A Christian Dictionary, Dictionary 2 · Part 1 – Part 5
A Dictionarie, for that Mysticall Booke, called the Reuelation of Saint Iohn.
OF this Booke it hath been said, that eueryevery word is a Mystery, and surely not without cause: for not only is the truth of it hid from the naturall man (as all other diuine truths be, which concernes our saluation by Christ.) 1 Cor. 2. but being a propheticall Booke, of thinges long after to be done and penned, in darke phrases▪ borrowed from the old Prophets. The vnderstanding of it hath been found hard, euen to the godly, and the learned. Whence it is, that some eschew the reading of it priuately, others decline the publike reading, others forbeare to Comment vponupon it, and some hauehave refrained from Preaching out of it. Howbeit, it being a part of holy Scripture, penned … …e Spirit, for the comfort and instruction of the Church, in these …d worst daies, there beeing a gratious promise of a pretious blessing, m…e to the reading and hearing of it, and the euent of the Prophesies, therein n…w for the most part fulfilled (the best Commentary of propheticall writings) giuing great light to the true knowledge of things; therefore, as their labour is to be much commended, who hauehave by their Sermons and interpretations (Preached and Printed) endeuoured to make cleere this obscure Scripture: so let not me be thought to hauehave taken in hand, a bold or needelesse enterprise, by aduenturing to anatomize and vnbowell this whole Booke in a short Dictionary, pulling the words in …under, and putting them in Alphabeticall order, for help of young Students in Diuinity, and vulgar Christians, which will more willingly assay to read and study this book▪ when they shall hauehave at hand a declaration of all mysticall wordes familiarly deliuered. Howsoeuer I please or profit others by my endeuour; yet I hope to offend the lesse, because I tread in the steps of our most learned and soundest expositours, whose opinions, with their reasons, I doe report, leauing it to the Reader to consider of.
A. B.
Abaddon, & Apollyon. sig:
ONE, that burneth with a desire of hurting and destroying men; such an one is the Deuil, principally, and his Vicar Antichrist, or the Pope. Reuel. 9, 11. They hauehave a King ouer them, whose Name in Haebrew is, Abbaddon, and Apollyon.
Abhomination. sig:
That which deserueth to be abhorred and held as loathsome, for some great spirituall filthinesse. Reuel. 21, 8. Abhominable, &c.
Abundance of pleasures sig:
All kind of earthly delights, which the Church of Rome most riotously and excessiuely beeing giuen vntounto, did by that means enrich the Merchants of the Earth which sold such Wares. Reuel. 18, 3. And the Marchants of the Earth hauehave waxed rich of the Abundance of her pleasures; that is, (saith Brightman) by the great plenty of all sort of de…icacies, by immoderate lust of enioying thē, entising men, like Zerxes, to deuise and inuent new kindes of pleasures. This (vponupon the matter) is all one with the former signification.
A. C.
According to their workes. sig:
As the thoughts, wordes, and workes of men, hauehave beene good or euill; so they shall receiue at the hand of the Lord. Reuel. 20, 12. And they shall be iudged According to their workes.
Accuser of the Bretheren. sig:
Sathan or the Deuill, who (euer since the fall of our first Parents whom he deceiued) doth incessantly, day and night, complaine of the godly vntounto God, requiring him by his Iustice, to condemne them all. Reu. 12, 10. The Accuser of our Bretheren is cast downe.
A. I.
Aire. sig: pro
That Element wherein wee breath, called the Aire, which spreading it selfe ouer the Earth and Water, doth compasse them in both on eueryevery side.
2 The dominion and power of Sathan (the Prince that rules in the Aire) vponupon the which; and namely, vponupon that part of it which is the kingdom of Antichrist, Almighty God, towardes the end of the World, will poure out a most grieuous vengeance, and vniuersall wrath, which shall most fearefully strike the whole body of Antichrist, so as hee shal not hauehave so much as the Aire for him to breath in, otherwise then as a Creature armed against him for his destruction. Reue. 16, 17. And the seauenth Angell poured out his Uioll into the Aire.
A. L.
Almighty sig:
One, of infinite power, most able to defend his poore Church, and to breake downe and destroy the power of the Dragon, of Antichrist, of Sinne, of Death, euen of all our Enemies. Reuel. 19, 6. The Lord God Almighty hath raigned.
Alter, Golden Altar. sig:
Christ, his Priest-hood and Mediation, which was shaddowed vnderunder the figures of the Lawe, whereunto this Scripture alludeth. Therefore, here is no ground for Popish Priest-hood, Sacrifice, and Altar; for the which, seeing there is no Scripture at all, neither is there any allusion in Scripture to such thinges, as the Rhemists foolishly dreame vponupon this place. Re. 8, 3. Another Angell stood before the Altar, and vponupon the Golden Altar. Other Diuines, vnderstand by the Altar, and Golden Altar, the selected company of Saints, or the company of most holie Men. The former is the more receiued signification.
Alasse, alas. sig:
A voyce of lamentation, and exceeding great griefe of heart, is signified thereby, in respect of great losse vntounto Merchants by the fall of Rome. Reuel. 18, 16. Saying, Alasse, Alasse, that great Citty, &c.
Alpha. sig:
Christ, that most mighty and aeternall Sonne of God, who gaue beginning to all thinges (for all things are of him) and at his pleasure can put an end to all things. Reuel. 22, 13. I am Alpha and Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end. Alpha, one of the first Greeke Letters; and Omega, one of the last, be heere expounded, to be that first and last, beginning and end; that one aeternall and Almighty God, which neuer changeth his minde, and is able to performe what hee promiseth. Such an one is Christ, therefore worthy to be beleeued when he speakes of thinges past, or to come. Sée Chap. 1, 8.
A. M.
Amen. sig:
The constant truth, euen Christ faithfully fulfilling his promises, which are all; yea, and Amen. Reu. 3, 14. These things saith, Amen.
2 Sobeit, or let it be so. Reuel. 22, 21. Amen.