vvhere he is called the man of sinne Againe he must be one particular person not a nūber a succession or vvhole order of any degree of men because his proper name and the particular number and the characters thereof be though obscurely insinuated Vvhich reproueth the vvicked vanitie of Heretikes that vvould haue Christs ovvne Vicars the successors of his cheese Apostle yea the vvhole order of them for many ages together to be this Antichrist Vvho by his description here and in the said Epistle to the Thessalonians must be one special man and of a particular proper name as our Lord IESVS is And vvhosoeuer he be these Protestants vndoubtedly are his precursors for as they make his vvay by ridding avvay Christs images crosse and name so they excedingly promote the matter by taking avvay Christs cheefe minister that al may be plaine for Antichrist If the Pope had been Antichrist and had been reuealed novv a good many yeres sithence as these fellovves say he is to them then the number of this name vvould agree to him and the prophecie being novv fulfilled it vvould euidently appeare that he bare the name and number here noted for no doubt vvhen lie commeth this count of the letters or number of his name vvhich before is so hard to knovv wil be easie for he will set vp his name in euery place euē as we faithful men do novv aduance IESVS And vvhat name proper or appellatiue of al or any of the Popes do they finde to agree vvith this number notvvithstanding they boast that they haue found the vvhole order and euery of them these thousand yeres to be Antichrist and the rest before euen from S. Peter forevvorkers tovvard his kingdom 1◠The number 666. Forasmuch as the auncient expositors and other do thinke for certaine knowledge thereof no mortal mā can haue vvithout an expresse reuelatiō that his name cōsisteth of so many such letters in Greeke as according to their maner of numbering by the Alphabete make 666 and forasmuch as the letters making that number may be found in diuers names both proper common as S. Irenaeus findeth them in Latinos and Teitan Hippolytus in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aretas in Lampetis some of this age in Ludérus vvhich vvas Luthers name in the Alman tōgue therfore vve see there can be no certaintie and euery one frameth and applieth the letters to his ovvne purpose and most absurd folly it is of the Heretikes to applie the vvord Latinos to the Pope neither the vvhole order in common nor euer any particular Pope being so called and S. Irenaeus the first that obserued it in that vvord applied it to the Empire and state of the Romane Emperour vvhich then vvas Heathen and not to the Pope of his daies or after him and yet preferred the vvord Teitan as more agreable vvith this admonition that it vvere a very perilous and presumptuous thing to define any certaintie before hand of that number and name And truely vvhatsoeuer the Protestants presume herein of the Pope vve may boldly discharge Luther of that dignitie He is vndoubtedly one of Antichrists precursors but not Antichrist him self CHAP. XIIII 2 Virgins follovv the Lambe vvhithersoeuer singing a nevv canticle 6. One Angel Euangelizeth the Gospel 8 an other Angel telleth the fall of Babylon 9 the third declareth their tormants that haue adored the beast Moreouer tvvo hauing sickles 15 one of them is commaunded to reape dovvne the corne 18 the other to gather the grapes as in vintage vvhich are troden in the lake of Gods vvrath verse 1 AND I looked behold a Lābe stoode vpon mount Sion and vvith him an hundred fourtie foure thousand hauing his name and the name of his Father vvritten in their foreheads ✠verse 2 And I heard a voice from heauen as the voice of many vvaters and as the voice of great thunder and the voice vvhich I heard as of harpers harping on their harpes ✠verse 3 And they sang as it vvere a nevv song before the seate and before the foure beastes and the seniors and no man could say ' the song but those hundred fourtie foure thousand that vvere bought from the earth ✠verse 4 These are they vvhich were not defiled vvith vvomen For they are virgins These folovv the Lambe vvhithersoeuer he shal goe These vvere bought from among men the first fruites to God and the Lambe ✠verse 5 and in their mouth there vvas found no lie for they are vvithout spot before the throne of God ⊢ ✠verse 6 And I savv an other Angel flying through the middes of heauen hauing the eternal Gospel to euāgelize vnto them that sit vpon the earth and vpon euery nation and tribe tōge people ✠verse 7 saying vvith a loud voice Feare our Lord and giue him honour because the houre of his iudgement is come and adore ye him * that made heauen and earth the sea and al things that are in them and the fountaines of vvaters ✠verse 8 And an other Angel folovved saying * Fallen fallen is that great Babylon vvhich of the vvine of the vvrath of her fornication made al nations to drinke ✠verse 9 And the third Angel folovved them saying vvith a loud voice If any man adore the beast and his image and receiue the character in his forehead or in his hand ✠verse 10 he also shal drinke of the vvine of the vvrath of God vvhich is mingled vvith pure vvine in the cuppe of his vvrath and shal be tormented vvith fire brimstone in the sight of the holy Angels and before the sight of the Lambe ✠verse 11 and the smoke of their tormentes shal ascend for euer euer neither haue they rest day and night vvhich haue adored the beast and his image and if any man take the character of his name ✠verse 12 Here is the patience of sainctes vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and the faith of IESVS ✠verse 13 And I heard a voice from heauen saying to me Vvrite Blessed are the dead which die in our Lord. ″ from hence forth novv saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours for their vvorkes folow them ✠verse 14 And I savv and behold a vvhite cloude and vpon the cloude one sitting like to the Sonne of man hauing on his head a crovvne of gold and in his hand a sharpe sickle ✠verse 15 And an other Angel came forth from the temple crying vvith a loud voice to him that sate vpon the cloude * Thrust in thy sickle and reape because the houre is come to reape for the haruest of the earth is drie ✠verse 16 And he that sate vpon the cloude thrust his sickle into the earth and the earth vvas reaped ✠verse 17 And an other Angel came forth from the temple vvhich is in heauē him self also hauing a sharpe sickle
vnavvares mangle the GOSPEL it self in the principal partes thereof yea rather vve shal abridge the very preaching of the Gospel and bring it to a bare name THE SVMME OF THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT which was the summe of the Old Testament to wit Christ and his Church as S. Augustine saith catechizing the ignorant the very same is the summe of the New Testament also For as the same S. Augustine saith againe In the Old Testament there is the occultation of the New and in the New Testament there is the manifestation of the Old And in another place In the Old doth the New lye hidden and in the New doth the Old lye open And thervpon our Sauiour said I am not come to breake the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them For assuredly I say vnto you til heauen and earth passe one iote or one title shall not passe of the Law till all be fulfilled In vvhich vvordes he shevveth plainely that the nevv Testament is nothing els but the fulfilling of the old Therfore to come to the partes The Gospels doe tell of Christ himselfe of vvhom the Old Testamēt did foretell and that euen from his coming into the vvorld vnto his going out therof againe The Actes of the Apostles doe tell of his Church beginning at Hierusalem the headcitie of the Ievves and of the propagation therof to the Gentiles and their headcitie Rome And the Apocalypse doth prophecie of it euen to the consummation therof which shal be in the end of the world The Epistles of the Apostles do treat partly of such questions as at that time were moued partly of good life and good order The Summe of the 4 Gospels THe Gospels doe tell historically the life of our Lord Iesus shevving plainely that he is Christ or the king of the Ievves vvhom vntil then al the time of the Old Testament they had expected and vvithal that they of their ovvne mere malice and blindnes the iniquitie beginning of the Seniors but at the length the multitude also consenting vvould not receaue him but euer sought his death vvhich for the Redemption of the vvorld he at length permitted them to compasse they deseruing thereby most iustely to be refused of him and so his Kingdom or Church to be taken avvay from them and giuen to the Gentils For the gathering of vvhich Church after him he chooseth Tvvelue and appointeth one of them to be the cheefe of al vvith instructions both to them and him accordingly The storie hereof is vvritten by foure vvho in Ezechiel and in the Apocalypse are likened to foure liuing creatures euery one according as his booke beginneth S. Matthevv to a Man because he beginneth vvith the pedegree of Christ as he is man S. Marke to a Lion because he beginneth vvith the preaching of S. Iohn Baptist as it vvere the roaring of a lion in the vvildernes S. Luke to a Calfe because he beginneth vvith a priest of the Old Testament to vvit Zacharie the father of S. Iohn Baptist vvhich Priesthood vvas to sacrifice calues to God S. Iohn to an Egle because he beginneth vvith the Diuinitie of Christ flying so high as more is not possible The first three do report at large vvhat Christ did in Galilee after the imprisonment of S. Iohn Bapist Vvherefore S. Iohn the Euangelist vvriting after them all doth omit his doinges in Galilee saue onely one vvhich they had not vvritten of the vvonderful bread vvhich he told the Capharnaites he could and vvould giue Io. 6. and reporteth first vvhat he did vvhiles Iohn Baptist as yet vvas preaching and baptizing then after Iohns imprisoning vvhat he did in Iurie euery yere about Easter But of his Passion all foure do vvrite at large Vvhere it is to be noted that from his baptizing vvhich is thought to haue been vpon Tvvelfthday vvhat time he was beginning to be about 30 yere old Luk. 3. vnto his passion are numbred three monethes and three yeres in vvhich there vvere also 4 Easters The argument of S. Matthewes Gospel S. Matthevves Gospel may be vvell diuided into fiue partes The first parte as touching the Infancie of our Lord Iesus Chap. 1 and 2. The second of the preparation that vvas made to his manifestation chap. 3. and a piece of the 4. The third of his manifesting of him selfe by preaching and miracles and that in Galilee the other piece of the 4. chap. vnto the 19. The fourth of his comming into Iurie tovvard his Passion chap. 19. and 20. The fifth of the Holy vveeke of his Passion in Hierusalem chap. 21 vnto the end of the booke Of S. Matthew vve haue Mat. 9. Mar. 2. Lu. 5 How being before a Publican he vvas called of our Lord and made a Disciple Then Luk. 6. Mar. 3. Mat. 10 Hovv out of the vvhole number of the Disciples he vvas chosen to be one of the tvvelue Apostle And out of them againe he vvas chosen and none but he and S Iohn to be one of the foure Euangelistes Among vvhich foure also he vvas the first that vvrote about 8 or 10 yeres after Christes Ascension THE HOLY GOSPEL OF IESVS CHRIST ACCORDING TO MATTHEW CHAP. I. The pedegree of Iesus to shew that he is Christ promised to ⸬ Abraham and Dauid 18. That he was conceiued and borne of a Virgin as Esay prophecied of him verse 1 THE booke of the generation of IESVS Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham ✠verse 2 Abraham begat Isaac And Isaac begat Iacob And Iacob begat Iudas and his brethren ✠verse 3 And Iudas begat Phares and Zaram of ″ Thamer And Phares begat Esron And Esron begat Aram. ✠verse 4 And Aram begat Aminadab And Aminadab begat Naasson And Naasson begat Salmon ✠verse 5 And Salmon begat Booz of Raab And Booz begat Obed of Ruth And Obed begat lesse ✠verse 6 And lesse begat Dauid the King And Dauid the King begat Salomon of her that was the vvife of Vrias ✠verse 7 And Salomon begat Roboam And Roboam begat Abia. And Abia begat Asa ✠verse 8 And Asa begat Iosaphat And Iosaphat begat Ioram And Ioram begat Ozias ✠verse 9 And Ozias begat Ioatham And Ioatham begat Achaz And Achaz begat Ezechias ✠verse 10 And Ezechias begat Manasses And Manasses begat Amon. And Amon begat Iosias ✠verse 11 And Iosias begat Iechonias his brethren in the Transmigration of Babylon ✠verse 12 And after the Transmigration of Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel And Salathiel begat Zorobabel ✠verse 13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud And Abiud begat Eliacim And Eliacim begat Azor. ✠verse 14 And Azor begat Sadoc And Sadoc begat Achim And Achim begat Eliud ✠verse 15 And Eliud begat Eleazar And Eleazar begat Mathan And Mathan begat Iacob ✠verse 16 And Iacob begat ″ Ioseph the ″ husband of MARIE of vvhom vvas borne IESVS vvho is called
tvvo vvordes more then is in the Greeke which though it might be the sense of the place and S. Augustine so expoundeth it yet they should not make his exposition the text of holy Scripture specially vvhereas he only of al the auncient fathers as Beza confesseth so expoundeth it 33. Wrought iustice Men are not iust by beleefe onely as the Protestants affirme but by vvorking iustice And vve may note that in all this long commendation of faith in the fathers and holy persons their good vvorkes are also specially recounted as Rahabs harbouring the spies Abrahams offering his sonne vvhich their vvorkes S. Iames doth inculcate Noâ—s making the Arke Gen. 6. Abels better oblation then Cains Gen. 4. Hebr. 11. v. 4. and so forth therfore S. Clement Alexandrinus saith that the said persons and others vvere lust by saith and obedience by faith and hospitality by faith and patience by faith and humility The Apostles purpose then is nothing els but to proue to the Hebrues vvho made so great account of their Patriarches and forefathers and their famous actes that all these glorious personages and their vvorkes vvere commendable and acceptable onely through the faith they had of Christ vvithout vvhich faith none of all their liues and vvorkes should haue profited them any vvhit the Gentiles doing many noble actes as Heretikes may also doe vvhich are of no estimatioÌ„ before God because they lacke faith And that is the scope of S. Paules Epistle to the Romanes and of al other passages vvhere he commendeth faith further prouing specially in this Epistle to the Hebrues that all their sacrifices vvere nothing els but figures and attestations of the Christian faith in Christ and his death Al vvhich high resolution conclusion against the Ievves and Gentiles that the Christian faith is the true faith religion the Heretikes of our time ignorantly and brutishly abuse against Christian vvorkes sacrifice and Sacraments vvhich the Apostle meant specially to commend and establish by his high commendation of the faith in Christ 40. Without vs should not The fathers before Christ could not be accomplished that is not admitted to the heauenly ioyes vision and fruition of God till the Apostles and other of the nevv lavv vvere associate to them and the vvay to euerlasting glorie opened by our Lordes death and Ascension Neither shal either they or vve be fully perfected in glorie both of body and soul till the general resurrection Gods prouidence being so that vve should not one be consummated vvithout an other all being of one faith and redeemed by one Lord Christ CHAP. XII By the foresaid examples he exhorteth them to patience 2 and by example of Christ him self crucified 5 and because this discipline it an argument that they be Gods children 9 vvith vvhâ—se rodde they should be much more content then vvish that of their carnal fathers and because it bringeth iustification 12 Exhorting them therfore to plucke vp their hartes and to take faster footing 18 considering that all bring novv so svveete and not terrible as in the old Testament their damnation if they refuse to heare vvil be so much the greater verse 1 AND therfore vve also hauing so great a cloud of vvitnesses put vpon vs * laying avvay al vveight and sinne that compasseth vs by patience let vs runne to the fight proposed vnto vs ✠verse 2 looking on the author of faith and the consummator IESVS vvho ioy being proposed vnto him sustained the crosse contemning confusion and sitteth on the right hand of the seate of God ✠verse 3 For thinke diligently vpon him vvhich sustained of sinners such contradiction against him self that you be not vvearied fainting in your mindes ✠verse 4 For you haue not yet resisted vnto bloud repugning against sinne ✠verse 5 and you haue forgotten the consolatioÌ„ vvhich speaketh to you as it vvere to children saying My sonne neglect not the discipline of our Lord neither â—e thou vvearied vvhiles thou art rebuked of him ✠verse 6 For vvhom our Lord loueth he chasteneth and â— he scourgeth euery childe that he receiueth ✠verse 7 Perseuêre ye in discipline As vnto children doth God offer him self to you for vvhat sonne is there vvhom the father doth not correct ✠verse 8 But if you be vvithout discipline vvhereof al be made partakers then are you bastards not children ✠verse 9 Moreouer the fathers in deede of our flesh vve had for instructors and vve did reuerence them shal vve not much more obey the Father of spirites liue ✠verse 10 And they in deede for a time of fevv daies according to their vvil instructed vs but he to that vvhich is profitable in receiuing of his sanctification ✠verse 11 And al discipline for the present certes seemeth not to be of ioy but of sorovv but aftervvard it vvil render to them that are exercised by it most peaceable fruite of iustice ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause stretch vp the slacked handes and the loose knees ✠verse 13 and make straight steppes to your feete that no man halting erre but rather be healed ✠verse 14 * Folovv peace vvith al men and holinesse vvithout vvhich no man shal see God ✠verse 15 looking diligently lest any man be vvanting to the grace of God lest any roote of bitternes springing vp do hinder and by it many be polluted ✠verse 16 Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau * vvho for one dish of meate sold his first-birth-rightes ✠verse 17 For knovv ye that aftervvard also desiring to inherite the benediction he vvas reprobated * for â— he found not place of repeÌ„tance although vvith teares he had sought it ✠verse 18 For you are not come to * a palpable mount and an accessible'fire and vvhirlevvinde and darkenes and storme ✠verse 19 and the souÌ„d of trompet voice of vvordes vvhich they that heard excused them selues that the vvord might not be spokeÌ„ to them ✠verse 20 for they did not heare that which was said And if a beast shal touche the mount it shal be stoned ✠verse 21 And so terrible vvas it vvhich vvas seen Moyses said I am frighted and tremble ✠verse 22 But you are come to mount Sion and the citie of the liuing God heauenly Hierusalem and the assemblie of many thousand Angels ✠verse 23 the Church of the first-borne vvhich are vvritten in the heauens and the iudge of all God and the spirites of the iust made perfect ✠verse 24 and the mediator of the nevv Testament IESVS and the sprinkling of bloud speaking better then * Abel ✠verse 25 See that you refuse him not speaking for if they escaped not refusing him that spake vpon the earth much more vve that turne avvay from him speaking to vs from heauen ✠verse 26 Vvhose voice moued the earth then but novv he promiseth
conuersations and godlinesses ✠verse 12 expecting and hasting vnto the coÌ„ming of the day of our Lord by vvhich the heauens burning shal be resolued and the elementes shal melt vvith the heate of fire ✠verse 13 But vve expect * nevv heauens and a nevv earth according to his promises in vvhich iustice inhabiteth ✠verse 14 For the vvhich cause my deerest expecting these things labour earnestly to be found immaculate and vnspotted to him in peace ✠verse 15 and * the longanimitie of our Lord do ye account saluation as also our most deere brother Paul according to the vvisdom giuen him hath vvritten to you ✠verse 16 as also in al epistles speaking in them of these things in the vvhich are â— certaine things hard to be vnderstoode vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable depraue as also the rest of the Scriptures to their ovvne perdition ✠verse 17 You therfore brethreÌ„ foreknovving take heede lest ledde aside by the errour of the vnwise you fal away from your owne stedfastnes ✠verse 18 but grovv in grace and in knovvledge of our Lord and sauiour IESVS Christ To him be glorie both novv and vnto the day of eternitie Amen ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III. 16. Certaine things hard This is a plaine text to conuince the Protestants vvho as al heretikes lightly doe and did from the beginning say the Scriptures be easie to vnderstand and therfore may be not onely read safely but also expounded boldly of al the people as vvel vnlearned as learned and consequently euery one by him self and his priuate spirit vvithout respect of the expositions of the learned fathers or expectation of the Churches their Pastors and Prelates iudgment may determine and make choise of such sense as him self liketh or thinketh agreable For this is partly their saying partly the necessarie sequele of their folish opinion vvhich admitteth nothing but the bare Scriptures And Luther said that the Scriptures vvere more plaine then al the fathers commentaries and so al to be superfluous but the Bible Praâ—fat assert art damnat Against al vvhich Diuelish seditious arrogaÌ„cie tending to make the people esteeme them selues learned or sufficient vvithout their Pastors and spiritual rulers helpe to guide them selues in al matters of doctrine doubtes in religion the holy Apostle here telleth and forevvarneth the faithful that the Scriptures be ful of difficultie specially S. Paules epistles of al other partes of holy vvrite and that ignorant men â—ad vnstable or phaÌ„tastical fellovves puffed to fro vvith euery blast of doctrine and haeresie abuse peruert and misconster them to their ovvne damnation And S. Augustine saith that the special difficulty in S. Paules epistles vvhich ignorant and euil men do so peruert and vvhich S. Peter meaneth is his hard speache and much commendation of that faith vvhich he saith doth iustifie vvhich the ignorant euen from the Apostles time and much more novv haue and do so misconster as though he had meant that onely faith vvithout good vvorkes could iustifie or saue a man Against vvhich vvicked collection and abuse of S. Paules vvordes the said father faith al these Canonical or Catholike epistles vvere vvritten But the Haeretikes here to shift of the matter and to creepe out after their fashion ansvver that S. Peter saith not S. Paules epistles be hard but that many things in them are hard Vvhich may be to the Catholikes an example of their sophistical euasions from the euidence of Gods vvord As though it vvere not al one to say Such an author or vvriter is hard and There be many things in that vvriter hard to be vnderstood For vvhether it be that the argument and matter be high and past vulgar capacitie as that of praedestination reprobation vocation of the Gentiles and iustifying faith or vvhether his manner of stile and vvriting be obscure al proue that his epistles be hard and other Scriptures also because S. Peter here affirmeth that by reason of the difficulties in them vvhether in the style or in the depth of the matter the ignorant and vnstable such as Heretikes be do peruert his vvritings as also other Scriptures to their ovvne damnation Vvhereby it is plaine that it is a very dangerous thing for such as be ignorant or for vvilde vvitted fellovves to reade the Scriptures For such conditioned men be they that become Heretikes and through ignorance pride and priuate phantasie meeting vvith hard places of S. Paules epistles or other Scriptures breede Haeresies And that not onely the things treated of in the holy Scriptures but also that the very manner of vvriting and enditing thereof is high and hard and purposely by Gods prouidence appointed to be vvritten in such sort see S. Augustine li. 2 de doct Christ c. 6. and ep 119. S. Ambrose ep 44 in principio S. Hierom to Paulinus ep 103 c. 5. 6. 7. vvho also ep 65. c. 1. saith that in his old age vvhen he should rather haue taught then be taught he vvent as far as Alexandria onely to heare Didymus and to haue his helpe for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures and confesseth vvith great thankes to the said Didymus that he learned of him that vvhich before he knevve not Dauid saith Giue me vnderstanding and I vvil searche thy lavv The Eunuch in the Actes said Hovv can I vnderstand vvith out an interpreter The Apostles til Christ opened their sense to vnderstand the scriptures could not vnderstand them The holy Doctors by continual studie vvatching fasting and praying had much a doe to vnderstand them that great clerke S. Augustine coÌ„fessing in the foresaid epistle 119. c. 21. that there vvere many moe things that he vnderstood not then that he vnderstood The Heretikes say the fathers did commonly erre and hovv could such great vvise learned men be deceiued in reading and expounding the Scriptures if they vvere not hard and if they vvere hard to them hovv are they easie to these nevv maisters the Haeretikes finally vvhy do they vvrite so many nevv glosses scholâ—es commentaries as a cart cannot carrie Vvhy do Luther Zuinglius Caluin and their Companions agree no better vpon the interpretation of the Scriptures if they be not hard vvhereat stumbled al the old heretikes the nevv Arîus Macedonius Vigilantius Nestorius Eutyches Berengarius Vvicleffe Protestants Puritanes Anabaptists and the rest but at the hardnes of the Scriptures They be hard then to vnderstand and Heretikes peruert them to their ovvne damnation THE ARGVMENT OF S. IOHNS THREE EPISTLES OF S. Iohn vvas said in the Argument before his Gospel Novv here folovv his three Epistles one to al Catholikes though some auncients do cal it Ad Parthos the other tvvo being very short vnto a certaine Ladie to one Gaius The effect of al is to vvitnes vnto them the certaintie of the Catholike faith and to exhort them to continue still in it also to loue the Catholike Church and so neither to become heretikes
euery one of them one and it vvas said to them that they should rest yet a litle time ″ til their fellovv-seruaÌ„tes be complete and their brethren that are to be slaine euen as they ✠verse 12 And I savv vvhen he had opened the sixt seale and behold there vvas made a great earth-quake and the sunne became blacke as it vvere sacke cloth of heare and the vvhole moone became as bloud ✠verse 13 and the starres from heauen fel vpoÌ„ the earth as the figge tree casteth her greene figges when it is shaken of a great vvinde ✠verse 14 and heauen departed as a booke folded together and euery hil and ilandes vvere moued out of their places ✠verse 15 And the kinges of the earth princes and tribunes and the riche and the strong and euery bond-man and free-man * hid them selues in the dennes and the rockes of mountaines ✠verse 16 And they say to the mountaines and the rockes * Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe ✠verse 17 because the great day of their wrath is come and vvho shal be able to stand ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 9. Vnder the altar Christ as man no doubt is this altar vnder vvhich the soules of al Martyrs liue in heauen expecting their bodies as Christ their head hath his body there already And for correspondence to their place of state in heauen the Church saieth commonly their bodies also or relikes neere or vnder the altars vvhere our Sauiour body is offered in the holy Masse and hath a special prouiso that no altars be erected or consecrated vvithout some part of a Saincts body or relikes Conâ— Asrican can 50. Carthag 5. can 14. See S. Hierom cont vigilant c. 3. S. Augustine de ciuit li. 8. c. 27. S. Gregorie li. 5. ep 50. li. 1. ep 52. li. 2 ep 58. Vvher vnto the Prophet seemeth here to allude making their soules also to haue their being in heauen as it vvere vnder the altar But for this purpose note vvel the vvordes of S. Augustine or vvhat other auncient writer soeuer vvas the author thereof Ser. 11 de Sanctis Vnder the altar saith he of God I savv the soules of the slaine What is more reuerent or honorable then to rest vnder that altar on vvhich sacrifice is done to God and in vvhich our Lord is the Priest as it is vvritten Thou art a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec Rightly do the soules of the iust rest vnder the altar because vpon the altar our Lordes body is offered neither vvithout cause do the iust there call for reuenge of their bloud vvhere also the bloud of Christ is shed for sinners and many other goodly vvordes to that purpose This place also the vvicked heretike Vigilantius as S. Hierom vvriting against him vvitnesseth c. 2 abused to proue that the soules of Martyrs and other Saincts vvere included in some certaine place that they could not be present at their bodies and monuments vvhere Christian people vsed in the primitiue Church to pray vnto them as Catholike men doe yet nor be vvhere they list or vvhere men pray vnto them To vvhich the holy doctor ansvvereth at large that they be vvheresoeuer Christ is according to his humanitie for vnder that altar they be Part of his vvordes be these that you may see hovv this blessed father refuted in that Heretike the Caluinistes so long before they vvere borne Dcst thou saith he presâ—â—ribe savves to God Doest thou feâ—ter the Apostles that they may be kept in prison til the day of iudgement and be kept from their Lord of vvhom it is vvritten They folovv the Lambe vvhither soeuer he goeth If the Lambe be in euery place then they that he vvith the Lambe must be euery vvhere And if the diuel and vvicked spirites gadding abrode in the vvorld vvith passing celeritie be present euery vvhere shal holy Martyrs after the sheading of their bloud be kept close vnder an altar that they can not sturre out from thence So ansvvereth this learned doctor Vvhich misliketh our Caluinistes so much that they charge him of great errour in that he saith Christ according to his humanitie is euery vvhere as though he vvere an Vbiquetarie Protestant Vvhere if they had any iudgement they might perceiue that he meaneth not that Christ or his Saincts should be personally present at once in euery place alike as God is but that their motion speede and agilitie to be vvhere they list is incomparable and that their povver and operation is accordingly vvhich they may learne to be the holy doctors meaning by the vvordes that folovv of the Diuel and his ministers vvhoÌ„ he affirmeth to be euery vvhere no othervvise but by their exceding celeritie of being and vvorking mischeefe novv in one place novv in an other and that in a moment For though they be spirites yet are they not euery vvhere at once according to their essence And for our nevv Diuines it vvere a hard thing to determine hovv long Satan that told our Lord he had circuited the earth vvas in his iourney and in the particular consideration and tentation of Iob and hovv many men he assaulted in that his one circuite No no. such curious companions knovv nothing nor beleeue nothing but that they see vvith corporal eies and teach nothing but the vvay to infidelitie 10. And they cried S. Hierom also against the said Vigilantius reporteth that he vsed an argument against the praiers of Saincts out of this place for that these Martyrs cried for reuenge and could not obtaine But vve vvil report his vvordes that you may see how like one heretike is to an other these of our daies to those of old Thou saiest in thy booke saith S. Hierom c. 3. that vvhiles vve be aliue one of vs may pray for an other but after vve be dead no mans praier shal be heard for an other specially seing the Martyrs asking reuenge of their bloud could not obtaine So said the Heretike Against vvhich the holy Doctor maketh a long refuâ—ation prouing that they pray much more after they be in heauen then they did here in earth and that they shal be much sooner heard of God then vvhen they vvere in the vvorld But for the Heretikes argument framed out of these vvordes of the Apocalypse thus These Martyrs did not obtaine 〈◊〉 Saincts do not pray for vs it vvas so friuolous and the antecedent so manifestly false that he vouchsaued not to stand about it For it is plaine that the Martyrs here vvere heard and that their petition should be fulfilled in time appointed by God vvherevnto they did and do alvvaies conforme them selues for it vvas said vnto them That they should rest yet a litle time til c. And that Martyrs praiers be heard in this case our Sauiour testifieth Luc 18 saying And vvil not God reuenge
the Diuels binding Yea it is to make Antichrist and the Diuel vveaker tovvard the day of iudgement then before and the truth better to be knovven and the faith more common the neerer vve come to the same iudgement vvhich is expresly * against the Gospel and this prophecie of S. Iohn Vve see that the sectes of Luther Caluin and other be more spred through the vvorld then they vvere euer before and consequently the Pope and his religion lessened and his povver of punishing or as they call it persecuting the said Sectaries through the multitude of his aduersaries diminished How then is the Pope Antichrist Whose force shal be greater at the later end of the vvorld then before or how can it be othervvise but these Sectâ—Maisters should be Antichrists neere precursors that make Christs cheefe Ministers the Churches cheefe gouelnours that haue been these thousand yeres and more to be Antichristes â— and them selues and their sectes to be true that come so neere the time of the Diuels loosing and seduction of the personal reigne of Antichrist 8. The campe of the Saincts S. Augustine in the said 20 booke de Cluiâ— Dei cap. 11. It is not saith he to be taken that the persecutors shal gather to any place as though the campe of the saincts or the beloued citie should be but in one place vvhich in deede are no other thing but the Church of Christ spred through the vvhole vvorld And therfore vvheresoeuer the Church shal then be vvhich shal be in al Nations euen them for so much is insinuated by this latitude of the earth here specified there shal the tents of saincts be and the beloued citie of God and there shal she be besieged by al her enemies vvhich shal be in euery countrie vvhere she is in most cruel and forcible sort So vvriteth this profound holy Doctor Vvhereby vve see that as novv the particular Churches of England Scotland Flanders and such like be persecuted by their enemies in those countries so in the time of Antichrist the Churches of al Nations as of Italie Spaine France and al other vvhich novv be quiet shal be assaulted as novv the foresaid are and much more for that the general persecution of the vvhole shal be greater then the particular persecution of any Churches in the vvorld 9. There came dovvne a fire It is not meant of the fire of Hel saith S. Augustine ib. c. 12 into which the vvicked shal be cast after the resurrection of their bodies but of an extraordinarie helpe that God vvil send from heauen to giue succourse to the Saincts of the Church that then shal fight against the vvicked or the very feruent and burning zeale of religion and Gods honour vvhich God vvil kindle in the hartes of the faithful to be constant against al the forces of that great persecution 12. An other booke This is the booke of Gods knovvledge or predestination vvherein that vvhich before vvas hid to the vvorld shal be opened and vvherein the true record of euery mans vvorkes shal be conteined and they haue their iudgemeÌ„t diuersly according to their vvorkes and not according to faith only or lacke of faith only for al infidels as Turkes obstinate â—evves and Heretikes shal neuer come to that examination being othervvise condemned CHAP. XXI Heauen and earth being made nevv S. Iohn seeth the nevv citie Hierusalem prepared and adorned for the spouse of the Lambe 6 The iust are glorified 7 and the vvicked thrust into the poole of fire 12 The vvall and gates and foundations of the citie are described and measured 18 al vvhich are gold and crystal pretious stones and pearles verse 1 AND I savv a nevv heauen and a nevv earth for * the first heauen and the first earth vvas gone the sea novv is not ✠verse 2 And I Iohn savv the holy citie Hierusalem nevv descending from heauen prepared of God as a bride adorned for her husband ✠verse 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold the tabernacle of God vvith men and the vvil dvvel vvith them And they shal be his people and he God vvith them shal be their God ✠verse 4 and * God shal vvipe avvay al teares from their eies and death shal be no more not mourning nor crying neither shal there be sorovv any more vvhich ' first thinges are gone ✠verse 5 And he that sate in the throne said * Behold I make al thinges nevv ⊢ And he said to me Vvrite because these vvordes be most faithful and true ✠verse 6 And he said to me It is done * I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end To him that thirsteth I vvil giue of the fountaine of the water of life gratis ✠verse 7 He that shal ouercome shal possesse these thinges and I vvil be his God and he shal be my sonne ✠verse 8 But to the feareful and incredulous and execrable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and Idolaters and al liers their part shal be in the poole burning vvith fire and brimstone vvhich is the second death ✠verse 9 And there came one of the seuen Angels that had the vials ful of the seuen last plagues and spake vvith me saying Come I vvil shevv thee the bride the vvife of the Lambe ✠verse 10 And he tooke me vp in spirit vnto a mountaine great and high and he shevved me the holy citie Hierusalem descending out of heauen from God ✠verse 11 hauing the glorie of God and the light thereof like to a prerious stone as it vvere to the iaspetr stone euen as crystal ✠verse 12 And it had a vvall great and high hauing tvvelue gates and in the gates tvvelue Angels names written thereon vvhich are the names of the tvvelue tribes of the children of Israël ✠verse 13 On the East three gates and on the North three gates and on the South three gates and on the Vvest three gates ✠verse 14 And the vvall of the citie hauing tvvelue foundations and in them tvvelue names of the tvvelue Apostles of the Lambe ✠verse 15 And he that spake vvith me had a measure of a reede of gold to measure the citie and the gates thereof and the vvall ✠verse 16 And the citie is situated quadrangle-vvise and the length thereof is as great as also the bredth and he measured the citie vvith the reede for tvvelue thousand furlonges the length and height and bredth thereof be equal ✠verse 17 And he measured the vvall thereof of an hundred fourtie foure cubites the measure of a man vvhich is of an Angel ✠verse 18 And the building of the vvall therof vvas of iasper stone but the citie it self â— pure gold like to pure glasse ✠verse 19 And the foundations of the vvall of