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
christianes standeth marked thorowe the holy goost in the holy scripture And there are as many precious stones theriâ— as are holy doctrines and examples by the which the state of christendom the christen religion the churche of God the holy Ierusalem is buylded Thys â—â—â—ie is buyâ—ded of pure golde For fayth can not be with our feruent loue whych is compared vnto golde which is not also without putenes of an innocent and godly lyfe whych is sygnified by the glasse Nowe of the comparison of the .xii. precious stones wyth the .xii. articles of the fayth many thynges myght be wrytten and sayd which I leaue vnto them that be learned to consyder for as muche as in effecte there is nothyng waÌ„tyng and the holy goost hath set forth and opened the vnderstandyng of them in no place of the holy scripture more playnely The texte The twelue gates wer twelue pearles euery gate was of one pearle and the strete of the citie was pure golde as thorow shynyng glasse And â— sawe no temple therin For the Lorde God almyghty and the lambe are the temple of it and the citie hath no nede of the sonne nether of yâ— mone to lyghten it For yâ— bryghtnes oâ— God dyd lyght it yâ— lambe was the lyght of it And the people which are saued shall walke in the lyght of it And the kinges of the earâ—â— shall brynge their glorye and honour vnto it And the gates of it are not shut by â—ay â–ª For there shal be no nyght there And into â—t shal they brynge the glory and honour of the nacions And there shall enter into iâ— none vnclene thyng nether whatsoâ—uer worketh abhominacioÌ„ or maketh lyes but they onely which are writteÌ„ in the lambes booke of lyâ—e Hereby maâ—e it well be perceyued that thys vision and the buyldyng of thys cyâ—ie â–ª muste and ought all to be vnderstande spiritually after the maner custome of the prophetes For there can be founde no perles so great agayne men can not make walles gates wyth perles and specially where as he speaketh of one perle In all stretes is nothyng sene but pure golde of loue and of purenesse and clâ—anesse of lyfe He that hathe not that â–ª is none of them that may dwell in the christenâ—â—tâ—â— nor that may be admitted to bâ— a ciâ—izen in that heuenly felowship In the temple at Ierusalem was a bodilye â–ª and an exteriour temple and aultar with the pâ—â—esthode of the Iewes â–ª lyke as the tabernacle of Moyses permitted also vnto the Iewes as long as they dwelt in the land els should there no corporall nor exteriour Gods seruice haue bene done But for as much as the citie of the faithfull the golden Ierusalem reacheth vnto all people nacions and landes and that almightie God wil no more of the Iewishe sacrifices but wyll muche rather be honoured and worshipped in spirite and trueth and requireth of all faithfull the sacrifice of thanckes geuynge for the saluacion whiche God hath prepared for vs thorowe Christ whiche is our priest aultar and sacrifice altogether therfore in the christen congregacion we nede no suche temple of stone woode nor of golde A faithful louyng a thanckeful harte and mynde is a good and a right temple vnto the lord Onely the lord God is yâ— tempell wherunto we shoulde turne as ofte as we wyll praye and geue thanckes vnto God He onely can heare vs helpe vs and saue vs all goodnes commeth of him onely and therfore al honour prayse and thanckes geuynge perteyneth vnto him onely But God doth all this vnto vs onely thorow the innocent laÌ„be whiche onely washeth awaye the synnes of the worlde and was offered vp for vs with his rightuousnes and innocencye hath made full satisfaccion for all the synnes of the electe This lambe is the Sunne of rightuousnes without any maner of blemyshe whiche no man can see in the Moone whiche somtyme waxeth and sometyme minisheth And therfore the christen churche and the heauenly Ierusalem hath lyght inoughe and sufficient of Christ whiche is yâ— light of the worlde as he saieth And he is also the brightnes of God so farre as it pleased God the father that we shoulde knowe thorowe Christ And for this cause there can be no sacke of lyght and trueth of grace and helpe in the whâ—le churche But yf in this churche here beneth which is the militant and warrefaring churche there be any darknes it is by reason that the worde of God is kept downe and by reason that Christ is not taken of some for the same that he is but they are none of the right churche Notwithstande Christe shineth bryght and burneth also in the heartes of the faithfull And in that lyght which Christ is doe all people walke whiche shall be saued For the holy christen faithe was preached by this holy mans S. Iohns tyme and grew and increased in al landes and nacions of the whole earth And the kinges also of yâ— heathen were called and receyued of Christ indewed with highe benefites with great grace so long as they did reteine kepe the gospel and the doctrine of yâ— Bible mainteyned constantly yâ— true faith in gods holy worde So long as the gates of the christen articles doe stande open so long dothe yâ— light and daye of the christen religion doctrine and wysedome continew And so long as this faithe remayneth and faileth not so long shal no errour hurte the christen churche nor yet obscure or darken it To the faithe of the whiche articles as they were preached by the apostles al nacions euen the heathen were easely brought and allured for they were manifest by the gospel and proued euidently by the worde of God But as sone as men woulde goe beyonde that rule square and so haue gone about to set vp new articles of the faith in their councels without and besyde the worde of God and that bothe vnnecessary and against all reason than coulde the true faithe no more increase but from tyme to tyme as the multitude of their new articles dyd increase euen so dyd this true faithe diminishe and decaye and so became the christendome as we doe see the more pâ—tie lesse lesse the burthen of ceremonies more more tyll they waxed intollerable As are the articles of auriculâ—r and eare confession of purgatorye of supersticious fastinge of the primacâ— of the bysshoppe of Rome of the eleuacion and adoracion of the sacramente of the body and bloude of Christ of the inuocacion of saintes of worshippynge of ymages All the which with other lyke haue brought great offence and slander vnto the christen churche and haue bene a great occasion of the ruyne and fall of many vnfaithfull In to this holy churche shal no vncleane thing enter for true faithe and loue shal preuent auoyde al maner of euyl and the bloude of the lamble shall pourge clense and washe awaye all maner of â—ynnes And in lyke maner
the spirit and the bryde say come And let him that heareth say also come And let him that is a thirste come And let whosoeuer wyll take of the water of lyfe free Lyke as almightie God saieth vnto Moyses I am the God of thy fathers â–ª c. euen so saieth the angell here in the person of Christe by the inspiracion of Christes spirite that this prophecy was opened and reueled euen of Christ him selfe thorowe the angell vnto holy Iohn and therfore all men ought to credyte and beleue all these sightes visions and reuelacions And they ought also to be propouned and preached vnto the congregacions for their edifienge that the faithfull maye take diligent hede and beware of the terryble and shameful perels daungers and euyls which shal preuayle in the christen church and shortly aryse and beginne as is alredy happened and shall daylye be fulfylled more and more one after a nother as is before sayd But now howe Christ is yâ—â—oole of Dauid marke this wel for as much as for his sake Dauids kingdom was preserued and his posterite also was preserued in the extreme and troblesome affliccions of the Iewishe nacion vntyll suche tyme as Christ our lorde sautout was borne of the stocke and progeny of Dauid For not withstandynge all the synnes wherwith Dauid dyspleased God and dyd in maner greater and more heynous synnes than Saule dyd yet coulde he vse the helpe of no nother thing fauynge onely of faith in the promes of God whiche assured and promised him that Christ the lorde and promised Messâ—as should be borne of his seede wherin he might well reioyse bothe for him selfe and also for al his posteritie other Kynges and Lordes And therfore our lord sauiour Christ is the tooâ—e and generacion of Dauid by reason of his manhode but concernyng his godheade he hath an vnknowen rysinge vp and begynnynge and an vnknowen commynge furthe of an euerlastinge birthe And lykewyse Christ accordynge to his manhode is a bryght mornynge starre whiche should drawe and allure the eyes of al men vnto him as vnto the risyng vp vnto blisse and vnto all saluacion All this is the voyce of Christ â–ª the brydegrome And now foloweth the voyce and desyre of the bryde and spouse whiche out of a true faithe and an heartye desyre and zeale in all faithfull and electe desireth and wyssheth after the seconde comminge of Christ vnto the latter iudgement and so consequently to inioy the participacion of the blessed and perfyte kyngdome in heauen with all faithfull electe bothe with bodye and soule For all the electe children of God doe hunger and thirst after the honour and glorye of Christ in the kingdome of heauen as well they that are vpon earthe as they that are already in heauen â–ª for they wyshe and desyre in their spirite the fulfyllyng of gods wyll and pleasure wherunto with all humblenes and submission they doe vtterly submitte their wyll for they knowe that his wyll is best and moost perfyte And this desire and wyshe of the faithfull electe â–ª pleaseth God well And althoughe he wyl not heate them at suche tyme as they desyre euen at the very same Moment yet he dothe promyse vnto them his gracious ayde and mercye in the meane tyme whiche he wyll doutles performe And all of mere grace and mercye without any maner of deserte The texte ¶ I testifye vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecye of this booke yf any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shal adde vnto him the plages that are written in this booke And yf any man shall minishe of the workes of this prophecye God shal take awaye his patre out of the dooke of lyfe and out of the holy â—â—â—â—e and from the thinges whiche are written in this boke He whiche testifieth these thinges saithe be it I come quâ—â—ly Amen Euen so come Lorde Iesu The grace of our Lord Iesu Christe be with you all Amen In this place first after the speakynge of Christ and againe after the speakynge of the holy bryde and of the christen churche maye the holy Apostle S. Iohn speake these wordes in his owne parson as he dyd in the begynnynge of the booke to warne and exhorte al men there by yâ— no man adde any thing vnto this booke as a new vision no more than to any other booke of holy scripture nor take any thing there from as thoughe any thing might be mysunderstande therin and so refused as vnholy and not good For God wyll not suffer any suche thing to be vnpunysshed nor vnaduenged this is the very intent meanyng of these wordes And therfore such men doe amysse and synne very greatly whiche doe refuse this whole booke as thoughe it were not autentical where as it is euident yâ— it hath bene alwayes songe and reade in yâ— holy churche from the begynnynge to the ende Now are those bookes called Apocripha and vnautenticall whiche men might well reade out of the churche priuately by them selues but not in the churche and congregacion Nor it is not lawfull to confirme and mainteyne any maner of doctrine concerninge our faithe and relygion by the auctoritie of any suche vnautenticall bookes except it were in all pointes conformable vnto other holy scriptures And now that that foloweth here after where as he sayeth he which testifieth these thinges saieth c. These wordes maye be referred vnto that that goeth before where Christ speaketh of the callynge of the bryde Euen the same Christe sayeth here at the last ende againe yea I come without doubte take no thought nor thincke it not long the tyme is not long vnto me whiche am that I am Amen that is to saye without any doubt After this dothe holy S. Iohn conclude and ende this booke after the maner of the apostles desiring eâ—nestly the commynge of the kyngdome of Christ â–ª very quickely as all faithfull Christians doe The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with all faithfull electe Christians whiche shall be vntyll the ende of the worlde and specially with them whiche reade this booke with faithe and an holy Christen desyre and mynde Amen ¶ The ende of the Reuelacion of S. Iohn thus brefely expounded by the seruaunt of Christ Leo Iude a minister in the churche of Tigury and translated out of the high Duche by Edmonde Alen. Num. xii Eccle. xlv Hebr. iii. Marke xii Luâ— xxi â— Cor. viii Put aparte for yâ— gospel By whoÌ„ we haue receiued grace and Apostleship c. Grace be with you c. For I loue to see you that I might c. I am debter bothe to the grekes and vngrekes For I am not ashamed of the gospel Abacuâ— â—â— Which withhold yâ— truthe â—n vnrighteousnes c. Because that whan they knew god c. And as they regarded not to knowe God c. Whiche men though they knewe the righteousnes of God c. But we are sure that the iudgement of God c. Either dispisest thou
worke faith in thyne herte for else shalt thou remaine euermore faithlesse fayne thou ymagin thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen suche fayth and is called Goddes righteousnes or righteousnes that is of valoure before God For it is Goddes gyfte and it altereth a man and chaungeth him to a newe spirituall nature and maketh him fre and liberall to paye euery manne his duetie For thorow faith is a manne purged of his sinnes and obteineth luste vnto the lawe of God wherby he geueth God his honour and paieth him that he oweth him and vnto men he doeth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his dutie Such righteousnes can nature fre will and our owne strength neuer bring to passe For as no maÌ„ can geue him selfe fayth so can he not take away vnbelefe howe then can he take awaye any thyng at all Wherfore all is false ypocrisy syn what soeuer is done without faith or in vnbelefe as it is euident in the xiiiâ— Chap. vnto yâ— Romains though it appere neuer so glorious or beautifull outwardes Flesh spirite mayst thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were only that which pertaineth vnto vnchastitie the spirite that whiche inwardly pertaineth to the hearte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn .iii. Al that is borne of flesh the is to were the whole man with life soule body witte wil reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within without because that these al and all that is in man study after the worlde and the fleshe Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as longe as we are without the spirite of God we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all workes whiche are done withoute grace and without the workynge of the spirite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seme to bee as thou mayest proue by the .v. Chap. vnto the Galathians wher Paul numbreth worshipping of ydols witchecrafte enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the fleshe and by the .viii. vnto the Romaynes where he sayeth that the lawe by the reason of the fleshe is weake Whiche is not vnderstande of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and moste specially of vnbelefe whiche is a vice moste spirituall and ground of all sinnes And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirite and borne againe in Christ flesh and all his dedes euen the very mocions of his heart and minde his learning doctrine contemplacion of hie thinges his preachinge teaching and study in the scripture bildinge of churches foundinge of abbeys geuyng of almes masse mattence whatsoeuer he doth though it seme spirituall after the lawes of God So contrary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and al his dedes which springe of faith seme they neuer so grosse as the washynge of the disciples fete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurreccion yea and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall yf they proceade of fayth and whatsoeuer is done with iÌ„ the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shoes such lyke how soeuer grosse they appeare outward Without suche vnderstandyng of these wordes canste thou neuer vnderstande this epistell of Paul nether any other place in the holy scripture Take hede therfore for whosoeuer vnderstandeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstandeth not Paul whatsoeuer he bee Nowe will we prepare oure selues vnto the epistle For as muche as it becometh the preacher of Christes glad tydynges fyrst thorowe openinge of the lawe to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thinges synne that procede not of the spirite and of fayth in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and how that to synne is theyr nature and that by nature they cannot otherwise do then to synne and therwith to abate the pryde of man and to brynge hym vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserye and wretchednes that he might desyre helpe Euen so doeth saynct Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grosse synnes whiche all men se as ydolatrye and as the grosse synnes of the hethen were and as the synnes nowe are of all them whiche liue in ignorance without fayth and without the fauoure of God and sayeth The wrathe of God of heauen appereth thorow the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodlynes and vnholye liuynge For though it be knowen and dayly vnderstande by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of her selfe without the spirite grace so corrupt so poisoned that men nether can thanke him nether worshippe him nether geue him his due honour but blinde them selues fall without ceasing into worse case euen vntyll they come vnto worshyppyng of ymages and workyng of shamefull synnes which are abominable and agaynst nature and moreouer suffre the same vnrebuked in other hauing delectacion and pleasure therin In the .ii. Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holye people also whiche without luste and loue to the lawe lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde and condemne other gladly as the nature of al ypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open sinners and yet hate the lawe inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuye and of all vnclennes Mat .xxiij. These are they whiche despise the goodnes of God and according to the hardenes of theyr heartes heape together for them selues the wrathe of God Furthermore saynct Paul as a true expounder of the lawe suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that al they are vnder synne whiche of fre wil and of nature will liue well and suffreth them not â—o be better then the open synners yea he calleth them harde herted and suche as cannot repente In the .iii. Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onelye that the Iewes had the worde of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not theron yet is goddes trueth and promise thereby nether hurte nor minished and he taketh in hys waye and allegeth the sayinge of the L. Psal that God myght abyde true in hys woordes and ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to hys purpose agayne and proueth by the scripture that all men without difference or excepcion are synners and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified but that the lawe was geuen to vtter and to declare synne onely Then he beginneth and sheweth the righte waye vnto rightewesnes by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe and sayeth They are all synners and without prayse before God and muste without their own deseruinges be made righteous thorow faith in Christ whiche hathe deserued suche ryghteousnes for vs and is become vnto
meete for suche as haue lately begunne to professe Christe and certayne other are there meete for them whiche are in this religion more growen vp Touching simple and hurtles manners brethren I would ye continued chyldren styll but in spirituall gyftes I woulde ye wente alwayes forwarde vntyll ye come to the highest Nor thinke it nowe sufficiente for you to hurte no man but labour muste ye beyng nowe ful rype to be able to do good and to helpe all menne It is the manner of chyldren to wonder at small thynges and for trifles muche to please themselfe but yet in processe of tyme they despise suche toyes as they before were proude of and laboure to obtayne greater thynges And so lykewise hath christian fayth her beginnynges wherein it is vnsemely for a manne to spende all his lyfe That this is so long synce testified god hymselfe this wyse speakyng by the mouthe of his prophete Esai with sundrye tongues and sundrye lyppes wyll I speake vnto this people and yet for all that they wyll not heare me The gyfte of tongues therfore was geuen by god for the auauncyng and furtheraunce of the primatiue churche that by this myracle vnbeleuers mighte be prouoked to beleue whereas to suche as beleue already it is vnprofitable But contrarywise the gifte of prophecie not onely serueth for vnbeleuers to make thē amende theyr lyues but profiteth also the faythful that they maye daylye in theyr fayth become more stronge and euery daye better in lyuyng Besyde this howe lytle profite the vse of languages hathe euerye manne maye well see by that the same dothe somtyme hurte and offende For conceyue nowe that the whole congregacion were comen together and that euery manne spoke with diuerse tongues being suche as are vnknowen for example yf one speake Hebrue another Latin and the third Greke and yf in the meane season some such enter into your congregacion as are christiā menne or els vnbeleuers ignoraunte yet of the tongues will not these when they shall heare suche a confuse sounde of diuerse languages and vnderstande none saye that ye lyke mad and frantike men so fondely behaue your selues Contrarywyse yf by the gyft of prophecie one teache an other geue counsell one exhorte and an other comforte and in the meane season some vnlearned straunger enter into your companye or els an vnbeleuer whiche both vnderstandeth what ye saye and is lykewise vnderstanden doeth not suche one whyles he knowledgeth in you perfite christianitie both in himselfe condemne his owne supersticion and abhorre his owne diuelishe maners in comparison of your godlynes and playnly seeth his owne conscience whyles he by you heareth the ryght rule of true religion from which he seeth himselfe vntyll that tyme farre swarued fynding himselfe in suche faultes gyltie as ye in woorde reproue and detest By meane wherof this will finally ensue that he beyng chaunged into a newe man and repenting himselfe wil fall downe flat vpon the grounde acknowledging openly testifying that ye are vndoubtedly inspired with the holy gost nor speake lyke madde men whiche beyng with a diuelishe furie possessed powre out woordes whiche neyther themselfes vnderstand nor other vttring a sounde no man woteth what The texte Howe is it then brethren As ofte as ye come together euery one of you hath a song hath a doctryne hath a tonge hath a reuelacion hath an interpretaciō Let al thinges be doen vnto edifying If any man speake with tonge let it be by two or at the moste by thre and that by course and let an other interprete it But if there be no interpreter let hym kepe sylence in the congregaciō and let him speake to himselfe and to God Let the Prophetes speake two or thre and let the other iudge If any reuelacion be made to an other that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For ye may al prophecie one by one that al may learne and that all maye haue comforte And the spyrites of the Prophetes are in the power of the Prophetes For God is not causer of stryfe but of peace as I teache in all congregacions of the sainctes Let your wemen kepe sylence in the congregacions For it is not permitted vnto them to speake but to be vnder obedience as sayeth the lawe If they wil learne any thing let them aske theyr husbandes at home For it is a shame for wemen to speake in the congregacion What then must ye doe brethren As ofte as ye resorte to the comen assembly eche of you bringeth his gyft with him one hath a spirituall song to prayse God with all an other hath doctrine to instructe mennes lyues with one hath the gyft of reuelacion to declare the hydden darke secretes in holy scriptures an other hath and is indued with the gyfte of tonges Disdayne none of these gyftes but let all in the congregacions be bestowed for the comon weale of the whole numbre but yet so that it be done without disturbaūce and confusion And let them also which are endued with the gyftes of tonges haue theyr time place but so yet that at one time nomore but only two speake or at the moste thre and yet not they together neither but by course nor let them speake only but se that there be one present to declare to the people what they sayed One interpreter is sufficient for two or thre of them that haue the gyft of tonges because it is not necessarie that many woordes be spoken in languages Yf there lacke a kunnyng interpreter of the tonges it is not nedefull that he should speake in the cōgregaciō if he haue nothing but the knowledge of the tonges let him vse his gift but in priuate places and there prayse God and edifie hymselfe because that in the congregacion the comon busynesse is in hande Lykewise let not all the Prophetes speake but only two or thre and that by course but some suche would I to be present whiche haue the gyft to discerne the spirite of Prophetes whether it be true or not whiche can disproue thesame yf ought be sayed that is vnmete and vnbesemyng the spirite of Christ But now if whyles one speaketh he that sytteth by begynne as one inspired by God in the meane time to speake leste there myght be a confusion of voyces let the first hold his peace For then it appeareth that the doubte is opened to the one whiche the other sought for synce that by inspiraciō and mouing of the holy gost he letted the first to speake And if ye this doe none impediment is there but all may prophecie so that it be doen by course and eche one in speaking geue place to other that euery man may haue more fruite of knowledge whyles euery Prophete sheweth wherewith God hath inspired hym that all may enioy and receyue more plentifull comforte whyles euery one vpon the common weale bestoweth that which by the spirite of Christe is geuen vnto him Nor lay for your excuse that suche as
IerusaleÌ„ and is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem whiche is aboue is free whiche is the mother of vs all Nor is it to be supposed that this tale hath beside the trueth of the historie no secrete hidden misterie For comenly suche is Moses law that as in a maÌ„ne vnder the grosse fleshe and coueryng of the body is hidden the soule the ruler therof so vnder the letter and historie a more priuey thyng and higher mistery is couered Let vs then serche foorth what in the alligorie these two mothers and the two sonnes signifie Surely the twoo mothers represent the twoo testamentes of whom the one brought foorth a people subiecte to the bondage of the lawe the other brought foorth a people through fayth free froÌ„ that burdain For Sina is a mouÌ„taine in Arabia whiche in the Chaldees language hath the name of the bondmaiden Agar and bordereth vpon the mountaine of Sion wherin standeth the cytie that once was called Iebus and is now called Ierusalem Now are they that inhabite the mountaine Agar euen in these daies bonde in theyr state resemblyng the beginner of that nacion But Ierusalem whiche as inheritaunce fel to Isaacs posteritie is free This citie forasmuche as it standeth in a high place representeth heauen into whose freedome we be called That cytie is not onely mother to the Iewes but to all vs whiche beleue in Christ Moses lawe is yearthly the lawe of the gospel forasmuche as it came from heauen is heauenly As the body is seruaunt to the soule so that whiche is grosse is bonde and that whiche is spiritual is free Moses lawe brought foorth her childe fyrst the lawe of the gospel albeit it had issue after yet how many more children brought it to God Moses lawe brought foorth but one nacion the same of no great multitude neither the lawe of the gospel containeth all nacions of the worlde The texte For it is written reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth cry thou that trauailest not For the desolate hath many more children than she whiche hath an husband And lest some thinke that this was but a chaunce Esai long before sayd it should so be who by the spirite of prophecie foreseyng the great noumbre of Gentiles resortyng to the gospel of Christ reâ—oyseth by these wordes Be glad thou barren that bearest no children breake foorth and crye thou that trauailest not for many more children haste thou whiche semedst desolate and barren than hath she that hath a husbaÌ„d and semed to put men in a meruailous hope of posteritie In the Iewes state before tyme fewe were there that came through it vnto Gods fauor but fayth in the gospel hath brought in many and wil without ende bryng in more Thus see ye the twoo mothers and theyr twoo children the beginners of twoo nacions The texte Brethren we are after Isaac the children of promise But as then he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite Euen so is it now Suche as yet styfly cleaue to Moses lawe belong to Ismael whiche was borne of the handmayde But we whiche gyuyng ouer our coÌ„fidence in the lawe through perfite fayth hang only vpon Christ are Isaacs children who was borne of the free lawful wyfe not by the courâ—e of nature but by the promise of god Nor are we receyued into yâ— welthy state taught by the gospell because we were borne vnder the lawe but because god loÌ„g synce promised all them saluacion that thorough fayth woulde come into the felowshyp of his sonne Iesus Christ Yea and in this also the allegorie featly agreeth that bothe posterities sauer of theyr beginners For as thaÌ„ the elder sonne Ismael carnall sonne vnto Abraham persecuted the yonger called Isaac who was borne by goddes promise â–ª eueÌ„ at the tyme wheÌ„ they playeo together takyng more vpon hym than was mere so in this tyme they that cleaue faste to the carnall lawe hate suche as embrace the spiritual lawe of the gospel labouryng to be more esteamed chalengyng as theyrs the ryght of the fyrste begotten whiche is only dewe to Christe labouryng also by the title of aunciencie to make the free mothers chyldren bonde as they be to th entent that being elder seruauntes they maye ouer vs that are yonger beare rule The texte Neuerthelesse what sayeth the scripture â–ª putte awaye the bonde woman and her sonne For the sonne of the bond woman shal not be heyre with the sonne of the free woman so then brethen we are not chyldren of the bond woman â–ª but of the free woman â–ª But the free mother alloweth no suche alteracion nor wyl suffer these two borne after suche a diuerse sorte to be conuersaunt together But as yâ— scripture saythe with great indignacion cryeth out put awaye the bonde woman and her sonne for I wyl not suffer that the bond womaÌ„nes childe shal with my sonne Isaac be inheritour The Iewyshe Synagoge to muche hangeth by them whiche beleue the gospell The Iewes require to muche of christians whose libertie they enuye at Yt the bonde mother wyll not gladly depart let her rather be thrust out than with her slauyshe companye she corrupt my sonne The inheritaunce of euerlastyng lyfe is promised to Isaac and to hym is it dewe Let Agar yf she luste carye furthe with her the water potte of the vnsauery lawe whome she so greatly loueth But my sonne Isaac by drynkyng the effectuall lickor of the gospel shal styll with good lucke growe vp vntill he become a perfite man Wherfore suffer my brethren that the Iewes which to stubbernly delyte in the seruile lawe haue styl theyr owne bondage nor growe oute of kynde from theyr mother We which were sometime our selfe vnder the bondage of the law and lyke vnto the chyldreÌ„ of the bond womaÌ„ Agar persecuted the verie naturall childreÌ„ of yâ— churche are nowe delyuered froÌ„ that olde bondage and receyued into the title of Saraes chyldren And for this libertie thanke we Christ into whome through fayth we are so planted that we are become inheriters of the promised inheritauÌ„ce of heauen So that into what libertie Christe hath by his death after our falling from him restored vs that are Iewes into the same are ye that are Gentiles called through preaching of the gospell The .v. Chapiter The texte ¶ Stande faste therfore in the libertie wherwith Christe hath made vs free and wrappe not youre selues agayne in the yoke of bondage NOwe remayneth there nothyng but that ye stedfastlye continewe in that ye haue once gotten For what madnes is it to forsake the liberall gyfte and freedome wherin Christe of his especiall fauer hath sette you and to become bonde We which of that paynfull bondage haue had experience are glad and reioyse of oure libertie and are ye of youre libertie in suche sorte weaty that ye are content to become bonde The texte ¶ Beholde I Paule saye vnto you that yf ye be circumcised
a commune wealthe dependeth of the autoritie of princes and magistrates he woulde not onely not haue their autoritie thoughe they were Ethnykes contemned of the Christianes but also commaundeth them to be prayed for He prescribeth what is comely bothe for men and for women to vse in the open congregacion He paynteth out what a byshop shoulde be and hys householde These he treateth of almoost in al the three firste Chapiters Than he warneth him that he receaue no Iewyshe fables and speaketh of choyse of meates and forbyddyng of mariage And than he teacheth him straightwaies how he shoulde behaue himselfe towardes olde men towardes yongmen towardes olde women towardes yougwomen towardes wydowes as well riche and poore as those that ought to be founde of the commune stocke of the congregacion towardes the yonger women and towardes suche as be as yet of suspecte age Furthermore he prescribeth vnto him what he must commaunde to Maisters what to seruauntes what to ryche men admonyshing him to reiecte with all possyble meanes contencious sophisticall questions that haue nothing but a vayne shewe of learnyng This Epistle he wrote from Laodicea by Tychicus the Deacon Thus endeth the Argument The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the fyrst Epistle of S. Paule the Apostle to Timothee The first Chapter The texte ¶ Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the commyssion of god our sauioure and lorde Iesus Christ which is oure hope Vnto Timothe his naturall sonne in the faith Grace mercy peace from God oure father and from the Lorde Iesus Christe oure Lorde As I besought the to abide â—â—yll at Ephesus when I depatred into Macedonia euen so do that thou commaunde some that they folowe no straunge docrtine uerber geue hede to fables and endles genealogies which brede doute more then godly edifying whiche is by faith for the ende of the commaundement is loue out of apute herte and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned from the whiche thinges because some haue erred they are turned vnto vayne iangelynge because they woulde be doctours of the lawe and yet vnderstande not what they speake neyther wherof they affirme PAule an Apostle and messagier lest any maÌ„ woulde suspecte that I goe aboute myne owne busynes or humayne affaires and not a messagier of Moses or anye other man but the messagier of Iesu Christ whiche beyng sent of late in his owne person vpon his fathers message dyd faithfullye finyshe the busynes of hym that sent him And as for me I toke not this message vpon me on myne owne head nether receaued I it of man but was not onely called vnto it by the appointement of the euerlastyng god but I was also dryuen perforce vnto it by his commaundement and autoritie in so muche that it was not in my choyse to shyfte inyne handes of that office as payneful as it is whiche was enioyned vnto me by the autoritie of God the onely au toure of all our saluacion For what so euer the sonne hathe enioyned vs by the fathers autoritie that same doe I take as enioyned of the father himselfe by whome we are also bounden vnto him for our saluacion aswell in that we are redemed by his death from eternal destruccion as also in that we are by his mightye helpe delyuered from the rageyng tempestes of afliccions From the which albeit our chaunce be not to be set at lybertie for a tyme yet there is no cause why we shoulde doubte of our safe preseruacion hauynge Christe to our protectoure whome the father hathe appointed to be bothe the example and autour of oure moost certaynly assured hope For lyke as he whan he was whypped and nayled to the crosse suffred corporal death howbeit he rose anon againe to lyfe that neuer shall dye euen so whan we haue bene oppressed with present sorowes of this worlde he shall one daye restore vs alyue againe to the same immortalitie For this respectes sake Paule beyng streynghtened throughe his autoritie and mayntenaunce and an inuincible Apostle writeth vnto Tymothe his true natural sonne whoÌ„ I haue not chosen quod he out of an other mannes flocke but I begat him my selfe out of these bowels of myne through the gospel whaÌ„ he was yet a strauÌ„gier froÌ„ Christ he for his parte is so like so expressely resembleth this father of his in stedfastnes sinceritie of faith pure teaching of the gospell that it appeareth by euident matier in dede that he is no suche as maye be doubted whether he be myne or not but that he is my natural very owne vndoubted bogotten sonne and therfore a great deale more dearely beloued vnto me thaÌ„ yf I had gotten him of my bodily substaunce after the commune maner as men doe The bodely substaunce begetteth children that shall lyue but a whyle but by the gospell are we borne to lyue alwayes and neuer dye If parentes haue a more peculiar and a nerer hattie loue to suche of their children as be mooste lyke fauoured vnto them than to other and therby doe as it wer knowe them suerly to be their very owne howâ— muche more iust cause haue I to loue this sonne whome I begate vnto Christ through the faithe of the gospell and in whome I beholde the synceritie of my faithe borne new againe as it were Let the Iewes make boaste at their pleasure for geating one companion or other as a childe gotten by adopcion to their Moses I boaste that I haue gotten suche a sonne as this to the faythe of the gospell and vnto Christe For it is expedient that the Iewes synagoge should from hence forthe geue ouer bearing of children And it is tyme that the Gospell spreade forthe his frutefulnes of faith abrode in to the whole vniuersall worlde Nowe than lyke as I haue manyfolde causes to boaste of suche a sonne inasmuche as I maye safely committe vnto him the office of gospell preachinge euen so I thynke there is no cause why he shoulde repente the hauyng either of suche an Apostle or of such a father I haue committed a parte of myne owne office vnto him howbeit god hath geue me autoritie thus to doe soe as he can stande in no doubte touching the charge of the congregacions appointed by me onles peraduenture he dysturst the autoritie of god Nowe what shoulde I beyng a mooste louyng father wyshe vnto so entierly a deare beloued sonne what thinges elles than the same that the supreme gouernour of our lyfe woulde haue vs to be ryche and plentuous of and in the whiche he would fayne haue vs to growe stronge dailye more and more vntyll we be growen vnto such a state as Christ may voutchesafe to knowe vs for his owne lawfull brethren Therfore I wyshe Grace vnto him that he maye perfytely vnderstande that all faithfull beleuers are saued by the free benefite of Christ without helpe of Moses law And not onely grace but mercye also to be alwayes ready with present helpe to succoure hym
And verely this vertuous godly man Moses is woorthy to be of great autoritie among vs because he behaued hymselfe faithfully in the same house but yet as a minister or stewarde and not as a sonne he was in an other mannes house and the other that is to saye Christ in his owne And Moses brought onely figures shadowes of those thynges which Christe should afterwardes dysclose and open But Christe as the maker and sonne guided his owne house whereof we all are members whiche thorowe fayth of the gospell bee assembled together vnto hys churche or congregacion so that we perseuer in that we beganne that is to wit if we dooe styll abyde in the concorde and agreaunce of the house and holde fast and stedfastely vnto the ende the faythe whiche the spirite of Christ hath geuen vs and also that glorious hope by the which as the true natural sonnes of god and brethren of Christ we looke for the enheritaunce of heauen For it shall nothyng auayle vs to haue heard the doctrine of the gospell excepte we continually liue thereafter Yea the greatter he is who dayned to speake vnto vs the grieuouser shall our punishment be The texte Wherefore as the holy ghoste saieth to daye yf ye will heare his voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouokyng in the daye of temptacion in the wildernes where youre fathers tempted me proued me and sawe my woorkes fourtye yeare Wherefore I was greued with that generacion and sayed They doe alwaye erre in theyr hartes they verely haue not knowen my wayes so that I sware in my wrath they shal not enter into my reste Take heade brethren leste at any time there bee in any of you a frowarde herye subiecte vnto vnbeliefe that he shoulde departe from the liuyng god but exhorte ye one another daylye while it is called to daye leste any of you wexe harde harted thorowe the deceitfulnes of sinne Wherfore ye must call vnto your remembraunce what the holy gost speaketh in the mistical psalme exhorting the people to obey the voice or wordes of god leste he being prouoked dooe grieuouslye punyshe them and seâ—lude them from the rest and quietnes promised Today sayeth he if ye wil heatâ— hys voice harden not your hartes as ye did when with your murmoâ—â—ing and rebellion ye prouoked God what tyme he proued your pacience in wildernes where sayeth he youre fathers tempted me as men that woulde proue whether I were he that were hable to punishe trespacers of the lawe and offenders and they felte my wrath and suche as woulde not beleue my woordes sawe my woorkes and that the space of fourtie yeres For so long were they ledde about in wildernesse what tyme they flying oute of Egipte went vnto the lande where I promised them quyetenes Wherefore I was not contented with that nacion and sayde with my selfe They doe alwaies erre in theyr hartes folowing theyr owne lustes neyther haue they knowen my wayes And for thys theyr dysobedience I sware in my wrath it shoulde neuer be that they should entre into the lande wherin I promised them rest from the trauayls of theyr iourneys Ye haue heard brethren God threatenyng our fathers that they should not come to the lande promysed them onlesse they woulde continually obey his commaundementes And we that thorowe baptisme are deliuered from oure former synnes and offences are vndoubtedly departed out of Egypte but yet we shall neuer come vnto the immortalitie promissed vs in heauen excepte we styll continue in the obseruaunce of fayth and christian charite If wee looke backe vnto Egypte forsaken that is yf we fall agayne to the lustes of oure olde lyfe we shal bee excluded from the felowshyp and participacion of the heauenly lyfe Se therfore that there bee not in any of you a frowarde harte and rebelling against the commaundementes of the gospell or subiecte vnto vnbelyefe in suche wyse that the same returnyng agayne vnto the vices once forsaken and the prynce of death the deuyll departe awaye from thy lyuyng god But rather with daylye exhortacions make ye one an other strong to suffer continually the paynes and trauayles of thys lyfe whereby God tryeth oure pure and trewe fayth so longe as the tyme is called to daye that is to saye so longe as we beare this mortall bodye and as yet doe trauayll as pilgrymes and straungers in the wildernesse of thys worlde alwayes in ieopardye lest any of vs weryed with the euilles of thys lyfe bee ledde asyde thorowe the alluremente of synne from the iourneye begonne lyke as in tymes paste the Hebrues our forefathers beeyng wery of theyr long trauailing longed after the â—auoure of the pottes whiche they lefte behynde them in Egypte The texte ¶ We are made partakers of Christ if we kepe sure vnto the cude the beginuing of the substaunce so long as it is far de to day if ye will heare hys voyce harden not your hartes as in the prouoking for some when they herde did prouoke howbeit not all that came out of Egipt by Moses But with whome was he displeased fourtie yeres Was he not dyspleased with them that had sinned whose carkases were ouerthrowen in the deserte To whome swaâ—e he that they should not enter into his rest but vnto them that were not obedient And we see that they coulde not enter in because of vnbelieâ—e Certeynly we are graffed in Christe by baptisme and the profession of faith but in such wise that we may thorow our owne defaut fall from him again neyther shall we otherwise come vnto the enheritaunce of mortalitie promised vs excepte we kepe sure and constauntely vnto the ende the beginnyng and foundation of that felicitie whiche was layed in vs by the gospell still goyng forewarde in that was begoonne monyshed thereto by thys saying whiche is continually spoken vnto vs To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your heartes as in the prouokyng For some when they hearde the Lordes voyce did then by dysobeying the same moue hym prouokyng hys wrathe and indignacion agaynst them Howbeit al dyd not so whiche came out of Egipt vnder yâ— conducte of Moses And vnto these that were not disobediente it was geuen to come vnto the lande flowing with milke and hony With whome was he dyspleased fourtie yeres Was it not with them that had offended howbeit these entred not into rest but their carkases were ouerthrowen in wildernesse with whome elles was he so muche dyspleased that he sware they should neuer entre into the reste promised them but with those whiche obeyed not the voyce of god we see then that god was on both sydes trewe who bothe perfourmed to the obedyent what he promissed theÌ„ and to the disobedient that he manaced them with all The obediente came thereunto by their pacience the other coulde not entre in because of theyr vnbelyfe and incredulitie The .iiii. Chapter The texte Let vs feare therfore lest any of you forâ—aâ—yng the promise of euâ—eyng into
and of all thinges that he sawe Happye is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophesye kepe those thinges which are wrytten therin For the tyme is at hande VNto our sauiour Iesus Christe after his manhode was geuen of god his father not onely all sufficiencie and fulnes of grace but also the knowledge and reuelacion of all suche secret mysteries as shoulde happen from tyme to tyme in Christendome vntyll suche tyme as he shoulde come againe vnto the lattre iudgement whiche secretes our sauiour Christ dyd reuele and open throughe his angels vnto his electe seruauntes and specially vnto holy S. Iohn I meane vnto that Iohn whiche bare wytnes of the worde of god and of Iesus Christ and dyd recorde all suche matters and doctrine as he himselfe had sene and lerned Whiche doctrine shall be very profytable vnto euery one that shall reade vnderstande this prophecye so far as he shal endeuer himselfe to lyue therafter preparinge appointynge himselfe thorowe a true faith and a christen conuersacion to please the lorde in this lyfe whiche is shorte and transitorye and the ende therof vncerten ▪ The texte ¶ Iohn to the seuen congregacions in Asia Grace be vnto you peace from him whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come and from the seuen spirites whiche are before his trone and from Iesus Christ whiche is a faythful witnes and first begotten of the dead and Lorde ouer the Kynges of the earth Vnto him that loued vs wasshed vs from our synnes in his awne bloude and made vs kynges and prestes vnto god his father be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen In lytle Asia were notable churches and congregacions set vp institute of the holy apostles speciallye of S. Paule vnto whiche also S. Peter wryteth confirmeth them in the faythe and vnto the same dothe S. Iohn wryte specially in consyderacion that this doctrine shoulde concerne all churches generally whiche were at that tyme standynge or shoulde afterwarde be institute thorowe out the whole world And he wysheth vnto them all as muche good as he can thincke or dyuyfe from god whiche is onely the gyuer of all good thinges is and remayneth for euer vnmutable ruleth gouerneth all thinges wherunto he vseth the ministraciō seruice of his angels which are infynyte in nombre whiche thing the nombre of seuen dothe sygnifye accordynge vnto the vse of holy scripture And with this eternall father holy spirite one god reygneth our lord Iesus Christ which is appointed to be the ruler of al thīges in heauen earth of al sensyble creatures both gostly as the spirites are bodily He in his mans nature for very loue toward mankinde was sēt for the comforte and wealth of y◠who le world testifyed most faithfully vnto al the world the wil of his father in the gospel accordyng as it was before promysed in all the prophetes that he shoulde be the founder and performer of the newe testament and should be offered vp and dye for the synnes of the whole world and in the resurrectiō or vprisynge againe of the bodye and soule he shoulde goe before all the resydue of the faythfull and be their guyde vnto euerlastynge lyfe whiche lyfe he onely hath meryted and purchaced thorowe his perfyte obedyence vpon the erosse vnto death And therefore is he exalted as concernynge his manhode aboue all creatures and hath receyued the moost worthiest and hyghest name and tytle that can be named eyther in this world or in the worlde to come And he hath purchaced and deserued for all the holy elect children of god the honour and glorye of the euerlastynge kyngdome and also grace to rule and gouerne our selues vertuouslye and to offre vp dayly and continually a pleasant sacryfyce of thanckes geuynge in true faith in god thorow Iesus Christ Vnto hym therfore alone parteyneth all honour and glorye The texte ¶ Beholde he commeth with cloudes and al eyes shal see him and they also which pearsed him And all kynreds of the earth shall wayle ouer him Euen so Amen Euen in despyte and against the wyll and mynde of all them that crucifyed Christ and woulde not take nor knowledge him for a kyng yet he commeth in the hyghest maiestye whiche excelleth all glorye and power of all otherkynges that euer were and nowe sheweth hym selfe and appeareth thorowe fayth vnto all his electe as the very messias and sauiour of the worlde whiche was so long desyered and loked for And whan he shal come at the latter daye to iudge the quycke and the deade than shall all the Iewes and vnfaythful whiche despysed him at his first commynge whan he came with suche humblenes crucyfyeng and putting him to death and woulde not receyue nor knowledge hym for a sauioure and a messias they shall than see him with feare and tremblyng and he shall appeare dreadfull vnto them The texte ¶ I am Alpha and Omega the begynnynge and the endynge sayeth the Lorde almighty whiche is and whiche was and whiche is to come I Iohn your brother and companion in tribulacion and in the kyngdome and pacience in Iesu Christe was in the yle that is called Pathmos for the word of god and for the witnessynge of Iesus Christ This doth Christ speake to declare his godly maiestye and his eternall substaunce his almyghtye power without ende or begynnynge And he speaketh after the maner of the grecians amonge the whiche Alpha is the first letter Omega the last And after this speaketh S. Iohn the Euangelist again of his owne parson without any worldly boasting reioysyng as it becommeth a Christē man not in any honour or ryches of the world nor yet in any holynes the is in himselfe but onely in the affliccions persecuciōs pacience mysery partycypacion of the rightuousnes in Christ wherof he is a witnes a partener in sufferyng for Christes sake which thing hapned vnto him for the gospel by the procurement commaundemēt of Domicianus the Emperour which would haue bene honoured for a God where as Iohn taught that the onely lyuynge god and none els ought to be honoured and called vpon For y◠whiche cause Iohn was banyshed sent into Pathmos where god dyd shewe this reuelacion vnto him bad him wryte it so by that meanes thorow his wryting to set furth to further the glorye of Christ in his banyshemēt more thā euer he had bene able to haue done with his wordes or preachinge onely yf he had styll remayned amonge his frendes in his countrey The texte I was in the spirite on a sondaye and hearde be hynde me a great voyce as it had bene a trempe saying I am Alpha and Omega the first and the sast That thou seest wryt in a booke and sende it vnto the seuen congregacions whiche are in Asia vnto Ephesus and vnto Smyrna and vnto Pergamos and vnto Thiatira and vnto Sardis and vnto Philadelphia
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
the seuen starres and is the gouernoure of heauen and earth is all one thinge Namely yâ— Messias whiche was before the beginninge of the world the sauiour of al the faithfull our Lorde Iesus Christ Thiatira is a Cathedrall churche and one of the most notable cities in Lydia This churche dothe yâ— spirite of Christ commende and prayse as well for dyuerse vertues as also for waxing bygge and increasyng in them But he rebuketh the synne of the heades and ouerseets which are so neglygent that they doe not roote out nor reforme certen wyckednes As are the seruice and honouring of ydols and fals goddes and other hyghe blasphemies which doe alwayes accompany and wayte vpon ydolatrye Whiche thing is sygnified by the wycked and supersticious woman Iesabell Of this woman reade more in the first of the kynges in the. xviii and. xxii Chapter and in the. ii of the kynges in the. ix and. x. Chapter How she al her posteritie were so greuously punished of god And againe reade the. xiiii Chapter of ye. v. boke of Eusebyus concernynge Montanus his heresies and than shalte thou vnderstande this place muche better The texte And all the coÌ„gregacyons shal knowe that I am he which searcheth yâ— reynes and hertes And â— wyll geue vnto euery one of you accordinge vnto his worckes Vnto you I saye and vnto other of them of Thyatira as many as haue not this learnynge and which haue not knowen the depâ—nes of Satan as they saye I wyl put vpon you none other burthen but that whiche ye haue alreadye Holde fast tyll I come and whosoeuer ouercommeth and kepeth my worckes vnto the ende to him wyl I geue power ouer nacions and he shal rule them with a rodde of yron and as the vessels of a porter shal they be brokeÌ„ to sheuers â—â—uen as I receaued of my father so wyll I geue him the mornynge starre Let him yâ— hathe eares heare what the sprete sayth to the congregacions This rightuous dreadfull and seuere iudgement of god shall the faithfull knowledge and prayse And shal kepe them selues from suche blasphemies and preuent the wrath and indignacioÌ„ of god and obey folowe his wel for as muche as they heare and parceaue that god is one that knoweth the pryuities of all hartes and all the wycked frutes that spryng out of them and that they shall with all iustyce and equite be punyshed But those whiche eyther at Thiatira or els where do stycke and cleaue stedfastly vnto the worde and wyll of god forsakynge the wycked fynde and refusynge to haue any thing with hym to doe those woulde I not haue ouerladen sayeth god with outwarde ceremonyes and with Iewyshe ordinaunces For faith and loue accordynge vnto the doctrine of the gospell and agreable vnto the same shall be sufficient for them before me bothe for their saluacion and also for a christen and a godly lyfe For that is the seruice which pleaseth me and whiche I wil rewarde Whiche seruice also the very heathen whan they see it shal confesse and knowledge it to be good and godly and to be the very true and ryght gods seruice and beyng ouercome in their infidelyte and mysbelefe they shall fynde in their hartes to consent vnto it and to receyue it and so shall be obedient vnto the gospell forsakynge all their heathnysshe maners and al false gods seruice Euen as the holy prophetes haue sayde long synce that it should come to passe and that the grace and mercy of god was also promysed vnto the heathen thorowe Christe that was to come That they also at length with one harte and mynde should beholde yâ— mornyng starre Christ and his holsome gospell and shoulde in this lyfe thorowe faithe and after this lyfe in the euerlastynge kyngdome of Christ in the heauenly Ierusalem receyue the fruicion of euerlastynge and eternall riches with god and al his electe And in the ende he geueth them an earnest exhortacion to doe good and to esche we euyll that they maye obteyne saluacion and auoyde damnacion as he dothe lykewyse in other places The .iii. Chapter The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the messenger of the congregacion that is at Sardis this sayeth he that hathe the seuen spirires of god and the seuen starres I know thy worckes thou hast a name that thou lyuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges whiche remayne that are readie to dye For I haue not founde thy worckes perfecte before my god Remember therfore how thou hast receaued and hearde and holde fast and repente If thou shalt not watche I wyll come on the as a theâ—e and thou shalte not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon the. AL this dothe Christe speake which is ful of al gyftes of yâ— holy goost without measure dystributeth the same gyftes thorow his spirite vnto all churches to all faythfull ouerseers of the christeÌ„ congregacioÌ„ No hipocrisye nor outwardeshyne of godnes thoughe it be neuer so ful of pompe or solemnitie is of any value before god He wyll haue faith and loue whiche are the pythe and strength of lyfe as infydelitie is of death But this faythe loue must no man vse nor haue for him selfe a lone but he must also moue and further other men vnto the same thorow his instruccioÌ„ good example of lyfe and thorow praier But alas there is great lacke of true faith in the churche whiche thynge maye well be perceyued by the workes and fruites which are sene and appeare For there is but lytle earnest zeale and feruentnes sene in furtherynge of true vertue and godlynes and of the true honour of god done of a pure conscience or in folowynge and practisynge the doctrine of the gospell receyued of the apostles There is but lytle zeale I say in professynge folowynge of this gospell in worde and lyfe together There are but fewe whiche whan they spye any thing amysse in them selues doe earnestlye studye to reforme and amende it or inforce them selues with dilygence to lyue in all godlynes and continuallye to be founde wakynge in vertuous exercyses as it were necessarye for al faythfull to be seyng the glorious commynge of Christ shal sodenly come vpoÌ„ them they can not tell howe soone The texte ¶ Thou hast a few names in Sardis whiche haue not defyled theyr garmentes and they shall walke with me in whyte for they are worthye He that ouercometh shal be thus clothed in whyte araye and I wyll not put out his name out of the booke of lyfe and I wyl confesse his name before my father and before his angels Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions There is but a small nomber amonge you whiche doe lyue innocently and godlye studyeng dyligently to lyue after my wyll and pleasure But this small nombre is worthye of great honour wherwith I shal also indewe them as with blessed immortalitie eternall saluacion of my mere grace mercye aboue al desertes
of theirs whiche are all vnperfyte yf they shoulde be tryed and examined by the iust iudgement of god althoughe thorowe grace they shal be taken for acceptable and worthye The whyte araye dothe sygnifye an innocent lyfe without all maner of blemyshe whiche neyther can be obteyned in this lyfe nor yet is it in the vertue or power of any man But the innocencye and purenes of Christ whiche hath the ouerhande in them that be his thorowe gods spirite shal be dystrybuted vnto the faithfull in suche wyse as they shal be partakers therof The texte ¶ And wryte vnto the angel of the congregacion of Philadelphia this saythe he that is holy and true whiche hathe the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth no maÌ„ openeth I know thy worckes Beholde I haue set before thee an opeÌ„ dore and no man can shut it for thou hast a lytell strength and hast kept my sayinges and hast not denyed my name Beholde I make them of the congregacion of Sathan whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye Beholde I wyll make them that they shall come and worshpype before thy fete and shal knowe that I haue loued the. Because thou haste kepte the wordes of my pacience therfore I wyll kepe the from the houre of temptacion whiche wyll come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe Beholde I come shortly Holde that whiche thou haste that no man take awaye thy crowne Him that ouercommeth wyll I make a pyllar in the temple of my god and he shall go nomore out And I wyll wryte vpon him the name of my god and the name of the cytie of my god newe Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my god and I wyâ—â—â—yâ—â— vpon him my newe name Let him that hath eares heare what yâ— spirite sayth vnto the congregacions For the more perfyght vnderstanding of this booke we lacke dyuers stories which were eyther nothyng at all or elles littell regarded in the fyrste beginnyng of the chrystendome Els shoulde we haue hearde and read muche coÌ„mendacion written of this churche Whiche as it maye here be well perceyued dyd wonderfull excellentlye handle it selfe in the faithe and doctrine of the gospell and suffred muche also therfore But alwaies it ouercame yâ— assaultes of the Iewes heretykes and false teachers whiche at length it dyd confounde so thorowe the helpe of god proceded and went forwarde in godlynes For the whiche it is thus commended of Christe in this place But Christe himselfe onely hath power thorowe his spirite to assure and stablyshe the conscience of man in true doctrine and in the right faythe also in quietnes of mynde And all other vnto whome he hathe geuen the same spirite are to be taken as instrumentes ministers onely accordynge vnto the same spirite and no nother wyse For the which cause without the same spirite that onely doth serche and iudge the secretes of mans harte no suche matter parteynynge vnto the faythe and relygion of god and quietnes of mans conscience can well and rightly be determyned The open doore wherof he speaketh is the worde of god and the holy gospell by the whiche the churche maye worke and bryng to passe muche profyte and honour vnto our god and lorde by them whiche shall be conuerted thereby vnto yâ— true christen fayth as well out of the Iewes as also out of the heathen And that shall not all the enemyes of god be able to hynder withall theyr myghte and power how symple and weake soeuer the ministers of god in that behalfe shall seme and appeare to be For he that worketh in them is strong myghtie and can not be ouercome And he whan he shall see his tyme shall not onely humble and brynge downe the heathen and turne them vnto the true fayth but he shall also dysmaye the Iewes whan as they shall see theyr honour their temple and their gods seruyce vtterly destroyed and ouerthrowen and the word and knowledge of god yâ— onely creator of all thinges to be sprede abrode thorowout al yâ— world At that tyme shall they be compelled to confesse not onely those to be the children of Abraham whiche are circumcised in theyr bodyes but those that in true faith in spirite and trueth doe honour and inuocate god that is creator of heauen and earth and the god of yâ— Patriarkes offeringe vp vnto him euerywhere and at euerye season continually that sacrifice that is onely lefte to be offred namely the sacrifyce of thankes geuynge But this fayth beyng garnyshed with the workes of godlynes shall appeare and be made manyfest thorow the pacience of the holy martirs whiche in so many congregacions haue suffered and dayly are persecuted of the tyrannes for gods sake and for denyeng the false gods seruyce beyng greuouslye assaulted thorowout the whole world and not onely at Philadelphya whiche is mencioned and named onely for an example vnto all suche as are lyke vnto the same Wherefore whosoeuer hathe yâ— grace to be constant and stedfast in faythe let him praye vnto god for perseueraunce that he maye obteyne the croune whiche god hath promysed vnto him Suche stedfast postes that doe not onely stande fast and sure but also are able and wyllyng to vpholde the whole foundacion and byldyng of the churche they shall be set in the heuenly tabernacles of god and shal be garnyshed with names and tytles of honour in euerlastynge blisse whiche shall be the newe Ierusalem the heueÌ„ly golden citye where all the blyssed and holy citizyns shall dwell in the kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion whiche is in Laodicia wryte This sayth Amen the faythfull and true wytnesse the begynnynge of the creatures of god I know thy worckes that thou art nether colde nor hotte I woulde thou were colde or hotte So then because thou arte betwene bothe and nether colde nor hotte I wyll spewe the out of my mouthe because thou sayest I am ryche and increasyd with goodes and haue neade of nothinge and knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable and poore blynde and naked I councell the to bye of me golde tryed in yâ— fyre that thou mayest be riche and whyte rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy fylthy nakednesse do not appeare and anoynt thyne eyes with eye salue that thou mayest se As manye as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repent Beholde I stande at the dore and knocke If eny man heare my voyce and open the dore I wyll come into him and wyll suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercommeth wil I graunt to syt with me in my seate eueÌ„ as â— ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions Our sauiour Christe hath many sondry names Here he is called Amen faithfulnes and trueth the refuge and safegarde
of the faithfull of all creatures the begynnynge without begynnynge y◠euerlastyng wysdome of god Here marke how hyghly god is dyspleased with suche as be indyfferent neyther who◠nor colde whiche wyll and wyll not not consyderynge the earnest wil and commaūdement of god And wyll suffer nothynge for his sake but are content with the onely shyne and shadowe of godlynes and with the onely name of faythe and obedyence to god Where as Christ wyll haue a more feruent and earnest zeale namely the golde of a stedfast and a constante fayth in all maner of affliccion aduersitie the whyte garmētes of innocencie and purenes of lyfe in their whole conuersacion before god and man y◠bryght and clere iyes of Christen doctrine without any manner of errour That a man beyng riche after this maner may walke before god in his churche with worshyp and honestye and without all dread Whan any mysfortune of this worlde dothe happen vnto the faythfull they ought to thynke vpon these wordes and to be thankefull vnto god in true faythe and charite alwayes studyeng to amende their lyues This is the true repentaunce The lorde is muche more ready to gyue than we are to desyre or to receyue And he delyghteth in vertuous and godly hartes and gyueth them comforte loue and hope and strengthneth their faith that they maye be able to continue and remayne without dreade in the grace and fauour of god This is the very ryght supper of y◠spirite of god withal faithfull beleuers in this world But in the blysse of heauen there shal be the very fruicion and possession of all goodnes and of the most hyghest honour with vnspeakable ioye in god withal the holy sainctes whiche euer haue lyued vertuously in the fauour of god ¶ The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ After this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voyce which I hearde was as it were of a trompet talkynge with me whiche sayde come vp hyther and I wyll shewe the thinges which must be fulfylled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauen and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpon lyke vnto a Iaspar stone and a Sardyne stone And there was a raynebowe about the seate in syght lyke to an Emeralde And about the seate were foure and twentye seates And vpon the seates foure and twenty elders syttyng clothed in whyte rayment and had on their heades crownes of golde HEre doth Iohn looke and see in spirite as all y◠prophetes dyd Beholde the fygure whiche representeth vnto thee what heauenly mysteries of the kyngdome of Christ and of the thinges that should happen afterwarde Iohn dyd see in the heauen beyng opened To be in the spirite is asmuche as to be rapte of the spirite of god into an heauēly traunce aboue al mans witte power or capacyte Gods stoole or seate in heauen sygnified the euerlastynge state and continuaunce of the power myght blisse and ryghtuousnes of god The bryghtnes of the precious stones sygnified y◠hyghe maiestye and glory of god bewtyfyed with the knowledge of al thinges The raynebowe sygnifyeth his mercye and pacient sufferynge yet not without mete and condigne reuengeaunce and iustice The .xxiiii. seates and the .xxiiii. elders doe sygnifye y◠most hyghest iustyce and vnsearcheable councell and iudgement of god and that the most speciall frendes of god bothe of the olde and new testament are incorporate into y◠kyngdome of god bothe Patryarkes Kynges Prophetes Apostles and bysshops All are subiect vnto the lorde in all holynes and ready to honour him eternally And al these doe knowledge that they receyued all goodnes and commendacion that they haue of the bountyfull grace of god The texte And out of the seate proceded lyghtnynges and thondrynges and voyces and there were .vii. lampes of fyre burnynge before the seate whiche are the .vii. spirites of god And before the seate there was a sea of glasse lyke vnto Cristall and in the myddes of the seate and rounde aboute y◠seate were foure beastes full of eyes before and behynde And the first beaste was lyke a lyon and the seconde beaste lyke a calfe and the thirde beaste had a face as a man and the fourthe beaste was lyke a flying Egle. And the .iiii. beastes had echone of them syre wynges about him and they were full of eyes within And they had no rest daye nether nyght sayinge Holy holy holy Lord god almightye which was and is and is to come The earnest iudgement and commaundement of god shall be opened and made manyfest vnto all the worlde thorowe the gospell whiche shall be fearful and heauy vnto the wycked but ioyfull and welcome vnto the faithfull godly For vnto them it shall come with the gyftes of the plentifull spirite of God whiche shall appeare in their fruites The sea of glasse maye sygnifye vnto vs the aduersityes of this lyfe whiche serue both to y◠glorye of god and also to the syngular profyte of the faithfull for the frutefull exercyse of their faythe The iiii sondry beastes are interpreted by some of the olde doctours but not by all to sygnifye the .iiii. Euangelystes They maye betoken the .iiii. special mysteries of the Christen faythe As the manhode of Christ maye be sygnified by the face of the man And the passion and death of Christ by the calfe appoynted to be slayne and offered And the resurrection from death by the lyon And the ascencion into heauen by the Egle. All whiche misteries of Christ are plentuously set furth in the holy gospelles and Christ and his kyngdome is descrybed in them vnto all the world as a necessarye and a perfyght doctrine The wynges which are spoken of doe sygnifye here lyke as they doe in the .vi. Chapter of Esaye the obedience and reuerence whiche all creatures doe owe of duty vnto y◠lorde whiche vertues the faythful both willyngly and dylygently doe declare withall redynes and swyftnes of their godly and deuout heartes The multitude of the eyes dothe sygnifye the Christen doctrine and wysedome of god wherof is no want nor scarsenes in the churche And this doctrine must be learned and taken out of the holy scripture geuen by god For the whiche cause al godly and blessed myndes as well of the angels as of men shal neuer cease to prayse and exalt the almightye god to be holy in al his workes onely one in his godly substance and yet a Trinite of persons as it is wonderfully declared and expressed bothe by al holy scriptures and also by the heauenly wysedome of the prophetes and other holy men secretely inspired and lyghtned of god euē certein of the heathē also whiche thorowe true fayth doe knowledge and confesse that there is but one onely god creatour of all thinges and ruler and gouernoure foreuer and immutable The texte ¶ And when those beastes gaue glorye and honour and
thankes to him that sate on the seate whiche lyueth for euer and euer the foure and twentye elders fel downe before him that sate on the trone worshypped him that lyueth for euer cast their crownes before the trone sayinge thou arte worthye O lorde our god to receaue glorye and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy wylles sake they are were created One creature geueth euermore occasion to another to knowe and to honour by al meanes possyble the vnsearcheable highe maiesty power wysoome and mercy of the onely creatour and maker al the world knowledgyng al goodnes that can be founde or sene in all maner of creatures to come onely of God whiche is the well sprynge of all goodnes And for that cause he is onely to be honored inuocated and feared with all reuerence and submission as muche as euer is possible for al creatures to performe which haue all that they haue what soeuer it be lyfe power actiuite and altogether of god and can ascribe nothing that good is vnto them selues The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate in the trone a boke wryten within and on the backe syde sealed with seuen seales And I sawe a stronge aungell whiche preached with a loude voyce Who is worthy to open the boke and to lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in erth nether vnder yâ— erth was able to open yâ— boke nether to loke theron And I wepte muche because no man was founde worthy to open to reade yâ— boke nether to loke theron And one of the elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde a lyon of the trybe of Iuda the rote of Dauid hath optayned to open the boke to loce the seuen seales therof THis boke in the hande of god is the holy scripture and doctrine of god inspired by the holy goost written thorowe the prophetes sealed vp and vnknowen vnto all men whiche wyll enterpryse to reade and interprete it after their naturall reason and after the capacyte of their owne suttyll wittes onely whether it be after the spirituall sence or after the very letter For yâ— which cause fewe of the cyuyll and polytique learned men geuen altogether vnto worldly wysedom dyd euer but lytle medle with this booke or beare any minde vnto it And therfore Ezechiel and Daniel were commaunded to set a locke vpon it notwithstandynge that this booke is the truth necessarye and profytable for al the electe children of god to beleue But that man alone and none els can open this booke at all tymes whiche hath the spirite of Christ neyther dyd any other euer open it from the begynnynge For lyke as Christ was alwayes present with the Patriarkes and Prophetes in al suche thinges as concerned his honour rulynge instructyng yâ— faythful churche thorow faythe Euen so was the spirite of god present in all the electe plentyfullye to directe them in al matters concerning the necessitie of their saluacion althoughe secretly not manyfestly Wherfore truly this booke is shut vp vnto all worldly and natural reason not onely vnto the heathen but also vnto the fleshely Iewes with their stony hartes as the most part of them were and vnto all suche as without the spirite of Christe doe enterpryse to medle with the wrytinges of holy scripture And therfore Iohn bewayleth the ignoraunce and blyndnes of the Iewyshe people and that not without a cause But yet this comforte hath he that it wyll amende and be better at suche tyme as the spirite of Christe thorowe the merytes of the death and passion of Christ shall take awaye the blyndnes of all maner of errours bothe of the heathen and of the Iewes And then thorowe the spirite of god in the apostles shall be opened the mysteries of the holy gospel which were hidden in tholde testament not onely vnto the good Iewes but also vnto the heathen whersoeuer they dwel in yâ— world This hath Iesus Christ yâ— sauiour of yâ— world deserued brought to passe with his lyonyshe might with his shepâ—she symplicitie mekenes with his pacience wyllyng passion eueÌ„ according as the prophetes dyd tell signifie long before And specially Iacob in his blessing ouer the trybe of Iuda For the which cause Christ is called a Lion of yâ— tribe of Iuda And he is also named of Esay and of other prophetes of Dauids stocke As S. Mathew declareth in the genealogie of the birth of Christ yâ— he is not onely the sonne of Abraham and Iacob but also the sonne of Dauid The texte ¶ And I behelde lo in the myddes of the seate of the foure beastes in the myddes of the elders stode a lambe as thoughe he had bene kylled hauynge seuen hornes seueÌ„ eyes which are the seuen spirites of god sent inâ—o al the world And he came toâ—e the boke our of the right hande of him that sate vpon the seate And when he had taken the boke yâ— foure beastes .xxiiii. elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one of them harpes golden vyalles full of odoures which are the prayers of sainctes and they songe a newe longe saying thou art worthy to take the boke to open the seales thereof for thou wast killed and hast redemed vs by thy bloude our of al kinredes tonges people nacions and hast made vs vnto oure god kynges and priestes and we shall raygne on the earthe By the declaracion of the wordes before maye this that foloweth wel euideÌ„tly be vnderstande Euen as yâ— foure euangelistes haue described Christ to be the lambe yâ— was woryed slayne ful of the giftes of yâ— holy goost accordynge vnto the nomber of yâ— seueÌ„ principal articles of our christen faith coÌ„cerning Christ namely of his manhode his passion his buriall his resurreccioÌ„ his ascensioÌ„ the sendynge of the holy goost his coÌ„mynge at the latter daye to iudge the whole worlde All whiche articles are spred a brode knowe vnto the whole world and once receyued thorowe the gospel preaching of the Apostles And thus is the desyre of al the holy patriarkes prophetes fulfilled whiche desyred nothinge more hartely thaÌ„ the manifestacion of the honour of god the true knowledge loue religion of the very true onely one god Whiche thing is come to passe thorow the spreadyng abrode of the gospel thus is the swete smellyng oblacioÌ„ of thanckes geuynge institute begon in al the world all maner of old stynekyng ydolatry is abolyshed And thorowe Christe his holy Apostles the true honour and religion of god is spred abrode preserued And the synne of al the world is cleane wyped away thorow the bloude of Christ once offered vpoÌ„ the crosse And the errors and supersticion of al people with all false seruice of god is vtterly suppressed the rightuousnes of the true faith is restored the
and by these he shall make them to be knowen vnto the whole christen congregacion The tâ—â—â—◠¶ And I hearde the nombre of them whiche were sealed and there were sealed an C. and xliiii â— of at the crybes of the children of Israel Of the trybe of Iuda were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ruben were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Aser wer sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Neptalim were sealed twelue M. Of the trybe of Manasses were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Leuy were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Isacar were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Ioseph were sealed xii M. Of the trybe of Beniamin were sealed xii M. Thus hathe our sauiour Iesus Christ chosen into his churche coÌ„gregacion not onely out of the gentyles or heathen but also out of the Iewes of all trybes generacions Out of the whiche euen before the passion of Christ there were infynite noumbres scattered dyspersed abrode thorow out the whole world which were conuerted vnto the christen faithe receyued the baptisme or christendome As the holy Apostles also preached first vnto the Iewes the syncere pure christen faith And the nombre of those Iewes the were conuerted by them was doubtles greate throughout the whole world in continuaunce of tyme increased But here in this place after the customeable vse of the holy scripture is marked or sealed a certen appoynted prescribed nomber for an vncerten an vnprescrybed nomber but yet a full and a perfyght nomber For. xii times xii thousande doe make an hundreth and. xliiii thousande For what cause certen are not here rehersed amonge the. xii trybes it is not necessarye to searche For there are euen as many true christians more also thorowe yâ— wyll of god conuerted vnto the true faythe out of yâ— trybe or flocke of Iacob And more shal be dayly conuerted whan as the Christen religion shal be restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture as it was first bylded of the Apostles bysshops of the prymatyue churche The texte◠¶ After this I behelde and lo a great multitude which no man coulde nombre of al nations people and tonges stooe before the seate and before the lambe clothed with longe whyre garmentes palmes in their handes cryed with a loude voyce saying saluacioÌ„ be assâ—râ—bed to him that sytreth vpon the seate of our god and vnto the lambe And all the angels stode in the compase of the seate of the elders of the foure beastes fell before the seate on their faces worshypped god saying Amen Blessing and glorye wysdom and thankes and honour and power and myght be vnto out god for euermore Amen As was before sayd there wer many turned vnto the christeÌ„ faith out of the tribes of the Israelites after yâ— fleshe But there were many more yea infynite nombres out of all other heatheÌ„ people tounges nacions which eueÌ„ froÌ„ the antyquyte as bothe Sybylla Mercurius also more euydeÌ„tly certeinly yâ— patriarke Iacob in ye. xlix of Genesis lykewyse all the prophetes doe testifie dyd looke and wayte for the sauiour Messias Out of the which the christendome did dayly increase waxe greater in yâ— who le worlde thus they became right children of Abraham Israel after the faith to yâ— glorye prayse of god Where vnto al the holy patriarkes had alwayes more respect thaÌ„ eyther to yâ— lande of Chanaan or to the temple of Ierusalem or yet to yâ— circumcision cuttyng of the foreskynne of their bodily but vnnaturall and dysobedient children and posterite Yea or fynally to all maner of Iewyshe ceremonies For those christians that were conuerted froÌ„ the heatheÌ„ in the whole world dyd imbrace receyue the gospel very desyrously feruently framing their lyues in euery condicion therafter reformyng forsakyng their olde heathnyshe synfull lyfe maners pacient in all maner of affliccions Constant and faythfull euen vnto deathe for the true saythe and relygions sake againste ydolatrye supersticion and false religion And for this they haue receyued euerlastyng blisse wherin they laude honour god in the ioyes of heauen euerlastyngly As they also doe no lesse so long as they remayne in the warrefare of this transitorye lyfe wherin they walke as beyng marked and chosen out in all innocencie vertue and godlynes thus euen vpon earth they possesse their soules with pacience in all maner of assaultes and temptacions with a true confidence in god and with a quiet conscience And by this meanes they take here a tast of the blissed hope and loue vntil they obteyue euerlastynge saluacion The texte ¶ And one of the elders answered saying vnto me what are these whiche are arayed in longe whyte gatmentes and whence came they And I sayde vnto him Lorde thou wotest And he sayde to me these are they whiche came out of great tribulacion and made their garmentes large and made them whyte by the bloude of the lambe therfore are they in the presence of the seare of god and serue him daye and nyght in his temple and he that sytteth in the seate wylld well amonge them They shall honger no more nether thirst nether shall the sunne lyght on them nether eny heate â—or yâ— lambe whiche is in the myddes of the â—eare shall fede them and shall leade them vnto fountaynes of lyuynge water and God shall wype awaye all teares from their eyes A certen elder asked S. Iohn to geue him occasion to teache and to instructe him what he iudged and thought of those blessed ones whiche he saw in suche honour with god garnysshed with whyte garmentes And Iohn made a quicke answer sayeng that all those whiche doe cleaue vnto Christe with a true and a perfyght faith and for the faithe and truthes sake suffer paciently wyllingly what aâ—â—lyctioÌ„ so euer god shal sende vnto them thei shal be in great honour and estimacioÌ„ with god And they are suche as asscâ—ybe al their perfightnes vertue and godlynes not vnto their owne workes nor yet vnto their owne fulfyllyng of the lawe wherin they must nedes knowledge them selues gyltye and synful but all together vnto the merytes of the healthsome passion of Christ whiche is and shall euer be their rightuousnes in whome they put their trust and confydence and for his sake they are readye to suffer whatsoeuer god shall lay vpon them These are the holy blessed whiche beginne in this lyfe to haue a delight in godlynes euen with a free spirite And thorowe faythe they are sure of the grace and mercye of god which shal continue for euer towarde them at length they shall haue the cleare fruicion of all goodnes and shall fully possesse that which they doe here hope and
the churche As it maye well appeare that yâ— frute and ende of al their studyes haue bene nothynge els but couetousnes and pryde worldly honour and promocion And with their suttyll wyttes and dyuises they haue done wonderfull muche hurte But thorowe the myghtye power and vertue of Christ in his churche they haue bene hyndered and dysappoynted for this purpose that they shoulde not hurte nor harme the true faythfull whiche increase and waxe grene thorowe faythe in all godly workes and exercyses whiche the spirite of god would not suffer to be hyndered but that they shoulde be preserued in faith and loue after the wyll and worde of god in all holynes and vertue But those men whiche haue made a couenaunt with pryde couetousnes fleshly lust and pleasure enuye hatred and excesse and suche other they were geuen vnto them to vse after their owne pleasures for as muche as they had no seale or token of god Notwithstandynge those shoulde they not kyll neyther for as muche as many of them myght be conuerted and amende but they should onely punyshe and vexe them in their conscyences and with other plages for a season namely for the space of fyue monethes whiche maye be vnderstande to sygnifye fyue hundreth yeares wherin all suche thinges haue bene sene practised and suffered in the churche of god And their payne and vexacion for so long a tyme hath bene extreme their conscience being fearefully and heauâ—ly tormented for their great synnes Whiche thinge dyd first sprynge of false doctrine and of mans tradicions which they haue not kept as for an example they coÌ„strayned filthy chastitie of pryestes monckes nonnes the glotonous fastynge the myserable torment of eare confession the dreadfull feare of purgatorye the pollynge of pardons the excessyue and couetous pouertye of beggyng fryers vnsaâ—yable These are the venomous stynges which doe vexe and tormente them that wyll forsake and set at naught the token and seale of gods worde The texte ¶ And in those dayes shall men seke death and shall not fynde it and shall desire to dye and death shall flye from them And the symilytude of the locustes was lyke vnto horses prepared vnto battayll and on their heades were as it were crounes lyke vnto golde and their faces were as it had bene the faces of men And they had heere as the heere of wemeÌ„ And their teeth were as the teeth of lyons And they had habbergions as it were habbergions of yron And the sounde of their wynges was as the sounde of charertes wheÌ„ many horses runne together to battayle And they had tayles lyke vnto scorpious and there were stynges in their tayles And their power was to hurte men fyue monethes And they had a kynge ouer them whiche is the angell of the bottomlesse pyt whose name in the Hebrew tonge is Abadon but in the Greke tonge Appollyon that is to saye a destroyer One woe is past and beholde two wooes come yet after this These locustes or gresshopers shall be strong and myghtye in the churche and shall greuously vexe and oppresse all faythfull professours of the gospel which can not abyde nor beare their false religion And they shal be so afflycte and persecuted of them that they shall wyshe a thousande tymes rather to be dead than alyue For the griefe and sorowe of suche as be tormented in their conscience is vnspeakeable And that all men maye the better knowe suche locustes these tokens are to be marked They syt vpon horses hauyng vpon their heades as it were crounes garnysshed with golde and precious stones and haue faces lyke vnto mens faces louyng lowly amyable in wordes in outwarde pretence but in effecte vertue and strength lesse and weaker thaÌ„ any woman garnysshed with pleasant heere euen for nothynge els but for a very token of hypocrysye And besydes this they haue terryble teth whiche sygnifyeth yâ— they are myghtye to hurte euen lyke Lyons without feare not able to be resysted For as muche as they are armed with habbergions of yron hangynge together with their Chaynes and Behemoth knottes byndinge and knytting them selues together with their Councels and Decrees that they seme inuyncible and not able to be ouercome of the whole world They thunder with their cursynges suspensions and excommunicacions and all to maynteine their pompe euen lyke a fearfull army whiche in warre fare woulde make all the worlde afrayde They flye with their pardons and bulles euen as it were with wynges ouer hylles and dales ouer sea and lande and poyson more noysomly vnto death than they should doe with very bodyly weapons And yet whan their bulles and parchement wil not helpe they wyll vse the prycke and sworde also And the kyng or gouernour of this people hath no nother proper name but Appollion that is to say destroyer and the very incarnate deuyll lyke as his aduersarye Christ is bothe in name and in deede a sauiour and preseruer This is an heuy woo and mysery to happen vnto the churche of Christ But there shall come yet .ii. other besydes this The texte ¶ And the syxt Angell blewe and I herde a voyce from the foure corners of the golden aulter whiche is before God sayinge to the syrte Angell whiche had the trompe Loce the foure Angelles whiche are bounde in the great ryuer Euphrates And the foure Angelles were looced whiche were prepared for an houre for a daye for a moneth and for a yeare for to slee the thirde parte of men And the nombre of horsemen of warre were .xx. times .x. M. And I hearde the nombre of them and thus I sawe the horses in a vysion and them that sate on them hauynge fyry habergions of a Iacynte coloure and brymstone and the heades of the horses wer as the heades of lyons And out of their mouthes went forth fire and smoke and brymstone And of these thre was the thirde parte of men kylled that is to saye of fyre smoke and brymstone â–ª whiche procede out of the mouthes of them For their power was in their mouthes and in their tayles for their tayles were lyke vnto serpentes and had heades and with them they dyd hurte The syxte angelycall deuyll whiche was set against the syxt seale dyd blowe for his tyme also puttynge forthe his voyce in the christendome where god ought to be honoured with the golde of a pure and syncere faythe And at that tyme the holy Apostle S. Iohn heard in spirite a voyce without doubt yâ— voice of Christ kynge of all honour Whiche voyce said vnto the angel of wickednes That thing whiche thou wilt that take in hande For I permytte yâ— now at this tyme to exercyse thy power to the hurtynge and vndoynge of the wycked and vngodly and to the amendement furtheraunce and christen exercise of the faithfull and electe Poure out the Hypocrytical frowardnes of the hyghe state of the malygnante churche whiche hitherto hath bene somwhat bounde and hath had a great name eueÌ„ lyke as
Euphrates muche vnlyke vnto the holy Iordan or vnto the flode Syloa that is to say the prymatyue churche of the Apostles And there is no hope of grace nor of recouerye or saluacion in her For in this Euphrates there is nothing that is sounde and good but all together full of death destruccion with yâ— helpe of his iii. or foure streames whiche went out from him It is easy to vnderstande what and who they were whiche went out after the decaye of the holy christen churche or after S. Austins or S. Ambrose tyme after the fyue monethes that is to saye after fyue hundreth yeares went out eueÌ„ at one tyme namely at the tyme of the councel holden at Laterane and were redy to murther and flaye the thirde parte of mankynde And they with their felowes dyd greuously hurte them in person in goodes in conscience in bodye and in the prosperyte and welth of their soules thorowe horryble errors in faithe relygion and outwarde ceremonies thorow mans ordinaunces and tradicions bothe against the manyfest holy worde of god also against the ordinaunce of the holy prymatiue churche of the Apostles And here the great nomber of these horsemen doth open the vnderstandinge vnto the reader that all men maye easyly perceyue what they are commyng vp in maner about one tyme. But their frutes shall shewe and declare that sufficiently Out from among these horsemen came their captains ridyng vpon hyghe horses and mules with highe pompe pretendinge highe wysdom gostly power But yet these holy brethren the maynteyners of Christes churche as they pretende do ryde with harnes and sallets armed and prepared with many ordinaunces decrees and statutes by the whiche alas what remedye the christen faythe is lytle furthered But it is well fensed and armed with habbergions one ryng folded in a nother fower folde These were set on fyre with a furious madnesse against the pure and syncere doctrine and profession of the gospell yelowe for very enuye hatered and malyce and also for very fylthye desyre and couetousnes of golde whiche thinges goe alwayes together And againe sauering of brymstone in their hipocritishe filthy chastitie vnmete odious for any christeÌ„ harte to thiÌ„cke vpon muche lesse for any christen eares to heare or any christen tong to speake Their pompe and power to subdue the symple and humble dysciples of Christ contemners of this wycked world is lyke vnto the power and myght of Lyons by the wytte of man not able to be resysted or withstanden And yet their power is not in their handes and armes but in their mouthes Out of the whiche commeth cursynge suspendyng excommunicating and threatenynge with fire and feare of hell and purgatorye with suche lyke firebrandes of brymstone Oh how many right godly and faythfull constant men and wemen haue bene murthered wtin these foure or fiue hundreth yeares of these horsemen whose power was onely in their mouthes For to the performauÌ„ce of their spiritual tirannie they dyuised spies serchers whiche they called inquisitores hereticae prauitatis to spye out suche as they toke for heretykes as Saule was one at suche tyme as he raâ—ed so spitefully against the faithfull from Ierusalem to Damasco Their tayle lyke vnto the tayle of a Scorpion or a Basiliske are those whiche goe after them and folow their example Princes Lordes and temporal Magistrates whiche are assistent vnto them to execute their tyrannye bothe otherwyse speciallye at general councels whiche for their pleasures euen thoughe they be Emperours yet they must breake their promyses of free pasporte and passage against bothe their honour and othes in any matters that concerne their spiritual state pompe lyberties ordinauÌ„ces be they neuer so much against the holy worde of God The texte And the remnant of the men which were not kylled by these plages repented not of the dedes of theyr handes that they shulde not worshyppe deuyls and ymages of golde and syluer and brasse and stone and of wood which nether can se nether heare nether go Also they repented not of theyr murther and of theyr sorcery nether of theyr fornicacyon nether of theyr thefte Howe heuy and terryble is the might and power of the deuil of Antichrist yea how many of the faithfull electe of God haue bene tormented and slayne by them bothe in their bodies and consciences And yet euen in their tyme there wer many that remayned alyue whiche the mercifull hande of God dyd preserue in all godlynes and thorow his ayde and helpe they escaped the handes of these tyrannes Euen in lyke maner as there dyd also many remayne in their wicked purposes in their cruel tyrannye in their godles blasphemous lyfe whiche not withstanding would be bothe called and also estemed taken for holy and spiritual men And yet they beleue not yâ— they haue any nede to repent therfore they procede goe forwarde with their tradicions of men yâ— transgressioÌ„ wherof they punishe more sharply than the transgression of any commaundement of God For yâ— doe they esteme in maner lyghter thaÌ„ nothing taking it for suche a synne as may well ynoughe be dyspensed with remitted And thus in the meane tyme they please serue and honour the deuel with their ydolatry supersticion and inuocacion of sayntes vnto whome they praye say Our father in heauen halowed by the name euen vnto the very images bothe of men wemeÌ„ Whiche thing the very lyuing deuyl taught them as thoughe the saintes shoulde desire any suche thing and not rather be dyspleased therwith vnto the whiche sainctes also they make and set vp images of golde syluer stone and woode euen vnto those true sainctes also which were martired and put to death for speakynge and preaching against suche heathnyshe customes and toke it for very wicked and abhominable supersticions and diuil lyshnes to inuocate and honour suche false goddes And they doe these thinges so manifestly that they can not nor wil not denie it No they haue no vnderstaÌ„ding therof For they theÌ„ selues are eueÌ„ lyke vnto their false goddes and become so madde and so farre out of their wittes that they can no more heare nor see thaÌ„ their ydols and false goddes can And they wil heare of no repentaunce at al muche lesse wil they performe any But they wyll rather confirme and mainteyne their deuillyshe ydolatrye and false religion with sword and fyre murther and poyson yea and sometime they are not ashamed to practyse sorcerye witchecrafte to mainteyne their wickednes againste yâ— true faith religioÌ„ And they wil lyue in whordom whosoeuer say nay eueÌ„ of force beyng extreme enemyes vnto holy matrimony And thus they bleare and blinde the whole worlde with their falsehede lyeng and all to mainteyne their possessions and infinite blasphemyes whiche â—â—â—eâ—e of their ydolatry with worldly force and tyrannye as they haue euer done ¶ The .x. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe another mightie Aungell come doune from heauen
him But this temple of God is the holy christen churche and congregacion in this tyme of trouble dyscencion and batell and participacion of the blisse of heauen and euerlastinge lyfe vnto them that wynne and beare awaye the victorye The Arke of the testamente is the blessed and holy manhode of Christ vnited and knit in one with the godlye nature of the euerlasting word of God which is and euer hath bene yâ— Mercye stoole of all the worlde and of al men and the onely comforte refuge and ioye of the faythfull electe But the lyghtenynge the noyse of the voices the thonderynge and earthequake with the great hayle maye sygnifie the terryble damnacion of the wicked for euer or els it maye sygnifie a synguler ernest and wonderfull preparacion of the hearer or of the reader lyke as was of the holy Apostle S. Iohn whiche sawe it to marke and consyder it the more dilygentlye For it is necessarye to marke and consyder suche reuelacions and visions as doe folowe vpon suche tokens the lyke whereunto happened sometymes also vnto the prophetes as the holy scripture declareth The texte ¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moâ—e vnder her fete vpoÌ„ her heade a crowne of .xii. starres And she was with childe cried trauayling in birthe and pained ready to be delyuered And there appeared another wonder in heaueÌ„ for beholde a great red dragon hauing .vii. heddes ten hornes .vii. crounes vpon his heades his tayle drue yâ— thirde part of yâ— starres cast them to yâ— earth As in the prophetes of the olde testament the first dyd write more plainely and manifestly than the last whiche are muche harder to be vnderstanded as Ezechiel Daniel and zacharie are muche harder than Esaye and Ieremy EueÌ„ so in the new testament in this prophetycall boke the latter prophecies reuelacions and visions are more playne and easy to be vnderstanded thaÌ„ the first in so muche as this vision maye in manner be an interpretacioÌ„ of those visions that went before This heauen wherin this great token dyd appeare must nedes be the kyngdome of heauen the christen churche congregacion and felowshyp of all faithfull from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll the ende therof as Christ him selfe doth interprete it The woman of whome the angell here speaketh is the euerlasting mighty and blissed worde of god whiche is bryght and mightye as the Sunne wherunto all the vnderstanding of man and of all fleshe is subiecte And it is clothed and garnysshed with the faith and confession of the patriarkes â–ª prophetes Apostles and martirs bothe of the olde and of the newe testament This word of God the holy gospel promised vnto vs from the begynnynge and beleued hath performed and thorowe the mercye and goodnes of God hath brought forthe and borne vnto vs Christe the sauiour of the worlde or the true faith in Christ But this came not to passe before suche time as nonother saluacion coulde in any wyse be founde thorow the workes of the lawe throughe the sacrifices nor throughe all other good workes For none of them all had power to satisfye or to make holy but onely the righteousnes of the worde of God that became man namely our sauiour Christe the sonne of God and of Marye whiche had bothe the nature of God and of man in one onely person whiche made satisfaccion for al mankynde This beyng with childe is in this place as muche as an earnest lust and desyre The cryeng is prayer As the holy prophetes dyd euermore desyre this saluacion trusted throughe belefe in yâ— worde of God vnto the promes yâ— was made vnto the whole worlde Against this holy worde of God and this christen faithe dyd appeare an other token in the congregacioÌ„ of the churche beyng called of God namely a bloudy dragon and enemye of mans saluacion and of the true faithe in Christ whiche is yâ— wicked spirite Lucifer his felowshyp by whose .vii. heades is sygnified all blasphemies and wickednes wherwith he worketh all myschiefe And the .x. hornes doe sygnifye his great and manyfolde tyrannye wherby he worketh to hynder and hurt the true faythe and the gospell of Iesus Christ the onely sauiour wherunto he is an enemye an aduersarye with all his might power so farre as almightye God wyll permyt and suffer him whiche he taketh to helpe him namely the louers frendes and gredy folowers of this worlde vngodlye tyrannes againste all godly innocencye and christen faithe This dragons tayle sygnifieth the might power and ministers of the deuell wherby he dysyreth to hurt the electe yf God woulde suffer it as it is possible that he maye that they shoulde fall from the heauenly vertue and godlines vnto the loue of this worlde and vnto earthly and fleshely lustes and affeccions The texte ¶ And the dragon stode before the woman whiche was readye to be delyuered for to deuourt her chylde as sone as it were borne And she brought forthe a man childe whiche shoulde rule all nacions with a rodde of yron And her sonne was taken vp vnto God and to his seate And the woman fled into wildernes where she had a place prepared of god that they shoulde fede her there a M.ii. hundred and .lx. dayes The wycked spirite dyd bestowe all his might and power that the promyse of God thorowe the dysobedience of the children of Israell whome he alwayes stirred vp might come to none effecte and that yâ— trueth of God might be dysappoynted and that the faythe in Christ in whome our saluacion dothe consyste might be blemysshed and confounded and also that the gospell might be myxed with mans doctrine interpretacions and errours But the goodnes truth mercye faythfulnes and loue of God is greater than the power and wickednes of the deuell and of al his subtilties and ministers For the childe was borne goddes worde became man truth had the victorye and falsehede laye on yâ— grounde vnder fote The craft and subtiltie of the deuell was defeated by the wysdome of God and was opened and dysclosed vnto the worlde This childe Christ the euerlasting worde of God whiche became man in the moost holy wombe of the virgin Marye was receyued and taken of God the father throughe grace for the satisfaccion of the synne of al the world and he dyd merite and deserue with his highe and most perfyte obedience and humblenes the glorye of yâ— heauenlye father and the kyngdome of heauen wherin he ruleth for euer and euer But the truth of the christen faith religion and of the gospell of Christ dyd alwaies suffre extreme sorowe and payne beyng persecuted euen at the first of the Iewes of the false Apostles of false and coloured christians of Emperours and Kynges of workemongers of false and wicked bysshops of Sorcerers and nigromansers of Sarasens of ydolaters and Epicures of philosophers of the louers
of this world of spiritual prelates and religious monkes and friers c. For all these and other suche lyke are the hornes crounes and the great tayle of this dragon whiche watcheth studieth and seketh all wayes and meanes to hurte and hynder the true faithe the christen lyfe and the holsome doctrine that is to saye our sauiour Christ in the faithfull And for this cause the doctrine of the gospell and the christen faithe hathe bene fayne to suffer muche continually euen from the beginnyng of the worlde and immediately after the christen faith was first taught preached And therfore many holy and faithfull christianes haue bene fayne to flee and yâ— trueth of the gospel in continuaunce of tyme was straunge and vnknowen vnto the moost parte of the hyghe learned doctours and potentates throughout the worlde Althoughe the true christen faithe was alwayes preserued thoughe it were in fewe and in abiecte persons of slender reputaâ—ion And this continued a longe space namely from the tyme of Constantine the Emperour whan as the christen churche semed in maner to haue escaped all daunger and perill of decaye and destruccion vntil our tyme wherin she appeareth againe wonderfully after a straunge maner in despite of al tirannes and of all the power of hell And nombring from that tyme of Constantine I meane vntyll our tyme euen this nomber of yeares shall euydentlye appeare reckenynge dayes for yeares as it is a commune thing in scripture If any man can finde out any plainer vnderstanding of this place for in suche darke and obscure places of scripture no man ought to be frowarde or contencious let them take it and folowe it The texte ¶ And there was a great batayle in heauen Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and preuayled not nether was their place founde any more in heauen And the great dragon that olde serpent called the deuell and Sathanas was cast out Whiche deceaueth all the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast our also The power of God the holy worde of God and the spirite of Christ which we maye vnderstande by Mychaell who by interpretacion is who is lyke god and Gabriel the strength of God hath in all ages and tymes bene dryuen to holde batel with Lucifer and Sathan with the pryde of mans wysdome whiche haue hindred the true honour of God the true seruice religioÌ„ of God the true faith and haue euer withstanden the holy and pure gospell But this worde of God hath alwayes had the victorie althoughe with muche labour and daunger and sometyme not without harme and losse but not of the electe whiche thing shall continue vntyll suche tyme as our sauiour shall haue his wil and pleasure of this battell and with the breath of his mouthe shall slaye the sonne of the dragon the damnable Antichrist For the whiche thing we ought continuallye to call vpon the mercye and goodnes of God in a stedfast and perfight hope and confidence as he hath taught vs halowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wyll be done no lesse in earth than it is infalliblye in heauen For the haÌ„de of God is not shortened but is able to gyue whatsoeuer he hath commaunded vs to aske and â—o praye for The peace also and quietnes of the elect and faithfull to lyue in godlynes maye be wysshed to be more perfight as is also promysed thorowe the prophetes than it hath bene hitherto for lacke of the true sounde doctrine of the gospel no smal space althoughe the very perfyght peace can not be obteyned but onely in heauen in the eternall quiet kyngdome of Christe The texte ¶ And I hearde a loude voyce saying in heauen is nowe made saluacion and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ For the accuser of oure brethren is caste downe whiche accused them before our God daie and night And they oeurcame him by the bloude of the lambe and by the worde of their testimonye and they loued not their lyues vnto the death Therfore reioyce heauens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the deuil is come downe vnto you whiche hathe great wrathe because he knoweth that he hath but a shorte tyme. Thus throughe the spirite of Christ with the continual and sincere preaching of the gospel Sathan and his champioÌ„ Antichrist are ouercome And thus shal the voyce prayse and thankesgeuing of the faythful be heard in the churche as it is here written now is Saluacion thorowe faithe and the strength thorow loue and the kyngdome or dominion in the churche become gods Nowe maye all men see the power of gods worde the iudgement of Christ against the deuel whiche would haue roted out yâ— rightuosnes of faith in Christ would haue directed and appointed christen men vnto the rightuosnes of workes and to the hope of their owne satisfaccion wherby he woulde alwayes haue founde occasion to accuse all men before God vnder a false pretence But the preachinge of the gospell hath disclosed this suttell falsehede and all suche lyke and declareth that onely the bloude of the lambe and nothing els can wype and washe awaye the synnes of all the worlde yf they trust in god thorowe Christ with a true lyuely faith thorowe the grace and mercye of God and the rightuousnes of Christ which he dystributeth vnto al his faithfull electe and maketh them partakers therof That by this meanes Sathan can haue no quarell against the workes of the faithfull whiche lyke thankfull parsons remayne and continue stedfastly in their true faith in al maner of affliccion aduersitie eueÌ„ vnto very death And therfore the true ioye of all godly consciences waxeth and increaseth in the churche And so their blisse and saluacion beginneth in this worlde thorow faith which faith worketh an innocent and a godly lyfe thus continueth euerlastingly in heauen But on yâ— contrarye parte woo vnto them whiche seeke their rightuousnes by men at certen places certaine times certaine workes and certaine meates for they can neuer fynde any true rightuousnes but thorowe the falsehede wickednes of yâ— deuil they fall eyther into desperacion or els into presumpcioÌ„ wherunto SathaÌ„ applieth al his study yâ— they fall not froÌ„ his kingdoÌ„ nor escape out of his fingers For he seketh nothing but yâ— damnacioÌ„ of such The texte ¶ And when the dragon saw that he was caste vnto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forthe the man childe And to yâ— woman were geuen two winges of a great Egle yâ— she might flye into yâ— wildernes into her place where she is nourished for a tyme times and halfe a tyme from the presence of the serpent And the dragon caste oute of his mouthe water after the woman as it had bene a ryuer because she shoulde haue bene caught of the floude And the earth holpe the
as muche as they dyd performe and obey his wyll transgressinge the seconde commaundement of ymages and strange goddes which is eueÌ„ as muche as to serue the deuil This euil and wounde was healed longe before of the godlye Emperour Constantine and of the holy bysshoppes throughout the whole christendome and nowe this deuyll bringeth it againe into the churche vnder a pretence of holines out of yâ— which pretence did spring departinge from the faithe and decaye of loue as the Chronicles testifie What wonderfull tokens haue bene wrought in the papacie and to what ende Christ him selfe dyd prophecye longe agoe vnto his disciples and gaue them warning of them Vnto this seconde beaste muste ymages be made euen accordinge vnto the pleasure of the dragon and as the papacye wyll haue it without any respecte whether it be conformable vnto the worde of God or good and profitable for the conscience and soule of man or no. The texte ¶ And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beast and that the ymage of the beaste should speake and should cause that as many as woulde not worship yâ— ymage of the beaste shoulde be kylled And he made all bothe small and great riche and poore fre and bonde to receaue a marke in their right handes or in their forheades And that no man might by or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beaste other the nomber of his name Here is wysdome Let him that hath witte counte the nomber of the beaste â—or it is the nomber of a man and his nomber is syxe hundred three score and syxe This bringethe the dragon to passe to establyshe and confirme the worshipping of ymages whiche began to doe miracles and dyd speake to the great wonder of all men somtyme with the helpe of nicromancie the science of the deuyll by the whiche science many of them came vnto the papacye as their owne stories doe testyfie Out of this dothe it folowe afterwarde that whoso euer wyll not worship this ymage the same must dye euen as the papacye wyll haue it yet vntyll this daye And with parcialite geue them markes that is excommunicate them and dysherite them of their kyngdomes and heretages suche as wyll not worshyppe and honour their ymages Here must men speake warely and circumspectly that they dysplease no man that they maye enioye lyfe bodye estimacion and goodes quietly But goddes worde and wyll commaundeth otherwyse and is an other maner of wysdome God willeth that this beastes nomber and errour shoulde haue an ende Reken from the yeare of our Lorde a thousande v. hundreth and .xx. backewarde this nomber of .vi. hundreth .iii. score and .vi. yeares and looke what tyme it was thaÌ„ with the popes and the Emperours ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and xliiii thousande hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheades And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thounder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes HEre foloweth what rewarde they shall haue whiche folowe not this horned beast nor them that worship it The lambe vpon the mount Sion is our Sauiour Christ rulinge and gouerning in his holy christen churche and sorowing for his faithful elect This great nomber after the customable vse of the scripture sygnifieth the infinite and exceadinge great nomber of gods elect from the beginninge of the worlde vntil the ende therof vnknowen vnto the whole worlde Althoughe the nomber of the wicked and damned sorte be also a great nomber These electe are they whiche without feare shame or compulsion haue confessed knowledged honoured spred furth noysed abrode preached and taught the name of the heauenly father before all the worlde against all the spyte and resistinge of the deuyll of all his ministers and of the wicked worlde The texte ¶ And they song as it were a new song before the seate before the foure beastes and the elders no man coulde learne yâ— song but the hondred foure fourtye thousande whiche were redemed from the earth These are they whiche are not defiled with wemen for they are virgins These folow the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the first frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spot before the trone of god This heauenly voice and moost pleasaunt musycke is the incessaunt continuall and endles prayse thankesgeuinge reioysinge mirthe and ioye of all faithfull and blissed in eternall blisse in the kingdome of God and of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ For they syng a new song of a newe benifite grace and acte of God whiche hathe fulfylled in Christ in tyme conuenient and before ordeyned and appointed that thing whiche from the beginninge of the worlde was promised vnto all holy patriarkes and olde fathers and loked for of all people and nacions and beleued vpon vnto saluacion of the electe whiche are redemed with the deare pryce of the most precious heart bloude of Christ shed vpon the crosse in the earth These electe confessours and singers of laudes and prayses vnto God are they whiche are not defyled with earthly vnsemely pleasures of this worlde more delighting in fleshly lustes and filthines than in any right godly and christen loue of gods worde and heueÌ„ly vertues chast thoughtes or right godly doctrine and ceremonies in the exercyse wherof they shoulde haue suffred no maner of pleasure care or loue of any transitorye thing to haue hyndred them For this cannot be vnderstanded of any suche bodily chastitie or virginitie as religious parsons Monkes Nonnes Priestes Deacons suche other haue pretented falsely made their boast of vnto the world whiche hath be founde to be so rare and so groslye broken and negligeÌ„tly kept and so wonderfull seldome geuen of God vnto the vowers therof And thoughe it were kept yet was it not profitable and necessarye vnto the right christen and godly relygion and gods seruice of the Apostles whiche is onely praysed and commended in yâ— gospel and of S. Paule Would God there were lesse of suche wylde grosse and wanton chastitie and virginitie but lytle praysed of the most auncient holy fathers Oh that it wer lykewyse lesse extolled and estemed of the fathers of our time seyng it hath bene so great a blot vnto Christes true religion Here might muche be said and muche more be lamented our Lord graunt that it may sone be amended and redressed These holy frendes of God as Enoche Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iudas Ioseph Dauid Moyses and Aaron These patriarkes and prophetes I saye yea and without doubt Peter and Paule with other infinite olde holy bysshops are also in this register withal the blissed elect and they are the most pleasaunt and acceptable frute
his kyngdome wexed derke and they gnewe their tonges for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for sorowe and payne of their sores and repented not of their dedes The fourthe plage went ouer the seconde regiment of Rome whiche had both the temporal spiritual gouernance and was twise worse than the first For as muche as thorow her .ii. hornes it had power bothe ouer bodye and soule ouer the doctrine and ouer the polytike lawes with mouthe and hande againste God and also against the temporall gouernaunce against Christe and all his ministers Howe it hath dealte with the Emperours and what rule they haue kepte amonge them selues one Romyshe Pope against another practising all wicked sciences of the deuil bothe with quicke and also with deade mē against many good and godly Kynges and Emperours and againe how ofte Rome and the Papacye hath bene greuously plaged of God with rebellyon treason murther poysonynge nigromancye and with suche other kindes of wickednes as are neuer herde of in any other storyes we maye reade in the storyes of the Popes and of the Emperours from the time of Charles the great vntyll late dayes That by this meanes the summe of christen vertue and godlynes is turned into very desceite fraude falsehede and hipocrisie And the moste parte of all the wicked Popes were religious men and mooste false traytours to the gospell of Christe As for repentaunce there is none founde by this deuilyshe flocke The fyfte angell with his fyfte plage fallen vpon the seate of pestilence is rebellyon and resistance against the gospell raysed vp thorow false teachers whiche haue preached bothe without and also against the holy lawe and scripture of the lorde and haue rayled against many godly and faithfull men leauynge and refusynge holy scripture and settynge vp the studye of Aristotle in the steade therof whiche in the papacye hath bene more regarded and estemed than the holy worde of God By the meanes wherof so many greuous errours are crepte into the churche as well in matters of faythe and relygion as of dyscipline and Christen behauour Muche deuision many sectes by the meanes of so many orders of religions and so many glorious names and tytles yea and heresyes also Of the which al stories are full from Emperour Fryderiche the first of that name vntyl y◠ende of the thirde Frydierche In the whiche tyme there was muche trouble raysed vp in the christendome in the seculer iurisdiccion thorowe the Turke and in the spirituall thorowe the beggyng orders of religious parsons and of the hyghe heathnyshe scholes and vniuersities Of the which times muche might be wrytten heuy inoughe to be red but to auoyde tediousnes vnto the reader it shall be intermitted at this tyme. The texte ¶ And the syxte angell poured out his vyall vpon the great ryuer Euphrates and y◠water dryed vp that the wayes of the kynges of the east shoulde be prepared And I saw thre vncleane spirites lyke frogges come out of the mouthe of the dragon and out of y◠mouthe of the beast and out of the mouthe of the false prophet For they are y◠spirites of deuyls workynge miracles to go out vnto the kynges of the earthe and of the whole worlde to gather them to the batayle of y◠great daye of God almighty Beholde I come as a thefe ▪ Happie is he that watcheth and kepeth his garmentes lest he walke naked and men see his fylthines And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon Consyder and waye yf this angell maye not sygnifye the spirite of Helias in oure tyme whiche spreedeth abrode the gospell in to all the worlde bothe with worde and dede to the confusion and vtter destruccion of all errours and to the profyte and reformacion of the worlde in all states and degrees For this seede can brynge forthe no nother frute But the great Euphrates ▪ of the pretensed spiritualtye is so sore fallē from their first rule that it is become more worldly and secular than the very secular state in so muche that it is vtterly dryed vp and wythered from the gospel syncerely preached Which is not to be merueyled at for it is euen of very necessitie For falsehede deceyte lyes and Hypocrisye must be opened and dysclosed by the trueth of gods word and by the preachinge of the gospell that syncere loue trueth and faythe in the worde of God with a sure confydence of the harte in the lorde God myght be taught and prynted into the naturall wyt and vnderstandinge of man And therfore it is necessarie that suche wrestynge of the true knowledge and doctrine shoulde be dysclosed vnto suche as haue any vnderstandynge and are not vtterly corrupte euen vnto worldlye princes and hygher powers and that the innocencye and clearnes ▪ and also the synguler profyte of the doctrine of the gospell might come to lyght that they myght see and confesse that it is the very trueth and so acknowledge and imbrace this Sunne rysinge vp Althoughe this doctrine be to stronge for their bloude and fleshe and they beyng fleshlye ouer weake in strengthe to lyue after the gospell Nowe against this euangelicall Sunne and manyfest knowledge of the trueth shall aryse .iii. maner of enemyes whiche shall assaulte it First the deuyllyshe dragon the great enemye of God and of all goodnes the botomles pyt of all wyckednesse with whome the mercye and goodnes of God dalyeth and playeth to shewe and declare his mercye and goodnes manifestlye before men The seconde is the beaste at Rome of whome we spake before the very right Antichrist whiche speaketh and worketh all that he can against the gospell of Iesus Christe wherunto he preferreth his decretalles and wyll be Lorde ouer the scripture ouer the churche and ouer the whole world and yet he wyll be taken and estemed for the vycar and debyte of Christ and S. Peters frende and the most holy father and for the head of the whole holy christendome And whosoeuer contraryeth or gainesayth this he must dye and also be cursed and made the deuylles by the power of this beastes mouthe The thirde is the false prophete not one person but an whole order and multitude of byshops and relygions parsons monckes friers c. Whiche by their office and callynge ought to mainteine and supporte the true doctrine but haue appoynted and bent them selues their whole lyfe and state vtterly against the doctrine of the gospel that nothing can be more vnlike the state of the Apostles eyther in doctrine religion or lyfe than is their order and state Wherof it is not nedefull to make manye wordes howe they haue alwayes resisted the doctrine of the gospell These are suche .iii. foule vncleane spirites as none can be founde more vncleane whiche notwithstandynge doe worke great tokens and miracles The deuyll with great wonders bothe amonge the Turkes and the Christians The papacy by forcerye witchcrafte and nigromancie The monkes and religious spirituall sorte withall
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
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