haue Gods word Christ wylled all faythfull beléeuers to searche the Scriptures to vnderstand the prophecies and to perceiue the misteries of theÌ„ And for the performance of hys wyll therin he hath sent in this age this peculyer Angell beside the common preachers betokning those singuler lerned meÌ„ whoÌ„ now he hath endueâ— with most high knowledge Of their hands he mâ—ndeth vs to receiue the scriptures and not of the blasing star nor yet of the smoky Locustes Their faithfull sincere and godly interpretacions he willeth vs to take specially in bookes for so much as in person they can in no wyse be euery where present for that it is a booke heere named For by them in these dayes doeth he make open his sauing health and in the sight of all people declareth his rightuousnesse Let theÌ„ therefore whose hartes God moueth to instruct other in the wayes of the Lorde diligently peruse the labours of such whom he hath so plentuously replenished with his spirite But in thus dooing let them not to much depend vpoÌ„ no mans person but proue all things by the scriptures least they fall into errours as other hath done afore for so dooyng Uerye lightly is he deceiued that measureth the veritie by mans iudgements In the search therefore of godly mysteries not the wit nor the learning of the man is to be sought but rather the right meaning of God working in the man 3 This Angell standeth vpon the sea and vpon the lande As well is the true messenger of God for the weak as for the strong for the low as for the high for the poore as for the riche for the simple as for the learned for the sicke as for the whole for the foule as for the fayre Yea and rather for them than the other hauing his right foote vpon the water 4 And I sayeth S. Iohn obeying the voyce of the Lord or the heauenly mocion of his spirit went vnto the Angell and instantly desired hym to giue me that little swéete booke 5 None other is this booke theÌ„ the holy scripture whose openynge is a pure and right interpretation therof This he receiueth open at his hand which diligently readeth or heareth any sincere declaration of it by anye faithfull minister None other is this booke fitte for nor none other retayneth it in this age but meeke Iohns or men of a gentile spirit hauing the grace of God and obeying his heauenly voice For the wicked must euer be blinde Wisdom shall not enter into a froward soule nor dwel in the body that is giuen to sin Iohn went to the Aungell and receyued the booke for hée that will séeke shall fynde 6 For the Angel said vnto him Take it vnto thée eate it vp cleane The belly shall it make very bitter but it will be in the mouth so swéete as hony With good harte ought the scriptures to be receyued of all men in faith deuoured in a pure loue disgested In continual studie meditacion therof ought ech maÌ„ after his calling to perseuer the King in his raign the Iudge in his office the merchaunt in his occupying the labourer in hys worke the maryner vpon the sea and the bishop in his cure Nothing but idelnesse worketh the man which hath it not grafted within him though he both fast pray Uayne are all polycies actes constitucions and lawes wtout it For it is the life of our soules the lanterne of our féete the light of our passage and rule our workes 7 Bitter it is in the belly swéete in the mouth When the knowledge of trueth is is once receyued and surely setteled in the harte it engendreth a spiritie of indignation and a zeale of God very bitter agaynst all wickednesse It maketh vs with Ieremie to detest all vice and with Ezechiell to abhorre all sinne It prouoketh vs also with Moyses Helias Dauid and the Prophets gréeuously to complayne of the worldes abhominations with Christ his Apostles dolorously to lament the sore decaye of the wicked 8 Yet is nothing so swéet in the mouth as it is Nothing was to Paule so delicious when he once sauored it No nothing so pleasauÌ„t Neither colours of rhetorike paintings of poets wisedome of Philosophers nor holy tradicions of fathers coulde then delight him All were but darnal tares stubble chaffe filth rust dreames lyes and vnprofitable vanities Nothyng was in his mouth than but that delectable veritie that swéet Gospell of God That tooke hée with hym as the vessel of election in many an hard iorney and beare it foorth before the gentiles the kings the children of Israell yea for that to dye he thought it than aduauntage 9 And I tooke the little booke sayth sainct Iohn out of the Angels hande with méeknesse I receiued the scriptures of God I did eate it vp clean I dygested them in faith 10 And it was in my mouth so swéet as hony Oh how delicious saith Dauid are thy sayings vnto my throte More dulcet then honye are thy wordes Lord to my mouth 11 So soone as I had eaten it sayth Sainct Iohn so soone as I had incorporate it in my mynde rooted it in my soule my bellye was bitter my harte was gréeued much to sée the euils of the world my spirit was troubled to see the abusions of men and much I pittied the losse of their soules 12 Yet dyd not the Angell so leaue me but he said thus vnto me Thou must prophecie again amoÌ„g the people 13 As thou hast receyued thou must reÌ„der as thou hast bene taught thou must teach againe least thou hyding the treasure of thy Lord become an vnprofitable seruaunt 14 Thou must publish the trueth to the vnbeleuers thou must open it to people of dyuers nacions languages and finally manifest it to Kings of many regions that they sée theyr people instructed in the same As a truÌ„pet therefore exalt thy voyce shewe fréely the ioyfull message of saluatioÌ„ Refuse none that will come vnto it poore nor blynde halte nor lame CoÌ„sider that no man lighteth a candle to hyde it but to set it vp that men may see by it None other are fit to prophecie but they whiche haue deuoured the booke They must now declare the gospell in this latter age of the church by the appointment of the Lord. For necessarie it is that by the strength thereof all pryde of this worlde and blasphemie agaynst God bée distroyed ¶ In the nexte volume shall follow the reste The second part of the Image of both Churches after the most wonderfull and heauenly reuelation of Saint Iohn the Euangelist c. Compiled by Iohn Bale The same Disciple whom Iesus loued hath witnessed and written these things and vve knovve that hys testimonie is true Ioannes .xxj. ¶ A small Preface vnto the Christian Reader IN the first part or volume of thys
promises 9 And therfore are not their names written of the lamb in the booke of life which lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world Christ hath not alowed them by his word promise With the rightuous are they not regestred as members of one misticall body in hym In the similitude of hys death are they not grafted vnto hym as the braunches vnto the vine to be partners of his resurrection Their porcion is not in the lande of the lyuing with him They are none of those whom the father hath geuen hym to participate with hym in one spirit Predestinate they are not vnto life by hym nor so written vp in the foreknowledge of God Chosen they were not of the lord before the worlds constitution to be his vndefiled children in Christ. 10 He is the méeke lamb that was slaine He alone taketh away the sins of the world In hym only is the life for he is the life it self Yet is he the life of none other but of those that only beleue in him 11 In that he was killed from the worlds beginning is signified that he dyed for all them whiche were create to be saued and that his onely death is all their health raise and remedy by the promise of God For all they haue eaten of one spiritual meat and dronke of one spirituall rocke though it came in the fleshe longe after them He onely trode downe the head of the serpent Since the beginning hath he bene slaine in his membres also as manifest it is in rightuous Abell Hieremy Iohn Baptist such other like They that are not written of the lambe in the booke of life for the children of God are registred in the booke of death for the children of perdicioÌ„ reserued to eternal death for their infidelytie with the deuill his Angels 12 He that hath an eare sayeth the text let him take good héede He that hath an vnderstanding let hym be admonished by that which foloweth héere Or he that hath receiued the wisdome of the spirit let hym iudge hereof according vnto it Thus doth the holy ghost aduertise the faithfull to consider that whatsoeuer thinges are writteÌ„ they are writteÌ„ vnto our learning 13 He that leadeth into captiuity shall go into captiuyty And he that killeth with a sworde must with a sworde be slaine This warning geueth the lord take it if they lyst For he will haue his right iudgments known He that vexeth or aflicteth the iuste beléeuers in body by outward punishments he shall be aflicted in the spirit with an inwarde darknes or blindnes of the soule that he may be the more captiue to sinne and to sathan God wyll deliuer hym vp vnto a lewde mind and wyll geue him stronge delusion to beléeue all maner of lyes that he might be damned 14 He that killeth the poore innoceÌ„t for his faith with the yron sword or slaieth hym with any other torment with the sword of the spirit which is the Lords word shall he be both iudged condemned The word that I haue spoken saith Christ shall iudge them at the latter day And this is in manner all one with that was saide in the xi chapter afore If any maÌ„ wyl hurt them fyre shall procéede out of their mouthes and consume their enemies 15 Neuerthelesse to the christian is persecution necessary For héere in this lyfe is the pacience of the saints proued and their faith required Here was AbrahaÌ„ tempted Iob sore vexed and both they were founde Gods true faithfull seruants Here were the apostles contemned reioysinge that they were found worthy for christes sake to suffer rebuke The rightuous the lorde trieth as gold in the furnace He chasteneth euery seruant that he loueth and scourgeth euery son that he receiueth Onely is it faith that al the euils of this worlde by pacience ouercommeth so obtaineth the victory The fruit which riseth to eternal lyfe is peaceable sufferance in faith And that must be heare in this lyfe where as we are vnperfect to make vs perfect THE TEXT 1 And I beheld an other beast 2. comming vp out of the earth 3. and he had two horns lyke a lamb 4. and he spake as dyd the Dragon 5. and he dyd all that the firste beaste could do 6. in his presence 7. And he caused the earth and them which dwell therein 8. To worship the firste beaste vvhose deadly vvounde vvas healed 9. And he dyd great wonders 10. So that he made fyre come downe from heauen 11. In the sight of meÌ„ 12. And deceiued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes which he had povver to doe in the sighte of the beast 13. Saying to them that dvvelt on the earth that they should make an image 14. Vnto the beast vvhich had the vvounde of a svvord and dyd liue The Paraphrase 1 And I behelde saieth S. Iohn in this secret reuelation of my Lord an other beast arising out of the earth A figure is this of al false prophets and vngoly preachers Beastly are they euermore vaine carnal and corrupt in their studies abhominable in the practisings of their wicked harts not séeking God but their belleyes not Christes glory but their owne pride and vaine glory 2 From the earth they aryse all geuen to erthly wisdome The only affectes of this worlde doth moue them to teach no good zeale of the truth Either are they tickled with ambition pricked with auarice or els stirred with mallice to inuei These are the common affects of the wicked This goinge vp haue they from wickednesse to wickednesse and shall haue still till the Lorde destroy them like as haue the iust beléeuers from vertue to vertue in the spirit till such time as they sée him face vnto face in the euerlasting Syon From the worlds beginning hath this beast risen vp in Cayne the first murtherer in the fleshlye Children of men in Cham the shamelesse childe of Noe in Ismael Esau in Iannes Iambres in Balaham Baals prophets in the Beniamits Bels chaplains in Phasur Semeias in Iudas Annas and Caiphas in Bariehu Diâ—trephes And now seÌ„s their time most of all in Mahometes doctoures and the popes queristers Yea stil they are aloft in their beastly beggerye will be till their mischif be finished Who séeth not now a daies that hath light in the spirit the malignite hipocrisy fraud craft deceit in certen fals prophets at pauls crosse in London in other places els 3 This beast had ii hornes like the lambe at a blush but all counterfet â— fals in very déede for he spake as did the dragon the hornes of Christ are his high kingdom in the world Only ariseth his Churche by faith in the glad tidinges and promises of god That word is the scepture of Christes power and the rod of right order wheras he reigneth None other strange sceptures are there neither tradicions nor customes Seuen hornes had Christ for
vision of the serpent I behelde saith S. Iohn seates prepared without number I saw the harts of faithfull beléeuers which are the seats of wisdoÌ„e after Stlomon bewtifully garnished with vertues by the preaching of thou Apostles other godly techers Uery peaceable quietus were these seats For thogh they had in the worlde on euery syde tribulation yet had they their contciences quieted in Christ. They considered themselues partakers of the heauenly calling and reioyced in hope of the glory of gods children 2 Upon these seates sate they which are afore called that people whome Sathan should no more deceine They setled them selues in the wisdome the god loueth They grouÌ„ded theyr dwelling with discreation in his vnderstanding and knowledge Fast dyd they cleaue to his louinge worde And for none aduersitie woulde they moue theyr foote from the hard rock whiche is Christ. Thus sate his people in the beautifull seates of peace after Esay in the tabernacles of trust and in a most plentuous rest the deceuers and mockers put aparte 3 And as they were thus quieted the iudgemente or true vnderstandyng of the Lordes verytie was giuen vnto them Their sences were opened and great knowledge had they in the scriptures The figures and prophesies that were hyd to other were manifeste and open vnto them The Dark vale was remoued from Moyses face and the light of the laws appeared They coulde then decerne good from euill light from darknesse and swéete from sower The yoke was then taken from them no longer were they subiecte to straungers Dead men perceiued the secrets of the Booke The eyes of the blinde might sée without mist of darknesse They whiche afore tyme were of an erronious spirite had than the ryght vnderstanding and were learned in the lawe In their inward partes was the knowledge thereof planted of the Lord and the truth written in theyr hartes he becomming their God they his people Bycause we should not seperate the dead from the quicke or the departed from the liuing and so iudge them dyuers coÌ„sidering they both are of one God and liue by one spirite being of one hope and calling The holy ghost doeth here couple them togither as shéepe of one pasture féeding all of one spirituall meate and drinkyng of one spirituall rock accompanying theÌ„ and as members of one misticall body of Christ in thys present reuelation 4 I also sayeth saint Iohn behelde in this secrets mysterie of the spirite the innocent soules of godly men and women that were beheaded of cruell tyrauntes for the faithfull testimony of Iesu and the constante assercyon of the true word of the Lord God I perceyued by the scriptures that his true harted witnesses remained not in deth with the wicked but passed throughâ— with the rightuous from the death vnto lyfe had the lyfe euerlasting They are not forgotten wyth the vngodly but they nowe followe the lambe and dwell where as he dwellethe Else would Paule neuer so ernestlye haue desired to be dissolued froÌ„ this fleshe and so to be wyth Christ. 5 Not onely is this here spoken of them that wer beheadded and of none other else thoughte it séemeth so in the letter but of all them that hath dyed for the veritie For than should Esaye Ieremye Ezechiell Amos Micheas Zacharye Steuen and Iames the lesse with all those that hath bene burned strangled quartred drowned stoned crucyfied spytted racked â—layed boyled stycked shot throughe wyth arrowes and that hath suffrid all other terrible tormentes be rekened to be none of that number Beheaddyng is here taken for depriuacion of lyfe lyke as the heade is in scripture taken sometyme for the soule sometyme for the whole man 6 For standing by Christes veritie confessinge hym God and man dyd they loose their liues which was in the end no losse vnto them but a profitable winning For vnto such remaineth the crowne of lyfe the delyghtes of Paradise and a seate wyth god 7 These worshipped not the beastlye Antichrist the verye body of Sathan They bowed not downe nor yet gaue them selues to such wycked tradicions as that carnall generacion made for their beasty bellyes sake 8 Neyther reuerenced they thys prodigious Image or such vngodly princes and magistrates as their trewe offyce set a parte dyd counterfet hym in crueltie and diuelishnesse But they rightlye considered with the faithfull Machabées and apostles that in such case it was much better to obey God than men 9 Neither had they in their lyfe time taken the printe of his filthie seale vpon their foreheades professinge in their inwarde consciences those diabolicall rules 10 Nor yet on their handes agréeyng to vse them in the outward conuersacion of their bodyes No yoke woulde they drawe with the infidels thinking that Christ coulde haue no agréement with Beliall For through faith they perceyued as he that is of the spirite discerneth all things that though they séemed glorious in the face of the world yet were they before God abhominable sacriledge DiligeÌ„tly they searched the scriptures and beleued not all spirites but first proued them whither they were of God or naye By that knewe they that the homage of soule ought to be giuen to none other than to one liuing God alone and that none other preceptes of liuing were to bée followed of them than Christ their sauiour had taught All other traditions of meÌ„ tooke they for strauÌ„ge doctrine for crafti colors of diuilish deceitfulnes 11 Therfore whaÌ„ they were thought of the wicked to be dead they liued in all swéetnes of the spirit in desire of his latter commyng which shall bée to theyr double glory 12 And they reygned with Christ the pastour high bishop of their soules not onely here were as they suffred wyth hym for a thousand yeres space but also aboue where as he sitteth on the right hand of gods maiestie seat thousand wythout end Than raigneth the godly numbre most of all whan they seme to the wicked least of all to reigne as whan they suffer persecution and death for Christ. For after none other sort reigneth hys churche here thaÌ„ he reigned afore them whose tryumphe was greatest vpon the crosse 13 The thousand yeares of the reigne of the godly stretcheth here no farder than the thousande years of the fall of the vngodly Christes yeares also deducted which is the head of his congregation For as the one kyngdome decreased the other alwayes increased very fewe Christian martyrs are constaunt witnesses perceiued froÌ„ thence forth For as it appeareth by the historye many were abiured and recaÌ„ted which was not séene in the former age and all in a maner a small number of the poore except vtterly renouÌ„ced the veritye for the cruell behauior of the Antichristes In these ii sortes afore rehersed of them that sate vpon the seates and of them that were beheadded for the testymony of Iesu is it to be marked that all were not martyrs whome God alowed for his in the prymatiue churche but that
Gospel was as the sound or noyse of many waters For many peoples of diuers and sundrie nations kynreds and languages hath confessed and still doeth confesse hym God and man by the same though the one vnderstand not the other 10 And he had in his right hande which is his mightie power seuen starres which are not only the seuen preachers of his vij congregations in Asia but also all the true minysters of hys word the worlde ouer For them hath he in his right hand They are vnder hys gouernaunce wil protection custodie So long as he retayneth them they are wyse godly and profitable but if hee once throw theÌ„ forth then are they blind wicked and accursed yea and good for nothing but to be cast out to be troden vnder foote Blessed are they therfore which fal not besides that haÌ„d 11 Out of his mouth which is hys holy spirite procéeded a sharpe two edged sweard This is hys strong mightie and quicke worde or hys sacred scrypture so sharpe that it pearceth through euen to the diuyding a sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the Ioynts the mary And is a iudger of the thoughts and intentes of the harte whom finally nothing shall be able to resist 12 And his face which is the eternitie of his Godheade glorified nature and spirituall kingdome shone euen as the cleere sonne in his most strength whose brightnesse no creature can behold without the pure sight of an vncorrupt faith For the fleshly carnall man in no wise vnderstandeth thinges belonging to the spirit of god but iudgeth them folishnesse THE TEXT 1 And vvhen I savve him I fell at his feete euen as dead 2. And he layed his right haÌ„d vpon me saying vnto me 3. Feare not I am the first the last 4. And am a lyue vvas dead 5. And behold I am a lyue for euermore 6. And haue the keyes of Hell of Death 7. Wryte therefore the thinges vvhich thou hast seene 8. And the things vvhich are and the thinges vvhich shal be fulfilled hereafter 9. And the mystery of the seuen Starres vvhich thou savvest in my right hand 10. And the seuen golden Candelstickes 11. The seuen Starres are the Angells of the seuen Congregacions 12. And the seuen Candelstickes vvhich thou sawest are the seuen Congregacions THE PARAPHRASE 1 And when I had thus séene him sayth saint Iohn dilygently marked all these poyntes in him I fell down at his féete as one almost dead for feare Consider in this that the nature of the true knowledge of christ is to throw downe to mortifie the fleshe with his corrupte affections and to cast vs in fear tyll his hidden misteries be throughly perceyued 2 And he sayth saint Iohn to coÌ„fort my weaknesse layd hys ryghte hand vpon me He releued me with his power grace and helpe when he saw me humbled before his face and fearfully astonyed at the woonderfull brightnesse of his high misteries And not without his worde for he sayd vnto me 3 Let not fearefulnesse ouercome thée nor doutfull dread oppresse thée But take vnto thée fayth which is the chiefe remedie in feare know that I am the first and the laste the maker the restorer of all creatures I am he of whoÌ„ all things depeÌ„d and vnto whom all things belong 4 I am now alyue as thou séest euydently and the very lyfe it selfe yet was I slayne now of late and my body dead and buryed 5 Behold me therfore earnestly for now in a gloryfied nature in a bodie impassyble and immortall I am a lyue for euer euer readie to make interpellatioÌ„ to obtaine mercy for all the worldes sinnes death hauing ouer me no more dominion 6 I haue in my hands vnder my power the keyes both of hel death that neither hell nor sin death nor the diuil shall be froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth able to preuayle agaynst my electes No coÌ„demnation shall be vnto them that are surely grafted in me 7 Take penne and incke therfore and seriously wryâ—e the thinges which thou hast alreadie séene 8 And note faythfully the meruayls which are by the power of God accomplyshed and the wonders also which shall be fulfilled hereafter 9 Marke first of all with due cyrcumspection the secrete mystery of the vij shyning starres which thou sawest now of late in my right hand 10 And diligently consider the seuen golden Candelstickes also 11 The vij starres in signification are the messengers of Gods word or the Apostolike preachers appointed to the vij congregatioÌ„s in Asia and in them to all the world These ought in the church as the starres in the firmameÌ„t to shine in holsome doctrine and in godly conuersatioÌ„ and as the lightes of the world neyther in life nor preachyng to mynistre any maner of darkenesse 12 Consider also the seuen golden Candelstickes which thou sawest about me to be the sayd .vij. coÌ„gregations Upon whom I ought to shine which am the lyght of the worlde In whose workes I oughte to appere which am the clerenesse of the Gentiles They are called here .vij. Golden Candelsticks as most precious in value for so much as they ar precious in the sight of God were also redéemed and boughte with a great price euen with the precious bloud of the vndefiled lambe Iesus Christ. The second Chapiter THE TEXT 1 Vnto the Angell of the congregation of Ephesus vvryte 2. These things saieth he that holdeth the seueÌ„ starres in his right hand vvalketh in the middest of the seuen Golden Candelstickes 3. I knovv thy vvorkes and thy labour and thy pacience 4 And howe thou canste not forbeare them vvhich are euil 5. And examinest them vvhich say they are Apostles and are not 6. And hast found them lyars 7. And hast suffred and hast patience and for my names sake haste laboured and haste not faynted 8. Neuerthelesse I haue somevvhat against thee for thou haste lefte the first loue 9 Remember therfore from vvhence thou art fallen and repent 10. And doe the first vvorkes 11. Or els I will come vnto thee shortly 12. And will remoue thy Candelsticke out of his place excepte thou repent 13. But this thou hast bicause thou hatest the deedes of the Nicolaitans 14. Which deedes I also hate 15. Let him that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite saith vnto the congregations 16. To him that ouercommeth wil I giue to eate of the tree of lyfe 17. vvhich is in the middest of the Paradyse of my God THE PARAPHRASE MY dearely beloued seruant Iohan sayeth the Lord Iesus my will is that thou shalte signifie by writing vnto the messenger or preacher of the Christian congregation of Ephesus which dwelling in this earthly mansion is as was Daniel ful of wholsome desires Shée looketh for the Kingdom shée séeketh for the glorie shée hungreth for the rightuousnesse of God she thursteth for the liuing waters shée
the number of one seuenth be an infinit nuÌ„ber ther much more of many seuenthes 4 And I harde a voyce froÌ„ heauen saith S. Iohn which is all one with the aforesaid Sion is the vniuersal coÌ„gregacion of Christ all cleare froÌ„â— supersticions of men For from Sion commith the lawe of the Lord after Esay and the word of God from Ierusalem 5 This worde is as the noise of many waters whan it is in the mouthes of many diuers peoples of diuers nacions laÌ„guages one not vnderstanding an other yet knowing it eche people among them selues 6 Uery like is it also to a great thuÌ„der cracke mighty fearful and terrible to the fleshe Uery harde is thy word Lord sayde Christes disciples who is able to abide it 7 And the voice that I hard sayth Iohn was much after the noyse that the harpers make wheÌ„ they play vpoÌ„ their harps Ful of agremeÌ„t are the holi scriptures yea ful of swéet hermony concord more precious are the verities of the Lord than is golde and their melody more swéet than hony 8 With theÌ„ reioysed Dauid before the arke of the Lorde In them tooke Paule a stomake and coÌ„founded the Iewes at Damascus 9 And swéetly they vttered with their voyces a song that séemed all newe before the seat of the Lord before the foure beastes before the auncient elders This song is the word of the Lorde all new both to the good and to the il The faythfull it renueth in the spirit of their mynds prouoking them to do on a new man in Christ. The hartes of the vnfaithfull is so hardened that they in disdayn and spight doth call it new learning as did the ignoraÌ„t multitude at Caparnaum and the worldly wise men of Athens 10 Before the seate of the Lord was this song vttered which is the godly disposed multitude For like as the hart of an hipocrite is the very seate of sathan so is the harte of a faithfull man the seate of god and habytacle of the holy ghost 11 Before the iiii beasts was it opened also by this number of godly teachers which beasts ar the priuat coÌ„gregatioÌ„s of the Lord remaining here yet in the flesh in the iiii quarters of the world 12 Finally before the elders was it songe also For none other doctrine is it nor Gospell of glad tidinges than hath bin since the beginning nor than hath bene thankfully receiued of our old auncitors Patriarkes the Prophets the Apostles the faithful fathers 13 And no man could learne the new song but the aforesaide hundred and xliiij thousand which were redéemed from the earth Oh mighty wonderful yea tirrible sentence of the Lorde None that take them selues for the people of God can be accepted afore hym for the true féede of Abraham nor for the iust ministers of his worde vnlesse they be tokened afore with the holy spirit of his promise and so predestinate to the lyfe euerlasting 14 None can sincerely do that godly office to the profit of other vnlesse he be wholly taken from all fleshlye and worldly affects No man caÌ„ come vnto me saith Christ vnlesse it bée giuen him of my father 15 The wilfull Iewes beleued not bicause they were not the shéepe of his marke Neither is it of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of the onely mercy of the Lord. Necessarie is it therfore that his spirit draweth moueth inclineth the hart Els caÌ„ not the soÌ„g be swéet neither in him the singeth nor yet in the herer The notes of this new soÌ„g are gods heueÌ„ly verities registred in the faithfull hartes 16 And they that dyd signe them to the prayse of the Lord were not defiled with women With no straunge doctrines nor yet prophane worshippings is theyr faith coÌ„taminate that vnfainedly haue don on Iesus Christ. Not the spousage of their soules haue they broken by no filthy traditions of men Onely haue they with Dauyd sought the testimonyes of God and thought none lyke vnto them Onely dyd they cleaue to hys precyous lawes estéeming all other but chaffe and very whoredome in the spirite 17 Therfore are they vyrgines maryed vnto Christ in faith as were the Corinthians by Paules preachinge whoÌ„ he wished to coÌ„tinue a chast virgin vnto Christ. Neuer is the maydenhead of the soule lost till erronious doctrine be receiued froÌ„ the messengers of Antichrist the Bishops Hipocrites 18 The virgins or vncorrupted beleuers doth folow the lambe whersoeuer he becoÌ„meth They go after Christ the beleuing his word doth fashion their liues vnto it Like as they folow Antichrist the fashion their workes to his doctrine They walk in his steps that forsake theÌ„ selues with him that beareth the crosse of persecutioÌ„s with him or the suffreth deth for the truth with him And not they that séeke them selues lyuing héere in all pompe voluptuousnesse and Tiranny From this place fetch the blinde papists a great argument for their wiuelesse castity that none foloweth christ but they in this muster bicause they are vnmaried Neyther may AbrahaÌ„ Moises nor Dauid Zachary Peter nor Philip walk in this number bicause they had wyues So perillous a thing it is to haue a wife It is greate meruayle they admit Mary Christs mother to it bicause she had a husband Oh ignoraÌ„t asses very beastly Idiotes I think you follow Iudas which had neyther wyfe nor childe vnlesse he had theÌ„ sitting by other meÌ„s fyers as many of you haue yet at this same day What is vyrginitie before god more thaÌ„ is mariage No more thaÌ„ is circumcision in comparison to vncircumcision And that is nothing No more maketh the one thaÌ„ the other to a Christian life Only is it â—aith effectually working by loue that the Lord requireth of vs. Only respected he the faith of Mary and not hyr virginity They which liue in matrimony after the word of god ar accepted afore hiÌ„ for virgins so are named of S. Paule An other cauillatioÌ„ they haue that none which hath offeÌ„ded afore can be of this number But they consider not what is spokeÌ„ here afore that they wer redemed from the earth that the spirit of the lord hath purified their hartes throughe faith Neither haue they grace to remember the Christes innocency is reckened for an whole perfecte rightuousnesse vnto them that beléeue in him but they must bring in such trifles as are their owne beggerly merites 19 And therefore it followeth also These faithfull beléeuers saith sainct Iohn were redéemed froÌ„ men being the first fruites to God to the lambe By none other were they redemed than by Christ. For of all the elect nuÌ„ber he is the only rightuousnesse wisdom holinesse redemption From the corrupt blinde froward multitude hath he called them taken them and cleared them And of deformed sinners hath he made theÌ„ faire of vile pure of wretched gloryous of blinde perfectly séeing of lyars true sayers of obstinate gentle of yll good and
tormeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore as the flame of a fornace with most horible stinke for a perpetual signe of their punishmeÌ„t like as it dyd froÌ„ Sodome Gomor when the Lorde ouerthrew them 2 So that they haue no rest neyther day nor night so mani as worship the beast his image receuiÌ„g the priÌ„t of his nam 3 Both in this lyfe are they cruciate with a troublous and doubtfull conscience and also after this life with vnspekeable paynes For neither shal their worm dye nor yet their fyre be queÌ„ched all flesh abhorring theÌ„ 4 Thus shal they be with the beast tormeÌ„ted which haue the spirite of the beast For like as al the faithful which hath ben from the beginning belongeth to one misticall body in Christe and shal be preserued by him so doeth the wicked perteine to one misticall Antichrist hauing al one spirit with him and so shall with him perish 5 Here is the pacience of the saynts In this life ar their troubles no plesure is for them in this world but hate rebukes slaunders lies persecutions and death of their bodyes Their life vpon earth is continuall affliction but gloryous is the fruite of their labours Manifold are the misfortunes of the rightuous but the Lord cleareth them of all 6 Here are they vexed that kepe the commaundements the fayth of Iesu Here are they had in derision that behaue theÌ„selues as the ministrs of god in much patieÌ„ce afflictioÌ„s néede anguish labour stryps imprisonment and such lyke 7 Here are they chastened of the LORDE with many sore storms that they should not be damned with this world Much haue they héere to suffer of enemies that onely cleueth to the word of god in life doctrine THE TEXT 1. And I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me 2. Write 3. Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lord 4 euen so saith the spirit that they may rest froÌ„ their labours 5. But their vvorkes shall follovve them The Paraphrase 1 And I heard a voyce from heaueÌ„ saith S. Iohn saying vnto me 2 Wryte with penne or marke suerly this sentence following for them that here suffer in the truthes quarell 3 Blessed are the dead or they which are already departed and that also shal heereafter depart in the Lorde This voyce from heauen are the infallible scriptures ascertaining the faith of Iohn of the swéete rest of the saintes in the hands of God And that their ende is not without honour as the vain sort supposeth but they are couÌ„ted among the dere children of God Let theÌ„ therefore that suffer in this age be earnestly sprited not feare the tormeÌ„ts of the enimies in Christes cause 4 For from hence forth the spirit saith that they rest froÌ„ their labours In a woÌ„derfull quietnesse dwel they by the very sentence of the holy Ghost shall neuer more féele of any woo God hath clean wiped away al tears froÌ„ their eyes all sorrowes paynes from their bodies the first daungers being â—ast Happy are they therefore and moste godly fortunate that are slaine for Christ bicause they wil not worship the beast his Image nor corrupt their faith with their wicked lawes but in a pure christian beleue departeth froÌ„ hence to the Lord. Theyr portion is in the land of the liuing and their lot among the holy ones 5 For certainly their works doth folow them The promised rewarde of God for constantly standing by the veritie for the fruites of their christian patience for other exercise of theyr fayth is euermore to their glory present with theÌ„ Not as deserued of theÌ„ but of Christe in whose fayth they wrought here for the promise sake that they should be gods heyres togither with Christ. The lyuely word also which they earnestly receyued héere and so rooted in their faith wil neuer suffer them to perishe nor to be hurte of the second death THE TEXT 1 And I looked and beholde 2. a vvhyte cloude 3. and vpon the cloude one sitting lyke vnto the sonne of man 4. hauyng on his head a golden crovvn 5. and in his hand a sharpe sickle The Paraphrase 1 I looked yet further saith S. Iohn and euidently before me appeared a whyte cloude which betokeneth the true ministers of Gods word Whom the holy ghost calleth clouds by Esay Dauid Peter Iudas For from theÌ„ falleth vpon the people the swéete droppes of his verities 2 White they are as milk for their faith in the word and for their christian conuersation not blotted with hipocrisie of meÌ„s corrupted customes 3 Upon this cloude was one sittyng lyke vnto the sonne of man whiche is verely Christ in his glorified maÌ„hood For euermore is he among hys true preachers gyuyng them suche vtteraunce and wisedome as all theyr enymies are not able to withstande Alwayes walketh he among the vij candelstickes which are his congregations as we had afore 4 He had vpon his heade a golden crowne in token of his eternall and vncorrupte kingdome and in hys hand a sharpe sickle which is the sharp iudgement or rightuousnesse of hys worde for there with shall hée reape his latter haruest According to hys worde and promyse shall hee iudge good and euill 5 This sickle receyued he of hys euerlasting father suche tyme as hée gaue ouer vnto hym hys vniuersall iudgements By the order of this vision should the preachers séeme in the last age of the church much to admonish the people of the latter day with the commyng of Christe agayne to iudge both the quicke and the deade as is in their créede or beléeue THE TEXT 1 And an other Angell came out of the temple 2. crying with a loude voyce to hym that satte on the cloude 3. Thrust in thy sikle and reape 4. for the tyme is come to reape 5. For the corne of the earth is rype 6. And he that satte on the cloude 7. thrust in his sickle on the earth 8. and the earth vvas reaped The Paraphrase 1 And an other Angell sayth sainct Iohn came out of the temple which is the congregation of fayth consecrated as an holy temple vnto God in the bloud of the vndefiled Lambe Iesus This Angell betokeneth those iust men that with Symeon and Anna the doughter of Phanuell in thys latter age are desirous of the glory of God and of the finall redemption of man from bodily corruption 2 These shal cry with a loude voice with a feruent spirite shall they call vnto Christ which sitteth vpon the cloude 3 And thys shall bée theyr saying Thrust in the sickle and reape Send foorth thy lyuing word And lyke as it hath created all things so let it now trye and iudge all things 4 For the tyme is at hand to reape For we are those vpon whoÌ„ the ends of the world are come 5 And doutlesse the corne of the earth is ripe the worlde is at the best that it wil be As it hath bene euer so is it stil altogether set vpon
They fashioned thē selues to the example that was shewed thē in the mount 3 None other are these horses then their corruptible bodyes prepared to battail They which are of Christ doth mortifie the vices and lustes of theyr flesh they tame their carnall affectiōs Like perfect men they brydle their bodies to the obedience of the spirite So to become the true seruantes of rightuousnesse and no more to do seruice vnto sin White are these horses for the pure word of the Lord which gouerneth thē No meruaile though these myghtie souldyers foloweth the Lord cōsidering he is so oft in the scriptures called the lord of hosts A like similitude dyd the seruant of Helizens the Prophet behold in a vision throug Gods permission in Dotham 4 This army of the Lord here were appareled preciously with pure white silk or fine raynes betokening the pure innocensy which they haue in Christe theyr general captain Not carnal is this armour but euermore spirituall after the doctrine of S. Paule Though we walke in the flesh saith he yet do we not fight after a fleshly maner For the weapons of our warre are not carnal things but things mighty in God Bewtifull fayre is my welbeloued saith the eternall Salomon for hys soule pleaseth his Lord and is loued agayn of him His fauour his mercy is vpon his holy ones he hath a louing respect vnto his chosen number A notable singe of victory in the faithfull are also these white horses vestures for afore they ar called iustificacions of the saintes 5 And out of his Godly mouth sayth the Text proceded forth a two edged swerd which is the fearce iudgement of his mighty word By this effectual swerd are the faithfull beleuers woūded vnto life and the vnbeleuers to the death of dampnacion For vnto some it is the sauour of life and vnto some againe the sauour of death vnto death By this swerd also shal the dead braūches be cut from the vine and the corrupted members from the whole body The gotes shal be deuided from the lambes and the euil from the rightuous Oh how sharp fierce and tirrible wil this sentence of the lords indignaciō be at that day Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fyre Yet shall it be vnto the faithful a perpetuall power victory triumphe ouer their enymies 6 Ouer besides all this goeth that swerd frō his eternal mouth to the intēt he should therw t correct their Heathē or reform◠thē of their heathinish life So that if they wil not at the wholsome admonishmēts of his word repent and amend their olde conuersacion that than they should be condemned by the same for their wilful contempt If men wil not turne saith Dauid he shall whet his swerde against them He wil sharpen it as the lightening and aquite his enymies their wickedmes 7 This mighty Lord shal rule them with a strong rodde of yron which is the inuincible veritie This is the rod of right order the septure of the kingdome and the wand of power whom the Lord sent frō Sion to haue sway among our enymies So strong is this septure that it wil not bowe No place wil it geue to the contrary parte If they will not therewith be ordred he shall breke them in peces as the potter doth his pot in such maner as they neuer shal recouer agayne 8 The winefat of the great fiercenesse and sore displeasur of almighty God shal he tred downe with power More greuously shal they be opressed at this latter comming by his set sētence thā they wer afore at Hierusalē by Uespasianus and Titus The vineyarde of the Lord of hostes was the house of Israell This brought he out of Egipt by strong hande Thereof looked hée to haue had grapes and it brought hym foorth bryers and thistles Their vines were as the wilde vines of Sodome Bitter were their grapes as the poyson of Dragons and as the cruel gaul of Adders Therfore will he break the hedge and throw downe the wal that it may be troden vnder foote 9 Great anguishe shall bée vpon the earth in his fury and wrath vpō that people in his anger They shall fall on the edge of the swerd and be dispersed Both here shall they haue griefe and also in the world to come 10 This victorious horse man hath vpon his white vesture besprinckeled with bloud which is his innocent māhood crucified 11 And vpō his tender thigh whom some call his churche some his scriptures as flesh of his fleshe or spirite of his spirite this name of magnificence written 12 In both of them is it manifestlye expressed that he is both king of kinges and also Lorde of Lordes the great guide of right gouernours and that monarke of godly magistrates By kings is his generation discribed of Mathew in the posteritie of Dauid and of Luke by faithfull fathers vnto Adam which had the first promise of health Both doth the godly actes of his natural māhood and also the holy spirite whom he left here to the comfort of all true beléeuers declare that he is the eternall attourney of God his Apostles true seruaunts affyrming the same And these are his garmente and thigh By hys death is our nakednesse couered which are his misticall members Of his spirite is our strength which are the generation séeking the Lord of Iacob 13 Both hath he giuen hym of God the high seat of Dauid his father and also the vniuersall power in heauen and in earth as he by whom all things were first created For his power is an euerlasting power and his kingdome such as shall neuer perishe And all this is comprehended in that he is called the sonne of the highest and in that he alone hath immortalitie inhabyting the light that no man can attayne to whom be honour and euerlasting empire Amen In this vesture and thigh are his titles written as to hys onely behou e that no man shuld of presumption vsurpe them neither by supremite nor vycarage his church and posteritie acknowledging the same euermore THE TEXT 1 And I savve an Angell 2. stande in the sunne 3. and he cryed vvith a loude voyce 4. saying to all soules that flye by the middest vnder the heauen 5. Come and gather your selues togither 6. vnto the supper of the great God 7. that ye may eate the fleshe of kynges 8. of high captaine 9. the flesh of mightie men 10. and the flesh of horses 11. and of them that sit on them 12. and the flesh of all free men bondmen 13. both of small and great The Commentary 1 After this reuelation I sawe saith sainct Iohn a beautifull Angell betokening not onely the Apostles but all other faithfull ministers in the word els hauing the Apostles spirite 2 In the sunne stedfastly stoode thys Angell which signifieth Christ that cleare sunne of rightuousnesse the bright morning star in the middest of the cloude the expresse Image of God substance of his
glory In the strong faith of his name and word stande these worthie witnesses agaynst the whole swarme of Antichristes not once remouyng their fote from the rock which is Christ also for no persecution nor death 3 These hath cryed and yet shall crye still to the worldes ende with a mightie loude voyce or a sure constant spyrite Earnestly shall they protest and publish vnto the fethered foules of the ayre that flye by the middest of heauen by whome are vnderstanded the méeke sprited multitude made spirituall by fayth and by knowledge of heauenly misteries 4 These as flying byrdes are taken vp from vnpure delightes leauing at their tayles all corruptible thinges They lift vp them selues aboue them selues haue their coÌ„uersatioÌ„ in heaueÌ„ vnfainedly Yea these are those gentil soules whom the heauenly father abouÌ„dantly féedeth without theyr deseruings Such a soule was faithfull Abraham in Mesopotamia Moyses in Synai Helias in Carme Danyell among the Lyons the children of Israel in the wildernesse Paul in Damascus Iohn in Pathmos and many other more which afterward became Angels also in the sunne or teachers in Christ. And this not onely hath ben but shall be also stil to the worlds end the tenour of their crye 5 Come you that haue receyued the veritie from the heauy and carefull cures of this worlde and gather your selues togither into the vnitie of one faith and spirite Knit your selues togither in christian loue whiche is the cheayne of perfection let the peace of God which passeth all wit kéepe your hartes and vnderstandyngs in Christ Iesu that ye may be counted worthye your christien vocation 6. And so prepare your selues as hys louinge frindes vnto the bounteous supper of the almightye God whiche is the eternall refection of soule that ye may be fed with his most precious delicates Learne of the word of God what is his heauenly wyll and folow it in your works Flée therby from all worldly lusts liue soberly iustly godly here abyding his glorious aperaÌ„ce 7 So order your selues in liuing doctrine that ye may eate the flesh of kings or take froÌ„ the worldly gouernors by your godly preaching al that is filthy carnall 8 Consume the fierce flesh of the captayns in plucking theÌ„ froÌ„ crueltie mallice 9 Denowre the froward flesh of meÌ„ that be mighty in power possessioÌ„s cause theÌ„ to leaue their superfluous vanities 10 Spare neither horses nor yet those that sit vpoÌ„ them but byte both theyr fleshes harde Rebuke both the beastly Antichrist the prince that is ruled by him 11 Plucke from those belly Gods byshops and priestes their pompes lecherous pleasures from those that follow them in superstitions the cruell persecuting of innocents 12 See that no flesh be left vntouched neither of frée men nor bonde men rulers nor subiects maisters nor seruaÌ„ts Neyther of small nor great poore nor riche low nor high but be doing with theÌ„ all Play as doth the Egles other rauening fouls Wher as ye sée a dead carkasse or body without faith spirit thither resort ye apace Tell euery man his right offyce Exhort the kyng to be learned and to liue in the fear of the Lord. The prince to be wise and the Iudge to be godly Bid the graunde captaynes be faythfull to theyr commons and the great rich men more mercyfull to the poore CommauÌ„de the carnall hypocrites no longer to dissemble their vndiscréets clients no longer to folow theÌ„ in darknesse Require them no longer to ney after their neyghbours wyues lyke â—ancke stoned horses the other no loÌ„ger to pamper them vp to all beastlye vices Charge the gouernours to rule faithfully the commoÌ„ people to obey louyngly Sée that the woman obeye theyr husbandes the chyldren theyr fathers the seruants theyr maysters And agayne that the men be louing to theyr wyues gentyle to theyr chyldren fauourable to their seruants Open the foure cornerde shéete as did Peter Sley all maner of foure footed beastes of the earth vermin wormes and foules of the ayre eat them Rebuke them with pacience whatsoeuer they be tyraÌ„ts persecutors murtherers glottons Antichristes extortioners ribalds Idolatours théeues and pluck from them their filthye and carnall customes Ye shall eate the flesh saith Ezechiell of the worthyes and drink the bloud of the princes of the land of the wethers of the lambs of the gotes and of the oxen that be al slayne at Basan THE TEXT 1 And I savv the beast 2. And the kings of the earth and their warryers 3. Gathered together 4 To make battayle 5. Against hym that sate vpon the horse 6. And against hys souldiours 7. And the beast was taken 8. And with him that fals prophet 9. That tought miracles before him 10. With vvhich he deceiued them that receiued the beasts mark 11. And theÌ„ that worshipped his Image 12. These both werre caste quick into a ponde 13. Of fyre burning vvith brimston 14. And the remnaunt were slaine vvith the svvord of him that sate vpoÌ„ the horse 15. Which svvord proceedeth out of his mouth 16. And all the soules vvere stuffed vvith their flesh The commentary 1 Anone after this I behelde saith S. Iohn the great horible beast that rose out of the sea that battailed with the Saintes and that beare the greate whore of Babilon which is the generall Antichrist 2 I saw also following him the cruell kinges of the earth and their host of bloudy warriours the mitered bysshops of his beastly kingdome with their great bellied monks and priestes the malicious tirants of the world with their mad moodye magistrates and slaues 3 These gather them selues togeather in one minde of mischiefe hath done since Christes assencion They muster in aray as dyd Pharaoes host they buskle together as dyd Cayphas hyered knights in the dark with fyre brands and weapons 4 To make fierce war or very sharp battaile against the most valiant capitayne Iesus Christe which sate vpon the aforesayde whit horse and against mighty stomaked soldiours of his faithful army of true christiaÌ„s Neuer was the holy gospell yet sincerely taught the glory of God proponed and the inordinate liuings of men reprehended but such vprore of hipocrits and suche tumulte of tyrantes hath followed 5 The word of the Lord is alwayes of one nature to be the marke of contradiction and rocke of reproch Horsemen for the more parte are these malicious warriours against Christ his word sturred prouoked and set foreward by the beastly bishops None other caused Herode Pylate to put Christ vnto death but Annas Caiphas Non other moued Felix the president of Iury to emprison Paule but the puffed vp prelate Ananias Traianus the Emperour would neuer so extremely haue persecuted the Christian church nor yet other cruell tyrauntes euer since had they not béene propped forewarde by such pampred palfraies of the diuil 6 Not onely agaynst Christ doe they moue this bold battail but also against those that faithfully
there were of both sortes So well was he accepted that mortyfied the desires of the fleshe and offered himselfe a lyuinge sacryfyce vnto God as hée that gaue his life for the veritie 14 But the residue sayth saint Iohn or the other sort called the deade men for that they were not numbred with the ryghtuous neyther among them that sate vpon the seates nor yet amonge them that were slayne for the witnesse of Iesu lyued not agayne after they were once dead tyll the thousand yeres of their death was throughly fulfilled The time was whan they which wer dead through sin did heare the voyce of the sonne of God They fatihfuly beleued the word therof so it reuiued in him vnto the lyfe euerlasting which was both the life light of men Wher as the froward conâ—eÌ„ners of the lyuing word hauing their coÌ„scieÌ„ces sealed with the beasts marke remained stil in their infidelitie which is the very death of the soule so were by the right iudgemeÌ„t of God lost for euer For the sin against the holy ghost which is a resistaÌ„ce against the manifest truth shal neither be forgeuen in this worlde nor yet in the world to come 15 A time without end doth this word till cause this thousand here to be after the commoÌ„ vsage of the scripture Noe sent forth a Rauen out of the arke whiche returned not agayne tyl the waters were dryed vp that is to say he neuer returned again Ioseph knew not Mary til she had brought forth hir first borne sonne That is to say he neuer bodely knew hir Thou shalte not out of prison till thou hast payde the vttermost mite .i. thou shalte neuer out With an hundreth of suche places in the Bible THE TEXT 1. This is that first resurrection 2. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection 3. For on suche shall the seconde death haue no povver 4. But they shall be the prists of God and of Christ. 5. And shal raign vvith him a thousand yeares The commentary 1 This is the first resurrection vnto lyfe to ryse from sin to repentaunce from ignoraunce to godly knowledge and from darknesse to faith Through the offence of one man entred sin into the world and through sin death Necessary it is therefore to dye vnto sin and to liue vnto rightuousnesse And so to rise togither with Christ séekyng the things which are aboue not vpoÌ„ earth For neuer shal they come to the seconde resurrection which is vnto the lyfe euerlasting that will not ryse by repentaunce vnto a new lyfe in hym which is both resurrection and lyfe 2 Blessed is that man of the Lord yea holy iust and perfect may he be reported also of all men which hath porcion conuenient in the first resurrection with Dauid Magdalene Zacheus and Peter Happy are they which hearing the word of God retayneth it in theyr lyuing For they being renued with the glad tydinges of lyfe are depured by the spirite of Christ sanctified and so made the habitacles of the holy Ghost 3 Upon such Godly dysposed persons hath the seconde death of the soule which is eternal dampnatioÌ„ no maner of power nor effectual iurisdiction For no damnation can be vnto them which are in Christ Iesu not walking after the fleshe Though they haue bene great sinners yet shall not theyr sinnes be to them imputed but in the resurrectioÌ„ of the wrightuous shall they ryse to immortalyte and be as the very Angels in heauen He that hath taken froÌ„ theÌ„ the poore of death shall make theÌ„ sure of eternal inheretauÌ„ce with god 4 They shall surely bée the chosen priestes of God the euerlasting father and of his eternall sonne Iesus Christ whiche are of the firste resurrection Though they be here in the flesh yet fight they not after the flesh but they shall folow the gouernaunce of the spirit geue ouer their bodis for a liuing sacryfice holy and acceptable vnto God 5 And thus shall they reigne with christ their merciful sauiour redemer for the space of the thousaÌ„d yeres afore named None other toke they all that longe seasoÌ„ for theyr spiritual Messyas their eternall King their hygh Bishop for all their mayster their Lorde their gyde their lyght and the shepeherde of theyr soules None other wold they acknowledge but him for their mediatoure attonement maker neyther Moyses nor Samuell Noe Daniell nor Iob Iohan Baptist Mary nor Peter Hée onely was vnto them all wysedome ryghtuousnesse holynesse and redeÌ„ption In none other name coulde they fynde health and saluation but alone in hys Nothing pertayneth this vnto the Popes masse sayers for they call vpon many names wyth Ora pro nobis and are of a far other priesthode as we haue declared afore In christes kyngdoÌ„ is none outwarde Priesthode nor sacryfice to be made for sin For he hath with one oblacioÌ„ for all fully satysfied for the sins of his electe number for euer The office of a ChristeÌ„ man now is onely to offer vp himselfe by the deniall of himselfe and by the mortificatioÌ„ of his fleshe In the holy supper of the Lorde which is a mutuall participacioÌ„ of his bodi bloud is no new sacrifice to be made but onely a faithfull remembrauÌ„ce to be taught of that full and perfect sacrifice that he made once for all vnlesse we will betray him and crucifie him againe The dutie of a minister in Christes coÌ„gregation is with all study and diligence to labour in the holy worde of God be he bishop priest Chaplayne Pastour or preacher Hys ministration is great labour no dygnitie payne and not pryde or arrogancie And hauing his foode and rayment he ought to require no more THE TEXT 1 And vvhan the thousande yeares are expyred 2. Sathan shall be loosed out of prison 3. and shall go out 4. to diseeiue the people 5. vvhich ar in the foure quarters of the earth 6. Gog Magog 7. to gather them togither to battle 8 vvhose number is as the sande of the sea 9. And they vvent vpon the plaine of the earth 10. and compassed the tentes of the sayntes about 11. and the beloued Citie 12. And fyre came dovvne from God out of heauen 13. and deuoured them 14. And the Diuell that deceyued them 15. vvas cast into a lake of fyre and brymstone 26. vvhere the beast and the false Prophet vvere 17. and shall be tormented daye and nighte for euermore The Commentary 1 After the plentnous description of the true church of Christe which is vnknowen to the worlde for the glorious doughter of the eternall Kinge is from within sayth Dauid now foloweth in course the pernicious kingdome of Antechrist whan it was in the hyghest pryde so soone as the afore rehersed thousande yeares sayth saynt Iohn are fully accoÌ„plished or brought to an ende 2 Sathan the common aduersarie of man shal be loosed out of his darke pryson and so shal be set at large by the sufferance
of God mans wickednesse deseruing none other A full libertie shall he haue to do all myschiefe vpon earth and strongely to delude the vnbeleuers for their vnbeleues sake 3 He shall go fourth with all deceytefull power wherof he is full transforming himselfe into a resemblaunce of the Angell of lyght to deceyue the vniuersall people of the world 4 Through the operation of erroure he shall cause them to giue credence vnto lies and false myracles that they myght be dampned for refusing the truth and consentinge to such wyckednesse Uery crafty shall he compasse theÌ„ with gynnes of hypocrisye too blinde theyr vnfaythfull myndes leaste the lyghte of the gospell shoulde be open vnto theÌ„ The abhomination of desolacion shall he set vp in the holy place to the vtter destruction of theyr fayth 5 Yea he shall séeke out this people from each iiii quarters of the vniuersall earth to corrupt their consciences with all maner of supersticions 6 Which people of him thus peruerted is called here in misteri Gog Magog which is as much to say as couered of reuered For both the grauÌ„d capitains and multitudes of theÌ„ depending doth these two words coÌ„prehend the one couering the diuel with many false religioÌ„s the other in his sorte folowing the same wicked coÌ„sent S. Augustine in his .xx. â—ooke de ciuitate dei willeth by Gog to be signified the glorious hipocrites of the world by Magog the opeÌ„ enimies of rightuousnesse preteÌ„ding the contrary as testifieth Berrosus the Caldeane in the first booke of his histories fyft chap. Gog was a mighty gouernour in the landes of Sabea and Arabia the ryche vnder Nemroth the great Kinge of Babilon and their ruled wyth Sabus his father in the .xviii yere of hys reigne In the .xxxviii. chapter of Ezechiels Prophecy is he called the chiefe prynce of Mosoche Turball whom some expositours take for Capadoce Spayne But after the opinion of saint Hierom and Isidorus whych was a Spanayrde the Hebreues doth take this Thurball for Italye whyche is muche more agreable to this purpose Magog was the second sonne of Iaphet whyche was the third sonne vnto Noe. Thys Magoge as wytnesseth Iosephus in the first booke of his antiquities the xj Chapter was the first beginner of the Magogytes whome the Grekes called the Scitheanes wée now the Tartareanes And al the chiefe wryters specyfieth the Turkes of theÌ„ to haue takeÌ„ their first originall Now marke thys wonderfull misterye consider therein both the tyme story So shall ye well perceiue the holy ghost to meane none other hereby this Gog and Magoge but the Romish Pope Mahomete with their blasphemous and wicked generations Serche the Cronicles and ye shall finde that their beginninges were base and their estate simple before the thousand yeares were finished But after that they grewe vp so high by theyr fayned simplicitie and simulate holynesse that they became the .ii. chefe Monarkes of the earth and so in processe ruled the vniuersall world These are the .ij. horns or beastly kingdomes of the great Antichrist or whole bodye of the Diuell rysyng vp by the earthly studyes and diuelysh deuises of wicked men By the doctrine of Aristotle Plato Porphirie Auicenne Auerois Auenzoar and such other became the Romish Pope Christes vycar and head of the vniuersall churche Petrus Lombardus created him a newe diuinitye so dyd Gracianus monachus a newe CannoÌ„ law of decrées to establyshe the same besydes that was done thaÌ„ by Petrus Conmestor the thirde brother For all they thrée were the chyldreÌ„ of one aduoutrous mother as witnesseth Antoninus Hermannus Schedel Ioannes Textor and diuerse other Chronographers By the crafti coÌ„ueyaunce of Sergius a false Monke of Constantinople and of one Mathew the Archdeacon of Antioche was Mahomete taken for the Apostle of both testameÌ„tes for the great Prophet of God and for Messias among the Tartareanes and Arabies wtth other peoples of the East To establish this by a pretensed religyon and to bring it to a myghty monarchy by the aduisement of Phinées Abdias Cabalchabar Balteira Merban and Elgug with other Iewes Iacobynes Nestorianes and Arlyanes they made the blasphemous lawe of their Alchorane as testifyeth Iohn Cuspiniane in his boke de Turcarum origine and other auctors else Thus for the wickednesse and sinnes of the people suffered the Lorde abhominable hypocrites to haue the domynion ouer them The two hornes are lyke the Lambes hornes at a blushe For boeth they pretende holynesse in fastinges in praiers in almesse dedes in washings in other holy rytes and ceremonies That a maÌ„ seing theÌ„ not hauing knoweledge of the truth of god which trieth all wolde thinke nothing to be more pure honest godly innoceÌ„t cleane holy angleycke than are their tradicions Both they confesse one God Both they commende christ Both they allowe the scriptures of both lawes Mahomete callerh Christ the worde of God the spirite of God and the soule of God the most excelleÌ„t Prophet and the worthiest among creaturs But in no case wyll hée haue hym taken for the sonne of GOD no more than the Pope wyll haue hym taken for a full sauyour wythout hys masses and suffrages And lyke as the Pope hath rysen vp by the wilye practyses of Phylosophers Sophysters Sentencioners and Canonystes so hath Mahomete commen vp by the Sobellianes Manyches Eunomyanes Macedonianes Nestoreanes and Arryanes with other heretiques Out of whose opinyons was contriued hys Alchorane as a meane lawe betwyxt Moyses and Christ bicause the one saye they was too ful of hardnesse the other too full of libertie And to call vpon him both Iewes Christianes he admytteth after a sort both Circumcision and Baptyme graunting them lybertie to haue many wiues with other voluptuous pleasures 7 Thus vnder simulate religion or pretence of Gods lawe seruyce these two tyrauntes Gog and Magog the Romysh Pope Mahomete with their whole generatioÌ„s of like spirite wyth theÌ„ haue gathered theÌ„ selues together into one wicked consent against god his christ For vnder Gog Magog are al they coÌ„preheÌ„ded whoÌ„ sathaÌ„ deceiued after that he was set at larg though these two haue not accorded in other things yet haue they boeth agréed in this one poynt by the Diuels entycement to battayle agaynst the lambe To withstande the veritie and impugne the truth of the Gospel they haue bene readye euery where in euery lande in euery cytie and in euerye towne Of one cruel purpose and study to do mischyefe haue these two enymies bene in all places of the world to persecute Christes poore congregation This thing doth the daily practises of them both so manifestly declare that all the worlde se it well inough These doeth Esay call that strong multitude whose spoyle Christ shall deuyde the smith that bloweth the colles in the hote fyre and the waster that destroyeth Ezechiel doeth compare them to a raging tempest Daniell to the King of the Northe and Zachary to
any more 22 In hir moreouer shall be no more death for it shall be destroyed for euer No more shal mennes consciences dispayre here But haue ioye in the holy ghost No more shal they die through sinne but lyue vnto God by fayth And there shall no more the rose coloured whore be dronken in the bloud of martyrs Hir tyrauntes shal be closed vp in the stinking lake of fyre from the slaughter of them they than becomming immortall and impossible Moreouer thaÌ„ this he that beléeueth in christ shal neuer die nor yet come into iudgement but passe cleane froÌ„ death vnto lyfe 23 Neyther shall there be any sorow nor crying any more For all maner of displeasure of the bodye as pouertye sicknesse losses emnytie vexacions and yll reportes are here paciently borne of the faythfull And ther shal be founde nothynge to minister any suche occasions Here is neyther age doubted nor yet persecution feared in them that reckeneth death aduantage hauinge in desire wyth Paule to be hence and wyth Christ. Nor yet shal be there where all is in ioye and peace durable for euer 24 Neyther shall there be felt any more payne Such hath bene the constauncye of the martirs here that litle haue the tormentes greued them Eleazarus paciently suffered all punyshmente Steuen reyosed to sée heauen open Andrewe woulde in no case be delyuered from deathe Laurentius offred his brent fleshe to be eaten The burnynge coles were so sweete vnto Tiburcius as the fragraunt roses So desyrous were the terryble tormeÌ„ts vnto Uincent as a moste pleasaunt banket Angelus desired the people in Sicilia to esteme the tyraunt hys frynde What the exceding constauncy was of Iohn Husse and Hieronime of Prage dyuers Chronycles mencyoneth And in our tyme George Baynham in the fyre dyd neuer complayne Ihon Frith neuer shewed him self once greued in countenaunce Barnes neuer moued as hys enymyes doth report Peter Franke in Colchester sang ioyfully to the Lorde The thrée young men of Southfolk reioysed at the death with such other many And how farre they shal be from paines after this the great daye of the Lorde shall declare 25 For the olde thynges are paste sayth the text All that afore was tedious heauy and fearefull to the flesh is nowe become easie light and pleasaunt through that they haue learned of Christ. His word refresheth them in spirit and is a swéet rest vnto their soules And in the regeneration shall hunger thirst werinesse labour heat colde rayne winde thunder earthquakes with all other discommodities be taken cleane from them Neyther shal they haue ther néede of meat nor drinke foode nor rayment beddes nor buildings féeldes nor medowes welspringes nor riuers gardens nor vineyardes The Text. 1 And he that sate vppon the seate sayde 2. Behold I make all thinges nevve 3. And he sayde vnto me 4 Wryte 5. for these vvordes are faythfull and true 6. And he sayde vnto me 7. it is done 8. I am Alpha and Omega 9. the beginning and the ende 10. I will giue to him that is a thirst 11. of the vvel of the vvater of lyfe free 12. He that ouercoÌ„meth shall inherite all thynges 13. I vvill be his God and he shall be my sonne 14 but the fearefull 15. vnbeleuing 16. the abhominable 17. murtherers 18. and vvhoremongers 19. and sorcerets 20. and Idolatrs 21. all lyars 22. shall haue their part in the lake 23. that burneth With fire and brimston 24. vvhich ys the seconde beath The commentary 1 And the omnypotent Lorde whych sate vpon the eternall throne concluded thus with me Hys holy spirite of promise assertayned my spyryte by hys heauenly word that all these thynges should be true 2 Behoulde sayth he I wyll make all thynges freshe and newe Heauen earthe the Sea and the vnyuersall Cytye of peace I wyll delyuer from all corrupcyon I make all pure cleane holy immortall vncorrupt impassible clere heauenly spirituall and glorious Neuer more shall they bee as they were afore whan they were yet olde Neuer shall be more eating nor drinking wyuing nor â—anketing traueling nor sléeping â—or other such doeinges pertayninge to the corruptible lyfe The rightuous shall than shyne as the red fyre sparkes So bright as the sunne shall they be in the kingdome of theyr father 3 Thus hath the Lorde here midsts meruielously described vnto Iohn and by hym vnto vs the misticall Sabboth of his people here the eternal Saboth after this lyfe oÌ„maÌ„ding him to 〈◊〉 it as foloweth Much to fro hath bene amoÌ„g the 〈◊〉 doctours is 〈◊〉 to thâ—â— day whether the saued multiâ—â—â—â— shall reygne here vpon earth 〈◊〉 Christ or aboue in heauen afteâ— the iudgement dayâ— Which is easy to be perceiâ—ed if the scriptures hée truâ—â— conferred Therefore serâ—h dâ—lygently the scriptures for they hearâ— witnesse of all truth Christ hath in Math. the they shal be thaÌ„ as the Angels are nowâ— in heauen whose office is hath to be hâ—re â— there And so muche 〈…〉 the they shal be as thaÌ„ all one 〈◊〉 wâ—ll shall the earth be new as the heauens And nedes it must be to some purpose Neuer woulde Esay Peteâ— haue said the rightuousâ—sse should dwelt in theÌ„ if they shuld not occupy theÌ„ both It is said here also the the new Hierusalem shall come downe froÌ„ heaueÌ„ But not so that it shall not vp againe For Christes electes shal be whereas he is Whan they shal be vpoÌ„ the earth no let nor impedimeÌ„t shal they haue to be also in heaueÌ„ both they being one 〈…〉 agyltie perfectioÌ„ shall be thaÌ„ in their bodies as is now in the glorified body of Christ or in the spirituall nature of the angels Which are nowhere now theâ— And whether they be here or ther alwaies they sée God â— are 〈…〉 absent from him Manye scriptures myght be brought in to declare thâ—â— matâ—er more at large but it wold 〈◊〉 much tyme. What mutuall feloship heauenly amyte glorious pastyme will be betwixt them the angels at that day it fare passeth al capacities to diffine I couÌ„sail 〈◊〉 to be curious in the serch of high misteris â—s this here is one without the feare of God least he ouercoÌ„meÌ„ of their exceding 〈◊〉 whoredom with many kinges by many false worshippinges This for hir méekenesse is commended of God the other proudely boasteth hir 〈◊〉 through holy tradicions merites and deseruinges to bâ—â— a riche quâ—ene With many such other 4 And the Lorde sayth saint Iohn which worketh all thinges by his onely word and commaundement 〈◊〉 thus vnto me Emprente first in thy hart that I haue here sheweâ— theâ— than leaue it in writing to the 〈◊〉 of those that than folow theâ— 5 And if thou wyll kâ—owe a reason why thou shalt thus doe take this 〈◊〉 sentence with thee I assure the so 〈◊〉 as I am God yâ— the wordes which I haue shewed in this present ReuelatioÌ„ are effectually most faithfull and ruste In no manner of
〈…〉 breake promise nor go from the 〈◊〉 that I haue once spoken Both heauen and earth shall passe ouer but not 〈◊〉 of my wordes shall passe 〈◊〉 at theyr tymes appoynted The worde that goeth out of my mouth 〈◊〉 not returne home again 〈…〉 both accomplysh my wyll prosper the thing I sent it for Nedâ—full is it therfore that all men beleue that I shall fulfil the couenauntes here promised 6 Moreouer than this the sayd heauenly Lorde sayd thus vnto me to put me clerely out of doubt 7 It is fintshed and done already Be thou assertayned that my worde is my dede In the beginning I spake but the worde all things were created heauen earth the lyght the firmameÌ„t the Sunne the Mone the fowles the fishes the beastes and last of all man Whatsoeuer I say therfore ought to be beleued as nowe done in dede be it to the rightuous or damned For all thinges are present afore me In tokeÌ„ whereof the prophetes and fathers vttered their prophesies of thinges to come in the time past for the more part for the sure certentie of them 8 And take these my wordes so much to be the more certayne that I which haue made those promyses haue all thynges in my power I am the firste and the last fyguratly comprehended vnder Alpha Omega the first the last Gréeke letters as a knowen 〈…〉 the Gréekes vnto whome this 〈◊〉 was fyrst written 〈…〉 God was there before me nor 〈…〉 after me I am God from euerlastyng and world without ende 9 I am he that hath begon al thingâ— I am he againe that shall fynish them I am alone there is none other God but I. I sley I quicke I smiâ—e I heale I set vp I put downe Through me doth kings raygne euery mans 〈◊〉 is in my hande Wherfore it is reasoÌ„ yâ— they haue recourse vnto me 10 I am that fresh fountaine that â—say speaketh of most hyghly necessary to them that will lyue Uery lyberall shal he finde me the séeketh me in faith 11 To him that is a thyrst or desierous of rightuousnesse wil I geue to drinke of the plentuous welspring of the wholsome waters of life And that wil I doe fréely without pryce or payment eyther of Masse or merites dead suâ—frages or deseruinges Laye out your mony on more for â—he thing the fedeth not spende no more trauayle about the thing that helpeth not Come vnto me all you that labour and are loaden and I shall refresh you So desirously séeke vnto me your God as the hart séeketh to the brokes of water For with me is the well of lyfe euerlasting With my pleasaunt riuers shall I content your good appetytes The water of this fountayne is the verite swéetenesse of Christes spirit refreshing the soule here with hope ther with the lyfe euerlasting In this lyfe is felte but a tast of it in the world to come shall the thirst be satisfied Here is it but in heart springing vp toward lyfe ther shall it be in full course and neuer fayle Here are obtayned but small droppes of it ther shall it be had in full pleÌ„tuousnesse The philosophers for their wisdoÌ„ the lawiers for their lerning the phisicians for their coÌ„ning loketh for gret rewards The biers sellers in the teÌ„pl set their wares at a gret pryce yet are they but stynking waters not able to restrayne the thyrst But this is frée with out paimeÌ„t through christ coÌ„taineth helth in habouÌ„dauÌ„ce Not our good works saith s. Augustin but his own fregifts doth god croun in vs. This must be sought for For onli shaâ— he obtaiÌ„ it the thirstith after it Onli shal he haue the asketh he fynde that séeketh 12 He that hath done on a christian warriour to fight against the diuel of these darkenesses and so manfully doth his part that by faith he ouercoÌ„meth him hath the ful victory ouer him in Christ he shal be sure to posses al these thiÌ„gs heauen earth the new Hierusalem the liuing waters and to haue his ful desire in the ioyes to come Wonderfull is this promis No Kinge nor Emperour priest nor prelate Turke nor Souldane can grauÌ„t such wages But who shall obtayne them None other than fighteth lawfully workinge accordinge to the rules and examples of fayth Neyther he that masseth nor senseth processioneth nor holy watereth nor yet he that buildeth churches For those workes the Scripture commaundeth not 13 Besides this promised rewarde saith the lord here I will be his god in déede according to my former couenant and he shal be vnto me as my natural sonne So louing wil I be to him as the mother is to the babe borne of hir body whom she can neuer forget So mercifull as the naturall father yâ— pittieth his owne children at the very hart Example by the vnworthy lost chylde whome I both louingly receyued swéetly enbraced in myne arms Yea I both clothed him fedde him with the best as a sonne ful deare vnto me And of this let him be sure which hath me for his father that I shal giue him Christ to be his brother and with hym all things necessary constituting hym my perpetual heire This fatherly couenaunt was plaine vnto my seruant Dauid for whom I set vp mercy 〈◊〉 euer 14 But farre otherwise wil I doo by the other sort which neither wyl séeke the liuing waters or haue desyre to the scriptures nor yet kepe the hold I haue put them to which is their Christian profession but cowardly leaue it vnto the enimies the serpent the beast and the false prophet As are these which foloweth here in their course Fyrst of all the feareful cowardes or false harted Christians Whome the holy ghost calleth here afore neyther whote nor cold At a time they beléeue but whan any trouble cometh they go cleane froÌ„ it These douâ— the losse of their goods the hinderauÌ„ce of their names and the harme of their bodyes and so are they not worthy of Christ. Such were Ananyas Saphira with many other more sence theyr tyme. These trust not in the Lord as doth Sion which neuer remoueth 15 Next are the vnfaithfull hipoccits which neither beleue the promises nor yet feare the threatnings of the Lord. These make gods commaundements of no value for their owne tradicious With beggery ceremonies clogge they the people as the blynde they leade the blynde into the ditch Neyther wil these enter into the kingdom of god nor yet suffer other to enter Such were the pharisies saduces with our monkes chaÌ„ons and fryers succéeding in their wicked examples 16 After them foloweth the curssed obstinates or abhominable blasphemers which knowinge the verite doth not onely abhorre it but also with moste spightfull cruelnesse persecuteth it These are the swine yâ—â—redeth perles in the myre and the dogges that turn agayne to deuowre Unpossible to be renewed to repentaunce thus casting at their tayles the graâ—es of the spirit so fréely
offered them Such were Annas â— Caiphas with our execrated bishoppes suffragaÌ„es channons 〈◊〉 â—â—cars with all the priestes of the same wicked zeale 17 The vnpytefull murtherers are also the same bloude thursty prelates those Caines these boysterous Nemrothes that neuer will bâ—e satisfyed wyth the slaughter of innocâ—ntes No cruell Antichrist after Ihon Wyâ—leues tyme dyd so spyghtfully persecute the veryte of Christe in Englande as dyd Philyp Repyngedone made than of a false brother or pâ—riuired christan byshoppe of Lincolne The graunde captaine of thys madde muster is the proude byshop of Rome the preposterous vycar of the Lambe the vnworthy successour of Peter in that he hath not yet put vp his sword Of the same sorte also are all those cruell Princes and vnmercyfull magistrates that applyeth their auctorities powers and offyces vnto the same mescheife Such deceytfull rauenours and abhomynable bloude sheders the mercifull Lorde abhorreth euermore Of this number was Pharao herod wyth innumerable tiranntes since which to reherse in order were to long 18 The filtâ—â— whoremoÌ„gers are those holy spirituall Ammorites which hath consecrate themselues vnto Moloch in the fyre of fleshly concupiâ—â—ence For euer haue they for sworne godly marryage to make daily sacryfyce to the diuell in buggary and other carnall beastlynesse The most highly estemed vertue of that generation is to haue no wyues Neuer coÌ„maunded I such filthy vowes sayth the Lorde neither came it euer in my thought to make Iuda sinne with such abhominacion For the ofte breaking of their othe profession vowe it is no matter so long as they make the rekening amonge theÌ„selues Innumerable is the swarme of these lecherous locustes of Egipte euery where are their fruites séene all after Christes resurrection to saye that his desciples had stolen hym awaye by night 22 All these with such other execrable â—â—â—tes sayth the Lord vnto Iohn shall haue their iust porcion in the foule stinking lake yâ— horrybly fometh vpward with fylthy fyre and brymstone With the diuell and his angels shall they dwell for euer 23 Thus shal the wicked saith Dauid for neglectinge their Lord God be turned into hell with perpetuall confusion The fiery floud that shall go before the Iudge wyll swallow them vp cleane 24 And this is wythout fayle the second death or damnacion both of soule and body The perpetuall shame and reprofe as Daniel calleth it that shall neuer be recouered Not onely the abhominable homicides Idolatours and whoremongers shall haue this stinking reward but also the faynt harted hipocrits the vnfaythfull sorcerers and the execrable lyers with all theyr affinitie THE TEXT 1. And there came vnto mee 2. one of the seuen Angells 3. Which hath the seuen vyalles full of the seuen last plagues 4. And talked with me saying 5. Come hither I vvill shew thee the bryde the Lambes wyfe 6. And he caryed me away in the spirit to a great an high mouÌ„tayne 7. And he shewed me the great citie 8. holy Hierusalem 9. defending out of heauen froÌ„ GOD 10. hauing the brightnesse of GOD. 11. And 〈…〉 was lyke vnto a 〈◊〉 most 〈…〉 〈…〉 had vvalles 〈◊〉 high 〈…〉 had .xii. gates 15 and at the gates xii Angells 16. and names vvrytten 17. vvhich are the .xii. trybes of Israell 18. On the East part three gates On the North syde three gates 19. And tovvardâ— the 〈…〉 And on the West syde three gates 20. And the vvalle of the citie had .xii. foundacions 21. and in them the names of the Lambes .xii. Apostles The Commentarye 1 And as I was yet stil ioyously marueiling saith saint Iohn at this most friendlye communicatioÌ„ wonderfull mistery of the Lorde 2 There resorted vnto me very louingly one of the seauen angels mencioned héere afore which angels hath committed vnto them at the Lordes pleasure the seuen vials of his wrath contayning the seauen plagues of the world 3 None other are these Angels but the decréed purposes of God vttering his iudgements against cursed Babylon at their times appointed as we haue sufficiently declared in the xv xvi chapters afore One of theÌ„ sent the lord vnto Iohn to describe vnto him at large the glory of the new HierusaleÌ„ lyke as he did afore the confusion of Babilon For onely was this in spirite as here after foloweth 4 This angell saith he familiarlye communed with me This inspired purpose of God moued my harte my minde my witte reason vnderstanding and remembraunce with the other powers of soule to make mee pryuy of this secret mistery necessary to be knowne of the faithful 5 Come hither saith it spiritually vnto me leauinge at this time behinde thée all suche considerations as thou hast of nature CerteÌ„ly wil I manifest vnto thee to the singuler comfort of many other what the beutifull Bryde is which is the vndefiled spouse of the Lambe Iesus Christ. Thou shalt wel perceiue hir by the gifte of faith to be far different from the Rose coloured whore that thou séest afore Thou shalt know here hir estate beuty behauer and aparell For that maketh God open to his louers which he hideth vnto other in parables 6 Than toke he me vp in the spirite saith Iohn and so carried me cleane away into a mightye great and excéeding high mountaine The contemplation of this heauenly misterye so occupyed my minde that clearely was I taken from the remembraunce of all worldly fantasies thought my selfe rapt vp with Paule vnto the thirde heauen Sittinge solytarye alone as did Hieremie I was lift vp aboue my selfe With Enoch Helias I thought my selfe taken from the worlde so great was the mistery 7 Anone this spirituall messenger shewed me a great godly Citie I was in remembraunce of the true congregation of God compact together in the vnitie of one perfecte Christian faith And this was not the olde Hieruâ—alem builded longe ago of Melchisadech as testifieth Iosephus For that was full of sinne ignoraunce and blindnesse She slewe the Prophets and stoned them vnto death that were sent vnto hir She disdayned also to receiue hir owne Lorde whaÌ„ he came to hir of good loue 8 But this is al of an other sort perfit godly faithfull Yea this is aboue all estimatioÌ„ holy Not for the outwarde sacrifices which were but shadowes of thiÌ„gs to come but for the eternal redeÌ„tioÌ„ yâ— came through him which offerd him selfe vnto God the father without spot 9 Not made by mans hande was this holy HierusaleÌ„ nor yet after this maner building For it issued out of heaueÌ„ and so came downe from God the Father of light of whom only is all that is good and perfect Great is this citie not onely in that it is the possession of the great kinge of all but also in that it is highest in dignitie before him spred the world ouer 10 Glorious is it also blessed spirituall and heauenly hauing the inestimable brightnesse or wisdome of the omnipotent God hir light is the lambe Iesus Christe and
with Helias in the mount of Tarmoâ—us made an aulter in the Lords name The sure ground of these foundations was that Christ is the sone of the liuing God Upon this builded all they both in their preachyngs and writyngs All one with this was the faith of the Prophets which beléeued that he was the Lambe that shoulde take away the sinnes of the worlde For they inquired the way of saluation they serched for the sauinge health Wherin thy proue themselues the liuing stones of this spiritual building Thus vnto one sure grounde of faith extended the belues both of the Apostles and Prophetes Now are ye citizens with the saintes sayth Paule to the Ephesians builded vpoÌ„ the sure foundaâ—ion of yâ— Apostles prophetes Iesus Christ being the fast corner stone For this cause are the apostles put here before the prophets that we rediÌ„g thir profices shuld vnderstaÌ„d theÌ„ after yâ— apostle doctrin so deduce theÌ„ both vnto christ And for this consideration are they here called the Lambes Apostles that they haue in all their instructions and writings vttered nothinge but that they haue receiued of his wonderfull rich and plentuous habundance Besids all this not only are these twelue héere named to be taken for the xii foundations and none other For than should Paule be excluded which laboured more then all the rest So shuld Barnabas Silas Lucas Agabus Iudas the rightuous Iohn that was called Marcus with many other But so many godly ministers are of the sorte besids them as hath bene of the same faith spirit and doctrine For ye must consider that twelue is here a vniuersall number as in other places and betokneth all the whole felowshipp they be holden for the principals for that they were present with Christe The Text. 1 And he that talked vvith me 2. Had a golden rede 3. To measure the Citie vvith all 4. And the gates there of 5. And the vvall therof 6. And the citie vvas built fouresquare 7. And the length vvas as large as the bredthe of it 8. And he measured the Citie vvith the reede xii thousaÌ„d furlongs 9. And the length and the bredth 10. And the height of it vvere equall 11. And he measured the vvall therof an hundred and xliiii cubits 12. After the measure of man vvhich the Angell had The Commentary 1 And the Angell saieth sainte Iohn or set purpose of the Lord which commoned thus with mee in secrete mistery had a measure al of Golde in his hand in similitude of a Réede not all vnlyke vnto them that talked with Ezechiel and Zacharie in misterye also 2 And with this golden Réede which is the pure word of God dyd he take measure bothe of the Citie it selfe and of the twelue gates thereof and also of the great mightye wall of the same 3 The determinate purpose of the euerlastinge builder measureth all thinges concerning his church according to his vndefiled scriptures which are the right rule of faith and the rod of right order in his kingdome What so euer they be saieth both Paule and Dauid that liue according to this rule mercy and peace be vnto them as vpon the Israell of God Not onely is this measuring Réed precious in it selfe but also as golde in the furnace it is dayly tried a fresh through many troubelous aduersaries of them that hath vnfainedly set hands vpon it Diuersly measureth this Réede of the spirit in the citie in the gates in the wal For diuers are the gifts of the holy ghost in one congregation of the Lord vnto euery one is giuen a grace according to the mesure of faith Some hath he constitute apostles some prophets some euangelists some pastours teachers to the necessarye edification of Christes misticall body For here by the citie is ment the whole congregation of Gods elects perfectly ioyned together in one true beléeue 4 By the gates the godly preachers and counselers by whom Christ openeth vnto his kingdom 5 By the wall the mighty power which he hathe committed to the Angels or spirites of heauen to kepe theÌ„ to the godly princes and magistrates here to defend them and to other true ministers to hold them still in rightuousnesse All these must be measured They must be brought to the touchstone The scriptures must trye of what spirit they are If they agrée not to this measure they pertaine not to the citie of god But they are that salt vnsauery that is no better worth thaÌ„ to be throwne forth of men and those vnprofitable seruauntes whome the Lord shal cast into exteriour darknes 6 And as concerninge the fashion of this citie builded all foure square all foure sides therof being of like length and bredth 7 No lenger nor broder was it vpoÌ„ the east side than vpon the north syde nor vpon the south part than towards the west But equall it was euery way towards al quarters of the world And as it was in length bredth so was it in height Which signifieth not only the perpetual stabilitie or surenesse of the true christiaÌ„ faith the Lord euermore preseruing it but also the faithful beleuers of on quarter of the world are so hyly accepted vnto hiÌ„ as of another So largely doth he rewarde them of yâ— East that truly beléeueth in Christ as of any other quarters els and so highly doth he estéeme them So deere vnto him are those good Christians that dwell amonge the Sarizens Turkes and Iewes as are they which dwell in the middest of Christendome So precious that lie sick in the spittle house as they which pray in the temple Noe founde grace in the sight of God whan all the worlde els were wicked Loth was iudged rightuous in the midst of the filthy Sodomits And so are manye yet to this day among the Idolatrous and supersticyous papistes Still are there Lambes among wolues cleane wheat amonge tares and good fishes among euill Iob was a companion with the Dragons Estryches Esaye dwelt among il tonged people Ezechiell in the middest of a froward housholde Sayncte Paule commended the Philipyans in yâ— they shone among the peruerse generation as lights in the firmament Neuer is God any parciall accepter of persons but amonge all peoples he that in his feare worketh rightuousnesse is accepted vnto hym whatsoeuer he bée Thus are they in length bredth and heygth spirituall godly and heauenly through hys worde 8 Moreouer this Angell measured the cytie wyth the golden rode and it was in compasse .xii. thousande furlonges Which signifieth Christes kingdome to be so large euery way that it reacheth the whole earth ouer by his word and promis The sonde of the Apostels preachyng hath gone out into all landes and theyr doctryne into the endes of the world For .xii. euermore in the scriptures is an whole perfect number and a thousand a vniuersall summe as we haue here noted afore No maÌ„ ought in thys heauenly workâ— supersticiously to obserue the numbers but rather to séeke dilygently to
vnderstande the Godly misteries that they comprehend 9 The greatnesse of a cytie is to bée considered to the multitude of the dwellers therein Than who can thynk◠Christes congregation small measuringe it by the scriptures from the first begynning of the worlde to the latter ending A furlonge is the eyghte parte of a myle and contayneth a hundreth and twenty fiue paces whych is in lēgth vi hundreth xxv foote here it betokēoth the cōtinuall course of labour and paynefull sufferaunce in the kyngdome of Christ after saynt Paul They that ronne for the wager in this course laboureth not for a thynge vncertaine But for an incorruptible crowne they holde their bodyes in subieccion to the spirite Such are the inhabitours of this citie whose number is greate whole and perfect vniuersally taken O Israell sayth Baruch howe greate is the house of God and how large is the compasse of hys possession Exceding great is it hath none end highout of measure can not be ouer reached 10 The heyght of thys Cytie from the foundatyon was all one in measure wyth the length and breadth For euerye way was it equall and square in compasse Rounde about was it stronge mighty and sure the gates of hell in no wyse able to preuayle agaynst it Upon euery parte faythfull perfect and godly séekynge those thinges onelye whych are aboue where Christ is sittyng at the rygyt hande of God Yea all spirituall hygh and heauenly are they hauynge their daily conuersacion not here but in heauen frō whēce they wayte for their sauioure Iesus Christ. So hygh also is the spirit that gouerneth thys congregation in rewardynge as it is eyther large in geuinge or longe in continuall working Neuer had Iohn séene the heyghte bredth and length of thys wonderfull cytie for our vniuersall comfort had he not ben raysed vp by the secret purpose of God into the mountayne of thys spirite inestimable hyght and great 11 After thys measured the Angell the wall of the cytie and it came fully to an hundred and .xliiii. cubites whych is .xii. tymes .xii. in number as we had afore here in the vii and xiiii Chapiters And it cōprehendeth the whole number of the elect multitude only for the vniuersall perfectnesse thereof A cubytte after the common sorte is in length but a foote an half but after the course of Geometry it is six times so much which commeth too .ix. foote iustly Nowe an hundreth and .xliiii. cubites wanteth after the first rekening CC. and .ix foote of a furlonge And after the rules of Geometrye it passeth not .xlvi. foote more than ii furlonges which stretcheth nothing towardes .xii. thousande furlonges Therefore we may not here reken the cubytes wyth the furlonges after a worldly sorte but we must spiritually measure them accordinge to the scriptures So that they maye agrée togither after the meaning of the mystery the course with the gifte and the workinge wyth the power The cubyte of a man is the fore parte of hys arme wyth the hande and it betokeneth here in mistery Iesus christ whych is the strong arme of the father To whome is the arme of the Lord knowen sayth Esaye and Iohn or who perceyueth the power of hys worde Such might saieth Mary sheweth he in hys arme as will scatter abrod his obstinate enimies That hande is he wher with god created al things in the beginning In this arme hath he redemed hys people the posteritie of Iacob and Ioseph With thys hande preserueth he them in the life that can not fayle whome the enymies hath marked out vnto cruell death Through the myghty power of this arme shall most terrible feare and dred lighte vpon the wycked at the latter daye After thys cubyte must they be measured whych are of this spiritual building specially they that are the wall therof as the Godly preachers princes maiestrates and other lawefull ministers Agréeable to his doctrine ought theyr conuersatyon to be in all poyntes As hys true minysters should they shewe them selues in méekenesse konwledge longe sufferaunce in loue vnfayned in the worde of truth in the power of GOD by the armoure of rightuousnesse and so forth Necessary is it for thē to do on Iesus Christ to walke worthely in theyr vocaciō obseruing the vnytie of the spirite in the yoke of peace As the chosē holy and welbeloued of God to take vpon them a tender pyttie kyndnesse lowlynesse softnesse swifte forgiuing wyth other fruites of the spirite acknowledging alwaye Christs for theyr onely wysdom rightuousnesse and redemption for theyr kéeper sauer and stronge bulwarke of defēce Thus in this spirituall rekeninge is it to be considered that by the furlonges is the cytie measured and by the cubytes the wall the furlonges comprehendyng them that haue runne in the true course of a christiā lyfe and the cubites them that haue iustly ministred the power of Christes worde and doctrine Some writers haue taken the one sort here for martiers for valiauntlye performinge their moste sharp course and the other for them that haue peaceably rested in Christ. But I am contented here wyth my coniecture consideringe there haue bene martiers in both the afore named degrées And as for the vnequalnesse of length in the furlonges cubits it onely respecteth the persons or peoples among whom the people taught haue excéeded the teachers in number y◠cōmunalty the gouernours and the flocke the shepardes or els the gentyls the Iewes Yet are they both twelue both great whole perfect vniuersal numbers one Hierusalem or one perfect kingdōe of Christ. Thus doth also the xii twelues corresponde to the xii thousandes as the Iewes to the gētyles in one faith though their limites were much larger extēding to the endes of the world and are made one shepefolde or flocke Christ being one shepeherde of saluatiō to thē both 12 Consequently the golden measure which the Angell had was much after the measure that man customably vseth And this signifieth that the word of god which measureth all thinges perteyninge to hys churche is geuen vnto vs vnder such worldly similitudes likilihodes as we are beste acquainted with for our weaknesse sake Not onely in thys reuelation but also in all other bookes of the scriptures doth the holy ghost at his appoyctment alure vs to hys kingdōe by the example and parables of such thinges as we haue in dayly custome As of mountaynes gardens welspringes vyneyardes fygge trées tabernacles temples buyldynges maryages stewards vyrgyns merchādise tyllynge haruest talentes pearles nettes suppers shéepe lambes lyghte wheate salte gootes doues serpentes menne keyes lanternes swerdes roddes trauelinge women mustarde séede beastes and here of furlonges and cubytes wyth such other lyke and all to make vs to perceyue them Nowe sée we onely by such darke simylitudes But in the regeneratyon whan all thynges is cleare shall we haue néede of no such nyght shaddowes wythout vayle or coueryng shall we then sée and béeholde our Lorde God as he
this water as the pure cristall that is without spotte Much farther from corruption is the sincere worde of God than is the fine siluer that is vii tymes tryed in the fyre The lawes of the Lorde are perfect and quickneth the soule hys testimonies are true giuing wiseome to babes His statutes are ryght reioysing the hart His preceptes are pure giuing sight to the eyes And hys iudgementes are all togither rightuous 4 The nature of this water is none other but euermore to cleÌ„se euermore to reuiue euermore to make whole and perfect For onely doth it issewe from the magistie of God it procedeth out from the sempiternall throne of the father and so floweth forth in the pleÌ„tuous haboundaunce of the lambe Iesus Christe and of his Godly spirite With hym is the well of euerlasting lyfe They that walke in his lyght shal be frée from darkenesse for euer They shall throughly enioye the haboundaunce of those thinges that his house is full of and he shall giue them drnicke out of the ful flowing ryuer of his eternall pleasures I will powre cleare water vpon you sayth the Lord in Ezechiell and ye shal be cleane froÌ„ all filthynesse A new hart will I giue you A new spirit will I plant in you and so clense you from all your idoles Reioyce with Hierusalem all you that loue hir for ye shall sucke comforte out of hir brestes and bée satisfied They that haue sowen in heauinesse shall reape in perpetuall gladnesse From the father and the sonne proceded the holy Ghost as a clere cristall ryuer neither created nor be gotten to refreshe this chosen citye So that much more vnderstanding lyght and knoweledge it hath than had the olde Synagog of the Iewes which was therof but a shaddow Yet is it incomparably farre from that shall bée in the durable lyfe to come being as yet thereto but a figure For as witnesseth Paul our knowledge is now vnperfect and our prophecying vnperfect But whan that cometh which is perfect then that which is vnperfect shall be done away Here is it also to be coÌ„sidred that the Lambe is equall with God they both hauing but one seate 5 Moreouer in the middes of the golden stret of this beutifull citye which comprehendeth the spirituall children of Abraham couched togither in the vnytie of one tryed fayth 6 And vpon eyther sides of the swéet ryuer which are the .ii. Testamentes of the Lorde was standing the moste dilectable trée of life Iesus Christ that mediatour father which giueth lyfe â—o the worlde Out of the stocke of Afbraham and Dauid sprang this frée aâ—er the fleshe conceyued of the holy Ghost borne of Marie the virgine which was also a golden stone of this stréete Blessed arte thou sayth Elizabeth for thy beleues sake For in thée is performed the full promise of the Lorde This is that trée which was planted by the water side gaue forth fruite at his tyme appoynted As the trée of life was sette in the middes of Paradyse at the beginninge so is hée nowe spiritually grounded in the middest of his church which is his gardeÌ„ of pleasure Behold saith Christ I am with you euery day vnto the worlds end 7 Maruayll not that the trée is here called wood for it is the custome and maner of the Hebrues to put the one for the other Both is this trée in the myddest of the stréete and also vpon eyther sydes of the ryuer For both is Christ knowen of his faithfull multytude and comprehended in the scriptures Dauid acknowledged himselfe to be a pure stone of this golden stréete whan he sayd My humble soule hath cleaued or fastened to the pauemente thou quyckening me Lorde according to thy worde So did Kinge Ezechyas whan he was reuyued agayne And so dyd Helias whan he vnder the Iuniper trée desired to dye with many other more Betwene both testaments arose Christ performing the olde and begynning the new He bordereth also to thys present day vpon them both for both they beare large and plentuous witnesse of hym Both the lawe and the Gospell the Prophetes and Apostles the Psalmes and all other scriptures witnesseth throughly that he is the promysed séede the sonne of the lyuing God the sauiour of the worlde 8 If that soyle be fortunate which bryngeth forth fruites twyse in the yeare most happye and blessed is the ground of this citie For the liuing trée therof is neuer barren bare nor idle 9 Not onely doth it beare .xii. maner fruites of inestimable wholesomnesse betokening the vniuersall graces and giftes of the holy Ghoste but also it giueth them forth euery moneth in the yeare or euer more wyth out ceasing Euery moneth hath there both his soÌ„mer and hys wynter Euery life time of them which be of this congregation hath here both his swéete consolation in the spirite and also his hard persecution in the fleshe Els is it not of Christs kingdom which is the destroier of death and ministreth lyfe at his pleasure In this trée is the originall grounde of lyfe He is the very lyfe of all them that liueth vnto God In hym onely they consist they moue and they haue their continuall being His branches are the holy Prophetes and Apostles and the Euangilistes Martyrs wyth all other godly preachers and teachers euermore gréene pleasaunt in their conuersaâ—ioÌ„ and doctrin I am the true vyne sayth he and you are the braunches He that abydeth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruite Them sent Christ out as brauÌ„ches and spred wyth them the world ouer too brynge forth frute that should not perishe And that euery moneth from age to age and from tyme to tyme continually For styll are the true beleuers fedde wyth the Apostls fruitefull doctrine and shal be to the ende of the worlde Therewith are their soules refreshed in their greate manyfolde sorowes and labours A singuler comfort it is vnto them to consider Gods swéete promyses and to remember what a louinge father they haue of him through Iesus christ theyr onely mediatour and sauiour Most habouÌ„dâ—untly féele they theÌ„selues satysfied when they are assertayned throughly by the scriptures that they are predestinate called saued sanctified and shal be here after gloryfied by him Where as contrarywyse the desperate infidels are much discomforted considring them selues blynded condemned iudged reproued Twelue are these fruites here called which is a perfect and full complete number comprehending the vniuersall graces of the spirite contayned in all the whole scriptures As are the feare of God the pouertie of soule the clennesse of hart coÌ„passion vpon the nedy desyre of rightuousnesse mercy gentilnesse quietnesse sufferaunce wysdom vnderstanding counsayll perseueraunce knowledge prudence force iustice temperauÌ„ce with those that Paule numbreth too the Galathians and innumerable vertues besides some expositours willeth this twelue to signifie the none can be saued vnlesse he be of the xii children of Israell in spirite so walke according to the
Iohan Boanerges an earnest thunderer out of the gospell a stirrer vp mens hartes to the study of heauenly things Yea a man knowne not only to you Afianes but also the whole Christianitie for that Apostle whom Christ peculyarlye loued 2 Euen I am the same selfe Iohan which haue both heard these wonderfull things with myne eares and also haue séene them through the great goodnesse of my lord God with myne eyes for your singular commoditie and profite 3 None other matter doe I héere wryte vnto you at the commaundement of Iesus Christ for your healthe and saluation but such as I haue both heard and séene for the same beleue them if ye wil. In my other writings as are my gospell and my fyrst Epistle whervnto I neuer subscribed ye haue throughly beleued mée Giue no lesse credence now than vnto this whervnto I subscribe my name For so haue I done here that ye should the rather beleue it and receyue it as most wholesome doctrine of saluation After thys sort did Paule adde his name to hys sayings that they should be the more earnestly receyued 4 And as concerning my parte truly whan I had thus harde them séene them the wonderfull mysteryes of them so rauyshed my spirites that I in a maner clearely forgate my selfe 5 Yea I was so farre from my right remembraunce for the vehemency of them that I fell downe flatte to the grounde prostrate before the féete of the Angell mynding to giue vnto him the whole homage of my soule which is onely due vnto God that created my soule 6 And what though this Angel which had thus opened vnto me all these woÌ„derfull mysâ—eries afore where Iesus Christ him selfe as I thought him no lesse in déede yet sought I not to haue worshipped him in that similitude coÌ„sidering also the God will haue no part of his honour giuen to any other than vnto himselfe onely 7 Wherefore he charitably admonished me of it and sayd thus vnto me 8 In any wise beware thou doe no such homage vnto me which apere here to thée but a creature least therby thou offende the Lord god For daunger may be in such case though the intent bée godly if any part thereof shoulde remayn to the creature as thou knowest wel inough Nothing maiest thou worshippe that thy outwarde syght offreth vnto thée for in them hath fayth no place whych is a substaunce of things vnséene And God hath taught thée to worshipe him in no creatures neither in breade nor wyne man nor angell but in spirit and veritie onely muche lesse than to worshippe the selfe creatures or Idols in their stede whych is much worse 9 Though I be the sonne of God and sauiour of the world yet am I in this office but a creature and thy fellow seruaunt A sent messenger from God as thou art an opener of his godly minde and pleasure as thou art to sygnifie yâ— vnto thée which he wolde haue thée againe to signifie vnto his people 10 And in this point am I not onely thy companion or in this message ioyned fellowe with thée for so well is it my reuelation as thyne but also I am a lyke companion to thy former brethreÌ„ Ezechiell Daniell Zacary and such other which had the gyft of prophecie and were prophetes in déede as thou art now doing lyke office with them thus vttering gods mind in misteries 11 Yea farthermore I am a fellowe seruaunt likewise and a companioÌ„ togither of all theÌ„ yâ— with reuerence obserue the faithfull testymonies of this present booke or prophecy In token wherof I toke the shappe of a seruaunt I fulfylled the lawe and was conuersaÌ„t among men 12 So thou worshippe not me therefore but worship thy onely Lord god For alone shouldest thou seke him and loue him honour him and serue hym prayse hym and glorifie him None other gods shalt thou haue in my sight saith the eternall and omnipoteÌ„t Lord. Obserue the same rule in worshipping that I taught thée to obserue in prayer Remember I taught thée not to pray vnto me whome thou séest nor yet vnto any dead sainct whome thou séest not but vnto thy lorde God whom thou hast only in beleue saying our father which arte in heauen I tolde thée also that God was a spirite and that he would only be sought in spirite and in nothing that thou séest with thyne eyes Therefore worship God not mée Consider here good reader the vngodly vyolence of the papistes enforcing the simple multitude to worship a drye wafer cake to knele vnto it to holde vp their handes to make theyr prayers to it and to call it their God making them to beleue that it is gods commaundement they shoulde so doe Oh abhominable Antichristes Oh filthie Balaamites séeking your owne bellyes glory to your confusioÌ„ Way this place throughlye with the other scriptures be once ashamed of your beastly and blasphemous madnesse Ye will peraduenture say it is Christes body But truly that is all false For thereof is no mutuall perticipation where one eateth vp all No shewyng is there of the Lordes death til he come where all is done in a foren language and nothing vnderstanded Christ breathed not vpon the bread with hoo hée haue at all as you doe He only tooke it in his holy handes and gaue thankes vnto God The wordes of thankesgyuing he lefte not behinde him for you to â—unger with for he knew yée afore for subtile workers He kept not that bread to him selfe nor yet closed it vp in a boxe as you doe But he brake it and distributed it vnto other In lyke case the disciples did neyther worship it nor him at that season For if they had he would haue forbidden it them and haue taught the same self doctrine that he sheweth here vnto Iohan. Only did they take it eate it in his remeÌ„braunce and that was his institution And where as it is this vsed there is both his body and bloud receiued But otherwise not The breade that was lefte of this consecration or breaking which was so holy as the other was neyther housed nor churched boxed nor pixed but remayned there styll to the housholders to be eateÌ„ of whom soeuer lusted Neyther doth the diuinitie of your senteÌ„cioners as of Thomas of Aquine Dons Dorbel Guido Baconthorp and such other appoynt thervnto that kynde of honour that ye suffer the people to giue vnto it but a far meaner honour called Hiperdulia But you can wynke at such matters suffer both them and your selues to go to the diuell for worldly lucer Nothyng holdeth long with you neither christes doctryne nor your owne But that yée make now ye marre to morowe And that at one tyme is a lawe at an other tyme shal be none at al. Such are your wauering wonders The Text. 1 And he sayde vnto me 2. Seale not thy sayinges of the prophecy of this booke 3. For the tyme is at hande 4. He that doth euill let
hym doe euill styll 5. and he whych is filthy let him be filthy stil. 6 he that is rightuous let him be more rightuous 7. he that is holy let hym be more holy 8 And beholde I come shortly 9 and my revvarde vvyth me 10. to giue euery man according as his dedes shal be 11 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende 12. the fyrst and the last The Commentary 1 Consequently the Angell saith S. Iohn which was Iesus Christe had these same sayings vnto me that here foloweth 2 Seale not sayth he the godly words contayned in the prophecy of this booke Close theÌ„ not vp froÌ„ the sight of other Hide them not from those which are desirous of knowledge For profitable they are to the congregation of God and most highly necessary to them that shal be saued For both shewe they throughly the dampnation of the wicked with remedies to auoyde it and also the saluacion of the rightuous with meanes to obtayne it 3 And thys is the cause why thou shalte not close them vp The tyme is at hande The fulfyllyng of theÌ„ wyll shortelye apeare and euideÌ„tly declare what they are in dede In the meane season shall manye of theyr mystieryes bée open vnto them that are taught of God though the vnfaithfull sort knoweth nothyng what they meane They that haue Christes spirite can in no necessary poynte be ignoraunt The cause why manye writers hath erred in expounding this reuelation hath bene the ignoraunce of other scriptures the pleasing of prelates for dignitie and lucre and moste of all the horrible blyndnesse of soule which long hath continued in the world among the fleshly Hypocrites 4 And as concerning those beastlye belly gods let them wallow in theyr mischiefes He that is euil amoÌ„g them or frowarde and obstinate against the veritie of God let him worke euil vpon euill abhomination vpon abhomynation and murther vpon murther til he bring vpon him self the vengeauÌ„ce of all innocent bloud which hath bene shead vpon earth to his more dampnation without remedy 5 Moreouer he that is filthy in hys conuersation be it in the spirite or otherwyse I will take my grace from him for the vtter contempt of my word and he shall be still from thence forth more execrable and filthy He shall doâ— wickednesse vpon wickednesse Idolatry vpon Idolatry and whoredom vpon whoredome Yea where as he was before but an Idolatour in hymselfe he shall become after that an Idolatour also in other by prouokyng theÌ„ to the same to hys double dampnatioÌ„ And wheras he shuld paraduenture in the world haue bene but a single whoremonger he shal be there an holy spirituall anoynted shauen shorne priestly and mitered whoremonger abusing euery mans wyfe doughter and seruaunt And to make vp all to the diuell become a consecrate Sodomyte offering hymselfe vp in dead sacrifices vnto Belphegor for feare of breakynge hys vnuirgynall vowe Farther than all thys he shall enter into such blindnesse of the spirite that he wyll thynke verely to doe God an hygh pleasure whan he murthereth vp without mercy hys innocent people which wyll not obey theyr execrable lawes blessinges absolutioÌ„s and other sorceries for conscience sake Consider in this the terrible and fearefull hand of the Lorde towardes them that withholde hys truth in vnrightuousnesse specially whaÌ„ he hath giueÌ„ theÌ„ ouer left theÌ„ to themselues For they worke their owne dampnation whan they thinke nothing lesse 6 Contrarywyse consider hys excéeding great mercy towardes them that are godly whom he dyuersly afflicteth in hys lyfe least they shoulde peryshe wyth the wycked My pleasure is it sayth he here that the man whych is faythfull rightuous and good shall increase euer more therein and so coÌ„tynually be ryghtuous I shall so temper their hartes that hath loue to my truth that they shall loue it more and more Yea I shall so therin strengthen them that for no persecution of tyrauÌ„tes shall they forsake it 7 So will I order the matter amoÌ„g my electes that he which is holy pure and perfect leading a lyfe accordinge to my worde he shall perseuer in iâ— styll and be perfect vnto the ende that he maye inioye the crowne thereof Neyther shall seducing hypocrite nor yet peruertinge Antichrist wyth all their subtile charmes and ginnes bée able to bringe them out of that way whych leadeth vnto lyfe By this we may se that the veritie preached christ is vnto som a falling vnto some againe a rysing vp Unto som is his godly doctryne a swéet sauour vnto lyfe vnto some an ill sauour vnto death The gospell is folyshnesse to them that shal peryshe but vnto them that beléeue it is such a power of god as bringeth saluation with it The faithful by hearing it waxeth more godly The vndyscrete hypocrites contemneth the grace thereof So that the one sort is thereby made better and increased in vertue the other is made worse and foloweth all mischiefes In him that hath fayth shall all other graces of the spirite habounde and in him that hath it not shall no gift of vertue aryse to hys â—owles profit 8 Let meÌ„ take hede if they wil giue dilygent watch atteÌ„daunce for truly saith the Lorde I will come sodenly and vâ—bewars vpon the vnfaithful none other warningâ— giuen but this such other in the scripturs take theÌ„ if they lust 9 Necessary it is the euery man walke according to hys vocacyon both prince and preacher Lorde and commoner merchande and artificer For when I shall resort be certayne and sure of it my iust rewarde shall come wyth me whych is both lyfe and death 10 Let no maÌ„ reckeÌ„ otherwise to finde me thaÌ„ a most rightuous iudge rendering vnto euery one at the day according as his workes shal apeare as his déedes shal require of rightuousnes Neither shal sufferages nor church buylding pigrimage nor masse riÌ„gin holy orders nor yet assoiling stande in any sted at the day only shal they finde mercy whych hath bene mercifull all other perishing without mercy No man shal there be rewarded for workes of meÌ„s preseciption be they neuer so holy but for that whych hath rysen of fayth in Gods worde onely Neither shall they haue that of deseruinges as worke preachers hath taught but onely of grace fauour for Christes bloud sake For vnprofitable seruauntes are wâ—e of our selues whan we haue done all that hath bene commaunded vs No better is our whole ryghtuousnesse whan it is at the hyghest than is the cloth that is stayned wyth menstrue nor more pleasaunt vnto God were it not for hym Let no man thynke to be saued through deseruing no more than he is iustified of deseruing Onely is it the mercyfull fauour and frée goodnesse of hym without our mangye merytes that shall saue vs. Not our good workes sayth saynt Augustyne but hys owne méere gyftes doth the Lorde crowne in vs. 11 This hath the Lord put here in the ende as a briefe
as one mynding thée good to bye of me golde tryed in the fyre Come vnto me with faith and aske in the feruentnesse of soule If thou be féeble harted say Lorde increase my fayth Desire my heauenly word to thy comforte with vnderstanding to perceiue it and know it It is treasure much more precious then golde it is sweetenesse more dulcet thē honie And tryed it is moste pure and cleane by the holy Ghost Thou shalt haue it without payment Thy good harte shall only suffyse mée 11 Diligently procure it that thou mayest be riche in fayth and righteousnesse in the merits of Iesus Christ and in the fauour of God by them and that thou mayest be cloathed in white rayment of innocencie cleannesse not only before men but also before God 12 Be neuer without veritie fayth righteousnesse and charitie with other giftes of the holy Ghost least the filthie nakednesse of hypocrisie and sin for all thy paynted colours appeare to thy confusion Let thyne owne dyrtie merites alone decke thée with the precious deseruings of the sonne of God that thou mayest haue thy sinnes wyped away cléerely forgiuen couered and neuer more imputed vnto thée by him 13 And to auoyde the blyndenesse sée thou anoynt thine eyes thy mind or affection thy iudgement or knowledge with the eye salue of clerenes which is Iesus Christ the swéete smelling oyntment of health 14 Consider that he alone was borne for thée and dyed for thée And take him for thy only wisdome satisfaction holinesse and redemption that thou mayst hereafter sée Let this precious lycour take from thine eyes all filthie corruptiō and whatsoeuer thou shalt hereafter do in word or in déed doe all in the name of that Lorde gyuyng thankes vnto God the father by him For he is the salue that shall heale thée and the lighte that shall cléere thée THE TEXT 1 As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten 2. Bee feruent therefore and repent 3. Behold I stand at the doore and knock 4. If any man heare my voice and open the doore I vvill come in vnto him 5. and vvil suppe vvith him and he vvith mee 6. To him that ouercommeth vvill I graunt to sit on my seate 7. euen as I ouercame and haue sitten vvith my father on his seate 8. Let hym that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite sayeth vnto the congregations THE PARAPHRASE 1 So many as I loue I rebuke earnestly least they shoulde perish with the wicked And those that I fauour I chastē in this life least they should be dampned for euer Woe is the man that hath of me here neither chastisement nor rebuke but is left without restraynte wallowyng in the concupiscence and desires of his fleshe A great signe it is of the indignation of God where as the other is an euident token of loue 2 From henceforth therfore be feruent in the trueth Earnestly embrace it kéepe it and follow it Abhorre thy olde superstitions and repent from the harte that thou haste béene so longe neyther whotte nor colde 3 Beholde I stande at the doore of thy harte as one ready to helpe thy weakenesse And I knocke at the portall of thy conscience as one that would gladly comfort thée I send forth my heauenlye worde to succoure thée lighten thée raise thée vp saue thée 4 If any man with a glad harte wil heare my voyce or the true preaching of my word and opē the doore of his fayth thankefully to receyue it I wil come in vnto him enduing with all spirituall delights as rightuousnesse peace loue and ioy in the holy Ghost 5 Yea to hym shall I make manyfest as to my friend the hidden misteryes of the scripture and secret coūsels of my father And he shall finallie suppe with me and with him in the eternall habitacle of God where no harte can estéeme what hee hath prepared for them that loue him 6 That man which through the earnest zeale of Gods trueth distroyeth hypocrisie and ouercommeth sin wil I admit to reigne with mée in the kingdome of my father and graunt him to sitte with me in the seate of euerlasting peace as a déere member of myne owne body declaring him a tryumphaunt conquerour in mée ouer dampnation hell death and the diuill in a glorified nature 7 Euen as my selfe was before sitting with my celestiall father in the seate of his eternitie And to haue with mée that health that blessyng that ioye that victorie that honour power and glorie that I haue 8 Let him that God hath giuē eare◠vnto apply them to his mynde and marke what the spirite hath héere spoken to the Christen cōgregatiōs for therevpon resteth his lyfe or his death his saluacion or his dampnation The fourth Chapiter THE TEXT 1 After this I looked and behold a dore vvas open in heauen 2. and the first voice vvhich I hearde vvas as it vvere of a Trumpet talking vvith me vvhich sayd 3. Come vp hither and I vvill shevv thee thynges vvhich must be fulfilled hereafter 4. And immediatly I vvas in the spirite 5. and behold a seate vvas set in heauen and one sat on the seate 6. And hee that sate vvas to looke vpon lyke vnto a Iasper stone and a Sardine stone 7. And there vvas a reyne bovve about the seate in sighte lyke a Smaragde 8. And about the seate vvere .xxiiij. seates 9. And vpon the seates .xxiiij. elders sitting 10. clothed in vvhyte rayment 11. and had on their heads crovvnes of golde 12. And out of the seate proceeded lyghtnings and thundrings and voyces 13. And there vvere seuen lampes of fyre burnyng before the seate vvhich are the seuen spirits of God 14. And before the seate there vvas a sea of glasse lyke vnto Christall 15. And in the middest of the seate and rounde about the seate vvere foure beastes 16. full of eyes before and behynde THE PARAPHRASE 1 After thys speciall iniunction of my Lorde and maister Iesus Christ sayth saint Iohn I did cast vp mine eyes towards the skye lifting vp my hart to giue thankes vnto God And anon as I seriously beheld the face of the fyrmament or maiestie of Gods works I saw a doore open in heauē Which was a significatiō to me that God mynded to opē certain high misteries of the scripture hidden secretes concerning his kingdome or church vnto me his simple seruaunt 2 And the first thyng that ascertained me of the same from thēce was a mightie great voyce as it had bene the stoute noyse of a Trompe or the vehement blaste of an horne The which voyce though it were fearfull vnto my fleshe as commonly the commaundement of God is yet was it solatious vnto my spirite for so much as it familiarly talked with mée and sayde these wordes 3 Come thou vp hyther Suspende thyne owne wil wit studie practise and iudgement Condempne that thou hast of nature Lift vp thy self aboue thy self
ascend in soule by the spirite and power of God and I will shewe vnto thée thinges wonderfull and such as must without fayle be fulfilled in euerie poynte hereafter by the vnuariable ordinaunce of God 4 And as it had bene in a thought I was sodenly by the Lordes power taken vp I was in the spirit in déed secluded frō all carnal imaginatiōs 5 And anon I was ware of a beautifull seat prepared in heauen which moued mee to consider that before the constitution of the world almightie God had appoynted by his spirite to raygne in his faithful church For I sawe that one sate vpon that seate as vpon the beautifull throne of his glorie No where els raigneth God but among his chosen people Hée dwelleth not in Temples made by hand he resteth not in houses of mās preparation Is the kingdom of God any where els thē within man Hath God any Temple that hee more fauoureth then mans faithfull harte 6 And he that gloriously sate vpon that comely seate was lyke by all similitude to a Iasper stone and resembled also a precious stone called a Sardine Betokening that his raign is durable strong his power firme and invariable his glorie cléere and precious and that he him selfe is as the red Iasper beautifull and orient and as the gréene Sardine freshe fayre and neuer fading that man shuld euer be desirous of him Whose will to consider is our felicitie and whose pleasure to folow is our perfectnesse 7 And there was a fayre raynbow about that glorious seate in sighte like a smaragde or an Amarald stone Which signifieth his perpetuall couenaunt of peace loue to all them that haue fayth which are so deare vnto him as is the apple of hys owne eye or as that thing which hee desyreth most And no lesse precious the sayde couenaunt is then the fresh Ameralde with his amorous hew and beautifull shewe of loue that wée should the rather couette it For nothing is more auydyously to be desyred then is the swéete peace of God 8 And about that excéedyng fayre seate or empyre of the Lorde were xxiiij other meane seates appointed which put me anon in remembraūce of charitie pacience stedfastnesse loue ioy peace temperance iustice knowledge of god méeknesse other fruites of fayth with innumerable giftes of the holie ghost wherein the seruauntes of God hath afore tyme and still doeth continually rest elders or notable auncient men sitting Which séemeth vnto me to be Abell and Noe Abraham Dauid Moyses and Helyas Ioseph Iohn Baptist the Prophets and Apostles the Preachers Martyrs with such other lyke To whom Christ promised in the regeneration to sitte with him vpon xij seates iudging the xij tribes of Israel These set numbers in the scripturs of xxiiij or of .xij. such lyke noteth certaintie in the promisse of God towards them which are in themselues without number 10 And the foresayd elders or men of rype discretion were cloathed in white rayment or apparell of innocencie according to the commaundement of the holye Ghost For their works were pure and cleane before God rysing only of fayth and were neuer defyled with the filthie traditions of men 11 They had also vpon their heads as myghtie rulers and gouernours crownes of fyne golde in token that they had héere the gouernance in his worde and shall hereafter be partakers with Christ in his heauēly kingdome and glorie 12 Great is the maiestie of the trone of God and the power muche For from his heauenly seate into the vniuersall world procéeded lightnings and thunderings and voyces which are the manyfolde and dyuers respectes of his worde For a fearfull lightenyng it is when it rebuketh throweth downe and condempneth the sinner It is a terrible thundering when it feareth threateneth and commaundeth thynges contrarie to the fleshe And it is a solacious voyce agayne when it rayseth reléeueth and quickeneth the desolace conscience with comfortable promises And full is all the scripture of these which commeth from Syon and the swéete worde of God whyche commeth from Hierusalem 13 And there were seuen lampes of flamyng fyre burnynge before the sayde trone of God which are the seuen spirites of God or the vniuersall giftes of the holie ghost prefigured in the scriptures by the seuen lightes of one Candelsticke the vij eyes of one stone and by vij hornes and eyes also of the lambe These shewe light euermore before Gods sight The church without them in no wyse can be the trone of God 14 And before the sayd seate there was as it had béene a sea of glasse a plentifull vnderstanding of the veritie fyrst giuen vnto Christ by the father and then vnto the church or cōgregation by the spirite of Christ. And this sea was lyke vnto a Christall cléere beautifull and pure without any corruption of humaine fantasies 15 In the middest of that heauenly seate in the circuite of the same were iiij beastes séene of diuers nature and shape not signifying the iiij greater Prophetes nor yet the iiij Euangelistes as no small number of doctors hath fantasied but rather the vniuersall number of all faithful beleeuers earnest setters foorth of the veritie in the foure quarters of the whole world And this may be gathered by the noyse of their wings in Ezechiel by their crying of sanctus sanctus sanctus by their shewing of mysteries of the opened seales of the booke as héereafter foloweth By whom are to be vnderstande the sincere openings of Gods word and the continuall praysing of his glorious name These beastes are in the middest of the seate or congregation of God when they teach them and exhorte them to persist in the trueth They are also in the circuite of the same when they diligently labour to defende them from the doctryne of diuils and errours of hypocrites 16 These beastes were full of faire eyes before and behinde Which is a cléere knowledge in the mysteryes of Gods word The sincere fauorers of Gods heauenly truth doth sée many wonderful things and know many secrete maruels not only concerning matters past but also of iudgements to come So many eyes haue they as they haue perceyued veryties For they once made spirituall by fayth discerne all things They are taught of God And the holy ghost doeth lead them into all trueth THE TEXT 1. And the first beast vvas lyke a Lyon 2. The second beast lyke a Calfe 3. and the third beast had a face lyke a man 4. and the fourth beast vvas lyke a flying Egle. 5. And the foure beasts had eche one of them sixe vvings 6. And round about vvithout and vvithin they vvere full of eyes 7. And they had no rest neyther day nor night saying Holy holy holy is the Lorde God almightie vvhich vvas and is is to come 8. And vvhen those beastes gaue glorye and honour and thankes to him that sate on