As touching the first, it is agreed upon amongst the soundest Divines, that John the Apostle, or Evangelist; John the Disciple, whom Jesus loved, was the Author and Instrument of penning this Prophecy: as he himself testifieth,1 saying: I am John which saw these things and heard them. And he received a commandment from Jesus Christ which hath the keys of hell and death, that he should write the things which he had seen and heard, and set them all down together in a book. Now we all know that the testimony of John is of great weight,2 though he be but a man: for he is such a man as is firmly to be believed in all that he speaketh. He is an Apostle, an Instrument of the holy Ghost, and so guided by the Spirit of God, that he speaketh and uttereth nothing that is his own. He was well known and approved. For we must consider, that what an Apostle did utter, he did utter it as the instrument ⟨p. 3⟩of the Spirit, which cannot err. For the Prophets and Apostles did not write the holy Scriptures as they were men only, but as they were the immediate and certain instruments of the holy Ghost, of purpose chosen and set apart to pen and publish the holy books of God. This Saint Peter confirmeth saying:3 Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they mere moved by the holy Ghost. The Apostle Paul also affirmeth the same touching his Gospel, which saith,4 He was not after man, neither received he it of man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore when his our Apostle saith, I am John which saw these things, and heard them, he gives us to understand, that he was both an eye and an care-witness. He bringeth not matters which he hath heard by uncertain report: he delivereth this Book to the Churches: they which received it at his hands did know him to be a most faithful servant of the Lord, even a great Apostle, which delivereth not any thing but that which he had received of the Lord, and therefore he testifieth, •hat he saw and heard all the things which •e hath written in this book. Moreover he testifieth of himself, that he was called and ⟨p. 4⟩authority by Jesus Christ, to write this Prophecy, and did nothing herein of his own brain. For saith he, I John heard behind me a great voice, as it had been of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last;
As touching the first, it is agreed upon amongst the soundest Divines, that John the Apostle, or Evangelist; John the Disciple, whom Jesus loved, was the Author and Instrument of penning this Prophesie: as hee himselfe testifieth,1 saying: I am John which saw these things and heard them. And hee received a commandement from Jesus Christ which hath the keyes of hell and death, that hee should write the things which hee had seene and heard, and set them all down together in a booke. Now we all know that the testimony of John is of great weight,2 though he be but a man: for he is such a man as is firmely to be beleeved in all that he speaketh. He is an Apostle, an Instrument of the holy Ghost, and so guided by the Spirit of God, that he speaketh and uttreth nothing that is his owne. He was well known and approved. For we must consider, that what an Apostle did utter, he did utter it as the instrument ⟨p. 3⟩of the Spirit, which cannot erre. For the Prophets and Apostles did not write the holy Scriptures as they were men onely, but as they were the immediate and certaine instruments of the holy Ghost, of purpose chosen and set apart to pen and publish the holy bookes of God. This Saint Peter confirmeth saying:3 Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they mere moued by the holy Ghost. The Apostle Paul also affirmeth the same touching his Gospell, which saith,4 Hee was not after man, neither received hee it of man, but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. Therefore when his our Apostle saith, I am Iohn which saw these things, and heard them, he gives us to understand, that he was both an eye and an care-witnesse. He bringeth not matters which he hath heard by uncertain report: hee delivereth this Booke to the Churches: they which received it at his hands did know him to bee a most faithfull servant of the Lord, even a great Apostle, which delivereth not any thing but that which hee had received of the Lord, and therefore he testifieth, •hat he saw and heard all the things which •e hath written in this booke. Moreover he •estifieth of himselfe, that he was called and ⟨p. 4⟩
- 1Apo. 22.8. Apo. 1.19.
- 2Apo. 1.11.
- 32 Pe•. 1 Verse 21.
- 4Gal. 1.12.
