117 Ten hornes 524 Ten tymes for often 68 Ten number for many 518 Tents of saints for the churche 611. afflicted 616 Testimony of christ 125. 572. c. Testimony is syncere preaching 322 Thanks geuing for victory 340 Thanks geuing praiers 237 Theft and his parts 281 Third number for strength 495 Thirst for ardaunt desyr 640 This is my bodi figuratiu spiech 45 Thoghtz knowen only to God 96 Thomas an Inglish preacher 604 Thousand yeres 593. 601 Thretningz of Christ 57 Threatningz against the impenitent 82 Throon signifieth c. 141 Throon of God 136 Thunders .vij. preachers 288 Thunderbolt of the Pope 399 Thyatira described 86 Title of thapocalyps 13 Torment maketh not martyrz 77 Torments of the wicked perpetuall 582 Totila brent Rome 528 Tradicions of men 97. nothyng niedful 118. 673. 99. 100. 390. bring darknes 207 Traian persecutor 194 Translators of the script 533. c Transubstantiacion is called god Mayzim 609 Treading vnder foot 309 Trew religion corrupted 205 Treuth figured by pillers 286 Treuth of Christ 112 Treuth neglected all misery foloweth 190 Treuth of the Gospel most heynous to impugn 584 Treuth is not to be kept in sylēs 368 Treuth alwaies preached 183 Treuth had euer sum patrons 600 Treuth in Polycarpz opinion 63 Tribulacion of diuers sorts 229 Tribut of a dead man 550 Trinitie 163. described 145. distincted into persons 14 Tries sign men 243 Trouble in churchs 51 Troubles and tumultes authors 206 Trumpets vse 241 Trustines of the Thyatirenians 88 Tryall or temptacion of Saints 68 Tumultes 206 Turks imagin bankets in heuen 136 Turks aid pernicious 275 Turkes receyue the religion of Mahomet 270 Turkish emperours beginning 273 Turning to God proffitable 3◠Two number 312. c Tym certain for vncertain 310. 326 Tym past for tym to cum 535 Tym tyms and half a tym 314 Tyranny of Antichrist 513 Tyranny of the Bish of Rome 425 V Valentinians heretiks 244 Vandals inuade Rome 527 Vengeauns of God figured by fyer 467 Vengeauns of God against Papists 464. 468 Vengeauns is desyred ij waies 200 Vengeauns reioysed at 553 Vertew we haue hoolly of God 153 Verteuz rewarde 108 Vertuous lyfe necessary hatred only of papistry other heresye is not inough 277 Vial a cup. 169 Vicar of Christ 253. niedeth not 35 Vicar Christ neuer appointed 389 Vicar of Christ no trew church hath 441 Victory of Christ and christians 358 Victory of the faithfull 136. 119 Victory of preachers is spiritual 317 Victories and felicitye of thys world 274 Victory of ouer the world 100 Violent vocacion 129 Virgins 443 Visions vtilitie 2 Visions of thapocalyps diuided 11 Visions godly terrible to weak naturs 40 Vision second 138. 140. third 347. fourth 470 Vnbeleuers 642 Vnderstanding of man is weak 228 Vncleannes hated of God 82 Vncleannes of hordum peruers doctryn 512 Vnction or anointing 316. c. Vngodlines or wickednes must be hated not permitted or winked at 90 Vnity of God with man 135. 136 Vnitie of faith shal neuer be vniuersall as sumthink 606 Vniuersall Bishop 251 Vntil put for euer 604 Vocatiō of ministers diuers 300 Vocation violent 129 Voluptuousnes 538 Voluptuousnes of Rome 551 Voluptuousnes of the papists 308 Vomiting out of mungrels 127 Voyce of Christ 37 Voyce lowd or low to prais god withall 176 W Wagis of euery one 343 Walles of the heuenly citie 650 Wantunnes figured by wemens lokz 262 Wantūnes vnclennes 81. look mor in fornication and adultry Wars occasioned by the Deuell 185 Wars are bicause men receiue not the gospell 186 Wars moued by Popes 484 Wars betwen Popes Emperors lasted 200. yeres 419 Wars of heretiks 243. 244. c. Wars of the holy land 611. 612. 613. c. did hurt 598 Warfar and victory of Christiās 119 Warm lewk 126 Warnings that God vseth 134 Was and is not 515. 518. Water of lyfe 638. c. 668 Water into blud grace into punishment 319 Water in abundans sign a sea of all illes 365 Water for doctryn 483 Waters kingdūs dispersed 524 Waters sign people 442 Watching exhorted 497 Weak in faith ordred a right 51. 52 Weapons of preachers Gods word 317 Wel of lyfe 638 Welth of Rome cōpared to Euphrates 492 Wemen prophets 91 Whyt aray 108 Whyt color 182 Whyt stoon is remission of sinnez 84 Wicked oght to be hated with a holy hatred and in no wis nourished or wenkt at 79 Weping of the ignoraunt 159 Will frye 129 Wil of man what it helpeth to saluacion 694 Wildernes figure of the Gentils 353 Wildernes for heithennes gentilesm 508 Wildernes Christ is in 213 Winning of brethern how 115 Winged locusts 263 Wishing perteined only to ministers 19 Witnes of Christ 125 Witnesses Apostles 573 Witnesses figure ministers 313 Witch craft .280 of Rome 557 Wo wo wo. 249 Wo third 336 Woman Pope 507 Womā figure of the church 348 Woman precher prohibited 91 Worde of God beginning of repentauns 105 Word of god Christ al one 579 Word of God is tryed gould 130 is sweet and better 302 Word of God and faith are not without the holy ghost 219 Word of God contemned cause of all misery 190 Word of God broght in doubt by the Pope as by the Deuell at the first in paradise 390 Word of Christ contemned 38 Word of Christ what 114. how it is kept 114 Word of paciens and of the crose 117 World figured by the sea 473 World is not euerlasting 500 World shal be renewed 631 Worlds end at hand 295 World frail as glas 147 Worldlinges 124 Wounds of Antechrist healed 395 Wrytings 636 Wryting of the scripturs to what end 567. 31. Wryting why it is vsed 45◠Wullen cloth of Laddicea 123 Wunders and monsters 435 Wurks taken for heel conuersacion of men in words dieds both 104 Wurks of the faithfull 462 Wurkes shall we be iudged by 625 Wurks good of God il of the Deuell 373 Wurks of mens hands 279 Wurks of Christ in opposition to the wurks of men 100 Wurks must be preached in the church 640 Wurks of euery man rewarded accordingly by God 96 Wurinwud 245 Wourshipping signified by falling down 168 Wourship God only 340. 450. 573. no creature 175 Wurship of God is not ingould siluer 510. c. is partly praies 168. externall and in spirit 153 lawfull and vnleful 645. of Idols 644. c. of aungels and Saintes 678. of the Deuel 279 Wurthynes of saints 108 Wurthines figured by wynges 263 Wurthines we haue all of God 153 Wyn new in old bottels 126 Wyn fat figure of hel 468 Wynd in the script 214 Y Yers thre and a half 310 Z Zeal godly 55 Zeal feruent against heresies necessary 86 Zeal and feruentnes remedy of warmnes or neutralitie 133 FINIS RITHMI E VETVSTO CODICE DESCRIPTI Romanum quendam cognomento Lefranco taxantes PRopter Sion non tacebo Sed ruinas Romae flebo Quoadusque iusticia Nobis rurfus oriatur Et vt lampas accendatur Iustus
Abbot Ioachim FrauÌ„ces Potrarch liued Abbot Ioachim of Calabria who likewise calleth the Pope Antichriste and setforthe thapocalips with prophetical pictures scolies in ItaliaÌ„ FrauÌ„ces Petrark a man excellently learned most worthy mortall fame flourished about the yeare of our Lorde .1350 Who also least suche wrytyngs behynd hym agaynst the See of Rome against the court there and agaynst the Pope that yf they wer comparde with these things whych in our tyme D. Luther wrote most bitterly against Rome he may seme to be vtterly vaÌ„quished of him In the .xx. epistle he calleth the Popes court both Babilon and also the whore of Babilon syttyng vpon the waters the mother of all Idolatry and fornicatyon There is moreouer a learned boke of Marsilyus Patauinus Marsilius Patauinus writteÌ„ for Lewis the .4 Emperour agaynst the Pope wherin he inueyeth sharply against the bishop of Rome and his tirannicall lawes In the same age to wyt two hundreth yeres past flourished also Micael Cosenas Michell Cesenas general of the Minories who openly accused the Pope as Antichryste and the church and See of Rome as the whore of Babylon dronken with the blod of saincts An hundreth yeres since liued Laurence Valla a gentleman of Rome of a noble house who also obiected him self to the Pope and the Romish See Laurence Valla. Hieronimus Sauonarola for the which cause he was dryuen into exile but of the kyng of Naples he was honorably receyued Moreouer Hieronymus Sauonarola of Farrare an excellente diuine and Philosopher in hys time a man in holynes of lyfe as he is sayde of many notable preached openly in Italy that the Pope was Antychist for the whych cause he was most cruelly burnt at FloreÌ„ce by Pope Alexander the sixt Thys is had yet in the Fresh memorye of men where it was don about the yere of our lord .1499 Yet Iohn Fraunces Picus Counte of Mirandula calleth the same Sauonarola an holy prophet Albeit that Nawclerus signyfieth in hys story that he did many thyngs for ambition sake and for vayne glyrye And Marsilyus Ficinus attributeth to the same Sauonarola the spiryte of prophecye in a certeyn epistle Furthermore Philippus CoÌ„mines an Historiographer witnesseth that he was an holy man and to haue had the spiryte of Prophecye For they say how he prophecied of the sackyng of Florence and Rome and the restauratyon or reformatyon of the church and of many other thynges that shuld chaunce vnto Italy whych came to passe there in the meane season I remembre wheÌ„ I was yonge and followed my study in sondry vniuersityes to haue hearde certen blacke Freers say that Sauonarola prouoked the indygnatyon of Alexander the sixt the courte of Rome agaynst hym by nothing more then for that he preached against them in Italy the Apocalips of S. Iohn What shuld I say that the Waldensians foure hundreth yeres past in Fraunce Itali Germany Boheme Poland and in other parts of the world professing the gospel of Iesus Christ accused the bishop of Rome with diuers wrytings and continual prechings as the verey Antichrist prophecied by S. Iohn thapostle and therfore to be abhorred They themselues beyng put to most greuous torments haue constantly testifyed theyr fayth by gloryous martyrdoms and stil do at this day For they could neuer be roted out which thing notwithstanding hathe ben full oft attempted by most myghtye kings and princes inspired by the bishop of Rome the wyl of God beâ—â—g otherwise But why rehearse I these thynges synce thys yeare 1556. was printed at Basill a register of the witnesses of the veritie All good men at all times haue spoken against the pope which before our time haue spoke against the Pope wherof the nomber in dede is great and the more parte of them called the Byshop of Rome with out any prouerbe that Antichrist which shuld come into the world Therfore it is manyfest that I in this my worke brynge forthe no vnwonted thing or that hathe not ben heard of before wher now we do plainly vnderstand that this song hath in so many ages bâ— songen written painted printed and beaten in of the best holyest and most excellently learned men yea and confirmed to with the vnmeasurable bloud of martirs Furthermore yf any remayne that be desirous of good thinges emongs the bishops or prelates of the churche in the clergie it selfe let theÌ„ not be offended with me in case any where in expounding the Apocalips I bryng foorth theyr sayings doings and compare theÌ„ with the Apostls words Let them rather be â—ipleased with theyr owne wordes and dedes spoken and done â—esydes and against Gods word Let them leaue doing that they do Yea Daniel .xii. let them do penaunce so shall they haue prayse in the churche of Saincts But yf they hold on euen against their conscience to defend and maintayne their kinde of lyfe theyr pleasures theyr riches theyr honours dignities and to accuse persecute and murther the preachers yf the veritie as enemies of the church let them take hede it chaunce not to theÌ„ sodenly that the Gospel resiteth of the dronkeÌ„ seruaunt Math. xxiiii who did vexe and beate his fellow seruaunts but was of the chief Lord him self oppressed when he thought least of it and hewen al to pieces But yf there were euer any tyme heretofore Thapocalips in oure tyme is not only profitable but necessary wherin it behoued to setforth to vrge and beate in this doctryne to al the people This is chiefly necessary to be don in this our tyme. For this age of ours hath in the Popes kingdom sharpe and quick wittes which coÌ„mend with maruelous prayses both the Pope and the popish church perswade and dryue into the heads of the sort vnlearned cleane contrary things to theuangelical and Apostolicall doctryne Moreouer they haue woÌ„derfull crafts wherwith the wittier number are also disceaued They haue welth and riches authoritie armure munitioÌ„ threatnings promesses and torments wherby some strong also are made wery and ar halâ—d away to the popish parte There be many without experience whych esteme not this thing as it ought to be estemed suche care not nor passe not what religion be preached whether it be euangelicall or popish or what thynge be of eyther beleued or not beleued For they suppose all these things to concerne them nothyng In the meane season many perish and are in daunger not a few fall away diuerse stick in perplexitie and the kingdom of Christ is abbreuiated For the papistes omit nothing which may make for reparing of theyr kingdom and pullyng downe of the kingdome of Christ Therfore where these fellowes spare in this case nether paines nor cost that they may conuerte all thynges to oppresse the faythe of the Gospell and to dryue the sympler sorte to forsake it We oughte not to suffer that the Churche and the symple people afflycted and tempted in the same shulde want that comfort admonition and doctryne
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
reprehension of the NicolaitaÌ„s he procedeth like as in the fourmer epistles to exhorte them to amendement or repentauÌ„ce For where he saieth repent he vnderstandeth or coÌ„prehendeth all penaunce or repentauÌ„ce That we sayed to be a conuersion vnto God wherby we amende euil thinges for good relinquisshing that is euill in stead therof placing that is good that of faith in the sincere loue scare of God Thou shalt amende therfore in case thou doest absteine froÌ„ meates offered vp to Idolles from fornication receiuest the true religioÌ„ of Christ instituted doest possesse thy body in honour not in the lust of coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce as S. Paul sayeth 1. Thessalon 4. The church of Pergamos repeÌ„ted in case they disseÌ„bled not nor winked at the filthines of the NicolaitaÌ„s but stoutely with stode the same The NicolaitaÌ„s repented if laiyng their filthines a side they receiued againe the puretie of faith life And to al singular is saied repent Threateninges againste the impeniteÌ„t The Lord driueth them now also to repentauÌ„ce with greuouse threatnings except thou amende sayeth he I wil come to thee shortely of the whiche maner of speakinge hath ben treated before He addeth and I will fight with theÌ„ with the sworde of my mouthe With whom with the impeniteÌ„t and especially with the Nicolaitans He threatened not vtter distruction or desolatioÌ„ to the church wherof there was great hope that they should pourge the olde leuen but he threateneth the people impenitent And like as a iudge or magistrate or soldiour vseth the sworde so doeth Christ his worde And the worde in dede woundeth or sleyeth no man but in the meane time it sheweth Gods worde so doeth the executioÌ„ of Gods power insewe Therfore Christ euen as he sheweth with his word he sheweth that he wil iudâ—e idolaters beâ—â—â— gods hogs dogs whoremoÌ„gers not only iudge but punish theÌ„ And as he threatneth he doeth Christ fighteth with his sword Thus fighteth he with the sworde of his mouth We haue an example in the Israelites of whom were distroyed for that they had followed the doctrine of BalaaÌ„ 25000. men After were distroyed also the Moabites and Madianites neither were the corrupte women spared Whiche Moses in the 31. of Numeri discourseth at length We see also at this day the sword of God to go through out the world and to ouerthrow now these now them for none other causes than for the which the Lord slewe and distroied Balaam with his adherentes Therfore let vs feare the lord and walke in his coÌ„maundements For he will strike a farre of more greuousely with his sworde when he shal pronouÌ„ce in iudgement go ye cursed into fire euerlasting c. Math. 25. And he sayeth not expressely I wil cutte you with the sword of my mouth For we are many times and ofte seuered and cut with the word of God to our great profit and discipline for our amendement At this present he sayeth he wil fight beholde he will fight namely agaynst his enemies Therfore he threateneth destruction And we doubte nothing but that the impenitents of those of al times shall be distroyed For as I saied euen nowe at this daye we want not examples Agayne leest that notable holsome doctrine should seme to apperteyne to a fewe men of Pergamos This doctrine is comon or generall and not to all in the whole worlde he applieth this profitable doctrine to all churches Of the whiche application we haue spoken ones or twise in the former epistles Finally after his maner to th entent we should al be more strongly moued to repentaunce obedience he propouÌ„deth a promesse most ample and that to them that striue ouercome the flesh the world the deuil not to sluggardes nor to such as lie in the mire of mischiefe We are incouraged therefore with that promisse whiche is of three sortes First he promiseth to them that fight manfully ouercome and do their duety Manna that secret or hidde Manna hidde That externall Manna to all men knowen is not the trewe Manna For the vnthankful Israelites do lothe it as a meat most light had rather haue the flesh pottes of Aegipte full of meate onions leekes and garlicke that they mought eate theyr fille They see not the Manna celestial figured by this outwarde Manna geuyng al sweetnes and spirituall pleasure The faithful see that this hidde Manna is Christ as he him selfe expoundeth it in the 6. of Iohn Christ therfore geueth him self to them that ouercome geueth him to them in meate which filleth in dede He that shal ones with trewe faith haue tasted Christ wil wishe to haue none other meate geuen him For in Christ he hath al thinges in Christ he is complete with all good thinges fully satistised O that our subtil disputers vnderstoode these things they would reason nothing at all of the merites intercession of Sainctes suche other thinges wherof whilest they reason after theyr wooÌ„ted maner thei declare theÌ„selues not to haue tasted as yet howe good and swete is the Lord. A white stone After he promiseth to geue vnto the victours a white stone to wit absolution remission of al sinnes that ful vndoubtedly For Christ doeth verely absolue vs from our sinnes from the paines dewe for the same and from coÌ„demnation And he alluded to thee custome of the auÌ„cient men in iudgementes in the whiche they condemned with blacke stones quitte menne with white For these verses of Ouide are well knowen in the 15. boke of Metamorphos The maner was in old time loÌ„g agone to cast with blacke quitte with a white stone and here we geue warning that the remissioÌ„ of sinnes is not graunted to men liuing for theyr worke or merite but that faithe is the victory that ouercometh the worlde The which S. Iohn him self testifieth And that faith in dede fighteth stoutely in our hartes but in the meane time it acknowledgeth in all things the grace of God neither maketh it voide the merite of christ For as it is not slouthful so is it againe fearful A newe name Laste of all he promiseth that he will write in the stone a new name that such as no maÌ„ knoweth sauing he that inioyeth the same Christ wil not geue vs only remissioÌ„ of our sinnes but the glory morouer coÌ„munion of his heaueÌ„ly ioye vnspeakable Of this newe name bothe Esaye other Prophets haue made meÌ„tion CoÌ„querours had famouse names If we ouercome we inioye the glory celestial That is so vnmesurable that it may only be perceiued by feling not by speaking For what so euer thou shalt say be it neuer so great famous or excellent that is greater that shall be geuen to the ouercoÌ„mers For the Apostle S. Paull citeth out of Esaye That whiche the eye hath not sene nor the eare hearde God hath prepared for those that loue him And in this present
for vs. It behoueth vs therefore to gather certen sure saiynges wherwith to comfort our selues as with the moste certayne sentences of God pronounced First that God is trewe and iuste and therfore not to neglecte his but to tender with fatherly care And if he caste vs into any daunger or difficultie the same verely shall tourne the godly to great profit Yf he shal take vs awaye by tourmentes that he deliuereth vs frō euilles from miseries and corruption of this world and rendereth for the same euerlastingnes Secondly it is certen sins that God is iuste and trewe that he will requite the wicked after theyr desertes Agayne if he make menne fortunate in this worlde that the same in dede apperteyneth to their destruction Where he is slowe to punish that is done through Gods long suffering but that God recompenseth this slownes with the weightines of the punisshement in case they be incurable Where as these thinges vndoubtedly are moste certayne what remayneth there but that we shoulde committe our selues and al ours to the Lord our God He knoweth the time and meane wherby to auenge his and to plague his enemies To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ The sixte seale is opened and the corruptyng of the sincere doctrine is exhibited The .xxxiij. Sermon ANd I sawe when he had opened the sixte seale and beholde there was a greate earth quake And the Sunne was as blacke as a sacke cloth made of heere and the Moone waxed euen as bloud and the starres of Heauen fel vnto the earth euen as a figge tree casteth from her her figges when she is shaken of a mightie winde and Heauen vanished awaye as a scroll when it is rolled together The sixte seale opened of the lambe Corruptīg of the sound doctryne in the church openeth vnto vs generally and setteth forth to be sene of the eyes of all men the corruption of the doctrine in the church with this mourning terrible effecte of the same Nother is there any other thing sayed here in the sixt seale as also in the fiue fourmer seales than that which was prophecied before of the same our lord Iesus Christ in the .24 of Matth. that the Gospell should be preached through out the world and how there should come warres famines pestilences persecutions most greuouse and false prophetes whiche should disceaue men whom also they should drowne in moste greuouse sorrowes Neuerthelesse these thinges must religiousely be expounded For it is not to be thought Chryste is not author of the corrupt doctrine for that the lambe openeth the sixte seale and the Sonne by and by waxeth blacke that Christ is authour of the corrupte euill doctrine For Christ it is that soweth in the fielde good sede the hostile man soweth darnell As the Lord him self expoundeth it Matth. the .13 For Christe teacheth sownde doctrine by the Apostles and sincere preachers which whē it semeth vile to the world and can not please of his iuste iudgement he leaueth the contemners to their affections and as the Apostle S. Paull sayeth 2. Thess 2. he sendeth vpon them the efficacitie of illusion that they may beleue lies and so maye be iudged all whiche had rather beleue a lie than the veritie And the seducing through corrupte doctrine is a more hurteful euill than are the blouddy persecutions Yea and the seducers and false prophetes haue done more hurte to the churche than haue cruell tirauntes Finally men are more greuousely punished what time they are relinquisshed to be seduced of disceauers than when they are obiected to be torne in pecs of their murtherers Therfore is it a most greuouse plague of god and vtterly to be abhorred for the simple veritie dispised to be deliuered to liyng disceauers which after the demerites maye with reuerence be it spoken al to be shite and be pisse thee For where the gospell is purely preached vnto many these men saye I vnderstand not what these men teache vs out of the Gospell but this I can see that the olde haue all to be rayde vs and these newe bothe to be pisse and beshite vs. Therefore shalt thou haue teachers which shal perfourme to thee in dede the same that thou talkest Would God we waunted examples and did not see certen nations which haue here tofore had the free pure preaching of the gospel and now spoiled of al veritie to sigh vnder the pleasure and boldenes of most wicked disceauers whiche treade Gods worde vnder fote and condemne it for heresie and stoppe the mouthes of the wretched people ful of mans dunge This is the punishment of the veritie dispised The deprauatiō of the doctrine in the church And this place maye not be expounded of one certen age sins as yet things are rehearsed in general but of that whole time which reacheth from the age of the Apostles vnto the laste iudgement It conteineth therfore the corrupte doctrine of Valentine Marcion Manichaeus Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Donatus Pelagius Priscillians and finally of all Heretikes and the mingle mangle of Mahomet composed of the same and chiefly the sophistrie and moste corrupt doctrine of Antichrist and of his ministers But what time the lambe opened the sixte seale there was not hearde now as before the voyce of the Beastes Elders or Martirs but a terrible earthquake An earthquake An Earthquake in the Scriptures doeth signifie a wonderfull commotion of all thinges troubles tumultes and greate alterations And verely greater darkenes arriseth of nothing els than by alteryng of Godly religion and receyuyng of wicked doctrine For so arrise sectes seditions warres You maye see many examples hereof in the story of the auncient people whiche are redde to haue ben greuously shaken so ofte as they haue chaunged theyr religion and kynde of doctrine By this Earthequake therefore is signified that exceadynge great trouble shal arrise herof for that a new and a straunge kinde of doctrine should be brought into the world of men amisse incensed Authours of tumults troubles Here haue you that you maye aunswere vnto them whiche impute to the Gospell and to the Preachers thereof what so euer troubles seditions and commotions be at this daye in the worlde Helias hath ones made aunswere for vs whiche maye serue for all times the place is in the thirde boke of Kinges .18 Chapter I haue not troubled Israell but thou and thy fathers house whiche haste forsaken God c. Hereunto apperteyneth also the story of Ieremie in the .44 Chapter Where al the euilles that than vexed the wicked are imputed to the sinsere doctrine and to the Prophet Ieremie without cause Learne here morouer what to aunswer them whiche saye it is like that God hath permitted his Church so many yeres to lie and rotte in errours c. And the corrupte doctrine is described by partes euen from the toppe to the toe The sunne waxeth darke and the effecte also of the corrupte doctrine is annexed
comformable to the heythen than to Christianes are accompted most iustely excluded emonges the gentiles The pope and all papistes are heythen And now let vs see wherfore he accompteth antichrist the pope with his membres emōges the heythen They that are borne of god heare the word of god glorifie it they that be not as yet borne of God but remaine gētiles not only heare not gods word but also blaspheme the same So these men wil not heare gods worde seke with all their indeuour how to feare men awaye frō the scriptures which are Gods word They saie that they be obscure doubtful vncertaine vnperfet Those that beleue cleaue to the same thei cal heretikes the doctrine takē out of the same heresie Agayne they that haue not Christ their head as braunches growe not to the vine haue no cōmunion with Christ be gentiles But such is the pope his adherentes persecuting Christ stil al those that affirme Christ to be the only head of the churche Christ alone to be our rightuousnes life that al the faithful are made fully cōplete by Christ He that thus beleueth they pronoūce him an heretike Moreouer the gentiles worshippe Idolles call vpon creatures suppose God to be honoured with corruptible thinges as gold siluer preciouse things dedicated to the Temple and set vp to beaultifie the same But what other thinge doe they in the churche at this daye Thou seest playnely heathen Temples when thou seest their churches The life also of the gentiles is shamefull and filthie they are geuen to voluptuousenes ful of surfetting addicte to filthie luste they stinke in whoredome and excede in gorgeouse apparel and pamperyng of the body See what thinges the Apostle writeth of the life and conuersation of the heythen in the .4 and .5 chap. to the Ephesians And in the .1 chapt to the Romaines And in the .1 to the Corinth the .5 and .6 chapter Nowe what the life of the Pope is and of his spiritualtie the thing it selfe to openly testifieth that euen for this cause only they might and ought to be accompted emongs the excōmunicated the Apostle him self pronouncyng the sentence of excōmunication in the place whiche we haue nowe cited the .1 to the Corinth the .5 We maye put herunto their Epicureisme For if thei set by any religiō if they haue any feare of God in them whie do they selle all thinges in the church forgeuenes of sinnes heauen Christ the oblation of Christ matrimony ministerie briefly al thinges whie call they in doubt diuerse articles of our belefe what meane these doubtful disputations of the immortalitie of soules and resurrection of bodies whie make they a mockerie of the life euerlastyng Hereunto is added that these treade vpon The holy citie is troden vnder fote yea spurne the holy citie for therfore maye they iustely betaken for excommunicated This holy citie is not that earthly Hierusalem but the church of God whereof the holy citie was a figure as S. Paule expoundeth in the .4 chapt to the Galathians For the earthly Hierusalem according to the saiynges of the prophetes hauyng played her parte laye in asshes neuer to be restored The lord therfore signifieth that the holy church of Christe should through the tiranny of Antichrist and Antichristians be troden vnder fote And it signified more that he sayed to treade To treade vpon than if he had sayed to afflicte and persecute For treadyng vpō is ioyned with the greatest despite of him that is troden on and hereby is signified an extreme assayling and wōderful crueltie of the enemies which they practise on them thei ouercome and haue to vse at their pleasure We reade in Daniel of the Romanes The beast had great yron teth eatyng and breakyng smal and the rest treadyng vnder her fete For wanton beastes are woonte to treade with their fete such thinges as they can not deuoure when they be full And Salomon in the .27 of the Prouerb A soule that is ful sayeth he treadeth the hony combe Malachie in the .4 chapt speakyng of the ioye of the godly ye shall leape sayeth he as calues of the heerde and ye shall treade vpon the wicked whiche shal be as duste vnder the soules of your fete Briefly S. Iohn by treading signifieth the oppression of the church ioyned with greate tiranny and wantonnes and with the excedyng great mockerie and gladnes of the wicked And semeth playnely to haue alluded to these wordes of the godly prophet O God the heathē are comen into thine inheritaunce thy holy Temple haue they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones The dead bodies of thy seruauntes haue they geuen to be meate vnto the fowles of the aire and the fleshe of thy Sainctes vnto the beastes of the lāde Their bloud haue they shed like water on euery side of Ierusalem and there was no man to bury them the rest that followeth in the .78 Psalme And a little after in this chap. shal follow mo thinges of the persecution of Antichrist Nother shal these thinges be obscure in case you compare them with those which are done at this day in the church of rome agaynst the louers of Christes gospell The rekenīg of .xlii. monethes Besydes here is shewed a certayne time in the which the persecution of Antichrist should be cruell against the church to wit the space of two and fourtie monethes In the accōpte wherof some tourment themselues maruelousely I suppose playnely that a certayne time was assigned that not without cause yet not withstanding an vncerten time to be vnderstand A certaine time therfore is assigned that we might vnderstande that God hath appointed an ende of their furies which as he him self alone doeth know so would he signifie to his faithfull the same time not in yeres but in monethes only for a cōsolation For we suffer more easely that which we perceiue shal cōtinewe but a fewe monethes This sense hath also Aretas after a sorte touched writing thus we suppose that the time of .xlii. monethes doeth expresse a shortening of time about the comyng of Antichrist for the which affliction to be executed vpon the louers of God Math. 24. Christ very God sayeth that those dayes should be abbreuiated And these .xlii. monethes are three yeres a halfe wherein it shall come to passe that the faithful and the very tried shal be troden and suffer persecution Thus sayeth he Thre yeres a halfe the yeres of Antichrist Doubtles al expositours in a maner beyng verely taught by this place haue attributed to the kingdome of Antichrist and to his most cruel persecutions not mo yeres than three and a halfe For so many yeres make .xlii. monethes yf ye put to a yere .xii. monethes Howbeit the Scripture and the thing it self speaketh that the kingdome of Antichrist should be a great deale longer Wherupon I sayed that a certayne time is assigned of thapostle an vncerten time
vnderstand that is to saye al that same time that is rekened frō the fatall yeres .666 wherof is mentioned in the .13 chapt of thapocalipse vntil the last iudgemēt And whie I do expounde a certen time by an vncerten these be the causes First for asmuch as the same nombre of monethes is put here in the .13 chapt And is ascribed to the olde Romane Empire verely that in their tribulations the Sainctes might vnderstand comfort themselues that there is an ende appoincted to their tirāny which is knowen of God and that the Sainctes should no more be sorrowful than if they should be cōstreyned to abide their tiranny a fewe monethes only Otherwise if ye should accompte from the firste yere of Iulius Cesar and bring the course of time vntil that yere wherin Odacer at Rome al emperours of the weste beyng takē awaye was acknowledged for King you shal not finde only three yeres and an half but about fiue hondreth and .xvii. yeres Yf you shal bring the accompte from Iulius to the empire taken awaye and geuen to the pope you shal finde about .767 yeres The later cause for that Daniel the Lorde Christe and the Apostle S. Paule agreablely do saye that the persecution of Antichrist should last vnto the iudgemēt But who shal rekē vnto vs the yeres and dayes of the last iudgement And therefore must the nōbre certayne be expounded by the vncerten and must thinke that al thinges are nombred prefixed in the counsel of god which neuer neglecteth his faithfull To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ Of the two prophetes fightyng manfully agaynst Antichrist and of their power The .xlvij. Sermon ANd I will geue power to my two witnesses thei shal prophecie a M. cc. and .lx. daies cloted in sacke cloth These are two oliue trees two cādelstickes stādyng before the God of the Earth And if any man wil hurt them fire shal come forth of their mouth deuour their enemies And if any man will hurt thē this wise must he be killed these haue power to shut heauē that it raigne not in the dayes of their propheciyng and haue power ouer waters to tourne them to bloud and to smite the earth with al maner plagues as oftē as they will These thinges apperteyne also to the consolation of the faithful Prophetes are promised For the lord promiseth that he wil sende prophetes that is preachers whiche shall mayneteyne and defende the veritie of the Gospel and glory of Christ assayle Antichrist and distroye his kingdome and auaunce the saluation of the faythfull In the fourmer chapt 8. and .9 was described the fight of Antichrist and heretikes agaynst God his Christ and against his church now at fewe wordes is set agaynst the same the cōtrary fight the army of Christ is munstred Two prophetes And he bringeth forth two Prophetes that is preachers not for that there shal be two only but for that he wil so signifie that the power of Christ in the worlde should be and seme to worldly men small as I shal tel you anone in the meane time he vnderstandeth al faithful preachers and pastours of al times whiche offer themselues to resiste Antichrist and heretikes There be that expounde these thinges of Enoch and Helie which shal come corporally before the iudgemēt Howbeit S. Hierome in the epistle to Marcella doeth referre that opinion to Iewish fables signifiyng that these thinges must de spiritually expounded of those prophetes as are also the most things of this boke And in maner al expositours with great concorde doe interprete all these thinges of these Prophetes spiritually and not corporally after the lettre I suppose that for two causes there be two Prophetes only here rehersed First for that he would allude to the olde Historie or prophecie of Zacharie which is in the .4 chapt It was thought than also to the people of Israel retourned from Babylon that the reparyng of the Tēple was vnpossible for that they had many and mightie aduersaries and they were weake and fewe and their gouernours Zorobabel and Iehosua contemned but through the mightie hande of God and his faithful ayde it came to passe that the power of their aduersaries vanisshed awaye as vayne and they indespite of hell gates buylded vp their Temple right so the Lorde sayeth it shal be in that later age that the ministers most contēptuous and very fewe in nombre shal buylde vp Christ his temple and repare it shake the most mighty power of Antichrist Herunto I suppose belongeth that saiyng of Daniel and when they shal fal they were holpen with smal ayde c. Secondely for this cause chiefly he accompteth only two witnesses for that it is red written in the Lawe in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shal stande It is iudged therfore a full testimony whiche shall be confirmed with the agreable declaration of two Where therfore the lord sayeth that he wil geue two Prophetes it is asmuch to saye as that he wil geue so many ministers as shal suffice which shal both builde vp his church and also plucke downe and rēt a sonder the kingdome of Antichrist There be of the expositours which thinke that by two witnesses are vnderstande two testamētes Howbeit we see that the Lord speaketh here of witnesses not of the thing testified or to be witnessed which neuerthelesse we separate not from the witnesses The Apostles and Apostolicall men are called witnesses euery where in the Gospel and in the .1 Who be witnesses chapt of the Actes of Apostles Witnesses are ordeyned in iudgement that they should faithfully vtter that whiche they haue sene or hearde that they should forge nothing of themselues to the things that should be testified should nother adde or put any thing nor take awaye any thing So likewise are placed of God in the church of God the witnesses of God that is to saye ministers and of them is required that they Imagine nothing of their owne braine nother put to nor take away any thing from Gods worde but simply declare to the church of God the thinges they haue sene in the story of the Gospell and hearde of the prophetes and Apostles Therfore are thei false witnesses nother worthie to be called the witnesses of God and of Christ which bryng not the Gospell They be rather the Popes witnesses whose decrees decretalles they bring forth and beare witnes of them to the folish people Therefore shal those two prophetes be witnesses of Christ and shal bryng witnes for Christ out of the most trewe Scriptures And the beginnyng of them is here referred to God and to his Christ as the original of Antichrist is reduced to the deuil him self The original of prophetes I wil geue sayeth the lord to my two witnesses and they shal prophecie Christ sendeth preachers geueth to them also that they can preach The which is a wonderful comforte For like as
are alwayes wonte so ofte as they haue occasiō to celebrate and intimate Christ and the misterie of his redemption S. Iohn therefore sayeth howe the lambe hath ben killed and offered vp from the beginnyng of the world And it is with out controuersie The lambe slayne frō the beginning of the world that by the lambe is vnderstande Christ It is therefore demaunded howe he was slaine from the beginning of the world Many here tourmente themselues at the length they expounde that Christ was slaine in Abel and in all sainctes by perticipation not by passion Certenly we maye not expounde this place after the lettre For Christ coulde not be slayne before he was borne Moreouer the Apostle affirmeth that Christ sins the beginning of the world hath not ben slaine oftener than ones Reade what he sayeth in the .9 chapt to the Hebrew And yet can not the most and trewe worde of God be contrary or repugnaunt to it selfe Therefore saye we after the comon rule of expoundyng the Scriptures that the signes haue the names of the thinges signified For the Lambe was called a passouer or passyng by wherof it was a signe Circumcision was called the leage or conuenaunt it selfe sacrifices are named sinnes So verely from the beginnyng of the worlde sacrifices were slayne whiche were simbolles or signes of Christe to be incarnated and offered vp ones for the clensyng of sinnes We vnderstande therfore by this testimony of Christe that all the sacrifices of the auncient fathers were sacramētes of Christ and that the redemption of Christe hath from the begynnyng of the worlde ben of efficacitie to all the faythful Therfore this place is notable and worthie to be obserued Hitherto apperteyneth the Apostles testimony in the .1 to the Corinth the .10 That al our forefathers haue eaten of the same spirituall meate wyth vs and dronken of the same drynke and that they dranke of the rocke followyng them whiche was Christ Of the destructiō of the Romane Empire And hitherto hath he spokē of the maiestie of the Romane Empire blasphemies sinnes Nowe followeth of the distruction of so great an Empire punnishmēts of sinnes Wherof notwithstanding shal be spoken againe in the .17 chapt And with an Acclamatiō most comonly vsed in the gospell as it were peculiar to Christ he stireth vp al his auditours and crieth out he that hath an eare to heare lette him heare Verely it was to men a wonder and semed vncredible that so great a Maiestie coulde falle but yet it falleth The faythfull marueled also what shoulde be the ende of blasphemies slaughters iniuries abominations Moreouer the doctrine that followeth is notable excellent and worthie to be kepte in memory Therefore he stireth vp all men to attentiuenes and than he sayeth whosoeuer shall leade into captiuitie shall go into captiuitie whosoeuer striketh with the sworde c. For in such sort he declareth the destructiō of Rome and the Romane empire that he confirmeth with al the iustice of gods iudgemēt And also with a maruelouse breuitie of goddes sentence geuen or pronoūced against Rome he suppeth of that vnmeasurable power And this is both by the law of God by the law of nature and by the law of al natiōs receiued as a thing most iust that euery man shulde loke to haue the same done to him that he doth to an other For to this be longeth the sentence rehersed of Noe in the .9 of Gen. He that shedeth bloud his bloud shal be shed The same is repeted in the .33 of Esay Wo to the that spoilest shalt not thou be spoiled A testimonie wherof is Niniue with the Prophet Nahum and Babilon with al the prophets Therfore hath the Lorde taught in the gospell whatsoeuer ye wold that men shuld do to you do you the same vnto them also With what mesure you meat vnto others with the same shall others meat vnto you agayne Whosoeuer stryketh with the sworde with the sword shall perish Therefore it is moste reasonable that sins Rome hath spoiled the whole world and iniuried al nations and made cruel war vpon al men it shuld be againe of al nations inuaded spoyled torne and troden vnder foote Let vs marke this iudgemēt of God let vs fear god and do good vnto men For here is sentence geuen against al men that do iniurie to their neighbours but especialli those which inuade innocēts with vniust wars which thei be hired to make c. And here muste we repeate some thyng out of Hystories The destructiō of Rome and the Romane Empyre whereby the veritie of this prophesie may be better knowen and vnderstand When the most excellēt Prince Constantine had receiued the gouernment of thempire as it were abhorring Rome he builded Constantinople and made it the seate or mansion of thempire And from that time the Maiestie of Rome began to fal vnto ruine Vnder themperour Gratiane a Prince moste wittie the Barbarians were a great terrour to the Romanes wherupō Gratiane made a leage with them Stilico father in lawe to Honorius a Vandall borne deminished the wages of the Gothians and other leage fellowes of the people of Rome for the which cause they toke Armour yet beinge pacified agayne they were stirred vp afterwarde through the mallice of Stilico of Duke Saule vnder the cōduite of Athalaricus their King they hast them to Rome lay seige to it besiege it by the space of two yeares at the lēgth toke and spoiled it Which seige and spoyle S. Hierome in his Epistle bewayleth much Orosius writeth much christianly hereof in the .29 chapter of the .7 boke of Histories It is reported that Rome was taken the fyrste day of Apryll in the yeare .412 Yet the Gothians immediately leauyng the Citie remoue into other places there by neuerthelesse beynge agayne inflamed with fury they returne and vnder their captayne Athaulphus they plagued spoyled Rome worse then they ded before The Kynge had determined extinguyshing the name of Romaynes to haue called the Citie Gothia if he had not ben disswaded of Galla Placidia daughter to Honorius A fewe yeares after Rome was taken agayne of Genserychus King of Vandalles and that which was inryched and replinished with the robberies of al natiōs was by fourtene dayes together emptied cleane After came Odacer with the Germanes and putting downe the name of Emperour reigned ouer the citie himselfe as king by the space of .15 yeares Whom Theodorichus of Verona expulsed and slew And there reigned with his East Gothes about .50 yeares Than was it recouered of Bellisarius for Iustinian Emperour of Grece but to the vtter destruction of Rome For Totilas Kynge of Gothia discomfyted both the Greke and Romayne Armie at Placence after he beseiged Rome scaled toke sacked ouerthrew and set it on fyre The citie burned thirtene dayes Nother was there any man in it by the space of fourtie dayes Reade the .4 boke of Sabellicus the .8 Aeneade Perauenture I