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Author: Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.
Title: A key of knowledge for the opening of the secret mysteries of St Iohns mysticall Reuelation. By Ric: Bernard ... The contents ar in the next page before the booke
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Print source: A key of knowledge for the opening of the secret mysteries of St Iohns mysticall Reuelation. By Ric: Bernard ... The contents ar in the next page before the booke
Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.
At London: Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, 1617.
Alternate titles: Key of knowledge for the opening of the secret mysteries of St Johns mysticall Revelation
Subject terms:
Bible. -- N.T. -- Revelation -- Commentaries.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A09237.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

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REVERENDISSIMO IN CHRISTO PATRI, AC DO∣mino, ARTHVRO, prouidentiâ diuinâ, Bath. & Wellensi Episcopo, omnimo∣dè in Domino debit a• reue∣rentiam.
TO THE RIGHT RE∣VEREND, THE IVDGES of the common Lawes of this Realme, and to the foure worthie Soci∣eties of the Innes of Court, the learned Lawyers and Students of the same.
TO THE WATCH∣FVLL EYES IN THIS OVR STATE, THE WORTHY IVSTI∣ces, Imprisoners of Malefactors, and Preseruers of peace; that peace is wished which passeth all vnderstanding, with the zeale of God, in due execution of Iustice against the enemies of Christ, and our Countrey.
TO ALL GENEROVS AND NOBLE SPIRITS, THE VA∣liant Worthies of our DAVID, euen the sonnes of valour, Martiall men, and louers of Armes, of what degree and place so euer, resolute for Religion, rea∣dy to fight for the honour of Christ, the safety of our King and Countrey, against the Popes vsurped iurisdiction and Anti∣christian power, renowne for euer.
TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader, a louer of truth, all friendly well-wishes.
THE WRITERS VPON THE Apocalyps, read by the Author of this booke, for his helpe and furtherance to the vn∣derstanding of that heauenly Prophecie.
THE CONTENTS OF this Booke.
A KEY OF KNOW∣LEDGE, FOR THE OPENING of the secret mysteries of S. Iohns my∣sticall Reuelation.
THE FIRST PART.
CHAP. I.
THE OBIECTIONS THAT MAY be made to hinder the studie of this booke.
I. Obiect. This booke is vnpleasing, and there is no delight in the reading thereof.
II. Obiect. Albeit it may hereby indeed to be pleasant, and to affoord deligh so great variety of things herein mentioned, yet the profit will be littled perhaps not worth the labour which a stdious reader would bestow vpon it.
III. Obiect. Bee it that it be pleasant and profita∣ble, yet it is not a booke of that necessity, as we need to bee so carefull to studie it.
IV. Obiect. But many great schollers, and in no meane place, thinke it not so necessarie, but leaue it as an obscure booke not to be medled-with.
CHAP. II.
CHAP. III.
I. Obiect. You in these oppositions do take for gran∣ted, that by Babylon is meant Rome; which if it were so, who would not come out of her, seeing the Lord so plain∣ly commandeth it, cap. 18. 4? but it cannot bee proued, that by Babylon is meant Rome.
II. Obiect. I thinke it is granted, indeed, that Ba∣bylon is put for Rome, but so it must bee vnderstood, as it then was Rome, heathen, being a bloody Citie by the persecution of those tyrannicall Emperours, and not as it is Rome Christen, vnder the holy Father, the Bishop of Rome.
III. Obiect. If this bee so, as me thinke you doe make it most apparent, then of necessitie should the Pope be that Antichrist; for all learned Catholikes acknow∣ledge that here he is to be found, euen that great Anti∣christ, which they doe looke for to come: but you cannot proue the holy father the Pope to be Antichrist.
THE TRVE LIKENES AND FVLL agreement of the Pope and this beast, shewing them to bee one and the same in substance.
Obiect. But some (perhaps) may yet haue one stum∣bling blocke before them, and may say vnto mee; well, though this bee a good satisfaction to any concerning those that are in Babylon, of the Romane state, and neuer were of vs; yet why should such as bee among vs, some learned, some great persons, and others fall off from vs to them?
THE OPENING OF SAINT IOHNS MYSTI∣call Reuelation. THE SECOND PART.
CHAP. I.
Obiect. It is deliuered in strange and obscure fi∣gures, as no true meaning can be gathered thereof.
Obiect. If God would haue had it knowne, Iohn would not haue penned it in such a darke manner as it is.
Obiect. The matter of this booke is obscure and hard to be conceiued.
Obiect. Oh but (will some say) there is such disa∣greement among expositors, euen in things that may be thought to be past, as well as in those things yet hereaf∣ter to be fulfilled, as we cannot but held it a booke too obscure to be medled with.
Obiect. Lastly, it may be demanded, if it may bee vnderstood now, why was it not better vnderstood of the ancient fathers, who were learned men, and liued so neere the time of the Apostle himselfe? surely it may bee held, if they vnderstood it •ot, as many doe now say, let not men at this day thinke themselues, so wise, so lear∣ned and so h••y, as that they can now vnderstand it bet∣ter then those so renowned men before them.
CHAP. II.
Obiect. But it is well knowne that not one or two, or few men, but very many, and those also persons of note, which speake of the obscuritie of this booke, and do as much, as lieth in them, to withhold men from the stu∣die of it hereby.
Obiect. Belike you make all cleere, as if there were nothing in it darke and hard to be vnderstood.
THE OPENING OF SAINT IOHNS MYSTI∣call Reuelation. THE THIRD PART.
CHAP. I.
CHAP. 2.
THE OPENING OF SAINT IOHNS MYSTI∣call Reuelation. THE FOVRTH PART.
CHAP. I.
CHAP. II.
CHAP. III.
Obiect. But may some say, because the Pope hath not preuailed against vs, can it be made a generall rule for a testimonie of the decaying of his whole state? and for that wee haue, and doe preuaile, therefore shall also the whole Church of Christ preuaile with vs in other places? what is this nation, that hence should be made such a conclusion?
CHAP. IV.
CHAP. V.
CHAP. VI.
Notes vpon Chap. 4.
Notes vpon Chap. 5.
Notes vpon Chap. 6.
Notes vpon. Chap. 7.
Notes vpon Chap. 8.
Notes vpon Chap. 9.
Notes vpon Chap. 10.
Notes vpon Chap. 11.
Notes vpon. Chap. 12.
Notes vpon Chap. 13.
Notes vpon Chap. 14.
Notes vpon Chap. 15.
Notes vpon Chap. 16.
Notes vpon Chap. 17.
Notes vpon Chap. 18.
Notes vpon Chap. 19.
Notes vpon chap. 20.
Notes on Chap. 21.
Notes vpon chap. 22.
THE ART OF ARITHMETICKE for Papists, to reckon the iust worth of their Pope: OR, The skill of counting the number of the Beast, which is 666 by numerall letters in seuerall languages, shewing his full valuation, and how truly to price him.
THE BVILDING OF Babylon: OR, THE PORTRAITVRE OF THE Popedome, and the Church of Rome in the Beasts number 666.
THE PROTESTANTS TRVE AND right insight into this so cunningly framed Synagogue of Satan.
SALOMONS TEMPLE: OR, THE NEW IERVSALEM, THE Church of Christ his building framed in the number of 144000.
Faults escaped amend thus.