A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Part 2

A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation · Part 2

p. 85THE OPENING OF SAINT IOHNS MYSTIcall Reuelation. THE SECOND PART.

CHAP. I.

The ſumme of this chapter.

This booke, though it be held obſcure, yet is it not ſoobſcure, but by Gods helpe, if not eaſily in all, yet euen in the moſt things, it may be vnderſtood.

IT is too generally receiued an opinion, that this booke is inextricable hard, and the truth ſo infolded in obſcurities, that it is not to be vnderſtood; ſo as of moſt it is laid aſide, as a ſealed booke, not to bee vnſealed, or almoſt at all to be read. But that godly and ſtudious Readers may bee encouraged to vndertake the ſtudie hereof, with good hope to vnderſtandReaſons prouing the ſumme of the chapter. what the Lord hath herein ſignified, to bee ſhewed to vsus his people; let them weigh theſe reaſons.

I. The very title telleth vsus, that it may bee vnderſtood,1. Reaſon, it is a Reuelation. for it is a Reuelation, that is, a diſcouering and making manifeſt of ſecret and hidden things, p. 86cap. 1. 1. If it could not be vnderſtood, it ſhould not be anſwerable to the title, and might rather hauehave been tearmed an Apocrypſis, then an Apocalypſis.

II. It is vnſealed by Chriſt himſelfe to be read,2. Reaſon, it is vnſealed. cap. 5. and a commandement is giuen, not to ſeale the ſayings of the prophecie of this booke, cap. 22. 10. but if it be not to be vnderſtood, it is the words of a ſealed booke, Eſa. 29. 11.

III. The end why God ſent it is, that his ſeruants3. Reaſon, ſent to …e know…e. ſhould be acquainted with the things therein contained, cap. 1. 1. and 4. 1. and 22. 6. Now this end ſhould bee fruſtrate, if it could not bee vnderſtood; ſhal any thinke God in vaine gaue it, or that Iohn needleſly wrote it?

IV. The manifold exhortations ſo earneſtly4 Reaſon, exhortations to …, … ſtirring vsus vp to heare what the ſpirit ſaith, chap. 2. 11. 17. 29. and the promiſe of a bleſſing repeated, cap. 1. 3. and 22. 7. to the keepers of the words therof, doe aſſure vsus that it may bee vnderſtood, for what readers, hearers, and doers are here to be vnderſtood, but ſuch as be intelligent, beleeuing, and conſcionable?

V. The holy Ghoſt himſelfe (to further our vnderſtanding,… expoundeth plainly his owne meaning in very many places, as in chap. 1. 13. expounded in verſ. 17. and verſ. 12. and 16. expounded in verſ. 20. ſo verſ. 15. expounded in chap. 17. 15. the chap. 4. 4. expounded in chap. 19. 8. yea in chap. 4. 5. and 5. 6. the expoſition is with the words.

So chap. 13. 1. 2. expo. in chap. 17. 8. and 12. 3. expo. in verſ. 9. and 17. 3. expo. in verſ. 15. and ſo are many other places. Now if heere any p. 87man aske me, Why doth not God expound all places, as well as ſome, if hee would hauehave it vnderſtood? I anſwere, for that the Lord hath giuen to his Church the gift of interpretation, which he wil hauehave them to exerciſe, which ſhee could not doe, if all were plaine; and to ſhake off ſloth. and to ſtirre vsus vp to a diligent ſearching, inuocation, & praier, at Gods hand, to craue his aide, the grace and aſſiſtance of his ſpirit to vnderſtand them.

VI. And laſtly, diuers godly men hauehave attained6. Reaſon, the learned commentaries of the godly. to a great meaſure of vnderſtanding in much of it, in the moſt of thoſe things which are now come to paſſe, and hauehave left their labours behind them to the Church of Chriſt, of which wee may hauehave the benefit to further vsus very greatly, to finde out the true ſenſe and meaning, by the good and bleſſed aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit.

Obiect. It is deliuered in ſtrange and obſcure figures, as no true meaning can be gathered thereof.The tropes and figures are not vnuſuall.

Anſw. I. The types & figures are no more ſtrange heere, then in other places, as in Ezechiel, Daniel, and Zacharie. II. Though it be deliuered myſtically, and in figures, yet nothing is ſet downe doubtfully, for this ſhould argue either vncertaine knowledge in the author, or deceit; neither of which we can impute to God without blaſphemie. III. Albeit metaphoricall ſpeeches, and allegor call diſcourſes may hauehave (in ſome ſort) a double vnderſtanding; yet the words weighed, as with a ballance, in the circumſtances of the text, and proper ſcope with all, they hauehave as certaine a ſignification as other places, and as direct an end; p. 88from which they cannot be drawne without manifeſt abſurditie; and therefore this is no reaſon to force ſuch an obſcuritie vponupon this booke, as if it were not at all to be vnderſtood.

Obiect. If God would hauehave had it knowne, Iohn would not hauehave penned it in ſuch a darke manner as it is.

Anſw. I. Iohn muſt write it as he ſeeth it, and no Iohn wrote ſo myſtically in three reſpects.otherwiſe; as alſo the former Prophets did their viſions. II. Iohn here pleaſeth not himſelfe, but is guided by the ſpirit of God, to ſet downe the matter in that forme of words, as it ſeemed beſt to him, not to hide the truth from Gods people, but for other reſpects in all probabilitie; and firſt for1. Of Chriſt. the ſafety of Chriſtians, that the Heathen raging already enough againſt them, might not vnderſtand, that Chriſtians had any ſuch booke among them, as did foretell their ruine to them, and deliuerance in time from them. This was the reaſon that S. Paul ſpake ſo warily, and in ſuch couert termes of the Emperours remouall from Rome, in 2. Theſ. 2. 7. And alſo why Daniel wrote his Prophecie, ſome part in one tongue, and ſome in another, to conceale from the enemies, what might hauehave bin the cauſe of more miſchiefe to the Iewes,2. Of Antichriſtians. the people of God then. Secondly, in reſpect of Antichriſtians, the now deadly enemies to the Church, to whom it is not giuen to know the ſecrets of the kingdome, but by parables and darke ſpeeches; that ſo they ſeeing, might ſee, and not perceiue; and hearing, might heare, and not vnderſtand, leſt at any time they ſhould bee conuerted, p. 89and their ſinnes forgiuen them, Mark. 4. 11. 12. but they muſt goe on ſtill to fulfill, (as they doe) the Lords ſecret purpoſe, that their deſtruction may come vponupon them, as is heere certainly foretold. Thirdly, in reſpect of the Iewes, Gods ancient3. Of the Iewes. people, that they might ſee (as it were) a paraphraſe of the Prophets, and a ſpirituall application of the Citie, Temple, Altar, Elders, Prophets, Kings, Prieſts, ceremonies, and ſeruice; from which (and the words of the Prophets) all the frame of Iohns ſpeech is fetched; that by this laſt booke, thus clothed in the Iewes habite, they might learne, andThe Jewes ſhall returne to the truth, and be one people with vsus. we might foreſee, that at the laſt they ſhall come to vsus, and wee to them, to be one people to God in Ieſus Chriſt; of which I am further perſwaded by theſe reaſons: I. By their diſtinct preſeruation ſtill, theſe 1600. yeeres, in all confuſion of ſtates vnderunder the Heathen Emperours, Saracens, Turkes, and in all other countries diſperſed, and dwelling onelyonly by leaue, the like neuer ſo ſeene to befall a people (which was once a ſtately commonwealth) ſince the beginning of the world. Which ſtrange prouidence of God, may conclude ſome future good vntounto them at length, ſeeing the Iſraelites of the ten Tribes once remoued, were no more any knowne diſtinct people, as theſe Iewes yet be, but their name periſhed among the nations very ſoone. II. By the words of S. Paul, Rom. 11. 25. 26. 2. Cor. 3. 16. and the words of our Sauiour, Luk. 21. 24. foretelling their conuerſion. III. By the writings of the Prophets, Ezech. 37. 16. 17. &c. Zach. 14. 7. 8. &c. and cap. 12. Eſa. 60. and 61. & 62. p. 90not heeretofore fulfilled vponupon that nation; and therefore hereafter to be performed, for the word of the Lord is true, and ſtandeth faſt for euer. IV. The conſent of godly and learned men giuing witneſſe of their faith herein, from the place in Rom. 11. 25. Thus may wee ſee, why the ſpirit of God thus led Iohn on in this kind and manner of writing this Prophecie.

Obiect. The matter of this booke is obſcure and hard to be conceiued.

Anſw. I. All dogmaticall points, and morall,What matters in this booke are not obſcure, Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 43. are here as plainly ſet downe, as in any other place of Scripture. II. That alſo which is fulfilled hath a cleere and certaine expoſition, and may without great difficulty be vnderſtood, as one ſaith. III. Al generals are agreed vponupon, that heere is Chriſt, and his Church ſet out, and the enemies, the diuell and his inſtruments, Heathen Emperours, and Antichriſt, of theſe be no doubt made, either by Proteſtant or Papiſt; ſo as this matter is cleere, though the circumſtances of the time and place concerning Antichriſt, are not ſo eaſie of all to bee found, and to be fitly applyed. Some actions both of the Church and enemies are to be done, which yet are not come to paſſe, theſe muſt wee bee content to gueſſe at, till the very fulfilling of them expound to vsus the prophecie in that behalfe. We liue now vndoubtedly vnderunder the ſound of the ſeuenth trumpet, and in the time of Antichriſts conſumption, the ſtrength whereof began about 1558. or 60. ſoone vponupon the beginning of the raigne of the late Queene of moſt bleſſed memorie: if we reckon the p. 9142. monethes of the beaſt from after 300. yeeres, when by Conſtantine the Dragon wa… conſtrained to leaue Rome, and to ſubſtitute h… …riſtian vice-gerent in his Throne; ſince w…e (inſpight of Romane ſubtiltie, Spaniſh power, and Ieſuites villanie) he hath decayed, and ouen our nation hath obtained great victory againſt him. And therefore we being now ſo long time hitherto vnderunder the ſeuenth trumpet, in which ſpace the ſeuen vials muſt be poured out, there is fulfilled a great part of this prophecie, and the moſt of it thereby made cleere vntounto vsus.

Obiect. Oh but (will ſome ſay) there is ſuch diſagreement among expoſitors, euen in things that may be thought to be past, as well as in thoſe things yet hereafter to be fulfilled, as we cannot but held it a booke too obſcure to be medled with.

Anſw. This is no reaſon to condemne the bookDifferences in expoſitions may not cauſe vsus to condemne the booke of obſcuritie, nor diſhart vsus from the ſtudy therof. it ſelfe of ſuch obſcurity, but it rather diſcouereth mens weakneſſe in miſtaking the Lords meaning; the light is cleere, if men hauehave but eyes to ſee: Hagar will be wailing for want of water, becauſe ſhee ſuppoſeth there is not a well of water, when yet it is before her, till the Lord open her eyes, and ſhee ſee it. But for further anſwere to this, wee muſt know; I. That Expoſitors doe varie in ſome other bookes of Scripture, as well as in this, and the ſame books, plaine hiſtories▪ therfore not obſcure, though men in ſome things doe therein varie and differ in iudgement, neither for this their difference, doe other ceaſe to meddle with the booke, or with that very place of difference. II. As Expoſitors p. 92doe in ſome things, in ſome places diſagree, ſo in many places they doe well accord and agree in one. Therefore as their diſcord may ſeeme to withdraw vsus from the ſtudie of this booke; ſo their vnity and concord, in the maine and principall things, ſhould ſtirre vsus vp to the reading and meditation of the ſame: and as their diſagreeing may make men to thinke, that thoſe places wherein they agree not, are hard to be vnderſtood: ſo their own & alſo ful conſent together, wel grounded vpō the text, may note to vsus, that thoſe places, wherein they ſo conſtantly agree, are eaſie to bee vnderſtoode. III. Their differing opinions vponupon one place ought to bee ſo farre from making any to thinke the meaning to be more hardly found out; as by their variable interpretations therupon, a wiſe and diſcerning Reader may peraduenture find out the the true ſenſe: for among ſo many Expoſitions, ſome (perhaps) may hit vponupon the true meaning of the place. Expoſitors ſhew their iudgements, and are ſo farre from obſcuring a place to a godly and iudicious Diuine, as hee may reade them as his friends, (if they bee godly and holy men, and not malicious peruerters of the truth) giuing their beſt aduice and counſell, for his better vnderſtanding of the place in hand; therefore wee ſee, that variety of interpretations may not hinder vsus, or make vsus vnwilling to ſtudie this booke.

Obiect. Laſtly, it may be demanded, if it may bee vnderſtood now, why was it not better vnderſtood of the ancient fathers, who were learned men, and liued ſo neere the time of the Apoſtle himſelfe? ſurely it may bee p. 93held, if they vnderſtood it …ot, as many doe now ſay, let not men at this day thinke themſelues, ſo wiſe, ſo learned and ſo h…y, as that they can now vnderſtand it better then thoſe ſo renowned men before them.

Anſw. I anſwere thereto with the words of our moſt learned Soueraigne: That the Fathers of the firſt age, ſpake of this matter, but only by coniectures, whereas we ſpeake of it by experience; for as one ſaith,Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. All prophecies, before they hauehave their efficacies, be riddles, and ambiguities vntounto men: but when the time is come, that that which is prophecied bee come to paſſe, then hauehave the prophecies a cleere and certaine expoſition. Likewiſe (ſaith one of our learned DiuinesWhitak. de Pontif. Ro. q. 5. pag. 631. ſpeaking of Antichriſt, the Pope of Rome) Surely we are not to be vrged with the teſtimonie of Fathers, who in many things belonging to this queſtion hauehave bin deceiued, and hauehave groſſely erred, becauſe they liued before Antichriſts comming. For as they were neererWe may vnderſtand this prophecie, though the Fathers could not. to the times of the Apoſtles, ſo much the more were they the further from beholding the things fulfilled and done; and therefore leſſe able to ſhew the true meaning, then wee which hauehave the fulfilling hereof (as it were) a good and true expoſition of the words before vsus. Therefore, albeit the fathers could not then well vnderſtand this booke, yet (without any derogation to their perſons, learning▪ and piety, and without any proud conceit of our ſelues now) men learned and godly, may in theſe daies truly interpret the matters of this booke, then much miſtaken; for now Antichriſt is reuealed, the beaſt diſcouered, and many things come to paſſe, which ſo farre do make cleere to vsus, p. 94that which could not but bee obſcure and hidden to them then, except they had had the ſame ſpirit, which Iohn had, to giuegive a propheticall expoſition, as he had toforetel things to come, and as the Prophets had of Moſes and the Apoſtles of them both.

CHAP. II.

An exhortatiue concluſion for the ſtudious reading of this booke.

NOw therefore (my brethren) in a reuerend feare, with a minde bent to endure ſome paines in this ſtudie for a time, let vsus take this ſo diuine, heauenly and profitable a booke into our hands; in the firſt part we hauehave many reaſons there to moue vsus, The rare title, the admirable grace of authoritie, the truth of the ſayings, the end of reueiling it, the earneſt exhortation, and commandement of Chriſt, the bleſſing promiſed, the aſſociation with Angels, the eminencie of the matter, onelyonly meete for Chriſt alone before all other to reueale it to vsus, the earneſtnes of Iohn, euen with teares, to hauehave the book opened; likewiſe the profit, pleaſantnes, and neceſſitie of the knowledge thereof, is fully laid downe.

In this part wee ſee, that by Gods bleſſing it may be vnderſtood, as the title, the vnſealing, the exhortation to reade, the bleſſing promiſed, the ſpirits owne interpretations vponupon places, and the ſucceſfull paines of godly men, may fully perſwade vsus. What if many things at the firſt ſeeme very intricate? p. 95Let vsus not therefore deſpaire, but therein reuerence the Lords wiſedome, and craue his aſſiſtance, and not idlely lay it aſide; pray with Daniel, and waite the time: Peter had a reuelation,Act. 10. 17.Acts 10:17 which hee, a while, vnderſtood not; yet did not therefore let it ſlip out of his minde, but ſtill continued in meditation thereof, vntill, as I may ſay, an actuall expoſition was giuen him to vnderſtand the meaning: ſo let vsus reade, pray and waite in our godly and diligent ſtudie, till an expoſition be giuen vsus from God.

It is a common thing to reade mens writings, ſome learned Philoſophers, ſome the pleaſant Poets, ſome the moſt exquiſite Artiſts; ſome ſtudy one thing, ſome another, as this man the Common law, that the Ciuill and Canon; yea ſome cannot be withheld from the deuouring ſtudie of Alchymiſtrie, till all their ſubſtance be eaten vp thereby: and all this vndertaken for pleaſure, profit, or honourable fame with men. Yea to winne praiſes, and in great hope of profit and preferment by their ſtudies, men can take great paines, be at exceſſiue charges, and ſpend much time: though the Authors which they reade be very obſcure, the words vnuſual, the phraſe harſh, the ſtile crabbed, the matter very intricate, and the whole order of the book, be almoſt in a manner altogether diſordered; yet will men for theſe worldly and carnall reſpects, endure all, and not giuegive ouer their ſtudie for any ſuch very troubleſome lets and impediments, but will bend their wit to make ſtreight the crookedſt thing, to cleere the darkeſt point, and to looſe the p. 96moſt difficult knot. And ſhould wee by any thing be diſhearted, in the ſtudie of Gods moſt holie word, wherein is the moſt hidden treaſure of wiſedom, abundance of heauenly delights, and a name of bleſſedneſſe to bee gotten, which neuer ſhall be forgotten?

Obiect. But it is well knowne that not one or two, or few men, but very many, and thoſe alſo perſons of note, which ſpeake of the obſcuritie of this booke, and do as much, as lieth in them, to withhold men from the ſtudie of it hereby.

Anſw. Many (I doe confeſſe) crie out againſt theFoure ſorts crie out againſt the obſcuritie of …his booke. They which neuer made ſound triall. ſtudie of this booke, as full of vnintelligible obſcurities: but theſe may be reduced to foure ſorts, whereof the firſt are they, who yet neuer made any painfull aſſay vponupon it. Theſe be like vntounto Salomons ſluggard, louing to ſleepe, and to lie in bed at eaſe, crying, A Lion is in the ſtreete, becauſe hee would not ariſe to labour: ſo is it with theſe, this euill thought they do nouriſh in themſelues, and I wiſh it did remaine onelyonly with themſelues: but hereby they doe not only ſeeke to couer, indeed, their own negligence and ſloth, but endeuour to diſheart others from taking paines therein, by iudging (in ſcorne and contempt) too baſely both of other mens perſons, and of their paines beſtowed herein, according to the meaſure of grace receiued; for that theſe want (perhaps) the outward endowments, learning, gifts, power and place that thoſe men hauehave. But I leaue them to themſelues, with their pride, ſloth, enuie, or malice, and wiſh them either more grace, or leſſe learning and eſteeme p. 97with men, that ſo they may not cauſe contempt vponupon other mens well doing, or at the leaſt vponupon their honeſt endeuour and deſire to doe well.

A ſecond ſort are Papiſts, who hauehave good cauſeThe ſecond ſort are Papiſts. for their owne behoofe to hauehave this book of Scripture, aboue all other, to be hidden from men; becauſe it toucheth them to the quick, it ſhakes their ſtate, and will batter to the ground their great Babylon: for no part of Scripture laieth Rome, the Pope and Papacie ſo open in their colours, to bee had in deteſtation of all true Chriſtians, as this booke doth.

A third ſort are ſuch, as perhaps, with an vnbeleeuingThe third ſort are they which make a light aſſay, and giuegive ouer. heart hauehave taken a view of the booke, and, with an euill eye, being like the bad ſpies returning from Canaan to the Campe, who did vniuſtlie bring vp an ill report of the land, which God himſelfe had commended, becauſe they ſaw ſome gyants, and places hard by humane power to bee wonne: ſo theſe men finding ſome things hard and very difficult to bee vnderſtood at the firſt view, doe bring an ill report vponupon this book, which the Lord himſelfe hath ſo highly commended vntounto vsus. But let vsus beware wee take not vp this ill report made by theſe men againſt the Lord and his word. If they did but vrge onelyonly the obſcuritie, to make men ſeeke more vntounto God for helpe, and to become more ſtudious herein to get the vnderſtanding hereof, it were praiſe worthie; but theſe like wicked ſpyes doe thus ſpeake of the hardnes, to diſheart men altogether from taking any paines at all in the booke, who are herein no leſſe inſtruments p. 98of Satan to keepe the booke cloſe, which God would hauehave opened for the ſaluation of his people, then the vngodly ſpyes, who by their falſe report brought euill vponupon themſelues, and vponupon all that beleeued them.

A fourth ſort, are ſuch carnall Goſpellers, as liueThe fourth ſort, carnall Goſpellers. in ignorance of the whole booke of God, who ſpeake of this booke but onelyonly by report and hereſay, hauing neuer read a chapter in it all their life. None of all theſe are any fit Iudges, or to be beleeued in this caſe. Let vsus hearken therefore rather vntounto God himſelfe, to good men alſo, who hauehave with all their power and ſtrength, with Gods bleſſing written of this booke; theſe out of knowledge and conſcience doe commend the ſtudie hereof vntounto vsus, as neither ſo difficult nor obſcure, as theſe former ſorts would hauehave it. Now whether theſe louers of the truth, hauing care of mens ſoules, be to be credited before the Antichriſtian louers of lyes; theſe painfull labourers, before the other loyterers, theſe ſpeaking of triall, the other taking all vponupon truſt, let any wiſe man iudge.

Obiect. Belike you make all cleere, as if there were nothing in it darke and hard to be vnderstood.

Anſw. No, not ſo, but I confeſſe all ſuch things as are not yet come to paſſe, are very hard to be vnderſtood, yea and ſome things fulfilled, hard alſo, for want of wiſedome to make a fit application of the words of the prophecie to the things done, which is rare vnderſtanding, and not eueryevery mans gift. Neuertheleſſe, this I ſay, that moſt of the things fulfilled, are plaine and eaſie to bee vnderſtood, p. 99though ſome yet make riddles of them; and that the obſcure part is not ſuch, or ſo much, as ſhould perſwade any to beleeue the whole book to be beyond all mens vnderſtanding, as enemies to the true Church of Chriſt, and friends of Antichriſt would make men thinke. But thus much for the ſecond part.