The ruin of RomeThe ruine of Rome

Do not prejudicially resolve and set down with thy self, that the natural sense of this book cannot be given, nor the true meaning found out, but that we must be fain when we have done all that we can, to rest in uncertain conjectures, some following one sense, and some an other, as seemeth most like and probable. But no man can say confidently and precisely this is the meaning of the holy Ghost. Oh be not of that mind good Christian brother: for if we have not an undoubted ⟨image 7⟩certainty for the sense & meaning of this Prophecy, we are never the nearer: and that is it which the Papists would drive us unto. But know for a certainty, that the natural sense of this book, is to be found out, as well as of other books of the Scripture. And that we might not be left to our selves in the dark, and to our uncertain conjectures, and doubtful interpretations; Behold the merciful goodness of God to his Church, who himself doth expound the darkest, and most mystical things in this Prophecy, or at least so many of them, and so far, as the rest are thereby laid open, and made manifest. The Lord himself expoundeth some things in the first Chapter, which give clear light to the first vision: The Angel expoundeth divers other things. In the 17. Chapter, which is the key of this prophecy, the Angel doth of purpose, open and interpret all the greatest doubts of this book: as who is the Whore of Babylon, who is the beast, what be his seven heads, what be his 10. horns, what be the waters which the woman, that is, the Whore of Rome, sitteth upon. Moreover, for the better understanding of this Prophecy, we must note, that the writings of Moses and the Prophets, unto which there be sundry allusions, and from the which sundry things are drawn, do clear divers things in this Revelation. The knowledge of antiquities, ministereth much aide to the understanding of this Prophecy. The knowledge of the histories of the Church, and the particular state thereof in divers ages, bringeth great light. The observation of the phrases and manner of speech, used by the old Prophets, doth help also not a little. The serious and deep weighing of all the circumstances of the text, & conferring one thing with another the consequents with the antecedents, & the antecedents with the consequents, furthereth greatly for the bolting out of the true & natural sense.

Doe not preiudicially resolue and set downe with thy selfe, that the naturall sense of this booke cannot be giuē, nor the true meaning found out, but that we must be faine when we haue done all that we can, to rest in vncertaine coniectures, some following one sense, and some an other, as seemeth most like and probable. But no man can say confidently and precisely this is the meaning of the holy Ghost. Oh be not of that minde good Christian brother: for if we haue not an vndoubted