perish they shall ryse agayne to the iudgement whole Aretas also Bishop of Cesaria perceiued this and sayed he reciteth these things to the intent he might declare what the finall and vniuersal resurrection shall be For where many beleuyng not that the same shall be do say that it is by no meanes possible to be in those bodies which haue ben long corrupted and broughte to that poincte that they be not at all this sermon nowe correcting this sayeth Lyke as the bodies when they were not began to be not by a certen chaūce or of themselues but of the four elements namely of Water Fyre Ayre and Earth So also beyng reasonably returned agayne into the same may be of the same cōposed againe c. And for a further declaratiō he addeth agayne Death and hel gaue vp them c. and death and hell gaue vp those which were in them dead For he vnderstādeth by death any kynd of death as though he shulde say death it selfe restoreth to the Iudge iudgement whom soeuer after what sort soeuer he hath dispatched Death therfore is fayned to be as it were a person which holdeth the dead in himselfe or in a prison And hel hath yet but a fewe bodies for some we read to haue gone down to hell quicke but the soules of the wicked The same retourne to their bodies that the whole man may be iudged body and soule Others by hell after the Hebrewe phrase vnderstande a sepulture or graue Agayne is repeted that the whole man shal be iudged body and soule after euery mannes workes Thus much hitheto of the resurrectiō of the dead Of euerlasting damnation wherof in our bokes els wher we haue treated more at large In the laste place followith of euerlastinge damnation and who be properly condemned And Hell sayeth he and death are cast in to the lake of fyre Whereof hath ben spoken before And Hell here signifieth not the place of pūnishmēt but those that are inhabiters of Helle to witte whose soules are yet deteined in hel or appointed thither Death also signifieth those that are deade in sinne and they which from the spirituall or tēporall death go straight way to death euerlasting Wherevpon is immediately annexed This is the second death by the which verely they that are dead to Christe are adicted to perpetual fyre and that lyue to Antichrist and the world Others expounde these thinges hereof that after the iudgemēt the Saincts shal nother be buried any more nor die Which S. Paule affirmeth also out of Osee in the firste to the Corinth the .15 chap. Aretas and Primasius make with vs. For Aretas saieth and he calleth death and hel those that haue cōmitted thinges worthie of punnishment as fulfilling the numbre of the second death And Primasius by these names sayeth he he signifieth the Deuil because he is authour of death and paynes in Hell and also the whole fellowship of Deuylles For this is the same that he spake more playnelye before by the way of preuēting and the Deuil which deceaued them was caste in to the lake of fyre and brimstone And that which he added there more obscurely sayeng and the beaste the false prophet here more playnely So much Primasius And who knoweth not that the membres muste followe the head all vngodly the Deuyll the head of all vngodlynes Whych ar not writtē in the boke of lyfe And moste euidētly he expresseth who properly at the iudgement are addicte to fyre euerlasting they that are nother written nor sound in the boke of lyfe Therefore shall the only faythfull in Christe in whome they are predestinated vnto lyfe euerlasting shall be saued All others of what religion so euer they be or what so euer kynd of lyfe they haue lyued be it neuer so strayte shall perish Others referre these words to such as are lefte a lyue at that daye For we beleue that the son of God shall iudge both the quicke and the dead Doubtles whether they be lyuing or whether they be dead certain it is that no man shall be saued in any other but in the fayth of Iesu Christe all the resydewe shall be damned And this is the finall end of the good and euill To Christe Iesu iudge of all and redemer of the faythfull be prayse and glory for euermore Amen ¶ That the worlde shall be renewed the Saincts glorified and made blessed and what that felicitie shall be and howe certeyne The XCj. Sermon AND I sawe a newe Heauen and a newe Earth The .21 chapter For the first Heauen and the first Earth were vanished away there was no more Sea AND I Ihon sawe that holy Citie newe Hierusalem come downe from God oute of Heauen prepared as a bryde garnished for her husband And I heard a great voice from the seat sayeng beholde the Tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them AND they shal be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and shal be their God And God shal wipe awai al teares from their eyes And there shall be no more death nother sorrowe nother shal ther be any more payne For the ould thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seat saide behold I make al things newe And he saied vnto me wryte for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is done I admonished you aboute the begynning of the .15 The order chap. of this boke that the fifte parte of this worke began at the .15 chap. and treated of the iudgementes of God righteous and iuste And forasmuch as the iudgementes of God are of two sortes in this that he requyteth the euyll according to their wickednes and rewardeth the good with rewards I sayed howe this place consisted of two parts For first I sayed that S. Ihon most plentifully treated of torments to be inflicted to Antichrist and all vngodly secondly of rewardes especially in the end of the world to be imployde vpon al sainctes For ofte times haue we heard in this boke that the soules seperated from the body are immediatly after the corporall death taken vp in to lyfe euerlaking but that the felicitie of al most complete chaūceth to the faithfull in the ende of the worlde what time the bodies now raised againe receiue the rewards of glory euerlasting And this place is treated through oute al the .21 chap. beginning of the .22 cha And lyke as in the former parte he hath set hel in a maner wyde opē shewed the euerlasting torments as it were to be sene presently so in this later part he vnlocketh after a fort or openeth heauen it selfe that with the eyes of faith we shulde se what hope and glory abydeth for Sainctes And with all is most clerely expoūded the article of our faith ¶ I beleue lyfe euerlasting I beleue lyfe auerlasting And agayne for the more perspecuitie he declareth these things by a visiō Which others
otherwyse will we nyll we must die Let vs therfore bâ— content rather to die blessedly than to lyue miserably so thâ— we see we may so please God Finally lyke as in the ende of the first Epistle he commâ—nicated and applied the same wholy to all tymes and chuâ—ches All these thinges apperteine to al churches least any should suppose that these thinges concerneâ— him nothing So in the end of this Epistle also he both preâ—cheth the spirite to be authour of al these thinges and exhoâ—teth all men to heare and obey dilligently and affirmeth thiâ— to be wrytten vnto all congregations in the world for edifying Moreouer the promesse of lyfe he communicateth to 〈◊〉 saying He that ouercometh shall not be hurte of the second death This is spoken to all men women if thou ouercomâ— Therfore must we ouercome the world the Deuil the fleshâ— and all temptation And we must ouercome by him which faith by his spirite dwelling in vs And that we shold walâ— that way wherin he hath commauÌ„ded vs to walke If thoâ— ouercome The first secoÌ„d death thou shalt not be hurt in the second death Thâ—mas of Aquine saith That the first death is of sinne the secoÌ„â— of paine We vnderstand plainly by the first death the naâ—â—rall separation of the soule from the body whiche also coâ—meth to vs for sinne as appeareth in the .iii. of Genesis Thâ— same is comen to good and euyl For we be all earth and 〈◊〉 to earth we shall retourne And by and by followeth the â—â—cond death and the second lyfe They that beleue in Christ ouercome fele nothyng of the second death but lyue as tâ—â— Lorde hym selfe assureth vs in the .iii. and .v. Chapter of Iohâ— He shall not come into iudgement but hath passed froÌ„ deaâ—â— to lyfe But the wicked or vnbeleuers are conueyed streâ— wayes from the corporall death to death euerlasting Nâ—â— that their soules can die that is cease to be or that their bodâ— ryse not agayne But that being depriued of that celestâ— and diuine life of Christ they fele euerlasting tourmentâ— whiche state verely is ryghtly called death These thyng are vnknowen to worldly men which know no other life death but this temporal But Gods veritie teacheth vs thâ—ther is both an other life and death after this to witte the 〈◊〉 celestiall and death infernall or full of perpetuall sorrowes That same doubtles is full of consolation that we heare how the faithfull after the debt of this temporall lyfe payed once they shall no more fele any tourmentes What than doe the Monkes and freres prate of purgatory bables c. Let vs prayse our sauiour Christe whiche hath deliuered vs from death and geuen vs the hope of lyfe euerlasting to whome be glory prayse c. ¶ The first part of the third Epistle of the cuÌ„stancie and coÌ„fession of Christ in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ The .x. Sermon ANd to the messenger of the Congregation in Pergamos wryte This sayth he whiche hath the sharpe sworde with two edges I knowe thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not denied my faith And that in the daies in the which Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche was slayne among you where Sathan dwelleth The third Epistle amongest those seuen celestiall proceding from the right hand of God The argument of the Epistle is wrytten to the Pastour and congregation of Pergamos Wherof the argument is thus First he commendeth the constancie of their faithe in cruel persecutions By and by he rebuketh those which cleaâ—ed to the secte of the Nicolaitans After he exhorteth them â—o repentaunce And this doctrine he applieth afterwards to all congregations throughout the worlde Last he promyâ—eth moste ample rewardes to the faithfull the church of Pergamos a tâ—pe Hereof we vnâ—erstande that the congregation of Pergamos is set forth â—s a type or a glasse to all churches howe it behoueth them 〈◊〉 walke before the Lorde Firste so ofte as persecution shall arise Secondly when heresies breake out For by the example therof he teacheth all to suffer aduersitie paciently and opeÌ„ly to professe the true faith And also by the scripturâ— to reproue heresies in flying from them to dispise the same Thinges common to al these seueÌ„ epistles Howbeit all the Epistles in maner haue certen thinges coÌ„mon And that especially three For it expressed plainly tâ— whome the Epistle is sent as in this present to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Pergamos to witte vnto the Pâ—stour whosoeuer he was perauenture Antipas and to the whole congregation as is sayd before It is shewed moreouer Of the authoritie of holy scripture who he is that speaketh here or who is the authour 〈◊〉 this Epistle Euen the Lord him selfe Which getteth authoritie to the writing For it is not thus to be thought that thâ— worde of God is not as it is spoken because it is wrytten 〈◊〉 man indited of man or written with inke either in paperâ— parchemyn For these make no more that the word of Goâ— should not be the worde of God than that water should nâ— be water if it runne out of a conduite of wood lead brasseâ— stone For water euermore remayneth water The diuersioâ— of the Conduite pypes maketh it not that it shoulde beeâ— water as his substaunce is in dede So sayth S. Paul thâ— he verely is bounden but the worde of God is not bound A man may be stoned hanged or burnt beyng a preacherâ— Gods worde The worde of God that was put in the moâ—â— of the Preacher is not burnt God knoweth al thinges The Lorde putteth it in tâ— mouth of an other that the veritie shuld not be extinguishâ— but continually might sounde in the churche Finally 〈◊〉 without cause in the beginning of euery Epistle Christ doâ— intimate that he knoweth all thinges of the churche I saâ— before that this is as it were the foundation of the feare 〈◊〉 God and of his true seruice For imagin a man that is pâ—â—swaded with him selfe that God neither seeth what men 〈◊〉 nor knoweth what they thinke in their hartes Shal not tâ— man thinke you fall into all vngodlines He will crye letâ— do what we liste synce God knoweth not what we doe â—gaiâ—e who wyll not cast of the hope of rewarde and thâ—sâ— of good workes after he be once perswaded that God kâ—â—weth not our workes But if he knewe them not howe 〈◊〉 he iudge the worlde Neuerthelesse in euery epistle be certen especial and peculiar thinges Of the which sorte in the epistle of Pergamos is Out of Christ his mouthe a two edged sworde that out of the first vision and description of Christ in the beginning of the epistle he taketh to him the swearde and that sharpe and two edged whiche we heard to come out of the mouthe of Christ By this is signified the iudiciall powerful of equitie and iustice and also
thintent it might by litle litle vanish away They that meddle with Iezabel shal be afflicted Secondly he threatneth great affliction to such as haue to do with Iezabel that is to say to such as cleaue vnto false doctrine receiue errours delight in heresies and go about to set forth the same To these I say he threateneth most greuous afflictioÌ„s to witte of body and soul of this present and of the life to come He semeth to haue said somwhat more than if he had recited certen kindes of punishment The children of Iezabel shal be slayne Finally he menaceth death to the children borne of this copulation and fornicatioÌ„ to witte whore sonnes bastardes And those are chiefly the childreÌ„ of heretickes which stire vp a freshe and restore newly again heresies already condeÌ„ned meakened and wearing away These the Lord distroied with temporal and eternal death And the ecclesiasticall story doth testifie that the Lord hath in dede punished most greuously not only the heresie of the CataphrigiaÌ„s but al heresies in general And certen thinges coÌ„cerning the CataphrygiaÌ„s or MoÌ„tanistes are touched of Euseb lib. 1. of the cl story Cap. 16. The destruction of Achab and Iezabel with al their posteritie The Lorde semeth here to me to haue alluded to the olde story of Iezabel Achab for them as it were cast in a bed froÌ„ day to day euer since they began to worship Baal he vexed with sicknes and brought them lowe And the people that receiued the religion of Baal be put to much sorow euils and afflictions Finally their children he brought to a shamefull death Their partakers also were slaine that would haue had Baal his religion safe and sounde and euen to haue bene restored again For after the death of Achab his father not many daies after Ochosias the sonne of Achab and Iezabel bruised with an vnhappy fall and cast in bed died .iiii. Reg. Cap. 1. And Ioram an other sonne of Achab and Iezabel stricken through with an arrowe of Iehu was slaine Athalia the daughter of Achab and Iezabel the wife of Ioram kyng of Iuda the sonne of Iosaphat being diuided with that sweard of Ioiadas fell down before the gates of the temple And Ochosias king of Iuda the sonne of Athalia and Ioram was slaine also by the power of Iehu And after were put to death by the same Iehu the .lxx. sonnes of Achab And all the pristes of Baal are slaine together in the temple and before the Aultar of Baal and not one of so great a nombre escaped Yea the temple the idol and the seruice of Baal were quite and cleane ouerthrowen This olde maruelouse and wonderfull history the Lord calleth to memory signifiyng that he lyueth yet a reuenger and a punisher Who will neither ouerpasse the iust limite nor touche the same out of time For he addeth and all congregations shal know c. Notwithstanding this thing is notable and moste worthy to bee remembred and no lesse full of comforte Hope is seâ— open for the penitent that in this rehersall of punishementes he putteth in as it were in the middes a mention of repentaunce as though he should say let no man thinke him selfe that he must be distroyed and perishe through a certen fatall necessitie For if any wil repent the gates of the grace of God are set open his synnes shal be forgeuen and he shal be taken in to fauour and shall be deliuered from all those euilles And after this sorte haue taught also the Prophetes Ieremy in the .xviii. Chapter and Ezech. in the .xviii. Chapter But where as the punishement is not by and by executed vpon the impenitent persones you shall haue them that wyll exclame that God is a slepe that he seeth or heareth nothyng Therfore the Lorde hym selfe aunswereth them and sayth And all congregations shall knowe c. The Lord declareth that he is reueÌ„ger of the churche When I shall doubtles at the laste execute my vengeaunce in dewe season For then shall all men learne that I neyther slepe nor neglecte my seruauntes at any tyme or wyll suffer those that deserue euyll of me and of my Churche to escape vnpunyshed Furthermore Christe testifieth that he searcheth the â—eynes and heartes of all men And he meaneth that he knoweth all thoughtes and deuises of the harte finally the appetite it selfe and all the desires of man so that he can iudge truly therof for nothing be it neuer so secret is hidde from Christ Christ is God Therfore is he very God For it is the propertie of God belongeth to him alone to know the hartes of tho children of men As Salomon testifieth in the iii. boke of kinges Chap. viii Christ therfore seeth the priuie filthie workes both of the Nicolaitans and all other beastly men Whiche S. Paul saith are vnworthy to come to light or to be expressely declared to men Ephes v. Christ geueth to euery man after his workes Nother doth Christ know only all the thoughtes of men whatsoeuer they be but geueth moreouer to euery man after his owne workes And so the Apostle S. Paul teacheth saying The iust iudgement of God shall be opened whiche wyll rewarde euery man according to his dedes that is to saie Prayse honor and immortalitie to them whiche continue in well doing and seke eternall life But vnto them that are rebelliouse and disobey the truth and followe iniquitie shall come indignation wrath tribulatioÌ„ and angwish c. In the .ii. to the Roma For workes be the touchstones of faith and infidelitie And workes whether they be good or euyll be iudged of God and the Godly men according as they procede of faith or of infidelitie Therfore what so euer any of vs shall sowe the same shall he reape also For God is the moste iust rewarder of good and reuenger of euill The same sentence as it is moste true so is it the foundation of the true and Godly Religion Glory be to God ¶ That the doctrine of pitie is so fully sâ—â— forth to the churche that there nedeth no newe Reuelations And of the moste large promesses of Christ made vnto the churche The .xiiij. Sermon ANd to you I say and to others that be of Thiatira Who so euer haue not this doctrine and whiche haue not knowen the depenes of Sathan as they say I will put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue already Holde fast till I come And whosoeuer ouercometh and kepeth my workes vnto the ende to him wil I geue power ouer nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron And as the vessels of a potter shall he breake theÌ„ to sheuers Euen as I receiued of my father so wyll I geue hym the morning starre Let hym that hath eares heare what the spirite saieth to the congregations He speaketh here now to the Cataphrygians The great mercy of God and also to the faithfull of the churche
slowe and to make those cleane that are couered with ruste and maye fine the corrupte Golde For so the Scripture defineth in the .11 chapt of Daniel and the Apostle .1 Peter Chapter .4 Christe therfore not to distroie but to trie permitteth very many things to Tirannes agaynst the Church The godly men also procure to themselues the heauy hande of the Lorde whilest in dede they beleue rightly in the sonne of God and depende only of him but neuerthelesse are intangled with sondry and euill affections and committe suche actes as not becometh them This maye you see declared at large in the beginnyng of the eight boke of the Ecclesiastical story of Eusebius whiche I lately alledged And the Tirannes that persecuted had an other respect as Sinacherib and Antiochus than our Bisshoppes and Princes haue at this daye For these nowe are moued with the hatred of Religion and are pricked forewarde of Sathan They will haue in any wise their Idolatrouse religion mainteyned and the religion of the Gospell vteerly distroyed They can not abide to haue their Idolles or other sinnes reproued for this cause are they mad at the faithfull and suche as frankely speake agaynst blame ther Idolles and wickednes And thus doeth the persecutiō arrise boyle vp and procede The whiche when the faithfull see increase thus Mutining in persecution and fele themselues sore oppressed they maruel howe longe the lord wil winke at this Many crie out the Lorde neglecteth his matters The Lorde semeth to deale vniustely with his seruauntes he semeth vtterly to forget them Neither is there any doubte but that many by murmuryng offende the Lord greuously Now therfore are we taught that we might haue hope and patience And at this present Heauen is opened to vs and shewed vs to beholde The sum of such thīgs as are opened to vs in this seale where as be the soules of them that are slaine in persecutions and what is their state is declared morouer that God forgetteth not to be reuenged whie also he differreth the same and how long These thinges are spoken to the consolation of al the faithful that are now afflicted with persecutiō Farre other thinges are exhibited here vnto vs than painters instructed or rather corrupted of with monkes and Freres set forth to vs to wit a great company of Monkes and Nunnes couered in Heauen with our ladies coule as though the greatest parte of them should be saued S. Iohn sheweth vs neuer a Frere but rather many martirs whom the Freres at this daye make before other men Herof therfore as of the doctrine of veritie we shal learne what state or degree is most plentifull in heauē not that we should thinke no man but only Martirs to be saued for so many as truely beleue in Christe and crucifie their fleshe with the concupiscences of the same shal be associated with holy Martirs and reioyse with Christ for euer but that chiefly the holy Martirs are saued whome the madde world supposeth to be lost Soules seperated frō the body be immortal But al thinges here must be examined of vs most diligētly For this place as it is most manifeste so is it ful of moste holesome doctrines First S. Iohn seeth and sheweth vs as it were poynting with his fingar the soules that of those that were slaine to wit the spiritual immortal substaunces which the body beyng lost and consumed do remaine a liue The body may be killed the soule can not be killed Whiche our Sauiour hath liuely expressed in the .10 of Matth. In the 12. of Luke he sayeth be not affrayde of them which sleye the body and after this haue nothing that they can do more c. Therfore tirānes might wel kil the bodies of Martirs they had no power ouer their soules This place witnesseth manifestly the soules of men not only to be immortall but also liuing or watcheful not slepyng to remayne liue in Heauē For there be that thinke the soules departed from the body to slepe The cause maketh martyrs not the punishment which thing is most vayne Nowe also the cause is shewed for the which the Martirs are slayne for the worde of God and for the testimony that they had they were not put to death for their wickednes or euill doynges but for the trewe religion wherby they confessed and preached that word of God which was in the beginning and was made fleshe and the Gospell which they had committed vnto them the testimony of God and eternal life which also thei ministred and preached Of the word of God and testimony of Iesu Christ I haue spoken in the first Chapt. For no other cause at this day are slaine innumerable of Bisshoppes kinges and princes Yf they were aduouterers vsurers blasphemers wicked doers they shuld be in some estimation nowe where they professe the onely sonne of God and preache the Gospell they are murthered without mercy Here haue we also certenly defined who be very Martirs in dede not they that suffer tourmentes but they that are tourmented for gods word For the cause maketh the Martir But where are the soules of them that are slayne for the word of God shewed vnto vs vnder the Aultar Where the place is of the soules slayne for gods word the Aultar is after in the .8 chapt set in heauē before the throne of God Therfore the soules of al Sainctes are in Heauen before the Throne of God which was also signified before in the Tipe of the .xxiiii. Elders The Lord hath sayed also where I am there shal be also my seruaunt But the lord is in heauē therfore the soules of the faithful whose bodies haue ben slayne The souls vnder the Aultar or buried without slaughter be no where els but in Heauen Neuerthelesse it waunteth not a singular misterie that they are layed vnder the Aultar as vnder a shadow through whose benefite the soules may be wel at ease I told you before and here againe repete that the aultar signifieth Christ For he is also the golden aultar intercessour and propiciation for our sinnes For the propiciation and mediation of Christ we are receiued into the Ioyes celestial And Christ is our life saluatiō Vnder him we lie hidde as vnder a couer or a shadow Thomas of Aquine expounding this place of S. Iohn by the aultar sayeth he is signified Christ in whom and by whome we should offer to the father what good so euer we doe and through him is made acceptable what so euer is pleasaunte to God Vnder this Aultar namely vnder christ be the soules not only in the state of life to witte whilest we liue here in earth but also in the state of our countrie to wit in heauē as vnder him of whome they are couered as vnder a shadowe agaynst all euill Thus sayeth Thomas But I suppose that there is an other thing also signified that martirs are made confourmable to the Aultar that is to
lyuing for euermore as he that is life of himselfe and geueth life vnto all This creation verely and viuification is not communicated to others As also he alone knoweth the harts of meÌ„ that hereof we may learne to sweare by the name of God alone not to adde to him any creatures which know not the heartes neither are lyfe of themselues but are lesse than he adde also lesse than men as they that are made for men Next after God there is nothing greater than man Therfore let not maÌ„ sweare by any other thaÌ„ by God For al the geÌ„tiles sweare by a greater yf thou swearest by the sainctes or by the Gods thou shalt sweare by men egal verely and not greatter God alone is greatest and best Therfore must we sweare by the name of God alone lyke as the scripture teacheth elsewhere in the .6 and .10 of Deuter. 23. of Exod. 23. of Iosue 4. and .5 of Ieremy .45.65 of Esay and else where But seyng that is in dede God himselfe howe sweareth he sayest thou by him that lyueth for euermore that is by god he sweare doubtles by him self as in many other places of the scripture Or els he sware after the dispensation and assumptioÌ„ of the humane nature after the which he sayed my father is greater than I which notwithstanding in his deitie was neuerthelesse coequall with the father And the same that I now rehersed A faithfull doctrine of taking othes is the most simple and most trewe doctrine of othes and fourme of swearyng And yet ther be some which vnderstaÌ„d that doctrine wel enough but neuerthelesse for the fauour of men would sweare gladly by Sainctes and therfore demaunde whether thei may not ioyne Sainctes to god especially in this sense vnlesse I perfourme this I wil not be accoÌ„pted in the nombre of sainctes I aunswer that they maye not aswel for that we haue no expresse maner of swearing which obediently to the honour of God we ought simply to follow also for that they which require and prescribe this fourme would haue vs to sweare by the names of Sainctes in heaueÌ„ and so to acknowledge that we are holpen and punnished by their vertue and power Which if ye do and acknowledge ther is no doubt but thou doeste greuousely transgresse thy sincere religion Certes if thou confesse God here before men he will also confesse thee before his father and his Angels yf thou deny him he will also deny the. c. An othe is as it were thy confession wherby thou confessest whome thou doest acknowledge and beleue to be thy chiefe filicitie the reueÌ„ger also of euil rewarder of good Yf thou shalt therfore ioyne Sainctes vnto god himselfe and match them together and say so help me God and his Sainctes These so coupled with God thou shalte graunt to be thy Gods which can both helpe and hurt the. Therfore take hede what thou doest Reade S. Austen in the 145. Epistle to Publicola What Christ did sweare Howbeit we must see moreouer what the Angel sware by this custome and solemne woordes For in this one thynge consisteth the whole somme of the matter The Angell in the 12. chap. of Daniel ded sweare Because for a time times and halfe a tyme and in the wyndinge vp to scatter the hand of the holy people all these thinges shall be fully done So this our Aungell here sweareth that there shall be no more time but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shal begynne to blowe his trompe that the misterie of God shal be fulfilled but here let no man vnderstand that all time vtterly and that euerlastinâ—nes it selfe should be abolished and that there should be nothing more after the iudgement but there shall not be alwaâ—es suche a time as nowe is and suche as the wicked inioye in this worlde supposing that the courses of times shal be alwayes that the worlde shal continewe alwayes that they shal alwayes flourishe in honours and pleasures oppressyng the Godly This shall not be sayeth he nother shall there be any more suche a time that shall perishe and be subiecte to chaungeable courses For aboute the laste iudgement shall perisshe or be renewed all these thinges that shall perishe and lyfe and glory euerlastyng shal succede I meane the time of eternitie with al ioye moste replenisshed Therefore sayeth he not simplely that there shal be no more time but addeth in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Aungell that is to witte at the laste iudgement that the misterie of God should be made consummate perfit and fully complete What this secret The mistery of God what it is or misterie of God is the Apostle expoundeth and sayeth 1. Corinth 15. Beholde I tell you a misterie we shall not all slepe and the residewe whiche are red there the misterie of God therefore is nothyng els than that the ende of all corruptible thynges is at hande and the happie and euerlastyng worlde shal succede for that Christ shall than come to iudgement that Antichrist by him shal be abolisshed that he with the whole body of the wicked shal be distroyed the dead reysed vp agayne the wicked to euerlasting perdition the godly to eternal life for that death sinne and al corruption must be taken awaye from the godly and be troden vnder fote and al miserie imposed to the wicked that they may be tourmeÌ„ted world without ende And for asmuch as many times menne doubte thereof as I haue sayed nowe ofte Christe hath sworne that all these thinges shall assuredly come to passe and that the godly shal be consummated with al glory and that the wicked shall be consummate with all kynde of tourmentes And this is that great misterie of God for the whiche the very Sonne of God beynge incarnate dead and reysed agayne from the dead ascended into Heauen that he might conuaye vs thither to him hauyng subdewed Hell Sathan Antichrist and all vngodlynes Therefore as in the. 6. chapter was sayed to the Martirs that they should reste for a little season till the nombre of chosen be fulfilled so here we heare also that the misâ—erie of God shall at length be fulfilled c. The whiche is spoken to this ende also that the godly shoulde be of quiet mindes and patiently abyde deliueraunce Yf therefore this consumation be differred lette vs abyde patieÌ„tly and constantly confirmed in Christ and his Euangelicall veritie as also the Apostle of Christe S. Paule hath taught vs out of the Prophetes in the .10 chapt to the Hebrewes Moreouer for a further declaration is added The prophets also haue shewed this misterie as God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hath euangelized with a good and a lucky message hath preached to wit by the seruauÌ„ts his prophetes touchyng the ende of the world the last iudgement of the euerlasting punnishment of Antichrist and al wicked of the glorifiyng of the godly c. Nother sayed he
Doctrin of Rome new 443 Doctryn peruers is vncleanneâ— of hoordum 51â— Doctryn hereticall compared to hail darnel leuen chaff c. 242 Dogges in holy script 687 Domz day 575 Domitian 194 Domitian banished Ihon. 27 would be called a God 29 Donec for euer 604 Door open 113 Dragon the great 351 Dragon fighteth 357 Drught and heat 488 Drunkennes 82 Drunkennes of Rome 513 Drawing 135 Drawing to God 129 Duleia and latreia 570 Dwelling emongst the il is dauÌ„gerous but not simply wicked 75.76 Dying in the Lord. 459 E Earthquak in the script 206.334 Earth helpeth the godlye persecuted .366 shal be burnt 530 Eating of a bouk 302 Egles wings 364 Elders xxiiij in seats 142 Elders whether they be saued or no. 217 Electors assigned 411 Eliachim a figure of Christ 43. Elias cuminge before the iudgement 298 Emperour Client to the Pope 405.416 Emperour warring on Gods enemies in the east the Pope sets vpon him in the west 615 Emperours vnder the beast sum good 407 Emperours excoÌ„municated 307 Emperours reins from Charles how long 411 Empyre coÌ„uerted from the freÌ„ch to the Germains .410 made desolate .418 wurshipped how 376. is the image of the beast 420. new and image of the old 403 Empyres be of God 380.406 515. End well all well 223 End of the worlde .575 most corrupt 599 End at hand 295.500 Enemies who .119 of the church 347. of religion .114.116 praid for .199 theyr harmes reioyst at 553 Englands fall reioysed at 328 Enoch and Elias cumming 298 312 Epicurism in the papists 308 Epicurz carlesnes in God confuted 64 Epicurs confuted 502 Ephesus light of Asia 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 371 Equalitie of the citie heueÌ„ly 656 Errors of saints 571 Euerlastingnes of God 340 Euerlastingnes signified by grieÌ„nes 142 Eucharistia sacrifise how 237 Euil vsed vnto the good and profit of the elect 407 Euphrates riuer .270 dryed vp 492. Exarchat geueÌ„ to the Pope 435 Exarchat of Italie 431 Excommunicacion 306 Excommunication strongst link of the popish tyranny 307 Excommunicaion Popes thunderbolt 399 Exposicion of the scripturz best alowed 3 Eye salue 132 Eyes of Christ lyke fyer .578 see all thiÌ„gs perfytly .165.87 quik sighted 36. F Face of Christ shyning 285.286 Face of man sign 149 Faces of men for humanitie 261 Faith of Rome mark of the beast 424 Faith or promis keping .88 consisteth in the cause of ij meÌ„ 249 requireth fighting and victory 640. wher it appereth 626 is not without the word 219. necessary in troubles 385. is the badge of Gods children 422 441. affects therof 640 Faithfull only shal be saued 628. Falling down is wourshipping 168. 678. Fals prophet a tail 274. 351. Fals profets wels without water 483 Fals preachers figs vntymlye 208. locustz 254. 260 Fals teachers scorpions 256 Famin and penury 189 Father described 20. 21 Fear of God 448 Fear of God what is foundacioÌ„ therof 72 Fear of God of ij sorts 212 Fear of princes in a preacher is to be cast away 368 Fear that is to be auoyded 67. Fear in professing treuth oght to be banished 77 Fearfull 641 Felicitie chief to sie to God 671. Felicitie of this worlde no dew estimacion of religion 323 Feruencie in godlines is necessary 55 Few good at Sardis 107 Fiet of the Pope kist 521 Fiet lyk bras 87 Figs fals prechers 208 Fight against wyckednes lefull 119 Figurs vtilitie and profit 2 First and socond death 70 First fruits 444 Flattery figured in a tail 351 Flight from Rome 540 Fluds of sectes discencions c. 365 Foundacion of the church 652 Fountain lyuly is Christ 252 Forfathers damd or not 217 Forgetting of God 624 Forgiuenes of sinnes 23. wherby 247 Forgiuenes a whyt stoon 84 Forhed representeth the mynd 220 Fornication 60 Fornication what 506 Fornication simple sum take no sinne 102. â—03 Fornication of diuers kinds 280 Fote setting on figureth possessioÌ„ 286 Four sign many 214 Fourth number 149 Frailnes of mankynd to fall 678 Fraternities of saints 572 Frauncis Petratche of Rome 537 Frederik Barbaros Emperour trod vnder Popes fiet 416 Frechmen defend the Pope 432 Frie will 159. 247. 248. c. Frie willmen confuted in that Christ is the beginnyng of the creat c. 125 Frie iustification 639 Frienes of speach against Rome 506 Friely sign 639 Friers gray innumerable 255 Friers and Nuns 196 Frogs for papists 496 Furlong what it conteineth 655 Fyer sign Gods vengeaunse 467. c. Fyr figure of puritie 286 Fyr from heuen 399 Fyr sent into therth 238 Fyr out of preachers mouthes 317. c. G Garments keeping clean 498 Garments whyt wer 229 Garment to miet the Lorde in 565 GarmeÌ„ts pure or defyled 107 Garnishing of the church 510 Gats of the heuenly citie 651 Generall Bish Antichrists foor runner 388 Gentilz called to the kingdum of Christ 20 Gentils wildernes 364. 353 Gentilism broght in by the Pope 393 Gensericus inuadeth Rome 527 Germain princes coÌ„mended 413 Germains emperours 412 Glassie sea figur of the frail world and brittle 473 Glory belongeth to God how we shall giue it vnto him 24. 151 Glory of the saints 632. 633 Glori of the church of christ 648 Gnostici 59. heretikz 244 God one 180. authour of good 185. no author of sinne 531. no blok 342. faultes when we receyue him not 135. redy to receiue repentaunt sinners 134. by his nature can not be diffyned 141. is to be praysed why 562. c. is creator of all things 155. Gods properties 376. remembraÌ„se of sinne forgetfulnes 544. honor standith not in gold siluer 511. word shal not be stopt 331. worde weapon of preachers 317 Godhed of Christ 137 Godhed of Christ euery wher 34 Godlines must increase not stand at a stay 89 Godlye lyfe is necessary and hatred of papistry or Mahometry c. is not inough 277 Godly mens beginning 125 Godly men subiect to euill also why 192. 193. Godli are they that kiep not that hear or read only the commaundements of God 686 Godfrey of Bulloin 613 God and Magod 608. 610 Good intent 226 Good men louk Saintz Good wourks 89 Gold to honoure God wythall 510 Gold siluer and precious things in the temple is gentilitye 308 Gold tryed 130 Gospell is euerlastynge 447. is new doctryn 590. was preached thrugh the world a thousand yeres 589. 447. had euer sum folders 600. causeth no ill in the word 527. is no heresie 445. Gospels contentes 448. c. Gospell preaching shal be restored 297 Gothz burn Rome 526 Gouernanse of God 148 Grace of God is originall of all our goodnes 116. 117. is it that iustifyeth vs. 640. is compared to rain 319. is not giuen for any desert of man 248. comprehendith al gyftes of Christ 698. what it is 20 Grek tung called hereticall of the Papists 428 Griennes sign eternitie 142 Grudging at Gods gouernemeÌ„t rebuked 178 H Habergions hart inflexible 263 Heretyk Pope 604 Heretikes aungelicall 177. principall 268 Heresie how it oght to
be confuted 80 Heresye oght nether to be maynteyned nor born wyih 79 Heresyes of diuers sortes 244 Heretikes maye be punyshed otherwyse then by the wordes 318 Heretikz muste be examined 52. 53. ordred .iij. waies of iij. statz 53 Hail resembleth corrupt doctryn 242. 243 Hail lyk talents 503 Hand of Christe is a token of c 50 HaÌ„ds holding vp for an oth 292 Hand fasting or coÌ„tract of matrimony 563 Happy or vnhappy who are 343 Harp in the scrip 169 Harps of God 474 Hart of maÌ„noÌ„ knowz but god 96 Harts inflexible habergions 263 Haruest 465 Hatred must be toward the diedz not the parson 58 Heads seuen are 7. hils 517 Head of the churches 519 Head of the churches 253 Head of the church must be c. 51 Hear of wemeÌ„ for waÌ„tuÌ„nes 262 Hebeon 52 Hebrew tuÌ„g called Iewish of the papists 4â—8 Hebrew tungs maiestie 533 Heithen are all papists 380 Heithennish religion broght in by the Pope 393 Hel what 627 Hel figured by a wyn fat 468 Hel tormeÌ„ts euerlasting 455. c Helias cumming 288 Heuen in the script 209 Heuen is atcheued with the mynd in this world not with the body 139 HeueÌ„ opened to the faithful 344 139 Hid can nothinge be from Gods fyry eyes 87 Hierom for praiyng to saiÌ„ts 595 Hierusalem new 122. 632. HierusaleÌ„ ruin what it teacheth 530 High priestz ministry 5â— Hildebrand Pope touk vpoÌ„ him the authoritie of themperour 414 History of corrupt doctrin 234. of Rome 525. c. of the church 183 Hodgpotch of papistry the gospell 126 Holy ghostz proceding 20 Holy ghost is seueÌ„ spirits 20. 21 Holy ghosts mystery 146 Holy ghosts signes thunder c. 145 Holy ghosts operacions 147 Holy ghost did not the Apostles geue but God 399 Holines of God 150 Homicids 643 Honor of God 449 Honor dew to God 152 Honoring or worshipping of saiÌ„ts 154 Hoordum 82. what 506 Hoordum better then matrimony with papistz 81 Hoordum vnclennes by Baaâ— religion 91 Hoormongers and their kindes 643. 281 Hoot and could 126 Hope of the faithfull is not vayn 283 Horn sign power and kyngdum 165 Horns sign kingdums power 371 Hornz ij of the lamb 44 Hors an image of pryde 260 Hors red 185 Horses of sundry colors 182 Hour day munth and yere 271 Hour for the same tym 519 Humanity of Chryst 22 Human body of Christ in on place 34 Humanitye figured by faces of men 261 Humility to be lerned 340 Humility shal find comfort at the Lords hand 40 Humility of Saints 153 Humilitie of an apostle 28 Hunz inuade Rome 527 Hungary lost to the Turk 275 Hussis death reioysed at 328 Hymne of Saints 172. 560 Hypocrites 127 Hypocritz alwaies suÌ„ in the church 79 Hyre vnto euery one 343 I Iacobyts heretiks 268 Iamz Syrus heretiks 268 Iasper stoon 142 Idol what 644 Idols of theÌ„ Gentils and Chrystians differ not 280 Idolaters 644. their excuses for images 374 Idolatry Nicolas falt 60. prohibited 280. reducid by what men 394. confirmed 436 Iesus diffined 21 Iesus face lyuely painted by Pilate 60 Iewes conuersion 223 Iewes fals 115 Iezabel cast into a bed 94 Iezabelism 90 Ignoranse without a teacher 229 Ignoranse of Christ without all confort 159 Ignoranse is a great ill 128 IgnoranÌ„se of the Turks c. shal not excuse them 589 Iles be token nacions c. 210 Image or shap is not attributed vnto God 141 Image of Christ not in colours 33 Image of the beast set vp 402. the propertie therof 403 Image wourshipynge agaynst God 280. excused 374. forbodeÌ„ 432 Images of fame 120 ImpacieÌ„s what it wurketh 89 Impenitent sinners 278 Imperfytnes in Saints 104 Impossible things thre 37 Imprisonment and bonds 67 Incarnacion of Christ 352 Incens 169 InchauÌ„ting 280. in Rome 557 Inconstancie figured by a ball or bowl 655. by waters 524 Inheritauns spokeÌ„ bi parte 646 Intent good 226. 375 Intercession of saints 84 Intercession of saints in heuen 170 IntercessioÌ„ of saints is noon 203 Interpretacion of the script best allowed 3 Inuencions of men 97. 375. 299 Inuincible is Christ 162 InuocatioÌ„ is but part of praiers 170 Inuocacion of saints 573 Iohn the eighth Pope a womaÌ„ 507 Iohn theuaÌ„gelists prais 17. banished by Domician 27. returneth from exyl 297. erreth 571 wourshippeth the aungel 677. dyed at Ephesus 49. shall returne into the world befor the iudgement how 299 Ioyes triumphes of the godly 473 Ioyes of heauen 633. c. vndoutedly certain 635 Irun rod. 580 Israell all faithfull 222 Israels restoring 222 Italy no patrimony of S. Peter 386. c. Iubiley of Saints 559 Iudge inexorable Rhadamantus 212 Iudge of the last iudgement 622 Iudge câ—meth to iudgemeÌ„t 576 Iudging the quik and dead 25 Iudgement of Christ 24 Iudgement beloÌ„geth to god 555 Iudgement of God 449 Iudgements of God of ij sorts 629 Iudgements of God are paines of the wiked 476 Iudgement last 575. 621. 465. 466. c. is at hand 295. is assured iust 341. is certein and spedie 675. 676. is vnknown to vs. 337. is known to the father alone 315. is coueted of the church 692. 698 Iulius Maximinus 194 Iustice of God commended 342 IustificacioÌ„ 565. falsly attributed 52 Iustification where it is to be sought 299 Iustification by the law whoo 's heresy 243 Iustificacions sequels 640 K Keeping of Christes word 116 Key of Dauid 112. of the botoÌ„les pit 261 Keyes signify charge and gouernement of the hous 43 Keyes of the Apostles 112. of biding and lawsing 590. of hell and death are in Chrysts haÌ„ds 43. of the Pope 252 Killing gostly 317 King of Fraunce most Christen 433 King of Saints 475. of locustes the Pope 264 Kings 662 Kings we are 24 Kings clients to the Pope 416 Kingdums are of God 370 Kingdums are all Christs 338 Kingdumes all theyr proprietye belongeth to the Pope vse to theyr princes 419 Kingdum and priesthod chaleÌ„ged by the Pope 389 Knoking that God vseth 134 Knowledge of God necessary to be perswaded to the people 72 Knowledge of Christ 73. 74 L Labours effects 51 LaÌ„b is fought against not christ 521. is maried 563. is a figure of innocencie 163. is slain 164. kylled from the beginnynge 381 Laodicea 123 Latin church 428 Latreia and Duleia 570 Lawe of God signifyed by tan 220 Leage figured by the rainbow 285 Leag of God with vs perpetuall 142 Legats a latere 493 Leo Bishop of Rome 387 Luke warme 126 Libertie of speakinge the truth 368 Light heuenly what 650 Linsie wulsie 126 Lyar who 52 Lyars with theyr kynde 645 Lying 688 Lyfe of ij sortes 605. ought to be loued aboue Christ 362. procedeth from God alone 668. is figured by the riuer of the celestiall Citye 666. single 443. present how it may be conteÌ„ned 457. spirituall 103. after thys lyfe 70. euerlastyng 629. 648 Lyon described 372 Lyons teeth figure cruelty 262 Lyon in the scripturs 162 Locusts authours of ill doctryn 254. of locusts 257 Long
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
restreining and punishing the wycked And the holy ghost where he is but one Seuen spirites for the seuenfolde that is all maner of grace and giftes manifold is here called as I may say Septenarie or of the seuenth numbre And from the seuen spirites sayth Iohn that is from that spirite whiche is indewed with the seuenfolde grace Those diuerse giftes are after a sorte declared of Esay in the .xi. Chapt. and els where in the scriptures He is sayd to be in the sight of the throne that is before the throne of God ioyned verely in gouernement with the father and the sonne For the throne is many tymes vsurped for the kingdom The holy ghost therfore is of the same glory power and maiestie with God Now is he commen to Christ The description of Christ whom by his properties he describeth moste aboundantly You know that Iesus is the proper name of Christ which Matthew expoundeth a Sauiour Christ is the surname of his office and dignitie as you would say annoynted that is byshop and kyng 1 First he calleth Christ our Lord a faithfull wytnes Christ a faithfull witnes and that out of the .xlix. and .l. chapter of Esay For he was sent of the father to the world out of heauen an Apostle whiche should testifie the wil of God what he wold haue done with men To witte that he would saue the worlde by his sonne Math. 18. 2 Petr. 3 Iohn 3 Math. 7.1 by faith in him which is obedient to the law of God For he must do the will of his father This Christ is a faithfull witnes that is sure constaunt and trewe Of whose doctrine no man ought to doubt No man hath seene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the father Math. 17. 2 Pet. 1 he hath reuealed This therfore is the byshop and catholick dâ—tour of the church Who so euer dissent from him are to 〈◊〉 eschewed Heare him saith the father Christ is the first fruits of theÌ„ that ryse 2 He is the first begotten of the dead For he died for oâ—â— sinnes verely and rose again from the dead was made tâ— first begotten of the dead Lorde conquerour of death Iâ— whom we se that we shall also ryse again in what sorte 〈◊〉 whom the first of the Corinth xv And like as in the first prâ—pertie he shaddoweth the humanitie of Christe wherin hâ— taught also his deitie in that he was the faithfull true â—â—tholique byshop and is yet at this day So in the second thâ— articles of our belefe concerning the death of Christ and hâ— resurrection are confirmed To these also may be added tâ— article of the resurrection of the dead Christ is Prince of kynges 3 Christ is prince ouer the kinges of the earth a monarâ— verely and Lord of all rulers Whiche hath taken a name â—boue all names the Lord of aungels and of all creatures 〈◊〉 whom al things be subiect As thapostle expouÌ„deth Colosâ— Philip. 2. And he doeth not abolishe lawes Magistratâ— which wil be king of kinges and Lord of lordes For if thaâ— wer no kings how shuld Christ be king of kings The moâ— sacred Emperours Constance Constantine Theodose anâ— Iustinian knew them selues to be clientes of Christ Thaâ— kingdom was Christes they to be subiectes These Chriâ—â— acknowledgeth for his by whoÌ„ he gouerneth those he haâ—â— redemed with his bloud They that proudly rule ouer the people boast theÌ„ selues to be lordes of althings acknowledâ—â— not Christ to be monarch ouer all be starke mad And herâ— are comprehended such thinges as we confesse in tharticles of our faith that Christ ascended into heauen sitteth on thâ— right hand of the father that is that he hath receiued high pâ—wer of al things in heauen and earth Ephe. 1. Act. 2. Christ loued vs. 4 Christ hath loued vs with incoÌ„parable loue For he hiâ— self saith greater loue hath no man than that a man shoulâ— leaue his life for his freÌ„des This loue the Apostle amplefietâ— in the fift to the Romains And it was exceading great loue 〈◊〉 moued Christ to come downe from heauen and be incarnaâ—â— and to redeme vs by his death With a free loue he loueâ— vs prouoked by no desert of ours For as this same Iohn in his Epistle canonicall speaketh the same of the father In this is charitie not that we haue loued God but that he hath loued vs sent his son a propiciation for our sinnes So is it to be vnderstaÌ„d of the son the he hath doth bear vs great good will not moued thereto through our loue wherewith we haue imbraced him And of the fre loue to mankinde he gaue him self vnto death washed vs froÌ„ our sinnes For streight waies is added by his bloud Christ washeth Where thre thinges seme of vs to be obserued First that Christ washeth purgeth purifieth or cleÌ„seth the faithful that most fully not partly He alluded to the washings of the law which he expouÌ„ded also For Dauid saith Pourge me with Hysope I shal be made cleane washe me I shal be whiter than snow The same phrase of speache repeteth Esay in the first chap. Micheas also sayth Miche 7. The Lord wil returne wil haue mercy on vs he wil treade vnder fete our iniquities And thou shalt throw into the depth of the Sea al their sinnes And the Lord saith Ezech. 36 I wil cast vpon you cleane waters and you shall be mundified from al your filthines The Lord Christ these thinges accomplishing washeth vs purgeth and clenseth throughly aswell from the falte as the paine He clenseth vs from our sinnes Christ washeth all synnes not from one but from al. The which thing is proued both by former testimonies again in the first second Epistle of S. Iohn Last the maner also of purifiyng is set forth by bloud For without the sheding of bloud no remission was made Therfore through the mediation of death and bloudsheding there was full remissioÌ„ of all sinnes obteined for the faithfull He washeth by bloud Hebr. 9 They that bring forth any other maner of forgeuenes of synnes ar iniurious to the death and bloud of the sonne of God And here we may se plainly set forth an article of the Apostolicall crede I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes In the fift place is shewed theffect of our redeÌ„ption purifiyng For Christ hath brought to passe Theffect of Christs redemptioÌ„ in the faithfull that as many of vs as beleue in the father by the son of God shuld be kinges prists to God to his father Aretas the copie of complute reade not kinges but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is kyngdome the which is not red amisse For we be the kingdoÌ„ of God for bicause God by his spirit not the flesh nor the worlde ought to reigne in vs And when we permitte the gouernment to
in thys worlde to be sene as is profitable 1 Iohn 2 and as our infirmitie may perceiue But this same is not litle or nothing but great and large and moste full of spirituall pleasure I meane if we beholde these misteries of God with a faithfull eye and mynde desyrous of Godly matters And doubtles they be thynges certayn and true that here are reuealed vnto vs. For they be reuealed by the very sonne of God Let vs not wysh than to se more or desyre greater thinges than these are But take pleasure in those which Christ hath graunted vs. And let vs knowe for certentie that a wonderful benefite of God is geuen vs in this vision For who would not couet to se Christ in glory sitting on the ryght hand of the father Who desyreth not to knowe what our Sauiour doth in heauen And home being in heaueÌ„ is neuertheles present with his church in earth But this sacred and holy Image instructeth in all these poinctes all the faithfull of Christe moste fully Howebeit this Image of Christ is not to be set forth with colours synce that colours can not atteine to the maiestie therof but with the ecclesiasticall doctrine whiche hath the promesse of the spirite of Christe And is therfore more euident and only mete for the true expressing therof Let vs also prynt the same Image not vpon any dead table with colours that wyll peryshe and fade but in our hartes through the liuely spirite of God whiche may also kepe it in our myndes neuer to be â—wipt out And such thinges as are spoken in the seconde and third chap. Of this boke are deriued of this descriptionâ— Christ that the maiestie of the thing might inuite vs to a sâ—â—gular diligence The matter is very playne An aungell represeÌ„teth Christ First we are taught who it is whose Image is to vs exâ—â—bited Not the sonne of man him selfe in his own substaunâ—â— but lyke the sonne of man The sonne of man after the phrâ— of the Gospell is called Christ hym selfe very God and mâ— Here he shewed not hym selfe to be sene of Iohn in his ouâ— substaunce but in the fourme of an Aungell that representâ— Christ Whiche thyng is oftener then once founde in thâ— boke We shal therfore referre all these thinges vnto Chrisâ— not to the Aungell whiche is the minister of Christ in thâ— mistery And we shall see Christ in his owne substaunâ—â— what tyme our base body shall flitte from hence and beyâ— reysed from the dead shall be glorified In the meane tyâ— the soull from the death of the body tyll it ryse agayne shâ— clearely haue the fruition of the sight of Christ Wherein 〈◊〉 I sayd before shall be the chief ioye and felicitie We shâ— nowe therfore see Christ as it were in a glasse and so mucâ— as shall suffice vs. The Lorde open to vs the eyes of oâ—â— mynde Where Christ is abiding He telleth moreouer where he sawe Christ in the middâ— of seuen candelstickes By and by we shall perceiue that 〈◊〉 the candelstickes must be vnderstande the churches Chriâ—â— is than in the middes of the churche He sitteth verely onâ— ryght hand of the father and after the proprietie of this â—â—mane body he is but in one place and in no mo As S. Aâ—gustin declareth aboundauntly in the .lvii. Epistle to Dorâ—nus Yet for as muche as he is also very God he is lykewâ—â—â— in the myddes of the churche as he promised in the Gospâ—â— Whersoeuer two or three be gathered in my name Mat. 18.28 theâ— am in the myddes of them And agayne behold I am wâ—â—â— you vnto the worldes ende Therfore by his power diuiâ—â— Christ remayneth and worketh in the churche present aâ— not absent Leaue therfore to inquire what Christ doth 〈◊〉 the ryght hand of his father whether he sitte continually And he is verely in the myddes of the churches fyxed to 〈◊〉 place but shewyng hym selfe indifferently to all egall as helpefull For he neyther accepteth persones nor slepeâ— He is not paynted he is not Idle nothyng regardyng matters of the churche But is chiefly and only attentiue to the saluation of the same Suche a one he promysed him selfe to be in the .14.15 and .16 of Iohn And seyng Christ is in the myddes of the churche what Vicar moreouer shall he haue Shall he haue that ennemy whiche is directly against hym Christ hath no vicar 2 Tessa 2. For a Vicar is in steade of one absent But Christ is in the middell of the churche present not absent In the text followyng Christ is described moste plentifully many thynges are ascribed vnto him And is declared in what sort Christ is in the mids of the church And first indede is shewed what garment he hath on To wit both priestly princely By the which thing is figured what maner of one Christ is in heauen in earth To wit bishop and king intercessour mediatour sacrifice a moste perfit sanctification iustification a redemer and deliuerer of the faithful to his father euermore working the saluation of his faithfull As S. Paul teacheth Roma 8. Hebr. 7. Poderes Poderes is found amoÌ„gst the apparell of Aaron and it is a priestly garment Whereof S. Hierome writeth to Fabiola of the priestly garmeÌ„t The second vesture of linnen is a coate downe to the fote of double launde Which Iosephus calleth Bissina And it is called in Hebrew ketheneth in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This cleaueth iust to the body and is so narrowe and strayte sleued that there is no wryncle at al in the garment and came downe to the legges This was verely whyte and cleane Girdel or a belte For the Lorde Christ is an vndefiled Priest Hebre. 7. Neyther weareth he agayne a foule vesture as he did Zachar. 3. Nor a purple as in the .19 of Iohn But a bright one as he that hath obteyned a name aboue all names But his gyrdell or belte is worne of Souldiours and triumphaunt persones And it signifieth in Christ the dignitie roiall For Christ is king delyuerer and redemer of the faythfull His victory is ours He hath ouercome Sathan Helle synne and death But the belte or girdle of Christe is not set in the wonted place to wytte about the loynes For as Aretas hath also admonished ther ar no coÌ„cupiscences to be restrained in Christ Therefore is he not gyrded after the maner of synners but about the pappes or brestes to thintent we should vnderstande by the girding that he is kyng of kynges voydâ— of all affections Moste rightuous and holy in iudgements and gouernement But yet in the meane tyme furnyshed foâ— the defence of his church as we haue red it written in the 9â— Psalme The Lord hath put on strength girded hymself c. Christ might seme to haue girded him selfe not after the maner that priestes or kynges vse for that he hath obteyned 〈◊〉 more excellent priesthod and kyngdome induring for eueâ— To accomplishe
also augmeÌ„ted the eating of meates offered vnto idols all idolatrie throughout the whole kingdom Euen than also what time the lord in a solemne sacrifice by miracle in mount Carmel through the ministery of Helias had declared to that whole Realme that the religion of Baal was moste vaine false that the religioÌ„ of thonly God of Israel was most sincere true For Iezabel neuerthelesse persecuted the truth and established falshod Yea moreouer she toke vpon her gouernemeÌ„t in ciuile matters For she vsurped the kings seale countrefetied letters sent them in the kinges name to put Naboth to death a right good and innocent man Such in dede was filthy Iezabel Now after thexample of this defiled woman Women Prophetes that is heretikes were womeÌ„ in the church of Thyatira which chaleÌ„ged to theÌ„ selues a prerogatiue in the religion teaching in the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ taking vpon theÌ„ the spirite of prophecie wherof they taught in dede but corrupt doctrine seducing theÌ„ whoÌ„ God by his doctrine had prepared to be his seruauÌ„ts But these false prophetisses corrupted their mindes brought forth a new doctrine prophecie many thinges not set forth in the scriptures but fetched out of their own deuelish dreames disceiptfulnes And amoÌ„gs other things thei coÌ„municated with the Nicolaitans in whordoÌ„ participating of meates offred to idols Wherof hath ben spokeÌ„ before And the lord semeth plainly to speake of the CataphrygiaÌ„s or MoÌ„tanistes whose foundatioÌ„ being laid in the time of S. Iohn after in processe of time especially in thempire of Antoninus .lx. yeares after the Apocalipse set forth brake out more strongly plentifully They say howe Montanus had prophetisses Priscilla Maximilla whiche had visions brought in woÌ„derful reuelatioÌ„s into the church Of whom Eusebius treateth at large in the fift boke of theccles story Chap. 16. And Epiphanius in the .48 heresie in Panario Certes Iohn or Christ him self by Ihon going about at the first beginning to pluck vp distroy the rotes of this heresie by thexample of that wicked woman Iezabel hath coÌ„demned that same heresie The scripture also elswhere prohibiteth a womaÌ„ to rule teache or minister in the congregatioÌ„ By and by the Lorde hym selfe wyl confute the new prophecies when he shall admonishe vs that he will reueale none other new kinde of doctrine besides that whiche he hath coÌ„mitted or deliuered to his churche Nowe also fornication the eating of meates offered to Idolles are condemned els wherein the scripture moste seueeely as before is sayd But since that those thinges so afflicted and troublâ—â—he churche of God in the time of the Apostles it is not hard to gether how vndiscrete they be whiche at this daye as I shewed you before for the hatred of the true religion restored accuse it of sectes whiche boyle vp in suche plentie as though that filthines did proue that the Gospel that we preach were not the Gospell For the Gospell that was preached of Iohn and the reste of the Apostles was the moste true and moste pure Gospel how so euer of the false Gospellers crept vp the Nicolaitans Cataphrygians and other sectes innumerable Where neuerthelesse the Gospell impugneth and condemneth all suche maner of sectes and mainteineth the Christian veritie and vnitie of the catholique church Prayse be to the Lorde our God Amen ¶ The Lorde threatneth sore the impenitent as he that rendreth to euery man after his workes The .xiij. Sermon ANd I gaue her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Behold I will caste her in to a bed and them that commit fornication with her into great aduersitie except they tourne from their dedes And I will kill her children with death And all congregations shall knowe that I am he whiche searcheth the reines and hartes and I will geue vnto euery one of you according to your workes To the fourmer errours and sinnes of Iezabell he addeth an other sinne nothing light to witte The abuse or conteÌ„pt of Gods longanimitie the abuse and euen the contempt of God his long suffering God doeth not by and by and out of hande destroy such as be in errour and sinnes also moste greuous But sinners are wonte for the most part to abuse that long animitie of God vnto the occasioÌ„ and pretence of sinning more impudeÌ„tly saying If god did so much abhorre these offences he had distroyed vs long or this But now he norisheth vs benignly therfore doth he not so greatly mislike it But this is an abuse of Gods long suffring For the Lorde saith at this present I haue geuen Iezabell a tyme to repent her and to leaue her fornication and tourne to the Lorde Howbeit she hath not conuerted Which thing the Lorde taketh in moste euill parte that his grace shoulde be verely dispised and set at naught Wherfore S. Paul to the Romains Whether doest thou contemne the ryches of God his goodnes long suffering and lenitie knowing not that the goodnes of God prouoketh thee to repentaunce c. If than the Lorde hath not sodenly in our sinnes oppressed vs let vs not therof take vnto vs a libertie to sinne but let vs rather amende S. Peter saith the Lord is patient towardes vs whilest he wil destroy none but receiue all to repentauÌ„ce ii Petri. iii. Certes Iezabel her self when after the death of her husband Achab and the mortal fal of her sonne Ocosias she did not amende nor within the .xii. yeares of her sonne Ioram wherin he is red to haue reigned did repeÌ„t her Felt the wrath of God so muche more greuouse for that it was long or it came And in the text followyng the Lord Iesus in dede threateneth moste greuously the Iezabelines that is to witte Sore threateninges the Cataphrigians or Montanistes vnlesse they wyll yet repeÌ„t in tyme. For he openeth againe the gates of his grace to the penitent reciting how he will plage the impeniteÌ„t Wherby verely he assayeth to driue them into repentaunce by threateninges For in reciting the kyndes or degrees of punishementes he sheweth also diuerse kindes of them that be in errours and declareth to euery one his iudgement which they may by repentaunce eschewe And he is thought to haue rehersed those kindes for this coÌ„sideration least any man happely should thinke him selfe giltles and free in case he be neuer so litle partaker with Iezabel Iezabel shal be cast into a bed First the Lord threateneth Iezabel her selfe that he wyll cast her into a bed He speaketh of the first authours of the euil and of the heresie vpon whom he menaceth to send a sicknes For the bed in many times in the scripture taken for the very diseases wherwith they be vexed that lie in bed And we Germaines say that he is taken with a moste greuous and deadly disease And the Lorde plageth the archheretickes with sicknes of body soul In the meane seasoÌ„ also he weakneth the force of therrour to
includeth captiuitie We were prisoners and seruauntes of sinne of death and very bondeslaues of the deuil and hel And the sonne of God came and toke flesh and shed his bloud for so also is the maner of redemyng vs expressed of the elders and he hath wasshed vs from our sinnes and beyng purified he hath raunsomed vs from the power of death hel sinne and Sathan that nowe we be of God Therfore they saye expressely thou hast redemed vs to God We be therfore of God the deuil hath no more power ouer vs we are the freemen of Christ deliuered through his bloud 1. Peter 1. Hebrewes 9. And for asmuch as we be nowe of God to witte iustified frely by his grace through the bloud of Christ as the apostle sayeth also in the 3. chapt to the Romanes we ought to serue God verely in the newnes of spirite not the flesh and the deuill in the oldenes of the letter and of our fleshe Whiche the same Apostle discourseth more at large in the 6. to the Romanes Whome also he hath redemed they declare by the waye Who are redemed men verely of euery tribe c. In the which rehersal he doeth Imitate Daniel in the 7. chap. and signifieth an vniuersalitie For the lord hath died for al but that al are not made pertakers of this redemptiō it is through their owne faulte For the lord excludeth no man but him only whiche through his owne incredulitie and misbelefe excludeth him selfe Of redēption followeth an other effect of Christes death Righteousnes foloweth iustification and redemptiō for that it maketh men iustified to God kinges and priestes For they that be iustified worke rightuousnes I haue expounded this place concerning the priesthood and kingdom of Christians in the firste chapter where you maye haue it The Sainctes adde moreouer that they shal reygne vpon earth to wit through the vertue of Christ not corporally How sainctes raigne vpon earth as the Millenaries do imagine and the Turkes followyng the same imaginyng corporal thinges in this worlde and ioyes in Paradise terrestriall For the whole scripture promiseth better thinges Neither must the godly be so geuen to corporal thinges that they should hope for nothing aboue corporal matters The Sainctes speake here of the last iudgement wherin it shal appere to the whole world and to al that dwel vpon the earth that the Sainctes which some time semed to the world to haue ben wicked vngodly peacebreakers heretickes and parricides and for the same cause haue ben slaine be iust holy kinges and priestes of God So I saie they shal reigne vpō earth The which thing is declared more at large in the .iii. and .v. chapt of the boke of wisedome Let the Sainctes I saie consider these thinges when they be oppressed of the wicked for the veritie and rightuousnes through the permissiō of Christ gouernour of al in this world let them neuerthelesse glorifie the Lord God and praise him without ceasyng To him be glory for euer ¶ Here is described the commendation and Hymne sayed vnto Christ of the Aungels and al creatures c. The .xxix. Sermon ANd I behelde hearde the voyce of many Aungelles aboute the Throne about the beastes and the elders I hearde thousande thousandes saiyng with a lowde voice worthie is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And all creatures which are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth and in the Sea and all that are in them hearde I saiyng blessing honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate and to the lambe for euer more And the .iiii. beastes sayed Amen And the .xxiiii. Elders fell vpon their faces and worshipped him that liueth for euer more In the fourth place nowe come the Aungels of God also to the Elders and to the beastes The Aungels also prayse Christ I meane to the most excellent creatures of God and together with them prayse with an hymne God and the lambe doubtlesse for an example to vs that as I ofttimes saie and repete we might vnderstand what thing becometh vs also Of Aungels Dauid in .c.iiii. Psalm speaking emōgs other thinges which maketh sayeth he his Aungels spirites Of Aungels and his ministers a flame of fire He testifieth therefore that the Aungels were made or created of God By their substaunce he calleth them spirites by a parable a flame of fire which is pure bryght moste swifte pearsyng and burnyng Therfore after their sorte and meane the Aungelicall spirites be altogether suche whome by their office he calleth ministers Reade 24. sermon folowyng to witte of God and manne For S. Paull also to the Hebr. brynging this same place of Dauid be they not al sayeth he ministring spirites whiche are sent forth into ministerie for them which be heyres of Saluation verely vnderstandyng men These thinges teach vs to iudge rightly of Aungels and that no man should worshippe ministers or any be they neuer so excellent creatures for theyr godly giftes Nother in dede can the Aungels or Sainctes abide them selues to be worshipped Here doubtles they attribute all glory to God and to the Lambe to God three and one that all we should doe the like Here is also declared the place wherin the Aungelles were about the Throne about the beastes and about the Elders Therefore they garded al these places rounde about as it were a garde Daniel in times paste sawe thinges not muche vnlike these in the .7 chapt Certenly they stande like ministers and seruitours ready to do seruice Aungels are sayed also to be about the godly vpon earth to attende vpon the saluation and ministerie of men In the .34 Psalm Dauid singeth he beyng afflicted called vpon the lorde and the Lorde hearde him and from all his troubles he deliuered him The Aungel of the lord pitcheth his tentes about them which feare him the lord he deliuereth thē And not much vnlike things you maye reade in the .91 Psalm And thou shalt here note that those that be afflicted do cal vpō the lord and not the Aungels And that the lord doeth heare and deliuer and for the workyng therof vseth the ministerie of Aungels as his ministers And like as no man that is wel in his witte doeth reuerence cal vpon and worshippe the sonne for that God by the same geueth great benefites to men So no mā honoureth calleth vpon and worshippeth Aungels for that God vseth their ministerie in deliueryng of men The nūbre of Angels Now also he putteth the nōbre of Aungels but a certaine for an vncertayne thousande thousandes for innumerable He alludeth in the meane time to that saying of Daniel in the 7. chapt Thousande Thousandes serued hym and ten hondreth thousande assisted him Of a greate and innumerable armie we are woonte to esteme the power of kinges What than shall we thinke of the power of our God
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What zygon is with two scales hanging at either ende of the beame which we cal a paire of weightes Aretas sayeth that a balaunce is a token of right and equitie For thou hast sitten sayeth Dauid vpō thy Throne which iudgest rightuousnes therfore is a balaunce the iudgement of the iust iudgment of God Aretas hath not alledged these things amisse howbeit we ought rather to preferre the exposition of S. Iohn him selfe For a voice is hearde from the middes of the beastes which expoundeth to vs the ballaunce For it soundeth a measure A measure of wheate for a peny and thre measures of barly for a peny And this measured called Choinix signifieth a diet or dayly meate as Erasmus hath in his prouerbe sitte not vpon thy measure The same in his annotations vpon this place Choinix sayeth he is a measure of wheate or other breadcorne which is sufficient for one dayes meate Budaeus thinketh that it wayeth .iiii. pounde Pollux iii. The worde therfore signifieth that a very little meate shal coste a great price and yet not to be gotten for monie Which chaūceth in the time of famine What the Romane peny is worth Budaeus sheweth we vnderstande by it playnly a great price Therfore two things are signified scarsitie or derth of corne and famine Dearth reiseth the price beyond reason Famin hath nothing to bie though he hath neuer so muche monye liyng by him but hongreth waunteth pineth and at the last miserably consumeth to naught wherin verely dearth and famine do differ The Germanes discerne them by seuerall wordes calling dearth scarsetie and famine honger Yet are they for the most parte indiuisible And we reade in the olde storie of the Bible Darth and famine that for the contempte of the preaching of Gods lawe and the bringing in of a straunge kinde of worshipping God the Israelites in the times of Helias and Helisaeus were most greuousely punished with honger and penurie These things be plentifully declared in the .3 boke of Kinges the .17 and .18 Chapt. Also in the .4 of Kinges the .6 and .7 Chapt. Moreouer in the time of the Emperour Claudius whilest the Apostles preached the Gospel faithfully and the Iewes and Gentiles stoutely repulsing it famine moste greuousely afflicted the Romane Empire whiche thing S. Luke reherseth in the Actes of the Apostles .11 chapt Which thinges were done in dede before this reuelatiō was to S. Iohn exhibited Sins that time the Historiographers recite sondry and innumerable famines dearthes and penuries in diuerse countries sent of God for contempte of the trueth Nauclerus mentioneth of a famine in the yere of our lord D.xxxix wherin mothers also deuoured their owne children What hath chaunced in our memory in those warres of Millan and els where it is no nede to reherse They be yet fresshe in memory and written in the stories of Galeacius Capella We felt some parte herof also in the yere of our Lorde M.D.XXIX and the yeres followyng The iuste Lord punissheth and more will punisshe the greate ingratitude and contempte of his Godly worde as he did in the destruction of Ierusalem woulde God it would please the worlde moste blinde through repentaunce to conuerte vnto God when he punisheth and with free and willing mindes imbrace the worde of veritie for so should ther be more felicitie and lesse miserie God forgetteth not his mercy in punisshyng Howebeit for a comforte at the ende of this Seale is added and Oyle and Wine see thou hurte not He nameth the kindes moste necessarie for the vse of manne and meaneth that God doeth mercifully reserue some thinges that be chiefly necessarie for mans vse especially for the electes sake that all should not perishe and pine in generall Wherby we vnderstande that the lorde forgetteth not his mercy euen in the middes of afflictiō and plagues that he sendeth Thus in times paste mindyng to punish Aegipte and other nations with famine he sent before Ioseph by whome he might preserue the house of Iacob and other people innumerable You see herein most clerely that it is of God that sometime the corne is blasted and the vines and oliues perish and to be of him that the corne increaseth and wine also So hath he also before protested in the lawe Leuitic 26. And Deuteron 28. the fourth seale is opened We are comen nowe to the fourth Seale at the opening whereof and to beholde the operation we are excited of the Egle the fourth beaste Of whome we haue spoken before ones or twise And the pale Horse The pale horse commeth forth in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whyche coulour resembleth withered grasse and Herbes Salomon in the .12 Chapt. of Eccles calleth the coulour apperyng in dead bodies and their countenaunces Golden licour All Poetes call death Pale And the rider in dede is expressely called Death We vnderstande the course of the plage and of all diseases and euen of death it selfe whome Hell followeth that is to saye a pitte or a graue For Scheol in Hebrewe signifieth a pitte or a graue But if you will nedes vnderstande it of the place of them that be damned doubtles they be caried headlong into Hel so many as here with sickenes consumed die with out fayth and repentaūce Therfore hell followeth death rightly But if thou hadst rather by hel vnderstande a graue it signifieth that all shal be ful of coarses and sepulchres And that in dede plagues and pestilēces most mortal haue sore afflicted the Romane Empire Plague diseases Orosius is wittenes in his seuenth boke in the Actes of L. Aurel. Verus and Decius Emperours the most cruell persecutours of our fayth Euagrius in the .29 Chapter of the .4 Boke of the Ecclesiast story telleth of a maruelouse plague that lasted about .50 yeres And all men knowe with what a pestilence and soden death Italy was wasted in the time of Maurice Emperour And Gregory bishoppe of Rome The time would fayle me in case I would recite out of Histories al the plagues and calamities of all times What is done at this daye and hath ben done in our memorie you your selues knowe beste There are spronge vp newe diseases whose names to our elders were neuer knowen With these euilles and calamities God wasteth the worlde and euer hath done to the intente that by plagues he might call vs agayne to repentaunce Thus verely we shall iudge alwayes of calamities Yf any iudge otherwise they are not amended therfore are they punished here and after this shal burne in perpetual tourmentes To these moreouer is added an other thinge also Foure scourges against the incurable and power was geuen them c. For when menne will not amende with simple Calamities the euilles or plagues of God are doubled The same are raccompted in the lyke order and nombre with the Prophetes Ieremie the .15 Chapt. and Ezechiel in the .14 Chapter For they be these Sworde Famine Death or Pestilence
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
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
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
heauen or whether they be holden with a slepe and loke for the resurrectiō of the bodies to the intent they might than awake and together with their bodies enter into heauen vnto all the which things the celestial oracle aunsweryng forth with sayeth he that is by by cometh vnto soules that same felicitie In the latin copies this place is poincted thus blessed are th◠dead which dye in the lorde Forthwith nowe sayeth the spirite that they maye reste from their labours In like maner readeth the Spanish or Complutēsian copie But Aretas and the Greke copies and also the exampler of Paris is thus poincted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be the ende of the sentence as Erasmus noteth After followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is yee verely certēly sayeth the spirite The sense is therfore that the faithfull beyng dead shal streight wayes immediately atchieue saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word S. Iohn vseth signifieth from the very instaunt from that houre immediately incōtinētly This suffereth no space betwixte but expresseth that which we are wonte to note by the dutch phrase beyng admonisshed therfore by a diuine oracle and confirmed by a writte brought from heauen let vs al be assured that the soules of al faithfull do flitte from the bodily death into life euerlasting These thinges are confirmed and made playne also by other places of Scriptures innumerable I wil chouse out only a certen fewe and those also the testimonies of our sauiour whiche is the light of the worlde and the worde of life In the .3 chapter of S. Iohn he sayeth expressely that the faythfull are so deliuered frō death by his crosse as in times paste by the sight of the brasen Serpent the Israelites were deliuered from the deadly sting of venemouse poison And playne it is that they were deliuered incontinently and most fully In the .5 of Iohn the same sayeth he hath passed from death to life Let this place be waied dilligently and it shal appere the same alone to satisfie in this matter In the .6 of Iohn he sayeth openly and I will reyse him in the laste daye But he reyseth not the bodies only at the laste iudgemente but in euery mans laste daye that is in the death of euery one he preserueth the soules that they should not perish or be tormented c. We haue in the gospel examples moste clere to witte of Lazarus the beggar which was by and by after his death caried vp of thaungelles into the bosome of Abraham and of the thiefe whiche hearde of the lord this daye shalt thou be with me in Paradise and of Stephen saiyng Lord Iesus receyue my spirite but especially of our Sauiour saiyng on the crosse father into thy handes I commende my spirite c. By these are quite ouerthrowen what thinges so euer the monkisshe and Antichristiane doctrine hath buylded of purgatory of trētalles and of the miserable state of soules in an other world Whereof they made a moste shamefull gayne They are also confuted which beleue that soules be mortall moreouer that soules slepe in another world Where they cā not so muche as here in this infirmitie slepe Therefore you wil saie it is madnes to thinke that soules slepe beyng quitte of the burthen of the body But cōcernyng the maner of the blessednes of Sainctes they reste from their labours Blessednes reste frō al labours Saluation therfore is a moste ioyeful tranquillitie Awaye go at ones diseases sickenesses griefes affections sorrowe famine thirste colde briefly all thinges that vexe or trouble men Rest and tranquillitie ioye and blesse come in place And sins the dead reste from theyr labours who can beleue that they be vexed with tormentes but leeste any man should neuer so little doubte herof he annereth a confirmation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee or certenly verely sayeth the spirite the dead shal be quiet from al their griefes Let no mā therfore doubte Theyr workes follow them And he addeth an other thing that the workes of sainctes followe thē that is to saie after that the sainctes be departed hence than are they rewarded in another world if they haue done any thing wel if they haue suffered harde thinges For there is a rewarde prepared for vertues The which the sainctes do hope for and receyue without boasting of their owne deserte and not in contēpte of the merite of Christ For they acknoweledge that God in his sainctes crowneth his owne giftes And this is spoken of the rewarde of workes for the consolatiō of them which suffer many things in this world So sayed the lord in the Gospell your rewarde is plentifull in heauen And the Apostle affirmeth euery where that rewardes are prepared for them that are crucified here with Christ And here let vs marke dilligently that these thinges are spoken also of the spirite of Christe vnder the religion of an othe For the worlde dispiseth religiouse persones suche as suffer for religiō and obiecteth that they lose their labour and coste Cōtrarywise the spirite by an othe auoucheth that rewarde is prepared for vertue Followe them Lette vs marke also this that is sayed theyr workes and not other mens also followe them and are not by others sent after them Let no man therefore disceaue him selfe let no man thinke that after his death there should be sente to him into purgatory by soule priestes a fardell of other mens merites Those are not good workes which ar done by priestes freres besides and against Gods worde but prouocations of Gods wrath And be they not in the gospel shut out of the kingdome of God which runne to others to bye them oyle The Scripture in an other place Lette vs doe good whilest we haue time the time wil come that no man can worke Let vs watch therfore and of faith do good workes in dede ¶ The Iudgement of the Lorde is described vnder the paraboles of haruest and vintage The .lxvi. Sermon ANd I loked and beholde a white clowde and vpon the clowde one sittyng like vnto the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle And an other Aungell came out of the Temple criyng with a lowde voyce to him that sat on the clowde Thruste in the sickle and reape for the corne of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the clowde thruste in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And an other Aungell came out of the Temple whiche is in Heauen hauyng also a sharpe sickle And an other Angell came out from the Aultar whiche had power ouer fire and cried with a lowde voyce vnto him that had the sharpe sickle and sayde thruste in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the Earth for hyr grapes are rype And the Angell thruste in his sickle on the earth and cutte downe the grapes of the vineyarde of the Earth and caste them into the greate wine fatte of the
daies did occupie the Apostolical seate as thei terme it Reade the stories from Syluester the .2 and so forth Thou wilt saye than that aboute that time the Deuill brake lowse agayne and seduced the people especially by Popes Or beginne the supputation of the thousande yeres from that time wherein Paule beyng bounde for the Gospell at Rome testified that the gospell was preached through out the worlde That was aboute the yere of our Lorde .60 from thence accomptyng a thousande yeres thou shalte come to the yere of our Lorde 1060. when Nicholas the seconde was Pope vnder whom it is written that the veritie was diuersely tempted and corrupted and that Gregory the seuenth dyd than also by his craftes and enterprises trouble the whole world Or beginne the supputation from the destruction of Hierusalem what time the Iewes cast of the Gentiles in great nombre entred and were receyued into the place of the Iewes reiected whiche was the yere of our Lorde .73 and thou shalt atteyne to the yere of our Lorde .1073 euen to Pope Gregory the seuenth in the whiche time not a fewe Historiographers wryte that the Deuill him selfe raygned Doubtles neuer manne hurte godlines or more stoutely auaunced impietie than dyd this Gregory otherwyse called Hildebrande Of him I haue spoken before in the .13 chapt Where also I admonisshed you that Cardinall Benon dyd accompte those thousande yeres from the birth of the Lorde and concluded in Syluester the second It is euident therfore that the gospel hath had a notable place in the world nother hath ben quenched for the space of a thousande yeres that is to saye from the time of thapostles vntil the yere of our lord was rekened 1073. or there aboute What was done at that time after we shal heare when we shal come to that sayeng And when the thousande yeres shal be fulfilled c. Some man wil say I cannot see that the preaching of the Gospell hath continued in the worlde so long tyme to witte a thousande yeares For it appeareth by Histories that the doctrine of merites satisfactions and iustification of works ded incōtinently after the Apostles time lay their first soundations We knowe that the intercessions of Sainctes and the worshipping of relicques were defended of Saincte Hierome which departed out of this world the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .422 We knowe that the Bishop of Rome ded immediately after the death of Gregory the firste take vpon him to be head and catholique Pastor of the church vniuersall We knowe that aboute the same time to wit aboute the yeare of our Lordes incarnation .630 Mahomet seduced a great parte of the world We knowe that shortely after arrose that detestable contention about the hauing of Images in the churches of Christians We haue heard that S. Ihon hath assigned to Antichriste yeares .666 Fynally it is manifeste that the Deuyll hath by murther parricidie and all kynd of mischief raigned in the children of misbelefe Wherfore thou sayeste I see not howe the Deuyll hath ben bounden a thousande yeares and locked in chaynes Howe the deuyl hath ben boūden a thousand yeares I aunswere that the things which are alledged hitherto are true yet neuerthelesse to be true and so to remayne alwayes which S. Ihon by the reuelation of Iesu Christe hath affirmed that the Deuyll shoulde be shutte vp for a thousande yeares and remayne bounden tyll a thousande yeares were at an ende And the same we declare on this wyse The Lorde sayde in the Gospel Nowe is the iudgement of the world nowe shall the Prince of this world be caste out And where as it is not lawfull to doubt of the veritie of Christes wordes yet neuerthelesse is he not red to be so caste oute but that he hath ben of greate force in the worlde and hath bene called of the Apostles themselues the Prince of this worlde Howe than is he sayde to be cast oute and to tempte the godlie to raigne and to be caste oute of his Kyngdome He is cast out of the church and of the faithful Howe Sathan is cast oute yet vexeth the faythfull not that he cometh not againe and tempteth for alwayes he returneth and seketh to plucke backe the redemed but for that he possesseth no more the ful empire For Christ now liueth raineth in the church and Sainctes These as S. Austen saieth he assayleth from without he is cast oute of his auncient possession but he laboureth to recouer his olde habitatiō And thus was Sathan bounde and shutte vp for a thousand yeares as he that possessed not the faythfull of Christe through out the worlde nor ruled them at his pleasure and after his mallice although he hath tempted and vexed them So was the holy ghost denied to be geuen not that he was not in the world and in the Prophets but because he was neuer so plentifully powred oute vpon all fleshe as after the glorifienge of our Lorde Christe In the same sense we say that death and sinne are taken away from the faythfull and troden vnder fote As S. Paule therfore which in the first chapt to the Colloss saide that we are translated oute of the kyngdome of darkenes in to the kyngdome of light sayeth neuerthelesse to the Corinthians that the God of this world hath blynded the myndes of the vnfaythfull so S. Ihon at this presente sayeth howe the Deuyll is bounde and sealed by the space of a thousande yeares and the very same sayeth afterwarde the reste of the dead reuiued not til the thousand yeares should be fulfilled that is to say in al those thousand yeares beleued not which set more by the beast than they ded by Christe And they verely through their owne faulte and instigation of the Deuill beleued not and perished Therfore ded Sathan exercise his force in them Which to the faithful in dede is bounden and tyed faste but to the vnfaithfull free and ouer familier Lykewyse Hell is shut to the godly to the wicked open Wherefore also we confesse in the crede lyfe euerlasting and not death or damnation euerlasting For the faithfull haue no Hel or there is no Hell prepared for them but for the vngodlye For Christe hath broken Hell but for his faithfull to the vnfaythfull all thinges of hell are yet moste stronge and these haue Hell ¶ The power of the Deuyll by Christ broken Agayne the Deuyll is sayed to be bounden shutte vp and sealed for since the redemptiō of Christ his power hath not bene so great in the worlde as it was before Wherefore S. Ihon expoūdeth himselfe and sayeth that he shuld deceaue the people no more What is this more but that he shal not so seduce them from hence foorth as he hath done hitherto Therefore al be it in the meane whyle he shall deceaue some yet in those thousand yeares he hath not raigned so fully safely at large as he ded before and as it is permitted him after those thousand
whilest many haue ben chosen and euery one of them wil be the vicar of Christ and so teare al that ecclesiasticall body of theirs with Schismes There rise vp agaynst these preachers erneste vehement Wycliffe Husse Hierome of Prage and diuerse others What is done at this day hath ben now these 30. yeres and more agaynst superstitions and idolatrie agaynst the Pope and al his clergie the Papistes themselues crie out and al partes of the world can testifie Therfore is the Deuill lowsed a little season The Lord Iesus treade him vnder our fete shortely ¶ What those thousande yeres shall be and of the certayne felicitie of soules after the death corporall and of the firste resurrection and seconde death The .lxxxviij. Sermon ANd I sawe seates and they that sate vpon thē and the iudgement was geuen vnto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesu and for the word of God which had not worshipped the beaste nother his Image nother had taken his marke vpon their foreheades or in their hādes and they liued and raigned with Christ a thousande yeare but the other of the dead men liued not agayne vntill the thousande yeres were finisshed This is the first resurrection Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurrection On suche hath the seconde death no power but they shal be the priestes of God and of Christe and shal raigne with him a thousande yeres By these S. Iohn declareth him selfe Here is declared what those thousande yeres shall be expoundyng what those thousande yeres shal be Not suche doubtles as very many emongs whom are accompted also the Millenaries or Chiliastes do Imagine with themselues in the whiche they saye there should be tranquillitie vpō earth and in the which yeres the sainctes here in Earth shal raigne corporally with Christ in moste exquisite pleasures and ioyes For S. Iohn himselfe confuteth this opinion whilest he sheweth how the sainctes should be beheaded of the beaste and of his Image and that the others which remayne in death should not liue agayne or receyue the gospel of Christ It is manifest therefore that the beaste his Image shal be in those thousandes yeres It is euident that the Gospell of Christe shall by those thousande yeres so shine that Sathan shoulde be so strayte tied in chaynes that neuerthelesse all should not receyue the gospell nother shuld there be quiet tranquillitie but that the Sainctes for Christes veritie should suffer persecution of the beaste and that many shuld not beleue the gospel but rather withstande the same and perisshe Yet that the Deuill in the meane time shall not haue so great power as he hath obteyned sins the thousande yeres were finisshed nother that the gospel should in those thousande yeres be so darkened as it was after corrupted and depraued And he toucheth with all certen opinions righte notable and necessarie and openeth the same to witte what should be the state of them which eyther are killed for Christ or reiecte Antichrist verely for that their soules do not slepe til the iudgemēt but liue with Christ in heauen He treateth moreouer of the first resurrection and seconde death Thus vnto them that maruaile where the soules of the dead shal become and what they shal do immediately after the corporal death he aunswereth and so much as is requisite to know declareth The soules of thē that be beheaded Therefore S. Iohn seeth seates and those that sitte on them And who be those that sitte he addeth by an exposition and sayeth and the soules of them that are beheaded For by an exposition it is taken as though you should saye they that sat on the Heauenly seates were the soules of them that are beheaded Soules are not beheaded but bodies the soules remayne in their state and life Wherefore he sayeth the soules of them whose bodies were beheaded or slayne And here lette vs note that S. Iohn speaketh not of the bodies reassumpted chaūged or reysed againe at the last iudgement but of the soules deliuered from the bodies of the martirs For he speaketh of soules lowsed frō the bodies before the Iudgement accordynge as euery one in his time liueth here in this worlde and is called from hence by death For Aretas also Bishop of Cesarea expoundeth this of the soules of Martirs yet thinketh he not neuerthelesse that no man should be saued vnlesse he die by the tirauntes sworde For he addeth this moreouer or verely he nameth to be beheaded tropically which haue mortified their membres that are on Earth Hitherto he And we also haue shewed before that first and chiefly the holy martirs are rewarded with eternal life secondely all they that haue honoured God truely and haue done penaunce and crucified their flesh with al the concupiscences thereof Beheaded for Christ And he sayeth expressely that the sainctes were beheaded not for thefte murder and mischiefe as also Saincte Peter teacheth 1. Peter 4. But for the worde of God and testimony of Iesu Christ The word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the very sonne of God our Sauiour and the testimony is that holesome gospell and the very preachyng and professyng of the same lyke as by the conference of Scriptures we haue declared before They are rekened moreouer emonges the Sainctes whiche haue not worshipped the beaste c. And suche are the Martirs beheaded or slayne for that they haue worshipped God but the beast and his Image would they not worship Howbeit al are not slaine that reiecte Antichrist and therfore particularly as a peculiar membre he rehersed thē also But what it is to worshippe the beaste and his Image and to receyue his marke c. I haue declared before at large in the .13 chapt Nowe lette vs see what their state is that shede their bloud for Christ and abhorre Antichrist with all his inchaūtmentes they liued sayeth he Of the state of soules after death before the iudgemēt to witte by fayth in this presente worlde As S. Paule sayde also I liue not I nowe but Christe liueth in me And of that same life followeth life euerlastyng in an other worlde Wherefore S. Iohn hath annexed and they raigned with Christe a thousande yeres to witte all that whole processe of time Not for that they raigned not liued with Christe afterwarde but for that their soules hitherto or to the iudgement haue not slept but haue liued rather in Heauen a blessed life The whiche also from the beginnyng he declareth by an other notation For he seeth a seate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set and the soules sitting in them And by a figuratiue speache he signifieth that certen seates and honourable places are prepared in heauē for the blessed soules as also the Lorde him self sayeth in the gospel In my fathers house are many mansions and nowe I goe to prepare you a place He calleth the seates thrones alludyng to the royall Trones of
kinges But of these celestial seates we must conceaue greater diuine and spiritual matters They sitte in thē not for that they doe nothing els but sitte on a cusshion but they raygne triumphe rest liue and haue fruitiō of the comforte ioye and glory euerlasting This I saye is the maner of the soules and spirites to sitte He addeth moreouer howe to those soules was geuen iudgement verely for that they ar exempted from iudgement and come not into iudgement euen as our sauiour sayeth but haue passed frō death to life It is also declared in an other place in what sense the saincts are sayed to sitte vpon the seates and iudge the world where it is manifeste in dede that all the iudgement of God is geuē to the sonne It is euident therfore by this vnfallible place of scripture that the soules of saincts slepe not after the death of the body vntill the laste iudgement but to liue in Heauen with Christe But at the iudgemente they shall retourne to their bodies reysed agayne and together with their bodies shal be receyued into blessed seates And this is the state of the faythfull From this hope lette vs neuer suffer ourselues to be withdrawen In my Decades I haue discoursed more at large of the soules separated from their bodies and haue shewed that they do not slepe A towle errour of Iohn the 22. pope And here I can not refrayne but must nedes set forth and recite that whiche D. Iohn Funceius a learned man dilligent and one that hath red much sheweth in the .10 booke of his Chronologie vnder the yere of our Lord .1332 in these wordes aboute this time the moste holy father Pope Iohn the .22 of that name felle into this heresie which also he professed opēly and taught that the soules sawe not God before the laste daye For so had his father taught him deceaued by the visions of Tantalus which were cōmonly caried abroade in writyng And Pope Iohn sent two preachers to Paris to witte a couple of Freres one of the order of preachers an other Minorite whiche might professe his errour there But one Thomas a preacher of Englande resisted the Pope stoutely whome the Pope committed to pryson And the Kinge of Fraūce called a Synode in his palace in the foreste Vitinian where all that were assembled subscribed agaynst the Pope Than the kinge sent Ambassadours to the Pope exhortyng him to recante his errour and that he would deliuer Thomas out of prison Which inlarged the prisonier and also as it is sayde following the admonitiōs of his frendes at the houre of death repented So much Funccius It is a shame therefore for some which at this day in so great light of the gospel dare renewe that moste folishe errour affirmyng that soules separated from their bodies lie snoring I know not in what dormitorie or dortour nother to fele any thing till at the daye of Iudgement they be ioyned agayne to their bodies and rife agayne The remnaunt of the dead liued not againe S. Iohn addeth and the remnaunt of the dead liued not agayne til the thousande yeres were accomplished Not that they liued afterwarde but that they reuiued neuer at all As the Scripture speaketh in an other place Michol Dauid his wise remayned barren vntill the daye of her death not that she had childe after her death But whom doeth he meane by the rēnaunt of the dead surely all we that descende of Adam are dead As S. Paul right wel declareth in the .5 chapt to the Romanes But we haue hearde how some through faith haue receyued Christe and so beyng quickened haue shed their bloud for Christ and would not worshippe the beast nor his Image Now is added to this membre but the remnaunt of the dead whiche are nother regenerated through fayth nor would bestowe their life for Christe but had rather worship the beast and his Image these I saye for their vnbeliefe liued not For without faith there is no trewe life in this worlde A double life double death We speake nothing here of the vital or naturall life And we saye that life is double or of two sortes to witte the one spiritual which is of faith and of the sprete of God and of Christ whiche is by fayth receyued and liueth in the hartes of his and his life in him For the Lorde him selfe sayeth he that eateth me he shal liue also for me Thother life is euerlasting to witte of an other world in the whiche we shal see God as he is and shall be as he is liuyng in God and with God for euermore Cōtrariwise death is of two sortes spiritual wherby wauntyng Christe and his sprete and voide of fayth we liue in sinne The Apostle speakyng of this death sayeth that a widdowe liuyng wauntonly beyng a liue is dead And the Lord also to the disciple that wold retourne home and burie his parētes sayeth suffer the dead to burie their dead There is also a death euerlastyng that is euerlastyng wretchednes and miserie whiche followeth the spiritual Yet see what we haue sayde of double death in the .3 chapt of this boke in expoundyng the Epistle to them of Sardis Wherefore S. Iohn here signifieth that there shall be many in these thousande yeres which shuld not receyue the gospel with a liuely faith and therfore should remayne in death as the Lorde sayde in the .8 of Iohn Therfore they erre shamefully which suppose that al nations in the whole vniuersal world shal come ones to an vnitie of fayth and most assured peace in this life And S. Iohn himself agayne expoundyng himself sayeth This is that firste resurrection Whiche I praye you by the which menne receyue Christ by the true fayth Of the firste resurrectiō and the seconde and rise from sinne in the newnes of life Of this thapostle speaketh muche in the .6 to the Romanes The same to the Ephes out of Esaye awake sayeth he that slepeth and rise from the dead christ shal shine vnto thee Therfore be they not pertakers of the first resurrection so many as nother acknowledge their sinnes nor be regenerated nother are quickened by fayth in Christ nor rise againe with Christ in the newnes of life The seconde resurrection is that vniuersall resurrection of al flesh wherein shall all menne arrise in dede but with vnlike state for the faithfull rise vnto life euerlastyng the vnfaythfull to death euerlastyng Whiche the Lord him selfe also hath repeted out of the .12 chapt of Daniel in Iohn the .5 chapt Theffecte of the first resurrectiō And he sheweth by occasion and after an Apostolicke maner a threfolde fruicte or effecte of the first resurrection First sayeth he blessed and holy is he which is pertaker of the first resurrection He is bleste sayeth he happy and heyre of celestiall and eternall life Holy that is to saye purified sanctified and iustified For fayth in Christe doeth sanctifie and make blessed Than in such
as be thus sanctified the seconde death hath no place nor power And the firste death is the death of sinne therefore is the seconde death eternall damnation See what I haue spoken hereof before in the .2 chapt of this boke in the Epistle to the church of Smyrna Finally the faythfull are made the priestes of God and of Christ the electe I meane segregated notable excellent bothe of God and Christ moste derely beloued which in eternall life might offer eternal prayses to God It is repeted agayne and they shal raygne with him a thousande yeres And this signifieth that al Sainctes shal raigne with Christ for euer but chiefely the soules euen olso before the iudgement Primasius Bisshoppe of Vtica expoundyng this place it is not spoken sayeth he not only of Bisshoppes and Priestes but like as we cal al christes by reason of the mistical chrisme or oynctement so are all priestes for that they be membres of a Prieste of whom the Apostle S. Peter an holy people sayeth he a royall priesthood thus saieth he But this whole place of the bindyng and lowsing of the Deuill of the thousande yeres and of the firste resurrection and seconde death S. Austen hath wel and dilligently for his time and for so much as he coulde see discoursed at large in the .20 boke De ciuit dei I propounde these thinges of mine to be dilligētly considered of the faithful Let euery mā holde that which he shal thinke most consonaunt to the trewth To the lord our God be praise glory now and euermore Amen ¶ What shall be done when the thousande yeres are expired of the worlde deceaued of warre and greuous persecution of the godly and of the euerlasting payne of the wicked The .lxxxix. Sermon AND when the thousande yeares are expired Sathā shal be lowsed out of his pryson and shall go out to deceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battaile whose nombre is as the sande of the Sea And they wente vpon the playne of the earth and cōpassed the tentes of the sainctes aboute and the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauē and deuoured them And the Deuil that deceaued thē was caste into a lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were and shal be tormented daye and night for euermore He declareth herby What shal be done after the thousāde yeres what shal happē after those thousande yeres And he sayeth chiefely two thinges that the deuill shal be lowsed out of his prison that he maye deceaue the people in the worlde and may assemble Gog and Magog vnto battaile To the which agayne he annexeth other two a moste cruell persecution of the church and payne of the wicked and euerlasting damnation of the deuil and his membres And the seducyng of the world must againe be expounded by the figure Sinecdoche Howe the worlde is deceaued agayne For the sense of the scripture will not permit vs to vnderstāde that there shuld be no godly lefte at that time For we beleue all that there is a church that an holy church shal be alwayes in the worlde vntil the iudgement And we haue hearde morouer in this boke how many thousandes are sealed that they should not perish And also that the dragon must be lowsed for a little season Like as therfore we reade in the gospel that Sathan is cast out and his kingdome taken frō him where neuerthelesse S. Peter warneth sayeth that the deuil goeth about like a roring Lion seketh whom he maye deuoure verely for that the greatest force of Sathan is for the faythful infringed by Christ that mightie champion and noble conquerour the Deuill not withstandyng goyng about and aspiryng agayne to the Empire and to be restored to his former place so at this present we vnderstande that Sathan lowsed after those thousande yeres raungeth now abroade more frely exerciseth greater authoritie seduceth more people in the worlde and ruleth further thā he hath raygned these thousande yeres yet so that there shal be neuerthelesse in the world a fellowshippe of Sainctes dispersed and vexed miserablely For immediately S. Iohn sayeth that the beloued citie of God is besieged of the enemies Therefore shal the church be in the middes of the enemies Wherefore al that same place muste be expounded not of the veritie religion wholy extinguisshed but of the more large ample power and seduction of sathan the old serpent The deuil cōmeth out of pryson Wherefore he sayeth that when the thousande yeres shal be expired the Deuill shall be lowsed out of that his prison whereinto through the power might of Christ or preachyng of the Apostles he had ben shutte For the chayne ones broken to witte the sincere doctrine and preachyng of the gospel corrupted and depraued he came out and to this ende he came out that he might deceaue the gētiles that is to saye al people and nations which are dwelling in the foure quarters or partes of the Earth I meane in the whole vniuersall worlde and to the ende he mighte allure Gog and Magog namely fierse men barbarouse worldly mocking and contemnyng the true religion addicte to robberies and geuen to euill thinges and regardyng only corruption and naughtines that he might drawe I saye suche men to vnrightuousenes and kepe them still in errours For such doeth Ezechiell signifie Gog and Magog to be But those whiche through the diuine grace be not such shal not be deceaued of Sathan but groūded on Christ shal perseuer in the doctrine of prophetes and Apostles and shall rightly worship Christ shall abhorre Antichrist and al naughtines in the world But that a deuelisshe deceauyng hath passed through the world farre and nere sins the thousande yeres expired What deceauynge shal be in the worlde after the thousāde yeres experience teacheth and Histories witnesses of times testifie For it is playne that duryng those thousande yeres there were famouse churches of Christe in the Easte whiche not withstandyng to haue ben distroyed within these fiue hondreth yeares we lament Therefore the wicked and abominable secte of Mahomet began sixe hondreth yeres after the birth of Christe and from that time forth was auaunced by the Saracenes but preuailed at the last after those thousande fatall yeres For howe great is the power of Turkes nowe in Affricke Asia and Europe no man is ignoraunt And Papistrie had his beginnyng and procedyng ouer soone but after a thousande yeres it was of full force For Bisshoppes of Rome through the abuse of excōmunicatyng haue oppressed euē most mightie Emperours Kinges For who knoweth not with what shameles boldenes the popes haue withstād both Kinges and Keysars Henries Fridderickes Lewysses and many other Princes whom their lewdenes hath vexed vanquished and ouercome After muche and greuouse contention the Popes extorted to themselues the consecratyng of Bishoppes Thei vsurped
the Trone speaketh and testifieth saying beholde I make al thinges newe God is true and in him is no leasyng And seyng he testifieth so playnely that life euerlasting shal be and we see him declare it also of what sorte it shal be no place for doubtefulnes hereafter is relinquisshed And the thinges that he hath shewed and declared of the happie life he coÌ„maundeth immediately to wryte Thinges are written for a perpetuall memorial of the thing which we knowe to be true and substantial For wrytinges or testimonialles whiche are written or made and sealed by the lawe of nations and common custome of men haue the force of an vndoubted testimony But such letters or testimonialles are made and sealed at the commaundement of God For God commaundeth S. Iohn to write those same which ar taught of the blessed life and therefore they be true vndoubted and infallible As he himself immediately annexeth and saieth for these wordes are faythful true stable I saye immutable what can be spoken more euident than these here is also the authoritie of holy Scripture establisshed But he addeth an other thing almost more vehement and he sayde vnto me it is done By the which maner of speaking is signified eyther that the ende is commen and all thinges accomplisshed like as it is vsed in the .16 chap. or els that the thing which is spoken and beleued to come to be so certaine as though it were done already We Germanes so ofte as we will signifie that the thing whiche we haue pourposed or promised and sayde to be sure we are wonte to saye Es ist gemacht it is done Let vs therefore beleue assuredly these and all Gods wordes Moreouer let vs geue our lorde God moste hartie thankes which with so great faith and dilligence susteyneth confirmeth our hope and hath commaunded these misteries of our saluation to be put in writyng and publisshed to the whole world in all ages To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ It is furthermore declared that the hope of the euerlastyng and blessed felicitie and glory to be certayne and vndoubted The .xcij. Sermon I Am Alpha and Omega the beginnyng and the ende I wil geue to him that is a thirste of the wel of the water of life freely He that ouercommeth shall inherite all thinges I will be his God and he shal be my sunne But the feareful and vnbeleuing and the abominable and murtherers whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and liars shall haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Vnto all the former commeth nowe the sixte testimony of the certentie of the true felicitie of the faythfull God is beginnyng ende taken of the very nature of God For he pronouÌ„ceth of himself and sayeth I am α and ω And immediately by exposition the beginnyng and ende This he toke out of Esaye with whoÌ„ the lord sayeth oftener than ones I am firste and laste And here let no man imagine that God is firste in order referryng the beginnyng to the consequences as though he had a beginnyng or that he is called the laste or ende as though he shuld ones haue an ende but the contrary rather in this fourme of speakyng is to be vnderstand to witte that God hath no beginnyng no ende but to be euerlastyng of whom al thinges haue their beyng by whose decree al things haue an ende where he himself indureth for euer and his yeres neuer fade like as in an other place the prophet sayeth and the Apostle also And for asmuche as he is eternall without beginnyng and without ende which liueth alwayes and al thinges that liue he quickeneth and preserueth in life howe I praye you should not he quicken the faithfull So certayne therefore is the life saluation and felicitie of the faythfull as it is certaine that God is life and that in dede life euerlastyng For he is euerlastyng the life of the faithful Of the phrase of speach I am α and ω I haue spoken in the first chapt and third Concion or Sermon God hath promised euerlastiÌ„g saluation The seuenth testimony of our vndoubted saluation is taken of the veritie of God and his promesses hath a certen cosygnage with the former For that which God hath promised the same also caÌ„ he perfourme with no paine He hath promised a blessed life moste assuredly therefore will he perfourme the same to the faithful And he alledgeth the promise of God in dede at this present bringeth in God speakyng to Iohn and to vs also in these wordes to him that thirsteth I will geue of the wel of liuely water that is to saye I that am life and eternal and euen eternal life will geue the faithful to drynke the water of life that is to saye I will quicken him preserue him in life and deliuer him from death and al euils and wil rewarde him with al heauenly giftes Who can here doubte of the veritie of him that promiseth especially sins this place or this promise is red in mo places than one Dauid in the .36 Psalme singeth plaine thy mercy O lord reacheth vnto the very Heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the clowdes thy rightuousenes is like the strong mountaynes thy iudgementes are like the great deepe Thou lorde sauest both manne and beast How excellent is thy mercy O God And the children of menne shal put their truste vnder the shadowe of thy winges Thei shal be satisfied with the pleÌ„tuousnes of thy house and thou shalt geue them drynke out of the riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the wel of life and in thy light shal we see light Full many of these thinges are in the Prophetes and are expounded of our sauiour him selfe in the .4.6 and .7 chapter of S. Iohn Where he sheweth that he geueth water and holesome drynke to the faythfull whiche at the length shoulde sprynge vp into life euerlastynge Moste certayne it is therefore that the faythfull are quickened by Christe and therefore the blessed lyfe of the faithful is and shal be moste assured and certayne as promised by so many expresse promesses of God Of this water of life we had some things in the .7 chapt of this boke towarde the ende and shall haue certen playne matters in the beginnyng of the .22 chapt But in the meane while and by the waye How eâ—eâ—nall lâ—fe is coÌ„municated to vs. he sheweth and declareth vnto vs after the Apostolicke maner who willingly and ofte declare vnto vs the maner of our saluation howe eternall life is communicated to vs to witte free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely whiche notwithstandyng for the doubtefulnes of speach or vnderstandyng of wordes we expresse not properly the force of the greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are iustified sayeth the Apostle in the .3 to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely through his grace that is to saye by the mere mercy
vp to God the father the body bloud of Christ a propiciatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead But Ireney and Tertullian speake not of such a sacrifice but of the oblation of prayers which the massemonging Prieste offereth not vp alone but the whole cōgregation of Christ sanctified in his bloud geuynge thankes in the lordes supper to God the father for theyr free redemption These holy fathers neuer knewe the sale Masses of these Chananites Againste praying to sainctes in Heauen Of this same place of S. Iohn the selfe same Papistes go aboute to proue and to establishe the praying to Sainctes in heauen Beholde saye they the Sainctes are sayed to praye openly in heauē But they nede not to praye for them selues and therefore as intercessours and Patrones they praye for their clientes and worshippers in Earth I aunswer that the Sainctes in dede praye in heauen but that you addyng the kinde and maner of praying do expounde it to be intercession patchyng to a piece of your owne do forge and coūtrefet the same and maliciously and falsely do belye it S. Iohn here expoundeth him selfe so that he nedeth not your patchyng For he addeth and they singe a newe songe Yea and he reciteth the whole fourme of this song leeste any mā should corrupte that whiche he had sayed of prayers And that same fourme conteyneth prayse and blessing or thankes geuyng and not intercession or inuocation For certayne it is euen by the doctrine of the Apostle 1. Timoth. 2. and to the Philipp 4. that there be two chiefe kindes of prayer inuocation and prayse or thankes geuyng But the thing it selfe playnly proueth that S. Iohn speaketh here of the latter and not of the first The shadowes of the lawe are expoūded And where as this place expoundeth certen Tipes shadowes or misteries of Gods lawe by the same we maye rather confute the intercession of Sainctes in Heauen for their worshippers For in the lawe is permitted one onlye golden Aultar of incense And the same represented a figure of Christ For one Christe is the mediatour and intercessour betwixt God and man It was not laweful for the people of God to burne incense but vpon this Aultar only It was not laweful for any man to prepare or make for him selfe an odour of those kinde of gumes whereof the diuine incense consisted and to smell to it as appereth in the .30 of Exodus Whie than doe not these vnderstande that prayers belonge to God alone and that the Sainctes in Heauen woulde not smell of suche incense Dauid in the .141 psalm sayeth let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sighte the listynge vp of my handes an euening sacrifice The Deuill desireth to haue suche maner of incenses to be made vnto him As appereth in the .4 of Matth. and in S. Austen of the Citie of God But our heauenly Sainctes are not Deuilles Whie vnderstonde they not that this Aultar of incense standeth nowe in Heauen on the ryght hande of the father and there maketh intercession for vs and that for his sake the father is reconciled to vs and we are accepted of God and that by him alone we muste offer vp our prayers vnto God whiche are els abominable Whie see they not the heauenly Sainctes at this present to attribute al things to the only lambe alone and to chalenge nothyng to them selues Finally that they make no mention of their worshippers but plainely testifie that the only lambe was and is worthie whiche should take the boke c. And the praise or thankes geuing of the heauenly sainctes he hath called a newe songe What is a newe song whiche in the Scriptures is no newe thynge For the Sainctes saye that they will singe in Earth vnto God a newe songe Psalm xxxiii.xcvi.xcviii.cxliiii Esaye .xlij. And newe songes be called these newe balades or verses in meter whyche are made of some newe benefite or noble acte done And because the minde of manne is delighted greately with newe benefites they synge a newe songe whyche with a ioyefull mynde prayse GOD and geue him thankes with theyr inwarde affections Finallye they synge a newe songe whiche wyth purified myndes and renewed with the Spirite doe laude GOD whiche thynge was chiefely geuen to those heauenly Sainctes Whereof we learne agayne howe it behoueth our mindes to be affected and furnisshed in the prayers and prayses of GOD. This same sayeth Aretas I cal a new songe by whose benefite we whiche beyng lighted in al partes of the earth departing from the antiquitie of the lawe written and walkynge in the newnes of life are taught by the holy ghost to singe a geuing of thankes The himne or prayse geuing of the sainctes in heauen To these thynges nowe is added the Himne of Sainctes that we might also haue a fourme howe to prayse God And in the Hymne they singe that al things are subiecte to christ and al thinges ordered by his gouernment that he humbled him selfe to the deathe and was therefore exalted aboue all thinges Now are also the vertues or effectes and wonderful benefites of his death cōmended vnto vs that estemyng the gouernour of his benefites done to vs we maye beleue also that his gouernement shal be holesome for vs and therefore maye submitte our selues to him willingly in faythe and patience Whiche verely is the chiefest ende of those thinges whiche here are treated with so great diligence Christe alone is worthy to open the boke Firste they cōmende the Maiestie and dignitie of Christ that he alone is founde in the whole vniuersal world whiche hath rule ouer al which is the only sauiour of the world the reuealer also of godly misteries and gouernour of all For this is to take and to open the boke whiche we haue nowe oft times repeted Secondly they annexe the cause why this glory should be only of the lambe or sonne of God because saye they thou waste killed And they vnderstande by the lesse the more to witte his whole incarnation and the whole misterie of our redemption death resurrection and ascensiō into heauen and the residewe He therefore is the true and only mediatour of God and men he is the only sauiour as he that alone was incarnate crucified for vs he is the only gouernour whiche by his humilitie deserued to be exalted Philipp 2. And he is a most fitte gouernour of al thinges as of whome al men maye as of their most faithful sauiour and euen their brother hope well what thinges so euer chaunce vnto them through his gouernement c. The vertu effecte of the death of Christe In the meane time they cōmende most highly the vertue or effecte of Christes death For this beynge rightly vnderstande we are more ready to submitte our selues to that gouernour whom we knowe to be our sauiour whiche loueth vs derely and would haue al saued And the chiefest effect of Christes death is redemption Redēption redeminge