The Key of the Revelation, Translator to the reader
The Tranſlator, to the Reader.
GOD at ſundry times, and in divers manners, Heb. 1. 1, 2ſpake in time paſt unto the Fathers by the Prophets. He hath ſpoken unto us in theſe laſt dayes by his SONNE, by whom not onelyonly the Goſpel of Salvation is communicated unto us: but alſo the revelation of future events, to Revel. 1.1.fall out in this laſt age of the world, to be ſhewed to his ſervants, ſignified by his Angels unto Iohn one of his Witneſſes and Apostles, moſt neceſſarie for our knowledge, as appeareth by the Bleſſing pronounced to him that readeth, and them that Revel. 1.5heare the words of the Prophecie, and keepe thoſe things which are written therein: For the time was then at hand, when ſome of them ſhould fall out, and all in their ſeverall ſeaſons foreſet. The obſcuritis of this (as of all other Prophecies) untill the event ſhould manifeſt them, hath diſcouraged many in bestowing their time to read and meditate therein; not conſidering that the Almightie Lord (who having the abundance of Spirit, Matth. 13. 34.could have ſet forth all things eaſie to the understanding of the ſimpleſt) hath ſo diſpoſed his Treaſures, that by prayer and diligence men might be enabled through the guidance of the Spirit to attain unto them, and ſo have them in greater eſtimation. Many learned men have written Expoſitions of parts of this Revelation, ſome of the whole: amongſt them, I fell upon this learned Commentarie of Maſter Medes, with the Apocalyptique Key before it. The Expoſition and Methode ſo pleaſed me (though the phraſe were ſomething difficult) that to make the better impreſsion of it in my memorie, I undertooke to tranſlate it, and did finiſh it long ſince. I communicated it with ſome friends, and ſubjected it to their correction: hence it comes to paſſe (by their deſire) that it is made publike. I humbly crave pardon, if my ill expreſsion hath detracted from the Authors learned labour. I confeſſe I have followed the Latine phraſe ſo neere, that howſoever the true ſence may be expreſſed, yet there wants the Engliſh eleganc…e: and (if I miſtake not) the Author himſelfe hath ſo many Hebraiſmes and Graeciſmes, as make the Latine more crabbed and leſſe intelligible: but in my poore opinion, none hath more accurately and deepely ſearched and found the ſence of thoſe obſcure places of Scripture, which he hath handled in this and other his writings. It were to be wiſhed that his intended larger Commentarie, which I am perſwaded he hath written, and purpoſed to put forth, as he promiſed at the end of the 14th chapter, had not been hindred, as I finde by ſome of his letters they were. That opinion (the pretended cauſe of reſtraint of his further progreſſe) concerning the 1000 yeeres R…igne of Chriſt, grounded upon the 20th chapter of the Revelation, with the authorities and reaſons for the ſame, howſoever it be not received by many as Orthodox, yet is delivered with that moderation and ſubjection to the cenſure of the Church, that it can diſpleaſe no man; nor is it (for ought I can ſee) contrary to the Analogie of Faith; and may bee uſefull for the converſion of the Iewes, who though they expected Chriſt his coming at that very time, yet were offended at his not taking upon him the Regall authoritie; his time for that being not then come. For mine own uſe alſo I made a Compendium of the whole Commentarie, and have in the Margent thereof ſet down the chapters and verſes, out of which the ſeverall matters are taken, that by turning thither the larger Expoſition may be ſeen: this alſo was thought fit to bee added at the lat…er end of the worke.
Whilſt this was at the Preſſe, and the plate for the Scheme in the Apocalyptique Key under the hand of the Sculpter there came thither Maſter Haydock a learned Gentleman, who enquiring after me, was pleaſed to come unto mee, and acquainted me with ſome paſſages by Letters betwixt himſelfe and Maſter Mede, touching the Seven ſealed book and the figure thereof, wiſhing it might be expreſſed in another forme: which (conſidering I was but the Tranſlator of his book, who no doubt is with God) I could not yeeld unto: yet gave way, that what he deſired might be added, with diſtinction betwixt them, and printing ſo much of Maſter Mede his letter as concerned the reaſon of the alteration of the forme of that book, the matter in ſubſtance not differing. This is the cauſe why you may diſcerne a difference betwixt the Scheme in Maſter Medes Latine, and this Tranſlation of it into Engliſh: the extract of which Letter turned out of Latine into Engliſh by Maſter Haydock himſelfe, followeth in theſe words, viz.
The obſervation of your Seal-bearing Sylinder, is moſt ingenious, and ſuch as never entred into my thoughts before, although I often beat and hammered upon it. Nay, I rather doubted, whether any ſuch forme of volume might be given, wherein the opening of each ſeverall Seal, might in order repreſent to the eye of the Reader a new inſcription.
Now as for the matter it ſelfe therein compriſed, I reſt altogether uncertaine what to determine, ſometimes I was of opinion, that thoſe viſions concerning the Seales were not written by Characters in letters, but being painted by certaine ſhapes, lay hid under ſome covers of the Seales; which being opened, each of them in its order, appeared not to be read, but to be beheld and viewed; and according to this apprehenſion, thoſe words of Iohn foreign, Come and ſee, ſeeme not unfitly to agree.
Afterwards I conſidered, that this conceit of mine agreed not generally with all the Apocalypticall narration, inſomuch as in the fift and ſixt Seales the ſpeech is directed to the thing ſeen. Beſides, I obſerve that in the ſeventh Seale, the viſions of the Trumpets are not delivered together, and at the ſame time, but produced unto the ſight in order, and ſucceffively. Moreover, that the preparation going before the ſound; is ſo deſcribed, that it muſt be confeſſed, that the thing was performed in the naked deſcriptions of the things ſeene in the volume (which way ſoever deſcribed) nay, nor yet in the ſimple writing, but altogether in forraigne repreſentation.
At the length therefore (becauſe it ſeemed too unſeemly a thing to affirme, that the thing was performed by a meere outward repreſentation, the book conferring nothing thereunto; I fell into the opinion, that both were to be joyned together, and that we muſt ſay, that indeed the Prophecies were deſcribed and pourtrayed in the Volume, whether by ſignes and ſhapes, or letters; but that theſe were no otherwiſe exhibited to Iohn and other beholders of this coeleſtiall Theater, then by a forraigne repreſentation, ſupplying the roome of a reherfall, not much unlike to our Academical… interludes, where the prompters ſtand neere the Actors, with their books in their hands, whereas then neither the Lamb himſelfe could recite any thing out of the book, neither did the Apoſtle ſtand ſo neere (for the Lambe ſtood neere to him that ſate on the Throne) that he might read out of the hand of him who opened the Seales, it muſt needs be, that he apprehended all theſe after the manner as I have ſaid.
Now Sir, it is meerely your humanity which hath moved me to expreſſe theſe my cogitations to you. And ſo I conclude; praying that Almightie God may be pleaſed to affoord you an happy old age with a longer extent of life, which may prove the forerunner of that Bleſſed one.
From Chriſts Colledge, Ian. An. 1634. The true eſteemer of your ſelf and your ſtudies, Joſeph Mede.
Thus much of this letter I inſert here, as it was received from Maſter Haydock, whom it hath pleaſed God lately to take out of this life.
He purpoſed alſo to have given the motives and reaſons of his alteration of the forme of the ſeven ſealed booke, which in effect were theſe. 1. The ancient form of Books was in ſeverall ſheets of Parchment, faſtned at one end only, and ſo rolled up together, as appeareth by the texts, Heb. 10. 7. In the Ʋolume a Vol…end…volume of thy Booke it is written of me, &c. cited out of Pſal. 40. 7. which in many tranſlations is In the rolles of thy Book: ſo that we may be confident that the ſame kinde of Booke was meant which was then moſt, if not wholly in uſe. 2ly The form of the ſeven-ſealed Booke, ought to be ſuch as might ſatisfie the Lambes intention, which had an eye unto Prius and Poſterius, in regard of the ſequell of the enſuing Hiſtory: for that part which belongs to the firſt Seale ought to be viewed before the ſecond or the reſt be opened: whereas in the form of the Moderne Books, untill all the ſeven Seals be opened, no uſe can be made of any part or leafe in the book. But in the form of the roll, when every leafe hath its ſeverall labell inſerted in its proper diſtance, with a Seal and ſeverall impreſſion of Emblimaticall ſigniture, each ſeverall leafe being taken and unſealed in order, the ſeverall matter therein contained will appeare, and no more of any of the reſt till they be opened in order.
Had Maſter Haydock lived this had beene more exactly performed by his penne. I have for the ſatisfaction of the Reader, extracted theſe things out of his papers: if this tranſlation (at firſt purpoſed only for mine own benefit) ſhall be uſefull to others, let thoſe have th… thanks that have called it forth to the Preſſe, which though the Booke it ſelfe be of high eſtimation yet this tranſlation was never deſigned to publike view by The Tranſlator
RICH. MORE.