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
preache except they be sent As it is wrytten howe beautiful are the feete of them whiche bryng tydynges of peace bryng tydinges of good thinges But they haue not al obeyed the gospel For Esai sayth Lord who hath beleued our sayinges â—o then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing cummeth by the worde of God But I aske haue they not hearde No doubt their sounde went out into all landes and theyr wordes into the endes of the worlde In yâ— the prophet sayeth whosoeuer taketh he not away al differeÌ„ce betwixt Iew GeÌ„tile And in yâ— he sayth beleueth wtout meÌ„cion making of circumcision or suche other lyke abolysheth he not vtterlye the ceremonies of the law Fayth only is requyred whom euery man maye equallye enioye and haue And god lykewyse is he whiche is not onely lorde of the Iewes but of all indifferently whose bounteousnes is not so narrow and straite that it can no ferther reache but onlye to the Iewes so that amoÌ„g theÌ„ the same is vtterly worne out but wtout ende is his goodnes pleÌ„tifully flowyng furth not only vpon this nacion or yâ— but vpon all people of any couÌ„trey what soeuer they be so that with a sure trust in god they desyre his helpe The Prophete Micheas also affirmeth the same saying Whosoeuer cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued In the prophetes laying no kynde of men is there excepted But euery maÌ„ whatsoeuer he be be he either Iewe Grecian or of any nacion els yf the same with a sure confidence call vpon the name of god he shal be saued And on the other syde whoso calleth not vpon his name shall vtterly peryshe Nowe vpon hym vseth no man to cal or to desyre his help in whom he hath conceyued no truste But who wyll in hym put any trust of whom he neuer erste heard speake Againe how caÌ„ meÌ„ heare speake of an other vnles ther be some to preache the name of hym whiche is in suche sort unknowen And as for apostles howe can they preache vnles they by hym to whom the gospell apertayneth be sent so to do of whome the same prophet Esai makyng mencion sayeth howe beautiful are the feete of them whiche preache tydynges of peace and bryng tydynges of good thynges By whiche wordes ye heare and perceiue what Christes messengers are commaunded to preache neither circumcision as ye see nor yet kepyng of the Iewyshe Sabboth day but peace whiche after that oure synnes are through fayth forgyuen by mutuall charitie ioyneth vs together in Christ and to preache suche good thynges as because they are of themselfe naturally good are in all tymes and in euery place good And yet notwithstandyng this wonderfull benefite of god which hath so vsed all meanes to call euery nacion to euerlastyng blysse that none is ther but the same hath hearde of the ioyfull tydynges of the gospell all yet beleue not the gospel But that it should so be the same Prophet Esai long before sayde speakyng in the person of the apostles Lord who hath beleued oure sayinges For euen among the Gentiles but very few beleue the gospel if they be coÌ„pared to the multitude of suche as beleue not The briefnes of this our matier shortlye comprised is this then yf calling vpon the name of the lorde worke oure saluacion yf suche as beleue not cal not vpon hym a playne profe is it that fayth is specially required and not circumcision Nowe is not fayth in mannes soule conceyued by experience but by the preachyng of the apostles that is to saye not by the iyes but by the eares throughe whom as meanes the gospell of Christ is powred into the obedient soule Syth now then the bryght beames of the gospell hath lyghtened all the worlde so that Christes name is throughlye knowen what meaneth this that so fewe of the Iewes gyue credence thereto Canne they saye for theyr excuse that they of Christe haue heard nothyng No for nowe se we that fulfilled whiche Dauid prophecied of before wheÌ„ he saide Their sounde went out into al landes and theyr wordes into the endes of the worlde The texte But I demaunde whether Israel did knowe or not Fyrst Moses saythe I wyll prouoke you to enuye by them that are no people by a folyshe nacion I wyl anger you Esai after that is bolde and sayth I am founde of them that sought me not I am manifest vnto them yâ— asked not after me But agaynst Israel he sayth Al day long haue I stretched furthe my handes vnto a people that beleued not but speaketh agaynst me Then sythe Christe so many hundred yeares gone was in prophecies promysed and nowe throughout all the worlde by his apostles mete and conuenient witnesses preached and theyr preachyng with so many miracles confirmed can the Iewes for themselfes colourably saye that they knowe not Christe No for they sawe the lyght but malice blynded theyr iyes They hearde the gospell but rancour and enuy stopped theyr eares Rather had they beare malyce and displeasure agaynste the Gentiles called to euerlastyng saluacion than to folowe theyr fayth Both which two thynges yâ— is to wytte that the Iewes should reiect the ioyful tidynges of gods worde that the GeÌ„tiles should receyue it wer long before prophecied of by Moses also Esai of which two the fyrst in the boke of Deuteronomi in a song maketh the lorde beyng displeased with the vnbeleuyng Iewes this wyse to speake I wyll prouoke you to enuye by a very vile nacion whiche heretofore in comparison of you hath bene acoumpted for no nacion for somuche as ye thynke your selfes to be wyse I wyl anger you with a kynde of people which in your iudgemeÌ„t is folyshe and beastlye therby to make you more enuious And Esai whiche prophecied after Moses tyme without all feare playnly sayeth that god more accepted the Gentiles obedience then the Iewes stubbernes For on this wyse speaketh he in the person of Christe I was found of them that sought me not and playnlye appeared vnto them that asked not after me Suche a glorious witnes beareth god vnto the Gentiles fayth But agaynst the people of Israel whom muche rather it besemed to embrace the fayth of the gospell what sayth streyght after the same Esai Al the daye long haue I stretched furth my handes vnto a people that beleued not I sente them prophetes them murdered they vp my selfe with sundry miracles prouoked them to goodnes in stede of thankes they saied the deuil is in hym and by the power of Beelzebub chief deuyll worketh he these wunders My humblenes they despised and my myghtie power toke they in a wrong sence The .xi. Chapiter The texte ¶ I saye then hath god caste awaye his people God forbid For euen I also am an Israelite of the seede of AbrahaÌ„ of the tribe of Beniamin God hathe not caste away his people whiche he knewe before Wote ye not what scripture sayeth of Helias how he maketh intercession
to god agaynste Israel saying Lorde they haue kylled thy prophetes and haue digged downe thyne alters and I am lefte alone and they seeke my lyfe But what sayth the aunswer of god vnto hym I haue reserued vnto my self seuen thousand men which haue not bowed their knees to the image of Baal Euen so also at this tyme is there a remnaunt left accordyng to the eleccion of grace Yf it be of grace then is it not nowe of workes For then grace is no more grace But yf it be of workes then is it nowe no grace For then were deseruing no deseruing What then Israel hath not obtayned it whiche he seeketh but the eleccion hath obtayned it The rēnaunte are blynded accordyng as it is written God hath gyuē them the spirite of vnquietnes iyes that they should not see and eates that they should not heare euen vnto this daye And Dauid saithe Let their table be made a snare to take them with all and an occasion to fall and a rewarde vnto them let theyr iyes be blynded that they see not bowe thou downe theyr backe alwaye BVt to what ende drawe all these my wordes Be they to teache that the Gentiles whiche were before this tyme to god straungers are thoroughe fayth taken into goddes familie and that the people of the Iewes whiche was by god fyrste chosen oute is through vnbelief vtterly refused No not so for vnlykely is it that god hath nowe vtterly refused that nacion which he hath hitherto gentely gladly knowledged as his chosen people If god had throughly refused the whole nacion then should not my selfe by kinred an Israelite lineally descended of the stocke of Abraham and appertaynyng to the tribe of Beniamin at this tyme preache Christe So ferre are we from this that god hath refused vs that euen when I for zeale of the law persued good people then god called me furth to preache his gospel At lestwyse that ye forget not whiche is red in the thirde booke of the kynges where the prophete Helias speaketh vnto god complayning vpō and blamyng the Iewes wickednes sayinge Lorde they haue kylled thy prophetes and ouerthrowen thyne aulters I am left alone and they seke for my lyfe After whiche vnmercifull crueltie it myghte seme that god would vtterly haue caste of his people as desperate and paste all amendmente But what was by god aunswered to Helias I haue reserued vnto my self seuen thousande men whiche haue not bowed theyr knees vnto y◠ydoll of Baal As then at that tyme god refused not al his people but of so many euyll left a certayne noumber to honour him after the same sorte happeneth it nowe For the whole people of the Iewes hath not god suffered to be estraunged from him no more then he hath suffered the reste besyde to peryshe in theyr synnes albeit of bothe people very fewe are they whiche do belieue in comparison of them that refuse so to do But yet of his goodnes hath god saued some neither because they were Iewes borne nor yet because they kepte Moses lawe but because he of manye hath chosen them furthe vpon whome his pleasure was to shewe his bountiful grace and mercye Nowe yf he so dyd of his owne bountiful mercy and not for theyr desertes let it not be imputed vnto theyr workes For that whiche is gyuen a man for his labor is rather as hyrewages than a free gyfte But that whiche is gyuen to suche as deserue not that and none els is a free gift Yf the desertes of workes be once accoumpted then is a benefite no lenger a benefite but should muche more be called a rewarde What happened then Surelye this happened that the same whiche the people of Israel vpon confidence of the lawe intended to obtayne for lacke of belief they went there without so that suche onlye obteined as were of goddes eleccion and not they whiche belonged to the circumcised stocke To suche as were not chosen by god neither circumcisiō nor kepyng of the lawe auayled but they were with malyce so far furth blinded that vpon syghte of so many miracles they gaue no credence leyng with theyr bodely iyes Christ whome they had so long loked for yet with the iyes of theyr harte seyng hym not at al. And that we now see done and are for the same sorye the prophet Esai long before prophecied should be Because they refused the holy and humble spirite of Christ therfore hath god gyuen them the spirite of vnquietnes bothe roughe boysteouse and vnrulye so that the wonders they behelde with theyr iyes they deny styl as thoughe they sawe them not and that they heare with theyr eares no more moueth them than yf they hearde them not Suche were they in tyme paste to the prophetes suche were they to Christe hymselfe suche are they vntil this daye towarde the preachers of the gospell This also Dauid replenished with the spirite of prophecie sawe long before and for theyr great stubbernes in this behalfe agaynst the wyll of god prophecieth destruccion mete for suche frowarde people Let theyr table sayeth he become a snare to take them withal and an occasion to fall and into punishment dewe for suche dedes let theyr iyes be so blynded that they see not and alwaye bowe downe theyr backes because they woulde not pleasauntly vse that whiche was layd before them and refused suche thynges as they presently sawe and hearde and were without al godly regarde to loke vp to heauē warde and knowledge toward thē their makers benefite but gyuyng themself wholly to the grosse meaning of the lawe disdayne heauenly doctrine and in regarde of thynges transitory despisen that which is euerlasting The Iewes cary about in their handes the bokes of Moses and vnderstande them not they reade the prophecies and denie that in them is promised But wherto maketh this some man will saye they are blyndfolded they are snared they be bowed downe and become deafe The texte ¶ I saye then haue they therfore stumbled that they should vtterly fall awaye together God forbyd but through theyr fall is saluacion happened vnto the Gentiles for to prouoke them withall Wherfore yf the fall of them be the riches of the worlde and the minishyng of them the riches of the Gentiles howe muche more theyr perfitenes I speake to you Gentiles in asmuche as I am the apostle of y◠Gētiles I wyl magnifie myne office yf by any meanes I maye prouoke them whiche are my fleshe might saue some of them For yf the casting away of them be the recōcilyng of the world what shall the receiuyng of them be but lyfe agayne from death For yf one piece be holy the hole heape is holye And yf the roote be holy the braunches shal be holy also Are they so fallen from god that all hope of rysyng agayne is passed No not so But rather this fall of theyrs chaunced but for a tyme and for you whiche are Gentiles it luckelye
dye it is to the gayne or losse of his maister whereby it appeareth what a point of malapertnes it is when one seruaunt entermedleth in his felowes matter namely if in the meane season the maister be pleased Now among men no seruaunt is so muche his maisters as we are Christes seruauntes who bought vs neither with golde nor siluer but euen with his owne bloud Whether we fall then to him we fal or if we staÌ„d to him we stand or if we liue to him we liue or if we dye to him we dye Other slaues peraduenture are theyr maisters no loÌ„ger after that they are once dead but we whether we liue or dye are the lordes to whoÌ„ all thynges liue Christ hath not onely power vpon them whiche are aliue but euen vpon them also that are dead as whiche for our saluacion gaue bothe his life and death For he for my cause became man and dyed and after for my sake rose againe from death to thenâ—â—nt that he might be lorde bothe of the quicke and dead If we liue to godlynes we are bounde to him if we dye to synne we are bounde to him He is our lorde he is our iudge The texte But why doest thou then iudge thy brother Either why doest thou dispise thy brother We shal all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ For it is written as truely as I liue sayth the lorde all knees shal bowe to me and all tongues shall geue praise to God So shal euery one of vs geue accoumptes of him selfe to God Let vs not therfore iudge one an other any more And then why doeth the seruaunt take vpon him any authoritie vpoÌ„ his felowe ouer whom onely God hath power Thou that art somwhat scrupulous with what boldnes I say iudgest thou thy brother whiche is stronger than thou art for that he frely eateth or because he in like sort vseth euery day Or why doest thou whiche art stronger disdaine at and dispâ—se thy weaker brother as though thou were his maister and not rather his felow Why doeth either of you both vsurpe Goddes authoritie and preuent the daye of iudgement One must not iudge an other The onely iudge of all wyll geue sentence vpoÌ„ all For al shal once be brought before yâ— iudgement place of Christ ther by his senteÌ„ce to be quited or coÌ„deÌ„ned who throughly seeth the most hidden secrete partes of our heart Vntyl that day let not one seruaunt play the lorde vpon an other For this honoure hath he for him selfe onely reserued as him selfe sayeth by the prophet Esai as truely as I liue sayeth the lorde all knees shal bowe vnto me and all tongues shal geue praise to God In the meane season let euery man asmuche as he can with all his power endeuoure howe he may for him selfe before this iudge make his accoumpte and take heede that no man iudge others actes to the worse The texte But iudge this rather that no man put a stumblyng blocke or an occasion to fail in his brothers way For I knowe am ful certified by the lorde Iesus that there is no thyng comen of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen to him it is comen Iâ— thy brother be greued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably Destroye not him with thy meate â–ª for whom Christ dyed Cause not your treasure to be euil spoken of For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy goost For he that in these thinges serueth Christ pleaseth God and is commended of men If we may for this tyme iudge of any thyng let vs for the tyme iudge of this and deuise how one of vs may helpe another and that we neither do any man hurte nor geue occasion of hurte asmuche as we may Let vs comforte them that stagger not make them desperate no nor let vs extinguishe the smolderyng flaxe but enkendle it If the persons dignitie worthynes wer coÌ„sidered the weaker should obey him that is better learned but christian charitie would that the learned should sometyme geue place and beare with the weaker but yet not so that he consent and fauor his errour but either to th entent that he may be amended or els at the lest so stayed that he offende not more greuously And in this matter to speake somewhat of my selfe Moses in his lawe many yeres gon geuen vnto the Iewes noted certaine meates for vncleane and the same meates in his language he calleth comen as a man would say cursed of whoÌ„ men might not lawfully eat certaine meates calleth he cleane whiche euery man might lawfully vse But now know I and am by the spirite of Christ surely persuaded whose pleasure was that the carnal part of the lawe should be abolished that of his owne nature no meate is there vnpure and that there is no choyse of meate at al. But if any be vncleane only to him it is vncleane that so iudgeth of it yâ— is to wete to the weake and scrupulous it is vncleane but to suche one as is strong and a perfite christiaÌ„ nothyng is vncleane but to them that are cleane all thynges are likewyse pure And yet perauenture somtyme it were well done to abstaine froÌ„ that whiche is of it selfe good and pure not because Moses lawe so commauÌ„deth but because brotherly charitte whiche specially belongeth to a christian man so requireth For if for thy bodily foode thy brothers conscience be hurte or greued whom thou shouldest as tendrely loue as thou louest thy selfe then liuest thou to thy self and remembrest not what mutual charitie requireth as whiche regardest not but disdainest the fall ruine of the weake whiche thing thou mightest easly remedy Were it I pray you so great a matter so long to abstaine froÌ„ lawful meates vntil suche tyme as thy neighbor beyng in ieoperdye be holpen therby And albeit thy brother be weaker though he be ruder then thou art yet couÌ„pt him not for so vile as for thy meates sake to suffre him to be destroyed for whose saluacioÌ„ Christ died If suche one as he is the lorde estemed so greatly then should he not of the for a trifle be dispised Nor thynke it sufficient that the thyng thou doest be right wel done but moreouer prouide must yâ— that in it there be no suspicion of euil and beware lest that whiche to the is good turne vnto other mennes harme as it wyl if menne among you see debate and strife for meate and drinke or for suche other smal trifles For as in the world to come in the kyngdome of God I say there shal neither be meate nor drinke whiche are remedyes for this oure mortall state so the doctrine of Christes gospel and perfite christian life standeth neither in differeÌ„ce of meates nor drinkes as which are suche thinges as are not to godlines effectual Rather must we study and haue minde vpoÌ„
yf we lusted to vse our ryght But whither am I plucked with the vehemence of this my tale So moued am I that I cannot refraine but vtter vnto you al my mynde For towarde you ye Corinthians my mouthe is open and my heart enlarged Suche a confidence haue I in you so bolde am I to glory of you Synce I lothe not my condicion repente ye not of yours Yf ye contente my mynde bothe haue I cause to glory of you and ye no lesse cause to reioyce of me and without cause are ye why ye should for my sake be of a straight and narrow mynde So that yf in you there be any straitnes the same groweth of your euyll myndes For your welth I leaue nothyng vndone and vnsuffered but ye towarde me agayne beare not lyke loue I in hope of resurreccion and of loue borne toward you manfully abyde and suffer all troubles and synce ye looke to haue thesame rewarde synce I haue hetherto loued you lyke a father meete is it that ye in strength of myndes resemble your father which vnreadines I lay not vnto your charges as to mine aduersaries but rehearse it as to my dearely beloued chyldren Despise the watryshe ceremonies of the Iewes Despise the worlde and trust to suche good thynges as are verely yours Of a vyle and straite mynde it cummethe to bee contente with presente thynges Of a straite mynde is it to desyre nothyng but these worldely vanities whiche wyll soone after peryshe Christe for you is aboundantly ryche aboundantly gloryouse aboundantly myghtie and welthy let hym be sufficient for you hym embrace ye with all your heartes Knowe your condicion and looke vpon your welthy state and coumpt your selfe greater than with vnbelieuers to haue any thing a doe There is betwixt you and them more difference than wyll suffre you to be yoked together For what agrement can there be betwixt ryghteousnes and vnrighteousnesse and vnryghteousnesse or what companie hathe lyght with darkenesse or what concorde hathe Christe with Beliall The goddes are diuerse the religions diuerse diuerse maners and diuerse hopes Howe agreeth the temple of God with heathen images For ye are the temple of the lyuyng God as God hymselfe in holy scriptures testifieth saying I wyll dwell among them and walke among them and wyl be theyr God and they againe shal bee a people specially consecrate and halowed vnto me Yf the Iewes then abhorre a Gentile as vnpure and cursed and flye his infeccion come ye good people which are veryly consecrate to the lyuyng God out of the companye of the vnreligious kepe your selfes out of theyr felowshyppes as the Lord by the Prophete Esai exhorteth you saying synce ye are holy touche no vncleane thyng Wycked maners are verily vncleane and full of ieopardouse contagion with whose company beware leste your cleannes be defiled But when I this counsell you to flie that standeth not somuche in chaungyng of your places as in chaungyng your myndes Yf ye this doe then wyll I knowledge you and receyue you holy as I am holy my selfe then shall ye fynde me as a father and I will embrace you as my sonnes so saieth the Lord almightye lesse ye myght mystruste the promise maker ¶ The .vii. Chapter The texte Seyng that we haue suche promyses dearly beloued let vs clense our selues from all â—lthynesse of the fleshe and spyrite and growe vp to full holinesse with the feare of God Vnderstande vs â–ª we haue hurte no manne we haue corrupte no manne we haue defrauded no manne I speake not this to condemne you for I haue shewed you before that ye are in our heartes to dye and lyue â–ª with you I am very bolde ouer you I reioyce greatly in you I am fylled with comforte and am eâ—ceding ioyous in all our tribulacion For when we were come into Macedonia our fleshe had no rest but we were troubled on euery syde Outwarde was fightyng inwarde was feare Neuerthelesse God that comforteth the abiecte comforted vs by the cummyng of Titus And not by his cummyng onely but also by the consolacion whiche we receyued of you when he tolde vs your desyre your feruente mynde for me so that I reioysed the more For though I made you sorye with a letter â–ª I repente notâ—th â—uch I dyd repente For I perceyue that thesame Epistle made you sorye thought it were but for a season But I nowe reioyce not that ye were sorye but that ye so sorowed that ye repented For ye sorowed godly so that in nothyng ye were hurte by vs. For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce vnto saluacion not to bee repented of â–ª contrary wyse worldely sorowe causeth death For beholde what diligenâ—â— this godly sorowe that ye tooke hathe wrought in you yea it caused you to cleare youre selues It caused indignacion it caused feare it caused desyre it caused punyshement For in all thynges ye haue shewed your selues that ye were cleare in that matter Wherefore though I wrote vnto you I dyd it not for his cause that had done the hurte neyther for his cause that was hurte â–ª but that your good mynde for vs myght appeare among you in the syght of God Therefore we are comforted because ye are comforted yea and erceadynglye the more ioyed we for the ioy that Titus hadde because his spyryte was refreshed of you all I am therefore not nowe ashamed though I â—â—â—sted my selfe to hym of you For as all thynges whiche we speake vnto you are true euen so our boasting that I made vnto Titus is founde true And his inwarde affeccion is more aboundant towarde you when he remembreth the obedience of you all howe with â—eare trembling ye receyued him I reioyce that I may be bolde ouer you in al thinges VPon sure trust of suche promyses of God therfore let vs so vse our selfes dearly beloued that we seme worthy thesame cleansyng our selfes not onely from all filthynesse of body but also of the soule that we both may leade a hurtlesse lyfe among menne and haue therwith an vpryght harte to God furnyshed with full and perfite holynesse agaynste the cummyng of Christe in the meane season doyng our dueties not of dissimulacion as Hypocrites doe but for feare of God who geueth euery manne reward accordyng to his deseartes So wyde and large is the loue whiche I beare towarde you that I claspe and embrace you all together with my whole harte receiue ye me lykewise as I am into your hartes specially synce that ye receyue other which both loue you lesse and are with theyr costly fyndyng and disdaynfulnesse chargeable vnto you and besyde this lode you also with ceremonies Neuer hurte we any of you nor with false learning corrupted any of you nor violently exacted ought of any man whiche ye muste not take as spoken to condemne or reiecte you but to make you the better For by that I haue alreadie wryten vnto you it may be clearly perceyued that I with all my harte loue you
of god vnto you frely without any thing And you are my witnesses and god himselfe is my recorde how holily how vprightelye and how vnblameablie we haue behaued oure selues towarde you that beleued as you know by proued experience with how syncere a loue we did al thinges that towardes euery one of you we were euen so affected as any father is towardes his owne children now beseching now comforting now chargyng you not to geue vs any thing but to leade a lyfe worthy of god whiche whan you were afore tyme voyde of all godlynesse hath called you through fayeth to the studie of true godlinesse and hathe also through temporall affliccions called you into his kingdome and glory Immortal Al is well you acknowlage the goodnesse of God and for that cause we also redet thankes vnto him continuallie for kendlyng your heartes after suche sorte that whan we came in a poore basse estate vnto you and hauyng no shewe of dignitie to set vs forwarde yet as soone as you had hearde the gospell preached of vs you receaued it not as a fable or the word of maÌ„ but as the word that came froÌ„ god himself as it was in dede for he himselfe spake eueÌ„ by vs. The texte For ye brethren became folowers of the congregacyons of God whiche in Iewry are in Chryst Iesu for ye haue suffered lyke thynges of your kyâ—smenne as we oure selues haue suffered of the Iewes Which as they kylled the Lord Iesus and theyr owne Prophetes euen so haue they persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrary to all men and hynder vs that we should not speake vnto the Gentiles that they myght be saued to fulfil theyr synnes alwaye For the wrath of God is come on them euen to the vtmost The word of man is weake vneffectual but the word of god is effectually mightie which as sone as you had dronken of it was not ydle but began to worke his power in you so as it might euidently ynough appeare yâ— you had receaued thesame spirite in yâ— you incontinently began to folow the exaÌ„ples of the other congregacioÌ„s of god yâ— professed Iesus Christ in Iewrie That which Christ that that we that that the rest of the Iewes whiche embrace the doctrine of the gospel haue suffred of their owne countrey menne vnto whome this doctrine is odious the like haue you also suffred of your owne townes men For like as they kylled the lorde Iesus slewe his prophetes before him bicause they could not abyde the trueth euen so do they also persecute vs that are the true gospel preachers with such blindnes of harte that they prouoke euen the wrath of god vpon themselues because they rebell against his will go against al men as the very enemyes of mankinde as men that enuie al mens saluacion which is offred through faith go about to draw al men with them into destruccioÌ„ For they do not let vs after this sort of any priuate displeasure but they enuy all the gentiles their wealthe and trouble vs for this intent that we should not preache the gospell vnto the gentiles wherby they myght be saued as though it were but a smal matter for theÌ„ to haue slayne the Prophetes before and byanby Christ after the Prophetes except they persecute and dispatch vs out of the waye also so as they may finish the whole heape of their mischeues and lay this as it were the SuÌ„me totall of their wickednesse alwayes to be like manered to themselues and neuer to repent from their madnesse By reason wherof they prouoke the wrathe of God so sore vpon them that they are to be despaired of forsomuch as of a purposed malice they spurne awaie the mercy of God from theÌ„ and by al possible meanes oppugne the gospel through whose onely helpe they myght be deliuered from destruccion The texte For as muche brethren as we are kept from you for a season as coÌ„cerning the bodely presence but not in the herte we enforced the more to see you personally with great desyre And therfore we would haue come vnto you I Paul once and agayne but Satan withstode vs. For what is ouâ— hope or ioy or crowne of reioysing are not ye it in the presence of our Lorde Iesus Christes at his cumming yes ye are our glory and ioy But the more I loue you brethren for the readinesse and promptitude of your faythe the more I am enflamed with the louyng desyre of you because beyng kepte from you for a tyme I coulde not haue the fruicion of your company wherof I was wondrefully desirous although we were neuer absent in minde And yet this could not satisfie yâ— lone that we beare towardes you except I should also presentlie se you euen with my bodylyeies Wherfore I thought it not ynough to send any bodye to you or to speake with you by letters but I Paul went about once and eftesones to come to you my selfe so as I myght the more throughly confirme your consciences But Satan withstode this purposed endeuour which by the wicked Iewes hyndred my cumyng vnto you And what maruayle is it though I bee so desirous of you For what other thyng is there in this world wherwith I can content myselfe wherof I may aduauÌ„ce myselfe wherof I maye perswade myselfe to enherite felicitie I defie all thinges incomparison of the gospel of Christ Than what is our hope or what is our ioye or what is our crowne Among others of the gentiles whom I haue wonne vnto Christ are not you also albeit not in the sight of the worlde yet veryly it is with the Lorde Iesus Christ Whan the enemyes of the gospell are throwen vnder foote and the triumphe openly kepte at his cuÌ„ming what ensignes and what other tokens of victory shal I bring forthe in that royall cumpany but you and suche other like as you be In the meane tyme I am inassured hope of these thinges You are the frute the matier of our glorye you are our ioye in case you perseuer vnto the ende in those thinges that you haue begonne The .iii. Chapiter The texte Wherfore sence we coulde no lenger forbeare we thought it good to remayne at Athens alone and sent Tymothe ouâ— brother minister of God and the helper forth of our labour in the gospel of Christe to stablishe you and to comforte you concerning oute faith that no man should be moued in these affliccyons For ye youre selues knowe that we are euen appoynted thereunto For when we were with you we tolde you before that we should suffer tribulacion euen as it came to passe and as ye knowe For thys cause when I coulde no lenger forbeare I sent that I might haue knowleage of your faith lest by some meanes the tempter had tempted you and lest ouâ—e labour had â—eue bestowed in vayne THerfore inasmuche as we coulde not suffre the wante of you any longer and seeyng I coulde not come my selfe to you I thought
and shewed hym selfe somtimes in a clowde somtymes in fire otherwhiles in a softe whistling winde nowe vnder one likenesse and nowe vnder an other somewhiles by Angels somewhiles by secrete inspiracion of mynde at the length in these laste dayes because he would more manyfestly declare his charitie towardes vs and put vs in more assuraunce he dayned to speake vnto vs not by Angell nor yet by a man Prphete but by hys onely sonne Iesus Christ whome he hath by his eternall appoyntmente and determinacion made heyre and Lorde not alonely of the Iewyshe nacion but of the whole worlde as hym that is his true only sonne who is the Lord of all thinges that are made in heauen in earth according as the father promised before in yâ— psalmeÌ„s Neither is it any merueyle if he would haue the seignory of the whole world commen betwene hys sonne and hym syth that by him he made the same By worde he made the worlde and the sonne is the eternal worde of the euerlastyng father neither made he the worlde by hys sonne as by an instrument or seruaunte but all thynges were so wrought in the creacion therof that there was one the selfe same power of the father creating it and the some For Iesus Christ is not so the sonne of God as godly men are oftetymes called the children of God because they obey gods commaundementes but because he was begotteÌ„ God of God the father and so begotten that he is of the same nature with the father And where as he was the euerlasting bryghtnesse of the fathers glory as light procedyng from light and the very image and resemblaunce of hys substaunce lyke in all poyntes and equall vnto him of whome he was be gotten and where he is not alonely the maker of all creatures but also gouerneth and turneth aboute all thinges that are made and created with his becke and almyghty commaundement together with almighty God the father yet marke whitherto he abased him selfe for our cause He toke vpoÌ„ him mans nature subiecte to al the iniuries of our wretched state and conditioÌ„ and dying offred vp him selfe a sacryfice for our sinnes in the aulter of the crosse wheras before the priest of Moses lawe was woonte to pourge synnes by the offryng of a beastes bloude he purged the offences of all mankynd by shedyng of his owne holy bloude and by this abasyng and humblyng of hymselfe gate so greate glory that after he was reliued and retourned into heauen he sate on the ryght side of the maiestie of God the father wherin he was alwayes egall vnto hym as touching his diuyne nature But his maiestie more plainly appeared vnto the worlde thorowe his humilitie in somuche that he who semed before more lowe and abiecte then the loweste is nowe greater and so takeÌ„ not only then the prophetes but also then the Angels selfes and so much the greater as the name of a sonne hath in it more dignitie then the name of a seruaunt For this worde angell is a vocable or worde signifying a ministre and is a name agreyng to an inferioâ—re Vndoubtedly high and great is the dignitie of aungels for that they alwayes assyste the father and beholde hys visage And amonge them there are some that excell the rest in dignytie The texte For vnto which of the Aungels sayed he at any tyme Thou art my sonne thys daye haue I begotten the. And agayneÌ„ â–ª I wyll be hys father and he shal be my sonne And agayne when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he sayeth And â—eraâ— the Aungels of God worshyppe hym And vnto the Aungels he sayeth He maketh his angels spyrites his mynisters a flame of fire But vnto the sonne he saith Thy seate O God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kyngdome is a ryght scepter Thou hast loued ryghtewesnes and hated iniquytie Wherfore God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felowes But vnto what Aungell dyd God euer geue so great honour that he vouchesafed to call hym by the name of his sonne wheras he speaketh vnto Christe in the misticall psalme in this wyse thou art my sonne I haue begotten thee to day And again I will be his father he shal be my soÌ„ne For he made angels of nought but his sonne he begate of his owne proper substaunce lyke in euery thing egall vnto hymselfe Agayne when in the mistycall psalme he bryngeth his sonne into the worlde hauing vpon hym the habite of mans body he speaketh in this manour And let al the angels of God worshyp hym True it is that seruauntes are honoured but the soÌ„ne who is egall with the father is adored worshypped But where holy scripture expresseth the dignitie of aungels what sayeth it â–ª who maketh sayth the scripture his angels spyrites his ministers a flame of fyer That angels were created that haue they commen with other thinges which were likewise created of almighty God That they were made spirites and mindes free from the mortalytie corrupcion of mans body that they alwaies burning with godly charitie assiste their maker as quicke and nimble ministers of his godly wyll commauÌ„dement therin vndoubtedly they excell vs. But howe much greater are the wordes that he speaketh vnto the sonne Thy seate o God shalde for euer and euer the scepâ—re of thy kyngdome is a right scepter Ye heare how the name of God is geuen vnto the soÌ„ne ye heare howe the seare of a kingdome is geuen him of a kingdome I saye that neuer shall haue ende It foloweth in the same Psalme Thou hast loued ryghtuousnesse and hated iniquitie wherfore God euen thy God hath enoynted the with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felowes Ye heare that he was specially enoiâ—ted of God the father aboue all hys felowes eyther men or aungels The texte And thou Lorde in the begynning haste layde the foundacion of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shal perishe but thou endurest But they all shall wexe olde also as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou chaunge them and they shal be chaunged But thou arte euen the same and thy yeâ—es shall not fayle Vnto whych of the aungels sayd he at any tyme sitte on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy fore stole Are they not all ministryng spyrites that are sente to minister for theyr sakes which shal be heyres of saluacion And agayne marke howe muche autorytâ—e is geuen the sonne in an other Psalme and thou Lord sayth the Prophete in the begynning haste layed the foundacions of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes They shall peryshe but thou endureste and they all shall waxe olde as doth a garmente and as a vesture shalt thou winde them aboute and they shall sodaynly be chaunged but thou art euen the same and thy yeares shal not fayle To what aungell were these
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
were shamefully handled it was meate and drinke to youre stomakes But the matters beinge turned ersye versye they haue the fruicion of those pleasures that neuer shall decaye and you bewayle youre shorte and folyshe fyne fyngred pleasures in euerlasting tormentes The texte Be pacient therfore brethren vnto the commyng of the Lord. Beholde the husbande manne wayteth for the precious frute of the earthe and hathe longe pacience there vpon vntill he receaue the early and latter â—ayne Be ye also pacyeâ—t therfore and settle youre heartes for the commynge of the Lorde draweth â—ye Grudge not one agaynste another brethren lâ—ste ye be damned Beholde the iudge standeth before the dore Take my brethren the Prophets for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of pacyence which spake in the name of the Lorde Beholde we counte them happye whiche endure ye haue heard of the pacience of â—ob and haue knowen what ende the Lord made For the Lord is very pytiefull and mercyfull But aboue all thinges my brethren sweare not nether by heuen nether by earth nether any other othe Let your yee be yee and youre nay naye lest ye fall into ypocrisy If any of you be veâ—ed let hym praye If any of you be mery let hym singâ— Psalmes if any be dyseaâ—ed among you let him call for the elders of the congregacion let them pray ouer hym anoynt hym with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayeâ— of faith shal saue the sicke the Lord shal raise hym vp and yf he haue coÌ„mitted synnes â–ª they shal be forgeuen hym Therfore brethren cast not downe your hartes be not sory for your chaunce haue no enuye at the ryche folkes whiche seme to haue thinges as they would haue deuise no reuengement against them but pacientely suffer them vnto the commyng of the lorde Now is the tyme of sowinge than shal be the time of reaping The rewardes of youre godlynes doo not yet appeare but yet they are in sauetie to be deliuered in theyr tyme. Beholde he that is a tyllour of grounde what labour taketh he to his owne coste and all in hope that the grounde shal in his tyme yelde the thinge that it receyued with aduauntage And yet the profite of the groundes is not in euery place certayne If it be not fauourable wether and seasonable rayne in tyme to moysten the grounde that is tilled and at the latter ende to kepe the corne whan it waxeth bigge from the heate the husbande loseth hys labour And where he taketh longe labours here vpon good hope of frute in tyme requireth not that it shoulde by and by appeare vp whiche he hathe sowed how muche more is it reason that you should paciently suffre the displeasures of thys lyfe for the frute of Immortalyties sake namely seinge your rewarde is in sauetie so that you in the meane while make a good sedenes And therfore after the example of the husbande confirme you and plucke vp your stomackes strongly vpon good and sure hope beinge nether desirous of reuengement nether wearye of well doinge The lorde will comme bothe to take vengeaunce vpon the wicked and to rewarde you with immortalytie for your temporall affliccyons Nether is that daye longe to it shall come soner than it is loked for Therfore my brethren let no man thynke hym selfe the more vnfortunate in that he is â—â—â—moiled with many sorowes nether let any manne enâ—y hiÌ„ that lyueth more at hartes ease For nether is he that suffreth the greater griefe forsaken of God but is exercised vnto greater rewardes nether is thys manne therfore the more beloued of God because he lyueth in more quietnes but he wyll haue some whose godlynes should ease other mennes miseries Let not therfore that vngodly mourning â—â—e token of malice and infydelitie be amonge you that you be not condemned For suche kynde of sorowfull mournynges are the fore tokens of a mynde that wryeth downe vnto desperacyon let the shortenes of the tyme comforte you Beholde the iudge standeth at the doore the rewardes are in a readynes for euery one accordinge to the desertes of hys lyfe paste In the meane tyme garnyshe youre myndes with the examples of holy fathers if these thinges sholde haue happened to none but you there had ben matter perchaunce for you to maruaile at The prophetes suffred more greuous matters which opened the true sayinges of God vnto the wicked And like as the wicked riche men at that tyme â–ª could not abyde the prophetes sayinges euen so they canne not abyde the Gospelles doctrine nowe because it is contrary and repugnaunt agaynste theyr studyes Yet no manne bewayleth the prophetes chaunce no manne thynketh them vnhappye in that they suffred emprisonmentes and fetters nor in that they were slayne with sondrye kyndes of tormentes but we iudge them happye in that they were slayne for righteousnes sake You haue hearde tell of the noble example of pacience of Iob. What a sorte of sorowes suffred he by the cruel assaultes of Satan you haue marked hys wrestlyng and you haue marked hym also getting the victorie through the lordes helpe by whose goodnes for euery thynge that was taken from hym by the malyce of Satan he receyued agayne twise as muche The lorde forsoke not his stowte champion but in laying vpon hym so many sorowes he wolde haue his pacience recorded and seene yea and that mercyfull lorde and of his owne nature ready vnto clemencye turneth vnto vs an other mannes malyce into the heape and vauntage of felycitie Let youre mynde bee pure and playne and let youre harte and youre mouthe gooe bothe together Let no man with feyned wordes deceaue his neighbour but especyally my brethren sweare not lest by lytell and litell you accustume your selues to forsweare you Amonge Iewes and heathens for fidelyties sake there is an othe put betwene But amonge Christians whiche ought nether to distrust any manne nether be in will to deceaue it is a vayne thyng to sweare Who so euer is accustumed to sweare is cousyn garmayne to the perill of forswearyng Be you afrayed not onely to sweare by God in humayne affaires and in lyght matters but also absteyne from al kynde of swearing that you sweare nether by heauen nether by earthe or any other thynge that the commune people esteme for holy and religious Who so euer dare be bolde to lye without swearinge he dare do the same also when he sweareth if he luste To be brief he that is a good manne will beleue a manne without swearyng and he that naught is will not truste a manne though he sweare But amonge you that are furnyshed with Gospellike playnesse there is nether place of dystrustinge ne to ymagin deceate But let youre playne communicacion bee regarded for no lesse true and stedfaste than any maner of othe of the Iewes or Paganes how holy so euer it bee As often as you confirme any thynge confirme it with all youre harte and performe in dede the thinge that you
faith doe spring want lacke of ryght good workes Euen so came it to passe at Ephesus by yâ— meanes of yâ— false apostles as Paule did before prophecye vnto them at Myletus For yâ— which cause yâ— Lorde requireth exhorteth them to ameÌ„de threatneth them before after yâ— maner of al the prophetes that he wyll els punyshe and condemne them As concernynge the secte of the Nycholaites reade yâ— xxix chapter of yâ— thirde booke of Eusebius Chronicle Whosoeuer thorow true faith loue shall ouercome yâ— teÌ„ptacions assaultes of the enemy the same shall receyue and enioy the euerlastinge reward of blisse yâ— fruicion of god yâ— heuenly father the pleasant sight of the countenauÌ„ce of Iesus Christ in euerlastinge ioye which he nameth in this place yâ— tree of lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the angel of the congregacion of Smyrna wryte These thinges sayth he that is first and the laste which was dead and is alyue I knowe thy worckes and tribulacion and pouerâ—ie but thou art ryche And I knowe the blasphemy of them whiche call them selues Iewes and are not but are the congregacion of Satan Feare none of those thinges whiche thou shalt suffre Beholde the deuyll shall caste some of you into pryson to tempte you and ye shall haue tribulacion ten dayes Be faithfull vnto the death and I wyll geue the a crowne of lyfe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayth to the congregacions He that ouercommeth shall not be hurte of the seconde death The false apostles whiche were conuerted from the Iewes vnto the faythe were also at Smirna very busye and vnquiet in maynteynyng the ciâ—cumcysion and other Iewyshe ceremonies Against the whiche the trew apostles and their dysciples as Paule and suche other were fayne to fyght and stryue by reason wherof all the churches in the world were in perplexyte and dysquieted In this place Christ speaketh vnto them of Smirna and calleth them poore in affliccions and ryche in faythe and vertue And thus he teacheth here that it is the worcke of the deuyll and not of man whansoeuer thou arte caste into any perplexyte vexacion or pryson for the faythe and truthes sake And therfore be the more pacient seyng the heauenly father permytteth suche power vnto Sathan against the. Euen so dyd it happen in this citye vnto yâ— good bishop Polycarpus one of Iohns dysciples whiche was burnt of the vnfaythfull for the truth and the christen faythes sake Of this ye maye reade more in the. xiiii and xv Chapter of the. iiii boke of Eusebius chronicle By the seconde deathe vnderstande euerlastynge deathe and damnacion as the first death is yâ— deathe of the bodye and of synne from the whiche we shall be delyuered and be raysed vp againe thorowe a trewe faythe and confydence in the mercye of god ioyned with a perfyght repentaunce The texte ¶ And to the messenger of the congregacion in Pergamos wryte This saythe he whiche hath the sharpe swearde with two edges I know thy worckes and where thou dwellest euen where Satans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not deuyed my fayth And in my dayes Antipas was a faithfull wytnes of myne whiche was â—â—ayne amonge you where Satan dwelleth But I haue a fewe thinges against the because thou hast there them that maynteyne the doctrine of Balam whiche taught in Balake to put occasyon of synne before the children of Israell that they shoulde eate of meate dedycate vnto ydoles and commyt fornicacion Euen so hast thou them that maynteyne the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wyl come vnto thee shortly and wyll fyght against them with the swearde of my mouthe Let him that hath eares heare what the spirite sayeth vnto the congregacions To him that ouercommeth wyl I geue to eat Manna yâ— is byd wyl geue him a whyte stone and in the stone a newe name written whiche no man knoweth sauynge he that receaueth it As coÌ„cerning this church we reade of no maner of accion or worke of faith therof But in al notable cities where right ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ were bothe yâ— christened vnchristened Iewes did styre vp cause much sedicion tumult as their accustomed maner was And they prouoked also the lyuetenauntes of Rome alwayes to hate persecute yâ— right true christiaÌ„s As it happened in this citie vnto the deare faithful seruant of god Antippe which with out doubt preached yâ— gospel truly syncerely therfore was faine to suffre death In such cities wher gods word is coÌ„demned al godly men in continual perell danger of their lyues goodes wher meÌ„ doe both blesse curse for money as Balaam did where abhominable fylthines whoredoÌ„ is mainteined suffered ydolatry set vp wher holy matrimonye is had in no estimacioÌ„ there without doubte dwelleth yâ— deuil For these are no small synnes but very odious and hateful vnto god But they maye repent and amende and so obteyne mercye of god and thorowe the grace and ayde of god they maye withstande and ouercome suche damnable and outragious enormyties whiche thing yf they doe not let them loke for nothinge more sure than eternall damnacion This ought to moue the hartes of all men and to feare and shrugge them that they maye repent and amende their lyues By Manna vnderstande the worde of god and true harty loue And to cleaue faste vnto Christ with a strong and a stedfast faith whiche thing is a syngular pleasure and delyght vnto the godly and faithfull and a very poyson vnto the vngodly vnfaithfull By the white stone is sygnified the eleccion and appoyntment vnto euerlastyng honour before god and all sainctes bothe in this worlde and in the worlde to come with the testimonye of a good conscience that feareth god and of a right harty ioye And also the euerlastynge peace rest and sure confydence in the grace and fauoure of god vnto euerlastynge lyfe The texte ¶ And vnto the messenger of the congregacion of Thiatira wryte This saith the sonne of god whiche hath eyes lyke vnto a flamme of fyre and hys fete are lyke brasse I knowe thy worckes and thy loue seruyce and fayth and thy pacieÌ„ce and thy dedes whiche are moo at the last then at the fyrst Notwithstandynge I haue a feawe thinges agaynste the because thou sufferest that woman Iesabell whiche called her selfe a prophetise to teache and to deceaue my seruauntes to make them commyt fornicacyon and to eate meates offered vp vnto ydoles And I gaue her space to repent of her fornicacyon and she repented not Beholde I wyll cast her in to a bedd and them that coÌ„myt fornicacyon with her into great aduersitye excepte they â—uâ—ue from theyr dedes And I wyll kyll her chyldren with death Here learne that the sonne of god whiche hath the two edged swearde the first and the laste whiche is deade and yet lyueth which hathe
of the churche and to the true vnderstandynge of the truth in all landes and nacions of the earth than euer they dyd in their lyfe tyme as it is euydent that it so happened vnto the holy prophetes and martirs And than shal all the wicked enemies and contemners of the worde of god and of Christes true religion treÌ„ble and feare the iudgement of god not vnworthely and they shall vndoutedly receiue their due rewarde that they haue deserued for the extreme cruelty whiche they haue shewed and declared against the faythfull ministers and seruauntes of God Whiche rewarde they shal receyue with feare tremblynge sorowe smart and paine despaire and with euerlasting shame and confusion folowing Whether any suche thinge hath hitherto or maye hereafter happen let euery true christen harte that trusteth in the mercye of god well consyder and wey by him selfe ¶ The .xii. Chapter The texte ¶ And the seuenth angell blewe and there were made great voyces in heauen saying the kyngdoms of this worlde are our lordes and his Christes he shall raygne for euer more And the .xxiiii. elders whiche syt before God on their seates fell vpon their faces worshipped God sayinge we geue the thankes O Lorde God almightye which arte and wast and art to come for thou hast receaued thy great might and hast raigned And the nacions were angry and thy wrath is come and the tyme of the dead that they shoulde be iudges and that thou shouldest geue rewarde vnto thy seruauntes the prophetes Sainctes and to them that feare thy name small and great and shouldest destroye them whiche destroye the earth AL this maye be well referred vnto the texte and vision that went before to this purpose that after all matters before mencioned once past there shoulde be an vniuersall godlynes and christen order eyther thorowe the generall preaching of the gospel thorow out yâ— who le world or els thorow the godly lyfe peace and felicitie whiche maye be at that tyme vpon earth As it is possible inoughe thorowe the grace of god and many good christen heartes doe trust and hope that it shall come to passe Or els it maye be vnderstande after the last iudgement of our sauiour Christ of the quietnes whiche shall than immediately folowe after the cruell persecucion of Antichrist as this blessed and comfortable angel preacheth and declareth with his trompet For sure it is that before the latter daye the kyngdome of Christ shall appeare and be receyued of all nacions and yles of the earth euen of the Iewes also whiche at length shal receyue knowledge of their errour and shall confesse their obstinacy and the wickednes of their belefe and conuersacion whaÌ„ they shall see the grace and knowledge of God manifestly reueled in all tongues and speches thorowe the holy worde of god and shal perceyue the kyngdome of Christ the true Messias not to consist in the strayght and narow corner of Canaan nor in the vnhappy citie of Ierusalem whiche is vnhappye by reason of the dyuision and vnquietnes that is in it but in the whole wyde worlde wherin shall be one onely felowshyp and congregacion of the seruauntes of the onely one and almyghtie god whom alone all the holy prophetes of whose faythe the Iewes haue alwayes made so highe boast haue honoured and praysed and lyke wyse the whole regiment and flocke of theirs and the whole worldes Messias and Sauiour whiche was before the creation of the worlde and hath appeared in the worlde in al humylite more than .xv. hundreth yeares almoost longer than the lawe of Moyses dyd endure and continue among the Iewes from the tyme of their delyueraunce out of Egipte vntyll the commynge of Christ whan he toke his manhode in the tyme of the reygne of Herode whan as their regiment and gouernaunce toke an ende What lyes soeuer they feyne of their lande and regyment in Vtopia whiche they name Caspâ—a wherof they must shortly be a shamed and holde their peace and confesse their deceyte falsehede presumpcion damnable lyes of their Talmude of all their false myserable blynde guydes and Rabbynes whose falsehede is nowe open and manyfest vnto all the worlde for as muche as their bokes are made common thorowe the benefyte of printynge vnto all men of learnynge and knowledge So that this myserable people as the holy apostle S. Paule prayeth hath that thing fulfylled vnto them whiche they hoped for and whiche was promysed of God in their tyme vnto their generacion Euen so maye it come to passe vpon earth and that right sone that the honour and glorye of the kyngdome of Christ and of God shall appeare which shal rule for a tyme vpon earth and after yâ— latter iudgement in heauen in euerlastynge blisse As than al holy patriarkes prophetes apostles and all the martirs that euer haue bene shall haue honour and glorye whiche they shall offre vp vnto the euerlastinge and very true God in the sight of all Goddes electe in euerlastinge blisse in yâ— kyngdome of God and of his Messias our sauiour Iesus Christ according to the doctrine of the infallyble moost true word of god But the wicked and vngodly heathen shall haue no part of this honour glorye and blisse but shall suffer and be damned euerlastingly in eternall wrath enuy hatred malyce and despayre For suche is the righteous iudgement of God ouer all men bothe quicke and deade good and bad Euery one shall be rewarded accordyng to his workes and desertes after the iust iudgement of almyghtye God without all maner of parcialytie or respecte of persons whether they be of high or lowe estimacion in the worlde whether they be riche or poore and of what lande or contrey so euer they be For than the holy and faithful shal receiue of Christ euerlasting saluacion for their trust faith and loue towarde God and contrarye wyse the wicked and vngodly tyrannes aduersaries persecutours of the faithfull seruantes of God for their obstinate blyndnes infydelitie and contemninge of Goddes holy wyll and worde shall peryshe for euer and shall remayne euerlastingly cursed and damned withal wicked spirites Thus farre as semeth vnto me doe the visions and prophecies reache that are hetherto past and mencioned in this boke But nowe that whiche foloweth is another reuelacion pertayning to an other tyme. For a man must not seeke any other order of yâ— scripture in this boke whiche is compact together of many and diuerse visions without any obserued order than in other writinges of the prophetes as they that are learned doe knowe well ynoughe The texte ¶ And the temple of god was opened in heauen and there was sene in his temple the arcke of his testament and there folowed lyghtnynges and voyces and thondrynge and earthquake and muche hayle Here might the .xii. chapter well begynne and these wordes myght be vnderstande and taken for a preparacion vnto the very glorious and newe reuelacioÌ„ which is nowe as I sayde before opened vnto
plages of the seuen angels were fulfylled Nowe as the gospell is come abrode in to the worlde thorowe Christ and his Apostles to the synguler profite of the faithfull and elect and to the saluacion of their soules euen so is it a stomblynge stone offence coÌ„demnacion an hurte or losse vnto the wicked and speciallye vnto the kyngdome and dominion of Rome for a long space whiche hath resisted it with force with dyuerse assaultes of body goodes and possessions against the true faith and with cruel tyranny whiche the almightye and rightuous god at his tyme hath alwayes taken in hande to punyshe most greuouslye and hath brought it also to passe The openynge of the tabernacle of testimonye is the manifest fulfillynge in the newe testament of those mysteries and secretes whiche were hydden and sygnified in the olde testament vnder diuerse ceremonies The seuen angels whiche came out of the temple are the multitude of ministers and preachers of the gospell which serueth vnto the wicked for the increase and augmentacioÌ„ of their damnacion For the whiche cause they maye be called plages as Christ was called of Simeon a fall but to the comforte of saluacion vnto the electe These angels and euangelical preachers must be pure in al their conuersacion and must haue their breastes girded about with faith and loue with all the harte soule and mynde garnysshed with all godly vertues To one of the angels dothe Christ geue thorowe the .iiii. beastes as is also sygnified in the .iiii. Chapter power to bringe furthe and to publyshe abrode the gospell whiche maye be signified by the vyals full of the wrathe of God against the wicked and vnfaithfull But full of grace and mercye vnto the faithfull whiche abyde and suffer bothe payne and ioye welth and woe And thus is the temple of God the Christen churche fylled with swete smellinge smoke of the prayse honour and goodnes of God truly confessing and knowledginge the power and might of God And the churche of Christ coulde not be at rest nor coulde not quietly prosper vntyl these .vii. plages came forthe of the which plages the gospel beyng preached by the ministers of God wherof there were a great multitude sent of god was the occasion ¶ The .xvi. Chapter The texte ¶ And I hearde a great voyce out of the temple saying to yâ— seuen angels go your wayes poure out your vyalles of wrathe vpon the earthe And the first angell went and powred out his vyalle vpon the earth and there fel a noysome and a sore â—otche vpon yâ— men which had the marke of the beaste and vpon them which worshipped his ymage And the seconde angell shed out his vyalle vpon the see and it turned as it were into the bloude of a dead man and euery lyuinge thing died in the see And the thirde angell shed out his vyalle vpoÌ„ the riuers and fountaynes of waters and they turned to bloude And I hearde an angell saye Lorde whiche art and wast thou art righteous and holy because thou hast geuen suche iudgementes for they shed out the bloude of sainctes and prophetes and therfore hast thou geuen them bloude to drincke for they are worthye And I hearde another out of the aultar saye euen so Lorde God almightie true and righteous are thy iudgementes THe mercye of God vouchsaued to preserue augment to prosper the regiment of the Romaynes at yâ— beginninge of yâ— whiche whan it was in most quietnes the tyme was come that Christe shoulde be borne And God offered his grace vnto this kyngdome and sent them his holy gospell thorowe the holy apostles to the synguler welth and profyte bothe of that kyngdome and also of yâ— who le earth out of yâ— which yâ— world might lerne peace loue humilitie pacience gentilnes temperance and all true vertues and speciallye faithe in the one onely God and hope of saluacion in tyme to come also true christen loue one to another This dothe the gospel and all writynges of the apostles exhort and moue men vnto mooste earnestly But this so holy and profytable doctrine and inuincible trueth hath the dragon alwayes withstanden and resysted with his beast the Empire and regiment of Rome the first and seconde wherof is spoken before And for this cause this kingdom hath wel deserued many and diuerse punishementes whiche the lorde God hath permitted thorow his ministers of rightuousnes whiche are to be vnderstande in this place by the angels and the vials full of plages whiche are come and fallen vpon the dysobediente and the contemners and despysers of faithe loue and of the trueth The firste plage is fallen vpon all ydols and false goddes whiche they had set and packed together in one tempel of Pantheon that is to saye all goddes But the ydolatrye of these false Goddes was subuerted and ouer throwen thorowe out the whole Empire of Rome thorowe the holy gospel as the Chronicles doe euidently testifye Thus dyd the religion and gods seruice of the Romaynes first fele the wrathe of God againste their wylles but all hapned vnto the faithfull for the best to the honour and glorye of God and to the furtheraunce and profyte of the Christen churche and congregacion The seconde plage of the seconde angell is the seconde iudgement of God againste the regiment of Rome and this is imbeselynge and diminyshe of their power and dominion â–ª many landes and people fallynge from them and that with muche bloude sheddynge of the Romaynes as it is playnely mencioned in the stories as of Nero Domicianus and Iulianus and dyuerse other The thirde plage maye be vnderstande of the destruccion of the citie of Rome thorow yâ— Gothes wandales and other enemyes of the Romaynes â–ª which had no maner of lettes or hynderaunce neyther of hylles nor of dales of see nor of waters neyther by any host or power of men nor yet by any strength or keping of cities Of this plage of the Romaines al stories make mencion at large And as than had yâ— bloody kyngdom of Rome an end for the whiche cause the angel crieth iustly lorde thou art rightuouse c. The angell of the waters may be taken for the angell of God whiche did gather together suche a great multitude of people which came altogether against this kyngdom because it had so long plaged al people and shed so muche holy martirs bloode for the true and christeÌ„ faithes sake which must nedes be reueÌ„ged And therfore is this rightuous and manifest iudgement of God praysed againe the seconde tyme and preached of goddes angels with highe thanckes geuynge The texte ¶ And the fourthe angell powred out his vyall on the sunne and power was geuen vnto him to vexe men with heate of fyre â–ª And the men raged in great heate and spake euyll of the name of God whiche hath power ouer those plages and they repented not to geue him glorye And the fyfte angell â–ª powred out his vyalle vpon the seate of the beast and
also all that is abhominacion vnto the lorde as ydolatry abhominable blasphemies forged lyes false doctrine shall haue no place in the right churche For vnto the right holy churche which is knoweÌ„ onely vnto God and inuisible vpon earthe doe onely the electe children of God perteyne whose names are wrytten in heauen in the booke of the lyuynge ¶ The .xxii. Chapter The texte ¶ And he shewed me a pure ryuer of water of lyfe clere as Christ all procedyng out of the seate of God and of the lambe In the myddes of the strete of it and of eâ—her â—yde of yâ— ryuer was ther wood of lyfe which bare twelue maner of frutes gaue frute euery moneth and yâ—â—eues of the wood serued to heale the people with al. And ther shal be no more cuâ—se but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal se his face his name shal be in their forheades And ther shal be no night there and they nede no candle nether lyght of the sunne for the Lorde geueth them lighte and they shall raygne for euermore CHrist openeth vnto Iohn his deare beloued disciple the secrete misteries of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ expoundeth the visions of the other prophetes as farre furth as is requisite necessary for the christen doctrine And thus Iohn seeth here a pure ryuer of water very clere whiche is the holy scripture the worde of god the doctrine of Christ the holy gospel of our saluacioÌ„ That same is clere vnto al them that haue a pure heart mynde not defyled nor blemished with transitorye loue care of yâ— worlde nor with any temptacions of the flesshe This holy doctrine procedeth commeth out froÌ„ the holy spirite of god and of Christ For he is one God with yâ— father the sonne He is the seate of glorye of omnipotencie of the godheade He procedeth out from the welspring of all wysedom grace mercye and floweth throughe the myddes of al streates of Christes churche which is the citie of god of the lambe And of both sides of yâ— riuer doe staÌ„de glorious bewtiful trees of lyfe which receyue their increase their leaues and frute of the moysture of the riuer And these trees are the holy fathers of the faithful christen churche of the olde new testament whiche by their faith and by their vnderstandynge and readyng of the holy scripture of the lawe of the prophetes and of the gospell haue lyued taught and wrought very frutefully in the holy citie of the churche and haue brought forthe twelue maner of frutes that is to saye many frutes and haue serued god without ceasynge with muche frute and profyte in right and true good woâ—kes and vertuous exercises The leaues frute and sappe of these holy trees were very holsome and soueraine as were also the frutes of the dysciples of the prophetes and apostles For the holy bysshops and preachers of Gods worde dyd make repentance faithfull holy and christen people by their preachinge â—eachinge wrytinge prayers and christen example of lyfe of them whiche were before very hethen And in this churche there is no cursed frute and no meate is vncleane vnto the faithfull For they shall receyue and inioy all maner of frutes and meates with thanckes geuynge and with all temperatenes and measure Neyther shall the holy goost be extingwysshed in the holy churche of God but he shall prouyde ministers of God and shall incorage and comforte them with his ayde and assystence that they shall profyte goe forwarde and procede frutefully in all goodnes and thorowe true faithe they shall knowe the face of God his gracious and mercifull wyll and pleasure in this militant warrfarynge churche but in the heauenly Ierusalem they shall knowe him face to face euen as he is and shall laude and prayse him euerlastingly And these ministers and seruantes of God shall not be ashamed to knowledge and to confesse the name of god the christen faith the holy gospel They shal beare about preache and glorifie the name of Christ openly with ioy delyght and pleasure And neyther Sunne nor Moone shal helpe or adde any thing to this cleare and bright daye of gods knowledge for the spirite of God shall doe all together And the blissed soules in heauen haue their Sunne and Moone the glasse of the godheade the excellent bewty of the glorified and exalted manhode of Christe wherby they shall reygne in blisse for euermore The texte ¶ And be sayde vnto me these sayinges are faithful and true And the Lorde God of saintes and prophetes sent his angell to shewe vnto his seruauntes the thinges whiche must shortly be fulfylled Beholde I come shortly Happy is he that kepeth the sayinge of the Prophecy of this boke I am Iohn whiche saw these thinges and hearde them And wheÌ„ I had hearde sene I fell downe to worship before yâ— fete of the angel which shewed me these thinges And he said vnto me sâ— thou â—â— it not for I am thy felow seruaunt the felowe seruaunt of â—hy brethren the prophetes and of them which kepe the saynges of this booke But worshippe God Christ speaketh vnto Iohn and geueth witnesse and testimonye vnto this booke of Reuelacion of secrete misteries that al whiche is written in this booke is certen and true and not to be contemned and taken as any trifle or fable For this booke was ordeyned of God to be spoken thorow an angell vnto Iohn that he should write it and should leaue it behynde him in yâ— faithfull and holy churche of Christ Euen yâ— same god whiche reueled vnto other holy prophetes and men of God thinges that were to come the very same God hath now sent his angel geuen him in commission to open reuele vnto Iohn these visions and prophecies of thinges to come whiche should happen come to passe be fulfilled very shortly yâ— is to say they should shortly begin so happen and come to passe one after another vntil they be all fulfylled Beholde with certen thinges wil I come very shortly The comming of Christ is prophecied vnto vs after suche sorte forme yâ— we should carfully diligently wayte for it continuallye lyke as true faithful seruantes doe waite watche vpoÌ„ yâ— returning of theyr masters doe neuer slepe as Christ teacheth in yâ— gospel And because this boke shoulde not be contemned nor lyghtly estemed in the christen churche therfore Christ sayethe by his messenger and angell that he is happye that is to saye he is the seruaunte of God and pleaseth the Lorde well and shall be partaker of grace and saluacion whiche beleueth this booke â–ª taketh all thinges that are written therin for true holy and estemeth yâ— prophecies of this boke whiche are many and diuerse no lesse than other holy bookes of the prophetes and euangelistes other holy prophecies And where as he saieth â–ª I
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