be noted the goodnes of Almightie God The scripture expounded whiche declareth to vs him selfe the hardest places of the Scripture Where be they therfore that accuse the Scripture of obscurenes and contende that it can not be vnderstaÌ„de let vs here marke also the coÌ„mon maner of speakyng of the whole scripture seuen starres The phrase of the scripture be seuen Messengers The seuen lightes are seuen Churches For signes receyue the names of the thinges although they be remaine in theyr owne substaunce and bee not chaunged into another This the very contentiouse persons do graunte also whiche in the woordes of the supper this is my body will acknowledge no figuratiue speache at all Starres be called Aungelles Aungelles be Gods Messengers pastours of churches so called in the ii iii. chapter of Malachie For God sendeth preachers as Ambassadors to the people and willeth them to be hearde in like case as himselfe Luke .x. Iohn .xiii. Let no man therfore tary till the Lord him selfe come downe from heauen againe and preach â—nto vs. Euen now he preacheth to vs by his Messengers whiche preache his that is to saye the woorde of Christ yf â—ou contemne them you contemne Christ Preachers be â—alled starres by reason of theyr bright and Heauenly docâ—rine and for their purenes of life 2. Peter 2 Iude. 1. Beware therefore you Preachers that you be not wandering Planettes leest ye â—aue no light at all neyther in doctrine nor conuersation of â—â—fe For than ye shall be likened to starres that fall downe â—ut of Heauen as shall happen here after in this boke to the â—alse teachers But those starres are not in the head or in the fete The starres be in the right haÌ„de of Christ or on â—he backe or sides but in the right hande of Christ Whiche â—â—ing hath in dede a great consolation for the Pastours be in the right hande of God in Gods protection neither shâ— any man take them out of his hande God him selfe also â—â—ueth pastours and furnisheth them with necessarie goodâ— of the Church Therfore is the whole gouernement and glâ—ry his Wherefore the Apostle sayeth also he that waterâ— and planteth is nothing but God that geueth increase Nowe as concernyng the Candelstickes there was oâ— verely in the Tabernacle of Moses with seuen sockettes Candelstickes 〈◊〉 set in seuen Candelles In Salomons temple were ten caâ—delstickes The one represented a figure of Christ And the â—â—uen therupon and the ten betokened the vniuersalitieâ— Churches whiche are lighted all of the only lighte Chrisâ— and haue of this one what light so euer they haue And thâ— candelstickes are of Golde The mistery whereof Aretas eâ—pounding They are all golde sayeth he for the puritie aâ— preciousnes of faith liyng hidde in them And in dede the â—delstickes of them selues geue no light but be receptacles 〈◊〉 light So of vs arriseth no light but darkenes But in 〈◊〉 that light euerlasting set a light in the candlesticke the ligâ— shineth if Christe illumine the Churche with faithe and â—â—retie than faith sheweth foorth her selfe in open confessioâ— and the purenes of life in conuersation And this the Lord â—quireth of his churche in the v. chapter of Matth. So let yoâ— light shine c. And the apostle in the ii to the Philipp In tâ— middes of a frowarde and croked natioÌ„ shine like lightes the worlde And hitherto we haue handled the consolation of Chriâ— and the exposition of that great and celestiall vision wheâ— we haue learned the misteries of the faith of Christ and of his Churche to the ende we should knowe that Christ is the Lorde reignyng in his Church and applying al thinges to the saluation of his faythfull That he sendeth Preachers teacheth by them and kepeth and defendeth them To him be Glory c. ¶ Of the Epistles reuealed out of the throne of God from Christ by an Aungell and receiued and sent of Iohn Where also a parte of the Epistle to the Ephesians is expounded The seuenth Sermon VNto the Messenger of the congregation of Ephesus write These things saieth he that holdeth the seuen Starres in his righthand and walketh in the middes of the Seuen golden Candelstickes I knowe thy workes and thy labour and thy patieÌ„ce and â—ow thou cannest not forbeare them whiche â—re euil And examinest them which saie thei are Apostles and are not And haste founde â—hem liars hast suffered and hast patience â—nd for my names sake haste laboured and â—aste not fainted Neuerthelesse I haue some what againste thee because thou haste lefte â—hy firste loue Your charitie hath sene a certen Image of the lord christ Christe is prelate of the Church â—itting on the right hande of the father in glorye yet so that 〈◊〉 no wise he eyther forsaketh or neglecteth his Churche Now followeth it more fully and plainely howe our Sauiâ—ur Christe in Heauen executeth the office of the highe Bishop and teacheth the whole churche by his ministers rebuâ—eth comforteth and reteyneth it in her dutie Finally tourâ—eth alwayes awaye thinges hurtefull and auaunceth it to greater thinges For here follow seuen Epistles to the seueÌ„ Congregations that is to witte Seuen Epistles vnto all the churches in the â—hole worlde For this moste ample and holsome doctrine â—aye not be restreyned to a fewe sins Christ is Bisshoppe â—niuersall Thautoritie of these epâ—stels But great is the autoritie of these epistles For they are reuealed from the throne of God by the sonne of Goâ— speaking by an Aungell whiche prescribeth what is to bâ— written in those Epistles S. Iohn receiueth and writeth thâ— same through Christ his coÌ„maundement and sendeth theâ— to the seuen congregations And verely they aperteyne nâ— lesse vnto vs than if now the bearer entring into the churcâ— should deliuer these letters vnto vs. Moreouer in these seuen Churches is figured vnto vâ— the nature The epistles be vniuersall maners vices medicines rebukes prayses of 〈◊〉 Churches in all times and what soeuer is wonte to chaunâ— aboute them Then by examples of moste excellent meanâ— mixed of Hypocriticall also and wicked And these our Loâ— dothe euideÌ„tly instructe reproue rebuke and blame praisâ— correct moue exhorte comforte the same he threatneth anâ— promiseth them also ioyfull thinges c. This is no light 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon example but of the sonne of God the high and moâ— blessed Bishop teaching vs howe we should deale with 〈◊〉 congregations after the capacitie disposition of euery onâ— And not without cause he chouseth vnto him seuen thâ— most noble cities of Asia Certaine it is that Asia was of 〈◊〉 first inhabited and from thence they were dispersed into â—ther partes of the worlde Certaine it is also that the Deuâ— set vp his Throne in Asia and there reigned in men througâ— Idolatrie murther ambition auarice vncleanes and filthâ— pleasures For the prouerbe is knoweÌ„ the laughter Iouicaâ— It is knowen what the apostle wrote to the EphesiaÌ„s in thâ— iiii
spirite of God whiche thing the Apostle requireth in the .xii. Chapt. to the Romains Furthermore he threatneth to plage them if they continue as they haue begōne to be newters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord speweth out the newters I wil spewe thee out of my mouth By the whiche maner of speaking two thinges are signified Both the lothsomes whiche God conceaueth of this newtralitie or warmnes And the vomiting out which punisheth the same warm water prouoketh a vomite Wherūto he appereth to haue alluded as likewise to that olde phrase of speaking the lande hath vomyted the Chananites and the same shall vomite vp you also Therfore these composers or mongerelles with their temperature and mixture doe so displease God that they ingender in hym a lothsomnes be vnto hym an abhomination that finally he shaketh them of the same we vnderstande of them that ioine together Christ and Mammon And the phrase of speache is to be noted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now therfore or so forasmuche as or now seing it is so c. Moreouer the longaminitie or longe suffering of God is here noted whiche plageth not immediatly vnlesse there appere nowher any hope of amēdemēt Vnhappy ryches He expoundeth more fully the sinne of the Laodiceans what is the cause of their tepiditie Because they loue riches wherin they truste supposing them selues to want nothing They thinke them selues to be wise and to se all thinges to be sufficiētly furnished with thinges spiritual and temporal It is lesse wher they say we are riche More that followeth I am increased with goodes That is to say I haue gotten so muche richesse that I want nothing A great rebuke That same he now confuteth and sheweth that they are vtterly disceiued and to be miserable people For he rebuketh them greuously and sayth thou knowest not that thou arte suche as thou art That ignoraunce is a great euill and the beginning of desperate blindnes when a man thinketh to haue that he hath not For such perseuer in their errour and admit no counsellour Therfore saith the Lord thou knowest not that thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miserable wretched weried and worne with euils For they are toyled with many labours that serue this worlde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miserable Thou seest not thyne owne miserie Others that se are ful sory Thou seest not in what case thou art This kynd of speach signifieth a mā very wretched and desperate whose miserie others see but he him selfe seeth nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poore or a begger Thou thinkest thy selfe very riche but thou art a starke begger Couetouse riche men are poore They are poore also in vertues The people of Laodicea were blynde as the Phariseis were called blynde in the .ix. of Iohn Well sighted in wordly matters in heauēly blynde as betels Naked or destitute of good workes Voyde of thy wedding garment They notwithstanding were rychely arayed with garmentes of most fiue wolle But before God thei appered naked Let the gallauntes of this worlde or proude pecockes rather so well eyed and gorgeously appareled marke these thinges wel The Lorde geue them vnderstanding ¶ The Lorde geueth holsome counsell to the Laodiceans admonishing them to repent The .xxj. Sermon I Counsell thee to bye of me golde tried in the fier that thou maiest be ryche And whyte rayment that thou maiest be clothed that the shame of thy nakednes do not appere And annoynte thyne eyes with eye salue that thou maiest see As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Be feruent therfore and repente Forasmuch as God willeth not the death of a synner Holsome counsell but rather that he should conuert and lyue Therfore after a greuous blaming of the church of Laodicea he geueth her holsom counsell admonishing exhorting the same to repentaunce and signifieth with all what is true repentaunce The Lord vseth the word of counselling I counsell thee not of commaunding to thintēt to confound the madnes of them which vnlesse they be violently drawen thinke not them selues admonished allured or called of the Lord. And whilest thei loke for such a drawing they neglect al gods counsell fall from the true saluation God counselleth his elect such thinges as are holsome The chosen obey good counselles God toucheth their hartes inwardly and outwardly by preaching of the worde and by sondry admonitions he pooleth and driueth man from euill to good This counsel of God is not to be dispised and an other violēt vocation to be imagined God his word must be heard To day saith the Prophet if ye heare his voice do not harden your hartes When the Lorde counselleth with his worde the hearers harden their mindes they do that through their owne fault and are made authours of their own distruction But they that receiue Gods counsell receiued it not by the force of free will but of the grace of God which worketh in vs to wille and to perfourme Therfore when the Lorde counselleth holsome thinges the chosen pray that they may receiue the same And thei receiue them through grace obeiyng the counselles of God The some of the holsome counsell And the some of the holsome counsell is this Bie of me saith the Lord golde tried in the fire that thou may be riche maiest bie apparel and maiest get eie salue to annoint thyne eies He setteth these thinges as a medicine against the diseases which he discouered before calling the church of the Laodiceans poore naked and blinde Now therfore he teacheth them how they may be riche may be clothed may receiue their eyes or sight again if they verely get them selues golde tried or concoct or purified Gold tried And gold tried in the fire is golde moste purified cleane hauinge in it no grossenes or mettall but pure and cleane golde Hereby is shadowed the worde of God wherof the Prophet sang The worde of the Lorde is a pure worde syluer tried in the fire seuen tymes pourged in a vessel of earth Certenly the worde of God is light comming of the eternal and moste pure lyght hauing no parte of humane filthines or affections sauouring of none errours teachyng nothyng that is corrupt Howbeit of it selfe it shall profit a man nothing vnlesse it be receiued with a true sincere faith Therfore do I not separate faith from the worde and say therfore that the pure and sincere faith is signified by golde Wherof S. Peter said that the faith of our hartes be pourged For although there be in vs spottes and infirmities yet is faith by reason of the subiect wherupon he resteth moste pure The worde of promission and euen Christe hym selfe is the obiect of faith whiche is the very purenes it selfe Wherfore the Lorde counselleth that the Congregation of Laodicea should bye golde tried he counselleth that they should heare Gods worde and beleue it in deede For the Lorde vseth the worde of byeng for receiuynge hearynge and
tried gold That is purefied pourged wherby thou maist be riche be arayed in whyte and mayst haue a medicine wherwith to annointe thine eyes that thou maiest see To God be glory ¶ He draweth them also hereby vnto repentaunce The .xxij. Sermon BEholde I stande at the dore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the dore I wyll come in vnto hym and will suppe with him and he with me To him that ouercometh wyll I graunt to sitte with me on my seate euen as I ouercame and haue sitten with my father on his seate Let hym that hath eares heare what the spirite saith to the congregations Hereby also the Lorde allureth the Laodiceans to repentaunce shewyng that euery time is mete for conuersion and that God is euermore ready to receiue sinners and prouoketh them alwaies that they should amēde and liue And this matter he expoundeth in an allegoricall and goodly speache Allegorical speche taken out of the fift chapt of the boke of Canticles For he faineth the Lorde to stande at the dore and knock yea and to promise to them that opē the greatest familiaritie and ioyes vnspeakeable First therfore is declared the beneuolence of God towards sinners and his most ready will alwaies to receiue the same yea and his infinite study to moue men to repentaunce that they might liue For the Lord standeth at the dore and knocketh The worde of standing doth signifie that God is always prepared always watcheth ouer our saluation For he sitteth not styll nor lieth not on the one syde lyke a sluggarde He standeth busely to his worke And I stand saith he not I stode or shall stande But I stande euermore ready euermore louing and gentle What doeth he He knocketh that in dede at the dore desiring to be let in For like as he that knocketh at the dore seriously coueteth to be let in so God desireth ernestly to be of vs receiued And God vseth sondry kindes of knocking For he warneth exciteth with his worde by the Prophets againe by signes wonders also by sondry chaūces mouings Howe the Lord knocketh These thinges may be sene in the citie of Ierusalē He sendeth to them his Prophets Apostles He sheweth diuers wonders He bringeth on thē sorowfull chaunces that they might admonish thē Such as are reported Luke 13. of the Galileans of those whome the toure of Siloe had ouerwhelmed We may se the like at this day how the Lord knocketh Therfore he said truly Hierusalē Hierusalē c. Math. 23. These ar doubtles the partes doings of god which wil not that a sinner shuld die but rather conuert liue Than must we se what is required of vs Our part is to heare and to opē verely that we shuld heare the knocking noise of the knocker that also we opē receiue suche as desire to come in Here are they confuted which speake of man as though he were a blocke image I know not what maner of drawing saiyng It is neither in that runner nor in the willer c. Certen altogether absteine from well doing saying if I be chosen it is enough But the scripture requireth euery where hearing obedience We knowe that thelect are only saued that thelect in Christ In Christ to be they that beleue That faith is of hearing hearing by the word of god Therfore saith the Prophet this day if you heare his voice c. This same is recited of the Apostle Heb. 4. The Apostle also 2. Tim. 2. In a great house there be not only vessels of gold but of earth also If any pourge him self c. And therfore the Lord saith I knocke It shal be thy part not to dispise him that knocketh but to opē vnto him And he reciteth in dede two things to heare which both in the .8 .9 of Iohn is required of the children of God of the true shepe And to open that is to receiue the Lord or beleue to obey to frame them selues after the wil of God to do penaunce Notwithstanding we must here beware that we thinke not that man hath power of him self to receiue the Lord. The Lorde illumineth his elect and by him we can do al thinges without whō we can do nothing Other places must be cōferred with this as Iohn 15.2 Corinth 3. Philip. 2. They therfore that open do open by the grace of God They that open not being wrapped in their sinnes through their owne faulte open not and not through any faulte of God Let vs heare moreouer what the Lord promiseth to thē that open that is to say to suche as receiue Christ with true faith What we shal get by opening The Lord promiseth to them two thinges chiefly First I wil go into him saith he The scripture signifieth the Christ dwelleth euery wher through faith in the hartes of the faithful with a most strayte knot to be ioyned vnto them He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him These thinges are spoken of the Lord in the .vi. of Iohn And in the xiiii chapt he saith He that loueth me wyll kepe my worde And my father and I will come vnto hym and will make abode with him S. Paul saith that he liueth not nowe but that Christ liueth in hym The same affirmeth that Christ through faith dwelleth in the hartes of the faithfull And so the Lord entreth the hartes of them that let hym in Not the least part of felicitie consisteth in this coniunction For to be vnited with God is blessednes whiche beginneth here and is made perfit in an other lyfe And therfore in the second place the Lord saith And I will suppe with him and he with me Wherby he noteth not only againe a moste dere frendship familiaritie for the table is consecrate to amitie but rather the fruition of eternall glory For by the supper are signified the ioyes celestiall greatest and vnspeakeable which after their soules the Godly receiue immediatly after death But more fully in the ende of tymes when the bodies shal arise againe Therfore is it not applied to a diner but to a supper as it is also in the .14 of Luke Thē if we receiue Christ we shal haue him dwelling with vs cōtinually whilest we liue in this world And in the worlde to come we shall haue the full fruition of al the ioyes celestiall These thinges be certain and true For otherwyse in the life to come there shall be no riotouse bankettes suche as the Turkes do imagine The thron of God is prepared for the penitent He annexeth also an other generall promesse wherby he exhorteth and moueth to the study of godly religion to repentaūce For to him that ouercometh is promised the kingdome of heauen And he saith to him that ouercometh wherof I haue spoken in thother epistles not to him the fleeth or to a coward c.
Romish church shall be damned who am I to say the coÌ„trary or what men will pronouÌ„ce otherwyse Let vs heare therfore the sentence of the iuste iudge and let vs beleue the worde of the sonne of God and let vs beware of the popysh religion What it is to worship the beaste his Image and what it is to receiue the marke in the forehead and on the right hand I haue sufficiently declared before in the .13 chapt Brieflye they worship and receyue the marke of the beaste which do participate with the Popish church or religioÌ„ finally which obey the wycked decrees of the Empire and perseuer in the obedience of the See without repentaunce Aretas expounding this place to worship the beast saieth he and to receaue his seale is to esteme Antichrist to be God and in word and woâ—ke to set forth such thinges as he coueteth And here in an horrible wise with propheticall wordes The descriptioÌ„ of eternall damnatioÌ„ is described euerlasting damnation prepared for them who forsaking Christ the sauiour cleaue vnto Antichrist the distroier Like as they haue dronkeÌ„ of the corrupte doctrine infused of the Pope so againe shal they drinke that the iust lord shal powre out of the cuppe of wrath And the wine that is powred in the cuppe of Gods wrath is the strayte exquisite moste greuouse iudgement of God wherin beyng angrie he inflicteth to the Antichristians horrible vnspeakeable punnishement A like maner of speach is red in Ieremie the .25 chapt And like as pure wine not delayed is of most efficacitie and pearseth so the iudgement of God wherein he will procede against the Antichristians shal be most greuouse such as no tongue be it neuer so eloquent can expresse And for a further declaratioÌ„ shortely after followeth what they muste drinke of verely fire and brimstone Perauenture the Lorde alluded to these wordes of Dauid in the .11 Psalm VpoÌ„ the vngodly he shal rayne snares fyre brimstone storme and tempeste this rewarde shall they haue to drinke He semeth moreouer to haue alluded to the burnyng of Sodome and to the .30 chapt of Esaye in the ende whereof is shewed that hell shall be wide enough to receyue all the vngodly and that matter shal neuer waunte to nurrishe the fire neuer to be quenched He expresseth moreouer a greuouse payne where he sayeth that they shall be tourmented and that in the sight of the lambe and holy Angelles that so they maye receyue condigne punnishement for euer of their contempte wherby they haue despised the lambe and messages of Angels Likewise in the .13 of Luke the Lord sayeth there shal be wepyng and gnashing of teth when ye shal see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophetes in the kingedome of God and you to be shutte out c. And that same apperteyneth also vnto euidence Hipotiposis to stire vp a terrour in the mindes of all men where he addeth by a figuratiue speach and the smoke of their tourmeÌ„t ascendeth vp euermore Therfore shal the burning and punnisshement of the vngodly be euerlasting and neuer to be finished world without ende And we seme here at this description as it were before our eyes to see the flames of eternall damnation caried vp on highe and caste vp with them greate heapes of smoke to rolle vp and disperse them farre and wide I remeÌ„bre here that of Virgill The wastefull fire gan crepe and cracke a pace Til to the toppe through helpe of winde it came Out burst the blase brake downe and did deface The skie flieth full of sparkes of smoke and flame Euerlastyng punnisshment And that no kinde of terrour might waunte moste aptely and most aboundantly he expresseth the perpetuitie of euerlasting punnishment saiyng nother haue they reste daie nor night So sayeth the Lord in the .9 of Marke Their fire is neuer queÌ„ched and their worme shal neuer die They erre therfore which promise to the damned after many worldes deliueraunce from their tourmentes And not in vayne he repeteth that which he had sayed before how thei that worship the beast shal suffer these thinges And therfore he repeteth it leste as it happened we should esteme it as a light matter They shal be damneth sayeth the veritie which receyue the Popish culte and religioÌ„ and perseuere in the same Epiphonema To all this is annexed an acclamation or double sentence notable and holesome For in as much as the wisedome of God did foresee what aduersitie remayned for the godly in this world which they might surely loke for at Antichristes hande whiche professed the trewth therefore for a comforte and consolation he addeth here is the patieÌ„ce of Sainctes which is asmuch as if he had saied and here shal patience take place wherby the Sainctes maye ouercome al euilles Here had we nede to haue a stoute courage a sure and coÌ„staunt minde In the .12 of Luke the Lord likewise requireth patience in persecutions Here therfore is counsel geuen howe the sainctes should behaue themselues to wit that they should suffer patiently those euilles that Antichrist shall worke agaynst them And there followeth an other sentence which lighteth this here are they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesus Thei shal ouercome thorowe patience in so great euilles and daungers whiche kepe the coÌ„maundementes of God the foundation wherof is the faith of Iesus Christ which verely put al their trust in christ heare the worde of the gospell and kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God not of men The like vnto these are red in the .24 of Matth. and the .10 to the Hebrew Aretas in this same time of Antichrist saieth he the patience of Sainctes is shewed ThaÌ„ is the speache figured as it were by a question moued And who be they whome he calleth patient After as though he should aunswere they that kepe the commaundementes of God and faith of Iesu For thei when perilles approche wil set more by God than by death and temporall euilles This sayeth he I praye God these things be as faithfully perfourmed of vs as they are easely vnderstande The Lorde graunt vs his spirite ¶ The faithfull assuredly and streight waye flitte from the corporal death vnto life euerlastyng The .lxv. Sermon ANd I hearde a voice from heauen saiyng vnto me wryte blessed are the dead whiche hereafter die in the Lorde Yea the sprite sayeth that they reste froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes follow them Albeit he hath oftener thaÌ„ ones spokeÌ„ of the state of soules in an other world Of the certayne saluation of the faithful and of the felicitie of the faithfull which are killed for religions sake yet was it here chiefly requisite to treate of the same matter For I sayed howe many must be killed of the beaste Now leeste they for feare of death should chouse rather to worshippe the beaste than to be slayne leest happly hauyng lost this life there were no other life
to be loked for in the world to come most dilligently and most certenly he treateth of the state of soules and of the felicitie and blesse of soules which as sone as they die they atchieue assuredly and streightwaye flitting out of this worlde into life euerlasting But they that know these thinges and haue conceaued them by a true faith how thei shal vndoubtedly slitte frō the corporal death into the blessed life it can not be chosen but that they shal more boldely contemne the life present Most certē tables of saluation are to vs exhibited And this holesome doctrine is comprised in three poincts For first he sheweth the certentie therof secōdly he declareth what it is laste he setteth forth and lighteth the same by circūstaunces At the first verely he semeth to allude to the maner accustomably receyued of al nations that such thinges as they wuld haue thought to be certen and vndoubted they would also cōmitte to writing to leaue them vnto posteritie But the certentie veritie or Authoritie of the thing is estemed of thauthours which first haue dispatched any matters emonges thēselues and after haue caused the same to be put in writyng At this present therfore is God shewed to be authour For S. Iohn saieth and I hearde a voice from heauen And by and by addeth ye the spirite sayeth Therefore there is no doubte but that the sonne of God him self hath spoken and reuealed these things Our lord Iesus Christ For him he sawe at the beginning of this reuelation after he seeth diuerse kindes of Aungelles but he seeth not Christ speaking to him But he heareth now his voice from Heauen he heareth the spirite speakyng by whom the lord sayed whilest he was yet cōuersaunt in earth with his disciples that he would treate and speake al thinges in the churche Let vs beleue therefore that the wordes which are here recited by christes doyng to be a celestiall oracle certen and trewe whereof we ought not to doubte And S. Iohn thapostle Euangelist is cōmaūded to write the saiynges of Christ from the heauēly seate Which thing he doeth so at Christes cōmaundement sendeth them vnto al posterie vnto vs also to our ofspring euen to the worldes ende But if tables written by the chaūcelours or secretaries of kinges and Princes beyng notable men deserue credit we maye much more iustely rightly beleue this writing which the sonne of God inditeth from heauen that beloued disciple of Christ the apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn writeth Thou hadst ones a confidence in the Popes bulles they maye well be called bulles sins thei be more vaine than bulles or blabbers in the water sent from the See of Rome wherein thou as one assured didst put ful truste to haue remission of sinnes and blessed life And shalt thou not nowe be accompted madde and out of thy witte in case thou wilt not beleue this heauenly writyng That other was indited by the spirite of Antichrist by the Pope the man of sinne and childe of perdition written of some disceauer infected with Simony and sacrilege which in life and maners was filthines it self But in Iohn is nothing but cleanes puretie integritie and the very sonne of God which prescribeth these things to S. Iohn is the very veritie and life This writing is frely geuen the light of the world lord of heauen and Earth of life death See than how safely thou mayest laine to this heauenly writyng which here is offered geuen thee frely Thou nedest not to disburce for the same one farthing The Pope instituted in the church biyng selling deuelish bargayning about perdōs other things which were plaine disceiptes illusions playne mocheries and open blasphemies therfore accursed for euer as S. Peter also pronoūceth in the .8 of the Actes God him selfe diswadeth al men from such tromperies and bargaines wicked vayne in the .55 chapt of Esaye where he promiseth agayne that he wil geue to the godly al plentie of al good thinges And now let vs heare what the writte is Blessed at the dead whiche die in the lord what S. Iohn is cōmaunded from heauen to put in writing It is a shorte sentēce as also in many places the wisedome of God cōprehēdeth in fewe wordes the true some of blessednes so prouiding for our infirmitie that we nede not to cōplaine that the doctrine were ouer longe which we with our slender vnderstandyng are not able to attayne to The Lord therefore pronounceth them to be blessed whiche die in the Lord then we must see what he vnderstandeth by blessednes and who thei be that die in the lord blessednes is that high felicitie which chaunceth to the faithfull in an other world in the which we shall see God him selfe as he is and haue the fruition of him vnto a ioyefull and neuer lothsomefulnes We shall liue in the same with all the Sainctes for euer and shall haue ioynes that can not be expressed with tunges of men Of the whiche shall followe more afterwarde They shal reste from their labours And more plentifully in the .21 chapt And they dye in the Lorde whiche by faith greffed in Christe layne to him alone depende wholy vpon him only regarde him and desire nothynge els but hym alone For they are sayed to liue in Christe in whome Christ liueth by faith they that liue in Christ do frame their whole life after the will of Christ And they die in the lord chiefly and before all whiche for the confession of the lordes faith suffer death and offer thēselues to tourmentes And not they alone but those also whiche although they die of the sworde of the persecutours yet die when the Lorde calleth them in the trewe christen fayth For these are also blessed as the Lord in S. Iohn verely verely I saye vnto you yf any man kepe my worde he shall not see death for euer Howebeit they die not in the lorde which eyther deny god that they might not be slaine or trust to their owne merites intercessions of Sainctes or to other mens workes be they monkes freres or massemonging priestes and so departe out of this life thinking that thei shal be holpen by other mēs workes To be briefe the veritie of the lord pronoūceth them al blessed and fortunate which departe out of this world in true faith Finally the Lord him self adioyneth a notable declaration of this his briefe sentence For he sette forth the circumstaūce of the time When and how saluation commeth to the dead and the maner of the blessednes For it is wonte to be demaunded what time saluatiō and felicitie happeneth to the dead whether incontinently or after a time that is whether our soules flitte by and by and immediately after the death of the body to the blessed seates or whether they be intercepted for a certen time so that they might be pourged in purgatorie before thei enter into
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
Doctrin of Rome new 443 Doctryn peruers is vncleanneâ— of hoordum 51â— Doctryn hereticall compared to hail darnel leuen chaff c. 242 Dogges in holy script 687 Domz day 575 Domitian 194 Domitian banished Ihon. 27 would be called a God 29 Donec for euer 604 Door open 113 Dragon the great 351 Dragon fighteth 357 Drught and heat 488 Drunkennes 82 Drunkennes of Rome 513 Drawing 135 Drawing to God 129 Duleia and latreia 570 Dwelling emongst the il is dauÌ„gerous but not simply wicked 75.76 Dying in the Lord. 459 E Earthquak in the script 206.334 Earth helpeth the godlye persecuted .366 shal be burnt 530 Eating of a bouk 302 Egles wings 364 Elders xxiiij in seats 142 Elders whether they be saued or no. 217 Electors assigned 411 Eliachim a figure of Christ 43. Elias cuminge before the iudgement 298 Emperour Client to the Pope 405.416 Emperour warring on Gods enemies in the east the Pope sets vpon him in the west 615 Emperours vnder the beast sum good 407 Emperours excoÌ„municated 307 Emperours reins from Charles how long 411 Empyre coÌ„uerted from the freÌ„ch to the Germains .410 made desolate .418 wurshipped how 376. is the image of the beast 420. new and image of the old 403 Empyres be of God 380.406 515. End well all well 223 End of the worlde .575 most corrupt 599 End at hand 295.500 Enemies who .119 of the church 347. of religion .114.116 praid for .199 theyr harmes reioyst at 553 Englands fall reioysed at 328 Enoch and Elias cumming 298 312 Epicurism in the papists 308 Epicurz carlesnes in God confuted 64 Epicurs confuted 502 Ephesus light of Asia 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 371 Equalitie of the citie heueÌ„ly 656 Errors of saints 571 Euerlastingnes of God 340 Euerlastingnes signified by grieÌ„nes 142 Eucharistia sacrifise how 237 Euil vsed vnto the good and profit of the elect 407 Euphrates riuer .270 dryed vp 492. Exarchat geueÌ„ to the Pope 435 Exarchat of Italie 431 Excommunicacion 306 Excommunication strongst link of the popish tyranny 307 Excommunicaion Popes thunderbolt 399 Exposicion of the scripturz best alowed 3 Eye salue 132 Eyes of Christ lyke fyer .578 see all thiÌ„gs perfytly .165.87 quik sighted 36. F Face of Christ shyning 285.286 Face of man sign 149 Faces of men for humanitie 261 Faith of Rome mark of the beast 424 Faith or promis keping .88 consisteth in the cause of ij meÌ„ 249 requireth fighting and victory 640. wher it appereth 626 is not without the word 219. necessary in troubles 385. is the badge of Gods children 422 441. affects therof 640 Faithfull only shal be saued 628. Falling down is wourshipping 168. 678. Fals prophet a tail 274. 351. Fals profets wels without water 483 Fals preachers figs vntymlye 208. locustz 254. 260 Fals teachers scorpions 256 Famin and penury 189 Father described 20. 21 Fear of God 448 Fear of God what is foundacioÌ„ therof 72 Fear of God of ij sorts 212 Fear of princes in a preacher is to be cast away 368 Fear that is to be auoyded 67. Fear in professing treuth oght to be banished 77 Fearfull 641 Felicitie chief to sie to God 671. Felicitie of this worlde no dew estimacion of religion 323 Feruencie in godlines is necessary 55 Few good at Sardis 107 Fiet of the Pope kist 521 Fiet lyk bras 87 Figs fals prechers 208 Fight against wyckednes lefull 119 Figurs vtilitie and profit 2 First and socond death 70 First fruits 444 Flattery figured in a tail 351 Flight from Rome 540 Fluds of sectes discencions c. 365 Foundacion of the church 652 Fountain lyuly is Christ 252 Forfathers damd or not 217 Forgetting of God 624 Forgiuenes of sinnes 23. wherby 247 Forgiuenes a whyt stoon 84 Forhed representeth the mynd 220 Fornication 60 Fornication what 506 Fornication simple sum take no sinne 102. â—03 Fornication of diuers kinds 280 Fote setting on figureth possessioÌ„ 286 Four sign many 214 Fourth number 149 Frailnes of mankynd to fall 678 Fraternities of saints 572 Frauncis Petratche of Rome 537 Frederik Barbaros Emperour trod vnder Popes fiet 416 Frechmen defend the Pope 432 Frie will 159. 247. 248. c. Frie willmen confuted in that Christ is the beginnyng of the creat c. 125 Frie iustification 639 Frienes of speach against Rome 506 Friely sign 639 Friers gray innumerable 255 Friers and Nuns 196 Frogs for papists 496 Furlong what it conteineth 655 Fyer sign Gods vengeaunse 467. c. Fyr figure of puritie 286 Fyr from heuen 399 Fyr sent into therth 238 Fyr out of preachers mouthes 317. c. G Garments keeping clean 498 Garments whyt wer 229 Garment to miet the Lorde in 565 GarmeÌ„ts pure or defyled 107 Garnishing of the church 510 Gats of the heuenly citie 651 Generall Bish Antichrists foor runner 388 Gentilz called to the kingdum of Christ 20 Gentils wildernes 364. 353 Gentilism broght in by the Pope 393 Gensericus inuadeth Rome 527 Germain princes coÌ„mended 413 Germains emperours 412 Glassie sea figur of the frail world and brittle 473 Glory belongeth to God how we shall giue it vnto him 24. 151 Glory of the saints 632. 633 Glori of the church of christ 648 Gnostici 59. heretikz 244 God one 180. authour of good 185. no author of sinne 531. no blok 342. faultes when we receyue him not 135. redy to receiue repentaunt sinners 134. by his nature can not be diffyned 141. is to be praysed why 562. c. is creator of all things 155. Gods properties 376. remembraÌ„se of sinne forgetfulnes 544. honor standith not in gold siluer 511. word shal not be stopt 331. worde weapon of preachers 317 Godhed of Christ 137 Godhed of Christ euery wher 34 Godlines must increase not stand at a stay 89 Godlye lyfe is necessary and hatred of papistry or Mahometry c. is not inough 277 Godly mens beginning 125 Godly men subiect to euill also why 192. 193. Godli are they that kiep not that hear or read only the commaundements of God 686 Godfrey of Bulloin 613 God and Magod 608. 610 Good intent 226 Good men louk Saintz Good wourks 89 Gold to honoure God wythall 510 Gold siluer and precious things in the temple is gentilitye 308 Gold tryed 130 Gospell is euerlastynge 447. is new doctryn 590. was preached thrugh the world a thousand yeres 589. 447. had euer sum folders 600. causeth no ill in the word 527. is no heresie 445. Gospels contentes 448. c. Gospell preaching shal be restored 297 Gothz burn Rome 526 Gouernanse of God 148 Grace of God is originall of all our goodnes 116. 117. is it that iustifyeth vs. 640. is compared to rain 319. is not giuen for any desert of man 248. comprehendith al gyftes of Christ 698. what it is 20 Grek tung called hereticall of the Papists 428 Griennes sign eternitie 142 Grudging at Gods gouernemeÌ„t rebuked 178 H Habergions hart inflexible 263 Heretyk Pope 604 Heretikes aungelicall 177. principall 268 Heresie how it oght to
otherwyse will we nyll we must die Let vs therfore bâ— content rather to die blessedly than to lyue miserably so thâ— we see we may so please God Finally lyke as in the ende of the first Epistle he commâ—nicated and applied the same wholy to all tymes and chuâ—ches All these thinges apperteine to al churches least any should suppose that these thinges concerneâ— him nothing So in the end of this Epistle also he both preâ—cheth the spirite to be authour of al these thinges and exhoâ—teth all men to heare and obey dilligently and affirmeth thiâ— to be wrytten vnto all congregations in the world for edifying Moreouer the promesse of lyfe he communicateth to 〈◊〉 saying He that ouercometh shall not be hurte of the second death This is spoken to all men women if thou ouercomâ— Therfore must we ouercome the world the Deuil the fleshâ— and all temptation And we must ouercome by him which faith by his spirite dwelling in vs And that we shold walâ— that way wherin he hath commauÌ„ded vs to walke If thoâ— ouercome The first secoÌ„d death thou shalt not be hurt in the second death Thâ—mas of Aquine saith That the first death is of sinne the secoÌ„â— of paine We vnderstand plainly by the first death the naâ—â—rall separation of the soule from the body whiche also coâ—meth to vs for sinne as appeareth in the .iii. of Genesis Thâ— same is comen to good and euyl For we be all earth and 〈◊〉 to earth we shall retourne And by and by followeth the â—â—cond death and the second lyfe They that beleue in Christ ouercome fele nothyng of the second death but lyue as tâ—â— Lorde hym selfe assureth vs in the .iii. and .v. Chapter of Iohâ— He shall not come into iudgement but hath passed froÌ„ deaâ—â— to lyfe But the wicked or vnbeleuers are conueyed streâ— wayes from the corporall death to death euerlasting Nâ—â— that their soules can die that is cease to be or that their bodâ— ryse not agayne But that being depriued of that celestâ— and diuine life of Christ they fele euerlasting tourmentâ— whiche state verely is ryghtly called death These thyng are vnknowen to worldly men which know no other life death but this temporal But Gods veritie teacheth vs thâ—ther is both an other life and death after this to witte the 〈◊〉 celestiall and death infernall or full of perpetuall sorrowes That same doubtles is full of consolation that we heare how the faithfull after the debt of this temporall lyfe payed once they shall no more fele any tourmentes What than doe the Monkes and freres prate of purgatory bables c. Let vs prayse our sauiour Christe whiche hath deliuered vs from death and geuen vs the hope of lyfe euerlasting to whome be glory prayse c. ¶ The first part of the third Epistle of the cuÌ„stancie and coÌ„fession of Christ in the tyme of persecutioÌ„ The .x. Sermon ANd to the messenger of the Congregation in Pergamos wryte This sayth he whiche hath the sharpe sworde with two edges I knowe thy workes and where thou dwellest euen where Sathans seate is and thou kepest my name and hast not denied my faith And that in the daies in the which Antipas was my faithfull witnes whiche was slayne among you where Sathan dwelleth The third Epistle amongest those seuen celestiall proceding from the right hand of God The argument of the Epistle is wrytten to the Pastour and congregation of Pergamos Wherof the argument is thus First he commendeth the constancie of their faithe in cruel persecutions By and by he rebuketh those which cleaâ—ed to the secte of the Nicolaitans After he exhorteth them â—o repentaunce And this doctrine he applieth afterwards to all congregations throughout the worlde Last he promyâ—eth moste ample rewardes to the faithfull the church of Pergamos a tâ—pe Hereof we vnâ—erstande that the congregation of Pergamos is set forth â—s a type or a glasse to all churches howe it behoueth them 〈◊〉 walke before the Lorde Firste so ofte as persecution shall arise Secondly when heresies breake out For by the example therof he teacheth all to suffer aduersitie paciently and opeÌ„ly to professe the true faith And also by the scripturâ— to reproue heresies in flying from them to dispise the same Thinges common to al these seueÌ„ epistles Howbeit all the Epistles in maner haue certen thinges coÌ„mon And that especially three For it expressed plainly tâ— whome the Epistle is sent as in this present to the messenger of the congregatioÌ„ of Pergamos to witte vnto the Pâ—stour whosoeuer he was perauenture Antipas and to the whole congregation as is sayd before It is shewed moreouer Of the authoritie of holy scripture who he is that speaketh here or who is the authour 〈◊〉 this Epistle Euen the Lord him selfe Which getteth authoritie to the writing For it is not thus to be thought that thâ— worde of God is not as it is spoken because it is wrytten 〈◊〉 man indited of man or written with inke either in paperâ— parchemyn For these make no more that the word of Goâ— should not be the worde of God than that water should nâ— be water if it runne out of a conduite of wood lead brasseâ— stone For water euermore remayneth water The diuersioâ— of the Conduite pypes maketh it not that it shoulde beeâ— water as his substaunce is in dede So sayth S. Paul thâ— he verely is bounden but the worde of God is not bound A man may be stoned hanged or burnt beyng a preacherâ— Gods worde The worde of God that was put in the moâ—â— of the Preacher is not burnt God knoweth al thinges The Lorde putteth it in tâ— mouth of an other that the veritie shuld not be extinguishâ— but continually might sounde in the churche Finally 〈◊〉 without cause in the beginning of euery Epistle Christ doâ— intimate that he knoweth all thinges of the churche I saâ— before that this is as it were the foundation of the feare 〈◊〉 God and of his true seruice For imagin a man that is pâ—â—swaded with him selfe that God neither seeth what men 〈◊〉 nor knoweth what they thinke in their hartes Shal not tâ— man thinke you fall into all vngodlines He will crye letâ— do what we liste synce God knoweth not what we doe â—gaiâ—e who wyll not cast of the hope of rewarde and thâ—sâ— of good workes after he be once perswaded that God kâ—â—weth not our workes But if he knewe them not howe 〈◊〉 he iudge the worlde Neuerthelesse in euery epistle be certen especial and peculiar thinges Of the which sorte in the epistle of Pergamos is Out of Christ his mouthe a two edged sworde that out of the first vision and description of Christ in the beginning of the epistle he taketh to him the swearde and that sharpe and two edged whiche we heard to come out of the mouthe of Christ By this is signified the iudiciall powerful of equitie and iustice and also
And firste of all the sunne a planet most bright not only waxeth darke but blacke also And immediatly is added an Image or a parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like an heery sacke which is wouen or made of heere 's or of bristels The sunne lighteth and geueth life to the worlde And thorowe Christ which is the life of the world we are illumined and quickened He casteth abroade from him the bright beames of the Euangelicall veritie And like as Christ is not darkened in him selfe so nother the veritie of the Gospell whiche of nature is with out pollution By reason of the blacke clowdes that ouer ride it the lighte of the Sunne waxeth black and is impeched and of the traditions of men and deprauing of the scripture arriseth darkenes and blackenes in matters of religion The Gospell of it selfe is bright and holeâ—ome Christ is lighte full redemption helth and life most perfit But when menne had rather seke of others doctrine life and saluation than of Christ and his holesome Gospell moste thicke and grosse darkenesse arrise in the mindes of those menne For there is establisshed an other doctrine rightuousenes intercession redemption saluation and life than that of Christ They that receyue that doctrine A sacke of heere seme to haue put on them a shirte of heere whiche pricketh burneth and vexeth continually For there is no reste quietnes securitie or spirituall pleasure and repaste of corrupte doctrine but only tediousenes Christ pure and sincerely receiued is to man a ioye vnspeakeable and a most bright and ioyefull light After is added that the whole moone not a parte only the moone is as bloud is become blouddy For an image is again annexed as bloud The moone receiueth light of the sunne is subiect to courses or chaunges whilest one while it increaseth an other while decreaseth and signifieth the church The church set vpon the rocke is not vnstable but by reason of the variable fortune is subiecte to moste diuerse chaunces For now the churche triumpheth streight wayes beyng oppressed she mourneth nowe she increaseth in nombre by and by she is diminished And the church is lighted of Christ But whilest the Sunne it selfe is darkened the moone can not chose but be most obscure Bloud Bloud in the scriptures betokeneth great wickednes chiefly Idolatry and false worshipping of God The Lord in the .17 of Leuit. sayeth that he will accompte straunge worshipping for bloud Therfore when faith and knowledge are darkened in Christes churche it can not be chosen but that bloud shal arrise in the vniuersal church that is to witte the corrupte worshipping of God which the Lorde estemeth as murther there must nedes innumerable sinnes and wickednes spring therof For the liuely doctrine of Christ beyng corrupted al thinges must of necessitie be most corrupte and swarme ful of superstitions and iniquities To these is added an other thinge whiche helpeth these thinges that are spoken starres fal from Heauen Starres fall from Heauen vnto the earth Daniel called starres preachers in the .12 chapt As also S. Peter .2 Peter .2 Therfore do the preachers of churches reuolte from the heauenly doctrine of Christ brought and reuealed from heauen and reducyng men to Heauen and keping them in heauenly conuersation And receyue earthly that is the doctrine of men By the which thing it commeth to passe that both the sunne is obscured and the moone is made blouddy Starres shine preachers should set forth to the whole world Christe the trewe light but this haue they neglected beynge addicte to their owne traditions To these is also added an Image The starres fel vpoÌ„ the yearth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the figge tree casteth of her figges beyng shaken of a vehemeÌ„t winde Here is signified the corruption of preachers and that a great numbre of them For the figge tree was made to bring forth swete fruictes so was the ministerie of the worde ordeined for the saluatioÌ„ of men Howbeit the figges did ripe Therfore they remayne grene or vntimely fruictes Wherby is signified that the preachers were not ripe in trewe knowledge of Christ and therfore to be shaken downe with euery winde of doctrine that bothe they haue admitted and set forth earthly things The plentie of false teachers is signified to come in that the vntimely figges fal downe in great plentie Of these thinges nowe followeth an other HeaueÌ„ vâ—nisheth awaye and Heauen went awaie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were fled out of mens sight and vanisshed awaye Agayne is added an Image or a similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a scrolle folden vp or rolled together Heauen in the Gospell signifieth many times the kingdome of God Therefore the kingdom windeth vp it selfe in earth and the church doeth as it were hide her selfe not that at the last there should be no church at al for the churche shal be alwayes vnto the worldes ende but for as much as in the ende of the world the church shal lie hidde neyther shal it be thought to be the trewe churche which is the trewe churche in dede The letters wordes are not wipte out of the boke but are not sene yea rather are hidde when it is rolled vp It is manifest at this daie what S. Iohn ment by this parable For al in a maner iudge that newe starte vp Romish church to be the trewe church which in very dede is not the church of Christ and the church which is the spouse of Christ is iudged to be heretical therfore is the church wrapped vp and as rolled together The Lord vnfolde preserue the same AmeÌ„ ¶ The effecte of corrupte doctrine is expounded and that the Aungels let that the winde blowe not The .xxxiiij. Sermon ANd al mountaines and Iles were moued out of their places And the Kinges of the earth and the great men and the riche men and the chiefe Captaynes and the mightie men and euery bondeman and euery free man hidde themselues in dennes and in rockes of the hilles and sayed to the hilles and rockes fal vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the seate and froÌ„ the wrath of the lambe for the great daie of his wrath is come And who can indure it Chapt. 7. And after this sawe I .iiii. Aungels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the Earth that the windes should not blowe on the earth nother on the See nor on any tree Hilles and Iles are moued out of their place Now followeth the effect of the corrupte doctrine in men And hilles and Ilondes are moued out of their place wherin is also a respecte had to the earthquake as though by the earthquake thei were remoued from their place And mountains and Iles do betoken realmes nations and people so stedfast in faith that as mouÌ„taines and Iles be immouable are not shaken with the stormes of the Sea so these might seme to
is restreined and the preaching of the Gospell obscured yet that the mindes of many shal so be furnisshed with gods worde and with godly inspiration which may so liue and be of such efficacitie in them that seducing can either haue no place in thē or if it haue any at al can not abide or perseuer to the ende There be also two other places of the scripture Howe the auncients in tymes past were Sealed testifiyng that signets were geuen to men wherwith they were sealed were exempte or deliuered from the present euil neyther be they repugnaūt to this our seale of the liuing god In Exod. 12. the postes or dore chekes of the Israelites were springled with the bloud of the lābe The signe of it selfe should haue preuailed nothing vnlesse the vertu of God instituting a cōsecrating the signe with his word had tourned away thaungel distroyer neither hath the signe waunted faith beyng vsed of the holy mē of god For the godly receiueth not the ordenaūces of god wtout faith Therfore the same power of Christ preserued the Israelites frō distructiō which now kepeth the faithful frō the infectiō of Antichrist Ezechiel .9 one sealeth the foreheades of that faithful hauing the tipe of a scribe priest Verely Christ hath at al times defended his And he sealeth by imprintyng or writing this marke or letter Tau That marke signifieth that is to say the Law or direction or Rule For in whom so euer is ingrauen the law of God the word of God euen the rule of faith in the very hart he is safe sure from al euil The auncients in olde time called the rule of faith direction the very articles of the christen faith I beleue in God c. Ye see therfore how al those signes come in dede all to one poincte For thei be safe and sure from euil whom the spirite of God hath inspired and illumined with faithe by the worde This much of the seale Who be sealed Now let vs also consider who they are that be sealed We reade in Ezechiel passe through the citie of Ierusalē marke Tau in the foreheades of mē mourning and lamenting for al thabominatiōs done in the middes therof And here it is saied til we seale the seruaūts of our God Therfore are the seruaūts of god and they that are sory for abominable wickednes are sealed The contemners of God hogs dogs are neglected It is shewed moreouer in what part of thē they be sealed In what part of them they be sealed In time paste the bloud of the lambe was annoincted on the dore postes In Ezechiel Tau is marked in their foreheades Here also is imprinted the seale of the liuing God in the forheades of the faithful And the forehead representeth a tipe of the minde the chiefest and most excellent parte in man The spirite and faith is put into the mindes of the faithful Neuerthelesse the marke is aptly fixed to the forehead not to the hinder part of the head backe or shoulders For they that be lighted with the worde spirite and haue faith do cōfesse the same dissemble nothing and much lesse are ashamed but desire that their glory that is their faith might be knowen of al men We cal most notable things written in our forhead that is most manifest things wherof we be not ashamed Examples of such as are sealed with the seal of the lyuing god Yf we now applie these things to such as were done in old time and now also at this daie they wil bring a great light to them There were founde good men faythfull and fearynge God mourning or sorrowing and seruauntes of God And there be foūde at this day also in the middes of Mahometrie and Papistrie which expressely condemne and haue cōdemned this kinde of life openly confessing that the same is not the trewe waye of life that there is no more wicked kinde of men liuyng than be their priestes that they would not committe themselues and their saluation to them but rather to cōsecrate themselues wholy to God his mercy And others whiche haue spent a great parte of their life of a good zeale doubtles but not accordyng to knowledge in those trifles and superstitions when they are comen to the ende of their life they dispise al together yea and freely professing the veritie they condemne al those trifles and committe thēselues wholy to the christian faith estemyng nothing more excellent or surer than the rule of fayth which also they couet to heare recited to them as a trewe confession die in the same Al these hath the mercy of God sealed with the seale of the liuing God and deliuereth from al spotte of Antichrist and sathan from corruption and distruction through Iesus Christ our Lord. But leest we should gather in euery age only here one and there one A great nūbre are saued euen in the kyngdome of Antichrist the lorde him selfe nowe maketh here a great accompte and firste of the Iewes by euery tribe he gathereth twelue thousande and after by multiplication an hondreth fourtie and foure thousande and of the gentiles a multitude innumerable Wherfore in euery time and age innumerable obteyne saluation how muche so euer errour seducyng and distruction reigne and rule in the world These thinges doe highly cōmende God his mercy and comfort vs excedingly And where certen gather herof that there shal be yet in this world before the iudgemēt a Saturnical or golden age wherin these thinges should be fulfilled and that all menne should come to the kingdome of God it alludeth ouer much to the grosse errour of the Millenaries which is already expulsed out of the churche of God These thinges were fulfilled in olde time and are at this daye and shal be fulfilled likewise so longe as the worlde shal indure The kingdome of Sathan and of Antichrist shall continewe alwayes to the last iudgemēt and shal stil impugne the kingdom of Christ and seme euen to oppresse the same much lesse ought they to promise vs so great securitie When the sonne of man shall come saieth the sonne of man him self in the Gospel thinke you shal he finde any fayth vpon earth And agayne it shal be as in the dayes of Noe and Loth the wordes of the gospel are knowē as be also those of the blessed Apostels Peter and Paule 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thess 4. By the waie is reasoned of the restoring of Israel But suche as like not this our exposition or minde vrge briefly that the promesses of the prophetes for the restoring of Israel are not yet fulfilled but that according to the veritie of the eternall God they muste be fulfilled They suppose therfore yea and contende also that thee must a certayne or prefixed time remaine wherin al these thinges may be accōplished Hereunto I aunswer plainely that we shal shamefully erre with Papias Iustine Ireney Tertull. and Lactance and with those that are called
Millenaries vnlesse we iudge here vprightly I beleue therfore that the same restoring wherof the Prophetes speake muste be diuided into three times that the first be so be called historicall which extendeth frō king Cyrus vnto great Pompey the which Ezras Nehemias and the Authour of the boke of the Machabeis describe and teache to be fulfilled The second to beginne at the comming of our Sauiour and procede vnto Antichrist and to his distroying which in dede the Apostles and Euangelistes haue moste diligently described and wherin they testifie many thinges to be accomplisshed And that the thirde time should beginne from the gospel restored and the last iudgment and continewe foreuermore whiche restitution verely semeth to be of al other most perfit complete wherin God wil geue vnto man most fully what things so euer he hath promised by the mouthes of the prophetes and Apostles Hereof hath S. Peter most manifestly made mention in the actes the .3 chapt saying it behoueth Christ to take heauen vntil the time of restoring of al things which god hath spoken by the mouth of al his sainctes frō the time of the prophetes And the Lord him selfe in the gospel speaking of the last iudgement sayed lifte vp your heades because your redemption draweth nere Or happely we may on this wise diuide this matter perauenture more plainely the restoring of Israel or of al faithful is verely either corporall or spiritual The corporal maye be called historicall and was perfourmed by Cyrus Zorobabel Iehosua Ezras Nehemias and the Machabeis And the spirituall is fulfilled or shal be yet accomplisshed by the cōming of our holesome Messias our lord Iesus Christ And the cōming of the lorde is of two sortes the firste in dede is in the flesh in the which we beleue many things the Apostles bearing witnes to haue ben fulfilled of Christe in the latter he shal come agayne from Heauen into iudgement In that comyng he shal most fully accomplisshe such thinges as we see as yet not perfourmed And doubtles al our hope is herunto referred and comforted by this comyng Those thinges that are spoken of the Apostle in the .11 to the Romains of the conuersion of the Iewes are fulfilled partly and partely are fulfilled dayly and as yet shal be fulfilled Now we retourne to the plenty of them that shal be saued and are already saued from the middes of the kingdome of Antichrist to be declared Many thousands of Iewes be saued S. Iohn diuideth the vniuersalitie of man kinde into Iewes and gentiles Of the Iewes are raccompted an hondreth and fourtie and foure thousande And after our iudgement of a thousand Iewes there semeth scarsely one or two to be saued but where by the testimony of our sauiour him selfe so great a numbre is saued there is lefte verely of this numbre certayne an infinite multitude of this stifnecked people to be gathered which shal be saued And they are not saued by the Lawe or by circumcision or by their damnable obstinacie but vp the grace of God in Christ their Messias the only redemer reuealed to them of God mercifully and of them receyued faithfully For if the thefe on the crosse mighte be saued nowe leauinge his lyfe what shal lette innumerable Iewes to be saued by the same meane neuerthelesse I will here determine no measure Neyther will I also by this meane make frustrate the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes Howbeit I know the thinges to be trewe that here are spoken the measure or maner is knowen to God neither is there any thing with him vnpossible And hereunto serueth the Apostles doctrine in the .11 to the Romains You wil saye If the ende be good al is good this doctrine wil make men to neglect their owne Saluacion where already nowe there are that saye if the ende be well then is all well As though they shoulde haue sayed how soeuer thou liuest in this world drowned in pleasures and bloud and geuen to gloutonny beleue only at the last ende of thy life and thou shalt be saued Doubtles I am not ignoraunt that there be many vncleane hogges and filthie swine abusing the worde of the veritie and consolation of the Gospell but shal the abuse of prophane men take awaye the veritie from vs The childrē of God which know that there is none other propiciation or satisfactiō for sinnes but the oblation of Christ cease not therfore to renewe their life dayly by repentaunce The godly abuse not gods mercy to the libertie of sinnynge Thus although the godly doubte nothing but that innumerable at the last ende of their life are conuerted and saued of the Lorde yet do they not abuse this mercy of God to the libertie of the flesh but are affraied For ther be other places diuerse which reteyne them in order and duety For the lord sayeth thou arte made hole go and sinne no more leest some worse thing happen to thee Item let vs do good whilest we haue time the time will come when we can not worke The parable of ten virgins declareth vnto vs the same Also if the iuste shall vnneth be saued where shal the sinner and wicked appere moreouer tempte not the Lord thy God And innumerable others of like sorte And when the Sainctes shall haue all their life time demeaned themselues blamelesse in the rightuousenes of God yet in the laste time of theyr life thei trust not to the same but to God his mere mercy through Christ They remember alwayes howe greuousely he was rebuked in the Gospel first in dede he that inuied the good lucke of him that laboured with him in the vineyarde for that he had receyued so muche wages coming into the vineyarde about the laste houre of the daye as he had receyued that had laboured al daie long and agayne the thriftie sonne for that he was sory that his wastefull and prodigall brother was receyued agayne of his father a feeste also made him and for him that was alwaies obedient and toke paynes cōtinually no such thing was prepared Innumerable people of al parts of the world are saued But the gentiles he contriueth not into any certen numbre but saieth how he sawe a great multitude which no man could tel no more thā they coulde the starres sande herbes or grasse how many they were in nūbre He signifieth therfore that in al the worlde at al times innumerable are saued by Christe neuerthelesse leeste any man should thinke that it should preuaile or hinder him to saluation to be borne of this or that nation tribe or tonge S. Iohn addeth incontinently of al tribes people and tonges to be ordeyned to saluation indifferently Therfore this difference hindereth saluation nothing but are founde in Inde Aethiopia Barbaria and in the furthest parte of Libia in Scythia Tartaria and in the vttermost endes of the worlde whiche are saued by the grace of Christ And because it hath much doubtfulnes to reason of things
corrupte doctrine of heresies or sectes and troubles euer sins the time of S. Iohn vnto the last iudgemēt It is extended through out the .8.9.10.11 chapt A consolation euen euāgelical Neuerthelesse before the trompettes come forth for a consolation as it were by a little digression is placed a remedy which the faithful in al ages may vse in that pestiferouse corruption to kepe safe their soules the integritie of the same For many times in this boke are broughte in moste strong consolatiōs in maters of most difficultie For al the .10 chap. shall serue also to this Argument And the remedy that he sheweth is this that we muste flee vnto Christe redemer of of mankynde intercessour propiciatour And that we shall be safe vnder his defence that we muste offer vp to him our prayers continually And verely the Lord in the Gospel reasoninge of the greatest daungers of the Deuill prepared for the company of Apostles and beyng at hand Yet addeth he by and by that whiche mighte comforte their sorrowfull mindes I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth should not faile c. Beholde we are saued in greatest distresse thorow Christes protection that we should not fainte in fayth Howbeit as euery where the Euangelicall and Apostolicall letters do intimate our continual prayers which we offer to God through Christ must be ioyned to our truste in Christ And in fewe wordes the intercession of Christ at the righte hande of God and effecte and maner of the prayer of the faithfull are here set forth to beholde But we shal declare euery thing in order He spake in general vnder the .vi. seale of corrupt doctrine in the seuenth he wil declare the same particularly and most aboūdantly And whileste the seuenth seale was opened there was silence in heauen almost halfe an howre Of this silēce the expositours write diuersely But as I thinke the hearers are excited by this silence to a diligent and attentiue hearyng For silence hath an admiration and an expectation of matters moste weightie Salomon sayeth in the .9 of Ecclesiast the wordes of wise menne are hearde in silence When weightie matters should be proclaymed and set forth the crier is woonte to proclayme silence And in dede they be matters of great importaunce that followe which vnlesse we obserue with great attentiuenes we shal perish in sectes and seductions Those spirituall wickednesses be more daungerouse than corporall perilles And nowe whilest in silence they loke for with an admiraration what should come the last seale beyng opened behold there appere seuen Aungelles trompetters of these we shall speake afterwarde Nowe is placed set forth a remedy to be taken in so great euils as I sayed The whiche A remedie agaynst all kinde of sectes trōperies and troubles to the intent it might be more liuely and maye be printed more depely in our brestes is set forth to be sene with a moste godly vision Before the seate and in the compasse almoste of the seate appereth a golden Aultar And there came an Aungell and standeth at this Aultar the same hath in his hande a golden censer into this the Sainctes put their offeringes He offereth thē before the seate and the smoke of the odoures ascendeth vp from the hande of the Aungel before God Christe is the golden Aultar We sayed in an other place that the golden Aultar of incense was the Lord Christ him selfe whiche is bothe Aultar and sacrifice and priest as S. Paule witnesseth to the Hebre. The same is called an Aungell to witte the same of whome both Esaye maket mention in the .9 Malach. 3. Chapt. and also Malachie saying beholde I sende mine Aungel which shal prepare the waye before me and sodenly the Lorde shall come vnto his temple whom you seke for and the Aungel of the couenaūt whō you desire beholde he cometh saieth the lord of hostes The fourmer Aungell that is to saye messenger or Ambassadour was Iohn Baptiste whiche prepared the waye for the Lord. Marke 1. He to witte the later Aungel came immediately after the preachyng of Iohn and made complete that euerlasting couenaunt The same nowe appereth on the right hande of God in Heauen what christ doeth at the righthand of the father And two thinges of him are vttered Firste that he stode before or in or vpon the Aultar We may here Imagine nothing corporally but we must thincke that by this maner of speakyng is signified the priesthood of Christ He appereth alwayes in the sighte of his father for vs As S. Paull hath taught the .8 to the Romains and .9 Chapter to the Hebrewes He pleadeth therfore the cause of his church before God and is aduocate for the faithfull The same morouer standeth before the Aultar the same standeth in the middes of the seate For he is coequall with the father after his deitie after the which he standeth in the seate and after his humanitie is of the same substaunce with vs according to the which dispensation he is red as Bishop and very man to stande before the Aultar The latter which is to be obserued is this that christ holdeth in his hande a golden censer For he hath taken our very nature without sinne that he might make intercession for vs and offer vp our prayers to God the father Christ offeceth vp our prayers And leeste any man should doubte that he receyueth our prayers and offereth them to God finally that the true office of the Church might also appere offeryng vp al thinges by Christe there is added to him are geuen many odours But to what ende that he might geue them vpō the golden Aultar and that before the seate as though you should saye that he might bring them into the sight of God And because of a further declaration leeste we should not know the trewe odours whiche please God and whiche the faithful offer vnto God through Christ The trewe odoures be the praiers of saintes ones or twise he addeth that those odoures be the prayers of Sainctes And he meaneth by Sainctes not those that dwel in heauen but vs in the earth which are sanctified with the spirit of our God with the bloud of Christ baptisme faith and worde Iohn .13 Philip. 4. And the prayers be inuocatiōs and geuyng of thankes And he saieth expressely of al Sainctes leest any should feare that he and his prayers offered by Christ were excluded Yf thou beleue thou arte holy and thy prayer is of God accepted What the prayers of Sainctes be it appereth in the Lordes prayer which we offer vp to the father in the name words of Christ hallowed be thy name thy kyngedome come and the residewe which all fight with those sectes and corruptiōs of trewe doctrine Ireneus alledgeth this place in the .31 and .32 chapt of the .4 booke And by this meane he calleth Eucharistia whiche is geuing of thankes the sacrifice of Christians For the mainteyners of papistrie do
these thinges for a declaration only but for confirmation also For by the oracles of the prophetes the faithful are comforted whose oracles sins they haue neuer failed in any thing nother shall they in the ende disceyue in such things as they had prophecied concernyng the last iudgement And againe we see how great is thautoritie of the auncient scripture and that the vse of it is excellēt in the church euangelicall wherin we see both Christ and his Apostles to confirme all theyr saiynges with prophetical scriptures and also to illumine set forth and declare or demonstrate The testimonies of the prophetes concernyng the last iudgement of the rewarde and punnishmēt of the godly and vngodly of the abolishyng of Antichrist of death and of al corruption are in the .110 Psalme in the .24.26.27 and .46 also in the .7.11 and .12 of Daniel in the .14 of Zacharie .3 and .4 of Malachie and also els where Thapostle hath cited Osee .1 Corinth 15. Therfore let vs lift vp our heades bretherne let vs watch and pray for because our redemption draweth nere Deliuer vs Christ from al euil Amen ¶ S. Iohn deuoureth the booke receyued at the Aungelles hande and prophecieth agayne to the gentiles nations and Kinges The .xlv. Sermon ANd the voice which I hearde frō Heauen spake vnto me agayne and sayed goe and take the little boke which is open in the hande of the Angel which standeth vpō the sea and vpon the earth and I wente vnto the Angel and saied vnto him geue me the litle boke And he sayed vnto me take it and eate it vp it shal make thy bealy bitter but it shal be in thy mouth as swete as hony And I toke the little boke out of the hande of the angel did eate it vp it was in my mouth as swete as hony as sone as I had eaten it my bealy was bitter And he sayed vnto me thou must prophecie againe vnto the heithē and tongues people and to many Kinges This is the .iii. comfort which in this .x. chap. is cōteined The apostolical doctrine is restored against Antichrist For vnder the persone of S. Iohn is shewed here that thapostolical euangelicall doctrine must be restored in the laste times before the iudgemēt against Antichrist Mahomet And he might briefly haue sayed The apostolital doctrine as it was preached of Iohn shal florish again but he had rather expresse the same by a goodly vision at the last to adde a plaine briefe expositiō of the visiō Which is thou must preach againe c. And those things al expositour do expoūde agreably Iohn preacheth agayne first in dede of the persone of Iohn which vnder the Emperour Nerua retourned into Asia from exile by the space of fiue yeres or ther about againe preached the gospel For he liued til the .3 or .4 yere of the reigne of themperour Traiane Secondly of al preachers before the laste iudgement indewed with the spirite and doctrine of S. Iohn and constantly professing Christ against Antichrist Primasius expounding this place the certaine meaning saieth he is directed to S. Iohn whiche must yet beyng deliuered from exile not only bring this reuelation to the knowledge of Christes church but also preach more depely the Gospell to people and nations to tongues and many kinges notwithstanding no man doubteth but that this voice agreeth also to the whole Churche which neuer ought to cease from preachyng c. Thus saieth he The ordinary glose expoundeth these wordes although this be vnderstande of the very person of S. Iohn yet euen herein is vnderstāde that the lord wil haue his church likewise instructed and taught by other preachers also This apperteineth to the consolatiō of the faithful which shal liue in the dayes of Antichrist the residewe Thomas of Aquine also In S. Iohn him self sayeth he other preachers are vnderstande whome the lord in the time of Antichrist will haue to preache instauntly to great small So much sayeth Thomas Before the iudgement cōmeth Enoch agaīst Antichrist Aretas Bisshop of Cesaria an expositour of this boke reciteth of this place of S. Iohn that the opinion of the cōmon people was that S. Iohn with Enoch and Elie shuld come againe into the world before the iudgemēt to wit corporally ernestly and constantly to preache against Antichrist The self same doeth Aretas repete with a more plentiful expositiō where in the .11 chapt He expoundeth the wordes of Iohn concernyng the two witnesses c. Certes where in the .44 of Ecclesi it is writtē that Enoch was trāslated that he might teache the heythen many haue expounded it as though he should corporally retourne that he might teach the gentiles against Antichrist where by the very translation made in times past he teacheth rather the gentiles that there is an other life prepared for the seruaūtes of God that the same is also dewe for the bodies sins that Enoch was translated both in body soule against the opiniō of Epicure and the madde world supposing none other life to remaine after this that the bodies do putrefie and neuer to rise agayne This Enoch semeth to come spiritually to that laste age for that the lorde him self prophecied that a like thing should come vnto it as chaunced before the deluge or flud of Noe. For like as many than beyng carelesse contemned the iudgementes of God nother feared they any perill or hoped for any better life so cometh it to passe also in the last age in the which Enoch constantly preacheth by them which establissh and maineteyne eternall life and the resurrection of bodies agaynst the Epicures Before the iudgement cōmeth Helias agaīst Antichrist Helias in the mounte Thabor appered in glory with our sauiour Christ vnto three chosen Apostles neyther is it to be thought that about the ende of the world he must be thruste out of the heauenly palace and agayne be subiecte to corruption and obiected to the cruell handes of Antichristians which might teare him in peces For like as in the time of our sauiour Christ Helias in vertu and spirite I meane S. Iohn baptiste went before Christ the Lord so also before the iudgement Helias shal preache in them againe which indued with the spirite and vertue of Helias shal cal awaye the mindes of al men from the worshippyng of creatures to the adoration of the eternal and only God Helias cried out howe longe do ye halte one bothe sides yf the Lord be God followe him yf Baal be God followe him And nowe shal the Helianes crie 3. of Kings 18. yf Christ be the perfection of the faythful what nede is there of mans inuentions and constitutions to worke a perfectiō Yf Christ be our iustification satisfaction purificatiō our only mediatour and redemer wherfore are these thinges attributed to mans merites whie are sainctes accōpted intercessours in heauen whie is saluation ascribed to many other stinking things
vnderstand that is to saye al that same time that is rekened frō the fatall yeres .666 wherof is mentioned in the .13 chapt of thapocalipse vntil the last iudgemēt And whie I do expounde a certen time by an vncerten these be the causes First for asmuch as the same nombre of monethes is put here in the .13 chapt And is ascribed to the olde Romane Empire verely that in their tribulations the Sainctes might vnderstand comfort themselues that there is an ende appoincted to their tirāny which is knowen of God and that the Sainctes should no more be sorrowful than if they should be cōstreyned to abide their tiranny a fewe monethes only Otherwise if ye should accompte from the firste yere of Iulius Cesar and bring the course of time vntil that yere wherin Odacer at Rome al emperours of the weste beyng takē awaye was acknowledged for King you shal not finde only three yeres and an half but about fiue hondreth and .xvii. yeres Yf you shal bring the accompte from Iulius to the empire taken awaye and geuen to the pope you shal finde about .767 yeres The later cause for that Daniel the Lorde Christe and the Apostle S. Paule agreablely do saye that the persecution of Antichrist should last vnto the iudgemēt But who shal rekē vnto vs the yeres and dayes of the last iudgement And therefore must the nōbre certayne be expounded by the vncerten and must thinke that al thinges are nombred prefixed in the counsel of god which neuer neglecteth his faithfull To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ Of the two prophetes fightyng manfully agaynst Antichrist and of their power The .xlvij. Sermon ANd I will geue power to my two witnesses thei shal prophecie a M. cc. and .lx. daies cloted in sacke cloth These are two oliue trees two cādelstickes stādyng before the God of the Earth And if any man wil hurt them fire shal come forth of their mouth deuour their enemies And if any man will hurt thē this wise must he be killed these haue power to shut heauē that it raigne not in the dayes of their propheciyng and haue power ouer waters to tourne them to bloud and to smite the earth with al maner plagues as oftē as they will These thinges apperteyne also to the consolation of the faithful Prophetes are promised For the lord promiseth that he wil sende prophetes that is preachers whiche shall mayneteyne and defende the veritie of the Gospel and glory of Christ assayle Antichrist and distroye his kingdome and auaunce the saluation of the faythfull In the fourmer chapt 8. and .9 was described the fight of Antichrist and heretikes agaynst God his Christ and against his church now at fewe wordes is set agaynst the same the cōtrary fight the army of Christ is munstred Two prophetes And he bringeth forth two Prophetes that is preachers not for that there shal be two only but for that he wil so signifie that the power of Christ in the worlde should be and seme to worldly men small as I shal tel you anone in the meane time he vnderstandeth al faithful preachers and pastours of al times whiche offer themselues to resiste Antichrist and heretikes There be that expounde these thinges of Enoch and Helie which shal come corporally before the iudgemēt Howbeit S. Hierome in the epistle to Marcella doeth referre that opinion to Iewish fables signifiyng that these thinges must de spiritually expounded of those prophetes as are also the most things of this boke And in maner al expositours with great concorde doe interprete all these thinges of these Prophetes spiritually and not corporally after the lettre I suppose that for two causes there be two Prophetes only here rehersed First for that he would allude to the olde Historie or prophecie of Zacharie which is in the .4 chapt It was thought than also to the people of Israel retourned from Babylon that the reparyng of the Tēple was vnpossible for that they had many and mightie aduersaries and they were weake and fewe and their gouernours Zorobabel and Iehosua contemned but through the mightie hande of God and his faithful ayde it came to passe that the power of their aduersaries vanisshed awaye as vayne and they indespite of hell gates buylded vp their Temple right so the Lorde sayeth it shal be in that later age that the ministers most contēptuous and very fewe in nombre shal buylde vp Christ his temple and repare it shake the most mighty power of Antichrist Herunto I suppose belongeth that saiyng of Daniel and when they shal fal they were holpen with smal ayde c. Secondely for this cause chiefly he accompteth only two witnesses for that it is red written in the Lawe in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery worde shal stande It is iudged therfore a full testimony whiche shall be confirmed with the agreable declaration of two Where therfore the lord sayeth that he wil geue two Prophetes it is asmuch to saye as that he wil geue so many ministers as shal suffice which shal both builde vp his church and also plucke downe and rēt a sonder the kingdome of Antichrist There be of the expositours which thinke that by two witnesses are vnderstande two testamētes Howbeit we see that the Lord speaketh here of witnesses not of the thing testified or to be witnessed which neuerthelesse we separate not from the witnesses The Apostles and Apostolicall men are called witnesses euery where in the Gospel and in the .1 Who be witnesses chapt of the Actes of Apostles Witnesses are ordeyned in iudgement that they should faithfully vtter that whiche they haue sene or hearde that they should forge nothing of themselues to the things that should be testified should nother adde or put any thing nor take awaye any thing So likewise are placed of God in the church of God the witnesses of God that is to saye ministers and of them is required that they Imagine nothing of their owne braine nother put to nor take away any thing from Gods worde but simply declare to the church of God the thinges they haue sene in the story of the Gospell and hearde of the prophetes and Apostles Therfore are thei false witnesses nother worthie to be called the witnesses of God and of Christ which bryng not the Gospell They be rather the Popes witnesses whose decrees decretalles they bring forth and beare witnes of them to the folish people Therefore shal those two prophetes be witnesses of Christ and shal bryng witnes for Christ out of the most trewe Scriptures And the beginnyng of them is here referred to God and to his Christ as the original of Antichrist is reduced to the deuil him self The original of prophetes I wil geue sayeth the lord to my two witnesses and they shal prophecie Christ sendeth preachers geueth to them also that they can preach The which is a wonderful comforte For like as
to these wordes of Zachary The eyes of the Lorde loke ouer the whole earth And these be the two childrē of oyle which stande before the gouernoure of the whole earth And these thinges comforte exceadingly the faythful preachers which se that god hath a care of them I meane God the Lord of al. Agayne they be nother Olyues nor candlestickes shewing the light of the Gospel so many as of Antichristes parte esteme dregges and doung of men in the place of the oyle of the holy ghost and power them also into the candle nother shewe they any lighte but darkenes and opinions of moste corrupte men Against these S. Iohn reasoning these things haue I written to you sayth he of these which disceiue you And the vnction which you haue receyued of him abydeth in you and you haue no nede that any man shuld teach you but lyke as the very vnction teacheth you of al thinges so is it trewe and no leasinge Nowe are also the weapons of these preachers descrybed The armure of the prophetes wherewith they may defend their cause and fyght againste their enemies Yf any man will hurte them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fyre esseweth out of their mouthe and deuoureth their ennemies And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with a pretensed mallice and against iustice to hurt or to iniurie and first he sayed to hurt Yf any therfore of the champions of Antichrist shall assayle those preachers and shall blame their doctrine and ministerie streight waies shal they bring forth of the holy scriptures Gods worde so shal represse and ouercome their enemies For that these thinges maye not be expounded after the letter that same chiefly proueth that by and by we shall heare that those prophetes shal be vaunquisshed and put to death of Antichrist to witte corporally Who than can not gather herof that the victory of preachers is spiritual that their aduersaries vanquisshed of the veritie may liue in dede bodily but through the vertue of the veritie they maye seme to be ghostly slaine Fire goeth out of the Prophetes mouthes And therefore as it were by an interpretation is added and if any wil iniurie thē so must he be slayne So I saye by fire verely whiche goeth out of their mouth And who will saye that materiall and naturall fire should come forth of a mans mouth And S. Paul also expounding these thinges taking the maner of speaking of Esaye reasoning of Christ of Antichrist whome he shal kill sayeth he with the breath of his mouth Beholde S. Paule calleth it the breath of the mouth whiche S. Iohn named fire We reade also in the .xxiii. chapt of Ieremie is not my worde as fire and as a mallet breaking the rocke And againe in the .5 chapt In as muche as you speake this worde beholde I will make my wordes in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall consume thē Of Helias we reade in the .4 of Kinges .1 chapt that callyng downe fire from heauen he bodily burnte the kinges seruaūtes Which example where the disciples Iames and Iohn alledged the lord forbadde them that he might admonish them of their function to witte that they muste fight with long suffering and with the word of the veritie Which thapostle in an other place cōmaundeth expressely to wit in the .2 Timoth. 2. Wherby we are plainely taught that Antichrist must not be vanquisshed with corporal weapōs by th◠ministers but with spiritual For he must be slaine with the gospel with that most sharpe sword fal downe and die in the brestes of men that he may be vtterly contemned knowen to be Antichrist And where many cōfounde the ministerie of the word the power of the magistrate for the same cause take the sworde out of his handes cōmaunding that in this case he may not strike heretikes and blasphemers affirming that they ought not otherwise to be punnisshed than by the word let them learne to discerne better betwixt offices not to geue that libertie to blasphemers to all maner of seducers to such as hauing ben a thousand times cōuicte of heresie cease not to infect innumerable bring them into perditiō vnlesse they be straitely pūnisshed by the magistrate Let euery one therfore applie their owne office herein follow the rule of veritie and equitie than shal thinges be in better order They haue power to shut heauē Furthermore he addeth more expresse things concerning their power ministerie euen herein alluding also to sondry tipes of the scripture For first he sayeth they haue power to shut heauen that it rayne not in the dayes of their propheciyng And he alluded to the story of Helias which is red in the 3. of Kinges the .17 chap. And they must be spiritually applied to this our busines For like as Helias through the power of God did prohibite that it shuld not raine so shal the preachers of the gospel frō the disobedient or such as wil not heare the word but had rather be seduced with popish abominations shut vp heauen it self that is shall assuredly testifie that it is shut of God for asmuch as through Christ alone as the only gate that waie is opened vnto heauē whom they not withstanding do contēne shal tel thē also sharpely that the grace of God is denied thē which is only graūted by Christ For the prophetes are authours that raine doeth signifie the grace of god fruictful watering sent downe frō heauen Therfore al the time of their prophecie thei shal cōstātly testifie that thei are through their greatest deserte their own faulte depriued of that celestiall grace light life so many as had rather haue the Popes dragges than the true bread from heauē And againe we vnderstād that thei haue power geuen thē to open heauē to the beleuers Wherof here is now no place to speake For the things are more manifest which are writtē in the gospel cōcerning the keies of the kingdom of heauē herunto chiefly belōg than that I shuld nowe rehearse thē sins I haue both at other times before also in this same boke spokē of them at large Secondly he alludeth to the story of Moses sayeth thei tourne waters into bloud that power is geuē to these prophets to tourne waters into blod which discordeth nothing with the fourmer mēbre For the water of godly wisedome is a figure of the grace and reliefe of the spirite Bloud betokeneth offence and punnisshment For that sentence of the lawe and of thapostle is wel knowē your bloud be vpō your owne head Therfore shal these prophetes testifie that God hath verely sent his worde of saluatiō to saue al beleuers but that this shal be to the vnbeleuers through their owne faulte vnto condemnatiō For they that heare the preachyng of Gods word and beleue it not heare it to their owne condēnatiō And so is the gospel at this daie preached to many
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
disturbers sediciouse iniuriouse against God his saintes and agaynst al men Therfore they wisshe with all theyr hartes to be eased of this burthen The Lorde Iesus forgeue them this sinne ¶ The enterprises of Antichrist in wedyng out the preachers to be vayne howe great shall be the rewardes of Preachers and of the punnisshement of the wicked The .xlix. Sermon ANd after three daies and an halfe the spirite of life frō God entred into them And they stode vpon their fete and greate feare came vpon them that sawe them And they hearde a great voice from heauē saiyng vnto them come vp hither And they ascended vp into heauē in a clowde and their enemies sawe them And the same houre was there a great Earthquake the tenth parte of the citie fell and in the Earthquake were slayne names of mē seuen thousand and the remnaūt were feared and gaue glory to God of Heauen Hitherto hath he spoken of the wicked ioyes and gladnes of Antichrist and the vngodly men of the last age The ioyes of the wicked not to be long conceiued of the slaughter of the holy prophetes of god They wil thinke how they shal reigne for euer in those their errours superstitions and pleasures and suppose by theyr murtherynge to haue put to silence the preachyng of the gospel to them most displeasaunt But consequently the Lord sheweth that their hope is most vaine their attemptes to be frustrate and their ioyes shorte yea and quickely to be tourned into mourning miserie For first he declareth that the prophecie or preachyng shal be repared of God by newe prophetes and that to the greatest griefe and terrour of the Antichristians whiche loked for no such thing After he sheweth howe great rewardes are prepared and geuē to the preachers oppressed in this world and intreated with greate vilanie Finally he signifieth that the wicked shall not liue in continuall pleasure but that God will disturbe their ioyes bringyng miserie vpon them euen in this world Which although he beginne at the laste in this world to punnishe in an other worlde will more aboundantly augmente their tourmentes euerlastyng And all these thinges shall nede no greate exposition so that we marke dilligently what thinges haue ben done a fewe ages past and what be done also at this daye And al these thinges apperteyne to the consolation and comforte of Sainctes The prophecie shal be oft restored which semed extinguisshed First that the free preachyng of Gods word agaynst Antichrist shal be restored whiche semed to him selfe to haue ouercomen and oppressed all prophecie he declareth by these wordes and after three dayes and an halfe the spirite of life from God entred into them He signifieth by that nombre of dayes as I tolde you before a very shorte time as though he shoulde saye they shall not longe in ioye their false and blouddy pleasures For God shal reyse vp other Prophetes in the place of those that are dead And he speaketh as though God should reyse vp the selfe same prophetes whiche Antichrist had slayne and that he would obiecte them agayne to the wicked in their owne bodies Howbeit they shal be reised agayne in their bodies at the laste daye but nowe shall other preachers succede in the place of those that reste vnto whom God shall geue that spirite of his which he had geuen to the others that are dead Therefore he calleth this the spirite of life for as much as those which were slaine for the same doctrine seme as it were to haue liued agayne Verely for lickenes of doctrine Iohn Baptiste Helias and the prophet Ieremie semed to haue ben reuiued in Christ as is red in the .14 and .16 of Matth. And here is expressely saied that the same spirite did not procede of the Deuill or of men as it is sayed at this daye of many but of God For he with his spirite which is one inspireth his ministers and directeth the same by his worde that the latter wholy aunswer to the fourmer in doctrine and seuere rebukyng of sinnes c. For the liuely effecte of that spirite followeth and they stode vpon their fete that is to saye they liued againe Their doctrine semed ouerthrowen and troden vnder fote but Gods worde standeth agayne vpon his fete and runneth moste swiftely We saye in Dutche of suche as be restored to expounde the effecte that same also appertayneth that the Antichristians seyng other preachers succede in the roume of thē that were slaine beyng stricken with feare knowe not whether to tourne them By the waye therefore is signified that the course of the worde shall be fortunate and the whiche these menne can not stoppe by any meanes howe so euer they rage and murther All these thinges shall be better vnderstande by the Histories of later times and of suche thinges as are done yet at this daye And to the intente that omittyng the eldeste thinges I maye touche those of latter time the Bisshoppes of Rome had thought they had wonne the fielde in the counsell of Constaunce when they had burned Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prage but within a shorte time after many godly and wel learned men sprange vp in Boheme and in other cuntries in whom those slayne appered to haue takē againe the spirite of life In Italy Laurence Valla taught to his greate prayse and also Hieronimus Sauanorela c. In Germany taught many godly men as in Fraunce also in Englande and other nations Thirtie yeres paste through the grace of God was brought a light into the world by Mirandula Reuchline Erasmus Luther Zwinglius Oecolāpadius Melanchthon and innumerable others in whom the spirite of life vttering it selfe after euery mans talente set forth the Scriptures detected the Romisshe wickednes and rebuked the vices of all states but especially of the clergie The Romish are affrayde of this spirite and fill the eares of themperour kinges with complainctes and accusations crie out that we should all with our bokes be distroyed burned Howebeit the power of God neuerthelesse maketh the prophetes to stāde on their fete and their preachyng to runne a pase howe so euer these rage in their furie persecute gods veritie preached through out the whole world To God be the prayse and glory In this cōsolatiō are mixed also rewardes prepared for the faithful ministers Great rewardes prepared for the godly ministers whō the Antichristians slaiyng do first excōmunicate that they maye sende them as it were boūden might as it were addicte thē to Deuils of thē to be tourmented with euerlastyng punnishmentes And hitherto haue all preachers bē thought which haue spokē agaynst the church of Rome haue suffered therfore at the Popes hāde to haue perisshed both body and soule their bodies I saye consumed with fire and their soules throwē downe into hell For they were condemned as heretikes and enemies of God and the church and euen as the plagues of mankinde so taken
sayeth he whome I trauell for agayne till Christ be shaped in vs. The Churche therefore trauayleth and bringeth forth after two sortes bodily whilest she ernestely coueteth with out paine that christ mighte be borne of the virgin and ghostly by fayth and regeneration whilest she desireth to be made conformable to Christ in her membres This therefore is the nature and disposition of this woman that with a gready desire imbracing the incarnation of Christe and redemption she would fayne haue it knowen to many and that many times she wissheth to be regenerated and reformed after the Image of Christ The description of the church This is verely a goodly descriptiō of the church Herunto compare them which at this daye set forth themselues with the title and pretence of the church and iudge how wel they agree with this description But this trewe church of Christ is brought in daunger and battell Let vs heare now in the secōd place the discription of the deuil vnder the shape of a Dragon as it wer on the cōtrary parte what maner one is the aduersarie or ennemie of the church to witte that oulde serpent which was a lyer and a murtherer from the begynnynge the onely authour of all euyll of all mischiefe of all errours of all iniquitie murther and disquietnesse and moste vngraciouse Deuyll whome afterwarde he calleth Sathan seducer of the worlde and decketh him wyth other tytles mete for such a maiestie This is the Dragon and that the greate Dragon The great Dragon to witte of great power through oute the worlde in his membres And a Dragon for bycause in oulde tyme he toke vpon him the shape of a serpente and disceaued our parentes Of Dragons Plinie and other authours wryte many thinges The Scripture in some places Esay 27. calleth the Deuyll a wrythen Serpent For he is wonderfull subtyl and can turne himselfe in to fouldes infinite that he maie disceaue and kepe the disceaued in erroure He is red For he is full of fyer Red. and bloud of sainctes and of innocentes A right bloud hounde the parent and patron of al persecutours and bloudie souldiours In him sticke yet the spottes of the bloud of Abell He smelleth yet of the shedding of the bloud of the Prophetes and Apostles The same hath seuen heades Seuen heades ten hornes vppon euery one of these is sene a crowne royal He hath also ten hornes For the Deuyl is called the Prince of this worlde and hath in very dede ben gouernour of the wicked rulers of al ages and ring leader of all hornes and blouddy realmes He was therfore the head of Ninus the King and and prince of Pharao chief captaine of Balthazer King of Babilon of Cambyses also the Persian of Antiochus the Macedonian of Iulius Caeser the Romane and likewyse of all other tyrauntes The Prophet Esaie called a false prophet tayle Tayle by reason of his soothing and flatterring wordes for that with his mealy mouth and swete words he crepeth in fauour with great men Therfore with flattering and deceaueable wordes and lyeng promesses wherewith as in times past he promiseth his worshippers godly thinges he perswadeth to al wickednes starres that is to say preachers notable men whom taken from heauenly things he casteth vnto earthly things that hauyng forgoten celestiall matters and their holy office and duetie they maye cleaue nowe vnto earthly thinges beyng wrapped in the earthly foldes of the Deuilles taile And thus in dede he shal corrupte not a fewe For he putteth the thirde parte of starres for a great nombre of notable menne whose ministerie he vseth agaynst the church Hereof there be many and that notable exāples of al times in al histories The Dragons enterprise agaīst the church And after he hath described this fowle and filthie beaste and sworne enemie of al sainctes from the beginnyng of the world streight wayes also he vttereth his attēptes treasons and bitter poyson agaynst the church and howe he beganne to moue warre This dragon sayeth he stode before the woman whiche was ready to be deliuered and he stode watchyng dilligent attentife and awayting busily at al times and he obserued and toke that occasion of hurtyng the church nother hath he omitted any oportunitie But the ende of all his enterprises was to deuoure the sonne borne of the spouse of God He hath alwayes euen from the beginnyng of the world gone aboute to intercepte the glory of Christ if any faithful beyng of the church regenerated spiritually be made confourmable to Christ he attempteth also to bryng them into errours and distroye thē Wherefore S. Peter not without cause sayed that the Deuill goeth aboute like an hongry Lion sekyng whom he maye deuoure Christe was incarnate geuen to the church He sheweth now by the waye that Christ as he was promised is exhibited to the church nother that the dragō could do any thing agaynst him Wherupon he wil haue vs vtterly to conclude that he shal haue no power ouer vs nother if we abyde in Christ For nowe he skippeth from the vniuersal church to the singular and most excellent membre thereof the virgin Mary and knitteth vp in fewe wordes the misterie of the incarnation that excellent woman whereof is spokē in the .3 of Genes the doughter of that Matrone I meane the church the holy Virgin brought forth a man childe that is to saye her first begoten king and priest as S. Luke testifieth in the .2 chapt By and by he declareth what and of how great power he is and whie he called him a man childe He it is of whome Dauid prophecied in the .2 Psalm That he should rule al nations with a rod or sceptre not of wood or leed that is pliable but of iron to witte stronge and durable namely the worde of God but suche as will not obeye Gods worde with an iron staffe that is with power which no manne is able to resiste he will beate downe farre and nere But for this so mightie a prince Sathan layde an Ambusshe that olde Dragon which stired vp agaynst the chiefe of the Iewes and gentiles but he founde in him nothing at al as the lord him selfe sayed in the .14 of Iohn no more shall he at the laste finde any thing in the faithful of Christ moreouer whilest the Dragon attempted greate thinges agaynst Christ by thelders of the Iewes beyng risen from the dead the Lord was taken vp as it were out of the throte or hotest assaultes of the Dragon vnto his heauenly father and sate on the right hande of God the father the olde Serpentes attemptes made frustrate And thither also wil he receiue vnto him his faithfull though the Serpentes guttes should burst For through hope we sit together with our head in the places supercelestial Ephes the .2 And this is the chiefe and greatest hope of the church in this conflicte For thus he gathereth the Dragon moste strongely and fiersely
let him busily praie vnto God that if he fele them the lord would confirme them if he fele them not that the Lord would printe them depely in their mindes ¶ The Aungel preacheth the eternall gospel of Christe The .lxiij. Sermon ANd I sawe an AuÌ„gell fliyng in the middes of heaueÌ„ hauing an euerlastyng Gospell to preache vnto them that sit dwel on the earth and to all nations kinredes and tunges people saiyng with a lowde voice feare God and geue honour to him for the houre of his Iudgement is come and worshippe him that made heauen and earth and the See and the fountaines of water Antichrist desireth nothing so much to be oppressed as the preaching of the Gospell For euen therfore hath he instituted the inquisitours of hereticall prauitie for hâ— dare calle the Gospel heresie Therfore he burneth the Gospel bokes and preachers of the gospel and euery where restreyneth the readyng of the gospel and Euangelical bokes Wherefore the simple suppose that it can not be but that gospel with all his adherentes should perish vtterly Now therfore in the lordes consolation is brought in a vision of an Angel for he is stil in the vision fliyng in the middes of heauen hauing the euerlasting gospel and preachyng to the world Whereby is signified that the gospell shal be preached vnto men in despite of al the enemies therof And he gathereth a briefe some of such thinges as by the gospell are preached to the worlde Those same appertaine also to the coÌ„forte of the church whiche vnder the olde beaste suffered persecutions for the Gospel We will briefly consider euery thing The angel is a figure of the preachers Firste it is euident euen by the fourmer thinges that by thangel is signified the ministers of the worde and the very ministerie of the gospel Certes the scripture calleth preachers Angelles For so is S. Iohn Baptiste named of the prophet Malachie Wherof is spokeÌ„ before And the ministers by this honourable title are admonished of puretie of most sincere faith For Angels be gods ministers whoÌ„ thei only regarde loue and honour whose coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes thei execute most faithfully sincerely and dilligeÌ„tly Such it besemeth preachers to be in their kinde and office And like as Angels cannot be hurte through the treasons and iniuries of men so God defendeth his ministers vntill the houre appointed So is Peter deliuered out of prison in the .12 of thactes So is Paul in Shippewreake c. And he sayeth an other Angell for that he hath brought in already sondry visioÌ„s of diuerse Angels Notwithstanding that other semeth to be put for the firste For he annexeth to this yet two angels moe The first wherof he calleth an other the later the thirde He flieth through the middes of Heauen And this Angell flieth in the middes of heauen By this thinge is signified the lucky course and procedyng of the preachyng of the gospell It is also written in the prophetes his worde runneth swiftely Psalm .19 Dauid compareth the runnyng of the preachyng of the gospell to the course of the sunne ioyefull as a giaunt he runneth his waye iâ— the vttermost parte of heauens he arriseth and runneth againe to the same neyther can any man stoppe him nor hide him self froÌ„ the heate thereof The sunne shineth in all places Therefore shal the preaching be free For as we caÌ„ nother plucke backe nor hinder the thinges that are aboue vs in thayre skie so shall we nother plucke downe nor hinder him that flieth in the middes of heauen The wordes and writinges flie they flie farre wide where Nother can the veritie be oppressed God hath geuen to the world Printyng wherby the gospel is preached and runneth farre wide and most swiftely And this Angell hath the euerlastyng gospell The gospell euerlasting Wherin is the greatest coÌ„forte For it signifieth that the veritie shal be in the world inuincible And for many causes is the Gospell called euerlastyng Firste because the veritie is immortall which can not be bounden how so euer the ministers are fettered slayne .2 Timoth. 2. secondely the gospel is eternal for bicause it was shewed to our firste fathers prophecied in the lawe prophetes fulfilled of Christ declared by thapostles by the grace of God brought vnto vs. Yea before al times was predestinated Reade the .1 to the Ephes For eueÌ„ for this cause is it called euerlasting for asmuch as it apperteineth to vs to our posteritie vnto the worldes ende and not only to our elders And because it is euerlastyng they lie whiche at this daye calle it a newe doctrine or learnyng Papistrie is newe whiche hath his originall what time euery thing was ordeyned c. Moreouer the Apostle sayeth yf I or an Angel from heaueÌ„ shal preach any other gospell or besides the same that ye haue receyued let him be accursed And we heare expressely that the Aungel had not only the Gospell but that he had preached the gospell The angel preacheth Many in dede haue the gospel but dumme and written in bokes The gospel must be shewed forth and pronounced He declareth also vnto whom the gospel must be vttered and preached to the inhabiters of the earth for it must be cried out to such as are drowned in earthly matters and they muste be reysed out of their slepe And after his maner and imitation of blessed Daniel in the .7 chapt He rekeneth vp nations kinredes tunges and people and thus signifieth that the gospell shal be preached â—â—â—ough out the whole worlde Whiche thing the lord sayde also should come to passe in the .24 of Matth. and than that the ende should come And we see at this daye that the gospel hath in a maner thondered through out the whole world And here I geue warning leeste any disceaue him self Thapostle in the .1 Timoth. 3. and .1 Coloss that the gospell was preached through out the whole world in his time Howbeit al men had not than receyued it but a fewe Do not therfore Imagine with thy selfe that the Gospel is not preached vnlesse al receyue it There shal no more be made one sheperde one shepefolde They are abused that promise to theÌ„selues before the iudgement a concorde of all nations for that it is writteÌ„ that there should be ons one sheperde and one shepefolde For the same was accoÌ„plisshed whilest of the Iewisshe Synagoge and dispersion of the gentiles the lord prepared to him selfe one church wherof Christ is head and pastour and Antichrist shal at the length by his laste comyng be abolished Therfore shall he alwayes resiste Christe He preacheth with a lowde voice Furthermore where he seeth heareth this Angell preach the gospel with a lowde voice he meaneth that the preachers shall with great constancie and frankenes also with shrylle voices and most ernestenes preach the gospell agaynst Antichrist And we see at this daye that the more cruelly the faithful are
.16 chapt he signified somewhat hereof nowe he pourseweth euery thinge with a notable plentie and euidence And the same that I sayed in the beginning of this place I repete here agayne that hereby are affirmed howe the iustice of God is shewed to be the ende of good and euill The profit of this place cōcerning the destruction of Rome that the godly are confirmed and the iudgement to come establisshed as we confesse expressely in the apostles crede The some of al is this tholde and newe Rome the Empire and Popish kingdome which is the kyngdome of Antichrist shall perish for sinnes great enormities For he ioyneth together the beaste and the Image of the beaste the beast and one sittyng on the beaste a prowde strompet so that they can not be separated Therefore muste the place be expounded of both Empires That S. Iohn speaketh of Rome And leste any man should thinke me to be led with an euil affection for vnderstandyng these thinges of Rome I will shewe by the testimony both of god man that the same exposition is olde and not newe true and not affectated For streight waye the Angel him selfe as we shal heare expoundeth these thinges of Rome Aretas also an olde expositour of this boke diuerse expositours sayeth he vnderstande by the whore olde Rome And the same by and by whilest he saieth the mother of whoredome whether so euer you will other olde Rome or newe or the time of the cōmyng of Antichriste beholde the time of Antichriste he sayeth you can not erre from the trewth for that bothe cities Rome and Constantinople hath occupied thempire and euery of them hath ben satiated with the bloud of holy martirs c. Hitherto he And what the moste auncient wryter Tertullian and S. Hierome hath spoken oftener than ones of Babylon and the purple whore I haue heretofore reported in the .14 chapt The order of this chapt And in this order he procedeth Firste he sheweth the authour of this reuelatiō after he gathereth the some of the reuelation or vision For agayne he treateth by visions to the ende al thinges might be more liuely euident And in dede some make this seuenth chapt vnto the .21 chapt the sixte vision As I admonished in the beginning of this worke Than noteth he the place and maner of the vision Finally he propoundeth the vision it selfe and immediately adioyneth the exposition thereof And in the processe of this matter he vseth a iudicial kinde of pleadyng and that after a prophetical maner For the Prophetes moste often and in the beginnyng set forth the sinnes and wickednesses of the people before the eyes of al men thā they annexe vnto it the iudgemēt paine or punnishement For so doeth S. Iohn also at this present First thauthour of this horrible vision who sheweth this vision is the lord Christ himselfe but he vseth the ministerie of an Angell and that of one which comyng out of the temple of the diuine maiestie was appoincted with sixe others to powre out plagues and vialles This is the head minister And it was semely that the iudgement of Babilon should be vttered by an Aungell that had the rule ouer tormētes The lord Iesus himselfe wil take punnishment of the beaste for whom this triumphe is reserued And we vnderstande that suche thinges as are set forth and treated here haue proceded from the highe Bisshop him selfe Iesus Christ and the maners of speakyng to be Angelicall heauenly and godly Who shall than blame vs yf we vsing the wordes of Angelles and of Christ himself shal saye that the Bisshop of Rome and all Popery to be that purple and great and most comon harlot It appereth also to many that seme godly that moderation is neglected whan these thinges are repeted of the preachers Free mouthes agaīst Rome whiche are playnely set forth to vs by the expresse wordes of Angelles and of Christ It semeth that they woulde shutte and stoppe the mouth of Christ him selfe Howbeit they attempte that in vayne For if the preachers holde their peace the stones wil crie For it behoueth that like as the glory of Christ so the shame of Antichrist should be knowen to the whole worlde But they offende moste greuousely which in the sermons made against Antichrist require I know not what modestie As though he ought to be spared which spareth no good man As though that doctrine were not modeste which is taken and receiued of the mouth and wordes of Christ After in the .18 chapter We shal heare the lorde commaunde render vnto her as she hath rendred vnto you c. The some of the visiō Secondly he compriseth in fewe wordes the some of all and sheweth whereunto we should referre al thinges Come sayeth the Angell to S. Iohn and I wil shew thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the iudgement condemnation and punnishement of the greate whore And where he sayeth of the great whore he doeth intimate what the crime is or cause of punnishement fornication infidelitie or vngodlines This vision also apperteineth hereunto that we might vnderstande how Rome should be punnished or destroyed that is to saye the Romane Empire or the kingedome of the Pope or of Antichrist and wherfore or howe it deserueth to be destroyed Rome is a whore She is a whore and a great and an erraunt whore And who knoweth not that a mariage is contracted betwene God and all and singular faythfull that God is the brydegrome and the churche his spouse she is bounden than coupled to her husbande alone in faith and trouth Yf she breake this faith and loue others geue her to them cal vpō and honour them she is a whore Whereof I haue spoken many times both in this boke and els where And a moste common thing is it in the Scriptures to call reuolting vnfaithfulnes impietie superstition and Idolatrie fornication or whoredome Yf any man desire testimonies hereof he shal finde in the .8 of Iudges 1. of Esaye 2. and 3. of Ieremie the .16 of Ezechias in the .1.2 and .3 of Osee and other places Rome therefore was a greate strompet and is also at this daye a moste stynkyng harlot For whic she is full of Idolatrie worshippyng of creatures and abominable superstitions Nother is she herselfe only polluted with all filthines but compelleth morouer the whole world to serue and that to serue in Idolatrie and superstitions What will you saye that through the wonderfull prouidence of God it came to passe that a woman fayning herselfe a manne dyd clyme vp to the See of Rome was created Bisshoppe and called Iohn the .8 whyche was one Gylberta a greate whore borne at Mentz For thus woulde God declare that the Bysshoppe of Rome sitteth a whore vpon the beaste And herein I follow the constant consent of al Historiographers Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraunt that there be some which haue thought howe this Iohn was intruded into the seate vp an
he be worthy of loue or hatred Where he hath spoken that vpon an other occasion and to an other ende as I haue declared in my booke of the grace of God c. ¶ Ihon is coÌ„mauÌ„ded to wryte At this present therfore is shewed that the saluation of the faythfull is most certayne For first the Angell comaundeth the Euangelist to wryte This is taken of the maner of men which put in writing their Testamentes conuenauntes and bargaines than seale the same for the cause of credit and for a perpetual memorial of the thing And they that haue suche kinde of writinges are of a quiet minde thinke themselues safe and assured agaynst al craftes and subtill practises And therfore to the intent that the minde of maÌ„ might be quieted in the matter of saluation he causeth as it were an instrumeÌ„t to be written wherby al the godly might be assured of certaine saluation The same maner of writyng our lord in other places followeth in weightie matters As we maye see in the .8 and .30 chapt of Esaye and in the .2 of Abacuke Wherefore it is lesse to be marueled whie the Apostle S. Pvule so ofte alledged that same out of Abacuke that rightuouse shal liue by faith For this only testimony of God as that whiche is cited out of the godly instrument might be in stead of all And where God coÌ„maunded openly Moses and Ieremie to write whereof we maye doubtles iudge The authoritie of holy Scripture and certenly gather that other Prophetes also Apostles and EuaÌ„gelistes wrote not without commaundement we see of what authoritie the bokes of tholde newe Testament be with al the godly For they be diuine autenticall they be the instrument and testament of God the bokes of God himselfe which are rightly beleued without any other helpe or coÌ„firmation We beleue the testamentes and sealed writinges of meÌ„ how much more ought we beleue the bokes of the Scripture canonicall Againe is manifestly declared to S. Iohn what he should wryte The called are blessed blessed are they which are called to the mariage of the Lambe Therefore it is euident that nowe it is coÌ„firmed both by the diuine oracle lawefull instrument that those whiche are called to the Lambes supper be and shall be blessâ—d This same was pronounced by oracle diuine and written Autentically What place than of doubtefulnes is lefte vndoubtedly blessed are the faythfull greffed in Christe For they be nowe called vnto whome the gospell is preached by the which thei are called to the participatioÌ„ of the giftes of God but chiefely to eternal life through Christ and thei which not only heare the verâ—â—e of the gospel but that also receyue it beleue it with their harâ—e For many be called and fewe chosen For the gospel is preached to many the grace of God is offered in christ but they receyue it not But such as through the grace of God doe receyue it with true fayth are blessed For they are not only called to the Mariage but also come vnto the mariage and inioye that weddyng supper These thinges seme to be taken out of the doctrine of our sauiour which he taught in the .14 of Luke of them that were bidden to the mariage Reade that same place What that blesse is Neuerthelesse by the waye is declared what that blessednes of the faithfull is nothing els verely than the fruition of the supper of the lambes mariage A supper is made wheÌ„ the daye draweth towardes an ende So is full saluation geuen to the godly about the ende of the worlde at the resurrection of the dead as in the fourmer sermon is expounded And verely all those thinges be altogether allegoricall which represente vnto vs a certen signification of eternall life and glory Otherwise we haue learned of the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles whiche the eare hath not hearde nor the eye hath sene nor haue entred into the hart of maÌ„ the same hath God himselfe prepared for them that loue him These saiynges of God be trewe Finally is annexed agayne a moste weightie assertion or confirmation hereof For he heareth it vttered by an oracle from heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These wordes or saiynges of God be true They be verely true and be of God Or els they be trewe for thei be of God Erasmus hath translated these wordes of God are true And so hath the vulgare translation these sayenges of God are true By a double reason therefore are these thinges confirmed whiche are here propounded both for that they be true and because they be of God Although they come bothe to one poincte For sins they be of God whiche is veritie they can not but be true Therefore let vs beleue these thinges and leaue no place vnto doubtefulnes The scripture is gods word Here is cutte of the occasion of subtile reasonyng that the scriptures and preachynges set forth of men out of the scriptures are not the worde of God for that they be written on Paper with Inke and pronounced with mans voice with a sounde passyng awaye where the worde of God is nother humane nor corruptible nor passyng awaye For the celestiall oracle doeth here pronounce manifestly that the saiynges were written into the boke of S. Iohn and pronounced of the Aungell and to be true and to be gods worde So Paule affirmeth also in the .1 Thess 2. chapt that the worde that he preached of him was the very worde of God Likewise S. Peter in the .1 Peter 1. Therfore let curiouse men leaue bringyng forth of these Paradoxes cease from their disputing that the word of God written and preached is not the word of God Than is not verely the worde of God what time such thinges are written or spoken agree not with the holy Scripture of God The mindes of the faithfull are rather to be allured to this poincte that thei beleue and cleane vnto al wordes of the scripture declared in their righte sense as the most certen wordes of God For els to what thing shall we trust what thing after this shal we haue vndoubted and certayne To God be glory ¶ The facte of S. Iohn is declared whiche woulde haue worshipped the Angell and of the Angell prohibityng The .lxxxiiij. Sermon AND I felle at his fete to worship him And he sayde to me see thou do it not For I am thy fellow seruaunte and one of thy bretherne and of theÌ„ that haue the testimony of Iesus Worship God For the testimony of Iesu is the sprete of Prophecie Here is added the thirde place of this chapter to witte the doyng of the Apostle S. Iohn and the Aungel of God S. Iohn would haue worshipped the Aungell Thexcelâ—â—cie of Aungelles but he is prohibited of the Angel whiche biddeth him worship God And before al this acte and enterprise of Iohn semeth chiefly to be considered Angelles are surely right noble creatures and of greate power by
he propoundeth maye haue the more perspicuitie he not only declareth the matter in words but setteth them forth by visions as things present to be sene with the eyes and that to the faithful For to the vnfaithfull al these thinges although moste godly diuine seme starke trifles and fables But the wisedome of God shall laugh at them also when she seeth her time as she threateneth in the Prouerbes of Salomon And also soluteth certē questiōs which are wonte about this matter to be moued What shal become of them that he nother Christiās nor Antichristians And he sayde how the beaste with the false prophet and all his adherentes should be caste at the laste daye into hell but where the firste parte is nother Antichristiane nor yet Christian but rather of their owne sense and arbitrement to be a rule and lawe to themselues such as be verely the Nestoriās Iacobites Georgians c. Or those that be heythen yet or gentiles moreouer Iewes and Turkes some man might maruaile and demaunde what shal be done with them or what shal come of them S. Iohn maketh aunswere and the remnaunte were slayne with the sworde of him that sat on the horse c. Agayne where a godly man might maruaylle how they should be condēned which borne emongs the Turkes heretikes Iewes and gentiles neuer hearde the Christian veritie S. Iohn preuenteth this imagination and by the beginnyng of the .20 chapt sheweth with what a Maiestie perspicuitie and euidence the veritie of Christes gospell was notified to the world with what a maiestie the veritie of Christ was set forth to the world howe also al force and power was takē awaye from the deuill and that by the space of a thousande yeres wherein the preachyng of the gospel thondered continually so that they be vtterly inexcusable so many as haue not receyued the gospell of Christ For the preachyng of the gospell was not obscure but most clere manifest nor shorte and contracted but published by the space of a thousande yeres it was not receyued of a fewe little ones but of al people and natiōs vnder the sunne Therfore is it a grosse ignoraunce of the Turkes Heretikes Iewes and gentiles For although in times paste the veritie semed to haue ben notably knowen now it is not so yet certayne it is that the maiestie of the gospel hath ben so great in the worlde that there is nowe also mention with al men therof and by their owne mallice they hide their eyes which vnderstande nothyng of Christ Therefore is that sayeng of the Apostle euen nowe of force also yf our gospell be hidde in those that perisshe is it hidde vnto whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them which beleue not that the light of the gospel should not shine vnto them c. 2. Corinth the .4 They that are condēned are iustely cōdemned chap. Wherupon we now gather that none of them whiche are damned in the world are damned with out deseruyng Which thing the Apostle also S. Paule hath touched in the Epistle to the Romanes in the .1 and .2 chapt Here therefore is a profitable and necessarie place treated of the famouse preachyng of the gospell through out the world the course thereof induryng a thousande yeres And this treatise procedeth in this order First is thangell described after his worke or effecte is declared And laste is the sealyng of the time Touchyng the description of the Angell first in dede he is named an Angel The angel signifieth the order or state apostolicall and commeth forth abroade howebeit the whole state Apostolicall is hereby vnderstande in the which shineth excedingly S. Paule the doctour of gentiles nother is it maruaile that the order of Apostles is signified by an Angell For an Angel signifieth a messager ambassadour or an Apostle And therefore the prophet Malachie called Iohn Baptist the vauntcurrour of our lord an Angel beholde I sende my Angel before thee c. And ministers of the church are oftener thā ones in this boke called Angelles But in case the worthines nobilitie of the name please the ministers let the Angelicall puretie and excellent faith please them also An ambassadour doeth and sayeth nothing saue that which he hath receyued in cōmission of him that sent him so also let the ministers set forth nothing saue that which he hath receyued of the Lord in the Scriptures ¶ The angell came downe frō heauen Secondly this excellent Aungell is sayde to come downe from heauen not that the bodies of Apostles came from heauen but for as much as their vocation and office was geuen them frō heauen For the sonne of God which came downe from heauen chose the Apostles and sent them forth into the worlde Which thing is declared in the .10 of Matth. and .20 of Iohn Marke .16 and Luke .24 And S. Paule sayeth to the Galathians that he was called and ordeyned an Apostle nother by men nor of men but of God through Christ Wherupon it appereth howe greate is the authoritie of Apostles For they be not they which speake but the spirite of Christ and of the father which speaketh in them Therefore he that dispiseth their doctrine despiseth God the father the sonne They lie moreouer that saye how the gospell is a newe doctrine forged of wittie men Reade the .1 chapter of the fourmer and later epistle of S. Peter Thangell holdeth in his hande the keye chayne After this the Aungell is sayde to holde in his hande those two excellent instrumentes the keye and chayne Let vs see what is mente by the same Doubtles by these two instrumentes S. Iohn vnderstādeth nothing els but the free trewe holy liuely preaching of the gospel by the which it came to passe that both hell was locked from the faithfull the deuil was holden and kept faste boūden in chaines that he coulde not hurte the godly so much as he would and seduce whom he liste For so hereafter S. Iohn will expounde him self And the keyes Keyes of bindyng lowsing the apostles receiued of the Lord in the .16 of Matth. and .20 chapt of Iohn They open by the preaching of the gospel the botomlesse pitte and helle it self to the vngodly when they shewe vnto them their damnation in hell for their vngodlines They shutte vp helle from the godly whilest by the preachyng of the gospell they open heauen and bring the faythfull to the ioyes celestiall I haue spoken of the keyes at large in an other place A chayne is the signe of captiuitie Chayne By the preachyng of Gods worde the Deuill is taken and bounde Whereof it cōmeth to passe that the common painters haue painted the Deuil bounden with chaynes to certen notable preachers By thinges that followe this keye He taketh the dragō and significatiō of the chayne is better declared whilest the effecte of the Apostolicall preachyng is expounded For he addeth and
the Trone speaketh and testifieth saying beholde I make al thinges newe God is true and in him is no leasyng And seyng he testifieth so playnely that life euerlasting shal be and we see him declare it also of what sorte it shal be no place for doubtefulnes hereafter is relinquisshed And the thinges that he hath shewed and declared of the happie life he coÌ„maundeth immediately to wryte Thinges are written for a perpetuall memorial of the thing which we knowe to be true and substantial For wrytinges or testimonialles whiche are written or made and sealed by the lawe of nations and common custome of men haue the force of an vndoubted testimony But such letters or testimonialles are made and sealed at the commaundement of God For God commaundeth S. Iohn to write those same which ar taught of the blessed life and therefore they be true vndoubted and infallible As he himself immediately annexeth and saieth for these wordes are faythful true stable I saye immutable what can be spoken more euident than these here is also the authoritie of holy Scripture establisshed But he addeth an other thing almost more vehement and he sayde vnto me it is done By the which maner of speaking is signified eyther that the ende is commen and all thinges accomplisshed like as it is vsed in the .16 chap. or els that the thing which is spoken and beleued to come to be so certaine as though it were done already We Germanes so ofte as we will signifie that the thing whiche we haue pourposed or promised and sayde to be sure we are wonte to saye Es ist gemacht it is done Let vs therefore beleue assuredly these and all Gods wordes Moreouer let vs geue our lorde God moste hartie thankes which with so great faith and dilligence susteyneth confirmeth our hope and hath commaunded these misteries of our saluation to be put in writyng and publisshed to the whole world in all ages To him be glory for euermore Amen ¶ It is furthermore declared that the hope of the euerlastyng and blessed felicitie and glory to be certayne and vndoubted The .xcij. Sermon I Am Alpha and Omega the beginnyng and the ende I wil geue to him that is a thirste of the wel of the water of life freely He that ouercommeth shall inherite all thinges I will be his God and he shal be my sunne But the feareful and vnbeleuing and the abominable and murtherers whoremongers and sorcerers idolaters and liars shall haue their parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Vnto all the former commeth nowe the sixte testimony of the certentie of the true felicitie of the faythfull God is beginnyng ende taken of the very nature of God For he pronouÌ„ceth of himself and sayeth I am α and ω And immediately by exposition the beginnyng and ende This he toke out of Esaye with whoÌ„ the lord sayeth oftener than ones I am firste and laste And here let no man imagine that God is firste in order referryng the beginnyng to the consequences as though he had a beginnyng or that he is called the laste or ende as though he shuld ones haue an ende but the contrary rather in this fourme of speakyng is to be vnderstand to witte that God hath no beginnyng no ende but to be euerlastyng of whom al thinges haue their beyng by whose decree al things haue an ende where he himself indureth for euer and his yeres neuer fade like as in an other place the prophet sayeth and the Apostle also And for asmuche as he is eternall without beginnyng and without ende which liueth alwayes and al thinges that liue he quickeneth and preserueth in life howe I praye you should not he quicken the faithfull So certayne therefore is the life saluation and felicitie of the faythfull as it is certaine that God is life and that in dede life euerlastyng For he is euerlastyng the life of the faithful Of the phrase of speach I am α and ω I haue spoken in the first chapt and third Concion or Sermon God hath promised euerlastiÌ„g saluation The seuenth testimony of our vndoubted saluation is taken of the veritie of God and his promesses hath a certen cosygnage with the former For that which God hath promised the same also caÌ„ he perfourme with no paine He hath promised a blessed life moste assuredly therefore will he perfourme the same to the faithful And he alledgeth the promise of God in dede at this present bringeth in God speakyng to Iohn and to vs also in these wordes to him that thirsteth I will geue of the wel of liuely water that is to saye I that am life and eternal and euen eternal life will geue the faithful to drynke the water of life that is to saye I will quicken him preserue him in life and deliuer him from death and al euils and wil rewarde him with al heauenly giftes Who can here doubte of the veritie of him that promiseth especially sins this place or this promise is red in mo places than one Dauid in the .36 Psalme singeth plaine thy mercy O lord reacheth vnto the very Heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the clowdes thy rightuousenes is like the strong mountaynes thy iudgementes are like the great deepe Thou lorde sauest both manne and beast How excellent is thy mercy O God And the children of menne shal put their truste vnder the shadowe of thy winges Thei shal be satisfied with the pleÌ„tuousnes of thy house and thou shalt geue them drynke out of the riuer of thy pleasures For with thee is the wel of life and in thy light shal we see light Full many of these thinges are in the Prophetes and are expounded of our sauiour him selfe in the .4.6 and .7 chapter of S. Iohn Where he sheweth that he geueth water and holesome drynke to the faythfull whiche at the length shoulde sprynge vp into life euerlastynge Moste certayne it is therefore that the faythfull are quickened by Christe and therefore the blessed lyfe of the faithful is and shal be moste assured and certayne as promised by so many expresse promesses of God Of this water of life we had some things in the .7 chapt of this boke towarde the ende and shall haue certen playne matters in the beginnyng of the .22 chapt But in the meane while and by the waye How eâ—eâ—nall lâ—fe is coÌ„municated to vs. he sheweth and declareth vnto vs after the Apostolicke maner who willingly and ofte declare vnto vs the maner of our saluation howe eternall life is communicated to vs to witte free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely whiche notwithstandyng for the doubtefulnes of speach or vnderstandyng of wordes we expresse not properly the force of the greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are iustified sayeth the Apostle in the .3 to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely through his grace that is to saye by the mere mercy
of God by no merite of manne For the same Apostle in the same Epistle to the Rom. the .6 chapter The rewarde sayeth he of sinne is death and where on the contrary side he shoulde haue sette and the merite of rightuousenes eternal life for this membre he placeth rather and the gifte of God is life euerlastyng And addeth incontinently through Christ Iesus our Lorde Therefore S. Iohn sayeth rightly that eternall life happeneth to the faithfull frely that is by the very grace of God SaluatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to vs freely And of this vocable freely through the merite of Christ and by no deserte of man For if we coulde by our workes rightuousenes deserue eternall life than Christ had died in vaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for naught There was no cause why he shuld die seyng we might of our selues haue beÌ„ saued There is no effecte nor merite of Christes passion such effecte verely as it is in very dede that by the bloud of Christ alone we be purified For if there were or had ben an other meane of saluatioÌ„ Christ neded not to haue ben incarnated haue suffered And that this vocable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought after this waye and maner to be expouÌ„ded many other places of Scripture proue In the .10 of Matth. the lord saieth frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue you receiued freely geue The lord wil not haue his Apostles to receiue any recoÌ„pence for the gifte of healing But speaking of the ministerie he sayeth the workeman is worthie his hire In the .15 of Iohn the lord sayeth they haue hated me without cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtles without my desert or vndeserued of my parte In the .2 Corint 11. thapostle saieth that he preached the gospel to the CorinthiaÌ„s frely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he toke no rewarde or recoÌ„peÌ„ce therfore And in the .2 to the Thessal the .3 chapt nother haue I taken sayeth he bread of any man for naught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be shorte where S. Iohn sayeth that life is geuen to the faithfull free 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he claymeth al things of our saluation to the grace of God and merite of Christes passion and plucketh it from mans merittes And the same affirmeth Esaye also in the .55 chapt rebukyng folish menne spending their monie aboute thinges of naught Here ought therefore to cease the faires of indulgences and pardons and holy thinges in the church Let the Pelagians kepe silence Whâ—t is required of them that be iustified frely Howbeit leest any by the free preachyng of the grace and merite of Christ agaynste the deserte of man should gather that the blessed life chauÌ„ceth to Idle folkes slepers and ceasing froÌ„ all good workes and that God alone worketh and we worke nothing but only to suffer the operation of God in vs and for the same cause nothing to be required of vs he preuenteth and first the lord sayeth that he will geue to them that are a thirste to drinke of the water of life There is required of vs therfore fayth and a ferueÌ„t desire of godly thinges not that faith is oures but is geuen of God For by thirste to signifie the faythful desire of a godly maÌ„ the Lord himselfe is authour in the .5 of Matthewe pronouncyng them blessed which honger and thirste for rightuousenes And also in the 6. of Iohn the Lorde him selfe vnderstandeth by drinkyng to beleue Faith therfore is required of vs that is that we shuld thirste for the water of life The which self thing also the lord graunteth by his spirite and word as els where we haue declared And he sayeth howe he that is freely iustified must fight also nor fight only but must ouercome Therfore the dueties of charitie be required wherof is spokeÌ„ in the .2 and .3 chapt of this boke Wherein is most frequent mentioÌ„ made of this fight and victorie And God will than acknoweledge such as labour thus valeauntly for his childreÌ„ to them will he shewe him selfe a father and take them for the heyres of all their fathers possessions They are bastardely childreÌ„ which beyng idle bragge of faith prayse God with their mouth wordes and deme him with their dedes Ye see therefore that bothe muste be preached in the church that we be iustified and beautified frely so beyng iustified must worke good workes wherunto notwithstandyng as to their merites they ascribe not saluation but to the mere grace of God through Christ WhereupoÌ„ consequently and on the contrary parte he reciteth who be excluded from the felowshippe of the blessed life and of the blessed compilyng a register of sinnes and of wicked men such as he hath compiled also about the ende of the .9.21 and .22 chapt And such as the Apostle hath in a maner recited to the Corinthians And we suppose that in S. Iohn his time these sinnes were moste common nor sufficiently knowen Who are excluded froÌ„ the true felicitie as apperteyned Many also at this daye iudge more lightly therof than trewe godlines permitteth And we doubte not but that in this register whiche in eight kindes or membres is comprised are conteined al other like sinnes and wickednesses But we vnderstande that helle fire is assuredly dewe vnto them for their sinnes committed whiche nother haue any faith at all nother can by any meanes be perswaded to repente and tourne vnto God For in the firste Epistle to the Corinth the 6. chapt Ye were sayeth he suche but ye are purged by the bloud of Christe and with the sprete of our God Therefore yf we haue ben suche at any tyme lette vs repente or in case we be fallen into these sinnes agayne lette vs rise vp and tourne to the Lord which calleth vnto him sinners and promiseth pardone and grace But wo be to the vncurable walkyng alwayes and without repentaunce in the waye of iniquitie And we shal touche seuerally eight partes of this register Fearefull Firste are placed the fearefull But the Lorde him selfe was affrayde and euen quaked for feare of death the Sainctes of God haue feared also and often fled for feare yet are they not for this cause condemned in the Scriptures Therefore an other feare is ment to witte that same immoderate feare by the which compelled we do for feare of menne that thing whiche God hath prohibited and we our selues conuicte in our owne consciences vnderstaÌ„de that we sinne in so doyng or what time through carnall feare we leaue vndone that thing whiche God hath commaunded vs briefely when we more feare men as princes or leagefellowes or enemies or any other men what so euer they be than our lord God him self And therfore the Lord himselfe in the gospel sayde feare ye not them which kille the body and can not kill the soule c. Matth. 10. The same in an other place sayeth he that denieth me before that aduouterouse generation I will denie him also before my father in heauen
purged by Christe liue hoale sounde for euer more And by those allegories hath he hitherto figured by partes those blessed seates To what ende these are writteÌ„ prepared for the faithfull in that euerlasting countrie vnder the Image of a moste noble citie which after he hath shewed vs he semeth as it were to haue opened heauen it selfe and set forth the eternall felicitie to be sene in a maner with mortall eyes and eueÌ„ to haue poincted with the fingar to no other ende than that we should be stronge and constant in the fayth of our lord Iesus Christ should neuer thinke ones who hath euer sene those blessed seates whereunto we are called by the deniyng of all pleasures what yf thou shouldest dispise the pleasures presente and shuldest obteyne none in time to come This thought is wicked Faith teacheth thee otherwise But what sayest thou more desirest thou to know and see such things as God hath shewed thee Thou hast sene enough and abouÌ„dantly at this present The lord hath sheweth thee aboundantly enough of life and pleasure celestial at this present Indeuour now only that the deuill the world Antichrist troden vnder thou mayest aspire and be lifted vp into those heaueÌ„ly seates Moreouer beware thou be not more curiouse than is mete or requisite and that thou sekest not to knowe mo and more exacte thinges of the heauenly towre and perpetuall ioyes than the Lord himself which only knoweth these things hath to thee reuealed Let this euident demonstration of eternal life suffice vs. I beleue neuer none hath disputed better or more rightly more elegantly and more euidently of the blessed life thaÌ„ here S. Iohn hath done Let vs therefore repose our selues in God let vs beleue his wordes let his reuelation suffice vs and let vs desire to be ioyned with him in this heauenly courte in all felicitie and eternal life most perfit A â—ome collected of the doctrine of the blessed life And now S. Iohn recollectyng the chiefest poinctes of this matter and concludynge this place of eternall life he finissheth this euerlastyng felicitie in seuen membres whiche we will but touche only for that many thinke we haue spoken hereof already sufficiently and plentifully enough And to beginne with al there shal be no curse no execration no malediction nother warre nor famine nor diseases nor yet any suche thing There shal be no more curse as is recited of Moses emonges the curses in the 27. and .28 of Deuter. Not that all are accursed whiche are subiecte to the same For Iob and other holy menne were tormented with sickenes but that commonly the accursed vnbeleuers and wicked are plaged there with Not that they should be exercised and profit in godlines but that thei shuld first be afflicted here so by certen degrees passe vnto greater tormentes What than The seate of God in the citie The second membre inseweth but the Trone of God and of the Lambe shal be in that citie To witte the kingdome of God shal be there and God shal raygne and al blessyng no malediction in the chosen Therefore what ioyefull thinges so euer the Prophetes Christ and the Apostles haue spokeÌ„ of the kingedome of God the same shal be in heauen and the blessed shal haue the fruition thereof And agayne are ioyned together inseperablely the father and the sonne in the vnitie of essence which neuerthelesse in the distauÌ„ce of persones are excedingly wel not diuided but discerned These misteries of the blessed Trinitie are knowen vnto the faythful His seruaÌ„tes shall serue him Here followeth the third membre Some may maruaile what the blessed shal do in the world euerlastyng Therefore S. Iohn sayeth and his sâ—â—uauntes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall serue him God I saye and the Lambe they shall worshippe him in honouryng praysing magnifiyng him for euer Therefore shal they wholy addicte themselues to godly worshippyng Whiche thing shall in dede be to him great pleasure As also S. Austen sheweth in an other place Fourthly they shal see the face of God They shall see the face of God S. Austen treateth much of seyng of God to Paulina and warneth godly that we shoulde not here Imagine to our selues carnall thinges Moses in the .33 of Exodus And Philippe the Apostle in the .14 of Iohn haue accompted it for the highe felicitie to see God as he is and as it is commonly sayde face to face And there is vndoubtedly in this sighte and fruition highe felicitie and ioye euerlastyng and moste complete howebeit in this present world as the lorde sayde to Moses it chaunceth to no maÌ„ The holy fathers haue in dede sene God but by a shape and so farre forth as he hath vouchesaued to reueale and shewe himselfe to them to be sene Like as Tertullian sheweth in the boke agaynste Praxeas but with full eye to see the full glory of God with ioye inestimable is than firste graunted vs what time beyng deliuered from miserie and purged froÌ„ corruption we shal also in body be clarified than at the laste as S. Iohn sayde also in the .1 of Iohn the .3 we shall see him as he is Iob moste rightuouse speakyng of this vision of God Iob. 19. sayde when they shal haue put aboute or clothed to wit the father sonne holy ghoste this namely my body with my fleshe I shall beholde God out of my flesshe whome I shall see to my selfe and mine eyes shall loke vpon and no other The which is my only desire Of this seyng spake Paule also the Doctour of Gentiles and sayde nowe we see in a glasse 1. Corinth 13. euen in a darke speaking but then shall we see face to face c. And of this vision S. Austen hath also disputed in his booke De ciuitate dei aboute the ende Fiftely they shal haue the name of God in their foreheads The name of God written in their foreheades eyther because they shal be the children of God as we haue hearde in the Epistle to the Philadelphians in the .3 chapter of this boke And verely in the couÌ„trie celestiall it shal be manifestly knowen to all who be the children of God In this world they are commonly taken for the children of the deuill which in very dede are the childreÌ„ of god But this shal clerely appere in an other world to the great glory of the chosen And verely the brightnes of God shal shine from the foreheades or countenances of the electe as in times past the brightnes of the lord shone from the face of Moses Christe Or because al Sainctes shal knowe one an other sins the vertue of God resteth in their countenaunces which sense I perceyue hath pleased Primasius Or for that they shal be priestes before the Lord for euermore as the prophetes haue taught of the chosen In olde time the high prieste bare the very name of God in his forehead in a plate of golde bounden to his
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
but because they reste from their labours and be of most quiet and pure affectiōs sitting with the high iudge But what thing doe these They geue God no counsell what he should do or by what meane or waye he maye doe this or that but they allowe his iudgementes For they know all his workes to be iuste and holy The whiche shal immediatly follow What shal we do than shal it be mete for vs to inquire of the iudgementes of God or prescribe what he shoulde do or not do I thinke not you haue in this vniuersalitie of sainctes al patriarches al iudges and kinges al princes the whole people of God you haue emonges these king Salomon him selfe and the moste excellent and wittiest Princes of the world you haue the Apostles and men Apostolical Martirs and the wise men of the whole vniuersal worlde Wilte thou condemne their iudgementes following therfore theyr example busy not thy selfe to moue curiouse questions prayse the iuste iudgementes of God and know that the Lord is iust in al his wayes and holy in all his workes To whom be glory ¶ Here is described the procedynge of the holye spirite and operation the almightie knoweledge of God and howe the Throne of God is borne vp or susteyned of the foure beastes and what the beastes doe The .xxiiij. Sermon ANd oute of the Seate proceded lightenynges and thonderinges and voices and there were seuen lampes of fire burnynge before the seate whiche are the seuē spirites of God And before the seate there was a Sea of glasse like vnto Christal And in the middes of the seate and rounde aboute the seate were foure Beastes full of eyes before and behinde And the first beast was like a Lion the seconde beast like a calf and the thirde beaste had a face like a man and the fourth beaste was like a fliyng Egle. And the foure beastes had eche one of them sixe wynges and rounde about without and within they were full of eyes And they had no reste daye nother night saiyng holy holy holy is the lord God almightie whiche was and is and is to come The marke ende of the firste parte of this vision Our Lorde Iesus Christe as the faithefull pastour of his church wil vtter the destenies and wōderful calamities that wil come vpon the churche Therfore to the intent he might stoppe the mouthes of suche as mutiue and be inquisitiue of the iudgementes of God and might perswade al mē to haue patience in these stormes of euilles he setteth forth a treatise before wherein he sheweth that all thinges are done or permitted to be done of God by his most iuste prouidence and are gouerned or ordered by the Lambe with a iudgement most rightuouse and holy For who so beleueth and remembreth this in what chaūces so euer he happen he submitteth him self humbly and lowly and obediently to his God and crieth alwayes the Lorde is rightuouse in all his mayes and holy in al his workes And this is the moste true state of the first parte of this vision which is done in the 4. and 5. chapt And is more ouer most elegaunt moste pleasaunt and moste full of consolation Althinges are more liuely set forthe and perceyued in suche fitte and heauenly representations than they can be vnderstande in bare wordes A recapitulatiō or brief rehersall First is recited a Throne that in dede a celestial throne leeste in the workes in the prouidence and iudgementes of God we shoulde Imagine any thynge carnall or corrupte Secondly he that sitteth on the throne is represented vnto vs by two coulours Grene and red For God is an eternal essence geuyng to al their greues or beyng The same burneth in loue towardes man kinde and willeth wel vnto man but to the disobedient and rebelles he is a consumyng fire And the throne is inuironed with a raynbow grener than grasse comfortyng vs that we should not be dismayed at the sight of that Godly throne but should remembre alwaies that he whiche sitteth in the throne iudge gouernour of al is most true and kepeth his promesses to be that same leage frende of oures .xxiiii. Elders sitte rounde aboute the throne which already are signified what they be and as it were shadowed streight waye in the ende of the iiii chapt and in the fifte shal be declared what they doe or what they saye Doubtles all the Sainctes in heauen are lokers on of the iudgemētes and workes of God For the iudgementes of God be not sutch that they should flee the light and knoweledge of Sainctes Now followeth out of the Throne proceded lightninges c. In the throne is he that sitteth and the lambe that is the father and the sonne and frō them bothe procedeth the holy ghoste For by interpretatiō it followeth immediatly which are the seuen spirites of God For the lightenyngs the signes of the holy ghoste thonderings other thinges rehearsed signifie or be tokens of the holy spirite whiche els where is red also to be shadowed by fire water and winde and by firie tounges But no man wil thinke that the holy ghost whiche is one in substaunce and of the simple nature diuine should be plucked into seuen partes For I tolde you in the first chapt how the seuen spirites of God are put for the seuenthfolde most ful and most perfit spirite of God We haue in the beginning of this visiō the whole misterie of the blessed Trinitie so much as is nedeful for vs to know The holy Trinitie beleue professe There is one Seate in that one seate are conteined the sitter lambe spirite therfore there is one diuine essence nature and thereof is one power and maiestie one rule because ther is one throne briefly there is one god true eternal for euermore blessed As Moses also in the 6. of Deuter. and al the prophetes and Apostles haue euery where taught Howbeit in this only vndiuided substaunce is sene a most plaine distinction of persones For there is he that sitteth in the throne the lambe and from bothe procedeth the holy ghoste This misterie of the Trinitie we professe in the Crede This appereth openly in the incarnation of our lord whilest the aungell sayeth to the virgin the holy ghoste shal come vpon thee and the power of the hiest shal ouershadow thee And that which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God Likewise in the baptisme of Christ is hearde a voice from heauen vpon the Lord This is my wel beloued sonne The holy ghost also appereth in the likenes of a doue Wherupon the lord cōmaunded vs also to be baptized in the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost This professiō is certaine true and so set foorth by the most manifest scriptures liuely preaching of the apostles like as Tertullian declareth against the heretike Praxeas We ought rather beleue cleaue vnto
these things than to the monstrouse blasphemouse Spanish sophistrie of Serue to a man most corrupte Of the holy ghost But especially here is declared vnto vs the whole misterie of the holy ghost and that in fewe wordes which in the gospel of Iohn is vttered more at large First his procediÌ„g is noted which verely in times past meÌ„ affirmed rashly to be set forth in no parte of the scripture ProcediÌ„g S. Iohn here out of the throne sayeth he proceded lightninges c. And by by whiche are the seuen spirites of God And this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke doeth signifie a proceding or going out but S. Iohn her saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is proceded or wente forth And therfore that auncient couÌ„sel of Constantinople decreed rightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I beleue in the holy ghost the lord that quickener proceding of the father c. But because the Lord him self in the gospel speaking of the holy ghost sayeth he shal glorifie me for he shal take of mine shal shew vnto you Al things what so euer the father hath are mine Therefore I sayed that he shal take of mine shal shewe it vnto you no man wil vnderstaÌ„d the spirite to procede of the father only not also of the sonne wherof also was longe contention betwene the Grekes and Latines For if he procede of the father he procedeth of the sonne also For euen for the same cause at this present he is red to procede out of the Throne But in the Throne is not only he that sitteth but the laÌ„be also of whome in the 5. chapt shal be added that the lambe hath seuen eyes which are the seuen spirites of God sent into the whole world Albeit therfore that in the 15. of Iohn the holy ghost is sayed to procede froÌ„ the father yet there is set before whoÌ„ I saieth the sonne wil sende vnto you froÌ„ my father To be short if there be one substauÌ„ce and nature of the father of the sonne I see not howe the holy ghost should procede froÌ„ the father that he shuld not procede of the sonne also Let vs rather leaue those scrupulouse disputatioÌ„s to idle wits let vs beleue that the spirite procedeth froÌ„ both Moreouer the vertue or effecte and operation of the holy ghost is here also set forth declared gallauntly The effecte operatioÌ„ of the holy ghost For first he lighteneth when he illumineth the obedient and feareth the rebelles with sore threatenings SecoÌ„dly he thoÌ„dereth what time he inueygheth against this vngraciouse world reproueth the same of sinnes thonderinge out the terrible iudgementes of God Two Apostles in Marke are called the sonnes of thonder or thonderers He vttereth moreouer holesome voices of doctrine exhortation and consolation by men for the fauour of men Finally where the operation of the holy ghost can not sufficiently wel be expressed yet by the seuenth nombre he compriseth and accomplissheth his fulnes and sayeth that seuen firie lampes are burning before the Seate burnyng I saye not quenched or smoking For the grace of the holy ghoste is bright and full of efficacitie wherof is spoken also before and where these thinges are founde in the Throne howe should any man thinke that the iudgementes from thence procedyng shoulde be in any parte corrupte defiled or to be blamed by the holy ghost al thinges are preserued and by his prouidence al thinges are wrought Hereunto is added an other thing a glassie Sea before the seate in clerenes and brightnes representing Christal The glassie Sea Herby is signified this fraile worlde whiche is subiecte to God and as it were in his sight And also in other places of holy scripture by reason of the vnstablenes tossinge and tourmoyling thereof it beareth the figure of this variable and moste vnconstante worlde And certenly the state of this worlde is more brickel than glasse Some what hereof shal followe in the 15. chapt But what things so euer are done in the world through a maruelous varietie al the same shine as in a glasse before the Throne so that God seeth them all as it were in a Christall whose eyes or knowledge the leeste thinges that be can not escape For we shal not thinke that such thinges as are done in the worlde are done rasshely and by a certen fortune to happeÌ„ or chaunce besides the knowledge of God or to be of God vnknowen A fuller descriptioÌ„ of the Seate After this he retourneth againe to the throne to the intent he might finally finishe that whiche he had begonne ones to describe and might shewe also all the workes of God that are done by his creatures to be most holy And the roial seats chayres or Thrones of kinges are wonte to be borne vp and beautified with beastes as Salomons seate was with lions whiche is to be sene in the 3. boke of Kinges the 10. chapt In other places the moste excellent beastes do drawe the triumphaunt chariotes of Princes After the same maner therfore by a phrase of men beastes are set to the throne of God For God in his prophetes is caried vpoÌ„ Cherubin Cherubin that is in his godly chariot And Ezechiel in the .10 chapt nameth openly Cherubin beastes and the whole text proueth that the place must be vnderstande of god his chariot draweÌ„ by beastes in the which he him self was caried out of the citie of IerusaleÌ„ There is in poetes much mentioÌ„ of the chariot of the Gods taken haply by the firste writers out of the holy scriptures For Sathan the Ape of God goeth aboute alwayes to diffame the worde of veritie But we omitting the triflinges of Poetes wil consider the sober description of this cariage of God or rather of gods throne Almightie God sitteth in this seate Sittyng in the Scriptures is gouernement Here is signified than the God sitteth in al his creatures God sitteth vpon â—eastes that is to saie gouerneth his creatures and by his moste wise prouidence worketh all in all in vsinge euery creature according to his good iuste pleasure after the nature of euery one We shall saye than that by those beastes are vnderstande all the creatures of God dispersed throughe out the foure quarters of the world that is comprehended in the whole world And first is shewed in what place of the throne the beastes were Where in the throne be the beastes to witte in the middes of the Throne and in the circuit of the same You wil are if they be in the throne how should they be about the Throne if they be about the Throne how be they in the middes of the Throne The thynge muste be so conceaued as I admonisshed also before that we should vnderstaÌ„de that vnder the Throne the middes of the beastes doe with their hinder partes reache to the middes of the Throne inwardely and so as it were to haue borne vp the Throne And with