The Whole Revelation of John in Two Treatises, To the reader – Errata
To the Godly and Chriſtian Reader.
ALthough the nature of the trueth be of ſuch force and efficacie, that after it is heard by the ſpirituall man, it is immediatly beleeued, credited and embraced: yet the naturall man is ſo infirme, & weake, that his beleefe muſt be ſupplied by naturall reaſons, and euident arguments: Wherefore, many learned and godly men of the primitiue Church, hauehave gathered out diuers pithie and forcible, natural and philoſophical arguments, to proue & confirm the Chriſtian faith thereby: As in the 1. Cor. 15.36. Paul the learned & godly teacher of the Gentiles, perſwading thē to confeſſe the reſurrection of the dead, induceth a maruelous pithie and familiar argument by a naturall compariſon of ſeede ſowne in the ground, that firſt muſt die and be corrupt in the earth, and then doth it quicken vp and riſe againe after an other forme, than it was ſown into: And likwiſe other learned Doctors of the primitiue Church, writing to the Ethnicks, who ſturred at the Virgins conception, and at Chriſtes diuinitie, reſoneth with them on this maner: ſaying, Your gods (as ye beleue) hath conuerſed with many women among you, and hath begotten many children, who hath wrought no miracles: & how can ye that ſo beleeue deny vsus, that our great God hath begotten one Sonne, in whome diuinitie and humanitie are conjoyned, ſeeing your eies and forefathers, hauehave ſeen ſo many and diuine miracles wrought by him, & in his name? And ſo moſt wiſely vſed they theſe Gentiles, own opinions and arguments againſt themſelues, which mooued the malicious Apoſtate Iulian the Emperour, to diſcharge from Chriſtians, the Schooles & learning of Philoſophie, yeelding the reaſon, becauſe ſaith he, Propriis pennis ferimur, and as by that means, many of the moſt learned Gentiles in theſe daies, were either mooued neceſſarily to confeſſe the Chriſtian Religion to be true, pure and holy: or then at the leaſt were made ſo aſtoniſhed, that they were not able to write or teache againſt it. So likewiſe, now in this ſecond ariſing of the Euangelicall trueth, from the horrible Antichriſtian darknes: it is not ynough that this diuine Reuelation which diſcouereth, the Antichriſt be onelyonly, by ſimple aſſertion interpreted, or hiſtorically applyed to the confirming of their zeale, that already knowes and deteſts that man of ſinne and ſonne of perdition: but alſo, to the effect the fauorers of his errors, may either be conuerted, or then their mouthes bridled from calumniating the truth, it is needfull that ſuch neceſſary reaſons and ſure arguments, or at the leaſt ſuch notable tokens be induced, as may make that interpretation vndenyable. And therefore being of purpoſe (by the aſſiſtance of the Almightie) to expounde and open vp the myſteries of this Revelation by a two-folde diſcourſe, the one Paraphraſtical, the other hiſtoricall, both confronted together: I hauehave thought good before that work, to premit by way of introduction, a reſoning for the inueſtigatiō of the true ſenſe and meaning of eueryevery notable myſterie thereof, and to ſette the ſame in forme of Propoſitions, as neere the analytick or demonſtratiue maner, as the phraſe and nature of holy ſcriptures will permit: and that for the better ſatisfaction of theſe Naturaliſts, of whome happely, God may either make true ſpirituall profeſſors, or at the leaſt, hereby bridle their opprobrious mouthes from calumniating the vndoubted trueth, when they ſee the naturall coherence of Gods myſteries ſo maruelouſly reuealing one another, that thereby the trueth of God, the hiſtory of his Church, and perſon of the Antichriſt are detected, and the very Antichriſtians induced neceſſarilie, either to confeſſe themſelues to bee hereby diſcouered, or then muſt they deny the ſcripture it ſelfe. And although I hauehave but of late attempted, to write this ſo high a worke, for preuenting the apparant danger of Papiſtrie ariſing within this Iland, yet in trueth, it is no fewe yeares ſince firſt I beganne to precogitat the ſame: For in my tender yeares, and barneage in Sanct-Androis at the Schooles, hauing on the one parte contracted a louing familiaritie with a certaine Gentleman, &c. a Papiſt: And on the other part, being attentiue to the Sermons of that worthie man of God, Maiſter Chriſtopher Goodman, teaching vponupon the Apocalyps, I was ſo mooued in admiration, againſt the blindnes of Papiſts, that could not moſt euidently ſee their ſeuen hilled citie Rome, painted out there ſo liuely by Saint Iohn, as the mother of all ſpirituall whoredome, that not onelyonly burſted I out in continual reaſoning againſt my ſaid familiar, but alſo from thenceforth, I determined with my ſelfe (by the aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit) to employ my ſtudie and diligence to ſearch out the remanent myſteries of that holy book: as to this houre (praiſed be the Lorde) I hauehave bin doing at al ſuch times, as cōveniently I might hauehave occaſion: But (to confeſſe the trueth of the infirmitie of man to the glory of God) I found euer during al that long time, more fruit in one houres ſobrietie, prayer, and humble meditation, nor in a thouſand daies of curious or preſumptuous inquiſition: yea, the more ſubtily I ſearched, the more darknes I found, in ſo much, as curious inquiſition rather diſcouraged me by finding out of doubts, then profiteth me by finding any reſolution thereof: And ſo, when after long time ſpent, with litle knowledge, I (juſtly diſpairing of mine owne habilitie) became trulie ſorrowfull and humble in heart, then it pleaſeth God, (to whome be the onelyonly glory) to giuegive me that grace, to eſpy in ſhort time, that woonderfull ouerture which in long time before I could not conſidder: So that then I began to take vp matters by their right beginning, and by moſt eaſie grounds, And to proſecute out the reſt by their coherence in order, as is here ſet downe, to the full reſolution of all the former doubts. After the which, although (greatly rejoycing in the Lord) I began to write thereof in Latine: yet, I purpoſed not to hauehave ſet out the ſame ſuddenly, and far leſſe to hauehave written the ſame alſo in Engliſh, til that of late, this new inſolencie of Papiſts ariſing about the 1588. year of God, and dayly increſing within this Iland doth ſo pitie our hearts, ſeeing them put more truſt in Ieſuites and ſeminarie Prieſts, then in the true ſcripturs of God, and in the Pope and King of Spaine, then in the King of Kings: that, to preuent the ſame, I was conſtrained of compaſſion, leauing the Latine, to haſte out in Engliſh this preſent worke, almoſt vnripe, that hereby, the ſimple of this Iland may be inſtructed, the godly confirmed, and the proud and fooliſh expectations of the wicked beaten downe, purpoſing hereafter (God willing) to publiſh ſhortly, the other latin editiō hereof, to the publike vtilitie of the whol church. Whatſoeuer therfore through haſt, is here rudely and in baſe language ſet downe, I doubt not to be pardoned thereof by all good men, who conſidering the neceſſitie of this time, wil eſteeme it more meete, to make haſt to preuent the riſing againe of Antichriſtian darknes within this Iland, then to prolong the time in painting of language: Eſpecially alſo, ſeeing herein purpoſely I preſſe not to follow the particular ornate tearmes, of neither Scottes nor Engliſhmen: but rather contrarily for both their inſtructions, I vſe ſo much as I can theſe wordes and tearmes, that be more common and ſenſible to them both, then proper or ornate to any one of them. Here then (beloued Reader) thou haſt this work deuided into two treatiſes, the firſt is the ſaid introduction and reaſoning, for inveſtigation of the true ſenſe of eueryevery cheife Theological tearme and date contained in the Reuelation, whereby, not onelyonly is it opened, explained and interpreted, but alſo that ſame explanation and interpretation is proued, confirmed and demonſtrated, by euident proofe and coherence of ſcriptures, agreeable with the euent of hiſtories. The ſeconde is, the principal treatiſe, in the which the whole Apocalyps, Chapter by chapter, Verſe by verſe, and ſentence by ſentence, is both Paraphraſtically expounded and Hiſtorically applyed. This ſecond and principall treatiſe, keepeth this order, that firſt before eueryevery chapter, is premitted the argument, not of the literall ſenſe of the chapter, but of the true meaning and interpretation of the ſame. Thereafter (ſeeing all the chapters of the Apocalyps, doth either deſcribe the viſion, or then expreſſe the prophecie) if the preſent chapter be deſcriptiue, eueryevery page thereof is diuided in two columnes: in the firſt whereof, is ſet the text by verſes, in the ſecond columne, is ſet the Paraphraſticall expoſition, anſwering verſe by verſe to the text of the firſt columne: But if the preſent chapter be prophetical, then is eueryevery page thereof diuided in three colums, the firſt containeth the Text by verſes, the ſecond the Paraphraſticall expoſition thereof verſe by verſe, the third alſo agreeable therewith by verſes, containeth the hiſtory or hiſtoricall application, in the which, and by the which, the ſame prophecie is, or ſhall be performed. And if any chapter is partly deſcriptiue, partly propheticall, then where it is propheticall, there are three columnes, the firſt is the Text, the ſecond, is the Paraphraſticall expoſition of the text: The third, is the hiſtoricall application & accompliſhment thereof. But where in that ſame chapter any part is deſcriptiue, then are there forenent that part onelyonly two columnes, whereof the firſt is the Text, the ſecond is common to both the Paraphraſtical columne, & to the hiſtorical columne: and therfore it paſſeth through, occupying the roome of both the ſecond and third columnes, ſo that when yee read the ſecond columne, ye ſhall read it with the ſecond columne, and when againe ye read the third columne, yee ſhall alſo reade it with the third columne: for it is ſuch a common thing, as agrees to be read with either of them. Furthermore, there is two drawne lines betwixt the Paraphraſtical columne and the Hiſtoricall, within the which lines there is ſet downe the dates of times, by ſeals trumpets, viols, thunders, and years of God, anſwering to the preciſe time, in the which every Prophecie thereof was or ſhall be performed. Moreouer, in caſe any part of the text may be thoght to be wrong tranſlated, any part of the Paraphraſe wrong expounded: or finally, any part of the hiſtory wrong applied, ouer briefly handled, not ſufficiently prooued, or hauing neede of annotations: I hauehave therefore forenent eueryevery doubtfull and needful place of the Text, Paraphraſe, and Hiſtory, ſet markes of the ordinary letters of a, b, c, &c. In the Paraphraſe, and after the end of the whole chapter hath ſubjoyned Notes, Reaſons, and Amplifications, marked correſpondētly with the like letters of a b c, &c. by the which Notes and Amplifications, not onelyonly the breuitie of the Paraphraſe and hiſtory is ſupplied, but alſo by reaſons, proofes, and arguments of ſcripture therein inſert, the whol ſmaller doubts thereof are reſolued. And as toward the greter doubts, they are referred to the firſt treatiſe, wherein they are at length and demonſtratiuely prooued. So the note here in the ſecond treatiſe, doeth onelyonly quote the propoſition of the firſt treatiſe, that proues that preſent aſſertion. And becauſe this whole work of Reuelation concerneth moſt the diſcouerie of the Antichriſtian and Papiſticall kingdome, I hauehave therefore (for remouing of all ſuſpition) in al hiſtories and prophane matters, taken my authorities and cited my places either out of Ethnick auctors, or then papiſtical writers, whoſe teſtimonies by no reaſon can bee refuſed againſt themſelues. But in matters of diuinitie, doctrine & interpretation of myſteries (leauing all opinions of men) I take me onelyonly to the interpretation and diſcouerie thereof, by coherence of ſcripture, and godly reaſons following thereupon: which alſo not only no Papiſt, but euen no Chriſtian may juſtly refuſe. And foraſmuch as our ſcripturs herein are of two ſortes, the one our ordinary text, the other extraordinary citations, In our ordinary text, I follow not altogether the vulgar Engliſh tranſlation, but the beſt learned in the Greek tong, ſo that (for ſatisfying the Papiſts) I differ nothing frō their vulgar text of S. Ierome, as they cal it, except in ſuch places, where I proue by good reaſons, that hee differeth from the Originall Greek. In the extraordinary texts of other ſcriptures cited by me, I followe euer Ieromes latine tranſlation, where any controuerſie ſtands betwixt vsus and the Papiſts, and that moueth me in diuers places to inſert his very latine text, for their cauſe, with the juſt Engliſh thereof, for ſupply of the vnlearned. And hereof it commeth that our quotations are according to the ſections and verſes of Ieromes tranſlation, printed in Antwerpe by Plantine, agreeing alſo with the great concordances of Robert Stephane. In other textes not controuerted, the Engliſh text, it alone is ſufficient in a Scottiſh or Engliſh tretiſe, & therfore omit we the latin. Further as cōcerning my citations of ancient & vnſuſpect writers, I hauehave choſen the ſame out of the moſt old & faithfull copies, cheiflie thoſe that be found in old Popiſh libraries, and imprinted by Popiſh Printers: But as for the new coppies and latter editions, there is a malicious ordinance obſerued in theſe latter daies, by the which, the Friers of Louane, and other Papiſticall correctors, eiketh, paireth, & peruerteth al good and rare bookes, cauſing firſt one ſort of them to be imprinted vnderunder their teſtimoniall, ſo that (as that ſame teſtimoniall therein imprinted beareth) nothing is left therein that may be contrarious to the Romane Church, although the Authour by his true edition had neuer ſo much inveighed againſt Rome. Therafter al the remanent Popiſh Printers, do follow theſe new peruerted Coppies, in their latter editions, without any teſtimoniall, as being warranted by the ſaide firſt teſtimonial: & this is moſt euident to be ſeen by their book intituled Index Expurgatorius. Praying therfore al good men to beware of theſe, We deſire earneſtly with our hearts ſto to proceede hereinto, that trueth may come to light, and that ſuch groundes may be laid, as thereby the ignorant and ſimple Reader may be beſt inſtructed, the godly and learned Chriſtian moſt ſurely confirmed, and the arrogant and obſtinate caluminator rathereſt confounded & put to ſilence. But forſomuch as this our good intention and godly purpoſe, doeth alwaies proceede of a very tender and frail veſhell, and that as all liquors (how precious ſoeuer) doth take ſome taſt of their veſhells: So this holy worke may in ſome thinges (though not eſpied by my ſelfe) taſt of my imperfections. Therefore humblie I ſubmit theſe imperfections whatſoeuer, to the gentil correction of every wiſe and diſcreete perſon, who in the motion of Gods ſpirite judgeth vprightly, without envie or partialitie. Praying all good men to hauehave me apardoned of whatſoeuer is a miſſe: for although I hauehave not done herein perfectly as I would, yet zealouſlie as I could, knowing that the poore Widdowes mite was acceptable vntounto the Lord: for eueryevery man hath not gold, ſiluer, ſilks & purple to offer to the work of the Sanctuary: to me (as ſaith Ierome) it ſhall be much, If I may purchaſe wooll, or flockes to offer to that holy work. And ſurely, this that I hauehave, howe ſmall ſoeuer it be, till God enlarge me with more I offer it gladly, vntounto the glory of God and aedification of his true Church. To God therfore the diſpoſer of this, and all other godly workes and meditations, who liueth and raigneth eternally in Trinitie and Vnitie; be glory praiſe, laude and thanks, for euer and euer, Amen.
The book this bill ſends to the Beaſt, Crauing amendment now in heaſt.
GOD firſt to Iohn in Pathmos me preſents,
Who ſent me ſyne the ſeuen Kirkes vntill,Apo, 1.1.9 Apoc. 1.11
As forth I foore with the two Teſtaments,
Gods trueth to teache, in witneſſing his will:Apoc, 11.3.7
Thou bloudie Beaſt, vsus cruelly did kill,Apoc 11.7,
In ſack of ſchiſmes ſieling vp our ſenſe,Apoc. 11, 3,
Our corps vnkend then ſtoniſhed lay ſtill,Apoc, 11, 8,
Til ſeuentie yeares eighteen times paſſed hence:Apoc. 11.3, 9.
But now ſince comd is till our audienceApoc. 11.11. & 1….….7
Gods worde from heauen the voice of veritie,Apoc. 11.12
Quickning theſe corps vvith true intelligence,Apoc. 11.11.
So long ſuppreſt by thy ſubtilitie:Apo. 11.2, & 15.8
I plaine proclaime and prooue by prophecie,Apoc, 10, 11.
That thou, O Rome, raiſd vp on hilles ſeuen,Apoc. 17, 9
Citie ſupreme and ſeat of Sodomie:Ap. 17, 18, & 11, 8 note [m] therof,
Ʋnder vvhoſe reigne our Lord to death was driuen,
And many Martyres rudely rent and riuen:Ap, 17, 6, & 18, 24
Art Heire and Eroy to great Babylone,Apoc, 17.5, 18, & prop, 23,
Whereby her name here God hath to thee giuen,Apoc, 17. & 18
Thou whore that ſitteſt the bloudie beaſt vpone:Apoc. 17, 1.3, 6,
Thy daies are done, thy glorie now is gone.Apoc, 17, & 18 Apoc. 18, 2, 8, 9,
Burnt ſhall thou be, and made a den of Deuills.
Flie from her then my flock, leaue her alone,Apoc, 14. &, 17,
Leſt that yee be partaker of her euills:Apoc. 14, 14, 15, Prop. 14,
For doth at hand approche the latter day,
When Chriſtes Church ſhall reigne with him for ay.Apoc. 11.15,
Faults eſcaped.
Pag, 1. q. l. 5. r. 1. Mach. 1.30. p. 2. l. 10 r. fourtie years. l. 30. r. 8. 9. & 11. p. 3. q. l. 3. r. 1. Cor. 25.51. p. 9. l. 22 r. an. 1541. p. 13. q. 3. r. Apoc. 14.6. p. 18. q. 4. r. Iude 6. p. 22. q. 3. r. Ap. 11, & 12. p. 26. l. 17. r. of this, p. 27. l. 36. r. in title there p. 38. l. 35. r. fall, and the, p. 42. forenent the lines. 21. 22. 25. ſet 1. 2. 3. p. 45. q. l. 17. r. 1. Cor. 10. p. 46. & 47. for the q. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. red. 16, 17. 18, 19, 20. 21. p. 55, l. 16. r. 16. 17. p, 66 q. l. 3. r. 4. 7, Pag. 80. l. 7. r. day worne. p. 83. l. 16. par r. Nicolaitans, pa. 89. l. 9. r, 7. & 8. & 10. p. 96. l. 26. r. profitable vſurie. p, 98. l. 23. r. 7. 3, 4. 5. p. 99. l. 6. r. Chapter, before he, p. 100. l. 20. par. r. forthſhewings. p. 109. hiſt. l. 21. & 22. r. of Chriſt. within, p, 112. pa, l. 18, 9, 120. r [after chriſt firſt opened his word] cam. l. 31. par, r. gods [i] miniſters, p. 113. h. l. 7. r. before. God p. 126 par. l. 12. r. church [where▪ p. 127. l. 27. r. certain: Alſo, p. 130. par. l, 36. r. tail, end and p. 134 l. 27, r. 26. 10. p, 139. l, 11. r, how [vnderunder p. 141, text l. 15, r. prophecie againe among, l. 27. r. 6, 7] as is, p. 148, l, 28, r. there true p. 150, par l. 34, r. ſtate. and proſtrating, p. 172. par, l, 38 r. for the. p. 174, l. 5. r, [Mat. 4, 9] p, 179, forenent the 20, l. betwixt the lines, r, 1639, p. 182 l: 15, r, Ioh. 6, 39. p, 201, l. 24, r, note that profeſſed, p, 208. l. 22, r, of their kingdomes, p 217, par. l. 12. r, ſo they now, p, 211, l, 17, r. reall Babylon. l, 34, r. both ſecular, p, 264, l. 35 r. note [gg] thereof, Item mend the titles, pag 31. p, 34, p, 35, p 37, p 44. p 191, p. 242.