to the .xxi. Chapter and disputeth of the moste iust iudgement of God against Babylon the whore of Babylon and the Antichristians finally against all wycked and impenitent persones The seuenth and last vision propoundeth to the eyes of all the faythfull the glory and blysse euerlastyngâ— of Sainctes And verely thys diuision of the woorke hath a great grace and affinite with the rest of the thynges which in this boke are all in a maner treated by the seuenth nuÌ„brâ— Let the reader followe whiche he wyll What profit is in the Apocalipse Nowe of these thynges euery man may perceyue the thys booke is altogether Apostolicall and exceadynge profitable to vs all especially whome the ende of the worldâ— hath ouertaken And this booke shall bee easier for vs fâ— that all thynges nowe are in a maner accomplyshed Daniell was thought to haue tolde of starke dreameâ— when before the Monarchies he prophecied the Monaâ—chies But after those thynges were accomplished whicâ— he prophecied he semed vnto many to haue compiled an hâ—story The selfe same I am sure thou wylt iudge also thys same boke of Saint Iohn A fewe profittes only of mâ—ny we shall recite First we haue in this booke a moste full discription Christ reignyng in glory our kyng I saye and Byshop And howe he gouerneth the Churche and is the Sauioâ— of all faythfull We haue also a moste gallaunte descriâ—tion of Christes Churche and howe the same maye be buâ—ded repared and maynteyned Than haue we a perfâ— description of Antichrist of his members and Synagogâ— of his counselles craftie deuises kyngdome crueltie aâ— destructions of the same From the whiche it byddeth 〈◊〉 beware Moreouer we haue an abrydgement of Historâ— from Christes tyme vnto the worldes ende Finally an absolute and certayne prophecie of thyngâ— to come that we neede not to haue the prophecies of Mâ—thodius Cyrill Merline Briget Nolhard certen triflers Furthermore we haue a great consolation and comfort of the churche in aduersitie whylest boeth we see thâ— Lambe to open the Seales and that all thynges are doâ— by Gods prouidence and that there is an ende of euylleâ— And that the churche shall bee euermore in dispitee of all thâ— Deuyls in hell Last we haue a moste plentifull and sure doâ—trine of the Iudge and last iudgement of paynes and of tâ—wardes All these thinges I say shal the treatise it selfe shewe plainly for our edefiyng through Iesus Christ our Lord. OF THE TITLE OF THE whole worke and exposition therof The second Sermon ☞ I said the whole boke was conteined in sixe partes Thre membres of the first part Now must we loke on the first part Which hath chiefly three members The title beginning and brief narration For this present we wyll only speake of the Title whiche is thus THe reuelatioÌ„ of Iesu Christ The first Chapter whiche God gaue vnto him for to shew vnto his seruauntes thinges whiche must shortly come to passe And he sent and shewed by his aungell vnto his seruaunt Iohn which bare recorde of the word af God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all thinges that he sawe Happy is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophecie kepe those thinges which are written therin For the time is at hand This title is plentifull The title of the worke and vttereth all profitable circumstaunces that are to be declared in the beginnings of bokes First is set the Title or inscription of the whole worke that is the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche verely was opened or reuealed by Christ Iesus him selfe This title streightway proueth The reuelation of Iesu Christ that this worke is no mans inuention but a godly doctrine As that whiche was opened by our Lord kyng and priest Iesus Christ out of heauen from the right hand of the father executing there the office of the high Byshop as yet teaching vs profitable thinges and albeit it be called also the reuelatioÌ„ of Iohn yet is it chalenged to hym for none other cause than for that as scribe he wrote and set it forth FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce is that reuelation Againe it is yet more playnly declared from whence this Reuelation is Euen of God hym selfe For he saieth which God namely the Father gaue vnto hym to wytte to Christ For in the holy and blessed Trinitie there is a distinction of persones And albeit that all thinges of the father be the sonnes also And all thynges of the sonne the fathers lykewyse Yet the scripture mentioneth the father to geue vnto the Sonne and the Sonne to receyue of the Father Whiche thynge all the auncient wryters haue full Godly expounded to be done by the mistery of dispensation For the Sonne receyued somewhat of the Father as man whiche otherwyse as the very Sonne of God sayeth Father Iohn 17 glorifie thou me with the glory which I had with thee before this worlde was Moreouer the Sonne is the wysdome word and mouth of the Father by whome God in tymes paste and nowe spake and speaketh to the Fathers Prophetes Apostles and to the vniuersall churche The Father by dispensation gaue to his Sonne this office that he should be Byshop For no man hath sene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed vnto vs. Let vs knowe therfore this same to be a Reuelation Diuine whiche God the Father louynge mankynde hath reuealed by the only Byshop Christ vnto hys Churche And so it ioyneth together the Father and the Sonne that neuerthelesse the holy distinction of persones remayneth safe To what vse and to whom it is reuealed Nowe also is added to what ende God the Father hath reuealed or geuen the gyft of reuealing to wytte the office of priesthod to his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ to the intent verely that the same beyng reuealed he myght shewe it and as it were set it before the eyes of his seruauntes to wytte his worshippers and Christians which are called the seruauntes of God for theyr wyllyng obedience And as the seruaunt of a Lorde is a seruaunt and oweth to his Lord all that he hath or is worth So we owe vnto God our selues whole and all ours or els we be free and not bounde Here is also declared vnto whom this reuelation is opened Iohn 8 To all the seruauntes of God If therfore thou be glad to be called the seruaunt of God heare this boke and remember it And knowe that this boke is prepared for thee of God After he compryseth in fewe wordes What thinges are reuealed what Christe reuealed to Iohn thynges that must shortly come to passe The destenies therfore of the Churche are recited what good and euyll thynges shall happen to the Godly and lykewyse what punysshementes must be inflicted to the wicked And let no man gather of this woorde must necessitie as though God wrought not freely How good and euyll
the common saiynge is And if in a Churche so commendable there is founde of Christ that is thought woorthie reprehension what shall we saye of those that be lesse commendable the church hath alwaies that may be reprehēded yea whie should we not see in all churches alwaies some thing to be founde that maye be blamed not so muche for that the Sainctes are alwayes troubled with the infirmitie of the fleshe as that euer more hypocrites and corrupte persons ioyne them selues to the church of God suche as were here the Nicolaitans and as Iudas the thiefe and traytour was in the nombre of Apostles In Christ the churche is without any spotte or wrincle as the Lorde sayeth in the 13. of Iohn And in the countrie to come shal moste fully be made perfit whiche S. Austen also affirmeth And the Lorde Iesus reprehendeth in the churche of Pergamos not that they mainteyne the Nicolaitan or Galaamitical doctrine but that they haue suche as maintayne that doctrine They offended therefore for that they did not hate so muche the Nicolaitans as the Ephesians did They offende that haue them whiche maynteyne wicked doctrine of whome we hearde in the firste epistle that they coulde not abide the wicked Wherefore leesie the sowrenes of the leuen shoulde crepe further through out of the whole lumpe of dowe the olde leuen muste be purged It muste be tried whether you fouour or cleaue to Heresies And furthermore the Lorde requireth that we should not nurrish them but that we should persecute them with an holy hatred Whereof is spoken in the first epistle Moreouer he describeth the heresie of the Nicolaitans to the intent we maye see What is the errour of the nicolaitās wherefore he blameth it wherfore he cōdemneth it wherfore it ought to be hated And he describeth it trimly by the example of the Scripture that chaste cares or shamefastenes mighte not be hurte or offended I tolde you before how they were moste filthie thinges which the auncient wryters reporte of the Nicolaitans But all things are most aptely and chastely declared of Christ They are taken out of the 22. 23. 24. 25. chapter of the fourth boke of Moses called Numeri He calleth the Nicolaitan doctrine the doctrine of Balaam and that by a similitude In Balaā the southsayer these wicked actes are manifeste whereof it maye easely appere of what sorte his doctrine was First he toke the rewarde or price of iniquitie as s Peter termeth it And woulde curse them whome God hathe blessed doynge cleane contrary to his owne minde Secondly he geueth the king moste pestilent counsell whiche the Scripture therfore calleth a sclaunder or offence For he taught the king a waie or meane wherby he mighte intise the people of God into certaine destruction into the most vncleane feding of meats offered to Idolles and into moste filthie whoredome Al this than shall be compted the doctrine of Balaā whiche in hope of filthy lucre beyng vttered agaynste Gods worde and his owne consciēce teacheth Idolatrie vncleane eating and fornication or reproueth not but counselleth rather when he knoweth the thing to be filthy Euen so did the Nicolaitans in speaking euill of the trueth and of christen purenes gaue naughtie counsell to many that they should be partakers of meates offered vp to Idolles and couple with harlots as in the first epistle I declared more at large How heresies muste be cōfuted Here we perceiue by the example of our Sauiour Christ howe heresies shoulde be confuted not with braweling nor rayling wordes but rather by the places and examples of holye Scripture like as here at this present moste fittely is condemned the heresie of the Nicolaitans And beyng ones of the Lorde condemned it abideth condemned for euer neither nede we any newe counselles wherwith to condemne impuritie Againe in case all the counselles in the worlde decree the contrary yet remayneth this trewe and sure which the Lord Christ here pronounceth accursed be he that determineth otherwise And here it semeth good nowe to consider whether the Balaamiticall and Nicolaitane doctrine in the churche be cleane extinguisshed Of the Nicolaitās of our time The name verely of Balaam and Nicolaitans we abhorre all but the thinge it selfe aswell in the states of menne spiritual as temporal is most openly foūde For there be men in highe authoritie in sondrie kindes of learnynge right excellent moste expert in the lawes both of God and men who neuerthelesse blinded with the rewarde of iniquitie curse bothe the persones and thinges whiche they knowe that God blessed Of these S. Peter also made mention in the 2. Chapt. of the 2. Epistle Thesame doe suggeste euill counselles to Kynges and Princes tendyng to the distruction bothe of the preachynge of the Gospell and safegarde of the Churche The same beyng geuen to Idolatrie and drowned in fleshely pleasures eate of the sacrifices of the dead and euen fede of Idoll offeringes and in fornications runne at riot Consider I praye you what be the moste parte of popishe priestes whereof they liue and be fed what opinion they haue of holy matrimony and how much they abhorre aduoutrie and whoredome They dare be bold to cōdemne matrimony and to iudge whoredome better so that they maye in ioye the sacrifices of the dead and many waies take theyr pleasure Yf any for the auoyding of whoredome be ioyned in lawfull matrimony he is though vnworthie to sacrifice or to come at the aultar but whore mongers are admitted thicke and three folde And all they for the most parte are the most beastly bondslaues of the bealy of whom you maie beleue that the holy Apostle of Christ s Paul hath spokē whose God is the bealy glory in reproche of them that seke earthly thinges And who will not acknoweledge these And affirme them to be very Nicolaitās mainteyning the doctrine of Balaā the inchaunter amongs the tēporaltie you shal find men of al sortes which set more by the doctrine of Balaā wantonnes of zambre than thei do by modestie Nume 25. grauitie christen sinceritie They loue the libertie and wantonnes of the flesh They wil not haue youth free people to be restreined by vertuouse lawes They wil euen at this day banket maske with the maidens of Madian follow their fleshly lust For thei mainteine surfetting drōknes whoredome And these be also very Nicolaitans And haue nother fewe nor abiectes to fauour theyr secte And wante not their worldly reasons bothe many great to maynteine the same God hateth all vncleanes But let vs heare what Christ him self sitting on the right hande of his father iudgeth of thē Those or that same which these men thincke teache and doe I hate sayeth the Lorde What thinge can be spoken more greuously than that God hateth the doctrine of the Nicolaitans For the whole scripture of bothe Testamentes condemneth this Nicolaisme He exhorteth to amēdemēt After this description
but because they reste from their labours and be of most quiet and pure affectiōs sitting with the high iudge But what thing doe these They geue God no counsell what he should do or by what meane or waye he maye doe this or that but they allowe his iudgementes For they know all his workes to be iuste and holy The whiche shal immediatly follow What shal we do than shal it be mete for vs to inquire of the iudgementes of God or prescribe what he shoulde do or not do I thinke not you haue in this vniuersalitie of sainctes al patriarches al iudges and kinges al princes the whole people of God you haue emonges these king Salomon him selfe and the moste excellent and wittiest Princes of the world you haue the Apostles and men Apostolical Martirs and the wise men of the whole vniuersal worlde Wilte thou condemne their iudgementes following therfore theyr example busy not thy selfe to moue curiouse questions prayse the iuste iudgementes of God and know that the Lord is iust in al his wayes and holy in all his workes To whom be glory ¶ Here is described the procedynge of the holye spirite and operation the almightie knoweledge of God and howe the Throne of God is borne vp or susteyned of the foure beastes and what the beastes doe The .xxiiij. Sermon ANd oute of the Seate proceded lightenynges and thonderinges and voices and there were seuen lampes of fire burnynge before the seate whiche are the seuē spirites of God And before the seate there was a Sea of glasse like vnto Christal And in the middes of the seate and rounde aboute the seate were foure Beastes full of eyes before and behinde And the first beast was like a Lion the seconde beast like a calf and the thirde beaste had a face like a man and the fourth beaste was like a fliyng Egle. And the foure beastes had eche one of them sixe wynges and rounde about without and within they were full of eyes And they had no reste daye nother night saiyng holy holy holy is the lord God almightie whiche was and is and is to come The marke ende of the firste parte of this vision Our Lorde Iesus Christe as the faithefull pastour of his church wil vtter the destenies and wōderful calamities that wil come vpon the churche Therfore to the intent he might stoppe the mouthes of suche as mutiue and be inquisitiue of the iudgementes of God and might perswade al mē to haue patience in these stormes of euilles he setteth forth a treatise before wherein he sheweth that all thinges are done or permitted to be done of God by his most iuste prouidence and are gouerned or ordered by the Lambe with a iudgement most rightuouse and holy For who so beleueth and remembreth this in what chaūces so euer he happen he submitteth him self humbly and lowly and obediently to his God and crieth alwayes the Lorde is rightuouse in all his mayes and holy in al his workes And this is the moste true state of the first parte of this vision which is done in the 4. and 5. chapt And is more ouer most elegaunt moste pleasaunt and moste full of consolation Althinges are more liuely set forthe and perceyued in suche fitte and heauenly representations than they can be vnderstande in bare wordes A recapitulatiō or brief rehersall First is recited a Throne that in dede a celestial throne leeste in the workes in the prouidence and iudgementes of God we shoulde Imagine any thynge carnall or corrupte Secondly he that sitteth on the throne is represented vnto vs by two coulours Grene and red For God is an eternal essence geuyng to al their greues or beyng The same burneth in loue towardes man kinde and willeth wel vnto man but to the disobedient and rebelles he is a consumyng fire And the throne is inuironed with a raynbow grener than grasse comfortyng vs that we should not be dismayed at the sight of that Godly throne but should remembre alwaies that he whiche sitteth in the throne iudge gouernour of al is most true and kepeth his promesses to be that same leage frende of oures .xxiiii. Elders sitte rounde aboute the throne which already are signified what they be and as it were shadowed streight waye in the ende of the iiii chapt and in the fifte shal be declared what they doe or what they saye Doubtles all the Sainctes in heauen are lokers on of the iudgemētes and workes of God For the iudgementes of God be not sutch that they should flee the light and knoweledge of Sainctes Now followeth out of the Throne proceded lightninges c. In the throne is he that sitteth and the lambe that is the father and the sonne and frō them bothe procedeth the holy ghoste For by interpretatiō it followeth immediatly which are the seuen spirites of God For the lightenyngs the signes of the holy ghoste thonderings other thinges rehearsed signifie or be tokens of the holy spirite whiche els where is red also to be shadowed by fire water and winde and by firie tounges But no man wil thinke that the holy ghost whiche is one in substaunce and of the simple nature diuine should be plucked into seuen partes For I tolde you in the first chapt how the seuen spirites of God are put for the seuenthfolde most ful and most perfit spirite of God We haue in the beginning of this visiō the whole misterie of the blessed Trinitie so much as is nedeful for vs to know The holy Trinitie beleue professe There is one Seate in that one seate are conteined the sitter lambe spirite therfore there is one diuine essence nature and thereof is one power and maiestie one rule because ther is one throne briefly there is one god true eternal for euermore blessed As Moses also in the 6. of Deuter. and al the prophetes and Apostles haue euery where taught Howbeit in this only vndiuided substaunce is sene a most plaine distinction of persones For there is he that sitteth in the throne the lambe and from bothe procedeth the holy ghoste This misterie of the Trinitie we professe in the Crede This appereth openly in the incarnation of our lord whilest the aungell sayeth to the virgin the holy ghoste shal come vpon thee and the power of the hiest shal ouershadow thee And that which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God Likewise in the baptisme of Christ is hearde a voice from heauen vpon the Lord This is my wel beloued sonne The holy ghost also appereth in the likenes of a doue Wherupon the lord cōmaunded vs also to be baptized in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost This professiō is certaine true and so set foorth by the most manifest scriptures liuely preaching of the apostles like as Tertullian declareth against the heretike Praxeas We ought rather beleue cleaue vnto
And with many wordes and also moste dilligently and goodly is treated here of the openyng of the seales who verely might be thought worthie to open to the churche the secret iudgementes of God and to execute and minister his holy workes that is to saye to whome the kingdome is geuen and gouernement of the diuine prouidēce For an Aungell and that not of the cōmon sorte but a stronge and worthie one with a loude voice crieth to make vs all attentiue and that we shoulde note diligently who he is that shoulde both open the boke and vnloose or vndoe the seales And he holdeth longe in suspence the hearer beholder or reader before he will shewe him to the intent verely to cōmende him to vs exceadingly No man sayeth he in the whole vniuersal world neither emonges the Aungelles sainctes in heauen nor emongs earthly men and vnder the earth was founde whiche coulde eyther open or vnseale the boke To Christ alone belōgeth the kingdome and the power of gouernemēt is taken from others Let vs obserue that there is none that can open the boke and open the seales besides Christ alone Whie than is the administration of thinges attributed or communicated to sainctes none can open to vs the counselles and iudgements of God no man can gouerne those iudgements workes of God that he worketh in the world saue only Christ the lord whie than are so great benefites sought for of Sainctes and be imputed to them if eyther the sicke be restored to helthe or that a mortall man do receiue any other gifte or benefite ▪ many will saye I receyued this in dede of gods benefite but through the meditatiō and power and merite of this or that saincte vnto whome God graunted this that he should rule ouer suche a disease and might heale suche as calle vpon the name of the Saincte or the name of God by the Saincte These are here confuted now by the wordes of the Lord and S. Iohn saying that no man in heauen or in earth is founde whiche coulde open the boke Yet neuerthelesse aboute the Throne sate the xxiiii Elders representinge the Type of all Sainctes in glory not one of al thē was found which could open the boke Therfore be thei a great deale madder which do attribute the gouernement of things in the church to the Pope a most corrupte and filthie man Only Christ receiued al power in Heauen and in Earth as we shall incontinently more fully vnderstande S. Iohn wepeth The weping of S. Iohn for that he vnderstode a weightie matter to consiste in the openinge of this godly boke and yet sawe he no man at al which coulde eyther open or vnseale it Neyther did he as yet fully vnderstande the matter And he bare the figure of them which vnderstande not the iudgementes of God nor know not that al thinges are through God his prouidēce holyly gouerned by Christ For in them nothing els remaineth but mourning and heauines Certenly withoute Christ and his opening wherby he reuealeth to vs the diuine misteries and iudgements no man can rightly iudge of the same For vnlesse we vnderstand the seales to be opened by Christ and that al thinges are done by his order whiche loued vs and gaue him selfe for vs what thinge shall be lefte in vs but sighinge But he rehersed three thinges to open rede and loke vpō No man liuing openeth for that no man is mete for so great a charge saue only the sonne of God No manne readeth or vnderstandeth fully the iudgements of God but the sonne and to whom he hath reuealed so muche as any man hathe No man loketh on it that is to saye can beholde the workes and iudgementes of God but he shal be offended excepte he be indewed with the spirite purified with the same Therefore we must axe grace of him that we maye vnderstande so muche of Gods iudgementes as shal suffice and may iudge wel of the same Aretas Bishop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke neither any sayeth he of those that lacke fleshe nor any of them that are in the fleshe nor yet of suche as are deperted leauing their fleshe behinde them hath receiued a perfit knoweledge of godly matters And by and by after nother only is there any which could open it but also not so much as loke vpō it that is to saye coulde not loke attentiuely on the iudgments of God and so forth And the cōtexte of the whole place proueth sufficiently that S. Iohn speaketh here of the iudgmēts verely but chiefly of the gouernement of thinges The Lord Iesus be glorified for euer Amen ¶ Here is liuely described the Lambe in the throne of God receiuing the boke of the hand of him that sitteth and opening it The .xxvij. Sermon AND one of the Elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde the Lion whiche is of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath obteyned to open the boke to lowse the seuen seales therof And I behelde and lo in the middes of the seate and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the Elders stode a lābe as though he had bene killed whiche had seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirites of God sent into all the worlde and he came toke the boke out of the right hand of him that sate on the Throne By Christ all thinges are gouerned Forasmuch as Iohn had wept that no man was worthy so muche as to loke on the boke of him that sate on the seate muche lesse to open it One of the .xxiiii. Elders comforteth hym His name is not expressed wherfore it semeth to be required both vaynely and curiously Notwithstanding there be some of the expositours which suppose hym to be the patriarch Iacob Verely for that shortly after his oracle or prophecie is recited And so the authour descendeth in a moste goodly order vnto the description also of the sonne of God by whome the celestial father as al the scripture euery where approueth gouerneth al thinges Hitherto hath he described hym that sitteth on the seate and before that the holy ghoste Wherfore these are holsome and moste profitable doctrines for the churche wherby the true faith is confirmed The comfort of this elder and verely the heauenly most Godly doctrine tendeth to this ende that we should vnderstande that all the complaintes weping grudging and the sondry tourmoylinges of our minde can not be quenched appeased quieted vnlesse we see and beleue that to Christ as here is moste playnely and manifestly set forth is geuen of the father al power in heauen and in earthe and therfore to be constituted like as the only redemer so also the head Prince and gouernour of al whiche vnder the seale of fayth and veritie shoulde gouerne all thinges that are by God his prouidence ordeyned and euen now dispiseth them and reuealeth vnto vs so muche of God his iudgmentes as do suffice vs. This if we beleue with a
to sette forth the thyng it selfe as it were to be sene with the eyes The argumente of the 12.13.14 chapt in the three chapt next followyng the .12.13.14 He repeteth all thinges more depely and describeth liuely dilligently the partes of this conflicte and after also the fight it selfe Therfore after the church ones described which abideth the brunte of this warre he describeth also the Dragon that moueth the warre he declareth howe busily he watcheth againe leeste any man should be discouraged he addeth howe vnluckely not withstanding he fighteth Christ verely ouercoming him finally god impeching defeating his enterprises and yelding him vanquished to the faithfull Nowe he decribeth the chiefe instrumentes whiche Sathan vseth in assaultyng and persecutyng the church to witte the olde and newe Romane Empire and herein filthie Papistrie wherin Antichrist is also liuely paynted By and by not withstanding he annexeth to these vnlucky thinges for the consolation and comfort of the godly that the lambe standeth neuerthelesse on Mounte Sion a conquerour hauyng his churche with him howe so euer this worlde rageth and be neuer so madde and cruell that the gospel is preached in dispite of Antichrist and al men warned to beware of Antichrist where also he beginneth to reason of the iudgement of God agaynst the wicked that he mighte prepare him awaye to those thynges whiche he will speake in the .5 parte touchyng the paynes or punnisshmentes of the Antichristians which treatise he beginneth in the .15 Hitherto therfore he treateth of the fighte or conflicte of the churche and of the wicked namely of Antichrist all the whiche the father of all murther and of al iniquitie the Deuil inspireth These things are taken out of the .iij. chapt of Genes Therefore like as this whole boke is taken out of the scriptures and expoundeth excedingly well the olde scriptures so these thinges also whiche are by and by in the beginnyng rehersed seme to be taken out of the .3 chapt of Gene. Where the lorde sayeth I wil put emnetie betwixte thee meanyng the Serpente and the womā betwixt thy sede and her sede her seade shal breake thy heade and thou shalt bite his heele For you shall reade in the ende also of this chapt And the Dragon was angry with the womā and went his way that he might make warre with the residewe of her sede And he describeth aboue al things the partes of this conflicte A tokē appered in Heauen her which was assayled by warre and the whiche moued the warre to witte the churche and the Dragon And he sayeth how a token of these thinges appered in heauen For he would not only saye or wryte but also set them forth to be sene of the eyes and in maner to paincte to the intente all thinges more playnely might be sene And where he sayeth those tokens were great he admonisheth that thei were and be thinges of moste weight and matters of greatest importaunce The woman the churche Firste he describeth the church of God of all times vnder the tipe or figure of the woman Nother is it a straunge or rare thing sins at the first beginninges of thinges the womā beganne to represent the tipe of Christes spowse the church as is to be sene in the .2 of Genes And so hath the Apostle expoūded the tipe in the .5 chapt to the Ephes That I nede not nowe to recite that Esaye hath oftener than ones vnder the tipe of a woman figured the churche of God reioyce thou barren sayeth he which bryng forth no children c. Finally that S. Paule to the Galath 4. chapt hath set forth Sara a figure of the church whiche Salomon also in his canticles discoursed at length in describyng of his spowse The churche than is that woman coupled with Christ her spowse in true fayth and continual loue After he applieth certen thinges seuerally to the Virgin Marie vnto whom not withstanding the thinges that go before and followe after doe not altogether agree whiche thing bothe Methodius and Primasius doe shewe and other expositours also with great accorde This woman is clothed with the sunne The womā is clothed with the sunne The scripture calleth Christ the sunne of rightuousenes and lighte of life S. Paule commaundeth the churche to put on Christ He therfore is the light the life and rightuousenes of the churche by Christe is couered the nakednes of the church Christe is the ornament and beaultie of the church through him it shineth in the world The Moone is subiect to alterations is variable the moone vnder her fete and receyueth sondry colours she increaseth and decreaseth and although it shine yet appereth it alwayes ful of spottes and borroweth her light of the Sunne Therefore all courses and alterations of times and what so euer is mutable and corruptible in this world al affectiōs also infirmities the church treadeth vnder her fete all the light that she hath she hath it of Christ the light of her rightuousenes increaseth decreaseth finally she gathereth alwayes some spottes of the nature of flesh which she can not leaue but by death Therefore she shineth in dede howebeit the church feleth some obscurenes as the Lorde hath sayed also euery braunche bearyng fruicte he pourgeth that he maye bryng forth more fruicte And he that is wasshed is al cleane and nedeth no more but to wasshe his fete Furthermore a crowne is the honour of the head A crowne of twelue starres signe of a kingedome Christ is the beautie comelines and king of the church In this crowne are no precious stones but starres For in Christ are and beaultifie and lighten the church the Patriarkes Prophetes the twelue Apostles whiche haue light of the crowne and powre out the same into the church Hereby therefore is signified the doctrine of the ministers as in the first chapt of this boke Nother is the shinyng ministerie the smallest portion emōges the most excellēt things of the church A woman with childe nere her trauell Moreouer that woman hath in her bealy which in a certen phrase of speache is as much to saye as that woman was with childe and had not only a great bealy as we saye but after the maner of women trauelyng cried out and labouryng was full of payne that she might be deliuered Whiche properly apperteyneth not to the virgin Marie but to the churche For the primitiue churche of that first promesse of the blessed sede conceaued in her minde an hope moste assured that at the length the sonne of God should be borne of a virgin to witte the sede promised whiche should breake the Serpentes head Therefore did the church with an ernest desire and with moste feruente prayers couet and wisshe that Christ might ones be ingendred in and by the excellent mēbre of the same the holy virgin Moreouer Christ is begotten in his faithfull when through his vertue they be regenerated For S. Paule my little Children
the Lord God almightie and the lambe is the temple in that our heauenly coūtrie The vse of temples is this The Lord first instituting the tabernacle after the temple wold haue it testified that he wil be present in the middes of his people a father Lord and defender And therfore ar thei saied in the scriptures to come vnto the Lord which came either to the tabernacle or temple of the Lord. The temple moreouer was erected for preaching and praier and the externall seruice of God for receauing of the Sacramēts or offering vp of sacrifices But the Saincts in the heauēly coūtrie haue no nede of all these things Therfore thei nede no tēple Therfore is no temple sene in heauen For the Lord god nowe sheweth himself to them to be inioyed of the same the saincts ar now with him wherfore thei nede no tokē of his presēce We ar taught by doctrine what God is what is his wil and that we be saued by the lambe but now that we se god himselfe face to face and that saluatiō is cōmen by the lambe of God what nedeth there a temple in heauen By praier we require life and ioyes euerlasting now since these are happened to the electe what nedeth any house of prayer The Sainctes nowe withoute any temple offer vp eternall praises vnto God And seing that sacrifices and sacraments haue no further place in the euerlasting coūtrie I se not why there should be any temple in Heauen We rest and kepe in Heauen an euerlasting Sabboth This place moreouer proueth that Christ is very God coequall with the father as to whome he is ioyned inseperablie in all glory Nother is the Holy ghoste seperated from the father and the sonne which els where is saide to dwell in vs for the which cause we are called the temples both of God and of the Holy ghost of the Apostle in the first to the Corinth the .3 and the second Cor. 6. The eight place of this description is repeted of the lyght celestial The lyght of the citie God and that not without great cause yea and the same light is agayne cōmended in the .22 chap. For in buildinges there is nothing more excellent than light Otherwise without light all things are blynde Furthermore he sayeth not that the Sunne and Moone shulde be nomore but that the Citie of God shoulde not nede those lightes He sheweth the reason for the glory of God hath lightned it And the glory of God is the diuine celestial and vnspeakable brightnes of his vnapprochable light which he inhabiteth and according to his good pleasure cōmunicateth to the chosen The Lorde Christe which here is called the lambe for the misterie of redemption illumineth the blessed For by him we ar clarified and inioy that eternall moste beaultifull and celestial light S. Ihon hath borowed this place out of the .60 chap. of Esay where we read The Sunne shall not be there for the lighte of the daie And the brigtnesse of the Moone shall not shyne there but the Lord shall be to the thee a perpetuall light and thy God shall be thy brightnes Furthermore the seates of the blessed are thoughte to be fixed aboue the Sphere of the Sunne and Moone and also the brightnes of Saincts to excell farre the light of the Sunne and starres The same hath Esay testified also in the .24 and .30 chap. To God almightie and light eternall be praise and thankes geuing which hath prepared so great things for vs and geueth vs giftes such as no tung can exprsse He sheweth in places mo than one ¶ Who be Citizēs of this Citie who are partakers of that light or who be Citizens of this celestiall citie and what is the state of the Citizens All nations people saued are citizens of the eternal coūtrie Here ar two things to be noted First that the gentiles are made inheritours of glory and that without any choise For here excelleth not the Iewe nor the Greke nother Romane nor Barbarian Agayne yet not all without respect and confusely obteine euerlasting light but the saued only that is to sai whom Christ hath saued and redemed from sin the Deuil Antichrist and from the curse and the world And Christ saueth thelect and faithful They therfore shal in dede be partakers of the light These ar the citizens of the countrie euerlasting But what is their state and inhiritaunce Thei shal walke in the light of God the father the lambe that is to say they shall haue the fruition of the light and of God himselfe to their ioiful swetnes and fill For it is a figuratiue speach to walke in the light for that which is to inioy light Verely in the .88 Psalme is red with a figure not much vnlyke Lorde thei shall walke in the light of thy countenance And againe Thou shalt make knowen vnto me the fote path of lyfe the fulfilling of ioyes is in thy sight gladnes in thy right hand for euermore Kinges are in the courte of heauen But especially the places in heauen and in that Palace diuine are for Kings Kinges ar gouernours and captaines of the people as they be which are called Kynges and Princes gouernours Magistrates rulers aswel of the politique as ecclsiasticall gouernement Doctours maisters teachers Artificers and Parentes For their dutie is vertuouslye to gouerne their subiectes scollers or childrē to kepe them vnder awe or discipline to chastise and directe them to the dueties of life and all godlines This yf they do they shall haue a worthie place prepared in Heauen For Daniell saieth also in the .12 chapter But the teachers shall shine as the brightnes of the firmamēt and they that bring many to righteousnes as the starres euerlastingly O therefore O happie are you yf ye bringe many to execute the office of righteousnes But wo be to you Princes and teachers and maisters and Parentes yf herein you be negligent There is prepared for you in hell a place moste horrible and myserable as also Ezechiell hath testified But yf Kynges haue their place and the same right honourable in Heauen wherefore do the Anabiptistes teache naye whie doe they lie that a Christiane can not execute the office of a Magistrate For here are Kinges mentioned to be in heauē not only as men but as thei were kinges that is as they were good kynges and executed their office duely and not forsaking their place haue liued a priuate life For it followeth they shall brynge their glory and honour vnto it And what is that glory and what is the honour it followeth agayne and they shal bring the glory and honour of nations into it that is to saye they shal bryng into heauen with them the very nations their people and subiectes whō they haue holpen in trewe godlines and saluation in teachyng correctyng defendyng alluryng or drawyng c. And these be their glory and honour for S. Paule in the .2 to the Corinth the .1