them was commaunded that they should not kill them but that they should be vexed fiue monethes and their payne was as the payne that commeth of a Scorpion when he hath stonge a manne And in those dayes shal men seke death and shal not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them The fourth trompet declareth an hurtful and a long strife The .iiii. trompe whiche arrose in the churche of the doctrine of Pelagius This Pelagius taught that the sinne of Adam hurte him alone and not mankinde and therefore that in the same all men die not That man hath free will so that he maye doe good Nother that he shoulde be free if he nede the helpe of God Which if he hath it he maye the more easely do good The doctrine of pelagius yf he haue it not that he maye yet neuerthelesse worke it by his owne vertue and maye deserue euerlasting life Therefore that our victory is not of the helpe of God but of free will and that remission is not geuen to the penitentes after the grace and mercy of God but after the deserte and workynge of them whiche through repentaunce are worthye of Godes mercy and the residewe whiche Saincte Austen reherseth in the hondreth and sixte Epistle to Boniface that Pelagius had renounced whiche neuerthelesse in an other place he sheweth that the same had taught and retourned to his vomite As in the register of heresie the .88 heresie The same against two epistles of the Pelagiās in the .2 boke 2 chapter to Boniface The Manicheis sayeth he denie that a good man had the beginnyng of euill of free will Whileste fooles eschewe one vice they runne into an other The Pelagians saye also that an euill man hath free will sufficiently to fulfil a good precept The catholicke doctrine reproueth both these and to them sayeth God made man right c. And to these sayeth yf the sonne hath made you free you ate verely free And in the .9 chapt the same Authour Where we saye that the wil of man vnto euil is free to do good that it muste be made free by the grace of God it maketh against the Pelagians And where we saye that the euill whiche was not before is comen of him it is agaynst the Manicheis Moreouer in the .8 chapt Pelagius sayeth that the thing which good is maye soner be accomplisshed if grace helpe therto By the whiche addition that is in adding more easely he signifieth verely that he thinketh thus that although the help of grace waūt he can yet albeit more hardely perfourme that which is good by free will Agayne the same in the .47 Epistle to Valent. Who falle into the errour of the Pelagiās That man saieth he falleth into the errour of the Pelagians whiche supposeth the grace of God to be geuen for any deserte of man whiche grace alone maketh manne free through Iesus Christe our Lorde But agayne he that thinketh when the Lord shal come vnto iudgement that man is not iudged after his workes which might now by reason of his age vse the free choyse of will is neuerthelesse in errour He sayeth in a maner the same thing in the .2 booke the .18 chapt of the merites and remission of sinnes The third part of the sunne of the Moone the starres smitten With this doctrine of Pelagius was stricken that is to saye darkened for so S. Iohn him selfe a little after expoundeth him selfe saying in so much that the third parte of them was obscured c. the thirde parte of the sunne to witte of Christ which is the trewe sunne of rightuousenes For the Pelagians doctrine denied the grace of Christ with mans merite trode vnderfote the merite of Christ Whereby also the thirde parte that is to witte a great parte of the Moone namely the church is red to be smitten and darkened moreouer the thirde parte of starres I meane preachers and ministers wounded hath not taught with such light as became them For stories witnesse that this heresie hath sore infected diuerse partes of the worlde that euen Bisshoppes and learned menne haue followed this noysome errour At Palestine in the Easte was assembled a Sinode of Bisshoppes which droue Pelagius to recant They disputed also at Rome sharpely against the Pelagian doctrine and Counsels were assembled which condemned the same Ther were Sinodes assembled in Affrica and after much reasoning sentence was pronounced against Pelagius For many were dayly taken with this infection For the doctrine is pleasaunt whiche waunteth not euen at this daie his mainteyners and defenders For it semeth godly and for the study of vertue nedeful to affirme free wil and mans merite agayne it appereth to be licentiouse to attribute al thing to Gods grace He addeth Nother daye nor night shone with the third parte therof that nother the daie shone with the thirde parte thereof nother yet the night with his thirde parte For like as grace coulde not be fully perceiued by the doctrine of Pelagius no more coulde sinne And S. Austen in the .2 boke of originall sinne .23.24 chapt sayeth that the Christiane fayth consisteth properly in the cause of two men For by the one we were solde vnder sinne by the other redemed from sinne by the one throwē headlong into death but by the other deliuered vnto life c. And whilest al these thinges are spoken they are spoken to this ende that we might beware of those Heresies And hitherto haue we spoken of the foure trompes and greatest conflictes in the churche there remayne three trompettes which haue now a little preface set before them wherby the mindes of the hearers might be excited And S. Iohn sayeth howe he sawe an Aungell flying thorowe the middes of heauen and hearde him criyng wo wo Wo to the inhabiters of the earth wo to the inhabiters of the Earth and that for those thinges which should chaunce vnto men than when the other three trompettes should be blowen Therfore vnto euery trompet is Ioyned an wo. Whiche we expresse very well in dutche by owe owe owe. For the Grekes saye and S. Iohn wrote in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it signifieth verely that the times of the fourmer conflictes were sharpe but yet that suche as follow shal be a great deale sharper and crueller For I tolde you in an other place that this vocable wo compriseth the euilles bothe of this life present and also of the life to come aswell of body as of soule Therfore shall the times of Papistrie Mahometrie and of the last iudgement be most daingerouse Som read an Egle for an Angell The complutensian copie hath an Egle where we reade an Aungell fliyng thorow the middes of heauē perauenture because he founde it so in Aretas Yea and the cōmon translation commonly called S. Hieromes hath an Egle for an Aūgell And therfore Primasius readeth it so likewise which semeth to haue followed
is in you thā he is that is in the worlde And this is the victory that ouercame the world euen your fayth And by the waye he expoundeth The nature of the deuil is figured by certen wordes what we shoulde vnderstande by the dragon of whō he hath spoken hitherto to wit the olde enemie of man kinde He setteth him foorth with his titles attributinge to him foure names that hereby also we may vnderstande his nature the better and maye beware of that wicked murtherer Firste he calleth him the olde Serpent For at the beginnyng by the Serpent he infected with the poyson of death and sinne our first Parentes and by thē the whole vniuersal world as is to be sene in the .3 of Genes and the .5 to the Romains Therfore I sayed in the beginning of this chapt that he is called a Dragon After he calleth him the Deuill that is to saye a sclaunderer or a false accuser For by and by it followeth which may expoūde this word for the accuser of our bretherne is caste out c. A goodly exāple of this thing is declared in the .1 and .2 chapt of Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to accuse or blame and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an accusation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crime or complaincte Thirdly he calleth him Sathanas in the Hebrewe word to witte an aduersarie for that he is in al things against god and obiecteth him selfe and resisteth men in holy matters yf happely he might hinder or corrupte them Laste he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seducer disceauer or he that supplāteth and betrayeth the whole world For this the Lord attributeth to him in the .8 of Iohn for that he hath ben a lier from the beginning and is the father that is the foūtaine and original of al liyng disceipte of errours and seducyng and of al euill For all errours and heresies al deceiptes and all leasinges finally all kinde of euils haue flowed out of this most filthy welspring And who is he that heareth these thinges which wil not abhorre that vile beast they must nedes be starke madde that seke by al meanes to be in fauour with that wicked spirite He should now here consequently annexe the residewe of this fight to witte how the Dragon persecuteth assaulteth the woman and she agayne by fliyng resisteth and ouercometh through Christ But he suspendeth the same narration yet a little while A songe of victory placeth now a songe of victory and triūphe of sainctes in heauen of the Angelles and blessed soules The some wherof is that Christ hath ouercomen that the faithful do ouercome in Christ and therfore muste heauens themselues and al that dwel therin reioyce and singe And I repete that these things are interlased in the daūgerous Antichristian and Romish sight for a cōsolation leest the saincts should in those great daungers by reason of their natural infirmitie be discouraged but callyng vpō the name of Christ should fight manfully when they vnderstande vnder whose banner they fight and with whome they fight verely wyth one ouercomen vnder Christes stādart And when we heare that the Dragons force is broken we shal thinke that the furies of eyther beast aswell the ten horned as the two horned are weakened in the faith of christ This geueth also no smal courage in this conflicte that we see that the Dragon hath no power ouer them that are sprinkled and purified with the bloud of Christ but ouer earthly and worldly men And this triumphe is heauenly For voices are hearde out of heauen singyng a mery note to the intent that the reioycing of the blessed spirites might haue more authoritie grace and efficacitie emonges the pore afflicted Thei al with one voice singe merely that saluatiō power is now made perfit for by the Lordes death and resurrectiō Perfit saluation by Christ God hath wrought power and made perfit the saluatiō promised to the fathers to witte whilest he trode downe the serpentes head abolisshed sinne death and restored life Thus is the kingedome of God in this worlde establisshed in the electe whilest euen by the power of Christ the Prince of this worlde is caste out and ouercome For the cause followeth wherfore we must so reioyce and what vertue and power of Christ hath shewed it selfe or howe saluation is made perfit because sayeth he through Christ the Deuill is cast downe that is to saye ouercome and vāquisshed that he can no more accuse mankinde before the iudgement seate of God Hereunto belongeth that S. Paule wrote Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the electe of God It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ whiche died yea whiche rose agayne which is also on the right hande of God which maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer the heauenly dwellers do not only preach the victory of Christ but of all the faythfull Christ hath made also the faithfull victours which they obteyne agaynst Sathan in the fayth of Iesu Christ that it maye herof at the leest appere what we should vnderstande before by Michael and by his Angelles And he beateth in dilligently that Christians ouercome not Sathan by their owne merites force or strēgth but by the merite and grace of Christe And they sayeth he to witte the Angelles of Michael ouercame the Dragon by the bloud of the Lambe For in asmuch as the faythful are purified by the bloud of Christe Sathan hath nothing against them but sins they haue the spirite and fayth of Christ they ouercome the Deuill also So in times paste the distroyer had no power ouer those houses whiche were marked with the bloud of the Lambe Exod. 12. And he addeth an other thinge for the which the faithful ouercame for the worde of the testimony of Christ which is the gospel Which because it is inuincible eternal they ouercome all thinges of this worlde who so euer abide in the liuely and eternal word of the veritie And euen in the gospel most trewe the lorde himselfe hath promised that he wil not forsake his and wil fight for thē Therfore must the faithful nedes ouercome To these thinges is added more the effecte of Christes purifiyng They loued not their life more than Christe and therfore haue thei geuen it for Christ vnto death and so haue ouercomen For many are vanquisshed by this one thing that they wil not hasarde their life for Christ For these great benefites of God they exhorte nowe heauens themselues and all the inhabiters of Heauen that is to saye they exhorte one an other to singe a ioyeful songe And that which the heauēly sainctes saye they do here they teach the sainctes in Earth to doe also and instructe of what maner and sorte they ought to be which shal ouercome Sathan in battaile to witte purified by the bloud of Christ cleauing to the testimonie of Iesu Christe and contemners of their own life to whom it
his wrath And nother is smoke with out fire nor fire without smoke c. Morouer smoke hurteth the eyes and maketh them blinde So in Esaye the .6 The temple of God which Esaye seeth is filled with smoke And at this present not only apeareth the presence of god and of his wrath to be signified but also to be figured that the iudgementes of God be vnsearchable so that the things which he him selfe reuealeth not to vs we can not atteyne to For his maiestie is infinite and his power passeth al thinges Primasiu Bisshoppe of Vtica in Affricke expoundyng this place Thinke sayeth he that same to be signified by smoke that all menne can not penetrate the secrettes of Gods iudgemētes and that the eyes and mindes of mortall men shal at the contemplation of the plagues inflicted dasel gropyng in darkenes which nowe he determineth to vtter and vnto the finall ende of the same he affirmeth the smoke to abide still in the temple Thus sayeth he Now followeth that semeth to expounde the same No man could enter into the temple and no man coulde enter into the Temple c. But certayne it is by the veritie of the euangelicall Apostolical doctrine that the soules passing out of the body before th ende last iudgemēt go right into the blessed seates and haue there the fruition of the ioyes promised of god so true Therfore is an other thing signified to wit that before th ende of all thinges the saincces can not clerely see al the iudgemēts of God For here we see by a glasse there face to face shal know God him self the veritie maner of his iudgementes Primasius nother coulde any man enter into the tēple that is could penetrate the secret til the seuen plages of the seuen Angels were finished Wherfore the Psalmographer This sayeth he is labour before me til I may enter into the sanctuarie of God may vnderstande the cōclusion of matters c. Here is signified therfore that Sainctes before the iudgemente shall not knowe the secret misteries of Gods iudgementes Let it than suffice vs that he him selfe hath vouchsafed to open to vs for the reste let vs beleue that the lorde is iuste in all his wayes and holy in al his workes To him be glory ¶ The three fourmer Aungelles powre out their vialles vpon the Antichristians and all the vngodly The .lxix. Sermon The .16 chapter ANd I hearde a greate voyce out of the temple saiyng to the seuē angelles go your wayes powre out your vialles of wrath vpon the Earth And the first went powred out his vialle on the earth and there fell a noysome sore botche vpon the men whiche had the marke of the beaste and vpon them that worshipped his Image And the seconde Angell shed out his vialle on the Sea and it tourned as it were into the bloud of a dead mā and euery liuing thing died in the Sea And the thirde Angell shed out his vialle vpon the riuers and fountaines of waters and they tourned to bloud and I hearde an angel of waters saiyng lord which arte and waste thou arte rightuouse and holy because thou haste geuen such iudgementes for they shed the bloud of Sainctes and Prophetes and therfore hast thou geuen thē bloud to drinke for they are worthie And I hearde an other Angell out of the Aultar saiyng euen so lord God almightie true and rightuouse are thy iudgementes After he hath spoken in generall of the rightuouse iudgementes of God he procedeth nowe particularly by the seuenth nombre and declareth at large the plagues of God The plagues of Aegypt which in this world also he inflicteth to the wicked but chiefly the Antichristians This place aunswereth to the same or at leest hath many thinges like to it whiche in Moses boke of Exod. from the .7 chapt to the .12 For in all those whole chapters are described the ten plagues of God wherewith for sinne he plaged kynge Pharao and the whole realme of Aegypt These plagues are comprised in goodly verses of D. Musculus our worshipfull Godfather The water tourneth into blood The frogges defile al that is good The duste brought forth the scrallyng lise Than came the flie a newe diuise The pestilence botches and hayle A huytaine Locustes and darkenes did assayle At last was slayne and quite forlorne Al that in Aegypte first was borne These plagues are expounded also in the .150 Psalme In the .15 chapt of Exod. the Lorde sayeth yf thou wilt heare diligently the voyce of thy God The cure of plages and wilt doe that is right in his sight and wilt kepe all his statutes I will sende vpon thee no disease whiche I sent vpon the Aegyptians for I am the Lorde healyng thee We learne therefore of the treatise of the plagues of God to feare God and to walke in his cōmaundementes Nother is it repugnaunt to this sentence of God that we reade howe Iob and other holy menne and walknng in the cōmaundementes of God were vexed with greuouse diseases For these are priuate and are not chiefly inflicted for sinne but for the exercise of fayth and increase of vertues Men for the moste parte ascribe the causes of plagues to the starres and to other matters The true cause of plagues and therfore do not tourne to the Lord strikyng them in amendement of life most euill but we are taught by the treatise of Moses which we alledged out of Exod. and by this present disputation of S. Iohn that God himselfe punnisheth the sinnes and wickednes of men although he vse the seruice of menne and elementes vnto whom as to the nexte causes men impute the euils receiued whiche they suffer iustely of God for their sinnes A voyce out of the Temple For the whiche cause at this present is hearde a voyce not out of the ayre or from the Earth but from the Temple of the Lorde trewe iuste and holy commaundyng the Angelles to come out and powre their vialles vpon the heades of menne The wicked therefore are plagued of God him selfe But a vialle is no other thing I spake of the worde in the .5 chapt but the iuste iudgement of God or vengeaūce of men deserued Angelles powre out their vialles so ofte as men are punnisshed with plages through meanes of God appoincted And that voice which is hearde from the temple is great For no man can resiste God nor infringe his decree When he commaundeth al creatures do obeye The firste Angell shedeth his vialle But whilest this first Angel executour of gods iudgemēt powreth out his plague vpon men there fell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a noysome sore botch vpon men This plage aunswereth to the sixte plage of Aegipt And that botche signifieth a canker a fistula and swelling sores or boyles but chiefly the pockes of Iude which others cal the disease of Naples some the French pockes the pockes first and some the Spanish verely
consisteth in two thinges For God will geue vnto his Sainctes all that good is and wil take from them al euill and so shal these for euer inioye the souerayne good and felicitie most perfit and shal waunte al payne and miserie S. Austen in th ende of his boke De ciuit dei Howe great sayeth he shal that felicitie be where no euill shal be no good shal waunt and this declaration of eternal felicitie hath her partes whereby she is made manifest For firste a voyce and that a great cried from the Trone beholde the tabernacle of God with men The coniunction of God with holy men was in time paste prefigured by the Tabernacle of wittenesse whereby God testified that he would be in the middes of his people And the same shal he at th ende after the iudgement verfourme most abouÌ„dantly And therefore that voyce annexeth In the presence and fruition of god shal bâ— al good c. and he will dwell with them and they shal be his people and God himselfe with them and will be their God The whiche S. Paule semeth to haue vttered more succinctely and briefely and God shall be all in all For what so euer is good what so euer is faire what so euer is pleasaunt and delectable what so euer the minde of maÌ„ can imagine to be wisshed for briefely what so euer apperteyneth to the true and perfit felicitie and blessed life That same shall that great God almightie be whole and shal shewe in him selfe most fully And like as al and singular menne do inioye vnto a pleasaunt satietie the amiable brightnes and holâ— some heate of the sunne that neueâ—theles the same loseth nothing by the same and albeit that al men vse the sunne in common and euery manâ—e neuerthelesse inioyeth the same as proper and peculiar right so in another world we shal vse that eternal light and ioye euerlasting and vnspeakeable Whereof incontinently shal followe thinges more plentifull God will deliuer the Sainctes from all payne And than like as God in himself geueth to the glorified al goodnes so wil he remoue al euil from the same so that they be not only deliuered froÌ„ calamities but the same shal neuer retourne nor be feared more The whiche in moste plentifull wise he declareth by wordes borrowed out of the oracles of the prophetes God shal wipe awaye sayeth he al teares froÌ„ their eyes Which kinde of speach he vsed also in the .7 chap. verely taken out of the .25 and .65 chap. of Esaye And Dauid also in .126 Psalm They that sowe in teares sayeth he shall reape in gladnes He semeth to haue alluded to moothers which wipe the eyes of their tender and dere childreÌ„ criyng comforte the sorrowfull and cherishe them hurte or bruissed Therfore if the Sainctes haue suffered any payne or grefe in this world when they shal come into an other world it shal be requited theÌ„ and prouided that they shal fele no more aduersitie The lord sayde also in the gospel verely verely I saie vnto you ye shal wepe and lameÌ„t but the world shal reioyce and you shal be sorowfull but your sorowe shall be tourned into ioye c. In the .16 of Iohn Consequently he declareth yet more fully by nombryng of the calamities that the sainctes in an other life shall be deliuered at ones from al euill and death shal be no more For they shal be rewarded with life euerlastyng Therefore shall there be no more feare of death whiche is in a maner more bitter than death it selfe The same affirmeth the Apostle in the first to the Corinth the .15 alledgyng the testimony of the Prophete Osee There shall be no mournyng nor sorrowe whiche drieth vp the bones although most ful of iuyce For the ioye of Sainctes shal be perpetuall There shal be no clamour no complayncte no expostulatyng or vmbraydyng For whie there shall be no iniurie no mallice or enuie This worlde sowndeth and redoundeth full of the clamorous and cries of poore wretches But in the blessed seates shal be no miserie There shal be no payne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour sickenes werines The cause hereof for the olde thinges are gone There is nowe an other life yea and that a moste diuerse maner of liuyng from that whiche we liue nowe Therefore what soeuer is of sinne and subiecte to corruption shall there be taken awaye as the Lorde sayde in the Gospell Iohn 5. the children of this worlde doe marrie and are maried but they that shal be accompted worthie to attayne to that other worlde and resurrection from the dead shall nother marrie nor be married For they can dye no more for they are egall with Aungelles and be the children of God sins they are the children of resurrection Luke 20. chapt But of eternall life we haue spoken more in our coÌ„mentaries vpoÌ„ the .12 of Matth. And the Lorde him selfe in Iohn collecteth the some of all and sayeth howe he maketh all thinges newe Therefore in the world to come we shal thinke of no carnal nor corrupt thing but an heauenly But the mindes of the faythfull are greuousely tempted in this matter the Deuill suggestynge A weightie coÌ„firmatioÌ„ that all these things are vndoubted which are spoken of the blessed life that the hope of the faythfull is vayne and that is a thing moste folisshe to contemne good thinges presente and certayne for glory vncertayne There be innumerable others of the same sorte which come to the minde of manne and trouble and shake the faith of eternall life The Lord therefore the faythfull Phisition of his leeste they should fele any hinderaunce in this behalf coÌ„firmeth these thinges gâ—auely and many wayes declaryng the hope of the faythfull to be moste certayne and al thinges to be vndoubted whiche are or shall be taught of eternal life of the felicitie and glory of sainctes And he placeth this assertion as it were in batâ—ayle raye after he hath certenly collected the some of felicitie whereunto by and by he will adde fuller thinges after the vision exhibited And here is to be vnderstand that the certentie of the blessed life is shewed moste expressely of al by these wordes and he sayde vnto me wryte c. And neuerthelesse by the former wordes also no weake reasons of the veritie be gathered And firste in dede he sayde I Iohn sawe And we knowe Iohn to be an Apostle and witnesse of the trewth whose testimony it is vnlaweful to distruste Seyng therefore this godly maÌ„ sawe the thinges himselfe whiche he reherseth to doubte of the same were a wickednes Secondly he heareth a voice a great moreouer pronounced out of the Trone to wit of the .xxiiii. Elders spretes angelicall of the whole heauenly hoste And who can doubte of their testimony whiche already are in blesse euerlastyng They know and haue experieÌ„ce what the felicitie is therfore they speake and testifie that is tried and knowen Moreouer he him selfe that sitteth in
of God by no merite of manne For the same Apostle in the same Epistle to the Rom. the .6 chapter The rewarde sayeth he of sinne is death and where on the contrary side he shoulde haue sette and the merite of rightuousenes eternal life for this membre he placeth rather and the gifte of God is life euerlastyng And addeth incontinently through Christ Iesus our Lorde Therefore S. Iohn sayeth rightly that eternall life happeneth to the faithfull frely that is by the very grace of God SaluatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to vs freely And of this vocable freely through the merite of Christ and by no deserte of man For if we coulde by our workes rightuousenes deserue eternall life than Christ had died in vaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for naught There was no cause why he shuld die seyng we might of our selues haue beÌ„ saued There is no effecte nor merite of Christes passion such effecte verely as it is in very dede that by the bloud of Christ alone we be purified For if there were or had ben an other meane of saluatioÌ„ Christ neded not to haue ben incarnated haue suffered And that this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought after this waye and maner to be expouÌ„ded many other places of Scripture proue In the .10 of Matth. the lord saieth frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue you receiued freely geue The lord wil not haue his Apostles to receiue any recoÌ„pence for the gifte of healing But speaking of the ministerie he sayeth the workeman is worthie his hire In the .15 of Iohn the lord sayeth they haue hated me without cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtles without my desert or vndeserued of my parte In the .2 Corint 11. thapostle saieth that he preached the gospel to the CorinthiaÌ„s frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he toke no rewarde or recoÌ„peÌ„ce therfore And in the .2 to the Thessal the .3 chapt nother haue I taken sayeth he bread of any man for naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be shorte where S. Iohn sayeth that life is geuen to the faithfull free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he claymeth al things of our saluation to the grace of God and merite of Christes passion and plucketh it from mans merittes And the same affirmeth Esaye also in the .55 chapt rebukyng folish menne spending their monie aboute thinges of naught Here ought therefore to cease the faires of indulgences and pardons and holy thinges in the church Let the Pelagians kepe silence Whâ—t is required of them that be iustified frely Howbeit leest any by the free preachyng of the grace and merite of Christ agaynste the deserte of man should gather that the blessed life chauÌ„ceth to Idle folkes slepers and ceasing froÌ„ all good workes and that God alone worketh and we worke nothing but only to suffer the operation of God in vs and for the same cause nothing to be required of vs he preuenteth and first the lord sayeth that he will geue to them that are a thirste to drinke of the water of life There is required of vs therfore fayth and a ferueÌ„t desire of godly thinges not that faith is oures but is geuen of God For by thirste to signifie the faythful desire of a godly maÌ„ the Lord himselfe is authour in the .5 of Matthewe pronouncyng them blessed which honger and thirste for rightuousenes And also in the 6. of Iohn the Lorde him selfe vnderstandeth by drinkyng to beleue Faith therfore is required of vs that is that we shuld thirste for the water of life The which self thing also the lord graunteth by his spirite and word as els where we haue declared And he sayeth howe he that is freely iustified must fight also nor fight only but must ouercome Therfore the dueties of charitie be required wherof is spokeÌ„ in the .2 and .3 chapt of this boke Wherein is most frequent mentioÌ„ made of this fight and victorie And God will than acknoweledge such as labour thus valeauntly for his childreÌ„ to them will he shewe him selfe a father and take them for the heyres of all their fathers possessions They are bastardely childreÌ„ which beyng idle bragge of faith prayse God with their mouth wordes and deme him with their dedes Ye see therefore that bothe muste be preached in the church that we be iustified and beautified frely so beyng iustified must worke good workes wherunto notwithstandyng as to their merites they ascribe not saluation but to the mere grace of God through Christ WhereupoÌ„ consequently and on the contrary parte he reciteth who be excluded from the felowshippe of the blessed life and of the blessed compilyng a register of sinnes and of wicked men such as he hath compiled also about the ende of the .9.21 and .22 chapt And such as the Apostle hath in a maner recited to the Corinthians And we suppose that in S. Iohn his time these sinnes were moste common nor sufficiently knowen Who are excluded froÌ„ the true felicitie as apperteyned Many also at this daye iudge more lightly therof than trewe godlines permitteth And we doubte not but that in this register whiche in eight kindes or membres is comprised are conteined al other like sinnes and wickednesses But we vnderstande that helle fire is assuredly dewe vnto them for their sinnes committed whiche nother haue any faith at all nother can by any meanes be perswaded to repente and tourne vnto God For in the firste Epistle to the Corinth the 6. chapt Ye were sayeth he suche but ye are purged by the bloud of Christe and with the sprete of our God Therefore yf we haue ben suche at any tyme lette vs repente or in case we be fallen into these sinnes agayne lette vs rise vp and tourne to the Lord which calleth vnto him sinners and promiseth pardone and grace But wo be to the vncurable walkyng alwayes and without repentaunce in the waye of iniquitie And we shal touche seuerally eight partes of this register Fearefull Firste are placed the fearefull But the Lorde him selfe was affrayde and euen quaked for feare of death the Sainctes of God haue feared also and often fled for feare yet are they not for this cause condemned in the Scriptures Therefore an other feare is ment to witte that same immoderate feare by the which compelled we do for feare of menne that thing whiche God hath prohibited and we our selues conuicte in our owne consciences vnderstaÌ„de that we sinne in so doyng or what time through carnall feare we leaue vndone that thing whiche God hath commaunded vs briefely when we more feare men as princes or leagefellowes or enemies or any other men what so euer they be than our lord God him self And therfore the Lord himselfe in the gospel sayde feare ye not them which kille the body and can not kill the soule c. Matth. 10. The same in an other place sayeth he that denieth me before that aduouterouse generation I will denie him also before my father in heauen
out with worldly furniture 510. is the great Citie 510. is Sodome and Aegypte 327. is daungerous to be spok against 321. is no trew churche 209. shall fall 451 Roring of a Lyon figured preaching 288 Root of Dauid 162 Root of a trie nurs of it compared vnto Chryst 690 Rypenes to the sickle 466 Ryot of Rome 551 S Sabboth chaunged into sunday 29 Sacrament externall markes of christians 422 Sacrifices of Christians 169. is thanks geuing 237 Sacrifice signe of Christ 382 Sacrifice propitiatory for quik dead 170 Saint of saints 111 Saints giue power to God and take it not to them selues 154. theyr knoledge in heuen 479. what they do in heuen 670. 143. 474. what is theyr state 230. are no greater then men wherfore not to be sworne by 293. they haue no administracion of thinges 158. nor rewl ouer the elements c. 486. are no intercessors 238. do not punish the wiked 555. theyr humility in heauen 153. they are briethern and felo seruāts 203 are not to be wourshiped 571. 573. 394. nor praid vnto 170. theyr examples may we folo safely 169 Saintes fall 56. how they desyr vengeaunce 199. they shal be renewed and glorified 631. are neuer separated frō their head 579 Sak of hear 207 Sakcloth morning apparel 316 Saluaciō ascribed to whom 225. of God thrugh Christ 227. where it is to be soght 299. whens it cums 229. perfyt how 361. what it is 225. is of mear grace 633. cums to vs friely 639. is certein and seuer 566. 457. that streght after death 460. shall not be geuen to all 456. 454. but to the faithfull only 628 Saluation of thapostles what 19 Sand figure of swift ruin 367 Saracens came out of Spain 272 Sardin ston 142 Sardis head city of Lydia 102 Sardis churchez infirmity 103 Sathanas an aduersary 360 Sathanas cast out how 595. loused 598. c. 608 Satisfaction trew 57 Satisfaction of our own deuysing 210 Saued be ther sum of all naciōs 225. Saued ar many at point of death 224 Schisme obiected to the protestaunts answered 542 Scourgz of Gods wrath 191 Scorpions nature 256 Sclaūderz against the godly 66 Sclaunder punished 556 Scripturs is Gods word 568. sealed signi authenticall and shut vp 289. an authentik 49 theyr authoritie 567. 30. certeintie 674. sufficiencie 673. that without councelles 689. ar agreable with thēselues 86 are perfit and sufficient to saluacion 98. theyr phrase 45. the reading of thē restreined causeth c. 215. they are swiet and better 302. that they are vnperfit is first ground of poprie 390. are not obscure 45. doutful vncertain c. to whō 308. broght in doubt by the Pope 390. Sea of Rome chair of pestilens 396 Sea of Rome inuaded by the deuel 412 Sea glassy 147 Sea shal be no mor. 631 Sea figure of the world 244. 473 Seals wherto they serue 157 Seal first opened 182 Seal second 185 Seal third opened 188 Seal fourt opened 190 Seal fift opened 193 Seal of the liuing God is Christ 218 Sealing 288. vsed for ij endes 679 Seat described 148 Seats celestiall 603 Seat of Antichrist where 508. 618. of the Deuell where 75 Seat of the beast 489. of Christ and Peter 490 Second death 70 Securitie from Antichrist none whyls the world lasteth 221 Sedicions and theyr causes 206 Seducer 360 Seing of God is chief felicitye 671 Selling of all things in the church 308. 309 Septicollis Roma 517 Septimus seuerus 194 Seruant an aunciēt title of gods wourshipers 16 Seruetus renewed the heresy of Arrius 168 Seruetus vrged 163 Seruetans heresy 42 Serpentold 359 Seuenth number 19. frequent in thapocalyps 11. sig perfectiō and fulnes 165. 472 Seuen formed spirit 103 Seuen fold spirit of God 145 Seuen heads hils kings c. 370 371. c. Seuen spirits is holy ghost 21 Seuerus heretik 268 Shap of God is ther none 141 Shauing popish 261 Ship of S. Peter 396 Sibylla of thoriginal of antichrist 436 Sickle sharp 466 Sied of God and of the woman 366 Sight restored 132 Signes for thynges signifyed 382 Signes look miracles Signes wherwith men are sealed 219 Siknesses 191 Silk is the iustification of saints 580 Simonie of the Pope 492 Simony 130. 131 Sinnes of saints 571 Sinners shal be punished of God and not only Papistes Mahometans c. 277 Single lyf 443 Sitting in the throne 141 Sitting in a throne sign c. 156 Sitting sign gouernement 148 Sitting in glory how Christe geueth and geueth not 137 Slain ghostly 317 Sleeping of souls 460 Smoke figur of the wrath of god 253. of Gods presens 479. c. Smoke presumeth fyre 560 Sodom and Egypt 327 Song new sign 171 Song of all creatures 150 Song of victory 360 Sorcery 280 Sorcerers and their kinds 644 Souls and Aungel differ 486 Soul from death of the body 34 Souls state after deth befor iudgement 603 Souls state after this lyfe 457. they sliep not 460. 225. 604 Souls seperated from the body immortal 196. where they remain 197. in bles 201 Spewing out of newters 127 Spirit seuen formed 103 Spirit how men are in 140 Spirituall vnderstanding figured by a mount 648 Spiritually of the Pope described 259 Spous of Christ 563 Square fygure of constancye 655 Standing sign ministring 240 Star of the morning compared to Christ 691 Stars fall from heauen 208 Stars figure preachers Bish 250. 351 State of saints what 230 State of lyfe euerlasting 648 Ston whyt what it meaneth 84 Story of Rome 525. c Stryf in churchs 52 Subiects of Antichryste who 421 Submissiō vnto god in all things 150. 151. 153 Suffering of vngodlines is punishable 90 Sun of perdicion 265 Suns of the Pope are all kings 419 Sun of God must be beleued vpō 449 Sun of man is Christ 34 Sun coequall with the Father 179 Sun token of Christ 349 Sun waping dark 207 Sune third parte darkned 248 Sun passeth the mone and popes kings 417 Sunday how it oght to be obserued 30 Sunday in stead of the Sabath 29 Supper for souls c. 582 Supper of the lamb 568 Supping with God 136 Supremacie 409. 410 Supremacie forbodden to ministers 386. c. Surfitting c. 82 Surrēder of the popes power 411 Swearing of Christ 290 Sword sign power to hurt 185 Sword of the Iudge 580 Sword two edged 38. out of Christes mouth 73 Swordes both in the power of the church 404 Swords ij of the Pope 389 Sylens tokē of attentiuenes 235 Syluester the ij Pope foloweth the Deuel 412 Synagoge of Sathan 115 Sines receyue the names of thinges 45 Sion mount figure of Christes kingdum 440 T Tables of the law both are to be regarded 277 Tail figure of a fals prophet 274 351 Tartarians receiue Mahomets religion 270 Tau letter sign the law 220 Temples vse 660 Temple of God is heuen 120 Temple of God for secrets of god 345 Temple for church of God 305 Temptacions grieuous 282 Temptacō of the godly hath his defens
that he is assayled he wil streight waye beginne to thonder and lighten finally to craue styre vp the secular power againste Heretikes For he sheweth expressely who shall be this enemie of these prophetes and preaching to witte the beast The beast stired vp persecutioÌ„ that is the Bisshop of Rome notable by his most cruell tiraÌ„nicall and beastly power Of the beast shal be spoken more aboundantly in the .13 and .17 chapt where we shall heare that she cometh out of the earth out of the botoÌ„lesse pitte out of the depe pitte of hell For the originall of that wickednes is referred to non other parente than the deuil the prince of hel a lier murtherer And the thing it selfe speaketh at this daye that al persecutions conflictes are moued stired inferred of the Pope of his blouddy ministers of mischiefe Of the same Authours arrose al the calamities of fourmer times And he fighteth with the ministers and ministerie of christ with sophistrie with craftie and subtile practises The beast fighteth with the Prophetes excoÌ„munication deathes and terrours Haymo Antichrist will put in vre sondry kindes of tourmentes sayeth he such as he can not ouercome he wil assaye to vanquisshe with doctrine He will geue rewardes and wil promise swete wordes and shal shewe also false miracles c. And seyng it hath pleased the lord to call that seate the beast wherfore should we call it the holy See yf the Pope be that bloubdy beaste whie should we salute him most holy father He sheweth morouer with what lucke Antichrist ouercommeth and howe he killeth and with what â—â—â—tesse antichrist shal sight with the prophetes He shal ouercome sayeth he and kill them The same the lord sayed playnely in the Gospel Matth. 10. and Iohn 16. And before also Daniel in the .7 and .11 chapt Some thinges are spoken also before in this boke of the holy martirs The lord geueth this warning in time leest if we should see the preachers of the euangelicall veritie slayne we should doubte of the veritie of the preachyng or esteme the matter of religion after the felicitie of this worlde Whiche neuerthelesse many doe at this daye For most men saye yf this were the preachyng of the veritie as it is sayed to be the most true God would not forsake his owne cause But nowe sins the preachers are oppressed and distroyed whie should we not gather that their matter is false and theirs trewe that ouercome But if we might so reason than the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles defended a very euill cause For all in a maner beyng oppressed of their enemies in the ende were slayne also Full good than was the quarell of the Iewes Phariseis and the moste wicked enemies of Gods worde Howbeit thou wilt saye sins the veritie is inuincible how is antichrist saied to ouercome He shal not ouercome doubtles by sure testimonies by holy Scriptures or strong reasons but by force imprisonment sworde and fire For therfore by interpretation immediatly followeth and he wil kill them Therfore by killyng he shall seme a conquerour For if in a combat Aeneas shal ouercome and sleye Turnus Aeneas shal be called a victour And hitherto in dede Antichrist ouercommeth and although the Martirs be slayne yet doe they before God receyue the rewarde of victours because their cause is iuste and the veritie ouercometh in them The enemies ouercome with the multitude pompe authoritie power fauour richesse and other like thinges we in the goodnes and excellencie of the cause and finally by better testimonies of the Prophetes and Apostles The crueltie of Antichrist We haue now the maner of the fight and victorie He shal fight and ouercome by carnall weapons and shal be subdewed with spirituall armure Hereunto is added what crueltie he wil vse against the Prophetes The which he expresseth in two sentences and their bodies shall lie in the stretes of the citie and they shall not suffer their bodies to be put in the graues Theyr â—oarses lie in the stretes The firste sentence betokeneth an extreme crueltie ioyned with an vtter contempte For all filthie thinges are caste out into the strete yea the Dunge of all stretes is troden vnder fete Antichrist therefore shall handle the Prophetes moste shamefully in so muche that all will beleue that they haue power ouer them and shall as it were spurne them wyth theyr feete and take them for outcastes wicked persons which beyng taken out of the way al thinges shal be safe Certes the maner is in some cities to caste into the stretes the bodies of them that are executed to the intent that al meÌ„ might treade on them and driue cartes ouer them for the terrour of others and to signifie that those men executed were moste detestable and put to death for no small crimes And herunto apperteyneth that Antichrist by secular power hangeth vp some ministers of the churche openly in Cities vpon the gallouse and fasteneth others with chaynes to a poste and so burneth theÌ„ with a slowe fire and at laste killeth them and they are so terribly tied to the pale in chaynes that he maye hoyste them vp and let theÌ„ downe into the fire agayne and so singe them and lifte them vp agayne to the terrour of al that loke on What wil ye saie that he iudgeth them vnworthie of the laste honour The dead coarses are not buried burial is the laste honour that is done vnto man but he wil not suffer the bodies of the faithful to be buried Thus perauenture he expoundeth that he saied before and their bodies shal lie in the stretes At this daye not only sepulture is denied to suche as suffer for the gospel but also thei digge vp burne the bones of the dead This dyd watson by Bucer at Cambr. whiche liuing would not receyue the Popish sacramentes For in case any man departe and hath whispered the priest in the eare confessyng to him al his sinnes and hath not axed absolution of him nor receyued his God of bread or suffered him selfe to be regenerated with extreme vnction although he departed in the trewe sayth yet for as much as he hath not vsed those Popish ceremonies and huÌ„bled him self to the Pope the partie shal not come in christen buriall but is buried on the dunge hill with dogges The thing it self speaketh at this day Morouer these Antichristes wil seke by this meane to abolisshe al memorie of the godly For Monumentes are made to reteyne the honeste memorie of the dead But the rightuouse shal be in eternall memorie c. And they in dede thinke that they do like good catholickes but the lord Iesus expouÌ„deth their worke and sayeth it is extreme crueltie Than what shall you thinke of them which blinded with the hatred of the true religion like wolues and Rauens flie vpon the bodies of the dead Martirs and poole them a peces and handle them most shamefully But