A Key of Knowledge to Open Revelation, Part 4 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Of the matter and hiſtoricall ſenſe of this booke.
THe third thing in reading this Prophecie (now in reſpect of our times) is to conſider what is done already, what is in doing, (for it is in continuall act) and hereafter to be done, concerning either the Church, or the enemies thereof. The matter of this Prophecie, was things to come to paſſe, chap. 1. 1. was things that were to be done after the reuealing of this reuelation to Iohn▪ cap. 4. 1. euen things to be done, chap. 22. 6. The matter then of this prophecie is hiſtoricall, as it commeth to be fulfilled. It is therefore not a ſpirituall or allegoricall, but an hiſtoricall ſenſe, which in this booke wee muſt attend vntounto, from the beginning of the fourth chapter, to the end of the prophecie. For to Iohn was reuealed what things ſhould come to paſſe here vponupon earth, before the worlds end, as far as concerned the Church; and the ſame he here ſetteth forth to vsus, as to him it was reuealed. If we then doe looſe the hiſtoricallThe matter of this prophecie is hiſtoricall. ſenſe, we looſe the proper ſenſe of this booke, what other ſpirituall vſe ſoeuer we make of it.
By this then we ſee what neceſſity there is toIt is neceſſary to be well read in hiſtories. reade hiſtories, into which wee muſt looke and ſearch diligently, according to the times, and according to the courſe of this prophetical narratiō, but in the reading of hiſtories we muſt be guided by the order kept here; and as the things are foretold by the holy Ghoſt to come to paſſe: for as I hauehave afore noted, if Hiſtoriographers had kept the direct courſe of this prophecie in penning their ſtories, concerning all the troubles & alterations in the Church, they had cleerly commented vponupon this prophecie, as far as it is fulfilled. And ſo ſhould theſe likewiſe that yet write an eccleſiaſticall ſtorie of the things now in doing, or ſuch as liue to write what ſhall hereafter fall out. In applyingHow to reade hiſtories with the order of this prophecie. the hiſtories to the text, the way is to reade them in the order of the prophecie: and to doe this, we muſt conſider theſe things: I. That the narration of future things taketh date from the time that Iohn receiued this reuelation, as is to be learned from chap. 4. 1. and 22. 6. about Anno 96. in the raigne of Domitian, and therefore to begin from that time to reade, marking the order of the prophecie, and the fulfilling thereof.
II. That it beginneth with the Dragon, the Heathen perſecuting tyrants, in chap. 6. and 12. ſhewing how God would plague (with ſundry iudgements) the world then, chap. 6. and would ouerthrow that Empire, and caſt out thoſe Pagans for ruling and tyrannizing ouer the Church, as is noted in chap. 12. therefore the ſtories of thoſe times are to be ſtudiouſly read, attending vntounto the text, as the ſpirit of God leadeth, to find the fulfilling and accompliſhment thereof accordingly.
III. That the prophecie carrieth vsus from the Dragons rage, to the view of Antichriſt, but yet by degrees from the time of that godly and worthie Emperour, Conſtantine the great. And ſo we are to ſearch and apply the ſtories of thoſe times, but (I ſay) going on with the prophecie in the ſteps thereof concerning Antichriſt. As firſt to marke what went before the generall Apoſtacie of Rome▪ or Romane Biſhop, ſet out in the blowing of the foure trumpets, in chap. 8. from Constantines daies, till about the yeere, as ſome thinke, of Chriſt, 530. or thereabout, ſome 230. yeeres ſpace; for expoſition whereof, the ſtories of thoſe times are to be ſearched into, the prophecie will be a guide into the ſtories, and theſe an expoſition to the prophecie. Then to conſider his getting into the Dragons ſeate, with power and great authoritie, cauſing a generall Apoſtaſie, (chap. 9. and 13.) regaining great glory to Rome, as before vnderunder the Heathen Emperours. To vnderſtand theſe things, and to hauehave an expoſition of the 9. 13. and 17. chapters, we muſt reade what Rome doth challenge from Conſtantine, for the Romaniſts bragging of Constantines donation, giueth vsus light to know how the Pope crept into the Emperiall ſeat; alſo we muſt reade the Popes liues, their decrees, their practiſes, in, and ouer Councels, the ariſing vp of their religious orders, the whole body of their Canon law their Legenda aurea, for lying miracles and words, their warres, with all other the deeds, power, ſeat, and great authority of that Antichriſtian ſtate, becauſe they giuegive cleere light vntounto ſuch things, as be ſpoken of the beaſt in thoſe chapters, to the full. For how can the prophecie of the Pope and his popedome be otherwiſe cleered to vsus, then by reading of thoſe things which are ſet forth of them by authenticke authors, and approued authorities? So to come to vnderſtand ſuch things as be in the 10. 11. and 14. chapters, touching the ariſing of the Church from vnderunder Antichriſt; as alſo the preaching of the Goſpell, to bring that hidden number vntounto open light, the witneſſes of the truth and their doctrine; alſo Antichriſts oppoſition thereto, his tyrannie, and their conſtant ſuffering muſt be knowne by ſuch as hauehave faithfully made knowne theſe things.
Now for that Antichriſts power of generally perſecuting is reſtrained, and that the true Church (bleſſed be God) now ſome late yeeres ſince, hath begun to get an vpper hand againſt him, as is foreſhewed in chap. 15, and 16, that they that killed muſt bee kild, and ſuch as murthered, muſt hauehave bloud to drinke, the vials of wrath being begun to be poured out vponupon thoſe Antichriſtians from vsus; as alſo for that this part of the prophecie is in fulfilling, and ſhall not now ceaſe till full wrath bee poured vpō that Romiſh ſtate, to the vtter deſtruction thereof. We may reade late writers, and, asThe ſtories of the preſent times cōcerning things done betweene Proteſtants and Papiſts, are to be read of vsus. I may ſay, yeſterday hiſtories, and make a daily obſeruation of thoſe things which now doe fall out, or of late hauehave fallen out, betweene the Papiſts and the Proteſtants, eſpecially from the yeere 1558, or 60, about which time was the full period of the Popes generall preuailing; and ſince which time hee hath nothing increaſed vponupon vsus, but wee by Gods power hauehave preuailed againſt him, and ſo, maugre their malice, and in ſpite of their policie, trecheries and treaſons, we ſhall goe forward to a better eſtate againſt that Romiſh power for euer vntounto the end. Doe not wee ſee here in England ſince that time the truth hereof; hauehave not the Papiſts had ill ſucceſſe in all their attempts againſt vsus? Though impious Pius roare with his Bulls, though Ieſuites, theſe frogs comming out of the Dragon, Beaſt and falſe prophet, ſtirre vp Kings againſt vsus, with a ſuppoſed inuincible Armado to conquer vsus; though Gunpowder-plots be deuiſedThe Popes power ſhall no more increaſe. to deſtroy vsus in our Regall and princely powers, yet wee ſtand▪ and they fall; and ſo muſt they now continually, for by an oath from God it is confirmed vntounto vsus, chap. 10. 5. 6, That there ſhould be time no longer. Let none doubt of this expoſition, the acts of God from the forenamed time confirme it vntounto vsus; howſoeuer other hauehave, or yet doe take it, wee muſt certainly know this, That things done, in doing, or hereafter to be done, are the expoſition of this prophecie, and not what men doe imagine. And if the Pope daily decay, and not preuaile, as formerly heretofore, and wee alſo ſtill preuaile againſt him, thē let this work of God giuegive authority to this interpretation; but if contrariwiſe & hereafter any ſhal ſee things fall out to croſſe this expoſition, then reiect the ſame as falſe: in the meane ſpace, let the obſeruation of the acts of our bleſſed God, paſt, preſent, and to come, bee iudge herein, and therein let vsus reſt and praiſe him.
Obiect. But may ſome ſay, becauſe the Pope hath not preuailed againſt vsus, can it be made a generall rule for a teſtimonie of the decaying of his whole ſtate? and for that wee hauehave, and doe preuaile, therefore ſhall alſo the whole Church of Chriſt preuaile with vsus in other places? what is this nation, that hence ſhould be made ſuch a concluſion?
Anſw. Surely I am not led by any vaine phantaſie vponupon the louelove of mine owne countrey ſo to thinke; but from things done by God himſelfe, leading me by the hand thereto, from the Popes firſt riſing, and the Lords honouring this little, but moſt noble Iland, aboue all other places in the Chriſtian world, in the matter of Chriſtianitie: Firſt, our Conſtantine, whether by birth, or here firſt proclamed Emperour, was the firſt Chriſtian Emperour,The renowne of our Nation in the matters of Chriſtian religion. that brought to the profeſſion of Chriſt a world of Chriſtians. Secondly, Lucius our King the firſt Monarch, that was Chriſtian. Thirdly, Wickliffe our countriman, the firſt man of fame, ſtanding vp againſt the abominations of Rome. Fourthly, Henry the 8 our King, the firſt Monarch that vtterly reiected the Popes ſupremacie, and caſt him out of his Dominions. Fifthly, Elizabeth our Queene, a Queene of eternal memory, the firſt kings daughter that ſuffered perſecution for the Goſpell vnderunder Antichriſt; the firſt Queene that baniſhed the publique Idoll ſeruice of the Maſſe out of her Kingdome, and the whole Popes power irrecouerably to this day. Sixthly, Our now learned Soueraigne Iames our King, the firſt Monarch, that euer publiquely with his owne penne, proclamed to the Emperour, Kings, and Princes, the Pope to be Antichriſt. Seuenthly and laſtly, this our Nation hath vexed, and yet doth vex, the Pope and his marked Antichriſtians more then any, yea or all the kingdomes in this part of the Chriſtian world, where the Pope hath had iuriſdiction at any time. Firſt, in making moſt iuſt lawes, before all others, to put deſeruedly their Ieſuites and Prieſts to death, therein following the words of this prophecie, chap. 16. 1. 6. 7. Secondly, in getting ſo admirable and glorious a victorie in the yeere 88, the like neuer heard of, and with ſo great ſhame, loſſe, and deſtruction to the Pope and his powers aiding him, as the like they neuer had at the hands of any people or nation, from the beginning, to that day. Thirdly, in our aiding, and relieuing, all other needing our helpe, againſt the Pope; this the Low Countries can witneſſe, Geneua, yea and the late King of France, when he was but King of Nauarre. Fourthly and laſtly, in the Lords moſt rare and wonderfull preſeruation of vsus, our late Queene, and our now Soueraigne king, from all their helliſh plots, trecheries, conſpiracies, treaſons and rebellions, that hauehave at any time been deuiſed, practized, or raiſed vp againſt them, the miſchiefe euer returning back vponupon the heads of the euill inſtruments themſelues. So as this nation may be the inſtance for al Chriſts people, to behold Gods merciemercy and fauour to his Church, to conclude the ouerthrow of the Popedome, according to this prophecie. And from which (if from ſuch ſtrange workes of God, formerly any thing may bee concluded) it is moſt likely, that Rome it ſelfe ſhall chiefly receiue her vtter deſtruction, when God ſhall ſee his time, to aduance his glorie, by ſuch an heroicall ſpirit, and princely power, as he may, and can make fit to doe the deede, which verely is not long to, euen ſo, Amen. If this coniecture may ſeeme any thing probable, then let not the accommodation of ſome things in this prophecy, particularly to our natiō, and to ſome of the Lords inſtruments in the ſame, raiſed vp to doe Gods will, according to this prophecie, be held too fooliſh and ridiculous. And thus much for the matter and principall ſenſe which in this Reuelation is to be ſought out.