C A r-. 1. .fl 1 evelation ofthe Apocalypfe. y For the time is neere : That is, wherein thefe things fhouldbe pur in execution. Now Peeing thewhole Prophecy doth rather forelhew a conflid,then Pet a Gownupon our heads , the reafòn feemes to be drawn from the neerneflè of the danger. As ifhe fhould fay, bleffed are they that are fenced with fomc ftrongmunition againít imminent evils; but wonderful! great evils, fuch as this Prophecy is full of, are nigh,evenat the doors; therefore happy are they that attend to and hold faithfully the way tò efcape them. 4. lohn to thefeven Churches. Thas farre the Preface. TheEpil}le followeth, whole writers perfon is fr;iicienrly known by things al- ready fpoken; The perlons to whom it is written, are the feven Churches in Af :a; namely all Churches in generali that be in all places whatft5ever, as Aretat andBeda, and all Interpreters , as I 'fuppofe, do withone content determine, and that aright. For neither do the matters herein rehearfedPuffer us toftay oncly in thefe feven. We (hall heare in the leverall Epiftles often admonition all . would hearken to filch things as are written to the Churches. Be fides it belongeth to thefe fèven,-to take ,notice afwell of things to come as of-thingsprefenr, bothofwhich things (as he declareth below verf. 19.) He had cömandement towrite and tofendunto them. And the laft claufe ofthewhole Booke, which wiiheth the grace ofChriff to themall fneweth that this whole Prophecy was fent irftead ofan Epiftie to thefeven Churches,Chap, 2 2.2 t .Nowwhat had it concern- ed or prcfi:ed thefefeven Churches, which (hould remaine in fafety but for ashort time after, to under(tand ofmatters to comeafter for many ages, which fnould not belong at all to them ? Moreover the number of(even is anuniverf`a it number,by whole revolution,all times are framed, all ages being in like manner whirled about upon this Pole, as thewhole frame ofHeaven is turned about upon the leven ftarres ofCharles-waine. For which caufe this number as being full ofmyfterie,is ufed throughout the whole Book afterwards in the de- fcription ofevery thing. And yet are'notall Churches fo to be com- prehended, as ifnothing at all were indeed fent to thole Churches, whichar by name below noted our, but together with thefgnifica_ tion ofthe myftery, the truth of the ftory is to be retained. Seeing therefore thefefeven Churches do extend further then theirnames: Phew for, is.the eftate of all times till the la(r comingofChrift tobe . confidered in them ? Noverely, but 'only of that age , wherein the Church converted among the.Gentiles; which (hall be made plaine out ofthe things that follow. In the meane time , foeaprefs mentio- 1) ring
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