〈◊〉 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
with golde siluer preciouse stones al costely arraye These thinges are founde in the olde people beyng vnder the discipline of the lawe they are founde also emōges the gentiles which suppose not god to be rightly honoured but with the preciouse things of this world But we know that the leuitical priesthood is abrogated with al the outwarde araye that now the church decketh her self with vertues hateth and abhorreth outwarde garnisshing Lactantius confuteth at large the externall deckyng in religiō or godly worshippyng in his boke of Institut de vero cultu c. Moreouer all olde writers shewe that God is not worshipped of the christians with golde siluer but with faith charitie rightuousnes What wil ye say that Daniel in the .11 chap. sheweth that Antichrist shal worship God with golde siluer precious things which thing he cōdēneth reiecteth And doeth it not appere here plainely The Pope paincted forthe is shewed to the world that the lord Iesus himself hath setforth to vs the Pope or Antichrist painted as it were in a table For he appereth altogether such in such like apparell he sheweth him selfe to be sene of all men as the whore of Babilō is decked with at this present And he chalengeth to him selfe this apparell by a certen right For the Papistes bring forth a false fained donation of Constantine emonges other thinges pronouncyng thus in the Distinct 96. The donatiō of Cōstantine fained We geue and dimise to blessed Siluester and to all his successours the palace laterane of our Empire moreouer the Diademe to witte the royal crowne of our head whiche the Pope calleth a kingdome hath made it triple and also our purple robe and coate of Crimosine and all our imperiall araye c. I can not here omitte but must nedes wryte out a fewe thinges of Platina the Popes secretarie de vitis pontif For describyng the life of Clement the .5 at the Popes coronation sayeth he were present Philippe kyng of Fraūce and Charles his brother Iohn Duke of Britaine which ouerwhelmed with the fallyng of a walle dieth see the diuine and iust iudgement of God with many others whilest the pompe of the Coronation as the maner is was led through the citie Kyng Philippe also by the same ruine was sore hurte and lamed the Pope stricken of his horse loste a Rubie out of his myter that coste sixe thousande Ducates This he This whore moreouer drynketh to all nations of the cup of Circes whiche the lorde calleth of Golde She drinketh to thē carouse And it signifieth doctrine For to geue drinke is to teache Ezechiel .34 Golde betokeneth sincerenes and purenes of doctrine Doubtles vnder pretence of sincerenes and veritie diuine Rome hath easely perswaded all people to receyue the doctrine of the Romish Sea For the Pope hath both named him self Apostolicall and the church of Rome also Apostolical And in the Canones hath lefte wrytten right so are all the lawes of the See Apostolicke to be taken as though they were confirmed by the godly mouth of S. Peter him selfe Distinct 19. Reade the .20.21.22 Distinct Therefore the more simple sorte of the world haue supposed that they receiue the very worde and lawes of God what time they receyued the decrees and doctrine of the church of Rome But our lorde Iesus Christ doeth here declare vnto vs what hath ben and what is euen at this daye their doctrine and sayeth ful of abominations and vncleanes of her filthie luste And the scripture calleth abomination Idolatrie Deuter. 7. chapt Moreouer the false worshippyng of God superstition and suche other thinges like The vncleanes of whoredome in the Prophetes is nothing els but peruerse doctrine and peruerse religion not attributing al good things to God alone by his sonne but rather diuiding the harte and appliyng them bothe vnto creatures to wicked worshippynges But suche is the doctrine and religion of the Romish See Therefore is her great sinne here recited that she hath with her euill and venemouse doctrine seduced and infected al nations and euen nowe also reteyneth them in superstition and Idolatrie A lyke place is in the .16 chapt of Ezechiel And I suppose that our lorde Iesus Christ vsed here now wordes very filthy to the intent he might plucke awaye from the Romish decrees and Canons their authoritie and viserne that their filthines mighte appere vnto al men and be knowen and eschewed Furthermore leeste any shoulde be ignoraunt what the same woman were A name written in the forehead which may open the mistery or vnderstandyng whiche is here setforth to be sene and that all might flee that greate witche Circes he wryteth her owne name in her very forehead that al men might reade it and that she might by no meanes be vnknowen For he calleth a misterie the vnderstandyng or signification of a secret for by a trope is Rome called Babylon Wherof I haue spoken before And after the true signification of the worde Babel soundeth confusiō And Rome hath brought an exceding greate confusion into the church For like as the primatiue church of Rome set forth the gospell in the weste countrie so the first simplicitie and purenes ones extinguished the later Bisshoppes regardyng more ambition and couetousenes than humilitie liberalitie and godlines haue brought into the whole world al maner of Idolatrie and superstition Certenly she is called of the Lorde expressely the mother of the whoredomes and abominations of the earth For we maye thanke the church of Rome for all the corrupte doctrine and vngodlines that is in the church She is the original of idolles Masse and other abominations Therfore is she moste worthie to be punnisshed with moste greuouse tourmentes And this verely is the moste worthie title of the Romish churche Others calle her Apostolicall diuine chiefe and of all moste holy The Lord Christe calleth her Babylon and that great a moste common harlot and euen the mother of the abominations and whoredomes of the whole worlde fightyng agaynst God and his annoyncted Therefore lette al the holy and obedient children of God the father flee from her I wil not here make rehersal how she is also the mother of al abominatiōs and whoredomes euen after the flesh For whilest the church of Rome hath prohibited lawful mariages and of God permitted to ecclesiasticall persones it hath opened the gates to fornications adulteries whoredomes lustes abominable There nede no wordes the thing it self speaketh Vnto these he annexeth a crime of al other most greuouse Dronken which the bloud of Sainctes dronkennes tiranny and parricidie And here also he vseth an amplification For he sayeth howe that greate Circes the moste venemouse witche and Sorcerer is not sprinkled or imbrewed or wette but dronkē with the bloud of saincts I meane of holy martirs which haue borne witnes to Iesu Christ by preachyng of the gospell and ascribyng al thinges of saluation to Christe alone But howe many
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
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
the marke of the beaste that is whiche will not prostitute themselues to the luste of the Pope and the seate of pestilēce Antichrist sayeth the lorde by his power shall brynge to passe that none maye by or selle saue he that hath the marke of the beaste c. And these come all to one effecte the marke of the beaste the name of the beaste and the nombre of the name of the beast For he hath the marke of the beast which acknowledgeth the seate and professeth the faith of Rome and euen to whom the christen faith is not enough He hath the name of the beaste who so euer he be that will be named an obedient childe of the holy See of Rome and acknowledgeth the Pope to be head of the vniuersall church He hath the nombre of the name of the beaste whiche hath a societie with the beaste whiche societie that nombre bewrayeth or sheweth Therfore excepte thou acknowledge the Pope to be supreme head of the churche in Earth with the fulnes of power vnlesse thou professest to followe the fayth of the holy church of Rome and to deteste all thinges what so euer that See hath condemned thou arte forbidden fire and water That same hath the lord called to prohibite that thou mayest nother bie nor selle We saye in dutche signifiyng one that is bannished out of al mens company He vnderstandeth therfore excommunication that horrible thonderbolte of the Pope wherewith are stricken all those that haue set more by Christ than by the Pope or the which haue lothed the Popes decrees in comparison of the Gospell Let him reade that liste the sixte decretall of Boniface the .8 in the .5 boke the .2 titl de hereticis Also Clement the .5 booke .3 Title de hereticis But he that will knowe exactely a compendiouse treatise of tiranny and a glasse of butcherie let him reade the Bulle of Martin the .5 whiche is subiecte to the Sessions of the Counsell of Constaunce and is written to Bishoppes and inquisitours of heretical prauitie Emonges other thinges there is one which geueth a wonderfull lighte to this place whiche we nowe expounde where it cōmaundement that they do not permitte them that dispise the communion of the churche of Rome to kepe or dwell in any house or lodgynge to make any bargaynes or occupie any trafficke or trade of Marchandise or to haue any cōforte of humanitie with the faithfull of Christ Reade thou the reste leafe .134 Herunto maye be added that in Popishe churches is the greateste biyng and sellynge of all But vnlesse his crowne be shauen and his handes imbrewed with oyle that is except he hath receiued in the foreheade or head and in the righthande the marke indelible for so they terme it that can not be put out he hath no marchandise lefte him in the house nor so much as a little corner But Christ whipped these marchaūtes or byers and sellers ones or twise out of the temple Antichrist hath brought them in agayne And this is verely a wonder thei shewe more fauour at this daye to Iewes Turkes and heathen than to Christians For vnto the only gospellers is no place permitted verely for that they ascribe al to Christe preache Christe only leaue nothing to the Pope but rather accuse him moste constantly and bitterly But what shall we saye to them Counsell for the seduced whose handes and foreheades haue ben defiled with the marke I bid them to wash themselues with the bloud of Christ forsake Antichriste and tourne vnto Christe in relinquisshyng their errours and repenting them In case thou haste bounden thy selfe to Antichriste by an othe doe not perfourme that rashe and wicked othe by vngodly speakyng agaynst the gospel Do penaūce make thy purgation retourne vnto Christ and thou shalt be saued Here is wisedome Nowe leest any man here should chatter that we maye be Christians aboundantly instructed in heauenly wisedom although we do heare or speake nothing of the pope and popishe matters that those disputations are vnprofitable yea odiouse and to apperteyne to the stiring vp of troubles and therfore to be hurteful and foolishe that same our Lorde preuenteth and sayeth expressely here is wisedom in the knowledge and righte iudgemente of these thinges consisteth the trewe heauenly and godly wisedome Vnlesse we be wise in this thing we shal be fooles and not wise The Lord therfore exciteth the hearers to the study of inquyringe after Antichriste and to beware of him when he is founde For in the 14. chapt we shall heare that they shall drinke of the Wine of Gods wrath as many as haue receyued the marke of the beaste and worshipped his Image Wherefore they shall drinke at the same table with Christe of the cuppe of lyfe and of the grace of God so many as haue dispised Poperie And who shall denye it to be the trewe wisedome by the whiche we maye come from the wrath of God to the grace felloweshippe and participation of the same Moreouer the lord adioyneth that men indewed with vnderstandyng not witles and ful of hurtful follye should recken the name of the beast that is to saye should be dilligently occupied in this matter that those thinges should be dilligently searched for whiche worldely menne affirme to be curiousely sought and inquired after We are cōmaunded diligētly to seke after Antichrist not only without any profit but with losse also Moreouer the Lorde commaundeth to accompte the nombre of the name of the beaste He addeth that the same is not harde to do For this nombre to be the nombre of a man to witte which a dilligēt man maye easely by fayth industrie attaine to For so doeth Aretas expounde it also saiyng that nombre is comon and knowen to men Let them leaue than to trouble our godly studies which blame our sermōs made against the Pope and laugh at our dilligence such as it is in expoundyng popishe abominations finally whiche suppose we spende our time in vayne in the accompte of times They do heare here excepte they will heare nothing that we haue receiued cōmaundement of the lord so to do moreouer that the lord testifieth that wisedome is herein And here I geue warnyng that the maner of speakyng is to be obserued The nōbre of the name of the beast that we wery not in vayne bothe our selues and our auditours through the inquisition of a certen name in the nombres For that it is sayed to be the nombre of his name as though he wold a certaine name shuld be gathered composed of these charactes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for the most part is gathered of these thre lettres or charactes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this name Christ Nother waūt they which thinke how by these thre charactes no other thing is signified than the name of christ which the lord him selfe in the .24 of Matth. prophecied that Antichriste should vse Certes he calleth him self Christes vicar
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
harlot and for that cause was called an harlot Furthermore olde Rome had power to do these thinges She sâ—teth vpoÌ„ many watâ—rs for she sate vpon many waters that is had dominion rule ouer many people and sondry nations Ye alâ—o the kinges of the Earth haue coÌ„mitted whoredome with her whâ— lest they haue submitted themselues to the Romanes bonden themselues in leage The princes â—â—miâ—te whoredom and receyued of them superstitions and Idolatrie For the children of Israell were also sayed to haue committed whoredome wyth the Aegiptians for that they had ioyned amitie with them and were become fellowes in prophane religions And so newe Rome the Popes kingdome stretcheth farre and wide and the Kinges and Princes of the Earth committe whoredome with her Therefore doeth the worde of the Lorde calle it filthye whoredome whiche the Romisshe name an holy bonde and obedience There is added and they that dwell vpon Earth are made dronkeÌ„ For he signifieth that beyng infected with errours yea rather asotted cleane out of their wittes they haue ben madde in Idolatrie and yet rage in their superstitions like droÌ„kardes and can not for furie receaue the preaching of the gospel Touchyng this wine of fornication and whoredome and of that dronkennes I haue spoken in the .14 chap. And it is aptly spoken that dwellers vpoÌ„ Earth are made dronkeÌ„ not so much for that menne dwellyng vpon Earth are made dronken as for that earthly meÌ„ and choked with earthly desires shall become faithfull worshippers of the Romish See Thirdely he expoundeth the maner of the vision The maner of the vision thus I was caried awaye in sprete Wherfore with his body remayning in Patmos in spirite he sawe a womaÌ„ sittyng on a beast and distroyed with fire Such be many visioÌ„s and sightes in the prophetes And he noteth also the place wherein he sawe the beaste not in heauen nother in the temple or tabernacle or in a fruictful place The beast in the wildernesse but in the wildernesse Esaye calleth the gentiles and heythenes wildernesse And verely tholde Romanes and newe with their superstitions haue had no place in the church but are without the church God forbidde thaÌ„ that we should acknowledge the churche of Rome to be head of al faithful churches And at this daye many of them which are called most holy and most reuerent differ nothing from the gentiles their titles and hipocrisie only excepted Wherof is spoken before in the .11 chapt Fourthly and laste he exhibiteth this vision or tipe of olde and newe Rome and the ruine and destructioÌ„ of them both and with all describeth most dilligently the wickednes of eyther of them And first must the beaste be considered after the woman sittyng on the beaste The beaste representeth the figure of olde Rome the woman of the newe and of Poperie And the woman sitteth vpon the beast For the image of the beast hath succeded and hath placed her seate in olde Rome For Daniel also affirmeth that Antichrist shal pitche his seate or palace betwixte two Seas The beast is rose coloured to witte the Hadriatical Sea called commonly the goulfe of Venise and the Tyrrhene or Tuscane Sea And the beaste is rose coloured it is of a red and bright colour like Crimosine For Rome hath ben moste cruell and blouddy and swimmyng altogether in the bloud of al meÌ„ but especially of Christians How much bloud shed Marius Sylla Pompey Iulius and others after histories Plinie hath reported Rome hath with sworde fire distroyed the whole world The ten persecutions of Christians before the Empire of Constantine are most commonly knowen Howe the beaste was full of the names of blasphemie I shewed in the .13 chapt Rome abounded with chapelles and Idolles Dayly it blasphemed God Christe the gospell and rente the church a sonder Of the .7 heades and ten hornes is spoken also in the .13 chapt And certen thinges shall followe in this same chapter playne enough And thus muche hitherto of the olde beaste here followeth of the woman sittyng vpon the beast ¶ The same matter is yet still treated of and the vision is expounded The .lxxiiij. Sermon ANd the womaÌ„ was arayed in purple and rose colour decked with gold preciouse stone and pearles and had a cup of golde in her haÌ„d ful of abominations and filthinesse of hyr whoredome And in hyr forehead was a name written a misterie great Babilon the mother of whoredome and abominations of the Earth And I sawe the woman dronken with the bloud of Sainctes with the bloud of the witnesses of Iesu And when I sawe her I maruailed with a greate wonder And the Angel sayde vnto me wherefore maruailest thou I wil shewe thee the misterie of the woman and of the beaste that beareth her whiche hath seuen heades and ten hornes The beast that thou seest was and is not and shall ascende out of the botomlesse pitte and shal go into perditioÌ„ and they that dwel on the earth shal wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life from the beginnyng of the worlde when they beholde the beast that was and is not And here is a minde that hath wisedome He describeth excedingly well and liuely and setteth forth to be sene of the eyes of all men that same woman before named the great whore About th ende of the chapter he expouÌ„deth himselfe sayeth and the woman which thou sawest is the great citie The womaÌ„ is the greate citie lady of kinges great verely as she that beareth rule ouer the kinges of the Earth He meaneth therefore the very citie of Rome and euen the popish and Romish church and the pope himself with al his creatures and chapplaynes whiche make a great and strong citie rulyng ouer al kinges and princes of the Earth For who knoweth not that Rome the prelates of the church doe rule euen aboue magistrates and princes consider what is done in the courtes of kinges princes and by whose aduise and counselles the princes of the Earth are chiefly gouerned And in callyng papistrie a woman he alludeth to the .5 and .7 chapt of the Prouerbes of Salomon who also likeneth craftie disceiptful philosophie worldly wisedome to a faire woman full of sondry craftes and giles The apparell of the woman And now also he painteth out gallauntly and euideÌ„tly the apparell or clothing and very whorish behauiour of this woman She is furnisshed with no good qualities inwardely wherby she maye coÌ„mende her selfe to the world to her louers therfore she excelleth in outwarde deckyng of herselfe where she is inwardely full of all abominations for all the world like vnto the Phariseis and hipocrites whom the lord saieth are without liâ—e shinyng tumbes of marble but within replenisshed with all corruption and filthines and euen stinkyng And hereby is signified chiefly that the church of Rome and kingdome of Antichrist setteth forth it self altogether with worldly furniture to witte