No truely It hath wrought in theÌ„ whoÌ„ he hath called and roâ—ted in them whom he hath sought So that the faithfull children of Abraham and true Isralites in no wise can perish nor be taken from Christ. THE TEXT 1 And vvhen he opened the second seale 2. I harde the second beast say 3. Come and see 4 And there vvent out an other horse that vvas red 5. And povver vvas geuen to him that sate thereon 6. to take peace from the earth 7 that they shuld kil one an other 8. And there vvas geuen vnto hym a great svvord The Paraphrase 1 What the estate of the ChristiaÌ„ churh was immediatly after the Apostels time it is vnder misterie declared in the openinge of the seconde seale For so soone as the sayde Apostles and fyrste Disciples of Christe were taken from the world yea and partly in their time also many pernicious errours did springe and increase by craftie teachers and subtile seducers in dyuers quarters Some coupled the lawe with the gospel and circumcision with baptime to bring Christian libertie into bondage Some sayd the generall resurrection was past to subuert the wayes of the Lorde Some denyed hym to come in the fleshe Some brought in ceremonies and beggerly shadowes to yoke vs with Iewishe supersticions Some forbad mariage as an vncleane thing to bring in all abhominations and filthinesse Some dyd inhibite meates sanctified of God vnder colour of abstinence to set vp hypocrisie Some called Sainct Paule an Apostata from the lawe Some taught the Gospell carnally denying Mathew and Iohn and fantasied gospels vpon their owne brayne vnder the names of Peter Andrew Thomas Barthelmew Mathias Thadeus Barnabas And of this sorte in the Apostles tyme was Nicolas of Antioche Hermogenes Hymeneus Philetus Alexander Elymas Carpocras Cerinthus Hebion Helion with their affinytie And after theyr tyme Basilides Ualentinus Heracleon Cerdon MercioÌ„ Apelles Tacianus Menander Montanus and other 1 In significatioÌ„ of this the Lambe opened this second seale of the booke He remoued once agayne the darke cloudes of ignorance he replenyshed with hys grace strengthened with his spirite certayn of the Gréeks and Gentiles which beléeued to confute the errours condempne the lyes of those false teachers deceiuable Antichristes Of this number was Ignacius Policarpus Theophilus Antiochenus Iustinus Martyr Agrippa Castorius Aristides Quadratus Meliton Apollenaris Theodocion Hyrenius Appollonius Melcyades Rhodon diuers other These boldely coÌ„fessed Christ they taught his veritie they put aside the darknes they ministred the light they confounded the aduersaries both with tonge pen. 2 And when the Lambe had thus opened this seconde seale declaryng the misterie thereof I heard the second beast saith S. Iohn which was to my sight a calfe signifiyng those ministers which had mortified and wholly giuen vp them selues as a sacrifice for the preaching of the same saying also vnto mée 3 Approch nigher looke perceiue and take héed mark beare it away 4 And sodeinly I saw that there went foorth an other horse all diuers from the first for he was outwardly read This horse resembleth the sayd false teachers borne brought vp in flesh and bloud taught of the same Such went from the Apostles were not of them they cursed the true preachers out of their sinagogs they persecuted them from citie to citie they accused them as the sturrers vp of sedicioÌ„ they caused the rulers to imprisoÌ„ theÌ„ scorge theÌ„ flea them thinking therby they did God high seruyce They turned the grace of god into beastlines brought in lying sectes These were those false bretheren deceitfull maysters whom the scripture calleth strauÌ„gers hirelings théeues scorners and rauening wolues not sparing the flock These were those bloud thirstie doctours and puffed vp prelates which are partakers with their fathers in the bloud of the Prophets whose succession for a token of the same is clothed in read scarlet to this day Such a red horse was Barichu which resisted Paul Barnabas at Paphos So was Alexander the copper smith which did Paule much displeasure So was Demetrius which moued sedicion against him so was Ananias the high priest that commaunded hym to bée smitten so was Tertullus the Oratour that accused hym to the debitie so was Diotrephes that sought the préeminence and reproued Iohn 5 And power was gyuen to hym that sate vpon this horse By the sufferance of God to trye his electes the wicked rulers and Prynces of thys world perswaded and set forward by these bloudie beastes hath exercysed all crueltie fircenesse and tyrannie 6 To take from the earth the swéet peace of God ChristiaÌ„ vnitie which made of the Iewes and Gentiles one people knit vs altogither through fayth and baptime as members of one bodie in Christ Iesu. This peace haue they broken this vnitie of faith haue they torne this coate of Christ without seame haue those souldiours deuyded abusing the power which is the high ordinaunce of God they haue mayntayned the manifold sects of diuision 7 Of whome one hath kylled an other as in the distruction of Hierusalem the vnchristian gentile slewe the vnfaithful Iew. And now in the church of Antichrist one Bishop poysoneth an other one priest an other one religious as other 8 And vnto this terrible horse man was there giuen a great swerd LoÌ„g hath the Lord suffred those tyrantes to raygne much mischiefe to worke great crueltie to vse Much was the persecution tyrannie and murther vnder Nero Domicianus Traianus Aurelius Seuerus Maximinus Decius Ualerianus Aurelianus Dioclecianus Maxencius Iulianus and such like muche christian bloud in their time was shedde THE TEXT 1 And when he opened the third seale 2. I heard the third beast say 3. Come and see 4. And I beheld and lo a black horse 5. And he that sate on him had a payre of Balaunces in his hand 6. And I heard a voyce in the middest of the .iiij. beastes say 7. A measure of wheat for a penny 8. and three measures of barley for a penny 6. And oyle and wyne see thou hurte not The Paraphrase 1 Under trope or secret misterie of the thyrd seale opening is specyfied the estate generall of the chrystian church after the tyme of the martirs and strong witnesses of Iesu which were most cruelly afflicted and slayne for confessing hys name and trueth Not that the Martyres were onely and that tyme and not afore and after but for so much as they did than most abound For in the Rome churche besides other were slayne all the mynisters of the word or Byshoppes as they call them from the tyme of Peter vnto the dayes of Siluester to the number of xxxij not one of them escaped After theyr tyme as the tyrannie of rulers was stilled and theyr gagyng crueltye pacyfyed there arose an other fashioned sorte all diuers from the other giuen to
figure what should be the estate of that time to assertaine his chosen friendes therof I saw saieth Saincte Iohn vnder the Aulter of God which is Christe vpon whom the whole sacrifice of our redempcion was offered 3 The soules or spirits of those constant beléeuers whiche through the violent handlynge of the afore sayde false prelats and Antichristes were cruelly put to death by diuers maner of tormeÌ„ts not only for the vndefiled word of god but also for the sincere testimonye of Iesu which they had by the gift of his only spirit Under this Aulter remaine all they which haue bin killed for that witnesse of truth In his faith they slept and still rest now in his hope In him now they liue for whom they once dyed Under his shadow they dwell Under his winges they flocke vnder hys couerte they cloyster He is their comforte kéeper and defender With hym are they now whose presence they euermore coueted 4 In that they cried with a lowde voice is signified that their innocent death fercely asketh and requireth the great indignation vengance and terrible iudgement of GOD vppon those tirauntes lyke as dyd the bloude of Abell vppon that murther Cayne 5 And this is their daylye crye O Lorde God almighty so holy thou art that thou hatest all euill so true and so iust that thou abhorrest al lies and peruerse doctrine so manifest is the filthy lyfe of the spirituall antichristes that thou séest it so euidente is their vnshamefast crueltie vpon thy seruantes that thou knowest it Yet doest thou leaue them vnpunished and suffer them vncorrected Howe long time wil it be ere thou iudge them to dampnation What yeares wilt thou take ere thou reuenge our bloud 6 Sure it is that thy lawes are holy and thy wordes are faithfull and true Why doest thou then permitte these proud homicides and spightfull murtherers to defyle them with their errours and blaspheme them with their lyes Kyllyng vp thy seruants without pittie for holdynge with them and reigning héere as Gods vpon earth in ambiciousnesse vayne glory pompe glotony and leâ—herye with other abhomynable vices Thus these beastly bellye Gods doth dayly dispise thée They treade downe thy testimonies and shed innocent Christen bloud in despight of thée 7 Looke once vpon them therefore according to thy promisse and sée thou rewarde them according to their wickednesse Thys reuengement doe we not aske for our scath but for the contempt of thy truethe Not for our harme but for the blasphemy of thy name 8 And longe white garmentes sayth Sainct Iohn very large and comely were geuen vnto euery one of them A full innocencye perfectnesse and cléerenesse was powred ouer them and abundantly spred vpon them Indued they were with an inestimable purenesse by Christe for whose veryties sake they dyed With him they are now in peace ioy and swéetnesse But whether they be in full glory afore God or no that wyll we not temerously define Sure we are that they be deliuered from all payne sorrow and care and that they clearely be assertayned so haue that glory complet both in body and soule at the latter day More swéete is their estate for the time yea more delycious and pleasaunt then all the delightes prosperytye and wealth that euer was yet in thys worlde 9 And as they were in this swéete solace much desirous of their bodyes delyueraunce from corruption they were requyrâ—d by these secrete heauenlye mocyon of Christe as we are in this life by the outwarde word 10 Paciently to pause for a while and quietously to rest for a season 11 Untill such time as the complet nuÌ„ber of their coÌ„stant fellowes and faithfull brethren 12 Yea and of all those poore creatures that shoulde be kylled by these vnsaciat blud suckers for his truthes sake like as they were afore shuld be fulfilled and wholy accomplished according to the eternall prediffinition of God And so much the rather to content themselues with their peaceable and quietous estate for their brethrens sake that it should not belonge ere their death were reuenged and they restored to a full tranquillitie For nothing in comparison are the sufferinges of this time to that glorye whiche shall be shewed vnto the chosen sort in that day Let no man think where as Christ hath willed those soules to rest that they sléepe in death for they rest in hym which is lyfe Out of hym they are not he is their Aulter he is theyr couert They lyue they decerne and in swéetenesse they abide the latter day and all vnder him Their white garment of innocencie they haue onely by him Worship him then and not them Pray and call vpon him and not vpon them For he is the onely meditour and generall aduocate to God the father so wel for them as for you Nothyng can they doe but by hym Their office is not to heare suters causes nor to goe to and fro but still to rest abyding the glad day of theyr deliuerance It is Christes onely office to receyue all complayntes to pleate them and to iudge them THE TEXT 1 And I beheld when he opened the sixâ— seale 2. lo there was a great earth quake 3. and the sunne was as black as a sack cloth made of heare 4. And the moone vvaxed euen as bloud 5. And the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth 6. euen as a figge tree casteth from hir hir figges vvhen it is shaken of a mightie wynde 7. And heauen vanyshed avvay as a scroull vvhen it is rolled togither 8. And all mountaynes and yles vvere moued out of their places 9. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the riche men 10. and the chiefe captaynes and the mightie men and euery bond man and euerie free man 11. hid themselues in dennes and in rockes of the hilles 12. and sayde to the hilles and rockes 13. Fall on vs 14. and hyde vs from the presence of hym that sitteth on the seate 15. and from the vvrathe of the Lambe 16. for the great day of hys vvrath is come 17. And vvhoÌ„ can endure it The Paraphrase 1 This know they well whome the lambe hath deliuered from their dark sinagoge to whom he hath in these dayes opened the sixte seale of the booke raysing vp the spirites of many to detect by his holy worde theyr shamefull abhominations Blessed be the name of that Lord which hath now so mercifully vysited hys poore people from aboue sending his word vnder the tipe or figure of this Lambe to open vnto them at this sixt time of darkenesse the vj. seale of the hydden misteries of the booke I looked yet farther sayeth sainct Iohn and as the Lambe Christ disclosed the sixte seale to manifest the cléernesse of his truth to shewe the estate of his church anon I behelde a merueylous earthquake arise Most liuely was this fulfilled such tyme as William Courteney the Archbishoppe
and dolorus age the fourth Angell blowinge his trumpet the poore forsaken disciples shewing the trueth the thirde parte of the sunne was smitten so was the thirde parte of the Moone also the thirde part of the stars Good creatures they found the third part of Gods heauenly word sore blemished by the hypocrites the Christen Churche piteously disfigured by the antichrists and the inferioure ministers thereof darkned by Tyraunts and cruell magistrates 3 By their wicked strocke the light of GODS verytie was hydden and appeared lesse by the thirde part then it was afore Lesse was Christ the sonne of rightuousenesse knowen lesse was the Christen Church faithfull and lesse were the preachers godly More ignorant was at the time then afore more supersticion hipocrisie and falshod wherfore the third parte of them all was darkned 4 At that time also by reason of them the day was so smitten that the thirde parte thereof shewed no clearenesse and so was the night lykewise 5 In no case might Christe shine in the Curates and religious which â—ooke themselues for the day nor yet Christen fruits in the common people whiche were estéemed the night Onely were their will works alowed and their dyrty traditions thought godly The true trumpet blowers or ministers of the word were then compelled by cruell coÌ„mauÌ„dements the â—oÌ„mons by cruell lawes enforced in â—o case to medle with the truth least their â—bhominable doynges were espyed In this therefore marke what a detestable thinge false doctrine of hypocrites is for it bringeth in all darknesse an ignoraunt blindnesse and it shadoweth vnder pretence of vertue all wickednesse and sinne 6 And then saith saint Iohn I behelde an Angell flyinge through the middes of heauen as it had bin an Eagle which betokeneth certaine peculiar seruauntes of GOD illumined with some knowledge and leaâ—ing an high conuersation in the church Such were Ioachim Abbas Cirillus of Carme Angelus of Hierusalem Theolespherus of Cusencia Raynhardus and other And since their time Petrus Iohannis Robertus de vsecio Iohannis de rupescissa Arnoldus de villa noua Hieronimus Sauonarola with suche lyke 7 These perceiuing the light of Gods veritie and the true teachers therof dayly deminishinge considering also the mighty increase of darknesse with a lowde voyce they cryed earnest writings they seÌ„t the world ouer vnder the title of reuelation and prophecie 8 Saying by the threatninges of scripture wo wo wo to the inhabitours of the earth More wickednesse is comming more blindnes and more darknesse to the vngodly infydels and earthly minded people It will stylll be worse and worse to the foolish ignoraunt sorte through the errours lyes and abhominable superstitions of the false Antychristes and cruell Chaplaynes of Baal 9 And this rebuking crye was because of the voyces of the other thrée Aungels were yet to blowe with the Trumpet whose blastes they shoulde also more déepely contemne By prophesies scriptures hath many godly men perceiued afore hande with Paule the fall of faith the increase of errours and that diuers shoulde decline from the truth and earnestly they haue premonished the gouernours of it Yet haue they neglected the warning and vtterly dispised them for it leadinge the People into the depth of all errours and filthy abhominations The .ix. Chapter THE TEXT 1 And the fifte Angell blew 2. And I sawe a Starre fall from Heauen vnto the earth 3. And to hym vvas geuen the key of the bottomlesse pit 4. And he opened the bottomlesse pyte 5. And there arose a smoke of the pytte as it were the smoke of a furnace 6 And the sunne and the Ayre vvere darkened by the reason of the smoke of the pyt 7. And there came out of the smoke Locustes vppon the earth 8 And vnto them vvas geuen povver 9. As the Scorpions of the earth haue povver The Paraphrase THe fift Angell which blew his trumpet vnder the fift seale openyng of the Lambe were they which had the worde of God for that age of Christes Church and that published it to his electes And these doeth not onely séeme to bée fewe in number but also they appear to haue taught priuily in priuate congregacions and houses 2 For wheÌ„ this trumpet was blowen Iohn beheld a starre fallen downe cleane from heauen into the earthe no parte thereof reserued neyther of the starre in heauen representing the spirituall church nor yet of the earth from the starre betokening the worldly people Neyther were the spiritualtie of Christes church nor yet the laytie cléere from their poysons anye where This glittering starre or shyning multitude of prelates pastours and religious fathers were fallen away from the doctryne of the spyrite from the liuing word of the Lord and from the right conuersacioÌ„ of Christ into the earthe of their owne decrées and lawes nothing sauouring but carnall tradicions dumme dark ceremonies and doctryne of diuilles fashioning their lyues all after the same Then soughte they vp Plato Aueroys and Auicenne Then was Aristotle thought necessarie to interprete the scriptures Then was there an infinite rable of Sophisters schoole doctours of reals and nominalles of sentencioners and summistes of collyginers and Canonystes of Scotistes Thomistes Olcamystes Alberstystes Baconystes Anconistes And euerye man thought hys owne wysedome best which God hath proued starke foolishenesse all and moste ydiotishe dottage When the blynde world supposed they had the truth by this fallen starre they had nothyng lesse Under the fifte seale openyng this darkenesse was not séene but the sixte now discloseth all Onely the slayn sorte complayned that tyme desiryng theyr bloud to be reuenged where as an answer was made them that many more yet should bée kylled to fulfill theyr number And it was proued true For none in those dayes once hyssed agaynst them but suffered death for it Yea of Emperours and kings that offended them some were accurssed some deposed some slaine some poysoned Neyther spared they power nor yet noble blud In EnglaÌ„d héer they slew King Herolde poysoned King Iohn and famished King Richard the ij by their own historyes they burned sir Roger ActoÌ„ knight sir Iohn Oldecastel the Lord Cobham sir Raynolde pecock byshop of Chychester they imprisoned to death besides an infinite number of poore simple soules no lawful cause known but lyes of their owne forging Yea and the articles that they dyed for than they affirme nowe to bée good But no maruayle though they dyd suche myschiefe in those dayes 3 For to the starre was giuen the key of the bottomlesse pitte After they were fallen from the wisedome of God to the corrupt dreams of men folowyng rather the creatures then the maker of them hée gaue them ouer vnto theyr owne imaginacions and fantasies 4 TheÌ„ had they poure in darknesse by their carnall beastly and diuilishe diuinitie to open the well of dampnacion For what is the wisedome of
worke which coÌ„tayneth the first .x. Chapters are all these godlye maâ—ters of Sainct Iohns Reuelation in course comprehended Fyrst of all is the high legacie and message of the sayde Sainct Iohn vnto the .vij. congregacions of Aâ—ta in the first Chapter mencyoned Wherin they are also vnto vij golden Candelstickes compared and their preachers vnto vij shyning starres in the right hand of Christ. In the seconde and third Chapters are the sayd vij congregacions seuerally ech one by it selfe discribed and warned to the vniuersall premonishment of the whole Christian Church in the vij partes or clymates of the worlde Marke those three Chapters diligently and ye shall perceyue that the true Christian church is alone goâ—uerned by the preaching of gods word an only office of Christ commaunded and not by dead ceremonies coÌ„maunâ— by the Pope of whom there is no specialtie Consider howe those preachers throughout all this booke are compared vnto starres and Angels their coÌ„gregacions called the right spouse of Christ. The other be assembled vnto most filthie locustes bréeding of the smoke of the pit bottomles vnto hatefull byrdes foule spirites and diuils their church called the proude Sinagoge of Sathan and the most execrable whore of Babilon In the iiij Chapter is heauen made open and the secrets therof manifested vnto the christian beléeuer whom Iohn also representeth thys whole booke ouer For not only are the mysteries therof in the vniuersall church performed but also in the particular churches of nacions and in the pryuate consciences of men In the v.vj and vij Chapters the Lambe Christ openeth the vij seales of the booke of the most hidden mysteries of God for the vij ages of the christian church In the meane season are the true seruantes of God sealed vnto saluacioÌ„ solaced in their troubles and reléeued in their sorowes notwithstanding the great violence of the truthes aduersaries In the viij and ix Chapters the vij Angels blowe their trumpettes Signifying the preachers to shewe foorth their messages appoynted of God for the vij ages of the churche many wonderfull plages folowing in the people for their vnbeléeues sake they obstinately resisting it or els vnthankefully receiuing it In the tenth Chapter commeth the mightie Angell from heauen with a booke in his hand all open and Iohn deuoureth the same Which betokeneth the earnest preachers of this latter age of the church wherein the true seruauntes of God shall gréedily receiue and also digest the scriptures Take thys for a bréefe sum of all that is spoken in the other volum the residue shall follow hereafter in course In the mergent of that first parte or volume put I many allegacions both of the scriptures and doctors And there vnto was I first prouoked by this saying of Sainct Hierome in a certayne Epistle of his ad Paulinum monachum The Apocalips of Sainct Iohn sayeth he hath so many mysteries as it hath wordes or for euerie word a mysterie whither ye will I mynded also thereby my labours to ease the readers for search of the places and to signify vnto them that I dyd nothing therin without aucthoritie And vndoubtedly the gatheryng of those places was so laborious vnto me as the making of the commentarie which neuerthelesse I thought well bestowed for the comfort of my bretheren But two cruell enimyes haue my iust labours had in that behalfe of whome the one hath them falsifyed the other blasphéemed Which hath caused me to leaue theÌ„ out in all that héere foloweth The Printers are the fyrst whose headie hast negligence and couetousnesse commonly corrupteth all bookes These haue both dysplased them and also chaunged theyr numbers to the truthes derogacion what though they had at their hands ij learned correctours which tooke all paynes possible to preserue them The other is Momus or Zoylus yea rather one whiche playeth both partes vnder the cloake of a Christian This cruell carper and malicious quarreller leaueth no mans worke vnrebuked minister it neuer so much godlinesse But lyke as rust mothes maggottes cankers catterpyllers with other vyle vermyne corrupteth all that is to the vse of man so doeth this enimy to distroy both name and worke only for the auauncement of his owne precious person His working tooles are suche vnsauerie sophismes problemes eleÌ„ches corolaries quydities subtylties seconde intentions intrincycall moods wyth other prodygious sorceryes whom he sometime sucked out of hys mothers brestes the vniuersitie These hath he not yet all as vnsauerie morselles euometed for Christ diffyning rather with Aristotle than with Paul in his dayly disputations Of this ryall Rabi is Peter iudged a foole and Iohn an vnlearned Idiote Yet shall his reader finde small learning at his hande vnlesse he take an heape of barbarous tearmes and vnsowed togither sentences for matters of excelent learning But surely Iohn will one day come from Ephesus to visite this proude Diotrephes shew him of his arrogant brags to his dyspleasure vnlesse he leaue of in tyme. All Aristotles prouision shal not help hym Sathan vpon the pynnacle of the Temple neuer bestowed his alleged scripture more peruersely than thys Momus interpreted certayne of my allegacioÌ„s nor yet farther from their right vnderstanding But I forgiue it him with this forewarning for this time thoughe it bée not the fyrst lewde poynt that he hath playd in case that â—e so leaue his quareling My second allegation vpon the Preface .1 Cor. 6 is not set there to authorise the Apocalips as he most falsly and all contrary to my meaning hath interpreted it but affirmeth that the Christian beléeuers are Christs members which ought of necessitie by the holy ghostes appointment to heare and to read the wordes of the sayde Booke For I know that the epistle vnto the Corinthians was written of Paule ten yeares at the least before Saint Iohns Apocalips No lesse is he than a false Prophet that resisteth Ieremy rebuking Babilon for hir wickednes To much it were to answere his other quarellings and to tedious vnto the christian readers and therfore I passe them ouer least I shoulde be to plenteous in aunsweringe a foole according to hys foolishnesse Thus by these cruell handelynges of these two vngratious enemies haue I iust occasion to leaue out the allegations in the margent obseruing this wholsome counsell of Christ concerning such as they be Geue not that is holy vnto Dogs nor yet that is precious vnto swine For the one of his churlish nature teareth and deuoureth the other like a swine treadeth it vnder his filthy féete The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with thée euermore good christian Reader and with all theÌ„ that séeketh of the scriptures the sauing health in them conteined withoute quarelling Amen 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 .xi. Chapter VNto Iohn was deliuered after that he had thus deuoured the booke a réede not vnlyke to the mete
great whore Whiche ar no arguments that they are here to be taken for ill preachers though thei here minister the last vii plagues Therfore shall we iudge them here to be Gods appoynted purposes or eternally decréed pleasures against the wilfull obstinates and indurat rebellions to the end of the world These are called the last plagues because they fall in the last age of the world whoÌ„ Esay Hieremy Oseas Micheas calleth the last daies IhoÌ„ the last hourâ— Paul the ends of the world Seauen are they named here in a vniuersall respecte both of the times parsons places and peruerse doctrins of the whole world And also because of the .vii. seales and the .viii. trompets to whose iudgementes they ioyntly agrée as in the nexte Chapter following will appeare more largely 3 For in them sayeth the text is fulfilled the wrath of God The indignation of the Lord is in them wholy declared For what hate can he shewe more vnto a man than to withdrawe him from him his grace to leaue him to himselfe to suffer him in his owne blinde iudgements to geue him ouer to his owne fylthy lustes and to sende him the operation of errour to his double damnation A very fulfilling of Gods anger is it also to appoynte vs a false Prophete or deceiuable curate a wanton Prince or vngodly gouernour These therefore with such like are those plagues in whome is déepely accomplished the displeasure of God And they are here named the last plagues for after them shall none other be séene the latter day finishing and clearin all 4 And I beheald sayeth Iohn in the same sayd vision as it were a glassy sea or a greate fllowing water in similitude of glasse all myngled with fyre None other is this sea but the precious verity of the Lord so cleare as glasse and so pure as christal This sea gushed out of the harde rocke of stone that was clouen a sonder in the desarte When he sente forth his spirite these waters flowed forth in abundaunce 5 Most effectual and quick is this sea And therefore it is here noted and myngled with fyre which signifyeth the holy ghost For neuer is the verity without Gods spirite A fierce fiery streame calleth Danyell this sea all fiery is the word Lord sayeth Dauyd also and therefore thy seruant loueth it This is the fountayne of liuing water springing vp into the life euerlasting Unto this water shoulde all they resort that are thirsty thereof to take refreshing 6 Upon this glassy sea were they séene of saynte Iohn that had obtayned victory of the beast of his Image of his mark and of the number of his name By whom are ment those constaunt christiaÌ„s which hath for al ages firmly affirmed the truth For none aduersitie declining from it Strongly haue these since the Apostles time resisted the aduersaries of God by his onelye word persisting therin vnto the death as did Stéeuen Iames and Antipas with such other his faithful witnesses Uictory haue they gotten by faith both of the beast and his Image both of the great Antichrist and his supporters of the pope and of Mahomet with their maintainers Emperours Kings and maigistrates and of al theÌ„ that vsurpe their title name seate aucthorytie pompe or power 7 They haue blemished likwise by the said word not only the mark of the beast which is corrupted faith but also the number of his name which is the denial of God Them haue they to their rebuke vttered and to their confusion declared They haue proued their orders â—amnable their doctrin deuilish their religion hipocrisie their spiritualty playne wickednes condemning them by the scriptures as vngodly dissemblers denying the Lord which bought them These are they whom the lorde tenderlye nourished and graciouslye brought forth vpon the refreshing waters coÌ„uerting their soules to his godly feare and loue 8 These stand euermore on the glassy sea they set sure footing vpon the rocke stone Unmouably they perseuer in â— truth neuer deniyng it afore men 9 And they haue in their handes the harps of god which are deuout mindâ— geuen all vnto godlynesse and reioysing in spirituall things 10 Harmoniously they sing the tuneâ—able song of Moyses the faithfull seruant of god and the melodious swéetâ— song of the lamb Iesus Christ. 11 Of both testaments they make vtterance declaring the wonderful works and terrible iudgementes â—ute of the olde lawe and â—ute of the Gospell of gladnesse the moste swéetâ— mercy of the Lorde Withoute ceasing open they the the scriptures vnto other inwardly reioysing in spirituall Himnes and Psalmes hauing this euermore for the standing tenour of the song 12 Inestimably greate is thy goodnes and wonderfully maruelous are thy workes Lord God almighty 13 Iust are thy promyses and moste perfitely sure thy wayes thou gloryous King of sayntes gracious gâ—ydt of the Godly beléeuers 14 Who shall not euermore feare thée a mighty Lord who shall not alwayes in heart glorifye thy blessed name 15 Thou alone art holy iust and perfite for none is there good but thy selfe onely Thou arte our our only maker redéemer and comforter None other haue we for our God but thée 16 No doubt of it but the time will be that al kinds of people both Iewes and gentiles faythfull and Heaten shall seeke vnto thée and shall faythfully in verity and spirite worship before thée acknowleging thée for their only Lord God 17 Because thy wonderfull iudgements that somtime were secret are now to the world made openly knoweÌ„ and manifest Though this songe be litle and small yet is there in contayned all veritye that both Moyses and Christ confesseth at large Moreouer whatsoeuer the scriptures coÌ„preheÌ„deth either of the great omnipotency of god or of his most wonderfull works eyther of his louing mercy or of his benigne pittie towards man of his glorious name or mighty power or that he is to be magnified and feared or how that the faithfull pertaineth only to his kingdome or how that al people shall finally be conuerted vnto him Al is compendiously in this briefe songe here contained what though it be not so word by word expressed And as coÌ„cerning that is here last spoken that his iudgements are made manifeste it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded of those faithful creatures whom he calleth cleareth and iustifieth of none other For vnto them onely are his heauenly veryties knowne to whom he witsaueth to opeÌ„ them Though the other outwardely sée the iudgments of God yet doe they not inwardly perceiue theÌ„ though the bâ—st it neuer so much For it is geuen them so to doe They must haue eyes and not see eares and not vnderstand The Text. 1. And after that I looked 2. And behold the teÌ„ple of the tabernacle of testimonie 3. Was opeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ 4 and the vii Angels 5. came out of the teÌ„ple 6. vvhich had the .7 plagues 7. Clothed in pure and bright linnen 8 And hauing their breasts girded with golden girdles 9. And one
throwing out the content of his viall into the aire For the seauenth age of the christen church by the very set purpose of God are manye conuerted to the truth and become with Paule the vessels of election that afore were with Iudas the vessels of wrath vnder the great aduersary of God Neither is it any blemishe vnto them to be called here that they were afore vials of wrath consyderynge that SIMON Leprosus beinge once healed of hys leprosie was euer after called a leper In case lyke Paule after his conuersion was not ashamed to reporte himselfe both a Pharisie also the sonne of a Pharasie 2 These by the mighty determination of Gods stronge iudgemente are sent into the ayre Most effectually are they lightened with the spirit of god and prouoked stifly to stand vp against the aereall powers regning in the fickle fantasticall Antichriste and hypocrites condempninge by Gods worde their vniuersall doctrines and deuillishnes These powers are no lesse than diuilles whome Christe calleth fowles of the ayre Peter and Iohn mans aduersaries and saint Paul the gouerners of these darknesses in spirituall wickednes 3 Whiles these things are in doing out of heauen which is the vniuersal congregation yea from the verye throne of god whiche is the elect faithful number for thei are the only seat of God came a voyce of reioysinge saying after this sort 4 It is done All things are finished Christs glory once manifestly knowne the world is at an ende The wicked hath done all their mischies and the number of our brethren is fulfilled Thus shall they preache a full deliueraunce of the captiues the peaceable yere of the Lord. This is the silence of an halfe houre space mencioned afore in the viii chapter and the returne of this world vnto Christ in the .xii. chapter Not that there shall in those dayes be no enemies for the remnaunte shall styll remayne but that they shall not then openly dare rage persecute and kyll the world being at such a vniuersal quiet 5 Yet shall there happen in those dayes voyces thunderings and lightnings Uoyces of swéete blessings and delectable promises to the faithful coÌ„gregation Thunderings of terror to the vnfaithful multitud coÌ„manding thiÌ„gs contrary to the flesh And feareful lightnings of condemnation to there probate hipocrits and desperat obstinats 6 And al from one word of the Lord or one gospell preaching in diuerse respects no small earthquake folowyng vpon the same What commocions heuye complayn tes fearfull tremblynges sorowes cryes griefes sighynges waylynges grudginges gruntynges gronynges wepynges and handes wryngyng wyl be among the earthly minded Antichrists and hypocrits bishops priests prelates holy watter mongers and parrish clarkes lawiers whores caruers paynters waxe sellers whan their whoryshe church shal be turnedouer by iudgmeÌ„t of the sayd word is easy to coniecture 7 Such a one wyll this earthquake be saith the text so mighty so stroÌ„g as neuer was yet since men were vpon the earth or since that earthly generation first beganne Than shall be cleane taken away the carnall church of Antichrist or the smered Sinagoge of shauelings Neither shall the Pope with his disgysed rable any more be séene here nor yet Mahomet with his monstrous muster 8 In such wise shal their laws sects ceremones be destroied in those daies that no man shal be found so bolde as once to allow one of theÌ„ openly Than shal the glory of Christs name shine the world ouer he making of his enimies his footestoole 9 Moreouer in this terrible earthquake the great spirituall cytie called Sodom and Egipt or the holy whorish mother the church shall be dissâ—uered into thrée parts of the which two shal styll be wicked the third coÌ„uerted vnto godlines Two partes shall be dispersed saith Zachary the thirde shall remaine to the Lorde Of them which haue and shall go out of minsters and monasteries colleges and couentes churches and cloysters parrishes and nunneries one sort shal inwardlye be geuen to Antichrists superstitiousnes and hipocrisie An other sorte vpon diuers fleshly consideracions shall faynedly fall to the Gospel The thirde sort onely of loue towardes God and zeale of helth in their neighbors shall vnfainedly cleaue to the scriptures Thus shal the vngodly sorte be coupled stil with the godly in eueri land prouince be the much greater number yet shal they for the time atteÌ„pt nothing against them the truthe so strongly regning Neuertheles yet is it to be thought that they shal then haue nothing to suffer coÌ„sidering that it is a kingdome of sufferance Christ to be head of that congregation suffered once incommoditie or other alwaies so long as he was here lyuing It shall therfore behoue them which are his misticall members alwayes to suffer For the seruant is no better then his Lord nor the soldiour then his head capitayne And to make this good the lord sayeth in Zachary The same third part will I leade thorow fire and purge it as siluer or gold in the furnace Then shall euery godly creature follow Christ in bearinge his crosse They shall mortyfie theyr flâ—shly members sleyng al fornicatioÌ„ filthynes â—dolatry couetousnes pride anger and malice They shall helpe suffer and forbeare one an other hauing pittifull compassion vpon the weake sicke and néedy No duty beséeminge a christian shal they leaue vndone 10 Therfore this great or generall cytie thus deuided al other perticuler or national cities muste also fall The blasphemous PantheoÌ„ of Rome once perishing all other churches of the vnfaithfull must néedes folow soone after in their course For the fouÌ„dation takeÌ„ away that buildyng cannot endure So that from thenceforth shall be no Popish sects no supersticious ceremonies no Hethenish obseruatioÌ„s nor opeÌ„ Idolatry in all the world But when the remnaÌ„t of the wicked shal attempt afresh to raise vp again such abhominatioÌ„s the Lord shal sodainly without warning fal vpoÌ„ them with his most fearfull tirrible last iudgment 11 Great BabiloÌ„ the aforsaid mother of all whordom filthinesse shal than come in remembrance before god He shall than consider hir abhominable blasphemye hir pryde crueltye murther sinnes without number waying them in righte ballance according vnto iustice 12 He shal also reward hir to drinke the fierce cup of his wrath or wine of his great indignacion which is the perpetual death of soule The very dregges of his Ire shal shée taste yea vnspeakable sorowes paynes without ende For none other is it to come in remembraunce before him at that day but to be coÌ„dempned receiue punishment according to hir déedes 13 Then shall euery Ile which is a place of refuge within the sea flée away and not tarry The mountaynes that are wonte to giue succour vnto them that be on the land shal not at the day be founde No comforte shall shée theÌ„ haue nor sure helpe any where 14 No remedy will be at that day to flée from the fearful face of the Iudge Then
the afore named Necromanser Siluester which was both a blacke Mouncke and also a Frenchman borne This beastly Antichriste boasting himselfe not onely to bée Christes vicar in earth but also to be equal with him in maiesty and power set fâ—rst the Diuell at large by his Necromancy which toke froÌ„ the heartes of mem the liuing worde of the Lord leste they shoulde be saued FroÌ„ theÌ„ce forth were not the holy scriptures regarded but olde wyues tales Iewish fabels most highly reputed Them came in CannoÌ„s Decrées Sentences Sinodals Decretals ClemeÌ„tines Exextrauagauntes with other Popysh â—awes the gospell claene set apart About this time ollo as master Iohn Carion wryteth in hys cronicle floryshed the Lordly order of cardinals and grewe into a wonderful estimacion in the worlde The vniuersites were theÌ„ furnished with learned meÌ„ mightely to proue the Pope Christes vicar in earth and the onely husbande and ouerséer of hys churche General counsels were oft gathered to dyspute with all Christendome that none might dispence in matters of conscience but he and they whom he should appoynte and that he could in no wyse erre No though when the candle were out he went to bed with an other mans wife besydes that I wil not spaeke at this time By this meanes got he an imperial seate and might make both Emperours kinges at his pleasure And lykwyse depose them when he lusted He myght distribute the kingdomes and geue the great possessions of this worlde to whom he lustâ—d yea to hys owne bastardes and chamberlynes as he dyd manye tymes For of the Diuell he hath receyued them where as Christ did vntterly forsake them And for so much as he was the high Priest after the order of SathaÌ„ be myght kepe a generall marte all hys lyfe tyme sell all the Bishoprickes benefices degrées and offices of hys church He might subiect the gospel to his owne interpretation make new constitutions release synne for mony make euery day new Gods and doe many other thinges els No end was then of their gaudyshe ceremonyes brawlynges in the temple Singings bels orgayns Images ornamentes lampes candels holy dayes shauings surplesses pater nosters coÌ„maunded 〈◊〉 such like that a man woulde haue thought them Angels when they were very Diuels in dede For the tyme that Sathan was thus sette at large by Christes onely vicar was ther not one martyr alowed vnlesse it were for deposinge of Princes and defending the liberties of holy churrh agaynst them lest theyr murtherers théeues beynge wythin sacred orders shoulde be hanged with the seculeâ—â— Marke the condition of the tyme. Afore that Sathan was thus at libertie he remained secret in the harts of euill men Now is he abrode in theyr outward ceremonies and rites ready to be séene of all the worlde if pryde pompe hawtinesse vaine glory may shew him or if hipocrisie errour supersticion and all other diuellishnesse can tell wher he is When Christ shut him vp he toke Idolatrie from the people the Pope hath restored it vnto theÌ„ againe in thus settinge him at large In this is he not denied to haue bene afore this time abrode among the wicked For little lesse then foure hundred yeares afore the end of this thousand began the two Monarks of Antichristes kingedome the Pope in the West vnder Phocas the Emperour and great Mahomet in the East vnder Heraclius marke it in the cronicles who so list For afore that time was not the Pope taken for the vniuersall head of the church nor yet for Christes vicar And this could not haue béen vnlesse he had after some sort béen at libertie Euermore hath he reigned wtout restraint among the vngodly But neuer so manifestly as then hys abhominacions accouonted for holynesse in the churche At this losinge of Sathan or very defection as Paul calleth it openlye appeared the man of sinne the sonne of perdicion and the aduersarye which exaleth him selfe aboue al that beareth the name of God Faith wared so fainte and charitie so colde the scarce appeared one spark of the truth The church becaÌ„e a peruerse generation hir children were very vnfaithful Afore regned be enermore in the world but neuer in Christes congregation till that time Neuer was the vniuersall church of Christ defiled with so many abhominable kindes of Idolatrye before 13 But it so continued not longe For the text saieth he was losed but for a litle season Immediately after perceued Berengarius the Archedecon of Angoy in Fraunce that all was well and with Bruno the bishop impugned their realitie IdeÌ„ptitie naturalitie in the sacrament to bringe it againe to Christes cleare institution After him followed Waleranus the bishop of Medeburge and did the same in Germany with many other prelates and doctours Consequently ensued the Waldeanes and Albigeanes pretending the Apostles life doctrine men doubtlesse of a godly zeale and spirit and of them the Antichrists slew more then a hundreth thousande besides an hundreth and foure score whome they brent bycause they would neuer abiure What Guidâ— Bonatus Ioannes Semeca Guilhelmus de sancto amore Marsilius Paduanus Arnoldus de villa noua FraÌ„ciscus Petrarcha other learned men dyd against them after that it were very long to write Iohn Wicleaue in EnglaÌ„d Iohn Husse in Boheme men of excelent life learning with diuers other more replyed earnestly against their transubstanciacioÌ„s and other sorceries LaureÌ„cius Ualla denyed the donation of Constantyne IhoÌ„ Wassalus of Groning in Friesland called the light of the world coÌ„dempned vtterly their purgatory and pardoÌ„s Now last of all commeth Martyne Luther Ioannes OecolaÌ„padius Huldricus Zwinglyus Pomeranus Brencius MelaÌ„cthon Bucer Bullinger with other sincere and godly deuynes and they turne ouer their vniuersall kingdome So merciful is the Lord to hys people in this latter ende of the world that by these and such other the Antichrist is clearly vttered and all his Hypocrisy disclosed I doubt not but within fewe dayes the mightie breath of his mouth which is hys liuing Gospell shall vtterly distroye hym with hys whole generation of shauelings by their faythfull administration in the worde THE TEXT 1 And I sawe seates 2. and they satte vpon them 3. and the iudgement was giuen vnto them 4. And I sawe the soules of them 5. that were beheaded for the vvitnesse of Iesus 6. and for the vvorde of God 7. vvhich had not vvorshiped the beast 8. neither his Image 9. neyther had taken his marke vpon their foreheads 10. or on their handes 11. And they lyued 12. and raigned vvith Christ 13. a thousand yeares 14. But the other of the dead men lyued not againe 15. till the thousande yeares vvere finished The Commentary 1 Whiles the Dragon was thus tyed vp and throwne into the bottomles pit for a â—housand yeares space a certayne continuance of beinge the elect had Whose peaceable estate and condition for that time the text here following declareth by maner of recapitulation After the afore rehearsed
the lambe Iesus Christe which is his eternall sonne is the holy full and perfect temple therof None outwarde priesthoode ceremonye nor sacrifyce for fiue coÌ„maundeth Christes doctrine to his congregation The golden measure of his word which diffyneth and iudgeth all thinges necessary therevnto appointeth no such matter For in no teÌ„ples made with stone dwelleth God which wil be all in all Only is required of them a sacrifice from the soule which is the very temple of God In his onely name shoulde the faithful sort ther offer vp themselues And therefore Christ appoynted Uespasian and Titus to turne ouer the great temple of Hierusalem and vtterly to destroy that priesthoode because we should put no trust in suche thinges nor yet be addict or bound to places A damnable inuencion is it of Antichrist that the suffragans halloweth the sinagogs to bringe them into al kinds of superstition They constitute also a feastfull daye to the honour and worshipe therof called the dedication which is most abhominable wickednesse Truthe it is that after the Apostles time ther were places appointod where as the congregacion met together once in the weake for the hearinge of Gods word and for the holy communion and that was called the oratorie or house of praier But that house was not exercysed nor coniured crossed nor smered blessed nor be sprinkled wyth water Neyther was there at that time anye aulter set vp in it anointed with oyle creme to offer any newe sacrifice vpon Consider also that the appoinmente of this bare house withoute aulter or images was lefte to mans ordinaunce without any exprest commaundement of Christ that it should be thought of no reputacion For in spirite and veritie wyll god only be worshiped And for this cause after that Christ had dryuen the byers and sellers out of the temple he commended none other temple vnto vs but his body which he raysed vp in the daye of his resurection to our behoue 6 God therfore is our temple and his Christ. In them ought we to do sacryfice and in none other In their faith should our workes labours studies be grounded only if we couet them to profit vs. Iohn for his time could sée none other temple but this The Lord of his tender mercye graunt vs to be Iohns in this behalfe Iohn beheld also at the Angels demonstration that this Citie had neither néede of Sunne nor Moone to minister light vnto it as the olde Hierusalem had Neither hath Christes congregation néede of mans naturall reason nor yet of hys worldly wisdom coniectures nor practises subtilties nor wiles polices nor witts inuencions nor traditions No neither of their philosophy nor sophystrie the decrées nor sentences of the great Lawyers Schoolemen which all is but darknesse and blindnesse 8 For the brightnesse of God sheweth theÌ„ light sufficient His shining verytie his pure gospell and his vndefiled lawes cleareth their vnderstandings A lanterne to their féete is hys heauenly word Only doth that clerenesse suffise them whiche faith offereth vnto them 9 Onely are they contented with the light they haue of the Lambe which is the bright Sunne of rightuousnes He is the Lamp the Candle and the flaming Cresset of this citie None other admonisher haue they néede of none other counseller nor teacher Accursed holde they him that bringeth any other doctrine than his though he were an Angell from heauen For he is the only light of the world the brightnesse euerlasting the vndefiled myrrour of the maiestie of God and the Image of his infinite goodnesse Whoso euer foloweth him can in no wise walke in the darknesse The dayes wyll come saith the Lorde in Hieremy that a man shall not néede to teach his neighbour or brother for they shal know me froÌ„ the highest to the lowest I shall plante my lawe in their inwarde partes and write it in theyr hartes 10 And the people of al maner of regions which are predestinate of God to be saued shall walke in the clearnesse of the light None other wisdome helth rightuousnesse and redemption shall they seke than they finde in him Neither shal they care for Mary nor Ihon rodes nor reliques hedes nor holy water masses nor merites For so shall he shyne vpon them and his glorie apere in them that the cloudes of Antichrist and his false prophits shal take no place So liuely shall the rightuous waxe in that faith of saluacion that they shall become not only the children of clernesse but also very lyghtes in the Lorde 11 Morouer vnto this heauenly light shall the myghty kynges of the earth bringe their glory magnifycence and honour as did the wise men of the East which offred rewardes vnto Chryste They shal be conuerted from their erroures to a sincer beleue in the Lord as were in the Apostles tyme Abagarus Egippus and Gundoforus And since their dayes the mighty Emperour great ConstaÌ„tine Iouinian Theodosius and diuerse other Yea some were so feruent in that faith that gladly they suffred death for it Of whose numher were here in Englande saint Edmound Oswalde Ethelbert Edwyne and Fremonde with a greate sorte more in other Christian regions All kinges saith Deuid shall worshipe him and all paganes shal do him seruyce Amonge these are not they to be rekâ—ned which leauing their kingdomes hath made them selues monks and friers or hath founded masses and monastaries to be praied for For they neuer brought theire glorye to thys light No more haue they done which hath enriched the cleargye gluttinge them with possessioÌ„s and setting them vp in a glitteryng pompe But rather haue they sought darknesse than light blyndenesse than to be taught of god Some haue thought them selues in our age clearly coÌ„uerted to thys lyght But ryghtly hath their iniquitie lyed vnto them For nothynge haue they done lesse than broughte vnto Chryste theyr glorye Truthe it is that they haue discharged them selues of the Pope and to some of hys sects They haue plucked downe shrynes and Images that receaued offeringes and dayly worshippings with a fewe superstitions besides but still bringing vp whelps of the same false generation both bishops prists Stil haue they to this day the same wicked rits and ceremonies that they had afore And when thei should bring ani thing to a right christian order according to Christes first institution they cannot away with it Great is the vengeance terrible heuy and fearefull the iudgement that abideth them 12 And as concerning the great gates of this Citie which are the true vnderstandings of the Lordes verities they shall not be shut vp by day Hidden shall they not be to them the walke in this light All that Christ hath receiued of his heauenly father leaueth he manyfest and plaine vnto his faithfull leuers Not only openeth he their feble vnderstandings but also sendeth them his spirit to deduce them into al godly knowledge 13 For in that citie shal be no night No doctrine of darknesse nor fylthye mist of
readeth they that hear the vvords of the prophecie keepe those things vvhich are vvritten therein 7. for the tyme is at hande The Paraphrase OF Iesus Christ the sonne of the liuing God this is the wonderfull reuelation concerning the diuers and doubtfull estate of the Christian church from the Apostles tyme to the latter ende of the world 2 Which reuelation with all iudgement and power God the euerlasting father hath wholly giuen vnto hym now takeÌ„ vp from the earth glorified and set aboue all the workes of hys handes 3 Euidently to declare yea to make manifest and knowne vnto hys true faythfull seruauntes beleuing in hys words and walking in his wayes the tokens signes marueils which must by hys vnchaungeable ordinaunce shortly in this latter tyme folow in effect without premonishment or warning taken of the wicked sort 4 And the sayd Iesus Christ sittyng on the right hande of the maiestie of God and being muche more excellent then the angels hath according to his former promise sent forth his spirit of truth most specially vnto his déerely beloued Apostle and peculyar dyscyple sainct Iohn the Euangelist not only to deduce him into all knowledge and veritie but also to manifest vnto him the secrete misteries of thinges to come 5 Which Iohn hath already as an earnest doer in his masters cause most constantly wytnessed his eternall godhead in the euerlasting worde against the Hebionites which denied him to com in the fleshe and hath faithfully affirmed his naturall manhode in all that he sawe being conuersaunt with him agaynste Carpocras and Cerinthus which blasphemed the same in the vtter confusion of all such Antichristes 6 Blessed is he saith Saint Ihon which after méeke prayer and godly meditacyon hauinge the gyfte of vnderstanding and grace of interpreting the scripturs doth sincerly faithfully without crafte or coloure publyshe declare the mistycall wordes of thys heauenly prophecye Blessed are they also which in a feruent faith hongeriÌ„g thristinge for the rightuousnes and with Simeon and Anna desirous of the glorye of God doth louingly heare and earnestly marke the wholsome words of the same sayd godly prophecye and that will deligently applye theÌ„ selues to obserue the rules and take the premonishementes of Godly doctrine ther in written 7 For the perelous dayes are come that the disceytfull swarme of Antichrist peruertinge the trueth shal bring the world into pernicious and dampnable errours And the Ieopardous time is at hande that the wrath of god shal be declared from Heauen vpon all vngodlynesse of these seducers that with hold his trueth in vnrightuousensse set hiâ— coÌ„maundementes at nought for their owne vile traditions The texte 1 Ihon vnto the seuen congregacions which are in Asia 2. Grace be vvith you 3. And peace from him wich is and which vvas and which is to come 4. from the seuen spirites which are present before his throne 5. and from Iesus Christe vvhich is a faythfull vvytnesse 6. and fyrst begotten of the dead 7. and prince ouer the kinges of the earthe 8. Vnto him that loued vs and vvashed vs from our sinnes in his ovvne bloud 9. and made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God his father 10. euen vnto him be glorye and dominion for euermore Amen The Paraphrase 1 Iohn the electe Apostle of Iesus Christ sendeth these greatinges to the vii churches or christian congregations which are in the land of Asia the lesse 2 Grace which is the mercy fauour and acceptacion of God be with you 3 And also peace which is the trauquilitie of conscience in them that beleue in Christ dwel euer among you from god the father euerlasting which is essencially in and of himselfe and which was before the constitucion of the world and which shall be after the worlde be finished for euer and euer without ende 4 The same grace and peace agayne be vnto you from God the holy Ghost here mencioned vnder the tytle of .vij. spirites for that he is manifolde and plentuous in gyftes 5 The thyrd tyme also the same said grace and peace be vnto you from the Lorde Iesus Christ the onely sonne of God which being the eternall veritie it selfe was in preaching his Gospell a wytnesse therof both faythful true and perfect and in no wyse could lye that ye should the rather beleue him 6 He was the fyrst of all men that euer were in this mortall nature or body of death recouering againe the fauour of God lost in Adam and that with victory ouer sinne hell deathe and the diuell ascended into Heauen and became in that fleshe glorifyed the sonne of God that ye should bée the bolder of him and the rather take him for your onely aduocate 7 He is also a mâ—ste mighty Lorde ouer the kinges rulers and magistrates of this worlde hauing now all power geuen him in heauen in earth with a wryting vpon his vesture that he is Kinge of Kinges and Lorde of Lords and that of his kingdome ther shall be no ende that the wicked tyrauntes should the rather feare least they féele him a terryble iudge at the latter day 8 For so much as he hath so intyrely loued vs as to be smytten and wouÌ„ded for our offencest and as to geue his lyfe for our wycked wretchednes yea for so much as he of most natural kyndenesse would be cruelly slayne to washe vs purifie vs and clense vs in his owne most innocent bloud from the moste cankred vylenesse of our sinnes to prouoke vs to loue him agayne 9 For so much also as he hath made vs a liuing kingedome to god through fayth in him and consecrate vs priestes to offer vp our bodies by a newe Christian life as a sacrifyce holy and acceptable vnto God his euerlastinge father 10 Unto him wyth the said father with the holy ghost be perpetual praise glorye power and dominyon for euermore Amen The text 1 Beholde he commeth with cloudes 2. and all eyes shall see him 3. and they also which pearsed him 4. And all kynredes of the earth shall vvayle 5. Euen so Amen 6. I am Alpha and Omega the beginninge and the ending sayth the Lorde almightie 7. vvhich is vvhich vvas and vvhich is to come The Paraphrase 1 Take hede for moste certayne it is though Christe in his fyrste comminge as a merciful sauiour apered here vpon earth poore simple ignominious yet shal he in his latter comminge appere in the cloudes of heauen with maiestie power and glorye accoÌ„panyed with the infinite hoste of angels as a rigorous iudge 2 And vpon him shall all eyes looke both man and angell shal behold him and stande before hys terrible iudgemente seate no creature good nor bad exempt 3 Yea thâ—se cruell tyrauntes also shal at that houre appeare befere him which did not only flée his moste innocente body but also
word 8. and hast not denyed my name 9. Beholde I shall giue some of the congregation of Sathan which call them selues Iewes and are not but doe lye 10. Beholde I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete 11. and shall knowe that I haue loued thee 12. Bicause thou hast kept the wordes of my pacyence therefore will I keepe thee from the houre of temptacion 13. which will come vpon all the world to tempte them that dwell vpon the earth 14. Beholde I come shortlye 15. Holde that vvhich thou hast that no man take away thy crovvne 16. Hym that ouercommeth vvill I make a pyller in the temple of my God 17. and he shall go no more out 18. And I vvill vvryte vpō him the name of my God and the name of the citie of my God nevve Hierusalem 19. vvhich commeth dovvne oute of heauen fro my God 20. And I vvill vvrite vpon him my nevv name 21. Let him that hath eares heare vvhat the spirite sayth vnto the congregacions THE PARAPHRASE 1 Moreouer differ in no wyse my trustie discyple Iohn sayth the Lord Iesus by wryting to signifye or make mencion to the tydings brynger bishop or ouerséer of the déerely beloued Churche of Phyladelphya which as beséemeth a Christian congregation in this life is neuer without brotherly charitie and loue but alwayes hath a swéete compassion vpon the poore the néedie the symple the desolate the forsakē the disdayned and myserable people of this world Shée hath also in hir harte a wofull pittie and a lamentable dolour when shée séeth men wicked vayne blasphéemous hatefull beastly ydle couetous supersticious and full of other vngodlinesse 2 Let this be knowne to hir first of all that these are the fauorable sayings of him which is holy of himself and alone maketh other holy which is only true and the veritie it selfe without whō no truth can be had 3 Which hath also in his hand and power the keye of the house of Dauid which is the faithfull kingdom or congregation of God 4 Where as hée openeth to the faithful beleuers by the gospel preaching no man can speare them out of the kingdom of God by no excommunicatiō nor cursse Where as he doeth losen from the bandes of sinne by the holy Ghost no man can bynde to dampnation by no interdictiō nor sentence haue he neuer so great power giuen hym And agayne if hée shutteth vp the kingdome from the vnfaithfull hypocrites no man can admit them to it by blessings remissions nor a thousand yeares of their pardon If he seclude them from it no man can able them to it agayne by no auctoritie nor power 5 I know sayth that Lord thy dooings from the verie roote and from whence thy workes doeth spring euen from a sincere faith in my word wherefore they are to my mynd and pleasure 6 For so much therefore as I finde thée thus grounded in fayth be thou certayne and sure of it I haue sette before thée an open dore I haue illumyned thy sences and cleared thy vnderstandyng to knowe the holye scriptures and perceyue the hyghe mysteries therin written so admittyng thée to my kingdome And this dore can no man shut vp again Neither shall the power of this world nor yet the gates of hell bée able to preuayle against this opening 7 And this hast thou of mée partly for thy méekenesse For where as the wicked doth séeme to them selues beautifull strong learned rich righteous religious and holie spirituall fathers thou estéemest thy selfe but an abiecte of the worlde wretched weake blynde poore sinfull a myserable dooer as concernynge the fleshe 8 But thou arte she that hath kept my sayings and by such strength as I haue giuen thée obserued also my lawes and commaundements It is thou that haue stande by my trueth stedfastly and not denyed my name in the time of troublous persecution Wherefore thou canst in no wyse perish before mée 9 And as concernyng the wicked behold howe I shall order them I shal not only set thée cléere from the filthie traditions of that false congregatiō or sinagoge of Sathan but I will also take a certen from thēce of the best learned conuerting them from their errours and giuing them vnto thée Which afore tyme called them selues Iewes or the chosen children of Abraham and were not so in déed They boasted them selues very much to be the anoynted Israelytes the consecrate sonnes of promisse and the holy spirituall people of God lyke as the residue doth yet still to this houre but they lyed full falslie They were for that time false dissembling hypocrites and cruell aduersaries to the trueth as theyr companions are still 10 Be sure that these will I so inwardly moue and effectuallye prouoke that they shall come vnto thée to be of thy congregacion They shal gladly submitte them selues to thy doctryne they shall worship God not in outward shadows with bondage but in spirite and truth with lybertie At thy féete after thy holsome instructions and godly admonicions 11 And where as they haue thought thée afore tyme of me to bée hated when thou hast béene in persecutiō they shall nowe well perceyue and know my spirite speaking in thée and such heauenly secrets comming from thée that thou standest much in my loue art greatly in my fauour 12 And for so muche as thou haste cōstantly holden and manfully stand by that word for the which I haue suffred much not only in mine own fleshe but also in thée and in other my seruauntes for no aduersitie falling from it I will preserue thée in the houre of temptation Thou shalt for no violence decline from the truth thou shalt for no tormēt forsake the veritie So mightie a stomake and so strong an hearte shall I giue thée for the time of thy temptations that thou shalt not be once moued 13 For no doubte of it thys fierce temptation and cruell handeling of the boystuous Antichrists Mahomet standing in the way of sinners and the Romish Pope sitting in the most pestilent seate of errours will come vpon all the world by execrable sects of false Prophets lyars hypocrytes blasphemers and teachers of diuilish doctryne to tempt and allure them which dwell here vpon earth sometyme by flattering promotiōs sometyme by threatnings and penalties to renounce that veritie and denye that word to the vtter dampnation of their soules 14 But in any wise take héede and watche in prayer for I come shortly as a righteous iudge giuing to euerie one according to their hartes inuencions Consider the life but short in this world the rewarde great if thou perseuere in thy Christen profession Holde faste that godly fayth which thou hast taken with hir holsome fruites 15 Sticke sure to that heauenlye word which thou hast receyued least thou falling from it loose the crowne prepared for thée I haue done my parte
though he had ben killed 13 which had seuen hornes 14 and seuen eyes which are the seuen spirits of God sent vnto all the worlde 15. And hee came and tooke the booke out of the right hand of him that sate vpon the seat The Paraphrase AFter the forsayde vysion I saw saieth saint Iohn in the right hande or mighty power and wyll of hym that sate on the throne with maiestye a wonderfull Booke in the which both man and Angell were desirous to looke This booke is Gods heauenly ordinance contayning not onely all that hath bene created of God visible and inuisible but also the vniuersall contents of the holy scripture This boke hath the mercifull Lorde prouided that men should know him partly by his creatures partly by his Scriptures This booke he hath in his right hand For heauen he measureth with his spanne and the whole world he comprehendeth vnder his three â—ingers In his hande or power is the vniuersal earth bothe hills valleyes At his onely wil pleasure is the sincere vnderstanding of the scriptures and true interpretacion of the same 2 This booke is written within without The world coÌ„tayneth creatures visible and inuisible powers open hidden that men in theÌ„ should reade and vnderstand that there is a liuing God and that they should acknowledge him and worship him as the Lorde and creator of all The holy scripture hath hir figure history hir mistery and veritie hir parable plaine doctrine her night and day her letter and sence her voyce and word her flesh and spirit her shadow and cleare light her death and lyfe her law and gospell her Moyses and Christ to bring all men also vnto the knowledge of God 3 But that Booke is surely sealed with seauen stronge seales from the fleshlye vnderstanding of man not hauinge the spirite of Christ that he can neither vse the creatures of God a right nor yet perceiue the Scriptures according to their true meanning Muche hath the doctours fantasied of these seuen claspes or spearynges of thys booke wythout the aucthoritie of Gods word calling theÌ„ all maner of obscurities darkenesses Where as in verie déed they are nothing els but the strong and vnuariable decrée or set diffinition of God before the constitucion of the world that none should be able to read rightly therin nor know the iust meaning therof without the spirit of his sonne and vnles it be méekly asked in faith And this one decrée of god so oft locketh vp these heaueÌ„ly secrets froÌ„ maÌ„ as it findeth hym carnall couetous wilfull blinde malicious proude and false with such other lyke The number of seuen doeth onely respect the opening of the seales in all ages For in euery age hath God opened the trueth vnto some Godly men by his spirite with Abell and Enoch with Noe and Sem with Abraham and Iob with Moyses and Samuel with Dauid and Helias with Hieremie and Daniel with Iohn Baptist Peter 4 And I sawe sayeth S. Iohn a strong Angell which betokeneth euerie faithful minister of gods word coueting all men to be taught of god and sending them only vnto Christ for they are the Angels of the Lorde of hostes Which Angell cryed with a loude voyce with an earnest zeale of the glorie of God and with a feruent desire of his neighbours health 5 Who is worthie to opeÌ„ this booke and to vndoo the claspes thereof As though he should say None but he alone Séeke him therfore that he may open it vnto you els are yée lyke alwayes to be blynde foolishe and vnlearned lyers before the Lord séeme ye neuer so wyse eloquent and well learned in the sight of men 6 And in déede no man was founde able to doe it neyther in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth yet was there a diligent search made many did attempt it The Angels that by apostasie fell from God when they were in heauen wrought maistryes about it And in the earth héere the Philosophers among the Gentiles the religious fathers amoÌ„g the Iewes the Pharisies and Scribes the lawyers and priests and amoÌ„g the Christians the false Apostles Antichrists the Sophisters and Papists the sectes and scoole doctors with all the worldly wyse hath craftily compassed the thing Yea the messeÌ„gers of Sathan whose dampnation is certayne subtily to perswade and fraudelently to deceiue the innocent soules haue also done their parte But what hath folowed After their vayne enterpryse they haue bene so astonyed at the maiestie or sight of the booke that neyther were they able to open it nor yet to looke thervpon So high were the mysteries thereof so vnserchable the iudgements so inuestigable the wayes therevnto 7 And I fell in sore wéeping sayth Sainct Iohn muche dolour was it to my heart to see that none was found worthie no creature able neyther Angell nor man good spirit nor diuil to open and to read the booke which is cléerely to know the will of God therein nor yet once to looke therevpon that is sincerely to perceyue the least veritie coÌ„tayned therin No creature vnderstanding could attayn vnto it All were ignorant all darke all blynde 8 And as I was thus mournyng one of the elders euen Iacob by name comforted mée with his prophecie of Iuda Esay Micheas Esdras bearing witnesse to the same 9 These with other ascertained me that he was the Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda which should ouercome the world haue the victorie ouer death and hell for in déed they with Abraham sawe it a farre of and much reioysed He is the strong inuincible Lyon that subdued the prince of this world tooke from him the pray and hathe deuyded the spoyle 10 He is the verie roote of Dauid the ground and originall cause of all godly promises made vnto him of deliuerance victorie and raygne and alone in him are they fulfilled Only hath he obtayned by his death resurrection and ascension to make open the hydden mysteries of thys booke or whole ordinaunce of God and to loose the seuen seales thereof or to take away the vniuersall impediments wherby the said booke could in no case be séene as is carnalitie ignorance darkenesse blindenesse wilfulnesse couetousnesse malice hypocrisie lyes with such lyke So was it afore speared by the decrée of God that none could reade in it till he remoued the vntowardnesse from their heartes 11 All this I beheld saieth S. Iohn and as I looked further I sawe that in the midst of the seate which is the vniuersall congregation of God of the foure beasts which are the constaunt ministers of his worde also in the middest of the auncient elders whych hath bene the sincere witnesses of hys veritie since the beginning 12 There stood a fayre méeke most innocent Lambe as though he had bene newly slain I knew that Christ was this Lambe for he was wounded for
them heard I saying 9. Blessing honour glory and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate 10. And vnto the Lambe for euee more 11. And the fowre beastes said amen 12. And the .xiiii. elders fell vpon their faces 13. and vvorshipped hym that liueth for euer more The Paraphrase 1 Furthermore saith Saint Iohn I saw an infinit host of Angels beholding the face of the heauenly father 2 I heard also the voyce of a great number of them about the throne of God geuing laude and prayse vnto hym and about the beastes and auncient elders For they are not onely the immediate ministers of God but also the seruantes of those men which shall be the heyres of saluation Where â—â—ould they be els than but about them that feare the Lord to sée to them and preserue them in all their wayes lyke as he hath geuen them in commaundement 3 And the number of them was a thousande thousandes or a number beyond our estimation And they cryed with a loude voyce signifiyng in their sort no corporall noyse but for so much as they are but spirits but a vehement zeale of most perfect loue and reioyce for the glory of God the victory of Christ the redempcion delyuerance and helth of man It betokeneth also their excéedinge gladnesse in the openinge of the veritie and conuertion of the sinner 4 Worthy is the most méek Lamb sayd they which was cruelly done vnto death and by his death ouercame the worlde hell death and the deuill to take vpon hym the title of all power heritage wisdom streÌ„gth honour glory and blessing and to be called of all creatures most mightye most rich most wise most valiaunt most worshipfull most gloryous and most blessed conueniente names for the king ouer al. Yea finally to haue â—he vniuersall aucthorytie in heauen and in the earth to gouerne euery where and al to be subiect vnto hym 5 I hard also saith saint Iohn all the creatures that God euer created as the angeles in heauen the sunne the Moone the planites the starres the fyrmament the fyre the water the ayre 6 And all that was vppon the earth as man beast foule fish mountaines valleys welsprings floudes windes wethers times trées herbs fruits 7 And al that was vnder or within the earth as rootes wormes serpentes vermine 8 And all that was in the sea or that moued in the waters with all that are conteined in these eche one in his kinde saying 9 The euerlastinge God whiche sytteth vppon the eternall throne with power and maiestie be euermore blessed worshiptfull gloryous and almightie 10 And vnto the Lambe which is his onely sonne Iesus christ be blessing honour glorye and power from him for euermore And in this al creatures desireth no longer to be subdued vnto the vanitie of the wicked nor yet to serue the same But to be wholy deliuered from the bondage of corruption and in libertie to serue the children of God to the glorye of of hym that made them 11 To this the fowre beastes or al the true seruants of God here liuing answered Amen or so might it be in effect as ye haue desired 12 And the .xxiiij. elders as the patriarks the Prophetes the Apostles with other that hath passed this life fell downe flat vpon their faces they submitted them selues 13 They worshipped lauded and gloryfied him that lyueth for euer and euer one God in thrée persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost This signified the Angels and Sainctes euermore to be ioyous as any thinge is done in the creatures to the manyfest glory of God The sixt Chapter THE TEXT 1 And I sawe vvhen the Lambe opened one of the seales 2 and I heard one of the iiij beastes say as it were the noyse of thunder 3. Come and see 4. And I savve and behold there was a whyte horse 5 and he that sate on him had a bovve 6. and a crovvne vvas giuen vnto hym 7. and hee vvent forth coÌ„quering for to ouercome The Paraphrase 1 COnsequently sayeth sainct Iohn as I was beholdyng these wonders I sawe that the Lambe which is the sonne of God opened the first of the seuen seales declaring the first misterie of the booke These openings betokeneth not onely the manifestation of Gods trueth for seauen ages of the world but also for the .vij. seuerall times and after vij diuers sortes from Christes death to the latter end of the world The first seale was remoued and the mysterie there vnder contayned made open when the Apostles disciples of Christ abouÌ„daÌ„tly replenished with the holy Ghost did coÌ„stantly preach the gospel ouer the vniuersall world 2 And at the openyng of the sayde seale sayeth hée I hearde one of the beasts in shape lyke a Lion by whom are signified the strong witnesses of Gods veritie by constancie of fayth resembling Christ the verie Lyon of the stocke of Iuda whose voice was mightie and strong as it had bene the noyse of a thundering and vehemently it sayde vnto me 3 Come hither and sée drawe nigh and be taught beléeue and thou shalt vnderstand 4 And anon I saw euidently that there was a white horse which signifieth the Apostles and first disciples of Christ for why the scripture doeth so call theÌ„ These horses were white they were made pure rightuous and cleane by Iesus Christ and bare him by their preaching the worlde ouer Such a whyte horse to the glorie of God was Paule whan he beare the name of Christ before the Gentiles the Kings and the children of Israell 5 He that sate vpoÌ„ this white horse which was Christ him selfe had in his hande a bowe which figured the hartes of the foresayd Apostles and disciples out of whom he fiercely seÌ„t foorth the arrowes of his word into his chosen people Their hearts were in his hand for that his verities myght the more effectually passe foorth and the more surely lyght vppon hys elects For without his spirit nothing could they doe 6 From God the father vnto hym was giuen a crown of magnificence honour worthinesse and victorie in his resurrection and ascention 7 And when he had stomaked them by the holy Ghost to shoote foorth hys word without feare he weÌ„t forward with them by his grace conqueryng in them the prince of this worlde in processe of tyme by their doctryne so to ouercome him and all his wycked armie Were the Antichristes neuer so madde torment they neuer so sore slea they neuer so fast Christ wil ouercome them Let them inhibit his trueth and forbid his Gospell take spoyle imprison exyle murther haÌ„g head drowne burne yet wil Christ haue the victorie ouer them though it otherwyse séeme to the fleshly children of darknesse In many couÌ„treis Cities and townes hath Gods word bene taught where as it is now forbidden vnder the payne of death Is Christ therefore the weaker which chose the weake to confounde the strong
chosen sake Thus after S. Paul also before the Lordes cōming There must be a departing The quier or chauncell must be cast out that the man of sin the sun of perdition the aduersary exaltinge hymself aboue God may be known in his colours It may not be motē or alowed by gods word but reiected as that plant which the heauenly father hath not planted that the mistery of iniqutye may be vttered and perceiued of thē which shal be saued It must be geuen to the gentiles or addict to their supersticions with al lying power signes and wonders in all deceiuable doctrine by the subtile working of sathan They must also be permitted to do al mischif in vnrightuousnes vpō the citizens of God til he vtterly consūe thē with the mighty breath of his mouth THE TEXT 1 And I wyll geue power 2. Vnto my two witnesses 3. And they shall prophecie a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes 4. Clothed in sack clothe 5. These are two oliue Trees 6. And two Candlestickes 7. Standing before the God of the earth The Paraphrase 1 And I will geue powre saith the Lorde vnto my faithfull witnesses and they shall prophesye a thousande two hundred and lx dayes against those enimies to the comforte of my people So that though my citie be troden downe by their cruel lawes of persecution to death yet shall it not be forsaken And though my people be ouer loaded with their heathen supersticions and blasphemous worshippinges yet shall they not be lost nor left all wtout succour 2 They shal haue my two witnesses with thē to solace thē in their troubles to comfort them in their cares Both Moyses and Christ both the law and the Gospell both the Prophets and the Apostles shal stande vppon theyr side and be vpon their parte yea for so much time as their enimies shall vexe them and for so much space as their aduersaries sholl trouble them Euen a thousand two hundred and thréeskore dayes which maketh thrée yeares and an halfe and is more thē the two and fourty monthes by iiii skore dayes and fowre Which signifieth that the enimies shal not euermore kepe down his word but their daies shall be shortned for his electe sake The schoole Doctours with their sophestry hath fantasied the sayd two witnesses to be Enoch and Helyas and that they should come then frō Paradice terrestre for the same purpose because that Enoch was taken away of God and Helias was carried hence in a fyery Charet neither vnderstanding what Paradice is nor yet knowing what it is to be taken from hence Paradice is the swéete rest of God appoynted vnto them that departe hence in faith The peculier translations of Enoch and Helias were not only for a confirmation or strenthning of the faith of the fathers for their times but also that they shuld be figuers of Christes assention And what godly wise man can geue more to the figuer than to the verytie More were not they priuiledged frō death then was Christe though God wold not then haue it so openly knowen to declare his wonderfull power Unlike is it that god should cal witnesses frō the dead not promising it by his word hauing power also frō stones to raise vp Abrahās children and to geue the spirit of Helias to whō he pleaseth like as he dyd to Iohn Baptist as he doth now to many other more in our age as al the world may sée and heare These witnesses are two for so much as the truth of the Lorde in the mouth of two or thrée godly persons ought to stand 3 These two witnesses or faithfuli protestours of the aforsayde two testaments hath continued with the people of god since the death of Stéeuē for the more part secretly vnknowne to the world But now they are come abroade by the appointment of God to the vtter confusion of the great aduersary and man of sin as Paule doth call hym And vnto them in this sixt age of the church the Lord hath geuen the great power of his liuinge worde or the spirit of his inuincible verytie in much more ample wise then aforetime for the abatement of the sayd enimies or synagoge of perdition 4 Clothed they shall be in sackcloth sayth the Lord No pomp shal appeare in their apparrell no glorye of the world in their behauiour Neither shall they be accompanied with a garde of ruffelynge rutters Neyther shall they with Annas and Caiphas sit vpon life and death Neither shal they blesse in the streate with miter crosse and cope Neither claim the higher seates in side gownes shauen crownes and tippetes Neyther shall their be sack Fryers nor Franciscans monks Chanons nor Hypocrits They shall not disfigure themselues to séeme religious nor say long prayers to appere holy but in a sober conuersacion auoyding superfluitie they shall constantly witnesse the trueth of god to the vniuersall world to his glory and their edification For sackcloth in the scriptures is a signe of sobrietie sadnesse and temperaunce as in Helias and Iohn Baptist. 5 These witnesses are two swéete oliue trées shedding forth the fatnes of the scriptures and dulset sanour of the spirit God hath so blessed them that their lyps are full of grace He hath annoynted them with the oyle of gladnesse aboue their felowes of Myrre Bawme and Aloes they delectably smell None other thinges vtter thei but his infallible verities 6 They are also two shininge Candlesticks setting forth the light or clearly opening of the hidden misteries of the scriptures to the comfort of the gētiles glory of the Israelits They are not the light it self but only instrumēts ordeined to beare witnes of the light For there is but one light for al. Only are they the vessels of electiō as was Paule to carrie that lyght the world ouer 7 They stand in the presence of the God of the earth or the Lorde of all as men of moste high acceptacion before him readie to doe his will and to fulfill his commaundement and pleasure hauyng the oyle of hys spirite and the light of his eternall veritie THE TEXT 1 And if any man vvill hurt them 2. Fyre shall proceed out of their mouthes 3. cōsume their enimies 4. And if any man vvill hurte them this vvise must he bee killed 5. These haue povver to shut heauen 6 that it rayne not in the dayes of their prophesying 7. and haue povver ouer vvaters to turn them to bloud 8. and to smyte the earth 9. vvith all maner plagues as often as they vvill The Paraphrase 1 If any man will attempte to doe them scathe or presumptuouslie séeketh by craftie colours subtile reasōs and deceiptful arguments vpō daungers doubtes doctours old customes and aucthoritie of fathers to hynder their office blemishe their message and darken their light such fyre shall procéede out of their mouthes as shal consume their enimies 2 The eternall word of the Lorde that they shall declare which is the consuming fyre
without ending 8 For thou hast taken vpon thée thy great might Now haste thou shewed thy wonderful power Euer hast thou raygned among thy people but neuer so graciously so plentuouslye and so gloryouslye for our behoue 9 The Heathen euermore were angry when thy truth appered Mad were the wicked Antichristes when thy glory shyned and their pride deminished They freted for anger they swelled for woodnesse yea they slew thy seruauntes and burned vp thy people 10 But now is thy wrath towards them Now wil thy anger break out now wyll thy vengaunce appeare Now shall thy terrible iudgement without mercy be declared froÌ„ heaueÌ„ vpon all vngodlinesse of those cruell enimyes that withhelde thy trueth in vnrightuousnesse 11 Now shortly ensueth the time of the dead wherein they shall bée iudged some to ioye some to heauinesse some to glorie some to payne 12 Now approcheth the glad season wherein thou haste appoynted to reward the true seruauntes the Prophets the faithfull beléeuers made Saynctes by the onely death of thy sonne and all them that yet feareth thy name with eternall felicitie 13 None wilt thou seclude from this thy liberall goodnesse for no weakenesse nor pouertie But so well the small as the great the lowe as the high the poore as the rich the sicke as the whole the vnlearned as learned shall tast of thy inestimable cléernesse 14 Onely shalte thou distroye them that distroyed the earth compellyng both it and all that therein is not to serue thée their heauenly creator but their owne stinking desires lustes and corrupt affections thy glorie not once estéemed nor regarded Héerein may we coniecture that thâ— seuenth seale once opened and the vij trumpet blowen the last iudgemeÌ„t day is not farre of Blessed is he that watcheth for the Lordes comming THE TEXT 1 And the temple of God was opened in heaueÌ„ 2. and there was seene in his temple the Arke of his Testament 3. And there followed lightnings and voyces and thunderinges and earthquake 4. and muche hayle The Paraphrase 1 And the Temple of God sayeth S. Iohn was opened in heauen Euident will the godly and spirituall estate of the true christian church séeme in those dayes the Gospell sincerely preached In faith shal meÌ„ séeke their liuing father not in dead Images nor other corruptible things In spyrite and veritie shall they worship him and not in dumme ceremonyes nor outward shadowes Speared is Gods temple wheÌ„ his true worshipping is hid And opened it is agayne when that is clearly séene Till Christes comming in the fleshe nothing thereof appeared With the key of Dauid opened he the misteries therof Wherby thorow fayth the conuersation of many is now hath bene euer since in heauen 2 This temple thus open anon the Arke of Gods holy Testament was séene therin Christ sheweth him self in his owne colours when the Gospell is truly receyued which is that Arke wherin all the riches of Gods couenauntes and the precious treasure of his promyse is reposed to maÌ„s behoue And specially those by whom we are reconciled and saued By hym are we onely brought to Gods fauor again and graciously redéemed Yea all the sort of vs haue receiued of hys aboundant ouerflowyng fulnesse The sight of this Ark in this temple is none other theÌ„ a cléere knowledge of him in his congregation So ofte are his misteryes euydent as thys temple is opened So many tymes are they knowne as his word is truly taught 3 And no smal fruit is to be thought to come thereof For there followeâ— lightnings voyces thunderings and earthquakes Diuers respectes hath the veritie of God accordyng to dyuers audieÌ„ces In maner of lightning it moueth some making of earth heauen and of sinners godly people A sound or a noyse onely it is to some men not regarding the fruites therof To some it is an occasion of anger spight and madnesse to some of open blasphemie against the holie ghost For what els doeth the clergy maliciously withstanding it but wilfully worke against knowledge And what doth the vndiscréete laite blinded by them but babble they wot not what 4 And a great hayle also folowed which betokeneth the vehement and sharpe iudgements of God towardes such enimies of his veritie The most terrible tempests of his Ire abydeth them The Lord shall break into the lande sayeth the Prophet Esay lyke a sore tempest of haile that breaketh downe strong holdes or castles And the proude crowne of the drunken Ephraemites shall be troden vnder foote Not only is the last age appointed to these thunderings and earthquakes but they began also so soone as Christ appeared in the fleshe No sooner was the young babe borne but Herode for madnesse soughte to slea him in his verie infancie The Pharises Scribes the bishops priestes and Lawyers swelled at hys preaching neuer left till they had slaine him And this rule with the prelates and hipocrites hath continued euer since stil shall doe til the latter day Onely is there and shall be a moderation that some time it is not so extreme as at some For if it were alwayes alike there shuld none be left THE TEXT 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heauen 2. A woman clothed vvith the Sun 3. and the Moone vnder hyr feete 4. and 〈◊〉 on hir head a crovvne of xij starres 5. And shee vvas vvith chylde 6. and cryed trauelyng in byrth 7. And payned readie to be deliuered The Paraphrase 1 And there appeared saith Sainct Iohn a great token in heauen For no wonder is this token héere to bée taken as in other places of the scripture but for a type or figure contayning vnder misterie great things A woman was séene clothed with the sonne yea of Iohn For to Gods onely electes is the veritie shewed to auauntage Not Marie Christes mother is this womaÌ„ thogh many hath so fantasied in their commentaryes But it is the true christian churche of whome Marye is a moste notable member 3 This woman the church as SalomoÌ„s canticles specifie is fair louely pleasaunt sweet holsome delectable vndefiled as the Mâ—ne excelent in clearnesse as the sunne and glorious as an armie of men with theyr banners and stremers This woman is bewtifully decked with the shining sunne of rightuousnesse None is of hir that hath not don on Iesus Christ being renued in their hartes by faith They are not hir childreÌ„ that persecute gods word no more thaÌ„ was Annas and Caiphas Ioannes and Alexander 4 This woman séemed to haue the moone vnder hir féete To the church or congregation of God are all other creatures subiecte All moouable things hath the Lorde subdued vnto hir Shée is the right heire and inheritor of theÌ„ through Christ they with hir to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption and to serue in libertie 4 Upon hir head was also a crowne of twelue starres which betokeneth not onely the twelue Apostles declaring the glorie of Christes kingdome immediatly after his death
Babylon that great citie 3. For she made al nations drink of the vvine of her vvhordome The Paraphrase 1 And there folowed an other Angell saith S. Iohn which betokneth an other sort of preachers whose office is here appointed them of the holy Ghost to declare vnto the people the certenty of the fall of the aduoutrus cursed and malignant church of hipocrits here figured by wretched BabiloÌ„ For though al the true prophets and preachers haue but one worde of God in their mouth yet passeth it diuersly from them Unto each of theÌ„ is geuen a diuers vtteraunce of the spirit to edifie One is soft méeke gentle as was Dauid Iohn Peter an other is boysteous harde vehement as was Helias Esay Paule And all this worketh the selfe same one spirit This diuersitie of techers was neuer more plentuous in the world than now in our time figured here by these two angels Praysed be the Lord therefore 2 And the tenour or ground of this latter sort of preachers is this She is fallen she is fallen euen miserable Babylon the great citie of whoredom bicause she made all nacions to drink of the wrathful wyne of hir fornication So sure is it that the execrable church of Antichrist shal be ouerthrowen and vtterly destroyed as it wer now perfourmed in déede Nothinge shal be vnrooted out that the heauenly father hath not planted Sooner shall heauen earth perish than this promisse be vnfulfilled 3 For with the stinking whorishnes of hir supersticious worshippinges hath she poysoned all nacions peoples vnder heauen The great gouernours lerned lawiers of the world hathe she made in maner of beastly dronkerds wytlesse faythlesse and gracelesse by theyr prostibulous doctrine And this shal be declared more at large in the .xvij. cha folowing wheras she is more pleÌ„tuously described The texte 1 And the third Angell followed them 2. saying with a loude voyce 3. If any worship the beast and his Image 4. and receiue his marke in his forehead or on his hand 5. the same shall drinke of the wyne of the vvrath of god 6. vvhich is povvred in the cup of his vvrath 7 and he shall be punished in fyre brimstone 8. before the holy Angels 9. and before the Lambe The Paraphrase 1 The thyrd Angel also saith saint Iohn followed theÌ„ in the thyrd kinde of preaching of the same selfe message that in the mouth of two or thrée faithful witnesses all veritie might stand 2 And by this Angell are they signified that by the word of God stifly impugne theyr wicked lawes vngodly ordinaunces whose maner of earnest preaching is this 3 If any man worship the beast which is the great antichrist And his Image which are those gouernours that taketh vpon them his blasphemous titles names authoritie or defence If any man also receiue his mark in his forehead beléeuing theyr lawes to be a christen doctrine or haue the print of his seale vpoÌ„ his right hand which is to fashion his outward workes after the same The same man shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath which are the dregs of the pure wyne poured in the cup of his high displeasure He shall taste of the euerlasting damnation that is reserued in the latter cursse or fearefull sentence of their moste terrible iudge To worship the beast and his Image is to accept them in conscience and in the outward obedience with ful consent of the hearte For that they blasphemously pretend without Gods authority As the Pope for Gods vicar or forgeuer of sinnes Mahomet for the greate Prophet of the Lord the rulers of the earth for the Popes elder or yonger sonnes for moste christian Kinges and defenders of the fayth of that holy church 4 To receiue the beastes marke in their forheads and hands is to agrée to such decrées traditious lawes constitucions actes proclamations as they vnder those titles haue made onely for theyr owne couetousnesse pomp and neither for the glory of god nor yet for the right maintenance of the christen common wealthe as I haue declared afore And also to be sworne to the same to subscribe to it to geue counsel or ayde to it to maintayn it by learning to minister in it to execute vnder it to accuse punish and put to death for it or to think it lawfull and godly with such lyke 5 These marked worshippers that tast of the cuppe of gods indignation of calamitie sorow wretchednesse in the dayes of theyr fal here after the last iudgement of vnspeakeable paines and most gréeuous torments in euerlasting fyre prepared for the diuell and his angels 6 The dregges that the Lord hath powred out sayth Dauid shall the wicked of the earth drynke Cleane coÌ„trary are these Angels to the horned ministers of antichrist For they maintaine the Popes errours these the onely verities of christ They labor for the glory of their pope these séeketh the only honor of god They prate that their holy Church shall continue thâ—se say it shall downe with shame They require worship to the beast and his Image these will report it blasphemous the reward therof damnation Marke in these two sortes the preachers of our time and iudge whiche are of god Against both beastes in Christes quarell shall these Angels contende Against the Pope and his bishops Mahomet and his doctours wyll these godlye ministers replye whom the Lorde hath sent in this latter age for that purpose condemniÌ„g by the scriptures their auctoryty iurisdiction power declaring also the plagues that wyl fall vpon them for witholding the truth of God in vnrightuousnes 7 For these Antichristes and their worshippers with so many as beareth their token shall be punished in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lamb. Fyre shal be kindled saith Moyses in the anger of the Lorde shall burne vnto the bottome of Hell Upon the vngodly sayeth Dauid shall he raine snares Fyre brimstone storme and tempest shall be their porcyon to drynke The vehement indignation and mighty iudgement of God shall light vpon them as vpon Sodome and Egipt and shall both deuoure them and consume them 8 And this shal be in the sighte of Aungels which are not onely the spirites of heaueÌ„ but also the church of the faythfull Yea the righteous shall reioyce when he séeth the destruction and shall washe his handes it the bloud of the wicked 9 In the presence of the lambe shal it be also For he is euermore with his flock shal be vnto the end of the world wherin he shal sit coÌ„dem theÌ„ The Texte 1 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore 2. And they haue no rest day nor night 3. vvhich worship the beaste and his Image 4. and vvhosoeuer receyueth the prynt of his name 5. here is the pacience of sayntes 6. Here are they that keepe the commaundements 7. and the fayth of Iesuâ— The Paraprhase 1 And the smoke of their
Unto them which at that day shall be in the cittie wil be that sitteth in the thron make all things now All dolour afflictioÌ„ sorow paine penury wrath coÌ„dempnatioÌ„ death shal be past with them Only shal they be trodeÌ„ down in this winefat of gods wrath that lyued héere lyke beastes without reason and that wandered here lyke horses and mules in theyr owne filthy lustes 12 All shal be punished there that was here vnbrideled vnordred vngouerned after the worde pleasure of God And therefore it is here sayd vnto the horse bridles Euery man shal receiue in body according to that he hath don whether it be good or euell They that haue wrought the work of God in faith shall reape according vnto it The bridles also betokeneth the mesure of gods iudgement not as concerning the tyme which is euerlasting but concerning the payne rightly mesured according to the iniquity For the lord hath set his iudgments ouer the wicked in weight and mesure the stripes agreing in quaÌ„titi to the exces of sin so much tormeÌ„t to haue as their reioice hath ben in wikednes 13 The space of these terible tormeÌ„ts or punishmentes of hel is a M. and .vj. hundred furlongs A furlong of the Grekes is called the runne of Hercules it is in length an C. .xxv. paces or steppes And coÌ„moÌ„ly they vsed accordiÌ„g to the length to measure their playing places Of whome Paule maketh meÌ„cion to the CorinthiaÌ„s being Gréekes by theÌ„ that ruÌ„neth in a course that proueth masteries In this thousande and vi hundred furlonges here is comprehended the whol vniuersal course of the wicked for the iiii quartars of the world The number of an hundred is euermore an whole complete perfect number And â—iij huÌ„dred .iiij. times nuÌ„bred is .xvj. huÌ„dred which maketh this number of a thousand vj. huÌ„dred the number of iiij respecting alwayes the iiij clymates of the world which are the common habitacioÌ„s of sinners In theÌ„ course they in all wantan kindes of liuing In theÌ„ worke they their masteris of all vngodly obseruacioÌ„s and false worshippinges walking in the large or opeÌ„ way which leadeth vnto death According to the number mesure of this course hath God here measured the place punishment Notwithstanding neuer is he without mercy Maruelous he is in his workes iudgemeÌ„ts which are vnsercheable Blessed is he that shal haue his part in the citie or congregation of the rightuous and that shal sée the peace vpon Israel when the Lord shal lead forth them with the euil doers that hath 〈◊〉 them selues with their lawes The Lord graunt vs once to tast the prosperitye of Hierusalem Amen The xv Chapter NOt only for the common sinnes of the world doth the Lord plague but most of al for vnthankfulnes of al blasphemies the greatest From that spurneth against knowlege directly worketh against the holy ghost A double distruction or decay both of soule bodye by the righteousnesse of god must nedes followe the wilful coÌ„tempt of his veritie manifestly shewed and openlye taught Yet is the Lorde so mercifull that hee willeth not the daÌ„nation of a sinner Such coÌ„passioÌ„ hath he euer our manifold weakenesse that he premonisheth vs of hys moste terrible plagues to call vs backe by feare if loue will not doe it As here consequently in the first vysion of this present reuelatioÌ„ to Iohn which followeth after this sort in this xv and xvj Chapters THE TEXT 1 And I saw an other signe in heuen great and merueilous 2. seuen Angels hauyng the seuen last plagues 3. for in them is fulfilled the vvrath of God 4. And I savve as it vvere a glassy sea 5. mingled vvith fyre 6. and theÌ„ that had gotten the victory of the beast and of his Image 7. and of his mark and of the number of his name 8. stande on the glassy sea 9 hauing the harps of God 10. And they sang the songe of Moyses the seruaunt of God 11. and the songe of the Lambe saying 12. Great and merueilous are thy vvorkes Lord God almightie 13. iust and true are thy vvayes thou king of Sainctes 14. VVho shall not feare O Lorde and glorifie thy name 15. For thou onely arte holy 16. and all gentiles shal come and vvorship before thee 17. for thy iudgements are made manifest The Paraphrase 1 And I sawe sayeth sainct Iohn by the secret goodnes of my Lord God yet an other tokeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ great merueilous straunge and wonderfull For in the churches or congregation of God are euermore vttered his wonderfull and déepe iudgementes vnto them only whome his grace appoynteth as vnto Iohn And this is the token in mistery 2 Seuen Aungels had in their hands the seuen last plagues Some expositors haue taken these Angels for the right ministers in the .vii. ages of the christian church Some haue thought them to be the peruerse prechers and vngodly ministers of all the sayde ages suffered of God strongly to delude the vnbeléeuers that he wich hurteth should hurte stil and that he wkich is in fylthines should still be filthy Unto euery age corresponding an Aungell to declare the nature of those deceitefull hyrelings and lying masters And this maketh them so to vnderstande the texte They are here expresly noted to be in heauen Among the congregation of God are the false Prophets and discembling Hipocrits euermore as the chaffe among the corne the teares among the wheate and the filthy dregs amonge the pure wine For that kyngdome is as a net throwen into the sea and gatheringe all manner of fishes both good and bad In all ages hath the wicked generacioÌ„ increased to impugne the truth and stifly sâ— to stande vp agaynste God and his Christ whiche is none other after their mindes than to minister the .vii. laste plagues here For no poyson is to the soule so pestilent nor yet venim so noyfull as is false doctrine No plage can be thought more deadlie nor violent than to depriue vs of that faith of that veritie of that life whiche is in Christ Iesu or to bring vs out of the way which he hath appointed And al this séemeth no smal likelyhood of the iust vnderstanding of the text here Yet Frances Lambert geuith a far better iudgment calling theÌ„ the set senteÌ„ces or vnuariable decrées of god difining his iudgments against the wicked in his latter age of the world at their appointed times to be vtterred For all these thinges are iontely to be considered These Angles came not onely from heauen which is the congregation as they haue mencioned but also out of the celestiall temple of the tabernacle of testimonie which is the omnypotente God his Christ as the xxi chap. hereof declareth They are also clothed with pure whit linnen gyrded with golden girdles they haue golden vials deliuered vnto them by one of the iiii beasts and one of them commoneth with Iohn declarynge vnto him the iudgement and fall of the
of the foure Beasts gaue vnto the seuen Angels 10. Seauen golden vials 11. ful of the vvrath of god vvhich liueth for euermore 12 and the teÌ„ple was ful of smoke 13. For the glory of God and for his power 14. And no man vvas able to enter into the temple 15. Tyll the seauen plagues of the seuen Angels vvere fulfilled The Paraphrase 1 And anone after that saith S. Iohn I loked yet more adâ—â—sedly And sodeÌ„ly as it were the euerlasting teÌ„ple of the tabernacle of witnes was opeÌ„ in heaueÌ„ 2 A mistery this is very earnestlye to be marked as a thiÌ„g of great waight The Lord almightye is this eternall temple he is the temple not made with hands vncreated gloryous and ful of maiesty coÌ„prehending in him al thiÌ„gs he within none againe comprehended He is the Lord of all He measureth heauen with his span he ouer reacheth all the world with his iii. fingers In him we liue we moue and haue our beyng The tabernacle of witnes is the lambe Iesus Christ. He is that very tabernacle of God that was here amoÌ„g men bearing that faithful witnes which geueth wisdom to babes He is the propiciatory or mercy seate wherin we are hard and forgeuen Neither was this tabernacle of this manner building but much more perfecte and greater This holy tabernacle is with in the aforesayd temple for Christ dwelleth in the father and the father in him 3 Open is this temple in heauen the tabernacle séene whan god is known by true preaching christs doctrine beléeued For he came into the world for that purpose was borne to beare witnesse vnto the truth whoÌ„ the father willed only to be hard concerning faith 4 This temple and tabernacle open or god and his worde once knowne in this latter age the seauen Angels coÌ„meth forth The eternall decrées of gods secret iudgemets apéereth are fulfilled in their times As Angels or messeÌ„gers of god thei haue in his eternitie theyr iust plagues in their season appointed to be exhibited 5 And therfore are they sayd to come out from the temple whiche is God Nothing hath he purposed to the world but he hath decréed it afore the worldes constitution For his purpose minde and pleasure is as he is euerlasting And as it falleth to the world by hys assignement it becommeth a messenger going out of the temple So many hath he sent out of such messeÌ„gers as he hath fulfilled decréed purposes And marueil not though they be here called angels considering that it is the commoÌ„ maner of the holy scriptures euermore to call them Angels which vttereth the will pleasure and commaundement of God as they doe here After this sort are the priests called Angels so is Aggeus the prophet so is S. Iohn Baptist so are Christes disciples also the publique preachers 9 What the plagues are that they shall shed out of their vials will be shewed clearly in the next chap. folowiÌ„g one after an other 7 These Angels are apparelled in pure whit linnen bright shininge as christal and girdels about theyr brests with girded of fine golde whiche betokneth their sincere cleannes their gloryous perfitnesse For what can be more pure precious than the eternall decrées of the lord What can be more perfit and glorious than his prediffined purposes The lawes of God are vndefiled the testimonies are true the statuts are right the waies are suer the commaundements are cleare the iudgements are godly the words are pure and precious Yea the gifts that come from the father of light are euer more perfit and good 8 The gyrding of their breasts is the streight spearing vp of the secret meaning of Gods iudgementes from our carnall vnderstanding till such time as he openeth theÌ„ vnto vs by his spirit for it belongeth not vnto vs to deserue such secrets as the father reserueth to his owne power 9 And one of the foure beastes or congregations saith S. Iohn delyuered vnto the aforesayde .vii. Angels .vii. golden vials replenished with the wrath full displeasure of God which liueth for euermore Though the congregations be in the first chapter .vii. in the fourth .iiii. vnderstanded by the foure beastes yet are they héere in this place brought all vnto one and called one of the iiii or els of the foure made one for so muche as the vniuersall christian church is of one consent one faith one baptim one god and pertayneth to one Christe For so much also as it confesseth beléeueth and teacheth one doctrine of health One is my doue saieth the holy ghost one is my dearelye beloued darlyng A beast is it here noted as liuing in the flesh and not yet mortified by death 10 The vials of Gods wrath are the vngodly reprobates fit onely for destruction Golden are thei here named because they appeare gloryous in the worldly iudgementes of men Uerye paynted tombs are the dissembling hipocrits within full of stinking bones A shining name of life haue thei yet are they inwardly dead For all that they do is to be séene of men 11 Full of wrath are they wherby is ment a sinfull vnderstanding with damnable doctrins For very swift ar thei to al vngodlynesse The .vi. properties haue they which the Lord hateth and the seuenth which he vtterly abhoreth A proud looke a dissembling tongue bloudy hands a wicked hart féet redy vnto mischife wayes to practise lyes sowings of dissencioÌ„ amoÌ„g brethren These are geuen of the true christen congregation to the vii Angels or decréed purposes of God to be iudged as thei haue eternally diffined For none other is their continuall prayer but that his wyll be fulfilled and that his predifined intentes againste the peruerse multitude be finished at theyr conuenient times None other is it to put into the Angels handes the vials of gods displeasure than thus to commit them by faithful prayer to his purposed decrées or fore set ordinaunces 12 Bâ—t because that commonly whan gods iudgements begin to wax knowen all thinges are commoned troubled therfore is it said here conseqently that the temple was full of smoke by reason of the maiestie of God and of his gloryous power This smoke are certayne misteries representing vnto vs the hidden maiestie of gods eternall presence Whose brightnesse can no frayle vnderstanding abide Not al the world could not sustaine it if all thinges were opeÌ„ playne coÌ„cerninge it In no wise could Moyses presently sée the face of God only might he be suffered to sée his backe partes for no maÌ„ can se God liue Only is he sene here in this life as in a glasse or vnder a dark speking He appereth vnto vs here in a mistical smoke like as he dyd to the patriarck Iacob in sléepe to Moises in the flaming bush to Helias in the horle winde to the Apostles in fyery toÌ„gs vnto Ananias in a secret visioÌ„ 13 Under the shadow of figurate locucioÌ„ is his glory for the elect persons and
thrée vncleane spirits one comming out of the Dragons mouth which signifieth sathan the deuill an other out of the beastes mouth betokeninge the vniuersall Antichrist and the third out of the false prophets mouth compared afore to the two horned beast And all they séemed in maner as frogs both in their colours and fashions 7 Idolatry was that yll spirit which first went out from the serpent hath continued euer since in the world vnder the colour of good works as pilgrimage deuocion labour 8 Errour in abhominable filthynesse was the spirit whiche came from the beastly Antichrist defilinge the whole christianitie with innumerable superstitions vnder the colour of chaste lyuing in pristhod sacrifices and ceremonies 9 Hipocrisie was the foule spirite which issued from the false preachers poysoning the catholyque faith with false doctrine vnder the colour of religion pretending abstinence prayer and clennesse These thrée wicked spirits are not all vnlyke to the wilde fire smoke and brimstone whiche the terrible fierce horses euometed in the ix chapter of this present prophecye For cursed false and vnpure they are Their doctrine is wickednesse lies deuilishnesse and the execrable wisdome of the flesh In manner of frogs are they here described for their diuersitie of coloures in ceremonyes doctrine sects for their filthy dwelling in the dyrty tradicions of men and for crookelyng of theyr vnknowen Psalmodye and seruice disquietynge with their ydle customes the consciences of the symple multitude 10 These are the very spirites of deuyls the ympes of sathan workinge such signes and myracels as would deceiue the very chosen persons and bring them into erroure yf it were so possible But the Lorde euermore defendeth his 11 A stronge power haue they by the workynge of sathan to shewe lyinge wonders deceyuable signes amonge them that shal perish for detesting the truthe 12 These shal by the permission of god be suffered to go at large they shall strongly delude the kings of the earth and blynde the gouernoures of the vniuersall world making them dronken with the cup of all abhominatioÌ„s 13 And all this shal they doe to gather them to gether by their wicked counsayles to bring them in to one cruel consent of battailing against Christe and his meÌ„bers to receiue the penalty therof in the great day of the lord almighty 14 Most busely they gather them to battel when they moue them to persecute the iust beléeuers with ful vngodly actes as now most of all in our age which god hath promised in short space to reuenge Of this wil more be spoken in the xix chapter folowing Least any man knowinge the truthe shoulde tangle his owne conscience with their spirituall sorceryes for feare of princes lawes vnder the vaine hope of repentance in the end of their liues it foloweth in playne sentence 15 Beholde sayeth the Lorde Iesus Christ or earnestly take héede vnto it for I come dangerously vnlooked for as commonly doth the thiefe to thy hinderaunce if thou watch not in fayth but lyue in superstition Though this not without reasonable cause may be taken in a generaliti for the last iudgmeÌ„t dai yet is it here spokeÌ„ particularly of euery maÌ„s departing As a premonishment he geueth this here of loue least any man should perish without warning 16 Blessed is he saith that Lorde which watcheth in the true christian beléeue and liueth not in the vaine but in the sure hope of life sealed with the iust promises of god For all that he doth shall prosper and turne him to great aduantage in the concluston 17 Happy is he allo that holdeth fast vnto him his garments or workes of Gods prescription which are the fruits of the spirite or that hath done on the Lord Iesus Christ gyrdinge hym suer vnto himselfe by faith 18 Least he be founde a naked hypocrit witout faith veritye iustice charitie with such lyke or least the rightuous number at the latter day sée his filthines vncouered and reioyce at his condemnation 19 He is blessed whiche at that day shall be couered with the white garment of the Lambe not hauinge his sinnes imputed vnto hym 20 To shewe the certaintie of the aforesayde battayle Saint Iohn saith that the diuel gathered together those wicked rulers into a certaine place called in the Hebrue tonge Armagedon The vncleane spirites that afore are named thrée of their diuers workinge in the Dragon beaste and false prophet are here brought into one as all of one lying spirit whome Christe calleth the father diuell This one lyinge spirit whiche hath bene a murtherer from the beginning comprehendinge in hym all vncleane spirites like as doth the beast all Antichristes hath combined together into one execrable zeale of fatherly tradicions all vaine-glorious and vngodly minded gouernours against God and his Christe And this hath not bene withoute the secret permission of God wyllynge to proue his elects by stroÌ„g suffering that they might receiue at his hand the rewarde of stronge victorye or of his aboundant riches 21 This place here called in the Hebrue Armagedon betokneth in mistery an hyll of delectable fruites interpreted of some for the hyll of the gospell and is commonly taken of the Hebreues for that is swéet or of valew And this without faile is the churche whiche â—ft times in the Scriptures is called the plentuous hyll of God the hyll of Gods house the hyll of mirth the hyll of oliues the hyll of Sion Carmelus and Libanus with such other lyke In this mounte euermore are they bene â—o battaile There slea theâ— innocent Lambes of Christe All their power malice and tirannye is there extremely vttered at the Antichrists labour and desire whiche are excéedingly drunken in the bloude of holye martires whiche hath bene shed vpon the earth from the rightuous Abel vnto this day But when the almighty setteth kings vpoÌ„ the earth it shall be cleare euen in the darknes that the hill of Basan is Gods hill The texte 1 And the seauenth Angell poured out his vial 2. Into the ayre 3. And there came a great voyce out of heauen from the sate sayinge 4. It is done 5. And there followed voices thunderings and lightninges 6 And there was a great earthquake 7. Such as was not since meÌ„ were vpon earth 8. So mighty an earthquake and so great 9. And the great citie was deuyded into three parts 10. And the cities of the nations fell 11. And great Babtlon came in remembraunce before God 12. To geue vnto her the cup of Wine of the fiercenesse of hys wrath 13. And euery I le fled avvay 14. And the mountaines vvere not founde 15. And there fell a great haile 16. As it had bene talents 17. Out of heauen 18. Vppon the men 19. And the men blasphemed God beause of the plague of the hayle 20. For it vvas great and the plague therof vvas sore The Paraphrase 1 Fynally the seuenth Angell wente forth vnder the seuenth seale opening as God had eternali determined
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
trusting vpon longer continuance whan they sée his heade restored agayne in their rulers the godly teachers burned and the preachers put to silence 5 They worship also the beaste so many as worshipped the DragoÌ„ For as they which worship Christ worship his father also so they the worship Antichrist agréeing to his lawes and decrées doth also worship the diuil of whom he receiued his pryde They wonder with the Iewes that séeketh cauilations to coÌ„teÌ„pne Christes doctrine as doth the filthie family of the dotyng dodipolles priestes vnlerned lawyers They worship with the HeatheÌ„ that admitteth their power and alloweth their faces as doeth the foolysh multitude that neuer will be godly wyse None other iudgement remayneth in these dayes to these wonderers and worshippers of the newlye restored head of the beast then did vnto them that with double deuotioÌ„ agréed to the abhominatioÌ„s of Mahomet the pope 6 And this will be their saying as foloweth in the text spoken in the time past for the certaintie of the thing as the maner of the scripture is 7 Who is lyke vnto the beaste in outward glittering workes or in the externo obseruations of counterfayt religion 8 Who is able to war with hir the worldly powers now so déeply maintainiÌ„g hir quarel All seketh the papists that they can in the world imagine to vpholde the glory magnificence and beautie of their holy whorish church or malignauÌ„t muster No cautels nor craftes leaue they vnsought nor vnsearched out to cause the people to estéeme hyr of incoÌ„parable power No small labour tooke standyshe in hand in Whittington College when he made his more theÌ„ foolish booke of reproch against Barnes being dead Nor no lesseÌ„ diligeÌ„ce the wise poet Iohn HuÌ„tiÌ„gtoÌ„ wheÌ„ he registred in his genealogy of heritikes with out grace wit learning the names onely of such godly men as were the Popes enimyes no heretike agaynst God once mentioned No more dyd Thomas Smith Richard Dallison WilliaÌ„ Stawne SteueÌ„ Prowet Fryer AdriaÌ„ Quarrie the Pardoner with suche other blynde Popish Poetes and dyrtye metristes when they vttered theyr shitton rymes and poesies And sure I am that many moe be yet abroade of the same wicked zeale and spirite to the great blasphemie both of God and his trueth now that the beastes wounde is made whole agayne by so many new actes so many new titled Bishops so fresh sale of benifices maisterships and dignities spiritual offices degrées and aucthorities as pleÌ„tuous as euer was in Rome And least we should be depryued of our new pleasaunt Euphrates and so bée compelled by the word of God to follow the Monks Chanons Nunnes and Fryers in theyr banyshments We haue procured certaine actes to be made for our commoditie and those only to be published among the people once in a quarter or so oft as shall please vs to blemishe all Godly preachings of the scriptures Thus séeke we our selues and not God our owne strength and not his our owne glorie and not Iesus Christs But let vs not thynke that he sléepeth with Baall the false God knowyng the most hydden thoughtes of the harte but that he will within shorte space sende foorth his lightnyngs and scater vs brynging our heathenishe deuises to nought For the kyngdome of one faith in vs and the Pope thus manifestly in certayne points deuyded must surely decay THE TEXT 1 And there vvas giueÌ„ vnto him a mouth 2. to speake great things and blasphemies 3. And povver vvas giuen vnto him to doe xlij moneths 4. And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dvvell in heauen 5. And it vvas gyuen vnto him to make vvarre vvith the Sainctes 6. and to ouercom them 7. And povver vvas giuen him ouer all kinreds tongue nacion 8. And all that dvvelt vpon the earth vvorshipped him 9. vvhose names are not vvritteÌ„ in the booke of life 10. of the lambe 11. vvhich vvas killed from the beginning of the vvorld 18. If any man haue an eare let him heare 13. he that leadeth into captiuitie shall goe into captiuitie 14. Hee that killeth vvith a svvearde must be killed vvith a svvearde 15. Heere is the patience and the faith of the sainctes The Paraphrase 1 To this beast saith sainct Iohn was giuen a mouth not of God but of Sathan to speake great mightie things and blasphemies So well is this spoken of the one as the other so many as hath done vpon the Antichrstâ—s liuery title power aucthoritie or name When the veritie of the Lord was opened before them they gaue no thankes for it but became vaine in their thoughts wherfore god gaue them ouer into a leude mynde darkening their hartes So that now thinking them selues wise they appeare more foolish then afore 2 Now speake they great thyngs in their conuocations seanes sermons and all are sore blasphemyes against God his Christ. Now must they serue God by most straite commaundement with olde Romish beggerry though he most highly abhorreth it no scriptures may be reade in the time thereof For the scriptures must onely passe as we wil haue theÌ„ How shuld the beasts hed els be healed again or howe should our church be known els to be his own Image Oh beastly abhominatioÌ„ most hellish decree Now must Christ be takeÌ„ for no sauior at all wtout our deseruiÌ„gs The supper of the lord that was somtime a mutual perticipatioÌ„ of Christes body and bloud must now be a new crucifying of him one traitour playing al parts Iudas Annas Caiphas Herode Pylate the Iews Matrimony must be iudged vncleanes though it be the earnest institutioÌ„ of god No popish vow may be dissolued though it be well knowen a matter so diuilish as hath made an huÌ„dreth thousaÌ„d Sodmites The Eucharisti may not be receiued in both kindes though it be the expresse commaundement of Christ so to bée vsed Without the blynde bussings of a Papist may no sinne be soluted for that is the vpholdyng of their kyngdome with many other lyke blasphemies Certayne other great thyngs are vttered by thys mouth whiche now I passe ouer least I shoulde bée tedious to the reader How be it thys one great blasphemy that is spokeÌ„ I can not leaue vntouched Where as they boast them selues yet still alone to be the holy church by the onely vertue of theyr vnctions and shauings receiued first of the Pope the laitie secluded And vnder thys most falsely vsurped title they will still be taken for the redéemers of mens soules For they say that their masses are satisfactorie sacrifices for the quicke and the deade iustifying reléeuing and sauing them both from dampnation ex opere operato And ouer that abhominable swarme of Antichristes filthie ministers make they nowe their Kyngs the heades most blasphemouslye onely to be by them vpholden now in all their mischiues Truth it is that a king is the politique head supreme gouernour great stay vnder God of the people
to his charge committed and after that sort their mighty monarke also by the scriptures which thei haue afore this time denied worshippinge them for most holy saints which haue most presumptuously rebelled in that behalf But ouer the whorish church of theirs whom Christe neuer planted is sathan the onely head by the holy ghosts fore iudgements héere For to that beastly brood gaue the dragon his power his seat and his mighty aucthorytie God forbid therefore that any christian prince shoulde at their false suggestions admit so blasphemous a title The deuill saith Iob is the only head ouer all the children of pride That voice therfore may be blasphemous as comming from the mouth of the serpent if it be not taken good héede to 3 And power was geuen to the beaste to do these things for the space of xliâ— monthes which is the thrée yeares an halfe of Hilias the time times halfe time of Daniell and the M. two hundred lx daies of Iohn Not onely for this age of the church but also for all other ages and by other heades also hath the mouth of this beast vttered great things in blasphemy lies in hipocrisie wonders vnder a deceitful power But as coÌ„cerning this latter healed heade of the beast the time therof wil be short as herafter shal appeare in the xvii chap. 4 He opened his mouth saieth the text in reproues against god speking euill of his name of his tabernacle and of them that dwell in heauen This is in a manner all one with that was spoken afore in the xi chapter of the temple the aulter and of them that worship in the temple saue only that his name is héere for his temple In token that when his temple is blasphemed which is his coÌ„gregatioÌ„ his name is blasphemed by the same so is his tabernacle Iesus in whom bodyly dwelleth the fulnes of the Godhed so ar also they that dwel in heauen wherby is meÌ„t the true church from whom the angels are not secluded beiÌ„g their fellow seruaÌ„ts These dwellers be they that haue their conuersation in heauen vnder an vndefiled faith that séeke those thinges which are aboue not vpon earth that worship the father in spirit veritie the perseuereth true christians to the end Many entreth this heaueÌ„ of the Lord but all continueth not in it to the ende of their liues the more is the pitie 5 Power was also geuen vnto this beastly antichrist to make battel with the saints and to ouercome them CoÌ„tinually do they with violence vexe by their carnall policies auctority lawes the sincere witnesses or preachers of the Lorde sanctified of him throw faith in his holy word as were his apostles lyke as did the malitius clergy of the iewes yea thei did resist theÌ„ with their more theÌ„ tiraÌ„ous proclamatioÌ„s coÌ„missioÌ„s coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts with cruell Pharao Aman Antiochus to proue Christ in them the signe of coÌ„tradiction and stone of reproch They seeke héere the hunt there and neuer leaue raging til they haue closed theÌ„ vp in prisons 6 Yet are they not so contented tyl they haue ouercome them in the sight of the blinde world though not before God Either shall they be compelled shamefully to recant or if they persist in the veryty to suffer most painfull death By one way or other they must be ouercome to hold the people in errour The gardiner of winchester was not ashamed now of late as I hard it credibly reported to say vnto one that was accused of his malignant multitude when he was no leÌ„ger able to withstande the manifest truth Master SeitoÌ„ we know ye are lerned and plentuously endued with knowlege in the scriptures yet thiÌ„k not that ye shall ouercome vs. No no set your hart at rest and looke neuer to haue it sayd that ye haue ouercom the bishops for it shal not be so In déed it is trueth For neither Christe nor his Apostles did euer yet ouercome you Their victory ouer you is not in this world your kiÌ„gdom being here But be ye certen sure of it ye shal be ouercoÌ„ to your much more rebuke at the latter day when al wroÌ„gs iniuries shall be reueÌ„ged which is not farre of Your lordly estimatioÌ„ which may not be hindred here wil apeare there not very precious Yet doe ye well to hold vp a proude pecoks head as long as ye may Lose not an inche of your height hardly but with your gogle eyes looke vp like a man with a gard at your taile like a sort of tormentours in a play And with your lyinge iudgementes ouercome these beggerly vagabonds and burn them also rather then faile to fulfil the mesure of your holy fathers 7 And authority was geuen to this beast vpon euery kinred people tong and nacion For none these antchristes spare neither high nor low rich nor poore sick nor whole learned nor vnlearned But a iurisdiction they must haue ouer them though it be vsurped Once in the yeare must they haue them in confession to knowe which way they are bente That salue haue they gotten in agayne to heale vp their wounded head Be he natiue or be he straÌ„ger be he ruler or be he a commoner he must obey theÌ„ no remedy or els stande forth at the sessions with Christ among théeues Not in on regioÌ„ or wher as one maner of langage is vsed haue they this auctority but in euery land in euery shire in euery towne in euery famyly must they haue to do corruptiÌ„g euery mans faith 8 For al that dwel vpon earth must worship this beast They must agrée to the great things no remedy They must blaspheme god as they do But blessed be the Lorde none doth yâ— in their harts but they onely that dwel vpon the earth that haue their felicity here that séeketh the prosperitie of this world regardeth noÌ„e other life theÌ„ therin is The laÌ„bs of christs fold geueth héed to his voice thei regard his cal they folow his word they walâ—e in his light Thei séeke for no holines but only in hiÌ„ neither in water nor bread ashes nor palmes robes nor reliques masses nor anointings He is their only sufficient wisdom rightuousnes holynes redeÌ„ptioÌ„ His word is their liuing water the fode of their soules the lantarne that shal gyde theÌ„ and the life that wyll not faile them None other doctrine do they couet nor yet other precepts of liuing Though they be héere in the earth yet dwell thei not vpon it No continuing citie haue they here but they séeke vnto another of much more beauty pleasure not builded of meÌ„ And for that they are ready rather to render vp their liues then to renouÌ„ce the verity only they which dwel here doth worship the beast louing themselues better then god their flesh better then his trueth hauing their whole trust in the mangye merits dirty deseruings of these beastly hipocrites and nothing at all in his swéet