vpon the woman For God neuer fayled his afflicted churche In so much which a man may maruayle at that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floude powred oute of the serpents mouth This earth dranke vp in oulde time and couered the bloud of Abell And here is signified that the godly abyding persecution haue helpe from whence they loke not for as Dauid in times past is red to be deliuered by the help of the Palestines thinking nothing les than to delyuer Dauid oute of the handes of King Saule but yet whyleste they go aboute an other thing they bring to passe that which semed good to the Lorde which can turne the euil counselles of euil men to the profyte of the godlie And doubtles we see many tymes in the Actes of the Apostles that the earth hath swallowed vp a floude of euylles that is to say that earthly and worldly men doing in the meane tyme an other thing haue procured peace to the church So doeth that Towne clarke or recorder of Ephesus pacifie the multitude of the Ephesians which were all on a roare and worse than madde Lysias the head Captayne taketh away Paule out of the blouddy handes of the Iewes so doth the Centurian defend Paule that he shoulde not be slaine of the souldiours in the shipwreake The ciuile warres begonne immediatelie after the death of Nero gaue peace vnto the church vntyll the Empyre of Domitian But the oulde Serpent that can neuer reste attempteth newe warres For nowe beyng wood madde with the church he goeth to make warre against the remnaunt of the womans seede which verely is to be borne vntyll the iudgement of the church by the worde And so maketh way to the Romayne persecutions which folowed incontinentely after the tyme of Saincte Ihon in the Empyre of Rome and the Antichristiane persecutions reysed after the Empyre subuerted Whereof shall be spoken in the .13 chapt c. the church begetteth Galath 4. Neuerthelesse hereof it appeareth chiefely what Saincte Ihon vnderstandeth by the woman the same verely which engendreth the seede of God The church is called both the Mother and daughter The daughter because she is engendred by the worde preached in the church The mother for that by the worde she bryngeth soorth spirituall chyldren to Chryste For the seede of God and the seede of the woman be all those which kepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesu Chryste They kepe the commaundementes of God which make much of Gods lawe and frame all parts of theyr lyfe according to the same They kepe not Goddes commaundements which sette nothyng by the lawe or worde of God nother frame theyr lyfe after the same Of this matter is spoken at large in the fourtenth The testimony of Iesu Christ is nothing els but the gospell of Iesu Christ preaching vnto vs the free remissiō of sinnes They haue this which possesse it by fayth And where he sayeth The dragō stādeth on the sea sand that the Dragon stode on the Sea sande it is a preparation to thinges that followe for by by he sayeth how the beast the principall instrument of the dragon came out of the Sea by the deuilles meanes And it hath a consolation that the dragon is sayed to stande on the sande and not on the rocke For it signifieth that the furies of Sathan shall not longe indure agaynst the church and that the kingedome of the Deuill shal be rumouse and fall to decaye whose foundations are layde vpon the sande ¶ He exhibiteth a noble instrumente of the Dragon to be sene the olde Romane Empire which describeth what maner a one it is c. The .lv. Sermon ANd I sawe a beast rise out of the see hauing seuen heades The .13 chapter and ten hornes and vpon his hornes ten crownes and vpon his head the names of blasphemie And the beaste whiche I sawe was like a Cat of the Mountane and his fete were as the fete of a beare and his mouth as a lion And the dragon gaue him his power his seate great authoritie I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death his deadly wounde was healed and al the world wōdered at the beast and they worshipped the Dragō which gaue power to the beaste Instrumēts by the whiche the deuil hath wrought worketh S. Iohn procedeth to describe by the reuelatiō of Iesus christ the notable instrumentes of the deuill wherby he hath afflicted the church of Christ with continual most greuouse persecution And he speaketh of the olde and the newe Romane Empire S. Iohn could not without excedyng great daūger vtter much lesse describe those thinges a man not furnished with any mans helpe and therto bannished and driuen into exile For the Romane Empire was takē for godly inuincible most sacred and euerlastyng Neuerthelesse the Apostle both speaketh and writeth hereof in such sorte that it semeth that he can not eschewe the title of a seditious person and offende against the holy maiestie both of the emperour and Empire But what I praye thee woldest thou do God cōmaunding thee so to speake and write The vnpatientnes boldenes of the world against the crewth Math. 21. The world also rageth at this daye when they heare realmes and policies chastised by Gods word for sinne and wickednes cōmitted and lordely enough some Princes set forth proclamations commaundyng that no such thing be hearde any more But the Lord sayeth in the gospell yf these holde their peace stones shall speake signifiyng vtterly that the trueth muste be preached nother that it can be oppressed or quenched with any decrees threatenynges force of Armes or punnishmentes Therfore if they should at this daye kepe silence vnto whom the office of preachyng is committed the lord wil stire vp other preachers which though al the world saye naye wil beare witnesse to the trueth Therfore I would counsell princes that thei vexe not themselues in vayne with those their sondry attēptes agaynst Gods trueth For they shal not preuaile The veritie shal vanquish For he that then furnisshed Iohn agaynste the Romane Empire that time most florisshyng and puissaunt the self same also at this daye reuealyng his trueth to the world nowe broken and waxen olde wil ouercome doubtles Wo to those stifnecked natures which loue to seduce Let al preachers learne by the exāple of the Apostle S. Iohn to vtter frely such things as they haue receiued in commaundement and to feare no man He is greater which is in vs as the same S. Iohn saied in the .1 Iohn 4. than he that is in the world The beast is the Rom. Empire And the beast he calleth the Romane Empire of great authoritie and as it were godly notwithout most weightie cōsiderations For the lorde kepeth still the phrase of the scripture imitatyng Daniel which in the .7 chapt attributeth the name of beaste to the Romane Empire And S. Hierome expoundynge the
in that laste iudgement shal be caste out Dogges and the residewe whiche are recited in the register of the condeÌ„ned The vocable of Dogs is not alwayes taken in the holy Scriptures in the euill parte but yet for the moste parte Abner the Prince of kyng Saulles warres am I the head of a Dogge sayeth he to Isboseth whiche defende the house of Saull agaynste Iuda Signifiyng that he had incurred the displeasure of the tribe of Iuda for that he had reteined ten tribes yet in their duetie and vnder the dominion of the house of kinge Saule Els where as in the .15 of Matthewe the gentiles or heythen or estraunged from the people of God seme to be called Dogges As some at this daye call the Turkes namyng them Turkish do good that is to saye turkish infidelles Now also the prophet Esaye calleth the false Prophetes dogges shamelesse rauening vnsatiable not able to barke and defende the lords Shepefâ—lde or els vnwillyng and slepie After the same signification the Apostle sayeth to the Philippians beware of dogges beware of euill workers c. Moreouer in the holy Scriptures are called dogges angrie men fierse cruell contemners of godly thinges barkers at the trewth sclaunderers and persecuters thereof and blasphemers For in the .22 Psalme Dauid a figure of Christ the lorde crieth Dogges haue inuironned me rounde aboute the counsell of the malignaunt hath compassed me Whom he now calleth Dogges by and by he nameth malignaunt And when Semei cursed Dauid Abisai the sonne of Zaruia sayeth whie doeth this dogge that shall die curse my Lorde the kynge Math. 27. And the lorde in the Gospell forbiddeth to caste that is holy to dogges or pearles to Swine Finally they are called dogges these filthie men vncleane without repentaunce wallowyng themselues in the dungehill of sinne and wickednes For S. Peter calleth suche dogges retournyng to their vomite And the lord prohibiteth 2. Peter 2. that no man bring the price of a strompet or dogge into the Temple For euen therfore the Iewishe Priestes refused the price of bloud offered of Iudas Therefore vnder the name of dogges we vnderstande heythen or infidelles false Prophetes or deceauers cruell men blasphemers persecuters of the veritie cursed speakers contemners of the trewth vncleane and filthie c. And as for the membres that followe haue ben expouÌ„ded before to witte in the .9 chapt and about the beginnyng and in the ende of the .21 He loueth maketh lesinges chapt To a lie he addeth here he that loueth and maketh For many make them not opeÌ„ly but they loue fauour and auaunce them Many both loue and make them They loue a lesyng chiefely whiche mainteyne liyng learnyng and delighte therein But hereof moste purposely Primasius Bishoppe of Vtica to all these thinges sayeth he must be geuen not dilligence of expouÌ„ding but carefulnes of auoyding the euils The lord Iesus saue vs froÌ„ al euill AmeÌ„ ¶ Christ is shewed agayne to be Authour of this booke how great he is here Here is also declared the desire of the church wisshyng for the commyng of Christ and the liberall promesse of the Lorde The C. Sermon I Iesus sent mine Angell to testifie vnto you these thinges in the coÌ„gregations I am the rote and generatioÌ„ of Dauid and the bright mornyng Starre And the spirite and the bryde sayde come And lette him that heareth saye also come And let him that is a thirste come And let who so euer will take of the water of life free The Authour of this booke Christ The tenth place of this conclusion sheweth againe the authour of this worke to be Iesus Christ whiche is brought in here of S. Iohn speakyng to the intent the thing that is spoken maye haue the more authoritie and credit be geueÌ„ more easely of the Auditours to the whole worke Wherefore nothing is to be ascribed to S. Iohn but the writing of the worke that is to wit that he first saw al these thinges indited committed them to writing And the maner also of the reuelation is repeted Christ himselfe came not downe into the earth or into these lower partes but sent forth his Angel which from Christ in Christes name opened shewed these thinges to S. Iohn The ende also of the Angelles sendyng or reuelatioÌ„ is specified that he should testifie these thinges in congregations and to you al that are in the world vnto th ende of the world And we learne of those fewe wordes that credit muste be geuen to this boke as that which is propouÌ„ded of the very sonne of God by his Angel and Apostle and that in dede propounded to all that are in the church Agayne that Iesus Christ is very God the lord of Angelles as S. Paule also affirmeth in the .1 chap. to the Hebrewes Christ very God Of the which thing is spoken also before And these moste clere testimonies of the scripture ought to moue the faithful more thaÌ„ al the dotages of Seruetus the Spaniarde and Seruetanes playing the Arrians and Iewes Let vs obserue moreouer that Christe sente his Angell not to Iudge or to teache but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy writinges are AutheÌ„ticall that is to testifie Testimonies lawefully taken or committed to wryting and sealed it is not lawefull to speake agaynst For they are altogether taken for Authentical But all this boke was written by S. Iohn and is a witnes or the testimony of the Angell of God Therefore is it vnlawefull to doubte any thynge thereof And also ought to haue the same opinion of all other bookes of the olde and newe Testamente For the Prophetes and Apostles are called the witnesses of God and the Gospell and doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles the witnes or testimonie He is madde that thinketh not the Canonicall Scripture to be of it selfe Authenticall vnlesse it be first made authenticall by the approbation of the church and Counselles Moreouer we vnderstande that the doctrine of this whole boke belongeth not only to the seuen churches of Asia but to all dispersed through out the whole worlde and therefore to apperteyne chiefely and singularly vnto vs whiche liue at this daye at Zuricke or in Swycerlande Englande Fraunce or Germany Aretas Bisshoppe of Cesaria that he should testifie saieth he that is to saye that â—e should proteste not priuely nor obscurely but in the audience of all Churches dispersed in all the worlde that no man pretendynge wilfull ignoraunce shoulde remayne vncorrected And incontinently the Lord him selfe also sheweth and declareth Christe is the roote stocke of Dauid who and howe greate he is and what we faythfull haue layde vp in store in him And he vseth agayne parables and allusions for the more perspicuitie And firste he calleth him selfe the roote and generation of Dauid that is to saye a trewe and naturall man For we hearde before that he was very and naturall God And he cutteth of from al Heretikes deniyng and impugnyng the
trewe flesshe of Christe all Senewes moste strongely prouyng that he after the fleshe is of our owne nature Whereof he is called also in the Scripture the fruicte of the wombe of Dauid and he that is rysen of his loynes Moreouer it is sayed to the Dauidicates virgin and mother of God thou shalte conceaue in thy wombe and bryng forth a sonne Therefore he calleth him selfe also both the roote and generation of Dauid And the phrase of speache is to be marked For the like is red in the .16 of Ezechiel Thy roote and thy generation is of the lande of Chanaan that is to saye thy birth is of the Chananites or thy of sprynge is of people polluted yet semeth here neuerthelesse also an other certen thyng to be signified For the rote beareth a tree and nurrisheth or quickeneth the same The roote is not borne or nurrisshed of the tree and Christe the Lord is the foundatiō and preseruation of the house of Dauid and Churche of the faythfull That Dauid is preserued that the ofspryng of Dauid is not rooted out whiche ofte times hath deserued to be it is done in respecte or merite of Christe the Lorde Christe hath saued them the same saueth also so many as are saued as he that is of al the promesses made vnto Dauid the head vertue add some and euen perfection as in whome is perfit saluation and all fulnes as the clere testimonies of the Prophet Esaye beare witnes in the .7 and .37 cha and els where also in the 3. of Osee 34. 37. of Ezechiel And not a much vnlike place is in the .3 boke of Kinges the .15 chap. Iohn also the .1 Christ is the bright morning starre chap. of this boke named Christ the rote of Dauid c. Agayne the Lorde calleth hym selfe a Starre and that not obscure but shynynge and brighte and euen the mornyng Starre When he called hym selfe a Starre he had respecte to the moste auncient Oracle of Balaam that most wise Prophet in the Easte He prophecied that a Starre shulde arryse out of Israell that is to say a celestial starre and euen the very sonne of God shoulde be borne of a woman And that the same starre did arrise the magiciens being also of the Easte testifie in the .2 chap. of S. Mathew And it is called bright because Christe is the light illumining all men that come in to the world Of the which matter the same S. Ihon hath treated much in the first eight and nynth chapt of his Euangelicall story The same our Lorde is also the morning starre so called of S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. And of this our S. Ihon in the .2 chapt of the Apoca. For lyke as Lucifer arrising draweth the daye starre after him so Christ shyning in the hartes of the faithfull doth lighten them more and more in this present world also and in the lyfe to come doth cloth them whole with the light celestiall Thomas of Aquine expounding this place the morninge Starre sayeth he is to witte the messager of the day that is the euerlasting felicitie through his resurrection And these thynges haue we hearde hitherto of the mouth of Christe concerning Christe who and howe great he is and what treasures we haue layde vp in store in him He is very God and man was incarnate for vs that he might be our roote vertue lyfe light and saluation Therfore haue we reposed in him all fulnes of Saluation And so we see agayne that this boke is written with the Apostolicall spirite which spirite verely so ofte as occasion serueth reasoneth excellently of Christe and preacheth his saluation and commendeth the fayth in him vnto all the faithfull The same spirite therfore hath inspyred eyther booke both of the Gospell and Apocalipse of Saincte Ihon and caused them to be written of the same Authour 11. In the eleuenth place is brought in speaking the church The desire of the church for the cōmyng of Christ wyshing the comming of Christe vnto iudgement For sins our Lorde Iesus Christe is so good so benigne and holsome whome all this booke hath promysed to come and to delyuer the church of Sainctes afflicted in this worlde nowe is resited the desire of the same his church wyshing and calling the Lorde sayeng come For anone we shall heare the Lorde promising and saieng be it I come quickely And the church agayne reporting Amen Euen so come Lord Iesu And that the spirite within our body crieth busily to the Lorde for our deliueraūce and glorifieng the Apostle mentioneth much in the .8 to the Romanes Notwithstanding that by the spirite may be vnderstand euery spirituall man also And therefore Aretas he nameth them spirite sayeth he which are accompted worthie of the spirituall mariage And the bryde the church it selfe Thus sayeth he Of the bryde we haue spokē many times in this worke so that we nede not to be tediouse in repeting the same Howe be it with a wonderfull desyre all the godly couet that the Lorde wolde come vnto iudgement To the wicked that daye is terrible abhorred to the godly moste ioyfull and wysshed for For the godly perceaue that they shall ones be deliuered from all euylles and plentifully rewarded with all good thynges that the glory and veritie of God shall be auaunced and established that all vngodlynes shall be abolished and the wicked by the iust iudgement of God tormented Wherupon S. Peter in the .3 chapt of the Actes calleth this day the restoring perfourming of all such things as God hath at any time spoken by the mouth of his Prophets In that same day therfore shall all the promesses of God euen of the greateste matters be fulfilled througely Therfore sayeth the Lord in the gospell lifte vp your heads for your redemption draweth nere They that mourne and are desperate like cast downe their heads The Lord biddeth vs lifte vp our heades to be cherefull and of good hope For we shall certenly be delyuered and glorified which haue ben in the world a laughing stocke and had in derisiō of all men Therfore muste the places be expoūded fyguratiuely which pourport the exceding great lamentation and howling that shall be in that day For the wicked for anguyshe and payne and vtter desperation shall crye oute and teare themselues The godly shall reioyce in him whome they see comming shewynge the woundes wherewith they are redemed Lyke as therefore the desyre of Sainctes was greateste when the first commyng of our sauiour approched nere as in Symeon alone appeareth Luke the second right so at the second comming of Christe vnto iudgement all Saincts with vncessable voyces shall crie and continually do crye come Lorde Iesu come and delyuer vs come and maynetayne thy glorie and church almoste broughte to naught come our redemer and Sauiour so wished and loked for dispatch vs from euilles graunt vs the good thinges promised c. Wherfore the things that follow Come may be referred eyther to the
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
restreining and punishing the wycked And the holy ghost where he is but one Seuen spirites for the seuenfolde that is all maner of grace and giftes manifold is here called as I may say Septenarie or of the seuenth numbre And from the seuen spirites sayth Iohn that is from that spirite whiche is indewed with the seuenfolde grace Those diuerse giftes are after a sorte declared of Esay in the .xi. Chapt. and els where in the scriptures He is sayd to be in the sight of the throne that is before the throne of God ioyned verely in gouernement with the father and the sonne For the throne is many tymes vsurped for the kingdom The holy ghost therfore is of the same glory power and maiestie with God Now is he commen to Christ The description of Christ whom by his properties he describeth moste aboundantly You know that Iesus is the proper name of Christ which Matthew expoundeth a Sauiour Christ is the surname of his office and dignitie as you would say annoynted that is byshop and kyng 1 First he calleth Christ our Lord a faithfull wytnes Christ a faithfull witnes and that out of the .xlix. and .l. chapter of Esay For he was sent of the father to the world out of heauen an Apostle whiche should testifie the wil of God what he wold haue done with men To witte that he would saue the worlde by his sonne Math. 18. 2 Petr. 3 Iohn 3 Math. 7.1 by faith in him which is obedient to the law of God For he must do the will of his father This Christ is a faithfull witnes that is sure constaunt and trewe Of whose doctrine no man ought to doubt No man hath seene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the father Math. 17. 2 Pet. 1 he hath reuealed This therfore is the byshop and catholick dâ—tour of the church Who so euer dissent from him are to 〈◊〉 eschewed Heare him saith the father Christ is the first fruits of theÌ„ that ryse 2 He is the first begotten of the dead For he died for oâ—â— sinnes verely and rose again from the dead was made tâ— first begotten of the dead Lorde conquerour of death Iâ— whom we se that we shall also ryse again in what sorte 〈◊〉 whom the first of the Corinth xv And like as in the first prâ—pertie he shaddoweth the humanitie of Christe wherin hâ— taught also his deitie in that he was the faithfull true â—â—tholique byshop and is yet at this day So in the second thâ— articles of our belefe concerning the death of Christ and hâ— resurrection are confirmed To these also may be added tâ— article of the resurrection of the dead Christ is Prince of kynges 3 Christ is prince ouer the kinges of the earth a monarâ— verely and Lord of all rulers Whiche hath taken a name â—boue all names the Lord of aungels and of all creatures 〈◊〉 whom al things be subiect As thapostle expouÌ„deth Colosâ— Philip. 2. And he doeth not abolishe lawes Magistratâ— which wil be king of kinges and Lord of lordes For if thaâ— wer no kings how shuld Christ be king of kings The moâ— sacred Emperours Constance Constantine Theodose anâ— Iustinian knew them selues to be clientes of Christ Thaâ— kingdom was Christes they to be subiectes These Chriâ—â— acknowledgeth for his by whoÌ„ he gouerneth those he haâ—â— redemed with his bloud They that proudly rule ouer the people boast theÌ„ selues to be lordes of althings acknowledâ—â— not Christ to be monarch ouer all be starke mad And herâ— are comprehended such thinges as we confesse in tharticles of our faith that Christ ascended into heauen sitteth on thâ— right hand of the father that is that he hath receiued high pâ—wer of al things in heauen and earth Ephe. 1. Act. 2. Christ loued vs. 4 Christ hath loued vs with incoÌ„parable loue For he hiâ— self saith greater loue hath no man than that a man shoulâ— leaue his life for his freÌ„des This loue the Apostle amplefietâ— in the fift to the Romains And it was exceading great loue 〈◊〉 moued Christ to come downe from heauen and be incarnaâ—â— and to redeme vs by his death With a free loue he loueâ— vs prouoked by no desert of ours For as this same Iohn in his Epistle canonicall speaketh the same of the father In this is charitie not that we haue loued God but that he hath loued vs sent his son a propiciation for our sinnes So is it to be vnderstaÌ„d of the son the he hath doth bear vs great good will not moued thereto through our loue wherewith we haue imbraced him And of the fre loue to mankinde he gaue him self vnto death washed vs froÌ„ our sinnes For streight waies is added by his bloud Christ washeth Where thre thinges seme of vs to be obserued First that Christ washeth purgeth purifieth or cleÌ„seth the faithful that most fully not partly He alluded to the washings of the law which he expouÌ„ded also For Dauid saith Pourge me with Hysope I shal be made cleane washe me I shal be whiter than snow The same phrase of speache repeteth Esay in the first chap. Micheas also sayth Miche 7. The Lord wil returne wil haue mercy on vs he wil treade vnder fete our iniquities And thou shalt throw into the depth of the Sea al their sinnes And the Lord saith Ezech. 36 I wil cast vpon you cleane waters and you shall be mundified from al your filthines The Lord Christ these thinges accomplishing washeth vs purgeth and clenseth throughly aswell from the falte as the paine He clenseth vs from our sinnes Christ washeth all synnes not from one but from al. The which thing is proued both by former testimonies again in the first second Epistle of S. Iohn Last the maner also of purifiyng is set forth by bloud For without the sheding of bloud no remission was made Therfore through the mediation of death and bloudsheding there was full remissioÌ„ of all sinnes obteined for the faithfull He washeth by bloud Hebr. 9 They that bring forth any other maner of forgeuenes of synnes ar iniurious to the death and bloud of the sonne of God And here we may se plainly set forth an article of the Apostolicall crede I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes In the fift place is shewed theffect of our redeÌ„ption purifiyng For Christ hath brought to passe Theffect of Christs redemptioÌ„ in the faithfull that as many of vs as beleue in the father by the son of God shuld be kinges prists to God to his father Aretas the copie of complute reade not kinges but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is kyngdome the which is not red amisse For we be the kingdoÌ„ of God for bicause God by his spirit not the flesh nor the worlde ought to reigne in vs And when we permitte the gouernment to
contemplation of mâ—ters diuine and in holy prayers he heard a voice whereof 〈◊〉 wyll speake hereafter But here we are presently taughâ— what is the religion of the sonday and how it is mete to oâ—serue it Finally wordly men are reproued whiche pollutâ— breake it with prophane workes and affaires Dauid wâ— time he suffered persecution of Saul lamenteth chiefly tâ— he might not come to the Lordes tabernacle Our men aâ—compt it a great felicitie neuer to enter into the felloship Sainctes And to abuse the sonday in gamenyng drinkinâ— dauncing and worldly businesse By whose commaundement he wrote and sent the Apocalipse These thinges on this wyse declared he cometh at lenâ—â— to the reuelation setting forth before the expresse commauâ—dement of God wherby he was commaunded both to wâ— the thinges â—euealed also to send theÌ„ to the seuen churchâ— of Asia To the maner and maiestie of the reuelatioÌ„ that saâ— chiefly apperteineth that he heard a voice and that notabâ— as the sound of a trompet For so we reade it was done the law geuing at the mount Sinay Now is declared who voyce it was and who was the authour of the reuelation Verely the eternall God which calleth hym selfe Alpha â— Omega that is the beginning and the ende Or as it is saâ— in Esay first and last Wherof els where Now followeth the commaundement whiche hath â—partes For first the Lord commaundeth S. Iohn to wâ—â— And to wryte suche thinges as he sawe that is to witte 〈◊〉 Apocalipse And that he should wryte nother in the sanâ— nor on the walle but in a boke Verely for the edifiyngâ— profit of the churche present and of all posteritie After heâ— also commaunded to sende those writinges to seuen congâ—â—gations and verely to all the churches of the whole worldâ— al times ages Therfore al these thinges belong to the proâ— of congregations and that of al that be haue bene or shalâ— Thautoritie of the Scripture Here of we learne how great is the authoritie of the sâ—â—turs It was not written nor coÌ„piled in bokes but by Goâ— coÌ„maundment There be notable testimonies of the bokâ— of Moyses in the .xxxiiii. of Exod. and .xxxi. of Deuter. And to say nothing of the residue of the Propetes is not Ieremy commaunded to wryte his Sermons againe whiche kyng Ioachim had cut in pieces and burnt The scriptures are ours Doubtes S. Peter beareth manifest witnes that the Prophetes receiued the misteries of God to none other ende than thei shuld reueale them to vs Which in dede might only be done by the scriptures Now is Iohn moste apertly commaunded to wryte What wyl we say that he is also commaunded to sende his wrytinges to the congregations Wherof againe we gather that God willeth right well to the congregations and euen to euery one of vs. Let vs beware and take hede that we put not from vs vnworthely so great benefites of God to whoÌ„ be prayse and glory ¶ THE BEGINNING OF THE worke is made a moste goodly description to vs exhibited of Christe kyng and byshop in glory neuertheles woorkyng in the Churche The fifth Sermon ANd I tourned me that I myght see the voice that spake with me And when I was tourned I sawe seuen golden candelstickes And in the middes of the seuen candelstickes one like vnto the sonne of man clothed with a linnen garmeÌ„t â—owne to the grounde and gyrde about the pappes with a golden girdell His head and his eares were whyte as whyte wolle and â—nowe And his eyes were as a flame of fyre â—nd his feete like vnto brasse as though they brent in a fournace and his voice as the sound of many waters And he had in his ryght and seuen Starres and out of his mouthe went out a sharpe two edged sworde and hiâ— face shone euen as the SuÌ„ne in his strength Suche thinges as haue bene treated of hitherto in thâ—â— boke be in stead of the prologue or preface as they termeâ— Now at last shall the matter it selfe be propouÌ„ded to vs. The som of these things vnto the .iiii. Chapter Hâ— therfore followeth the second part of this boke whiche râ—cheth to the fourth chapter In the which is Christ describe vnto vs with his catholike churche For first in dede is set â—fore vs the moste sacred Image of Christ our Lord teachiâ—â— what a one he is on the right hande of his father in glorâ— how he sittyng on the right hand of his father worketh nâ—uerthelesse in his churche continually neuer absent preseâ— alwayes Of what sorte moreouer the churche is hereâ— earth is figured in those seuen congregations Here therfoâ— are shewed the excellent giftes of churches and agayne iâ— shamefull errours How the Lord Christ confirmeth suchâ— are sliding and ready to fall establisheth those that standeâ— forteth the weake harted restreyneth the folyshe hardy aâ— preserueth thinges that are corrupt Finally how faithful â—stours of the churche must worke and trauell with the peâ—ple committed to their credit For here is exceadingly wâ— taught what is the reparing and preseruation of churchâ— Where also a briefe somme of the whole ecclesiastical and 〈◊〉 some doctrine brought in to an abridgement shal be set beâ— vs. For here is repeted from heauen of Christ in glory 〈◊〉 doctrine of true religion whiche he had set forth more plâ—tifully when he was yet here in earth And here most apâ— applieth it to churches after consideration of the same And in most goodly order the wordes are knit togetheâ— as likewyse the whole boke is wrytten with playne worâ— and hanging right well together they are disceaued that thiâ—â— it to be lose besomes or broomes vnbounde Iohn heard voice behind him criyng Wherupon he tourned backwaâ— that he might se the voyce speaking that is to wit hym tâ— spake For Aretas also admonissheth that there is a tropeâ— the wordes For no man seeth but heareth the voyce Aâ— tourning him to see he sawe a figure of Christ our sauioâ—â— Therfore when the Lorde speaketh let vs tourne also wâ— all our harte Let vs turne to the lord speaking that we may lykewyse deserue to se the misteries of the kingdom of God for he gladly reuealeth him selâ— to suche as tourne and desire heauenly thinges And from those that neglecte the misteries of the kingdome of God al thinges of saluation are hidde Further more S. Iohn exhibiteth to vs the Image of Christ our catholike kyng and high bishop sitting in glory Thimage of Christ is set befor vs. in the whiche description are comprised the chiefest matters of Christ For suche a taste of Christ is here geuen vs as in this world may be of our weake flesh perceiued But we shal se hym at the length in the world to come such as he is in the fulnes of his maiestie wherin shal be ioye life euerlasting But this in this corrupt world is yet graunted to no man So much therfore is permitted vnto vs that liue yet
these thinges it behoued hym to vse a teâ—ple and palace not transitory but heauen it selfe Hebre. viâ— and .ix. Yet in the meane tyme the effect pearseth in to thâ— church it selfe that so he may be present in the church also The head heares of Christ But the head of Christ appeareth hoare and his heaâ— whyte lyke moste pure wolle and whytest snow Suche a head is ascribed also to the father of our Lord Iesu Christ 〈◊〉 the seuenth Chap. of Daniel For they be of the same essenâ— And hereby is signified wysdome and age and also the eâ—nitie and deitie of Christ And by reason that Christ is Giâ— therfore is he head of the church ministring to the body liâ— spirite wysdome and all giftes celestiall Ephes v. Caâ—â— Pope of Rome that moste wicked man of synne doe thâ— What an head is he than without lyfe without brayneâ— moste folyshe As he is described in the .xi. of Zacha. And is a shame that we will not se these thinges being blynd euer Christ is euerlasting omnipotent and that knoweth thing And he may be the health and head of the body Iâ— in the beginning saith he was the word and the word 〈◊〉 with God c. Christ him self before Abraham was saith 〈◊〉 I am Therfore the Heretickes lye deniyng Christ to beâ—ry God of the same substauÌ„ce with the father He is the â—â—â—dome of God all thinges are subiect to hym Ephe. the 〈◊〉 And he him self fulfilleth all thinge after the same sort beâ— present with his churche The eyes of Christ Now are his eyes also not darkened nor blynde but fyâ— and bryght For Christ knoweth all thyng Christes eyeâ— watchful nothyng is hyd from him he seeth all thinges 〈◊〉 are done both good and euyll And he seeth to the intent may iudge and require He is light in darknes and the siâ—â—â— of Christ is to good men ioyfull in perils Finally the iudgementes of Christ are rightuous The Prophet Dauid The eyes of the Lord sayth he vpon the iust and his eares are to their prayer Agayne The face of the Lorde is on them that do euyll And like as the head is not plucked from the body so Christ can not be absent from his churche And seyng that his eyes are quicke sighted and that the Lord forseeth al our thinges and hath the charge ouer vs how is he absent from his churche What nedeth there any vicar And the fete of the Lorde are of copper BraseÌ„ fete or lyke vnto brasse and frankensence burning in a fornace For Chalcolibaum is a worde compounded of brasse and frankensence Eusebius This noteth Erasmus and that Swidas sheweth also the same that there is a kynde of Copper more precious than gold which he sayth is made of Salt peter and of a stone Plin. in the xxxiiii and .ii. Chapter calleth it a kynde of brasse whiche is digged out of the vaynes of the earth in tymes paste had in price It should seme to me to be the same whiche in the first and tenth of Ezechiel is called Hasmal a present remedy against poysons For if wyne intoxicated be put into a cuppe therof it wil hisse And so is the death and poyson detected The moste cleane brasen and firy fete do signifie the conuersation and the wayes of the Lorde blameles his iudgements right iust And that he so walketh in the church and gouerneth al things that in the meane season al vncleanes be detecâ—ed and consumed but he him selfe remaineth always moste holy and pure For fire pourgeth God is a consuming fire But the voyce of Christ The voice of Christ is as it were the noyse of many waters not so muche for that all nations and people do commende and prayse him But for as muche as the Gospel and worde of God came into the whole worlde Whiche voyce also moste mightie kinges could lesse asswage and appease than they could do the gusshing of waters Rom. 10 or to stoppe the wyndes in sackes Therfore by the power of preaching the Lorde is always present in his churche The hand is an instrument of all instrumentes especially the righthande The right hand In this Christ holdeth seuen starres to wit seuen prelates or pastours of churches in Asia And euen all the byshops throughout the whole world Christ by his power geueth to vs as Pastours and instructeth comforteâ— confirmeth defendeth them to the end they should preacâ— his worde Wherby he may ioyne hym selfe to the churcâ— Christ worketh by them in the churche and preserueth thâ— A two edged sword out of Christ his mouth The same is more lyuely expressed in the wordes that fâ—lowe For a sharpe two edged sworde commeth out of 〈◊〉 Lordes mouth This swearde is the worde of God as 〈◊〉 ryght well declared in the sixt to the Ephes and fourth to 〈◊〉 Hebrewes And this word or sworde hangeth not vpon 〈◊〉 walle nor sticketh fast in the sheathe nor hangeth by the fâ— but cometh out of the mouth He sayth not it came foortâ— it shall come forth But it cometh forth as the thyng thâ— in continuall operation or perpetuall preaching throughâ— the worlde And it is two edged sharpe and pearsing asâ— in the heart of the Godly vnto saluation as in the heartâ— the wycked to payne and condemnation And yet at 〈◊〉 day cometh out that sworde of the mouthe of Christ by mouthes of Ministers The worde of Christe is in dede â—temned of the world and is called of many a fable But 〈◊〉 a sworde and that a sworde out of Christes mouth All 〈◊〉 vnfaithfull do finde and shall fynde this howe soeuer 〈◊〉 resiste With this sworde Christ kylleth the wicked And effect of this sworde is greater than was the sworde of Aâ—â—ander Pompey Iulius Cesar or Marius Attille or â—merlane Neyther maketh it any skylle though the wâ— now acknowledge it not It shall doe in tyme to comâ— their greatest euyll Doubtles with this spirite of his mâ— the Lorde continueth alwayes to comfort and gouernâ—â— churche so that he is neuer absent from the same Finally the countenaunce of Christ shineth as the 〈◊〉 doeth in his greatest strength about none when it is 〈◊〉 bryght clere and plesaunt by the countenaunce we 〈◊〉 men chiefly Therfore by the countenauÌ„ce we know Câ— The countenaunce of Christ is light Christ therfore is 〈◊〉 And that verely a diuine and eternall lyght lyghtyng aâ—â— that they may also be made the children of light and thaâ— faces of saintes may shine in that day as bright as the siâ— and as the face of Christ shone Math. 13. and .17 And fâ— he doeth thus communicate this lyght vnto vs. Iohn 〈◊〉 and .1 Iohn 1. How is it to be thought that Christ should be absent from his churche Thou seest how he is present And so hath our Lord Christ exhibited hym selfe to vs to be sene vnto saluation and hath opened hym selfe wholy vnto vs as he is what he doeth for vs
〈◊〉 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
obeying How the word of bying is vsed For no man shall imagine that there is bargayning before God as there is with men As though the spiritual gifts of God mought be bought for money This is repugnaunt to the whole scripture and specially against the determination of S. Peter pronounced against Simon Magus But this our exposition the Prophet Esay Approueth in the .55 Chapter Where amongest other thinges come sayth he bye without mony and without price or exchaunge And by and by I◠hearing heare me incline your care c. Therfore the Romishe Chananite hath no hold hereof I meane the Pope that great marchaunt which selleth al thinges in the church euen those thinges which he hath not the greatest disceiuer in the worlde Hereunto is added moreouer that lyke as it is in Esay plainly expressed of whome suche graces or giftes are to be bought So Christ also here saith expressely I counsel thee to bie of me Behold he saith of me Not of the Pope of Monkes Freers or priestes For Christ alone hath the thinges whiche we may require He alone doth satisfie he alone graunteth those giftes And therfore he sayth in the Gospell of S. Iohn Let hym that hath honger or thirst come vnto me To me I say let him come Iohn the .iiii. vi and .vii And S. Peter sayth Lorde to whom shall we go Thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe As though he should say If we wyll lyue we can go to none other but vnto thee Thou arte the lyfe and fountaine of all goodnes Moreouer the vse and profit of this pure golde The vse fruicte of pure gold tried and moste purified I meane the word of Gods veritie and pure fayth is three sortes First that thou mayst be ryche Secondly that thou mayest bye thee apparell Thirdly that thou mayest bye the eye salue to heale the blyndnes of thine eyes For the worde of God and fayth in hym is the foundation of true pietie Without the worde and faith nothinge is sounde The first fruicte is welthe or riches to witte spiritual The true riches of the faithfull For the worde and faith is not a false imagination and a vayne dreame of thinges most excellent For he that beleueth the worde feleth ioye in his harte and inioyeth spirituall giftes And possessing Christ through faith possesseth all goodnes Wherupon also the Apostle in the first chapt of the first epistle to the Corinth sayd I geue thankes to my God alwayes for you for the grace of God that is geuē you in Christ Iesu because you ar in al thinges inriched by him in euery word and in al knowledge like as the testimony of Christ is cōfirmed in you In so muche that you are not destitute in any gift c. Let thē marke wel these things which thinke worldly goodes to be true riche These foles shal be iudged of the wisdom of God as it is manifest in the .12 cha of S. Luke And besides this they that are destitute of the light of God his worde and lack faith cā not vse rightly nor wel these earthly riches Therfore heauenly riches are the true riches The apparell of the faithfull The second fruict is the clothing comly apparel wherwith we are couered that our shameful nakednes should not appere Before their fal our parentes were naked but with out any shame or ignominie After the fal thei wer ashamed Because sinne bringeth shame and want of al good workes And an euill conuersation is a moste shameful nakednes With this were the Laodiceans infected But Christ whiche is learned by the word of truth and perceiued by true fayth is the white apparel of the faithfull their rightuousnes innocencie He couereth al our spottes he abholisheth our shamefull nakednes decketh vs with all kinde of vertues that we may appere honest and comly before God in holy conuersation For Christ is the wedding garment The Apostle counselleth vs to put on Christ that we be appareled with rightuousnes temperaunce and all goodnes The places be in the .13 to the Romaines Ephes 4. Colos 3. chapt Away here with the cowle of our Lady vnder the whiche gather for the moste part wicked and impenitent persones The most pure virgin couereth not suche Our ladies cowle she loueth rightuousnes and repentaunce Finally with this gold is bought an eie salue which is a medicine for the eies Sight is restored which Phisitions are wont to lay to sore and blere eies against blindnes The cōmaundement of the Lord saith Dauid is bright geuing light to the eies Faith also doth infourme rightly the iudgemēt of man that we may iudge holily of vertues vices The want of God his worde and of true faith bringeth in blindnes For all these thinges the Lord counselleth the Laodicians to seke for Gods word and beleue it verely For so it should come to passe that being inriched with al spiritual giftes thei might leade a pure conuersation in the church might possesse Christ and iudge rightly of al matters of saluation And in these thinges also consisteth true repentaūce In forgeuenes of sinnes and amendement of life c. But least they should say we heare these thynges in vain The Lord rebuketh chasteneth whome he loueth as they which haue heard before that we shall be spewed out of the Lordes mouth yea and are so sharpely shaken vp with bitter wordes sentences that we are constreined to dispair He preuenteth that same saith whom soeuer I loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I rebuke and chastē The first word signifieth to accuse and reproue openly which is done with sharper wordes The latter is referred to discipline wherby children are kept in awe with the Palmer least they forget them selues through wantonnes The Lord therfore alluding to the words of Salomon in the .iii. Chap. signifieth that a sharpe rebuke or seuere chastening is not always a signe that God is angry but oftener a token that he is pleased and loueth vs. Therfor he saith first I rebuked you sharpely of loue and so sought your saluation Therfore it is now also an holsome signe if the preachers rebuke the church with sharpe wordes And again it is an vnlucky signe if a foxe tayle be stroken ouer faultes intollerable It is a token of loue also if a man suffer sondry mishappes Which thing the Apostle discourseth at large in the .xii. Chapt. to the Hebre. Vpon these thinges he inferreth the some of the matter zeale repentaunce sayth Where thou seest God so earnestly seke thy saluation I pray thee continue not always to be thus in a mammering nether hote nor cold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be zelouse take vnto thee a feruent zeale to followe and apprehend thy saluation For now he setteth the feruentnes of faith conceaued of the word and spirite of God against this newtralitie or warmnes After he addeth and repent in sorsaking thyne euill conuersation and being of Christ
includeth captiuitie We were prisoners and seruauntes of sinne of death and very bondeslaues of the deuil and hel And the sonne of God came and toke flesh and shed his bloud for so also is the maner of redemyng vs expressed of the elders and he hath wasshed vs from our sinnes and beyng purified he hath raunsomed vs from the power of death hel sinne and Sathan that nowe we be of God Therfore they saye expressely thou hast redemed vs to God We be therfore of God the deuil hath no more power ouer vs we are the freemen of Christ deliuered through his bloud 1. Peter 1. Hebrewes 9. And for asmuch as we be nowe of God to witte iustified frely by his grace through the bloud of Christ as the apostle sayeth also in the 3. chapt to the Romanes we ought to serue God verely in the newnes of spirite not the flesh and the deuill in the oldenes of the letter and of our fleshe Whiche the same Apostle discourseth more at large in the 6. to the Romanes Whome also he hath redemed they declare by the waye Who are redemed men verely of euery tribe c. In the which rehersal he doeth Imitate Daniel in the 7. chap. and signifieth an vniuersalitie For the lord hath died for al but that al are not made pertakers of this redemptiō it is through their owne faulte For the lord excludeth no man but him only whiche through his owne incredulitie and misbelefe excludeth him selfe Of redēption followeth an other effect of Christes death Righteousnes foloweth iustification and redemptiō for that it maketh men iustified to God kinges and priestes For they that be iustified worke rightuousnes I haue expounded this place concerning the priesthood and kingdom of Christians in the firste chapter where you maye haue it The Sainctes adde moreouer that they shal reygne vpon earth to wit through the vertue of Christ not corporally How sainctes raigne vpon earth as the Millenaries do imagine and the Turkes followyng the same imaginyng corporal thinges in this worlde and ioyes in Paradise terrestriall For the whole scripture promiseth better thinges Neither must the godly be so geuen to corporal thinges that they should hope for nothing aboue corporal matters The Sainctes speake here of the last iudgement wherin it shal appere to the whole world and to al that dwel vpon the earth that the Sainctes which some time semed to the world to haue ben wicked vngodly peacebreakers heretickes and parricides and for the same cause haue ben slaine be iust holy kinges and priestes of God So I saie they shal reigne vpō earth The which thing is declared more at large in the .iii. and .v. chapt of the boke of wisedome Let the Sainctes I saie consider these thinges when they be oppressed of the wicked for the veritie and rightuousnes through the permissiō of Christ gouernour of al in this world let them neuerthelesse glorifie the Lord God and praise him without ceasyng To him be glory for euer ¶ Here is described the commendation and Hymne sayed vnto Christ of the Aungels and al creatures c. The .xxix. Sermon ANd I behelde hearde the voyce of many Aungelles aboute the Throne about the beastes and the elders I hearde thousande thousandes saiyng with a lowde voice worthie is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And all creatures which are in heauen and on the earth and vnder the earth and in the Sea and all that are in them hearde I saiyng blessing honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate and to the lambe for euer more And the .iiii. beastes sayed Amen And the .xxiiii. Elders fell vpon their faces and worshipped him that liueth for euer more In the fourth place nowe come the Aungels of God also to the Elders and to the beastes The Aungels also prayse Christ I meane to the most excellent creatures of God and together with them prayse with an hymne God and the lambe doubtlesse for an example to vs that as I ofttimes saie and repete we might vnderstand what thing becometh vs also Of Aungels Dauid in .c.iiii. Psalm speaking emōgs other thinges which maketh sayeth he his Aungels spirites Of Aungels and his ministers a flame of fire He testifieth therefore that the Aungels were made or created of God By their substaunce he calleth them spirites by a parable a flame of fire which is pure bryght moste swifte pearsyng and burnyng Therfore after their sorte and meane the Aungelicall spirites be altogether suche whome by their office he calleth ministers Reade 24. sermon folowyng to witte of God and manne For S. Paull also to the Hebr. brynging this same place of Dauid be they not al sayeth he ministring spirites whiche are sent forth into ministerie for them which be heyres of Saluation verely vnderstandyng men These thinges teach vs to iudge rightly of Aungels and that no man should worshippe ministers or any be they neuer so excellent creatures for theyr godly giftes Nother in dede can the Aungels or Sainctes abide them selues to be worshipped Here doubtles they attribute all glory to God and to the Lambe to God three and one that all we should doe the like Here is also declared the place wherin the Aungelles were about the Throne about the beastes and about the Elders Therefore they garded al these places rounde about as it were a garde Daniel in times paste sawe thinges not muche vnlike these in the .7 chapt Certenly they stande like ministers and seruitours ready to do seruice Aungels are sayed also to be about the godly vpon earth to attende vpon the saluation and ministerie of men In the .34 Psalm Dauid singeth he beyng afflicted called vpon the lorde and the Lorde hearde him and from all his troubles he deliuered him The Aungel of the lord pitcheth his tentes about them which feare him the lord he deliuereth thē And not much vnlike things you maye reade in the .91 Psalm And thou shalt here note that those that be afflicted do cal vpō the lord and not the Aungels And that the lord doeth heare and deliuer and for the workyng therof vseth the ministerie of Aungels as his ministers And like as no man that is wel in his witte doeth reuerence cal vpon and worshippe the sonne for that God by the same geueth great benefites to men So no mā honoureth calleth vpon and worshippeth Aungels for that God vseth their ministerie in deliueryng of men The nūbre of Angels Now also he putteth the nōbre of Aungels but a certaine for an vncertayne thousande thousandes for innumerable He alludeth in the meane time to that saying of Daniel in the 7. chapt Thousande Thousandes serued hym and ten hondreth thousande assisted him Of a greate and innumerable armie we are woonte to esteme the power of kinges What than shall we thinke of the power of our God
whiche is the God of hoostes and whome not only innumerable legions of Aungels but all creatures serue And what an excellente prayse is it whiche is songe together of so many blessed spirites For after this the proper duetie or office of Aungelles is touched They singe prayses to God and cōmende the lābe of God and that with a lowde voice It skilleth not greatly wheter with a lowe or an high voyce thou singest prayses to the Lord but for asmuche as they that crye with a lowde voice are for the moste parte sore moued as ouerwhelmed wyth great sorrow or with great gladnes reioysing therfore shall we prayse God with a lowde voyce in case with a stoute spirite and with the inwarde affection of the harte we shal prayse God The Himne of the Angels sayde in the prayse of Christ The aungelical Hymne is now annexed which accordeth in al thynges with the Himnes of the Beastes and Elders For they celebrate the lambe that is to saye the sonne which as he is the sauiour alone so hath he deserued to receyue all power and glory to gouerne al thinges as is sayed before And seuen thinges do the Aungelles attribute to the lābe that is to Iesus Christ our Lord on the right hande of the father First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to witte godly almighty viuificatiue and conseruatiue Of this I spake also before Secōdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richesse For he is riche as the Apostle sayeth for al that cal vpō him Rom. 10. And Primasius Christ him self saieth he is the treasure of al good things c. For schaddais the sufficiencie of al goods of the minde and body And if it be lawful to attribute a prophane worde vnto God he is very Saturne fulfillyng al creatures And sins the Aungelles do so cōmende Christ who woulde thinke that men should so scrape to themselues as though they themselues could fil their owne desires Than they attribute to Christ wisedom to witte godly and great For the sonne is the wisedome of the father Wherof treateth Salomon much By this wisedome cā he rule al things by most agreable and best gouernment Who shall saye Thus it should haue ben done The wisedom of God hath most goodlily wel made al thinges from the beginnyng so that our reason can iustly blame nothing what thing shal we blame than nowe in the vniuersal gouernmēt of Christ They ascribe vnto Christ also strength to execute verely such thinges as he hath most wisely ordeyned finally strength to defende his and to subdewe the aduersaries For he is almightie Such thinges as follow honour glory and thankes geuing are declared before what they be and of what force sauyng that the thing he called first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he calleth now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessing prayse and geuyng of thankes This Hymne sayed in the praise of Christ Christe is greater thā Aungels the lord of Aungels teacheth that Christ is very God of the same substaunce and coequal with the father greater than Aungels yea the lord of Aungelles whom the aungels themselues also worship as S. Paul in the 1. to the Hebr. hath declared Here than are confuted who so euer preferre Aungels to Christ The heretikes are confuted that are called Aungelical to witte worshippers of Aungels The aungels themselues do here reproue their errour that not without cause they are accompted of S. Austen emongs heretikes Yf richesse glory and honour be dewe to Christ alone and that he excelleth them wherfore are the same cōmunicated to creatures Otherwise we admonish all godly that they thinke highlye of Aungels and acknowledge and maruel at the benefites of God in them and that we loue the same as bretherne and felowes and coinheriters of the same saluation much lesse contemne or blame them Whereof I wil speake more at an other time Hitherto hath he recited the excellent prayses the Panegyrical verses or Himnes of the excellent creatures of God of those Elders in dede especially and generally of al The praise agrement of all creatures to the glory of Christ moreouer of Aungelles also sayed vnto Christ our redemer and prince And yet not with these contented he addeth morouer in the fifth place the agrement and prayse and submission of al the creatures in the world to the intēt that if haply we be not moued with the excellent example of the excellent creatures Elders and Aungelles nowe at the laste we might be abasshed whiche see all creatures of their owne accorde to do their duetie For manne sins he is Lorde of all and all thing were for him created howe I praye you shal he offende more haynousely agaynst God whiche hath made him Lorde ouer all than if by his hardenes ingratitude and maliciousnes he not only doeth not his owne duetie but is rather inferriour to al creatures as he whiche alone contendeth with God and attributeth not to him dewe prayse Therefore doeth this example greatly excite man that he should submitte him selfe vnto God and geue God the whole glory and in no wyse striue with God nor complayne of any thinge But marke I praye you with howe diligent a diuision of thinges he compriseth all creatures excludeth none the Deuill only excepteth what time he raccompteth the creatures that are in Heauen whiche are in Earth which are vnder the Earth and in the Sea finally he addeth and all that be therin Therfore if all thinges created doe celebrate and worshippe him that sitteth in the Throne and the lambe and submitte themselues vnto him is it not a shame yea and a soule shame that manne alone Lord of all should reuolte to the sworne enemie of God the Deuill with him to expostulate with God to taūte and blame and finde faulte with his iudgementes and gouernementes to complaine of his workes and will How al creatures can praise god You maruell I wote well howe al creatures syns many of them be voide of reason and insensible can prayse God Howebeit this figure prosopopeia that is the faynyng of persones is very common with al the prophetes and chiefly with Dauid prayse ye him Sunne and Moone sayeth he praise him ye bright starres Prayse the Lord from the earth ye Dragons and all depe places fire hayle snowe Ise c. And by suche maners of speakyng the Prophetes would incourage and stire vp men to prayse God seyng that creatures whiche haue no life do after their maner prayse God see that you after your maner doe prayse God in Hymnes and spirituall Psalmes And in dede Dauid sheweth a plaine reason whie he commaundeth bodies that haue no life to prayse God let them praise sayeth he the name of the lorde whie because he commaunded and they were created As though he should saie they be his creatures and in that they remayne yet they haue it of him therefore lette them make the name of God gloriouse as of their maker and preseruer And he signified also
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
which in the Gospel sayeth I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome whiche al your aduersaries shal not be able to gaine saye Moreouer my heaueÌ„ly father will geue his holy spirite to suche as desire of him Therfore sayeth the Aungel nowe take the boke Neuerthelesse he putteth here an other commauÌ„dement eate it He alludeth to the .2 and .3 A feruentnes dilligence of the ministers is required chapt of Ezechiel Where the prophet is likewise commauÌ„ded of God to eate a boke offered vnto him For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge S. Ambrose to eate a boke sayeth he is to laye vp the vnderstanding of the scriptures in the secret bowelles or entrailles He semeth by a trope both to intimate an ernest desire and beate in a singular diligence For we deuoure with a gredy desire suche thinges as we haue long and much coueted to eate They are sayed also to haue deuoured bokes and authours which thei haue perfitly learned and can We saye in dutche Er hat den Galen oder Prisciane gar fressen that is to saye he hath learned him perfitly It is required therfore of the preachers that thei learne the holy scriptures with a desire and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely Without a desire and seruentenes of minde thou shalt profit little in the study of holy Scriptures and vnlesse ye learne the Gospell exactely vnprofitably shalt thou preache the same The ministers therfore maye be asshamed of theyr ignoraunce which are more geuen to Idlenes Tauernes huÌ„ting dising and other worse thinges than to the study of holy Scriptures They beyng farre vnlike the apostle S. Iohn shal in this warfare against Antichrist winne smal renowne vnlesse they doe awake out of theyr prophane slepe and cherely do their dewty without doubt most holy The effecte of Gods word swete better Nother is here dissembled so much as the effecte of the ministerie and worde preached It is swete in the mouth as hony For Dauid hath songe also the iudgementes of the lord are to be desired aboue much Golde and preciouse stones and sweter than hony or hony combes This swetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne and the faithful lighted with the trueth hath alwayes continuall Ioye but yet muste we not conceale what it semeth to the flesshe and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne It maketh verely the â—ealy vitter whiche is also a phrase of speache vnto which oures aunswereth signifiyng that the same whiche is propounded vnto vs is both payneful and greuouse The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the flesshe trauelles paynefulnes the crosse and aduersities innumerable whiche with a strong and constaunt patience we must ouercome For the Lord in the Gospell preached repentaunce or mortification and emonges other thinges made very much mention of persecutions wherwith his should be alwayes exercised Primasius when thou shalte haue deuoured the booke sayeth he thou shalt in dede be delighted with the swetenes of the worde diuine and with hope of saluatioÌ„ promised and pleasaunt tasie of Gods rightuousnes but doubtles thou shalt fele a bitternes when thou shalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce some beyng coÌ„uerted to better are chaunged and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers The wiseman sayeth thou shal rebuke a wise maÌ„ and he wil loue thee reproue a foole he will hate thee therfore and so forth Nother are these thinges saied only Paynefulnes is felt but also are done and felte for S. Iohn and when I had deuoured it sayeth he my bealy was made bitter And we fele at this daye the most greuouse hatred of mightie menne to witte of spirituall fathers and temporall Princes Many are driuen into exile innumerable are shutte vp in prisones an infinite multitude are slayne with sondry kindes of deathes All these thinges did the Prophetes prophecie should come to passe our sauiour him self in the Gospel gaue vs warnyng therof the lord here telleth vs againe the same tale Therfore let vs be strong and counstaunt in the Lord and fight agaynst Antichrist vnto the ende of our life The Lorde will not forsake vs whiche leeste we should be vanquished of those aduersities tolde vs of them dilligently before And thus muste they be instructed which shal warre against Antichrist before the last iudgement Thexposition of the vision Laste as I sayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon is set a briefe expositioÌ„ of the visioÌ„ For the Angel saieth vnto Iohn thou must prophecie agayne to the Heythen c. By this visioÌ„ sayeth he I wold declare nothing els but that thou must preach againe to the world first by thy self in Asia after thou shalt retourne from exile secondly by faithfull ministers eueÌ„ to the worldes ende which shal spreade abroade this doctrine now set forth by thee with sondry tongues through natioÌ„s and therwith shal beate downe Antichrist To prophecie And suche as are accustomed to reade the scriptures know that to prophecie is takeÌ„ for to preach For prophecie is preachyng they were in times past called prophetes which at this daye be preachers as we maye gather of the .1 Corinth 11. and .14 chapter And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue Aethiopian Aegiptian Germane Spanish French English Italian to be short in a maner into al laÌ„gages in al these preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful ministers The gentiles be they neuer so barbarouse rude heare S. Iohn teachyng and so do the people of many nations Al these receyue not a little comforte in these most dauÌ„gerouse dayes of Antichrist and haue receyued of them also before this time which long sins renewed the apostolical doctrine against Antichrist The same doctrine is brought at this daye and was brought in times past also vnto kinges and Popes though they kicked and spurned agaynst it The thing I speake is not doubtful For we bothe heare and see these thinges euen at this daye Histories also reporte many thinges herof Lande and glory be to God Some copies in the latin are corrupt which haue Igitur for Iterum For S. Iohn sayed thou muste prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Iterum again not Igitur For he signifieth that he beyng dead also must preache to many nations in sondry tongues by faythfull ministers that shall fighte against Antichrist The Lorde assiste with his spirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apostolicall doctrine Amen ¶ S. Iohn measureth the temple and sheweth that God hath a care of it and the quire he excommunicateth The .xlvi. Sermon ANd there was geuen me a reede like vnto a rodde The 11. chapter it was sayed vnto me rise and mete the Temple of God and the Aultar and them that worshippe therin and the quire
the Trone speaketh and testifieth saying beholde I make al thinges newe God is true and in him is no leasyng And seyng he testifieth so playnely that life euerlasting shal be and we see him declare it also of what sorte it shal be no place for doubtefulnes hereafter is relinquisshed And the thinges that he hath shewed and declared of the happie life he coÌ„maundeth immediately to wryte Thinges are written for a perpetuall memorial of the thing which we knowe to be true and substantial For wrytinges or testimonialles whiche are written or made and sealed by the lawe of nations and common custome of men haue the force of an vndoubted testimony But such letters or testimonialles are made and sealed at the commaundement of God For God commaundeth S. Iohn to write those same which ar taught of the blessed life and therefore they be true vndoubted and infallible As he himself immediately annexeth and saieth for these wordes are faythful true stable I saye immutable what can be spoken more euident than these here is also the authoritie of holy Scripture establisshed But he addeth an other thing almost more vehement and he sayde vnto me it is done By the which maner of speaking is signified eyther that the ende is commen and all thinges accomplisshed like as it is vsed in the .16 chap. or els that the thing which is spoken and beleued to come to be so certaine as though it were done already We Germanes so ofte as we will signifie that the thing whiche we haue pourposed or promised and sayde to be sure we are wonte to saye Es ist gemacht it is done Let vs therefore beleue assuredly these and all Gods wordes Moreouer let vs geue our lorde God moste hartie thankes which with so great faith and dilligence susteyneth confirmeth our hope and hath commaunded these misteries of our saluation to be put in writyng and publisshed to the whole world in all ages To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ It is furthermore declared that the hope of the euerlastyng and blessed felicitie and glory to be certayne and vndoubted The .xcij. Sermon I Am Alpha and Omega the beginnyng and the ende I wil geue to him that is a thirste of the wel of the water of life freely He that ouercommeth shall inherite all thinges I will be his God and he shal be my sunne But the feareful and vnbeleuing and the abominable and murtherers whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and liars shall haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Vnto all the former commeth nowe the sixte testimony of the certentie of the true felicitie of the faythfull God is beginnyng ende taken of the very nature of God For he pronouÌ„ceth of himself and sayeth I am α and ω And immediately by exposition the beginnyng and ende This he toke out of Esaye with whoÌ„ the lord sayeth oftener than ones I am firste and laste And here let no man imagine that God is firste in order referryng the beginnyng to the consequences as though he had a beginnyng or that he is called the laste or ende as though he shuld ones haue an ende but the contrary rather in this fourme of speakyng is to be vnderstand to witte that God hath no beginnyng no ende but to be euerlastyng of whom al thinges haue their beyng by whose decree al things haue an ende where he himself indureth for euer and his yeres neuer fade like as in an other place the prophet sayeth and the Apostle also And for asmuche as he is eternall without beginnyng and without ende which liueth alwayes and al thinges that liue he quickeneth and preserueth in life howe I praye you should not he quicken the faithfull So certayne therefore is the life saluation and felicitie of the faythfull as it is certaine that God is life and that in dede life euerlastyng For he is euerlastyng the life of the faithful Of the phrase of speach I am α and ω I haue spoken in the first chapt and third Concion or Sermon God hath promised euerlastiÌ„g saluation The seuenth testimony of our vndoubted saluation is taken of the veritie of God and his promesses hath a certen cosygnage with the former For that which God hath promised the same also caÌ„ he perfourme with no paine He hath promised a blessed life moste assuredly therefore will he perfourme the same to the faithful And he alledgeth the promise of God in dede at this present bringeth in God speakyng to Iohn and to vs also in these wordes to him that thirsteth I will geue of the wel of liuely water that is to saye I that am life and eternal and euen eternal life will geue the faithful to drynke the water of life that is to saye I will quicken him preserue him in life and deliuer him from death and al euils and wil rewarde him with al heauenly giftes Who can here doubte of the veritie of him that promiseth especially sins this place or this promise is red in mo places than one Dauid in the .36 Psalme singeth plaine thy mercy O lord reacheth vnto the very Heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the clowdes thy rightuousenes is like the strong mountaynes thy iudgementes are like the great deepe Thou lorde sauest both manne and beast How excellent is thy mercy O God And the children of menne shal put their truste vnder the shadowe of thy winges Thei shal be satisfied with the pleÌ„tuousnes of thy house and thou shalt geue them drynke out of the riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the wel of life and in thy light shal we see light Full many of these thinges are in the Prophetes and are expounded of our sauiour him selfe in the .4.6 and .7 chapter of S. Iohn Where he sheweth that he geueth water and holesome drynke to the faythfull whiche at the length shoulde sprynge vp into life euerlastynge Moste certayne it is therefore that the faythfull are quickened by Christe and therefore the blessed lyfe of the faithful is and shal be moste assured and certayne as promised by so many expresse promesses of God Of this water of life we had some things in the .7 chapt of this boke towarde the ende and shall haue certen playne matters in the beginnyng of the .22 chapt But in the meane while and by the waye How eâ—eâ—nall lâ—fe is coÌ„municated to vs. he sheweth and declareth vnto vs after the Apostolicke maner who willingly and ofte declare vnto vs the maner of our saluation howe eternall life is communicated to vs to witte free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely whiche notwithstandyng for the doubtefulnes of speach or vnderstandyng of wordes we expresse not properly the force of the greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are iustified sayeth the Apostle in the .3 to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely through his grace that is to saye by the mere mercy
life shal be opē on euery side And we beleue that there is no other waie to heauē no other porte or gate or any other dore or posterne to remaine than the only sole Christ Iesus our lord as he himself hath taught in Iohn the .10 .14 chapt But for asmuch as he hath appoincted Angels or prophetes Apostles also porters of heauen to whō he hath cōmitted the keyes of the kingdome of heauen these do bring the chosen and lette them into the heauenly countrie many gates verely are red to haue ben and be And for a further declaration is added that in euery gate was an Angel Twelue Angels in the gates in nōbre twelue And we haue hearde in the beginnyng of this boke that Angelles are gods ministers and pastours of churches sent of God for the saluation of mē I meane that thei might bring them by the worde of veritie and holy ministerie through fayth into life euerlastyng Morouer we reade how the soule of pore Lazarus diyng was caried by Angelles into the bosome of Abraham Whie than should we maruell that Angelles stande at the gates For by the true and only gate Christ they bring in the faithfull into the heauenly countrie And agayne for a further declaration is annexed In the gates are writtē the names of the childrē of Israell and in the gates were names written whiche are the names of the twelue tribes of the children of Israell For the Lord would signifie that he vsed the industrie of Patriarches and Prophetes of all tribes in openyng heauen vnto mē and againe that all the chosen of al tribes appertayne to the felloweship of felicitie We shal see therfore in heauē the Patriarches and Prophetes and all the Sainctes whiche before the cōmyng of Christ are written in the registers of the heauenly like as the Apostles also sawe Moses and Helias talking with Christ in the Mounte Wherfore not without great cause wrote the Apostle to the Hebrewes you are cōmen to the moūte Sion and to the citie of the liuing God to the celestiall Hierusalē and to the multitude of many thousande Angelles and vnto the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And the reste which is red in the .12 chapt The situation of the gates And he toucheth also the situation of the gates For he assigneth three vnto euery parte of the skie Nother doeth he this without consideration For our sauiour himselfe sayeth in the gospel that they shal come from the East and from the Weste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Aretas also searcheth here the misterie more dilligently and supposeth that no man shal enter in by these gates saue he whiche both acknowledgeth the eternal trinitie of God and also vnderstandeth the misterie of the crosse of Christ For he sayeth howe the twelue tribes are diuided by the Trinitie of the fourefolde figure of the worlde c. Wherupon Aquinas also who so euer are saued saieth he they are iustified by the fayth of the holy Trinitie publisshed in the foure quartes of the world by the Apostles preachyng The foundations of the Citie Now sheweth he also that the foundations of this citie are most sure and vnmouable For the walle of the Citie sayeth he hath twelue foundations Touchyng the foundation of the churche and our saluation haue spoken expressely Dauid in the Psalmes Esaye also in the .28 chapt our Lord and sauiour in sondry places of the Gospell Peter moreouer in the Actes and first epistle likewise the Apostle S. Paule whiche sayde any other foundation can not be layde thā that which is layde whiche is Christ Iesus 1. Corinth 3. Howe than are layde here twelue foundations doubtles Christ remayneth one and a sure foundation Howebeit in as muche as in placyng and reuealyng him the Lord hath vsed the ministerie of the twelue Apostles for this cause the citie is sayde to haue twelue foūdations Not that the Apostles are in dede the foūdations of the church and our saluatiō but in this that Christ that trewe foundation was by the twelue Apostles made knowen to the faithfull and as it were layde vnder whereupon the beleuers haue buylded themselues by the Apostles fayth Whereupon he sayeth pourposely in those twelue the names of the lambes twelue Apostles For the gospel also whiche is bothe in very dede and vnchaungeably Iesus Christes alone is called also of Iohn Matthew Marke Luke of Peter and Paule bicause it hath ben preached by them And we vnderstande hereby not only the church whiche was before the commyng of Christ of Patriarches and Prophetes beyng receyued into heauen to reioyce in God but also the church Apostolical I meane that al men in the whole world whiche haue beleued the Apostolicall doctrine shal liue with al the Sainctes in that heauenly countrie all the whiche we shall bothe see and with them also shall glorifie God for euermore Primasius Bisshop of Vtica dissenteth not much from this our exposition Whether thapostles be foundatiōs of the church expounding how the Apostles are called foūdatiōs For thus hath he lefte written where we know that the church hath one only foundation that is to saye Christe we ought not to be moued that here he sayeth she hath twelue For in Christ haue thapostles deserued to be the foūdations of the Churche of whome the Apostle an other foundation saieth he can not be layde besides that which is layde Christ Iesus In him are also the Apostles sayed to be light sins he sayeth vnto thē you are the light of the world where Christ alone is the true light which lighteth euery man commyng into this world Christ therefore is the light illuminyng and they the light illumined And after a fewe wordes the same Authour Here it behoueth sayeth he to acknoweledge the twelue Apostles to be foundatiōs yet called in the only foūdation Christ Iesu Hereunto apperteineth also that he hath not concealed the name of the Lambe The Apostles therfore be foundations but in one foūdation Iesu Christ And christ alone without the Apostles is rightly called the foundation but the Apostles without Christ could by no meanes be called the foundations of the churche These thinges Primasius Which Aretas Bisshop of Cesaria declareth more briefly and playnely and sayeth they are in dede called foundations for that thei haue layde the foundations of the christen faith and gates for that by them that is to witte by their preachyng there maye be founde nowe that maye bring them to the christen fayth Thus much he Doubtles the Apostle S. Paule in the .2 to the Ephes calleth Christe the foundation of Apostles and Prophetes whiche verely in preachyng they haue layde and to the whiche they haue leaned and by the which also they are saued To him be glory ¶ Yet agayne is described the seate of the euerlastyng countrie in heauen The XCiiij Sermon AND he that talked with me had
chapt sayeth for we be your glory as you shal be oures also in the daye of our Lorde Iesu And agayne in the .1 to the Thess the .2 chapt the same Apostle sayeth for what is our hope ioye or crowne of reioycyng are not you in the sight of our Lorde Iesu Christe at his commyng for you are our glory and ioye Ful wel therefore sayeth Aquinas S. Iohn speaketh after the maner of coÌ„querours which bryng their spoyles into Cities Therefore he fayneth that Princes preachers and parentes bryng with them into heauen such as they haue wonne whiche to them shal be an honour and glory These thinges alwayes let vs thinke vpon and do our duety inioyned vs of God which we perceyue in the euerlasting countrie to haue so great rewarde For it shal be the greatest glory that maye be to stande with so many wonne in the presence of the eternal God LaÌ„be and al sainctes Contrarywise the greatest shame to stande with so great a multitude of men lost and that loste through our faulte and negligence Reade what thinges are written in the .1 chapt of the boke of wisedome c. In the tenth place followeth the custody of the gates celestiall The gates are not shut in the daye Certenly in greate Cities there is greate and dilligent watching and wardynge hede taken to the gates that they be shutte and opened in dewe time and season But in heaueÌ„ there shall nede no such carefulnes The reason is The gates are not wonte to be shutte in the day but at night But in the euerlastyng countrie there is no night therfore are the gates neuer shutte There is doubtles no night but continual day There is no treason no Ambusshes or wayte laide no perils or daungers all thing in generall are safe peaceable quiet sicker and sure The same thinges are red also in Esaye but some thing in a diuerse sense Aretas here is a double vnderstandyng sayeth he for eyther he meaneth that there shal be peace and securitie and that so great that it shall not nede to kepe the citie by shuttyng of the gates Or els that there also the godly gates of the Apostolicall doctrine are open for all men vnto their learnyng which haue more perfection c. Certenly they shal nede no teachers nor guides which see al misteries now presently are brought into heauen it self The cleanes of the heauenly â—â—tie And especially cleanes in Cities is highly commended if there shewe or appere nothing that offendeth the sighte hearyng and smellyng which is lothsome to loke vpon and to be abhorred And in priuate houses the chiefe prayse is yf all thinges shyne and stande euery thing in order and lie not scattered and stinke Now therefore in the eleuenth place he sheweth that there shal be nothing in heauen that maye offende that is to saye which shall not be pleasaunt and delectable moste cleane and nete absolute and complete The same place also muste be referred to the personnes For it followeth saue they that are written in the lambes boke of life We vnderstande therfore how into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ shal not enter whoremongers Idolaters liars deceauers what so euer is vncleane and not purged with the bloud of the sonne of God through fayth This same the Apostle affirmeth in the .1 to the Corint the .5 and .6 chapt and to the Ephes the .5 chapt Dauid also demaundeth Lord who shal dwell in thy tabernucle or who shal reste in thy holy hille And aunswereth incontinently he that walketh without spotte and worketh rightuousnes and that which insueth in the .15 Psalm Finally here shal be fulfilled suche thinges as are written in the .23 chapt of Deuter. Touching theÌ„ which are prohibited to enter into the church Wherfore this place hath a secret doctrine and priuie admonishment instructyng vs that if we wil or couet to be heyres of the euerlasting couÌ„trie we should al applie our selues whilest we liue here in Earth to rightuousenes and Innocencie For it shal followe in the .22 chapt For without are dogges and inchaunters and whoremongers c. The Lord bryng vs by the waye of rightuousenes vnto life euerlastyng ¶ He continueth yet in describyng the blessed seates The .xcvi. Sermon AND he shewed me a pure riuer of water of life cleare as Chrystall The .22 chapt proceding out of the seate of God and of the Lambe In the middes of the strete of it of eyther side of the riuer was there wood of life whiche bare twelue maner of fruictes gaue fruicte euery moneth the leaues of the wood serued to heale the people withal And ther shal be nomore curse but the seate of God and the lambe shal be in it and his seruauntes shall serue him And they shal see his face and his name shal be in their foreheades And there shal be no night there and they nede no candle nor light of Sunne for the lorde God geueth them light and they shall raygne for euermore In the twelfth place is described of Iohn the pleasauntnes The pleasauntenes of the citie of God trymnes the plentuousenes and abouÌ„dance of foode in the Citie of God Riuers make cities pleasaunt and delectable Without fountaynes sprynges and holesome waters cities decaye and are scarsely worthy the names of Cities But in case they waunte victualles they are wholy loste Therefore this our heaueÌ„ly Citie excelleth and is most noble in al these thinges nother hath it vitayle only but geueth the same vnto vs with greate pleasure and finesse moste pleasaunt For trees in this Citie doe not only beare fruicte but geue also a pleasauÌ„tnes vnspeakable inestimable The riuer moreouer runneth through the middes of the stretes on the bankes of eyther side are trees moste beautiful to beholde bearing the fruictes of life And as I haue many times in this description intimated so I repete now the same againe that those things are not to be vnderstande after the letter as the Millenaries take them For the Lord talketh with vs and euen lispeth to the ende we might after the imbecillitie of our witte coÌ„ceaue these thinges Yf any shuld wisshe for earthly things I wene he could couet no greater thinges thaÌ„ be here described We shall thinke therefore if the Lorde coulde geue these earthly thinges yf he woulde whie can he not geue greater to the soules of the godly and bodies glorified yea the Lorde will that beyng withdrawen from the contemplation of earthly thinges we shoulde loke altogether for celestiall and diuine worthie of blessed soules and bodies clarified Whiche verely howe greate and what they shall be no tunge of manne can expresse to vs be it neuer so eloquente For the Lord hath prepared greater thinges for his seruauntes than here we can comprehende Therefore he bringeth forth here matterâ— moste ample that after a certen maner we mightie conceaue heauenly thinges muche more excellent than they be Therfore the sense and meanyng of all those