne, then to the pure Gospell of Iesus Christ but that they are kepte in such ignoraunce and blindnesse, that they hauehave not tasted of the power of Gods word. For this hath alwaies bene and is the craftie pollecie of the Deuill, when as hee can not whollye stoppe the course of the Gospell, yet that he may make it the lesse fruitefull, to indeuour by all meanes possible euen to entangle the ministers thereof in the vaine pleasures of this world, with couetousnes & ambition, that therby they may become more studiouse, to set forth there owne glorye, then to aduance the glory of Christ, more carefull to erect and garnishe there owne bowers, then to builde vp the house of the Lorde. The miserable experience of oure time is an euident profe hereof. For out of what other founteyne hauehave all the mischeifes of latter time flowed, in this our Realme of Englande? But that the carelesnes in feedinge the Lords flocke hathe bene so greate, that in moste places eather raueninge wolues, or els suche lewde vnskilfull blinde guides as are not able to gouerne them selues, instead of true pastors are made gouernours in the church, and hauehave the rule ouer the flocke of Christ, so that it is no greate meruaile, that the people in some places of this realme, for want of good instruction not knowinge there duty to God set themselues in armour to rebell againste the minister of God, there Soueraigne Prince. Thus Antichrist by meanes of ignoraunce the mother of deuilishe deuotion, seducinge the people into sundrye errours dothe mayntaine his bloudye kingedome. For if his subtill practices were disclosed, and his abominations made manifest, there is no doubt but that the greatest part of those that hauehave there mindes still bewiched with the enchauntementes of that whore, would euen looth and detest her filthines and hate here with a deadly hatred. Now seeinge that the Lorde hath alwaies had such a prouident and fatherly care oue… his Churche, that he woulde hauehave nothinge hid from his electe whiche shoulde tende to there eternall health and saluation, but euen longe before by sendinge his Aungell, reuealed to his seruaunte Iohn what subtiltye and cruell tirannye, the deuill by the ministry of Antichriste woulde practice against the sainctes the true seruauntes of Christ. I thinke the Churche shoulde suffer greate iniurye, if it should want or be depriued of the vse of those treasu…es whiche are conteyned in this prophecye, whiche are so manifolde and so greate (as the godly and diligent reader shall finde) that I am farre vnable to speake any thing, which may set forth the excellencie and worthinesse of the same. Which all men must needes confesse, seeing the holy ghost pronounceth them to be blessed, whiche here and kepe the sayinges of the prophecie of this booke: especially liuing in these daungerouse and troublesome times, wherin the Romish monster, inspired with a deuilishe spirite, fearinge the vtter subuersion and ouerthrowe of his kingdome rageth so vehemētly, that he vseth all kinde of falshood and subtill dealinge, yea Barbarouse, and monstrouse tyrannie, and all to establishe & maintayne his owne pride and vsurped aucthoritie, he hath oftentimes suche successe in warring against the true professours of the Gospell, that he hathe victorie and sleaeth there bodies, and that in suche terrible manner, that it might seeme to be a Iust quarill which he mainteyneth, excepte the Lorde had here reuealed to his seruaunte Iohn, that he should thus for a time preuayle: and that in the ende he will reuenge the bloud of his Sainctes. Againe here is fully aunswered that deuilish and blinde obiection of the Papistes, which so sore troubleth the consciences of the ignorante: namelye that the Churche of Rome hauing continued so many hundred yeares, and bene so generall, and hathe had from time to time a succession of Bysshoppes, and alwaies remayned visible in the eyes of the worlde, can not be but the true Churche. On the other syde, they say that this Churche of oures was not any where to be founde within an hundred or two hundred yeares paste, and therefore can not be the true Catholike Churche of Christ. But let the diligent reader Iudge, of these thinges when he hath perused this booke: for herein he shall finde euen paynted out before his eyes, the forme and shape both of the true Churche, and also of the false, which is the Synagoge of Sathan. I mighte stand to reckon vp a great number of the like commodities, wherewith this prophecie is full, but then I …houlde bee ouer tediouse: and I wishe rather that the diligente Reader should gather them him selfe, which shall not be heard for him to doe: seeinge the aucthour thereof, as it doth euidently appeare applied him selfe to write briefelye and playnly, not troubling the Reader with any long circū stances, nor yet wading curiously in searching out darcke misteries, but with modestie, comparing and alludinge to other places of the scriptures. Whereby those thinges that seemed most darcke and difficulte to be vnderstood, are made playn and easye. Thus when I had finissed my labour in translating this booke, I was bolde to dedicate the same vntounto your honour, with diuers and sundrie causes & respectes being moued thereto. As considering the great beneuolence and good will, which ye hauehave towardes the Aucthour hereof, and to all other that are godly learned: adioyning therto especially the feruent zeal & louelove towardes the Gospell, which God hathe wrought and planted in your harte: with the hatred of Papistrie and all other deuilissh doctrine & errours, which by any wayes or meanes anoy the Churche of Christ. These are not the giftes of nature, or of flesshe and bloud, but of the spirite of God, giuen for the mainteyning of his glory here in earth, & for the succouring of his pore afflicted Church, especially in those which for the same end and purpose, he hath placed in high calling and aucthoritie: whose greateste honour and chiefest dignitie doth consiste in this, that they are made the nourcing fathers and nourcing mothers of Gods people. The Lord which hath begunne and wroughte these his graciouse giftes in you, continue and increase the same dayly more and more, blesse ye with all spirituall blessinges, geue vntounto ye long life with increase of Godly honour, to the aduancement of his glorie, the commoditie of his Churche, and your euerlasting comforte and saluation in Christ oure sauiour and redeamer. Amen.
FINIS.
1573. Your Lordshippes humble Oratour George Gyffard.