hereunto the life maners and conuersation of those legates laterall and of theyr families you shal finde in maner nothyng els but extreme vncleanes filthines and beastelynes monstrouse luste whoredome and aduoutrie and detestable fornications wonderful surfettyng blouddy craftes and counselles Therefore the thing it selfe speaketh and the thinges that the legates do euery where are a commentary of this place And where there be three vncleane spretes rekened some doe expounde it of diuines laweyers and religiouse as monkes and freres of the which thre sortes for the most parte ar chosen the Popes ambassadours I vnderstande simplely by the thirde nombre that those legates shal be most furnished with all hostile authoritie that they shall all agree wel emonges themselues and all helpe one an other that what so euer one semeth to lacke an other maye supplie Salomon in Ecclesiastica a threfolde rope or line sayeth he wil not lightly breake But now that no man shuld finde any lacke of light They be like frogges by a parable brought in he setteth as it were before our eies what maner ones these legates shal be verely frogges of the marrishe or fenne and criers importune and tediouse foule and filthie And he sayeth not that they be frogges in dede but like frogges For like as frogges by their importune criyng are moste tediouse and troublesome and the fennie are also filthie so doe those legates loue earthly thinges and filthynes and by their complainetes accusations prouocations wrytinges and disputations altogether froggelyke and fenlyke be hatefull bothe to God and men They are nothing asshamed yf they be interrupted a little by and by they retourne to their olde songe Aristophanes in ranis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there is no other tune with them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primasius reasoneth very muche of Frogges Emonges other thinges it is mete for those false Prophetes like frogges criynge in the nighte to make a damnable noyse by barkynge of errours For frogges bothe by reason of the place sight and troublesome noyse are so hatefull as the Deuill wyth his is knowen to be abominable to the trewth and wyth iuste fyre to bee rightely condemned c. Thus sayeth he And lyke as the Frogges of Aegypte reysed out of the duste by the Deuelisshe arte of the Magiciens cryed out agaynste Gods veritie callynge agayne by Moses and Aaron the people of GOD to the trewe libertie and worshippyng of God right so doe the Popes legates moleste with talke the preachyng of the gospell the free deliueraunce the christiane libertie and trewe seruice of God And like as the frogges doubble and reiterate euen to make one wery to heare that same their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen so these fennish beastes of Rome haue euermore in their mouth the most holy See the most holy father the holy church of Rome The holy churche of Rome erreth not the holy churche of Rome muste be obeyed He that will not obeye her is an heretike and a schismatike These thinges full many times and ofte and to al menne and in all and singular causes will they reiterate and repete that their one and the same songe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sprite of Deuils The Lorde annexeth by S. Iohn and so yet more clerely declareth for they be spretes of Deuilles workyng miracles c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is here vsed in Greke for deuill hath his name of sondry knoweledge and skilfulnes of thinges and semeth to be in a maner indifferēt although it be commonly put for the Deuill Neuerthelesse for a difference they are called Eudaimones and Cacodaimones as it were good and euill workers For the Grekes saye that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is knowyng or skilfull For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called an experte Artificer The Lord therefore signifieth that the Popes legates shal be spretes of Deuilles that is to saye spiritual fathers but indewed with the spirite of Sathan wise men or skilfull craftie workers to bryng their matters to passe And therefore he annexeth workyng wonders Whereby he semeth to allude to the Magiciens of Aegipt who also wrought miracles and deteyned kyng Pharao in lies against the veritie S. Paule moreouer in the .2 to Timoth. the .3 chapt compareth the wise men and ministers of Antichrist to the Magiciēs of Aegipt And right well knowen it is that the legates doe euery where boaste of miracles which haue bē done in their church and religion and so kepe stil the hartes of kinges and princes in popish errours Of miracles speaketh S. Paule in the .2 to the Thess 2. And I haue sayed some thing hereof in the .13 chapt Here is shewed moreouer the ende of all the treatise and counselles of the Popes legates that they might go forth to the kynges of the whole earth to assemble them to battaile The legates are in all kynges courtes c. Thei shal crepe into the courtes of al kinges and princes Ye shall haue doubtles in all kinges courtes in a maner the Popes legates And what do they Thei inuironne kinges princes They see that no faithfull manne be admitted to the kinges speache they learne to know al the kinges counsell which they write and signifie to Rome and yf they mislyke any thing that they maye infringe and subuerte the same and that they alwayes beate in that songe of theires to witte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is verely obedience which all menne owe to the holy Sea finally that they arme kynges and princes to defende the churche of Rome and distroye heresies This I saye is the battel of that same daye of the great God almightie that is to saye whiche shal be parted by the commyng of the sonne of God vnto iudgement and the whiche shall indure to the commyng of Christ vnto iudgement which shal than auenge the bloud of his from the handes of that vgly beaste And he calleth the daye of iudgement the daye of the great God as doeth also S. Paule in the .2 to Tit. And the daye of God almightie as he that shal than shewe his omnipotencie and euen his power diuine whiche semeth now to the vngodly by reason of his long sufferaunce to slepe This necessarie and moste profitable description S. Iohn hath set in here by the reuealyng of Iesus Christ to the ende that we should watche and beware of them Hereafter followeth a faythfull admonition and exhortation to watchyng An exhortation to watchyng leeste we fall a slepe and perishe with the Antichristians in the cares and pleasures of this worlde And he sayeth howe that daye of the lord wyll come sodenly and when we shall leest loke for it For the lord here repeteth that thyng whiche he sayde also in the Gospell beholde I come like a thefe These thinges are red in the .24 of Matth. and are repeted of the Apostle in the .1 to the Thess the
That we might vâ—derstande that they suffered not euill menne but euill wrought by euill men So they with patience trauailed 〈◊〉 Christes name to witte to be mainteyned against naughâ—â— heresies And he addeth thou hast not fainted beyng werâ— and broken with labours For we are taught to ouercoâ—â— through patient constancie whiche is rightly called in dâ—â— the accomplishment of euery good worke All and euery of these thinges we muste applie vnto 〈◊〉 and vnderstande with what thinges we maye nowe also this daye please Christ our redemer king and Bishoppe truly we walke in the same steppes wherin we see the coâ—gregation of the Ephesians to haue walked It followeth what thing he blamed in the same churcâ— that they haue lefte theyr firste loue What time they firâ— receyued the Gospell by S. Paul and after by Iohn aâ—â— other godly menne there was sene a great feruentnes in the wordes and dedes of the faithefull whiche thinge maye be gathered bothe by the actes of the Apostles and also by the epistle of S. Paul to the Ephesians Thei loued God and their neighbours with a moste feruent zeale They burned in reforming of maners But in processe of time this heate was well couled and they wared colder in trewe godlines This greate mischiefe he rebuketh in them and as followeth desireth to haue it redressed And here let vs note howe not only reuolting Idolatrie and other great crimes are imputed to the churche but also if we slacke any thinge in holye zeale so that herof we may learne how holy and blameles we ought to be before God Doubtles we can not here excuse our selues before the diuine maiestie whiche were xxx yeres paste more ferueÌ„ter in this coÌ„gregatioÌ„ than we be at this daye c. Our lord God lighten our mindes that we may please him To whome be glory ¶ The seconde parte of the Epistle to the Ephesians where is spoken of Penaunce and of the Nicolaites The Eight Sermon REmembre therefore from whence thou arte fallen and repent and do the firste workes Or els I will come vnto thee shortely and will remoue thy CaÌ„delsticke out of his â—lace except thou repeÌ„t But this thou hast â—icause thou hatest the dedes of the Nicolaiâ—anes which dedes I hate also Let him that â—ath eares heare what the spirite sayeth to â—he congregations To him that ouercometh wil I geue to eate of the tree of life which is â—n the middes of the Paradise of God The ende of the lordes rebukes The accusations of our Sauiour Christ which he vseth â—gainste his seruauntes that be sinnes tende not to this enâ—â— doubtles that men ouerwhelmed with reproches might bâ— ashamed dispaire perish but rather that thei shuld ameâ—â— be restored liue Therfore the Lorde Iesus to his blameynâ— by and by annexeth an exhortation to repentauÌ„ce that thâ— may be saued And also describeth the trew lawful penauÌ„â—â— For we hearde what thing he rebuked in the coÌ„gregatiâ—â— of the Ephesians let vs heare nowe what the lord requireâ—â— of the same and how he seketh to haue the errour reformeâ— verely by repentaunce to the whiche he exhorteth For 〈◊〉 haue sayed that the Lord striketh and healeth chiefly in thâ— case Whiche doctrine surely is proper and perpetuall to thâ— churche of Christ He mentioneth chiefely of three thinges in this matter in his counsel or exhortation to amendement He exhorteth to repentauÌ„ce Firste he coâ—selleth or exhorteth to remeÌ„bre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whicâ— they are fallen that is to saie with how great loue they haâ—â— burned hitherto and nowe howe coulde they be wared 〈◊〉 how fortunate and blessed a state they haue stande hitherâ— and nowe in howe vnfortunate and shamefull they lie 〈◊〉 For the acknoweledging of the trespas is the beginning repentaunce The knowledge of sinne if beyng illumined by faithe we consider weâ— what benefites we haue loste and in what miserie we noâ— are in He that weneth he hathe loste nothinge will neâ— be moued to make any searche or inquisition he that thâ—keth him selfe to haue fallen from no felicitie he will thinâ— of nothyng how he maye be restored Therefore in amenâ—ment of lyfe it behoueth that acknoweledgyng and confâ—sion of sinnes go before by the whyche we maye lament bâ—fore God our pouertie and miserie And in dede they faâ— not from felicitie whiche were neuer in any felicitie Theâ—fore saie we Sainctes fall that holy menne maye fall and also be restorâ— by repentaunce Than after the acknoweledgyng of our â—â—serie followeth repentaunce that is the comynge agayneâ—â— our minde that we goe not foorthe on alwayes like madâ— menne and fooles walkinge in the waye of vanitie anâ— vnrightuousnesse RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce For repentaunce is a retourning a coâ—uersion and chaunge wherby we are tourned awaye froâ— euill and are conuerted to good in retourning to our witte and working rightuousnes For last of all followeth that whiche expoundeth this repentaunce Do the fourmer workes To witte be hote again in loue worke the workes of faith which are fruictes worthy of repentaunce Beholde there nedeth no new lawes Trewe satisfaction or long disputations concerning amendement Briefly do the fourmer workes not of the fleshe but those whiche thou beganst when thou first receiuedst the Gospel and wast borne again in Christ Finally this is the true reformation to do the fourmer workes of God Not the latter whiche the errour of the worlde hath deuised This is verely and shal be the true repentaunce to witte the acknowledging of the sinne the conuersion vnto God and to good and a tourning away from the Deuill and from euill and working of the first good or Godly rightuousnes of the faith in Christ There be many sondry disputations of repentaunce and partes of the same of the contrition of the harte confession of the mouth satisfaction of that worke But lyke as there is none briefer thaÌ„ this of Iesus Christ so verely is ther none better or more certain To these his exhortations and Godly couÌ„celles he addeth threatenings most greuous if haply perill might pearse He threatneth that loue could not styre or moue And he speaketh but fewe wordes in dede But he vnderstandeth a great euill that can not be spoken nor declared Except thou repent I wyll remoue thy candelstick out of his place The candelstick as the lord him selfe hath expounded it is the churche Which standeth in her place whylest she leaneth to Christ and is of Christe preserued so long as the preaching of the veritie is in the same mainteined and is in dede the churche of Christ She is remoued out of her place when she is without the preachynge of the truthe and now leaneth no more vpon Christ nether is of hym defended but is forsaken and is no longer in dede the churche of Christ This is done of Christ himselfe by his â—ust iudgement what tyme our vnthanfulnes and lyfe that can not repent driueth God to depart from vs to relinquish
only sentence of Christ I wil impose none other burthen theÌ„ that you haue kepe that vntill the iudgement Beholde he sayth vnto the iudgement least any shoulde imagine in the meane season that another thing had pleased the holy ghost Let vs therfore perseuer in the same Most large promesses Hereunto he annexeth after his wonted maner most ample promesses that through hope of so great rewardes he might pluck them from errours ioine them to the true religion And like as in the fourmer epistles he hath said he that ouercometh so here he repeteth the same admonishing vs not to slepe but to watche fight maÌ„fully And he ouercometh that kepeth the workes of Christ vnto the ende The workes of Christ by a priuie opposition are set against the inuentions workes of men The workes of Christ The workes of Christ fignifie both doctrine and faith and whatsoeuer good workes insew vpon the same the seruice of worshipping of God the obseruatioÌ„ of Gods word For in the .28 chap. of S. Math. The Lorde saith to his disciples teace you them to kepe those thinges which I haue commaunded you He speaketh with an emphasie whiche I haue commaunded you not such as you shall haue inuented of your own braine For the Lord alledgeth out of the Propheth in the .xv. of the same S. Math. saiyng In vaine do thei worship me teaching the doctrines of men Therfore these workes haue no promesse But the workes of Christ whiche he him selfe hath ordeined the which are done of his spirit and of true faith whilest we forsake our errours cleaue to the truth they haue a promesse moste ample The victory of the hâ—ad Christ and his meÌ„bres And promiseth two notable thinges The first lyke as my father hath promysed me victory and perfourmed it that I ouercome all my ennemies and triumphed ouer them the same being brokeÌ„ in pieces lyke vessels of clay or earth with out any difficultie so wyll I geue vnto you also power and victory against all vngodly And that same promesse at the last shal be fully accomplished in the last iudgement in the which all the ennemies of Godlines shal be caste vnder the feete of Christ As it is declared in the Psalmes especially in the .ii. and Cx. Psalme And in this world also Christ affirmeth that his seruauntes shall spiritually rule ouer his ennemies Like as Christ although he were tormented and died yet neuerthelesse he ouercame his ennemies The holy and ecclesiasticall stories beare witnes of these thinges sufficiently The latter I will geue him the morning starre And he vnderstode the knowledge of Christ increasing dayly more and more and so euen Christ himselfe The morning star in lyke case as the day in the rysing of the morning starre waxeth brighter and brighter In the whiche sense the Apostle S. Peter is red to haue vsed this allegory in the .ii. Epistle first Chapter or at the least he promised a clerenes most bright For Daniel sayth howe the faithful in the resurrection shall shine like the firmament The whiche thing also the Lord Christ alledgeth the .xiii. of Math. And the Apostle alluding hereunto sayd that one star was brighter then an other So lykewyse in the resurrection one shal be made brighter then an other These promisses be most great neither can I thinke that any greater can be geuen vs. God graunte vs grace that we may be made partakers of so great thinges Finally he applieth this epistle to al churches and ages of the world Wherof since we haue spoken oftener than once there is no cause that by oft repeating I should be tediouse to any man To the Lorde our God be praise and glory ¶ He blameth certen thinges in the congregation of Sardis notwithstanding he sheweth streight wayes a remedy wherby they may be healed be safe The .xv. Sermon AND write to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Sardis this saith he that hath the spirites of God and the .vii. starres I knowe thy workes Thou hast a name that thou liuest and thou art dead Be awake and strength the thinges which remaine that ar redy to die For I haue not founde thy works perfit before God Remember therfore howe thou hast receiued and heard and holde fast repent If thou shalt not watche I wil come on thee as a thefe and thou shalt not knowe what houre I wyll come vpon thee Two kindes of men in one churche In one congregation of Sardis were two sortes of people professing on either side the name of Christ But some in dede answered but litle to the holy profession liuing more licenciously than became them And the others in holines of lyfe set forth the doctrine of our sauiour that they professed The first sort the Lord Iesus accuseth in this Epistle by S. Iohn And sheweth also a medicine for the disease And the later he exhorteth to perseueraunce commending their integritie Therfore this Epistle is deuided in two partes verey fit and profitable for our time The first part of the Epistle coÌ„teineth those things which we haue now recited Nether doth he procede herein in other order than we haue sene him to haue proceded hitherto For first he sheweth to whom it is dedicated and sent Namely to the Pastour of the congregation of Sardis Sardis and therfore also to the whole church Sardis is said to haue ben the head citie of Lydia or of Maonia the metropolitane citie of Cresus the most riche king of Lydia whom Herodotus writeth that king Cyrus ouercame a towne most famous and pricked and painted with pride that it was a woÌ„der And addicte to voluptuousnes For Strabo in the .xiii. boke of Geographie testifieth that al the maidens therof were harlots who mentioneth more of the same citie Certes it semeth to haue kept his olde wonte euen at suche time also as it had receiued the name of the Lord And therfore to haue bene more geuen to fornication and al maner of filthy lust The which thing the Lord semeth to haue blamed in them as S. Paul likewyse persecuted the self same vise in the Corinthians The worlde can hardly beleue that simple fornication is sinne wherupon in that great counsel of the Apostles Actes 15. both thei and the elders and the whole assemblie with one minde decreed that the geÌ„tiles should absteine from fornication The deuill at this day goeth about many times to defile the church again with fornication to set vp stewes and that by authoritie and openly whordom might be practised For so being cast out he taketh seuen worse spirites enterprising to possesse that place again out of the whiche he was exiled by the preaching of the Gospel We must therfore resist him least the Lorde Iesus him self do accuse vs as he doth here accuse them of Sardis most greuously Christ hath and seÌ„deth the spirite Then is the Lord Iesus declared to be authour of the Epistle not without praise
For he is said to haue the seuen spirites of God that is to haue the seuen fourmed spirit whom he also powreth out vpon the faithful or els he is one only spirit and not seuen but seuen that is to witte his graces be many and diuerse as I declared in the first chapter for the same hath also in his right hand seuen starres to witte the whole multitude of all preachers and ministers keping and instructing theÌ„ And this beginning agreeth not amisse with this argument which he treateth in this Epistle For of the spirite of Christ is life Of the want of the spirit death Christ preserueth the ministers how angrie so euer meÌ„ ar in the churche with theÌ„ for accusing their wickednes Priuely therfore he warneth them to craue the spirite to norishe the lyfe spirituall And to trust in Christe which wil defende the ministers and auaunce them After the same that he testifieth in all other Epistles he repeateth here also I knowe thy workes Wherof I haue spoken before The Loâ—de is ignoraunt of nothyng that is done in the churche whiche is also the searcher of hartes And especially he blameth this in this Churche The sickenes of this church that she thought her selfe a lyue where she was dead He speaketh not of the corporall but of the spirituall lyfe and death For Christe lyueth by his spirite in his sainctes and faythfull and sheweth lyuely workes by them Lyke as the Lorde teacheth in the .vi. of Iohn and in many other places of the Gospel of S. Iohn The Apostle said also that he liued not now Galat. 2 1 Tim. 5 but that Christ liued in him The same Apostle said that wydowes liuing in waÌ„tones being aliue were dead They be dead therfore which haue not Christ liuing in theÌ„ by faith spirit Which haue not the vertue of Christ workyng in theÌ„ that is which bringeth not forth liuely workes Math. 8 For the Lord is red to haue said also in the Gospel Suffer the dead to bury their dead The Sardensians therfore had the name of men liuing that is to say they were called Christians spirituall regenerated and holy worshippers of God but they were dead to witte hipocrites in whome no spirite nor Christen life appered The fleshe the world and corruption as yet liued in theÌ„ But such churches displease Christ There be many suche at this day But whether doth Christ reiect them Verely he blameth such but not to confounde them for so the worlde blameth but that they should repent For he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue And therfore consequently he prepareth a medicine for the disease A medicine prepared for the sicknes And first he prescribeth to the starres or Byshops what they should do in this case Then telleth he also the whole coÌ„gregation their dutie Wherof we learne howe like diseases of churches are to be holpen That beloÌ„geth to the Pastours that he commaunded them to watche verely ouer the flock And to confirme that remained of the flock not yet in dede lost but next vnto perdition vnlesse it be holpeÌ„ in time with sound and holsome doctrine He alluded doubtles to that cure and charge pastorall whiche the Lorde describeth in the xxxiiii chapt of Ezechiel The flock is confirmed by the word of God by the same it is retyred from death and preserued in lyfe c. The workes of that church not ful before God Now also he addeth the reason why he commaundeth to confirme the flocke least they slyde in to death For I haue not found thy workes full or perfit before God The Greke copie Complutensian and Aretas haue my God By workes he vnderstaÌ„deth al things that are done wordes works and the whole conuersation of men The workes doubles euen of Sainctes be euermore vnperfit if we haue respecte to humane imbecillitie For always so long as we lyue here the flesh fighteth against the spirite In so muche that Iob sayd how he feared all his workes and therfore fled to the clemeÌ„cie of the iudge Notwithstanding they be perfit and full in respect of Christ For he is our fulnes and in hym we are coÌ„plete Iohn 1. Ephes 1. Coloss the 12. And he maketh vs pertakers of his fulnes by faythe They of Sardis were destitute of trewe fayth wherfore euery worke of theirs muste nedes be vnperfit before God whiche alloweth nothinge but that is of the sonne and moste pure Therfore the Lorde coÌ„maundeth to teache faith diligently and beate it in that they maye bâ— made perfit in Christe This is the beste medicine for the deadly disease of Christes churche Here followeth the dutie of the people The true apostolike repentauÌ„ce how they may be healed by the apostolicall repentaunce Whereof the chiefe poincte is to remember the lordes wordes in what we haue hearde and receiued the same We are not commaunded to diuise newe formes of religion and repentaunce but we are sent to the olde tradition not of men but the which we haue in the Scriptures of Euangelistes and Apostles These I saye we oughte to remembre For throughe custome of sinning we forget Gods worde And truely the beginnyng of Peters repentaunce was to haue remembred the wordes of the Lorde Therfore such as will not be reproued and instructed by gods worde shall neuer come to or attayne the trewe repentaunce Furthermore it is necessarie that we kepe and reteyne the wordes of God that is the trewe doctrine of Christ leeste we forget it streight wayes or that we sette it in vayne contemplation and not in effectuall worke The doctrine of Christ must be kept and perfourmed in worke For in the laste place it followeth and repente Trew repentauÌ„ce consisteth in worke that in minde body we should tourne awaie from euil and tourne vnto God and do good beyng sorie for our wicked dedes paste this is the trewe Apostolicall repentaunce Vnto the whiche repentaunce nowe By threatninges he exhorteth to repentaunce after the diuine prophetical apostolical maner he draweth theÌ„ by the threatnings Whiche are in dede to be referred aswell to the ministers as to the people in the congregation Againe the Lord vseth parables whiche we reade that he vsed in S. Matth. 24. Where with the same he exhorteth to watchyng sobrietie Whiche place sins it is there expounded at large I nede not to vse many wordes aboute it here To the Lorde be prayse and thankes geuyng for euermore ¶ He alloweth and commendeth those that couet to liue godly in the Churche of Sardis exhorting them that they would so holde on and procede The .xvi. Sermon BVt thou haste a fewe names in Sardis whiche haue not defiled their garmentes And they shall walke with me in white for they are worthie He that ouercometh shall be clothed in white araye and I will not put out his name out of the boke of life And I will confesse his name before my Father
He propoūdeth also thexāple of the cōquerour Christ For we must ouercome as he hath ouercomē He in dede ouercame most perfitly we after our litle strēgth fight and ouercome And verely the true victory in vs is the liuely vertu of Christ that is to say by him they ouercom whosoeuer ouercome And like as he hauing ouercome death vanquished the world the deuill ascended into heauen sate on the right hand of the father so he promiseth vs also ouercomming that he wil geue vs the seat of his father not that we sitting on the right hande of God should iudge ouer al flesh beyng made Christes but that beynge made pertakers of euerlasting glory and deliuered from all iudgement we maye appere in glory when he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead We reade of a like promise made to the disciples Matth. 19. and Luke 22. And so assuredly shall this glory come vnto vs as Christ him selfe did verely ascende into Heauen and sate in the glory celestiall And here we must note a speciall thing that Christ geueth here that thing whiche in the 20. of Matth. he denieth that he can geue to Iames and Iohn that is to sitte in the glory celestiall Therfore this place expoundeth that The diuinitie of Christ For Christ after his deitie geueth that whiche after his humanitie he denieth that he cā geue This place then proueth that Christe is very God geuer of eternall life c. He addeth after his maner an acclamation wherby he applieth this epistle to al congregations and affirmeth it to be inspired of the spirite of Christe Whereof we haue spoken before And we haue treated hitherto of the seconde parte of this worke wherin are declared the moste excellent poinctes of our religion who of what sorte is Christ The sum sittyng in the glory of the father howe he is presente in his churche and gouerneth the same as kynge and priest by his spirite by his worde and Sacraments What also and of what sorte is the church of Christ what is the true and righte doctrine of the churche what opiniōs are wicked What is to be done with erroneouse doctrines and seducers howe the churche fallen and afflicted maye be repared what is true repētaunce and what are the dueties of the godly and many other thinges of like sorte To God the father be prayse thankes geuinge and glory through Iesus Christe our Lorde ¶ The seconde vision is shewed to S. Iohn wherin he seeth God in his Throne with Elders whome he describeth gallauntly The .xxiij. Sermon AFter this I loked and beholde a dore was open in heauen and the first voice whiche I hearde was as it were a trōpet talkyng with me whiche saied come vp hither and I will she we thee thinges whiche muste be fulfilled herafter And immediatly I was in the spirite and beholde a seate was set in heauē and one sate on the seate And he that sate was to loke vpō like a Iasper stone and a Sardine stone and there was a rainebowe aboute the seate in sighte like a Smaragde And about the seate were xxiiii seates And vpon the seates xxiiii Elders sittinge clothed in white raymente and had on theyr heades crownes of Golde The thirde parte of this worke reacheth from the beginning of the 4. chapter vnto the beginning of the 12. chapter And conteyneth a notable vision moste holesome and of muche fruicte The first vision which we hearde expounded in the 3. chap. exhibiteth a figure of Christ and of his church and howe the Lord reigneth in the same how also the church behaueth or oughte to demeane her selfe In the seconde vision S. Iohn declareth howe by a most iuste and most holy gouernement God gouerneth all thynges by Christ which chaunce and are done to the churche in the worlde and of the worlde The argumēt of the seconde vision In these are rehearsed the most sorrowful destenies of the church calamities plages and destructions famines persecutions reuoltinges heresies conflictes and other euilles moste greuouse of the same sorte c. Who also and what and howe iuste God is rightuouse and holy in all his iudgementes here is described That he is Authour of all That God throughe the moste wittie and excellent gouernement of Christe ruleth all thinge that the holy Aungelles also and al creatures do acknoweledge him and geue glory vnto God For so it teacheth vs also in al our doynges Th ende of this visiō and euen in the very greuouse calamities and persecutiōs wherof it shall prophecie moreouer the acknoweledge the prouidence and good wil of God towardes vs and his most iuste gouernement This if we shal do with quiet mindes we shal beare also moste heauy burthens patiently we shall cease with curiouse questions to inquire whye God permitteth Antichrist to spring vp to increase and reigne to oppresse the religion and Sainctes of God Then shal cease also the blasphemouse mutinyng of those which are not affraide to saye God is in dede the Lorde he is almightie he doeth what he will and as he will we are bonde seruauntes and rather worse than bondemen We are forced to beare what so euer he wil laye vpon vs c. As thoughe God were vniuste and after a tirannicall feare terrible and ruled after a carnal lust It is most shameful to thinke thus much more to speake it This vision shal declare that God by his prouidence gouerneth althinges and that the same is iust in al his wayes and holy in al his workes And firste S. Iohn is prepared to receyue this vision A preparatiō to this vision yea and we also are prepared in him For when he had sene the dore in heauen to be wyde open he hearde withall come vp hither c. It is surely a benefite not to be expressed with tonge that the Lorde openeth heauen for vs miserable men mortall and suffereth vs to see what is done therin or what he him selfe doeth there and what his workes or iudgments be towardes men Let no man saye herafter that God doeth in Heauen what thinges he liste not passinge vpon vs that crepe vpon earthe and who also muste suffer that we woulde not For nowe he maketh as it were an accompte of his workes and beyng assured admitteth thee as a looker on of the matter And here he declareth with a godly voice The mīde muste be lifted vp what Iohn shuld do and how he should behaue him self Christ biddeth Iohn ascende into supercelestial places not in body but in minde Therefore muste our minde be lifted vp into the contemplation of Heauenlye thinges and be pourged as muche as maye be from earthely affections that we maye beholde heauenly thinges with an heauenly contemplation What will we saye that the example of Iohn followeth immediatly And incontinently I was in the spirite that is in a spirituall cōtemplation or rauished with the spirite into the faithful consideration of those thinges whiche
but because they reste from their labours and be of most quiet and pure affectiōs sitting with the high iudge But what thing doe these They geue God no counsell what he should do or by what meane or waye he maye doe this or that but they allowe his iudgementes For they know all his workes to be iuste and holy The whiche shal immediatly follow What shal we do than shal it be mete for vs to inquire of the iudgementes of God or prescribe what he shoulde do or not do I thinke not you haue in this vniuersalitie of sainctes al patriarches al iudges and kinges al princes the whole people of God you haue emonges these king Salomon him selfe and the moste excellent and wittiest Princes of the world you haue the Apostles and men Apostolical Martirs and the wise men of the whole vniuersal worlde Wilte thou condemne their iudgementes following therfore theyr example busy not thy selfe to moue curiouse questions prayse the iuste iudgementes of God and know that the Lord is iust in al his wayes and holy in all his workes To whom be glory ¶ Here is described the procedynge of the holye spirite and operation the almightie knoweledge of God and howe the Throne of God is borne vp or susteyned of the foure beastes and what the beastes doe The .xxiiij. Sermon ANd oute of the Seate proceded lightenynges and thonderinges and voices and there were seuen lampes of fire burnynge before the seate whiche are the seuē spirites of God And before the seate there was a Sea of glasse like vnto Christal And in the middes of the seate and rounde aboute the seate were foure Beastes full of eyes before and behinde And the first beast was like a Lion the seconde beast like a calf and the thirde beaste had a face like a man and the fourth beaste was like a fliyng Egle. And the foure beastes had eche one of them sixe wynges and rounde about without and within they were full of eyes And they had no reste daye nother night saiyng holy holy holy is the lord God almightie whiche was and is and is to come The marke ende of the firste parte of this vision Our Lorde Iesus Christe as the faithefull pastour of his church wil vtter the destenies and wōderful calamities that wil come vpon the churche Therfore to the intent he might stoppe the mouthes of suche as mutiue and be inquisitiue of the iudgementes of God and might perswade al mē to haue patience in these stormes of euilles he setteth forth a treatise before wherein he sheweth that all thinges are done or permitted to be done of God by his most iuste prouidence and are gouerned or ordered by the Lambe with a iudgement most rightuouse and holy For who so beleueth and remembreth this in what chaūces so euer he happen he submitteth him self humbly and lowly and obediently to his God and crieth alwayes the Lorde is rightuouse in all his mayes and holy in al his workes And this is the moste true state of the first parte of this vision which is done in the 4. and 5. chapt And is more ouer most elegaunt moste pleasaunt and moste full of consolation Althinges are more liuely set forthe and perceyued in suche fitte and heauenly representations than they can be vnderstande in bare wordes A recapitulatiō or brief rehersall First is recited a Throne that in dede a celestial throne leeste in the workes in the prouidence and iudgementes of God we shoulde Imagine any thynge carnall or corrupte Secondly he that sitteth on the throne is represented vnto vs by two coulours Grene and red For God is an eternal essence geuyng to al their greues or beyng The same burneth in loue towardes man kinde and willeth wel vnto man but to the disobedient and rebelles he is a consumyng fire And the throne is inuironed with a raynbow grener than grasse comfortyng vs that we should not be dismayed at the sight of that Godly throne but should remembre alwaies that he whiche sitteth in the throne iudge gouernour of al is most true and kepeth his promesses to be that same leage frende of oures .xxiiii. Elders sitte rounde aboute the throne which already are signified what they be and as it were shadowed streight waye in the ende of the iiii chapt and in the fifte shal be declared what they doe or what they saye Doubtles all the Sainctes in heauen are lokers on of the iudgemētes and workes of God For the iudgementes of God be not sutch that they should flee the light and knoweledge of Sainctes Now followeth out of the Throne proceded lightninges c. In the throne is he that sitteth and the lambe that is the father and the sonne and frō them bothe procedeth the holy ghoste For by interpretatiō it followeth immediatly which are the seuen spirites of God For the lightenyngs the signes of the holy ghoste thonderings other thinges rehearsed signifie or be tokens of the holy spirite whiche els where is red also to be shadowed by fire water and winde and by firie tounges But no man wil thinke that the holy ghost whiche is one in substaunce and of the simple nature diuine should be plucked into seuen partes For I tolde you in the first chapt how the seuen spirites of God are put for the seuenthfolde most ful and most perfit spirite of God We haue in the beginning of this visiō the whole misterie of the blessed Trinitie so much as is nedeful for vs to know The holy Trinitie beleue professe There is one Seate in that one seate are conteined the sitter lambe spirite therfore there is one diuine essence nature and thereof is one power and maiestie one rule because ther is one throne briefly there is one god true eternal for euermore blessed As Moses also in the 6. of Deuter. and al the prophetes and Apostles haue euery where taught Howbeit in this only vndiuided substaunce is sene a most plaine distinction of persones For there is he that sitteth in the throne the lambe and from bothe procedeth the holy ghoste This misterie of the Trinitie we professe in the Crede This appereth openly in the incarnation of our lord whilest the aungell sayeth to the virgin the holy ghoste shal come vpon thee and the power of the hiest shal ouershadow thee And that which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God Likewise in the baptisme of Christ is hearde a voice from heauen vpon the Lord This is my wel beloued sonne The holy ghost also appereth in the likenes of a doue Wherupon the lord cōmaunded vs also to be baptized in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost This professiō is certaine true and so set foorth by the most manifest scriptures liuely preaching of the apostles like as Tertullian declareth against the heretike Praxeas We ought rather beleue cleaue vnto
And with many wordes and also moste dilligently and goodly is treated here of the openyng of the seales who verely might be thought worthie to open to the churche the secret iudgementes of God and to execute and minister his holy workes that is to saye to whome the kingdome is geuen and gouernement of the diuine prouidēce For an Aungell and that not of the cōmon sorte but a stronge and worthie one with a loude voice crieth to make vs all attentiue and that we shoulde note diligently who he is that shoulde both open the boke and vnloose or vndoe the seales And he holdeth longe in suspence the hearer beholder or reader before he will shewe him to the intent verely to cōmende him to vs exceadingly No man sayeth he in the whole vniuersal world neither emonges the Aungelles sainctes in heauen nor emongs earthly men and vnder the earth was founde whiche coulde eyther open or vnseale the boke To Christ alone belōgeth the kingdome and the power of gouernemēt is taken from others Let vs obserue that there is none that can open the boke and open the seales besides Christ alone Whie than is the administration of thinges attributed or communicated to sainctes none can open to vs the counselles and iudgements of God no man can gouerne those iudgements workes of God that he worketh in the world saue only Christ the lord whie than are so great benefites sought for of Sainctes and be imputed to them if eyther the sicke be restored to helthe or that a mortall man do receiue any other gifte or benefite ▪ many will saye I receyued this in dede of gods benefite but through the meditatiō and power and merite of this or that saincte vnto whome God graunted this that he should rule ouer suche a disease and might heale suche as calle vpon the name of the Saincte or the name of God by the Saincte These are here confuted now by the wordes of the Lord and S. Iohn saying that no man in heauen or in earth is founde whiche coulde open the boke Yet neuerthelesse aboute the Throne sate the xxiiii Elders representinge the Type of all Sainctes in glory not one of al thē was found which could open the boke Therfore be thei a great deale madder which do attribute the gouernement of things in the church to the Pope a most corrupte and filthie man Only Christ receiued al power in Heauen and in Earth as we shall incontinently more fully vnderstande S. Iohn wepeth The weping of S. Iohn for that he vnderstode a weightie matter to consiste in the openinge of this godly boke and yet sawe he no man at al which coulde eyther open or vnseale it Neyther did he as yet fully vnderstande the matter And he bare the figure of them which vnderstande not the iudgementes of God nor know not that al thinges are through God his prouidēce holyly gouerned by Christ For in them nothing els remaineth but mourning and heauines Certenly withoute Christ and his opening wherby he reuealeth to vs the diuine misteries and iudgements no man can rightly iudge of the same For vnlesse we vnderstand the seales to be opened by Christ and that al thinges are done by his order whiche loued vs and gaue him selfe for vs what thinge shall be lefte in vs but sighinge But he rehersed three thinges to open rede and loke vpō No man liuing openeth for that no man is mete for so great a charge saue only the sonne of God No manne readeth or vnderstandeth fully the iudgements of God but the sonne and to whom he hath reuealed so muche as any man hathe No man loketh on it that is to saye can beholde the workes and iudgementes of God but he shal be offended excepte he be indewed with the spirite purified with the same Therefore we must axe grace of him that we maye vnderstande so muche of Gods iudgementes as shal suffice and may iudge wel of the same Aretas Bishop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke neither any sayeth he of those that lacke fleshe nor any of them that are in the fleshe nor yet of suche as are deperted leauing their fleshe behinde them hath receiued a perfit knoweledge of godly matters And by and by after nother only is there any which could open it but also not so much as loke vpō it that is to saye coulde not loke attentiuely on the iudgments of God and so forth And the cōtexte of the whole place proueth sufficiently that S. Iohn speaketh here of the iudgmēts verely but chiefly of the gouernement of thinges The Lord Iesus be glorified for euer Amen ¶ Here is liuely described the Lambe in the throne of God receiuing the boke of the hand of him that sitteth and opening it The .xxvij. Sermon AND one of the Elders sayd vnto me wepe not Beholde the Lion whiche is of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath obteyned to open the boke to lowse the seuen seales therof And I behelde and lo in the middes of the seate and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the Elders stode a lābe as though he had bene killed whiche had seuen hornes and seuen eies which are the seuen spirites of God sent into all the worlde and he came toke the boke out of the right hand of him that sate on the Throne By Christ all thinges are gouerned Forasmuch as Iohn had wept that no man was worthy so muche as to loke on the boke of him that sate on the seate muche lesse to open it One of the .xxiiii. Elders comforteth hym His name is not expressed wherfore it semeth to be required both vaynely and curiously Notwithstanding there be some of the expositours which suppose hym to be the patriarch Iacob Verely for that shortly after his oracle or prophecie is recited And so the authour descendeth in a moste goodly order vnto the description also of the sonne of God by whome the celestial father as al the scripture euery where approueth gouerneth al thinges Hitherto hath he described hym that sitteth on the seate and before that the holy ghoste Wherfore these are holsome and moste profitable doctrines for the churche wherby the true faith is confirmed The comfort of this elder and verely the heauenly most Godly doctrine tendeth to this ende that we should vnderstande that all the complaintes weping grudging and the sondry tourmoylinges of our minde can not be quenched appeased quieted vnlesse we see and beleue that to Christ as here is moste playnely and manifestly set forth is geuen of the father al power in heauen and in earthe and therfore to be constituted like as the only redemer so also the head Prince and gouernour of al whiche vnder the seale of fayth and veritie shoulde gouerne all thinges that are by God his prouidence ordeyned and euen now dispiseth them and reuealeth vnto vs so muche of God his iudgmentes as do suffice vs. This if we beleue with a
spake the Lord in the gospel when they shall saye sayeth he Christ is in the wildernes goe not forth c. And I doubte not but that some simple also at this day for this intent take vpon thē the monastical life but they shall finde also the same that S. Iohn here sayed they should proue and trie by experience Furthermore this place might seme that it should be expounded of the tokens which go before the last iudgement The place is to be expoūded of the laste iudgemēt and of the terrour of the wicked of whom the Lord preached in maner to the same effect in the .21 of Luke But of the laste iudgement shal be spoken more at large and in his place in the .11 and .19 Chapter of this boke and els where And as I do not discōmende that same exposition so seme there nowe to me the generall destenies of the church to be here set together in the which where the corrupte doctrine occupieth not the last place there should nothing be spoken herof in general wherof many thinges in particular shal be spoken in the 8. chapter and others followyng vnlesse this present place should after the same sorte be expounded as it is Furthermore those thinges that followe shall better be ioyned together which shall haue no place in the laste iudgement as the thing it selfe wil proue And the thinges that follow in the 7. Chapt. apperteyne to the exposition of the sixte seale or vnto the treatise thereof And three thinges chiefly it reciteth howe the Aungelles let the windes that they shoulde not blowe an innumerable company to be sealed in the middes of the corrupt doctrine which shuld not perish And what the state of them is which are departed out of this world eyther by martirdom or els beyng either vndefiled with the corruption so ful of enormitie or deliuered pourged from the same which are annexed because of cōsolation For this boke of Apocalipse is wōderful Euangelical most ful not only of prophecies but also of admonitions exhortations and most cōfortable consolations What winde is in the Scriptures First is to be expounded that whiche is spoken of the restreinte of the windes by the Aungels that they should not blowe Winde as also leauē in the scriptures is vsed both in good and euil parte For winde is called vaine and false doctrine and an hope conceyued of erroneouse doctrine As in Osee the .12 and the .5 and .22 of Ieremie So is leauen called the Pharisaicall doctrine and hipocrisie springyng thereof S. Paul in the .4 to the Ephes forbiddeth that we be not caried about with euery winde of doctrine And the holy ghost is shaddowed by winde in the .3 chapt of S. Iohn And in the 2. chapt of the Actes Winde is subtile it pearseth is felte and is not sene greate is the force thereof it doeth refrigerate it drieth gathereth clowdes whiche rayne and make the earth fertile Full rightly therfore by winde is signified the spirite of God and the sounde doctrine whiche is of the spirite of God Therfore is it one winde the spirit of God whiche inspireth and there be foure windes that is to witte many by the corners of Heauen and partes of the earth that is to wit preachers dispersed through out the whole world Therfore the doctrine of the Gospell inspired from all partes of the world bloweth or is preached so that ther be many windes yet all procedyng of one For there is one and the same spirite whiche speaketh by the ministers and geueth them sundry graces .1 Corinth 12. Briefly by the blaste of windes we vnderstand the free preachyng taken out of the holy Scriptures The preachyng of gods word is prohibited Secondely we muste knowe that there be both good and euil Aungels in the Scriptures Aungels as appered before are called ministers And there be good and euill ministers the good inspired of God and the good Aungell and the euil of the euil Aungell And the enemie of the trueth stireth vp men in al places of the world in the Courtes of Kinges in the places of Iudgement in Scholes in Colledges in Cities Townes and Villages whiche may let the free course of Gods worde Therefore the proclamations of Kinges and Bisshoppes flye to and froe are proclamed and set vp prohibiting the readyng of the Bible the preaching of the Gospell c. And to the intent to haue some pretence of their euill doyng they forge that the Bible is corrupte in a thousande places that heresie is learned and taught out of the same Therefore also they prohibite and condemne the Bible and the bokes of the Gospell of the vnworthines of the whiche thing it can not worthely enough be spokē before the church They do the same that in times paste Antiochus Epiphanes Dioclesian and other men of the same sorte are red to haue done The expositours of the Bible in times paste deserued excedyng great prayse nother was there any faythfull that sayed the holy boke to be corrupted for that al translations agreed not emonges themselues We liue therefore at this daye in a time most corrupt and most vnthankefull And the restrainte of reading holy Scripture is the foundation of the corrupte doctrine and of intanglyng the conscience and of dispayre that followeth on the same And by the Earth he vnderstandeth men dwellyng in Earth by the Sea and Iles men of Ilandes and that dwell on the Sea by trees men shadowed euery where in the Scripture by trees For vnlesse the windes blowe the trees florishe not neyther the earth waxeth grene The Prophet sayeth sende forth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renewe the face of the earth And excepte the worde of God be preached the mindes of men waxe not grene nother are the fruictes of good workes brought forth of men And therfore the Aungelles prohibiting winde are sayed to hurt as in dede there is nothing more pestilent nor perniciouse than the suppressing of the free preachyng of Gods worde The Lorde by his spirite renewe all partes of the worlde Amen ¶ The faithful are sealed to saluatiō which they obteyne by the grace of God in Christ Iesu The .xxxv. Sermon ANd I sawe an other Aungell ascēde from the rising of the sonne which had the seale of the liuing God and he cried with a lowde voyce to the foure Aungelles to whome power was geuen to hurte the earth and the See saying hurte not the earth nother the See nother the trees till we haue sealed the Seruauntes of our God in their forheades And I hearde the numbre of them which were sealed and there were sealed an C. and .xliiii. thousand of al the tribes of the Childrē of Israell Of the tribe of Iuda were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Ruben were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Gad were sealed xii M. of the tribe of Asser were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Neptali were sealed .xii. M.
is in you thā he is that is in the worlde And this is the victory that ouercame the world euen your fayth And by the waye he expoundeth The nature of the deuil is figured by certen wordes what we shoulde vnderstande by the dragon of whō he hath spoken hitherto to wit the olde enemie of man kinde He setteth him foorth with his titles attributinge to him foure names that hereby also we may vnderstande his nature the better and maye beware of that wicked murtherer Firste he calleth him the olde Serpent For at the beginnyng by the Serpent he infected with the poyson of death and sinne our first Parentes and by thē the whole vniuersal world as is to be sene in the .3 of Genes and the .5 to the Romains Therfore I sayed in the beginning of this chapt that he is called a Dragon After he calleth him the Deuill that is to saye a sclaunderer or a false accuser For by and by it followeth which may expoūde this word for the accuser of our bretherne is caste out c. A goodly exāple of this thing is declared in the .1 and .2 chapt of Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to accuse or blame and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an accusation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crime or complaincte Thirdly he calleth him Sathanas in the Hebrewe word to witte an aduersarie for that he is in al things against god and obiecteth him selfe and resisteth men in holy matters yf happely he might hinder or corrupte them Laste he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seducer disceauer or he that supplāteth and betrayeth the whole world For this the Lord attributeth to him in the .8 of Iohn for that he hath ben a lier from the beginning and is the father that is the foūtaine and original of al liyng disceipte of errours and seducyng and of al euill For all errours and heresies al deceiptes and all leasinges finally all kinde of euils haue flowed out of this most filthy welspring And who is he that heareth these thinges which wil not abhorre that vile beast they must nedes be starke madde that seke by al meanes to be in fauour with that wicked spirite He should now here consequently annexe the residewe of this fight to witte how the Dragon persecuteth assaulteth the woman and she agayne by fliyng resisteth and ouercometh through Christ But he suspendeth the same narration yet a little while A songe of victory placeth now a songe of victory and triūphe of sainctes in heauen of the Angelles and blessed soules The some wherof is that Christ hath ouercomen that the faithful do ouercome in Christ and therfore muste heauens themselues and al that dwel therin reioyce and singe And I repete that these things are interlased in the daūgerous Antichristian and Romish sight for a cōsolation leest the saincts should in those great daungers by reason of their natural infirmitie be discouraged but callyng vpō the name of Christ should fight manfully when they vnderstande vnder whose banner they fight and with whome they fight verely wyth one ouercomen vnder Christes stādart And when we heare that the Dragons force is broken we shal thinke that the furies of eyther beast aswell the ten horned as the two horned are weakened in the faith of christ This geueth also no smal courage in this conflicte that we see that the Dragon hath no power ouer them that are sprinkled and purified with the bloud of Christ but ouer earthly and worldly men And this triumphe is heauenly For voices are hearde out of heauen singyng a mery note to the intent that the reioycing of the blessed spirites might haue more authoritie grace and efficacitie emonges the pore afflicted Thei al with one voice singe merely that saluatiō power is now made perfit for by the Lordes death and resurrectiō Perfit saluation by Christ God hath wrought power and made perfit the saluatiō promised to the fathers to witte whilest he trode downe the serpentes head abolisshed sinne death and restored life Thus is the kingedome of God in this worlde establisshed in the electe whilest euen by the power of Christ the Prince of this worlde is caste out and ouercome For the cause followeth wherfore we must so reioyce and what vertue and power of Christ hath shewed it selfe or howe saluation is made perfit because sayeth he through Christ the Deuill is cast downe that is to saye ouercome and vāquisshed that he can no more accuse mankinde before the iudgement seate of God Hereunto belongeth that S. Paule wrote Rom. 8. Who shall accuse the electe of God It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ whiche died yea whiche rose agayne which is also on the right hande of God which maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer the heauenly dwellers do not only preach the victory of Christ but of all the faythfull Christ hath made also the faithfull victours which they obteyne agaynst Sathan in the fayth of Iesu Christ that it maye herof at the leest appere what we should vnderstande before by Michael and by his Angelles And he beateth in dilligently that Christians ouercome not Sathan by their owne merites force or strēgth but by the merite and grace of Christe And they sayeth he to witte the Angelles of Michael ouercame the Dragon by the bloud of the Lambe For in asmuch as the faythful are purified by the bloud of Christe Sathan hath nothing against them but sins they haue the spirite and fayth of Christ they ouercome the Deuill also So in times paste the distroyer had no power ouer those houses whiche were marked with the bloud of the Lambe Exod. 12. And he addeth an other thinge for the which the faithful ouercame for the worde of the testimony of Christ which is the gospel Which because it is inuincible eternal they ouercome all thinges of this worlde who so euer abide in the liuely and eternal word of the veritie And euen in the gospel most trewe the lorde himselfe hath promised that he wil not forsake his and wil fight for thē Therfore must the faithful nedes ouercome To these thinges is added more the effecte of Christes purifiyng They loued not their life more than Christe and therfore haue thei geuen it for Christ vnto death and so haue ouercomen For many are vanquisshed by this one thing that they wil not hasarde their life for Christ For these great benefites of God they exhorte nowe heauens themselues and all the inhabiters of Heauen that is to saye they exhorte one an other to singe a ioyeful songe And that which the heauēly sainctes saye they do here they teach the sainctes in Earth to doe also and instructe of what maner and sorte they ought to be which shal ouercome Sathan in battaile to witte purified by the bloud of Christ cleauing to the testimonie of Iesu Christe and contemners of their own life to whom it
firste miracle done in Cana of Galiley and sayeth This is the firste token that Iesus did at Cana in Galiley and shewed his glory and his disciples beleued on him This token was trewe and suspected of no iuggelyng it was a benefite bestowed vpoÌ„ pore folkes newely maried by the same God was glorified His disciples moued herewith and the sprite of God workyng also inwardely beleued on Christ So do all trewe miracles testifie Christ to be helthful and beneficiall therefore alone to be called vpon and worshipped So doe Iohn and Peter interprete the signes or miracle that their theÌ„selues wrought in the .3 of the Actes of Apostles And of such miracles we haue greate plentie in the Euangelicall Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall storie nother haue al those any other ende thaÌ„ that we must beleue in the sonne of God as which alone geueth life and al good thinges And false signes I calle those that are done through deuelishe crafte or inchauntement Of falsâ— signes or miracles or by the craftie iuggelyng and subtill sleight of wicked men as be those of witches and inchaunters such as the wise men of Pharao were and Symon Magus and those wherof mention is made in the .13 of Deuâ—ter Finally suche were the miracles of the Freres brent at Bernes in Swisserlande and greately it is to be feared leest such haue ben the most parte of the miracles of al Mounkes and Eremites Likewise those are called false also whiche although they be done in dede yet beare they witnes to a lie agaynste the trewth confirmyng the Pope to be head of the church that images are to be worshipped that we must pray vnto Sainctes and go a pilgrimage for religion yea rather for superstitions sake that we must worshippe a newe God liynge hidde vnder fourme of Bread and Wine that God muste be honoured with vowes and Monkish conuersatioÌ„ and yf there be any other thing of like sorte With suche disceauable signes are filled at this daye all Temples churches and chapelles These haue perswaded much euen wise men and do also at this daye Whiche thing the Lord prophecied should come to passe saiynge there shal arrise false Christes and false Prophetes and shal shewe great signes and wonders that euen if it were possible the elect should be brought into errour And S. Paule also the comyng of Antichriste sayeth he shal be after the workyng of Sathan with al power and signes and liyng wonders and the reste whiche is red in the .2 to the Thessal 2. And we knowe that many Bisshoppes of Rome haue wrought signes but that same is not so excellent but that the Bisshoppe of Rome hath confirmed what miracles so euer haue ben wrought in al ChristeÌ„dome and augemented the same with his bulles and indulgences Doubtles all had a contrary ende to the miracles of Christ and yet haue for they do not profite men but emptie their purses put men to sondry charges and leade them awaye from the faith of Christ to the faith of Antichrist confirming his religion superstitioÌ„ and doctrine Nother doeth he place these his miracles emongs the last of his argumentes what time the simplicitie of the gospell is impugned But if we be wise we will beware of them as of a most present pestilence He maketh fire to come down c heaueÌ„ And emonges his miracles the lord by S. Iohn reherseth that aboue all thinges he causeth fire to come downe to the Earth and that in the presence of meÌ„ And he semeth to haue alluded to the story of Helias wherof we reade in the .4 boke of Kinges the .1 chapt and whereof we mentioned in the .11 chapt We reade that it was no smal miracle in the Actes of the Apostles that al the laiyng on of thapostles handes the holy ghost was geuen Symon Magus also did couet the same grace but he was sore reiected of S. Peter the Apostle as we reade in the .8 chapt of the Actes of Apostles And here is to be obserued as also S. Austen hath admonished in the .15 boke de trinit the .26 chapt that thapostles gaue not the holy ghost for it is God alone that geueth the holy ghost therfore at the prayers of thapostles at the imposition of haÌ„des the holy ghost was geuen from heaueÌ„ Wherfore S. Iohn Baptiste saied how he baptised with water but that Christ shuld baptise with fire and with holy ghost And by fire is figured the holy ghost The Pope geueth grace But Antichrist the Pope shal make his boaste that he hauing power geuen him froÌ„ heauen graunteth the grace of the holy ghost Doubtles in the time of coÌ„secrating he saieth that he geueth the holy ghost So likewise in auricular coÌ„fessions absolutions they bragge that thei geue full absolutioÌ„ of sinnes which in dede is a great miracle Thei laie their haÌ„des vpon the sinner that confesseth and saye howe they absolue him from the payne and crime and that by the power receyued of that moste holy See of Rome Primasius expounding this place It is no maruell sayeth he though that beaste which fainedly vsurpeth to him selfe the name of the Lambe killed and yet liuyng doe fraudulently chalenge to him selfe also this gifte of the holy ghost colourably by ImitatioÌ„ and fayne a donation to his ministers as we remembre that Symon Magus coueted but coulde not obteyne Hitherto he There is an other fire also The Pope casteth a thoÌ„derbolt at his enemies which Antichrist calleth doune from heauen and casteth and throweth at his enemies to be reuenged on them to wit the darte and thonderbolte of cursing this was terrible to kinges princes people And these haue so much feared the thonderbolte of excoÌ„munication that they haue done graunted many thinges which otherwise no maÌ„ shuld haue gote of theÌ„ The story is knoweÌ„ of themperour Henry the .4 For Platina in the life of Gregory the .7 sheweth that this Emperour was excoÌ„municated by the Pope After he addeth these things of themperour he came spedely to Canosse where the bishop was with Mathilda and by and by laiyng a side his royal robes went bare foted to the gates of the citie and humbly required to be let in His entring denied he toke in good parte notwithstanding that the winter was sharpe and al was frosen harde Remaynyng thre daies in the suburbes of the Towne and continually crauing perdon at the length at request of Mathilda and the Erle of Sauoye the Abbot of Clunies he is absolued Fridericke Barbarouse that he mighte be reconciled to the Pope layed his necke vnder his fete to be troden on full manifeste are the iniuries done of this beaste to other kinges also and people I wil yet tel of one The Venetians besieged Farrare which payeth tribute to the Churche of Rome for the whiche cause they were excommunicated by Clement the .5 Therefore Fraunces Dandalus which was after created Duke wente into Fraunce where that time the Bisshop was