whereas ye are from darkenesse and ignoraunce brought to the lyght of the ghospel beeyng a thyng so vnlyke and hard to bee perswaded in no manne should thinke thesame to bee doen by worldely wysedome or eloquence whiche we take not vpon vs but by the power of God by whom our preachyng was more effectuall and strong than euer was any disputacion of the Philosophers were it neuer so subtile were it neuer so wittye and well set in ordre At my beeyng among you whiche were proude of your worldely wysedome and ignoraunte of the wysedome of God I taught you but playne matters but yet suche were they as were to saluacion necessarie The texte We speake of wysedom among them that are perfecte not the wysedom of this worlde neyther of the rulers of this worlde which goe to naught but we speake the wysedom of God whiche is in secrete and lyeth hyd whiche God hath or deyned before the worlde vnto our glory whiche wysedome none of the rulers of this worlde knewe For had they hadde knowledge they would not haue crucified the Lorde of glory But as it is wrytten The iye hath not seen and the eare hath not heard neyther haue entred into the hert of man the thinges whiche God hath prepared for them that loue hym We haue of Christe deaper poyntes of wysedome but of them talke we among suche as are perfite Be diligente therfore and laboure to bee perfite that ye maye bee partakers of the secrete and hydden misteries of God Besyde this we that preache the crosse of Christe seme to the faythlesse to preache verye folyshnesse but to suche as stedfastly beleue seme we to preache an excellente wysedome muche differyng from that wysedome whiche laboureth in vayne to serche out by naturall reason the causes of this worlde and farre also from worldely policie wherof the greate estates of this worlde make greate crakes whose authoritie with all theyr wysedome is by Christe abolished and vanquyshed by vtteryng theyr folyshnesse but we preache of a heuenly wysedome whiche hath not an outwarde apparence of that which is not within it but is inwardly myghtie and effectuall There is in this wysedome no curiositie nor pompe and yet symple as it is all menne perceyue it not But as it is secrete so is it knowen by secrete inspiracion and that of none but of suche only as God vouchesaueth to make partakers thereof We lay not furth the priuities of this wysedome before the cōmen sort of people but vtter them secretly to suche as are able and mete to receyue them And albeit this wysedome be nowe at laste in oure tymes publyshed yet god before all tyme by his hygh counsel ordained for his that as the proude persons haue hitherto folyshly craked of theyr carnall wysedome so should henceforth the meke and lowlye haue a more excellente wysedome to reioyse and glorie of This wisdome delyteth to dwell in simple and cleane heartes and for this cause none of the great rulers of this worlde had it nor Magiciens nor Philosophers nor Pilate nor Annas nor Cayphas nor the phariseis nor the deuils themselues neither For had thei knowen that the lowe and folyshe preachyng of Christes crosse woulde with his glisteryng haue darkened the glory of the world and for all the weakenes and feblenes therof haue put to flight and vanquished the tyrannye of death and synne neuer woulde they haue fastened on a crosse the Lorde and capitayne of renoume and glorie For all the learnyng they had in visible thynges for all theyr pryde in knowleage of the lawe ignoraunt were they of this wonderfull misterie mete to bee vttered onely to suche as by humble and sobre myndes are made at one with God That it should so be Esai long before prophecied declaryng that this wysedome whereof we talke should into mens soules be secretely inspired saying suche thynges as neuer were seene with mannes iyes or by mannes eares hearde of or conceyued in any mannes thought hath god prepared for them that hartely loue hym and grounde all theyr disputacions vpon faythe and not vpon mannes reason The texte But God hath opened them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth al thinges ye the botome of goddes secretes For what man knoweth the thynges of a man saue the spirite of man which is within him Euen so the thynges of god knoweth no man but the spirite of god And we haue not receyued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite whiche commeth of god for to knowe the thynges that are geuen to vs of God whiche thynges also we speake not with wordes that mannes wisedome teacheth but with wordes which the holy ghost doeth teache makyng spirituall comparisons of spirituall thinges The naturall man perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god For they are but folyshnes vnto hym Neyther can he perceyue them because they are spiritually examined But he that is spirituall discusseth all thynges yet he hymselfe is iudged of no man For who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde either who shall informe hym But we vnderstande the mynde of Christe Hygh minded rulers and proude phylosophers were not worthie to receyue this hydden mistery whiche yet god hathe opened to vs his frendes not by any worldly doctrine but by the secrete inspiracion of his holye spyrite Whiche spirite because it is of goddes nature and proceadyng from god searcheth foorth euen the deapest and mooste secrete priuities of God wherunto mannes busye brayne attayneth not Euery man may easily loke on an other mans face but what lieth hidden in the bottome of the hert that is no man able to see for that onely knoweth the spirite of god and a mans owne conscience After like sorte diuers men beholde and search out the properties of goddes creatures but such thinges as lye hidden in goddes counsel and prouidence no body knoweth sauing his euerlastyng spirite whiche beyng of one nature with hym knoweth all suche thynges as he doeth One mā sheweth another his secrete thoughtes by secrete whispering in his eare but god to the good openeth his counsell not by the spirite of man whiche teacheth nothyng but worldly phantasies but by the spirite of god so that of what sorte the spirite is suche doctryne it teacheth This worlde also hath his spirite with whome whosoeuer is rauished bothe sauereth of worldlynes and loueth worldly thynges but the inspiracion of the heauenly spirite of god bryngeth vs in mynde of heauenly treasures and maketh vs to vnderstande what god hath through Christes crosse doen for vs. And this is the phylosophie whiche as we receyued by the spirite of Christe so teache we it agayne to the godly and simple people not with floures and coloures of thetorike as the Philosophers are wonte to teache them that they take in hāde but with rude wordes and set out of ordre beyng yet suche as teache a spiritual doctrine For reason requyreth ▪ that forasmuche as this kynde of wysedome is far vnlyke the
but frealy and playnly and without all deceyte declaryng to al men the bare trouthe without any cloud in this office so vsing our selfes that though no manne prayse vs yet oure lyfe commendeth vs to all menne whiche knowe and are witnesse of oure perfectnes and not onelye to menne whiche maye bee deceyued but also to God whiche seethe all thynges By vs therefore in al places shyneth the trueth of the gospel so that euerye man may see it euedently And yf there be some yet to whome it is not knowen and therefore geueth not them saluacion the faulte is theirs and not ours nor the gospels for as I tolde you of the Israelites so haue they likewyse a vayle caste ouer the eyes of theyr hearte by reason wherof they see not suche thinges as are verye bright but are blynde in the middes of the sonne light For they bryng with them vncleare iyen and suche as are corrupte with worldlye desyres whose vnfaythfull myndes Satan the God of this worlde for theyr God make they hym whiche to hym geue more eare than to the true God hathe blynded couering theyr iyes that to them the bryghtnes of the gospell can geue no light whereby the glory and maiestie is declared not of Moses but of Christe whiche is the image of god the father so that by the sonne which is egall to the father a man maye knowe the father The texte For we preache not oure selues but Christe Iesus to be the Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake For it is God that coÌ„maunded the lyght to shyne out of darknes whiche hath stâ—yned in our hertes for to geue the lyght of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Iesus Chryst But we haue this treasure in erthen vessels that the excellency of the power myght be Gods and not oures We are troubled on euery iyde yet are we not without shyfte We are in pouerty â–ª but not vtterly without somewhat We suffer persecucion but are not forsaken therein We are cast downe neuerthelesse we peryshe not We all wayes beare aboute in the body the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the lyfe of Iesu myght also appeare in our body For we whiche â—â—ue are alwayes delyuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the lyfe also of Iesu might appeare in our mortal flesh So then death worketh in vs but lyfe in you Nor auaunce we oure selues by preachyng as some doe teachyng the gospell for our aduauntage or glorie but we preache Iesus Christe oure Lorde his doctrine teache we and not ours for hym labour we as for oure Lorde and mayster what payne soeuer we take so farre from takyng anye thyng arrogaÌ„tly vpon vs that we graunt our selues to be your seruauntes and to ministre the ghospell vnto you neither for feare of you nor yet for hope of auauntage but for Iesus sake for whose loue whereas we are free we euen as seruauntes submitte our selues to all men After lyke sorte were we once in the same blyndnes wherewith some are now diseased stil Nor yet gotte we this light to our selues but god at whose commaundement lyght was fyrste made from whome all light procedeth after that he had expelled the darknes of oure vnderstandyng commaunded that in it the lighte of trueth shoulde appere or rather as he is lighte euerlastyng lightened oure hearte yâ— by vs the glory of his maiestie might more be spread abrode among all meÌ„ beyng more notified by preachyng of the gospel wherein we preache the Lorde Iesus in whose face moste brightly shineth the image and glorie of the father But yet is this greate matier onlye wrought in our soules secretely for touchyng the bodye we seme but vyle abiectes so that we â—arie aboute with vs this preciouse and highe treasure in earthen vessels that is to saye in our sealye bodies subiecte to vilanye and punishment as it hathe pleased god it should be and good cause is there why it so pleased hym For he prouided yâ— we should not be proude by great high myracles wroughte by vs whereby we might clayme some parte therof but know our owne infirmitie and so vnderstande the selfe same highe power whiche is geuen to the apostles not to be wrought by our strengthe but by gods power onely for we touchyng our owne infirmitie are dayly greatly troubled and yet by gods helps we suffer al these troubles and continue not ouercomen we are on euery syde ouerlayed with aduersitie yet are we not withoute shifte we are brought to beggery and in oure beggerye we are not forsaken we suffer persecucion and yet in our persecucion we are not dismayed we are beaten downe and tredden vnder feete but yet so that we peryshe not in that behalfe folowyng the lorde Iesus â–ª as nyghe as we maye whome we preache and setfoorth He once dyed for all men we in that we are daylye and continuallye in ieopardie of death beare aboute in oure bodyes an image of his deathe ready to bestowe this lyfe for your sakes that as we dyeng for you folowe the death of Iesus so maye the lyfe of Iesus wherunto he rose from deathe in oure body be declared whyles we are either by hym delyuered from deathe or by despising oure temporal lyfe playnly testifie and affirme that the deade shall ryse agayne For yf we beleued that when our bodye is once dead it woulde neuer lyue more we woulde not so lytle regarde oure temporall lyfe By thys straunge waye therfore ye see howe the euerlasting lyfe of Christ through the affliccions of our corruptible body is to you the better knowen The difference is in that the violent ieoperdy of death falleth vpon oure body but the fruite of lyfe which groweth by our deathe is yours for whose sakes we put our selues in these ieopardyes The texte But seyng that we haue the same spirite of fayth accordyng as it is wrytteÌ„ I beleued therfore I spoken we also beleue and therfore speake For we know that he which raysed vp the Lorde Iesus shall rayse vp vs also by the meanes of Iesus and shall set vs with you For all thynges do I for your sakes that the plenteous grace by thanckes geuen of many maye redounde to the prayse of God Wherfore we are not weryed But though our vtward man peryshe yet the inwarde man is renewed daye by daye For out â—â—â—buiacyon which is momentany lyght prepareth an exceadyng and an eternal waight of glorye vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thynges whiche are sene but on the thynges whiche are not sene For the thynges whiche are seue are temporall but thynges whiche are not sene are eternall And yet for all this we repente vs not of preachyng the gospel for since we haue also euen the same gifte of faythe that ye haue whereby ye loke for life immortall by my preachyng powred into your heartes it foloweth that as Dauid in his misticall psalme sayeth that he therfore spoke because he beleued so feare we
Christes let him consider this agayne af himselfe that as â—e is Christes euen so are wee Christes For though I boast my self sâ—mâ—what more of oure authoritie whiche the Lorde hath geuen vs to edifie and not to destroy you it shal not bee to my shame leste I shoulde seame as thoughe I wente aboute to make you afrayed with letters For the epistles saieth he are sore and strong but his bodily presence is weake and his speche rude Let him that is suche thinke on this wise yâ— as wee are in woordes by letters when we are absente suche are wee in deedes when we are presente For a tyme I nothyng speake of false apostles but generally speakyng this I saye yf any man thynke that he is Christes eyther because he saw him in his mortall bodye here in earth or because he is vnto hym of nigh aliaunce and kinred lette hym agayne likewise remembre this wyth hymselfe that as he is Christes so are wee Christes and so in this beehalfe wee are as good as he so yâ— nothing hath he wherewith to please hymselfe and to despyse vs. It is the spirite whiche maketh vs â—igher to Christe and not carnall kynred Nothyng dooe I yet hytherto but make my selfe equall with other apostles But now yf I somewhat tooke vpon me aboue them and gloried of myne authoritie or rather not myne but geuen vnto me of the Lorde and geuen vnto me to dooâ— you good and not to hurte I thynke it should not be to my shame as thoughe I had more vaynly bosted of my self than truely But of my hyghe authoritye will I speake nothyng lest any thinke that I with threatening epistles would make you afrayed For so sayeth one whome I for honours sake name not Paule sendeth arrogante and vehemente letters But when he is presente he is altogether vnlike hymselfe that is to weâ—e both of a weake bodye wherein there is no maiestye and in hys speche so rude that it in no parte resembleth that authoritye wherwyth his epistles as it were thunder and lyghten He that for this despiseth our authoritie I do hym well to weâ—e that as my speche is in myne epistles when I am absence whiche these menne saye is vehemente suche is oure power and authoritie beeyng presente yf wee see cause why to vse it To bragge wyth woordes suche thynges as I cannot in deede perfourme is for lyghte persones and not for me The texte â–ª For wee cannot fynde in oure hertes to make oure selues of the noumbre of them or to compare oure selfes to them whiche prayse themselues Neuerthelesse whyle they measure themselues wyth themselues and compare themselues wyth themselues they vnderstande noughte But we will not reioyce aboue measure but accordyng to the measure of the rule whiche God hath distributed vnto vs a measure to reache euen vnto you For wee stretche not oure selues beyonde measure as thoughe wee reached not vnto you For euen to you also haue we come wyth the Gospel of Christ and wee boaste not oure selues oute of measure in other menâ—es labours Yea and wee hope it wyll cumme to passe that when your faith is increased among you wee shal bee magnified accordyng to oure measure more largelye and that I shal preache the Ghospell in those regions whiche are beeyonde you and not to boaste of those thynges whiche by another mannes measure are prepared alreadye But lette hym that reioyseth reioyce in the Lorde For he that prayseth hymselfe is not alowed but he whoÌ„ the Lorde prayseth Nor canne wee fynde in oure heartes to accoumpt our selfes in the noumbre of them or to compare oure authoritie wyth suche as wyth deceytefull meanes and crakyng woordes auaunce themselfes and not with deedes whiche in the meane season forgeaâ—e howe they measure not themselfes by theyr owne dooynges but settefoorthe themselfes in comparison of menne without courage as they themselfes bee nor by anye other waye proue theyr owne syngularnesse but by deprauynge other mennes actes and praysynge theyr owne God forbydde that wee shoulde wythoute ende glorye as these dooe For and yf euerye manne hadde the desyre to bee taken for so greate as he with arrogauncye woulde make hymselfe certaynelye there woulde bee of boastyng neyâ—her measure nor ende Nor yet take wee vpon vs other mennes glorye but accordyng vnto the measure and condicion of suche actes as we haue by Goddes helpe doone esteame oure selues as wee bee So that asmuche as he gaue vs so muche take we vpon vs and beyonde thys glory not we And surelye wee haue not sklendrelye enlarged the dominion of oure capitayne as whiche came euen as farre as to you not of myne owne head onely but sente by God A sufficient matter to glorye of haue wee in that we came not vnto you after the commen sorte but after suche a sorte that by vs the gospell of Christe was preached vnto you so that wee neede not with hyghe woordes to prayse oure selfes as thoughe wee in deede reached not vnto you whyche els wyse were not verye easye to bee woâ—â—e Nor came wee vnto you beyng alreadye brought into beliefe as false apostles vse to do but fyrst of al other perswaded you in it Nor boaste wee oure selfes aboue measure of other mennes labours takynge vpon vs the prayse of other mennes actes as cowardly capitaines dooe which chalenge the prayses of winnyng a holde whiche another manne gote But rather wee truste that as your fayth daylye encreaseth and groweth more and more wee shall also through you geate more praise accordyng vnto the marke appoynted vnto vs by God and preache also the gospell of Christe in countreyes beyonde you and so auaunce hys banners further then wee haue hytherto doone not dooyng these actes throughe anothers guidyng as an vnder souldier nor enteryng vpon that which is already gotten and so malapertly taking vpon vs yâ— praise of other mennes labours but at this point are wee rather not onely not to boaste our selfes of other mennes actes but also not to take vpon me the glorye of myne owne knowyng that whosoeuer doth reioyce muste reioyce in Christes name whose businesse he doeth Nor is he commended of god whiche bloweth abrode hys own prayses but he that is chosen of God as a meete persone and faythefullye doothe the office coÌ„mitted vnto hym is the onely one whome the Lorde approueth and prayseth The .xi. Chapter The texte Woulde to God ye could haue suffered me a litle in my folishnesse yea ye dooe also forbeare me For I am gelous ouer you with godly gelouslye For I haue coupled you to oâ—â— manne to make you a chaste virgin to Christe NOr can I yet refrayne but that I muste somewhat gloriouslye sette foorth my selfe notwithstandyng I knowe that it is taken for a pointe of folishnes yf a manne prayse hyâ— selfe but would to god ye woulde a litle while suffre me tâ— playe the foole yea I doubâ—â— not but ye wil beare with me For to this folishenesse am I dryuen neither of an
gloryes sake in stede of true godlynesse they teache Iewyshe obseruations circumcision of the foreskynne choyse of meates dyfference of dayes to the intent that other men beyng burthened with these wares they them selues maye reigne and lyue at ease for all that as though after this lyfe they loked after none other But let the ende of them fraye vs awaye from their condicions For lyke as through slaunderous reproche of man we drawe to eternall glorye and by afflictions of this world preace vnto immortall felicitie euen so they by transitorye pleasures of the worlde procure to them selues euerlastyng destruction bycause in stede of God they honour their belye that can not helpe them and by countrefaicte vayne glorye among men whiche they repose not in Christe but in thinges that they ought to be ashamed of they make spede to euerlastynge shame For what soeuer is earthly is but temporall and countrefayte and what so euer is heauenly is true and euerlastynge But they studye for nothynge elles but those thinges that are of the earthe In them they repose their glorye in them they set their pleasure in them they put theyr hope of helpe and so runne astraye ferre from the marke of the gospell But we that folowe Christ aright though our bodyes be deteyned vpon earthe yet in soule our conuersacion is in heaueÌ„ sighing continuallye thither as our head is gonne afore from whence also through faythe we loke for our lorde Iesus Christ whiche shall rayse vs from death and delyuer vs possession of those thinges that he promyseth vs and shall transforme this vyle naughtye bodye of ours and make it lyke vnto his owne glorious bodye for this consyderacion that the membres which wer felowes of his afflictions in this worlde shoulde be called there into the felowshyp of hys felicitye This matter shall not seme vncredible to any man that wyll dyligentlye pondre the great power of him that shall doo this dede For there is nothinge but he can brynge it to passe in whose hande it is also to subdue all thinges to himselfe at his owne pleasure This power he shall openlye shewe than vnto al men although in the meane season he doo many times kepe it close The .iiii. Chapter The texte ¶ Therfore my brethren dearly beloued and longed for my ioye and crowne so continue in the Lorde ye beloued I praye Euodias and beseche Sintiches that they be of â—ne accorde in the Lorde Yee and I beseche the faythfull rockefelowe helpe the wemen whiche laboured with me in the ghospell and with Clement also and with other my labourfelowes whose names are in the boke of lyfe INasmuche therfore as you are established with the hope of such great hyghe matters my dearly beloued brethren and longed for whose good successe I repute to be myne owne ioye whose victorye I take to be my crowne lyke as you haue begonne see yâ— you so continue suffre not your selues to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ Iesus Christ Moreouer my welbeloued brethren I eftesones beseche Euodias and I desire Sintiches and eyther of them by them selues that they agree in one true concorde of myndes in promotynge the gospell of Christe And I also require the myne owne true naturall wyfe whiche agreist with me in the trauayle of the gospel helpe these women that were partetakers of my labours and daungers in the gospel and Clement also with the rest that wet my labourfelowes in yâ— gospell Whose names what nedeth me to rehearse inasmuche as they are wrytten in the boke of lyfe and shall neuer be scraped out In that boke are the names of all them wrytten that with their dilygences helpe forewarde the businesse of the gospell of whose nombre you are also The texte ¶ Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye and againe I saye reioyce Let youre softenesse be knowen vnto all men The Lorde is euen at hande Be careful for nothinge but in all prayer and supplycacion let youre pericyons be manifest vnto God with geuynge of thanckes And the peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstandynge kepe your hertes and myndes thorow Christ Iesu For these causes sakes reioyce alwayes euen in the myddes of your afflyctions Againe I eftesones saye reioyce and be of good cheare And how hottely so euer the iniquitie of the wicked rage against you yet let youre patience and modest softenes be knowen and seen vnto all maner of men not only vnto the brethren but to them also that are straungers from Christe so that they beyng prouoked the rather by your good demenoure maye be allured vnto the felowshyp of the gospell For gentilnesse of behauioure wynneth and breaketh the vngodly Couet not in any wise to reuenge you of theÌ„ nor yet enuy not them their pleasaunt delytes For the commyng of Christ is at hande whiche shall rendre vnto you the ioyes of immortalitie for contemnyng the commodities of this worlde And as for them they shall suffre the peynes of their owne fonde folyshenes Lyue you for your parte without care for any thinge But care for this onely that whan Christe shall come he maye fynde you readyly prepared of him depende you entierlye with all youre hartes Yf you haue nede of any thinge truste not to the helpe of the worlde but call vpon god with continuall supplicacions and make your moane to him with feruent desires whan you require any thing And geue him thankes what so euer chaunceth to you prosperitie or aduersite beynge certainlye assured that he wyll also turne your aduersitie into prosperitie For he knoweth well ynoughe what is profytable for you althoughe you aske nothynge But yet he loueth to be called vpon with suche manner of intercessions he loueth to be entreated and as it wer enforced with godly besechinges And so the peace wherby you are reconsyled vnto god beyng a thing of more gracious efficacie than mannes reason is hable to perceaue shall strengthen your hartes and your consciences against all terrouts that can possiblye happen in this worlde For what should that man be afraied of whiche knoweth that God loueth him dearly through Iesus Christ Therfore lyke as I woulde haue you without care of those thinges wherwith this worlde either flattereth or maketh afrayed â–ª euen so you must applye your selues with all your diligent endeuours to ware â—iche in vertues whiche maye make you acceptable to God The texte ¶ Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer thinges are true what soeuer thinges are honâ—â—â— whatsoeuer thinges are iust what soeuer thinges are pure what soeuer thinges are coÌ„â—â—nyent what soeuer thinges are of honeste reporte yâ— there be any vertue yâ— there be any prayse of lernynge those same haue ye in youre mynde whiche ye haue both learned and receaued hearde also and sene in me those thinges dâ— and the God of peace shal be with you I reioyce in the Lorde greatly that nowe at the last youre â—are is reuyued againe for me in that wherin ye were also carefull but ye lacked oportunitie I speake out because
immortall life it foloweth of necessitie that we ought to beleue also that god the father whiche raysed vp Iesus wil also bring with him those that professed Iesus and slept in the assured truste of his promyses alyue agayne at the commyng of his sonne so as the heade shal not wante his membres We bable not vnto you an humayne fable but we tell you the thyng that we learned of Christe hymselfe that is to wete that we whiche shall be founde remaining aliue in this world at the lordes cōming shal not be presented in the sight of Iesus before that they whiche were dead afore be presented also Some wil saye how shall it be possible for them to be presented that were buried and turned into duste Euen the Lorde Iesus himselfe by the voyce of the aungell soundyng out of heauen with the trompette of God shal rayse them vp and warne them to awake and come quickly And than suche as had slept in this hope shall returne agayne vnto lyfe and ryse out of theyr graues And that doen we that shall remayne and bee founde alyue in the cumming of Christ shall be sodainly taken vp together with them that are raised againe vnto life through the cloudes that wē may mete the Lorde in the ayer And from thence he shal carrye vs with him into heauen to liue with him perpetuallie Now therfore see you comfort euery one another with these sayinges so as the death of the godly vere you not to sore inasmuche as it is more worthy gratulacions and reioycinges than your sorowfull lamentacions The .v. Chapter The texte Fynally of the tymes and seasons brethren it is no neade that I wryte vnto you ▪ for ye your selues knowe perfectly that the daye of the Lorde shall come euen as a thefe in the nyght For when they shal saye peace and al thynges are safe then shal soden destruccyon come vpon them as sorow commeth vpon a woman trauaylyng with chylde they shal not scape But ye brethren are not in darcaenes that that daye should come on you as a thefe NOw you haue the manier and ordre of the resurreccion inasmuche as it was conuenient for you to knowe it But as for the tymes and the very seasons whan these thinges shal be it is no parte of our office to write vnto you And it is so vnauayleable that euen the lord himself would open no suche thyng vnto his disciples whan they demaunded it of hym For you knowe playnlye and we haue taught you before that the daye of the Lorde shal come sodaynely vpon the world vnloked for euen as a thefe in the night breaketh in vpon them that are aslepe and shall ouerlaye them that are careles than moste chiefely whan it shall be the least loked for For whan suche as beleue not the ghospel shal saye in theyr moste Ioylytie there is no daungier but all is peace and safe the Lord wyll not come than theyr destruccion shall come sodainlye vpon them like as a woman with childe is sodainly payned with sorowe in her trauayle before the daye commeth that she loked for And they shall haue no waye to escape oppression before they fele it sodainly vpon them That daye shall be a dreadful daye to them that beyng blynded in theyr owne viciousnes leade their lyfe as it were in the night but vnto you brethren it is not so dreadefull leste it should take you vnprouyded The texte Ye are all the chyldren of lyght and the chyldren of the daye We are not of the nyght nether of darkenes Therfore let vs not slepe as do other but let vs watche and be sober For they that slepe slepe in the night and they that be drōcken are droncken in the nyght But let vs whiche are of the daye be sober armed with the brest place of fayth and loue with hope of saluacion for an helmet For God hath not appoynted vs to prouoke wrath vnto oure selues but to obtayne saluacyon by the meanes of oure Lord Iesu Chryst which dyed for vs that whether we wake of slepe we should lyue together with hym Wherfore comforte your selues together and edifye euery one another euen as ye do For all you that folowe Christe belong not to the kyngdome of darkenes but to the kyngdome of light and of god namely yf oure diligence of godlynesse be aunswerable to our profession and yf we lyue so as it maye appere that we watche in the dayelight and not lye snourtyng in darkenesse Therfore if we wil not be taken vnwares let vs not sleape as other do that haue no knowlage of Christes lyght but let vs watche and be sobre taking alwayes circumspect hede that we cōmit nothing through vnaduisednesse that maye offende the iyes of God and men For like as they that slepe after the bodie sleape in the night and those that are wynedrunken are drunken in the night euen so those that yawne and slumbre in naughtinesse are occupied in darkenesse of the soule and those that are drunken with the lustes daliaunces of the worlde are entangled with darkenes of the mynde But as for vs vnto whom the daie of the gospel hath cast his light it standeth vs in hande to be sobre and watchyng alwayes prepared and ready agaynst the sodayne assaulte of the enemie that kepeth continuall watche for oure destruccion and to be harnessed with spirituall armour In steade of a breste plate to put on fayth and charitie for the helmet hope of eternall saluacion And than shall you not nede to distruste God will be ready himselfe to defend those that be watching For god hath not called vs to the doctrine of the gospell for this purpose that lyuing otherwyse than it maketh mencion we should double the wrathe and vengeaunce of God vpon vs but that in obeying hym we might obteyne saluacion by the helpe of our Lorde Iesus Christ who suffred death for vs to the intēt that if it chaunce vs to lyue we maye lyue with hym through godlynesse and hope of immortalitie and if it chaunce vs to dye we maye lyue with hym neuer to dye To thintent that you maye so do more and more encourage euery one other with mutuall exhortacions and styrre one another to goe on forwarde like as you do alreadye euen of your owne accorde The texte We beseche you brethren that ye knowe them which laboure among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lorde and geue you exhortacion that ye haue them in hye repucacion thorow loue for theyr workes sake and be at peace with them Furthermore we beseche you brethren to haue cōsideracion of them that labour among you and haue ouersight of you in teachyng of the ghospell and do admonishe you with what thynges you ought to please Christ that where you are bounden to geue honoure vnto all men yet haue them in regarde aboue others requiting thē the loue that they bestowe vnto you in susteynyng so many laboures and daungiers for your
by an othe and to th entent also that we beeyng stablished in a sure belefe myght haue a strong consolacion in the aduersities of thys worlde we I saye that haue not sette our felicitie in the pleasures of thys presente lyfe but haue fled hytherto to obteyne the hope that is sette before vs in the worlde to come the whiche hope wee holde fast in the meane tyme in the stormes of this worlde as a stedfaste and sure ancre of the soule not fasteued in transitorye thynges but in heauen for that it stretcheth it selfe euen to those thynges that are wythin the vayle whereas no mutacion is but all thynges are stable and euerlastyng Thys is that in warde parte of the temple into the which Iesus Christe runnyng thyther before vs and shewing vs the way hath entred to make intercession for vs vnto the father who is made an hye priest for euer after the ordre as I sayde in the begynnyng of Melchisedech The vii Chapter The texte This Melchisedech kyng of Salem whiche beyng prieste of the moste hye God met Abraham as he returned agayne from the slaughter of the kinges and blessed hym to whoÌ„ also Abraham gaue tythes of al thynges fyrst is called by interpritacion kyng of righteousnes after that kyng of Salem that is to saye kyng of peace withoute father without mother without kynne and hathe neyther beginnyng of dayes ueyther yet ende of lyfe but is likened vnto the sonne of God and contynueth a priest for euer NOwe sens the processe of our wordes hath broughte vs agayne to the mencion of Melchisedech lette vs consider what a man he was by what reason he bare the fygure of our prieste For wee reade that this Melchisedech king of the Citie called Salem was au hye pryest of the most hye God the whiche Melchisedech mette Abraham in hys retourne from the slaughter of the three kynges and blessed hym for his valiaunte acte vnto whome Abraham also gaue tythes of all hys goodes Fyrste Melchisedech by verye interpretacion of name is called the kynge of ryghteousnesse then by the tytle of his kyngdome he is called kyng of Salem that is to saye kyng of peace who as it is said had neyther father nor mother nor pedigrew nor begynning of dayes nor end of lyfe But of hym it is spoken whiche verelye agreeth wyth the sonne of god that he contineweth a prieste for euer And so farfoorth eueryethyng agreeth derye well wyth our hye pryeste Christ who ordained the kyngdome of ryghtuousnesse who is the prynce of peace who as touchyng his deitye had neither father in earth nor mother whose pedigrew no manne is hable to declare who had neyther begynnyng nor shall haue ending whose priesthoode continueth for euer and purifyeth all that beleue in hym vnto the worldes ende Nowe let vs consider the dignitie of the same Melchisedech and ho we farre he excelled the pristes of Moses lawe Abraham so greate a patriarke dyd not onley vouchesafe to receyue blessyng of hym after he had sleyne the kynges but also gaue hym tythes of the syoyles The texte Consider what a man this was vnto whome also the patriarke Abraham gaue tithes of the spoyles And verelye those children of Leui whiche receyue thoffice of the priestes haue a commauÌ„dement to take according to the lawe tithes of the people that is to saye of theyr brethren yea thoughe they sprong out of the loynes of Abraham But he whose kinred is not counted among them receiued tithes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promises And no man denyeth but that he whiche is lesse receyueth blessyng of hym whiche is greater And here men that dye receiue tithes But there he receiueth tithes of whom it is witnessed that he liueth And to say the trueth Leuy himselfe also which vseth to receiue tithes payed tithes in Abraham For he was yet in the loynes of hys father when Melchisedech mette Abraham And the lawe of Moyses commaunded this that they whiche came of the linage of Leui shoulde succede in the ministracion of priesthoode and receiue tithes but of theyr brethren alonely that is to saye of the posteritie of Abraham neither doeth the auctoritie and dignitie of the Leuites stretch any further but Melchisedech where he was an alyaunt from the Iewishe nacion receyued tithes of Abraham the very auctour of the whole nacion and blessed him of whome according vnto Gods promise the nacion of the Iewes shoulde issue It is out of contouersie that the lesse receiueth blessing of the greater For whose blesseth doeth as it were allowe by hys autoritie that whiche is done Nowe thauctoritie to allowe is wont to remayne in the superiour and not in him that is eguall or inferioure And in the tribe of Leui they receiued tithes who were also mortall menne themselues and by whose death thesame auctoritie came vnto other But it is sayde of Melchisedech that he liueth and continueth for euer in the preeminence of perpetuall priesthood To conclude whereas thauctoritie to demaund tithes came from leuy the chiefe priest vnto other priestes yet in that that Abraham payed tythes to Melchisedech it semeth that Leuye also hymselfe was made bonde to paye tythes notwythstandyng that he was wonte to receyue the same of other Therefore as they are counted of lesse authoritie that paye tythes vnto Leuy so was Leuy inferioure vnto Melchisedech vnto whome he gaue tythes Some man wyll here saye howe gaue he tythes who was not yet borne at what tyme Melchisedech mette Abraham But forasmuche as the posteritie is in manoure counted to bee in the auctoure of the nacion therfore I sayed after this intelleccion that Leuy who came of Abraham gaue tithes vnto Melchisedech The texte If nowe therefore perfeccion came by the priesthood of the leuites for vnder that priesthood the people receyued the lawe what neded it furthermore that another priest shoulde ryle to bee called after the ordre of Melchisedech and not after the ordre of Aaron For yf the priesthood bee translated then of necessitie must the lawe be translated also For he of whome these thinges are spoken pertaineth vnto an other tribe of whom neuer man serued at the aultare For it is euidente that our Lorde sprong of the tribe of Iud a of which tribe spake Moses nothing concerning priesthod And it is yet a mere euideÌ„t thing it after the similitude of Melchisedech there arise an other priest which is not made after the lawe of the carnall commaundemente but after the power of the endeles lyfe For after this maner doth he testifie thou art a priest foreuer after the ordre of Melchisedeche Then the commaundemente that wente afore is dissanulled because of weakenes and vnprofitablenesse Yf so be that perfyte religion and holinesse dyd depende vpon the Lâ—â—iticall priesthood as it semeth vnto the Iewes because the lawe was geue vnder Aaron who was of the trybe of Leuy what needed then agayne another priest to rise who as it is writen in
from the loue whereof he hathe delyuered you with so greate a price he alone is sufficient to accomplishe all thynges What is the cause than that you aske of the worlde parte of youre blessednes Doe you not knowe that God hateth them that halte on bothe sydes He can not abyde a seruaunte that is not contente to serue one onely maister What maried manne is so pacient that canne suffre hys enemye goynge about to wowe hys wyfe to come in her company And haue you thought it possyble for you to please bothe the worlde and God at ones Doe you not vnderstande that like as a wife if she couple her selfe to an whoremonger falleth quite awaye from the loue of her husbande euen so a Christian if â—e assaye to haue frendshyp agayne with the worlde doeth vtterly receaue vnfrendshyp with God who hathe no concord with the worlde This therfore take for a certayntye whosoeuer studyeth to be loued of this world in the same his so doing he maketh him selfe an enemye vnto God There is no concorde betwene lyght and darkenes nor betwene God and Belial A maried husbande can not abyde hys wyfe to be playing with an whoremonger he canne not suffre the loues of wedlocke to be deuyded in partes though he haue maryed a woman of greate possessyon though he haue maried a gentilwoman borne though he haue maryed a woman of neuer so greate wealthe in all thynges And wyll Chryste suffre hys spouse whome he hathe saued from destruccion whome he hathe set at libertye from bondage whome he hathe washen from the fylthynes of synne whome whan she was naked he hathe clothed whome whan she was poore he hathe richely endowed with so many free gyftes to haue a doo with the aduouterer the deuill Thinke you it is written in the holy scriptures for naught that the spirite whiche dwelleth in you lusteth vnto enuie In the lawe of Moses somwhat was geuen to mannes affeccyons they myght without punyshmente hate theyr enemye it was lawfull for them to set theyr forcastes vpon muckryng vp of riches he was taken for no vniuste manne that requitte violence with violence and one despightfull worde with an other But the spirite of the Gospell which now dwelleth in you is full of gelosie and as I may so speake enuious he requireth more for he wyll bee vehemently loued agayne so that for hys sake he will haue wife chyldern yea and euen lyfe contemned He canne not abyde to haue his resting house defyled with worldly lustes he requireth pure cleane thinges he requireth heauenly thynges he leapeth backe he runneth away he is offended if a manne bring the sluttish filthynes of thys world in to hys temple Howbeit like as he requireth of vs a certayne exceadynge greate loue and a greate deale purer loue than Moses lawe dooeth euen so it geueth a more plenteous grace It is a very hard matter to accomplysh that it requireth but it geueth strength to thys ende that we maye easylye doo it There is nothynge harde to the louing willer This same is hys gyfte that we shoulde loue him or rather loue him agayne He drewe vs with hys loue fyrst and whan we were turned from hym he reconciled vs agayn vnto hym He will encrease hys giftes in vs in case we geue our selues all together and wholy vnto him if we depend of hym onely and of none but him if we haue nothyng a doe with this worlde nor with the deuill the prynce of the worlde Whan I speake of the world I meane nothyng elles but wicked gredy lustes of vysyble thynges wherin thys worlde promyseth a certayne false feyned felicitie They are great matters that are required but thei be greater matters that are promised He that is hable lyberally to geue myghty greate thynges the same is hable also to geue encrease of strength he that wil largely geue excellent thinges to them that deserue naught the same will vouchesafe also to geue encrease of strength to them that bee weake Only let vs distruste oure owne helpes and the helpes of this worlde and repose all our whole hope and assured confidence in hym He forsaketh them that arrogauntly truste in theyr owne substaunce and he succoureth them that ascribe nothing to them selues but trust wholy to the goodnes of God In dede thys is the thynge that the lorde spake in tymes paste by Salomon God resisteth the stately hygh mynded and stoute but he bestoVVeth his fauour Vnto the meke and poore castaVVayes The texte Submyt youre selues therfore to God but resyste the deuyll and he wyll flye from you Drawe â—ye to God and he will drawe nye to you Clense youre handes ye synners and pourge your hertes ye wtâ—ueryng mynded Suffer afflyccions and mouâ—â—e and wepe Let poure laughter be tourned to mournynge and youre ioye to heuynes Dumble youre selues in the syght of the Lorde and he shall lyft you vp Backbyte not one another brethren He that backbyteth hys brother and he that iudgeth his brother backbyteth the lawe and iudgeth the lawe But and it thou iudge the lawe thou arte not an obseruer of the lawe but a iudge There is one lawe geuer and iudge whiche is able to saue and to destroye What art thou that iudgest another Go to now ye that saie to date and to moâ—owe let vs gooe into suche a cytye and contynue there a yeare and bye and sell and wynne and yet cannot ye tell what shal happen on the morowe For what thinge is your lyfe â–ª It is euen a vapour that apeareth for a lytell tyme and then vanisheth a waye For that ye ought to saye yf the Lorde wyll and yf we lyue let vs do this or that But nowe ye reioyce in youre boastinges All suche reioysing is euyll Therfore to hym that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne God would haue you to be most fast ioyned to him shewe your selues obedient as the wife obeyeth her husbande And if the deuill gooe about to diuorce you from the loue of him dryue awaye the aduouterer deuill with his iuggling knackes and he shall geue ouer greuing you He shal be afraied of you if he see you stedfaste and constaunt in the loue of youre brydgrome Christ Therfore disseuer your selues from him whether he feare you or speake you faire and in godly studies and in holy and chast purposes apply your selues to God and he shall applie him selfe to you agayne Whiche waye so euer the lustes of mynde doo leane thider you goe If affeccions carie you vnto honestie and vnto heauenlynes you goo vnto God but and if they drawe you to the enticementes of the fleshe you ryde poste to the deuil You ought euermore to make haste to all one selfe same waye and not to wauer now hither nowe thider If you doo acknowlage Christe to be youre brydesgrome it is requysite that you be cleane Therfore you that yet hitherto are soyled in the filthie puddle of synnes make cleane your
thankes to him that sate on the seate whiche lyueth for euer and euer the foure and twentye elders fel downe before him that sate on the trone worshypped him that lyueth for euer cast their crownes before the trone sayinge thou arte worthye O lorde our god to receaue glorye and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy wylles sake they are were created One creature geueth euermore occasion to another to knowe and to honour by al meanes possyble the vnsearcheable highe maiesty power wysoome and mercy of the onely creatour and maker al the world knowledgyng al goodnes that can be founde or sene in all maner of creatures to come onely of God whiche is the well sprynge of all goodnes And for that cause he is onely to be honored inuocated and feared with all reuerence and submission as muche as euer is possible for al creatures to performe which haue all that they haue what soeuer it be lyfe power actiuite and altogether of god and can ascribe nothing that good is vnto them selues The .v. Chapter The texte ¶ And I sawe in the right hande of him that sate in the trone a boke wryten within and on the backe syde sealed with seuen seales And I sawe a stronge aungell whiche preached with a loude voyce Who is worthy to open the boke and to lose the seales therof And no man in heauen nor in erth nether vnder yâ— erth was able to open yâ— boke nether to loke theron And I wepte muche because no man was founde worthy to open to reade yâ— boke nether to loke theron And one of the elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde a lyon of the trybe of Iuda the rote of Dauid hath optayned to open the boke to loce the seuen seales therof THis boke in the hande of god is the holy scripture and doctrine of god inspired by the holy goost written thorowe the prophetes sealed vp and vnknowen vnto all men whiche wyll enterpryse to reade and interprete it after their naturall reason and after the capacyte of their owne suttyll wittes onely whether it be after the spirituall sence or after the very letter For yâ— which cause fewe of the cyuyll and polytique learned men geuen altogether vnto worldly wysedom dyd euer but lytle medle with this booke or beare any minde vnto it And therfore Ezechiel and Daniel were commaunded to set a locke vpon it notwithstandynge that this booke is the truth necessarye and profytable for al the electe children of god to beleue But that man alone and none els can open this booke at all tymes whiche hath the spirite of Christ neyther dyd any other euer open it from the begynnynge For lyke as Christ was alwayes present with the Patriarkes and Prophetes in al suche thinges as concerned his honour rulynge instructyng yâ— faythful churche thorow faythe Euen so was the spirite of god present in all the electe plentyfullye to directe them in al matters concerning the necessitie of their saluacion althoughe secretly not manyfestly Wherfore truly this booke is shut vp vnto all worldly and natural reason not onely vnto the heathen but also vnto the fleshely Iewes with their stony hartes as the most part of them were and vnto all suche as without the spirite of Christe doe enterpryse to medle with the wrytinges of holy scripture And therfore Iohn bewayleth the ignoraunce and blyndnes of the Iewyshe people and that not without a cause But yet this comforte hath he that it wyll amende and be better at suche tyme as the spirite of Christe thorowe the merytes of the death and passion of Christ shall take awaye the blyndnes of all maner of errours bothe of the heathen and of the Iewes And then thorowe the spirite of god in the apostles shall be opened the mysteries of the holy gospel which were hidden in tholde testament not onely vnto the good Iewes but also vnto the heathen whersoeuer they dwel in yâ— world This hath Iesus Christ yâ— sauiour of yâ— world deserued brought to passe with his lyonyshe might with his shepâ—she symplicitie mekenes with his pacience wyllyng passion eueÌ„ according as the prophetes dyd tell signifie long before And specially Iacob in his blessing ouer the trybe of Iuda For the which cause Christ is called a Lion of yâ— tribe of Iuda And he is also named of Esay and of other prophetes of Dauids stocke As S. Mathew declareth in the genealogie of the birth of Christ yâ— he is not onely the sonne of Abraham and Iacob but also the sonne of Dauid The texte ¶ And I behelde lo in the myddes of the seate of the foure beastes in the myddes of the elders stode a lambe as thoughe he had bene kylled hauynge seuen hornes seueÌ„ eyes which are the seuen spirites of god sent inâ—o al the world And he came toâ—e the boke our of the right hande of him that sate vpon the seate And when he had taken the boke yâ— foure beastes .xxiiii. elders fell downe before the lambe hauyng euery one of them harpes golden vyalles full of odoures which are the prayers of sainctes and they songe a newe longe saying thou art worthy to take the boke to open the seales thereof for thou wast killed and hast redemed vs by thy bloude our of al kinredes tonges people nacions and hast made vs vnto oure god kynges and priestes and we shall raygne on the earthe By the declaracion of the wordes before maye this that foloweth wel euideÌ„tly be vnderstande Euen as yâ— foure euangelistes haue described Christ to be the lambe yâ— was woryed slayne ful of the giftes of yâ— holy goost accordynge vnto the nomber of yâ— seueÌ„ principal articles of our christen faith coÌ„cerning Christ namely of his manhode his passion his buriall his resurreccioÌ„ his ascensioÌ„ the sendynge of the holy goost his coÌ„mynge at the latter daye to iudge the whole worlde All whiche articles are spred a brode knowe vnto the whole world and once receyued thorowe the gospel preaching of the Apostles And thus is the desyre of al the holy patriarkes prophetes fulfilled whiche desyred nothinge more hartely thaÌ„ the manifestacion of the honour of god the true knowledge loue religion of the very true onely one god Whiche thing is come to passe thorow the spreadyng abrode of the gospel thus is the swete smellyng oblacioÌ„ of thanckes geuynge institute begon in al the world all maner of old stynekyng ydolatry is abolyshed And thorowe Christe his holy Apostles the true honour and religion of god is spred abrode preserued And the synne of al the world is cleane wyped away thorow the bloude of Christ once offered vpoÌ„ the crosse And the errors and supersticion of al people with all false seruice of god is vtterly suppressed the rightuousnes of the true faith is restored the
clothed with a cloude and the raynebowe vpon his hed And his face as it were yâ— Sunne and his feâ—e as it were pyllers of fyre and he had in his hande a lytle boke open and he put his right fote vpon the sea and his lefte fote on the yearth And cried with a loude voyce as when a Lion roreth And when he had cried vii thonders spake their voyces And when the seuen thonders had spoken their voyces I was about to write And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Seale vp those thinges which the. vii thonders spake and write theÌ„ not THis strong angel can sygnifye none other thing but our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche reueled suche a vision vnto S. Iohn for the profyte and comfort of the faithfull churche and congregacion and for a warnyng vnto the synfull world For he it is whiche in suche an euil tyme and in suche great perplexyte and dangerous warrefare of the christen churche vpon earth commeth downe from heauen to ayde and succour it according vnto his promes And he appeareth vnto S. Iohn euen as thoughe he were commynge downe from heauen clothed with a very manyfest and visible cloude whiche signifyeth his holy manhode euen as he went vp also vnto heauen and dwelleth with vs with his grace ayde and prouydence The raynebowe sygnifieth his heauenly imperious crowne and his gracious gouernauÌ„ce ouer his faithful electe for the whiche he is carefull and sorowfull with mercye and daylye ayde in all thinges necessarye and expedient for them His face and countenaunce is bryght pleasant and full of mercye euen lyke vnto the sonne For he himselfe is the sonne of the worlde that is to saye the comfort delyght ioye and felicitie of all faithful And againe mighty stronge and rightuous in all his iudgementes towardes yâ— godlesse and wicked whiche he stampeth in peces and burneth them with fire that can neuer be quenched This same Iesus Christ our Lorde and sauiour is come againe from heauen with his lytle meke euangelycall booke namely with the newe testament in the whiche the olde is also comprehended This booke is contemptuous and of no estimacion vnto the sage wyse philosophers highe lerned doctors and pompous proude prelates in so muche that it was cleane lost out of the tempelles for a great space euen as it was in yâ— tyme of Ieremye the prophete beyng songe yearely in their monasteries colleges as their vowes and rules wherunto they were sworne required but without all maner of vnderstandynge or feruentnes of the spirite whiche should be sought and necessarilie required in holy scripture This boke dothe Christ bring â–ª being garnisshed not outwardly with golde siluer and precious stones for a face and a shewe onely so that no man can reade in it as thoughe it were sufficient onely to kysse it but he shal bring it open that euery man maye reade and vnderstaÌ„de it in their owne mother tong and also in all scholes where children are taught He it is that is come into this worlde and hath set his feete vpon al the earth and also in the Iles of the sea whiche were before vnknowen â–ª euen lyke as the true faithe also was which was readyly ioyfully receyued of them whiche before knewe nothing at all and were more ignorant and vnlearned than they that came from the grecians and Romaynes Whiche thing maye be vnderstanden by the left and the right foote And what maye better be vnderstanden by the loude voyce than the great noyse which the holy Byble maketh at suche tyme as it is spred abrode in all speches and tonges ouer hundrethes and thousandes of people in so short tyme to the great wonder and meruell of all faithfull and to the hyghe furtheraunce and edyfieng of the christen doctrine and of the knowledge of God and to the vtter confusion and feare of the whole diuilyshe and hellyshe flocke and congregacion euen as a Lyon of the stocke of Iuda And immediately therupon came vii thonders that is to saye the moost godly and christen interpreters of holy scripture were famous throughout the whole worlde as were these Ambrose Austen Ierom Gregory Cypriane Hylarie and diuerse other whiche in our tyme haue written and taught as excelleÌ„tly and profytablye in the churche and congregacion of Christ as euer they dyd These haue taught and brought into lyght the worde of God very purely and sincerely notwithstandyng whatsoeuer the schole writers and sophysters the pompous byshops and monkyshe mumry haue many yeres decreed dyuised to the contrary with their vncerten and vnstable doctrine fayned ceremonyes fonde tradicions newe strange articles of the faythe whiche haue no grounde in gods worde and cleane contrarye bothe to the vsage and also to the doctrine of the holy auncient fathers in the prymatiue churche And where it is nowe added that it shoulde not be written what these thonders spake let other vnderstande it as they wyll I thinke and coniecture that it is a prophecye of the noble and excellent gyfte of God yâ— science of Prynting geuen first vnto the Germaynes whiche were estemed the moost rude and barbarous people By and thorowe whome not onely the newe testament hath bene renewed interpreted translated euen out of the very naturall fountaine tong wherin it was wrytten but also the whole olde testament out of yâ— holy Hebrew tong Besydes this all these before named many other teachers and wryters of the holy churche went first out into the worlde and bothe with worde and deede noysed abrode the power of the gospell so that the renewynge therof can not be ascribed vnto those onely whiche preache and teache in our tyme but vnto the holy bysshops of the primatyue churche whiche preached and taught first of all throughout the whole christendome where as now all our bysshops for the moost parte are domme and blynde in all godly doctrine vtterly drowned in worldly pompe lustes pleasures and in all wicked dyssolutenes The texte ¶ And the Angell whiche I sawe stande vpon the sea vpon the earth lyfte vp his hande to heauen and sware by him that lyueth for euer more whiche created heauen the thinges that therin are and the sea and the thinges whiche therin are that there should be no lenger tyme but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shall begynne to blowe euen the mysterye of God shal be fynished as he preached by his seruauntes the prophetes Christe taketh anothe and sweareth by God his heauenly father euen with great earnest feruencye and holynes that the tyme of his glorious laste comminge to iudge all the worlde bothe quicke and dead is nowe alreadye nighe and at hande And whan the victorye that was prophecyed to be fulfylled of Antichrist which victorye the seuenth angel Christ him selfe or his spirite that was yet to come in Helyas before the last daye must blowe forth accordinge vnto his office were once past than
as muche as they dyd performe and obey his wyll transgressinge the seconde commaundement of ymages and strange goddes which is eueÌ„ as muche as to serue the deuil This euil and wounde was healed longe before of the godlye Emperour Constantine and of the holy bysshoppes throughout the whole christendome and nowe this deuyll bringeth it againe into the churche vnder a pretence of holines out of yâ— which pretence did spring departinge from the faithe and decaye of loue as the Chronicles testifie What wonderfull tokens haue bene wrought in the papacie and to what ende Christ him selfe dyd prophecye longe agoe vnto his disciples and gaue them warning of them Vnto this seconde beaste muste ymages be made euen accordinge vnto the pleasure of the dragon and as the papacye wyll haue it without any respecte whether it be conformable vnto the worde of God or good and profitable for the conscience and soule of man or no. The texte ¶ And he had power to geue a sprete vnto the ymage of the beast and that the ymage of the beaste should speake and should cause that as many as woulde not worship yâ— ymage of the beaste shoulde be kylled And he made all bothe small and great riche and poore fre and bonde to receaue a marke in their right handes or in their forheades And that no man might by or sell saue he that had the marke or the name of the beaste other the nomber of his name Here is wysdome Let him that hath witte counte the nomber of the beaste â—or it is the nomber of a man and his nomber is syxe hundred three score and syxe This bringethe the dragon to passe to establyshe and confirme the worshipping of ymages whiche began to doe miracles and dyd speake to the great wonder of all men somtyme with the helpe of nicromancie the science of the deuyll by the whiche science many of them came vnto the papacye as their owne stories doe testyfie Out of this dothe it folowe afterwarde that whoso euer wyll not worship this ymage the same must dye euen as the papacye wyll haue it yet vntyll this daye And with parcialite geue them markes that is excommunicate them and dysherite them of their kyngdomes and heretages suche as wyll not worshyppe and honour their ymages Here must men speake warely and circumspectly that they dysplease no man that they maye enioye lyfe bodye estimacion and goodes quietly But goddes worde and wyll commaundeth otherwyse and is an other maner of wysdome God willeth that this beastes nomber and errour shoulde haue an ende Reken from the yeare of our Lorde a thousande v. hundreth and .xx. backewarde this nomber of .vi. hundreth .iii. score and .vi. yeares and looke what tyme it was thaÌ„ with the popes and the Emperours ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter The texte ¶ And I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with him an hundred and xliiii thousande hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheades And I heard a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thounder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harping with their harpes HEre foloweth what rewarde they shall haue whiche folowe not this horned beast nor them that worship it The lambe vpon the mount Sion is our Sauiour Christ rulinge and gouerning in his holy christen churche and sorowing for his faithful elect This great nomber after the customable vse of the scripture sygnifieth the infinite and exceadinge great nomber of gods elect from the beginninge of the worlde vntil the ende therof vnknowen vnto the whole worlde Althoughe the nomber of the wicked and damned sorte be also a great nomber These electe are they whiche without feare shame or compulsion haue confessed knowledged honoured spred furth noysed abrode preached and taught the name of the heauenly father before all the worlde against all the spyte and resistinge of the deuyll of all his ministers and of the wicked worlde The texte ¶ And they song as it were a new song before the seate before the foure beastes and the elders no man coulde learne yâ— song but the hondred foure fourtye thousande whiche were redemed from the earth These are they whiche are not defiled with wemen for they are virgins These folow the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redemed from men beynge the first frutes vnto God and to the lambe and in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spot before the trone of god This heauenly voice and moost pleasaunt musycke is the incessaunt continuall and endles prayse thankesgeuinge reioysinge mirthe and ioye of all faithfull and blissed in eternall blisse in the kingdome of God and of our lord and sauiour Iesus Christ For they syng a new song of a newe benifite grace and acte of God whiche hathe fulfylled in Christ in tyme conuenient and before ordeyned and appointed that thing whiche from the beginninge of the worlde was promised vnto all holy patriarkes and olde fathers and loked for of all people and nacions and beleued vpon vnto saluacion of the electe whiche are redemed with the deare pryce of the most precious heart bloude of Christ shed vpon the crosse in the earth These electe confessours and singers of laudes and prayses vnto God are they whiche are not defyled with earthly vnsemely pleasures of this worlde more delighting in fleshly lustes and filthines than in any right godly and christen loue of gods worde and heueÌ„ly vertues chast thoughtes or right godly doctrine and ceremonies in the exercyse wherof they shoulde haue suffred no maner of pleasure care or loue of any transitorye thing to haue hyndred them For this cannot be vnderstanded of any suche bodily chastitie or virginitie as religious parsons Monkes Nonnes Priestes Deacons suche other haue pretented falsely made their boast of vnto the world whiche hath be founde to be so rare and so groslye broken and negligeÌ„tly kept and so wonderfull seldome geuen of God vnto the vowers therof And thoughe it were kept yet was it not profitable and necessarye vnto the right christen and godly relygion and gods seruice of the Apostles whiche is onely praysed and commended in yâ— gospel and of S. Paule Would God there were lesse of suche wylde grosse and wanton chastitie and virginitie but lytle praysed of the most auncient holy fathers Oh that it wer lykewyse lesse extolled and estemed of the fathers of our time seyng it hath bene so great a blot vnto Christes true religion Here might muche be said and muche more be lamented our Lord graunt that it may sone be amended and redressed These holy frendes of God as Enoche Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Iudas Ioseph Dauid Moyses and Aaron These patriarkes and prophetes I saye yea and without doubt Peter and Paule with other infinite olde holy bysshops are also in this register withal the blissed elect and they are the most pleasaunt and acceptable frute
vnto the lorde desierous of his mercye and grace and beloued of him from euerlastinge and ordeyned vnto his kingdome as ioyfull and desierous first frutes whiche men doe eate with a great lust desire and appetite with highe praise and thankes geuynge as it ought to be Their faithe is so acceptable and pleasant before God as it was geuen them of his plentifull grace that it beyng accompanyed with true loue and hope without the which it can not be decketh and hydeth all thâ—ir synnes howe many howe great and howe greuous so euer they were And vnto them all euyls and misfortunes euen their synnes also and all maner of thinges hapned and ended vnto the best As it hapned vnto Dauid Peter Paule and Marie Magdalene and vnto al holy sainctes and elect sanctified through the bloude of the innocent lambe Christ our sauiour For althoughe all men and all sainctes are synners before God yet for the lambes sake in whome they truste they are reputed without spot and blame before the iudgement seate of God The 〈◊〉 ¶ And I sawe another angell flye in the myddes of heauen hauinge the euerlastinge gospell to preache vnto them that syt and dwell on the earth and to all nacions kynredes and tonges and people saying with a loude voyce Feare God and geue honoure to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worshyp him that made heauen and earth and the sea and fountaines of water And there folowed an other angell sayinge Babilon is fallen is fallen that great citie for she made all nacions drincke of the wyne of her fornicacion The true and faithfull preachers of the holy gospell are ofte called angels as they maye well be Of the whiche the kyng Christ sendeth manye in to the kingdome of heauen accordinge as the state of the worlde at dyuerse times requireth That the holy and sincere doctrine the gospell might sone and frutefully flye throughe the christen churche Whiche thing the wicked dragon doth sore haâ—e and is greuouslye dyspleased therwith and therfore he persecuteth it with muche falsehede and with great power throughe his ministers and deputies And yet notwithstanding the gospell of God remayneth euerlastinglye in his churche euen from the beginninge of the worlde vntyll the ende wherof no man in the worlde can excuse him selfe For the voyce and trueth therof is this bothe open and cleare that God onely is the lorde and that we must serue him in trueth and innocencye of lyfe and shewe all loue and trueth towarde our neighbour as the very naturall reason teacheth and all right and pure consciences lyghtned with gods worde do confesse And the loude voyce of the gospell soundeth thus Feare God as godly children doe their moost louynge father honour him onely for all grace and goodnes can come from none but from him onely and feare his iust and rightuous iudgement that it be not resisted against all wickednes vngodlines vngraciousnes And worship him onely with inuocacion that hath made heaueÌ„ and earth and al that is therin Against this gospell dothe the dragon euermore speake with his first borne and eldest sonne Antichristes whiche syns Caims tyme hath euer continued euen vntyll the aduersaries whiche at this tyme doe openly resist the manifest and open knowen trueth because they thincke and imagine that it wyll be an hinderauÌ„ce vnto their pompe pryde vngodly and abhominable lyuinge But this trueth and worde of God can not be hindered nor suppressed Soner and rather must all that fall and be destroyed whiche the dragon hath imagined and dyuised against this lambe the worde of God against this trueth and against all maner of right godlynes as well the Babilonicall confusion as all maner of wycked lawes and decrees and all maner of falsehede and tyrannye The holy gospell rightly vnderstande shall beate downe confounde and vtterly destroye that cursed and abhominable Babilon how mightye and strong so euer it hath bene for the great whoredome wherof she hath made all the worlde to drincke is nowe come to lyght and knowen The texte ¶ And the thirde angell folowed them saying with a loude voyce If any man worship the beast and his ymage and receaue his marke in his forheade or on his hande the same shall drincke the wyne of the wrathe of God whiche is powred in the cuppe of his wrath And he shal be punyshed in fire and brymstone before yâ— holy angels and before the lambe And the smoke of their tormente ascendeth vp euermore And they haue no rest daye nor night whiche worshyp the beast and his ymage and whosoeuer receaueth the print of his name Here is the pacience of sainctes Heare are they that kepe the commaundementes and the faith of Iesu Here foloweth the iudgement and sentence of God against all them whiche worship this beast of Antichrist resisting and withstandinge the gospell and enuye and hate the lambe and wil robbe him of his honour dewe vnto him and wyll dyffeate Christ of his kingdome whiche God the father hath geuen him that he shoulde be kynge of all kynges and also an euerlasting onely priest and immortall whome Antichrist with his .ii. hornes goeth aboute studieth to banysshe expell and ouerthrowe and to set him selfe vp in the temple of the christeÌ„ churche as thoughe Christ shoulde nothinge care for his churche but were absent and had forsaken it and had broken his promisse And as thoughe the gospell were in his I meane Antichristes power and in suche an hart as is rather possessed with a deuyll of pryde infydelitie and of abhominable presumpcion to condemne the holy gospel and to stablyshe and set vp al suche thinges as maye subuerte and ouerthrowe the gospell as ydolatreous and supersticious ymages to be honoured in the churche hethenishe ceremonies onely inuented for pompe couetousnes pleasure pastime and to bleare and deceaue the simple He geueth vnto his sworne champions his marke of supersticious orders wherwith he bewitcheth and inchanteth them wherof neyther S. Peter nor S. Paule neuer made mencion nor neuer knewe And besydes this he byndeth them with a wicked othe and a deuillyshe vowe against all godlynes and all to confirme and stablyshe his pompe and abhominable pryde against all heauenly and earthlye power institute and ordeyned of god without all maner of shame and feare Al they whiche consent vnto this damnable beast or eyther worship or maynteyne him they shall surely suffer the wrathe of God whiche is alreadye prepared in the Babilonicall cup powred out of God and redye at hande wherof they shall drincke not onely in the botomles pit of hell but also euen here in this worlde accordinge to the effecte and doctrine of gods worde and to the preachinge of the holy prophetes of Christ him selfe and of the apostles with as muche shame opprobry and destruccion as is possyble for them to haue in this worlde And yf their vnrepentant harte shall heape vnto them selues the treasure of yâ— wrath of God goyng forwarde in
after the manifest ioyfull preachinge of the gospell as muche as is possible in the whole world whan as both Iewes and Turkes shal become Christen shal prayse thancke the almighty God for suche syngular grace and mercie which hath hitherto bene hindered kept downe with such force and violence by Antichrist As thaÌ„ shal the glory prayse of god increase in yâ— christen churche which is the kingdome of Christ And thorow the gospell promysed vnto Christ the bridegrome â–ª which church as a faithful and deare beloued spouse which here in this world loueth honoureth Christ as muche as she can shall be fylled and satisfied with all goodnes in eternall blisse and saluacion The sylken aray is the innocency of lyfe in this world thorow yâ— grace of Christ and in heauen it is the immortal glorificacion of body soule For than shall man be right blissed whaÌ„ as he shal be fully satisfied in god thorow Christ with aboundaÌ„ce plentuousnes of all benefites and goodnes which can be desiered or wyshed That same is yâ— euerlasting supper of the mariage of Christ wherwith Christ shal honour his electe make them blissed And in al this whiche Iohn seeth in this vision it is said also vnto him yâ— al these thinges visions reuelacions came vnto him from God to the honour of God whiche he as a true faithfull minister should further with al diligence But as Iohn would haue worshipped yâ— parson of yâ— angel whiche spake vnto him yâ— angel would in no wyse suffer him like as no saint neither in heaueÌ„ nor in earth wil suffer any such thiÌ„g nor take it vpoÌ„ theÌ„ nor yet in good worth For god onely must be worshipped froÌ„ whoÌ„e onely al goodnes commeth and must be desired and looked for of him onely The angels wil be takeÌ„ estemed for nothiÌ„g els but for brethreÌ„ freÌ„des felow seruauÌ„tes of yâ— onely one coÌ„mon general lord felowes withal them yâ— beleue in Christ are ready for his sake vnto al goodnes to suffer al maner of thiÌ„ges eueÌ„ vnto death But this is the right perfyte and sure wysedome which the worldly wyse doe not knowe neyther desyre nor regarde The texte ¶ And I sawe heauen open and beholde a white horse and he that sat vpon hym was called faythfull and true in ryghteousnesse dyd iudge make barrell His eyes were as a frame of fire and on his head were many crownes he had a name written that noman knew but he himselfe And he was clothed with a vesture dypt in bloude and his name is called the worde of God And the warriers whiche were in heauen folowed him vpon whyte horses clothed with white pure raynes and out of his mouth went out a sharpe two edged swerde that with it he should smyte the hethen And he shall rule them with a rodde of yron and he trode the wynefat of fearsnes and wrathe of almightie God And hath on his vesture on his thighe a name writteÌ„ King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes The spirite of God must speake with men after the maner of men yf he should be vnderstande And therfore he describeth the maiestie of Christ euen after the maiestie of an Emperour For the highe powers are wont to be honoured euen as Christ is here described with his honour laude and name For he is yâ— word of God wherwith this S. Iohn beginneth his gospel and wherby all thinges are made whiche is also God and manne the obiecte of faith that is to saye the thing wherunto yâ— faith of al electe hath her respecte And he is also the rightuous iudge ouer all that euer is in heauen or in earth whiche hath a fyerye and burning zeale and hate against all wicked whiche contemne and despyse his worde but crowneth all the godly and faithfull with the crowne of his rightuousnes His name is vnknowen vnto all the world the trueth wherof he would not expresse before Pilate and yet trueth gods worde is all one thing This rightuousnes of Christ is signified by the sworde althoughe the worde of God also doth perce thorowe the inwarde harte and mynde of the faithfull as it is written in the .iiii. to the Hebrues But here the sworde is taken for the rightuousnes in gods kyngdome wherwith Christ ruleth the kingdom whych hys father hath geuen hym for his herytage as Dauid sayth For like as he hath ioy in euerlastynge blisse with his wariers hoost that folowe him euen so doth he presse and treade downe all the wicked with eternall damnacion before whome also he trode yâ— presse vntil his vesture was blody But they toke it for a mocke and a folyshe yesâ— as it was vnto the Iewes a slander But yet their knees must bowe vnto him not onely the angels and men in heaueÌ„ and earth but also they that are in hell shall be troden of him with the wrathe of God almightie For without dout he is the king of all kynges and lorde of all lordes The texte ¶ And I sawe an Angel stande soche sonne and he cryed with a loude voyce saying to all the foules that flye by the myddes of heauen come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God that ye maye eate the fleshe of kynges and the fleshe of â—ye captaines and the fleshe of mightie men and the fleshe of horses and of them that syt on them and the fleshe of all fre â—â—â— and bonde men and of small and great And I sawe the beast and the kinges of the earth and their warriers gathered together to make batayle against him that sat on the horse and against his souldiers And the beast was taken and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him with whiche he deceaued them that receaued the beastes marke and them that worshipped his ymage These bothe were cast into a ponde of fire burnynge with brimstone and the remnaunt wer slayne with the swearde of him that sat vpon the horse whiche swearde proceaded out of his mouthe â–ª and all the foules were fulfylled with their fleshe Lyke as Chryst maketh a supper vnto hys chyldren and seruauntes in heauen euen so doth he also beynge the sonne of ryghtuousnes make a supper vnto the deuylles to al dampned sowles In euerlasting supper of al bitternes vnblessydnes wherof they maye eate and be partakers altogether And there is than desperacion hate enuye wrathe and murmuringe againste God and all kyndes of euil whiche are sygnified by corporall thinges accordynge to our capacite and after suche wyse as men maye be most moued therby yâ— they must of necessitie marke and consyder it And it is to be noted that S. Iohn seeth these gestes of the deuell in hell that they are the destrâ—yers of yâ— worlde tyrantes of all maner of degrees the beast with .ii. hornes the dragon false prophete all enemyes of gods trueth religion and of all maner of
of her selfe but of God with all heauenly graces and vertues and with the ornamentes of all perfeccion In this citie of the heauenly and eternall Ierusalem shall the lorde God in Christ dwell as it were with and among his people and deare beloued spowse and well garnyshed or floryshyng bryde with moste hyghe ioye and delyght and endles blisse and felycitie The texte And God shall wipe awaye all teares from their eyes And there shal be nomore death nether sorowe nether criyng nether shall there bee any more payne for the olde thinges are gone And he that sat vpon the seate sayed beholde I make al thinges newe And he sayed vnto me Write for these wordes are faythfull and true And he sayed vnto me it is doen I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ende I wyll geue to hym that is a thirst of the well of the water of lyfe free He that ouercommeth shal inherite all thinges and I wylbe his God and he shal be my sonne Howe and what this blisse shall be can no man expresse But what thynges shall not be there that doeth he declare First there shall be no teares For there shall no maner of aduersitie trouble or vexacion happen vnto any man There is also no maner of decaye nor weakenes neither of the body nor of the soule no maner of sycknes nor infirmitie of complexions no bodyly hurte nor affliccion no dreade nor feare of death no heuy nor greuous temptacioÌ„ no lacke of any thing no myschanuce no weeping nor waylyng nor payne smart nor impediment For in the state of blisse and saluacion is no thought nor sorowe to be taken for any of these thinges For the first and originall occasion of all these miseries the synne of Adam and Eue for whose sake the worlde was created is altogether past and vtterly ceased ended and finyshed together with death and the deuyll thorowe the rightuousnes of our sauiour Christ Thorowe the whiche rightuousnes all mankynde so many as are faithful is reconciled vnto God for euermore Thus hath Christ syttyng vpon the stoole of his kyngdom and glorye ordeyned all thinges newe This must be stedfastlye confessed and beleued of all faithfull christians as an infallyble trueth therfore it is gods commaundement that it shoulde be wrytten for an euerlasting remembraunce for an holsome doctrine and consolacion that all men should beleue the trueth and so beleuynge obteyne blisse and saluacion For this is the ende of all thinges the blisse and saluacion of mankynde in God whiche wyll declare and dystribute his glorye mercye and louynge kyndnes vnto them whiche he hath chosen from euerlasting vnto his honour and glorye whiche is the begynnynge and ende of all thinges that are euer were or euer shal be Vnto all them which in this vale of mysery dyd thirst after rightuousnes and after the glory of god vnto them wyll the grace and fauorable mercye of God gyue the liuing wel and fountayne of all goodnes and the eternal springynge floode of refreshment vnto saluacion and to perpetuall ioy and felicitie in God But these giftes and rewardes must be obteyned with muche labour and trauell yet not properly as desert or merite for suche great euerlastynge rewarde the hyghest goodnes and felicitie can not be purchased with any labour or trauell of man but it must be obteyned and enherited of and by the free grace and mercye of God Vnto them all whiche shall be thus eternally blessed shall Christ the spouse bryde grome of the churche be their Iesus and sauiour and also their God and theyr perfyte satisfaccion in suche maner and wyse that they shall be as his deare children and louyng sonnes and he Christ shall be their father brother God and their euerlastinge kyng and captayne The texte ¶ But the fearfull and vnbeleuynge and the abhominable and murdrers and whormongers and sorcerers and ydolatres and all lyars shal haue their parte in the lake whiche burneth with fyre and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Here foloweth now also the contrary part what Christ the iudge shall ordeine and make with them whiche in this worlde were fearfull and cruell vnto all godly humble and lowly men hiche haue hurte and noyed all men whiche neuer woulde credite nor beleue the holy gospell the holy scripture the euerlastinge worde of God whiche haue handled and dealte abhominably against al kynde and nature and against al loue whiche euen against their natural kynd of very set purpose haue bene murtherers and shedders of innocent bloude whiche haue defyled and stayned the naturall state ordeyned of God with fylthy vnchastnes And haue practised sorcery and witchcrafte contrarye to yâ— honour and lawe of god not without makinge some bande or couenanut with the wicked spirite the arche nemny of God whome they haue serued and obeyed his pleasure and commaundement in setting vp of chapels and altares in seruing honouring worshippinge praying vnto and callynge vpon false goddes vnder the name of sainctes whome they haue sought farre and nere to make their oblacions vnto them against whom the holy prophetes haue alwaies cried out against the false teachers false prophetes and false apostles Theirs and all other lyars and wicked doers part shall be in eternall damnacioÌ„ where nothing is but sorowe angwishe weping and waylyng heuines dystresse delpaite with euerlasting contempt and hatred of God All whiche is the seconde death vnto the whiche men doe come thorowe these forenamed synnes and blasphemies coÌ„mitted in the world without repentance or amendmeÌ„t For the first death is the corporall death of the bodye layed vpon all men of almightye God by reason of synne The texte ¶ And there came vnto me one of the seuen Angels whiche had yâ— seuen vyalles ful of the seuen laste plages and talked with me sayinge come hither I wyll shewe â—hee the bryde the lambes wyfe And he caried me awaie in the spirite to a great and an hye mountaine and he shewed me the great citie holy Ierusalem descending out of heauen from God hauinge the brightnes of God And her shynyng was like vnto a stone most precious euen lyke a Iasper clere as Christ all and had walles great and hye and had twelue gates and at the gates twelue Angels and names wrytten whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of Israel on the East parte thre gates and on the Northsyde thre gates and towardes the Southe thre gates and from the west thre gates and the wall of the citie had twelue foundacions and in them the twelue names of the lambes .xii. apostles Christ is the angell of the great councell whiche thorowe his angels that serue him worketh and bringeth to passe the ordinances of God with punyshmentes and plages of the wicked and vnfaithfull whiche doe hynder and let his ordinances The rewarde dothe he pay him selfe For he him selfe is the rewarde and the crowne of the blessed This Christ our lorde and sauiour talketh here with Iohn his beloued and of a