Easte and Weste And to the intente I may note somewhat hereof and may rehearse for those that be ignoraunte in stories it is playne that vnder that Chylde of pardition Pope Gregory the .7 there were many most famouse churches in the Easte and that Patriarchall churches yet safe but whileste this Pope aboue all others dealte wickedly againste Christ the son of God and his holy church lyke as we read in the time of Salomon that after he had reuolted many enemies arrose against him and that moste cruell so in the wicked and tyrannicall raigne of Gregory the seuenth In the tyme of pope gregory the .7 euyls begā to ouerflo Solymanne the Turke inuaded Antioch at the whyche time the Emperours of Grece are sayed to haue ben dispatched of the East countrie And the Turkes marching forewarde are sayde to haue inuaded and vexed first the straits or ports of the Caspiane hilles and the countrie of Armenia aboute the yeare of our Lorde .764 Whereof there is nowe no time to speake After Solyman succedeth Belchiaroke the Turkyshe Prince whome others call Belzet which also inuaded Grece it selfe the Emperours of Constantinople dispised Alexius which then was Emperour is sayd to haue demaunded aide of the westerne men against the Turks And also one Peter an Heremite whō certē Historiographers blame most greuouslie not without cause comming oute of the Easte and running through oute the Weste crieth Alarme Vrbane the seconde whome some call Turbane and disciple of Gregory the .7 calleth a great counsell at Cleremounte in Fraunce The counsell of Cleremounte wherin he propoundeth a question of the recouering of the holy lande and deliuering the Lordes sepulture oute of the hands of the Infidelles That counsell putteth me in remēbraunce of that which is described in the .8 booke of Kinges the .22 chapter vnder Achab and Iosaphat for the recouering of Ramoth Galaad oute of the hands of the Syrians For ther was in this also a deceauing spirit there were Achabbes there were Iosaphats and many other thinges lyke And to the intente not to make many wordes a iourney is decreed against the barbarous infideles of the East This was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1095 In the meane time Peter the Heremite bestirred him a pase and gathered certen thousandes which he leadeth through Hongarie in to Asia And immediately after followe the vnlucky captaines Folkemar and Gottschalke priestes which by the way distroying all with fyre and sworde are slaine The fyrste voiage into the holy lande At the last Godfrey and Baldwyne most noble Princes with certen excellent Captaynes and Noble warriours with an innumerable multitude of men trāsported into Asia which they say was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1096 And within .4 yeares space at the moste or thre they had taken by assault or surrēdrie the Cities of Nice Heraclea Tarsus Antioch and Hierusalem The Abbot of Vrspurge reporteth that there was so much bloude shed in the Citie of Hierusalem that in the very temple it selfe the horses stode vp to the knees in the blud of the slayne there The same man telleth of a notable battayle foughten at Askalon A notable battayle in the which aboute fiftene thousand footemen and fyue thousand horsemen of Christians ouerthrewe and discomfited Solimanne of Babilon furnisshed with an hondreth thousande horsemen and four hondreth thousand footemen and that there were slayne in that battaile aboue an hondreth thousād men And this iourney of Godfrey was the first emonges the woorthy voiages of Syria or Asia 2. After this voiage folowed others mo and that beste furnished For whilest the victorie and good lucke of them that went firste into the East was highlie extolled and commended through out the West William Prince and Duke of Poictiers beinge put in greate hope leadeth also about an hondreth thousand footemen in to the Easte countrie The yeare of our Lord was accompted .1101 But of so great a nombre scarcely one thousande are written to haue retourned home in safetie 3. After in the yeare of our Lorde .1147 through the exhortation of Barnarde Clareualle Lewis Kynge of Fraunce and Conrade Kyng of Germanie and Fredericke Prince of Swaland toke their iourney in to the Easte which led with them an Armie almoste innumerable but the same died in a maner all scarcely the Princes lefte on lyue 4. In the yeare of our Lorde .1189 what time the Citie of Hierusalem was taken by the Soldane King of Persia where the Christians had kept it onely about .89 yeares The Emperour Fredericke surnamed Barbarousse Philippe Kynge of Fraūce Richard Kyng of England and other Princes most puissaunte leuied an exceding greate Armie of Christen people to recouer the Citie and Holy lande and very luckelye transported their Armie in to Asia but after had moste euyll lucke For the Emperour Fredericke was drowned and the whole Armie as Vrspurgens testifieth died of the plague 5. The fifte and that famouse indede voiage in Syria made the moste mightie Kinges Philippe of Fraunce and Richard of Englande surnamed Coeur de Lion The same was done in the yeare of our Lord .1191 Howbeit they retourned withoute any woorthy exploicte done wauntinge not a fewe of their menne 6. And Palmerius a Cronographer Henry sayeth he the sonne of the Emperour Barbarousse sent an Armie in to Syria which retourneth agayne the nexte yeare The Christians therefore being destitute of ayde in Syria loste vtterly all the dominion that they had lefte He seaketh these things in the yere of our Lorde .1198 7 Agayne in the yere of our lord .1213 Pope Innocent the .3 of that name sendeth his letters publicke to al the faythful of Christ wherein he exhorteth them to take armour agaynste the infidelles whiche possessed the holy lande Innocente the .3 as did Vrbane the 2. ringeth a larme Yf any manne haue leasure and liste to reade the letters he shall finde them in the Chronic. of Vrspurg And not longe after in the yeare of our Lorde .1215 he holdeth a generall coūsel in Laterane wherein warre is decreed agaynst the Easterlinges And also Honorius the .3 aboute the yere of our Lord .1217 treateth and confirmeth the same thinge Whereupon many christen Princes mette at Accon whiche some time was called Ptolemais and made mortall warre vpon the Easterlynges Wherein they toke the noble citie Damiata Yet nother the ende nor fruicte aunswered so great enterprises and costes perilles and losses 8 Therefore Fridericke the .2 and Emperour moste excellent hopyng to doe some good marcheth also with an enge and well furnisshed armie into the Easte whiche they saye was done in the yeare of our Lorde .1234 In the meane season whilest he doeth valeauntly in the Easte the Bisshoppe of Rome Gregory the .9 of that name takyng an occasion I vse the wordes of Vrspurgens of the absence of the Emperour sente a greate armie into Apulia The pope setteth vpon themperour in the west whilest he warreth in
the Easte and toke awaye the landes of the Emperour Whiche was absent in the seruice of Christe whiche is moste wicked to be spoken and kepte them thus subdued to his owne vse and by no meanes wold suffer those whiche had taken the holy crosse that is to saye whiche should go a warfare to the Emperour to take shippyng or passage but letted them to his power aswel in Apulia as in Lumbardie And more such stuffe whiche they maye reade that haue leasure in the same Wherefore themperour constreyned his matters there lefte vnperfit to falle to a coÌ„position with the enemie retourned that he might recouer such thinges as the Pope had taken from him 9 And no longe time after to witte in the yere of our Lord 1248. Lewis Kinge of Fraunce with his bretherne Roberte and Charles and a moste puissaunt army sayleth into Syria where Robarte is slaine and Charles taken of the Soldane is hardely deliuered at the laste and with a fewe escapeth The same king Lewis of Fraunce in the yere of our Lord 1270. imbarketh himself with his three sonnes at Marselles to sayle into Affricke The plague light vpoÌ„ his Armie in the enemies lande wherwith both the father and the sonne died and the whole Armie receyued an excedyng great calamitie And agayne although they had but euill fauoured lucke in the warres against the Barbarians yet was it neuerthelesse treated agayne in the counsell of Lions vnder Gregory the .10 about the yere of our Lord .1273 of recouering the holy land But Palmerius in the yere of our Lorde .1291 Where many thousandes of the Christians sayeth he were slaine in Syria by the Saracenes al the reste for feare fled out of the countrie And the Chronicle of kinges of FrauÌ„ce Aemilius sayeth he made here an ende of the holy warre to witte in the yere of our Lord .1291 Ptolemais in the Easte beyng destroyed by the Soldane It is manifeste therefore that this Barbarous and gogical warre hath lasted aboute .195 yeares So longe time as I knowe no other warre in the world that euer was made with such obstinate mindes with so great armies and so muche shedyng of mans bloud We see in the meane time the tentes of sainctes and the citie of God beloued to witte the faithful church through out the world in the Easte especially and in the west also to be most greuousely afflicted and more than oppressed and destroyed a fewe smal remnauntes only remaynyng that not with out cause we maye perceiue that the lord sayed in the gospell but when the sonne of man shal come shal he finde any fayth in the Earth Here is a place of Daniell treated by the waye 11. chapt The moste holy and wise Prophet of God Daniel semeth to haue foresene and prophecied al those thinges as he did al the reste concernyng Antichrist which after he had spoken at large of the power of Antichrist worshippyng of the God Mayzim against the Apostles institution he adioyneth in the 11. chapt And in the time of the ende to witte the ende of the world and laste iudgement approachyng shal sette vpon him namely vpon Antichrist the king of the South and the king of the North shal fall vpoÌ„ him like a whirlewinde with charettes and horsemen with a strong and greate Nauie and shall inuade his realmes he shall ouerflowe with armies to witte innumerable and he shal passe through that is to saye he shal ouercome all like a conquerour doyng what he liste For we haue perceyued that the armies sent into the Easte by the counselles and motion of the Bisshop of Rome haue molested by Sea and lande the turkes and also the Soldane of Babilon Aegipte What will ye saye that Daniel poincting as it were with his fingar the war called holy addeth He shal come also into the chosen lande and inuade the lande of desire namely Iewrie whiche some time was called the chosen delectable and pleasaunt lande And many shal falle in the warre verely that shal be made for the recoueryng of the holy lande It followeth in Daniel these shal be deliuered out of his hande Aedom and Moab the Princes of the children of Ammon For those nations are not red to haue ben so destroyed as the reste were by the Saracenes and after by the Turkes for that they framed themselues to them in time Daniel annexeth and he shal laye his handes vpon realmes nother shal the laÌ„de of Aegipte escape For it is euident that the same also was possessed of the Soldanes princes of Babilon and of themperours of Turkes It followeth and he shal haue the rule of the treasures of golde and siluer and all the preciouse thinges of the Aegiptians By the whiche the prophet hath signified the inestimable treasures and richesse and excellent maiestie of the Soldanes and Turkish Emperours All the whiche thinges euen so as the Prophet hath sayde experience proueth to haue ben and as yet to be fulfilled The Prophet addeth finally the Libians and Aethiopians shal be in his iourneyes Which tholde traÌ„slatour hath tourned He shal passe also through Lybia and Aethiopia or as others haue traÌ„slated it they shal be in his waye And he meaneth that those regions shall be open to those Barbarous Soldanes and emperours of Turkes by leage vicinitie and amitie S. Hierome expounding this place when Aegipte sayeth he was taken those landes were also affrayde Wherfore he sayeth not that he toke them but passed through Lybia Aethiopia Whether sense of these so euer thou chousest tâ—ou shalt not erre as I thinke froÌ„ the trewth And Daniel addeth the brute from the Easte and froÌ„ the North shal trouble hiâ— in so much that he shall goe forth in a great furie to distroye and kill many The whiche S. Hierome sheweth muste be vnderstaÌ„de of Antichrist The Pope of Rome affirmeth that the seates Patriarchall are subiecte to him as Hierusalem Antioche and Alexandria and the holy laÌ„de to be his right And he heareth out of the East and out of the North that al those partes are possessed of the Soldanes and Emperours of Turkes he calleth therefore great counselles and decreeth warre against them He heareth moreouer that CoÌ„stantinople is taken that the Rhodes is wonne Dalmatia subdued Bulgarie and Hongarie vanquissed c. Agayne therefore he sommoneth couÌ„selles he armeth kinges he leadeth forth soldiours he moueth warre and decreeth that warre shall be made for the recouering of the holy laÌ„de and to roote out the Turkes So verely this Gogmagog warre is not yet ended or appeased at this daye Whereby it coÌ„meth to passe that an infinite multitude of men are slayne on eyther side Furthermore at the ende of this Prophecie the prophet sheweth and as it were with his fingar poincteth the palace or seate of Antichrist by Antiochus figured before leeste any manne should not know The seate palace of Antichrist where Antichrist were to be founde And he shall plante sayeth he or sixe the
117 Ten hornes 524 Ten tymes for often 68 Ten number for many 518 Tents of saints for the churche 611. afflicted 616 Testimony of christ 125. 572. c. Testimony is syncere preaching 322 Thanks geuing for victory 340 Thanks geuing praiers 237 Theft and his parts 281 Third number for strength 495 Thirst for ardaunt desyr 640 This is my bodi figuratiu spiech 45 Thoghtz knowen only to God 96 Thomas an Inglish preacher 604 Thousand yeres 593. 601 Thretningz of Christ 57 Threatningz against the impenitent 82 Throon signifieth c. 141 Throon of God 136 Thunders .vij. preachers 288 Thunderbolt of the Pope 399 Thyatira described 86 Title of thapocalyps 13 Torment maketh not martyrz 77 Torments of the wicked perpetuall 582 Totila brent Rome 528 Tradicions of men 97. nothyng niedful 118. 673. 99. 100. 390. bring darknes 207 Traian persecutor 194 Translators of the script 533. c Transubstantiacion is called god Mayzim 609 Treading vnder foot 309 Trew religion corrupted 205 Treuth figured by pillers 286 Treuth of Christ 112 Treuth neglected all misery foloweth 190 Treuth of the Gospel most heynous to impugn 584 Treuth is not to be kept in sylēs 368 Treuth alwaies preached 183 Treuth had euer sum patrons 600 Treuth in Polycarpz opinion 63 Tribulacion of diuers sorts 229 Tribut of a dead man 550 Trinitie 163. described 145. distincted into persons 14 Tries sign men 243 Trouble in churchs 51 Troubles and tumultes authors 206 Trumpets vse 241 Trustines of the Thyatirenians 88 Tryall or temptacion of Saints 68 Tumultes 206 Turks imagin bankets in heuen 136 Turks aid pernicious 275 Turkes receyue the religion of Mahomet 270 Turkish emperours beginning 273 Turning to God proffitable 3◠Two number 312. c Tym certain for vncertain 310. 326 Tym past for tym to cum 535 Tym tyms and half a tym 314 Tyranny of Antichrist 513 Tyranny of the Bish of Rome 425 V Valentinians heretiks 244 Vandals inuade Rome 527 Vengeauns of God figured by fyer 467 Vengeauns of God against Papists 464. 468 Vengeauns is desyred ij waies 200 Vengeauns reioysed at 553 Vertew we haue hoolly of God 153 Verteuz rewarde 108 Vertuous lyfe necessary hatred only of papistry other heresye is not inough 277 Vial a cup. 169 Vicar of Christ 253. niedeth not 35 Vicar Christ neuer appointed 389 Vicar of Christ no trew church hath 441 Victory of Christ and christians 358 Victory of the faithfull 136. 119 Victory of preachers is spiritual 317 Victories and felicitye of thys world 274 Victory of ouer the world 100 Violent vocacion 129 Virgins 443 Visions vtilitie 2 Visions of thapocalyps diuided 11 Visions godly terrible to weak naturs 40 Vision second 138. 140. third 347. fourth 470 Vnbeleuers 642 Vnderstanding of man is weak 228 Vncleannes hated of God 82 Vncleannes of hordum peruers doctryn 512 Vnction or anointing 316. c. Vngodlines or wickednes must be hated not permitted or winked at 90 Vnity of God with man 135. 136 Vnitie of faith shal neuer be vniuersall as sumthink 606 Vniuersall Bishop 251 Vntil put for euer 604 Vocatiō of ministers diuers 300 Vocation violent 129 Voluptuousnes 538 Voluptuousnes of Rome 551 Voluptuousnes of the papists 308 Vomiting out of mungrels 127 Voyce of Christ 37 Voyce lowd or low to prais god withall 176 W Wagis of euery one 343 Walles of the heuenly citie 650 Wantunnes figured by wemens lokz 262 Wantūnes vnclennes 81. look mor in fornication and adultry Wars occasioned by the Deuell 185 Wars are bicause men receiue not the gospell 186 Wars moued by Popes 484 Wars betwen Popes Emperors lasted 200. yeres 419 Wars of heretiks 243. 244. c. Wars of the holy land 611. 612. 613. c. did hurt 598 Warfar and victory of Christiās 119 Warm lewk 126 Warnings that God vseth 134 Was and is not 515. 518. Water of lyfe 638. c. 668 Water into blud grace into punishment 319 Water in abundans sign a sea of all illes 365 Water for doctryn 483 Waters kingdūs dispersed 524 Waters sign people 442 Watching exhorted 497 Weak in faith ordred a right 51. 52 Weapons of preachers Gods word 317 Wel of lyfe 638 Welth of Rome cōpared to Euphrates 492 Wemen prophets 91 Whyt aray 108 Whyt color 182 Whyt stoon is remission of sinnez 84 Wicked oght to be hated with a holy hatred and in no wis nourished or wenkt at 79 Weping of the ignoraunt 159 Will frye 129 Wil of man what it helpeth to saluacion 694 Wildernes figure of the Gentils 353 Wildernes for heithennes gentilesm 508 Wildernes Christ is in 213 Winning of brethern how 115 Winged locusts 263 Wishing perteined only to ministers 19 Witnes of Christ 125 Witnesses Apostles 573 Witnesses figure ministers 313 Witch craft .280 of Rome 557 Wo wo wo. 249 Wo third 336 Woman Pope 507 Womā figure of the church 348 Woman precher prohibited 91 Worde of God beginning of repentauns 105 Word of god Christ al one 579 Word of God is tryed gould 130 is sweet and better 302 Word of God and faith are not without the holy ghost 219 Word of God contemned cause of all misery 190 Word of God broght in doubt by the Pope as by the Deuell at the first in paradise 390 Word of Christ contemned 38 Word of Christ what 114. how it is kept 114 Word of paciens and of the crose 117 World figured by the sea 473 World is not euerlasting 500 World shal be renewed 631 Worlds end at hand 295 World frail as glas 147 Worldlinges 124 Wounds of Antechrist healed 395 Wrytings 636 Wryting of the scripturs to what end 567. 31. Wryting why it is vsed 45◠Wullen cloth of Laddicea 123 Wunders and monsters 435 Wurks taken for heel conuersacion of men in words dieds both 104 Wurks of the faithfull 462 Wurkes shall we be iudged by 625 Wurks good of God il of the Deuell 373 Wurks of mens hands 279 Wurks of Christ in opposition to the wurks of men 100 Wurks must be preached in the church 640 Wurks of euery man rewarded accordingly by God 96 Wurinwud 245 Wourshipping signified by falling down 168 Wourship God only 340. 450. 573. no creature 175 Wurship of God is not ingould siluer 510. c. is partly praies 168. externall and in spirit 153 lawfull and vnleful 645. of Idols 644. c. of aungels and Saintes 678. of the Deuel 279 Wurthynes of saints 108 Wurthines figured by wynges 263 Wurthines we haue all of God 153 Wyn new in old bottels 126 Wyn fat figure of hel 468 Wynd in the script 214 Y Yers thre and a half 310 Z Zeal godly 55 Zeal feruent against heresies necessary 86 Zeal and feruentnes remedy of warmnes or neutralitie 133 FINIS RITHMI E VETVSTO CODICE DESCRIPTI Romanum quendam cognomento Lefranco taxantes PRopter Sion non tacebo Sed ruinas Romae flebo Quoadusque iusticia Nobis rurfus oriatur Et vt lampas accendatur Iustus
the sede of Abraham and is much greater than Aungelles but that is lord of Aungels Which the Apostle sheweth in the .1 and .2 to the Hebrewes But it is the aungell of great counsel to witte the ambassadour of God the father vnto vs as Esaye and Malachie called him to teache the will of the heauenly father and to worke our saluation and now also appointed that froÌ„ the right hande of the father as king and Bishoppe he should kepe and defende his church This Christ I saye geuen to men is strong not weake Strong to ouercome and breake a sonder all the force of this worlde of his enemies of Antichrist of the Deuill and of hell gates No man therfore nede to doubt but that he may be defended by this strong giaunt no maÌ„ nede to despeire in any perilles or matters be they neuer so desperate sins Christe almightie liueth which is able to helpe wery matters He therfore muste be called vpon of vs in al daungers of him we must loke for helpe patiently and wâ—th stedfaste faith An Aungel cam doune froÌ„ heaueÌ„ A starre in dede is fallen from Heauen but in the meane time of Antichrist crepte out of the bottomles pitte Christ descended from Heauen The Lord coÌ„meth not from heauen corporally but vnto the last iudgement but spiritually he is sayed to retourne so ofte as he hath semed a little to haue withdrawen and absented him selfe For he is neuer absent he is euer present with his which is euery where And he is sayed to be absent when his ayde is not felte but are tourmoyled with aduersities and as it were broken with euilles Christe therefore descendeth vnto vs so ofte as he geueth vs ayde and counsell standing in nede So in the most daungerouse conflicte of Antichrist and Mahomet finally of heretickes and of al other aduersaries Christ him selfe with his spirite is present with his helpeth his incourageth and animateth his and defendeth his Antichrist as it were clothed and wrapped with the smoke of the botomles pitte is euill fauoured Aungel couered wiâ— a clowde and Christ couered and as it were decked with a clowde bothe sheweth him self to be God whiche can conueye vp his aboue the ayre and clowdes into his kingdome and can raine downe dewe or holesome shoures to cowle and make fruictfull his chosen A clowde many times in the holy historie was a token of God present A clowde toke vp Christ as it were girded from the eies of his disciples Clowdes with Esaye in the .45 and .60 chapt droppe downe grace Finally we shall be taken vp in the clowdes with al the chosen to mete the Lord in the ayre Antichrist is crowned with a crowne whiche he gote to him self by craftie meanes by flatterie threatenings disceiptes and kepeth the same by wicked practises blouddy weapons An Aungel crowned with the raynebowe and all kinde of craftie inggelyng and vngodlines But the rainebowe is on the head of Christ For he is kyng of peace pacifiyng and reconciling al thinges vnto God recoÌ„cilyng also meÌ„ themselues together with the bonde of charitie The raynebowe is a token of the leage amitie of God towards vs as we mentioned before in the matters of Noe. Of Antichrist is wo desperation anguisshe and a moste afflicted and troubled conscience Christ is a consolation and peace of the conscience that no man nede to saye ye Mountanes fal vpon vs and couer vs. For the faythful deliuered crie Abba father The same Lorde Christ sayed also in the Gospell in the world ye haue affliction but in me peace And agayne come to me all that labour and are burthened and I will refresshe you Therfore the raynebowe sitteth on no mans head more rightly than vpon Christes head For in the head of this angell appered the raynebowe as though it had beÌ„ his crowne or Diademe And now we vnderstande from whence consolation and pacificatioÌ„ is to be loked for in most greuouse perilles and afflictions of Antichrist the face of the Angell was as the sunne The sunne through the smoke of the botomles pit reysed by the Aungell therof beyng darkened moste filthely was a great grief to the world But the face of this our Aungell is clere and clarifieth and shineth as bright as the sunne as in times past also he is sayed to haue shone in the .17 of S. Matt. The brighte face of Christe bringeth ioye and vnspeakeable gladnes to the beholders and pacifieth the mindes And the same is sene of vs spiritually and by faith S. Paul is the beste expositour of this place in the .2 to the Corinth 3. and .4 chap. Certenly of the ful knowledge of Christ wherby we beleue him to be geuen vs of the father that by him shoulde be accoÌ„plished and he himselfe alone shuld be to vs al thing as a most ioyful light arriseth in the mindes For we are lighted of the light as is declared in the gospel of S. Iohn Howesoeuer therefore the terrible darkenes of errours calamities be ouer cast in the world of the prince of darkenes by the pope and Mahomet other corrupters of Gods veritie yet the light which is in the mindes of the faithfull through faith in Christ directeth lighteth comforteth and preserueth The fete of the Angel pillers of fyre Antichrist hath the tailes of Scorpions most venemouse but the fete of the lord Christ are as pillers of fire Al thinges of Christ are firme right and most cleane In an other place also the veritie of the lord is figured by pillers And god him selfe is called a consumyng fire burnyng vp all vncleanes Morouer fire pearseth nother can it be easely queÌ„ched wheÌ„ it beginneth to catche and to burne And who shall lette the course of the fire of the holy ghost He setteth his fete on the Sea lande with these is ioyned an other thing that the Angel set his right fote vpoÌ„ the Sea and the lefte on the Earth But to set fote is to chalenge to him self some possession For as we saye in dutche for that which is to fire the minde to dwell in any place so we reade of the Hebrewe phrase what so euer your fote shall treade vpon shall be yours that is what so euer ye shall winne shall be your owne right and possession And Christ semed as it were to be cast out of his possessioÌ„ by Antichrist Mahometanes and the rest of his enemies For we haue heard many times that they haue wonne landes and Ilandes But this vision instructeth vs that Christ recouereth agayne reentreth iâ— possession and bringeth vnder his subiection suche places 〈◊〉 semed to haue ben taken and lost both by sea and lande thaâ— is in al partes of the world For by the preaching of the gospâ—â— many are recouered which were plucked awaye froÌ„ the true religion that now I nede not reherse that Christ hath in all parts of the world his chosen which neuer bowed their knees
comformable to the heythen than to Christianes are accompted most iustely excluded emonges the gentiles The pope and all papistes are heythen And now let vs see wherfore he accompteth antichrist the pope with his membres emōges the heythen They that are borne of god heare the word of god glorifie it they that be not as yet borne of God but remaine gētiles not only heare not gods word but also blaspheme the same So these men wil not heare gods worde seke with all their indeuour how to feare men awaye frō the scriptures which are Gods word They saie that they be obscure doubtful vncertaine vnperfet Those that beleue cleaue to the same thei cal heretikes the doctrine takē out of the same heresie Agayne they that haue not Christ their head as braunches growe not to the vine haue no cōmunion with Christ be gentiles But such is the pope his adherentes persecuting Christ stil al those that affirme Christ to be the only head of the churche Christ alone to be our rightuousnes life that al the faithful are made fully cōplete by Christ He that thus beleueth they pronoūce him an heretike Moreouer the gentiles worshippe Idolles call vpon creatures suppose God to be honoured with corruptible thinges as gold siluer preciouse things dedicated to the Temple and set vp to beaultifie the same But what other thinge doe they in the churche at this daye Thou seest playnely heathen Temples when thou seest their churches The life also of the gentiles is shamefull and filthie they are geuen to voluptuousenes ful of surfetting addicte to filthie luste they stinke in whoredome and excede in gorgeouse apparel and pamperyng of the body See what thinges the Apostle writeth of the life and conuersation of the heythen in the .4 and .5 chap. to the Ephesians And in the .1 chapt to the Romaines And in the .1 to the Corinth the .5 and .6 chapter Nowe what the life of the Pope is and of his spiritualtie the thing it selfe to openly testifieth that euen for this cause only they might and ought to be accompted emongs the excōmunicated the Apostle him self pronouncyng the sentence of excōmunication in the place whiche we haue nowe cited the .1 to the Corinth the .5 We maye put herunto their Epicureisme For if thei set by any religiō if they haue any feare of God in them whie do they selle all thinges in the church forgeuenes of sinnes heauen Christ the oblation of Christ matrimony ministerie briefly al thinges whie call they in doubt diuerse articles of our belefe what meane these doubtful disputations of the immortalitie of soules and resurrection of bodies whie make they a mockerie of the life euerlastyng Hereunto is added that these treade vpon The holy citie is troden vnder fote yea spurne the holy citie for therfore maye they iustely betaken for excommunicated This holy citie is not that earthly Hierusalem but the church of God whereof the holy citie was a figure as S. Paule expoundeth in the .4 chapt to the Galathians For the earthly Hierusalem according to the saiynges of the prophetes hauyng played her parte laye in asshes neuer to be restored The lord therfore signifieth that the holy church of Christe should through the tiranny of Antichrist and Antichristians be troden vnder fote And it signified more that he sayed to treade To treade vpon than if he had sayed to afflicte and persecute For treadyng vpō is ioyned with the greatest despite of him that is troden on and hereby is signified an extreme assayling and wōderful crueltie of the enemies which they practise on them thei ouercome and haue to vse at their pleasure We reade in Daniel of the Romanes The beast had great yron teth eatyng and breakyng smal and the rest treadyng vnder her fete For wanton beastes are woonte to treade with their fete such thinges as they can not deuoure when they be full And Salomon in the .27 of the Prouerb A soule that is ful sayeth he treadeth the hony combe Malachie in the .4 chapt speakyng of the ioye of the godly ye shall leape sayeth he as calues of the heerde and ye shall treade vpon the wicked whiche shal be as duste vnder the soules of your fete Briefly S. Iohn by treading signifieth the oppression of the church ioyned with greate tiranny and wantonnes and with the excedyng great mockerie and gladnes of the wicked And semeth playnely to haue alluded to these wordes of the godly prophet O God the heathē are comen into thine inheritaunce thy holy Temple haue they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones The dead bodies of thy seruauntes haue they geuen to be meate vnto the fowles of the aire and the fleshe of thy Sainctes vnto the beastes of the lāde Their bloud haue they shed like water on euery side of Ierusalem and there was no man to bury them the rest that followeth in the .78 Psalme And a little after in this chap. shal follow mo thinges of the persecution of Antichrist Nother shal these thinges be obscure in case you compare them with those which are done at this day in the church of rome agaynst the louers of Christes gospell The rekenīg of .xlii. monethes Besydes here is shewed a certayne time in the which the persecution of Antichrist should be cruell against the church to wit the space of two and fourtie monethes In the accōpte wherof some tourment themselues maruelousely I suppose playnely that a certayne time was assigned that not without cause yet not withstanding an vncerten time to be vnderstand A certaine time therfore is assigned that we might vnderstande that God hath appointed an ende of their furies which as he him self alone doeth know so would he signifie to his faithfull the same time not in yeres but in monethes only for a cōsolation For we suffer more easely that which we perceiue shal cōtinewe but a fewe monethes This sense hath also Aretas after a sorte touched writing thus we suppose that the time of .xlii. monethes doeth expresse a shortening of time about the comyng of Antichrist for the which affliction to be executed vpon the louers of God Math. 24. Christ very God sayeth that those dayes should be abbreuiated And these .xlii. monethes are three yeres a halfe wherein it shall come to passe that the faithful and the very tried shal be troden and suffer persecution Thus sayeth he Thre yeres a halfe the yeres of Antichrist Doubtles al expositours in a maner beyng verely taught by this place haue attributed to the kingdome of Antichrist and to his most cruel persecutions not mo yeres than three and a halfe For so many yeres make .xlii. monethes yf ye put to a yere .xii. monethes Howbeit the Scripture and the thing it self speaketh that the kingdome of Antichrist should be a great deale longer Wherupon I sayed that a certayne time is assigned of thapostle an vncerten time
for that in the warre of Naples whiche was made by the French men and Spanyardes in the yere of our Lorde 1494. they came vp firste in the campe of whores whiche infected the Armie Whiche Mainardus the Phisition discourseth at large But howe so euer diuerse and venemouse sores doe infecte many greuousely yet doe the French pockes chiefly corrupte the Abbayes of Monkes and Nūnes and colledges of priestes aboue others For they geuyng themselues to moste filthie fornication do abhorre and deteste in others holy matrimonie and therfore receyue thereof the rewarde of their iniquitie Therfore is it sayed here expressely that the Antichristiās should be with this disease vexed or rather pūnished Ye shall finde some whose face is eaten with this disease All whoremongers and aduouterers for the moste parte are troubled with this plage Iob also the excellent seruaunte of God was couered with sores and boyles but by the singular counsell of God as I touched also before Therefore it is no maruell though some time very good men free from the vncleanes of whoredome be also infected with this disease The second Angell shedeth his viall on the Sea pestilēce ◠and therfore the bloude of lyuing thinges became all to gether such as is in deade men to witte corrupt and turned into matter Whereupon all that lyued in the sea died The Sea is euermore stirring and variable full rightlie therfore by this the worlde is signified or vnconstaunt men in the world these for theyr sinnes are infected with the Pestilence and dye in great plentie In the words is the fygure Synekdoche where euery liuing soule is said to dye This second plague aunswereth to the fifte of Aegipt Vnder this plague we comprise all kynde of Pestilences and plagues Ezechias also was taken with the plague as many Godly men also die of the Pestilence but by the singuler counsell of God The thirde Angell shed his viall on the ryuers and fountaynes of waters which were by and by turned into bloud Bloude 3. This aunswereth to the first plague of Aegipte The Aegiptians had drowned in Nilus the newe borne bodies of infants and had oppressed the innocent Israelites Therefore were they worthie to drinke of Nilus For water bloude Water otherwise in the Scripture signifieth doctryne as in Ezechiell and Zachary Therefore do the ryuers and fountaynes of waters signifie ecclesiasticall preachers and Princes whome God hath geuen to the people for a defence and reliefe Certenlie Saincte Peter calleth false prophets welles waunting water 2. Peter 2. In the .17 chapter we shal heare that by waters are vnderstand people This therefore is the plague of God the Princes of the people and preachers of peace are become the authours and ringleaders of rebellion and of warres In the which they fall and kyll one an other which shede the bloude of Sainctes And albeit that in warres the godly are also plaged yet knoweth the Lord how to requyte their paynes and to ease their sorrowes Saincte Austen decydeth this matter at large in the firste booke of Christen doctrine But if we loke vpon the variable Historie of Italie Fraunce Germanye and Hungarye and of other Realmes that glorye to be called Christians we shall fynde them to haue bene the blasing firebrandes of warres which ought of dutie to haue ben the Princes of peace Warres stirred vp by Popes And lyke as the Lorde sayeth in the Gospel there must not a Prophet die any where els than at Hierusalem So must ther no warre be moeued but by Popes of Rome Byshops and Prelates I will only resyte a fewe Pope Gregorye the .2 through sedition expulsed themperour Leo Isauricus out of Italie Pope Stephen brought in Pipine King of Fraunce into Italie againste the Lumbardes The same ded Charlemaigne at the motion of Pope Leo the .3 driue clean out of Italie hauing slaine many of them with the sworde Pope Gregory the .7 a moste wicked man stirred Peter King of Hungarie to warre with the Emperour Henry the .4 intangled all Italie Germany with warres and droue Henry to fight many fields and battels that wer not light Vrbane the .2 of that name tourmoyled with warre both Easte and West and all other partes of the world which he called holy taken in hand for the recouering of Hierusalem This warre was long cruell greate and blouddy suche as in all worldes you can not fynde the lyke What Alexander the third wrought against Fredericke Barbarousse and howe he raysed vp all Italie againste him the Stories do tell And whylest Fredericke the second warred in the holy lande Gregory the nynth taketh from him Naples Here the Abbot of Vrspurge sumeth that so great a wickednesse shoulde be committed of a Pope There arrose by the Popes meanes and motions great factions in Italie of the Guelphians and Gibilines Clement the fourth brought in the french Armie by the conducte of king Charles into the kingdome of Naples and put Conrade Duke of Swalande from his inheritaūce and caused him and Fredericke Duke of Austryce to be slayne to gether with manny thousandes of the Germanes Pope Ihon the two and twentie armed Fredericke Duke of Austrich and Leopolde against the Emperour Lewes the fourth of the house of Bauier Boniface the eight cōmaunded king Albert Duke of Austrich to beare Hostyle banners against Philip the French King As Martin the fifte stired vp a greuouse warre against the Bohemers Eugenius the fourth betrayed the Conquerour Ladislaus king of Poll and Hungary to Amurathes the great Turke to be vanquished and slaine through treason sending his Legate Iuliane Caesarinus Cardinal about the practise which perished also in that vnluckie ouerthrowe Where cometh to mynde that sayeng in Virgill Tolumnius himselfe the southsayer is slayne Pope Sixtus the .4 sent to the moste puissaunt nation of Swisses a red scarfe or band with a bull hanging at it wherein he graūteth most large indulgēces to such as wil fight for the church of Rome Iulye the second through much and great bludshed of the Swisses began to expulse the french kyng out of Italie which at length Leo the .10 brought to passe receyuing the Emperour Charles the .5 whose sonne ruleth yet in Italie Clement the seuenth began to oppresse him agayne but death disapointed his enterprises Paule the thirde ioyned the force of Italie with Charles the fifte and warred on the Germanes for obedience denied to the See of Rome and the Gospel receiued In the which war was taken Philippe the Lantzgraue of Hasse Ihon Fredericke Duke of Saxon Prince Electour Greate vilianie and crueltie was wrought by the soldiours in Germanie Pope Iulye the thirde began to dalie with the frenchmen and stiring vp the warre of Parma and Mirandula brought the frenchmen to Senes There arrose a most greuouse warre by sea and land both in Fraunce and Italie and also in Germany which indureth at this day The Princes and people teare a sonder one an other they drynke their bloude moste
yeares to rage Therfore these things ar spoken by a cōparison and not absolutely And the thing it selfe or experiēce teacheth that they are not to be vnderstand absolutely and after the bare lettre Although therfore that Sathan hath in these thousand yeares also blowen his poyson vpō many and hath troubled the world yet this is nothing in comparison of those thinges that haue followed after the thousand yeares euen vntill this day and shall followe hereafter vnto the worlds end In oulde time also he raigned fully emongs the Gentiles through Idolatry But a thousand yeares fell downe their temples and Idolles with all other instrumentes of vngodlynesse We reade truely Certen articles of religiō assayled howe there were in the Apostles time that affirmed that men are iustified by the lawe and workes Whereupon sprange vp the doctryne of satisfaction and merites But the same doctryne was confuted by the Apostle Saincte Paule aboue other Apostles Saincte Austen also and after him Bede moste constantlie haue defended the doctrine of grace and redemption by Christ The same continued safe by the space of a thousande whoale yeares But afterwarde Freres getting the vpper hande the doctryne of satisfaction and mannes merites ded preuayle whereupon was vtterly obscured the doctrine of Iesu Christe conserning the free remissiō of sinnes imputing of righteousnes Ther grewe vp an opinion with certen of Sainctes makyng intercession or prayeng in heauen for their worshyppers The relicques began to be worshipped ouer soone Neuerthelesse such as wer illumined claue fast to the onely intercessour Christ and honored not relicques But after those thousande fatal yeares many attributed more to Saincts than to the very holy one of Sainctes We see what is done at this day The writings of Monkes and Freres testifie how much the worshipping of creatures hath increased within these .iiii. hondreth yeres or there aboutes Who wyl deny that exceding many haue ben deceaued of Heretikes But who can gather thereby that the Gospell hath bene vtterlie loste that Sathan hath raigned fullye The Byshoppe of Rome hath ascended in to the toppe of Mounte Zion and will be called the head and Pastour generall of the whole catholique church Howbeit the Easte most constantlie resisted and so ded other partes of the world also At the lengthe after a thousande yeares he made his boaste most impudently that the fulnesse of power was geuen him which he got by hoke and croke and after vsurped the same Mahomet seduced many yet neuerthelesse the Patriarchall churches persisted and the Easte honoured Christ lykewise South and North so that the thousande yeares agayne had their lighte nother hath Sathan in these raged so much as he hath since those yeares were complete Doubtelesse since the Turkes begāne to rule and raigne al matters of religion grewe euery daye worse and worse And the warre into the Holy land ded very much hurte to religion and gaue greate courage to the Saracenes and vngodlye whereof I shall speake afterwardes And Images beganne to be sette vp in temples and to be defended But the Histories testifie that the same was done with greate difficultie and hardlie could the vse of them be obtayned all good men moste constantlie resisting And what time they were now admitted yet were not the Idolaters so starke mad as we se they are nowe and haue ben certen yeares paste Wherefore it is rightly sayed howe after a thousand yeares Sathan shulde be loosed from his chaynes which before also moued the vnbeleuers yet fynally rageth more furiously S. Ihon assigned to Antichrist a certen numbre of yeares to wit .666 Whereof we myghte vnderstande the name of Antichriste But therefore it foloweth not that the Deuyll was than quyte lowsed or the lyght of the Gospell vtterly extinguisshed For the Apostle in his time speakyng of him The misterie sayeth he of iniquitie nowe worketh Antichriste therefore hath his seedes he hath his beginnyng he hath his rysing vp his growyng and increaces But after a thousand yeares he went to worke moste impudently and most boldly which before also had vttered his maliciousnes but nowe moste venemously of al he speweth oute his poyson oppressing Kynges and all that speake neuer so little againste him We knowe moreouer that in these thousande yeares paste the Deuill hath raygned in many by murder periurie and innumerable and vnspeakeable euilles But if ye consider what hath ben done sins those thousande yeres and what is done at this daye you will saye those ages of the thousande yeres to haue ben Golden and Siluer worldes and oures nowe for these fiue hondreth yeres to be of brasse Iron leed The corruption of the last age and claye Lactantius in the seuenth booke of Instit the .15 chapter towardes the laste ende of the worlde sayeth he the state of worldly matters muste nedes be altered and iniquitie preuayling to incline to the worse so that these our times in the which iniquitie and mischiefe is growen to the highest degree yet in comparison of that vncurable euil maye be accompted fortunate and in maner Golden ages For iustice shall than ware so thinne vngodlines couetousenes wilfulnes and luste shall be so common that if there shal be than happly any good menne they shal be a praye to the wicked and euery where vexed of the vnrightuouse And euil menne only shall be welthie and the good tourmoyled in all vexation and miserie All righte shall be confounded and lawes shall perisshe Than shall no man haue any thinge saue that whiche is eyther euil gotten or euill kepte Goldenes and violence shal haue all There shal be no faith in men no peaxe no humanitie no shamefastnes no trewth And the remnaūt which are red there By all the whiche our dayes nowe seme to be paincted liuely But what is that whiche is annexed He muste be loused a little season that the Deuill must belowsed for a little season semeth this a little season whiche continueth nowe fiue hondreth yeres And this place we expoūde so as that same in the gospel vnlesse those dayes were shortened no fleshe should be saued For it is euidently by stories that nother the Deuil nor Antichriste hath inioyed that his kingedome longe quiet For euermore and in all ages haue sprong vp some holy and learned menne which beyng illumined and comforted or God like Enoch and Helie haue resisted the vngodly and vngodlines and haue maineteyned the true religion Wherby consciences afflicted of Antichrist haue receyued comforte God of his mercy so temperyng matters that the chosen shuld not despeyre into great temptations errours and darkenes Therefore both Sathan and the Pope could inioye these matters but a small season For immediately after the thousande yeres sprange vp the Waldois whiche constantly impugned the Pope and his vngodlines The lord hath reysed vp certen kinges emōges whom be the Friderickes Germane Emperours Lewis of the house of Bauier many others The Popes also haue ben at dissention emōges themselues
noÌ„bre the seueÌ„th laste Therfore ar al things figured spiritually not carnally to be vnderstand and taken Doubtles the matters are excelleÌ„t vnderstand euen after the letter howbeit we must thinke of spiritual matters and greater alwayes than the speach of man can atteine to For we know as taught by the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles to be alwaies true that is said that the eye hath not sene nor the eare hath not hearde nor ascended in to the hart of man those things which god hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2 The chiefe articles of this place of the gâ—orye of the blessed And the chefest poincts of this place be these First he sheweth that the world shal be renewed SecoÌ„dly he signifieth that the Saincts shal be glorified blessed And declareth in general what that same fiticitie shal be And incoÌ„tineÌ„tly he confirmeth these things by many reasons moreouer he describeth the place the courte Palace of the blessed and lykewise the glory and felicitie of Saincts The which in the beginning of the .20 chap. he finisheth vp excedingly wel vnder the figure of a râ—uer â—ree of lyfe And lyke as he hath for the most part borowed al his things out of the bokes of prophets the which S. Ihon also with his reuelation lighteneth so hath he also at this present borrowed these out of the .65 and .66 chapt of Esaye And .37 of Ezâ—chiel and the laste chapters of the same Of the renewyng of the world he speaketh plainely Of the renewyng of the world as doeth also thapostle S. Peter in his later Epistle the .3 chap. that al thinges verely shuld be purged by fire not wholy abolished adnichilated but should doubtles be purified from all corruptioÌ„ for Aretas he signifieth not sayeth he thextinguisshing of the creature but a renewyng for the better Therfore sayeth S. Iohn expressely that he sawe a newe heaueÌ„ a newe earth wherunto he addeth by exposition that the first heaueÌ„ the first earth are vanisshed awaye to wit they are chauÌ„ged in their qualities so that the corruptible thinges are now gone created for corruptible vses For euen so is the Sea no more also doubtles subiecte to corruptioÌ„ but chauÌ„ged into better S. Austen and his scollar Primasius suppose that the troublesome state of the world signified not seldome in the scriptures by the Sea about th ende of the world shal cease Reade the .17 chap. of the .20 boke De ciuitate dei ExpouÌ„ding this place he reasoneth likewise at large of this innouatioÌ„ of the world in the same .20 boke De ciuitate dei .18 chap. other places I thinke mere in this matter to put awaie al curiositie if any hid thing appere therin that it be reserued vnto that daie in the which we shal see al thinges euidently And I suppose that these things coÌ„cerning the renewyng of heaueÌ„ earth ar not therfore spokeÌ„ that so ther shuld any place be prepared for vs which we shuld inhabite again in these inferiours partes vnder heaueÌ„ for we beleue that we shal flie vp into heaueÌ„ go mete the lord in the clowdes according to the doctrine of thapostle 1. Thess 4. but for the our mindes are thus confirmed that the faithful shal vndoubtedly be renewed glorified For if heauen and earth made for man be renewed purefied who wil doubte now that men themselues shal be moste chiefely clarified For coÌ„sequently now S. Iohn declareth Sainctes muste be glorified that the Sainctes shall both be renewed glorified placed in blessed seates signifieth yet generally what the glory of saincts shal be After he will declare more at large and seuerally all those thinges moste dilligently For he heareth an Angel sayeng come I wil shewe thee the bryde the wife of the lambe c. The same now figuratiuely he nameth a citie that in dede holy new Hierusalem And a citie signifieth aswel the place habitatioÌ„ as them that dwelle in the place I meane the citezens themselues This citie therfore is not only the place of the blessed but also the very coÌ„munion of sainctes in olde time prefigured in the citie of Hierusalem But he putteth a greate difference betwixte this of our newe and that visible and corporall Hierusalem HierusaleÌ„ For he calleth ours holy that other in the lande of Palestine was prophane polluted with the bloud of Christ prophetes and Apostles for the same cause destroyed vtterly Ours is also called newe For the coÌ„munion of Sainctes shal be renewed at the same daye And therefore by interpretation followeth coÌ„myng downe from heauen not that the habitation of Sainctes after iudgement shall againe be in earth but that the glory and renewyng shal be grauÌ„ted from heauen of the diuine maiestie power As also S. Iames is red to haue sayde euery good gifte and euery perfit gifte is from aboue commyng downe from the father of lightes And S. Paule also in the .4 to the Galath sayde that the free church is the heauenly HierusaleÌ„ The same in the .1 Corinth the .15 The firste man sayeth he of the earth earthly the seconde man the lord himself from heaueÌ„ Such as that earthly was suche are they also that be earthly and suche as that heauenly was such are they also that be heaueÌ„ly And as we haue borne the Image of the earthly maÌ„ so shal we beare also the Image of the heauenly Therfore sayed S. Iohn most rightly that the churche of Sainctes commeth downe from heauen to witte froÌ„ heauen receauing her glory For againe by a demonstration prepared of God sayeth he as a bryde garnished for her husbande For the Apostle in the .2 to the Corinth the .5 We know sayeth he that yf our earthly mansion of this tabernacle be destroied we haue bildyng of god a mansion not made with hande euerlastyng in heauen And anone he that hath prepared vs for the same is God He remoueth from his sainctes al corruptioÌ„ but geueth and teacheth to be purified with al giftes of the body that so they may be garnisshed worthely and maye dwell in the euerlastyng bryde chamber with their brydegrome Christe Wherefore this garnisshynge consisteth in the abolishinge of all corruption and mortalitie and in the gifte of vncorruption immortalitie and glory Of the purefying and deckyng of the bryde speaketh the Apostle S. Paule also in the .5 chapter to the Ephesians And in this worlde beginneth the purgyng and trimmyng and finally at the ende is finisshed most perfitly For than shal the church haue nother spotte nor wrincle al corruption verely wiped awaie and al glory receyued And here learne by the waye that the Sainctes are prepared of God therefore saluation to be of mere grace And he procedeth to declare yet more playnely What shal be the eternall felicitie what the glory shal be whereof in this worke he hath ben occasioned to speake oftener than ones Blessednes chiefely