Pisgah euangelica. By the method of the Reuelation, presenting to publike view those Cananites ouer whom our Lord Iesus Christ and his holie Church shall triumph after seuerall battailes. That which is past is shewed in a briefe ecclesiasticall historie, containing most of the mutations which haue befallen the Church, from the yeere of our Lord 97, vnto the yeere 1603. as they haue been shewed vnto S. Iohn in Patmos, and recorded by such historiographers as are of least suspected faith. Gathered by William Symonds, sometimes fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford.

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

DEare Christian Reader. As the Prophet Esay in a case not al∣together different, so may I iustly exclaime,* 1.1 VVho will be∣leeue our report? and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuea∣led▪ In the Old Testament the Prophets foretold of MES∣SIAS, describing the time, place and manner of his birth, life, passion, death, resurrection and ascension, and foreshewing that the Builders or chiefe Rulers of the Church should refuse him being the head corner stone. The learned Priests, Pharisies and Princes of the Iewes read and studied these Prophecies, hauing as good meanes for vnderstanding them (in all likelihood) as wit and learning could affoord: and yet, as the Apostle saith, they fulfilled the voyces of the Prophets by putting Christ to death. And why? they were worldly minded, proud, ambicious,* 1.2 and puffed vp with the opinion of their owne knowledge, they had cor∣rupted the truth with their owne deuices, and in their blinde imagina∣tion framed vnto thēselues such a Messias, that when the true Christ was come they could not know him: they expected a great Monarch, that should restore vnto them their earthly kingdome and the pleasures of the world; meane while, they crucified the true Sauiour, and fulfilled all things that were written of him. Onely a few fisher-men, and certaine poore and abiect women followed Christ and beleeued in him:* 1.3 for the secret of the Lord vvas reuealed to them that feared him.

In the New Testament in like manner, Christ and his Apostles fore∣shew the comming of the Great ANTICHRIST, they paint him out in his colours, what manner of one he should be; declaring the time, place and manner of his birth, life, tyrannie, pride, ruine and condem∣nation; and shewing that such as make greatest shew to the contrarie, should be the chiefest actors in this tragedie. The Pope, his Cardinals, his great Prelats and Doctors of all sorts reade and studie these Scrip∣tures, and are (to a naturall mans conceit) as likely to attaine the true sense of them, as any other: they talke much of the comming of this Monster, and yet themselues play all the parts in this Tragedie. And why so? they are as proud as the Pharisies, selfe-louers, ambicious, they haue corrupted the holy Scriptures with the leuen of their owne doctrine, they haue their fabulous inuentions touching Antichrist, so that they cannot know him: They looke for an indiuiduall Tyrant, a Jew borne, of the Tribe of Dan, who shall raigne but three yeeres and a halfe in Ie∣rusalem,

and worke I know not what wonders: meane time themselues indeede are that true Antichrist, and haue almost fulfilled whatsoeuer is written of him. O Lord hovv vnsearchable are thy iudgements, that hast sent them strong delusion,* 1.4 that they should beleeue lies! That all they might be damned vvhich beleeue not the truth. Onely a few poore and contem∣ned people, vvhich haue kept the vvord of patience, haue been deliuered from that houre of temptation.

The Papists wonder at our confidence in this point, and thinke the Reuelation to be so mystical, that no certainty can be concluded thence. But we wish them,* 1.5 if euer they will enioy the blessing promised vnto the reader of that Booke, that once againe they would reade and consider; then happily may they learne that those things are hid from carnall and wicked men,* 1.6 which are shevved vnto the Saints and seruants of God: whereupon they may accuse their owne blindnes, and examine whether themselues be the seruants of God that see not the hidden mysteries re∣uealed vnto the Saints, and cease to make their grosse vnderstanding the rule and square of other mens knowledge.

For my owne part, what elsewhere I haue written concerning the cer∣taintie of my knovvledge herein, I am so farre from acknowledging to be rashly spoken, as that (I thanke God) euery day I am more and more confirmed therein, as by sundrie other meanes, so especially by reading this ensuing-Tractate, and often conference with the Author thereof my louing friend, of whose holy life, graue and moderate cariage, pain∣fulnes in his ministerie, manifold learning and rare vnderstanding of Propheticall Scriptures, I shall not neede to speake any thing here, least I be thought too partiall;* 1.7 only for thy sake (Christian Reader) I willing∣ly acknowledge that I haue profited and learned more by reading one sheere of this GOLDEN-BOOKE, than euer I could by all the In∣terpreters that I read on the Reuelation; as thou maist also do, if thou wilt vouchsafe attentiuely to reade ouer but the Authors Preface only with a single eye and docile minde. The Lord direct all thy studies to the glorie of his holy name, and thy owne soules health. Farewell.

Thine euer in the Lord, Gabriel Powel.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esai. 53.1.
• * 1.2

  Act. 3.18.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 25.14.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 11.33. 2. Thess. 2.11.12. Reuel. 3.10.
• * 1.5

  Reuel. 1.3. Matth. 24.15.
• * 1.6

  Reuel. 1.1. Coloss. 1.26.27.
• * 1.7

  N B.