speciall trust and loue towardes him he sheweth him his spouse and wyfe and nameth her the lambes wyfe but it is the christen churche the felowship of all saintes and holy electe This christen churche is in .ii. maner of states In the first state she is mylitant euer striuynge and fightyng euer in warrefare assaulted with much trouble and vexacion sorowfull vnperfyte and euer waxyng and increasynge And in the other state she is triumphant victorious euer triumphinge quiet free without care or sorowe for any vexacion perfyte heauenly blessed and euerlasting Of bothe these states for certen fewe properties the earthly Ierusalem the citie of the Iewes is set for a figure comparison example and counterpane Whiche Ierusalem of the Iewes lyeth vpon an hyll hath .xii. gates and great hyghe walles and lyeth on highe towarde the whole lande rounde about on euery behalfe Of the whiche they that wyll knowe more maye reade Iosephus which writeth largely therof Nowe here speaketh Christ of the spirituall Ierusalem in her double state It lyeth also highe for as muche as it is highly indewed with gods grace and glorious giftes for whose sake almightie God sent his onely begotten sunne vpon earth to clense and to make her pure to bylde her to bewtifie and to garnyshe her and to make her glorious euen for an euerlastynge kingdome and for a deare beloued spouse for him selfe This citie is great for it reacheth vnto all the endes and coastes of the worlde and it is also holy for it is sanctified with the holy and blessed presence of Christ with his precious hearte bloode which was shedde in the highest loue and obedience towarde god and mankynde and that washeth a waye the synnes of all the worlde in that are al the faythful purged clensed This descending of the heuenly citie Ierusalem or holy chrysten churche sygnifieth the comon felowshyp and participacion of the churche â—riumphant that reygnyth in victory with the churche mylytant that contyneweth and remaineth in battel and warrefare For they bothe are one churche deuided and sondred in .ii. onely in this worlde by reason of the tyme. For that churche whiche is nowe militant and lyeth in warrefare vpon earthe shal shortly be in heaueÌ„ victorious and triumphant This churche both vpon earthe and in heauen hathe one godly glorye al honour vertue prayse might and blisse commeth vnto her from God The light of this churche is the most precious stone namely vpon earth faythe with loue and in heauen trueth and saluacioÌ„ in Christ The walles which defende preserue and kepe this citie is the faith and belefe in the holy worde of god by the whiche the faithfull beleuers are kept and preserued The .xii. gates maye we take and vnderstande for the .xii. articles of the holye Christen faythe vpon the gates the xii apostles or patriarkes or prophetes whiche haue their glorious and holy names not onely written in heauen aboue all other holy saintes but also vpoÌ„ earth in the militant or warrefaring chutch These gates of the articles are wel and orderly set and appointed of the father of the sunne of the holy gost of the grace and rewarde of redempcion The .xii. foundacions of these walles maye be taken for the bokes of the olde and newe testament vpon the whiche the wall of the christen churche the holy faithe whiche is but one bothe of the christianes of the olde and of the newe testament bothe of the prophetes and of the Apostles is and ought to be founded and grounded And where as the Apostles are here more named than the prophetes it is done for this purpose for as much as thorow the Apostles the doctrine of the prophetes and the gospell promysed in the prophetes was spredde abrode and publyshed in the whose wyde worlde whiche gospell the prophetes dyd preache and wryte onely vnto the children of Israel and to their neighbours the people nexte about them of the lande of Israell and againe because the apostles were witnesses in their owne parsons of the slaying and death of the lambe The texte ¶ And be that talked with me had a golden rede to measure the citie with all and the gates therof and the wal therof And the citie was buylt foure square and the length was as large as the bredth and he measured the citie with the rede twelue â—â— furlonges and the length and the bredth the heyght of it were equall And he measured the wall therof an cxliiii câ—bytes the measure that the angell had was after the measure that man vseth And the buildyng of the wal of it was of Iasper And the citie was pure golde lyke vnto cleare glasse and the foundacions of the wall of the citie were garnished with all maner of precious stones The first foundacion was Iaspis the seconde Saphire the thirde a Calcedony the fourthe an Emeralde the fyfte Sardoniâ— the syrie Sardoes the seuenth Crysolite the eight Beral the nynth a Topas the tenth a Chrisoprasos the eleeuenth a Iaciute the twelue than Amâ—chist In the .xliiii. of Ezechiell and lykewyse in zacharie doe we reade of yâ— mystery of this holy citie whiche is here described as thoughe it shoulde be measured how long how brode and howe highe it were But it is done of Christ after the maner of a vision and as it were in a misterie For Christ knoweth his churche well inoughe and all whiche are the rin or belong therunto The golden reed is as it were a golden met wonde and it signifieth the right square of the holy scripture whiche onely declareth and sheweth certenly and truly what is ryghte or croked wel or amisse in the religion and doctrine ceremonies and dyscipline of the churche And where as the citie lyeth foure square it sygnifieth the .iiii. quarters of the worlde in the whiche the almightie God hath alwayes had his peculier electe faithful folowers and obseruers of the true loue of God and of the neighbour wherin consisteth the lawe and the prophetes and also the commaundement of Christ the sauiour of the whole worlde The length is from the east to the west the bredth is from the northe to the south and the higth is euen from the earth to the heauen So that heauen and earth and the whole churche both triumphant in heauen militant vpon earth are full of the glory of God of the power and kyngdome of Christ whiche the father gaue him whan as he dyd set him at his right hande in the moost hyghe honour glorye and blisse for a mirrour vnto all faithfull and holy electe An hundreth and .xliiii. is a full and a perfite nomber euen .xii. tymes .xii. And it signifieth all perfeccion of the grace of God the holy goost and of all true and perfite vertues whiche true faithe onely preserueth and maketh good and perfight and also acceptable vnto God The true faithe and belefe which hath alwaies bene preached and preserued in the holy churche as well by the Israelites as by the
deuysion in the churche betwene the rulers of the laytie and clergye hath bene the occasion of very great myseries betwene the grecians and yâ— Romaynes Emperors and Kynges Popes and byshops bothe in the spirituall and temporall regiment For this deuyllyshe burning fyre of pryde hathe bredde infynite and vnspeakeable hurte vnto yâ— churche of Christ For euen out of yâ— sprang so many warres battels burnynges and destroyng of landes And suche common harmes wyll the spirite of god sygnifye by the trouble losse and destruccion in all the elemeÌ„tes yâ— fyre water ayer the earth For there was no man sure and in safegarde The texte ¶ And the thirde angel blew and there fell a great starre from heauen burnyng as it weâ— a lampe and it fell into the thirde parte of the ryuers and into fountaines of waters and the name of the starre is called wormwod And yâ— thirde parte was turned to wormworde And many men dyed of the waters because they were made bytter And the fourth Angell blewe and the thirde parte of the sonne was smytten and the thirde parte of the mone and the thirde parte of starres so that the thyrde parte of them was darckned And yâ— daye was smytten that yâ— thirde parte of it shoulde not shyne and lykewyse the nyght And I behelde and hearde an angell flyinge thorowe the myddes of heauen saying with a loude voyce Woo woo woo to the inhabiters of the earth because of the voyces to come of the trompe of the thre angels whiche were yet to blowe The thirde plage came vpon yâ— starres of heauen that is vpon the most holyest people whiche were taken for the spirituall state and order as monckes fryers and priestes whiche thorowe their hypocrysye haue heaped vnto them selues money goodes and treasures and haue gotten landes and dominions for the whiche great dyuision was among them â–ª And wheras the world should haue learned of them faith loue and knowledge it was nothing but slandered offended deceyued seduced and sore hyndered by them bothe in faythe and in godly lyuynge and behaueour bothe whiche were vtterly decayed in these parsons â–ª to the great vndoyng and dystruccion bothe of bodye and of soule And thus the swete hony of christen loue and concorde among these orders is turned in to bytter wormewoode by the which many soules are destroyed The fourthe plage maye well be vnderstande to be the breakyng in of the Turkes Sarasens whiche is as it were a worthye and well deserued scourge or whyppe whiche shoulde scourge and punyshe the christendome fallyng into synne and dyssolutenes As it hath already happened in the .iii. partes of the earth Asya Europa and Africa All these hath he gotten wholy into his handes And hathe also dyuerse tymes attempted Italy and Spaine And hath alreadye gotten Austry Etschlande and parte of Hungry He yâ— thinketh not this a great losse and a wonderfull destruccion the same hath no vnderstandynge at all Suche great myseries perplexites and destruccions dothe the scripture sygnifye in diuerse places by the darcknes of the Sunne Moone and Starres And where as he sayth that onely the thirde parte was destroyed he syngnifyeth thereby that all this dyd not continue in dyuerse places For men addressyng theÌ„selues vnto repentaunce and amendement haue dysappoynted suche enemyes dyscharged them selues of them But not euery where nor at all tymes For all these myseries and plages returned againe afterwarde and were more dangerous hurtful and intollerable than they were before And bothe these and other plages dyd increase and get the ouerhande daylye more and more lykewyse also the synne against the worde of god against true loue againste peace and quietnes and against all vertue and godlynes dyd not cease but raged contynually against the manyfest and clere gospel euen by the spirituall sort which haue their lyuynge of the gospel wherunto they are the most extreme enemyes bothe in worde and deade a thousande partes more than the secular and laye sorte And yet all vnder the pretence coloure of a Christen good zeale wheras they seke nothing but their owne pryuate lucre as it is euydent manyfest ¶ The .ix. Chapter The texte ¶ And the fyfte angell blewe and I sawe a starre fall from heauen vnto the earth And to him was geuen the kaye of the bottomlesse pyt And he opened the botomlesse pyt and the smoke of the pyt arose as the smoke of a great fornace And the sunne and the ayer were darckned by the reason of the smoke of the pyt And there came out of the smoke locustes vpon the earth vnto them was geuen power as the scorpyons of the earth haue power And it was coÌ„maunded them that they shoulde not hurte the grasse of the earthe nether any grene thinge nether any tree but onely those men whiche haue not the seale in theyr foreheades And to them was commaunded that they should not kyll them but that they should be vexed fyue monethes their payne was as yâ— payne that commeth of a scorpion when he hath stoâ—ge a man LYke as in the openyng of the fourthe seale god is become man to washe away all synnes and wyckednes euen so the deuyll whiche is a counterfetter of gods workes imageneth by all meanes that he can to set vp and stablyshe all maner of intollerable errours and to augment his kyngdome And goeth about to make him selfe a god and to fyght and stryue againste the gospell and against all godlynes But thorowe the iudgement of god he is fallen downe from heauen vnto the earthe and hath receyued thorowe the iudgement of god and thorowe his permission the key of hell and of the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse euen lyke as Christ is ascended and gone vp and thorow his merites and rightuousnes hath opened the heauen and hath receyued the kyngdome of god for all the faithfull electe And out of this hellyshe botomles pyt arose a smoke of worldly wysdome of fleshly lustes by the whiche al godlynes planted of Christ and of the apostles thorow the preachyng of the gospel is obscured and darckened And there are rysen vp locustes that is to say false teachers heretykes and worldly suttell prelates sâ—olemen and sophisters which thorow their proude doctrine and mans ordinances pompe and couetousnes haue done muche harme in the churche in the heartes of the faythful thorow the permission of god And all this is suffered euen for the synne of contemnynge gods worde and for that men haue loued them selues muche more than Christ Whiche worde of god they haue made more to be contemned with their syngyng and fast or swyfte mumblynge vp therof without vnderstandynge than they haue profyted or edyfied eyther them selues or any other therby And also in their hyghe scoles and vniuersyties with their Aristotle and their Phylosophy they haue made yâ— worde of god darcke obscure And with their Philosophical dysputacions they haue made it vncerten and doubtfull and vnprofytable vnto
clothed with a cloude and the raynebowe vpon his hed And his face as it were yâ— Sunne and his feâ—e as it were pyllers of fyre and he had in his hande a lytle boke open and he put his right fote vpon the sea and his lefte fote on the yearth And cried with a loude voyce as when a Lion roreth And when he had cried vii thonders spake their voyces And when the seuen thonders had spoken their voyces I was about to write And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Seale vp those thinges which the. vii thonders spake and write theÌ„ not THis strong angel can sygnifye none other thing but our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche reueled suche a vision vnto S. Iohn for the profyte and comfort of the faithfull churche and congregacion and for a warnyng vnto the synfull world For he it is whiche in suche an euil tyme and in suche great perplexyte and dangerous warrefare of the christen churche vpon earth commeth downe from heauen to ayde and succour it according vnto his promes And he appeareth vnto S. Iohn euen as thoughe he were commynge downe from heauen clothed with a very manyfest and visible cloude whiche signifyeth his holy manhode euen as he went vp also vnto heauen and dwelleth with vs with his grace ayde and prouydence The raynebowe sygnifieth his heauenly imperious crowne and his gracious gouernauÌ„ce ouer his faithful electe for the whiche he is carefull and sorowfull with mercye and daylye ayde in all thinges necessarye and expedient for them His face and countenaunce is bryght pleasant and full of mercye euen lyke vnto the sonne For he himselfe is the sonne of the worlde that is to saye the comfort delyght ioye and felicitie of all faithful And againe mighty stronge and rightuous in all his iudgementes towardes yâ— godlesse and wicked whiche he stampeth in peces and burneth them with fire that can neuer be quenched This same Iesus Christ our Lorde and sauiour is come againe from heauen with his lytle meke euangelycall booke namely with the newe testament in the whiche the olde is also comprehended This booke is contemptuous and of no estimacion vnto the sage wyse philosophers highe lerned doctors and pompous proude prelates in so muche that it was cleane lost out of the tempelles for a great space euen as it was in yâ— tyme of Ieremye the prophete beyng songe yearely in their monasteries colleges as their vowes and rules wherunto they were sworne required but without all maner of vnderstandynge or feruentnes of the spirite whiche should be sought and necessarilie required in holy scripture This boke dothe Christ bring â–ª being garnisshed not outwardly with golde siluer and precious stones for a face and a shewe onely so that no man can reade in it as thoughe it were sufficient onely to kysse it but he shal bring it open that euery man maye reade and vnderstaÌ„de it in their owne mother tong and also in all scholes where children are taught He it is that is come into this worlde and hath set his feete vpon al the earth and also in the Iles of the sea whiche were before vnknowen â–ª euen lyke as the true faithe also was which was readyly ioyfully receyued of them whiche before knewe nothing at all and were more ignorant and vnlearned than they that came from the grecians and Romaynes Whiche thing maye be vnderstanden by the left and the right foote And what maye better be vnderstanden by the loude voyce than the great noyse which the holy Byble maketh at suche tyme as it is spred abrode in all speches and tonges ouer hundrethes and thousandes of people in so short tyme to the great wonder and meruell of all faithfull and to the hyghe furtheraunce and edyfieng of the christen doctrine and of the knowledge of God and to the vtter confusion and feare of the whole diuilyshe and hellyshe flocke and congregacion euen as a Lyon of the stocke of Iuda And immediately therupon came vii thonders that is to saye the moost godly and christen interpreters of holy scripture were famous throughout the whole worlde as were these Ambrose Austen Ierom Gregory Cypriane Hylarie and diuerse other whiche in our tyme haue written and taught as excelleÌ„tly and profytablye in the churche and congregacion of Christ as euer they dyd These haue taught and brought into lyght the worde of God very purely and sincerely notwithstandyng whatsoeuer the schole writers and sophysters the pompous byshops and monkyshe mumry haue many yeres decreed dyuised to the contrary with their vncerten and vnstable doctrine fayned ceremonyes fonde tradicions newe strange articles of the faythe whiche haue no grounde in gods worde and cleane contrarye bothe to the vsage and also to the doctrine of the holy auncient fathers in the prymatiue churche And where it is nowe added that it shoulde not be written what these thonders spake let other vnderstande it as they wyll I thinke and coniecture that it is a prophecye of the noble and excellent gyfte of God yâ— science of Prynting geuen first vnto the Germaynes whiche were estemed the moost rude and barbarous people By and thorowe whome not onely the newe testament hath bene renewed interpreted translated euen out of the very naturall fountaine tong wherin it was wrytten but also the whole olde testament out of yâ— holy Hebrew tong Besydes this all these before named many other teachers and wryters of the holy churche went first out into the worlde and bothe with worde and deede noysed abrode the power of the gospell so that the renewynge therof can not be ascribed vnto those onely whiche preache and teache in our tyme but vnto the holy bysshops of the primatyue churche whiche preached and taught first of all throughout the whole christendome where as now all our bysshops for the moost parte are domme and blynde in all godly doctrine vtterly drowned in worldly pompe lustes pleasures and in all wicked dyssolutenes The texte ¶ And the Angell whiche I sawe stande vpon the sea vpon the earth lyfte vp his hande to heauen and sware by him that lyueth for euer more whiche created heauen the thinges that therin are and the sea and the thinges whiche therin are that there should be no lenger tyme but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shall begynne to blowe euen the mysterye of God shal be fynished as he preached by his seruauntes the prophetes Christe taketh anothe and sweareth by God his heauenly father euen with great earnest feruencye and holynes that the tyme of his glorious laste comminge to iudge all the worlde bothe quicke and dead is nowe alreadye nighe and at hande And whan the victorye that was prophecyed to be fulfylled of Antichrist which victorye the seuenth angel Christ him selfe or his spirite that was yet to come in Helyas before the last daye must blowe forth accordinge vnto his office were once past than
of god whan he seeth his tyme accordynge as the person place requireth And therfore they bathe receyued one rewarde of saluacion and remayned as it were immortall and are prophecied to come againe in spirite before the latter day of iudgement to resiste and confounde the wycked Antichrist and to heale with the oyle of lenitie suche as are apte to receyue it or els with the fyre of feruente zeale to confounde the wycked enemyes of god bothe with worde deade as Enoche and Elyas dyd by the commaundement and ordinaunce of god in their tyme whan they were vpon the wicked earth Lyke as also suche men might be founde in our tyme with their names writynges and doynges not in one place of the earth moued with the same spirite with the same worde and lyke zeale of god euery one after the gyfte of grace geuen vnto him Moued I saye by the holy goost of a godly mynde and lyke purpose as the nacions people persons and other circumstances required Against these and suche lyke frendes and ministers of god shall many greuous troubles be alwayes deuised and attempted by the wicked malignant churche bothe against their good name bodye lyfe and also against their goodes And they haue no nother refuge succour comforte helpe nor weapon to defende them with but the onely holy eternall and inuyncible worde of god in their mouthes and handes whiche confoundeth all their aduersaries and deadly enemyes whiche euen them selues the longer they mainteyne their euyll and naughtye cause the worse they make it tyll at length they shall vtterly confounde and destroy themselues But these .ii. ministers of the spirite of god workynge in loue and feruentnes with all softnes burnynge zeale lyke vnto Enoche and Elyas they haue power thorowe the spirite of god whiche worketh all thinges in his ministers to procure and obteyne of god grace and vengeaunce accordynge to their faith and zeale to the furtherauÌ„ce of goddes glorye and to the profite and reformacion of the faythfull christen churche as necessitie and conueniencie shall require Euen lyke as Elyas had ouer the water whan as thorowe his prayer he obteyned of god that it shoulde not rayne vpon earth for the space of three yeares And agayne also fyre from heauen against those that mocked and contemned his offyce and testymonie The texte ¶ And when they haue fynisshed their testimonye the beast that came out of the bottomlesse pyt shall make warre against them and shal ouercome them and kyl them And their bodyes shall lye in the stretes of the great citee whiche spiritually is called zodom and Egipte where our Lord was crucified And they of the people and kynredes and tonges and they of the nacions shall se their bodyes thre dayes and an halfe and shall not suffer their bodyes to be put in graues And they that dwel vpon the earthe shall reioyce ouer them and be glad shal sende gyftes one to another for these two prophetes vexed them that dwelt on the earth It hath alwayes from tyme to tyme bene well sene howe this beast hathe behaued hymselfe towarde the messagiers and ministers of god whiche were sent vnto them And specially vnder Achab and Manasses and suche lyke kynges and ydolatrous and hethenysshe priestes whiche serued false goddes whiche persecuted the faythfull ministers of God cursed and contemned them burnt and drowned them so farre as god permytted them Whiche thing was for the best vnto the persons that suffered suche thinges and for the synguler profyte of the faythfull churche and congregacion And yet for all their persecucion the doctrine and workynge of the faythfull was euer vpright and lyuely and their good and holy name with the commendacion of their godly feruent zeale was also wonderfully preserued to the vtter shame and confusioÌ„ of the abhomynable and terryble beast and all his members and lymmes As the examples of the whole world doe testifye and beare wynes And specially euen in our tyme and also the moost true and infallyble storye of the prouydence and of the holy worde of god This citie where Christ is dayly crucified is in figure and symilitude the citie of Ierusalem whiche for sheadyng of the bloude of his Apostles hath receyued her iust and due rewarde as she deserued and lykewyse the wycked churche corrupte and poysoned of Sathan wherin he beareth rule murtheringe the faythfull frendes of God and ministers of the gospell whose holy zeale and truth of God whiche they haue preached they coulde not nor woulde not suffer nor abyde vntyll they were alwayes at length confounded and vtterly destroyed Whiche thinge shall vndoubtedly happen also vnto them whiche doe resist and withstande all christen reformacion of the churche in their state and order Yea they see already before their eyes and smell the indignacion of god his terryble iudgement wherof they haue bene earnestly and faithfully warned but they were neuer affrayd nor abasshed of it At that tyme the holy seruauntes and ministers of god shall be fayne to suffer muche trouble euen the very bytter and moost slanderous death But at length whan all thinges shall be truly discussed all the worlde shall see and perceyue the true doctrine and belefe of the faithfull godly the impietie of the wycked obstinate blinde and vngodly infydels whiche woulde neuer beleue And thus fayth and truth in god shall haue the victorye The texte ¶ And after thre dayes and an halfe the spirite of lyfe from God entred into them And they stode vp vpon their fete and a great feare came vpoÌ„ al them that saw them And they hearde a great voyce from heauen sayinge vnto them Come vp hyther And they ascended vp into heauen in a cloude and their ennemyes sawe them And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the â—enth parte of the citie fell and in the earthquake were slayne names of men seuen M. and the remnaunt wer feared gaue glorye to the god of heauen The seconde woo is past and beholde the thirde woo wyll come anone Howe this beast with her members the wycked hethenyshe prelates and their sworne adherentes haue alwayes in our tyme for a long season cruelly dealt with the ministers of gods word and with the preachers of the truth of the moost sacred gospell it is playne and euident ynoughe at this day vnto all the world and thorowe the cronicles whiche shall be publyshed shall not be hydden vnto our posteritie how whan and by whome dyuerse godlye men haue bene persecuted and murthered and moost shamefully handeled of the spirituall prelates and their sworne adherentes onely for the true doctrine and faythes sake But an other tyme wyll come by the very iudgement and grace of god whan as these holy men and faythfull witnesses of Christ shall be had in hyghe honour and estimacion and shall bryng more to passe with their preaching writinges and monumentes whiche they left behynde them to the profyte and edificacion
of the churche and to the true vnderstandynge of the truth in all landes and nacions of the earth than euer they dyd in their lyfe tyme as it is euydent that it so happened vnto the holy prophetes and martirs And than shal all the wicked enemies and contemners of the worde of god and of Christes true religion treÌ„ble and feare the iudgement of god not vnworthely and they shall vndoutedly receiue their due rewarde that they haue deserued for the extreme cruelty whiche they haue shewed and declared against the faythfull ministers and seruauntes of God Whiche rewarde they shal receyue with feare tremblynge sorowe smart and paine despaire and with euerlasting shame and confusion folowing Whether any suche thinge hath hitherto or maye hereafter happen let euery true christen harte that trusteth in the mercye of god well consyder and wey by him selfe ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte ¶ And the seuenth angell blewe and there were made great voyces in heauen saying the kyngdoms of this worlde are our lordes and his Christes he shall raygne for euer more And the .xxiiii. elders whiche syt before God on their seates fell vpon their faces worshipped God sayinge we geue the thankes O Lorde God almightye which arte and wast and art to come for thou hast receaued thy great might and hast raigned And the nacions were angry and thy wrath is come and the tyme of the dead that they shoulde be iudges and that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the prophetes Sainctes and to them that feare thy name small and great and shouldest destroye them whiche destroye the earth AL this maye be well referred vnto the texte and vision that went before to this purpose that after all matters before mencioned once past there shoulde be an vniuersall godlynes and christen order eyther thorowe the generall preaching of the gospel thorow out yâ— who le world or els thorow the godly lyfe peace and felicitie whiche maye be at that tyme vpon earth As it is possible inoughe thorowe the grace of god and many good christen heartes doe trust and hope that it shall come to passe Or els it maye be vnderstande after the last iudgement of our sauiour Christ of the quietnes whiche shall than immediately folowe after the cruell persecucion of Antichrist as this blessed and comfortable angel preacheth and declareth with his trompet For sure it is that before the latter daye the kyngdome of Christ shall appeare and be receyued of all nacions and yles of the earth euen of the Iewes also whiche at length shal receyue knowledge of their errour and shall confesse their obstinacy and the wickednes of their belefe and conuersacion whaÌ„ they shall see the grace and knowledge of God manifestly reueled in all tongues and speches thorowe the holy worde of god and shal perceyue the kyngdome of Christ the true Messias not to consist in the strayght and narow corner of Canaan nor in the vnhappy citie of Ierusalem whiche is vnhappye by reason of the dyuision and vnquietnes that is in it but in the whole wyde worlde wherin shall be one onely felowshyp and congregacion of the seruauntes of the onely one and almyghtie god whom alone all the holy prophetes of whose faythe the Iewes haue alwayes made so highe boast haue honoured and praysed and lyke wyse the whole regiment and flocke of theirs and the whole worldes Messias and Sauiour whiche was before the creation of the worlde and hath appeared in the worlde in al humylite more than .xv. hundreth yeares almoost longer than the lawe of Moyses dyd endure and continue among the Iewes from the tyme of their delyueraunce out of Egipte vntyll the commynge of Christ whan he toke his manhode in the tyme of the reygne of Herode whan as their regiment and gouernaunce toke an ende What lyes soeuer they feyne of their lande and regyment in Vtopia whiche they name Caspâ—a wherof they must shortly be a shamed and holde their peace and confesse their deceyte falsehede presumpcion damnable lyes of their Talmude of all their false myserable blynde guydes and Rabbynes whose falsehede is nowe open and manyfest vnto all the worlde for as muche as their bokes are made common thorowe the benefyte of printynge vnto all men of learnynge and knowledge So that this myserable people as the holy apostle S. Paule prayeth hath that thing fulfylled vnto them whiche they hoped for and whiche was promysed of God in their tyme vnto their generacion Euen so maye it come to passe vpon earth and that right sone that the honour and glorye of the kyngdome of Christ and of God shall appeare which shal rule for a tyme vpon earth and after yâ— latter iudgement in heauen in euerlastynge blisse As than al holy patriarkes prophetes apostles and all the martirs that euer haue bene shall haue honour and glorye whiche they shall offre vp vnto the euerlastinge and very true God in the sight of all Goddes electe in euerlastinge blisse in yâ— kyngdome of God and of his Messias our sauiour Iesus Christ according to the doctrine of the infallyble moost true word of god But the wicked and vngodly heathen shall haue no part of this honour glorye and blisse but shall suffer and be damned euerlastingly in eternall wrath enuy hatred malyce and despayre For suche is the righteous iudgement of God ouer all men bothe quicke and deade good and bad Euery one shall be rewarded accordyng to his workes and desertes after the iust iudgement of almyghtye God without all maner of parcialytie or respecte of persons whether they be of high or lowe estimacion in the worlde whether they be riche or poore and of what lande or contrey so euer they be For than the holy and faithful shal receiue of Christ euerlasting saluacion for their trust faith and loue towarde God and contrarye wyse the wicked and vngodly tyrannes aduersaries persecutours of the faithfull seruantes of God for their obstinate blyndnes infydelitie and contemninge of Goddes holy wyll and worde shall peryshe for euer and shall remayne euerlastingly cursed and damned withal wicked spirites Thus farre as semeth vnto me doe the visions and prophecies reache that are hetherto past and mencioned in this boke But nowe that whiche foloweth is another reuelacion pertayning to an other tyme. For a man must not seeke any other order of yâ— scripture in this boke whiche is compact together of many and diuerse visions without any obserued order than in other writinges of the prophetes as they that are learned doe knowe well ynoughe The texte ¶ And the temple of god was opened in heauen and there was sene in his temple the arcke of his testament and there folowed lyghtnynges and voyces and thondrynge and earthquake and muche hayle Here might the .xii. chapter well begynne and these wordes myght be vnderstande and taken for a preparacion vnto the very glorious and newe reuelacioÌ„ which is nowe as I sayde before opened vnto
godlynes oppressours of the innocent frendes of God To be shorte all they whiche beare the marke token of the dragon of the beast whiche is infidelyte misbelefe in Christ lyke as faith in yâ— crucified Christ is the sure marke and token of al the electe These vnfaithfull must lyue eternally in the ponde of fyre and they shall be ponisshed vexed painfully with vnspeakeable sorowe and heuines euen yâ— deuel his seruaÌ„tes together And although some come out of this life with yâ— sworde without faith yet their damnacioÌ„ did begin here shal continue euerlastingly ¶ The .xx. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angell come downe from heauen hauynge the kaye of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hande And he toke the dragon that olde serpent whiche is the deuil and Satanas he bounde him a thousande yeares cast him into yâ— bottomlesse pit he bounde him and set a seale on him that he shoulde deceaue the people nomore tyl the thousande yeares were fulfylled And after that he must be loced for a lytell season THis chapter maye be taken as it wer for a rehersal of the visions reuelacions that were before mencioned And by the waie it describeth againe yâ— honour and maiestie of Christ of gods worde and the power of the holy gospell and the benefites of Christ addeth therunto the last iudgemeÌ„t of the deade whiche shall dye .ii. deathes This angel that commeth from heauen is Christ whiche shoulde come in to this worlde as was promised vnto the firste man in the beginnynge of the worlde that he shoulde treade the old serpent vpon the heade Whiche is nothing els but that he shoulde take his power from him whiche the iust and rightuous God hath suffered him to exercise againste man for the synne of the first dysobedience and transgression Whiche power Sathan hath alwayes exercised and practised with all wicked disceyte and dyuerse errours and specially with ydolatrye after the whiche doe folow blindnes and all maner of synnes This power hath Christ mightily and with force taken from Sathan the deuyll thorowe his rightuousnes and humblenes euen vntyll the crosse satisfieng for all the pryde transgression disobedience and vnfaithfulnes of Adam and Eue. And thus he hath bounde him with the chayne of his well deserued power that is to say hath hindered him of his proude tyrannye shameful wicked power against the faithful electe of god This band should indure a thousande yeares yâ— is to say a long tyme namely euen yâ— tyme of the right Christen faith which after yâ— saying of yâ— olde fathers should indure for .ii. thousande yeares but it is vncerten from what tyme men should begin to teken these yeares that the faith in this tyme should be sore assaulted whiche hath alwayes bene at this point euen in the tyme of yâ— Iewes in yâ— olde testameÌ„t and amoÌ„g gods owne people hath sometime increased and somtime fallen dedecaied And according therunto might SathaÌ„ exercise his power at some tyme more thaÌ„ at a nother And thus thorow Christ Sathan is alwaies bonde vnto the right faithfull But whan the faithe decayeth and goeth backewarde and the falsehede desceite and dysobedience of man increaseth so that gods word is more and more contemned and forsaken than dothe Sathans power increase againe as it hath ofte come to passe that he maye deceyue the people the heathen the vnfaithfull againe and so vse his power and tyranny againe as loÌ„g as there is lacke and want of true faithe in this worlde The texte ¶ And I sawe seates and they sat vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and I sawe the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Iesu and for the worde of God whiche had not worshipped the beast nether his ymage neyther had taken his marke vpon their forheades or on their handes and they lyued and raygned with Christ a M. yere but the other of the dead men lyued not againe vntyll the thousande yere were finysshed This is that first resurreccioÌ„ Blessed and holy is he that hath parte in the first resurreccion For on suche shall the seconde death haue no power but they shal be the Prestes of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousande yeres The seates to iudge Sathan and his companye are appointed of Christ vnto the holy apostles and vnto other electe the soules of them whiche for the lambes sake wer beheaded that is to say after diuers maners and fasshions put to death for the gospelles sake whiche woulde not make any oblacions vnto ydols nor false goddes nor woulde not worship the beast that is to saye Antichrist nor woulde not feare nor honour his ymage but dyd manfully fight for the holy gospell and for the true doctrine and religion of the Apostles All these shall haue seates in the kyngdome of Christ to iudge the whole companye and courte of Sathan and to conuince them of their wickednes blasphemies and damnable errours whiche shal be open and manifest vnto the worlde thorowe the gospel And this their condemnacion beyng openly and manifestly knowen and their godles tyrannye shall â–ª be their death from the whiche they shall not ryse vp againe tyll a thousande yeares be past This manifest iudgement victory and honour obteyned with Christ is vnto them the first resurreccion namely a great honour and felicitie not onely in heaueÌ„ with Christ but also vpon earth in the kingdom of Christ which he hath vpon earth with his spirite in the congregacion of the holy electe And they are happy and blessed and their lyfe is euerlasting both in the heuenly company and also in the holy churche congregacion of the faithful godly soules vpon earth For they are the most deare beloued the most acceptable and of highest reputacion with Christ the lord and kynge of heauen as right prestes and ministers ought to be amonge vs and they shall rule and reigne with Christe vnto the ende of the worlde vntyll the last daye of the latter iudgement and in the seconde resurreccion and vntil the last and eternall iudgement of the wicked and damned blasphemers The texte ¶ And when the thousande yeares are eâ—piâ—ed SathaÌ„ shal be losed out of his preson and shal go out to beceaue the people whiche are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog togather them together to battayle whose nombre is as yâ— sande of the see they went vp in the playne of yâ— earth and compassed the centes of the sainctes about the beloued citie And fire came downe from God out of heauen and deuoured them and the deuyll that deceaued them was cast into a lake of fyre and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet shal be tormented daye and night for euer more A lytle tyme before the last day shall Sathan obteyne power againe tyll the ende of the worlde and shal exercyse and practyse it and
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
am Iohn it is as muche to say as thus yf ye beleue my preaching of Christ in other matters because I am the same Iohn whiche was conuersaunte and lyued with Christ than beleue me in this booke also because of the visions syghtes and sayinges which I haue seene hearde my selfe and haue written in this booke And I knowe also and am assured that this angell was an holy angell and therfore I for feare and reuerence woulde haue worshipped him as a seruaunt and minister of God and I dyd also worship him and fell downe at his feete to worship him that I might seme to shewe thankefulnes vnto him for the infinite benefite and grace that he reueled and opened vnto me suche highe and holy secrete misteries But he woulde not accept and receyue suche honour and worship at my handes nor was not content therwith wherby I am taught that I should vtterly honour and worship none but onely the almighty God And althoughe the nature and dignitie of angels be higher than the state and dignite of man yet by the reason of the manhode of Christ and by the reason of the saluacion of mankynde thorowe Christ the nature of man is exalted aboue all angels And therfore from hence forthe the angell wyll not be hygher estemed than as a felowe seruaunt of all men vnto the lorde And lykewyse our sauiour Christ nameth himselfe a felow brother of his disciples and that also after the resurreccion And also the angel nameth Iohn in this place a brother and felow of yâ— apostles onely for this booke and sheweth how acceptable they are vnto the lorde namely reputed euen as the brethren of Christe whiche doe esteme this booke and beleue the wordes whiche are written therin And therfore no man ought to esteme this booke lightly nor to contemne it for as much as in many places it teacheth the misteries of Christ very euidentlye Althoughe in dyuerse thinges prophecied in this booke whiche haue not yet beue sene to be fulfylled because they concerne this tyme of ours the latter tyme it is somewhat darke and obscure The texte ¶ And he sayde vnto me seale not the sayinges of the prophecye of this boke For yâ— tyme is at hande He that doeth euyll let him do euil styll and he whiche is fylthye let him be fylthye styl and he that is righteous let him be more righteous and he that is holy let him be more holy And beholde I come shortly and my rewarde is with me to geue euery man according as his dedes shadie I am Alpha and Omega the begynnyng and the ende the first and the last Blessed are they that doe his commaundementes that theyr power maye be in the tree of lyfe and maye entre in thorowe the gates into the citie For without shal be dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers and murcherers and ydolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh leasynges In the olde testamente before the commynge of Christe the Prophetes were partly commaunded to seale their prophecyes for lyke as the fulfyllynge of suche thynges as were prophecyed and promised was fatte of euen so myght many dyuers opynyons be amonge the interpreters But here in this place the angell commaundeth Iohn that he should not seale the boke for as muche as suche matters as are prophecied therin shoulde be fulfylled very shortly As it is euydent that dyuerse of them were fulfylled immediately yea euen the great and notable vision of the subuersion and destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and of the death and banyshment of the Iewes was alreadye fulfylled for the whiche cause he dyd prophecy nothing of it but of dyuerse other thinges which were yet to come he dyd prophecye And therfore also after this booke he wrote his holy gospel of the godheade of Iesus Christ against certen heretikes And therfore he saieth the tyme is at hande for the whiche cause men must suffer the wicked to worke accordynge vnto their wickednes for they shall not practyse it long Men must suffer the wicked Iewes and hethen whiche so wylfullye and maliciouslye doe noye and persecute the faithfull christians to take theyr pleasure Let the false apostles heretikes and hipocrites whiche pretende great holynes althoughe they be shamefully defyled as well inwardly as out wardlye let them remayne defyled and wicked it shall shortely haue an ende the iudgement of God hangeth ouer their heades But he that doeth well and rightlye nedeth not to feare the iudgement and comming of Christ He that is holy thorowe true faithe and loue towarde Christ the same desiereth ernestly from day to daye the commynge of Christ vnto the last and generall iudgement And as sone as he seeth any of those tokens happen which haue any lykelyhode of the approchinge of the end of the worlde and whiche shoulde come to passe before than he lyfteth vp his heade and sygheth and wysheth for the commynge of Christ most desierously that he might be sone rid and delyuered from yâ— myserp and wretchednes of this worlde But now thou Iohn marke and take good hede I wyll come shortly and bringe the rewarde with me for al them that haue laboured and done eyther good or euyll For the tyrannes and workers of iniquite wyll I punyshe with dystresse plages and all other blasphemers lykewyse I am the begynnynge of all thinges I haue created the worlde because I am the worde by the whiche God hath created all thinges And I am also the end for the last daye shall be my daye whan as I shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade They performe and doe gods commaundementes which in true faith and loue indeuour themselues with al diligence to doe the wil and pleasure of God with holy workes vertuous exercises whansoeuer they haue any trouble or a ouersite than they call and praye vnto god for grace and mercye for Christes sake whose rightuousnes they take for the oblacion and ransome for their synnes offerynge vp vnto him the sacrifice of thankesgeuynge with a true and perfyte faythe in the mercye of God thorowe Christ Iesus Suche true faithfull men are lyke vnto a frutefull tree that begynneth to budde out whiche in due tyme bryngeth furthe muche fruite And suche true faithfull beleuers can onely enter thorowe faythe into the Christen churche here vpon earthe and whan the tyme commeth they shall also enter in to the heauenly churche But the vnfaithfull doe shewe and declare also theyr frutes of all wyckednes and fleshely lustes wherin they defyle them selues euen lyke swyne and become shameles in theyr synnes lyke very dogges For the whiche cause they can not enter in to the righte christen churche and congregation neyther sorcerers inchanters whoremongers murtherers worshippers of ydols nor any suche as make lyes of malyce and of an euyll conscience The texte ¶ I Iesus sent myne angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the congregacions I am the rote and the generacion of Dauid and the bright mornynge starâ—e And