The Revelation Revealed, Author to the reader
To the Judicious Chriſtian READER:
READER,
IT is very well known, that amongſt moſt that are converſant in the profoundeſt Speculations, and in ſearching out hidden Verities, they are various in their Projects and their Cogitations, are uſually fixed upon divers ends. Some know, that they may be known: and this is vanity. Some know, that they may know, and this is curioſity. Others know that they may edifie, and this is charity. How diſtaſteful the two former are to all judicious perſons, and how deſirable the latter is to all knowing Chriſtians, I need not inculcate. The latter being my choice, I hope thy candour, and the uprightneſs of my ends, will Apologize for me, in that I appear in Publique, now among the croud in Print, and at ſuch a time, wherein (as one wittily obſerved, viz. Heylins Geogr. in folio 865.) The Treaſury of Learning was never ſo full, and yet never more empty; by reaſon of the many vain, frothy, and unneceſſary diſcourſes it abounds with, from the Scriblers and idle Paper-blurrers of theſe days; and if I have gone beſide my ſelf, to become one of that number, by playing the fool in Print, I muſt ſay as Paul did to his Corinthians, 2 Cor. 5.13. Sive inſanimus, Deo inſanimus; ſive ſ…na mente ſumus, vobis ſana mente ſumus. So if I have played the fool herein, it is unto God, and for your ſakes (Chriſtians) that I have done it.
But if thou askeſt me to what end I fall upon this task of interpreting this Book of Propheſies, ſeeing many have already attempted it, whereof ſome are come off with loſs, yet others with more credit and proficiency?
I anſwer, Indeed in all our actions and undertakings of this kinde, we are to enquire in the firſt place Cui bono? To what good? for what end we do effect them? For the end crowns all our actions, and adds perfection to them: foreign, or, Exitus actu probat: The excellency of our works appears and are diſtinguiſhed by their ends: Therefore though my labour herein may by ſome be accounted ſuperfluous, and my ſelf to be juſtly numbred among the former ſort, that have Oleum & Operam perdiderunt, that is, come off with loſs in their undertakings; yet I believe, the indifferent and ingenious Reader will be of another minde concerning it, when God hath given him and my ſelf opportunity to go thorow with it; though I muſt confeſs, it will partake of much weakneſs and imperfections from the Inſtrument, yet I truſt, the Reader will find my ends high and honourable enough, and of ſufficient excellency to bear up my Spirits in the undertaking, and his in peruſing and conſidering. And although to ſome I may ſeem herein Actum agere, to fall upon a Theme fully already diſcuſſed by others; yet I am of opinion with that ſaying of Auguſtines, Utile eſt plures Libros a pluribus fieri diverſo ſtilo, etiam de Queſtionibus iiſdem, ut ad plurimos res perveniat, ad alios ſic, ad alios autem ſic. That it is profitable to have Books compoſed of the ſame Works or Queſtions, in a various and divers ſtile, that knowledge may be conveyed to very many, to ſome in one manner, to others after another.
Though I ſhall not much boaſt of my impartiality in Interpreting and Applying thoſe Prophetical Viſions, yet I aſsure the Reader, as far as I know mine own heart, it was ſingle and unbyaſſed in this undertaking, having firſt deſired God to guide my Ʋnderſtanding and Pen aright, to write no more then what did genuinely riſe from the ſubſtance and coherence of the Text, or what might be extracted therefrom by good conſequence, or what did naturally flow from the proper tendency of the Figures and Hierogliphique characters of each Viſion in this Book, interpreted, not according to private Judgement, nor unto the Intereſt of any Party or Faction (being free from any ſuch pre-engagements) all which are to be laid aſide in all ſuch undertakings, as Abraham did his followers (as great incumbrances) when he went into the Mount to confer with the Lord in Prayer. I truſt the candid Reader ſhall finde the Divine Myſteries of this Book of Revelations Opened and Applyed, according to the minde of the Spirit, therein (for the main) made evident by the proper characters of each Viſion, and according to that full compleat Spirit of Harmony that runs through this whole Book of Divine Propheſies. I confeſs I may come ſhort of ſome Learned Men who have gone herein before me, to whoſe Labours I muſt juſtly acknowledge a due Tribute, being aſsiſted thereby unto this Work: And though I cannot juſtly apply that ſaying of Cicero's to my cauſe (for it would ſavour of too much vanity and ſelf-exalting) Recentiſſima quaeque ſunt emandata magis: yet this I may boldly adventure to ſay, That thou ſhalt find ſuch variety of Collections, Obſervations, Queſtions, and Truths herein Diſcuſſed, not ordinary in any former Writers hereupon, that will yeild thee (if an ingenious perſon) no ſmall delight and profit in Reading, Pondering, and Treaſuring up the ſame. The variety of Flowers makes the ſweeteſt Poſie: and various Diſcording, yet harmonizing Sounds, makes the ſweeteſt Muſick; So variety of Truths and Queſtions Diſcuſsed, will yeild the greater pleaſure and profit to the Reader. And though I muſt needs ſay that many that went before me on this Theme, did excel in true Piety, Learning, and Parts, yet ſaving due reſpects both to the Perſons and their Parts, it is not at all ſtrange, if that we in this Age, being advanced by their help upon their own ſhoulders, and coming nearer unto the accompliſhment of the events and the end of all, ſhould ſee a little further in the Truth of theſe myſterious Propheſies, then they that went before us, and no diſcredit to them, be they ever ſo Godly and Learned. I have obſerved that ſome (and no mean Ones) that are gone before on this Theme, are not without their Maculae and Defects, and more eſpecially, in that they have appeared of too private and narrow a Spirit in their Interpreting and applying the Propheſies of this Book unto their own times, Intereſts, and Deſigns; as if the Actions and Revolutions of every petty City, and Commonweal, yea, the ends, Deſigns, and Periods of every Perſon that Divine Providence exalts in Power and Authority ſomwhat beyond the common boundaries of the ordinary Lords and Rulers of the Nations, were Compriſed, Predicted, Fore-told, and Propheſied of in this Book of Revelations; and ſo by this means makes ſtrange and wilde Applications of the Viſions and Myſteries of this Book: And where this conceit works ſtrongly, it will work madly too; when once it is elevated to that height and gets a power, then there muſt be no oppoſing of thoſe Ends and Deſigns that ſuch Opinioniſts pretends as juſt Collections from the Propheſies of this Book; which they interpret according to their own Fancies, and have only a Being (as wilde Chymeras, in their own deceived Imaginations.
This is that Rock whereon ſome have formerly made Shipwrack, and periſhed thereon, and others now adays are Sayling with a full gale towards the ſame Charybdis; and if God in Mercy prevent not, will thereon ſplit and periſh alſo. But to return.
Here I ſhall give an anſwer Cui bono; or to what ends I undertook this Exercitation on this Book of the Revelation. This laſt, the Diſcovery of this dangerous Rock, was not the leaſt End that I ſet before me in this undertaking: Which Ends, for better ſatisfaction, I ſhall here more particularly ſet down in Order.
1. My firſt was (next Gods Glory, and the advancement of his Truth) for the keeping the Saints feet ſtreight, in not ſtumbling by a falſe Interpreting and Applying of this Book of Propheſies: and in vainly endeavouring the ſetting up of the Kingdom of Chriſt before the time; and in the pulling down all Authority that oppoſe ſuch Pretenders, to their own utter ruine and undoing without Repentance.
2. That Chriſts true Saints may be comforted and ſupported under all their Afflictions and Perſecutions in this World, by the conſideration of Chriſts own True and Real Kingdom which is to come: Not this of Weakneſs, which is partly Spiritual, partly Carnal; but that of Power, and great Glory, when all his …nemies ſhall be made his Foot-stool, and broken and ruled by his Rod of Iron; which will be at the great Day of his Appearance and coming in the Clouds, and not before.
3. In Profiting my ſelf and others: My ſelf in Writing; others in Reading. As it was once ſaid by Auguſtine, Prodeſt ſcribendo; & ſcribendo prodeſt: We having all (as Aquinas teſtifies) longing deſires, conjungi cum ſuo principio; to be conjoyned with our principle.
4. To redeem the time, having ſpent many precious hours and days in folly, and been examples unto others in evil doing: So there is all reaſon we ſhould redeem the time: and God calls in this day of light, both from my ſelf, and all others, that we ſhould be patterns unto others in well doing, if that poſſibly we may redeem the loſt time of our youth and folly.
Laſtly, That God may have his ends and glory in the work of our Creation, we being born not alone for our ſelves, but for the work of our generation, to ſerve God therein faithfully, in all the relations that he calls us to. God hath not ſent us into this world to ſpend away all our precious days in ſports, paſtimes, and follies, or about the more profitable affairs of this preſent world, as the cuſtom of too too many is; but to ſacrifice ſome competent part thereof unto the ſervice of our God and Chriſt, that our friends, neighbours, relations, and poſterity, may take encouragements and examples by us, to live more unto the praiſe of God and their Creator.
Having thus laid down my ends in this undertaking, I have this more to acquaint thee with. This Exercitation being ſent forth as my Firſtborn in this kinde, in publique unto the world, the ſecond being intended alſo, on this whole Book of Divine Propheſies, if God doth continue but his wonted mercies and encouragements thereunto: This firſt is more Practical and Doctrinal, and therefore I have herein followed a method with Obſervations and Notes, which the ſecond will not ſo commodiouſly admit; the great work of that being to demonſtrate the truth of each Propheſie, and how the Myſteries, Figures, and Characters thereof are to be interpreted, underſtood, and applyed to their proper times, periods, States, Intereſts, and revolutions repreſented by them: But this firſt being more practical, and treating of divers Queſtions that are under diſpute now in theſe days, I thought it fit to let this ſee the light in the firſt place, to try how it will taſte upon the pallates of the godly ingenious; for if it ſavours well with them, it will ſuffice, and be a farther encouragement unto the ſecond. I know I ſhall not pleaſe all in this Writing, neither was there ever a Writer with whom all have been ſatisfyed; for according to the Poet,
Ad captum Lectoris habent ſua fata Libelli.
Books do either hit or miſs,
As the Readers Judgement is.
Neither indeed was it in my thoughts to endeavour the ſatisfacton of all, well knowing that there are ſome ſo prepoſſeſſed with prejudice, or at leaſt, ſo wedded to their own conceits, that it were the greateſt unreaſonableneſs and ſervility in the World, to captivate ones reaſon to the ſatisfaction of their overweening folly. It was alſo far beneath my Deſigne to accommodate my Writings to the popular applauſe, and as the Tragedian ſays, Populo ut placerent; who commonly weigh not the matter by the truth and Scriptural reaſon, but by their own irregular fancies and affections: and therefore am far from their humour, who Nil rectum reputant, niſi quod placuit ſibi ducunt.
Next I ſhall acquaint the ingenious Reader, That if any of my concluſions recede from the truth of Scriptures, I could willingly wiſh all ſuch an abortion in the very birth: But if any thereof ſeem only to diſcede from the common received Opinions: let the Ingenious conſider, So long as they are Warranted by the Authority of Scripture and Reaſon, I hope I ſhall not want a Protector, or a ſufficient Defence and Apologie.
I have no more to add in this way of Apologizing unto the Reader, but if he be a friend unto the Truths herein diſcuſſed, I wiſh him a farther increaſe of Divine light: If he be malevolent thereunto, all the harm I wiſh him, is a better Spirit, and a more enlightned Judgement: If he be ſupine and negligent, I wiſh him to add diligence and prayers to God for a right enquiry: If he be ignorant, I wiſh him a greater meaſure of true light and ſound knowledge: If he be ſpiritually judicious and learned, I wiſh him to ſearch and enquire diligently (true Berean-like) whether things are ſo or not, and declare it forth unto others: So ſhall he deliver his own ſoul, and his Brothers alſo from the ſnares of death. To all which (as the Cloſe of all) I ſay Amen: Who am
Kerris in Cornwal, Nov. 1. 1658. Thine In all Chriſtian ſervices, William Hicks.