The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
THE ARGVMENT.
The ſpirite of God in the former Chapter, hauing deſcribed the glory of the glorified Church, vnderunder the compariſon and forme of a Citie, now proſecutes out in this Chapter, to declare, how that Citie and heauenly Citizens thereof are furniſhed of ſuch ſpirituall liuely drink, meate and medicaments, as ſhal conſerue aeternal… felicitie and health, vſing here theſe earthly tearmes for our capacitie, in expreſsing of heauenly matters. Thereafter followeth a concluſion of the proprieties of that glory, and of this whole prophecie, with a confirmation yet againe of the veritie hereof, ending finally with a threatning againſt al the wicked, and a terrible proteſtation againſt al the eakers and pairers of this booke, & then contrarily commending the faithfull Churches to God.
The Text.
1 And he ſhewed me a pure riuer of water of life, clear as chryſtall, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lambe.
2 In the midſt of the ſtreet of it, and of either ſide of the riuer, was the tree of life, which bare twelue maner of fruits, and gaue fruite eueryevery monethmonth, & the leaues of the tree ſerued to heal the nations with.
3 And there ſhall be no more curſe, but the throne of God, and of the Lambe ſhall be in at, and his ſeruants ſhal ſerue him.
4 And they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall bee in their fore-heads.
5 And there ſhall be no ni…ht there, & they neede no candle, neither light of the ſunne, for the Lord God giueeth them light, & they ſhall raigne for euermore.
6 And he ſaide vntounto me, Theſe wordes are faithfull and true: and the Lorde God of the holy Prophets, ſent his Angel to ſhew vntounto his ſeruaunts, the thinges which muſt ſhortly bee fulfilled.
7 Behold, I com ſhortly, Bleſſed is he that kepeth the wordes of the Prophecie of this book
8 And I am Iohn, which ſawe and heard theſe things: and when, I had heard and ſeene, I fell down to woorſhip before the feete of the Angell, which ſhewed me theſe thinges.
9 But hee ſaide vntounto me, ſee thou do it not: for I am thy fellow ſeruant, and of thy brethren the Prophet of them which k… the words of this book, worſhip God.
10 And he ſaid to me, Seale not the wordes, of the Prophecie of this book: for the time is at hand.
11 He that is vniuſt, let him be vniuſt ſtill: & hee which is filthie, let him be filthie ſtill: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous ſtil: & he that is holy, let him be holy ſtill.
12 And beholde, I come ſhortly, and my rewarde is with me, to giuegive eueryevery man according as his work ſhalbe
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the firſte and the laſt.
14 Bleſſed are they, that do his commandemēts, that their right may bee in the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the Citie.
15 For without shall be dogs, & enchanters, and whoremongers, & murtherers, and Idolaters, and whoſoeuer loueth or maketh lyes.
16 I Ieſus hauehave ſent mine Angell, to teſtifie vntounto you theſe thinges … …e Churches: I am … roote and the generation of David, and the brighte morning ſtarre.
17 And the ſpirite & the bride ſay, Come, And let him that heareth, ſay Come: and let him that is a thirſte, come: and let whoſoeuer will, take of the water of life freelie.
18 For I proteſt vntounto eueryevery man, that heareth the wordes of the prophecie of this booke, if any man ſhall adde vntounto theſe things, God ſhall adde vntounto him the plagues that are written in this booke.
19 And if any man ſhall diminiſhe of the wordes of the booke of this prophecie, god ſhal take away his part out of the booke of life, and out of the holy citie, & frō thoſe things which ar written in this book.
20 Hee which teſtifieth theſe things, faith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen, euen ſo, come Lord Ieſus.
21 The grace of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, be with you all, Amen.
Paraphraſticall expoſition.
1 AND the Angell let me to vnderſtand how a God the holy Spirite (flowing as a riuer to ſatisfie all that thirſted after his ſpirituall giftes) proceedeth from the perſons of God the Father, and of God the Son, who ſat there in ſupreme authoritie.
2 And amidſt the waies and paſſages of al that glorified congregation, and with theſe flowing waters and graces of the holy Ghoſt, was alſo b Chriſt Ieſus conjunct, who is the author of our life and ſaluation: who continuallie and euer recently yeelded, and exhibited the fruit and fruition of all his heauenly vertues, in number and meaſure ſufficient to ſatisfie eueryevery man, of the c twelue tribes of ſpirituall Iſraelites: to wit, ſuch as had obſerued and imbraced the doctrin of the c twelue Apoſtles: and the ſmalleſt benefits, and lighteſt vertues that flowes from Chriſt ſerued ſome way to the comfort, joy, and continuall health of eueryevery elect people and nation.
3 And there ſhall be no accurſed thing in that holy habitacle, for the throne and eternall ſeate of God the d Father, and of Chriſt Ieſus his Sonne ſhal be there, and all theſe his ſeruants ſhall now moſt perfectly ſerue him.
4 And they ſhall hauehave the full fruition and enjoying of his face and preſence, and with conſtant e courage and bolde faces ſhall they profeſſe his name.
5 And there ſhall bee no darkneſſe there, neither of f night, nor of errours, and no neede ſhall they hauehave of temporall nor eccleſiaſticall teachings, for GOD himſelfe in Trinitie and Vnitie ſhall lighten them, and with him ſhall they raigne, for euermore.
6 And the Angell againe aſſured me, that theſe wordes were faithfull and true: for the Almightie God, Lord ouer all the holy Prophets, had ſent him, who is his holy Angel, to ſhewe and publiſhe vntounto his ſeruaunts vppon earth theſe thinges, which muſt beginne ſhortly, and be performed amongeſt them.
7 Beholde, it ſhall not bee g long (ſaith Chriſt) till my comming, in reſpecte of my eternall abiding, happy ſhall hee bee, who obſerueth and doeth according vntounto the wordes written in this booke of Prophecie.
8 And I the writer hereof, am Iohn the Apoſtle and Evangeliſt, who ſpirituallie ſawe and heard all theſe thinges, and when I had hearde and ſeene the ſame, h I fell downe proſtrate at the feete of the Angel, who ſhewed me theſe thinges to hauehave woorſhipped him.
9 But hee rebuked me, ſaying, Beware thou do it not, for I am but a ſeruant of Gods as thou art, and as one of thy brethren which are Prophets, and am one of them whiche obſerue the wordes of God, contained in this booke, woorſhippe none but God onelie.
10 And hee commanded me not to i conceale, or vtterlie to ſeale vp the wordes of the prophecie cōtained in this book, for that the time of the performance thereof, comes daily on and approcheth.
11 Now he that doth wrong k proceed (if he liſt) to do wrong, and he who is a filthie ſinner proceede (if he liſteth) in his filthie ſinnes and contrarilie, let the righteous man continue in his righteouſnes, and the holy man in his holines.
12 For behold (ſaith God) I come ſhortly, and that not emptie, but bearing with me eueryevery mans reward, to recompence thē therewith, according to their faithfull l workes.
23 I am the firſt and the laſt; the beginning and the ending, euen the firſt before all beginning, and the laſt after all ending.
14 Bleſſed are they that m keepe the commandemēts of this their God, that they may obtaine a ioyfull parte and protion in Chriſt Ieſus, the true Author of life: and that they by the true knowledge of the Trinitie, according to the Apoſtolike doctrine, may enter to eternall felicitie.
15 But forth of the ſame ſhal be debarred all Apoſtatik n revolters to their filthines, as dogges to their vomet, and all enchanters, whoremongers, murtherers, and Idolaters, and finally, all that teacheth lyes, or loued & delighted therein.
16 I (ſaith the Lorde Ieſus) aſſure all men that I hauehave ſent my holy Angell to teſtifie theſe thinges vntounto you all my holy Churches and congregations. I am (in my Deitie) that o roote and foundation whereof David and all the faithful hath ſprung, and (in my humanitie) I am of that o poſteritie and ofspring that hath ſprung of David, and am that morning p ſtar & Son of juſtice, whoſe bright Evangell lightened the whole world.
17 And all godly q ſpirits, and Chriſts holy Church and chaſte ſpouſe, wiſhed him to come, and yee that heares pray for his comming, and let eueryevery man that zealeth and thirſteth after ſpirituall graces, approch, and come vntounto him: For what faithfull man ſoeuer liſteth to come, ſhall freelie & in his mercy receiue of him, and drinke vp as water the aboundant graces of the holy Ghoſt to life eternall.
18 Nowe therefore, I proteſt vntounto euerie man that heares the wordes of this booke of prophecie, that if any man ſhall pretend to adde any thing farther vntounto this booke, God ſhall adde his torment, and bring vponupon that man al the plagues that are contained in this booke.
19 And likewiſe, if any man ſhall meane to pare or diminiſh of the wordes of this holy propheticall booke, God ſhall vtterly take away all his portion and parte, out of the regiſter book of eternal life, and out of this holy habitacle of eternall felicitie, and from enjoying of theſe joyes and r benefites herein promiſed for the faithfull.
20 The Lorde Ieſus, who teſtifieth theſe thinges, hath promiſed, that hee ſhall come moſt ſpeedely. Euen ſo muſt it be, O Lord Ieſus, come therefore ſpeedilie.
21 The ſ grace of this our lord Ieſus Chriſt, be with all you his faithful for euer. So be it.
Notes, Reaſons, and Amplifications.
a This pure and chriſtalline riuer of liuely waters, is taken in the ſcriptures for the ſpirit of God and graces thereof, which our ſoules euer thirſte and drinke, as is plainly expounded in Iohn 7.38.39. ſaying, Flumina de ventre eius fluent aquae viua: hoc autem dicebat de ſpiritu quem accepturi erant credentes in eum, &c. Out of his bellie ſhal flower riuers of water of life: This ſpake he of the ſpirite, which they that beleeued in him ſhould receiue. And for confirmation, that this reiuer is the holy ſpirit, he ſaith here, that it proceedes of the throne of God the Father, and of God the Son, vſing the proper tearm of proceeding, for that the holy Spirit is ſaid to proceed from the perſon of the Father and of the Son, as ſaith the godly Athanaſius in his Symbole: Spiritus ſanctus à Patre & Filio, non factus, nec creatus, nec genitus, ſed procedens: The holy Ghoſt, not made, nor created, nor begotten of the Father and of the ſonne, but proceeding from them.
b This tree of life that groweth in the middeſt of this glorified congregatiō, and among theſe flowing waters of Gods ſpirit, and yeeldeth continuall fruite, where vponupon the godly feedeth to life aeternall, muſt needes be Chriſt Ieſus the author of our life and ſaluation, of whome the tree of life in earthly Paradiſe, did bear the type: and who hath his reſidence among his elect, and is conjoyned with the holy ſpirit in Deitie, and yeeldeth to theſe his elect, continuall benefites, and ſpirituall graces and vertues, whereon, they ſpiritually do feede and aeternally liue.
c Becauſe the Citie by the number of ports, foundatiōs, roomes and ſymmetries thereof, hath bene before accommodate to the number of twelue, correſpondent to the twelue tribes of ſpiritual Iſraelites, and twelue Apoſtles: Therfore agreeable to that ſame number of twelue, he here alſo deſcribes their ſpirituall food, making thereby the citie, and the inhabitants, & their ſpiritual food, and furniture, all correſpondent and conformablie agreeing togither in one, with the twelue Apoſtles, of whome they hauehave receiued their compariſon, and of whome in truth, both is that heauenly habitacle and proprieties thereof: to wit, our reſurrection, juſtification, immortalitie, and aeternall foelicitie deſcribed: as alſo, the number of all faithfull, are by them and their ſucceſſors collected and gathered in: As thirdly, theſe ſpirituall vertues flowing here …m Chriſt, are diſtributed to eueryevery faithfull, according as they are more or leſſe of the number of the twelue tribes of ſpirituall Iſraelits, or hath imbraced more or leſſe the doctrin of the twelue Apoſtles: and therefore, not onelyonly firſt the ſymmetrie of the citie, and ſecondly, the roome and inhabitants thereof, but alſo thirdly, the furniture, euen theſe fruites, benefites and graces that here flowes from Chriſt vntounto them, are all reckoned after the number of twelue: and ſo their monethly increaſes, meaneth noe other thing, but firſt this alluſion to the number of the twelue Apoſtles, And ſecondly, that theſe fruites and benefites are euer continual, freſh, and recent: for (as we hauehave ſaide note a of the former chapter, and in other partes) there is no diſtinction of times by yeares, moneths or daies, neither in heauen, neither after the latter day any waies.
d Here he (as alſo verſe 1.) ſpeaketh onelyonly of two perſons of the Godhead: to wit, the Father and the Sonne ſitting in this throne, although inſeperablie the whol Deitie in Trinitie and Vnitie here ſitteth: but theſe two perſons, the Father and the Son are onelie here mentioned, becauſe the judiciall matters of this throne, and the preſent functions belonging thereto, at this time concerned cheiflie the offices of God the Father, and of God the Sonne. Of God the Son, in that here he ſitteth, now lately judging the whole world generally, which cheifly appertaineth to him, as ſaith our Beleefe, inde venturus eſt iudicare vivos & mortuos, from thence hee ſhall come to iudge the quick and the dead. Of God the Father, in that hee here ſitteth reforming and renewing the worlde, as he teſtifieth in the text ſaying, ecce, noua facio omnia, behold, I make all thinges newe, which belongs to his office, as being Creator of all, as teſtifieth our beleefe, calling him, Creatorem coeli & terrae, maker of heauen and earth, This approueth the note h of the former chapter.
e This name of God was promiſed before (Apoc. 3.12.) to bee written vponupon the elect, where the firſt mention is made of this new Hieruſalem: and now at this time ſince they are come to that Hieruſalem that promiſe here taketh effect. This (contrary all wayfaring and worldly profeſsions) meaneth ſo conſtant and vnchangeable a profeſsion of the name of God, that it ſhall neuer be deleted nor forgotten out of their hearts, mindes, and continuall thoughts, but euer ſhall abide ſo rooted in them, that with cor… courage and bold faces, ſhal they profeſſe that name for euer, … therefore is that name of God ſaid here to be in their foreheads.
f Read of this night before, Apoc. 21.25. and note ff thereof.
g For three cauſes, are times which appeare long to men, called ſhort in the ſcriptures. Firſt, to moue the elect to patience. Secondly, in reſpect of the contrair purpoſes and matter, as here the definite time of Chriſts, bodily abſence in this world, in reſpect of the infinite time of his eternall preſence in that euerlaſting world, is called but ſhort. Thirdly, in reſpect of God who ſpeaketh this, in whoſe ſight a 1000. years are but as one day (2. Pet. 3.8.) this definite time is but ſhort: conferre herewith Apoc. 17.10. & note t thereof.
h Maruelous is the forcible temptations of Idolatrie, & wrong worſhipping. Sundrie times hath ſaint Iohn ſeene the perſons of the Deitie in theſe viſions: and although we reade, that hee hath then fallen and bene proſtrated with that glorious majeſtie of Gods preſence (Apoc. 1.17.) yet finde we not, that hee proſtrated himſelfe voluntarilie to worſhip God, but contrarilie, this is the ſecond time, that voluntarilie he proſtrates and bowes down himſelf to commit wrong worſhipping: and that euen although hee was before forbidden of the Angels ſelfe, according to the prouerb, Nitimur in vetitum ſemper cupimuſque negata. Forbidden thinges of men are chooſed, and moſt we ſue that is refuſed. The diuine Prophet, Apoſtle and Euangeliſt Iohn, makes notable here to vsus by his own twofold example, the greate infirmitie in mankinde on the one parte, and the terrible force of Idolatrous temptations on the other part. To the effect wee wretched ſinners neither truſte ouer much in our own ſtrength, neither yet be ouer ſlacke and ſlothfull againſt ſuch temptations: Seeing this holy and beloued ſeruant of God ſo farre ouercome, read more hereof, Reuel. 19.10. and note ſ thereof.
i In that here the Prophet is forbidden to ſeale and cloſe vppe theſe myſteries, it is not ſimplie meant, that he ſhould write all ſo plaine, that no part thereof were in any wiſe ſealed or kept ſecret: for contrarilie of the ſeuen thunders (Reuel. 10.4.) it is commanded to ſeale them, and not to write them plainly. The meaning therefore of this text, is not ſimplie, but in compariſon of other …ophets: to wit, that ſaint Iohn who was neerer to the time of … performance, ſhould not ſeal vp theſe thinges ſo obſcurely as other Prophets did, who were further from that time of performance: and therefore ſaith this text here, ne ſignaueris, &c. tempus enim prope eſt, Seale not theſe vvords, &c. for the time is at hand. And contrarilie is ſaide in Dan. 8.26. Tu ergo viſionem ſigna, quia poſt multos dies erit. Seale you vp the viſion, for it ſhalbe after many daies. and Daniel 12.4.9. Claude ſermones & ſigna librum, vſque ad tempus ſtatutum, Shut vp the vvordes and ſeale the booke till the end of the time. And ſo is Iohn here indeede a great deal more plaine, ample, and orderly nor is Daniel: Daniel hauing ſealed his booke for a long time, & Iohn hauing onelyonly concealed this booke from Antichriſtians, during the Antichriſts raigne, which time he calles but ſhort. Apoc. 17.10. ſaying, Oportet cum breue tempus manere, Hee muſt continue a ſhort ſpace, agreeable with theſe wordes here ſpoken, of the revealing of this book, which are, tempus enim prope eſt, for the time is at hand, and ſo in the end of the Antichriſts reign (which ends in our daies) ſhoulde theſe myſteries be throughly revealed. This texte maketh expreſlie againſt them, that eſteemes this booke to be ſo cloſed, that it ſhall neuer be vnderſtood till Chriſt come, and conſequently, it ſhould be ſuperfluous.
k This is ſpoken Ironicallie in mockage of the wicked, & there after ſpeaks he exhortingly to the godly to confirm them. This Ironical ſpeech is vſed oft in the ſcriptur, for the more eſhaming of vsus from ſinne, as (beſides many other examples) the like is to bee found in Eccleſ. 11.9. where the ſpirit of God by Salomon mockes the licentious youth, in bidding them tauntinglie followe their luſtes and harts deſire, but know ſaith he certainly, that of al theſe thinges God ſhal craue accompt in iudgement. The like is ſaide euen here in the next verſe, For behold (ſaith he) I ſhal come ſhortly, and my rewarde vvith me, to giuegive to every man according to his vvorkes. So this threatning concluſion inferres, that the former bidding of the wicked continue wicked, is altogether Ironicall, and contrarilie, that the bidding of the godly continue godly, is altogether allowablie and exhortingly ſpoken to them.
l How theſe workes are not ſimply meant of onelyonly works, but of workes that proceede of Faith, or liuely Faith that produceth good workes, and ſo Faith to be the ground of Iuſtification, reade Apoc. 20. note ſ thereof.
m The vulgare tranſlation, containeth here theſe wordes, Be qui lauant ſtolas ſuas in ſanguine Agni, Bleſſed are they that waſhe their garments in the blood of the Lambe. The moſt allowable tranſlation bearing Beati qui ſeruant eius mandata, Bleſſed are they that keepe his commandements, as the literall difference hereof is ſmall in the originall greeke, ſo is the meaning of both alike in ſubſtance, for theſe that do keepe the commandements of Chriſt Ieſus, ar theſe ſelfe ſame, that figuratiuely are ſaid, Apoc. 7.14. to waſh their garments in the blood of Chriſt, and therefore ſet we the plaineſt in the paraphraſe, as an interpretation to both.
n To dogges for filthines in luſt, inſatiable gluttonie, vomiting and returning to their vomit, are compared al ſuch filthie perſons as how oft ſoeuer the ſpirit of God ſtriueth to purge thē of their ſinnes, yet will they euer revolt and returne to them againe, till at length the ſpirit of God-renounce them, and leaue them in their owne filth. Of theſe ſaith Salomon, Prouerb. 26.11. Sicut canis qui reuertitur ad vomitum, ſic imprudens qui iterat ſtultitiam ſuam, As a dogge vvho turneth againe to his vomit, ſo is the fooliſh man vvho turneth to his fooliſhnes, and in 2. Peter. 2.22. It is ſaide of theſe reuolters and backturners to their ſinnes. Canis reverſus ad vomitum ſuum, & ſus lota in volutabro luti. The dogge is returned to his vomit, and the ſow that was waſhed to the vvallowing in the myre. This generall doggiſh propertie of backturning, and continual reuolting to ſinne, without amendement, is here ſet formoſt, & is to be vnderſtood, common to the enchanters, whoremongers, murtherers, Idolaters, & lyers after ſpecified, where through, here they are debarred from God: otherwiſe, if they repented their ſins, & returned not euer thereunto, as dogs to their vomit, they might be receiued among the faithfull number, as Apoc. 14. note d is declared.
o In ſimple tearmes Chriſt here, & Apo. 5.5. ſetteth out his two natures very liuely, I am (ſaith he) the root & the generation of David. This apparant contrarietie making Chriſt the roote whereof Dauid is ſprung, and againe Chriſt to be a branche, who is ſprung of Dauid, is doubtleſlie to be vnderſtood diuerſly. The firſt of Chriſts deitie, in reſpect whereof, he was before Dauid, as he teſtifieth ſaying, (Iohn 8.58.) antequam Abraham fieret, ego ſum, Before Abraham vvas I am: yea, ſeeing God by Chriſt created the whole worlde, (Coloſ. 1.16. and Iohn 1.3.) therefore, Chriſt in his Deitie, is the … roote and originall, whereof all thinges, cheiflie godly men, as Abraham and David hath their beginning and being. The ſecond of Chriſtes humanitie, in reſpecte whereof, Chriſt contrarilie is ſprung of Abraham and of David, Matthew, 1.1. and ſo is Chriſte perfitely both Dauids roote, and alſo his branche.
p For many cauſes is Chriſt called the morning ſtar: for as the morning ſtar endeth the nights darknes, and beginneth the day light. So doth Chriſt at his comming put end to all errours. And doth begin and yeeld to vsus that aeternall light and day, which neuer decaieth: of which is ſaid before, verſe 5. et nox vltra non erit illic, & non egebunt lumine lucernae, neque lumine Solis, quoniam Dominus Deus illuminabit illos. and there ſhall be no night there, and they neede no candle, neither the light of the ſunne, for the Lord God giueth them light. For that ſame cauſe, is hee likewiſe called, Sol Iuſtitiae, the ſunne of iuſtice, that riſeth to the world, Malach. 4.2. Alſo Chriſt is called this morning ſtar, to ſhew thereby, that the ſtarre that ſhould riſe of Iacob (Nomb, 24.17.) was performed in his perſon. Moreouer, becauſe Chriſts natiuitie and comming was repreſented by an extraordinary ſtar, ſeene in the Eaſt Orientall. And it is frequent in the ſcriptures, to call the thing ſignified, after the name and the ſtyle of the ſigne it ſelfe: as where Chriſt is called the Lambe, &c. Therefore is Chriſt, called here the beautifull, orientall, riſing, or morning ſtarre.
q This ſpirit that craueth Chriſts latter comming, is nether the damned ſpirits, for that they therby are to receiue no gaines, but p…ne and eternall torment. Neither yet is it ſimplie and in it ſelf the ſpirit of God, for that holy ſpirit in himſelf, hath no yearning, not other paſsions, but hath the preſent eſtate of all things agreeable to his wil and ordinance, lacking nothing longer nor he craueth it or yearneth after the ſame. This therefore is the ſpirite of the holy elect and choſen number, or the ſpirite of God in them, that craueth here Chriſtes comming and yearneth for the ſame. For ſeeing all the good creatures of God long for that day, that they may hauehave libertie, freedome, & reſt in God, as ſaith Paul Rom. 8.21.22. Therefore, farre ratheſt of all do theſe godly ſpirites that God hath created and breathed in man, yearne and deſire Chriſts comming, thar from henceforth they may be conjoined with God their original, and hauehave the ful fruition of his preſen… as ſaith alſo S. Paul, (Phil. 1.23.) of himſelfe and his godly ſpirite, deſiderium habens diſſolui, & eſſe cum Chriſto, by this deſire that Pauls ſpirit had to be with Chriſt before the latter day, and without the body, importeth he a farre greater deſire that our ſpirites hauehave in yearning for the latter daye, that body and ſoule altogether may be with Chriſt our Lorde and Sauiour.
r Although the greeke worde may here ſeeme to meane alike. Theſe men that are vvritten, or, Theſe thinges that are vvritten: and alſo that this booke may either meane indifferently here the booke of life, or this preſent book of Apocalyps: yet be reaſon of the like wordes contained in the former verſes, ſpeaking directly of the plagues written in this booke of Apocalyps, It muſt needs be, that contrarily theſe ſpoken of here, are the benefites and good things written alſo in this ſame booke of Apocalyps.
ſ Here endeth Saint Iohn, this holy Prophecie of Apocalyps: imploring the grace of Gods ſpirit through Ieſus Chriſt, to abide with al the faithfull. Here end we alſo that interpretation therof, which God by that ſelfe ſame grace hath made the faithfull of theſe our latter daies to vnderſtād, in diſcouerſe of Gods enemies & revealing of his trueth, that his Church being purged from Antichriſtianiſme, may from henceforth abide pure, and holy, and readie decked as a comely bride, waiting the ſudden comming of her Lorde and bridegrome Chriſt Ieſus: To this God in Trinitie and Vnitie, who here giues theſe graces to vsus, do we therefore render aeternal praiſe, honour, and glory, for euer and euer. Amen.
Rom. cap. 15. verſ. 4.5.6.
4 Whatſoeuer thinges are vvritten aforetime, are vvritten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the ſcriptures might hauehave hope.
5 Nowe the God of patience and conſolation, giuegive you that yee be like minded one towardes another, according to Chriſt Ieſus.
6 That yee with one mind, and vvith one mouth may praiſe God, euen the Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
To God onelyonly wiſe, be praiſe through Ieſus Chriſt for euer. Amen.
Rom. 16.27.