horse on whom he that sate had a bowe bent and an Arrowe in it To him was geuen a crowne and he wēt forth conqueryng that he might ouercome This is the vision the exposition wherof is easie For the Lorde sayeth that he will declare the destenies of the church Horses Horses of sondry coulours are also brought forth of Zacharie in the .1 chapt And thei signifie the variable course and state of the people of Israel The white coulour is cōsecrated to Innocencie The course of Gods worde puritie victory and felicitie Therfore by the white horse is signified the lucky vtteraunce of Gods word or prosperous preaching of the Gospel For vpon the horse sitteth a horseman which guideth the horse hath a bowe Certenly Christ doeth prosper the course of the preachyng of the Gospell And the .45 Psalm doeth attribute to the same shaftes or Arrowes A bowe For he striketh his enemies far of and bringeth them into his subiection Briefly with the worde of his mouth he subdued to him self people and nations Esaye in the .49 bringing in Christ speakyng sayeth And he put my mouth as a sharpe sword the shadow of his hande couered me and he put me as a piked Arrow he hidde me in his queuer Through Christ therfore procedeth the preachyng of the word he geueth strength to the preaching he shaketh his bent bowe What force so euer the worde hath that same is whole dewe to the Horseman To the same is geuen a Crowne A crowne to witte a kingdom and all power of rulyng For Dauid propheciyng before sayed the Lord shall sende forth the rod of his power out of Sion to rule emonges thine enemies Moreouer there is geuen him a crowne that he maye crowne suche as serue him faithfully And it is a phrase of speakyng and he wente forth conqueryng that he might ouercome for that whiche is he that went forth is a conquerour and to this ende went forth that he mighte ouercome For it signifieth that Christ will auaunce the preachyng of his worde through out the worlde no manne beynge able to resiste and euen in dispite also of Hel gates For the worde of the Lord indureth for euer And this place teacheth That the church shal be alwaies and the preachinge of the word that the Church shal be alwayes in the world likewise alwayes the trueth preached though the enemies bowelles burste But if we reade ouer the story of the Churche we shal better vnderstande al thynges and shall perceyue that this Prognostication hath alwayes ben moste certayne Christe was ones through the ministerie of the worde shewed to the world by the Apostles and the matter proceded moste luckely howe muche some euer the most mightie of this worlde resisted the same The thing is wonderfull in case those fiue hondreth yeres be considered whiche immediately after the incarnation of our Lorde are accoumpted In them wente forth the conquerour that he might ouercome And ouercame in dede the whole world receyuyng Christ and worshippyng him Sins those yeres as before also certen sedes of errours began to be sowen abroade The Bisshoppes began to contende for the supremacie and who should be the vniuersall head of the Church in earth They began to reason of the vse of Images in the Church and broughte them into Churches in dede as also they called the Bisshoppe of Rome the supreme and generall head of the Churche in earth And mightie Princes and in a maner the whole state of learned menne conspired in these opinions but he hath vanquished which wente forth that he might vanquish He had in his church innumerable whiche bowed not their knees before this Baal A thousand yeres after the incarnation of Christ the Bishoppes began to prophanely to pollute the lordes supper and other vndefiled doctrines of faith but what I praye you did they preuayle by so many counsels determinations and indeuours most ernest he that went forth to ouercome hath ouercomē That white Horse hath stoutely inuaded to the saluation of many For how great battels in these last fiue hōdreth yeres the godly and learned mē haue susteyned against the Popes and Bisshoppes stories beare witnes At this daye also appereth through out the whole worlde howe luckely yet that white horse goeth forwarde which hath pearsed euen vntill our time The Gospel is beleued neither can that faith be extinguished with any waters or fires Thou makest exception that they were heretikes whiche resisted the bisshop and See of Rome in these .500 last yeres as Bertrame Iohn Scot surnamed Dunse Berengarius Arnoldus Brixianus Waldo Wicleffe and Husse Luther and Zwinglius and such other men of the same sorte moreouer certen of these were ouercomen also and put to death by the Pope I aunswer that as men they might erre in many thinges but in those thinges wherin with the Scripture they consente agaynst the See of Rome I affirme that they erred not but sayed the trueth Wherupon it is certaine that Christ ouercame by them What time Micheas Helias Zacharias Amos Ieremias and others preached by the worde of God agaynste Idols and worshippers of Idols they were also condemned for seditioufe and heretikes yea and certen of them were taken out of the waye but was the veritie vanquisshed Antichrist is saied that he shuld haue good fortune and that he should punish afflict the strong and the people of God but men beyng ministers may be oppressed the ministerie neuer decayeth S. Paull sayeth that he is bounden for the Gospels sake but the Gospel not to be boūden Therfore hath he ouercomen hitherto and shall ouercome still which went forth that he might conquer They stumble vpō this conquerour as at the stone of offence who so euer and what so euer they be whiche seke to interrupte the playne course of the Gospell Moreouer what time the seconde seale should be opened the seconde beast The secōd seale is opened to witte the Ore or Calfe exhorteth agayn S. Iohn to attentiuenes and that we should consider what is propoūded vnto vs. And now cometh forth the red horse whose coulour is somwhat like fire there sitteth also on him a rider to whom power is geuen to disturbe peace in earth and that menne should kill one an other For there is geuen him a great sword The red horse signifieth the state of warres Calamitie of warres ful of fire and bloud He that sitteth on this horse is Mars or rather the father of lies I meane the Deuil whiche was a murtherer from the beginnyng He gathereth to him the dregges of men to make ciuile commotions for the warres destruction firyng slaughter and desolation You see from whence the breakyng of peace is whych God hateth And we heare howe it is geuen him Marke geuen by the iuste iudgement of God to be permitted that troublyng al peace he should take it away and set menne together by the eares that one maye wounde and kil an other For so
Fraunce England Italy and of other Realmes or nations and generally to all the faithfull where soeuer they be abiding and lokyng for the coÌ„myng of Christe oure Lorde and Iudge THat this Apocalips was reueled of Iesus christ king of kinges and high Bishop our lord from the right hand of the Father and setforth by thapostolical spirite for the saluatioÌ„ of al faithfull chieflye of those that shall be in the latter dayes before the last iudgment both the matter it selfe whiche is treated right necessary to be knoweÌ„ holsom and excelleÌ„t proueth And also the simple maner meane wherby it is handled being euident and plaine declareth I will speake of ether briefly Collectyng those thinges only which seme to be more profitable and more necessary Iohn .xvi. The Lorde had sayd in the Gospell how he wold ascende into heauen and froÌ„ thence wold send to his Apostles the holy Gost the comforter which shulde leade them into all truth and shew them the thinges that ar to come And that which he sayd he wolde do in wordes the same verely hath he also perfourmed in dede aboundantly The holy Gost beyng sent to his Apostles which induced them into all truthe and opened to them the thinges that were to come especially to the Apostle and Euangelyst S. Iohn who receiued this ReuelatioÌ„ exibited to him of Christ from the ryght hand of the Father by the mistery of an AuÌ„gel in the holy Gost who also by Chryste his commaundement committed the same to wryting The summe and ende of the which wryting is this The summe ende of the Apocalipse That Christ Iesus our Lord wil neuer fayle hys churche in earth but will gouerne it with his spirite and worde through thecclesiasticall ministery But that the church it self whilest it remaineth in this worlde shall suffer many thinges and that for Chryst and the truthe of his Gospell professed And it openeth al and singular euils in a maner that the church shal suffer shewing how it must be exercised with common Calamities as warre plage famyne and suche other lyke What it shall priuately suffer of the false bretherne through heresies schismes and greuous and continuall stryfes contentions corruptions in the matter of religion Finally how terribly it shulde be vexed by the most cruell persecutions of tholde Romane Empire And laste by the wicked crafts extreme Tyranny of Antichrist Al the which thinges apperteyne to this ende that all the chosen being sufficiently warned before and prouided in all ages whilest this worlde shall indure may with true faith alone cleaue vnto Christ our redemer king and high prieste only and eternall and may purely and syncerely professe hym call vpon him in the innocencie of lyfe serue him and patiently attend after him commyng to Iudgemente and to delyuer and saue the godly But contrarywise that they dispise all superstitions and the worlde it selfe with those his sondrye religions felicities and pleasures and bewar of al vngodlines And chiefly that they flee Antichrist which shall com in th ende of the worlde vsurping to himselfe most vniustly the kingdom and Priesthod of Chryst and greuouslye persecuting the churche of Christ euen to the laste Iudgemente In the whiche at the laste he with all his adherentes shall be throwen downe hedlonge into Hell And. S. Iohn beginneth this holsome matter of Chryste hymselfe The fyrste Chapter of the Apocalips Lorde king and high Bishop whose wonderful and most goodly description after the Apostolicke maner he placeth in the very begynnyng as the foundation of the whole worke The same descriptioÌ„ dooeth so â—â—ately setfoorthe the Lorde that all the churche may easely know What thinges are treated in this boke in what order dispersed throughout the whole worlde in Chryst oure Lorde all thinges to be accomplished what so euer he had sayd before shulde be fulfilled in him namely that he shulde be exalted one to the ryghthand of his father into all celestiall glory power and maiestie there to be kinge of kinges of all other most mightye and the true and only hygh Byshop Sauiour gouernour Lorde and generall defendour of the Catholycke churche For blessed S. Iohn not only saw him such him selfe but also exhibiteth him such to be sene of vs all in thys hys wryting so godly by a most bryght and goodly vision And moreouer to thintent it myght be knowne to vs all in what sorte our Lord Iesus Chryst king and priest sitting or working in Heauen on the right hande of his Father is neuerthelesse in the middes of the catholycke church wherof he hath a faithfull care how louingly and fully he preserueth it in best order gouerneth it S. Iohn sheweth in this his vision that Christ walketh amonge the seuen golden candlestickes holdeth in his right hande seuen starres And streyghtway declareth what thing he vnderstandeth by the candelstickes and starres calling the candelstickes churches and the starres Aungels of the churches That is to witte Seuen churches Messagers ministers and pastours For the Lord chose vnto him selfe seuen famouse churches in Asia with whom he treateth nowe generally and compendiously vsing S. Iohn for hys interpretour which he doth perpetually in all churches throughoute the world and will neuer cease to do tyll the worldes ende For the seuenth number whiche is most vsed in this boke Chap. 2 and .3 and is the numbre of fulnes comprehendeth in it all churches Wherfore S. Iohn doeth so propounde moderate and temper all thynges that he treateth with these seuen churches that they may be applied vnto all the Churches that shal be in the worlde vntyl the worldes ende for theyr learnynge and edifiyng And for the same cause these seueÌ„ churches may be exaÌ„ples of all other churches For loke what thing then did please or displease the Lord in those seuen churches what tyme these thyngs wer reuealed the selfe same in all other churches shall please or displease him so long as the worlde shall laste And as he wolde haue those instructed and taught so wyl he that all and singular be instructed at all seasons Therefore in these seuen churches we haue examples of churches moste excellent in dede and of God derely beloued And agayne of moste corrupte meane also and finally mixed And in these al is shewed what is or shall be the disposition maners and vertues of all the churches in the whole world and of al tymes and seasons likewise the vices of them and remedies of the same Therfore the Lorde in these instructeth reproueth chideth threatneth exhorteth comforteth promiseth Wherfore in these we shall see as it were in a table set before vs what the true and ryght doctrine of the churche is And againe which is the false and the corrupt doctrine We shall heare and learne that the churche beloued of God must stande styll in the preachyng of the Gospell once receyued of the Apostles of oure Lord Iesus Chryst and muste loke for no new
chiefly of Christ secondly of our whole faith redemption The third Sermon IOhn to the seuen coÌ„gregatioÌ„s Asia Grace be with you peaâ— from him whiche is and whicâ— was whiche is to come and 〈◊〉 the seuen spirites which are prâ—sent before his throne And froÌ„ Iesus Chriâ—â— which is a faithful witnes and first begotâ— of the dead And Lord ouer the kinges of tâ— earth Vnto hym that loued vs and wasshâ— vs from sinnes in his own bloud And maâ— vs kynges and priestes vnto God his fatheâ— be glory and dominion for euermore Ameâ— Behold he cometh with cloudes And al eyâ— shal se him And thei also which pearsed hiâ— al kinredes of the earth shal wayle ouer him Euen so AmeÌ„ I am Alpha Omega the beginning thending saith the Lord almightâ— which is which was which is to come The beginning or preface of the wâ—rke Another pece of the first part of this boke conteineth tâ— beginning or preface wherin is the Apostles salutation 〈◊〉 the whiche he discribeth first the whole mistery of Christ â—â—condly of our faith redemption For so were the Apostles wont in the beginning of their writinges to comprise a brief some of salutation Which thing in Paules Epistles is euery where to be sene By the same description he getteth the beneuolence and attentiuenes of al men The Apostles salutation or greting is nothing els What is the Apostles salutation but a blessing Blessing is an old accustomed order by the whiche the Patriarkes wished of God to their children al maner of good thinges both of body soul Which verely in Genesis is described at large And also the high priest had coÌ„maundement geuen to blesse the people As we reade in the sixt of NuÌ„bres especially he commaundeth to put his name vpon the people Therfore it is a supersticion to say God verely from whome euery good gifte descendeth froÌ„ aboue blesseth that is geueth good thinges but ministers or men wishe only And the Lord in dede in the lawe promiseth that he will grauÌ„t those thinges to the people whiche the high priestes shoulde wishe them Therfore nother wordes nor shauen crownes but the truth power of God geue the giftes We ought not therfore to doubt but that God wil grauÌ„t to vs also thapostolical blessing that being reconciled accepted of God we might haue peace And first S. IhoÌ„ repeteth his name left we shuld any thing doubt of thautour Iohn interpretour of Christ towardes the congregations whoÌ„ we see Christ to haue vsed as scribe interpretour vnto al coÌ„gregatioÌ„s But he repeteth not himself to be that seruauÌ„t of god witnesse or Apostle of Iesu Christ It sufficed to haue heard that at the first beginniÌ„g Therfore he teacheth theÌ„ modestie humilitie also which haue obteined great giftes Afterward he signifieth to whoÌ„ he wryteth to whoÌ„ this boke apperteineth to the seuen churches of Asia the names wherof he will vtter shortly after And Aretas bishop of Cesaria by the .vii. churches saith he by the .vii. nuÌ„bre he signified the multitude of churches that be in al places So also Primasius bish of Vtica in Affrick expouÌ„deth the .vii. nuÌ„ber Therfor this salutatioÌ„ this boke the whole doctrine of Iesu Christ writteÌ„ by s IhoÌ„ To whom this booke apperteineth apperteineth to the whole vniuersal church of Christ throughout al the world in all times ages WherupoÌ„ it beloÌ„geth to all vs also as many as be of vs in the church of Christ For albeit thepistles be intitled to the Romains Galath yet followeth it not therfore that they be not ours And he wryteth expressely to the churches of Asia not to tâ— churches of Hierusalem or Iewery that he might so shewâ— that the kingdome of Christ is comen also already to the gâ—tiles And as God from the beginning chose Israell in whiâ—he myght set forth a perfit example of the church and coÌ„mâ—wealth so froÌ„ the beginning of the new TestameÌ„t he chose thosâ— seuen churches of Asia which he might set forth to the whâ—â— Christen world But in case Rome had ben set in the first plaâ— amongest the churches as Ephesus is good God hoâ— much wold the Romish sort make of it for the estabishingâ— their supremacie The forme of the Apostles bessing And the maner of the Apostles saluting wysheth granâ— peace Grace is the fauour of the deitie and the reconcâ—ment wherby God the father for Christ his sake is madeâ— one with vs our sinnes pardoned we adopted for his chiâ—dren Therof arriseth the peace and tranquillitie of myndâ— and the desire of concorde with all men And here he sheweth aboundantly who geueth the churcâ— his blessing that is to witte grace reconcilement peaâ— God and God thre in persons the father the sonne and thâ— holy ghost one God in essence But here he discerneth thâ— persones very well From him that is to witte the fatheâ— And from the seueÌ„ spirites that is from the holy ghost And froâ— Iesu Christ this is the diuersitie of persons And the signification of the vnitie is when after the proprieties of persons dâ—clared The holy gost is placed in the middes he addeth I am Alpha omega c. And that the hoâ— ghost is set here in the middes it disordereth not the misteâ— of the Trinitie but appeareth to be an argument that he 〈◊〉 the spirite as well of the father as of the sonne and that hâ— procedeth from both As it is also proued by the wordes 〈◊〉 our lord the xiiii.xv and .xvi. of Iohn Here is also describeâ— the whole holsome mistery first of Christ than of the catholike faith and of our redemptioÌ„ so that herein you may findâ— the chiefest articles of the Apostles crede haue here a mosâ— goodly descriptioÌ„ of Christ our Lord. Hereof al meÌ„ shall iudgâ— how truly some men say The father whiche is which was c. that this boke contrary to the â—â—stome of thapostles maketh litle mentioÌ„ of Christ of faith The father as fountain original of whom the son is ingendred is first described for that it is he whiche is which was and which is to come Those wordes toke Iohn out of Moyses in the .iii. and .xxxiiii. chap. of Exod. out of many testimonies of Esay And he saith nothing but that God the father is an eternall ensence which coÌ„sisteth by and of it self and is and geueth life to all and in all preserueth the same And that this essence is suche that it hath bene always with out beginning For this is it that he ioyneth to being or existing was He addeth and he that shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shal be and shal remaine euen to the ende and to euerlastingnes without end The Grekes deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of running for that conning and running he medleth with all matters is euery where present bringing help to the godly or
.xcvii. yeare wouldâ— God all Pastours would set before their eies this good Policarpus to be followed of whome there remayneth a notâ—ble Epistle to the Philippians After againe is the authour of the Epistle Thauthor of the epistle declared whicâ— is set forth with two titles taken out of the fourmer visiâ—â— of Iohn and descriptioÌ„ of Christ Thus saith the first and 〈◊〉 last c. Wherby is signified the eternall diuinitie of Christâ— which wanteth beginning and ending And of him selfe is â—uerlasting There is added that he was dead liueth againâ— that is to witte hath rysen from the dead And this begiâ—ning accordeth right well to the matter For they perceiuâ— that whosoeuer are afflicted for Christ his Gospell of mâ— mightie kinges and princes haue a Lorde and patrone mâ— mightie and more faithfull whiche in no wyse can be ouâ— comen Who can also in death kepe his lyke as he reysed 〈◊〉 Christ from the dead to the intent we myght haue an opâ—â— testimony that we shal liue with Christ euen in death it seâ— Christ knoweth the workes of his And now cometh he to the matter it selfe and the whicâ— thing he repeteth in al Epistles he sayth here also I knoâ— thy workes to witte both good and euill Thinke not that 〈◊〉 neither know nor care for thy matters Thou art verely roâ—ten out in my handes I know see and care for thee and 〈◊〉 thine And these thinges boeth prouoke vs maruelously vertue when we knowe that we haue God a loker on 〈◊〉 hath a care of vs And also comforte vs greatly which vndâ—â—stande how he that loueth vs and in no matter neglecteâ— hath vs alwayes as it were before his eyes And here particularly he declareth what he knewe Aâ— first in dede the afflictions Afflictions which verely they suffered in tâ—â— present persecution of the Emperour Domitian And affâ—â—â—tion is as it were a generall worde to the foure kindes foâ—wyng For he rehearseth touching their substaunce the sâ—â—ling of their goodes and their pouertie In their name 〈◊〉 estimation coÌ„tumelies reproches or blasphemies In boâ—â— imprisonment and bondes yea and death also For 〈◊〉 these afflictions Godly men are exercised for the truth saâ— of the wicked And in these may be coÌ„prysed al other kindes of tribulation The whiche the Epistle of Iesus Christ reciteth in a Godly order There is nothinge therfore of these matters whiche the Lord Christ knoweth not Pouertie hath the first place The pouertie of the faithfull Neither ought we to take it here spiritually for the modestie and humblenes of mynde although it be certaine that the churche of Smyrna wanted not the same vertue But there was pouertie and lacke of all things by reason of the spoiling of their goodes For in time of persecution by vertue of kings proclamatioÌ„s the goodes of the faithful professours of Christ ar coÌ„fiscated to the kings vse or permitted to the soldiours nobles or promoters to take at their pleasure The faithful thrust out of their houses ar either driuen into exile or go a begging would God we wanted examples therof at this day Let vs herof learne to beare suffer paciently the like chaunces also being perswaded that God knoweth our necessitie And because it is an hard thing â—or an honest man to honger and want with his familie for a â—omfort and consolation he addeth but thou art riche This to the world semeth a paradoxe or incredible Spiritual ryches What wyll they say is he ryche that hath nothyng and is brought â—o the state of beggars There be doubtles goodes and ryâ—hes of the mynde muche better than corporall substaunce For this may be had without the true felicitie of ryche men â—f this worlde that liue a moste miserable lyfe Agayne you â—hall see a poore man concerning worldly goodes but furâ—ished with the rychesse of the mynde for this cause only to â—e happy and moste blessed He coueteth nothyng he is conâ—ent with his vocation Neither would he chaunge his state with moste welthie and ryche kynges Contrariwyse you â—hall see ryche men but of an euyll conscience and therfore â—houghtfull and burthened with cares and neuer mery You â—hall see poore men but with mery hartes to leade a ioyfull â—â—fe Why than shoulde it seme maruell yf he that is spoyâ—ed of his worldly goodes for Christe and inriched with the â—iftes of the minde is glad and reioyseth in God and taketh a good parte al chaunces and for the same cause is iudged â—o be verely ryche Doubtles the wyse men of this worlde â—we also that the only wyse man is trewly ryche Which is gallauntly discoursed of Cicero Aretas sayth in spiritual matters hauing a treasure hidde in the fielde of thy harte which is Christ by reason of whoÌ„ thou art ryche also Sinnâ— thou hast him thy protectour who also when he was ryche for vs became poore c. Blasphemie agaiÌ„st the faithful In the second place is recited blasphemie by the whichâ— we vnderstande all maner of raylinges and sclauÌ„ders wheâ—by the name and estimation of the faithfull is hurte Of thâ— whiche sorte are these They be heretickes and Schismaticâ— so many as be fauourers of this religion They be wickeâ— people dispisers of God and his saintes the ennemies of 〈◊〉 Gods seruice and therfore the plages of the commoÌ„ wealtâ— which if they be suffered the common wealth must nedes 〈◊〉 distroyed And these thinges in dede many times vexe goâ— men more greuously than the losse of their goodes For wâ— wyll not set more by a good name than by great rycheâ— Therfore the Lorde in Gospell of S. Math. the .10 Chaptâ— With many wordes healeth this disease And exhorteth 〈◊〉 that for the auoyding of that infamie they should coÌ„mitâ— thing vnworthy the name of christians What their persecuters be In the meane tyme he declareth also what moued the â—thours of this mischief whome he blameth also exceadynâ— to thintent that the godly shuld vnderstaÌ„d how greatly thâ— ennemies of all Godlines are of God misliked And theâ— might also care the lesse for their hatred and persecutioÌ„ Tâ— saye in dede that they be Iewes where they be nothing 〈◊〉 Thus also S. Paul handled the Iewes in the .ii. to the â—mains The Iewes are called confessours honorers and faithful seruauÌ„ts of God But these blaspheme Gods naâ— they impugne the true faith and oppresse them that profâ— and worshyppe God Therfore be they not Iewes Wâ— than The Synagoge congregation or assemblee of Saâ—â— Thus the very sonne of God plucketh of the viserne frâ—â— these varlettes to the comforte of all those that suffer peâ—cution of them that set forth them selues with stoute titles the ende it shuld neuer greue them that they are condemâ— of suche harlottes the children of the Deuill Christ attâ—â—teth to them the true title and calleth them not the oâ—â— holy and catholicke Churche of God but the conspirâ—â— and schole of Sathan as in whome not the spirite of
the common saiynge is And if in a Churche so commendable there is founde of Christ that is thought woorthie reprehension what shall we saye of those that be lesse commendable the church hath alwaies that may be reprehēded yea whie should we not see in all churches alwaies some thing to be founde that maye be blamed not so muche for that the Sainctes are alwayes troubled with the infirmitie of the fleshe as that euer more hypocrites and corrupte persons ioyne them selues to the church of God suche as were here the Nicolaitans and as Iudas the thiefe and traytour was in the nombre of Apostles In Christ the churche is without any spotte or wrincle as the Lorde sayeth in the 13. of Iohn And in the countrie to come shal moste fully be made perfit whiche S. Austen also affirmeth And the Lorde Iesus reprehendeth in the churche of Pergamos not that they mainteyne the Nicolaitan or Galaamitical doctrine but that they haue suche as maintayne that doctrine They offended therefore for that they did not hate so muche the Nicolaitans as the Ephesians did They offende that haue them whiche maynteyne wicked doctrine of whome we hearde in the firste epistle that they coulde not abide the wicked Wherefore leesie the sowrenes of the leuen shoulde crepe further through out of the whole lumpe of dowe the olde leuen muste be purged It muste be tried whether you fouour or cleaue to Heresies And furthermore the Lorde requireth that we should not nurrish them but that we should persecute them with an holy hatred Whereof is spoken in the first epistle Moreouer he describeth the heresie of the Nicolaitans to the intent we maye see What is the errour of the nicolaitās wherefore he blameth it wherfore he cōdemneth it wherfore it ought to be hated And he describeth it trimly by the example of the Scripture that chaste cares or shamefastenes mighte not be hurte or offended I tolde you before how they were moste filthie thinges which the auncient wryters reporte of the Nicolaitans But all things are most aptely and chastely declared of Christ They are taken out of the 22. 23. 24. 25. chapter of the fourth boke of Moses called Numeri He calleth the Nicolaitan doctrine the doctrine of Balaam and that by a similitude In Balaā the southsayer these wicked actes are manifeste whereof it maye easely appere of what sorte his doctrine was First he toke the rewarde or price of iniquitie as s Peter termeth it And woulde curse them whome God hathe blessed doynge cleane contrary to his owne minde Secondly he geueth the king moste pestilent counsell whiche the Scripture therfore calleth a sclaunder or offence For he taught the king a waie or meane wherby he mighte intise the people of God into certaine destruction into the most vncleane feding of meats offered to Idolles and into moste filthie whoredome Al this than shall be compted the doctrine of Balaā whiche in hope of filthy lucre beyng vttered agaynste Gods worde and his owne consciēce teacheth Idolatrie vncleane eating and fornication or reproueth not but counselleth rather when he knoweth the thing to be filthy Euen so did the Nicolaitans in speaking euill of the trueth and of christen purenes gaue naughtie counsell to many that they should be partakers of meates offered vp to Idolles and couple with harlots as in the first epistle I declared more at large How heresies muste be cōfuted Here we perceiue by the example of our Sauiour Christ howe heresies shoulde be confuted not with braweling nor rayling wordes but rather by the places and examples of holye Scripture like as here at this present moste fittely is condemned the heresie of the Nicolaitans And beyng ones of the Lorde condemned it abideth condemned for euer neither nede we any newe counselles wherwith to condemne impuritie Againe in case all the counselles in the worlde decree the contrary yet remayneth this trewe and sure which the Lord Christ here pronounceth accursed be he that determineth otherwise And here it semeth good nowe to consider whether the Balaamiticall and Nicolaitane doctrine in the churche be cleane extinguisshed Of the Nicolaitās of our time The name verely of Balaam and Nicolaitans we abhorre all but the thinge it selfe aswell in the states of menne spiritual as temporal is most openly foūde For there be men in highe authoritie in sondrie kindes of learnynge right excellent moste expert in the lawes both of God and men who neuerthelesse blinded with the rewarde of iniquitie curse bothe the persones and thinges whiche they knowe that God blessed Of these S. Peter also made mention in the 2. Chapt. of the 2. Epistle Thesame doe suggeste euill counselles to Kynges and Princes tendyng to the distruction bothe of the preachynge of the Gospell and safegarde of the Churche The same beyng geuen to Idolatrie and drowned in fleshely pleasures eate of the sacrifices of the dead and euen fede of Idoll offeringes and in fornications runne at riot Consider I praye you what be the moste parte of popishe priestes whereof they liue and be fed what opinion they haue of holy matrimony and how much they abhorre aduoutrie and whoredome They dare be bold to cōdemne matrimony and to iudge whoredome better so that they maye in ioye the sacrifices of the dead and many waies take theyr pleasure Yf any for the auoyding of whoredome be ioyned in lawfull matrimony he is though vnworthie to sacrifice or to come at the aultar but whore mongers are admitted thicke and three folde And all they for the most parte are the most beastly bondslaues of the bealy of whom you maie beleue that the holy Apostle of Christ s Paul hath spokē whose God is the bealy glory in reproche of them that seke earthly thinges And who will not acknoweledge these And affirme them to be very Nicolaitās mainteyning the doctrine of Balaā the inchaunter amongs the tēporaltie you shal find men of al sortes which set more by the doctrine of Balaā wantonnes of zambre than thei do by modestie Nume 25. grauitie christen sinceritie They loue the libertie and wantonnes of the flesh They wil not haue youth free people to be restreined by vertuouse lawes They wil euen at this day banket maske with the maidens of Madian follow their fleshly lust For thei mainteine surfetting drōknes whoredome And these be also very Nicolaitans And haue nother fewe nor abiectes to fauour theyr secte And wante not their worldly reasons bothe many great to maynteine the same God hateth all vncleanes But let vs heare what Christ him self sitting on the right hande of his father iudgeth of thē Those or that same which these men thincke teache and doe I hate sayeth the Lorde What thinge can be spoken more greuously than that God hateth the doctrine of the Nicolaitans For the whole scripture of bothe Testamentes condemneth this Nicolaisme He exhorteth to amēdemēt After this description
〈◊〉 after the maner of men to haue a boke of life or of his electe What that boke is and whose name is red in the same none of vs can tell sins none hath loked therein We must learne of the scriptures who be the citezeÌ„s of the kingdome of God For that theyr names be written in the boke of life no man nede doubt And S. Iohn sayeth so many as haue beleued he hath geuen them power that they maye be made the children of God S. Paull saieth He that hath not the spirite of Christe he is none of his And the spirite crieth in the mindes of the godly Abba father The same Apostle sayeth God hath predestinated vs that he might adopte vs for his children through Iesus Christe Moreouer he hath chosen vs in Christ before the fouÌ„dations of the world were layde Therefore are al beleuers written in that numbre celestiall Who so euer therefore beleue not or perseuere not in the faith eyther they are not written in the boke of life or els they be put out againe of the boke of lyfe Finally the sonne acknowledgeth the beleuers and such as perseuer in the true faythe before his heauenly father and his Aungelles And here he repeteth theuangelicall doctrine out of the 10. chapt of S. Matth. and 8. of S. Marke And doubteles it is a greate matter in that vniuersall iudgement to be knowen of the sonne of God of the highe iudge to be saluted and frendely spokeÌ„ to of him and that to our greate prayse If any Prince would in a great assemble of people knowe thee yea imbrase and coÌ„mende thee howe happie and fortunate woldest thou thinke thy selfe But then shall imbrase thee the very sonne of God king of kinges and lorde of lordes Let vs thinke of these thinges in time and amende our maners For that all these thinges apperteyne to vs that laste and wounted acclamation of S. Iohn proueth let him that hathe eares heare c. Wherof we haue spoken els where To the Lord be prayse and glory ¶ The Lord coÌ„mendeth the vertues namely the constancie of the congregation of Philadelphia c. The .xvij. Sermon ANd write vnto the Aungel of the congregation of Philadelphia this sayeth he that is holye and true which hath the keye of Dauid whiche openeth and no man shutteth And shutteth and no man openeth I knowe thy workes Beholde I haue sette before thee an open dore and no manne can shutte it for thou hast a little strength And haste kepte my worde and haste not denied my name Beholde I shall geue some of the congregation of Sathan whiche call them Iewes and are not but do lie Behold I wil make them that they shal come and worship before thy feete the church is not blamed but yet is it not therefore perfit 1. Iohn 1. Rom. 3. In al other congregations the Lord at the leest fouÌ„d some faulte in the only churche of Philadelphia he blameâ—h nothing not that any man is founde in this flesh so perfit that he hath not nede of the grace of God For Dauid crieth out enter not Lord into iudgement with thy seruaunt for no maÌ„ liuing shall be iustified in thy sighte But S. Iohn and S. Paull also make all meÌ„ subiect to sinne which thing also S. Austen discourseth learnedly agaynst the Pelagians Therfore that blameth nothing in this congregation it is not to be vnderstand as though it were not defiled with dayly faultes but therfore he imputeth nothinge for because the sinceritie and integritie of faithe couereth hideth what vice so euer there be For there is no coÌ„demnation to them that are graffed in Christe Iesu And albeit that other churches haue also the right faith yet this excelleth especially c. It might be referred chiefly to the Bisshop of the same Churche In this sixte epistle he coÌ„mendeth the sincere faith and coÌ„stancie of faith and admonissheth to perseuer propounding ample rewardes And it hath muche learning and diuerse whiche shall appere in the treatise therof And the lord herin followeth the same order which we see he hath followed in others For it is one the same kinde of doctrine with all churches and in al times Firste therfore is shewed vnto whom the epistle is written or dedicated to the pastour and whole coÌ„gregation of Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia was a citie of Lydia neither very famouse nor yet obscure We reade how it hath beÌ„ oft shakeÌ„ with earthquakes and repared againe Strabo mentioneth therof in the 12. boke of Geographie and so haue other authours also Yet it made it self famouse by vertues After is the Lorde Christ signified to be Authour of this epistle who at other times also hath tolde S. Iohn what he should write And to Christ are attributed three things or rather Christ attributeth three things to him selfe that he is holy true hath the keye of Dauid The which he hath borrowed of the Image of the first Chapt. Christe is holy Christe holy because he is pure cleane from al filthines from al vnrightuousnes very God a coÌ„suming fire doyng no man any wroÌ„g hauing nothing at all that may be blamed For to him the Seraphin sayng rightly holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Esaye 7. Christe the Saincte of Sainctes Christ is also the holy one of the Sainctes a sanctification I saye that sanctifieth all that be sanctified The same loueth holines in sainctes Christ therfore is moste truely called Antichrist the Pope hath taken vpon him this title and so filthy sitteth on this beaste as if you should call a priuie or a Iakes a Rosier Spitte vpon that vile and filthy beast whiche suffereth him self to be called the most holy father and worship Christ the holy one of all holy vnlesse you had rather vnderstande by that holines not euery holines but pope holines that is to witte stinking swimming full of al abominations Christe is like wise called trewe Christe is true because he is eternall and faithfull euermore constaunt and incorrupte He can neyther disceiue nor be disceiued The same moste constantly kepeth his promesses All his wordes be vndoubted and trewe Albeit that fleshe that can abide no delaye begin many times to doubt yet no one poincte or iote of them falleth awaye The trueth of the Lorde indureth for euer Thou standest vpon a moste sure foundation if thou leane vnto Christe whiche in the 14. of Iohn also calleth him selfe the veritie The keye of Dauid Laste he addeth whiche hath the keye of Dauid I spake of the keye in the firste chapter He alludeth to the 22. Chapt. of Esaye Wherby is signified the diuine almightie power of Christ by the which he bringeth vs purified into the kingdome of heauen whiche worke verely nother deuilles nor any power can let The same casteth doune the vncleane into hel nother is there that can deliuer or differ the same He sayeth therfore aptely and expressely he hath
obeying How the word of bying is vsed For no man shall imagine that there is bargayning before God as there is with men As though the spiritual gifts of God mought be bought for money This is repugnaunt to the whole scripture and specially against the determination of S. Peter pronounced against Simon Magus But this our exposition the Prophet Esay Approueth in the .55 Chapter Where amongest other thinges come sayth he bye without mony and without price or exchaunge And by and by I◠hearing heare me incline your care c. Therfore the Romishe Chananite hath no hold hereof I meane the Pope that great marchaunt which selleth al thinges in the church euen those thinges which he hath not the greatest disceiuer in the worlde Hereunto is added moreouer that lyke as it is in Esay plainly expressed of whome suche graces or giftes are to be bought So Christ also here saith expressely I counsel thee to bie of me Behold he saith of me Not of the Pope of Monkes Freers or priestes For Christ alone hath the thinges whiche we may require He alone doth satisfie he alone graunteth those giftes And therfore he sayth in the Gospell of S. Iohn Let hym that hath honger or thirst come vnto me To me I say let him come Iohn the .iiii. vi and .vii And S. Peter sayth Lorde to whom shall we go Thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe As though he should say If we wyll lyue we can go to none other but vnto thee Thou arte the lyfe and fountaine of all goodnes Moreouer the vse and profit of this pure golde The vse fruicte of pure gold tried and moste purified I meane the word of Gods veritie and pure fayth is three sortes First that thou mayst be ryche Secondly that thou mayest bye thee apparell Thirdly that thou mayest bye the eye salue to heale the blyndnes of thine eyes For the worde of God and fayth in hym is the foundation of true pietie Without the worde and faith nothinge is sounde The first fruicte is welthe or riches to witte spiritual The true riches of the faithfull For the worde and faith is not a false imagination and a vayne dreame of thinges most excellent For he that beleueth the worde feleth ioye in his harte and inioyeth spirituall giftes And possessing Christ through faith possesseth all goodnes Wherupon also the Apostle in the first chapt of the first epistle to the Corinth sayd I geue thankes to my God alwayes for you for the grace of God that is geuē you in Christ Iesu because you ar in al thinges inriched by him in euery word and in al knowledge like as the testimony of Christ is cōfirmed in you In so muche that you are not destitute in any gift c. Let thē marke wel these things which thinke worldly goodes to be true riche These foles shal be iudged of the wisdom of God as it is manifest in the .12 cha of S. Luke And besides this they that are destitute of the light of God his worde and lack faith cā not vse rightly nor wel these earthly riches Therfore heauenly riches are the true riches The apparell of the faithfull The second fruict is the clothing comly apparel wherwith we are couered that our shameful nakednes should not appere Before their fal our parentes were naked but with out any shame or ignominie After the fal thei wer ashamed Because sinne bringeth shame and want of al good workes And an euill conuersation is a moste shameful nakednes With this were the Laodiceans infected But Christ whiche is learned by the word of truth and perceiued by true fayth is the white apparel of the faithfull their rightuousnes innocencie He couereth al our spottes he abholisheth our shamefull nakednes decketh vs with all kinde of vertues that we may appere honest and comly before God in holy conuersation For Christ is the wedding garment The Apostle counselleth vs to put on Christ that we be appareled with rightuousnes temperaunce and all goodnes The places be in the .13 to the Romaines Ephes 4. Colos 3. chapt Away here with the cowle of our Lady vnder the whiche gather for the moste part wicked and impenitent persones The most pure virgin couereth not suche Our ladies cowle she loueth rightuousnes and repentaunce Finally with this gold is bought an eie salue which is a medicine for the eies Sight is restored which Phisitions are wont to lay to sore and blere eies against blindnes The cōmaundement of the Lord saith Dauid is bright geuing light to the eies Faith also doth infourme rightly the iudgemēt of man that we may iudge holily of vertues vices The want of God his worde and of true faith bringeth in blindnes For all these thinges the Lord counselleth the Laodicians to seke for Gods word and beleue it verely For so it should come to passe that being inriched with al spiritual giftes thei might leade a pure conuersation in the church might possesse Christ and iudge rightly of al matters of saluation And in these thinges also consisteth true repentaūce In forgeuenes of sinnes and amendement of life c. But least they should say we heare these thynges in vain The Lord rebuketh chasteneth whome he loueth as they which haue heard before that we shall be spewed out of the Lordes mouth yea and are so sharpely shaken vp with bitter wordes sentences that we are constreined to dispair He preuenteth that same saith whom soeuer I loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I rebuke and chastē The first word signifieth to accuse and reproue openly which is done with sharper wordes The latter is referred to discipline wherby children are kept in awe with the Palmer least they forget them selues through wantonnes The Lord therfore alluding to the words of Salomon in the .iii. Chap. signifieth that a sharpe rebuke or seuere chastening is not always a signe that God is angry but oftener a token that he is pleased and loueth vs. Therfor he saith first I rebuked you sharpely of loue and so sought your saluation Therfore it is now also an holsome signe if the preachers rebuke the church with sharpe wordes And again it is an vnlucky signe if a foxe tayle be stroken ouer faultes intollerable It is a token of loue also if a man suffer sondry mishappes Which thing the Apostle discourseth at large in the .xii. Chapt. to the Hebre. Vpon these thinges he inferreth the some of the matter zeale repentaunce sayth Where thou seest God so earnestly seke thy saluation I pray thee continue not always to be thus in a mammering nether hote nor cold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be zelouse take vnto thee a feruent zeale to followe and apprehend thy saluation For now he setteth the feruentnes of faith conceaued of the word and spirite of God against this newtralitie or warmnes After he addeth and repent in sorsaking thyne euill conuersation and being of Christ
Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Simeon were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Leui were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Isachar were sealed .xii. M. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Ioseph were sealed .xii. M. of the tribe of Beniamin were sealed .xii. M. After this I behelde and lo a great multitude whiche no man coulde numbre of all nations and people and tunges stode before the seate and before the Lambe clothed with lōg white garmentes and Palmes in theyr handes and cried with a lowde voice saying Saluatiō be ascribed to him that sitteth vpon the seate of our God and vnto the lambe And al the Aungels stode in the compasse of the seate and of the elders and of the foure beastes and fel doune before the seate on their faces and worshipped God saying Amē Blessing and glory wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euer more Amen We haue hearde bretherne the sixte seale beyng opened A pestilent matter shadowed by fearfull parables that the Sunne was made blacke the Moone blouddy the Starres to haue fallen from Heauen to the Earth and the reste that we haue rehersed by all the whiche was signified the corruption of doctrine A sorrowful and a feareful matter was shaddowed with moste sorrowful and most terrible parables We hearde how there followed in the worlde a most great tourmoile of thinges and with many a most greuouse dispaire and that the windes also were restreyned that they should not blowe But we haue experienced howe greate a griefe it is yea and distruction also to waunte the ayre or winde in so much that with out breathing and cooling men muste nedes wither and be quesomed and choked vp But with so great an euil are thei vexed which are destitute of the preachyng of Gods worde Some man here might saye Whether the whole worlde do peryshe in errours than the whole worlde perissheth in heresies in the Alcorane in Papistrie and other corruptions In what case thinke you than are our forefathers do you thinke they be al damned S. Iohn preuenteth these thinges and with a vision al together Euangelicall that is to wit with a cōsolation moste profitable sheweth that God hath an innumerable multitude of them whiche euen in the middes of those antichristian times or difficulties are made safe and that of the mere grace of God through the intercession of Iesu Christ of whom alone is saluation that is to saye whom alone they that are saued may thanke for their saluatiō We haue at this present what to aunswere to menne of a contrary faction alwayes obiectyng An argument of the example saluation of our elders eyther our Elders are damned altogether it were wicked to condemne all they be saued therefore But they haue not hearde of that our newe doctrine but kepte the olde in the olde therfore shall we also be saued To this we make aunswer that our elders were saued we graūt gladly beleue it also but we adde of the free grace of God as we shal by by more playnly vnderstāde and not by popish superstitiō neyther therfore shalt thou by the same be saued but thou muste also be saued by Christ if thou wilt be saued But rather seyng at this daye through the singular goodnes of God the gospel is preached and is preached euen to thee to the whiche thou shewest thy selfe a rebell thou declarest thy self to be none of the nūbre of gods children Ia. 8.15 which heare the worde of God with ioye and kepe it Neyther shalte thou haue any cloke or pretense wherwith to excuse thy sinne Yf thy forefathers had had the like oportunitie which thou neglectest good God what a space wold they haue runne afore thee Therfore thou both willing and witting speakest against God wilfully throwest thy selfe into distruction Dye therfore through thine owne faulte By the grace of god many ar saued at al times in the most corrupt religion Neither doeth this place only testifie very many to be saued by the grace of God from corruption in the true faith euen than what time in mans iudgement there appere none or very fewe to be faithfull and euen very fewe or none to be saued by reason of the exceading great corruption of euery time We haue also hearde and red in the .3 boke of kinges the .19 chapt that Helias complayning most greuously of the scarsetie of the faithfull vnderstode that God had reserued yet seuē thousand men which had not boughed theyr knees before Baal The lord therefore hath euermore his chosen whiche in the middes of destruction and perdition by grace through Christ are saued Chryste is authour of saluation And the Authour of this saluation and preseruatiō is first declared to be an Aungell ascendyng from the risyng of the sunne to witte the Lord Christ that sunne of rightuousenes rising vp in those most thicke antichristian darknes to those that seke God and lighting them the darkenes driuē away For Christ is the trewe light of al times lighting al so many as be illumined He geueth his people also preachers whiche by the worde maye defende Gods people that they be not distroyed with that comon distruction Of the Seal of the lyuing God For it is diligently expressed that this Aungel had a seale that not a seale only but the seale of God euen of the liuing God For Christ which is the Image of God vnsene that is to say the printe or expresse Image of his substaunce in whom we know as he him self sayeth vnto Philip the father hath a seale which is an instrument wherwith we seale such thinges as we wil haue sealed saued confirmed discerned from that which is counterfet kept safe against disceipte But the Lorde hath no suche seale as we haue in this world but so by a figure is called the spirit of god with whom he inspireth his faithful by whō he geueth also a liuely faith by the word of the liuing eternal God This seale therfore is the seale of the liuing God the spirite of life and liuely faith Ephesi 1 herof thapostle S. Paul speaking we also trust in Christ after the word of trueth hearde the gospell of your saluatiō wherin after ye beleued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promesse c. These thinges are not diuided For faith is not without the worde nor both these without the holy ghost in the faithful For Christ worketh with mē by a lawfull ministerie by mē inspiring certen that maye teach admonish men vnto whō he geueth his faith spirit sealing theyr mindes Christ therfore doeth prohibite the ministers of Sathan that they in restraining letting the free preaching of Gods worde should not procede to hurte men before the mindes of the chosen be sealed that is to say teacheth how soeuer the veritie
which in the Gospel sayeth I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome whiche al your aduersaries shal not be able to gaine saye Moreouer my heaueÌ„ly father will geue his holy spirite to suche as desire of him Therfore sayeth the Aungel nowe take the boke Neuerthelesse he putteth here an other commauÌ„dement eate it He alludeth to the .2 and .3 A feruentnes dilligence of the ministers is required chapt of Ezechiel Where the prophet is likewise commauÌ„ded of God to eate a boke offered vnto him For S. Iohn here inuenteth no newe thinge S. Ambrose to eate a boke sayeth he is to laye vp the vnderstanding of the scriptures in the secret bowelles or entrailles He semeth by a trope both to intimate an ernest desire and beate in a singular diligence For we deuoure with a gredy desire suche thinges as we haue long and much coueted to eate They are sayed also to haue deuoured bokes and authours which thei haue perfitly learned and can We saye in dutche Er hat den Galen oder Prisciane gar fressen that is to saye he hath learned him perfitly It is required therfore of the preachers that thei learne the holy scriptures with a desire and that they learne and remembre them whole and exactely Without a desire and seruentenes of minde thou shalt profit little in the study of holy Scriptures and vnlesse ye learne the Gospell exactely vnprofitably shalt thou preache the same The ministers therfore maye be asshamed of theyr ignoraunce which are more geuen to Idlenes Tauernes huÌ„ting dising and other worse thinges than to the study of holy Scriptures They beyng farre vnlike the apostle S. Iohn shal in this warfare against Antichrist winne smal renowne vnlesse they doe awake out of theyr prophane slepe and cherely do their dewty without doubt most holy The effecte of Gods word swete better Nother is here dissembled so much as the effecte of the ministerie and worde preached It is swete in the mouth as hony For Dauid hath songe also the iudgementes of the lord are to be desired aboue much Golde and preciouse stones and sweter than hony or hony combes This swetenes is euer felte in the inwarde manne and the faithful lighted with the trueth hath alwayes continuall Ioye but yet muste we not conceale what it semeth to the flesshe and what is the effecte thereof in the outwarde manne It maketh verely the â—ealy vitter whiche is also a phrase of speache vnto which oures aunswereth signifiyng that the same whiche is propounded vnto vs is both payneful and greuouse The word of God therefore bringeth the mortifiyng of the flesshe trauelles paynefulnes the crosse and aduersities innumerable whiche with a strong and constaunt patience we must ouercome For the Lord in the Gospell preached repentaunce or mortification and emonges other thinges made very much mention of persecutions wherwith his should be alwayes exercised Primasius when thou shalte haue deuoured the booke sayeth he thou shalt in dede be delighted with the swetenes of the worde diuine and with hope of saluatioÌ„ promised and pleasaunt tasie of Gods rightuousnes but doubtles thou shalt fele a bitternes when thou shalt beginne to preache both to the deuoute and vndeuoute For the preachyng of Gods iudgement ones hearde doubtles through the bitternes of repentaunce some beyng coÌ„uerted to better are chaunged and others agayne beyng offended are more hardened and beare greate hatred and mallice towardes the preachers The wiseman sayeth thou shal rebuke a wise maÌ„ and he wil loue thee reproue a foole he will hate thee therfore and so forth Nother are these thinges saied only Paynefulnes is felt but also are done and felte for S. Iohn and when I had deuoured it sayeth he my bealy was made bitter And we fele at this daye the most greuouse hatred of mightie menne to witte of spirituall fathers and temporall Princes Many are driuen into exile innumerable are shutte vp in prisones an infinite multitude are slayne with sondry kindes of deathes All these thinges did the Prophetes prophecie should come to passe our sauiour him self in the Gospel gaue vs warnyng therof the lord here telleth vs againe the same tale Therfore let vs be strong and counstaunt in the Lord and fight agaynst Antichrist vnto the ende of our life The Lorde will not forsake vs whiche leeste we should be vanquished of those aduersities tolde vs of them dilligently before And thus muste they be instructed which shal warre against Antichrist before the last iudgement Thexposition of the vision Laste as I sayed in the beginnyng of the Sermon is set a briefe expositioÌ„ of the visioÌ„ For the Angel saieth vnto Iohn thou must prophecie agayne to the Heythen c. By this visioÌ„ sayeth he I wold declare nothing els but that thou must preach againe to the world first by thy self in Asia after thou shalt retourne from exile secondly by faithfull ministers eueÌ„ to the worldes ende which shal spreade abroade this doctrine now set forth by thee with sondry tongues through natioÌ„s and therwith shal beate downe Antichrist To prophecie And suche as are accustomed to reade the scriptures know that to prophecie is takeÌ„ for to preach For prophecie is preachyng they were in times past called prophetes which at this daye be preachers as we maye gather of the .1 Corinth 11. and .14 chapter And the doctrine of Iohn is tourned into the Syrian tongue Aethiopian Aegiptian Germane Spanish French English Italian to be short in a maner into al laÌ„gages in al these preacheth S. Iohn at this daye by faithful ministers The gentiles be they neuer so barbarouse rude heare S. Iohn teachyng and so do the people of many nations Al these receyue not a little comforte in these most dauÌ„gerouse dayes of Antichrist and haue receyued of them also before this time which long sins renewed the apostolical doctrine against Antichrist The same doctrine is brought at this daye and was brought in times past also vnto kinges and Popes though they kicked and spurned agaynst it The thing I speake is not doubtful For we bothe heare and see these thinges euen at this daye Histories also reporte many thinges herof Lande and glory be to God Some copies in the latin are corrupt which haue Igitur for Iterum For S. Iohn sayed thou muste prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Iterum again not Igitur For he signifieth that he beyng dead also must preache to many nations in sondry tongues by faythfull ministers that shall fighte against Antichrist The Lorde assiste with his spirite all godly Preachers of the Euangelicall veritie and Apostolicall doctrine Amen ¶ S. Iohn measureth the temple and sheweth that God hath a care of it and the quire he excommunicateth The .xlvi. Sermon ANd there was geuen me a reede like vnto a rodde The 11. chapter it was sayed vnto me rise and mete the Temple of God and the Aultar and them that worshippe therin and the quire
with out fruicte as beyng corrupted with the popish doctrine by force wil not be wise c. Finally they haue power to strike the Earth with euery plague so ofte as they wil. But they will not they strike the Earth with plagues excepte Gods worde by the whiche they beyng inspired and instructed are gouerned shall commaunde them For they wil do nothing wilfully they will not followe their affectioÌ„s but the worde of God Howebeit they are saide to strike the earth with plagues when out of Gods word thei threaten that God with plagues wil punnish the sinnes of meÌ„ Those plagues are recited in the .26 .28 of Deuter. Wherfore in case they threaten to impenitent persons warre pestilence famine sickenesses and other calamities God will sende them to such as are vncurable as the lord sayeth oft him selfe in Ieremie Agayne and on the contrary parte they shal in riche with all blessyng those that obeye gods word what time they shal shewe forth the Lordes blessing Thus muche hath he spoken hitherto concernyng the preachers of the Gospel which shal fight agaynst Antichrist in that last age before the iudgement and shal buylde vp the church confirme the beleuers Thou thy self shalt obserue in what preachers thou shalt perceyue these markes and the same shalt thou acknowledge for the lawefull prophetes of God And shalt acknowledge with all how great a benefite of God it is to haue trewe and faithfull preachers of Gods word The lord our God confirme al ministers of his worde in the settyng forth of his trueth to the worldes ende ¶ Of the cruell fight of Antichrist agaynst the Prophetes of God whome he ouercommeth and sleyeth and shamefully vseth them The .xlviij. Sermon ANd wheÌ„ they haue finished their testimony the beast that cam out of the botomles pitte shall make warre agaynst them and shall ouercome them kille them And their bodies shal lie in the stretes of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome Aegipte where our lord is crucified And som of the people and kinreddes and toÌ„gues and of nations shall see their bodies three dayes and an halfe and shal not suffer theyr bodies to be put in graues And they that dwell vpon the Earth shall reioyce ouer them and be glad and shall sende giftes one to an other for these two Prophetes vexed theÌ„ that dwel on the earth We haue hearde of the coÌ„tinual preachyng of the preachers which shall obiecte themselues to Antichrist to his armie for christes veritie and the church of the faithfull that al the time that Antichrist shall exercise tiranny against the church consequently our lord Iesus Christ will teache vs by thapostle and Euangelist S. Iohn after what condition the sainctes shal fight and howe Antichrist shall incountre with them which also apperteyneth to consolation The persecution of Antichrist a necessarie admonition leest any maÌ„ should be discouraged with the felicitie of the Antichristians and calamities of the faithful He speaketh therfore expressely of the greuouse persecutioÌ„ of antichrist which hath now coÌ„tinued these many yeres I meane al that time wherin the bishop of Rome hath vsurped takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ him authoritie ouer al churches with some smal spaces of respite to breath in of the Lord permitted This persecutioÌ„ of Antichrist is more greuouse longer than euer was any eyther emongs thauncieÌ„t people of God or in the primitiue church Certenly for these fiue hoÌ„dreth yeres who so euer of what state or condition he were of began to speake neuer so little against the church of Rome he felte incoÌ„tineÌ„tly hatred imprisonement bannishment and death This do stories testifie which shewe also that persecutioÌ„ so much the more increased as the Bisshoppes themselues and theyr champions Monkes and freres were increased in nombre and power And the lord declareth most diligeÌ„tly when who of what estate where when with how great crueltie Antichrist shal playe the tiraunt against the faithful seruauntes of God He addeth immediatly that all his enterprises shall be vtterly vaine and how great shal be the rewardes of constaunte ministers and also the calamities of the Antichristians The testimony of Prophetes muste first be finished before the persecutioÌ„ come on And first in dede he admonisheth playnely what time persecution must be moued not before the testimony of the prophetes shal be finished I shewed you before that the testimonie is the sincere preaching of the gospel Aretas saieth what testimonie That he which shall be present is not Christ but a deceauer and a pestilent seducer c. And so great is the goodnes of God louing his church that he wil not suffer the preachers to be taken away till they haue finished their preachinge For the gospell must be openly preached to all men for saluation and deliueraunce from anguish craftes and disceiptes and from the seducers of Antichriste And they shall finish their ministery with sondry wrytinges and continual preachinges Thei shal finish I say when it shal please God For some preach and abide safe and sound many yeares beynge safe and sure from persecutions And others are immediatly apprehended cast in prison and slaine Thus are these things done as semeth to god good which must euer be credited what meane so euer he vseth to auaunce his glory further the helth of his church Here coÌ„meth to passe also as we reade oft times in the gospel that the lord was not takeÌ„ for asmuch as his houre was not comen Therfore shal a certaine houre also be appoincted of God to the preachers Before this houre they be safe sure though the deuill be neuer so madde tirauntes rage bloudsuckours and thenemies of faith laye in waite We maruel sometimes how the preachers of the gospel coulde preach in so great a coÌ„pany of wolues so long time that directly agaynst wolues Whie they were not by and by torne in peces God deâ—eÌ„deth his Prophetes vnto theyr houre The lorde God almightie hath kept which would first haue them throughly to finish the testimonie of the veritie He letted therfore their enemies and gaue strength to his seruauntes to preach To him shall we render thankes that many good preachers in times paste of late daies D. Luther and D. Zwinglius other faithful witnesses of God coulde in so wicked a worlde and in so great power of Antichrist execute their ministerie so many yeres in dispite of Hell gates Notwitstandyng that the Princes and Magistrates deserue also to be praysed for the lawefull defence shewed them yet should this haue ben none at all vnlesse the power of God would haue had it so And what time the faithful in the churche shall be sufficiently admonisshed so that such as will be wise Persecution cometh on and not of a set pourpose perish maye all escape the snares of Antichrist and liue in Christe immediately shall followe persecution For so soone as the Pope shall heare with his dregges
vpon the woman For God neuer fayled his afflicted churche In so much which a man may maruayle at that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floude powred oute of the serpents mouth This earth dranke vp in oulde time and couered the bloud of Abell And here is signified that the godly abyding persecution haue helpe from whence they loke not for as Dauid in times past is red to be deliuered by the help of the Palestines thinking nothing les than to delyuer Dauid oute of the handes of King Saule but yet whyleste they go aboute an other thing they bring to passe that which semed good to the Lorde which can turne the euil counselles of euil men to the profyte of the godlie And doubtles we see many tymes in the Actes of the Apostles that the earth hath swallowed vp a floude of euylles that is to say that earthly and worldly men doing in the meane tyme an other thing haue procured peace to the church So doeth that Towne clarke or recorder of Ephesus pacifie the multitude of the Ephesians which were all on a roare and worse than madde Lysias the head Captayne taketh away Paule out of the blouddy handes of the Iewes so doth the Centurian defend Paule that he shoulde not be slaine of the souldiours in the shipwreake The ciuile warres begonne immediatelie after the death of Nero gaue peace vnto the church vntyll the Empyre of Domitian But the oulde Serpent that can neuer reste attempteth newe warres For nowe beyng wood madde with the church he goeth to make warre against the remnaunt of the womans seede which verely is to be borne vntyll the iudgement of the church by the worde And so maketh way to the Romayne persecutions which folowed incontinentely after the tyme of Saincte Ihon in the Empyre of Rome and the Antichristiane persecutions reysed after the Empyre subuerted Whereof shall be spoken in the .13 chapt c. the church begetteth Galath 4. Neuerthelesse hereof it appeareth chiefely what Saincte Ihon vnderstandeth by the woman the same verely which engendreth the seede of God The church is called both the Mother and daughter The daughter because she is engendred by the worde preached in the church The mother for that by the worde she bryngeth soorth spirituall chyldren to Chryste For the seede of God and the seede of the woman be all those which kepe the commaundementes of God and haue the testimonie of Iesu Chryste They kepe the commaundementes of God which make much of Gods lawe and frame all parts of theyr lyfe according to the same They kepe not Goddes commaundements which sette nothyng by the lawe or worde of God nother frame theyr lyfe after the same Of this matter is spoken at large in the fourtenth The testimony of Iesu Christ is nothing els but the gospell of Iesu Christ preaching vnto vs the free remissiō of sinnes They haue this which possesse it by fayth And where he sayeth The dragō stādeth on the sea sand that the Dragon stode on the Sea sande it is a preparation to thinges that followe for by by he sayeth how the beast the principall instrument of the dragon came out of the Sea by the deuilles meanes And it hath a consolation that the dragon is sayed to stande on the sande and not on the rocke For it signifieth that the furies of Sathan shall not longe indure agaynst the church and that the kingedome of the Deuill shal be rumouse and fall to decaye whose foundations are layde vpon the sande ¶ He exhibiteth a noble instrumente of the Dragon to be sene the olde Romane Empire which describeth what maner a one it is c. The .lv. Sermon ANd I sawe a beast rise out of the see hauing seuen heades The .13 chapter and ten hornes and vpon his hornes ten crownes and vpon his head the names of blasphemie And the beaste whiche I sawe was like a Cat of the Mountane and his fete were as the fete of a beare and his mouth as a lion And the dragon gaue him his power his seate great authoritie I sawe one of his heades as it were wounded to death his deadly wounde was healed and al the world wōdered at the beast and they worshipped the Dragō which gaue power to the beaste Instrumēts by the whiche the deuil hath wrought worketh S. Iohn procedeth to describe by the reuelatiō of Iesus christ the notable instrumentes of the deuill wherby he hath afflicted the church of Christ with continual most greuouse persecution And he speaketh of the olde and the newe Romane Empire S. Iohn could not without excedyng great daūger vtter much lesse describe those thinges a man not furnished with any mans helpe and therto bannished and driuen into exile For the Romane Empire was takē for godly inuincible most sacred and euerlastyng Neuerthelesse the Apostle both speaketh and writeth hereof in such sorte that it semeth that he can not eschewe the title of a seditious person and offende against the holy maiestie both of the emperour and Empire But what I praye thee woldest thou do God cōmaunding thee so to speake and write The vnpatientnes boldenes of the world against the crewth Math. 21. The world also rageth at this daye when they heare realmes and policies chastised by Gods word for sinne and wickednes cōmitted and lordely enough some Princes set forth proclamations commaundyng that no such thing be hearde any more But the Lord sayeth in the gospell yf these holde their peace stones shall speake signifiyng vtterly that the trueth muste be preached nother that it can be oppressed or quenched with any decrees threatenynges force of Armes or punnishmentes Therfore if they should at this daye kepe silence vnto whom the office of preachyng is committed the lord wil stire vp other preachers which though al the world saye naye wil beare witnesse to the trueth Therfore I would counsell princes that thei vexe not themselues in vayne with those their sondry attēptes agaynst Gods trueth For they shal not preuaile The veritie shal vanquish For he that then furnisshed Iohn agaynste the Romane Empire that time most florisshyng and puissaunt the self same also at this daye reuealyng his trueth to the world nowe broken and waxen olde wil ouercome doubtles Wo to those stifnecked natures which loue to seduce Let al preachers learne by the exāple of the Apostle S. Iohn to vtter frely such things as they haue receiued in commaundement and to feare no man He is greater which is in vs as the same S. Iohn saied in the .1 Iohn 4. than he that is in the world The beast is the Rom. Empire And the beast he calleth the Romane Empire of great authoritie and as it were godly notwithout most weightie cōsiderations For the lorde kepeth still the phrase of the scripture imitatyng Daniel which in the .7 chapt attributeth the name of beaste to the Romane Empire And S. Hierome expoundynge the
condemned exiled excomunicated shut vp in prisons vexed with sondrie tourments at the length also cruelly slayne whosoeuer shall refuse to worshippe both the beaste and his Image The Lorde Iesus the true Kyng and Byshoppe of his church succour vs and restrayne the crueltie of the vngraciouse beaste Amen ¶ Of the marke and numbre of the name of the beaste The .lxj. Sermon ANd he made all both smal and great rych and poore free and bonde to receyue a marke in their ryghte handes or in their foreheads And that no man might by or sell saue hee that hath the marke or the name of the beaste eyther the numbre of his name Here is wisdome Let him that hath witte count the numbre of the beaste For it is the nuÌ„bre of a man and his nuÌ„bre is sixe hondreth threscore and sixe He annexeth the rest wherby Antichrist may be knowen and shunned And verely he maie chiefly be knowen of these thinges that folowe And he speaketh of the subiectes of Antichriste The subiects of Antichriste and of this newe Kynge and Byshoppe He wyll procure to hymselfe saieth he an infinite multitude of al kynd of men of al states and degrees For his Kyngdome shall be ample and large Therfore doth the Lord resite here certeine kynds and states of men And vnder the same vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is of the same state in the whole world The Romish Antichrist brought vnder his subiection smal and great rich and poore free to witte nobles and bond For we see that Emperours Kynges Dukes Marquesses Earles and Baronnes Realmes Countries Cities Patriarches Archbishops and Byshops Prelates Doctours Clarks and Laie men obey him also men of greatest power riches wisedom together with the poore people There is none such a kingdome so diuersly coÌ„pacte in the world no not emonges the Mahometistes And al these verely willingly are subiect to the seate yea thei haue perswaded with theÌ„selues that thei cannot wel liue that they cannot be saued vnlesse they be subiecte to the See of Rome The marke of Antichr And lyke as Princes discerne their subiects seruauntes by culloures and cognisaunces and the common people also their cattell by seueral brands and marks wherby thei may be knowen whose they are or whom they serue For euery man hath his cullours he white and blacke he red blewe an other white red some blacke yelow which they geue their soldiours seruauntes to weare thei professe thereby to be reteined to him or him And as they marke their horses with their brand and set their marks vpon household vessel So shall Antichriste doubtles haue also his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit his marke whereby he may both bynde wen to him and so bouÌ„den shal marke that they may be discerned from others and by this meane maie weare the badge and as it were the cullours of their Lorde and Maister And he wyll geue his marke on the right hand or on their foreheades The mark in the right hand or foreheades Aretas and Primasius finally all expositours agreablie do expounde it the confession of the mouth and studie and operation of a good woorke We haue hearde verely howe Christe in the seuenth chapt ded imprinte on the foreheades of his seruaunts faith by effectual charitie And in very dede the signe of Gods children is fayth and loue that cometh of the same fayth So do the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles testifie Neuerthelesse Christ hath also the externall marke of his seruauntes those holesome Sacramentes of the church Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Howebeit yf any be baptized at this day and be partaker of the Lords supper cal vpoÌ„ God the father with the Lordes praier and vtter his faith by a sincere coÌ„fession of thapostels Crede morouer confesse those to be good workes which are done in faith after the rule of the ten coÌ„maundementes and besides this doe shine in good workes shall he be taken for a true catholicke and right christen maÌ„ In olde fime doubtles al men would haue imbraced him for a Brother But what shuld he be at this daye in the Popes kingdome Thou shalt seme by al these things to haue confessed nothing at al of the true faith except thou plainely professe that thou beleuest after the faith tradition of the church of Rome that thou doest acknowledge those for good workes whiche the churche of Rome hath approued Vnlesse thou beleue professe on this wise in vaine shalt thou confesse al the fourmer matters No though thou saiest moreouer that thou beleuest the lawe the prophetes the gospel Apostles They will like thee a great deale better if thou sayest thou arte an obedient childe of the Apostolicall See and church of Rome than if thou shouldest saye that thou arte the childe of God a christen manne that thou puttest thy whole truste in the sonne of God whiche is the only saluation and rightuousenes Yea ye shall finde theÌ„ which wil by and by at these wordes crie out that they smell of heresie a minde infected with poyson I fayne nothing experience it selfe wil witnesse that I saye trewth And thus doeth the Pope marke his men both in the forehead righthande Thus are the Romishe whelpes discerned from other faythfull as it were by markes Besides this there is an other thing Al papistâ—s do plainely testifie that vnlesse a man be marked in the forehead with Chresme by the Bishoppes hande he is no christian how so euer he be baptised beleue in Christ Iesus Whereof it followeth that they attribute more to their confirmation annoincting of the Bishop than to the christen faith Reade the boke called Summa angelica in the title of confirmation This therefore is a sealyng of the Popisshe religion the Christen markes of Christ are sufficient The Pope also by an other waye imprinteth his marke in the righthande of meÌ„ by heâ—ting of vowes perfourming of othes as they terme it For they that make a vowe in entryng into any religion as they call it as it were by a stipulation made do binde themselues to the Pope and See of Rome Furthermore Antichrist the Pope by othes also to be perfourmed by the holdyng vp of the right hande doeth binde and bring in daunger to him Emperours Kinges Archbisshoppes Princes Bishoppes Doctours Vniuersities and all states They promesse that they will attempte nothing agaynst the church of Rome nor agaynst the high Bisshop thereof nor yet agaynst the priuileges and statutes of the See There remayne the maner of othes in the decrees and decretalles I touche these thinges briefly They see more that shutte not their eyes And al men beholde how the Pope hath set his marke on the righthand and forehead of men He forbiddeth that no man bée nor selle There followeth againe of the fierse crueltie and blouddy tiranny which Antichrist practiseth agaynst the Christians that is to saye agaynste them whiche will not receyue
king almightie immortall and inuincible He wil come shortely in the clowdes of thayre to iudge the quicke and the dead c. Moreouer victory is promised assuredly to vs that be seruauntes of Christe Called chosen faythfull And they that be with him or on his side called chosen and faithful We be chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were layde that we should beleue in him be saued the first to the Ephes Hereunto we be called by the preachyng of the gospel Reade the .2 to the Thess the .2 chapt And we ought to geue thankes vnto God for euer c Let vs holde faste these thinges be in the troubles of this world constant and without feare To God be glory ¶ Agayne this vision is more fully declared and the punnishment of the beast is shewed The .lxxvj. Sermon ANd he sayde vnto me the waters whiche thou sawest where the whore sitteth are people folke and natiōs and tunges And the tē hornes which thou sawest vpō the beast are they which shall hate the whore and shal make her desolate and naked shall eate her flesshe and burne her with fire For God hath put in their hartes to fulfill his will and to do with one consente for to geue her kingdome vnto the beast vntil the words of God be fulfilled And the woman whiche thou sawest is that great citie whiche reigneth ouer the kinges of the Earth The Angel sent of the lord Christ vttereth to Iohn and the whole world the misterie of the beast reuealed but especially her iudgement or punnishement for her heynouse crimes Which he wil pursewe also in the chapt followyng And nowe he expoundeth the signification of waters ouer the which the whore ruleth to witte the Romish power Waters signifie Waters vpon waters the whore sitteth kingdomes dispersed through out the world Which he expoundeth after his maner altogether propheticall as was also noted before by three vocables For in namyng people folke nations and tunges he comprehendeth as it were innumerable natiōs distincte with sondry langages and maners But where nothing is more mouable or vnconstaunt than waters and when they be ones stired vp more furiouse and outrageouse the cōmon folke or people are rightly compared to waters whiche are also for their vnstablenes called mouable or vnconstaunt and for their rage both furiouse and madde Cōmotiōs Therefore not without cause al wise men haue greuousely condemned seditions which we are wonte to calle tumultes or vprores as by the whiche are assembled many naughtie natures and occasion is geuen them to breake out at their luste and to hurte But seyng that so many natiōs were subiecte to the Romane Empire and haue erred neuerthelesse in the trewe fayth what shall it preuayle hereafter to reken vp many and sondry kingdomes which should consente in any religion as though the sincerenes veritie of religion should depende vpon a multitude of men agreyng in the same The iudgemente of God agaīst Rome Nowe followeth the iudgement of God agaynst blouddy Rome which is the chiefest thing in this vision the some of al is Rome shal be rent in pieces and burnt with fire as we hearde also in the .13 chapt like as she hath done to others so shal be done vnto her And these thinges are to be expoūded first of olde Rome and after of new and in the same must the wordes be firste considered than a conference of stories must be had out of the whiche the trewth of the prophecie maye appere Ten hornes signifie kynges which haue risen of the tearyng a sonder of the Romane Empire The hatred of ten hornes against the whore suche as were the kinges of Westgothes Eastgothes of Germaynes Frēchmen Lumbardes Hunnes Vandalles c. These nations serued ones the Romanes and toke their wages they fauoured them and to their owne losse brought their matters to passe no otherwise than as an erneste louer serueth some one harlot from whome he can by no meanes be withdrawen as whom he loueth moste feruently but at laste perceyuing her vntrewe dealyng he beginneth to hate the same most deadly So these nations and others beganne so to persecute the name of Romanes that they would haue no monumētes or fote steppes of them any where to abide or remayne All the prouinces of the Romanes were filled ful of Romane posies Images pillers tittles and writinges but in the same especially in Germany the borders therof how many I praye you of so great plentie remayne The cities wherein the Romanes had their garnisons ar vtterly destroied that scarsely there appere any fote steppes therof at this daye And like as an honeste man hauyng a whore to his wife a shameles strompet doeth not only hate but also forsaketh the same troubleth her tourneth her naked hauyng plucked from her al her wifely apparell and ornamentes Ezech. 16 Osee 2. for so God in his prophetes threateneth to doe vnto his people for their vnfaithfulnes so nations reuolted from the Romane Empire distroyed and impouerished the same spoyling the riches thereof which the Romanes had heaped together by the robberie of al nations They shal eate her flesh they spoyled euery where also the Romane prouinces And where it is sayed that those kinges shal deuoure the flesh of the beaste it is to be vnderstande of the maner of speakyng For so are we wonte to saye what time we signifie extreme crueltie and mallice without mercy therfore like as Rome hath ben moste cruell towardes all nations euen so shal al nations most cruelly teare her and finally shal burne her with fire Nowe let vs compare with these thinges the historie A story of the destruction burnyng of Rome and see how they were fulfilled in tholde Rome and maye be yet fulfilled in the newe And first we will speake of olde Rome after of newe And verely olde Rome grewe many yeres and practised robberies through out the whole worlde and distroyed the Sainctes of the most highest wherfore it was worthy that the punnishment thereof should extende and indure many yeres and so as it were by degrees to descende to the last burnyng and destruction thereof There be gathered the yeres of her punnishmentes about .136 in the whiche she beyng impenitent was vexed and tourmoyled with continual calamities slaughters and vexatiōs And herof I compiled an abridgement in the .57 Sermon of this worke the. 13. chapt And here I will repete a fewe thinges and will reherse certen other things more playnely and at large As the Lorde in punnishyng the Niniuites and Hierosolomitanes declared his longe sufferyng and clemēcie and also his streight iustice right so in procedyng slowely to distroye Rome he lefte them mercifully space to repente in which seyng thei refused to do he wasted and destroyed them terriblely as impenitent He gaue therfore to Rome excellent good Princes Constaunce Constantine Iouiane Valentinian Gratiane Theodose c. By whose
consisteth in two thinges For God will geue vnto his Sainctes all that good is and wil take from them al euill and so shal these for euer inioye the souerayne good and felicitie most perfit and shal waunte al payne and miserie S. Austen in th ende of his boke De ciuit dei Howe great sayeth he shal that felicitie be where no euill shal be no good shal waunt and this declaration of eternal felicitie hath her partes whereby she is made manifest For firste a voyce and that a great cried from the Trone beholde the tabernacle of God with men The coniunction of God with holy men was in time paste prefigured by the Tabernacle of wittenesse whereby God testified that he would be in the middes of his people And the same shal he at th ende after the iudgement verfourme most abouÌ„dantly And therefore that voyce annexeth In the presence and fruition of god shal bâ— al good c. and he will dwell with them and they shal be his people and God himselfe with them and will be their God The whiche S. Paule semeth to haue vttered more succinctely and briefely and God shall be all in all For what so euer is good what so euer is faire what so euer is pleasaunt and delectable what so euer the minde of maÌ„ can imagine to be wisshed for briefely what so euer apperteyneth to the true and perfit felicitie and blessed life That same shall that great God almightie be whole and shal shewe in him selfe most fully And like as al and singular menne do inioye vnto a pleasaunt satietie the amiable brightnes and holâ— some heate of the sunne that neueâ—theles the same loseth nothing by the same and albeit that al men vse the sunne in common and euery manâ—e neuerthelesse inioyeth the same as proper and peculiar right so in another world we shal vse that eternal light and ioye euerlasting and vnspeakeable Whereof incontinently shal followe thinges more plentifull God will deliuer the Sainctes from all payne And than like as God in himself geueth to the glorified al goodnes so wil he remoue al euil from the same so that they be not only deliuered froÌ„ calamities but the same shal neuer retourne nor be feared more The whiche in moste plentifull wise he declareth by wordes borrowed out of the oracles of the prophetes God shal wipe awaye sayeth he al teares froÌ„ their eyes Which kinde of speach he vsed also in the .7 chap. verely taken out of the .25 and .65 chap. of Esaye And Dauid also in .126 Psalm They that sowe in teares sayeth he shall reape in gladnes He semeth to haue alluded to moothers which wipe the eyes of their tender and dere childreÌ„ criyng comforte the sorrowfull and cherishe them hurte or bruissed Therfore if the Sainctes haue suffered any payne or grefe in this world when they shal come into an other world it shal be requited theÌ„ and prouided that they shal fele no more aduersitie The lord sayde also in the gospel verely verely I saie vnto you ye shal wepe and lameÌ„t but the world shal reioyce and you shal be sorowfull but your sorowe shall be tourned into ioye c. In the .16 of Iohn Consequently he declareth yet more fully by nombryng of the calamities that the sainctes in an other life shall be deliuered at ones from al euill and death shal be no more For they shal be rewarded with life euerlastyng Therefore shall there be no more feare of death whiche is in a maner more bitter than death it selfe The same affirmeth the Apostle in the first to the Corinth the .15 alledgyng the testimony of the Prophete Osee There shall be no mournyng nor sorrowe whiche drieth vp the bones although most ful of iuyce For the ioye of Sainctes shal be perpetuall There shal be no clamour no complayncte no expostulatyng or vmbraydyng For whie there shall be no iniurie no mallice or enuie This worlde sowndeth and redoundeth full of the clamorous and cries of poore wretches But in the blessed seates shal be no miserie There shal be no payne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour sickenes werines The cause hereof for the olde thinges are gone There is nowe an other life yea and that a moste diuerse maner of liuyng from that whiche we liue nowe Therefore what soeuer is of sinne and subiecte to corruption shall there be taken awaye as the Lorde sayde in the Gospell Iohn 5. the children of this worlde doe marrie and are maried but they that shal be accompted worthie to attayne to that other worlde and resurrection from the dead shall nother marrie nor be married For they can dye no more for they are egall with Aungelles and be the children of God sins they are the children of resurrection Luke 20. chapt But of eternall life we haue spoken more in our coÌ„mentaries vpoÌ„ the .12 of Matth. And the Lorde him selfe in Iohn collecteth the some of all and sayeth howe he maketh all thinges newe Therefore in the world to come we shal thinke of no carnal nor corrupt thing but an heauenly But the mindes of the faythfull are greuousely tempted in this matter the Deuill suggestynge A weightie coÌ„firmatioÌ„ that all these things are vndoubted which are spoken of the blessed life that the hope of the faythfull is vayne and that is a thing moste folisshe to contemne good thinges presente and certayne for glory vncertayne There be innumerable others of the same sorte which come to the minde of manne and trouble and shake the faith of eternall life The Lord therefore the faythfull Phisition of his leeste they should fele any hinderaunce in this behalf coÌ„firmeth these thinges gâ—auely and many wayes declaryng the hope of the faythfull to be moste certayne and al thinges to be vndoubted whiche are or shall be taught of eternal life of the felicitie and glory of sainctes And he placeth this assertion as it were in batâ—ayle raye after he hath certenly collected the some of felicitie whereunto by and by he will adde fuller thinges after the vision exhibited And here is to be vnderstand that the certentie of the blessed life is shewed moste expressely of al by these wordes and he sayde vnto me wryte c. And neuerthelesse by the former wordes also no weake reasons of the veritie be gathered And firste in dede he sayde I Iohn sawe And we knowe Iohn to be an Apostle and witnesse of the trewth whose testimony it is vnlaweful to distruste Seyng therefore this godly maÌ„ sawe the thinges himselfe whiche he reherseth to doubte of the same were a wickednes Secondly he heareth a voice a great moreouer pronounced out of the Trone to wit of the .xxiiii. Elders spretes angelicall of the whole heauenly hoste And who can doubte of their testimony whiche already are in blesse euerlastyng They know and haue experieÌ„ce what the felicitie is therfore they speake and testifie that is tried and knowen Moreouer he him selfe that sitteth in
Doubtles it is a fowle shame to feare more a moste wicked manne than moste holy God But men offende in this behalfe at these dayes most greuousely For some attribute so muche to wicked and cruell persecutours that euen for them they will commaunde to peruerte the preachyng of the Gospell or to kepe silence al together There is that will sette more by the Kinge Prince Erle Baron Citezen or plowmā Bishop or Abbot or some flatteryng Frere or vile massemongyng Prieste and will fayne and dissemble for his fauour rather than he will frely confesse the trewth and feare and glorifie God to be feared only Vnto them sayeth Esaye saye ye not conspiracie and be not affrayde of terrour of the enemies nother be you discouraged But rather sanctifie the lord of hostes let him be your terrour let him be your feare He shal be the sanctuarie and stumblyng stone and the reste in the .8 chapt of Esaye For vnlesse we put awaye this vayne and wicked feare and goe about to funisshe vp the Lordes worke valeaūtly constauntly and without feare we shall surely be caste downe to helle Let timorouse menne thinke hereof and calle vpon the Lord and take vnto them the sprete of strength and of wise and godly boldenes and do the worke of the Lord not negligently but dilligently valeauntly and constantely He is greater that is in vs sayeth S. Iohn in his Canonicall thā is he that is in the worlde Vnbeleuers Vnbeleuers are not weake in the fayth modeste fearing God but such as beleue not gods word promising cōmaūding threatening nother follow God nor his Christ but rather follow straunge Gods had rather beleue fables haue withdrawen their hartes from God And of these is there a great multitude at this day which notwithstāding haue al in their mouth that they beleue God his worde but they beleue not the preachers thinking verely that their incredulitie is thus sufficiently excused But where the preachers shewe nothing els but the word of God thei cānot but contēne gods word whilest they dispise the Sermons of the preachers In the thirde place followeth Abominable that the tourmentes of Hell are dewe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the abominable detestable For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth abomination and stench He noteth therfore abominable and detestable men to whom al religion is a mockerie which deride God and his word and blaspheme all holy thinges the children of Beliall vncurable and spurners These although thei knowe the truth yet thei knowe it to their owne condemnation seing thei contemne it knowē and with dogs and hogs returne to their vomite and wallowyng in the myre Whom also the Apostles haue noted Peter in the second epistle the .2 3. cha S. Paule in the .3 to Titus and .12 to the Hebrewes Iudas Thaddeus through out the chefest parte of his epistle S. Ihon himselfe about the end of the .22 chapt reciting in a maner the same register calleth them dogges And would God we wanted examples at this daye of abominable men and such kynde of dogges But there is no cawse why we shoulde maruayle hereat considering that we liue in the time of all other most corrupt of Noe and Loth Mathew the .24 Of Homicides ther be sondry kyndes Murtherers or Homicides For we kil with the hart mouth worke Whereof you may se thexpositours of the .x. cōmaūdemēts chieflie D. Musculus But I thinke the world had neuer a more notable mor cruel and more shameles murderer yea paricide most verely according to the word of Christ in the .8 of Iohn the firste begotten child of the Deuyll than the Bysshoppe of Rome For he in a maner at all times for these fyue hondreth yeares and more hath blowen the trumpet to all the greuouse warres of Europe or Christēdome and agayne hath graunted to murderers especiallie warring for the See of Rome most large ample pardons and promised heauen to them that die in that warfare al the which being many of them excellent men had not the great mercy of God ben he had destroyed bothe body and soule Than S. Ihon raccompteth whoremōgers Whoremongers And he nameth the lowest kynd to the end we shulde vnderstand the higher and vyler as rape adultrie incest and Sodomitical nother that we shoulde exclude here glottonie dronkennes and all kynde of riorousenes and nourryshing of voluptuousenes Where doubteles we see that S. Paule vnder the vocable of whoredome cōprehendeth all filthy lust and riot But in our dayes whorehūting is made so cōmon that euery most shamefull whoremonger is admitted to the aulter a maried priest that kepeth holy matrimonie is expelled from the same For the which we may thanke Syricius and other Popes whom the Apostle hath greuously noted in the first to Timothe 4. Sorcerers Of Sorcerers is spoken in the .9 chap. of this boke S. Ihon hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he meaneth magiciēs inchaūters sothsayers witches and by deuillish craftes loue makers The latin men vnderstand them also that geue poyson to drinke Idolaters Idolaters be worshippers of Idolles And maruayle it is that the Papists at this day deny thēselues to be Idolaters For what other thing is an Idol but a shape or image made of any matter visible representing the fourme of God or a Saincte but without spirite An Idoll therfore is an Image of wood stone or metall representing the shape of God the father of God the sonne or of S. Peter c. Dauid describeth an Idoll sayeth the Idolles of the heythen are siluer and golde euen the worke of mennes handes They haue mouth and speake not eyes haue they and see not c. Psal 113. And I wolde fayne knowe what the Idolles of the Papistes differ from these Concerning worshippinge of them they can not denye but that they worship those Idolles of wood and clay For thei attribute to them holy names and euen the sacred name of God to be cōmunicated to none other saieng this is pointing to stone or wood that is an Idol of wood God the father this is God the son this is S. Peter I tremble in my minde whylest I report these things especially sins the lord himself hath said whom wil ye make me like Esay 40. And S. Paule calleth this plainly coūterfeting folishnes and expresly denieth the godhead to be like a stone artificially polished Ro. 1. Act. 17. Againe these Images which thei call their gods saincts made with mens hands thei bring into the churches namely a place of worshipping and set them vpon the altars vnto these they go on pilgrimage fall downe before them and worship sence them offer oblations to them and hang Iewels on them And moreouer attribute to them also a parte of the heauenly doctrine and instruction sayeng that the vnlearned sort are taught and admonished by these And what is to worship yf this be not Let them se therfore whether thei can herein