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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Prophecie of Daniel by the beaste vnderstandeth the Romane Empire and supposeth that therfore it is not called a Lion nor a Beare nor Libarde but a beaste that what crueltie some euer ye canne Imagine in beastes by the same ye maye vnderstande the Romanes doubtles in maners they haue shewed themselues beastes Mithridates the moste renoumed kynge of Pontus speakyng of the Romanes in the .xxxviii. booke of Iustine As they themselues reporte sayeth he that their founders were nurrisshed by suckyng of a Wolfe so haue all that people Wolues mindes neuer satisfised wyth bloud of rule and Riches Hongry and emptie And nowe howe filthy beastes many Romane Princes haue ben theyr owne wryters testifie chiefely Suetonius and others that haue written of the Emperours liues And that the people of Rome were also of beastely maners the .1 chapt of the Epistle to the Roma proueth You will saye I knowe well The good godly are excepted sins S. Iohn comprehendeth vnder this Image the whole body of the Romane Empire shal we cal Conustant Constantine Theodosius and other godly Emperours beastes I saye howe the Scriptures vse this maner of speakyng and by beastes in dede vnderstande Empires all though they calle not all those that dwell in those Empires beastes with out any difference therfore we vnderstande them exempted in all Empires that liue a life to God acceptable and know assuredly that nother Daniel nor S. Ihon woulde haue defiled with wordes suche innocent men and al prayse worthie Yea in all this treatise of the Empire and of Antichrist we excepte alwayes such men as are innocent and excelle in vertue Wherof we shal happely speake more hereafter And firste he sheweth the beginnyng of this Empire The original of the Empire A beaste commeth out of the Sea on the sande whereof standeth the Dragon and in the .17 chapt it is sayed howe the beaste came out of the botomlesse pitte Therefore the beginnynge hereof is referred to Sathan Notwithstandyng we muste here take dilligent hede that we take awaye nothing from the lorde our God the whiche he chalengeth to him self The Scripture in sondry places but chiefly by two moste excellent witnesses by Daniel in the .3 chapt and S. Paule in the .13 chapt to the Romaines hath set forth that kyngedomes and Empires are of the Lorde and that he setteth vp deposeth kinges There is no power sayeth thapostle Nowe the Rom. Empire is of God of the dragō but of God And hitherto in dede thapostles cōmaunde to obeye Princes and magistrates Howe is it than that we heare that the Romane Empire came out of the botōles pit sins the Apostle speaketh of the same doubtles the Romane Empire is not absolutely of the Deuil For God is the authour of Monarchies and preserueth realmes and policies geuing therunto certen faithful seruaūtes But sathan medleth with mens matters and corrupteth both kinges kingdomes and so long they be of the Deuil The Christianes in all politike matters obeyed Emperours but cōmaundyng Idolatrie they obeied them not 3. Kings 11 Certaine it is that God did institute the kingdome of Israell or of ten tribes by the prophet Ahiab yet neuerthelesse the lorde crieth out in an other prophet Amos. 8. they haue reigned in dede but not by me For the lord would haue had those kinges to haue framed al thinges after his word and to reigne in the feare of God and where they did not so but followyng the instigation of Sathan ordered al thinges after their owne luste they are rightly saied to reigne not of God but of the deuill Therfore haue the godly obeyed kinges but they obeyed them not cōmaundyng wicked thinges although they toke them for their kinges God had instituted the order of priestes not withstandyng Christe calleth the doynges of the same priestes the workes of darkenes And S. Peter sayeth we muste rather obeye God than men So verely the Romane Empire which was of God came also out of the Sea as Daniel sayeth also out of the troublesome world and euen out of Hell beyng made great through slaughter murther seditiō and treason For the people of Rome with the moste parte of Emperours regarded the Deuil and the world and not God The Rom. Empire of seuē heads And what the empire of Rome is at this daye he figureth now also it hath seuen heades ten hornes and euery horne had his crowne signifiyng verely that by hornes are signified kingedomes Nother doe we here bring in any newe or farre fetched exposition In the .17 chapt the Angel expoundeth him selfe and sayeth that by seuen heades are signified seuen mountaines or hilles and euen kinges also In Rome are accompted many hilles but there be seuen notable For there is mounte Palatine Capitoline Auentine Coelius Esquiline Viminalle and Quirinalle Propertius expoūding the same in one verse whiche I haue expressed in two sayeth Septem vrbs alta ingis toto quae praefidet orbe A citie set alofte on seuen hilles Whose people rule the world at theyr owne willes And therfore is called of the Grekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of seuē hilles And verely the citie is taken for the whole Empire So haue there ben also many kinges Emperours which are cōprised in the seuenth nōbre but yet is it certayne that the seuēth nombre of kinges also is exactely founde in the historie For at the beginning whē Rome was first builded there reigned seuē kinges in order Romulus Numa Tullus Hostilius Aucus Martius Tarquinius Priscus Seruius Tullius Tarquius Superbus who expulsed by reason that Lucrese was rauished of the kinges sonne they were ruled by confulles by ten men by Dictatours vnto the time of Iulius Caesar who first vsurped to him selfe againe a kynges crowne after whome reigned Antony Octauian called Augustus Tiberius Caius Claudius and Nero againe seuen In Nero thempire receiueth a plage From thence againe are accōpted seuen Ottho Galba Vitellius Vespasiane Titus Domitian Nerua From him was the Empire deuolued to Vlpius Traiane a Spaniarde Therefore the Romane Empire could not by plainer markes be expressed To this Empire also Daniel attributed ten hornes aswel for that it was collected of many kingedomes as also that it was disparsed agayne into many Wherof shal be spoken in the .17 chapt And it is a comon thing to the Scriptures by hornes to signifie kingedomes and power And to this kingdome the lord Iesus ascribeth open wickednes ye he calleth it blasphemouse For he addeth The Romane Empire blasphemouse and vpō his heades the name of blasphemie that is to saye what plasphemie so euer may at any time be any where diuised al that same shall be founde manifeste in this Empire and chiefely in the heades For yf ye beholde the hilles of Rome chiefly the Mounte Capitoline ye shall finde it called of Cicero the mansion place of the Gods verely for that it conteyned in a maner the Images of all the Goddes For on
To them afterwarde they framed Idolles that is tokens and memorialles whiche might bryng those heauenly goddes into the memorie of the Earthly dwellers They builded for thē chapelles and churches they instituted priestes holy daies rites and Ceremonies These things are foūde in the bokes of the gentiles in our histories and also in their writinges which haue cōfuted the heythen Idolaters But in the popish kingdome at this day the names beyng only chaunged who can denie that the same culte the same religion naye very superstitiō is not renewed of these thinges I haue treated at large in my booke De origine erroris The Papistes teache that the Sainctes in heauen reigne with God and that to them are subiecte sickenesses artes limmes or membres cities and althinges and muste therfore be called vpon and worshipped Sainctes are expressed and represented by Images to these Images are erected Aultars and churches briefly it is done to them that was done to the Goddes and Idolles of the Heythen Who therefore vnderstandeth not nowe that Antichrist hath procured that the first beaste might be worshipped that is to witte mighte be of force agayne and that the olde Idolatrie and superstitiouse worshippyng might be renewed and frequented Who worship the first beaste vnder the seconde And as we haue red it to be sayed before and they worshipped him all that dwell in Earth whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lābe so sayeth he also here plainely and he causeth the Earth and the inhabiters of the Earth that is they that seke regarde only earthly thinges to worshippe the firste beaste For all be not polluted with popish Idolatrie For hereunto apperteyneth the noble historie of Leo the thirde Emperour and Gregory the seconde and of other Popes through whose wickednes Idolatrie was agayne brought into the church which I wrote of long sins in my worke De origine erroris Nother with out a misterie is this hereunto annexed Whose deadly wounde is healed whose deadly plague was healed For he semeth to compare together the firste and seconde beaste and to shewe the lickenes of the same And I tolde you howe many menne at the firste were kepte still in the Romanes errours and Idolatrie for that the Goddes by Vespasians meanes were sayed to haue preserued the common welth whiche els with ciuile warres was as it were brought to ruine Finally we reade in stories that the Empire of Rome hath many times receiued deadly woundes but yet by and by through the wisedome and valeauntnes of some noble men the Goddes as they speake so willyng haue ben healed againe In that nōbre are rekened Lucius Septimius Seuerus Valerius Aurelianus C. Aurel. Val. Diocletian c. By whose lucky successe triumphes and victories to the Empire restored many haue ben moued to saye who seeth not that Rome shal be eternal and that the Romane religion is to the Goddes most acceptable and that the Emperours also and publicke weale is indued with a certen deitie and is to be honoured after the same sorte the kyngedome of the Pope or Antichrist hauing tried moste diuerse chaunces hath very ofte escaped out of desperate daungers Force and policie hath afflicted it and also the religion of Henry the .3 Emperour and of his sonne Henry the .4 Fridericke the first and second vexed the popes There were also other mightie Princes whiche inflicted mortall woundes to the See of Rome Agane there were Bishoppes of Rome which with singular craftes haue cured their woundes agayne The woūdes of Antichriste healed of the whiche sorte was Gregory the .7 Vrbane the .2 Paschalis the .2 Calixtus the .2 Alexander the .3 Innocentius the .3 Honorius the .3 Gregory the .9 Clement the .4 .5 Boniface the .8 Iohn the .22 and diuerse others But was not that feate in greatest perill in times paste when three Popes were created at ones whereof one was resident at Rome the seconde went to Auignon in Fraunce and the thirde liued in Spayne But all these three putte downe by the power diligence authoritie and policie of the Emperour Sigismunde and the counsel of Constaūce that deadly wounde was fayre healed in Martin the .5 And this felicitie and restoryng the Popish kingedome perswadeth many effectually that poperie is of God and the popishe religiō to be most certen and trewe as that which hath so ofte ben of mightie princes assayled might in dede be shaken but neuer yet ouerthrowen The acclamation of all the Romishe is knowen the shippe of S. Peter is tossed in dede with stormes but can neuer be drouned But Daniel him self also hath prophecied that this shuld so come to passe saiyng and he shall prosper and shal doe what he will and shall kill the strong and holy people at his pleasure and guyle shal be directed in his hande Whiche thinges they doe not marke whiche are at this daye so much offended with the felicitie of that chayre of pestilence and the beaste therof Therfore like as the dayes of mourning and soden destruction came vpon olde Rome and vtterly destroied both the citie and Empire euen so shal we heare in the .17 and .18 chapt That Babilon shal haue her fatall destenies The Lorde Iesus confirme vs in the faith of Iesus Christe and deliuer vs from the guiles lucky successe and felicitie of that Romish Antichrist Amen ¶ Of the signes of Antichrist and Image of the beaste of him reysed The .lx. Sermon ANd he did great wonders so that he made fyre come downe from heauē into the yearth in the sight of men and deceaued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes whiche he had power to do in the sight of the beaste saiyng to them that dwelte on the Earth that they should make an Image vnto the beaste whiche had the wounde of a sworde and did liue And he had power to geue a sprite vnto the image of the beaste and that the image of the beast should speake And should cause that as many as would not worshippe the Image of the beast should be killed He procedeth moste dilligently to describe Antichrist and his kingdome which so greatly impugneth the faith of Christ and afflicteth his church to the intent he mighte be knowen and eschewed of al men He sayeth nowe he shall do great wonders Of trewe miracles by the whiche he vnderstandeth miracles Wherof some be true and some false I call those trewe miracles which are done in dede and are not by any craftie iuggelyng countrefeted and the which allure mē to the veritie and set forth the veritie Of the which sorte out of doubte were the miracles of the Prophetes and Apostles holy Martirs and chiefly of Moses and Christe These do good vnto men hurte not nor emptye pore mens purses yea more they glorifie God and make the treweth to be beleued in drawyng men only vnto God as to the fountayne of all goodnes So Iohn testifieth of the lordes
excellent in all kinde of vertues and especially the seculars as they tearme them who hath muche misliked the tiranny and impietie of the Popes of Rome in so muche that they haue stoutely oftentimes withstande them Our age doubtles is muche bounde to this order or state that a good parte of the preachyng of the holy gospel is reformed the which both they with other princes of Germany moste worthie of praise do by Gods inspiration valiaūtly against the furies of Antichrist defende and mantayne The Lord increase in them in other godly Princes through the whole world his giftes and mercifully kepe and preserue thē But to returne to the prosis and order of the Historie certayne it is that immediately after Gregory the .5 the Deuill inuaded the see of Rome Nother could Platina dissemble this thing a writer of Popes liues knowen to all men See what he sayeth of Popes in the life of Syluester .3 which hath very fauourably spared his lordes and maisters and many times hath couered their abominable actes yet writyng of the successour of Gregory the .5 Siluester the .2 sayeth he before called Gilberte a Monke of Florey forsakyng his monasterie followed the Deuil vnto whom he gaue him self whole And by and by he addeth Gilbert moued with Ambition and a deuelish desire to rule through briberie gote firste the Archbisshopricke of Reyns after of Rauenna and after with greater suite the Deuill furtheryng him he obteyned to be pope yet vnder this cōdicion that after his death he should be the Deuilles wholy c. He that would knowe the full story and abridgement taken out of Antoninus The See of Rome vtterly corrupted Nauclerus and others lette him reade the .9 boke of Funccius Cronicles vnder the yere .998 Beno a Cardinall supposeth at this time to be fulfilled those thousande yeres after the which the Deuill breakyng lowse beganne agayne to rage in the worlde Wherof shall followe certen thinges in the .20 chapt of this booke Notwithstandyng I shall not refuse to gather here certen thinges out of this Benone Cardinall and briefly to recite them here for the declaration of our matter Therefore Beno in the life and actes of Hildebrande The mallice of the Popes vexyng the emperours called Gregory the .7 one Gerbertus which had infected the citie with sorcerie sayeth he after the thousand yeres fulfilled coming vp out of the botōlesse pitte of Gods permission was Pope 4. yeres and chaungyng his name was called Siluester the 2. And after Gilberte the yere .25 I suppose it should be red .32 And howe they reigned these yeres Stories testifie and that very euyl Theophilactus his schollar atchieued the seate violently called Benedict the .9 He had a dere frende and priuie to all his doynges one Gratiane Archeprieste of S. Iohn porte latin Vnto whome Hildebrande a Monke of Cluney forsakyng his abbeye did familiarely cleaue and became a familiar frende of his But Benedict fearyng him selfe solde his seate to Gratiane Maister of Hildebrande receiuyng of him fiue hondred thousande poūdes which promoted to the office was called Gregory the .6 Neuerthelesse they had shortly a thirde Pope Sabinus and he was called Siluester the .3 Themperour therefore Henry the .2 a godly man valeaunt wise and stoute goyng to Rome to pourge the church for as yet the Bisshoppes vsed not full authoritie compelled Benedicte or Theophilacte the Magician to flee cast Gregory in pryson and sent a waye Siluester to his olde Bisshoprike And he holdyng a Counsell placed the Bisshop of Bamberge whom he called Clement in the seate of whome also he receyued the crowne And he brought Gregory with his disciple Hildebrande with him into Germany In the meane time Benedict retournyng to Rome from flight vexeth Clement and with much inchauntynge infecteth the Citie and by letters receyued from Hildebrande out of Germany he learneth what is done in the Emperours court Gregory dieth there in prison and lefte Hildebrande his heire both of his false packyng and of his monie Clement dieth also Whom Damasus the .2 succedeth immediately but streight wayes poisoned by reason of the tumulte that was in the citie the Emperour sendeth Bruno Bisshoppe of Tully commen of the noble house of the Erles of Holst a worthy mā Here Beno annexeth in whose trayne through the ouer much sufferaūce of the Emperour Hildebrande was permitted to retourne by this permission to subuerte bothe the Bisshoprycke and Empire vnder pretence of religion And this Beno herein was a trewe prophet whiche sayeth thus also in the storie of Hildebrande and telling Bruno many things by the waie crepte into his fauour and as sone as he came to Rome obteyned of him that he was made one of the kepers of S. Peters Aultar And in a shorte time he filled his coffers And he also recōciled his olde Lord and maister Benedicte fayning repentaunce disceiptfully to Leo the .9 for so Bruno beyng made Pope was called and through the counsell of Benedicte otherwise called Theophilacte he armed Leo agaynst the Normannes and betrayed him vnto them The Germanes therefore slayne by treason scarsely the Pope all desolate escaped This sayeth Beno And certē it is that this Monke Hildebrande Gregory the .7 from that time forewarde aspired to gette the seate and in the meane time whilest it was gouerned of others he incensed and ruled the Popes as Leo the .9 Victour the .2 Stephen the .9 Benedicte the .10 Nicolas the .2 and Alexander the .2 But they smell of Hildebrandes stile that are set forth in the name of Leo Nicolas and Alexander But at the length he him self clome vp into the chayre in the whiche he so vsed him selfe that no man vnlesse he were starke blinde but might see that his deuelish gouernement hath requited most aboūdantly Henry the .4 the sonne of Henry the thirde his fathers cariyng of him into Germany And he beganne openly and impudently to take vpon him the power of the emperour Nother can it be tolde at fewe wordes in what detestable wise this beaste did afflicte bothe the Emperour and empire al the while he was Pope for the space of .12 whole yeres An Abridgement of that story hath Iohn Functius compiled in the .10 boke vnder the yere of our Lorde .1074 Diuerse opinions of Gregory the .7 I know that Platina and many Italian wryters yea and some Germanes also doe highly cōmende the religion and vertues of this Gregory the .7 by the whiche thyng the Popishe tiranny vnder the pretence of religion is wonderfully augmented and confirmed and many blynded Yet is it comen to passe agayne through the grace of God that men of graue authoritie religion and vertues haue fayre and wel plucked of the visure from this beaste Therefore haue Synodes and Counselles not to be cōtemned condemned this Gregory and first in dede the Coūsell of Mentz wherein were 19. famous Byshopes Than was assembled at Brixia a Synode of .30 Bisshoppes and of the moste
with golde siluer preciouse stones al costely arraye These thinges are founde in the olde people beyng vnder the discipline of the lawe they are founde also emōges the gentiles which suppose not god to be rightly honoured but with the preciouse things of this world But we know that the leuitical priesthood is abrogated with al the outwarde araye that now the church decketh her self with vertues hateth and abhorreth outwarde garnisshing Lactantius confuteth at large the externall deckyng in religiō or godly worshippyng in his boke of Institut de vero cultu c. Moreouer all olde writers shewe that God is not worshipped of the christians with golde siluer but with faith charitie rightuousnes What wil ye say that Daniel in the .11 chap. sheweth that Antichrist shal worship God with golde siluer precious things which thing he cōdēneth reiecteth And doeth it not appere here plainely The Pope paincted forthe is shewed to the world that the lord Iesus himself hath setforth to vs the Pope or Antichrist painted as it were in a table For he appereth altogether such in such like apparell he sheweth him selfe to be sene of all men as the whore of Babilō is decked with at this present And he chalengeth to him selfe this apparell by a certen right For the Papistes bring forth a false fained donation of Constantine emonges other thinges pronouncyng thus in the Distinct 96. The donatiō of Cōstantine fained We geue and dimise to blessed Siluester and to all his successours the palace laterane of our Empire moreouer the Diademe to witte the royal crowne of our head whiche the Pope calleth a kingdome hath made it triple and also our purple robe and coate of Crimosine and all our imperiall araye c. I can not here omitte but must nedes wryte out a fewe thinges of Platina the Popes secretarie de vitis pontif For describyng the life of Clement the .5 at the Popes coronation sayeth he were present Philippe kyng of Fraūce and Charles his brother Iohn Duke of Britaine which ouerwhelmed with the fallyng of a walle dieth see the diuine and iust iudgement of God with many others whilest the pompe of the Coronation as the maner is was led through the citie Kyng Philippe also by the same ruine was sore hurte and lamed the Pope stricken of his horse loste a Rubie out of his myter that coste sixe thousande Ducates This he This whore moreouer drynketh to all nations of the cup of Circes whiche the lorde calleth of Golde She drinketh to thē carouse And it signifieth doctrine For to geue drinke is to teache Ezechiel .34 Golde betokeneth sincerenes and purenes of doctrine Doubtles vnder pretence of sincerenes and veritie diuine Rome hath easely perswaded all people to receyue the doctrine of the Romish Sea For the Pope hath both named him self Apostolicall and the church of Rome also Apostolical And in the Canones hath lefte wrytten right so are all the lawes of the See Apostolicke to be taken as though they were confirmed by the godly mouth of S. Peter him selfe Distinct 19. Reade the .20.21.22 Distinct Therefore the more simple sorte of the world haue supposed that they receiue the very worde and lawes of God what time they receyued the decrees and doctrine of the church of Rome But our lorde Iesus Christ doeth here declare vnto vs what hath ben and what is euen at this daye their doctrine and sayeth ful of abominations and vncleanes of her filthie luste And the scripture calleth abomination Idolatrie Deuter. 7. chapt Moreouer the false worshippyng of God superstition and suche other thinges like The vncleanes of whoredome in the Prophetes is nothing els but peruerse doctrine and peruerse religion not attributing al good things to God alone by his sonne but rather diuiding the harte and appliyng them bothe vnto creatures to wicked worshippynges But suche is the doctrine and religion of the Romish See Therefore is her great sinne here recited that she hath with her euill and venemouse doctrine seduced and infected al nations and euen nowe also reteyneth them in superstition and Idolatrie A lyke place is in the .16 chapt of Ezechiel And I suppose that our lorde Iesus Christ vsed here now wordes very filthy to the intent he might plucke awaye from the Romish decrees and Canons their authoritie and viserne that their filthines mighte appere vnto al men and be knowen and eschewed Furthermore leeste any shoulde be ignoraunt what the same woman were A name written in the forehead which may open the mistery or vnderstandyng whiche is here setforth to be sene and that all might flee that greate witche Circes he wryteth her owne name in her very forehead that al men might reade it and that she might by no meanes be vnknowen For he calleth a misterie the vnderstandyng or signification of a secret for by a trope is Rome called Babylon Wherof I haue spoken before And after the true signification of the worde Babel soundeth confusiō And Rome hath brought an exceding greate confusion into the church For like as the primatiue church of Rome set forth the gospell in the weste countrie so the first simplicitie and purenes ones extinguished the later Bisshoppes regardyng more ambition and couetousenes than humilitie liberalitie and godlines haue brought into the whole world al maner of Idolatrie and superstition Certenly she is called of the Lorde expressely the mother of the whoredomes and abominations of the earth For we maye thanke the church of Rome for all the corrupte doctrine and vngodlines that is in the church She is the original of idolles Masse and other abominations Therfore is she moste worthie to be punnisshed with moste greuouse tourmentes And this verely is the moste worthie title of the Romish churche Others calle her Apostolicall diuine chiefe and of all moste holy The Lord Christe calleth her Babylon and that great a moste common harlot and euen the mother of the abominations and whoredomes of the whole worlde fightyng agaynst God and his annoyncted Therefore lette al the holy and obedient children of God the father flee from her I wil not here make rehersal how she is also the mother of al abominatiōs and whoredomes euen after the flesh For whilest the church of Rome hath prohibited lawful mariages and of God permitted to ecclesiasticall persones it hath opened the gates to fornications adulteries whoredomes lustes abominable There nede no wordes the thing it self speaketh Vnto these he annexeth a crime of al other most greuouse Dronken which the bloud of Sainctes dronkennes tiranny and parricidie And here also he vseth an amplification For he sayeth howe that greate Circes the moste venemouse witche and Sorcerer is not sprinkled or imbrewed or wette but dronkē with the bloud of saincts I meane of holy martirs which haue borne witnes to Iesu Christ by preachyng of the gospell and ascribyng al thinges of saluation to Christe alone But howe many
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
he shulde wage battaile together and the Iudge come at the last vnto iudgement and reward euery one according to his doinges And this place proueth the diuinitie of Christ infalliblie Christe very God For what can be spoken more plainly than was saide The Lord God of holy Prophetes sent forth his Angel So in the first chapter is saide The reuelation of Iesu Christ which God gaue him And a little after he saieth I Iesus sent my Angel that he might testifie vnto you c. Herein therfore is shewed the vnitie of the substauÌ„ce diuine and destruction of persons And the maner of the reuelation is shewed Howe this booke was reuealed or repeted and collected rather he sent his Angell Christe therefore by his Angell sheweth all thinges to S. Ihon. For no man hath sene God at any time nother shal the Lorde come downe againe from heauen before the iudgement Wherfore this whole vision was exhibited and declared bi the Angel which was the messager of Christ the Lorde Wherefore all thinges are properly referred to Christ which sent the Angell But to whom ded he shew or reueale these thinges To his seruaunts For the coÌ„temners of God laugh at these thinges and take them for fables But God loueth his worshippers and warneth them of all thinges in due season 3. The some of this booke in two poincies Now he gathereth the some of such things as he hath treated hitherto The same ar chiefly coÌ„nteyned in two poincts For he sheweth hitherto what thinge must be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shorâ—â— For this boke conteineth the destinies of the church from the Apostles time to the worldes end Therfore he prophesied not a farre of but the thinges that began in the very time of S. Ihon. And yf they muste be done who shall resiste Not that I wyll establyshe the necessitie of the Stoyckes but that I acknowledge the mightie workyng of God after his prouidence and righteousnes After he addeth another membre Beholde I come quickely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this boke comprehendeth many things which concerne the iudgemeÌ„t it selfe and the last iudgement to the which I will come so swiftely and vnloked for that the wicked and light men shall loke for nothing lesse For the Lorde sayeth in the Gospell it shall be as in the dayes of Noe and Loth. And in the howre that you thinke not the sonne of man wyll come Item as the brightnesse cometh foorth of the Easte and shyneth in the Weste so shall be the comming of the sonne of man And therfore the Lorde sayeth nowe also at this present Beholde I comme quickely For sodaynely whyleste he seemeth in the meane tyme to doe an other thyng at vnwares he bryngeth in the Lorde speakyng and that a matter wonderfull as this particle Beholde importeth For S. Paule hath written also whileste they shall saie peace and securitie sodayne destruction shall come vpon them The coÌ„moditie of this booke 4. But what profit shall the seruauntes of God loke for of this boke In a short sentence he coÌ„priseth much and saieth happie is he that kepeth the woordes of the prophesie of this boke Felicitie blessednes is the fruict that is taken of this boke In this present worlde being lincked with Christe wâ— shall walke in the way of righteousnes and eschew the craftes of Antichriste and shall not fele the tourmeÌ„tes which arrise in the conscience of the corruption of religion depraued And when we depart hence we shal go straight to those blessed seates This is the highe blessednes and felicitie And let vs marke that it is not enough either to haue sene or heard or red this boke it muste nedes be kepte For we muste beware that it goeth not in at one eare and oute the other that we forget not the things that are told vs but that we rather frame our whole lyfe after the doctryne of this boke And he attributed to it the title of prophecie All the Scripture is called a prophecie as much as to say diuine But consyderyng howe this boke for the more parte therof sheweth things to come vnto the church it is rightly called a prophecie 5. He repeteth againe and beateth uâ— The writer of this boke Ihon which repeteth his name both his name and also that he is a witnes that sawe and heard who maie surely be credited And thus he wil get authoritie to this boke For it muste nedes be had in greate estimation that which was conceaued and written of the Apostle and EuaÌ„gelist S. Ihon. Many accompt a faulte in Iohn that he so dilligently expresseth his name But maruell it is that they obserue not the same also els where and of others not withoute prayse Ded not the selfe same Ihon repete and inculke the name of a Disciple in the story of the Gospell who shulde reprehend this I see not therfore what he hath offended herein But rather sins he foresaw in the spirite that many wold speake against this boke not withoute great cause and with much fruicte and also of extreme necessitie he importuned his name And the Apostle S. Paule also to the Galathians Beholde I Paule say vnto you sayeth he in ease ye be circumcised Christe shal profite you nothing The same also to moue affection inculketh his name to Philemon Aretas therefore very aptely expounding this place And this sayeth he a certen proprietie of speach in this Apostolicall soule For euen as he ded in the Gospell also where he sayth And he that sawe hath borne witnes and his testimonie is true the same doeth he in this place also testifieng that he was both an hearer and beholder of these things which are prophicied For hereby he winneth credit to the things which had ben sene Thus much he Others haue thought that not without cause S. Ihon hath in this boke repeted his name oftener than in his story for that men wil more hardlye beleue a prophecie speaking of things yet to come than a story which telleth of matters paste 6. In the sixte place he annexeth whie Ihon wolde worship the Angel agayne what chaunced to him agayne with the Angell reuealing vnto him these huge misteries A lyke story for all the worlde had we in the ninetene chapter where also we expounded the same where he that liste may see And yet the expositours demaund howe chauÌ„ceth it that agayne Ihon doeth the same that he did before and was prohibited of the Angel Thomas of Aquine weneth that S. Ihon being besydes himselfe by reason of the excellencie of visions dyd this as one astonied The glose before sayeth he the Angell forbadde that he should not worshippe him with Latria here he prohibiteth that he worshippe him not with Dulia But to me appereth preferring alwayes the better iudgemeÌ„t of others In S. Ihon to be shewed to all the godly howe great is the frailnes of man to fall vnlesse he be restrained and drawen backe by the mightie
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
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