Peter by a vision as appereth in the actes Actes 10. And the Prophet Ioel sayd also howe the people of 〈◊〉 newe Testament should see visions And so doeth the blâ—sed Apostle S. Peter expounde the same place in the Aâ—â— of the Apostles speakyng of the people of the newe Tesâ—ment And our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell propounâ— and declared to the people the moste part of the misteries parables and in maner by fayned fables as they call thâ— And how much thinke you doe these visions types and â—gures of S. Iohn differ from the same This kynd of spâ—â— doth not darken matters but maketh them plaine And â—â—keth much for the efficacitie and perspicuitie and for the câ—firming of the memory For by this meane matters be 〈◊〉 only declared with wordes and heard with the eares 〈◊〉 are set forth also to be sene of the eies and after a sort be fiâ— in the memory The plaines of the scripture Many for this cause attribute much to paâ—ting But I suppose that I may much more rightli attribuâ— very much to this maner of speaking and teaching wherâ— the matter is vttered not by a coulored domme dead paâ—ting but as it were with a speaking liuely maner set foâ— to be sene of the eies Whiche is therfore propounded thâ— men myght rightly and exactly vnderstand the same Albâ— therfore that this whole boke in a maner consisteth of visioâ— and figures What shall be the expositioÌ„ of this boke Yet shall we in dede through the inspiration 〈◊〉 Gods grace shew in our exposition that all that same mâ—keth for the perspicuitie and plainenes and not for the obseâ—ring or darkening of most high and godly matters I wyâ— bring my exposition out of the very scriptures by coÌ„ferring ioyning therunto the rule of faith and charitie I will searche out the circumstaunces the thinges that follow go before I wil bring similitudes dissimilitudes I wil adde also ther vnto the experience of things the faith of histories Which maner of expounding the scriptures all interpretours haue always graunted to be sound true 1 Cor. 14 1 Tess 5 If better thinges shal be reuealed to others I wil gladly after the precept of the apostle geue place vnto my betters For I offer these my doings to be wayed of the godly vpon this conditioÌ„ that they shuld trie al things that which they shal find to be good to hold fast Secondly they obiect that aswel new men as olde How men of late days haue doubted of thauthoritie of this boke of no smal authoritie haue both doubted of this boke of the authour therof also haue contemned it as full of fables vnworthy to be rekened canonical Let those that so thinke geue me thesame libertie I desire them which they vsurpe tho theÌ„ selues and thinke it lawful For if the boke of the Apocalipse â—hould therfore seme worthy to be contemned for that some notable men both old new haue doubted of the authoritie â—herof Why may it not recouer his authoritie againe if I â—hew that the best doctours of the church both old new haue â—ad a right good opinion of this boke And here to thintent 〈◊〉 wold dissemble nothing at al I am not ignorant that doctor Martin Luther a man right notably learned D. Luther in his first ediâ—ion of the new Testament in dutch with a sharp preface set â—efore hath sticked this boke as it wer with a dagger Howe â—e it good wel learned meÌ„ were offended with him for this â—is iudgement which in the same found lack both of wit moâ—estie The same maÌ„ therfor waying al things more vprightâ—y diligeÌ„ly what time he corrected his dutch Bible c. My â—orshipful maister semeth also not to haue set very much by his boke to haue ascribed it not to Iohn the Apostle but to Iohn whoÌ„ thei called a diuine But herein there is no doubt but that he folowed plainly Erasmus of RoterdaÌ„ who is his annotations vpon the new TestameÌ„t In al the Greke copies â—aith he that I haue sene the title was not of Iohn thapostle â—ut of Iohn the diuine Erasmus addeth that amongest the Grekes certen old wryters men doubted of this authour whiche thing he declareth by the testimonies of Eusebius and Hierom of whose opinion shal be spoken streightways But the exempler or Spanishe coppie whiche is set foorth after the faith of the moste auncient and approued Grekes exhibiteth to vs suche a title of ths boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the Apocalipse of the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn Diuine For the auncient writers say how S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste for his excellent wryting of the sonne of God was commonly called Diuine Wherof it followeth thaâ— this title doeth attribute and not take from S. Iohn this booke Certes Aretas was also a Greke Aucthour anâ— byshop of Cesaria Of the auncientes saieth he certen hauâ— plucked this Apocalipse from the tongue of that welbeloueâ— Iohn ascribing it to another but it is not so For that samâ— Gregory which as well as he is called a Diuine accomâ—teth this amongst those scriptures whiche vtterly want a suspicion of counterfeiting saying as the Apocalipse of Sâ— Iohn teacheth me And the same man a litle after But thâ— this boke was written by the mouth of the holy ghost S. Bâ—sil Cyril Papias and Hippolytus Hippolitus fathers of the church a mete men to be credited Thus saith he What shal we sayâ— that Erasmus confesseth that the consent of the worlde an authoritie of the churche to be of suche force with hym thâ— he dare not refuse this boke Let vs heare now the iudgement of that moste excellenâ— best man D. Ioh. Oecolampadius Oecolampadius the moste faithfull pâ—stour of the churche of Basill and excellently learned in 〈◊〉 prophetical and in al the Canonicall scriptures concerning this boke which he left vs written in the .xii. Chap. of theiâ—â—â—cond boke of his commentaries vpon Daniel But S. Ioâ— the Paraphraste or expositour of the Prophetes saith he 〈◊〉 how muche he doth attribute to this our authour whom maruel why certen with so rasshe a iudgement doe reiect as a dreamer and franticke and an vnprofitable wryterâ— the church Where neuerthelesse he propoundeth and setteâ— forth very many of the most secret hid things of the oldâ—â—â—stament and of the Prophetes But those great men do bâ—wray what a wening they haue of themselues Whose iuâ—gementes I would verely rather contemne as prophanâ— than I would cast away such a treasure I could here bringe forth goodly testimonies of other newe wryters but that I make haste to the iudgementes of the auncient fathers The eldest of all after the Apostles The iudgementes of thauncient doctours of the church of the Apocalypse Iustine whose wrytynges as yet remayne Iustine and Ireney the noble Martirs of Christ ascribe this boke to Iohn the Apostle For
cost nothing But the Monkes selle theirs dere They be therfore disceauers and seducers After he calleth him selfe partaker in affliction or oppression and persecution as he that was euen now bannished by the Emperour Domitian and liued in exile And he ioyneth together and not separateth him selfe in the euill That is coÌ„mon to all the faithfull brethren The persecution of Iohn and of the whole churche And verely it is one and the same persecution that vexed the Apostles and tourmenteth vs at this day Let vs therfore reioyce that we haue the Apostles and all the Martyrs of Christ fellowes of our trouble and affliction that we be broken and bruised with the heauy burthen of euils Let vs therfore be pacieÌ„t and long suffring For it is not enough to be afflicted and vexed with all kinde of euils for many without any fruicte or prayse at all indure moste greuous paines But it becometh vs also to be patieÌ„t in aduersitie Therfore S. Iohn at this present ioyneth with all patince For the Lorde sayd in the Gospell In your patience shall you possesse your soules After he addeth vnto tribulation patience a kingdom that an heauenly not a terrestrial kingdom A kingdoÌ„ prepared for the pacient And he bringeth in the kingdom for the comfort of the patient people For also the Apostle S. Paul said a certen and sure saying For if we die with Christ we shall lyue also with hym If we suffer we shall reygne with hym c. Let vs alwayes here with comfort our selues in aduersitie For we are thruste downe that we might ones be exalted againe .ii. Corinthians .iiii. And all these thinges are concluded in Christ Iesus by whoÌ„ we be both the children brethren of God and suffer many thinges patiently and are made partakers of his kingdom For euen for these thinges must we thanke him and his mâ—rites and not our own deserte The state of humilitie of thapostle Let vs here note also what and howe great hath bene the humilitie of the greatest and worthie Apostle of God whâ— was his state Not plesaunt but harde yet in the pacience 〈◊〉 Christ ioyfull But where be they nowe that glory in thâ— name of Apostles Who in the meane time swellyng witâ— pride are addicte to filthie pleasures Whiche I warne thâ— we flee from them as from Apostataes The place wherin the reuelation was shewed And now he sheweth the place where this diuine reuelation was made him where also he was coÌ„maunded of Goâ— to wryte the same The place was the I le of Patmos Thâ— same is accompted amonges the Ilondes called Sporadâ— of Plinie in the fourth boke and .xii. cha It lay ouer againâ— Asia and the citie of Ephesus and was in thu sight boeth 〈◊〉 Europe and Affricke so that it semed to be as it were a miâ—dle seate or holy chaire out of the which Christ preached 〈◊〉 Iohn from heauen to the whole worlde And in dede the coâ—selles of God are wonderfull and his goodnes is vnspekeable which reuealeth so great misteries as it were in thâ— Romish pryson or Babilonicall captiuitie to his faithfull Iohn persecuted for the Gospel Neyther hideth he the cause of his comming into the samâ— Iland I was there saieth he for the worde of God and thâ— testimony of Iesu Christ The word of God is the very soâ— of God called of Iohn by a singular proprietie of speache the worde or sermon of God as appeareth the first of Iohn and the testimony of Iesu Christ is the Gospell if self whicâ— Iesus testified and the whiche his disciples haue testified oâ— Iesu Therfore for the confession and preaching of Iesâ—â— Christ and of his holsome Gospell for so he expoundetâ— also how he is made partaker of thafflictioÌ„ Iohn was apprâ—hended in Asia by soldiours led to Rome that he might pleaâ— his cause before themperour Domitian who of his cruel nature condeÌ„ned the inuoceÌ„t And he was put into a cawdroÌ„ oâ— hote boiling oyl Out of the whiche when he escaped withouâ— harme he was caried into Patmos He aunswered no other matter before themperour than Paul did .27 yeres past before Nero. This was done in that .xiiii. or .xv. yere of DomitiaÌ„ And the .xxiiii. yeare after the destructioÌ„ of the citie HierusaleÌ„ and after the birth of our Lorde .lxvi. Domician who would seme and be called a God being slaine of his own men after many murthers cruel actes died himself a shameful death the .xv. yeare of his reigne The authours hereof are Suetonius in the life of Domitian Tertullian in the heretic prescript Eusebius in his chronicles and in the third boke of the ecclesiastical history in the .xvii. and .xviii. chapter And hereto is added the common consent of all writers Moreouer he noteth the tyme also The time of the reuelation and of the sonday in the whiche these misteries began to be reuealed to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that solemne day of the Lord namely the sonday For so haue the auncient fathers called one of the sabbothes that is to say the first day in the weke wherin Christ rose again froÌ„ the dead Math. xxviii and Mark .xvi. And this day haue the churches chosen to them selues in stead of the Sabboth day as holy in the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ wherin they might kepe their sacred and solemne assemblees For that this day was solemnised and coÌ„secrated for assemblees in the congregation of Corinthe appereth manifestly in the xvi Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corintians where the Apostle commaundeth to lay a part their collections in one of the sabbothes The same day also the faithful did celebrate their seruice with S. Paul in the .xx. of the Actes Wher Sozomenus reporteth in the .viii. chapt of the first booke of the story tripertite that great Constantine made certen holy daies and euen the Lordes daie for one whiche is called of the Heathen the sonday it is to be vnderstande that he renewed rather the custome of the Apostles catholique church than to haue newly instituted the same And frely of their own accord haue the churches receiued that day for we read not that it was any where commaunded And the congregations sawe how it was altogether necessary that there shuld be a certen tyme in the whiche the sainctes should mete and come together They chose therfore the day of the resurrection nether did they maliciously contende among theÌ„selues for these thinges as the histories testifie was done in the churche afterward And at this day verely the supersticious holy days being abrogated it is better to obserue certain and moderat daies and to kepe peace and quietnes in the churche But where this Apostle knewe that the faithfull on the soâ—day serued God in all assemblees where he could not be pâ—sent in body The Sonday ought to be kept in spirit and contemplation he was with theâ— And as he was thus in the spirite and
and beastes so are they recited in the Lawe also With these as it were sent in from the iiii partes of the world God most rightuouse executeth his iudgementes And let vs obserue this chiefly that power is geuen thē of God to kil and that ouer the fourth parte of the Earth For we learne that God alone is he that quickeneth and sleyeth and that he worketh the same moste iustely by his instrumentes finally that al his thinges are numbred and done in order Wherupon he powreth out his furie vpon the thirde parte of the world For he knoweth whom he shuld punish and whom he should nurrishe tenderly A◠misery Certenly stories testifie how in desperate matters when all thinges are brought to an extremitie of mischiefe God hath brought in sworde pestilence famine beastes which haue plaged men And ful aptly here doeth Aretas recite the wordes of his predecessour S. Andrew Bisshop of Cesaria out of the Eccles story of Eusebius in the .9 boke .8 chapt And verely with in the fiue hōdreth last yeres Historiographers tel of many suche like thinges and we haue sene some Therfore if we couet to be quitte of so great euilles let vs serue God in trueth annd make muche of his worde which he hath sent to heale vs. And reason it is that such as reiecte soūde doctrine should be vexed with sondry diseases of soule and body c. The good are also subiecte to these euils You wil saye but these euilles inuade also the best that is So they doe in dede Whie God permitteth this S. Austen sheweth at large in the first boke of the citie of God Certenly to the godly al thinges tourne to the best The theues suffered the same death of the crosse that Christ did and he as they but the consideration of them is farre diuerse The apostles and innumerable Martirs dye of the sworde likewise do soldiours in the warres but with vnlike lot The Godly are made pertakers of the passion of the sonne of God The vngodly are punisshed for their wickednes and their sufferyng is without glory yea rather this is the begynning vnlesse thei acknowledge him that striketh them of euerlasting tourmentes The Lorde preserue vs from euyll ¶ The fifth Seale is opened and the persecution of the faythfull set before our eyes and also the state of Martirs in an other world The .xxxij. Sermon ANd when he had opened the fifth seale I saw vnder the Aultar the soules of them that were killed for the worde of God And for the testimony whiche they had and they cried with a lowde voice saiyng howe long tariest thou lorde whiche arte holy and trewe to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwel on the earth and long white Garmentes were geuen vnto euery one of them and it was sayed vnto them that they should reste for a little season vntil the nombre of their felowes and bretherne and of thē which shuld be killed as they were were fulfilled The fifte Seale beyng opened of the lambe he exhibiteth to our eyes or rather obiecteth to be sene the continuall persecutions of the churche and sheweth vnto vs diligently what is the state of them whiche die in persecutions Verely the Lorde Christ sendeth forth ministers and preachers for the saluation of men And they vnthankefull ouerwhelme with al kinde of iniuries the faythefull messengers of God and at length most cruelly slaye them Of the whiche matter sins the talke of men emonges themselues is diuerse the very sonne of God at this present doeth gallauntly instructe his church declaryng what the godly shal suffer And first in expounding the same Of the persecution of the church we shal speake generally of the persecutions wherwith aswell the ministers as all the faithful church also is diuersely exercised The lord Christ hath shewed vs before in the Gospel many things touching the persecutions to come verely that he mighte prepare the mindes of all the faithful to battell and patience The places be in the .10 and .24 of Matthew In the .12 and .21 of Luke in the .14.15 and .16 of Iohn And also the actes of the Apostles tel of many thinges whiche the godly suffered in that most holy primitiue Church should he haue ben thought to haue ben well in his wittes if any mā than should haue saied he◠of it appereth that thapostolical church is not the church for that it is subiect to al the mockeries iniuries and slaughters of al men whie than doe we not acknowledge at this daye that they are fowly disceaued which measure the church by the outwarde peace and tranquillitie of thinges Paulus Orosius in the .7 boke of histories raccompteth ten greuouse persecutions reysed agaynst the church frō the time of the Apostles vntil themperour Cōstantine which time did not fully accomplish the space of .ccc. yeres The first was stired vp by Nero a monstrouse man wherof also Tacitus mentioneth in his Chronicles This same rid out of the waie Peter Paul the most holy Apostles of Christ The seconde destruction of the church brought in Domitian which in the same his persecutiō most greuously afflicted both this our S. Iohn and the whole churche also and when he was brought to Rome banished him into the I le of Pathmos The thirde raysed Traiane wherof Plinie gouernour of Asia maketh mentiō in the 10. boke of Epistles In this was Ignatius an holy Bishoppe cast and deuoured of wilde beastes And M. Antoninus verut molested the church with the fourth persecution consumed with fire Polycarpus a bishop most worthie Septimus Seuerus moued the fifte persecution which Eusebius pourseweth in the .6 boke of the Ecclesiastical story Iulius Maximinus killed Pamphilus martir and Sextus raged cruelly againste the church And Decius Traianus beganne the seuenth persecution and executed very many that professed Christ And Licinius Valerian Emperour beheaded S. Cyprian the good Bishoppe of Carthage and was the eight persecutour of the churche Aurelianus verius began the .ix. persecution whiche he but litle auaunced for God most iuste toke him away immediately But Diocletian and Maximian shed more christen bloud thā any other of the Romane Emperours Reade I praye you the beginning of the .8 boke of the Eccles story of Eusebius Compare those things with our time and iudge and coniecture what will shortely come to passe and what our state will be Persecutions are agayne renewed after Constantine vnder Constantius and Iulian. But the moste terrible and greuouse of all haue boyled vp vnder Antichrist and haue indured nowe by the space of fiue hondreth yeres and more What is done at this daye al the world seeth The grounde is wete with the bloud of Martirs Which things S. Iohn foresawe And the causes of persecution The causes of persecution do arrise partely of the gouernement of Christ whiche openeth here the fifte Seale and partely of menne The Lord sendeth vnto his the Crosse and fire to quicken suche as are
life shal be opē on euery side And we beleue that there is no other waie to heauē no other porte or gate or any other dore or posterne to remaine than the only sole Christ Iesus our lord as he himself hath taught in Iohn the .10 .14 chapt But for asmuch as he hath appoincted Angels or prophetes Apostles also porters of heauen to whō he hath cōmitted the keyes of the kingdome of heauen these do bring the chosen and lette them into the heauenly countrie many gates verely are red to haue ben and be And for a further declaration is added that in euery gate was an Angel Twelue Angels in the gates in nōbre twelue And we haue hearde in the beginnyng of this boke that Angelles are gods ministers and pastours of churches sent of God for the saluation of mē I meane that thei might bring them by the worde of veritie and holy ministerie through fayth into life euerlastyng Morouer we reade how the soule of pore Lazarus diyng was caried by Angelles into the bosome of Abraham Whie than should we maruell that Angelles stande at the gates For by the true and only gate Christ they bring in the faithfull into the heauenly countrie And agayne for a further declaration is annexed In the gates are writtē the names of the childrē of Israell and in the gates were names written whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of the children of Israell For the Lord would signifie that he vsed the industrie of Patriarches and Prophetes of all tribes in openyng heauen vnto mē and againe that all the chosen of al tribes appertayne to the felloweship of felicitie We shal see therfore in heauē the Patriarches and Prophetes and all the Sainctes whiche before the cōmyng of Christ are written in the registers of the heauenly like as the Apostles also sawe Moses and Helias talking with Christ in the Mounte Wherfore not without great cause wrote the Apostle to the Hebrewes you are cōmen to the moūte Sion and to the citie of the liuing God to the celestiall Hierusalē and to the multitude of many thousande Angelles and vnto the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And the reste which is red in the .12 chapt The situation of the gates And he toucheth also the situation of the gates For he assigneth three vnto euery parte of the skie Nother doeth he this without consideration For our sauiour himselfe sayeth in the gospel that they shal come from the East and from the Weste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Aretas also searcheth here the misterie more dilligently and supposeth that no man shal enter in by these gates saue he whiche both acknowledgeth the eternal trinitie of God and also vnderstandeth the misterie of the crosse of Christ For he sayeth howe the twelue tribes are diuided by the Trinitie of the fourefolde figure of the worlde c. Wherupon Aquinas also who so euer are saued saieth he they are iustified by the fayth of the holy Trinitie publisshed in the foure quartes of the world by the Apostles preachyng The foundations of the Citie Now sheweth he also that the foundations of this citie are most sure and vnmouable For the walle of the Citie sayeth he hath twelue foundations Touchyng the foundation of the churche and our saluation haue spoken expressely Dauid in the Psalmes Esaye also in the .28 chapt our Lord and sauiour in sondry places of the Gospell Peter moreouer in the Actes and first epistle likewise the Apostle S. Paule whiche sayde any other foundation can not be layde thā that which is layde whiche is Christ Iesus 1. Corinth 3. Howe than are layde here twelue foundations doubtles Christ remayneth one and a sure foundation Howebeit in as muche as in placyng and reuealyng him the Lord hath vsed the ministerie of the twelue Apostles for this cause the citie is sayde to haue twelue foūdations Not that the Apostles are in dede the foūdations of the church and our saluatiō but in this that Christ that trewe foundation was by the twelue Apostles made knowen to the faithfull and as it were layde vnder whereupon the beleuers haue buylded themselues by the Apostles fayth Whereupon he sayeth pourposely in those twelue the names of the lambes twelue Apostles For the gospel also whiche is bothe in very dede and vnchaungeably Iesus Christes alone is called also of Iohn Matthew Marke Luke of Peter and Paule bicause it hath ben preached by them And we vnderstande hereby not only the church whiche was before the commyng of Christ of Patriarches and Prophetes beyng receyued into heauen to reioyce in God but also the church Apostolical I meane that al men in the whole world whiche haue beleued the Apostolicall doctrine shal liue with al the Sainctes in that heauenly countrie all the whiche we shall bothe see and with them also shall glorifie God for euermore Primasius Bisshop of Vtica dissenteth not much from this our exposition Whether thapostles be foundatiōs of the church expounding how the Apostles are called foūdatiōs For thus hath he lefte written where we know that the church hath one only foundation that is to saye Christe we ought not to be moued that here he sayeth she hath twelue For in Christ haue thapostles deserued to be the foūdations of the Churche of whome the Apostle an other foundation saieth he can not be layde besides that which is layde Christ Iesus In him are also the Apostles sayed to be light sins he sayeth vnto thē you are the light of the world where Christ alone is the true light which lighteth euery man commyng into this world Christ therefore is the light illuminyng and they the light illumined And after a fewe wordes the same Authour Here it behoueth sayeth he to acknoweledge the twelue Apostles to be foundatiōs yet called in the only foūdation Christ Iesu Hereunto apperteineth also that he hath not concealed the name of the Lambe The Apostles therfore be foundations but in one foūdation Iesu Christ And christ alone without the Apostles is rightly called the foundation but the Apostles without Christ could by no meanes be called the foundations of the churche These thinges Primasius Which Aretas Bisshop of Cesaria declareth more briefly and playnely and sayeth they are in dede called foundations for that thei haue layde the foundations of the christen faith and gates for that by them that is to witte by their preachyng there maye be founde nowe that maye bring them to the christen fayth Thus much he Doubtles the Apostle S. Paule in the .2 to the Ephes calleth Christe the foundation of Apostles and Prophetes whiche verely in preachyng they haue layde and to the whiche they haue leaned and by the which also they are saued To him be glory ¶ Yet agayne is described the seate of the euerlastyng countrie in heauen The XCiiij Sermon AND he that talked with me had
church or to S. Ihon that eyther the church or S. Ihon shulde say And let him that heareth say come Aretas expouÌ„ding this place briefely and well by these wordes he insinuateth them saieth he which ar not yet assuÌ„pted to the flocke yet ready to heare godly matters and geue their dilligence to knowe the Lorde So much he And doubtelesse the desyre of the godlye is so greate that they couet that all creatures shoulde praye the Lorde to come vnto iudgement as many times we se in the Psalmes the godly to exhorte the Sun and Moone all creatures to praise and speake wel of the Lorde 12. The .12 place of the conclusion conteineth a most large promesse and comforte of Christe †And leâ— him that is a thyrste come For he promiseth agayne frankelie As thoughe he shulde saie I knowe what thinges the faithfull shall suffer vnder Antichrist what also and howe great crafte the same shall practise All thinges will he sell for money Heauen and Earth and those things also which are not in his power And he shal deceaue many and shal spoyle many And al the godly shall he vexe and oppresse with greuouse persecution Therfore yf I tary long and come not incontinently in asmuch as the wisshes of Sainctes couet the same you that loue and beleue in me flee Antichriste geue not your selues to be spoiled of him loke ye for me haue recourse vnto me He that is a thirst that is he that desyreth an heauenly gyfte or he that is in angwysh or tourmented with cares and sondry euilles let him come to me to me I say let him come I shall fyll him with good thinges delyuer from euyll and wyll comforte him and strengthen him with my spirite in al maner dauÌ„gers that he may paciently beare and ouercome all euylles And he semeth to haue borrowed these holsome wordes and most ful of consolation of the doctrine of Esaye which is in the .55 chapter and in the seuenth chap. of Ihon. Hereof are spoken certen thinges aboute the beginning of the .21 chapt Where we reâ—de â—he Lord to haue saide And to him that is a thirste wil I geue of the well of the water of life frely And he that wille But where he sayeth and he that will he meaneth not as many mistake him that it standeth in our will that we maye be saued For we knowe that the Apostle hath sayde it is not in the wille nor in the ruÌ„ning but in the mercy of God The Lord of his owne good wil saueth vs yet not withstanding he saueth not the vnwillyng but the willyng But he geueth vs that we maye will accordyng to that saying of thapostle it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to accomplish Primasius by no good giftes sayeth he goyng before he receyueth the water of life frely For what haste thou sayeth the Apostle that thou haste not receyued Therefore haue we receyued of God frely the wil of coÌ„myng also vnto whome we gaue nothing firste that we should be much lesse that we should of sinners be made rightuouse Thus sayeth he Not withstandyng it might seme to be such a maner of speakyng as is emonges the Germanes which is I make it free for al to come I doe clerely exclude no man I bid al come so and he that will that is to saye come al and receiue water c. To the lorde be glory ¶ Punnishment is decreed to the corrupters of this boke The lord sayeth that he wil certenly come to Iudgement The church wissheth for his commyng The Cj. Sermon I Testifie vnto euery man that heareth the words of the prophecie of this boke if any manne shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plages that are written in this boke And if any man shal minish of the wordes of the booke of this Prophecie God shal take away his parte out of the boke of life and out of the holy citie and from the thinges which are written in this boke He which testifieth these thinges sayeth be it I come quickely Amen EueÌ„ so come lord Iesu The grace of our lorde Iesu Christe be with you al. Amen 13. In the .13 A penaltie for the contemners corrupters of this boke parte of this conclusion is decreed a paine for the contemners of this boke but especially for counterfetter or forgers which as D. Bibliander hath sayde full well godly dare attempte to corrupte or falsefie this godly instrumeÌ„t and holy charter of thempire and Bisshopricke of Christ by addyng any thing or takyng awaye or alteryng the trewe meanyng and sense thereof This place is taken out of the common vsage of men For Princes are wonte in th ende of their writynges to establishe the same agaynst deprauers by menacinges and threatenings Antichrist the Ape of our lord Christ about the ende of his Bulles addeth yf any man shall rasshely presume to go agaynst this our coÌ„maundement or malapertly to infringe the same let him knowe that he shal incurre the indignatioÌ„ of Almightie God and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and our high displeasure And likewise in keping of treasures and publicke things where dauÌ„ger is feared they set on writinges and sealyng with waxe For the whiche cause verely where the Lorde was not ignoraunt that there would be some which wold seke to oppresse and abolish this boke he sendeth it wel Armed to all posterities We reade in olde Authours that certen heretikes in the beginnyng of the church toke very muche vpon them in corruptyng of the scriptures yea and that some of them to haue reiected whole bokes of the holy Scripture And Tertullian imputeth the same vnto Marcion whiche also depraued holy bokes Howebeit through the goodnes of God it came to passe that we haue neuerthelesse receyued the holy bookes whole and vncorrupted Whiche thing S. Hierome sheweth playnely in his commentaries vpon Esaye the .3 booke And Erasmus of Roterodam in the Apologie of the newe TestameÌ„t and also in his Apologie agaynst Iames Latomus c. Howebeit the Lorde at this present doeth no newe thing Nothing to braddeâ—â— nothing to be minisshed whilest he commaundeth that nothing shoulde be added or taken awaye For ones or twise he commaunded by Moses Thou shalt adde nothing to my worde nother take froÌ„ it any thing And Salomon in the .30 of the Prouerbes coÌ„maundeth the same But many maruell and finde faulte that he hath threatened so many plages to the corrupters Whie than do not the same meÌ„ blame and reproue in S. Paule that he hath in one worde comprised as many plagues and displeasures as S. Ihon hath here recited where he sayde vnto the Galath Although I or an Angel from heauen shal preach vnto you a gospel other than this that we haue preached vnto you let him be an outcaste or accursed And the same wordes againe he doubleth repeteth Wherefore if they graunt that Paule hath herein so little
to come albeit s Iohn hath hitherto spokē neuer so largely yet hath there nothīg be sayd worthy so greate a matter wher both the prophetical Apostolicalscrip saith that which the eye hath not sene nor the eare hath hard nor yet hath ascended into the harte of man the same hath God prepared for those that loue him But those things whiche I haue hitherto drawen into an abridgement the title and conclusion of the woorke omitted the order of the booke shewed also by the way S. Iohn in his Apocalypse deliuered by Christe as ofte I haue said through the ministery of a most excellent Aungel commendeth to the vniuersall Churche of Chryst and chiefly to vs in whom th ende of the world hathe chaunced wherin he hath taught nothyng at all contrary to that which he hath taught in his euangelicall story and his epistles The doctrin of the Apocalypse is the apostolicall doctrine Iohn .v. In his story he resiteth certen thinges concernynge the persecutions of the church by the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Of Antechrist nothing vnlesse he sayd this only which many vnderstode to be spoken of Antechrist I came in my fathers name and you receyue me not If an other shall come in hys owne name hym ye wil receyue In thepistle he touched by the way Antechristes matter sayde 1 Ioan. ij dere children the last tyme is at hand and as you haue hearde that Antechrist shall come euen now many Antechristes haue begon to be But in this last boke of his S. Iohn toke vpō hym to declare peculiarly and in dew order and plentifully such things as oure lord Iesus Chryste had distinctly and playnly reuealed to hym of that great Antechrist and of the perills and persecutiōs of the church And for that cause he appereth to haue vsed more plētiful copie and a kind of speach better furnished more painted variable and polished so that it is no maruell though the phrase of this boke vary somewhat from the style of his other bokes Wherof we shal touche somewhat also in this that followeth In the meane time you wil say there wanteth nothing in this boke if you way euery thing more dilligently whiche you shulde require of a boke moste euangelicall and apostolicall We haue in the same not only expressed but also well expounded the chief articles of our belefe Moreouer innumerable places of the prophets are expounded in this boke For the whiche cause this S. Iohn was called of Iohn Decolampadius The apocalypse is the paraphrasis of the Prophets not without cause thexpositour of the prophets And as the Apostles had this peculiar to themselues to cōfirme such thinges as they taught by the wrytinges of the prophets So in thexposition of the boke it shall appere that this holy wryter S Iohn hathe either borrowed all his thinges of the scriptures or to beautifie and confirme his writhinges by the scripture What excellent and profitable things ar treated in this boke Bat chiefly this boke of S. Iohn setteth forth the kingdom and priesthode of oure Lord and sauioure Iesus Christ the power glory and maiestie of his deitie and humanitie the mistery and veritie of his redemptiō And I doubt whether after the Gospel there may be founde in anye other boke of the scripture more goodly and more godly fit descriptions of Chryste Neither do I desire that credit shulde be geuen to these my wordes let the triall be made of the thinge it selfe Yea the church also the chosen spouse of Christ is painted out most beautifully and she with her vertues and vices is touched also the fall of her and likewise the reparation and reformation and the conflict or fight of the same here be moreouer described the perils ayde and victories that you may seme to haue herein an abridgemente of the story of the church Moreouer it appereth by this boke what is the true and sincere doctrine in the church of God which is false corrupted Furthermore it sheweth vs also sondry descriptions figuratiōs of matters most weyghtie but first and chiefly of that honorable Trinitie of Chryst also as I said before our sauiour and iudge Finally protectour and president gouerning all thinges most iustely in most goodly order for the saluation of his chosen watching ouer his worde and ouer his church and ministers of the same Iustifieng also sanctifieng and preseruing all the faithfull in the felowship of the churche Punishyng lykewyse all the wicked with all superstition and vngodlynes Briefly no where neglecting the chosē no where sparyng thenemies Besides this it setteth forth to vs the description also of the Deuil of al his mallice and warre And setteth before oure eyes also the horrible torments and paynes that they suffer in hell It setteth open to vs heauen it selfe and sheweth what may be the hope of the faithfull And affirmeth the true resurrectiō of al flesh In this boke is taught how great is the grace and mercy of almighty God howe rightuous he is true Here is taught what is the true repētaunce of the faithfull here are taught the true good workes of the true faythe what be the duties of true pietie and what be the holy exercises dew to God acceptable of Sainctes in earth Here are shewed also most diligently those wicked dedes whiche are to God most hatefull Here is shewed most plenteously what shal at the length be th end of good men and euyll what shal be the souerayne felicitie and what the extreme misery and infelicitie In somuche that this boke maye euen by the thinge it selfe or matter that it treateth and setteth forthe commende it selfe to all godly people and may shew and proue in dede that it was writtē by the spirite of thapostle Now all these matters are setforth and handled after the Apostolicke maner and accustomed facion of holy scripture By what meane and in what sort these are setforth playne and ful of perspicuitie At the beginning God propounded diuine matters and the which concerned our saluation as it were vnder a veale and vnder figures not to thintente to darken or obscure them but rather to vnfolde them and set them foorth For this maner of declaryng inuisible thyngs by visible is more fit to teache more mete to moue more apt for perspicuitie and most conuenient and sitting that things may be more depely imprinted in minde and the lesse fall out of the same And therfore we rede that sondry visions were exhibited to the Patriarches as to Abraham Israell Ioseph Moses and others Certes yf you take frō the bokes of the Prophetes the visions parables and sundry figures of speache how much I pray you shall you leaue of theyr doctryne emongs these be more notable in visions Ezechiel Daniel and Zacharie Neyther is thys maner of teachyng by visions parables and sundry figures takē away in the new testament lyke as I haue shewed els where The very story of the
Austen imbraced this boke as Apostolicall and reâ—â— the same to his churche leauing certen treatises vpon thâ— same Primasius also Byshop of vtica in Africke expouâ—ded the same as Apostolicall Primass Bede Of Bede and the residue oâ— that sorte I speake nothyng synce his opinion is knowâ— to all men Andreas Aretas Andreas also Byshop of Cesaria wrote vpoâ— this boke As Aretas reporteth in his commentaries who opinion I declared before Me thinketh I haue sufficiently confirmed the authoritiâ— of this boke against them that diminishe the same But thâ— same semeth strongest of all that the thinge it selfe and tâ— handlyng therof proueth that it did procede from the Apâ—stle Whiche thyng we shall proue in the treatise it selfe But in case those blessed fathers in their tyme did expound the Apocalypse to theyr churches The Apoclipse must be expounded to the churches why should it not be lawfull for vs also in our time to expounde it to our men whicâ— are in the ende of the worlde where nowe all thynges 〈◊〉 more fully then they were than accomplyshed Yea theâ— thynges serue moste chiefly for vs and for our tyme fyne that we trauell and be exercised vnder Antichriste In vayne therfore many prattell that this boke is obscuâ—â— and can not bee vnderstande And for the same cause to bâ— read in the Churche without any profit or fruite For to speake nothyng hereof that nothyng is set forth in holy scripture whiche hath not an excellent fructe Neyther must we by and by dispayre of the true vnderstanding although at the fyrst sight of the holy scripture it be obscure whiche is opened of God hymselfe and to be opened is obteyned by prayers and Godly exercises Certes we are not ignoraunt that many had rather nothyng were spoken of Antichriste to the intent he myght reygne more carelesly and they them selues be lesse subiecte to perilles But Christ commaundeth vs to trouble hym Let vs therfore go forward in the worke of the Lorde And where it offendeth them Iohn maketh much mention of Christ that Iohn maketh little mencion or none of Christ where notwithstanding the maner of Apostles is to intimate alwayes Christ and the grace of redemption We suppose this same boke more throughly loked vpon to proue the contrary Whose argument nowe I wyll recite The Prophet Zacharie in the thirde Chapter A full description of Christ obiecteth the whole misterie of Christe to all mens eyes in a moste euident figure to be sene For he seeth Iesus the hygh priest appareled in vile garmentes and lyke a coale that is taken out of the fyre to suffer muche contradiction of the Deuyll by and by the same to haue put of the vyle clothynge and put on whyte garmentes to be glorified and proclamed kyng and priest and Sauiour of all This fygure the Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn expoundeth And first in deede the Gospell beyng set forth he describeth Christ in vyle apparell howe muche contradiction beyng taken he suffered of the wycked tyll at the length he was nailed to the crosse He toucheth there also his glory Whiche notwithstanding the Apocalypse therto annexed he declareth more at large shewyng the same vnto vs in a whyte garment and in glory howe verely after this humblyng being exalting he obteyned a name aboue all names And now being in glory howe he worketh neuerthelesse in the churche the sauiour of all the faithfull in the churche In his Epistle he commendeth this whole mistery of pietie and beateth in to all men For the whole booke is diuided into syxe partes The diuition particion of the Apocalips 1 For first is set the title with the begynnyng and some oâ— the worke and with a briefe narration And all this in thâ— first part of the first chapter 2 Secondly from the myddes of the first Chapter to thâ— fourth Chapter is described Christ reignyng in glory oâ— the ryght hand of the Father and is declared howe he iâ— conuersaunt in the Churche by his spirite and ministery oâ— hys woorde What thynge he teacheth from heauen and what is the syncere doctrine of the churche what is also thâ— reparing of Churches that are fallen and the preseruatioâ— of thesame 3 Than from the fourth Chapter to the .xii. Christ still admonisheth his Churche diligently by seuen Seales and seuen trompettes what thynges shall happen to the Churchâ— all the whiche are moste iustly gouerned of God hym seâ—â— by the Lambe Christ 4 Moreouer from the .xii. Chapter to the .xv is more fully described the conflict of the Churche with the olde Serpent and with the olde and newe beaste Where also the fâ—â—myshe Tyranny both old and newe and verey Antichrist hym selfe is trymly paynted foorth in his coulours Nâ—withstandyng that afterwarde also these thynges are agayâ— more playnly declared 5 And from the fiftenth Chapter to the two and twentiâ— Chapter are recited the paynes and tourmentes of Antichriste and Antichristians and the destruction of the samâ— and the condempnation of all the wycked Also the Iudgâ— Christe is sette foorth and the processe of an external iudgement is fygured There is also rehearsed the triumphe Ioie and rewarde of Sainctes Where also heauen it selfe is opened to bee seene of our eyes that nowâ— we maye by faythe looke in to the same The depthe oâ— Hell is opened that we maye looke in to it also And maye take good heade that we bee not throwen thether headlong 6 Finally in the ende of the .xxii. Chapter followeth the conclusion and commendation of the woorke with the sealing vp of the same And here I wyll not hyde an other diuision of thys woorke not to bee contempned The boke diuided by visions which I see the expositours haue followed For fyrst they rehearse the Title and begynnyng After they annexe the whole woorke it selfe diuided by seuen visions And in dede the seuenth numbre is moste frequent and as it were peculiar to this booke Finally they adde to the conclusion of the woorke in a maner comprised in the last Chapter And these visions be compassed within their limites In the thre fyrst Chapters the first vision is expounded exhibityng Christ vnto vs reigning in glory gouerning ordering correcting and preseruing his churche The second vision beginneth in the fourthand reacheth to the eight Chapter That setteth forth God him selfe and his Christe to be loked vpon whose moste iuste gouernment of all thynges in the worlde it commendeth and openeth seuen Seales The thyrde vision hath seuen Aungelles soundynge with seuen Trompettes Whiche treatise stretcheth to the xii Chapter The fourth Vision sheweth the fighte of the woman wyth the Serpent and setteth foorth to vs the olde seuen headed and the newe two horned beaste to be seene the description of Antichriste and this in the .xii. xiii and .xiiii. Chapter In the fift vision seuen Aungels power out seuen vials of Gods wrath vnto the .xvii. chapter From thence begynneth the sixt vision and extendeth
worlde also is geuen vs a quiet cōscience and ioye vnspeakeable which they in deede fele that do in ioye the same They that haue not tasted therof can neuer beleue that it is so much as it is in dede Wherupon S. Paull sayed and the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding c. suche mindes so affected our Sauiour Christ graunte vs. Amen ¶ The Epistle of Thyatirena is expounded wherin are sondry vertues commended and the vice of Iesabell reprehended The .xii. Sermon ANd vnto the Messenger of the cōgregatiō of Thiatira write This sayeth the sonne of God whiche hath his eyes like vnto a flāme of fire and his fete are like brasse I knowe thy workes thy loue seruice faith and thy patiēce and thy dedes which are mo at the last then at the first Notwithstāding I haue a fewe things against thee that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her self a prophetisse to teache disceaue my seruaunts to make them cōmit fornication and to eate meates offered vp vnto Idolles The fourth epistle written to the Thyatirenians The argumēt of the fourthe epistle is more plentifull then the residue and with manifolde fruites replenished For it cōmendeth and praiseth in that churche excellent vertues and singular giftes not a fewe Streight wayes he reproueth in them that they suffer ouer gētly the Iezabelisme whiche he describeth what and howe filthie it is He threateneth them sore vnlesse with perfit repentaunce they amende theyr sinnes and wickednes Further more he warneth that they loke for no newe reuelations but that they perseuer abide in those which they had learned hitherto in the which they nowe are Hither also with most large promisses he allureth them finally cōmunicateth cōmendeth this doctrine to al churches And there is a wōderful likenes and correspondaunce in al epistles As the same may be sene also in al the bokes of the prophetes in the story of the euangelistes The scripture is in al thinges like agreable to it selfe in Paules epistles Wherof it maye easely be gathered that the doctrine of the vexitie is most absolute perfit and plaine and agreable to it selfe in al thinges In so muche that if al the writinges of all other Apostles and Prophetes did remaine we should haue had no more in those many and most plētuouse bokes then we now haue in the holy Bible God prouided wel for vs and for our infirmitie by this briefe waye Here be seuen Epistles set in the 2. Chapter but it is maruell to see howe like they be all teachinge in a maner all one thinge The vse of this epistle This fourth is chiefly profitable for those congregations whiche are sounde in the purenes of doctrine and are pure moreouer in holines of life but doe not with a feruent zeale enough persecute open heresies There be other fruictes and cōmodities whiche we shall speake of in order But like as in al other epistles that goo before first is set forth to whom the epistle is sent and from whom it cōmeth So also in this epistle Thyatirene both the superscription as they terme it The superscriptiō of this epistle the subscriptiō is expressely set It is sent to the Messenger of the church of Thyatira so to the whole churche as I haue tolde you before oftētimes And Thyatira is a noble and famouse citie of Lydia Thyatira in Asia on the riuer of Hermus where we reade that the woman was borne that solde purple whiche was conuerted to Christ by s Paull in the 16. of the Actes it was a populouse citie much frequēted so that it is no maruell though mē diuersly geuē vncleane curiouse heretikes did associate ioyne them selues to the churche of God The Geographers wryte many thinges of that famouse citie of Asia Thautour of the epistle And the author of thepistle is the Lord Christ him self the high king Bishop which vseth thapostle his pen or blessed s Iohn for his Scribe or Secretarie by whome he will haue those things published through out the whole world And he getteth the epistle authoritie whilest repeting certen mēbres of the former image descriptiō he sheweth him self in such sorte to be sene of the church to be viewed in faithe that they help the matter wōderfully He seeth here heresies the secrets of hartes and treadeth vnder his moste pure and cleane fete what so euer auaūceth it selfe against Gods glory veritie He calleth him selfe therfore the sonne of God Christe the sonne of God and man whome before we hearde to be the sonne of man He is therfore and remaineth both euen in glory aswel the sonne of God as mā In the diuine nature of the same substaunce with the father in the humane nature cōmunicating with vs in al things except sinne the other nature is not swallowed vp in glory but two distinct seueral natures without any permixtiō abide in one persone vndiuided which in dede be one Christ very God very mā to be worshipped world without end Herof we haue testimonies in the 1. of Luke in the 1. of Iohn the 1. chapt to the Romanes And whiche of the heretickes or persecutours wil make warre with the liuing sonne of God After he attributeth to him selfe eyes His eyes 〈◊〉 flamme of fire casting out fire and flamme For nothing escapeth the knowledge iudgement of Christe our Iudge he beholdeth the raynes and hartes Moreouer he lighteth some and some he cōmitteth to euerlasting fire therin to burne for euer Nowe then if anye doe imagine with them selues that they can hide heresies and malice in theyr hartes they are disceiued For in the eyes of Christ the darkenes it selfe is light also The same Lorde also hathe fete moste pourged and cleane he treadeth downe all vngodlines And where so euer he walketh with his shining feete of brasse he consumeth immediatly all heresies and corrupte life Therfore this prelate moste pure and moste fitte and apte to pourge finally beste furnisshed to boulte out the secrettes of hartes sheweth to the cōgregations these things that followe he himselfe walketh and is conuersaunt in the middes of the churche bothe Kinge and Prieste And like as he hath in all epistles testified that he knewe the workes of the same church euen so he repeteth here also to the intent we shoulde neuer admitte wicked securitie as though the almightie and alwitting God knewe not vs and al ours of the which matter I haue spoken sufficiētly before Now doeth he set forth gallaūtly euery worke of this congregation and cōmendeth fiue most notable giftes or brightest vertues Charitie 1 Firste Charitie whiche compriseth the loue of God and our neighbour wherby is broughte to passe that we preferre nothing in the world before God neither hurte our neighbour but rather heape vpon him all duties benefites This we owe to God and all our bretherne in the
to sette forth the thyng it selfe as it were to be sene with the eyes The argumente of the 12.13.14 chapt in the three chapt next followyng the .12.13.14 He repeteth all thinges more depely and describeth liuely dilligently the partes of this conflicte and after also the fight it selfe Therfore after the church ones described which abideth the brunte of this warre he describeth also the Dragon that moueth the warre he declareth howe busily he watcheth againe leeste any man should be discouraged he addeth howe vnluckely not withstanding he fighteth Christ verely ouercoming him finally god impeching defeating his enterprises and yelding him vanquished to the faithfull Nowe he decribeth the chiefe instrumentes whiche Sathan vseth in assaultyng and persecutyng the church to witte the olde and newe Romane Empire and herein filthie Papistrie wherin Antichrist is also liuely paynted By and by not withstanding he annexeth to these vnlucky thinges for the consolation and comfort of the godly that the lambe standeth neuerthelesse on Mounte Sion a conquerour hauyng his churche with him howe so euer this worlde rageth and be neuer so madde and cruell that the gospel is preached in dispite of Antichrist and al men warned to beware of Antichrist where also he beginneth to reason of the iudgement of God agaynst the wicked that he mighte prepare him awaye to those thynges whiche he will speake in the .5 parte touchyng the paynes or punnisshmentes of the Antichristians which treatise he beginneth in the .15 Hitherto therfore he treateth of the fighte or conflicte of the churche and of the wicked namely of Antichrist all the whiche the father of all murther and of al iniquitie the Deuil inspireth These things are taken out of the .iij. chapt of Genes Therefore like as this whole boke is taken out of the scriptures and expoundeth excedingly well the olde scriptures so these thinges also whiche are by and by in the beginnyng rehersed seme to be taken out of the .3 chapt of Gene. Where the lorde sayeth I wil put emnetie betwixte thee meanyng the Serpente and the womā betwixt thy sede and her sede her seade shal breake thy heade and thou shalt bite his heele For you shall reade in the ende also of this chapt And the Dragon was angry with the womā and went his way that he might make warre with the residewe of her sede And he describeth aboue al things the partes of this conflicte A tokē appered in Heauen her which was assayled by warre and the whiche moued the warre to witte the churche and the Dragon And he sayeth how a token of these thinges appered in heauen For he would not only saye or wryte but also set them forth to be sene of the eyes and in maner to paincte to the intente all thinges more playnely might be sene And where he sayeth those tokens were great he admonisheth that thei were and be thinges of moste weight and matters of greatest importaunce The woman the churche Firste he describeth the church of God of all times vnder the tipe or figure of the woman Nother is it a straunge or rare thing sins at the first beginninges of thinges the womā beganne to represent the tipe of Christes spowse the church as is to be sene in the .2 of Genes And so hath the Apostle expoūded the tipe in the .5 chapt to the Ephes That I nede not nowe to recite that Esaye hath oftener than ones vnder the tipe of a woman figured the churche of God reioyce thou barren sayeth he which bryng forth no children c. Finally that S. Paule to the Galath 4. chapt hath set forth Sara a figure of the church whiche Salomon also in his canticles discoursed at length in describyng of his spowse The churche than is that woman coupled with Christ her spowse in true fayth and continual loue After he applieth certen thinges seuerally to the Virgin Marie vnto whom not withstanding the thinges that go before and followe after doe not altogether agree whiche thing bothe Methodius and Primasius doe shewe and other expositours also with great accorde This woman is clothed with the sunne The womā is clothed with the sunne The scripture calleth Christ the sunne of rightuousenes and lighte of life S. Paule commaundeth the churche to put on Christ He therfore is the light the life and rightuousenes of the churche by Christe is couered the nakednes of the church Christe is the ornament and beaultie of the church through him it shineth in the world The Moone is subiect to alterations is variable the moone vnder her fete and receyueth sondry colours she increaseth and decreaseth and although it shine yet appereth it alwayes ful of spottes and borroweth her light of the Sunne Therefore all courses and alterations of times and what so euer is mutable and corruptible in this world al affectiōs also infirmities the church treadeth vnder her fete all the light that she hath she hath it of Christ the light of her rightuousenes increaseth decreaseth finally she gathereth alwayes some spottes of the nature of flesh which she can not leaue but by death Therefore she shineth in dede howebeit the church feleth some obscurenes as the Lorde hath sayed also euery braunche bearyng fruicte he pourgeth that he maye bryng forth more fruicte And he that is wasshed is al cleane and nedeth no more but to wasshe his fete Furthermore a crowne is the honour of the head A crowne of twelue starres signe of a kingedome Christ is the beautie comelines and king of the church In this crowne are no precious stones but starres For in Christ are and beaultifie and lighten the church the Patriarkes Prophetes the twelue Apostles whiche haue light of the crowne and powre out the same into the church Hereby therefore is signified the doctrine of the ministers as in the first chapt of this boke Nother is the shinyng ministerie the smallest portion emōges the most excellēt things of the church A woman with childe nere her trauell Moreouer that woman hath in her bealy which in a certen phrase of speache is as much to saye as that woman was with childe and had not only a great bealy as we saye but after the maner of women trauelyng cried out and labouryng was full of payne that she might be deliuered Whiche properly apperteyneth not to the virgin Marie but to the churche For the primitiue churche of that first promesse of the blessed sede conceaued in her minde an hope moste assured that at the length the sonne of God should be borne of a virgin to witte the sede promised whiche should breake the Serpentes head Therefore did the church with an ernest desire and with moste feruente prayers couet and wisshe that Christ might ones be ingendred in and by the excellent mēbre of the same the holy virgin Moreouer Christ is begotten in his faithfull when through his vertue they be regenerated For S. Paule my little Children
firste miracle done in Cana of Galiley and sayeth This is the firste token that Iesus did at Cana in Galiley and shewed his glory and his disciples beleued on him This token was trewe and suspected of no iuggelyng it was a benefite bestowed vpoÌ„ pore folkes newely maried by the same God was glorified His disciples moued herewith and the sprite of God workyng also inwardely beleued on Christ So do all trewe miracles testifie Christ to be helthful and beneficiall therefore alone to be called vpon and worshipped So doe Iohn and Peter interprete the signes or miracle that their theÌ„selues wrought in the .3 of the Actes of Apostles And of such miracles we haue greate plentie in the Euangelicall Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall storie nother haue al those any other ende thaÌ„ that we must beleue in the sonne of God as which alone geueth life and al good thinges And false signes I calle those that are done through deuelishe crafte or inchauntement Of falsâ— signes or miracles or by the craftie iuggelyng and subtill sleight of wicked men as be those of witches and inchaunters such as the wise men of Pharao were and Symon Magus and those wherof mention is made in the .13 of Deuâ—ter Finally suche were the miracles of the Freres brent at Bernes in Swisserlande and greately it is to be feared leest such haue ben the most parte of the miracles of al Mounkes and Eremites Likewise those are called false also whiche although they be done in dede yet beare they witnes to a lie agaynste the trewth confirmyng the Pope to be head of the church that images are to be worshipped that we must pray vnto Sainctes and go a pilgrimage for religion yea rather for superstitions sake that we must worshippe a newe God liynge hidde vnder fourme of Bread and Wine that God muste be honoured with vowes and Monkish conuersatioÌ„ and yf there be any other thing of like sorte With suche disceauable signes are filled at this daye all Temples churches and chapelles These haue perswaded much euen wise men and do also at this daye Whiche thing the Lord prophecied should come to passe saiynge there shal arrise false Christes and false Prophetes and shal shewe great signes and wonders that euen if it were possible the elect should be brought into errour And S. Paule also the comyng of Antichriste sayeth he shal be after the workyng of Sathan with al power and signes and liyng wonders and the reste whiche is red in the .2 to the Thessal 2. And we knowe that many Bisshoppes of Rome haue wrought signes but that same is not so excellent but that the Bisshoppe of Rome hath confirmed what miracles so euer haue ben wrought in al ChristeÌ„dome and augemented the same with his bulles and indulgences Doubtles all had a contrary ende to the miracles of Christ and yet haue for they do not profite men but emptie their purses put men to sondry charges and leade them awaye from the faith of Christ to the faith of Antichrist confirming his religion superstitioÌ„ and doctrine Nother doeth he place these his miracles emongs the last of his argumentes what time the simplicitie of the gospell is impugned But if we be wise we will beware of them as of a most present pestilence He maketh fire to come down c heaueÌ„ And emonges his miracles the lord by S. Iohn reherseth that aboue all thinges he causeth fire to come downe to the Earth and that in the presence of meÌ„ And he semeth to haue alluded to the story of Helias wherof we reade in the .4 boke of Kinges the .1 chapt and whereof we mentioned in the .11 chapt We reade that it was no smal miracle in the Actes of the Apostles that al the laiyng on of thapostles handes the holy ghost was geuen Symon Magus also did couet the same grace but he was sore reiected of S. Peter the Apostle as we reade in the .8 chapt of the Actes of Apostles And here is to be obserued as also S. Austen hath admonished in the .15 boke de trinit the .26 chapt that thapostles gaue not the holy ghost for it is God alone that geueth the holy ghost therfore at the prayers of thapostles at the imposition of haÌ„des the holy ghost was geuen from heaueÌ„ Wherfore S. Iohn Baptiste saied how he baptised with water but that Christ shuld baptise with fire and with holy ghost And by fire is figured the holy ghost The Pope geueth grace But Antichrist the Pope shal make his boaste that he hauing power geuen him froÌ„ heauen graunteth the grace of the holy ghost Doubtles in the time of coÌ„secrating he saieth that he geueth the holy ghost So likewise in auricular coÌ„fessions absolutions they bragge that thei geue full absolutioÌ„ of sinnes which in dede is a great miracle Thei laie their haÌ„des vpon the sinner that confesseth and saye howe they absolue him from the payne and crime and that by the power receyued of that moste holy See of Rome Primasius expounding this place It is no maruell sayeth he though that beaste which fainedly vsurpeth to him selfe the name of the Lambe killed and yet liuyng doe fraudulently chalenge to him selfe also this gifte of the holy ghost colourably by ImitatioÌ„ and fayne a donation to his ministers as we remembre that Symon Magus coueted but coulde not obteyne Hitherto he There is an other fire also The Pope casteth a thoÌ„derbolt at his enemies which Antichrist calleth doune from heauen and casteth and throweth at his enemies to be reuenged on them to wit the darte and thonderbolte of cursing this was terrible to kinges princes people And these haue so much feared the thonderbolte of excoÌ„munication that they haue done graunted many thinges which otherwise no maÌ„ shuld haue gote of theÌ„ The story is knoweÌ„ of themperour Henry the .4 For Platina in the life of Gregory the .7 sheweth that this Emperour was excoÌ„municated by the Pope After he addeth these things of themperour he came spedely to Canosse where the bishop was with Mathilda and by and by laiyng a side his royal robes went bare foted to the gates of the citie and humbly required to be let in His entring denied he toke in good parte notwithstanding that the winter was sharpe and al was frosen harde Remaynyng thre daies in the suburbes of the Towne and continually crauing perdon at the length at request of Mathilda and the Erle of Sauoye the Abbot of Clunies he is absolued Fridericke Barbarouse that he mighte be reconciled to the Pope layed his necke vnder his fete to be troden on full manifeste are the iniuries done of this beaste to other kinges also and people I wil yet tel of one The Venetians besieged Farrare which payeth tribute to the Churche of Rome for the whiche cause they were excommunicated by Clement the .5 Therefore Fraunces Dandalus which was after created Duke wente into Fraunce where that time the Bisshop was
required vengeaunce So we reade in the .51 of Ieremie that the sinnes of Babilon ascēded vp to the clowdes For S. Iohn in a maner euery where vseth the places of Scripture to the intent he mighte get his boke more authoritie although otherwise inspired of the holy ghost And in dede the olde Satyrical poetes as Horace Iuuenall and others wrote sore agaynst the sinnes and vices of old Rome There remayne also at this daye many sharpe writinges agaynst Rome and the Cardinalles and Prelates of the Romish churche and Pasquillis innumerable Pasquille at this daye is a Satyrical writer one in stead of many that as well at this daye as in times paste the sinnes of Rome crie vp vnto heauen it selfe Rewarde her as she hath rewarded you He procedeth after this to raccompte agayne the plagues and most certayne destruction of Rome whiche is the thirde place of this chapt where also is excedingly well described the most horrible and cruell maner of destructiō and subuersion thereof For God is brought in callyng on and exhorting the soldiours and the cōmissaries and executours of his iudgement vnto vengeaunce and that they should punnishe her moste extremely and spare her not but rewarde her moste aboundantly and mete vnto her by the same measure wherwith Rome hath measured to others For here taketh place that same of the Lorde and cōmon saying with all nations with the same measure wherewith you mete others shall mete vnto you agayne and there shall be geuen good measure pressed shaken and runnyng ouer Therfore seyng that Rome hath robbed the whole worlde and seduced the whole worlde rightly and by the iuste wrath of God was she spoiled and vtterly subuerted The which things did the Gotthes with great faith and dilligence so that we can not doubte also but that newe Rome and that See Apostaticall muste of her enemies whom the Lord hath prepared and of the Aungelles gatheryng the tares be plucked all to peces And what shal become of her in an other world we maye gather hereof that he beateth in so ofte that her euilles shal be doubled without mercy her payne also mourning and greuouse tormentes These thinges doubtles are greuouse and horrible Would God they might be perceyued of faythfull mindes And agayne this place is written out as it were worde for worde of the .50 chap. of Ieremie where you reade to this effecte be auenged on Babilon and as she did do ye vnto her Spoile and destroye sayeth the Lord and accōplish all that I haue cōmaunded thee Destroye her that nothing remaine Intrench rounde aboute that no man escape Rewarde her after her worke according to al thinges that she hath done do ye vnto her For she hath ben prowde agaynst the Lord and agaynst the holy one of Israel Thus sayed the lord in Ieremie Thou seest therefore where the lord hath borrowed his owne at this present Thou seest what euery citie or cōmon welth or man maye promise himselfe yf beyng inriched by the losse of others he liue voluptuousely proudly in this world For God is the same alwayes and his iudgementes are egall agaynst al vngodly And he hath meddled withal the causes of subuersion The vaine glory pride securitie of Rome crueltie couetousenes extorsions slaughters burninges wherwith Rome hath made desolate the whole world But he procedeth more expressely to recite other causes to witte pride glorying ond boastyng securitie riot pleasures and voluptuousenes For it followeth as muche as she hath glorified her selfe and liued wantonly c. And agayne for in her hart she sayeth I sitte a Queene c. He hath borrowed these thinges also out of the .47 of Esaye Where Babylon glorieth thus also and with so many wordes Rome in times past gloried her selfe to be Lady of the worlde and that she shuld be euerlastynge For they stāped in Siluer coynes of Rome eternall They had thought that the kingedomes should neuer haue ben plucked from her She thought therefore that she should neuer haue ben a widdowe And I doubte not but the Germanes borrowed of the Romanes that Germane worde Romen by the whiche they meane to boaste or bragge stoutely whiche semeth to haue ben peculiar and proper to the Romanes She was careles or insecuritie She had not thought to haue bē subuerted She saied I shal see no mournyng I will haue no mournyng chere I wil alwayes singe Gaudeamus The Romanistes at this daye also full brauely make their boaste that no Emperours no Kinges no people no heretikes and Schismatikes for so they terme the enemies of the Romisshe wickednes men godly and learned haue yet luckely assayled Rome That the enemies of the churche of Rome haue alwayes ben oppressed that she hath alwayes triumphed ouer her enemies these seuen or eyght hondreth yeres and more That the shippe of S. Peter maye be sore tourmoyled tossed and ouerwhelmed with Waues and billowes but can not be drowned and therefore that the See of Rome shal be perpetual quene and lady of al realmes and churches c. Rome shal perish vpō a sodayne But heare nowe the iudgement of God for as muche as she is prowde vayne gloriouse carelesse and wicked in one daye shal come her plagues Aretas noteth that by one daye is signified a sodayne destruction and that she shoulde than perish when she would haue thought leste And her plagues he reciteth in order death mournyng famine and fire And stories testifie that these thinges were by the Gotthes fulfilled accordingly in olde Rome whereof I haue spoken before Therfore we doubte nothyng at al but that newe Rome also shall by menne and by Gods Aungelles be torne a sonder and pluckte vp by the rotes And leest any manne should thinke this vnpossible for greate is the power and maiestie of eyther Rome in so muche that he that should haue sayed in S. Iohn his time Rome shall falle should haue semed to haue spoken a thynge as much impossible as if he had sayde the skye shall falle he annexeth incontinently for stronge is the Lorde God that shall iudge her Therefore lette vs not doubte of the falle of Papistrie For the Lorde is trewe iuste and almightie To whome be glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ A doleful song or mourning and lamentation of Rome which the Princes and Marchaunts make for her The .lxxix. Sermon AND the Kynges of the earth shall be wepe her and wayle ouer her which haue committed fornication and liued wantonly with her when they shal se the smoke of her burning and shal stand a farre of for feare of her pūnishmēt saieng alas alas that great citie Babilon that mightye citie for at one howre is thy iudgement come And the marchauntes of the Earth shall wepe and wayle in themselues because no man wyll by their ware any more the ware of golde and siluer and of preciouse stone of pearle and silke and purple and skarlet and al thynen wood and all maner vesselles of Iuory
he propoundeth maye haue the more perspicuitie he not only declareth the matter in words but setteth them forth by visions as things present to be sene with the eyes and that to the faithful For to the vnfaithfull al these thinges although moste godly diuine seme starke trifles and fables But the wisedome of God shall laugh at them also when she seeth her time as she threateneth in the Prouerbes of Salomon And also soluteth certē questiōs which are wonte about this matter to be moued What shal become of them that he nother Christiās nor Antichristians And he sayde how the beaste with the false prophet and all his adherentes should be caste at the laste daye into hell but where the firste parte is nother Antichristiane nor yet Christian but rather of their owne sense and arbitrement to be a rule and lawe to themselues such as be verely the Nestoriās Iacobites Georgians c. Or those that be heythen yet or gentiles moreouer Iewes and Turkes some man might maruaile and demaunde what shal be done with them or what shal come of them S. Iohn maketh aunswere and the remnaunte were slayne with the sworde of him that sat on the horse c. Agayne where a godly man might maruaylle how they should be condēned which borne emongs the Turkes heretikes Iewes and gentiles neuer hearde the Christian veritie S. Iohn preuenteth this imagination and by the beginnyng of the .20 chapt sheweth with what a Maiestie perspicuitie and euidence the veritie of Christes gospell was notified to the world with what a maiestie the veritie of Christ was set forth to the world howe also al force and power was takē awaye from the deuill and that by the space of a thousande yeres wherein the preachyng of the gospel thondered continually so that they be vtterly inexcusable so many as haue not receyued the gospell of Christ For the preachyng of the gospell was not obscure but most clere manifest nor shorte and contracted but published by the space of a thousande yeres it was not receyued of a fewe little ones but of al people and natiōs vnder the sunne Therfore is it a grosse ignoraunce of the Turkes Heretikes Iewes and gentiles For although in times paste the veritie semed to haue ben notably knowen now it is not so yet certayne it is that the maiestie of the gospel hath ben so great in the worlde that there is nowe also mention with al men therof and by their owne mallice they hide their eyes which vnderstande nothyng of Christ Therefore is that sayeng of the Apostle euen nowe of force also yf our gospell be hidde in those that perisshe is it hidde vnto whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them which beleue not that the light of the gospel should not shine vnto them c. 2. Corinth the .4 They that are condēned are iustely cōdemned chap. Wherupon we now gather that none of them whiche are damned in the world are damned with out deseruyng Which thing the Apostle also S. Paule hath touched in the Epistle to the Romanes in the .1 and .2 chapt Here therefore is a profitable and necessarie place treated of the famouse preachyng of the gospell through out the world the course thereof induryng a thousande yeres And this treatise procedeth in this order First is thangell described after his worke or effecte is declared And laste is the sealyng of the time Touchyng the description of the Angell first in dede he is named an Angel The angel signifieth the order or state apostolicall and commeth forth abroade howebeit the whole state Apostolicall is hereby vnderstande in the which shineth excedingly S. Paule the doctour of gentiles nother is it maruaile that the order of Apostles is signified by an Angell For an Angel signifieth a messager ambassadour or an Apostle And therefore the prophet Malachie called Iohn Baptist the vauntcurrour of our lord an Angel beholde I sende my Angel before thee c. And ministers of the church are oftener thā ones in this boke called Angelles But in case the worthines nobilitie of the name please the ministers let the Angelicall puretie and excellent faith please them also An ambassadour doeth and sayeth nothing saue that which he hath receyued in cōmission of him that sent him so also let the ministers set forth nothing saue that which he hath receyued of the Lord in the Scriptures ¶ The angell came downe frō heauen Secondly this excellent Aungell is sayde to come downe from heauen not that the bodies of Apostles came from heauen but for as much as their vocation and office was geuen them frō heauen For the sonne of God which came downe from heauen chose the Apostles and sent them forth into the worlde Which thing is declared in the .10 of Matth. and .20 of Iohn Marke .16 and Luke .24 And S. Paule sayeth to the Galathians that he was called and ordeyned an Apostle nother by men nor of men but of God through Christ Wherupon it appereth howe greate is the authoritie of Apostles For they be not they which speake but the spirite of Christ and of the father which speaketh in them Therefore he that dispiseth their doctrine despiseth God the father the sonne They lie moreouer that saye how the gospell is a newe doctrine forged of wittie men Reade the .1 chapter of the fourmer and later epistle of S. Peter Thangell holdeth in his hande the keye chayne After this the Aungell is sayde to holde in his hande those two excellent instrumentes the keye and chayne Let vs see what is mente by the same Doubtles by these two instrumentes S. Iohn vnderstādeth nothing els but the free trewe holy liuely preaching of the gospel by the which it came to passe that both hell was locked from the faithfull the deuil was holden and kept faste boūden in chaines that he coulde not hurte the godly so much as he would and seduce whom he liste For so hereafter S. Iohn will expounde him self And the keyes Keyes of bindyng lowsing the apostles receiued of the Lord in the .16 of Matth. and .20 chapt of Iohn They open by the preaching of the gospel the botomlesse pitte and helle it self to the vngodly when they shewe vnto them their damnation in hell for their vngodlines They shutte vp helle from the godly whilest by the preachyng of the gospell they open heauen and bring the faythfull to the ioyes celestiall I haue spoken of the keyes at large in an other place A chayne is the signe of captiuitie Chayne By the preachyng of Gods worde the Deuill is taken and bounde Whereof it cōmeth to passe that the common painters haue painted the Deuil bounden with chaynes to certen notable preachers By thinges that followe this keye He taketh the dragō and significatiō of the chayne is better declared whilest the effecte of the Apostolicall preachyng is expounded For he addeth and
head with a lase Vndoubtedly in the heauenly countrie the glory of the children of God shal be wonderfull greate of those chiefely that haue confessed the name of Christ in earth for these the celestial father shal glorifie God lightneth the chosen In the sixte mēbre is repeted agayne which hath ones or twise ben spokē before that the electe in heauē are illumined with the glory diuine wherof hath ben spokē enough before In the last and seuenth membre comprisyng as it were all thinges of life and felicitie and vttering with one word they shal raygne They shal raigne sayeth he for euer more The lord Iesus graunt to vs his faithful that suche thinges as we haue now hearde plentifully of his mouth we may shortely experience in our soules and bodies and may crie with ioye to God the father most mercifull and to Iesu Christ the redemer most mightie and benigne and to the holy ghost the most swete comforter be prayse and glory for euer more Amen ¶ The conclusion of this worke wherein is established the autoritie of the same and the some collected briefely The XCvij Sermon AND he sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithfull and true And the lord God of the holy prophets sente his Angell to shew vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche muste be shortely fulfilled Beholde I come shortely Happy is he that kepeth the saying of the prophecie of this booke I am Iohn which saw these things and I hearde them And whē I had hearde and sene I fel downe to worship before the fete of the Angel which shewed me these thinges And he saide vnto me see thou do it not For I am thy fellowe seruaunt and of thy bretherne the prophets and of them which kepe the sayinges of this boke Worship God The sixte last parte of this worke conteyneth the conclusion The conclusion of this worke which affirmeth the thinges which we haue heard to be diuine certayne and vndoubted for he collecteth the chiefest thinges moueth al men to faith study of godlines that in stedfaste hope we shuld loke for the iudge of al to come shortly and to iudge the quicke the dead And in goodly order this laste boke of the Canonical scripture finisheth the godly narration doctrine with the iudgement ende of all thinges The Apocalipse is the laste boke of the canonical bokes of the scripture For the holy Scripture beginneth at the firste originall of al thinges and continueth a narration vntill the ende of all thinges conteyning in it self the vniuersalitie of things and al such thinges as are requisite to be knowē of matters nedeful and profitable And al those thinges hath our good Lord geuen vs to be knowen in the holy scripture that is to say in the Canonical bokes For they be false harlottes that saye that al thinges which apperteyne to the true full godlines saluation of the faithful are not set forth in holy writinges and therefore to haue nede of traditions They in dede haue nede of those traditions which wil vtter their craftie wares we nede none which esteme al their wares not worth a gally halfpenny to be bought of any man For Esaye hath sufficiently diswaded vs from their disceauable craftie iuglinges in the .55 chapt And this conclusion conteyneth aboute .16 Articles Which we shal discusse in order Immediately after the beginning is set a graue asseueration That these thinges be true vndoubted that the thinges which he hath sayde or writtē hitherto are true sure certaine vndoubted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath in a maner the same sentēce also in the .19 chapt of this booke And he calleth faythful sayinges whiche are stable ratified stedfaste and vndoubted And the sentence is referred in the thinges whiche he hath spoken of the blessed life to the world to come leest we shuld be lefte in any doubtfulnes Agayne it is referred to the whole narration of this boke And this sentence semeth to be a clause of assertiō and confirmyng the certentie of the matter propounded as be those also in the prophets for the lord hath spoken againe thus sayeth the Lord of hoostes and that same moste vsed in the gospel verely verely I saye vnto you And that in the Epistles apostolical God is my witnes that I lie not And the goodnes of god doeth succour our infirmitie wherby many times we doubting of the veritie of Gods words do wauer confirmeth our hope with these as it were ankers Wherefore these must be dilligently beaten in vrged in the ecclesiastical doctrine Aretas expoundyng this place as the wōted maner of this holy Euangeliste is alwayes so is it here also For like as in his gospel in token of loyaltie he sayeth we know that his testimony is true so in this place also setting to his seale he sayeth these sayinges are faithful and trewe Hitherto he Therfore shal it be an vnworthie thing to doubt be it neuer so little of the thinges that are writtē in this boke and in other bokes of the canonical Scripture The Authour of this worke God of the holy Prophetes Secondly he repeteth who is the Authour of this worke and all these thinges are reuealed to him And verely there is none other Authour but the lorde God him selfe and that the God of the holy Prophetes The which hath a great efficacitie for he sheweth him not only to be one the same god of both Testamentes whiche by his spirite hath inspired the prophetes Apostles but also biddeth vs secretly to esteme the veritie certētie of this boke of the prophetical matters For if he coulde in olde time telle his people before of things to come vtter al thinges by the prophetes what maruell is it yf he nowe also perfourme the same by S. Iohn And if all those thinges came to passe which the prophetes did prophesie to come nother did there any word no nor one iote fal vnto the grounde which was not fulfilled there is no man also that wil doubt of the veritie of this boke yf at leest he cōsider that the same God which in times past was with the prophets is nowe also with blessed Ihon. The Prophets said howe the land of Chanaan shulde be deliuered in to the possession of the children of Israel it was deliuered The selfe same prophecied that the people of Israel shulde for their sinnes be cast out agayne of the same land in to Babilon thei were cast oute After thei prophecied againe that thei shulde be deliuered shuld repare the Citie to the which Christ wolde come which shuld redeme mankynd cal into the fellowship of life and blesse all nations They were deliuered they repared their Citie Christ came and redemed mankind and the gospel was preached through out the whole world What thyng than remayneth but that the church shuld be turmoiled Antichrist shuld come and raigne and that the true Christians and
in that laste iudgement shal be caste out Dogges and the residewe whiche are recited in the register of the condeÌ„ned The vocable of Dogs is not alwayes taken in the holy Scriptures in the euill parte but yet for the moste parte Abner the Prince of kyng Saulles warres am I the head of a Dogge sayeth he to Isboseth whiche defende the house of Saull agaynste Iuda Signifiyng that he had incurred the displeasure of the tribe of Iuda for that he had reteined ten tribes yet in their duetie and vnder the dominion of the house of kinge Saule Els where as in the .15 of Matthewe the gentiles or heythen or estraunged from the people of God seme to be called Dogges As some at this daye call the Turkes namyng them Turkish do good that is to saye turkish infidelles Now also the prophet Esaye calleth the false Prophetes dogges shamelesse rauening vnsatiable not able to barke and defende the lords Shepefâ—lde or els vnwillyng and slepie After the same signification the Apostle sayeth to the Philippians beware of dogges beware of euill workers c. Moreouer in the holy Scriptures are called dogges angrie men fierse cruell contemners of godly thinges barkers at the trewth sclaunderers and persecuters thereof and blasphemers For in the .22 Psalme Dauid a figure of Christ the lorde crieth Dogges haue inuironned me rounde aboute the counsell of the malignaunt hath compassed me Whom he now calleth Dogges by and by he nameth malignaunt And when Semei cursed Dauid Abisai the sonne of Zaruia sayeth whie doeth this dogge that shall die curse my Lorde the kynge Math. 27. And the lorde in the Gospell forbiddeth to caste that is holy to dogges or pearles to Swine Finally they are called dogges these filthie men vncleane without repentaunce wallowyng themselues in the dungehill of sinne and wickednes For S. Peter calleth suche dogges retournyng to their vomite And the lord prohibiteth 2. Peter 2. that no man bring the price of a strompet or dogge into the Temple For euen therfore the Iewishe Priestes refused the price of bloud offered of Iudas Therefore vnder the name of dogges we vnderstande heythen or infidelles false Prophetes or deceauers cruell men blasphemers persecuters of the veritie cursed speakers contemners of the trewth vncleane and filthie c. And as for the membres that followe haue ben expouÌ„ded before to witte in the .9 chapt and about the beginnyng and in the ende of the .21 He loueth maketh lesinges chapt To a lie he addeth here he that loueth and maketh For many make them not opeÌ„ly but they loue fauour and auaunce them Many both loue and make them They loue a lesyng chiefely whiche mainteyne liyng learnyng and delighte therein But hereof moste purposely Primasius Bishoppe of Vtica to all these thinges sayeth he must be geuen not dilligence of expouÌ„ding but carefulnes of auoyding the euils The lord Iesus saue vs froÌ„ al euill AmeÌ„ ¶ Christ is shewed agayne to be Authour of this booke how great he is here Here is also declared the desire of the church wisshyng for the commyng of Christ and the liberall promesse of the Lorde The C. Sermon I Iesus sent mine Angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the coÌ„gregations I am the rote and generatioÌ„ of Dauid and the bright mornyng Starre And the spirite and the bryde sayde come And lette him that heareth saye also come And let him that is a thirste come And let who so euer will take of the water of life free The Authour of this booke Christ The tenth place of this conclusion sheweth againe the authour of this worke to be Iesus Christ whiche is brought in here of S. Iohn speakyng to the intent the thing that is spoken maye haue the more authoritie and credit be geueÌ„ more easely of the Auditours to the whole worke Wherefore nothing is to be ascribed to S. Iohn but the writing of the worke that is to wit that he first saw al these thinges indited committed them to writing And the maner also of the reuelation is repeted Christ himselfe came not downe into the earth or into these lower partes but sent forth his Angel which from Christ in Christes name opened shewed these thinges to S. Iohn The ende also of the Angelles sendyng or reuelatioÌ„ is specified that he should testifie these thinges in congregations and to you al that are in the world vnto th ende of the world And we learne of those fewe wordes that credit muste be geuen to this boke as that which is propouÌ„ded of the very sonne of God by his Angel and Apostle and that in dede propounded to all that are in the church Agayne that Iesus Christ is very God the lord of Angelles as S. Paule also affirmeth in the .1 chap. to the Hebrewes Christ very God Of the which thing is spoken also before And these moste clere testimonies of the scripture ought to moue the faithful more thaÌ„ al the dotages of Seruetus the Spaniarde and Seruetanes playing the Arrians and Iewes Let vs obserue moreouer that Christe sente his Angell not to Iudge or to teache but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy writinges are AutheÌ„ticall that is to testifie Testimonies lawefully taken or committed to wryting and sealed it is not lawefull to speake agaynst For they are altogether taken for Authentical But all this boke was written by S. Iohn and is a witnes or the testimony of the Angell of God Therefore is it vnlawefull to doubte any thynge thereof And also ought to haue the same opinion of all other bookes of the olde and newe Testamente For the Prophetes and Apostles are called the witnesses of God and the Gospell and doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles the witnes or testimonie He is madde that thinketh not the Canonicall Scripture to be of it selfe Authenticall vnlesse it be first made authenticall by the approbation of the church and Counselles Moreouer we vnderstande that the doctrine of this whole boke belongeth not only to the seuen churches of Asia but to all dispersed through out the whole worlde and therefore to apperteyne chiefely and singularly vnto vs whiche liue at this daye at Zuricke or in Swycerlande Englande Fraunce or Germany Aretas Bisshoppe of Cesaria that he should testifie saieth he that is to saye that â—e should proteste not priuely nor obscurely but in the audience of all Churches dispersed in all the worlde that no man pretendynge wilfull ignoraunce shoulde remayne vncorrected And incontinently the Lord him selfe also sheweth and declareth Christe is the roote stocke of Dauid who and howe greate he is and what we faythfull haue layde vp in store in him And he vseth agayne parables and allusions for the more perspicuitie And firste he calleth him selfe the roote and generation of Dauid that is to saye a trewe and naturall man For we hearde before that he was very and naturall God And he cutteth of from al Heretikes deniyng and impugnyng the
offended that he hath deserued prayse also let them leaue blamyng of those thinges whiche are here moste pourposely placed of our lord Iesu Christ him selfe by S. Ihon in their place time dewe Verely Anathema whiche worde S. Paule vsed is he that is cutte of from the felowship of al good men deuoued to extreme punnishement and euen subiecte to all the euilles bothe of this present life and the life to come Whiche thinge maye be gathered of Deuteronomie and other holy bokes Who adde who take â—waye And he addeth and taketh awaye not whiche vseth other diuerse and playner wordes in expoundyng a sentence of the reuelation but he that putteth in any thinge contrary to the true sense and variyng from those thinges which are here of the lord expressed or he that taketh awaye any thing obscureth or peruerteth which here the lord himself hath expresely signified Wherupon Thomas of Aquine he addeth to sayeth he which putteth to a lie he minissheth which taketh awaye any thing of that which is written therein or also in deniyng gayne sayeth the same Thus much he Therefore this addition and substraction consisteth not in wordes only but rather in sense For nother the prophetes in expoundynge the lawe at large are thought to haue added any thing to God his worde nother the Apostles preachyng the libertie of the gospel are saide to haue taken any thing away froÌ„ the lawe And to testifie To testifie is vnder the religion of a testimony to affirme any certen thing or with a protestation to vrge beate in any thing ernestly and eueÌ„ as it were to binde the hearer that he shuld certenly know that these thinges that are spokeÌ„ do haÌ„ge ouer him that God wil plage vnlesse he do obey Concernyng the paynes or plages which he threateneth at this present is spokeÌ„ in the .15 16. 17. and .18 chap. c. Likewise is declared before that might be here spoken of the boke of life and of the holy citie Moreouer he coÌ„prehendeth here also all good thinges in like maner whiche are promised in this boke to the godly and obedient seruauntes of God of al the whiche thinges the contemner falsifier and corrupter of this boke shal be depriued With how great euilles and dauÌ„gers than do they intangle themselues whiche would haue this boke vtterly suppressed and let that it shoulde not be expounded openly and come in to the handes of al meÌ„ agayne it is most certayne that they shall obteyne of God all maner of blessing so many as haue a good opinion and thinke deuoutely of this boke and wil set forth and commende vnto al men the thinges that are written in the same to the glory of God and saluation of the faithfull 14. In the fouretenth place is sealed Thus saieth he that testifieth these thinges and euen signed as it were with a subscription the authoritie of this boke For it followeth he sayeth that beareth witnes of these thinges or he that testifieth these thinges For in maner all the expositours suppose those to be Christes words as though he him selfe for a confirmation had putte to the same and sayde I Iesus haue propounded al these thinges and especially such as concerne the threatenynges agaynste the corrupter as a true witnes and the same to be vndoubted For Aquinas here sayeth he is brought in Christe affirmyng the foresayde menacyng and approuing al thinges that are written in this boke But I for my parte reseruyng the iudgementes of others safe suppose this to be the subscription of S. Iohn the writer of this boke For the Notaries Secretaries or chauncelers of Princes are wonte at the ende of the kinges or Emperours letters or writynges to subscribe their name And verely S. Iohn in the Historie of the Gospell hath obserued the same maner For in the .19 chapt he sayeth and he that sawe bare witnes and his testimony is trewe And at th ende of the Historie he subscribeth and signeth vnderneth with these wordes this is that disciple whiche beareth witnes of these thinges and wrote them and we knowe that his testimony is trewe For al the church knewe and confessed this In like maner he semeth at this presente to haue subscribed these thinges also in his owne name to haue sayed He that testifieth these thinges sayeth Christ cometh certeynely to Iudge 15. In the .15 place he bringeth in agayne the lorde Iesus himselfe speakyng and promising that he wil certenly come to iudgement verely to redeme and glorifie the godly and to punnishe the wicked Therefore with a great asseueration he sayeth euen so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely and doubtles I come quickely although I seme to tarye longe and to some not to come at al. Neuerthelesse yet moste certenly and in time doe I come as before also is sayde and declared And the same thing is repeted in maner with the same wordes oftener as a thinge most worthie to be marked and knowen He annexeth immediately the fayth and wisshe and great desire of S. Iohn and of the faythfull church or of any godly submittyng him selfe to the promesse and sayeng Amen euen so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye we acknoweledge it to be moste certayne and vndoubted that thou promisest that thou wilt come Therfore doe we loke for thee the Iudge of the quicke and the dead yea praye with our inwarde bowelles come lorde Iesu For els where also we praye dayly Thy kingedome come And al the godly with sighes vnspeakeable wish for the commyng of the Iudge for glory Whereof the Apostle treateth in the .8 chapter to the Romanes and we haue touched the same matter before The Apostles blessing In the laste place of the conclusion he wissheth after the Apostolicke maner the grace of our Lord Iesu Christe to all the hearers and readers of this boke S. Paule in the .2 Epistle to the Thess the .3 chapt Thus I wryte sayeth he in euery Epistle the grace of our lord Iesu Christe be with all you Amen He therefore here agreeth to him selfe as the Apostolicall sprete doeth euery where Grace comprehendeth the whole matter of the redemption and giftes of Christe He wissheth therefore to vs al the blessyng whiche we haue in Christ Iesus our Lord. Whereof moste plentifully and besiâ— hath discoâ—â—â—ed â—he vessel of election S. Paule in the .1 chap. to the Ephes◠〈◊〉 â—he lord Iesus whiche hath reuealed to vs these holy misteries write the same in our mindes and deliuer vs from Antichriste and from all euilles and kepe vs in the true faith and in his grace Vnto him be honour and glory prayse and thankes geuyng together with the father and the holy ghoste for euermore Amen Come Lorde Iesu our redemer and onlie Sauiour and gloryfie them that loke for thy commyng moste wisshed for that we maye gloryfie thee for euer Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VIVET TAMEN POST FVNERA VIRTVS ET SI MORS INDIES ACCELERAT ⧠IMPKINTED AT at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saincte Martins Cum gratia priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis per Septennium These bokes are to be sold at his shoppe 〈◊〉 the gate
nor other mo doctrines and to haue no nede of other Reuelations For the churche ys already instructed with a most complete doctrine There is it taught also what we ought to do with corrupte doctrines and teachers And where it is easy to fall into vices this boke doth dilligently and plentifully minister medicines teaching how the churche falling downe maie be set vp and repared againe And here it treateth much of true repentauÌ„ce of the fruites of repentaunce of the duties of Saincts or of very good workes Moreouer it exhorteth the afflicted to patience and constantie and to the confession of Christes name withoute feare and to all godlynes many times settyng forth the most ample rewardes of god And also affirming that tourmentes are prepared for the disobedient and reuoltes By this waie meane S. Iohn sheweth to the church how our Lorde Iesus Chryst being in heauen on the righthande of his father in the meane tyme neuerthelesse worketh in the middes of the congregation of his faithful inspiring quickenyng kepyng and gouernyng it And agayne how the church liuing in this world may lâ—ue notwithstanding in Christ and be quickened of him of whom it dependeth wholye whom only it regardeth and in whom it is preserued And who wyll not acknowledge this handlyng of the matter to be all together Apostolicke and right well grounded in the doctryne of Chryst But in the worke it selfe all and euery thynge shall to vs be muche more euidently declared But where as Christ in the Gospel hath said that the church his welbeloued spouse shulde be exercised with sondry afflictions in the whiche notwithstanding The church is subiect to teÌ„ptations persecutions he wolde neuer faile her Nowe in dede froÌ„ the right hand of his Father he recompteth moste plentifully and in a most goodly order of all the dollefull destenies of the churche to thintent that whilest the churche is subiecte to sundry euilles she may remember these thinges and coumfort her selfe lest she beyng discouraged with aduersitie she begin to doubte of the good wyll of God towardes vs and fall againe to Idolatrye forsaken into the errours of theyr Fathers and into the slippery pleasures of this worlde but rather that she go forewarde in the Religion of Chryste once receyued that she holde on throughe constante patience to professe Chryste to cleaue vnto him vnseparably that at the length we maye also be ioyned with the same in the heaueÌ„ly countrey Which is verely the marke and ende of our lyfe the course of all faithful in this miserable world Howebeit Chapter .iiii. wheras in the calamities and persecutions of the faithful and in the felicitie triumphing of the infidels the minde euen of the holyest seruaunt of God is sore moued and greuously tempted before he come to declare the heauy and miserable destenies of the church he setteth foorth vnto them a moste beautifull type or figure of the reuerende holy â–ª and euermore blessed Trinitie wherin is setforthe to be sene of theyes of all men the vnspeakeable wisdome of God power maiestie the iuste gouernement of the same and holy iudgement in all thinges And is also declared that almightie God the father by that Lambe that is by hys sun our onely redemer in the vertu of the holy Gost doth gouern well althinges what soeuer they be eyther in heauen or in earth And also the very destenies of the churche which are written in the boke of his eternal prouidence closed with seueÌ„ seales There appereth the Lamb of God The seuen hornes of the Lambe Chap. v. setforth with seuen hornes That is furnished with most ful power aswel princely as priestly the greatest of al and in all the most absolute The Lamb receyueth that boke of the ryght hand of hym that sitteth in the Throne and vndoeth and openeth in order those seuen seales For he receyueth of hys father all power bothe in heauen and in earth And that the Lambe alone openeth those seuen seales it conteyneth a swete mistery and ministreth a singular comfort to the faithfull For where we beleue that the LaÌ„be of God our redemer Iesus Christ doth loue mankind so excedyngly that neyther in heauen nor in earthe maye any thyng be founde that loueth vs more intierly And now see the very same and none other to open the seuen seales Seuen seales which opened sondry calamities issew out by and by into the worlde Who wold double the same to be sent to him for his health since they are sent not without his prouidence and disposition who directeth al thinges for the saluation of his chosen vnto all the which thinges that notable matter is added that al the spirites Angelicall thelders also and all heauenlye creatures worshyp God and the Lambe prayse and commende his righteousnes and for his excedyng good gouernement geue him immortall thankes For therof we miserable mortall men inuironed with synful fleshe ought to learne that we shuld acknowledg also the iustice of God in all hys workes and not mumer at his gouernement and most rightfull iudgmentes but rather to worship God to submit vs vnto him to prayse his righteousnes and geue thankes for his moste holy gouernmente and to crye with the prophet thou art iust O Lorde in all thy wayes Chap. vi and holy in all thy workes These thinges being on this wise promysed and the mindes of the faithfull thus instructed and prepared in the opening of the seuen seales seuerally is accompted and rekned vp what and how greate euils shuld inuade men from the which not somuch as the faithful liuing in this world shuld be free Wares slaughters famine pestilences are recyted and suche other lyke plages Agayne persecutions seditions Gospel or Consolation and a great deale worse then al these the seducyng and distroying of men through corrupt doctryne But because this boke of the Apocalippes is most euangelicall apostolical it mingleth doubtles in all that declaration often tymes ioyfull thinges with sorrowful and comforteth the faithfull excedingly in moste and greatest daungers And therefore in the calamities Chap. vii troubles euils and corruptions declared hitherto the Aungel of God is brought in who marketh the elect of God in theyr foreheades and all they in dede throughe the goodnes and custodye of God are saued from perdition And of these are accompted innumerable thousandes Wherby we learne that the mercy of God is moste ample in sauing of men and that we ought to hope well of the saluation of oure elders We must hope wel of the saluation of oure forefathers wherof though the most part lyued vnder the corrupt tyme of Papistrie yet followeth not thereof theyr saluation to be doubtfull at the least euen for this cause that we see that God had hath his church at all tymes euen when they be most daungerous To haue hys sealed to haue suche as worship hym whiche like as in times paste haue not bowed
Gospel doth figurate and teache most thinges by parables And. S. Iohn himself in his Gospel is veri much in the mention of light darknes of bread water of a Sheperd and shepe and suche other lyke In the meane while I am not ignorant howe great a difference there is betwene parables Metaphores or Allegories and visions But who agayne knoweth not that in teaching and setting forth of matters the maner of either to be after a sort al one and of the same effect For they serue for plainnes and perspicuitie But let suche as think not a misse that Parables taken of earthly things differ very muche from heauenlye visions Consider how these celestial visions ar exhibited to the Apostle S Iohn by Christ now remayning in heauē and requiring that his seruauntes hauing theyr mindes lifted vp to heauenly thinges shuld learne to sauour spirituall matters Where he yet neuerthelesse hath obserued plaines and perspicuitie The boke is plaine and may be vnderstand I suppose verely this boke to be simple and playne to the faithful that wil read it attētiuely with deuotion I graūt that thold expositours of this boke haue sticked ful oft in expounding the same could not alwayes wind thēselues out but in the meane season it is euident that the same men haue said oftner thē once that hardely shuld this boke be vnderstand before it wer fulfilled And in dede to those auncient fathers the vision of Daniell semed vtterly most obscure But whē such things wer accomplished as he had hid vnder figures there wanted not that sayde how he had wrytten a story of things don and not a prophecie of things to be don And our lord him self also in the Gospel of S. Matthew When you shall see sayth he thabomination of desolation which was spokē of by Daniel the Prophet stāding in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand Doth not Esay also in a maner in all his prophecies after the comming of Christ and most of the misteryes of the kyngdom of God accomplished seme likewise to haue compiled a most playn history And doubtles if we reade with diligence this same boke of the Apocalips confer those things which he speaketh vnder a shadow with the same that stories testifie to be done We shall say also that he telleth plaine histories I haue verely loued this boke from my youth vpward I haue gladly red in it bestowed much labour ther vpon obseruing what things it had out of the bokes of the prophets howe the prophecies herof did agree with thother prophesies of the prophets doctrins of the Apostls I haue searched finally after the capacitie of my sklēder wit diuers stories which I thought to make for the openyng of the sence of this prophecie I haue searched also thopinions of other expositours And haue diligentli compared domestical matters which ar don now in our tyme with this narration of Iohn of al the which things and chiefly being ayded by the helpe of God whiche I called for I haue gathered such things as I now do cōmunicate here to the godly readers Hereunto came also the singular learnyng diligence and aptnes in expounding the holy scriptures of the most godly man D. Theodore Bibliander doctour of Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Zurick Doctour Theodore Bibliander who thirtine yeres past red openly and to his greate praise this boke of reuelation of whō vnlesse I wold confesse my self to be very much holpē I were excedingly vnthankful There remaineth as yet a faithful relation of the same imprinted at Basyl the yere of our Lord .1545 Wherin he disposeth this boke of S. Iohn geueth a light to it with his scoles And bothe of thold and new that I could get I haue red ouer Aretas the successor of Andreas bishop of Casaria Who haue written vpon the Apocalips whose expositions vpō this boke he allegeth oftner thē once S. Austen also bishop of Hippon and Primasius Bishop of Vtica Neither haue I contemned Thomas of Aquine nor dispised the ordinary glose as they terme it of the newer sort s Sebastian Meter-minister of the church of Bernes .xx. yeres since a man of great vertu and learnyng hath faithfully and not without great fruite traueled in expowndyng this boke whose commentaries vpō the Apocalips wer imprinted many yeres since at Zurick by my frend Froschouer And D. Fraunces Lambart of Auenion a most godly and excellent learned man hath laboured in expoundyng the same boke who had fyrste red it at Marsepurge the noble vniuersitie of Hessia And after in the same citie he caused to be printed and setforth seuen bokes of thexposition therof the yere of our Lord .1528 Moreouer there was imprynted at Wittēberg in Saxony a commentary vpon thapocalipse written an hundreth yeres past and sent to D. Luther out of the furthermost parts of Germany namely out of Sarmatia and tartaria which I red also as likewise certen thyngs of D. Leuthers vpon this boke of Reuelation And here I may not forget the most excellent learned men and the which haue right wel deserued of learnyng Erasmus of Roterdame and Laurence Valla who haue also lefte theyr annotations vpon thys boke By all whose labours I confesse my selfe to be very much holpen whiche I recite franckly for this pourpos that I would dissemble nothyng nor seme toffend against ciuilitie or defraud any man wrongfully of his deserued praise And therfore wold admonish the godly that if I seme to any man to haue don any thing in this work prayse worthy he may know that I haue don nothyng without coadiutours And that he refer thys whole benefite to God thauthor and fountain of all goodnes geue hym thanks therfore And al these thinges of myne I propound to be iudged of the godly readers auditours that they may take that shall seme good herin and where I seme to haue erred frō the right rule they may eschew the same Neyther wil I contend with any man neither will I enuy better learned or better exercised wherof som haue promised already commentaryes vpō this boke if they shal bring forth better thīgs yea I am alwaies ready my self not only to receiue better thynges but also to geue them thanks that offer the same In the meane season I put out my talent which I haue receyued of the Lord that I may win som lucre with it for my Lord. And I beseche the Lord that he wold prosper it wel and blesse thys my simple trafficke Here moreouer I take God to witnes that I haue takē this pain for no priuat hatred towards any man for no desire of raylyng That these cōcions are frēdly wretten nor for any intent to procure any mās displeasure but simply to expound this excellent and right profitable boke of the new Testament which haue lately with my commentaries setforth al the residue of the boks of the new Testament And besides all this many godly learned men
which in tymes past the lord Iesus him self by S. Iohn hath prepared for these hard things times by reuealing this Apocalips And in dede these things here haue a singular grace and vertu which ar reuealed to vs of God Neyther shal the aduersary and enemy of Christ be ouerthroweÌ„ with any corporal weapons saue only with the sword of Gods word For now it is nedeful that antichrist shuld waxe vile perish in the minds of men that Christ alone might liue again and be glorified for euer And thys my exposition I haue diuided into sermones bothe for that I haue nowe Conefonsor sermones these yeares of a .1555 and .1556 expounded thys boke to the faithful church of Christ which I serue making in a maner these same sermons to the people and also that being requested I wold deliuer som copy to such as wil read and expound the same boke to the churches committed to their credit also Where not withstanding I admonish the readers that they loke not for all thines of thys my work or think that these things are to be rehearsed word for word to theyr auditours For certen thinges which I propounded to the people for the consideration of the time and place I haue not setforth in these my sermons studieng much for breuitie And other thynges namely such as concerne the conferring of tongs and the kind maner of speakyng and such other lyke I rehersed not to the congregation but haue written them here in my sermons to the profit of those that wyl confer these things together more dilligeÌ„tly It shal be the part of the preacher to haue a respect chiefly to such thynges as make both for the plaines of speache that he may be vnderstand euen of the grossest sort and also for the edifyeng of the audience that he brynge nothyng that shuld little profit Let euery man therfore applye these things to the edifieng of the church where he is hauing consideratioÌ„ of the place time and persons Yet alwayes obseruing the true sence of the boke or of Gods words For violeÌ„t wrestings and long digressions far from the pourpos deserue no prayse in preachynge or what tyme swaruing ouer muche from the playne sence of the scripture we boult out I wot not what mysteryes The dedicating of the worke And all this work compiled not without my great labour trauel but chiefly by the grace of God to the glory of Iesu Chryste and written to the saluation and confirmation of his afflicted churche I dedicate to you banished men as many of you as comyng or driueÌ„ out of Fraunce England Italy other realmes and nations for Iesus Christ and the gospels sake dwel in Germany Swisserland other places where God hath permitted you And also I dedicate this my worke to all you which dispersed in sondry realmes and nations are consecrated only to Christ our Lorde loking for his coming to iudgement In the which we shall vndoubtedly be delyuered at the last froÌ„ all euils and then shall be made that long loked for and in al ages and most fortunate restitution most expressely constantly promised both of the prophets and Apostles Actes .iii. And surely your Godly zeale banished brethern which had rather forsake your countrey then the Gospell to want your temporal coÌ„modities then to be polluted with a religioÌ„ estraunged from Christe deserueth no small prayse Iames .i. Math. xxiiij But you haue nede of constancie and wonderfull patience that after you haue ben tried you may receyue the crowne of lyfe which the Lorde hath promised to them which perseuer vnto th ende The heauenly regeneration doeth not so chaunge vs but that some doubtefull trouble some dregges of olde Adam remayne Therfore alwayes the regenerated fele sundry temptations and harde conflicts then especiallye when suche things chaunce as they had leaste looked for The godly therfore had euermore nede of consolation But this booke of the Apocalypse doeth minister the same with greate plentie whiche if you wyll reade ouer diligently you shall finde all things that happen to you that vexe you nowe with painefulnes to haue ben already so prophecied in this boke as they nowe come to passe Whereunto are added oftentymes most comfortable and swete consolations Moreouer ye are not ignoraunte right honorable and dere bretherne what chauÌ„ced to oure fathers the holyeste of all others Howe they wandered in mansions vncerten and howe they demeaned them selues in those most paynefull flittings you vnderstande me to speake of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and Ioseph whose peregrinations out of Chaldey into Palestine from thence into Egypt and agayne into Palestine from thence againe into Syria and agayn into Palestine Egypte are well knowen to the whole worlde Nowe what bannishements and perills abode that woorthie seruauÌ„t of God and most excelleÌ„t prophet Moses is not vnknowen so much as to those that be ignoraunte in matters of antiquitie Whose faith the vessell of election S. Paule commendynge By faith saith he Moses when he was greate Heb. xij refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter And chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to in ioye the pleasures of sinne for a season And estemed the rebuke of Christe greater richesse then the treasures of Egypte for he had respecte vnto the rewarde What shall we saye that our Lorde Iesus Christe hym selfe was constreyned in his infancie to flee into Egypte euen from hys swaddlynge cloutes teachinge his to suffer exile who is red also in the Gospell to haue sayed Foxes haue holes and the byrdes thayre haue nestes But the sonne of man hath not wher on to reste his head Dan. xi Of Antechriste we reade in dede that Daniel prophecied whom who so will acknowledge he will promote him to greate honours and make him the lorde of many and shall distribute the earth for mony Contrarywise we shall heare in the .xii. chapter of this Booke that both Christe and the Churche his spouse suffer greuouse persecutioÌ„ of the dragoÌ„ That Christ is takeÌ„ vp into heaueÌ„ a blessed hath opened heaueÌ„ also for the fartheful And there sheweth a place permaneÌ„t countrey to them that haue in maner no habitation in earth From thence he will come to Iudge the quicke and dead and to assumpte vnto hym the faithfull into ioye euerlastynge and to geue them what thyngs so euer he him selfe in the Gospell and the Prrphets and Apostles haue promysed Of the which most â—mple hope this boke of Apocalypse most plentifully and goodly discourseth instructyng all that desyre to heare certayne things and most full of comforte vnto all you therfore exiles and godly throughout the whole worlde desyringe the comynge of Christe our Lorde and iudge of all I offer and coÌ„mende and dedicate this my labour Receyue it with louing minds which I setfoorthe to non other ende but that fleenge Antichriste you shoulde cleaue to Christe alone fixinge
all your truste in him alone where we loke already from heauen for the selfe same Lorde Philip. iij. whiche shall chaunge our vile bodye that it maye be lyke fashioned vnto his gloryouse bodye accordynge to the woorkynge whereby he is able to subdew all thinges to hym selfe he blesse vs all and brynge vs in that daye into the sight of hys father that we maye see hys glorye whych he had before thys woorlde was made to him alone be glorye From Zurick the moneth of Ianuarie in the yere of our Lorde 1557. An Index or table of the most notable thinges and wordes conteined in thys work A ABbadon 265 Abominable parsons 643 Abomination is Idolatry 512 Abrahams Bosum 198 Absens presens of Christ 284 Accusacion of Christ is for amēdement 56 Acknowledging of beleuers by God 109 Adding or minishinge from the script 695. c. Adoration externall and inward 153. Aduersities remedies 385 Aduersitie conforted 27 Adultry Nicolas fault 60 Egypt for Rome 327 Affians of mariage 563 Affliction is fourfold .64 is sum tyme for tryall .68 is felt of the godly vngodlye also 487 is comforted 27 Age last corrupt 599 Aid of the Turks pernicious 275 Air figure of holsū doctryne 253 Alarik captain of the westgoths 526 Alleluya 559 Al shal not be saued but the faith full only 221.222.454.456 628. Alteration figured by the moone 349 Ambassadore of the Pope 493 Amen 124.125 Amendement of lyfe requyreth c. 56 Amires Princis of Mahomete 273 Anabaptistes .662 c. wourthy to be sharply loukt vnto .290 theyr counterfeit paciens 53 Anadyplosis 453 Anathema 696 Antichrists beginninge .387 holines .111 kingdū cōtinews til the worlds end .221 shall haue an end .451 foundacion therof laid by Hyldebrand .415 hys palace where .618 his power 388. his speach .389.390 hys subiects .421 he shall wourship God with gold and siluer .511 he hath reined Christe shall reine .339 shal be slaine howe 318. his seat betwē ii seas 508 he is set forth by the Prophets 1. he ouercumeth and killeth 323. c. he is lyuelye painted 348. his tyme .434 his vaūtcurror 388 Antipas martired .77 is praised 77. Apocalyps neglected of manye why .2 made by Iohn theuangeliste .4 approuid by iudgement of many olde wryters .5 oght to be commended to all men 697. to be known and not hid .680 belongeth to all ages 30. to the hool church .19 to all churchs .61 serueth chiefly for our tyme .8 is euangelical .214 is gospellyke .284.439 is the last boke of the canonical scripturs why .673 expositiō therof taken out of the scripture .348 doctryne therof what it is 1. methode and perspicuitie .233 diuision .10.11 Commodities 676. a prophecie .677 the end therof .14 to know Antichrist and beware .259 whē wher it was wrytten .26 whens it came .14 doctryn therof is generall 83 Appollyon 265 Apostles doctryn perfyt .98 how they are the foundation of the Churche .652 c. theyr humilitie .28 counterfeited and fals 52 Apostolicall Pope Rome and sea 511 Apparill of the faithfull 132. to miet the Lord in .565 defyled or vndefiled .107 the vse therof 107. of thehoore .510 of popish priestes .262 of the Antechristians 316 Ark of the testament is Christe 345 Armie of great number 272 Armour of the faithfull 120 Arrius 245 Arrianz 125 Asia 48 Ascension of Christ 22 Asseueration of the scrip 673. c. Assistauns of Christ 50 Attila inuadith Rome 527. Augustinus Steuchus a papist 338. Augustus began and ended the Roman Monarch 528 Aultar signifieth Christ 197 Aultar golden .267 is Christe 236. Aungels good and bad .214 are ministers .651 ar mens kepers 486. ar pastors of churchs 45. are fugurs of preachers .446 their excellencie .569 c. 570. they oght not to be nourshyp 571.573.175 are our felo seruaūts .572 their office dewtie 176. they prayes Christe .175 theyr description .175 do differ from blessed souls 486 Aungell signifieth c. 589. for a hool nacion .271 wourshipped of Iohn 677 Aungell of the botumles pit 265 Aungelicall heretiks 177 Aurelianus 194 B Babel confusion 512 Babylon title of the Romyshe Churche 513 Babylon for Rome 451.502 Badge of Antechrist 422 Badge of Gods children is faith 422. and the sacraments Balans token of right and equitie 188 Balaams doctryne 80 Bankets and masking 81 Banishment of Iohn 27 Bastards threatened 94 Bawl or gloob figure of inconstancie 655 Boastings of victories 274. Bear Persian monarchie 372 Beast and image of the beast 515 Beasts .iiij. sign al creaturs 149 Bed in the script vsed for siknes wherwith c. 94 Beginning God hath noon 637 Beginning of creatures of God 125 Beheaded for Christ 602 Beleuers who 109 Benedict abbot of Cassinea 269 Beno a Cardinall againste the Pope 412 Bible forbiddē .214 vncorrupted 695 Bishopriks geuīg wrōgout of the emperours hāds by the Pope 416 Bishops and Priests ol an 387 Bishop of Rome head of churchs 519. chief murtherer 643 Blak coulor 188 Blaming of sines by Christ is for repentaunce 104 Blamles lyf not to be trusted vnto 224 Blasphemies of the wicked .503 against the faithfull .66 of Rome 508 of the Romains iii. wayes 378 Blessednes of the faithfull what 568.459 consisteth in ii thyngs 633. what it is 230 Blessed how they shal be occupied heuen 670 Blessing what it is .19 for praise 227 Blis of the soul 457 Blis is rest from all labour 462 Blok man is not 135 Blud in the scrip 208 betokneth offens and punishment 319 Blud sheding of Rome 557 Blud how it maketh whyt 230 Bludy garment token of a conquerour 579 Blyndnes 128 Blyndnes cured 132 Bookz of lyfe .109.625 of God 156. open and shut .287 to eat a booke 302 Books of the holy scripture most excellēt .232 vncorrupted .695 why they wer put in writīg 31 Body humain of Christe in one place 34 Boldnes necessary for a preacher 681 Bonarges 288 Boniface Bishop of Rome 387 Bosum of Abraham 198 Bottumles pit 252 Bow 182 Bretherne of Iohn and Christe 572 Brotherhod in Christianity 26 27 Brotherhods of Saints 572 Bryd of the lamb 563 Buls of the Pope 458 Buryall denied by papists to the godly 325 Burthen taken for doctryne 98 Bying and barganing 130 Bying and selling forboddē 424 Bying and sellyng of pardons c 45◠C Called who 567 Calling of ministers 300 Cādelz watched by chryst 50. 51 Candlestiks what they signifye 46. 34 Capacitie of man very small 228 Cardinals leaders of armies 260. Carpocratytz 59 Casting out 307 Cat of the mountain 372 Cataphrygians 90 Cataphrygianz bragz of new reuelacions 97 Catholik churche communion of saints 24 Cerinthus heretike 52 Certentie of the scrip 674. c. Chalcolibanum 37 Chariot of God 148 Charitie 88 Charles the great renewed the Empire of the west decaied 409 Chastisment of the Lord. 133 Chein token of captiuitie 591 Chein that bynd the deuel sincere doctrin 608 Cherubin 148 Children of God who 109 Choinix a mesure
in ecclesia Sedet vilis in luto Princeps facta sub tributo Quod solebam dicere Romam esse derelictam Desolatam afflictam Expertus sum opere Vidi vidi caput mundi Instar maris profundi Vorax guttur siculi Ibi mundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibi sorbet aurum Crassus Et argentum seculi Ibi latet Scilla rapax Et Charibdis auri capax Potius quam nauium Ibi pugna galearum Et conflictus piratarum Id est Cardinalium Syrtes insunt huic profundo Et Syrenes toti mundo Minantes naufragium Os hominis foris patet In oculis cordis latet In forme demonium Habes iuxta rationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfranconem Ne me credas friuolum Ibi duplex mare feruet A quo non est qui reseruet Sibi valens obulum Ibi-venti colliduntur Ibi panni submerguntur Byssum Ostrum Purpura â—bi mundus sepeditur 〈◊〉 totus dâ—gâ—â—itur Aâ— France 〈◊〉 Franco nulli miseretur Nullum sexum reueretur Nulli parcit homini Omnes illuc dona ferunt Illuc enin ascenderunt Tribus tribus domini Canes scyllae possunt dici Veritatis inimici Aduocati curiae Qui latrando falsa fingunt MerguÌ„t simul coÌ„fringunt Carmina pecuniae Iste probat se legistam Iste vero decretistam Iudicem Gelasium Ad probandam questionem Hic intendit actionem Regendorum finium Vti reum prosequatur Hic Charibdis debaccatur Idem cancellaria Ibi nemo gratus gratis Nulli datur absque datis Gratiarum gratia Plumbum quod hic informatur Super aurum dominatur Et massam argenteam Aequitatis phantasia Sedet teste Zoecharia Super Bullam plumbeam Qui sunt Syrtes Syrenes Qui sermone blando lenes Attrahunt Bysantium Speciem praetendunt leuitatis Sed Charibdi parcitatis Superant marsupium Dulci cantu blandiuntur Vt Syrenes loquuntur Primo quaedam dulcia Frater bene te cognosco Certe nihil ate posco Nam tu es de Francia Terra vestra bene cepit Et benigne nos excepit In portu concilij Nostri estis nostri cuius Sacrosancte sedis huius Spirituales filij Ita dicunt Cardinales Ita solent dij carnales In primis allicere Sic Iustillaim fel draconis Et in fine lectionis Coguntrursum vomere Tales regunt Petri nauem Tales habent Petri clauem Ligandi potentiam Hi nos docent sed indocti Hi nos docent sed nox nocti Indicat scientiam Cardinales vt praedixi Nouo iure crucifixi Vendunt patrimonium Foris Petrus intus Nero Iulus Lupi foris vero Sicut agni ouium In galea sedet vna Mundi lues importuna Camelos deglutiens Inuoluta Cameleo Cuncta vorat sicut Leo Rapulus rugiens Hic pyratis principatur Et Iohannes nuncupatur Sedens in insidijs Ventre grosso lota cute Grande monstruÌ„ nec virtute Sed totum cinctum vicijs Maris huius non est dea Thetis mater Achillea De qua sepe legimus Imo vero Carlmorum Sancta soror loculorum Quam nâ—s bursam dicimus Nam si bursa detumescit Surgunt venti mare crescit Et Carina deperit Sic a ventis circumlata Et a scopulis vexata periculo suberit Et occurrunt cautes rati Donec omnes sunt priuati Tam nuÌ„mis quam vestibus Tum securus fit viator Quia nudus cantator Fit coram latronibus Quod si verum placet scribi Duo portus tamen ibi Due tamen insulae Ad quas licet applicari Et iacturam reparari Confracte nauiculae Petrus enim papiensis Qui electus est Meldensis Portus recte dicitur Nam cum mare fluctus tolliâ— Ipse solus mare mollit Et ad ipsum fugitur Est ibi maior portus Foetus ager florens hortus Pietatis Balsamum Alexander ille meus Meus inquam cui det Deâ— Paradisi thalamum Ille fouet litteratos Omnis mali incuruatos Si posset cerneret Verus esset cultor Dei Nisi latus Olisei Giesi corrumperet Sed mo rursus in boc mari Ne contingat naufragari Dictis finem faciam Quia dum securuseo Ne submergar ori meo Posui custodiam FINIS SERMONS OF HENRI BVLLINger vpon the Apocalipse reuealed to the holy Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn ☞ Of the authour of the boke of Apocalipse of the argument and partes therof Finally of the sondry vse and moste profitable commoditie of the same ¶ The first Sermon THe Prophetes of God of the olde Testament What wer the old prophets and their doctrine were God his messengers to the people expositours of Moyses or of Gods lawe and euen ecclesiastical preachers which applied the doctrine taken out of the lawe of God to the people and tymes wherin they liued to thedifiyng of Congregations And they al with one â—ccorde haue chiefly handled two thinges in their SermoÌ„s For first theâ— haue reproued the corrupt maners of al states â—n their tyme alledging the rule and prescript of Gods law And exhorting all men to repentaunce vnto God moste acceptable And to many that were vncurable they threatened all kynde of plages which they setting forth with all beauâ—ie of speache shewed them plainly to be sene with the eye if â—aply they myght so be made afrayd and healed Secondly â—hey promysed and set forth by the mouth of God the Lord Christ the true Messias Whom also they described liuely â—nd with all his holy churche teaching the faith in Christ â—oth what good thinges are prepared for the faithfull in Christ And also what be the true duties of pietie godlines Neither haue they concealed suche thinges as were nedefull â—o be knowen of Antichrist Admonishing vs most dilligeÌ„tly â—hat we should beware of that wolfe or rather the most depe â—ongeon of all abominations and that we should stand fast â—n the sincere faith of Christ c. I haue taken vpoÌ„ me through the help of God and your â—rayers to expouÌ„d vnto you the Apocalipse The Apocalipse which is a docâ—rine concerning the matters of Christes churche reuealed â—rom heauen of Christ in glory and a som of all godly religion an exposition and brief declaration of the Prophetes a prophecie of the newe Testament and story of the church Howbeit forasmuche as this booke is dispised of maâ— good and well learned men and for that all men for 〈◊〉 most part ar fully perswaded that it is an vnprofitable boâ— I wyll speake here somwhat of the same matter This boke is full of figures First many abhorre this boke for this cause only that is full of visions types and figures for they suppose hoâ— this becometh not the Euangelicall and Apostolicall dâ—trine of the newe Testament But by the same meane a goâ— part of Daniell should be cast away Whiche neuertheleâ— is commended to vs of Christ hymselfe in Mathewe Math. 24. 〈◊〉 greatest matter of all namely the callyng of the Gentils shewed to S.
Eusebius in the .xviii. Chapter of the fourth boke of the Ecclesiasticall story Iustine sayth he mentioneth of the Apocalypse of Iohn saying playnly that it is the Apostles S. Hierom also in the lyfe of blessed Iustine wryteth that Iustine expounded the Apocalypse of S. Iohn but the same exposition remayneth not so farre forth as I knowe The same authour wryteth that Ireney Ireney set forth the Apocalypse of S. Iohn with a commentary whiche also is not to be had He hym selfe who is red to haue lyued about the yeare of our Lorde 160. Witnesseth playnly in the fift boke against the Valentinians that this reuelation was exhibited to Iohn the Apostle a lytle before his dayes We alledge certen wordes of his in the .xiii. Chapter of this boke Tertullian TertulliaÌ„ who lyued about the yeare of our Lorde two hundred and .xx. in the fourth boke against Marcion Albeit sayth he that Marcion refuseth the Apocalypse of Iohn yet shall the order of Byshoppes rekened vp to the very begynnyng affirme S. Iohn to be authour therof In graue matters and reasoning against heretickes he vseth gladly the testimonies of this boke The same thinges are also recited of the blessed Martyr S. Cyprian S. CypriaÌ„ vnder the title of Iohn the Apostle in this Epistles treatises and Sermons Eusebius also in the .xviii. Chapter of the fift booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie Apolloni sheweth that Appollonius a moste auncient wryter vseth the testimonies of the Apocalypse of S. Iohn Theophi And lykewyse Theophilus Byshop of Antioche Whiche he affirmeth in the .xxiiii. Chapter of the fourth boke of the Ecclesiasticall story Also Origen Origen a great man in the churche of God in the .xxv. Chapter of the sixt boke of the same Eusebius And he wrote sayeth he the Apocalypse whiche rested vpon the Lordes breste c. I haue hytherto recited the opinions of the most auncieâ— Martyrs and Doctours of the christen churche touchynâ— the Apocalypse I meane Iustine Ireney Tertullian â—â—prian Appolonius Theophilus and Origen I wyll shorâ—ly after brynge yet moo iudgementes boeth of the 〈◊〉 and Latin wryters of moste authoritie in the churche agâ—yng with the myndes of them that we haue alledged 〈◊〉 therto Howbeit I wyll fyrst touche briefly suche thyng as Dionisius of Alexandria Dionisius AlexaÌ„dria left wrytten of the same booâ— in the fyue and twenty Chapter of the seuenth booke of â—sebius whome I suppose they haue followed as manyâ— after hym haue spoken against this booke He sayeth hâ—â— diuerse that were his predecessours dyd vtterly reprâ— and reiecte this booke Neyther hydeth he the cause wâ—â— they so dyd for that the kyngdome of Christe is affyrmâ— therin to be earthly Wherunto doubtlesse they reserâ—â— that precious citie and the reste whyche vnder terrestrâ—â— kyndes figured spirituall thynges Whiche when we 〈◊〉 in the treatynge therof haue dissolued declaryng thys boâ— not to edifie the earthely kyngdome of Christe but a spiâ—â—tuall and celestiall no man I trowe wyll reiecte a good aâ—â— Godly booke for bycause certen abusyng the testimonâ—â— therof geue vnto it a wrong sense Heretickes haue wrasted verey many places of 〈◊〉 scripture Chiliastes or Millenaries to the defence of their errour shoulde therfore authoritie of the scripture it selfe be brought in doubte Iâ—â— fauoureth nothing at all the Chiliastes or Millenaries this boke He geueth them no weapons Eusebius saieth very well in the ende of the third boâ—â— speakyng of Papias the first authour of the Millenaries He thought saieth he that after the resurrection Chriâ—â— should reigne here corporally with his a thousand yeaâ—â— in earth Whiche I suppose he thought for that he vndeâ—stode not well the Apostles woordes neither that he coâ—â—â—dered not well those thynges that were spoken of hym â—â—der figures for that he was indewed with a small iudgâ—ment But in the meane tyme Dionisius hym self I sayth hâ— dare not reiecte this booke He addeth by and by that he thynketh it not yet to be the booke of Iohn the Apostle but of some other but yet who that should be he knewe not He gathereth also by certen coniectures by the phrase of speach and handlyng of the booke and by the vnlykenes of wytte that this boke should be an other mans than his that wrote the Gospell and Epistle But seing that the argumentes of the story and Epistle be so diuerse that neyther they two be lyke and the argument of the booke of Reuelation moste diuerse of all Why shoulde it seme maruell though it agreeth not with them in all thynges This can no man denie but that in consent of doctrine there is great agremeÌ„t The Epistle to the Hebrewes semed to many to fauour in the syxt and tenth Chap. The Nouatians or Catharites The diuersitie of style was noted to differ from the rest of Saint Paules Epistles But if we should so iudge of holy scriptures I knowe not what shuld be firme and sure enough Leauing therfore this disputation in suspence I wyll nowe procede to bryng foorth the iudgementes of other olde wryters concerning this boke Eusebius Eusebius surnamed Pamphilus Byshop of Cesarea lyuing in the tyme of great Constantine the Emperour and a moste dilligent reader of olde wryters whome many suppose in deminishing the authoritie of this boke to fauour them ryght eloquently in the eighteÌ„th Chapter of the third booke of his story tauntyng the Tyranny of Domitian affirmeth that Iohn exiled into Pathmos wrote there hys Reuelation And where other Historiographers doe also the same He againe in the .xxiiii. Chapter in the thyrd booke concerning the Apocalipse saith he the opinion of men is diuerse some approuing and others reprouing the same Again wheÌ„ he should bring forth his opinion touching the Canon of the new Testament in the .xxv. Chapter He ioyneth the Apocalipse with the bokes vndoubted although he dissembleth not that he wyll shew in another place what other men thinke therof Whilest he this performeth he recoÌ„pteth many more better which iudged the Apocalipse to be of S. Iohn thapostle and imbraced it as a moste Godly booke than those which denied or reproued the same Epipha Epiphanius Byshop of Salamine in Cypres a Greke Authour also doeth manifestly ascribe this boke to S. Iohn the Apostle Reade that he hath left wrytten against Thelogians in the .xv. heresie And S. Hierome attributeth very muche to this Epiphanius Hierome And S. Hierome hym selfe ascribeth this boke to Iohn the Apostle to Paulinus Thâ— Apocalypse of S. Iohn sayth he hath so many Sacramentes as it hath wordes Moreouer Philastrius Byshop oâ— Griria Philastri whome S. Austen sayth he sawe with S. Ambroâ—â— at Millan accompteth them for Heretickes that reiecte thâ— Apocalypse of Iohn and saye that it is not of Iohn the Apostle but of Cerinthus an Hereticke Verely S. Ambrosâ— Ambrose hym selfe alledgeth in his bokes testimonies of the Apocalypse vnder the name of S. Iohn the Apostle S. Austen
chiefly of Christ secondly of our whole faith redemption The third Sermon IOhn to the seuen coÌ„gregatioÌ„s Asia Grace be with you peaâ— from him whiche is and whicâ— was whiche is to come and 〈◊〉 the seuen spirites which are prâ—sent before his throne And froÌ„ Iesus Chriâ—â— which is a faithful witnes and first begotâ— of the dead And Lord ouer the kinges of tâ— earth Vnto hym that loued vs and wasshâ— vs from sinnes in his own bloud And maâ— vs kynges and priestes vnto God his fatheâ— be glory and dominion for euermore Ameâ— Behold he cometh with cloudes And al eyâ— shal se him And thei also which pearsed hiâ— al kinredes of the earth shal wayle ouer him Euen so AmeÌ„ I am Alpha Omega the beginning thending saith the Lord almightâ— which is which was which is to come The beginning or preface of the wâ—rke Another pece of the first part of this boke conteineth tâ— beginning or preface wherin is the Apostles salutation 〈◊〉 the whiche he discribeth first the whole mistery of Christ â—â—condly of our faith redemption For so were the Apostles wont in the beginning of their writinges to comprise a brief some of salutation Which thing in Paules Epistles is euery where to be sene By the same description he getteth the beneuolence and attentiuenes of al men The Apostles salutation or greting is nothing els What is the Apostles salutation but a blessing Blessing is an old accustomed order by the whiche the Patriarkes wished of God to their children al maner of good thinges both of body soul Which verely in Genesis is described at large And also the high priest had coÌ„maundement geuen to blesse the people As we reade in the sixt of NuÌ„bres especially he commaundeth to put his name vpon the people Therfore it is a supersticion to say God verely from whome euery good gifte descendeth froÌ„ aboue blesseth that is geueth good thinges but ministers or men wishe only And the Lord in dede in the lawe promiseth that he will grauÌ„t those thinges to the people whiche the high priestes shoulde wishe them Therfore nother wordes nor shauen crownes but the truth power of God geue the giftes We ought not therfore to doubt but that God wil grauÌ„t to vs also thapostolical blessing that being reconciled accepted of God we might haue peace And first S. IhoÌ„ repeteth his name left we shuld any thing doubt of thautour Iohn interpretour of Christ towardes the congregations whoÌ„ we see Christ to haue vsed as scribe interpretour vnto al coÌ„gregatioÌ„s But he repeteth not himself to be that seruauÌ„t of god witnesse or Apostle of Iesu Christ It sufficed to haue heard that at the first beginniÌ„g Therfore he teacheth theÌ„ modestie humilitie also which haue obteined great giftes Afterward he signifieth to whoÌ„ he wryteth to whoÌ„ this boke apperteineth to the seuen churches of Asia the names wherof he will vtter shortly after And Aretas bishop of Cesaria by the .vii. churches saith he by the .vii. nuÌ„bre he signified the multitude of churches that be in al places So also Primasius bish of Vtica in Affrick expouÌ„deth the .vii. nuÌ„ber Therfor this salutatioÌ„ this boke the whole doctrine of Iesu Christ writteÌ„ by s IhoÌ„ To whom this booke apperteineth apperteineth to the whole vniuersal church of Christ throughout al the world in all times ages WherupoÌ„ it beloÌ„geth to all vs also as many as be of vs in the church of Christ For albeit thepistles be intitled to the Romains Galath yet followeth it not therfore that they be not ours And he wryteth expressely to the churches of Asia not to tâ— churches of Hierusalem or Iewery that he might so shewâ— that the kingdome of Christ is comen also already to the gâ—tiles And as God from the beginning chose Israell in whiâ—he myght set forth a perfit example of the church and coÌ„mâ—wealth so froÌ„ the beginning of the new TestameÌ„t he chose thosâ— seuen churches of Asia which he might set forth to the whâ—â— Christen world But in case Rome had ben set in the first plaâ— amongest the churches as Ephesus is good God hoâ— much wold the Romish sort make of it for the estabishingâ— their supremacie The forme of the Apostles bessing And the maner of the Apostles saluting wysheth granâ— peace Grace is the fauour of the deitie and the reconcâ—ment wherby God the father for Christ his sake is madeâ— one with vs our sinnes pardoned we adopted for his chiâ—dren Therof arriseth the peace and tranquillitie of myndâ— and the desire of concorde with all men And here he sheweth aboundantly who geueth the churcâ— his blessing that is to witte grace reconcilement peaâ— God and God thre in persons the father the sonne and thâ— holy ghost one God in essence But here he discerneth thâ— persones very well From him that is to witte the fatheâ— And from the seueÌ„ spirites that is from the holy ghost And froâ— Iesu Christ this is the diuersitie of persons And the signification of the vnitie is when after the proprieties of persons dâ—clared The holy gost is placed in the middes he addeth I am Alpha omega c. And that the hoâ— ghost is set here in the middes it disordereth not the misteâ— of the Trinitie but appeareth to be an argument that he 〈◊〉 the spirite as well of the father as of the sonne and that hâ— procedeth from both As it is also proued by the wordes 〈◊〉 our lord the xiiii.xv and .xvi. of Iohn Here is also describeâ— the whole holsome mistery first of Christ than of the catholike faith and of our redemptioÌ„ so that herein you may findâ— the chiefest articles of the Apostles crede haue here a mosâ— goodly descriptioÌ„ of Christ our Lord. Hereof al meÌ„ shall iudgâ— how truly some men say The father whiche is which was c. that this boke contrary to the â—â—stome of thapostles maketh litle mentioÌ„ of Christ of faith The father as fountain original of whom the son is ingendred is first described for that it is he whiche is which was and which is to come Those wordes toke Iohn out of Moyses in the .iii. and .xxxiiii. chap. of Exod. out of many testimonies of Esay And he saith nothing but that God the father is an eternall ensence which coÌ„sisteth by and of it self and is and geueth life to all and in all preserueth the same And that this essence is suche that it hath bene always with out beginning For this is it that he ioyneth to being or existing was He addeth and he that shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shal be and shal remaine euen to the ende and to euerlastingnes without end The Grekes deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of running for that conning and running he medleth with all matters is euery where present bringing help to the godly or
are allowed of Christ and he praiseth the same to th ende he might geue a spurre vnto suche as runne in his waye For firste he alloweth the labour and patience bothe of the Bishop and Church Labour patience Labour compriseth thought and care in the waie of God mortifiyng of the flesh study of good workes but chiefly the crosse persecution whiche the story testifieth to haue ben extreme and cruell in the time of Domitian And excepte the persecuted haue patience they can not indure the labour Holy patience kepeth vs in worke and holy labour But leeste that patience shuld be stretched to those things wherein to be impatient is accompted prayse worthy Not to beare euil he addeth the seconde poincte that he prayseth in them that thou canst not beare euill men And by these euill he meaneth not weaklings or such as erre without maliciousnes But the prophet Dauid saieth also Psalm 119. I haue hated the wicked thy law haue I loued What we shuld do with the weake in the faith or with them that erre of ignorauÌ„ce rather than of oâ—stinate stubbernes the Apostle hath taughte vs in the 14. 〈◊〉 the Romanes The example of our Sauiour Hath thaughâ—â— also bringing againe that strayed Shepe vpon his shuldeâ— into the shepefolde Therefore the lord speaketh here of tâ—â— obstinate of the disceauers which delight to erre theÌ„ selueâ— and to drawe others with them into errours no ChristeÌ„ pâ—tience biddeth to beare with suche men And in the woordes followyng he declareth of what sorâ— those euill men were And thou haste examined them whiâ—â— saye they be Apostles and be not and haste founde themâ—ayrs Of false apostles in the time of S. Iohn Lo he speaketh of the false apostles of whom in s Iohâ— time there was exceadyng great plentie For they were â—â—zareans mixing the lawe with grace and attributing Iâ—â—fication to the lawe and to our owne rightuousnes Whâ— the holy and great counsell at Ierusalem condemned aâ—â—pereth in the xv chapter of the actes of the Apostles Sâ—â— a false Apostle was Hebion Eusebius mentioneth in thâ— boke of the Ecclesiasticall story the xxvii chapter Here 〈◊〉 was added Cerinthus that hereticke not Apostle There 〈◊〉 more also whereof some denied the humanitie of Chriâ—â— some his deitie Against whome wrote Iohn in his Gosâ—â—â— and in his Epistle And Ireney in the firste boke against hâ—â—â—tickes These the Lorde denieth to be Apostles or Apostâ—â—â—call which the Apostles haue also denied Actes 15. And â—â—wise the Apostle S. Iohn in his epistle canonicall who 〈◊〉 liar sayeth he but he that denieth Iesus to be Christe But if suche trouble were in Churches whilest the Aposâ—â—â— were yet liuynge TroubliÌ„g of Churches if there were than so manye disceaueâ— what maruell is it thoughe in the dregges of the worlde witte in this our laste time there be not a fewe sounâ— where be they nowe that wraste dissentions and troubles the defence of theyr errour The Gospellers them selâ—â— saye they are at dissention God is God of concorde heâ— than shoulde I beleue that God is amonge those that 〈◊〉 sent So might the Sophisters also haue reasoned in thâ—â—postles time And here haue we a pefitte waye in what sorte the châ—ches shoulde worke whileste troublesome persons like fâ— Apostles attempte to diuide the Churche a sonder Howe we shuld deale with heretickes For such ringeleaders muste be tried and examined And tried muste they be after the christen belefe and doctrine of the Apostles and inquisition muste be made whether they be Apostles and trewe men or false Apostles and lyars When we shall haue founde them to be false Apostles and liars and that they go forewarde obstinately in theyr wickednes they be not to be suffered as in dede the Ephesians did not vouche safe to beare with suche trompers And we muste know that the Pastors ought one waye and the Christen Magistrate another waye and the people the thirde waye not to abide open heretikes For the Pastour not only beareth not with them in dissemblyng and takinge hede to him selfe of those wolues but assayleth them with holesome doctrine and reâ—ulseth them from the shepefoldes of Christe But the Magistrate bicause he is a christen Magistrate and by his duty also not only as a priuate person but also as a Magistrate â—ught to serue Christe he aught also with the swoorde of â—ustice to driue awaye poyson from the churche and to puâ—ishe manifeste blasphemies The hatred that the godly bear to the wicked And the people are commaunâ—ed neyther to heare them nor receiue them nor to haue â—ny thinge to do with heretickes and so not to abide them They maye therfore be ashamed of their naughtinesse and â—retence of their peruerse patience which thinke it no shame â—o maynteyne Heretickes and to flatter the manifeste eneâ—ies of Christe and the Churche Psalm 15. He is praysed â—hiche maketh not muche of the wicked that is to witte â—n whose sighte the wicked manne is vile Therefore is he â—â—ghtly blamed who so euer flattereth the vngodly And 〈◊〉 the hatred in dede is rather agaynste wickednes than aâ—aynste the person of the wicked whiche of it selfe is comâ—aunded to be loued The Deuil at this daye reyseth vp the â—de heresies of Hebion Cerinthus and of others in Terueto a â—paniarde and in the Anabaptistes Libertines and other â—onsters so that the thinge it selfe and the daunger therâ—â— commaundeth vs to watche and to driue away the moste â—uell wolues from the holy Church of Christe whiche neâ—erthelesse do set forth nothing more than patience and chaâ—â—tie for this intente verely that they might be spared and might vnpunished teache what they lifte against Christ aâ—â— worke against his churche yea teare it in pieces with thâ—â— wicked tethe But when these euil men are not suffered but impugnâ—â— whiche seduce and are seduced Patience coÌ„stauncie in batteil a greate conflicte arriseâ—â— wherof againe are labours thoughtes carefulnes watcâ—ynges iniuries to be suffered for the name of Christ and dâ—fence of the veritie For vnlesse we be here diligent and pâ—tient the disceauers ouer come But herin did the churcâ— of the Ephesians behaue them notably wel in so muche thâ— the Lorde nowe commendeth exceadingly the magnaniâ—â—tie patience and constancie of the pastour and of his churcâ— For neyther ought these thinges to be expounded that 〈◊〉 shoulde referre them vnto that patience wherby euil meâ—â— are suffered and permitted to procede in theyr malice aâ—â— disceiptfulnesse For so should this place striue agaynst thâ— thinges whiche went a little before Whiche thinge the â—â—mon interpretour minded as it semeth to haue eschewâ—â— For thus he readeth and thou haste patience and hast suffâ—red where it is in the Greke and hast suffered and hast pâ—tience He altered the order and would not set haste sufferâ— before but haste patience leste any manne shoulde vndâ—â—stande that they had suffered the false Apostles But set bâ—fore patience and put after sufferaunce
that you lose not this grace through your negligâ—â— be diligent attentife and circumspect styryng vp in yoâ— selues the gift of God The spirit speaketh these thinges Now also he prouoketh to dilligeÌ„ce by authoritie diuiâ—â— The spirite of God speaketh and reuealeth these things 〈◊〉 the spirite of men or of errour for God speaketh by his sâ—â—rite whiche is red to be the spirite both of the father and oâ— sonne Moreouer he applieth all and euery thing to all coâ—gregations where he sayth what the spirite saith to the coâ—gregations not to the congregation It is now than manifest and out of all controuersie These thiÌ„ges apperteine to all churches that those seuen churches do represent a figure of al churches throughout the whole world and that all they be instructed in those seuen Furthermore least any thyng shoulde wante to the iuste exhortation vnto repentaunce to faith and dilligence last he annexeth a moste ample promyse and vseth an allegoricall speache that it might haue the more grace with it A most ample promis To them that ouercome he promyseth to geue the fruict of the tree of lyfe planted in the paradise of God And alludeth to the .2 Chap. of Genesis And he translateth the sense from earthly thinges to celestiall The paradise Paradise of God by the which som vnderstande the church is that eurlasting blesse and felicitie wherof the Lorde spake to the thief saying This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Herein is the tree of lyfe Christ communicating to vs his eternal life Whiche we inioy and haue the fruition of whilest being conueied into heauen by hym and with hym we liue Finally this is that Ambrosia or Godly drinke which the heauenly father geueth vs to drinke But this great and wonderfull good chaunceth not to euery one but only to him that ouercometh For Adam had not ouercome but vanquished had died If we therfore shall ouercome the flesh the Deuil and the world and that through Christ we shal liue also in the world to come with Christ The complutention boke hath whiche is in the middes of â—he Paradise of my God And Aretas expoundeth it Of my God and â—ayth Let no man herewith be offended Al humble thinges â—gree to the dispensation of the incarnation whiche was made for our cause since that he himself in the Gospel saith 〈◊〉 ascende vnto my father and your father to my God and â—o your God c. And thus farre hetherto concerning the Epistle of Iesus Christ by Iohn to the Ephesians and what profit our churches also and euery of vs may receiue therof The Lorde lyghten the eyes of our mynde ¶ The second Epistle of Iesu Christ by Iohn to them of Smyrna is expounded And is an exhortatiâ—â— to patience and consolation in afflictions The .ix. Sermon ANd vnto the Aungel of the coÌ„grâ—gation of Smyrna wryte Thesâ— thinges sayth he that is first anâ— the last whiche was dead and iâ— aliue I know thy workes and tâ—â—bulations and pouertie but thou arte richâ— And I know the blasphemie of them which call them selues Iewes and are not but aâ— the congregation of Sathan Feare none 〈◊〉 those things which thou shalt suffer Beholâ— the Deuil shall cast some of you into prisoâ— to tempte you and you shall haue tribulatâ—â— ten daies Be faithfull vnto the death and 〈◊〉 will geue thee a crowne of lyfe Let him thâ— hath eares heare what the spirite saith to congregations he that ouercometh shall nâ— be hurt of the second death The argument of the seconde Epistle Iesus Christ from the right hand of the father throuâ— the ministerie of an aungell by the Apostle and Euangeâ— S. Iohn exhorteth the congregations of Smyrna than â—â—flicted with all kinde of euils for the worde of God vnto â—â—feraunce and comforteth the same sighing nowe vnder 〈◊〉 crosse promising great thinges to them that ouercome Aâ— verely ther can not of this maner and in this matter a beâ— or briefer exhortation and consolation be found For in 〈◊〉 wyse it is couched of the eternal wisdome of the father 〈◊〉 vnto all times A generall comfort exhortatioÌ„ to patience and to all that mourne vnder the crosse it 〈◊〉 right well agree For like as Christ at the right hande of 〈◊〉 father is the catholique or vniuersal Byshop so verely is 〈◊〉 doctrine generall which he him selfe also applieth to all câ—â—gregations in the ende of this Epistle and in others And sâ— he declareth that he loueth his churche and is present in the same by his power and ayde And verely it is to be marueled The congregatioÌ„ of Smyrna excellent that nothing is blamed in this churche since that some faulte is founde in maner with all others Therfore was the churche of Smyrna right excellent howbeit not without any spirite For the Lorde of his goodnes doth not impute vnto vs smal faultes of the which the Prophet speaketh who shall say my heart is cleane And from my hidde sinnes clense me so that there be a feruent desyre or zeale of Godlines in vs that we be voyde of great enormities First is shewed vnto whom this heauenly letter is sent Thepistle is written to the shepeheard to the flok to the Pastour of the churche of Smyrna and to the whole flocke For the captayne is sayd to haue soughten or fled or to haue taken peace when the whole armie together with him hath done this And the stories beare witnes that Policarpus was that same messenger or pastour of the church of Smyrna ordeined of the Apostles theÌ„ selues Policarpe namely of S. Iohn Byshop there and that he liued in the misterie of this congregation .lxxxvi. yeares For so many he accompteth hym selfe before the Lieftenaunt Herode what tyme he was brought to execution For in the fourth persecution of the churche Aurelius Antoninus and Aurelius Comodus being Emperoures he was taken and brought to the gouernour And at length for the open and sincere confessinge of Christ he was burnt He had this very muche in his mouth That nothing ought to be receiued for true vnlesse it were knowen to be set forth by the Apostles Ireneus affirmeth that when he was a childe he sawe this olde father a man of great yeares and reuereÌ„ce in the third boke and third chapt against heresies where he telleth many thinges of him besides As also doth Eusebius in the .iiii. boke of theccle history â—he .xiiii. and .xv. chapters And S. Hierom in the register of â—he famouse wryters of the Churche Eusebius in his Chroâ—icis noteth that he suffered Martyrdome in the yeare of â—ur Lorde a. C. ixx Whereby it appeareth that he was â—ade Byshop of Smyrna in the yeare of our Lorde .lxxxiiii. â—r there about For we sayd euen nowe that he had bene in that ministerie .lxxxvi. yeares And therfore had he bene Byshop of Smyrna many yeares before the setting forth of thâ— Apocalipse whiche was written in the
preseruer of al thinges and by Dia thy wil they are were created This glory of God is woÌ„derful vnmeasurable How great say they thou art that al power glory is dewe vnto thee appereth of the making creation of the world vniuersal No man was with thee at the creation therof no maÌ„ gaue thee couÌ„sel what or how thou shuldest do no man helped thee thus much Who than shuld approch vnto thee to be partaker in power who shuld glory before thee God maker of al things Thou alone madest al things alone preseruest al alone gouernest al. Thou willest they were made Thou saidest they were created It was enough to haue said it was enough to haue willed And in dede al thinges at this day haue their being through thy wil without any painefulnes trauel of thine Thou gouernest al thing in best most goodly order This testifieth the wonderful course of the stars the plesaunt chauÌ„ge of things the most swete plentiful fruites spring of the same Who thaÌ„ wold not gladly submit both him self al his to thee to thy gouernment who wold not coÌ„mit al his thinges vnto thee Who wold not acknowledge the power glory to be thyne Let vs marke these thinges with attentiue mindes that we may also appere such before God as we sethe sainctes in heauen appere God graunt vs this ¶ Of him that sitteth in throne holdeth the boke in his right hand sealed with .vii. seales What that sealed boke is The .xxvj. Sermon AND I sawe in the right hand of him that sate on the throne a boke written within and on the backe side sealed with seueÌ„ seales And I sawe a strong angel preaching with a loud voice who is worthy to open the boke lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in earth nother vnder the earth was able to open the boke to ioke theron And I wept much because no man was fouÌ„d worthy to open and reade the boke nother to loke theron He now procedeth to describe more fully hym that sitteth on the Throne Of whome he had touched certen and a fewe thinges before In this pece is no smal force of this our matter For now wyll he shewe that whiche in this treatise is principall that all thinges whiche are done in the worlde through God his prouidence are moste iustly and holily gouerned by Christ Whiche thing all the sainctes of God and creatures acknowledging for an exaÌ„ple to vs that we shuld do the lyke do prayse and celebrate him that liueth for euer And it shall behoue vs to way euery worde synce that in euery one are greate misteries nothing is spoken in vaine And verely that God almighty sitteth in a Throne God sitteth in a throne And by sitting is signified not only the power of iudging rulyng gouerning But also a quiet mynde not troubled with any euill affections after the maner of iudges of this world and great equitie in all thinges Secondly a booke is sene in the right hande of hym that sitteth of the whiche boke we must speake more at large Here appereth an allusion made as ther is in many other places of the scripture to the princes of this worlde whiche haue bokes of the lawes of priuileges of institutes what thing is done and is to be done finally of secretes of actes of condemned and of citezens of lyfe and of death For so is both the boke and bokes assigned to God Moises saith in in the .33 of Exodus Put me out of the boke of lyfe c. In the Psalmes is muche mention of these bokes of God In the Psalm 56.69.139 In the seuenth of Daniel bokes are opened wherof mentioÌ„ is made also in the .20 of the Apocalipse We reade in the .3 of Malach. of a boke of remembraunce before God Therfore this boke of God conteineth all the counsels of God al his workes and iudgementes For we shall heare by and by The booke in the right haÌ„d of him that sitteth that all thinges that are done in the worlde come out of this boke as it were out of a fountaine or wel spring And thre thinges are chiefly spoken of this boke Firste that it lieth not in the Throne or in the bosome of hym that sitteth or vnder the Throne or that it hangeth before or behinde the Throne But it is in the right hand of God Herby is signified the operation or power of God the same moste iust and moste mightie The booke writteÌ„ wtin and without For the boke is not sene in the lefte hande God therfore worketh and conteineth or ministreth all his workes and iudgementes moste holily Secondly that boke is written within and without or on the back side For in the prouidence and iudgementes of God all thinges are conteined both good and euil lucky and vnlucky sharpe and softe swete and sewer visible and inuisible priuie and aparte and all thinges in generall Finally the boke is sealed with seueÌ„ seales For it is most strongly closed and fastened The booke sealed with seueÌ„ seales For the iudgementes works of God are firme true iust and such as can not be withstaÌ„d The vse of seales amonges men is diuerse notwithstanding it may be contriued in two poinctes The vse of seales First Seales are set to because of fidelitie truth and rightuousnes And a great deliberation is had in setting to of seales For they are not put to vniust matters vayn or false Therfore seales be tokens of a certentie and testimonies of a right It semeth an vnworthi thing to speake against sealed wrytinges By the seales therfore that are set to the boke of God is signified that the iudgementes and workes of God are moste firme true and iust what so euer are done by his prouidence and ar ordeined by Christ It shal therfore be a shame to finde fault with the iudgementes of God or to speake euill of his workes Againe by seales are secretes kept that they be not sene of euery maÌ„ but of them only to whome they are appointed The iudgementes therfore and workes of God are for the moste parte hidde and not open to all men sauing to suche as the Lorde hath appointed namely to the faithfull and obedient SeueÌ„ sâ—â—les But there be seueÌ„ seales only for that in them the fulnes of times and of thinges to be done in these times throughout the world and churche and of the iudgementes and misteries of God are comprehended Now therfore the opening of the boke The opening of the boke and seales and the vnsealyng therof is nothing els but the reuealing of God his iudgementes and the declaring or vttering of his most secret counselles Finally the moste holy and iust operation dispensation and execution of his will Nothing in that opening is done against the veritie fayth loue and iustice of God Who is worthy to opeÌ„ the boke and seales therof
And with many wordes and also moste dilligently and goodly is treated here of the openyng of the seales who verely might be thought worthie to open to the churche the secret iudgementes of God and to execute and minister his holy workes that is to saye to whome the kingdome is geuen and gouernement of the diuine prouidēce For an Aungell and that not of the cōmon sorte but a stronge and worthie one with a loude voice crieth to make vs all attentiue and that we shoulde note diligently who he is that shoulde both open the boke and vnloose or vndoe the seales And he holdeth longe in suspence the hearer beholder or reader before he will shewe him to the intent verely to cōmende him to vs exceadingly No man sayeth he in the whole vniuersal world neither emonges the Aungelles sainctes in heauen nor emongs earthly men and vnder the earth was founde whiche coulde eyther open or vnseale the boke To Christ alone belōgeth the kingdome and the power of gouernemēt is taken from others Let vs obserue that there is none that can open the boke and open the seales besides Christ alone Whie than is the administration of thinges attributed or communicated to sainctes none can open to vs the counselles and iudgements of God no man can gouerne those iudgements workes of God that he worketh in the world saue only Christ the lord whie than are so great benefites sought for of Sainctes and be imputed to them if eyther the sicke be restored to helthe or that a mortall man do receiue any other gifte or benefite ▪ many will saye I receyued this in dede of gods benefite but through the meditatiō and power and merite of this or that saincte vnto whome God graunted this that he should rule ouer suche a disease and might heale suche as calle vpon the name of the Saincte or the name of God by the Saincte These are here confuted now by the wordes of the Lord and S. Iohn saying that no man in heauen or in earth is founde whiche coulde open the boke Yet neuerthelesse aboute the Throne sate the xxiiii Elders representinge the Type of all Sainctes in glory not one of al thē was found which could open the boke Therfore be thei a great deale madder which do attribute the gouernement of things in the church to the Pope a most corrupte and filthie man Only Christ receiued al power in Heauen and in Earth as we shall incontinently more fully vnderstande S. Iohn wepeth The weping of S. Iohn for that he vnderstode a weightie matter to consiste in the openinge of this godly boke and yet sawe he no man at al which coulde eyther open or vnseale it Neyther did he as yet fully vnderstande the matter And he bare the figure of them which vnderstande not the iudgementes of God nor know not that al thinges are through God his prouidēce holyly gouerned by Christ For in them nothing els remaineth but mourning and heauines Certenly withoute Christ and his opening wherby he reuealeth to vs the diuine misteries and iudgements no man can rightly iudge of the same For vnlesse we vnderstand the seales to be opened by Christ and that al thinges are done by his order whiche loued vs and gaue him selfe for vs what thinge shall be lefte in vs but sighinge But he rehersed three thinges to open rede and loke vpō No man liuing openeth for that no man is mete for so great a charge saue only the sonne of God No manne readeth or vnderstandeth fully the iudgements of God but the sonne and to whom he hath reuealed so muche as any man hathe No man loketh on it that is to saye can beholde the workes and iudgementes of God but he shal be offended excepte he be indewed with the spirite purified with the same Therefore we must axe grace of him that we maye vnderstande so muche of Gods iudgementes as shal suffice and may iudge wel of the same Aretas Bishop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke neither any sayeth he of those that lacke fleshe nor any of them that are in the fleshe nor yet of suche as are deperted leauing their fleshe behinde them hath receiued a perfit knoweledge of godly matters And by and by after nother only is there any which could open it but also not so much as loke vpō it that is to saye coulde not loke attentiuely on the iudgments of God and so forth And the cōtexte of the whole place proueth sufficiently that S. Iohn speaketh here of the iudgmēts verely but chiefly of the gouernement of thinges The Lord Iesus be glorified for euer Amen ¶ Here is liuely described the Lambe in the throne of God receiuing the boke of the hand of him that sitteth and opening it The .xxvij. Sermon AND one of the Elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde the Lion whiche is of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath obteyned to open the boke to lowse the seuen seales therof And I behelde and lo in the middes of the seate and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the Elders stode a lābe as though he had bene killed whiche had seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirites of God sent into all the worlde and he came toke the boke out of the right hand of him that sate on the Throne By Christ all thinges are gouerned Forasmuch as Iohn had wept that no man was worthy so muche as to loke on the boke of him that sate on the seate muche lesse to open it One of the .xxiiii. Elders comforteth hym His name is not expressed wherfore it semeth to be required both vaynely and curiously Notwithstanding there be some of the expositours which suppose hym to be the patriarch Iacob Verely for that shortly after his oracle or prophecie is recited And so the authour descendeth in a moste goodly order vnto the description also of the sonne of God by whome the celestial father as al the scripture euery where approueth gouerneth al thinges Hitherto hath he described hym that sitteth on the seate and before that the holy ghoste Wherfore these are holsome and moste profitable doctrines for the churche wherby the true faith is confirmed The comfort of this elder and verely the heauenly most Godly doctrine tendeth to this ende that we should vnderstande that all the complaintes weping grudging and the sondry tourmoylinges of our minde can not be quenched appeased quieted vnlesse we see and beleue that to Christ as here is moste playnely and manifestly set forth is geuen of the father al power in heauen and in earthe and therfore to be constituted like as the only redemer so also the head Prince and gouernour of al whiche vnder the seale of fayth and veritie shoulde gouerne all thinges that are by God his prouidence ordeyned and euen now dispiseth them and reuealeth vnto vs so muche of God his iudgmentes as do suffice vs. This if we beleue with a
spake the Lord in the gospel when they shall saye sayeth he Christ is in the wildernes goe not forth c. And I doubte not but that some simple also at this day for this intent take vpon thē the monastical life but they shall finde also the same that S. Iohn here sayed they should proue and trie by experience Furthermore this place might seme that it should be expounded of the tokens which go before the last iudgement The place is to be expoūded of the laste iudgemēt and of the terrour of the wicked of whom the Lord preached in maner to the same effect in the .21 of Luke But of the laste iudgement shal be spoken more at large and in his place in the .11 and .19 Chapter of this boke and els where And as I do not discōmende that same exposition so seme there nowe to me the generall destenies of the church to be here set together in the which where the corrupte doctrine occupieth not the last place there should nothing be spoken herof in general wherof many thinges in particular shal be spoken in the 8. chapter and others followyng vnlesse this present place should after the same sorte be expounded as it is Furthermore those thinges that followe shall better be ioyned together which shall haue no place in the laste iudgement as the thing it selfe wil proue And the thinges that follow in the 7. Chapt. apperteyne to the exposition of the sixte seale or vnto the treatise thereof And three thinges chiefly it reciteth howe the Aungelles let the windes that they shoulde not blowe an innumerable company to be sealed in the middes of the corrupt doctrine which shuld not perish And what the state of them is which are departed out of this world eyther by martirdom or els beyng either vndefiled with the corruption so ful of enormitie or deliuered pourged from the same which are annexed because of cōsolation For this boke of Apocalipse is wōderful Euangelical most ful not only of prophecies but also of admonitions exhortations and most cōfortable consolations What winde is in the Scriptures First is to be expounded that whiche is spoken of the restreinte of the windes by the Aungels that they should not blowe Winde as also leauē in the scriptures is vsed both in good and euil parte For winde is called vaine and false doctrine and an hope conceyued of erroneouse doctrine As in Osee the .12 and the .5 and .22 of Ieremie So is leauen called the Pharisaicall doctrine and hipocrisie springyng thereof S. Paul in the .4 to the Ephes forbiddeth that we be not caried about with euery winde of doctrine And the holy ghost is shaddowed by winde in the .3 chapt of S. Iohn And in the 2. chapt of the Actes Winde is subtile it pearseth is felte and is not sene greate is the force thereof it doeth refrigerate it drieth gathereth clowdes whiche rayne and make the earth fertile Full rightly therfore by winde is signified the spirite of God and the sounde doctrine whiche is of the spirite of God Therfore is it one winde the spirit of God whiche inspireth and there be foure windes that is to witte many by the corners of Heauen and partes of the earth that is to wit preachers dispersed through out the whole world Therfore the doctrine of the Gospell inspired from all partes of the world bloweth or is preached so that ther be many windes yet all procedyng of one For there is one and the same spirite whiche speaketh by the ministers and geueth them sundry graces .1 Corinth 12. Briefly by the blaste of windes we vnderstand the free preachyng taken out of the holy Scriptures The preachyng of gods word is prohibited Secondely we muste knowe that there be both good and euil Aungels in the Scriptures Aungels as appered before are called ministers And there be good and euill ministers the good inspired of God and the good Aungell and the euil of the euil Aungell And the enemie of the trueth stireth vp men in al places of the world in the Courtes of Kinges in the places of Iudgement in Scholes in Colledges in Cities Townes and Villages whiche may let the free course of Gods worde Therefore the proclamations of Kinges and Bisshoppes flye to and froe are proclamed and set vp prohibiting the readyng of the Bible the preaching of the Gospell c. And to the intent to haue some pretence of their euill doyng they forge that the Bible is corrupte in a thousande places that heresie is learned and taught out of the same Therefore also they prohibite and condemne the Bible and the bokes of the Gospell of the vnworthines of the whiche thing it can not worthely enough be spokē before the church They do the same that in times paste Antiochus Epiphanes Dioclesian and other men of the same sorte are red to haue done The expositours of the Bible in times paste deserued excedyng great prayse nother was there any faythfull that sayed the holy boke to be corrupted for that al translations agreed not emonges themselues We liue therefore at this daye in a time most corrupt and most vnthankefull And the restrainte of reading holy Scripture is the foundation of the corrupte doctrine and of intanglyng the conscience and of dispayre that followeth on the same And by the Earth he vnderstandeth men dwellyng in Earth by the Sea and Iles men of Ilandes and that dwell on the Sea by trees men shadowed euery where in the Scripture by trees For vnlesse the windes blowe the trees florishe not neyther the earth waxeth grene The Prophet sayeth sende forth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renewe the face of the earth And excepte the worde of God be preached the mindes of men waxe not grene nother are the fruictes of good workes brought forth of men And therfore the Aungelles prohibiting winde are sayed to hurt as in dede there is nothing more pestilent nor perniciouse than the suppressing of the free preachyng of Gods worde The Lorde by his spirite renewe all partes of the worlde Amen ¶ The faithful are sealed to saluatiō which they obteyne by the grace of God in Christ Iesu The .xxxv. Sermon ANd I sawe an other Aungell ascēde from the rising of the sonne which had the seale of the liuing God and he cried with a lowde voyce to the foure Aungelles to whome power was geuen to hurte the earth and the See saying hurte not the earth nother the See nother the trees till we haue sealed the Seruauntes of our God in their forheades And I hearde the numbre of them which were sealed and there were sealed an C. and .xliiii. thousand of al the tribes of the Childrē of Israell Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Ruben were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Gad were sealed xii M. of the tribe of Asser were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Neptali were sealed .xii. M.
painefulnes And thei serue God in the temple as God is wonte to be serued in the Temple For they kepe holy dayes they are glad reioyse be mery prayse and so they offer vp sacrifices and are refresshed with heauenly repaste And this ioye shall be euerlastyng and perpetuall which is signified by daie and night Otherwise in the blesse euerlasting there is no mighte at all nor anye chaungeable course of time Hereunto is added that he that sitteth in the seate that is the diuine maiestie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will dwell in them that is to witte God wil be al in al or he wil leane ouer them and as it were a tente or tabernacle will ouershadowe them defende and kepe them and geue him selfe whole to be inioyed of them as moste familiar and frendely to them Moreouer they shall honger no more nother shall they thirste For all infirmitie and miserie is taken awaye from the blessed soules and bodies glorified They are filled with al good thinges without any lothsomnes with a most ioyeouse fulfillynge Nowe the sunne falleth not vpon them nor the heate whiche phrase of speache betokeneth that they are put to no trauel nor paine but are deliuered at ones from all displeasure and all paynefulnes and to be at moste pleasaunt reste Agayne is set in the cause of so greate felicitie Christ the lambe that is to saye Christ mediatour and redemer in the middes of the seate that is very God For he as both Ezechiel in .34 chapt and the lord also him selfe in the .10 of Iohn Wittenesseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie wil fede them Christ fedeth and quikneth like a sheperde and as a Captaine of life will leade them to the fountaines of liuely water that is to witte will quicken them for euer preserue all his in that felicitie He vseth in this treatise wordes of the prophetes most accustomed and vsed euery where that climyng vnto higher thinges we might after some sorte esteme heauenly giftes Hereunto he ioyneth as yet a notable benefite and the Lord will wipe al teares from their eyes Which wordes he hath borrowed of Esaye For Sainctes in this world tourmoyled with sondry euils haue shed most plentiful teares but in the world to come the Lord comforteth them gladdyng them with ioye euerlasting nother geuyng thē at any time any occasion of grefe Iacob 16 And therfore he sayed in the Gospel verely I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but agayne the world shall reioyse and ye shal mourne but your mournyng shal be tourned into ioye And your harte shal reioyse and your ioye shal no man take from you We shall heare the like thinges vnto these also in 21. of the Apocalipse c. Against the cōtemners of the blessed lyfe Hereof they perceiue howe shamefully they transgresse which haue alwaies in their mouth if I should contene this life present for religiōs sake who shal tel me what is that other other life to come perauenture if I neglecte this in an other world I shal get nothing For here we haue a most manifest testimony that as most assured saluatiō is prepared of God in heauen for the faithful so is it also moste ample and great in so much that the Apostle in an other place sayeth that th◠afflictions of this time present are not egall to the glory which shal be reuealed to vs. The Lord graunt vs that we maye acknowledge these thinges ¶ Whilest the .vii. Seale is opened and the Aungels with trompettes come forth Christ the intercessour of his church offereth vp before his father the praiers of his faithful The .xxxvij. Sermon ANd when he had opened the .vii. The .8 chapt seale there was silēce in Heauen about the space of half an houre And I sawe seuen Aungels standyng before God to them were geuen seuen trompettes And an other Aungell came and stoode before the Aultar hauing a golden censer much of odoures was geuen vnto him that he shoulde offer of the prayers of al sainctes vpon the goldē aultar whiche was before the seate And the smoke of the odoures whiche came of the prayers of al sainctes ascended vp before God out of the Aungels hand And the Aungel toke the censer and filled it with fire of the Aultar and caste it into the earth and voices were made and Thonderinges and Lightninges and Earthquake I suppose ther be no bokes in the world of whomsoeuer The excellency of the bookes of holy scripture or when soeuer they were written which maye cōpare with the bokes of holy scripture as concerning the sincere veritie pure simplecitie and plaine order Nother perauenture that maye seme any maruell to any man knowing that the same are written in dede of men but inspired of the holy ghoste There be edifices most skilfully builded of men and framed and cōtriued in a most goodly order But what beaultie wil you iudge them to haue in case ye compare them with the creation of the worlde and with that most beaultifull order whiche we see dayly in all thinges created and chaungeable course of times the moste excellent workes of men haue nothyng in them yea seme vile in case you compare them with the workemanship of God the creatour A recapitulation But for the moste bright order and most playne treatise this boke of the Apocalipse hath emonges others moste notable an excellent and wonderfull prayse S. Iohn promised a some of the matter signifiyng that he wold speake of those thinges which shuld be done in the church from his time vntil the iudgemēt And the faithfull doe knowe to what ende they should take those thinges not to thintent their curiositie might be mainteined or satisfied but that they sufficiently warned before shuld not fal but take hede to themselues hold faste the true saluatiō And forasmuch as there is muche talke emonges men whie God doeth thus or permitteth that and whie he prohibiteth not these or those thinges S. Iohn hath exhibited to vs a most holesom visiō by the which we may learne not to talke against God not to contende with him but to acknowledge al his iudgments to be rightuouse iust Which thing verely both al the Sainctes in heauen and also angelicall spirites do acknowledge and attribute to God al glory And thus hauing prepared the mindes of the Auditours he cometh to the thing it self and declareth the fatall destenies of the church Vnder the .vi. seale he toucheth generally the corruptiō of doctrine which sins it is more perillouse more pestilent than al daūgers of mans body or outwarde perilles he reasoneth yet more fully therof and nowe particularly vnder the opening of the .vii. seale reciteth howe farre the same stretcheth For he declareth how many how great what maner of sectes heresies and troubles shall arrise in the church howe hurtful they shal be to the churche And this place conteyneth an Historie of the
Helias cried out how long halte ye on both sides As though he should saye it is not lawful to part your hartes betwixt two Gods nother is it lawful to atttribute al thinges of life of saluation but vnto God alone The fellowship of the kingdom is in this case enuiouse in dede The Helianes shal crie if rightuousenes be of the lawe Christ died in vaine No man can serue two maisters Christ shall profit you nothing which seke saluation in the traditions of men Come ye vnto Christ he is the perfection of the faithfull in him we are complete And like as Helias greuousely accused Achab Iezabel and the Baalamites righte so shall the Helians most sharpely inueye against kinges and Bishoppes Idolaters and Antichristians Thus I saye Helias cometh againe hath commen and shal come before the iudgement Nother shal S. Iohn prophecie otherwise before the iudgement Before the iudgement Iohn came against antichrist He shal not retourne into the Earth in his body out of Heauen but the preachers indewed with the doctrine of S. Iohn shal renewe al his doctrine thei shal expounde such thinges whiche he hath lefte vnto the church written in his Gospell in his Epistles and in the Apocalipse This booke hath a while layne hidde contemned also of good and learned men yet preachyng the same that is conteyned and set forth in this boke but it shal be brought to light of others be set by as it is playne that in this our memorie is done of many And of al these thinges we doe clerely perceyue how Antichrist muste be impugned and slayne not with carnall Armures but with spirituall to witte by sincere doctrine framed after the example of Enoch Helie and Iohn and taken out of the holy scriptures Wherof we shal speake more fully in the .11 Briefly the doctrine of Iohn about the laste iudgement shal be renewed agayne and be knowen to the worlde in despite and agaynst theyr will And vnder the doctrine of Iohn we vnderstande the whole euangelical and Apostolical doctrine in the writing settyng forth wherof S. Iohn also imployde a singular trauell amongs the most excellent What thei must be with what qualiâ—ies furnisshed that preache against antichrist And in the meane season in the same vision is figured the whole maner of the faithfull and lawefull Preachers to be matched with Antichrist what thei ought to be with what qualities furnisshed First S. Iohn is called by a voyce spoken to him from heauen with a coÌ„maundement goe Therfore is Gods vocation chiefly necessary leest any maÌ„ should take vpon him this office with an euill affection Moses was called the prophetes and Apostles were called some in dede immediately from God not of men nother by men some of God also but yet by men and of men The apostles of Christ were not called of men boasting the lawfull succession from Caiaphas Annas colledge of priestes neuerthelesse had their vocation of Christ and approued their vocation in dede to wil by preachyng of the veritie Therefore albeit we cannot at this daye referre our vocation to the Pope and Bisshops braggyng of the lawful succession yet for asmuch as we are able to approue it in very dede and by the testimonies of Christ that our doctrine is Christes doctrine therfore that our ministerie is lawful we care not a whit for theyr opprobriouse and rayling words which crie that we be not called that we be not ordeyned by the Pope To the called is geueÌ„ a sure coÌ„maundemeÌ„t to take the boke of the haÌ„de of the Angel But to him that is called is geuen a sure coÌ„maundement to witte that he take the boke not euery boke but the booke open and that of the hande of the Aungel and agayne of the Aungel standyng vpon the sea lande That Angel is Christ the Lord Lord of the whole Earth of the Sea and al thinges conteyned therein He with his hande offereth to his ministers a boke open to witte the holy scripture and chiefly his sacred holy gospel wrapped with no darkenes nother closed but right manifest to theÌ„ that wil see For albeit that for thantiquitie of the tongue for the proprietie of speach for the figures rites places things stories out of memory some places maie appere somwhat harde what doeth this darken or obscure the misterie of fayth and saluation neuerthelesse most open plaine who vnderstandeth not what he should beleue what he should do how he should pray euen of the Articles of the faith of the .x. coÌ„maundementes and the lordes praier The some of faith and of doctrine is certaine plaine Esaye 29 2. Cor. 4. This boke therfore opened Christ offereth to his ministers And S. Iohn hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little boke not a boke For if ye compare the holy bible especially the gospel boke with other lawes bokes and especially the decrees and decretalles of the Pope the little boke of the holy gospel shal seme very smal Primasius expoundyng this place he semeth sayeth he to vnderstande the veritie of the lawe and prophetes manifested in Christ therfore he sayeth not now as before that he taketh the sealed but the open boke For Christ is the ende of the lawe for rightuousnes to al that beleue and so forth Therefore the lord Christ him selfe geueth vnto the sincere preachers none other preaching than his owne to witte the Euangelicall For he is the light and redemer of the worlde rightuousenes and life nother is there saluatioÌ„ in any other This preaching is not fetched nor takeÌ„ of others than of the handes of the Angel not of the handes of the Pope or Bishops Christ sayeth go forth into the whole worlde and preache the Gospel to euery creature teachyng them to kepe al thinges which I haue coÌ„maunded you Now is also required obedience of the ministers The obedience of the ministers that they obeye the coÌ„maundement of God and that they craue and receyue that which they are coÌ„maunded to axe and receyue In vayne doe some loke for a drawyng and working of saluatioÌ„ outwardely and with out then to be finisshed through the only inuisible operation of God Yf God will haue me blessed and iuste saye they let him worke in me what he wil. Moreouer they themselues are not careful how they should applie themselues to the grace of God workyng by grace Agaynst their vngodlines is it that we heare now howe S. Iohn applieth him self to the coÌ„maundementes of God not without grace For he goeth to the Aungell and sayeth geue me the boke For the Lord must be prayed we must reade diligently as S. Paul also coÌ„maundeth we muste learne and obeye the commaundementes of God The Lord denieth nothing to theÌ„ that are and not tary til God without vs do drawe vs. And the lord denieth nothing to them that are willing do are and are dilligent
which in the Gospel sayeth I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome whiche al your aduersaries shal not be able to gaine saye Moreouer my heaueÌ„ly father will geue his holy spirite to suche as desire of him Therfore sayeth the Aungel nowe take the boke Neuerthelesse he putteth here an other commauÌ„dement eate it He alludeth to the .2 and .3 A feruentnes dilligence of the ministers is required chapt of Ezechiel Where the prophet is likewise commauÌ„ded of God to eate a boke offered vnto him For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge S. Ambrose to eate a boke sayeth he is to laye vp the vnderstanding of the scriptures in the secret bowelles or entrailles He semeth by a trope both to intimate an ernest desire and beate in a singular diligence For we deuoure with a gredy desire suche thinges as we haue long and much coueted to eate They are sayed also to haue deuoured bokes and authours which thei haue perfitly learned and can We saye in dutche Er hat den Galen oder Prisciane gar fressen that is to saye he hath learned him perfitly It is required therfore of the preachers that thei learne the holy scriptures with a desire and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely Without a desire and seruentenes of minde thou shalt profit little in the study of holy Scriptures and vnlesse ye learne the Gospell exactely vnprofitably shalt thou preache the same The ministers therfore maye be asshamed of theyr ignoraunce which are more geuen to Idlenes Tauernes huÌ„ting dising and other worse thinges than to the study of holy Scriptures They beyng farre vnlike the apostle S. Iohn shal in this warfare against Antichrist winne smal renowne vnlesse they doe awake out of theyr prophane slepe and cherely do their dewty without doubt most holy The effecte of Gods word swete better Nother is here dissembled so much as the effecte of the ministerie and worde preached It is swete in the mouth as hony For Dauid hath songe also the iudgementes of the lord are to be desired aboue much Golde and preciouse stones and sweter than hony or hony combes This swetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne and the faithful lighted with the trueth hath alwayes continuall Ioye but yet muste we not conceale what it semeth to the flesshe and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne It maketh verely the â—ealy vitter whiche is also a phrase of speache vnto which oures aunswereth signifiyng that the same whiche is propounded vnto vs is both payneful and greuouse The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the flesshe trauelles paynefulnes the crosse and aduersities innumerable whiche with a strong and constaunt patience we must ouercome For the Lord in the Gospell preached repentaunce or mortification and emonges other thinges made very much mention of persecutions wherwith his should be alwayes exercised Primasius when thou shalte haue deuoured the booke sayeth he thou shalt in dede be delighted with the swetenes of the worde diuine and with hope of saluatioÌ„ promised and pleasaunt tasie of Gods rightuousnes but doubtles thou shalt fele a bitternes when thou shalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce some beyng coÌ„uerted to better are chaunged and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers The wiseman sayeth thou shal rebuke a wise maÌ„ and he wil loue thee reproue a foole he will hate thee therfore and so forth Nother are these thinges saied only Paynefulnes is felt but also are done and felte for S. Iohn and when I had deuoured it sayeth he my bealy was made bitter And we fele at this daye the most greuouse hatred of mightie menne to witte of spirituall fathers and temporall Princes Many are driuen into exile innumerable are shutte vp in prisones an infinite multitude are slayne with sondry kindes of deathes All these thinges did the Prophetes prophecie should come to passe our sauiour him self in the Gospel gaue vs warnyng therof the lord here telleth vs againe the same tale Therfore let vs be strong and counstaunt in the Lord and fight agaynst Antichrist vnto the ende of our life The Lorde will not forsake vs whiche leeste we should be vanquished of those aduersities tolde vs of them dilligently before And thus muste they be instructed which shal warre against Antichrist before the last iudgement Thexposition of the vision Laste as I sayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon is set a briefe expositioÌ„ of the visioÌ„ For the Angel saieth vnto Iohn thou must prophecie agayne to the Heythen c. By this visioÌ„ sayeth he I wold declare nothing els but that thou must preach againe to the world first by thy self in Asia after thou shalt retourne from exile secondly by faithfull ministers eueÌ„ to the worldes ende which shal spreade abroade this doctrine now set forth by thee with sondry tongues through natioÌ„s and therwith shal beate downe Antichrist To prophecie And suche as are accustomed to reade the scriptures know that to prophecie is takeÌ„ for to preach For prophecie is preachyng they were in times past called prophetes which at this daye be preachers as we maye gather of the .1 Corinth 11. and .14 chapter And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue Aethiopian Aegiptian Germane Spanish French English Italian to be short in a maner into al laÌ„gages in al these preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful ministers The gentiles be they neuer so barbarouse rude heare S. Iohn teachyng and so do the people of many nations Al these receyue not a little comforte in these most dauÌ„gerouse dayes of Antichrist and haue receyued of them also before this time which long sins renewed the apostolical doctrine against Antichrist The same doctrine is brought at this daye and was brought in times past also vnto kinges and Popes though they kicked and spurned agaynst it The thing I speake is not doubtful For we bothe heare and see these thinges euen at this daye Histories also reporte many thinges herof Lande and glory be to God Some copies in the latin are corrupt which haue Igitur for Iterum For S. Iohn sayed thou muste prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Iterum again not Igitur For he signifieth that he beyng dead also must preache to many nations in sondry tongues by faythfull ministers that shall fighte against Antichrist The Lorde assiste with his spirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apostolicall doctrine Amen ¶ S. Iohn measureth the temple and sheweth that God hath a care of it and the quire he excommunicateth The .xlvi. Sermon ANd there was geuen me a reede like vnto a rodde The 11. chapter it was sayed vnto me rise and mete the Temple of God and the Aultar and them that worshippe therin and the quire
that he is assayled he wil streight waye beginne to thonder and lighten finally to craue styre vp the secular power againste Heretikes For he sheweth expressely who shall be this enemie of these prophetes and preaching to witte the beast The beast stired vp persecutioÌ„ that is the Bisshop of Rome notable by his most cruell tiraÌ„nicall and beastly power Of the beast shal be spoken more aboundantly in the .13 and .17 chapt where we shall heare that she cometh out of the earth out of the botoÌ„lesse pitte out of the depe pitte of hell For the originall of that wickednes is referred to non other parente than the deuil the prince of hel a lier murtherer And the thing it selfe speaketh at this daye that al persecutions conflictes are moued stired inferred of the Pope of his blouddy ministers of mischiefe Of the same Authours arrose al the calamities of fourmer times And he fighteth with the ministers and ministerie of christ with sophistrie with craftie and subtile practises The beast fighteth with the Prophetes excoÌ„munication deathes and terrours Haymo Antichrist will put in vre sondry kindes of tourmentes sayeth he such as he can not ouercome he wil assaye to vanquisshe with doctrine He will geue rewardes and wil promise swete wordes and shal shewe also false miracles c. And seyng it hath pleased the lord to call that seate the beast wherfore should we call it the holy See yf the Pope be that bloubdy beaste whie should we salute him most holy father He sheweth morouer with what lucke Antichrist ouercommeth and howe he killeth and with what â—â—â—tesse antichrist shal sight with the prophetes He shal ouercome sayeth he and kill them The same the lord sayed playnely in the Gospel Matth. 10. and Iohn 16. And before also Daniel in the .7 and .11 chapt Some thinges are spoken also before in this boke of the holy martirs The lord geueth this warning in time leest if we should see the preachers of the euangelicall veritie slayne we should doubte of the veritie of the preachyng or esteme the matter of religion after the felicitie of this worlde Whiche neuerthelesse many doe at this daye For most men saye yf this were the preachyng of the veritie as it is sayed to be the most true God would not forsake his owne cause But nowe sins the preachers are oppressed and distroyed whie should we not gather that their matter is false and theirs trewe that ouercome But if we might so reason than the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles defended a very euill cause For all in a maner beyng oppressed of their enemies in the ende were slayne also Full good than was the quarell of the Iewes Phariseis and the moste wicked enemies of Gods worde Howbeit thou wilt saye sins the veritie is inuincible how is antichrist saied to ouercome He shal not ouercome doubtles by sure testimonies by holy Scriptures or strong reasons but by force imprisonment sworde and fire For therfore by interpretation immediatly followeth and he wil kill them Therfore by killyng he shall seme a conquerour For if in a combat Aeneas shal ouercome and sleye Turnus Aeneas shal be called a victour And hitherto in dede Antichrist ouercommeth and although the Martirs be slayne yet doe they before God receyue the rewarde of victours because their cause is iuste and the veritie ouercometh in them The enemies ouercome with the multitude pompe authoritie power fauour richesse and other like thinges we in the goodnes and excellencie of the cause and finally by better testimonies of the Prophetes and Apostles The crueltie of Antichrist We haue now the maner of the fight and victorie He shal fight and ouercome by carnall weapons and shal be subdewed with spirituall armure Hereunto is added what crueltie he wil vse against the Prophetes The which he expresseth in two sentences and their bodies shall lie in the stretes of the citie and they shall not suffer their bodies to be put in the graues Theyr â—oarses lie in the stretes The firste sentence betokeneth an extreme crueltie ioyned with an vtter contempte For all filthie thinges are caste out into the strete yea the Dunge of all stretes is troden vnder fete Antichrist therefore shall handle the Prophetes moste shamefully in so muche that all will beleue that they haue power ouer them and shall as it were spurne them wyth theyr feete and take them for outcastes wicked persons which beyng taken out of the way al thinges shal be safe Certes the maner is in some cities to caste into the stretes the bodies of them that are executed to the intent that al meÌ„ might treade on them and driue cartes ouer them for the terrour of others and to signifie that those men executed were moste detestable and put to death for no small crimes And herunto apperteyneth that Antichrist by secular power hangeth vp some ministers of the churche openly in Cities vpon the gallouse and fasteneth others with chaynes to a poste and so burneth theÌ„ with a slowe fire and at laste killeth them and they are so terribly tied to the pale in chaynes that he maye hoyste them vp and let theÌ„ downe into the fire agayne and so singe them and lifte them vp agayne to the terrour of al that loke on What wil ye saie that he iudgeth them vnworthie of the laste honour The dead coarses are not buried burial is the laste honour that is done vnto man but he wil not suffer the bodies of the faithful to be buried Thus perauenture he expoundeth that he saied before and their bodies shal lie in the stretes At this daye not only sepulture is denied to suche as suffer for the gospel but also thei digge vp burne the bones of the dead This dyd watson by Bucer at Cambr. whiche liuing would not receyue the Popish sacramentes For in case any man departe and hath whispered the priest in the eare confessyng to him al his sinnes and hath not axed absolution of him nor receyued his God of bread or suffered him selfe to be regenerated with extreme vnction although he departed in the trewe sayth yet for as much as he hath not vsed those Popish ceremonies and huÌ„bled him self to the Pope the partie shal not come in christen buriall but is buried on the dunge hill with dogges The thing it self speaketh at this day Morouer these Antichristes wil seke by this meane to abolisshe al memorie of the godly For Monumentes are made to reteyne the honeste memorie of the dead But the rightuouse shal be in eternall memorie c. And they in dede thinke that they do like good catholickes but the lord Iesus expouÌ„deth their worke and sayeth it is extreme crueltie Than what shall you thinke of them which blinded with the hatred of the true religion like wolues and Rauens flie vpon the bodies of the dead Martirs and poole them a peces and handle them most shamefully But
Fucine he was taken with duke Fridericke Anno. 1266 There were slaine as it is saied .12 thousand The occasion of so greate an euill were the Popes chiefly Clement the .4 which beyng demaunded of Charles the worthie Prince what he should do with his prisoners aunswered so that the Frenche men vnderstode that they must suffer Therfore he put them both to the sworde In whome the house and posteritie of the moste noble Dukes of Austriche and Swauelande is sayde to haue failed Paulus Aemilius discourseth this gere more at large in the .7 booke of Frenche Actes and Auentinus in the .7 booke But yet might not the Ire and furie of those moste holy fathers be so pacified conceiued hereof that the most noble Dukes of Swauelande had for gods glory and the comon welthes sake most godly and most constantly resisted the Romish Bisshoppes Wolues I would haue saied Thempire made desolate But these Parricidies and blouddy warres displeased all good meÌ„ euery where and chiefly the wise and godly Princes so that they vnderstode how they must eschew that Empire and flee from it as from the plage as the which was not only but a shaddowe but moreouer would vtterly consume his yerely reuenewes and treasour which should receiue the office For now was it knowen through out the world what the moste valeaunt and excellent Princes of Germany had nowe about .119 yeres from Henry the .4 to the Sonnes of Fridericke the .2 suffered of the bolde ambition and vncredible mallice of the Popes and that many of them had loste both their liues with their auncient kingdomes and their â—ibertie most excellent of all And here was thempire with out any Emperour for certeÌ„ yeres which I am wont to cal a desolation of the kingdome or Empire For the Popes with their inuincible and intollerable pryde and tyrannie had so weakened the force of the Emperours that the empire semed subuerted destroyed nother coulde there any be easely founde which ded set by it or thoughte it worthie to be desyred At the laste at the commaundement of Gregory the .10 which helde a Counsell at Lions was chosen Counte Rodulph of Abspurg which although he forsoke not the thing offered yet being oft requested to come to Rome is sayed to haue aunswered the waywarde steppes of fete do feare me sore meaning by this dixaine that he trusted not the Popes which by their craftes had destroyed both many Prences of Germanie and also innumerable people comming to Rome And this Rafe is red to haue ben crowned Kyng in the yeare of our Lorde .1273 the .200 yeare after Gregory the .7 And so longe time lasted the fight of Popes and Emperours A little whyle after whyleste Alberte the sonne of Rafe was chosen Emperoure and the election was referred to Boniface the .8 of that name he stoutely reiected the same and shewed by and by in word and dede that he was both Pope and Emperour which by right had both swordes Which I expounded in the .58 sermon the same doth Albert Krantz declare excedingly well in the .8 boke .36 ch of Saxon matters In the place of King Albert was substituted Henry Prince of Lucemburge But what authoritie ouer him thempire chaleÌ„ged Clement the .5 pope he that list may know of the ClemeÌ„tines For there is a long treatise therof in the .2 boke .9 tit I could also rehearce many other lyke things of pope Ihon the .22 and of others if I ded not thinke it superfluouse For of these things which I haue rehersed hitherto The proprietie of kingdomes is the popes but the vse of Kings and Princes it appereth sufficieÌ„tly that the popes theÌ„selues by a mischeuouse boldnes haue takeÌ„ to theÌ„selues thempire do boast theÌ„selues for monarkes do abuse the seruice ministerie of kinges as their wards clieÌ„tes yet to pretend the name of soÌ„nes to the intent thei may haue them the more obedieÌ„t For so in times past wrote Gregory the .7 to Geusas king of Hongary which place read in the .17 chap. of this boke the sermoÌ„ .75 yet vnderstaÌ„d we in the meane time that the gretest part of Princes Nobles haue not knowen the same beast but haue rather impugned him therfore not to come in the nombre of the beast but in asmuch as they lyued vnder the Empire yet estraunged farre from the beaste By this I woulde haue them aunswered which wyll exclame and saie who can take it in good parte to haue the holy Empire called the Image of the beast and so many noble Kings and Princes Cities and people praise worthie But I nother oughte nor wyll chaunge the manner of speakinge which the scripture vseth They be the Lordes woordes all which Daniell in oulde tyme and nowe Ibon haue reuealed to vs but I maie excepte and excuse such as are excused by the testimonie of scripture The way is ready briefe whosoeuer wyll be free from the beaste let him take hede that he be not inspired withe the Popes spirite and that he speake not and doe that the Pope commauÌ„deth against godlynes Let him rather be ruled with the spirite of Christ and so shal it come to passe that dwelling in the middes of Babilon he shal not lyue after the iniquities of Babilon but in the Kingdome of Christe They that shall not worship the beaste shal be slain It foloweth and the beast shal cause that whosoeuer shal not worship the Image of the beast shall be slayne And it is all one offence to worship that oulde beaste and to worship the Image of the newe beaste Of the worshipping of him I haue spoken a little before Therfore doe they worshippe the Image of the beaste which admitte the decrees and those ordinaunces of the seate and Empire speaking the inspiration of the beaste which allowe the Romish religion which fall to the kyssing of the feeâ—e and shew themselues in all things obedient chyldren of the seate and are faithfull to the popish Empire Nowe yf any wyll not be suche a one and woulde be content with Christianitie would abhorre Rome the seat of the beast and detest the Image of the beast he lyke a church robber and traytour is iudged vnworthie of lyfe There is a Canon in the .5 boke of Decret the .7 tit of heret Wherein withoute any circumstaunce of wordes Lucius the thirde of that name determyneth playnelye that heretykes are strycken with an euerlastinge curse whosoeuer beleue and teache otherwyse of the Sacraments than the church of Rome beleueth and teacheth He commaundeth moreouer that such beynge depryued of all dignitie shall be committed to the iudgement of the secular powers to be punished with dewe correction But yf the temporall maiestrate wyll not punish so defend the church that than he shal be also depriued of al honour c. But why do I tary in rehearsyng these thinges All men at this daie knowe and see what thynges are done daylie They are
I know rightwell that the proper names of great men haue ben sealed by prophecies and signified before as Iosias Cyrus Iesus But here thou canst gather no such thing but forceably and as it were agaynst the heere I vnderstande therefore by the nombre of the name of Antichrist or beaste the very accōpte wherby we come vnto his name And a name is a briefe definition or description of any thing whereby it is knowen of what sorte and maner it is Which thing in this our cause the nōbre supplieth whiche bringeth vs vnto those times which geue him his name whereof he taketh his name that is whiche times reueale vnto vs Antichrist spoken of before in the prophetes and shewe vs who and what he is or whō we should take for Antichrist euen him verely whiche hauing brought lowe three kinges he him selfe starteth vp of naught and to the distruction of the true religion beginneth to reigne And nowe he sheweth vs expressely this nombre nominall as I maye calle it The nōbre of .666 yeres is expounded and vocalle which maye leade vs vnto Antichriste that we maye knowe who it is and when we knowe him we maye beware of him and commaundeth vs to nombre the yeres sixe hondreth sixtie and sixe For so many importe these Greke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In expoundyng of the which nombre the expositours haue varied wonderfully I like best the exposition of the blessed Martir S. Ireney which perauenture an hondreth yeres after the setting forth of the Apocalipse wrote his boke against heresies saw some whiche hearde S. Iohn preach with S. Ireney maketh also Andreas the good bishop of Cesaria which with Aretas speaketh thus the perfit rekening iuste accompte of the nōbre as likewise other thinges which are written of the same Antichriste the oportunitie of time shall open Time shal reueale antichrist and very experience to suche as will watche dilligently For if it were necessary as some of the Doctours suppose that this name should be manifestly knowē he that sawe him would doubtles haue reuealed But the diuine grace allowed it not that the name of this pestiferous beaste should in this godly boke be rehersed Thus farre Andreas The exposition of Ireneus After the same sorte also the holy Martir of Christ Ireneus before Andreas lefte written in the .5 boke agaynst Heresies For aboute the ende of the booke it is surer sayeth he and with out daunger to abide and tary for the fulfillyng of the prophecie than to suspecte and gesse at euery name where as many names maye be founde hauing the foresayde nombre whereby notwithstanding the question is not aunswered Yet by and by he sayeth the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteineth the nōbre of .666 And very like it is to be true For this vocable hath a very kingdome For thei be latines that now raigne This sayeth he Antichriste shal be a latine as also Sibilla prophecied And doubtles this good doctour erred not one whit indued with the holy spirite of God For we see that the church of Rome is called the latin churche and the Pope the high Bisshop of the latin church We see al seruice in churches sayde in the latin tongue In Courtes al iudgementes of Bisshoppes the latin tōgue only vsed Moreouer no man shall serue in this churche excepte he be a latiniste What wil you saie that these latinistes cal the Hebrewe that is to wit the holy tongue by an opprobriouse name Iewish the Grece Church tongue heretical The Bibles in Greke and Hebrewe be of them suspected For they will haue the latin Bibles only to be authenticall and to be red of all men as authenticall But these thinges are better knowen than that I nede to admonisshe and recite them here with many wordes Neuertheles this holy mā Ireneus doeth not wholy affirme this his coniecture as moste certayne whiche notwithstandyng he sayed yet was moste probable and like to be trewe For he addeth notwithstandyng we will not be in hazarde herein for he recited also the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the royall or tirannicall name of Nimrod nother will we affirmatiuely pronounce that he shal haue this name knowing that in case it were requisite that his name shuld be manifestly preached at this present time it should doubtles haue ben vttered by him whiche had sene also the reuelation But this nombre of the name hath he shewed that we mighte beware of him when he cometh knowyng who he is And he concealed his name for that is not worthy to be preached of the holy ghost and so forth Neuerthelesse the same before this sheweth vs away A place of Daniel in the .7 chapt lighteth this place how to accompte those .666 yeres For thus he sayeth knowyng the sure nombre whiche is shewed vs of the Scripture that is to saye of .666 let the godly abide or loke for firste the diuisiō of the kingdome into ten afterwarde the same reigning and beginnyng to refourme their matters and to augment their kingedome he that cometh vpon the sodayne chalenge to him selfe a kingdome and shal put the foresayde kinges in feare hauyng a name conteyning the foresayde nombre to knowe him verely for the abomination of desolation This agayne sayeth he But who seeth not that the holy Martir sendeth vs to the prophecie of Daniel whiche in the .7 chapt sayeth howe the Romane Empire shall be diuided into many kingedomes how in the middes of those kinges shuld rise vp a litle horne whiche should ouerthrowe and abase three hornes and that the same shoulde beginne to reigne prowdely tirannically and wickedly agaynst bothe God and menne but chiefly to the faithfull intollerable Let vs see than how and when these thinges are fulfilled The Romane Empire falleth Where the Romane Empire had godly Emperours nother yet would wicked Rome bowe her styffe necke vnto Christ but alwaies most obstinately aspired to her olde and wonted Idolatrie which it coueted to haue restored and finally whē the fatal time was at hande wherin the lord most rightuouse thought to requite blouddy Rome he armed against her the Gothians Vandales and Germanes which subdued distroied the lady of the whole worlde and distroyed the whole Empire of the which matter seke more in the .57 Sermō and in the sermons followyng Many hornes or kinges arrise And it is euident by Histories that the Romane Empire the Gothians beginnyng to inuade it did slide prouinces reuolting in euery place and was seuered in many kingdome For to speake nothing of Asia and Affricke the Persians wasting that and this the Vandalles al Grece followed the Emperour of Constantinople and likewise other nations nere The Westegothes possessed all Spayne and the French mē of Franconie subdued Gaulles and Germany and the nations adioynyng to the same The Eastegothes and Lumbardes obteyned Italy Thus verely mere establisshed many kingdomes in steade of Rome reygned many
And in dede it were foloyshnes Babilon to expounde these thinges of the ould Babilon in Asia which was fallen long sins scarcely any token thereof beinge leste Rome we muste therefore vnderstande it of an other which is in her flowres and euen by a figuratiue speach we must vnderstande it of Rome Antonomasia For there is a greate Cozinnage as it were betwixte both Babilon was the first Monarchie Rome is the laste Babilon sore afflicted the people of God So doeth Rome greuouselye vexe the church of God Babylon burthened Israell wyth a greueouse captiuitie So Rome vexeth the church wyth more than a long captiuitie Babilon ouercame the people of God and burning the Citie of Hierusalem and destroieng the temple led away Israell captiue so Rome also hauing rased the citie of Hierusalē and subuerting the temple triumphed of Israell Babilon planted Idolatrie superstition and all abhomination auaunced maintained and set forth the same vnto al men but at the length when she woulde haue thought leest of it the people of God being sodeynely delyuered she was vtterly subuerted So is Rome also the mother nurse and reuyuer of all abominations in the church of the laste tyme wherein she shall perish at the last all those that beleue truly in Christe being delyuered And especiallie it is called great For howe greate and mightie the church of Rome is all we see and by experience knowe at this daye Nother am I the firste that vnderstand by Babilon Rome For many expositours reading the first Epistle of Saincte Peter in the end of the epistle do vnderstand by Babilon Rome Certes Oecumenius sayeth And here he calleth Babilon Rome for the excellencie and brightnesse of the Empire the which Rome obteined a long tyme sins But this the more auncient wryters expound more playnelie as Turtullian in his boke againste the Iewes which sayeth so Babilon with sainct Ihon beareth the fygure of the Citie of Rome therfore also great and proude in her kingdom and a murtherer of the saincts The same words in a maner he repeteth in the thirde booke against Marcion And no lesse playnely Saincte Hierome calleth Rome Babilon and that same Babilon wherof S. Ihon speaketh in the Apocalipse Read the epistle of Paula and Eustochium written to Marcella by the helpe of sainct Hierome Reade himself in the .11 questiō to Algasia Againe in the preface to the boke of Didymus of the holy ghoste to Pauliniane Also in the end of the .2 boke against Iouinian The same in the life of S. Marke Peter saith he in the first epistle vnder the name of Babilon doth figuratiuely signify Rome But S. Ihon wil expounde himselfe in the .17 chapter And we vnderstande that the Citie of Rome shall fall chiefly with all her vngodlynes And with the same also the Romish superstition and abomination through oute the worlde And the Aungell in dede sayeth she is fallen which is yet to fall And that by the propheticall maner of speaking Anadiplosis wherein that which shal assuredly come to passe is vttered as though it wer now done To signifie the certentie thereof that reduplication or iterating of the worde also apperteineth she is fallen she is fallen she is fallē she is fallē This is also repeated in the .18 chap. where it shal be shewed howe it is taken out of the Prophetes c. Notwithstanding both a desyre and Ioye also might seme here to be signified For such thinges as we haue longe and with a desyre loked for we receiue them nowe cumming and saie thou art come thou arte come at the laste longe loked for and nowe makest me glad For the sainctes with a great desyre loke and long for the distruction of that most wicked most vyle and most troublesome kyngdome of Antichriste The cause is shewed also of the destructiō of the commonwelth and church of Rome Why the Romyshe Church shoulde fal for that she hath caused all nations to drinke and hath made them dronken wyth wyne of wrath of her fornication And verelye the effecte of wyne in men is greateste Therefore doctrine is compared to it in the Prophetes Therefore Rome with her vncleane and corrupt opinions hath made all people dronken And it is called the wyne of the wrath For loke with whome God is angry he suffereth them to erre in the way of the Romish church For in asmoch as God hath reuealed the sincere doctrine of lyfe by his onely sonne and moste chosen Apostles and men receaue not the same God is iustely offended with them and geueth them ouer into a reprobate mynde that thei may followe shamefull errours As Saincte Paule also prophisied shuld come to passe in the .2 to the Thess 2. chapt This wyne is called moreouer the wyne of her fornication whereby she her selfe hauing firste played the harlot is become nowe also the Maistres of fornicatiō and as it wer bawde to al others This maner of speakyng is right well knowen euen oute of the Prophetes Rome ded not persiste in the doctryne of the Gospell and of the Apostles but inuented a newe and that contarry to the Gospel of the vycar of Christ in earth The deuilysh doctrin of Rome of the power of keyes of indulgences and pardons of iustification of works and merits of satisfactiōs cōfessions of worshipping of Images prayeng to saincts of celebrating masses and worshipping of the sacramēt of the aulter as thei terme it of monkery and vowes and such other innumerable This doctrine as Apostolicall auncient and chresten she drinketh of to all people and so plucketh them from Christ withdraweth them from the Gospell seduceth them from the oulde christianitie and destroyeth innumerable soules Therefore God powreth oute to her also of the cuppe of his wrath and bryngeth her also to destruction for euer He disswadeth all frō the fellowship of the Romysshe church And vpon this occasion he disswadeth all men from the felowship of the Romish church or papistrie that we haue nothing to do with the Romish religion vnlesse we will be part takers also of the euerlasting pūnishmēt He reasoneth therfore of the losse and punnishments and descrybeth greuouse and horrible paines yf happlie men might so be feared from that vngodlines The Angell therfore crieth and that with a loude voice Wherefore let al ecclesiasticall preachers learne that they must earnestly and tirribblie crye oute in this case that all flee the communion of the Romish or popish church I know doubtles what the common people beleue and saie that all shall be saued at the laste daye what religion so euer they be of and namelie yf any remaine an open papist But we can nother condemne nor absolue any man sette them in Heauen or cast them to Hell God liueth a rightouse iudge He alone knoweth who shal be saued or damned We ought therfore of right to credit his iudgements But where as he pronoūceth openly that the fauourers of the
plagues The .lxviij. Sermon ANd after that I loked beholde the Temple of the Tabernacle of testimony was open in Heauen and the seuen Angelles came out of the Temple whiche had the seuen plagues clothed on pure and bright linnen and hauynge their brestes gyrded with golden girdels And one of the foure beastes gaue vnto the seuen Aungelles seuen golden vialles ful of the wrath of God which liueth for euermore And the teÌ„ple was ful of smoke for the glory of God and for his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seuen plagues of the seuen Angelles were fulfilled The fruictes of the treatise of Gods iudgementes He retourneth now to the description of the iudgementes of God from the which he had made a little digressioÌ„ This treatise hath much fruicte For the iudgementes of God be the punnishmentes or paynes of the wicked the testimonies of Gods rightuousenes and veritie Againe the godly are herwith confirmed in their hope For they see that one Iote doeth not fall from the wordes and threateninges of God although he be of longe suffering winketh at them long and euen semeth to fauour and to spare the vngodly The godly therefore perceyue that their hope is not vayne They learne also to feare God and to praye continually leeste beyng dronken with the pleasures and felicities of this world they reuolte froÌ„ God to vngodlines Finally the wicked are feared with paynes are prouoked to repetaunce which whilest they refuse they fele vndoubtedly plagues as Pharao felte The description of the seuen Aungelles But before the Angelles powre out the cuppes of plages receyued they are most gallauÌ„tly and dilligently described And is shewed from whence they came out that is what is the originall of the iudgementes of God They come out of the temple set open and that out of the temple of the Tabernacle of witnes which is in heaueÌ„ For Moses sawe a temple on the mounte and that also in heauen after the similitude whereof he was commaunded of God to make the tabernacle of witnes Therefore was the tabernacle of witnes facioned and builte after the shape exhibited and sene in heauen which the blessed Apostle to the Hebrewes calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit the very example or patron For it was sayed to Moses see that thou makest euery thinge accordyng to the Patron which was shewed thee on the Mounte Which thing Moses did accordingly But such thinges as came forth of the Tabernacle of witnes made in earth semed to the Israelites iuste and holy Herof were ared the oracles and aunswers of God which it was not lawefull to speake agaynst Therfore when we heare nowe that the very iudgementes of God agaynst the wicked world Thangels come forth of the teÌ„ple paynes and punnishmentes come out of the trewe temple it selfe the patron I meane and that celestial who should herafter doubte that al the iudgemeÌ„tes of God wherwith he plageth the vngodly be sacred holy And whilest the vngodly are plaged that we muste thinke nothing els but that a sentence as it were an oracle is comen or pronounced from heauen whiche it is vnlawefull to gayne saye to conclude the diuine iudgementes do procede out of the very trâ—ne of God wherefore they can not but be moste holy Otherwise we shal heare in the .21 chapt that there is no temple in heaueÌ„ These be therfore Tipes and figures not matters trewe and permanent but after they haue signified this for the which they were instituted passyng and fadyng awaye Hereunto also apperteyneth the apparell of Angelles Aungelles clothed in brighte white lineÌ„ that hereof â—oe maye also esteme the iudgementes of God They are sayed to be clothed in pure lynen or cleane and white or bright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherby is signified that the iudgementes of God are vnspotted and bright For we haue hearde that these thinges which S. Iohn sawe were signes Therfore we maye not Imagine carnal thinges in heauenly matters but spiritually to expounde suche thinges as in the signe seme to be as it were corporall The garment in this worlde is chaunged with the state of thinges For they vse white garmentes in victories and triumphes blacke at burialles and mourninges red in battel Here is signified therfore that the iudgementes of God are most pure that God ouercometh and triumpheth ouer the vngodly At the resurrection and ascention of our lord Angelles appered in white garmentes shyning bright to signifie the glory of Christ Now is the very breste girded with a girdel and that in dede with a golden girdell Golde is a token of purenes In the breste is the seate of affections The girdell byndeth moreouer prepareth for the iourney Therefore it betokeneth that the iudgementes of God are prepared and in a readines the same to waunt affections that is to saye not to be pronounced or done of enuie or mallice loue or fauour but to be iuste moderate and vpright One of the beastes geueth vials And one of the beastes gaue vnto the seuen Angels reuengers punnishers seuen bolles the same ful of gods wrath Now although God nedeth not the helpe of creatures nother receiueth any thing of them as wauÌ„ting any thing yet sins he made not his creatures in vaine doeth thinges in order al creatures doubtles for I sayed in the .4 chapt how by the beastes the vniuersalitie of creatures is signified bestowe their labour agaynst the wicked and what so euer they haue of God and they haue al thinges at his wil and coÌ„maundement they imploye willyngly and franckely to execute the iudgementes of God Thus fire fallyng from heauen vpon Sodome and the cities aboute it did minister the plage or cup of Gods wrath to the Aungel reuenger So the water ouerwhelmed Pharao and his hoste So the Earth opening swallowed vp the company of Chore Dathan and Abyron c. Thus the Armies of the gentiles imploye themselues to take punnishement of the vngodly The walles of Iericho fall the hayle distroyeth the Chananites Thus God without any difficultie punnisheth his enemies seyng al creatures are ready to ayde and assiste And the viall or cuppe is of golde For againe is signified the iustice equitie of Gods iudgementes And where God is called a reueÌ„ger liuyng for euer his eternitie and maiestie is signified whiche neuer the transitorie thinges of this worlde and humane infirmities shall ouercome In the sight of the liuyng God all the wicked shal fall and perish euerlastingly After this the Apostle seeth The temple ful of smoke the temple filled with smoke for the maiestie of God and for his power That smoke is a signe of Gods presence it appereth by many places of the Scripture but chiefly in the .8 chap. of the .3 boke of Kinges Than is it also a token of Gods wrath For Aretas smoke sayeth he is a tokeÌ„ of Gods wrath according as it is sayed smoke ascended in
Romanes into a reprobate minde to do those thinges which God alloweth not And so are the wordes of God prophecied by the Prophets and Apostles on this wise fulfilled Doubtlesse they be the wordes of God and not of men which are red of this matter in Daniell and in all this booke of reuelation The woman is the great citie Finally the Angell expoundeth what is signified by the woman sitting on the beast to wit that great citie of Rome the head and Lady maistresse of the worlde and the Romish church Popery and power stretching oute her selfe and her Kyngdome ouer the Kinges of the Earth Of whom already hath bene spoken enough To God be glorie ¶ He sheweth that Rome shall assuredly fall and addeth the causes of her fall The .lxxvij. Sermon The .18 chapter AND after that I sawe an Angell come down from Heauen hauing greate power and the Earth was lightned with his brightnes and he cryed mightelye with a stronge voyce sayeng she is fallen she is fallen euen great Babilon and is become the habitation of Deuilles and the holde of all vncleane spirites a cage of vncleane and hateful birds for all nations haue dronken of the wyne of the wrath of her whoredome And the kyngs of the earth haue cōmitted fornication with her and her marchauntes are waxed rych of the aboundaunce of her pleasures He pourseweth through out al the .18 chap. the destructiō of olde and new Rome also of Heithennes and Antichristianisme that with a maruelouse plentie euidence of speach euen so that ye would thinke that you sawe al thing presently And he vseth also a most godly order The some of the .18 chapter For first the Angell declareth the destruction of Rome with moste apte wordes Secondly coūsel is geuen to the godly how to behaue themselues in so great daungers Than is added the maner of the desolation that like as Rome hath gredely and cruelly spoyled and destroyed other nations euen so it shal chaunce vnto her also After this a lamentation is made wherein the Princes and marchaūts do mourne for the ruine of Rome where they also resyte the richesse and pleasures of Rome Finally the Apostles and Prophetes reioyce at the moste iust iudgement of God Agayne the Angell of the Lord cast a milstone into the bottome of the sea that so the most certaine vnrecouerable and moste weightie destruction of Rome mighte be signified Wherunto agayne are anexed the causes of so great euilles and the same finished with the prayse and gratulation of all the heauenly dwellers And most luckely doeth he imitate the holy Prophetes of God wherof two in a maner after the same forte S. Ihon imitateth the prophetes do describe the destruction of old Babilon Esaye in the .13.14 .21 chap. And Ieremy in the .50 and .51 And Ezechiell the ouerthrowe of Tirus in the .26.27 and .28 chapt For as the lot and end of all the vngodly is lyke so doeth the canonicall Scripture in painting out their destruction right well agree with it selfe The Apostles moreouer The maiestye of the holy tung although they spake and wrote to the gentyles in greke yet altered they nothing of their naturall phrase of speakyng and euen constrayned straunge tungues to serue the holy and not the Hebrew to serue vnto heathen langages For speakyng greke they obserued the naturall phrase of the Hebrew speach as first diuine and holy And where they coulde speake all langages yet ded they neuer speake and write any foreyne langage so but that in the same the Hebrew phrase might be perceyued The curiositie of the readers in the translations of the Bible Let some therfore beware at this daie that thei be not to deintie cared and followe the puretie of the latine speach so that in expressing the same they fal not in the meane whyle from the simplicitie of the holye tongue and lose not a fewe misteries They that be not froward had rather frame themselues to the holy langage and learne the phrases therof than to subdue the same againste the heare to straunge tongues and cōpell it to serue our delicate eares Moreouer we haue already admonished oftentimes what is the end vse of this treatise concerning the iudgemēts or pūnishments of God For the veritie and iustice of God is cōfirmed the afflicted receiue comfort and the wicked and all Gods enemies are made affrayde c. The vngodly deride the oracles of god But when S. Ihon published these thinges and prophesied of the destruction of Babilon which al men at that time by reason of the late subuersion of Ierusalem and most greuouse captiuitie of the Iewes which had lately chaunced vnder Vespasian ded clerely vnderstand to signifie Rome For right so had Babilon in times past vexed the holy Citie and natiō as nowe had Vespasian the Romane The godly in dede beleued thē to be true that they shulde vndoubtedly come to passe The vngodly as dotages laughed them to scorne The same had their elders done For when the Prophetes also prophesied the subuersion of Niniue Babilon and most mightie Monarchies they semed to them to be mad Notwithstāding euen as they had saied so came it to passe Therfore the faithfull beleue the Oracles of God howe long so euer they be differred which are prophesied to come how vnpossible so euer they appeare vnto the worlde For to God speakyng and willing nothing is harde The Authour of this oracle And going about to shewe the subuersion of Rome he prepareth his hearers and winneth credit to the prophesie whileste before all thinges he sheweth the authour of the Oracle or prophesie the very Angell of God And verely he cōmendeth highly the same Angel to vs to the end we shuld doubt nothinge of the veritie of those thinges which he speaketh For he sayeth howe he came from Heauen Wherupon we gather those things that he bringeth to be diuine and celestial the same is saied to haue great power lest verely we shuld thinke those thinges to be vnpossible which he sayeth shall come to passe For yf the Angel Gods minister be of so great power what may we thinke the Lorde to be which sente the Angel One Angell before the walles of Hierusalem killed an hondreth fourescore and fiue thousande menne of warre One Aungell in a night slewe all the firste borne of Aegipt Therfore seyng the most mightie Angel prophecieth the destruction of olde newe Rome we nede not to doubte but that it shall vtterly perisshe Moreouer the Earth was lightened with the glory that is to saye with the brightenes or light of this Aungell For this prophecie is nother darke nother will it be hidde but chiefly and most clerely preachrd through out the world Wherefore the same Aungell crieth with all his force We muste preach frely clerely agaynste Antichrist and that with a greate voyce For it behoueth these oracles of God wherein is treated of
which practised inchauntementes in very dede and bewitched men with corrupt religion And euen so hath Rome seduced the whole worlde and yet seduceth For the which cause she deserueth most greuouse punnishment The last cause of subuersion for in thee is foūde the bloud Bloud shed can not be whipte awaye nor clensed from them that shede innocent bloud The sheding of bloud And although it be not streight waye required yet will there come a time when it shal be required of God and than is it founde And he maketh mētion of thre sortes of bloud Firste of the bloud of Prophetes of them I meane which haue preached the Gospell and haue ben the fathers of the faithfull Secondely of Sainctes to witte holy martirs Finally of al menne that haue ben slayne in earth to witte dwelling here and there through out the world whom we vnderstande to haue ben dispatched and taken out of the waye by the warres seditions and tiranny of Rome So we reade also in the first oratiō of Ieremie that God straitely requyreth the bloud of his seruauntes spilte Doubtles all shedyng of bloud is greuouse the same excepted which is iustely done of the magistrate yet is one more heynouse than another For he that killeth a preacher of the gospell more greuousely sinneth than he that dispatcheth a priuate person and he whiche for religion sake slayeth a man and maketh a martir sinneth more heynousely than he that killeth a man in the warre Therefore al the bloud shed of Rome after any sort shal be required of Rome is required Thus the lorde spake also of the citie of Hierusalē Matth. 23. The lord Iesus haue mercy on vs loke vpō vs with theyes of his mercie Amen ¶ The reioycinges and Himnes of sainctes are recited for Rome destroyed and all vngodlines taken awaye The .lxxxj. Sermon Chapt. 19. AND after that I hearde the voice of muche people in Heauen saying Alleluya Saluatiō and glory and honour power be ascribed to the Lord our God For true and rightuouse are his iudgemētes because he hath iudged the greate whore whiche did corrupte the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruauntes of her hande And agayne they sayde Alleluya And the smoke of her ascended for euer more And the .xxiiii. Elders and the foure beastes fell downe and worshipped God that sate on the seate saiyng Amē Alleluya And a voyce came out of the seate saiyng Praise our lord God al ye that are his seruaūtes and ye that feare him both smal and great And I hearde the voice of much people euen as the voice of many waters and as the voice of great thōderinges saiyng Alleluya For our lord God omnipotent raigneth Let vs be glad and reioyce geue honour vnto him for the marriage of the Lambe is come God neuer forsaketh his seruauntes For as much as the Apostle in this boke most plentifully hath described the oppression of Sainctes and the cruell mischeuouse and prowde assaultes of the persecutours of the Gospell whereby they both mocke God and tourment his sainctes whereupon euermore at all times the complainctes euen of the godly men are red to haue risen as though God through his longe sufferyng and great patience should seme to neglecte the oppressed he discourseth also moste at large nowe the reioycinges and prayses of Sainctes wherby thei extolle the veritie and iustice of God neuer neglectyng his and most greuousely punnishing the vngodly persecutours Howebeit they reioyce here chiefely and prayse God for the taking awaye of Antichriste and all vngodlines with him Whiche verely is the first place of this chapter The seconde confirmeth al Sainctes leeste they should doubte any thing of the saluation of the faythfull which he sheweth to be most certayne The thirde place reciteth the sinne of blessed Iohn and the faithfull doctrine of the holy Aungel that we should worshippe no creatures be they neuer so holy In the laste place is described the iudge or reuenger Iesus Christe commyng to iudgement there is moreouer described the perdition or punnishement of al vngodly which the iuste and holy lord taketh of them Which place verely begōne in the .11 chapt of this boke and suspēded hitherto repeted somewhat in the .14 is now at the last finisshed And verely the Iubiley of Sainctes is diuerse plentifull and manifolde ouer the loste and condemned enemies of the godly Firste he heareth a voyce and that a greate of much people in heauen He sheweth therfore in generall that all heauenly the Aungelles not excepted synge prayses to God in heauen Whiche we vnderstande shal be at the laste iudgement all vngodly troden vnder fote And before these thinges be done they are rehersed and described that hereby the godly maye in daungers and tourmētes comforte themselues and maye abide stedfaste in the true sayth beleuynge that they also though nowe oppressed shall singe prayses of thankes to God And verely he hath here compiled the whole Himne saide in the prayse of God the reuenger He placeth formoste Alleluya Alleluya after he annexeth the prayses Saluation and glory c. And Alleluya signifieth prayse ye the Lorde He vseth a most common and of all men beste knowen in the primitiue church For certen Psalmes haue this title Halleluyah For the chaūter so exhorted stired vp the people to praise God So after the same maner now also the saincts as it were cōprising the argument of their songe saye Alleluia And these vocables haue more grace in ours and straunge langages than translated So haue remayned in the churche Osanna Amen Saela Maranatha and diuerse others Whereof also writeth S. Hierome to Marcella and Damasus The himne of sainctes Now followeth the himne saluation and glory honour c. And those thinges they prayse in God ascribe vnto him wholy Whereof I spake in expoundhng the .4 and .5 chapt of this boke Moreouer they prayse God of that whiche in this cause is principall for his iudgementes are iuste true Which saying semeth worthie to be printed moste depely in the hartes of al men as the which in temptations maye not a little erecte them And wherefore the iudgementes of God be iust and true he addeth because he hath iudged the great whore that is to saye taken worthie and condigne punnishment of the greate whore Hitherto the Lorde hath semed to many ouer slowe and to much fauourable to Rome and the Romish church but than shall they see that God is most iust Of the whore is spoken before Yet doeth he repete here agayne her moste heynouse and greatest sinnes Firste corruption through whoredome and inchauntement Whereby is signified seducyng by corrupte and wicked doctrine The later the shedyng of the bloud of holy Martirs Wherof we haue already spokē many times Therefore God punnissheth the corruption of doctrine and crueltie of the Romish churche practised agaynst the sainctes of God The prayses of god to god are
he be worthy of loue or hatred Where he hath spoken that vpon an other occasion and to an other ende as I haue declared in my booke of the grace of God c. ¶ Ihon is coÌ„mauÌ„ded to wryte At this present therfore is shewed that the saluation of the faythfull is most certayne For first the Angell comaundeth the Euangelist to wryte This is taken of the maner of men which put in writing their Testamentes conuenauntes and bargaines than seale the same for the cause of credit and for a perpetual memorial of the thing And they that haue suche kinde of writinges are of a quiet minde thinke themselues safe and assured agaynst al craftes and subtill practises And therfore to the intent that the minde of maÌ„ might be quieted in the matter of saluation he causeth as it were an instrumeÌ„t to be written wherby al the godly might be assured of certaine saluation The same maner of writyng our lord in other places followeth in weightie matters As we maye see in the .8 and .30 chapt of Esaye and in the .2 of Abacuke Wherefore it is lesse to be marueled whie the Apostle S. Pvule so ofte alledged that same out of Abacuke that rightuouse shal liue by faith For this only testimony of God as that whiche is cited out of the godly instrument might be in stead of all And where God coÌ„maunded openly Moses and Ieremie to write whereof we maye doubtles iudge The authoritie of holy Scripture and certenly gather that other Prophetes also Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes wrote not without commaundement we see of what authoritie the bokes of tholde newe Testament be with al the godly For they be diuine autenticall they be the instrument and testament of God the bokes of God himselfe which are rightly beleued without any other helpe or coÌ„firmation We beleue the testamentes and sealed writinges of meÌ„ how much more ought we beleue the bokes of the Scripture canonicall Againe is manifestly declared to S. Iohn what he should wryte The called are blessed blessed are they which are called to the mariage of the Lambe Therefore it is euident that nowe it is coÌ„firmed both by the diuine oracle lawefull instrument that those whiche are called to the Lambes supper be and shall be blessâ—d This same was pronounced by oracle diuine and written Autentically What place than of doubtefulnes is lefte vndoubtedly blessed are the faythfull greffed in Christe For they be nowe called vnto whome the gospell is preached by the which thei are called to the participatioÌ„ of the giftes of God but chiefely to eternal life through Christ and thei which not only heare the verâ—â—e of the gospel but that also receyue it beleue it with their harâ—e For many be called and fewe chosen For the gospel is preached to many the grace of God is offered in christ but they receyue it not But such as through the grace of God doe receyue it with true fayth are blessed For they are not only called to the Mariage but also come vnto the mariage and inioye that weddyng supper These thinges seme to be taken out of the doctrine of our sauiour which he taught in the .14 of Luke of them that were bidden to the mariage Reade that same place What that blesse is Neuerthelesse by the waye is declared what that blessednes of the faithfull is nothing els verely than the fruition of the supper of the lambes mariage A supper is made wheÌ„ the daye draweth towardes an ende So is full saluation geuen to the godly about the ende of the worlde at the resurrection of the dead as in the fourmer sermon is expounded And verely all those thinges be altogether allegoricall which represente vnto vs a certen signification of eternall life and glory Otherwise we haue learned of the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles whiche the eare hath not hearde nor the eye hath sene nor haue entred into the hart of maÌ„ the same hath God himselfe prepared for them that loue him These saiynges of God be trewe Finally is annexed agayne a moste weightie assertion or confirmation hereof For he heareth it vttered by an oracle from heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These wordes or saiynges of God be true They be verely true and be of God Or els they be trewe for thei be of God Erasmus hath translated these wordes of God are true And so hath the vulgare translation these sayenges of God are true By a double reason therefore are these thinges confirmed whiche are here propounded both for that they be true and because they be of God Although they come bothe to one poincte For sins they be of God whiche is veritie they can not but be true Therefore let vs beleue these thinges and leaue no place vnto doubtefulnes The scripture is gods word Here is cutte of the occasion of subtile reasonyng that the scriptures and preachynges set forth of men out of the scriptures are not the worde of God for that they be written on Paper with Inke and pronounced with mans voice with a sounde passyng awaye where the worde of God is nother humane nor corruptible nor passyng awaye For the celestiall oracle doeth here pronounce manifestly that the saiynges were written into the boke of S. Iohn and pronounced of the Aungell and to be true and to be gods worde So Paule affirmeth also in the .1 Thess 2. chapt that the worde that he preached of him was the very worde of God Likewise S. Peter in the .1 Peter 1. Therfore let curiouse men leaue bringyng forth of these Paradoxes cease from their disputing that the word of God written and preached is not the word of God Than is not verely the worde of God what time such thinges are written or spoken agree not with the holy Scripture of God The mindes of the faithfull are rather to be allured to this poincte that thei beleue and cleane vnto al wordes of the scripture declared in their righte sense as the most certen wordes of God For els to what thing shall we trust what thing after this shal we haue vndoubted and certayne To God be glory ¶ The facte of S. Iohn is declared whiche woulde haue worshipped the Angell and of the Angell prohibityng The .lxxxiiij. Sermon AND I felle at his fete to worship him And he sayde to me see thou do it not For I am thy fellow seruaunte and one of thy bretherne and of theÌ„ that haue the testimony of Iesus Worship God For the testimony of Iesu is the sprete of Prophecie Here is added the thirde place of this chapter to witte the doyng of the Apostle S. Iohn and the Aungel of God S. Iohn would haue worshipped the Aungell Thexcelâ—â—cie of Aungelles but he is prohibited of the Angel whiche biddeth him worship God And before al this acte and enterprise of Iohn semeth chiefly to be considered Angelles are surely right noble creatures and of greate power by
kinges But of these celestial seates we must conceaue greater diuine and spiritual matters They sitte in thē not for that they doe nothing els but sitte on a cusshion but they raygne triumphe rest liue and haue fruitiō of the comforte ioye and glory euerlasting This I saye is the maner of the soules and spirites to sitte He addeth moreouer howe to those soules was geuen iudgement verely for that they ar exempted from iudgement and come not into iudgement euen as our sauiour sayeth but haue passed frō death to life It is also declared in an other place in what sense the saincts are sayed to sitte vpon the seates and iudge the world where it is manifeste in dede that all the iudgement of God is geuē to the sonne It is euident therfore by this vnfallible place of scripture that the soules of saincts slepe not after the death of the body vntill the laste iudgement but to liue in Heauen with Christe But at the iudgemente they shall retourne to their bodies reysed agayne and together with their bodies shal be receyued into blessed seates And this is the state of the faythfull From this hope lette vs neuer suffer ourselues to be withdrawen In my Decades I haue discoursed more at large of the soules separated from their bodies and haue shewed that they do not slepe A towle errour of Iohn the 22. pope And here I can not refrayne but must nedes set forth and recite that whiche D. Iohn Funceius a learned man dilligent and one that hath red much sheweth in the .10 booke of his Chronologie vnder the yere of our Lord .1332 in these wordes aboute this time the moste holy father Pope Iohn the .22 of that name felle into this heresie which also he professed opēly and taught that the soules sawe not God before the laste daye For so had his father taught him deceaued by the visions of Tantalus which were cōmonly caried abroade in writyng And Pope Iohn sent two preachers to Paris to witte a couple of Freres one of the order of preachers an other Minorite whiche might professe his errour there But one Thomas a preacher of Englande resisted the Pope stoutely whome the Pope committed to pryson And the Kinge of Fraūce called a Synode in his palace in the foreste Vitinian where all that were assembled subscribed agaynst the Pope Than the kinge sent Ambassadours to the Pope exhortyng him to recante his errour and that he would deliuer Thomas out of prison Which inlarged the prisonier and also as it is sayde following the admonitiōs of his frendes at the houre of death repented So much Funccius It is a shame therefore for some which at this day in so great light of the gospel dare renewe that moste folishe errour affirmyng that soules separated from their bodies lie snoring I know not in what dormitorie or dortour nother to fele any thing till at the daye of Iudgement they be ioyned agayne to their bodies and rife agayne The remnaunt of the dead liued not againe S. Iohn addeth and the remnaunt of the dead liued not agayne til the thousande yeres were accomplished Not that they liued afterwarde but that they reuiued neuer at all As the Scripture speaketh in an other place Michol Dauid his wise remayned barren vntill the daye of her death not that she had childe after her death But whom doeth he meane by the rēnaunt of the dead surely all we that descende of Adam are dead As S. Paul right wel declareth in the .5 chapt to the Romanes But we haue hearde how some through faith haue receyued Christe and so beyng quickened haue shed their bloud for Christ and would not worshippe the beast nor his Image Now is added to this membre but the remnaunt of the dead whiche are nother regenerated through fayth nor would bestowe their life for Christe but had rather worship the beast and his Image these I saye for their vnbeliefe liued not For without faith there is no trewe life in this worlde A double life double death We speake nothing here of the vital or naturall life And we saye that life is double or of two sortes to witte the one spiritual which is of faith and of the sprete of God and of Christ whiche is by fayth receyued and liueth in the hartes of his and his life in him For the Lorde him selfe sayeth he that eateth me he shal liue also for me Thother life is euerlasting to witte of an other world in the whiche we shal see God as he is and shall be as he is liuyng in God and with God for euermore Cōtrariwise death is of two sortes spiritual wherby wauntyng Christe and his sprete and voide of fayth we liue in sinne The Apostle speakyng of this death sayeth that a widdowe liuyng wauntonly beyng a liue is dead And the Lord also to the disciple that wold retourne home and burie his parētes sayeth suffer the dead to burie their dead There is also a death euerlastyng that is euerlastyng wretchednes and miserie whiche followeth the spiritual Yet see what we haue sayde of double death in the .3 chapt of this boke in expoundyng the Epistle to them of Sardis Wherefore S. Iohn here signifieth that there shall be many in these thousande yeres which shuld not receyue the gospel with a liuely faith and therfore should remayne in death as the Lorde sayde in the .8 of Iohn Therfore they erre shamefully which suppose that al nations in the whole vniuersal world shal come ones to an vnitie of fayth and most assured peace in this life And S. Iohn himself agayne expoundyng himself sayeth This is that firste resurrection Whiche I praye you by the which menne receyue Christ by the true fayth Of the firste resurrectiō and the seconde and rise from sinne in the newnes of life Of this thapostle speaketh muche in the .6 to the Romanes The same to the Ephes out of Esaye awake sayeth he that slepeth and rise from the dead christ shal shine vnto thee Therfore be they not pertakers of the first resurrection so many as nother acknowledge their sinnes nor be regenerated nother are quickened by fayth in Christ nor rise againe with Christ in the newnes of life The seconde resurrection is that vniuersall resurrection of al flesh wherein shall all menne arrise in dede but with vnlike state for the faithfull rise vnto life euerlastyng the vnfaythfull to death euerlastyng Whiche the Lord him selfe also hath repeted out of the .12 chapt of Daniel in Iohn the .5 chapt Theffecte of the first resurrectiō And he sheweth by occasion and after an Apostolicke maner a threfolde fruicte or effecte of the first resurrection First sayeth he blessed and holy is he which is pertaker of the first resurrection He is bleste sayeth he happy and heyre of celestiall and eternall life Holy that is to saye purified sanctified and iustified For fayth in Christe doeth sanctifie and make blessed Than in such
Doubtles it is a fowle shame to feare more a moste wicked manne than moste holy God But men offende in this behalfe at these dayes most greuousely For some attribute so muche to wicked and cruell persecutours that euen for them they will commaunde to peruerte the preachyng of the Gospell or to kepe silence al together There is that will sette more by the Kinge Prince Erle Baron Citezen or plowmā Bishop or Abbot or some flatteryng Frere or vile massemongyng Prieste and will fayne and dissemble for his fauour rather than he will frely confesse the trewth and feare and glorifie God to be feared only Vnto them sayeth Esaye saye ye not conspiracie and be not affrayde of terrour of the enemies nother be you discouraged But rather sanctifie the lord of hostes let him be your terrour let him be your feare He shal be the sanctuarie and stumblyng stone and the reste in the .8 chapt of Esaye For vnlesse we put awaye this vayne and wicked feare and goe about to funisshe vp the Lordes worke valeaūtly constauntly and without feare we shall surely be caste downe to helle Let timorouse menne thinke hereof and calle vpon the Lord and take vnto them the sprete of strength and of wise and godly boldenes and do the worke of the Lord not negligently but dilligently valeauntly and constantely He is greater that is in vs sayeth S. Iohn in his Canonicall thā is he that is in the worlde Vnbeleuers Vnbeleuers are not weake in the fayth modeste fearing God but such as beleue not gods word promising cōmaūding threatening nother follow God nor his Christ but rather follow straunge Gods had rather beleue fables haue withdrawen their hartes from God And of these is there a great multitude at this day which notwithstāding haue al in their mouth that they beleue God his worde but they beleue not the preachers thinking verely that their incredulitie is thus sufficiently excused But where the preachers shewe nothing els but the word of God thei cānot but contēne gods word whilest they dispise the Sermons of the preachers In the thirde place followeth Abominable that the tourmentes of Hell are dewe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the abominable detestable For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth abomination and stench He noteth therfore abominable and detestable men to whom al religion is a mockerie which deride God and his word and blaspheme all holy thinges the children of Beliall vncurable and spurners These although thei knowe the truth yet thei knowe it to their owne condemnation seing thei contemne it knowē and with dogs and hogs returne to their vomite and wallowyng in the myre Whom also the Apostles haue noted Peter in the second epistle the .2 3. cha S. Paule in the .3 to Titus and .12 to the Hebrewes Iudas Thaddeus through out the chefest parte of his epistle S. Ihon himselfe about the end of the .22 chapt reciting in a maner the same register calleth them dogges And would God we wanted examples at this daye of abominable men and such kynde of dogges But there is no cawse why we shoulde maruayle hereat considering that we liue in the time of all other most corrupt of Noe and Loth Mathew the .24 Of Homicides ther be sondry kyndes Murtherers or Homicides For we kil with the hart mouth worke Whereof you may se thexpositours of the .x. cōmaūdemēts chieflie D. Musculus But I thinke the world had neuer a more notable mor cruel and more shameles murderer yea paricide most verely according to the word of Christ in the .8 of Iohn the firste begotten child of the Deuyll than the Bysshoppe of Rome For he in a maner at all times for these fyue hondreth yeares and more hath blowen the trumpet to all the greuouse warres of Europe or Christēdome and agayne hath graunted to murderers especiallie warring for the See of Rome most large ample pardons and promised heauen to them that die in that warfare al the which being many of them excellent men had not the great mercy of God ben he had destroyed bothe body and soule Than S. Ihon raccompteth whoremōgers Whoremongers And he nameth the lowest kynd to the end we shulde vnderstand the higher and vyler as rape adultrie incest and Sodomitical nother that we shoulde exclude here glottonie dronkennes and all kynde of riorousenes and nourryshing of voluptuousenes Where doubteles we see that S. Paule vnder the vocable of whoredome cōprehendeth all filthy lust and riot But in our dayes whorehūting is made so cōmon that euery most shamefull whoremonger is admitted to the aulter a maried priest that kepeth holy matrimonie is expelled from the same For the which we may thanke Syricius and other Popes whom the Apostle hath greuously noted in the first to Timothe 4. Sorcerers Of Sorcerers is spoken in the .9 chap. of this boke S. Ihon hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he meaneth magiciēs inchaūters sothsayers witches and by deuillish craftes loue makers The latin men vnderstand them also that geue poyson to drinke Idolaters Idolaters be worshippers of Idolles And maruayle it is that the Papists at this day deny thēselues to be Idolaters For what other thing is an Idol but a shape or image made of any matter visible representing the fourme of God or a Saincte but without spirite An Idoll therfore is an Image of wood stone or metall representing the shape of God the father of God the sonne or of S. Peter c. Dauid describeth an Idoll sayeth the Idolles of the heythen are siluer and golde euen the worke of mennes handes They haue mouth and speake not eyes haue they and see not c. Psal 113. And I wolde fayne knowe what the Idolles of the Papistes differ from these Concerning worshippinge of them they can not denye but that they worship those Idolles of wood and clay For thei attribute to them holy names and euen the sacred name of God to be cōmunicated to none other saieng this is pointing to stone or wood that is an Idol of wood God the father this is God the son this is S. Peter I tremble in my minde whylest I report these things especially sins the lord himself hath said whom wil ye make me like Esay 40. And S. Paule calleth this plainly coūterfeting folishnes and expresly denieth the godhead to be like a stone artificially polished Ro. 1. Act. 17. Againe these Images which thei call their gods saincts made with mens hands thei bring into the churches namely a place of worshipping and set them vpon the altars vnto these they go on pilgrimage fall downe before them and worship sence them offer oblations to them and hang Iewels on them And moreouer attribute to them also a parte of the heauenly doctrine and instruction sayeng that the vnlearned sort are taught and admonished by these And what is to worship yf this be not Let them se therfore whether thei can herein
excuse themselues before God and men and prouyde rather to saue their soules How be it all these thinges thei wype away as it were with one word and say we worship not the signes but the things signified Than yf the signes were taken away wold ye returne to the Idolles on pilgrimage do ye not thinke it done in a maner to God himselfe that you se done to the Idolles do ye not punnish am Image breaker as a traitour againste the diuine maiestie For he shal not seme to haue cut a sunder wood but to haue defiled God himselfe Therfore ye acknowledge somewhat more in this wood than wood alone For you thinke that some diuine thing is hid therin and therfore is this wood accompted of you no comoÌ„wood Which thing you declare also by sundry tokens otherwise Moreouer the geÌ„tiles excused themselues after the same maner saieng that thei worshipped the thinges and not the signes But this semed not a sufficieÌ„t excuse vnto godly men as it is to be red in Lactancius and Athanasius in their bokes againste the gentiles But God hath at one word cofuted you and saied who hath requyred these thinges at your handes yf any will exhibite to me worship let him worship after the prescripte of my moste Holy lawe They worshippe me in vaine teaching the doctrines of men These things haue I declared somwhat more at large to the intent that such as wil yet hear any reason and in whom the word and lawe of God hath any place might know auoide that grosse and mortall sinne of Idolatrie And lyars comprehend men that are lighte of their tung Lyars sclaunderers taletellers whisperers deceauers couetouse persons theues vsurers bribers and al maner of hypocrites and slipperie persons For as God is veritie so loueth he veritie simplicitie constancie integritie This vice of lyeng reigneth at this daie farre and wyde For there is the leeste or rather no faith at al in the earth The Lord be merciful to vs. And touchynge the lake or ponde burnyng with fyre and brimestone and of the second death I haue spoken before in the nynetene and twentie chapters And els where And he signifieth that all these and the lyke shall be caste downe of the Lorde into the euerlastinge fyre of Hell For he putteth here part for inheritaunce as also in the eleuenth Psalme he shall rayne vpon the vngodlye fyre and brymstone and this is part of their cuppe And in the .24 of Mathew And shall put his part with hipocrites And we say also he hath noâ—e obtayned his righte or he is puÌ„nished as he is worthy Like as Sainctes therfore obteyne the Kyngdome of Heauen by inheritaunce so are euerlasting tourments in steade of inheritaunce to the vngodlie To the Lorde the righteouse Iudge be prayse and glorie Amen ¶ Here is set foorth a goodly picture a discription or figure of the blessed seate and of the heaueÌ„ly lyfe and glory euerlasting The .xciij. Sermon AND there came vnto me one of the seuen Angelles which had the seuen vyalles full of the seuen laste plagues and talked with me sayeng come hither I wil shew the the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me away in spirite to a great and an high mouÌ„tayne and he shewed me the greate Citie holy Hierusalem desceÌ„ding out of heauen from God hauing the brightnesse of God And her shyning was lyke to a stone most preciouse eueÌ„ a Iaspar clere as a Cristal and had great and high walles and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels names writteÌ„ which ar the twelue tribes of the children of Israell on the East part three gates and on the North syde three gates and towarde the South three gates and on the west syde thre gates and the walle of the Citie had twelue foundations and in them the names of the Lambes twelue Apostles S. Iohn retourneth to the description of the citie celestial A description of the heauenly citie whiche in the beginnyng of this chapter he had attempted He hath inferred certen thinges in place righte necessarie touchyng the certayne hope of the faythfull whiche after he hath finisshed he semeth afterwarde to vnlocke and set open Heauen that the godly with the eyes of fayth mighte as it were loke herein and see clerely what is the hope and glory of Sainctes to come For vnder the tipe of a moste beautiful citie he setteth forth a picture or description moste euident of the blessed seate or palace citie of God or of the euerlasting countrie and church triumphant We shal not here faine and forge to our selues thinges earthly and corporall but spirituall and celestiall For the sprete of God will haue vs by occasion of temporall thinges with our mindes to ascende to eternal and by temporal thinges more excellent Therefore are al thinges figured with amplifications Hiperbolies and ful of other figures We shall therefore imagine in these farre greater thinges as we are wonte to do what time we reade or heare such thinges as our lorde hath taught vnder the parables of weddynges and feastes And firste is declared vnto vs The shewer of the heaueÌ„ly visioÌ„ who is the shewer of this godly and wonderfull vision that is to saye who is the opener of the misteries verely an Aungell of God and the very same whiche before in the .17 chapter to the same Iohn sayde come I will shewe thee the damnation of the greate whore c. For it is the same God whiche punnissheth the vngodly and geueth rewardes to the godly and denounceth vnto menne by his ministers those his rightuouse iudgementes Moreouer sins we see them to be moste certen and partely also accomplisshed whiche he shewed before of the iudgemente of Rome who would not gather that the same shall be also moste certayne whiche the same nowe vttereth and sheweth of the euerlastynge glory of the faythfull And gatheryng a some of the thinges whiche he will shew him he setteth before and exhorteth him to follow him sayeng come I wil shewe thee the bryde the wife of the laÌ„be Of her hath ben ofte times spoken before He signifieth the congregation of Sainctes coupled by fayth to our Sauiour Christe And not only sheweth to Iohn and in the same to vs al the spowse but the glory also geueÌ„ her of God The meanyng therefore is this come I will shewe thee what shal be the glory of the church of Christ in the life to come what shal be the state of the life euerlasting Certes he speaketh also very many thinges of the churche but chiefely of her glory in the world to come The maner of the reuelatioÌ„ ThaÌ„ toucheth he also brefely the maner of reuealyng For he addeth and he toke me vp in sprete into a greate and high mountayne Therefore like as in the fourmer visions he was caried awaie in sprete his body remayning in Pathmos and as we haue red and admonisshed before that suche maner of visions and rauishmentes
hande of God The Angel had shewed Ihon expressely before that he shoulde not do that he than did and now repeteth it againe For hauing as it were forgotten those things by reason of the excellencie of the Angel he wold surely haue done him some worship For so we permit to our selues more than is decēt especially toward nobler personages whom for thexcellēt gyfts of God we esteme worthie whom we may also without the offence of God euen worship That opiniō deceaueth in our time the most part of them which against the comlines of syncere religion worship and honour Saincts But the Angel of the Lorde here nother forgeth nor bringeth foorth any newe doctrine but that olde in forme as thei terme it to the intent we shuld vnderstād that the will of God is alwayes one and perpetuall which will not haue the most excellent creatures to be worshipped but one God alone to be honoured He repeteth therefore the same causes which he also obiected before Therfore be they alwaies of force with all at al times S. Ihon in the meane time semeth that he wold commend vnto vs the excellencie of this vision or reuelation and that the Angel did admonish him cōstantlie of his dutie and vs al by him that the thing which is proper to God we shulde transpose to no creatures and it deserueth exceding great prayse here that S. Ihon here discembleth nothing but by expresse wordes committeth to writing his fall and rebukyng of the Angell moste euidently For by his fall he wolde admonish that the godly shulde not fall in lyke cases but geue all glory to God Here semeth also to be obserued a maruelouse affection in the maner of speakyng For the Angell crieth out to Ihon being ready to fall downe nowe yea prostrate already and nowe aboute to worwip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See thou do it not that thou verely intendest to do Here is expressed the carefulnes of mynd and haste wherwith he goeth about to preuent the enterprise of Ihon. And thus diligent are the Holy spirirites in heauē in letttyng al things that by any meanes do tourne vs frō God to the worshipping of creatures much lesse would they thēselues be worshipped or to haue the things attributed to them which the Papistes at this day attribute by force of Armes The Lorde of clemencie mercie conuerte them to a right minde that thei maye attribute al glory to God Amē ¶ S. Iohn is commaunded not to seale this boke but to publishe it hauyng respecte to no man The XCviij Sermon AND he sayd vnto me seale not the sayenges of the prophecie of this boke For the time is at hande He that doeth euill let him doe euill stil he which is filthie let him be filthie still and he that is rightuouse let him be more rightuouse and he that is holy let him be more holy 7 The seuenth place that is treated in this conclusion forbiddeth Iohn that he seale not the boke written Seale not the boke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayeth the Angel seale it not And certenly letters and bokes are wonte to be sealed eyther for credit confirmatiōs sake or els that they should not be openly red of al men but those only to whom they are assigned An Angell sayeth to Daniel in the .12 chapt And thou Daniel close the wordes and seale the boke vntil the laste time He is commaunded to shut his boke that is to saye to make an ende nother to loke for any more reuelatiō finally he is cōmaunded to shut it for the vngodly vnto whom assuredly this boke shal seme darke closed For it followeth for many shal erre knowledge shal be manifolde For thei that are not ruled by the certayne sure word of God haue nothing at al certenly tried knowē but wander through manifolde or sondry vncertayne opiniōs iudgementes and traditions of men For Daniel sayeth that knowledge shal be variable that is to say there shal be innumerable opiniōs sectes of the religion seruing of god where neuerthelesse there is but one only trewe opinion doctrine fayth or religion the fame I saye whiche Daniel set forth in his boke which boke also he sealed that is to saye cōfirmed it as it were with godly seales as authenticall or authorised and which was worthie to be credited howebeit at this present S. Iohn is not commaunded in the same sense and meanyng not to seale his boke which we know to be altogether autenticall This boke shoulde be open for al men but such a thing as this is the Angel meaneth cōceale or couer not hide not this boke whom God therfore would haue to be writtē that it might be a publicke doctrine in the whole world wherby al men might be instructed in the thinges that are reuealed from heauen that they be not thorowe the craftes and tiranny of Antichrist withdrawen from the kingdome of Christ vnto the kingdome of Antichrist for God would that al these thinges should to all men be moste common and manifestly knowen And this sense hath Aretas opened also sayeng Seale them not sayeth he that is kepe them not sealed to thy self but publishe them to all The reason is annexed for the time is at hande wherein verely these thinges which I haue sayde shal come to passe Wherfore the faythful had nede of warnyng cōfirmyng and comforte Consideryng therefore that this boke is set forth that it might admonishe strengthen and comforte the faythfull the same ought not to be shutte but wide open For this is the good will of God that this his word should be preached in his church to the profit of al faithfull Let them loke therefore what they doe whiche would haue this booke not only shutte vp but cleane taken awaie nother thinke it can be vnderstande as obscure and full of darke speakynges But to God be prayse and thankes geuyng whiche hath vouchsaued to prouide for vs faythfully in time by this most profitable and moste necessarie boke ¶ These thīgs must be beatē in both to the hearers to suche as will not heare 8 The eight place of this conclusion semeth to treate of a certen preuention For some man here might saye thou wilt haue this boke to be open and come vnto al men of al states sexe and ages but there shal be some whiche wil vtterly contemne the same In vayne therefore shall it be preached in vayne shall we vrge these writynges with them especially which shal deride the same and expounde them this waye or that waye at their pleasure But he semeth to preuent this saye doubtles there shall be vnrightuouse innumerable whiche shal procede vnbridled in their iniquities and shall more and more excede and passe themselues but yet there shall be also rightuouse whiche perseueryng in al rightuousenes shal increase in holy vertues and herein also shal surmounte themselues wherfore spare not thou to vtter to thē al such things
Fraunce England Italy and of other Realmes or nations and generally to all the faithfull where soeuer they be abiding and lokyng for the coÌ„myng of Christe oure Lorde and Iudge THat this Apocalips was reueled of Iesus christ king of kinges and high Bishop our lord from the right hand of the Father and setforth by thapostolical spirite for the saluatioÌ„ of al faithfull chieflye of those that shall be in the latter dayes before the last iudgment both the matter it selfe whiche is treated right necessary to be knoweÌ„ holsom and excelleÌ„t proueth And also the simple maner meane wherby it is handled being euident and plaine declareth I will speake of ether briefly Collectyng those thinges only which seme to be more profitable and more necessary Iohn .xvi. The Lorde had sayd in the Gospell how he wold ascende into heauen and froÌ„ thence wold send to his Apostles the holy Gost the comforter which shulde leade them into all truth and shew them the thinges that ar to come And that which he sayd he wolde do in wordes the same verely hath he also perfourmed in dede aboundantly The holy Gost beyng sent to his Apostles which induced them into all truthe and opened to them the thinges that were to come especially to the Apostle and Euangelyst S. Iohn who receiued this ReuelatioÌ„ exibited to him of Christ from the ryght hand of the Father by the mistery of an AuÌ„gel in the holy Gost who also by Chryste his commaundement committed the same to wryting The summe and ende of the which wryting is this The summe ende of the Apocalipse That Christ Iesus our Lord wil neuer fayle hys churche in earth but will gouerne it with his spirite and worde through thecclesiasticall ministery But that the church it self whilest it remaineth in this worlde shall suffer many thinges and that for Chryst and the truthe of his Gospell professed And it openeth al and singular euils in a maner that the church shal suffer shewing how it must be exercised with common Calamities as warre plage famyne and suche other lyke What it shall priuately suffer of the false bretherne through heresies schismes and greuous and continuall stryfes contentions corruptions in the matter of religion Finally how terribly it shulde be vexed by the most cruell persecutions of tholde Romane Empire And laste by the wicked crafts extreme Tyranny of Antichrist Al the which thinges apperteyne to this ende that all the chosen being sufficiently warned before and prouided in all ages whilest this worlde shall indure may with true faith alone cleaue vnto Christ our redemer king and high prieste only and eternall and may purely and syncerely professe hym call vpon him in the innocencie of lyfe serue him and patiently attend after him commyng to Iudgemente and to delyuer and saue the godly But contrarywise that they dispise all superstitions and the worlde it selfe with those his sondrye religions felicities and pleasures and bewar of al vngodlines And chiefly that they flee Antichrist which shall com in th ende of the worlde vsurping to himselfe most vniustly the kingdom and Priesthod of Chryst and greuouslye persecuting the churche of Christ euen to the laste Iudgemente In the whiche at the laste he with all his adherentes shall be throwen downe hedlonge into Hell And. S. Iohn beginneth this holsome matter of Chryste hymselfe The fyrste Chapter of the Apocalips Lorde king and high Bishop whose wonderful and most goodly description after the Apostolicke maner he placeth in the very begynnyng as the foundation of the whole worke The same descriptioÌ„ dooeth so â—â—ately setfoorthe the Lorde that all the churche may easely know What thinges are treated in this boke in what order dispersed throughout the whole worlde in Chryst oure Lorde all thinges to be accomplished what so euer he had sayd before shulde be fulfilled in him namely that he shulde be exalted one to the ryghthand of his father into all celestiall glory power and maiestie there to be kinge of kinges of all other most mightye and the true and only hygh Byshop Sauiour gouernour Lorde and generall defendour of the Catholycke churche For blessed S. Iohn not only saw him such him selfe but also exhibiteth him such to be sene of vs all in thys hys wryting so godly by a most bryght and goodly vision And moreouer to thintent it myght be knowne to vs all in what sorte our Lord Iesus Chryst king and priest sitting or working in Heauen on the right hande of his Father is neuerthelesse in the middes of the catholycke church wherof he hath a faithfull care how louingly and fully he preserueth it in best order gouerneth it S. Iohn sheweth in this his vision that Christ walketh amonge the seuen golden candlestickes holdeth in his right hande seuen starres And streyghtway declareth what thing he vnderstandeth by the candelstickes and starres calling the candelstickes churches and the starres Aungels of the churches That is to witte Seuen churches Messagers ministers and pastours For the Lord chose vnto him selfe seuen famouse churches in Asia with whom he treateth nowe generally and compendiously vsing S. Iohn for hys interpretour which he doth perpetually in all churches throughoute the world and will neuer cease to do tyll the worldes ende For the seuenth number whiche is most vsed in this boke Chap. 2 and .3 and is the numbre of fulnes comprehendeth in it all churches Wherfore S. Iohn doeth so propounde moderate and temper all thynges that he treateth with these seuen churches that they may be applied vnto all the Churches that shal be in the worlde vntyl the worldes ende for theyr learnynge and edifiyng And for the same cause these seueÌ„ churches may be exaÌ„ples of all other churches For loke what thing then did please or displease the Lord in those seuen churches what tyme these thyngs wer reuealed the selfe same in all other churches shall please or displease him so long as the worlde shall laste And as he wolde haue those instructed and taught so wyl he that all and singular be instructed at all seasons Therefore in these seuen churches we haue examples of churches moste excellent in dede and of God derely beloued And agayne of moste corrupte meane also and finally mixed And in these al is shewed what is or shall be the disposition maners and vertues of all the churches in the whole world and of al tymes and seasons likewise the vices of them and remedies of the same Therfore the Lorde in these instructeth reproueth chideth threatneth exhorteth comforteth promiseth Wherfore in these we shall see as it were in a table set before vs what the true and ryght doctrine of the churche is And againe which is the false and the corrupt doctrine We shall heare and learne that the churche beloued of God must stande styll in the preachyng of the Gospell once receyued of the Apostles of oure Lord Iesus Chryst and muste loke for no new