The key of the Revelation, searched and demonstrated out of the naturall and proper charecters of the visions.: With a coment thereupon, according to the rule of the same key, / published in Latine by the profoundly learned Master Joseph Mede B.D. late fellow of Christs College in Cambridge, for their use to whom God hath given a love and desire of knowing and searching into that admirable prophecie. Translated into English by Richard More of Linley in the Countie of Salop. Esquire, one of the Bargesses in this present convention of Parliament. With a præface written by Dr Twisse now prolocutor in the present Assembly of Divines.

* 1.1 Suppositions concerning the Phyals particularly.

1. The effusion of the Phyals signifieth the ruine of the Anti∣christian * 1.2 Beast. It appeareth out of the Text: for which see Synch. 7. part. 1. For even as that former and more ancient * 1.3 Po∣litie of the Romane Kingdome was to be overthrowne by the plagues of the Trumpets: so this last by the plagues of the Phy∣als. This is the cause of so great li••••••esse betweene them twain; sith even this last beareth the Image of the former Ro∣mane Politie.

2. The seven Phyals are so many degrees of the ruine thereof. For like as the Beast grew up by degrees: he is also so to be abo∣lished by degrees.

3. Whatsoever then it is, on which every of the Phyals is poured out; that suffereth damage and losse from the Phyall; since the effusion of the Phyals, is the effusion of the wrath of God (Chap. 15. vers. 1.). Therefore no interpretation can stand here, whereby the effusion of a Phyall falleth out to the benefit of that, upon which it is poured out.

4. The Earth, the Sea, the Rivers, the Sunne, are something concerning the Antichristian Beast, answering to the earth, the Sea, and the Sunne. For all the Phyals are poured out upon the Beast: therefore also every of them upon something of the Beast, or at least which is inseparable from the safetie of the Beast, or concerneth his benefit.

5. The whole body of the Beast, or the Antichristian universe, is in like manner as it was done in the Trumpets, tacitly com∣pared by the holy Ghost to the Systeme of the world, whose parts are Earth, Sea, Rivers, Heaven, Lights: So that the earth in the Popedome answereth to the earth in the natural World; Sea, to sea; Rivers, to rivers: Sunne, to sunne.

6. To conclude (as already I have once or twise shewed) be∣cause God useth Angels as ministers of his providence, for mo∣ving

and governing of the motions and changes of humane af∣faires: * 1.4 therefore those things that are brought to passe by the the hands of many, are notwithstanding attributed to an Angel as it were the ruler and guide of the thing to be done, after the common manner of speaking.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hypotheses.
• * 1.2

  At Chap. 16.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  Chap. 16.