the common saiynge is And if in a Churche so commendable there is founde of Christ that is thought woorthie reprehension what shall we saye of those that be lesse commendable the church hath alwaies that may be reprehēded yea whie should we not see in all churches alwaies some thing to be founde that maye be blamed not so muche for that the Sainctes are alwayes troubled with the infirmitie of the fleshe as that euer more hypocrites and corrupte persons ioyne them selues to the church of God suche as were here the Nicolaitans and as Iudas the thiefe and traytour was in the nombre of Apostles In Christ the churche is without any spotte or wrincle as the Lorde sayeth in the 13. of Iohn And in the countrie to come shal moste fully be made perfit whiche S. Austen also affirmeth And the Lorde Iesus reprehendeth in the churche of Pergamos not that they mainteyne the Nicolaitan or Galaamitical doctrine but that they haue suche as maintayne that doctrine They offended therefore for that they did not hate so muche the Nicolaitans as the Ephesians did They offende that haue them whiche maynteyne wicked doctrine of whome we hearde in the firste epistle that they coulde not abide the wicked Wherefore leesie the sowrenes of the leuen shoulde crepe further through out of the whole lumpe of dowe the olde leuen muste be purged It muste be tried whether you fouour or cleaue to Heresies And furthermore the Lorde requireth that we should not nurrish them but that we should persecute them with an holy hatred Whereof is spoken in the first epistle Moreouer he describeth the heresie of the Nicolaitans to the intent we maye see What is the errour of the nicolaitās wherefore he blameth it wherfore he cōdemneth it wherfore it ought to be hated And he describeth it trimly by the example of the Scripture that chaste cares or shamefastenes mighte not be hurte or offended I tolde you before how they were moste filthie thinges which the auncient wryters reporte of the Nicolaitans But all things are most aptely and chastely declared of Christ They are taken out of the 22. 23. 24. 25. chapter of the fourth boke of Moses called Numeri He calleth the Nicolaitan doctrine the doctrine of Balaam and that by a similitude In Balaā the southsayer these wicked actes are manifeste whereof it maye easely appere of what sorte his doctrine was First he toke the rewarde or price of iniquitie as s Peter termeth it And woulde curse them whome God hathe blessed doynge cleane contrary to his owne minde Secondly he geueth the king moste pestilent counsell whiche the Scripture therfore calleth a sclaunder or offence For he taught the king a waie or meane wherby he mighte intise the people of God into certaine destruction into the most vncleane feding of meats offered to Idolles and into moste filthie whoredome Al this than shall be compted the doctrine of Balaā whiche in hope of filthy lucre beyng vttered agaynste Gods worde and his owne consciēce teacheth Idolatrie vncleane eating and fornication or reproueth not but counselleth rather when he knoweth the thing to be filthy Euen so did the Nicolaitans in speaking euill of the trueth and of christen purenes gaue naughtie counsell to many that they should be partakers of meates offered vp to Idolles and couple with harlots as in the first epistle I declared more at large How heresies muste be cōfuted Here we perceiue by the example of our Sauiour Christ howe heresies shoulde be confuted not with braweling nor rayling wordes but rather by the places and examples of holye Scripture like as here at this present moste fittely is condemned the heresie of the Nicolaitans And beyng ones of the Lorde condemned it abideth condemned for euer neither nede we any newe counselles wherwith to condemne impuritie Againe in case all the counselles in the worlde decree the contrary yet remayneth this trewe and sure which the Lord Christ here pronounceth accursed be he that determineth otherwise And here it semeth good nowe to consider whether the Balaamiticall and Nicolaitane doctrine in the churche be cleane extinguisshed Of the Nicolaitās of our time The name verely of Balaam and Nicolaitans we abhorre all but the thinge it selfe aswell in the states of menne spiritual as temporal is most openly foūde For there be men in highe authoritie in sondrie kindes of learnynge right excellent moste expert in the lawes both of God and men who neuerthelesse blinded with the rewarde of iniquitie curse bothe the persones and thinges whiche they knowe that God blessed Of these S. Peter also made mention in the 2. Chapt. of the 2. Epistle Thesame doe suggeste euill counselles to Kynges and Princes tendyng to the distruction bothe of the preachynge of the Gospell and safegarde of the Churche The same beyng geuen to Idolatrie and drowned in fleshely pleasures eate of the sacrifices of the dead and euen fede of Idoll offeringes and in fornications runne at riot Consider I praye you what be the moste parte of popishe priestes whereof they liue and be fed what opinion they haue of holy matrimony and how much they abhorre aduoutrie and whoredome They dare be bold to cōdemne matrimony and to iudge whoredome better so that they maye in ioye the sacrifices of the dead and many waies take theyr pleasure Yf any for the auoyding of whoredome be ioyned in lawfull matrimony he is though vnworthie to sacrifice or to come at the aultar but whore mongers are admitted thicke and three folde And all they for the most parte are the most beastly bondslaues of the bealy of whom you maie beleue that the holy Apostle of Christ s Paul hath spokē whose God is the bealy glory in reproche of them that seke earthly thinges And who will not acknoweledge these And affirme them to be very Nicolaitās mainteyning the doctrine of Balaā the inchaunter amongs the tēporaltie you shal find men of al sortes which set more by the doctrine of Balaā wantonnes of zambre than thei do by modestie Nume 25. grauitie christen sinceritie They loue the libertie and wantonnes of the flesh They wil not haue youth free people to be restreined by vertuouse lawes They wil euen at this day banket maske with the maidens of Madian follow their fleshly lust For thei mainteine surfetting drōknes whoredome And these be also very Nicolaitans And haue nother fewe nor abiectes to fauour theyr secte And wante not their worldly reasons bothe many great to maynteine the same God hateth all vncleanes But let vs heare what Christ him self sitting on the right hande of his father iudgeth of thē Those or that same which these men thincke teache and doe I hate sayeth the Lorde What thinge can be spoken more greuously than that God hateth the doctrine of the Nicolaitans For the whole scripture of bothe Testamentes condemneth this Nicolaisme He exhorteth to amēdemēt After this description
with out fruicte as beyng corrupted with the popish doctrine by force wil not be wise c. Finally they haue power to strike the Earth with euery plague so ofte as they wil. But they will not they strike the Earth with plagues excepte Gods worde by the whiche they beyng inspired and instructed are gouerned shall commaunde them For they wil do nothing wilfully they will not followe their affectioÌ„s but the worde of God Howebeit they are saide to strike the earth with plagues when out of Gods word thei threaten that God with plagues wil punnish the sinnes of meÌ„ Those plagues are recited in the .26 .28 of Deuter. Wherfore in case they threaten to impenitent persons warre pestilence famine sickenesses and other calamities God will sende them to such as are vncurable as the lord sayeth oft him selfe in Ieremie Agayne and on the contrary parte they shal in riche with all blessyng those that obeye gods word what time they shal shewe forth the Lordes blessing Thus muche hath he spoken hitherto concernyng the preachers of the Gospel which shal fight agaynst Antichrist in that last age before the iudgement and shal buylde vp the church confirme the beleuers Thou thy self shalt obserue in what preachers thou shalt perceyue these markes and the same shalt thou acknowledge for the lawefull prophetes of God And shalt acknowledge with all how great a benefite of God it is to haue trewe and faithfull preachers of Gods word The lord our God confirme al ministers of his worde in the settyng forth of his trueth to the worldes ende ¶ Of the cruell fight of Antichrist agaynst the Prophetes of God whome he ouercommeth and sleyeth and shamefully vseth them The .xlviij. Sermon ANd wheÌ„ they haue finished their testimony the beast that cam out of the botomles pitte shall make warre agaynst them and shall ouercome them kille them And their bodies shal lie in the stretes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome Aegipte where our lord is crucified And som of the people and kinreddes and toÌ„gues and of nations shall see their bodies three dayes and an halfe and shal not suffer theyr bodies to be put in graues And they that dwell vpon the Earth shall reioyce ouer them and be glad and shall sende giftes one to an other for these two Prophetes vexed theÌ„ that dwel on the earth We haue hearde of the coÌ„tinual preachyng of the preachers which shall obiecte themselues to Antichrist to his armie for christes veritie and the church of the faithfull that al the time that Antichrist shall exercise tiranny against the church consequently our lord Iesus Christ will teache vs by thapostle and Euangelist S. Iohn after what condition the sainctes shal fight and howe Antichrist shall incountre with them which also apperteyneth to consolation The persecution of Antichrist a necessarie admonition leest any maÌ„ should be discouraged with the felicitie of the Antichristians and calamities of the faithful He speaketh therfore expressely of the greuouse persecutioÌ„ of antichrist which hath now coÌ„tinued these many yeres I meane al that time wherin the bishop of Rome hath vsurped takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ him authoritie ouer al churches with some smal spaces of respite to breath in of the Lord permitted This persecutioÌ„ of Antichrist is more greuouse longer than euer was any eyther emongs thauncieÌ„t people of God or in the primitiue church Certenly for these fiue hoÌ„dreth yeres who so euer of what state or condition he were of began to speake neuer so little against the church of Rome he felte incoÌ„tineÌ„tly hatred imprisonement bannishment and death This do stories testifie which shewe also that persecutioÌ„ so much the more increased as the Bisshoppes themselues and theyr champions Monkes and freres were increased in nombre and power And the lord declareth most diligeÌ„tly when who of what estate where when with how great crueltie Antichrist shal playe the tiraunt against the faithful seruauntes of God He addeth immediatly that all his enterprises shall be vtterly vaine and how great shal be the rewardes of constaunte ministers and also the calamities of the Antichristians The testimony of Prophetes muste first be finished before the persecutioÌ„ come on And first in dede he admonisheth playnely what time persecution must be moued not before the testimony of the prophetes shal be finished I shewed you before that the testimonie is the sincere preaching of the gospel Aretas saieth what testimonie That he which shall be present is not Christ but a deceauer and a pestilent seducer c. And so great is the goodnes of God louing his church that he wil not suffer the preachers to be taken away till they haue finished their preachinge For the gospell must be openly preached to all men for saluation and deliueraunce from anguish craftes and disceiptes and from the seducers of Antichriste And they shall finish their ministery with sondry wrytinges and continual preachinges Thei shal finish I say when it shal please God For some preach and abide safe and sound many yeares beynge safe and sure from persecutions And others are immediatly apprehended cast in prison and slaine Thus are these things done as semeth to god good which must euer be credited what meane so euer he vseth to auaunce his glory further the helth of his church Here coÌ„meth to passe also as we reade oft times in the gospel that the lord was not takeÌ„ for asmuch as his houre was not comen Therfore shal a certaine houre also be appoincted of God to the preachers Before this houre they be safe sure though the deuill be neuer so madde tirauntes rage bloudsuckours and thenemies of faith laye in waite We maruel sometimes how the preachers of the gospel coulde preach in so great a coÌ„pany of wolues so long time that directly agaynst wolues Whie they were not by and by torne in peces God deâ—eÌ„deth his Prophetes vnto theyr houre The lorde God almightie hath kept which would first haue them throughly to finish the testimonie of the veritie He letted therfore their enemies and gaue strength to his seruauntes to preach To him shall we render thankes that many good preachers in times paste of late daies D. Luther and D. Zwinglius other faithful witnesses of God coulde in so wicked a worlde and in so great power of Antichrist execute their ministerie so many yeres in dispite of Hell gates Notwitstandyng that the Princes and Magistrates deserue also to be praysed for the lawefull defence shewed them yet should this haue ben none at all vnlesse the power of God would haue had it so And what time the faithful in the churche shall be sufficiently admonisshed so that such as will be wise Persecution cometh on and not of a set pourpose perish maye all escape the snares of Antichrist and liue in Christe immediately shall followe persecution For so soone as the Pope shall heare with his dregges
Iohn Wickleffe sumtime Person of Lutterworth here in Englande shuld be taken vp and brent whose bestiall crueltie of raging against dead men our popishe prelacie of late dayes rightly Imitatynge as the children of one father that was a murtherer frō the beginning practysed lyke tyranny with the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius at Cambridge Such raging surges of late dayes did beate against the Ship of Peter Blessed be the Lorde Iesus that hath sent vs a goodly caulme accordyng to the saying of the Prophet Dauid The Iuste shall suffer muche tribulotion but the Lorde delyuereth them out of all And this is verely the argument sum of this boke that Chrystes churche shall suffer greuous persecution but shall neuer be left destitute For where the dragon fighteth on the sand the Lambe Chryst like a conquerour standeth on Mount Sion right hable to succour all his to the great comfort and consolation of his chosen whiche of necessitie muste suffer with Chryst yf with him we will be glorifyed And as Christ him selfe when he was rayled vpon gaue no euil words again So is the true church of Christ knowen in this that it suffereth persecution and doeth not persecute agayne Wherfore lyke as wise kinge Salomon iudged her to be the true mother of the childe which had suche compassion on it that she had rather forgo the whole then haue it diuided and dismembred the other to be the harlot that had ouerlayne her childe whiche had also consented to the death of thother Right so maye we discerne euidently the whorish churche of Antichrist by her bluddy persecutions from the true churche and spouse of Chryst the one with sweard and fyre seketh alwayes to quenche the treuth the other through the sperite of lenitie to winne men to the same the one by compulsion and violent oppression thother by perswasion and meke intercessiō the one by the sworde the other by the worde the one goeth aboute to peruert and depraue the other seketh all meanes to conuerte and saue But lest I shulde excede here the iuste measure of an Epistle and through prolexitie be to your honour tediouse which cā as the prouerbe sayeth discerne a Lion by his clawes I will breake of the thred of my discourse notwithstāding that the matter is so ample large that it wold require an other worke wherin it is harder to fynde an ende then it was a beginning contented by these fewe examples of sondry tymes to haue signified not to your Lordship which knowe them much better then I And haue red this present work in Latin as you do all others right diligently But through your ientil patience to the plaine English Reader that the true church of Chryst hath ben in all ages persecuted and that this present worke written vpon the Reuelation of S. Iohn into an hundred Sermons digested declareth no lesse and is as it were an Ecclesiastical History of the troubles and persecutions of the Churche especially from the Apostles tyme vntill the last day wherin Chryst the head of the same shall come a righteous Iudge to condemn Antichrist and all Antichristian hipocrites bluddy persecutours But to receyue his electe people and to crowne them with glory And shall deliuer vp his kingdome to his Father God shall be all in all Which worke vnderstanding right well that it shuld to your honour be acceptable I dedicate and consecrate to your name as you best haue deserued Which in this and other like enterprises haue ben to me a golden spurre that by you all others may receyue commoditie therof to the glory of God and saluation of theyr owne soules The Lorde Iesus with his principall spirite strengthen and confirme youre good Lordeshyp in all youre Godly desires From Ipsewich the kalendes of March Anno. Do 1561. A Sixain touching the contentes of thys booke WHo list to moue his lippes and hereon loke and rede In thys Apocalyppes these thynge shall fynde in dede What Antichrist first is who and where he doth dwell And that his comming is from the depe pitte of hell Then what is tholde Serpent the Dragon and the rest And also what is ment by the Image of the beest That Roome is Babylon the beastes with her heades all The whore sitting theron is Pope that downe shall fall The three foule sprets like frogs are Legates of the syde And shal haue parte with dogges though now Prelates of pride The Locustes to declare as flies in Summer ryfe The Popish clergie are a people full of stryfe Theyr songe is nothing els but alwayes coaxe coaxe Holy church holi masse holi bells holy bread holy oyle holy waxe By the marke of the Beest they may both by and sell And as they saye at least redeme soules out of hell Theyr wayres yet shall decaye and perishe in an houre All shall be take away their oyle wyne and fyne floure And Rome shall downe be cast and drowned in the depe 〈…〉 marchaunts then at last 〈…〉 ll wayle and wepe The Dragon and the beast Sathan that Serpent olde Antichrist and the rest in paynes shal aye ben holde All ye that Godly be from Rome quickly depart or els with her you see of plages ye must haue parte Thys booke shall eke declare of Sunne Mone and of starres Candelstickes what they are of battell and of warres Whiche Antichryst shall meue against Christes church to fight And those that will beleue in Christ to death will dight But Chryst on Sion Mounte the Lamb shall aye preuayle Of his maketh accompte and will them neuer fayle The sealed are the elect whom God hath chosen free All others are reiect and condemned shall be The Raynebow and white cloude and maruels many one Thaungels crie aloude blessed be God in trone Thangels and spretes holy thelders and Beastes foure Prayse God continually so shuld we euermore The elect with good intent praye come Lorde Iesu comes vnto the last Iudgement to iudge both all and summe They that dye in the Lorde streyght waye do passe to blysses This scripture doth recorde where ioye and glory is The troumps that Angels sound and vialles of Gods ire Declare God to confounde that withstande his desire The Haruest and vintage do playnely signifye That sinne is ripe of age and ought of right to die The woman clad with sunne with starres eke crowned bryght The church is and her sunne our Sauiour Christ a ryght The newe Ierusalem of Chryst the spouse so pure The churche of faithfull men in ioye shall styll indure In it no temple is no Sunne no mone at all for Chryste her glory is and God is all in all Then Reader by thys boke thou shalt thee not repent yf thou wilt heron loke nor mony better spent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE PREFACE OF Henry Bullinger vpō the Apocalips of Iesu Christ setforth by the Apostle and Euangelist s Iohn vnto all thexiles for the name of Christ in Germany and Swyserland of
Fraunce England Italy and of other Realmes or nations and generally to all the faithfull where soeuer they be abiding and lokyng for the coÌ„myng of Christe oure Lorde and Iudge THat this Apocalips was reueled of Iesus christ king of kinges and high Bishop our lord from the right hand of the Father and setforth by thapostolical spirite for the saluatioÌ„ of al faithfull chieflye of those that shall be in the latter dayes before the last iudgment both the matter it selfe whiche is treated right necessary to be knoweÌ„ holsom and excelleÌ„t proueth And also the simple maner meane wherby it is handled being euident and plaine declareth I will speake of ether briefly Collectyng those thinges only which seme to be more profitable and more necessary Iohn .xvi. The Lorde had sayd in the Gospell how he wold ascende into heauen and froÌ„ thence wold send to his Apostles the holy Gost the comforter which shulde leade them into all truth and shew them the thinges that ar to come And that which he sayd he wolde do in wordes the same verely hath he also perfourmed in dede aboundantly The holy Gost beyng sent to his Apostles which induced them into all truthe and opened to them the thinges that were to come especially to the Apostle and Euangelyst S. Iohn who receiued this ReuelatioÌ„ exibited to him of Christ from the ryght hand of the Father by the mistery of an AuÌ„gel in the holy Gost who also by Chryste his commaundement committed the same to wryting The summe and ende of the which wryting is this The summe ende of the Apocalipse That Christ Iesus our Lord wil neuer fayle hys churche in earth but will gouerne it with his spirite and worde through thecclesiasticall ministery But that the church it self whilest it remaineth in this worlde shall suffer many thinges and that for Chryst and the truthe of his Gospell professed And it openeth al and singular euils in a maner that the church shal suffer shewing how it must be exercised with common Calamities as warre plage famyne and suche other lyke What it shall priuately suffer of the false bretherne through heresies schismes and greuous and continuall stryfes contentions corruptions in the matter of religion Finally how terribly it shulde be vexed by the most cruell persecutions of tholde Romane Empire And laste by the wicked crafts extreme Tyranny of Antichrist Al the which thinges apperteyne to this ende that all the chosen being sufficiently warned before and prouided in all ages whilest this worlde shall indure may with true faith alone cleaue vnto Christ our redemer king and high prieste only and eternall and may purely and syncerely professe hym call vpon him in the innocencie of lyfe serue him and patiently attend after him commyng to Iudgemente and to delyuer and saue the godly But contrarywise that they dispise all superstitions and the worlde it selfe with those his sondrye religions felicities and pleasures and bewar of al vngodlines And chiefly that they flee Antichrist which shall com in th ende of the worlde vsurping to himselfe most vniustly the kingdom and Priesthod of Chryst and greuouslye persecuting the churche of Christ euen to the laste Iudgemente In the whiche at the laste he with all his adherentes shall be throwen downe hedlonge into Hell And. S. Iohn beginneth this holsome matter of Chryste hymselfe The fyrste Chapter of the Apocalips Lorde king and high Bishop whose wonderful and most goodly description after the Apostolicke maner he placeth in the very begynnyng as the foundation of the whole worke The same descriptioÌ„ dooeth so â—â—ately setfoorthe the Lorde that all the churche may easely know What thinges are treated in this boke in what order dispersed throughout the whole worlde in Chryst oure Lorde all thinges to be accomplished what so euer he had sayd before shulde be fulfilled in him namely that he shulde be exalted one to the ryghthand of his father into all celestiall glory power and maiestie there to be kinge of kinges of all other most mightye and the true and only hygh Byshop Sauiour gouernour Lorde and generall defendour of the Catholycke churche For blessed S. Iohn not only saw him such him selfe but also exhibiteth him such to be sene of vs all in thys hys wryting so godly by a most bryght and goodly vision And moreouer to thintent it myght be knowne to vs all in what sorte our Lord Iesus Chryst king and priest sitting or working in Heauen on the right hande of his Father is neuerthelesse in the middes of the catholycke church wherof he hath a faithfull care how louingly and fully he preserueth it in best order gouerneth it S. Iohn sheweth in this his vision that Christ walketh amonge the seuen golden candlestickes holdeth in his right hande seuen starres And streyghtway declareth what thing he vnderstandeth by the candelstickes and starres calling the candelstickes churches and the starres Aungels of the churches That is to witte Seuen churches Messagers ministers and pastours For the Lord chose vnto him selfe seuen famouse churches in Asia with whom he treateth nowe generally and compendiously vsing S. Iohn for hys interpretour which he doth perpetually in all churches throughoute the world and will neuer cease to do tyll the worldes ende For the seuenth number whiche is most vsed in this boke Chap. 2 and .3 and is the numbre of fulnes comprehendeth in it all churches Wherfore S. Iohn doeth so propounde moderate and temper all thynges that he treateth with these seuen churches that they may be applied vnto all the Churches that shal be in the worlde vntyl the worldes ende for theyr learnynge and edifiyng And for the same cause these seueÌ„ churches may be exaÌ„ples of all other churches For loke what thing then did please or displease the Lord in those seuen churches what tyme these thyngs wer reuealed the selfe same in all other churches shall please or displease him so long as the worlde shall laste And as he wolde haue those instructed and taught so wyl he that all and singular be instructed at all seasons Therefore in these seuen churches we haue examples of churches moste excellent in dede and of God derely beloued And agayne of moste corrupte meane also and finally mixed And in these al is shewed what is or shall be the disposition maners and vertues of all the churches in the whole world and of al tymes and seasons likewise the vices of them and remedies of the same Therfore the Lorde in these instructeth reproueth chideth threatneth exhorteth comforteth promiseth Wherfore in these we shall see as it were in a table set before vs what the true and ryght doctrine of the churche is And againe which is the false and the corrupt doctrine We shall heare and learne that the churche beloued of God must stande styll in the preachyng of the Gospell once receyued of the Apostles of oure Lord Iesus Chryst and muste loke for no new
〈◊〉 after the maner of men to haue a boke of life or of his electe What that boke is and whose name is red in the same none of vs can tell sins none hath loked therein We must learne of the scriptures who be the citezeÌ„s of the kingdome of God For that theyr names be written in the boke of life no man nede doubt And S. Iohn sayeth so many as haue beleued he hath geuen them power that they maye be made the children of God S. Paull saieth He that hath not the spirite of Christe he is none of his And the spirite crieth in the mindes of the godly Abba father The same Apostle sayeth God hath predestinated vs that he might adopte vs for his children through Iesus Christe Moreouer he hath chosen vs in Christ before the fouÌ„dations of the world were layde Therefore are al beleuers written in that numbre celestiall Who so euer therefore beleue not or perseuere not in the faith eyther they are not written in the boke of life or els they be put out againe of the boke of lyfe Finally the sonne acknowledgeth the beleuers and such as perseuer in the true faythe before his heauenly father and his Aungelles And here he repeteth theuangelicall doctrine out of the 10. chapt of S. Matth. and 8. of S. Marke And doubteles it is a greate matter in that vniuersall iudgement to be knowen of the sonne of God of the highe iudge to be saluted and frendely spokeÌ„ to of him and that to our greate prayse If any Prince would in a great assemble of people knowe thee yea imbrase and coÌ„mende thee howe happie and fortunate woldest thou thinke thy selfe But then shall imbrase thee the very sonne of God king of kinges and lorde of lordes Let vs thinke of these thinges in time and amende our maners For that all these thinges apperteyne to vs that laste and wounted acclamation of S. Iohn proueth let him that hathe eares heare c. Wherof we haue spoken els where To the Lord be prayse and glory ¶ The Lord coÌ„mendeth the vertues namely the constancie of the congregation of Philadelphia c. The .xvij. Sermon ANd write vnto the Aungel of the congregation of Philadelphia this sayeth he that is holye and true which hath the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth And shutteth and no man openeth I knowe thy workes Beholde I haue sette before thee an open dore and no manne can shutte it for thou hast a little strength And haste kepte my worde and haste not denied my name Beholde I shall geue some of the congregation of Sathan whiche call them Iewes and are not but do lie Behold I wil make them that they shal come and worship before thy feete the church is not blamed but yet is it not therefore perfit 1. Iohn 1. Rom. 3. In al other congregations the Lord at the leest fouÌ„d some faulte in the only churche of Philadelphia he blameâ—h nothing not that any man is founde in this flesh so perfit that he hath not nede of the grace of God For Dauid crieth out enter not Lord into iudgement with thy seruaunt for no maÌ„ liuing shall be iustified in thy sighte But S. Iohn and S. Paull also make all meÌ„ subiect to sinne which thing also S. Austen discourseth learnedly agaynst the Pelagians Therfore that blameth nothing in this congregation it is not to be vnderstand as though it were not defiled with dayly faultes but therfore he imputeth nothinge for because the sinceritie and integritie of faithe couereth hideth what vice so euer there be For there is no coÌ„demnation to them that are graffed in Christe Iesu And albeit that other churches haue also the right faith yet this excelleth especially c. It might be referred chiefly to the Bisshop of the same Churche In this sixte epistle he coÌ„mendeth the sincere faith and coÌ„stancie of faith and admonissheth to perseuer propounding ample rewardes And it hath muche learning and diuerse whiche shall appere in the treatise therof And the lord herin followeth the same order which we see he hath followed in others For it is one the same kinde of doctrine with all churches and in al times Firste therfore is shewed vnto whom the epistle is written or dedicated to the pastour and whole coÌ„gregation of Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia was a citie of Lydia neither very famouse nor yet obscure We reade how it hath beÌ„ oft shakeÌ„ with earthquakes and repared againe Strabo mentioneth therof in the 12. boke of Geographie and so haue other authours also Yet it made it self famouse by vertues After is the Lorde Christ signified to be Authour of this epistle who at other times also hath tolde S. Iohn what he should write And to Christ are attributed three things or rather Christ attributeth three things to him selfe that he is holy true hath the keye of Dauid The which he hath borrowed of the Image of the first Chapt. Christe is holy Christe holy because he is pure cleane from al filthines from al vnrightuousnes very God a coÌ„suming fire doyng no man any wroÌ„g hauing nothing at all that may be blamed For to him the Seraphin sayng rightly holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Esaye 7. Christe the Saincte of Sainctes Christ is also the holy one of the Sainctes a sanctification I saye that sanctifieth all that be sanctified The same loueth holines in sainctes Christ therfore is moste truely called Antichrist the Pope hath taken vpon him this title and so filthy sitteth on this beaste as if you should call a priuie or a Iakes a Rosier Spitte vpon that vile and filthy beast whiche suffereth him self to be called the most holy father and worship Christ the holy one of all holy vnlesse you had rather vnderstande by that holines not euery holines but pope holines that is to witte stinking swimming full of al abominations Christe is like wise called trewe Christe is true because he is eternall and faithfull euermore constaunt and incorrupte He can neyther disceiue nor be disceiued The same moste constantly kepeth his promesses All his wordes be vndoubted and trewe Albeit that fleshe that can abide no delaye begin many times to doubt yet no one poincte or iote of them falleth awaye The trueth of the Lorde indureth for euer Thou standest vpon a moste sure foundation if thou leane vnto Christe whiche in the 14. of Iohn also calleth him selfe the veritie The keye of Dauid Laste he addeth whiche hath the keye of Dauid I spake of the keye in the firste chapter He alludeth to the 22. Chapt. of Esaye Wherby is signified the diuine almightie power of Christ by the which he bringeth vs purified into the kingdome of heauen whiche worke verely nother deuilles nor any power can let The same casteth doune the vncleane into hel nother is there that can deliuer or differ the same He sayeth therfore aptely and expressely he hath
Iewishenesse to goe to the Christen religion Therefore if we couet or goe about to reteyne also in our Churches the pure worde of God Howe congregatiōs maye be kepte to receiue our enemies humble we shall not atteyne to these thinges by warres or wronges by raylyng and approbriouse wordes but by constaunte faith But if eyther we professe our faith not purely or beautifie not the same with vertues what maruell is it though enemies abide enemies still and continewe to hate vs euery daie more haynously than other and at length oppresse vs and extinguishe the lighte of God his worde with many let vs learne dere bretherne by godlynes constancie and holines to winne our bretherne The Lord Iesus graunt vs his grace to perfourme the same ¶ He exhorteth them to perseuer in the true fayth propoundyng most ample rewardes The .xviij. Sermon ANd they shall knowe that I haue loued thee because thou hast kept the wordes of my patience therefore will I kepe thee from the houre of temptacion whiche wil come vpon all the worlde to tempte them that dwell vpon the earthe beholde I come shortely Holde fast that thou hast that nomā take awaye thy crowne To kepe the worde of Christ An excellent vertue is commended in the congregation of Philadelphia that they haue kepte the worde of Christ not euery worde but the worde of Christe and haue not denied it And he hath begonne to rehearse moste large rewardes whiche bothe he hath geuen to this church and is also ready to geue to any other like in the zeale of godly religion For we are allured by rewardes Enemies are made frendes Firste I will conuerte sayeth he thine enemies that they may be made thy frendes bretherne that cōming into the congregation they maye worship Christ whome they haue blasphemed hitherto yea that they shal submit them selues hūbly lowely As we reade of S. Paull which in the 15. chapt of the 1. epistle to the Corinthians sayeth that he is vnworthie to be called an Apostle c. And this is a wonderfull benefite For God is glorified by such as are cōuerted the trueth is set forth liyng and superstition are confounded Wherof the Sainctes can not but be exceadingly glad The faythful also are deliuered out of the Deuils clawes and are saued The church of God beloued Than followeth an other benefite of God Thenemies of God shal know finde that the church and euery mēbre of the same be the wel beloued children of God Thenemies of the church suppose the faithful to be wicked gods enemies heretikes churchrobbers hated of god vnworthy to liue But they shal vnderstand that nothing is derer to God than the church as for the which he gaue his sonne which he chose also for his spouse and hath made pertaker of his kingdome Of the loue of god cum vertues But of this loue of God wherby he prouoked by no desertes of ours but of his only grace natiue goodnes hathe ioyned him selfe to the churche al vertues doe procede That chiefly which immediatly followeth that the church hath kept the worde of patiēce The same Iohn in his canonical epistle not that we sayeth he haue loued God but that he hath loued vs c. Therfore where the obseruation of the worde of patience is annexed as the cause of loue it muste be religiousely expoūded that the fauour of god al our giftes be verely of grace but yet that he of the same grace doeth as it were requite and rewarde vs for our paynes Wherof the Sainctes are not proude but humbly acknowledge and preache grace euery where and in al thinges Agayne he cōmendeth the perseueraunce of the faithfull in the true religion Thou hast kept sayeth he What is the worde of patience the worde of my patience The worde of patience is the Gospel of eternal saluation whiche is otherwise called of S. Paull the worde of the crosse and that for two considerations First for bicause he describeth the crosse and patience of Christe wherby we are saued And again he perswadeth vs also to beare the crosse and patiently to suffer with Christe Matth. 16.2 Timoth. 2. Neyther muste any man loke for any perseueraunce of him that is impatient The Lord sayeth in the 12. of Luke in your patience you shal possesse your soules Therfore hath eyther the pastour or the church of Philadelphia kept the worde of patience to witte in reteyning in their hartes the patience of Christ through fayth and in shewyng patience in wordes or saiynges and susteyning muche trauel in body Whiche in dede is the beste waye to kepe churches safe and sounde and euery one of the faythful Let them kepe I saye the worde of Christe his patience and the rest commit to the Lord. For it followeth And I will kepe thee agayne from the houre of temptation c. The houre of temptation The houre of temptation is expoūded two wayes For eyther he speaketh of heresies and of heretikes by whose talke and craftie iuggelynge leudenes and disceiptfulnes is tempted the faythe simplicitie and integritie of the faytheful Wherof the Lorde treateth muche in the 13. Chapter of Deuteronomie Or els he speaketh verely of the persecutions whiche the emperours of Rome haue inflicted emonges whome Traiane a most mightie Prince set forth sore proclamations agaynste the Christians Wherof Plinie also made mention in the 10. boke of Epistles the hōdreth and one But Christ preserued the churche of Philadelphia and kepeth also at this daye the faythfull by his worde and power in the perilles of heretickes and heresies and finally of persecutions also so that the faythfull maye stande sure in all controuersies and receyue nothing of heretikes that is straunge from gods worde and also geue no place in persecutions Christ causeth many times that the burthen of persecution presseth not so heauily Therfore let vs alwayes be constaunt in gods worde and permitte the defence to our Lorde God He wil not neglecte vs c. The Lord helpeth in time But for as muche as in temptations and afflictions the Lord semeth many times to our fleshe to tary ouerlong and in maner to neglect his for we saye the Lord preuenteth and addeth beholde I come shortly Shortly I say that is to say in time not to late nor to hastely The which we saie neither to soone nor to late but in dewe time and season If the lorde therfore shal seme to be ouer slowe dispaire not for he will come timely enough when he shal see it good Doe not thou prescribe vnto him the maner and meane of deliueraunce but abide the Lordes leasure Reade what goodly and holesome thinges S. Paull hath written concernyng this matter in the ende of the 10. chapter to the Hebrewes where a place also out of the 2. Chapt. of Abachuc is alledged Holde fast that thou haste And nowe he exhorteth in fewe but most euident wordes to perseueraunce in
tried gold That is purefied pourged wherby thou maist be riche be arayed in whyte and mayst haue a medicine wherwith to annointe thine eyes that thou maiest see To God be glory ¶ He draweth them also hereby vnto repentaunce The .xxij. Sermon BEholde I stande at the dore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the dore I wyll come in vnto hym and will suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercometh wyll I graunt to sitte with me on my seate euen as I ouercame and haue sitten with my father on his seate Let hym that hath eares heare what the spirite saith to the congregations Hereby also the Lorde allureth the Laodiceans to repentaunce shewyng that euery time is mete for conuersion and that God is euermore ready to receiue sinners and prouoketh them alwaies that they should amēde and liue And this matter he expoundeth in an allegoricall and goodly speache Allegorical speche taken out of the fift chapt of the boke of Canticles For he faineth the Lorde to stande at the dore and knock yea and to promise to them that opē the greatest familiaritie and ioyes vnspeakeable First therfore is declared the beneuolence of God towards sinners and his most ready will alwaies to receiue the same yea and his infinite study to moue men to repentaunce that they might liue For the Lord standeth at the dore and knocketh The worde of standing doth signifie that God is always prepared always watcheth ouer our saluation For he sitteth not styll nor lieth not on the one syde lyke a sluggarde He standeth busely to his worke And I stand saith he not I stode or shall stande But I stande euermore ready euermore louing and gentle What doeth he He knocketh that in dede at the dore desiring to be let in For like as he that knocketh at the dore seriously coueteth to be let in so God desireth ernestly to be of vs receiued And God vseth sondry kindes of knocking For he warneth exciteth with his worde by the Prophets againe by signes wonders also by sondry chaūces mouings Howe the Lord knocketh These thinges may be sene in the citie of Ierusalē He sendeth to them his Prophets Apostles He sheweth diuers wonders He bringeth on thē sorowfull chaunces that they might admonish thē Such as are reported Luke 13. of the Galileans of those whome the toure of Siloe had ouerwhelmed We may se the like at this day how the Lord knocketh Therfore he said truly Hierusalē Hierusalē c. Math. 23. These ar doubtles the partes doings of god which wil not that a sinner shuld die but rather conuert liue Than must we se what is required of vs Our part is to heare and to opē verely that we shuld heare the knocking noise of the knocker that also we opē receiue suche as desire to come in Here are they confuted which speake of man as though he were a blocke image I know not what maner of drawing saiyng It is neither in that runner nor in the willer c. Certen altogether absteine from well doing saying if I be chosen it is enough But the scripture requireth euery where hearing obedience We knowe that thelect are only saued that thelect in Christ In Christ to be they that beleue That faith is of hearing hearing by the word of god Therfore saith the Prophet this day if you heare his voice c. This same is recited of the Apostle Heb. 4. The Apostle also 2. Tim. 2. In a great house there be not only vessels of gold but of earth also If any pourge him self c. And therfore the Lord saith I knocke It shal be thy part not to dispise him that knocketh but to opē vnto him And he reciteth in dede two things to heare which both in the .8 .9 of Iohn is required of the children of God of the true shepe And to open that is to receiue the Lord or beleue to obey to frame them selues after the wil of God to do penaunce Notwithstanding we must here beware that we thinke not that man hath power of him self to receiue the Lord. The Lorde illumineth his elect and by him we can do al thinges without whō we can do nothing Other places must be cōferred with this as Iohn 15.2 Corinth 3. Philip. 2. They therfore that open do open by the grace of God They that open not being wrapped in their sinnes through their owne faulte open not and not through any faulte of God Let vs heare moreouer what the Lord promiseth to thē that open that is to say to suche as receiue Christ with true faith What we shal get by opening The Lord promiseth to them two thinges chiefly First I wil go into him saith he The scripture signifieth the Christ dwelleth euery wher through faith in the hartes of the faithful with a most strayte knot to be ioyned vnto them He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him These thinges are spoken of the Lord in the .vi. of Iohn And in the xiiii chapt he saith He that loueth me wyll kepe my worde And my father and I will come vnto hym and will make abode with him S. Paul saith that he liueth not nowe but that Christ liueth in hym The same affirmeth that Christ through faith dwelleth in the hartes of the faithfull And so the Lord entreth the hartes of them that let hym in Not the least part of felicitie consisteth in this coniunction For to be vnited with God is blessednes whiche beginneth here and is made perfit in an other lyfe And therfore in the second place the Lord saith And I will suppe with him and he with me Wherby he noteth not only againe a moste dere frendship familiaritie for the table is consecrate to amitie but rather the fruition of eternall glory For by the supper are signified the ioyes celestiall greatest and vnspeakeable which after their soules the Godly receiue immediatly after death But more fully in the ende of tymes when the bodies shal arise againe Therfore is it not applied to a diner but to a supper as it is also in the .14 of Luke Thē if we receiue Christ we shal haue him dwelling with vs cōtinually whilest we liue in this world And in the worlde to come we shall haue the full fruition of al the ioyes celestiall These thinges be certain and true For otherwyse in the life to come there shall be no riotouse bankettes suche as the Turkes do imagine The thron of God is prepared for the penitent He annexeth also an other generall promesse wherby he exhorteth and moueth to the study of godly religion to repentaūce For to him that ouercometh is promised the kingdome of heauen And he saith to him that ouercometh wherof I haue spoken in thother epistles not to him the fleeth or to a coward c.
horse on whom he that sate had a bowe bent and an Arrowe in it To him was geuen a crowne and he wēt forth conqueryng that he might ouercome This is the vision the exposition wherof is easie For the Lorde sayeth that he will declare the destenies of the church Horses Horses of sondry coulours are also brought forth of Zacharie in the .1 chapt And thei signifie the variable course and state of the people of Israel The white coulour is cōsecrated to Innocencie The course of Gods worde puritie victory and felicitie Therfore by the white horse is signified the lucky vtteraunce of Gods word or prosperous preaching of the Gospel For vpon the horse sitteth a horseman which guideth the horse hath a bowe Certenly Christ doeth prosper the course of the preachyng of the Gospell And the .45 Psalm doeth attribute to the same shaftes or Arrowes A bowe For he striketh his enemies far of and bringeth them into his subiection Briefly with the worde of his mouth he subdued to him self people and nations Esaye in the .49 bringing in Christ speakyng sayeth And he put my mouth as a sharpe sword the shadow of his hande couered me and he put me as a piked Arrow he hidde me in his queuer Through Christ therfore procedeth the preachyng of the word he geueth strength to the preaching he shaketh his bent bowe What force so euer the worde hath that same is whole dewe to the Horseman To the same is geuen a Crowne A crowne to witte a kingdom and all power of rulyng For Dauid propheciyng before sayed the Lord shall sende forth the rod of his power out of Sion to rule emonges thine enemies Moreouer there is geuen him a crowne that he maye crowne suche as serue him faithfully And it is a phrase of speakyng and he wente forth conqueryng that he might ouercome for that whiche is he that went forth is a conquerour and to this ende went forth that he mighte ouercome For it signifieth that Christ will auaunce the preachyng of his worde through out the worlde no manne beynge able to resiste and euen in dispite also of Hel gates For the worde of the Lord indureth for euer And this place teacheth That the church shal be alwaies and the preachinge of the word that the Church shal be alwayes in the world likewise alwayes the trueth preached though the enemies bowelles burste But if we reade ouer the story of the Churche we shal better vnderstande al thynges and shall perceyue that this Prognostication hath alwayes ben moste certayne Christe was ones through the ministerie of the worde shewed to the world by the Apostles and the matter proceded moste luckely howe muche some euer the most mightie of this worlde resisted the same The thing is wonderfull in case those fiue hondreth yeres be considered whiche immediately after the incarnation of our Lorde are accoumpted In them wente forth the conquerour that he might ouercome And ouercame in dede the whole world receyuyng Christ and worshippyng him Sins those yeres as before also certen sedes of errours began to be sowen abroade The Bisshoppes began to contende for the supremacie and who should be the vniuersall head of the Church in earth They began to reason of the vse of Images in the Church and broughte them into Churches in dede as also they called the Bisshoppe of Rome the supreme and generall head of the Churche in earth And mightie Princes and in a maner the whole state of learned menne conspired in these opinions but he hath vanquished which wente forth that he might vanquish He had in his church innumerable whiche bowed not their knees before this Baal A thousand yeres after the incarnation of Christ the Bishoppes began to prophanely to pollute the lordes supper and other vndefiled doctrines of faith but what I praye you did they preuayle by so many counsels determinations and indeuours most ernest he that went forth to ouercome hath ouercomē That white Horse hath stoutely inuaded to the saluation of many For how great battels in these last fiue hōdreth yeres the godly and learned mē haue susteyned against the Popes and Bisshoppes stories beare witnes At this daye also appereth through out the whole worlde howe luckely yet that white horse goeth forwarde which hath pearsed euen vntill our time The Gospel is beleued neither can that faith be extinguished with any waters or fires Thou makest exception that they were heretikes whiche resisted the bisshop and See of Rome in these .500 last yeres as Bertrame Iohn Scot surnamed Dunse Berengarius Arnoldus Brixianus Waldo Wicleffe and Husse Luther and Zwinglius and such other men of the same sorte moreouer certen of these were ouercomen also and put to death by the Pope I aunswer that as men they might erre in many thinges but in those thinges wherin with the Scripture they consente agaynst the See of Rome I affirme that they erred not but sayed the trueth Wherupon it is certaine that Christ ouercame by them What time Micheas Helias Zacharias Amos Ieremias and others preached by the worde of God agaynste Idols and worshippers of Idols they were also condemned for seditioufe and heretikes yea and certen of them were taken out of the waye but was the veritie vanquisshed Antichrist is saied that he shuld haue good fortune and that he should punish afflict the strong and the people of God but men beyng ministers may be oppressed the ministerie neuer decayeth S. Paull sayeth that he is bounden for the Gospels sake but the Gospel not to be boūden Therfore hath he ouercomen hitherto and shall ouercome still which went forth that he might conquer They stumble vpō this conquerour as at the stone of offence who so euer and what so euer they be whiche seke to interrupte the playne course of the Gospell Moreouer what time the seconde seale should be opened the seconde beast The secōd seale is opened to witte the Ore or Calfe exhorteth agayn S. Iohn to attentiuenes and that we should consider what is propoūded vnto vs. And now cometh forth the red horse whose coulour is somwhat like fire there sitteth also on him a rider to whom power is geuen to disturbe peace in earth and that menne should kill one an other For there is geuen him a great sword The red horse signifieth the state of warres Calamitie of warres ful of fire and bloud He that sitteth on this horse is Mars or rather the father of lies I meane the Deuil whiche was a murtherer from the beginnyng He gathereth to him the dregges of men to make ciuile commotions for the warres destruction firyng slaughter and desolation You see from whence the breakyng of peace is whych God hateth And we heare howe it is geuen him Marke geuen by the iuste iudgement of God to be permitted that troublyng al peace he should take it away and set menne together by the eares that one maye wounde and kil an other For so
haue their mallice and power at an ende Thus farre he But where as the Scripture euery where agreably witnesseth that the sainctes in heauen are free from greues affections and to liue nowe a newe life moste farre from all payne and perturbatiō and that they haue submitted their willes to the will of God whom they maye followe in al thinges approuyng all his iudgementes saiynges and doynges yea and reuerencing the same I suppose we nede not to reason more subtily hereof at this present but simply to vnderstande that by this figuratiue speache as criyng is also els where attributed to the bloud of martirs shed is signified that the bloud of the oppressed shal neuer be forgotten of God and that before him the iuste iudgement and vengeaunce is prepared to be executed in his time against the enemies and cōtemners of God but chiefly agaynst the persecutours of the worde and the murtherers of Sainctes Which thing is more fully declared by this that followeth For by the same that followeth such aūswer was made to the complaincte of Martirs What was aunswered to the martirs requiringe vengeaunce that we may vnderstand what is the state glory of sainctes in heauen which haue offered their bodies for the Testament of God and that God hath not forgottē the bloud spilte but that he wil at length requite those bloud sheders when he seeth time But where he hath reserued this time to him self when he wil rewarde the bloud suckers it is not our parte to inquire curiousely therof but rather to be in a readines that if he will that we also should suffer for the Testimony of Iesus Christ we should runne spedely and cherely through afflictions vnto glory doubting nothing but that we shall be ioyned to the blessed Martirs in heauen and that the iuste iudge in that daye wil render to al the enemies ol God the Churche and Gods worde after their demerites And albeit the time of persecution doe seme a world to the flesh yet is it here and els where in the scriptures called shorte The state of soules in heauē is moste happy But these thinges muste be sene and considered by partes First doubtles the state of soules in heauen is in al things most fortunate The which is figured by the white garmēts For the glory of the blessed is signified that are nowe in light and fele nothinge of darkenes of this garmente I haue spoken before And it is sayd expressely and white garments are geuen to euery one of them For euery soule receiueth his rewardes And the body also at th end of the world shal receiue his owne garmente S. Gregory Saintes as yet sayeth he haue the fruition only of the blesse of the soules but in th end of the world they shal receiue two stoles or garmentes for with the perfecte ioye of the soules they shall be clothed also wyth the incorruption of bodyes Hereof shall be reasoned more dilligently about th ende of the .vii Chapter where this place shal be declared more at large After it was sayde to the blessed soules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should rest Therfore they be altogether in quiet and fele no perturbation whiche in the .xii. Chapter shall more plainely be declared Notwythstanding that it may be referred to delay and breathinge as though he should haue sayd It was signifyed to the soules that they should yet differ and abyde For it followeth yet a lytle whyle Therfore God signifyeth that after a little tyme he wyl delyuer hys and punnishe the aduersaryes The tyme of persecutiō is short And the noting of the time semeth to be taken of the .2 Chapt. of Abacuk whiche place is also alledged of the Apostle in the .11 to the Hebrew For yet a little while for bicause he that shall come wil come and wil not tary And the iust shal liue of his faith c. In the .26 of Esaye we reade these wordes after he hath shewed the resurrection to come and the laste ende of the worlde goe therefore my people and enter into thine inner chābers and shut thy dores after thee hide thee a litle while euen for a momente till the indignation be past And likewise S. Peter called all this time of affliction vnto the iudgement a shorte time that we mighte take comforte therin .1 Peter .1 And .2 Peter .3 To these also is ioyned an other thing whiche more fully accomplissheth the time till three fellowes and bretherne were fulfilled whiche should also be slayne for the worde of God Therfore let vs no more herafter inquire when persecution shal haue an ende or whie the Lorde differreth vengeaunce and howe longe For we heare that the numbre of the electe muste be accomplisshed But where that time is knowen to God alone lette not vs be curiouse but lette vs thinke of suche thinges as concerne our dewetie that if the case so require we maye also die strongly for the Testament of our Lorde God that we maye be associated to our bretherne and our fellowes and haue the fruition of the blessed sight of our redemer The numbre shal be accomplisshed in the ende of the world at the last iudgement Hitherto therfore shal last the persecution but than assuredly wil the Lord requite it as also the Prophet Malachie hath wittenessed in the .3 and .4 chapter Hereof we learne also What we should iudge of the saintes ī heauē what we shoulde iudge of the holy Martirs in Heauen and blessed soules the same that we learne here of Gods worde Bretherne and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowe seruauntes as also Aungelles in the .19 and .22 of the Apocalipse they are expressely called not Lordes and founders For although the wordes muste be vnderstande of vs yet liuyng yet is there a relation For if we be theyr bretherne and fellowe seruauntes they be verely our bretherne also and Gods seruauntes with vs and euen fellowe seruauntes Now though we graunt that they praye in Heauen what I praye you praye they here but that God would auenge and punnisshe and what doe they obteyne As we reade that Christe sayed to his mother requiryng wine at the mariage womā what haue I to do with thee my houre is not yet comen so likewise are the Martirs here cōmaunded to tary abide the time of God appoincted The which we beleue that the Sainctes doe What can we saye than of their intercession and praying for sinners vnto God there is one only mediatour geuen euen the Lorde Christe let vs goe vnto him in al our necessities he alone shal suffice al and in all These thinges are spoken hitherto of the persecutions of al times so that in the meane time they haue ministred most comfortable consolations to all that suffer persecution to the ende of the worlde and haue likewise cutte of curiouse questions and sette vs saue and whole in the will of God wherein we only restynge maye knowe that the same is best
cruel and blouddy is that crueltie it shal continewe by the space of three dayes and an halfe Three dayes and an halfe the whiche al the expositours vnderstande for a shorte time certaine in dede but yet vncertayne as I tolde you before of the monethes and yeres Therefore I suppose this shortenesse of time to be brought for a consolation We saye also for the Lord geueth to the afflicted spaces to breath in shorteneth the sorrowful dayes to the ende we might be able to abide it Yf therefore our patience be tempted in a greuouse cruell persecution of Antichrist let vs thinke that our Lorde God hath in a rekenyng al the dayes of our calamitie and that he hath shortened the same for the consolation of the weake The place is tolde where the prophetes muste be slayne And the very place where this crueltie muste be wrought agaynst the prophetes he expresseth playnely as it were poincteth it with the fingar To witte the great citie And it is the citie of God and is also the citie of the deuil it is the citie of Abel an innocēt it is also the citie of Cain the parricide it is the catholicke citie of sainctes it is also the Sinagoge of Antichrist These cities are opē through out the whole world and are inclosed with no strayte walles thou might call this citie the lordeshippe dominion kingdome or empire or fellowship of the wicked Where so euer therefore Antichrist or Pope of Rome hath iurisdiction and euen in the Romisshe church it selfe through out al nations people these thinges whiche we haue hearde shal be done agaynst Martirs For settyng forth that citie with more playne tokens their bodies sayeth he shal lie in the stretes of the great Citie And by an expositiō he addeth which is called spiritually Sodome and Aegipte Moreouer where also our Lord was crucified And agayne and they shall see of people and kinreddes and tongues and natiōs therfore by this he vnderstode not any strayte nor yet any large citie inclosed with walles but that citie stretcheth through out the world wherin dwel nations kinreddes people c. Sodome and Aegipte are farre a sonder nother can they be ioyned together with any walles Againe our Lorde was crucified in the citie of Hierusalem whiche is also called of the Prophetes Sodome and Gomorrha but he is crucified dayly in his membres through out the world And there is one and the same citie and societie of al the wicked in the worlde as there is one body of the godly Let vs knowe therfore how that citie wherin the bodies of the prophetes lie in the stretes is the citie of Cain and the Romish church scattered ouer the world The same is called Aegipte and Sodome but spiritually Spiritually Where we see this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritually to be vsed in a sense farre from the lettre for otherwise there is no spirite at all eyther in Sodome or in Aegypte for they be altogether flesh Therefore insense of a parable and by a comparison this citie is called Sodome Aegypte Sodome Aegipte What Sodome was appereth of the .19 chapt of Genes and .16 of Ezechiel Her sinnes went vp to heauē But what maner one is at this daye a longe time hath ben the churche of Rome all men know excepte it be they that wil not know And the Apostle in the .1 to the Romaines hath expounded And Aegipte robbed the children of God of their libertie oppressed them with vile bōdage and prohibited them from the trewe worshippyng of God So likewise the Romish church hath spoyled the church of Christ of the libertie gotten by Christ hath wrapped her in filthie seruitude that she might serue in the dirte of mens tradicions It prohibiteth moreouer by all force and power that she shall not in retournyng to the gospel serue God truely And verely our lord Iesus Christ was crucified on Mounte Caluarie at the citie of Hierusalē Where our Lorde was crucified and also the articles of our fayth expounding the same saye that he suffered vnder Pōce Pilate He was the Romane gouernour it is manifest therefore that Christ suffered vnder the Romane Empire Vnder the same Empire and vnder the iudgement thereof were executed the Apostles and auncient Martirs Vnder the Empire of newe Rome fal that prophetes also at this daye by sworde and fire Also people kinreddes tongues and nations obeye this Empire nowe called the churche so that preachers in all places the beaste so willyng and commaundyng are aprehended and slayne with cruell deathes people kinreddes and nations lokyng on To the augementation and moste aptely expressyng the crueltie that thinge apperteyneth chiefly The wicked reioyse at the calamities of the godly that these earthly men possessyng in these landes a church all together carnall shall reioyse and be glad ouer the calamities and miserable deathes of Prophetes The same did also the Lorde him selfe prophecie before in the .16 of Iohn Verely verely I saye vnto you you shal wepe lamēt but the world shal reioyce c. Yea they shal sende giftes saieth he and letters of reioycing That this was done in the counsel of Constaunce what time Iohn Husse Bankettes were made for the fal of England and Hierome of Prage were burnt Histories make mention We haue hearde very lately howe after Englande was fallen agayne to the Romishe religion what ioye and gladnes what bankettes and triumphes the Papistes made in all places So ofte as the ministers or other faithfull are burnt the selfe same kepe solemne chere and pleasaunte bankettyng singyng Te deum Laudamus And letters of reioycing flye to froe in some other places with sollemne procession they reioyce at the miserie of the faithfull but the Lorde seeth these thinges which tolde lōg sins that the same things should now come to passe They are glad they are lighted of theyr burthen And the cause of this excedyng gladnes is non other than that those prophetes vexed them that dwell vpon earth For they that loue the earth and couet earthly thinges are sore offended with the free preachyng of the veritie whiche they hate more than dogge and snake For they desire eyther to atcheue honours riches and pleasures or if they haue them to kepe stil the same but they are sore affrayed leeste through preachyng the same should be shrewedly shakē or wholy taken from them Therefore they desire nothyng more than to be ridde and deliuered of their clamours and immediately to haue them taken out of the waye For so thinke they that they shal be safe and inioye their pleasures at wil. With like affection and Counsell in the feaste of Herode was coueted nother kingedom nor great some of Golde but the head of Iohn Baptiste The Popes had rather at this daye haue the heades of certen ministers of the churche than so many thousande crownes Yea moreouer the ministers of churches are called plagues
is in you thā he is that is in the worlde And this is the victory that ouercame the world euen your fayth And by the waye he expoundeth The nature of the deuil is figured by certen wordes what we shoulde vnderstande by the dragon of whō he hath spoken hitherto to wit the olde enemie of man kinde He setteth him foorth with his titles attributinge to him foure names that hereby also we may vnderstande his nature the better and maye beware of that wicked murtherer Firste he calleth him the olde Serpent For at the beginnyng by the Serpent he infected with the poyson of death and sinne our first Parentes and by thē the whole vniuersal world as is to be sene in the .3 of Genes and the .5 to the Romains Therfore I sayed in the beginning of this chapt that he is called a Dragon After he calleth him the Deuill that is to saye a sclaunderer or a false accuser For by and by it followeth which may expoūde this word for the accuser of our bretherne is caste out c. A goodly exāple of this thing is declared in the .1 and .2 chapt of Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to accuse or blame and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an accusation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crime or complaincte Thirdly he calleth him Sathanas in the Hebrewe word to witte an aduersarie for that he is in al things against god and obiecteth him selfe and resisteth men in holy matters yf happely he might hinder or corrupte them Laste he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seducer disceauer or he that supplāteth and betrayeth the whole world For this the Lord attributeth to him in the .8 of Iohn for that he hath ben a lier from the beginning and is the father that is the foūtaine and original of al liyng disceipte of errours and seducyng and of al euill For all errours and heresies al deceiptes and all leasinges finally all kinde of euils haue flowed out of this most filthy welspring And who is he that heareth these thinges which wil not abhorre that vile beast they must nedes be starke madde that seke by al meanes to be in fauour with that wicked spirite He should now here consequently annexe the residewe of this fight to witte how the Dragon persecuteth assaulteth the woman and she agayne by fliyng resisteth and ouercometh through Christ But he suspendeth the same narration yet a little while A songe of victory placeth now a songe of victory and triūphe of sainctes in heauen of the Angelles and blessed soules The some wherof is that Christ hath ouercomen that the faithful do ouercome in Christ and therfore muste heauens themselues and al that dwel therin reioyce and singe And I repete that these things are interlased in the daūgerous Antichristian and Romish sight for a cōsolation leest the saincts should in those great daungers by reason of their natural infirmitie be discouraged but callyng vpō the name of Christ should fight manfully when they vnderstande vnder whose banner they fight and with whome they fight verely wyth one ouercomen vnder Christes stādart And when we heare that the Dragons force is broken we shal thinke that the furies of eyther beast aswell the ten horned as the two horned are weakened in the faith of christ This geueth also no smal courage in this conflicte that we see that the Dragon hath no power ouer them that are sprinkled and purified with the bloud of Christ but ouer earthly and worldly men And this triumphe is heauenly For voices are hearde out of heauen singyng a mery note to the intent that the reioycing of the blessed spirites might haue more authoritie grace and efficacitie emonges the pore afflicted Thei al with one voice singe merely that saluatiō power is now made perfit for by the Lordes death and resurrectiō Perfit saluation by Christ God hath wrought power and made perfit the saluatiō promised to the fathers to witte whilest he trode downe the serpentes head abolisshed sinne death and restored life Thus is the kingedome of God in this worlde establisshed in the electe whilest euen by the power of Christ the Prince of this worlde is caste out and ouercome For the cause followeth wherfore we must so reioyce and what vertue and power of Christ hath shewed it selfe or howe saluation is made perfit because sayeth he through Christ the Deuill is cast downe that is to saye ouercome and vāquisshed that he can no more accuse mankinde before the iudgement seate of God Hereunto belongeth that S. Paule wrote Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the electe of God It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ whiche died yea whiche rose agayne which is also on the right hande of God which maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer the heauenly dwellers do not only preach the victory of Christ but of all the faythfull Christ hath made also the faithfull victours which they obteyne agaynst Sathan in the fayth of Iesu Christ that it maye herof at the leest appere what we should vnderstande before by Michael and by his Angelles And he beateth in dilligently that Christians ouercome not Sathan by their owne merites force or strēgth but by the merite and grace of Christe And they sayeth he to witte the Angelles of Michael ouercame the Dragon by the bloud of the Lambe For in asmuch as the faythful are purified by the bloud of Christe Sathan hath nothing against them but sins they haue the spirite and fayth of Christ they ouercome the Deuill also So in times paste the distroyer had no power ouer those houses whiche were marked with the bloud of the Lambe Exod. 12. And he addeth an other thinge for the which the faithful ouercame for the worde of the testimony of Christ which is the gospel Which because it is inuincible eternal they ouercome all thinges of this worlde who so euer abide in the liuely and eternal word of the veritie And euen in the gospel most trewe the lorde himselfe hath promised that he wil not forsake his and wil fight for thē Therfore must the faithful nedes ouercome To these thinges is added more the effecte of Christes purifiyng They loued not their life more than Christe and therfore haue thei geuen it for Christ vnto death and so haue ouercomen For many are vanquisshed by this one thing that they wil not hasarde their life for Christ For these great benefites of God they exhorte nowe heauens themselues and all the inhabiters of Heauen that is to saye they exhorte one an other to singe a ioyeful songe And that which the heauēly sainctes saye they do here they teach the sainctes in Earth to doe also and instructe of what maner and sorte they ought to be which shal ouercome Sathan in battaile to witte purified by the bloud of Christ cleauing to the testimonie of Iesu Christe and contemners of their own life to whom it
shuld be ordeined bishop of Rome but a Cardinal He condemned moreouer the Greke counsell of the Emperour CoÌ„stantine against Images which he coÌ„maunded both to be had and worshipped These things writeth Antoninus in Chron. tit 14. Cap. 1. .5 After this that great Charles the sonne of Pipine sent for into Italie by pope Adriane Charles coÌ„fyrmeth al thinges taketh Desiderius King of Lumbardes and putteth downe the Kyngdome of Lumbardes This was done in the yeare of our Lorde .773 and also the two hondreth fourth yeare after that the Lumbardes were arryued in Italie And he confirmed and augmented the donatioÌ„ of Pipine his father As many Historiographers make relation Ihon Functius in Cron. addeth that through out the whole Realme of Fraunce Euen so was the masse obtruted to the Germaines at the coÌ„maundement of Charles the Ceremonies of the Romish church were instituted We haue nowe than the name of Antichrist of the nombre .666 We knowe who he is and whome we shoulde beware of I can not here omitte but at fewe wordes muste note the supputation of Sibilla concerning the originall of Antichrist to my iudgement very agreable to the fourmer accoumpte For the .8 bokes of Sibelles oracles taken out of the librarie of the honorable coÌ„mon welth of Auspurg were set forth by the moste godly and learned man D. Xistus Betuleius in the yeare of our Lorde .1545 and that in Greke And this Sibilla Erythreae or whatsoeuer she were prophesieth in the .8 boke that Rome shal fal and be burnt with fier The wordes of Sibelle in Greke are to this effecte The plague of God vpon the ones shall fall Prowde Rome vnto the grounde thou shalte be caste Vnto thy foes made first captiue and thrall And than with flaming fier be burnt at laste And this thing was accoÌ„plished at what time Totilas Kynge of Gothes fyred the Citie as we haue rehearsed before And shortelie after in the same Oracles are these annexed When Emperours that haue the worlde oppreste With bondage great from the east vnto the weste The numbre haue fulfilled of fiftene A King shall come in white hatte to be sene Which vnto Ponti his name shall nere annex As he that shall be called Pontifex To worldelie pleasures geuen shall he lyue And with his wicked fote rewardes will geue and the residue which are read there She byddeth accoumpte from the burninge of Rome fiftene Kinges After whome shall come a newe Kinge whome she describeth And it is manifest that Rome was taken spoyled and burnt vnder the Emperour Iustinian After ar accoumpted from Iustine the yonger to the Emperour Theodosius 15. After Theodose succedeth Leo the .3 whose name was Isauricus she calleth those kings delicatos that is geueÌ„ to pleasures Because the most parte of them were not very valiaunt but vnder Leo .3 Italie reuolteth from themperour And shortlie also the gouernement called the Exarchate was geuen to the pope of Kinge Pipine againste the Emperours mynde We se therfore that the supputations do agree For we haue also brought to kinge Pipine the yeares .666 And so a newe kynge ariseth whome Sibille nameth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notable by reason of his whyte hat or myter For so she noteth the Byshop which in oulde tyme dyd weare on their heades whyte miters that shuld be a king She geueth him a name also For she sayeth how he hath a name nere vnto Ponti For adde to the worde Ponti fex and you haue Pontifex She annexeth certen notes or marks also that he shall regard earthly things and not heauenly and that he shal also prouide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and geue rewardes with his vngraciouse fote And that is rightly spoken sins that after Domitian and Dioclesian none of all the Kynges saue the Pope hath offered his fote to be kissed whereby fooles thinke they receyue greate rewardes But omitting these thinges let vs retourne into the waye The blessed marter Ireneus speakyng of this Kyng in the same .5 boke In the beast comming sayeth he ther is made a recapitulation of all iniquitie and of all deceipte to the end that al Apostatical power concurring and concluded in him Antichriste is the sinke of al vngodlynâ—sse and wickednes might be throwen into a fournace of fyer And that he hath spoken this thing by the spirite of prophesie all men wil confesse that haue red the lyues of the Byshops of Rome but especially of Siluester the .2 Benedictus the .9 Gregory the .6 Gregory the .7 Vrbanus the .2 Paschalis the .2 Alexander the .3 Innocentius the .3 Gregory the .9 Boniface the .8 Clement the .5 Ihon the .22 to speake nothing of diuers others What in our dayes haue done Iulies ClemeÌ„tes Leos and Paules Spayne FrauÌ„ce England HoÌ„garie and Germanie and other Realmes speake which haue ben set together by the eares and intangled emongs theÌ„selues with most cruel wars The bloud of martirs shed speaketh which crieth vnto the Lord. What remaineth therfore but that we shuld take hede to our selues beware of this man of sin and cleaue to our redemer Christ our Lorde beseching him that he wold come shorty and delyuer vs from all euyll Amen Amen ¶ Christe standeth vpon Mounth Sion hauynge his churche and is deserbed by notes which and what shall be the shepe of Christe The .lxij. Sermon The .14 Chapter ANd I loked and lo a lambe stode on the mouÌ„t Sion and with him 144000. hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads And I heard a voice from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voise of a great thonder And the voyce that I hearde was as the harpers that play vpon their harps And they soung as it wer a newe song before the seat and before the foure beastes and the elders and no man coulde learne that song but the hondreth and .xliiii. thousand which were redemed from the earth These are they which were not defiled with wemen for thei are virgins These followe the Lambe whither so euer he goeth These were redemed from men beyng the first fruictes vnto God and to the Lambe in their mouthes was founde no gyle For they are without spotte before the trone of God Like as he hath hitherto mixed ioyefull thinges with sorrowfull A consolation and preachyng of the gospel and annexed a consolation to moste harde cruell chaunces so nowe he adioyneth also to the tirannie of the Romane Empire an exposition hauing bothe a consolation and an exhortation moste graue and weightie Vndoubtedly by the description of the Romishe tiranny and reigne of Antichrist it might haue semed that the Church and the preachynge of the Gospell had ben vtterly loste and that vngodlines should haue triumphed for euer he declareth therefore by a most excellent vision howe Christ shall reigne notwithstandyng in his chosen and shal ouercome and shal haue his churche continually and that righte famouse He describeth what the electe shal be He addeth
wrath of God and the wine fat was troden without the citie And the bloud came out of the fatte euē vnto the horse bridelles by the space of a thousande and sixe hondreth furlonges The vengeaunce of god agaīst the Antichristians Now goeth he to the description of gods iudgement especially agaynst the Antichristians and agaynst al the vngodly This parte might be ioyned with the matter followyng and chapters followyng as that which is of the same argument And it apperteyneth to the consolation and confirmation of the faithfull persecuted of Antichrist There be that thinke how there shal neuer be any iudgement Howe so euer therefore thei oppresse their neighbours they thinke neuer to fele any displeasure of that matter Moreouer the faythfull are tēpted also whilest they see the wicked florish and thēselues to wither dayly Therefore they thinke also that the lorde carieth ouerlong Ye more they expostulate with the lorde and saye whā shal there be an ende of iniuries if Christ wil come to iudgement whie doeth he differ it so longe and to so great molestyng of his The lord therefore sheweth nowe that the iudgement shal certenly be and shall be than what time all thinges shal be ripe to witte whē the iniquities of the Amorrheans shall be complete and the measure of iniquitie filled When wicked menne therefore are waxed ripe the Lord will come to iudge In the meane time we muste abide in cōstancie and patience As husbande men tary for haruest and vintage If any through impatiencie reuolte he is not allowed of the Lorde as the Apostle alledgeth out of the Prophete in the .10 chapt to the Hebrewes And as we maye haue a desire and a longyng after haruest and vintage so maye we not expostulate with God because he tarieth longer thā our wishe is likewise we ought not to contende with the same whie he cometh so late vnto iudgement And like as haruest and vintage are certenly loked for and come so without all doubte God will punnish the wicked and saue the godly And these are verely as it were tastes of all that followe plentifully and are more expressely declared and are annexed to the fourmer matters for that they apperteyne to the consolation of the godly And to the intent al thinges might be more manifeste by parables brought in be setteth forth al thinges to be sene before our eyes And he vseth in dede two parables borrowed out of the Prophetes and doctrine of the Gospell For the prophetes ful oft do figure the iudgemēt of God by haruest and vintage Certes in the .3 of Ioel the lorde sayeth I will sitte in the vale of Iosaphat to iudge al natiōs Thruste in the sickle for haruest is ripe c. And it is also most knowē what is red touchyng the same matter in the story of the Gospell We muste therefore wryte out these thinges more inwardely into our hartes and feare God and abide his redemption in patience First is treated the parable of haruest than the parable of vintage Haruest bothe two shewe that the Lord wil be iudge and that in his moste dewe time agaynste all those whiche eyther thinke there shall be no iudgemente or expostulate with the Lorde that he commeth so slowely and late c. And firste in dede is described the owner of the haruest the Lord him selfe and iudge Iesus Christ He is sayde to be like vnto the sonne of manne not for that he is not now the very sonne of man and for that he shall not come vnto iudgement in the very humane nature whiche he hath ones taken of vs and neuer put it of for he is verely the sonne of manne The description of the Iudge Iesus christ and remayneth on the right hande of the father and shall verely come in the humane nature to iudge the quicke and the dead but he semeth to haue alluded to Daniel to haue expressed his phrase of speach saiyng I loked in the mightly vision and lo there came one in the clowdes as it were the sonne of manne c. Where we reade also the description of the iudgemente agaynst the beaste And therefore he hath here made mention also of a clowde and I sawe a white clowde and one sitting on the clowde c. Moreouer the Aungelles in the actes saie so he shal come as ye haue sene him goe vp into heauen And they sawe him taken vp and a clowde to receyue him and conueye hym out of theyr sight Therefore shall he come agayne in a clowde vnto iudgement We reade oftentimes in the Psalmes that God sitteth on a white clowde By the waye therefore is signified the deitie of the iudge Therefore is this iudge very God and very manne the Sauiour of the faythful the reuenger and iudge of the infideles We are sent therefore by S. Iohn to the .7 chapt of Daniel A golden crowne on his head Then he weareth a Golden crowne on his head not that there is any corruptible golde in Heauen but for corruptible men so he speaketh that they maye vnderstande their iudge to be the hygh kynge and maye gather thereof that no man is able to resiste the power of this kyng For otherwise our Lord hath no nede of any corruptible golde A sharpe sickle Finally our lord here hath a sickle and that right sharpe Wherby is signified his iudgement excedyng strayte and distruction of the wicked In the .3 of Matth. The iudgemente of the Lord is cōpared to a fanne of blessed Iohn He addeth that the axe is layde at the roote of the tree wherby he signified that certaine iudgement was at hande or rather destruction Corne ripe to the sickle Now followeth an expositiō of the proceding of the iudgement he perseuereth in the parable For he speaketh as if a seruaunt retournyng home out of the feldes did shewe vnto his Maister whiche loked for the houre of haruest that the Corne was now ripe the hardenes of the grayne is a token of rypenes and that it is time to be reaped For els it is no nede to admonish him that knoweth al thing of any thing that he remēbreth not much lesse of the howre of iudgemēt which none of thaungels knoweth but the father alone Therefore we ascribe this wholy to the parable and we vnderstād that a certen houre of iudgemente is appoincted whiche when it shal come the godly with out delaye shall be deliuered the vngodly condemned An other Angel sayeth he came forth For before we hearde how diuerse came forth This crieth with a lowde voice as one that wil tel of a matter most greate and certayne to be declared in the church with excedyng great out cries to the cōforte of the faithfull which ought nothing to doubt of the iudgemēt to the terrour of the wicked which seme to contēne the same And this criyng angel cometh out of the tēple For we hearde before that S. Iohn sawe a temple
thursted for bloud drīke blud in so moch that being drowned in their owne blud vp to the chin thei may seme to bath them in their owne bloud And here we must remēbre the horses prepared to battaile of whō we spake in the .9 chap. shal be drowned in euerlasting tormēts Thus thus at the last wil the lord auenge himselfe vpon his enemies Let vs call vpon him and abyde patiently and valeauntly The Lorde graunte vs his grace ¶ The Angels of seuen plagues are brought forth Moreouer the triumph and prayse of Christes holye Maritrs is described The .lxvij. Sermon The .15 Chapter AND I saw an other signe in heauen great and wonderful Seuen Angels hauing the seuen laste plagues For in them is fulfylled the wrath of God And I sawe as it were a glassye sea mingled with fyer and them that had gottē victory of the beast and of his Image and of his marke and of the nombre of his name stand on the glassy Sea hauing the harpes of God and they sung the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and the song of the lambe sayeng great and maruelouse are thy works Lord God almightie iust and true are thy wayes thou King of Sainctee Who shal not fear O Lord and glorifie thy name For thou onely art holy for all gentiles shall come and worshippe before the for thy iudgementes are made manifeste The argument of the fifte parte Vpon occasion of harueste and vintage expounded in the laste parte of the fourmer vision is annexed the fifte parte of this godly worke which represēteth vnto vs the fourth visiō of this worke whiche some make the fifte The same is of the iudgemēts of God it hath two parts wherfore it might also be deuided into mo visiōs but we had rather vse fewer For first he discourseth most largely of the paynes or tourments prepared of God to be executed vpon Antichrist his membres and all the vngodlye here is treated of the iudgement of the whore of Babilon of the destinies and ruine of Rome and the church of Rome of the reioicing and song of saincts of the comming of the iudge vnto iudgement of the payne and euerlasting destruction of all wicked And these are intreated in the .15.16.17.18.19 and .20 chap. Than also he reasoneth most excellētly of the reward of saincts and of the euerlasting filicitie thorow out the whole .21 chap. and a good part of the .22 euery where is set open hel it selfe and heauen it selfe And is geuen vs in maner to loke in this fleshe mortall euen into very hell it self into the very palace of Heauen Nother shal you finde any where in all the Scriptures with a continual treatise so plenteouse a disputation of the iudgementes of God of the tormentes of the wicked of the felicitie and ioyes of the godly as in this presente And ful necessarie is this treatise especially in this our last and vngraciouse world A most plētiful dilligent treatise of the iudgemēts of God wherein men neglectyng the spirite of God are become like brute beastes altogether carnall regarde the flesh and wholy depende thereof Happy are al the victoriouse welthie honorable and gloriouse Antichristians miserable are the pore and dispised trewe christians and subiecte to the iniuries persecutions of al men Therfore do the carnall men esteme al thinges of the present fortune and crie it out that their religion and conuersation pleaseth God and the Christiās to displease The godly are here also greuously tempted as they were also in times past reade Psalm 73. and the .1 chapt of Abacucke The vngodly promise themselues that they shal reigne for euer at the length also they contēne the iudgementes of God nother thinke they that euer it wil come to passe that they shal be punnisshed The talke of punnishementes to be diuised of melancholicke persones and to be vttered of mallice and therfore they saye and thinke them not to be regarded but to be mery in this worlde Therefore it behoued the place of Gods iudgementes to be most largely and dilligently decided and to be set as it were before the eyes of the hearers to the ende al might rightly vnderstāde what should be assuredly the ende of good and euill But the punnishmētes of the vngodly are diuerse to witte of this life present and to come And the punnishmentes of this present life are almost innumerable and the tourmentes of the life to come are eternall and vnspeakeable and as there is no comparison betwixte the paincted and trewe fire so is there none betwixte the punnishementes of this present life and that to come But in case men would ernestly beleue that vnspeakeable ioyes and euerlastyng tormentes are prepared of God for good and euill doubtles al would sinne lesse serue God more dilligently But let vs see nowe what is the treatyse of S. Iohn concernyng the same The originall of the doctrine of the iudgementes of God First he sheweth the original of al things that follow not to be earthly but heauenly For he seeth an other token in heauen He saieth an other for that in the .12 chapt we heard that mention was made of an other certen signe And he calleth that a signe or token which signifieth an other thing and therefore not to be considered of it selfe but in asmuche as it bringeth into knoweledge an other certen thinge and that much greater thā it sheweth at the firste sight He calleth this signe that is to witte that same visiō great and maruelouse For the iudgementes of God are greatest and moste wonderful Whilest thei are executed the vngodly maruel which had thought such thinges should neuer haue comen to passe the godly also maruell at the great power of God his moste iuste rightuousnes and his ripenes and faythfulnes in deliuering and sauing his people Than he declareth what signe was shewed him in Heauen and by that celestiall vision he sawe seuen Angels hauyng in seuen cuppes plages That is he perseyued God prepared and furnisshed with power diuine wherewith he both might and would sende plages and condigne punnishementes aswell vpon Antichrist him selfe as vpon his membres and all the vngodly men in Earth for their wickednes committed agaynst God Seuen angelles seuē plages And as we haue many times warned you in this boke the seuēth nombre is the nōbre of fulnes Wherefore God hath ministers enough and enough by whose seruice he maye plague and distroye the vngodly And therefore seuen plagues are all maner of plagues Temporall plagues are aboundantly recited in the 26. of Leuit. and .28 of Deuter. Riche is the Lord and in euerlastyng plagues of most diuerse kindes also For the Scripture in certen places reherseth a gnawyng worme a fyre vnquenchable weping and gnasshing of teth outwarde darkenes and many other of like sorte But these seuen plagues he calleth the laste and immediately sheweth the reason for in them is the wrathe of God