An exquisite commentarie vpon the Reuelation of Saint Iohn VVherein, both the course of the whole booke, as also the more abstruse and hard places thereof not heretofore opened; are now at last most cleerely and euidently explaned. By Patrik Forbes of Corse.

THE AVTHOR TO THE Christian Reader, grace and peace from God the Father in our Lord Iesus Christ.

IF God did but command, yet were all disobedience excuselesse; if but promise, yet were wee holden, a∣gainst all apparant impossibilities to beleeue, and hope euen against hope. But this magnifieth his mer∣cy exceedingly, and taketh from all men all pre∣text of defection, that in his written word (in a sin∣gular compassion of our weakenesse) hee not onely setteth downe the rule of our waies, and propo∣neth the ground of our hope; but also to his ser∣uants in all ages, hee hath foretold such future ca∣ses, as the strangenesse whereof, might either dis∣courage them in the course of the one, or shake their constant keeping of the other: and that so farre forth, as the wise in each time, had not onely enough whereon to stay their hearts, euen in the midst of most greeuous calamities; but, being pla∣ced as it were in the light of diuine reuelation, they might cleerely perceiue the course and reason of God his wise dispensation, and reioice in the as∣sured

expectation of such euents, as neither the World dreamed of, and were much contrary to all their vngodly designes. Thus the Lord alwaies armed his Church, but most carefully in these last times, vnder the Gospell. Which albeit it might appeare to haue beene lesse needfull, for the huge measure of light and gracefull dispensation, therein beyond all former ages; yet, in respect that Satan, seeing his time to be short, then chiefly bended his whole rage and full force of deceit (specially in that huge mystery of iniquity growing on so in all effe∣ctual working, with al power, signes, and lying won∣ders, in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse and such strong delusion, the sonne of perdition sitting as God, euen in the Temple of God, that, if it were possible, the very elect might haue beene de∣ceiued) therefore the Lord himselfe in the daies of his flesh, gaue hereof not obscure warnings; his A∣postles diuersly thereafter; and lastly, in this prophe∣cie, is the whole mischiefe, in the parties, their pra∣ctises, the Church, her condition thereby, God his manifold wrath thereupon, to the full ouerthrow at length of all the enemies, and deliuerance of his Church; so at large and cleerely set forth; as we are not onely now to beleeue the things told vs before; because they are alredy in a great part come to passe: but also, by the cleere light here opened to see what yet resteth to be performed: & with calme and ioi∣full minds (in a most delightfull light) to behold and dispise all this present terrible and restlesse en∣deauour of Dragon, Beast, and false Prophet, by their emissary frogs: as where by they are but haste∣ning

on to themselues such a foile, as the won∣derfulnesse thereof shall make the place to bee cal∣led, euen in Ebrew Harmageddon, and shall giue mat∣ter euen of an Ebrew song: When thereupon, not onely a great multitude in Heauen, the foure beasts and twenty foure Elders: but by a powerfull voice from the Throne, all God his seruants, al that feare him both small and great, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of strong thunderings, shall sing together Halleluiah.

Now the golden programme (blessed is he that rea∣deth &c.) set ouer the gate of this goodly edifice, as it giueth to conceiue, and both wakeneth and war∣ranteth to search after some rare insight, so did it chiefly incourage me to step in and much stirred, in sobernesse, to suruey the singularities. Wherein, as the Queene of Saba seeing Salomon, by helpe of God, and to the praise of his truth in this, I found so much more then I presumed, as no spirit was left in mee. Now, here withall, the earnest petition of Saints poussing thereto, and after the story of Christ in the flesh, and of his Church raised by A∣postolike labors, this falling in fitly in the course of my trauels to bee handled: yet nothing so much carried me to the publike reading thereof, as a holy indignation at the dealings of Romanists in our quarters too carelesly exposed to their seduction. They had nothing more frequently in mouth then the antiquity, glory, & multitude of their Church, the consent of Nations, Counsels, and succession of many Ages, with disdaineful demands, where our Church was before Luther; and whether we estee∣med

all our Forefathers so many ages past to bee condemned, who liued and died all in the faith and Communion of the Church of Rome? with such speeches largely amplified and cunningly co∣loured, amongst a simple people; as sheepe for the most part without shepheards; I found by expe∣rience and credible information, that not onely ma∣ny altogether ignorant were corrupted, but euen diuers instable soules, who had shewed some be∣ginnings of learning, and louing the way of truth, were rather quite alienated therefrom, or cast in dangerous doubts: so as oftner then once, men otherwaies well stablished, haue euen with sollici∣tude both by word and writ required of mee how the hearts of the weake might be staied against these obiections. To whome as both waies, in the time, I gaue satisfaction, so, it hasted me to the publike in∣terpretation of this prophecie: whereby euen the most simple, not wilfully shutting their eies against an ingyring light, may cleerely see how that where∣of they glory most, turneth most to their shame, and that, wherwith they most reproch our Church speaketh strongly for vs. If this seemeth strange to any, they haue not yet learned, that, as great is the mistery of godlinesse, so also is that of iniquitie: and to know the hid secrets of either, none euer shall attaine: who by the heauenly light of the word, goeth not higher then all authority, multi∣tude, custome, or consent of men. Now, albeit, at first, I minded nothing lesse then to write any fur∣ther thereon, but some short note for mine owne vse, of such things wherein my iudgement did vary

from most part, or all enterpreters: yet cloied with continuall requests to write at large, what by voice I deliuered, I was induced to take a mid course, nei∣ther to write so shortly as I intended, nor at such length as they required: but so, as who were my au∣ditours, reading it, might remember what further they had heard, and others might so farre bee set in way, as by their owne easie paines, to find out what for more cleere explication is requisit. I haue la∣bored, though not so farre as my owne disposition would haue carried mee, yet so farre as giuing to suiters some contentment I could, to be short, and not burthen the reader with any tedious discourse of commonly knowne matter.

On the first three Chapters to busie my selfe, ex∣cept so farre as was necessary for coupling them with the rest of the prophecy. I thought it need∣lesse: so much being already written thereon, and by so many both learned and godly men. Whose trauels on the rest of this prophecie, by this my do∣ing, I am so farre from either despising or condem∣ning, that from my heart I both reuerence their god∣ly and learned labours, and sincerely acknowledge my selfe to haue beene much helped thereby. But this being such a worke, as wherein one wrong stich will carry thorow all the seame a sensible errour, and being of such inestimable worth, as meriteth still to be wrought on, till, in whole and each part, it keepe sentence, I haue, hereto, in all singlensse and sound affection contributed my sparkle: expecting and hartily wishing others after me to doe the like, for more and more cleere light, till the Whore bee

euidently set naked before the eies of all the World, and the Bride, in her vpright beauty, be discerned of all men. Vse it therefore with such heart, as thou hast it of me: praising God for that which is cleerely from him, and in Christian com∣passion, excusing what is of mine infirmitie.