The Image of Both Churches in Revelation, Preface 2
¶ A small Preface vntounto the Christian Reader.
IN the first part or volume of thys worke (which cōtayneth the first .x. Chapters) are all these godlye ma… ters of Sainct Iohns Reuelation in course comprehended. Fyrst of all is the high legacie and message of the sayde Sainct Iohn vntounto the .vij. congregacions of A…ta, in the first Chapter mencyoned. Wherin they are also vntounto vij. golden Candelstickes compared, and their preachers vntounto vij. shyning starres in the right hand of Christ.
In the seconde and third Chapters are the sayd vij. congregacions seuerally ech one by it selfe discribed and warned, to the vniuersall premonishment of the whole Christian Church in the vij. partes or clymates of the worlde. Marke those three Chapters diligently, and ye shall perceyue that the true Christian church is alone go… uerned by ye preaching of gods word, an only office of Christ commaunded, and not by dead ceremonies cōmaun… by the Pope, of whom there is no specialtie.
Consider howe those preachers throughout all this booke, are compared vntounto starres and Angels, their cō gregacions called the right spouse of Christ. The other be assembled vntounto most filthie locustes, bréeding of the smoke of ye pit bottomles, vntounto hatefull byrdes, foule spirites and diuils, their church called the proude Sinagoge of Sathan, and the most execrable whore of Babilon.
In the iiij. Chapter is heauen made open, and the secrets therof manifested vntounto ye christian beléeuer, whom Iohn also representeth thys whole booke ouer. For not only are the mysteries therof in the vniuersall church performed, but also in the particular churches of nacions, and in the pryuate consciences of men.
In the .v.vj. and vij. Chapters, the Lambe Christ openeth the vij. seales of the booke of the most hidden mysteries of God, for the vij. ages of ye christian church. In the meane season are the true seruantes of God sealed vntounto saluaciō, solaced in their troubles, and reléeued in their sorowes, notwithstanding, the great violence of the truthes aduersaries.
In the viij. and ix. Chapters, the vij. Angels blowe their trumpettes. Signifying the preachers to shewe foorth their messages appoynted of God for the vij. ages of the churche, many wonderfull plages folowing in the people for their vnbeléeues sake, they obstinately resisting it, or els vnthankefully receiuing it.
In the tenth Chapter commeth the mightie Angell from heauen with a booke in his hand all open, and Iohn deuoureth the same. Which betokeneth the earnest preachers of this latter age of the church, wherein the true seruauntes of God shall gréedily receiue and also digest the scriptures. Take thys for a bréefe sum of all yt is spoken in the other volum, the residue shall follow hereafter in course.
In the mergent of that first parte or volume, put I many allegacions both of the scriptures and doctors▪ And there vntounto was I first prouoked by this saying of Sainct Hierome in a certayne Epistle of his, ad Paulinum monachum. The Apocalips of Sainct Iohn (sayeth he) hath so many mysteries as it hath wordes, or for euerie word a mysterie whither ye will.
I mynded also thereby, my labours to ease the readers for search of the places, and to signify vntounto them that I dyd nothing therin without aucthoritie. And vndoubtedly the gatheryng of those places was so laborious vntounto me, as the making of the commentarie, which neuerthelesse I thought well bestowed for the comfort of my bretheren.
But two cruell enimyes hauehave my iust labours had in that behalfe, of whome the one hath them falsifyed, the other blasphéemed. Which hath caused me to leaue thē out in all that héere foloweth. The Printers are the fyrst, whose headie hast, negligence, and couetousnesse commonly corrupteth all bookes. These hauehave both dysplased them and also chaunged theyr numbers to the truthes derogacion, what though they had at their hands ij. learned correctours which tooke all paynes possible to preserue them.
The other is Momus or Zoylus, yea rather one whiche playeth both partes vnderunder the cloake of a Christian. This cruell carper and malicious quarreller leaueth no mans worke vnrebuked, minister it neuer so much godlinesse. But lyke as rust, mothes, maggottes, cankers, catterpyllers, with other vyle vermyne corrupteth all that is to the vse of man, so doeth this enimy, to distroy both name and worke, only for the auauncement of his owne precious person.
His working tooles are suche vnsauerie sophismes, problemes, elēches, corolaries, quydities, subtylties, seconde intentions, intrincycall moods, wyth other prodygious sorceryes, whom he sometime sucked out of hys mothers brestes ye vniuersitie. These hath he not yet all, as vnsauerie morselles euometed for Christ, diffyning rather with Aristotle than with Paul in his dayly disputations.
Of this ryall Rabi is Peter iudged a foole, and Iohn an vnlearned Idiote. Yet shall his reader finde small learning at his hande, vnlesse he take an heape of barbarous tearmes, and vnsowed togither sentences for matters of excelent learning. But surely Iohn will one day come from Ephesus to visite this proude Diotrephes, & shew him of his arrogant brags to his dyspleasure, vnlesse he leaue of in tyme. All Aristotles prouision shal not help hym.
Sathan vponupon the pynnacle of the Temple neuer bestowed his alleged scripture more peruersely, than thys Momus interpreted certayne of my allegaciōs, nor yet farther from their right vnderstanding: But I forgiue it him wt this forewarning for this time, thoughe it bée not the fyrst lewde poynt that he hath playd, in case that …e so leaue his quareling. My second allegation vponupon the Preface .1. Cor. 6 is not set there to authorise the Apocalips, as he most falsly and all contrary to my meaning hath interpreted it, but affirmeth that the Christian beléeuers are Christs members which ought of necessitie by the holy ghostes appointment to heare and to read the wordes of the sayde Booke. For I know that the epistle vntounto ye Corinthians was written of Paule ten yeares at the least before Saint Iohns Apocalips. No lesse is he than a false Prophet that resisteth Ieremy rebuking Babilon for hir wickednes,
To much it were to answere his other quarellings, and to tedious vntounto ye christian readers, and therfore I passe them ouer least I shoulde be to plenteous in aunsweringe a foole according to hys foolishnesse. Thus by these cruell handelynges of these two vngratious enemies, hauehave I iust occasion to leaue out the allegations in the margent, obseruing this wholsome counsell of Christ concerning such as they be. Geue not that is holy vntounto Dogs, nor yet that is precious vntounto swine. For the one of his churlish nature teareth and deuoureth, the other like a swine treadeth it vnderunder his filthy féete. The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with thée euermore (good christian Reader) and with all thē that séeketh of the scriptures the sauing health in them conteined withoute quarelling. Amen.