faythful and syncere minde we shal haue quiet consciences in al the workes of God euē suche as are harde to indure and seme to some men most vnreasonable For we know that he by whome all thinges are gouerned is of our nature and kinde yea euē our owne brother and such verely as fauoureth vs with al his harte hath suffered death for vs and loueth nothynge better in all the world than man Moreouer whiche hath ouercomen death sonne the Deuil and Hell and hath ouercomen them for vs. Who wil nowe than suspecte his gouernement permission or operation Thou haste a brother in the Princes Courte whome thou arte assured to fauour thee from the botome of his harte thou hearest saye howe he hathe geuen vnto him of the Prince the gouernement and iudgement of the whole countrie woldest thou sticke or be lothe to submitte thy selfe vnto him naye rather thou doest truste and hope to obteyne any thing of thy brother Therefore let vs remembre The kingdome and power is geuen to Christ howe the Scripture not here only but euery where doeth teache that Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and in dede of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie in diyng for vs to haue deserued to haue a name geuen him whiche is aboue all names and that althinges shoulde be subiecte to his gouernment what so euer be in the worlde visible or inuisible For so S. Iohn testifieth in the .1 Chapter And S. Paul also to the philipp 2. Coloss 1. and to the Hebrewes the .1 Chapter He is sayed at this present to haue ouercomen or obteyned to open the boke and lowse the Seales therof Therfore by the knoweledge of him and through faith in him we obteyne that with a ioyefull minde we maye loke vpon the boke the iudgementes and all the workes of God and quietly and patiently to beare the openyng therof and gouernment of al together c. A most gallaunt ful descriptiō of Christ But to the intente we maye iudge more rightly of Christ gouernour of all although he hath already described him right liuely yet now he procedeth to paincte him out in his that is to saye moste godly and goodly coulours that we should not be nothing affrayed of his gouernement nother that we should not with quiet mindes most willingly submitte our selues wholy to his gouernment First is sayed that a Lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercomen Christe a lion of the tribe of Iuda to wit that same Christ of oures to haue ouercomen the Deuill sinne death the world hell and al power of the aduersarie And he ouercame in diyng and so atchieued the high dignitie and was made Lorde of all The Deuil is also called a Lion of S. Peter Salomon and the Prophetes call tirannes Lions 1. Peter 5. Our Authour therfore calleth Christ a lion not of the common sorte but of the tribe of Iuda For he alludeth to the prophecie of the patriarch Iacob whiche is in the .49 of Genes he prophecieth there that Schilo shal come with plentie and good lucke whiche like a lion that hath taken his praye nether is there any manne that can driue him from it can defende those that be his whom he hath caught out of the dragōs clawes so that no hostile power dare ones hisse against him Christ therfore is declared a victour or cōquerour greatest Christe is only moste inuincible most mightie and most inuincible Which belongeth to him alone Yet shal you finde Kings which are euery houre ouercomen of wicked lustes whiche wil suffer them selues to be called inuincible Briefly this first note in the description of Christ sheweth that Iesus Christ gouernour of al is that very same whom the patriarches prophetes haue prophecied to come into the world a prince most inuincible Secōdly Christ is called the rote of Dauid wherin he appereth to haue alluded to that saiyng of Esaye in the .11 Christe the roote of Dauid chap. Than shal a budde come forth of the stocke of Iesse a flour shal ascende out of the rootes therof Namely Marie the daughter of Dauid of whom that most sacred floure Christ sprang came was the stocke of Iesse And of the very rotes of Dauid or of the virgin I meane of the most true humane nature Iesus Christ was borne very man into the worlde For he toke no where the Aungelles nature but the sede of Abraham He is therfore our brother Hebr. 2. of the same substaunce with vs after his humanitie These things do comfort vs exceadingly and confute heretikes most strongly which faine that Christe hath not a very humane body We haue more herof in the .1 of Matth. and .1.2.3 of Luke Christe is in the mids of the seate After it is expresly spoken of the same our lorde that he is in the middes of the Throne in the middes of the .iiii. beastes and in the middes of the .xxiiii. Elders and is therfore exēpted out of the nōbre of creatures out of the numbre of Aungelles and out of the numbre of Sainctes For he is greater than these to wit of the same substaunce with the father in glory power equal For the father is in the middes of the Throne from thence procedeth the holy ghost euen there is founde also now the lambe Christ not only very man but also very God Christ is very God And is a distincte person For the blessed Trinitie knoweth not any cōfusiō The father is God the sonne is God the holy ghost is God yet are al three but one God the father in his subsistence the sonne in his and the holy ghost in his not makyng three Gods but three proprieties and persones in one indiuisible and eternal essence And where as Christ is mentioned to be in the middes of the beastes and in the middes of Elders he is doubtles signified after the diuine nature to be euery where to be the life and preseruation of all creatures also in the middes of his chosen and of his Church Therfore like as we beleue Iesus Christ to be very mā so let vs also beleue him to be very God of the same substaunce with God the father Therfore let Seruiet perishe with Arrius and Mahomet and as many as denie Christ to be the sonne of God coequal with the father in al thinges Furthermore he is now also called a lambe Christ is a lambe not that he is a shepe of nature but for that by a lambe is prefigured the innocent redemer of the worlde and the only holesome sacrifice of all faithfull A lambe is a token of innocencie and from the beginning appointed for sacrifices Abel offered vp a Lambe after the lawe was offered a dayly sacrifice in the morning a lambe and at euening a lambe For christ is the expiation of them whiche were in the beginning of the world and which in the ende shal be The Paschall lambe in the .12 of Exodus
restreining and punishing the wycked And the holy ghost where he is but one Seuen spirites for the seuenfolde that is all maner of grace and giftes manifold is here called as I may say Septenarie or of the seuenth numbre And from the seuen spirites sayth Iohn that is from that spirite whiche is indewed with the seuenfolde grace Those diuerse giftes are after a sorte declared of Esay in the .xi. Chapt. and els where in the scriptures He is sayd to be in the sight of the throne that is before the throne of God ioyned verely in gouernement with the father and the sonne For the throne is many tymes vsurped for the kingdom The holy ghost therfore is of the same glory power and maiestie with God Now is he commen to Christ The description of Christ whom by his properties he describeth moste aboundantly You know that Iesus is the proper name of Christ which Matthew expoundeth a Sauiour Christ is the surname of his office and dignitie as you would say annoynted that is byshop and kyng 1 First he calleth Christ our Lord a faithfull wytnes Christ a faithfull witnes and that out of the .xlix. and .l. chapter of Esay For he was sent of the father to the world out of heauen an Apostle whiche should testifie the wil of God what he wold haue done with men To witte that he would saue the worlde by his sonne Math. 18. 2 Petr. 3 Iohn 3 Math. 7.1 by faith in him which is obedient to the law of God For he must do the will of his father This Christ is a faithfull witnes that is sure constaunt and trewe Of whose doctrine no man ought to doubt No man hath seene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the father Math. 17. 2 Pet. 1 he hath reuealed This therfore is the byshop and catholick dâ—tour of the church Who so euer dissent from him are to 〈◊〉 eschewed Heare him saith the father Christ is the first fruits of theÌ„ that ryse 2 He is the first begotten of the dead For he died for oâ—â— sinnes verely and rose again from the dead was made tâ— first begotten of the dead Lorde conquerour of death Iâ— whom we se that we shall also ryse again in what sorte 〈◊〉 whom the first of the Corinth xv And like as in the first prâ—pertie he shaddoweth the humanitie of Christe wherin hâ— taught also his deitie in that he was the faithfull true â—â—tholique byshop and is yet at this day So in the second thâ— articles of our belefe concerning the death of Christ and hâ— resurrection are confirmed To these also may be added tâ— article of the resurrection of the dead Christ is Prince of kynges 3 Christ is prince ouer the kinges of the earth a monarâ— verely and Lord of all rulers Whiche hath taken a name â—boue all names the Lord of aungels and of all creatures 〈◊〉 whom al things be subiect As thapostle expouÌ„deth Colosâ— Philip. 2. And he doeth not abolishe lawes Magistratâ— which wil be king of kinges and Lord of lordes For if thaâ— wer no kings how shuld Christ be king of kings The moâ— sacred Emperours Constance Constantine Theodose anâ— Iustinian knew them selues to be clientes of Christ Thaâ— kingdom was Christes they to be subiectes These Chriâ—â— acknowledgeth for his by whoÌ„ he gouerneth those he haâ—â— redemed with his bloud They that proudly rule ouer the people boast theÌ„ selues to be lordes of althings acknowledâ—â— not Christ to be monarch ouer all be starke mad And herâ— are comprehended such thinges as we confesse in tharticles of our faith that Christ ascended into heauen sitteth on thâ— right hand of the father that is that he hath receiued high pâ—wer of al things in heauen and earth Ephe. 1. Act. 2. Christ loued vs. 4 Christ hath loued vs with incoÌ„parable loue For he hiâ— self saith greater loue hath no man than that a man shoulâ— leaue his life for his freÌ„des This loue the Apostle amplefietâ— in the fift to the Romains And it was exceading great loue 〈◊〉 moued Christ to come downe from heauen and be incarnaâ—â— and to redeme vs by his death With a free loue he loueâ— vs prouoked by no desert of ours For as this same Iohn in his Epistle canonicall speaketh the same of the father In this is charitie not that we haue loued God but that he hath loued vs sent his son a propiciation for our sinnes So is it to be vnderstaÌ„d of the son the he hath doth bear vs great good will not moued thereto through our loue wherewith we haue imbraced him And of the fre loue to mankinde he gaue him self vnto death washed vs froÌ„ our sinnes For streight waies is added by his bloud Christ washeth Where thre thinges seme of vs to be obserued First that Christ washeth purgeth purifieth or cleÌ„seth the faithful that most fully not partly He alluded to the washings of the law which he expouÌ„ded also For Dauid saith Pourge me with Hysope I shal be made cleane washe me I shal be whiter than snow The same phrase of speache repeteth Esay in the first chap. Micheas also sayth Miche 7. The Lord wil returne wil haue mercy on vs he wil treade vnder fete our iniquities And thou shalt throw into the depth of the Sea al their sinnes And the Lord saith Ezech. 36 I wil cast vpon you cleane waters and you shall be mundified from al your filthines The Lord Christ these thinges accomplishing washeth vs purgeth and clenseth throughly aswell from the falte as the paine He clenseth vs from our sinnes Christ washeth all synnes not from one but from al. The which thing is proued both by former testimonies again in the first second Epistle of S. Iohn Last the maner also of purifiyng is set forth by bloud For without the sheding of bloud no remission was made Therfore through the mediation of death and bloudsheding there was full remissioÌ„ of all sinnes obteined for the faithfull He washeth by bloud Hebr. 9 They that bring forth any other maner of forgeuenes of synnes ar iniurious to the death and bloud of the sonne of God And here we may se plainly set forth an article of the Apostolicall crede I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes In the fift place is shewed theffect of our redeÌ„ption purifiyng For Christ hath brought to passe Theffect of Christs redemptioÌ„ in the faithfull that as many of vs as beleue in the father by the son of God shuld be kinges prists to God to his father Aretas the copie of complute reade not kinges but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is kyngdome the which is not red amisse For we be the kingdoÌ„ of God for bicause God by his spirit not the flesh nor the worlde ought to reigne in vs And when we permitte the gouernment to
the maner of praising where he addeth he hath ordeyned them that they should indure for euer he gaue them an ordenaunce neither is it transgressed As if he should haue sayed Where they neglecte no parte of those things wherunto thei are made but are ready in their place order and time and do their duety exceadingly well do they not preache vnto men the wonderfull wisedome and power of God For in an other Psalme also dauid sayeth the heauens shewe forth the glory of God and the firmament declareth the workes of his handes c. Thus I saye the creatures with out life do praise and coÌ„mende the name of God vnto men what time they are moued worke wonderfully and obediently do the thing were vnto they are appoincted The Hymne of al creatures like as that was of the beasts An Himne sayed vnto Christ of al creatures and Elders and Aungels is here also trimmely described although briefly But where it hath nothing that hath not beÌ„ declared before I wil not by oft repetyng and speakyng the same thinges molest and werie the gentle hearers Howbeit that one thing semeth chiefly to be obserued that they ioyne him that sitteth in the throne and the lambe together so acknowledging the sonne to be coequall with the father and they both to be worshipped with like honour and with like praises to be celebrated and coÌ„mended They attribute peculiarly to the lambe Empire or kingdome for that he receiued the boke of the father as is declared before to wit al power and authoritie to gouerne al thinges The foure beastes singe to it Amen A coÌ„sâ—nt is approued dissente is reproued eyther so confirmyng the Hymne of the creatures or thus declaryng their consent with them To the intent we should with one minde praye together and prayse God blessed for euermore With these are moreouer confuted the dessensions of men The Lord alloweth the concorde and agrement of menne and requireth vtterly especially in prayers and godly prayses For he coÌ„maundeth in the Gospell to laye downe thyne oblation whiche thou wouldest offer in case thou doest remeÌ„bre any discorde betwixt thee and thy brother to goe vnto him and to renewe amitie and than to retourne to thine offeringe which in the prophetes is called an abomination in case it be offered of myndes possessed with rancour and mallice c. Thelders worshippe agayne Finally the elders fal doune agayne and worshippe him that liueth for euer doubtles that by their ofte worshipping al we in earth might be moued vnto obedience For if these thinges be done in heaueÌ„ of the blessed spirites what I praye you is mete for vs to do here in earth And marke that they are sayed to worship him that liueth for euer who neuerthelesse fell downe firste also before the lambe and before the Throne out of the which the spirite proceded and wherupoÌ„ sate he that sitteth wherof we gather that the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost are in dede distincte in persones yet these three not to be three Gods but one God liuing for euer A medicine agaynst all heresies And verely this notable vision and treatise maye be in the steade of a moste effectuall remedy agaynst sondry poysons of heresies especially of the Arrians and Seruetanes or rather perdetanes moreouer agaynst diuerse and curiouse disputations and temptations touchyng the workes iudgmentes and prouidence of God Yf we be wise we will obediently submitte our selues to the liuing God with all the creatures and Sainctes of God worshipping him and with the Prophet criyng thou art iust Lord in al thy wayes and holy in al thy workes Thou hast created vs al thinges are thine Thou gouernest al thinges in best order Thou louest man Thou hast geuen vs thy sonne Thou by thy sonne our redemer gouernest al thinges vprightly We worship thee the father the sonne and the holy ghost one very god To thee is dewe the kingdom honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ Two seales are opened and the directe course of Gods worde is and a cruel course of warres against the disobedient The .xxx. Sermon ANd I sawe when the lambe opened one of the seales The .6 chapter and I heard one of the foure beastes saye as it were the voice of thonder come and see And I sawe and beholde a white horse And he that sate on him had a bowe and a crowne was geuen vnto him And he went forth conquering and to ouercome And when he opened the seconde seale I hearde the seconde beast saye come and see And there went out an other horse that was red and power was geuen to him that sate there on to take peace from the earth that they should kill one an other And there was geuen vnto him a great sworde Hitherto hath thapostle prepared the auditours to heare with a quiet minde the iudgementes of God and fatal destenies of the church and patiently to beare all aduersitie and that we should worship him in al thinges and geue glory to his name consequently he expoundeth in a most goodly order the iudgementes of God and destenies of the Church shewyng how the sonne of God gouerneth the ordenauÌ„ces of God and his eternall prouidence And this is as it were a Prognostication for all times and Ages vnto the worldes ende A coÌ„tinual prognostecatioÌ„ of al times froÌ„ the birth of Christ For we shal not thinke that here are rehersed only the actes of one age or two but of al. And first al thynges are generally described by partes afterwarde particularly when we come to the openyng of the seueÌ„th seale The some is the lord sendeth forth the preaching of the trueth into the world which when men refuse and dispise they are distroyed with warres and other calamities innumerable Attentiuenes here is necessarie But before al thinges S. Iohn is excited and in him all we to be attentife And one that is to wit the first of the beastes doeth excite him One of the Sabbat is set for the firste daye in the weke that same is verely the sondaye The voice of the beast is like vnto thonder Wherby is signified that here is treated of greate most weighty matters For most great and terrible thinges followe whiche shake the whole world Therfore let vs not playe the slepy sluggardes let vs not be blinde and deafe Doubtles the sloughtfulnes of our time is such that we little consider the workes of God and what is done in our time The storkes swallowes Turtels and the rest of liuing thinges passe vs which ful wel obserue their time Therfore are we here wel stired vp that we shuld not be slouthful but should marke what thinges are declared and shewed vs of the Lord. The firste seale is opened And when S. Iohn had diligeÌ„tly marked what was don he seeth the lambe Christ I meane our redemer open one seale that is to saye the first And streight wayes came forth a white
head with a lase Vndoubtedly in the heauenly countrie the glory of the children of God shal be wonderfull greate of those chiefely that haue confessed the name of Christ in earth for these the celestial father shal glorifie God lightneth the chosen In the sixte mēbre is repeted agayne which hath ones or twise ben spokē before that the electe in heauē are illumined with the glory diuine wherof hath ben spokē enough before In the last and seuenth membre comprisyng as it were all thinges of life and felicitie and vttering with one word they shal raygne They shal raigne sayeth he for euer more The lord Iesus graunt to vs his faithful that suche thinges as we haue now hearde plentifully of his mouth we may shortely experience in our soules and bodies and may crie with ioye to God the father most mercifull and to Iesu Christ the redemer most mightie and benigne and to the holy ghost the most swete comforter be prayse and glory for euer more Amen ¶ The conclusion of this worke wherein is established the autoritie of the same and the some collected briefely The XCvij Sermon AND he sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithfull and true And the lord God of the holy prophets sente his Angell to shew vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche muste be shortely fulfilled Beholde I come shortely Happy is he that kepeth the saying of the prophecie of this booke I am Iohn which saw these things and I hearde them And whē I had hearde and sene I fel downe to worship before the fete of the Angel which shewed me these thinges And he saide vnto me see thou do it not For I am thy fellowe seruaunt and of thy bretherne the prophets and of them which kepe the sayinges of this boke Worship God The sixte last parte of this worke conteyneth the conclusion The conclusion of this worke which affirmeth the thinges which we haue heard to be diuine certayne and vndoubted for he collecteth the chiefest thinges moueth al men to faith study of godlines that in stedfaste hope we shuld loke for the iudge of al to come shortly and to iudge the quicke the dead And in goodly order this laste boke of the Canonical scripture finisheth the godly narration doctrine with the iudgement ende of all thinges The Apocalipse is the laste boke of the canonical bokes of the scripture For the holy Scripture beginneth at the firste originall of al thinges and continueth a narration vntill the ende of all thinges conteyning in it self the vniuersalitie of things and al such thinges as are requisite to be knowē of matters nedeful and profitable And al those thinges hath our good Lord geuen vs to be knowen in the holy scripture that is to say in the Canonical bokes For they be false harlottes that saye that al thinges which apperteyne to the true full godlines saluation of the faithful are not set forth in holy writinges and therefore to haue nede of traditions They in dede haue nede of those traditions which wil vtter their craftie wares we nede none which esteme al their wares not worth a gally halfpenny to be bought of any man For Esaye hath sufficiently diswaded vs from their disceauable craftie iuglinges in the .55 chapt And this conclusion conteyneth aboute .16 Articles Which we shal discusse in order Immediately after the beginning is set a graue asseueration That these thinges be true vndoubted that the thinges which he hath sayde or writtē hitherto are true sure certaine vndoubted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath in a maner the same sentēce also in the .19 chapt of this booke And he calleth faythful sayinges whiche are stable ratified stedfaste and vndoubted And the sentence is referred in the thinges whiche he hath spoken of the blessed life to the world to come leest we shuld be lefte in any doubtfulnes Agayne it is referred to the whole narration of this boke And this sentence semeth to be a clause of assertiō and confirmyng the certentie of the matter propounded as be those also in the prophets for the lord hath spoken againe thus sayeth the Lord of hoostes and that same moste vsed in the gospel verely verely I saye vnto you And that in the Epistles apostolical God is my witnes that I lie not And the goodnes of god doeth succour our infirmitie wherby many times we doubting of the veritie of Gods words do wauer confirmeth our hope with these as it were ankers Wherefore these must be dilligently beaten in vrged in the ecclesiastical doctrine Aretas expoundyng this place as the wōted maner of this holy Euangeliste is alwayes so is it here also For like as in his gospel in token of loyaltie he sayeth we know that his testimony is true so in this place also setting to his seale he sayeth these sayinges are faithful and trewe Hitherto he Therfore shal it be an vnworthie thing to doubt be it neuer so little of the thinges that are writtē in this boke and in other bokes of the canonical Scripture The Authour of this worke God of the holy Prophetes Secondly he repeteth who is the Authour of this worke and all these thinges are reuealed to him And verely there is none other Authour but the lorde God him selfe and that the God of the holy Prophetes The which hath a great efficacitie for he sheweth him not only to be one the same god of both Testamentes whiche by his spirite hath inspired the prophetes Apostles but also biddeth vs secretly to esteme the veritie certētie of this boke of the prophetical matters For if he coulde in olde time telle his people before of things to come vtter al thinges by the prophetes what maruell is it yf he nowe also perfourme the same by S. Iohn And if all those thinges came to passe which the prophetes did prophesie to come nother did there any word no nor one iote fal vnto the grounde which was not fulfilled there is no man also that wil doubt of the veritie of this boke yf at leest he cōsider that the same God which in times past was with the prophets is nowe also with blessed Ihon. The Prophets said howe the land of Chanaan shulde be deliuered in to the possession of the children of Israel it was deliuered The selfe same prophecied that the people of Israel shulde for their sinnes be cast out agayne of the same land in to Babilon thei were cast oute After thei prophecied againe that thei shulde be deliuered shuld repare the Citie to the which Christ wolde come which shuld redeme mankynd cal into the fellowship of life and blesse all nations They were deliuered they repared their Citie Christ came and redemed mankind and the gospel was preached through out the whole world What thyng than remayneth but that the church shuld be turmoiled Antichrist shuld come and raigne and that the true Christians and
Fraunce England Italy and of other Realmes or nations and generally to all the faithfull where soeuer they be abiding and lokyng for the coÌ„myng of Christe oure Lorde and Iudge THat this Apocalips was reueled of Iesus christ king of kinges and high Bishop our lord from the right hand of the Father and setforth by thapostolical spirite for the saluatioÌ„ of al faithfull chieflye of those that shall be in the latter dayes before the last iudgment both the matter it selfe whiche is treated right necessary to be knoweÌ„ holsom and excelleÌ„t proueth And also the simple maner meane wherby it is handled being euident and plaine declareth I will speake of ether briefly Collectyng those thinges only which seme to be more profitable and more necessary Iohn .xvi. The Lorde had sayd in the Gospell how he wold ascende into heauen and froÌ„ thence wold send to his Apostles the holy Gost the comforter which shulde leade them into all truth and shew them the thinges that ar to come And that which he sayd he wolde do in wordes the same verely hath he also perfourmed in dede aboundantly The holy Gost beyng sent to his Apostles which induced them into all truthe and opened to them the thinges that were to come especially to the Apostle and Euangelyst S. Iohn who receiued this ReuelatioÌ„ exibited to him of Christ from the ryght hand of the Father by the mistery of an AuÌ„gel in the holy Gost who also by Chryste his commaundement committed the same to wryting The summe and ende of the which wryting is this The summe ende of the Apocalipse That Christ Iesus our Lord wil neuer fayle hys churche in earth but will gouerne it with his spirite and worde through thecclesiasticall ministery But that the church it self whilest it remaineth in this worlde shall suffer many thinges and that for Chryst and the truthe of his Gospell professed And it openeth al and singular euils in a maner that the church shal suffer shewing how it must be exercised with common Calamities as warre plage famyne and suche other lyke What it shall priuately suffer of the false bretherne through heresies schismes and greuous and continuall stryfes contentions corruptions in the matter of religion Finally how terribly it shulde be vexed by the most cruell persecutions of tholde Romane Empire And laste by the wicked crafts extreme Tyranny of Antichrist Al the which thinges apperteyne to this ende that all the chosen being sufficiently warned before and prouided in all ages whilest this worlde shall indure may with true faith alone cleaue vnto Christ our redemer king and high prieste only and eternall and may purely and syncerely professe hym call vpon him in the innocencie of lyfe serue him and patiently attend after him commyng to Iudgemente and to delyuer and saue the godly But contrarywise that they dispise all superstitions and the worlde it selfe with those his sondrye religions felicities and pleasures and bewar of al vngodlines And chiefly that they flee Antichrist which shall com in th ende of the worlde vsurping to himselfe most vniustly the kingdom and Priesthod of Chryst and greuouslye persecuting the churche of Christ euen to the laste Iudgemente In the whiche at the laste he with all his adherentes shall be throwen downe hedlonge into Hell And. S. Iohn beginneth this holsome matter of Chryste hymselfe The fyrste Chapter of the Apocalips Lorde king and high Bishop whose wonderful and most goodly description after the Apostolicke maner he placeth in the very begynnyng as the foundation of the whole worke The same descriptioÌ„ dooeth so â—â—ately setfoorthe the Lorde that all the churche may easely know What thinges are treated in this boke in what order dispersed throughout the whole worlde in Chryst oure Lorde all thinges to be accomplished what so euer he had sayd before shulde be fulfilled in him namely that he shulde be exalted one to the ryghthand of his father into all celestiall glory power and maiestie there to be kinge of kinges of all other most mightye and the true and only hygh Byshop Sauiour gouernour Lorde and generall defendour of the Catholycke churche For blessed S. Iohn not only saw him such him selfe but also exhibiteth him such to be sene of vs all in thys hys wryting so godly by a most bryght and goodly vision And moreouer to thintent it myght be knowne to vs all in what sorte our Lord Iesus Chryst king and priest sitting or working in Heauen on the right hande of his Father is neuerthelesse in the middes of the catholycke church wherof he hath a faithfull care how louingly and fully he preserueth it in best order gouerneth it S. Iohn sheweth in this his vision that Christ walketh amonge the seuen golden candlestickes holdeth in his right hande seuen starres And streyghtway declareth what thing he vnderstandeth by the candelstickes and starres calling the candelstickes churches and the starres Aungels of the churches That is to witte Seuen churches Messagers ministers and pastours For the Lord chose vnto him selfe seuen famouse churches in Asia with whom he treateth nowe generally and compendiously vsing S. Iohn for hys interpretour which he doth perpetually in all churches throughoute the world and will neuer cease to do tyll the worldes ende For the seuenth number whiche is most vsed in this boke Chap. 2 and .3 and is the numbre of fulnes comprehendeth in it all churches Wherfore S. Iohn doeth so propounde moderate and temper all thynges that he treateth with these seuen churches that they may be applied vnto all the Churches that shal be in the worlde vntyl the worldes ende for theyr learnynge and edifiyng And for the same cause these seueÌ„ churches may be exaÌ„ples of all other churches For loke what thing then did please or displease the Lord in those seuen churches what tyme these thyngs wer reuealed the selfe same in all other churches shall please or displease him so long as the worlde shall laste And as he wolde haue those instructed and taught so wyl he that all and singular be instructed at all seasons Therefore in these seuen churches we haue examples of churches moste excellent in dede and of God derely beloued And agayne of moste corrupte meane also and finally mixed And in these al is shewed what is or shall be the disposition maners and vertues of all the churches in the whole world and of al tymes and seasons likewise the vices of them and remedies of the same Therfore the Lorde in these instructeth reproueth chideth threatneth exhorteth comforteth promiseth Wherfore in these we shall see as it were in a table set before vs what the true and ryght doctrine of the churche is And againe which is the false and the corrupt doctrine We shall heare and learne that the churche beloued of God must stande styll in the preachyng of the Gospell once receyued of the Apostles of oure Lord Iesus Chryst and muste loke for no new
all your truste in him alone where we loke already from heauen for the selfe same Lorde Philip. iij. whiche shall chaunge our vile bodye that it maye be lyke fashioned vnto his gloryouse bodye accordynge to the woorkynge whereby he is able to subdew all thinges to hym selfe he blesse vs all and brynge vs in that daye into the sight of hys father that we maye see hys glorye whych he had before thys woorlde was made to him alone be glorye From Zurick the moneth of Ianuarie in the yere of our Lorde 1557. An Index or table of the most notable thinges and wordes conteined in thys work A ABbadon 265 Abominable parsons 643 Abomination is Idolatry 512 Abrahams Bosum 198 Absens presens of Christ 284 Accusacion of Christ is for amēdement 56 Acknowledging of beleuers by God 109 Adding or minishinge from the script 695. c. Adoration externall and inward 153. Aduersities remedies 385 Aduersitie conforted 27 Adultry Nicolas fault 60 Egypt for Rome 327 Affians of mariage 563 Affliction is fourfold .64 is sum tyme for tryall .68 is felt of the godly vngodlye also 487 is comforted 27 Age last corrupt 599 Aid of the Turks pernicious 275 Air figure of holsū doctryne 253 Alarik captain of the westgoths 526 Alleluya 559 Al shal not be saued but the faith full only 221.222.454.456 628. Alteration figured by the moone 349 Ambassadore of the Pope 493 Amen 124.125 Amendement of lyfe requyreth c. 56 Amires Princis of Mahomete 273 Anabaptistes .662 c. wourthy to be sharply loukt vnto .290 theyr counterfeit paciens 53 Anadyplosis 453 Anathema 696 Antichrists beginninge .387 holines .111 kingdū cōtinews til the worlds end .221 shall haue an end .451 foundacion therof laid by Hyldebrand .415 hys palace where .618 his power 388. his speach .389.390 hys subiects .421 he shall wourship God with gold and siluer .511 he hath reined Christe shall reine .339 shal be slaine howe 318. his seat betwē ii seas 508 he is set forth by the Prophets 1. he ouercumeth and killeth 323. c. he is lyuelye painted 348. his tyme .434 his vaūtcurror 388 Antipas martired .77 is praised 77. Apocalyps neglected of manye why .2 made by Iohn theuangeliste .4 approuid by iudgement of many olde wryters .5 oght to be commended to all men 697. to be known and not hid .680 belongeth to all ages 30. to the hool church .19 to all churchs .61 serueth chiefly for our tyme .8 is euangelical .214 is gospellyke .284.439 is the last boke of the canonical scripturs why .673 expositiō therof taken out of the scripture .348 doctryne therof what it is 1. methode and perspicuitie .233 diuision .10.11 Commodities 676. a prophecie .677 the end therof .14 to know Antichrist and beware .259 whē wher it was wrytten .26 whens it came .14 doctryn therof is generall 83 Appollyon 265 Apostles doctryn perfyt .98 how they are the foundation of the Churche .652 c. theyr humilitie .28 counterfeited and fals 52 Apostolicall Pope Rome and sea 511 Apparill of the faithfull 132. to miet the Lord in .565 defyled or vndefiled .107 the vse therof 107. of thehoore .510 of popish priestes .262 of the Antechristians 316 Ark of the testament is Christe 345 Armie of great number 272 Armour of the faithfull 120 Arrius 245 Arrianz 125 Asia 48 Ascension of Christ 22 Asseueration of the scrip 673. c. Assistauns of Christ 50 Attila inuadith Rome 527. Augustinus Steuchus a papist 338. Augustus began and ended the Roman Monarch 528 Aultar signifieth Christ 197 Aultar golden .267 is Christe 236. Aungels good and bad .214 are ministers .651 ar mens kepers 486. ar pastors of churchs 45. are fugurs of preachers .446 their excellencie .569 c. 570. they oght not to be nourshyp 571.573.175 are our felo seruaūts .572 their office dewtie 176. they prayes Christe .175 theyr description .175 do differ from blessed souls 486 Aungell signifieth c. 589. for a hool nacion .271 wourshipped of Iohn 677 Aungell of the botumles pit 265 Aungelicall heretiks 177 Aurelianus 194 B Babel confusion 512 Babylon title of the Romyshe Churche 513 Babylon for Rome 451.502 Badge of Antechrist 422 Badge of Gods children is faith 422. and the sacraments Balans token of right and equitie 188 Balaams doctryne 80 Bankets and masking 81 Banishment of Iohn 27 Bastards threatened 94 Bawl or gloob figure of inconstancie 655 Boastings of victories 274. Bear Persian monarchie 372 Beast and image of the beast 515 Beasts .iiij. sign al creaturs 149 Bed in the script vsed for siknes wherwith c. 94 Beginning God hath noon 637 Beginning of creatures of God 125 Beheaded for Christ 602 Beleuers who 109 Benedict abbot of Cassinea 269 Beno a Cardinall againste the Pope 412 Bible forbiddē .214 vncorrupted 695 Bishopriks geuīg wrōgout of the emperours hāds by the Pope 416 Bishops and Priests ol an 387 Bishop of Rome head of churchs 519. chief murtherer 643 Blak coulor 188 Blaming of sines by Christ is for repentaunce 104 Blamles lyf not to be trusted vnto 224 Blasphemies of the wicked .503 against the faithfull .66 of Rome 508 of the Romains iii. wayes 378 Blessednes of the faithfull what 568.459 consisteth in ii thyngs 633. what it is 230 Blessed how they shal be occupied heuen 670 Blessing what it is .19 for praise 227 Blis of the soul 457 Blis is rest from all labour 462 Blok man is not 135 Blud in the scrip 208 betokneth offens and punishment 319 Blud sheding of Rome 557 Blud how it maketh whyt 230 Bludy garment token of a conquerour 579 Blyndnes 128 Blyndnes cured 132 Bookz of lyfe .109.625 of God 156. open and shut .287 to eat a booke 302 Books of the holy scripture most excellēt .232 vncorrupted .695 why they wer put in writīg 31 Body humain of Christe in one place 34 Boldnes necessary for a preacher 681 Bonarges 288 Boniface Bishop of Rome 387 Bosum of Abraham 198 Bottumles pit 252 Bow 182 Bretherne of Iohn and Christe 572 Brotherhod in Christianity 26 27 Brotherhods of Saints 572 Bryd of the lamb 563 Buls of the Pope 458 Buryall denied by papists to the godly 325 Burthen taken for doctryne 98 Bying and barganing 130 Bying and selling forboddē 424 Bying and sellyng of pardons c 45◠C Called who 567 Calling of ministers 300 Cādelz watched by chryst 50. 51 Candlestiks what they signifye 46. 34 Capacitie of man very small 228 Cardinals leaders of armies 260. Carpocratytz 59 Casting out 307 Cat of the mountain 372 Cataphrygians 90 Cataphrygianz bragz of new reuelacions 97 Catholik churche communion of saints 24 Cerinthus heretike 52 Certentie of the scrip 674. c. Chalcolibanum 37 Chariot of God 148 Charitie 88 Charles the great renewed the Empire of the west decaied 409 Chastisment of the Lord. 133 Chein token of captiuitie 591 Chein that bynd the deuel sincere doctrin 608 Cherubin 148 Children of God who 109 Choinix a mesure
189 Chosen affiāsed to the lamb 563 Chosen people lyuely temple of God 305 Christians worldly 124 Christ described 21.124.162.32 283.577 Christ hath all power c. geuen him .161.165 is king of kings and Lord of lordes .522.581 is owner of all kyngdomes .338 sunne of god .87 God mā 87 very God 36.96.16.137.163 168.661.675 is very mā 162 163.42 his power .43 is a lāb 162.440 greter thē Aungels saints c. 163.177 Lord of angels .16 was slain from the beginnyng .382 figured by Aungels .356 by Eliachim .43 is head of the Churche .36 prelat of the Churche .47 an aultar 197.236 a mighty Angel .284 236. offreth vp our prayers sitting on the right hand of God 237. of the same substanse wyth the father coequall .41.42.668 670. is not authour of corrupting the treuth thogh he opē the sixt seal .205 cast out of the church by the Pope Mahomet shall return with glory .283 is not fought against but the lāb 521 author of thapocalyps .688 very God lord of angels .689 author of saluatiō .218 begottē in vs .350 no creature .125 our best apparil .108 king priest 35. trew .112 holy .111 a lyuely foūtain .252 word of God .579 most necessari to be known 159 Christ hath charge of seuē cādles 50.51 receiueth things of the father how .166 shal be subiect to the father .339 must be honored 449. is not al or sufficiēt to sum 210. is set forth in thapocalyps 9. hath the kei of Dauid .112 is the trew māna .84 fiedeth leadeth quikneth 232 receiueth power reineth .340 openeth the bouk 158. knoweth our wurks 64. nieds no vicar .35 hys beginninge .125 his cumming of ij sorts .223 his cūming to iudgemēt .24 his image setforth 33 his body suffred .268 hys humain body in one place .34 godhed euery wher 34 Church descrybed .350 is the citie of God .121 is both mother and doghter .366 is figured by the moon .207 bi a womā 348 is belouid of God .116 dwels when Satās seat is .73 shal be in the midst of troubles .305 hydeth it selfe .209 flyeth into wildernes .353 is emong the gentils .365 shal be alwaies in the world .183 hath alwaies in this lyfe that may be reprehendid .79 traueleth and bringeth forth ij wais .350 remoued whē 57. the garnishinge therof .510 glorye therof is to cum .648 chief enemies therof .347 hystory therof discoursid 183 Churche old of Rome distinguisshed 542 Church of Rome church of Rom c. 496 Churchs fallible notz peas and tranquility 194 Churchs how they wer gouerned at the beginning 387 Circes of Rome 512 Citie great or heuenly 648. c. Citye great diuyded into thre 501 Citye great is the romish church 510 Citye of God and name therof 121 Cityes greatest commendacion 650 Citizens of the kingdum of God who 109 Clamitat in celis vox sang c. 198 Cleannes fygured by fyre 266 Clergye compared to locuste 256. Clergie innumerable 255 Clergie authors of warres 260 Clermont counsel 613 Clothed in whyt what they be 229 Cloud in the script 285 Columnz erecting 120 Comfort excieding in thapocalips 12 Comfort in tribulacion 27 Committing of hordum in the script 507 Commocions 524 Commotions and theyr causes 206 Commodities of thapocalyps 12 Condemned are iustly condemned 589 Confessing of beleuerz bp Chryst 109 Cōfessing of trespas is beginning of repentaunse 56 Confusion of Romishe Religion 512 Congregacions how they may be kept 115 Consolacion of the faithfull 305. 306. Consolacion in affliction 62 Consolation in the Apocalyps 12 Consolation foloeth humility 40 Constancy 73 Constantin emperour abhorred Rome 383 Constitucions of man nied not 299 Constancie and continans figured by a square 655 Constantinoples destructyon 275 Constans in faith 113 Constitucions of men 69. 100 Contemners of the blessed lyfe 232 Contencion for tryfles oght not to be 29 Contracting of matrimony 563. Conuersacion is our garment 108 Copz and gorgious things in the church 510 Corn prospering or perishing cūmeth by God 190 Coronacion of a Pope 511 Corrupt doctryns hystorie 234 Couetous ryche men are poore 128 Couetousnes of the Romains 393 Could nor hoot 126 Coulor pale sign c. 190 Counsel can not iudge the Pope 406 Councels generall iiij 268 Counsel holsum 129 Counsel of Clermont 613 Counsels of God insearcheable 380 Counsels to condemn impuritye nied not 80 Countenanse of Christ 38 Cowl of our lady 132 Creaturs al submit thē to Christ 178 Creatures are not to be worshypped 175.177.678 Creatures of Gods beginnyng 125 Croun 183 Croun of lyfe what 69 Croun token of a kyngdum 349 Croun for honor glory victory 118.110 Crosse foloeth Godes worde 303 Crueltie of Rome 508 Crueltie of Antichrist 324 Crueltie of the Romainns 369 Crueltie figured by Lyons tieth 262 Crying for vengeaunse 198 Comfort in persecution 204.333 326 Comfort gospellyk 234 Comfort againste Antechryst 285 Cumming of Chryst of ij sorts 223 Curius inquirie of Gods iudgements 144 Curiositie in serching Gods coūsels repressed 380 Curiosity repelled by reurrense submission vnto God 152 Curs banished 670 Cursing of the Pope 399 D Damnacion eternall described 455 Damnacion euerlasting 628 Damnacion eternall for seducing 584 Damned are iustly damned 589 Damned parsons 641 Dauid is called Christ 357 Day last or end of the world 575 Death of ij sorts .605 spirituall 103 Death after this death 70 Death for trewthz sake 69 Death of Christ 22.172 Death geues vp the dead 627 Dead ryse again 626 Decay and spiedy ruin compared to sand 367 Decius Traianus 194 Decretals .404 decrees and decretalles 100 Defectyue reason 277 Defence figured by egles wings 364 Degrees of punishment 585 Decking of the church 510 Delais of returning to God 224 Delay of Gods help 118 Deliuerans in persecutiō 364. c Deniall of God 460 Denyall of Christ and hys gospel many wayes 76 Denyall of Christs name 114 Derth and famin 189 Descending of Christ from heuē 284. Desert of man 248 Deuill author of ill .185 a sclaunderer .356 vanquished 591 bound .596 cast out how 595 608. where he reygneth .362 his four names .359 c. wourshiped 279 Dioces 403. c Dioclecian 194 Dionysius Alexandrinus of the authoriti of thapocalyps 6 Dianaz temple 48 Disciplin 133 Diseaseas of churches howe they shold be holpen 104 Dispair of ill men what causeth 210.211.212 Dispair remoued 278 Disposition or order of thapocalyps 347 Disputacions clamorus 264 Dissemblers .541.66 Iewls warm 126 Dissentiō in the church no news 52 Distroyers of the earth of diuers sorts 344 Distroyer Popes name 265 Destruction of reames thrugh reuolting from trewe religion 271 Diuersitie of opinions 98 Diuinitie of Christ 64 13◠Do as ye would be doone vnto 383 Doctryn resembled by wynd by leuen 214 Doctryn holsum figured by air 253 Doctryn euangelicall shal be restored 297 Doctryn newe is not to be loukt for 118 Doctryn of Christ perpetual 99 Doctryn corrupted 205 Doctrin peruers figured bi smoke 253 Doctryn new 447
to the .xxi. Chapter and disputeth of the moste iust iudgement of God against Babylon the whore of Babylon and the Antichristians finally against all wycked and impenitent persones The seuenth and last vision propoundeth to the eyes of all the faythfull the glory and blysse euerlastyngâ— of Sainctes And verely thys diuision of the woorke hath a great grace and affinite with the rest of the thynges which in this boke are all in a maner treated by the seuenth nuÌ„brâ— Let the reader followe whiche he wyll What profit is in the Apocalipse Nowe of these thynges euery man may perceyue the thys booke is altogether Apostolicall and exceadynge profitable to vs all especially whome the ende of the worldâ— hath ouertaken And this booke shall bee easier for vs fâ— that all thynges nowe are in a maner accomplyshed Daniell was thought to haue tolde of starke dreameâ— when before the Monarchies he prophecied the Monaâ—chies But after those thynges were accomplished whicâ— he prophecied he semed vnto many to haue compiled an hâ—story The selfe same I am sure thou wylt iudge also thys same boke of Saint Iohn A fewe profittes only of mâ—ny we shall recite First we haue in this booke a moste full discription Christ reignyng in glory our kyng I saye and Byshop And howe he gouerneth the Churche and is the Sauioâ— of all faythfull We haue also a moste gallaunte descriâ—tion of Christes Churche and howe the same maye be buâ—ded repared and maynteyned Than haue we a perfâ— description of Antichrist of his members and Synagogâ— of his counselles craftie deuises kyngdome crueltie aâ— destructions of the same From the whiche it byddeth 〈◊〉 beware Moreouer we haue an abrydgement of Historâ— from Christes tyme vnto the worldes ende Finally an absolute and certayne prophecie of thyngâ— to come that we neede not to haue the prophecies of Mâ—thodius Cyrill Merline Briget Nolhard certen triflers Furthermore we haue a great consolation and comfort of the churche in aduersitie whylest boeth we see thâ— Lambe to open the Seales and that all thynges are doâ— by Gods prouidence and that there is an ende of euylleâ— And that the churche shall bee euermore in dispitee of all thâ— Deuyls in hell Last we haue a moste plentifull and sure doâ—trine of the Iudge and last iudgement of paynes and of tâ—wardes All these thinges I say shal the treatise it selfe shewe plainly for our edefiyng through Iesus Christ our Lord. OF THE TITLE OF THE whole worke and exposition therof The second Sermon ☞ I said the whole boke was conteined in sixe partes Thre membres of the first part Now must we loke on the first part Which hath chiefly three members The title beginning and brief narration For this present we wyll only speake of the Title whiche is thus THe reuelatioÌ„ of Iesu Christ The first Chapter whiche God gaue vnto him for to shew vnto his seruauntes thinges whiche must shortly come to passe And he sent and shewed by his aungell vnto his seruaunt Iohn which bare recorde of the word af God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all thinges that he sawe Happy is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophecie kepe those thinges which are written therin For the time is at hand This title is plentifull The title of the worke and vttereth all profitable circumstaunces that are to be declared in the beginnings of bokes First is set the Title or inscription of the whole worke that is the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche verely was opened or reuealed by Christ Iesus him selfe This title streightway proueth The reuelation of Iesu Christ that this worke is no mans inuention but a godly doctrine As that whiche was opened by our Lord kyng and priest Iesus Christ out of heauen from the right hand of the father executing there the office of the high Byshop as yet teaching vs profitable thinges and albeit it be called also the reuelatioÌ„ of Iohn yet is it chalenged to hym for none other cause than for that as scribe he wrote and set it forth FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce is that reuelation Againe it is yet more playnly declared from whence this Reuelation is Euen of God hym selfe For he saieth which God namely the Father gaue vnto hym to wytte to Christ For in the holy and blessed Trinitie there is a distinction of persones And albeit that all thinges of the father be the sonnes also And all thynges of the sonne the fathers lykewyse Yet the scripture mentioneth the father to geue vnto the Sonne and the Sonne to receyue of the Father Whiche thynge all the auncient wryters haue full Godly expounded to be done by the mistery of dispensation For the Sonne receyued somewhat of the Father as man whiche otherwyse as the very Sonne of God sayeth Father Iohn 17 glorifie thou me with the glory which I had with thee before this worlde was Moreouer the Sonne is the wysdome word and mouth of the Father by whome God in tymes paste and nowe spake and speaketh to the Fathers Prophetes Apostles and to the vniuersall churche The Father by dispensation gaue to his Sonne this office that he should be Byshop For no man hath sene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed vnto vs. Let vs knowe therfore this same to be a Reuelation Diuine whiche God the Father louynge mankynde hath reuealed by the only Byshop Christ vnto hys Churche And so it ioyneth together the Father and the Sonne that neuerthelesse the holy distinction of persones remayneth safe To what vse and to whom it is reuealed Nowe also is added to what ende God the Father hath reuealed or geuen the gyft of reuealing to wytte the office of priesthod to his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ to the intent verely that the same beyng reuealed he myght shewe it and as it were set it before the eyes of his seruauntes to wytte his worshippers and Christians which are called the seruauntes of God for theyr wyllyng obedience And as the seruaunt of a Lorde is a seruaunt and oweth to his Lord all that he hath or is worth So we owe vnto God our selues whole and all ours or els we be free and not bounde Here is also declared vnto whom this reuelation is opened Iohn 8 To all the seruauntes of God If therfore thou be glad to be called the seruaunt of God heare this boke and remember it And knowe that this boke is prepared for thee of God After he compryseth in fewe wordes What thinges are reuealed what Christe reuealed to Iohn thynges that must shortly come to passe The destenies therfore of the Churche are recited what good and euyll thynges shall happen to the Godly and lykewyse what punysshementes must be inflicted to the wicked And let no man gather of this woorde must necessitie as though God wrought not freely How good and euyll
chiefly of Christ secondly of our whole faith redemption The third Sermon IOhn to the seuen coÌ„gregatioÌ„s Asia Grace be with you peaâ— from him whiche is and whicâ— was whiche is to come and 〈◊〉 the seuen spirites which are prâ—sent before his throne And froÌ„ Iesus Chriâ—â— which is a faithful witnes and first begotâ— of the dead And Lord ouer the kinges of tâ— earth Vnto hym that loued vs and wasshâ— vs from sinnes in his own bloud And maâ— vs kynges and priestes vnto God his fatheâ— be glory and dominion for euermore Ameâ— Behold he cometh with cloudes And al eyâ— shal se him And thei also which pearsed hiâ— al kinredes of the earth shal wayle ouer him Euen so AmeÌ„ I am Alpha Omega the beginning thending saith the Lord almightâ— which is which was which is to come The beginning or preface of the wâ—rke Another pece of the first part of this boke conteineth tâ— beginning or preface wherin is the Apostles salutation 〈◊〉 the whiche he discribeth first the whole mistery of Christ â—â—condly of our faith redemption For so were the Apostles wont in the beginning of their writinges to comprise a brief some of salutation Which thing in Paules Epistles is euery where to be sene By the same description he getteth the beneuolence and attentiuenes of al men The Apostles salutation or greting is nothing els What is the Apostles salutation but a blessing Blessing is an old accustomed order by the whiche the Patriarkes wished of God to their children al maner of good thinges both of body soul Which verely in Genesis is described at large And also the high priest had coÌ„maundement geuen to blesse the people As we reade in the sixt of NuÌ„bres especially he commaundeth to put his name vpon the people Therfore it is a supersticion to say God verely from whome euery good gifte descendeth froÌ„ aboue blesseth that is geueth good thinges but ministers or men wishe only And the Lord in dede in the lawe promiseth that he will grauÌ„t those thinges to the people whiche the high priestes shoulde wishe them Therfore nother wordes nor shauen crownes but the truth power of God geue the giftes We ought not therfore to doubt but that God wil grauÌ„t to vs also thapostolical blessing that being reconciled accepted of God we might haue peace And first S. IhoÌ„ repeteth his name left we shuld any thing doubt of thautour Iohn interpretour of Christ towardes the congregations whoÌ„ we see Christ to haue vsed as scribe interpretour vnto al coÌ„gregatioÌ„s But he repeteth not himself to be that seruauÌ„t of god witnesse or Apostle of Iesu Christ It sufficed to haue heard that at the first beginniÌ„g Therfore he teacheth theÌ„ modestie humilitie also which haue obteined great giftes Afterward he signifieth to whoÌ„ he wryteth to whoÌ„ this boke apperteineth to the seuen churches of Asia the names wherof he will vtter shortly after And Aretas bishop of Cesaria by the .vii. churches saith he by the .vii. nuÌ„bre he signified the multitude of churches that be in al places So also Primasius bish of Vtica in Affrick expouÌ„deth the .vii. nuÌ„ber Therfor this salutatioÌ„ this boke the whole doctrine of Iesu Christ writteÌ„ by s IhoÌ„ To whom this booke apperteineth apperteineth to the whole vniuersal church of Christ throughout al the world in all times ages WherupoÌ„ it beloÌ„geth to all vs also as many as be of vs in the church of Christ For albeit thepistles be intitled to the Romains Galath yet followeth it not therfore that they be not ours And he wryteth expressely to the churches of Asia not to tâ— churches of Hierusalem or Iewery that he might so shewâ— that the kingdome of Christ is comen also already to the gâ—tiles And as God from the beginning chose Israell in whiâ—he myght set forth a perfit example of the church and coÌ„mâ—wealth so froÌ„ the beginning of the new TestameÌ„t he chose thosâ— seuen churches of Asia which he might set forth to the whâ—â— Christen world But in case Rome had ben set in the first plaâ— amongest the churches as Ephesus is good God hoâ— much wold the Romish sort make of it for the estabishingâ— their supremacie The forme of the Apostles bessing And the maner of the Apostles saluting wysheth granâ— peace Grace is the fauour of the deitie and the reconcâ—ment wherby God the father for Christ his sake is madeâ— one with vs our sinnes pardoned we adopted for his chiâ—dren Therof arriseth the peace and tranquillitie of myndâ— and the desire of concorde with all men And here he sheweth aboundantly who geueth the churcâ— his blessing that is to witte grace reconcilement peaâ— God and God thre in persons the father the sonne and thâ— holy ghost one God in essence But here he discerneth thâ— persones very well From him that is to witte the fatheâ— And from the seueÌ„ spirites that is from the holy ghost And froâ— Iesu Christ this is the diuersitie of persons And the signification of the vnitie is when after the proprieties of persons dâ—clared The holy gost is placed in the middes he addeth I am Alpha omega c. And that the hoâ— ghost is set here in the middes it disordereth not the misteâ— of the Trinitie but appeareth to be an argument that he 〈◊〉 the spirite as well of the father as of the sonne and that hâ— procedeth from both As it is also proued by the wordes 〈◊〉 our lord the xiiii.xv and .xvi. of Iohn Here is also describeâ— the whole holsome mistery first of Christ than of the catholike faith and of our redemptioÌ„ so that herein you may findâ— the chiefest articles of the Apostles crede haue here a mosâ— goodly descriptioÌ„ of Christ our Lord. Hereof al meÌ„ shall iudgâ— how truly some men say The father whiche is which was c. that this boke contrary to the â—â—stome of thapostles maketh litle mentioÌ„ of Christ of faith The father as fountain original of whom the son is ingendred is first described for that it is he whiche is which was and which is to come Those wordes toke Iohn out of Moyses in the .iii. and .xxxiiii. chap. of Exod. out of many testimonies of Esay And he saith nothing but that God the father is an eternall ensence which coÌ„sisteth by and of it self and is and geueth life to all and in all preserueth the same And that this essence is suche that it hath bene always with out beginning For this is it that he ioyneth to being or existing was He addeth and he that shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shal be and shal remaine euen to the ende and to euerlastingnes without end The Grekes deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of running for that conning and running he medleth with all matters is euery where present bringing help to the godly or
be noted the goodnes of Almightie God The scripture expounded whiche declareth to vs him selfe the hardest places of the Scripture Where be they therfore that accuse the Scripture of obscurenes and contende that it can not be vnderstaÌ„de let vs here marke also the coÌ„mon maner of speakyng of the whole scripture seuen starres The phrase of the scripture be seuen Messengers The seuen lightes are seuen Churches For signes receyue the names of the thinges although they be remaine in theyr owne substaunce and bee not chaunged into another This the very contentiouse persons do graunte also whiche in the woordes of the supper this is my body will acknowledge no figuratiue speache at all Starres be called Aungelles Aungelles be Gods Messengers pastours of churches so called in the ii iii. chapter of Malachie For God sendeth preachers as Ambassadors to the people and willeth them to be hearde in like case as himselfe Luke .x. Iohn .xiii. Let no man therfore tary till the Lord him selfe come downe from heauen againe and preach â—nto vs. Euen now he preacheth to vs by his Messengers whiche preache his that is to saye the woorde of Christ yf â—ou contemne them you contemne Christ Preachers be â—alled starres by reason of theyr bright and Heauenly docâ—rine and for their purenes of life 2. Peter 2 Iude. 1. Beware therefore you Preachers that you be not wandering Planettes leest ye â—aue no light at all neyther in doctrine nor conuersation of â—â—fe For than ye shall be likened to starres that fall downe â—ut of Heauen as shall happen here after in this boke to the â—alse teachers But those starres are not in the head or in the fete The starres be in the right haÌ„de of Christ or on â—he backe or sides but in the right hande of Christ Whiche â—â—ing hath in dede a great consolation for the Pastours be in the right hande of God in Gods protection neither shâ— any man take them out of his hande God him selfe also â—â—ueth pastours and furnisheth them with necessarie goodâ— of the Church Therfore is the whole gouernement and glâ—ry his Wherefore the Apostle sayeth also he that waterâ— and planteth is nothing but God that geueth increase Nowe as concernyng the Candelstickes there was oâ— verely in the Tabernacle of Moses with seuen sockettes Candelstickes 〈◊〉 set in seuen Candelles In Salomons temple were ten caâ—delstickes The one represented a figure of Christ And the â—â—uen therupon and the ten betokened the vniuersalitieâ— Churches whiche are lighted all of the only lighte Chrisâ— and haue of this one what light so euer they haue And thâ— candelstickes are of Golde The mistery whereof Aretas eâ—pounding They are all golde sayeth he for the puritie aâ— preciousnes of faith liyng hidde in them And in dede the â—delstickes of them selues geue no light but be receptacles 〈◊〉 light So of vs arriseth no light but darkenes But in 〈◊〉 that light euerlasting set a light in the candlesticke the ligâ— shineth if Christe illumine the Churche with faithe and â—â—retie than faith sheweth foorth her selfe in open confessioâ— and the purenes of life in conuersation And this the Lord â—quireth of his churche in the v. chapter of Matth. So let yoâ— light shine c. And the apostle in the ii to the Philipp In tâ— middes of a frowarde and croked natioÌ„ shine like lightes the worlde And hitherto we haue handled the consolation of Chriâ— and the exposition of that great and celestiall vision wheâ— we haue learned the misteries of the faith of Christ and of his Churche to the ende we should knowe that Christ is the Lorde reignyng in his Church and applying al thinges to the saluation of his faythfull That he sendeth Preachers teacheth by them and kepeth and defendeth them To him be Glory c. ¶ Of the Epistles reuealed out of the throne of God from Christ by an Aungell and receiued and sent of Iohn Where also a parte of the Epistle to the Ephesians is expounded The seuenth Sermon VNto the Messenger of the congregation of Ephesus write These things saieth he that holdeth the seuen Starres in his righthand and walketh in the middes of the Seuen golden Candelstickes I knowe thy workes and thy labour and thy patieÌ„ce and â—ow thou cannest not forbeare them whiche â—re euil And examinest them which saie thei are Apostles and are not And haste founde â—hem liars hast suffered and hast patience â—nd for my names sake haste laboured and â—aste not fainted Neuerthelesse I haue some what againste thee because thou haste lefte â—hy firste loue Your charitie hath sene a certen Image of the lord christ Christe is prelate of the Church â—itting on the right hande of the father in glorye yet so that 〈◊〉 no wise he eyther forsaketh or neglecteth his Churche Now followeth it more fully and plainely howe our Sauiâ—ur Christe in Heauen executeth the office of the highe Bishop and teacheth the whole churche by his ministers rebuâ—eth comforteth and reteyneth it in her dutie Finally tourâ—eth alwayes awaye thinges hurtefull and auaunceth it to greater thinges For here follow seuen Epistles to the seueÌ„ Congregations that is to witte Seuen Epistles vnto all the churches in the â—hole worlde For this moste ample and holsome doctrine â—aye not be restreyned to a fewe sins Christ is Bisshoppe â—niuersall Thautoritie of these epâ—stels But great is the autoritie of these epistles For they are reuealed from the throne of God by the sonne of Goâ— speaking by an Aungell whiche prescribeth what is to bâ— written in those Epistles S. Iohn receiueth and writeth thâ— same through Christ his coÌ„maundement and sendeth theâ— to the seuen congregations And verely they aperteyne nâ— lesse vnto vs than if now the bearer entring into the churcâ— should deliuer these letters vnto vs. Moreouer in these seuen Churches is figured vnto vâ— the nature The epistles be vniuersall maners vices medicines rebukes prayses of 〈◊〉 Churches in all times and what soeuer is wonte to chaunâ— aboute them Then by examples of moste excellent meanâ— mixed of Hypocriticall also and wicked And these our Loâ— dothe euideÌ„tly instructe reproue rebuke and blame praisâ— correct moue exhorte comforte the same he threatneth anâ— promiseth them also ioyfull thinges c. This is no light 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon example but of the sonne of God the high and moâ— blessed Bishop teaching vs howe we should deale with 〈◊〉 congregations after the capacitie disposition of euery onâ— And not without cause he chouseth vnto him seuen thâ— most noble cities of Asia Certaine it is that Asia was of 〈◊〉 first inhabited and from thence they were dispersed into â—ther partes of the worlde Certaine it is also that the Deuâ— set vp his Throne in Asia and there reigned in men througâ— Idolatrie murther ambition auarice vncleanes and filthâ— pleasures For the prouerbe is knoweÌ„ the laughter Iouicaâ— It is knowen what the apostle wrote to the EphesiaÌ„s in thâ— iiii
worlde also is geuen vs a quiet cōscience and ioye vnspeakeable which they in deede fele that do in ioye the same They that haue not tasted therof can neuer beleue that it is so much as it is in dede Wherupon S. Paull sayed and the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding c. suche mindes so affected our Sauiour Christ graunte vs. Amen ¶ The Epistle of Thyatirena is expounded wherin are sondry vertues commended and the vice of Iesabell reprehended The .xii. Sermon ANd vnto the Messenger of the cōgregatiō of Thiatira write This sayeth the sonne of God whiche hath his eyes like vnto a flāme of fire and his fete are like brasse I knowe thy workes thy loue seruice faith and thy patiēce and thy dedes which are mo at the last then at the first Notwithstāding I haue a fewe things against thee that thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her self a prophetisse to teache disceaue my seruaunts to make them cōmit fornication and to eate meates offered vp vnto Idolles The fourth epistle written to the Thyatirenians The argumēt of the fourthe epistle is more plentifull then the residue and with manifolde fruites replenished For it cōmendeth and praiseth in that churche excellent vertues and singular giftes not a fewe Streight wayes he reproueth in them that they suffer ouer gētly the Iezabelisme whiche he describeth what and howe filthie it is He threateneth them sore vnlesse with perfit repentaunce they amende theyr sinnes and wickednes Further more he warneth that they loke for no newe reuelations but that they perseuer abide in those which they had learned hitherto in the which they nowe are Hither also with most large promisses he allureth them finally cōmunicateth cōmendeth this doctrine to al churches And there is a wōderful likenes and correspondaunce in al epistles As the same may be sene also in al the bokes of the prophetes in the story of the euangelistes The scripture is in al thinges like agreable to it selfe in Paules epistles Wherof it maye easely be gathered that the doctrine of the vexitie is most absolute perfit and plaine and agreable to it selfe in al thinges In so muche that if al the writinges of all other Apostles and Prophetes did remaine we should haue had no more in those many and most plētuouse bokes then we now haue in the holy Bible God prouided wel for vs and for our infirmitie by this briefe waye Here be seuen Epistles set in the 2. Chapter but it is maruell to see howe like they be all teachinge in a maner all one thinge The vse of this epistle This fourth is chiefly profitable for those congregations whiche are sounde in the purenes of doctrine and are pure moreouer in holines of life but doe not with a feruent zeale enough persecute open heresies There be other fruictes and cōmodities whiche we shall speake of in order But like as in al other epistles that goo before first is set forth to whom the epistle is sent and from whom it cōmeth So also in this epistle Thyatirene both the superscription as they terme it The superscriptiō of this epistle the subscriptiō is expressely set It is sent to the Messenger of the church of Thyatira so to the whole churche as I haue tolde you before oftētimes And Thyatira is a noble and famouse citie of Lydia Thyatira in Asia on the riuer of Hermus where we reade that the woman was borne that solde purple whiche was conuerted to Christ by s Paull in the 16. of the Actes it was a populouse citie much frequēted so that it is no maruell though mē diuersly geuē vncleane curiouse heretikes did associate ioyne them selues to the churche of God The Geographers wryte many thinges of that famouse citie of Asia Thautour of the epistle And the author of thepistle is the Lord Christ him self the high king Bishop which vseth thapostle his pen or blessed s Iohn for his Scribe or Secretarie by whome he will haue those things published through out the whole world And he getteth the epistle authoritie whilest repeting certen mēbres of the former image descriptiō he sheweth him self in such sorte to be sene of the church to be viewed in faithe that they help the matter wōderfully He seeth here heresies the secrets of hartes and treadeth vnder his moste pure and cleane fete what so euer auaūceth it selfe against Gods glory veritie He calleth him selfe therfore the sonne of God Christe the sonne of God and man whome before we hearde to be the sonne of man He is therfore and remaineth both euen in glory aswel the sonne of God as mā In the diuine nature of the same substaunce with the father in the humane nature cōmunicating with vs in al things except sinne the other nature is not swallowed vp in glory but two distinct seueral natures without any permixtiō abide in one persone vndiuided which in dede be one Christ very God very mā to be worshipped world without end Herof we haue testimonies in the 1. of Luke in the 1. of Iohn the 1. chapt to the Romanes And whiche of the heretickes or persecutours wil make warre with the liuing sonne of God After he attributeth to him selfe eyes His eyes 〈◊〉 flamme of fire casting out fire and flamme For nothing escapeth the knowledge iudgement of Christe our Iudge he beholdeth the raynes and hartes Moreouer he lighteth some and some he cōmitteth to euerlasting fire therin to burne for euer Nowe then if anye doe imagine with them selues that they can hide heresies and malice in theyr hartes they are disceiued For in the eyes of Christ the darkenes it selfe is light also The same Lorde also hathe fete moste pourged and cleane he treadeth downe all vngodlines And where so euer he walketh with his shining feete of brasse he consumeth immediatly all heresies and corrupte life Therfore this prelate moste pure and moste fitte and apte to pourge finally beste furnisshed to boulte out the secrettes of hartes sheweth to the cōgregations these things that followe he himselfe walketh and is conuersaunt in the middes of the churche bothe Kinge and Prieste And like as he hath in all epistles testified that he knewe the workes of the same church euen so he repeteth here also to the intent we shoulde neuer admitte wicked securitie as though the almightie and alwitting God knewe not vs and al ours of the which matter I haue spoken sufficiētly before Now doeth he set forth gallaūtly euery worke of this congregation and cōmendeth fiue most notable giftes or brightest vertues Charitie 1 Firste Charitie whiche compriseth the loue of God and our neighbour wherby is broughte to passe that we preferre nothing in the world before God neither hurte our neighbour but rather heape vpon him all duties benefites This we owe to God and all our bretherne in the
and before his Aungelles He that hath eares let him heare what the spirite sayeth to the congregations The argumēt of this parte The seconde parte of this heauenly epistle is conteined in these poinctes in the whiche is praised and cōmended the innocencie holines and integritie of the faithful in the congregation of Sardis in true religion He exhorteth them by a promesse moste large vnto perseueraunce Last he propoundeth agayne vnto them moste ample rewardes euen to the corrupte sorte in case they amende and to the faithful if they continewe as they be The complutensiā boke hath thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But thou haste a fewe names in Sardis Whiche is as much as if he had saied they be not al corrupt and dead with thee although in dede those be very fewe And so Aretas readeth it in Greke and the cōmon translation in Latin other copies haue whiche Erasmus followeth thou haste a fewe names also at Sardis that is euen in Sardis hast thou names Names but fewe And he put names for notable men Which maner of speaking is also in our langage For we saye there is no man of name for no excellent or noble personage he signifieth therefore that there be in the same Churche noble personages and that noble in soundenes of faith and holynes of life but very fewe Few good if they shoulde be referred or compared to the numbre of Hipocrites or dead whiche in dede are a greate deale more Nother oughte we here at to maruel For the Lorde sayeth also in the Gospell that many be called fewe chosen And that the greater parte of this world walketh in that broade and wide waye of perdition Matth. 20. and 7. The whiche also S. Peter repeted in the 2. chapter of his latter epistle That they are rather to be hissed at than confuted whiche seke to defende theyr errour by a multitude You shall heare very ofte at this daye You are but a fewe in nombre we are innumerable and therfore our matter is the better But that same excellent thinge is chiefly to be obserued What is cōmended the church of Sardis that although they were but fewe good yet neuertheles the Lorde cōmendeth and extolleth those fewe doubtles for the example and imitation of al other churches The wordes in dede are shorte but the praise moste ample and large That they had not defiled their garmentes whiche is as muche as if he had sayed you haue not polluted your soules with straunge opinions or spottes of heresie For you haue remayned sincere in the true faythe your bodies also and the whole conuersation of your life you haue not defiled with filthie lustes with fleshely pleasures and voluptuousenes Doubtles this is the greatest prayse and most certaine signe of perfit godlines wherewith I would wishe that mo of vs were marked But the maner of speache here requireth also an exposition The allegorie of apparell in the scripture The allegorie of garments is often and much vsed in holy scripture The vse of apparell inuented of God him selfe and shewed to our forefathers hath this chiefe propertie to hide the priuie partes of our body to beautife and set forth the body and kepe of heate and colde And therfore Christ him self is called the garment of Christiās and in the gospel in dede the wedding garment Whervpon thapostle aduiseth vs to put on the new mā which is made after God euen Christ him selfe Roman 13. Ephes 4. Coloss 3. For Christ couereth not only our priuie partes but all the filthines also of the soule he adorneth and beautifieth vs and driueth frō vs all iniurie and all euill And we defile this garment when neither in faith nor in holines of life we do aunswer to our professiō For Christe is our garment and Christianitie sincere faithe and holines of life are our apparell And euen faithe and our conuersation is our garmente For asmuche therfore as the Sardensians were of a sincere fayth and vncorrupte maners they are saied to haue kepte their garmēts cleane and vndefiled The lorde also geueth nowe a rewarde vnto vertu To walke with christ in where graye And they shal walke with me sayeth he in white araye These excellent things verely doeth he rehearse to reteyne the Sardensians in theyr dutie to nourrishe them to greater things and to moue other also to sinceritie and integritie Sainctes walke with Christ in white araye that is to saye haue fruitiō of the same glory wherin we beleue Christ to shine For he desireth his father that he will graunt to the faithfull that where so euer he is they may be with him and see his glory c. in the 17. of Iohn And with S. Matth. in the transformatiō or clarifiyng the face of Christ appered bright like the sunne his apparell and rest of his body as light So appered Christ vnto Iohn in the first chapt of this boke clothed in white araye Nowe therfore sayeth he the godly that haue not defiled their garmente shal accompany me hauing put on light also Sainctes be worthy of glory He addeth an other thing for they be worthie This is the greatest prayse when the Captaine sayeth that the soldiour is worthy of honour and glory The greatest shame or ignomie is when it is sayed with vs thou arte vnworthy The first kind of speache sheweth him to be most excellent in al kinde of vertue whiche is sayed to be worthie of eternal light by the later is signified that he whiche is accompted vnworthy of a good and excellent thing is maruelouse negligent and vngraciouse But here we nede not to reason of the merite and deserte of worthines God pronoūceth his to be worthie of glory the godly referre al the goodnes that is in them vnto grace and still complaine of theyr vnworthines Not to reproue God of liyng but to prayse and cōmende the excellent goodnes that is in him acknowledging in dede that he rewardeth good workes and dignifieth the worthines of sainctes but they are nothing proude hereof but acknowledge al this to come of grace This appereth in the doctrine of the Gospell Luke 17. Matth. 25. where Sainctes cōmended of God for the workes of mercy seme the acknowledge nothing therof Howbeit he declareth more at large the most ample promesses of God Greate rewardes of vertue wherby he maye not onlye reteyne in their duty the Sainctes and vndefiled Sardensians but mighte also reduce al others that go astray at al times into the waye of repentaunce integritie and holines And three thinges he promiseth first in dede white apparell that is to saye gloryfiyng and light euerlastinge and the gloriouse company of Christ wherof I haue spoken already Secondly and I wil not sayeth he put out his name out of the boke of life For like as Cities haue bokes wherin the names of theyr Citizens are written The boke of life righte so is God in the scriptures sayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
He propoūdeth also thexāple of the cōquerour Christ For we must ouercome as he hath ouercomē He in dede ouercame most perfitly we after our litle strēgth fight and ouercome And verely the true victory in vs is the liuely vertu of Christ that is to say by him they ouercom whosoeuer ouercome And like as he hauing ouercome death vanquished the world the deuill ascended into heauen sate on the right hand of the father so he promiseth vs also ouercomming that he wil geue vs the seat of his father not that we sitting on the right hande of God should iudge ouer al flesh beyng made Christes but that beynge made pertakers of euerlasting glory and deliuered from all iudgement we maye appere in glory when he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead We reade of a like promise made to the disciples Matth. 19. and Luke 22. And so assuredly shall this glory come vnto vs as Christ him selfe did verely ascende into Heauen and sate in the glory celestiall And here we must note a speciall thing that Christ geueth here that thing whiche in the 20. of Matth. he denieth that he can geue to Iames and Iohn that is to sitte in the glory celestiall Therfore this place expoundeth that The diuinitie of Christ For Christ after his deitie geueth that whiche after his humanitie he denieth that he cā geue This place then proueth that Christe is very God geuer of eternall life c. He addeth after his maner an acclamation wherby he applieth this epistle to al congregations and affirmeth it to be inspired of the spirite of Christe Whereof we haue spoken before And we haue treated hitherto of the seconde parte of this worke wherin are declared the moste excellent poinctes of our religion who of what sorte is Christ The sum sittyng in the glory of the father howe he is presente in his churche and gouerneth the same as kynge and priest by his spirite by his worde and Sacraments What also and of what sorte is the church of Christ what is the true and righte doctrine of the churche what opiniōs are wicked What is to be done with erroneouse doctrines and seducers howe the churche fallen and afflicted maye be repared what is true repētaunce and what are the dueties of the godly and many other thinges of like sorte To God the father be prayse thankes geuinge and glory through Iesus Christe our Lorde ¶ The seconde vision is shewed to S. Iohn wherin he seeth God in his Throne with Elders whome he describeth gallauntly The .xxiij. Sermon AFter this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voice whiche I hearde was as it were a trōpet talkyng with me whiche saied come vp hither and I will she we thee thinges whiche muste be fulfilled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauē and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpō like a Iasper stone and a Sardine stone and there was a rainebowe aboute the seate in sighte like a Smaragde And about the seate were xxiiii seates And vpon the seates xxiiii Elders sittinge clothed in white raymente and had on theyr heades crownes of Golde The thirde parte of this worke reacheth from the beginning of the 4. chapter vnto the beginning of the 12. chapter And conteyneth a notable vision moste holesome and of muche fruicte The first vision which we hearde expounded in the 3. chap. exhibiteth a figure of Christ and of his church and howe the Lord reigneth in the same how also the church behaueth or oughte to demeane her selfe In the seconde vision S. Iohn declareth howe by a most iuste and most holy gouernement God gouerneth all thynges by Christ which chaunce and are done to the churche in the worlde and of the worlde The argumēt of the seconde vision In these are rehearsed the most sorrowful destenies of the church calamities plages and destructions famines persecutions reuoltinges heresies conflictes and other euilles moste greuouse of the same sorte c. Who also and what and howe iuste God is rightuouse and holy in all his iudgementes here is described That he is Authour of all That God throughe the moste wittie and excellent gouernement of Christe ruleth all thinge that the holy Aungelles also and al creatures do acknoweledge him and geue glory vnto God For so it teacheth vs also in al our doynges Th ende of this visiō and euen in the very greuouse calamities and persecutiōs wherof it shall prophecie moreouer the acknoweledge the prouidence and good wil of God towardes vs and his most iuste gouernement This if we shal do with quiet mindes we shal beare also moste heauy burthens patiently we shall cease with curiouse questions to inquire whye God permitteth Antichrist to spring vp to increase and reigne to oppresse the religion and Sainctes of God Then shal cease also the blasphemouse mutinyng of those which are not affraide to saye God is in dede the Lorde he is almightie he doeth what he will and as he will we are bonde seruauntes and rather worse than bondemen We are forced to beare what so euer he wil laye vpon vs c. As thoughe God were vniuste and after a tirannicall feare terrible and ruled after a carnal lust It is most shameful to thinke thus much more to speake it This vision shal declare that God by his prouidence gouerneth althinges and that the same is iust in al his wayes and holy in al his workes And firste S. Iohn is prepared to receyue this vision A preparatiō to this vision yea and we also are prepared in him For when he had sene the dore in heauen to be wyde open he hearde withall come vp hither c. It is surely a benefite not to be expressed with tonge that the Lorde openeth heauen for vs miserable men mortall and suffereth vs to see what is done therin or what he him selfe doeth there and what his workes or iudgments be towardes men Let no man saye herafter that God doeth in Heauen what thinges he liste not passinge vpon vs that crepe vpon earthe and who also muste suffer that we woulde not For nowe he maketh as it were an accompte of his workes and beyng assured admitteth thee as a looker on of the matter And here he declareth with a godly voice The mīde muste be lifted vp what Iohn shuld do and how he should behaue him self Christ biddeth Iohn ascende into supercelestial places not in body but in minde Therefore muste our minde be lifted vp into the contemplation of Heauenlye thinges and be pourged as muche as maye be from earthely affections that we maye beholde heauenly thinges with an heauenly contemplation What will we saye that the example of Iohn followeth immediatly And incontinently I was in the spirite that is in a spirituall cōtemplation or rauished with the spirite into the faithful consideration of those thinges whiche
the Apostolical maner fewe thinges were taught of Christe and of our redemption Let vs praye vnto the Lorde that he would vouchesafe to illumine our mindes Amen ¶ Here is described adoration and prayse geuyng or an Himne songe vnto Christ of the beasts and Elders The .xxviij. Sermon ANd when he had taken the boke the foure beastes and .xxiiii. Elders fel downe before the lambe hauynge Harpes and golden Vialles ful of odours which are the prayers of Sainctes and they sange a newe songe saiyng Thou arte worthy to take the boke and to open the Seales therof for thou waste killed haste redemed vs by thy bloud out of all kinredes and tongues and people and natiōs and haste made vs vnto our God Kinges and Priestes and we shall reigne on the earth We haue hearde Christ is the true only monarche that the lambe hath receyued the boke of the hande of him that sitteth in the Throne that he might open it and lowse the seales of the same that is we haue vnderstande that Christ is the only and eternall Sauiour and Lorde vnto whome all power is geuen in heauen and earth that he than only and euermore saueth that he reuealeth to vs the misteries and iudgementes of God that he finally gouerneth and disposeth al thinges in the worlde It followeth moreouer how al the creatures of God behaued them selues towardes this sonne of God the monarche and gouernour of al thinges This thing is set forth with a maruelouse figuratiue and plentiful speache in the Tipe of the .iiii. beasts and xxiiii Elders c. Certenly that we might of their gestures wordes and workes vnderstande what it is mete for vs to do in the iudgementes of God For this example is verely manifolde and euen of sixe partes suche as you shall hardely finde propounded in any other matter An exāple manifolde whereby we learne how to behaue oure selues towardes the gouernour of al thīgs And in this matter is of very greate force First in dede we haue hearde in the .iiii. chapt that the foure beastes cried out before the Throne of him that sate holy holy holy lord God omnipotent Seconde we vnderstande that the .xxiiii. Elders fel doune worshipped cast away their crownes and sange an Himne Nowe followeth the thirde degree of this example For as firste the beastes and Elders did these thinges seuerally so now ioyntly with one accorde the beastes and Elders fal downe together before the lābe Let vs therefore fall downe also in all the iudgementes and workes of God before the lambe gouernour of al and let vs worship For although it be not here added and they worshipped yet are they to be vnderstand for this intent to haue fallen downe that they might worship For to fal downe is to worship Whiche thing is also perceiued by this that foloweth The lābe is worshipped For they offer praiers to the lambe that is to witte singe an Himne whiche is a parte of godly worshippinge Morouer it foloweth immediately that euery creature sang an Himne to him that setteth in the Throne and to the lābe c. And verely two thinges especially and diligently S. Iohn treateth in this example For first he painteth out gallauntly the behauiour of the beastes and elders After he annexeth the Himne prayse geuyng or songe And so much as apperteyneth their behauiour Afore al thinges they fal downe before the lambe as euen nowe I sayed Christe is very God to be worshipped with the father in the same glory And this place is of efficacitie enough to proue the deitie of our Sauiour Christe For these thinges ought to be conferred with those whiche are written vpon the same wordes in the .iiii. chapt The .xxiiii. Elders fell downe before him that sitteth in the Throne and worshippe him that liueth for euer and euer And now it is sayed that the selfe same elders haue fallen downe before the lambe wherupon it followeth that he that liueth for euer and the lambe be worshipped with like glory culte and honour And that the sonne is coequall with the father to be worshipped for euer Wherby now is opēly perceyued the abominable and detestable errour of Arius and Seruetus Seruetus renewed the blasphemy of Arrius confuted at this present not only of the beastes but also of the whole cōgregation of Sainctes in heauē Idle men reason subtilly and peruerte wraste gods worde after their wonted giantly boldenes at their pleasure we wil rather followe the examples of all sainctes and creatures in the worlde and will worship the lambe with hym that sitteth in the throne blessed for euermore Agayne there are obiecte to vs the Elders liyng prostrate on the pauement holding in their hādes harpes and vialles Harpes vialles An harpe in the Psalmes and holy historie is an instrument of musicke cōsecrate to prayses diuine Of the vialle of what shape or fashion the cuppe was the writers of vesselles treate muche I vnderstande it to be simply a cuppe or a bolle suche as we reade there were many in the tabernacle and temple appoincted bothe for drinke offeringes and also for swete odours and incense Neuerthelesse these thinges in the holy heauenly dwellers be not to be taken corporally but spiritually after a suffiguration For what the spirite of God vnderstode the reuealer of secrettes S. Iohn him selfe addeth which be the prayers of Sainctes Therfore is signified that Sainctes offer prayers to God whiche are muche more acceptable to him Musicke incense prayer than the swete melodie of Musicall instrumentes is to man or pleasaunt sauour of swete gumes or of incense Aretas the expositour in that they haue Harpes sayeth he it sheweth a concorde and agrement in geuynge God thankes And herof we learne agayne what we should do in the contemplation vnderstanding of the iudgementes and workes of God The lord is to be praysed blessed because he is good and his mercy indureth for euer But if thankes must be geuen to God if his workes and iudgmentes are to be praysed why do certen men expostulate with God blamyng or bringing in suspicion his iudgemētes let vs learne moreouer that Organes and those corporall incenses do no longer become the churche of God Of this place S. Ireney in the 4. boke agaynste heresies The true sacrifice of Christiās in the .33 and .34 chapt sheweth that the prayers and thankes geuyng of Sainctes be the same oblation whiche Malachie prophecied to be offered vp through out the whole worlde And shortely after Tertullian followed the same exposition agyynst the Iewes and in the iiii boke agaynste Marcion whom other doctours of the Churche haue followed But those pleasaunt sophisticall triflers I meane the popisshe diuines do as it were triumph in those thinges yet leade they in the meane time a shadowyng and a most vaine triumphe For they applie these thinges to their sacrifice wherin they fayne them selues vnder the some of bread wine to offer
Fucine he was taken with duke Fridericke Anno. 1266 There were slaine as it is saied .12 thousand The occasion of so greate an euill were the Popes chiefly Clement the .4 which beyng demaunded of Charles the worthie Prince what he should do with his prisoners aunswered so that the Frenche men vnderstode that they must suffer Therfore he put them both to the sworde In whome the house and posteritie of the moste noble Dukes of Austriche and Swauelande is sayde to haue failed Paulus Aemilius discourseth this gere more at large in the .7 booke of Frenche Actes and Auentinus in the .7 booke But yet might not the Ire and furie of those moste holy fathers be so pacified conceiued hereof that the most noble Dukes of Swauelande had for gods glory and the comon welthes sake most godly and most constantly resisted the Romish Bisshoppes Wolues I would haue saied Thempire made desolate But these Parricidies and blouddy warres displeased all good meÌ„ euery where and chiefly the wise and godly Princes so that they vnderstode how they must eschew that Empire and flee from it as from the plage as the which was not only but a shaddowe but moreouer would vtterly consume his yerely reuenewes and treasour which should receiue the office For now was it knowen through out the world what the moste valeaunt and excellent Princes of Germany had nowe about .119 yeres from Henry the .4 to the Sonnes of Fridericke the .2 suffered of the bolde ambition and vncredible mallice of the Popes and that many of them had loste both their liues with their auncient kingdomes and their â—ibertie most excellent of all And here was thempire with out any Emperour for certeÌ„ yeres which I am wont to cal a desolation of the kingdome or Empire For the Popes with their inuincible and intollerable pryde and tyrannie had so weakened the force of the Emperours that the empire semed subuerted destroyed nother coulde there any be easely founde which ded set by it or thoughte it worthie to be desyred At the laste at the commaundement of Gregory the .10 which helde a Counsell at Lions was chosen Counte Rodulph of Abspurg which although he forsoke not the thing offered yet being oft requested to come to Rome is sayed to haue aunswered the waywarde steppes of fete do feare me sore meaning by this dixaine that he trusted not the Popes which by their craftes had destroyed both many Prences of Germanie and also innumerable people comming to Rome And this Rafe is red to haue ben crowned Kyng in the yeare of our Lorde .1273 the .200 yeare after Gregory the .7 And so longe time lasted the fight of Popes and Emperours A little whyle after whyleste Alberte the sonne of Rafe was chosen Emperoure and the election was referred to Boniface the .8 of that name he stoutely reiected the same and shewed by and by in word and dede that he was both Pope and Emperour which by right had both swordes Which I expounded in the .58 sermon the same doth Albert Krantz declare excedingly well in the .8 boke .36 ch of Saxon matters In the place of King Albert was substituted Henry Prince of Lucemburge But what authoritie ouer him thempire chaleÌ„ged Clement the .5 pope he that list may know of the ClemeÌ„tines For there is a long treatise therof in the .2 boke .9 tit I could also rehearce many other lyke things of pope Ihon the .22 and of others if I ded not thinke it superfluouse For of these things which I haue rehersed hitherto The proprietie of kingdomes is the popes but the vse of Kings and Princes it appereth sufficieÌ„tly that the popes theÌ„selues by a mischeuouse boldnes haue takeÌ„ to theÌ„selues thempire do boast theÌ„selues for monarkes do abuse the seruice ministerie of kinges as their wards clieÌ„tes yet to pretend the name of soÌ„nes to the intent thei may haue them the more obedieÌ„t For so in times past wrote Gregory the .7 to Geusas king of Hongary which place read in the .17 chap. of this boke the sermoÌ„ .75 yet vnderstaÌ„d we in the meane time that the gretest part of Princes Nobles haue not knowen the same beast but haue rather impugned him therfore not to come in the nombre of the beast but in asmuch as they lyued vnder the Empire yet estraunged farre from the beaste By this I woulde haue them aunswered which wyll exclame and saie who can take it in good parte to haue the holy Empire called the Image of the beast and so many noble Kings and Princes Cities and people praise worthie But I nother oughte nor wyll chaunge the manner of speakinge which the scripture vseth They be the Lordes woordes all which Daniell in oulde tyme and nowe Ibon haue reuealed to vs but I maie excepte and excuse such as are excused by the testimonie of scripture The way is ready briefe whosoeuer wyll be free from the beaste let him take hede that he be not inspired withe the Popes spirite and that he speake not and doe that the Pope commauÌ„deth against godlynes Let him rather be ruled with the spirite of Christ and so shal it come to passe that dwelling in the middes of Babilon he shal not lyue after the iniquities of Babilon but in the Kingdome of Christe They that shall not worship the beaste shal be slain It foloweth and the beast shal cause that whosoeuer shal not worship the Image of the beast shall be slayne And it is all one offence to worship that oulde beaste and to worship the Image of the newe beaste Of the worshipping of him I haue spoken a little before Therfore doe they worshippe the Image of the beaste which admitte the decrees and those ordinaunces of the seate and Empire speaking the inspiration of the beaste which allowe the Romish religion which fall to the kyssing of the feeâ—e and shew themselues in all things obedient chyldren of the seate and are faithfull to the popish Empire Nowe yf any wyll not be suche a one and woulde be content with Christianitie would abhorre Rome the seat of the beast and detest the Image of the beast he lyke a church robber and traytour is iudged vnworthie of lyfe There is a Canon in the .5 boke of Decret the .7 tit of heret Wherein withoute any circumstaunce of wordes Lucius the thirde of that name determyneth playnelye that heretykes are strycken with an euerlastinge curse whosoeuer beleue and teache otherwyse of the Sacraments than the church of Rome beleueth and teacheth He commaundeth moreouer that such beynge depryued of all dignitie shall be committed to the iudgement of the secular powers to be punished with dewe correction But yf the temporall maiestrate wyll not punish so defend the church that than he shal be also depriued of al honour c. But why do I tary in rehearsyng these thinges All men at this daie knowe and see what thynges are done daylie They are
the Lorde himselfe saieth in the gospel no man hath knowen the sonne but the father nother hath any man knowen the father saue the sonne and to whome the son hath pleased to reueale Besydes this we se here vnperfitly and the glory of the diuine maiestie is so great as euen nowe I sayed that mannes capacitie is vnable to conceyue such a glory No man therefore saue God alone knoweth his name 6. The vesture of our Iudge was sprinckled with bloude A blouddie garment Whereby is signified victory and slaughter of his enemies which shall anone be added aboute the ende of the chap. And he toke this note of our iudge out of the .63 chap. of Esay He alludeth to cōquerours returning from battayle whose garments armours are imbrewed with the blud of the slaine And betokeneth the iuste seueritie of the Iudge and greate slaughter of the enemies 7. The name of the iudge is nowe expressed The name of the iudge the worde of God which is vtterly vnknowen to the vngodly And the Iudge is called the worde of God For the son is the word and speach of God the expresse marke of the diuine substaūce in whome the father himselfe is expressed and of whome as of the worde the true messager of the hart we vnderstand the wyll and mynd of the father These holy wordes of the gospell are knowen In the begynnyng was the worde 1. Ihon. Hebre. and the worde was with God c. Therefore Christe the worde was made fleshe the Lorde God and Iudge of all 8. To the Iudge is added an Army not of Angels only The Army of the Iudge is whyte with whom he ofte repeted in the gospell that he wold come vnto iudgement but of al the faithful or saincts which at no time no not here ar sequestred from their head For first at the soūde of the trumpe blowē vp the Archangell the Sainctes arryse and the liuing also with the dead are chaūged and are taken vp to mete Christ in the Ayre Here here in the clowdes and bryghte Ayre appeare with Christe the happye and blessed victours By and by the vngodly ryse also and those that lyued at that day are chaunged with them that ryse agayne to payne and confusiō But they se the Saincts with Christe in heauen and in glory and fele incontinently vnspeakeable tourmentes They come to passe doubtlesse and are fulfilled which thinges are described it the .3 .5 chapt of Wysedome Saincte Ihon therfore sayeth that this Armie is in Heauen not in Earth He sayeth howe they followe Christe For the same sayed the Apostle also in the firste to the Thessalonians the .4 Moreouer he addeth that they wer clothed and appeared not naked and expresseth the kynde of garment They were clothed sayeth he in silke whyte and cleane For sainctes in Christe obtayne righteousenesse and glory are made cleane and are glorified Sanctifieng glorifieng And this sense hath Sainct Ihon himselfe a little before opened to vs sayeng silke is the iustifications of Sainctes 9. Oute of the Iudges mouth procedeth a two edged and sharpe sworde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A sworde oute of the iudges mouth which cutteth on eyther syde It is not sharpe on one syde and blunte on an other it cutteth on both sydes indifferently Whereby is signified a iust sentēce pronounced of Gods mouth againste the wicked For againste them the sentence of God is a sworde pearsing euen to their heartes Wherefore it is also called sharpt The iudgemente of our iudge is streighte and seuere but yet iuste and righteouse What that sworde is in the gospell is declared verely that heauy and immutable sentence get you hence in to fyre euerlasting Math. 25. Whereupon it foloweth in the words of the Euangelist that with the same he may stryke the heathen to witte that he may damne and put to perpetuall tourmentes all vnbeleuers ¶ He shall rule them with an Iron rod. 10. And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron By the same kynde of speach in a maner he sayeth the same that he sayde before For they that woulde not receyue or acknoweledge with repentaūce the staffe of instruction and discipline postorall shal fynde in iudgement and fele the Iron sceptre wherwith he shall breake them all to shyuers lyke potters vessell Nother shall any power resist or preuayle againste him And this maner of speaking is taken out of the Psalme .110 For Saincte Ihon vseth gladly the wordes of Scripture to the ende to make his booke more cōmendable or more pleasaūt and acceptable 11. He treadeth the wynefatte of the wyne of wrath c. Agayne he sayeth the same that he ded before He nedeth the winefa◠but by an other parable nowe vttered the same taken out of the scriptures to witte out of the .63 chapter of Esaye The effecte or some is he wyll powre out his wrath vpon the vngodly and punnyshe them moste extremely with his almightie hande whereunto all things geue place geuing their heads a blow See what is sayed here of in the .14 chapter of this boke 12. Againe is shewed the name of this iudge ¶ King of kings and Lorde of Lordes in the name is maiestie power of all others greatest He hath the name written on his garment and on his thigh By these is declared the true humanitie of Christe after the which he is exalted as the Apostle saieth in the second to the Philippians And to him is geuen a name which is aboue al names Here he is called King of Kinges and Lorde of Lords very God Lord monarke and iudge of all men For so do the other Apostles speake also in the .2 .17 of the Actes And there might seme in this name of the Iudge as it were a cawse to be shewed wherefore he is here appoincted Iudge ouer all Because he is Kyng and Lord of all To whome be glory for euer Amen ¶ The description of the iudgement wherin punnishment is taken of Antichristians and vngodly The .lxxxvi. Sermon AND I sawe an Angel stand in the Sunne and he cryed with a loude voyce sayeng to al the foules that fly by the mids vnder the heauen come gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God that you may eate the flesh of Kyngs and of high captaynes and the flesh of mightie men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the fleshe of all free men and bonde men both of small and great And I saw the beast and the Kinges of the Earth and their warriours gathered together to wage battayle against him that sat on the horse and againste his soldiours And the beast was taken and with him that false prophete that wrought miracles before him with which he deceaued them that receyued the beastes marke and them that worshypped his Image These bothe were cast quicke in to a pond of fyre burnyng with brimstone and the
happened to Ezechiel euen so sayeth he nowe also that he is caried awaye in sprete in minde to haue sene the thinges which the Angel shewed Wherfore if we will also reade or heare these thinges to any profit we must lifte vp our mindes and be caried vp in our sprete and thinke that al these thinges must spiritually be vnderstande Aretas rightly sayeth he in the mountayne was shewed the heauenly life conuersation of the Sainctes For with them is nothing earthly lowe or abiecte but all thinges loftie and high This he Certenly what time in the Gospell the Lorde Christe would exhibite to his disciples a certen taste and saye of the glory to come he conueyed them vp into a Mounte and was transfigured before them which thing S. Matthewe affirmeth in the .17 chapt to haue chaunced to Peter Iames and Iohn And now he annexeth the vision it selfe and generally and briefely describeth or shaddoweth the blessed seate and glory of the life to come afterwarde he amplifieth the same more largely particularly and as it were by partes and so enlarged and beaultified he setteth it forth as it were to be sene of the godly The citie of God the great citie And he calleth the heauenly countrie and habitation of sainctes the great Citie For it is the citie of the great king and in it shal dwell an innumerable nombre of the blessed and of Aungelles thousandes infinite and shal haue the fruition of greate glory nother is there any feare leefte the place should not suffice so great an hoste of men and spretes or that it shal be ouer strayte Great is the citie of God which is verely able to receyue all good men aboundantly In the gospel of Iohn the Lord sayeth in my fathers house are many mansions and so forth the .14 chapt The selfe same place is called holy Hierusalem For like as no filthines shal there be espied so shal there no vncleane persone there appere Of the heauenly Hierusalem is spoken before Thomas of Aquine sayeth She is sayde to haue descended from heauen for that what goodnes so euer the holy church hath she acknoweledgeth her selfe to haue receyued it of the grace of God But of this matter I haue spoken in the laste Sermon Hauyng the glory of God And the citie of God I meane heaueÌ„ hath the seates of God and the blessed the glory of God that is to saye the diuine maiestie and brightnes and what great thing so euer the minde of manne can thinke or imagine or in all thinges the vnspeakeable excelleÌ„cie of God such as nother the eye hath sene nor the eare hath hearde nor yet hath ascended into the harte of manne 1. Corintb the .2 chapt These thinges hath he sommarely and generally touched hitherto And coÌ„sequently he declareth by particulars and at large that celestâ—all glory and blessed seates The citie of God most ample large For what thinges so euer are â—mple what so euer are in cities commendable the same aâ—â— playnely founde in this our citie moste excellent as the largenes strength maiestie surenes excellencie beaultie pleasauntnes and plentie of thinges These thinges I saye and al other like do woÌ„derfully excelle in the citie of our god and in our fathers house and where as these thinges are on this wise set forth and amplified moste liberally yet semeth there nothing at al sayde in case a maÌ„ consider the vnspeakeable maiestie of the glory celestial To what ende these things are spoken But al these things are alledged of the lorde by S. Iohn to this ende verely that we should be taken with the desire of so worthie a life and shuld thinke in our tribulations and troubles that the afflictions of this present worlde are nothing beyng compared with so excellent souerayne glory finally that al are maddâ— which beginne to doubte of the eternal hope of the faythfull Vâ—ry many thinges of this sorte are red also in Ezechiel in â—â—t 40. chapt and after We will touche euery parte of this treatise vsyng neuerthelesse a succincte breuitie leest we should be tediouse to any man And verely he toucheth the principal and moste commendable thinges of Cities and in them sheweth that the citie of God excelleth The light of this Citie In cities and houses the chiefest prayse is if all thinges be light and clere for darkenes is horrible vnpleasaunt Therfore is an excellent light declared to be in the citie or house of the lord There is added a parable whereby is shewed the excelleÌ„cie of this light It is like a most preciouse stone suppose a Iaspar as it is coÌ„monly called or a Chrysolithe or some like stone moste brighte And S. Iohn him selfe addeth more as it were a Iaspar stone like a Christal This is a newe maner of speakyng but it hath a maruelouse grace if we vnderstaÌ„de it rightly For a Iaspar is grene a christal is bright He semeth therefore to saye howe that celestial brightnes is continually grene whithereth neuer that is to witte that the heauenly light is euerlasting in it self after a sorte waryng grene and in growyng grene wareth bright and reioyceth all heauenly dwellers For herafter followeth for the glory of God hath lightened her the Lambe is her light This brightnes and most ioyeful light the Lord in the gospel of Iohn promiseth in sondry places and the whole blessed life of this not the leste parte is called coÌ„monly blessed light light euerlastyng or light of heauen It semeth to haue ben prefigured in the golden caÌ„delsticke of the tabernacle c. For if it were not harde for our Lord God to geue vnto precious stones wonderfull colours brightnes yf he illumine this world full of naughtie men wyth moste goodly lyghtes the Sunne Moone Starres what a lighte I praye thee maye we thinke to haue in heaueÌ„ where no man shal dwell but the beste and of God most derely beloued Of this light muche mention is made with Esaye and in the Psalmist the walles of the citie Walles in Cities are moste notable and excellent in case they be high thicke and strong able to abide all force of enemies and defende the Citezens from al iniuries and to kepe them in peace and securitie The heaueÌ„ly walles therfore are both great or strong and also high or vnpregnable Hereby is signified that the protection of Sainctes in heauen shal of God be most safe and sure so that the Saintes shal be inperfit securitie and exempte from all feare There shall no man trouble or take awaye their ioyes as the lord in the .16 of S. Iohns gospel hath affirmed For there shal be perpetual securitie and gladnes in heauen moste perfit and euerlastyng Moreouer in the walles are placed gates The gates of the citie by the whiche meÌ„ go into the citie In the wall therfore of the heaueÌ„ly couÌ„trie shal be twelue gates that is to saye a most large entryng into eternal
the Lord God almightie and the lambe is the temple in that our heauenly coūtrie The vse of temples is this The Lord first instituting the tabernacle after the temple wold haue it testified that he wil be present in the middes of his people a father Lord and defender And therfore ar thei saied in the scriptures to come vnto the Lord which came either to the tabernacle or temple of the Lord. The temple moreouer was erected for preaching and praier and the externall seruice of God for receauing of the Sacramēts or offering vp of sacrifices But the Saincts in the heauēly coūtrie haue no nede of all these things Therfore thei nede no tēple Therfore is no temple sene in heauen For the Lord god nowe sheweth himself to them to be inioyed of the same the saincts ar now with him wherfore thei nede no tokē of his presēce We ar taught by doctrine what God is what is his wil and that we be saued by the lambe but now that we se god himselfe face to face and that saluatiō is cōmen by the lambe of God what nedeth there a temple in heauen By praier we require life and ioyes euerlasting now since these are happened to the electe what nedeth any house of prayer The Sainctes nowe withoute any temple offer vp eternall praises vnto God And seing that sacrifices and sacraments haue no further place in the euerlasting coūtrie I se not why there should be any temple in Heauen We rest and kepe in Heauen an euerlasting Sabboth This place moreouer proueth that Christ is very God coequall with the father as to whome he is ioyned inseperablie in all glory Nother is the Holy ghoste seperated from the father and the sonne which els where is saide to dwell in vs for the which cause we are called the temples both of God and of the Holy ghost of the Apostle in the first to the Corinth the .3 and the second Cor. 6. The eight place of this description is repeted of the lyght celestial The lyght of the citie God and that not without great cause yea and the same light is agayne cōmended in the .22 chap. For in buildinges there is nothing more excellent than light Otherwise without light all things are blynde Furthermore he sayeth not that the Sunne and Moone shulde be nomore but that the Citie of God shoulde not nede those lightes He sheweth the reason for the glory of God hath lightned it And the glory of God is the diuine celestial and vnspeakable brightnes of his vnapprochable light which he inhabiteth and according to his good pleasure cōmunicateth to the chosen The Lorde Christe which here is called the lambe for the misterie of redemption illumineth the blessed For by him we ar clarified and inioy that eternall moste beaultifull and celestial light S. Ihon hath borowed this place out of the .60 chap. of Esay where we read The Sunne shall not be there for the lighte of the daie And the brigtnesse of the Moone shall not shyne there but the Lord shall be to the thee a perpetuall light and thy God shall be thy brightnes Furthermore the seates of the blessed are thoughte to be fixed aboue the Sphere of the Sunne and Moone and also the brightnes of Saincts to excell farre the light of the Sunne and starres The same hath Esay testified also in the .24 and .30 chap. To God almightie and light eternall be praise and thankes geuing which hath prepared so great things for vs and geueth vs giftes such as no tung can exprsse He sheweth in places mo than one ¶ Who be Citizēs of this Citie who are partakers of that light or who be Citizens of this celestiall citie and what is the state of the Citizens All nations people saued are citizens of the eternal coūtrie Here ar two things to be noted First that the gentiles are made inheritours of glory and that without any choise For here excelleth not the Iewe nor the Greke nother Romane nor Barbarian Agayne yet not all without respect and confusely obteine euerlasting light but the saued only that is to sai whom Christ hath saued and redemed from sin the Deuil Antichrist and from the curse and the world And Christ saueth thelect and faithful They therfore shal in dede be partakers of the light These ar the citizens of the countrie euerlasting But what is their state and inhiritaunce Thei shal walke in the light of God the father the lambe that is to say they shall haue the fruition of the light and of God himselfe to their ioiful swetnes and fill For it is a figuratiue speach to walke in the light for that which is to inioy light Verely in the .88 Psalme is red with a figure not much vnlyke Lorde thei shall walke in the light of thy countenance And againe Thou shalt make knowen vnto me the fote path of lyfe the fulfilling of ioyes is in thy sight gladnes in thy right hand for euermore Kinges are in the courte of heauen But especially the places in heauen and in that Palace diuine are for Kings Kinges ar gouernours and captaines of the people as they be which are called Kynges and Princes gouernours Magistrates rulers aswel of the politique as ecclsiasticall gouernement Doctours maisters teachers Artificers and Parentes For their dutie is vertuouslye to gouerne their subiectes scollers or childrē to kepe them vnder awe or discipline to chastise and directe them to the dueties of life and all godlines This yf they do they shall haue a worthie place prepared in Heauen For Daniell saieth also in the .12 chapter But the teachers shall shine as the brightnes of the firmamēt and they that bring many to righteousnes as the starres euerlastingly O therefore O happie are you yf ye bringe many to execute the office of righteousnes But wo be to you Princes and teachers and maisters and Parentes yf herein you be negligent There is prepared for you in hell a place moste horrible and myserable as also Ezechiell hath testified But yf Kynges haue their place and the same right honourable in Heauen wherefore do the Anabiptistes teache naye whie doe they lie that a Christiane can not execute the office of a Magistrate For here are Kinges mentioned to be in heauē not only as men but as thei were kinges that is as they were good kynges and executed their office duely and not forsaking their place haue liued a priuate life For it followeth they shall brynge their glory and honour vnto it And what is that glory and what is the honour it followeth agayne and they shal bring the glory and honour of nations into it that is to saye they shal bryng into heauen with them the very nations their people and subiectes whō they haue holpen in trewe godlines and saluation in teachyng correctyng defendyng alluryng or drawyng c. And these be their glory and honour for S. Paule in the .2 to the Corinth the .1
purged by Christe liue hoale sounde for euer more And by those allegories hath he hitherto figured by partes those blessed seates To what ende these are writteÌ„ prepared for the faithfull in that euerlasting countrie vnder the Image of a moste noble citie which after he hath shewed vs he semeth as it were to haue opened heauen it selfe and set forth the eternall felicitie to be sene in a maner with mortall eyes and eueÌ„ to haue poincted with the fingar to no other ende than that we should be stronge and constant in the fayth of our lord Iesus Christ should neuer thinke ones who hath euer sene those blessed seates whereunto we are called by the deniyng of all pleasures what yf thou shouldest dispise the pleasures presente and shuldest obteyne none in time to come This thought is wicked Faith teacheth thee otherwise But what sayest thou more desirest thou to know and see such things as God hath shewed thee Thou hast sene enough and abouÌ„dantly at this present The lord hath sheweth thee aboundantly enough of life and pleasure celestial at this present Indeuour now only that the deuill the world Antichrist troden vnder thou mayest aspire and be lifted vp into those heaueÌ„ly seates Moreouer beware thou be not more curiouse than is mete or requisite and that thou sekest not to knowe mo and more exacte thinges of the heauenly towre and perpetuall ioyes than the Lord himself which only knoweth these things hath to thee reuealed Let this euident demonstration of eternal life suffice vs. I beleue neuer none hath disputed better or more rightly more elegantly and more euidently of the blessed life thaÌ„ here S. Iohn hath done Let vs therefore repose our selues in God let vs beleue his wordes let his reuelation suffice vs and let vs desire to be ioyned with him in this heauenly courte in all felicitie and eternal life most perfit A â—ome collected of the doctrine of the blessed life And now S. Iohn recollectyng the chiefest poinctes of this matter and concludynge this place of eternall life he finissheth this euerlastyng felicitie in seuen membres whiche we will but touche only for that many thinke we haue spoken hereof already sufficiently and plentifully enough And to beginne with al there shal be no curse no execration no malediction nother warre nor famine nor diseases nor yet any suche thing There shal be no more curse as is recited of Moses emonges the curses in the 27. and .28 of Deuter. Not that all are accursed whiche are subiecte to the same For Iob and other holy menne were tormented with sickenes but that commonly the accursed vnbeleuers and wicked are plaged there with Not that they should be exercised and profit in godlines but that thei shuld first be afflicted here so by certen degrees passe vnto greater tormentes What than The seate of God in the citie The second membre inseweth but the Trone of God and of the Lambe shal be in that citie To witte the kingdome of God shal be there and God shal raygne and al blessyng no malediction in the chosen Therefore what ioyefull thinges so euer the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles haue spokeÌ„ of the kingedome of God the same shal be in heauen and the blessed shal haue the fruition thereof And agayne are ioyned together inseperablely the father and the sonne in the vnitie of essence which neuerthelesse in the distauÌ„ce of persones are excedingly wel not diuided but discerned These misteries of the blessed Trinitie are knowen vnto the faythful His seruaÌ„tes shall serue him Here followeth the third membre Some may maruaile what the blessed shal do in the world euerlastyng Therefore S. Iohn sayeth and his sâ—â—uauntes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall serue him God I saye and the Lambe they shall worshippe him in honouryng praysing magnifiyng him for euer Therefore shal they wholy addicte themselues to godly worshippyng Whiche thing shall in dede be to him great pleasure As also S. Austen sheweth in an other place Fourthly they shal see the face of God They shall see the face of God S. Austen treateth much of seyng of God to Paulina and warneth godly that we shoulde not here Imagine to our selues carnall thinges Moses in the .33 of Exodus And Philippe the Apostle in the .14 of Iohn haue accompted it for the highe felicitie to see God as he is and as it is commonly sayde face to face And there is vndoubtedly in this sighte and fruition highe felicitie and ioye euerlastyng and moste complete howebeit in this present world as the lorde sayde to Moses it chaunceth to no maÌ„ The holy fathers haue in dede sene God but by a shape and so farre forth as he hath vouchesaued to reueale and shewe himselfe to them to be sene Like as Tertullian sheweth in the boke agaynste Praxeas but with full eye to see the full glory of God with ioye inestimable is than firste graunted vs what time beyng deliuered from miserie and purged froÌ„ corruption we shal also in body be clarified than at the laste as S. Iohn sayde also in the .1 of Iohn the .3 we shall see him as he is Iob moste rightuouse speakyng of this vision of God Iob. 19. sayde when they shal haue put aboute or clothed to wit the father sonne holy ghoste this namely my body with my fleshe I shall beholde God out of my flesshe whome I shall see to my selfe and mine eyes shall loke vpon and no other The which is my only desire Of this seyng spake Paule also the Doctour of Gentiles and sayde nowe we see in a glasse 1. Corinth 13. euen in a darke speaking but then shall we see face to face c. And of this vision S. Austen hath also disputed in his booke De ciuitate dei aboute the ende Fiftely they shal haue the name of God in their foreheads The name of God written in their foreheades eyther because they shal be the children of God as we haue hearde in the Epistle to the Philadelphians in the .3 chapter of this boke And verely in the couÌ„trie celestiall it shal be manifestly knowen to all who be the children of God In this world they are commonly taken for the children of the deuill which in very dede are the childreÌ„ of god But this shal clerely appere in an other world to the great glory of the chosen And verely the brightnes of God shal shine from the foreheades or countenances of the electe as in times past the brightnes of the lord shone from the face of Moses Christe Or because al Sainctes shal knowe one an other sins the vertue of God resteth in their countenaunces which sense I perceyue hath pleased Primasius Or for that they shal be priestes before the Lord for euermore as the prophetes haue taught of the chosen In olde time the high prieste bare the very name of God in his forehead in a plate of golde bounden to his