524 4ervelation ofthe Apocalypfe. CAP.t7, ofthe Beaf in refpe&of hieWheleperfon,Now the Holy Gboft fetteth upon the interpretation of force of his principal! parts, to which he prepareth away to get himfelfbetter attention by this preface;Which yet is uncertain,whether it be to be referred to that whichwent be- fore, or to this which followeth,it fcemeth to be placed in the mid- deft, to belong equally to them both, to move men to confider dili- gently what hathbeen or full be Paid touching the Beaf. it feemeth to be a defe&ive kinde offpeech,that is to be made up after the manner ofthat, Chap. i 3.8, Here ìsWifdom, he that is endu- ed With Wifdom lot him make the computationof, roc. So in this place, it feemeth the full fentence fhould go thus. Here is an underftandint., let him that hath underfiandingunderfland. And fo we have heard the conclufions of the (even Epi&les to thefevenChurches togo af- ter this manner. Let him that loath eares heare. Or elfe the full meaning may be in thefe words by themfelves ; Here is the minde that loath Wifdom,as if he fhould fay ; give heed and ma rke thofe forefaid Changes of the Oeafs eflate, marke likewife and confider well of the interpretati- on ofthe Beall ; theunderftanding of thefe things is true wifedome indeed,as whereby a man may efcape everlafting deftrtiftion. But thefe words are not onely let here to fir up men to attention,but al- fo for a Prophecy,as which do teach us Prophetically that everyone (hall not be able to fee that open noon-day- light, which God (hall bring into the world, to lay open the Reaft with all, but onely fuch as are endued with true wifdom,and have their eyes opened and en- lightened by God. TheBeaft is like herein to the whore, whole name writtenon her forehead wasa myfiery,which fhould be no leffe kept clofe from the knowledge of mot} men, then tome dark riddle that cannot be opened. For Prophecies are not made manifeft to all men, no not when they be fulfilled, as Bellarmine faith, and that triflingly as we will Phew afterwards.buronely to fame certain and peculiar men, to whomGod (hall givepower to underftand,where- as the refidue ofmen !hall remain dead and buried in their former blindneffe. And this short advertifement doth convince the Papiffs to hold a threefold errour touching Antichri/l, one about his common name, another touching his dollrine,the third touching hispubli,,eper- fecution,of which we will entreat more at large in the confutationof the Papifts,which ¡hall be made at the endof this Chapter. The(even Heads are thefevenhills Whereon the Womanftteth. Now l e interpreteth the parts of the BeAft, as we have have fail, and fir!
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=