Romish church shall be damned who am I to say the coÌ„trary or what men will pronouÌ„ce otherwyse Let vs heare therfore the sentence of the iuste iudge and let vs beleue the worde of the sonne of God and let vs beware of the popysh religion What it is to worship the beaste his Image and what it is to receiue the marke in the forehead and on the right hand I haue sufficiently declared before in the .13 chapt Brieflye they worship and receyue the marke of the beaste which do participate with the Popish church or religioÌ„ finally which obey the wycked decrees of the Empire and perseuer in the obedience of the See without repentaunce Aretas expounding this place to worship the beast saieth he and to receaue his seale is to esteme Antichrist to be God and in word and woâ—ke to set forth such thinges as he coueteth And here in an horrible wise with propheticall wordes The descriptioÌ„ of eternall damnatioÌ„ is described euerlasting damnation prepared for them who forsaking Christ the sauiour cleaue vnto Antichrist the distroier Like as they haue dronkeÌ„ of the corrupte doctrine infused of the Pope so againe shal they drinke that the iust lord shal powre out of the cuppe of wrath And the wine that is powred in the cuppe of Gods wrath is the strayte exquisite moste greuouse iudgement of God wherin beyng angrie he inflicteth to the Antichristians horrible vnspeakeable punnishement A like maner of speach is red in Ieremie the .25 chapt And like as pure wine not delayed is of most efficacitie and pearseth so the iudgement of God wherein he will procede against the Antichristians shal be most greuouse such as no tongue be it neuer so eloquent can expresse And for a further declaratioÌ„ shortely after followeth what they muste drinke of verely fire and brimstone Perauenture the Lorde alluded to these wordes of Dauid in the .11 Psalm VpoÌ„ the vngodly he shal rayne snares fyre brimstone storme and tempeste this rewarde shall they haue to drinke He semeth moreouer to haue alluded to the burnyng of Sodome and to the .30 chapt of Esaye in the ende whereof is shewed that hell shall be wide enough to receyue all the vngodly and that matter shal neuer waunte to nurrishe the fire neuer to be quenched He expresseth moreouer a greuouse payne where he sayeth that they shall be tourmented and that in the sight of the lambe and holy Angelles that so they maye receyue condigne punnishement for euer of their contempte wherby they haue despised the lambe and messages of Angels Likewise in the .13 of Luke the Lord sayeth there shal be wepyng and gnashing of teth when ye shal see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophetes in the kingedome of God and you to be shutte out c. And that same apperteyneth also vnto euidence Hipotiposis to stire vp a terrour in the mindes of all men where he addeth by a figuratiue speach and the smoke of their tourmeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore Therfore shal the burning and punnisshement of the vngodly be euerlasting and neuer to be finished world without ende And we seme here at this description as it were before our eyes to see the flames of eternall damnation caried vp on highe and caste vp with them greate heapes of smoke to rolle vp and disperse them farre and wide I remeÌ„bre here that of Virgill The wastefull fire gan crepe and cracke a pace Til to the toppe through helpe of winde it came Out burst the blase brake downe and did deface The skie flieth full of sparkes of smoke and flame Euerlastyng punnisshment And that no kinde of terrour might waunte moste aptely and most aboundantly he expresseth the perpetuitie of euerlasting punnishment saiyng nother haue they reste daie nor night So sayeth the Lord in the .9 of Marke Their fire is neuer queÌ„ched and their worme shal neuer die They erre therfore which promise to the damned after many worldes deliueraunce from their tourmentes And not in vayne he repeteth that which he had sayed before how thei that worship the beast shal suffer these thinges And therfore he repeteth it leste as it happened we should esteme it as a light matter They shal be damneth sayeth the veritie which receyue the Popish culte and religioÌ„ and perseuere in the same Epiphonema To all this is annexed an acclamation or double sentence notable and holesome For in as much as the wisedome of God did foresee what aduersitie remayned for the godly in this world which they might surely loke for at Antichristes hande whiche professed the trewth therefore for a comforte and consolation he addeth here is the patieÌ„ce of Sainctes which is asmuch as if he had saied and here shal patience take place wherby the Sainctes maye ouercome al euilles Here had we nede to haue a stoute courage a sure and coÌ„staunt minde In the .12 of Luke the Lord likewise requireth patience in persecutions Here therfore is counsel geuen howe the sainctes should behaue themselues to wit that they should suffer patiently those euilles that Antichrist shall worke agaynst them And there followeth an other sentence which lighteth this here are they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesus Thei shal ouercome thorowe patience in so great euilles and daungers whiche kepe the coÌ„maundementes of God the foundation wherof is the faith of Iesus Christ which verely put al their trust in christ heare the worde of the gospell and kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God not of men The like vnto these are red in the .24 of Matth. and the .10 to the Hebrew Aretas in this same time of Antichrist saieth he the patience of Sainctes is shewed ThaÌ„ is the speache figured as it were by a question moued And who be they whome he calleth patient After as though he should aunswere they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesu For thei when perilles approche wil set more by God than by death and temporall euilles This sayeth he I praye God these things be as faithfully perfourmed of vs as they are easely vnderstande The Lorde graunt vs his spirite ¶ The faithfull assuredly and streight waye flitte from the corporal death vnto life euerlastyng The .lxv. Sermon ANd I hearde a voice from heauen saiyng vnto me wryte blessed are the dead whiche hereafter die in the Lorde Yea the sprite sayeth that they reste froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes follow them Albeit he hath oftener thaÌ„ ones spokeÌ„ of the state of soules in an other world Of the certayne saluation of the faithful and of the felicitie of the faithfull which are killed for religions sake yet was it here chiefly requisite to treate of the same matter For I sayed howe many must be killed of the beaste Now leeste they for feare of death should chouse rather to worshippe the beaste than to be slayne leest happly hauyng lost this life there were no other life
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
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
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
For he is said to haue the seuen spirites of God that is to haue the seuen fourmed spirit whom he also powreth out vpon the faithful or els he is one only spirit and not seuen but seuen that is to witte his graces be many and diuerse as I declared in the first chapter for the same hath also in his right hand seuen starres to witte the whole multitude of all preachers and ministers keping and instructing theÌ„ And this beginning agreeth not amisse with this argument which he treateth in this Epistle For of the spirite of Christ is life Of the want of the spirit death Christ preserueth the ministers how angrie so euer meÌ„ ar in the churche with theÌ„ for accusing their wickednes Priuely therfore he warneth them to craue the spirite to norishe the lyfe spirituall And to trust in Christe which wil defende the ministers and auaunce them After the same that he testifieth in all other Epistles he repeateth here also I knowe thy workes Wherof I haue spoken before The Loâ—de is ignoraunt of nothyng that is done in the churche whiche is also the searcher of hartes And especially he blameth this in this Churche The sickenes of this church that she thought her selfe a lyue where she was dead He speaketh not of the corporall but of the spirituall lyfe and death For Christe lyueth by his spirite in his sainctes and faythfull and sheweth lyuely workes by them Lyke as the Lorde teacheth in the .vi. of Iohn and in many other places of the Gospel of S. Iohn The Apostle said also that he liued not now Galat. 2 1 Tim. 5 but that Christ liued in him The same Apostle said that wydowes liuing in waÌ„tones being aliue were dead They be dead therfore which haue not Christ liuing in theÌ„ by faith spirit Which haue not the vertue of Christ workyng in theÌ„ that is which bringeth not forth liuely workes Math. 8 For the Lord is red to haue said also in the Gospel Suffer the dead to bury their dead The Sardensians therfore had the name of men liuing that is to say they were called Christians spirituall regenerated and holy worshippers of God but they were dead to witte hipocrites in whome no spirite nor Christen life appered The fleshe the world and corruption as yet liued in theÌ„ But such churches displease Christ There be many suche at this day But whether doth Christ reiect them Verely he blameth such but not to confounde them for so the worlde blameth but that they should repent For he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And therfore consequently he prepareth a medicine for the disease A medicine prepared for the sicknes And first he prescribeth to the starres or Byshops what they should do in this case Then telleth he also the whole coÌ„gregation their dutie Wherof we learne howe like diseases of churches are to be holpen That beloÌ„geth to the Pastours that he commaunded them to watche verely ouer the flock And to confirme that remained of the flock not yet in dede lost but next vnto perdition vnlesse it be holpeÌ„ in time with sound and holsome doctrine He alluded doubtles to that cure and charge pastorall whiche the Lorde describeth in the xxxiiii chapt of Ezechiel The flock is confirmed by the word of God by the same it is retyred from death and preserued in lyfe c. The workes of that church not ful before God Now also he addeth the reason why he commaundeth to confirme the flocke least they slyde in to death For I haue not found thy workes full or perfit before God The Greke copie Complutensian and Aretas haue my God By workes he vnderstaÌ„deth al things that are done wordes works and the whole conuersation of men The workes doubles euen of Sainctes be euermore vnperfit if we haue respecte to humane imbecillitie For always so long as we lyue here the flesh fighteth against the spirite In so muche that Iob sayd how he feared all his workes and therfore fled to the clemeÌ„cie of the iudge Notwithstanding they be perfit and full in respect of Christ For he is our fulnes and in hym we are coÌ„plete Iohn 1. Ephes 1. Coloss the 12. And he maketh vs pertakers of his fulnes by faythe They of Sardis were destitute of trewe fayth wherfore euery worke of theirs muste nedes be vnperfit before God whiche alloweth nothinge but that is of the sonne and moste pure Therfore the Lorde coÌ„maundeth to teache faith diligently and beate it in that they maye bâ— made perfit in Christe This is the beste medicine for the deadly disease of Christes churche Here followeth the dutie of the people The true apostolike repentauÌ„ce how they may be healed by the apostolicall repentaunce Whereof the chiefe poincte is to remember the lordes wordes in what we haue hearde and receiued the same We are not commaunded to diuise newe formes of religion and repentaunce but we are sent to the olde tradition not of men but the which we haue in the Scriptures of Euangelistes and Apostles These I saye we oughte to remembre For throughe custome of sinning we forget Gods worde And truely the beginnyng of Peters repentaunce was to haue remembred the wordes of the Lorde Therfore such as will not be reproued and instructed by gods worde shall neuer come to or attayne the trewe repentaunce Furthermore it is necessarie that we kepe and reteyne the wordes of God that is the trewe doctrine of Christ leeste we forget it streight wayes or that we sette it in vayne contemplation and not in effectuall worke The doctrine of Christ must be kept and perfourmed in worke For in the laste place it followeth and repente Trew repentauÌ„ce consisteth in worke that in minde body we should tourne awaie from euil and tourne vnto God and do good beyng sorie for our wicked dedes paste this is the trewe Apostolicall repentaunce Vnto the whiche repentaunce nowe By threatninges he exhorteth to repentaunce after the diuine prophetical apostolical maner he draweth theÌ„ by the threatnings Whiche are in dede to be referred aswell to the ministers as to the people in the congregation Againe the Lord vseth parables whiche we reade that he vsed in S. Matth. 24. Where with the same he exhorteth to watchyng sobrietie Whiche place sins it is there expounded at large I nede not to vse many wordes aboute it here To the Lorde be prayse and thankes geuyng for euermore ¶ He alloweth and commendeth those that couet to liue godly in the Churche of Sardis exhorting them that they would so holde on and procede The .xvi. Sermon BVt thou haste a fewe names in Sardis whiche haue not defiled their garmentes And they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie He that ouercometh shall be clothed in white araye and I will not put out his name out of the boke of life And I will confesse his name before my Father
faythful and syncere minde we shal haue quiet consciences in al the workes of God euē suche as are harde to indure and seme to some men most vnreasonable For we know that he by whome all thinges are gouerned is of our nature and kinde yea euē our owne brother and such verely as fauoureth vs with al his harte hath suffered death for vs and loueth nothynge better in all the world than man Moreouer whiche hath ouercomen death sonne the Deuil and Hell and hath ouercomen them for vs. Who wil nowe than suspecte his gouernement permission or operation Thou haste a brother in the Princes Courte whome thou arte assured to fauour thee from the botome of his harte thou hearest saye howe he hathe geuen vnto him of the Prince the gouernement and iudgement of the whole countrie woldest thou sticke or be lothe to submitte thy selfe vnto him naye rather thou doest truste and hope to obteyne any thing of thy brother Therefore let vs remembre The kingdome and power is geuen to Christ howe the Scripture not here only but euery where doeth teache that Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and in dede of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie in diyng for vs to haue deserued to haue a name geuen him whiche is aboue all names and that althinges shoulde be subiecte to his gouernment what so euer be in the worlde visible or inuisible For so S. Iohn testifieth in the .1 Chapter And S. Paul also to the philipp 2. Coloss 1. and to the Hebrewes the .1 Chapter He is sayed at this present to haue ouercomen or obteyned to open the boke and lowse the Seales therof Therfore by the knoweledge of him and through faith in him we obteyne that with a ioyefull minde we maye loke vpon the boke the iudgementes and all the workes of God and quietly and patiently to beare the openyng therof and gouernment of al together c. A most gallaunt ful descriptiō of Christ But to the intente we maye iudge more rightly of Christ gouernour of all although he hath already described him right liuely yet now he procedeth to paincte him out in his that is to saye moste godly and goodly coulours that we should not be nothing affrayed of his gouernement nother that we should not with quiet mindes most willingly submitte our selues wholy to his gouernment First is sayed that a Lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercomen Christe a lion of the tribe of Iuda to wit that same Christ of oures to haue ouercomen the Deuill sinne death the world hell and al power of the aduersarie And he ouercame in diyng and so atchieued the high dignitie and was made Lorde of all The Deuil is also called a Lion of S. Peter Salomon and the Prophetes call tirannes Lions 1. Peter 5. Our Authour therfore calleth Christ a lion not of the common sorte but of the tribe of Iuda For he alludeth to the prophecie of the patriarch Iacob whiche is in the .49 of Genes he prophecieth there that Schilo shal come with plentie and good lucke whiche like a lion that hath taken his praye nether is there any manne that can driue him from it can defende those that be his whom he hath caught out of the dragōs clawes so that no hostile power dare ones hisse against him Christ therfore is declared a victour or cōquerour greatest Christe is only moste inuincible most mightie and most inuincible Which belongeth to him alone Yet shal you finde Kings which are euery houre ouercomen of wicked lustes whiche wil suffer them selues to be called inuincible Briefly this first note in the description of Christ sheweth that Iesus Christ gouernour of al is that very same whom the patriarches prophetes haue prophecied to come into the world a prince most inuincible Secōdly Christ is called the rote of Dauid wherin he appereth to haue alluded to that saiyng of Esaye in the .11 Christe the roote of Dauid chap. Than shal a budde come forth of the stocke of Iesse a flour shal ascende out of the rootes therof Namely Marie the daughter of Dauid of whom that most sacred floure Christ sprang came was the stocke of Iesse And of the very rotes of Dauid or of the virgin I meane of the most true humane nature Iesus Christ was borne very man into the worlde For he toke no where the Aungelles nature but the sede of Abraham He is therfore our brother Hebr. 2. of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie These things do comfort vs exceadingly and confute heretikes most strongly which faine that Christe hath not a very humane body We haue more herof in the .1 of Matth. and .1.2.3 of Luke Christe is in the mids of the seate After it is expresly spoken of the same our lorde that he is in the middes of the Throne in the middes of the .iiii. beastes and in the middes of the .xxiiii. Elders and is therfore exēpted out of the nōbre of creatures out of the numbre of Aungelles and out of the numbre of Sainctes For he is greater than these to wit of the same substaunce with the father in glory power equal For the father is in the middes of the Throne from thence procedeth the holy ghost euen there is founde also now the lambe Christ not only very man but also very God Christ is very God And is a distincte person For the blessed Trinitie knoweth not any cōfusiō The father is God the sonne is God the holy ghost is God yet are al three but one God the father in his subsistence the sonne in his and the holy ghost in his not makyng three Gods but three proprieties and persones in one indiuisible and eternal essence And where as Christ is mentioned to be in the middes of the beastes and in the middes of Elders he is doubtles signified after the diuine nature to be euery where to be the life and preseruation of all creatures also in the middes of his chosen and of his Church Therfore like as we beleue Iesus Christ to be very mā so let vs also beleue him to be very God of the same substaunce with God the father Therfore let Seruiet perishe with Arrius and Mahomet and as many as denie Christ to be the sonne of God coequal with the father in al thinges Furthermore he is now also called a lambe Christ is a lambe not that he is a shepe of nature but for that by a lambe is prefigured the innocent redemer of the worlde and the only holesome sacrifice of all faithfull A lambe is a token of innocencie and from the beginning appointed for sacrifices Abel offered vp a Lambe after the lawe was offered a dayly sacrifice in the morning a lambe and at euening a lambe For christ is the expiation of them whiche were in the beginning of the world and which in the ende shal be The Paschall lambe in the .12 of Exodus
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
emonges those ten hornes one other little horne should grow vp whiche shoulde strike of three and take their place and reigne wantonly crwelly and wickedly Wherefore the Popes Empire and those sondry kingdomes grewe vp in a maner aboute one and the same time The kings haue one minde He sheweth moreouer what maner of kingdomes those shal be and how they shal demeane thēselues towardes that latter beast namely towarde the church of Rome thei saieth he haue al 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one opinion they beleue al one thing be of the same religion He speaketh chiefly of the westerne kynges For they al receyue the decrees of the Bishoppe of Rome and honor them as most obedient childrē of the most sacred holy church of Rome They shal deliuer to the beaste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their authoritie or kyngedome For they submitte themselues to the See of Rome Yf the church of Rome haue nede of an Armie or force of armes the kinges sende their power gladly to hym which the most noble kingdome of Boheme felte about an hondreth yeres sins though it were to no great commoditie and beautifull triumphes of the inuaders Yea morouer they acknowledge thēselues to owe homage and feaultie to the moste holy and supreme Bishop in al the world Hereunto chiesly apperteyneth that which Augustin Stewchus in his boke against Laurence valla concernyng the donation of Constantine in the .94 Section hath written on this wise Gregory the .7 vnto Geusa king of Hungarie we suppose it is not vnknowen to thee sayeth he that the kingdome of Hungarie like as other most noble realmes also ought to be in the state of his owne libertie nother that it ought to be subiecte to any kyng of an other realme saue to the holy and vniuersall mother church of Rome which hath her subiectes not as seruauntes but as children Hereunto addeth Steuchus thou hearest with what gouernement the church ruleth that she maye interteyne her subiectes not as seruauntes but as childrē She putteth not kinges out of their possession but permitteth them to reigne as her sonnes who reignyng she reigneth her selfe also Neuerthelesse she will be knowen for Quene and Lady Quene Lady Thou hearest how al the moste noble realmes be subiecte to the Apostolical See Euen there he sheweth that the moste noble kingdomes of Spaine Fraūce England Denmarke Russelande Croatie Dalmatia Arragonie Sardinia Portugalle Bohemia Sweuia and Norwaye be subiecte tributaries to the church of Rome In the Section .97 He addeth moreouer although the kinges reigned and continued in possession yet are they wonte to acknowledge her as Quene and trewe Lady and gyuer of their kingdomes And in the Sect. 105. The old monumentes of all Popes are full of highe authoritie A mouth verely speaking great thinges whereby they haue with their Empires gouerned the whole worlde hauing the rule and order of al landes which power and authoritie that impudente praiser of the Romishe See is not asshamed to call omnipotent or almightie And doubtles we see at this daye great Ambassades sent to Rome by the westerne kinges newely elected crowned to the intent to kisse the Popes fete or too of Antichrist and to offer dewe obedience as they cal it Therefore did he calle them before not kinges absolutely but as kinges For they acknowledge a superiour and be euen as it were seruauntes or wardes of the seruaunt of seruauntes Of whome he hath made proper verses The vulgare people brought from farre ende of the worlde The seruaunt of seruauntes O Rome is now thy Lorde Hereunto the Apostle addeth a thing yet more greuouse The fight with the lambe These Kinges I meane the confederates of the Pope and obedient children of the Church of Rome indewed with the spirite of the beaste shall fight with the Lambe Whereby is signified the tiranny which kinges and princes and certen other states of the Romane Empire do practise long haue practised agaynst Christ his gospel Concerning the lambe we haue already spokē enough before Iohn Baptist poinctyng with his fingar to Christ sayeth beholde the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sinnes of the world Therfore shal the Romish princes fight not agaynste Christ himselfe for they will be christians but agaynst the Lambe that is the sanctification iustification and satisfaction of Christ For yf any man saye at this daye that the sonne of God is most holy by whome alone sinnes are forgeuen and we are sanctified and saye not also that the Bisshop of Rome is moste holy also whiche purgeth by pardons graunted but shall saye rather that perdons are playne disceiptfulnes and the Pope most vncleane of all he shal doubtles nother be takē for right catholicke nother shal he be spared for confessyng the lambe of God Yf any man shal confesse that iustification is only in the sonne of God alone and that men are iustified by fayth only and not also by our workes and merites he shal be caried to death or to prison nother shal the confession of the lambe of God preuayle him any thing Yf any man shal say that he is fully purged through the only oblation of Christe on the crosse as of a lambe without spotte and sacrificed frō the beginnyng neyther that he nedeth any popish Masses wherby the shauelynges boaste that they make a dayly offering for the sinnes of the quicke and dead whiche in dede is both false and blasphemouse he is streight wayes hurried to prison and from thence drawen to the stake and brente We can not denye but that this is true seyng there be at this daie innumerable exāples of Romishe kinges and princes in this behalfe We shall not nede therefore to fetche our exposition farre of how these kinges which wholy depēde of the Pope shal fight with the lambe I speake here nothinge of others which cleaue whole vnto Christ And therefore for a comforte is consequently annexed and the Lambe shall ouer come them The lābe shall ouercome thē For albeit that Popish kinges and Princes seme to ouercome the Sainctes whom they burne murther and distroye yet Christ liueth for euer the redemption of Christe florissheth As moste godly that good poete hath songe Christ liueth yet and shal do still His trewth eke shall remayne Whilst al that doeth this world fulfill Shall perish and be vayne Kinges perish kingdomes perish or be chaunged but the trewth is neuer chaunged Christ perisheth neuer He adioyneth a most strong reason for he is Lord of Lordes and king of kinges Therfore shal they be made a fote stole for the fete of the Lambe as many as shall striue agaynst him You see agayne whie S. Iohn sayed before they receiue power as kinges For all kinges are vnder Christ whiche excelleth all lordes in the worlde For to him is geuen power in Heauen and in earth Let vs therfore be of bold courage For the lord is Emperour and our
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
to be loked for in the world to come most dilligently and most certenly he treateth of the state of soules and of the felicitie and blesse of soules which as sone as they die they atchieue assuredly and streightwaye flitting out of this worlde into life euerlasting But they that know these thinges and haue conceaued them by a true faith how thei shal vndoubtedly slitte frō the corporal death into the blessed life it can not be chosen but that they shal more boldely contemne the life present Most certē tables of saluation are to vs exhibited And this holesome doctrine is comprised in three poincts For first he sheweth the certentie therof secōdly he declareth what it is laste he setteth forth and lighteth the same by circūstaunces At the first verely he semeth to allude to the maner accustomably receyued of al nations that such thinges as they wuld haue thought to be certen and vndoubted they would also cōmitte to writing to leaue them vnto posteritie But the certentie veritie or Authoritie of the thing is estemed of thauthours which first haue dispatched any matters emonges thēselues and after haue caused the same to be put in writyng At this present therfore is God shewed to be authour For S. Iohn saieth and I hearde a voice from heauen And by and by addeth ye the spirite sayeth Therefore there is no doubte but that the sonne of God him self hath spoken and reuealed these things Our lord Iesus Christ For him he sawe at the beginning of this reuelation after he seeth diuerse kindes of Aungelles but he seeth not Christ speaking to him But he heareth now his voice from Heauen he heareth the spirite speakyng by whom the lord sayed whilest he was yet cōuersaunt in earth with his disciples that he would treate and speake al thinges in the churche Let vs beleue therefore that the wordes which are here recited by christes doyng to be a celestiall oracle certen and trewe whereof we ought not to doubte And S. Iohn thapostle Euangelist is cōmaūded to write the saiynges of Christ from the heauēly seate Which thing he doeth so at Christes cōmaundement sendeth them vnto al posterie vnto vs also to our ofspring euen to the worldes ende But if tables written by the chaūcelours or secretaries of kinges and Princes beyng notable men deserue credit we maye much more iustely rightly beleue this writing which the sonne of God inditeth from heauen that beloued disciple of Christ the apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn writeth Thou hadst ones a confidence in the Popes bulles they maye well be called bulles sins thei be more vaine than bulles or blabbers in the water sent from the See of Rome wherein thou as one assured didst put ful truste to haue remission of sinnes and blessed life And shalt thou not nowe be accompted madde and out of thy witte in case thou wilt not beleue this heauenly writyng That other was indited by the spirite of Antichrist by the Pope the man of sinne and childe of perdition written of some disceauer infected with Simony and sacrilege which in life and maners was filthines it self But in Iohn is nothing but cleanes puretie integritie and the very sonne of God which prescribeth these things to S. Iohn is the very veritie and life This writing is frely geuen the light of the world lord of heauen and Earth of life death See than how safely thou mayest laine to this heauenly writyng which here is offered geuen thee frely Thou nedest not to disburce for the same one farthing The Pope instituted in the church biyng selling deuelish bargayning about perdōs other things which were plaine disceiptes illusions playne mocheries and open blasphemies therfore accursed for euer as S. Peter also pronoūceth in the .8 of the Actes God him selfe diswadeth al men from such tromperies and bargaines wicked vayne in the .55 chapt of Esaye where he promiseth agayne that he wil geue to the godly al plentie of al good thinges And now let vs heare what the writte is Blessed at the dead whiche die in the lord what S. Iohn is cōmaunded from heauen to put in writing It is a shorte sentēce as also in many places the wisedome of God cōprehēdeth in fewe wordes the true some of blessednes so prouiding for our infirmitie that we nede not to cōplaine that the doctrine were ouer longe which we with our slender vnderstandyng are not able to attayne to The Lord therefore pronounceth them to be blessed whiche die in the Lord then we must see what he vnderstandeth by blessednes and who thei be that die in the lord blessednes is that high felicitie which chaunceth to the faithfull in an other world in the which we shall see God him selfe as he is and haue the fruition of him vnto a ioyefull and neuer lothsomefulnes We shall liue in the same with all the Sainctes for euer and shall haue ioynes that can not be expressed with tunges of men Of the whiche shall followe more afterwarde They shal reste from their labours And more plentifully in the .21 chapt And they dye in the Lorde whiche by faith greffed in Christe layne to him alone depende wholy vpon him only regarde him and desire nothynge els but hym alone For they are sayed to liue in Christe in whome Christ liueth by faith they that liue in Christ do frame their whole life after the will of Christ And they die in the lord chiefly and before all whiche for the confession of the lordes faith suffer death and offer thēselues to tourmentes And not they alone but those also whiche although they die of the sworde of the persecutours yet die when the Lorde calleth them in the trewe christen fayth For these are also blessed as the Lord in S. Iohn verely verely I saye vnto you yf any man kepe my worde he shall not see death for euer Howebeit they die not in the lorde which eyther deny god that they might not be slaine or trust to their owne merites intercessions of Sainctes or to other mens workes be they monkes freres or massemonging priestes and so departe out of this life thinking that thei shal be holpen by other mēs workes To be briefe the veritie of the lord pronoūceth them al blessed and fortunate which departe out of this world in true faith Finally the Lord him self adioyneth a notable declaration of this his briefe sentence For he sette forth the circumstaūce of the time When and how saluation commeth to the dead and the maner of the blessednes For it is wonte to be demaunded what time saluatiō and felicitie happeneth to the dead whether incontinently or after a time that is whether our soules flitte by and by and immediately after the death of the body to the blessed seates or whether they be intercepted for a certen time so that they might be pourged in purgatorie before thei enter into