otherwyse will we nyll we must die Let vs therfore bâ— content rather to die blessedly than to lyue miserably so thâ— we see we may so please God Finally lyke as in the ende of the first Epistle he commâ—nicated and applied the same wholy to all tymes and chuâ—ches All these thinges apperteine to al churches least any should suppose that these thinges concerneâ— him nothing So in the end of this Epistle also he both preâ—cheth the spirite to be authour of al these thinges and exhoâ—teth all men to heare and obey dilligently and affirmeth thiâ— to be wrytten vnto all congregations in the world for edifying Moreouer the promesse of lyfe he communicateth to 〈◊〉 saying He that ouercometh shall not be hurte of the second death This is spoken to all men women if thou ouercomâ— Therfore must we ouercome the world the Deuil the fleshâ— and all temptation And we must ouercome by him which faith by his spirite dwelling in vs And that we shold walâ— that way wherin he hath commauÌ„ded vs to walke If thoâ— ouercome The first secoÌ„d death thou shalt not be hurt in the second death Thâ—mas of Aquine saith That the first death is of sinne the secoÌ„â— of paine We vnderstand plainly by the first death the naâ—â—rall separation of the soule from the body whiche also coâ—meth to vs for sinne as appeareth in the .iii. of Genesis Thâ— same is comen to good and euyl For we be all earth and 〈◊〉 to earth we shall retourne And by and by followeth the â—â—cond death and the second lyfe They that beleue in Christ ouercome fele nothyng of the second death but lyue as tâ—â— Lorde hym selfe assureth vs in the .iii. and .v. Chapter of Iohâ— He shall not come into iudgement but hath passed froÌ„ deaâ—â— to lyfe But the wicked or vnbeleuers are conueyed streâ— wayes from the corporall death to death euerlasting Nâ—â— that their soules can die that is cease to be or that their bodâ— ryse not agayne But that being depriued of that celestâ— and diuine life of Christ they fele euerlasting tourmentâ— whiche state verely is ryghtly called death These thyng are vnknowen to worldly men which know no other life death but this temporal But Gods veritie teacheth vs thâ—ther is both an other life and death after this to witte the 〈◊〉 celestiall and death infernall or full of perpetuall sorrowes That same doubtles is full of consolation that we heare how the faithfull after the debt of this temporall lyfe payed once they shall no more fele any tourmentes What than doe the Monkes and freres prate of purgatory bables c. Let vs prayse our sauiour Christe whiche hath deliuered vs from death and geuen vs the hope of lyfe euerlasting to whome be glory prayse c. ¶ The first part of the third Epistle of the cuÌ„stancie and coÌ„fession of Christ in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ The .x. Sermon ANd to the messenger of the Congregation in Pergamos wryte This sayth he whiche hath the sharpe sworde with two edges I knowe thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not denied my faith And that in the daies in the which Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche was slayne among you where Sathan dwelleth The third Epistle amongest those seuen celestiall proceding from the right hand of God The argument of the Epistle is wrytten to the Pastour and congregation of Pergamos Wherof the argument is thus First he commendeth the constancie of their faithe in cruel persecutions By and by he rebuketh those which cleaâ—ed to the secte of the Nicolaitans After he exhorteth them â—o repentaunce And this doctrine he applieth afterwards to all congregations throughout the worlde Last he promyâ—eth moste ample rewardes to the faithfull the church of Pergamos a tâ—pe Hereof we vnâ—erstande that the congregation of Pergamos is set forth â—s a type or a glasse to all churches howe it behoueth them 〈◊〉 walke before the Lorde Firste so ofte as persecution shall arise Secondly when heresies breake out For by the example therof he teacheth all to suffer aduersitie paciently and opeÌ„ly to professe the true faith And also by the scripturâ— to reproue heresies in flying from them to dispise the same Thinges common to al these seueÌ„ epistles Howbeit all the Epistles in maner haue certen thinges coÌ„mon And that especially three For it expressed plainly tâ— whome the Epistle is sent as in this present to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Pergamos to witte vnto the Pâ—stour whosoeuer he was perauenture Antipas and to the whole congregation as is sayd before It is shewed moreouer Of the authoritie of holy scripture who he is that speaketh here or who is the authour 〈◊〉 this Epistle Euen the Lord him selfe Which getteth authoritie to the writing For it is not thus to be thought that thâ— worde of God is not as it is spoken because it is wrytten 〈◊〉 man indited of man or written with inke either in paperâ— parchemyn For these make no more that the word of Goâ— should not be the worde of God than that water should nâ— be water if it runne out of a conduite of wood lead brasseâ— stone For water euermore remayneth water The diuersioâ— of the Conduite pypes maketh it not that it shoulde beeâ— water as his substaunce is in dede So sayth S. Paul thâ— he verely is bounden but the worde of God is not bound A man may be stoned hanged or burnt beyng a preacherâ— Gods worde The worde of God that was put in the moâ—â— of the Preacher is not burnt God knoweth al thinges The Lorde putteth it in tâ— mouth of an other that the veritie shuld not be extinguishâ— but continually might sounde in the churche Finally 〈◊〉 without cause in the beginning of euery Epistle Christ doâ— intimate that he knoweth all thinges of the churche I saâ— before that this is as it were the foundation of the feare 〈◊〉 God and of his true seruice For imagin a man that is pâ—â—swaded with him selfe that God neither seeth what men 〈◊〉 nor knoweth what they thinke in their hartes Shal not tâ— man thinke you fall into all vngodlines He will crye letâ— do what we liste synce God knoweth not what we doe â—gaiâ—e who wyll not cast of the hope of rewarde and thâ—sâ— of good workes after he be once perswaded that God kâ—â—weth not our workes But if he knewe them not howe 〈◊〉 he iudge the worlde Neuerthelesse in euery epistle be certen especial and peculiar thinges Of the which sorte in the epistle of Pergamos is Out of Christ his mouthe a two edged sworde that out of the first vision and description of Christ in the beginning of the epistle he taketh to him the swearde and that sharpe and two edged whiche we heard to come out of the mouthe of Christ By this is signified the iudiciall powerful of equitie and iustice and also
lyuing for euermore as he that is life of himselfe and geueth life vnto all This creation verely and viuification is not communicated to others As also he alone knoweth the harts of meÌ„ that hereof we may learne to sweare by the name of God alone not to adde to him any creatures which know not the heartes neither are lyfe of themselues but are lesse than he adde also lesse than men as they that are made for men Next after God there is nothing greater than man Therfore let not maÌ„ sweare by any other thaÌ„ by God For al the geÌ„tiles sweare by a greater yf thou swearest by the sainctes or by the Gods thou shalt sweare by men egal verely and not greatter God alone is greatest and best Therfore must we sweare by the name of God alone lyke as the scripture teacheth elsewhere in the .6 and .10 of Deuter. 23. of Exod. 23. of Iosue 4. and .5 of Ieremy .45.65 of Esay and else where But seyng that is in dede God himselfe howe sweareth he sayest thou by him that lyueth for euermore that is by god he sweare doubtles by him self as in many other places of the scripture Or els he sware after the dispensation and assumptioÌ„ of the humane nature after the which he sayed my father is greater than I which notwithstanding in his deitie was neuerthelesse coequall with the father And the same that I now rehersed A faithfull doctrine of taking othes is the most simple and most trewe doctrine of othes and fourme of swearyng And yet ther be some which vnderstaÌ„d that doctrine wel enough but neuerthelesse for the fauour of men would sweare gladly by Sainctes and therfore demaunde whether thei may not ioyne Sainctes to god especially in this sense vnlesse I perfourme this I wil not be accoÌ„pted in the nombre of sainctes I aunswer that they maye not aswel for that we haue no expresse maner of swearing which obediently to the honour of God we ought simply to follow also for that they which require and prescribe this fourme would haue vs to sweare by the names of Sainctes in heaueÌ„ and so to acknowledge that we are holpen and punnished by their vertue and power Which if ye do and acknowledge ther is no doubt but thou doeste greuousely transgresse thy sincere religion Certes if thou confesse God here before men he will also confesse thee before his father and his Angels yf thou deny him he will also deny the. c. An othe is as it were thy confession wherby thou confessest whome thou doest acknowledge and beleue to be thy chiefe filicitie the reueÌ„ger also of euil rewarder of good Yf thou shalt therfore ioyne Sainctes vnto god himselfe and match them together and say so help me God and his Sainctes These so coupled with God thou shalte graunt to be thy Gods which can both helpe and hurt the. Therfore take hede what thou doest Reade S. Austen in the 145. Epistle to Publicola What Christ did sweare Howbeit we must see moreouer what the Angel sware by this custome and solemne woordes For in this one thynge consisteth the whole somme of the matter The Angell in the 12. chap. of Daniel ded sweare Because for a time times and halfe a tyme and in the wyndinge vp to scatter the hand of the holy people all these thinges shall be fully done So this our Aungell here sweareth that there shall be no more time but in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Angell when he shal begynne to blowe his trompe that the misterie of God shal be fulfilled but here let no man vnderstand that all time vtterly and that euerlastinâ—nes it selfe should be abolished and that there should be nothing more after the iudgement but there shall not be alwaâ—es suche a time as nowe is and suche as the wicked inioye in this worlde supposing that the courses of times shal be alwayes that the worlde shal continewe alwayes that they shal alwayes flourishe in honours and pleasures oppressyng the Godly This shall not be sayeth he nother shall there be any more suche a time that shall perishe and be subiecte to chaungeable courses For aboute the laste iudgement shall perisshe or be renewed all these thinges that shall perishe and lyfe and glory euerlastyng shal succede I meane the time of eternitie with al ioye moste replenisshed Therefore sayeth he not simplely that there shal be no more time but addeth in the dayes of the voyce of the seuenth Aungell that is to witte at the laste iudgement that the misterie of God should be made consummate perfit and fully complete What this secret The mistery of God what it is or misterie of God is the Apostle expoundeth and sayeth 1. Corinth 15. Beholde I tell you a misterie we shall not all slepe and the residewe whiche are red there the misterie of God therefore is nothyng els than that the ende of all corruptible thynges is at hande and the happie and euerlastyng worlde shal succede for that Christ shall than come to iudgement that Antichrist by him shal be abolisshed that he with the whole body of the wicked shal be distroyed the dead reysed vp agayne the wicked to euerlasting perdition the godly to eternal life for that death sinne and al corruption must be taken awaye from the godly and be troden vnder fote and al miserie imposed to the wicked that they may be tourmeÌ„ted world without ende And for asmuch as many times menne doubte thereof as I haue sayed nowe ofte Christe hath sworne that all these thinges shall assuredly come to passe and that the godly shal be consummated with al glory and that the wicked shall be consummate with all kynde of tourmentes And this is that great misterie of God for the whiche the very Sonne of God beynge incarnate dead and reysed agayne from the dead ascended into Heauen that he might conuaye vs thither to him hauyng subdewed Hell Sathan Antichrist and all vngodlynes Therefore as in the. 6. chapter was sayed to the Martirs that they should reste for a little season till the nombre of chosen be fulfilled so here we heare also that the misâ—erie of God shall at length be fulfilled c. The whiche is spoken to this ende also that the godly shoulde be of quiet mindes and patiently abyde deliueraunce Yf therefore this consumation be differred lette vs abyde patieÌ„tly and constantly confirmed in Christ and his Euangelicall veritie as also the Apostle of Christe S. Paule hath taught vs out of the Prophetes in the .10 chapt to the Hebrewes Moreouer for a further declaration is added The prophets also haue shewed this misterie as God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hath euangelized with a good and a lucky message hath preached to wit by the seruauÌ„ts his prophetes touchyng the ende of the world the last iudgement of the euerlasting punnishment of Antichrist and al wicked of the glorifiyng of the godly c. Nother sayed he
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
places thou stickest daungerously vpō the stony rockes wherupon thou mayest chaunce at the laste to suffer Shipwreake Religion muste be holdē fast And two thinges he alloweth chiefly in this churche first that they holde the name of Christ For the Greke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to touche lightly but to holde fast so that it can not with force be plucked awaye that thou holdest And so they helde Christe moste depely fixed in their mindes The name of Christ is the holsome workyng of our redemption and sanctification besides the which there is no other name as S. Peter sayeth wherby we maye be saued They cleaued therfore vnto Christ as we reade of thapostles in the 6. of Iohn And necessary it is that euery one of vs holde faste the misterie of saluation rooted in our hartes Religion muste be professed Secondly it is not ynough to retaine the misterie of saluation in our harte vnlesse we professe it also with full and open mouth Wherupō he addeth streighte waies and haste not denied my faythe Beholde how he calleth it faith nowe which of late he called the name of Christ And he calleth it properly his fayth that is not diuised or inuented by men but set foorth of Christe him selfe by the woorde of his veritie This trewe right and catholicke faith must we confesse and not denye and professe it expressely aswel in wordes as in workes The maners of deniyng the Lorde Christ and his Gospel are denied by mo wayes than one They are denied by silence when we holde our peace what time we shoulde speake chiefly for the glory of God Christ agayne is denied through dissimulatiō as where Peter sayeth I wote not what thou sayest For he knewe right well what the mayde sayed but feare caused him to dissemble He is denied what time plainely with expresse woordes Christ and his veritie is denied He is denied with a figuratiue confession what tyme in dede we confesse some what but yet so darkely and so diffusely that it is vnknowen what it is that thou professest He is denied when we fayne in our harte that we kepe the true doctrine and denie it in our workes in bowynge our selues before Idolles goynge to prophane churches cōmunicating with the ceremonies of Antichrist kneling on the grounde and worshipping that thing whiche our conscience gaue vs and the faith set forth by the apostles taught vs to be no God And verely all this deniall arriseth of feare and of our corrupte affections If there where so assuredly a rewarde propounded of men for the confessing of him as thou arte sore affraide to be put to paine in case thou do confesse there wolde seme no difficultie at all to professe Christ sincerely Where therfore thou deniest or dissemblest thou doest it for feare But suche timorouse and fearefull deniers the lord shutteth out of his kingdome The world therfore beyng dispised the name of the Lorde muste be confessed boldely without feare accordyng to the doctrine of Christ Matth. 10. Marke 8. And this confession of the congregation of Pergamos is amplified and highly cōmended by reason of the time We muste than professe when persecutiō is hote For it is a great matter to professe Christ in no quiet but in most troublesome times But it is manifest that the churche of Pergamos confessed Christ in the middes of the persecutiō in the whiche was executed the holy martir of Christe Antipas Wherof it followeth that the profession was noble It is comonly saied but these men sawe Antipas slaine and yet could not be feared from the true faith and these thinges in dede are set forth in fewe wordes but in sense most ample to be followed of all churches Some others reade here in my dayes But the complutensian copie is better whiche hathe in the dayes wherin Antipas c. As though he should saye And thou haste confessed my name in those dayes wherin Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche for the same cause was slaine also Antipas is cōmended The praise of Antipas of martirs and as it were canonised of the very sonne of God And he is praysed that he was a witnes that is a martir And that in dede a faithfull witnes by testifiyng teaching confessing and keping his faith to the Lord euen to the ende Actes 13. Perauenture he was pastour of this Churche or some other man of singular constauncie amonges the faithfull Certes fayth and not torment maketh martirs And because this martir is praysed of Christe we vnderstand that the agonies and cōflictes of martirs should be preached in the church of Christ and many be excited and exhorted to followe their steppes Therefore we affirme that the holy martirs of God are honoured but not to be worshipped or called vpon We condemne al those that speake against holy martirs and associate them with those that slew them But touchinge the worshippinge of Sainctes I haue spoken els where more at large we learne hereof also that they die not for euer that die in this worlde for the name of Christ neither that the martirs be polluted with worldly reproche considering how they be commended by the mouth of God To christ therfore king of martirs be honour praise and glory worlde without ende Amen ¶ The latter parte of the third Epistle is expounded wherein is spoken of the Nicolaitans whiche are damned And exhortation is made to repentaunce The .xi. Sermon BVt I haue a fewe thinges against thee Nume 24 that thou hast the there that mainteine the doctrine of Balaā which taught in Balacke to put occasion of sinne before the children of Israel that they should eate of meate dedicate vnto Idolles cōmitte fornicatiō Euen so haste thou them that mainteine the doctrine of the Nicolaitans whiche thing I hate But be conuerted or els I wil come to thee shortely will fight against them with the sworde of my mouth Let him that hathe eares heare what the spirite sayeth to cōgregations To him that ouercometh wil I geue to eate Māna that is hidde geue him a white stone in the stone a new name writē which no mā knoweth sauing he that receiueth it In the first parte of this epistle the Lorde cōmendeth many thinges in the church of Pergamos The lorde reprehendeth a few things in the churche of pergamos howe in the seconde parte he will reprehende a fewe And he sayeth a fewe thinges not that the errour of the Nicolaitans is a light offence but that the sinne is in others rather than in the trewe Church it self to witte in them whiche notwithstandinge that they were not of the bodye of the churche in dede yet did they ioyne with the churche outwardely and would be taken for membres of the same After he speaketh modestly least by exasperatinge ouer muche the sinne and errour in the faithfull he shoulde trouble theyr mindes and discourage them vtterly There is a measure in al thinges as
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
them in the veritie agaynst liyng and reuolting and establisshe them in the same Christ cōmeth abroade and sweareth in the sight of al men solemnely Which thing must be expounded by all circumstaunces For it is a thing of moste weight moste ful of comforte and right holesome and necessarie for al men Christe sweareth There is no doubt but that he alludeth to the laste chapt of Daniel wherin also the Angel of the lord sweareth confirming by a solemne othe that such thinges as haue hitherto ben tolde to the Prophet by prophecie shal be all fulfilled in their times therfore this mightie Angel sweareth now also yea euen Christ him selfe whiche set his fete on the Sea and Lāde For by the state and behauour of the body he sheweth stedfastnes leeste we shoulde doubte any thing of his fayth and veritie whiche sins he is lorde of all standeth moreouer vpon fete not fleshely but of firie pillers Al thinges therfore of Christ be certayne sure and vnmouable He that resteth on him standeth surely he that beleueth his wordes shal not be confounded And it is no newe thing that Christe sweareth For we reade very ofte in the Scripture that God hath sworne We reade in the Gospell that the same Lord Christ hath moste ofte repeted verely I saye vnto you verely verely I saye vnto you Whiche is an othe of one swearyng When Caiaphas adiured the lord in iudgement Christ did not conceale and by holding his peace dissembled but with expresse wordes confessed the veritie Whereof thou mayest learne that the Lord when he forbadde to sweare at al mente not the sacrament of swearyng Which where the bussardely Anabaptistes wil not vnderstande they styre vp wonderful trouble worthie to be put to silence with more seueritie But whie or to what ende othes be made or taken the Apostle out of the lawe in the .22 why othes are taken hath declared at large in the .6 to the Hebrewes to witte that menne waueryng and doubtful might be confirmed and certified and made quiet Doeth any manne doubte whether thou deale faythefully with him God commaundeth to auouch it by a sacrament to the ende al diffidence maye be taken awaye Apostle men sayeth he sweare by him whiche is greater and is to the same an ende of al controuersie in case it be confirmed by a◠othe In the whiche consideration God mindyng more aboundantly to shewe vnto the heyres of promission the vnchaungeable stedfastenes of his counsell expresseth an othe Euen so at this present where the diuine prouidence did forsee that vnder the kingedome of Antichrist the hartes of the faythfull should be moste greuousely tempted and that many by reason of the moste prosperouse fortune of Antichrist and all the wicked shoulde be harde harted to beleue Gods promesses and that many The stedfastenes certētie of Gods promesses whiche thing also Daniel in the .11 chapt Prophecied should reuolte to Antichrist it semed to God good to confirme his promesses by an othe and that a solemne othe by his sonne to the intente that suche as will be wise maye thinke if an honeste man and a trewe should cōfirme his promesse to thee by an othe thou woldest thinke it an vnworthie thinge to doubte of his promesses howe much lesse shall it be laweful for thee to doubt of that promesses of the Sonne of God and of all his wordes by a solemne othe confirmed beleue therfore the sonne of God sworne beleue his Gospell moste confirmed although the skye shoulde fall and the Earth gape neuer so wide God can not lie whiche is the veritie and that the eternall veritie whiche nother disceaueth nor is disceaued whiche is mercifull and loueth menne so that he tempereth him selfe also after their capacitie For euen for vs and for our infirmitie he perfourmeth a Sacrament leest he should seme not to satisfie vs in all thinges and that all occasions of incredulitie and reuoltyng to Antichrist and to the filthie worlde might be cutte awaye Nowe come we also to waye the maner or fourme of the othe Two things are here recited the maner of the swearer the maner or fourme of Christe his othe and the solemne wordes of the swearer For he sayeth howe the Angel lifted vp his hande towarde heauen which in dede is the moste auncient rite and holy ceremonie of swearers For we reade the same of Abraham in the .14 of Genes And in the .12 To lift vp handes of Daniel is written of an Aungell which liftyng vp to heauen his right hande his lefte swore We verely holde vp our right hande But where we saye that geuing of voyces we wil holde vp both our handes we signifie that we wil vtterly be of that sentence that we heare there propounded Therefore the holdyng vp of bothe handes doeth signifie a most perfit fidelitie and moste assured confirmation of the thing sworne Certenly in the holy scriptures the lifting vp of the hande is oftener than ones put for an othe Whereof perauenture we Germanes haue borrowed where we say that is to saye thou shalt confirme me this by an othe And in matters most seriouse and graue we are wont to vse some outwarde ceremonie wherby we maye make the wordes and the thing it self as it were more notable graue Wherupon when we praie vnto God we lifte vp our handes And verely an othe is as it were the calling vpō the name of god Wheruppon it is cōmonly accustomed with great feare to perfourme othes For al men arrise and put of their cappes as they were ready to fall on their knees before the sighte of God him selfe When bargayne or contracte is made with wordes the right handes are ioyned together also in token of fidelitie Therefore when we take a solemne othe we lifte vp our hand towarde heauen where we beleue that the Lord sheweth him self gloriouse to the faithful from whom we fele that al good thinges come vnto vs from whēce we perceiue also that vengeaunce doeth fall vpon the periured and contemners of God Hitherto therfore Christ applieth him selfe vnto vs and after the maner of men to the ende that menne maye be made the quieter he lifteth vp his handes vnto heauen Solemne wordes to sweare by him that liueth for euermore And the solemne wordes of the swearer be these he sware by him that liueth for euermore whiche made Heauen and the thinges that are therin c. So reade we of Abrahā in the 14. of Genes I lifte vp my hande to the high lord God possessour of Heauen earth And in the .12 of Daniel He sware by him that liueth for euermore Also in the .4 of Ieremie And thou shalt sweare the Lorde lyueth We say so truly as God lyueth and againe so God helpe me And this is a trew maner of swearing God the creatour is here most plentifullye and most properly expressed and here are all creatures seuerallye expressed He alone is the creatour he alone is
these thinges for a declaration only but for confirmation also For by the oracles of the prophetes the faithful are comforted whose oracles sins they haue neuer failed in any thing nother shall they in the ende disceyue in such things as they had prophecied concernyng the last iudgement And againe we see how great is thautoritie of the auncient scripture and that the vse of it is excellēt in the church euangelicall wherin we see both Christ and his Apostles to confirme all theyr saiynges with prophetical scriptures and also to illumine set forth and declare or demonstrate The testimonies of the prophetes concernyng the last iudgement of the rewarde and punnishmēt of the godly and vngodly of the abolishyng of Antichrist of death and of al corruption are in the .110 Psalme in the .24.26.27 and .46 also in the .7.11 and .12 of Daniel in the .14 of Zacharie .3 and .4 of Malachie and also els where Thapostle hath cited Osee .1 Corinth 15. Therfore let vs lift vp our heades bretherne let vs watch and pray for because our redemption draweth nere Deliuer vs Christ from al euil Amen ¶ S. Iohn deuoureth the booke receyued at the Aungelles hande and prophecieth agayne to the gentiles nations and Kinges The .xlv. Sermon ANd the voice which I hearde frō Heauen spake vnto me agayne and sayed goe and take the little boke which is open in the hande of the Angel which standeth vpō the sea and vpon the earth and I wente vnto the Angel and saied vnto him geue me the litle boke And he sayed vnto me take it and eate it vp it shal make thy bealy bitter but it shal be in thy mouth as swete as hony And I toke the little boke out of the hande of the angel did eate it vp it was in my mouth as swete as hony as sone as I had eaten it my bealy was bitter And he sayed vnto me thou must prophecie againe vnto the heithē and tongues people and to many Kinges This is the .iii. comfort which in this .x. chap. is cōteined The apostolical doctrine is restored against Antichrist For vnder the persone of S. Iohn is shewed here that thapostolical euangelicall doctrine must be restored in the laste times before the iudgemēt against Antichrist Mahomet And he might briefly haue sayed The apostolital doctrine as it was preached of Iohn shal florish again but he had rather expresse the same by a goodly vision at the last to adde a plaine briefe expositiō of the visiō Which is thou must preach againe c. And those things al expositour do expoūde agreably Iohn preacheth agayne first in dede of the persone of Iohn which vnder the Emperour Nerua retourned into Asia from exile by the space of fiue yeres or ther about againe preached the gospel For he liued til the .3 or .4 yere of the reigne of themperour Traiane Secondly of al preachers before the laste iudgement indewed with the spirite and doctrine of S. Iohn and constantly professing Christ against Antichrist Primasius expounding this place the certaine meaning saieth he is directed to S. Iohn whiche must yet beyng deliuered from exile not only bring this reuelation to the knowledge of Christes church but also preach more depely the Gospell to people and nations to tongues and many kinges notwithstanding no man doubteth but that this voice agreeth also to the whole Churche which neuer ought to cease from preachyng c. Thus saieth he The ordinary glose expoundeth these wordes although this be vnderstande of the very person of S. Iohn yet euen herein is vnderstāde that the lord wil haue his church likewise instructed and taught by other preachers also This apperteineth to the consolatiō of the faithful which shal liue in the dayes of Antichrist the residewe Thomas of Aquine also In S. Iohn him self sayeth he other preachers are vnderstande whome the lord in the time of Antichrist will haue to preache instauntly to great small So much sayeth Thomas Before the iudgement cōmeth Enoch agaīst Antichrist Aretas Bisshop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke reciteth of this place of S. Iohn that the opinion of the cōmon people was that S. Iohn with Enoch and Elie shuld come againe into the world before the iudgemēt to wit corporally ernestly and constantly to preache against Antichrist The self same doeth Aretas repete with a more plentiful expositiō where in the .11 chapt He expoundeth the wordes of Iohn concernyng the two witnesses c. Certes where in the .44 of Ecclesi it is writtē that Enoch was trāslated that he might teache the heythen many haue expounded it as though he should corporally retourne that he might teach the gentiles against Antichrist where by the very translation made in times past he teacheth rather the gentiles that there is an other life prepared for the seruaūtes of God that the same is also dewe for the bodies sins that Enoch was translated both in body soule against the opiniō of Epicure and the madde world supposing none other life to remaine after this that the bodies do putrefie and neuer to rise agayne This Enoch semeth to come spiritually to that laste age for that the lorde him self prophecied that a like thing should come vnto it as chaunced before the deluge or flud of Noe. For like as many than beyng carelesse contemned the iudgementes of God nother feared they any perill or hoped for any better life so cometh it to passe also in the last age in the which Enoch constantly preacheth by them which establissh and maineteyne eternall life and the resurrection of bodies agaynst the Epicures Before the iudgement cōmeth Helias agaīst Antichrist Helias in the mounte Thabor appered in glory with our sauiour Christ vnto three chosen Apostles neyther is it to be thought that about the ende of the world he must be thruste out of the heauenly palace and agayne be subiecte to corruption and obiected to the cruell handes of Antichristians which might teare him in peces For like as in the time of our sauiour Christ Helias in vertu and spirite I meane S. Iohn baptiste went before Christ the Lord so also before the iudgement Helias shal preache in them againe which indued with the spirite and vertue of Helias shal cal awaye the mindes of al men from the worshippyng of creatures to the adoration of the eternal and only God Helias cried out howe longe do ye halte one bothe sides yf the Lord be God followe him yf Baal be God followe him And nowe shal the Helianes crie 3. of Kings 18. yf Christ be the perfection of the faythful what nede is there of mans inuentions and constitutions to worke a perfectiō Yf Christ be our iustification satisfaction purificatiō our only mediatour and redemer wherfore are these thinges attributed to mans merites whie are sainctes accōpted intercessours in heauen whie is saluation ascribed to many other stinking things
a golden reede to measure the citie with al and the gates therof and the walles thereof And the citie was buylte foure square the length was as large as the breadth of it And he measured the citie with the reede .xii. M. furloÌ„gs and the length and breadth and height of it were equal And he measured the wall therof 144. cubites after the measure of a manne which the angel had And the building of the walle of it was of Iaspar And the citie was of pure gold like vnto cleare glasse the fouÌ„dations of the walles of the citie were garnished with al maner of pretious stones The first foundation was a Iaspar the seconde a Saphyre the third a Calcedony the fourth a Smaragde the .v. a Sardonix the .vi. Sardeos the .vii. a Chrysolite the eight Berall the .ix. a Topas the .x. a Chrisoprasos the .xi. a Iacincte the twelft an Amatist And the twelue gates were twelue pearles euery gate was one pearle and the strete of the citie was pure golde as a thorowe we shining glasse He procedeth in describyng the blessed seates and that life of the world to come vnder the Image of a most goodly and most excelleÌ„t citie We shal vnderstande al thinges not after the letter but after the sprete All thinges are sayed for our comforte and to the ende we should stoutely contemne this world the pleasures thereof the furies of persecutours should alwayes desire so great the same euerlastyng good thinges promised vs we haue hearde in the description yea euen sene foure singular thinges of this heauenly citie as it were of a liuely picture what a lighte it hath what walles what gates also and foundations Now in the fifte place followeth what is the widenes receipte or largenes of this Citie For hereof are cities commended And necessarie it is that the greatest nombre of Citezens should haue the largest or greatest Citie Therefore commeth forth a meater of this citie He measureth the citie with a golden reede an Angell sent to Iohn from heauen holdyng in his hande a reede that is a long polle or measuryng rod not of wood or leed but of golde And by the measuryng he would we shuld esteme the quantitie of the blessed seate In the meter therfore and in the measure we shall not nede to seke any greate misteries For the eternall wisedome and prouidence of God hath prepared seates for his chosen and that in a golden order that is to witte most purified which is signified by the gâ—lden reede or measure For the iudge in S. Matth. prouoketh the Sheâ—e to take the inheritaunce prepared from the beginnyng of the world He alone knoweth also who be his The situation of the citie is declared planted in a square A squadre or squares the Citie wherby is signified the strength and stablenes 〈◊〉 the blessed in heauen For the place is no balle bowlâ—â— or globe rolling and easie to tourne Nother nede we to doubte of â—he certentie therof For hope shameth no man â—nd he that â—eleueth in Christ shal neuer be confounded Moreouer the length The leÌ„gth breadth breadth and heigth of thâ—â— citie are equal Euery side in his squadre hath twelue thousande furlonges whiche make in al fourtie and eight thousande in the whole circuite Touchyng the furlonge Furlonge what how much it conteyneth I see that learned menne varie Plinie in the .2 boke the .23 chap. attributeth to a furlong an hondreth .25 passes that is to saye sixe hondreth .25 fote Yf ye nowe accompte these things diuide them into miles you shall â—â—nde that the citie is most ample and large There be some that reken it .150 Germane miles Hereby I suppose to be signified that the place and space is great enough what innumerable multitudes so euer of Angelles of blessed spretes and men shal flitte into the blessed seate and dwel therein As also the lorde in the Gospel sayde In my fathers house are many mansioÌ„s In the .30 chap. of Esaye about the ende is shewed that there shal be space and place enough in helle also for the wicked Equalitie And the equalitie on euery side declareth that men of people or nations shal haue no prerogatiue For whether so euer thou be of the East or of the Weste whether thou be Greke or Barbarian so that thou be a faithfull thou shalt be receyued of the Lord. Moreouer in the gospel equalitie is declared whilest the peÌ„ny is payed not only to him that wrought in the Vineyarde al daye long or half the daye but vnto him also which came into the Vineyarde in the euenyng ¶ The height The height of the wall is doubtles vnmeasurable Wherof we gather that the blessednes is most sure and that none can come into the same but by the gates For no manne can clime ouer such an height no maÌ„ can scale those walles whether he be enemie that wold moleste theÌ„ or hipocrite which goeth aboute as it were by stelth to winne heauen Where he sayeth and he measured the walle thereof an hondreth and .44 cubites it caÌ„ not surely agree with the furlonges The thicknesse therefore must we nedes vnderstand it of the thickenes of the walle By the which agayne is figured the streÌ„gth and securitie of the blessed It is added how the Aungel dyd mete with the measure of a man which the Angel had that is to saie that the Angel measured the wonted cubites and furlonges to men accustomed The measure of a maÌ„ which the Angell had Wherefore this Angell had the same measure in this metyng whiche is commonly vsed of men For so would he signifie that the place of eternall felicitie should be determinate and certayne For there shal be after the resurrection bodies true and determinate Yf there be any other misterie herein perauenture it is the same which the Lord spake of in Luke Luke 20. namely of the blesse of the faithfull in an other worlde they be egall with Angelles and are the children of God sins thei be the children of the resurrection Yf any man wil accompte these nombres more exactely and shewe higher misteries I will gladly geue place I suppose here rather celestial thinges to be figured than either Arithmetical nombres or geometricall proportions to be taught Neuerthelesse I can willingly graunt that those artes helpe to the vnderstandyng of the Scriptures In the sixte place he treateth of the matter of this heaueÌ„ly Citie For Cities are coÌ„mended of the stuffe and matter The matter of this citie The sayeng of Cesar Augustus is well knowen who is sayde to haue spoken of Rome I fouÌ„de it of bricke I leaue it of marble And the cities buylded of stone are iustely preferred to those that are of timber and suche as are buylte of free stone squared to them that are made of rough stone But what is the buildyng or matter of the citie celestiall That