then ryse disprophet then profite 9 For the tenth parte of the city fell to the grounde Their buildinge vpon sand will in no case endure That God hath not planted must vp by the rootes Their holy whoryshe church which is heere called Sodom and Egipt is ruinously decaied their monasteries of monkes their houses of friers their coleges of idle priests with theyr Nuns Chanons chantryes in many places are downe Tythes are not as they haue bene nor Trentals nor other deuocions Images are not sought nor pardons in confession The people inclineth to new learning and goeth from their olde beléeue of holy church They yâ— were moÌ„ks priests friers are now become gospell teachers Such as afore were dead standeth vp now against them boldely This fallen part is heare the tenth for it is the Lords by the law It is the same shéepe that afore was loste and nowe is brought to Christes folde These were called away from thence by the witnesses the other stande yet styll and are euery daye worse and worse 10 In the earthquake were slaine names of men to the number of seueÌ„ thousaÌ„d An innumerable multitude hath ben sent out of the way by these Antichristes in their fury but yet nothinge haue they slayne but their names Onely haue they hurt their bodyes vpon their soules haue they had no power no more than had Sathan vpon the soule of Iob. Yet haue their not names perished befor god for of him are they writen in the booke of lyfe In no case are the wicked of the godly héere put to death though some do so vnderstand it but rather of the wicked the godlie For they neuer retaile their wronges but rather pray for their enimies 11 And the remnaunt or residue were feared saith saint Iohn and gaue glory to God of heauen Of such as were left in their earthquakes or terrible persecutions some remayned in pryson Some were beggered some were exiled some fled some lost their estimacion and friends and yet gaue prayse vnto God 12 In all their aduersities they gloryfied the name of their heauenly father and Lorde Thus haue we héere what is done already and what is it to come vnder this sixt trompet blowyng where vnder we are now which al belongeth to the second wo. 13 And these thinges once accomplished the second woe wyll be past And then looke by and by for the third woe for it wyll folow anone after without faile yea so soone as this second woe is done 14 In the later age of all shall this third woe raigne such time as Gog and Magog most extremly shall rage And the vninuersall iudgement shall finishe that woe as héere after more euidently wyll appeare But consider that these woes are to the infideles The faithfull feareth them not but receiuinge the worde in a pure hart they bringe forth fruite in pacient sufferaunce The xij Chapter NNw foloweth in order the seueÌ„th trumpet blowinge or the pure declaration of Christes ioyfull tydynges for the laste age of the Church vnder the seuenth seale openynge with the wounders and maruayles that there after ensueth THE TEXT 1 And the seuenth Aungell blew 2. And there were made great voyces in heauen 3. Saying The kindomes of this worlde are our Lordes and his Christes 4. And he shall rayne for euermore 5. And the xxiiii elders vvhich sate before God on their seates 6. Fell vpon their faces and worshipped God saying 7. We geue thee thankes Lorde God almighty whiche art and waste and art to come 8. For thou hast receiued thy greate might and hast raigned 9. And the nationâ— were angry 10. And thy wrath is to come 11. And the time of the dead that they should be iudged 12. And that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruantes the Prophets and sayntes 13. And to them that feare thy name small and great 14. And shouldest distroy them which destroye the earth The Paraphrase 1 And the seauenth Angel blewe sayeth Sainct Iohn The seuenth sort of sincere prechers shall vtter their message accordinge to the will of God they shall declare his pleasure as he hath appointed them For though it be spoken heare as past and done for the certentie of the thing yet is it not fulfilled in effecte The word of God was without beginning and his promyse euerlasting yet is it not all perfourmed in his creatures but many things are yet to come 2 After this blaste of the Angell were made great voyces in heauen Many the congregation or kingdom of God his Gospell once purely publyshed by the preachers shall speake godly thinges to the edification of other The simple poore weaklings idotes and infants shall vtter the hydden wisdome of god to the confusion of the great wise men and sage seniours of this world Yea the stones in the streat the outcastes of the world the forsaken people shall wonderfully prayse the Lord. 3 And these shal be their sayings when they shall sée the Antichristes coÌ„fused and not able to speake again The kingdomes of this worlde that were somtime wicked cruel and vnfaithfull are now become the Lords and his Christes of his onely grace and goodnesse Now fall they to the worde that afore thought it foolishnesse Now cleaue they to the trueth that somtime did abhorre it Now haue they in hand the Gospel that afore dyd persecute it as sedicious learning and heresy 4 And in this congregation shal he raigne euermore Continually is he with them that in faith retaineth hys verytie All this shall they vtter with no small reioyce For doubtles after the seauenth seale opening and the gospell preaching then a peaceable time shall be and figured it is by the halfe houre spoken of afore For it shal not continue to the ende Long may not the church of Christ be vnpersecuted But yet this peace for the time shall â—ot onely be an inward peace in the conscience as is alwayes among the faithful but an outward quiet also or a season wtouâ— persecution abroade 5 And the xxiiij elders saith S. Iohn or the great number of saincts departed whiche sitteth before God on their seats or resteth in his swéet peace in such graces of the spirit as he gaue them by their lyfe time as charite stedfastnesse loue ioy peace méekenesse rightuousnesse and such other lyke fell downe flat vpon their faces 6 Most humblye haue they euer submitted themselues referryng vnto god the father the benfite of their creation and vnto Iesus Christ hys sonne the frée gyft of their redemption Yea sepcialli at this time being vnder the Antler of God knowyng by hys méere goodnesse the number of their bretheÌ„ shortly to be fulfilled and them selues with theÌ„ to be at a gloryous liberty after their gostly sorte they laud hym saying 7 From the verye depth of our spirituall hartes we render vnto thée most hygh thankes Lorde god almighty eternall Father sonne and holy ghost which art one essenciall God and wast without beginninge and shalt be
promises 9 And therfore are not their names written of the lamb in the booke of life which lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Christ hath not alowed them by his word promise With the rightuous are they not regestred as members of one misticall body in hym In the similitude of hys death are they not grafted vnto hym as the braunches vnto the vine to be partners of his resurrection Their porcion is not in the lande of the lyuing with him They are none of those whom the father hath geuen hym to participate with hym in one spirit Predestinate they are not vnto life by hym nor so written vp in the foreknowledge of God Chosen they were not of the lord before the worlds constitution to be his vndefiled children in Christ. 10 He is the méeke lamb that was slaine He alone taketh away the sins of the world In hym only is the life for he is the life it self Yet is he the life of none other but of those that only beleue in him 11 In that he was killed from the worlds beginning is signified that he dyed for all them whiche were create to be saued and that his onely death is all their health raise and remedy by the promise of God For all they haue eaten of one spiritual meat and dronke of one spirituall rocke though it came in the fleshe longe after them He onely trode downe the head of the serpent Since the beginning hath he bene slaine in his membres also as manifest it is in rightuous Abell Hieremy Iohn Baptist such other like They that are not written of the lambe in the booke of life for the children of God are registred in the booke of death for the children of perdicioÌ„ reserued to eternal death for their infidelytie with the deuill his Angels 12 He that hath an eare sayeth the text let him take good héede He that hath an vnderstanding let hym be admonished by that which foloweth héere Or he that hath receiued the wisdome of the spirit let hym iudge hereof according vnto it Thus doth the holy ghost aduertise the faithfull to consider that whatsoeuer thinges are writteÌ„ they are writteÌ„ vnto our learning 13 He that leadeth into captiuity shall go into captiuyty And he that killeth with a sworde must with a sworde be slaine This warning geueth the lord take it if they lyst For he will haue his right iudgments known He that vexeth or aflicteth the iuste beléeuers in body by outward punishments he shall be aflicted in the spirit with an inwarde darknes or blindnes of the soule that he may be the more captiue to sinne and to sathan God wyll deliuer hym vp vnto a lewde mind and wyll geue him stronge delusion to beléeue all maner of lyes that he might be damned 14 He that killeth the poore innoceÌ„t for his faith with the yron sword or slaieth hym with any other torment with the sword of the spirit which is the Lords word shall he be both iudged condemned The word that I haue spoken saith Christ shall iudge them at the latter day And this is in manner all one with that was saide in the xi chapter afore If any maÌ„ wyl hurt them fyre shall procéede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies 15 Neuerthelesse to the christian is persecution necessary For héere in this lyfe is the pacience of the saints proued and their faith required Here was AbrahaÌ„ tempted Iob sore vexed and both they were founde Gods true faithfull seruants Here were the apostles contemned reioysinge that they were found worthy for christes sake to suffer rebuke The rightuous the lorde trieth as gold in the furnace He chasteneth euery seruant that he loueth and scourgeth euery son that he receiueth Onely is it faith that al the euils of this worlde by pacience ouercommeth so obtaineth the victory The fruit which riseth to eternal lyfe is peaceable sufferance in faith And that must be heare in this lyfe where as we are vnperfect to make vs perfect THE TEXT 1 And I beheld an other beast 2. comming vp out of the earth 3. and he had two horns lyke a lamb 4. and he spake as dyd the Dragon 5. and he dyd all that the firste beaste could do 6. in his presence 7. And he caused the earth and them which dwell therein 8. To worship the firste beaste vvhose deadly vvounde vvas healed 9. And he dyd great wonders 10. So that he made fyre come downe from heauen 11. In the sight of meÌ„ 12. And deceiued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes which he had povver to doe in the sighte of the beast 13. Saying to them that dvvelt on the earth that they should make an image 14. Vnto the beast vvhich had the vvounde of a svvord and dyd liue The Paraphrase 1 And I behelde saieth S. Iohn in this secret reuelation of my Lord an other beast arising out of the earth A figure is this of al false prophets and vngoly preachers Beastly are they euermore vaine carnal and corrupt in their studies abhominable in the practisings of their wicked harts not séeking God but their belleyes not Christes glory but their owne pride and vaine glory 2 From the earth they aryse all geuen to erthly wisdome The only affectes of this worlde doth moue them to teach no good zeale of the truth Either are they tickled with ambition pricked with auarice or els stirred with mallice to inuei These are the common affects of the wicked This goinge vp haue they from wickednesse to wickednesse and shall haue still till the Lorde destroy them like as haue the iust beléeuers from vertue to vertue in the spirit till such time as they sée him face vnto face in the euerlasting Syon From the worlds beginning hath this beast risen vp in Cayne the first murtherer in the fleshlye Children of men in Cham the shamelesse childe of Noe in Ismael Esau in Iannes Iambres in Balaham Baals prophets in the Beniamits Bels chaplains in Phasur Semeias in Iudas Annas and Caiphas in Bariehu Diâ—trephes And now seÌ„s their time most of all in Mahometes doctoures and the popes queristers Yea stil they are aloft in their beastly beggerye will be till their mischif be finished Who séeth not now a daies that hath light in the spirit the malignite hipocrisy fraud craft deceit in certen fals prophets at pauls crosse in London in other places els 3 This beast had ii hornes like the lambe at a blush but all counterfet â— fals in very déede for he spake as did the dragon the hornes of Christ are his high kingdom in the world Only ariseth his Churche by faith in the glad tidinges and promises of god That word is the scepture of Christes power and the rod of right order wheras he reigneth None other strange sceptures are there neither tradicions nor customes Seuen hornes had Christ for
the Princes of the earth 8 Whose excéeding number saith saynct Iohn is as the drye sande that hath bene bast vp wyth the sea which can in no wyse be numbred In thys full well maye it be â—onsidred what a small thynge Christes flocke was in comparison of these souldiours of Gog and Magog after sathans going forth for the tyme of their battayle Innumerable were the sectes of the Pope with those that they brought to that false fayth and obedience And so were the Prophetes of Mahomete with the peruerted mulytude Theyr power was great for the tyme and their malice vengeable yet were they as sande drye and vnfruitefull 9 They rose vp in pryde ryches and ryalty and alwaies went ouer where as they sée the earth made playne and smoth and that in euery lande compasse Their generall iourney was all the worlde ouer towardes them that were poore in spirite or whose lâ—stes were mortified from the worldeâ— Consider them for an example whom they haue cruelly burned and slaine where as they perceiued their croked custoÌ„es throwen doune and the streight rule of Gods worde faythfullye receyued there persecuted they moste â—ierâ—â—sy there weâ—ed they furious and mayde sparing neyther swerde fyre gybbet nor other torment such heretykes as woulde not beleue as holy church commaunded Thys hath bene theyr order for the tyme of Sathans lybertie And this haue they taken for an hygh poynt of Christan religion For thys is that houre that Christ prophecyed of wherein men shold think to do vnto god gret good seruice whaÌ„ thei put one of his vnto deth 11 Thus haue they wyth all prodigious tyranny compassed the derely beloued Citie of God or the holy coÌ„gregaton for whom Christ dyed vtterly to ouerthrowe it By all maner of craftes and diuelyshe circumuentioÌ„s haue they gone about at that tyme as they woulde doe yet styll to destroye that samll remnaunte or church of the Lord builded without materiall stone morter yâ— swéete spouse of his with out spot or wrincle Not onely sought they in the enterprise to bring to naught the particular coÌ„gregatioÌ„s but for as much as lay in theÌ„ the vniuersal church of god thaÌ„ liuing Blessed be our lorde god though it hath ben since the loosing of sathaÌ„ but a pore wretched neglected thing of no reputatioÌ„ before the world yet hath it bene alwayes before hym a beloued Cytie and hath defended it so mightely that nothing hath peryshed of it No not one heire of theyr heades What the Turke wyth Mahomets host hath done for hys parte in Egipt Gréece Palestyne Hierusalem Bulgary in the borders of Italy Spayne at the Rhodes in the kingdom of HuÌ„garye Ludouirus the king there rufully slaine nowe last of all against the citie of UyeÌ„ I thinke it is knoweÌ„ vnto all meÌ„ We may se by that is here writteÌ„ of these two enimies Gog Magog the daily experiments confirming the same that they are farre aboue vs in number and power being as the saÌ„des in the sea Most vainely are we occupied if we assertaine our selues to haue the victorye ouer them by any other way than the Lorde hath appoynted Let vs pray therefore vnto the Lorde for grace and than amende our liues and the plage shall cease Onely hath he promysed to destroy them all wyth the breath of his mouth and wyth no bodely armoure nor strength of men as here after foloweth Let vs in the meane tyme giue our selues vnto feruent prayer to compassion of our brethern to dedes of charytie pitty to abstinence from synne and to the forsaking of our owne desires For sure we are that he shall shorten their dayes of mischiefe for his electes sake 12 In the processe folowing must we take for the tyme past the tyme to come for the clere declaration of the mistery considering euer more the vsage of the scriptures for tymes Whan these enimies Gog and Magog shal be at the hyghest in their vengeable enterprises agaynst the elect Citie or peaceable congregation of Christ a consumyng fyre sayth Saint Iohn which is the eternal worde of the Lorde shall come downe fréelye out of heauen from the mouth of the great omnipotent God 13 As a fearefull lyghtninge shall it fall vpoÌ„ theÌ„ and as terrible fyre shall it deuoure them lyke as the materyall fyre did eate vp Sodome and Gomorre rebellions in the desert the enimyes that sought Helias The fyre that is kindled in the wrath of God shall burne vnto the bottome of hel coÌ„sume vp those terrible termagauntes 14 That worde of the lordes indignation shall with great violeÌ„ce throwe the diuel that wiâ—y serpeÌ„t which deceiued gog Mogog with their innumerable souldyours into a foule stynking lake or boyling pit of wylde fyre brimstoÌ„ 15 Upon the wicked saith Dauid shall the lorde rayne snars Wyld fyre brimstone with tirrible storme teÌ„peste shall they haue to rewarde for theyr etarnall punishment Herein are to be marked considered both the intollerable greuousnesse of the paines also the euerlasting continuaunce of them 16 In the same place of intollerable torment were the beastly generatioÌ„s of Antechrist al their scholemaisters of hipocrites doctrine Or eternallye of god were they therevnto appointed as the vngodly communaltie wyth theyr capitaine and as the bodye and members with their wicked heade for all readie is it done by his worde but thaÌ„ shall it folow in effect wheras they shal be as the Lord hath appoynted most sharpely afflicted with vnspeakeable tormentes both day and night without pause or ceasing for euer and euer without ende 17 Neuer shall their fyre be quenched sayth Esaie noâ— yet theyr gnawinge worme be taken from them For all maner of griefes wherwith God vexed the wicked may this fyre here be taken after the scriptures For as witnesseth saint Augustine in his xx booke and xii chapter De ciuitate Dei not onely is this punishmeÌ„t to be referred to the latter iudgement but alo to the extermination of Antichristes hâ—st by the worde of God the worlde ouer Be the Gospell once purely taught amoÌ„g men it will condemne all that they haue done vpon their owne presumption without the grounde of Gods veritie be it ceremony or Sacramente priesthode or sacryfice reseruinge the deceiuers to his most fearefull iudgement THE TEXT 1 And I savve a great vvhite seate 2. him that satte on it 3. from vvhose face fled avvay both the earth heaueÌ„ 4. theyr places was no more founde 5. And I sawe the dead both great and small 6. stand before God 7. And the bookes were opened 8. And an other boke vvas opened 9 vvhych is the booke of lyfe 10. And the dead vvere iudged of those thinges 11. vvhyche vvere vvrytten in the bookes according to theyr deedes 12. And the sea gaue vp hir dead 13. vvhych vvere in hir 14. And death 15. and hell delyuered vp the dead 16. vvhiche vvere in them 17. and they vvere iudged euery man
according to hys deades 18. And death 19 and hell vvere cast 20. into the lake of fyre 21. This is the second death 22. And vvhosoeuer vvas not found vvritteÌ„ in the booke of lyfe 23. vvas caste into the lake of fyre The commentary 1 A none after this I behelde saith Saynt Iohan in secrete mysterye an imperiall throne or seat of estate faire splendaunte and bewtyfull None other is this than the iudgement seate of the Lorde 2 Great it is for the Maiestie and power of hym that shall syt therevpoÌ„ is of inestimable magnificence greatnesse Fayre and whyte both for the celestyall cléerenesse that shall at that houre apere with hym and also for the purenesse equitie and ryght of his vniuersal iudgementes 3 From the aspect of whose fearefull countenaunce shall both the earth beneath and the other elemeÌ„tes aboue flée awaye All the creatures of his creacion shall wyth reuerence tremble quake at his mighty aperaunce The SuÌ„ne shall thaÌ„ be darkened the Mone shall not giue hir lyght The Starres shall fall downe from aboue the powers of heauen shal be moued The elementes shall melte wyth heate and the whole earth shall teare in péeces lyke a ragge 4 A terryble fyre shall go before the iudge to burne vp hys enimyes on euery syde The places of them that lyued here supersticiously and voluptuously shall no more after that be founde Neuer shall they resort agayne hither to theyr olde wantoÌ„ pleasurs Of their bewtyfull Cyties shall not one stone be lefte vpon an other Their proude paynted Synagoges as duste in the wynde shal be scattred away from the earth Neither shall the skye nor yet the ground beneth be as it was but both they shal be renewed chaunged They shal be deliuered from corruption and so appere both a newe heauen and a newe earth according to the expectation of the creatures 5 Immediatly after that sayth saint Iohn the iudge thus sitting vpoÌ„ the scaâ—e of his eternall Maiestie I sawe styll in mysterye after the blast of the truÌ„pet that all they which were deade arose out of the earth And that both hygh and lowe great and small good and badde King and begger prelate and plough man tirant and perscecuted innocent Yea the sucking babe the died in the cradell so well as the aged maÌ„ 6 All they séemed vnto me to stande before their generall iudge Iesus Christ to whome the euerlasting father had giuen ouer his whole iudgementes which there appeared as hée was in dede a verie omnipotent god All we shall appere sayth Paule before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one of vs maye receyue according to that he hath done be it good or ill 7 And the bookes of reckennings which are the seuerall consciences of men were open before the iudge That afore was hidde will thaÌ„ be manyfest and that was secret wyll than come to light be disclosed Euident it wil be vnto him who hath fulfilled the commaunded works of mercy who hath left them vndone their owne constences bearing witnesse to the same For what can be hid from him which seeth both the inwarde reynes and the secret thoughtes of the harte In this generall rekening yet shall prayse with the eternall rewarde redowne vnto them from the mercyfull Lorde whose walking here hath bene accordinge vnto fayth There shall they be reproued to haue bene pitiful to the poore hongry thursty nedy naked sicke in prison 8 After this was an other booke opeÌ„ed of a farre diuerse nature froÌ„ the other bokes for it was the swéet boke of lyfe wherin be regestred al that were predestinate to be saued froÌ„ the worlds beginning And this boke is the eternal predestinatioÌ„ of God 9 Before the worlds fouÌ„datioÌ„ saith s. Paule the lord predestinate vs into the addoptioÌ„ of his childreÌ„ through Iesus Christe Of this booke made Moyses mencion whan he said Eyther pardon thys people or els race me out of thy booke which thou haste written And Christ also to his seuentie disciples Be glad sayth he that your names are written in heauen Moreouer Iosue called this the booke of the ryghtuous and Iohn here the boke with seuen claspes This sheweh the holy ghost here vnto vs much after the custome dayly vsed among vs. For of the most notable men and women our maner is bothe longe to remember the names and also to speake of them as occasion giueth So equall is thys eternall iudge that no personage respecteth he in iudgment neither of Emperours nor Pope Kinge nor Byshope Lorde nor prieste But as he is ryghtuous of himselfe so iudgeth he rightuously 10 For they that were dead sayeth saynt Iohan or that had ledde their lyues here without fayth and the spirite of Christ were iudged of hym there according to the thinges which were regestred in the bokes of their coÌ„scieÌ„ces 11 That is to say according to the fylthy workes wherof their desperat coÌ„ciences accused them Onely are the wicked to be takeÌ„ here for the dead For the rightuous shall thaÌ„ haue nothinge wherof their coÌ„scieÌ„ce may accuse them Neyther shall the euill doers as witnesseth Dauid be of couÌ„sell with theÌ„ at the day They hauing the lyfe euerlasting shall not than be iudged though they than appere but shall sit with Christ in iudgement and reioyce in the condempnation of the vngodly blasphemers The rewarde of their vnfaythfulnesse shall thaÌ„ be powred vpon theÌ„ to their perpetuall care At that daye shall none bée absent but all shal be séene eyther to honour or els to reprofe 12 Neyther shall the depth of the sea nor the darkenesse of death nor yet hell that is bottomelesse bée able to hide any froÌ„ the face of this iudge For the sea sayth saynt Iohn that is myghty and greate shall at that daye delyuer vp cleane hir deade or those whome the Lorde suffered hyr to swallowe in for their outragious sinnes 13 Lyke as were the giauntes in the floude of Noe the great host of Pharao in the red sea and such other more 14 So shall gréedy death doe also which after many strange sortes hath consumed the enimies of God As for an example Cain by a chaunce vnsought Nadah and Abyn by fyre Achan by standing Holofernes Saull by the swerde Naball by excesse of wyne Iesabell by treading of horses Daniels accusers by the lyons Menelaus by breaking his necke Iudas by hanging himselfe Herod by wormes the children of Israell by swerd fyre serpentes and soden death and such other lyke 15 Hell whych is insaciable shall in lyke case render vp the innumerable swarme of the dead whom he wyth open mouth hath swallowed in quicke for their abhominations 16 Of whose number were Chore Dathan and Abiron with their affinitye the Cytyes of Sodome and Gomorre the vncircumcised gyauntes the ryche rourer and the ryche glotton in Luke Symon Magus wyth dyuerse other Hell hath gaped meruelouslye wyde sayeth Esaye and hath rauenouslye deuoured the hygh mynded
sturdye and dysobedyent nacion The vncircumcised giauntes sayth Ezechiell wyth theyr weapons are gone downe to hell whose swerdes are layed vnder theyr heades theyr wyckednesse vpon theyr bones Of the wycked onely is all thys spoken héere if ye marke well the text and in no wyse of the Godly what though many of them hath bene drowned in the sea burned béeheadded and hanged vpon the lande and buryed quicke in the earth 17 For it foloweth also that they were iudged of the iudge and receiued euery one accordynge to theyr deseruinges Accordynge to the fleshely fruites of theyr owne inuentions shall they bée rewarded theyr vnfaythfulnesse iustly measured vnto them Theyr bodyes shall than take parte wyth theyr wretched soules in the euerlastynge cursse of dampdamnacion the elect numbre rewarded wyth perpetuall felicytye 18 And as concerninge death it self which is the vniuersall enimye of man it shal be destroyed for euer 19 Hell also whych is here taken for sinne shall neuer more be séene amonge the creatures of God 20 For both shal be throwne into the great lake of boylinge fyre and brymstone The victorie of death shal be swallowed vp and hys stinge done cleane away which is sinne That is nowe corruptyble shall put on vncorruptiō that is nowe mortall immortalitie Thus that the Lord at the houre make of all hys enimies hys fotestole according to his promyse by Oseas the Prophet O death I wil be thy death O hell I will bée thy destruction 21 This tirrible appoyntmēt of the iudge sayth saynt Iohn is the second death or perpetuall depriuation of the sight of God yea the vtter fall from his fauour grace and mercy This death is the whole vengeaunce of all innocent bloud which hath bene shed vpon earth from iuste Abell to the last faythfull witnesse Yea thys sentence is the stone that shall grinde the enimies to pouder the very eternall dampnation both of body and soule 22 Now for a conclusion of the whole matter whatsoeuer he be king or Emperour Priest or prelate laye or religious that shall not be founde writtē in the booke of lyfe which is the eternall predestination of god for that he hath worshipped the beast and his Image he shal be cast by the irreuocable sentence of the iudge into the stynking lake of fyre perpetully there to burne with the Diuell and hys Angels So that he which hath had no parte in the fyrst resurrection shal be sure to taste of this seconde death which is dampnation 23 He that beléeueth not the gospell whan it is faythfully taught hym repenting hys former lyfe but refuseth the grace thereof fréely offered shall for euer be damned Neuer shall his sin be remitted neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come that reststeth the holy ghost withstanding the open verytie Onely remaineth a fearfull expectatiō of iudgement vnto thē that here treadeth Christ vnder fote not regarding his bloud shedding but doeing iniury to the spirite of grace for their owne inuention The .xxj. Chapter In thys laste vision of Iohan is both discribed the prosperous estate of the true church or kingdōe of Christ here and also the perpetuall Sabboth of the chyldren of God All the other visions were mixte with labours afflictions and paynes This is full of peace tranquilitie and ioye incorruption glorie and felycitie THE TEXT 1 And I savve a nevve heauen 2. a nevve earth 3. for the first heauen 4. and the firste earth vvere vanished avvaye 5. and there vvas no more sea 6. And I Iohan savve that 7. holy Cytie 8. nevve 9. Hierusalem 10. come downe from God out of heauen 11. prepared as a bryde 12. garnished for hir husdande 13. And I hearde a great voyce from the seate saying 14 Beholde the tabernacle of God 15. is wyth men 16. and he vvyll dvvell vvith them 17. And they shall be hys people 18. and God hym selfe shall be vvith them 19. and shall be theyr God 20 And God shall vvype avvaye 21. all teares from theyr eyes 22. And there shal be no more death 23. neither sorovve 24. neyther shall there be any more payne 25. for the olde thinges are gone The Commentary 1 Besides the afore rehersed reuelations I behelde now last of all saith saynt Iohan that heauen was cleane altered from that it was afore and became all newe and so was the earth also and became the same Not onely become they nowe spirituall by a true beléeue in the Gospell that afore were carnall but also in the ende of the world shall the whole bodyes of heauen and of earthe as golde in the fornace be purged from fylthynesse by fyre goyng before the yudge which both are nowe defiled wyth the wickednesse of the creatures 2 After both sortes shall they be delyuered from the corruption here of sinne and thereof death and dampnatyon and so be restored vnto the glorious lybertie of Gods children 3 The first heauen defiled through y◠pryde of Angell and the first earth also corrupted by the sinnefull vsage of manne shall vanyshe cleane away and no more be séene Not that the substaunce of them shall vtterly perysh but that theyr nature shape and figure shal chaunge into a much more pure and perfect similytude A custome it was amonge the prophetes whan thy aduertysed the afflycted Israelytes of prosperite peace or renouation of the glory of God cōming towards thē to promis al things new 4 Beholde sayth the Lorde in Esay I make you new heauens and a new earth and as for the olde shall neuer more be though vpon Newe is the true church of Christ so are the people pertayning to the same In no poynt are they lyke to the Popes holy orders nor yet vnto Mahometes religion Clere are their hartes which haue rereceiued the verytie from all supersticions and theyr outwarde lyues from idell obseruations perfect are theyr consciences and theyr conuersacions godly And thys in the regeneration shal be fully accomplished Not onely shall that which is now mortall becō immortal the is now corruptible than incorrupted as the very Angels of the Lorde but also the vniuersall heauen shal be than renewed so shall the whole face of the earth and appere more beutyfull than now 5 And from that tyme fourth shall there be no more sea whych signifieth people vnstedfast vaine and fickle Whereas the peace of Christ is surely grounded no more is there anye troubled conscience No more is there any diffydence wan hope or dispayre Al bitternesse sorow anguish is turned into swéetnes ioy in the holy ghost We knowe sayth saynt Paule the all thinges are taken to the best in them that loue God Frō the Apostles whō Christ fyrst also called from the Sea vanished this waueringe Sea away whan they went from the mallicious counsell of the Bishoppes reioysinge that they were founde worthy to suffer rebuke for hys names sake In lyke case all impediments and néedes all daungers and doubtes all fearefull mouings and outragings
Gospel was as the sound or noyse of many waters For many peoples of diuers and sundrie nations kynreds and languages hath confessed and still doeth confesse hym God and man by the same though the one vnderstand not the other 10 And he had in his right hande which is his mightie power seuen starres which are not only the seuen preachers of his vij congregations in Asia but also all the true minysters of hys word the worlde ouer For them hath he in his right hand They are vnder hys gouernaunce wil protection custodie So long as he retayneth them they are wyse godly and profitable but if hee once throw theÌ„ forth then are they blind wicked and accursed yea and good for nothing but to be cast out to be troden vnder foote Blessed are they therfore which fal not besides that haÌ„d 11 Out of his mouth which is hys holy spirite procéeded a sharpe two edged sweard This is hys strong mightie and quicke worde or hys sacred scrypture so sharpe that it pearceth through euen to the diuyding a sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the Ioynts the mary And is a iudger of the thoughts and intentes of the harte whom finally nothing shall be able to resist 12 And his face which is the eternitie of his Godheade glorified nature and spirituall kingdome shone euen as the cleere sonne in his most strength whose brightnesse no creature can behold without the pure sight of an vncorrupt faith For the fleshly carnall man in no wise vnderstandeth thinges belonging to the spirit of god but iudgeth them folishnesse THE TEXT 1 And vvhen I savve him I fell at his feete euen as dead 2. And he layed his right haÌ„d vpon me saying vnto me 3. Feare not I am the first the last 4. And am a lyue vvas dead 5. And behold I am a lyue for euermore 6. And haue the keyes of Hell of Death 7. Wryte therefore the thinges vvhich thou hast seene 8. And the things vvhich are and the thinges vvhich shal be fulfilled hereafter 9. And the mystery of the seuen Starres vvhich thou savvest in my right hand 10. And the seuen golden Candelstickes 11. The seuen Starres are the Angells of the seuen Congregacions 12. And the seuen Candelstickes vvhich thou sawest are the seuen Congregacions THE PARAPHRASE 1 And when I had thus séene him sayth saint Iohn dilygently marked all these poyntes in him I fell down at his féete as one almost dead for feare Consider in this that the nature of the true knowledge of christ is to throw downe to mortifie the fleshe with his corrupte affections and to cast vs in fear tyll his hidden misteries be throughly perceyued 2 And he sayth saint Iohn to coÌ„fort my weaknesse layd hys ryghte hand vpon me He releued me with his power grace and helpe when he saw me humbled before his face and fearfully astonyed at the woonderfull brightnesse of his high misteries And not without his worde for he sayd vnto me 3 Let not fearefulnesse ouercome thée nor doutfull dread oppresse thée But take vnto thée fayth which is the chiefe remedie in feare know that I am the first and the laste the maker the restorer of all creatures I am he of whoÌ„ all things depeÌ„d and vnto whom all things belong 4 I am now alyue as thou séest euydently and the very lyfe it selfe yet was I slayne now of late and my body dead and buryed 5 Behold me therfore earnestly for now in a gloryfied nature in a bodie impassyble and immortall I am a lyue for euer euer readie to make interpellatioÌ„ to obtaine mercy for all the worldes sinnes death hauing ouer me no more dominion 6 I haue in my hands vnder my power the keyes both of hel death that neither hell nor sin death nor the diuil shall be froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth able to preuayle agaynst my electes No coÌ„demnation shall be vnto them that are surely grafted in me 7 Take penne and incke therfore and seriously wryâ—e the thinges which thou hast alreadie séene 8 And note faythfully the meruayls which are by the power of God accomplyshed and the wonders also which shall be fulfilled hereafter 9 Marke first of all with due cyrcumspection the secrete mystery of the vij shyning starres which thou sawest now of late in my right hand 10 And diligently consider the seuen golden Candelstickes also 11 The vij starres in signification are the messengers of Gods word or the Apostolike preachers appointed to the vij congregatioÌ„s in Asia and in them to all the world These ought in the church as the starres in the firmameÌ„t to shine in holsome doctrine and in godly conuersatioÌ„ and as the lightes of the world neyther in life nor preachyng to mynistre any maner of darkenesse 12 Consider also the seuen golden Candelstickes which thou sawest about me to be the sayd .vij. coÌ„gregations Upon whom I ought to shine which am the lyght of the worlde In whose workes I oughte to appere which am the clerenesse of the Gentiles They are called here .vij. Golden Candelsticks as most precious in value for so much as they ar precious in the sight of God were also redéemed and boughte with a great price euen with the precious bloud of the vndefiled lambe Iesus Christ. The second Chapiter THE TEXT 1 Vnto the Angell of the congregation of Ephesus vvryte 2. These things saieth he that holdeth the seueÌ„ starres in his right hand vvalketh in the middest of the seuen Golden Candelstickes 3. I knovv thy vvorkes and thy labour and thy pacience 4 And howe thou canste not forbeare them vvhich are euil 5. And examinest them vvhich say they are Apostles and are not 6. And hast found them lyars 7. And hast suffred and hast patience and for my names sake haste laboured and haste not faynted 8. Neuerthelesse I haue somevvhat against thee for thou haste lefte the first loue 9 Remember therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and repent 10. And doe the first vvorkes 11. Or els I will come vnto thee shortly 12. And will remoue thy Candelsticke out of his place excepte thou repent 13. But this thou hast bicause thou hatest the deedes of the Nicolaitans 14. Which deedes I also hate 15. Let him that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite saith vnto the congregations 16. To him that ouercommeth wil I giue to eate of the tree of lyfe 17. vvhich is in the middest of the Paradyse of my God THE PARAPHRASE MY dearely beloued seruant Iohan sayeth the Lord Iesus my will is that thou shalte signifie by writing vnto the messenger or preacher of the Christian congregation of Ephesus which dwelling in this earthly mansion is as was Daniel ful of wholsome desires Shée looketh for the Kingdom shée séeketh for the glorie shée hungreth for the rightuousnesse of God she thursteth for the liuing waters shée
longeth for to be deliuered from this bodie of death shée coueteth to be dissolued and to be with Christ yea ferueÌ„tly she desireth to rest in the armes of hir almightie spouse 2 Tell hir therefore that these sayings hath he which holdeth the vij starres in his right hand walketh in the middest of the vij golden Candelstickes which hath in his power all ministers of his worde to retain theÌ„ or to cast theÌ„ out remaineth among the congregations to beholde their actes and reward them according to their doings 3 I know thy workes sayth hée I perceue thy labour thy anguish thy affliction thy payne for vnto me nothing can be hid I consider also thy pacient sufferance in aduersitie and thy troublous crosse for my wordes sake thy constant fayth and thy vnbroken spirite 4 And I ponder thy feruent and godly zeale wherin thou canst in no wyse forbeare theÌ„ that are wicked and euill but thou hatest blasphéemers abhorrest the enemies of god 5 I much commend thée for that thou diligeÌ„tly examinest them which call them selues Apostles and are none which boast theÌ„ selues to be christian teachers and are nothing lesse 6 And by thy diligent searche hast not only proued them false and deceiptfull Antichristes but also thou hast expelled theÌ„ least they shuld do harm 7 And though thou haste bene gréeuously vexed and persecuted of those false Prophets yet hast thou paciently suffred and firmly stand by the truth for my names sake Thou hast taken paynes and not faynted in thy labours so strong hath the spirit of God bene with thée And all these pointes in thée I greatly allow 8 Yet haue I somewhat agaynst thée for so much as thou arte fallen from thy first charitie the fruites of true faith not being so abundant and plentifull in thée as they were in the beginning of the Gospell nor thou so effectuall in working mercy pittie 9 Call therefore to thy remembrauÌ„ce from what perfectioÌ„ thou art fallen and repent thy slipper weakenesse and slothfull negligence which hath not suffered thée to perseuer in thy first calling 10 And return to thy first works agayne walking in that ferueÌ„t faith in that godly spirite and in that swéete loue of thy neighbour that thou diddest walke in before diminish not but increase euermore in al goodnes 11 Els wil I come shortly vnto thée as a straight looker vpon thée 12 And except thou repent from the hart with ful purpose of amendmeÌ„t I will remoue thy Candelsticke out of hir place I shall take away from thence the sincere doctrine and pure preaching of my word suffer mens fantastical traditions olde womens dreames the spirites of errour the doctrine of diuels the lyes of hypocrites with all blyndnesse darknes abhominatioÌ„ and idolatrie there to remayne For where as my word is not sincerely taught beléeued and obserued but vncharitably dispised hated and persecuted there shall not my church remayne but in hir place shal stand vp the Sinagoge of Sathan with blyndnesse and induration For that congregatioÌ„ is not myne which hath not my worde No longer is it my church then it hath my veritie Turne back againe therefore to Abraham Isaac Iacob to the Prophetes and Apostles and exercyse the first workes leauing all papistrie 13 This warning hast thou of mée for that thou hatest the vnséemely déeds of the Nicolaytanes so called of one Nicolas a proselitie of Antioche and one of the vij Deacons ordayned by the Apostles Whose corrupte custome was among other to defile holy wedlock in making their wyues common in boasting them selues lawfully so to do by the example of the sayde Nicolas 14 Whose vncomely actes I hate and abhorre also hauing matrimonye in honor and the chamber therof vndefiled This premonishement haue I giuen thée also least thou in processe of tyme shouldest fall to Apostasie vtterly decline froÌ„ the truth 15 Let him that hath eares sayeth the Lord which is iudgement and discretion in the spirit diligeÌ„tly heare and earnestly marke what the holy ghost speketh what premonishmeÌ„ts he giueth what reward he promiseth to the faithfull congregations 16 To him that by the spirit of Christ and by faith victoriously ouercoÌ„meth the world sin hell death the diuil I wil giue to eate of the trée of lyfe to haue reioyce here in the holy ghost to haue comfort peace and gladnesse in mée 17 And after this life eternall beatitude which is in the midst of the beautiful paradise or the triumphant church of my Lord my God and my celestial father yours also by mée THE TEXT 1 And vnto the Angel of the congregation of Smyrna wâ—yte 2. These things saith he that is the first the last 3 which was deade and is aliue 4. I knowe thy works and tribulatioÌ„ 5. And pouertie but thou arte rich 6. And I knowe the blasphemie of theÌ„ which call theÌ„selues Iewes and are not but are the congregation of Sathan 7. Feare none of the things which thou shalt suffer 8. Behold the diuill shal cast some of you into prison to tempt you 9. And ye shal haue tribulation ten dayes 10. Be faithfull vnto the death 11. and I will giue thee a crowne of lyfe 12. Let him that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite saith to the congregations 13 He that ouercommeth shall not be hurt of the secoÌ„d death THE PARAPHRASE 1 Apply thée also my friend Iohn with all festination to write vnto the faithfull mynister of the congregacion of Smyrna which trauaylyng in thys vayle of myserie as the odoriferous myrrha giueth forth the swéete smell of all good christian workes and distrybuteth fréelye the precyous treasure of godly examples Shée beleueth in God shée séeketh his onely glorie shée foloweth his word shée rebuketh sinne with pacieÌ„ce she openeth hir haÌ„ds to the poore she giueth meate to the huÌ„gry drinke to the thirstie lodging to the straunger clothes to the naked comfort to the sicke and reliefe to the prisoner Shée is méeke gentle obedyent pacient and mercifull 2 Infourme hir therfore that these things sayeth he which is the fyrst and the laste the maker and redéemer the founder and restorer of all creatures 3 Which was once dead to redeme hir from eternall death and now is alyue to restore hir to lyfe euerlasting Let hir not doubt therefore to suffer héere lyke as hée hath suffred For as he is now immortall hath the ouer hande of death so shall shée be and haue the same 4 I know thy works saith the Lord to spring onely of fayth and to bée fashioned according to the word of God I perceyue thy manyfolde trybulations how thou arte outwardly afflicted by continuall persecution of enimyes and inwardly crucyated in conscience to beholde the damnable errours frowardnesse blindnes and vtter contempt of Gods trueth which raigneth in the wicked 5 I consider thy pouertie in the spirite that
them heard I saying 9. Blessing honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate 10. And vnto the Lambe for euee more 11. And the fowre beastes said amen 12. And the .xiiii. elders fell vpon their faces 13. and vvorshipped hym that liueth for euer more The Paraphrase 1 Furthermore saith Saint Iohn I saw an infinit host of Angels beholding the face of the heauenly father 2 I heard also the voyce of a great number of them about the throne of God geuing laude and prayse vnto hym and about the beastes and auncient elders For they are not onely the immediate ministers of God but also the seruantes of those men which shall be the heyres of saluation Where â—â—ould they be els than but about them that feare the Lord to sée to them and preserue them in all their wayes lyke as he hath geuen them in commaundement 3 And the number of them was a thousande thousandes or a number beyond our estimation And they cryed with a loude voyce signifiyng in their sort no corporall noyse but for so much as they are but spirits but a vehement zeale of most perfect loue and reioyce for the glory of God the victory of Christ the redempcion delyuerance and helth of man It betokeneth also their excéedinge gladnesse in the openinge of the veritie and conuertion of the sinner 4 Worthy is the most méek Lamb sayd they which was cruelly done vnto death and by his death ouercame the worlde hell death and the deuill to take vpon hym the title of all power heritage wisdom streÌ„gth honour glory and blessing and to be called of all creatures most mightye most rich most wise most valiaunt most worshipfull most gloryous and most blessed conueniente names for the king ouer al. Yea finally to haue â—he vniuersall aucthorytie in heauen and in the earth to gouerne euery where and al to be subiect vnto hym 5 I hard also saith saint Iohn all the creatures that God euer created as the angeles in heauen the sunne the Moone the planites the starres the fyrmament the fyre the water the ayre 6 And all that was vppon the earth as man beast foule fish mountaines valleys welsprings floudes windes wethers times trées herbs fruits 7 And al that was vnder or within the earth as rootes wormes serpentes vermine 8 And all that was in the sea or that moued in the waters with all that are conteined in these eche one in his kinde saying 9 The euerlastinge God whiche sytteth vppon the eternall throne with power and maiestie be euermore blessed worshiptfull gloryous and almightie 10 And vnto the Lambe which is his onely sonne Iesus christ be blessing honour glorye and power from him for euermore And in this al creatures desireth no longer to be subdued vnto the vanitie of the wicked nor yet to serue the same But to be wholy deliuered from the bondage of corruption and in libertie to serue the children of God to the glorye of of hym that made them 11 To this the fowre beastes or al the true seruants of God here liuing answered Amen or so might it be in effect as ye haue desired 12 And the .xxiiij. elders as the patriarks the Prophetes the Apostles with other that hath passed this life fell downe flat vpon their faces they submitted them selues 13 They worshipped lauded and gloryfied him that lyueth for euer and euer one God in thrée persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost This signified the Angels and Sainctes euermore to be ioyous as any thinge is done in the creatures to the manyfest glory of God The sixt Chapter THE TEXT 1 And I sawe vvhen the Lambe opened one of the seales 2 and I heard one of the iiij beastes say as it were the noyse of thunder 3. Come and see 4. And I savve and behold there was a whyte horse 5 and he that sate on him had a bovve 6. and a crovvne vvas giuen vnto hym 7. and hee vvent forth coÌ„quering for to ouercome The Paraphrase 1 COnsequently sayeth sainct Iohn as I was beholdyng these wonders I sawe that the Lambe which is the sonne of God opened the first of the seuen seales declaring the first misterie of the booke These openings betokeneth not onely the manifestation of Gods trueth for seauen ages of the world but also for the .vij. seuerall times and after vij diuers sortes from Christes death to the latter end of the world The first seale was remoued and the mysterie there vnder contayned made open when the Apostles disciples of Christ abouÌ„daÌ„tly replenished with the holy Ghost did coÌ„stantly preach the gospel ouer the vniuersall world 2 And at the openyng of the sayde seale sayeth hée I hearde one of the beasts in shape lyke a Lion by whom are signified the strong witnesses of Gods veritie by constancie of fayth resembling Christ the verie Lyon of the stocke of Iuda whose voice was mightie and strong as it had bene the noyse of a thundering and vehemently it sayde vnto me 3 Come hither and sée drawe nigh and be taught beléeue and thou shalt vnderstand 4 And anon I saw euidently that there was a white horse which signifieth the Apostles and first disciples of Christ for why the scripture doeth so call theÌ„ These horses were white they were made pure rightuous and cleane by Iesus Christ and bare him by their preaching the worlde ouer Such a whyte horse to the glorie of God was Paule whan he beare the name of Christ before the Gentiles the Kings and the children of Israell 5 He that sate vpoÌ„ this white horse which was Christ him selfe had in his hande a bowe which figured the hartes of the foresayd Apostles and disciples out of whom he fiercely seÌ„t foorth the arrowes of his word into his chosen people Their hearts were in his hand for that his verities myght the more effectually passe foorth and the more surely lyght vppon hys elects For without his spirit nothing could they doe 6 From God the father vnto hym was giuen a crown of magnificence honour worthinesse and victorie in his resurrection and ascention 7 And when he had stomaked them by the holy Ghost to shoote foorth hys word without feare he weÌ„t forward with them by his grace conqueryng in them the prince of this worlde in processe of tyme by their doctryne so to ouercome him and all his wycked armie Were the Antichristes neuer so madde torment they neuer so sore slea they neuer so fast Christ wil ouercome them Let them inhibit his trueth and forbid his Gospell take spoyle imprison exyle murther haÌ„g head drowne burne yet wil Christ haue the victorie ouer them though it otherwyse séeme to the fleshly children of darknesse In many couÌ„treis Cities and townes hath Gods word bene taught where as it is now forbidden vnder the payne of death Is Christ therefore the weaker which chose the weake to confounde the strong
are fallen from heauen Onely teache they the shining charytie of God the feruent zeale and burninge desyre towardes mans saluation Neyther aduance they ceremonies nor rytes holy dayes nor offeringes dirges nor masses purgatory nor reliques And as concerning their lyues more GOD desyreth not of the Christian minister then to expende hys whole study labour and time to the lyghtening of other He neyther commaundeth them to be shauen nor disguised to be popishe Prieste nor Monke to saye mattens nor Euensong to fast fryday nor vigill to abhorre maryage nor meates Onely he wylleth them to edyfye his flock with none other learninge then hys Godly trueth This is theyr onely office 6 The féete of this Angell were in similitude as pillers of fyer Stronge sustentacles and sure staies hath god made the vpholders of his true church Feruent affections hath he geuen them constant stomaks and so inuincible a power as no violeÌ„ce can resist Douty stronge is the administration where the verytie remayneth for it bringeth with it the magestie of God O how bewtifull saith Esay are the feete of the Embassadours of the Lord which bringeth the message of peace and the tidinges of health vnto Syon 7 He had in his hand a little booke open In their administration are the scriptures euydent and cléere opened by the Lambe and much godlye knowledge is receiued of other by them Blessed be the Lorde whiche hath opened the booke Now may the creple stand vp the blind sée their way the poore féede be satified Desire therfore with faithfull Dauid from the very hart to haue vnderstaÌ„ding to know the testimonies of god Are méekely and haue séeke wisely and finde knocke gently and the dore wyll be opened Uery lyke is it that the Lorde God doth minde plentuouslye to spreade the doctrine of his spirite in this sixt age of his churche this booke beynge thus opened And that all the worlde shall receiue it rebell the hypocrits neuer so sore When the Gospell appeared in Christes tyme the Iewes were the first that receiued it after the Greks and last of all the Latines Now in this later time it openeth to the Latines by the administration of this mighty Angel and his affinitie and from them is going to the Gréekes for many of them now of late hath graciouslye receiued it as we haue harde And laste of all it shall returne agayne to the Iewes as now very apt also to receiue it That Christes prophecye may be founde true The last to be the fyrst and the fyrst the last For he that hath dispersed Israell shall bringe him againe to his folde as Heiremy recordeth Thus shal the glory of God be within few yeares séene the world ouer to the comfort of many 8 This Angell set his righte foote vpon the sea and his left foote vpoÌ„ the earth As well shall the weake people receiue this verytie as the strong the poore as the rich the lowe as the high the sicke as the whole the sinner as the rightuous the begger as the king the vnlearned as the learned the laboring man as the priest and much rather For the right foote is towardes them The I le that is speared vp with the maine sea yea and they also which be vpon the sea shall so well haue it as the open wide country or as they which dwell vpon the most pleasaunt lande From none shall the Booke be speared Euery where shall the trueth be open as well by writings as wordes and as well by bookes as preachinges Upon both shall thys Angell treade Both sortes of people shall be subiectes to that verytie whiche those Godly messengers shall bringe submitting themselues as fooâ—sâ—ooles vnto it Some vngodly rulers there be both by sea and lande both in the Iles and the open countrye that wyll none of this Angell with this open Booke In no wise will they suffer hym to set footeinge within their regions but commaundeth vnder payne of death that no man teach his doctrine nor heare it that no man prynte his bookes bye them sell them reade them holde them fauour them nor beare them vpoÌ„ hym But al is in vayne Let theÌ„ wax mad swell and fret themselues to death yet wyll he treade vppon theyr ground Let them persecute fetter stock famish slea hange head burne drowne yea and buâ—y quicke with all other mischife and tyranny yet will the trueth abroad 9 For the Angell crieth with so loude a voyce as the Lyon when he roareth So mighty and strong is the worde that they preach and the verytie that they shewe as was the sharpe lyuinge worde that Christe spake which was the inuincible Lyon of Iuda And so mighty is that as made both heauen and earth so stronge as destroyeth the power of hell so sharp as deuideth the soule from the spirit and the ioyntes from the marye and so waighty as when it falleth grindeth to powder all pryde power magnificence wisedome ryches and vaine pollycye of this worlde none shall be able to abyde it 10 And when the Angell had cryed and vttered this terryble noyse seauen thounders spake their voyces The fearefull iudgementes of the wrath of GOD whiche are infinite and can neyther be numbered nor yet measured of the creatures opened their terrible misteries which shall at their times appoynted of hym light vppon the children of vnbeléeue The tyrauntes which hath resisted the heauenly verytie of the Lorde wyll once be punished as was the â—ost of Senacherih kinge of Assur Once wyll he fearefully visit theyr multitude in the thunder of hys yre Once shall the terrible sound of hyâ— crack stryk the earth smothe reuenging the contempt of his worde In Italye Spaine Fraunce Germany and other christian regions the Angell hath shewed the booke open and roared out the voyce of the Gospell with stomacke as doth the Lyon yet will it not be taken but some they haue beaten for it and some moste spightfully murthered Let them not thinke but after the lightning the thunderclap will folow The verytie opened and thus dispised most gréeuous plagues of derth warre or pestilence wyll shortlye fal by the great vengeaunce of God Principles hath bene séene in some quarters of the worlde let them not thinke but much more is comminge and wyll not cease tyll Chryste hath made of his enimies hys footeâ— stoole 11 And when the seuen thonders had spoken their voyces or shewed theyr certentie that they shoulde so surely as God lyueth come to passe at their time appoynted 12 I was about sayth Saint Iohn to take penne and inke in hande and to wryte them I thought to register them in a booke to the admonishmeÌ„t and warning of them that shoulde folow And anone I heard a very earnest voyce from heauen saying vnto mée in this maner 13 Seale vp those things which the seauen thunder spake and in no wise
shall vtterly distroye them So that nothing shall be séene of that they were afore Neyther cut shooe nor corde coule nor gray cote boote nor blacke hood rochet nor scapler myter nor crosier sandale nor frocke shauen crown nor anointing For all these are their enimies 3 Consumed are they to their saluation that with Mathewe become of Publicans true Apostles and with Paule of fierce persecutors charitable teachers Contrariwise are they consumed to their dampnatiō which being ouercome by the manifest veritie wilfully persist in their diuilish errours with Antiochus Pharao with the Scribes and Pharisies 4 For it foloweth And if any man will hurte them this wyse must hée be killed Eyther must he be mortifyed from the olde Adam and changed into a new man in Christ or els by the sayd worde must he both be iudged and condempned for the vtter aduersarie of God with Sathan hys auncient captayn So must he be killed And no death will be founde lyke vnto that death come they once to the féeling of it though they accompt it now verie light 5 For these witnesses haue power as had Helias to shut vp heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophecying but yet none other wyse then by the aforesayd word For the word of God is the verie key of Dauid which openeth the kingdome of god to them that faithfully beléeueth and that speareth it vp also from thē which dwellith in vnfaithfulnes For it is said in the dayes of their prophecying This power therefore is of the word and not of the men The word speareth and openeth losoneth bindeth saueth and dampneth He that beléeueth sayth Christ shal be saued he that beleueth not is iudged alreadie No moysture of grace nor godly wisedō can light where sturdie frowardnesse is rooted The dayes of their prophesying in figure is non other thē the aforesaid tyme times and halfe tyme or the thrée yéeres and vj. monethes of Helias 6 In those dayes shall it not rayne vpon the wicked they shall haue no grace to receyue the veritie In parables and figures shal that be hidden from them that shall bée euydent inough vnto the faithful With eares shall they heare and not vnderstand with eyes shall they sée and not deserne So blynde will their harts be For such speake the Prophets in fygures Christ in parables and the Apostles in mysteries The open truth of this reuelation shall not the wicked perceyue till they tast the plages thereof Such is the nature of Gods wisedom that though it be not in glorious wordes fyne paynted termes nor in perswasible reasons of mans witte but in playne simple speaking yet can it not be knowē of the worldly wise The swéete dewe therof wil not be receiued of them in the aforesayde dayes of prophecie but hée that is blynde shall be blynde still 7 These witnesses haue also power ouer waters to turne thē into bloud When they interprete and sincerely declare the pure verities of God which are those holesome waters that restraineth the dampnable drynesse of the soule that refresheth the conscyence and clenseth the harte of the sinner they can not choose but earnestly condempne the peruerse iudgemēts the couetous lawes and hipocrityshe workes of the vngodly And then is all vncleane vnto them then is all bloudie The Gospell which was a stumbling stone to the Iewes made foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles is also now vnto them naughtie newe learning seditious doctrine and abhomynable heresie Yea they iudge them worthie to be burned that doth teach it Thus is it abhorred of them that shall perishe neuerthelesse to them that beléeue it is the power of God vnto saluation 8 Fynallie they haue power to smite the earthe with all maner of plagues as ofte as they will Uery earth are they that regard not Gods trueth as the Lord saide vnto Adam after his offence Earth thou art and vnto earth shalte thou returne Nothing they estéeme but that which is earthly Nothing they desire but that is carnal The froward creature will in no case knowe that is of the spirit The light is hatefull vnto sore eyes Uery painfull is bread to the mouth that is not whole A great mote was Christ to the Iewes as his true preachers are vnto the blynd world yet to this day For they smite the earth 9 They touch their liuing they rebuke their falshoode they condempne their wickednesse They reprooue thē of sinne of rightuousnesse of iudgement They force not to tell to him of theyr vnfaithfulnesse fraud and hipocrisiie of their Philosophers prelats religious No greater plague is it vnto the vngodly thē to hear of their euill dooings No greater paine nor yet greater punishment then to haue theyr faultes opened and theyr clonyng colours condempned That fretteth them at the verie heart Death must be sought out for such preachers No wōder is it though this be here written for this age of the churche For neuer were more earnest witnesses then are now more are lyke héereafter to follow till the man of sinne be fully knowne and his kingdome clearely ouerthrowen THE TEXT 1 And whan they haue fynished theyr testimonie 2. the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pitte 3. shal make war against them 4. and shall ouer come them 5. And theyr bodyes shall lye in the streetes of the great citie 6. which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypte 7. where our Lorde is crucified The Paraphrase 1 And when they haue once finished their testimonie sayeth the Lord the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pit shall make warre against them No sooner shall the witnesses of gods veritie in all ages be taken from the worlde then he hath prefixed After none other sorte shall they bée sent hence then he hath appoynted by hys eternall decrée Iohn Baptist was not imprisoned nor beheaded tyll hée had done his office Christ was not taken condempned and crucified tyll his houre was come Paule was not put vnto death til he had fulfilled his course 2 The beast of the bottomlesse pitte is the cruel craftie and curssed generation of Antichriste the Pope wyth his Bishoppes prelates priestes and religious in Europa Mahomite with his dotyng doucipers in Affrica and so foorth in Asia Iudia all beastly carnall and wicked in their dooings 3 These maketh war against Gods witnesses when they hate them cursse them blaspheme them persecute them When they withstande them with theyr craftes impugne them with their lyes and vexe them with their diuilishnesse as necessary it is they should doe For if they haue troubled the head they must vexe also the members If the housholder be called Belzebub the hosholde muste suffer the same No better is the seruaunt then his Lord nor the messenger then he that sent him 4 They shall also ouercome them not with the scriptures but with their beggerly customs cōstitutiōs lawes decrées and traditions They shall shall scourge them or disgarde them in their