A Hundred Sermons on Revelation, Sermons · Sermon 1
☞ Of the authour of the boke of Apocalipſe, of the argument and partes therof: Finally of the ſondry vſe, and moſte profitable commoditie of the ſame. ¶ The firſt Sermon.
THe Prophetes of God of the olde Teſtament,What wer the old prophets, and their doctrine. were God his meſſengers to the people, expoſitours of Moyſes or of Gods lawe, and euen eccleſiaſtical preachers, which applied the doctrine taken out of the lawe of God, to the people and tymes wherin they liued to thedifiyng of Congregations. And they al with one …ccorde hauehave chiefly handled two thinges in their Sermōs. For firſt the… hauehave reproued the corrupt maners of al ſtates …n their tyme, alledging the rule and preſcript of Gods law: And exhorting all men to repentaunce vntounto God moſte acceptable. And to many that were vncurable they threatened all kynde of plages, which they ſetting forth with all beau…ie of ſpeache, ſhewed them plainly to be ſene with the eye, if …aply they myght ſo be made afrayd, and healed. Secondly …hey promyſed and ſet forth by the mouth of God, the Lord Chriſt, the true Meſſias: Whom alſo they deſcribed liuely, …nd with all his holy churche, teaching the faith in Chriſt, & …oth what good thinges are prepared for the faithfull in Chriſt: And alſo what be the true duties of pietie & godlines. Neither hauehave they concealed ſuche thinges as were nedefull …o be knowen of Antichriſt: Admoniſhing vsus moſt dilligētly …hat we ſhould beware of that wolfe, or rather the moſt depe …ongeon of all abominations, and that we ſhould ſtand faſt …n the ſincere faith of Chriſt. &c.
I hauehave taken vpō me, through the help of God and your …rayers, to expoūd vntounto you the Apocalipſe,The Apocalipſe. which is a doc…rine concerning the matters of Chriſtes churche reuealed …rom heauen of Chriſt in glory, and a ſom of all godly religion, an expoſition and brief declaration of the Prophetes, & a prophecie of the newe Teſtament and ſtory of the church
Howbeit, foraſmuche as this booke is diſpiſed of ma… good and well learned men, and for that all men for … moſt part ar fully perſwaded that it is an vnprofitable bo… I wyll ſpeake here ſomwhat of the ſame matter.
This boke is full of figures.Firſt many abhorre this boke for this cauſe only that is full of viſions, types and figures, for they ſuppoſe ho… this becometh not the Euangelicall and Apoſtolicall d… trine of the newe Teſtament. But by the ſame meane a go… part of Daniell ſhould be caſt away: Whiche neuerthele… is commended to vsus of Chriſt hymſelfe in Mathewe.Math. 24. … greateſt matter of all, namely the callyng of the Gentils, ſhewed to S. Peter by a viſion, as appereth in the actes.
Actes. 10.And the Prophet Ioel ſayd alſo, howe the people of … newe Teſtament ſhould ſee viſions. And ſo doeth the bl… ſed Apoſtle S. Peter, expounde the ſame place in the A… of the Apoſtles, ſpeakyng of the people of the newe Teſ… ment. And our Sauiour Chriſt in the Goſpell, propoun… and declared to the people the moſte part of the miſteries parables, and in maner by fayned fables, as they call th… And how much thinke you doe theſe viſions, types, and … gures of S. Iohn, differ from the ſame? This kynd of ſp… doth not darken matters, but maketh them plaine: And … keth much for the efficacitie and perſpicuitie, and for the c… firming of the memory. For by this meane, matters be … only declared with wordes, and heard with the eares: … are ſet forth alſo to be ſene of the eies, and after a ſort be fi… in the memory.The plaines of the ſcripture. Many for this cauſe attribute much to pa… ting: But I ſuppoſe that I may much more rightli attribu… very much to this maner of ſpeaking and teaching, wher… the matter is vttered, not by a coulored, domme, & dead pa… ting, but as it were with a ſpeaking & liuely maner ſet fo… to be ſene of the eies. Whiche is therfore propounded, th… men myght rightly and exactly vnderſtand the ſame. Alb… therfore that this whole boke in a maner conſiſteth of viſio… and figures:What ſhall be the expoſitiō of this boke, Yet ſhall we in dede, through the inſpiration … Gods grace, ſhew in our expoſition, that all that ſame m… keth for the perſpicuitie and plainenes, and not for the obſe… ring or darkening of moſt high and godly matters. I wy… bring my expoſition out of the very ſcriptures, by cōferring ioyning therunto the rule of faith and charitie. I will ſearche out the circumſtaunces, the thinges that follow & go before: I wil bring ſimilitudes & diſſimilitudes: I wil adde alſo ther vntounto the experience of things, & the faith of hiſtories. Which maner of expounding the ſcriptures all interpretours hauehave always graunted to be ſound & true.1 Cor. 14 1 Teſſ. 5 If better thinges ſhalbe reuealed to others, I wil gladly after the precept of the apoſtle geue place vntounto my betters. For I offer theſe my doings to be wayed of ye godly, vponupon this conditiō, yt they ſhuld trie al things, & that which they ſhal find to be good, to hold faſt.
Secondly they obiect, that aſwel new men as olde,How men of late days hauehave doubted of thauthoritie of this boke. of no ſmal authoritie, hauehave both doubted of this boke, & of the authour therof, & alſo hauehave contemned it, as full of fables, & vnworthy to be rekened canonical. Let thoſe that ſo thinke geue me theſame libertie, I deſire them, which they vſurpe tho thē ſelues, and thinke it lawful. For if the boke of the Apocalipſe …hould therfore ſeme worthy to be contemned, for that ſome notable men, both old & new, hauehave doubted of the authoritie …herof: Why may it not recouer his authoritie againe, if I …hew that ye beſt doctours of the church both old & new, hauehave …ad a right good opinion of this boke? And here to thintent … wold diſſemble nothing at al, I am not ignorant yt doctor Martin Luther, a man right notably learned,D. Luther in his firſt edi…ion of the new Teſtament in dutch, with a ſharp preface ſet …efore, hath ſticked this boke as it wer with a dagger. Howe …e it good & wel learned mē were offended with him for this …is iudgement, which in ye ſame found lack both of wit & mo…eſtie. The ſame mā therfor waying al things more vpright…y & diligēly, what time he corrected his dutch Bible. &c. My …orſhipful maiſter ſemeth alſo not to hauehave ſet very much by his boke, & to hauehave aſcribed it not to Iohn ye Apoſtle, but to Iohn whō thei called a diuine. But herein there is no doubt but yt he folowed plainly Eraſmus of Roterdā, who is his annotations vponupon the new Teſtamēt. In al the Greke copies, …aith he, that I hauehave ſene, the title was not of Iohn thapoſtle, …ut of Iohn the diuine. Eraſmus addeth that amongeſt the Grekes & certen old wryters, men doubted of this authour, whiche thing he declareth by the teſtimonies of Euſebius, and Hierom, of whoſe opinion ſhalbe ſpoken ſtreightways. But the exempler or Spaniſhe coppie whiche is ſet foorth after the faith of the moſte auncient and approued Grekes, exhibiteth to vsus ſuche a title of ths boke. foreign: That is the Apocalipſe of the holy Apoſtle and Euangeliſt S. Iohn Diuine. For the auncient writers ſay, how S. Iohn the Apoſtle and Euangeliſte, for his excellent wryting of the ſonne of God, was commonly called, Diuine. Wherof it followeth, tha… this title doeth attribute and not take from S. Iohn this booke. Certes Aretas was alſo, a Greke Aucthour, an… byſhop of Ceſaria: Of the auncientes, ſaieth he, certen hau… plucked this Apocalipſe from the tongue of that welbeloue… Iohn, aſcribing it to another: but it is not ſo. For that ſam… Gregory, which as well as he, is called a Diuine, accom… teth this amongſt thoſe ſcriptures, whiche vtterly want a ſuſpicion of counterfeiting: ſaying, as the Apocalipſe of S… Iohn teacheth me. And the ſame man a litle after: But th… this boke was written by ye mouth of the holy ghoſt, S. B… ſil, Cyril, Papias and Hippolytus,Hippolitus fathers of the church, a mete men to be credited. Thus ſaith he. What ſhal we ſay… that Eraſmus confeſſeth, that the conſent of the worlde, an authoritie of the churche to be of ſuche force with hym, th… he dare not refuſe this boke?
Let vsus heare now the iudgement of that moſte excellen… beſt man D. Ioh. Oecolampadius,Oecolampadius. the moſte faithfull p… ſtour of the churche of Baſill, and excellently learned in … prophetical and in al the Canonicall ſcriptures, concerning this boke, which he left vsus written in the .xii. Chap. of thei… … cond boke of his commentaries vponupon Daniel: But S. Io… the Paraphraſte or expoſitour of the Prophetes, ſaith he, (… how muche he doth attribute to this our authour) whom maruel, why certen with ſo raſſhe a iudgement doe reiect as a dreamer, and franticke, and an vnprofitable wryter… the church: Where neuertheleſſe he propoundeth and ſette… forth very many of the moſt ſecret & hid things of the old… … ſtament and of the Prophetes. But thoſe great men do b… wray, what a wening they hauehave of themſelues: Whoſe iu… gementes I would verely rather contemne as prophan… than I would caſt away ſuch a treaſure. I could here bringe forth goodly teſtimonies of other newe wryters, but that I make haſte to the iudgementes of the auncient fathers.
The eldeſt of all after the Apoſtles,The iudgementes of thauncient doctours of ye church of the Apocalypſe. Iuſtine. whoſe wrytynges as yet remayne, Iuſtine and Ireney, the noble Martirs of Chriſt, aſcribe this boke to Iohn the Apoſtle. For Euſebius in the .xviii. Chapter, of the fourth boke of the Eccleſiaſticall ſtory. Iuſtine, ſayth he, mentioneth of the Apocalypſe of Iohn, ſaying playnly that it is the Apoſtles. S. Hierom alſo in the lyfe of bleſſed Iuſtine wryteth, that Iuſtine expounded the Apocalypſe of S. Iohn, but the ſame expoſition remayneth not ſo farre forth as I knowe. The ſame authour wryteth that IreneyIreney. ſet forth the Apocalypſe of S. Iohn, with a commentary, whiche alſo is not to be had. He hym ſelfe, who is red to hauehave lyued about the yeare of our Lorde, 160. Witneſſeth playnly in the fift boke againſt the Valentinians, that this reuelation was exhibited to Iohn the Apoſtle a lytle before his dayes. We alledge certen wordes of his in the .xiii. Chapter of this boke. Tertullian,Tertulliā. who lyued about the yeare of our Lorde two hundred and .xx. in the fourth boke againſt Marcion. Albeit ſayth he, that Marcion refuſeth the Apocalypſe of Iohn, yet ſhall the order of Byſhoppes rekened vp to the very begynnyng, affirme S. Iohn to be authour therof. In graue matters, and reaſoning againſt heretickes, he vſeth gladly the teſtimonies of this boke.
The ſame thinges are alſo recited of the bleſſed Martyr S. Cyprian,S. Cypriā vnderunder the title of Iohn the Apoſtle in this Epiſtles, treatiſes and Sermons. Euſebius alſo in the .xviii. Chapter of the fift booke of the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie,Apolloni. ſheweth, that Appollonius a moſte auncient wryter vſeth the teſtimonies of the Apocalypſe of S. Iohn:Theophi. And lykewyſe Theophilus Byſhop of Antioche. Whiche he affirmeth in the .xxiiii. Chapter of the fourth boke of the Eccleſiaſticall ſtory. Alſo Origen,Origen. a great man in the churche of God in the .xxv. Chapter of the ſixt boke of the ſame Euſebius. And he wrote, ſayeth he, the Apocalypſe, whiche reſted vponupon the Lordes breſte. &c.
I hauehave hytherto recited the opinions of the moſt auncie… Martyrs and Doctours of the chriſten churche, touchyn… the Apocalypſe, I meane Iuſtine, Ireney, Tertullian, … prian, Appolonius, Theophilus, and Origen: I wyll ſhor… ly after brynge yet moo iudgementes boeth of the … and Latin wryters, of moſte authoritie in the churche, ag… yng with the myndes of them that we hauehave alledged … therto: Howbeit I wyll fyrſt touche briefly ſuche thyng as Dioniſius of Alexandria,Dioniſius Alexādria. left wrytten of the ſame boo… in the fyue and twenty Chapter of the ſeuenth booke of … ſebius, whome I ſuppoſe they hauehave followed, as many… after hym hauehave ſpoken againſt this booke. He ſayeth h… diuerſe that were his predeceſſours, dyd vtterly repr… and reiecte this booke. Neyther hydeth he the cauſe, w… they ſo dyd, for that the kyngdome of Chriſte is affyrm… therin to be earthly. Wherunto doubtleſſe they reſer… that precious citie, and the reſte whyche vnderunder terreſtr… kyndes, figured ſpirituall thynges. Whiche when we … in the treatynge therof hauehave diſſolued, declaryng thys bo… not to edifie the earthely kyngdome of Chriſte, but a ſpi… tuall and celeſtiall, no man I trowe, wyll reiecte a good a… Godly booke, for bycauſe certen abuſyng the teſtimon… therof, geue vntounto it a wrong ſenſe.
Heretickes hauehave wraſted verey many places of … ſcripture,Chiliaſtes, or Millenaries. to the defence of their errour, ſhoulde therfore authoritie of the ſcripture it ſelfe be brought in doubte? I… fauoureth nothing at all the Chiliaſtes or Millenaries this boke: He geueth them no weapons.
Euſebius ſaieth very well in the ende of the third bo… ſpeakyng of Papias, the firſt authour of the Millenaries He thought, ſaieth he, that after the reſurrection Chri… ſhould reigne here corporally with his a thouſand yea… in earth. Whiche I ſuppoſe he thought for that he vnde… ſtode not well the Apoſtles woordes, neither that he co… dered not well thoſe thynges that were ſpoken of hym … der figures, for that he was indewed with a ſmall iudg… ment.
But in the meane tyme Dioniſius hym ſelf, I, ſayth h… dare not reiecte this booke. He addeth by and by, that he thynketh it not yet to be the booke of Iohn the Apoſtle, but of ſome other, but yet who that ſhould be, he knewe not. He gathereth alſo by certen coniectures, by the phraſe of ſpeach, and handlyng of the booke, and by the vnlykenes of wytte, that this boke ſhould be an other mans, than his that wrote the Goſpell, and Epiſtle. But ſeing that the argumentes of the ſtory and Epiſtle be ſo diuerſe, that neyther they two be lyke, and the argument of the booke of Reuelation moſte diuerſe of all: Why ſhoulde it ſeme maruell, though it agreeth not with them in all thynges?
This can no man denie, but that in conſent of doctrine there is great agremēt. The Epiſtle to the Hebrewes ſemed to many to fauour in the ſyxt and tenth Chap. The Nouatians or Catharites. The diuerſitie of ſtyle was noted to differ from the reſt of Saint Paules Epiſtles. But if we ſhould ſo iudge of holy ſcriptures, I knowe not what ſhuld be firme and ſure enough. Leauing therfore this diſputation in ſuſpence, I wyll nowe procede to bryng foorth the iudgementes of other olde wryters concerning this boke.
EuſebiusEuſebius. ſurnamed Pamphilus Byſhop of Ceſarea, lyuing in the tyme of great Conſtantine the Emperour, and a moſte dilligent reader of olde wryters, whome many ſuppoſe in deminiſhing the authoritie of this boke to fauour them, ryght eloquently in the eightēth Chapter of the third booke of his ſtory, tauntyng the Tyranny of Domitian, affirmeth that Iohn exiled into Pathmos, wrote there hys Reuelation.
And where other Hiſtoriographers doe alſo the ſame. He againe in the .xxiiii. Chapter in the thyrd booke, concerning the Apocalipſe, ſaith he, the opinion of men is diuerſe, ſome approuing, and others reprouing the ſame. Again whē he ſhould bring forth his opinion touching the Canon of the new Teſtament in the .xxv. Chapter. He ioyneth the Apocalipſe with ye bokes vndoubted: although he diſſembleth not that he wyll ſhew in another place what other men thinke therof. Whileſt he this performeth, he recōpteth many more & better, which iudged ye Apocalipſe to be of S. Iohn thapoſtle, and imbraced it as a moſte Godly booke, than thoſe which denied or reproued the ſame.
Epipha.Epiphanius Byſhop of Salamine in Cypres, a Greke Authour alſo doeth manifeſtly aſcribe this boke to S. Iohn the Apoſtle. Reade, that he hath left wrytten againſt Thelogians in the .xv. hereſie. And S. Hierome attributeth very muche to this Epiphanius.Hierome. And S. Hierome hym ſelf… aſcribeth this boke to Iohn the Apoſtle, to Paulinus: Th… Apocalypſe of S. Iohn, ſayth he, hath ſo many Sacramentes, as it hath wordes. Moreouer Philaſtrius Byſhop o… Griria,Philaſtri. whome S. Auſten ſayth he ſawe with S. Ambro… at Millan, accompteth them for Heretickes, that reiecte th… Apocalypſe of Iohn, and ſaye that it is not of Iohn the Apoſtle, but of Cerinthus an Hereticke. Verely S. Ambroſ… Ambroſe.hym ſelfe alledgeth in his bokes teſtimonies of the Apocalypſe, vnderunder the name of S. Iohn the Apoſtle.
S. AuſtenAuſten. imbraced this boke as Apoſtolicall: and re… the ſame to his churche, leauing certen treatiſes vponupon th… ſame. Primaſius alſo Byſhop of vtica in Africke, expou… ded the ſame as Apoſtolicall.Primaſs. Bede. Of Bede and the reſidue o… that ſorte, I ſpeake nothyng, ſynce his opinion is know… to all men.Andreas & Aretas. Andreas alſo Byſhop of Ceſaria, wrote vpo… this boke: As Aretas reporteth in his commentaries, who opinion I declared before.
Me thinketh I hauehave ſufficiently confirmed the authoriti… of this boke, againſt them that diminiſhe the ſame. But th… ſame ſemeth ſtrongeſt of all, that the thinge it ſelfe, and t… handlyng therof proueth, that it did procede from the Ap… ſtle. Whiche thyng we ſhall proue in the treatiſe it ſelfe. But in caſe thoſe bleſſed fathers in their tyme did expound the Apocalypſe to theyr churches,The Apoclipſe muſt be expounded to the churches. why ſhould it not be lawfull for vsus alſo in our time, to expounde it to our men, whic… are in the ende of the worlde, where nowe all thynges … more fully then they were than accomplyſhed? Yea the… thynges ſerue moſte chiefly for vsus and for our tyme, fyne that we trauell and be exerciſed vnderunder Antichriſte.
In vayne therfore many prattell, that this boke is obſcu… and can not bee vnderſtande: And for the ſame cauſe to b… read in the Churche without any profit or fruite.
For to ſpeake nothyng hereof, that nothyng is ſet forth in holy ſcripture, whiche hath not an excellent fructe: Neyther muſt we by and by diſpayre of the true vnderſtanding, although at the fyrſt ſight of the holy ſcripture it be obſcure, whiche is opened of God hymſelfe, and to be opened, is obteyned by prayers, and Godly exerciſes: Certes we are not ignoraunt that many had rather nothyng were ſpoken of Antichriſte, to the intent he myght reygne more careleſly, and they them ſelues be leſſe ſubiecte to perilles. But Chriſt commaundeth vsus to trouble hym. Let vsus therfore go forward in the worke of the Lorde.
And where it offendeth them,Iohn maketh much mention of Chriſt. that Iohn maketh little mencion or none of Chriſt, where notwithſtanding the maner of Apoſtles is, to intimate alwayes Chriſt, and the grace of redemption: We ſuppoſe this ſame boke more throughly loked vponupon, to proue the contrary. Whoſe argument nowe I wyll recite.
The Prophet Zacharie in the thirde Chapter,A full deſcription of Chriſt. obiecteth the whole miſterie of Chriſte to all mens eyes in a moſte euident figure to be ſene. For he ſeeth Ieſus the hygh prieſt, appareled in vile garmentes, and lyke a coale that is taken out of the fyre, to ſuffer muche contradiction of the Deuyll: by and by the ſame to hauehave put of the vyle clothynge, and put on whyte garmentes, to be glorified, and proclamed kyng and prieſt and Sauiour of all.
This fygure the Apoſtle and Euangeliſt S. Iohn expoundeth: And firſt in deede the Goſpell beyng ſet forth, he deſcribeth Chriſt in vyle apparell, howe muche contradiction beyng taken he ſuffered of the wycked, tyll at the length he was nailed to the croſſe. He toucheth there alſo his glory: Whiche notwithſtanding, the Apocalypſe therto annexed, he declareth more at large, ſhewyng the ſame vntounto vsus in a whyte garment and in glory, howe verely after this humblyng being exalting, he obteyned a name aboue all names: And now being in glory, howe he worketh neuertheleſſe in the churche, the ſauiour of all the faithfull in the churche. In his Epiſtle he commendeth this whole miſtery of pietie and beateth in to all men.
For the whole booke is diuided into ſyxe partes.
The diuition & particion of ye Apocalips1 For firſt is ſet the title with the begynnyng and ſome o… the worke, and with a briefe narration: And all this in th… firſt part of the firſt chapter.
2 Secondly from the myddes of the firſt Chapter to th… fourth Chapter, is deſcribed Chriſt reignyng in glory, o… the ryght hand of the Father, and is declared, howe he i… conuerſaunt in the Churche by his ſpirite, and miniſtery o… hys woorde. What thynge he teacheth from heauen, and what is the ſyncere doctrine of the churche: what is alſo th… reparing of Churches that are fallen, and the preſeruatio… of theſame.
3 Than from the fourth Chapter to the .xii. Chriſt ſtill admoniſheth his Churche diligently by ſeuen Seales, and ſeuen trompettes, what thynges ſhall happen to the Church… all the whiche are moſte iuſtly gouerned of God hym ſe… by the Lambe Chriſt.
4 Moreouer from the .xii. Chapter to the .xv, is more fully deſcribed the conflict of the Churche with the olde Serpent, and with the olde and newe beaſte. Where alſo the f… myſhe Tyranny both old and newe, and verey Antichriſt hym ſelfe is trymly paynted foorth in his coulours: N… withſtandyng that afterwarde alſo theſe thynges are agay… more playnly declared.
5 And from the fiftenth Chapter to the two and twenti… Chapter, are recited the paynes and tourmentes of Antichriſte, and Antichriſtians, and the deſtruction of the ſam… and the condempnation of all the wycked. Alſo the Iudg… Chriſte is ſette foorth, and the proceſſe of an external iudgement is fygured. There is alſo rehearſed the triumphe, Ioie, and rewarde of Sainctes. Where alſo heauen it ſelfe is opened to bee ſeene of our eyes, that now… we maye by faythe looke in to the ſame. The depthe o… Hell is opened, that we maye looke in to it alſo: And maye take good heade that we bee not throwen thether headlong.
6 Finally in the ende of the .xxii. Chapter, followeth the concluſion, and commendation of the woorke, with the ſealing vp of the ſame.
And here I wyll not hyde an other diuiſion of thys woorke not to bee contempned,The boke diuided by viſions. which I ſee the expoſitours hauehave followed. For fyrſt they rehearſe the Title and begynnyng. After they annexe the whole woorke it ſelfe, diuided by ſeuen viſions. And in dede the ſeuenth numbre is moſte frequent, and as it were peculiar to this booke. Finally they adde to the concluſion of the woorke in a maner compriſed in the laſt Chapter. And theſe viſions be compaſſed within their limites.
In the thre fyrſt Chapters the firſt viſion is expounded exhibityng Chriſt vntounto vsus reigning in glory, gouerning, ordering, correcting, and preſeruing his churche.
The ſecond viſion beginneth in the fourthand, reacheth to the eight Chapter. That ſetteth forth God him ſelfe and his Chriſte to be loked vponupon, whoſe moſte iuſte gouernment of all thynges in the worlde it commendeth, and openeth ſeuen Seales.
The thyrde viſion hath ſeuen Aungelles ſoundynge with ſeuen Trompettes. Whiche treatiſe ſtretcheth to the xii. Chapter.
The fourth Viſion ſheweth the fighte of the woman wyth the Serpent, and ſetteth foorth to vsus the olde ſeuen headed, and the newe two horned beaſte to be ſeene, the deſcription of Antichriſte, and this in the .xii. xiii. and .xiiii. Chapter.
In the fift viſion ſeuen Aungels power out ſeuen vials of Gods wrath, vntounto the .xvii. chapter.
From thence begynneth the ſixt viſion, and extendeth to the .xxi. Chapter, and diſputeth of the moſte iuſt iudgement of God againſt Babylon, the whore of Babylon, and the Antichriſtians, finally againſt all wycked and impenitent perſones.
The ſeuenth and laſt viſion propoundeth to the eyes of all the faythfull, the glory and blyſſe euerlaſtyng… of Sainctes. And verely thys diuiſion of the woorke hath a great grace and affinite with the reſt of the thynges, which in this boke are all in a maner treated by the ſeuenth nūbr… Let the reader followe whiche he wyll.
What profit is in the ApocalipſeNowe of theſe thynges eueryevery man may perceyue the thys booke is altogether Apoſtolicall, and exceadynge profitable to vsus all, eſpecially whome the ende of the world… hath ouertaken. And this booke ſhall bee eaſier for vsus, f… that all thynges nowe are in a maner accomplyſhed.
Daniell was thought to hauehave tolde of ſtarke dreame… when before the Monarchies, he prophecied the Mona… chies. But after thoſe thynges were accompliſhed, whic… he prophecied, he ſemed vntounto many to hauehave compiled an h… ſtory. The ſelfe ſame, I am ſure, thou wylt iudge alſo: thys ſame boke of Saint Iohn. A fewe profittes only of m… ny we ſhall recite.
Firſt we hauehave in this booke a moſte full diſcription Chriſt, reignyng in glory, our kyng I ſaye, and Byſhop And howe he gouerneth the Churche, and is the Sauio… of all faythfull. We hauehave alſo a moſte gallaunte deſcri… tion of Chriſtes Churche, and howe the ſame maye be bu… ded, repared, and maynteyned. Than hauehave we a perf… deſcription of Antichriſt, of his members, and Synagog… of his counſelles, craftie deuiſes, kyngdome, crueltie, a… deſtructions of the ſame: From the whiche it byddeth … beware. Moreouer we hauehave an abrydgement of Hiſtor… from Chriſtes tyme, vntounto the worldes ende.
Finally an abſolute and certayne prophecie of thyng… to come, that we neede not to hauehave the prophecies of M… thodius, Cyrill, Merline, Briget, Nolhard & certen triflers
Furthermore we hauehave a great conſolation and comfort of the churche in aduerſitie, whyleſt boeth we ſee th… Lambe to open the Seales, and that all thynges are do… by Gods prouidence, and that there is an ende of euylle… And that the churche ſhall bee euermore, in diſpitee of all th… Deuyls in hell. Laſt we hauehave a moſte plentifull and ſure do… trine of the Iudge and laſt iudgement, of paynes and of t… wardes.
All theſe thinges I ſay, ſhal the treatiſe it ſelfe ſhewe plainly, for our edefiyng through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.